Cherry Wine {l.s.}

8. ago

H

Harry was awake by the time the sun rose, dark circles lining the underneath of his pretty eyes, dimming the once vibrant color. Every breath was labored, lungs feeling as if there was an anvil resting on them restricting his flow of oxygen. His eyesight was the blurriest it'd ever been, and he couldn't help but whimper at the heavy pounding in his head, temples throbbing with the force of the ache.

It took every bit of strength he had to sit up, and even more to swing his legs over the side of the bed to stand, wobbling unsteadily on deer-like legs before making his way into the bathroom for his daily shower. The warm water felt good against his skin, sticky from the amount of sweating he'd done the night before, and it helped clear some of the fog resting in his eyes and the very forefront of his mind. He let out a relieved sigh, resting his forehead against the cool tile of the shower wall and relaxing for a short minute.

Harry was quick after that, drying off as fast as he could before getting dressed and making his way out the door with his bag banging against his hip and his shoes hastily tied, a maroon beanie pulled over his damp curls. Karen was waiting for him by the door with a kind smile and soft eyes, taking one look at his face with slightly pouted lips that reminded him so much of Liam his chest panged, lowering his gaze to the ground beneath his feet.

"Rough night, pup?" She asked once she'd ushered him inside and he nodded minutely, dropping his messenger bag under the counter before plopping down in his usual seat. Karen leaned over to kiss his forehead, releasing a soft hum that had his lashes fluttering and his nerves calming in a heartbeat, leaning into her gentle touch. She smiled happily at his reaction, cooing at the sight of his blush.

They both looked up when the bell above the door chimed and Zayn walked in, Niall trailing close behind munching happily on a muffin, crumbs piling up on the blue fabric of his jumper. Zayn's expression was warm enough that it made Harry's cheeks flush a bit, made him miss having that type of attention. "Hi, loves." The dark haired beta greeted, grinning wide and friendly as Harry stood and started making his way into the back to begin on making the ordered arrangements.

He worked in silence for a small while, ribbon threading around his fingers as he tied a bunches together and even used some to tie his long curls up, happy to have the ticklish weight off of his shoulders. Zayn came in at one point to grab a soda bottle and smiled at Harry, looking over the pile of his finished work before brushing his fingers over the omega's shoulders and leaving the room.

Harry finally emerged when his phone chimed, signalling that it was his break time, and grinned shyly when Karen offered him his usual sandwich and lemonade, blushing once he realized Louis was sitting on the counter watching him. "Hi." The alpha greeted, reaching to tug gently at the ribbon holding his hair up. Harry swallowed, fiddling with the edge of the paper wrapped around his food until he was able to bring himself to speak. "Hello." His voice was a bit raspy, rough sounding in the clear air and it made him wince as he plopped down on his favorite stool and began to eat, avoiding everyone's gaze.

He was quiet the entirety of his break, watching the group of people around him converse and laugh with each other content to just be in the background and observe. Louis had begun to play with the frayed edge of the hole in Harry's skinnies at one point, and while the sudden touch made him a bit twitchy, he basked in the attention he was receiving. He blushed when he noticed Zayn was watching them with a tiny, barely suppressed smile, catching Harry's eye and grinning wide enough that he choked and looked down. Louis was leaning towards him in an instant, gently rubbing his back and whispering softly until he was able to breathe again, tucking a loose curl behind his ear.

"You okay?" The alpha asked, voice a bit breathy as he stroked the back of Harry's neck, wiping the light sheen of sweat away that was lingering there from the exertion of his coughing. Harry nodded, subconsciously leaning forward to hide his face in his neck and push his fists into his eyes. He could smell the happiness radiating off of the older lad, and even though his instincts were screaming at him to pull away, to abandon his touch, his heart pushed him further into Louis' embrace and soothed the ache settling over his mind. Harry didn't realize that everyone had stopped talking until he registered the ringing silence that'd settled over the lot of them, peeking out shyly from behind his fists only to hide again when he caught Niall's smug gaze.

"Has your order arrived yet, K?" Louis asked, chest rumbling under Harry's cheek and nearly making him purr, nuzzling the tip of his cold nose in against his neck. He heard Karen hum her confirmation, a bit of a rustling meeting his ears before the woman produced a small box full of scented candles, smiling. "Yes, Liam gave them to me last night. Always bringing gifts for his mum." Her tone was fond, eyes warm at the thought of her son.

As if he knew he was being talked about, Liam stepped in seconds later holding a bag of what smelt like muffins and a cup of steaming tea. He paused when he saw Louis cradling Harry protectively, baring his teeth and releasing a growl filled with so much authority and dominance that the omega snapped back and folded in on himself, whimpering faintly. Karen jerked out of her seat, Niall and Zayn shifted a little, and Louis moved so Harry was hidden from the other's sight, a rumble punching out of his chest.

Spots appeared in Harry's vision, and the last thing he saw before he lost himself was the two alphas lunging for each other's throats.