Winter [Harry Styles AU]

seventeen

winter // seventeen

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The problem with having a dog is that it's like having another human living in their apartment. When Cass isn't following Harry (or Zayn, because of course Zayn automatically became her second favorite) around, she's wrecking havoc on their piles of shoes or curled up in what used to be Louis' spot on the couch.

She's very rambunctious, Harry thinks, and while that is a quality that he usually admires in his companions, it's not very admirable when she runs away from him for hours on end and bites his precious curls while he's trying to sleep.

Basically, being a full-time pet owner is more exhausting than having a job ever has been and Harry definitely did not expect this one. Lena was right with her whole ancient Persia get drunk and then sober thing. She's usually right, though. He should have expected it.

"I'm a bad father," Harry whispers, curling up beside Liam on the couch with Cass wriggling in his grasp. "She just wants to play and be free and frolic in flowers and I'm ruining her dreams, Liam. I'm a dream ruiner."

"First of all, there aren't any flowers here. It's below freezing. Second of all, it's a puppy. All they do is whine and sleep and pee everywhere. Get used to it." Liam shrugs and Harry hates him for being so sensible all the damn time.

Instead of agreeing with Liam's sensible answer, Harry sticks out his tongue and makes grabby hands towards the small pipe that the other boy is loading.  "You sound like Lena," he deadpans. "All proper smart and whatnot."

"Where is Lena, anyways? Doesn't she have dog duty or something?"

"Work, then class, and then I think she's tutoring that Sam kid." Harry shrugs. "She'll bond with Cass whenever she has time."

"Where does she think you are?"

Harry purses his lips. "Dunno. Out dealing? Here?"

"She's not stupid, mate."

"I never, ever called her stupid."

"I didn't say you did," Liam pouts. "I'm just saying that she's going to find out of it you don't tell her."

"It's not like I'm trying to hide anything from her!" Harry tilts his head back against the couch miserably. He's going to need a lot more cuddles from Cass and probably some pot after a Liam Life Lecture. "I just don't think it's that big of a deal and she will. It's like the Monkey and the Dolphin."

Liam rolls his eyes. "I would tell you to not bother to continue," he says, "but I'm sure you will anyways."

Harry pets gently at Cass's ears. She's very soft. "It's that fable, right? Like there's a sea person - sailman - "

"Sailor?"

Harry snaps his fingers and grins. He knew there was a reason he kept Liam around. "Right. Sailor. So there's a sailor, and he brings a monkey along on the ship to keep him entertained for the journey. But as they're sailing, a really big storm comes and starts, like, fucking up the ship - "

"Is this because you're high?"

" - so the Monkey and the Sailor have to jump off to live. So the cool ass little Monkey friend is swimming and sees a Dolphin. And dolphins loves humans okay, that's a fact, so Dolphin decides to save him, because he thinks the monkey is human, 'cause we kinda look like monkeys I guess - "

"This is so embarrassing."

"Hush, Liam, I'm teaching you a lesson. The dolphin saves the monkey because he thinks he's a human and is like, 'hey,do you know London?' and the Monkey - this is where it gets good - thinks that London is a person. So he tells the Dolphin that he and London are the bestest friends ever."