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Snow was falling gently on the streets, and people were hurrying home, their arms filled with gaily wrapped boxes and paper parcels from toy stores, candy shops, and bakeries. For it was Christmas Eve, and as twilight fell, the children throughout Germany waited in hushed expectation for night to arrive, and with it their gifts from the Christ Child. - The Nutcracker
While this beautifully whimsical excitement carries on a world away and several time zones behind, Louis Tomlinson is scrambling to get to work.
Being your own boss comes with some perks, like having the opportunity to exclaim, ‘I’m the boss!’ and the ability to write off boozy dinners with his co-owner as ‘business expenses’, but it does not afford him the luxury of sleeping in. He and his best friend and co-owner, Zayn, opened a bookstore-slash-cat cafe, The Future is Meow, a few years ago. After working less-than satisfying careers, the pair decided to invest their time and money in a business. Becoming business owners was not the easiest transition but neither regrets a single thing.
Except maybe Louis regrets opening the bookstore quite so early.
This morning his bed goes unmade, coffee is not percolated, and Louis almost forgets to take the pastries for his employees and customers he picked up last night from a local bakery. Stacked boxes full of sweet treats nearly cover his face as he walks out to his car, the slippery flurries underfoot causing him to crash into the driver’s side doors.
“For fuckssake,” he mutters to the softly falling snow.
Louis manages to unlock his car doors, slipping the boxes in the footwells in the backseat, then slides in behind the wheel. He isn’t the biggest fan of driving in the snow, or walking in the snow, or generally being outside in the cold for that matter, but the roads are still clear and his drive does not take much longer than usual. He pulls into his unofficial parking spot out front and after grabbing the pastry boxes from the backseat, he cautiously unlocks the front door.
He barely clears the threshold before hearing a cacophony of meows aimed at his snow boot covered ankles. The light switches are back in the office so Louis slowly shuffles his way through the shop, carefully to not accidentally step on any wayward paws along the way. The army of chatty cats march behind him, sure to constantly remind him of their unyielding hunger and need for tactile affection.
“C’mon loves, let me flip the lights on and put these boxes down,” Louis begs.
Once the shop lights are on and he divests of his bulky outer layers, Louis begins the process of dishing out the cat’s breakfast buffet and refilling the water dispensers. A majority of the cats eat the same food, but a few require their own special meals.
Pepperoni and Olive are a tabby brother and sister duo new to the family. Olive is the brains, while her brother Pepperoni is the brawn at nearly one pound heavier. They are still growing and need special kitten formulated food. They take their meals underneath Louis’ desk and away from older, hungry mouths.
Weasley is a ginger of a certain age. He is the elder statesman of the group, keeping a golden eye on the younger cats, and jumps in to stop any infighting and scuffles. His senior recipe meals are next to the stool at the register.
Then there is Beez, or his full given name, Beelzebub. Under the definition of ‘tortitude’ you will find an ambrotype photo of Beez baring his teeth and swatting at one of Louis’ frightened ancestors. Neither Louis nor Zayn know where Beez came from or when he joined the clowder. Seemingly the tortoiseshell appeared out of thin air with the sole purpose to hate them both. Beez gets along with the other cats by keeping a wide berth. He has his own nooks and cozy spots that none of the others have ever attempted to overtake. Since Louis and Zayn, as well as the vet staff at Liberty Veterinary Hospital, are unsure of how old Beez could possibly be, his food addresses his slight weight problem and he eats in the non-fiction section. Despite being on weight control food for years, Beez is still approximately the size of a toddler, which makes him a formidable opponent. It’s fully possible that Beez is a ghost that came with the building.
As all the fluffy beggars are tended to, Louis starts brewing coffee and tucks into a chocolate chip muffin. The holiday season has gratefully been a busy and profitable one, and he spends his first few moments doing some light bookkeeping and checking the statuses of upcoming deliveries. Shortly before opening, he hears the front door open followed by a few happy chirps.
“Morning Z, I already started the coffee,” Louis hollers from the office.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Zayn mumbles, walking in the room and unraveling his thick scarf.
“I didn’t get a chance to have any at home and am in desperate need. Don’t get used to it.”
“I have learned to not expect anything from you.” Zayn busies himself preparing both of their mugs of coffee. “It’s starting to pick up out there. Has anyone texted you they’re running late or can’t come in?”
Louis digs his phone out of the pocket of his baggy cardigan, tapping the screen to bring it to life. “Nope, nothing yet.”
Zayn hums. “Good. I’m gonna flip the sign and say hello to the babies.” He starts for the main sales floor, but pauses to look back at Louis. “Hey Lou, happy birthday,” he sincerely wishes, smiling brightly before snatching an almond croissant and jamming it into his mouth.
A Christmas classics playlist starts, Frank Sinatra’s voice filling his head as he finishes up some paperwork. Louis may be working on a holiday but the shop is his home. Zayn is essentially his brother, having been together through life’s ups and downs. The shop’s employees are dear to him, each of them kind and dedicated. Even the shop regulars are special to him. It warms his heart to see happy, familiar faces throughout the week. Each cat has their own favorite customer, even Beez.
Louis will visit his sisters tomorrow for their usual present exchange, home cooked lunch and birthday cake, but today there isn’t anywhere else he would rather be.
A few harried, last minute shoppers flood the bookstore right as they open. Some seek thoughtful gifts for loved ones, while others look for anything they could wrap and carelessly hand off. Louis loves recommending hidden jewels to customers, lesser known titles that he is sure the intended would appreciate. It’s impossible to read every title that comes through the doors, but he tries his best to read a fair amount to base opinions and suggestions on.
Eventually several regulars filter in and Louis nearly shoves complimentary baked goods into their mouths. Between helping shoppers, he flits around the shop, stopping off at every armchair to offer up a cookie or pastry. The holiday spirit is wafting through the air. Countless hugs are going around, affable laughter blends with Bing Crosby’s crooning, and sprinkles of snow fall from puffy coats and melt into the mismatched throw rugs.
Louis is finishing ringing up a customer when he feels a familiar, forceful brush against his calf. Beez knocks past him to shuffle towards the open front door. Whoever just came inside fights with the harshening wind gust to shut the door and keep the brisk cold on the other side of the aged wood. Beez hates the cold almost as much as he does, so Louis already knows who is responsible for the cantankerous cat’s excitement.
Harry.
Harry is the only thing on this planet who Beez adores more than slivers of fresh rotisserie chicken. All the other cats, as well as the staff, like Harry just fine but Beez has stars in his green eyes every time he stops into the shop. Harry seems equally smitten, and tucks himself off to the side of the entrance to give Beez a proper greeting. He awkwardly bends at the knees in his bulky parka to pet the cat’s black and amber fur, paying extra attention to underneath his jaw and behind the left ear. Louis can practically feel the floor vibrating from Beez’s purrs ten feet away. He can’t really blame Beez because if Harry were rubbing his neck he would also be vibrating in pleasure.
Aside from being a feline whisperer, Harry is kind of wonderful. He is not the most boisterous regular they have, but warmth emanates from him. Louis cannot recall a time where Harry was not gracious and polite, and as time has passed, he has come more out of his shell and now feels comfortable enough to chat with Louis and his employees. He is sharp as a tack, his intelligence subtly weaving into casual conversation, while glimpses of his disarming silliness pop up at random.
Plus, he is hot as hell.
Tall and lean with a tussle of dark floppy curls, now currently covered by a woolen beanie and shimmering snowflakes. Harry’s face is inarguably striking— wide green eyes, high cheekbones, and shapely, petal pink lips. In some glances he is classically handsome, while in others he is delicately beautiful.
He is a study of opposites. Exaggerated features with an understated disposition. Well-versed in the classics yet an aficionado of reality tv. An amateur vegetarian chef that can’t turn down a corndog.
Louis is endeared and fascinated by Harry, possibly even more than Beez.
“Hey Harry,” Louis greets, after wishing his last customer a happy holiday. The rush of wind as the door opens and closes again sends a shiver down his spine. Harry begins to stand and Beez lovingly mashes his fluffy face into his jeans.
“Hi Louis. Happy holidays. The snow is picking up out there. Will you be closing up early today?”
“We have been pretty busy so we’ll probably play it by ear. It would be shitty if people trudge over and we’ve closed up. Could I interest you in a treat?” he offers, opening the white pastry box. Harry’s eyes sparkle seeing all the baked goodies.
“Oooh, these all look good. What do you recommend?”
“I’m a bit of a slut for anything chocolate, so I’d say either the mini eclair or peanut butter brownie.”
Harry’s giggle melds with the tinkling of Jingle Bell Rock throughout the shop. “It only takes some chocolate to get into your pants?” he jests, animatedly wiggling his eyebrows. “Mmm, I’d like a mini eclair, please. Wanna feel like a giant eating it.”
“You know what they say about big hands?” Louis asks, plucking the eclair up with a napkin and placing it on a small paper plate. “Big mittens.”
The resulting blush high on Harry’s cheeks could be from overheating in his heavy winter outerwear inside the cozy shop, but Louis hopes his words tinted his skin.
“Can confirm.” Harry raises one still mitten covered hand. He takes the plate from Louis’ hand with a quiet thanks and makes his way over towards the cookbooks.
Hemi, an ash gray polydactyl leaps onto the counter to nudge her head into Louis’ sternum. He lifts his hand to brush his fingers through her thick fur. There are not many things better in life than a cuddly cat, except for possibly making Harry blush.
The hours have escaped Louis, passing by in a crush of last minute shoppers and brief gusts of wind from the front door. But then it all stops. He, Zayn and their employees have been fueled by caffeine, cookies, and holiday cheer, wholly oblivious to the progression of the snow storm. At last glance, the trees and sidewalks were just starting to show accumulation. Now though, everything outside of their door is under a heavy blanket of snow. The morning weather report predicted a few inches but the precipitation could now be measured in feet.
Louis darts his eyes to do a headcount of people in the shop. Aside from Zayn and himself, Michael and Helen are tidying the sales floor, while Issac and Krystle restock the coffee bar. Zayn’s fiancé, Liam, stopped in earlier since they are sickeningly in love and Liam was ‘lonely’. Louis is convinced they share brain cells. He also spots Harry sharing a window seat with the cup in his hand and another man wearing a newsboy cap. If he was not worried about the sudden blizzard, Louis would be more concerned about the other man making Harry smile into his drink.
Before he even thinks to call Zayn over to discuss closing for the day, a chorus of metallic chimes erupt from everyone's cell phones. Louis quickly pulls his phone from his back pocket to find a weather warning.
Blizzard warning until 1 AM. Multiple snow squalls possible. Avoid travel. Stay inside.
Fuck.
He catches everyone else left in the store scrambling for their phones or already reading the weather alert with bulging eyes. Zayn meets his gaze, the pair mirroring each other's panic, subtly shaking their heads.
What the hell were they going to do? They have to keep themselves, and more importantly, their employees and remaining customers safe. The winds are already picking up, the branches of the poor barren trees outside are whipping around, and blowing snow limited the visibility. Louis can barely make out his black suv parked right our front. It would be irresponsible to let anyone leave. They were safe and warm inside the bookshop. Hopefully the storm will settle down overnight and the city will have the roads cleared and salted by the morning.
There were enough water and beverages from the coffee bar, and aside from the boxes of pastries, Louis and Zayn keep a stash of savory snacks in the office. A Christmas Eve dinner of microwavable mac and cheese cups, instant ramen, and packaged peanut butter crackers will have to suffice.
They will all have to ride through the storm together.
Louis rushes over to Zayn before anyone else has a chance to ask them what is going on. He interrupts his quiet discussion with Liam with a hand on Zayn’s elbow. “We’re all going to have to spend the night here. It’s already dangerous outside and no one should travel in that.”
“You’re right,” Zayn sighs. “We have to let everyone know they’re safe here for the night.”
From the floor, Beez pauses his lazy stroll to hiss up at his owners. Louis glances over at Harry’s worrisome face at the window seat. “At least one of us will be safe.”
Zayn follows Louis’ eyeline. “Beez is going to love spending a night with Handsome Harold. Try not to claw each other’s eyes out over him.”
“Control you man, Liam.”
Liam snorts. “If anyone knows that’s impossible, it would be you.”
“Maybe you two should leave. Let me know how it turns out.”
“Nope.” Zayn hangs his arm over Louis’ slumped shoulders. “Hey everyone, can you all come over here? We need to talk about the storm,” he announces, voice loud enough to reach Harry and the other guy towards the back of the bookstore.
Everyone makes their way over, some dropping into armchairs while others prefer to stand.
“So the snowstorm has gotten treacherous and quickly, and it is only going to get worse. Zayn and I apologize for not keeping on top of the forecast and giving you all a chance to leave earlier. But for where we are right now, it would be best we all stick it out here overnight. Unless you live down the street, it’s really dangerous to head out now. We can’t force anyone stay, but the visibility out there is nonexistent and it’s windy as fuck,” Louis states, gesturing towards the wall of whiteness outside the storefront windows.
“It’s safe here, we have some food besides cookies in the office. Employees, you don’t have to do anything else today and you’ll see a bonus in your next check for the inconvenience.” Louis looks over to Harry and the other man. “As for you two, if you choose to stay we can find a way to compensate you aside from food and drinks. Again, we can’t make you stay but we would strongly suggest it.”
The four employees have a silent conversation, all eyebrow movements and nods.
“We’ll all stay,” Michael, the unofficial spokesman of the group tells them. “And we’re not upset about not closing earlier. We were all too busy to realize. It was an honest mistake.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about that. Thank you for letting us stay,” Helen says.
Since it appears his employees don’t hate him, Louis feels a weight lift from his shoulders.
“Umm…” Harry starts, raising his hand like an elementary school student. “Are you sure we can stay?”
“Absolutely, Harry. We couldn’t possibly send you out in this. I’m sorry we didn’t give you both a chance to leave earlier.”
“There was no way Harry was leaving until you guys closed for the night,” the other man pipes up, a smirk settling into his lips. Beside him, Harry subtly elbows him in the ribs. “He loves it here and didn’t have plans today.”
“Shut it, Niall. Yeah, Louis. We can stay. Thank you.”
We.
With a curt nod, Louis spins on his heels and sets off to his office. In their short conversations, Harry had never let on that he had a partner, but then again Louis never admitted to being a single pringle himself. There was always a slightly flirty chemistry between them, neither of them ever taking it any further. If he knew Harry was in a relationship he would have still kept their interactions polite, but much more like his conversations with the other regulars.
While he hears Zayn asking everyone to please let their loved ones know they will be staying at the shop overnight, Louis distracts his brain by distracting his hands and begins to pull all of their snacks from the office to bring behind the cafe counter. He doesn’t want anyone to feel awkward asking for food while they are all stuck here. When he gets done, every available surface of the coffee bar is covered with prepackaged food.
The cats can sense something is afoot. It isn’t commonplace for all of their favorite people to be free for pets and scritches. The staff settled in, spending their time enjoying snacks and relaxing with warm, furry bodies in their laps. Everyone seemed to relax, content not to be forced to brave the snow squall and dipping temperatures.
All of the stress that comes along with the holiday season seems to melt off Zayn, Liam, and their staff. The go-go-go of the past few weeks has come to a grateful halt. Harry and his possible-partner look to be making themselves comfortable, even with Beez affixed to Harry’s side, his nimble hand running through plush fur. Beez has his eye on the new guy, not immediately taken with him as he had been with Harry.
Louis is a bit torn between heading over to make polite conversation and getting to know them both better, and keeping his distance to spare himself the opportunity of seeing Harry loved up with someone else. His conscience wins out and Louis decides to join them in the— ugh, romance section.
The pair are facing one another, backs propped up against the shelves. Beez has his head resting on Harry’s soft corduroy-covered leg, eyes feeling the pull of sleep and serenity yet still focused on the newcomer. Louis walks over with his ever-present mug of coffee and Pepperoni hot on his heels.
“Hey, mind if I have a seat?” Louis asks them.
Harry’s head snaps up. “Oh, yeah. Absolutely.”
Louis crosses his legs and lowers himself to the spot of carpet next to Harry. He reaches over the aisle to extend a hand. “We haven’t properly met. I’m Louis, me and Zayn are the owners.”
“Nice to finally meet you. I’m Niall,” the other man says with a smile, shaking Louis’ hand firmly. “Harry talks about you all the time at home.”
Home. As in they share a home. Louis is already regretting coming over.
“Nice things, I hope,” Louis jokes nervously.
“Always nice things,” Harry admits.
“And who do we have here?” asks Niall. He holds a hand out to Pepperoni who curiously sniffs at him, then bashes his head against Niall’s hand forcing a nuzzle.
“This is Pepperoni who apparently has no shame. He and his sister Olive are the babies of the family.” Louis glances over to see Olivia attempting to climb Liam’s leg. Maybe shamelessness runs in the family.
Niall gingerly picks up Pepperoni with steady hands under his tush and legs. The cat wiggles in his hold and begins to swat at the bill of his hat. “He’s awesome. How many cats do you have living here?”
Every time Louis has to count out all the cats in his head he feels like a terrible parent.
“We have nine now. Pepperoni and Olive came last month. Unfortunately we lost one this past summer. She was older. When we realized the time was coming, she came home with me every night. She was properly spoiled until the end,” he shares, wistfully smiling at the memory of his sweet old lady.
“Havoc,” Harry chimes. “She was great. Always so lovely, cute as a button.”
“You met her when she settled down,” Louis snorts. “She definitely earned that name when we first got her. Zayn and I were roommates in college when we adopted her and she was pure chaos.”
“Does this guy live up to his name?” Niall asks, nudging his head towards Beez.
“You mean Beelzebub over there? Definitely. He’s the devil incarnate with every human in the world except Harry. He is obsessed with him.” Louis can relate. He looks over to admire Harry’s blushing cheeks.
“He’s just misunderstood. Or he likes the way I smell, who knows.” He rubs behind Beez’s left ear, making his eyes droop further.
Niall snickers. “You obviously haven’t dropped in after a run or fresh from the gym. Or that time you tried out that organic, hippie crystal deodorant. No one could like that smell.” Harry’s offense is evident from his open mouth and adorably furrowed brow.
“Excuse me, Niall. I don’t stink.”
“Now. You don’t stink now.”
“I’d like to argue that I never stink,” Harry asserts.
Louis knows that some couples argue as foreplay. He has witnessed Zayn and Liam fight over whether to stream Vanderpump Rules on Hulu or Peacock, and then had to promptly leave their home once Zayn’s shirt hit the floor. Louis is giving himself a birthday present and choosing to leave this conversation before anyone disrobes.
“I’ll let you two debate Harry’s assorted aromas. Let me or Zayn know if you need anything.” Louis unfolds his legs to stand up, his knees quietly protesting with him. The last few minutes did not confirm or deny Harry and Niall’s relationship, instead managing to make him more confused. He needs a few minutes to himself and decides to go hide in the office for a few minutes. Hemi sneaks inside and hops onto his lap. He takes her precious face in between his hands and presses a kiss on top of head.
Louis has spent a majority of his adult life single, mainly by choice. Between his family needing a lot of his attention at times and trying to make the bookstore a success, he hasn’t been in a place to have a romantic relationship. Even though it has been his choice, it gets lonely at times. Now that he is at a place where he would like to be in a relationship, seeing the man of his affections with someone else stings a little extra.
There is something about Harry that feels special. Louis savors each of their interactions and always craves more. Harry is a little shy, and he appreciates each fleeting time he opens up to share bits of himself. They don’t know all too much about one another, but Louis would love to get that opportunity.
When he is done feeling sorry for himself and Hemi is busying herself swatting at the post it notes on his desk, he places her on the floor and walks back out to the shop. Zayn is behind the coffee bar fixing Liam a cup of ramen, which even with a full chef's kitchen is the scope of his culinary skill.
“Feel up to making me one?” Louis asks, nudging his head against Zayn’s shoulder. If it works for Weasley, it may work for him.
“In the spirit of the holiday, sure. Do you want chicken or beef?” Zayn hands the cup to Liam, who kisses his cheek and gratefully tucks into his noodles.
“Beef please. Want to stave off the anemia, freeze dried beef counts, right?”
A huff passes Zayn’s lips. “If you wanna tell yourself that, sure.” He peels back the foil lid and pushes down the tap for boiling water from the dispenser. “Saw you over there chatting with Handsome Harold. Niall is pretty cool too.”
Louis shrugs his shoulders dramatically, a gruff sigh leaving his chest. “Yeah, Niall is nice, I guess.” It would be easier for Louis to hate his guts, but Niall seems like a genuinely good person. Pepperoni likes him. The bastard.
Zayn hands off the steamy noodle cup, leaning in close to Louis’ ear.
“They aren’t dating, if that’s what is making you a pouty teen,” he whispers.
Watching the peas and corn kernels rehydrate is distracting Louis enough to not kick or stomp his feet.
“How do you know, Z? Did they tell you?”
“Well, no. But I could tell. They’re just really good friends. Harry has been sending you happy baby cow eyes all day. He likes you.”
“But he and Niall look pretty cozy together.”
“Kinda like you and me, your best friend? You literally just rubbed up against me to feed you.”
“That’s different,” Louis whines. He swirls his fork through the noodles, collecting a few to slurp up.
“Different how? Because it’s us and you know it’s never been romantic for me or you? You need to ask if they are a couple if it’s going to make you so miserable. It’s Christmas Eve and your fucking birthday. It should be a good day, in spite of the circumstances.”
Zayn is right. No use in wallowing in something that might not be true. Maybe Harry and Niall are besties who feel as comfortable with each other as he and Zayn do. Louis could be making this all a bigger deal in his head. Next time he sees an opportunity where Harry is alone, he will ask if they are an item. The worst to come from it would be a ‘yes’. It’s not like Harry would be totally irrational and beat him up for asking. And even if he tried, Louis is pretty scrappy and has all of the cats on his side. Well, most of them.
Now with his belly full, it’s time to prepare dinner for the cats. Louis sets off to collect all their food bowls to clean then replace with tonight’s food. Zayn has Liam to help top off their water dispensers and dole out praise for managing to pour filtered tap water into a bottle. He is fetching Weasley’s bowl from behind the register when he hears someone behind him clearing their throat.
“Umm, do you need any help?” Harry asks. Louis snaps upright, knocking his elbow into the metal stool next to him.
“Ah, fucking hell,” he screeches, hand flying up to run at his throbbing joint. “Sorry, sorry for the language. Uh, sure you can help. Beez’s bowl is in non-fiction, tucked into the bottom shelf at the end of the alphabet. I’ll meet you back by the office in a sec.”
Harry has his bottom lip nipped behind his front teeth as he nods. “Alright. See you there.”
He shuffles towards the section and Louis allows himself to watch. His gait resembles a kid trying not to run at the tree on Christmas morning. His long legs are having difficulty following a measured pace as his hips sway to Sleigh Ride. He’s the perfect amalgamation of graceful and goofy.
After grabbing Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy’s bowls from between the two fluffiest armchairs, Louis joins Harry by the open front door of his office.
“Walk right in, no need to be shy,” he offers, pushing the door fully open. “Would you please take the bowls into the restroom to rinse out and pop them on my desk when they’re clean? I’m going to portion everything out.”
“You got it,” Harry says, walking into the private bathroom inside of the office. He begins to rinse the bowls of leftover food and hair, wiggling his hips as it is the most exciting task ever assigned to him. Louis shakes himself out of watching Harry and sets the different cat foods onto his desk.
“I can’t believe I’ve never asked. Do you have any pets, Harry? You’re fantastic with all our babies.”
The water taps shut off and Harry reenters the office, assorted bowls cradled in his arms. “No, not right now. Don’t let Niall fool you, he isn’t the biggest cat person and our landlord doesn't allow dogs. I grew up with cats though. Since my sister and I moved out, our mom has replaced us with several new, feline siblings. Between coming here and visiting her I get my fix.”
Confirmed. And they were roommates.
“Oh, so you live together?” Louis timidly asks, the wind effectively leaving his sails. Dammit, Zayn and your rationality.
“Yeah, for a while now. He had a bad breakup and I insisted he move in with me. I had an extra bedroom and he needed some support, a shoulder for him to snot all over,” he muses.
“Well that was very kind of you,” Louis begins. Might as well bite the bullet. “Did you start dating soon after that?” He hopes that his wincing isn’t evident to Harry.
“I mean, I dated after he moved in. If there was someone I was interested in, but not all that often,” he pauses and meets Louis’ eyes. “Do you mean if we started dating? Niall and I?”
“Yeah,” Louis confirms as he nods his head.
“Shit, god no. Niall is like my brother. I’m actually single. Very, very single.”
So they were only roommates.
This was the only Christmas and birthday present Louis could have ever wanted. Granted, this news did not mean Harry was necessarily interested in him, but he felt better knowing he wasn’t pining over someone’s partner.
“Sorry for assuming,” he apologizes, diverting his eyes down to filling the March Sisters’ bowls.
“No harm. You know, I thought you and Zayn were a couple for the longest time. It was until months later Liam came to pick him up and he introduced himself as his fiance.”
Louis can’t help but snort. “Zayn and I would be at each other’s throats. We manage to be friends and business partners, but if we were in a relationship we would go at it like mad. And not in the fun way.” He turns to wink at Harry, earning a sweet chortle in return. “I’m single as well.”
They share a pregnant pause, serenely smiling at one another. The flush has not left Harry’s cheeks since volunteering to help feed the cats.
“Good to know.”
An orchestra of meows slip into the office, most of the smallest residents of The Future is Meow curling around their ankles. Beez has flopped himself onto the top of Harry’s foot while Olive and Pepperoni sit semi-patiently under the footwell of the desk, their twin tails twirling around each other.
“Looks like we have been undertaken by a gang of starving, Victorian children. You can bring out Beez and Weasley’s bowls since you know where they go. Thank you for the help, Harry. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome, Louis. Thanks for letting me. And the chat.”
Harry coos down at Beez and picks up the two bowls, he and Weasley trotting out behind. Louis gives himself a moment to huff out a sigh. He bites down the smile threatening to tug up his lips. Although he is snowed in and stuck at work overnight, it might not be the worst way to spend his birthday.
The group passes the time chatting about everything and nothing in between curling up in armchairs to read. Louis does his best to not copy Beez and follow Harry around. They share some words here and there, mostly around the others, but Louis does offer to fix up some dinner for him. It is probably the least appetizing mac and cheese Harry has ever eaten but seeing his thankful smile made Louis feel better about the watery sauce. Maybe one day he will get the chance to cook Harry a real meal. He’s even willing to mash some potatoes for him.
Since learning Harry and Niall were strictly friends, Louis has taken pleasure in getting to know him better. He helps ease Harry out of his shell a tad more, more open to giving in to sillier conversations and quips. Niall fits in seamlessly with each group, now with little Pepperoni tethered to his side.
A little later in the evening, Zayn drags Louis into the office to discuss the employee bonuses. Although no one seems to be that put out by being locked in the shop, they all deserve something extra for the inconvenience. He and Zayn hammer out all the details and print out additional checks. One less thing to worry about going into the new year.
Blue Christmas plays on the other side of the office door, albeit at a softer volume. Louis figures the day is catching up with everyone and they are settling in for the night. The adrenaline of the day is drained from Louis, leaving weary bones and tired eyes. When they offered their staff, plus Harry and Niall, the chance to stay over, Louis mentally gave everyone their own armchair to curl up in and relegated himself to the floor. It wasn’t the first but hopefully will be the last time he would sleep on the bare floor. Generally the floor is no place for a thirty-one year old man with delicate bones, but he is sure Hemi will let him cuddle with her.
Louis walks over to open the office door, ready to check in with everyone before sleep pulls them all under. His hand wraps around the knob and the lights cut out. He looks over his shoulder, attempting to see Zayn’s silhouette in the darkness.
“Holy shit, Z. Did the power go off?” his voice frantic.
“I hope not. Open the door,” Zayn tells him, finding Louis’ shoulders in front of him to clutch.
He twists the knob and stumbles out of the darkness of the office and finds his employees, Liam, Niall and Harry grouped together. All their smiling faces are illuminated by the handful of striped candles on a chocolate birthday cake. Zayn wraps his arm around Louis’ waist and brings him closer to the cake, and all the lovely people singing Happy Birthday.
Being a Christmas Eve baby teaches you to lower your standards for birthday celebrations that are solely yours. It’s tough sharing the day with the big JC, real or not. It hasn’t crossed his mind that a fuss was not made for his birthday, between the holiday and blizzard it made sense that it may have slipped everyone’s mind.
But now, he is thankful to have all these people with him.
Louis is sure to look into each singer’s eyes, hoping to convey how much this small act of kindness means to him. He gets to Harry when it is time to make a wish. Part of it has already come true, seeing Harry’s dimples and tousled curls highlighted by the candlelight’s soft glow is more than he expected. His misty eyes slip shut as he elaborates on this year’s wish, speaking it inside his head. Louis opens his eyes to blow out the candles, not content until light gray tendrils of smoke flutter towards him.
He feels Zayn’s arm slip from him as he dashes back to the office to flip the lights on. Liam carries the cake behind the coffee bar to slice up while Michael, Krystle, and the rest of the gang take turns wrapping Louis up in hugs and kissing his cheeks. After Helen whispers her hopes that his wishes will come true, Harry steps in front of Louis and looks a little unsure of whether or not to hug Louis as well. His posture is ramrod straight as he nibbles on the edge of his thumb, his eyes darting all over Louis’ face.
High on happiness, Louis takes the lead and envelopes Harry in an embrace. Harry melts into it, his lithe body relaxing in his hold. They clutch each other for a moment before Harry tilts his face into the crook of Louis’ neck to place a fleeting kiss under his ear. His lips feel like the flutter of hummingbirds wings, ephemeral and delicate. They are gone before Louis registers them, and Harry pulls away.
“You didn’t tell me it was your birthday today,” Harry chastises lightly. “Happy birthday, Louis.”
“Thanks, Harry. Glad you’re here.”
“Me too. Still would be even if there wasn’t chocolate cake. Or a blizzard.”
“Let’s go get you a piece,” Louis softly chuckles, placing a guiding hand between Harry’s shoulder blades.
Liam and Zayn slice and serve the decadent Black Forest cake, truly relishing the role of Louis’ parents hosting a birthday slumber party. Louis tucks in, savoring the sweet chocolate, fluffy whipped cream and tart cherry filling. After eating this cake and all the baked goods earlier in the day, Louis vows to himself to start jogging around the neighborhood once all the snow is cleared from the streets. Or at least power walking.
A hearty slice and tiny sliver later, Louis’ fork finally rests on the plate along with a few mere crumbs. He turns to toss his paper plate in the trash when Harry sidles up in front of him.
“You’ve got a little something—” Harry trails off, his eyes zeroing in on the bottom half of Louis’ face. He reaches his thumb out and skims the bottom corner of Louis’ mouth. A smear of whipped cream dots Harry’s thumb, and Louis tracks his movements as he pops his thumb into his own mouth. The motion is sudden, if Louis were not staring intently at Harry, the move would have been missed. It was so quick that once Harry’s lips circle his finger, his eyes bulge and he pulls it from his mouth.
“I—I am so sorry,” he stutters. “That was so rude of me.”
Louis attempts to satiate an actively spiraling Harry, smiling and airily chuckling. “No, it’s alright. It was a delicious cake. Waste not, want not, right?”
“Yeah, that was amazing,” Harry admits, flitting his gaze down to his woolen socks.
“Could I get you anything else? Some tea, more cake, a cat to cuddle?”
Harry looks up, locking eyes with Louis. “No. This is perfect.” He extends a hand and allows his fingers to graze Louis’ palm. “You’re perfect.”
Warmth pools in Louis’ belly and his hand twitches. He clasps Harry’s fingers to give them a gentle squeeze.
“Oh no, Pepperoni!” Niall’s voice slashes through a sedate Vince Giraldi Trio instrumental.
The pair’s reverie is shattered, Louis dropping Harry’s hand in a rush to check up on Pepperoni, and Niall he supposes. He and Harry follow Niall’s worried groans to just beyond the threshold of the office. They find Niall squatting over a retching Pepperoni and a puddle of sick. His handsome face is wretched up in a grimace, while he soothes the poor, ill cat by stroking his back. Louis crouches down to investigate. He has experienced his share of hairballs and the like, but this puddle has some bright orange bits. Before he begins to panic, he tries to place what the cat could have eaten when it hits him.
“Niall, did you feed my cat Goldfish crackers?” he asks. They don’t have that specific snack in the shop but some of the bits look distinctly fish-like. Niall wearily rubs his face.
“I had a packet in my coat pocket. Sometimes I get peckish between meals and those do the trick. He must have sniffed them out. Shit, Louis I am so sorry. Will he be ok?”
Chances are Pepperoni will be just fine once the crackers are out of him. Thankfully they aren’t toxic. His growing little body has never had any processed human food and it is giving him a tummy ache. Louis looks over to Harry who is covering his mouth in an attempt to tamp down laughter. Harry knows Pepperoni will be alright, but Niall’s panicked, worrisome look is quite funny.
“He’ll be fine, Ni.” Louis squeezes Niall’s shoulder. “They aren’t toxic, he just ate too much. He’ll be fine. I’ll sleep with him tonight. Why don’t you go pick out your spot for tonight. I got this.”
“Are you sure? I can…” he starts, then winces at the mess.
“Don’t worry, Ni, I can clean this up,” offers Harry.
“Is everything alright in here?” Zayn asks, leaning into the doorway and spotting the sick. “Ugh gross, is that from Pepperoni?”
Louis stands upright, tugging Niall with him. “Yeah, he’ll be fine. I’ll keep an eye on him overnight, just in case.” He can see Zayn putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, shaking his head as he takes it in.
“Cool, let me know if you need anything. Liam and I are sharing that oversized chair in the kid’s section.”
“How romantic,” Louis teases
Zayn smirks. “Quite. C’mon Niall, I saved you a spot with less cat traffic.”
“You good, H?” Niall and Harry appear to have a telepathic friend conversation before he answers.
“Yeah, I’m gonna stay here. Louis might need my help with Pepperoni tonight.” Louis glances at Harry when he hears his name. The other man is fidgeting with his cardigan sleeves, pulling them down to cover his hands. Giving himself sweater paws.
“How romantic,” Zayn goads in retaliation. “Sweet dreams, boys. Look, just in time.”
Beez strolls in, hopping over the cracker barf and running to Harry’s side. He rubs his body against Harry’s ankles, his proud, fluffy tail wrapping around his calf.
“Night, guys. Dream for clear streets.” Niall and Zayn leave them for the night and close the door a bit.
The warmth is back inside Louis’ belly now that he is alone with Harry, not counting the two felines. This isn’t the most romantic setting, and definitely does not smell romantic, but Louis is sure anywhere with Harry is worth being.
He makes speedy work of cleaning up the mess on the floor while Harry pets Pepperoni’s arched back. Even Beez shows some concern, nuzzling his face into the crook of the tabby’s neck. The room is soon enveloped in the scent of pine cleaner— sharp but homey. Louis quickly washes his hands and splashes some water on his face before reentering the office. He spots Harry sitting with his back against the wall and his long legs stretched in front of him. His cardigan is now off his shoulders, adjusted to lay across his front like a blanket, while Beez is coiled in his lap like an adorable yet nefarious heating pad. Harry has taken one of the many cat beds strewn across the office and placed it beside him. Thankfully poor little Pepperoni has seemed to settle himself inside and is calmly dozing.
Louis takes a moment to appreciate the scene in front of him before flicking off the lights. Over the course of today, this man he has always had a boyish crush on confirmed every assumption Louis placed on him. He was thoughtful and warm, shy but always quick with a smile or pun. Quirky and kind, to both humans and felines. Throughout the day, Louis has been cataloging Harry’s every expression and would be honored to be able to continue his research of what makes Harry’s eyes light up, his cheeks flush, and his dimples pop.
Harry catches him in the act of fonding, his jade green eyes sparkling in the dimness as he looks up at Louis.
“I saved you a seat,” he offers, patting the spot on the other side of the cat bed.
The corner of Louis’ lips twitches up. “Are you sure there’s room for me? Looks like the bed is a little full.”
“We can cram you in.” Louis cautiously steps over Harry’s outstretched legs and gingerly sits to the left of the cat bed, Harry’s eyes trailing his every move as Louis matches his position. Their eyes meet and they share a secret smile. Louis breaks their peaceful silence first.
“When I woke up this morning, this isn’t how I pictured my day ending.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“The only bad thing is having to shovel my car out of three feet of snow in the morning,” he chuckles. “Everything else has been pretty fantastic. Best thirty-first birthday ever.”
“I can help shovel if you want.”
Louis reaches over to feel for Harry’s shoulder. “I basically held you hostage on Christmas Eve, fed you watery macaroni, and now my twenty-three pound cat is asleep on your lap after accosting you for twelve hours. You aren’t doing any manual labor for me, please.”
“I told you the macaroni was fine. Plus Beez has been nothing but a precious angel all day,” he jokes, ghosting a hand over the tortoiseshell’s fur. “Besides, it isn’t a hostage situation if I wanted to be here all night. With you.”
Heat bursts across Louis’ cheeks, and chills run over his arms. He shivers imperceptibly, the grasp on Harry’s shoulder tightens.
The door creaks open and a small, shadowy figure emerges. Once Louis realizes Hemi has entered the room, a recognition based only on her silhouette and gait, he comes to the realization that he needs to get out more. She gracefully hops onto his kneecaps and curls up.
“There is no one else I would rather sleep upright and covered in cats with, “ he admits, running his hand down Harry’s arm to trace his bony knuckles with his fingertips. The darkness and proximity are making Louis brave.
Harry flips his hand over to lace their fingers. “What if the cats weren’t here?”
“We probably wouldn’t be sleeping upright.”
“In that case I have an important question for you, before this goes any further. Are you a big spoon or a little spoon?” Louis can hear the smile in his voice.
“Big spoon. I’m a massive cuddler. Does that make us incompatible?”
“The opposite, really. I am the teeny, tiniest spoon.”
Louis squeezes his hand tighter. “Would you look at that? I think we’re a match.”
“Seems that way. Maybe soon we should go out together. Without your staff and Niall. Or even the cats.”
“I would love to take you out, Harry.”
“Then it’s a date,” Harry agrees.
Louis turns his head to the right to look at Harry through the darkness, and finds him already looking at him. The outline of his curls brush against the top of his ear and the darkness casting shadows along his jaw. He steadily leans further into his space until feeling the warmth of Harry’s breaths across his lips, then presses a kiss onto his awaiting mouth. Harry’s lips are soft and yielding, allowing Louis to nip his lower lip into his mouth. He turns to place his free hand on Harry’s neck, sliding up to finger his curls. Harry sighs, dropping his mouth open and slipping out his tongue. The kiss turns deeper, the urgency palpable.
Hands drift and moans are murmured. Louis feels Harry’s knee bump into his thigh as he shifts to get closer, then a sudden a loud yowl reverberates throughout the still of the office. They wrench apart as Beez unravels from his peaceful sleep atop Harry’s lap in a panic and skitters across the floor.
“Oh my god, Beez! I’m so sorry! I must have scared him when I moved,” Harry apologizes and hops to his knees, crawling over to the alarmed cat. He is in shambles and sliding his hands across the floor to feel for Beez before accidentally tripping over him. Louis snickers to himself. The mood is effectively ruined, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Harry’s compassion and misplaced guilt about spooking a sleeping cat confirms what a kind, empathetic person he is and Louis could never fault him for that.
Harry finally gets back in the cat’s good graces and they return back to Louis. Beez is sure to trample all over his lap before relaxing again and tucking into a ball. A frustrated huff leaves Harry’s lips.
“I ruined our moment,” he whispers into the darkness.
“Don’t beat yourself up, love. Maybe it was a sign we should slow down. For tonight at least.” Louis tentatively hovers his arm in Harry’s direction until he finds his hand to hold.
“Suppose so. As much as I have fantasized about making out with you, it didn’t include a blizzard and a dozen cats.”
“Only nine. We’ll get to a dozen someday. For now, let’s try to get some sleep.”
Harry slowly leans to his side to rest on Louis’ shoulder, receiving a kiss on the crown of his head.
“Goodnight, Louis,” Harry mumbles.
“Goodnight, love.”
Several hours later, Zayn and Liam are awoken by the sounds of plows scraping the asphalt streets. The sun is rising to greet them. Its strengthening, golden rays hit the stark white snow and reflect light into the Future is Meow’s front windows and door. Liam stretches his arms overhead and then kisses his fiancé’s stubbly cheek.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” Liam whispers.
“Merry Christmas, darling,” replies Zayn, cuddling close.
They take a few moments to savor the stillness of the morning before rising and tiptoeing around the shop. Everyone is still blissfully asleep. Michael is slouched in his chair, head resting on the arm and remarkably not a hair out of place. Isaac is in the armchair to the left, curled up with his knees pressed to his chest. Krystle and Helen are huddled together on the floor, having fashioned themselves a sleepsack composed of cushions and their coats. The March sisters are cuddled behind Krystle’s knees, lower back and atop Helen’s chest. Niall has managed to lay across the window seat with his legs propped up on a café chair. His balance is precarious but he earns ingenuity points.
The couple creeps towards the office, piquing Weasley and Olive’s interest along the way. Zayn pushes the ajar door open further and peeks inside.
Louis and Harry lay asleep against the wall, Harry seemingly sliding to his side throughout the night with Louis flopped on top of him. Zayn sees Pepperoni’s serene face between them, still nestled in the cat bed. Hemi is curled up in the dip of the desk chair, while surprisingly Beez sits casually at Louis’ hip. His green eyes blink lazily up at his other owner as he licks his paw.
“What the hell happened last night?” Zayn whispers and looks at Liam. His face is as confused as Zayn feels.
“I don’t know, but you owe me twenty bucks. I told you they would get together by the end of the storm,” Liam mumbles. “Hey, wanna go outside and make snow angels?”