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Louis bundled his coat around him tighter as he walked out of the library into the frigid December air. It was really and truly starting to feel like winter outside, and Louis hated it. The tip of his nose, the tips of his fingers, even his toes inside his shoes always felt cold. If his nose was any pinker, he’d be like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. He did not like that idea. There was only so much he could do to protect his face from the harsh winds, and unfortunately, he’d lost his only scarf a few weeks back. Finding a new one was difficult when he was particular about fabrics and the way they felt against his skin.
Being an omega, Louis had more sensitivities than any other secondary gender. It didn’t usually bother him. He liked being an omega, thought it suited him well. But… winter. He did not like winter. Which was a curious thing to him, being born in winter you might think he’d enjoy it. He did not. Every winter he dreamt of being in a warm climate, the sun on his face, the sand between his toes. But alas, he lived in bloody London. He had lived in England all his life and now was a college student trekking his way from the library back to his dorm as the sun set far too early for his liking. It just made him sleepy, and it wasn’t even dinnertime yet.
Louis pulled open the door to the dorm building and was happy to be out of the cold. He lived in a co-gendered building but had a room of his own. Being as sensitive as he was, Louis was happy to not have to share his intimate living space. He passed by the bulletin board in the hallway, which was plastered with flyers about open mics, dorm events, and the like. This time though, he stopped when a flyer caught his eye, the words “alpha” and “heat” calling out to him.
Now, Louis was a single omega and he didn’t mind. He had his friends here and there and didn’t discriminate against any gender. His favourite people, of course, were his family, mixed genders, but the warmth he felt when he was home was always a welcome feeling to go back to. He still had a couple weeks left of the semester before holiday break. He was happy that he had his birthday during the holidays, so he was able to be home for it every year. It was the only thing about wintertime that he enjoyed.
Louis tilted his head at the flyer curiously.
It read: Alpha heater for sale! Winter weather got you down? Call Harry for your warm, furnace-like needs!
Underneath the description were tear away info strips with a phone number listed. The flyer must’ve been new since there was only one strip missing. Well, now there were two missing, since Louis took one for himself. He stuffed it into his coat pocket and continued down the hallway until he reached his door.
Louis let out a sigh of relief as he entered his room. It was warm and cosy, and he couldn’t wait to dive into his inviting bed. First, he had to take off all his layers. He slipped into his silk pajamas - a lacy little tank top and some loose-fitting pants. He left his bag and all his clothes in a heap on the floor and tucked himself beneath the fluffy comforter. He sighed as the air was filled with his own calming scent and the cinnamon air freshener he had on his bedside table. Almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.
He woke up to darkness, his phone blaring from his heap of belongings in his entryway, and looked at his Hello Kitty clock showing him it was just after 7pm. Louis blinked his eyes, adjusting to the darkness. He fumbled around for the switch and managed to turn on his fairy lights. The soft white light blinking to life on the wall next to him. He sighed and stretched and then his phone started ringing again.
Begrudgingly, Louis got out of his warm cocoon of a bed, thankful he left his slippers in close reach. He shuffled over to the mess of his belongings, searching for which pocket he had left his phone in this time. It was honestly a wonder that he hadn’t lost it yet; the small device was something he could never keep track of.
It rang again.
“A-ha!” Louis exclaimed, as he scourged the bottom of his bookbag for the device.
He tended to throw everything into his bag when he was packing up. His brain had felt like mush from cramming all the new info into his head at his study session at the library. He really enjoyed the study rooms and the way he could be alone in the library with no distractions. Before he discovered the study rooms, he had tried to study in his dorm, but his bed was far too comfortable and always made him sleepy. This was very obvious to him as he had fallen asleep in seconds once cosied up.
Phone in hand, Louis sat down in his bean bag chair to see what all the fuss was about. 3 unread messages and one missed call.
Niall.
He didn’t bother to read the messages and just clicked on the icon to call his best friend back.
“Oiiii Tommoooooo!”
His very loud best friend.
“Are you drunk dialing me again, mate?” Louis laughed at Niall’s exuberant and cheery voice.
“No, you twat.”
Louis giggled.
“Did you get my messages?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t read them. My brain is too fried to read another word.”
“Ay. Well, Zayn and I were at dinner…”
Louis listened to Niall chat on about their dinner shenanigans. Always a story with that couple. For two betas, they really could cause a riot.
Louis yawned, eyes half shut as he slouched in the bean bag chair, zoned out to whatever Niall was banging on about.
“Lou, Louiiiiiis, oiiiii!”
Louis snuffled.
“Yeah, mate?”
“I’m not that boring, am I?” Niall asked, laughing.
“Sorry, lad. I was sleeping until I heard my phone ring, and now I’m talking to you.”
“Well, I’m doing most of the talking.”
Louis rolled his eyes, even though he knew his mate couldn’t see him.
“Are you coming out with us tomorrow night?”
“I dunno. I’ll probably make myself shuffle down to the library tomorrow. There’s less than two weeks left until exams. I still have so much info to sort through.”
“Give yourself a break.”
“Well, I was napping though. And, besides. I’m on a deadline now. I can feel the pressure.”
“All the more reason to let yourself lose a little, eh?”
“I’ll think about it,” Louis hedged.
“There’s a good lad.”
Louis rolled his eyes again.
“Goodnight, Niall.”
“Yeah, yeah. Goodnight Tommo.”
Louis smiled as they ended their call. Always nice to hear Niall’s voice. Niall had been his oldest friend and college had kept them busy. It didn’t matter that they went to the same school. Louis was always busy with studying or sleeping. Niall was almost always with Zayn. Attached at the hip they may as well be.
Louis turned on his electric kettle and made himself a cup of chamomile tea. He had accidentally skipped dinner and didn’t feel like rousing up anything to eat. The winter chill made him move slowly, and as he was less active, so was his appetite. His room was thankfully warmer than the outside and the cup of tea warmed him from the inside as he sat up in bed gazing at his fairy lights.
-
The glow of the sun roused him from sleep the next morning. His stomach grumbled.
“Alright, alright,” he murmured.
Reluctantly, he got out of bed and headed to his ensuite. He was so happy to have splurged a bit for his deluxe dorm room. He had gotten a rather good scholarship and ended up not having to pay too much out of pocket for his yearly tuition. On the way to his bathroom, he made a pit stop at his pile of belongings, his phone on the floor near his coat. He pressed the power button to turn on his screen, and realised it was dead. He also never remembered to charge the damn device either. Sighing, he plugged the phone into the wall outlet closest to the bathroom. Once, it had charged enough, he was able to open his music app. He clicked on his calming morning playlist, disrobed, and started his shower.
He only used his phone for Niall, or his family, other than music playlists and occasionally checking his emails.
After a nice long relaxing shower, he got out of the warmth and onto his fuzzy bathmat, shivering until he wrapped his terrycloth robe around him.
He switched his playlist and decided what to wear to breakfast. Another thing he disliked about winter, it was just that much harder to plan a cute outfit when he was too worried about freezing to death. Deciding to be comfy casual this morning, Louis went with his favourite bright pink sweats, his warmest knitwear, a white sweater with the most gorgeous pattern. He threw his trusty coat on top, grabbed his gray beanie, almost forgot to chuck his phone into his bookbag and headed off to the café.
Louis loved the café on campus. Unlike the cafeteria, it did not have those awful brightly fluorescent lights. Instead, here the ambiance was softer, lots of windows, tables, and comfy corners to sit in. He ordered his food and sat down in a cosy-looking corner near the window, perfect for people-watching and daydreaming, and most importantly, away from the entrance doors and any blasts of cool winter air.
Louis shrugged off his jacket, and investigated his pockets for his phone, before remembering it was in the depths of his bookbag once again.
What he did find hiding in his pockets was a small white piece of paper.
He was puzzled for a moment before he remembered what it was from.
“Hmm,” he pondered aloud. What a curious thing. What in the world was an alpha heater?
Louis enjoyed warmth more than anything else, especially in the wintertime, but had never heard of such a thing. He texted Niall.
Do you know wtf an alpha heater is???
An alpha… heater??
Yeah, mate. I saw a flyer advertisement the other day with a phone number and not much info.
That’s a strange way to get a date
I’m not looking for one
No the ad, u dolt
You are absolutely no help, Nialler.
Come over and we’ll discuss
Fine, but not too long. I have to study.
Niall sent a rolling eyes emoji in response.
“Rude,” Louis muttered aloud.
He tucked the paper back into his coat pocket, threw his belongings back into his bookbag, threw his breakfast trash away and trekked over to Niall’s.
“You should call the number,” Zayn said.
“What does one even say?” Louis asked.
“Well, give me the number and I’ll put the call on speakerphone,” Niall replied.
“Better use your own phone, then,” Louis quipped.
“Alright, you twat,” Niall replied, typing into his keypad.
The phone rang twice and then picked up.
“Niall! Hey mate, what’s going on?” a deep voice boomed.
“Harry! What’s up, mate!” Niall replied.
Louis looked on confused and Zayn covered his mouth with his hand, trying to hold onto his laughter.
“Listen, mate. Maybe I’ve dialed the wrong number, but you don’t know anything about an alpha heater, by chance?” Niall asked.
“OH! Yeah, no. You’ve dialed the right number. Did you see my ad?”
“Your ad? No chance, but my mate here, Louis, got your number from those little pull strips.”
Louis was staring daggers at Niall.
“Louis? Have him on then! And Zayn, please don’t suffocate yourself trying to hold in your laughter. We’d all miss your Greek god looks if you perished.”
Niall cackled and Zayn let out a huge breath, dissolving into giggles. Louis scoffed. Some friends he had.
He didn’t know the Harry from the ad, would be that Harry.
Harry was in the year behind them. Louis, Niall and Zayn, all a year older than Harry. Therefore, they didn’t have many classes or activities in common. And to top it all off, Harry was a frat boy alpha. Louis strongly disliked frat boys.
Louis sat there, arms crossed over his chest and regretting every decision he ever made.
“So, Louis, you’re inquiring about an alpha heater, then?”
“Well, I didn’t know it was your ad, did I?” Louis replied, all snark.
Niall and Zayn sat there, cuddling and giggling amongst themselves, with Harry the enemy on the speakerphone between them.
Louis didn’t have anything against Harry, per say, but he was staunchly against frat boys, so he hardly gave him any chance. Of course Niall was friends with absolutely everyone. Louis rolled his eyes.
“Mate, I have to know what the heck an alpha heater is,” Niall asked.
“Well,” Harry hesitated, “me.”
“You?” Louis asked.
“Yeah, you interested?” Harry replied, smirk evident in his voice.
“As if,” Louis scoffed.
“Okay, okay, wait. You’re selling yourself?” Zayn asked.
“Just my body heat…which is obviously attached to me...so I guess so?”
Niall laughed.
“Where do you come up with this shit, mate?” Niall asked, not unkindly.
“Dunno…it’s cold outside and I thought I might make some extra cash.”
“Sounds like a solid business plan to me,” Zayn mused.
“Thanks, man! Do you want in?” Harry asked, jokingly.
“You know I get Niall cuddles for free, my dude. But I know someone else who gets awfully cold in the winter…”
“I’m not cheap!” Niall protested, cuddled up with Zayn, still.
Harry laughed.
“Traitor,” Louis muttered under his breath.
“How much does it cost?” Niall asked.
“I’m not paying for Harry’s body heat. I have enough blankets, thank you very much.”
“Blankets aren’t the same as cuddling, Lou,” Zayn said.
“I dunno… you’re the only one who’s inquired. £10 an hour?”
“I’m the one asking you, mate,” Niall laughed.
“Yeah, for a ‘businessman’ maybe you should’ve thought about the details in advance,” Louis retorted, sarcastically.
“Heeeey,” Harry whined.
“I’ll take it!” Niall exclaimed.
“Excuse me?!” Zayn asked.
“Oh, calm down honey. Not for you. For Lou!”
Harry giggled.
“So, Lou. Your place or mine?” Harry asked.
-
“You guys are the worst. Why am I friends with you?” Louis asked Niall and Zayn as they walked to Harry’s dorm the next day. “I don’t know why I’m wasting my precious studying time on something so ridiculous!” Louis continued, huffing, stomping his boots along the frosty campus grounds.
“You done yet, Lou?” Zayn asked.
Louis rolled his eyes, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.
“Oh, c’mon what’s the harm! You’re always bloody freezing. What’s wrong with a cuddle?” Niall asked.
“I don’t need a stinky alpha to keep me warm,” Louis snarked.
“He doesn’t smell bad for an alpha. I’m sure he showered for you,” Zayn remarked.
“Yeah, Lou. For a frat boy, Harry has incredible hygiene,” Niall agreed.
“At least he doesn’t live in the frat house. There’s no way you’d drag my arse over there,” Louis replied.
“Ah, that’s the spirit!” Niall exclaimed, holding the door to Harry’s dorm building open for Louis and Zayn.
Niall knocked on Harry’s dorm door with the hand that wasn’t holding Zayn’s. Louis just stood to the side, scowling with his hands in his pockets.
“Hey! Come on in!” Harry invited.
Zayn followed Niall and Louis reluctantly followed Zayn.
“See, it doesn’t smell like dirty gym clothes in here, Lou! He even has candles!” Niall exclaimed.
“Fire hazard,” Louis muttered.
“I can blow the candles out. It’s no trouble,” Harry obliged.
“We know you’re a stoner, Harry. Just air out the room every once in a while. You’ve got functioning windows, eh?” Zayn replied.
“Yeah, but I didn’t want to let the cold air in,” Harry shrugged, looking at Louis, whilst replying to Zayn.
“Considerate,” Niall mused.
Harry smiled.
Niall rummaged around in his pocket, pulling out a fifty-pound note.
“Here you go, mate,” Niall said, handing the money over to Harry.
Harry’s eyes widened.
“I’m not staying here for five hours!” Louis exclaimed, astonished.
“It’s just payment in advance, and besides I didn’t want to break it, s’easier this way.”
Louis rolled his eyes.
“Thanks, mate!” Harry told Niall sincerely. “Don’t worry, Lou. You can stay as long as you’d like. Promise I showered!”
“You don’t get to call me Lou. We are not friends,” Louis said petulantly, arms crossed, scowling. Harry’s face fell, his eyes downcast.
“See, told you he showered,” Zayn remarked, making a smile appear on Harry’s face again.
“Be nice to my friend, Louis,” Niall warned.
“Yeah, yeah,” Louis replied.
“There’s a good lad,” Niall said, clapping Louis on the shoulder.
“Have fun kids!” Niall exclaimed, swinging Zayn’s arm in his making him giggle.
“Bye, lads. Behave,” Harry told them with a wink.
Niall chuckled and shut the door behind him as they left.
“Bed or couch? Want a cup of tea? You can take your coat off if you want. Or leave it on if you’re still cold. I hope it’s not cold in here. I do tend to run a little warm, alpha senses y’know,” Harry rambled.
“It’s fine,” Louis replied, shrugging off his jacket and sitting on Harry’s couch.
Harry sat next to him but not too close, he was wearing a loose-fit tee and some sweatpants that looked well-loved and comfy.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. We can just watch a movie if you want. We can order food if you want? I can afford that thanks to Niall,” Harry laughed, a bit awkwardly.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Okay.”
They sat in awkward silence.
Suddenly, the lights flickered and they were plunged into near darkness. The sun was setting quickly behind the windows.
“Shit!” Harry exclaimed. His phone lit up beside him, and he read from it. “Power’s out.”
“Yeah, can tell that much,” Louis replied.
Harry chewed on his bottom lip.
“Says it will be back on in a couple hours at the most. Well…”
Louis sighed.
“I might have a flashlight somewhere; you can use it. I’ll help you walk back to your dorm if you want.”
“No use in going out in the frigid cold if I don’t need to.”
“Yeah, probably safer.”
“Alright then,” Louis said, rubbing his hands together, “let’s see what this is all about. How soft is your bed?”
-
Louis woke up in the warmest bed he’s ever known. Did he buy a weighted blanket? Do they even make heated weighted blankets?
He snuffled and shuffled back into the warm, surrounding him. The warmth got tighter around him. Curious, he thought. The warmth shuffled closer, and he felt breathing on his neck and a vague presence of pressure against his lower back.
The warmth made a noise. Louis opened his eyes. This wasn’t his room. It took him a moment to recollect what had happened. He was so comfortable his mind did not want to process a single thing. He wasn’t in his room, but he didn’t feel unsafe. Curious, he thought again. The warmth, Harry, he knew, made another noise.
“Harry,” Louis whispered.
Harry made a pitiful noise, snuffling in closer, if that was even possible at this point. They were melded together almost, like their bodies fused into one - with clothes on, thank you very much - but Louis had to admit, even just to himself, how incredibly warm he was. Louis loved being warm.
“Harry,” Louis said, voice a bit louder.
“Mmph,” Harry replied.
Louis tried to get up on his own, but Harry was really and truly wrapped around him like an octopus. Louis sighed. It’s not like he wanted to leave the warmth, but his bladder was getting more persistent.
“Haaarrryyyy,” Louis sang.
“Whaaaaat,” Harry whined.
“Lemme up.”
“No,” Harry said, petulantly.
“We’re so not close enough for watersports, mate.”
Harry laughed, loosening his grip and making it possible for Louis to get up.
Once out of bed, he shivered as he found his way to Harry’s ensuite. Thankful that Harry also had a similar dorm set up to his own.
Louis came out of the bathroom to see Harry with two cups of tea on an end table next to the couch.
“Tea?” Harry asked.
“Thank you,” Louis replied, relishing the warmth in his hands.
The power was back on of course, since it was now the next day. Louis couldn’t believe he slept through the night like that. Thankfully, he didn’t have class Monday mornings.
“Guess I owe you more money,” Louis joked.
“We can call it even if you go on a date with me,” Harry replied, not at all joking, but with a playful smirk on his face regardless.
“I will kill Niall and Zayn,” Louis muttered.
“Please don’t,” Harry laughed. “I promise this isn’t a set up.”
“Well, I do know a café and I’m hungry, so,” Louis shrugged. “Guess you could call it a date if you’re paying.”
“Still got Niall’s money, don’t I?” Harry asked, jokingly.
-
“Can I hold your hand?” Harry asked as they walked to the café.
“Only because it’s freezing and I know your hands are warm,” Louis replied.
“What about when it’s spring? Can I still hold your hand then?” Harry asked.
“We’ll see,” Louis replied.
There was a smile on his face, and his cheeks were rosy, whether that was from blushing or the winter cold, Louis wouldn’t tell.