Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

H

By the time he finally sits himself down on his bed, the light of the setting sun is beaming through the window, creating a casting glow across the hardwood flooring, illuminating all of the dust particles there. 

Taking a deep breath, Harry gently lays himself down on his fluffy white comforter, which happens to be dotted with a pattern of tiny wildflowers, all different kinds. He’s as stiff as a board, struggling to find a way to make himself truly comfortable in this new environment, in this place where all the smells are intertwining and causing a migraine to surface. 

To say that he’s struggling with adapting to Uni is an understatement, a big one at that. 

It’s only the first day, and the final boxes he had packed were just moved into his dorm a little under an hour ago. After some light unpacking, he decided to check out the attached bathroom and the small kitchenette. It was nothing outstanding, rather tame in comparison to the kitchen he was used to working in at the local bakery back home. He really was going to miss all of those sweet, little old ladies. They always treated him with the utmost kindness and gifted him with small tokens, showing their gratefulness to him. 

While the small bathroom and kitchen weren’t anything amazing, he would make do. Harry always made it work, no matter what the issue was. 

Despite the fact that it had only been a couple of hours, he missed his mummy, her comforting scent, and her kind eyes. Although those eyes have become a little less kind in the past year, ever since the beginning of his senior year. They’ve become a little harder, a tad sadder as well. 

Harry blames Anne’s new boyfriend Robin, who has never had anything nice to say to him, so he can imagine how the man interacts with his mother on a day-to-day basis. 

Even though his heart aches for his mum, he knows that it’s only his heart that’s in pain, that his mum is gladly driving back to Manchester at this very moment, perhaps singing Billy Joel a little too loudly with the windows down. Her face was lacking tears when she hugged Harry goodbye, kissing his head quickly before descending down the stairs and out of his dorm hall. He strongly doubts that she was simply holding back the tears until she sat in the passenger seat of Robin’s Cadillac. 

Harry is very aware that he won’t be missed back home, not by his family and not by anyone else. Besides the nice ladies at the bakery, of course, they gifted him some flowers and a lovely card on his last day, kissing his cheeks and fluffing his hair. 

He would dearly miss their affection, as it seems to be the only time he ever got any. 

Sighing, Harry swung his legs over the side of his bed, gazing over at the empty twin bed at the other side of the room. The lack of personal belongings on that side of the room unsettled him, and he felt an intense need to go scent the area, but he didn’t want to be disrespectful toward his roommate. Who must be running late apparently… it was the only feasible reasoning behind their absence anyway. 

As an omega, an untraditional one at that, Harry struggled immensely with a lack of familiar scents around him. Not all omegas need to be comforted by scents, some need a little more touch in order to keep them up and feeling healthy, and some need both aspects. Of course, he falls in the latter category, making Uni life a little more challenging for him. It was one of his biggest fears about moving out and into the on-campus living, not being able to have his mum’s familiar alpha pheromones around him or even Gemma’s lingering ones from before she moved out. 

When Harry presented, it came as quite a shock to his family, but he really wasn’t all that surprised. He had known from a young age that he acted more like an omega, not that stereotypes really matter for secondary genders (he’s not that old school), but he knew that he didn’t have it in him to be an alpha like the rest of his family. But, of course, the presentation of his omega made life a little more challenging. 

Male omegas were very, very rare in the world nowadays, as they used to be viewed as something shameful way back when. They were treated horribly, often being killed by alphas or shunned by other omegas, meaning they weren’t provided with the proper things to fulfill their omegas' needs, making them drop. Usually, they dropped alone and would have to suffer alone in that dark place, for days and days until their bodies finally gave up.  

Of course, these views are extremely outdated, but the countless amounts of male omegas that died back then left their population dwindling. So, presenting as an omega was a bit of a revelation in Holmes Chapel, and many people kind of viewed Harry as this oddball out. He didn’t have many friends throughout high school if any at all, and most of the time he spent his nights holed up in his room, reading the same books over and over again while listening to classic vinyl. He loved baking and cooking, finding that the kitchen provided him with a sense of calm that he couldn’t find anywhere else, no matter how hard he tried. He was good at being alone, but it became insufferable at times, when his omega pawed at his chest, begging for him to go and find an alpha, or even a beta, for comfort. Scenting was incredibly important to his omega, and so was the act of physical touch. Most omegas found the need to have a consistent alpha in their lives, one that they could turn to in times of turmoil and scent for comfort. It is important, especially during extremely distressing times, otherwise, the omega might drop or go into touch deprivation. 

Throughout his childhood, Harry consulted his mother and sister to fulfill these needs, never having another alpha in his life that he trusted enough to confide in. 

It wasn’t until his Junior year that he found a nice alpha that actually took a liking to him. He was tall and towered over Harry, something that’s hard to do considering the omega’s size, and he had fluffy blonde hair and a chiseled face. Chase was a wonderful alpha when he wanted to be, but the good things in life never last, something that Harry came to realize not too long ago. 

Despite feeling an ache in his chest when thinking about Chase, the omega pushed the feeling aside and snapped himself out of his gaze, jumping up off the bed and padding over to the little cooktop in the kitchenette. 

He needed some tea. 

L

By the time he had remembered that it was in fact Monday and that he actually did have a Statistics class to attend, Louis was nearly an hour behind schedule. Getting up and out of bed before 9 am any day, no matter the occasion, is truly a feat for him. Anyone that knows him well enough knows that if you disrupt his sleep, there’s a high likelihood that he’ll simply growl and slam the door on your face. He’s not usually this forgetful, but as he scampers around his shared flat, one leg in his pants and one sticking out, hair spiked up making him look like a hedgehog, Louis curses the fact that Zayn and Liam convinced him to go to the pub last night. 

Not only that, but convinced him and bombarded him with a bunch of questions about his love life, which, shall not be mentioned again until further notice. He had no plans of finding an omega or beta any time soon, nor did he want someone anyway (lie). 

The problem with living in a flat with Zayn is that they’re here year-round, meaning that there’s not this big moment at the end of summer break where he needs to move back onto campus, which would promptly allow for his brain to get in gear for course work. So, forgetting about this stupid fucking statistics class really was in the lineup for the first day of school anyway. 

He’s not surprised, and by the look on Zayn’s scrunched-up face, neither is he. 

“Do you happen to know that your pants aren’t really on?” 

Louis lets out an exasperated sigh, throwing one of his Vans at the raven-haired boy, willing for the Beta to leave him the fuck alone. It’s too early for this anyway. 

His roommate simply laughs and goes back to munching on his cereal, scrolling through some app on his phone, and probably texting Li. 

As he looks at the clock, the alpha grunts and rushes over to the sink to wet his hands and run his fingers through his hair, willing for the strands to stand down.  

While he’s messing with his hair and cursing under his breath, Zayn takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair, “You know mate, I truly think you could benefit from an alarm, or maybe a nice Lil omega to wake you up in the mornings…”

Louis doesn't bother turning around, flipping his friend off before going over to retrieve the flying Van mentioned earlier and slipping it on his left foot. 

It’s his third year of doing this bullshit, going to classes that he hardly has any interest in, staying up far too late studying, getting wasted with his mates and regretting it immediately in the morning, and pretending that he’s some laid-back, uncaring, unloving alpha that wants nothing to do with love. 

While it’s tiring, he’s too stubborn to give it up and admit that having someone would be nice, preferably an omega…

Wishful thinking and all that though, because his preference falls into more of the male category, and he cannot have the best of both worlds when it comes to genders. The last time he saw or got a whiff of a male omega was nearly a year and a half ago, but the boy was already claimed and ended up transferring schools when his alpha did. Louis can’t even say that he blamed the alpha for being so worried about his omega. Male ones were rare after all, something to be in awe of if you were to ever come across. Deep down, the alpha thinks that he understands it, that primal instinct to protect an omega, more specifically one day, his omega. It’s there, buried deep within him, but Louis has the tendency to fight it the best he can. 

Love, intimacy, the whole idea of it genuinely scares him off at times. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t look like the traditional alpha, his build is on the smaller size, but he makes up for it in his personality, the way he talks and holds himself, and some may say it makes up for his size with the size of something else, but he doesn't want to be crude. It doesn’t matter though, the alpha is almost positive that’ll take at least another decade for him to even want to date someone anyway. Sure, he likes the occasional one-night stand, a quick fuck, and then a quick goodbye. It’s not that betas don’t satisfy him, but he always finds it a little unappealing in a sense. It could be the lack of knotting or the lack of having omega pheromones around him, or maybe he just really, really wants an omega to call his own in the future, one to love and care for like a proper alpha. 

Sure, it sounds old school, but Louis has always been a little bit about old school. He loves the idea of courting his omega, taking care of them, and treating them the way they deserve to be treated. 

Honestly, maybe his alpha just wants to prove themselves to everyone that’s ever doubted him. Ever doubted his ability to be a proper alpha. 

By the time his thoughts on his love life finally give way, Louis is standing in front of his lecture hall. Surprisingly, for being an hour behind schedule this morning, he’s only ten minutes late for the 10 am lecture. 

Just as the alpha goes to pull open the door and suffer through class, his nose catches a faint scent in the air. 

Eucalyptus and spearmint. 

It’s heavenly. 

Never before in his three years of college has Louis truly picked up on someone’s smell, a specific one out of a sea of people that attended the Uni. For a moment, he considers the fact that they might be in the lecture hall, perched at a seat and hunched over, permitting the air with their wonderful scent. But as he enters the class and the door handle slips out of his grasp, the door itself slips shut with a small click, his nose is left disappointed. Gone. The beautiful, calming scent leaves his senses and he can’t help but sag in his chair as the professor gives him a major side-eye. 

As he goes to pull out his MacBook, Louis realizes two things. 

One, he’s wearing two different Vans. 

Two, that scent, the overwhelming and powerful eucalyptus, subtle spearmint, the way it flowed so easily to him, the way it consumed him, it was distinctly omega. 

Chapter Text

H

When he decided to apply to King’s College in London, Harry knew that he might not enjoy every aspect of the experience. And, he was scared, no doubt about that. During the nights leading up to moving, the omega couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning with an inability to rest his mind and body. Jittery was an understatement when it came to the car ride, his long legs squished behind Robin’s seat in front of him, the man demanding that he have his chair further back. The entire time, Harry could only think that he was making a mistake, a big, fat mistake. That he needed to stay home and work at the bakery and live a simple little life. He was overwhelmed with the possibilities, all the things that could go wrong, and all the dangers that would be around him. 

So, yeah, the omega was scared shitless actually. 

It didn’t help that his mum and Robin provided zero comforts, barely helping him settle in before leaving campus and making the drive back. They didn’t even acknowledge the fact that they most likely wouldn’t see Harry until term came to an end and he came home to celebrate the holidays. They hadn’t even mentioned Christmas, the plans that they had or if they were going to come to pick him up. In the end, he assumed that they wouldn’t be doing that and he would most likely have to take the train or bus home. And that’s fine, it’s all totally fine. 

Except it’s not fine because nothing could’ve prepared Harry for the news that he received on his second day in the dorm. It was barely seven in the morning, the sun peeking at the horizon, halls quiet and empty of students. A harsh knocking at his door made the omega look up from his journal, the glittery pink pen in his hand falling to the floor with a small noise. Carefully, Harry sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint the smell coming from outside the door. It was rude and not something a respectful omega should think of doing, but he felt the need to be careful. His roommate had still not made an appearance, and being alone wasn’t one of Harry’s attributes. 

Sighing, he untangled himself from his fluffy sage green blanket, his bare, smooth legs facing the chill in the air head-on. He was clad in little sleep shorts, simple satin pink ones with ruffles along the edges. They flowed easily around his smooth, pale thighs, but did little to keep him warm. After slipping on an oversized King’s College jumper that he had gotten when he decided on the school, and some simple slippers, Harry padded over to the door and cracked it open, eyes meeting those of his Hall Monitors. 

Clearing his throat, Harry cast his gaze down, not liking the piercing gaze of the alpha in front of him. Those brown eyes were void of any emotion, simply gazing at the omega in front of him with a glint that Harry couldn’t really make out. 

“Oh, um…Hi?” Taking a deep breath, the curly-headed boy twisted his fingers together, “How’re you, Jake?” he mumbled once he found his voice again. 

The alpha simply grunted, shrugging his shoulders and casting his gaze down a little further, tongue licking over his chapped lips as he eyed up Harry’s legs. 

The omega swallowed and pressed his knees together, his scent clouding with uneasiness. 

He found it odd that King’s College didn’t bother separating dorms by secondary genders, feeling as though it was a little unsafe at times. They didn’t allow for Alphas and Omegas to dorm together, but they could live in the same hall. Betas were able to dorm with whomever they preferred, but Harry still found it a little unfair, that is Hall monitor had to be an alpha, a creepy one at that. The third year's gaze was overwhelming, making Harry’s omega curl up in his chest and beg for the door to close. 

Gods, he needed to nest soon. 

“Hey Harry,” the alpha flashed him a smile, daring to show off his canines, something that shouldn’t be done simply out of respect for others, “I just wanted to let you know that something fell through with your roommate, so it seems like you’re on your own for this term at least.” 

It was said far too casually. The omega felt that such information should maybe be said with a little sympathy at least, or maybe be provided with a better solution.

Harry couldn’t be alone for a whole term, he just couldn’t. 

While he wasn’t fully sure if his roommate was an omega or beta, he didn’t really care at this point. Simply having someone's scent around him constantly was going to be enough to tide his omega over until he could see his mummy again. It was supposed to bring him a bit of solitude, his roommate arriving. But now, he was on his own, truly. 

How was he going to make friends? Or even attempt to talk to people? How on earth was he supposed to do all of this by himself without having another freshman by his side? 

It didn’t seem fair nor did it seem right, but the omega didn’t have it in him to talk to Jake about it. In fact, he just wanted the alpha to leave. 

After thanking Jake for letting him know, he closed the door softly, bringing his shaking hands up to his chest and gripping the pearls around his neck, playing with the beads. He could feel his mind wandering far too fast, thoughts invading his head. He couldn’t do this, he thought he could, but now that he’s here, far away from home and anything that he finds familiar, he knows that he can’t. 

Harry’s omega is panicking with him, pawing at his chest, begging for him to find a source of comfort. He can’t do anything though, it’s hopeless. 

The omega lets out a whine and paces around the room, labored breathing filling the air, his lungs seemingly not working properly anymore. A strong smell of old copper fills the room as Harry falls into a fit of panic, the attack sneaking up on him. Distress can clearly be smelled in the air, but no one is here to help him, to talk him down from this. He’s on his own. 

Carefully, Harry slips off his slippers and crawls under the covers of his bed, pulling one of his mum’s scarves close to his nose and taking a big whiff in hopes that it’ll ease his pain, ease his omega at the very least. 

It’s nothing compared to the nest that he had back at home in his closet, full of familiar smells and comfy pillows, blankets, and stuffies. Part of Harry had wanted to deconstruct the nest and bring it to his dorm, but he knew there was a big chance that he wouldn’t have the space nor would his roommate allow it. Not that he would want to openly nest around a stranger anyway. 

Nesting was a very personal thing, something that’s done for the comfort of an omega. More commonly, omegas nest when they’re expecting pups or during times of turmoil, but Harry had always found nesting comforting. Being able to sink into a warm, soft, familiar place when his head got a little too wound up, when Robin and his mum were fighting, or when things with Chase got bad. 

Not having his nest was proving difficult for his omega, but as Harry tossed and turned on his bed, legs rustling against the stiff sheets, he knew that things could be worse. 

After carefully selecting his outfit, some lose fitting light-washed jeans, a pale beige colored Care Bears cropped tee paired with a soft, chunky lilac cardigan, and some forest green converse, Harry was finally ready to leave his door with just enough time to navigate campus a bit before his first class. 

Considering the fact that it’s his freshman year and he’s barely made it down the hall of his dorm, let alone anywhere else on campus, the omega would say that he’s less anxious than he thought he would be. His first class of the day is College Writing, simple and necessary, followed by Bio-Chem, a little less simple. 

He slips a tote bag stuffed with his laptop, some pens, his journal, and a book over his shoulder before slipping out the door and descending the staircase of his Hall. Breathing in the fresh, crisp autumn air outside is refreshing enough to wake him up, at least enough to get him across campus for some coffee at The Bean Sprout. During move-in day he had stumbled across the little cafe, needing some caffeine, and was thoroughly surprised at the quality and selection of their coffee, tea, and baked goods. 

Taking a quick look around, he sees many students mingling in the courtyard, some of them laid out in the grass with picnic blankets already seemingly doing coursework despite the fact that it’s the first day of term. The sun is shining enough to take the chill out of the air, and Harry relishes the way it warms the skin of his neck and collarbones, where his slightly cropped tee is swooping low, showing off his banana necklace. 

Before college, the omega wouldn’t be caught dead wearing what he is now, the low-rise jeans that show off his jutting hip bones and the shirt that shows off the little pouch (that he hates) of his belly. The bright colors, the rings and painted nails, the tint of blush on his cheeks, and mascara adoring his already long lashes. In high school, he would’ve been taunted relentlessly for his choice of outfit, there were times that he was taunted, by people that he didn’t expect to hear from either. People like Chase, his supposed loving boyfriend at the time. 

Isn’t that a little girly, babe? 

Maybe you should put a sweatshirt on or something, that shirt kinda shows off your belly. 

Why the fuck are your nails painted again? I thought I told you that wasn’t allowed anymore. 

Have you thought about a diet, babe? 

At that moment in time, Harry truly believed everything being shouted at him, every cruel comment and even crueler stare down. A little part of the omega can still hear that voice in the back of his head when he’s looking in the mirror, not so much because of his clothes (he loves his clothes), but when he’s poking at the chub on his hips and the soft spot of his belly. He can remember it all so clearly sometimes, the way he would try and go the whole day without eating, just to appease Chase’s commands, the times when he would reach for seconds, or even when it was firsts, and his ex-boyfriend would use his alpha voice on him, stopping his reaching hand. 

Harry likes to pretend that a lot of it never happened, but when he does remember, he makes sure it’s those kinds of things, the things that somehow hurt the least, while still hurting his heart more than he cares to admit. 

Worse things could happen. Did happen. 

Taking a shaky breath, the curly-headed lad continues walking down the sidewalk, keeping his head lowered to the ground as he passes alphas, betas, a few omegas who flip their heads around at him, ponytails wagging and eyes growing. Some alphas stumble a bit as they walk past him, shamelessly turning to get a good look at him, at the way his jeans hug his hips and arse, at the way his scent comes off of him. Knotheads. 

He’s aware that there’s a good chance he’s the only male omega at King’s College, but he would really appreciate it to not be gawked at the entire day. 

Harry tries to clear his head and remain present, not needing the day to be filled with more thoughts on Chase or anything else, like the lack of his roommate, or his creep Hall Monitor. He came to college to get away from his past, not relive it over and over again. 

Just as the omega was climbing a small staircase and passing one of the lecture halls, his nose picked up on a scent. Not just some everyday, normal scent, like the ones that fill his senses when he’s in his dorm, or when he was passing those alphas and betas earlier. This one’s different. Unique. 

It’s still very prominently Alpha, thick and strong, overwhelming but in a good way this time. 

While glancing around, Harry’s nose twitches, sniffing the air just sneakily enough to not be noticed by anyone. He can’t pinpoint where it’s coming from, but his best bet is that it’s from inside the lecture hall, which is…well, confusing. 

Never before had his nose specifically scented someone from so far away, especially without being able to see them. 

It was pleasant though. No. It was lovely, making his omega purr in his chest. Smells of chestnut, teakwood, and fresh rain calm him immediately, and deeper tones of sandalwood follow. It really is a beautiful scent, something that he actually needs to stop and appreciate. 

Although he’s quite literally standing in the middle of the quad, Harry can’t help but allow the scent to take over his mind and takes notice of the way it clears his head of any bad thoughts almost instantly. 

The omega is only slightly embarrassed when he feels himself get a little slick, but overall can’t really be bothered by it. Snapping out of his little trance, he checks his phone and comes to the realization that if he doesn't hurry his butt over to The Bean Sprout and get his coffee like, right now, he’ll be late for his lecture. 

Harry doesn’t do late, so he secures his tote bag and gives one last longing look to the lecture hall behind him before scurrying away, curls ruffling in the wind. 

L

Zayn won’t stop rambling on about some obnoxious alpha in his Chem class, but Louis’ head is far too foggy to actually be paying attention. He’s sprawled out on their shitty sofa, the one they found on Facebook MarketPlace, a textbook in his lap, and an iPad powered on next to him. It’s shut off at least three times due to disuse in the past ten minutes, but he simply can’t bring himself to focus on his Oceanography notes. 

Honestly, who the fuck cares about the class anyway. 

Zayn is curled up next to him, his toes poking the alpha’s leg, startling him every once in a while simply because they’re so cold. The beta demands that he doesn’t like socks though, and says they’re constricting, which, is weird. 

The TV is airing some season of Rupaul's Drag Race, ultimately distracting Louis more than he already is. 

It’s been nearly a week since he caught a whiff of the most lovely smell known to man, and despite trying endlessly, even showing up to class early, he’s been unable to find where it’s coming from. Every Monday and Wednesday, right before he goes into his statistics class, the alpha’s senses get invaded with the lovely eucalyptus and spearmint, and softer undertones of chamomile and vanilla sometimes. 

And every single time, Louis’ alpha rumbles in his chest, begging for him to ditch the lecture and go find the omega, just long enough to finally see who it is, what they look like, and why their smell is so alluring to him. 

It’s really been wracking his brain, enough to the point where the lads have noticed, getting on his nerves and saying that he’s whipped. Louis just can’t help it, help the way it’s overtaken his brain, his every thought. There’s no explaining it, not getting around the fact that the omega very well might be a girl, and then what, he’s randomly into women now? 

In fact, he’s come to the upsetting and disheartening conclusion that it has to be a girl, the likelihood of there being a male omega roaming the campus of King’s College far too low. He’s in statistics, after all, he’s not dumb. But, there is a small part of him, deep in his heart, that is holding out hope, rethinking all those times his mum told him stories of soulmates and how they were immediately drawn to each other. The hopeless romantic in him can only wonder what his chances are, if he’s taking this too seriously and is making a fool of himself, or if this is the real deal. 

How could it be though? Louis' luck is pretty shit in the Love Department, let alone the Soul Mate Department, and he has no doubts that he’ll be once again, disappointed in the outcome. 

Sighing, he chucks the textbook onto the recliner next to the couch, tugging the blanket off the back of the ratty thing and curling up next to his raven-haired mate. 

“Lots of thoughts on the ocean floor, or is there something else infesting your small brain?” 

Leave it to Zayn to insult him while still making sure he’s okay. 

The alpha huffs and nudges his head onto the beta’s lap, closing his eyes once his friend wraps his fingers around Louis’ caramel locks, scratching his scalp. 

“What do you think about scents, like, if one is really strong to me, and I was able to detect it almost right away?” 

Zayn ponders for a moment, he can tell by the way the fingers freeze and then pick up again when his friend starts muttering. 

“I think that…either your nose is just being really sensitive and you’re playing too much into it, or the universe is telling you something important.” 

It takes everything in Louis’ body not to scoff, but he does poke the beta in the ribs and nuzzles his thigh a little more, “Those are two very different options Zaynie.” 

Staring ahead, his blue eyes land on the photo of him, Zayn, Niall, and Liam, all celebrating Niall’s birthday last year. He catches a glance at the way Liam stares at Zayn, all loving and protective and alpha. The two of them were meant to be together, despite the fact that Zayn isn’t an omega, nor does he really like alphas all that much, they just found each other and they work. Part of Louis wants to believe that Zayn’s second theory is right, that the universe is guiding him toward his person, his future mate, but there’s a deep, scared part of him that worries it’s all in his head. Maybe his nose is extra sensitive lately, but that wouldn’t make sense because there are no other scents that have been standing out to him. 

Just one. 

“Well, Lewis, maybe I’m a firm believer in reality and fate. You can have a bit of both, dontcha think?” 

The blue-eyed man shrugs, sighing again and rubbing at his chest, hating the way his alpha won’t stop clawing at it, begging for him to just do something about this omega, find them, meet them and woo them, court them, kiss them, kno-  

“Oh Lou…”, Zayn brushes his fringe back a little, reaching down to flick his furrowed eyebrows, making them relax. His best friend giggles a little, patting Louis on the head and looking him in the eye, “Don’t be such a downer. You deserve love too, you know? Stop being so realistic and give fate a chance.” 

The beta shoos him off his lap and reaches forward to grab a fag, lighting it before handing it off to Louis. 

“Now shut up,” he blows the smoke out through his nose, relaxing back into the couch before smirking, “Rupaul is on, bitch.” 

Louis doesn’t think about interrupting again. 

Give fate a chance.

Chapter Text

H

He’s tucked away in the library, the clock nearing 11 pm, working on a discussion post for his Intro to Psychology class. When signing up for classes, Harry was pretty unsure of what he wanted to study, the things he was interested in, and what really called out to him. The only thing he felt he had a passion for was baking and fall-scented candles anyway, and considering the fact that omegas didn’t usually have higher-up positions when it came to jobs, he never once thought about being something extravagant like a lawyer or doctor of some sort. 

Huffing, the omega arches his back over the backrest of the chair he’s been sitting on for nearly three hours, letting out a soft whine as his muscles stretch out. His head has been pounding from overlooking the textbook and attempting to write out nice notes. He knows that he learns better with well-formatted notes, clean and colorful, all highlighted and nice. It was one of the reasons behind getting an iPad and the Apple Pencil (despite cringing a bit, thinking that he probably looked a bit annoying next to anyone using a notebook), he could keep nice notes, and his hand didn’t get as sore. 

The only problem is that these notes take, well, forever, and actually eat up a lot of his time that he could be using to study for other courses or even time that could be used for a nap. Gods know that he needs one, eye bags bigger than he can ever remember them being. It’s not that Harry has a poor sleep schedule, but for the past week, he’s been tossing and turning, unable to stay asleep for more than an hour at a time. Part of him wonders if it’s stress, or maybe he’s a wee bit homesick, missing familiar scents around him. Another part of him, the part that he enjoys ignoring, thinks it’s because he’s so distraught over not being able to smell that lovely mix of chestnut, rain, and teakwood. The omega aches for the sense of calm that washed over him the moment he sniffed it out in the air that day in the courtyard. 

It baffles Harry quite a bit actually, considering that an alpha’s scent has never had such an impact on him, let alone made his omega stop whining for once. Ever since settling down at Uni, the omega in his chest has been restless, begging for something to give, for Harry to scent someone or cuddle someone. Clearly, that would be inappropriate, considering he doesn't have any friends or people that he actually talks to besides his (gross) Hall Monitor and some fellow students in his lectures. Although he wishes he were better at making friends, the task seems entirely too daunting, even thinking about it causes him to break out in a small sweat and his breath to run short. 

Social anxiety and all that he guesses. 

Running nimble fingers through his hair, the curly-headed lad hunches back over, continuing on his notes despite aching for his bed and/or the makeshift nest he created with the extra space in his dorm. 

Before he can really get lost in his psych textbook, there’s a loud bang that comes from his left, supposedly behind one of the many bookshelves lined up over there. Scrunching his eyebrows together, Harry takes out one of his headphones, lightly sniffing the air but coming up with nothing. Before he can ask himself any more questions, a boy with a slim build and raven-colored hair stumbles out from in between two of the bookshelves, his hair in disarray, and the tote bag on his shoulder is half slipped off, hanging open. It’s then that the omega sees a pile of pens, markers, colored pencils, the whole lot all over the floor, the boy grumbling and squatting to pick them all up. 

Shamefully, Harry is frozen in place, unsure if the stranger would prefer to be left alone or would like some help. He also wonders if the tatted-up boy can see the two lone pencils on the other side of one of the bookshelves, or if he’ll go on his way without them. That, though, is what has Harry out of his seat, long legs closing the space between the two of them before he bends down to pick up the pencils. Carefully, so as not to startle the boy (a beta?) He softly clears his throat, causing the raven-haired boy to snap his eyes up and meet green ones, before casting his eyes down and noticing the colored pencils clutched in Harry’s ring-clad fingers. 

“Um, sorry… I didn’t mean to bug you, just um, these were…well over there and I, you might’ve forgotten them so, yeah, um here, mate.” 

Cringing inwardly at his awkwardness, he hands over the pencils to the beta, shuffling back as the boy gives him a confused glance before smiling slightly. 

“Thanks, mate. You a freshy? Never seen ya before round’ here.” 

A thick northern accent then, Bradford maybe? Harry can’t be sure as he blushes and nods his head a little, curls falling in front of his face. The boy stands and slaps a hand onto the omega’s shoulder, causing him to flinch backward, eyes growing wide. 

It’s been a long time since anyone has touched Harry in any sort of way, the last time being his mum’s short hug as they said their goodbyes. 

“Shit, hey it’s alright mate, yeah? Didn’t mean to scare ya.” The beta soothes, looking at the curly-headed boy in confusion before his eyes seem to grow a little wide. He removes his hand and stuffs both of them into the pockets of his baggy jeans, frowning a little bit. His lips are pressed tight as though he’s trying not to say something, eyes glancing around, “You here by yourself, this late? I could…do you want someone to walk you back to your dorm?” 

The question confuses Harry as he slowly shakes his head, but then he recognizes the look on the beta’s face, that ‘holy shit, oh my god' look. He can’t believe that Harry’s out here, all alone, and the fact that he’s an omega. 

Wringing his hands together, he shakes his head more confidently while looking down at the tattooed hands in front of him, “No thank you, I’ll be fine, have been so far at least.”  

The omega isn’t trying to take offense to the question, but he doesn't like being viewed as weak, as someone who can’t protect himself simply because of his secondary gender. The boy is concerned, understandably, and it’s a little sweet that he’s so worried about Harry, but it feels almost unnatural at this point. 

“I’m Zayn, by the way, it’s my second year.” 

The thick accent breaks him out of a trance, and it’s then that he sees a hand being held toward him, to…shake? Weird, but okay. 

He gently grasps the hand that’s covered in pencil and paint, “Hi, ‘m Harry.” 

The boy, Zayn, smiles at him, before releasing their hands and squeezing by the omega, plopping himself down at the table Harry had been taking notes and reading. For a moment, his long, shaky legs won’t move from their spot, utterly confused as to what was happening. But then, Zayn pulls out a thick pad of paper, flipping it open to some drawing that Harry can’t make out before picking out a pencil and hunching over, scribbling away. 

Flabbergasted, the omega stands there, clutching at his baggy sweater and shrinking into himself, hoping that this isn’t some cruel joke, a game. That this boy in front of him isn’t messing around with him or trying to mock him. It isn’t until Zayn picks up his head, a warm look on his face. 

“Well come off it, mate. Take a seat. Needed a buddy anyway.” 

Harry’s scared to say it, but he believes he might’ve made a friend. 

L

Being on the footie team is a blessing, having gotten him scholarships and all that, making King’s College a lot more affordable for him. Louis loves it and all the lads he’s met while playing, but there are times when he wants nothing more than to walk away from the pitch and never come back. 

Today is one of those days, the turf below his cleat-clad feet wet from the rain that came down last night, the sun peaking through clouds in the sky but doing little to provide any warmth. He’s glad that he wore a long sleeve practice shirt today, knowing that he would’ve gotten chilled despite running around constantly. 

Flipping his hair out of his face, the alpha takes a peak behind him at the bleachers, where very few students are sitting, some doing homework, some simply watching, and many omegas giggling while staring at the team. Seeing that the majority of the team are alphas, Louis understands why they’re there, but it makes him roll his eyes anyway, hating the way they wave shyly over at him and his mates. 

Stan checks his hip and tosses him a water bottle, simply standing there as Louis gulps the contents of the bottle down, willing for his constant thirst to go away. Practice was a lot today. 

“Mate, I won’t lie to ya, those omegas over there were distracting me the whole fuckin time.” 

He gazes at them longingly, in a way that Louis (obviously) cannot relate to. It’s not that he had never been with a girl before, he had, multiple times, but there came a point when he realized that he was simply filling a void in his heart, sleeping with any available omega because his alpha was craving the pheromones of an omega. Wanted to knot and believe that he was taking care of somebody. At that point in his life, the blue-eyed man was actually repulsed by himself, not believing that he had stooped so low as to sleep with someone of a gender that he wasn’t even interested in. To be a little fair to himself, he was usually wasted, along with whoever he was with, and at that point, an omega was an omega. Still, he hates looking back at himself during that time period, feels hot shame filling his chest thinking of the way he treated those omegas like they were nothing but some…for lack of a better term, hole. 

Omegas were special. Had always been special to Louis, and they deserved the whole lot, every little cliche, cheesy thing. Flowers, chocolates, movie dates and picnics, cuddles, respect. The moment Louis started thinking that way again was the moment that he knew he was a proper alpha, a “real man” he supposes. Compared to some of his mates and teammates, he likes to think he’s rather respectful nowadays, so it irks him quite a bit to see them mistreat omegas and even betas, hell even alphas if that’s what they prefer. 

No one deserves to be treated like shite, not in Louis’ mind. 

Well, maybe besides Jake, the godforsaken third year that’s currently over by the bleachers, puffing out his chest and widening his stance while talking to the girls perched there. They giggle and blush, which only fuels the fire that is Jake Hoplin, a man of very fucked ideals and morals. Everyone, and Louis means everyone, in his year, or even on campus knows that Jake isn’t a good lad. The opposite actually, a proper knothead. There were rumors going around nearly a year ago now that he and his partner split because of something that happened at a party. Jake drank too much, not understanding the simple fucking word ‘no’, claiming that since they were in a relationship that it didn't matter, and everything went to shit. Louis felt for the beta, Noah, who had been with Jake and suffered that night, felt his heartache for the boy. Nothing came of those allegations though, not that it was surprising considering Jake is one of the best players on the footie team. Sickening, but not unusual around Uni campuses. 

“Lou, aye mate, come on, snap out of it for fucks sake.” Stan's voice rings through his ears and the alpha nudges his shoulder hard, nearly making him lose his balance. Tearing his gaze away from Jake, Louis turns to Stan.

“You ever think about Noah? How he’s doing after transferring?” 

It’s s stupid, out-of-nowhere question and he can tell by Stan’s face that the other alpha wasn’t expecting that. The lad sniffs and shifts on his feet a little, glancing over at Jake with the smallest hint of rage behind his eyes. 

“I guess, yeah. Was a good lad, Noah. Liked that kid loads.” 

It’s true. The whole team did. Loved the way Noah lit up the room and was always down to join the team when they went to pubs and out for pizza. Was the nicest lad around by a long shot. Louis remembers the day before he transferred schools, the way he’d come up to Louis and hugged him tightly, mumbling a goodbye, tears sticking to his eyelashes. The alpha had pecked the top of his head and rubbed a hand up and down his back soothingly, telling the beta how sorry he was, how sorry he was about the system being fucked and no one with power listening to his story. Noah had shrugged, smiling dully before spinning on his heel and scampering away. 

Jake truly was the worst kind of person. The worst, most disgusting, stupid fucking knothead, dumb alph-

“Loueh! Answer ye phone every once in a while, would ya, mate?” 

His caramel-colored hair flips wildly as he whips his head around, eyes meeting Zayn’s as the beta struts across the pitch, hand clutching his tote bag, swinging it carelessly. The raven-haired boy is clearly in a good mood, a large smile gracing his face and a light blush filling out his cheeks. Must’ve had a nice time with Lima then. It makes Louis’ heart soar for his best friend, but the smallest bit of envy is present at the same time, curling into something ugly in his chest. 

Taking big strides, he meets Zayn halfway, throwing an arm around his shoulders. 

“What’s up, mate?” 

Zayn starts rambling on, about his animation class, how he got pizza with Liam and they ate way too much, the walk back to Li’s dorm, watching some Marvel film. He goes on and on, just like Zayn always does with Louis, always filling him in. The alpha doesn't mind in the least bit, considering the fact that he always runs to Z with his issues and rambles to him about his day as well. 

It’s not until they make it over to the locker rooms that Louis stops zoning out, eyes staring ahead blankly as he listens to his friend. At that moment, he smells it so strongly he nearly needs to take a seat, breath leaving his lungs as though he had been punched. 

Eucalyptus and Spearmint, all the soft undertones. 

It’s so bold, so clear, and it feels like the first breath of fresh air the alpha has taken in three days since he’d smelled it while rushing to Statistics. 

Blue eyes glance from side to side, seeing if there are any other students in the hallway, but he finds it empty beside him and a confused Zayn beside him. 

“Lou, love, what’s your prob-” 

Whipping his head around, Louis searches for the scent, annoyed with his stupid fucking nose and his inability to find this wonderful-smelling omega. 

“That, do you smell that? That’s it Z, the scent of the omega I was yappin' about.” 

The beta looks at him as though he has three heads. 

“What the fuck are you on about? You hit your head during practice again or something…?” 

Usually, Louis would joke back, but at this moment his alpha was frustrated, itching to find where the scent was coming from. 

He sniffs the air blatantly, shocking Zayn a little. 

The alpha is lost as his nose only leads him to his best friend, but he gets up in his space anyway, sniffing away, practically leaning into the beta. It’s rude, he won’t lie, especially considering Zayn had just spent time with his boyfriend and was probably savoring the other alpha’s scent. He definitely didn’t want to be bothered with Louis’. 

As expected, he’s shoved back and met with mildly affronted eyes, the beta huffs, crossing his arms. 

“Okay, what the fuck are you on? Cool it and get out of my space, mate.” 

Louis shuffles back, huffing and running fingers through his hair, tugging at the strands and plopping himself down onto the bench. 

“Shit, fuck, I’m sorry Z, seriously. I must actually be losing my mind now, I swear I can smell that omega on you.” He laughs at himself, feeling a small urge to cry out of frustration, “I can’t stop smelling it mate, I seriously think there’s something wrong.” 

For a moment, Zayn looks annoyed, before he sighs and his face softens, and he takes a seat next to his best mate. He goes to open his mouth, probably to go on about how Louis isn’t crazy and how it’ll pass, blah blah, but his face blanches and he pales. 

“Oh. My. God.” 

The alpha’s head snaps up at the shocked and alarmed tone of Zayn’s voice, immediately going into a protective mindset, looking around to make sure nothing is abnormal. The beta calms him with a hand on his forearm before smiling all coy at him. 

Louis squints. 

“What now?” 

Zayn only laughs, running a hand through his hair. 

“You’re not crazy mate, I swear to ya. That smell, I know what you’re going on about. It’s all…mint and shit, right?” 

The alpha sits there like a fucking bump on a log, unable to formulate any words, because what? How his friend would know that at all flies right over his head, but before he can start overthinking it, the raven-haired boy starts talking again. 

“It’s an omega, I met him at the library the other night and we’ve kinda been hanging out a bit since.” He leans back, all calm and shit as if this is a time to be calm, as if Louis isn’t flipping his shit. 

Wait, okay, shit wait. 

Backtrack. 

Him?

Zayn sighs while fishing around in his bag for his cigs, “Nice lad, ‘is name is Harry. Real shy though, and doesn’t really talk but Jesus man, prettiest boy I’ve ever seen. He’s got these legs that just, fucking go on forever and this shiny fucking hair, big green eyes, all innocent looking.” 

He’s rambling as though he isn’t giving Louis the most valuable information ever. Not only does he know the omega's name, but he knows that it’s a he . 

Harry. 

Makes it easy enough considering he must be the only male omega on campus. 

The beta next to him is laughing at the way his mouth is agape, eyes blinking rapidly. Zayn slaps him on the back before offering him one of his cigs. 

“Don’t worry mate, I’ll introduce you to your pretty omega.” 

It feels nice, his alpha finally a bit more settled in his chest. 

His omega.

Chapter Text

H

It’s nearing the end of September and Harry can proudly say that he’s passing all his classes with flying colors. Despite not being one to pat himself on the back, the omega is actually quite pleased with himself. The pretty notes really are helping after all. 

Closing his Calculus textbook, the curly-headed boy throws it to the ground, listening as it smacks against the floor before he turns over and pulls his knees to his chest, breathing in the scent of the ‘Autumn Harvest’ candle he has lit on the nightstand. 

The bed that’s pushed up against the other corner of his dorm is calling out to him, blankets, articles of clothing and many pillows grace the top of it, all neatly formed into the most perfect nest. It’s not the one he has back home, full of his family's scents, but it contains plenty of items that he scented and even one of Zayn’s sweaters that he lent to Harry a week back. 

It’s odd how quickly the two of them got along, seeing as they’re very clearly two different people, with very different upbringings. After that first night of studying and light chatting in the library, Zayn had requested the omega’s phone number and told him that he would text him in the morning. As ashamed as he is to admit it, Harry hadn’t thought the boy would reach out to him, still half convinced that he had felt obligated to sit with the green-eyed boy since he had helped him pick up his dropped art supplies. But, the following morning, the omega woke to a text, simply asking if he wanted to meet up and get some tea and breaky. 

So, Harry officially had his first friend, but here he was, sitting in his dorm all alone on a Friday night. The hall is filled with voices outside, fading in and out as students walk up and down the staircase, yipping and yelling, chants and laughs, they’re all overwhelming. In the back of his head, he thinks that there might be a footie game tonight which would call for all the excitement outside his door, fellow students pre-gaming and getting ready to go to the game. If he was more confident in himself, Harry would ask Zayn if he was planning on going, and if not, then if he would want to go with the omega. 

Sports never really caught his attention, usually boring him when he lived back home. Most of the time he would doze off on the couch as his mum and Robin watched whatever game was airing, but he felt more inclined to go to this game, seeing as it’s his Uni team. Or maybe, he was just sick of being alone on the weekends. 

Before the omega has more time to dwell while he’s curled up in bed, his phone dings from where it’s perched on the nightstand next to the bed, the home screen lighting up with a text from ‘Zayn:)’. 

Mateeee, you gotta come to the footie game plz, I got bailed on:(((( wanna watch my bf play, plz hazzzz. 

Harry giggles a little, rolling his eyes but understanding where the beta is coming from. Liam seems nice, like a dotting boyfriend, and honestly, he’s just happy that his friend is being treated the way that he deserves. It seems as though fate is on his side tonight, and he thanks the stars that he’ll get to go out. 

I’m sorry you got bailed on Z:( Of course, I’ll come, meet you at your place in twenty?

The beta confirms their plans so the curly-headed boy pulls himself out of his pile of blankets, shivering as the brisk air grazes his bare legs. He scowls, wishing he had worn some sweats rather than a baggy sweater and a simple pair of blue, cotton panties. Long legs stroll across the room and he throws open his closet, glancing at his pant options, ultimately deciding on some light wash jeans that hug his hips and arse nicely. They’re loose in all the right places, not restricting in any of the ways he hates. Tugging them over his smooth legs, he cranes his head to look behind him at the mirror, making sure that no one would be able to see the lines of his panties because of the jeans. Part of the omega is positive no one would say anything or even notice, but there’s a deep, hidden part of his heart that’s still cracked from the comments and harsh words Chase always had to say about his more feminine side. 

Harry wasn’t quite ready to be so open about all of it yet. 

Since he’s already drowning in a King’s College pullover, he decides to leave it, knowing that it’s chilly outside. It is annoying most of the time, the fact that omegas run colder than betas and alphas. In fact, alphas were basically the equivalent of a heater. Harry wishes he didn’t always need to dress to stay warm, even in the summer he needed to at least bring a cardigan just in case. 

Huffing, he runs nimble fingers through crazed hair, wishing the curls would tame themselves a bit, but ultimately giving him when he noticed the time. Zayn was expecting him in seven minutes. The omega scurried over to his bed, grabbing a pair of light pink converse and slipping them on, tying the then laces tightly before spraying some perfume on him, Daisy by Marc Jacobs of course. Double checking that he has his keys, coat, water, and pepper spray, the boy leaves his dorm, clicking the door shut and squeezing through sweaty bodies to get down the stairs and out the door. Once he finally reaches fresh air the omega takes a deep breath, grateful for the lack of overwhelming scents outside. As he begins walking in the direction of his friend's place, he feels eyes on him, the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up in discomfort. Whipping his head around, green eyes search for something, anything, but come up with nothing besides many students moving around and mingling.  The omega in his chest whimpers a little, clearly unsettled, leaving the boy’s anxiety skyrocketing with each second, gripping the pepper spray in his purse. 

A loud, obnoxious laugh knocks him out of his trance and makes his head whip back around, still finding nothing besides many drunk alphas and betas decked out in facepaint, foam fingers, and nursing red solo cups. One of them gazes over at Harry, licking his lips wolfishly, before whistling, “Heyy, would you look at that, it’s the sweet little omega!” His friends all howl with laughter, making crude comments under their breath. As they get closer, Harry clams up, spine going rigid and mind going blank the minute the random alpha places a clammy hand on his hip. 

“Need a ride, baby?” He gestures to his crotch before doubling over with laughter, his friends slapping his back and whistling. 

The omega can feel vomit rising in his throat and a cold sweat covers his body, the scent of copper so strong in the air, doing nothing to disguise his obvious discomfort. Not willing to stand around any longer, he snaps out of his frozen-like state, blinking away tears before practically running in the direction of Zayn’s apartment complex right outside of campus, ears flooded with cruel laughter behind him. 

Panting and sweaty, the omega sits himself on the steps of the apartment, waiting for the beta to come out the doors. His heart is pounding so hard he thinks it might come right out of his chest. Willing for the panic and anxiety to leave his scent, Harry grips his hair and rests his elbows on boney knees, taking deep breaths and willing for bad memories to stay away, not needing them flooding his mind right now.

Tonight was supposed to be fun, he was supposed to finally be social, fun, a normal fucking college kid. It was finally time for him to act as though his past doesn't haunt him every day and fear doesn't fill every crevice in his head all the time. Heart aching, Harry looks up, squinting at the sky, watching the sunset. 

“No one is ever going to love you like me! Why would anyone else put up with you, Harry? Tell me, why would they put up with a pathetic, stupid omega like you!” 

His ears still ring with those shouts, they still echo around in his head on repeat, constantly reminding him of where he came from, who he is, and how right Chase was. 

Doors slam open behind him, and his nose is filled with Zayn’s light pine scent, immediately calming him down a little. 

If the beta notices anything off with Harry, he doesn’t say anything, simply smiles at him before clasping their hands together and descending the stairs. 

Halfway to the field and one cig later, Zayn sighs, “Thank you by the way, for coming with me. My friend Niall apparently has some super important thing happening. Not sure what he’s getting at though.” 

The beta is so calm, at ease, and unworried. Harry envies him, the way he casually walks, posture a little poor and uncaring, hair barely styled, and yet it still looks amazing. Zany is everything Harry wishes he could be. He wishes he was laid back and unworried about friends, classes, family, his past, and life in general. Maybe one day. 

“It’s alright, really. I think…I don’t know, maybe I should get out more anyway.” 

Part of him wants to tell Zayn about the creepy alpha he’d run into, but another part of the curly-headed boy is unsure if his friend will care, will have anything to say, or any comfort to provide. The omega isn’t dense, he knows that by coming to Uni, dressing the way he does, and going out on his own, he’s putting himself at risk. Male omegas get targeted a lot, seeing as there are so few of them. Often, they’re extremely sexualized in a way that female omegas aren’t always. It’s as though he’s just some…fantasy to alphas, even some betas. Deep down, there’s a part of Harry that knows a lot of his life is going to be getting cat called, stared at, touched unwillingly, targeted, harmed. But, there’s an even deeper part of him that aches for an alpha, or just someone he supposes, that can properly scent him and show their claim so he can finally be at ease in public. 

Zayn is rambling about something, and it’s clear to both of them that Harry has missed out on most of what he’s been saying.

“...So, basically Niall was all like, ‘mate I’ve got this super, super important assignment, blah blah blah which is like, really lame of the lad, but whatever. So obviously I needed to ask you because Li is playing and my roomie is the captain so he would be so offended if I didn’t come, god, he’s so dramatic that kid.”

Harry furrows his eyebrows, “I didn’t know you had a roommate?” 

The beta startles a bit, stuttering over his words for a moment, “Oh, um yeah I guess I never mentioned that one, my bad, pup. His name is Louis, a total idiot most of the time but he’s by far the kindest, most caring alpha I’ve ever met.” He takes a deep drag off his second fag, before exhaling long and slow, “S’why I feel so comfortable living with ‘im. I know he's a good lad, ya know?” 

For some odd reason, the beta looks at him with this calculating gaze and soft smile, as though he’s trying to tell Harry something without actually saying it. The omega just smiles and nods his head, “That’s really sweet, Zayn. I’m glad you two get along nicely.” 

The boy stares at him for a moment before his smile drops a little and he turns his head to look forward again, picking up the pace once again after mumbling a small ‘yeah’. 

L

Every game day, Louis lounges around and does absolutely nothing until he has to. Some of his teammates go to the gym or go for runs, practice early, and really get in more work, but the alpha is a firm believer that putting in all the hard work beforehand is more important than doing it on the day off. More often than not, Louis is lazy shit. He hates doing his homework, despises cleaning and going shopping, and he can’t stand doing laundry. But when it comes to football, he does care, he cares way too much most of the time. For as long as he can remember, the blue-eyed man has been putting his everything into the game, constantly practicing after games in high school, always begging his mum to take him to the pitch so he could kick a ball around. Footie is everything to Louis, besides his family and friends of course, but it’s a close third. 

His priorities aren’t fucked, he calls his mum and sisters nearly every day, still manages to turn in assignments on time (most of the time), he makes time for Zayn, Li, and Niall. Louis likes to think that his life is pretty balanced. Sure, he’s missing a few things, like a good skincare routine, a binge-worthy show on Netflix, and an omega to fall asleep next to. 

As he’s lounging on the couch, hand stuffed in a bag of crisps with Bojack Horseman playing in the background, the alpha is nearly asleep, not too stressed about taking a nap because he still had four hours till he had to be on the pitch for warm-ups. Being captain was a blessing and he was incredibly grateful for the opportunity, but there was this scared, worried part of Louis that was still sure he wasn’t good enough, at least not good enough to lead King’s College to a championship. Letting down his teammates was one of his biggest fears, even more so since one of his best friends was on the team with him, but Liam was great, always supportive, and always has good pep talks for when Lou gets in his own head. 

Sighing, the alpha stretches out his legs, letting his eyes slip close after he sets the crisps bag on the coffee table. Sleep nearly takes over before the front door slams open, banging against the wall, making him cringe. 

“For fucks sake !” He throws a pillow over in the direction of the door before dramatically twisting his body around, hiding his face in one of the back cushions of the couch. A faint giggle rings throughout the apartment before a thudding sound follows. Before he has time to look up, a body is flying on top of him.

“Loueh!! My wonderful, amazing, smelly-footed best friend!” 

The alpha grunts. 

Zayn sighs, rolling off of him and sitting down on the hardwood floor in front of the couch, looking at his friend with what can only be described as an evil grin. Immediately, Louis squints at him, sitting up halfway, elbow digging into the couch cushion. 

“What did you do?” 

The beta purses his lips, looking off to the side of the room while running a hand through his messy locks, “Well, technically…I haven’t done anything yet .” 

Louis throws himself back down onto the couch, groaning, imagining the worst. It’s not unusual for Zayn to make poor decisions compared to the rest of the lads. Liam is practically a dad, constantly scolding his boyfriend for some of his actions and begging for him to cool it, and he himself barely even drinks during footie season. Niall however, drinks more than any of them combined but maxes out his poor decisions there. Louis likes to think that he’s past his days of being irresponsible all the time. Sure, he’ll go to the pub and get wasted with his mates, and still smokes the occasional cig or joint, but he’s tame in comparison to what he was like in the past. Zayn, however, usually doesn’t think things through before doing them. For example, his constantly changing hair, the tattoos that keep appearing out of nowhere (something Louis also used to do constantly, but he realized that he didn’t have any more money, so), and smaller things like overdoing it at the store or at the pub. So with the way his raven-haired mate is looking at him, a smile gracing his face, the alpha is a little worried. 

“It’s nothing bad Lou, I swear on it. If anything, I think you’re going to like my plan!” 

The blue-eyed man scoffs, throwing his right arm over his face and sighing, “Alright then, let’s hear it.” Mentally, he’s prepared himself for something stupid, something he’ll surely shoot down without a second thought. 

“So, Niall is coming to the game tonight with me, cheerleaders and all that, but he’s not really feeling it right now, which is fine, but that means I’d be going alone and we all know that I would rather not go at all than suffer in those stands with obnoxious alphas by myself.” He takes a deep breath, shifting around until he’s found a more comfortable position, “So, that means that I’m going to ask Harry to come instead! And then, I guess, well I don’t know how it’ll play out, but after the game, you’ll have a chance to actually meet him ‘nd all that shite.” 

It takes about a minute for Louis to properly process the rambling that was Zayn’s ‘plan’ before he shoots up off the couch. 

“Holy shit.” 

The beta laughs, clapping his hands and wiggling around a little, “See! I told you, mate. I’m a bloody genius.” 

Louis is pacing the floor, trying to gather his thoughts. Meeting Harry, the omega that has been consuming his every thought for the better part of three weeks, was a big deal. But, he didn’t want to come across as creepy or unsettling, knowing that omegas, especially male omegas, were incredibly uneasy around alphas at times.  He knew that he needed to be easy around Harry, needed to make sure that the boy was aware of his surroundings and felt safe, but the alpha prided himself on the fact that most people he’s met had been perfectly content around him. 

His caramel-colored hair flails around wildly as he whips his head back around to look at Zayn, rushing over to him and squeezing his friend tightly, ignoring the way the beta starts fake gagging and pushing him away. 

“Okay, okay you lil shit, get off me.” Zayn pushes him away and flops back down onto the couch, throwing his feet up on the table, “Don’t go scaring him off now, no creepy love stares, don’t talk super fast or loudly, and for the love of Gods, don’t scent the air.” 

Louis scoffs, sitting next to his roommate, mildly offended, “I would never do that, I’m not trying to like, make him uneasy, or force anything. If he has no interest in me, then that’s it, I’m not gonna force him.” He glances over at his mate, biting his lip and bouncing his foot, “Is that really what you think of me, that I’m just some knothead?” 

Zayn’s eyes widen and he shakes his head rapidly, shifting so he’s facing the alpha, “No. No, Lou, that’s not what I meant, love. I just, Harry’s a skittish lad, always worried and looking over his shoulder. I mean, we have to try and understand that it can’t be easy for him, being the only male omega on campus, constantly getting stares, unwanted catcalls and comments, fuck I’ve even seen some knothead grab at him before.” The beta sighs deeply, eyes a little far away and misty, something that shocks Louis considering the fact that his best friend almost never gets emotional. 

“I know I haven’t known him long, at all, but he’s a good lad, really. Despite the fact that he’s fucking gorgeous, ignoring all the physical aspects, he really is something else. I swear, mate. You ‘nd the lads would love ‘im even if his scent hadn’t caught your attention. I just don’t want to see him hurt.” 

The alpha feels his heart clench a little, awed at the fact Zayn is so protective of this omega, someone that he barely knows but clearly cares for deeply. Louis feels an intense feeling in his chest, alpha close to growling, when presented with the image of some idiot grabbing at Harry, this poor lad that’s just trying to live his life and survive the best he can. It makes sense that the omega is skittish and worried. Not only is he experiencing a new environment, but he also most likely feels incredibly unsafe at times, wandering campus alone. 

Everyone knows that King’s College isn’t the most advanced when it comes to taking care of omegas. With dorms not even being separated (something that has always confused and thrown Louis), a lack of safe spaces like heat rooms or counseling services specifically for omegas, the way that many omegas can't be included in many sports teams and in many clubs, all of it points to signs that they aren’t the most cared for or respected secondary gender on campus. It makes Louis livid at times, even more so when he thinks back to Noah and how no one had bothered to help him, listen to him or try to take care of Jake. 

Louis reaches over and squeezes Zayn’s shoulder, throwing his arm around the beta and pulling him into his side.
“I have no intention of hurting Harry. Before anything, he’s your friend, meaning that the lads and I are going to respect him and welcome him with open arms. It’s always been that way Z, you know that. Remember when you introduced Nialler to us, kid was nearly shitting his pants when he walked into the pub, but we took care of ‘im didn’t we?”

The beta shrugs, hiding a smile behind his hand. 

“Yeah, I guess you did.” 

Right before every game, Louis does one of two things to prepare. Listens to his pre-game/pre-workout playlist or calls his mum. While he would’ve loved some conversation with his mum, he was well aware that she was rather busy with all the little ones. Opting for the playlist, he sits on the bench, bouncing his leg up and down, unable to sit still. The nerves are normal, Louis always experiences them no matter how long he’s been playing footie. There’s always going to be this little voice in the back of his head telling him that he doesn’t deserve this, that he’s not cut out for this. Despite the reassurance from his family and friends, it can be hard to not listen to that voice at times. 

Glancing over at the bleachers the alpha tries to make out familiar faces. Although he knows if Niall came it would ruin Zayn’s plan, he still wonders if the blonde lad had made it for the game. Nialler loves watching footie- and maybe the intense amount of pregaming that comes along with the game- so he would be surprised if he hadn’t come with a different group. The alpha vaguely makes out Ed in the upper section of the stands, red hair sticking out like a sore thumb. It’d been a while since the two of them had hung out and he made a mental note to text the lad after the game. 

Blue eyes graze over the seats until they land on his raven-haired friend, said hair blowing around in the wind, getting caught up in his eyes. It takes Louis a moment to notice the absolute angel standing next to the beta. 

He wishes angel was an over-exaggeration, but he’s not kidding with this one. 

Brown curls flow down to narrow shoulders. He can make out pale collar bones sticking out from a baggy jumper, one that nearly swallows the boy whole. He moves his gaze upward, squinting to try and get a better look at the lean boy, but all he can make out are the pink plumpness of his lips and his striking jawline. 

The alpha in him paws at his chest, nearly whining with anticipation. 

That’s his omega. 

Louis curses under his breath as he gets a slight whiff of spearmint and eucalyptus. The alpha is going crazy with the idea that the omega isn’t scented, that it isn’t clear that he’s Louis’. 

He’s not yours, you knothead. 

God, the scent of the curly-headed boy is making him go insane at this rate. He’d never been the type of alpha to be possessive, but there’s something so strange with this boy. It’s different than any of the other crushes he’s had in the past, something stronger and more persistent in comparison. 

Shaking his head, he turns up the volume on his headset, looking over to Stan who sends him a small smile, bobbing his head to his own music. 

It would’ve been nice to not notice the omega until after the game, honestly. 

H

The air is brisk and nippy, making the omega shiver with every gust of wind. His hair has finally tamed itself, getting used to the constant wind. After tucking it behind his ears and pulling a hood over his head, he’d finally been able to see past his locks. 

Zayn is chatting away next to him, wiggling around and trying to get comfortable on the metal bleachers beneath his arse. Harry is in the same boat. At this rate he’s positive there won’t be any feeling left in his arse by the time the footie match is over. 

Scanning over the field, the omega makes out the buff figure of Liam, who’s seemingly warming up with some of the other players, smiling and laughing at something being said. It’s a little weird, not knowing any of the players besides Liam and knowing that Zayn’s roommate is on the team. Being in the crowd is also overwhelming, with all the scents and close contact with bodies. His omega is freaked out and worried, confused by the amount of close human contact after being deprived for so long. He doesn’t notice that he’s bouncing his knee until Zayn clasps a hand over it, soothingly running a thumb over the bone. 

“It’s alright, mate. No one’s gonna hurt ya or nothing.” 

If only the beta could understand the impact of his words. The way they dig deeply into Harry’s heart, managing to panic him while still calming him. He knows that he’s remotely safe, with Zayn and around many other people. Nothing can happen to him out here, but his omega isn’t content and hasn’t been for so long. The only time he’s felt content is when he got a whiff of that wonderful alpha’s scent in the courtyard. 

Speaking of which. 

There it is, again. So close and yet not close enough, not enough to satisfy the ache in his chest. 

Harry takes a deep breath, straightening out, all the while confusing Zayn as the beta watches him zone out. The omega is clearly not listening at this point, and the raven-haired boy can take a guess at why. 

“What is it?” 

Harry snaps his gaze over to his friend, a blush gracing his cheeks. Bowing his head and letting curls fall in his eyes, he shakes his head. 

“Nothin’...just, someone like, someone smells really nice.” 

It’s silent for a moment despite the chattering around them, and then Zayn barks out a laugh.

“Well shit, it’s alright, pup. Jeez, don’t have to act all bashful and shit.” 

The omega scowls, wringing his fingers together and shrinking further into his sweater. 

“It’s rude to comment on others’ scents.” 

His friend scoffs, waving a hand in dismissal, “Shit man, who cares. Take me for example, I always commented on Liam’s scent before I knew him, and never made anyone uncomfortable. Plus, he’s an alpha. They love knowing that someone they like enjoys their scent, makes ‘em all prideful and shit.” 

Harry shrugs, understanding where the lad is coming from, but still minorly ashamed of his blatant actions. 

“Oh, also, I wanna introduce you to Louis after the game. He’s been dyin to meet you, mate. That alright?” 

Not wanting to ruin the boy’s plans, Harry agrees, all the while panicking in his head. Meeting new people is always a challenge for him, even more so if said person is an alpha. It’s not that he thinks all alphas are bad, he knows that’s a poor stigma. But…Chase really fucked things up for him and now every time he gets a whiff of a new, unknown alpha, he locks up. Nearly freezes. Harry doesn’t have fight or flight, he just clams up and stays put, hoping it’ll make things go over smoother. 

Of course, Louis is friends with Zayn, meaning he must be a nice lad, just like Liam. This thought soothes Harry’s omega a little bit, quieting the whining in his chest. 

“Um, yeah that’s fine…what number is he again, Louis, I mean.” 

Zayn takes a swig of his hot chocolate, “Twenty-eight.” 

All of the players finally come out onto the field, cutting off Harry’s response rather quickly. 

They’re led by a boy, presumably alpha if his confidence is anything to go by, with caramel-colored hair and strong stature. 

He’s…well, gorgeous. With a curvy yet strong build and a radiant smile. The alpha is bouncing around with his teammates, riling them up with an infectious smile on his face, arms shaking around wildly. He’s clearly the captain, all his little followers looking to him for their next step. He exudes this confidence, strong, overwhelming trustworthiness. Harry can feel it, even from the stands, and he’s a little embarrassed with how quickly he’s attracted to this random man. It’s so unlike his omega to seek out a specific person, especially after Chase, but there's something about this alpha. It’s calling to him, to his omega. 

The alpha stretches out, twisting side to side before fully turning his back to the stands, presenting his jersey number. 

TOMLINSON; 28 

Harry’s eyes widen and he pales. 

No way, no way he can make it through meeting this…god-like creature. Is he even human? Why…how can someone be so, so perfect? 

Fuck. 

Shit shit shit. 

The omega huffs and then sighs, shrinking into himself. He knows that his scent turns sour, discomfort and anxiety filling the air when Zayn turns to look at him. That isn’t shocking, considering the beta is right next to him.
What is surprising is when Louis whips around, nearly knocking into his teammates, and makes direct eye contact with Harry. His bright blue eyes are noticeable, even from the stands, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

Wait. 

Could he…can he smell Harry? 

The alpha puffs out his chest a little, widening his stance before giving the omega a little smile and a wave. Direct and very forward considering they had never met before, Harry immediately calms, his body almost sagging forward as his senses are filled with pine and a strong smokiness that could only be described as comfort. 

He’d recognized that smell in a heartbeat, had just smelled it mere minutes ago before noticing Louis. 

Without letting himself get his hopes up, Harry wonders if Louis could be the alpha that’s plagued his mind for the past couple of weeks. 

Before he has the chance to smile back at the alpha, or even wave, the shrill sound of a whistle blows in the air and the player begins to line up. 

The omega sits down, dazed, allowing Zayn to grab his hand and pull him into his side, mumbling comforting words as Harry tries to collect his thoughts and pay attention to the starting game. 

Having eyes on the alpha, his omega finally settles in his chest, letting the curly-headed boy breathe. 

Chapter Text

L

There’s always been this sort of high feeling Louis gets after winning a game, even more so when it’s a home game. Something about fellow students screaming from the stands, cheering them on, and begging for them to take home another win, always gets to the alpha. That and being able to share the field with some of his best mates in the world. Overall, the game goes smoothly, and nothing too drastic happens. 

Throughout the whole thing, he’s mildly distracted, the scent of a certain omega wafting through his senses. Doing his best to remain a consistent captain, Louis stayed focused while still stealing a couple of glances over to the bleachers where Zayn and Harry were seated. 

Once the end of the game came around, he and his teammates were elated; jumping at each other, patting each other on the backs, and attempting to lift Stan in the air as he scored the last goal. They, of course, did no such thing in the end. 

Louis perched himself on the bench, observing his mates mingling with each other and some of the fans that had come down onto the pitch. Stretching out his legs, the alpha sighed, wishing that he had brought an extra water bottle. After contemplating getting up to go steal Liam’s, he finally stands, making his way over to his mate’s bag before being interrupted by a certain beta jumping on his back. 

“Loueh! You killed it, mate, truly.” 

He’s tempted to throw the beta off of his back, sore from the game, but the smile that fills out his face wins. The alpha grips his roommate and swings him around to face him, planting him on the ground before messing up his already questionable hair. 

“Thanks, Z, glad you could make it, babe.” 

The beta smiles, eyes widening as he casts his gaze over the alpha’s shoulder, presumably making eye contact with Liam. The raven-haired lad yelps and pushes his best friend out of the way before scampering over to his own alpha, throwing lanky, tattooed arms around bulky shoulders and kissing Li’s cheek. 

Their love is sickening, really. 

Only in Zayn’s absence does Louis notice the omega standing off to the side, observing Liam and Z as they practically make out with a blush on his pale cheek. 

Harry. 

Louis feels as though he should’ve prepared something as if he’s about to give a speech for his communications class or something. The anxiety that settled in his stomach felt similar to that would be there before a speech anyway, only slightly tamed as the alpha in his chest feels confident in a way he was unfamiliar with. Usually, this is when he would run away, pack up his bag and mutter something about needing a shower (which he does need and he really wishes he wasn’t meeting this beautiful omega right now, sweaty and smelly), but Harry is different. Green eyes shine as the younger lad watches the two lovebirds together, their laughs and pecks on the cheek clearly making the omega happy for the two of them. This is different. 

Carefully, the alpha approaches the other lad, not wanting to scare him at all. The omega seems to be lost in his head, unaware of the people surrounding him and the loud noises filling the pitch. 

Louis clears his throat, “Hey mate, you Zayn’s friend?” 

Curls bounce up with the movement of Harry’s head, wide green eyes meeting blue ones before a blush takes over his pale cheeks. He clears his throat before looking down at his shoes, scuffing them on the grass before brushing a loose curl behind his ear. Louis doesn't think he’s ever seen someone more beautiful. 

“Yeah, that’s me.” 

There’s a moment of silence before Harry sinks into himself a bit, meeting Louis’ gaze again, “You, you played really well tonight, I had fun watching.” 

Louis beams, stark white teeth nearly blinding Harry. The alpha can’t help the way his chest puffs out a little, pride blooming in his chest at the way he’s pleased his omega. 

Not your omega. 

It doesn’t matter, that internal voice talking to him. Deep down, Louis can feel it, he can feel this attachment he has to the omega in front of him. 

“Thank you, I’m glad you ended up coming. I know Zayn was worried about coming alone…” He’s about to mention the countless time's Zayn was tempted to ditch out on coming due to people abandoning their plans when there was a loud bang from across the field. The hair on the back of Louis’ neck stands up and his chest puffs out a bit at the idea of there being a threat nearby, especially because Harry is with him. 

Casting his gaze over his shoulder, the alpha realizes that it was simply two of his teammates fucking around, leaving one of them sprawled out on the bleachers, groaning. 

“Oi! Fuck off mates’, go take a shower or somethin’, ya stink!” 

Both of their heads shoot up a bit, eyes growing a little wider at the sight and sound of their captain yelling over at them. Behind him, Louis can hear the omega giggling a bit, and his heart warms at the thought of making the boy laugh. He can’t help but get a whiff of nervousness from the boy, but pushes it aside and looks him up and down. 

“You’re a first-year, right?” 

Harry nearly jumps out of his skin when he’s addressed again, eyes growing a little wider than normal. Louis can’t help but smile at the small notion of the boy in front of him, eyes crinkling up just a bit. 

The younger clears his throat, looking down at his shoes, “Um, yeah. Yeah, I’m a freshman…” 

Louis simply hums, shuffling his feet and instinctively puffing out his chest just a little bit. He’s not totally sure why he feels such a need to prove himself to the omega in front of him, but rather than dwell on it, he simply allows his alpha to do as it pleases. There’s no use in suppressing the urges he feels, not when there’s a pretty omega in front of him, blushing and all. 

“You know, I’m glad Zayn dragged you out to the footie match today, I was beginning to get a little bored of the usual crowd.” 

The blush on Harry’s cheeks rises and deepens, the boy smiling, and oh god dimples. 

Louis thinks there’s a good chance he falls in love tonight, a good chance that his brain is clouded with the memory of this boy’s scent and beauty for the next few weeks. 

Curly clears his throat just a bit, covering his hands and making little sweater paws in the process of looking up at the alpha, “Well, I’m glad I could give you a change of pace then.” He simply flashes a small smile and tucks a loose curl behind his ear, shuffling once more on his feet. 

Glancing over at the couple behind Harry, he comes to the conclusion that there’s a good chance Liam and Zayn won’t be interested in getting dinner tonight at the local pizza shop. Sure, the food really wasn’t that great, but it was in a local neighborhood and was open late solely for the college kids. Louis was kind of close with one of the workers, Lelia, who’s a middle-aged woman that’s only ever put up with Lou’s bullshit. And he has a lot of bullshit. 

“The change of pace was definitely needed mate, seriously, I mean look at what I’ve been dealing with,” he gestures over to the alpha and beta behind him. 

It causes Harry to giggle a bit, glancing over to the two behind Louis. There’s almost a hint of sadness in the boy’s eyes, something that almost anyone else would overlook, but Louis has always been extremely observant. There’s a tugging need in his chest to keep a close eye on this one anyway. 

“I’m glad I could be that change of pace for you,” Harry flashes him a dimpled smile and tucks a loose curl behind his ear. The alpha feels a strange sense of warmth fill him from head to toe before he shuffles a bit closer and grins at the younger boy. 

“Me too, curly.” 

It seems that the stars are in Louis’ favor lately because Harry joins them for pizza and sugary drinks. His entire night is filled with cute remarks, flushed cheeks, messy curls, and dimples. The alpha quickly figures out that there’s no other way he would want to spend his nights from here on out. It’s safe to say that as he sits in a booth across from the omega, the alpha in his chest is very content and settled. He has an eye on the boy in front of him and knows that there’s no reason to not trust the boys with Harry. After all, it’s Zayn that invited the kid out, so Louis is reassured that there’s no reason Harry will end up hurt in any sort of way. 

Louis is against all of the social norms for omegas. There’s no reason that they should be viewed as the weakest second gender, and there’s absolutely no reason people should be discriminatory towards them. Omegas are beautiful creatures, soft, pretty, and able to calm almost anyone down. They should be respected to the highest degree, yet for some reason, society has yet to view them as of high importance. Louis, on the other hand, was raised in a household with many omegas, females, yes, but still omegas. His mum, Jay, taught him how to be respectful and everything but a knothead. Something that he’ll always be grateful for. Despite this constant education from his mum, there was still a strong urge in Louis’ chest to protect the omega in front of him. The beautiful omega that he’s sure could fend for himself. It feels almost disrespectful to feel so inclined to protect him, especially when the boy isn’t asking for any sort of protection at all. It feels invasive and on the edge of being wrong, especially considering they just met today. 

Still, as he sits crammed in a booth with his best mates and a pretty boy, there’s a settled feeling in his chest as Harry is squished into the seat closest to the wall, far away from the walkway and any possible intrusive comments or actions from people. He’s safe and the alpha in his chest is perfectly pleasant. 

“So, Harry, what do you think of uni so far?” 

Liam is clearly trying to make the boy open up a bit more and so is Z, but the omega has remained relatively closed off. 

“Um, I like it? I think I do at least, course work is easy enough but it can be hard to get out sometimes,” the boy casts his gaze downward as all the eyes at the table look toward him. He hunches over a bit and makes little paws with his sweater as though it’ll bring him some comfort. Louis feels a twinge of sympathy for the boy in front of him who is clearly struggling at remaining social with this many people around him. Maybe coming out with the lads, nearly ten people, was a bit much to start out with. 

Louis glances over at Zayn, the beta clearly thinking the same thing as him as he too looks over at Harry with a reassuring smile. 

“Must be shitty, being a male omega on a uni campus.” 

Leave it to Stan and his lack of self-awareness, honestly. 

Harry flushes bright red and Ashton kicks Stan’s shin hard underneath the table. Stan has this problem of being overbearing and not aware of his surroundings. It’s obvious that Harry isn’t interested in having this conversation with any of them, let alone Stan who he had just met literally thirty minutes ago. Louis has half the mind not to slap the other boy across the face for bringing up such a sensitive subject. It’s not fair to make the omega open up about a subject that the whole world knows is complicated. Male omegas, no matter the kind of background they come from, have always been excluded and disregarded. There are no obvious signs of that changing any time soon, so Louis is well aware of the fact that Harry is extremely touchy on the subject. His alpha can pick up on the even slightest changes in the omega’s scent, whether it be a positive or negative one. 

Louis casts a glare over to Stan before taking another bite of his pizza, the grease alone is enough to make his stomach turn. He looks across the booth at Harry’s plate only to be met with the sight of a barely touched piece of pizza. The boy has been nursing the same piece for nearly twenty minutes now but has gone through four cups of water. Sometimes he hates the way he observes things, hates the way his eye catches even the smallest things. Unfortunately, the tugging in his chest won’t let it go. 

“Everything all right, Curly? Want something else to eat, sometimes that shit is too greasy…especially from here.” 

Harry flinches a bit and flicks his gaze upward to the alpha. He smiles the slightest and puts his hands in his lap before shaking his head, “No, that’s okay. I’m alright.” 

Louis frowns a bit but shrugs it off, it’s really none of his business, and who knows, maybe the boy ate before coming to the game. He has a bad habit of looking too far into some things, and chances are, this is one of those things. Plus, Harry seems to be the type that doesn’t like attention drawn to him, let alone when there are many other people around them. Louis is really trying his best to get on the omega’s good side rather than push him away. It’s not that he’s trying to get in the lad's pants, he has some class, and he just wants to know more. The itching in his chest is forcing him to get the curly-headed lad to like him. But it’s hard to do so without scaring the skittish boy off. 

It’ll just have to be a slow process. 

After everyone is stuffed, bellies filled far too full with pizza, the lads say their goodnights and go their separate ways. Louis splits off from Stan in order to take a long way home, a last-ditch attempt to take in the fall weather while it was around. Before he can set off on his way, he notices Harry from afar, walking on the other side of the street in the same direction. 

“Hey, Harry! Wait up!” 

He hardly checks for cars before jaywalking across the road and meeting up with the omega, who looks rather scandalized for the simplicity of their interaction. 

“Um, hi Louis, what’s up?” 

The alpha runs a hand through his feathery hair and matches Harry’s pace. 

“Where’s Zayn, figured you two would be walking together since you went to the game together.” 

Harry shrugs and kicks at a lone pebble on the ground, “He and Liam were pretty desperate to be alone,” he sighs a little, biting at his lower lip, “they didn’t outright say anything, but reading people isn’t all that hard.” 

At that moment, Louis thinks that he and Harry might not be all that different in every aspect. Clearly, the boy is observant in some sense, being able to read people and pick up on cues that others might not notice as well. Louis can appreciate that about anyone, really. But, with Harry, it seems more relevant, more important to him. Having someone in his life that isn’t so caught up in all the bullshit of college would be nice, or so caught up in a relationship of some sort either. Louis loves Zayn, and all the other lads, but they can be so distracted sometimes. Sometimes, all they really care about is partying and getting laid. They don’t understand the importance of finding someone to settle with, someone that understands them and doesn’t disregard the things that they care about, someone that makes them feel whole and worthy, someone like a mate. 

Louis used to think that he was so unlike everyone else and that it made him a poor alpha. In reality, he’s starting to think that it’s the other way around. He’s more attentive to little details, more aware of the things that make the people that he cares about happy, and what makes them upset. His mother always taught him to be extra attentive, to give, and give and care as much as possible. Love is a wonderful thing to spread around, she always says. Louis always thought that it was kind of a bullshit statement, that there were plenty of people out in the world that didn’t want to deal with his presence in their life, and that he simply made people uncomfortable with the amount of care that he provides. But, it’s within his urges to protect and provide, it’s a part of himself that he cannot turn off. The alpha in his chest is constantly worried about the people that he cares about, the people that he loves. Not that he thinks he’s there yet with Harry, but there’s something unusual about the omega, something that draws him more and more. 

It’s not that he thinks he’s a good alpha, not even close, but in comparison to others, he’s seen around on campus, the way that they grab at omegas, betas, and even other alphas, the way they have no regard for anyone else besides themselves, Louis is starting to think that maybe he isn’t all that bad anymore. 

Blinking, the alpha realizes that they’re approaching his shared apartment, but from the street, he can see that none of the lights are on, not even the fairy lights hanging in the living room and part of the kitchen. Zayn must’ve gone over to the Liams, having spared Louis the awful sounds of them getting it on. Thank the gods. At this rate, he isn’t sure he’d be able to handle it much longer and Lous is almost positive his headphones are going to break from how loud he’s been blasting them. 

Harry is still walking beside him, thumb pulling at his bottom lip and stray curls falling around his cherub face. Even under the harsh lighting of the street lamps, there’s a beauty within the boy that Louis can’t even begin to describe. There’s something there that he’s never had the pleasure of witnessing within another partner of his. 

The omega makes the point to slow down as they approach Louis’ apartment complex, but the alpha keeps his stride steady, moving past the front entrance. 

Harry stutters a bit, blinking owlishly, “Uh, Louis?” 

He turns his head and smiles a bit, “Well come on, keep up, Curly.” 

“But, this is your place, right?” 

“Yeah, but what kind of person would I be unless I walked you back to your dorm?” 

The omega blushes immediately, slowly making his way over to the older boy. 

“You really, um, you don’t have to do that, it’s okay,” he brushes a loose curl out of the way, blinking at the alpha, “I can manage.” 

Louis smiles a bit and without thought moves his hand to help the boy with a stubborn curl that won’t stop falling in his eyes. He tucks it behind the boy's ear before he even realizes what he’s doing. The alpha stops and retracts his hand immediately. He can’t sense any discomfort in Harry, but that doesn’t mean that it was out of line for him to feel the right to touch the omega in any way, even the simplest most innocent ways.

He steps back a bit to give them some space and flashes the boy a small smile, “I bet you can, but I’d feel better if I walked you back to your dorm, love. It’s late.” 

The pet name slips out without a thought as well, but he can’t be too bothered to acknowledge it. 

Harry blushes furiously and nods, bowing his head a bit, and starts walking once again, leaving the alpha with a smile permanently on his face and a warm feeling in his chest. 

Louis can’t help the way he walks consistently with the omega, in pace and plastered almost up to the boy’s shoulder. There’s a small urge to grab at his pale hand, intertwining their fingers together, but he refrains in worry that he’ll scare Harry off. Perhaps that fear is permanent at this point, but Louis is sure that there’s a good chance the omega will run off if he makes one wrong move. 

As they continue their walk back to the omega’s dorm, Louis gets distracted by some obnoxious laughing coming from his left side. Squinting, he gazes past Harry and makes eye contact with a couple of alphas hanging outside of the dorm entrance, lounging among the steps as if it’s their space to take up. Deep down, Louis’ alpha is extremely grateful that he took the time to walk Harry home and make sure that he made it to his room safely. Despite the money that they pay King’s College in tuition every year, it’s still too much work for them to separate omegas, alphas, and betas. Sure, there wasn’t as much of a need to keep betas separate from omegas and alphas, but it would still be nice for all secondary genders to have their own space where they’re surrounded by others dealing with the same things as them. 

Louis can’t speak from his own personal experience, seeing that he’s an alpha, but Zayn had mentioned many times before that when he was in dorms his freshman year, being around so many people experiencing ruts and heat was overwhelming and challenging. Just because Z didn’t have to deal with a rut or heat doesn’t mean that he should have to suffer through others going through them in the same building. 

He feels strongly that there should be separate buildings for each secondary gender, not to discriminate but to keep people safe. The idea of Harry going to bed every night in a building filled with alphas, maybe even alphas close to rut, makes his skin crawl. The omega sleeping soundly at night, in one of his most vulnerable states without any sense of protection besides a weak lock on the door that’s often prohibited from use. 

A thought crosses the alpha’s mind as he moves a bit closer to the omega, squeezed by the other alpha on the stairs to get into the main entrance of Harry’s dorm. 

“Is your roommate around tonight? Surprised you didn’t bring him to the game with you.” 

Harry’s scent grows a little uncomfortable, as it does when the omega is faced with a challenging conversation. More specifically, a conversation that reveals something new about him, something that he didn’t leave in the open for other people to see and get to know. The more Louis digs and pries, the more the omega grows wary. But, his scent hasn’t grown to a level of discomfort that makes Louis feel the need to back off completely. He doesn’t feel too invasive yet. 

“Oh,” Harry shuffles over to the elevator, pressing the up button before shrinking into his sweater a bit more, “there was some miscommunication surrounding the whole roommate thing.” 

Before Louis has the chance to question what he means by that, the omega continues, “I didn’t really get to pick out a roommate and meet them beforehand, all I knew was that he was supposed to be a beta.” 

The doors slide open and the two of them enter the tight space, their scents mixing with each other wonderfully and giving Louis a sense of solitude. 

Harry turns to look at him with a sad smile, “Something fell through, maybe he transferred, I don’t really know. But, I’m on my own for this semester at least.” 

An unsettled feeling grows in Louis' chest and his stance widens a bit on instinct to protect. Not that there’s any visible threat, seeing that they’re in an elevator, but he can’t help what his alpha does. Especially can’t help it when it comes to Harry. 

The prospect of Harry being alone all the time, confined to his dorm on nights when there’s nothing going on, or he simply doesn’t want to go out, makes Louis uneasy in every sense. Although he loves his time alone, Louis could never live fully by himself at this time in his life. Going without interaction in such a crucial time of life like Uni was something unimaginable to him. 

“What the fuck were they thinking?” the alpha scoffs as the two of them leave the elevator, stepping into the hallway, “leaving you all by yourself like that was irresponsible, especially if you didn’t request that.” 

Harry just shrugs and matches his pace with the aggravated alphas, “It’s not like I could do anything about it, I mean my RA didn’t even tell me until the day I moved in that there was a change.” He sighs and fishes a key from his pocket, it has a tiny cat sticker on it. 

“I still think that my roommate just backed out and found someone else when he found out I was an omega.” 

It sounds so harsh coming from the boy, it even makes Louis’ heart lurch a little bit, a pang burning in his chest at the idea of Harry doubting himself. As harsh as it sounded, it probably wasn’t too far off from the truth, especially considering the fact that Harry is the only male omega on campus. Sometimes that idea unsettles the alpha in his chest even more. As sick as it sounds, Harry is expected to be targeted for his secondary gender, expected to be harassed at some level. With King's lack of support for omegas in general, Louis doubts that they’ll be entirely welcoming and providing for a male omega. 

“Well, if that’s the case, then he’s a proper dick,” Louis turns to the omega as they reach the door leading to his dorm. The air feels stuffy and heavy, with too many unfamiliar smells caking both of their senses. Harry’s once-calmed omega is now hyper-aware of the scents around him and the fact that Louis is going to be leaving any minute now. 

Louis can tell the boy is uncomfortable, his alpha agreeing with the omega anyway. The lack of scent neutralizers in the dorms is another thing he would add to the list of faults at KCL. 

Despite the growing urge to wrap the younger boy up and protect him, Louis knows that he needs to go, knows that he has a paper that he hasn’t even attempted to write, and that it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to extend his stay any longer. Seeing as they just met each other tonight, he wouldn’t feel right keeping Harry company in his dorm, that’s surely overwhelming with his scent and the little things that make him, well, him. 

Harry sends him a soft smile and reaches to unlock his dorm, pulling the door open and stepping one foot in, “Thank you for walking me home, Louis,” the omega brushes a curl out of his face again, “you really didn’t need to do that.” 

The alpha shrugs a bit bashfully, switching his attention from Harry’s piercing green eyes to his busted Vans that should’ve been replaced probably two years ago. 

“Of course, I didn't like the idea of you being alone while walking back, it’s not super safe on campus, especially lately.” 

He doesn’t bother mentioning that Harry is the first male omega at KCL in years and that there’s a very large target painted on his back. A target that will probably be there for a long time, as long as he’s attending KCL at least. Harry is always going to have to deal with the fact that he’s an omega in a world that has long since despised male omegas, looked down upon them, and saw them as worthless. Sure, times are changing, but they’re changing too slowly for there to be any actual changes visible in everyday life. 

Louis can only hope that life is kind to Harry, that it treats him nicely and lets him pass through it with ease. 

Harry sends him another small smile, cheeks painted a rosy red color, “Goodnight, Lou. Hopefully, I’ll, um, see you soon?” 

The alpha in his chest preens a bit and he sends the omega a beaming smile back, “You will, love. Swear it.” 

Louis walks home that night feeling elated.