The Magic Within You

December 3rd

Even before he opens his eyes, he already feels the throbbing headache and Louis groans the more awake he becomes. He also finds out that he didn't slip into his cozy Christmas pajamas last night, but fell into bed fully dressed except for his shoes.

What ended yesterday as a boozy evening is now something Louis regrets this morning. After all, he has a mission today - speak coherent sentences to his angel and make it clear to him that Louis is the one for him too. How could he be so stupid yesterday that he drank so much alcohol that he now has a hangover from hell while still having a man to impress?

With narrowed eyes, he reaches for his mobile phone to see what time it is and whether he has missed something important, because he wasn't able to do that yesterday either. His phone just shows him some new messages from his friends asking how he likes Winterhollow (Very good, he's met the love of his life, thank you very much) and if he wants to bring someone to the New Years party (his angel of course, Louis just has to introduce himself to him at first).

Only then does he register the time and gasp in shock, because he missed breakfast by two hours and it is already 11am. It doesn't surprise him that he hasn't missed any calls from his family, who know after yesterday that he didn't have his phone with him. The twins told the whole family indignantly that Louis had forgotten his phone but a pretty angel had taken a picture. The result was irritated looks from his mother and Dan and Louis only roughly explained what they had experienced in the shopping centre and that he would generally only switch on his phone during his holiday in the evenings.

He never mentioned to anyone that Louis fell in love at first sight or that his heart beats fast every time he thinks about the man. He wants to keep the knowledge about his angel a little longer to himself, and can't quite understand that he's falling head over heels in love just like that. And all without even speaking a word to him. What if he's a jerk, arrogant or just his character in general doesn't match his looks. Louis can hardly imagine it, can feel this knowledge buzzing around inside him, but maybe he's also lost his mind. Definitely his heart, that's for sure.

—————-
19 hours before

It was 4:00 p.m. and after a meal with his family in one of the small restaurants in town, they came back to the hotel. Louis' feet felt dead after being exposed to the snow and cold for the third time that day. He decidedly refused the snow hike in the adjacent forest with his family and instead stayed at the bar in the hotel while the others went back to their rooms to wrap up in warm clothes.

First he just ordered a hot cocoa and hoped that this drives away the cold in his body and stills the longing for a certain man he can't get out of his head. He made himself comfortable in one of the wide comfortable chairs, leaning back with his cup and just watched the guests of the hotel going in and out of the lobby and also waving to his family as they left for the hike.

His face twisted into a smile as an old couple sat down at the table next to him and he watched fondly as they still treated each other so lovingly after all these years. It was the second time that day that Louis caught himself staring but simply because it was so cute and he continues to be a sucker for romance.

Would he also be sitting here, old and wrinkled, with his angel, his hand over his on the armrest of the chair like the man was doing with the woman at the next table? Would they keep coming back to Winterhollow because that's where their love began? And isn't Louis absolutely delusional to think that all of this as a possibility? His angel certainly doesn't waste a single thought on him while Louis can't do anything else.

"Would you like to sit down with us? Or is there something wrong with you looking like that, boy?" the old man suddenly asked and Louis couldn't help but see his cheeks flush pink as he was caught staring.