pretty please (with sugar on top) - larry stylinson

19

When Louis looked down, Harry was asleep. The profile of his face was perfectly visible, his curls drawn back into a loose bun. A thin red headband was holding the shorter, wispier hair away from his face. The face mask had dried already, but even that wasn't enough to diminish how pretty he was.

Having a sleeping omega on his lap was almost like having a cat. Louis' fingers were already tangled in his hair, scratching languidly at his scalp, so it was easy to give into the urge to pet him.

Knowing Harry felt comfortable enough to fall asleep like this because Louis had scented him was... a lot to handle. His skin was still tingling from where the omega had pressed his face up against his collarbones and breathed in deep enough for it to be unmistakable. And all of that happened after Louis had already held Harry still and inhaled his scent with pure intent.

Sharing scents was an intimate act. It wasn't something people did when they'd only known each other for a few days. But Harry didn't seem bothered that they'd just engaged in an activity that might not have been appropriate. Louis tried to take a page from his book and not worry about it. Harry's sweet wildflower scent swirled around him, proving Harry was relaxed and happy. There was nothing to worry about.

If anything, Louis' inner alpha wolf was appeased.

He picked up his book again after admiring Harry for a while, and began to read. He kept one hand in Harry's hair, stroking gently.

Harry was... Louis liked Harry. Not that he had to admit anything to himself right now. But it felt nice to think about it. He liked Harry a lot. Harry was kind and silly and a million other things that made Louis so, so interested in him. His occupation didn't matter. Louis didn't care that Harry was a sugar baby. It was a part of who he was, but it wasn't all of him. The omega liked luxurious things, so what, Louis couldn't blame him. He wasn't just a pretty face and a nice body—no one was. He was fun to be around and he had all these interesting thoughts and Louis could just talk to him forever. Setting the occasional awkwardness aside, they got along better than anything Louis had experienced before.

Louis was glad that out of all the people Niall could've tried and failed to set him up with, it was Harry. Harry was sweet and kind. He was funny, he made Louis laugh. They had fun together today. And, as it turned out, they were able to hang out together by both doing their own thing, Louis reading and Harry messing around on his phone. They were comfortable enough with each other to enjoy their presence while not needing to keep a steady conversation going.

All of this went through Louis' mind as he took breaks from reading to look down at Harry, asleep on his lap. His long legs were curled up on the cushion beside them and he looked softer than his usual feisty self when he was like this.

Time passed, as Louis kept reading and gazing down at Harry and trying his hardest to soak up this moment. Eventually he felt too tired to keep his eyes open.

Not wanting to wake the omega, he wiggled his arms under his torso and the backs of his knees. Lifting him without jostling him too much was less challenging than he expected. Harry's head lolled to the side, resting against Louis' shoulder, and his eyelids fluttered a little, his nose scrunching like a cat's, but he didn't wake up.

Louis was pretty steady on his feet, but Harry was all long limbs and Louis really didn't want to bump him into the wall. Of course Harry's foot bumped into the doorway leading to the bedroom and he startled awake.

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he slurred, big sleepy eyes blinking up at Louis. He seemed confused for a second until he realized the alpha was carrying him, and then he threw his heavy arm around Louis' neck like he was afraid he was going to drop him. His brows were still furrowed. "Where're we?"

"Bathroom. Gotta wash off the face masks."

"Oh, okay."

Louis set Harry down on the closed lid of the toilet, turning the tap on to warm up the water and wet a cloth. He looked back at Harry to find him slumped against the wall with his eyes closed, his breathing evening out again into long, slow breaths.

"Don't fall asleep on me now. We still gotta get you in bed."

"Don't care," Harry murmured, eyes still closed. "Know you'll take care of me."

Louis rolled his eyes and pointedly ignored the way his inner alpha paced proudly in his chest at the admission. He used the washcloth to wipe the mask off Harry's face, doing the same with his own.

"C'mon darling, time to go."

The omega just hummed and didn't protest when Louis lifted him to his feet. He rested almost all of his weight on him as Louis walked him to the bed and let him flop onto the mattress.

Louis collapsed beside him and he was out in less than five minutes.