Chapter Text
Louis had been arguing with his alpha dad all day.
“You have to go to school Louis, this is a nonnegotiable matter.”
“No way Dad,” Louis shook his head. “You don’t understand. Everything is different now!”
“That’s right, you’ve matured these past few months, just like everybody else your age. I promise you Lou, you’re not the only pup who presented over the summer.”
“Dad, it’s not like that! I don’t have a problem with presenting, but I do have a problem with presenting as an omega !”
“Really now?” Liam raised an eyebrow. “Should we call your papa in here to hear this nonsense?”
“Dad!” Louis whined, very close to stomping his foot like a child. “I don’t have a problem with omegas, I just have a problem with being one myself! I told everyone at school that I was going to be an alpha, in fact I swore on it!”
“What have Papa and I told you about pre-determining your status?” Liam asked, crossing his arms. “There’s no way to tell until you present. When I was your age, I was scrawny and too shy to make friends. Everyone in my school betted on me becoming an omega. Hell, even I thought so. But then come Christmas break, out of nowhere I had a rut. Just like how your papa-”
“I get it Dad, okay? But I was just so angry. After presenting as an alpha last spring, he kept making fun of my height, and calling me ‘dainty’ and stuff. I couldn’t stand it!”
Liam’s lips twitched. “By ‘he ’ I’m guessing you mean Harry Styles, your arch-nemesis since primary school?”
“Exactly!” Louis nodded. “When he finds out that I’m omega, I’ll never hear the end of it! Now do you see why I can’t go back to school tomorrow?”
“I do understand that you’ve gotten yourself into a bit of a mess,” Liam agreed. “But that’s your own fault. It will take some getting used to, but nothing too negative will come out of being an omega.”
Louis groaned.
“Since when has a bit of harmless teasing upset you anyway?” Liam asked fondly, but then his face grew serious. “However, if anyone gives you more than harmless teasing, you come straight to me and I’ll make their sorry arse a living hell.”
Before anything further could be said, Zayn came into the room. Liam immediately kissed his cheek and wrapped his arms around his mate. Zayn easily relaxed into the embrace, but then he turned to their son.
“Louis, you should get to bed. You have an early day tomorrow.”
“Papa,” Louis whined indignantly. “It’s not even eleven yet.”
“And I don’t care,” Zayn said, rolling eyes eyes in exasperation. “You have a busy day tomorrow, and I won’t have you falling asleep and getting behind on the first day. Omegas need plenty of sleep.”
“Then why aren’t you sleeping?” Louis sassed, and was rewarded with a swat aimed at his butt, which he dodged professionally as he headed toward the staircase.
“That light better be off in ten minutes!” Zayn called up after him. “Honestly Lee, I fear for his future alpha someday.”
“Really? Because I was going to say how much he reminds me of you at that age,” Liam said, hugging the omega tighter and nipping at his neck. “So full of spirit, so full of spite-”
“That’s enough out of you,” Zayn scolded. “Louis’ not as wild as I was. But so help me if I ever catch even the scent of booze on him, he’ll be wishing he was at school full time.”
Liam chuckled. “Ah, so you’re aware of his little issue?”
“Yes,” Zayn nodded. “He snuck home-schooling pamphlets into my briefcase the other day. Honestly, as if he expects me to quit the firm and allow him to stay home just because he convinced the whole school he’d be alpha.”
“It mostly has to do with that Styles boy,” Liam explained. “He presented as an alpha, and I think it has Lou a little unsettled.”
Zayn nodded a little solemnly. “That’s the hardest part of presenting...adjusting to the way you treat your friends, or enemies in this case.”
“Zee,” Liam snorted. “They aren’t really enemies. It’s more of a rivalry thing I think...or maybe a crush. Either way, the boy won’t be able to give Lou a hard time anymore, he’ll be more focused on getting into-”
“Enough!” Zayn shoved him away. “Louis will learn two lessons from this. Firstly, never to make assumptions about himself or anyone else. Secondly, being an omega isn’t a hinder, despite what’s written in history.”
“Have a good day at school Lou!” Liam kissed his son’s fringe. “I only have a six hour shift at the station today, so I’ll be back home when you are. I can’t wait to hear all about your day!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Louis grumbled, grabbing his bag and exiting the vehicle. He was still pretty peeved at his parents for making him go, so he refused to return his dad’s wave as he stalked toward the building.
The young omega was slightly apprehensive as he entered the school. People of all ages were swarming around trying to find their classes. There was no sign of Styles, which was definitely a good thing.
“Louis!” The omega startled as he was attacked by a flash of bleach blonde hair and bright blue eyes. “Where have you been? You haven’t called or texted in weeks, I was beginning to...huh? Holy shit, are you-”
The blonde attacker’s eyes widened as he sniffed the air, but before he could say anything more, Louis clamped his hand over the other’s mouth and dragged him behind the corridor stairwell.
“Shut up Niall!” Louis hissed. “Don’t go announcing it to the entire school!”
“You’re omega?” Niall hissed quietly when his mouth was freed.
“Yeah,” Louis said, his voice going a little more soft. “Obviously it caught me off guard, which is why I went AWOL over the last bit of summer. I have no idea how I’m going to face everyone, especially Styles.”
“Oh my god, Harry’s going to have a field day!” Niall said in realization. “He asked me about you the other week when I was buying cupcakes.”
“What?” Louis choked on air. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried to, but you weren’t answering your phone!” Niall defended himself. “He just asked how your summer was going, and I told him you were busy.”
“He asked how my summer was going? That menace!” Louis growled. “Oh God, what am I supposed to even say to him?”
“Well, that’s a tough one. The last thing you said to him was that you’d see him in the fall, and beat his ‘stupid alpha ass’ once you presented as one yourself.”
“Fuck,” Louis groaned. “This is a mess. I’ll be the laughing stock of the school.”
“Well, at least you presented!” Niall said. “I haven’t at all. My da says I still smell like an unscented pup, not even a beta or anything.”
“You should be thankful,” Louis told him from experience. Having his first heat had been dreadful. Although it had only lasted for five hours, it had left him in utter agony. When his papa explained that the first few heats were always that short, but would eventually grow longer, he’d almost cried.
The bell rang sharply, and Louis gulped. “What’s your first class?”
“Maths,” Niall answered with a sigh. “I don’t know how they expect me to pass an eight am math class.”
“I have home economics,” Louis realized worriedly. That was honestly like a huge slap to the face. Even though the class was required to be taken by everyone, Louis knew for a fact that traditional alpha and omega roles were taught in the class curriculum.
“Good luck,” Niall told him.
Louis knew that he’d need it.
Upon arriving to his destined classroom, Louis responded to the hushed whispers behind his back with a glare, easily silencing the gossiping students. The classroom was only halfway full, still waiting for more people, so Louis took an empty seat in the back by the window. Hopefully it would make his scent die down a bit.
As he sat fiddling with his pencil, Louis tried to think about how he would face Harry. No doubt he would run into him sooner or later, probably during lunch or something-
Evidently not.
Harry Styles casually strolled into the classroom. He surveyed the room for a moment, and upon finding Louis in the back, he smirked and made his way over.
“Well now, what a surprise!” The alpha explained, in a mock surprised drawl. “It looks like you’ve had a busy summer, Tomlinson.”
Harry hadn’t really changed over the summer, except for the fact that he smelled amazing to Louis, now that he was an omega and could pick up on things like amplified alpha scents. Before Louis had presented he could still smell and recognize Harry as an alpha, but the delicious scent was much more intense now that he was an omega.
That still had nothing to do with how idiotic Styles was, smirking down with his arms folded in a condescending manner, as if he’d known this would happen all along.
“Put a sock in it Harold,” Louis replied, keeping his eyes on the board at the professor walked in and started writing on it.
“Well, you can’t blame me,” Harry said, loud enough for most of the class to hear. Before Louis could stop him, he pulled a chair out from next to Louis and sat down in it. “I mean, you were so sure about being an alpha and all, you almost had me convinced.”
Just as Louis opened his mouth to give the stupid alpha a piece of his mind, the professor began introducing herself.
“Welcome to home economics everyone, I’m Professor Teasdale! I hope that you will all find the course enjoyable and informational, as it shall prepare everyone for the world of adulthood.”
Louis drowned out the rest of the professor’s speech, instead becoming very aware of just how close Harry was to him. The stupid alpha was so big, he was hogging most of their shared desk space. Their arms were almost touching, prompting Louis to scoot his chair as far away as he could, which was only an inch or two.
“Every day in this class, we are going to open with a topic discussion question. I want everyone to try and participate, but be respectful to others and raise your hand. Let’s start off our first class with this question: Why are alphas and omegas considered so different from one another?”
Harry raised his hand and answered the question immediately. “It all goes back to basic biology and common sense, omegas are meant to be protected. That’s the whole point of an alpha’s job. They work and earn a living to keep themselves and their omegas safe and comfortable.”
“Yes Mr. Styles, that’s right. Traditionally it is the alpha who provides. The omega stays home to partake in cooking, cleaning, and childcare.”
That just wouldn’t do, Louis thought as he gripped his pencil angrily, so he raised his hand and spoke as soon as the professor nodded at him.
“That’s not necessarily true,” Louis argued. “My papa doesn’t stay at home, and he’s omega. He works fulltime at a law firm, and it’s my alpha dad who cooks and cleans more often.”
“You’re right as well Mr. Tomlinson,” Professor Teasdale agreed. “Times are certainly changing. Just twenty years ago omegas weren’t allowed to be lawyers, among other high professions. However, Mr. Styles is also still correct. Omegas are physically smaller and have the biological need to be nurtured and protected, something that will never change as far as science is concerned.”
“That’s why they can’t join the military,” Taylor, an alpha girl, pointed out obnoxiously. “Just like how omegas can only work desk jobs on the police force.”
“Not for long,” Louis spoke up without permission.
“That’ll do,” Professor Teasdale said. “This class will concentrate on a number of objectives. We will cover the basics of cooking, cleaning, taxes, resumes, childcare, and sexual education. These are things that everyone will learn, regardless of gender or status. Your first homework assignment is to write a list of alpha, omega, and beta stereotypes.”
When class was over, Louis was intent on making a run for it. His plan was unfortunately foiled by his alpha nemesis.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Louis hissed as the alpha grabbed his bookbag right out of his arms when the bell rang.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Harry rolled his eyes. “I’m carrying your bag.”
“I don’t want you to carry my bag!” Louis tried to tug it out of the alpha’s hands. “I can carry it myself, so leave me alone!”
“Fine,” Harry let go of the bag, causing Louis to stumble back. The curly headed alpha then turned to address the rest of the hallway, who were watching. “You heard omega Louis Tomlinson, leave him alone.”
To say that the rest of the day was exhausting was an understatement. It was the same thing every time he encountered his friends and peers. They would look at him in shock. Some people had the courage to ask him about his status, while others knew better than to push him.
Louis appreciated that.
When Louis got home that day, his dad was waiting for him in the kitchen.
“Tell me all about it! You look quite intact, so obviously going back to school didn’t kill you. How did your friends and classmates react to your new omega status?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Louis muttered, throwing his bag on the floor and slipping off his shoes and socks, feeling the instant relief of being barefoot.
“Hold on a minute,” Liam stopped him. “Put your socks in the hamper, change out of your school shirt, and come down to have a snack.”
Louis begrudgingly did as he was told, but was rewarded when a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies were set on the table along with a full glass of milk.
“Now talk to me,” Liam prompted. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”
“It was,” Louis disagreed. “You should have seen the stares I got all day, not to mention getting my bookbag stolen.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Someone stole from you?”
“Well, sort of. Styles tried to carry it for me, can you believe the absurdity? Oh, did I tell you we’re in the same home economics class this year?”
“Ah,” Liam’s posture visibly relaxed. “Well, did you let him carry it?”
“Of course not!” Louis said through a mouthful of cookie.
“Louis, when an alpha carries your things for you, it’s meant as an action of endearment. Harry was showing you respect, not making fun of you.”
“You didn’t see his face Dad, okay?” Louis brushed his hands against his shirt to wipe off cookie crumbs. “I have homework to do.”
The omega promptly left the table, trying his best to ignore Liam’s sigh.
It was just the beginning of lunch break on the second day of school when Louis was assaulted.
Louis had been relaxed, chatting animatedly to Eleanor right before his face was affronted by the most mouthwatering and delectable-looking cupcakes he had ever seen. His nostrils were also filled with the familiar equally delicious alpha scent of Harry Styles.
The omega turned his nose away from the cupcake and to the smiling alpha, raising an eyebrow with suspicion. “What are those, and why are you in my personal space?”
“Cupcakes,” Harry held out the announced items. There were two of them, with fluffy white frosting covered in rainbow sprinkles to match the wrappers.
“I know what they are,” Louis glared. “I want to know why you’re giving them to me.”
“Well, I work at a bakery?” Harry answered, looking a bit confused. “So I thought I would just-”
“What did you put in them?” Louis asked, mind flashing back to year five when Harry had tricked Louis and given a cookie full of salt.
“Um, flour, butter, oil, salt-”
“Aha!” Louis shrieked. “So you did put salt in them!”
“It was in the recipe!” Harry set the cupcakes down. “Look, you can either take them or leave them, it’s up to you. But omegas like sweets, and-”
“I’ll be leaving them,” Louis replied quickly. “They look disgusting, and how dare you make assumptions about my diet. I hate sweets, absolutely hate them!”
It was lies, all lies. The cupcakes looked positively scrumptious, with their cute decorative frosting and rainbow wrappers. Louis also happened to have a severe craving for sweets, a common thing among many omegas. While alphas tended to stick to hot foods full of protein, omegas liked rich sweet foods like fruit and desserts.
“Oh,” Harry faltered, as if he wasn’t expecting his treat to be denied. “Well, that’s okay. I’m sure someone else will eat them and be more grateful about it than you were.”
Louis watched Harry take the cupcakes and walk away, shoulders sagging in relief once he was a safe distance away.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Huh?” Louis looked over to Eleanor and scowled. “No I’m not, he totally put something in them. Remember year five?”
“You exploded your pen all over his coursework and got him in trouble for it,” The female omega reminded him. “Besides, it was Niall who gave him the idea of putting salt all over the cookie.”
“What?!”
“You’re missing the big picture entirely. Harry isn’t your enemy. I don’t think he ever has been. You just take the whole friendly rivalry thing way too far.”
“Excuse me?” Louis was affronted. “Harry and I are sworn enemies, ever since that day on the jungle gym when we were seven.”
“You mean when you yanked his trousers down while he was in the middle of swinging on the monkey bars?”
“W-Well yes,” Louis blushed. “But then he hid my lunchbox! It took me three days to find it in the professor’s cupboard!”
“Just face it Louis,” The girl shook her head in exasperation. “You’re the one who started this so called rivalry. Harry’s grown up now, but you’re still reverting to your childish self.”
Just as Louis was about to accuse Eleanor of being a shitty friend, Niall arrived at the table, and his attention was altered.
“How dare you!” Louis yanked Niall down by his shirt collar. “I can’t believe the audacity, you two-faced traitor!”
“What? What did I do?” Niall whined, coughing at the pressure of his shirt pulling against his throat.
“Never mind,” Louis sighed, releasing his friend. “Niall, why do you think Harold brought me cupcakes?”
“He did?” Niall perked up, surveying the table in search the the cupcakes. “Where are they?”
“Gone,” Louis said shortly. “He was trying to sabotage me.”
Louis spent the rest of lunch doing his best to forget Harry’s forlorn expression when he had rejected the cupcakes.
Later that night Louis was curled up in his comfy bed, working on homework. He had fifteen math problems, a page of Shakespeare of interpret, and a short essay response for home economics.
That was when it happened.
Louis’ iPhone pinged with the tone that indicated it was Facebook. The omega set his pencil aside and traded it for his phone, sliding it open to see what his newest notification was.
When he saw it, he let out a loud and unmanly shriek.
In less than ten seconds, his parents were in the room.
“What is it, what’s wrong?!” Liam shouted, shirtless with his muscles rippling, a toothbrush hanging from the corner of his mouth.
“Are you alright?” Zayn was right behind, dressed in a bathrobe with wet hair still full of shampoo.
Louis must have looked a sight, with his homework papers astray from his flailing, face pale and eyes wide. He held out his phone to show them with a shaky hand.
“Harry Styles sent me a friend request on Facebook!”
Liam and Zayn looked at one another, clearly appalled.
“I’m done,” Zayn left the room promptly, shaking his head in dismay at his pup’s dramatic nature.
Liam stayed behind.
“You’re driving your papa up the wall with this Harry Styles business,” Liam informed him. “So, are you going to accept the friend request or not?”
“Of course not!” Louis shook his head in disgust. “Why on earth would I?”
“Well….you’ll be able to keep closer tabs on him?” Liam suggested. “Remember that old saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”
Louis stared blankly at his dad for a moment.
“You know,” He finally said. “I think you might be onto something.”
With that, the omega teen tapped the accept button, placing his phone back on the nightstand with a grin.
Harry was already seated at their home economics table the next morning.
“You accepted my friend request!” He informed Louis rather excitedly, which was ridiculous because Louis was well aware of what he had done.
The alpha’s curls were still damp from his morning shower. His black shirt clung nicely to his torso, and he smelled so good ! Louis inhaled deeply, but covered it up as a sigh of annoyance.
“Did I?” He took a seat next to the handsome alpha. “Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about that.”
Harry’s eyebrows furrowed. “Really? Well, I was looking through your photos, and-”
“Stalker,” Louis hissed under his breath. His act of Facebook-friending was a double edged sword; he would have access to Harry’s personal life, but Harry would have access to his own life too.
“-I especially liked those photos of your last beach trip. Where did you buy your swim shorts?”
“Excuse me?” Louis blinked.
“Your swim shorts,” Harry repeated. “You know, the black ones with the red turtles?”
“Oh,” Louis blinked. “Um, they were a gift. When my parents took me on holiday.”
Thankfully Harry’s response was interrupted by Professor Teasdale.
Louis pointedly ignored him for the rest of the class, even when Harry tried to engage him in the classroom discussion.
“I Facebook-friended Harry Styles,” Louis told Niall forlornly during lunch hour.
“Oh really? It’s about time, you were practically the only person in the whole school who wasn’t Facebook friends with Harry.”
Louis stole one of Niall’s chips. “Why do I tell you these things? You never help!”
The blonde pup looked at him. “What do you need help with?”
“Nothing,” Louis sighed, pushing his lunch aside, intent on spending the half-hour lunch break wallowing in self pity.
His plans were foiled when a croissant was shoved into his vicinity. It was a golden-brown, lightly buttered and looked like it was still warm.
“The bakery’s finest!” Harry announced, giving a dimpled grin to the omega and his friend.
Louis’ mouth watered. “What makes you think I want your croissant, Alpha?”
“Because you said you didn’t want anything sweet,” Harry reminded him. “I figured, who on Earth could resist something this delicious? It’s the bakery’s best, I even warmed it up in the oven during my culinary class.”
“You take a culinary class?” Louis asked in surprise. That course was an elective, and it was mostly taken by omegas and a few betas.
“Yeah, it’s great. I enjoy cooking quite a lot, but mostly baking. I do work at a bakery you know.”
“Huh,” Louis feigned indifference, though he was actually fighting a smile, imagining Harry in an apron whisking things in his cooking class.
Harry pushed the treat closer. “Don’t you want it?”
“If Lou doesn’t want it, I’ll take it!” Niall offered.
“No way!” Louis snatched the croissant up and took a bite. “It’s mine!”
Niall pouted, whereas Harry looked like he’d won the lottery.
Louis swallowed his bite. “What are you still standing here for?”
“I wanted to watch you eat it,” Harry replied, smiling dopily.
“Freak,” Louis muttered, taking another bite. It was so damn delicious! “Okay, you watched me eat some of it. Now scram, Alpha!”
“See you later Lou!” Harry waved, striding back to his own group of friends with a smile still on his face.
For the rest of the lunch period, Louis could feel Harry’s eyes on him every now and again.
“The next big assignment is going to be a unique essay project,” Mrs. Teasdale announced Friday morning. “The objective of this assignment is to allow everyone a different perspective of their gender status.”
That caught the class’ attention.
“It’s a partner project. You’ll pick a partner of a different status than you. For instance, an alpha and omega, omega and beta, or a beta and alpha. Since everyone in this class has presented, we don’t need to worry about anyone else.”
Louis tensed as the professor further explained their assignment.
“You’ll get together with your partner outside of school and talk about your status’ and what it means and why you feel that way. Then, you’ll write a two-paged paper on your partner’s status, using notes and information that you’ve gotten from them. This should be a fun and easy project, offering you a view into someone else’s role and status.”
A few people looked interested, others looked annoyed at having homework, while Louis was frozen.
“So, who wants to pick a partner first?”
Harry’s hand shot up so quickly that the professor had no choice but to call on him first.
“I, Apha Harry Styles, pick Omega Louis Tomlinson to be my partner, till death do us part,” Harry told her, face solemn and unchanging, prompting the entire class to burst into giggles, save for Louis.
“Very well Harry,” The professor said, looking amused. “Any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace.”
“Wait a moment!” Louis raised his hand quickly. “I object!”
“On what grounds?” Harry asked.
“Yes Louis, the whole point of this project is to step outside your comfort zone,” The professor agreed with Harry. “Unless you have a valid reason that goes beyond petty differences, there will be no partner changes. Understood?”
Louis spent the rest of the day seething.
He also rejected Harry’s strawberry pastries at lunch.
“I got married today,” Louis informed his papa, who was at the table filling out some paperwork for one of his clients. His dad, who was taste testing the chilli cooking on the stove, spun around to listen in interest.
The older omega glanced up. “And why weren’t we invited to the wedding?”
“It was an on-the-spot kind of thing,” Louis told him. “Harry Styles is now my partner for a status-research paper. By the way, the partnership is non-consensual.”
“Sounds interesting,” Zayn said. “The schooling systems have really improved. I don’t remember any projects like that when I was a pup.”
“It’s not that interesting,” Louis disagreed. “We just have to ask questions about the others’ status. I shouldn’t even have to talk to Harry, I could just ask Dad.”
“What kinds of questions?” Liam asked.
“I dunno, like, what does being an alpha mean to you? Just stupid stuff like that.”
“Hmm,” Liam tapped his chin. “Being an alpha means-”
“Love, don’t spoil Louis’ project for him,” Zayn interrupted. “Louis, I expect you to do your best on this project just like all your other assignments. Perhaps you’ll learn a thing or two.”
“Yes Papa,” Louis sagged in his chair.
Saturday morning, right in the middle of waffles and bacon, the house phone rang.
“Hello?” Liam answered it, listening for a moment. “Yes, he is. Hold on just one moment, please.”
Louis looked up in interest when Liam offered the house phone to him. Who on earth would be calling so early, and not on his cellphone? He took it a little hesitantly while Liam watched with a small smile.
“Hello?”
“Good morning Louis!” A familiar slow drawl came through the phone. “How are you?”
“H-How did you get this number?” Louis stuttered.
“Well, I looked it up in the phone book. I wanted to talk about the-”
“You’re interrupting my breakfast, you foul, beastly, annoying, stalker-alpha!”
“Louis William!” Zayn scolded sharply as he sleepily (and crankily) came down the stairs, and Louis almost dropped the phone. His alpha dad was easy-going with his language most of the time, but his omega papa wouldn’t put up with it, especially before having his coffee. It was completely unfair, because Louis knew for a fact that Zayn had the biggest potty mouth ever.
“Um, the project?” Harry spoke up a little timidly, probably having heard the scolding through the phone with his oversensitive alpha hearing. “I wanted to see if you could meet up this weekend, either today or tomorrow?”
With both his parents staring at him, Louis couldn’t exactly make up an excuse.
“Alright,” He surrendered. “When and where?”
“Oh,” Harry squeaked (did he seriously actually squeak?) as if he had expected Louis to deny him, which he certainly would have if his parents weren’t there. “Er, wherever you want to! I can come to your place, or you can come to mine-”
“Yes, option two!” Louis quickly agreed. He would not be having Harry Styles over to invade his home, especially with his nosy parents who would probably embarrass him in front of the alpha.
“Oh, alright!” Harry grew a little more confident now, excited. “This afternoon? How about three?”
“Fine,” Louis agreed once again. “Just send me your address over Facebook. Oh, and next time you want to get a hold of me, don’t call my house phone, just message me on there, okay?”
“Sure,” Harry said. “Calling is more polite though, you know? Typing out plans isn’t very intimate.”
“Goodbye Harry,” Louis hung up the phone, sighing as he stared at his dad. “I’ve got to go over to Harry’s today, but you know that, seeing as you were standing over my shoulder and listening the whole time.”
“He sounded so polite over the phone!” Liam gushed. “He went all, ‘Hello Sir, my name is Harry Styles and I go to school with your son. We have a class project together, may I please speak to him to discuss it’ ah, it was so sweet. This boy likes you, Lou.”
“Sure he does,” Louis rolled his eyes, going back to his waffles. “Can you drive me to his place later?”
“Of course,” Liam said. “But why can’t he come here?”
“Because you’d humiliate me! You’d probably show him my baby pictures or something.”
“What’s wrong with your baby pictures? You were such a cute little thing, all smiles and chubs!”
Louis secretly agreed with his dad, but he wrinkled his nose.“That doesn’t mean I want Harry Styles to see them!”
“You make sure to mind yourself while you’re in his home,” Zayn said. “And if you come home smelling too strongly of this boy, you won’t be leaving this house for a long time.”
“Papa, it’s a school project!” Louis hissed.
Zayn remained firm. “Still, I want you home by dinner. No going into his bedroom either, do you understand me young man?”
Louis rolled his eyes. “Yes!”
Liam agreed. “I second your papa’s thought’s Lou. As much as I want you to have a boyfriend, you’re still too young for anything too intimate. Especially intercourse, because that’s something for grown-up and bonded omegas only-”
Their omega child had run upstairs before he could finish his sex-talk.
Louis arrived to Harry’s at three-fifteen, just to make the alpha panic a little.
Liam kissed his head. “You behave yourself, and text me when you’re finished. Papa and I really do expect you to be done in time for dinner, alright?”
“Sure thing Dad,” Louis sighed. “It probably won’t take long; I want to get this over with as quickly as possible.”
Harry opened the front door before he even made it all the way up the front steps. Louis waved away Liam, who was sitting in his parked car still.
“Hi Louis, I was beginning to think you got lost or something. Come inside!”
Louis followed the alpha into his home. It was a moderately pleasant house, and Louis immediately noticed Harry in several family photos that were hung up on the entrance hallway walls.
“I made some snacks,” Harry said as he showed him into the living room. “My mum and stepdad are out on date night, so we get the comfy living room couches all to ourselves.”
“Um, wow.” Louis stared at the coffee table, which held a plate of muffins, a bowl of grapes, cheese and crackers, and two glasses of juice. “You didn’t have to do this. I mean, we’re just getting a project done.”
Harry’s shoulders drooped a bit. “Right, of course. Well, do you want to get started then?”
Louis went first, when Harry asked him to describe his family and how it was being omega.
“My papa is an omega. But he’s nothing like the stereotypes, he’s one of the best lawyers at his firm. He works long days and still makes time to help me with my homework, take me out to eat, go shopping, and spend time with my dad.”
Louis stopped to finish off his glass of juice.
“Dad though, he’s just as hard working. He’s a fireman. I know Papa worries about him because of it. But that’s the thing, Dad and Papa are a team. They work together...I don’t think omegas are meant to be treated as less. That’s what they taught me anyway, and I stand by it.”
Louis played with the empty glass of juice in his hands.
“But Dad’s still protective...I mean, once he punched this guy at a restaurant for grabbing my papa’s bum. But there’s a difference between being protective and being possessive.”
There were other things too, that Louis didn’t say out loud. His papa almost always sought out cuddles from his mate, and sometimes when they were around the house he would wear a collar, thin and encrusted with small rubies, a special wedding gift from Liam. In the end Zayn always listened to and respected Liam’s orders, when he needed to.
Louis remembered a year ago when his papa and dad had gotten into a fight, and Papa had taken the car and peeled out of the driveway angrily, scaring the crap out of both Louis and his dad. When Papa had come home, Louis bad been banished to stay downstairs, but he still heard his papa being spanked in the bedroom.
But those sorts of negatives were so rare, and the very next day Zayn had been so happy, making them a big breakfast and staring at his mate lovingly.
“Papa...well, he couldn’t have any pups, which is why he and Dad adopted me. Even if he can’t do the one thing that omegas are supposedly ‘destined’ for, he’s still the best omega I know.”
Louis stopped talking, and Harry scribbled down notes in silence. Louis set the glass back down on the table, and soon the alpha looked up from his writing.
“I just want you to know,” Harry spoke softly. “I don’t think less of you, for being an omega. I never have.”
Louis found himself staring into Harry’s green eyes, which were gazing intently into his own.
“Alright then Mr. Alpha,” Louis smiled. “Your turn. What makes you so special?”
Harry was silent for a moment.
“An alpha’s duty is about being chivalrous,” He finally said. “When I was twelve, my older sister Gemma presented as an omega. She’s probably the smartest, fiercest person I know. I mean, she helps me pass all my literature classes, you know?”
“I wouldn’t know, seeing as I have no older sisters,” Louis grinned. “But do go on.”
“Well, the point is that I respect her more than anything, just like my mum. Before she married my step-dad, Mum dated this alpha for a few months. It ended pretty quickly, and rightfully so. He was so disrespectful, at least to omegas. We were struggling though, when Mum lost her old job, and this alpha paid our bills to prevent eviction.”
Louis watched as Harry began to look angry.
“I just remember this one time when Gemma was looking into universities. He told her she’d be wasting time and money getting a degree, because no company would ever hire a needy omega.”
Louis was fuming. “What a complete bastard.”
“You’re telling me,” Harry grinned wryly. “He also put all these expectations and limitations on my mum. He didn’t lift a finger around the house, not even to bring his plate to the sink. He also called me a poor excuse of a future alpha when I helped with the housework, or expressed an interest in baking...said I was probably going to present as a useless omega. As soon as Mum found another job, she dumped his sorry arse.”
“Good for her,” Louis nodded. “I wouldn’t put up with trash like that either.”
“She found Robin not long after. They’re actually getting married in the spring, so I’m excited. He took Gemma to personally tour several universities just a week after meeting us. I strive to be like him, you know?”
“Yeah,” Louis smiled. “That’s great Harry. Well, not the bastard boyfriend, but the fact that your mum got a happy ending.”
The more Louis talked to Harry, the less he remembered that he was enemies with the alpha.
“Hey Harry, can I make a confession?”
“Of course,” The alpha looked at him expectantly.
“I don’t hate sweets. I actually have one of the biggest sweet tooths in existence.”
Harry laughed. “I know that. You were practically drooling when I brought you those cupcakes awhile back.”
Finally Louis noticed the time. “I should text my Dad to come get me, it’s a bit late.”
“Oh,” Harry looked a bit disappointed. “Can I drive you?”
“Well…” Louis hesitated, but then remembered how fun these past few hours had been.
When it came down to it, he couldn’t really refuse. Harry looked like an excited puppy, eager to please. It was honestly a bit endearing to the omega.
“Sure, why not?”
After that, Harry started sitting next to Louis at lunch, and the alpha always brought him something sweet. Louis also allowed Harry to carry his bag for him in between classes. It was as if working together on the project had broken the ice around them, and now their connection was burning brightly and brilliantly.
One night, after taking a bubble bath and finishing his homework, Louis went to seek out his papa.
Zayn was lounging comfortably in the corner of the couch, clicking away at the keyboard of his laptop. Louis flopped down beside him, preparing himself for a conversation that had been in his head for awhile.
“Hey Papa, what made you decide to let Dad court you?”
Zayn looked up from his laptop. “He was a rule-following geek who did things by the book.”
“I’m being serious Papa!”
“I’m being serious too,” Zayn snickered. “It was the cutest thing. He’d deliver a dozen red roses to my house each day, except for Fridays, when he would send me the newest volume of my favorite comic book at the time.”
“So you chose him because he gave you flowers and comic books?”
“Sort of,” Zayn smiled in remembrance. “The deciding factor was during my freshman year of uni. I was at this party, doing some very inappropriate things, and an alpha got too touchy feely against my will. Before I could even slap him, Liam popped out of nowhere to break his nose.”
“Hah! So basically Dad was being a stalker and he saved you?”
“Well, not exactly,” Zayn blushed. “Apparently I was the one who texted him to meet me at the party, I was just too drunk to remember. But it still ends with him saving me, but then he got all blushy and thought he’d frightened me...or maybe it was because I was half-naked. I’m not sure, it’s all quite blurry.”
Louis giggled, curling up against his omega papa’s side.
“The point is, Liam was respectful. Even though I practically begged him to defile me after he’d saved my ass, he refused to touch me unless I was sober. I just had a good feeling with him after that...I knew he’d make an excellent mate.”
“But you didn’t need a mate, you just wanted one, right?”
“Lou-bear,” Zayn nosed at his hair. “I’m not going to lie to you, an omega should be mated. It has nothing to do with worth. An omega is just as important as an alpha or a beta. However, being mated keeps an omega grounded. So long as you find the right one, having an alpha mate can be the best experience in the world.”
“Harry’s been giving me baked treats at lunch. I think I actually like it. Now that we’re older and presented...he’s starting to feel different to me. And I sort of, maybe, can see myself liking him back.”
“And that’s perfectly fine,” Zayn assured him. “Er, and not to ruin things for you, but your dad and I have betted on this happening for ages now.”
“What?!”
“However, there still need to be rules. Your dad and I want to formally meet this lad, and you are going to have the full bonding talk with us, is that clear?”
“But Papa!”
“No buts!”
“Fine!” Louis threw his hands up. “Seriously though Papa, it isn’t like that yet. I mean, we aren’t officially courting or anything. Besides, Harry’s proper, he would ask for you and Dad’s permission first.”
“This alpha is on my good side already then.”
“I’m just saying that we’re not in a relationship….yet. But I think we might be soon? I just have a feeling.”
“I do too,” Zayn ruffled his hair. “You’re growing up too fast. Before I know it you’ll be off to uni, then bonded, and then I’ll be a grandpapa-”
“ Papa ,” Louis whined, cheeks turning red.
“No matter what you decide to do with your future, Dad and I will always be here to love and support you. You got it?”
Louis smiled. “Yeah, I got it.”
Being an omega, Louis decided, was actually not such a bad thing afterall. It got him free sweets, free labor, and a handsome alpha. There was more to it then that though. Now that he was presented, Louis had a certain understanding in the way that things worked.
Alphas and Omegas were very different but also very similar. They relied on each other, and one could not live happily without the other.
Louis had a strong feeling that he and Harry were going to live happily together someday, in fact he was sure of it.
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