pretty please (with sugar on top) - larry stylinson

3

By the time he showed up at Niall's door, he was shaking uncontrollably to the point where he almost dropped his phone, and his fingers were completely white. Niall opened the door, set one glance on the state he was in, and tugged him inside, swearing.

"Jesus fuck, how far did you walk?"

"Not far," his teeth chattered. "Just, a few blocks." But it had been enough to render him unable to think clearly. It was the cold, coupled with the events of the night and how he could feel himself dropping already, a consequence of being knotted but not taken care of afterward.

The good friend he was, Niall helped him out of his coat and onto the couch, piling blankets on top of him until he was wrapped in a butterfly's cocoon of warmth and comfort, all of which held Niall's soothing alpha scent. Meanwhile a kettle was set on the stove and the TV was turned to a Law and Order marathon.

"I need to shower."

"Drink this first," he insisted, handing Harry his favorite mug which was dark, muted blue and handleless, so he could wrap both hands around it to warm them without anything getting in the way. The mug had gold detailing on the side, outlining delicate flowers. Harry liked it so much not just because it didn't have a handle but also because it was a souvenir from his first time in Tokyo, where he met Niall at a golf tournament.

They sat in silence for a bit until Harry's teeth stopped chattering for the most part. Then Niall started questioning him about his night, because as much as he didn't want to know the details, he was alpha and had to make sure the omega was safe and everything was okay.

"Was he nice to you?"

"Eh, he was fine." He wasn't going to lie, but he didn't want Niall to worry. "He got me the shoes I wanted," he added, pulling his free hand out of the mountain of blankets just to point to the box he had left on the coffee table. "And two grand."

Niall squinted at him, assessing. Then he laughed. "Two grand? For one night—not even a full night? Wow."

"I'm good at what I do," Harry said, smug. It was a special occasion and certainly not something that was sustainable; he didn't receive two thousand dollars every time he slept with an alpha. If only. "Everybody wants a sugar baby like me."

"I'm sure. Drink your tea, you're still shaking. You look like you got mauled by a bear, by the way."

"Don't look at me," he whined, hand shooting up to cover his neck. No marks had always been a rule because no alpha would want to go near him with a ten foot pole if it looked like he was already claimed. Tonight had been a momentary lapse in judgement, a moment of really good sex that made him let his guard down for one second too long, which of course ended badly. He would have to be more careful next time, more steadfast with his rules.

"Do I need to fight him?"

Thinking of Niall in an alpha fight made him laugh, and then get whacked in the shoulder. "You're silly," he smiled, setting down his mug and resituating the blankets so the edge covered his neck and wrapped around his shoulders. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Oh, yeah. I have a favor to ask of you and it involves your omega wiles."

He had to muffle another round of giggles with the blankets, but it had the added benefit of giving him another whiff of alpha which soothed his oversensitive nerves. Niall was funny about Harry being omega sometimes, and it could be awkward but really it only made them laugh. "My omega wiles?"

"Yes. Your apparently irresistible smell and charming sex appeal."

Clearly he was joking but there was still a tiny part of Harry hidden deep inside that preened at the praise. Having no idea where this was going or why Niall needed his help, he fluttered his eyelashes and flirted, ridiculously, "Go on."