the eclipse [sequel] ☾ l.s.

eight - diplomatic discussion

"I just want it to be over," Harry groaned, folding his arms over his face. He was sitting as close to the fire as possible, leaning back against the cave wall with his arms wrapped around himself.

The days after his heat were almost worse than the actual thing; his entire body ached, buzzing with the worst mix of adrenaline and anxiety. Despite the early spring warmth, his skin was raised with rows of tiny goosebumps, and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in the familiar comfort of his alpha's arms and never come out.

But he couldn't, because Louis had to go meet with his father.

"Soon, babes," Niall uselessly tried to comfort him. "It won't be more than another three days."

"I feel like my head hasn't worked right for weeks," the omega complained, gathering the nest of blankets that Louis had arranged for him more tightly around his shoulders. "Everything has just been fuzzy all the time. You know, dark around the edges."

"You've been really stressed out," Niall reasoned. "I've been thinking a lot about it, and that's probably why your heat came early. Your body is so completely distressed by everything that's going on around you that it didn't know how else to cope."

On cue, Louis emerged from their makeshift bedroom, dressed to go out. Liam was still hopping around trying to tug on his pants, so Louis plopped down beside Harry, tucking the shivering boy under his arm. Harry buried his face in his alpha's neck, greedily inhaling his pheromones before Louis had to leave. He was already wearing Louis's largest sweatshirt, the alpha's scent thick in his nose and on his skin, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"How are you feeling, angel?"

Harry just shrugged.

Louis hummed soothingly, his fingers threading into Harry's hair and scratching gently. "You gonna be okay today?" he asked quietly, pressing a sweet kiss to Harry's temple.

"Are you?" He sighed against Louis's neck, his breath fanning out over the older boy's skin. "It's the first time you've really spoken to your father since . . . well, since you were trying to rip his head off in front of the entire pack."

"I'll be alright."

"Don't let him walk all over you," Harry advised. He could only hope that Louis couldn't sense his anxiety over this looming conversation; he knew the alpha definitely could. He shuddered as another burst of cold washed over him, his fingers fisting in the stiff fabric of Louis's jacket.

"I won't," Louis promised, rubbing Harry's arms in a useless attempt to warm him. Despite his uncertainty about facing his father (one of the most "alpha" alphas that he had ever known), he knew he would hold strong. He would never forget what his father put Harry through, and that memory alone would keep him steady.

It had to.

"Ready, Lou?" Liam called, making Harry whine in response.

"Don't want you to go," he mumbled, clinging to his alpha more tightly.

Louis's heart ached. The aftermath of Harry's heat made it harder for him to leave, even just for a little while. The omega was so cold and clingy all the time, and it would take another few days or so before he was completely back to normal.

"I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I'm so sorry."

"Take me with you," Harry begged suddenly, his eyes wide and pleading.

Louis knew that Harry didn't really want to go -- it was the leftover traces of his heat talking, his omega willing to face anything in the world besides being away from his alpha. Conflict swirled inside of him, though, because selfishly, he wanted nothing more than to keep Harry by his side. He shook the thought away, refusing to put his mate in an uncomfortable position.