Work Text
A bit more detailing on the right side of the skull to help it pop and he should be done, should be ready to print out his newest set of designs for his tattoo parlour. Just two more minutes he promises himself. It's late as he finally adds the finishing touches to the sketch he'd been working on. A glance at the clock makes him wonder what his companion might be doing as of right now. With a sigh he pushes himself off the desk he'd settled on and at last closes his sketchpad. The chair squeaks as he resituates it and although it's a barely discernible sound, he knows it's enough to alert her. Louis smiles involuntarily thinking of how they will spend tonight. Maybe they will go for a late night walk at the park or have a quiet night in and cuddle till they fall asleep. It all depends on her mood really because as much as he likes to pretend that she's not the centre of his world, he's sure they both know the truth. He's always spoiled her for as long as they've been together and he takes great pride in it.As if on cue he's proven right as not even a minute later he feels a heavy weight crash into his back. It's a good thing he's crouched on the floor and braced for the jump but he supposes years of living together helps in predicting the other's move. It's not until he turns around and feels a slobbering kiss being delivered to his face that he finally feels at home. He chuckles as Luna barks at him playfully and demands attention. "Hi baby, I missed you too", he croons to her in his 'baby voice' as Liam calls it as he pets her all over. When she still hasn't calmed down he goes to retrieve her leash. Park it is tonight it seems.They're both panting by the time they make it back home, Louis closing the shop as they proceed upstairs to their apartment. Both of them go about their routine in silence as Luna rushes to quench her thirst and he decides to take a shower. After a quick dinner they settle into the bedroom, Louis on his bed and Luna on the dog bed beside him. Although exhausted, he relays stories about his day to her, a habit they had both developed when she was just a pup, all the while she listens attentively with her head on her paws. Occasionally she even wags her tail and gives little huffs almost as if she knows when they're at an important point in the story or almost as if she knows he needs the assurance that she is listening to him. Louis has yet to figure out which of the two it is.As they fall asleep, Luna dreaming of chasing squirrels and Louis with a faint smile on his face, he can't help but be grateful for her presence. She came to him at a time when he was lost and gave them both a home. Louis might not have many people he could trust in his life, if any, but he knows Luna will always have his back.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sweat drips from what feels like every pore of his body and he can feel his muscles quivering under the stress. In hindsight he maybe should have thought about arranging for help first rather than starting the strenuous task of switching the old coffee machine for the new one he ordered. Alas, blinded by the excitement of finally finishing the cafe's makeover he made some questionable decisions. Decisions he will surely regret come morning when he wakes up to excruciating back pain. The fact that he's currently sleeping on his breath friends lumpy sofa that has a few too many stains on it doesn't help. But it's all worth it when he steps inside to fully take in his work.The soft evening sun hits the large glass window entrance at an angle, casting the whole room in an almost otherworldly array of glimmering colours. The window filter was a great purchase after all. The decently sized tables painted a pastel blue to match the chairs he thrifted perfectly. He then glances toward the currently empty display counter which will soon house dishes created by him. Already his mind has come up with what feels like a hundred different recipies to try out. Recepies he hopes will be welcomed by the locals. He releases a dreamy sigh.Looking at it now, he feels breathless. Can't believe he's the one responsible for this transformation. He had an idea of what to do with the shop when he purchased it from the original owner, a frail old lady that was just happy her space was going to be taken care of. But taking it in now, the cafe looks amazing. His own cafe, he reminds himself with an awestruck smile. He makes sure to snap a picture and send it to his family, sure that he will get a call from them later raving about the setup, congratulating him about his dream cafe.He packs up for the day with the same smile, stands outside the entrance on the curb and stares at the sign above. 'Satellite' it reads in loopy writing, the familiar flow and shading of the sign making his smile that much wider, allowing his dimples to pop. As he finally turns away from the cafe and starts towards his current temporary abode, he can't help but feel his heart fill with contentment and hope. A feeling which only grows when he receives a text from his friends. He can't wait to be back tomorrow for the upcoming opening of Satellite.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Louis wakes up in the morning as he does most days. At first it's just hot air blowing onto his face and slowly he registers the morning sun warming his feet, the clock down the hallway slowly ticking into focus, the fur tickling his body from where Luna is draped over him and most importantly the smell that comes with it. Yuck. He hasn't even opened his eyes yet but knows that today will not be the same as yesterday was, can already feel the unprompted dread creep into his bones. It travels through his body, envisions it covering his whole body. He can feel it weighing down on him mentally but also see it in the way it clutches onto him, sinks it's claws in and refuses to yield.Louis knows that he's due another therapy session but can't find it in him to make the first step towards it. Not after he stopped a year ago and convinced himself he didn't need it. Or at least he tried, but he knows he needs it, can think of 10 things just off the top of his head that are taking its toll on him, can feel the way just thinking about them makes his chest tight. Another day, he promises himself, another day when he's not contemplating on calling Liam and telling him to cancel all his appointments for today and just stay in bed.Unfortunately, or fortunately, he can't afford that not only because he would have a couple of upset customers on his hands but also partly because Liam wouldn't accept it and in turn would make a big fuss of Louis asking in the first place. Okay majorly because of Liam but that's neither here nor there. So he sucks it up, counts down to 10 in his head and finally gets up from bed.Luna takes that as a signal to stop pretending to be asleep just for cuddles and sprints down the hall towards the door where she will wait to be let out. Louis sighs, he supposed that the day must go on, despite the haze blanketing his mind and heaviness weighing down on his limbs.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-
It's noon and the last customer has just left Silver Tongues, as usual with a wide smile on their face and excitement to show off their new tattoo. As soon as the door shuts Liam comes into the main room where Louis is putting his equipment away and begins chattering about something related to chips? Pints? Louis guesses they're close enough to warrant his confusion. He's discarding his gloves and closing up for lunch when he realises that Liam has stopped talking and is looking at him expectantly. Right, he must have asked him a question but Louis doesn't have any idea what it could be.Either his confusion must be apparent on his face or Liam knows him more than he allows himself to hope for, because in the next moment he repeats himself, "I'm going down to the pub around the corner for lunch, you could come with? Have a beer and spend some time together. It's been too long since we last hung out."Given the haze that still hasn't left his mind and the desire to not have another productive thought, it takes Louis a few seconds to even register and process the question. It takes him even longer to come up with even a mildly appropriate response because despite what it would look like he's not sure his and Liam's friendship is even a real one. If you could even call it that.Louis has been misled far too many times by people who he called his friends, best friends even, for him to give out his trust so blindly. So yeah, he's a little cautious about making friends, given that it was apparent that he didn't have that with not a single person in his entire life. Of course excluding Luna, though he considers her more as family. But aren't friends supposed to be family too? It's all very confusing and Louis doesn't need to be bothered with it. And why is he thinking about this exactly? Oh yes, Liam asked him to join him at the pub for lunch.Louis's sure that it's been a couple of minutes since Liam asked the question and he's just been stupidly staring at him this entire time. Despite that, he doesn't make fun of him or get annoyed by him, which is bizzare to Louis. The concept that someone can just listen and wait for him to function without any resentment is still foreign to him but Lisa, his therapist, says that it's what is expected in a healthy and supportive environment. It took him a long time to realise that she wasn't lying and even longer to reconcile with the fact that he could've been a different person if he had the privilege of such an environment.And look, he's sidetracked again. Louis knows he does that a lot and no Sharon he can't just stop doing it. Finally he says, "You go ahead, I'll stay back in case any more people come in."Liam looks disappointed but not defeated. "We both know all of our regulars at least call an hour before they are in to book a slot, even the impromptu ones. Just come Lou, please?" Liam insists and fuck he's giving him the puppy dog eyes. Fuck Liam and his stupidly endearing face because now he can't find it in himself to look for another excuse."Okay..I guess you're right." He finally agrees, albeit reluctantly. Liam cheers and rushes to the entrance, all with the enthusiasm of an actual puppy and all he can do is watch amusingly.Somewhere in the back of his mind he knows that the last excuse was weak too, but damn him if he acknowledges it. As he's washing up he thinks of the reasoning behind his hesitancy. Because what if his worst fears come true? What if Liam doesn't consider whatever it is that they have a friendship? What if he just tolerates him because he's the boss? What if he bitches about his boss to his other friends at the pub and he's just taking him there to ridicule him?Despite Liam being nothing but perfect ever since they've known each other, Louis can't help the doubt creeping in on him especially on days like this. It's just the way he's been conditioned to be and isn't that sad? He clutches the counter he was leaning on in a white knuckle grip and takes a few deep breaths, wills himself to stop thinking about the past.Slowly he feels the tightness in his chest loosen, panic he didn't even realise building up rapidly leaving his body. Finally, he pushes away from his hideout and despite the low thrumming anxiety in his body, which is basically ever-present, checks on Luna to find her napping as per her schedule and exits the parlour. He looks at Liam's enthusiastic smile and just hopes it doesn't go to shit.
He hopes with all that he has.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Harry wakes up to the sound of the kettle boiling and soft whispers of a conversation. For a moment he's confused as to where he is but then the ache in his back and shoulders reminds him that he's currently on a ratty sofa in his best friend's house. He sighs as he pushes himself to sit up, which quickly turns into a whimper. He really went overboard yesterday, that coupled with his current temporary bed which has too many springs sticking out of it is enough to make him feel like he's in his 80's. He shoots a pleading glance at the sofa, the thought that he'd most likely have to sleep here today if he doesn't finish setting up his flat is motivation enough to do so. Also, he'd rather not think about the various suspicious looking stains littering the surface. He decides to buy them a new one for Christmas, a good gift for them and also beneficial to himself.Finally, he wobbles on shaky legs to the source of the ruckus that woke him up. If asked, he'd definitely blame his wobbly limbs on yesterday's hard labour but everyone who knows him certainly knows that it is a lie. Just as the thought completes itself in his mind he trips on the corner of the dining table and nearly face plants into the steaming cups of coffee Niall is bringing over. Zayn who's occupying the seat at the head of the table is at least trying to hide his laughter, eyes squinting and eyebrows lifting up while he purses his mouth. Bless him really for the effort. Meanwhile Niall narrowly avoids dropping the cups as he bursts into hysterical laughter, grabbing his stomach and bending over. Harry's sure there are years in his eyes by the end of it."Don't even start", he shoots him a warning look and takes a seat, hands immediately reaching for a cup of liquid magic. Sure, he gets a weird look every time he calls it that but it is basically a blessing, the eighth wonder if the world for all that it does for him. People with normal work and sleep schedules won't understand it but coffee is certainly appreciated by him, what with his early mornings he spends baking and then the rest of the morning hours serving customers. Working in customer service is one of the most exhausting jobs but that's a conversation for another day. He just hopes that now that he will be owning the bakery he finds it more fulfilling and is able to make sure his staff is treated well.He's ripped out of his musings when Niall, who finally has stopped his theatrics, plops in the chair opposite him still catching his breath. Harry still refuses to look at him, fuck him honestly. He notices that they also warmed up some croissants he made yesterday so he munches on one while they talk about meaningless things. Eventually Zayn and him leave for work, Niall hanging back since his pub only opens at 11. They part with I love you's which are albeit said jokingly, but the sentiment retains, and a promise to meet up for lunch at Niall's pub.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•
Twenty minutes and lots of sweat later Harry arrives at Satellite, limbs renewed with a new ache that only comes from walking. Even then, he's grateful for finally getting out of the sun, collapsing on the table nearest to him upon entrance rather dramatically. If the last few days of moving have proven anything, it's that he's terribly out of shape which is a problem because he needs his strength to get back to work.People don't give it much thought but it's only common sense that bakers, or any commercial chefs for that matter, need to be able to handle large quantities of food efficiently. He remembers his earlier days and grimaces, young 15 year old Harry getting his first job at his local bakery and having to prepare 3 batches of dough per day. He shudders recalling that first day when he got home exhausted and on the verge of crying, shoulders so sore he thought his arms would fall out of their sockets. That first day was hell but the next one was worse, he's glad that he prevailed through those 3 months because he's finally here achieving his dream.He sighs and pushes himself off the chair, moving to the back of the shop and climbing the staircase to his new flat. It's convenient that his shop comes with an attached flat above, like many others on the block, especially with the early mornings in store for him. That's another thing he hopes he hasn't lost the affinity for, waking up at 3 am and continuing to work until late lunch.He opens the door to his flat, already spotting the numerous packed cardboard boxes full of his things littering the entirety of the floor. While the downstairs is almost all the way done, upstairs is a wreck in comparison. Just looking at it makes him feel drained but the memory of the ratty old couch waiting for him as the alternative is enough motivation to push him to start painstakingly sorting through each room.He decides on starting with his bedroom first, setting up his bed and assembling the small bedside table he bought, placing his weird looking lamps and photos of his family on it. His gaze lingers on one particular picture of him, his mother and sister. They're smiling with their arms around each other, standing in front of the pond at the park they used to frequent. The sun shining in their direction makes them squint their eyes and he still remembers that day vividly, the euphoria and content he felt, remembers thinking this is how his future should feel like.He makes a mental note to call his family in the evening, update them on his progress and soothe some of the homesickness he's feeling. He places it carefully on the table and angles it just right. Now with that out of the way, he decides to sort out his kitchen next.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•
He's lost track of time, currently setting his tableware in his drawers when he suddenly gets a call which interrupts the soft music he had playing in the background. In true Harry fashion he jumps a foot in the hair, dropping the array of spoons and forks he had in his hand. He's just glad he didn't have any knives instead and that no one's here to witness his fumble, still he hears both Niall's and Zayn's laughter in his head. Begrudgingly he picks up the phone after seeing that it's Niall."Where are you?" is the first thing he hears, no greeting or pleasantries. It takes him a while to figure out why he would be asking that when they both know he's at his cafe."At Satellite, obviously." There's silence on the other side of the call which is when he remembers they agreed to meet up for lunch at Niall's pub. His eyes shoot to the clock which he hung up in his small living room not too long ago, 12:30 noon it reads almost as if mocking him."You forgot." He can hear it in his voice that Niall is disappointed which only piles onto the guilt he's already feeling."Sorry, I got really invested in unpacking and lost track of time." He's sure that Niall can hear it in his voice how guilty he is."But I wanted to introduce you to Zayn's loverboy and now all of that is ruined. You better make it up to me, Styles." Niall practically whines."Zayn's what? Yeah, uhm of course." He's still confused about the loverboy part of this equation, not sure how he doesn't know about Zayn's boyfriend? crush? What even constitutes a loverboy?"Okay bye, he's here. Oh! And he's brought a hottie with him! Jesus Christ look at him, I'm not even into blokes but damn! Anyways, you better be here tomorrow or else I won't forgive you. I have to go tend to some very important business now, bye!" He doesn't even wait for Harry's reply, already hanging up and leaving him confused. That's just Niall he muses. He pushes the encounter out of his head and resumes his work, looks like he has to make an appearance at Niall's pub tomorrow.
What the fuck has he gotten himself into this time?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's been a couple of minutes of them walking, making their way to the pub and Louis is getting more nervous with each step. They round the corner and for a moment he feels like he can't breathe, anxiety suddenly spiking now that he's faced with the fact that he's really doing this. He breathes through it or at least tries to while his brain is taken over with nothing but a constant loop of shit fuck shit oh no and simultaneously thinking of 10 different excuses to get away. He'd give anything to be able to turn back time and rather be at home currently, safe and comfortable on his own where he's not confronted with a situation and environment he's no idea of navigating.By the time he zones back into reality he realises that Liam has already pushed the door open and stepped in, expecting Louis to do the same. Fuck okay, what's the worst that could happen? With that thought he enters the pub, eyes immediately falling to the array of people greeting Liam with an ease that only testifies the amount of time he must spend here. He must be a regular then, Louis feels like doesn't belong.He's entirely unprepared for the curious eyes to turn to him after Liam proceeds further towards the seating area. Louis freezes, doesn't know who or how he should address, doesn't have a predetermined escape plan or response because the truth is that he's never been to a pub before. He obviously couldn't go while he was underage and when he did cross that threshold he found that he had little to celebrate. He didn't have the resources nor the company that would get him into this kind of a situation. Of course he knows what goes on during pub nights, courtesy of movies and his client's stories, but he's never personally experienced it.Thankfully Liam seems to notice his dilemma and rushes to his rescue, walking to him and loudly introducing him to what feels like the entirety of the pub. He feels a little faint with all these eyes watching him, not even being able to comprehend the chorus of greeting thrown his way so he just nods and attempts a smile which he's pretty sure comes off more as a grimace.After what feels like an eternity, Liam finally leads them to a tiny booth at the corner closest to the bar. They take a seat opposite each other and Louis finally begins to scope out his surroundings. It makes him feel better, a habit he remembers having from what feels like his birth. His gaze sweeps over the various patrons having lunch, some loud carpenters with beer bellies sticking out munching on burgers, two ladies in the opposite corner to them hunching over a phone and laughing, an old couple sat at the table nearest to the window holding hands above the table.Finally, his gaze returns to Liam and finds him already staring back. This time he doesn't flinch, can see it in his eyes that they're curious at best. Maybe even caring but he's most likely just getting ahead of himself."Okay?" The question is asked softly, Liam's earlier enthusiasm nowhere in sight. Everything feels syrupy slow, like the first time Louis stepped in the sea, waves licking at his ankles, bringing with them the gentle feel of hope and retreating with a sliver of his wariness."Yeah" and this time he isn't lying, feels the same calm he felt then, can almost smell the salt in the air if only for a second. A slow and tiny smile spreads across his face and Liam's eyes practically shine in response."I'll just go order at the bar, lunch time is pretty hectic here so I usually give my orders directly. What would you like?" Liam's giddiness is back but he doesn't mind. The mere thought that he could be a small contributing factor to that is euphoric."Umm.. I'm not sure" he mumbles. He's terrible at making instant decisions, nevermind now when he doesn't know all the possible answers. He feels the panic rising but thankfully Liam interrupts his haphazard thoughts."For lunch I usually just get a beer and a classic burger. Would you like the same or you could get some fish and chips or even steak?""Yeah I'd like the same as you please." Liam nods and leaves for the bar not realising his awed look. Louis doesn't get how he can simplify things just like that, so easily it almost feels like magic. Again he's left wondering if it's just something that most people would do instinctually or is it something only some select few people know to do. He's lived the first half of his life believing the latter but Liam makes him question everything. Was he so unfortunate that he didn't have even one person like Liam in his life growing up? Was there just an endless supply of Liam's in the world and he just didn't meet one up until now? If so, then the universe owes him some compensation.He sees Liam reaching the bar and leaning on it, moments later a bartender appears and takes his order although they keep on chatting so he assumes they must be friends too. Is it so easy to make friends? What, you just go up to a random stranger and introduce yourself and boom you're friends? Just like that? Louis doesn't believe it.A loud cackle makes him refocus on the bartender. He has his head thrown back, blonde hair shaking with the intensity of his laugh and Liam's watching him with a fond look. Louis feels suspicious, there's no way Liam is this funny, he should know because they spend practically every day together. Is the blonde trying to flirt with him then? He's heard of that happening, but the laugh currently echoing the pub doesn't feel fake.Just as he's contemplating on that possibility, the door opens again and in comes a man wearing an apron (???) splashed with what looks like all the colours of the rainbow and more. He's so preoccupied with his attire that he almost missed his face, a very attractive face if he must say. He watches as the man practically marches towards the bar and plops into the stool right beside Liam and lays his head down on the bar top. A passing glance at Liam makes him nearly shit himself, he seems to be choking on nothing but air but before Louis can rush over he sees the blonde discreetly slap his face. Louis' shocked by the display although recovers after noticing that it seems to have helped Liam. At least he's breathing now.Right on time, the rainbow man lifts his head and begins to talk to the blonde although he doesn't finish his question. As soon as his eyes land on Liam he freezes, mouth going slack for just a second before he regains control of his expressions. In the meantime the blonde sneaks away, leaving a blushing rainbow man and flustered Liam to themselves. Oh, this is so blatant that even Louis can recognise it as flirting. That is, if your idea of flirting is two preschoolers staring at each other on the playground. Whatever floats your boat he thinks.His gaze is finally drawn to the napkins at his table, fingers tracing the logo printed on each of them. Heaven it reads with the logo of two beer mugs clinking. He didn't even notice it when they entered, too caught up in his mind.Someone clears their throat and he relaxes upon seeing that it's just Liam. However the relief doesn't last because of what Liam says, "Hey Louis, come up to the bar with me. I've got to introduce you to my friends. They're really excited to meet you."Louis' natural response is to decline but before he can do so Liam continues, "They're nice, I promise. I'll be there the whole time. If you don't like them then I'll just make an excuse and we can just return to our booth, no pressure."A quick look at his friends prove that they're both staring unabashedly and it would be weird of Louis just refused right? "Okay", he says with a lot more confidence than he feels. Confidence which is rapidly depleting the closer they get to the bar."Hi I'm Niall, the owner of this fine establishment and also the one responsible for keeping Liam in line." Louis grabs the extended hand and immediately feels a beer replacing said hand a second later. He's very overwhelmed."I'm Louis, Liam's boss" he phrases it as more of a question and it brings out a chuckle from the group."Zayn, it's nice to finally meet you, Louis. I've heard a lot about you, owner of Silver Tongues." Louis can do nothing but stare, the addition to his introduction not feeling offensive, rather the opposite. It's a while later that he processes the first part of Zayn's sentence."Wait what? You've heard about me?" He's sure that his worry seeps into his voice because Zayn's quick to reassure."Yes from Liam, and the occasional customer. Mostly they rave about your dog, your tattoo designs or your looks. All good things don't worry. Although I must say they didn't really do justice to your beauty, babe." He winks at the end and Louis somehow knows it's all banter.It's weird, Zayn's met him not an hour ago and now it feels like Louis can read him well or like he's allowing Louis to read him. So he doesn't take offence or take it to heart.Liam makes a panicked noise and attempts to jump in but can only stare in astonished surprise when Louis starts smiling, proper full on smiling with crinkled eyes and everything."Well, now you know. I hope you can rectify that mistake at the earliest, Lady Gaga." Now this, this is a part of himself Louis didn't know he had the ability to give a glimpse of to anyone but Luna.All Zayn does is flip his nonexistent long hair over his shoulder in mock annoyance and say, "Baby I was born this way", all the while proudly displaying his multicolored apron.He feels giddy with this feeling bubbling inside himself, like the second time he went to the beach, accompanied by a tiny hyper puppy. He looks at Liam and back at Zayn, the feeling eerily similar to when he was walking back from the beach and noticed a set of 4 small pawprints being left in the sand beside his, remembers taking a picture of it. It's the moment where he first felt like he wasn't alone, like he truly had someone to love without the fear of losing them and who might just love him back. That day he realised that there's a huge difference between being alone and feeling lonely.Everything up until Luna had been him being surrounded by people, those who were supposed to love him, and still feeling lonely. Looking back it made sense, he might have had people around him but they were never with him. They were there for themselves, never for him. Only ever present physically, never reachable mentally. Luna had been a turning point, helping him put a name to his feelings and sweeping that loneliness right out of his life with her waggly little tail. Yes, she's a dog but still his baby although he knows that she can't replace human interaction and relationships in life.So, Louis grasps his chance of having this connection with Niall, Liam and Zayn with open arms. Let me be selfish just this once, he pleads to no one, even if just for a day. Afterall, Louis would never expect this to become a regular thing, wouldn't dare to dream of it. He knows that this thing, whatever it is, has an expiry date. Till then, he'll take what he gets.The rest of the lunch is spent in mindless chatter and banter while they stuff themselves with greasy food and beer. After a while Louis warms up to Niall too, their personalities fitting together so perfectly that it almost feels too good to be true. Louis doesn't contribute much after his grand moment but the wide smile does stay on his face long after they've bid everyone goodbye and walk back to the parlour. The promise of meeting tomorrow for another 'pub lunch' fills his chest with unfamiliar warmth and he can't wait to tell Luna about this.Secretly, he hopes the expiry date isn't anywhere in the near future but he can't get his hopes up explicitly. He ignores the whispered thought of You're already have and pretends like he always does. Fake it till you make it he supposes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Harry surveys the mess that he had been working on, at least the kitchen and his bedroom are set up. He exits the flat and steps in again, scanning everything with a new perspective. It may be childish but he feels giddy, finally feels like he's adulting. There are days where he feels like an imposter, like he's always just trying to fit in where he doesn't belong, trying to lead a false life. It's like wearing all-white at a black only event except worse, like everyone around him knows that he's different but are just pretending he belongs out of pity. It feels like there's a them that he's always striving to be a part of but knows that he'll always be detached. It's a feeling he's familiar with, prominent most when he was in culinary school and when he goes home for the holidays.Today, he feels none of those isolating emotions. There's nothing but pride and like he was always meant to be here, it's such an overwhelming feeling that he feels his eyes water, bursting into tears that leave a salty aftertaste in his mouth because he can't control how wide he's smiling.It's a while before he calms down, locking up and making his way to Niall and Zayn's to collect whatever of his stuff he'd left there. Now that he's mostly done with his moving he decides to slow his pace, admiring the various assortment of shops framed in old brick buildings. It's a trademark of small towns, the way the shop owners holler at each other when there's a lull in business, the way the lady arranging flower bouquets for her display sneaks a lily to the toddler passing by besides his unsuspecting mother.Surprisingly, he feels more at home than he ever did in his London flat that he rented with two other students while pursuing his culinary degree. Surprising because he'd thought for a while that he wanted to stay in London, build his life there in the busy bustling city. All it took was him visiting home after finishing University to fall back in love with small towns and their charm. He's glad he did eventually come to his senses that summer, although he wished it was in better circumstances. Alas, he can't win every time he supposes.He's rounding the corner when his feet crash into something, he almost loses his balance risking splitting his head open on the concrete pavement. For a while all he can do is stare at the spot where he'd have landed, nothing but the sound of blood rushing in his ears. It all might feel dramatic of him but knowing his luck and clumsiness, the fact that he's currently not unconscious and bleeding is a feat in itself.He's pulled out of his trance when something wet swipes across his palm, the feeling sending shivers through his body, ewww. When he finally looks down he notices the culprit, a rather gorgeous labrador with a jet black shiny coat and huge expressive eyes staring at him and wagging its tail. When all he does is stare, it jumps a few times and gives tiny excited yips.Harry hasn't ever owned a dog, or any pet for that matter, but he falls in what feels like love at first sight with the pup in front of him. He starts excitedly petting his head after it's clear that it doesn't mean any harm. After a few seconds however his brow furrows when he realises that no one is coming to get her. He glances at where she came from but doesn't find a single person there. He gets even more concerned when he feels for it's, oh it's a her, collar and finds only her name imprinted on it. No owner's details to be seen, not even an address."What's up Luna? What a gorgeous name! Where's your human? Did you get lost?" When all she does is bark excitedly he checks her appearance. She looks healthy and even her coat is soft and shiny with no tangles to be found, almost luxurious. So she must be taken care of regularly and even if she did get lost, it's very recent, recent enough that it hasn't affected her being.Harry suddenly feels enraged, what if she got lost if she already isn't? What if she got stolen? What if she ran into the road and got hit by a car or something? The last thought causes a shiver to run through his body, fingers involuntarily clenching in her coat. His thoughts do nothing but fuel his anger for her owner, how irresponsible of them to just leave her unsupervised near open roads. He feels hatred brewing in his gut for her human, they don't deserve such a loving pup.He gives a decisive nod and begins to stand from where he was crouching to pet her. He will take her to the shelter and inform them that she's lost, afterall it doesn't seem like anyone's coming soon to claim her. Just as he's stretching out his hand to grab her collar to lead her she suddenly looks behind her, gives a loud howl and practically sprints back the way she came. All he can do is watch in shock as she rapidly disappears behind a few people walking towards him. Smart pup.Finally, he shakes his head and just decides to continue in the same direction, the path leads to Niall's pub so he figures he'll pay him a visit first. He hopes he finds Luna on his way so that he can take her to the shelter or at least find help. He resumes his admiring and notices a tattoo shop that stands out to him.The building has a brick structure like all of those in the block but instead of their usual red, they're painted black with silver cracks and gaps. Finally, his gaze is drawn to the giant logo sign mounted at the top, the LED letters Silver Tongues glowing a sparkling silver which changes to red alternatively and a similarly glowing logo of a serpent's head with its tongue out around it. Clever, his mouth twitches in amusement, he does love a good pun even if the owner might not have meant it so.A passing couple stares at him which makes him realise that he must've been smiling at the shop for some time. He tries to give them a smile but can already feel the flush climbing up his neck so he leaves hurriedly without looking back.He finally makes it to Heaven and feels both relieved and sad. Relieved that he escaped that embarrassing situation but sad that he couldn't find Luna. He flags down Niall and is met with an annoyed look that quickly melts away into a grin. Niall has never been known to hold a grudge for long, this being proven once again as he starts to ramble.If Niall notices something off about his mood he doesn't ask, Harry is grateful because the disappointment of not finding Luna still weighs heavily on his mind. Niall's a great mate in such situations, although he suspects the fact that he can't stop raving about today's lunch contributes to his obliviousness too. Finally when he can't take any more of his excited chatter and after Niall stressing the importance of him being there tomorrow he leaves.When he finally makes it back to his flat, arms weighed down by the last of his belongings and a similar feeling in his heart, he decides he's had enough for the day. So he decides to treat himself and settled on the sofa with icecream and his favourite movie playing. When he finally falls asleep, his mind wanders back to Luna and what she must be up to. The thought of possibly meeting her tomorrow lingers in his sleepy mind, the warmth of hope and excitement making him sigh softly, promising syrupy dreams of soft fur and demanding whoofs.