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Louis’ just popped a red gummy bear in his mouth when he notices the other lad for the first time, or rather the beanie he’s dropped by his feet on his way to a seat at the back of the bus. He considers not doing anything for just a second, but Louis isn’t an arsehole, and it’s cold enough outside today that the guy probably would appreciate having his hat to keep his head warm. He sighs out of slight annoyance as he shoves the bag of candy in the pocket of his well-loved jean jacket and bends down to pick up the woolen beanie, grabbing onto the bus’ seats as he makes his way towards the back. The other lad is sitting by himself, his bag on the seat besides him. He’s got a large pair of headphones resting over his ears, head gently bopping along to whatever music he’s got playing on his phone as he looks out the window.
Louis considers himself to be quite the people-watcher –some would call it stalking– but he’s never seen this guy on the bus before. He would definitely remember if he had though, for the guy has one of the most gorgeous faces Louis has ever seen. From where he’s standing in the aisle, he has a great view of the stranger’s side profile. The guy has sharp cheekbones and a chiseled jawline, but the fairness of his pale milky skin and the dark brown curls that adorn his face soften his look in an almost mesmerizing way. He must have been standing there for a bit too long, because the guy suddenly looks up, frowning slightly as green meets blue for the very first time.
Louis is taken aback slightly by the brightness and intensity of his eyes, quickly shaking himself out of it as he holds up the item he came to return. “You dropped this when you came in,” he says, handing over the dark red beanie to its rightful owner.
“Oh did I? Thank you so much! I - have a seat, please!” the guy says as he grabs the bag that was resting on the seat next to him and puts it down by his feet. “It’s my first day at uni today, and it’s my first time taking this bus and I was a bit worried and–”
Louis gapes at the stranger as he continues to word vomit all over the place. He’s energetic and bubbly, and so loud Louis can feel the eyes of the other people on the bus on them, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Louis sits besides him almost mechanically, putting his own briefcase down by his feet as he tunes back into what the guy is saying.
“I’m just happy people still have manners,” he rambles, gesturing to the beanie Louis just returned to him. “I’m Harry, by the way.”
Louis’ brain goes blank as he stares at the hand extended in front of him before the reasonable part of his mind tells him to shake it and introduce himself as well. “Louis,” he manages to reply, reaching over to shake Harry’s hand with a forced smile.
Harry’s skin is soft and warm against his own, and Louis feels a slight spark of electricity run down his spine as their fingers make initial contact.
Harry continues his lively chatting for the next half an hour or so, only stopping when they get to his stop and he physically has to shut up and get off, or else he’ll miss his stop and have to walk for at least fifteen minutes to get to his flat; that’s what he tells Louis as he shoves his phone in his pocket and gets up from his seat. Louis stares in his direction as he walks to the front of the bus until he’s outside and out of his sight.
He feels odd as he waits for the bus to get to his own stop, only two stops after Harry’s, almost as if his brain made up the whole thing. He can’t help but think of the guy he met as he makes the five minute walk back to his flat, hands shoved into his pockets to combat the cool January air. Emerald green eyes haunt him as he makes himself dinner and eats it alone in his small apartment, and he can’t stop thinking about those luscious curls as he lay in bed that night, unable to fall asleep for hours.
***
He’s just picked out a green gummy bear – his favourite – when Harry comes to sit next to him again the next day. He’s wearing some sinfully tight black skinny jeans that leave little to the imagination, a thick navy parka and that same dark red beanie from yesterday. Louis smiles at him before popping the candy in his mouth, and Harry returns the gesture as he sits down in the empty seat next to Louis.
The first thing Louis notices is the other man’s lack of scent, which isn’t that odd in itself. Most university students choose to wear scent neutralizers both out of respect for other students and to allow everyone to stay somewhat equal without the presence of secondary genders. Louis used to douse himself in neutralizing spray back when he was in uni himself, but decided to forgo it after he graduated last year and started working as a sports journalist, finding his Alpha pheromones actually helped give him more credibility with his bosses and fellow journalists.
“You said you’re in uni, right?” Louis asks, and Harry looks up at him and nods. “What are you studying?”
“Music,” Harry mumbles before looking away, almost as if he’s expecting a negative reaction.
Louis nods appreciatively. “A musician, nice.”
A large grin draws itself on Harry’s face at Louis’ words, and the younger lad looks up at him in silence for a few seconds before asking “are you in uni too?”
Louis pops another piece of candy in his mouth and shakes his head. “Nope, got my degree in journalism last year actually. I work for that media company down the road from here.”
Harry seems overly impressed by his answer. “Do you have a column in the newspaper?” he asks in awe.
Louis scoffs at his innocence. “I wish, I write stuff for the Web page every once in a while, but I mostly do research for the moment. Sports journalism is a tough world to make your name in, young Harold.” He says, feeling wise beyond his years as he toys with a bare thread poking out from the bottom of his jacket.
Harry giggles at that, and Louis’ hearth just about stops beating when he turns to see the boy has two dimples, making themselves known on either side of his mouth. “That’s not my name, it’s just Harry,” He says in between two bouts of laughter, and Louis wishes he could hear that beautiful melodic laugh on repeat all day long.
“Whatever you say, Just Harry.” Louis says, smirking when he sees Harry’s cheek cheeks take on a pale red tint.
***
“Do you always carry a bag of Haribo sweets?”
Louis looks up from his phone just in time to see Harry drop himself down into the seat next to his, a small smirk perched on his gorgeous face.
“Yeah, do you have a problem with it?” Louis replies confidently, popping a piece of yellow gummy candy in his mouth.
Harry’s slightly surprised by the answer, but giggles nonetheless as he rests his bag on the floor and takes off his red beanie. “No, just curious,” He says nonchalantly as he runs a hand through his long curls.
Louis tries his hardest not to stare as the younger lad tries to regain control over his mane, and he’s definitely not imagining what his hair must look like after he’s just woken up, all tangled up and fanned out across his pillow.
Harry must be in a chatty mood again, because, by the time they get to the younger man’s stop, Louis has heard all about how much of an arse his music history teacher is –as well as Harry’s opinion on the uselessness of this class in the curriculum– he’s learned Harry has a black and white cat named Evie, and he’s heard more fun facts about vegetables than he has in the last 23 years of his life. When Louis points out they’re getting to his stop next, Harry scrambles to gather his things, quickly finishing his last story and waving Louis goodbye before exiting.
The bus falls oddly quiet the second he gets off, and Louis can’t help but yearn for more stories, more giggles and laughs, more Harry.
***
“Gummy bears again, Louis?” Harry says as he slides himself in the seat next to Louis’ on the bus “I’m surprised you’re not diabetic with all the sugar you eat.”
“Fuck off, Harold,” Louis pipes up, chewing on the yellow piece of candy he just popped into his mouth as he looks up at Harry. “Are you okay? You look flushed.”
Now that he’s getting a good look at him, Harry doesn’t only look flushed, he looks tired and almost sick. His cheeks are tinted a deep shade of red, and he’s got dark and puffy bags under his beautiful green eyes. And the thing is, Louis doesn’t even know Harry that well; they’ve only known each other for about two weeks after all, and their relationship starts and ends on this very bus. They haven’t even exchanged phone numbers. But Louis has felt weirdly drawn to the younger boy from the very first time he saw him, and he can’t help the protective feeling that crawls up his throat as he sees how tired Harry looks.
“I’m fine,” Harry mumbles as he toys with his fingers. “Just had a long day.”
Louis’ heart skips a beat when Harry scoots himself closer, tucking his backpack away by his feet before gently dropping his head on Louis’ shoulder. He tries his best to keep still despite the bus’ mouvements, his worries easing slightly as he feels the steady up and down motion of Harry’s chest against his side. He only hesitates for a minute before he starts sending out soothing pheromones in the air, hoping Harry won’t be freaked out by it. A fond smile draws itself on Louis’ face as the younger man releases a content sigh, burrowing himself deeper into Louis’ side.
For the first time since he’s known Harry, they spend their ride in comfortable silence. Louis lets the younger lad rest against him for the full thirty minutes they spend together on the bus, still sending out comforting and soothing pheromones as it seems to calm him down. The half hour seems to fly by, and it isn’t long before Louis is softly notifying Harry of his upcoming stop, smiling fondly at the sleepy look he’s wearing.
“Thank you, Louis,” Harry whispers as he gets up from his seat, legs wobbly as he grabs onto a nearby ramp to steady himself in the moving vehicle.
Louis nods in acknowledgment, smiling at him and trying to push down the worry that sits heavy in his chest as he watches Harry walk away.
***
Harry isn’t on the bus for the rest of the week after that, and Louis almost loses his damn mind.
It doesn’t help that the younger lad hadn’t looked so good on Monday, when Louis saw him last, and the older man can’t help but think something happened to him. Now more than ever, he regrets never having asked Harry for his phone number. One evening, as he’s sitting alone in the too silent bus and thinking about Harry, he contemplates finding him on social media and reaching out, but that idea is soon shut down when he realises he doesn’t even know Harry’s last name.
And it’s silly really, because Louis barely knows Harry. All he knows about the other boy are the stories Harry had chosen to share during their shared bus rides. For all he knows, they could even be fake stories Harry made up in his head to fill time.
But Louis can’t help but worry, wishing there was something he could do to reach out and make sure the other boy is ok. Maybe he dropped out of school or changed his schedule? Maybe Louis did or said something that scared him off? Maybe he’s sick or hurt?
But then, on the next Monday, after a full week of absence, Harry’s back, and he plops himself down in the seat next to Louis as if nothing even happened.
“No candy today?” He says nonchalantly as he nudges Louis in the ribs to get his attention.
Louis jumps at the gesture and gapes at Harry. “You’re back,” he says softly, more as a statement than a question.
Harry blushes slightly and nods. “I was in heat,” he mumbles, looking around to make sure the people sitting around them didn't hear what he just said.
“Oh, I-” Louis is at a loss for words, wracking his brain to find even one single useful thing to say. Although he had an inkling, he hadn’t known for sure until now that Harry was an Omega, and Louis’ mind is running a thousand miles an hour trying to process this information. It all kinda makes sense now, how flushed and tired Harry had looked last Monday; he was probably about to go into heat.
Ultimately, the overprotective part of his brain takes over and he asks “Are you ok?”
Harry blushes again at the question. “Yes, it’s been done since Thursday night actually, but I took Friday off and had the rest of the weekend to rest.” He says quietly, leaning closer to Louis to make sure only he can hear his words.
“Good I-” Louis starts to reply but catches himself before he says something he shouldn’t. “I’m glad you’re ok.” He settles on, giving Harry a warm smile before reaching in his pocket to get out his bag of gummy bears. “I do have candy by the way, it was just in my pocket,” he adds, holding up the bag of brightly coloured sweets to Harry.
The younger lad snorts, breaking out into a large grin. “Of course you do, can’t go anywhere without them, can you?”
***
It all goes back to normal after that. Louis keeps eating gummy bears on the bus, and Harry keeps making fun of him for it. Harry keeps rambling on and entertaining Louis with crazy stories for half an hour every week day, and Louis keeps kicking himself every day he lets Harry leave without asking for his phone number.
And then, one Tuesday in mid-April, Harry doesn’T show up, and then again on the following Wednesday. Louis quickly does the math in his head, figuring out Harry must be in heat again as it's been about three months since the last one now.
Like last time, Louis doesn’t expect to see Harry again until the following Monday, so he's more than surprised when he spots an exhausted-looking Harry getting on the bus on Friday evening. Harry spots him sitting at the back of the bus and gives him a lazy smile as he makes his way over.
“I’m sorry mate, but you look like shit,” Louis says as Harry lets himself fall into his seat with a heavy thud.
“I feel like shit,” Harry groans, slouching down and letting his eyes slip closed. “I’m exhausted, and I didn’t have time to eat anything today, and everything hurts.”
“Are you ill?” Louis asks, looking over at his friend in concern. “Should you be here?”
Harry cracks one eye open to look at Louis. “‘M not ill,” He mumbles. “I just finished my heat last night.”
“I thought you took a few days off to rest last time?” Louis says, looking down at where Harry is sitting, curled up on himself, with worry.
“I usually try to, but I had an exam this afternoon and the professor wouldn’t let me take it another day,” he says quietly, annoyance evident in his voice.
“That’s bullshit,” Louis says simply.
Harry gives a small nod before closing his eyes again and trying to make himself even smaller in his own seat. The next few minutes go by in silence, until Louis comes up with a genius idea, leaning closer to Harry and extending out his bag of candy to the other man. “You said you hadn’t eaten? I know it’s basically just sugar, but it’s still better than nothing, right? Let’s make a deal, yeah?”
Harry quirks up an eyebrow in interest, prompting Louis to continue talking.
“I’ll give you one piece of candy for every digit of your phone number you give me, deal?” Louis says confidently, holding the bag of sweets just slightly out of Harry’s reach.
A small smirk appears on Harry’s face at the proposition. “Deal,” he says, reaching over to shake Louis’ hand and make it official. “0-1-6-1”
Louis laughs quietly as he tips the bag over until four gummy bears pour into Harry’s awaiting palm. “I mean, I know the Manchester area code already, but fair enough.”
He smiles fondly as Harry plops each of the pieces of candy in his mouth one by one before speaking again. “8”
Louis drops another piece of candy into Harry’s hand, smiling as he takes out his phone to write down Harry’s number.
“0-4” Harry continues, and Louis quickly pours two more sweets in his palm, one green and one red. “7-6”
Louis smirks, quickly typing the new digits into his phone before letting two more pieces of candy fall into Harry’s hand. The younger man brings one of them up to his mouth, biting the head off clean before popping the rest in his mouth.
“Psychopath,” Louis says in fake horror as he watches Harry do the same to the next candy bear.
Harry lets out a small giggle as he extends his hand out again. “3,” he says, smiling when Louis tips the bag again until an orange bear slips out.
“Right, only one number left,” Louis announces, his inner Alpha beaming at the success of his ruse, but also at the fact that Harry already looks a little less out of it.
“Actually, I think I’ve had enough sugar for now,” Harry says nonchalantly, smirking as he looks over at Louis. “Also, my stop is coming up soon.”
Louis frowns as he turns to look out the window and notices they are indeed only one stop away from Harry’s.
They get to his stop shortly, and Harry starts swaying the second he stands up, having to hold onto the back of the seat in front of him to prevent himself from toppling down to the floor. Louis moves to stand next to him, one of his hands coming up to rest on Harry’s waist to steady him.
“How about I walk you home?” Louis suggests, picking up his briefcase as well as Harry’s own backpack and moving towards the door.
“No, I’m ok, I swear,” Harry argues. “This isn’t even your stop, it’s fine Lou.”
Louis feels butterflies in his stomach at the nickname, but quickly pushes them down. “Harry, you can barely stand on your own. I’m walking you home, I insist. I’ll catch an Uber home or something.”
They’ve gotten to Harry’s stop by now, and the bus driver is looking at the two of them impatiently, so Louis ushers Harry to the door and out of the bus, wrapping his arm around the younger lad’s waist as soon as they are outside.
Harry grumbles in protest the whole way home, leaning heavily against Louis’ side as they make the short five minute walk from the bus stop to Harry’s apartment complex.
“This is it,” the younger man mumbles as he gestures to his building. “My humble abode.”
Louis chuckles as he hands Harry his backpack, making sure he has a proper hold on it before letting go. “Right, do you think you’ll be alright from here?”
Hurt momentarily flashes across Harry’s feature before he quickly schools his face into a neutral expression. “Do you want to come up? I can make tea.”
“Harry, I think you should get some rest,” Louis says, his inner Alpha screaming at him to accept the invitation and go up with Harry to care for him.
“Please?”
All of Louis’ resolve goes flying out the window at the single word and the older man wraps his left arm around Harry’s waist again, waiting as Harry takes out his key to let them into the complex. They take the lift up to the second floor, where Harry guides them to the last door on the left.
“I’m sorry, it’s a bit messy,” Harry mumbles as he opens the door to his apartment, face going red with embarrassment as he speaks.
Louis barely registers the apology, his senses totally overwhelmed by the strong scent that innondates the whole space as he steps into the apartment. The smell of freshly cut grass and sweet strawberry fills his nose and Louis’ inner Alpha preens as he takes a deep breath and inhales what he instinctively knows is Harry’s enticing Omega scent for the very first time.
He allows himself one more deep breath before snapping out of it. Harry looks lax and exhausted when he looks over to him on his left and Louis feels a strong urge to wrap him up in a bear hug and let him fall asleep on his chest.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed love,” he says gently. “Or are you hungry?”
“As amazing as sleeping sounds right now, I think I should eat something before I let myself sleep the weekend away.” Harry says, moving languishly to drop himself into a kitchen chair.
“Right,” Louis says, clicking his tongue as he enters the small kitchen and opens the fridge, quickly scanning its content before turning to Harry again. “I can make you a cheese toastie?”
A small smile creeps on Harry’s face and he nods. “Yes, please.”
Louis’ feels himself grin as he turns again to grab some cheese and butter from the fridge and snatches the sliced bread from the countertop. It only takes a few minutes for the toastie to be done, and Louis feels quite pleased with himself that it isn’t completely burnt to a crisp. He brings the plate to the table and drops it in front of Harry, whose eyes light up at the sight of the perfectly toasted bread.
“Thanks Lou,” he says, giving Louis a tired smile before devouring the toastie in record time.
Louis stifles a laugh as he watches Harry eat, glad he was at least able to get some food in him before he fell asleep.
“Let’s get you to bed, yeah?” he says softly after dropping the plate in the sink, making a mental note to himself to wash the dishes before leaving.
Harry mumbles something Louis doesn’t quite catch as he stands and walks towards his bedroom, Louis gently guiding him with a steady hand on his lower back. Harry’s scent is even stronger in here, but Louis controls his inner Alpha and doesn’t let his expression and demeanor show how affected he is by it.
Harry doesn’t even bother changing out of his clothes before letting himself fall on the bed with a heavy thud. He groans in disagreement when Louis nudges him over so he can at least slide the covers over his legs and torso, making Louis smile fondly at how adorable he is when he’s grumpy.
“Stay?” Harry says quietly, looking up at Louis though barely open eyes.
“Harry, you need to get some rest,” Louis argues with him, his hand instinctively reaching over to play with Harry’s hair before the rational part of his brain can stop it.
Harry leans into the touch, looking pensive for a minute. “If I give you the last digit of my phone number, will you stay?” he adds.
Louis can’t help the smile that creeps up on his face at Harry’s cheekiness. “Deal.”
Harry smiles wide enough for Louis to see his dimples, and he giggles slightly as he grabs Louis’ arm and pulls him down until he topples over and falls next to him on the mattress. “It’s 5.”
Louis laughs as he scoots closer and wraps his arms around Harry’s chest. His inner Alpha is utterly content, and Harry must feel the same way if the satisfied sigh he lets out when Louis’ nose nuzzles into his neck is any indication.
“You smell really good,” Harry mumbles, half asleep.
“Sleep Haz, I’ll be here when you wake up,” Louis says, a fond smile on his face as he sends out soothing pheromones until he feels Harry go completely lax with sleep in his arms.