Work Text:
Harry's had a shitty morning. His alarm didn’t go off so he didn’t have time to shower, he chipped his favorite coffee mug, and he got an email saying he was stuck with the literature professor who famously smells like baked beans for next semester. And now he’s running late to work. Fantastic.
He finally pulls into his parking spot just as the store is about to open. The mall where he works has the worst employee parking, but his co-worker/best friend Niall had managed to persuade one of the security guards, Liam, to save them spots right near the front. Though he looked like a big tough guy, Liam was a total sweetheart. He even let them put up little “Build-A-Bear Workshop Staff” signs on their spots.
(Harry thinks that’s because he has a crush on Niall, but he keeps that opinion to himself.)
Parking and throwing open the main doors, he jogs from his car towards the infamous big and yellow “Build-A-Bear Workshop” sign and until he feels his world tilts on its axis. Stopping short and peering into Pup Corner, the indoor playground for little ones to get their energy out, Harry gets overwhelmed with a scent.
Smokey.
Cinnamon.
Alpha.
It’s not like he’s never been affected by a good smelling alpha, but the moment Harry catches a whiff of campfire and spice, the rest of the world fades away. The omega stands staring at the perpetrator facing away from him at a table and is completely frozen. Fluffy short brown hair, a slightly oversized sweater, powerful even when sitting in a chair made for pups.
To make it worse, he has one pup who couldn’t be over two bouncing on his leg, and another crashing into him after going down the slide.
Frankly, it's offensive. Every possible soulmate/romcom storyline is laid out in front of Harry’s eyes.
The alpha turns around and they lock eyes. In that moment they know they’re each other's other half. They’re soulmates. They get married.
Or the slightly more realistic…
The alpha turns around and they lock eyes. He immediately asks Harry out to dinner and Harry gets the pounding of his life. The alpha falls in love and they get married.
Harry’s mind is a cycle of alpha, mate, pups, pretty, alpha, when he's jolted by marimba blaring from his back pocket.
Startled back into real life and whispering curses under his breath, Harry ducks his head and speed walks, not stopping until he’s through the doors and in the presence of his best friend.
“NIALL!” He calls to the omega, semi-manically and a little flushed.
“Well good morning to you too sunshine. Why are you screaming at me? Did you pick up the good coffee from the place I like? Their croissants could use some work but-”
“Ni! I’ve just gone through a life altering experience! Pay attention to me!”
“Yeah, yeah alright," Niall settles in, more than used to Harry's "life-altering" antics. "So, why is my best friend screaming at me at 9:01 in the morning, a full minute late by the way, without bringing me coffee?”
Harry grabs his work apron and after tying it around his back, he slumps against the back counter until his butt hits the floor and looks up sighing. “I think I’ve met the love of my life.”
“Ah, so you saw another James Franco look alike? Or wait, you’re still into the grungy with a heart of gold alpha from the bookstore you went to last week? Which, may I remind you, you know literally nothing about the man except that he was buying a romance book. OH! Did you run into another hipster type coming out of Vans? Because I’m telling you, you can’t trust those guys.”
“No Niall, I'm serious this time. I was walking past Pup Corner on my way in and there was this guy sitting with two pups at a table and I swear I’ve never wanted to bare my neck this much to a stranger in my life. I couldn’t see a mating mark but the kids looked so comfortable with him so they’re obviously his and I’ve never been more jealous of someone I’ve never met for being mated to him. And god, he looked so gentle with them but just had this aura of power and pure alpha about him. So, like I said, I think I've met the love of my life and my life is now subsequently over because we’re never gonna meet again and are destined to be star crossed lovers for the rest of eternity.” Now out of breath, he looks up to Niall like a lost pup looking for help.
“Alright alright, calm down Jane Austen.” Niall looks up towards the opening of the store and starts snickering to himself, which goes unnoticed by Harry as he’s currently in the midst of a crisis. “Was this alpha of yours by any chance wearing a black and white sweater and has light brown hair?”
Harry sighs dreamily, “Yeah. …Wait, how did you know that?”
“Seems like you’re not so star crossed after all lover boy,” Niall says as he nods his head to the front of the store.
Harry peeks over the counter to see, holy fuck. “Holy shit Niall it's him. What do I do?” Harry forcefully whispers as he sees the gorgeous blue eyed alpha walking in, holding hands with both pups. Harry scrambles to stand up, trying to straighten out his work apron and make sure he doesn’t have sweat stains as he looks at Niall worriedly. “I dunno H, your job, maybe?”
Harry glares. “You’re no longer my best friend. I’m promoting Liam.” Niall cackles, walking to the back room singing a little “Good luck with your alphaaa.”
⬺
Louis sees himself as a pretty lucky person. He has a good group of friends he keeps in touch with, has the opportunity to go to a great university, and a great family. It’s just the fact that said family (all NINE of them) drove the seven and a half hour trip from Carson City to get to Los Angeles yesterday. While Dan got to drive the four oldest girls, Louis had the pleasure of consoling two screaming toddlers for at least half of the trip because his mom was driving.
Stereotypically, consoling pups is an omega’s job, but that wasn’t the way Louis was raised. Being the oldest brother while their parents were working meant being the playground protector, but also knowing the most efficient way to clean up a scrape and give a cuddle after a fall.
When the youngest twins were born right after Louis graduated high school, there was no one available to look after them during the day. Lottie and Fizz were in high school, the older twins in middle, and neither parent could quit their job if they wanted to keep making ends meet. So, Louis stepped up.
Jay wasn’t originally very happy with the arrangement and didn’t want her oldest to waste his college years staying home, sure they could figure something out. In the end, they agreed that he would take a gap year (or two) to stay home with the babies and maybe take some community college classes.
Suddenly the life Louis had imagined as a nineteen year old alpha, parties until 3am and pretty omegas, had turned into changing diapers, crying fits, and learning how to make two bottles at once.
Now at two and a half, the twins were ready to go to preschool which meant it was time for Louis to go to college.
Somehow, through lots of singing, bouncing, scenting, and cuddling, they had made it through the trip. Only now, it’s the next morning, his family is leaving tomorrow, and he realizes he won’t see them for the next few months. His solution, of course, was to grab the twins and have one last adventure, leaving the rest of the family to fend for themselves.
(They’re in LA and 30 minutes from all of the shopping anyone could ever need. The girls will be just fine. Dan on the other hand...)
Scrambling to get two toddlers to pay attention to one thing at the same time was almost impossible, but luckily Louis could do it in his sleep at this point. They got to the mall early enough that none of the toy stores had opened yet, so Louis was able to sit and relax while the pups got their energy out.
As 9 o clock hits, he gets up to hold hands with Doris on his left and Ernest on his right, walking through the mall towards the Build-A-Bear workshop. Stopping just before the entrance, he crouches down to be eye-level while speaking to them, meaning this is a Serious Talk.
“Now pups, I know you’re excited about your presents but be good for me once we’re in there, yeah? No running around playing dinosaurs until we’re back at the room-”
“Dinosaurs!!” The twins yell simultaneously, completely missing the point.
“No dinosaurs until we’re back in the room. I need to see you both at all times so make sure to stay by me okay?”
They both nodded dutifully before getting a look at all the stuffed animals in the display case and immediately start wiggling, ready to run in and pick one for themselves.
“Right my little monsters, you ready?”
Beaming, the twins pull Louis into the store with stars in their eyes. Laughing under his breath, he stands up and leads them through the entrance. He starts looking around for someone to help them through the process when his eyes stop on- Oh.
↞
Harry manages to right himself back into a standing position as the alpha and pups get to the counter.
“H-Hi! M’Harry. Anything specific you're looking for?”
“Morning Harry!”
Harry does not whimper at hearing the man of his dreams’ voice for the first time. Well, he makes a very admirable yet failed attempt. He’s doing his best.
“Well, my name is Louis.” He responds, looking down fondly at the littles still holding his hands, “I’m not gonna see these little monsters for a while and figured I could get them each a going away present.”
Torn between swooning and trying to contain his jealousy, Harry mutters, “Can’t imagine your omega is too happy about you leaving your mate and pups.”
“My omega? No, I-”
“Then again of course they’d be fine with it because they’re probably equally as perfect as you if they're your mate and I’m sure you call everyday so they have no reason to be jealous because they know that-”
“Omega. Breathe.”
Flustered at being called out for his rambling, Harry looks up and follows the command as a warm smile comes across the alpha’s, Louis’, face.
Pointing to the pups one at a time, he says, “These are Doris and Ernest, and I didn’t want them to immediately forget about their favorite big brother as soon as he leaves town.”
“Oh. Right. Um- well.” Harry shakes himself out of his stupor and tries, as difficult as it is, to talk to the pups and go back into professional mode for at least 30 seconds.
“Well, little loves, once you pick out your stuffies we can go put in their hearts, yeah?”
Doris and Ernest look up at him smiling, completely unaware of his emotional turmoil, and follow him to the giant selection of bears, dragons, and unicorns to pick them out. Niall had come back out at some point, Harry couldn’t tell you when, and took over with the kids to help them pick out what they wanted while giving Harry a pointed look and glancing over at Louis.
“Niall! These are Doris and Ernest-”
“I’m Ernie, this is my sister Dori,” The little boy interrupts.
“Right. These are Dori and Ernie and they're here to find a forever friend. Do you think you could help them pick something out?”
“Well! What is it that you two like? We’ve got bears, of course, and monsters, cows, bunnies, axolotls if you like those…”
Harry turns back around knowing Niall has his whole spiel worked out and turns to find Louis smiling back at him.
“Harry, was it?”
“Oh! Mhm. Yup, that’s me”
“Well, I was told by your very informative sign up front that there’s a way to put in a voice message? Would I be able to record something for each of ‘em?”
This boy is making it incredibly difficult not to swoon. “Yeah of course! If you follow me…” Harry says as he leads them around to another section of the store.
“I’ll hold down the button to record, you say what you want to be on it, and then I’ll put them in the stuffed animals paw. Whenever the pups press the button, it’ll play the recording. You ready?”
“Ah so you’ll hear what I- Hmpf. Alright this is just gonna be a tad embarrassing, okay? I’d appreciate it if you don’t- well. No getting around it I guess.”
Seeing Louis sheepish brings a whole new level to Harry’s “I’m so in love with you, mate me please?” inner dialogue, but he somehow survives it.
“Pretend I’m not even here. I once had a kid just say “fart” ten times into the recording, but he seemed pleased about it, so. I’ve heard it all.”
Louis giggles, giggles, and takes a deep breath. “Ready?”
“Mhm! Start whenever.”
Harry was decidedly not ready.
Louis starts singing, another thing about this ridiculously perfect alpha he could have never expected.
“Little darlin’, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darlin’, it feels like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, do-do-do-do, Here comes the sun and I say. It’s alright-”
And Harry. Well.
Louis looks up looking all kinds self-conscious and perfect. “Well that’s one yeah? Could I do the other?”
It takes an incredible amount of work for Harry to make his bones start moving again. “Right! Yeah! That was amazing. Didn’t know you could sing.”
“Lots of things you don’t know about me yet.” Louis somehow has the audacity to wink, and then starts recording the second message.
“Hi little love- I know I’m not there right now, but if you give this a big hug for me I'll be able to feel it wherever I am and send it right back. I love you and I'll see you soon.”
Harry hits stop on the recording. “These are lovely. I’m sure they’ll love them.”
“Ah thanks. Dori always cried as a baby and somehow The Beatles were the only thing that could calm her down so that one just kinda stuck. And Ernie pretends he’s a tough guy to everyone else but loves a cuddle, so-”
Louis' explanation is cut short by the two pups themselves who run over with Niall trailing behind them, holding two stuffies.
“After lots of very serious deliberation, these two have decided on a triceratops and a carnotaurus.”
Ernie pipes up, “Because Achoo taught us to play dinosaurs! See look! Rawrrr!”
Louis, looking all kinds of touched, hugs them both and kisses the squealing pups each on the head.
“They’re perfect. Shall we get them stuffed up?” He looks over his shoulder. “Harry, will you lead the way?”
“Yup! If you’ll just- ” His voice comes out an octave higher than normal to compensate for the effect Louis has on his internal organs. Coughing, he continues, “follow me.”
Niall laughs under his breath, the bastard, as he hands the stuffies to Harry and goes to help a new customer who just entered the store.
Harry crouches down so he’s eye level with the pups. “Now this part is very important. These are your stuffed animal’s hearts!” He holds out two small cotton hearts. “I want you to hold this close to your heart, close your eyes, and make a wish. Fill it with lots and lots of love, and then it will go inside your stuffie. That way they’ll always know how much you love them, and they’ll help to make sure your wish will come true.”
Unbeknownst to Harry, Louis' protective instinct around the twins melts and fades just a little bit more as the wonderful omega in front of him continues to talk to them. Louis always has to be careful when the pups are around. He doesn’t date around or flirt with random omegas as much as an alpha his age is known to do.
Staying at home to help his family had become a first priority, and finding an omega was always on the back burner. He had the idea that once he was off at school it would be more likely to find someone, but he didn’t think someone this loving, albeit adorably anxious, even existed. Somehow this curly haired omega had changed his entire perspective, and it wasn’t even noon.
“So what we’re gonna do now is I’m gonna fill them up with all this fluffy cotton so that they’re nice and huggable, and then I’ll close them up so they’re ready for adventures, okay?”
Dori and Ernie look reluctant that the huge machine in front of them is going into their stuffed animal.
Ernie takes a step forward, “Will it hurt them?”
“Not at all! See right now, they’re very soft but if you try to hug them they aren’t very cuddly are they?”
The pups try, then shake their heads. “No.”
“Well that makes them sad. They want to be cuddly and full so when you hug them they can hug you back! Does that make sense?”
Ernie looks very serious as he nods. “This make him happy?”
“Yes, this makes him very happy. And I have a feeling after they’re all full they’ll be great for a cuddle. Shall we try?”
After getting approval from Ernie, Harry picks up the carnotaurus and begins working the stuffing machine. One after the other, both stuffies are filled, hearts included, and sewn up. Harry was able to put in the speakers without the twins noticing to be a nice surprise when they squeeze a paw.
“Alright! Are we getting any accessories? There’s a t-shirt that says ‘I’m dino-mite’ which is a personal favorite, plus it's on theme.”
Ernie and Dori look up with big eyes that Louis' heart just can’t say no to. “You can each choose one thing, okay?”
As the twins scamper off, Louis looks back at Harry. “Dino-mite? Really Harold?”
“Hey! I’ll have you know my dinosaur puns are t-rexcellent.”
Louis tries to look at him disapprovingly but can’t help the fond smile that makes his way to his face.
“So, you come here often? Well, not here here because you work here, obviously, but the area, I guess? Or, sorry. That was horrible. I don’t, um-”
Harry jumps at the urge to save the very pretty boy in front of him. “No! It was alright. I, uh… yeah, I work here, but this is just my summer job. I’m… well I’m originally from Sacramento but I go to school at UCLA so, close enough, I guess.”
“Oh! I start there this semester! What are you majoring in?”
“Oh, cool! Well I’m still technically undecided. I have to choose by the end of this year but maybe working with kids? Mainly I just want to do something that helps people, y’know?”
Louis smiles warmly back at him. “Yeah, you seem the savior type with the angelic smile and whatnot.”
Harry can’t see himself, but he’s sure his face reddens by at least two shades. “And what about you?”
“Ah, well I’m in education at the moment but looking to minor in drama or something like that.”
“You’d look great in a spotlight. The lead role in every production I’m sure.”
The tips of Louis ears go a bit red, not used to compliments outside his mom. “Hah, thank you. What are you-”
Harry’s left guessing what the end of the question is going to be as the twins come back up. Doris’s dinosaur has a rainbow tutu and Ernie’s is in a classic red t-shirt.
“Look Achoo!” Doris lifts her arms in an attempt to make Louis pick her up so she can show him her choice more easily.
“Great choices, my little monsters.” He looks back at Harry. “Are we all set?”
To go on a date tonight? Yes, absolutely.
“Just about! Last thing they need is a name and certificate and they’ll be all set to go home.” Harry crouches down to talk to the twins. “What do you want to name them?”
Leave it to a pair of two and a half year olds to melt Harry’s heart into a pile of goo.
Ernest looks to his brother, “LouLou!”
Not to be outdone, Doris pipes up, “No mine’s LouLou!”
Harry looks up to see Louis’ eyes a little shinier than they were a moment ago, obviously touched that the twins would name their stuffies after him. Suddenly bombarded with flashes of how the alpha would look with their pups, Harry has to shake his head out to focus.
“I came up with it first! This one’s LouLou!”
“But I want it! It’s mine!”
Trained in preventing sharing meltdowns, Louis scoops up both pups and kisses both of them on their heads.
“How about this- they can both be LouLou, yeah?”
Oh my god you’re perfect.
The pups nod and seem to accept Louis' solution. Harry is able to fill out the rest of their certificates and start to ring them up before-
“Achoo?”
Harry looks up from the computer to see Doris hugging her stuffie with tears in her eyes, looking at her older brother.
“Oh darling, what’s wrong? What happened?”
“Not Achoo cuddles. Doesn’t smell like you.”
And because Louis is perfect and wonderful and beautiful and just about everything Harry has ever wanted in his life, he grabs both stuffies and starts to rub them on his scent glands. His scent is broadcasted out just a little bit more to calm the pups and Harry loses the ability to speak.
Louis' scent feels like home. There’s a woodiness from a campfire spiced with nutmeg and ginger for warmth and-
Oh shit.
He smells the alpha’s amplified scent and tries his goddamn hardest not to leak slick at work, but does end up quietly whimpering a bit. He’s hoping Louis won’t notice. But the way Louis' head looked up and meaningfully tilted tells him he absolutely did.
“Alright well your total comes out to 56.80. Will you be paying with cash or card?”
“Card please,” Louis looks down at the pups who are now happily snuggling their Louis-scented stuffies. “This is how you know I love you, little monsters.”
With stuffies in their little cardboard houses and a receipt in Louis' hand, Harry prepares himself for the heartbreak of never seeing the most perfect alpha again.
Louis is almost at the door when he turns the pups around and walks back to the counter. “I know this is kind of forward of me but, um, can I see you again?”
Harry short circuits.
“Oh,” is what he ends up saying, which is significantly better than his immediate reaction of “bond me immediately please” so he counts it as a win.
“Oh?”
“Oh, shit, I mean yes! Yes, please. That.. um.” He’s sure his eyes are sparkling with hope as he begins to nod furiously. “Yes. I would like that. Very much. Please.”
Louis just ducks his head and smiles as he pulls out his phone. “Do you wanna put your number in or do you want me to give you mine?”
“Gimme. I’ll give you mine.
Harry types in his number and adds a bear emoji next to his name before texting himself. “I hope I’ll hear from you soon?”
Louis nods, “Promise.”
↞
L: hi harry! this is louis- how was the rest of your shift?
H: hi louis!! it was okay… no other handsome alphas asked for my number :(
L: well that feels like a crime
L: although i can’t say i mind being the only one
H: how was the rest of your day with the pups?
L: [image attachment] considering how hard they passed out as soon as we got back i’d say pretty damn good
And then it got into…
H: twenty questions. go.
L: favorite color?
H: boring question!
H: ...blue
L: well then you ask the questions!
H: its the apocalypse. you have to find a central meeting point. your options are walmart, target, or a movie theater. what do you choose
L: i mean ideally there’d be a mcdonalds on this list
H: louis !!!
L: i dunno h. movie theater? endless entertainment
H: note to self: never let louis be in charge during the apocalypse
Which of course led to…
H: would you have still asked me out if i was a worm
L: ???
H: :(
And so on.
L: morning haz :)
H: gmorning!!
It’s been two weeks since meeting his ‘doesn’t know it yet but the love of his life’ alpha and Harry is dying.
Louis texts him good morning and good night every single day. They update each other if something funny happens and they even have each other’s class schedules. Harry sends pictures of his morning smoothies and Louis makes fun of him for the amount of books he keeps buying even when he has 7 unread ones taking up space on his bookshelf. They flirt, they have chemistry.
So why hasn’t Louis asked him out yet?
Pacing his room with his texts open in his hand, he bites the bullet. Screw waiting for alphas to make the first move.
H: will you go to dinner with me tonight?
Sent.
Harry looks at the delivered message and the spontaneous adrenaline rush crashes, making him realize he just asked Louis out.
He just asked Louis out.
Harry continues pacing in circles, slightly faster this time while muttering to himself.
“What if Louis isn’t the type of guy who likes omegas making the first move?”
“What if he was planning on asking me out anyway but I ruined it by asking first?”
“Is it too obvious that it’s a date? Maybe I can save this and make it a casual hang out?”
“Oh my god what if he’s on a date with someone else right now?”
“What if when he-”
His panicked rambling is cut off by the sound of his phone ringing, Louis’ name at the top of his screen.
Fuck.
Harry grimaces as he answers. “H-Hi?”
“Hi. So, yes. To dinner. And I was also hoping to clarify that this is a date? Because if it’s not and I’ve misread this, then that's totally okay. But if it was a date, that would also be very okay.”
Harry forgot how lovely Louis' voice is. Nodding to himself, Harry whispers back, “Can it be a date, please?”
He can almost hear how wide Louis grins. “I’d love to go on a date with you omega. I can pick you up at 7?”
Harry may be floating. He’ll have to get Niall to check when he gets home. “Yes, please.”
↞
Let it be known that Louis is never trusting an Italian restaurant for a first date ever again.
It had started well enough. The restaurant had dim lighting and a candle on every table, jazz music playing in the background. There’s just enough people that there is a hum around them, but they don’t have to strain to hear one another.
After ordering appetizers and drinks, Louis takes a deep breath.
Maybe he’s spent the last two weeks talking to anyone who will listen about the wonderful omega sitting across from him.
And maybe he’s gotten a few warning looks for texting and laughing at said omega’s bad jokes in class when he was supposed to be paying attention.
And maybe he’s been told to grow a knot and alpha up and just “ask him out” a few too many times this week but was worried about coming off too strong and didn’t want to scare said omega away.
Maybe.
Anyways.
He tries to remember that he’s been talking to this boy for the last two weeks, and figures this can’t be that hard. “So, how are you?”
“Good! Good, yeah. Um, how ‘bout you?”
“Yeah ‘m alright.”
Harry looks as nervous as Louis feels, which is at least a little comforting.
“How are you feeling after the first week of classes?”
“Mm, good yeah. Plus, they’re all required, so.”
“Ah, right. That’s good. Good.”
“And yours?”
“Yeah, they’re alright. Nothing too bad.”
“Oh good. Good.”
The silence hangs in the air for a few too many seconds before a waitress saves them, putting down Harry’s mozzarella sticks and Louis’ bacon brussel sprouts.
His alpha peeking up at the idea of being able to take care of the omega, Louis thanks the waitress and speaks again. “I know you prefer healthier choices with your fruit smoothies and whatnot, so I got veggies and thought we could share?”
“Oh, that’s so sweet, Lou, thank you. But I, um, I’m actually a pescatarian?”
“Hm? Sorry, I don’t think I know what that means.”
“Well, It’s kind of like being a vegetarian? I just also eat fish.”
“Ah. So you don’t eat meat. And therefore bacon. Right. Okay.” Louis slumps over a little bit, his alpha annoyed that he couldn’t show how good of a potential mate he could be.
“I’m sorry. Just now realizing that never came up. It’s a very sweet gesture though.”
“No, no, you don’t need to apologize. I never asked, did I?”
Stuck in yet another silence while they eat, Louis racks his brain about how to make any of this better. He already asked about classes, so school is off the table. He could share the funny story about when Ernie- no, he texted it to Harry last week. Asking about music should be safe enough, right?
“So, what-”
“I’m just-” Harry starts up at the same time.
“You go, you go.”
“Oh, I was just gonna head to the bathroom?”
“Alright! I’ll- well I’ll be here.”
Louis tracks Harry’s walk over, and as soon as the door closes behind him Louis pulls out his phone to text his best friend from home, Stan.
L: Stan you gotta help me
S: ?
L: How the fuck do you flirt on a first date without sounding like an idiot
S: try not to sound like an idiot
Louis may need a new best friend.
L: i hate you.
Harry looks slightly less nervous than he did a minute ago as he walks towards Louis. Shaking out his hands, Louis takes a deep breath as the omega goes to sit down. He watches, almost in slow motion, as Harry's arm knocks over his water glass as he goes to sit down, drenching Louis’ lap and sweater in seconds.
Louis' heart breaks when he looks up to see tears welling up in Harry’s eyes, scrambling to get a napkin to try to help Louis dry off.
“Oh my god I can’t believe myself I’m so clumsy I’m so sorry-”
“No don’t worry, it’s-” Louis puts his hand over Harry’s to stop his frantic “cleaning” and laughs hollowly. “This is a disaster isn’t it?”
“What?” There’s a quiet disbelief in Harry’s voice as any remaining anxiety shown on his face is replaced by hurt. “Oh. Um. Okay well I guess I’ll just-” Pointing towards the door, Harry starts to get up and is immediately stopped by Louis’ hand on his arm.
“Wait! No! Sorry sorry no, that’s not at all what I meant. It’s just-” Louis exhales loudly as he decides communicating is probably a better solution than this side stepping anxiety tango they’ve been dancing in for the last 30 minutes.
“We’ve talked for weeks right? And we know we like each other! So why is this so fucking awkward? All I want to do is tell you how pretty you look and kiss you on your doorstep when I drop you off. And you know I haven't done this in a while, but Haz. I just can’t–" Louis huffs and the indecisiveness in his eyes suddenly turns into determination. “We’re starting over.” He takes out a few bills from his wallet, drops them on the table, and grabs Harry’s hand while walking towards the front door of the restaurant.
“What? Lou we’re already here we can’t just– oh okay we’re walking out the door. Got it.”
Now standing outside of the restaurant, Harry looks like he’s reeling. “What’s happening?”
Louis just smiles and puts out his hand.
“Hi. I’m Louis Tomlinson, and I’ve just been on a horribly awkward first date that I’m terrified I’ve completely ruined with the prettiest omega I’ve ever seen in my life. Will you go get ice cream with me and explain to me how a movie theater is somehow the wrong choice to hide in during an apocalypse?”
Harry turns bright red as he smiles and ducks his head, a little overwhelmed by the alpha in front of him. He grabs Louis’ hand and starts shaking it.
“Harry Styles. Incredibly fond of alphas who overtip on awkward dates and kiss me on my doorstep at the end of the night. Let’s go.”