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Nobody liked math. With those teachers who seemed to speak only to themselves, always repeating that the subject was easy if you paid attention and followed the procedure… Even so, it wasn't always the case. Some found it came naturally, of course, but not everyone did, and it wasn't fair that knowing how to turn numbers into letters carried so much importance.
Many teachers were the sort who explained nothing, because they themselves didn't have much specialisation in the area, and only set exercises and homework that were useless for the exam which counted for half of the final grade.
But then there were others like Harry, one of the best omega teachers in the institution.
He was a passionate man about teaching his subject. Thanks to teachers' evaluations, his groups made it clear that he explained with as much patience as was needed to tackle the topic of clearing strange letters, that he always answered questions in the best way possible, and that he was extremely kind.
With his bright smile and that gentle scent which conveyed confidence and calm, he managed to make mathematics stop being a nightmare. His homework was reasonable, his lessons ensured real learning, and students could only hope that he would be their teacher. Even students from higher years visited him simply to see how he was.
Or perhaps the teacher was more like Louis, one of the most feared in the entire secondary and sixth form, regardless of the year group or age. His mere presence commanded respect; he had cold, calculating eyes that made him seem larger and more alpha than he already was.
Louis was strict, maybe too strict, to tell the truth. His exam was worth almost the whole grade for the subject, and it was rare to see him smile or set easy homework. There was no room for distractions in his class; every minute was measured, every explanation direct and without embellishment.
That was him, Mr Tomlinson. The teacher everyone feared, but at the same time recognised as one of the very best. Because behind that hardness lay a clarity few could match; his students learned, and nobody could deny that those who passed through his classes left with a genuine mastery of the subject.
If Harry was patience and warm, Louis was disciplined and rigorous. Two extremes that, in some way, complemented each other within the institution.
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
The morning of that day began like any other. It was the first day of the new term, and although there were teenage pups just starting sixth form and others already in their final year, the vibe was the same, full of nerves, expectations, and the murmur of crowded corridors.
Louis' routine before teaching was simple, almost mechanical. After drinking the tea he had prepared at home, he stepped out of his car and headed to the headteacher's office to sign in. Then he walked to his classroom, switched on the lights if necessary, took out his laptop and markers, and positioned himself in the corridor, waiting for his students.
Everyone knew that no one entered the classroom after him. He made it clear from the very first day, punctuality was non-negotiable. Louis never understood why his students took so long to arrive, only to beg him afterwards to let them in.
At the start of each lesson he took the register. Anyone arriving more than fifteen minutes late simply did not count as present. His records were digitalised, and at the end of the term the system produced the total attendance for each pupil; that figure decided who could sit the final exam and who would have to face an extra assessment.
Louis was strict, yes, but also predictable. His rules were clear, and although many feared him, no one could say he didn't keep his word.
Yet he smiled inwardly when the classroom finally filled, with all the students nervously fiddling with pencils or folders as they saw him enter, sitting up straight and falling silent. He greeted them loudly, and a few returned the greeting, barely.
That day, after closing the door, he opened every window. It was the last lesson his group had in the day, and it wasn't his favourite slot. The students arrived tired, their attention scattered, and that usually irritated him.
He had been assigned the extremes, the first groups moving up from secondary to highschool, with all the inexperience of their first year, and the last, those already close to graduation. Louis wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this new generation, but he sensed it would be a different kind of challenge.
The windows stood wide open, and from his orderly briefcase he took out a board eraser and wasted no time in wiping away every marker note left on the main whiteboard, wondering what rush the previous teacher must have been in to leave their scribbles behind. He set the eraser on the desk and turned.
"Good day. I suppose you already know who I am, and if not… I am Professor Louis Tomlinson. I hold a degree in industrial engineering and a master's in education, with a focus on mathematics. My classes run from twelve twenty to one thirty, lasting one hour and ten minutes each day. Any questions?"
Everyone stayed silent, lowering their gaze when Louis' eyes swept across them. Until one student, who didn't hesitate to make eye contact, raised his right hand. He was a rather tall boy with thick glasses, seated at the front of the middle row.
"What's the method of assessment?"
Louis nodded, satisfied.
"Excellent. Well, the assessment rubric and the term calendar should already have been sent to your academic emails. However, I'll go over it here just once. There are three exams, two interfaces, and one final, which together make up eighty per cent of your total grade. The other twenty per cent corresponds to participation, homework, and notes taken in class. Is that all clear?"
The nods multiplied, though the tension still lingered in the air. Just then, two knocks on the closed door interrupted the dynamic, and the students let out a sigh of relief as Louis stepped forward to open it.
"Sorry to interrupt, professor," a voice was heard, before fading away, "You kept my markers."
Louis nodded without saying a word and stepped back inside. He pulled out a large sky-blue case, decorated with a whale keyring that seemed far too cute to be to his taste. He handed it to the omega at the door and bid him farewell with a faint smile, barely visible, but enough to unsettle the students who had never seen him soften his expression.
Harry, meanwhile, checked that all his markers were inside the case before nodding to himself and turning back towards the classroom opposite. His students were more relaxed, and the scent neutralisers in the form of small tins he had placed on the higher shelves were doing their job.
"So… if you don't know who I am, my name is Harry, and I hold a degree in industrial engineering and a master's in education," he said while writing each word on the board with a bright orange marker. "Classes run from twelve twenty to one thirty, supposedly an hour and ten minutes a day, though in reality they'll last an hour so you can have a break before the next class, if you have one."
He watched them all scribble in their folders, small smiles on their lips. He knew the impact he had on his students, completely the opposite of Louis. He understood that perhaps the man had other teaching methods that were in some ways harsh, yet he also knew that no one had ever completely failed his class.
"Is it true we'll have three exams per term?" a red-haired girl raised her hand, brushing her fringe from her nose.
"Who told you that?" Harry replied, arching a brow.
"My brother said there was a teacher who did that, and that they counted heavily towards the grade," the girl explained nervously.
Harry thought of Louis immediately.
"I see. No, I won't set three exams. Just the term paper, and the rest of the marks will be based on signatures. Any other questions?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Harry continued with his lesson, covering the aspects that might have been of greater importance, writing them on the board in different colours and styles, drawing small diagrams related to the topic, and even snapping a few photos for his blog, which he hadn't yet fully launched.
Across the corridor, Louis had dictated the entire syllabus, placing his signature in the centre of the students' sheets as was his custom. He had another thirty minutes to review the topics he would revisit that week; everything he did was documented and crossed off afterwards in his programme, far too specific for anyone merely observing.
Classes came to an end, and when both teachers left their respective rooms for the teachers office, the students gathered in the corridor. The subject of conversation was immediate, the infamous sky-blue case with the whale keyring. Between laughter and whispers, they tried to figure out why the feared alpha had something so obviously belonging to Harry.
They had barely reached the teachers office when Louis already had his arms around the omega, holding him close against his chest to breathe in his scent and confirm the good condition of his partner and their pup.
It was recent news, they had found out during their last trip to the beach, when Harry's heat had been delayed by more than two weeks. They hadn't been planning to have a pup, but neither was it something they feared might happen. It was fine, and they were definitely happy.
Harry was only nine weeks along, according to what the doctor had told them in their last visit. It was far too early for anything; his stomach was still as flat as ever, with no visible changes. Yet his scent had shifted, perceptible only to Louis, but enough to remind him that something new was growing inside his omega.
"Louis… give me a moment. I haven't even put my bag down," Harry smiled and stroked his waist over the dress shirt.
The alpha shook his head. They were alone except for the headteacher's secretary, who watched them with a certain amusement, unused to seeing them like this, unaware of the important news behind the behaviour of that feared professor.
No one at the school knew about the pregnancy, not even their families. Louis wasn't very close to his, and Harry wanted to wait a little longer before giving them the surprise, though they weren't in any rush. They didn't live nearby and didn't consider it necessary, knowing the background of that distance.
Harry gave a soft complaint, dropping his bag at his feet so he wouldn't have to carry it any longer, letting Louis scent his skin until he finally allowed him to move. He kissed Louis' cheek, his chest full of love for his alpha's protection, and gave two taps on his lower back before Louis reluctantly let him go.
"Alright, we should leave now, I'm hungry," he said, walking to the secretary's desk and smiling with flushed cheeks while Louis followed, pulling out his pen to sign his departure time. "We need to pick up Cassie from the nursery, Liam asked me yesterday."
They both finished signing the large book in which teachers manually recorded their arrivals and departures, despite Louis' repeated suggestions at meetings to digitalise the process. They gathered their belongings and left, keeping a certain distance between them, away from the curious eyes of the pupils still lingering in the corridors.
The car park was full of vehicles and final-year students. Their cars were parked in different areas, Louis' further from the entrance, though he always reached it quickly; Harry's, by contrast, was closer. They left one after the other, and Harry took a different route towards the nursery of the little girl they considered their niece.
They met again later at home. The warmth of the air was stronger, and Harry felt his breathing a little heavier, part of the symptoms that were only just beginning to appear. He took off the oversized jumper he had chosen for the chill of the morning and left it on the sofa.
"Can you look after her for a moment? I'll go and finish my lesson plans for this week, just thirty minutes."
"Alright, go ahead," Louis turned his head to reply, stretching his lips discreetly to receive a kiss from his partner, carrying the trace of the cold water he had drunk earlier. "So, what do you want to do?" He sat the little girl on the counter once Harry had gone, raising his brows in expectation of an answer.
Cassie only looked at him. She was barely a year and a half old and didn't babble much; perhaps it was because Zayn was quiet, and if the pup had inherited Liam's entire face, she must have had something from her mother too.
Cassie's parents arrived for her just a couple of hours later, grateful, bringing a cake for the couple as thanks for doing them the favour. They didn't linger for long visits, aware of the lack of time both couples had.
Louis took advantage of the silence left in the house to approach Harry, who had already finished his planning and was tidying his things on the table.
"How was your day? Did you have nausea?" he asked softly, watching him closely.
Harry looked up, smiling faintly. The tiredness was in his eyes, but so was the calm of feeling cared for.
"Not too much, only in the first two hours. After lunch it passed," Harry murmured, now lying on the sofa, surrounded by light sheets that formed his little nest there. "You know, someone asked me if I was the teacher who gave three exams in two months."
"You should, I've told you before," Louis shrugged and kissed his bare shoulder. "The class didn't even look me in the eye, someone must have told them about my lessons then."
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"Why should it?"
"You're impossible, but they'll surely do well in their grades then."
"If they manage to pass, it would be incredible," Louis laughed quietly, sharing that complicity they only had between themselves. Those were the moments when their jokes belonged solely to their own world, when their thoughts intertwined more than they already did.
In silence, Louis asked him to lift his shirt up to his stomach. Harry did, and the alpha carefully placed his hand over the small bump that was not yet visible. The gesture was gentle, reverent, he wanted to memorise every invisible detail.
"They're still very small," Louis whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. "Is it alright?"
Harry looked at him with a calm smile that lit up his eyes.
"Yes, it's fine. You worry too much, alpha. The pup is fine, we saw the doctor a few days ago, you know that."
Louis nodded and kissed his forehead, pulling Harry's shirt back down and covering him up to the neck with a sheet.
"I'll go for my computer, I need to send the homework in two days' time. I already know they won't hand it in, but those pups should at least try something. You should have seen them, I said fractions and they all went pale."
Harry laughed at that, lifting his back to let him go for the device. The sound of his laughter filled the room with warmth, and Louis looked at him for a moment longer before heading to the desk.
The omega settled back on the sofa, surrounded by the light sheets Louis had bought for him at university, they still served and were the best he had. He felt satisfaction and love throughout his body, happy and excited for what the school year would bring for everyone, including them. The routine of lessons, the pupils, the jokes in the teachers office… and the certainty that his life was changing irreversibly.
Louis returned with the computer in hand, but before opening it he stopped to observe him. Harry, with his messy hair and the smile still on his lips, looked calmer than ever. The alpha thought that, although the term was only just beginning, the most important thing was already happening in their home.
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
Louis kissed Harry's forehead before leaving their home, his hands pressed just over the barely noticeable bones of his hips. He was far too focused on showing his respect and affection in that way to realise they were already running late for the academy meeting scheduled first thing in the morning.
Subjects were divided into areas, forming the academies. Harry and Louis belonged to the exact sciences academy, where the omega also served as secretary. The head of that academy was Mr Peter, a man far too old to still be teaching, yet who retained enough authority to keep order in every meeting.
"You know, I feel very comfortable here, but if we don't leave now we'll be late," the omega pulled him from his thoughts when he spoke, giving him a few gentle pats on the hips to catch his attention.
It was true, he was comfortable and secure in the place he occupied between his partner's arms, but they were already late by the alpha's own definition of punctuality.
"A few more seconds before you spray yourself with that… substance."
"It's called scent neutraliser, and you use it too. I don't know why it bothers you, but it's protocol and you know it," Harry replied, pulling away just enough to kiss the tip of his nose before going in search of the tin with the medication. "Besides, we don't want anyone to notice anything in my scent, do we? We've already got enough with the students and their matchmaking theories."
Harry had discovered that the pregnancy affected Louis, or at least his alpha. He had become much more protective than he already was, and grew irritated by simple things that prevented him from perceiving the scent of his family, like that spray.
They arrived only a few minutes late, still punctual enough to confirm that the meeting hadn't yet begun and that they still had time to drink their usual tea before starting what was always a hectic Thursday.
"Good morning to all the teachers present. I would like to wish you a good start to the year, and I will ask you to have your official lesson plans for this term at hand. They will be evaluated in groups and corrected afterwards…" began Mr Peter, as he did every first week of term.
Harry shifted in his seat as they started with the final-year teachers. He knew it wasn't part of his contract and he wasn't obliged to pay much attention, but the nausea had chosen a most inconvenient moment to appear. He took a few sips of his now lukewarm tea, trying to calm himself, while Louis spoke firmly about the term and the activities they would carry out with the groups, following the same planning as the other teachers of his year.
Perhaps the jumper he was wearing was too tight, or perhaps it was the thought that his stomach might somehow be noticeable that unsettled him. Harry discreetly raised his hands to his head, pressing lightly against his temples, and let the teacher beside him present the year's plan they had been assigned.
Louis watched him out of the corner of his eye, attentive to every movement, as if he could read what was happening in his body. That was how it was, the bond was stronger than ever, and the mark on Harry's bicep throbbed if something was wrong, just as Louis' did.
It took Harry more than two minutes to fully decide to excuse himself and leave as quickly as possible, heading to the toilets in search of cool water to splash over his forehead and cheeks. He reached the sink and brought his damp palms to his face, trying not to bring up his breakfast in such a public place.
He took a deep breath a couple of times, feeling the bond tight and pulling in his chest, knowing it represented the concern his alpha was expressing. He found him outside the omega bathroom, with the corridors empty and a silence both enriching and penetrating, almost too much.
"Are you alright, professor?" Louis spoke softly, watching one or two pupils pass through the area. "You look pale."
Louis' furrowed brow and his arms crossed over his chest tried to convey calm to the omega, though he couldn't embrace him as he did at home when the nausea struck. He couldn't mark him with his scent, nor even touch him openly; he could only ask after him as if they were merely colleagues.
"I'm fine, it's just the nausea…" Harry shook his head, letting a small, tense smile break through on his damp lips. "I'm fine."
Louis waited until the corridor was clear and then, discreetly, stroked his lower back before sliding his hand down to his elbow.
"Let's go back, perhaps some fresh air afterwards might help."
Harry nodded, and together they returned to the room, where everyone awaited them with patience and empathetic smiles.
The use of words like "professor" and the formal endings they both employed at school were almost amusing. Harry always smiled with slight embarrassment when Louis was so respectful towards him, as if they were strangers.
It was a requirement, of course. Although the headteacher had authorised both of them, as a couple, to work there and show their relationship publicly, they had decided it was better to keep it hidden. They preferred to leave even the older pupils guessing.
At the start it had been funny, especially because Louis bore a very obvious mark on his right wrist, impossible to hide with his shirts rolled up to the forearms.
Being together was the best thing, and Harry's pregnancy only intensified his desire to remain close to Louis all the time. But he had to be resilient, endure until his maternity leave arrived, and keep calm in the midst of the school routine.
They continued with the planning. Louis had changed seats while stroking the back of his hand as he spoke. He was very formal, that was how he taught his lessons, and Harry knew it. He had a wide but accessible vocabulary, and always pulled faces while speaking so as not to appear too stern.
And when that meeting finally ended, what the omega most wanted was to bury himself in Louis' arms until the discomfort passed, but he already had a class and couldn't stay any longer.
The classroom was already full; his pupils were also first-years, just like Louis', though Harry had been assigned only one second-year group, while Louis, Selene, and Jacob would take charge of the final-year students.
"Hello. Is everyone here?" Harry placed his bag on the chair at his desk and took out his tablet along with his pencil case, noticing that a couple of markers were missing. "Before taking the register, I'll explain how you can make up for your absences, whether they're for badges or calculators. Attendance absences cannot be made up."
Even if Harry didn't set many exams, he was a little strict about those items. They couldn't work without a calculator, and their badges were essential for the exercises; he never managed to learn all their names completely, however much he wanted to.
The pupils nodded under his gaze. His voice sounded a little tired, but he kept a smile, not letting the discomfort he still felt show. That blend of firmness and kindness was what distinguished him, the students knew they could trust him, though they also understood there were rules they couldn't break.
At the same time, Louis leaned on his desk, holding a bright blue marker he had borrowed from his omega's case, playing with the round cap.
"There are only two options. One is that you can take two kilos of recycling paper to a centre, and the second is to feed two of the dogs you might find on the street, but they have to be the ugly ones," he explained seriously, his computer already open on the attendance list. "The ones you're embarrassed to approach. However, if you want to justify it, you have to bring photos of yourselves doing it, alright?"
Laughter spread through both classrooms. Louis' pupils looked at each other, surprised by their teacher's idea, while Harry's reacted the same way, with smiles and nods under their teacher's gentle gaze.
Harry enjoyed working with the first-years; they adapted easily to his methods, and it was always better to maintain a good attitude and relationship with his pupils. He consistently received the highest scores in teaching evaluations, and he felt proud of making his classes feel safe. Louis, on the other hand, kept to his more rigid style, but achieved the same effect.
And Harry knew that Louis, deep down, also felt proud of the students he helped with extracurricular tutoring and with those videos he uploaded to social media covering each topic taught in class.
Both gave the same explanations regarding how absences could be made up, since it had been a mutual agreement and they had proudly created those concepts months before starting to teach at that sixth form.
Sometimes they thought it was all too obvious, but teenagers didn't always notice the small details, like that one. They assumed it was simply academy protocol and never really questioned the truth behind it, that no one but them organised things in that way.
Harry took attendance. In the first week he did it in the usual manner, but afterwards he changed it. He became creative with it, every day he asked a different question and noted the answers in his register instead of a simple tick or cross.
Harry closed his digital register and prepared to stand up to begin the controversial situation that was approaching. Perhaps he rose too quickly, because his surroundings blurred slightly and he had to steady himself on the edge of the desk. He took a deep breath and pulled the stack of papers from his bag.
"I know this is very sudden, but you know it's always like this at the start… The exam lasts approximately thirty minutes, but you'll have a little extra time if you don't finish by the end," he explained while counting the pupils by then, handing out the sheets to each desk up to the front. "Remember to answer in pencil, write your full name in dark ink, and answers only count if the full working is shown."
The frightened looks multiplied, accompanied by murmurs and complaints. Harry, however, gave them a calm smile, knowing they would worry far more than necessary about such simple questions.
"If most of you score more than eight correct answers, I can consider taking this exam into account for extra points in the evaluation. Alright?"
At the same time, in another classroom, Louis maintained his different style. His gaze expressed nothing but neutrality, accompanied by the serious, expressionless look that made him seem intimidating.
"Name in dark ink starting with surname, working in pencil, and answers highlighted with marker, please," he instructed clearly while handing out each sheet. "Put away everything that isn't your pencils and calculators in your bags and place them against the wall beneath the board."
When everything was as he wanted, he leaned on the desk and set the alarm on his phone to ring exactly thirty minutes later. He licked his lips, cleaned the lenses of his glasses with a small cloth Harry had bought him, and continued.
"If you've already noticed, I've assigned the first piece of homework. I don't set homework at weekends, so you have until Wednesday next week to complete it. That day I'll check it, and it counts as a signature for your portfolio. Any questions?"
"Do we hand it in physically here?" one of the pupils at the back raised his hand.
"That's right."
"Isn't it easier to send it by email?" the same boy continued, his face marked by confusion and indignation.
"No, it isn't. Emails get lost, and sometimes they even say they've sent it when they haven't, and I have to go through everything until they admit the truth. In my subject, all homework, assignments, and projects are physical."
The student lowered his gaze, resigned, and returned to his exam, which had only just begun.
Thirty minutes later, Louis went around collecting each sheet, saying absolutely nothing until he had all the papers inside a folder.
"Tomorrow you'll have class with a substitute. I have matters to attend to, and most likely a trainee will come to carry out some activity. I'll need an attendance list, so ask for it tomorrow if the coordinator doesn't come. I'll see you on Monday, have a lovely weekend." Louis said nothing more as he left the classroom and closed the door behind him, giving them the tiniest of smiles.
As he turned, he couldn't help but glance towards the opposite classroom. Through the window he caught sight of Harry, seated at his desk, smiling as he gathered his things and tucked the papers under one arm. The omega said goodbye with a dimpled smile and left the classroom, closing the door with the same calm.
"Oh, I hadn't seen you there."
"I've just come out, and I see you have too."
"Ah, yes. Have your lessons finished?" Harry asked, playing along as they walked together, close enough for their hands to brush in barely perceptible touches.
"Not yet, Mr Styles. I have a class with the final-years and I'm heading there now. And you?"
Harry chuckled softly, a small smile lingering as they stopped outside Louis' classroom. The pupils watched them from the windows, trying to disguise their curiosity. The atmosphere filled with good humour, those youngsters knew everything about them and were proud to be the only silent accomplices in that relationship.
Although Louis wasn't particularly fond of that group, given the confidence they had acquired over the six years they'd been there, he wasn't always as stern as he appeared to be with his pupils.
"I suppose I'll see you in the staffroom then," Harry almost leaned towards the alpha to receive the kiss he had been waiting for, but instead he leaned against the doorframe, watching everyone scatter, trying to look casual. "I'm handing Professor Tomlinson over in perfect condition, I hope you return him the same at the end of the hour."
"Wait, what was that supposed to mean?" Louis raised a brow, puzzled.
"The professor will be fine, perhaps you should worry about us instead," Charlie, the cheerful, diligent little omega, chimed in with a mischievous smile.
"Oh, says the teacher's favourite! We're the ones at risk!" added another pupil, followed by laughter from the whole class.
Harry continued on his way, smiles escaping his lips, laughing quietly at the commotion and the subsequent silence when Louis regained control of his students.
He reached the staffroom much earlier than expected, and soon settled into one of the few comfortable sofas. He took out his tablet and began marking the correct answers from the exams he had recently given. He smiled, absorbed in his task, until he noticed the presence of one of his friends dropping heavily onto the seat beside him.
"I need a week's break, do you think they'll give me enough working days off?" Liam sighed, his eyes tired.
"I think we've barely been here less than a week, and that doesn't sound very strong coming from you," Harry replied, laughing softly before setting aside his document and turning his head towards the alpha with puppy eyes.
"They're unbearable."
"Liam! You can't say things like that."
"Of course I can," he said, bringing a hand to his face as he continued speaking. "Because it's the truth. Those kids have no idea what they're doing, and neither do I. Did you know they have a social media account about us? They must be saying all sorts of bad things."
"Yes, I knew, but supposedly it was about the school and everything in it, not about us," Harry looked at Liam with narrowed eyes, then turned his head back to the tablet with all the important information, glancing from the screen to the papers he was shifting after writing down the corresponding marks. "Besides, I don't think we should worry, it's one of those things they do just because."
Liam interrupted his activities without shame, placing his phone, its brightness far too high, right in front of the omega's face, showing the account with a couple of photos of him and a certain omega from the social sciences academy, looking very close in a café well known for being near the school.
"Yes, I knew, but supposedly it was about the school and everything in it, not about us," Harry replied, narrowing his eyes at him before returning to his tablet. His gaze shifted from the screen to the papers he was moving around, writing each mark with his glitter gel pen. "Besides, I don't think we should worry, it's one of those things they do just because."
Liam interrupted his activities again without shame, placing his phone, its brightness far too high, right in front of the omega's face. On the screen was the account, with a couple of photos of him and a certain omega from the social sciences academy, looking very close in a café well known for being near the school.
"Oh, well. You look… fine. Where's Zayn's jacket from? I haven't seen it before."
"Fine? Zayn just burst out laughing when he saw this post. Am I the only one who cares about his reputation?"
For Harry, all kinds of teasing from the pupils only showed how immature they were, and it was easier simply to ignore them than to report them and end up with endless meetings with their parents. So yes, he knew perfectly well about that account everyone there had access to and secretly followed, even during lessons.
Of course, Louis and he had already been targets of those posts, with photos exaggeratedly decorated with heart frames over their own personal social media pictures.
"So, speaking of the start… why do you want working days off?"
"I don't like covering for Zayn, his subject is very boring."
"Says the one who teaches history?"
"Hey, my class isn't boring," Liam looked at him indignantly, finally uncovering his eyes from where they had been hidden under his forearm. "I'm just saying that teaching literature isn't my strength, and it's definitely not to my liking. Besides, the second-years still seem as frightened as they were in the first year."
"They are, there are lots of new ones, and most have been moved to a different timetable, so I suppose it's normal."
Liam let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his eyes before dramatically collapsing onto the armrest. Harry watched him with an amused smile, used to those exaggerations, while continuing to record marks on his tablet.
It took a full hour for Harry to finish entering the marks, which meant Liam had already gone to his next class after dozing on the sofa, and that Louis, on the other hand, would soon arrive to meet him and do the same with his exams.
Louis arrived very quickly, he didn't even give the omega time to stand up, stretch his back, or prepare a cup of tea in his flask. He entered calmly and closed the door, even though there was no one else in the room but the two of them, how convenient.
The alpha placed all his things on the table where his omega's were and approached quietly, making his way into Harry's arms even though the omega was still seated and very close to the table, enough to accommodate Louis' body.
Burying his face in the unmarked, bruise-free neck, because they hadn't had enough time to make them, was one of Louis' favourite activities. That gesture calmed him a little, however childish it might seem to others.
He had recently learnt that a couple of his trusted former pupils, those who graduated knowing they were a couple, had bonded with their own partners. And although he didn't say it aloud, the nostalgia of knowing about a young bond caused him a certain melancholy. Only he knew how much that memory meant, and how much it drove him to protect what he had.
Harry, still with the tablet on the table, let Louis take refuge in his neck. He smiled calmly, aware that those stolen moments were what most strengthened their relationship, even in the midst of school life.
"Hello, alpha."
The nickname resonated in Louis like an echo of youth. That simple call, those four letters Harry pronounced so naturally, stirred him just as much as when they were at university. His chest filled with pride and a slight possessiveness, as if every time Harry said it, it reaffirmed the bond that kept them together. He didn't wait long before seeking his lips, kissing them with the calm of someone who knows that gesture is more than habit.
Harry knew perfectly well the effect he had on him, and being aware of it only drew him further into those sensations that resembled the times he invited him into his little nest, that small but warm space where they could spend hours together. There, lying on Louis' chest, he listened to his strange stories taken from series he watched at night, and let himself be enveloped by the security of his arms.
"Omega, have you finished? It's thirty."
"I've finished marking the thirty, thank you. Where's the formal ‘sir' you used to call me? Hmm?"
"In the final-year classroom, that's where my professionalism stayed."
That night was different.
After their meeting, they left once they had signed out and met again at home. They ate dinner calmly and went to bed with the same feeling, wrapped in the sheets of the nest, safe and full of excitement at seeing their pup the next day.
Then, in the middle of the night, Harry woke with a stabbing pain in his abdomen, a cramp so strong it forced him to curl up on himself. The discomfort spread to his lower back and, shortly afterwards, was accompanied by a persistent headache that stopped him from sleeping again. Louis, alert, held him in his arms, trying to soothe him with gentle caresses while attempting to hide the worry that pierced his chest.
The most alarming symptom came with the bleeding, scant, but enough for them both to know they couldn't ignore it. Although they already had an appointment booked for that day, the sudden appearance of it all robbed them of part of the excitement of waiting.
The following day arrived faster than they could ever have imagined. Already at the hospital, with their hands clasped together between the metal chairs that separated them so cruelly for Louis, everything felt different. They waited less than twenty minutes to hear his name called, but for the alpha it was torture, he could only hold his partner's hand instead of pressing him to his chest, where he knew he belonged.
Being apart at school was one thing, but not being together at the hospital was different. Louis was discovering the hard way that their pup made him want to be as close as possible, no matter the place, even if he didn't want to seem like one of those clingy alphas in public.
Harry, for his part, tried to distract himself. His hands constantly played with the watch on Louis' delicate wrist, undoing the clasp that joined both ends and fastening it again, searching for anything that might help him ignore the boredom and anxiety of waiting.
They had all the time, of course. They had asked Florence, the secretary, for the whole day off work, and she had granted it with a smile. Even so, the nerves crept right to their fingertips, not because of their absence from school, but because of Harry's bleeding that morning and the sensitivity Louis hadn't managed to control.
Their turn came quickly. When they were called, Harry walked quietly down the cold corridor, supported by Louis' firm arm around his waist. He didn't want to feel that slight, scant dampness between his legs again, and clung to the warmth of his alpha as if it were the only thing capable of holding him up.
The doctor observed them with a look of confusion, for the excitement both first-time parents had shown at their previous appointment was nowhere to be seen.
The omega sat in the comfortable chair the doctor, Donny, offered him, and could smell Louis' worry when he passed beside him to take his place at his side. His gaze travelled immediately over the slight darkness of the consulting room, because the nerves stopped circling his mind and he no longer knew how he should react.
"Well, how are we?" The beta began, her tone calm and reassuring. "I hope this appointment is nothing more than a check-up. Can you tell me what happened, mum?"
"I-I, uhm… This morning I had a little bleeding, maybe… I don't know."
Harry ran a hand through his hair, unsure how to explain to Donny what he was feeling, not certain whether the headache was from lack of sleep, perhaps stress from school, or something else.
"Alright, I know you're early in your pregnancy, so we'll move on to an ultrasound and then a few questions, is that alright?"
Both nodded, and Donny guided them to the back of the consulting room, gave the omega a disposable gown, and waited with Louis until he came out of the small bathroom with the thin fabric covering his body.
Harry lay down on the examination bed, settled himself comfortably, and braced for the discomfort inside him just as the screen before them lit up with a blurry image.
Their pup was still there, just as he had seen weeks earlier in his first ultrasound. He had no idea what was happening with that little speck, but its size resembled a small lentil according to the blog he had started reading. And although its size didn't worry him, what had happened certainly did.
"Everything is in order, the size matches and the baby is completely fine. Did you have pain when you bled, or before?"
"Before the bleeding."
"Alright," Donny nodded and continued taking measurements, the heartbeat sounded stable and the sac was fine. "Normally this can indicate some risks in pregnancy, but in your case everything looks normal. Perhaps the rise and fall of certain hormones in your body caused the bleeding, and since it hasn't happened again it's likely to stop there."
Louis took the omega's trembling hand, wanting so much to release his scent and mark him to help calm him; but all he could do was squeeze his hand and wrap it in his warm palm.
"There's no risk of miscarriage, and sometimes these scares don't amount to anything. You don't need to worry, alright? If you bleed again with pain, it's essential you come immediately, but I'll reiterate, it's very likely not to be your case," Donny explained with a firm yet reassuring voice.
The silence filled with relief, though the tension was still visible in Louis' shoulders. Harry took a deep breath, letting his alpha's warm hand hold him.
The doctor smiled gently, lowering her voice so it sounded more personal.
"The most important thing now is that you rest. Sleep plenty, avoid unnecessary stress, and listen to your body. Tiredness and headaches are signs you need to slow down. It's fine to take time for yourself, mum."
Harry nodded slowly, his eyes shining with a mix of nerves and relief. Louis, meanwhile, squeezed his hand a little tighter, as if he wanted to engrave those words into his memory.
"It's alright, you're both fine."
Donny gave them written instructions along with new vitamins and let them leave the consulting room with a smile. The cold corridor no longer seemed so intimidating, Harry walked more calmly, supported by Louis' arm, and although the fear didn't disappear completely, knowing their pup was fine restored the calm they both needed.
"Hey, she told us, it'll all be fine, hmm? Don't worry, love."
"I just… I got scared," a pout began to form on his lips, and Louis cradled his face to the side while pulling the car out of the car park. "Too much. I thought that, "
Louis kept one hand firmly on the wheel and the other on Harry's thigh, trying to ease the anguish still reflected in his eyes. The omega breathed heavily, trying to stop the sob from breaking his voice again.
"We'll be fine, omega, alright? Don't let your thoughts upset you."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, letting his alpha's deep murmur soothe him. He knew he was right, the best thing was to wait, let time pass, and reach the end of the first trimester before sharing the news. He didn't want the joy they felt to be overshadowed by a risk that still lingered in his mind.
The alpha glanced at him from the corner of his eye, trying not to let his own worry show. He already knew the most important thing was for Harry to rest, to sleep enough, and let his body recover.
Louis decided the best way to distract Harry was with something simple and comforting. He drove to a quiet café, a small one they used to visit in their first months working together. Although it wasn't very close to work, they preferred it that way, or they'd end up being photographed like Liam and Zayn.
"Let's have breakfast, omega. It'll do you good to eat something and rest a bit more afterwards," Louis said, parking the car and offering his hand to help him down.
Harry accepted with a shy smile, his eyes still damp from the emotions of the morning. They went in together, looking for a table by the window, and as soon as they settled, the omega leaned back with a sigh of relief.
They ordered tea and a couple of light dishes, and just as Harry was leafing through the menu again, he looked up and recognised someone in the queue. A boy with brown hair, his backpack slung over one shoulder and a curious gaze, was watching them discreetly.
"Oh… he's in second year," Harry murmured, lowering his voice as he leaned towards Louis. "He's one of my pupils, I remember him by his badge."
Louis raised a brow, keeping his composure.
"Do you want us to leave?"
"No… it's fine. I just… didn't expect to see him here," Harry replied, trying to smile naturally as the boy timidly waved.
The pupil passed close to their table on his way out, and Harry returned the greeting. They both smiled without thinking, and the omega watched the boy leave the café. They said nothing more about it, though Harry took a very slow sip of his tea at first.
Almost automatically, the omega slid his hand across the table and took Louis', squeezing it gently. The alpha responded with a firm pressure, trying to make it enough to erase any shadow of worry from his omega.
What neither of them noticed was the pupil, who from the pavement opposite, phone in hand, discreetly lifted the camera and captured the moment: Professor Styles smiling tenderly, and Professor Tomlinson looking at him with a seriousness that softened only for him, though their intertwined hands weren't visible.
The photo remained saved in the student's gallery, hidden among other everyday images. For Harry and Louis, the moment continued to be theirs, intimate and calm, without suspecting that someone had secretly captured the scene.
Harry took another small sip of his tea, his hand still entwined with Louis'. His stomach felt a little weak and sensitive, even knowing their pup was fine.
Two more weeks passed, and Harry reached eleven weeks with the pregnancy. No further incidents had occurred, Harry slept in the afternoons while Louis marked his pupils' work at the dining table, where he could keep an eye on the omega in the living room. He had become more protective, making sure Harry slept enough and avoided any unnecessary effort.
The room was wrapped in dimness, barely lit by the faint glow filtering through the curtains from the street. The nest was warmer than before, and Louis' breathing was deep and steady as he slept, one heavy arm draped across Harry's waist. The alpha looked so peaceful that the omega hesitated before moving.
Hunger had woken him suddenly, an uncomfortable emptiness in his stomach that he couldn't ignore. He bit his lip, indecisive, and looked at Louis' relaxed face, his softened brows and deep breaths making him appear so calm. He didn't want to wake him. After all, it was a school night, and Louis always rose earlier to prepare their breakfasts.
Carefully, Harry slid his fingers beneath his alpha's arm, lifting it just enough to free himself. The movement was slow, any sudden shift would wake Louis, and that wasn't what he wanted. Louis murmured something inaudible, turning his head slightly against the blanket beneath it, but didn't wake.
Harry smiled, leaning down to brush his lips against Louis' forehead before sitting up. He wrapped himself in his robe and left the nest, walking barefoot across the quiet room. The floor was cold under his feet, so he hurried into the hallway in socks, trying not to make much noise.
The kitchen was even colder, despite it being early spring. He could just hear the cars passing outside and nothing else, not even his own breathing. He pulled the robe tighter and raised the hood, though it sometimes made him sweat.
There wasn't much in the fridge apart from raw vegetables, some dairy containers, and a few yoghurts Louis usually packed for lunch. The light illuminated his face, uncomfortable after hours in darkness, but he didn't stop.
He chose a yoghurt with a pretty blue lid and pastel-coloured packaging, oats with red berries, one of his favourites. He closed the fridge door quietly and fetched a small spoon from the drawer, thinking that small bites would make it last longer.
He hopped onto the breakfast bar, though it was just as cold beneath his bare thighs. He peeled back the foil lid and began eating in silence, licking his lips every so often and feeling the chill of the yoghurt in his throat.
Harry thought of Louis, asleep in the nest, unaware of his little escape. He smiled, stifling a laugh, imagining his alpha's reaction if he found him there, in the middle of the night, with a yoghurt in hand. He would surely panic, carry him back to bed, and forbid him from moving.
When he finally finished, he rinsed the spoon under a trickle of water and dropped the empty pot into the bin. He placed the spoon back carefully, still with yoghurt in his stomach, though the hunger hadn't completely gone.
He walked to the cupboard, opening the top door quietly. Inside he found a box of sweet biscuits, his favourites, bought weeks earlier, and always criticised by Louis for being too sugary and unhealthy.
The omega grinned mischievously, remembering the times his alpha had frowned at seeing them in the pantry. "I don't understand how you can eat those, they're pure sugar," he had said more than once. But at that moment, in the middle of the night, with the silence of the house surrounding him, the biscuits seemed the perfect food.
He pulled out a packet from the box and bit his lip at the rustle of the wrapper, closing the cupboard door more carefully. He was about to turn back to sit at the bar again, taking a couple of steps backwards with the packet of biscuits in hand, when he bumped into something solid.
The impact made him let out a muffled cry, his heart racing in his chest, and the biscuits nearly slipped from his hands to the floor.
"Louis!" Harry exclaimed, eyes wide, spinning round suddenly.
The alpha was there, standing in the middle of the kitchen, his hair tousled and his eyes heavy with sleep. He had followed the noise from the bedroom, worried by the absence of his omega from the nest.
"What are you doing here at this hour?" he asked in a hoarse voice, though the seriousness in his gaze was mixed with the fright of having heard him cry out.
Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and lifted the packet as if it were innocent proof.
"I just… got hungry. And I found my biscuits."
Louis frowned at the sight of them, immediately recognising the wrapper he always criticised.
"Seriously? Of all the things you could eat, you chose those? They're pure sugar, omega, you know that."
Harry lowered his gaze, the adrenaline from the scare still coursing through his body.
"Sorry… I didn't mean to wake you."
Louis sighed, stepping closer to take him by the waist and pull him against his chest, leaving a kiss on Harry's forehead. Their scent filled the house, since they never used suppressors inside, and at that moment both smelled of sleep.
"I panicked when I couldn't find you. I thought you were feeling unwell again."
The omega smiled with slight embarrassment, the packet still in his other hand.
"No, just hungry. I promise I'll go back to sleep afterwards."
"Alright, but don't complain tomorrow if your stomach hurts."
Harry laughed softly as Louis lifted him under the arms. He wrapped his legs around the alpha's waist and tore open the packet of biscuits without further silence, biting into one while the alpha watched him resignedly.
The omega started on another biscuit, ignoring the looks Louis gave him.
"They're delicious… I don't care if you say they're sickly sweet," he muttered with his mouth full, whining like a pup whose favourite treat had been criticised.
Louis held him firmly against his chest, walking back to the nest in the dark, knowing the way to their room by memory, while the omega continued devouring one biscuit after another.
"Omega, are you going to finish them all?" he said with a sigh, though he already knew the answer.
"Of course, why else would I have bought them?" Harry retorted, taking another and biting into it exaggeratedly to prove his point.
The alpha settled him back in the nest, wrapping him in blankets while Harry finished the last of the eight biscuits. The omega complained softly that his stomach was too full, but soon curled up against Louis' chest, his breathing slow and heavy.
And so he woke the next morning, with biscuit crumbs on his pyjamas and lying face down, though there was no comfortable chest to snuggle into.
It had always been that way. Louis let him sleep longer, prepared the tea they carried in their flasks, and packed their lunches. He had done so since university, and although Harry had tried to help, Louis never allowed it.
They had met thanks to Louis being part of the reading club Harry had joined in his first year. Louis was one of the few alphas studying that engineering course, barely speaking to the other alphas, while Harry was friends with everyone, regardless of their degree.
At first, they only exchanged glances between shelves and long tables full of books. Louis usually sat in the corner, taking notes, while Harry participated enthusiastically in the discussions. It was during a session on English poetry that their paths truly crossed, Harry defended a verse with such passion that Louis, for the first time, lifted his eyes from his notes and listened attentively.
From then on, coincidences became more frequent, and they began to interact. Harry started staying after meetings, asking about the texts Louis recommended, and the alpha discovered that behind that deep voice was a restless mind that challenged him to think differently.
They built a friendship at first, going to cheap cafés for coffee, then sitting together in the classes their timetables shared. Louis walked Harry back to his dorm when they stayed late in the library for assignments, no matter how cold or tired he was.
Harry was the one who kissed him first, just like in the last book they had read in the club before leaving it. It had been raining, and he slipped a couple of times in the puddles, once so hard that Louis collided with a pillar in the campus garden to catch him.
Both were left breathless, laughing uncontrollably at the accident, their laughter echoing with the constant patter of rain. Harry lifted his gaze and found in Louis' eyes a light he had never seen before in their long afternoons of study or in the reading club debates.
It was then that the omega, without thinking too much, cupped the alpha's face in both hands. His fingers trembled from the cold, but his lips moved forward with determination. The kiss was brief, damp and clumsy, with the metallic taste of rain and the surprise in Louis' breath.
The alpha froze for a second, then slowly responded, leaning into him with such gentleness that Harry let out an involuntary gasp. The sound of puddles, the chill on their cheeks, and the sudden warmth in their chests blended into a moment neither of them would ever forget.
When they parted, Harry smiled shyly, raindrops sliding down his face.
"Sorry, I had to," he whispered, as if confessing a secret.
Louis looked at him in silence, his heart beating faster than it ever had in a library or classroom. And though he did nothing more than smile, the gesture of taking Harry's hand and intertwining their fingers beneath the rain was enough for the omega to know that he wasn't the only one with certain feelings.
After that afternoon, they never parted again. Harry arranged dates whenever they had free time and courted Louis with sweets and desserts he had taught himself to bake. Sometimes he brought him small gifts and always made sure to kiss him when they were in his dormitory. Then Louis asked him to be his boyfriend at a picnic, and Harry said yes without hesitation.
The omega still kept the printed analogue photograph on his bedside table.
The door to his room opened and Louis came in, still in pyjamas and with tousled hair.
"Are you awake already?" Louis murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep. He leaned over the nest and left a soft kiss on Harry's cheek, right where the sheet had left a mark.
Harry closed his eyes at the contact, and an immediate blush rose to his cheeks. The alpha smiled at the sight of the flush, and without giving him time to hide, left another kiss on his forehead, then on the tip of his nose. Harry let out a small gasp, burying his face in the blanket, but Louis followed, laughing quietly.
"Omega, why are you hiding?" he asked tenderly, catching his chin so he would look at him.
"Because… hmm."
That Harry's dream had made him wake with a little dampness between his legs wasn't very important, but Louis took advantage of that moment of hesitation to kiss his lips, licking them with the tip of his tongue until the omega opened his mouth.
Louis' hands rested on either side of the omega's head, holding all his weight so as not to crush him while he continued kissing him, increasing the intensity of his lips against the omega's with every moment.
The scent of Harry's slight arousal, which the alpha had noticed since approaching him, intensified, tickling Louis' nose as he lowered his body further, taking care not to press against the omega's flat stomach.
Harry opened his legs when Louis slipped his hand under the sheet covering him, sliding beneath the omega's shorts and immediately feeling the erection beneath his touch. The omega gasped at the touch, but Louis didn't let it stop his kiss.
He wrapped his whole hand around the omega's member, taking the little bit of presemen at the tip and spreading it along its short length and down to its base, where he squeezed hard enough to make Harry moan and open his legs wider. His clothes didn't allow him much mobility, but they didn't have much time.
Louis' hand tightened as he moved up and loosened his fingers a little as he moved down, the wetness at Harry's tip increasing little by little and the intoxicating scent of his lubricant tickling Louis' nose without pause. The bond also pulled at him, his whimpering omega sending him signals of how much he wanted to be knotted.
The crease between Harry's cheeks moistened until a thick drop of liquid ran down his pyjamas, wetting the thin fabric. It was then that the alpha could take no more. He ripped off the sheet covering Harry and his shorts crackled at the seams as he pulled them down without much care.
His knees hit the circular rug on Harry's side, and he turned the omega onto his side before engulfing his length until the glans touched the back of his mouth, until the precum appeared in his throat and he swallowed around it.
Harry's reaction was to be expected, as he arched towards Louis and grabbed the alpha's head by the hair, moaning loudly without Louis' lips on his. The alpha's mouth was very wet and warm, his teeth barely grazing his hardness and his cheeks tightening around him.
It wasn't going to last long, but he didn't expect his resistance to be so low. Louis didn't even manage three strong sucks before Harry came with a cry in his mouth, releasing all the white liquid into the alpha's throat and wetting the fabric beneath his body in the nest with his lubricant.
"Come on, we need to shower for school." Louis' hoarse voice pulled him out of his thoughts again, as Harry watched him rise from the floor with trousers bulging at the front.
That image of his alpha's arousal lingered with him all the way to school, right up until he pulled into the car park and left his car. His legs trembled slightly, and he made sure to spray an extra dose of scent suppressor, since Louis had marked him with his saliva and he smelled of him.
Louis was waiting at the school entrance, his smile as professional as if he hadn't undone him with his mouth barely an hour earlier. Harry returned the smile, faintly.
Zayn was standing in the staffroom when they arrived a few minutes later, with Liam behind him adjusting a red scarf at his neck. Zayn looked tired, though he was smiling at whatever the alpha was whispering to him.
Harry settled beside Louis, trying to keep his composure, while watching the scene with curiosity. Louis, on the other hand, raised a brow and let out a low laugh.
"Just look at that," he murmured loudly enough for Harry to hear, "weren't we the ones being called inappropriate at work?"
Harry stared at him wide-eyed, giving him a discreet nudge in the side to hush him, though he couldn't stop a smile escaping.
"Louis…" he whispered, trying to sound serious, but the blush on his cheeks betrayed him.
The alpha shrugged, still amused.
"What?"
Louis moved to a table, setting down his briefcase and Harry's bag, and sat in a chair that felt more like a sofa. Harry stayed close to the pair and didn't hesitate to hug Zayn once Liam stepped away, leaving the curly-haired omega with his papers.
Zayn had been absent for those two weeks because he had to stay home caring for his pup, who had come down with chickenpox. He let Harry hug him, grateful for the warmth of the gesture, while arranging the papers he carried. The tiredness still showed on his face, but his smile was genuine.
Louis had already opened a small pile of homework and begun marking with his pen.
"So, two weeks off…" Louis commented without looking up, marking a correction in the notebook. "And paid. Omega, do you think they'd give me a month if I said I had to look after my pup?"
The curly-haired one sat down beside Louis, while Zayn silently asked Liam for a kiss from across the table.
Harry looked at him wide-eyed, nudging him again to hush him, though he couldn't help but laugh. Zayn, who had heard perfectly, raised a brow and let out a tired chuckle.
"A month?" he replied, folding his arms. "Well, get ready, Louis, because when your pup is born you'll need much more than that."
Harry blushed immediately, lowering his gaze to the floor, while Louis finally lifted his eyes from the notebook, raising a brow cheekily.
"Ah, so now you're returning the joke," he said, amused.
Zayn smiled, that mischievous glint still in his eyes despite the fatigue.
"Newborns cause more trouble, that's all I'm saying…"
Liam shot Zayn a look that made him laugh. Harry and Liam didn't like joking that way when anyone could walk into the staffroom and overhear. Even so, they all fell silent for a few minutes afterwards, each one busy marking their groups' work.
A gasp escaped Zayn's lips a moment later, as he checked his phone when a notification arrived.
"So, are you public now?" he asked, looking up with a mix of surprise and amusement.
Harry frowned, confused.
"What are you talking about?"
Zayn turned his phone to show them the screen. On the page Liam had complained about earlier, a photograph had already been posted, taken in the café Louis and Harry had visited after their medical appointment. Harry was smiling, and Louis' gaze was softer than the ones he usually showed at school.
Louis tensed immediately, snapping the marker shut against the notebook with a sharp sound.
"Who uploaded that?"
"It doesn't matter," Harry said, pulling out his phone to find the photo. It was far too lovely and clear, so he saved it.
Zayn chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension.
"Well, at least Liam and I aren't the only ones being called inappropriate at work anymore. Now you two have your own audience as well."
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
The weeks went by, and suddenly they were back in the doctor's office again, though for different reasons. Harry had finally reached thirteen weeks of pregnancy, which at last carried him and their pup into the second trimester without incident.
That day had been like any other, though not entirely. Until then, they had attended every appointment together to see the pup, but on this occasion Florence had to refuse Louis permission, saying the headteacher didn't think it viable for them both to be absent at the same time, no matter what.
Harry had insisted at first that he would be fine, that he could manage alone, but Louis' absence felt like a hollow space in the room. He stored away every word from the doctor, every image from the ultrasound, intending to recount it all to him later in detail.
They had parted that morning after staying together as long as possible, until the time forced them apart. Harry remained at home for a couple more hours, cleaning the kitchen and looking at himself in the mirror, though his stomach was still very flat.
Meanwhile, at school, Louis was facing too much.
He didn't feel very comfortable in the largest classroom in the school, with two first-year groups seated at opposite ends of the auditorium. The murmur was constant, the pupils glancing at each other curiously, wondering why they had been gathered in that way.
Louis stood at the front, holding his folder and Harry's in one hand, his gaze firm. He waited a few seconds until silence fell, then spoke clearly.
"Good morning. I know you're wondering why you're here together," he said, sweeping the room with his eyes. "The reason is simple, today Professor Styles couldn't attend, and instead of cancelling the lesson, we decided to use the space to work all at once."
Some pupils settled into their seats, others continued exchanging glances, but no one dared interrupt. Louis continued, maintaining his professional tone.
"This doesn't mean your work will be mixed or that you'll lose your rhythm. Each group will continue with its own activities, but I'll be supervising both."
Harry had asked him to be kind, to treat them all equally, and not to place too much importance on small details that were permitted in his class. Both were teaching in parallel, so no topics would be missed, if anything, Harry would have to review Louis' tedious assignments in his group.
Louis placed Harry's tablet on the desk and took out his own as he sat down. It wasn't as comfortable as the one in his classroom, but it would do. He took the register calmly, his mind wasn't clear enough to teach properly, and he didn't want the pupils to notice. He checked their calculators and badges and marked a few absences.
Then Harry's group arrived.
He already knew how creative his omega was with taking the register, and Harry had left him the question of the day so his pupils would be asked about their favourite fruits. So that's what he asked them. He didn't note down each answer, that would waste time, so he simply marked a symbol to avoid confusing them with absences.
"Professor Styles and I work in parallel on the topics, so you won't miss anything. The only difference is that today I'll be here to teach the lesson."
The auditorium, however, was a challenge. Two full groups in the same space meant constant distractions, laughter between rows, rude comments, glances slipping across to the other side. Louis tried to maintain order, walking between the aisles, correcting notebooks, and reminding pupils to concentrate.
But the day dragged on longer than usual. Every time he managed to get one group focused, the other found a way to distract themselves, and in the end he himself lost the thread of what he was explaining.
Even so, he didn't let it show too much. His tone remained firm, his steps steady, and his gaze swept the space with authority. Inside, he felt the fatigue building, but outwardly he maintained the façade of a teacher who could handle everything.
When the bell rang, releasing the pupils, Louis dropped into the chair with a thud, closing the tablets with a sigh. He had fulfilled his duty, though the price had been a weariness he could no longer hide.
He still had to teach the final-year students, and he was considering something he had never allowed himself to think before.
He entered the classroom slowly, carrying Harry's tablet in one hand and his closed briefcase in the other. He wasn't permitted to give a free lesson without notifying the headteacher, so he couldn't simply dismiss the pupils and leave. He had an hour and a half, they could do something else.
He sat at the desk, breathing deeply, and looked at the final-year students who were watching him in silence.
"Well…" he said, his voice lower than usual. "Today we're going to do something different. Choose a film. Any one you like."
The students looked at each other, surprised. It wasn't common for Louis to give that kind of freedom, much less to such an advanced group. Some began murmuring titles, others smiled with enthusiasm, but soon a voice rose from the front rows.
"Sir, what's wrong?" asked a girl, sincerely.
Louis raised his eyes, arching a brow, trying to maintain the façade.
"Nothing. I just thought it would be more relaxed for everyone."
But the murmurs grew. The pupils knew him too well, and more than one exchanged a knowing glance. They understood, something must be happening for Louis, so strict and meticulous, to appear this tired.
"It's because of Professor Styles, isn't it?" said another student, with a mischievous smile.
Louis clenched his jaw, lowering his gaze to the tablet.
"That's none of your business," he replied, though his tone betrayed his fatigue.
Silence stretched for a few seconds, until Louis let out a resigned sigh.
"Alright…" he murmured, almost grudgingly. "Yes, Styles had to go to the doctor today and I couldn't go with him, so I had to cover two groups as well as my own. It's nothing serious, but it is exhausting."
The pupils nodded, some with understanding smiles, others with gestures of support. The tension gradually eased, and Louis leaned back in his chair, letting the choice of film run its course.
"Choose quickly," he added, trying to recover his usual tone. "I don't want to waste more time arguing."
While the students debated titles, Louis thought of Harry, of how he would tell him how difficult the day had been. And though he didn't like admitting it in front of his pupils, he felt relieved that they knew the truth, that behind his strict façade, there was also someone who grew tired, someone who cared for another with everything he had.
Meanwhile, Harry arrived home and replaced the previous ultrasound photograph with the new one, fixing it in place with a sea turtle magnet.
Being at home at least meant he could cook for the next two days and prepare a special dinner for Louis when he returned. So he set to work, cleaning the kitchen and leaving ingredients simmering while he organised his room.
The main nest was still well made, though they hadn't cleaned it in two weeks apart from small items of clothing moved around. He changed some sheets without disturbing the structure and put the accumulated laundry to wash.
Louis was very particular about the nest, always making sure it was comfortable enough for Harry, and it was almost big enough for four people. It filled the entire floor space where the previous owners, betas, had kept a bed.
They had already sold that bed, since the nest wouldn't fit on it.
Harry complained of back pain, which the doctor had said was normal and nothing to worry about, when he lifted the pillows to change the covers. He sat down on the mattress of the nest.
The long pillow Zayn had given him as soon as he learnt of the pregnancy was at his side, with a soft cover that smelled of Louis, and on top lay one of Louis' shirts. He lay back a little, just to breathe in the calm scent of his alpha, but sleep soon overcame him and he closed his eyes.
He didn't know how long he had been asleep, for he wasn't even in a comfortable position and he was cold. He tucked his hands between his thighs to keep warm and, half-dreaming, whimpered because his omega missed Louis.
Yet he stirred as soon as he heard his alpha calling when he entered the house.
Louis hadn't had a good day, he wasn't very pleased with how dependent his wolf had become on Harry, though he supposed it was all down to the pregnancy. His shift at school ended quickly, though the lessons had felt endless.
He drove home after buying muffins Harry had been craving and biscuits for himself from a small shop around the corner. It hadn't taken long since there weren't many people, but even so he hurried to get back to his omega.
The smoke in the entrance was suffocating, a white cloud spreading across the ceiling that, luckily, hadn't set off the alarms. The hob was on with two burners in use, one with vegetables, one with pasta boiling, everything burnt and dried out. Louis quickly turned off the flames and opened the windows.
Anxiety filled his chest as he called Harry a couple of times without reply. He wasn't in the nest in the living room, his bag was on a high stool at the breakfast bar, and his shoes by the door, he had to be somewhere in the house.
He didn't answer until the alpha went upstairs and found him there, curled up in the middle of the nest, trembling from head to toe without a single blanket over him. Louis didn't want to wake him, but he was worried, and the scent of his omega and their pup was wrapped tightly around his own.
"Omega," his voice was gentle, but the omega didn't stir. "Harry."
Harry didn't respond, burying his face deeper into the pillow and pressing his legs tighter against his hands. One sock was half off, the other missing, his jumper pulled over his trousers, his hair tousled around his face. Louis wouldn't admit he liked waking with Harry's curls against his face, but it wasn't the moment.
"Harry," he raised his voice, stroking the omega's cheek and brushing his hair back. Harry only whimpered more, a sharp sound of distress escaping his throat, making Louis narrow his eyes at the ache in his ears and chest.
With all the weight in his heart, Louis let him sleep. He leaned close to his partner's neck, inhaling enough to sense the wellbeing of his family, some tiredness, a faint trace of hospital, but his loves were safe.
He pulled out one of the heaviest, warmest blankets he had and spread it over Harry's body, adding another and the little turtle plush Harry had kept since he was a pup. He tucked him in well and left a kiss on his forehead, listening to his omega's soft purr before leaving the room.
The house no longer smelled so strongly of smoke, the cloud had gradually dispersed, and he could breathe properly again. He brought in the desserts from the car and his briefcase, leaving them in the living room for when Harry woke. He threw away the burnt food with a grimace and washed the dirty dishes before they became too difficult.
He wasn't in the mood for pasta, but supposed Harry was, judging by the pot, so he set it to boil again with seasoning and a reminder on his phone for the cooking time on the packet. He stretched his back, chopped the vegetables, cooked the cream, and mixed everything until it was ready.
They had no more meat, but Louis didn't want to leave Harry alone in that state, so he made chicken with salad to finish. The alpha wasn't a great fan of chicken, it didn't even rank among his least favourite foods, but Harry liked it, and there was nothing else to be done.
He finished just a couple of hours later, right in time for lunch. He wanted his omega to eat while everything was still hot, so he went up to the nest to try waking him again.
Harry had turned over a few times in the nest, a little sweat on his temples and the crease of his neck, his hands folded above his head and a pout on his lips. His jumper had ridden up, revealing his flat stomach. Louis didn't hesitate to take a photograph with the instant camera Harry refused to use for anything but important events.
He left the photo face down on the dresser and closed the curtains. Harry smelled of pure sleep, looked so peaceful, but Louis was sure his omega hadn't eaten properly and it was time for lunch, so there was no choice.
He sat in the nest beside him, pulled down his jumper and moved the blanket aside so Harry would stop sweating, noticing the turtle beneath his head. He began stroking his face, leaving soft kisses on his eyelids and licking his cheeks to wake him, but nothing happened.
Harry wasn't the kind of omega who collapsed, he was almost always fine and refused to let himself fall. Louis had never seen him falter until the stage when they were working on their degree process, and the omega couldn't bear the stress; that was when he collapsed across Louis' desk.
He apologised for a long time, and didn't fall again until their master's papers were finally handed in and Harry could rest without weekly assignments. He collapsed once more after the first week of being a teacher, and a last time when Louis' heat took two extra days to end.
Louis tried not to worry when he noticed it seriously, Harry didn't smell as he usually did, and that drowsiness in his scent wasn't normal. He called Zayn then, who didn't answer until the second call, and Cassie's shout filled the receiver before any greeting from him.
"Louis? Hello, is everything alright?"
He stayed silent for a couple of seconds, hearing Liam speaking to Cassie and taking her away, judging by the sudden quiet.
"Eh, yes, yes. Just…" he scratched his wrist, Harry hadn't treated it that morning and the skin was a little cracked. "I think, eh, Harry's collapsed. I'm not sure, I came back from school and he was asleep, the food he'd put on the hob was burnt, and he doesn't respond except to whimper."
So Louis left Harry in the nest, settling him carefully among the blankets, forcing himself to trust what Zayn had told him, that those collapses were normal, lasting no more than a few hours. Even so, the alpha couldn't help glancing towards the room now and then, attentive to any change in his omega's breathing.
He showered, letting the hot water wash away the day's fatigue, and when he came out, hair still damp, he found the kitchen silent. The smell of burnt food still lingered in the air, reminding him Harry had tried to cook before collapsing.
Back in the bedroom, he saw him stir faintly, murmuring something in his sleep. Louis approached slowly, sitting beside him.
"Shh, love," he whispered, stroking his hair. "It's alright."
Harry only responded with a faint whimper, turning to curl against the pillow. Louis watched him for a few seconds, trying to convince himself everything was fine. He remembered Zayn's words: "When I was pregnant with Cassie, I dropped whenever I was very tired. Liam worried, but it never lasted more than a few hours."
So he decided to wait. He settled with the tablet on his lap, marking his pupils' work and Harry's too, while the silence of the house wrapped around him. Every so often he looked up, making sure his omega was still breathing calmly.
Time passed slowly, but by midnight Harry shifted in Louis' arms, waking the alpha with a faint, contained whimper.
Louis watched him open his eyes, blinking slightly and stretching his hands above his head, his lips still in a pout, his scent stronger. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds until the alpha chuckled softly, smiling faintly.
"How long…?" he asked in a low voice, his throat dry.
Louis rubbed one eye and leaned towards him, stroking his hair.
"A couple of hours. You fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you."
Harry sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, still unsure of returning from deep sleep. Louis watched him closely, and then he noticed it, diffused in the air of the nest saturated with their scents, his omega's aroma had changed. It wasn't just the drowsiness that had worried him before; among the soft notes of his scent, the presence of the pup was clearer.
The alpha froze, surprised. Until then, the scent had been faint, barely perceptible to him. But now it was stronger, more defined, as if the little one inside Harry were claiming its place.
Harry opened his eyes again, noticing Louis' fixed gaze.
"What is it?" he asked, with a trace of concern.
Louis shook his head slowly, though a smile escaped.
"Nothing bad… on the contrary. I can smell the pup more than before."
The omega blushed, lowering his gaze to his still-flat stomach.
"Really?"
Louis nodded, leaning in to leave a kiss on his forehead. He gathered his omega into his arms, settling him against his chest, making sure to cover them with a sheet and licking Harry's neck softly, right where his gland released pheromones. The contact calmed him, and for a moment he stopped worrying.
He didn't give it much importance again until two months later. The pup was still very small, barely noticeable halfway through the pregnancy. Louis perceived it in the scent, clearer each day, but physically Harry's stomach showed almost no change.
The doctor, however, was clear in his explanation.
"It's fine. It's normal for the baby not to be very big yet. Considering it may be an omega like Harry, first pups often hide, they don't show until later."
Louis listened carefully, squeezing Harry's hand while the omega nodded silently. The relief was immediate, though the worry still lingered deep in his chest.
Leaving the appointment, Harry leaned on Louis' arm with a shy smile.
"See? There's nothing to worry about."
Louis looked at him, though with a furrowed brow.
"I know… but I can't help it. I can smell it more strongly every day, and not seeing it grow… confuses my alpha."
Harry laughed softly, stroking his wrist.
"Then trust me. The pup is there, I promise you."
At least Harry could still hide the pregnancy at school. It was already time for the first assessments, and Louis had prepared the exams for both their groups, letting Harry sleep in the nest.
Louis sat at the desk, tablets open, marking each exam with precision. Fatigue made him slower than usual, but he couldn't allow himself to fail. He checked the answers, wrote observations, and marked absences with his usual discipline.
Meanwhile, Harry slept deeply, his scent mingling with that of the pup, clearer each day. Louis could perceive it even from the desk, and that certainty kept him calm. Even if the baby didn't show yet, it was there, growing quietly.
The alpha sighed, closing one exam and stacking it with the rest. He looked towards the room, where his omega rested, and thought that all the effort was worth it. He could cover two groups, correct double the work, and carry the weight of routine. The only thing he couldn't do was stop caring for Harry and the little one already claiming its place within him.
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
The day had started well, though Harry had been going through a spell of feeling constantly tired. His routine was the same as always, Louis packed his lunch in his bag and included a large flask filled with mild tea, unsweetened, even adding a packet of his favourite biscuits just in case.
His stomach was still flat that morning, though his face looked rounder and his dimples deeper, his hips had filled out a little more, and his ankles tended to swell by the afternoon.
He always looked at himself in the mirror before leaving the house, turning sideways and pushing his hips forward to make his stomach stick out, though it never made much difference. Louis always watched him with a smile and kissed his cheeks, trying to reassure him.
Harry complained a lot between kisses, groaning that he just wanted to look properly pregnant. He no longer had physical symptoms apart from the tiredness, the nausea had gone, replaced by sleepiness that attacked him more and more strongly. The strange cravings had already begun, and particularly at night, when Louis was fast asleep.
He stepped out of his classroom to go to the bathroom. The pup pressed against his bladder, though it wasn't visible, and Harry didn't want to complain too much about it, but he was tired of having to run to the loo every so often. He washed his hands with the soap from the sinks, it had a pleasant scent, though he tried not to use perfumed things because the pup stirred if the smell wasn't Louis'.
He glanced at the mirror when one of his curls slipped free from its clip, and then he saw it.
He didn't even know if it was possible, whether it was truly happening or just a trick of his weary mind making him imagine things. He blinked and stepped back twice. There was no one else in the bathroom, and he feared someone might walk in, but he couldn't leave the doubt unresolved.
His belly was very pronounced now. Still small, but visible beneath the loose long-sleeved striped shirt he wore, stretching the fabric. He could no longer see his feet, and a pout formed on his lips the moment he noticed.
He didn't cry as much as in the first weeks, when he complained about the cold weather, about tea no longer tasting the same, or about nausea ruining everything. Even so, his eyes filled with tears, and at last he placed both hands on either side of his pup.
The door, however, opened at that very moment, an intimate instant between a mother and her pup, now visible in her body. It was Conan, an omega in his final year, whom Harry had once taught in secondary school and who happened to be in Louis' favourite group that year.
Conan's eyes widened when he saw him, ready to greet, but the sight of Harry's belly stopped him short. Harry froze, hands still on his stomach, eyes damp. Conan, startled, barely managed a greeting.
"Professor Styles! W-well…"
The young omega bit his lip, unsure whether to apologise for intruding on such a private moment. Harry tried to compose himself, quickly wiping his tears, but the tremor in his hands betrayed him.
"Conan…" he said softly, trying to sound firm. "It's not what it looks like."
The student nodded, though the worry on his face was obvious.
"Professor, do you need help? I can fetch someone…"
Harry opened his mouth to refuse, but exhaustion overcame him, and all he could do was cover his face. Conan, determined, left the bathroom and hurried down the corridors until he reached the first-year pups' classroom. There he found Louis, reviewing notebooks with his usual serious expression.
"Professor Tomlinson," he called, with a note of urgency.
Louis looked up, raising a brow.
"What is it, Conan?"
The student hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke. All of Louis' pupils watched him with curiosity, though none dared move.
"It's Professor Styles… I think he needs help. I saw him in the bathroom and… well…"
Louis snapped the notebook shut, leaving the marker on the desk. His heart lurched, though he kept his composure before the class.
"Thank you for telling me. Stay here for now, please, I'll handle it."
Without wasting another moment, he strode quickly towards the bathrooms. His mind was already on Harry, on the image Conan had described. Both their groups were alone, though he had left Conan behind, perhaps they would be scolded later for that.
He reached the omegas' bathroom, checked the corridor to ensure no one else was around, listened at the door, and decided his omega was alone inside. He pushed open the wooden door.
There he found Harry, still with his hands covering his face, eyes red from tears, and his shirt stretched by the pup that, at last, was making itself visible.
Louis paused for a moment, moved by the scene, before stepping closer.
"Love…" he whispered softly, forgetting entirely the facade of the professor.
Harry looked at him, embarrassed, but Louis was already at his side, wrapping him in his arms and hiding him against his chest. The alpha breathed deeply, and the scent of the pup struck him more strongly than it had that morning.
Harry tensed within the embrace. He couldn't catch Louis' scent, and the pup stirred, kicking beneath his rib.
"Louis…" his voice trembled. "I can't go back to class like this. No one knows, no one can know yet."
The alpha held him tighter, feeling panic take hold of his omega. Harry pulled away slightly, his trembling hands returning to his belly.
"What am I going to do? If they see… if anyone notices…"
Louis stroked his cheek, trying to soothe him.
"Breathe, love. No one else has to see. Conan was discreet, and I'll make sure he doesn't say a word."
Harry shook his head, eyes still wet.
"I can't walk into the classroom like this. I can't. They'll notice, Louis."
"Listen, I've got a jacket in the car, remember? I'll fetch it, you put it on and zip it up, it shouldn't show too much… I think."
Harry looked at him, eyes still damp, panic vibrating in his chest.
"And if someone does notice? Louis, I can't go back like this, I just can't."
The alpha caressed his cheek, lowering his voice as though wrapping him in calm.
"They won't notice. It's only for today, you wear the jacket, finish your class, and then go home. No one needs to know yet."
Harry pressed his lips together, trembling, hands still on his belly.
"But it's already showing… I saw it, Louis. I can't stop seeing it."
Louis hugged him more tightly, hiding him against his chest.
"I saw it too, love. But it isn't something bad, it's our pup, and he's growing. The only thing that matters is that you feel safe."
Harry closed his eyes, breathing deeply, though the fear lingered.
"Promise me it won't show…"
Louis nodded firmly.
"I promise. I'll fetch the jacket right now. Stay here, don't come out until I'm back, and lock the door from inside."
Louis left the bathroom with a faint smile on his lips. Their pup was finally showing in his omega, and he couldn't wait to lay his hands on that soft skin. He had touched him before, felt the movements faintly, and it was easier when Harry told him the baby was stirring, since he sensed them so clearly.
The jacket he sought wouldn't match Harry's outfit, and that made him frown, remembering it in another colour. Harry had grown very particular in recent days about the colours he wore and how they matched, so the grey jacket definitely wouldn't improve his mood.
So Louis took off his own, black and perfectly suited to Harry's trousers. He rolled up the sleeves to his elbows and returned to the building, greeting fellow teachers and a few students who recognised him.
Louis walked back with firm steps, the black jacket folded over his arm. Opening the bathroom door, he found Harry still trembling, hands on his belly.
"Here it is," he said gently, offering the garment and ignoring Harry's confused look.
Harry left the bathroom wearing Louis' black jacket zipped up. It was a little too big, the sleeves covering his hands almost completely, the high collar brushing his chin. He walked with short steps, eyes lowered, face burning with shame. His cheeks were so red they seemed to betray him more than what lay hidden beneath the fabric.
Louis walked beside him, serious, and that unusual image drew immediate attention from the students in the corridor.
"Did you see? Professor Styles is wearing Professor Tomlinson's jacket."
"He never dresses like that… what's going on?"
"And Tomlinson without a jacket, that's rare."
The murmurs multiplied. Some of the bolder students pulled out their phones and began taking discreet photos. The contrast was too striking: Harry, in the oversized jacket that didn't match his outfit, and Louis, without his own, walking together with an air of complicity impossible to ignore.
Within minutes, the students' internal social network was flooded with posts.
"Professor Styles in Louis' jacket"
"Are they hiding something? #teachers"
"Never seen Louis without a jacket, and Styles looks nervous…"
Harry noticed. The sound of notifications, the whispers, the fixed stares. His face burned even more, and he clutched the jacket tightly against his body as though he could disappear inside it.
"Louis…" he whispered, voice trembling. "They're staring, they're taking photos."
The alpha guided him firmly towards his classroom, ignoring the comments.
"Let them. They don't know anything. They just think it's odd."
Harry lowered his head, eyes shining with shame.
"But… what if they suspect?"
Louis leaned closer, murmuring near his ear.
"Let them suspect whatever they like. No one will discover what's really happening."
They entered their classrooms, and though the students settled into their seats, curious eyes remained fixed on Harry. The omega sat at his desk, cheeks still flushed, trying to regain his composure. Meanwhile, Louis dismissed Conan with a quiet word of thanks, his firm and serious posture enough to silence any overly loud comments.
Even so, the students' social networks continued to buzz with photos and speculation. And Harry, with his hands hidden beneath the long sleeves of the jacket, couldn't stop thinking that his secret was edging closer to being exposed.
They finished their lessons and headed to the head office, having received emails requesting their urgent presence. Though they walked separately, taking different routes, the students' comments echoed freely, everyone glued to their phones.
When they arrived, Florence and the headmaster were waiting. Both wore serious expressions, though not reproachful ones. The headmaster invited them to sit, and after a few seconds of silence, spoke calmly:
"Professors, we've received comments and we know the situation can't be hidden entirely anymore. Styles, we want to congratulate you.
Harry's eyes widened, his face burning even brighter. Louis squeezed his hand under the table, trying to steady him.
"From this moment," Florence continued, "you may request your maternity leave. Everything will be covered and paid as it should. You don't need to worry about anything."
Harry blinked, incredulous, while the headmaster added:
"Professor Tomlinson, you'll need to cover Styles' classes during this time. We know it's a burden, but we trust in your ability, and you'll be compensated."
Louis nodded firmly, though inside he felt the weight of responsibility. Harry, meanwhile, covered his face with one hand, still blushing, unable to hide the mix of embarrassment and relief flooding him.
They left when the next block of classes was already underway, so the corridors were quiet. Louis carried Harry's bag and walked him to his car, since he still had lessons to teach.
"Hmm," the alpha helped him into the car and kissed his cheek when no one was around. "Get some rest, all right? I'll sort everything out and see you at home later."
"All right." Harry tugged the seatbelt further to fit around his belly, but managed to fasten it. "I love you."
"I love you."
Louis waited until he saw Harry drive out of the car park before returning to the building. The cold air of the corridor greeted him, and with a sigh he headed to his final-year class. He had to keep the routine intact, though inside he thought only of his omega resting in the nest.
He finished the lesson with his usual firmness, though his mind was already on what came next, stopping by the maths academy to adjust his schedule. He walked to the offices, greeting colleagues who looked at him curiously for being without a jacket.
At the academy, he explained calmly:
"I need to adjust my timetable to cover Professor Styles's classes. He'll be on maternity leave, and I'll take over his groups."
The administrators checked the calendars, shifted blocks of time, and adjusted the timetables. Louis watched every change carefully, aware his routine would become heavier.
In the end, the new schedule was set: his mornings filled with Harry's groups, his afternoons with his own calculus classes, no free hours, only a few minutes between rooms to swap materials.
Louis accepted without protest. He knew he couldn't alter the assessment systems Harry had set from the start of the year, so he would have to follow them to the letter. Only for the final evaluations would he ask his omega's help, to avoid confusion with the criteria.
Leaving the office, he reviewed the new timetable on his tablet. The fatigue weighed on him just from looking at it, but a faint smile crossed his face knowing everything was in order, and Harry would be safe at home.
The corridors were calm. It seemed none of the students apart from Conan had truly noticed what had happened. The black jacket had hidden Harry's prominent belly well, and the online speculation had shifted into awkward questions.
Louis breathed deeply, closed the tablet, and headed for the exit. The day had been long, but now he could return home, where his omega and the pup awaited, ready for him to lay his hands on the growing life within.
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
Although the subject of telling their parents remained sensitive, they had to do it when Louis' alpha mother asked why Harry wasn't answering her calls.
Louis had stayed calm about it, though the omega was still nervous about how their families might react. Neither of them got on particularly well with their parents; comparisons with their siblings were frequent and always a sore subject.
"He's pregnant," Louis said firmly but quietly. Harry was asleep in the nest in the living room, and the distance to the dining room was almost nothing.
The silence on the other end of the line was immediate, followed by reproach heavy with disappointment.
"Pregnant? Louis… you both have engineering degrees. Your brothers are working on important projects, and you… you really chose this? To be a teacher, and now a father so young."
Louis clenched his jaw, anger mixing with the need to defend his family.
"Yes, I chose it. We chose teaching because it makes us happy, and we chose to be parents because it's what we want. It isn't a waste, it's our life."
"Oh, Louis. There's still time, you could go back to work with your aunt and she'd give you the place you deserve…"
Louis hadn't noticed, but Harry was already awake, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, fiddling with his fingers despite the alpha's constant scolding whenever he caught him picking at the delicate skin of his cuticles when nervous.
Louis ended the call with a heavy sigh, leaving the phone on the dining table. The heat of the day had him irritable, and the shorts he wore stretched uncomfortably across his thighs, far too short for his liking. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to release the tension left by the conversation with his mother.
Harry placed a hand on his belly. He was wearing only a short tank top and underwear, perfectly comfortable. The pup hadn't moved much, apparently sleeping at the same time as him, and he was content with that.
He had spent a couple of weeks at home, playing the role of house omega as though it were fun. In truth, he wasn't used to being at home all the time, he had a strict routine and was attached to it. Even so, he tried to maintain some normality. He woke at the same time as always, went for walks around the neighbourhood, took photos of things he liked, and returned just in time for breakfast.
Louis, after reviewing the students' work from both of them, closed the tablet and stood. He walked towards the nest, still frowning from the call but determined to leave the bitter taste behind. He leaned over Harry, took his hands, and licked the small trace of blood to heal a tiny wound.
"I told you not to do that," he murmured, firmly caressing his fingers. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."
Louis kissed him before the omega could reply, licking behind his teeth and savouring the moan Harry let slip. His partner seemed increasingly sensitive, for the scent of his natural lubrication filled the air almost instantly as Louis bit his lower lip.
"You're already wet."
"Hm…" Harry writhed, tugging Louis' shirt over his head.
Louis' torso was marked with tattoos he had got at university, his chest and back inked, a few on his biceps but none reaching his forearms, so Harry was the only one who saw them in moments like this. He traced the lettering across the alpha's chest, lowering his gaze to his abdomen and then to the bulge in his shorts.
"I told you those shorts looked good on you…" he bit his lip, spreading his legs wide enough for Louis to catch the hint.
"They're too tight."
They spoke as they always did, but the arousal between them was palpable in the air. Louis groaned as he pushed the shorts down to his knees, the fabric was tight, and his length wouldn't fit if it grew harder. Harry kept his shirt on, knowing Louis would latch onto his chest, and his nipples already tingled at the slightest touch.
There was only a trimester left before their pup arrived, but that only meant the omega was very sensitive and the alpha very nervous. Louis disliked leaving his omega alone all day, coming home exhausted, and still having to mark the work of students who were terrified of him.
Harry's groups were only three, but Louis knew the students felt intimidated when he walked in to cover for him. The alpha commanded respect, and though he carried out assessments and maintained discipline, the pupils couldn't help but feel afraid.
At first, they all complained, wrote letters to the year coordinators, and requested another teacher, confused by Harry's sudden absence. Though conflict wasn't his strength, Louis had to speak to them directly. He introduced himself to each group, explained he would be in charge of the classes, and assured them he would follow the same assessment systems Harry had designed from the start of the year.
Harry sent an email to his students from home. He explained he was going through an important personal process and trusted Louis completely to cover his classes. He asked them to trust him, to believe the alpha was very capable, and that they had no reason to fear him.
Harry's moan snapped him out of his thoughts, and the omega began to stroke his own hardened member in his hand, running his other hand over his belly to his hole, but he couldn't do much because of his belly.
"Don't you want to help me?"
Louis let out an incredulous laugh and replaced Harry's hand with his own, squeezing the base and stroking his hole with his fingers, gathering lube and spreading it around a little before inserting his first finger. The dragging was almost magnetic to watch, Harry's body accepting his finger calmly and soon demanding another, both squeezed by the omega's body.
Harry slowly melted away, Louis holding his member tightly enough to prevent him from cumming too soon while he prepared him, and soon the alpha lowered his head to his belly, leaving a couple of kisses on the growing stretch marks before going lower.
He took his erection into his mouth, savouring the precum escaping from his opening and sucking on the small extension. Harry barely managed to reach down to hold the alpha's head between his legs, forcing him to move his head as he wanted and moaning his name when the alpha pressed his spot with his fingers.
There was nothing better than having Louis between his legs, taking his body with his mouth and touching him with his fingers. He was a little annoyed that he couldn't see the concentrated expression on the alpha's face as he ate him out, his belly was too big and he couldn't see anything but his own skin and his knees on Louis' shoulders.
Louis lowered his head further, holding Harry's legs wide open and licking his hole where his fingers had been, running his tongue along the crease between his cheeks and closing his lips, sucking the thin skin between his lips.
He swallowed when saliva pooled in his mouth and stiffened his tongue, making meaningless patterns on the outside and then penetrating the omega's body with his muscle. Harry arched beneath his mouth, squeezing his knees around his head and pulling his hair between his fingers, not knowing whether to push him away or pull him closer.
His omega tasted incredible, Louis could live between his omega's legs worshipping his body, making him feel good with the practice of someone who had been doing it for years, because that's how it was. Of the thirteen years they had known each other, Louis hadn't gone two without eating him completely.
A shiver ran down his spine when Harry's body tightened around his tongue involuntarily, leaving another trail of lubricant as soon as he relaxed again. He got up on his knees and stroked his member with some of Harry's moisture, running his tight hand up and down under Harry's gaze.
His hardness had made it a little longer and perhaps even wider, but not as much as heat did. Harry looked at him hungrily, as if he hadn't knotted him just two days before.
"Wait," Louis paused for a second, adjusting Harry's maternity pillow and helping him settle on his side when he saw the grimace of discomfort on his omega's face. "Now."
He entered his body with the help of his hand, running the swollen tip over his hole to wet it and then pushing through the tight ring of muscles and not stopping until his hips collided with Harry's cheeks.
Harry let out a gasp, tightening his grip on the sheets beneath the nest. Louis kissed his cheek slowly, licking lower down his neck and leaving a small red mark where his lips sucked a little; neither of them liked the idea of going through life with obvious hickeys.
They didn't last long, as Harry's hips wouldn't stay still and he squeezed so hard that Louis' knot burst earlier than planned, making him jerk back in surprise.
"You're lasting less and less," Harry gasped, Louis' hand still holding him and his member softening in his grip. "Like an old man."
"Oh, come on. You're not going to embarrass me with that."
The omega buried his face in the pillow, still chuckling softly. Although he was teasing, his body sought the alpha's closeness, settling into the nest as if he wanted to melt into him. The heat of the day and the sensitivity of pregnancy made him more vulnerable, but also more in need of the security that only Louis could give him.
Harry fell into a light sleep after that, waking up from his nap when Louis ran a cloth between his legs, cleaning up what they had done. Harry was very sensitive to everything, so he complained when Louis made him leave the nest to take a quick bath before dinner.
It was already the weekend, so that meant they had dinner in the living room watching a film while Harry criticised everything the characters did and Louis just agreed with him.
Louis washed Harry's hair as he sat on a stool under the shower, speaking softly to the pup. The omega's knees were getting weaker every day, his waist still hurt even though Louis massaged it with lavender oil, and his ankles were swollen, so they decided to put a small stool in the bathtub just in case.
They ended up on the longest sofa in the living room, with Harry between Louis' open knees and his chest against his back. He hadn't put on many clothes because the alpha's warmth was enough and sometimes he felt suffocated, but he was fine. He bent his knees and let them fall to his sides, leaving the takeaway food container on his belly to drink from.
"Alpha," Harry murmured, lowering his voice as if speaking in secret. "I don't remember when the doctor told me, but I think they understand what I'm saying now. I talk to them, and sometimes they move."
Louis smiled, stroking his hair.
"What are you saying to them?"
Harry looked down, his cheeks red, and began to speak to the baby in a low voice.
"Hello, baby. I'm your mummy. I know you can't see me yet, but I can already feel you here, and every day you're getting stronger. Your daddy is tired, but he's the best. Trust him, because he always takes care of us."
Louis listened silently, his heart aching. Harry continued to gently stroke her belly, pointing to a spot on his skin that bulged when the pup kicked, showing it to Louis.
"It doesn't matter what other people say, or what our families think. We're going to give you everything pups need, love, patience, and a safe home. You're going to grow up surrounded by affection, even if your dad is a grumpy old man sometimes."
The alpha let out a low laugh, kissing Harry's crown.
"Grumpy, eh?"
Harry smiled, snuggling closer to him.
"Yes, but you're our grumpy man."
They finished dinner later, and Harry couldn't stay awake to watch another film, even though he had insisted he could. Louis carried him to the bedroom and carefully laid him in the nest, arranging the pillows so that the omega's belly wouldn't weigh so heavily on him when he slept on his side.
He left the room with the basket of clothes they had accumulated and closed the door behind him quietly, sighing as he walked to the laundry room downstairs. There wasn't much laundry, but he still didn't like it to pile up, so he filled the washing machine and sat on the floor in front of it, folding the underwear into the other basket of clean clothes.
His mother's comment still weighed on him a little, because he could go back to working with his aunt at her company like he did when he was still in college and went on holiday with his family. He could earn very well there, with a much more modest salary, perhaps three times what he earned at school, but in return he would have to be miserable doing what he didn't like to do.
The alpha thought about Harry, how he worried about money even though he didn't say it out loud. He knew him too well, the omega had always been organised, meticulous with the accounts, and then that they were a trimester away from welcoming the pup, that concern was intensifying.
Harry tried to hide it with smiles and jokes, but Louis could see it in the little gestures when he checked the receipts, when he fell silent when talking about future expenses, when he bit his cuticles in silence.
The alpha closed his eyes for a moment, imagining Harry asleep in the nest, with the pillows arranged, and thought about how much his life had changed; from the halls of university and the tattoos that spoke of short-lived rebellion, to classrooms and waiting for a child. It wasn't the future his mother had imagined, but it was his, and he wouldn't change it for anything.
Louis got up when the washing machine finished, took out the clothes and calmly put them in the dryer. His back ached with fatigue, but he still emptied the washing machine and finished folding what was left.
He could look for a part-time job, work at his aunt's company after his hour classes, and then he could catch up. The insurance could cover the birth, but it couldn't cover if something unexpected happened during it, and although they had a savings account, it wasn't big enough to last more than the first year of the baby's life.
The alpha sighed, took out his phone, and opened the conversation with his aunt. He typed slowly, measuring each word, and read the message several times before sending it. He didn't want to sound desperate, but he couldn't hide the fact that he was seriously considering it. The idea of returning to that corporate environment made him uncomfortable, but if it was only part-time, maybe he could handle it. At least it would be extra income, a cushion for the unexpected.
After sending the message, he put his phone aside and leaned his head against the wall. He thought about Harry, the pup, and what it meant to bring him into the world with so many doubts hanging over them.
He left the clean clothes aside and the time on his mobile phone hurt his eyes. He could go back to folding the clothes the next morning. Louis turned everything off and locked the door from the inside, leaving the porch light on.
His footsteps on the steps were loud only in his head, as he knew the wood didn't creak. He collapsed into bed when he got there and curled up with Harry, who pressed himself against Louis' body in his sleep and let out a sigh of comfort when he smelled the alpha.
But the night did not yield to him, dawn came very early, and waking up at seven on a saturday did not seem very appealing. Still, he got up quietly and convinced Harry to go back to sleep when he saw him open his eyes with great resistance.
Louis calmly vacuumed the living room, playing music on the television speakers at a low volume and picking up the cushions that had been left out of place. Then he cleaned the kitchen, put away the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. The smell of soap and freshly mopped floors gave him a sense of peace; he believed that keeping the house tidy was also a way of taking care of Harry.
As he was about to fold the clothes he had left out, his mobile phone vibrated on top of the washing machine where he had left it. It was his aunt. Louis stood still for a few seconds, his heart pounding, before answering.
"Louis, son!"
"Hello, auntie," Louis put the phone on speaker, swaying his hips from side to side as he folded Harry's socks. "How are you?"
There was a lot of noise on Louis' aunt's end, so he assumed she was busy at work.
"Fine, darling. Sorry, I can't talk much right now, but I read your message and thought it best to discuss it directly. Look, I know you asked for a part-time position, but what I have available is a full-time position. It's a good place, Louis, with benefits, insurance, and a salary that would allow you to be comfortable with Harry and the baby."
Louis paused for a moment, leaving the folded socks to one side. His aunt's voice was kind, but her words weighed heavily on his shoulders.
"I understand..." he murmured, clenching his jaw. "I just don't want to leave my job at the school."
"I know, son," she replied gently. "But think about what it means for your family." With this job, Harry could stop worrying about money. He could even stop working if he wanted to, and devote himself to the baby without that burden."
Louis put the pair of socks aside, picking up the next item of clothing in the basket, Harry's underwear, which he hadn't seen before. They were a pair of lace knickers, soft to the touch, and Louis had never seen them before, but it was no time to imagine his omega wearing them.
"I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you," his aunt added, her voice firm but still affectionate. "I just want you to consider it. It's a very good position, and I know you're capable."
Louis swallowed, feeling the decision weighing heavily on his chest. His teaching salary was barely enough to get by, and with his aunt's job, everything would be different, more stable, perhaps with a clearer future.
A creak at the door made him turn his head.
Harry was standing there, his hands resting on the doorframe, his eyes filled with tears. He was wearing a long shirt and socks that came down to just below his knees. He was biting his lower lip, and Louis could see that he was holding back sobs from the tension in his shoulders. The omega's sleepy scent was barely perceptible amid the tangle of emotions in the air.
"I-I'll... think about it, auntie. Thank you," he said at last, his voice low, hanging up as soon as his aunt said goodbye.
"A-are you going to work with her?" Harry's voice sounded pure anguish, almost thick.
Louis left the phone switched off on the washing machine and approached slowly, his hands outstretched as if he feared Harry would break with a single movement.
"No... I don't know yet. It was just a call, I wanted to hear what she had to offer."
Harry shook his head, tears falling without resistance. He sniffed and clutched his stomach, taking a couple of steps back.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why do I have to find out like this? I... I trust you, Louis. I told my students to trust you, that you were good, and now I find out you're thinking of giving it all up."
The alpha felt a lump in his throat. He moved closer, taking Harry's hands firmly.
"I don't want to leave the school, Harry. You know I love teaching. But... I also know that the money isn't enough, and I'm worried we won't have enough for you and the baby. My aunt offered me a very good job, but it's full-time. With that salary, you could stop working if you wanted to, you could dedicate to the baby without worrying about anything."
Harry's gaze hardened when the alpha finished speaking, snatching his hands from Louis' grip and laughing incredulously.
"Why would you think I would give up my career?" His tone was harsh, almost cutting. "Why would you think I want to devote myself just to the baby? Where did you get that idea, Louis?"
The alpha opened his mouth, trying to explain, but Harry raised his hand, shaking his head vigorously.
"No. Don't say anything to me, I don't even want to hear you now. You took that call, you thought about that option, and you didn't even tell me."
Louis took a step towards him, but Harry took another step back, biting his lower lip until it turned red. The alpha's eyes filled with tears, but Harry didn't even notice when.
Harry turned his back on him and walked slowly to the kitchen, shaking his head and running a hand over his covered belly. Louis could feel the omega's tension in his chest, as if it were his own, all the frustration and anger of the curly-haired man.
"I don't want to stop working, I don't want you to see me as someone who's just going to stay home with the baby. I love what I do, I love teaching, and I'm not going to give that up because you think it's best."
Louis clenched his fists, tears burning in his eyes. He raised his voice, wanting to make sure Harry heard him, even though he would have to apologise later. He had to make sure his words broke through the barrier of anger that separated them.
"I don't want our baby to live under financial pressure!" His voice echoed in the kitchen, heavy with anguish. "I don't want them to grow up wanting for anything, or for you to have to worry every day about whether we have enough money or not."
Harry turned slowly, her eyes bright and her breathing ragged.
"And you think the solution is to decide for me? You think-you think the answer is for me to give up my career, to stay at home as if I had no dreams of my own?"
Louis took another step forward, his voice trembling but firm.
"I didn't even say you'd have to give up your career, Harry, I know you love it. I was just saying, you could do it if you wanted to."
Harry looked at him with eyes full of tears, breathing heavily, and when he heard those last words, his expression hardened even more. Louis tried to get closer, but Harry took a step back, his hands pressed against his stomach as if he needed to protect himself.
The air was thick with pheromones, the omega's scent mixed with anguish and anger.
"Don't tell me it was just a figure of speech. Don't tell me you thought of it as an option. It's not an option for me!" His voice rose, broken, and tears rolled down his cheeks without him trying to stop them. "I love what I do, Louis. I love teaching. And you... you look at me as if I'm someone who can give all that up, as if my dreams are less important than yours."
Louis opened his mouth, desperate to explain to the omega that that wasn't what he meant, but Harry raised his hand sharply.
"No. I don't want to hear you!"
The omega turned on his heel, walking quickly towards the bedroom and climbing the stairs as fast as the puppy would allow him. The sound of the door closing echoed throughout the house, leaving Louis paralysed in the middle of the kitchen. The alpha stood there, tears streaming from his eyes, feeling guilt wash over him. He had wanted to protect them, but in doing so, he had betrayed Harry's trust.
The silence that followed was brutal. The house seemed too big, too empty without Harry's sweet voice singing as always when Louis cooked breakfast.
Louis rested his hands on the table, breathing heavily.
An hour later, Louis climbed the stairs with a tray in his hands. He had prepared a simple breakfast because the omega didn't eat much in the mornings, a couple of toasts with butter, some fruit, and hot tea.
The alpha stopped in front of the closed bedroom door. He could hear the thick silence behind the wood, a silence broken only by Harry's muffled sobs.
He knocked softly with his knuckles.
"Love... I brought breakfast."
There was no answer. Only a slight movement, as if the omega had turned over in bed. Louis waited a few seconds, but the door did not open.
"Leave it there," Harry's voice came, broken, heavy with tears.
Louis placed the tray on the floor next to the doorframe and sat down in front of the door, his back against the wall. The omega's scent, mixed with anguish, reached him under the door, but he had already tried to open it and it was locked from the inside.
"Harry..." he began, his voice low and trembling. "I'm not going to decide for you. I didn't mean to make you feel like your dreams don't matter. I just... I'm terrified that our baby will live in poverty, terrified that something will be missing, that you'll have to worry every day."
On the other side of the door, the silence was heavy. Louis ran a hand over his face, his eyes already swollen, and he was sure that neither of them had stopped crying. It wasn't even noon.
"I know you love your career, I know you don't want to give it up. I don't want you to either, I just thought... I thought that if I took that job, you could have the option to rest if you needed to. But I never wanted you to see it as an obligation."
He leaned against the door, letting his head fall against the wall.
"I don't want you to hate me for this. I don't want you to think I don't trust you. I trust you more than anyone, Harry. I'm just... I'm just scared."
On the other side, there was a muffled sob, but the door didn't open. Louis stayed there, sitting on the floor, the breakfast tray beside him, knowing that all he could do was wait. Wait for Harry to want to listen to him, wait for the anger to dissipate.
The door opened a few minutes later, just a little. Louis immediately stood up with the tray in his hands so that Harry wouldn't bend down for it and licked his lips, salty from the tears that continued to stream down his cheeks.
Harry was barely visible through the crack he opened, his eyes swollen and his face wet, his long t-shirt clinging to his body from the heat of the nest. He barely peeked out, without opening the door any further, and his voice came out broken.
"I don't want you to stop doing what you love either. Why do you think I would give up my career... why do you think you should give up yours?"
Louis pressed the tray against his stomach, as if he needed something to hold on to.
"Harry... I just..."
"No," interrupted the omega, his voice breaking with a sob. "It hurts me that you think our lives can be arranged like pieces of a puzzle. I don't want you to be miserable in a job you hate, nor do I want you to see me as someone who would give up what he loves."
"Harry, I just want us to be safe."
"Then understand that safety is worthless if it costs us who we are."
Their fight lasted until Harry left the nest late in the afternoon, wearing another of Louis' sweatshirts and furry boots that dragged a little on the floor. His eyes were still swollen, the skin around them red from crying so much. He walked slowly towards the living room, without looking directly at the alpha, and let himself fall into the alpha's lap.
Louis jumped a little, but quickly wrapped his arms around his omega's body, placing his hands on his stomach. Harry curled up against his neck, bringing his legs up onto the sofa cushion. The alpha released pheromones and tightened his grip, leaving his neck free in case Harry wanted to smell him more.
"I'm sorry... I-I was too dramatic, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."
Louis sniffed, running a hand down the omega's tense back. Tears still stung his eyes, but his voice was firm; he didn't want either of them to cry again.
"No, omega, it's not your fault. I should have talked to you sooner, I should have told you what I was thinking, I had no right to hide it from you."
Harry looked at him, his lips pressed together and his breathing ragged.
"It's just... it hurt a lot, Louis. I felt like you were deciding for me, you know I don't want to stay home and look after the baby."
"I know. And it hurts me that I made you feel that way. I never wanted you to think that your career doesn't matter. You love teaching, and I love watching you do it. I don't want you to give up what you love, just like I don't want to give up what I love. I'm just... I'm just worried that we won't have enough for the baby."
The omega looked at him from under his lashes, playing with his hands in his lap.
"And... have you decided yet?"
Louis swallowed, looking away from the omega's eyes to a fixed point on his belly.
"Yes. I already told my aunt that I'll work with her... but only when the school year ends, in a couple of months."
Harry looked at him, his lips pressed tight, his breathing ragged, and when he heard Louis' confession, tears welled up in his eyes once more. He slumped into the armchair, covering his face with the sleeves of his jumper.
"I don't want you to give up what you love for us," he said between sobs, his voice breaking. "I don't want you to think you have to sacrifice yourself until you're miserable just so we can be safe. We can find a solution, Louis. It doesn't have to be like this."
Louis knelt down in front of him, his heart aching, and took his hands gently.
"Shh… It's all right, Harry. Don't cry. Maybe… maybe I can go back to teaching later. This doesn't have to be forever. I just want us to have something to give us peace of mind while the baby arrives."
Harry looked at him with tear-filled eyes and the baby moving beneath his palm.
"But I don't want you to be unhappy for a single day. I'd rather we had less money, I'd rather we made do, but I don't want you to lose what makes you happy."
"I know. And I promise I won't stop looking for a way to balance it out, I'll try, and if it doesn't work… I'll go back to teaching. I'm not going to give up what I love, Harry. I could work at the university, you know that."
They spent the rest of the afternoon on the sofa, legs intertwined, laughing at how strange they looked and felt with their eyes swollen from crying. Louis took a tub of ice cream out of the fridge and they ate it with Harry's sweet biscuits, caring about nothing but the warmth they shared between them.
And the following month, Louis walked into the classroom with Harry's group. The murmur of the students died down as soon as they saw him, some still curious to have the alpha as a guest teacher. Louis set his things down on the desk, rolled up his sleeves and looked out at the class with a gaze that sometimes managed to intimidate them.
"Good morning," he said in a firm but warm voice.
The students looked at one another, some smiling, others sitting up straight in their seats. Louis walked slowly between the rows, observing the open notebooks and the pens at the ready. Harry's group had always been an active one, and Louis knew it; the omega had told him more than once how proud he was of them.
As he explained the activity, Louis couldn't help thinking about what had happened at home. The argument, the tears, the confession that he'd already accepted the job with his aunt. But he didn't let them see him lost in his thoughts; when he finished the explanation and began writing the exercises on the blackboard, he spoke again to calm himself.
"Right, remember that there's no point in memorising the process if you don't understand it. If you have any doubts, you must tell me and we can explain it again and give more examples."
The group gradually perked up; very few raised their hands at first, but soon more and more did, asking questions and laughing amongst themselves when Louis answered with everyday examples. Little by little, the classroom filled with that energy he loved so much, that spark of learning, that curiosity.
Louis realised he was exactly where he wanted to be. Not in an office, not at a desk piled high with papers, but with the students, sharing what he knew. And although the decision to work with his aunt had already been made, he promised himself it wouldn't be final, that he'd return to this, because this was where he belonged.
He left the classroom and soon reached the other one, though Louis froze when he opened the door.
In front of him in the dim light, someone was sitting at the desk, talking to his students, and everyone was standing very still, or so he could make out in the darkness. The alpha barely had time to frown in confusion when suddenly the lights came on and a murmur rippled through the classroom.
"Surprise!" the students shouted in unison, raising their hands and releasing streamers right in front of his face. Balloons emerged from behind the desks, and a makeshift banner hung on the wall with crooked letters spelling out his name.
Louis blinked, completely taken aback, as Harry rose from the desk with a shy smile, his eyes still a little puffy from the past few days, but shining with pride.
"They wanted to say goodbye to you properly," said the omega, approaching slowly. "You couldn't leave without them knowing how much you mean to them."
The classroom filled with laughter, with voices calling out to him, with students approaching with small gifts: a box of biscuits, drawings, letters folded with care. Louis felt his throat tighten, the emotion pounding in his chest.
"But… I'm not leaving yet," he stammered, with a nervous smile.
"It doesn't matter," Conan replied, his gaze steady. "We want you to know we're going to miss you. And it's our last year here, so we're in the same boat."
Louis brought a hand to his face, trying to hold back the tears. Harry watched him from the side, his arms crossed over his stomach and that expression that blended tenderness and reproach; he seemed to want to remind him not to give up what he loved.
The alpha let himself be surrounded by the students, listening to their words, their thanks, their laughter. He hugged them all and thanked each one in turn, letting them put a party hat on him like the ones they were wearing.
Harry stepped closer, brushing his arm gently.
"See?" he whispered, barely audible above the hubbub. "You can't leave this. You can't leave what you love."
⟡ ݁₊ ˎˊ˗
The baby was born at the weekend.
She had the reddest little face, damp hair stuck to her forehead, and her hands clenched into fists. She cried so loudly that her lips stretched as she came out. Harry let out a sigh of relief beneath the sound of her cries, and Louis couldn't take his eyes off his family.
She was a girl, a tiny omega who smelt so sweet, with a warm, new scent that seemed to wrap around all three of them. Harry held her delicately, as though afraid she might break, and Louis leaned over them, kissing his partner's sweaty forehead and stroking the tiny head of his daughter.
"She's perfect," Louis whispered, his voice breaking with emotion.
Harry looked at him, eyes shining and tired, and nodded slowly.
"She's ours."
The omegas who had assisted with the birth took a photo with Harry's camera when the couple looked into each other's eyes, smiling.
Harry had given birth at home, in the nest he had made with Louis's help in their daughter's room. They had secured the best omegas in the city, and the company had assured them everything would go well, that each one was perfectly trained to save them from any situation. The hospital had been informed, and the insurance money was entrusted to them.
The pup had arrived late, a couple of weeks overdue.
Louis spent the last month at school in a whirlwind of emotions. Between final assessments, end-of-year projects, and farewells, each day reminded him how much he loved being there. Students sought him out with questions, with thanks, with improvised letters left on his desk.
The assessments were intense. Louis made sure every pupil had the chance to show what they had learned, that no one felt invisible. He stayed late marking exams, writing personal comments on each sheet, knowing those words could make even a small difference.
The farewell parties came gradually. First, a surprise organised by his closest colleagues, they brought a cake to the staffroom, with laughter, hugs, and a couple of improvised speeches that made him cry. Then, all the students he had taught prepared another celebration, with balloons and many speeches.
The welcome at his aunt's company was different, more formal, much colder. The corridors smelt of coffee and fresh paper, the offices full of engineers absorbed in their projects. Louis returned to his engineering degree, picking up what he had studied years before. His aunt greeted him with a warm hug, but nothing more.
Though the change weighed on him, Louis promised himself it wouldn't be forever. As he walked around his new desk, listening to his team's instructions, he thought of the school, of the students' laughter, of the farewell parties.
It was one evening, exhausted from the office, that Harry rang him in the car. He sounded agitated, the alpha could hear his crying through the speaker, the anguish in his chest. He hurried home safely, and Harry met him in tears, unable to hold it back any longer.
The night of the birth was long, endless. Harry had felt contractions since the afternoon, but the baby resisted arriving. The nest was prepared with soft blankets, pillows carefully arranged, dim light barely illuminating the room. The omegas moved calmly, checking every detail, while Louis stayed at his side, chest tight with anxiety and hope.
The hours passed slowly. Midnight, then two, then four in the morning, and still the little one hadn't appeared. Harry sweated, his face contorted, lips bitten to stifle the groans. Louis held his hand, stroked his forehead, whispered words of encouragement that mingled with the intense scent of labour and the tension filling the air.
"Almost there, love," Louis whispered, though weariness weighed in his voice. "Theyre almost here."
Louis could feel his omega's overwhelm in his chest, a strange heaviness he hadn't felt in a long time. Harry spoke softly, teeth clenched, fists gripping his clothes. Louis walked behind him, holding his waist, circling his lower back with his palm, listening to the omegas' instructions, kissing the sweaty nape of his neck. They said it was normal for it to take so long, that first-time mothers' labours were like this, but they couldn't calm Harry.
The omega hadn't dilated much, so Louis kept helping him walk, bounce on the ball Zayn had brought, and wiped his forehead with a cool, damp cloth. Harry cried, then grew angry, complaining of the pain and heat throughout his body, tried to relax, then repeated it all again.
Dawn finally brought a golden glow filtering through the curtains. It was then, after the whole night of waiting, that the baby decided to arrive. Her cry burst into the room like a small, vibrant thunderclap, and Harry exhaled in relief, tears mingling with his breath.
Louis accompanied the omegas and thanked them when they left the house. He made tea for Harry and cut up some fruit, now that he could eat. The few minutes it took felt eternal, away from his omega and their newborn pup.
When he returned to the nest, he found Harry fast asleep, the baby on his chest. Both breathed in rhythm, wrapped in soft blankets, golden morning light filtering through the curtains. The omega was exhausted, his face still marked by tears, but his expression serene, as though the whole world had shrunk to that instant.
The omegas had cleaned the baby and helped Harry with the placenta, wiping them both with warm cloths without disturbing them. They changed the nest's blankets and dimmed the lights further until only one lamp lit the room.
Louis sat beside them, gazing at his daughter's tiny figure, so peaceful, fists clenched, damp hair stuck to her forehead. The alpha stroked Harry's cheek gently, without waking him, then brushed his fingertips against the baby's tiny hand.
The rest of the day passed at a slow rhythm. Harry slept long hours, waking only to sip water or eat lightly, and the baby seemed to follow him, resting on his chest or lap. Louis cleaned, tidied, prepared food, but always returned to sit beside them, unable to stay away for long.
The first time Harry rose from the nest, pain in his lower body bent his knees and a little blood stained his clothes, but it was normal. Louis kissed his forehead and accompanied him to the bathroom for a shower, carrying the baby strapped to his chest.
Their daughter had no name yet, so she was simply "pup" or "baby". Louis spoke to her when Harry slept, and she seemed just as restless as him. She had blue eyes like his, pale milky skin like Harry's, and was very quiet.
She hardly cried, they knew how to tend to her quickly if she was hungry or needed changing. Harry spoke to her constantly while she fed at his chest, smiled at Louis when he passed her over to burp, and they kissed when they watched her sleep.
"I'm so tired," Harry complained one night, closing his eyes and leaning against Louis's side, who was bathing the baby for the first time.
A week had passed, and it was time. They brought the tub to the nest and kept the water warm but not hot. The baby had gained a little weight, looked chubbier, and had opened her eyes properly, gazing around.
Louis held her face down, rinsing the soft bubbles with his cupped hand and humming along to the song playing on the speaker. The pup didn't look uncomfortable, though she had pouted when she first touched the water, she was calm and drowsy.
"I love her…" Harry said, voice breaking with emotion. "I didn't know it could feel like this. It's as though… as though nothing else matters."
Louis glanced at him, lifting the baby out and settling her on the towel beside them, feeling his heart tighten. Harry's eyes shone, damp, with a tired smile barely forming on his lips.
"It's different, isn't it?" Louis replied tenderly, bringing the little one to his chest for warmth. "I feel it too. As though nothing else in the world could be so important."
She fussed, opening her fists and yawning. The baby nestled against her dad's chest, calm, blue eyes open for just a moment before closing again. Harry stroked her little cheek with his fingertips, then sought Louis's hand, intertwining it with his own.
"I love you."
"Hm, and I love you, alpha."