Long List of Starbucks Lovers

                                    

                                          
by: siempreniall
                          
Summary:
                          
It's time for the annual Secret Santa in band class and Niall's got a history of bad gifts, Harry's got a cute smile, Zayn's got the in, Louis's got a Thing about fuzzy handcuffs, and Liam hasn't got a clue.  
                          
°•°•°  

                          
Niall's not even paying attention as he reaches his hand into the upturned Santa hat full of little pieces of paper. Louis's going on some rant about some mark he thinks he's unfairly got and those usually distract Niall for a few minutes; Louis's the funniest guy Niall knows. So he's laughing one of his better laughs (the wide-grin, deep chuckle one) when he finally looks down at the name he's chosen, and he nearly chokes on his own gasp.
                          
"What? What is it?" Zayn asks next to him, hitting him on the back. Niall's choked on enough food during his school career for everyone to not freak out.
                          
"I just got my Santa Secret pick..." he finally gets out after Liam hands him a water bottle to drink from.
                          
"If Myrtle's always going to rig it so that you get her then I don't know why she's still allowed-"
                          
"It's not Myrtle," Niall sighs as he holds out his hand so Louis can see the name.
                          
He barks out a hearty laugh without covering his mouth, just as Niall had expected, and Niall for his part just leans back in his seat and stares at the ceiling.
                          
**
                          
"I don't get it," Liam says through a mouthful of chicken nuggets at lunch, "So you got Harry Styles. It's not a big deal,"
                          
"Yeah, Liam, it's totally fine that I've got the kid I've been crushing on for three years for Secret Santa. This is fine; nothing can go wrong,"
                          
"What, are you going to give him a gift card to GameStop and the moment that it touches his hand he's going to realize you've had the hots for him since year nine?"
                          
"Fuck you," Niall says back, kicking him under the table, and consequently missing. Of fucking course.
                          
"I think it's cute," Louis smiles, in that way that makes you think he's not quite human, "You could use it to jumpstart our school's next cutest romance. First-chair clarinettist going out with the weird guy who somehow convinced the band director that she needed someone to play the guitar. I think it's adorable,"
                          
"No one asked what you think," Niall mumbles before biting into his sandwich.
                          
"I know why you're freaking out," Zayn says, finally—always the voice of reason, "At the same time, you have to understand that it's not like Harry is gonna think anything of this gift. Everyone in band hates Secret Santa. As long as you don't give him something shitty then you'll at least leave him with a good first impression?"
                          
"Yeah, but first I have to figure out how to not give someone a shitty gift,"
                          
**
                          
It's not that Niall doesn't think through his gifts, it's not that he doesn't care or rushes to get them the day before. They just always seem to go wrong. It's not a matter of if a present from Niall will backfire, rather when or how. He's spectacular at it, really – giving horrible gifts in new and exciting ways each time.
                          
There was the expensive perfume that gave his mother migraines, the watch that turned his father's wrist green, the bouquet of flowers he gave to a date that had a small ant colony living in it. Each time he handed the gifts over with a smile and the confidence that this time it would be different. And each time his smile quickly faded as something undeniably went wrong.