Archive of Our Own ^beta

Louis is a lover of love, in all its forms; between friends, in families, partners, and soulmates, scarce as they may be. Love creates a rich tapestry and blankets those who are fortunate enough to experience it with a warmth and security that encompasses the goodness and purpose of life. It makes people want to risk it all, to reach for the stars, to take a leap of faith for the greatest reward.

He’d always been a bit of a matchmaker, seeing in others what they didn’t see in themselves, so making it his full-time career made perfect sense. He was fascinated by how two people could come together and complement each other, balancing out likes and interests, and building a core foundation of shared goals, desires, and morals. 

If only he could’ve been so insightful and open when it came to his own love life.

He’s had relationships, of course. When he was younger, he’d been so hopeful and eager and sure his soulmate would fall into his lap if he just put himself out there. As a male omega, finding his alpha soulmate was certainly possible, rare as it might be, and he’d always felt bad for betas who would never get that chance. But Louis just always thought he’d be one of the lucky ones. He used to dream about it, about how he’d be swept off his feet and taken over by his inner omegas connection to the perfect alpha. His alpha.

As the years have passed, however, his hope has waned, and at thirty-two he’s all but given up on finding his soulmate. Not that he would ever admit that out loud, of course, and the office he’s about to walk into may have something to do with that.

His morning coffee is warm in his hand and the pastry tucked into his shoulder bag is sweetly calling his name as the silver and black striped awning of Love, Ever After comes into view. The frontage sits proudly on the corner of Wickham and Grove Streets, overlooking the village green with its duck pond and fairy-lit rotunda. When Louis and his business partner Liam had been searching for the perfect location for their franchise, the old toffee store had been an easy choice.

They’d been excited to get up and running, and over the last three years they’ve helped countless singles find their matches; alphas, omegas, and betas alike, and even one alpha-omega soulmate pair which they’re incredibly proud of. Liam looks after the technical side of things, analyzing the information the clients provide and managing the database and accounts, while Louis focuses on marketing and client management. They make a great team, along with their office administrator, Bev, and client liaison Tash, and Louis truly loves coming to work every day. But aside from his colleagues, it’s working with the clients that he really lives for. Even if he can’t find his own match, he can at least live vicariously through their journeys to love.

The chime goes off as he steps over the threshold and into the front office. Tash looks up from the reception desk, tapping the side of her headset to let him know she’s on the phone. He nods her a good morning with a smile and heads down the corridor, past the interview rooms and through to the open-plan office area at the back. The sun is beaming in through the glass atrium to one side, as the wall of water cascades over the tiled backdrop and into the pond below. Two sparrows wash themselves and soak up the morning light, fluffing their feathers and tittering away at each other.

Louis drops his bag at his desk and wanders into the kitchen to grab a plate for his pastry, Liam and Bev are already there, hovering over the kettle.

“Morning, morning,” Louis sing-songs in greeting and they turn in unison.

“Morning, Lou,” they reply.

Louis grabs a plate from the cupboard. “How are we on this fine, Friday morning? Ready to help our wonderful clients find love?”

“Always,” Liam says with a nod and smile. “Got three new clients today, actually.”

The business is doing well, going from strength to strength and exceeding the projections every quarter. They’ve built themselves a good reputation and people come from across the region to avail themselves of their services. Their match rate is one of the best in the country, and their clients seem to really respond to the village atmosphere and personal touch they always strive to deliver.

“Mmmm… I saw them in the calendar. Gonna be a busy day. Two betas and an omega yeah?”

“The omega, Lara, has tried a few other similar services with no luck,” Bev offers. “She’s hoping for a better outcome with us and has opted for the platinum package.”

Their fee structure is simple, tiered into silver, gold, and platinum to designate different offerings with most people choosing the gold package which includes three rounds of matches and all of the analytics. Platinum has the same level of analytics but has up to five matching rounds, and silver has only two.

“Nice. Well, we’ll have to pull out all the stops for her then,” Louis says and takes a bite of his pastry, the wayward flakes dropping onto the plate held under his chin.

“Lara will be here at nine, Louis,” Bev says and heads out of the kitchen with a wave. She’s a lovely woman, in her late fifties, with silver hair pulled back into a high ponytail, impeccably dressed in a mid-calf-length black pencil skirt, cream cashmere jumper, and patent leather black pumps. She runs the office with an ease and efficiency Louis could never manage. Her influence and work ethic is a big reason for their success and Louis is forever grateful that they found her.

The majority of their clientele are betas, which is to be expected. Betas make up eighty percent of the population, with omegas and alphas splitting the remaining twenty percent fairly evenly. Most alphas are males and most omegas are females, but a small portion, such as Louis himself, break the mould. The study of secondary gender and the changes in distribution over time and gene lines formed a big part of Louis’ university studies and he finds it all fascinating. As a male omega, Louis used to think it made him special, but mostly he just feels like an anomaly, like he’s a throwback or a developmental oddity that will be bred out as time goes on.

“Coming for drinks tonight?” Liam asks, startling Louis from his thoughts.

“Yeah, for sure. Looking forward to it. Craig coming?”

“Mmmmm… he’s keen. Niall too,” Liam says as he drops his tea bag in the bin. “Just gotta get these month-end reports out to head office before I finish up.”

“Figures looking good?”

“Yeah. We’re fucking smashing it this quarter. On track for another group record if we keep the momentum up through the next month.”

“That’s amazing, Li. Alright. I’m gonna get ready for Lara.”

“Let’s see if we can find her soulmate!” Liam says and holds up his free hand for a high five. Louis slaps his hand and hopes Liam doesn’t see the hint of sadness in his eyes at his diminishing hope of finding his own soulmate.

*~*

Louis is three pints in, a warm buzz on his skin as he tries to focus on the dartboard on the wall in front of him. He’s not a lightweight, not really, but he’d skipped lunch as a result of his back-to-back client sessions and now he’s feeling the effects. Added to that, his six-monthly heat is coming up soon and that tends to lower his tolerance to alcohol.

He doesn’t mind his heats too much. Sure, they’re inconvenient, having to take time off work, and locking himself away for days on end is pretty annoying, but the heats themselves are alright. As a single omega who chooses not to spend his heats with an alpha, they’re stronger, his body yearning for a knot and doing everything it can to attract an alpha, but his suppressants and heat regulators help to dull the impacts.

After nearly twenty years, he has a fairly good routine for getting through them, but they still suck. The first three days are intense, but the last two aren’t too terrible and he gets to enjoy them, almost. He knows they’d be shorter if he spent them with an alpha, maybe only three days, even shorter if he found his soulmate. There are services he could use, of course, and there are some reputable places that make all the promises in the world about safety, but he’s never felt comfortable enough to try them. Instead, he’ll wait and just cling onto the hope that one day he’ll get to share that for the first time with his own alpha, and maybe even—dare he hope—find his soulmate in the process.

Soulmates. Ahhh the great elusive goal. Current data indicates that the number of alpha and omega soul matches are dwindling more and more with each passing year; increasing populations, more betas, and a societal shift toward accepting alpha-beta, omega-beta, and even alpha-alpha and omega-omega relationships, all contributing to the downturn. Added to that is the challenge introduced with the wearing of scent neutralisers by both alphas and omegas alike, something that has become commonplace in public settings and polite society, and essentially quelling the instincts of the secondary genders. And then, of course, there’s the knockout punch; a soulmate bond can’t be confirmed until the alpha and omega trigger each other’s rut and heat. It’s then sealed with a knot and their soulmarks appear on the insides of their wrists; omegas on their left and alphas on their right - two halves on an infinity symbol that line up to make a whole when they’re brought together.

Louis has seen the pictures, and even seen one in the flesh with their one successful alpha-omega soulmate match, he’s read the stories and yearns for the depth of the soulbond; the knowledge that you have found the one person you’re destined to spend your life with. So even though he faces an uphill battle, he wants that for himself and he knows that nothing will ever satisfy him until he finds it.

He refocuses, the sounds of the pub coming back into his consciousness. He raises his hand and lines up his shot, throwing the dart and managing a double nineteen at the very bottom of the board. It’s a good shot, lucky, but good, considering he was aiming for the bullseye and was scarily close to missing the board entirely.

“Nice one, Tommo,” Niall shouts from beside him, slapping him on the back and jostling the beer held in his other hand. Louis sways with the motion and not a drop is spilled.

Louis shrugs. “Hit the board at least.” He rarely plays, preferring to cheer the other four on from the sidelines, but Niall’s other half, Alex, couldn’t make it so Louis agreed to stand in, completing the foursome. 

“That you did. Good man.” Niall leans in conspiratorially, the Guinness very apparent on his breath. “We’ve got them on the ropes now.”

Craig steps up to the line and eyes his shot, his features fixed in concentration. He releases the dart with a smooth action and narrowly misses a triple on the twenty. He earns a two-handed high five and a peck on the lips from Liam, so it’s a good result. They’re adorable and so in love that it makes Louis smile fondly, even as his heart clenches a little. Both betas, they’d met about a year ago when they were holidaying separately in Portugal. A dodgy laundromat, a malfunctioning coin machine, and a shared distaste for the music being piped in had been the easy openers for their conversation. To their surprise, they’d discovered that they’d grown up mere miles from each other and even knew some of the same people. A week later they were head over heels and after three months, Craig had put in for a transfer at his job to be closer to Liam. Louis is immensely happy for them, but when he heads home at the end of the night, alone, to his dark house, it doesn’t help with the clench of his heart.

Niall saunters up, cocksure and full of bravado, all bony arse and bandy legs and Louis stifles a chuckle behind his hand. He loves him like a brother and has done pretty much since the moment they met at uni. He was blonde back then, funny and whip-smart, and the most quintessentially Irish person Louis had ever had the pleasure of spending time with. That was thirteen years and another world away. Louis is just glad that with the passing of the years, their friendship has grown, solidified, even as they’ve moved into different vocations; Louis as a business owner and Niall as a music teacher at the local school. He’s a good egg and Louis loves him quite a lot.

Niall takes his shot and nails the bullseye, letting out a triumphant roar, spinning around, arms raised in the air, fist balled and head thrown back. Louis hears groans from behind him as Liam and Craig acknowledge their loss. 

“Fucking cunning Irish cunt,” Craig adds. 

“Awwwww… don’t be a sore loser, Craigie,” Niall chides smugly. “Not your fault you’re in the presence of greatness.”

“Whatever, man,” Craig huffs and then smirks, pinching Niall’s nipple and earning an indignant squawk in response before heading back to their booth, Liam dutifully in tow.

“Beer?” Louis asks and Niall gives a small whoop, rubbing at his chest.

Louis wanders over to the bar, giving Adam a nod, and he knows them well enough to start pouring their round without him having to ask.

“How's your week been, Louis?” Adam asks as the amber liquid starts to fill the pint glasses.

“Good thanks, Adam. You?”

“Can’t complain. Same old, same old,” Adam says with a shrug.

“You come here often then?” A man’s voice asks from beside him. Louis tenses. He can already tell before he turns that he’s not going to be interested and he dislikes the awkwardness of these types of interactions. As an omega, his scenting abilities are well developed, and he knows that this person isn’t an alpha. Whilst alphas and omegas wear scent neutralisers so their particular scents are masked, all neutralizers have a distinct smell, sort of an underlying metallic odour, and it is easy to spot with his heightened senses.

Louis glances to his right, pasting on a polite smile but ensuring that his body language sends a clear message. “Yeah. You could say that.”

The man seems undeterred by Louis’ response, his beta status confirmed by his physical appearance; average height, albeit on the shorter side, with a solid build probably earned from many hours spent in the gym. He’s quite attractive, objectively speaking, with dark hair and brown eyes, his tanned skin hinting at an outdoor lifestyle. He rests his hip against the bar as if to settle in for a longer conversation than Louis is prepared to have. “I’m Finn. You work around here?” 

“Uhm… yeah. Not far.” Louis doesn’t want to be rude, but he also doesn’t want to give this guy any kind of indication that there’s a chance for him either. 

“No name then?” Finn asks when Louis doesn’t offer it up.

Adam sets two pints on the bar with a knowing smirk and goes about pulling the other two beers. He’s witnessed this countless times, beta guys and girls approaching Louis, even another omega one time, and him just batting back their advances. Maybe it’s foolish. Maybe he’s let the love of his life slip through his fingers by dismissing them out of hand based on their secondary gender, but he can’t let go of the hope he has for his future and the partner he wants to spend it with. His alpha. His alpha soulmate .

Louis keeps his eyes on Adam and shifts his weight to his left foot, leaning away from Finn without actually taking an obvious step. “Nah, man. Sorry. Just enjoying a few drinks with my friends.”

Finn slides further towards Louis, apparently unbothered by Louis’ clear rebuff and completely unable to take the hint. Louis can feel Finn’s eyes boring a hole into the side of his face. Normally Louis wouldn’t be opposed to a nice, flirtatious chat, and maybe more if he was in the right mood, but he just isn’t. The three interviews today had kind of taken it out of him. Lara was lovely; a hopeful, sweet omega, eager to find her match and perhaps even her soulmate. Jok, a beta in his fifties, is looking for a new start after his previous relationship had broken down. And Jennifer, also a beta, who has been travelling for the last ten years and is ready to take the plunge and find her forever with someone who shares her sense of adventure. Louis loves the process but it can be exhausting. So tonight he just wanted to come out, have a few too many drinks with his mates, crash into bed, alone, and sleep his Saturday morning away.

Adam sets the other two pints down on the bar as Niall comes up behind him, reaching over his shoulder and grabbing two of the beers. “Come on, Tommo. Liam’s being a wanker. He won’t believe that you danced on the table at that club in our final year when we kicked arse in that pool comp.”

“Right behind you,” Louis says and collects the other two beers. “Cheers, mate. Pop these on my tab, yeah?” He says to Adam and they exchange smiles before he turns to Finn, giving him a nod. “Have a good night.”

“Yeah, you too,” Finn says, looking a bit dejected but accepting that he’s shit out of luck.

Louis follows behind Niall, glad that he can return to his evening and continue with his plans to drink, crash, and sleep in.

~*~

Louis is chatting to a very nice mushroom under a shady tree and it’s trying to explain how the sky works. Something about making sure he dips his paintbrush in the lavender gravy at just the right angle to ensure the tennis balls are removed before he plugs the brush into the light socket. But there’s an incessant buzzing that just won’t stop. Louis swats at the air with his long, orange tentacle to make it go away but he hits the mushroom by mistake, knocking its head off and it crashes to the ground with a loud clatter.

Louis groans, eyes squeezed shut as his dream fades away. The buzzing is still there though, vibrations coming from the floor below him. His phone.

“ Fuck.” Who the hell is calling him on a Saturday morning? Saturday mornings are for sleeping. It’s the rules. He’s going to give this asshole a piece of his mind.

Louis drags himself over to the edge of the bed and reaches down, slapping his palm on the floor until he finds his phone. He picks it up and rolls onto his back, swiping to answer without opening his eyes to see who is on the other end of the line. 

“This had better be a fucking emergency,” Louis grumps, voice gruff as he pulls the blankets up over his head.

“Tommo! Morning sweetums. Up and at ‘em. The Farmers Markets await!”

Louis scrunches his nose and winces at the volume of Niall’s voice. “Stop shouting at me,” he hisses.

“Awwwwww… feeling a bit shit?”

“Fuck off. And what the hell are you talking about? I’m not going to any goddamn markets.”

The words are barely out of his mouth when snippets of the night before drift back into his memory. Oh god. He’d agreed to go to the markets with the boys. His past self is a complete tool.

“Answer your door. I have coffee,” Niall sing-songs, annoyingly chirpy with no hint of a hangover as per usual.

“I hate you.”

“I brought you a pastry.”

And that’s a low blow. Niall knows damn well Louis can’t resist a pastry, especially when he’s hungover. “Is it cheese?”

“Maybe. You’ll have to get up to find out.”

“I truly despise you.”

Louis flings the covers off as Niall hums irritatingly in his ear. He hangs up the call and swings his legs out of bed, a dull ache making itself known behind his eyes as he stomps out of his bedroom and down the hallway. The morning sunshine streams through the living room windows and he squints as the rays reflect off his stainless steel kitchen appliances like laser beams.  

Niall is tapping out a beat on the door that sounds suspiciously like Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive triggering another memory from the night before of him and Niall belting it out at the tops of their lungs, arms slung around each other’s shoulders. 

Louis opens the door and is met with a sparkly looking Irishman leaning against the door jam, a smug smile on his face. “And a good morning to you, too.” Louis goes to snatch the paper bag containing the deliciously smelling pastry but he’s still not firing on all cylinders and Niall pulls it away just in time. “Uh ahhh. Shower first.”

Louis rolls his eyes and gets a painful reminder of his headache. He leans back against the wall to let Niall inside. “You’re a shit friend.”

Niall walks past him and heads toward the kitchen. “I’m a brilliant friend. The best! I brought you food and coffee.”

Louis trails behind him. “Then give it to me and stop being a prick.”

“Shower, then sustenance,” Niall says and sets said sustenance onto the countertop, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. He pops out two paracetamol tablets from a packet that seems to have magically materialised in his hands and passes them to Louis. 

Louis takes them with a small harrumph and swallows them down, finishing the entire bottle of water. “Guess you’re not completely horrible,” Louis concedes and Niall smiles.

“That’s the spirit! Now. Run along and sort out this…” he pauses as he waves his hand around in Louis’ general direction. “Then you can get some food in your belly and have your coffee before we head out.”

“Fine,” Louis says as he heads off to the bathroom.

A ten-minute shower, clean teeth and fresh clothes has Louis feeling surprisingly good. Niall slides his coffee and pastry across the island bench and raises his eyebrows. “You clean up quite nicely, Tommo, all things considered.”

Louis takes a bite of his pastry and talks around his mouthful of food. “What did we even drink last night?”

Niall shrugs. “Everything, I think? Great night though.”

“Reckon I’ll reserve judgement on that until I can actually remember it all.”

“Trust me. We had a blast.”

Louis takes a big gulp of his coffee. “What’s with the Farmers Market?”

Niall smirks. “Was kind of shocked you all agreed, to be honest.”

Louis would swat him with something if he could be bothered. “Liam and Craig too?”

“Mhmmmm… You’ll love it. Fresh air, great food, nice… scenery…”

Louis frowns. “Scenery?”

“You’ll see,” Niall says sagely and Louis doesn’t like it one bit, but it’s clear he’s not getting any more information. “Anyways. We gotta meet the boys in fifteen minutes so finish up!”

“I take it back. You’re a shit friend.”

Niall’s cackle rings out as he makes his way down the hallway and to the front door.

~*~

The markets are buzzing with activity, people wandering about from stall to stall, every type of produce and crafty fair on display. It all creates an appealing feast for the eyes, even if those eyes are firmly hidden behind his sunglasses, warding off the harsh sunlight. Louis had still felt like shit when they’d arrived, but when Craig and Liam had looked up from their spot on a park bench just outside the entrance, leaning against each other and dark glasses covering their own eyes, it had definitely perked him up a bit.

Whilst he was initially irritated at having to leave the comfortable cocoon of his bed and abandon his Saturday ritual of sleeping half the day away, he’ll admit—even if only to himself—that he’s actually really enjoying himself. 

Niall has been flitting amongst the stalls, greeting each of the vendors by name and making introductions as if he’s known them for years, which, let’s be real, he probably has. They’ve all picked up various goods and the tote bags Niall had insisted on buying for them are filling up nicely.

Louis has nabbed some new scented candles, some peanut brittle, a few bunches of green leafy veggies for a stir fry he’s conjured up in his head, and a new porcelain hand soap dispenser for his bathroom to replace the one he broke last week. He’s tried some freeze-dried strawberries, a chocolate brownie, and is currently making his way through a bag of blue and green candy floss with the help of the other boys. All in all, it’s not a bad way to spend a leisurely Saturday morning, not that he’s ready to share that bit of information with Niall just yet.

They pass by a band playing on a raised platform under a marquee, the surrounding bales of straw providing welcome seating for families and couples alike as they eat their food and enjoy a bit of shade. It’s warm today and Louis is grateful he’d gone for easily removable layers when he’d gotten dressed in his bleary-eyed state this morning. He’d topped his jeans and vans with a tank top, a long-sleeved t-shirt and a light zip-up hoodie; the hoodie and t-shirt both now stuffed into his tote.

“Oh! Come on, I want you to meet Hazza. Best cheeses in the whole county,” Niall says excitedly and strides off toward yet another stall.

They all fall in step behind him as they thread through the crowds. Louis had always wondered what the rest of civilization did with their Saturday mornings and it seems as though that question has definitely been answered.

The stall is busy, two-deep and four-wide with customers. Across the top of a white and black cow print awning is a sign proudly emblazoned with black lettering announcing the business name. A Cow Goes. Louis chuckles to himself at the name and they follow Niall’s lead and join the queue under the banner that says Try Me, next to the one that says Buy Me. This Hazza bloke has certainly got a quirky sense of humour. 

Louis stands next to Niall, with Liam and Craig behind, and holds out his open bag of candy floss. “Thanks, mate,” Niall says and plucks off another chunk of the sugary substance, popping it into his mouth.

“So, cheese?” Louis asks to fill the silence.

“Not just any cheese. The best cheese,” Niall says emphatically, bouncing on his toes. Louis should really remember not to feed him sugary things when he’s already in an excitable mood, it’s like not feeding a gremlin after midnight. But it’s more than that, he’s been buzzing all day, clearly in his element getting to share this bit of his life with his mates and Louis decides then and there that this won’t be his last time at the markets. 

“Right. The best cheese,” Louis says as the people in front of them move over to the Buy Me line and they all take a step forward. 

A voice comes over the loudspeakers announcing that the petting zoo is open again after the animals have had their rest time and Louis turns to watch a sea of small children dragging their parents in the direction of the small enclosure to the rear of the markets.

His attention is still on the crowds when Niall grabs his arms and jerks him forwards. He spins around and freezes as his eyes land on the person on the other side of the table, a tingle shooting down his spine. There’s a man. An alpha. Tall and broad, but not beefy. Wavy, almost curly hair on top held back from his forehead by a black and white cow print bandana, a white apron tied around his tapered waist and a black t-shirt with the business name embroidered across the chest.

He’s not looking at Louis, his beaming smile instead directed at Niall, and Louis both wants that attention on him and for the ground to open up and suck him inside in equal measure. 

He slides his sunglasses into his hair now that they’re under the shade of the awning and takes the alpha in properly. He’s stunning, is the thing, and Louis can’t stop staring.

“Hazza, mate. How the hell are you?” 

“Great thanks, Nialler. You?” Hazza, apparently, asks, reaching out his hand for them to exchange some weird bro-pal handshake with about five different moves that makes Louis’ head spin. 

“Awesome as always. Brought some new customers with me today. They’ve got shit hangovers and are in desperate need of your amazing bacon and cheese butties. That’s Liam and Craig,” Niall says thumbing over his shoulder.

Hazza smiles and gives them both a small wave. “Nice to meet you both and we can definitely get you sorted with our speciality hangover cure.” 

His voice trails off as his eyes travel over to Louis, like the world is moving in slow motion, his stance changing ever so slightly as he takes Louis in; shoulders straightening, standing taller, chest pushing out. Louis has seen this so many times before he couldn’t even count them all. Classic alpha posturing. The poor guy probably isn’t even conscious of the fact he’s doing it.

“And this here is Tommo,” Niall offers.

Louis reaches out his hand. “I’m Tommo, or well, Louis actually.”

His hand is engulfed instantly, and there’s that tingle again, stronger this time. Louis blinks a few times, bordering on batting his eyelashes even though he doesn’t do it consciously, feeling a blush start to creep up his neck with the intensity of the alpha’s gaze. Louis tightens his grip trying to regain control of his over-eager inner omega and earns a lopsided smile in return. It’s confident, but a bit goofy at the same time and far more endearing than Louis is willing to acknowledge.

“Hi,” the alpha says on an exhale, eyes widening, a small smile playing on his lips. “And uhm… it’s Harry, actually. I’m guessing Nialler has a bit of a habit for nicknaming his friends,” Harry says with a little tilt of his head in Niall’s direction, never breaking eye contact. His voice is deep, so deep, soothing and calming. It draws Louis in with every word, dripping off his tongue like molasses.

“He does…” Louis smiles and nods as the world starts to fall away, their hands still joined as Harry stares at him; not ogling, not leering, just regarding him, a kindness and assurity in his gaze that hits at Louis’ very core. It’s like Harry is looking inside him, skin and bones no match for the intensity of his stare as he gazes right into Louis’ soul.

Suddenly, Louis can’t breathe, lungs seized as if they’ve forgotten their purpose, heartbeat pounding in his ears and blocking out all other sounds. Harry’s brows furrow slightly as he reacts to what Louis can only imagine is a panicked expression on his face. Louis is about to gasp, or perhaps pass out, when Harry extends two of his fingers out of their handshake and slides them down his wrist, gently pressing the pads against Louis’ rabbiting pulse.

Louis feels his knees start to buckle, a blackness seeping in at the edges of his vision and Harry grips his hand tighter, the concern on his face growing deeper.

It all happens so fast and so slow at the same time. His knees completely give way, gravity taking over and pulling him down toward the ground. Harry, a blur of white and black slips through the gap between the tables and then Louis finds himself cradled against a broad chest, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and waist, holding him up.

His eyes drift closed, feeling circles being rubbed into his back, more hands, so many hands, noise, talking, concern, worry, indecipherable words. His lungs kick back into action, sucking in air, nose buried in Harry’s chest, inhaling Harry’s scent. It’s hidden under his neutralizers, but up this close Louis can smell him, almost taste him; rose, smokey wood and cloves in equal measure and it’s the most glorious thing he’s ever smelled. He whimpers, or maybe it’s a whine, it’s hard to tell. Everything is so heady, his mind a whirling mess of confusion. 

Then he’s walking, shuffling really, being guided somewhere still held in Harry’s arms. He feels like he’s falling until his bum meets a solid surface, Harry’s scent drifting away and he wants it back, wants to let himself slip under the safety of the surface and drown in it. 

Something is pressed to his lips, a bottle, he thinks, and his head is tipped back, the cool water flooding his mouth and flowing into his parched throat. He swallows reflexively, eyes opening and letting the world start to come back into focus.

Niall and Craig are on their knees, crouched before him, worry etched on their faces, Harry standing behind them, biting nervously on his thumb and wearing the same look of concern. There’s an arm around him, Liam’s he assumes, a hand at his waist, holding him up. The buzzing in his ears gradually subsides and the sounds of the market come roaring back. He blinks to clear the fog, a flush rampaging up his chest as embarrassment washes over him.

“Lou, mate. Are you okay?” He hears Liam ask from beside him and he turns and nods. “Here, have some more water.”

Louis takes the offered bottle, gulping down the rest of the contents in one long stream. God. What the fuck just happened?

“Yeah,” Louis croaks. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit woozy. I’m so sorry.”

“Scared us there for a minute, you tosser,” Niall chides goodnaturedly. 

Craig gives him a pointed glare and shoves him onto his arse in the dirt. “Oi!” Niall shrieks and gets up, dusting himself off and turning to Harry who is worrying his lips between his fingers. “Reckon Tommo could do with one of your hangover cure sandwiches right about now, mate.”

Harry doesn’t take his eyes off Louis though, and he can’t help but shrink a little further into Liam’s hold. Louis raises his eyebrows in question and smiles. That seems to do the trick and Harry snaps out of his stare. “Right… Right! Of course. Coming right up,” he says and disappears from view to the other side of the tent.

They make their way back outside and take up spots on a few nearby straw bales, the boys fussing over him, joking and ribbing him mercilessly but all in the name of friendly banter. Niall grabs him another bottle of water and he drinks about half before Harry saunters out of the tent, his big hands holding two paper plates in each.

The others take their sandwiches as Harry hands them out, saving Louis’ for last. He squats down at eye level. “Here you go. Hopefully, this will make you feel a bit better.”

Louis smiles shyly, not quite free from his embarrassment. “Thanks, Harry. Really sorry about before.”

“Nothing to apologize for. Just glad you’re okay.”

There’s such a fondness in Harry’s eyes that it makes Louis’ heart skip a beat, or maybe two or three. He’s never been this affected by someone, an alpha, in his life and he hasn’t really even started to process what’s transpired in the last ten minutes. It’s a little daunting and he’s not entirely sure he’s actually going to be able to untangle the mess that’s in his brain right now.

Harry gives him a small smile and stands, starting to chat with the other boys and they compliment him on their sandwiches. Louis lets himself relax and enjoy his own which is fucking delicious, the cheese binding the rest of the contents together in a congealed wonderland for his taste buds.

They hang out around the markets for a couple more hours, enjoying the sunshine and people watching. Harry wanders by a few more times as he’s visiting with other stallholders and even joins in a quick kick around on the green as the afternoon fades and the crowds disperse. He’s just so lovely. Funny and quirky and hot as fuck and Louis does his best to hold it together, to not melt into a puddle of goo whenever he’s nearby, but he’s not sure that he’s successful.

He even catches Harry looking at him more than a few times as well, which does nothing to discourage the butterflies beating their wings as they try to escape out of his rib cage. 

They eventually make their way back to Harry’s stall just as he’s packing up and if Louis overcompensates for his earlier embarrassing display by purchasing far more of Harry’s cheeses and chutneys and jams than he could reasonably eat, then that’s no one's business but his own.

*~*

“So,” Niall says as they walk side by side on the way back to their houses. “You wanna talk about what happened at the markets?”

No. Hell no. He barely even knows himself so he’s damn sure he doesn’t want to talk about it. He has a sneaking suspicion that it was just his over-eager omega deciding to step up and take the opportunity of snagging a fit alpha in proximity when his heat is coming up soon, but he’s embarrassed enough as it is without talking about it out loud.

“Just got dehydrated I guess,” he replies with a small shrug. “Too much sugar and sunshine or something.”

“Hmmm... alright,” Niall says but in a way that makes it fairly clear he doesn’t believe him. They walk on for a bit in silence and almost make it to Louis’ house when Niall clears his throat. “Hopefully you guys can find Harry a match.”

Louis nearly chokes on his tongue. “W-what?”

It comes out more like a squeak and he really needs to get his shit together. Fucks sake.

Niall glances over, a grin blooming on his face. Bastard.

“Yeah. While you were inhaling your sandwich Liam went into his full pitch. Gave Harry his card and everything.”

Louis’ heart clenches painfully as a wave of disappointment washes over him. Well, fuck. He supposes that’s not a surprise. Why would someone as wonderful as Harry be interested in him anyway? He can’t even manage to stay upright for a goddamn handshake.

“Oh, that’s nice. I mean- Harry, he’s nice. He’d make a great partner for- someone. You know? If that’s what he wants. Like. You know, a partner- match. Yeah. That’s nice,” Louis mumbles incoherently.

Good grief. He swears he used to have a grasp of the English language and speaking in complete sentences. Maybe he really did get too much sunshine.

“Mmmm… that’s what I thought,” Niall says and hip checks him, nearly sending Louis sprawling out on the footpath. “Like I said to you this morning. Nice.... scenery.” He really does know him too well.

“Fuck off. I hate you,” he snaps back and goes to punch Niall in the arm but he ducks out of the way just in time.

They stop outside Louis’ house and Niall leans his elbows on the front fence. Grin fixed firmly on his face. “Should make for an interesting interview process I’m guessing.”

Louis walks up the pathway and slots his key in the door turning back to Niall as he pushes it open. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. Might I remind you that we’re professionals. I’m a professional. If Harry wants to find a match then we will do everything we can to assist him on that journey.”

“No matter where that journey leads him…”

“Exactly,” Louis says with a curt nod.

Niall smirks and raises his eyebrows as he pushes off the fence. “Well. Good luck with that. Catch ya laters!”

With a wave and cackle, he heads down the street and Louis goes inside. He leans back up against the door and lets out a massive sigh. 

“ Jesus.”

He’s so fucked.

*~*

Louis isn’t proud of his actions. Really, he’s not. He’s never been one to shy away from something difficult or challenging, and he prides himself on his professionalism. He takes his job and the work they do very seriously. But he’s also not a fucking masochist, which is why he calls out sick on the day of Harry’s interview.

He knows Liam will do an amazing job and Harry will be in good hands. It’s just, he couldn’t face him. He’s still embarrassed about what had happened at the markets; the way he had reacted to Harry’s presence, and his touch, and the barest hint of his scent. It was mortifying then and the more he had thought about it, the more he’d realised that he couldn’t be objective and keep his reactions hidden if he had to be face-to-face with him, particularly with the sole purpose of finding Harry a match. A match that wasn’t Louis.

It’s ridiculous, is the thing. Harry is quite obviously not interested in him. If he was, then he wouldn’t be availing himself of their professional matching services… to find someone else.

Louis had gone over and over it in his head as he’d moped around his house for the rest of the weekend after their fateful meeting, trying to piece together what had happened and understand why he’d reacted the way he had. He’d resigned himself to the fact that he was attracted to Harry, his inner omega drawn to him like no one else he’d ever encountered, and Harry had seemed interested, at least he’d thought so at the time. But the more he’d dwelled on it and painstakingly relived their meeting over and over again, the more he’d realised that he was probably just a nice guy, concerned for this whimpering fool that had just up and collapsed in front of him. The worry was real, of that much Louis is certain, but then he likely would’ve reacted that way towards anyone. Harry was just a good person, nothing more.

So Wednesday had come and gone, Harry’s interview done and dusted, and his first match found. Louis had poured over Harry’s profile when he’d returned to the office the next day, tail firmly between his legs. Liam had done a brilliant job as he’d known he would, pairing Harry with a lovely omega, Kevin. Louis had done his interview and he remembers him well. He’s a sweet guy with a great smile and a good outlook on life. At twenty-eight, he has a degree in Agribusiness, and after working abroad for the last few years studying food production techniques in Asia, he was back home and looking to settle down. He’s also pretty fit, not that they focus on appearances too much in their profiling, but attraction is, of course, a necessary part of the process.

Harry is everything Louis never knew he wanted. Just turned thirty, with a successful dairy farming business about fifteen miles out of town. His business focused on sustainability and organic production, and clearly he takes great pride in his work. With his focus on building his business, his love life has taken a back seat for a while, but now it appeared that he felt the time was right for him to find someone to share his future with.

Harry and Kevin are a fucking match made in heaven and Louis wants to hurl himself into the sun.

He’s not proud of the fact that he had made a copy of Harry’s video interview for himself, and he’ll admit it’s perhaps erring on the side of worryingly obsessive. But whatever. He’d taken it home to watch in the comfort of his living room and had proceeded to replay it three times.

Alright, maybe he is a bit of a masochist.

In his on-camera interview, Louis had learned that Harry loves his family, his employees and his girls, as Harry had affectionately referred to his herd of dairy cows, reeling off the names of some of his favourites—Petal, Fern, Daisy, Tulip, Iris, Flora, Violet, good lord, could this man be any more endearing?—even though he maintains he’d never let on to them that they weren’t all loved equally. He does this cute little scrunchy thing with his nose when a hint of fondness creeps into his voice and he has the most beautiful green eyes Louis has ever seen. At one point, the light in the interview room had hit just right and illuminated the tiny flecks of gold in his irises. Louis may have paused the video and zoomed in so close he could almost count them.

It’s been over a week since Harry’s interview, since Louis took the video home, and every night he’s fallen asleep listening to the dulcet tones of Harry’s voice. It’s not good, and it’s not healthy, but Louis can’t help himself. He’s addicted. Addicted to Harry. An alpha who he just helped match with a man who isn’t him.

*~*

Louis had woken up with a start, sweaty from writhing around in his bed if the state of his sheets were anything to go by. He’d been given the wrong pastry at the cafe and tripped on a crack in the pavement, thankfully catching himself just before ending up on his arse covered in his precious coffee, but still not a great way to start his Friday.

As he walks into the office, he can’t quite settle the gnawing in the pit of his stomach. Harry’s first date with Kevin was last night and they’re due to receive feedback from them both today. They’ll be submitting the questionnaires via the online portal and Louis just knows that they’re going to give each other glowing reviews. How could anyone spend time with Harry and not think he’s amazing?

Tash and Bev are at the reception desk and greet him warmly so he pastes on a smile and chats with them about their weekend plans briefly before heading to his desk and logging in, bringing up his email.

“So. You ready for today?” Liam asks, startling Louis as he takes a sip of his coffee and nearly upends the entire thing in his lap.

Has he been so obvious about Harry? Has he given himself away completely? He’s tried to keep himself in check any time they’ve discussed it. He hadn’t even so much as blinked—regardless of the fact that his insides had been doing barrel rolls—when Bev had mentioned she’d reserved a table for Harry and Kevin at Louis’ favourite restaurant for their first date as it had turned out that it was Harry’s favourite restaurant too. Because of course it fucking was. And when Tash had done their astrology charts for fun and it had eventuated that even the goddamn cosmos thought they were a perfect match he’s sure he hadn’t let his emotions show, he’d just excused himself to the toilets and given his reflection a good talking to. But apparently, he’s not been as stealthy as he’d thought.

He spins his chair around to find Liam leaning his bum against the desk behind him, arms crossed over his chest, expression neutral.

Louis aims for upbeat but even as the words leave his mouth, he knows he’s not convincing anyone, least of all Liam who knows him better than almost anyone aside from perhaps Niall. “Uhm… yeah? Why wouldn’t I be? Harry and Kevin are a great match. Reckon you’ve nailed it with those two.” It’s said with a slightly hysterical edge in his voice but he hopes he’s tamped it down enough not to give too much away.

The look he gets in response is part confusion, part amusement, part concern, which… okay?

“I meant the pool comp tonight. At the pub. You’re still coming, right?”

If Louis could slap himself upside the head without Liam seeing he most definitely would, but he can’t, so he opts for forgetfulness instead. It’s not too far off the mark considering his brain appears to be entirely consumed with a cow naming, cheese making, perfect alpha and unable to focus on anything else.

“Oooohhh… yeah. Sorry, mate. Haven’t finished my coffee. Brains not firing on all cylinders just yet,” he says with a small chuckle, hoping Liam would buy his obvious lie.

“Phew,” Liam says and relaxes his posture. “Thought my partner was abandoning me. We’ve gotta wipe those smiles off Niall and Craig’s faces this time. I’m not living through another month of Craig’s taunts and his control of the Apple TV remote.” 

“Right. Yeah, of course. We'll get ‘em this time, don’t worry,” Louis says and holds up his hand for a high-five, Liam slapping it with a beaming smile.

An email notification goes off on his computer and he turns to see there’s a new message via the client portal.

“Oh! Maybe that’s Harry’s feedback,” Liam says and Louis stares at the unread email sitting at the top of his inbox. “Kevin already sent his in. He submitted it last night, actually.”

A sense of dread seeps into Louis’ bones and he closes his eyes as if shutting off his ocular receptors is going to magically make the message evaporate from his inbox and the universe. “Yeah? How did he say it went?”

He doesn’t want to know the answer, not even a little bit, but he knows he’s going to have to hear it and perhaps it will do him good. He needs to get past this, so he can take his life off pause and claw his way out of the hole he’s dug for himself.

“Well. I mean…” Liam trails off. Louis furrows his brows but doesn’t turn back to Liam, just waits for the inevitable anvil to drop on his head. “He said it was good. Great even. Said Harry was a wonderful date, polite and attentive, interesting too, and they had a lot in common. He’d love to see him again but…”

Louis takes a deep breath and steels himself. “But?”

“But... he wasn’t sure Harry was that into him.”

Louis’ eyes fly open and he stares back at the screen. “Oh. That’s... Well, I guess we’ll see what Harry has to say about it.”

“Mmmm… I guess we will.”

“Yeah.”

This is ridiculous. Harry might not be into Kevin but he wasn’t into Louis either, obviously, so why on earth is there a little spark of hope blooming in his heart. This didn’t mean anything and has no impact on Louis other than extending this painful situation as Harry will now need to be matched with someone else and Louis can look forward to more days just like this one.

Liam drags a chair over and sidles up next to him, leaning his elbows on the desk. “Crack it open then. Let’s see what he said.”

Louis clicks on the email and tries desperately to hide the tremor in his fingers. He scrolls past all the stuff at the beginning, which is just a rehash of Harry’s profile details and the information about the match. They read over Harry’s response together in silence and it’s the longest, most winding, well-written rejection he’s ever seen. Yes. Rejection. Louis’ heart is in his throat. But what is of most interest is in the What Can We Do Better? section where clients can add information so they can refine the search criteria for them.

I guess what I’d like to say is that while Kevin was lovely, of course, and he matched the criteria I had given really well, there’s an intangible aspect I’m looking for. Something surprising. Something that challenges me. Something unexpected. It might be something in the way he laughs or smiles or holds himself or how he is with his friends and family. Something difficult to quantify on paper but so obvious and true when it’s in front of me. Sorry. I know I’m being vague, but I’ll know it when I see it. Thank you again for all your hard work and I look forward to meeting my next match. 

With the amount of time he’s spent listening to Harry speak he can hear the words in the cadence of his speech patterns coming out loud and clear from the screen.

Louis lets out a long sigh, remembering too late that he’s not alone. He coughs to try and cover it up but he doubts he was successful. “Oh well. Back to the drawing board then.”

He can feel Liam’s eyes boring a hole into the side of his head and he knows he’s about to get questioned when the phone on his desk rings, the display showing it’s Tash.

“Hmmm… yeah, back to the drawing board,” Liam says as he stands and Louis reaches for his headset.

“Hey, Tash. What’s up?”

“Hey, Lou. I’ve got Lara for you.”

“Cool, thanks. Pop her through.”

Louis hears Liam walking back to his office and he takes a deep breath. Saved by the bell… for now.

*~*

The pool comp gets off to an early start, although it’s less of a pool comp and more just the four of them reserving the table for a monthly match up. Niall’s partner, Alex, is there tonight too, back from his latest stint on the oil rig. It’s a tough life, particularly for their relationship, with so much time apart, but they’re completely committed to each other and Niall always says the reunion sex is mind blowing; yet another reason he’s glad he and Niall no longer share a flat like they did during their uni days. The things he heard through the paper-thin walls of their student digs have been imprinted on his brain forever and he definitely doesn’t need to add to that library any time soon.

The rest of the boys are there when Liam and Louis walk in just after five and Louis heads straight for the bar, still a bit out of sorts with the way his workday had ended. Liam had worked his magic and managed to arrange Harry’s second date. As luck would have it—Liam’s words, not Louis’—Harry was available this evening as was his date, an omega that had just moved to town and transferred over onto their client list via another franchise. Liam had been very pleased with himself when he’d come out to tell Louis just before they left and Louis had managed to school his expression as best he could to hide his disappointment. So now he’s just looking forward to blowing off some steam and enjoying his night with a few drinks, in a desperate hope to get him to forget about Harry.

Adam takes his order with a friendly smile and they exchange pleasantries as usual before he wanders into the back room where the pool table is, eyeing the game underway between Craig and Niall, Craig lining up to take his shot. 

Liam is leaning in close saying something to Niall, both their backs against the wall, but as Louis approaches they break apart and Niall gives him a shit-eating grin. 

“Tommo!” Niall shouts far too loud for the size of the room and quiet music in the background this early in the evening.

“Aye up, lad. How was school?” Louis asks as he hands off Liam’s beer and takes a sip of his own.

“Good. Good, yeah. How was life in matchmaking land?”

He absolutely, categorically, does not want to talk about work but he also doesn’t want to give Niall a hint that there’s anything wrong either, he’s far too perceptive for his own good and keeps prodding away at Louis about what had happened at the markets at every opportunity he gets. “Yeah. Good. Great! Lots of love in the air there… lots of love in the air here…” he says with a wink and nods towards Alex who is on his phone at the other end of the room. 

“Ah yes. My love has returned to me. You’re looking at a very satisfied Irishman right here,” Niall says, returning Louis’ wink and swaying his hips suggestively.

“Eeewww. Jesus mate, spare me the details?”

Niall snorts a laugh and bounds over to the chalkboard to draw up the grid for the game. “Right, you sorry sacks of shit. You ready to get your arses handed to you?”

“Bring. It. On,” Liam says as he walks past Louis, giving him a high five as he heads to the stand to grab a cue and chalks it up, the blue dust drifting down to the wooden floors.

Craig racks up the balls and Niall comes over, coin in hand. “Call it, Tommo,” he says and flicks the coin in the air, catching it before slapping it down on the table with his hand on top.

“Tails,” Louis says and twists around, grabbing a double handful of his own arse and giving it a squeeze. “Always tails, mate.”

Niall lifts his hand and it’s tails. “Bastards. Enjoy your brief victory because it’s the only thing you’re gonna win all night.”

“We’ll see about that,” Liam says and gives Niall a waggle of his eyebrows, earning a grin in return. Louis has no idea what is going on between the two of them tonight but he steps up to the end of the table and grabs the cue from Liam’s hand, lining up to break.

He draws the cue back along the dip between his thumb and forefinger, the movement familiar. With a snap of his wrist, the cue connects with the white and it cracks into the triangle of coloured balls, just off centre, sending them flying around the green felt cloth and bouncing off the walls and each other. Two reds and a yellow drop into the pockets and the game is on.

Louis and Liam easily clean up the first game, but Craig nails three reds off his break in the following game and then another two straight after, effectively snatching the win before they even get a shot. The third game is hard-fought, down to the black, with a couple of good snookers, the final one forcing Liam to follow in with the white and losing the game, but the night is still young.

Alex and Craig are at the bar getting another round as Louis racks up for the next game when Laura from the restaurant comes in and heads over to Liam, leaning in and whispering something in his ear before leaving again. Liam catches Niall’s eye and gives him a knowing smile and okay, Louis has had just about enough of their shit for one night.

He stands up and crosses his arms over his chest, pool cue tucked underneath. “Alright. I’ll bite. What the fuck is going on tonight?”

“Uhm… well…” Liam says as he and Niall give each other a sideways glance and then proceed to walk towards Louis, coming to a stop on either side of the long ends of the table and resting their hips on the edge.

They look at him with unreadable expressions and Louis can’t help but roll his eyes. “Fucks sake. What? Spit it out!”

Liam looks nervous now and Louis is about five seconds away from clocking him with his pool cue when he finally speaks. “So. You have a dinner date. If you want to, of course?”

Louis blanches. Of all the things he thought might be causing his friends weird behaviour, them having arranged a secret blind date for him wasn’t even in the realm of things he’d considered. “A what?”

“A dinner date. Now. In the restaurant out back.” Liam appears to be torn between a statement and a question, biting his bottom lip. 

Louis’ glare intensifies. “Any other pertinent information you’d like to share, Liam? Like who? Why? And what the fuck were you thinking?”

“Calm down, Tommo. Hear him out,” Niall says, trying to placate him.

Louis can feel his hackles starting to rise. He hates being set up. Liam knows that. Niall knows that. And a blind date for fucks sake? Jesus Christ. Niall had even witnessed the multiple unmitigated disasters he’d endured during his disastrous dating misadventures at uni. An incident with a certain blind date who had gotten Louis back to his flat to show him his room filled with three hundred and twenty-seven porcelain dolls and proceed to introduce Louis to them by name comes to mind. Louis likes to think he’s a pretty open-minded guy, and no hobby-shaming intended, but seriously? He still has nightmares about their vacant eyes staring back at him and if he wasn’t currently glued to the spot and frozen with rage he would shudder at their memory.

Louis snaps his head around to Niall. “Oh! So you are in on this too? Aren’t you supposed to be my best mate? Clearly, I need new friends. Ones that, oh, I dunno, respect my boundaries!”

Liam raises his hands in defence. “Lou, you know I would never normally do something like this, but trust me when I say that this is a special circumstance,” he implores, drawing Louis’ gaze, big puppy dog eyes gazing at him earnestly, but they’re not going to work tonight.

“Trust you?” Louis huffs out. “That’s pretty rich given the current circumstances where you’ve got some poor bloke stashed out the back completely unaware that his date knew nothing about this until two minutes ago. But sure, I’ll trust you,” Louis says, the sarcasm oozing out of him. “What’s so special about this circumstance, as you so eloquently put it?”

“It’s… uhm…” Liam stammers, looking over to Niall for encouragement, receiving a nod in return. He takes a deep breath and continues. “It’s… well, it’s Harry.”

Wait, what? What?

Everything is fine. Totally, completely and utterly fine. Except. What’s happening right now is the farthest thing from fine. Of all the possibilities that had been running through his head about who was waiting for him in that restaurant, Harry was not one of them.

The world has stopped spinning, the oceans have stilled, and time has slowed like it’s about to shift into rewind. “W-what did you say?”

Niall jumps in. “It’s Harry. From the markets?”

“Thanks, Niall,” Louis snaps. “That much I’d gathered.”

Liam goes to take a step closer but backs off when he sees the narrowing of Louis’ eyes. “But don’t panic, he doesn’t know it’s you. He thinks it’s some guy called Hamish. So if you’re not into this, then I’ll simply go and let him know his match couldn’t make it. No pressure, alright?”

“Well, looks like you’ve thought of everything,” Louis snipes. “Maybe you’re in the wrong business. We should consider operating a few side hustles. I hear pyramid schemes are an excellent way to lose friends and win enemies.” 

“Louis,” Niall says sternly. And honestly, no one appreciates his wit anymore, his efforts are entirely lost on his friends. Niall is staring at him and Louis realises he’s used his full name - things are more serious than he thought. “Just listen for once, you stubborn idiot.”

Louis sighs, eyeing both his friends. “Fine.”

“So. Here’s the thing,” Liam starts. “And please, before you react, give me some rope.”

“Seems like you’ve got more than enough to hang your self already,” Louis mutters but gestures with a wave of his hand for him to continue. “Go on then.”

Louis can hear his own voice, but it’s far away, like an echo in his head, and it belies the actual turmoil that’s going on inside him. Like a duck on the water, all calm and serene above the surface, when underneath there is a veritable blur of webbed feet desperate keeping them afloat and moving. The reality is that Louis is trying desperately not to crumble to the floor. His breathing is shallow and he feels like he’s drowning. Harry is here, in the restaurant, waiting for him, except he doesn’t know it’s Louis, at least he’s pretty sure that’s what Liam implied. Truthfully, he’s having trouble getting his brian cells to get their shit together enough to keep him standing upright let alone processing much of what is being said. And of course, Harry’s not going to be best pleased when he discovers his much anticipated second match is none other than a man who made a complete arse out of himself the first time they’d met. Added to that, it’s someone Harry is obviously not interested in, so much so that within half an hour of meeting him he’d decided to sign up for professional help to find his match. Talk about being the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. He can’t wait to hear how Liam is going to explain this.

“Right. So I’ve noticed how weird you’ve been this last couple of weeks,” Liam says cautiously and Louis is about to protest but then Liam fixes him with a firm stare and Louis decides to keep his mouth shut. “Calling in sick the day of Harry’s interview? Yes, I know you weren’t sick in case you were wondering. You’re a shit liar, mate. But that aside. You’ve been ending conversations whenever Harry’s name is brought up at work, you walked out of the room when Tash was showing us the astrology charts she’d made which is something you're usually keen to see, and then… then there was how you reacted this morning to the feedback Harry had sent.”

Louis’ stomach lurches, heartbeat rising with every second that passes. He tries not to let his emotions show on his features, keeping his steely gaze fixed firmly on Liam. He’s not sure how successful he’s being. “I don’t know what you’re implying but-”

“Just let him finish, Tommo,” Niall says and there’s a surprising fondness that seeps through this time, catching Louis off guard.

Liam clears his throat. “Anyways. I didn’t put the pieces together at first but then I traced back to when it started and realised it was after the markets when you had that weird... turn. I’d thought it was just your hangover but I’ve seen you after a big night too many times to count and this was something different. I worked forwards from there and suddenly, it all clicked into place.”

Damn Liam and his analytical brain. Louis really thought he’d been doing a good job of hiding his internal pandemonium, but clearly, he’s done a shit job.

“So, and you may be a bit angry about this bit…” Liam says and Louis snorts, like what’s led up to this isn’t mortifying enough. “But I reactivated your profile on the system. You remember, the ones we did when we were training with head office?”

And Louis does remember. When they were learning the ins and outs of the database and how the interview and profiling process would work, they had both created their own profiles. They’d taken it seriously, of course, to ensure the results were realistic, but then they’d been archived as they had no real use for them. Has he.. is he a match for Harry? His brain short circuits for a moment before he realises that it doesn’t matter because Harry isn’t interested in him. He’s about to jump in and say exactly that when Liam holds up his hand to stop him.

“You’re a match. Not perfect, mind you. Kevin matched higher because of his education but Lou, you’re at eight-seven percent. That’s more than enough to put you forward under normal circumstances. I was worried though, because I wasn’t sure if your recent odd behaviour was due to you really liking him or really not liking him. So I called Niall and after he’d hollered down the phone at me about how he should be in the matchmaking business because he has an instinct for these things, and some weird rant about scenery which I still don’t really get, he assured me that I should go ahead. I called Harry and gave him the profile info for Hamish, that’s you, by the way, and… well, here we are.”

Louis looks between his business partner and his best mate, hopeful expressions on their faces and he’d like to think he could maintain his anger and shout at them, but he can’t. He knows they’d never do anything to purposefully hurt him and they thought they were doing a noble thing, it’s just that they’ve missed the salient point which is that Harry isn’t interested in him. Maybe on paper, but not in person, and he really doesn’t feel like being rejected by Harry face-to-face.

“Lads,” Louis says and lets his shoulders slump, laying the pool cue on the table. “While I appreciate that your intentions are true, there’s one small issue you’re forgetting. Harry isn’t interested in me. He’s already made that patently clear.”

“What the hell are you talking about? At the markets, he was smitten with you!” Niall practically screeches standing up straight in all his excitement.

“No,” Louis says calmly. “He was being a nice guy. Helping some poor, hungover fool who happened to be at his stall when he nearly passed out. If he’d been interested in me he wouldn’t have gone and requested our professional services that same afternoon, would he?”

“Oh, shit…” Liam says, eyes going wide at Louis’ challenge. “That’s… fuck, that’s probably my fault. When I talked to him about it I said that we would offer our services. Like you and me. Our business. I was just doing the normal pitch. Maybe he thought I was speaking on behalf of you as well and it would’ve given him the impression that you weren’t interested in him. Oh god.”

The silence hangs for a few beats and the new information barely has time to settle in Louis’ brain before Niall is clapping his hands together. “Right! Well, now that that’s sorted, the question remains. Do you want to have that date?”

Louis’ brain hasn’t released enough processing power to be able to sufficiently form a response. Does he want the date? Does he want to chance it and risk Harry’s rejection something that is still a very real possibility? There’s just… There’s something, deep down inside of him, voice quiet but insistent, that’s telling him that this is it, this is the one. Maybe it’s his inner omega, or maybe it’s something simpler like hope. Either way, he’s not going to know unless he takes the leap of faith, no matter how utterly terrifying that feels in this moment.

“I… I don’t know. I mean-“

“We're always telling people to trust the process,” Liam says. “What have you got to lose?” 

Louis cracks a smile for the first time since this ridiculous conversation began. “My sanity? My pride?”

“Come on, mate,” Niall says softly. “Give love a chance, yeah?”

Louis frowns and turns to Liam. “Will we get in trouble? Like, are there rules about us doing this through the franchise?”

“Nope!” Liam says, the smile returning to his face. “Employees are allowed, encouraged even, to use the services. We actually get one free round!”

Louis nods. “What about Harry though? He’s essentially been brought here under false pretences,” he says, worrying his lip between his fingers.

Liam gives a little shrug. “I mean, yeah. He could arc up about it, but it’s a legitimate match, just the name’s different, and anyway, he doesn’t seem like the type, especially if it goes well. And if it doesn’t, then we’ll just write this round off and go back to the database.”

“So…?” Niall prompts, eyes filled with uncontained glee.

Louis looks down at what he’s wearing, dressed for a day in the office and an evening of pool with his mates afterwards. Panic sets in. His light-blue button-down with the sleeves rolled to the elbows, dark-grey trousers, and polished black lace-ups don’t exactly scream hot date. His hair has hardly any product left in it after and he hasn’t done his first date routine of primping and preening to get himself feeling his best.

“You know, you could’ve given me a bit of a heads up. I look like shit,” Louis whines and glares at his friends, although he’s seriously considering revoking the title.

Liam shakes his head far too fondly given Louis’ berating. “Lou. You literally collapsed on him within the first sixty seconds of meeting him. I seriously doubt he’s going to care.”

“Fine. Fine. So, what, do I just wander up to the table and plonk myself down? ‘Sorry for all the lies, misunderstandings, and getting you here under dubious circumstances, but surprise! We’re a match! Pass the wine.’ I’m sure that’ll go down well,” he says with a heaping dose of sarcasm.

“Yeah,” Liam says with a soft chuckle. “Something like that. You’ll work it out.”

Niall whoops excitedly. “Come on then! You’re already fifteen minutes late for your hot date. Don’t want to keep Loverboy waiting!” He grabs Louis by the shoulders and spins him around, shoving him out into the hallway and nearly knocking Craig and Alex flying as they round the corner. “Make way, lads! Hot stuff coming through!”

They come to a stop at the entrance to the restaurant, Niall and Liam flanking him on either side and okay, this is really happening. The restaurant is still fairly quiet, the early time ensuring that not all the tables are filled. He can’t see Harry from where they’re standing, but he knows he’s in here somewhere, waiting.

He’s eaten in here many, many times, but this feels different. Instead of popping in for a meal with his mates, this is potentially going to be the venue for the last first date he ever has. It seems more romantic than he remembers; tea candles in clear glass bowls dot the tables which are covered in white linen cloths, fresh wildflowers in small white porcelain vases. The lighting is subdued, coming from dimmed lights above and fairy lights strung along the tops of the windows that look out to the alfresco dining area. The patrons are creating a low hum of chatter that blends pleasantly with the nondescript music. It’s all lovely and Louis takes a deep breath before squaring his shoulders and turning to his friends.

“Alright. Wish me luck.”

“You’re gonna be amazing, Lou,” Liam says and pulls him for a one-armed hug.

“Go get him, tiger,” Niall adds and scrunches his face up as he hears the ridiculousness of his own words.

Louis quirks a brow. “Tiger? Really?”

“Whatever,” Niall says as he pulls Louis into a tight hug, whispering in his ear. “You’ve got this.”

Louis pulls back and wrings his hands together. “Well. I don’t think I’ve ever had a support team drop me off for a date before, but thanks, guys. Now fuck off.”

The boys beam at him and then scurry back to the pool room and Louis turns around, scanning the restaurant.

Laura materializes in front of him with a broad and knowing smile. “Hi, Louis. Welcome to Peas In A Pod, are you ready to join your guest?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Laura.”

“Follow me,” she says and leads Louis through the main dining room and out to the conservatory; an open fire at one end surrounded by lounges and a calming water feature at the other. When his eyes land on Harry all the air expels from Louis’ lungs, steps faltering slightly, that weird tingling shooting down his spine that he remembers from that day at the markets. Harry is a vision. Hair styled but not too much, pushes up and away from his face as though he’s been sliding his fingers through it, his jawline sharp in shadow, and skin radiant as it’s bathed in the flickering candlelight. In contrast to Louis’ boring office attire, Harry is wearing a sheer black shirt, small flowers embroidered on the material and more than a couple of buttons undone to reveal a few thin chains with a cross sitting over his sternum.

Harry must sense their approach and he looks up, eyes going wider when he sees that it’s Louis approaching.

Laura steps to one side and Louis grips the back of the chair opposite Harry. “May I?”

“Uhm… sure? Please,” Harry says with a nod, confusion evident.

“I’ll leave you to it for now, but I’ll be back shortly to take your drinks order,” Laura says and then she’s gone, leaving Harry and Louis alone.

“Hi,” Louis says, trying his best to quell the nervous flutter in his stomach. 

Harry furrows his brows. “Hi?”

“Bet you weren’t expecting me to show up, eh?”

Harry chuckles. “No. Can’t say that I was.”

“So…” Louis says and folds his hands over one another on the edge of the table. “So. I’m just gonna explain and then if you’d prefer I left, that’s totally fine, understandable even, and… yeah.”

“Okay,” Harry says slowly, seeming a bit wary, but curious, and Louis will take that for now.

“Hamish isn’t coming,” Louis says and Harry’s face falls a little. “Well, he is, I mean, he’s already here. Hamish is me. Hamish isn’t my name, I’m Louis, which you obviously already know, but…” Louis trails off and shakes his head and looks down at his hands. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t exactly have time to prepare an explanation.”

“It’s okay, Louis. Deep breath yeah?”

Louis looks up and Harry is smiling at him, kindness and patience coming off him in waves. 

Louis inhales and exhales, sitting up straighter and sucks in another lungful of air. “So five minutes ago I was playing pool with Liam and Niall, who you already know, in the other room and they told me that they had set me up on a blind date, with you, because Liam had matched us in our system and it turns out you and I are an eighty-seven percent match, and like, the profile details you were given for Hamish are mine, he’d just changed the name in case I wasn’t keen, and now here we are, except, of course, I didn’t know I’d be going on a date so I look like crap and you look, well, wow, you look amazing and I’m super nervous and kind of want to murder Liam, Niall too, but, yeah… that’s it.”

Louis’ eyes dart around, trying to read Harry’s expression as he sits and blinks at him owlishly. “Wow. That was a whole lotta words.”

“Sorry. I’m not- like if you just want me to go that’s totally fine. You’ll get a do-over for this match, of course, and I completely understand-“

“No! I mean. Please stay. I’m…” Harry says and Louis is sure he sees a hint of a blush on his cheekbones. “Please. I’m really glad it’s you.”

“You are?”

“Yeah. I thought, you know, at the markets, we had a connection? But then when Liam said about your business and that I should come in, I thought that I must’ve misinterpreted things.”

Louis lets out a soft chuckle and shakes his head. “No. Definitely not. You didn’t misinterpret anything. There was definitely a connection,” he says, smiling shyly and feeling a blush bloom on his own cheeks to match the one on Harry’s.

“So we’re on the same page then?”

“Yeah, I reckon so.”

Laura reappears at the table, her timing impeccable. “Can I take your drink orders?”

“Wine?” Harry asks, reaching over to pick up the wine list.

“Yeah. That’d be nice. Red?”

“Definitely,” Harry says as he scans the contents and then looks to Louis for his approval. “Barons Shiraz?”

Louis relaxes back into his chair. “Sounds perfect. And some still water. Tap okay with you?”

Harry nods and hands the wine list over. “Thanks, Laura.”

“No worries. Back soon.”

They make comfortable conversation while they peruse the menu and order their meals. Harry speaks of his family with a fondness that seeps into Louis’ heart, regaling him with stories from his childhood and growing up in a small village before moving further south to take over his uncle's farm a few years ago. It’s a busy but rewarding life, and one he clearly relishes, speaking of it passionately as his eyes convey his excitement. Louis listens intently, absorbing everything he can as Harry’s full lips carefully form every word.

Louis, for his part, shares his own childhood and his experiences at uni, and the path that led him to purchase a franchise of Love, Ever Afterwith Liam. He tells Harry of the joy and satisfaction he feels when they can bring two people together and send them on their way toward a shared future.

There’s laughter too, their senses of humour bouncing off each other with little jibes and witty banter, each giving as good as they get.

By the time their dessert and coffee arrives, Louis is happily buzzed, the wine adding to his few beers before the date. The restaurant is almost empty and a glance at the clock on the wall tells him that it’s just shy of eleven.

“Wow,” Louis says. “We’ve been here for nearly five hours.”

Harry just gives a small shrug. “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“So you are? Having fun, I mean?”

Harry smiles. “Yeah. I am. You?”

Louis grins around a mouthful of chocolate cake. “Mhmmm…”

“Do you think you’d maybe like to do this again?”

Louis swallows his last bite of food and sets his fork down, taking a sip of coffee, just to stretch out the moment and tease Harry a little bit. “Definitely.”

Harry lets out a long sigh. “Oh, thank goodness. Tomorrow?”

Louis chuckles. “Eager much?”

“Well. I feel like I’ve been waiting long enough for you to come along.”

Louis’ heart soars and he feels that now familiar tingle down his spine, something he’s fast coming to associate with being in Harry’s presence. “Yeah, the feeling’s mutual. What did you have in mind?”

“Would you maybe like to come out to the farm? I’d love to show you around, introduce you to all my girls, cook you dinner.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d really like that.”

Harry reaches his hand across the table, palm facing up and Louis doesn’t hesitate to slide his hand along the warm skin. The tingles shoot around his body, extending from the tips of ears to the soles of his feet as Harry wraps his long fingers around Louis’ wrist.

“Do you- do you feel that?”

Louis nods, staring at their joined hands. “Mmmm… I felt it at the markets too. Even before we shook hands. Like, I was just looking at you, you hadn’t even seen me yet. Thought I was going crazy…” His voice tapers off, the tingles subsiding and morphing into a warmth that spreads throughout his body.

“Have you ever felt-“

“No. Never,” Louis says and drags his gaze up. “Nothing like this.”

“Me either. It’s…” Harry laughs, shaking his head. “You know my alpha was pretty pissed at me at the markets. It just wanted to be near you, to make sure you were okay, but I didn’t want to hover around you and come off like a creep. Then on the date with Kevin… god, poor Kevin. He was a nice guy but it was like my alpha was physically rejecting him. Felt like shit the whole way through the meal. And then when you walked in tonight and sat down, it was like a wave of relief washed over me and my alpha was finally sated.”

Louis’ omega is preening. “I know what you mean. These last two weeks have been less than pleasant, I’ve been less than pleasant. I’ll have to buy my coworker’s muffin baskets or something,” Louis says and Harry chuckles, turning their hands and rubbing his thumb over the backs of Louis’ knuckles.

They finish their dessert and coffee one-handed, not willing to break their connection. 

Harry looks at him intently. “Can I drive you home?”

“How very gentlemanly of you. Yeah, that’d be nice. Did you want to split the bill?”

“Oh, uhm, it’s on the house, actually. We supply most of the cheeses and some condiments to the restaurant, so yeah. Laura won’t take payment from me when I eat here,” Harry says bashfully.

“You know,” Louis says and quirks his brow. “I’m surprised we’ve never met before.”

“Maybe the universe was just biding its time until we were ready?”

“Took its sweet fucking time about it.”

Harry snorts out a laugh and stands, Louis following suit. Harry leads them through the dining room, hands clasped tightly. They pass Laura on the way and thank her for a lovely meal, Louis not missing the small smile she gives them when she sees their joined hands.

The boys have long since vacated the pool room and are nowhere to be seen in the main bar either. He’s grateful that they didn’t come and interrupt the little bubble they’ve been existing in but he’ll be sure to shoot off texts to Liam and Niall before he goes to bed.

The air outside is crisp, but not cold, the street quiet as the night descends, just the crunching of their shoes on the pavement. It’s quiet, but not awkward, just as their brief silences had felt during the infrequent lulls in their conversation over dinner. 

“You look lovely tonight, by the way,” Harry says, voice low like it’s a secret. “Not sure I mentioned.”

“You’re sweet, but I look like crap. I can look sooo much better than this. Trust me.”

“I don’t doubt that. And I’m looking forward to it,” Harry says and Louis catches the curl of his lips out of the corner of his eye.

Harry digs for his keys and the orange lights of his blinkers momentarily illuminate the dark surroundings as he unlocks his very shiny, very new Range Rover. The cheese business must be booming, Louis muses.

Harry pulls open Louis’ door and steps back, dropping their hands. Louis goes to step up into the car and then hesitates before spinning around and leaning back against the door jam. Louis reaches out, digging his fingertips into Harry’s waistband and pulling him in closer by his belt. Harry’s feet slide on the ground and he braces himself on the door and the side of the car, bracketing him in as Louis looks up from under his eyelashes.

Harry’s expression is questioning, like he’s waiting for permission, but Louis can see the hunger in his eyes too. He can almost feel it in the heaviness of the air surrounding them, an inferno waiting to spark.

Louis raises up slightly onto his toes and that’s apparently all the indication Harry needs. He leans in, their lips barely brushing against each other. It’s so soft and reverent and he can taste the coffee and chocolate on his breath. He wants more, so much more, wants everything Harry will give him. He sneaks his tongue out and runs it along the seam of Harry’s lips, hands trailing around to pull Harry closer. Harry brings his hand down and wraps it around Louis’ waist, shifting him along the car and shutting the door in one smooth motion. He presses into him, deepening the kiss and Louis opens up easily, greedily.

His omega is alive, burning with desire, clawing its way up to the surface to latch onto the alpha within its grasp.

Harry’s hands cup Louis’ face, tilting his head as he wishes, tongue searching, thumbs caressing his cheekbones. Louis’ lungs are straining, the tingles firing around his body and igniting a passion within him like never before.

“ Harry,” he gasps as the alpha gives him a moment's reprieve before diving back in again with renewed fervour, hands trailing down his sides and fingers digging into the meaty part of his hips.

Louis feels weightless and completely grounded at the same time, arms slung over Harry’s shoulders, fingers sliding through the hair at the nape of his neck. He can practically taste Harry’s scent and it’s messing with his senses, making him dizzy.

“ Louis,” Harry pants out against his lips, shifting slightly and slotting his thigh between Louis’, applying a glorious pressure to his hardening cock. 

“Oh god. Fuck,” Louis whimpers and breaks away from the kiss, tilting his head back and sucking in air and Harry latches onto his neck, nipping and licking, dragging his nose up to Louis’ ear and sucking a bruise in the sensitive spot underneath.

It takes all the willpower Louis possesses not to ride Harry’s thigh when it’s right there, his cock now rock hard and pulsing in his trousers. Because as much as he wants it, as much as he wants Harry, he doesn’t want to do this here. Thankfully, Harry must be on the same page, his movements slowing, pulling his body back, hands gliding over Louis’ sides and up to cup his cheeks once more.

Harry gazes at him, pupils blown, brows knitted together and eyes darting all over Louis’ face. “You’re so beautiful. Fuck. Smell so good. I wanna treat you right. Treat you like you deserve. Make you mine.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I want that too.”

“You’ll come tomorrow? To my farm?”

Louis nods, leaning in to peck a kiss to Harry’s lips because he simply can’t restrain himself when they’re right in front of him. “Yeah. I’ll come. Gotta meet your girls, don’t I?”

Harry chuckles. “Of course. Although I’m hoping they’re not the only reason.”

Louis’ hands trail down and come to rest over Harry’s heart. “Well. You promised me dinner, so there’s that too.”

“Will you stay? I have plenty of guest rooms. Wouldn’t want you driving back on those dark and dangerous country roads.”

Louis grins. “Mmmmm… they are dangerous. I’ll pack a bag.”

Harry beams at him and seals their lips together once more before bundling Louis into the passenger seat and driving him home, fingers threaded together over the centre console. The trip is short, which is both disappointing and a blessing. Louis isn’t sure he could’ve held back his omega for much longer and launching into Harry’s lap would probably have been detrimental to their safety.

Harry insists on walking him to his front door and Louis lets himself be pushed up against it, kisses heated and laced with intent. By the time Harry finally leaves, Louis’ whole body is a buzzing, trembling mess of want and need. And as he drifts off to sleep all he can see is green eyes and all he can feel is the ghost of Harry’s lips on his own.

*~*

Louis rests his elbows on the island bench, his maroon, scoop-necked t-shirt hanging down invitingly as he watches Harry load the plates into the dishwasher. He trails his fingertips up and down the neck of his beer bottle suggestively and arches his back a little more. He knows what he’s doing, or what he’s attempting to do, but Harry just grins and keeps loading the fucking machine. Honestly, at this point Harry deserves a goddamn award for his restraint; a lesser man—and Louis is most definitely including himself in that category—would’ve caved hours ago.

It had all started when Louis had arrived at Harry’s farm just after three, overnight bag on the passenger seat, and ready to pick up where they’d left off the night before. His hair was styled perfectly, eyebrows shaped, hair trimmed in all the right places, and arse as fresh as a daisy. He’d assumed he’d get a bit of a tour and then Harry would whisk him away and ravish him just like Louis had been imagining since they parted ways at his doorstep the previous evening. Frustratingly, the fantasy has not matched the reality and Louis’ arse has remained entirely untouched, much to his displeasure.

The tour was thorough and eye-opening and Louis had adored meeting some of Harry’s girls—the black and white Friesians—as they came in for their afternoon milking. He’d been introduced to a few of Harry’s employees who were around on the weekend too and been given a general intro to cheese making which was, admittedly, fascinating.

Harry had held his hand and they’d shared chaste kisses for the most part, except for a proper snog out back near the milking shed. Louis had been so riled up he would’ve dropped to his knees right then and there had Harry not excitedly dragged him off to see the baby ducklings. Baby ducks are cute and all that but they were a poor replacement for Harry’s cock down his throat.

The thing is, Louis knows Harry’s just teasing him, the bastard. The heated glances, cheeky smirks, and suggestive things he’s been whispering in Louis’ ears removing any concerns Louis might’ve had that Harry’s not interested. Now if they can just move things along that’d be great because Louis is slightly worried that his resolve is going to crumble and he might just shove Harry down onto the nearest flat surface and tear his clothes off if something doesn’t happen soon.

“Would you like a cuppa?” Harry asks as he closes the dishwasher, unaware of the inner turmoil of his date.

Louis sighs and hangs his head, letting it thud onto his forearms where they’re resting on the countertop. “Not unless cuppa is a euphemism for sex,” he mumbles into his skin.

Harry snorts a laugh. “You really need to work on your self-control, Lou.”

And yeah, the nickname had slipped out over the scrumptious seafood dinner Harry had cooked them, making Louis’ head nearly explode. Harry is clearly trying to kill him.

“Nnnrrggghh… but why?” Louis whines in response. He doesn’t much care for this new openly needy side to his personality but trying to rein it in at this point is utterly futile.

It’s just that he knows—or at least, he’s pretty damn sure—that Harry is the one. Like, The One. The pull he feels to him, the way his body reacts, the tingles, everything is pointing toward Harry being his perfect match. It’s not simply an alpha-omega thing, no, he’s been around alphas before and it’s never been this undeniably magnetic.

He stands up to find Harry leaning back against the counter, a smug grin on his face and no, that won’t do at all. An idea pops into his head and really, he can’t be held responsible for what he’s about to do. Harry has driven him to this. It’s time to pull out the big guns. Louis slaps his hands on the counter. 

“You alright?” Harry asks, quirking a brow.

“Yup! Be right back.”

He takes off toward the guest room Harry had taken him to when he arrived so he could drop off his bag. It’s one of seven bedrooms in this ridiculously enormous and completely gorgeous barn conversion that Harry calls home. He jogs down the hallway, socked feet skidding over the wide wooden floorboards as he passes the double-height glass windows in the main entrance that look out over the darkened farmland. His room is three doors down in the bedroom wing—yes, wing—and he grips the door jam as he slingshots himself inside. Picking up his overnight bag, he throws it onto the plush, king-sized bed, rifling through until he finds what he’s looking for. “Ha!”

He pops open the bottle of scent neutralizer reversal pills and swallows one down. Thankfully they’re fast-acting, no more than a few minutes. They’re something he’s only ever used during his heats, the purpose being to allow his natural scent to calm and soothe his omega and aid in shortening the duration. But not tonight. Tonight it’s all about letting Harry’s alpha smell him without the cover of neutralizers, the real him, awakening his animalistic side and bringing it out to play.

Louis chucks the bottle back into his bag and the paperwork sticking out of the side pocket catches his eye. He may as well go all in, he thinks to himself, and grabs the folded sheet, heading back to the kitchen. If this doesn’t work, he doesn’t know what will.

Harry is leaning against the island bench just where he left him, arms folded across his chest and legs crossed at the ankles. There’s a smirk fixed on his face as he watches Louis stride into the room and Louis matches it in return.

Louis comes up beside him and Harry turns to face him, mirroring Louis’ positions. Louis slides the paper along the stone benchtop and Harry covers his hand, a zing of electricity shooting up Louis’ arm from their point of contact.

“What have you got there?”

“Oh nothing much,” Louis says breezily. “Just thought you might be interested. I’ve seen yours, of course, when you signed up with the agency. Figured it was only fair to share mine too.”

Louis slips his hand out from underneath Harry’s and he spins around, leaving the paper with him. He wanders casually into the open living area, hands clasped behind his back and humming some nondescript tune. Harry’s been teasing him since he arrived so it’s only reasonable for Louis to turn the tables a bit.

He hears Harry’s gasp and a wave of satisfaction washes over him.

“Lou?”

“Nice fireplace, H,” Louis says nonchalantly without turning around, and yeah, the nickname thing goes both ways.

“Louis?”

“The stonework is really quite something.” Louis trails his fingertips over the rough stones, the fire beating out a blistering heat in front of him. He can already smell his scent starting to creep out from under the fading neutralizers, drifting up into his nostrils assisted by the warmth of the fire.

“Louis,” Harry says and Louis can sense he’s moving nearer now, closing the distance between them, but Louis just keeps his back to him. 

“Is this local stone? It’s really quite lovely-“

“Louis,” Harry says firmly in the way only an alpha can.

Louis turns on his heel and plasters on a coy smile. “Yes?”

“These are your screening results,” Harry states and Louis can see the veins on his neck protruding, tension evident.

“Mhmmm…”

“Your sexual health screening results.”

“Well spotted. Give the man a prize,” Louis deadpans and walks over to the dining room table, propping his bum back against it.

“You’re really not making it easy for me to be very gentlemanly,” Harry says, shaking his head, his voice deep and rumbling, tinged with a hint of exasperation.

“I’m not trying to make it easy for you to be a gentleman. I’m trying to do the opposite actually.”

Harry lets out a pained groan. “But I want to treat you right, properly romance you, sweep your off your feet, show you-“

“How good of an alpha you can be for me?” Louis finishes for him. “I know, H. And that’s really sweet of you, truly, and if I wasn’t so sure about you, about us, about what I suspect we are to each other, then I’d probably really appreciate it. But as it is… I don’t want to waste any more time waiting to find out if my instincts are right. There will be plenty of time for romancing after that.”

“You're that sure that we’re meant to be together?” Harry asks and he looks torn between holding back and letting go, but Louis has one more trick up his sleeve. He can smell his scent properly now, growing more potent with every passing second. The pill has done its job. It’s just a matter of when Harry will pick up on it.

Louis pushes himself away from the table, walking slowly towards Harry like an animal stalking its prey, stopping a few feet from him. “Yeah, I’m that sure.”

He sees it the moment it happens. Harry’s eyes go wide, nostrils flaring as he sucks in Louis’ scent on a sharp inhale. 

“ Fuck.”

Louis looks up at him, watching intently as Harry’s features twist and turn, grappling with his awakening alpha. It really is a sight to see. 

Louis reaches up and trails his fingers down the middle of Harry’s chest, coming to rest on his belt buckle, never once breaking eye contact.

He can see Harry’s hands trembling in his peripheral vision, like his entire body is thrumming with energy ready to ignite with the tiniest of sparks. He steps away, circling around his body, hand grazing a path up and over his collarbone and down the broad plains of his back. Harry’s muscles twitch under his ministrations and Louis leans in, pressing a gentle kiss between his shoulder blades. He breathes him in, detecting the sharp smell of sweat and his delicious scent trying to break through. “So. I’m going to go back there, to your bedroom, and I’m going to strip myself naked and lay back on your covers. I’m going to count to twenty and if you’re not there by the time I finish, I’m gonna start without you. Understood?”

The low growl that rumbles out of Harry’s chest goes straight to Louis’ cock and he smiles. “One,” he says and steps around in front of Harry. “Two.” He turns and walks backwards, seeing the hunger in Harry’s eyes. “Three,” he says, whipping his shirt over his head and dropping it to the ground, earning another growl, louder this time. “Four.” He pauses momentarily and smirks, before spinning around and taking off for Harry’s bedroom at a jog, shouting out the count as he goes. He can’t hear Harry behind him yet and he just hopes to god he hasn’t made a cataclysmic error with his approach. But deep down he’s sure he hasn’t read this wrong, hasn’t read Harry wrong.

By the time he makes it to Harry’s room, he’s up to nine on the count and he’s got his jeans undone. He shucks them off just inside the doorway, toeing off his socks and kicking them away. He fleetingly thinks he should’ve grabbed the lube from his bag but quickly dismisses the thought figuring Harry will have some stashed in here somewhere. Or maybe Louis’ instincts will be proved correct, they really are soulmates, and they’ll trigger each other’s rut and heat and Louis’ slick will negate the need for the lube anyway. 

He hears thumping footsteps coming down the hallway and a little squeal of excitement bursts from his mouth. He strips off his boxers and flings himself into the middle of Harry’s enormous bed, letting the spring in the mattress bounce and flip him over onto his back. He scrambles toward the head of the bed and positions himself as enticingly as he can in the few seconds before Harry rounds the doorway, eyes wide and chest heaving.

A slightly hysterical giggle bubbles up and out of Louis’ mouth without his permission as he watches Harry through hooded eyes and tries to calm himself, spreading his legs invitingly and running his hands down the insides of his thighs.

The growl that comes from Harry this time isn’t low and quiet, it’s higher so much louder, almost pained in its tone; wanton and desperate, like Louis could imagine him on a windswept plain, calling out for his omega.

It stirs something deep within Louis, a primal need to respond and before he can fully process it, that’s exactly what he’s doing. Louis arches his back, head tilted to the ceiling, eyes clamped shut as a wave of heat emanates from his core and out to his body's extremities. “ Alpha…” he cries, body vibrating with the force of it, electricity thrumming through his veins.

That’s when Louis feels it, a gush of slick pulsing out of his hole, and his eyes fly open in shock. His head snaps around to land on Harry and it’s as if he can almost see the scent drifting across the distance between them, wrapping itself around Harry’s torso and forcing its way into his lungs.

Harry’s mouth hangs open, hands white-knuckling on the door jam, head thrown back as he lets out what Louis can only describe as a howl. The sound sends more of those familiar tingles shooting around Louis’ body, another pulse of slick oozing from his hole.

He knows it now, recognizes the feeling. He’s in heat, triggered by the proximity of the one his omega has identified as its alpha, and no match for laboratory created controls that contain his heats when faced with the potency and allure of this glorious alpha before him.

Harry lowers his head and if Louis thought his gaze was intense before, it doesn’t hold a candle to what he sees now. Nostrils flaring, eyes narrowed, cock bulging obscenely in his painted-on jeans.

“I-I can’t be held responsible for what I’m about to do to you. My alpha isn’t going to hold back. Please, please tell me this is okay, that you’re feeling this too…”

Louis just whines high in his throat, thrashing his head, and pounding his fists on the bed. “Yes! Yes, fuck yes!”

Hearing the confirmation, Harry doesn’t waste a single second, tearing his shirt from his body, buttons scattering on the floor as he strides to the edge of the bed.

Harry pauses then, his heated stare is all-consuming. Something inside Louis clicks, like the final number of a combination shifting into place and opening a treasure-filled cavern of want and need and desperation.

He’s not even in control of his movements as he flips into his stomach and slides back towards Harry until his feet are hanging off the bed, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees and presenting himself for his alpha completely.

Louis cranes his neck and watches over his shoulder as Harry takes in the sight, eyes fixed on Louis’ slick hole. Harry unbuckles his belt and yanks it out of the loops in one swift motion, flinging it away and it clatters on the wooden floors. Louis rocks back on his knees, a groan slipping from his lips as he feels beads of sweat trickle down to the base of his spine. He knows this is going to be fast, control handed over to their omega and alpha who are just intent on joining them together as quickly as possible.

Harry undoes his flies, only bothering to shove his jeans and pants far enough down to get his cock out. Louis’ mouth waters and he whimpers uncontrollably. It’s so big and hard, Harry’s knot already starting to form at the base, and Louis wants it inside him more than he’s ever wanted anything in his life, wants to feel it lock in place and join them as one. 

Harry steps up and it prods into the back of Louis’ thigh, his hands splaying out over his arse as he pulls his cheeks apart.

“Fuck, baby, look at you. So ready for me,” Harry says, as he tugs at Louis’ rim with his thumbs, spreading him open. He dips them inside, more slick oozing out and down Louis’ legs. “Your smell. God. It’s driving me crazy.”

“M’ready, alpha, please,” Louis begs on a choked out moan. He doesn’t know if it’s true, unsure of whether he’s really ready to take Harry’s knot, but his omega seems to be overriding every other thought in his head right now so he gives in to it, trusting his biology.

Harry lines himself up and grips onto Louis’ hips, grunting as the head of his cock breaches his rim and pushes inside. Louis hangs his head, the feeling of being filled overwhelming him as he grits his teeth and tries to relax. Harry slides in further and further until Louis’ breath catches in his throat as the knot at the base of Harry’s cock is up against his rim, threatening to split him open.

“Fucking hell, Lou. Jesus.”

Louis faceplants into the covers, turning his head to the side to suck in air. He gropes blindly for Harry’s hand on his hip and threads their fingers together, holding on tight, trying to ground himself as their bones grind with the strength of it.

“Come on. D-do it,” Louis stammers. “Knot me.”

Harry groans and shoves in the last inch, his knot popping past Louis’ rim and locking in place. “ Fuck!”

“ Ohmygod,” Louis shouts, body trembling as he comes hard, vision whiting out.

Harry is howling behind him like a wild beast, come pulsing into Louis. There are multi-coloured stars and comets and lightning bolts going off behind Louis’ eyelids, blood rushing in his ears, and heart pounding in his chest as his body hungrily takes everything Harry gives. He wants it all and then some. Wants to be utterly consumed by his alpha.

Harry is saying words between gasps for air, at least Louis thinks so— mine and forever and omega and soulmate—but his brain is completely scattered, only able to focus on the points where Harry is touching him, fingertips burning imprints into his skin that feel like they’ll leave branded marks, cock buried so deep inside him, making him whole.

Harry falls forward and flattens Louis into the mattress, his whole body pinning Louis in place like a dead weight. His breath is hot in Louis’ ear, tongue licking stripes up his neck, hand sliding under Louis’ chest and up to his jaw, turning his head so he can reach his lips.

Louis opens up for him, desperate for a taste, soaking in Harry’s very essence as Harry’s tongue fucks into his mouth with possessive need. His pulse hammers away in his ears, like the beating of a drum, loud and metronomic, the movement of Harry’s tongue insistent and rhythmic, matching the blood pumping through his veins.

“Lou. Omega,” Harry rasps when he finally breaks away.

“Alpha,” is all Louis manages through his haze.

Harry rolls them onto their sides, sliding his arms around him securely. He kisses and licks and paws at his chest and stomach, hand circling his cock and making Louis moan. By the time Harry brings him off again, his knot is starting to subside and they drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

~*~

When Louis drifts into consciousness again, there is a heavy weight on his back pressing him into the covers. His mouth is as dry as the desert and every single muscle in his body is aching. There’s something caked on his neck and as he tries to open his eyes he discovers his eyelashes are stuck together, both of which he suspects are probably come or slick. He feels gross and hungry. Fuck, he’s so hungry. But there’s also a deep-seated satisfaction and calmness that he hasn’t ever felt before, like he’s been searching his entire life and now, finally, he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

“Morning,” the weight on his back croaks from behind him and even though he feels disgusting but he can’t help the smile that creeps onto his face.

“What did you do to me? Did you literally paint me in your come?”

Harry chuckles, the vibrations going straight through Louis’ rib cage. “Uhm…” he says sheepishly, although Louis detects a tone of smugness too. Bastard.

“Possessive much?”

“Hey…” Harry drawls, mock offended. “S’not my fault. You bring it out in me.”

Louis turns over in Harry’s embrace and uses what little spit he can muster to wipe away the bodily fluids from his eyelashes. He opens his eyes and is met with a beaming smile and very dishevelled looking Harry. “You look like shit, babe,” Louis deadpans.

Harry frowns, nose scrunching up before he smiles again. “You look beautiful. Smell delicious too.”

Louis pinches his nipple and earns a squawk in return. “You’re insufferable. I want tea and food and a shower. Not necessarily in that order.”

Harry nods and pulls Louis in tighter. “Is your heat over?”

“Yeah, reckon so. Your rut finished too?”

“Mmmm… yeah. Do you remember much of it?”

Flashes of images and feelings whirl through his head like fragments of a dream. Harry knotting him over and over, taking care of him. The hot, wet heat of his mouth enveloping his cock. Hands and fingers and lips and tongues everywhere. Louis hovering over Harry’s chest as Harry had licked him out. Harry fucking his mouth and him doing it in return. Whispered words of praise, growls and whines and pleads and shouts of ecstasy. On the bed, the floor, the chair, the windowsill. The feeling of being safe, loved, cocooned; burning needs satisfied, desires and pleasures satiated.

“Bits and pieces,” Louis says wistfully and then smirks. “My arse certainly remembers.” Harry slides his hands down to Louis’ bum cheeks and gives them a squeeze. “Oi! Enough of that. It’s gonna be off-limits to you for a while.”

“M’kay.” Harry just grins at him and Louis can’t help but roll his eyes. His soulmate is a goofball. Oh… soulmates.

Louis looks up at him and smiles. “So… soulmates?”

“Mmmmm…” Harry hums low in his throat and lifts Louis’ wrist, kissing his half of their soulmark. “It's gotta nice ring to it.”

“You’d better put a fucking ring on it.”

“All in good time, my love,” Harry says knowingly and Louis pouts. Actually pouts. He doesn’t even know who he is anymore because Harry just does things to him. Harry kisses his pout away. “Why don’t you shower while I fix us something to eat. It’s nearly lunchtime.”

“Shit. Will your girls be okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, they’ll be fine. The advantage of having employees. I shot a text off to Dave in the few seconds I had before I chased your crazy-arse in here last night.”

Louis giggles. “You love my arse. Wait. It’s Saturday?

“Mhmmm…”

“Wow. Less than a day. Fastest heat ever. This soulmates thing definitely has its perks,” Louis says with a satisfied smile and stretches out his legs before rolling out of Harry’s arms and sitting up. He looks down at his body and gasps. “Jesus Christ.”

His skin is covered in marks; bruises and scratches and welts everywhere he looks. He stands up and spins around to find Harry sitting on the opposite edge of the bed with his back to him, the broad expanses of skin littered with marks that Louis suspects are from his own nails and mouth. 

Harry chuckles as he surveys his body and gets to his feet, and when he turns around Louis can’t help the bark of laughter that bursts from his mouth. 

Harry gapes at him when he sees the similar state Louis is in. “Uhm… exactly how feral did we get?”

“Very, it would appear,” Louis says as he walks into the ensuite bathroom.

“Is it wrong that I want to drag you back into bed?” Harry shouts from the bedroom.

Louis pokes his head back around the doorway. “Go and make me food you insatiable bloody heathen!”

Harry dimples a smile. “Then I can take you back to bed?”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Fine. Shower, food, tea, then more sex. You just can’t put that monster dick of yours in my arse.”

“Deal!” Harry shouts and jumps off the bed in all his glorious nakedness, scurrying out into the hallway.

~*~

Harry feeds him and then rims him, then feeds him again before they take a nap. It’s all kinds of lovely. 

Louis wakes up a few hours later to the hot, wet heat of Harry’s mouth on his cock, the pressure of his tongue pushing up into the underside and massaging the protruding vein, swirling around the crown, the barest hint of teeth just to keep Louis on edge. Harry’s emitting a low growl from deep in his chest and the vibrations are tantalisingly good. “Oh, fuck,” Louis moans, head pressing back into the pillows as he grips the sheets in his hands like a vice.

Harry takes him down further, sucking like he kisses, slow but sure, like he has a destination in mind and Louis is just along for the ride, completely at Harry’s mercy with every twist and turn.

Louis’ lungs are burning, each breath seeming like a Herculean effort as Harry works him over relentlessly; swallowing around him, his throat contracting and releasing as the pleasure courses through Louis’ veins. 

Louis flings the covers off them so Harry can breathe, but it’s more for his own benefit, wanting to see his alpha between his legs.

Harry pops off and grins before ducking back down to lick along the crease of his thigh, inhaling deeply as he makes his way to Louis’ hole, the low growl back once again, or maybe it never stopped.

“H. Fuck,” Louis whimpers, the remnants of his heat producing a small amount of slick. 

Louis can smell Harry’s scent, his own neutralisers having worn off during the night, and the heady aroma of rose, smokey wood and cloves wraps around him like a warm blanket. It’s somehow fitting that it blends perfectly with Louis’ own scent of rose, vanilla and spun sugar. But then he shouldn’t be surprised, everything with Harry is perfect.

Louis is so glad that he held out for his soulmate. And as he comes with Harry’s name on his lips, he knows it was worth the wait. 

~*~

6 months later…

“And this is one of the newest varieties, an aged cheddar infused with chilli and black pepper,” Louis says and hands over the small sample on a toothpick. “It makes a great addition to any platter or tasting plate.” The woman pops it into her mouth and smiles as she chews; another satisfied customer in the making.

The woman thanks him and moves over to the Buy Me line, the queue cleared for now. A warm breeze wafts through the tent, fluttering the awning above and feathering Louis’ fringe, the sounds of the markets all around.

Louis grabs his water bottle and takes a swig as he looks out over the crowds, families and couples and groups of friends wandering around happily enjoying the sunshine.

He lets his mind wander back over the whirlwind that has been the last six months. This is where it all began, at this little stall when the love of his life, his alpha, his soulmate, crashed into his world and tilted it on its axis. All it took was one too many drinks out with his mates, a cunning Irishman, his matchmaking business partner, and fate.

After their first night together, it had taken him and Harry a few days to emerge from their haze of sex, Louis calling out of work on the Monday and Harry leaving the running of the farm to his capable employees. They’d fucked and cooked and talked their way through their histories and planned out their futures, happily finding they were both on the same page about almost everything. Their friends and families had been over the moon at their news and congratulated them in heaping doses for weeks afterwards. Niall took the credit for getting them together, of course, much to Liam’s chagrin, and while Louis may have chastised them for it out loud and is sure that he and Harry would’ve found each other anyway, he will be forever grateful for their intervention.

Their first I Love You’s were whispered onto each other’s skin a mere week later as they lay by the fire, warm and sated and coming down from their post-orgasmic highs. Another week after that, Louis’ house was on the market and he had moved into Harry’s home, their home as Harry had reminded him from that very day.

A trip to the Swiss Alps for their three month anniversary was as long as Harry could wait to propose and followed through on his promise to put a ring on it. Louis had accepted with tears of joy in his eyes and had then ridden Harry into oblivion to show him just how much he loved him. 

Their wedding just last month had been a quiet affair, Harry’s farm providing the perfect backdrop for the big day, surrounded by the ones they hold dearest, and naturally, Harry’s girls. The cows had watched on from the adjacent pasture, although Louis is pretty sure Harry would have had them as bridesmaids if he could’ve worked out a way to corral them.

Louis loves waking up in Harry’s arms each morning and looking out over the fields before he heads off to work at Love, Ever After. Both of their businesses are booming and really, Louis is just amazed at how easily and quickly everything has slotted into place.

A strong pair of arms slide around Louis’ waist and he leans back into Harry’s familiar embrace.

Harry kisses him softly on the neck, his breath tickling at Louis’ ear. “Quite the salesperson aren’t you? My takings have gone up two-fold since you started working your charms on the unsuspecting customers.”

“Mmmm… reckon the quality product might have something to do with it. That, and the handsome alpha on the Buy Me line.”

Harry smiles into his skin. “I’m gonna go and grab a few things for the dinner party tonight before the stalls close. Will you be okay here on your own for a bit?”

Louis spins around in his arms, rising up on his tiptoes to plant a chaste kiss on Harry’s lips. “Sounds delightful. What have you got planned for tonight then?”

Harry sways them back and forth as he contemplates his answer. “Well, I thought maybe a creamy pasta with prosciutto and mushrooms and a few salads. I wanna grab some of Gwen’s crusty sourdough to make some garlic bread too. Oh! And Grace and Millie have their chocolate-dipped strawberries back on offer so a box of those as well. Just simple.”

“Sounds incredible. I’m sure the boys will be well pleased,” Louis says, thinking about how nice it will be to have them all over as a group with Niall’s partner Alex back from sea on leave again, and to celebrate Liam and Craig’s recent engagement.

Louis tucks his nose into Harry’s neck, inhaling deeply to breathe in his scent. It’s one of his favourite things to do, and even though the neutralizers they wear in public mask it for the most part, Louis can still get the essence of it when they’re this close.

Harry mirrors his actions, giving Louis’ neck a sneaky lick for good measure. “God. You taste good. Can’t wait until tomorrow.”

Louis feels a tingle shoot down his spine and it goes straight to his cock. “Mmmm… same.”

Their heat and rut are due tomorrow, their second ones together, and Louis is fucking gagging for it. The first time had been a hurried and passionate affair but this time will be different. This time they can really enjoy themselves, do it right, and truly bask in their love.

He’s particularly keen to try out some of the new things they’ve had installed in readiness. After Louis had mentioned he enjoyed bathing during his heats, Harry had called in the builders the following week to have their ensuite bathroom pulled apart and fitted with an enormous spa bath and rain shower over the top. The LED strip lighting, surround sound system and gas fireplace that’s installed on the wall between the bedroom and bathroom are just bonuses. They’ve tried them all out numerous times since, but he knows it will feel different when they’re in the throes of their heat and rut. It’s all quite extravagant but Harry had insisted nothing was too much for his omega.

“Love you,” Harry says and gives his hips a final squeeze and steps away. “Back soon.”

Louis watches him go and lets out a long sigh, a happiness he’d once thought would never be his, settling in his bones. His fingers absentmindedly trail over his own soulmark, imprinted on his skin for eternity.

Harry is his whole world, his alpha, his soulmate, and Louis thanks the heavens every day that he found his very own Love, Ever After.