Chapter Text
Harry is in the middle of taking off his apron and hanging it on the wall in the break room when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. Sure enough, it’s a text from his best friend.
From Lottie: Outside. Hurry up!
Today is Lottie’s 18th birthday. And they are having last party before everyone who used to go to school with them is off to different universities all over the UK and some even moving to the US. Everyone is looking forward to it. It’s not that they haven’t been to enough parties since passing their A levels a few weeks ago, but tonight is going to be on a whole new level. Lottie’s elder brother Louis is throwing her a party at the fanciest hotel around and he likes to go a bit over the top, now that he is basically swimming in money. They decided that Lottie would pick Harry up from work in the early afternoon so they could get ready for the party together.
So now Harry quickly stuffs his phone back into the pocket of his skinny jeans, collects his stuff, and returns to the kitchen, where a middle-aged woman has taken over frosting a patch of cupcakes where he left of. He walks over to the counter next to her, where he left a cupcake with a candle in it earlier and picks it up before dropping a kiss to the top of the woman’s head.
“Thank you for letting me leave early today, Babs.”
Barbara looks up at him with a soft expression on her face and says, “Of course, sweetheart. Tell Lottie my best wishes and have a fun night.”
Harry kisses her cheek one more time before he hurries out of the bakery and into the car already waiting for him. He greets his best friend with a tight hug and a kiss to the cheek, before presenting the cupcake to her with a bright smile.
“Happy birthday, Lots!”
***
“C’mon, Haz. You’re gonna look beautiful, do you not trust my make-up skills?” Lottie looks at him with her wide blue eyes, a ridiculous pout on her bubble gum pink lips and Harry is fucked. He just can’t resist the Tomlinson pout, no matter which Tomlinson made use of it.
“Fine, but keep it light, please,” Harry gives in and makes himself comfortable on Lottie’s desk chair.
Lottie lets out a delighted squeal at the prospect of doing Harry’s make-up and this joy alone is the reason Harry never even planned on not letting her do it in the first place. It’s so easy to make his best friend happy. Plus, he can’t even deny that he looks good with a bit of blush and lipstick. Harry desperately wants to look good tonight. After all he’s going to see his crush again after four long years. The last time he saw Louis was two years before Harry presented as an omega at age 16. Since then (who is he kidding, he’s had a crush on Louis long before that) he couldn’t stop thinking about the older alpha. Tonight Harry wants to make a good impression after not seeing each other for so long, he wants to show Louis that he no longer is just his little sisters best friend but maybe a potential mate someday. All that considered Lottie and him both are getting something out of this her doing his make-up.
“Haz!” Lottie snaps him out of his daydreams about her brother. “Stop fantasizing about Louis and pick a lipstick colour.” She’s waving two tubes of lipstick in front of his face. Harry blushes at her accusation but doesn’t even make the effort to deny it, they both know she’s right, and Harry is endlessly thankful that she’s okay with it. He inspects the options Lottie presents him with and as he doesn’t see much of a difference he just randomly picks one.
“This one,” he mumbles. Lottie, seemingly satisfied with his choice, sets it aside before starting with applying some cream to his face. She happily chats about the upcoming party her famous big brother is throwing her and Harry once again lets himself drift off in a daydream.
***
Lottie is just putting on her heels, steadying herself with one hand on Harry’s shoulder when there is a knock on the door at 7 pm sharp.
“That should be the limo,” Lottie remarks excitedly, kissing Harry on the cheek before hurrying down the stairs to get the door.
Harry has to admit Louis has gone all out to make this the best birthday party an 18-year-old has ever had. It started with a shopping trip so Lottie could pick out an outfit for the party (without a limit on the price, which is basically every teenage girls dream come true). Then he made her an appointment for manicure and pedicure and even a new haircut so she would look her absolute best. Now there is a limo waiting to take them to the fanciest hotel in town where the party will take place. The party itself consists of two parts: first a fancy dinner with the family (plus Harry because he’s practically family) and then the “real” party would start at 9 pm with all of their friends and school mates. Harry is sure there is going to be loads of alcohol and everything one could ever ask for knowing a movie star is hosting the bash.
Harry is impressed. He has never been in a limo before and it’s so much better than he ever could have imagined. They have the whole car to themselves, meeting up with the rest of the Tomlinson family at the hotel so Lottie gets her grand entrance. There is a bottle of champagne waiting for them and they don’t waste any time in popping the bottle and toasting to the birthday girl.
“Happy birthday, Lots! I just wanna say that I love you and I’m so glad to call you my best friend. I know even if we won’t see each other as much as we are used to – with you doing your fancy internship and all – that our friendship will only become stronger over the time. We’ve been through so much together and I wouldn’t have wanted to do any of it with someone else. I love you and I hope you’ll have the best night ever!” Harry can see the tears welling up in his friends face and to be honest he isn’t faring any better himself. So he just opens his arms and pulls Lottie into the tightest hug he can possibly manage.
“I love you, too. But can you not make me cry right now, it’s ruining my make-up.” Lottie punches him on the arm, but there is no force behind it, so he knows she doesn’t mean it. A few minutes later she pulls back reaching for the champagne bottle. She looks questioningly at Harry, silently asking him if he wants a refill. Harry shakes his head.
“Thanks but I shouldn’t drink too much tonight. You know I’m close to my heat and I should be cautious just in case. Especially, when there’s gonna be a room filled with alphas later.” He’s a bit nervous about the whole thing. Normally he would just stay home with his heat only being a few days away, but this is his best friends 18th birthday party and he couldn’t miss it for the world. So he just has to be careful, stay sober and hope for the best. Anyways, staying sober also should help with not embarrassing himself in front of Louis so that’s a bonus.
***
When Harry and Lottie enter the secluded room Louis booked for the dinner, everyone is already waiting. Harry stands back and watches Lottie’s family rush towards them to smother her in hugs and kisses. Harry feels himself smile with all the love that is apparent in the room. The Tomlinson’s are a pretty touchy feely family and Harry loves everything about it and is glad that they basically consider him family as well after being friends with Lottie for years. After Jay hugged her daughter and whispered congratulations in her ear, she comes over to do the same with Harry.
“Harry, sweetheart, it’s good to have you here.” Jay pulls Harry into a tight embrace one can only describe as motherly because it makes you feel warm inside.
“Thank you for having me, Jay.”
“Don’t be silly. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”
They break up the embrace. As Harry takes a step back. He doesn’t notice the chair that is stood behind him and before he can do anything he trips. He can feel himself falling backwards and tries to counteract it by flailing his hands wildly in the air, but there is nothing he can do. He is going to fall over in front of everyone. He is going to fall on his butt in front of Louis. Well, there goes leaving a good first impression. Why does he always have to be so damn clumsy?
He is still berating himself in his head when he feels two strong arms wrap around him, effectively breaking his fall. When he opens his eyes, Louis is looking down at him and he feels like he’s drowning in the blue of the older boy’s eyes. Harry feels speechless, absolutely lost. He tries to come up with something witty to say but a breathless Oops is all he can manage.
“Hi,” Louis says and sends Harry a blindingly bright smile. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Curly, but you’re still as clumsy as ever, aren’t you?”
“Ehm… I guess,” Harry mumbles a blush spreading over his cheeks. Louis helps Harry get upright again before retreating his arms from around the omega. “Good to see you, Louis.”
“You, too, babe.” Louis winks at Harry before turning around and making his way over to congratulate his sister, leaving Harry dumbfounded behind.
***
Harry has never been this uncomfortable. He’s feeling hot and like he’s suffocating in Louis strong musky smell. The alpha is sitting directly next to him at dinner and Harry can sense his body moving closer and closer towards his heat. It’s definitely going to start sometime in the next few hours and Harry is already trying to come up with an excuse to leave. He knew it was a possibility for this to happen but he hoped he would at least hold out until midnight so he could enjoy at least a few hours of what was probably be the biggest party he would ever attend. Now he isn’t sure he’ll make it until after dinner is over. You can do this. Only desert to go and then you can say goodbye to Lottie and go home. Get it together.
“I have to be there in a week for the fitting and filming starts next month,” Louis animatedly chats with his stepdad, catching him up on his latest project. Even though the alpha is next to Harry, Harry only vaguely registers what he is saying. He’s feeling hotter and hotter by the minute. Suddenly, there is a cool hand on his cheek and he startles a little. His head is turned to the side, so he’s looking at Louis.
“You okay there, Curly?”
“M’fine.”
Louis looks unconvinced bringing up his other hand to press against Harry’s forehead. “You’re burning up, love. I think you’re getting sick. Do you want me to tell my driver to bring you home?”
Harry shakes his head no. He feels humiliated. Here he is risking going into heat at a hotel which will be swarmed with alphas in a short while so he can make Louis see that he’s grown up and matured over the past four years, and Louis doesn’t even acknowledge that Harry could be going into heat, immediately assuming he was getting sick. It is like Louis doesn’t even see him as an omega at all, probably still deems him only his little sisters friend. Harry has never felt so crushed.
***
Dinner is finally over and Lottie’s family is getting ready to get up and go home. During the last half hour Harry planned out exactly how he would tell Lottie he needs to go home and how he wants to ask Jay for a ride. But as always things don’t work out the way he wants them to.
As Harry is getting out of his chair he feels a gush of slick pour out of him immediately soaking his pants and trousers. At that Louis’ and Dan’s, the only other alpha in the room, heads quickly snaps in his direction, sniffing the air. Harry looks down at his feet and plays with his fingers. He is feeling so hot like he just wants to rip all of his clothes off and press his body to the cool floor tiles. He tries to compose himself enough to speak and turns to his best friend. “Lots, I’m sorry, but I need to go home. Now.”
After just a few seconds he feels his best friend’s arms embrace him. “Haz, why didn’t you say something earlier?”
“I didn’t want to ruin your night. I’m so sorry,” he tries hard to hold back tears. This is so humiliating. He can feel everyone’s gaze on him. He can feel the alphas in the room undress him with their eyes. “I need to go.”
Harry breaks away from Lottie and makes his way to the door.
“Wait!” There is a hand on his arm holding him back. He tries to shake it off, but Louis grip is too strong. “You can’t go out there now. Anything could happen.”
Harry lets himself be turned around and sees how Jay is standing behind her son nodding. She looks concerned and Harry knows that she won’t let him go anywhere on his own. She’s like a mother to him and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself should anything happen to Harry on his way home.
“Louis booked me a room, Haz. I can take you up there,” Lottie says. Worry is edged on her face and Harry thinks how he couldn’t ask for a better friend. But this is not what he wants. He doesn’t want her to spend her birthday worrying about him. He wants her to have the best night possible, so he shakes his head no.
“It’s your night. You should go and enjoy yourself, Lots.”
Suddenly Louis is taking Harry’s hand in his own and turns to his sister. “I’m taking him to my room. Don’t worry I’m going to take care of him. Now go and enjoy your party, little sis!”
And with that Louis leads Harry to the elevator. The thoughts in Harry’s head are going wild but they all come down to Fuck am I really gonna spend my heat with Louis Tomlinson?