Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He looked to the flaring golden orange sun that was nearing to set, standing from the large boulders and rocks that had separated the sandy land from the sea. Flock of birds that were flying to the ball of hot yellow orange, and the clear orange sky began to change into a  purplish one.

It is a beautiful sight to see. More beautiful if you have your lovely partner with you to see it. Just plain romantic.

"Isn't it beautiful?" A tall young boy asked, staring to the pleasant sight infront of him. Eyes glinting.

"It is," Another boy, older but a tad bit shorter than him, agreed. "But you're more beautiful." He said looking to the younger one, smiling.

The young lad only giggled and blushed. The older of them smiled at him more,intertwining his own hands with the younger,"You'll always be my sunshine, my world. You'll always be in my heart no matter what. I love you."

"I love you, too."

And as the sun set, they kissed with pure love and bliss.

**

The sound of the annoying buzzing of the alarm clock wakes up Harry at 7 early in the morning. Today's an another ordinary working day for the twenty-three year old lad. Harry Styles stirs up from his dreamless sleep, then opens his eyelids to reveal his emerald orbs sluggishly. Annoyed by the loud and deafening sound of his alarm, he practically slams it just besides him, it's nearly broken but Harry doesn't care. He then lazily untangles himself in the bedsheets and fixes the bed. He showers for a good ten minutes, and an another good fifteen minutes for fixing his messy brown curls(but in the end, he gives up and tousled it in that way then,and decides it's going to be his daily routine)and puts on his clothes. He wears his usual uniform, top over with his dark grey vest, black trousers and black shoes. Plus his bandana to keep the curls from falling into his face.

After that, he then proceeds to the kitchen to cook egg and bacon while humming some of the songs of 5 Seconds of Summer (he mostly repeats She Looks So Perfect because that is just his jam). He then eats his breakfast alone and drinks a glass of apple juice. He then gets his bag and wallet, locks the apartment door with his key and starts walking towards his workplace.

Harry's trip to the cafe he is working is good for about half an hour, which Harry doesn't seem to be in a hurry since the cafe opens up at 9 in the morning. And he always arrives there at late 8:30. He is the most likely to polish the counters and tables (which he also add some fresh baby's breath flowers to the vase of it, although he also changes the flowers) since he has nothing to do and decides that can be a help to ease the hassle, and becomes his daily habit.

"Hey, Harry!" His worker friend, Niall greets with his usual cheery but thick Irish accent voice. Harry turns to the blonde Irish, as he puts on his light beige apron around his waist.

"Morning, Niall!" Harry smiles at him.

"Ready for work again, me friendo?"

"Well, as usual." Harry shrugs,then greets all the other workers who just arrived. Niall then whistles as he prepares himself to work, Harry following. While Harry is leaning to the counter and also waiting for the buzzer to ring off, one of the workers calls him.

"Hey, Harry, could you slice this cake and put it into the display?"

Harry snaps out of his daze and nearly misses it, "Huh? O-oh, sure."

He slices the dried mango cake into 6 parts and puts it back into the cake display as he was told to.As the buzzer rings off, Harry then walks towards the glass door,the entrance of the shop, and turns the hanging cute little sign from 'CLOSE' to a cursive writing of 'OPEN'.

Today is Friday. And as usual, the cafe was filled up pretty fast by customers, usually almost of them were young couply teenagers holding hand in hand. And some of them were newlywed couples and elder citizens. It was pretty normal and nice to see them sitting in a cute fluffy cushions and bronze chairs, drinking away the drinks they ordered in the cup and saucers that the cafe uses everyday and eating the sweets and deserts in their personal ceramic plates stamped with the logo of its cafe.

"Good morning, what would you like to order?" Harry greets a young girl with his usual cheery tone of his voice who smiles back to him while ordering a frappucino and two chocolate muffins.

"Dine in or take out?" The girl choses to take out and pays the price to Harry. He takes the money and returns the change and gives the order to her tightly packed in a paper bag with the logo of the petty cafe with one of his cheerful smile. "Here's your change and receipt, ma'am. Thank you, have a great day!" She mumbles a 'thank you' and picks up her order, and walks towards the door with the bell making a chiming sound as she exits.

"I'm hungry."Harry hears Niall mumbling as he leans himself in the counter just besides him. Harry rolls his eyes and sighs, "Typical Niall..."

"But I really am!" Niall whines in a harsh yet whispery voice trying to not raise his voice.

"Shut up, Ni. You got a customer." Harry motions his hand, smirking to the upcoming customer looking up at the menu list as Niall quietly groans and returns to work.

Harry and Niall were best of friends at a young age before. They stayed inseparable until Niall had to go back to his homeland, Ireland. While Niall was gone for awhile, Harry was doing well, like any ordinary students would do in their senior high and university. But he feels that there is something off in his memories while reminiscing those past years. Harry would feel deja vu-ed but would just shrug it off. But that was never the problem to him now.

For several years of not seeing each other, they met while applying the job here in this cafe they are working. Niall was the first one who would crush Harry into a reunion hug and their were like mischievous kids again before.

And the reason why Harry worked in this cute cafe filled with pictures framed in different colors, and thousands of hanging colorful translucent ornaments, isbecause he always dreams of working in a coffee shop (and to his suprise he successfully did) and the owner of it is a kind and nice old woman at the age of sixty, who also gives free sweets at the end of every month to the workers. And he just really loves the design of this place, he once complimented those to the owner, and then receives a fifty of chocolate brownies, much to Harry's suprise(and he can't eat them all and gives Niall the half).

(Niall just applied to the job because one; it's a cafe with  food, and two; Harry is going to work here so why the hell would he not because they are inseparable.)

Harry snaps from his train of thoughts as he was interrupted, "Um, sir?"

"O-oh! Pardon?"

**Time Skip**

It is only ten more minutes until the cafe closes in 9 PM, and there is one more customer here to have an order.

"Good evening sir, what would you like to order?" Harry greets the young male. He stares at him mesmerized as the lad looks up into the menu list, his brown hair fringed to the side and tousled in a handsome way, his oceanic blue eyes shine as the light reflected  against them.

"Um," he ponders as he slowly looks back to Harry then stops immediately as he stares into him, eyes almost wide and they stand there for several moments. Harry looks back at him with confusion and a tad bit of discomfort.

"U-um, sir?"Harry shuffles uncomfortably and clears his throat to break the awkward silence, making the man cut off from his daze and break eye contact with him,"Sir, we only have about 5 more minutes until our closing time."

"S-sorry, I'll have Yorkshire tea then, no milk, no sugar. And take out please." He grumbles and rummages into his wallet and pays the order. Harry bit his lip before he takes the money and gives him the order inside the paper bag. "Here's your change and receipt. Thank you for coming." He gives off his usual cheery smile.The stranger just avoided eye contact with him and pushes his glasses and exits the cafe, the bell chiming signing he was already outside. Harry then watches his figure disappear in the dark streets.

Harry is wondering what is up with that guy. He then grabs a wet damp cloth and cleans the tables that has some coffee stains stuck in it and collects the dirty cups, saucers and plates then puts them into the sink.

He then turns around and locks the entrance door of the cafe, turning the little sign from the cursive 'OPEN' to printed black 'CLOSE' and packs up his things before going back home to his apartment.

"Bye, Harreh!" Niall waves his hand to him as Harry exits, shouting with his mouth full of a bite of his sandwich. Harry shouts and waves back.

"Bye, Nialler! See ya!"

--

"I shouldn't have gone to that stupid cafe. I shouldn't have... Nope. Ugh." Louis grumbles angrily almost regretfully as he shakes his head, his brown hair following and swaying quickly. He takes a sip of his Yorkshire tea as he stomped his way in going back to his own apartment.

His blue eyes are in a downcast.

Chapter Text

Louis was sitting up in his bed. Elbows resting on his knees and hands fiddling each other. Head low, and the bangs of his chocolate hair hanging. The sheets of his bed are dangled and crumpled. And Louis bit his lip and closed his eyelids covering his dull grey blue eyes.

It's still early in the morning. 1 AM to be exact. And it's still pitch black outside his apartment. No street lights litting up the dark streets, no sound to be awaken for and to be irritated for, and no single soul are even out in this ungodly hour. And he still has not get any sleep yet ever since he met that boy at the cafe hours ago.

And it's haunting him. The way he is looking right at him. He is the last person Louis wants to see.

And yet, he has grown up so charming, and so beautiful.

He ended up shaking his head furiously again and whispering curses under his breath.

"Mmm... Louis...?"

Louis' head jerked up to the voice just the opposite of his position. The lamp flickered for a split seconds and then shined dimly, but despite being dimly lit, Louis was able to see everything clearly around the room. His blue eyes adjusted and focused as he tried to look at a figure sitting right across to him.

Oh... Oops.

"Oh, sorry, Liam. Did I wake you up?" Louis asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

"Uhh, not really..." Liam replied and slurred, scratching his head. Liam stayed silent for awhile. "You're still not asleep yet? Is there something bothering you?" He asked, his voice hoarse a bit.

"Yeah... I'm not tired yet." Louis said in a low tone.

"Oh well. Good night again, Louis." Liam nodded and went back to sleep, turning off the lamp and hovering the blankets to cover his back.

Louis plopped back into his bed, hovering the crumpled sheets into his body and his face hitting the soft and large pillow.

"Ugh, how lucky of me..." He grumbled bitterly against the pillow, making the words muffled almost silently before letting himself to fall asleep, entering the dreamscape. The last thing he wants to see is that Harry's evergreen eyes.

+×+

1:00 PM.

"Hey mate," Louis turned his head to Liam. Louis just finished grading the exams of the seniors and juniors in English class. He saved it before closing his laptop and leaving it lying on top of the dining table (because one time, he forgot to save it and he has to do it all over again. What a pain.)

"What is it, mate?" Louis called back to Liam, who was currently checking the coffeemaker. "I think the coffeemaker is broken." Louis blinked in slight suprise.

"Haha... okay...?" The twenty-five year old stood up from his chair and walked towards Liam and the steel coffeemaker. He checked and tried to do something with it. Great, no more coffee for the two of them.

"No use, Louis." Liam shook his head and held the coffeemaker. "It's dead broken." Louis just sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair.

"Now what?"

"Now what, what?" Liam put the coffeemaker next to a garbage bin. He frowned slightly, Liam's coffeemaker is really old now . Well, how many years did it last now? Seven? Eight? Louis didn't care.

And how lucky of Louis, his roommate has a love passion for coffee.

"Oh, yeah. I heard about this cute cafe. They say that their tea is pretty awesome other than the other coffee shops. " Liam said and beamed in a flash. Yep, Louis is very very lucky. Wait, what? Cafe? Oh sh-. "And they also have desserts like cakes. Have you already went there?" Liam asked.

"Oh Payno, you and your love for coffee..." Louis gestured his hand and chuckled lightly, rolling his eyes a bit. But, God, he hoped it's not that cafe because he swore.

"Hey, don't judge," Liam pursed his lips (more like pouted) and folded his arms on his chest anc then unfolded them again. "Jeez, let's go to Caffe Times."

Was that it's name? Hope not. Damn it, Louis, you didn't remember what name of the cafe you entered last night?

"Nah, I'll pass." Louis waved his hand and fixed his glasses and sits down on the table.

"Ehh, you're going with me." Liam dragged Louis out into his bedroom. Like, literally.

"What? No! Liam let gooo!"

"No. I want you to come with me. My treat! You better be thankful I'm in a good mood today." Liam smiled.

Oh, today's another lucky day of Louis Tomlinson.

+ × +

Louis and Liam entered in a pretty familiar cafe.

And technically, it is the cafe.

Caffe Times.

And Louis had to resist in punching Liam because he was going to see him again.

Liam looked around and a tiny smile formed on his lips. "It's pretty nice. What would you like Lou?" Louis just shrugged, showing slight annoyance in his face and walked

towards the vacant table on the left side near the counter. "The usual. No milk, no sugar. "

"Okay. Wait here, yeah?" Louis nodded and sighed, resting his chin on his hand. Then Liam walked away and lined up in the counter.

And little did he know he was already starting to stare at the one and only Harry. His beautiful Hazza.

+ × +

"Here you go kiddo." I gave the woman her order and a free candy to a her child and smiled. The cafe was filled up pretty quickly and the little children were here too since it's Saturday today. And it's almost a bit crowded.

I leaned in the counter and look sideways towards Niall who was taking the order of a young man, having a fit body, chestnut hair, and brown eyes. And the way I saw it, Niall was starting to blush, pink. Ohoho, someone has fallen in love at first sight.

"U-um good afternoon! What would like to order sir?" Niall asked with his Irish accent while he bit his lip. And I was giving him the knowing look while the blonde lad just glared at me and blushed even more before looking back to the handsome stranger again. I held back a sickening grin that I know Niall will kill me if I did that.

"Hmm.. Yorkshire tea..." I went back to my work. And as the guy finished picking the drinks and dessert, Niall came back with his order and the change with a receipt, still blushing. And I have to stop from letting the big grin on my face while biting my lip. Which is failing...

The man just smiled, "You're cute." And Niall ended up being beet red, looking down to his shoes and biting his lip, and the man just laughed lightly then walked away. Oh my God. That's so much sugar. Niall's royal blue eyes just followed his figure walking to one of the table before squeaking a bit. Or maybe a lot. And his face is still red as a tomato. Yep, too much sugar.

"That was smooth. Very smooth." I let out a giggle, clutching on my side a bit before saying, "Oh my god, Niall you're blushing." I let out a snicker and nudged Niall giving him a thumbs up while he just glared and pouted and punched at my arm slightly. I winced lightly at the small pain.

"Wh-what? No I'm not...!" Niall huffed and blushed again hotly, turning away from me slightly. Denial... it's pretty normal for a person who has a crush of another person, right?

"Shut up Ni. I know you are." I just smiled widely at him. Niall whined and the tips of his ears were red. I grinned from ear to ear and continued to tease him but the smile disappear in an instant when I felt eyes watching me. I looked to my left and saw the young man with glasses. I remember him. He's the last customer last night. And he's staring right at me. And...

Frowning...? At me...?

But the man quickly broke eye contact with him when an another customer, presumably the one that Niall had encountered with, sat down and waved his hand in front of him.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and tilted my head a little to my side, looking back towards the stranger, but tried to shrug it off and focused on my work. Did I do something wrong?

+ × +

"Hey, Louis. Something wrong?"

Oh. He was wearing a blue bandana. How lovely...

Louis frowned.

Chapter Text

I heaved a deep sigh with slight exhaustion. I leaned to the counter with my elbow resting in the concrete, my curls are hanging low. Today was once again tiring of standing on the counter and taking orders from customers, but that's what I have to do. I removed my navy blue bandana and tied it around my neck loosely. I just found this somewhere in my closet yesterday, and couldn't help but wonder why I don't remember wearing this from the past four years.

The cafe was closing earlier this time today at 5. And people were becoming gradually less and slowly leaving the shop. While the fancy and cute tables are slowly becoming empty, I went to clean the first table in the farthest left next to the counter. But I immediately stopped when a brown wallet was left lying on the chair.

I then remembered the two people sitting here; that good-looking guy wearing eyeglasses --that's staring into my soul like I had done something wrong, it's getting me on the nerves to be honest-- and that guy  whom Niall had encountered in the counter. I then picked the wallet and decided to return it to them. It's either the short lad, or the muscular one.

I examined the wallet for awhile. It's really old just by seeing the leather  that was fading and a bit torn. Who would still keep this old and cheap thing anyway? It's like it lasted a few years ago and he's still keeping it to himself. But somehow I feel like I already saw this, I wondered.

I then noticed golden letters embroidered on the old wallet. It's still pleasant to see. Not yet dull or faded. It's like it's still good as new. I guess this is why he still kept this thing, I thought. It must be special to him. I traced the letters like I was touching a glass very carefully that it would break. The capitals 'H' and 'L' were perfectly enlaced.

I can't help but let a small smile crept on his face, but also curiousity crawled in my mind. Who's L and H? Are these their initials? I thought. And I swear I feel like I already saw this. What's wrong with me now?

My thoughts are interuppted when Niall called me. "Oi! Harry, would ya hurry up?"

"Then help me, Niall!" I then put the old wallet inside the pocket of my trousers and proceeded to clean the tables.

+ × +

"Do you know who's the owner of that?" Niall asked as he ate his third turkey sandwich. And I silently thanked the heavens in bringing that I remembered to bring my own ones too. Seriously, this kid's previous life was probably a pig. But I returned to the topic.

"Yeah. It's either the one you fantasized about or his friend with eyeglasses." I said, and kicked a pebble and my eyes followed where it rolled.

"Do you know where they live?"

"Probably in this town." I shrugged, I wasn't even sure if they live here. But I'm pretty sure they sound and are British to me. Niall rolled his eyes and continued eating his sandwhich. "Seriously, Harry. Do you even know their names?" I shook my head with a sheepish smile. Niall just sighed and shrugged.

"So, what you gonna do with that wallet?"

"I'm returning it to them, duh." I said as a matter-of-factly. Because why would I even keep it? I would never do that, even if there's a lot of money, I will never take any chances."But you don't even know who they are and  know where they live." Niall argued. "I know Ni. But I'm not that kind of person to just keep things that weren't even mine." I explained. "Let's just wait. If we ever run into them, we'll return it, yeah?" The blonde lad heaved a sigh again and nodded and dropped the little arguement.

We ended up strolling to the mall. And we went buying groceries for our food and some goodies. It was a little nice stroll. We were about to exit the mall when a brunette in a parka accidentally ran and bumped into us. Correction, me. And I lose balance a bit and the bags fell. Wow, he's strong for such man a bit shorter than me... never judge in their physical appearances. Never. Because if you do, you'll be blown away with their unbelievabe strength. Like me.

"I'm truly sorry, sir!" The lad squeaked in a semi-high pitched voice and went to pick up the groceries. "No, no, no. It's fine. It's okay." I reassured and went to pick up them too. When our hands brushed off swiftly, I felt a sudden small spark and abruptly stopped. It felt... weird. I looked up to see his face, it was the same guy that he saw in the cafe with a strong blue eyes with eyeglasses...! I stared a bit before putting my gaze away from him and carrying up the groceries.

"I'm very sorry, sir. It was an accident-!" He stopped as his eyes met mine. His expression then turned from worry to a face that I really couldn't put his finger on. He isn't an open book, I mentally noted. And also confusing as well...

"It's okay. It's nothing..." I said lowly as he stepped back for the short lad to exit. The lad then regained his posture and hurriedly walked to the exit.

Then it hit me. I forgot to return his old leather wallet haha... Oops. My bad.

The brunette dashed to the exit away from the mall and turned right, his figure disappearing like a lightning. "I-it's him! We have to hurry-!" I blurted and paced hurriedly. Niall followed suit, but confused. "What do you mean?"

We turned right and I shouted to the distant boy who was about meters away to turn right again; the street heading to where the cafe was. "Hey-! Wait!"

"Sir!" I ignored the weird looks and stares from the people walking the sidewalk and me and Niall dashed pass the people to catch up the stranger. The man didn't stop and turned right. I groaned and paced up more and finally turned right.

The man stopped exactly at the closed coffee shop and smushed his face slightly to the glass door, and then sighed and groaned. I panted slightly as my pace slowed down. My left side hurt and I wince lowly. Shoot, I remembered that I can't run this far. But this always happens whenever I run to far places.

"Sir-!" I called again and finally, he turned around. And Niall shortly came.

"What...?" He mumbled and I hesitated. I then showed the old and worn off wallet from my pocket that was lost--and found-- to him.

"Is... is this yours, sir...?" I asked him. He looked to the wallet that was on my big hand. He blinked and slowly took it and put it inside his pocket. "Yeah... it is."

I let out a small relief and a small smile. He looked at me again. And blinked. With no expression. "Thanks. I guess."

I smiled wider and extended my hand to him. "You're welcome. I'm Harry." He looked at my hand, and ignored it. And he just clicked his tongue.

I didn't let my disappointment written over my face, but that was just rude. Just then, Niall nudged my arm, "Can we go now...?" He whispered which I can only hear.

"Yeah, okay." I told him. I sense he can also feel the tension and the atmosphere is getting awkward.

"Louis!!"

Louis...So that's his name? Hmm, where have I heard that name? But it does suits him though. I turned to the person who called him. It was his friend with a chestnut hair and brown eyes. And Niall's crush I guess. If the last one counts.

"Jeez, Louis. Do you really have to run and leave me without even saying where you going to?" That guy isn't even panting. Wow, he's fit. Louis just rolled his blue eyes, "I nearly lost my wallet you know."

"Nearly?" Louis nodded and pointed his finger at me. I gulped nervously. "Curly, returned it." I looked away slightly and pursed my lips. Hey, you do know my name's Harry and not Curly, right?

"You could have told me..." the man uttered out and ran a hand to his hair. Me and Niall stood here awkwardly. And I cleared my throat. "So uh, I guess we better go now."

The chestnut-haired man chuckled lightly. "Ah, I'm sorry. Louis can be sometimes a dickhead. But yeah, he's nice. And I am Liam. Nice to meet you both." He lend a hand to me and Niall. "I'm Harry." I smiled and shook his hand. "And this is Niall." Niall muttered a small 'Hi' and shook it--though his hand is obviously shaking.

"Wow, you could've thought something better about me, Payno." Louis grumbled and folded his arms, and Liam rolled his eyes. "Well, uh. We better go now. I guess..." I said quietly. "Bye?" It was more of a question. The atmosphere is still super awkward.

I nudged Niall lightly to signal him  that we're going. I tightly gripped the shopping bags and walked away back to our flat, leaving Liam and Louis behind.

I looked up to the sky. The sun had set. Shades of purple are clouding the oranges and yellows. Its really beautiful. As always.

And somehow, I can't seem to remove my eyes from it.