The Kitten and the Wolf - L.S. ✔

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Merry - very early - Christmas?

--&--

Louis cuddles up to Lottie on the couch. A light blue blanket thrown over their bodies as the Mendes family sits down around the living room as well. Everyone is looking quite comfortable in their pyjamas.

Karen takes a seat closest to the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. It's clear to Louis - and Shawn told him yesterday - that she is the one handing out everybody's presents.

Back in Doncaster they would alternate who gives out presents. Usually Lottie would start and pick out a random present - since she is the youngest. For whoever this present was would go next. Here, though, it's always Karen who gives out the presents. Which is… whatever. Louis likes the way they did it better.

"Let's start, shall we?" Karen suggests, already taking the first present, reading the little card attached to it. "This is for Lottie." she says and hands it out to Manuel and down the line until it reaches Lottie.

The reindeer hybrid gives a small smile to the people around her before opening it up. The green and red wrapping paper lands on the floor to reveal a flat-ish metal box. Lottie gasps as she recognises what was given to her. It's a set of 80 quite high quality coloured pencils.

Lottie looks up at Karen and Manuel. "Thank you! That's way too much." she claims.

Karen waves her hand dismissively. "Oh, bollocks! It's nothing." she assures her, smiling. "I know your current pencils are quite used up already and I definitely wanna see more of your beautiful drawings."

Lottie thanks her again before the next present is making its way to Shawn.

After about twenty minutes Louis gets his present. He didn't really expect anything since he had already gotten a new laptop for his birthday the day before.

"It's nothing big or anything." Karen explains as Louis is about to protest. So instead he sighs and opens it up.

As the last pieces of wrapping paper fall, Louis is fighting with his tears.

It's a picture frame with the family photo he got when Harry and he went to his old house - the one in the box with the rings.

Only now it's framed and there is a piece of paper in it as well. It's the text from the back of the picture written on it in beautiful lettering. Reading the words again, makes the hybrid tear up again.

"Having somewhere to go is Home. Having someone to love is Family. Having both is a Blessing." - And I am the most blessed person in the world, my beautiful family, my home♡. ~ Mum

Louis looks up, really trying not to let the tears spill. "Thank you so much." he whispers, not sure if he could talk any louder without breaking down.

Lottie moves around next to him so she can hug her brother tight.

The rest of the presents are opened in a bit more somber way, but everyone seems to still have fun.

-

Louis yawns and rubs his eye with his fist. "And then we ate breakfast. It-" another big yawn. "felt weird. We usually ate a big breakfast before opening presents. And the Mendes have like-" Yawn. "a normal breakfast - like everyday breakfast."

Harry chuckles. "Well, everyone celebrates Christmas differently, babe." he points out. His right hand squeezes the hybrid's thigh.

"I know." Louis sighs, breaking out in another yawn.