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Louis glares at the Christmas themed bear sitting directly across from him. It’s Christmas, obviously, and he got stuck with an opening shift. Sure, he doesn’t have to close tonight, but it still sucks that he has to sit through an entire morning of doing nothing. He loves Christmas. He’s not trying to be a Grinch. He loves the holiday spirit. He loves watching his siblings open their presents, cute faces breaking into expressions of excitement, and tackling him into a bear hug of endless ‘ thank you ’s and kisses.
That is if he were spending it with family; which he is not .
No, this year while his family are off spending the day back in Donny, Louis is stuck here in London. He didn’t have the gas money for the trip back home, unfortunately. He could barely afford the presents he had at home as it was and he was adamant on affording things himself. He won’t and never will take their money. The only reason he picked up this shift was so that he wouldn’t be home alone in his flat and eating his body weight in chocolate. Might as well spend it being productive and earning extra cash come time for his bills.
He could do without the damn bear mocking him.
It was about as big as the cash register he was supposed to be counting money from. It has these small, beady eyes that are (Louis swears) staring him down with pure judgement. He has come to despise this particular bear because nobody ever buys it and he felt so sorry for it that he bought it with the last of his money. He had intended to give it to his youngest sister, Doris, but he had seen that Lottie bought her something like it already. Now it just sits near the front as decoration, staring at him, mocking all of his life decisions. Adjourned on its head beside its regular circular ears are a pair of antlers. Louis had the same kind of antlers on his own head, part of the store’s festive uniform this year. Louis hated it the moment he was informed of it, but luckily today he didn’t have anyone walking in to be embarrassed about it.
There’s a large clank and footsteps nearby that catch his attention.
Well, almost. Maybe. Approaching him is a large box of what appear to be of clearance sale candles, and long legs are walking with it. Today has been a particularly slow day so he isn’t bothered by the box being placed onto his conveyor belt when an attractive face pops out from behind it.
The face belongs to his coworker of over a year, Harry. They often worked the same shifts and while at times Harry’s corny knock-knock jokes made him want to knee him in the nads just to get him to shut up, he also made him hate his job less. Makes this shift less insufferable. It also helped that he had the nicest pair of green eyes Louis would like to get lost in.
Oh right, that might have to do with his ridiculous crush on him.
On Harry’s head lay an identical pair of antlers and it shouldn’t be as endearing as it was. Harry could make a good reindeer if he wanted to. The other beams his way and Louis realizes he is holding two Christmas-themed scented candles. So many smells made Louis want to gag but Harry seemed to like it. He wasn’t about to bring down his spirits on Christmas.
“Look, Lou!” Harry said cheerfully, looking incredibly soft in his rather ugly Christmas sweater. (Louis melts a little inside. Are the hearts in his eyes showing?) “I found a candle that smells exactly like candy canes and one that smells like roasted marshmallows.” He reached over to let Louis take a whiff of one. Louis can already smell the dreadful smelling candle from here, but he indulges and smells the damn thing.
He attempts to control his face to school his features into a small smile. It probably looks more like a grimace. “Smells nice, love.” he said, covering his disgust with a cough. However, when he looks back up Harry’s face in set in a deep frown.
“You don’t like it, do you?” He asks, and he has the saddest eyes looking at him. Damn it.
Louis chews on his cheek. “I don’t like candles, sorry.” he apologized. He felt bad, but he probably shouldn’t lie when faced with the potential love of his life. Whatever God dangling this attractive man in front of him may not take too kindly to that and drag him away. “Strong scents make me quite queasy.”
Harry seems to consider this then offers the other candle he was holding. “Here, try this.” Louis goes to turn it down but Harry pushes it into his hands. “Just a sniff! If you hate it, you hate it─ but you can’t say you don’t like candles until you’ve at least smelled their sweeter ones. It shouldn’t be too strong.”
Louis hesitates but decides ‘ fuck it ’ and he takes the candle to smell it. The scent is subtle and sweet, sort of reminds him of s’mores you would make while camping. It’s actually not bad.
Harry looks to him expectantly and Louis shrugs, setting it down. “It’s alright.”
Harry chewed his lower lip. “Just alright?”
“I mean.. it doesn’t make me queasy.” Louis explained. “It’s pleasant. Might be something I’d buy myself to burn around the winter seasons.”
Harry beams and nods. “Consider it a mixed present for your birthday and Christmas. From me! I don’t need two opposite candles smelling up my flat. Not all scents are meant to be mixed.”
Louis pursed his lips and eyes the candle label. He actually does really like the scent.
“Are you sure, Harry?” Louis asks, looking back to him. “I feel like shit that I can’t buy you anything in return.”
Harry smiles at him and it is all too sweet. Louis could get cavities. “That’s okay, Lou. I don’t expect anything in return.” He glanced around until he spotted the bear that Louis had previously been glaring holes in. “Aw, that little guy is still here?”
Louis’ face screws up in bewilderment as he had been all too focused on Harry’s adorable face but when he sees the stupid bear he rolls his eyes. “Eh.. yeah. I didn’t think he was going to get bought anytime soon so I paid for him last week to give him to my sister. Save the store from just throwing it away and make space, y’know?”
“Oh really?” Harry’s expression is soft. It’s the same expression he always get whenever Louis talks about his siblings. He’s had a few come in with him while visiting and Harry adores them. “She’s going to love it. It’s so cute and cuddly.”
Louis pulls a face. “Really?” he asks, because.. is it really? It’s nice for an easy present for kids, but he didn’t find it all too appealing to stick in his own flat. A light bulb goes off in his head.
“Have at it, if you want.” Louis tacked on. “Doris already has a bunch of plushies. I doubt she’ll need a big bear that’s almost half of her.” He chuckled and smiles. “My Christmas present to you. Happy Christmas.”
This look of utter surprise washes over Harry’s face and he smiles all big, plucking the bear and cuddling it to his chest. Louis doesn’t understand how a bear can make someone so happy, but if it gets Harry to be this smiley he will give him a hundred bears. “Thank you, Louis. I love him.. or is it a her?”
Louis laughs. “Does it matter?”
Harry gives him a serious face. “Yes, it does. The bear needs a name and I don’t want to be disrespectful and call it Annie when it could very well be a George.”
Hm… he’s peculiar.
“Uhm.. it’s wearing a bow-tie, innit? Must be a boy.”
Harry shakes his head and inspects the bear carefully. “It’s a girl.” he states, matter-of-fact. He nods in double confirmation. “It’s a Rose.”
Louis stares at Harry, because.. what? But then Harry is cracking into this dimpled smile that has his belly in flutters. He’s so pretty. “I’m just pulling your leg, mate. It’s a stuffed bear. I don’t think it’s even supposed to have a gender, but to each their own.”
It hadn’t completely occurred to him that Harry was just taking the piss until he notices him giggling and his eyes narrow. “You do say some shit, you know?”
Harry snorts. “Hey, you’re the one who believed me.” He placed the bear into the box of candles to begin walking away with it. “I win.”
Louis half raised his hands in confusion. “Win what? You haven’t won anything!”
Harry turns slightly to wink back at him. “I just win.” he teased. “He does make a good snuggle buddy, though. Every time I snuggle him I’ll think of you.”
He walks away and leaves Louis with pink cheeks and a thumping heart.
.
It’s late afternoon that he bumps into Harry on his way out.
“Oof, sorry.”
“No worries.”
Harry didn’t move and he looks up to find the man wiggling his eyebrows playfully, glancing up. He follows his gaze and finds a lone mistletoe just hanging out.
Though, quite honestly Louis can’t get over the fact that Harry is even holding the mistletoe.
Louis gives him an unimpressed look. “Harry, I don’t kiss under obligation.”
Harry jiggles the mistletoe in emphasis. “C’mon, Lou, it’s tradition .” he pouts.
He stares for a moment before sighing in mock annoyance and pulls Harry down the short difference by his shirt to press their lips together before he chickens out. He can feel the smug curve of Harry’s lips against his own and the press of his hand resting on his lower back but holy shit, he is actually kissing him. He’s kissing his crush and his crush is definitely kissing back.
He pulls away after he feels it’s done. He’s relieved to see he isn’t the only one pink cheeked and smiley. “That was a cheap shot, Harold.” he chuckled.
Harry looks all too proud of himself and grins wide. “But you did it, didn’t you? I win.”
Louis shakes his head fondly. “You win.” he agreed softly.
Louis somehow ends up with Harry’s number before he leaves for home. (Crazy that he never had it until now.) When he arrives home he receives a text, inviting him to Harry’s house for dinner later.
So now he somehow has a Christmas date with his crush.
All because of that damn bear.