Baked In Style | L.S

Chapter 18

Monday morning when Harry gets to the bakery, his eyes grows wide when he sees the door is already open. He cautiously steps inside and is relieved to see it is only Niall behind the counter.

"Ni?" He asks. Not sure why his friend decided to come in this early. He knows Harry doesn't mind him starting a little later on a Monday.

"Oh, hi Haz. What are you doing here this early?" The Irishman pipes up while wiping the counter.

"Uhm." Harry starts. He furrows his eyebrows while walking behind the counter. "I always come in this time on a Monday." He says and smiles. "The real question is- what are you doing here this early?"

"What do you mean, Haz?" Niall answers the question with another one.

"You never come in this early on a Monday."

"Oh, yeah. About that." Niall clears his throat. "I've decided that it's time I start working for the hours I get paid for."

Harry smiles brightly as he walks over to the fake blonde. "Aah, that's kind of you, Ni." He hugs him. "But you know I don't mind you coming in a little later after a weekend."

"Yeah well, I just really feel like it's time I start being more serious, you know?" Niall questions before looking up and meeting Harry's confused stare. "I also need you to start teaching me some of your duties." He says matter of factly. "Pretty soon, you won't be able to do everything you're used to doing." He wipes the counter one last time before flinging the cloth over his shoulder. "Then I'll be happy to help where you need it."

"Ni, I'm pregnant, not half dead." Harry says with an eyeroll. "And you're already doing more than enough. I could never expect you to do my job as well."

"Oh please Harold, don't fucking start with me." Niall retorts and folds his arms over his chest. "You know that when you're pregnant, your belly grows right?"

"Of course I know that, Ni."

"Great, and you also know that your arms stays the same length, right."

Harry narrows his eyes a bit. Not quite sure what his best friend is getting at. "Yeah."

"So you won't be able to roll the dough and shit like you're used to."

With a fond expression on his face, Harry wraps his arms around his friend and hugs him tightly.

"So you'll teach me?"

Of course he will teach him and right this moment, words can't describe how thankful Harry is to call this sweet soul his best friend. He has not even though about what would happen when his tummy inevitably gets in the way, and here Niall is already making plans.

"Yeah. Yeah I will Ni." The green eyed man says as he holds on tight to his friend. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Well, you see. About fifteen years ago I was just a ten-year old kid with a weird accent, an obnoxiously loud laugh and I had the strangest eating habits for someone that age. I had just moved to this town. And while everyone made it their life's mission to make fun of me for being weird, loud and strange, you dear Harold, were the only one to look past that stuff and you befriended me." Niall lifts his head and turns it towards Harry, kissing him on his cheek. "And well now, you're pretty much stuck with me."

Harry can't help the giggles that escapes his throat. "Thank you. I am the luckiest man to have you as my friend, Ni." He replies sincerely before he starts making his way to his office.

"Just call me your little lucky charm, yeah?" The Irishman pipes up just as Harry reaches the door.

Harry turns to face his friend. "Whoa, don't get ahead of yourself there, Ni." He winks and disappears behind the door, leaving the Irishman to laugh out loud.