The first time I see him is around the end of October, sometime in the early morning. The snow is at least 4 inches deep on the side of the road today. It’s the first time I notice him coming into the video rental store. Ever since I had started working there, the shop had never been busy. With the advancement of the internet, people don’t feel the need to rent physical copies of movies anymore. The only few customers I ever have always are older folks. It’s something close to a miracle (or perhaps, I suspect a money laundering scheme I am unwillingly contributing to) that the shop is still standing and I still have a job. One of the only few jobs I can find in this country without speaking more than a few words of Norwegian.
Needless to say, aside from myself, a young person in the shop definitely stands out, even more so this early in the morning. Who rents movies this early in the morning? I am regretting mindlessly putting on a Notting Hill VHS as I came in, not knowing I would have a handsome stranger to impress a few hours later. I try not to stare too much, but I can’t help myself throwing a curious glance his way a few times as he browses the Musical DVD section. Definitely my type, no matter what his secondary gender is.
He must be an Alpha, surely, judging by his confident stance, chin raised, back straight. But then again, no matter how tough he makes himself look with a clenched jaw and furrowed eyebrows covering piercing blue eyes, there’s still something about his face that looks too soft, his eyelashes are too long, his brown hair is too fluffy, I’m not too sure. And then there is this tired dishevelled look about him. Perhaps he is a Beta. Not that I care, when it comes to attraction, secondary genders never mattered much to me.
“Trenger du noe hjelp?” I finally gather enough courage to ask. One of the few Norwegian sentences I can manage. It apparently startles him, he turns around abruptly, looking in my direction but not quite meeting my eyes, before practically running out of the store with a barely audible “Takk.”
I am left standing at the till, confused and wondering what I could possibly have done wrong. Strange behaviour, I thought. Maybe he is not as much of an Alpha as I expected him to be. It must have been a mistake. The chime hung over the entrance door pulls me out of my reflection noisily.
“Harry, I have hot chocolate for you!” Lars, a middle aged Alpha regular who grew to be my friend overtime, chirps.
“Oh, thank you Lars!” I take the distraction gratefully.
“Is it busy yet?” He asks with a soft smile. He speaks close to perfect English with a tinge of a Norwegian accent. He was the first friend I made here.
“Someone was just in but didn’t rent anything. He kind of just ran out, actually,” I explain.
“Ran out?” he tilts his head. “Did he steal something?”
“Oh, no I don’t think so. He was strange though, young and all, like, my age.”
“It is unusual,” he nods, definitely looking confused. He takes a sip from his hot chocolate, I take a sip from mine.
The stranger comes back exactly six days after that and I don’t make the mistake to talk to him this time, not daring to even so much as look in his direction. I simply just observe him from the corner of my eyes. His body language is guarded, eyes stubbornly cast down, his arms crossed against his chest. He isn’t wearing enough clothes for how cold it is outside today, I even think I notice a slight shiver.
I wonder about him as I turn the thermostat a few degrees higher. An unfriendly Alpha perhaps? Maybe he feels threatened by me? I don’t think I present typically Alpha and he never comes close enough to me to be able to smell me, so I don’t think he’d notice. Unless he is the kind of person who pays attention to these sorts of things. Or perhaps he is just shy. Or having a bad day.
I can’t stop myself from speculating. A small part of me is satisfied to find he stops shivering after a while.
He stays in the shop for close to two hours, seemingly going over every single DVD we own and eventually leaving without renting anything. Chances are, he is probably looking for something specific. He could have definitely use my advice, I think. I daydream about him walking up to the counter and asking for an obscure film I’d never heard of.
Against all odds, I see him again a few days later. I didn’t think he would come back, seeing as he didn’t seem to find what he was looking for last time. I open the shop a bit later than planned that day, around 10:30 AM. Not that it ever was that busy in the morning anyways, and it is so cold outside I struggled to leave my flat. He is waiting by the door when I get there, gloveless hands tucked under his arms, only a light jacket when it is definitely lower than 0°C. He looks like he is positively freezing again, but I don’t have enough Norwegian in me to express concern about it.
“God morgen” I attempt, hoping he doesn’t run away from me.
“Hallo,” he reply shyly. His voice has a lovely rasp to it. Despite being closer to him than ever before, I can’t manage to get a whiff of whatever his scent is. It’s a shame, that would give me a hint as to who he is. I come to the conclusion he must be wearing blockers. I don’t dare ask him any questions, simply opening up the shop and letting him in. I turn the heating on before I even do anything else.
I am giving a lot of thought to what movie I am going to put on. Something to impress him, even get him interested so that he can stay just a little bit longer perhaps. For some strange reason I like him being around. Seeing as he seems to be headed for the Musical section again, I decide to go with the safest choice I can think of: Grease . I grab the DVD someone just returned yesterday from under the counter and pop it in the player. Sure enough, I notice him glance over the screen a few times. I catch myself thinking I might be brave enough to ask him what movie he would like me to play next time he came in. If there ever is a next time. Just like a few days before, he seems to be browsing every single section without particularly looking for anything.
He stays for a long time again, almost the whole run of the movie. That is until I hear the shrill door chimes, pulling me out of my daydreaming.
“Harry! I brought you hot chocolate!” Lars exclaims, entering the shop with two cups in hand. I notice the customer turning around abruptly at his appearance. He stares at the both of us with wide eyes for half a second before practically running out the shop with a bashful: “ha det.”
“That was strange,” Lars notes after he leaves.
“That’s the same customer from last time, the one who ran out” I look at the door he just disappeared out of as though it would somehow start making sense.
“Strange. Are you sure he didn’t steal anything?”
“No, I really don’t think so. I wonder if he’s looking for something?” I am pretty much thinking out loud at that point. “I was trying to figure out what secondary gender he could be.”
“Well, he kind of looks like an Alpha, from what I saw,” Lars confirms my suspicions.
“But would an Alpha run out like that though? I mean, that’s a stereotype,” I point out before immediately correcting myself. And I suppose it isn’t really nice of me to attempt to figure him out like that.
“I don’t think he’s an Alpha. There’s probably just something going on with him,” Lars looks honestly as confused as I am.
“He’s been here three times now.”
“He will come back, then,” he shrugs, unbothered. “I think he wants something.”
“Like a specific movie?” I wonder. “It’d be easier if he just asked me for it.”
“Maybe he likes you?” he guesses. I shake my head violently, I can feel my face getting warmer. It would be nice, but I don’t suppose anyone fancying me would act so strange.
“You know what?” I try and pretend as though I haven’t been thinking about him a bit too much these past few days. It’s just that he is something close to a mystery to me. I came to the conclusion he was simply trying to keep warm against the unforgiving late Autumn/early Winter weather. “He’s not been wearing a proper jacket. I thought he was maybe shielding from the cold?” I do a pretty good job acting as though I just thought of that.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to buy a jacket than coming in here?” Lars, always the wisest.
“True, that’s definitely strange. Do you think maybe he can’t get one?” I sigh, here goes all my speculating. I am not going to figure this one out. I desperately need to find out more about him somehow, figure out a way to get past his skittishness.
“You mean he’s homeless?” Lars shakes his head with a chuckle. One of the many perks of Oslo: not a lot of homeless people around. “Maybe I can try to bring him a hot drink too next time.”
“Maybe,” I am already back to being lost in my thoughts. Maybe I am a little obsessed, though I don’t understand why. There is a tinge of worry in that, maybe even some sort of protective instinct. Is it my Alpha reacting to him? Can he then be an Omega? I only ever really want to figure him out.
Just like Lars predicted, I see him again a few days later. It snowed earlier that day, the city a quiet muted shade of white outside the shop’s steamed-up window. I am just taking a customer’s information when I get a glimpse of him nervously lingering on the pavement outside the shop, glancing in. Odd. I rush through the renting process, assuming he is probably waiting for her to leave before coming in, he doesn’t seem to like people being around. That confirms my theory that he must be trying to keep warm. It is freezing out there, and he still isn’t wearing proper Winter clothes. He indeed waits until she leaves the shop, glancing through the glass a few more times just to make sure, before coming in.
“Hallo!” I attempt, hoping that it won’t scare him off again.
He stares at me, the way he so often has almost every time something startled him in the past, before blinking slowly. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, no sound comes out. He clears his throat before speaking:
“Do you…” he croaks as though he hasn’t made use of his voice in a long time. “Do you speak English?” He asks in a perfect British accent. Definitely native, I pick it up right away.
“I’m English.” I explain, making sure to give him an engaging smile, though a little shocked. “You’re English?'' There aren’t a lot of us around here. Not a lot of foreigners at all, in fact. It is a really exciting and rare occurrence to find a fellow countryman. No matter how beautiful Norway is, I still get homesick sometimes.
“Yeah,” he lets out a noticeable sigh of relief. His shoulders drop. “I figured, your friend came in speaking English the other day. Harry, is that right?”
“That’s right,” I am piqued he remembers. “What’s your name?”
“Louis,” for the first time I witness a genuine smile blooming on his face. It reaches all the way to his glimmering eyes. It warms me just a little, I assume he must have been feeling lonely.
“Nice to meet you Louis,” I lean forward on the counter, making sure to smile back back at him. “You’re Northern aren’t you?” I pick up on his accent. “Yorkshire?”
“Aye,” he answers shortly before turning away. Right. This doesn’t prompt any further questioning. I am still a little taken aback by the sudden end to the conversation. Have I been misreading things? Does he not want to talk to me?
I wonder what an English boy would be doing in Oslo. I barely know what I am doing here myself. No one chooses to end up here, people generally just tend to pass through. I wandered there a few years ago with the same sort of mindset.
But I liked the snow. And so days turned into weeks turned into years.
“Any movie you fancy me putting on then?” I try again. Maybe he’s just shy.
“Oh,” he turns around with the same tight smile and glittery eyes as before, seemingly pleased I asked. “I really enjoyed Grease last time.”
“Another musical then?” I offer.
“Musical sounds good,” he smiles. Maybe Omega, I can’t stop myself from speculating.
“How about Hairspray, you like that one?” it’s the first one that comes to my mind. I can spot the bright lettering of the DVD case on the shelf from here.
“I’ve not seen it before,” he admits, turning around to look at the shelf then back to me again.
“It’s got John Travolta in it too,” I hope it’s enough to convince him. “And Zack Efron?” I slyly test if he knows who that is.
“From High School Musical?” he knows. So possibly gay too, if I was to go off of stereotypes. Maybe I can try and ask him out if he warms up to me.
“Yep,” I approve with a pleased smile I can’t hide. If he stays long enough this time I tell myself I’d ask.
He stays over until the movie finishes, eyes shamelessly fixed on the telly, and I count that as a win. I don’t ask him what he wants from my shop, it doesn’t feel as though this would be the way to earn his trust. I suppose I would find out in time.
I don’t end up asking when he eventually leaves, still too afraid. But I have this underlying feeling he will come back.
And he does end up coming in again on Thursday, not making eye contact but his shoulders don’t seem as tense now. I am trying not to stare, still enthralled with figuring him out. Not like there is ever much else to do around here. I have D.E.B.S playing today, a terribly campy movie but it keeps the mood light. I glance over as Louis moves to the Documentaries. We haven’t spoken yet this time.
“Harry!” Lars bellows loudly as he pushes his way into the store. I tense slightly, expecting Louis to flee, but he surprisingly doesn’t. I am pleased with his progress. “Do you like Chinese food?” Lars gestures obliviously to the two large bags in his hands. The smell hits me then, I can’t help my mouth watering. Yes, of course I very much do. I didn't have time for breakfast this morning.
“You don’t want it?” I question Lars, noticing Louis has moved slightly closer from the corner of my eyes although he is yet to so much as glance in our direction. Interesting.
“I’m allergic to sesame oil,” Lars explains. I wonder if he’s lying. I haven’t heard of his sesame oil allergy before, and he did say he would try to bring in food for the possibly homeless customer a few days ago. This is a lot, though. “The new Omega I am seeing ordered it for us. It’s gonna go to waste unless you want it” Lars continues happily as he places the bags on the counter in between us.
We keep the chat light as I get the containers out of the bags. Sweet & Sour chicken, Beef & Broccoli, two orders of white rice, one egg fried rice, egg rolls, two egg drop soups, and two Sprites.
“Your Omega has good taste” I quip, slightly shocked at the amount of food. Lars shrugs, “I like an Omega with some meat on their bones. Can’t stand the waify ones, you know?”
I can see Louis has moved even closer, now glancing at myself and the food in turn. Is he hungry? My weird protective instinct has to be right.
“I just want my mate, or any Omega in my life really, to be happy,” I say truthfully, making sure I am loud enough for Louis to hear. ”I couldn’t care less for body size, or looks or anything. It’s really a personality thing for me” bingeing epic love stories every day may have turned me into a bit of a romantic. I hope I’m not being too obvious about it. I suppose he would’ve ran out already if I was.
“You’re too sweet,” Lars laughs, swiping one of the three fortune cookies. “I’m not sure why they gave us an extra one?” I have only seen fortune cookies a couple of times in my life. I always assumed they were more of an American thing. Weird.
“Probably because that’s enough food for three people,” I observe. I look at the two still sitting on the counter, a slight pinch of anxiety in my chest at what I’m about to do. Before even knowing it, I find myself offering one to Louis.
“One for you, Louis?” I regret asking as soon as the words leave my mouth, remembering how skittish he was in the past. I am scared I am being too forward. Surprisingly, Louis takes a tentative step towards the counter, still keeping his distance from Lars but definitely a brave move for him. I probably am earning a little bit of his trust. Getting to him feels like taming a wild animal: time and softness and care. He is staring intently at the cookie in my outstretched hand, not daring to go as close as to grab it. Trying to meet him halfway, I gently toss it in his direction. He catches it swiftly, muttering a quiet “thanks” before fleeing back to the documentaries.
“Beta?” Lars wonders, sniffing the air in a display that makes me a little nauseous. “I can’t smell him.”
“Don’t be creepy, Lars” I snap, as though I haven’t been doing the same for the past few days. “Now what's your fortune?” I don’t really care but the need to get Lars’ eyes off Louis is strong. Which is definitely weird. Lars smirks knowingly, training his eyes back to his cookie he starts to unwrap, discarding the flimsy plastic on the counter. At this point, I am trying not to get irritated, the last thing I need is to start releasing sour pheromones. There is something strange going on with me, maybe I am approaching a rut.
“ An exciting adventure awaits you. Embrace the journey with courage and optimism. ” Lars reads out with optimism in his voice. “Ooh, maybe my little Omega is preparing quite the adventure for me? Anyways, I’ve gotta go, Harry! Enjoy the food!” He chimes as he spins around and out the door. I shake my head, slightly amused and for some reason relieved for him leaving, and open my own cookie.
Open your eyes to the beauty and opportunities right in front of you; the answers you seek are closer than you think.
“I didn't know anyone else ever watched D.E.B.S” Louis’ voice sounds from the other end of the counter.
“Huh?” I reply dumbly, slightly startled by the fact he is initiating the conversation for once. He really must be feeling safe around me. I can’t help but feel proud about that. I have a good long look at him for what feels like the first time. He really is stunning even from up close, in an effortless kind of way. Strong jaw, piercing blue eyes, high cheekbones, and tousled brown hair tinged with gold. However, upon further inspection I also notice he must have been having a rough time with his wind burned cheeks, the days old scruff, the deep dark circles under his bloodshot eyes, the way his cheekbones look a little hollow at a certain angle.
“D.E.B.S. kinda niche, yeah?” he says quietly, shying away from my intrusive stare. His eyes flit from the takeaway boxes to my face. He is holding his fortune cookie wrapper and the small white paper in one hand, the cookie seemingly fast eaten.
“Who doesn’t love secret agent lesbians?” I quip back, trying to conceal the growing smile on my face. Louis nods, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “What’s your fortune?” I inquire.
“Oh!...I…um,” he stammers, looking down at the little paper in his hand. “Allow love to enter your life, and watch it heal everything it touches.”
“Hmm, seems like more of a statement than a fortune,” I point out with a thumping heart, because, that is not really a fortune, more like a sign from the universe, perhaps. Louis shrugs, still holding his gaze on the steam rising from the beef and broccoli. “Do you want it?” I try to offer as casually as I can, “I don’t eat meat” I lie. “Plus, this is more food than I could stomach. We could split it and finish D.E.B.S? No one else appreciates it” I offer. Something flickers behind Louis’ eyes, I notice him swallowing hard.
“I…I mean I was on my way to get lunch but if it would go to waste otherwise…” Louis mutters, he looks embarrassed and I can't help but suspect it to be a lie.
“Nah, join me!” I reply happily, hoping I come across as unbothered as possible. I proceed to walk out from behind the desk in order to fetch a spare stool. He jumps back abruptly as soon as I come closer, eyes wide with what I can only assume to be fear. “Oh, sorry. Erm,” I take a step back, giving him some space. “I am just trying to get you a stool from that supply closet over there,if you want it?” I question, trying not to scare him. At this point, I am desperate to get food inside the boy. He looks like he hasn't had a proper meal in days, maybe even weeks.
“Thanks, I’ll get it,” he says quietly after a brief moment of hesitation, avoiding my eyes. His movements are cautious as he heads toward the supply closet I pointed to, as though he is trying to conserve energy. I am getting increasingly worried. I watch him carefully, noticing the way his shoulders hunch as if he is trying to make himself smaller, less noticeable.
“Lucy hasn't even snuck into Amy’s dorm yet,” I say, trying to keep the mood light.
He gives me a shy smile as he pulls the stool out, dragging it rather than lifting it over to the counter where I am spreading out the Chinese food, far enough apart so that he won’t have to sit too close to me if he doesn't feel comfortable to do so. I motion for him to sit down. He does so gingerly, as if unsure of his welcome.
“Thanks,” he murmurs, glancing up at me through his thick lashes.
“No problem,” I smile, handing him the beef and broccoli container.
His fingers brush mine for a split second as he goes to grab it. Electricity courses through me. It feels like a victory, getting this close without him bolting. I settle back behind the counter with a satisfied smile, opening the box of fried rice and grabbing the remote to turn the volume up slightly.
I can’t help stealing glances at him as we eat, desperate to notice any small detail that will somehow help piece his story together. He is a mystery, this skittish scentless boy who keeps showing up in my store. Homeless, maybe. Or just lost. Either way, I want to help him so badly it almost hurts me, even if just with a warm meal and a cheesy gay spy comedy.
“You like Chinese food?” I ask between bites, trying to draw him into a casual conversation.
He nods eagerly, swallowing his mouthful before speaking. “Yeah, it’s so good. Thanks again for this."
He finishes his beef and broccoli in a matter of minutes, and his eyes unmistakably flit between the television and the other containers of food almost immediately.
“Please, grab whatever you like,” I offer, trying to sound casual. Possibly failing. He still seems hesitant so I slide the sweet & sour chicken and the white rice towards him. I am pleased to see he snatches it up quickly, almost instantly inhaling the food.
The buzzing of the film provides a comforting background noise, and for a while we sit in relaxed silence, punctuated only by the quiet sounds of chewing. I find myself stealing too many glances at Louis, marvelling at how quickly he eats, and how desperately he seems to need this simple meal.
“Have you watched But I'm a Cheerleader ?” Louis speaks, it seems out of the blue. Perhaps he is as desperate for connection as I am. The question surprises me, I feel my cheeks flame up.
“No, I haven’t,” I shake my head.
Louis makes a little mock offended gasp, and I can’t help but laugh, warmth radiating throughout my chest at how much more relaxed he seems already. He is starting to open up. I resist the urge to start purring.
“I know, I’m a bad gay,” I say, feeling embarrassed but also sort of testing out how he feels about this admission. We have only been talking about gay movies after all. Louis smiles, but there is an uneasiness lingering behind his eyes. My heart sinks a bit. I panick, scrambling to fix whatever I have done wrong. “Maybe I’ll put it on in the next couple of days,” I suggest, quickly changing the subject.
But before he can respond, the bell above the door jingles, and two loud Alpha men walk in. The atmosphere shifts immediately. Louis’ shoulders stiffen and he stands up quickly, startling me.
“Tuesday,” he mutters breathlessly, pushing his leftover food towards me.
“Wait, what?”
“I’ll come back Tuesday,” he whispers with a small smile before fleeing out the door.
It all happens too fast for me to react. I stare after him, the half-eaten containers still in front of me and the sound of D.E.B.S. still playing in the background. The other customers don’t even notice, and I am still trying to process what just happened. I slowly pick up the containers Louis left behind, trying to approximate if he ate enough.
Tuesday. He said he’d be back Tuesday.
There is a pattern I seem to notice with him as time goes on: he comes in every Tuesday and Thursday. So I start my Tuesday with a mission, coming into the shop with two large full-fat caramel mochas from my local coffee shop. Knowing Louis is going to show somehow fills me with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. He hadn’t mentioned a time but I had to be prepared: my first step after opening up is to locate a copy of ' But I'm a Cheerleader ' and pop it into the player. I arrange the mochas on the counter, far enough from each other so Louis won’t have to come too close if he doesn’t feel comfortable to do so, and settle in to wait. The worst part is the wait.
And I wait.
This was the latest he’d ever come in. I press play on 'But I'm a Cheerleader' for the third time, the cheerful opening credits now a strange comfort, when the door swings open violently, bringing in a gust of cold before slamming shut. A pale faced Louis bolts in, his eyes wide with fear, running straight for the back corner without so much as a look in my direction. Some sort of Alpha protective instinct kicks in immediately, I have to pinch my wrist hard enough to draw blood to stop myself from going after him. Stay calm and give him space, I keep repeating to myself.
After about five excruciating minutes where I do nothing but try to control my breathing, he finally makes his way up to the front, although still casting worried glances out the window. My heart instantly aches at how scared he looks when he comes more clearly into view. Something is wrong, and I want nothing more than to help, to reassure him. But knowing him, I figured I will have to tread carefully.
“Hey,” I try to attract his attention as gently as possibly, “they gave me an extra mocha at the coffee shop today. You want it?” I ask quietly, holding out the now not-so-warm anymore cup towards him.
Louis glances at the mocha in my hand and then up at the TV with an unmistakable frown. His eyes are still filled with fear, even more so than usual. He takes a tentative step closer, then another, his gaze flitting back to the window anxiously. I attempt a smile, trying to be encouraging but not pressuring.
“Did you do something to it?” he asks lowly, his voice raspy and pained.
I am taken aback by that. He clearly does not trust me as much as I thought he did.
“No! No, of course not!” I scramble in a panic. I take the lid off the top of the extra mocha and take a sip in a bid to reassure him. “See?”
He still eyes me warily. I place the mocha on the counter closest to him and take several large steps back, hands raised to show I don't mean any harm. My thoughts are racing. I can't help but come to the conclusion that someone does mean him harm. I wish I could just ask him. I would protect him if I could, even if he looks tough enough to protect himself. He observes me, calculating, before quickly swiping the drink off the counter. He looks up at the television again and I swear I see a small smile flicker across his face this time.
“I have to go,” Louis whispers, sounding rushed but slightly softer than before. “Thursday,” he adds. He can probably tell I need some sort of reassurance from him. With that, he practically evaporates out the door.
I stand there for a moment, trying to process the whirlwind of his prompt arrival and departure. Why would he only come in for such a short time? Was the only reason because he told me he would? Was he in trouble and did my quiet shop make him feel safer? Did my presence make him feel safer? The more I got to know him the more questions I had.
It is only a few minutes later when Erik, a large Alpha I know from around, slinks in, nostrils flaring as he sniffs the air. I know Erik isn’t good news, but I have never seen him in the shop before. The sight of him sets my nerves on edge.
“Alt ok?” I ask warily, the Alpha in my chest growling slightly.
Erik simply smirks at me. Just then, an older Beta man with his Omega teenage daughter (or granddaughter?) walk in. He sniffs the air again as the Omega passes him, causing her to shrink forward.
“Forbudt her!” I threaten in broken Norwegian, standing up from behind the counter in hopes to convey as much protection and anger as I can to get my point across. Erik laughs before sucking his teeth.
“Hva skal du gjøre, engelsk gutt? Alfaer kan være myke der du kommer fra, men her er Omegaer her for å tjene oss,” I don't get a lot of that, just a general sense of disdain towards me and Omegas. A growl escapes my chest, deep and threatening, I hear the Omega whimper in the back of the shop at that. I don’t lose my focus on Erik, my voice low and dangerous. “Dra nå.”
Erik shrugs smugly, his smirk never fading as he slinks back out the door. The tension in the store lingers for a moment longer, the scent of fear and aggression still thick in the air. I take a deep breath, trying to calm down. My Alpha has been out of control recently. I look at the Omega and Beta.
"Du er trygg,” I say, hoping to reassure them. The Omega nods slightly, her demeanour still wary.
I glance back at the door, hoping Louis is alright wherever it is he went, with people like Erik around. Hopefully it will turn out he is an Alpha too, so he will be left alone.
Thursday, he said.
By the time I open the shop on Thursday, I feel slightly embarrassed by my tactic to feed Louis. I had spent three hours making an intricate shepherd’s pie, scooping out about half of it into some second hand takeout boxes and wrapping them in cling film. I decide against a movie, instead going on a series box set this time, ‘Orange Is the New Black’. The irony of how much lesbian content I have been consuming lately doesn't escape me.
When Louis finally comes in at around 1:00pm, I am more than ready with my rehearsed lines.
“Hey, Louis! My friend Lars was over last night and I made too much food,” I lie. “Do you like Shepherd's pie? You could help me finish it? I'd appreciate it so it doesn't go bad,” I hope a traditional British meal would be comforting to him, and hopefully prompt him to stay. “Plus, I’d like it if you hung around. I wanna talk about ‘But I'm a Cheerleader’ if you're up for it,” I decide to try and be upfront about it.
Louis hesitates for a moment before a sly grin crosses his lips, making the Alpha inside of me preen.
“I thought you were a vegetarian?” he asks, his voice still quiet but with a hint of cheekiness behind it.
“Erm, No- it’s just that I-” I stammer, unable to come up with anything. So instead, I shrug and change the subject a bit too obviously, “Can you believe Natasha Lyonne is straight?”
Louis laughs quietly. He knows. He doesn’t mind.
“There's just no way,” he answers dryly, but the same smile lingers on his lips. “I’ll stay for a bit but I need to smoke first—I—” he hesitates, eyeing the door warily. There is still a point of anxiety there, something he is afraid of I can’t offer reassurance against.
I motion to a black door behind me. “You can smoke out this door. It's just a little back deck that the owner likes to sit out on sometimes,” I offer.
He looks at me with hesitation before nodding with a small grateful smile. I have to stop myself from sighing in relief. He slowly walks towards the door, eyes fixed on me the whole time, watching my every movement carefully. He still doesn’t trust me entirely. I watch him standing there, through the ajar door, blue and grey, soft and beautiful against the white of the snow. I feel a sudden urge to join him.
“Could I bum one?” I ask, even though I don't ever really smoke.
“Don’t you have to stay in the store?” He co*cks his head to the side.
I shake my head, pointing up to a little speaker on the door. “This will ding if someone comes in,” I explain. And also I can't care less. I don't add that part.
Louis nods, handing me a cigarette he extracts from a pack branded in a foreign language and a lighter. His hands are shaky from the cold. I feel a little ashamed stealing a cigarette from a seemingly homeless person but I will make it up to him. Maybe buy him a brand new pack. We stand there smoking for a few minutes, the silence between us oddly comfortable. The thick smoke claws at my lungs, and I suppress the urge to cough with tears in my eyes. The not-displeasing smell of cigarette smoke mixes with a faint hint of bergamot, it strikes me as odd.
"So, about 'But I'm a Cheerleader,’” I begin, trying to ease into a conversation. Louis takes a drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly.
"It's one of my favourites,” he admits. “Funny, but it hits close to home. You know?” I nod encouragingly even though I don’t fully understand what he means by that. He probably is gay, though.
“Yeah, I get that. It’s a good movie. I’m glad you recommended it.” I say sweetly.
Louis smiles, a genuine one this time, and it warms me more than the cigarette ever could. “Thanks for... all of this,” he says, gesturing vaguely with his cigarette, “it means a lot, you know.” As if he isn’t the one sharing his cigarettes with me.
“No problem,” I try to sound unaffected. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
I am ridiculously proud and satisfied to find I even manage to get him to laugh a few times as we discuss the film. The surprisingly sweet sound of it captures something in my chest. I inhale, the smell of cigarette smoke that never turns sour calming me, though that faint hint of bergamot still lingers. The bell never rings.
We have been done smoking for a while, and Louis finally stomps out his cigarette butt before looking up at me. Up. He is quite a few inches smaller. “Should we go back inside?”
I nod vigorously, eager to spend more time with him.
“Yeah, let’s go” I pulled out the stool from the supply closet beforehand, and I can’t help but notice he drags it closer to me than last time. “Let’s eat,” I don’t leave him a choice, motioning to the containers. “And we can watch ‘Orange Is the New Black’ if you want. Or something else. Your choice.”
He looks at me with an unreadable expression. My best bet is a mix of gratitude tinged with something else, something deeper. “‘Orange Is the New Black’ sounds good,” he says. “I was just taking the piss before. No way Natasha Lyonne is straight. She has to be at least bi.”
I feel this strange sense of contentment. For now, Louis is safe here with me, and I wonder if that can be enough.
He stays for hours. Putting on a series with episodes to binge rather than a film has been a smart move. Time with him goes by easily. Before I realize it, it is closing time. The sun has set a long time ago outside the shop window, the once warm daylight outside giving way to the cool, dark blanket of night. It is never day for very long in the winter here. It is snowing again, and my heart pinches at the idea of him being out here in the cold. I glance at the clock, confused by how quickly time has slipped away.
“sh*t, I'm sorry,” Louis realizes at the same time I do, his voice going hushed and panicky.
“Hey, it's okay,” I try to reassure him. It is no use; he is slipping into this closed-off state of suspicion that I witness him in all too often. “It’s no problem at all.”
“I have to go, sh*t,” he still whispers, his movements rushed and frantic as he gathers his jacket. “Sorry, thank you,” he stammers, making his way to the door. Something primal claws in my chest, a shot of worry and protectiveness and maybe even fear rising up. I can’t let him leave like this, not when he is so clearly on edge.
“Wait! Tuesday?” I shout after him, my voice more urgent than I intend.
Louis swings around quickly, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. He catches that tone, I think. There is a flicker of something in his gaze—relief, maybe?—before he nods. “Tuesday,” he confirms, and he disappears out the door at that.
The shop feels emptier without him, the silence more pronounced. I stand there for a moment, the remains of his presence still lingering in the air.
My heart is pounding. Tuesday, I have to keep telling myself. He will be back on Tuesday.
Something is definitely wrong with him, and the more time goes on, the more I suspect he might be an Omega too, from the skittish way he is acting, most probably out of self-preservation. It has to be incredibly tough for a possibly homeless foreigner who doesn’t even speak the language out there, let alone an Omega. I hope he has someone to look out for him, but I don’t think he does. Maybe that is me. I take a deep breath, trying to get the instincts clawing at my insides under control, restless and uneasy. I ignore them, finishing up the closing tasks mechanically, my mind replaying the events of the day. The laughter, the small smiles, the moments of connection—all a glimmer of hope, a reason to believe that I am making a difference, however small.
The shop feels emptier without him, the silence more pronounced. I stand there for a moment, the remains of his presence still lingering in the air. Cigarettes, never cold. My heart is pounding. Tuesday, I have to keep telling myself. He will be back on Tuesday.
Something is definitely wrong with him, and the more time goes on, the more I suspect he might be an Omega too, from the skittish way he is acting, most probably out of self-preservation. It has to be incredibly tough for a possibly homeless foreigner who doesn’t even speak the language out there, let alone an Omega. I hope he has someone to look out for him, but I don’t think he does. Maybe that is me. I take a deep breath, trying to get the instincts clawing at my insides under control, restless and uneasy. I ignore them, finishing up the closing tasks mechanically, my mind replaying the events of the day. The laughter, the small smiles, the moments of connection—all a glimmer of hope, a reason to believe that I am making a difference, however small.
I haven't stopped thinking about it, even as I lock up the store and step out into the cool night air. About where he is going when he leaves in a hurry, what he is facing out there. How I wish I could do more, offer so much more than just a safe space and a meal.
But for now, all I can do is wait for Tuesday and keep hoping he will regularly show, to tame him, win his trust. And when the time comes, I will be here, ready to offer whatever he needs, for as long as it takes.
I talk to Lars about him over the weekend, about how increasingly worried I am, this strange protective instinct that takes over me every time he is around. Lars concludes he must be an Omega, and the reason I am feeling the way I do is Alpha instincts kicking in around an Omega I perceive to be in distress. I like to think it is deeper than that. It is not just pheromones. I have to concede I do like him, and maybe it is just me being appropriately worried given the circ*mstances. I don't always agree with Lars’ way of thinking about things.
Four days have never gone by so slowly. Everything is a slow excruciating bore waiting for Tuesday. For him. It is only Tuesdays and Thursdays I can breathe easier.
Tuesday comes around (they always do). I stock up with a thermos of hot chocolate as well as crisps and several containers of home-cooked curries I think I will try to force him to take with himself when he leaves. If all goes well and I play it smooth, he won’t have to leave at all.
He is never regular about the time he comes in, and I try not to worry too much as the hours tick by. But he’s never come in this late before. It is close to 4 PM at this point; it has already been dark for a long time outside. My brain is racing. Did he finally get creeped out by me? What if something happened to him? This is too much to handle, and I don’t understand what makes me care so much about a stranger I know next to nothing about. I come to the conclusion there is just something about him.
I can't stop my thoughts from racing. I end up calling Lars, out of my mind with worry and on the verge of tears, babbling about how Louis hasn’t shown up, how I need to go look for him, begging my friend to find out if there’s any way to get any information about him. Lars, ever so stoic, thankfully has the bright idea to pop by and visit me before he has to go to work himself rather than give in to my demands to get in touch with shelters in the area.
He finds me in quite a deplorable state, frantically putting back DVDs and VHSs in their assigned spots on the shelves and honestly doing a terrible job at it, despite the fact it doesn’t require that much skill.
“Harry, hey,” he rests his hand on my shoulder gently, careful not to startle me. It does anyway. I turn to him with a low growl, on edge, before immediately realizing what I’m doing.
“I’m so sorry Lars!” I apologize. “I don’t know what’s been up with my Alpha lately, it’s been acting up.”
“It’s alright, you must be going crazy about the boy,” he observes with a light chuckle. “Do you want to take a break, go out for a smoke with me?”
“Sure,” I sigh. There’s no use sulking about it. Besides, if Louis does end up coming in, I will hear the bell on the speaker.
Lars, ever the gentleman, offers me a cigarette as we walk out to the patio in the back. I take it gratefully, barely noticing that I start smoking. My mind is too preoccupied. What if Louis isn’t alright? I am about to share my concerns with Lars, but when I turn to him, his nose is scrunched up, clearly displeased by a smell.
“It smells like distressed Omega,” he observes, sniffing the air and having a quick look around. Now that he points it out, it’s crazy I hadn’t noticed it, my mind has been too busy. I had mistaken it for the sour smell of cold tobacco I thought was coming from the little jar filled with melted snow and cigarette butts we keep by the door.
“It does,” I furrow my eyebrows. Lars doesn’t seem to be willing to investigate further, but something is gnawing at my gut. I take another drag. The back of the shop is a small courtyard for the surrounding buildings, where everyone keeps their bins. No one but us is around. The porch across from us leads to a small alleyway connected to the main street. I decide to step out that way to investigate.
“Where are you going?” Lars asks.
“Just making sure no one’s in trouble,” I explain, walking as fast as I can.
“Your Alpha really is going crazy isn’t it?” I overhear Lars pointing out from behind me. That or common decency. I don’t reply to him, investigating the alley from the porch. I spot two figures in what seems like an argument further down, the smell of distress intensifying, mixing with some strong Alpha pheromones. Something is definitely off about them. The taller one, most probably the Alpha, has the smaller one sort of cornered against the wall, his hand reaching up under the Omega’s top. The latter looks clearly uncomfortable with this, trying to squirm away from his hold before letting out a heartbreaking whine.
“Hey!” I call out, rushing towards them with a thumping heart, no sense of danger even remotely on my mind, only the overwhelming urge to protect. That’s when I know it’s Louis. I know it’s him before he even turns towards me with what I can only describe as a terrified look on his face. Even after that, I can never explain how I knew, I wouldn’t have recognised his smell by then. I recognise Erik’s, though. Louis’ eyes are almost begging; I get lost in them as I run up to them. Erik growls as soon as he notices me, sliding in front of Louis to keep me away, his eyes dark and his jaw clenched.
The thing about Erik is that he is bigger but not necessarily stronger than me. Something comes over me at that moment - adrenaline? - that keeps me hitting and pushing as soon as he is in arms reach, as hard as I can until he is down in the snow. “Get off!” I yell, Alpha voice accidentally peeking through that makes Louis whimper. I have never yelled like that in my life.
“Hvorfor bryr du deg om hva jeg gjør med MIN Omega?” Lars answers with an annoying smirk that I want nothing more than to wipe off his face. He kicks my ankles and I come crashing down in the snow alongside him.
“He’s not yours,” I growl, picking up on the few words I understand. Something really scary in my chest is clawing its way out through raw flesh, thrashing against my ribs. I am on the verge of losing it completely. Never in my life have I been so intensely, almost completely taken over by my Alpha. I let out another growl from my chest, digging my nails into any part of him I can reach until I draw blood.
“Harry!” I hear Lars call, rounding the corner “What’s going on?” he asks, bewildered.
“Be din gale engelske venn om å trekke seg tilbake!” Erik protests from underneath me. I am proud to notice he sounds a little shaken.
“Uansett hva du gjorde, er jeg enig med ham, kompis” Lars scoffs, before switching back to English. “Harry, get off him, I think he gets it.”
I rip myself from him, standing up and dusting myself off as I take a step closer to Louis who is frozen in place, shielding him from Erik, and puffing up my chest protectively, making myself look as big and threatening as possible.
“Samme det. Han er ikke engang god i senga,” Erik growls in displeasure, looking at me then at Lars and finally at Louis before turning on his heels and making his way down the alley back to the main street. I suppose he doesn't think he can win this one, rightfully so. I am relieved for that, but his last words dig deep into my chest. Has he slept with Louis before? Lars seems as concerned by the statement as I am, but I only have eyes for Louis, out of breath, shaky, uncommonly pale and plastered against the wall.
f*ck. An Omega. Louis is an Omega. The way he looks at me, though. A spark of relief lights up his eyes when he sees me. He unsticks himself from the wall and wobbles forward, unstable on his feet.
“Are you okay?” I ask with concern, reaching out towards him but not daring to touch him. I don’t think I can. He is heaving, forcing wheezy breaths out, something close to a whimper. I have to fight every instinct in my body not to scoop him up in my arms. Nevertheless, he nods.
“I had it under control,” he grumbles. Seeing how shaky he is, I don’t think he did.
“I thought I’d rather be safe than let something happen to you,” I answer very gently, not wanting to upset him more. “Were you on your way here? Do you want to come warm up inside?” I try to lure him, fighting my way through breathing exercises to get my Alpha’s overwhelming worry and protectiveness under control. He is in no state to stay out here on his own, especially considering he isn’t even wearing a jacket this time. I wonder what happened to it, but I don’t dare ask.
The acrid smell of Omega fear still lingers, making all my Alpha senses go wild. My head is buzzing, I am going crazy. I have to help him. He has to let me.
“Yeah, okay,” he agrees after a bit. I am so relieved I could cry, something releasing in my chest. I can breathe easier, my Alpha finally settling just a little. I try to keep it together for his sake. Any sudden movement and he could bolt.
“I should go to work,” Lars, who I had forgotten was there at all, says. He always knows what the best way to go about things is, bless him, he knows better than to get in a way of a protective Alpha. As a matter of fact, the reminder of his presence has me back to being tense, and I grit my teeth tightly not to growl.
“Thank you, Lars,” I whisper anyway, keeping myself in check.
“Relax, give him space but be there for him,” he advises me quietly, out of Louis’ earshot. Knowingly, he keeps away from Louis for both of our sakes, simply waving at him from a safe distance.
“Nice to see you again!” Lars exclaims casually, as though we haven’t witnessed him get close to molested a few seconds ago. He gives another small wave and then bolts down the alley before Louis can add anything.
“Huh, we can get to the shop through the back door from here,” I nervously explain, showing a shaky Louis the way. He simply nods, looking stunned. I desperately need him to warm up; with every step he takes, he looks as though he’s about to crumble down on the snowy ground. I have to restrain myself from holding him up. The walk back to the porch and then to the deck stretches into a freezing eternity, and I am relieved to finally get him inside and sit him down on my chair. Thankfully, no customer has come in in the meantime, and the first thing I do after having Louis sit down is rush to lock the front door, giving us some privacy. I still leave the back door unlocked for his own peace of mind, although he doesn’t seem to notice. He sits there dazed and unresponsive, the too-bitter smell of tobacco and bergamot gradually filling up the shop, the only insight I can get on his state of mind.
There is one thing I can do to help without freaking him out, I suddenly realise, and that is offering any Alpha comfort I can give without freaking him out to hopefully get his stress levels down. I just want him to feel safe. I take my thick woollen jumper off, quickly running it across my neck before offering it to him.
“You’re shivering, you should cover up,” I explain, tactfully straying away from telling him I hope the smell will comfort him. “I can also give you a scentless one if you’d rather.” He doesn’t answer, but after a second of reflection, he finally chances reaching out for it with shaky fingers, not quite meeting my eyes. He puts the jumper on very slowly, then wraps his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm. I have to contain myself and not jump from happiness at that. He is wearing my jumper. My smell. I can still notice undertones of Erik on him, and it takes everything in me not to scent him clean. But he wears my jumper, so at least that is something.
“Thanks,” he mumbles weakly. “For everything.”
“Of course,” I smile softly. I think he might mean from deterring Erik before. “Are you okay?” He pretends not to hear that, and that gives me a clue on what the answer could be. I turn the thermostat up and look inward, getting in touch with my Alpha instincts and focusing on calming them down by convincing myself that’s the best way to help Louis instead. I laser-focus my mind and body on him, releasing calming pheromones. I keep an eye on him as I pour him a hot chocolate from my thermos. His eyes are dulled and focused on something beyond me. His body does seem to relax slightly, his shoulders losing some of their tension. He doesn’t seem to mind the pheromones, so I keep going.
“Here you go,” I slide the cup over to him on the countertop, hoping to break him out of it somehow. He doesn’t touch it. He is still shivering. I think food will help, so I quickly grab my bag from behind the counter, whipping out a container of curry I have brought with me and running off to the break room to warm it up and grab some cutlery. I slam the microwave door shut, nervously pressing the +30 sec button until the timer reaches 3 minutes (force of habit; I like my food scalding hot.) The microwave vibrates lowly, the food inside it popping at regular intervals as it heats up. I prick my ear up, mindful of his presence just in the other room. I worry of what will happen after this. I can't let him leave in this state, but I also can't hold him back. I have to convince him to let me help, get him better, I think, I have to get him somewhere safe. An almost inaudible whimper followed by a sudden crashing sound in the shop startles me out of my spiralling.
“Louis!” I yell, my heart immediately thumping so hard I feel it behind my eyes. Something has gone horribly wrong, everything exacerbates. Blood rushes to my head. I fly back to him before he can even answer. He doesn't anyways. He is gone from his stool, and I figure out why when I approach the counter, finding him motionless on the floor. “f*ck, Louis!” I fall to my knees by his side. I realise he is unconscious when I roll him over. I check his vitals in a panic, fighting my hardest to stay as clear-headed as I can. It would make a lot of sense that an Omega would drop after all this stress, especially if he was feeling a bit safer in my shop. But I can’t help the lump in my throat and the tears in my eyes.
I find that he is apparently alive and he unharmed from his fall. “Louis…” I try again, softer, shaking him a little. He is paler than before, his long dark eyelashes contrasting against his paper-white eyelids streaked with delicate lavender veins. His lips, perfectly pink and defined, are ajar, letting out slow soft breaths. His light brown hair is stuck to his forehead with sweat and melted snow. And yet somehow he is still one of the most stunningly beautiful people I have ever met. He isn’t going to wake. He has dropped, and it is now my responsibility to see him through it safely. It doesn’t feel right, but chances are I am the safest Alpha he has available at the minute.
I accidentally slide my hand under his top when I try to grab him, feeling the clammy skin of his back. Erik’s hand had been there, and it had looked as though it made him so uncomfortable. I feel sick to my stomach with a mixture of worry and guilt. I chase the thoughts away (it is either me, with nothing but good intentions, or die), scooping him up too easily, perhaps strengthened by adrenaline and the all-consuming Alpha need to protect. I hold him as tightly as I can against my chest, cradling his head. I am practically vibrating, my skin is seeking his, any reason to nurse him better. He can’t stay here. I have to take him somewhere safe. Only my flat comes to mind. It makes the most sense; I can’t leave him in a drop in the shop, certainly not in the street, and I don’t think he has anywhere else to stay.
Is it creepy to take a passed-out Omega I barely know to my flat in order to snuggle him better? Perhaps. But what other option do I have?
It might be wishful thinking because I don't think Omegas moved much while in a drop, but I can swear he presses himself closer to my chest. I hold him tighter just in case. He feels cold.
Thankfully I live pretty close by. I don’t bother grabbing any of my things, not even my jacket, leaving through the back door and clumsily locking it behind me with the tip of my fingers while still holding Louis securely. I pray not to meet anyone; even another Omega getting close would be enough for me to completely lose it at this point. By a strike of destiny, my way across the street then up the stairs in my building is quiet. In all fairness, I’m not paying attention, but people probably stay out of my way, sensing the urgency.
I am barely aware of the steps it takes to get into my flat; my only concern is him. I realise then that I must have been mumbling to myself the whole time, or maybe to him. “You’re okay. You’re okay, I got you.” Nonsense, reassuring words to keep either him or myself calm. I take him to my bedroom without thinking, laying him down under the covers to keep him warm and snug. I know I have to keep touching him to make him better. My first thought is to strip the both of us bare-chested and wrap him in my torso to have as much skin-to-skin contact as possible, the way I know these things are supposed to go. The way I have done it quite a few times in my lifetime. However, this is my first time being in this situation with a stranger, and stripping someone of their clothes while unconscious, especially when he has been so suspicious of me before, seems like taking advantage. Our clothes stay on, although my skin is burning up underneath the fabric. I slide under the blankets close to him but not quite against him, wrapping an arm against his upper back and making as much contact with our arms as possible, as well as grabbing a firm hold of his hand, squeezing it tightly. His skin gradually warms over the next few minutes. I can only hold him through layers of fabric, touch him how it feels appropriate, and I hope it will be enough Alpha contact to draw him out of his drop. This is better than nothing, I try to reassure myself. I am sure it helps, at least a little. There is this pang in my chest whenever I think I can’t hold him closer. I don’t allow myself to.
Hours go by; I linger between states of consciousness, dizzy-headed but always hyper-aware of him so close to me, his warmth, his soothing tobacco and bergamot scent (with an unpleasant touch of Erik still remaining), his even breathing, how soft the skin of his hands is, how perfectly rounded his fingernails feel under the tips of my fingers. I don’t even dare to let one of his hands go to so much as look at my phone. I let my arms grow stiff and heavy and numb around him, imagining melting his flesh with mine. The sky gradually grows dark outside the window, then light again, then dark again. My phone vibrates in my pocket a few times until it stops. Two days, I think, or something close to that. Or the sky has fallen down. My head is swimming, lost in thoughts and feelings of him, barely aware of the intense gripping in my throat down to my stomach. I shake off the thick mist of pheromones with difficulty. Two days. He has been out for two days.
I have to force myself to sober up; I am feeling faint from the lack of food and water and the intensity of the physical contact. And I am an Alpha who has eaten way more recently than he has. He wouldn’t last much longer; the realization is accompanied by a tight squeeze of my ribcage. I have to do more than this if I want him to wake up. I leave the bed against my will, ripping myself from his warmth, allowing myself one last look at him before heading to the kitchen on wobbly legs. I have a big glass of water and a banana and grab an ice cube for him (the only way I know how to hydrate a dropped Omega without choking them) before heading back.
He seems so small and lost in my bed. The ice cube burns my fingertips; I roll him over on his back before letting it melt against his perfectly shaped lips, the water slowly dripping onto his pink tongue. He must be parched. I let the moisture settle over his face, making sure he doesn't choke, as I settle into the overwhelming amount of pillows littering my bed. It is something close to a nest, not typical Alpha behaviour but I never tended to act so typical. I have been made fun of for it on numerous occasions in the past. But I like being cosy, and it comes in handy when I have the occasional Omegas over. The others I frequent never seem to care as much as other people did when I was growing up. I snuggle close to him again, one arm around his back, the other fully against his bare arm. The ice cube has completely melted. I don’t come too close. Two days.
I probably should scent him, I realise with a pang of guilt in my chest. I can't leave him in a drop for so long and this light arm touching obviously isn’t enough to make up for how exhausted he must be. Scenting is the next best thing before stripping him. I bring my face closer shyly, lingering in the feeling of his cheek against mine, his hair, his neck. My nose is so close to his skin I am drowning in it. Bergamot and tobacco intensify until it is all over me, and I am all over it, against the skin of his neck. Warm. Soft. I get lost in it, in him, drowned in pheromones, dazed, until he smells entirely like Mine. Mine.
He isn’t mine. Yet there is this overwhelming urge to never let him go, and I’m not sure what that means. Just that I will never let him drop again. He groans, unconsciously snuggling deeper in my arms the way I have been trying to avoid the entire time. He needs this as much as I do. Probably even more so.
“Omega…” I whisper because he has moved, and I don’t want to drag this on longer than I am supposed to. The more time passes, the further I am sinking. “Hey, Omega… Louis…” I reach out behind his neck, splayed fingers supporting the back of his head. “Come back to me, come on,” I encourage him, seeing as he is a bit more lively than before. The scenting must have helped. He groans, grabbing a fistful of my T-shirt. I am frozen; I don’t know whether to move away to give him space or keep holding him until he is fully back. “Louis, hey, love, come on. You’ve been out for days.”
His smell sours ever so slightly, but he is still Mine for the time being. A whine dies in his throat almost immediately when I dare stroke the length of his arm with the tip of my fingers. “You’re safe, you’re alright,” I insist. And maybe that is the wrong thing to say. He snaps his eyes open at that, scrambling backwards with a gasp and almost managing to fall off the bed from the recoil.
“Where are we?” he asks, an all-too-familiar dullness of fear never really leaving the pale blue of his eyes. His anxious smell is fully back, but at least Erik’s is gone now. “What… what happened?” he wrings his hands, messing with the blanket, a poor attempt at ripping it off of himself. I immediately leave the bed, giving him space to let him figure out what has gone down.
“This Alpha, Erik was messing with you outside the shop. You dropped” I explain softly.
“I dropped?” his whole face pales. He takes an anxious look around the room. I lean my back against the wall, hands flat behind my bum.
“I took you to my flat,” I continue calmly, releasing more pheromones in hopes it will settle him. I expect this reaction from him, but the way it bursts the bubble of fondness that has taken over me for the last few days still hurts. “You’re okay, but I’m going to need you to eat something, alright?” I attempt a shy smile, raising my hands up in a peace offering.
“Did he follow you?” he croaks, not looking reassured one bit. “I… I need to go.”
“You can go if you want to, I’m not going to stop you. But I think you need a little bit more rest and food. I’d just really like it if you stayed.”
“I can’t stay—”
“You can, I promise. I have another room you can stay in if you need space,” I mumble really fast, hoping he won’t just bolt out of the door.
“No, no. That’s very kind, but I should leave,” he stands up from the bed too fast for my liking. He wobbles slightly but manages to stay upright. “Thanks for helping me through the drop. You’ve already been too nice.”
“Do you have anywhere you can go?” I ask in a panic. I’m scared to let him leave.
“I do,” he replies instantly with a firm nod. He doesn’t attempt to leave the room yet, though. I scan his face, confused. His body language is telling a different story. He might actually want to stay.
“Is it safe?” I’m probably correct in my guess because he doesn’t reply to that, picking at his clothes with his fingernails.
“Your bed’s nice,” he strays away from the conversation. “Almost like a nest.”
“Louis, please stay.”
“Why? What do you want?” he cowers, gathering his legs against his chest defensively.
“I promise I don’t want anything, no ulterior motive, just to help,” I panic, taking another step back, making sure I’m far enough from the door for him not to feel trapped. “You can leave anytime,” I say, gesturing towards it. “I’m not going to hold you here.” He looks up at me with uncommonly shiny eyes.
“I know,” he eventually sighs, his voice now smaller and more vulnerable. He pulls at the fabric of his t-shirt as if to illustrate: “You didn’t even remove my top when I dropped.”
“I know it’s hard to trust a stranger. An Alpha in particular,” I continue, walking that dangerous fine line between supportive and coercive. “I promise all I want is for you to be safe. I can’t leave you like this in good conscience.”
“Okay. Alright, okay,” he gives in, his shoulders relaxing. I chance a step closer.
“Thank you for trusting me,” I smile at him, he smiles back. Good progress. “I’m going to make us something to eat now. You’re welcome to hang out here, keep me company or explore the flat in the meantime,” I have a favourite option in between these three. He keeps his cards close to his chest, though.
“I’m sorry I was out for so long,” he mumbles apologetically, sitting back down on the edge of the bed. My anxiety settles ever so slightly. At least he is staying.
“What are you apologising for, silly?” I tilt my head. If anything, the length of his drop might have been my fault for not scenting him sooner. “You can’t help it, you must have been exhausted. I was getting worried about you.”
“I’ve been out longer. Without an Alpha, that is,” he shrugs as though it isn’t the most heartbreaking information he could possibly share.
“Louis, are you joking?” I am shattered. “That’s terrible and so dangerous.”
“Not like I had a choice. I survived,” he shrugs yet again. It doesn't make me feel as though it is alright.
“Still, it must have been so uncomfortable,” I wipe tears away from my eyes. I can't stand the idea of him being left alone in a drop for days on end. I’ve never heard of an Omega being left alone for so long. “I’m always happy to help if you need it in the future, yeah?” I can't help myself from offering.
“Yeah, thanks” he blinks slowly, not really believing it. I have managed to make him sad. I have to fix this, change the subject.
“Anything you fancy?”
“What?” he raises his head suddenly, confused by the question.
“Food-wise, I mean,” I giggle.
“Oh, anything you can make. Don’t try too hard,” he says, an unmistakable flush rising in his cheeks. Of course I am going to try hard, but I mostly just want to have something ready fast.
I settle on cheesy pasta, an easy safe choice. Who doesn’t like cheesy pasta? Besides, if Louis was lactose intolerant I figured he would have told me.
I miss him terribly as I cook, I figure because my Alpha has gotten too used to having him in my arms over the past few days. I have to shake this off. I am happy enough knowing I am doing something helpful for him.
When I come back to my bedroom with two bowls filled to the brim with cheesy pasta, I find Louis splayed on his stomach on my bed, his nose buried in my pillow. He raises his head when he senses me entering the room, either by smell or by ear. Something swirls in my stomach at the sight of him. A beautiful Omega that smells like me, that lets me take care of him with his face all up in my pheromones. Not mine, though, I have to keep reminding myself. Not mine or anyone else’s. Just gracious enough to spend a little bit of his time with me.
sh*t.
“Here you go,” I hand him one of the bowls and a fork. I hope he’s okay with forks. “You can eat in bed, I always do,” his fingers graze mine when he grabs the food from me. A shock of static crackles as soon as our skins make contact.
“Ow!” he whines. He snaps back his fingers quickly before letting out a small giggle.
“Sorry,” I wipe my hand against the fabric of my top awkwardly as though it would help. He is already way too deep in the marrow of my bones, racing through my bloodstream.
sh*t.
I set my laptop at the edge of the bed and put a movie on, a force of habit.
“I could never really eat in silence,” he says. “I always had to have something on.”
I tell myself I’ll always find a film to put on for him to eat to. It’s just this newer British series about gay boys on Netflix this time. If he stays, I will bring VHS from the shop so it feels cosier and more nostalgic. I really need him to stay but I don’t tell him that. I show him that by cooking for him, and by leaving my room when he falls asleep in my bed after he licks his bowl of pasta clean. I sleep on the sofa under flimsy blankets that night, not finding a reason to make the other bed just yet (I’d rather not taint the bedsheets with my smell if he’s going to be sleeping there soon). It's okay.
The shrill sound of the alarm I set up before going to bed rips me out from feverish dreams of him. Threads of them still cling to my eyelashes for a few seconds before I forget. It feels as though there’s sand in my eyes.
There must be sand pouring out of my eyes, that must be what it is. It’s dry and dusty and I choke on it. I know Louis is snuggled safe in my bed, though, so that helps.
I tiptoe to the kitchen, half-heartedly putting a slice of toast in the toaster. I can’t stomach anything else at the minute, my stomach gnawing with anxiety at the thought of leaving Louis alone, and the very real possibility of him running. But I have to go to work.
“Where are you going?” A clear voice makes me jump.
“Jesus Christ, Louis” I lay a hand on my beating heart. It smells weird, I think my toast is burnt, “I didn’t hear you come in!”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m very quiet,” he grins. I don’t. He’s been made into that, I can tell. I don’t want him to be quiet. I want him to make as much of a ruckus as he wants, I want him to leave footsteps all over my floor.
“Good morning,” I can’t help the small endeared smile growing on my face at the sight of him, I notice he looks more relaxed. He’s still half asleep in only a tshirt and underwear, hair forever tousled, the creases of the pillow still marking his cheek. “Did you sleep well?” I try not to linger too long on his tattooed legs. A tattooed Omega. He keeps surprising me.
“So well thank you” he dances from one bare foot to the other. My floor is cold. I need to give him socks. God, I need to give him clothes. “Why did you leave? Where did you sleep?” he asks, I can swear he almost seems hurt.
“Oh, I slept on the couch here,” I shrug, gesturing towards said couch. “We can talk sleeping arrangements later. I’m going to work now. I have some eggs and bacon in the fridge you just have to fry them up when you want breakfast. You can use any of my clothes, some of them should be unscented” I explain it all to him really fast, not giving myself time to catch my breath or thinking about leaving him alone.
“You’re going to work?” he frowns, tensing up. He doesn’t like me going to work?
“Yeah, at the video store?” I say, my heart is racing and I don’t know why. “What, are you okay?”
“I, huh…” he mumbles, looking at his bare feet. He’s obviously not okay, and it kills me. I can't just wrap my arms around him.
“I’ll be back around 5,” I say softly, hoping a schedule could reassure him. “I have spare keys by the door. Feel free to do whatever you want during the day, you can come down and see me in the shop if you like” he looks up at me then, seemingly slightly more hopeful. “You don’t have to, but I’d like that,” I add, just so he knows. I hope he knows.
“Yeah? You’ll be close by?” I wonder what he means by that. He is looking down again, it’s like he’s avoiding something.
“Is everything ok?” I ask instead of answering. It’s odd behaviour coming from him, almost like he doesn’t want me to go.
“It’s just that I… I don’t know…” he trails tearfully, his voice shaky. Something is definitely up with him.
“Do you want me to stay?” I ask softly. “It’s okay if you do, but I understand if you want to be alone.”
“Well…” he sniffles. He doesn’t say any more than that, picking at his t-shirt again. His smell has grown more anxious again.
“Louis, I would understand if you don’t want to be alone. Seems like you’ve been through a lot” I insist. I hope I’m not being too pushy.
He shakes his head, taking a shaky breath in.
“I’m just being silly, don’t worry.”
“Look at me?” I order a bit more firmly but making sure not to use my Alpha voice on him. He sounds like he’s about to cry and I just need to make sure. To my surprise, he complies almost immediately. The blue of his eyes has darkened, he’s definitely tearful. His chest is heaving, he is clearly trying his hardest not to burst into tears. I wish he would just tell me what’s wrong. “Okay, right. I’m calling in sick” I decide. It’s never really been a problem. It’s a good job I have.
“No, no it’s fine you don’t have to-” he protests for good measure but I can tell he looks relieved. My Alpha purrs internally at the sweet sound.
“It’s no big deal, promise. Doesn’t mean that you have to hang out with me, I can just be around if you need, yeah?" My boss really seems as though he doesn’t care about the shop that much (that’s what makes me question the money laundering, that and the fact that I am the only employee there). I am pretty sure he would understand if I explain what happened. It’s not like it’s the most popular shop in town anyways.
“Thank you” Louis truly looks relieved, he smiles at me shyly, his scent settles just a little.
“Of course. What can I do to help, how are you feeling?”
“I think I’d like to sleep a little longer, I feel safer if you’re just around the flat” he replies very honestly. I’m grateful he’s feeling safe enough to be honest. I’m grateful he feels safe when I’m around.
“Of course, I’ll be here if you need me,” I gesture towards the kitchen. “I’ll make you breakfast when you wake up properly.”
I keep an eye on him as he trails back to bed and immediately proceeds to call my boss as soon as he is out of sight. My boss somehow couldn’t care less. After a brief explanation of what happened he even offers me to take my two weeks of paid holidays off. I won’t say no to that.
I prepare the spare room my landlord meant to rent out but never did in the meantime, putting fresh scentless bedsheets on the bed, opening up all the windows and making sure to spray scent neutralisers everywhere. I need this space to be his own. I need him to feel comfortable enough to want to stay.
I’d be lying if I said I would change my own bedsheets after he stopped sleeping in my bed. Sometimes I wonder if Alphas need Omega scents as much as the opposite is true. I need him around as much as he needs me.
And after he wakes and I make him scrambled eggs and put the telly on, it seems as though he agrees to stay.
His scent remains off over the course of the following day, but I notice how it has calmed just a little bit. The flat still has this general smells of distressed Omega about it, though. It makes my Alpha unsettled, growing restless in my chest. I take a deep breath in, the slight scent of bergamot peeking underneath the bitter tobacco turned sour calming me down slightly. He doesn't come out of his room at all during this time, I grow more anxious about his wellbeing but don't dare check. I don't want to betray his trust. I try my best to reassure my Alpha by reminding myself he’d panicked at the thought of me leaving his vicinity. He wants me here.
The day he finally actually seeks out my company, quietly coming into the living room to sit on the couch, I'm just about ready to explode. It was only a matter of time.
“I haven't watched this one yet,” I tell him as I slide ‘ Fire Island’ I borrowed from the shop about a month ago into the DVD player. “Apparently it's a gay modern version of Pride & Prejudice. Might be sh*t.” I try to joke to the Omega currently curled into a ball on my sh*tty sofa. “Does that sound okay? We can turn it off if you don’t like it” I assure him, trying to give him as many choices and autonomy as physically possible. But I am a sucker for romantic comedies and I do love Pride and Prejudice, so I hope he doesn’t mind. And of course he doesn’t.
“Sure,” he says quietly. It’s good enough. I pad to the kitchen to make two hot chocolates as the opening credits roll, keeping an eye on the screen from the connecting door. I add extra chocolate and sugar to Louis’ without even thinking about it. He needs all the comfort he can get. Wordlessly, I set the mug in front of him, enough space not to crowd him but close enough he could lean forward and grab it. There is a ghost of a smile on his lips and he mouths the words ``thank you”. My Alpha absolutely preens at that and I have to stop myself from practically skipping to the bathroom, grabbing the laundry basket on my way. One of my favourite parts about living in Norway is the heated flooring in the toilets. Earlier, when Louis had been napping, I cleaned the bathroom top to bottom, then washed my softest, plushiest blanket, ridding everything I could find of my scent. The strangest part is that I don’t even mind. I had the good idea (I hope) to let the unscented blanket warm up on the floor in order to give it whenever I could. I pick the blanket up in the corner, using only my thumb and index finger to avoid contaminating it. I ignore every instinct yelling at me to scent it, instead putting it haphazardly in the laundry basket, wishing I could fold it nicely. I can feel the warmth radiating off of it as I walk back to the sofa, setting the basket between us. We are sitting on either edge of the treseter sofa, both pressed on the opposite armrest. Me to give him space, him to get some space, or so I assume. The basket offers a convenient separation.
“It’s heated for you,” I explain to him. He eyes the basket carefully before pulling the blanket out. He wastes no time wrapping himself in it.
“Thank you” he squeaks, proceeding to grab the mug of hot cocoa with both hands and bringing his knees to his chest. He is snuggling. I wish I could snuggle him. I copy his position instead.
I didn’t miss much of the film, it is still early on in the introductions. As it runs on, I try not to notice Louis fidgeting, constantly moving the blanket around him. Finally, when he lets out a frustrated huff, I can’t take it anymore.
“Everything okay?” I ask, turning to him. He looks at me with scarlet cheeks.
“Yeah… I uh… it’s just…”He trails off, a tiny whisper of a smile on his lips but his cheeks are flaming red. “There is no scent on this?” He says it so quietly, almost as though he was embarrassed. I have to shake my head a little bit to make sure I heard him correctly.
“I washed it, I…I thought you would like it without an Alphas scent” I answer honestly. He bites his bottom lip, but his lips tug up in the corners. I hold my breath, trying not to choke.
“Your…your scent is nice though” he says too quickly, taking a long drink from his mug to hide his face. I don’t try to suppress the smile that is threatening to break my face in half. My Alpha is going absolutely nuts at the Omega’s words.
But, just as I am about to reassure him, a firm knock at the door bursts my little bubble of happiness. I begrudgingly stand up, offering Louis who immediately cowered in fear a reassuring smile. I drag my feet to the door and open it, surprised to find my neighbours, Oskar and Sofie, a Omega-Beta couple standing there, an unknown and decently young Alpha woman standing behind them. The concerned looks on their faces makes the smile drops off my face quickly. I slink out of the door, shutting it behind me so they cannot see Louis, causing them all to take a few steps back.
“Harry” Sofie, the Beta, says quietly. I glance at her briefly but my focus remains on the Alpha. She doesn’t seem completely at ease. I have to suppress the protective growl in my throat.
“Yes?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“We… we have noticed the smell of a distressed Omega coming from your flat for the past few days,” Oskar, the Omega, says bitterly. “What is going on?” he hisses, his nostrils flaring. I relax slightly, this is okay. I didn't think about the fact that other flats could potentially smell Louis’ distress, probably causing the other Omegas distress in turn. Oops.
“Hva i helvete?” The Alpha cuts in with a low protective growl. Surprisingly, Oskar doesn’t flinch.
“Who are you?” I ask, squaring my shoulders and resisting the urge to snarl. Sofie takes a small step sideways in between us. It’s a bold move, standing in between two tense Alphas. I notice a slight tremor about her. I can appreciate their concern, but it’s also none of their business.
“This is Hanna, Oskar’s sister,” she explains, “We just want to know what’s going on and make sure the Omega in your flat is okay,” she says smoothly, obviously faking confidence. I often wish I was a Beta, always level-headed and not so affected by animalistic pheromones.
“Louis is fine” I snap, they don’t need to know any more than that. Sister or not, I am not telling a stranger anything about Louis’ business.
“We going to need more than that” Hanna hisses with a thick accent.
“No, you do not need more than that” I bark, probably too loudly.
“Harry, be reasonable,” Sofie says softly as she gently pushes a shaky Oskar behind her. I feel bad for a second. I am obviously scaring him, but my mind is set on protecting Louis. I barely got him to trust me without having nosy neighbours sniffing about.
“Reasonable?!” I say incredulously, my Alpha thrashing against my chest at the disrespect, “You want me to be reasonable when you bring a strange Alpha to my doorstep and to what? Make sure I’m not hurting an Omega?” I snarl at them, no longer able to keep it in my chest. Hanna surges forward, a breath away from my face.
“Vell are you?!” She accuses. I can feel a sharp intense growl start in my chest before I hear a small whimper from Oskar. It thankfully drags me back to reality. I take a deep breath, I have no interest in fighting or scaring my Omega neighbour.
“I babysit your cat” I say pointedly at Oskar and Sofie, turning my face from Hanna an attempt to be as disrespectful as possible, “you could have texted me.”
“I can smell someone in trouble!” Oskar protests from behind Sofie’s back. I shake my head, unsure of how to quell his fear. I am not letting them in.
“Let inside!” Hanna insists, taking a step closer to the door. “If nothing problem then should be no problem!”
“And you’re a sh*t Alpha if you let people into your home who you don’t know or trust!” I snap back, utterly sick of Hanna. I place myself directly in front of the doorhandle. I can definitely take her. “The Omega in my flat is fine and you’re f*cking insane if I think I am going to let this unhinged Alpha liten valp anywhere near them” I hiss. I am probably being too harsh for simple well-meaning concern but I desperately need them to go away. I am trying to keep control but my Alpha is starting to feel more and more cornered and threatened. I focus solely on the need to protect Louis. Nothing else.
“Who calling a valp, Du er en knotho-” Hanna begins before getting interrupted by my door opening lightly, Louis’ head popping through the crack.
“Gå vekk” I whisper to Hanna, who seems to have a moment of sense and takes two steps back.
“Harry?” Louis questions quietly, still mostly shielded behind the door.
“It’s o-” I begin before Oskar is shoving past Sofie, and stepping right up to him, forcing the door wide open.
“Er du ok?! Trenger du hjelp?! Vi kan hjelpe!” Oskar rushes out, causing Louis to flinch and move behind me, my body shielding him completely.
“Wh-who are you?” he stammers, peeking over at Oskar. I have to hold in the shudder my body wants to make when I feel his short breath on my shoulder.
“Oh, Vennen min, I am Harry’s neighbour, we could smell your distress and-”
“No, who is that ” Louis says in a tone laced with fear and disgust, I instantly know he’s referring to Hanna, who now has a shocked look on her face.
“Hanna… I’m Hanna…” she scrambles, she seems to be realising this might be making matters worse for him, “Sorry, I…Jeg fortalte deg at dette var en dårlig idé storebror! Sorry Sorry! I’ll go.” She stammers as she backs away. f*cking good.
“I don’t like this” Louis whimpers so quiet I think he might not have meant to say it out loud.
“Are we done here?” I talk directly to Oskar who has a mixture of confusion and guilt on his face. He bows his head as he steps back into Sofie’s arms, defeated.
“I’m fine. Harry’s good...uh…Harry’s flink ” Louis says loud enough for the couple to hear him clearly. Sofie nods, taking steps back with Oskar in her arms.
“Sorry about this Harry, we just had to make sure…” she trails off, glancing from a terrified Louis to a worried me. I just nod, too worked up to say anything productive at the moment. I will probably be more understanding tomorrow. Right now, I am upset. My Alpha is furious. Furious about the disrespect. Furious about an Alpha trying to come in. Furious about them upsetting my Omeg-Louis. Furious about them upsetting Louis. I turn to him Once Oskar and Sofie are out of view.
“You okay?” I ask quietly, resisting the urge to stroke his cheek. That seems to be a common thing I am doing lately, resisting the urge.
“Yeah, can we watch the movie now?” he says slowly, with his eyes trained on the floor. He doesn’t seem okay. It breaks my heart a bit.
“Course Lou,” the pet name escapes me. He doesn’t protest so I smile and reach over to hold the door open for him. Louis scurries inside. He sits down in his spot, immediately starting to chew on his fingernails. “Hey, it’s alright.” I reassure him once more. He looks up at me, his eyes huge and blue.
“I’m sorry for my scent… I… I’m not used to really dealing with it” he mumbles with his fingers still in his mouth. That confuses me.
“What do you mean?” I ask cautiously as I sit back in my spot. Space. He needs space. I assumed from his lack of scent from before that he must have been using suppressant, but surely he was not always on them. His eyes flit from the television, the film still running its course, to myself several times before he sighs, his hands falling in his lap.
“I usually take Dempdråperal but…”
“What?!” I stand up abruptly at that, causing Louis to flinch harshly. I sit back down just as abruptly. I am still on edge, I have to try not to panic the Omega and calm my Alpha down. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just… Louis that stuff… it’s poison. It’s the worst thing you can get. That’s… that’s not for daily use at all its...” I try not to come off too strong, but I had heard nothing good about that medicine.
“I KNOW!” Louis explodes, visibly upset. As shocking as it is, it does make me feel a bit proud to see him express an emotion other than fear. “But it’s the strongest, lasts the longest… and… and its the easiest to steal” he looks down at his hands, now tucked in between his thighs when he says this, looking ashamed. My chest constricts at that. Imagining Louis cold and shivering, ignoring food and shelter to steal suppressants so some sleazy jævel Alpha doesn't take advantage of him.
“Hey, it’s okay. I get it” I assure him. I do. It breaks my heart but I do.
“You do?” He seems surprised. I wonder if anyone else knows this. If anyone else knows him at all. I want to know him.
“Yeah, you had to do what you had to do to survive” I offer a gentle smile, trying to hide how hurt and worried I am by this information behind it.
“And you don’t… like judge me for it?” he sounds even smaller, lowers his head in shame. All I want is to scoop him in my arms, reassure him, tell him none of that matter, that he’s safe here. But I can’t.
“Why would I? I’m glad you're safe,” and that’s the truth.
“Most people would judge me…”
“Good thing I’m not most people” I cut him off immediately. None of that. Nothing about this says anything about his character apart from the fact he’s been trying his hardest to survive. It brings me close to tears to think about.
Louis doesn't attempt to hide the smile on his face, and I almost feel the look away with how deep it stirs me. It makes me want to giggle and kick my feet.
“Can we watch the film now?” he tries to change the subject, I let him. I notice him mindlessly pushing the blanket I gave him towards me. Right, he’d wanted me to scent it. I grab it from him, pretending as though it’s not big deal. It wouldn’t be for a lot of Omegas, it very much is for him.
“Yeah, yeah of course! What did I miss?” I ask as I rub the blanket against my neck. He side-eyes me, looking pleased.
“Not too much, we can go back a little if you want.”
I rewind five minutes before handing him back the blanket. He looks much more comfortable with it now, it makes my heart beat faster.
Despite how excited I had been about it, I feel myself dozing off about halfway through the film. All of a sudden, I am startled awake by a quick intake of breath from Louis. I glance over, still half asleep, to find him grimacing. A small wave of distress is wafting off of him. His body is tense and he won’t look at me.
“Lou?” I call quietly, trying not to sound too worried. The flat is dark save for the glow of the television. “Are you okay?”
He doesn't move a muscle, his eyes flit to me briefly before he lets out the tiniest whimper and another harsh grimace. Suddenly my Alpha is on full alert at the sound of an Omega being in pain. ”What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Are you…” I trail off as I watch Louis struggling. The realisation suddenly hits me. “Are you in touch deprivation?” I guess. My Alpha is thumping inside my chest. Louis’ eyes fly to mine, they are wild and brimming with unshed tears. It’s all the confirmation I need.
sh*t.
“Can… can I help?” I ask as Louis lets out another small whine and clutches his head shaking it violently, letting out strangled sounds of pain. My Alpha is howling inside me, desperate to help the Omega. “Please, Louis… let me help you. Please?” I beg as I feel my own eyes start to fill with tears. He remains silent but begins mindlessly pulling at his hair. I can’t stand watching him hurt himself. I gently, so so so gently, place my fingers over his, untangling them from his hair. He goes lax, allowing me to remove them before softly placing them in his lap. I don’t let his hand go. He’s trembling, his scent has gone sour and my Alpha is losing its minda. “Louis, love” I try again. “I promise I won’t hurt you, I just don’t want you in pain.”
He looks up at me, jaw tense and teeth gritted.
“My. Scent.” he punches out. “They’ll. Harass.” he takes a laboured breath. “You. Again.”
“Who gives a f*ck!” I say as a reflex, and probably too quickly. “I’m not worried about them, I’m worried about you!” Louis looks up at me again, studying my face, his eyes are stormy but the same vibrant beautiful blue.
“Okay” He whispers, nodding his head slightly.
My heart stops for a brief second.
“Yeah, yeah okay” I eventually stammer as I slowly move towards him. Luckily, we are both in t-shirts and I just need to unwrap the blanket around him.
“Okay?” I ask as I gently untangle it from him. He nods his head just a little bit. “Louis, hunny, I need you to say okay. I need to know you're okay with this.”
“I’m okay. It’s okay” he squeaks. “Please,” he sounds desperate. It breaks my heart.
“Okay. I got you” I say quietly, slightly reassured I get to hold him. I am shaking just as much as I sit next to him and slowly wrap my arms around him.
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
He shudders slightly as I pull him into my chest. I lean back so he’s more on top of me, giving him the autonomy to sit up and away from me quickly if he suddenly feels uncomfortable. But he sweetens. The slight smell of sweet bergamot and earthy tobacco start to fills the air.
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
I run my bare arms over his bare arms, feeling the tension dissolve away. He snuggles closer to me and I might explode.
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
I relax with his back to my chest, our bare arms intertwined. His breathing levels out and my Alpha purrs in my chest, feeling content. Before I have time to realise what I am doing, I am moving my arm up and carding my fingers through his hair.
“Okay?”
“Mmm…yes. Okay.” Louis says sleepily.
“No dropping” I whisper into his ear.
“Mm’yeah. No drop,” he mutters.
We do this for about 15 minutes before I can feel Louis start to get restless, almost trying to burrow himself in more. “Harry?” he asks after a minute of this without turning his head to me.
“Yeah?”
“Could you…um…maybe scent me?” He asks so quietly I can barely hear it, “You don’t have to! I just…my Omega” I can feel him tense ever so slightly as he asks the question.
“Of course! Whatever you need!” I say, keeping my calm, pretending as though my Alpha isn’t going absolutely feral at the thought. That’s new.
He shuffles down my chest, tilting his head the tiniest amount and stills. His anxiety is still evident even as I lean my face down and begin rubbing my nose along his neck. He instantly melts when my scent envelops the room, followed by his intoxicating scent of tobacco and bergamot.
“You're…youre good at this” Louis says in a dreamy voice, his eyes closed as he goes lax. My Alpha is absolutely preening at the compliment. I bring my face up, pressing my cheek against the side of his head.
“My mum and sister are both Omegas, most of my extended family too. I’m a big cuddler” I say, trying not to think about how much I miss them.
“Surrounded by Omegas, no wonder you’re such a good Alpha” Louis says with a yawn like he didn't just shake my whole world. He doesn’t know how much that compliment means to me. My Alpha is absolutely giddy and honestly so am I. “Are you purring?” Louis laughs.
And. Uh.
“I appear to be” I say with confusion at the rhythmic vibrations coming from my chest.
“You’re a very good Alpha” Louis repeats with teasing humour in his voice, causing the purr in my lungs to come out even louder and clearer. He’s figured it out. He laughs again, thankfully my Alpha is smart enough to know Louis’ not laughing AT him.
“You…erm…we can do this whenever you need it” I say cautiously, trying not to sound like a f*cking creep. I can feel Louis still, not tense but definitely careful in his movements.
“What do you mean” he says in a neutral tone. It’s not giving me much to work with. At least his smell has sweetened, the distress rolling to the background.
“If you’re having touch depri…or if you just want to cuddle…like we can…anytime really” I stammer out. Yeah, I sound creepy. sh*t. “Only if you want obviously!” I quickly assure him. Much to my relief, Louis chuckles. Quietly enough that I almost miss it but it was there a second ago.
“I will let you know” he says quietly, “Thank you for this. I’m sorry” he starts off saying. He keeps talking before I can interrupt “I haven't built a nest in so long, I think I’m just a bit more sensitiv-”
“No nest?!” I cut him off out of shock. That’s bad. That’s really bad for an Omega to go without a nest. He must have been so vulnerable and scared. “Sorry, I…” I attempt to calm myself down. “You could build one here?” Louis does tense at that, turning his body and looking at me directly.
“What?” He deadpans.
“If you want to build a nest here. You can, you should.”
He stares at me. He stares at me for a very long time. My Alpha even whimpers a little, feeling slightly intimidated by the unwavering stare of the Omega.
“Okay” is all he finally says and turns back to the television. I’m not sure what to make of that.
I am still in a daze from yesterday's events when I open my eyes the next morning. I had woken up around 2 AM to the television off and no sign of Louis and stumbled into my own bed, falling asleep instantly. Now I can’t do anything about the “Bad Alpha” mantra relentlessly repeating in my head until I check on the Omega. I assumed he went to bed but I didn't actually check. What is wrong with me? My thoughts are screaming in my head as I throw on a jumper and joggers.
I suddenly freeze, I am pretty sure I just overheard something through our shared wall. I press my ear to it. It’s muffled, but it’s clear enough that it’s him, he sounds stressed, muttering what I think are curse words. I scramble to the door, hissing as I slam my hip into the handle. I don’t have time to let the pain hit me.
“Louis?” I call nervously as I knock on the door a bit too harshly. I can hear more muttering and things being moved before the door swings open violently. Louis is dishevelled, but not in the way I am used to. He is wearing nothing but a white t-shirt of mine and a pair of my boxer briefs. The underwear are stretched tightly over his thick thighs and the shirt hangs loosely, thankfully hiding most of what needs to be hidden. I’m fine. It’s fine. Totally fine.
“Harry, hi. Yes. Good,” he huffs as he turns to a small pile of clothes and blankets on the floor next to a larger pile of bedsheets. The Omega looks frustrated but determined, more confident in his tone and posture than I have even seen him be. It was…well it was frankly quite hot. “Could you scent these for me” he says quickly, bashfully gesturing to the small pile before moving back to the bed.
Right. I could do that.
I kneel down near the pile and begin rubbing the fabric over my neck, trying to scent the air with calming pheromones as Louis continues to huff and move pillows around the bed. I can’t help but stare as he bends and flexes, letting out little unamused noises. I grab another piece of fabric blindly and bring it up to my neck. Louis snaps his head over to me, a look of fierceness on his face.
“NO! Not that!” he snaps loudly before smacking his hand over his mouth in shock. I immediately drop the sheet and stand up. “I-i’m sorry, I sh-shouldn’t have done th-that.” Louis immediately stammers, his eyes wide, cowering a little. Do I scare him? My instincts tell me to run to the Omega, pet him softly and console him. But, my brain is smarter than that. I take one step back, hands raised.
“Hey, hunny it’s okay. I’m not mad. I’m sorry for not paying attention” I reassure him quietly, trying not to scare him. I wonder how has Louis been treated that made him react like this. He finally uncurls himself slowly, shoulders dropping.
“Mm’sorry still” he mumbles, looking down at his hands. “I just can’t get this nest right, I’m a proper bad Omega.”
My heart sinks.
“No! No Louis!” I protest, my feet carrying me to the end of the bed before my brain can catch up. Luckily, he doesn't flinch as I approach. “You’re a good Omega! The best!”
Apparently I say that.
Louis eyes me carefully before sighing.
“The room is too…open,” he says sheepishly, gesturing around. “Not that I’m not grateful for it. I really am, but for nesting, I mean,” he corrects himself. I look around at the small room, it’s hardly open. I can touch the ceiling if I reach up. Louis is fidgeting with his fingers, sitting cross legged, I notice he is not as pale as he used to be, legs equally as golden tan as arms, a rarity in Norway. “I used to have a nest in my mum's wardrobe” he mutters without looking at me. My Alpha lets out a small whine at my -sh*t, not mine- THE Omega. Louis snaps his head up in confusion.
“Sorry” I mumble, scolding my Alpha internally. “That sounds like a nice nest though, cosy”
Louis’ whole body beams at the praise I didn't even necessarily mean to give. Although I am sure it probably was a very nice nest.
“Yes!” Louis says happily, sitting on his knees, “She had a pretty narrow wardrobe but it was long so I tucked myself under her dresses in the corner” he moves his hands animatedly, tracing out the shape of the wardrobe, the fabric of the dresses flipping above his head, before flopping on his back. “I would lay like this and reach up above me and play with all the colourful dresses until I fell asleep” he lifts his hand into the air, playing with an invisible piece of fabric, eyes trained on the ceiling. It’s the top of his wardrobe right now. “There’s just so much…white here” he says quietly, his lower lip trembling slightly. I can’t have him cry.
“That sounds like a perfect nest” I say just as quietly, because it really does. Louis gives me a toothy grin and it’s hard not to get down on my knees right there.
I am so f*cked.
“Can I help with anything? Did you eat breakfast?” I ask, trying to distract myself. A blush creeps up Louis’ neck.
“I…I had some jam and toast. M’sorry should've asked. I promise I will pa-”
“Nope! Nope you're good, hunny. All good” I reassure him quickly. An idea pops in my head. “I’m going to go make myself something and then I’ll come back and help, yeah?” Louis gives a small smile and nods.
I rush out of the room, walking straight to the storage closet at the end of the hallway. Luckily its almost empty, save for a few totes and a pair of snowshoes from an ill fated hobby I tried to pick up. I pile the totes and the snowshoes together and push them down the hallway into my room, before grabbing a broom and a dustpan. The closet is perfect, small but still big enough to accommodate a person, rectangular in shape. I have to duck my head to step in. I make quick work of clearing it. Only the best for my-sh*t-the Omega.
I look down at the shining wood before I realise I have nothing to put down on the floor. Neither ones of the mattresses would fit.
It suddenly comes to me. I am on a roll today with good ideas.
Scurrying back into my room, I lay on the floor next to my bed and reach blindly under the frame until I feel the thick fabric and drag it out. I had gone on a bit of a minimalism kick after watching ‘Perfect Days ’ and impulse ordered a japanese futon. I lasted about a week sleeping on it before I was back on my mattress. However, now I have something for the nest. I want it to be as cosy as possible, I want Louis to feel safe.
I grab more blankets I grab from the shelves in my room. I can feel cold metal when I blindly reach onto the top shelf.
I am just lucking out today. I curl my hands around the spring rod with delight. I bring my treasures back to the closet, setting the futon in the corner. I twist the spring rod until it fits securely, hangin on it a little bit to make sure it doesn't fall down on the Omega. It holds firm. My Alpha is purring contentedly as I continue to set up the room.
I need clothes.
Back in my wardrobe, I go through my clothes quickly, grabbing anything that will drape low enough.
A toga from a costume party. A trenchcoat. Several jumpers. A dress an Omega I briefly dated left behind…wait maybe not that, that feels disrespectful to Louis somehow. I grab all my scarves, draping them so they hang down at the correct height.
Perfect.
I hook everything up on the rod, very pleased with myself. I unfurl the futon and it slowly gives in to its weight and goes flat. I will give myself this, this was smart.
I step back to admire my work. It is cosy.
However, it dawns on me that this is a literal closet, not giving the Omega much in terms of security.
Once again, my brain is on my side today.
I all but sprint to the kitchen, digging in the drawers until I find the latch lock my landlord had switched out for a chain lock and grab the cordless drill Lars lent me months ago. I am not the most handy Alpha in the world but this seems simple enough. I close myself in the closet and line up the lock, beginning to drill.
Once I am finished I jiggle the door to make sure it stays, it does. I swing the door open to a very confused Louis.
“OH!” I say loudly, surprised. “Hi!” He is eyeing the closet as I step out of it. “I made this for you!” I say proudly, stepping aside for the Omega to inspect. His mouth drops slightly as he takes a step towards it.
You..” he starts as he leans on the doorframe and looks inside. “An Alpha…” He leans down, his fingers touching the futon mattress, then going up to touch the bottom of the hanging fabrics. “Made…me a nest?” his voice comes out all squeaky and quiet and I am not sure how to take it.
He stands there quietly, observing everything. That’s when I notice the tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Louis?” I start. He throws himself into my arms before I can say anything else.
“Thank you, Harry!” he cries into my chest, squeezing my middle. He is featherlight but also strong and warm, the warmest I have felt him so far. I melt into him unconsciously, I can’t help it, the sweet bergamot and heady tobacco scent reel me in. He peels himself away from me and I let him, obviously. “I’m going to bring more in!” he exclaims excitedly through tears and runs back into his bedroom. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten yet. It’s better to leave Louis be anyways. It is his nest after all.
I am in the kitchen clearing up the counter after myself when I hear Louis call for me, about an hour later.
His beautiful little voice is coming from the nest. I pad my down the hallway, excited to see wha he has done with the nest. I spot his face through the open door, peeking through the clothes, his face is lit up happily. I stop at the threshold, trying to contain the grin on me face.
“Come in!” he immediately chirps before disappearing behind the clothes. I hesitate, battling with my screaming Alpha who wants to dive right in. This is a nest. It’s sacred and special and the last thing I want is for Louis to feel like he doesn't have the right to keep it a sacred space. Apparently feeling my hesitation, Louis peers back through the clothes, a blue jumper making his eyes look more luminous than ever. “Harry, it’s fine, everything smells like you anyways,” he shrugs as he scoots to the very back of the closet. I take a deep, steadying breath as I go to my knees to crawl in, careful not to disturb any of the thoughtfully arranged items. I sit just on the other side of the clothes, directly across from a beaming cross-legged Louis. I take in the nest, making a show of looking at every single detail. He rearranged the clothes, the softer items now in the middle. Various pillows, blankets, and the shirts he had me scent earlier are scattered around. It has this cosy and warm atmosphere about it. It’s a very nice nest.
“It’s beautiful, Louis” I say with genuine awe in my voice. Louis’ whole body seems to vibrate with a large smile.
“Thank you Harry! You don’t know what this means to me!” The smile threatens to break the Omega’s face. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a nest!”
That’s interesting, and also terribly sad.
“How long has it been?” I ask timidly, not wanting to overstep. Louis leans back against the wood panelling, a serene look on his face.
“Could we...could we maybe cuddle while we talk?” He asks with a bit more confidence than ever before. I try to rain down my overly excited Alpha when I sink down into the pillows, opening my arms as an invitation. He closes the small gap between us, immediately resting his head against my chest. I pray he can’t hear my racing heart. I wind my arm behind him, debating where to place my hand and finally opting for his rib cage, right above the dip of his waist. “My last real nest was at my mum’s” he starts out, “and that was about 3 years ago.”
I hum at that as he draws little shapes on the fabric over my sternum. “Although, I was in the Koster Islands this summer and had a little flat that I made a poor excuse for a nest in for a little bit” he chuckles lightly at that as though it’s funny, not stopping his fingers.
“Koster Islands? What were you doing there?” I ask, I heard it's beautiful there. There’s an infinity of incredibly interesting things to find out about him.
“Just worked for the Summer months there, doing odd jobs on the docks.”
I furrow my brow, imagining the Omega working the docks all by himself. A million questions run through my mind.
“Why did you leave home?”
His fingers stop moving for a second, but his scent doesn't change.
"Parents died,” he answers bluntly, “no reason to stay, so I packed a bag and just travelled and worked cash jobs.”
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly, because I am. I can’t imagine losing my parents, especially so young. There’s a few beats of silence. “Where have you travelled and worked?”
Louis’ body perks back up at that question.
“Oh! So many places!” He says excitedly. “ Worked at a club in Glasgow, helped with maintenance for the Isle of Man TT race, More dockwork in the Shetland Islands, uhh…” He taps my chest as if thinking. “Landscaping in Amsterdam, a PA in Bremen. Bartended in Graz. Hmm, I know i’m missing things…” he sighs. I am genuinely impressed, even proud of the clever little Omega for seeing more of the world than I ever dreamed of.
“What brought you to Norway?” I ask innocently. Louis huffs and pulls himself from me, my Alpha whining at the loss.
“You’re going to think I’m an idiot.”
I shake my head furiously. No, I would never. No Omega of mine could ever be an idiot. Well, not mine. Louis huffs again and runs his hands over his face. He pulls his knees to his chest, but scoots so his feet are pressed against my side.
“Erik” he said solemnly, not making eye contact. It takes every ounce of effort to hold back the snarl in my chest. It comes out in my eyebrows shooting up and a high pitched hum instead.
“Go on,” I say in a hoarse voice, terrified of the answer.
“I met him in this Omega+Beta job exchange group on Facebook. I didn’t know he was an Alpha, you have to submit proof to even get in!” Louis rushes out, as if already on the defence. I move my hand to his ankle, softly stroking it with the back of my fingers. “He said he was looking for someone to help him with some home renovations in exchange for room and board for the month of August. And I thought ‘Hey! Oslo in August! Perfect!’” His voice starts to wobble, his eyes going glassy. I sit up, mirroring his position.
“It’s okay,” I assure him. “You don’t have to tell me.” As much as I want to know,this is about Louis, not me.
“No, no it’s okay” he sniffles, leaning into me a bit. “I showed up and I thought he was a Beta. He must have been wearing a sh*t-ton of blockers. He was really nice for the first couple of weeks.” He nods his head, like he is still trying to convince himself, “But then he showed up and he reeked. And admitted he was an Alpha. I was freaked out. I should have left right then. I’m so stupid!” he mutters to himself.
“Hey, hey you're not!” I say quickly. I can’t stand this. Louis shakes his head and wraps his arms around his knees. “Can…I touch you?”’ I ask in a whisper. He nods and I wrap my arms around him, rocking us both softly. “Do you want to keep telling me?” I ask softly, trying to sound as safe as possible. Louis lets out a shuddery breath.
“He got really…touchy,” he says in a little squeak. I can feel the growl start to rumble in my chest but play it off as a cough. Motherf*cker. “And…um then he said I owe him rent, and I was confused because that wasn't part of the deal…but he…” I see Louis visibly shudder and even look at me a bit sceptically. “He used his Alpha voice on me.”
What.
“WHAT?!” I saw too loudly, too harshly, sending the Omega out of my arms to the other side of the wall. “I’m sorry! So sorry! Sorry!” I plead, hands raised. Louis looks at me with wide eyes but takes a deep breath.
“It’s…it’s okay. I just…don’t want to touch right now.”
“Yes, yes of course. Okay” I say, hiding the devastation in my voice.
Bad Alpha.
f*ck.
“How…what…Louis,” I gasp, at a loss for words. Louis just shakes his head, not making eye contact with me.
“He took my passport, said I could have it back when I pay him back” he says robotically, “and I didn't have that kind of money, so I worked a couple of cash jobs I could find but those dried up quickly as it got cold out” Louis closes his eyes and starts to crawl back toward me. He inches his face up right to mine, “don’t be mad at me” he says quietly.
“Never, Lou” I say honestly. I don’t think anything could make me truly mad at him. Louis looks around nervously.
“I…I knew my heat was coming around the end of September,” he says, voice just above a whisper. I take a sharp breath in, knowing where this is headed. “I had planned on being in Croatia for it, they have free heat rooms.” Louis sits next to me, shoulder to shoulder. “But, I was still trying to pay Erik back, I couldn't leave without my passport.” I claw at my arm, reeling My Alpha in. “I should have told him or went outside into the forest or something but it was so cold. I woke up and I was in heat and Erik was home…” Louis’ voice trails off. I clench my fists, trying to get ahold of the anger currently pulsing through my veins. “And he obviously couldn’t help it, being an Alpha around and Omega in heat and all, ya know?”
“No” I cut him off sharply, my tone cold. Because, no. no. no. Any Alpha with any common decency would never take advantage of an Omega in heat, especially one that is not their mate or consensual heat partner discussed before the heat starts. I’m going to kill Erik.
“It…I didn’t say no!” Louis quickly adds, apparently sensing my thoughts.
“You were in heat, Louis. Of course you didn’t say no. He took advantage of you.” I spit, cruelly. Every ounce of energy I have is being used to stifle the growl in my chest and the urge to scent the Omega to keep him safe.
“No! I…it’s…can we drop it?” Louis says with a wavering voice that breaks my heart. The anger in me dissolves, replacing itself with concern for the Omega. “I think I’d just like if you held me for a bit longer,” he adds shyly. He obviously doesn't know what he wants.
“Of course!” I reassure him in a soft voice. Louis immediately leans into me. I wrap my arm around his bony shoulders and pull him close. “Louis, it’s not right what he did, an Alpha can cont-”
“Drop it, Harry” Louis snaps, before softening, “please.”
“Yeah, yeah of course” I soothe and lean my cheek on the top of his head. He takes another deep breath and I can feel his body and scent relaxing.
“Anyway, he was with me during my heat. Thankfully I still had birth control. But he stole it from me after he found out. I've been living at his flat since but I had to be out of his hair on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, I started stealing Dempdråperal because it has a side effect of also being birth control, and Erik didn't know that” I nod my head on top of his. While the thought of Erik trying to impregnate Louis fills me with seething rage, I am also impressed with the clever Omega currently in my grasp.
“You’re very clever” I comment before I can stop myself. Louis looks up from under my arm.
“You think it’s clever?” He asks genuinely. I nod.
“Very clever” I affirm.
“You were quite cross with me before.”
“That was before I knew, but you know Dempdråperal has side effects like depression, irregular heats, seizures, and-”
“Are you Alphasplaining an Omega medication to me?” he furrows his eyebrows. sh*t, of course he would know about this. I just can’t help being worried.
“What? No! sorry…I”
“Ha! It’s okay,” he guffaws, “It’s kind of cute.”
“You’re kind of cute,” I blurt out automatically, immediately slapping my free hand over my mouth as soon as it comes out. “Sorry! I-”
“Only kind of cute?” Louis answers bashfully, looking up at me through thick eyelashes, even in the dim lighting of the closet his baby blue eyes are glowing.
“No! You're very cute! I just meant! I didn't mean!” I stammer, feeling stupid. He cuts off my rambling with a quick kiss on the cheek. I stop my sputtering instantly, shocked and warm, my skin still buzzing where his lips had been.
“Don’t worry, you’re being a good Alpha.” Louis says softly and snuggles onto my chest. I take a moment to steady my breathing, positively overwhelmed with everything about him.
“Do you like being alone?” I find myself asking, not really sure why exactly. Louis hums on my chest.
“Yes, I think so. I guess I’ve gotten used to it. You?”
I rub soothing circles on his skin while I think about it.
“I mean...I moved to Norway and can hardly speak the language, I guess I’m used to it too” I shrug.
“Guess we have that in common,” Louis chuckles. I think about it some more. I’ve gotten used to it for sure. The sharp loneliness I felt when I first moved here has transformed into something quieter, more comforting. Louis and I both live our lives in chosen isolation to an extent, wandering alone. But here, right now, we are alone together.
“So, what was Isle of Man like?” I ask as I relax with the Omega on me.
That’s how the next 4 days go. Totally innocent cuddles and long talks. Louis kisses my cheek 6 times and we hold hands 4 times, I keep track. Sometimes on the couch but mostly in Louis’ nest as we make our way through Studio Ghibli movies.
Currently, we are holding hands on the couch while watching Howl’s Moving Castle. We are sitting shoulder to shoulder, our intertwined fingers over Louis' thigh. Louis is quieter than normal today, squirmier than normal. His scent is shifting wildly, probably balancing out hormones from the Dempdråperal withdrawal.
“I gotta use the toilets,” he says quickly before getting up and shuffling down the hallway. I try not to watch the sway of his hips or where my green t-shirt has slipped a little, revealing just a touch of golden skin, but I am only just a man. I lean my head back onto the couch, closing my eyes once I hear the door click. I’m not tired, just content, relaxed. I have immensely enjoyed the little bubble Louis and I have been living in. To say I am quite fond of the Omega would be an understatement and my Alpha has all but claimed him as my mate.
I don’t hear Louis pad back into the room. I swear I don’t. I swear that him sitting on my lap comes as a complete surprise, causing me to jerk my head up. Louis is straddling me, fingertips blazing hot as they snake their way into my hair and pull my face to his. Then his lips are on mine. It burns me all the way down to my stomach. It’s fireworks and all purifying flames, but also incredibly sweet and euphoric. It’s 60 seconds of absolute bliss as our lips fit together so perfectly. It’s 60 seconds before an alarm goes off in my head. When I place my hands on his hips as he ruts down into my lap. I realise then that it’s not my skin burning at his touches, it’s him. His whole body is hot and glistening and the beautiful perfume of slick is permeating the air.
sh*t.
“Louis” I pant into his open mouth, forcing myself to pry my lips from him. He frowns harshly at the separation and moves to connect our lips again.
“Alpha” he whimpers softly, all but confirming my suspicions that he is in heat.
“Louis, hunny,” I try to reason with him as he continues to squirm in my lap. “You’re in heat, you’re not thinking clearly.” I try to say sternly as I capture his wandering hands in mine, producing another wave of slick scent to invade my head. Louis’ pupils are blown with lust.
“Alpha, please” he begs, I'm about to go crazy. Something claws in my chest, howling, begging, pleading. My body and brain fight harshly. Maybe I could.
No.
“Louis, go to your nest” I say sternly, moving the feverish Omega off my lap with ease. Louis starts to whine and attempts to scramble back on me, so I get up from the couch quickly, looking back at him. I try not to shudder as he looks at me with wide innocent eyes and bites down on his lower lip. I didn’t prepare for this. I don’t have anything set up for his safety. Luckily he has his nest but absolutely nothing else.
sh*t.
Louis’ small hands go to touch my hips but I spring backwards. The Omega’s face looks devastated, I am f*cking this up so bad. “Omega”, I repeat with authority, “Go to your nest!” I point down the hallway.
“You’ll help me then, Alpha?” He asks meekly as he scoots off the couch. I nod. I will help him, but not in the way his hormone addled mind is hoping for. I wait for the click of the closet door before moving my protesting body to the front door, grabbing my keys on the way. My Alpha is screaming at me to go be with his Omega. I won’t do it. I know that. Doesn't mean it’s not painful to put distance between us, especially knowing what I have to do. I lock the door behind me, running my wrist over the doorframe to scent it and hide the smell of an Omega in heat. My legs carry me to Oskar and Sofie’s door. I knock harshly and loudly. I pray the Alpha is gone, not really sure I could handle that at the moment. A shocked looking Sofie answers the door.
“I need your help.” I say quickly, “Oskar’s help specifically” Sofie studies my face for a moment before stepping aside and gesturing for me to come inside. The flat is set up the same as my own, except reverse. I find Oskar on the sofa, sitting cross legged and Loki the cat on his lap.
“You reek!” Oskar exclaims, his nose wrinkling.
“Is Hanna gone?” I ask quickly, I don’t have time for all this extra chit chat.
“Yes, look I'm sorry abou-” Oskar begins. I shake my head.
“No time, I need your help.” I half shout. Oskar startled but perks right up, Loki springing from his lap. “Louis is in heat and we werent expecting it and I have nothing for him and I…I can’t be in the flat with him and I don’t…I don’t have anything prepared or or or” I stammer, my body flooding with panic.
“Oh! OH!” Oskar says as he springs from the couch, “Yes! I can help. I can go! Does he have a nest?” he asks quickly, grabbing a bag by the television.
“Erm, yeah.” I confirm, feeling odd about telling people about Louis’ nest. My Alpha is going nuts inside me, begging to go back and protect his Omega.
“I’ll pack snacks, I have protein bars!” Sofie says quickly from behind me, scurrying to the kitchen. I crash down on their small leather couch, with my head in my hands trying to calm my breathing.
“Harry, um…” Oskar questions from the doorway of his bedroom. I look up to see him nervously fidgeting with his bag. “Does he have any…toys?”
sh*t.
“Uh, no.” I say simply. I am a bad bad Alpha. I let out a small whimper. I am failing the Omega terribly.
“It’s okay! I have things! They’re clean!” Oskar assures me before disappearing back into his bedroom. He comes back out with two bags. “Keys?” he asks. I throw them to him. He catches them effortless and scurries to Sofie and they whisper to one another in Norwegian. I could try to understand them if I wanted to, but my mind is too clouded and confused to care. “You can stay here” Oskar calls from the door, “I will keep you updated, he will be safe, don’t worry. This was a good move Harry. This is a good Alpha.” Oskar says quietly as he swiftly opens the door and disappears. My Alpha, although frustrated and angry, settles slightly at the Omega’s words.
I set up camp on that couch for 2 days. I am barely moving, my thoughts only concerned with Louis. Oskar updates regularly, telling me evey time he gets Louis to eat or shower. It’s enough. As hard as leaving Louis was, it also is easy to figure out the right thing to do, in a way. Anger continues to boil under my skin at the thought of Erik taking advantage of Louis in this state. The anger is palpable enough that I have managed to use these past two days to formulate a plan to get Louis his passport back. f*ck Erik.
On day 3, I receive a text from Lars at 12:15 AM telling me Erik is out drinking at a bar a town over, meaning his flat is vacant. I sneak out of the Oskar and Sofie's flat quietly, making sure not to bother Loki who is sleeping next to me on the couch. I grab a jacket and hat from the closet near Oskar and Sofie’s front door. It’s Sofie’s jacket but I don't hate the way it's slightly sinched at the waist. 25 minutes later Lars and I are standing outside Erik’s flat.
It's nearly 1AM, and the weight of the night's mission presses on my shoulders. The dimly lit street outside Erik's flat is quiet, save for the occasional distant hum of a car. Lars stands beside me. His eyes are sharp, scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement. He loves this sh*t. When he decides it's safe enough to act, we casually make our way to the front door of the building. We enter easily, apparently someone forgot to lock the door by a strike of destiny. We approach the narrow, creaky stairs leading to the second story. The corridor is sparsely lit by a single flickering neon, casting eerie shadows on the peeling wallpaper. The air is thick with the stale smell of neglect. I almost feel uncomfortable. The thought of Louis being here makes my skin crawl. As we reach Erik's door, I lean in close to Lars, my voice barely above a whisper.
"How did you find Erik's flat so quickly?"
"I have my connections at City Hall," Lars replies with a smirk, his voice low but steady. From his shoulder, he pulls a slim backpack, retrieving a set of lock-picking tools.
I watch as he kneels in front of the door, his fingers moving with expert precision. The lock clicks open with a soft metallic sound, and the door swings inward. The scent of Louis hits me like a tidal wave as soon as we step into the flat. It's faint, distressed, but unmistakably his. A growl rumbles deep in my chest. The flat is a mess. The small living room is cluttered with empty bottles, discarded clothes, and an overturned chair. The walls are yellowed from cigarette smoke, and the carpet is stained with who knows what. A disgusting flat for a disgusting Alpha, makes sense.
"I can't believe I can still smell the distressed Omega in here," Lars mutters as he moves deeper into the room.
I begin to move through the flat, my nose guiding me. As I search, I rub my wrists against the doorframe and furniture, leaving my scent behind to piss Erik off.
Lars heads towards the living room while I make my way to the small, cluttered bedroom. The bed is unmade, sheets twisted and thrown aside. The air is thick with Erik's scent, but underneath it, I catch the faint, comforting smell of Louis. My eyes scan the room, and on a high shelf, I spot a backpack shoved to the back. Much higher than Louis could ever reach.
I reach up and pull it down, my heart pounding. As I unzip the bag, Louis' scent envelops me, stronger and more potent. I dig through the contents, finding a small floral scarf that must have belonged to his mum. I smile, a mix of sadness and relief washing over me. At the bottom of the bag, I find the passport. My heart leaps, and I quickly pack everything back into the backpack.
"Lars, I found it!" I call out softly, making my way back to the living room.
Lars is standing on the couch, a plastic lutefisk wrapper in his hands. He looks up as I enter, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "What are you doing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
He chuckles, shoving a piece of lutefisk deep into the couch cushions. "Erik is deplorable and deserves a stinky apartment," he explains with a gleeful look.
I can't help but laugh, shaking my head at his antics. "Let's get out of here, you found the laptop?" I say, holding up the backpack with Louis' passport. Lars nods and gestures to the coffee table and I scoop the computer up.
We scurry out of the flat, closing the door softly behind us. The night air feels cooler, a bit lighter as we descend the stairs. Each step away from Erik's flat feels like a weight lifting off my chest. We've got what we came for. We walk swiftly, the buildings around us are old and worn, their facades a patchwork of graffiti and peeling paint. Louis never should have been anywhere near this part of town. I hand Lars the laptop and he shakes his head.
"Erik is a sorry excuse for an Alpha," he mutters, his voice dripping with disdain "Pretending to be a Beta to lure in Omegas."
“Pathetic worm” I scoff, my anger simmering just below the surface.
Lars shoves the laptop into his backpack, zipping it up. "The authorities will love the evidence I deliver to them tomorrow." He says with glee. He won’t do this to another Omega.
Suddenly, Lars looks up, his body tensing as a figure approaches down the sidewalk. He flares his nose.
"Faen," he curses softly.
Erik comes into view, stumbling slightly, clearly drunk. My heart rate spikes, anger and protectiveness surging through me. I adjust Louis' backpack on my shoulders, trying to keep it out of Erik's sight. His eyes narrow as he recognises us.
“Den patetiske engelske alfaen!” Erik slurs before stopping in front of us.
"You're a pathetic excuse for an Alpha, Erik," I spit out, my voice low and dangerous.
Erik growls pathetically, his attempt at intimidation falling flat. His eyes are bloodshot, his movements unsteady. He's a coward, a predator who preys on those weaker than him.
"Louis er poor excuse for Omega," he snarls in broken English, his words sending a white-hot surge of fury through me. A loud growl erupts from my chest as I step towards Erik. He flinches, his bravado crumbling in an instant. I can see the fear in his eyes, the realisation that he's no match for me. Finally something we agree on. Lars laughs, the sound cold and mocking as he slowly pulls me back. I allow myself to be pulled away, but my eyes remain locked on Erik, who starts to look genuinely intimidated under my gaze.
"Mine," I growl, the possessiveness in my voice clear.
Erik hiccups, his drunkenness apparent. "Louis mine first," he slurs in broken English.
Something snaps inside me. With a roar, I launch myself at Erik, my body slamming into him with enough force to send him sprawling to the ground. He whimpers, fear evident as I stand over him, my fists clenched. The streetlight above casts a harsh glow on his pale, sweaty face, his eyes wide with terror.
"If you ever come near Louis again, I will cut your knot off," I threaten, "forstår du?" I ask coldly, my tone leaving no room for doubt.
Erik whimpers again, nodding and scrambling to get up. He stumbles, his hands fumbling on the rough pavement, and then breaks into a run, disappearing into the darkness. Coward. My Alpha purrs in contentment.
I struggle to calm myself, my breath coming in heavy bursts. My hands are still shaking, the adrenaline coursing through me. Lars places a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding me.
"You did a good job, Harry," he says, his voice steady.
I take a deep breath, nodding.
"Let's get back,"
The next morning, I sit in Oskar and Sofie's flat, my muscles finally relaxing after what feels like an eternity.Oskar's text bring a smile to my face: Louis' heat should be over soon, his moments of lucidity increasing.
I let out a sigh of relief, sinking deeper into the worn couch. The flat is small but cosy, filled with the faint scent of lavender from the diffuser in the corner. The walls are adorned with family photos, and a soft blanket is draped over the back of the couch with Loki resting on top. I wonder if Louis would want us to get a cat.
Twelve hours later, it's 8PM. The door creaks open, and Oskar steps in, his bags in hand. He looks tired but relieved.
"Louis is out of his heat, showered, and fed," he announces with a gentle smile. "I aired out the flat as well."
"Thank you, Oskar. Thank you so much," I say, my gratitude spilling out as I practically leap off the couch. I grab my things and nearly run back to my flat, my heart pounding with anticipation. I swing the door open and freeze.
Louis is sitting on the couch, dressed in the dirty clothes he came in. His head snaps up, and he looks scared and sad, his eyes wide and uncertain. My heart clenches at the sight.
"Hi," I say tentatively, taking a cautious step forward.
Louis gives me a small, tentative smile, but it's filled with so much pain and uncertainty that it nearly breaks me. I push down my confusion, focusing instead on the relief of seeing him here, safe.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, my voice soft.
Louis looks down, sheepish.
"I feel okay. Thank you" He says in a whisper.
I can't help the excitement that bubbles up. "I have a surprise for you" I take off his backpack and hand it to him, watching his eyes widen in surprise.
He snatches the backpack from my hands, digging through it frantically. When he finds his jacket and passport, he clutches them to his chest, tears welling up in his eyes. "How did you get these?" he whispers, his voice trembling.
"Don't worry about it," I say softly, trying to reassure him. "You're safe now, Louis. That's all that matters."
He looks at me, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and lingering fear. I step closer, wanting to comfort him, to make him feel secure. "You're safe," I repeat, my voice firmer this time.
The air in the flat feels thick, almost suffocating, as I watch Louis continue to clutch his passport to his chest and flit his eyes to the door. Every fiber of my being is screaming for him to stay, to understand how much I care. The realization hits me like a freight train: I’ve fallen hard for him, harder than I ever thought possible.
"I... I guess I'll leave then" Louis stammers, his voice barely a whisper.
A sharp pang of panic slices through me.
"What? Why?" I blurt out, my voice rising with confusion and desperation.
He looks down, avoiding my eyes.
"I have my passport now. It's clear you don't want me, so I should leave," he murmurs, his voice cracking.
My mind races, trying to make sense of his words. I come up with nothing.
"Why wouldn't I want you?" I ask quickly, the fear of losing him making my heart pound in my chest.
His cheeks flush a deep crimson, his embarrassment evident. "You rejected me when I was in heat and ran from the flat," he says, his voice trembling.
I shake my head, taking a step closer, my heart aching.
"Louis, I left because it wasn't right to join you during your heat without talking about it first," I explain, my voice gentle but urgent. I need him to understand. I need him to listen to my words.
He looks up at me, confusion still clouding his eyes.
"But you're an Alpha," he says, as if that explains everything.
I scoff, feeling a mix of frustration and tenderness.
"All the more reason I protected and looked out for you during your heat," I say firmly. "Only a bad Alpha would take advantage." Louis bites his lip, his eyes downcast as he nods slowly. He looks down at his passport again, and my heart clenches with fear at the thought of him leaving. I swallow the lump in my throat and sit down on the couch next to him. "You are free to leave whenever you want," I say quietly, the words almost choking me. The silence that follows is heavy and loaded with unspoken emotions. "But I would very much like it if you would stay," I whisper, my voice barely audible. My Alpha howls in protest.
Louis whips his head towards me, his eyes searching mine. He looks at my eyes and then down to my lips. Before I can process what's happening, he crashes his lips against mine. I'm startled for a second, but then I melt into the kiss, every worry and fear dissolving in that moment.The kiss is desperate, filled with all the emotions we’ve been holding back. I could kiss him forever. I want to kiss him forever. When Louis finally breaks the kiss, he presses our foreheads together, his breath hot against my skin.
"Thank you for everything," he whispers, his voice trembling. Before I can respond, he bolts out the front door, his backpack and jacket in hand. The door swings shut behind him with a finality that makes my heart lurch. I'm left sitting lamely on the couch, my heart pounding and my mind racing.
I sink back onto the couch, my head in my hands, trying to process what just happened. The silence is deafening, the absence of his presence like a physical weight pressing down on me.
The flat feels unbearably empty. The realisation that Louis has left hits me over and over again, each wave of despair threatening to drown me. My heart feels like it’s been shattered into a million pieces, each jagged fragment slicing through me with every beat. I feel like I might pass out, my vision blurring with unshed tears. Every breath is a struggle, every moment without him an eternity. With shaky legs, I push myself off the couch and stumble to Louis' nest in the closet. The small space feels like a sanctuary, a place where his presence still lingers. I sink to my knees before crawling into the makeshift bed. The familiar, comforting scent of Louis envelops me as I lay down, his scent filling my lungs, calming and torturing me all at once. It’s a bittersweet reminder of what I’ve lost, and I cling to it desperately. The urge to chase after him is almost overwhelming, but I fight it, clinging to the thought that I'm glad he has the choice, even if his choice was to leave me. It’s a hollow comfort, knowing that he made the decision freely, but it’s something. The sob that’s been building in my chest finally breaks free, and I don’t hold back. My Alpha howls in grief, the sound raw and broken, echoing through the empty flat. Images of Louis flood my mind. The way his eyes light, his quiet sass, his cleverness. I think about all the things I love about him, each memory a bittersweet reminder of what I've lost. His smile, the way he curls up on top of me, the soft laugh that escapes him when he’s amused. It all plays in my mind like a cruel movie, each scene another twist of the knife in my heart I continue to sob until exhaustion pulls me into a fitful sleep. When I wake, it’s with a dull ache in my chest and a foggy mind. My body feels heavy, my movements sluggish as I stumble out of the nest. I make my way back to the living room. Everything hurts.
I rummage through my DVDs with trembling hands, finally pulling out D.E.B.S. I put it in the DVD player and collapse onto the couch as the menu screen comes up. I press play and let the familiar sounds fill the room, but it doesn’t bring the comfort I crave. Instead, I sob into the couch, the movie playing on repeat as I fall in and out of fitful sleep. The hours blur together, the day passing in a haze of tears and fleeting moments of unconsciousness. My heart feels like it’s been torn from my chest, leaving a hollow ache that nothing can soothe. Every time I wake, the pain is still there. It feels like a cruel joke that it’s all gone.
A loud knocking on the door startles me awake. I groan, my body protesting as I get up.
"f*ck," I mutter to myself, stumbling to the door. I don’t bother checking who it is through the peephole. I don’t care. Part of me hopes it’s Erik, here to put me out of my misery. I’d let him.
I swing the door open, and almost shriek in shock when I see Louis standing there.
"L-Louis?" I stammer, my heart pounding. The sight of him, standing there with an uncertain expression, is almost too much to process. His eyes are red-rimmed, his cheeks flushed. He looks like he’s been crying too.
"Harry," he says softly, his voice trembling,"I'm sorry," he whispers, tears brimming in his eyes.
I am at a loss for words, still not quite sure if this is real. He crashes into me before I can ask, his arms wrapped around the back of my neck as his lips seek mine. I pull him inside the flat clumsily, slamming the door shut behind him. I breathe him in entirely. Bergamot, cigarette, a hint of distress disappearing as our lips connect. My hand slides down the curve of his back to behind his thigh and he takes that as a prompt to jump in my arms, wrapping his legs around me. I hold him up easily, kissing his plush warm lips over and over again. I’ve never wanted anything else as much. It takes all the strength in me to pull back with him still snug in my arms, taking a proper look at him. He giggles, looking ecstatic, the remains of tears still flooding his eyes. He doesn’t know whether he’s crying from happiness or sadness, I know because neither do I.
Louis came back.
“Don’t you want to talk about this first?” I say. It makes him laugh some more, prompting more tears. Happy tears. They make his eyes even more crystalline blue than usual, his eyelashes even longer.
“Later,” he mumbles, resting his forehead against mine for a second with his pupils blown “Want you” he adds against my lips.
“Where” I manage to wonder in between heated kisses, voice raw, my Alpha threatening to unleash any second.
“Nest?” he offers, “Please.”
It’s a big deal. He’s invited me in his nest before but this is different. I am extremely pleased to find he really does trust me. He can probably feel me smile, he tilts his head and grips the curls at the back of my head tighter, playfully biting me.
I clumsily carry him over, too busy with his mouth and his whole body pressed against mine to really pay attention to where I was going.
I slam his back flat against the wall next to the closet door, holding him down firmly as he hitches his legs up higher against my waist, letting out small gasps of pleasure on the wetness of my tongue each time I grind against him. I didn’t realise when I got hard but I am, unbelievably so, uncomfortably tight in my trousers. I can feel him hard too, even through layers of fabric, against my lower stomach, the wetness already seeping through the back of his trousers under my finger, the raw intimate smell of slick. I want all of him.
“Please,” he is begging, the grip of his legs weaken as he opens himself up, I nip and lick at the side of his neck. He is already a mess, already mine even though I haven’t claimed him yet.
“I love you” I have to let him know, in case that changes anything. It doesn’t change anything. He shivers, lets out a choked sob before two hands press against my cheeks, forcing my head up. He looks at me in the eyes, suddenly serious.
“You do?”
“I do,” I assure him. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.
He might not stop crying the whole way through, I don’t mind.
“I love you too,” he answers. It unleashes something wild inside me. He loves me too.
He could be mine. I could claim him. He crashes back against me, tongue brushing tongue, teeth bumping. Our mouths fit together perfectly right, like we were made for each other. “Please, just f*ck me,” he whines. I oblige, finally carrying him through to the closet and throwing him down on the futon mattress, practically ripping his tshirt off before making work of my own clothes.
He doesn’t wait for instructions before rolling over on his stomach, quickly pulling his trousers off before resting face down on the mattress, knees folded, arse up.
“What are you doing?” I growl, only now managing to stretch my tshirt over my head. Is he presenting?
“Presenting?” he confirms, his words muffled by a pillow. It makes me sadder than I thought it would, it takes me a second to understand why. He’s probably not used to anything else, only to be used by Alphas, never to be taken care of.
“Don’t,” I protest. “I want to see you!” I roll him over as if to prove my point, spreading him breathless under me.
“Why?” he stares up at me, close to naked, starfished, starry eyed. “Alphas never want that.”
“Louis…” he breaks my heart. He constantly breaks my heart and then immediately puts it right back together. “They’re taking advantage hunny,” I run my fingers down his flushed cheek, looking at his beautiful face. Why would I ever want him face down? “Are you comfortable with being on your back?” I check just in case.
“Hmm-mm” he doesn’t break eye contact, incredible blues, rows of luscious lashes, he just looks up at me with forever wet eyes. Beautiful boy.
“You’re beautiful” I tell him. I have to. He doesn’t reply anything to that but he drags me closer, clawing at my back. He buries his face in the crook of my neck when our chests come in contact, nosing at my scent gland wetly. “What, you being shy now?” I giggle.
“Maybe,” he speaks into my skin. “I’m not used to so many compliments.”
He has this way to just say the most heartbreaking things. He doesn’t mean to sound so sad, I know. I roll off him laying down side to side with him. We turn to face each other at the same time. He puts his hand on the side of my face, very gently stroking my cheek with his thumb. I lean forward and kiss him again. I could kiss him forever.
“Let me make you feel good baby” I say in his mouth. He hums affirmatively so I hitch his leg up around my waist, sliding my hand down his wet boxers. His dick feels uncommonly big for an Omega’s, but I still close my hand around it easily after letting my fingers linger teasingly further back to gather his own slick for friction. It elicits a symphony of gasps and lustful thrusts from him. I lazily work my hand up and down his shaft with a tight grip, preening in the way he melts against me, going lax and open, kisses growing lazy as his breathing builds up. I give myself until his first grunt to stop with one last kiss on his mouth, I remove my hand. He protests weakly but I know he knows there is more to come. I kiss my way down his body, lingering on his nipples, drawing playful circles with my tongue. He gasps and writhes under me, the sounds of his music to my Alpha ears. I am panting with built up want, but pleasing him somehow feels more important to me. I slide his boxers off in one swift move, his penis springing free and coming to rest on his toned lower stomach, leaving a trail of tacky precum on his smooth skin. He lets me manoeuvre him into a more comfortable position easily, he feels completely lax in my hands, letting me bend his beautiful golden legs over my shoulders. He lies there, eyes half-lidded, panting roughly, entirely trusting and open, waiting for me to do anything at all. All I want to do is to make him mine, claim every inch of his body, taste him. I bend forward and lick a thick strip down his co*ck again, making him shiver.
“Alpha,” he whines, the muscles of his calves flexing against my neck.
“Omega,” I scold him playfully, I get the hunch that he likes being put in his place. “Am I good to eat you out?” I ask for permission anyways.
“Anything you want,” he says hotly, there’s something close to adoration in his tone that’s driving me wild. I bend his legs further up, essentially folding him in half, shamelessly relenting in the perfect arch of his bum and the outrageous amount of slick leaking out of it, soiling the blankets. And then of course there’s him, coming undone. He’s the prettiest sight.
“Jesus Christ, Louis” I gasp in admiration, I push some of the slick back inside him with the tip of my finger and he responds to it with a whine just as well. But it’s useless, it spills right back out. I part his cheeks delicately, blowing feverishly hot air on his pink hole just to watch him squirm and he does beautifully, until I put my mouth on him.
He tastes warm and sweet sour, tacky against my cheeks but honey-like on my tongue. Something tugs my hair as soon as I lap at him, his knees press into my shoulders, he exhales shakily. I bury my face in him, twirling my tongue against his hole, licking, slurping, entering, slick dripping all over my face and his scent spreading all over me. He sighs and gasps with each movement, gradually growing louder. He swears tearfully under his breath, thighs shaky against my chest, calls my name.
“Harry,” he mewls. “f*ck-” I chuckle euphorically into him, extracting another moan from him. He tastes heavenly. “Want you,” he begs, pulling at my hair until it hurts. The pain is sickening with desire.
“You have me,” I raise my head for a second to look him in the eye, he doesn’t need to worry about that. He reaches his other hand down, seeking mine. I free one of them, meeting him halfway, linking my fingers with his tightly. He doesn’t bother removing his legs framing my face before pulling me up towards him. I fold him in half, kiss him passionately when I get there.
“Like the taste of your own slick?” I laugh wetly. He just hums with a cheeky smile, going back for seconds. I am still clothed from the waist down, and he ruts against me, soaking my trousers that have grown uncomfortably tight. He impatiently unbuttons them with nimble fingers.
“I have condoms in my trousers if you want to grab them,” he gestures towards his clothes next time we come up for air, crumpled on the floor.
“Why do you have condoms?” I laugh, incredulous.
“Got them on my way back here, when I decided not to leave,” he admits, his cheeks growing redder. Seems like my Omega came back with a plan.
“You’re not leaving?” I check. I had been hoping for this.
“If you’ll have me,” he grows shy again.
“Of course I’ll have you,” I giggle, I kiss his forehead, then his cheeks, then his nose, then his eyelids. “Thank you,” I add before capturing his mouth again. God, his mouth. I could drink from it forever.
“Thank you,” he finally gets my fly open and immediately takes advantage of this to slide his hand in, immediately grabbing a firm hold of me. I groan, dropping my head in his neck when he starts pumping, pleasure coiling in my lower stomach. “I need you inside me,” he begs, voice absolutely f*cked, I lift myself up on my forearms and take a good look at him, brushing hair away from his face. His face is shiny with sweat and slick.
I nod firmly, rolling off of him for a second to remove my trousers properly, he immediately whimpers at the loss of me.
“Here in a second,” I laugh at his impatience. He was holding himself back for so long and it suddenly feels as though he can’t wait a second longer. I would be lying if I said I didn’t find it hot.
I grab the pack of condoms from his trousers, ripping one open and doing away with my boxers before sliding it on myself. He just watches me through half-lidded eyes from the bed, head lazily turned to me, legs spread apart, slick pooling under him, pupils blown. He is small and beautiful and soft and smooth and golden and I want him so bad I might die.
I climb back on top of him, he spreads his legs wider to make room for me, not going as far as hitching them over my shoulders this time but locking them around the narrowest spot of my waist, pulling me in.
He starts being noisy again as soon as my tip rubs against his slicked hole, I push in against the tightness, feeling him stretch open for me. He swears, chokes, opens his legs wider, fighting to accommodate me until I am all the way in.
“Alpha,” he shakes, absolutely feral. I’m guessing neither one of us is going to last very long.
“So tight,” I mutter, he just nods, his hands move down my arse, grabbing a handful to push me in. I observe his face carefully as I do, the many details of him from up close, the way he comes undone when I thrust in and out, mouth slack open.
I slam into him harder and he slides up to bed slightly but I hold him down firmly. I love how noisy he is, a gasping moaning mess, like he’s lost all sense of control. I am probably not that far off from losing it myself, my feet and the palms of my hands tingling numb, org*sm building up along my spine pooling in my lower abdomen.
“Knot me,” he whimpers in between moans that are incredibly close to becoming cries. I don’t let him ask twice, I am already feeling myself swell against his entrance.
“Mine,” I growl as he can do nothing but exhale noisily and dig his fingernails into my back.
“Yours.”
Sperm spills on both of our stomachs when he comes with a sob at the same time as I push my knot inside him, stretching him wide open,filling him up completely. It comes in a regular flow for a really long time as he shudders from his org*sm underneath me. I can’t hold myself up any longer, crashing on top of him when I finally release. I feel my own sperm continuously fill up the condom, it spills out from my end.
It takes a good few minutes for us to catch our breaths. He eventually come to when I lick at the scent gland on his neck.
“Oh my god,” he finally laughs raspily, in awe. “Your neighbours are definitely going to worry about that.”
“I couldn’t care less,” I kiss my Omega again, accidentally pushing my knot in a bit deeper. He whimpers in my mouth. Maybe I could go for a second round.
He strokes my hair away from my face, looking up at me with what I am sure is a loving look. I love him.
“We’re going to be locked in for a while aren’t we?”
