Work Text:
Harry chewed his lip, tugging gently on Beu's leash. The fit, red piebald husky hopped out of the back of his beat up Volkswagen obediently, panting up at his owner.
The brunette took in a deep breath, pushing his hair back before walking into the dog daycare.
Harry had cared for the husky for the majority of his three years of life, but Beu hadn't been getting enough attention after Harry had gotten a new job. He hadn't realised how much time and effort was required for the secretary position in the neighbouring city.
Their home was a small apartment in a rundown old building just on the outskirts of town. His parents had long since stopped helping with rent, and when he had gotten fired from his old job (he couldn't help it if he was eating all of the pastries on his break), he figured a long term job was probably better rewarding.
It turned out that the daycare was right between their apartment and the city his job was located at, so it only made sense to leave Beu with somebody while he has busy instead of leaving him at the stuffy apartment.
A bell rang above their heads and Harry glanced at it before scanning the room.
The tiles covering the floor had paw prints of various sizes and colours sprinkled around, and the bones on the walls seemed to match perfectly.
Clearing his throat, he walked anxiously over to the receptionist. His fingers tapped against the wood counter nervously.
Beau sat at his feet, peering his head up to look at the girl behind the counter.
She seemed flustered, paperwork scattered in front of her, and the panic was clear in her eyes when she looked up at Harry.
"Oh! Hello, hello there, I am so sorry!" She gasped, standing and smiling shyly.
Glancing down at the dog, she smiled brightly at Harry.
"Are you here to drop your pup off?"
Harry avoided her gaze, staring out the window for a moment before smiling softy.
"Uh, I actually wanted to get him registered. I've got a new job recently and needed to leave him somewhere for a bit while I worked." He drawled, patting Beau affectionately.
"Oh, yeah! I'll have to call the manager in to set up his registration."
It looked to Harry like she'd pressed something below the desk, and he could only assume it was a button.
One of the doors behind the desk popped open, a tuft of blonde hair all that Harry saw before the boy was beside the petit girl.
"What is it Katie?" He puffed out, cheeks red. He looked like he'd had a proper workout.
Harry tried not to gape at the porcelain skin and soft blue eyes.
"Oh! Sir, yes, uh, this man wants to register a new dog."
The blonde smiled up at him warmly, showing off perfectly straight, white teeth.
"Welcome to Poddles and Waddles!"
--
"Any history of aggression?"
Harry was seated in the blonde's office, who's name he'd learned to be Niall, Beau snoozing beside him.
He shifted in his chair, gazing down at the dog. Gnawing on his bottom lip, he shrugged.
"Beau has been around a lot of other dogs and hasn't been mean before. Though, he is a little stubborn when getting orders from other people..." Glancing up, he saw the boy's head propped on his hands, pen between his teeth.
He was watching Harry intently, eyes concentrated and staring back into his own.
Harry cleared his throat nervously, one finger twisting a strand of hair.
Suddenly Niall smirked, sitting up straight and gathering up the paperwork.
"It looks to me like we're done here!" He exclaimed, scanning through the sheet Harry had filled out. "Beau is able to start just as soon as I get this paperwork filed."
Niall opens the door, letting Harry slip out past him.
"I look forward to seeing you." He states before Harry can disappear, shooting him a million dollar grin that has Harry's heart fluttering like a school girl.
--
It's exactly a week before Harry gets the call, excited Irish voice exclaiming that he can't wait to see the husky again as soon as Harry drops him off.
He works a few days later, hesitantly walking back into the doggy daycare with Beau at his side. There's a little blue bag slung over his shoulder (all of Beau's favourite toys, treats, his teddy bear in case he gets scared), and a slip of paper gripped tightly in his hand (his contact number, again, just in case his baby needs him at any time).
Niall is expecting him this time, and leads the two down a corridor just off the waiting room. He can hear the other dog's, and notices when Beau does, too, ears standing up straight, curled tail flicking wildly.
Harry is just about to drag Beau back out when Niall gently pries the leash from his fist, and pushed the nervous brunette back to the waiting room.
"He'll be just fine, have a nice day! And, sheesh, don't worry so much."
--
Harry thinks about Beau the whole time he's at work, calls Niall to check him during his lunch, and raps his fingers on his steering wheel when he goes to pick him up.
Turns out Beau made three friends; a tiny beagle named Chester, a happy Shiba Inu named Clare and a buff Rottweiler named Peter. Harry is about to pass out when he sees them play together, and even Niall holds off from trying to reassure him when he sees his pale face, candy apple red lips open in horror.
--
Over the next few weeks, Harry tells himself to relax, and continues taking Beau to Poddles and Waddles on work days.
When he isn't working, he's dropping by the dog daycare to check up on Niall, or relaxing at home with his best friend.
Really, Harry thinks, he can't complain, not when he sees how excited the husky is to see his friends, and of course, Niall (and, though Harry won't admit it, he gets quite excited at the sight of the blonde, as well).