Archive of Our Own ^beta

Louis really fucking needed a coffee.  It had been a shit day and he was tired of being yelled at by people who were actually creating the problem themselves.  He had just moved into a new apartment and hadn’t explored the various coffee shops yet, but Niall highly recommended Stauf’s.  It was right on Louis’ way home, so he decided maybe he could slide in, grab a tea, and then find a nice corner table and work on his paper that was due that weekend.

He found it easily, right where Niall had promised it would be, and walked in.  It smelled of caramel syrup, coffee, and an amazingly appealing alpha.  Louis looked around to see if he could determine who it was that he was scenting so easily, and he quickly zeroed in on the gorgeous man behind the counter.  

Louis was floored.  As an omega, he naturally had the ability to sense alphas, so it wasn’t like this was an unusual situation for him.  The difference here was that this man smelled so strong and so ridiculously good.  Louis had never been so attracted to someone’s scent before.  Add the fact that this worker whose name tag read “Harry” looked like some kind of greek god with his long curly hair and dimples as he chatted up the older woman ordering currently, and Louis was already a goner.  

He perused the menu and decided to go for a simple mocha.  That always seemed the safest choice when he was still feeling out a new coffee shop.  He stepped up to the counter, and the man stiffened as if uncomfortable.  Louis hoped he didn’t smell bad, but what did he know?  He just didn’t want to smell like BO.

“Can I help you?”

The friendly and easygoing manner he’d had with the woman before Louis was gone completely, and he looked almost pained and confused about why Louis would be there to torture him.  Had they met previously and Louis didn’t remember?

“Uhm, yes.  I’d like a mocha, please,” Louis said slowly.  Harry didn’t ask if he wanted it for here or to go, he just rattled off a total and took Louis’ card when the time came.  He said nothing more, prepared the drink, and then handed over a to-go cup filled with coffee.

“Oh, thanks…” Louis trailed off trying to figure out how to ask if he could still drink it in the cafe without putting off this man any further.  Louis didn’t want Zeus or whoever coming after him because he pissed off one of his gods in the form of an alpha coffee shop worker.  

Before Louis could even ask, the man coolly asked, “What’s your problem?”

Louis blinked in surprise, completely lost as to what the hell he had done and then turned and walked out of the shop.  Louis would find his own place for coffee.  There was no way he was going to go back to Niall’s supposed favorite, beautiful god or not.

*~~***~~*

Fucking Niall.  He was right.  The only decent coffee in the area was Stauf’s and after trying literally every shop in a three block radius of their apartment, Louis found himself chancing it once more.  He peeked through the door window and hoped to find the counter devoid of the alpha that held some sort of unknown grudge against Louis.  

Had he had previous poor experiences with an omega?  Was he prejudiced against male omegas?  Maybe he was one of those alphas who thought that male omegas were abominations and shouldn’t be allowed to socialize.  Louis thought everyone who felt that way either lived in compounds or were over the age of sixty, but you never could know for sure.

Luckily, the way seemed clear, so Louis let himself in.  It still smelled like the alpha, but Louis couldn’t see him, so he allowed himself to relax and approach the counter.  If the alpha worked here enough, the place would always have some lingering scent of him, so Louis didn’t worry about it.

He placed his order, and went to the milk table to dress his coffee how he wanted.  He had just grabbed the stirring stick when the rich scent of trees, mint, and flowers suddenly grew stronger and surrounded Louis.  

“Can you hurry up?”

This time it was Louis’ turn to stiffen, despite the goosebumps the voice caused to break out across his arms.  What the hell was this guy’s problem?  

Louis shot a glare over his shoulder, grabbed the sugars he was going to add at the station as well as some napkins and left the prep station to go to a table and just let Harry do whatever the hell it was he was needing to do so bad.

Curious as to what had him in such a hurry, Louis watched out of the corner of his eye as he got his drink just to his liking at the table and found that bastard was just refilling the milk.  Was he fucking serious?  Why couldn’t he have waited?  

Louis rolled his eyes and did the best he could to focus on his history reading.  Louis wasn’t going to let one shithead run him out of the only decent coffee shop near him.

*~~***~~*

The third time Louis was sure it was finally going to work out in his favor.  He walked in and all he could smell was a lingering wisp of mint and lavender rather than the full power of those mixed with pine like he had previously.  Good.  Louis wasn’t in the mood to have to deal with that fucker.

Since he had the day off after overtime and night classes three days in a row, Louis decided to treat himself to a sandwich as well as a coffee.  He walked up to the counter and saw the same kind girl who had been there the week before and smiled at her.  

“Hi, Louis!  How’s your week been?” Jacky asked, her friendly smile a pleasant greeting.

“It’s been pretty crazy, actually.  I’m glad it’s Thursday so I can breathe a little.”  Louis looked at the sandwich offerings.  “I think I’m going to get a chicken salad sandwich today in addition to my mocha.”

Jacky rang him up and quickly brought his order to the counter.  “Here you go.  Good luck studying.”

“Thanks.”  Louis allowed himself the time to prepare his drink how he wanted and had just sat down when his phone rang.  His mom’s face appeared on the screen and he immediately picked up.  “Hey, what’s up?”

She immediately launched into a frazzled explanation for her call.  “Lou, I know Thursdays are your day off and the time for you to be able to get schoolwork done, but Daisy got sick and I’m supposed to be taking Fizzy to her dentist appointment and then Lottie has dance team tryouts and Dan can’t get home until three.  Is there any way you can come and stay with Daisy while I get your sisters everywhere?  Dan will pick up Phoebe from school on his way home and then relieve you as soon as he’s able, I swear!”

Louis looked longingly at his sandwich and perfectly made up coffee.  He could probably get Jacky to give him some to go stuff so he could take them with him.  He’d just have to hope the bread didn’t go soggy on the drive over.

“Yeah.  When do you need me?”

“As soon as you can.  Thank you so much!  There’s a reason you’re my favorite first born!”

Louis laughed a bit.  “Mmhmm, I better be since there can only ever be one first.  Okay.  Let me get packed up here and I’ll head over.  Love you.”

“Thank you!” she sang.  Louis loved how animated his mom was whenever they spoke on the phone.  “I’ll see you soon, Boobear.  Love you, too”

He hung up and put his laptop back into his bag.  He stood up to head to the counter and froze.  Damnit.  He’d been so focused on his mom that he hadn’t realized the scent that had frustratingly been permeating his dreams had gotten stronger again.  And there Harry was.  Standing behind the counter, happily chatting and laughing with Jacky.

Steeling himself, Louis walked up to the counter and Harry turned to greet him with a smile before he realized who it was.  Louis could watch his face almost contort as he tried to withhold his disgust and Louis was so done.  Who did he think he was?

“I was just hoping I could get a take out box and cup?”  Of course, it was just Louis’ luck that right when he was asking, Jacky started using the espresso machine for another customer and Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You want to go the fuck away?” Harry asked, far too loud in the now very quiet coffee shop.  Louis studied his face, but it seemed frozen and that was the last straw for Louis.

“What the hell is your problem with me?” Louis asked.  He’d never been very good at holding his tongue, and he had done a better job than usual through all of these encounters, but he couldn’t handle it anymore.  “Every time I come in, you are fucking rude and I never even did anything to you!”

“No, I…”

“No, you know what?  It’s fine.  You can just refund me or something.  Give Niall a free drink next time he’s in, because I’ll find another way to get my caffeine.  God!”  Louis stomped back to the table, gathered his shit including the sandwich he was holding in a napkin, took a large gulp of his still scalding coffee, and ran out to get to his mom’s.

*~~***~~*

“Niall!” Louis yelled once he got back to his apartment that afternoon.  

“Hey, dude,” Niall called back from his bedroom.  “Get that outline finished?”

“Nah.”  Louis dropped his sadly neglected bookbag.  He’d had a small hope that Daisy would be sleeping, but of course she wasn’t.  She wanted the full treatment of cuddles on the couch and chicken noodle soup and her back scratched while she hacked up a lung and fought a fever.  Poor girl.  “Next time you go to that shitty cafe you love so much, they owe you a free drink.  You’re welcome.”

“What?”  Niall walked down the hall, dressed only in a pair of gym shorts, scratching his hair.  It didn’t look like he’d left his room all day.  Maybe he hadn’t.  He’d specifically set up his class schedule so he only had to go to campus on Monday and Wednesdays and he worked evenings, so it was possible.  “Why do they owe me a drink?”

“Because that fucking alpha, Harry, hates my guts for some reason and is rude as fuck every time I go in.  He basically tells me to leave after five seconds, and I had to leave my coffee today.  I told them to give you a free one next time, because I’m just going to deal with shitty coffee rather than go in there again.”  Louis threw himself down onto the couch and spread out lengthwise, considering his coffee options at this point.  

“ Harry does that?  Like, long curly hair, smells like the best forest you’ve ever been in, and is so gentle that if I hadn’t scented him as an alpha myself I wouldn’t believe he was one Harry?”

Louis rolled his eyes.  “Yes.  That one.  He’s the most charming person I’ve ever witnessed with literally everyone but me.  Today he asked me to get the fuck out.  Like he actually said, ‘go the fuck away’ to a customer.  I’m done, dude.  I have no idea what his deal is, but I’m tired of him treating me like shit.  Is it a male omega thing or because I have blue eyes or what?  Because I really have no clue what I’ve done to be treated like this.”

Niall was standing there with his mouth slightly open.  “That really doesn’t sound like the Harry I know.”

Louis rolled his eyes.  “Trust me.  It’s him.”

“He’s got nothing against male omegas, by the way.  He actually is a huge proponent of all omega rights as well as women’s rights.  He marched in Washington for equal omega rights just last year.”

“I don’t fucking care, Niall.  The guy is beautiful and smells amazing and everyone loves him, but he can’t stand the sight of me.”  Louis bit his lip.  “I mean, I know I’m not the most traditional omega and I’m not exactly anyone’s idea of the perfect mate, but I don’t think there’s anything about me to cause someone to hate me as soon as they meet me.”

Niall put his hands on his narrow hips.  He was small, but damn if he wasn’t intimidating when angry.  “Stop that thinking right there.  I won’t fucking hear you talking that way because you are a fucking catch.  There has to be a misunderstanding.  I don’t see why he would ever act that way towards anyone, especially you.  But even if there was, he needs to fucking apologize.”

Louis just sighed and threw his arm over his eyes.  “Can we talk about this later?  I really need a snuggle to help myself feel better after being treated like shit by the sweetest and most beautiful alpha I’ve ever seen or smelled before I get back to work on my marketing project.”

Niall immediately walked up to the couch and threw himself over the back of it so he landed half on top of Louis.  Louis wished he could say he was surprised, but this was a somewhat regular occurrence in their apartment.  He didn’t really care though, as long as it meant that he got cuddles.

“I love you, Lou.  I’m gonna figure out what’s going on.  ‘Kay?”

“‘Kay.  Love you, too, Ni.”

*~~***~~*

“Where have you been?”

Louis allowed the door to slam and hoped Mrs. Martin didn’t complain again.  

“Likely failing my history exam,” Louis moaned in response to his roommate.  “God, Ni.  I feel like I’ve been studying every minute I’ve not been at work and I still failed it.  And because I spent all my time studying for history, I didn’t finish my marketing project which is due tomorrow or my english essay which is due Friday and oh my God!”  Louis paused mid-rant to put his hand to his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart.  “I’m going to flunk out of senior year!  I’ve already been accepted into my program for my Masters!  But they won’t want me anymore if I can’t pass these last fucking classes!  Niall!  What am I going to do?”

Louis walked down the hall a bit lopsided, since the realization hit him before he’d been able to remove his second shoe.  He didn’t care.  It had been a horrible day of being yelled at, again, by more customers and then he likely failed his exam and...wait.  Louis was going mad after this day from hell and imagining he smelled...

“Uhm.  Hi?”

“Harry?”  Louis stood frozen in front of the kitchen where Harry was leaning against the counter with a small smile on his face, waving.  Why the hell was Harry in their apartment?

“Hey!  Sorry about your exam.  Have fun, don’t kill each other, and definitely don’t get slick all over the couch.  Okay, bye!”  Niall kissed Louis on the cheek and practically ran out of the flat before Louis could even pull himself together enough to respond.

Louis could feel his cheeks warming, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of Niall assuming this would somehow end in sex or if it was in frustration that now Harry was going to ruin his safe space he’d created in his own home.  

“So, I really need to apologize.”  Harry bit his lip and God.  He really needed to not do that.  Louis was already having a hard time concentrating thanks to Harry’s scent being so incredibly powerful inside their small kitchen.

“Yeah.  Uhm.  Want to come sit on the couch?”

Louis closed his eyes.  Of course Harry doesn’t want to sit on their couch.  This was the first time he’d actually spoken to Louis without being rude or acting like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

“God, yes.  Please.”  Louis’ eyes flew open.  Harry sounded nervous.  Why was he nervous?

“Oh.  Okay.  It’s just here,” Louis said stupidly, gesturing over his shoulder.  Of course it was.  Harry could see that.  It was right in his line of sight.  Rolling his eyes at himself, Louis walked over to the couch and tried to pull himself together.  

They made themselves comfortable and angled themselves towards each other, and Louis waited for Harry to start...but he didn’t.  Louis was getting more and more frustrated.  Harry was the one who came here, he was the one who said he wanted to apologize.  What the hell was going on now?  Why didn’t he just say it and get it over with already so Louis could finally breathe without wanting to throw himself into Harry’s lap and kiss him senseless?

Oh God.  This proximity really wasn’t good.  It was making it so Louis could only focus on the fact that he just really really wanted to feel Harry’s hands on his skin and that thought process was a slippery slope.

Luckily, it was at that point that Harry launched into an explanation without any warning.  “I’m just so sorry that I’m so awkward and I mess shit up all the time.  I’ve kind of had a crush on you ever since I first saw you two years ago in passing on campus.  I didn’t really know who you were and I didn’t want to be a stalker, but I looked forward to those days every week.  And then last year I got to see you walk across the quad almost every day and I could never get the nerve up to talk to you.  I hadn’t seen you at all this year, so I thought maybe you’d graduated last year and I’d lost my chance, but then you walked into Stauf’s and I realized it was my chance.  But then I smelled you too, and fuck. Do you even realize how good you smell?”

Harry finally paused long enough that Louis’ brain could start to process what was going on.  “Wait, you have a crush on me?”

Harry didn’t respond to the question and just continued on.  “You probably don’t, but you smell incredible.  So anyway, finally getting the chance to talk to you but without warning and while your scent was just kinda taking over made it so I couldn’t think straight and every fucking time I opened my mouth I would try to say something like You want a to-go box now? while thinking He’s just so fucking cute but I somehow combined them so it was so incredibly rude.  Like last time you came in and I said?   You want to go the fuck away now?  God.  I’m so sorry, Louis.  I didn’t mean any of it.  I’m so very sorry.”

Louis just blinked at him.  “You seriously looked forward to seeing me walk across campus?”  Harry sat looking at his knees, blushing.  “That’s actually really sweet.”

Harry’s head snapped up so fast, Louis was surprised he didn’t hear his neck crack a bit.  “You...you don’t find it creepy?”

Louis shook his head and as he watched Harry visibly relax, his scent filling the room became heavier with the lavender and Louis also relaxed in turn.  

Harry smiled shyly at Louis.  “There were so many things I wanted to say to you but I had no idea how to start a conversation and then once I had the opportunity, I kept fucking up and ruined any chance I may have had with you.”

Louis fiddled with his fringe a little in nervousness.  “Like what?”

Harry took a deep breath and chuckled a little.  “I dunno.  Like you always wore that football jersey but I didn’t recognize the team so I wanted to ask about that.  And do you like sport yourself?  And I saw you carrying a camera around for awhile, do you do photography?  And I love your long fringe, the way it curls around your face is beautiful.  And your eyes are the most captivating I’ve ever seen, and God.  I’ll stop now before I seriously scare you away.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Harold,” Louis said, reaching out to touch Harry’s shoulder.

It was the first time they’d ever touched, and as soon as they did, Louis’ eyebrows rose involuntarily.

“Please, uhm.  God.  You feel that, too, right?”

Louis nodded.  “Kinda like in Frozen when Anna was frozen and Elsa was able to help her defrost and come back to life?  It’s like the warmth is starting where I’m touching you and slowly spreading.”

Harry smiled so wide his dimples popped and shit.  That was the first time Louis had ever had his smile directed and him and he almost cried he was so relieved.

“I was thinking more like Mushu in Mulan.  You know how the ancestors bring him to life and you can see the gold breath of life kinda swirling through him?  That’s how I’m feeling right now.”

“I love a man who can reference Disney,” Louis said softly.

“I think it’s a little early to say you love me, Louis Tomlinson.”

It was then that Louis realized how close they’d gotten to each other, and he couldn’t help but let his eyes drift down to Harry’s mouth.  His lips were full and wet from his nervous biting, and they looked like they would be incredible to kiss.

“Harry, I’d really like you to kiss me now.”

Harry’s eyes grew wide.  “Yeah?”

Louis nodded.  As Harry shifted closer, Louis could smell the peppermint get stronger, invigorating Louis and making him lick his own lips in anticipation.  Harry lifted his hand and gently stroked Louis’ cheek and jawline with his fingertips before slowly dragging them down his neck.  Louis couldn’t control the shivers that coursed through him.  If this was what it felt like with the smallest of touches, he could not wait to see what the kiss would feel like.

It was then that Harry tentatively touched his lips to Louis’, and Louis melted at the touch.  

It wasn’t fireworks or sparks or however else he had heard it described.  It was like a low level burning that was slowly making his entire self feel like he was the most powerful being in the world.  Maybe Harry really was a Greek god.  

Harry began to move his mouth and tilt his head so he could kiss Louis even deeper, and it was then that Louis realized his underwear was already growing wet with slick.

“Hey,” Louis pulled back a bit and tried to catch his breath, but it was hard when Harry opened his eyes and they were deep green like grass in the late spring.  “I’d really love it if we could go on a date and get to know each other better.”

Harry smiled brightly again, and Louis felt excitement course through him.

“I’ve been waiting two years to be able to do that.”

“Okay.  It’s a date.”

*~~***~~*

Mrs. McCarty continued talking about how her grandchildren were taking to her new teacup poodle while Harry gathered the pastries she wanted to take home with her along with her coffee.  He loved hearing about all of the kids and how much she loved them.  She and her husband were betas that Harry had met at an Omega rights protest after one of the local leaders had made some unfavorable remarks during his campaign last year.  Ever since then she’d become a regular at Stauf’s and would catch Harry up on all of the happenings in her life.

Harry heard the door open but remained focused on Mrs. McCarty.  She wouldn’t be much longer and then he could take care of the new customer.

The longer the customer was here though, the more his scent permeated the space.  It was an omega, and holy shit did they smell good.  The smell of fresh oranges and something almost like an undercurrent of chocolate slowly wound its way around the shop and made it so Harry could hardly remember what it smelled like before they merged so perfectly with the coffee beans and syrups.

She wrapped up the last of her story just as Harry handed her the coffee and she waved goodbye.  Harry fondly watched her figure out how she wanted to hold everything before turning to the next customer and freezing.

It was Louis.  Louis Tomlinson, friend of Niall, that Harry secretly referred to as his soulmate.  Holy fucking shit.  How had he found his way here?  How did he find the coffee shop where Harry worked?  Was he still attending school here after all?  Harry had just assumed he’d graduated, but maybe their schedules just didn’t align at all.

His mind a whirl, Harry spoke his greeting on autopilot.  “Can I help you?”

Louis’ perfect and incredible mouth formed a request, but Harry wasn’t sure exactly what.  A mocha?  A mocha.  He could totally handle a mocha.  He was cool.  Not overwhelmed at all.  Nope.

“Three seventeen,” Harry said, trying to force himself to function like a normal human being.  He could do this.  He might be incredibly attracted in like every way to the omega standing in front of him, but he wasn’t just his alpha instincts.  God, Harry.  Get a grip.

Once the card was swiped, Harry went about and made the mocha.  God, that amazing scent was Louis.  Louis was here and smelling amazing and ordering a mocha and Harry was shaking so hard he could hardly make the drink that he otherwise would be able to make in his sleep.  

Once it was all pulled together, he put the lid and sleeve on the cup and handed it over to Louis.  

“Oh, thanks…” Louis said, looking at the cup in confusion.  He wasn’t making any move to leave either.

Oh fuck.  Did Harry mess up his order?  What’s wrong?  Was there a problem?  Maybe Louis has a question?  Somehow all of these things merged together in Harry’s brain so what came spewing out was, “What’s your problem?”

Harry’s eyes went wide and his mouth snapped shut.  Holy shit.  He’d just ruined any chance he had of ever having a normal and good conversation with Louis ever.  Fucking hell, what was wrong with Harry?  His entire genetic makeup is supposed to program him so he can get any omega he wants, but instead he’s here being the biggest ass ever and he can’t even fix it because he’s afraid he’ll say something even worse.

Without saying anything else, Louis looked at him in surprise and just walked right out of the shop.  Harry leaned his head on the counter.  So much for being soulmates.