"Babe… hug me. Just a little."
My chest tightened at his plea. Without hesitation, I wrapped him in my arms, holding him close against me, letting him feel the steady beat of my heart. I pressed a kiss to his temple, lingering there for a breath before pulling back just enough to meet his eyes.
"You've got me," I murmured against his lips before stealing a tender kiss.
He exhaled shakily, and together, hand in hand, we stepped out of the car and walked toward the hospital doors.
I had already texted my friend while we were still in the car, making sure he would be ready for us. A part of me thought I should have just asked him to come to my house instead, but no, I wanted Zayn to get used to stepping outside with me. He couldn't hide forever, not every time fear whispered that people would call him gay.