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tomorrow after work. Inside a one-bedroom unit that was meant to be temporary but has become permanent, he rests on the couch dented to the shape and length of his body. The phone on his sternum is an uncomfortable reminder of the message that looms on his screen. He attempts to form a response amidst a terrifying realization—his Omega is indifferent.In the early stages of their separation, anger was a leading emotion the Alpha consistently provoked in him. But it meant this: he cared. Cared enough to be angry. Cared for him and the mauled remnants of the spatial bond they developed in four years. If he could relive their bittersweet ending, he would prefer it to the subsequent silence. Louis used to reply. Multiple back-and-forth messages that consisted of Harry begging Louis to reconsider his decision while Louis cursed his inability to understand no such thing would occur.In his possession is a memory of a singular phone call. On the other end of the line, his Omega admonished his cruel behavior after the separation. With the same ferocity devoted to salvaging their relationship, Harry hated himself for being Louis’ source of stress and upset. As much as he yearned for those fragments of attention, his Omega came first.So, the Alpha ceased all contact after the phone call. Committing to the decision was hard. Ultimately, Harry’s a weak man. A weaker Alpha. Sending this last-ditch message after being deprived of his Omega for so long was meant to wound those impenetrable walls. Instead, he made way for closure.
Can I come over to pick up the last of my things?
Punctual to the exact date and time Louis set for their visit, the Alpha knocks on the door to their flat. His copy of the key hangs unused in the pocket of his jeans. He’s no stranger to this hallway, but he feels one. When Louis widens the door, he’s outwardly composed in contrast to Harry whose face softens before him. His heart seizes in adoration for him. Harry loves him so, so dearly. “Hey,” Louis greets. Body language reserved. Seven months ago, his Omega would have thrown the door open and jumped into his arms. Some days because he could and enjoyed surprising him. Loved testing his ability to hold the weight of his body. On other days, he was desperate for a kiss from his Alpha.Harry caught him, without fail, without hesitation, every time. “Louis,” the Alpha murmurs, admiring the sight of the Omega despite his obvious displeasure to see him in turn. “Come inside.” Louis cuts a long-awaited reunion short.Yellow socks. Green sweatpants. A white, oversized graphic t-shirt with colorful hearts printed in the center. Choices of clothing suited for home and comfort. Details Harry misses observing about Louis daily.“I did you a favor and gathered everything in a box. You forgot a lot of stuff,” Louis observes accusingly. “How convenient.” The air surrounding them smells of Louis. Vanilla and an underlying scent the Alpha cannot immediately decipher. “I did it on purpose,” he confesses after inhaling. Unsure whether he’ll ever have the chance to be this enveloped in his favorite scent. “I miss you, baby.”Averting his eyes, Louis’ response is curt. “Don’t, Harry. That’s a surefire way to get thrown out. I’ll keep—I’ll sell your things, too.”“I have a key,” he counters, stating a fact and allowing Louis to assume the rest.“Thank you for reminding me you no longer need it.” Holding his hand out expectantly, the Omega waits for him to give in. To give up. “No.” “Your name is no longer on the lease!” Louis hisses. “If you use it, you’re trespassing.”“If it meant I could have you again, I would do it,” he explains in equal frustration. “Whatever it is I have to do, I would do.”“Would you?” Louis challenges with narrowed eyes, determined to test the truth of his statement. “If I have to.”“If you have to,” the Omega sighs. “You would never hurt me in that way.”“You don’t know that,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “I’m not sure I wouldn’t.” “I know you,” he discloses. “You are not that Alpha.”“Then you must know I need you,” Harry pleads.“What you need to do is accept we are no longer together. Our breakup was months ago,” Louis reiterates, visibly unhappy the intricacies of their separation continue to be a topic of discussion. His Omega must have known this was never going to be an ordinary visit. Speaking with him in person about the subject was too tempting to let alone.With a familiar hurt stirring in his chest, the Alpha grunts. “As if I had a choice in the matter. You broke up with me. I would have never let you go, especially considering your reason, Louis.”Again, Louis’ gaze is unable to meet his own. Closing the gap between them is a crucial opportunity that presents itself in the physical and literal sense, so he moves with purpose. Only inches separate them, so close he can tilt Louis’ chin up with no resistance. Still so susceptible to his touch. “Why am I not enough, baby?” The Alpha’s voice is gentle, coaxingHe leans forward, lips grazing the breath Louis exhales, with absolutely no intention to kiss him. When they kiss again, it will be Louis’ undoing.What he needs is a moment of vulnerability and it comes in the form of a faint noise escaping the Omega’s mouth. Heart thudding, Harry lowers his hand to Louis’ neck, thumbing the spot his bond mark planned to be forever. Then, a hand on his chest abruptly pushes him away. “No, no, no.” As quickly as he faltered in his embrace, Louis recovers. “I did not allow you to come over to repeat this conversation! You have had plenty of time to get over it.”“That’s impossible!” The Alpha growls. “Four years with you and you decide that is the end simply because I’m too young.”Louis’ eyes are sharp, incensed. “You’re twenty-five and I’m thirty! How does it make sense that you’re ready to commit to a lifelong bond being so young? I wasn’t ready at your age—” “I am not you, Louis,” he interrupts smoothly. “I am me. If I say that I’m ready to commit to you, why are you so unwilling to believe me? Have I not shown you how ready I am in the four years we were together?”“You’re too much of a risk!” The Omega snaps. “I couldn’t bear the heartbreak if you decided, unexpectedly, you made a mistake because you didn’t think it through enough!”“There’s no risk when I have this much love for you, Louis.”“You have my explanation,” Louis protests angrily. “Your lack of acceptance is not my problem.”“I was sure of you when I was twenty-one and I’m sure of you still. I won’t change my mind,” the Alpha declares earnestly. “The one who has changed their mind is you.”“It seems you don’t respect my decision, but it is final, so why do you continue to force this, Harry?” The Omega inquires, serenely furious.The Alpha is stunned into a wretched, contemplative state. He regains his composure with a harsh breath. “Louis, I don’t insist because I don’t respect your decision. I do—” “You might, but do you show it?” Louis cuts in haltingly.Truthfully, painfully, Harry is aware he has disrespected Louis’ decision to break up with him for as long as they have been separated. “No.”The ensuing silence is packed with deflating tension. “The box is in my room. Let me grab it for you. You leave after that.”Watching Louis walk away to evade him will always sting. Defeated and alone, Harry observes the flat from his place near the door where he belongs. The vase he purchased to hold Louis’ weekly bouquet sits in the center of the coffee table they chose together. The blanket Harry gifted Louis, after several complaints about how cold the living room is despite the set temperature, is strewn over the arm of the couch. They used to cuddle underneath it. A cunning ploy to cuddle frequently, but Louis’ clinginess was his to fulfill eagerly. The only change he can find is that Louis’ flat is entirely his. Harry has not belonged here in seven months. What was he thinking he could accomplish in one day what he has not accomplished in seven months?“Everything should be in there. If I find something else, I’ll hand it over to Mitch. He can give it to you,” the Omega explains, setting the box by their feet. Numb, Harry nods. “Of course.”“The key, Harry.”Reluctantly unwinding the key from his clip brings about a sense of finality that crushes his throat from the inside out. As requested, the Alpha places the key in Louis’ hand. Gently, he curls that hand, small and fragile, in both of his. “There’s no replacing you, Louis. I will always love you.”
“C’mon, man.” Mitch pats his back. “It’s my mate’s birthday.”“Yeah, it’s my birthday!” Sarah yells, then giggles, in between tipsy and drunk. “You do as I say! Get out there and have fun. I’ll be waiting, Harry.”After ruffling his hair, she stumbles out the door. Her happy, infectious energy brings a small smile to his face. He appreciates her for that and much more. When he disappeared from their back garden into the space they so graciously allowed him to rent, Harry thought he had been conspicuous.Turning to Mitch, he says, “I just need a minute. You can go.”“Hate to break it to you, but it’s been more than thirty.”“Oh.” The Alpha frowns. His plan was to decompress from the strain of his jealousy for a few minutes. Half an hour later, he feels the same. “I saw them.”His simple explanation is all the other Alpha needs to exhale sympathetically. “That must have been a sight to see.”“He’s dating, Mitch.” Taking a sip of his beer, he winces at the acrid taste. He goes in for another, prolonged swig. It does nothing to ease the ache nestled behind his ribcage. “A whole month has gone by since I last saw him. I told him I loved… I love him. It was the wrong thing to say.”Watching Louis attach himself to a random Alpha throughout the rest of the night will require several drinks to bear. One beer is not enough. “Your mate is waiting. I’ll be out soon, I promise.”“It wasn’t the wrong thing to say. You tried reconciling with him. And you gave it your all,” Mitch kindly disagrees. “I’ll be back in ten minutes, but don’t force yourself. Sarah is drunk. She won’t notice you’re gone anymore.”He did try. He tried so hard. He accomplished nothing. Who would have thought the life he envisioned so lovingly would be nothing more than that vision?
Plenty of people are scattered over Mitch and Sarah’s back garden, friends, acquaintances, and friends of friends. None of them grasp his full attention quite like Louis does. Under a level head, Harry can fully appreciate his Omega. His side profile is sharp, his skin kissable. The slope of his nose used to fit perfectly beside his own. There is a spattering of growing stubble on his jaw, otherwise cleanshaven. He looks stunning in a fuzzy sweater and loose jeans along with platform shoes he wears to elevate his height. The collar of his sweater is surprisingly low for an Omega that tends to live in turtlenecks, baring the tempting skin of his neck. His mouth salivates. Then, the Alpha next to his Omega grasps and squeezes the curve of his hip. Brief as it is, his lips turn downward, disgusted at the poor attempt to claim what is already taken. To make his presence known, Harry settles at Louis’ right near the table he’s grazing. Picking here and there. Gravitating toward blueberries. He pops two into his mouth and it is a simple joy to watch him. Be near him.Their proximity allows him to detect an underlying bittersweetness to Louis’ scent. No doubt the Alpha on his left who reeks is to blame. His Omega doesn’t need to turn; he’s sensed immediately. Louis’ shoulders tense and his breath hitches when Harry brushes their arms together. He’s delighted that Louis’ body continues to respond to him after months apart. “You cut your hair,” the Alpha remarks, noting how short the strands of hair that sit over his forehead are. “I like it. That’s my favorite—”“What are you doing?” Louis’ cheeks flush a barely perceptible pink. He smooths the hair at the nape of his neck curling upward. He continues to sneak fruits to appear nonchalant despite the spike of nervousness in his scent.“Eating.”“You are not eating,” he discerns quietly. There is a lack of food in his hands. He should have executed his approach better. “Mingling.”“Mingle elsewhere,” the Omega retorts. At this point in their conversation, they have caught that stray Alpha’s attention. “Louis?” The Alpha assesses him, but Harry is physically unthreatened. Besides that, his attention belongs to Louis. “Want to dance?”“Sure,” he accepts easily. Evidently eager to escape the difficult situation Harry created. They disappear into the crowd of couples dancing. The current song is slow and romantic. The type of song that brings a prospective couple flush together and that is, unfortunately, what follows between Louis and the Alpha. A stiff drink is exactly what Harry needs. With a half-glass of vodka in hand, he lingers by the bar, likely to pour another. Without meaning to, he found himself in the same position he did one month ago, pressuring Louis however faithful he is to the idea of staying away. Unable to tame this uncontrollable need to seek his Omega out. So blinded by his love he forgets who he hurts with his brutish, proprietorial actions: the person of his affection.So, he drinks not for fun, but to burn the image of Louis intimately swaying with a strange Alpha from his mind.
What remains of last night are drooping decorations, used tableware, empty bottles of beer, and Mitch amid the mess, attempting to clean up what he can.“Not too bad,” he comments as he steps out of the back house, then clears his throat from the dryness lingering there. He grabs a broom and begins to sweep the patio. “Not at all considering Sarah kept encouraging shots to most of our guests.” Mitch smiles. Then, he notes, “You turned in early. Too hard to stick around?”Shortly after his fourth glass of alcohol, the Alpha concluded torturing himself watching his Omega flirt with another Alpha was causing him needless pain and that it would be smart to extract himself from the situation lest he separated the two in drunken stupidity. The Alpha nods; then, he sighs. “I want to respect what Louis wants.”“Is it what you want?” Mitch asks, concerned.“No,” he states. This he is confident about. There is no one he desires more in his life than Louis. “What haven’t I done to convince him, though? His mind is set.”“You don’t seem prepared to let him go.” “It feels—it feels wrong, Mitch. I feel sick when I think of it seriously,” the Alpha attempts to explain. “As if I’m abandoning him. All my instincts beg me to run to him.”“You were together four years,” he observes, eyebrows furrowed. “You never officially bonded…”“We were discussing it,” he adds.“Could it be the spatial bond making you feel this way?”“It’s been eight months.”“Four years to eight months…” he deliberates pointedly. “One timeframe is stronger than the other.”“Yeah.” The Alpha frowns. “You’re right.” He had never considered their spatial bond could continue to affect him despite the lack of time spent with each other to sustain it. It is steadily waning, weaker as they approach a year apart. Undoubtedly, their abrupt separation exasperated the adverse effects that typically occur after a severed spatial bond. It may even be the reason for his uncontrollable behavior toward Louis.While he knows these symptoms do not affect the party that does not yearn for their would-be mate, his instinct as an Alpha is to worry for his Omega. However, Louis has proven to Harry on more than one occasion that he is comfortable moving forward without him—this fact coupled with what he just realized soothes him as much as it stings. “I’d like to see you two truly happy,” Mitch vocalizes. “Neither you nor Louis seem to be.”“Yeah,” he murmurs as he watches Mitch lift a familiar, green sweater haphazardly thrown over a chair. “He’ll get there.”“Both of you will,” he admonishes kindly, examining the sweater with pursed lips. “Did Louis leave that?” He questions despite knowing the answer, instinctively reaching out for the sweater. He recognizes it as naturally as a lover recognizes their loved one’s clothing. “Louis took it off when I was talking to him. He said he was feeling hot.”“That’s odd,” the Alpha says. “It was cold out.”The Omega despises feeling cold and avoids it habitually, so Harry finds it strange he would willingly discard his sweater in favor of keeping warm.“I know I’m being a knothead at this point. I should back off…” Harry trails off, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the soft material. “What happened after I left?”Mitch appears resistant to hand this information to him, which he understands, since he’s Louis’ friend, too. Finally, he relents, “They left separately. The Alpha was first to go. Louis joined Sarah and was way tipsy by the end of the night. I told him to stay, but—” “He didn’t stay because of me,” the Alpha supplies. “Because he would see me first thing in the morning.’“Yeah,” Mitch confirms, sympathetic. “I gave him a ride home.”“Thank you, Mitch,” he expresses, grateful to know the Alpha was not on Louis’ radar by the end of the night and more importantly, that he arrived home safely.Rather unenthusiastically, the Alpha hands Louis’ sweater back to Mitch. The scent it carries is so fresh he would love to keep it as his own. Everything he brought to the back house has long since lost Louis’ scent. But if it carries Louis’ scent, it carries the stink of that Alpha no matter how muted it is, so he relents for his and Louis’ sake.
The Alpha is inside his office, contemplating buying lunch from the Vietnamese restaurant across the street, abruptly unhappy this decision has become a constant in his routine. His Omega used to pack him lunch, something to get him through the day. It ranged from a sandwich to a salad to a wrap. Then, Harry would arrive home to cook them dinner. It was their little exchange, one of many ways to show they loved each other, and he misses it deeply. He receives a call whilst scrolling the menu on his phone. On accident, he taps the screen to answer. “Hello?” He mumbles vaguely.“Harry Styles?” The person on the other end of the line questions.From their tone, the Alpha can discern this is an urgent matter, yet has no idea who could be calling him.“This is him.”“This is Clara Moss, Editorial Director at Little Finch Publishing,” she clarifies. “I’m calling because you are currently listed as Louis Tomlinson’s contact in case of an emergency—”“What?” The Alpha interrupts breathlessly, fearing the worst of all the possibilities imaginable. He stands to gather what he needs to leave. “Is he hurt? Where is he?”“Mr. Styles, your mate is not seriously hurt or injured,” she says, attempting to placate his agitation. Nothing will help until the Alpha is able to physically check every inch of his Omega. “Unfortunately, Louis fainted, but is currently awake. We recommend he take the rest of the day as of now, but he is too weak to drive himself. Are you available to pick him up?” “Yes.” The onslaught of information is hard to digest, but his strides do not falter. “Yes, I am. I’m ready to head over now.”“Perfect,” she says. “I’ll send you our location through text.”
Inside the lobby of Louis’ workplace, heart unmanageable in his chest, the Alpha is desperate to confirm his Omega’s health and whereabouts. Scenting the air for Louis is useless. There are two, clinical scent neutralizers attached to the wall in the lobby alone. So, he must wait anxiously.After confirming his identity, Clara walks him into a quiet room that appears to be solely designated for Omegas. Louis sits on a chair, surrounded by comfortable pillows and a blanket unfolded on his lap. Attempting to appear strong, he holds his body upright even though it seems to be causing him physical strain. His eyes, blue and glossy, widen at the sight of him. As if surprised to see the Alpha show for him. Harry kneels at his feet, then grasps the Omega’s hands, unable to withhold physical affection when Louis needs it now more than he can explain in words—he can feel how much he needs it. “I’ll leave you to it.” Clara departs, allowing them much-needed privacy.“I’m sorry,” Louis whispers. “I should have changed my information. It slipped my mind.” “Baby. Don’t apologize,” the Alpha voices soothingly. “How do you feel? Are you okay?” “I don’t want to talk about it here,” the Omega sniffles. “Can you take me home? I’ll explain what happened, I promise.”“You don’t have to explain anything to me.” The Alpha carefully helps Louis stand, supporting most if not all his weight. Briefly, he entertains the thought of carrying Louis even though he is certain his Omega would be embarrassed in front of his coworkers. “I do, but you’re going to be mad at me. You’re going to think I’m stupid,” the Omega whines. “No,” he states incredulously. “I could never, baby. How could I?” “Easily.” He pouts.The trek to the car is brief, but Louis’ cheek is warm under his touch. Warmer than it should be from exertion. “You’re running a fever.”“I’ve been monitoring it.” The Omega sinks into his seat while the Alpha buckles his seatbelt.“You knowingly went to work this way?” The Alpha frowns, tamping his exasperation at Louis’ carelessness.“Hm,” he hums quietly. He closes his eyes. “Are you going to care for me, Alpha?”If he were not driving, his head would have jerked sideways at the term of endearment. No bite of sarcasm detected. Louis is not mocking him. This is a genuine question in the sweetest, enticing tone. It may be Louis’ fever that consumes his body rendering him helpless to seek the protection of the closest Alpha in his vicinity. Or it could be a combination of love and instinct for his Alpha of four years. They developed a spatial bond less than one month into their relationship. Entirely convinced they were it for each other. They are tethered to one another in ways that cannot be erased with distance.All of this must count for something. “I am,” the Alpha replies without hesitation. “You said you wanted to go home. You need to go to your doctor.”“There’s no point.” The Omega shakes his head. He pleads, “There’s really no point. Trust me, Alpha.”
On his bed, Louis lies utterly unmoving for someone whose fever has steadily progressed higher in no time at all. Perspiration clings to his forehead and neck. His hair sticks to his forehead. He is the most beautiful Omega the Alpha has had the fortune to lay eyes upon. But he is suffering and there is little he can do aside from allowing it to pass. Louis has managed to surround himself with his comforter and blanket in the short span Harry went to the pharmacy for fever medication specialized for Omegas at Louis’ request. The soft, pained moan that tumbles past Louis’ lips hurts to bear, but he strips both items from him into a bundle on the floor to wash. “Louis,” he murmurs, attempting to wake him. “Baby.”“You came back.” His voice is groggy, tired. He feels guilty for disrupting his sleep. “I missed you so terribly, Alpha.”“I missed you, baby,” he returns effortlessly. There is no room within his thoughts to be shocked, his focus is on improving Louis’ state. “I’m here.”Louis nods. “I’m cold.”“I’ll bring you a fresh pair of clothes and a light sheet,” he murmurs, tucking the hair clinging to his temples behind his ear. Shivering and attempting to retain heat, Louis’ curled in on himself when he returns. Although Harry would love more than anything to keep him warm, he knows staying cool is the best approach to lower his fever. He discards Louis of his clothes, too stiff and suffocating to allow him proper rest. The Alpha helps redress the Omega in pair of loose-fitting shorts and shirt, watches him swallow two fever killers, drink half a bottle of water. Then, he gently tucks his Omega into a lightweight sheet. “You shouldn’t have to do this,” Louis sighs fitfully. “You’re not my Alpha anymore. I made sure of that, didn’t I?” “We don’t have to talk about that,” the Alpha reassures. “You’ll worsen your fever. Go to sleep, baby.”“You don’t have to stay,” the Omega informs him woefully, eyes downcast. “I should be fine. It won’t last more than three days.” “Don’t try to convince me for my sake. I’m not leaving you,” he states with no room for an argument to ensue.
In the morning, the Alpha reheats the tomatoed based soup he made late last night and brings it—alongside a few crackers and a glass of water—to Louis on a platter.“Thank you, Alpha.” Louis smiles gratefully. The urge to kiss every inch of his face is a war he can easily lose, so the Alpha sits on Louis’ desk chair, far enough away to give him space to eat in peace, yet close enough to ask questions.“I stayed the night. I hope you don’t mind,” the Alpha divulges first and foremost.“No.” The Omega’s lips flatten sadly. “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”If this were an ordinary fever, he deduced while washing the Omega’s sweat-soaked sheets, Louis shouldn’t have fainted. Physically, he shouldn’t feel so weak. More damning, he shouldn’t need fever killers designated for Omegas in distress. Regular fever medication should have alleviated his symptoms. “You’re staring.” “I am,” the Alpha says. “You fainted, Louis.”“I regained consciousness quite quickly,” the Omega mumbles defensively. “Your scent is off. Your symptoms aren’t typical of a cold or the flu,” he adds seriously. “You don’t look well.”“Thank you,” the Omega mutters lightheartedly. After a pause, much quieter, he admits, “I don’t… I don’t feel well.”“Why is that?” The Alpha coaxes. “What’s wrong, baby?”“If I tell you, you’ll be upset with me,” he reiterates softly.“I promise to manage my reaction.”Exhaling loudly, the Omega agrees with a nod, but stalls by sipping his soup and nibbling on a cracker.Pressuring his Omega to speak has not worked in the past, so he allows a comfortable silence to settle between them instead. So much time elopes the Omega empties his bowl of soup and licks the tips of his fingers when there is a perfectly unused napkin on his platter.Suddenly, the Alpha is reminded he has not had sex in eight months. Lest he let that fact and the image of Louis pursing his lips around his finger derail him from focus, he takes the dishes to the sink. Louis swallows nervously when he reenters the room. He blurts, “I didn’t… faint. There’s more to it than that.”“Okay,” Harry responds apprehensively.“I dropped. It isn’t the first time it happens, either.”“Louis,” the Alpha exhales harshly, nostrils flaring. “What the fuck?”“I thought I could handle it.” “You should have told me the first time this happened! Fuck. As soon as you felt the symptoms—”“You’re upset with me.” The Omega’s eyes are watery, cheeks and nose flushing a rosy hue. “I told you you would be.”“I am not upset with you.” With an immense amount of guilt, he softens his tone of voice. “I’m upset you went through this alone.”“I did this to myself,” Louis says. “I should bear the consequences.”“Not when it puts you in danger!” The Alpha growls no matter how guilty he feels for doing so. To hear Louis blame himself for something as severe as dropping is unacceptable. “I was okay at first. A month after we broke up, I started feeling tired. There were a few headaches here and there. Aside from that, I was fine. Nothing alarming.” From the look on Louis’ face, he hasn’t fully convinced himself this to be true. “Then, I dropped at home.”“Shit,” the Alpha curses. His Omega chews on his wobbling lip, quiet, vulnerable, and alone in the sea of his bed. Smaller than ever.When the Alpha tentatively crawls onto his bed, physically aching to comfort him, the Omega does not recoil, nor does he protest. Boldened by Louis’ unspoken permission, he tenderly cups his face, rubbing the stubble on his chin. “These eight months you have been suffering. God, baby.”“Please stop being so kind to me.” The Omega reaches for his hand that is free, holding it in both of his. “I have been so terrible.”“That’s impossible,” the Alpha says. “Why didn’t you call me?”“I couldn’t, Harry,” Louis explains despondently. “How could I run back to you the second it was convenient for me? How could I call you when I needed you as far as possible to sever our spatial bond?”“Did… did I worsen your symptoms by seeking you out?” Harry questions, horrified.“No, no, Alpha,” the Omega sniffles, hands trembling in his. “It was me. Not you. Our spatial bond made me sick because I was so absurdly indecisive. I couldn’t stand to be without you. I was torn—” The Alpha can sense an Omega panic attack in Louis’ body language and stuttering words, so he envelopes Louis in his arms, using his strength to pull him onto his lap and apply the pressure he needs whenever he works himself into this state. “Close your eyes,” the Alpha murmurs. “Even your breaths. Relax your body, baby.” The Omega closes his eyes and releases a soft whine, obeying instinctually to his command by turning lax in his embrace while his breathing gradually regulates.They don’t return to the conversation.
By nightfall, Louis’ sitting in a tub of lukewarm water even though he demanded it should be steaming hot. The Alpha spent six minutes convincing him lukewarm water was best for his delicate state. He spent another few to himself admiring the sight of Louis’ nude, lithe body bending and lowering himself into the bath, inadvertently ogling when he should have been helping.It has been eight, long months.“At least I’m clean, now,” Louis utters, resting his chin on his knee, ever the ethereal beauty with glistening skin and sparkling eyes. “Can you be honest with me?”“Always,” the Alpha hums, crouching to Louis’ height again.“Did I stink?” The Alpha smiles, holding his laugh. “You didn’t stink.”“Yes, I did,” the Omega huffs. “You’re lying.”“To me, you didn’t,” the Alpha says. “Yes, your scent was stronger, but I liked it.”“Gross.” Louis’ nose wrinkles, yet there is a delighted tilt to his lips. “You’re such an Alpha.”The Alpha shrugs unabashedly, enjoying Louis’ growing smile.“Thank you for washing my hair for me,” the Omega says, attempting to stand. Lightly, he adds, “For washing me.” “You don’t have to thank me, Louis.” The Alpha reaches for Louis’ forearms, afraid he’ll slip, and helps him onto the bathmat where he wraps him in a towel. “Not when I want to be here with you, for you, so desperately.” “Do you really love me that much?” The Omega’s eyes widen. As if certain he is not deserving of a love this fierce. “After what I did…”“I don’t know why you did what you did,” the Alpha says, gently drying Louis’ hair until it is less damp with droplets of water. “I do know you’re regretful. I know that I love you. I don’t know what else I can do to show you, so please, tell me.”Taking his plea quite seriously, Louis contemplates quietly. His request: “Can you lie with me? On the bed.”“This isn’t the fever talking, is it?” “I’m coherent,” Louis assures as they amble toward the edge of the bed, where sly hands begin to tug the hem of his shirt upwards.Stepping away, the Alpha tilts Louis’ chin upwards. His eyes are clear and focused. There is no telling if Louis’ fever will return, but he believes Louis’ judgment upon his own body. “Are you sure about this?”“I’m sure.” The Omega nods as he crawls onto the bed on his hands and knees naked. Towel long since discarded.The Alpha is suddenly presented with a stunning view of his ass. Round and perky as he remembers it. Remembers making him sob into the sheets with one finger and the tip of his tongue.“You said I had to remain cool,” he mutters as an excuse, cheeks flushed even though the Alpha knows all of Louis’ ploys, especially the one being played out now. His eyes roam every inch of his body. His Omega lies in bed to be devoured.“You’re going to freeze.” “If you’re right beside me, I won’t.” The Omega patiently waits for him. Swiftly tucking into his side the moment he gathers the strength to withhold that ravenous appetite urging him to pin down his Omega and take what has always been his. “Ask me what I miss the most about you,” Louis says.“What do you miss the most about me?”“I miss your weight on top of mine. I miss inhaling your scent. I miss breakfast in the morning and dinner at night. I miss your strength,” his Omega confesses, sincere and sweet. “Most of all, I miss you.” “You have me. I belong to you,” the Alpha says.Harry caresses the curve of his hip, skin smooth beneath his fingertips. Their scents enrich the room. Vanilla and cinnamon release in heavy waves of equal desire. The small bulge of Louis’ dick hardens against his hip. The Alpha’s cock responds, creating a noticeable dent in his sweatpants. Louis’ hand rests between his pecs, sliding down his abs until it rests above his waistband. “Are you mine? Even after what I put you through.”“Louis,” Harry breathes. “Only you would become so sick to the point of dropping then worry about what I went through. How can I call myself anything but yours?”Fingertips slip under his waistband. “You were so persistent I feared you’d go into an unexpected rut. It would’ve been so painful if I wasn’t there.”“You are selfless.” Harry’s fingers leave imprints on Louis’ hip, bruises that will be visible to only them. “My sweet Omega.”“I am not sweet,” Louis mutters, pouting.“You are the sweetest,” the Alpha counters, turning until he is above Louis to be able to lean down and tuck his face into his neck. He presses a kiss to the spot where his bond mark will go. A promise. “I miss your hands. I miss your cock,” Louis whispers as he spreads his knees to accommodate him. “So big, so…” “Louis,” Harry murmurs, gliding his hand down the soft expanse of Louis’ thigh. “Where are we going with this?”“Please touch me,” his Omega whimpers. “Please, Alpha.”“I am touching you, baby.” He licks the skin of his collarbone. “Be specific.”Impatient, and needy, Louis shoves his hand between his legs. When Harry cups his cock—at his own pace even though he knows it must be infuriating for his Omega, it does not fill his hand, a less than average size, but is hard and perfectly wet at the tip.“You are wet,” the Alpha rumbles as the scent of slick fills his nostrils. He leisurely thumbs the head of Louis’ dick, “Here,” then lower, the pad of his pointer finger pressing against the rim of Louis’ hole. “Here.”“Ah,” Louis sobs, abruptly closing his legs at what must be an onslaught of pleasure. “More, more, please.”“You’ve been so deprived, haven’t you, baby?”Harry strokes his length with the back of two fingers, hungrily watching Louis’ mouth part and release a wounded mewl. Starved for it as much as he is.“Alpha—Alpha,” Louis stutters, thighs trembling, uselessly pumping his hips and seeking his touch, but that is all the attention Harry is willing to give his cute cock.“Turn around, baby.”“Yes, yeah.” His Omega obeys instantly, turning beneath him, arching his back—presenting his ass. Desperation and submission displayed perfectly.“Fuck. Look at that,” the Alpha growls, cock throbbing in his sweatpants. “So beautiful, baby. So mine.”Harry caresses and pinches the swell of Louis’ ass, marveling at how soft and full it feels in his hands. He slaps one cheek until the skin turns red and Louis gasps in pleasured pain. Two fingers dip between his crack to rub firm circles over his dripping hole. “Been a while, baby.”“Yes,” Louis moans wantonly. “Am I going to fuck your cute hole loose?”“Uh,” the Omega whines, leaking slick and precome profusely. “Please, Alpha.”“You beg for it so well,” the Alpha praises in a low voice. “But you’re going to come with just my fingers.”“Yeah,” Louis hiccups. Greedy for whatever it is Harry wants to give him. He slips his cock free of the confines of his sweatpants, heavy and hot to the touch. Aside from nestling the tip in the warmth of Louis’ thighs, it sits untouched. Because his Omega has been so good, so perfect, he slides three fingers into Louis’ hole all at once. Knows Louis loves when it hurts, just a little. From the loud mewl the Omega releases, the Alpha assumed correctly. He proceeds to fuck his fingers in and out of the warm, soaked stretch of his hole, satisfied with each whine and gasp he hears. Though his cock throbs miserably, Louis’ pleasure is at the forefront of his mind. The Omega’s trickling slick into the sheets, coating his cock, creating a sticky mess, but it smells so good, he brings his thumb to his mouth to lick the sweet fluid. Groaning low because he can almost taste how close Louis is to coming.“When you come,” Harry orders, resuming with two fingers, fucking deeply and with purpose, “you come with your Alpha’s name in your mouth.” It takes very little to push Louis over the edge. He curls his fingers and firmly rubs the skin leading down to his balls until he hears a loud, telltale whine. “Harry,” Louis gasps prettily, shaking through his orgasm. “Harry. Alpha.”“Just like that, baby,” Harry praises roughly, pulling his fingers out to drag the head of his cock between Louis’ cheeks down his thighs—claiming him with his cock, his scent. “Perfect.”“Come—” Louis hiccups. “Come on me.”“Baby,” Harry groans, low and pained when Louis reaches back to spread his ass, baring his hole, fucked and pink. “Come on me, please, Alpha,” the Omega pleads.He strokes his cock, but just like Louis, he does not last long. He comes with a deep grunt, aiming the tip of his cock so come seeps out the slit onto the rim of Louis’ hole. Later, the Alpha will clean his Omega, the sheets, and himself, but for now they gravitate into each other’s arms. “I love you, Alpha,” Louis whispers warmly. “I love you so much.” “And I love you,” Harry reciprocates ardently.
Even though the Alpha protests, they migrate to the living room the following day.His protests are not for naught. Louis’ fever returned in full force shortly after their time in bed, but—according to Louis—his temperature has not been unusually high since it wore off. Thankfully, he seems to have expelled the last of his symptoms from dropping with it.They are watching a romantic comedy, under the blanket the Alpha gifted his Omega, when he lowers the volume.Louis is as close as can be. Sitting on his lap, between his thighs, back to his chest, nonetheless he pulls Harry’s arms around him tighter. The Alpha rests his chin on the soft tufts of hair above his head. “There were two routes I could take. To alleviate my symptoms after severing our spatial bond,” Louis begins quietly. “My doctor said I had to distance myself completely. Emotionally and physically. Or I could mend our relationship.” He strokes Louis’ forearms, the delicate circle of his wrists. “You kept me away.”“Yes,” Louis confirms dejectedly. “Emotionally, it was… really difficult. I wanted you so, so much. With every attempt you made, my resolve weakened. But I didn’t want you to think I was running back to you simply because I was sick.”“Louis,” he admonishes gently, lips thinning. “That would have never crossed my mind.”“I know that, now. At the time, it made perfect sense to continue suffering alone,” the Omega admits, sniffling. “I thought I deserved it. For how stupid I was.”“No,” the Alpha breathes. “Louis, no. You deserve care and compassion and understanding—”“Not only had I driven you away because I thought you were too young to know what it meant to bond, I denied you for eight months,” Louis interrupts shakily. The Omega turns around in his lap. Face to face, Harry can see rivulets of tears staining his skin. Ever so lightly, Harry wipes underneath each eye. “Did you know couples that bond tend to be thirty and above?”“Louis,” he murmurs, understanding dawning upon him. “Is that why my age became such a problem?”“We were discussing bonding. It was all so perfect and then I thought, how can he be so ready?” “I’m so in love with you, Louis,” he declares by way of explanation.Nodding, the Omega kisses the palm of his hand. “I was so scared of losing you that I let you go first and for that, I am so, so sorry, Alpha. Do you forgive me?”“Baby,” the Alpha says, eyebrows furrowed. “I do. How can I not? Just having you back is enough of an apology for me.” With a whimper, Louis leans forward, kissing him sweet and filthy all at once. It is open-mouthed and fierce, tiring his tongue and bruising his lips. It is passionate and it is a kiss Harry has been looking forward to for eight months.
As predicted, spending such proximity with his Alpha ensures Louis’ symptoms do not return. Their familiarity and physicality relieve Louis completely. Their relationship flourishes, but it is a fragile thing they promise to work harder to take care of. When the weekend approaches, the Alpha suggests Louis experience fresh air with a stroll outside the flat. It will serve as their first date in eight months, too. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to this?” He asks once again to confirm, ever the worrisome Alpha. “Harry,” Louis laughs. A sound he realizes he did not cherish nearly enough before. “It’s not like dropping took away my ability to walk.”“No, but you are in a delicate state,” the Alpha opposes. He leans down to scent Louis’ neck, attempting to find that bittersweet smell attached to his sickness. It is no longer present, which the Alpha is grateful for. “Correction: I was in a delicate state,” the Omega hums, wrapping an oversized scarf around his neck, giggling all the while Harry continues to sniff him. “My Alpha made me feel better, though.”“Did he?” The Alpha smiles, hands landing on either side of Louis’ waist.“Yes.” Louis bites his lip. “He cared for me, he cooked and fed me. Made an unnecessary trip to the store even though I told him I could wait to eat my favorite snacks. He put his fingers in me.”“I bet that last one really helped.” His smile turns smug.“Definitely,” Louis quips, leaning on his tiptoes to kiss him sweetly on the mouth. “If I had felt any stronger, I might have asked him to put his cock in me.”His beautiful, seductive Omega is always scheming. The Alpha feels compelled to kiss him quiet lest he riles him any further.
Most of their dates are spent at the flat—Louis’ flat, but he knows soon it will be his again—since that is where they are most comfortable.However, his Omega makes a special request to visit the place he has been staying at for the past eight months. Both eager and nervous to show his space to his Omega, the Alpha maintains the back house as spotless as possible in the days leading up to their date. Perhaps his nerves are incorrigible because this is something new about him and this is a feeling he has not felt since they first began dating.His omega is tactile as soon as they step inside, touching every surface he can. Leaving imprints and his scent wherever he thinks to do so, claiming Harry’s space as his own.“That couch has seen better days, hasn’t it?” Louis teases.“It has,” the Alpha laughs. “I didn’t use the bed all that much.”“Why is that?” Louis peeks into the bedroom which is less lived in than the living room. “It didn’t feel right.” The Alpha shakes his head. “At least on the couch, there was only room for me.”“You were lonely.”“Hard to go from how you fill up a room with just your voice to silence,” the Alpha explains.Vanilla invades his sense when Louis kisses him, a silent plea for forgiveness and it immediately eases the pain of remembering.“Before you blame yourself,” the Alpha rumbles, “don’t.”“I won’t do that,” the Omega acquiesces reluctantly. “But what if I asked you to fuck me here? Would you do that for me?”“Fuck,” he curses. Truly caught off guard. “Is that a yes, Alpha?” The Omega peppers kisses along his jawline, down his neck where he mouths desperately.Tilting his chin, the Alpha kisses him fervently, tongue tasting and exploring until they are out of breath. “Yes, baby.”“You are so stunning.” The Alpha undresses Louis without rushing even though Louis vibrates with need. He will follow the pace his Alpha sets without question.The Omega trembles, standing fully naked without complaint, under his reverent and roaming touch. A starving Alpha and a willing Omega. “I’m wet,” Louis admits with a blush. “And hard.”“I can smell it, baby.” The Alpha brushes the palm of his hand along the soft give of his stomach, over his pert nipples, and around his throat where he squeezes meaningfully. “On the bed now. Facing me.”“Alpha,” he whines as he climbs onto the bed. “Are you going to join me?”“You know I enjoy admiring you.” Nonetheless, Harry undresses to join his awaiting Omega, eager to be between those thighs again. Except this time, he spreads Louis’ legs with his shoulders, where he is as close as possible to see a favorite sight of his. He spreads Louis’ cheeks to reveal the wet clench of his hole. At the same time, Louis gasps, grabbing his curls for leverage. “This much slick when I haven’t done much,” the Alpha rumbles. “That can only mean one thing.”Louis yelps as Harry purposefully licks his perineum. “W—what—what does it mean?”“You’ve been craving my cock.” He avoids licking where he knows Louis wants his tongue most. He goes around, below, and even plays with his cock and balls, but refuses to relent in his teasing.“Please, Alpha” the Omega pleads. “It’s true. I think about it all the time. I miss it in me.”“Baby,” he groans. “Of course you do.”That confession earns Louis exactly what he wants. Harry flattens his tongue over Louis’ hole and feasts, slick dripping into his mouth and down his chin. The sweetest slick. He grips Louis’ hips still to prevent him from shaking away. “Oh, that feels—that feels so good,” Louis sobs.The Alpha worships Louis’ ass until he is rutting into the sheets, cock too heavy and stiff to ignore.“Please put it in me,” the Omega begs and aims for his cock, stroking and kissing him simultaneously. Grunting, Harry bites Louis’ lip when that clever hand pays special attention to the tip of his cock. “Did you miss this?” Louis pants. “Because I—I have dreams about this. About being touched by you. About touching you. Your cock filling me up.”“Fuck,” he snarls. “Yes, baby. You have to stop, though or I’ll shoot into your hand.”Before he comes, the Alpha orders Louis to spread his thighs wider, then allows his hips to do the work so he can kiss Louis all the while the head of his cock breaches the rim of his hole.The Omega inhales shakily as the full length and girth of his cock glides inside him. The pain of being full for the first time in a long time does not stop him. He throws his arms around his shoulders and pulls his Alpha closer, as if to fuse into one, whining pitifully sweet into his mouth.When his hips meet the roundness of Louis’ ass, he closes his eyes because he is afraid to come at that exact moment. Louis feels incredibly tight around him. Gripping his cock greedily. “Tight fit,” Harry grunts, punching his hips forward. “You’ve been waiting for me, haven’t you?”“Yes, Alpha,” Louis moans. “I love it. Please fuck me.”He fucks Louis at a slow and steady pace because he wants them to truly enjoy it. He fucks hard because he enjoys watching Louis’ mouth drop in pleasure when he thrusts particularly deep. “I’m—” Louis moans, shuddering. “I’m going to come.”“Me too, baby,” the Alpha groans, savoring the warmth of Louis’ hole until he watches Louis come undone, creaming on his stomach with a shout.They didn’t last, of course they didn’t. It has been too long without each other.“I love you, Alpha,” Louis whispers fiercely. “I hope you don’t doubt this. I haven’t been the best Omega at showing it, but I love you so, so much.”“There is no time in any point of my life where I have been happier than when I am with you,” he reassures fiercely. “You are perfect as you are. I love you, my Omega.”