love bot [h.s]

chocolate christmas

I know this is days late and christmas is technically over, but it's not over until december is okaaaaay, anyway please vote and comment as you go!!!

also this contains mild spoilers just like the thanksgiving chapter

ava

The warm sun basked across my skin, feeling like it is mid-July during this Christmas season. The weather was only a small negative addition to my day along with the crowds of late shoppers vexing my mood. It seemed as if everyone and their mother decided that Christmas eve would be the best time to buy their loved one a gift. Thankfully I had already shipped out my gifts weeks beforehand to my family, leaving only Niall, Zayn, and Harry to present them theirs.

Niall, being the spoiled man-child he is, could not wait to open his present on the respected time. His exuberant whines hadn't gone unnoticed during our departure at LAX, I could still hear the pouts of my name being prolonged as he clutched onto my hand for permission. After a very frivolous banter back and forth, I granted him permission to open his present beforehand with a promise of Facetime to view his reaction.

Zayn on the other hand was the complete opposite, he acted indifferent with the exchange. Nonetheless he thanked me for the gift, thanked me for being a wonderful friend, wished me a happy holiday and I was off. Of course I called him later to say all the words I hadn't said at the time. I scolded him with his in-compassionate feelings towards Christmas and told him to go drink some eggnog and enjoy his time at home with his sisters that he had always spoken so fondly of. With a relieved sigh, he thanked me once again and told me he loved me to bits.

As the busy streets were only growing heftier, I hurried my legs to the one bakery that Harry loved. Frances Bakery & Coffee was hidden downtown in the midst of Little Tokyo, I had to take an Uber and a short walk just to make it on time to pick up the order we had placed in advanced. I thanked all of the existing Gods and Goddesses as I entered the bakery and watched as the fussy, irritated crowd shouted over each other in a line full of impatient customers waiting to pick up last minute desserts for their gatherings. The separate line for pick-up was minuscule in comparison, I let out a breathy sigh that I did not know I was holding in as I was settled.

My eyes grazed the incredible display of homemade holiday pastries behind the glass as I waited for my service. Rambunctiously my mind was running with the thoughts of Harry's expression crinkling into something wonderful.

"Next!" The older man with graying hair beckoned me over in a frantic motion as I hurriedly scooted in front of him. His apron had several dried dough spots, gilding the pretty baby blue cursive adorning the pastel pink fabric. I hastily spit out my order name as I could clearly see the distress in his face, "Ava Low."

Without even a nod of response he turned behind him on his heel to the back of the bakery where orders could be clearly seen stacked on the shelves. Only a few awkward beats passed as my eyes trailed along the walls seemingly fading into the background as the room was loud. The worker unnamed came back with a typical white cake box and a smaller rectangular one accompanying it at the top.

"Please check the order to see if it is correct, while I ring you up," the strain on the voice was clear as my heart ached for this stranger that should be with his family instead of working. Carefully I lift the edge of the top to avoid bending the box, immediately I was flushed with excitement as I saw the cute frosted Rudolph on the fudge cake with "Merry Christmas H xx." on an edible piece of chocolate. Harry adored the classic cartoon reindeer that pitched the idea of the outcasted underdog saving the day. I did the same to the other box to reveal the half-dozen of cronuts that Harry also loved.

"Everything is great, thank you sir," I deliver a sweet smile as he attempts one in return.

"That'll be $113.68," he nods while punching buttons on the cash register.