Chapter Text
- 10 years old.
Louis was bored.
There was nothing more boring than going to the Christmas market with his mum.
Wait, no.
He loved his mum.
He really, really did.
She was the best Omega he knew.
She was warm, she was strong, she smelled like cinnamon and like constant Christmas.
Louis smelled like her actually, like vanilla and cinnamon.
She called him her little Christmas cookie.
The blue-eyed Omega scrunched his nose at the thought.
Point was?
He loved his mom.
But he had been so close to winning the level of his very last video games when she had barged into his room earlier, claiming he needed some fresh air and to leave his bedroom for a bit.
It was Sunday.
SUNDAY.
Why would he leave his bedroom on a Sunday?
So yeah,
Louis was kinda sulking.
“Do you want a hot chocolate, my little Christmas cookie?”
Louis’ ears perked at that, a smile threatening to break his face.
When he looked up to his mom, he saw she was already smiling, eyes fond and loving.
Okay, Louis loved his mum.
He really, really did.
“Maybe.” he said, not wanting to show her she had been right just yet.
An amused look crossed her face.
“Do you want to go pick them up on your own while I find a table for us?”
Now that made Louis smile.
He loved doing things on his own like a grown up.
“Really?” he beamed and she laughed, walking closer to stroke his hair.
“Really.” She took some cash and gave it to him. “Straight to the hot chocolate market and back?” she warned firmly. “If you’re not back in fifteen minutes, I’m coming for you and you’ll never see your video games again.”
It wasn’t even a joke.
Louis swallowed, nodding his head quickly.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She laughed, leaning in to kiss his forehead.
“Go then my little Omega, I’ll be around here at a table.”
Louis smiled brightly and ran to the hot chocolate market.
Okay,
So maybe leaving his bedroom had not been a bad idea.
Maybe his mum had been right.
(Maybe.)
လ
There were a lot of people on the line to the hot chocolate stand.
And Louis wasn’t very good at waiting.
He stomped his foot, crossing his arms and wishing for people to just disappear.
“It’s not going to work, you know.” chuckled a voice behind him and Louis frowned, turning around.
A boy around his age was looking at him, wild brown curls and green eyes looking at him like he had made a funny joke.
(He smelled like the smoky scent of a fireplace, if that was a thing.)
(Like Louis’ living room smelled around Christmas when they were all together.)
(Louis tried to subtly smell more.)
(It was warm and intense.)
(Alpha, then.)
Louis rolled his eyes.
“What?”
“Looking at them like you’re playing Zombie Attack and wishing them to just explode out of your way.”
Louis perked up instantly, an excited happy sound escaping him.
“Do you know about Zombie Attack?” he said, beaming so hard it hurt a little.
The boy scrunched his nose, nodding his head.
“Of course I do! Have you finished level 12?” he challenged.
Louis rolled his eyes again.
“I’m stuck at level 14.” he said, puffing his chest a little.
The boy’s eyes widened.
“How did you manage to leave the Emerald City?”
This was seriously the best day in Louis’ entire life.
Hot chocolate and video games.
God, leaving his bedroom had been the best idea ever.
“There is a little trick near the Bridge,” he said, eager to talk about his favourite game. “You know when Emmy leaves us alone to run away?”
“Yep. I tried following her but she’s so fast…”
“Well, actually if you cut by the bridge near the fallen tower then you can catch up to her and she’ll help you leave the Emerald City without being caught by the zombies.”
The little Alpha’s eyes widened.
“OH MY GOD!” he laughed, clapping his hands happily. “THANK YOU SO MUCH!” Louis laughed happily.
“Anytime, mate.”
The boy was still jumping on himself, looking around like he was searching for something and then waved at a woman looking exactly like him a few steps away.
“I’m coming, mum!” he shouted before turning back to Louis, handing him his hand to shake. “I’m Harry, Harry Styles.”
“Louis Tomlinson.” he said, shaking his hand.
Harry smiled again.
“I hope we’ll talk about this more, Louis!”
“I hope so too.”
In one last smile, Harry was gone back to the woman and Louis was still smiling when he noticed the line was gone from the hot chocolate stand.
He took a step closer when-
“Louis William Tomlinson.”
He froze and turned toward his mother, looking exasperated and fond altogether.
“Mum-”
“What is taking you so long?”
Louis beamed, taking her hand and waving their arms between the two of them happily, quickly looking back at Harry leaving.
“I think I found my best friend.”
- 15 years old.
Louis was looking at the hot chocolate stand, waiting for it to open.
God, he loved Christmas.
He was still lost about everything he wanted to do when two warm hands settled over his eyes, a deep voice whispering against his ear.
The smell of smoke betrayed the person before his voice even did.
“Guess who?”
Louis beamed, pushing the hands from his eyes and turning around, pushing at the boy’s chest and chuckling.
“Fuck off, H.”
Harry laughed loudly, that honking laugh he had since they were kids, and then beamed at his best friend.
“Are they done with the stand?” he asked, looking above Louis for a second.
Louis nodded, looking back himself.
“I think so… But it’s not open yet.”
“Are we going to be the first ones there?”
“Obviously.” Louis said, smugly.
They had been the first one there for five years in a row by now, ever since they met there when they were 10 and had met again at school and had become the best of friends.
Harry couldn’t be without Louis.
Louis couldn’t be without Harry.
It was how things were and how they would always be.
Harry chuckled again, wrapping an arm around Louis’ shoulders and moving them to the stand.
“I hate it when you do that.” Louis frowned.
“Do what?”
“Put your arm around me like that.” he pouted, not shrugging Harry off.
The curly young man chuckled and brought him even closer.
“I don’t think you do, actually.” and then, “You’re always cold.” and then he couldn’t help it… “Little Omega.”
Louis shrieked in outrage, trying to move back.
Harry didn’t let him.
Louis didn’t fight too long.
“I hate it.” he pouted, crossing his arms.
(Louis didn’t.)
“Yeah, right.”
“And I hate you.”
(He didn’t.)
“You only hate that I’m taller than you, now.” Harry beamed, smug.
Louis made an affronted noise and did push him away, stopping and waving a warning finger.
“Stop it. You are not.”
Harry raised an unimpressed brow at his best friend, looking at Louis then at himself.
“Lou, you’re not going to be able to stay in denial about this for long.”
Louis scrunched his nose, opened his mouth.
Closed it.
“Fuck off.” he grumbled, starting walking again.
Harry only laughed in answer and then walked back to him, wrapping his arm back around his shoulders.
Yeah,
He was lucky Louis was cold.
(Bloody stupid Alpha.)
18 years old.
Louis was looking at the hot chocolate stand being built when he smiled, scrunching his nose.
“Hi, Haz.”
A soft laugh could be heard, before warm fingers wrapped around his and Louis smiled harder, looking up at his best friend.
“Hi.”
The smell of smoke from a fireplace in winter engulfed Louis and he couldn’t help his reaction when he leant a bit more into Harry, almost feeling how happy the Alpha was.
Harry Styles.
Harry was still his best friend in the entire world.
“It’ll be up soon.” said the curly Alpha, nodding towards their hot chocolate stand.
Louis smiled.
“Yep. Not long till you can stuff your face with hot chocolate, Haz.”
Harry made a small unhappy noise, disentangling their fingers and wrapping a warm arm around Louis’ shoulders.
“You’re the one doing that and you bloody well know it.” he grumbled.
Louis giggled, looking up at his best friend.
Harry was pouting but it didn’t last long when their eyes locked, dimple popping before he rolled his eyes and leant in to kiss his head.
Louis felt warm and happy.
He always felt warm and happy when Harry was near.
And he knew what it looked like from outside.
Knew people were curious and thinking they were more than what they were.
But they were friends.
Best of friends.
Nothing more.
Louis smiled, nuzzling closer to Harry’s warmth.
Yeah,
Best friends forever.
“So, is the Christmas market ready?” asked Niall later that same day, sipping his beer.
They were out with their group of friends, enjoying some free time before they had to go back to school for the last two weeks before the holidays.
Harry straightened happily, his arm still around Louis’ shoulders on their side of the booth.
“Almost.” he said happily.
Their friends were used to them being so close and had stopped making innuendos a while ago now, knowing it was useless.
(Well, they mostly have stopped.)
(Louis was just ignoring them, really.)
“I can’t wait to see you run like children to get the first hot chocolate.” Liam chuckled fondly.
Louis flipped him off.
“It’s tradition!” Harry and Louis said loudly at the same time, making everyone chuckle.
And then Niall said something horrible.
Something dreadful.
(Something that stopped Louis’ heart.)
“Harry might actually want to go with Daniel though, this year.”
Harry tensed, his scent flaring up.
Louis froze, heart hammering loudly in his chest and distress clear on his face when he looked immediately at his best friend.
“Who is Daniel?”
Harry was glaring at Niall, jaw clenched.
“You’re not funny, Niall.”
The Irish man chuckled.
Louis still couldn’t quite breathe.
“Who is Daniel?” he asked again, pressing.
“It’s a very pretty Omega in our social study class.” Niall added, wiggling his eyebrows.
Louis frowned.
He was in that class.
Why couldn’t he remember what Daniel looked like?
“What does he look like?”
“Lou-” tried Harry.
But Louis was looking at Niall, who raised his hands in surrender.
“Your height I think, dark eyes, blond hair and that cute little ass-”
Harry glared.
“Shut the fuck up, Niall. I’m serious.”
Niall shrugged, unbothered as ever.
(Perks of being Niall, Louis supposed.)
“Who is Daniel?” he started again, starting to press against Harry’s shoulders again and again in a way he knew would annoy the Alpha enough to make him pay attention to Louis.
Harry swallowed, glaring at Niall one last time.
“No one.” he shook his head.
Louis didn’t like that reaction one bit.
Harry was blushing.
Why the fuck was he blushing?
(Louis’ inner Omega got up in his chest, pacing.)
(Who was Daniel?!)
The Omega moved back from Harry, crossing his arms and feeling something very hot rushing through his veins.
“I see.”
Harry’s green eyes widened and he tried to reach for his arm but Louis got up, glaring at him.
“Lou-”
“I’m going to the bar.”he said, with his nose in his air. “Alone.”
He didn’t care.
Why was Harry keeping a secret from him?
They were supposed to be best of friends.
He heard a bit of what happened next as he got up and left to the bar.
Harry was mad.
Furious, even.
“Is it supposed to be funny?” he nearly growled and Zayn's voice rang clearly.
“Indoor Alpha voice, Harry.”
Louis still walked away.
It must have been five minutes later and Louis smelled him before he could see him.
“Go away, H.”
Harry groaned, leaning in so one of his arms was caging Louis against the counter, tilting his curly head and looking for Louis’ eyes.
“Are you going to be mad at me all night?”
He sounded way too smug.
Louis’ cinnamon smell got a bit bitter and he scrunched his nose.
“Fuck off.”
“Lou-” Harry laughed but it was tense.
“Go with this Daniel and see if I care!”
The Omega then tried to make a dramatic exit but Harry seemed to be done with his shit and he grabbed his arm, bringing him back to his chest and holding him close there.
(Louis hated how warm he was.)
“Let go of me.” he tried, a bit muffled and body going pliant.
Harry chuckled smugly.
(Why the fuck was that fucking Alpha so fucking smug?!)
“Yeah, right.”
“I mean it.” and then, “I’ll stomp on your foot if you don’t let me go right this moment.”
Harry chuckled and Louis felt it against his ear.
“I’m sure it would hurt.”
Despite his best efforts, Louis smiled.
“It would.” he murmured, trying to hide his new smile.
(It didn’t work.)
(Harry knew him too well.)
The Alpha leant in, cold nose against his temple as he whispered there.
“I’d never ever go for the first Christmas hot chocolate with someone else, Lou.”
Louis swallowed dryly, snuggling closer.
“You promise?”
Harry nodded before moving back slightly, tilting Louis' jaw.
“I promise.” Blue eyes locked onto green. “Best friends forever, right?”
Louis smiled, scrunching his nose quickly.
“Best friends forever.”
Harry seemed happy, cheeks dimpling too.
Yeah,
Best friends forever.
(And ever.)
The rest of the night was actually perfect.
Harry’s attention had been on Louis - as it should always be, and Louis had been able to laugh and have a good time.
Well…
Right up until this very moment, at least.
He was at the bar fetching some water for Harry - the Alpha could be such a lightweight sometimes, when he felt two smells behind him.
Both Alphas.
Both curious.
One was deep and rich like a mysterious chocolate and the second one was warm and safe like the rain after a storm.
Zayn and Liam.
Louis rolled his eyes, groaned annoyingly and turned around.
“What do you guys want?”
Liam chuckled, shaking his head.
Zayn looked bored.
(Zayn always looked bored, though.)
(Louis suspected it was his thing.)
“Were you jealous?”
“When?”
But Louis knew when.
He was just very tired of having this discussion again and again.
And again.
“Louis. You were jealous.”
Louis rolled his eyes again.
“I’m not having this talk with you again.” he said, popping his hip. “I’m not in love with Harry. Stop projecting your bullshit on us, it’s borderline parasocial relationships, you know.”
Zayn groaned painfully and Liam sighed, patting his shoulder.
“I know, buddy.” he said, turning his attention back to their Omega friend. “So you wouldn’t mind if he was dating, would you?”
Louis perked up, frowning.
“Harry is dating?”
Liam’s eyes were as wide as they could get.
Zayn threw his hands in the air, making a turn on himself before raising a finger at Louis.
“You’re stupid.”
“Excuse me-”
“Both of you!” he said, patience wearing thin. “And mark my words? You’re going to lose each other.”
And then he left.
Louis only rolled his eyes.
Dramatic Alphas.
(Harry wasn’t dating anyone.)
(He would have told him.)
(Everything was fine.)
Harry sighed happily, bringing Louis to his chest and very clearly about to fall asleep.
They were back at Louis’ place like they always were, in the same bed because this was how things had always been but something was bothering Louis.
He couldn’t let what had happened go.
Was Harry about to replace him?
What would become of them if Harry got an Omega?
Would they stop sleeping in the same bed?
Would Harry go to the hot chocolate stand with his Omega?
Would he stop sharing his warm sweaters with Louis?
Would he-
“What’s wrong, Omega?” Harry grunted, half asleep and sounded like he was frowning.
It was very rare for Harry to call him that, only when he was about to fall asleep.
Louis bit down a sad noise.
“I’m fine.” he lied.
“You smell like a Christmas cookie burning.” he said, bringing Louis closer.
Louis swallowed dryly.
“Are you going to replace me, Harry?” he asked, heart hammering painfully in his chest.
Harry tensed and his own scent dampened, the warm smoke turning a bit to ashes.
“Replace you?” he murmured.
“With your new boyfriend.” Louis said darkly.
Nothing was said for a little while and Harry’s hand found his waist, making him turn around so that their eyes could lock.
Harry was frowning.
“Listen to me, please.”
“Haz-”
“No.” he said firmly, with no trace of hesitation. “No one could ever ever ever replace you in my life.” he said, taking Louis’ hand and holding it against his chest. “Best friends forever, right?”
A tear rolled down Louis’ cheek as he nodded, a shy smile on his lips.
“Forever.”
Harry smiled, visibly very happy about Louis’ reaction.
“You smell like a good Christmas cookie again.” he said smugly.
Louis chuckled, slapping his chest once before cuddling back against the Alpha.
“It’s rude of you to keep bringing up my scent.”
Harry scoffed.
“Shut it. We’re best friends.”
Louis smiled, shaking his head.
“Lou?”
“Yes?”
“Daniel has a boyfriend, you know.” he said softly. “He doesn’t give a shit about me, I promise.”
Louis scrunched his nose.
Yes, the knowledge that that stupid Daniel already had a boyfriend actually helped.
No one was stealing his best friend for now.
Louis could fall asleep.
Everything was alright.