Cats for Christmas
genre: fluff, comfort, reader has insecurities, strangers to lovers
pair: lee know x fem!reader
summary: you'd think that you'd be more than mad when your place is stolen by someone, but you never thought you'd find the most beautiful man you have ever sat your eyes on, standing right in front of you. and what you'd not even think of, would be the way you got along with him.
lyn's note: so this is the lee know part! I hope you guys will enjoy it!! :))
8 days for Christmas masterlist
“Hi, Y/N! Welcome to Pawlicious!” A young lady - Aeri - welcomes you in the cat café.
The café was decorated with Christmas decorations everywhere and their new special menu was on display, so you ordered a Hot Waffle with chocolate syrup and a candy cane coffee - your favorite order for Christmas. The personnel knew you well enough to speak to you informally, so your order was usually already done because of your weekly Saturday visits with your cat, Snowy.
You also knew the majority of the customers, so you saluted each one of them, including their cats. You then go to your table, but right when you want to sit down, you see a man sitted on your place. You huff and touch his shoulder, making the man look at you. His brown eyes were cat-like, a tiny button nose and a sharp jaw, his beauty making you forget for a few seconds that he was occupying your place.
“Is there any problem?” The man spoke before you, making you.
“Uh, yeah.” You come back to reality. “I wanted to say that this is my table-”
“Does it write somewhere that this is your table?” He interrupts you.
“Exactly.” He interrupts you again. “Now, if you want to sit down at this table, you can, I don't have any problem with it. But me and the kids” he points to his three cats “won't move.” He says, finishing with an annoying - and beautiful - smirk. You huff, rolling your eyes, but, since he said that he won't move and that you can stay at the table, however, you sat in the opposite corner of the small table. Snowy meows, trying to beg for your attention and so, she sits down in your lap. You smile and catch a glimpse of the man's smile as he sees your cat.
“Her name is Snowy.” You quietly said as you patted the pet, allowing him to pet her as well. The cat purrs and makes both of you chuckle.
“They are Soonie, Doongie and Dori.” He points to the three sleeping cats around him. You smile at them. “And… I'm Minho.”
“I'm Y/N.” You say as well, smiling towards him. “Nice to meet you-”
“Oh, and sorry for being a… dick, before. I tend to pre-judge people and I thought you-”
“Don't worry.” You give him a smile.
You give in to the temptation of continuing the conversation between you and Minho, sometimes being interrupted by one of your cats. Honestly, you really felt a connection with the man before you, as the conversation went from cats to hobbies and what you did for work. As the clock striked 3 pm, you decided it was best for you to leave. The action saddened both you and him, not mentioning the cats who were playing all together in the corner of the cafe.
“Hey mystery man!” You say as you come right in front of your table, the next week. Minho was sitting in the same spot as last week, smiling as you greeted him. He wouldn’t tell you this, but he did it on purpose, wanting to talk to you more.
“Hey pretty stranger.” He smiles, making you blush from the compliment, immediately looking somewhere else, for the blush to not be so visible to him. He gestures to take a seat and you immediately agree. “Sip.” He simply says, giving you his own order.
“Mine? No, it’s yours.” He smiles, slightly petting your hand. “See?” He shows you the candy cane coffee, hot and warm, making you smile.
“You really got this… only for me?” You blush, shying away from his gaze - failing to see his red ears and shy smile as well.
“Of course not, i- it was just that I remembered you sometimes come by and I also like this coff-”
“Thank you, Min.” You smile and stop his blabber, making him look at you. He almost choked on his Christmas coffee as well, eyes widened and blush across his face - all because of a nickname. He starts smiling like an idiot, but immediately brings himself together when Soonie and Snowy purr at his leg.
Two years. Two wonderful years since you and the mystery man, whose name is Lee Minho, have met. Two years since you and him became friends and started hanging out together. Two years since you had the fattest crush on your friend - that you were sure he only saw you as a friend. Every Saturday, you’d meet him at Pawlicious, with the cats. Snowy and you even found yourself at his apartment oftenly, for the cats to have some time to play, while you and Minho watched movies. You went with him to camping trips and even met his parents - a very normal thing to do between friends, right? - and met all of his friends, as he met yours. The world in which you and Minho lived was so peaceful that sometimes, you'd wish for a change. Not a big one, since, for you, the overstep of the boundaries between friends wasn't so far away. However, your insecurities and your fear of screwing up what you both had got to you, so you prefer to sit and only be his friend - no matter how painful it would have been.
It’s currently 24th december and it found you, again, in Minho’s arms, watching a sickening rom-com that you both agreed watching on this special night. Nothing compared to this tradition - although, some were pretty close - because of the intimacy it held. You often tried to not think about it, at least not when he was around, but you just couldn't stop thinking about how this would become a thing if you and him were… more.
“What's on your mind, pretty?” He asks, stroking your hair while you both cuddle.
“I- it's nothing really.” You smile.
“Hmm, I have known you for 2 years already, what's going on?” He puts a stop to the terrible Christmas rom-com and looks up at you. The strokes have stopped and his face is serious.
“I…” You try to think of something to say, but right then, Doongie jumps on Minho's lap, redirecting his attention to him. You sigh in relief.
“Don't think the talk is over, sweetheart.” He says, still patting the cat. You roll your eyes and go to the bathroom, trying to get some time before the man before you will make the truth reveal itself - the last thing you wanted to happen, really. Sure, you have some hopes that he'll be reasonable and won't break the friendship because, afterall, it's just a crush, you'll try to fight it - but losing Minho's friendship, no. Losing Minho would be the shittiest thing ever and you wouldn't want it to happen, not even in a million years. So, you think of inventing some guy - maybe one of your co-workers - to say that you have a crush. Sure, a big lie, but if it won't mean breaking the friendship, you'll say it. You sometimes think that maybe, he also feels the same, but there are too many thoughts that present you the version you wouldn't want - the one of him not reciprocating the feelings, the one that would leave you broken.
You leave the bathroom eventually to find the living room empty. He probably is in the kitchen feeding the kitties. So you lay down on the couch, taking your phone out to find a message from Minho.
My mean hoe: I'm outside.
My mean hoe: Come please.
My mean hie: The kitties are with me and we have a special surprise :)
You smile, leaving a comment with a smiley face, then turning your phone off. Putting your beanie on, one of the pairs of shoes you have at his, a scarf and one of his warmer jackets, you exit the apartment, not forgetting the keys. You take the elevator down and then you start searching for them. That's when you see the paw trail on the white snow and you recognize it as being Snowy's. Next to them are three other pairs of paw trails. Soonie, Doongie and Dori's. You follow them, curiosity written all over your face.
The trails get you to the Pawlicious café. But they can't be inside, the café is closed. So you just stay there, smiling in the direction of the table you firstly met Minho.
“Hey, lost kitty.” Minho says behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. A blush creeps out on both of your faces, but none of you sees the other's face.
“Hi, pretty kitty.” You say, directing your gaze to Minho, only to see his red ears. ”Min?” You ask, thinking that his ears are freezing.
“Are you cold? Your ears are red..?”
“I… am not.” He smiles and his arms hold you even tighter. “I… That's… uhm..”
“Hm.. they are hot.. so, you're not cold.” You notice.
“I.. I am not.” He whispers. “Hey, uhm, don't you want to know what your present is?” He asks, a smile slipping on his face.
You nod, smiling as well. He takes your hand and gets you behind the café. Your curious look makes Minho chuckle under his breath, but you immediately hit him - not enough to hurt him - and he stops, only remaining a smile. He puts a hand over your eyes, earning a huff from you.
“Shh, stay quiet for a bit.” He tells you.
Five minutes later, he takes his hand off your eyes. You are immediately met up with some beautiful lights, two cups of hot chocolate and a blanket on the little bench next to you. You smile, letting his hand slightly go as he stands right beside you.
“Min, you didn't have to-”
“Well, I mean… it's not entirely for you.” He jokes, rolling his eyes. “Uhm.. this is where I'll… Uhm.. Wait.” He looks around, finding Dori. He takes his cat in his arms and passes him to your arms. You smile as he purrs, but immediately notice a letter being attached to his collar.
I don't exactly know how to tell you this, but I have to be honest to you. Remember the day I sat at your table and then, we soon started talking. I wasn't a complete stranger to the café, to be honest. I've seen you one day and immediately liked you. Your gentleness, your way of doing things and your looks… You immediately put me under a spell. I want to thank you for all these years and I know that what I'm about to say might interfere with our friendship, but if I don't say it, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to bear it. I'm in love with you. there, I said it. I can't say exactly why, other than the pure reason that it's you. there's always a feeling I get whenever you're around me, whenever I feel your skin. I want to be your boyfriend and you to be my girlfriend. If you don't love me back - i know there might be a possibility because, afterall, it's you, the prettiest and kindest girl in the world - so ill change. i value our friendship way more than some feelings that might ruin this whole feeling.
“I love you too” You turn to look Minho in his eyes, voice barely higher than a whisper. He smiles and takes your cheeks into his hands.
“Can I..?” He asks for permission, making you nod. As fast as the confession happened, his lips landed on yours. The kiss was so affectionate that it made you both smile into it.