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For the first time that morning, Louis felt like he could finally be still.
The past twenty-four hours had been nothing short of chaos. Cramming their belongings into carry-on suitcases that were slightly too small, hauling everything down three flights of stairs because the shelter's elevator had been out since Tuesday, and loading it all into his old but reliable car. Then, finally making the nearly four hour drive to the airport with a sleep-deprived four year old in the backseat.
Riley had cycled through various emotions during the four hour car ride. Excitement, then boredom, then a brief meltdown about the fact that they hadn't stopped at a McDonald’s, then sleep, then waking up as they pulled into the long-stay reserved parking spot and immediately asking if they were there yet.
Louis had said yes. Which was, technically, a lie. They were at the parking garage. It still counted a little.
The entire road trip, Louis was filled with worrying thoughts, ones he tried best to keep to himself and not be noticed by Riley. He'd convinced himself at least twice that he'd left their passports behind, and had needed to pull over and physically touch them inside his bag before he could breathe again. Then came the anxiety about navigating the airport, which he'd never done before. He’d spent a week reading forum posts and studying the terminal maps online. Yet, he still felt completely unprepared.
You couldn't blame him for the trip anxiety. It was his first flight, after all.
The moment they'd cleared security– which, was actually fine. So beyond fine that Louis stood on the other side of the scanner and almost felt cheated. He felt like he blinked and they were at the gate. He'd spent so much time dreading the process that when it simply happened around him, quickly and without catastrophe, he didn’t know how to process it. He took a seat near the gate and let out a long, slow breath he'd probably been holding since they left their home.
Riley laid beside him, his head dropped against his shoulder as he was finally sleeping. The pup had managed some napping in the car, but nothing of substance. The moment they took their seats, he was out like a light.
Louis rested his eyes for approximately one full second before he reached into his bag and ran his fingers over their passports again.
He knew they were there. He had checked twice since leaving security. He checked again anyway, and felt the short relief of the anxiety. He then pulled out his phone and opened the Delta app to check their boarding passes, half-convinced the gate had changed while he wasn't watching.
Everything looked the same. And then he noticed, and blinked, and looked again.
SEA to CUN
Louis Tomlinson, 2B
Riley Tomlinson, 2A
Group: First Class
Louis read it three times. He read it a fourth time, more slowly, as though the words might rearrange themselves back into something that made sense. He considered approaching a staff member. This had to be a mistake. The last and every time he checked, their group was economy boarding.
His phone vibrated.
Amelia 🩷: good morning lou!! you've probably noticed my little surprise by now :) i've had rewards sitting around forever and figured you guys deserved them way more than i do. i've been watching your flight on the app this whole time, i'm so excited!! give riley a squeeze from me, have the best flight, i cannot WAIT to see you both xo
Louis read the message twice before typing back a grateful message, which took him three attempts because he couldn’t fight the feeling that he didn’t deserve this.
He put his phone away and looked at Riley, who had his mouth open and was borderline snoring. He began to think about Amelia, about how lucky he was to have her in his life.
Amelia had been his best friend since elementary school, and she held one of the purest and kindest hearts Louis had ever grown to know. They had done everything together and were practically attached at the hip.
This held true until high school, when Louis met Jason, Riley’s father. Jason was good at being manipulative, and from the very beginning able to push away Louis’ closest friends and isolate him from loved ones.
Amelia never held a grudge, and still proceeded to send "thinking of you” text messages every now and then throughout the years, as they grew further apart.
It wasn’t until ten months ago, when Louis left Jason, he worked up the courage to reach out. She answered his call on the second ring, sounding surprised to hear from him. Part of Louis expected he owed her an apology, and explain where he had been the past few years.
But, she asked how he was doing and really meant it, even asking about Riley. They’d stay on the phone for hours, picking things up right where they left off. Their phone calls became a daily occurrence, and it didn’t take long until he was invited to the wedding. Amelia made it clear she wanted his last minute invite to be stress free, so she assured him any travel expenses would be covered by her and Niall.
He looked at the boarding pass again, checking the boarding group once again. He tried his best to not feel like the gesture was undeserved, and instead reminded himself of how many times Amelia said she wanted the two of them there.
He pocketed his phone, running his fingers over the passports in his purse again, this time with a small smile.
–
Boarding was easier than Louis had braced for, which he was beginning to suspect was the theme of this trip. Everything he'd catastrophized about was turning out to be fine. They were among the first passengers into the cabin, and Riley had woken up during the boarding process with a gasp of recollection, remembering the plane was there and any trace of slumber disappeared. The pup was beyond excited to be on a plane, it was something he couldn’t stop talking about for months.
"I can walk," Riley said, wiggling off Louis’ hip as the omega lowered to set him down.
"I know you can walk—"
"I want to walk on the plane myself."
Louis adjusted the strap of their carry-on and let him. Riley practically skipped, clutching his stuffed rabbit in one arm and Louis' hand in the other, craning his head to see around the passengers up front.
Their seats were in the second row. Riley claimed the window seat immediately, something that was promised to him from the beginning.
"The chair is huge," he said, turning around in it. He began to press all the buttons under the seat’s display screen. "And there's a TV. Mommy, there's a TV!"
"I see it," Louis said, struggling with their suitcase. The handle had jammed, and of course this happened as people began to fill in the aisle. Louis shifted his grip, trying the release button again, which continued to not work.
"Our seats are bigger than those," Riley said loudly, leaning around his seat to survey the economy cabin behind them.
"Riley," Louis said almost sharply.
"Why are our seats bigger?"
"Because we're in first class." The handle gave suddenly, and Louis straightened up and exhaled.
Riley's brow furrowed. "We have to take a class?"
"What? No, it's–" Louis reached for the overhead bin and felt the particular, body-level awareness of someone beside him before he'd fully registered them, a tall presence in the aisle. "It's just called–"
"I can get that for you."
Louis looked over.
The alpha was tall, with dark curly hair that looked like it had been ran through by his fingers. Louis locked eyes with his green ones, thinking about how the alpha offensively looked like he had slept well and was decently presentable for 4:30 AM. The alpha also carried a warm, steady scent, coconut and sea salt, that Louis tried to not dwell on.
Louis then realized that his reaction was delayed, and gave a small nod. The alpha took the suitcase and lifted it into the overhead bin with ease.
"Thank you," Louis said, quieter than he meant to.
He settled into the middle seat and helped Riley buckle before doing his own, and then sat with the worry that he'd annoyed this person by being delayed with his suitcase. He brushed it away, as best he could. He pulled out washable markers and a coloring pad from his purse, placing it in the seat pocket for whenever Riley wanted them.
The alpha had taken the aisle seat beside him, and once the cabin finished boarding the pilot made an announcement about departure. Riley sat with the window open, which didn’t have much of a view since the sun hadn’t fully risen, but still the pup sat with an eager smile.
Then the flight attendants began the safety demonstration, and Louis watched with careful attention. He memorized where the emergency exits were, the oxygen masks and how to use them, and the flotation devices.
When they finished, Riley was quiet for a moment.
Then, in a small voice, "Mommy."
"Yes, love?"
Louis looked over. The change in Riley's face stopped him. Every trace of excitement had drained out completely, and what was left was total fright. It was similar to the face Riley made when he woke from bad dreams.
"I'm scared," he said.
Louis felt his chest pull. "Oh, bug. There's no need to be scared, okay? That's just a precaution. We're going to be completely fine."
"B-But what if it goes down?" Riley reached over and shut the window shade with both hands. "I don't want to sit here."
"We can trade," Louis said immediately, unbuckling them both and shifting Riley into the middle seat and himself against the now closed window before Riley could spiral further. He refastened the seatbelt, only for Riley to reach out and stop him.
“Wait!” He gasped. “But what if s-something happens to you because we traded?”
Louis’ expression softened, reaching out to smooth Riley’s hair back. “Ry, nothing’s gonna happen to me. The plane is completely safe–” Louis paused, trying to think of the right thing to say when the alpha in the aisle seat leaned slightly forward.
"You know," he said calmly, “I fly planes all the time, and I can tell you they’re safe.”
Riley blinked. "You do?"
"I do, actually," the alpha said, without any defensiveness. "I fly all the time for work. More flights than I can count. And I can promise you planes are safe." He paused. "I used to be scared of flying too, if that helps."
"You were scared?"
"Genuinely terrified." He said, raising his eyebrows. "For years. Now I actually like it."
"How?" Riley asked, reaching for his stuffed animal and running his fingers over the rabbit’s ears.
The man looked around the cabin before continuing, “Well, they have TV screens you can play games on. And they always hand out cookies.”
Riley looked up in an instant, glancing from the alpha to his mom. “Cookies?” He repeated in disbelief. “Mom,” he said dramatically, as if he were betrayed. “You didn’t tell me there were cookies!”
"I didn't know," Louis said, and felt the corners of his mouth doing something against his will. "It's my first time flying too, remember?"
"I'm Harry, by the way," the man said, and held out his hand to Louis.
Louis looked at it for a half-beat too long before shaking it. Harry's grip was warm but brief, and Louis pulled back and told himself he hadn't noticed the warmth. He was touch-starved, and it didn't mean anything, it was just his inner omega being an omega.
"Louis," he greeted in return.
"I'm Riley," Riley said, at volume, holding the stuffed animal forward. "And this is Edward. He's a bunny."
“Oh, really? Edward is actually my middle name."
Riley pulled the rabbit back to his chest and looked at Harry with delight. "No way."
"Way," Harry said.
As the plane began to move through the tarmac, Harry leaned forward slightly and looked between Riley and Louis. He explained to the pup what takeoff would feel like, how it would seem very fast and then suddenly level and calm. He said it wouldn't last long. He suggested Riley might want to hold his mum's hand, if that helped.
"It always helps," Riley confirmed, and found Louis' hand immediately and held it in both of his.
Louis was more grateful than he knew how to express. He'd known Riley was frightened, and he had been trying to think of the right thing to say since the safety demonstration, and this alpha had all the right words.
He tightened his hand around Riley's and watched the windows go dark as they turned toward the runway.
Takeoff was faster than Louis had imagined. He'd imagined it gradual, but instead it was sudden and he could almost feel when the plane left the ground. He felt his weight push back against the seat, and beside him Riley had pressed himself as flat as possible against Louis' arm, face hidden, both hands wrapped around Louis'.
By the time they levelled out, the plane felt almost still and Riley had released a little bit of his grip.
Louis leaned back in his seat, letting his eyes close.
He didn't plan to sleep. He just closed his eyes for a moment.
Then, he opened them after hearing Riley’s voice.
"Excuse me."
Riley had turned towards the aisle, towards Harry, with the expression he got when he had something important to say. Harry had one earbud out and was giving Riley his complete attention.
"You have drawings on your arm.”
Harry glanced at his forearm, where the edge of a tattoo was visible below his rolled sleeve. "I do."
"Why?"
"I liked them," he said, easily. "So I had a friend put them there for me." He pushed his sleeve up a little further and angled his arm so Riley could see better. "I thought they'd wash off, honestly. I'm a little worried they're stuck forever."
Riley's mouth fell open, as he stared at the alpha’s arm in shock.
"Just kidding," Harry said. "They're called tattoos. They're meant to stay."
Riley laughed, his shoulders shaking and his head slightly tilted back. “That’s silly.”
Figuring the exchange would end there, Louis laid back in the seat, hoping sleep would take over soon.
“Can I color them?” Riley asked. Louis moved forward, grabbing the markers and coloring pad, figuring that must be what Riley is talking about. Until, Riley added, “Your drawings? Or, um t-tattoos.”
Harry looked between the two of them, smiling while looking a little surprised. “As long as it’s alright with your mom.”
Riley turned to Louis with hopeful eyes, already reaching for the markers.
"If Harry says it's alright," Louis decided, "then yes. But, remember to say please and thank you.”
Riley turned back to the alpha, a red marker already pulled out and uncapped as he eyed a heart tattoo. “Please?”
Harry gave a nod, resting his arm on the armrest to give the pup a better view. “Thank you!” Riley replied, immediately and sincerely.
Louis watched as his son colored the man’s arm with pure concentration, his tongue prodding out the corner of his mouth. He intended to watch until the drawing was complete.
But then, without meaning to, he was asleep before he knew it.
–
Louis woke up to warmth.
He fluttered his eyes open, realizing there was a soft, blue Delta airlines blanket draped over him. He looked over to Riley, who had the same blanket wrapped around him. The pup leaned against Harry’s arm with his eyes shut and mouth open, the red marker capped and stowed in the seat pocket. Harry was on his phone, reading something, and was so completely still that Louis could tell he'd been that way for a while.
Harry's arm resembled some of the artwork on Louis’ refrigerator. The heart tattoo was now a deep red, some of the color outside of the lines, and there were blue stars drawn along his wrist.
Harry glanced over and caught Louis looking. He nodded at the tray table.
His tray table was extended, a covered breakfast plate sitting on it, still warm.
"They came around for meal orders while you were both asleep," Harry almost whispered. "I didn't want to wake you. I ordered pancakes and bacon, I hope that's alright. I wasn't sure about allergies, but they said they could swap things out if needed."
"We don't have any," he said slowly. "Thank you, really."
"He's great, by the way." Harry glanced at Riley with an expression Louis couldn't quite name, something fond and a little amused. "He takes his coloring very seriously.”
"I'm sorry about the state of your arm."
"I'm not," Harry said, looking at it briefly. “Figured I’d give him a distraction from being scared of the plane.”
Louis looked at the tray table and didn't say anything, and lifted the cover off the plate.
He thought about setting it aside for Riley, who would inevitably wake up hungry. Then he thought about the shakiness in his hands that had been there for a while, and the fact that he hadn't eaten since the night before. He settled on cutting two pieces of the pancake and let himself have that.
Louis cracked the window open just a smidge, careful to not let the light wake up Riley, and just enough to see the ocean underneath them. Louis stared at it, thinking how far they were from their town, Maple Lake, and how this was the furthest he had ever left home.
He thought about how Harry had ordered them breakfast and covered them both in blankets, and how sweet he had been to Riley during the plane ride.
Then, he thought, stop it, and ate another piece of his pancake.
–
Riley woke with half an hour of the flight left, slow and groggy, his cheek creased and red from where it had been pressed against Harry's arm.
"Are we there?"
"Almost," Louis said.
Riley oriented himself, registering the breakfast plate with interest. He ate his pancakes promptly, and then, without asking, began working on Louis' plate as well. He took bites of the pancake and a strip of the bacon, and Louis let him because Riley's appetite had always been his priority and it cost him nothing.
Louis gathered the plates and cutlery when Riley was finished, almost losing grip of them when he felt the plane take a drop.
It was sudden and made his stomach lurch, mostly from him feeling the air underneath his seat. The seatbelt light clicked on and Riley's hand shot out, finding Louis' with a grip that had no give in it, small fingers pressing hard into his palm.
"It's okay," Louis rushed out, "It's okay, it's okay—"
He could hear how unconvincing he was. His knuckles were white on the armrest, the meal trays left shaking on the seat table. His heart was hammering, so loud that he could feel in his throat.
A hand settled on the back of his neck.
The thumb pressed slowly in a circle at the base of his skull where tension always lived. Not gripping, or possessive. The movement was warm and careful, and Louis could smell the coconut and sea salt scent even stronger. His shoulders relaxed a bit, his heart beat beginning to quiet down.
Then, the hand was gone.
He glanced over. Harry was looking forward, expression neutral, hands resting on his own armrests. Completely still, as though nothing had happened.
Louis reached out to touch his neck, still feeling a lingering touch.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked, to both of them, his voice even.
"I'm okay," Riley said, in a voice that was small and careful. "But that was scary."
"It was," Harry agreed. "But it’s okay, it's called turbulence. Sometimes when the plane runs into bumpy air, it shakes a little.”
Riley held Edward tight to his chest. "Are we there yet?"
Harry leaned forward and pulled up the flight map on the screen. "Look, that little plane icon is us. We’re almost there.”
Riley leaned forward, still holding Louis' hand and had Edward close to his chest, and studied the map with great seriousness.
Louis looked at the side of Harry's face. The line of his jaw, the slight crinkle at the corner of his eye as he pointed things out to Riley. He thought about the hand.
He thought about how Jason used to touch the back of his neck, but never to offer comfort. It was always cruel and possessive, and something Louis hated to think about too much.
–
Deplaning was faster than Louis expected, and clearing customs was faster than that, and before he'd fully caught up with himself they were outside in the open air of Cancun and the heat was intense. Nothing like the summers in Washington.
Riley turned his face up to Louis and spread his arms.
"It's so hot," he complained.
Louis stood on the curb with their luggage around them and felt the heat on his face and thought about how they finally made it. They made it, and no one took the passports, and the gate didn't change, and the turbulence wasn’t too bad looking back.
They waited on the curb for the shuttle to their resort. Harry appeared nearby at a natural distance, not joining them but not avoiding them either, looking at his phone and then looking out at the road.
Louis watched him flag down a resort driver before he'd even spotted the man himself, exchanged a few words in what sounded like Spanish, pressed a folded bill into the driver's hand, and gestured to the luggage. Louis watched a man take their bags and load them without him having to do anything, and felt the strange passive luxury of it.
"You're going to the Grand Velas?" Harry asked, as they moved toward the same waiting bus.
Louis blinked. "Um, yeah."
"Funny," Harry said, mildly. And that was all he said about it.
Riley had already decided this was the best possible news. "Harry's coming with us?" he said to Louis, already on the bus steps.
"Seems like it," Louis said.
"Oh, yay." Riley took his seat by the window and arranged Edward on his lap. "Harry, sit next to us," he called.
Harry sat in the row behind them, the other seats being occupied by other tourists.
The commute lasted nearly forty minutes. Riley spent the time coloring in his note pad with his mom, creating a to-do list of when they arrived at the resort. Playing at the beach was on top of Riley’s list, of course.
The resort appeared at the end of a long, palm-lined driveway. It was built in white stone, covered in greenery and vines, the ocean visible through the archway entrance. The ocean’s blue was so saturated and deep it looked almost fictional.
He glanced over at Riley, who was pressed up against the bus’ window looking at the view with amazement. Louis smiled and combed his fingers through the pup’s hair, realizing this would be the first time he’d play at the beach.
–
He barely had time to take the lobby in before he heard his name.
"Louis!"
He knew that voice.
Amelia was running toward him from somewhere across the marble floor, yellow sundress catching behind her, and she was taller than he remembered or maybe he'd forgotten, and her hair was longer and lighter at the ends. She was exactly the same and entirely different in the way that people were after years apart. She crashed into him with both arms before he'd fully opened his to receive her, and Louis held on and felt the particular comfort of a hug from someone who had known him before.
"Oh my god," she said, muffled into his shoulder. "You're actually here. I've been watching your flight tracker literally all day, I was going insane—"
"Thank you," Louis replied sincerely. "For everything. Ry and I are so happy to be here.”
She pulled back and looked at him with her hands on his arms, her eyes bright. "You look beautiful," she said. "I'm so happy. I'm genuinely so happy right now."
He resisted the urge to argue. He hadn't slept properly and he'd been wearing the same clothes for almost twenty hours. "You look gorgeous," he said instead, which was true.
She squeezed his arms and then looked down, and crouched to Riley's level with the same energy. "And Riley, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
Riley gave a careful smile before extending his hand, with Edward’s as well. "You have to shake his hand too," he said.
Amelia shook Edward's paw with seriousness. "Very lovely to meet you both."
Niall appeared from the same direction Amelia had initially came running from, a large grin on his face as he approached Louis, pulling him into a brief back-slapping hug. The alpha was taller than he once remembered, and his once-dyed hair was now back to its natural brown color.
"Louis Tomlinson," he pulled back and looked at him. "Good to see you! This must be Riley." He crouched, hands on his knees. "I've heard loads about you. Amelia says you're a good listener."
Riley looked at him with the careful assessment he reserved for new people. He had spoken to Amelia many times on the phone, but for Niall, probably once. "I've heard about you too," he said. "My mom says you're loud."
Niall cackled, throwing his head back and patting Louis on the shoulder as he stood up. “He’s absolutely right.” Niall glanced to his side, gasping. “Harry!”
The other alpha had finished at the front desk and crossed the lobby toward them, Niall grabbing him into a brief hug.
Louis watched Amelia and Niall exchange a glance over Harry's shoulder. Quick, pointed, the kind of look couples made to each other to discuss later. But, Louis convinced himself he was reading too much into it.
"Harry flew with you?" Amelia asked, her tone in a higher pitch.
"Yeah, same flight," Harry answered. "They were good company."
Another glance between them. Louis looked at the marble floor.
Amelia linked her arm through Louis'. "I know you're exhausted, but you're coming to dinner tonight, yes? I want you to meet everyone."
Louis didn’t have the heart to say no.
–
Dinner was on the resort's upper terrace, a long table set under strings of warm light with the pool below and the ocean beyond it. There were people Louis didn't know, family members, university friends of Niall's, a couple who appeared to be coworkers. Amelia moved him through them with her hand on his arm, filling in context, making the introductions easy.
It almost became a cycle. Nice to meet you, yes a long flight but worth every second, no we haven't been to Mexico before, it's beautiful. Riley was shy with most people, offering limited responses and using Edward almost as a shield. Louis didn't push. Riley would warm up in his own time.
He found him and Riley a seat, wanting to take a short break from the introductions. Every table had cold glasses of water, something Louis decided it was important for him and the pup to indulge in.
A seat scraped against the pavement, Louis looking up to see who joined their table, it being someone he didn’t anticipate.
Amelia’s older sister, Rachel. Her face was fuller than Louis last remembered, and her brown hair was dyed several shades darker.
"Rachel, hi,” Louis said.
"Louis," she responded flatly. "Nice you could make it."
"I wouldn't have wanted to miss it," Louis said. He considered introducing Riley, but decided against it. The child was preoccupied fiddling with the table's centerpiece.
"Mm." She looked out at the terrace, at Amelia laughing at something across the room. "She's been counting down for months. She's so happy you're here."
"I'm glad to be here."
A pause. Rachel swirled the wine glass she held.
"Amelia mentioned she covered the trip for you," she said, not a trace of kindness in her tone.
"She did, which I’m extremely grateful for. She's always been so generous,” Louis replied, trying to not seem bothered.
"She really is," Rachel agreed. "Isn't she."
It wasn’t a question in the slightest, more like a comment Rachel used as an attempt to dangle something over Louis’ head.
Louis looked at her. He thought about what he could say but instead continued, "She is, and she always has been. I'm lucky to have her."
Rachel looked at him for a moment with the expression of someone who had more to say and had decided to bank it. "Well," she said. "Enjoy the evening."
Louis watched her cross back to another table, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He let out a heavy sigh, looking down at the table and covering his face for a moment.
“You alright?” Harry asked, his voice carrying behind him.
Louis looked up, turning to the alpha and realized he wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there.
"Um, yeah, of course.” Louis then looked at Riley, who was now slumped over the table and using Edward as a pillow. “I think we’re just tired.”
He picked up Riley, who had started drooping against his side, and said his goodnights to the other guests, and heard Harry mention he was heading up as well, the time change having caught up with him.
The two walked out to the sidewalks together, walking along the path lined with streetlamps until they reached building 4. Louis had memorized their room number since receiving the key card, and he began to wonder how close Harry’s room had to be as they kept walking the same route.
When they reached the corridor, Harry stopped at his door and looked at his keycard.
"413," he said.
Louis checked his own, despite remembering. "412."
"Funny coincidence," Harry commented.
"Yeah," Louis agreed. He scanned the card the best he could while holding Riley, giving Harry a quick smile. “Have a good night.”
He closed the door before he could even hear a reply from the alpha. His priority right now was to get Riley through his nighttime routine and actually get some sleep.
“Lovebug,” Louis said quietly, gently bouncing Riley to wake up. “I know you’re tired. Let’s brush teeth and put on pajamas?”
Riley whimpered, eventually opening his eyes and rubbing one of them sleepily. He followed his mom into the bathroom, suddenly saying, “Mom…”
Louis hummed, unpacking their toiletry bag.
Riley slowly blinked. "Alphas are scary," he said, as if it were a fact. "B-But Harry’s really nice."
“He is,” Louis hesitantly agreed, and left it at that.
–
The next morning, Louis had woken up before his alarm.
This was not unusual. He hadn't slept past eight since Riley was born, and in recent months his body had developed the habit of waking him earlier still.
It was warm already at just past seven and Louis stood at the balcony railing, looking at the ocean. Riley was asleep inside, visible through the glass door, mouth open, sprawled diagonally across the entirety of a bed that was larger than anything either of them had ever slept in.
His phone had a message from Amelia. She mentioned breakfast at nine, spa in the afternoon if Louis wanted to come, there was a kids' club that Riley could attend, and Louis read it twice with his lip between his teeth, thinking about the kids' club, thinking about Riley with people he didn't know, thinking about being in another room and not being able to hear him.
He heard the door to the neighboring room slide open.
He looked over and found Harry stepping out onto the adjacent balcony. The dividing wall between them was waist-high. Close enough that they were, essentially, sharing the same morning. Harry's curly hair was thoroughly unruly, which looked, objectively and annoyingly, completely fine on him. He wore another grey t-shirt and had a slight squint that might have been tiredness or might just have been him looking at the sun.
He saw Louis and paused. "Oh, good morning."
Louis had already been looking at him for a half-second before he was fully ready. "Morning," he said.
There was a bit of silence, before the alpha cleared his throat. “Louis, I wanted to say something yesterday, but the timing never felt right.”
Louis opened and closed his mouth, confusion etched on his face. He wasn’t sure what this man could possibly say.
“I want to apologize,” Harry continued, "Yesterday, when the plane had turbulence, and I… grabbed your neck.” He shook his head, staring at the ground. “I could almost feel how scared you were, and I don’t know… I think my alpha got the best of me and I wanted to try and help. But it doesn’t matter why I did it, I shouldn’t grab you like that, so for that I’m so sorry.”
Louis stared a few seconds too long, unsure of what to say before settling on the words. “I appreciate the apology. I wasn’t offended by any means. I guess I did find it strange.” He paused. “It did help, so thank you.”
“I’m glad, but like I said, it won’t happen again.”
Louis was almost annoyed at how his inner omega was saddened by the words.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes, before Harry asked, "Do you like coffee?"
"Um, yes." Louis was slightly caught off guard by the question. "I do."
"What kind?"
“Iced in this weather, for sure. I usually get caramel with oatmilk.”
"And you'd like one?" Harry asked, as though this were a natural next step in the conversation.
"I– yes, but you don't have to–"
"Give me ten minutes," Harry said, holding a finger out before going back inside.
Louis stood at the balcony railing for ten minutes in a state of mild bewilderment.
There was soft knocking at his door, careful knocking, the kind that considered that someone might be asleep. Louis crossed the room quietly and opened the door to find Harry with two iced drinks and a paper bag with a croissant logo printed on the side, looking like this was a completely normal thing to have done.
"It's all inclusive," he said, preempting Louis, "so before you say it."
"I was going to say thank you," Louis lied, knowing full well he was going to offer to pay him back. "Do you want to come in? We can sit on the balcony." He heard himself offer this and felt the faint surprise of it, but it felt like the natural thing to do after someone brings you coffee. Harry nodded and followed him inside with careful steps, his footsteps quiet in a way that was aware of a sleeping pup without Louis having to say anything.
They sat outside with the morning light and the ocean in front of them, and Harry opened the paper bag and pulled two blueberry muffins and a chocolate croissant. Louis accepted his latte and took a sip, immediately it was the most delicious thing he had tasted in recent memory.
"You're from Maple Lake originally?" Harry asked.
Louis raised an eyebrow. "Niall or Amelia told you that?"
The faintest colour appeared in Harry's cheeks. "I mentioned our flight, and he started telling me where you’re from.”
"Montana, originally," Louis said. "That's where I grew up, where I met Amelia. Riley and I moved to Washington last year."
"What brought you to Maple Lake?"
"Family," Louis lied. Quickly, without hesitation, because he'd rehearsed this answer until it lived in his mouth naturally and came out clean. He would not say the truth, which was that Maple Lake had an available bed in a domestic violence shelter that had a good reputation and was far enough from Montana and his ex that he could breathe.
"That's nice," he said genuinely. "I moved to Seattle for university and never left. All my family's in Arizona." He turned his cup. "Sorry, I don't know why I said that. Just– it's good to have family nearby."
Louis did not know if it was good to have family nearby. He hadn't spoken to his own family in six years. Louis had called his mom several in the past few years, all went unanswered.
"Don't apologize," Louis said. "It's nice to hear."
The balcony door slid further open and Riley appeared, clothed in his pajamas and Edward under his armpit.
He looked at Harry, almost surprised.
"Hi.”
"Morning," Harry greeted back. "How did you sleep?"
"Really good," Riley said, warming immediately, crossing to Louis and melting against his side. "Our room is ginormous." He held his arms out as wide as they went. "Like, this big. It's bigger than our house."
Louis looked at the railing. He wanted to appreciate how excited Riley was at the moment, but struggled. It hurt to think that their current hotel room was bigger than their living situation.
"And we don't have a beach," Riley continued, leaning his elbows on the railing, looking out. "I think we should stay here forever. I'm going to ask about it.” He noticed the pastry bag, and began to stare at it.
"I brought you and your mom muffins," Harry said. "Blueberry, or there’s a chocolate croissant.”
"Mom," Riley said, in a voice of urgency. "Can I please have the chocolate one?”
"What do you say first?"
A beat. Riley turned to Harry with the full weight of his manners. "Thank you for the muffin. C-Can I have it please?”
"You may," Harry said.
Riley took it with both hands, looking at Harry with bright eyes.
"Will you come every morning?" he asked.
Harry's mouth curved. He looked at Louis briefly.
"We'll see," he said.
–
That night, Louis ordered room service for dinner.
It was Riley's idea, finding the laminated menu by their bedside dresser, and when he approached his mom with wide eyes and used the word please, Louis couldn't say no. Louis had read the menu to him, going over the appetizers, entrees, and the desserts. After a lot of consideration, Riley chose the pizza and lemonade.
Louis called the order in. Riley went back to the colouring page he was working on, which he had declared a surprise. Louis respected this, not looking, and sat on the small sofa and unlocked his phone.
He opened his bank account and looked at the balance for a moment. The resort was all-inclusive and Amelia covered the travel expenses, which was the only reason this trip was remotely possible, but he was still tracking their spending. The tips, the airport food, and a souvenir that Riley had his eye on.
A notification appeared at the top of his screen. An email from the shelter administrator, subject line re: next steps, and Louis looked at it for a moment and then pressed the side button and locked his phone, setting it face-down on the sofa. He'd deal with next steps when they got home. He had five more days of not dealing with next steps.
They'd been waiting about forty minutes when there was knocking at the door. Soft, considered knocking, the kind that was faintly familiar from the morning.
He opened the door, and there Harry stood, with the pizza box balanced in one hand and the lemonade in the other.
"I think they got the wrong room," Harry explained. "They left it at mine."
"Oh." Louis accepted the pizza box, and then the lemonade, and was about to say thank you and close the door when Riley appeared from behind him.
"Is that Harry?" Riley demanded.
"It is," Louis confirmed.
"Hi, Harry! Is that our pizza?"
"It is.”
Riley looked at Louis with enormous hope, clearly trying to determine if this was something that could be leveraged. "Harry can stay while we eat?" he asked.
"I don’t know if Harry has dinner plans,” Louis said slowly, almost unsure if the alpha even wanted to spend the evening with them.
"I actually already ate,” Harry said, making Riley’s excitement deflate. "But I wouldn't mind the company, if that's alright with your mom."
Louis looked at Harry, who was standing in the doorway with the easy patience of someone who could go or stay, someone who wasn’t pushing. Louis thought about the evening ahead, how nice the morning was, and how long it had been since he'd had an easy conversation with another adult that wasn't Amelia.
"Come in," he said.
Harry trailed behind them, sitting at the table across from where Louis and Riley settled with the pizza and paper plates.
Although Riley claimed to have a secret art project, he let Harry take a look at some of the pages in his coloring book, his form of a thank you for delivering their pizza. Harry paid close attention as Riley flipped the pages, showing each drawing and explaining what they were. Louis sat across from them and ate a slice, watching them and feeling a particular kind of joy to see his child being treated with such kindness.
By the end of the meal, it had come up that Harry knew Spanish. So, of course, Riley had convinced Harry into teaching him a quick Spanish lesson. Harry taught him a few important ones, but especially highlighted gracias and por favor, knowing his mom would appreciate that.
After learning a few words, Riley chose to change the conversation topic.
"Do you have any pups?" he asked.
Louis’ eyes widened, unsure if Harry would find the question offensive.
"I don't," Harry said, with no disruption in his expression.
"Do you work with pups? B-Because you’re very nice.”
"I don’t really work with kids," He smiled. "I work in hotels, sort of. My company buys buildings and makes them into hotels."
"You’re a b-builder?” Riley asked, tilting his head and being familiar with the word from one of his morning cartoons.
“Not really,” Harry tried to explain. “I renovate them, I make them better than they were before. My company has expanded quite a bit, so I don’t do too much of the hands-on work, but I manage the people who do.”
Riley paused. "So… you're important?"
"That's…one way to put it."
"My mommy is important," Riley said, matter-of-fact, looking at Louis. "He takes really really good care of me and he does everything and he's the best." He returned to his lemonade, taking his last few sips of it.
"That's easy to see," Harry said.
He said it looking at Louis, not at Riley, his voice sincere. Louis stared at the table, unsure if he wanted to acknowledge the comment.
"Time for bed, Rybug," Louis ended up saying.
Riley groaned, slumping in his chair, but didn’t protest further. Louis stood up, cleaning up the table and throwing away their trash. “Thank you for coming over,” Louis told Harry.
"Anytime.”
Riley stood up, giving Harry a quick hug around the middle, squeezing him. Harry’s hand came to the top of his back, giving a small pat.
"Night, Harry," Riley said.
"Goodnight, Riley." Harry looked up. "Goodnight, Louis."
"Night," Louis said, and looked at the door until Harry had left through it.
–
The mornings became a thing.
Louis didn’t realize it until three days in a row, with Harry coming to his door each morning with a coffee and pastry for them. Each day Harry and Louis would have some time to themselves before Riley would wake up. Louis still tried to be reserved, reminding himself he just met Harry and that he needed to be careful. Harry talked about Niall and Amelia, how they grew to meet each other and how he’d with Niall for a while.
Louis listened well, but never engaged further in conversation, usually Riley would wake up and join them on the balcony, and Harry would teach him a few more phrases in Spanish.
The fourth morning, Louis decided to conversate a little more.
"I want to ask you something," Louis said, and then immediately wanted to retract it, because it sounded more serious than he'd intended. "About your business," he clarified.
"Go ahead."
"How does it actually work? The hotels. You said you buy buildings and make them into hotels, but–" Louis stopped, figuring his question was useless. "You don't have to explain it. I'm just–"
"I want to," Harry said sincerely. "Most people ask to be polite, but–”
"I actually want to know," Louis explained.
"Okay,” Harry started, setting his cup down. "We started small, Niall and I, just out of university, barely. We bought a wreck of a building, did most of the renovation work ourselves, sold it a year and a half later. Made enough to do it again, and then again." He turned his cup, still fiddling with it. "It got considerably bigger than I expected. The hotel side is newer, and a lot more enjoyable than I thought.”
"Because?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Because it's about how people feel staying in a place. How a space can make you feel when you walk into it, whether it makes you feel safe, comfortable… like you want to stay. It’s not as easy as it might sound.”
Louis thought about the first time he'd walked into the shelter in Maple Lake. The particular feeling of a space that was safe but not comfortable, it checked the boxes for what they needed, but lacked warmth.
"Yeah," he said. "I imagine it is."
"What about you?" Harry said.
Louis looked at his coffee. "What about me?"
"I don’t think I’ve asked what you do,” Harry said, his tone almost apologetic.
Louis brushed it off, shaking his head with a forced smile. “Don’t worry about it. Um, I’m just a stay at home mom right now. I had Riley when I was still a teenager, so… never branched out into a big career. I’ve worked as a hostess a few times, but nothing recently.”
Harry held no judgement in his expression, just nodded in understanding. “You’re a great mother, by the way.”
“I’m serious,” he added after a beat of silence.
“Thank you,” Louis said, giving the alpha a genuine smile in return.
–
A day before the wedding, also two days until they had to fly home, Louis was finally dragged into the souvenir shop by Riley. Amelia accompanied them, deciding she also needed to gift some distant relatives some t-shirts.
It wasn’t surprising Niall entered the gift shop as well, Harry following behind him.
Louis didn’t pay much attention to the others, instead focused on Riley showing him the overpriced stuffed animals and pitching a sale. It was unfortunate he was such an adorable salesman.
Louis heard him out, as Riley begged for a stuffed dolphin, claiming Edward needed a friend. They had a light-hearted conversation about whether a dolphin and rabbit could truly be friends. In the end, Louis caved in, doing the math and confirming the dolphin fit in their budget.
Riley practically skipped to the cash register with Louis, only stopping in his tracks and tugging at his mom’s arm once. “Mommy,” Riley said, pointing to a clothing rack. “Look.”
Louis glanced over. Riley was pointing across the walkway.
There was a small boutique across from them, a mannequin on the display wearing a satin navy blue dress, something so simple yet stunning at the same time.
Louis checked out, purchasing the dolphin for Riley before walking over to the boutique. Maybe Riley wanted to look at something else.
But as they got closer, Riley confirmed it was the dress, saying his mom would look like a princess. It was a sweet thought, but Louis quickly dismissed it after seeing the price tag.
Besides, he already had a dress. It was one he had bought several years ago, and it was perfectly fine.
He looked away from the window and kept walking. Well, tried to.
"Lou," Amelia said, suddenly at his elbow. "That dress is beautiful."
"It's nice," Louis said almost sadly.
"It's stunning." She steered him toward the window with a hand on his arm. "Try it on."
"I have something to wear."
"But it’s not this and–”
"It is fine."
"But this is–" She looked at the dress, then at Louis. "Lou. That colour with your eyes? Harry is going to–"
"Amelia,” Louis said, mostly to stop her, and he didn’t even consider what her last sentence was going to be.
"Just try it on," she said, softer. "Just to see."
“It was my idea,” Riley chimed in, hands together behind his back as he rocked on his feet.
"I'll think about it," he said, which meant no, and Amelia knew it meant no, and she squeezed his arm and let him walk away.
–
The next morning, Louis grew a little suspicious, and slightly worried.
Harry hadn’t come by for their usual coffee and morning pastry. He considered maybe he was running late, but after thirty minutes went by, he began to reconsider. He chose to knock on his door, just to make sure he was okay and everything was alright.
But, the moment he opened his door, he was met with a brown paper bag sitting outside. The boutique shop from yesterday printed neatly on the front, folded carefully at the top.
Louis stood in the doorway of his hotel room in his plaid pajamas and stared at it.
He knew immediately what it was. He knew, and stood there for a full ten seconds anyway, before he bent over and picked it up.
He knocked on the door next to his.
Harry answered quickly. He was dressed, which meant he'd been up for a while, and looked at Louis with an expression that was entirely neutral and gave nothing away.
Louis held up the bag.
Harry looked at it. "Morning," he said.
“Did you see Amelia drop this off?” Louis asked.
Harry blinked, saying nothing back in response.
Louis sighed. “You don’t have to cover for her. She was at the boutique with me yesterday. I love her and I’m so thankful for her but she didn’t need to–”
“I got it,” Harry clarified, interrupting the omega’s rambling.
Louis paused, his eyes widening in surprise. “You did not have to do that.”
"I know."
"Harry." He tried to keep his voice even. "I can't accept this."
"You can," Harry said, "actually."
"It's too much. I already have something to wear. I told Amelia, I have something perfectly—"
"You do, and now you also have this."
"I don't want you to think—" he started, but was quickly interrupted.
"I thought you'd look beautiful in it, and you deserve something nice. That’s all.”
Louis stood very still.
The honesty of it landed differently than he'd expected. The comment didn’t come off overly flirtatious, or trying to gain something from the omega. It was just the truth, and it’s what Harry thought and had offered without expectation of anything in return.
He thought about the last person who'd given him things, and how many of those gifts had underlying meanings. He thought about how none of that was present here.
He didn't know how to trust all of that just yet, but he was wanting to.
"Thank you," he ended up saying, very quietly.
Harry nodded once. "Coffee?" he asked.
And that was all he made of it.
–
He didn’t try the dress on until the afternoon before the wedding.
It fit perfectly.
Almost like it was tailored for him specifically. The length was just right and the blue complimented his skin perfectly. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror for longer than usual, taking his reflection all in.
He felt confident, but he still worried what Harry would think.
He wouldn’t know until a while later, with Harry being Niall’s best man and arriving to the wedding much earlier than them.
Riley was disappointed when he found this out, hoping they could all arrive at the wedding together. Still, he happily got ready for the wedding alongside his mom, telling him that he looked beautiful.
The wedding and reception itself was exactly what Niall and Amelia had wanted and more. The tables were candlelit and draped in the wedding colors, white and dusty pink. The DJ was set up in one corner, and the ocean was visible through the venue’s window panes.
And of course, Harry was at Louis’ table.
He looked good in a suit and Louis was trying to ignore that fact.
"You look beautiful," Harry said, when Louis sat. Simple and direct like the alpha had been.
"Thank you," Louis said, looking at the centrepiece ahead.
Riley had been taken in immediately to Niall’s nieces and nephews, already fitting in at the kids table nearby.
The table arrangements worked well, Amelia had done her seating chart with the same thoroughness she applied to everything, and the conversation flowed without Louis having to carry it. Still, he kept his eye on Riley for the majority of the night.
Still, he was present and he was smiling and the night was beautiful. Amelia looked radiant at the head table with Niall's hand at the small of her back.
Then, Rachel had taken a seat in an empty chair beside him.
Harry had gone to speak with someone, and the chair was empty, and Rachel crossed from her own table.
"You look lovely," she said, in the pleasant, level tone she used for everything.
"Thank you," Louis said. "So do you."
Rachel looked out at the room, at the dancing that had started at the edges of the space, at Amelia laughing at the head table. "She's happy," she said.
"She really is."
"She's been planning this since she was twelve years old. She had a binder with magazine cutouts." A genuine, fond laugh. "She deserves every bit of it."
"She does," Louis agreed, and meant it completely.
A silence. Rachel turned her glass.
"She was devastated," Rachel said, still pleasantly, still looking at the room, "when you stopped being in contact. I want you to know that. In case it wasn't clear."
Louis kept his hands steady. "I know she was."
"She used to wonder what she'd done wrong. I watched her wonder that for years." Now Rachel looked at him, and her eyes were direct in a way that was worse than the pleasantness. "She didn't do anything wrong. I think you know that."
"I know," Louis said.
"Then why—"
"Rachel." Louis set his glass down carefully and kept his voice even and quiet. "I am genuinely so happy to be here. I'm grateful to Amelia and I'm grateful to you for sharing this with us. I'd like to leave the rest of it for another time, if that's alright. Not because it doesn't matter, but because tonight should be about Niall and Amelia." He met her eyes. "Don't you think?"
Rachel looked at him for a long moment. Something moved through her expression. Not quite softening, but a recalibration, like she'd expected a different kind of response and wasn't sure what to do with the one she'd gotten.
"Fine," she said. She stood, composed. "Enjoy the evening."
Louis watched her cross back to her table. He sat very still with the warmth of the candles around him and the music picking up and the sound of Riley's laughter carrying across from the next table, and he held his wine glass without drinking from it and waited for the thing in his chest to settle.
It didn't entirely settle. But it settled enough.
When Harry returned to the table, he set a glass of water in front of Louis without comment and took his seat. He looked at Louis for a moment.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine," Louis said.
Harry looked at his hands on the table, and then at the spot across the room where Rachel had returned to her seat, and then back at Louis with the steadiness that Louis was learning to recognize as his default state.
"It's okay if you're not," Harry said.
"I know," Louis said, which was not the same as I am, and they both knew it.
He turned his wine glass in his hands and looked at Riley across the room, who was laughing with the other children. He played the conversation with Rachel back in his head. What she'd said about Amelia, about the years of wondering. How correct Rachel was, and how unable Louis was, here, now, to explain the whole of it.
"Louis," Harry said.
Louis turned, seeing the alpha look at him full of concern.
"I can tell something's bothering you," Harry said. "And you don't have to tell me what. But I want you to know, I've been watching this week, and I've noticed how Rachel speaks to you. And whatever the situation is–" he paused, choosing carefully, "you can talk to me if you ever need to.”
Louis looked at the table. He thought about what alone meant, and how long he'd been doing it, and how strange it was to have someone notice.
"I'm alright," he said, and this time it was almost true. "I just need a minute."
Harry was quiet for a moment.
"I could help," he said then, carefully. "If you want."
Louis looked at him, his throat tightening.
"I could scent you," Harry said. He said it with the same directness he said everything, but his voice was a bit more careful. "If you’re comfortable with that. I just think it could help calm you down. We can step away, if that would make it easier.”
Louis looked at the dance floor, at Amelia's face over Niall's shoulder, glowing and laughing. At Riley, who had started teaching the other children the Spanish words he’d learned from Harry.
“You deserve to enjoy tonight.”
Louis bit his lip, debating all the possibilities before letting out a breath. "Okay," he said.
–
They stepped inside to where the venue opened into a corridor, mostly empty, with most of the guests having filtered out to the terrace or the dance floor. Harry drew Louis gently into a quieter stretch of hallway and glanced around, and then his hand came to the back of Louis' neck, warm and certain, his thumb settling at the base of his skull.
“You sure?” Harry asked one more time. When Louis nodded, he leaned in and breathed in the omega’s scenting spot.
It had been so long since he’d been scented by an alpha.
Immediately, Louis felt his body respond. His shoulders dropped and his jaw unclenched. The tight coil of anxiety resting in his stomach began to release. Louis melted into Harry’s touch, and soon his body gave him away, in the worst way. He felt slick beginning to produce, and instantly he straightened up, taking a step back, his face reddening.
Harry's hand stayed at the small of his back, steady and present. He didn't move away, and said, very quietly, "It's alright. It's your body, it's normal."
Louis pressed his lips together and nodded. His face was absolutely on fire. "I just need the bathroom.”
"Of course," Harry said, and stepped back, and his expression when Louis glanced at him was simply patient.
It took a few minutes for Louis to straighten himself up in the bathroom, trying to push down the feelings of embarrassment. He knew he shouldn’t feel embarrassed, and that Harry was right, this was normal for an omega’s body.
He stepped outside minutes later, Harry waiting against the wall with his phone.
"Better?" he asked.
Louis breathed in. He did genuinely feel better. "Yes," he said. "Thank you."
Harry nodded, and didn't make anything of it. "Shall we go back?"
They went back. The dance floor was fuller now, the music slower, and the terrace lights turned the whole thing gold. Louis looked at the couples moving together, at Riley who was smiling from ear to ear as he danced with Amelia.
"Dance with me?” Harry asked.
Louis looked at his stretched out hand, and thought about their plane ride, their morning coffees, and most of all, the scenting.
"Okay," he said softly, taking Harry’s hand and following him to the dance floor.
Harry's hand went to the small of his back, and they moved into the space among the other couples and the music was slow. Louis put his hand on Harry's chest and felt the steadiness and warmth of him. Harry held his other hand loosely, nothing possessive in it, just holding it.
Louis looked up, into green eyes that were already looking back at him, and wasn’t sure if this was a problem or not.
It had been such a long time since an alpha made him feel safe, and he didn’t know what to do with it.
–
The last night in Cancun, Louis couldn't sleep.
This wasn't unusual. He often had problems sleeping. But, this time he knew what was keeping him awake. He willed himself to clear his mind and go back to sleep, but it was no use.
He gave up after some time and took his phone to the balcony, not wanting to wake Riley from the illumination of his phone.
The beach at this hour was breathtaking, the moon laying across the water. Louis sat in one of the balcony chairs and looked at it and thought about going home. About the shelter. About the email in his inbox he hadn't opened. About what next steps actually meant.
He thought about the dance, Harry's hand at the small of his back.
His next thought was to stop.
The balcony door next to his slid open, and for a second he wondered if he was dreaming about his recent mornings.
"Can't sleep either?" Harry asked.
He shook his head, sitting in the silence and listening to the ocean.
"Thank you, for last night," Louis said. "The scenting really did help."
"I'm glad," Harry replied sincerely. "And if you ever want to talk about something, I'm here."
He wasn't sure if it was the scenting or what, but Louis wanted Harry close. And to have the alpha at another balcony, two waist high walls between them, his omega hated it. "Do you think you can hop over?" Louis asked genuinely.
Harry cracked a smile, nodding and doing so with ease. He took the empty chair next to Louis, and somehow the proximity still wasn't enough for Louis' inner omega.
Ignoring the thought, Louis decided to open up about the wedding. "Rachel cornered me at the reception," he said. "It's what I thought. She's upset about Amelia, and how I left." He looked down at his lap. "She's not wrong. I did disappear, and I shut Amelia out. Rachel is allowed to be angry and I'm surprised Amelia still wants me around."
Harry was quiet for a moment. "What was stopping you?"
"Riley's dad," Louis said, finally.
Harry was quiet.
"I haven't said much about him but he wasn't the nicest. And he certainly didn't like Amelia, because she knew some of it."
"You don't have to tell me more than that," Harry said, after a while.
"I know," Louis said.
"But I want you to know," Harry said, careful and low, "that whatever it is, you overcame it and showed up for her."
Louis looked at the water. His throat was doing something he didn't want it to do.
"Riley's the reason," he said. "If it had just been me—" He shook his head. "He needed better than what we had."
"So did you," Harry said.
Louis pressed his lips together.
"So did you," Harry said again, gently, not letting him deflect it this time. "You don't only count because of Riley. You know that."
Louis was quiet for a long time.
"I'm working on knowing that," he said, and it was the most honest thing he'd said all week.
"Louis," Harry said.
Louis turned to him.
Harry was close, closer than he'd been. Harry's eyes on his face, patient and certain, the same way he was about everything. Louis locked eyes with him then looked at his lips, and his inner omega wanted Harry closer, so he didn’t think twice about leaning in.
And then, their mouths met, and it was soft, and brief, and Louis' hand came up to Harry's chest of its own accord, and for a moment, it was just that. Their lips moved against each other gently and for a few seconds.
Then, Louis pulled back and stood abruptly from his chair, the sound scraping against the pavement.
"I'm sorry," he said, his throat tight. "I can't, I can't do this."
Harry looked up at him, his expression careful. "Okay," he said simply.
"You didn't do anything wrong," Louis rushed out. "I just think it would be best if you went back to your room." He folded his arms over his chest, forcing himself to look away from Harry. "I'm sorry," he said again.
"It's okay, I can go," Harry said quietly. "Get some sleep." He went to the patio ledge, hesitating. "I'll see you tomorrow. I think we're both flying out tomorrow afternoon."
Of course they'd have the same return flight, Louis thought.
When Harry left, Louis quickly went back inside, crawling back into bed and laying in the darkness, listening to Riley's deep breathing as he slept.
—
Louis avoided Harry for most of the morning, and he wasn't proud of it. Harry still came to his door with the coffees in hand, but Louis pretended he didn't hear him knocking, as he quietly looked through the peephole.
Instead, Louis quickly packed their bags, met Niall and Amelia for a goodbye and good luck on their honeymoon, before waiting for the shuttle back to the airport.
Louis wasn't surprised when Harry was there later on, also waiting. The alpha kept some distance, as much as someone could do when they were headed to the same place.
"Mommy." Louis turned to Riley, who observed, "You're quiet."
Louis cleared his throat. "I'm just tired, love."
"You sure you're not sick?" Riley asked. "When my tummy hurts, I don't like to talk."
“I’m okay, love,” Louis forced out, patting the pup’s head. “Just tired.”
He could tell Riley didn’t believe this, but accepted it anyway.
—
The flight home had the same seat setup, with Riley between Harry and Louis. Even though Riley felt more comfortable being on the plane, he wanted to be in the middle so he could talk to both of them.
The travel time felt longer, most likely because Louis was awake for most of it, and he kept thinking about the night before with Harry. Their mouths were on each other and now Louis was acting as if the man didn't exist.
Riley didn't seem to notice the tension, coloring Harry's tattoos and taking another nap with his cheek pressed against the alpha's arm.
There wasn't any turbulence, and the landing was smooth. Harry still helped Louis with his luggage from the overbin, and Louis said his first words of "thank you" to him for the day.
After they deplaned and went through customs, Harry spoke up. "Louis, I want you to have my number." Louis paused, unsure of what to think of it all. "In case you guys need anything," Harry explained.
Louis didn’t see the harm in taking it, it didn't mean he needed to call. He swallowed, nodding. “Okay, yeah.”
Harry wrote it on the back of a receipt from his jacket pocket and handed it to Louis, who folded it carefully and put it in the small pocket of his bag, the inside one, where he kept anything important.
–
The drive back to Moses Lake was three hours.
Riley slept most of it. Louis listened to the radio at low volume and drove carefully and watched the landscape change from city to suburb to open land, the big flat sky of eastern Washington. He thought about a lot of things, most of his thoughts circling back to Harry.
When they arrived it was late in the evening and the shelter parking was nearly empty. He parked and sat for a moment. He looked at the familiar plain facade of the building, the small lit windows. He'd been gone nine days.
He took Riley inside, who was worn out from all the travel. He decided he'd walk Riley inside and return for their luggage after.
The bell rang when Louis opened the door, the woman at the front desk, Deborah, offering a small smile, but her expression quickly shifted.
"Louis," she said carefully. "I'm glad you're back. Can you come here for a moment?"
Louis stepped over cautiously, rubbing Riley's back.
"A man came by while you were gone," Deborah said, her voice low. "He asked for you by name, and said he'd heard you might be staying here." She scribbled on a piece of paper, showing Louis.
He said he was Riley's father.
Louis felt the floor very clearly beneath his feet. He concentrated on that.
"We didn't confirm anything," Deborah said. "We said we couldn't discuss residents. He left, but–" She paused. "He came back yesterday. He didn't come inside, he just waited in the parking lot. One of the other staff saw him."
"How long?" Louis asked.
"Maybe an hour. We did ask for him to leave, but I wanted to let you know."
"Okay," Louis said. His voice was as level as it could be. "Okay. I need to– I can't stay here anymore."
Deborah looked at him, not with pity but understanding. "Louis, we can contact the—"
"I need to go," Louis said. "I need to get us out."
Deborah didn't argue. "Take whatever you need from the room. I'll make some calls and try and find another shelter wherever you're going."
"Thank you," Louis said. "I'll be twenty minutes."
Riley stirred in Louis' arms. "Mommy, where are we going?"
"We're going to go back to the city for a bit," Louis said. "I think we didn't spend enough time there, did we? On the way to the airport."
Riley considered this. "We didn't see much," he agreed.
"Exactly. Let's go fix that." He stood and held out his hand. "Help me pack?"
–
Half an hour later, they were back in the car. Extra bags tossed in with their vacation luggage in the trunk.
Louis drove, he drove and didn't think about the shelter shrinking in the rear view mirror, didn't think about the email he'd now read re: next steps that had turned out to be about a placement that no longer applied, because the placement was a room that wasn't safe anymore. Didn't think about his bank account or the gas gauge or what he was going to tell Riley when Riley figured out this wasn't an adventure.
He drove until he could think, and when he could think, he thought through the list.
Amelia was on her honeymoon, he could not call Amelia.
His family. He had not spoken to his family in five years. He was not going to call his family.
The numbers Deborah had given him, the shelters in Seattle, two steps to the left and the same situation, a different town, an unknown face at the desk. He'd done it before. He could do it again.
But he was so beyond tired of doing it all over again.
He settled for a motel on the edge of the city, the rate was just under what he had in cash. He paid for two nights, just so they could have at least one comfortable day. He got Riley inside and got him settled with the TV on and sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his bag.
The inside pocket, holding the small folded square. Louis took it out.
He looked at the receipt. Harry's handwriting, slanted and clear.
He thought about everything it would mean. Letting someone into this specific shape of his life. The exposure of it, the risk of someone knowing and the possibility of feeling ashamed.
He thought about Riley asleep in the next motel bed, too young to understand why they kept moving.
Louis picked up his phone, dialing the number without a second thought.
–
Harry picked up on the second ring.
"Louis," he said, surprise in his tone.
Louis opened his mouth, and then he started to cry. Quietly, to make sure he wouldn't wake Riley.
He hadn't meant to. He'd planned to explain things without crying. But, instead his throat closed over and his eyes began to water.
"Hey," Harry said, immediately. "Hey, I've got you. I'm here. Talk to me."
"I'm sorry," Louis managed.
"Don't be," Harry said. "Where are you?"
Louis told him. He heard Harry moving, the background noise muffling.
"Stay there," Harry said. "I'll be there in thirty minutes."
"Harry, you don't have to—"
"Thirty minutes," Harry said, firmly. “Just stay there, Louis. I'm coming."
Louis held the phone after the call ended and sat in the thin light of the motel room and breathed. He looked at Riley, chest rising and falling.
He sat with how strange and terrifying that was, and how much it felt like relief all at once.
—
Harry sat in the single chair by the window. Louis sat on the edge of the bed furthest from Riley, and they kept their voices low, the TV still murmuring in the background, a nature program Riley had put on and fallen asleep to.
Louis looked at his hands. "Riley and I have bee living in a domestic violence shelter for the past few months,” he started. “When we came back yesterday, they told me someone had come looking for me, while we were away.”
Harry was still.
"The staff didn't tell him anything," Louis said. "But he came back." He paused. "He knows the area now. He knows I was there. I can't go back."
"Louis, is it…"
"His name is Jason," Louis said. "He's Riley's father."
Harry waited.
"We were together for a long time," Louis said. "Since I was sixteen." He stopped before going on. "At first, he was just controlling. He worried who I spent time with, where I went. I thought that was just how it was." He looked at the carpet. "Then I got pregnant, and for a while it was better, actually. He was excited. And then it wasn't better anymore."
"He hit me," Louis said, and the plainness of it, the three words of it, hit him the same way it always did when he said it out loud, like the distance between the thing and the word for the thing was smaller than he thought. "During the pregnancy, and after. It wasn't, it wasn't constant. That's the thing people don't understand. It was never constant. It was the not knowing that was the worst part. The waiting for it."
Harry said nothing. Louis was grateful for this.
"I left when Riley was four," Louis said. "I'd tried before. It's… it's complicated to leave. People think it's not, but it is. There's the practical side of it and then there's the other side of it, the part where you've been told for so long that you can't manage without someone that you start to believe it a little." He paused. "He found us four months later. And then we moved. And then he found us again." A breath. "So we moved again."
He looked up, finally.
Harry was watching him with an expression Louis hadn't seen on him before. Not pity, Louis had braced for pity. Not the particular careful horror that some people had, the look that made Louis feel like a problem. It was something quieter than either of those things. Something that looked, if Louis had to name it, like grief. Like Harry was sitting with the weight of what Louis had just said without trying to put it anywhere.
"Riley was four when you left," Harry said, quietly.
"Yes."
"He's four now."
"Almost five." Louis looked at his son. "We've been moving for ten months."
Harry followed his gaze to Riley. The slow rise and fall of the blanket. The edge of the dinosaur backpack visible at the foot of the bed.
"The shelter," Harry said, after a moment. "That's where you were living."
"Yes."
"Before that, motels?"
"Yes."
Harry was quiet for a long moment. Louis watched him and waited for the moment where Harry put it all together and the look on his face changed, but it never did.
"Okay," Harry said, quietly.
Louis waited.
"Okay," Harry said again, and it had the quality of someone settling something for themselves. "So. My house has four bedrooms and I live in it alone, it's a gated community with security. And this motel, I'm going to be honest, the neighborhood is not great."
Louis let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "I noticed."
"So you'll come back with me," Harry said. "You and Riley. Tonight."
Louis looked at his hands. "Harry—"
"Not forever, if you don't want," Harry said. He paused, choosing carefully. "No conditions. You can stay as long as you need, or a week, or until you find something else. But not here."
"I don't want to be–" Louis stopped. He thought about all the ways that sentence ended. A burden. A problem. Something someone has to manage. "I don't want to take advantage," he said, finally.
"You're not," Harry said. "Louis. Look at me. I'm asking you to come," Harry said. "I'm not doing this because I feel sorry for you. I'm not doing this because I feel obligated. I'm asking you because I want to help you, and because I can, and because—" He stopped. "Because you called me. And that means something to me.”
"It would just be for a little while," Louis said.
"However long you want," Harry said.
"I'd need to help. Cook, clean, whatever. I'm not just going to–"
"Louis."
"I mean it."
"Okay," Harry said, and the corner of his mouth moved. "You can cook. I told you I'm terrible at it."
Louis looked at Riley, thinking about their past ten months and all they had been through.
"Okay," Louis said, quietly.
Harry stood. "I'll take the bags."
"You don't have to—"
"I know," Harry said, and picked them up anyway.