Out back of the coffee shop, behind the single picnic table provided for smokers, are the two bins where Louis has to drag the rubbish to a few times a shift.
He detests this part of his job more than any other part. Being the shortest (not that he'll ever admit it), Louis thinks he shouldn't have to be the one doing all of this manual labour. Make Liam do it, the boy clearly spends hours working those muscles of his to toned perfection.
He steps up to the bin and heaves the bag up into it, counting himself lucky that no coffee spilled onto his clothes in the process.
He's considering taking a smoke break now, since he's outside anyway, but his thoughts are interrupted by a squeak.
And a second later, another squeak.
Suddenly, something is squeaking incessantly - it sounds like an animal, and it sounds desperate.
Glancing around, Louis can't see anything out of the ordinary. He traces the source of the noise to the bin that he just put the bag in - was there something in the bag?
He's loath to touch the bag again (so many people threw away half finished drinks and now it's all spilling and collecting in the bottom of the bag). He grabs the bag and gives a swift tug upward. The squeaking stops immediately and something small and furry claws its way up the side of the bag in his hands.
When it gets to the top, the animal takes a flying leap off and onto the concrete below, sort of tumbling down into a sodden ball of fur.
Louis lets the bag drop back into the bin and takes a few steps back from where the animal landed - what if it's rabid? What even is it?
The animal unfurls itself after a moment, turning its head this way and that as if checking for injuries.
The thing is, is Louis still isn't sure what sort of animal it is. Its fur is matted and covered in what Louis assumes is coffee. Below the drinks, the fur is a sort of chestnut brown, so maybe it's a squirrel or chipmunk? But it's a little on the large side of reither of those, the fur a little too fluffy, the tail too long.
Which, could be a cat? But cat's don't have brown fur that colour, Louis is pretty sure. At the very least, he's never seen a cat that colour before.
Whatever it is, it seems oblivious to Louis as it sits right in the middle of the back alley and begins grooming itself, licking the coffee out of its fur.
And, oh, should it really be doing that? Some of what's on its fur is probably a mocha drink. Dogs are allergic to chocolate, are all animals? God, he doesn't want it to die - what would his sisters think of they ever found out he just let a scrawny little animal kill itself?
He doesn't need that on his conscience, no thankyou.
He approaches it from behind, quietly, trying not to scare it off. There was no need, probably, as the little animal seems completely caught up in its grooming.
Louis grabs it around the middle with both hands and scoops it into the air in front him and gross it's sticky.
The thing lets out an ungodly loud squeak when it's lifted off the ground and begins thrashing in his grip, tail lashing back and forth and covering his arms in coffee remains.
It wriggles and squeaks pitifully in his grip, and Louis is somewhat reminded of why his mum never let them have more than a goldfish growing up. Pets make such a mess, he's getting splattered by the lashing tail and desperately flailing limbs.
Still, he thinks, in the end he's doing this for the animal's greater good. Hopefully.
Shouldering his way back into the kitchen, he rolls his eyes at the strange look Niall gives him.
YOU ARE READING
larry- one shots
Fanfictionlarry one shots! all stories' are different and taken from ao3
