Harry scrunched his brow in concentration as he guided the water through different patterns. He had spent almost a full hour practicing, and he could feel his wrists starting to tremble with the effort of holding the water in the air. Unfortunately, his intense focus distracted him from noticing as someone approached from behind him, stopping at the edge of the treeline to watch.
"You need to be more careful, sunshine," Louis commented after a minute or so, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning casually against one of the trees beside the river bank.
The water splashed back into the river, and Harry whirled around. The fear and panic fell from his face when he realized it was just Louis, and he exhaled sharply, pressing his palm to his pounding heart. "Don't scare me like that, Lou," he whined, pursing his lips outward into a pout.
"Sorry, love," Louis said, although he grinned cheekily as he walked over to stand beside Harry. His smile faded slightly, and he shot Harry a pointed look, eyebrows raised. "But seriously, just about anyone could walk by and see you, Haz. And besides, no matter what you're doing, you shouldn't be out in the woods alone. It's not safe for so many reasons."
"Yeah, so I've noticed, but it's not like I can practice in the middle of town with the whole pack hanging around to protect me. They'd kill me themselves, probably more painfully than any lone scout would," Harry pointed out, rolling his eyes.
Louis furrowed his brow at the mere thought, the indesirable image striking a sensitive chord in his chest, too close to his heart for comfort. "Tell me the next time you want to practice your magic. I'll watch over you."
"You'd do that?"
"Of course I would," Louis assured him, adding with a laugh, "You should know by now that I'd do just about anything to protect you, sunshine. And even if you weren't actually in danger, I'm completely content to just sit back and admire how special you are."
Harry blushed furiously, ducking his head to avoid intense Louis's gaze. "You're such a charmer, I don't even know how to deal with you." When Louis raised his eyebrows again, amusement clear on his face, Harry added defensively, "You're trouble! Don't even try to deny it."
"I can deny it, and I will," Louis protested firmly, "because it's not like I use my charms on just anybody. In fact, they're pretty much reserved for one person."
Harry just hummed in response, and Louis couldn't tell if he was unconvinced or uncomfortable, so he didn't press the subject. After a few seconds of silence, the older boy cleared his throat, shifting to the real reason he had sought Harry out that afternoon.
"But charms aside, I came to find you to see if you're doing okay. Yesterday was, um, a lot."
Harry shuddered slightly at the memory, wrapping his arms more tightly around his stomach, but he nodded. "I'm okay." When Louis gave him a skeptical look, Harry just laughed. "Really, I'm okay! Yeah, it was really scary. But you found me before anything too terrible could happen."
Louis hummed in agreement, not daring to let himself think about what might have happened if they hadn't found Harry in time.
"Stop worrying," Harry chided him instantly, studying the thoughtful look on Louis's face. "You worry far too much for an eighteen year old."
"I have a lot of things to worry about," Louis responded simply. He paused, stealing a moment to just take in how gorgeous Harry looked with the light reflecting onto his face off of the water, twisting in kaleidoscope patterns over his pale skin and his pink lips. Once he had plucked up the courage, Louis asked hesitantly, "Do you remember what you said last night? After what happened, I mean."
Harry flushed red, but he nodded sheepishly, refusing to make eye contact with Louis. Instead, he gazed out over the water, staring intensely into the distance. "I remember."
Louis's breath caught in his throat, and he studied Harry's face carefully as he clarified, "You said you want it to be me . . . you want it to be me who claims you?"
"I mean, yeah. I thought it was kind of obvious," Harry replied awkwardly. He glanced down at the ground, tugging nervously at his fingers as he spoke. "I don't know, Lou. I was so confused about how I felt about you for so long, but I'm sure now. And I understand if you don't want me, but I'm not going to hide my feelings from you."
"No, no, no," Louis rushed out, cursing his inability to actually communicate his own feelings. He ran his fingers through his hair, tugging lightly on the ends to help himself realize that this conversation was really happening -- it wasn't just another dream. "God, Harry. My feelings for you . . . I don't even know how to express them. It's like . . . it's like my heart wants to crawl out of my chest and into yours every time I'm near you. And when I'm away from you . . . I don't even know what to do with myself when I'm away from you."
Harry inhaled sharply, glancing over at Louis with a hopeful expression on his face. "Really?" he asked tentatively, seeking the reassurance that he so desperately craved from the alpha.
"Really," Louis confirmed, staring back at the younger boy with unwavering intensity.
Harry angled his body to face Louis fully for the first time, sitting cross-legged in front of the older boy. The worried expression on his face caught Louis off guard, so he copied the younger boy's body language, turning and stretching his legs out so that Harry sat in between them. He reached out to squeeze Harry's knee reassuringly, wondering aloud, "What's wrong, angel?"
"It's just . . . I haven't even presented," he protested, chewing his lip anxiously. The memory of his frightening conversation with Nick, and then the incident yesterday, flashed across his mind. "Even if I'm telling you that I'm sure, you shouldn't have to commit to anything now, Lou. You couldn't possibly decide without knowing --"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. H, stop. I don't care what happens when you present, okay? Not even a little bit." Louis assured him, running his hands soothingly up and down the younger boy's arms. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it together, and I can promise you that I'll still want you, whether you're a beta or an omega or a fucking squirrel."
Harry snorted, then raised his eyebrows curiously. "So I take it you've completely ruled out the possibility of me presenting as an alpha?"
It was Louis's turn to laugh. "Honestly, Harry, I've known you since you were twelve. In the past four years, you haven't shown a single sign of presenting as an alpha."
"Yeah, you're right," Harry conceded, a shy smile tugging at his lips. "I think I would be scared of myself if I presented as an alpha." As much as Harry wanted to prove himself to his father by presenting as an alpha, deep down he knew that it wasn't his path. At the same time, presenting as an omega scared him even more -- none of their friends were omegas, as it was the most rare caste of werewolf, and omegas had historically been stripped of rights. Their times were more progressive, of course, but the structural hierarchy still lingered, an invisible threat especially to omegas without alphas to speak for them.
Louis smiled fondly at the younger boy, easily noting that Harry was deep in thought. He tucked a stray curl away from Harry's face. "I don't think my alpha would be so drawn to you if you were going to present as an alpha, too," he admitted, drawing Harry's attention back into that moment. "Ever since we met, I've felt this strong urge to protect you. I don't think I would feel that way if you could protect yourself as an alpha."
"I can protect myself!" Harry protested immediately, shoving Louis's shoulder lightly.
Louis's grin just widened, and he lifted one hand to cup the younger boy's cheek adoringly, his thumb tracing tiny circles on Harry's cheekbone. "I know you can, baby. But I can do it better."
Harry hummed quietly, amused by the older boy's confidence. He instinctively leaned into Louis's touch, relishing the warmth that pulsed through him. "Oh, can you?"
"Mmhmm," Louis confirmed, surging forward to brush his lips across Harry's cheekbone. "I can protect you. Keep you safe. Take care of you . . ."
"Then show me," Harry whispered, his green eyes locking with Louis's blue ones.
The corners of Louis's mouth tugged upward into a smile, and he didn't hesitate before dipping his head and capturing Harry's lips with his own. Harry sighed against his mouth, wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck as he tried to eradicate any distance between them. Taking the hint, Louis leaned forward, supporting Harry's back as he pushed the younger boy backward and settled on top of him, never breaking the kiss.
After a few minutes, they finally pulled away. When Louis opened his eyes, Harry still had his own closed, a sated expression on his face. Unable to resist, Louis brushed his lips over Harry's swollen ones one more time, relishing in the way Harry immediately tilted his chin up to try to deepen the kiss. Grasping at the little self control he had left, Louis forced himself to climb off of Harry and sit back up, grabbing the younger boy's hands and pulling him back into a sitting position as well.
"I-I thought you regretted doing that," Harry said, still breathless. "We never talked about it."
"Not for a second. I was just . . . I was scared," Louis confessed, looking down at his lap.
Harry raised his eyebrows, snorting, "You? Scared? I never thought I'd see the day."
"It's a bit of a new feeling for me," the older boy admitted. "And I've only ever felt scared when it comes to you."
For the first time in a long time, Harry found himself completely speechless. Luckily, Louis didn't mind, completely content to sit in silence and study every detail of Harry's face, especially the reddened tint of his full lips. Something came to life inside of Louis at the sight; probably his alpha, raising its head and howling possessively, but also something else -- something more gentle and tender and loving. Something pure. Something simply happy.
"You're so pretty," Louis mused quietly, tucking a stray curl behind Harry's ear.
"Stop." Harry blushed, swatting Louis's hand away from his face before tangling the older boy's finger with his own, letting their connected hands rest on his lap.
Ignoring him, Louis requested, "Will you show me your magic again? You never talk about it."
"Obviously not," Harry replied quietly, dropping his gaze to his lap. "No one can find out."
"Well, I already know. And I've seen it multiple times before," Louis argued stubbornly. He nudged Harry's shoulder encouragingly with his own. "So can you show me?"
Harry bit his lip nervously, but he nodded. "It's not really that impressive. I obviously don't have any actual training."
"All I can do is sprout claws and fangs, so trust me, I'll be impressed," Louis said honestly. He sat back against the bank, leaning on his elbows as Harry stood and took a few steps closer to the water. "Be careful," he instructed, eying the rapidly rushing river like it might jump from its bed on its own accord and drag Harry into its depths.
"It's not like I've done this before, Louis," Harry shot back, shooting the older boy a glare over his shoulder. Still, he couldn't hide the amused smile that tugged at his lips, a warm feeling spreading through his stomach at Louis's uncontrollable protectiveness over him.
Louis grumbled something under his breath, then quieted, all of his attention falling on Harry. The curly-haired boy took a deep breath, his shoulders visibly relaxing, and he lifted both arms, biting his lip in concentration. Louis just sat back and watched in awe as a small, smooth stream of water snaked up from the raging surface, coiling around itself about five feet about the river and forming an ever-moving ball. After a few moments of studying the effects of the magic on the water, Louis stole a glance at Harry -- all of the tension had left his body, and he stood beside the river looking more relaxed than Louis had ever seen him. He figured he could sit here and watch Harry from now until eternity.
Then a twig snapped somewhere in the forest, and Louis growled, jumping to his feet and grabbing Harry without hesitation to yank him away from the river. The water splashed loudly back into the raging currents. Louis tugged Harry behind him, baring his teeth protectively against the newfound threat. Harry clung to the back of the older boy's shirt, his eyes wide and scared as they both scanned the treeline, every shadow seeming to present a potential threat.
"You two are so odd," Niall commented casually as he emerged from the trees. "But I'm actually glad I ran into you, H. Can you show me where you found those super big chamomile flowers?"
Harry slumped in relief, putting even more of his weight on Louis's back. He started to step around Louis, but Louis just tightened his grip on the younger boy, still standing protectively between him and Niall as the Irish boy moved closer. He growled lowly as Niall approached, causing the Irish boy to stop a few feet in front of the pair.
Niall eyed Louis curiously. "What's wrong, mate? I'm clearly not going to attack you. Or your precious, future mate." When Harry gaped at him, Niall just shrugged. "I saw you kissing a few minutes ago when I was refilling the birch stash. Sorry not sorry."
Harry blushed furiously, burying his face in Louis's shoulder and groaning loudly. He expected Louis to relax when the stranger identified himself as Niall rather than someone threatening, but Louis's grip on his body only tightened, not moving an inch from his position in front of Harry.
"He saw," Louis growled out a second later, keeping his voice low so that only Harry could hear his words. "He saw your magic."
To Louis's surprise, Harry just laughed, rolling his eyes at the alpha's ridiculous behavior. He pressed a firm kiss to the back of Louis's head. "It's okay, love. He already knows."
Louis blinked in surprise, the tension almost instantly disappearing from his body. "What?"
Understanding flashed across Niall's face, and he laughed. "Are you serious, Louis?" The Irish boy raised his eyebrows teasingly. "Do I really need to remind you that I come from an ancient line of healers? You thought I didn't know that your boyfriend has magic healing abilities?"
"I-I . . . but . . . what?" Louis turned to face Harry, confusion clear on his face. "He's known this whole time?"
Harry nodded, ducking under Louis's arm and hugging Louis close. The older boy complied easily, pulling Harry close to him with a possessive hand on his waist, still a bit dumbfounded by this sudden revelation. "He's known since I was initiated," Harry explained. "I thought I told you that all of the healers knew about my magic."
"And I thought you were observant, Louis," Niall taunted, shaking his head in disbelief. With just a subtle twist of Harry's wrist, a thin string of water snapped up from the river, poking Niall's chest just hard enough to hurt a little. Niall groaned, rubbing the sore area where the water had hit him. "Jesus, Haz. What did you do that for?"
"That's for being mean to my boyfriend," Harry said cheekily, letting the water fall back into the flowing river with a smug smile. He settled further into the older boy's side, sighing contentedly when Louis's grip on his waist tightened instinctively.
"He deserved it," Niall pointed out. "Honestly, he's been going full alpha all the time over the past week or so for absolutely no reason."
"I think it's hot," Harry replied, giggling into Louis's shoulder.
Niall groaned loudly. "Of course you do." He turned back toward the woods, shaking his head. "You two are so meant for each other I can't even stand it. Now come show me your famous chamomile flowers before I throw up all over the both of you."
As Harry finally moved past Louis to follow Niall back into the forest, Louis grabbed his hand, yanking the younger boy back against his chest. "Boyfriend?" he mused, teasing Harry for his word choice a few moments before.
Harry blushed, ducking his head in embarrassment. "It kind of slipped out. Sorry."
"Oh, stop," Louis chided him. He tipped Harry's head up with two fingers beneath his chin, surging forward to brush an innocent kiss across the younger boy's lips. "If the only label I ever have for the rest of my life is 'yours,' I think I can die happy."
Even as his cheeks flushed an even deeper red, Harry just smiled, leaning forward to press his lips across Louis's one more time. He slotted their lips together deeply, parting his own to grant Louis full access to his mouth, Then, just as quickly as he had initiated their heated kiss, he pulled away, wrenching himself from Louis's tight grasp and heading into the forest to catch up Niall (who had probably been standing just beyond the treeline watching, taking notes that he could report back to the other boys later that day).
"Harry," Louis stated bluntly, disbelief clear in his voice. In all the years they had known each other, Louis never would've guessed that Harry would turn out to be an unbearable tease.
Shaking his head, Harry called over his shoulder, "You're trouble, Tomlinson."
Louis sighed, muttering under his breath, "I'm in trouble, more like."