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A/b/o Dynamics - Blog Posts
Omegaverse Worldbuilding: Omega’s Akashi
If this is the first post you’ve seen of my Akashi series for Alpha/Betas/Omegas I’ll bring you up to speed. An Akashi much like the Kagune from Tokyo Ghoul are extra appendages that are located on a persons back. All dynamics have them but they are different depending on which Dynamic you are. I already made a post about an Alpha’s Akashi called the Bukishi (meaning “weapon limb”) and Betas Akashi called Kazashi (meaning “many limb”) here:
Today we’ll be going over the final dynamic, Omegas and their Akashi called the Haneshi (meaning “winged limb”).
Haneshi
Art by @AquaticNaho on Twitter
The Haneshi are a set of four bird-like wings the eject out of an Omegas back. The Haneshi has many feathers and the color/pattern those feathers have vary from person to person and region to region.
The Haneshi allows Omegas to fly at incredible speeds, allowing them to keep up with a commercial airplane that flies at around 550 and 600 mph. Their ability to fly allows Omegas to keep their children/pups out of harms way to flee if they are forced to.
The edge of the Haneshi is very sharp and could cut down multiple tress at once if an Omega were to fly through a forest.
The Haneshi can also be used as a shield to protect them and their children/pups from enemies. It also provides them with a height advantage over other dynamics.
Finally, the Haneshi can shoot out from its front spikes that paralyze the part of the body it hits. This effect is instant and lasts for a few hours even after the spike is removed.
Omegaverse Worldbuilding: Beta’s Akashi
If this is the first post you’ve seen of my Akashi series for Alpha/Betas/Omegas I’ll bring you up to speed. An Akashi much like the Kagune from Tokyo Ghoul are extra appendages that are located on a persons back. All dynamics have them but they are different depending on which Dynamic you are. I already made a post about an Alpha’s Akashi called the Bukishi (meaning “weapon limb”) here:
Kazashi
Today we’ll be talking about Beta’s Akashi called the Kazashi (meaning “multi limb”).
The Kazashi are 4 snake like tentacles that are extremely flexible and elastic. They can also stretch to great distances are strong enough to lift an entire car off the ground and hold it in midair.
Betas have evolved this way to because through the history of the dynamics Betas have always been the ones who had to multitask and manage many things at a time. Also to keep other dynamics at bay and restrain them if need be. Betas are the strategists of the pack, and in very early years were pack leaders due to their intelligence, their discovery of fire, and being the first dynamic to create and utilize tools. Due to having to manage the pack Betas were given an Akashi that allowed them to do many tasks at the same time.
A special skill of the Kazashi is its ability to break its 4 tentacles into multiple smaller tentacles. They may not be as strong as 4 big tentacles but to complete smaller tasks it provides Betas with much convenience.
I think this Venom vs Carnage fight really exemplifies how I think Alphas would fight in my setting.
Since Alpha/Beta/Omega in my setting an extra appendage on their back called an Akashi (meaning “red limb”) that gets ejected out of their backs ( like Kagunes from Tokyo Ghoul), that takes a different form depending on which dynamic you are. I already made a post about Alphas Akashi called the Bukishi (meaning “weapon limb”) here.
But the gist of it is that Alphas can shape the Akashi into any form they desire much like how the carnage symbiote forms different weapons out of his limbs. So I feel the way Carnage fights Venom is very similar to how Alphas would fight.
Packs
What are they?
Packs usually consists of 3-7 members. Most people are born into one and leave their pack to either start their own or join one. Leaders varies, but in the past it was alphas and is still commonly alphas. Although there is a rise in beta and omega pack leaders. They are family and eventually live together.
Usually sleep in the same room on a cushioned floor. Some people can mate in the pack but not all members have to mate. Sometimes all members mate with each other, others times it stays completely platonic. Made up of all 3 sexes but the number of people from each sex can vary. Can resembles a queer platonic relationship or an asexual romantic relationship. Having a pack is like having a committed relationship. The relationship you have with your pack is deeper/different than a friendship, since a friendship in and outside the pack are completely different even if the pack is fully platonic.
Your Pack is apart of you, they are people you want to spend the rest of your life with, the people who’s face you want to see when you first wake up in the morning and the last thing you see before you go to bed, you never want to be apart from them, and the pack without any of the members leaves a big gaping hole that cannot be filled. They are the ones you trust the most, confide in with anything, would protect with your life. Your Pack is your everything, in most situations they come first (if it makes it easier to understand think of it like a Polyfidelity relationship where every member is committed to everyone else in the pack and them alone, even if platonic). When a pack is bonded to each other based on how close the pack is and their care for one another, their abilities will be enhanced when the pack fight together. That is why being in a pack makes you stronger.
Pack Names and Clans
When a pack is created, the members create a new last name for the members and all members legally change their last name to pack name. E.g if a person is named Julia Hikaru before joining her pack, if she finds a pack and that pack is named Izanami her name will become Julia Izanami. You can only have one last name which can be either your birth-pack’s name or your new pack’s name.
In certain nations packs are also apart of clans and the pack wears an insignia of their clan on their clothing. One’s middle name is usually the name of the clan and when one enters a pack, it is usually decided beforehand which clan the pack will be apart of. Once it’s decided, the middle names of all the pack members is changed into the clans name or added on their previous clan name. E.g if there’s a person named John and their pack is the Namikaze pack and the pack is apart of the Senju clan, then that person’s name will be John Senju Namikaze.
Most clans that people are apart of go back hundreds of years and have great history. A new clan can be created but it must be registered to the government in order to be legally recognized. There are however pretty well known clans that are not legally recognized. A pack can usually only be legally apart of one clan. It is common that the clan that is the most established and well known that a pack members are apart of are the ones chosen.
Omegaverse WORLDBUILDING 3: Gender
Before getting into any of the Genders I want to do my best to explain what gender is and means in my world since I know the definition can get kinda muddled in real life. Also just so there’s no confusion in my world there is Primary Sex (Male and Female), Secondary Sex (Alpha, Beta, and Omega), and finally Gender. They are all different and mean different things.
Definition and Explanation
a list of patterns in behaviours, interests, beliefs, style, and desire to fill a role in society that is shared by enough people to label them and put them into categories. The people in each gender don’t have to share all the interest associated with that gender and it doesn’t mean they can’t share anything in common with other genders, but it is where a person feels they most belong to, feel most accepted in, share most interest/likes/beliefs with people of, have the most in common with, see themselves in and most reflected in the people who are a members of a particular gender.
List of all Genders:
Gammas
Gammas are what people would consider a woman/girl and feminine. Think about what comes to your mind when you hear the word girl and that’s essentially what a Gamma is. Gammas tend to speak in a higher pitch, like to wear bright colours, have very “feminine” mannerisms and way of speaking. Even though I may say “feminine” as a way to describe these traits to those reading, these traits and interests in my world have been completely divorced socially from the Female Sex. So in the world these traits are not “feminine” they’re “Gamminine” since these traits are found in Gammas not Females (since Gammas can be male or female).
Signs of being a Gamma:
likes to speak in a higher pitch, likes to wear dresses/skirts/crop-tops (or just a general interest in those kinds of clothing), likes jewelry, makeup, dress-up, cute things, wears bright colors, likes having their hair long and styling it in certain ways, loves long nails, very in-tuned with their feelings, very emotionally intelligent, values feelings (maybe not over logic but still thinks it’s as important), basically likes the feminine style. A Gamma doesn’t have to like all or even most of these things, being a Gamma is about how you feel and about where you feel you most belong.
Omegas make up 50% of the Gamma population and are the majority. Betas make up 30% of the Gamma population. Alphas make up 20% of the Gamma population.
Thetas
Thetas are basically the “masculine” (though as I’ve said about Gammas stereotypical masculine traits have been completely divorced from the Male Sex in my world) equivalent of Gammas. Thetas speak in a lower pitch, usually wear dark and matted colors, “masculine” mannerisms and way of speaking. Usually if you’re interested in what is called “masculine” things you’re a Theta.
Signs you may be a Theta:
Likes sports, likes to wear suits/hoodies/baggy pants/leather jackets/or a very casual style, enjoys more rough and dirty activities, is very stoic, likes risk-taking, prefers directness, more of a practical thinker and values logic more than feelings, not that interested in fashion or dressing up, values physical and emotional strength, values courage and are assertive, very protective, likes a lot of physical activities like Camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, or anything that involves physical strength and adventure. A strong interest in activities like football, basketball, weightlifting, or motorsports. Not all or even most of these traits are required to be a Theta but these are common traits associated with them.
Deltas
Deltas are those who do not quite fit into either category. Deltas are kind of a balance between both sides. They may value traits like courage and physical strength but they also see the value in softer traits like compassion and love. It’s quite hard to write for them since they do not have an equivalent in real life, but they are definitely more androgynous and they are like the best of both worlds. When I think about them I think mostly about the cast from part 5 of the anime/manga series JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure. They are obviously manly men but more than other parts they are a lot on the softer side, which is definitely reflected in their fashion.
Signs you may be a Delta
Do not fit into either being a Gamma or a Theta. Values different aspects of both genders, have a more androgynous style that takes inspiration from both genders.
Omegaverse WORLDBUILDING 1: Akashi Headcanons (world inspired by Ghouls from Tokyo Ghoul)
Akashi (“red limb”)
An Akashi much like the Kagune from Tokyo Ghoul are extra appendages that are located on a persons back.
Alpha’s Bukishi (“weapon limb”)
(Image from Ceru_Draws on Twitter)
A Bukishi is a tail like appendage that can be molded and shaped into anything the Alpha desires at will (spear, sword, hammer, armour, fist, shield, axe). It is a short range Akashi and is ejected at the lower back (I know it is not in the image but pretend that it is). Evolved that way in order to protect their pack. Their Akashi are the biggest, heaviest and most sturdy which is why the Alphas are as tall, big, and strong as they are. Usually are on the frontlines in battles.
Secret techniques: the Four Gears:
A technique passed down by Alphas that uses the Akashi in 4 unique ways.
Gear 1: Standard weaponry (one handed kagune combat)
Gear 2: Warrior (two-handed kagune combat).
Gear 3: Knight (suit of amour combat)
Gear 4: Sussano
The hardest to master and after use the Alpha will be unable to use their Akashi for 24-hours. Their muscles will also be sore.
Hellooo, i really love all your bnha fics! And i was thinking that if you could write a little something about like class 1-A as a pack, maybe? Any dynamics you want in any kind of genre. I just really lack bnha pack fics and i want some😅😭
(most of) 1-a pack dynamics
alphas: bakugou, kiri, shoto, izuku, mina, tenya, momo betas: hanta, jirou, asui, tokoyami, shoji omegas: denki, ochaco
domestic setting, fluff, sexual implications at the end
bakugou is the designated cook ⟶ when he's not training, he's in the kitchen cooking up a storm
always piling heaps of food on the omegas plates
"why're you not eating?! i made that fresh just for you, ungrateful brat!" (affectionate)
who gets to sit at the head of the table? the alphas had a brawl a few hours after moving in to settle the issue
shoto, bakugou, and izuku were left standing, bruised, bloody and ready to rip out each other's throats for that seat
hanta and asui insisted on a truce ⟶ a daily roster where one alpha gets to sit at the head of table for one day and then a different one sits there the next day
any slightest disagreement between the alphas = brawl outside
i think baku would also shove izuku any chance he gets ⟶ izu's just tryna hang up some laundry while chatting with asui when he gets pushed into the linen sheet rippling in the wind
the culprit walks away with that lopsided grin
honestly, i think baku would shove everyone but he just shoves izu extra hard (and then baku would brawl with anyone who shoves izu because only he gets to shove izu, duh)
one time, kiri accidentally shoulders ochaco in passing ⟶ man is on his knees begging for forgiveness as hanta and denki give him shit for being unmanly
ochaco just stands their rubbing her sore shoulder and insisting that she's fine
on hot summer days, asui, denki, and shoto would make snowcones ⟶ denki coaches shoto on current slang while asui cooks the syrup on the stove and shoto shaves the ice
kiri helps them distribute the snow cones to everyone
for the rest of the afternoon, shoto says the most out-of-pocket things ⟶ "these snowcones are so good! what flavour is this one?" "chat, is this skibidi rizz?"
denki gives him a thumbs up before cackling and choking on his snowcone
i'm sorry (i'm also cackling), i think tokoyami would try to imitate the alphas (biting off more than he can chew, a bit brash, physical ⟶ so like baku basically)
tenya calls a family meeting one night when tokoyami isn't home ⟶ baku thinks it's funny, ochaco feels bad for tokoyami, and izuku thinks someone needs to tell him
and then tokoyami just opens the door and all eyes are on him
"WHAT'RE YOU DOIN' BACK ALREADY?!" bakugou yells at him
izuku invites him to have seat and starts with, "you're not in trouble, we just noticed that [heroic inspirational speech about accepting yourself]."
tokoyami's blushing so hard from embarrassment and so grateful that no one can see it
he would lean on the other betas for direction in his life and self-acceptance ⟶ looking back, he's really grateful that everyone said something and didn't let him continue to make a fool of himself
i think shoto would be the family credit card ⟶ any purchases 1-a wants to make has to go through him
denki cries when shoto rejects his request to buy a $400 anime figurine (shoto gets it for him for his bday)
on that note, shoto would also track all of the pack's expenses ⟶ sitting at his desk late into the night, reading glasses slipping down his nose (gnawing at the bars of my enclosure)
izu convinces him to come shower with the rest of the alphas arkjnwjnfnwqfbj
yes, the alphas shower together ⟶ tenya was very hesitant at first, especially since mina wanted to join, but with some convincing (a pros and cons list), he was in
the testosterone levels are suffocating when more than one alpha is rutting ⟶ like imagine baku + shoto + kiri all rutting at the same time
betas would be working overtime neutralising those pheromones
orgys are definitely on the table (there's no such thing as monogamy in this household) ⟶ alphas n' omegas supporting each other😁
and on that note, rut + heat cycle calendar on the fridge
denki and ochaco bonding when one of their heat's is approaching ⟶ painting each other's nails while gossiping, cute lil bunny and bear headbands, doing their skincare routines together, cuddling together in their respective nest's and watching romcoms
but when their heat arrives... i would imagine it's like a frothing at the mouth control yourself situation for the alphas
like... who gets it first? who does the omega want to soothe their heat?
i think ochaco would obvs go for izuku, but she has a sweet spot for baku🫣🫦
baku brat-tamer when denki's in his heat convince me otherwise
a/n: i hope this has fed you well, dear nonnie. i really liked this request. it's different to anything i've written before. sloppy kisses for you mwah!
Ya know, what I think is super funny (not really actually) ?
It's the lack of A/B/O or Omegaverse content in the Transformers Fandom sphear. I searched AO3, Fanfiction.Net...hell I even went into Wattpad! Nothing. Nada. If it exist, please send me that way! But until then, imma just enjoy what I got!
Our Omega
Hawks x F!reader x Fatgum
A/N: This is once again just pure smut so WHOOPS
@redrehab this smut war is not over yet and you shall feel my sinful wrath *pulls out lightsaber*
(Omegaverse)
Enjoy sinners <3
You were sitting in the living room scrolling through social media while your mate, Hawks, lifted weights in the spare room. The front door swung open suddenly to reveal your other mate Fatgum, who was sweating and sporting a few bruises, his body deflated to his fit form. His breathing was labored and the second his eyes met yours a deep growl emitted from his chest.
You felt your body relax submissively and immediately knew something was off.
Shit, his rut isn’t supposed to be for another month, you thought as he took a step towards you, his pheromones surrounding you like a blanket, stained with the scent of arousal. He growled again and another growl sounded from the room behind you where Hawks stood, sweat dripping down his exposed chest. You almost didn’t hear the whine that left your mouth as slick pooled between your thighs and soaked through your shorts.
Before the other alpha could make a move, Hawks moved to stand between you and the rutting alpha. “Taishiro, what’s going on?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
“Villain… quirk,” he huffed, “Omega, let me breed you…”
Fatgum’s yellow eyes zeroed in on yours and the sinful sound that left him had you moaning out loud. Suddenly you were wrapped in a second scent as Hawks gave in to his growing desire, fueled by his other mate's pheromones. Your alpha’s didn’t even bother to move things to the bedroom as Hawks pulled your back against his chest and sat on the couch. His strong arms wrapped themselves around your stomach as he nibbled at your neck. “Fuck angel you smell so fucking good,” he groaned as he licked along your sweat gland before sucking at the skin just beneath your ear.
For a moment, the larger male just watched with lust filled eyes. Just his gaze was causing more slick to leak out of you and you could hear Hawks inhaling it like a drug. Fatgum's nose flared as the scent of your arousal hit his nose and you moaned as Hawks slipped on of his hands into your shorts and slipped two fingers easily between your slick folds.
“God Keigo,” you moaned as he immediately started a fast pace, filling the room with squelching sounds from all of your slick.
A growl to your left drew your eyes back to Fatgum, who was crouching down and inhaling your scent as he worked a hand along his thick member, his pants having been discarded at some point. The only coherent thought in your mind was that you needed him inside of you filling you up with his knot. The thought caused you to whimper and his eyes snapped up to yours. “Taishi, please alpha…” you weren’t able to get anything else out as Hawks crooked his fingers and brushed against your g-spot.
Your back arched but your moan was cut off when a thick finger breached your lips. You immediately began to suck at it as you stared into your mate's yellow eyes. “Fuck baby, look at you. Keigo, move your hand, I’m gonna take care of our little omega.” Hawks removed his hand from your pants and brought his fingers up to suck your slick off of them with a long, drawn out moan.
You whined before returning your gaze to Fatgum, who was stroking your inner thigh. As you watched him gently caress you, you were lifted from your lust filled state enough to remember that he was hurt. “Taishiro, you’re hurt,” you huffed as you reached out for him. “You need to eat and get rest.”
The alpha only lowered your hand before kissing your lips heatedly. “They’re only scratches my love, and I have the perfect meal,” he lowered his head closer to your core as he ripped off your shorts, “right here.”
The finger that had been in your mouth pushed into you as he attached his mouth to your clit and sucked. “Alpha!” you cried out, back arching as you reached for his head. Strong hands grabbed your arms and pulled them behind you as Hawks ground his erection up into you.
“Fuck angel, you’re loving this aren’t you?” he leaned forward so his mouth was against the shell of your ear as he added, “you just love when your alpha’s take care of you, don’t you? You can’t wait to be stuffed full with our knots?”
“Please fill me alpha, I need your knot,” you mewled as the mouth around your clit pulled back and fingers left you empty and whining.
You were suddenly lifted as Hawks moved to lean against the arm of the couch and you were flipped onto your knees, ass in the air and mouth right above the winged hero’s ever growing bulge. Behind you, your rutting alpha pinned both of your arms to your back before slipping both wrists through the makeshift handcuffs he had made from one of Hawks discarded ties. He pulled them tight before grabbing the tie and pulling you up so your back was against his. “Are you ready for my knot baby?” he teased as you felt the head of his erection ghosting against your entrance.
Tears welled up in your eyes as you responded. “Please Taishi, I need you inside of me,” you cried and without warning his thick cock breached your entrance. There was a slight stinging but you were high off of the feeling as he lowered your head back down and began thrusting in and out of you. You found yourself hovering over your other alpha’s bare cock greedily taking it into your mouth and swallowed around him.
A hand twisted in your hair before tugging you off of Hawks cock, the said hero’s golden eyes never leaving your face as he teased the head of his length against your lips and he held your head up by your hair. “Shit angel you just love skewering yourself between us don’t you?” He let go of your hair and you returned to sucking him off as he groaned sinfully above you. Fatgum was no better as he rutted into you, still holding your wrists behind you as he used it to pull you towards him with every snap of his hips,
The pace suddenly changed as both heros grabbed onto you and thrust themselves into your waiting holes. Hawks was the first one to finish as he filled your mouth with his seed, watching as you dutifully swallowed every drop. As soon as he had pulled out of your mouth, Fatgum shoved you into the couch, allowing him to reach new angles inside of you. You no longer cared to feel embarrassed about the loud sinful sounds leaving your mouth that you were sure the neighbors could hear, and as you felt your orgasm approaching you whined to warn him. Taishiro licked up your neck before sinking his teeth into your bonding mark, ripping your orgasm from you with a shout of both their names. You felt his knot against your entrance before it was stuffing you full and he filled you.
It took a minute for the knot to deflate but he untied your wrists before he pulled out of you and groaned, stumbling over to the kitchen. “I need a snack, but don’t you dare move,” he said locking eyes with you. “I’m nowhere near finished with you.”
Hi chat-
Welcome to my Winter Wonderland
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About this blog and a bit about myself;
╔═════*.·:·.✧ ˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ ✧.·:·.*═════╗
Preferred Name: Tundra
I am 20
They/Them/Snow/Snowself
Non-binary
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☾ Dynamic: Omega (Ω)
☾ Theriotype: Bunny, Crow Avian, Snow Leopard.
☾ Scent: Vanilla, Fresh Snow, Pine, Ginger bread, coffee.
／ | / ; 。| : | 'i, ૮₍ ⸝⸝´ ˘ `⸝⸝ ₎ა ☆ 'i ﾄ､( ヽ∩∩ ) __ , . . 'i ￣￣￣￣ ;' 丶, ,／ 。ﾟ ☆ 。ﾟ ' ｰ- - - - '´´
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Diagnosed with: Epilepsy, Autism,
BPD, ADHD, Tic disorder, stutter, lisp,
and DID.
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Interact if:
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✩ Are an IRL Yan. I am a yan as well.
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Do not interact/follow if:
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[My DNI list is simply just for my own comfort bc something triggers me or makes me feel uncomfortable. No hate to anyone <33]
It's very nice to meet you!
Hope you have a wonderful stay in my winter wonderland˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
Making an Omegaverse au of the boys in our class with bestie @radioheadtest <33
omegaverse
so a/b/o usually has an m/m audience, but it's based off of the biology of a f/m like mammal reproduction. now what if in a new word where it's mainly just betas, some people present during puberty. instead of male omegas having vaginas or cloacas or absurdly small penises, they're just guys who go through heat and are ig more submissive and shit. and instead of female alphas just ceasing to exist they could be your average woman just with 'alpha traits'.
i think this gives some really interesting opportunities to explore like maybe a male omega's precum practically makes sure that it sorta grips or suctions so that like it'll take in terms of heat. or hell a female alpha being able to idk physically enable her womb to be fucked while she's in a rut. we could finish off with an omega never being able to get off while they're in heat until they have an alpha and alphas fighting other alphas (like death matches) during their rut.
this gives us some more logical and fun ways to explore some lesser-focused on things like omega-omega relationships, alpha-alpha relationships, female alpha representation, male omega with a female alpha, and this fits into the whole secondary sex is unknown until you present thing. idk i haven't explained my thoughts well but idc because i'm sleepy.
omegaverse may be for the freaks, but have you considered that its also a political commentary on divided power structures, patriarchy, gender roles, societal expectations, rape culture, and intersectionality in gender dynamics?
all while being for the freaks!
the omegaverse tiktoks are all fun and games till you properly acknowledge how it reflects on our own society and how we treat women.
heat suppressants (and other basic things needed to function) being ridiculously expensive and inaccessible
at the same time, suppressants being something expected for omega's to take and pushed on to them – then shamed when they dont
omega's using dangerous alternatives to said supplements they can't access
a strict societal expectation for omegas to end up with alphas (sounds a bit like heteronormativity to me, no?)
under paid omegas who are treated unfairly in the work environment, pushed to provide form within the home instead
alpha's (men) having a clear privilege in quite literally everything, "top of the food chain"
honestly, the list goes on
Omega Arthur is really interesting, especially with the classic ‘Uther made him hide it because omegas are weak and shameful to have as an heir’ shtick, like, he’s still the heir and first night, still the greatest warrior Camelot has, then other knights find out and throw a hissy fit. Cause what are they to do? When they are worth less than he who they thought worthless? When you must bow to those whose knees aches for you?
I do not read alot (or any) of Omegaverse (because it makes no sence to me) but...
What is Bruce was strong like this and then his kids show up and it is like his face is GLOWING with happyness.
Bruce being an unapprochable Omega
His Kids come through the doors and he looks like night and day with how happy he looks it gives people wiplash with how fast the change happend.
*Next part is PLATONIC no batsecit here*
It does not matter if they are young but I also find it funny if it was Jason the walking brickwall that came up to Bruce and is like "Mama or Papa or Dad Mother" whatever you think it should be and kisses Bruce on the forhead and Bruce is beaming because "Oh his baby is here."
(I understand some people it is werid for kids to kiss their parents on the forhead or cheak but it is not for me in my culture)
Omegaverse AU. The annual Gotham Matchmaking Event was in full swing. Bruce Wayne, towering over the alphas and omegas around him, moved through the room with an unapproachable aura. The whispers followed him, just like they always did.
"Wayne’s so assertive. Doesn’t act like an omega at all," someone muttered.
"He should stop pretending to be above his station," another added with a laugh.
Bruce pretended not to hear them, his jaw tightening as he positioned himself near the door for an easy exit. If not for the fact that these matchmaking events were mandatory for all unmated omegas of age, he would have refused the invitation outright.
A new arrival caught his attention. The man’s tanned skin and wavy hair stood out, he didn’t seem to be from Gotham. His name tag read "Kal."
Bruce watched the foreigner as he mingled with the other guests. Kal’s alpha status was obvious, but unlike most alphas, he radiated warmth and charm. People naturally gravitated toward him, drawn to his approachable demeanor. The double standards grated on Bruce more than he cared to admit.
Until Kal’s gaze found his.
The alpha froze, wide-eyed as he stared at Bruce. Bruce glared at the shorter man. It usually kept alphas at bay.
No such luck. Kal approached him anyway.
"Have you heard of Kryptonian queens?" Kal asked.
Bruce blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What?"
"In Kryptonian legends, queens were the biggest, strongest omegas in the colony. They either earned the title by winning dominance battles or left to establish new colonies on distant outposts," Kal said, his voice filled with awe. "You’re like a legend brought to life."
Bruce’s guarded expression faltered. Despite the absurdity of the alpha’s words, there was something in his tone—genuine respect—that made him pause.
And Bruce found himself listening.
YAOI ALPHA X APLA THHIS YURI OMEGAVERSE THAT OKAY WHAT ABOUT ALPHA WOMAN X MALE OMEGA WITH MPREG WHERES MY MALE MPREG WITH A DOMINANT WOMAN
helloooo
could yall share a bit about your misceverse identity? does it influence insystem stuff?
also also for basic questions if its okay - what are yalls favorite sodas? :>
Hello!!!
First, for the basic question. We don't like sodas. But we do like lemonades, Hi-C drinks, and some other types of fountain drinks.
About my misce identity.
I am tridynamic with Alpha, Beta, and Omega with Beta as the highest dynamic. You can also see a bit more about my misce identity by using the tag "tri beta noises sfw" (or if we had any, you could also use the tag "tri beta noises nsfw" but we don't have any under that tag currently).
It kinda depends on what you mean by the insystem question.
- Cyan 🩵 | RWBY kin of Shay 🐾
🤚i wanna know about your misce identity! how is it like to be tridynamic? do you have scents? what are some instincts you have? how do you personally view each dynamic? (specially interested on betas because its the one dynamic people have very different "headcannons" for) :3< /nf
Hello!!!!
It's interesting to be tridynamic, lol. I have some instincts and stuff from all three of my dynamics but mostly Beta.
I do have scent(s), my scent(s) are woods/forest, fur (don't know how exactly to explain this part except for that, lol), and kind of chocolatey.
Some instincts (hopefully these all count as instincts, lol) are nesting/dening (is that how it's spelled?), the urge to take care of others, the urge to be cared for, and others. My behaviors and stuff are mainly based on canines, some felines, and crow-like behaviors, lol.
Each dynamic is very different for each person really. But for me specifically, I will explain a bit of how it affects me. I'm not gonna go into any nsfw topics, so ruts and heats are not gonna be mentioned except for this.
The Omega part of me is very much more towards being cared for and very "typical"/"traditional" Omega things (cooking, cleaning, taking care of pups/kids, etc).
The Alpha part of me is very much more towards taking care of others and very "typical"/"traditional" Alpha things (protective, little bit more aggressive, etc).
The Beta part of me is kinda a mixture between Alpha and Omega, but also, it's kinda hard to explain exactly. Very much a mixture of the urge to care for others and the urge to be cared for.
If anyone wants to share their own misce identity, feel free to comment or reblog to share it!!
- Cyan 🩵 | RWBY kin of Shay 🐾
wade: this wolverine is from a different universe
ao3 writers: where secondary genders exist
full machine - by fractionsofinfinity (teamarrow)
Charles Leclerc x Pierre Gasly
https://archiveofourown.org/works/48814351
Summary:
It’s not like Charles wants to spend his heat alone. Despite what Pierre seems to think, Charles would love nothing more than to spend several days lounging around his apartment in between rounds of incredibly hot heat sex with his incredibly hot mate. Unfortunately, as Charles has tried to remind Pierre, they have a responsibility to their teams to show up to every race and while Charles can be replaced with a reserve driver for one weekend under heat protocol, Pierre certainly cannot be.
Or: Charles goes into heat right before a race weekend, and he and Pierre do their best to cope.
day always breaks the night - by peargasly (jamb)
Charles Leclerc x George Russell
Charles Leclerc x Alex Albon
Charles Leclerc x Lando Norris
https://archiveofourown.org/works/50203435
Summary:
“Oh,” George whispers, sneaking his warm hands under the back of Charles’ shirt.
Charles rubs their cheeks together even though he knows George’s skin will go red, then he wraps his arms around George’s neck and tucks his nose under his jaw.
“It’s okay, mon amour,” he says softly. “You can let go.”
“Charles,” he says, voice thick and strained.
“I know. I know, George.”
Honey Bunny - Part II
Story Masterpost for the other chapters
*~*~*
He just has to make her another dress, there’s no way he just can’t.
This new predicament that Harry has found himself into, is not actually as surprising and alarming as it was before. This time around, he doesn’t feel like a creep making some stranger omega a magnificent dress, he’s privileged enough now to call said omega as his best friend.
Said best friend omega has just sent him a picture of her chosen party dress that’s got Harry almost combusting on his seat to a disarray of rainbow glitters with little pink hearts scattered along with it for how splendid she looks.
You see, it’s Sophia’s 24th birthday party today, one that the sweet girl didn’t want to do in the first place. Just a week after their first month as friends, Harry met one of Sophia’s other close friends, Sarah, a beta who he instantly clicked with having learned that she was planning a little humble party with all of Sophia’s close group of friends and her family in the omega’s home.
At first, Harry was a slight mess after hearing that it was his best friend’s birthday in a few days time and seemed like Sophia had no plans of telling him about such an important detail if not for Sarah visiting the bakery that fateful day. Being used to his stubborn tendencies, the sweet omega had it all in control as she expertly turned Harry’s indignant ignoring actions and jutted bottom lip with squinted eyes clouded with slight annoyance, into nothing but cherry blossom tinted cheeks, sweet dimpled smile, and dreamy glazed eyes.
In Harry’s opinion, his little stubborn act was not done out of sheer nothing, it actually resulted to getting Sophia’s big juicy ‘yes’ after being probably fed-up with the alpha’s unrelenting saddened puppy dog eyes and bottom lip protruding further and further every time Sophia kindly waves off Sarah’s plans. Obviously, Harry supports whatever Sarah’s plans are for the omega’s birthday, he doesn’t think he can deny such an opportunity to help someone celebrate the precious sweetest creature on earth.
Harry tried to hide the smug grin that wanted to escape his flushed cheeks, feeling the narrowed eyes Sophia was throwing his way while she finished serving some of her customers before joining Sarah and him in his corner nook. The alpha and the beta already started planning bits of the omega’s mini party, Sophia giving them a roll of her eyes upon hearing the two’s plan of hiring a catering company for the food since they didn’t want her to slave-away in the kitchen on her special day.
“I love to bake,” Sophia said in protest, “I can totally make food for my own party without any complaints.”
Harry shook his head in disagreement just as Sarah answered in a smirk, “You might not be complaining, but I’m pretty sure, Harry over here will be complaining if you even try to open the door for your guests. Soph, you’re kind of the guest of honor, you should be sitting pretty at the head of the table in your garden where Harry and I will get people to set-up a whimsical garden picnic.”
“Amen to that!” Harry exclaimed in exuberation, raising his palm up for Sarah to high-five which the beta accepted in laughter while Sophia once again, rolled her eyes at their utter enjoyment of placing her in such a valued position.
“That’s ridiculous,” Sophia said in rebuttal, “You can’t expect me not to offer any single ounce of help when it’s going to be done at my own home. That’s kind of disrespectful.”
“What’s ridiculous, and disrespectful,” Harry noted in amusement as Sophia’s face looked as if she already knows whatever is going to come out of his mouth will be no help to her situation, “is that you even thought for a second that I will let you lift a single finger to help anyone for your party. What kind of alpha do you think I am?”
Sophia huffed, bangs swayed sideways from the air, “An insufferable alpha if you believe that I’m some sort of a traditional and spoiled omega who needs everything done and handed to her. My parents didn’t raise me like that, I’m afraid.”
“Sunflower,” Harry cooed, his ringed fingers reached to capture her dainty hands to fill the gaps between their hold, “Of course I know you’re not like that, and I can even attest that Fiona and John had done a magnificent job in raising you to be such a kind and hardworking woman. However, I’ve also learned after meeting your parents, that they will surely want their little princess to not do anything strenuous at her party. I’m sorry sunflower, but I think they’ll be on my side with this argument.”
Sarah was in an uncontrollable fits of laughter after Harry finished his point. The alpha tried to control his own when Sophia squeezed their clasped hands tightly, blue eyes narrowed even further as she attempted to destroy his resolve with her absolutely non-threatening disgruntled kitten face. To be honest, Tilly can do a much better job at threatening Harry, the cat already does on a regular basis.
“Why do you have to be so amiable?” Sophia pouted when she realized her ‘menacing’ staring at Harry is not working at all, the alpha just giggled at her attempts, “Mum and dad positively loved you, I’m kinda scared all my friends will react the same way. I guess I’ll just go to Anne’s place once you charm all of them to your side and against me. At least I know Anne will let me help her make her basque cheesecake plus, I can even get all your three slices.”
Harry should have felt offended at the blatant dig at his ravenous appetite, but he couldn’t for the life of him if Sophia had just talked about his mother in such a comfortable nature. It’s like going to his mum’s house is no longer a novelty to her, that she even feels safe to go there by herself without any invite from his mum or his company.
Meeting the parents had gone smoothly, if it was not clear yet from the way the alpha and omega are freely talking about their respective family members. The experience was so effortlessly easy and comfortable in all regards that it solidified Harry’s determination in officially asking Sophia if he can court her to be his mate, potentially some time after her party.
John and Fiona are both alphas, and Harry had learned that the only thing they love more than their bees is their only daughter. Harry smiled every time they had called Sophia their ‘little princess’ when they welcomed the both of them in their home, expressing how exciting it is that it’s the first time ‘their little princess’ had brought someone home for them to meet.
“Mum!” Sophia whined with her cheeks now flushed, the three alphas chuckled at her flustered state, “I told you I brought Harry with me today because he wants to learn more about our bee business with a first hand experience. He’s not here today for the two of you to interrogate like he’s my alpha or something.”
Harry tried not to preen at her utterance of ‘my alpha’ even if it’s not in the way he specifically wants her to mean it, John only laughed loudly while Fiona reached to pinch her daughter’s cheek.
“Nobody’s interrogating anybody, princess,” Fiona replied, “I don’t think it’s our fault that you’re getting shy because you just brought your crush home to meet your parents.”
“Mum! He’s not my crush either!” Sophia whined once again, totally avoiding Harry’s smirking face while her parents continued to laugh at her cute reaction. Harry could not fault them on that end since Sophia was doing her adorable head tilt with her pearl embellished sneakers pointed inwards.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Fiona said in a familiar sweet tone of a giggle, “so does that mean I can introduce your friend here, to our new bee farm help? Matilda is a fabulous omega, very caring and attentive which I’m sure you’re looking for in a partner, love.”
Fiona clutched a motherly hand on Harry’s forearm while she led them to the kitchen, teasing mischief glistening in her comforting blue eyes. She winked at him just at the same time Harry felt Sophia’s grounding hold on his other wrist, dainty hands gripped tightly on his skin clearly seeking for his attention which Harry gladly gave her.
The omega’s eyes were pierced at her mother’s similar blue toned wonder, she moved closer to Harry’s side by plastering herself to his side frame with her cheeks squished on his hefty alpha biceps by the time they took residence at her family’s home kitchen.
“I don’t think Harry will appreciate that, mum. Thanks though.” Sophia boldly said to her mother which made all three alphas in the room perk-up in interest.
“I don’t think that’s your decision to make, little princess. Being friends does not give you the right to make choices for them, your father and I taught you that.” Fiona replied with her teasing tone not heard by her daughter as the latter only continued her unpleasant stare at her mother.
“I know,” Sophia huffed, “but as Harry’s best friend, I know that he’s not looking for any partner or something like that right now.”
Harry giggled when he took turns looking at Sophia's narrowed eyes pointed at him as if telepathically saying that he better agree with her or else is left at the tip of her threatening stare, and at the omega’s lovely mother that is trying to assess if he would play along in teasing her daughter like some sort of alpha testing another alpha if they’re as badly hooked to her omega daughter like said daughter is failing to conceal with her clear actions of jealousy.
Unfortunately, Harry is a self-proclaimed sap that has wholeheartedly accepted the fact that he’s fucking whipped for their little princess omega daughter.
“Sorry, Fiona.” Harry smiled in defeat at the smug face of Sophia’s parents, “Sophia’s on point with me not wanting to meet anyone really. Also, I’m not very keen with the name Matilda to be honest.”
Harry instantly noticed that Sophia had finally graced them with her dimpled smile, keening a little bit more on his side from his words of compliance.
“Why’s that?” John joined the conversation in curiosity, eyes looking at her daughter that’s currently rubbing her cheeks in the soft material of Harr’s silk shirt.
“Well your daughter’s cat child is named Tilly, and I don’t think I can date a Matilda and their nickname is Tilly without me fearing for my life as flashes of that devious grey furrball will always pop into my head everytime I hear that name.”
“How about the name Sophia? You think you can date someone with that name?” John’s cheeky question made everyone stop their laughter after Harry had shared fear for anyone named Matilda or Tilly.
“Dad!” Sophia gasped in a voice of betrayal, “Not you too!”
“What? I’m just asking a normal question to try to get to know your new friend, little princess.” John waved off, instructing all of them to take a seat on their dining table as his wife and him arranged some food for them.
“I think my schedule can be arranged for that,” Harry replied in confidence as he helped Sophia on her seat like the usual, “I’m quite partial with omegas named Sophia to be honest.”
“Well you better be referring to my daughter or I might intentionally let the bees sting you later.” Fiona warned her fellow alpha as she and John took a seat at the table together with Harry and Sophia. The latter whined in protest once again for her parent’s ‘unkind actions’ even if they all knew there was no real heat in any of the things her parents have told Harry.
Harry just gazed in amusement like a total idiot at the way Sophia began to tell her parents to stop bothering him, his hand instinctively placed itself on her thigh, the action not missed by the eyes of the omega’s parents. Harry couldn’t find it in himself to be bashful for his blatant affectionate touches especially with what came next from his mouth.
“I would let the bees sting me myself if I was referring to another Sophia that is not as sweet and caring as your daughter. I don’t think I'm an alpha fool to not realize and appreciate your daughter’s one of a kind amazing nature, I’d actually like to say my deepest gratitude for the two of you for raising her that way.”
It was absolutely the right thing to say, Harry believes, as the day at Sophia’s family bee farm only progressed in a similar easy and joyous light. It became clear to him how being raised by both alphas certainly allowed Sophia to develop her kind and inclusive perspective in life. It definitely instilled in her that the traditional role of omegas as caregivers and homemakers is not all that she can be in life, and Harry can definitely see this from the way Fiona and John were not doing every single thing for her unlike the parents of his previous entitled omega classmates in fashion university. It even made Harry laugh when Sophia’s pouting did not work when she was too lazy to fetch the two of them’s beekeeper protective gear.
“We might call her princess, but she definitely isn’t treated like one in all regards,” Fiona told Harry as they watched Sophia begrudgingly walk to one of the farm sheds to finally get the necessities for their bee-related activities.
“Not sure how I can treat her in a less than royalty fashion when she deserves the world,” Harry honestly replied, cheeks flushing just a little bit at the knowing gaze the omega’s mother gave him, “plus, how can you resist that adorable pout, Fiona? That’s just impossible to not fall for!”
Fiona laughed in a similar high-pitched melodious tone that Harry loves to hear from Sophia, the sound making him smile at the resemblance.
“I’m not sure I can help you with that, love,” Fiona answered with a gentle smile this time, “I think you’re gone for her in a totally different way that John and I are.”
And Harry can’t even agree more at the truth of Fiona’s statement.
Harry is so gone for Sophia that he trusted her to help him wear the beekeeper protective gear even if she wasn’t the best at it, had religiously listened to every single bit she whispered on his ear about the bees and proper bee keeping and harvesting even if John was the more competent one, speaking just a few feet away while demonstrating to him what he should do, and Harry had ultimately given Sophia one of his jars of honey that he has harvested himself just to show the omega a glimpse of his provider qualities even if he knows he could have finished that little jar in a day.
So Harry might not have left Sophia’s childhood home with the abundant knowledge that could allow him to start and cultivate his own bee farm, nor the answer on how to resist her almighty pout, but Harry did leave with full permission and blessing from both alphas to court their daughter, something that respectable alphas should ask for when wanting to court someone. Fiona had almost cried in tears of joy, saying her surprise that Harry was one of the rare ones nowadays that still valued and exemplified such a high form of respect.
Harry is not one that will jeopardize his chances with a gem of a person like that of Sophia, to the point where he had warned his mother to not even try interrogating the only person he’s going to bring home. She can embarrass him all she wants, but not even his mother will be allowed to tease the easily flustered Sophia.
Unlike Harry’s encounter with Sophia’s parents, the omega didn’t actually invite herself to his childhood home, the invite came directly from his mother after Anne had finally coaxed her identity out of Harry. His mother had been quite suspicious about his whereabouts after he stopped dropping by her home to get and ask more of her cooking like he had done the first few weeks he arrived back in Cheshire.
Harry didn’t really know how to tell his own sensitive omega mother that he had basically found another sweet and caring omega that feeds him and cares for him almost just the same as she does without unintentionally hurting her feelings in some ways. Anne would always be his mother, but he has yet to introduce anyone to her that has the potential of sharing a good amount of his heart that only Anne had previously dominated. He's never had any serious relationship ever, so he’s unsure of how his mum would react to such drastic changes.
Evidently, Harry had stressed and feared for nothing.
With a plate of his favorite cheesecake, Anne had successfully lured Harry away from the bakery and into her home kitchen despite the alpha’s apparent reluctance of leaving the cottage bakery early. Said reluctance was considerably lessened after arriving at his mother’s quaint home smelling the mouth watering aromas of the freshly baked basqued cheesecake.
He didn’t even think his mother would straight away ask him about his sudden change in routine, having only come back to her place twice after finding his inspiration for the new Sweet Creature collection, which he also provided minimal information about. Anne was not very confrontational of an omega, and it was apparent in the way she tried to conceal her suspicious looks when Harry had announced that he would only be having a singular slice of her cheesecake. That’s a right surprise right there, Harry knows, but what really turned it up a notch to possible crime territory, is the moment Harry reached for her mother’s cupboards to fetch a bottle of honey and drizzled a good amount of it on his singular heavenly slice.
The shock was no longer controlled by Anne, “Harry Edward, what are you doing?!”
He was mid-chew when he realized the reason why his mother had stopped her actions and kept her attention at him in total surprise.
“Why did you put honey on your cheesecake?” Anne asked when Harry had remained lost of words, “You never put anything on my basque cheesecake because you love it just that way it is. You said my love for you was already the ‘cherry on top’ of my cheesecake. Do you not like it anymore? Did I do something wrong to this batch?”
This is why Harry was having second thoughts of mentioning Sophia to his mother. Anne was quite sensitive and just like his best friend, they would somehow find a way to make themselves feel bad like they’re the ones who did something wrong to cause such a change. But no one’s in the wrong, Harry has just fallen for an omega is the thing, and is apparently really rubbish at sharing this wonderful information to his dear mother.
Out of panic, Harry almost chokes on his mouthful of cheesecake trying to extinguish whatever negative thoughts his lovely mother was thinking. “Mum you didn’t do anything wrong, I promise! It’s just that I’ve been spending a lot of my time in the bakery of my new friend and all she sells are honey infused or flavored dishes so my palette has quite adjusted to consistently looking for some honey.”
Anne’s worried expression changed to that of curiosity, “New friend? She?”
Harry stuffed his face with another forkful of cheesecake in the hopes of stalling the conversation and biting back a groan because of course, Harry might have never had a serious relationship but every time he mentions meeting someone new, Anne would certainly try to make a big deal out of it, essentially wanting to play the role of being matchmaker. Which is what she was most likely doing at that time as Harry watched her mother think to herself, smile widening as she connects the dots of her son’s sudden missing acts and lack of attentive communication in the previous weeks.
“Are you going to tell me who she really is or do I have to find this honey bakery myself and ask her why she’s keeping my son captive and has changed his palette away from his dear mother’s amazing cooking?”
“Mum!” Harry couldn’t help but finally exclaim, which earned a cackle from his mother who definitely wanted that exact reaction, “You can’t just do that, you’re going to overwhelm her! Besides, she’s the sweetest and kindest omega to exist ever on this earth, it’s a real blasphemy that you even think she’s holding me captive. I might actually be the one who’s holding her captive because of my want to always monopolize her attention.”
That was Harry being a mess of a rambler when panicked, mind to mouth filter completely forgotten which at times, Anne would be scolding him about. But as of that moment, it did nothing but spread an elated and intrigued aura around her mother.
And with an air of finality, Anne clapped her hands loudly in the far too silent kitchen with Harry’s heavy breathing of nerves the only thing permeating the place.
“That’s settled then, you’re bringing this kind and sweet omega of yours to my home this weekend and don’t even start with your excuses, young man,” and yes, Anne was pointing a knowing finger directly at him meaning that it’s serious business, “just tell her that I’m inviting her for afternoon tea and maybe if she’s willing, I’d love to teach her how to make my honey soap bars since according to you she adores honey so much.”
Who was Harry to deny his mothers wishes (demands)?
Having not received any negative reaction from Anne about the prospect of Harry bringing his omega home, which he can’t find it in himself to correct his mother when it feels like angels are singing down on him every time he’s being called Sophia’s alpha, Harry was not plagued by any kind of negative emotion or even nerves the day of said visit.
Sophia on the other hand, was visibly containing a bit of nervous energy, dainty hands reaching to pull down the sleeves of her cardigan every once in a while to create adorable sweater paws. It was a nervous tell that Harry had picked up on, offering his own ringed fingers for her to take while on the drive to his mothers house. The omega had not pulled out of his hold even as Anne had lovingly welcomed them to her house, his mother’s comforting presence and that innate consoling aura that omegas share, most definitely helped Sophia break out of her timid shell a bit more.
Sooner rather than later, both omegas were gushing over Harry’s old baby pictures that his mother had willingly brought with her when Sophia had endearingly remembered said existing photos of baby alpha Harry frowning and pouting because the attention of his mother was not on him. Unlike that foolish baby alpha posing for pictures in only his bloody diapers (like seriously, what was that baby thinking?) Harry didn’t find himself frowning at the lack of attention Sophia and Anne gave him. He’s surprisingly content just nursing his cuppa while listening to the two most important omegas in his life wax lyrical phrases about how adorable he looked as a young child with mashed bananas all over himself.
“When you said you loved bananas, I didn’t think you loved it this much, bunny.” Sophia giggled, fingers caressing the pudge of baby Harry’s stomach on the photo
“Oh sweetheart, it’s not just bananas he loved,” Anne chuckled, shifting in her seat to collect another photo album to place between Sophia and her on the table, opening it to a specific page, “Baby Harry was absolutely crazy for strawberries too!”
Sophia gasps in utter shock, hands covering her mouth in laughter, “Oh my god! Bunny, what were you doing?!”
Harry didn’t even need to bend over and look at the photo album where a particular photo of him was currently being observed by Sophia. He felt his cheeks flushed while Sophia continued her laughter and his mother absolutely basked in the embarrassed reaction that finally hit her son.
“Mum,” Harry said, trying to sound calm, “what did I say about not scaring Sophia away? You think showing her an arsed naked baby me, covered only in strawberry juices will not make her go running for the hills? I look like a bloody git there, mum!”
His dramatics never failed to make anyone laugh, Anne being the perfect example as she waved a hand in dismissal at his accusations, “Oh please, I couldn’t just not bring this out and make this lovely girl here think that you’re anything but a crazy mess of an alpha that needs someone like her sweet nature to put some propper wits on you. And besides, you only have yourself to blame for being such a shameless baby posing in the nude.”
You hear Harry complaining after that? Because Harry did not bloody complain after that honesty dripping words from his mother. Give it to Anne for having the ability to make him sound like a foolish excuse of an alpha while at the same time emphasizing the necessity of having the omega in his life to help him move past said foolish tendencies. Harry is quite lost on what kind of wing-womaning his mother was trying to achieve back there.
Thankfully, everything just went as smooth sailing as it did when Harry had visited Sophia’s childhood home. Except this time around, Harry didn’t even try whispering words of knowledge to the omega’s ear when the two ladies threatened to hit him with their wooden spoon when he acted like he knew the tedious process of soap making. With his arms raised up in surrender, Harry made himself useful by doing the cleaning once they were waiting for the honey soaps to set, while Sophia and Anne started talking about baking recipes and exchanging the anti inflammatory and antioxidant information about honey, his face breaking into a smile hearing them make plans of spending another afternoon together to explore the realm of honey in skincare.
What made the alpha sputter out a laugh of disbelief is the moment they made it clear he was not invited for such future plans.
“Are you two excluding me from this activity you’re planning?” Harry asked, foaming soapy hands the least of his concern as he waited for some explanation in the smirking face of his mother, and the rather sheepish looking Sophia. At least the sweet omega had some audacity to feel slightly bad at not including him in their plans, Harry’s devious (however lovely she may be) mother was not at all showing any trace of guilt, she even rolled her green eyes at him.
“Harry, I love you my son,” Anne responded, Harry already knew the next bit she was going to say, “but, I don’t think Soph and I can take your clumsy self being injured with these new ingredients and organic chemicals will be bringing for our skincare making experiments.”
“Excuse me? I’m no longer that clumsy baby alpha that tripped over my gazillion stuffed frogs like the picture you two were gushing about earlier.” Harry pointed out in confidence, “I can certainly hold my own ground and tend to whatever troubling matters that may occur to me.”
“We know you can bunny,” Sophia softly replied in a soothing tone, “What Anne and I were implying is that we, as in your mother and I, are the ones who can’t take it when you get injured. We just might panic and cry for your safety and do nothing productive after that. Do you want two distressed omegas fussing over you?”
Harry might love attention as the alpha in him is naturally inclined to, but hearing the word ‘distressed’ in relation to the two most significant omegas in his life, somewhat rewrites his own biology if it means that no attention on him will keep his girls safe.
So Harry didn’t fight once again, realizing soon after that it was the best action when Anne had hugged him goodbye in her tight embrace as she swayed the both of them in place for a few moments, whispering her high appreciation for Sophia and the absolute truth that he would not hear the end of it from her if he fucks up this budding relationship they were cultivating together. When your sweet mother swears at you, it’s a definite urgent matter.
Though it’s not a threat in Harry’s opinion, seeing his mother offer the same affection to his future omega (yes, he’s saying it out to the universe to manifest it) as she moves them back and forth in her solid hug, just makes the alpha more motivated to really pursue this one of a kind woman to be a permanent fixture in his life in the way he really wants her to be.
It’s really not a shock that Harry’s now losing his goddamn mind as he takes another look at the picture Sophia had sent of her party outfit. It was a mirror selfie that shows the baby pink, v-neck halter mini dress that the omega had ordered online and had denied Harry to take any peek at with the whining protests that being a fashion designer, he might judge her fashion choices.
Why she thought that, Harry cannot comprehend for the life of him. She’s fucking glistening in her natural beauty not only due to the fact that the dress was cinched with a sparkling rhinestoned belt, but ultimately at the sole fact that she can wear anything and Harry will still be floored at her beauty.
So he decides to send her a message with just that thought, because best believe, he will not be able to make it to her house for the party if he keeps getting distracted by her perfection; Harry has to say something to her before he really blows up from his awed feelings.
To: Honeyed 🌻: “Sunflower, you really better not be offering your help to anyone when you look like a bloody royalty in that dress; I might feel like a lowly peasant beside you now.”
From: Honeyed 🌻: “Well, are you wearing my favorite buttoned-up silk shirts and your rainbow Gucci booties? 🤔”
To: Honeyed 🌻: “Can never deny your wishes, love, especially on your special day. Of course I’m wearing them. I ordered a silk shirt that resembled the ocean blue of your eyes as well 😎”
From: Honeyed 🌻: “Really?! 😲 Then you’re absolutely bonkers if you think you won’t look as amazing as you usually are, bunny. How many times do I have to tell you that your chocolate curly locks are enough to make you look like a dreamy, pretty prince? You’re kind of silly for not seeing how pretty you are when you look at the mirror everyday 🤭”
To: Honeyed 🌻: “Silly enough that I would need as much verbal confirmation from you later with how prince-like and pretty I look? 😇”
From: Honeyed 🌻: “I guess. Be thankful it’s my birthday and I’m feeling appreciative of people today, and that you’re really pretty and I want to 🐰 🤏 so much! So please hurry up and drive safely already!”
It might have taken a while for Harry to understand her last message, but when he did, the alpha makes a quick trip back to his house to get a travel size bottle of his face moisturizer. If Sophia wants to pinch his cheeks to her heart's content later on, then Harry would want her to have the best time ever by giving her plump and freshly hydrated skin to pinch on.
*~*~*
It’s not the first time that Harry has ever seen Sophia’s house. He had the opportunity to walk the omega home quite a few times already, during the days where she’s closing the bakery and Harry will just not allow her to walk home alone in the dark and dangerous streets at that late hour. Granted that the country roads of Cheshire might not be prone to such grim incidents, the alpha will stand by his resolve to not risk Sophia’s safety in any way especially when he has some sense of control to help prevent anything that may occur.
As Harry’s pulling up Sophia’s residence, he’s struck once again how her wooden home is much more of a resemblance to an actual magical cottage than her bakery, which Harry already thought was the epitome of fairy land. Clearly he’s mistaken, and the point only becomes more highlighted when Harry enters her home and is instantly greeted by the warm ambiance of her dominantly brown toned interior.
Unlike her cottage bakery, Sophia’s cottage home is showcasing different hues of browns from light, to neutral, and to warm chocolate ones. Though Harry notes in interest that similar to the bakery, Sophia still has to add a bunch of pops of pastel colors sprinkled around her home, a vital embodiment of the omega in the comfort of her space.
Said pops of pastel colors is what greets the alpha upon his arrival.
“Harry, love! Good to have you here already!” Fiona appears all of a sudden, holding a pastel pink tray on one hand containing some crackers and tiny jars of jam, and a pastel blue pitcher on the other hand as she greets Harry with air kisses since both of her hands are currently preoccupied.
“It’s nice to see you too, Fiona,” Harry greets the alpha, quickly coming by her side to offer his assistance, “let me help you with that.”
Before Fiona could even protest, Harry has already found a grip on the pitcher. Fiona shakes her head at him with a tilt of amusement in her lips, while Harry motions with his hands for her to lead the way because he does not know where these amenities must be placed.
“I swear,” Harry hears Fiona softly murmur to him as they walk outside to Sophia’s vast garden, Harry instantly hearing the chatter from the party’s guests that have already culminated outside,“if you start acting this gentlemanly for the entirety of the day, my daughter would be dead spoiled.”
Harry tries to keep the snort trying to escape him, “Whatever do you mean, love? I’m not spoiling anyone.”
“Why don’t you say that to me again after you’ve taken a look at the table there,” Fiona motions her head from the other direction where Harry is currently facing behind from, “and then I might believe you. Now give me that pitcher and mingle with Soph and her friends, not just my daughter!”
Harry laughs at the evident assumptions of Fiona. Obviously, the mother of the omega he fancies, can easily read the way he plans to spoil Sophia with whatever she wants and needs of him, and to talk to only her mainly. I mean, the latter can be arranged in Harry’s opinion. If he’s really serious with courting her after this celebration (which he is, so don’t even start questioning him or he might bite), the most wise decision is to get to know the other people in Sophia’s life.
Before Harry can even think on how to approach Sophia’s friends and introduce himself without ultimately letting out his possessive tendencies over the omega, and scaring them away by making his intentions very clear that as a future suitor of the birthday girl, they better have their shit together and don’t do anything fucking unkind to Sophia or they will ultimately answer to him, Harry seems to be the one answering now to an impatient looking Tilly who’s found comfort on standing by his feet with narrowed beady blue eyes pointed at him.
“Well hello there, Tilly,” Harry greets the cat, bending down a little to offer the grumpy looking cat with one gentle head rub. Only one though, or scratches will be unleashed and Harry doesn’t really want to jeopardize whatever progress they’re making here.
“Why are you looking at me with a frown?” Harry questions the gray cat, “I haven’t even done anything yet, I’ve just arrived here. I thought we’re way past being angry with my presence alone.”
That seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Tilly answered with an annoyed meow, swiftly hitting her tail on Harry’s ankle which is something not foreign to the alpha as the cat always does that whenever she’s somehow annoyed with him, so that’s basically all the time.
A frowning Harry was ready to have a little talk with this little over dramatic cat, when said cat becomes the total diva that she is by huffing another annoyed cat sound at him before turning her back, a definite sign that Harry should be following her with the ‘or else’ cat noise being left unsaid.
Doing so actually removes any signs of Harry’s annoyance with Tilly, the scene that greets him makes Harry want to shake Fiona’s shoulder earlier for not telling him what he’s been greatly missing by keeping his back to that side of the garden.
Sophia, the sweet baker of an omega, is fucking shining in person like some holy being. The picture she had sent Harry earlier does not give complete justice to the enchanting goddess that she is, sitting just a few feet away from him.
The alpha is relieved that the birthday girl seemed to take his words in a serious note. Harry observes the way Sophia is sitting pretty at one of the sitting areas scattered across the garden, seeing her smile and giggle with her friends that are fawning around her like the total birthday royalty that she should be treated. Harry also notes the fact that no one is sitting beside her despite the long velvet couch she’s currently sitting on. Again, he doesn’t want to act all possessive in front of her friends, but it’s kind of difficult to suppress his innate feelings when it’s quite clear that just watching Sophia sitting by herself like she purposefully didn’t want anyone near her, is simply bringing out the most core alpha characteristics in Harry.
As if sensing Harry’s lingering gaze specifically stuck on her, Sophia’s ocean blue eyes suddenly caught his unrelenting stare. Harry can’t help but smirk at the way her glossed baby pink lips fall open in a little gasp, her focused blue orbs quickly scanning the entirety of Harry’s look.
The alpha was planning to actually start walking to where Sophia is, since he can’t be left standing in the middle of the garden like a total idiot, while her friends have caught-on to what the birthday girl was currently and unabashedly dreamily gawking at. However, Sophia suddenly takes it upon herself to determinedly skip her way to where Harry is standing, making him laugh at the sheer excitement radiating out of the omega as she steps on her tippy toes to wrap her arms around Harry’s neck in a tight embrace.
“Whoa,” Harry chuckles, steadying the two of them by bending a little while returning Sophia’s hold around her body, “what a welcome from the birthday girl herself, how lucky can I get?”
Sophia giggles directly in his ear, “Much more if you greet me first.”
Harry breathes in her sweet scent, nosing at her dimpled cheek, “I guess I have no choice but to greet you a happy birthday, sunflower.”
“Bunny, don’t say it like you’re being forced too!” Sophia removes her head from his shoulder, to look at the alpha with a pout that does not suggest any real annoyance at him.
Harry’s face scrunches in that smile she proclaimed to be her favorite, pulling her back in their tight hug with Sophia’s face cutely squished on his warm filled with fond chest, lips brushing across her earlobe in a soft whisper.
“I was just messing with you.” Harry admits, “My sunflower, happy birthday.” and because her sweet pheromones have been drowning his senses ever since the omega had taken notice of him, and because her skin is practically already there, Harry puckers his lips and leaves a sound kiss directly on Sophia’s ear.
Sophia’s reaction was fast, going considerably plaiant in the alpha’s hold with her scent only increasing to a much sweeter note indicating the pleasing feeling the little kiss had given her.
“Thank you, bunny. My birthday is already special because you’re here already.”
Harry chuckles at that, feeling pride swim over his insides at the tone of sincerity in the omega’s statement, “That’s good to hear, love, so sweet of you like usual. But I don’t think your friends would specifically appreciate that when I’m practically hogging all of the birthday girl's time.”
And it’s quite true, their whole interaction is not lost from the prying eyes of the limited guests Sophia’s intimate party had invited. Just from their position, Harry can see the curious glances of the group of individuals Sophia was talking to earlier. The same look of surprise and ill-concealed interest is very apparent in their features just like that of Georgie and Sabrina back in the bakery when they had first seen Harry interact with their boss.
Harry’s utterance causes Sophia to perk up in his arms, the excitement in her veins when she had first locked him in a tight hug was back, a look of determination swimming in her blue orbs as she pulls away from their hug to hold his hand instead beside him.
“Oh yes, I need to introduce you to my friends, thanks for reminding me, bunny.” and she ends it by bringing their interlaced hand up to her glossy lips to drop a sweet kiss on the back of his hand.
And then she was diligently walking the two of them together to the seating area she was once at, like a girl on a serious mission because introducing Harry to her friends apparently warrants the same treatment.
Harry tries not to feel smug at the way Sophia introduced him as, ‘This is my Harry, my bestest friend ever.’ and the way she had called for him in a pout, ‘Bunny, what are you doing? Sit beside me, please.’ Harry was being polite and respecting her space when introductions were completed and was about to take a seat beside Georgie, thinking Sophia wanted to sit by herself on the long couch.
But that was apparently the wrong thing to do, so Harry allows Sophia to guide him on how close she wants the alpha to sit beside her. Which shouldn't be a surprise that the omega didn’t leave any sliver of space between them, boldly placing his ringed hand on the top of her bare thigh with both her dainty ones contentedly resting on top of his.
Harry can really feel the stares of Sophia’s friends which from his first impression, seemed friendly enough with no real signs of threat or malice in them. Though Harry might be mistaken because Tilly, the self-appointed guard cat who takes her job very seriously, began to hiss violently with her stance signalling ready to attack and claws unmistakably popping out, when one of Sophia’s friends, Harry thinks his name was Brian, made a move of sitting beside Tilly’s mama.
Now that seemed to be the wrong thing to do for Sophia’s alpha friend, and again, Harry tries not to feel smug when Tilly had not given him the same reaction earlier (see, progress!) making it seem like she had deemed him worthy enough to sit beside the sweet omega baker. Maybe Harry should start introducing back scratches in Tilly and his’ blossoming non-volatile relationship.
Before Harry can judge the pros and cons of that, he finds himself being submerged in various conversations with Sophia’s friends, all of them eager to know how they’ve met, the basics of who he was and all that jazz. The alpha indulges their kind questions in the best way that he can, pointedly ignoring a specific alpha’s snort of hilarity when Harry had shared what he did for work because apparently, somethings are just not as manly and alpha enough. God, what a conventionalist prick.
Harry decides that he’s just not worth his time and gladly blocks Brian out by willingly answering the fashion related questions Sophia’s good-hearted friends are excitedly asking him. Thankfully it seems like the omega had chosen a group of people that are actually of the similar level of friendliness and honesty that she possesses to some extent (except for one, clearly), and Harry can’t help but smirk at the ease they have in teasing Sophia about their ‘relationship’ like any real friend would do.
Their glued-together position at the couch and their tightly entangled hands in full display for anyone to see, might not have been a good look in support of Sophia’s defense that the two of them are just the closest of friends and that no one is involved romantically with each other. Harry puts emphasis on not being romantically involved with anyone. He might be suppressing his claiming tendencies, but Harry’s not about to blatantly give the wrong impression of his loving intentions to Sophia.
Previous Harry might have taken offense in the defensive statement of the omega, but present Harry is chuffed at the apparent look of amused incredulity in everyone’s faces as if saying, ‘Yeah, sure, you guys are definitely just friends. Like totally friends that play with each other’s hands and stop mid-conversation to smile and look at each other like two idiots, and then proceed to pull each other closer together losing the main idea of personal space because you guys are OBVIOUSLY JUST FRIENDS!’
Yeah, Harry likes Sophia’s friends even if at the end of the day, he knows the only names he’d be remembering are the ones that are really the closest to the omega. Basically the faces of the three betas: Georgie, Sabrina, and Sarah, the three women that are able to make Sophia completely at ease, comfortable, and who actually knows her really well and not just from occasional messages and conversations in events like most of her other friends present.
So maybe Harry can understand now why the omega baker was hesitant in having a party, trying his best not to roll his eyes at Tracy, one of Sophia’s omega ‘friends’, who can’t seem to stop talking about this awful date she went to last weekend. Harry would offer his sympathy if only for the fact that her story didn’t actually make the guy seem bad, Tracy is just an apparent spoiled omega who expects everything to be done for and handed to her. You can’t expect a first date to cut your bloody steak for you into tiny little pieces, that’s just coming on too strong! Give an alpha a freaking break, is what Harry wanted to exclaim to her face.
Thankfully, Harry’s saved by John calling for everyone to take a seat on the long wooden log table in the middle of the garden for lunch would be soon served. Harry doesn’t think he scrambled to his feet that quickly upon hearing his golden ticket to escape a disastrous date story, ever.
Sophia giggles at the manner of intense focus Harry exemplified as they walked hand in hand to the table, “Bunny, are you so hungry that the only thing you can concentrate on is to walk the two of us as fast as possible to where the food will be?”
Harry returns her jesting smile with a roll of his eyes, “Not quite,” he answers, stepping away from their hold to pull the chair at the head of the table for the birthday girl, “I honestly just couldn’t take Tracey babbling about her date, makes us alphas sound like utter douches. I was genuinely fearing for my life there when she shared what she had done to her poor alpha date.”
Used to his dramatics, an eye roll is the only thing Harry receives from Sophia, obviously with her polite thank you for his gentlemanly actions as Harry settles on the seat of her right side because this time, the alpha knows there’s no other place the birthday girl would want him to be.
“What, you thought she’d also order the most expensive food here and make you pay for it as a lesson?” Sophia sarcastically says, “As far as I know, we’re at a birthday lunch where everything is free for the guests, and you’re not exactly short of funds Mr. Lingerie Brand Founder.”
Harry gives her a cheeky smile in response fit for her cheeky retort, “If this is your twisted way of getting me to ask you on a first date, I’d take you to the fanciest restaurant here in Cheshire with absolute pleasure, I’ll even give you the free reins to knock my wallet off.”
“Oh my god, you’re impossible!” Sophia chuckles while gently swatting Harry on the arm, the cotton candy pink flush of her cheeks leaves the alpha feeling elated at being able to cause that reaction. “I’m not a spoiled omega like that. Besides, the only thing that Tracey’s story did is to make me hungry for food. I actually wanted to stop her mid sentence to ask her to please elaborate on what the dishes looked and tasted.”
“I actually think I’ve been to the restaurant she was talking about,” Harry tells her while the platters and pots of food were starting to be placed on the big table, “I wouldn’t say the food was bad, but fancy restaurants, especially that one which is a fine dining setting, always serves their food in small portions. Definitely not worth it in my opinion.”
“Oh really?” Sophia replies, unfolding her napkin to place delicately on her lap, “Well that sucks.” she pouts at the prospect of not liking the experience of a fancy ambiance, all too suddenly turning into a slight smirk before saying, “But maybe it’s a good thing because I honestly feel like I can eat an entire elephant-size amount of food with how hungry all that talking Tracey did about food made me feel.”
Harry’s jaw actually drops open.
Let’s not even fool around here, we all know Sophia is basically imitating his dramatics during the first day they had met. Hearing her say it actually makes Harry think of what do actually people feel about him whenever he’s being that exaggerating? It’s a good thing that all the omega does is cute to his eyes so he won’t take the dig personally. I mean like, when does he ever take it seriously? He’s been dubbed as the ‘softest, fluffiest, grumpy alpha’ in his close friends group and he allows Jeff and Glenne to say that to anyone new they meet. Heck, even the press knows about that.
So Harry only chuckles at Sophia, a knowing brow raised at her, “I’d let your mocking slide because it’s your birthday. But don’t think I’d be hearing anything when you make me finish your elephant-size amount of food because your little tummy can’t take it.”
“Bunny!” Sophia gasps out his pet name dramatically, earning interested looks from her parents upon hearing the noise, “You always finish my leftovers because your alpha stomach is always hungry even if I feed you almost every single baked good available that day.”
Fiona and John laugh at her apparent outing of his eating habits, making Harry shake his head in fondness at Sophia, “And, that just strengthened my resolve cause you basically just called me fat, sunflower.”
“Did not!” Sophia pouts quickly, bottom lip that will never look not tempting to the alpha, jutted out shiny with her baby pink gloss, “Mum and dad, you guys heard what I said. I didn’t call H fat, right?”
When Sophia turns for her parents' support, Harry can’t help but laugh at the look of complete entertainment in both the older alpha’s faces, John specifically had his arms raised up in surrender.
“I’m not getting in between whatever lover’s quarrel you two are having” John says, making Harry and Fiona laugh harder at the way Sophia visibly deepens her pout at her father’s teasing response. Her blue eyes began to look expectantly at her mother to take her side on this one.
Fiona just shrugs her shoulders before answering in a smirk, “I don’t know what you want me to tell you, princess. But best believe Harry knows nothing but to spoil you. If that means eating your leftovers, then no worries because he would gladly pop a button out of his silk shirt just to please you.”
And Harry thought Fiona was on his side.
Regardless if Fiona’s statement might hold some semblance of truth (it irrevocably does but that is neither here nor there), Harry makes sure to place a smaller amount of food on his plate than what he could actually take in because he truly doesn’t want to ruin this new shirt he just bought and eating Sophia’s leftover might do just the thing if he doesn’t eat less beforehand.
*~*~*
Lunch progresses in a swimmingly fashion.
Pretty much everyone wanted to talk to the birthday girl and as much as Harry likes her attention to be pinned solely on him, he can’t really blame the others for wanting just a bit of it when Sophia’s not busy hand-feeding him a piece of her sweet potato fries cause she can’t finish the last singular piece.
It’s good that John and Fiona are seated in front of them at the long table, making Harry feel more comfortable while conversing with them. Don’t get him wrong, he thinks Sophia’s friends are generally lovely people, it’s just that they're obviously the individuals that Sophia will only get to see or interact with when there are social events like this. It doesn’t make sense to him to exert effort to get to know them for the entirety of lunch when he would only get to see them a handful times within a year.
Talking to Sophia’s parents on the other hand, is valuable time in Harry’s opinion. Not only is he getting to know a lot more about the two people that raised Sophia to be the amazing person that she is today, but he’s also gaining an insight on who and how the omega was when she was growing up that Harry will obviously not be able to turn back time to witness.
Plus, it also eases the alpha’s mind and distracts him a little having Fiona and John to converse with when Sophia had to attend to her host duties as the birthday girl. As much as they want to be beside each other for the remainder of the day, it’s just impossible when they both value human decency which includes being polite to your guests.
So he lets her go converse and have fun with her pals, leaving Harry a loud kiss on the cheek with a ‘see ya later, bunny!’ that totally wasn’t missed by her parents who totally didn’t tease the hell out of Harry how he should definitely ‘alpha up’ and just ask their daughter already. They even brought up the subject about tonight after Sophia’s party, which Harry definitely wants to think about later, and will certainly not talk about it right now while he still needs to have some sense of confidence and not turn into a puddle of pathetic nerves like he foresees will be the case later.
So everything is going smoothly with Harry just finishing talking about knitting with Fiona for as a fashion student, the alpha had only learned how to use a sewing machine which was a total shame in Fiona’s opinion. And now Harry is in the middle of a conversation with John about golf and the golfing community in Cheshire which the alpha happens to be a part of, when things just turn a little bit shit.
The unmistakable snarl of an angered Tilly breaks into the happy chatter of people, Harry’s attention instantly focusing towards the direction of the unpleasant noise. Tilly hasn’t done any of such ever since the start of the party, alerting Harry that something might be really up for her to let out that noise which usually is pointed towards Harry with her claws ready to sink on his skin for being too near Sophia.
And truth be told, someone is near Tilly’s sweet mama. Near enough the omega that Harry feels his own annoyed snarl trying to make an appearance.
Who might it be, you might ask.
Well Harry has a simple answer for that.
It’s fucking Brian!
Of fucking course it’s fucking Brian; the bloody manly prick of a fucking alpha.
“Excuse me,” Harry tries to calmly and politely tell Fiona and John, “I think my attention is quite needed somewhere else right now.”
The two simply nod their head in understanding, Harry feeling the stare of Sophia’s parents and the other guests on him as he makes his way to where Sophia and Brian are currently situated as they pitifully try to calm down a very agitated Tilly. As Harry reaches them, he gets a clearer picture of Tilly’s threatening stance and gaze directed at the other alpha, seemingly not backing down even if Sophia and Brian himself were coaxing her to put her claws back.
Any other day, Harry would find it funny and relieving that finally, Tilly’s hostile attitude is not directed towards him. But right now, he might even want that than this, whatever this is that Harry’s approaching. He just knows that Tilly always has the best intentions for Sophia in mind, meaning that Brian must have been displaying some dubious actions for the cat to act volatile towards him.
“Tilly,” Harry makes his presence known to the two people by crouching down beside the snarling kitten to catch her attention, “didn’t we talk about being polite, especially to mama’s friends, hm? What’s with all these rude and violent actions coming from?”
Harry hears the amused giggle coming from Sophia, and even if he can’t see the face of the other alpha present, Harry can also feel the look of ridicule he is throwing at Harry's head for talking to a cat.
Well guess what, talking to a cat is the only way your sorry arse is being saved from bloody scratches today, Brian, Harry bites back from saying when he’s successfully gotten Tilly to relax her claws.
In true Tilly fashion however, she still remains cautious and with her blue beady eyes remain sending warning gazes at Brian. Thankfully, she settles back a bit, now lingering by Harry’s feet as he stands up after thanking Tilly for her cooperation.
“That’s a good girl,” Harry murmurs appreciatively to the cat once he’s standing back to his full height, “Sorry about that,” he gives Brian the most semblance of a smile that he can manage to give him, “Tilly’s just really protective about Sophia, so don’t take her attack personally.”
You really should if you know what’s best for you, Harry bites back again while forcing the polite smile to remain on his face.
“Nah, it’s alright. I actually thought I got it all in control earlier, mate.” Brian waves off because of course he will with how bloody alpha-y he is, mate.
Harry tries not to grimace at the clear tension surrounding the three (four because Tilly must be included in the count as the guard cat) of them, especially when Sophia who was now beaming up at Harry with a full grateful expression, doesn’t seem to notice the shift in the air. Sophia naturally clings an arm around Harry’s bicep because that’s a thing they do more often than not when in near proximity. Harry however, does not fail to notice the way Brian’s eyes follow the movement with his jaw hardening in reaction.
“H is really so good with her,” Sophia gushes to Brian with unabashed delight present in her tone, “his patience is just top notch when it comes to my moody Tilly, I honestly don’t know how he does it! But look at them now, almost the bestest of friends, right bunny?”
Harry chuckles despite the apparent pointed stare Brian is giving him, “I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I guess I can say that the two of us have found some sort of compromise and a common ground. Like I have a better understanding of her now which is why I came here straight away when I heard her causing a ruckus.”
That seemed to spark something in Sophia, “Oh, yeah! Good thing you’re actually here, bunny. Well not for the ruckus or anything, it wasn’t like that. I just think Tilly was being a little dramatic to be honest.” she giggles, whispering the last part to make sure the still attentive Tilly doesn’t hear.
“Anyway,” Sophia continues when she’s sure Tilly didn’t hear her little dig on her, “I think it’s fab that you’re here because Brian was actually just telling me about this new big, and artisanal wooden furniture pieces he did himself for this new restaurant around town. Brian here says he even retrieved the wood himself, which I think is really hard and commendable.”
Let me guess, Harry thinks, he made everything by himself using his own strong hands. It’s so strong that he only used his big, bare hands to chop the goddamn tree like the real alpha that he is. Obviously he didn’t have any workers on his furniture firm, and obviously he’s so old-fashioned and traditional that using tools was a sin that will destroy his essence of being a manly alpha.
Harry’s not being bitter for the sake of being one, he just knows when someone is saying shit for the sake of wanting to look like the shit to impress someone. Clearly he’s not Brian’s demographic because Harry is not fucking impressed in whatever angle you look at that word.
Harry’s own jaw tightens when he sees Brian visibly puffs his broad chest just a little bit more that it’s honestly too obnoxious in Harry’s opinion, upon hearing the obvious innocent praise coming from Sophia.
“Brian most probably did such a good job with his new furniture line,” Sophia continues providing slight reprieve from Harry’s eyes that’s almost turning into slits at how much his dislike for Brian just grows by the second of being near him, “that the owners of the restaurant invited him for free dinner anytime he wants! What’s even better is that the owners allowed him to bring a plus one!”
Oh..oh.
Of fucking course Brian’s already asked Sophia to be his plus one! The omega doesn’t even need to elaborate any further with Harry just experiencing the fucking annoying smug look Brian is obviously giving him right now.
Before Harry can even process his massive vehemence of dislike to the guy and could even start understanding why Sophia, his sunflower, agreed to be Brian’s plus one when Harry thought the two of them were on the same page with where they want this friendship to blossom further, Sophia breaks his brewing misery with her next statement like cold water suddenly washing over him in relief.
“That’s why I think it’s perfect timing that you’re here, bunny.” Sophia’s wide beam pointed towards Harry making his earlier dejected feelings confused, “Brian invited me to be his plus one, but I was just about to ask him where this new restaurant is located so you and I can go together after our time at the bakery one of these days. I know the owners only allowed Brian a single plus one, but I thought it would be delightful if there were a few more of us so it can be a good friends hangout! We haven’t done one in ages, that's why I think it would be worth it to pay for the rest.”
Oh..oh.
Of fucking course, his sunflower is still his sweet, innocent, and friendly sunflower who’s just rather oblivious to romantic advances towards her! Unfortunately, it’s not the first time Harry has seen all types of genders and secondary genders try to seek her attention in the bakery. But every time it happens, Sophia just doesn’t completely understand the intention from such individuals. Only with the help of Georgie and Sabrina will the omega realize later of what had just occurred, looking red and quite embarrassed the entire time they’re teasing their boss with Harry barely containing his delight for Sophia’s unknowingness.
However, today’s the first time that Harry has noticed it up close and personal. Harry thinks he has not yet seen any of Sophia’s customers looking this shocked and crestfallen like Brian is expressing currently upon her oblivious rejection to his apparent advances.
Sophia might not have verbally rejected Brian, but the next thing she says (and DOES) is surely a rejection in the best way only Sophia can do.
“What do you think, bunny?” Sophia asks a silent and still processing Harry, taking it upon herself to enclose both her arms on Harry’s waist in a hug, chin resting on his torso to shine her ocean blues directly to his unsure green orbs.
Ouch.
The sweet omega baker is really oblivious if she can’t detect the very unpleasant look Brian is throwing at their tightly-knit bodies right now, because how can Harry rewrite his instinct to not wrap his own arms back at Sophia when the omega hugs him.
Plus, how can Harry say, ‘fuck yes, I’m absolutely going with you because you’re not going to fucking go on a date with this prick of an alpha’ without just blurting that out in full enthusiasm? He might be really happy on the inside for these turn of events, but he’s still a decent human being who wouldn’t rub it on someone’s face that they just got rejected, and essentially replaced, by him.
Instead, Harry tries to play it cool, “I think that can be arranged, if you want.”
“If I want?” Sophia repeats with an incredulous laugh following it, “Of course I freaking want to!” she exclaims before dropping her face on Harry’s chest and just casually nuzzles her nose into the soft fabric of his silk shirt, overtly inhaling his scent without any ounce of shame.
Sophia shouldn’t be ashamed of her actions, really. It’s just not good with Harry’s rising level of smugness that he’s basically putting more pain on an unmoving alpha just watching their exchange thinking: that should be me.
Well sorry, mate. Not all of us can be seduced by your alpha manliness, Harry tries to bite back again. In lieu of lowering down his high self-satisfaction, Harry decides to ask Sophia something that piques his interest.
“And why would you ‘freaking’ want to, sunflower?” Harry curiously asks, not expecting the pout that Sophia gives him.
“Bunny, the two of us have not yet dined somewhere else except for the bakery. Do you not want to eat out with me, or something?”
That undeniable sad tone in Sophia’s voice just won’t do. Fuck Brian and his rejected emotions!
“Of course not!” Harry quickly asserts, lowering himself to be able to rest his forehead against the pouting omega’s, wanting her to clearly listen to him. “I was planning to discuss something about this, later tonight.” The mention of later causes Sophia’s breath to hitch, little pink tongue poking out to wet her now bare plump lips without any shine of a gloss, “But, we can remove the discussion of our first eat-out tonight and just get it done with right now. If you're certain this is the restaurant you want us to go to, sunflower. Actually, where is it even?”
That results Sophia to break her unwavering gaze in Harry to shift towards the other alpha, the unfortunately rejected, and forgotten one. Sophia still remains in Harry’s hold, cheeks now squished on his chest comfortably while smiling kindly at Brian.
“I keep forgetting to ask,” Sophia giggles at Brian like she didn’t do anything to ruin his big alpha ego, “where’s this new restaurant located exactly, Brian? And I’m sorry if I’m taking so much of your time! I’m just getting side-tracked as per usual, totally does not help when H here smells so brill!” she giggles again, quickly adding, “But I promise after you tell me the location of the restaurant, we’ll be out of your hair and you can finally enjoy the rest of the party without being cornered by the celebrant.”
Oh please, that’s surely what Brian wants. Brian wants to get cornered by the birthday celebrant because he clearly fancies her. Harry would even be inclined to say that Brian would also want to corner him.
Corner Harry to punch him in the face like a traditional alpha would do to someone who steals their potential mate.
Thankfully Harry didn’t steal anything. He’s just along for the ride with the friendly and oblivious sweet omega (and the moody, protective guard cat, Tilly) wherever she goes; hopefully it’s a never-ending ride.
*~*~*
After the entire Brian debacle, everything actually goes back smoothly in the party.
No more cat threats and loud hissing, and definitely no more future advances to the birthday girl. Harry thinks Tilly and him have done a good job steering away possible ‘threats’ to befall upon their sweet omega. For those doubting party guests who will attest that they saw Tilly lunge on Harry’s legs in absolute distrust that he’s over feeding/choking Sophia while Harry’s spoon feeding her their shared cup of peppermint and vanilla bean ice cream, Harry would like to respond by saying that Tilly and him make the dream team regardless of their still rocky relationship, thank you very much.
Though the ultimate threat repellant would be Sophia’s adamant resistance of being apart from Harry. The birthday girl will take no nothing to not be joined at the hands, arms, hips, waist, and even foot with Harry; keeping the both of them connected in some way with their ankles interlocked together under the table where they were sitting.
Even now, when Sarah’s telling Sophia to take center-stage at the specific area they created at the far end of Sophia’s garden where her sizable doughnut tower cake is placed on the table, the omega is still stuck to Harry’s side.
As the birthday celebrant, everyone is currently gathered around said area, waiting for the omega to take her stand beside her ‘cake’ so they can all sing her a happy birthday with their phones all out to capture the moment. Harry definitely got the memo with his phone ready in one hand, camera app open and all.
The only problem is that Sophia doesn’t want to leave his side, and go blow her candle and make a wish like regular birthday celebrants.
“Sunflower,” Harry giggles in amusement at the omega who was trying to make herself even smaller behind his back where she is currently hiding herself with her arms wrapped securely around the alpha, “you can’t hide there forever and not blow your birthday candle. No matter how much I tell you that you’re such a tiny sweet creature, you actually can’t fit and hide inside my back pockets as much as we both want to.”
Harry feels Sophia’s giggles vibrate on his back from where she has nestled her face, mumbling, “Why don’t you go and blow the candle for me bunny, and then wish that I was pocket-sized so I can finally hide and fit inside your pocket every time I please.”
Harry chuckles despite the ridiculousness of Sophia’s apparent stalling of time, “Hate to break it to you love, but my wish isn’t going to work because I’m not the birthday celebrant. Didn’t you know wishes only come true when it’s the one with the birthday blowing the candle?”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” Sophia plays along, clearly trying to buy herself more time.
“Yup, well now you know. Do you want to hear another thing related to that?”
“Yes, please.”
“I also know that birthday celebrants who don’t blow out their candles, can’t eat their birthday cake. Because it’s now poisoned by the birthday gods who thought the celebrant was being ungrateful for not religiously following proper birthday etiquette. Good thing, guests like myself get all the privileges to eat all of it.”
“Bunny!” Sophia laughs loudly, hands tenderly squeezing Harry’s love handles, the alpha laughing along as he pictures the surely pouting and frowning adorable face of the omega who’s back to burrowing her face on his back, “You’re just teasing me now, stop it bunny!”
Harry feels endeared more than anything, “Well what do you expect me to say? I swear this is the first party I’ve ever been to where the birthday girl doesn’t want all the attention on her. Are you sure it is even your birthday?”
Harry thinks he deserves the playful bite Sophia imprints on his thin silk shirt, finding it difficult to hold back a groan from the sudden (and currently unwanted) punch of pleasure that coils warmly around his insides from just that singular action from Sophia. Harry is further caught off guard when Sophia plants a gentle kiss on where she had just lightly bit me, as if soothing the sting making the alpha’s breath hitch. Harry’s smile easily appears on his face from the never lost caring nature of the omega.
“You know I never like the attention,” Sophia whispers on his back, volume soft enough for just Harry to hear, “I think it’s really unnecessary to place this so much attentiveness on a person during the day of their birth. What are we even celebrating here? Me getting birthed today? I didn’t even do anything during that time 24 years ago! Mum should be the one being celebrated today for surviving labor and pushing me out.”
Give it to Sophia for having the ability to completely do a 360 degree turn on their conversation. Harry is absolutely enraptured while hearing Sophia talk about Fiona giving birth to her no matter how absurd and perplexing it may be.
Already kind of knowing that if he continues to follow along the path of this conversation, it would just lead them to nowhere. With an audible sigh filled with amusement more than annoyance - because Harry has accepted long ago that he can never get annoyed at the omega despite their apparent differences as Harry is a definite narcissist that needs his fill of attention - Harry submits to the never-failing idea of a compromise.
“How about this, sunflower,” Harry begins to say at the unmoving Sophia still comfortably plastered at his back, “you go there in the middle, make a wish and blow out your candle - no, keep your little vampire teeth please and let me finish.” he amusedly reprimands Sophia, continuing when he feels the meat of her lips on his back instead of her sharp pearly whites, “Thank you for cooperating, sunflower. Anyway, as I was saying, you go do all those birthday girl duties while I stay by your side to keep you company. What do you say?”
And it should be funny, definitely hilarious, that Sophia doesn’t even provide him any response and simply unlatches her tight hold around Harry by rearranging their position with her in front of him, arms reaching back to place both her hands inside Harry’s backside pockets as she quickly shuffles the two of them together beside the doughnut tower.
So much for preparing his phone out, Harry has no doubt that everyone in the party is having the time of their life filming a seconds ago timid Sophia, now comfortably basking in everyone’s cheers with her dainty hands still snug inside the alpha’s back pockets as if to keep them securely connected with Harry’s front tightly affix to her back.
Harry can’t even be bothered to be honest, finds himself singing Sophia a happy birthday just as merrily as everyone else. He even has the privilege to whisper the words directly to the birthday girl’s ears, no one can ever feel as lucky and blessed as Harry right now as Sophia moves around to hug him properly after blowing out her candles.
“Bunny! You have to taste this!” Sophia avidly tells Harry after picking a doughnut from the tower and taking a good bite out of it with her little cheeks filling in an instant like an adorably tiny chipmunk.
Harry giggles, thumb reaching out to wipe the residue of honey that’s left on the side of Sophia’s puffy lips, because of course the sweet omega baker’s birthday doughnut tower has to have honey in it. He happily accepts the piece of doughnut Sophia is hand-feeding him right now, green eyes matching the ocean blues of Sophia that’s staring at him as they light-up just the same at the magnificent taste hitting his taste buds.
“Wow, what is that?” Harry asks, mouth shamelessly opening wide to signal Sophia the urgent need for another bite.
Sophia gives him a beaming smile, happily feeding Harry the last bite of her doughnut, “It’s a simple honey-glazed doughnut but I asked mum to add bits of bacon in the batter so there will be a good savory surprise in it. I thought it would be good, do you think it’s good, bunny?”
Harry doesn’t answer right away, choosing instead to leave Sophia for a minute while he quickly snatches six doughnuts in the rapidly disappearing doughnut tower. The omega rightfully laughs at how ridiculous Harry certainly looks with six doughnuts grasped tightly on his bare hands, rings getting sticky with honey be damned.
“What are you doing?” Sophia guffaws, pointing at the table Harry had just left, “There are plates there to put that on, bunny.”
Harry just grins at the omega without any trace of regret, “Sunflower, you gotta do what you gotta do to secure these goodies. Look at them absolutely raiding the doughnuts!” Harry dramatically points his occupied doughnut containing fist to John and other fellow alpha guests doing the same thing with their bare hands, “No time for plates when your father is on the loose ready to take the kill with these honey goodies!”
“Hey, I heard that!” John calls him out, doughnut-free hand wiping away the excess honey on his lips making Harry laugh.
“It’s true!” Harry teases back, “and John, I think you missed a spot on your cheek, you absolute messy eater! You’re making us alphas look so wildly starved! Definitely not a good look on us.”
Harry even had the audacity to shake his head jokingly in disappointment, taking an obscene bite on two doughnuts in one big go. Harry moans at the sweet and savory perfect mixture of the honey and bacon. “Wow, that really is the shit! No wonder John is ready to pop the buttons of his new shirt!”
John, bless him, chuckles loudly and takes Harry’s teasing in stride, “You, young man, better be thankful that you’re important to my daughter or I would have kicked you out right this instant with all your jesting. Don’t expect a goodie bag either to take home with these bad boys.”
And because they’re clearly having a laugh at each other, Harry and John simultaneously began shoving two whole doughnuts in one go like absolute rabid animals that have not been fed for ages.
“Oh my god! You guys are impossible!” Sophia squawks a laugh at their state, eyes wide in disbelief as she watches her father and best friend practically inhale the doughnuts. “You two better behave yourselves and stop looking like freaking alpha cavemans!”
As the birthday girl, it would be the imperative for guests to follow her wishes to the best of their ability. As much as Harry breathes to do everything Sophia wants, he can’t really help the very loud burp escaping his highly-satisfied and doughnut-stuffed body. What’s worse is that John and him release their deafening burps of satisfaction at the same time.
Sophia groans at them in disgust, “Holy..you two are the worst!”
To be honest, Harry doesn’t think so. John and him are not the worst when they both seem to have the same brilliant mind, eyes locking together in mirth with a nod of understanding given to each other. The two of them are definitely not the worst when they expertly enclose a protesting Sophia in a hug on both her sides, Harry and John smacking a sickeningly sweet (literally) kiss on her cheeks.
The omega’s melodious laughter suggests that she agrees to Harry’s point now. Her sticky and lovingly flushed cheeks are the least of her concerns, skillfully reaching for the remaining honey doughnuts on both Harry’s and John’s hands and bringing it straight to her mouth with the biggest bite that she can make while smirking triumphantly at them.
Fine. Harry guesses her father and him deserved that.
*~*~*
Sophia’s 24th, intimate garden party ended by the time the sun had turned golden and slowly disappeared all it’s bright rays as the night sky took its turn on the main stage of the atmosphere.
Considerably, everyone has also taken their leave as the party seems to wrap-up. Guests take turns to say their last wishes and goodbyes to Sophia, the sweet omega saying her gratitude and appreciation for every single guest that made it today. Harry watched in amusement as Tilly, the ever trusted guard cat, stayed beside her sweet mama because it’s totally logical that people handing their gifts to Sophia as they leave, might contain the threat that the cat had her eyes set on since the start of the party.
Thankfully, no untrusting gifts were handed to Sophia and all Tilly has to worry about now is how to share her space with Harry for the rest of the night. The look of confusion that turned to apparent displeasure Tilly had given the alpha when Sophia had led him to the guest room, is still ingrained in Harry’s mind as he himself tries to make complete sense of the magnitude of their current situation.
Here’s the thing: Harry is going to have his first sleepover at Sophia’s fairy cottage tonight.
A week back, when Harry had asked the sweet omega baker what she had wanted for her birthday, the alpha already expected that Sophia’s timid and modest nature would be difficult for him to get a straight answer. Except that Sophia seems to like keeping Harry on the tip of his toes as she surprises him once again with her quick answer.
The omega said in the most certain voice Harry had ever heard coming from her: “I want to have a sleepover at my house after the party; just a me and you type of sleepover.”
And Harry might have ruptured an artery or something, that day due to unrestrained surprise from her confident request. In full disclosure, Harry had never gone to a one-on-one sleepover with an omega before, not even a female for that matter. His sleepover experiences only included staying at Jeff’s place (fellow alpha), Mitch’s flat (beta friend), and occasionally Glenne’s home (omega friend that also happens to be taken by his alpha best friend).
Harry’s only point of reference are one night stands at the places of the omegas he’s met at the bar. Though that’s not really going to help his situation here. First of all, Sophia is not a stranger he just met at the club, she already holds a big part of Harry’s heart that she shares with Anne even if Sophia doesn’t know that yet. And second of all, Harry is not a fucking prick of an alpha who immediately expects that Sophia’s birthday gift request holds any sexual elements into it.
No matter how horny he may seem, Harry is never going to do anything Sophia doesn’t want to, especially sexual ones. Never, it’s disgusting when alphas - or whatever gender/secondary gender you are - don’t understand the concept of getting consent. Fucking dickheads those people are.
Before Harry got consumed with his angry thoughts about indecent human beings, Sophia might have taken his silence in a wrong way as the omega quickly explained herself on why she had requested for such. The sadness in Sophia’s eyes that she tried to hide with her sheepishness of not having enough friends when she was younger that she could actually trust to have a sleepover at her childhood home, made Harry feel for her especially when she continues that now she’s grown-up, she isn’t quite comfortable asking her friends for something quite childish.
“Never childish, love.” Harry had assured her with strong arms cradling the petite form of the visibly embarrassed omega gently on his chest after having found her way on his lap.
Harry had never agreed faster in his life for something he’s not so sure how to do or go about. Not regretting his decision in any form when it had gifted him in return the most glorious and awestruck smile from the omega, as if she couldn’t comprehend how someone like him will willingly give that type of present to her.
If it’s not stressed enough, well he’s going to stress it again and again.
Harry would do anything that Sophia needs or wants to the best of his abilities. And if that includes sitting on her lilac couch in his grey joggers and worn-out white tee doing mindless sketching on his sketchbook to settle his nerves down, then Harry would gladly do it.
Sophia had left Harry for a moment to go get ready herself for their ‘cozy sleepover’. The omega had named it that after excitedly showing Harry the materials of various snuggly pillows and blankets and quilts she prepared for their blanket fort. It’s apparently the first item in their agenda: make the best, and coziest blanket fort in the living room.
The alpha agrees with a big smile; he can do blanket forts. Blanket forts do not make him nervous for their sleepover, so Harry will happily spend time perfecting their fort. He says the same thing to Sophia who giggles in reply, telling him to go wait for her at the couch as she sorts herself out of her party dress so that Harry can also save up his energy for laters’ tedious fort making business.
Harry doesn’t offer any protest, not quite comfortable to even tease her when he kind of really needs his last alone time to think properly before he just blabbers to Sophia the most important question for tonight. So, Harry does the thing that centers him the most: lingerie sketching.
Harry tousles his long curls away from his face, focusing intently on the sketch of the dress he currently has. The straps he drew to be tied into bows at the shoulder, a clear inspiration from all the birthday bows he saw today. The flower-like cups on the bust of the dress are inspired by the floral printed sandals Sophia wore for her party look, Harry grins at how mismatched it looked earlier with her plain pink party dress but knew deep down that whatever Sophia wore will always be beautiful and appealing to him.
Harry also placed big attention on the waist part of the dress, paying homage to the glistening rhinestone belt Sophia wore earlier. Harry smirks, remembering how the belt had perfectly cinched her little body tighter, highlighting her figure with her loving curves on display receiving much needed appreciation. Harry definitely needs to emulate that in this piece, making the skirt of the dress three layered to exhibit more of a flared motion that Sophia’s earlier dress lacked.
Harry is just coming into the big terms that for him to actually be able to sell this dress, it has to be done with a see-through fabric. His Sweet Creature is a lingerie and intimates brand, Harry can’t be selling detailed party dresses. But envisioning his new, see-through piece being worn by his muse, is not the wisest thing right now to do. Harry does not want to ruin his remarkable progress in being able to successfully control his stiffys in relation to thoughts and instances with the sweet omega baker.
And because the universe wants to challenge Harry for whatever fucking reason, Sophia appears in the living room just as the alpha is trying to think about dead kittens to calm down his unhelpful and traitor of a body. And because the universe and his body is apparently ganging-up on Harry right now, Sophia is standing just a few feet away from the alpha on the couch, wearing white cotton shorts with little heart imprints into it with it’s matching little cotton crop top, and Harry’s blue silk shirt from earlier.
“Bunny, is it okay if I wore this?” Sophia asks Harry casually, beginning to close some of the buttons.
“Uhm..” Harry trails off dumbly, because what the fuck is happening? These emotions present in him right now surely do not happen in friend sleepovers.
Oblivious to Harry’s dumbstruck reaction, Sophia happily claps her hands in success after buttoning half of Harry’s shirt on her body, “I was going to look at the guest room if I had misplaced any cardigan there, cause all mine is in the laundry tonight. And then I saw this perfectly folded on your bed and it just called to me, bunny. So I hope it’s okay that I’m wearing it for tonight, don’t wanna get cold during our sleepover.”
Of course, it’s totally okay that my clothes called for you, Harry frantically thinks based on Sophia’s explanation.
That’s totally understandable because it’s only normal for your omega to be attracted to my alpha’s scent that’s why you think my shirt called for you, Harry continues to madly think to himself.
With all these thoughts, what comes out of Harry's mouth?
“Of course, sunflower, you can wear my shirt for tonight. But are you sure you want to though? Don’t think it will be quite comfortable on your skin when I basically wore it for the entire day.”
And, alright? That’s all you gotta say Harry, after you frenzied yourself with your thoughts earlier? You surely are a whipped alpha if you're thinking of Sophia’s comfortability instead of your own sanity.
Oh Jesus Christ, help me, is all Harry can answer to himself as he tries to busy his thoughts by taking away his sketching materials back to his bag while Sophia giddily sits beside him.
“Totally not,” Sophia replies to Harry’s question, tilting her head towards her shoulder with the tip of her nose slightly hitting the fabric of Harry’s shirt on her shoulder, “Silk feels comfortable on my skin, and the scent of peppermint and sandalwood is definitely comfortable to my senses.”
Yeah. Harry really needs some sort of divine intervention if he thinks he can survive this friendly sleepover without having the undying urge to kiss the omega.
“That’s good,” Harry provides as a short reply, clearing his throat in hopes of getting back more of his English vocabulary.
Sophia giggles while looking at him, Harry’s not sure what for, but he doesn’t want to take his chances and look even more stupid infront of her so he quickly takes control of their conversation.
“Want to start on that blanket fort?”
No verbal response was given to Harry for his question, only a squeal of genuine excitement from Sophia like she had forgotten of the important plan she had just made for them earlier. Harry does not complain at her unceasing excited giggles while dumping piles upon piles of blankets on his arms. Harry finds himself laughing at the omega for thinking his big, alpha arms can actually hold all the damn blankets from freaking Zara Home.
“Did you buy every single blanket from Zara home, or something?” Harry mumbles with his entire face being covered by the continuously growing tower of blankets on his arms.
Sophia giggles and does not take offense at Harry’s teasing, “Don’t forget H&M Home, and White Company, bunny.”
Harry guffaws his snorting laugh in surprise at Sophia’s answer, resulting in the blanket tower toppling over his arms and onto the floor, making him laugh harder when he trips on one of them. Instead of feeling embarrassed, Harry happily follows the fallen blankets on Sophia’s living room floor in absolute laughter at the ridiculousness of it all.
“This isn’t going so well,” Sophia says with total fondness seeping out from her voice, the same emotion being reflected in her blue orbs as Harry stares at them contentedly while shamelessly snuggling on the countless blankets now on the floor.
“Sunflower,” Harry calls for her softly, making himself look cute because he can, “how about we put a rain check on that blanket fort and you just go join me here on the floor where all your blankets have fallen perfectly for a cozy time.”
He picks up one of the pillows on his reach to snuggle tightly on top of chest to show complete cozy bliss, the only selling factor that will make Sophia concede.
“No way,” Sophia shakes her head at him despite the permanent grin on her features.
“But-”
“It won’t be a perfect, cozy sleepover if we don’t do the blanket fort.” Sophia pouts because she can, “You do look quite snuggly-toasty there, but I want the whole experience of a quintessential sleepover. But again, bunny you still look really cute there on your..”
Sophia motions with her hands around Harry and all the blankets that truthfully is not miraculously fallen perfectly on the floor so easily, it’s more haphazard than harmonious.
“Fine,” Harry relents simply while sitting up, “only because you called me cute.”
“Whatever.” Sophia rolls her eyes with blushing cheeks, always getting flustered when reminded of her sweet actions that she seems to not notice when she does it. “Now stand up and get your game face on cause this now is going to be the serious blanket fort business time.”
Harry doesn’t know what type of game face Sophia is asking of him, decides all together that he can’t even conjure his face to make one when all it seems to break into is the nose-scrunching closed lip smile of utter fondness. It’s hard to do any other faces than that when it's just instinctual when it comes to the amazing omega.
*~*~*
As the night progresses, Harry thinks that he can actually add ‘having sleepovers with my omega friends’ on the list of things that he can do. Harry thinks he might have just made himself apprehensive over nothing earlier. He doesn’t know what’s to be nervous about spending the night at Sophia’s place when the blanket fort they spent 45 minutes perfecting is probably one of the best creations that Harry has done in his life.
The two of them are now trying to settle inside their fort, finding the most comfortable position they want to stay in while watching the Lizzie McGuire movie (because any film with Queen Hilary Duff is obviously sleepover appropriate) with their cups of herbal tea are cradled nicely in the palms of their own hands. Harry actually wanted to point out that having herbal tea as their refreshment, and only form of snack (if you can even call it that), is not following the quintessential sleepover Sophia was musing about from earlier.
Instead, Harry remembers that he kind of needs herbal tea right now, like he really needs it to help calm him down from what he’s about to do soon.
The alpha just can’t wait anymore is the thing.
Helping Sophia not get drowned in her heart printed loungewear (the heart detail is totally going to be added on his second piece) in the endless mounds of blankets, as well as giving the little omega a hand with lifting heavy chairs as support for their blanket ceiling, has been quite a fun time. Even if Sophia had stubbornly refused his efforts to help her detangle the fairy lights to be placed at the edges and around their fort, Harry had fondly kissed her cheek when the pouting omega came back to his side with her imaginary tail between her legs in defeat, the fairy lights further tangled in a ball.
It had been a really good experience no doubt, it’s just that everything would have been miles better if Harry didn’t have to suppress the need to kiss Sophia silly. Harry can let it pass if the feeling only passes him once, but it was every bloody time!
The words, “Sweet omega, you don’t need to ask for my help anymore because as your alpha, it’s my job to always care for you and help you without any prompt. You’re my responsibility now. So may I please have a kiss to tell me you understand the importance of what I just said?”
All those words are what Harry has been biting back since their sleepover has fully commenced.
So yes, all things considered, everything is dandy. But to make everything even dandier, then Harry needs to once and for all appease his alpha by confessing to Sophia.
That’s where his resolve has brought him now while looking at the screen of the telly, showcasing just the first part of the movie in Lizzie’s high school graduation. At this moment, Harry really can’t give any drop of his focus on the movie despite knowing Sophia is basically engrossed in the film beside him. It’s the thought that makes him think that it might not be the best decision to start a massive serious conversation with the omega who is currently paying not much of an attention to him.
But again, Harry cannot physically and mentally faff around anymore.
Thus, in the spur of all moments, Harry mutters a “Fuck it.” loud enough that when he turns to look at Sophia, the omega whips her head to his direction a second later.
“What’s wrong, bunny?” Sophia cutely tilts her head in question, the glow of the fairy lights and the telly illuminating her slightly frowning face.
With no time to wax lyrical of how gorgeous the cast of light highlights Sophia’s natural features, Harry takes a deep breath in hopes of still being able to find semblance of what he had originally planned to say when the movie was over, reaching for Sophia’s hands (thankfully not holding her cuppa or it would have spilled all over and ruined their moment!) in a grounding hold, placing it on his lap before saying:
“May I please be given the chance to court you, omega?”
The look of unbridled surprise that washes over Sophia’s face is not a shocker to Harry, he kind of already expected that knowing her this long, together with the little squeak of surprise that leaves her parted lips.
What he didn’t expect is what she replies not even a minute later.
“Do people still even do that?”
Harry tries not to read into her apparent surprised question that isn’t really a straight out rejection but, ouch.
Does she not want to be courted? Is that like a no go for her in every situation? Harry frantically thinks. He desperately racks his brain of any moments or conversations they had before that Sophia might have told him her views on courting.
Holy shit, is the omega against the entire idea of courting because it’s too traditional? And now she probably thinks Harry is a complete alpha prick, no better than Brian from earlier, for putting her in this position of needing to choose between their friendship or her personal principles and view in life.
The look of panic and downright horror must be painted across his face because the next thing Harry knows is Sophia is returning the same look of trepidation in her beautiful face making the alpha feel even more guiltier.
About to spiral in a myriad of apologies - love confessions and his feelings be damned - Sophia startles Harry once again, literally this time, making him almost jump out from his own skin at the loudness of her coming statement.
“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!” Sophia all but shouts, hands disappearing from Harry’s hold to place on her cheeks in an embarrassed tick, “That’s not what I meant at all, bunny.” The omega repeats much slower, with more firmness in her tone with every word in that same sentence. Her blue widened eyes searching earnestly at Harry’s own for some sort of reaction.
The alpha can only offer her a look of mixed surprise and confusion, more-so confused because what does she mean by that? As far as Harry knows, the answer to his earlier question only required a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ as an answer. Any other response is going to leave him the need to ask for an explanation.
Except he doesn’t need to. Sophia continues to speak when arriving empty handed of her desired reaction from Harry. Her dainty hands now the one reaching for Harry’s trembling ones, movie forgotten in the background as Sophia gently litters every exposed skin of his hand with what the alpha can only deduce as apologetic kisses.
“Bunny, I didn’t mean for you to take my question the wrong way,” Sophia implores in a tone of utmost sincerity, “It was genuinely just a question out of surprise. Like, I haven’t heard anyone ask that to my friends, let alone to myself so it really caught me off-guard and I obviously spiraled in the wrong direction of a response because I’m really quite crap at anything relationship talk.” and not even the self-deprecating chuckle that Sophia gives herself breaks Harry from his on-edge notion.
“I don’t even know why that’s the first thing I blurted out,” Sophia continues, “that’s not even my answer to your specific question, like at all.”
Breathless, Harry asks, “What was your answer supposed to be then?”
Harry is hyper aware of everything Sophia in that moment. The way her breath suddenly hitches, ocean blues looking down at their interlocked hands, long feathery lashes hitting the topmost part of her cheekbones for every blink she does, plump bottom lip in between her teeth, and Harry’s utmost favorite cotton candy pink blush is ever-present on her rounded, dimpling cheeks.
Like she wants to kill Harry with her gorgeousness, the omega takes the final shot home right after.
Eyes looking underneath her lashes, laser-focused on Harry’s soul, Sophia replies:
“Yes,” Sophia’s harmonic giggles an absolute melody in the alpha’s ringing ears, “Of course it’s a yes, bunny.”
It’s not just simply a ‘yes’ Harry registers in his love muddled brain, it’s even fucking better! Sophia answered with an, ‘of course! and yes!’
Harry might be in heaven already. The glorious stars on Sophia’s eyes, her angelic voice and cherubic dimpled smile is enough proof for Harry to believe that he might have died just that second.
“Really? Are you for real?” Harry asks with disbelief written in his eyes because that’s the only sensible thing to say when one feels fucking unworthy for being allowed in heaven and in the presence of such an angelic, otherworldly, goddess.
Sophia giggles once again, squeezing Harry’s hands in her hold before repeating, “Yes! I’m so serious, bunny!”
“But..why? How?” Harry dumbly asks, which he should just shut up because he’s making himself become more unworthy by questioning this stunning celestial of a being that has made Harry the luckiest man in all galaxies!
Sophia takes the alpha’s rather stupefied reaction in stride, rolling her eyes with an undeniable upward curve of her lips, “Why are you asking these questions? Of course it’s going to be a yes. How can it be not when I always give you extra honey cookies cause I care for you so much, I panicked myself into oblivion when you arrived late that one day at the bakery, cried and cuddled on your lap like some needy omega. Your patience for my cat makes me feel over the moon, we both met each other's parents already which is a tell-tale sign that you’re important to me, I wouldn’t just bring you home if I didn’t see a future in us. Heck, I turned down Brian earlier, an alpha who I’ve known longer than you, and proceeded to compliment your scent straight to his face, and then I’m wearing your scent right now in your used shirt because it makes me feel fucking safe and comforted. How can all that not be a yes?”
There’s a lot of important things to note in Sophia’s utter show of bravery in sharing her thoughts and emotions. Harry’s so proud of his timid girl letting all that out from her chest to show him how much he means to her, the ever-sweet omega even cursed for his sake!
But only one thing gets stuck on Harry’s alpha brain on repeat, and definitely shouldn’t be the one worth mentioning.
“So you did know that Brian was hitting on you!” Harry exclaims, that's the first thing he says when he got his full wits back, “I knew you couldn’t have been that oblivious when he was being so fucking obvious that whole time!”
Despite the deep craters still indented on Sophia’s smiling cheek, the omega gives Harry the most deadpan look she can muster in this moment, “Are we seriously going to be talking about Brian right now?”
“Fuck no!” is Harry’s immediate response filled with disgust, he doesn’t even try to hide it in his face that’s all screwed-up in the most not-cute way making Sophia laugh. “I don’t want to talk about that prick of an alpha, like ever. Why are you even asking me that?”
“Because!” Sophia laughs in the faux horrified expression Harry is giving her, “From all the beautiful things I said about my feelings for you, you decided to focus on that one! It’s your fault, not mine for thinking that you want to talk about Brian.”
Harry would take all the blame from her if the alpha gets to see her this carefree and elated forever. It’s as if they weren’t just both nervous in their own ways minutes prior, like they didn’t just undergo a colossal thing in their evolving story, turning to the next chapter of courting!
“Don’t even mention his name.” Harry points out, failing to remain the faux frown on his face when Sophia just keeps giggling at every response he gives, “How about you continue just talking about my name, and all the butterflies-in-your-stomach emotions that you feel whenever you hear my name.”
Harry obnoxiously wiggle his eyebrows up and down, the tone of Sophia’s giggles becoming more dulcet by the second.
“I’ve kind of done all the talking since earlier,” Sophia says softly, thumbs gently stroking the skin of Harry’s hands as the atmosphere in the room suddenly becomes much quieter than before. Without the telly still playing their movie, Harry thinks he’ll be able to hear Tilly breathing in the omega’s room from how faint and steady their surroundings have become.
“So is it my turn to finally be able to sing sonnets about your beauty and kindness and all the wild animals fluttering in my stomach from how good you make me feel now that I’m officially going to court you?”
The teasing tilt in Harry’s voice is not met by the usual amused laugh from Sophia, nor is her eyes ignited by his cheeky comment. Instead, what remains is the bright flush on the apples of her cheeks any time Harry even remotely insinuates saying things to compliment her. The only difference that Harry notes while in the bare lit living room, is that Sophia almost looks like she’s nervous being beside Harry while blushing.
The two of them are way past being nervous around each other, especially when the both of them blush around each other more often than not when teasing blurs the fine line of blatant flirting.
Harry’s more confused when he also hears the poorly contained skittish tone is Sophia’s considerably much quiet voice saying, “How about..let’s do the talking later and just do something else right now?”
Harry slowly nods his head trying to understand where the omega was going with this, “Alright, but what kind of thing are you thinking of doing now? Oh, you think we should go back to watching the movie? I know you said this is one of your favorite movies and we’ve missed a good portion. Lizzie and her classmates are in Italy already!” he motions his head towards the forgotten telly.
When he doesn’t get an immediate response or even a nod of a head from Sophia, Harry carefully watches her in pure curiosity. Sophia is blinking at him with wide doe-like eyes, starlit pools of blue unmistakably peering from Harry’s eyes and his lips, the omega’s own little mouth parting just a little bit making Harry too late to catch on with what’s happening.
“May I kiss you?”
Sophia whispers as Harry feels his soul knocked-out of him and sent flying straight to the fucking moon in utter ecstasy at the honey dripping words that just left the omega’s spit-slick lips from the way her little tongue is poking out and wetting the pink plumpness just waiting for the go signal to be kissed from the once again stupefied alpha.
And because Harry is rendered love-dumb now, the alpha all but squeaks out a “yes”, barely even getting to tap his thighs to motion Sophia to come nearer towards him when the omega swiftly crawls to his lap in expert ease.
Harry narrowly misses taking a deep breath in, before Sophia has got her arms wrapped tightly around the nape of his neck, head tilting with her eyes closed as she closes the distance between them in one fluid motion. The first press of their lips elicits a simultaneous moan of pleasure from the two of them, Sophia’s legs encloses around Harry’s lax body even tighter, the latter’s hold on her hips raises upwards to hug her waist closer to his body.
The kiss isn’t a hungry and desperate one by any means, and yet Harry still feels breathless when Sophia disconnects their now tingling lips just inches away, her dilated eyes stares dreamily at him.
“That was my first kiss,” Sophia softly confesses, bringing one of her dainty hands to cradle the alpha’s cheek lovingly, with her thumb reverently swiping across his lips like she can’t believe she just kissed that and had checked ‘have my first kiss’ off her bucket list like she’s the lucky one.
Harry is the fucking lottery winner right now for he has finally gotten his mouth on hers!
Can you believe that? Unworthy alpha him has just got kissed by the sweetest most kindest creature in this planet and what good deed has Harry done in his past life to be given this honor of being Sophia’s first kiss?
“Was it a good first kiss?” is all that Harry can reply without sounding like a mixture of ungrateful that he thinks Sophia deserves someone much better than him to share her first kiss with, and proud with hints of innate possessiveness that he’s the first and only kiss the omega has had.
Sophia just slowly nods her head as if in a daze, before her familiar giggles erupt from her parted lips, “I feel like I’m levitating.”
Before Harry’s responding giggles could subside for him to sing the chorus of Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ because he’s romantic (a cheeky shit) like that, Sophia cups both his cheeks and surges back on his lips in a much deeper kiss than their first one.
It’s quite intense this time around with Sophia’s tongue bravely meeting his own as she’s apparently a natural learner in the art of kissing. Why is Harry even surprise that Sophia can suck and caress his tongue so expertly in just her second kiss in her whole life when the omega is a fucking celestial being who can do anything she wishes. That’s the last thought Harry settles on his mind before he completely relaxes into Sophia’s unrelenting kisses, returning her little licks and gentle sucks with just as much vigor as the omega is languidly giving him.
Harry didn’t think that kissing can be this good, but fuck him, he’s converted now in believing that he will happily allow himself to drown in Sophia’s kisses and he’d be content in the afterlife.
Except that the longer Sophia passionately lathers his kissed-red lips and tingly-sucked tongue with all her magical loving and care, Harry doesn’t think he’d enjoy the afterlife if he ain’t get to have this with him. Talks about afterlife aside, Harry tries his hardest to harness back his love-lost wits to put a halt in these fast-moving kisses.
Dipping his hands to squeeze fairly tight on Sophia’s hips, Harry moves his lips away from the omega’s to murmur quickly but firmly, “I think we should take a breather, don’t want to go too fast with this aspect of our relationship.”
That makes the omega pout, they’re close enough that her wet protruded bottom lip touches Harry’s own, “I get you, but don’t wanna stop kissing; makes me feel so good, bunny.”
Harry doesn’t try to bite back the groan that leaves his chest, “Sunflower, you really shouldn’t be saying that if you don’t want to provoke my alpha to make you feel even more good. You haven’t met this horndog side of my alpha yet, so I’m kindly warning you right now to be careful with what you’re saying when we’re this close and I’m drunk with your kisses.”
Sophia laughs at that, her warm breath hitting Harry’s smiling lips as she brushes their noses together in an eskimos kiss, “I promise I’m not going to say anything that will provoke your inner horndog alpha anymore. Besides, I just had my first kiss with you moments ago. I don’t think I’m ready for anything beyond that.”
Sophia’s eyes return their nervous shade after saying that, bottom lip about to be bitten in a nervous tick when Harry moves faster and brings Sophia’s plump bottom lip inside his own mouth to suckle tenderly. He releases it a few seconds later with a wet popping sound, hands holding her body tight around him, and begins to run up and down her back in a soothing manner.
“Sunflower,” Harry sweetly calls to her ear when Sophia dropped her full weight atop of Harry’s body as she hides her embarrassed flushed face on the crook of his neck with her arms wounded around his neck, finding comfort in making herself feel small in Harry’s hold.
“I hope you know that I’m also not ready for us to do anything other than kissing and hugging tonight, right? Do you know that?”
When Sophia just hums out a noise not either agreeing or disagreeing with Harry’s question, the alpha then thinks that maybe his horndog of an alpha has been showing more of it’s devious personality than he had thought it was doing. If Sophia can’t give him a direct answer on this matter, then for sure, Harry must have been unclear with the extent of his intentions towards her. And that doesn’t sit right with Harry, at all.
Harry sighs, trying to keep his growing frustrations about himself quiet, “My sunflower, I’m sorry if I haven’t been clear enough with my intentions about our courting. To make myself crystal clear, I’m not expecting anything sexual related for tonight, and even the next night, or even the next few weeks or months after tomorrow. This part of our relationship is going to be done at your own pace, okay? I’m not going to be an alpha prick who’s going to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want, sexual or not.”
Harry says that to help ease whatever qualms Sophia might be harboring within her and is too timid to talk it out verbally with the alpha. Although after Harry’s assurance, the earlier pliant omega straddling his lap suddenly turns rigid under his hold.
“But what if my pace is too slow for you?” Sophia says with urgency in her tone, springing out from her hiding spot in Harry’s neck to look at him with trepidation written on her face.
“What do you mean?” Harry gently asks, not wanting to make the girl feel more at edge than he already knows she’s starting to get, “Sunflower, when I said at your own pace, I mean that in my utmost sincerity. Your consent in everything is important to me, so if you decide that you just want to kiss and cuddle for the entirety of our relationship this year, then I’d be down to do that without any complaints.”
Sophia whines out a frustrated noise, “That’s because you’re too nice for your own good. What if you’re just saying that right now, and then when our courting progresses and you feel that you have to hide and suppress your emotions cause you don’t want to pressure my slow pace? I don’t ever want to be the cause for you to not fully express yourself, bunny, I never want to be that person.” she shakes her head frantically, “I always want to make you feel comfortable and safe, that you can tell me anything and be wholly open with me. But that won’t be the case if you’re too kind about sparing my slow-moving pace. And then if I ever gain the confidence to finally do anything sexual with you besides kissing, what if, no, I already know that I wouldn’t be any good at it because you’re going to be my first. Which is not good because you’re a proper fit alpha that most probably has other omegas lining up for you in London but then you're too kind to say anything about my performance even if it’s going to be such a disappointment. I don’t want to disappoint you, bunny!”
Sophia’s honest rambling is so quick that the next thing Harry knows, he’s got an armful of a nervous-wreck of an omega who’s scent has changed from it’s sweet tones to that of the alarming aroma of distress alerting Harry’s core instincts to protect.
Hyper-aware of Sophia’s trembling body that has dropped back once again on Harry’s chest with her face tucked at the side of his neck, the alpha steels his thoughts to be able to properly tend to the distressed omega in his arms.
“Omega, may I please be allowed to scent you? I need to scent you to make you feel alright, okay sunflower?”
Feeling her wobbling lips on the skin of his collarbone, Harry doesn’t need any verbal response from the omega when Sophia herself goes straight for Harry’s scent gland to begin scenting him. That’s the best answer Harry needs for his question as he doesn’t hesitate to nose down the side of Sophia’s neck before burying his own nose in the omega’s scent gland.
Calming pheromones are released within the both of them as they languidly continue scenting one another, taking their fill of each other’s heavenly scents without any hesitation for the first time without fear of possibly crossing an imaginary line in the friendship by finding too much comfort in each other’s innate unique scents.
Harry leaves a tender kiss on Sophia’s scent gland, feeling her release a content purr of satisfaction as Harry gently noses at the skin of her neck, unable to comprehend how he was now granted the privilege to bask in the sweet omega’s glorious scent all he wants.
Though with much pressing matter to attend to, Harry pulls himself away from her neck, ready to completely settle Sophia’s grave worries.
“Sunflower, I need you to listen to me closely,” Harry places a kiss on top of Sophia’s blonde locks, situating his cheek comfortably on top of her head as Sophia continues to snuggle at his neck giving Harry her hum of having as a sign of her full attention of listening to him.
Harry begins by saying without any preamble, “I never, ever, want to hear you call yourself a disappointment ever again, alright? That’s not true, it can never be true, and it’s something I will actually fight tooth-and-nail with you if you try disagreeing with me. I also want you to know that I don’t care about anyone else besides you, whoever those people you’re referring to waiting for me in London is nothing compared to you, I don’t even know them and I don’t give a single fuck about them.”
Harry presses gentle kisses on Sophia’s temple to calm his racing heart, “You’re so special to me, sunflower. I don’t know if I can even properly tell or show you how important you are to me, but what I can promise to you is that you’re never going to disappoint me, especially when we have our first time.”
Sophia lets out a whimper on his neck, not out of panic this time, more flustered than anything. Harry soothes the omega by pressing his thumb delicately on her scent gland, resulting for the sweet girl to instantly relax in his arms once again.
“You’re everything to me that the sole fact that you’re ready to share yourself with me in the most intimate way possible, is already a magical experience for me. Sex is not about having the best performance, it’s a never a performance. It’s about connecting with your partner in a different, much deeper realm. Sex is supposed to make us get to know each other better, so sure, our first time might not be the ‘best’ technique-wise because I’m surely going to ejaculate five seconds in,” Sophia giggles at his joke which appeases Harry’s alpha for being able to comfort the omega, “but that’s the beauty of it. We’ll get to explore each other’s pleasures as well as the things that might not work or do not tickle our fancy. We’ll get to take care of each other and make sure that the both of us are safe and happy. That’s why you’re never going to be a disappointment to me, sunflower, inexperienced or not.”
And just to further emphasize his point, “My alpha already worships you if that’s also not clear enough.”
That makes Sophia shift her head just a little from Harry’s neck, peeking from underneath her messy bangs as Harry skillfully locks his gaze on her blue orbs, never one to not get lost in them obstructed by her hair or not. The alpha feels his heart stutter at the glowing light of appreciation being presented to him by Sophia’s ocean blues and perfect smile.
“Thank you, bunny.” she whispers in utmost sincerity, “My omega feels lucky to have the kindest alpha, ever.” and then she burrows back into Harry’s warmth like she didn’t just undoubtedly refer to Harry as ‘her alpha’ for the first time when said alpha still cannot even entirely believe everything that has happened tonight.
Like an unspoken agreement, Harry and Sophia return their focus back on the telly while still comfortably resting on the same position with the omega cuddled close in the alpha’s chest, sitting perfectly on his lap where Harry starts to think she truly belongs.
Harry considers that nobody really has to know how many times their attention from the movie was replaced with the interlocking of lips and tongue, or how he wouldn’t accept anyone’s comments on the possibly excessive scenting they’ve done to each other as they happily got lost in the perfect mixture of their scents.
Though most importantly, nobody needs to know how Harry suddenly sprang to his feet, carrying a shrieking Sophia as the alpha begins to sing and dance along with Hilary Duff in the Roman colosseum while the omega follows along soon after in absolute gleeful laughter with all of earlier worries completely erased by the dorky antics of her alpha.
And as Lizzie was about to take her final pose on the stage, Harry slowly stops his awful dance moves in lieu of placing both his hands on the similarly happy-dazed Sophia who also halts her countless times better dance moves.
Both falling into a rabbit hole of green pools and blue gems, Harry blissfully utters,
“This is what my dreams are made of.”
*~*~*
Thinking back in hindsight, why did Harry instantly correlate Sophia’s question: ‘if courting is still something people did’, to rejection when it’s an entirely valid question on it’s own.
You might be wondering what this courting entails, yeah? Well Harry kind of is too. Now that might sound alarming, but no need to fear when we all know Harry’s strong stance on: ‘fuck the traditionalist alpha pricks!’ and yes, that was for you, Brian!
So knowing that courting has its roots from the traditionalist mindset of alphas and omegas in their society, Harry is certainly keen on creating his own, much inclusive and progressive idea of courting.
Ever since he was a young child, the concept of courting is something young, cherubic curls Harry had vowed to do for his future mate. Although even then, he had been against the notion of doing it for the sake of being macho and exhibiting all your manly traits to make an omega feel like they don’t have to do any single thing anymore because their alpha is there to take care of them.
That’s fucked up, Harry thought back then and still shares the same answer until today.
First of all, everyone is composed of both female and masculine traits. For an alpha to suppress one side of their being and only focus on the other, is simply not healthy when it’s a known life fact that ‘everything should be in moderation.’ The same saying goes with omegas finding their mates just to end up doing nothing and turn out to be spoiled people.
Relationships should be about honesty, openness, and being able to give and take from each other. If one is to use the traditional ways of courting, then Harry thinks it’s not a relationship they’re trying to build. Harry never wants to make his mate feel like they no longer have a right to be independent, and they must depend on Harry for everything since he’s the alpha in their relationship.
Thus, it was only logical for the alpha to formulate his very own much simple and inclusive blueprint to courting the kindest and prettiest omega ever known on this planet. Harry wants to show that showering his omega with gifts doesn’t have to come from the perspective of wanting to simply spoil and train them to rely for everything on the alpha. It must come from the alpha’s hard work making these courting gifts special for both people and not just a ‘means to an end’ of winning an omega’s answer.
The first step in Harry’s courting is to make sure that it’s not only Sophia that should experience the wooing of the alpha, but also the important people, or in Sophia’s case, the important animal in her life.
Since humans are much easier to understand and gauge the usual standards of what they find pleasing, Harry starts his courting by getting different flower arrangements sent to Sophia’s loved ones, aka: Fiona and John. No matter how simple the gesture might be, Harry absolutely loved John’s reaction of also receiving something.
“It’s a yes for me already, son.” John joyfully exclaimed in the FaceTime call Harry gets after Sophia’s parents have received the first arrangement of flowers delivered to them. The timing was honestly on point, John calls to thank Harry when the latter was currently finishing his early morning sketching in Sophia’s bakery.
And just for the record, Harry had obviously personally delivered the sweet omega baker’s own flower arrangement. Don’t tell Fiona and John, but the arrangement he got made for Sophia was a few quids more expensive than theirs.
“Dad!” Sophia squawked while Harry laughed beside her as they both watched for the nth time John waft the floral aromas of Harry’s little present. “You can’t say that because you’re not the one he’s really courting!”
John just shook his head in amusement at her daughter’s response, “Princess, why did you even require him to court you? The lad is basically gone for you ages ago, like the first time your mum and I met him ages ago.”
Harry chuckles at the honest question, nose scrunching in fondness at the pink flush that formed on Sophia’s face as the latter responded, “That’s not ages ago dad, please check your calendar.” and it was Harry’s turn to squawk a laugh at her cheeky answer, “Besides, I didn’t require him. H wanted to do the courting when I didn’t even know that the notion is still practiced.” The two share a smile of understanding at the memories implied in those last words.
And it’s true, Harry had been the one adamant with the courting. So adamant that he can’t believe he also got Tilly a toy as a courting gift.
Now Harry’s not stingy or anything, would gladly buy Tilly something if Sophia (or out of his secret cat-infatuated side of himself) had requested for him to do so. It’s just that this gift is a much more personal present to give.
The idea first came to Harry when he realized for the first time that the name of Sophia’s bakery, ‘The Hunny Pot’ was actually referenced from the iconic yellow bear who’s the only one that can rock a red crop top and nothing else. Apparently, baby Sophia had loved Winnie the Pooh, which she thinks has a lot to do with being exposed at an early age to anything that has relation to bees and honey. But either way, Sophia had grown-up still completely fond of the children’s character that she named her own baby bakery from Pooh's poorly spelled pot of honey.
Harry was blind-sided by that information for some reason, that added with Sophia’s relentless teasing that he’s a silly alpha for only realizing that the name of her bakery that he goes to every morning is from a classic story, Harry had found himself lost in a spiral of finding the perfect knitted stuffie of Pooh to give Sophia.
It’s really just out of pure lock that upon the numerous tabs of online stores that Harry has opened on his laptop, he finds one that’s selling knitted Piglet stuffies for cats. If that wasn’t a sign for Harry to buy his frenemy a gift, then he doesn’t care because he bought it regardless.
To be honest, Tilly didn’t even display any adverse reaction - well nothing out of the ordinary so an annoyed snarl is really nothing - when Harry had personally gifted her the Piglet stuffie. The grey furrball wasn’t even repulsed by his scent that’s enclosed within the knitted thread of the toy after Harry had scented it.
Her mother, on the other hand, had a vastly different reaction than her cat child.
Sophia had not placed the Pooh stuffie down anywhere that day Harry had first gifted it to her. It was always in her hold with the omega’s little button nose constantly buried on the soft material of the stuffie as she without a care in the world took handfuls upon handfuls of Harry’s scent from the stuffie.
“Bunny, this is one of your best ideas yet.” Sophia had firmly and sweetly told him while Harry giggling gave back the freshly scented Pooh stuffie back to the omegas arms.
It hadn’t been a full day since the alpha gave her the scented toy and Sophia had already come to his corner nook in the bakery asking to re-scent it. Harry was honestly astonished since personally scented materials usually hold it’s smell for a minimum of one week.
That was a rather successful first step in Harry’s courting which encouraged him to start with phase two of his courting blueprint.
The second item on his courting agenda is to bake Sophia her all-time favorite honey goodie: the classic corn muffin with honey butter.
Harry’s not shit at cooking, he’s pretty decent thanks to Anne who had forced him as a young child to help her around the kitchen. That’s why this isn’t really something that would be a means to show Sophia that he’d battle the hell-fires of cooking just for her. It’s more of, ‘When you’re tired or in need of help, you can call for me, your alpha, to make you your favorite honey goodie. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to make it for you all the time because you love cooking it yourself and I’d never take that away from you. I’m just doing this to show you that when you want, you have the option to trust me to make you something you like.’
Harry thinks it was a sound plan with an appropriate reasoning behind it. It didn’t even cause him any fuss when he bought his ingredients at the grocery near his place, nor was it difficult to take the long drive to Sophia’s parents house to get fresh honey from them. Don’t think Harry has forgotten the informative conversation Sophia had given him about deceiving honey brands that can be found on the shelves of commercial stores.
Wanting to really surprise the omega, Harry decided to wake-up at the crack of dawn that day, which says a lot since he already leaves his bed in the early hours of the morning on an ordinary day. But to be able to give Sophia the freshest corn muffin with honey butter with the most time she can have to enjoy it, Harry has to bake it at three AM since the bakery opens at six and the morning shift is the only shift that he can monopolize Sophia’s time.
With ‘Positions’ by Ariana Grande playing on his bluetooth speaker, Harry carefully glided across his kitchen to make these corn muffins. He definitely lacks the natural finesse that Sophia possessed when he watches her bake this, but Harry thinks he still does a mighty job by not cutting his fingers when he was knifing out the corn from its cob. Considering how clumsy he can be, and that it was fucking three AM in the morning and no one in his neighborhood is awake, having his fingers intact is a win for Harry.
What’s more of a win is that he’s honey butter didn’t melt from the not-so-short walk he did from his house to the cottage bakery. Jogging there would be much faster, but he was carrying precious cargo and he can’t risk tripping over nothing and seeing his corn muffins fall to the side of the street in a pathetic mess.
And thankfully, Sophia didn’t think his efforts on baking for her is anything near pathetic.
The omega had chortled a thorough sound of surprise, eyes almost falling off its sockets as she shockingly looked at the perfectly boxed eight corn muffins with the separate container for the honey butter which Harry even took the time to draw some bees on its label.
“Bunny, you didn't?!”
Harry smirked at her fixed state of surprise (pats on the back, pats on the back for you H!), winking as he replied, “But yes, I totally did.”
One second they were staring at each other in varying degrees of surprise and fond like two idiots who need more sleep. And then the next, Sophia was springing to Harry’s arms, the omega had clung to him like an adorable koala as she peppered his face with dozens upon dozens of kisses. Harry is quite biased with the strawberry flavor of her lip gloss, so the alpha takes his time to savor the kisses her lips directed towards his own because he’s already addicted to the sweetness of its taste and the plumpness of its shape.
Harry giggled out in Sophia’s lips when the latter had not shown any sign of stopping any time soon with her sweet assault towards his face, “Sunflower, the honey butter might melt.”
And with just that one utterance, Sophia was springing back out of Harry’s arms this time around and heading straight to the muffins. Her apparent excitement should have notified Harry that her first reaction upon taking that first bite of the corn muffins and honey butter that he made must be something more extra than what she had been currently displaying.
So truth be told, there was Harry trying his best not to pop any stiffy as Sophia had moaned with her head thrown back in her shoulder as she munched her first bite of the muffin.
“Heavenly, that’s absolutely heavenly, bunny!” Sophia complimented further, not making Harry’s situation any better as he feels his traitorous (and pitiful) dick chubbing up just a little bit on his skinnies as Sophia continues her heavenly sounds of appreciation for Harry’s baking.
Not wanting to ruin the moment for the omega, Harry decided to busy himself with preparing their cuppas because not only does he need a distraction from his unfortunate situation down south, but Sophia is certainly distracted and seems to be in a whole different world as she continues to eat Harry’s gift. Besides, Harry feels happy whenever he gets to prepare their morning cuppas no matter how simple the task may be, it shows that Sophia trusts him to go about his own way in her kitchen.
And that thought stopped right there for Harry because a new thing that he discovered during the period of their courting is that talking about trust, making the omega feel comfortable and safe, or anything remotely related to domesticity, gives the alpha love boners.
Does he need those right now? Preferably not.
While despite those hard parts (literally) in that second step of courting, Harry still thinks he did brill. That day ended with Sophia pouting at him as she told him off on why the alpha didn’t stop her when he noticed that before breakfast shift was even over, she already ate a total of six muffins.
“Now I only have two left and I don’t think that’s going to be enough to satisfy me.” Sophia whined which made Harry giggle at her adorable nature without even the need for her to try.
“Aren’t you going to bake the same corn muffins later? You can just eat some of those once you finish the one’s I made you.”
“It’s not the same!” Sophia groans almost frighteningly sounding like Tilly whenever the alpha scratches her back (progress!) just a little too much for her liking, “You’re forgetting the keywords, bunny: the once you made for me! The muffins later will not be baked by you.”
And because Harry thinks Sophia is smartly catching-up on the extent of his speech during that night in her cottage of his alpha already worshiping her omega, Sophia adds with a barely concealed sly smirk,
“Or are you?”
Let’s just say Harry can apparently substitute for Georgie or Sabrina when one of them can’t make it to the bakery.
Whipped, absolutely whipped like the third batch of honey butter Harry made that day.
For the third step in Harry’s agenda of courting, the idea was actually inspired by the omega herself without any prior explanation as to why the alpha did this third type of wooing.
Ever since that fateful and monumental night that Harry likes to call, ‘The night I finally understood for myself what dreams are made of as said by Hilary Duff, the queen herself.’ (which Sophia had reacted with, ‘hey now, hey now, you can’t seriously be serious, bunny?’) where the omega had shamelessly worn his used shirt for the remainder of their night which may or may not revolved around making-out with each other in their very romantic and cozy pillow fort, Sophia had expressed her liking for wearing Harry’s silk shirts in the confines of her own home.
Expressed as in: had asked for Harry to bring her some of his silk shirts that should be freshly scented by the alpha or it’s a no go for her.
Because his possessive nature has only been ignited further now that his courting Sophia, Harry dreamily nods to her request like a love-dazed puppy running back and forth fetching a damn stick waiting for a reward.
Harry’s reward came in the form of the blissful smile on Sophia's face the first time Harry had followed with his agreement to her request, sweetly confessing that she likes wearing his scent on her skin whenever she’s at home because it’s the only time they’re ever truly apart from each other.
Not wanting to overwhelm the omega, Harry really bit back from saying, ‘I’d move into your house in a heartbeat if you never want to be apart from my side again. Tilly can go scratch me all she wants but I don’t care as long as you’re always happy with me and not missing me.’
That response was without a doubt, going to overwhelm the timid omega. So Harry settles for the next best thing he can to show her he’s all for Sophia wanting a piece of him whenever and wherever she is.
Harry decided to gift Sophia with one of his silk shirts (the omega got all frowny with Harry when he had suggested to buy the omega her own brand new silk shirts but just in the alpha’s size) which the alpha tried his best to find the one that closely resembled the pastel yellow tone of her lovely bakery apron.
At first Harry didn’t know what special touch he could add to the silk shirt that would make it a courting appropriate present. He was in the middle of finalizing his sketch of the second piece for the new collection, the sheer dress now had it’s fine details of white hearts at the trimmings of the layered skirt area inspired by the omega’s loungewear that she wore ‘The night I finally understood for myself what dreams are made of as said by Hilary Duff, the queen herself.’ , when it hits Harry like a brilliant lighting bolt.
When Sophia first saw the stitching of ‘Styles’ Sunflower’ on the upper left part of the silk button-up shirt, she said: “Do I even want to know why?”
Her sassy remark makes Harry gasp dramatically from his standing position in front of Sophia who was sitting on her couch with her new courting present in her lap, “Excuse me? I made that all by myself and you’re giving me that sassy attitude? I’ll let you know everyone else with adequate knowledge about fashion would be shitting themselves now if they got a hand stitched, and freshly scented piece by Harry Styles himself!”
Sophia knew his highfalutin words are nothing but cheeky and joking so she laughed accordingly, her head thrown back to her shoulders. “Well I’m going to start shitting myself if you don’t stop acting like such an obnoxious alpha!”
“I didn’t even want to act that way but you provoked me by giving me such a sassy reaction!” Harry playfully bantered back.
Sophia giggled at the faux frown on Harry’s forehead and that pout strategically formed on his lips, “I couldn’t help myself. This is without a doubt, a very alpha-y thing for you to do. It’s like you're claiming me by giving me this shirt.”
“I don’t know if you haven’t noticed it yet but my ravenous appetite is not because I was compensating for not being able to eat when I was younger, it’s because I’m an alpha and it’s in my genetics to always be hungry, and apparently, having strong possessive and owning tendencies.”
Harry’s teasing earned him a classic eye-roll from the omega who had quipped back around a smirk of her own, “I didn’t say anything bad about it, or that I don’t like it. So there’s no need for you to tease me that hard.”
“So you do like it?” Harry couldn’t help but fish-out for more, especially when the omega not-so-discreetly began rubbing the soft fabric of Harry’s gift on her bare shoulders with her body adorned by a simple cream colored strappy vest.
Whatever cheekiness Sophia’s features may have contained earlier, it quickly disappeared upon the alpha’s question and was replaced by her usual soft tones, “Of course I like it, bunny,” an in a much quieter tone, “I’m sure you know that it’s also written in the biology of my secondary gender that I’m not exactly opposed to feelings of possessiveness.”
Peeking from underneath her lashes and wispy blonde bangs, Sophia focused directly on Harry’s own gaze with the alpha’s treasured blush gracing the omega’s dimpled cheeks.
“It’s in my biology to like to feel owned, and to be able to exert the same emotion to my mate by being in the other position of being the one doing the owning.”
Sophia’s vulnerable response was honest to god, like a breath of fresh air from Harry.
No matter how assured he is that their courting is very much consensual and no one is doing anything the other does not want to. It feels reassuring to hear from the person your courting that you’re not the only one who’s constantly naturally tapping in their innate and almost primitive and animalistic emotions.
It’s safe to say that after that exchange, Harry no longer feels guilt within him whenever he visibly preens in pride whenever Sophia wears one of his silk shirts in her cottage bakery. To his rapture, the omega even returns his preening every time she wears the specific pastel yellow shirt of his. The alpha bravely presses a gentle kiss on the stitched, ‘Styles’ Sunflower’ whispering afterwards in total reverence, “My omega sunflower.”
It’s quite a shame Sophia makes Harry preen harder every time she replies back in the same admiration, “You’re my alpha bunny too.”
So with all the open acts of preening and recognizing each other as their own, Harry had also made it his job to make sure that his omega sunflower is never cold.
Weeks of seeing the omega baker wearing his thin silk shirts in her bakery, Harry noticed the specific pattern every afternoon. Sophia returns from the back room no longer adorned by Harry’s shirt but was now wearing one of her pastel cardigans out of her vast collection of those soft and warming materials.
Harry doesn’t know what possessed him, but for the fourth item on his courting blueprint, the alpha finds himself knocking on the door of Sophia’s childhood home, Fiona greeting him brightly as she asked her fellow alpha if he had brought with him all the materials they needed for today’s session.
Because apparently, Harry was going to learn how to knit a cardigan for Sophia; plain and simple as that.
The alpha quickly learns that it's anything but that.
“Shitting hell,” Harry let out in frustration as his abnormally big alpha fingers failed to successfully curl the yarn on the rounded knitting needles.
Fiona chuckled from her position right in front of Harry, the two having decided to knit outside at the patio which Harry is now thankful for as the cool England air would be a good reprieve from his steadily growing heat of cuss words.
“I hate to break it to you love,” Fiona smiled at Harry with her own knitting work placed to a pause, “but you’re just at the very first step. Casting on is nothing to the knit and purl I’ll be teaching you in a while once you get your yarn on your needles.”
Harry should have taken that as a warning. But he was his regular stubborn and highly determined alpha so he didn’t see the clear out Fiona was trying to give him earlier.
By the time afternoon tea was brought to them by John, Harry was a downright crazed man who only knew the words, ‘knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl’ as his sore hands continued to do such. Harry was so lost in the notion that Fiona’s call for him to take a break resulted in him rudely brushing her off with a groan of ‘No! Knit, purl, knit, purl!’
Thank the heavens Fiona and John had only laughed at his impolite response, most probably aware of the deep alpha spiral Harry has found himself in for the purpose of arduously finishing something that his omega needs, the feeling familiar to them being alphas themselves.
Harry fortunately got his bearings back and apologized profusely to the mother of the omega she was courting for his highly impolite behavior. But true to the carefree nature of Fiona, the female alpha just pushed Harry’s cuppa into his direction telling him to give his hands a break and fill his stomach with some biscuits before Sophia comes knocking on the door ready to berate her and John for not feeding Harry properly, regardless if they’re her parents.
Harry shook his head in a giggle after he took a relieving sip of his afternoon tea, “I don’t think she has a mean bone in her body, Fiona.”
Fiona hummed around her own cuppa, gave the younger alpha a knowing look, “Not saying she was going to have a talk with John and I from a mean perspective. It’s more out of an overprotective, innately caring, loving bone?”
And Harry could go behind that.
Could certainly believe without a doubt that it was from said ‘loving bone’ that Sophia had strongly chastised Harry when he had finally gifted the omega the finished baby pink cardigan that thankfully, actually resembled and functioned as one, no matter the countless mistakes Harry had encountered while making it.
“You didn’t have to do this, bunny.” Sophia for the nth time repeated with the unmoving frown still etched on her pretty face, her tone laced heavily with concern, “Look at how bruised and sore your hands are!”
Harry doesn’t even have to look down to have a clear picture (and clear feeling) of how poorly and unfortunate his hands look right now. Doing the casting on, the knit and purl crazy unending loop, casting off, seaming all the separate pieces together, and meticulously doing the final touches to the cardigan, has deeply ingrained in Harry that no matter the throbbing pain he was feeling, it didn’t matter and did not compare to the burning need Harry had to be able to provide warmth for his omega.
So Sophia’s words of reproach that he knows stems from her concern for him, did not ruin the alpha’s ecstatic mood for not only being successful in doing his first (and fucking last) knitting piece, but that too of not making a fool of himself in front of the omega. Nothing stopped Harry from reaching out his aching hands to pick the discarded baby pink cardigan as he held it up for Sophia to try on.
With a cheeky smile, Harry wiggled his eyebrows up and down in a ridiculous nature, wanting the omega to break-free from her worried aura and change to that beautiful, sunshine energy of hers.
“Sunflower, come on,” Harry coaxed, “Come try my newest creation? For me, please?”
Sophia sighed, coming to Harry’s space to indulge his kind request, though not completely out of her worried state just yet as she verbally confirmed it with a pout present, “I’m still upset that you work yourself so hard without needing to. I have a collection of cardigans to begin with, bunny.”
“But you don’t have one made by the Harry Styles,” Harry proudly said, gently fixing the fit of the cardigan on Sophia’s petite form, “and don’t get too cocky about the fact that you’re the only one that has a knitted cardigan by the Harry Styles.”
That made Sophia snort an unattractive sound, “I don’t think I should be the one getting worried about being cocky, the Harry Styles.”
Harry just gave her a cheeky smile, pinching Sophia’s round cheeks, “You love it, now go give me a twirl in your new lovely cardigan.”
And because it’s a courting gift after all, and that Sophia actually lights-up in whatever piece of cardigan she sees, the sweet giggling omega does a few twirls for Harry in the middle of her living room floor.
“Wooh!” Harry exaggeratedly hoots, “So ravishing, so graceful looking, bloody bewitching that cardigan looks on you, sunflower!”
So bewitching in fact that the omega has somehow put a spell on Harry as he found himself making other things for her. This time around, it’s in the form of various honey bath products for his fifth courting matter of business.
“Harry, I swear to god do not remove those rubber gloves cause you’re going to infect these bath products with your germs.” Anne scolded him.
Earlier it made sense that Harry goes knocking on his mother’s door, this time to ask for her help since she is an enthusiast for such honey skincare products. But now he’s kind of having serious second thoughts about that since it’s the fourth consecutive time she had called him out.
“Mum, we all have germs.” Harry shook his head but agrees nonetheless, molding the bar of honey soap with the fucking gloves on as he watched it slip from his hold again because the fucking gloves are not helping.
“Not lovely and pure, sweet Soph,” Anne corrected him in confidence, “That kind omega is simply exquisite that there’s no way she has any single smidge of germs on her.”
Harry realized that he could get all the telling-off from his mother over the simplest things, as long as he gets to continue listening to his lovely mother talking his ears-off about how simply exquisite his omega is.
In Harry’s opinion, making these assortment of honey bath products was much easier than knitting a cardigan. Fashion and sewing might be a strong suit of his, but concocting these cleansing and soothing products as he harnessed his inner science geek, Harry was not worried for the well-being of his hands. Don’t tell Anne but the gloves definitely went past the purpose of getting the products contaminated with his germs, but it also protected Harry’s ringed fingers from any more bruising.
Sophia would surely give him her own telling-off if Harry impedes on the progress of his healing hands. Sophia had been religiously lathering his sore hands with aloe vera every morning that he arrives at the bakery, and every evening when he leaves.
Speaking of the sweet and hardworking omega baker, Harry was unsure if it was a fortunate or unfortunate chance that Sophia happened to be bone-tired when Harry had planned to give her his last courting present. Though no matter the answer, Harry made it his mission to give his amazing and diligent omega the ultimate relaxing experience with his personally crafted honey bath products.
Because Sophia had been busy at the bakery, Harry was successfully able to ask for a spare key to her cottage home in the guise of leaving the bakery earlier than usual so he could head straight to Sophia’s home kitchen and cook them some dinner. Never one to decline any of his cooking offers especially when she’s already too tired to do it herself, Sophia lovingly kissed him on the lips and whispered her kind request of wanting pasta carbonara with bits of honeyed bacon into it.
Harry was never capable of denying anything the omega wants. So after sprucing-up Sophia’s bathroom with a scattering of tea light candles around the space, not forgetting scented candles and just a good amount of rose petals thrown aesthetically without it being a pain in the arse to clean up later, the alpha proceeded to slave-away in the kitchen to make Sophia her requested dinner.
With their ankles twirled around each other under the table, Harry began his pampering of Sophia as he busied himself feeding the both of them with one fork and plate for two, the glass of water never far away from his reach whenever Sophia needed a sip. The omega positively preening at all of Harry’s attention, probably thought this was part of his courting agenda. It technically wasn’t, but Harry would not cut himself short and by boxing himself in this courting blueprint when he just naturally wants to dote on her in whatever simple or extravagant means he can manage.
“I’m just going to go shower,” Sophia said, “but you can stay in my room bunny while I’m getting ready for our movie night.”
“Sure, love.” Harry replied simply, not wanting to show his real excitement of what’s waiting for Sophia in her bathroom, “I’ll go get settled in your room while flicking through NetFlix to pick what movie we can watch, Any requests for tonight’s movie, sunflower?”
Sophia smiled at him with gratefulness seeping all over her tired features, “None really. I already chose our dinner, which was absolutely brill, by the way.” she winked and then giggled at the chuckling alpha, “I think it’s only right you go pick our movie.”
Harry whistled at her response, “That’s a very dangerous thing to let out, sunflower. What if I chose a scary movie?”
“I don’t think you will, bunny,” Sophia eagerly replied in a tone of obvious conviction, Harry waits at the edge of Sophia’s bed where he was sitting in great anticipation when the omega had turned around to open the door of her bathroom, “you’re just going to scare yourself a- OHMYGOD!”
And she went ahead to scare herself when she saw Harry’s surprise waiting inside for her ensuite. Harry couldn’t reel-in the amused smirk setting free on his face when Sophia quickly turned around to face the alpha with her ocean blues wide and open like an actual vast ocean on the beach, little pink mouth parted all shocked and pretty.
“Bunny, what’s this?” she wildly motioned with her hands towards her bathroom that was currently basking in the warm glow of the lit tea lights.
Harry raised his both arms up as he shrugged his shoulders with his head pointed towards his right shoulder in a cute tilt, “Surprise?”
“What do you mean?” Sophia asked in pure puzzlement, “Wasn’t dinner a surprise already?”
“Can I not have two surprises for the omega I’m courting?”
“Why do you have to be so sweet and so thoughtful?”
“Why are we having a conversation with questions?” Harry laughed.
Sophia laughed heartily along with him and replied, “I don’t know, because you just did such a good job shocking your omega with two surprises in one night?”
That made Harry’s smile turn soft, “Sunflower, this conversation will just go on and on cause you know I never back down in any banter of ours. But, I think you should really enjoy my actual surprise for tonight. That dinner awhile ago wasn’t really part of my courting plan but I’m really grateful that you appreciated it nonetheless.”
“I always appreciate whatever you do for me,” Sophia said with her head tilted in that cute way Harry loves as they stared at each other with an absolute dreamy tint in their eyes.
“I know, I feel it.” Harry giggled, “I also know that you should go take a bath already and use the honey bath products mum and I made.”
The alpha reached below the omega’s bed to retrieve the wicker basket that contained the little arrangement of his honey goodies: honey bar soap, honey bubble bath, honey face mask, and honey shampoo. He placed the basket on his lap and shared to Sophia what each product was, cheekily remarking that if she wanted to know what the benefits of each product were that went beyond just cleaning your body, then Sophia should just ring Anne to get those information because Harry can’t be bothered to remember the difference between the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of honey.
“I do recommend you use every single product in conjunction with each other to achieve the ultimate honey relaxing experience.” Harry offered a silent Sophia who had remained stock-still in her position outside her opened bathroom door, dreamy gaze directed at the alpha.
Before Harry could have risen up to give her the wicker basket containing all the products, Sophia stops him from even moving a muscle at her question.
“Will you join me in the bath while testing these honey goodies?”
Harry felt his face mimic the raging blush that bloomed on Sophia’s cheek after asking such a forward question.
‘What is it with this innocent and darling of an omega always trying to make me burst out an artery from all her very genuine but brazen-faced questions’, Harry asked his muddled brain that was filled with nothing but a never-ending loop of the omega’s question.
And because Harry has already had the wonderful taste of what happens when one stops faffing around in life, the alpha says ‘fuck it.’ in his head as he nodded an approval to Sophia’s question. The omega let out a pleased sound that’s near to her usual purr of utter contentment as Harry stood-up from his sitting position and made the short way to be directly in front of the omega.
With one arm holding the wicker basket, Harry used his free hand to put gentle fingers on Sophia’s chin as the alpha carefully raised her downturned head for her to be able to look directly into Harry’s eyes as he spoke.
“Are you sure this is what you want, sunflower?” Harry softly whispered in the quiet of the room.
When the omega just kept her gaze unmoving on his eyes without any concrete reply, Harry began to reassure her, “You don’t have to invite me with you in the bath if you’re uncomfortable about it. I’m not expecting anything in return from my gifts for you, and I just want you to enjoy them without worrying that I need some sort of retribution; just want my omega to be happy and comfortable.”
Sophia breathed out a deep breath after that, gentle hand moved to cradle Harry’s hold on her chin as she transferred it to cup her full cheek, eyes filled with a sense of sureness, Sophia replied, “I want you to join me. Not because I feel like I owe you or something, I just know it would make me really happy and really comfortable if you join me in the bath tonight.”
What can Harry do when the omega had basically used his own words against him? Nothing but to comply is what he found himself doing.
“Okay,” Harry simply replied with a smile of relief, while it also fully dawned on him what was about to happen, including the technicalities and possible implications behind it, “But I kind of didn’t bring any swimming trunks with me to wear because this was the last of the things I’ve expected happening tonight.”
His slightly awkward giggling resulted in a confused look on Sophia’s face, “What’s the swimming trunks for?”
More awkward giggling at that, Harry hating the way his face was flushed in deep pink just from the innocent question of the omega, “Um, like..I need it because we’re going to be inside the same bathtub? And like..I didn’t want to assume that we’re going to do it like..completely bare and naked?”
“Oh.” Sophia rapidly blinked at him when it also registered within her, cotton candy pink blush on her cheeks have evolved to a firetruck red if Harry wanted to be more specific, “Yeah, your question totally made sense.” she giggled sheepishly with her eyes having a hard time to meet Harry’s own.
“It’s totally fine if my lack of swimming trunks changes your resolve about this an-”
“No.” Sophia swiftly interrupted him, blue eyes back with its determined glint staring Harry down to his soul, “No, my answer is still the same. We’ll just get in the tub together with both our undergarments on, I’m good and comfortable with that.”
Despite the deep blush that remained on the omega’s face, Harry didn’t dare question Sophia’s ardent statement. Instead, Harry motioned his arm for the omega to do the honors of entering the bathroom first with a smile of reassurance thrown her way. The nerves that the alpha was feeling rise-up his system, was greatly soothed when Sophia returned his soft smile with the same tone of reassurance and that everything was a green light for her.
The burning scented candles enveloped the room with the aroma of calmness which Harry kept breathing in as he waited for the tub to be filled with warm water, the container of honey bubble bath waiting in his hand. He could hear Sophia shuffling behind him, trying to steady his still present nerves by breathing in more artificial calming smells from the candle as to distract himself from the omega that was most probably undressing herself from her dainty work clothes and leaving only her undergarments on.
Harry could definitely keep his cool, should definitely keep his cool because if he undresses later and the first thing Sophia saw was his hard-on, then the innocent thing might actually go running for the hills because she hasn’t even done anything and Harry already has a ‘few strokes in and ready to pop a knot’ type of stiffy.
Harry sighed a deep breath as he filled the tub with a good amount of the honey bubble bath, knowing that he can’t stall time and gather his wits to make his body react in a not-so sexual way from the prospect of seeing Sophia barely covered in clothing. Just to kick things off, it was only proper in Harry’s mind that he also undressed while not facing Sophia, so as to not overwhelm her.
Slowly, he removed every piece of today’s clothing away from his skin, folded it neatly and placed it on one of the surfaces in Sophia’s bathroom where it won’t get wet.
Left with only his black briefs on his lower half, Harry doesn’t want to seem like an idiot to the all-too quiet omega and keep standing with his back facing her just because he doesn’t want her to see such a natural biological reaction in his down south area.
As Harry likes to say in situations like this, “Fuck it.”
Harry turned around and was hit everywhere by Sophia’s ethereal beauty like it’s the first time he’s seeing her all over again. And in some ways that is true, it’s the first time Harry has seen the sweet omega baker in only her soft sage green matching little panties and bra.
It should be a shame that as a renowned lingerie designer like himself, Harry has seen enough people in their fucking underwear for his chosen career that could allow him to pin-point and explain what’s working and what’s not.
But when it came to that moment that his eyes lingered on the timid tilt of Sophia’s head, arms crossed behind her back in a nervous display, shoulders slightly hunched-up pushing her supple and perfectly weighted looking breasts more gorgeously in the confines of her bra, green eyes trailed down at the cute and small pudge of her soft looking stomach, gaze further dipped down to her curvaceous hips and tiny little panties perfectly guarding her utmost sweet innocence away from Harry’s wandering lucky eyes, all the alpha could utter in a tone of unbridled wonder was one word.
“Beautiful.”
He didn’t even rack his brain for any synonyms for such a common word and yet the timid omega standing just a few feet away from him, actually purred and preened in contentment at his simple and highly unoriginal utterance.
“Bunny..” Sophia trailed off in a breathless whisper, goosebumps rose on Harry’s skin without even having touched the soft ivory skin of the omega on his own.
“Omega, come here, please.” Harry gently directed the dreamy dazed Sophia with his hands finally connecting lightly with the skin of her arm and waist, as the alpha helped his omega to step inside the bath.
“Careful, my omega sunflower.” Harry said, giving Sophia time to position herself comfortably around the mass of bubbling, honey fragrant water.
Sophia whipped her head backwards to look at Harry, a little pout formed on her pink lips, “Alpha, join me here, please, bunny. Settle on my back, please.”
The undeniable tone of need laced around her kind and polite words, absolutely rumbled at Harry’s chest in an outright mess of pleased and aroused emotions.
The alpha languidly complied to Sophia’s request, every single notion of ‘fuck it’ he let out in his head as he found his way on Sophia’s back inside the bathtub, no longer giving a single fuck if Sophia feels his hard cock straining his briefs on the dimples of her back when he gathers her whole form in his arms in a tight embrace.
Let her feel it, he concluded within himself. This was him wanting to be open for his omega, this was his alpha surrendering and being vulnerable for his sunflower omega.
With Harry’s back resting at the edge of the tub, arms wounded tightly around Sophia’s stomach with his big paws mindlessly caressing the bare skin of her thighs, up to her arms and collarbones, the omega was completely pliant from head to to with her full back pressed perfectly on Harry’s bare and strong torso.
Sophia’s own dainty fingers began exploring and mapping around every visible patch of skin of Harry’s. It almost felt tickling as Sophia’s soft touches glided to every nook and cranny of his exposed body, all for her taking. The alpha allowed her to rest her face sidewards on his collarbones to nose along his defined jawline and drop kisses wherever she pleased.
It didn’t take that long for the two to find their respective scent glands and began keenly scenting one another, taking little breaks for their lips to meet in the middle.
They let themselves get drunk in each other’s comforting scents, lose themselves in their passionate little kisses, licks, nips, and suckles, submitted to the grounding feeling of their unrelenting hold, touch, caress on each other’s skins gave them, and the tranquility of their current atmosphere in the warmly lit bathroom, has added to their perfectly addicting energies.
If Harry forgot the rest of his courting gifts because of all that consuming emotions mentioned above,
Fuck it.
Honey Bunny - Part I
Story Masterpost for the other chapters
*~*~*
He is going to make her a slip dress, she’s his new inspiration.
Alright, maybe a definitive statement like that shouldn’t be his prerogative when he doesn’t even know who this lady is. He’s essentially going to make a piece of clothing that would be sold for quite a few hundred pounds for a complete stranger, a completely gorgeous omega though.
Harry Styles shakes his head at the current thoughts running in his head, right hand slicking back the long, wayward curls falling across his face obstructing the view of his sketchbook that’s open to a new blank page.
The page has been blank for almost a month now, and Harry doesn’t think he can afford to throw away such a brilliant (but possibly creepy) idea when he knows that by the end of the day, Jeff, his best friend and head of his creative department, would be ringing him up in the guise of checking in on him and then would try to extract information from Harry about his new collection. How can Jeff get anything from him when Harry himself has been sparse of ideas this entire life-altering few weeks.
You see, Harry owns the rapidly growing and flourishing lingerie and loungewear fashion brand of central London that everyone from across all ages and genders seem to adore dearly. Harry has founded his brand right after he finished fashion university in London, and named it, “Sweet Creature”, his literal baby made out of his sweat, tears, and passion. Harry’s not trying to be a typical cocky Alpha, but he can confidently say when asked that he deserves the title of being the next “it” lingerie name right after the infamous Victoria’s Secret. Heck, even the old sweet ladies that grew-up using Victoria’s Secret are now flocking Harry’s store and would kindly tell him that his baby is beyond better than the previous lingerie mogul.
There was a lot of fight in Harry to show people what he's got when he had first started his business. It’s not every time that a young lad from the small town of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire would excel in the big bustling town that is London, especially when it comes to the harsh and often uptight scene of fashion. He’s had to prove himself countless times in university, amongst his arrogant and posh peers who thought that a country boy like him does not have the skills and the eye for up-scale fashion like they do.
Harry’s not one to treat others awfully even if he sometimes thinks they deserve it. Though at the same time, the proud Alpha in him, and simply the fact that he’s a human being who knows his worth, would not allow anyone to walk down on him. Thus, the majority of his university days were spent with his chin high up in the air, strong stance walking along the corridors to go to his next class with nothing in mind but to continue to excel.
He might hear or see the nasty comments and looks his fellow peers give him, but he perfected the art of shutting them out. He was too keen to absorb knowledge and sharpen his fashion designing skills to fulfill his dreams of having his own fashion brand.
It paid off well in the end, thank you very much. Harry would rather subject himself for haters and strangers to think that he’s a snob and far too serious and borderline work obsessed, than to end up like the majority of his cocky and entitled peers who are now trying to contact his social media team asking them if they can promote his brand because they’re now social media influencers in the time being while they’re still in the process of starting their own brand.
Now, Harry’s not one to discredit anyone's process to work in establishing a name in the fashion industry because he experienced first hand how vile and tedious it is. But the audacity of some of his previous peers in wanting to work for him is seriously something he cannot stomach.
Some of them who had emailed his team he remembers as the ignorant and spoiled omegas in his class who is now playing the “helpless omega” card who in their email basically asserted that Harry is an alpha, definitely repeating per paragraph how kind he is, and that since he’s an alpha it’s expected in his biology and in society for him to care for omegas that are in need of help.
In Harry’s opinion, if you embody and practice human decency, alpha or not, his secondary gender has nothing to do with why he should care and help someone who had not done the same to him, and has blatantly given him an awful treatment in the past even when he did nothing to them. Besides, Harry has far more pressing matters to accomplish which involves growing his business internationally without the distraction of ill-motivated university acquaintances who are no doubt just playing with his kindness.
That’s what Harry had been very occupied with before this moment. Starting and growing his baby in London is one thing, but trying to perpetually build on his company whilst trying to establish a name internationally, is another completely difficult task.
Far from a complete two years in the fashion scene, Harry and his hardworking team had begun the tedious transition of making international recognition. Without a doubt, Harry had pushed every other part of his life at the back of the agenda, such as his initial plan of moving back to Cheshire after securing his own place in a homely village just about twenty minutes from Holmes Chapel where his mom still lives.
Harry feels absolutely privileged for being able to use his first few earnings to buy his own stoned country house, which definitely motivated him to push back his initial plan to move-in earlier in the year to place his focus first on his baby’s international pursuit.
Diligence and painstaking attention to every detail enabled Harry the success he had wanted in the international market. The workaholic alpha within him strikes in full-force after he sees how much people around the world seem to love wearing his undergarment pieces as outerwear, something that a lot of people in England have yet to take a massive interest in. Being the innovator that he is, Harry wanted to be the first one in his country to capitalize and promote this honestly brilliant and sexy fashion trend.
Jeff and his girlfriend Glenne, had told him that he was being a cocky and arrogant alpha like his peers from fashion university when Harry had relented to take a rest after their international market agenda before starting his new collection. Harry was honestly offended at that comment, never and ever would like to be likened to his previous acquaintances, and decided his stubborn arse would prove his friends wrong.
But half a month later and nothing but countless crumpled paper have littered Harry’s office instead of novel and highly creative ideas. Harry concedes with a petulant pout on his face as Jeff and Glenne’s smug smiles look at him over dinner in his office (because Harry wasn’t going admit defeat without trying really hard, and yes, it means eating take-out dinner in his closed office by himself) as they’ve finally convinced him to take a breather by finally packing his stuff and move to his new place in Cheshire.
So that’s what occurred, Harry packed all his belongings in his Range Rover and had thankfully only needed to make two trips from London to Cheshire to move all his stuff. Harry’s a country boy at heart, so it was genuinely a dream of his to settle back in the country gardens of his hometown. Inspiration is something he thought will come to him in a snap of a finger at the familiarity of his surroundings, always going home with new ideas after every bite of his mother’s scrumptious basque cheesecake.
But in reality, Harry can only eat so much of Anne’s comforting cheesecake before he bloats up with dairy instead of new propositions of garment silhouettes and lace patterns. He does not understand why it doesn’t work this time around, and it’s particularly annoying (and disgusting, to be honest) that rather than spending his time in his brand new marble work desk, he spent the majority of it in his fresh orange scented bathroom, shitting.
That must have been the sign that homemade, country-local goods are not the answer to his designer block. However, here he is, in his neighborhood bakery to consume more dairy infused goods if all the mouthwatering scents of something baking in the oven is any indication, when Harry had first entered the little, adorable cottage looking establishment.
If he’s being honest, it’s not the first time that the bakery has piqued his interest. Every time Harry re-established his morning jogging routine around his new neighborhood, there’s this unknown force that seems to stop the momentum of his jog once he neared the vicinity of the bakery. It makes him slow down on a walk, eyes drifting to the little windows slightly covered by white lace curtains.
He doesn’t want to admit it to himself, but the pretty smiling girl in her pastel yellow apron that she never fails to wear every time Harry had taken a peek at the window, was definitely one of the pushing factors that had made him finally enter the cottage bakery today. It was a little bit of a downer that she wasn’t there upon his arrival, but Harry quickly berated himself that he was here to gain much needed inspiration for his new collection, not to ogle at pretty little smiling girls.
But the thing is, she is a pretty little smiling cutie up close and personal. And Harry’s really trying his best to stop the ogling, but how can he when the moment the little bell on top of the door rang signalling a new arrival, Harry’s eyes and nose have turned upwards in their own accord at the sight and smell that began to permeate the quaint bakery.
It’s addictively sweet, that is. The new scent smells like fresh, saccharine sweet honeysuckle with hints of vanilla bean swirled into it. Not only that, but the sight of the girl is sickeningly sweet as well.
It’s her, was the first thought Harry had, the pretty girl he always sees when he takes a peek at the window, minus her pastel yellow apron as the smiling little creature was currently adorned with a silky blue slip dress, Harry’s detailed oriented eyes instantly sees the white lace trimmings of the breast cups of her dress that have stitches of little pastel yellow and pink flowers. But in all honesty, it’s her big blue eyes being framed by her wispy blonde bangs and her tiny dimpled smile that Harry fixates on.
Not even a full five minutes of the girl being in the bakery, Harry has decided that she’s his new inspiration for his upcoming collection like some sort of alpha child who has a crush on a beautiful girl trying to make her a ‘roses are red, violets are blue’ poem in primary school. Except right now, Harry’s more discrete at his staring with less chances of being caught, as he quietly looks from his flower printed cushion seat at the girl that’s now wearing her favorite pastel yellow apron with the matching oven mitts, humming sweetly while she takes out the freshly baked muffins from the oven.
There weren’t many customers in the bakery this early in the day, so Harry’s sharp alpha hearing, kind of, well what choice does he really have, is overhearing the conversation between the girl and the other two betas that he learns are her workers. It only surprises him a bit to learn that she’s the owner of this bakery taking in account that she’s an omega if her sweet scent and delicate physique can be any more of a tell.
In this current society where Harry luckily lives in, it has certainly moved a million miles away from the older status quo and societal standards that omegas should be kept within the confines of a home to become wives and caregivers. Providing them access to opportunities that can enable them to develop skills to move past that, was highly illegal before. Harry’s a hundred percent thankful that it is no longer the case today, though it’s still common for omegas to be in a subordinate position under alphas and betas with fewer opportunities open for them that goes beyond the care sector.
Harry’s definitely one of the advocates of providing more varied chances for omegas, being one of the first fashion brands that showcased both female and male omegas as the models of their garments. Harry honestly does not fathom how people don’t see the innate prettiness and air of elegance and gracefulness that every omega possesses, they’re quite literally born for this job.
Harry smiles to himself upon hearing the melodious quiet giggles that leave the omega’s lips at something one of her workers said, something about how the sweetness of her mother’s honey bees must have transferred to her boss based from her bright aura this morning. Harry can confidently agree, handwriting the word ‘honey’ on top of the rough sketch of the slip dress he made for her on his now miraculously not blank sketchpad.
Harry is stunned to say the least, because of this pretty stranger of an omega, he got his first inspiration in months with not just a snap of a finger, but just a blink of an eye. Harry is still fascinated at this swift progress of things, right hand expertly refining his design.
He always gets transfixed on designing whenever he has found that perfect idea to work on, mood always turning positive when he’s doing what he loves to do the most. His rapture is interrupted when he hears a little cough from his side.
He’s met with the sight of the adorable omega, looking (and smelling, let’s not forget about that vital detail, thank you) exceptionally breathtaking while standing just a feet away from where he’s seated, both of her arms crossed behind her back, looking all cute with that same smile Harry’s been seeing earlier, except now it’s directed at him quite surprisingly.
“Hi!” the omega says in a chirpy tone, head tilting to the side in a cute greeting.
Harry tries not to look too stunned at her undeniable charm, “Hey, may I help you?”
Giggles leave her glossy baby pink lips in answer, making Harry smile at the dulcet tune, “Oh, not really. I was actually here to ask you if you want any more of our honey goods?” she giggles again for whatever reason.
Harry obviously doesn’t mind her quite pleasant interruption, finding himself releasing his own little giggles at her adorable nature, “Well, I think I still have a little bit of my honey pancakes left, so maybe I’d take that offer late.”
“Are you sure?” she asks with that same cute tilt of her head to her shoulder, ocean blue eyes widening a bit.
Harry gets distracted by her charm, “I think?” he asks back, almost unsure if it’s the right thing to say. He sees the little quirk of the omega’s lips, Harry returning it as if he’s proud of himself for giving some sort of correct answer.
“What do you mean you think? I’m the one asking you.” she giggles even more, Harry’s honestly confused of what’s happening but all he knows is he wants to keep making her giggle like that.
“You’re correct, you’re asking me. Silly little me.” Harry agrees with her, shrugging his shoulders in a sheepish nature, preening at the way his silliness causes the omega to cover her giggling mouth with her dainty hand.
“I did smell some delicious scents just a few moments ago. I’m assuming those came from your other honey goods?”
“Oh yes!” the omega perks up at Harry’s question, “I forgot to tell you that my honey goods are freshly baked!”
Harry nods along at her bright enthusiasm, “Now that’s a shame. I would have quickly taken your offer earlier if you would have mentioned that they were freshly baked. I’m just saying, who doesn’t like freshly baked food? Crazy and horrible people, those are.”
The little omega nods her head in agreement, a small pout forming on her baby pink lips, its fullness definitely made more prominent with whatever shining lip gloss she’s wearing, “I know right, those people who can resist the goodness of freshly baked goodies are just sad. They probably lack hugs or something.”
Harry is taken aback to say the least; in complete awe at how adorable she is without even trying. The alpha can hear the genuineness in her tone, laced with dejection at the prospect that some people in the world are actually needing hugs. Harry doesn’t doubt that if he was one of the hug-starved people and had asked this kind omega for some, he probably wouldn’t have finished his sentence and the girl would be collecting him into her small arms in a gentle hug.
Sadly, he isn’t hug-starved and he can’t resist freshly baked treats. So maybe Harry should just find other ways to be able to get the omega to hug him? Maybe another day when he actually gets to know the name of the girl first. That's going to be a good incentive to come back to the bakery again, Harry thinks.
“Good thing I can’t withstand the gloriousness of freshly baked honey goodies,” Harry says instead when a cooing sound almost leaves his lips at the pout the omega was still sporting at him. “What are these specific delectables by the way?”
Some sort of dazzling energy seems to enter the omegas little body at his question, face positively beaming as she claps her hand in excitement. Harry’s so attuned to her every movement and expression that he really tries his best to control the drool that may slip from his mouth in utter amazement at her loveliness as he watches her animatedly list down her honey treats.
“We have three baked goodies that you might want to choose from, or you can just get them all if you wish,” She giggles, unknowingly coaxing Harry to actually just get everything she’s offering if that sweet noise leaves her lips again. The omega has no clue how much she’s affecting the alpha this early on in their meeting.
“Anyway, we have freshly made Belgian waffle bites paired with our homemade strawberry-infused honey, or you can opt for our Belgian chocolate honey if you like that more. To be honest, I prefer our chocolate honey with it and I add a bit of powdered sugar on top of it to make it extra sweet! And then, we also have our best seller honey cookies with a drizzle of pure honey, that’s one of my favorites to be honest. It’s simple, but very tasty and addictive once you start munching on them. I think I once ate ten of them in one sitting, that’s how amazing they are. While for the third but certainly not the least best of our freshly made goods, is my utmost ultimate favorite ever, my special corn muffins with honey butter! It’s really the yummiest in my opinion, especially when I also add some pure honey drizzles on top, it’s so good!”
Harry should be annoyed, is the thing. The owner of a bakery should not be rambling this much in front of a customer, usually they offer suggestions when the customer is at a loss of what to order, but they never elaborate on what their favorites are so fondly as the omega had done. Harry doesn’t like talkative strangers in general, especially when they’re this up close to him saying things he didn’t technically need to hear.
But the adorable little omega baker is fucking shining while talking his ears off about her honey goods, how can Harry be annoyed with that? Especially now that she has seemed to take a deep breath after her lengthy sharing, arms crossing behind her back again as her chin dips a little lower, looking quite shy all of a sudden.
“Plus, I baked them all myself.” she shares in a little timid tone, tips of her pristine white sneakers with pearl embellishment turning inwards.
Harry actually coos this time, a deep pleased sound leaving his chest resulting for the omega to perk up in interest and slight surprise.
“You did?” Harry asks in a clearly charmed tone, almost sounding like he’s talking to a baby. “You baked all those delicious sounding honey treats yourself?”
“I did.” the girl replies more confidently this time, “I made all the batter last night before I closed the bakery and also placed and formed them in their specific baking sheets or molds. My lovely workers were the ones who placed it in the oven though, cause I wasn’t here for opening today. Though I’m kinda sad I wasn’t the one who did it.”
Now that just won’t do, this lovely omega cannot be sad under any circumstances, especially when Harry can help it.
“That sounds truly lovely, and absolutely delicious because you still made them even if you weren’t the one who placed it in the oven.”
The omega undeniably preens at the obvious compliment, “Really, you think so?”
“Of course,” Harry replies without missing a beat, “In fact, I want a taste of all three of those goodies now.”
The omega gasps, delicate hands coming up to cover her mouth in surprise, “Oh my god, really?” she asks, blue eyes widening once again.
Harry chuckles at her surprised reaction; he can’t really find anything that she does annoying and it instead looks absolutely precious to his eyes. “Yeah, I really, really want to try them out all. You’re a good sales talker, and probably a fantastic baker too if the pancakes I just ate earlier were any indication.”
Harry feels smug at the rosy flush that is now tinting the omega’s cheeks, the sides of her lips turned upwards almost bashfully. The alpha might have a reputation of being too serious and passive, but he won’t deny that he’s also got some enchanting tricks hidden on the sleeves of his silk shirts just waiting for the right ones to be unleashed on. And yes, this lovely omega is definitely one of the few.
‘Thank you,” she first replies in a sweet tone, “How about I fetch those honey treats for you before they turn cold? I bet I’ve already wasted a lot of your time by my long chats. Sorry about that, I just noticed you’re new here and I’m always excited to share my love for honey goodies to others, especially when they’re freshly baked. Sorry, I’m rambling again.”
Harry frowns after her apology, watching in distaste at the embarrassed expression on the omega’s face as she places a fallen lock of her hair behind her ear. He doesn’t like the way he feels when he sees her looking uncomfortable, like she did something bad.
“Hey, none of those apologies, you didn’t waste my time or anything.” In fact, Harry thinks, it’s completely the other way around cause you’re basically the light on the end of my designer block tunnel that has just saved me from getting anymore berating from my best friend. Obviously he can’t say that or it will surely overwhelm her.
“Actually, I need a refill on my sugar content so I can properly do my sketches now that I’ve already finished my portion of pancakes. Your baked goods will do just the trick, I’m sure.”
The girl still looks quite unsure, but Harry tries to settle her worries by giving her his most friendly smile that he can muster, and it probably worked when not a moment later she returns it.
“Alright, if you say so. I’ll just go and serve it to you.”
Harry nods his head in acknowledgement, allowing the girl to leave his side to get her baked goods. Harry sighs wistfully at the few moments of being back to his solace, feeling like his acting quite foolish for feeling so attached all of a sudden with just their first interaction.
The layout of her bakery even allows him to see the girl preparing his order due to the open kitchen layout of the bakery where there’s only the white marbled kitchen counter that is separating the kitchen from the dining area. Customers are able to see their food getting cooked or prepared, which is fantastic because all the amazing aromas of the honey infused food are always present.
Harry is actually enthralled at the cozy atmosphere this cottage style bakery is emulating. Everything is white and made mostly out of wood like that of the round tables and chairs, or the few shelves attached to the walls with little vintage trinkets displayed in them. The omega seems to love pastels as well, since it’s the only pop of color visible in her bakery.
From the pastel pink color of her vintage fridge, to the baby blue color of her toaster and coffee machine, it’s not a surprise that her mugs and plates she uses to serve customers are also in a pastel yellow like that of her apron and oven mitts. The lighting inside also almost feels quite whimsical with the warm and bright fairy lights scattered around the bakery, the vibe almost feeling like a magical cottage with fairies hiding somewhere in the various vases of flowers. Everything just feels homely and warm and utterly sweet and charming.
When she returned with a wooden tray filled with three little plates containing Harry’s order, the omega was now wearing a white cardigan with heart-shaped pearls as its buttons. Harry stands up from his seat to help her with the food regardless of her fruitless attempt of wanting to do it by herself. Harry’s a true gentleman regardless if he knows the person he’s helping or not, real credit to his mum for raising him well.
Harry was sure that the omega was going to leave his company the moment she’s placed all of Harry’s food on the table, still probably thinking that he wants her out of his way the quickest possible moment which is entirely far from the truth.
In fact, Harry’s going to channel his inner I’m-Confident-And-Charming-And-We-Both-Know-It-So-Don’t-Resist-It alpha within him that has gone very dormant after the lack of trying on his part to actually seriously charm someone. It’s been awhile since he’s fancied someone, it even feels as if he actually hasn’t properly fancied someone than in this moment, for the instant connection and warming feelings he’s feeling right now is quite foreign to him.
So, he puts his brave face on and calls for the omega’s attention when she did announce that she’d be leaving him to enjoy his food.
“Hm?” the girl hums in question and looks up at Harry from beneath her lashes. If Harry’s feeling really confident, he’d say that the look on her ocean blue eyes is one of relief that the alpha didn’t let their interaction end from there.
Harry smiles with his own dimples popping on his cheeks, “I just realized, I actually haven’t gotten your name. Is it by any chance, Sunflower, since you have a pin of it on the left upper side of your apron where people usually put their name placards on. If it is, I’d say it’s a beautiful name, quite fitting even.”
The melodious giggles she lets out once again leaves Harry waiting at the edge of his seat for more, eyes noticing the way her French tip nails on her slender fingers begin to toy at the crochet sunflower pin that Harry has just noticed.
“That’s sweet of you to say,” she says truthfully, “But I don’t think my parents wanted to name me after a flower so it’s actually Sophia, my name’s Sophia Ford.” and she waves her hand in a little greeting as if it’s the first time she’s going to talk to the alpha.
Harry dramatically sighs in relief, right hand clutching his chest in full effect, “Oh thank god your name wasn’t honey, or that would have been a real shame.”
An indignant squawk of surprise comes out of Sophia, both hands resting on her hips as she narrows her eyes at a now smirking Harry. The alpha thinks she’s supposed to be giving him a menacing look, but in reality it just translates to a cute disgruntled kitten face. Definitely not harmful looking from any angle.
“What’s that supposed to mean? I love the name honey.”
Harry snorts unattractively, “I mean clearly,” he replies while gesturing at the plated food on his table and then around the entire vicinity of the cottage bakery, “I’ll even go as far and say that you live and breathe the name honey.”
A loud laugh springs out of the omega all of a sudden, the volume startling Harry just a little bit as it’s the first time Sophia had really laughed instead of her little giggles. The high pitched noise was still melodious to his ears and Harry’s resigned to the fact that everything that probably comes out from the omega will always be a sweet sounding melody to him.
Jesus, since when did he become so much of a sap? Get it together, Styles!
Harry pushes his curls away from his face in a nervous gesture that he knows he does whenever he feels uncomfortable or as this situation brings forth for the first time, also when he’s skittish around a pretty omega lady that’s too adorable for this cruel world. He meets her blue eyes with a smile of his own, chuckling at himself quietly for the mushy and soft emotions that Sophia brings out of him without her even knowing it.
“I didn’t mean anything bad about it,” he clarifies, “I just knew myself that if your name were honey, I would have probably made countless puns about it and why you serve just everything honey in your bakery.”
Sophia seems interested in this, “Oh, so you’re the jokester in the friend group then? I adore funny people!”
Did she just say she adored him? I mean not directly but Harry still reacts to her statement with an undeniable flush creeping from his neck to the tips of his little ears. He chuckles instead when Sophia asks him to give her a little sample of his comedy.
“I’m flattered that you instantly thought I am a funny guy just from my simple statement. But to be honest, I’d rather not test my puns right now because I quite want to keep conversing with you without annoying you away with my jokes.”
Harry smirks, trying to keep it looking not too much of a cocky alpha when he notices Sophia blush unrestrainedly at the clear indication of his statement. What can he say, he apparently doesn’t have to channel anything deeper in him when it evidently comes quite naturally for him to charm possible mates. And yes, Harry’s mind is of course already running to mating when he had just met Sophia.
“Someone funny and an apparent charmer,” Sophia points out with a playful lift of an eyebrow, “I’d honestly enjoy continuing chatting with you if only for the fact that I don’t make the habit of talking to strangers.”
This time, Harry laughs a honking laugh, one that he’s only comfortable letting out with his friends and family. But the embarrassing loud noise doesn’t even horrify him regardless if he’s in the presence of a beautiful omega.
Sophia makes him feel comfortable, and it’s not the most surprising discovery he’s come across with today when he literally decided to center his whole new collection towards the girl in less than five minutes since he’s seen her in person.
“I’m so sorry, didn’t mean to be rude,” Harry lets out after controlling his laughter, “I’m Harry Styles, and let me just say your mother has raised you really well when you seem to remember the empirical importance of not talking to strangers. Kudos to your mum really, absolutely lovely she is.”
Giggling, Sophia shakes her head slightly at the alpha, “Nice to meet you, Harry. I really appreciate your kind words to my mother, and I can confirm that she is very lovely even if you actually haven’t met her yet.” The two are smiling at each other like idiots, “I would normally want to at least get to know someone better first before I take them to meet my mom for them to see how truly exquisite she is.”
Seems like Harry’s not the only one who’s innately enchanting when trying to look for a possible mate.
“Then let’s get to know each other better then,” Harry coyly replies, not one to waste the perfect opportunity Sophia had just unknowingly handed to him. “How about you take a seat here with me and walk me through the process of making these honey goodies while talking about each other to see how well our mothers raised us, because I have you know, my mother’s rather amazing too.”
Sophia looks totally surprised at Harry’s proposition, the alpha’s starting to realize that amidst the cheeky and playful character she’s showing right now, Sophia seems to be shy and gentle yet extremely friendly at her core.
Sophia crosses her arms on her back once more, Harry noticing something about her again and he thinks this is a nervous tick of the girl as he also notices the girl’s toes turned inwards to each other like earlier.
“I’m not sure,” Sophia replies in an apologetic tone, blue eyes looking conflicted, “I think I have to go back to the kitchen and help Georgie and Sabrina with some things.”
She pouts her lips towards the direction of the kitchen, Harry assuming that the names she had just mentioned were those of the two betas that are now currently looking at the two of them with pure interest in their features. Harry returns the highly interested smiles the two betas were giving them while cleaning some of the used plates and muffin pans, even waving his hand a little for proper pleasantries (and maybe to show them he’s a kind alpha that has good intentions with their boss) which they happily return.
“Are you sure?” Harry asks Sophia, eyes still trained on the two betas that don’t seem to be doing anything important or in need of the omegas' help.
If he’s being honest, he can feel the double meaning of the betas’ looks, those piercing eyes are surely filled with excitement and intrigue, like this doesn’t seem to be a normal scenario in their bakery. Which really, Harry is rather fucking thankful for because just the thought of other alphas (or based from Sophia’s innate beauty and kindness, whatever gender and secondary gender) taking the same interest and finding an instant connection with the omega, makes his skin crawl with anger, disgust, and jealousy.
Harry’s assumption was solidified when one of the betas winked at him, while the other gestured for him to continue chatting with their boss, while said boss is turned backwards to them. Harry smirked in triumph at the very green signal on having the right to monopolize Sophia’s attention right now, giving a little nod of thanks.
“I think your working bees can handle a few minutes by themselves, doesn’t seem like they need any help or anything,” Harry observes casually, Sophia looking behind her back to their kitchen where the two betas are trying their best to seem like they weren’t just watching the two of them intently a few seconds back.
“Well..” Sophia bites her lip, still in a clash of what to do. Harry’s quite distracted at the vision of her of her plump glossy baby pink lips being bitten down by her sharp pearly whites, shaking his head to clear the thought out before it progresses to something else that can result to a very unwanted stiffy, now that’s going to really scare the omega away.
Instead, Harry tries to soothe Sophia’s worries by calling to the two betas himself, “You guys are alright without Sophia there for a few minutes, yeah? It’s Georgie and Sabrina, right?” He throws them that big charismatic smile Glenne always tells him to do whenever he’s invited to red carpets, just to seal the deal for good measure really.
The two nod their heads rather more enthusiastically than necessary for such a simple question, Harry can’t help but chuckle as the two ladies talk over each other to share their agreement with him. Well, aren’t they excited to get rid of their boss? He doesn’t forget to introduce himself this time, not wanting them to think this is a one time only thing without the need for them to remember his name.
“I guess I can spare some time to be with you,” Sophia smiles prettily at Harry, “But I do have to go when more people come in.”
Harry nods in acknowledgement, standing up from his seat to pull out a chair for Sophia to sit on, “Lucky me, I guess. And don’t worry, I’ll share your time and attention when more customers arrive. But no promises if they’re cute little nans who will for sure steal all of your attention.”
Sophia’s bright sounding laugh is the perfect start to them getting to know each other over lingerie sketches and saccharine sweet honey treats.
*~*~*
The second time Harry returns to the cottage bakery, Sophia is the first person he sees upon entering. The omega seems to be in her element, whisking a bowl of batter for one of her honey goodies which he’s learned from their lengthy conversation yesterday is her passion and prerogative in life.
The Hunny Pot, is Sophia’s baby like that of Harry and his lingerie brand business. He’s learned that the omega grew-up in a loving home of beekeepers, both her parents inheriting the family business of cultivating and harvesting honey from their hundreds of bee colonies, in their bee farm located at the backyard of her childhood home.
Sophia was keen to involve bees in her future career for she has grown to love these magnificent creatures, but never found the knack of being an actual beekeeper. Instead, she wanted to pursue her culinary dreams which she discovered after a summer filled with baking in her nan’s kitchen when she stayed at her place in London that one time.
Coincidentally, it’s also the time she realized that the city life was not for her, which Harry can totally agree with. It’s like a breath of fresh air to get to know someone who has through and through grew-up in Cheshire without getting blinded by the promises of a better life in the busy urban city of London.
“Harry!” Sophia calls for him when she notices his arrival, “You really are a morning person, not that I doubted what you said yesterday.”
Harry chuckles at her honest statement, walking towards the kitchen counter where she is to greet her and make his order for a honey filled breakfast.
“Good morning, sunflower,” the pet name rolls off easily from his tongue, smiling in a bit of confidence at the way the omega visibly preens at it.
She surprises Harry further when she reaches over the kitchen counter to give him a hug, which he gladly accepts and truly basks in. This close to her proximity and her scent gland intensifies that floral and sweet honeysuckle and vanilla bean of her scent, going straight to fill all of the alpha’s senses.
“Morning, bunny.”
The syrupy tone of her greeting mixed with the use of her pet name for him, is the perfect concoction for Harry to almost groan in pleasure. The ‘bunny’ came from yesterday's conversation as well, when Harry shows him a few of his designs from his bunny designed sketchbook after telling her what he did for a living. That prompted her to ask him on how he does some of his sketches, and Harry can’t deny the kind girl of anything even this early on in their meeting and decides to bring out his bunny designed pencil case, containing his bunny designed colored pencils and pens, to do a short and easy live demonstration.
Obviously, Sophia notices the common theme of bunnies with his belongings, and Harry can’t even find it in himself to feel embarrassed when Sophia seemed very endeared and awed upon knowing that Harry didn’t mind (and actually really love) using them since it was a personal gift from his mom for his last birthday. And then the pet name stuck after that.
It’s crazy how it’s just day two of being just friends, and they already have their designated pet names for each other. Heck, Harry doesn’t even give specific pet names for his own friends or family members, Sophia is a definite special person to him if there’s not enough indications already.
“Feels good to prove you right,” Harry jokes as he rests his forearms on the kitchen counter, watching Sophia continue her baking prep business. “Something tells me you’re an early riser too, and that yesterday was just an anomaly from the ordinary.”
Sophia nods in a smile, the earlier liquid batter she was whisking has now formed to a soft dough, “Yeah, you’re correct. I like opening the bakery by myself, it feels just right to do so. Yesterday I wasn’t able to do it because I actually came from my parents house to pick-up more jars of honey for the bakery.”
Harry nods in understanding and interest. He’s acquired from Sophia that if he ever goes to Tesco or other commercial stores, he shouldn’t simply trust the shelved honey jars that are labeled ‘natural, locally-made honey’ because a lot of the time those big companies try to deceive their customers by placing such stickers on them without meaning it genuinely.
But if you go to The Hunny Pot, she can assure him that every variety of honey they use and sell is fresh, natural, and homemade. You can even ask her questions about their process of how they care for their bees and how they harvest the honey properly without harming the bees. It was highly informative, both for Harry getting to know Sophia’s passions, and that too of an educational level on the vital importance of bees in our ecosystem.
By the end of their talk, Harry shared that he was adamant to visit their family’s bee farm sometime in the future and learn how things are done first hand.
The omega didn’t turn down the idea in the slightest, she was actually overjoyed that Harry had expressed such thoughts saying that it was one of her main objectives in starting her bakery: to spread to others the significance of securing the propagation of bees while also sharing with them the benefits and tastiness of their honey.
If Harry wasn’t as hooked as before, the alpha’s certainly in deep now in whatever this pleasant thing that is brewing between them.
“Good to hear I’d be getting a hug in greeting from you every morning then,” Harry says in honesty, pointing a finger to a dimpling Sophia, “though I’m still holding to that promise of yours that I’d get to tag along the next time you make rounds to get a new batch of honey from your family farm.”
“Yes, I didn’t forget, don’t worry.” Sophia placates him easily, fetching a kitchen towel to wipe her hands with. “I’ll go get your order then?”
Harry dimples right back at her before nodding and moves along to the front of the till section of the kitchen counter to look at the aboved menu, written beautifully in cursive. His thumb and index finger raising unconsciously to pinch his bottom lip in thought.
“I think I’ll go for your honey pancakes again, with the honey butter. Though I’d like to try some of that cinnamon honey you recommended yesterday, and maybe a side of chopped bananas if you guys have some.”
Sophia dutifully types his order on the touch screen of her register, blue eyes gazing up curiously at Harry after, “What are the bananas for?”
Not a usual question to ask your customer, but Harry thinks they’ve established enough that it’s just not the route their relationship would stay at. They’re friends now at the very least.
“I just like bananas in general,” Harry shrugs conversationally, “but I do love some good banana pancakes for breakfast. And since you guys don’t have that specifically in the menu, I’ll just get it as a side.”
“I’ll just make you a separate pancake batter mixed with chopped bananas then.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Harry kindly dismisses her thoughtful suggestion, “don’t want to burden you with unnecessary extra work, bananas in a bowl is totally fine, unpeeled whole banana is totally fine too and I’ll just peel it myself.”
“Bunny,” Sophia giggles while trying to prep the ingredients for Harry’s banana pancakes because apparently his persuasive business skills does not work that easily with her, “it’s not a burden, it’s just banana pancakes, really. Plus, don’t even dare thinking that I’d serve my customer, especially a friend of mine, unpeeled bananas in a bowl. That just sounds utterly horrible.”
“Alright, if you insist then,” Harry surrenders with a grin on his face, “and sorry for insinuating something so horrific like serving unpeeled bananas, never again.”
“You better,” Sophia giggles while Harry watches her begging to crack eggs on a bowl, halting her movements with a measuring cup in one hand, “Oh, I didn’t get your beverage of choice.”
“Just some English breakfast tea, please. And maybe with a spoonful of fresh honey? What flavor do you reckon will match perfectly with it?”
“I think you’d like our peppermint honey, it gives a good cooling sensation to the taste of the tea. Plus, you smell like peppermint so I think you’d naturally like it.”
The pleased smirk that begins to form on Harry’s face is uncontrollable, especially when he sees the rosy tint that begins to develop on the apples of Sophia’s cheeks upon realizing what she had just said.
It is not uncommon nor rude to notice someone’s scent. In fact, it’s part of the biology of their secondary genders to find smells that either attract or repel them, these personal and unique scents were innate to them for this specific reason. It’s just that people nowadays tend to veer away from using scent as the primary reason to get together with someone, which in Harry’s opinion is just rightfully so. Basing one's commitment to the other just solely on their scent and nothing else, does not provide someone a comprehensive understanding of what they're getting themselves into.
Thus, it is quite rare in today’s time for someone to mention it straight to the face of someone, people preferably keeping it to themselves if they like or dislike someone’s scent. For Harry, he actually appreciates when people compliment his scent, not that Sophia just did but mentioning it in front of him without a face of disgust is a good indication that she probably does.
“So does that mean you naturally like vanilla beans too?” Harry cheekily replies in return, the faint gasp that leaves Sophia’s glossy baby pink lips is not unheard.
Sophia hums instead in lieu of a verbal response, “Mhm, I do love adding some vanilla bean honey on my tea, though I like green tea better than English tea.”
She swiftly prepares the batter of Harry’s banana pancakes, clearly attuned with her cooking skills as she does it quickly yet efficiently with refined moves. Harry thinks she doesn’t want to talk about scents anymore and begins thinking of other topics they can talk about while she’s cooking when the latter surprises him with a question.
“Did I make you uncomfortable?” Sophia suddenly squeaks, embarrassment coloring her face when Harry gives her a look of confusion, “Me mentioning that you smell like peppermints? I’m sorry if it did, it’s just that it was so prominent when I gave you a hug earlier and it didn’t seem to want to leave my senses that I just blurted it out so randomly. Now I think I just upset you, I’m so sorry.”
‘Hey, hey,” Harry softly says, walking to go behind the kitchen counter (cause he apparently can’t help his typically reserved self) to go beside her and hold her hands in his. Sophia looks more despondent when he does, thinking he would probably just go near her to berate her face to face or something absurd like that.
Instead, he coaxes her to turn her downcast eyes to look at him as he reaches for her delicate hands before he squeezes their now held hands reassuringly. She feels warm, soft, and tiny; his big paws absolutely cover her tiny hands. Harry’s breath hitches a little when the sweet little omega has to raise her head a little just to look at him, such a precious tiny creature.
“I’m not upset, sunflower, not even in the slightest.” Harry reassures the hesitant omega, he doesn’t know how but he can somehow smell the slight agitation and fear in her scent that has gradually changed from its really sweet note earlier, and he doesn’t like that one bit, keen to change it back as soon as possible.
“Are you sure?” Sophia says meekly, “Because I made the same mistake with my other friends before, like I mentioned their scents out of the blue but I didn’t say anything mean or awful and they said it was alright. But then I overheard them talk behind my back how they honestly thought it was a rude thing for me to do.”
She was frowning deep while remembering such moments, Harry feeling irritation entered his system upon hearing some twats that have the audacity to talk behind Sophia’s back and call the sweet little thing rude.
“Well they’re the rude ones for not being adult enough to say their true feelings in front of your face,” Harry replies with conviction, “Besides, scents are a big part of our biology, I don’t understand what’s so unethical about bringing it in a conversation. I personally don’t care when people do, I actually like it when people compliment it.”
“You do?” Sophia asks in a hopeful tone, as if seeking for further reassurance that she didn’t mess up anything which she didn’t (and never did, that’s for you twats who called her rude).
“Yeah, I do,” Harry nods, “I feel somewhat pleased that people can notice something so innate and unique about me and the fact it’s rare for someone to say that nowadays is something I can’t completely grasp, like it’s part of who we are as human and our secondary genders and we can’t take that away. If someone likes my scent, I honestly give them the free reign to say it to me, it makes me feel appreciated on some level, you know?”
“I like your scent bunny,” Sophia bravely replies, the alpha feeling a sense of enamour at seeing such confidence spring out from her when she was nothing but shy and apologetic seconds ago. “It’s minty and cool like peppermint, but you also have deep hints of sandalwood which is such an earthy scent that makes me feel warm all over at the same time.”
Although Sophia says this to him with her wide eyes trained solely on Harry’s green orbs, the latter can still detect her inner timidness through the unrelenting blush scattered all over her face now. Added with the shaky tone of her voice, Harry knows this is a novelty experience for Sophia, complimenting someone about their scent, and he’s right proud for her surge of confidence and honesty.
“You smell like honeysuckle and vanilla bean,” Harry notes, letting go of one of Sophia’s hands to place a fallen strand of her silky blonde hair, loving the way she tilts her head to follow the touch of his hand. “Just the perfect scent blend of sweet, creamy, and floral all mixed together so harmoniously that I almost feel like it’s meant for people to inhale and get addicted to. I definitely like it.”
A dopey smile graces Sophia’s features, she lets out a pleased sounding sigh, “Yeah, I agree”
“That you smell really good and perfect?”
“No,” she giggles, taking hold of Harry’s hand that had decided to linger on her face to thumb softly at her dimpled cheek, “That people should compliment others about their scents more, because it makes people feel appreciated. I felt appreciated when you said those nice words about mine.”
“And I felt appreciated when you noticed my scent earlier too,” Harry points out as a means to show her as a whole his earlier point of not being upset about anything, “So next time, don’t worry your pretty little head about things like that around me, I just want you to feel comfortable to be always honest with what you feel and think around me. I’m not going to judge, that’s just not who I am.”
Sophia nods her head in acknowledgement, “Likewise, I’m not a judgy person so you can be honest with me at all times.” and then she mumbles quietly just for Harry to hear, “I just want to be your good friend so I promise I won’t worry so easily and I’d just talk to you about what I feel.”
“You are my good friend already,” Harry doesn’t hesitate to tell her in earnest, not wanting her to think she has to bare her entire body and soul for her to gain a place in his life. In fact, Harry might be the one who will accidentally bare his entire body and soul to her with how much he already feels for her when they’re supposedly just friends. But that’s another thought for another day, he knows.
“Really? So you wouldn't need me to compliment your scent anymore to feel appreciated?” the omega quips in a teasing tone making Harry chuckle at her wonderfulness.
“I mean, if you want to, I wouldn’t be opposed to it at all.” Harry responds nonchalantly as if he’s not bursting at the seams with joy on the inside just thinking about the prospect of being blessed enough to hear Sophia say words of admiration for his scent every time he does his morning order because best believe, Harry will be returning here every breakfast until the foreseeable future.
“Okay.” Smiling innocently, the omega moves her head a little bit to the side and delivers a tiny peck on Harry’s thumb, the plumpness of her lips mixed with the sticky layer of gloss that makes her lips dazzle creates this sharp and enticing sensation within Harry.
He can’t believe she just did that, he can’t believe he just got a feel of her lips. Harry can’t fathom anything right now.
Sophia kisses his thumb once again for good measure, most probably not noticing the dazed look on Harry’s face and how her simple actions are causing an uproar of heavenly feelings within him.
“Alright, now go find a seat and wait for me to finish making your order. I don’t want you standing up so long here waiting for it when I like to take my time making everything perfect.”
Oh how Harry would love to take his time making her feel perfect.
But he can’t say that or else someone might actually be upset and he wouldn’t want that in the slightest. Instead, he lets go of his hold on any parts of Sophia (very reluctantly might he add) and tries to return her charming beam before choosing the nearest table to the side of the kitchen counter. A way to prevent himself from accidentally blurting out something he might regret while still being near the proximity of the omega.
As much as he would be totally content in coming to the cottage bakery to do nothing and just look and bask in Sophia’s magnificent aura, he actually really needs to continue with his lingerie sketching for his new collection. Granted that he has found his muse, it won’t magically make clothes appear out of thin air no matter how much people say love is the most powerful thing in the world. He needs to exert actual effort for his ideas to come in tangible fruition.
Harry allows himself one last interaction with Sophia when the latter serves him his breakfast, thanking her profusely for her kindness that she took the extra mile to actually make him banana pancakes when she didn’t have to. The ever-darling omega just waves him off with her delicate hand matched with the adorable craters on her cheeks.
It’s quite a good thing that shortly after, customers began to trickle in the bakery including her two beta workers. Harry sees the way the two omegas seemed surprised upon catching Sophia and him conversing again today and he makes sure to greet them a good morning so they can start slowly getting used to his presence here. Their lingering stares he also feels when he reaches for Sophia’s hand to give it a little squeeze of goodbye and talk to you later when she needs to go back to work and tend to the growing hungry customers waiting for their orders to be taken and prepared.
Sighing wistfully, Harry retrieves his needed materials to continue his sketch of the first piece which is the slip dress, smiling like a fool when he sees the prints of bunnies on his materials thinking how something so unimportant to him before suddenly has a special meaning to it now. Jesus, he really has it bad already and is yet to harness this newly found inspiration into something actually productive.
He looks at his unfinished sketch from yesterday, instantly deciding to change a detail in the bust area to add a little window-like opening to show some bit of skin like that of the front cut in Sophia’s mint green gingham dress that she’s wearing today. The lace trimmings on the cups of the dress, Harry decides to retain as he really liked how it looked on the omega’s outfit yesterday. But he chooses to add slits on the side of the slip dress and add the same white lace trimmings to it because he believes it’s the lacking factor from Sophia’s exquisite dress the day before.
It was a definite no brainer for Harry to make the back of the dress backless, with quite a low cut. Just imagining the stunning curve of Sophia’s back on the dress and how it would perfectly be accentuated by this sexy, yet demure style of slip dress, has Harry sketching her the dress in the first place.
Harry then proceeded to finalize the fabrics he would use, already bringing out his laptop to email his sewing team that he needs these specific textures and colors while also answering to other work emails that he can’t ignore just because he’s moved out of London.
Jeff (and Glenne because the two come in a package to always torment Harry’s life) will have his head if he concludes to leave his baby in London and find a new baby - like a literal one - in Cheshire. Harry had been seriously appalled when the two voiced that concern to him just right before he was making the move, like what, did they just think Harry would wed and bed the first omega he sees and fancies in Cheshire?
Well, when he thinks about it now, maybe his close friends are not that far off?
Putting that serious (and quite alarming?) thought away, Harry carries on with whatever work he needs to accomplish for today. The high of finishing his first sketch for the very first piece of his new collection, prevented the alpha from noticing how the time had just flown by past him. His work reverie only being broken down by a familiar cough that illuminates his positive energy even more.
He turns his attention to his side to where a smiling Sophia is standing, both hands clasped in her front, “Hi!”
“Hey,” Harry responds, not failing to notice the strawberry pink cardigan that is now worn by the omega and how the color would most probably look good on her lips as well, “What’s up, sunflower?”
“Well it’s lunch time already and I noticed you were so engrossed in your work that you might forget to take a break and eat if I don’t come here myself to ask for your order.”
Her natural caring instincts makes Harry beam, not being one to be subjected to such caring attention aside from his mother, “My bad, I really get quite into it when I’m working on something, especially when it’s a new collection. Sorry for making you stand up and all, let me just pack up a bit of my stuff before I head to the till to order.”
“Oh, no it’s alright, H.” Sophia cuts in, gesturing her arms for him to not stand up and start packing away, “It’s absolutely not a bother to ask for your order in your seat, I actually wanted to do it so you don’t get distracted from whatever your working on or get extra tired from coming up to the till.”
Harry wants to say that the kitchen counter is literally five steps away from where he’s sitting, but he finds himself accepting her natural attentive nature and thinks that the girl might feel bad if Harry just doesn’t accept what she had wanted to do for him as she had just clearly stated.
“Thank you, sunflower, very nice of you to offer me such luxury of being the only customer that the owner of the bakery comes up to and takes their order on their seat like some sort of alpha.” he jokes eliciting a laugh from himself and Sophia.
“Shut up,” a flushed Sophia says in a laugh, “And news flash: you are an alpha.”
“And alphas get really hungry,” Harry says, hands tapping his flat belly that he knows would growl in hunger any minute now, “What’s in the freshly baked menu today, chef? I think I need a good hearty one cause I honestly feel like I can eat an entire elephant-size amount of food with how hungry all that sketching made me feel.”
Giggling at his dramatics, Sophia begins to list down verbally the freshly baked honey goods for lunch. Harry must be completely hungry or tired because he zones out the entire time Sophia was talking, focusing only on the tuneful lilt of her voice making his mind swirl in a syrupy sweet orbit.
“So, what’s your pick?” Sophia excitedly exclaims, breaking Harry’s honeyed-out haze.
“How about you pick for me?” Harry replies in lieu of saying ‘I actually got lost in your beautiful tone so I didn’t understand anything you said, but you sounded really beautiful so don’t feel offended or anything.’
Sophia quirks an eyebrow good naturedly, “Are you sure? You might now like what I pick.”
“Nah, I can pretty much eat anything, sunflower. I think it would be good if you actually pick food for me to widen my palette because if it were my decision, I’d stick to banana pancakes every time. Breakfast was really marvelous, by the way. Thanks again for making it.”
Sophia accepts his answer and tells Harry to stop thanking her because it was really a no big deal. He lets her believe what she wants to believe because he’s a giving man like that as Sophia makes her way back to the kitchen to pick his lunch for him.
He thinks he made the right choice of giving her that power as he’s presented with five different kinds of scones that range from sweet to savory flavors that, of course, still have an element of honey in them. Harry had given Sophia a feign frown of repulsion at the meaning behind her serving him five scones like some sort of hungry animal.
“You did say you can eat an amount of food as big as an elephant earlier,” Sophia points out with a squinting of her eyes at him.
“That was me joking and exaggerating, it was not for you to think I’m an actual pig of an alpha who eats a lot of food.”
“There’s nothing wrong about eating, just enjoy it, bunny. And you’re not a pig, you’re just an adult alpha who needs more sustenance than the rest of us.”
“How are you so understanding?” Harry can’t help but say in awe.
Sophia shrugs her shoulders in a way that shouldn’t be cute but it is when she does it, “It’s just human decency, I guess. I’m not going to judge or criticize someone just because of the amount of food they eat, they’re not harming anyone while doing it.”
Oh what an omega of his own heart, Harry swoons with his cheeks dimpling in a smile, nose scrunching in his utter desire to keep this sweet little creature in his pocket to protect forever from all those other horrible people that don’t understand the vitality of practicing human decency like the two of them share.
Sophia leaves him shortly after to attend to a group of nans who wanted a refill of their teas (see, Harry knew the lovely little oldies would charm and steal all of Sophia’s attention away from him) as Harry begins to dig in the array of wonderful smelling scones in front of him. Not even a full 15 minutes and he devoured all of them.
So it might not be a surprise when Harry stands up this time to head to the till to order the honey cookies he absolutely enjoyed from yesterday to a smirking Georgie who was currently tending the register.
And maybe it also shouldn’t be a surprise that no matter all the ardent attention Sophia would give to all the nans in the bakery, Harry’s sure he’s the only lucky one who gets three extra honey cookies in his plate from the naturally caring and gracious omega that doesn’t care that he eats a lot.
*~*~*
The next few times Harry visits the bakery early in the morning, Sophia does not only make him his banana pancakes without prompt, but she also greets him in a warm hug like the perfect morning sun that lights up Harry’s day the moment he sees her radiating so bright.
They also made it a little fun game between them to choose for each other on what flavor of honey they would be adding in their cuppas. Harry only thinks it was a justified response for Sophia to join him in his morning cuppa with her cup of matcha after the omega had decided to be a little minx and placed lemon flavored honey on his tea. He can’t be the only one suffering with a highly unattractive soured face while she goes about having her fun.
Although Harry does not have it in his heart to add any repulsing flavored honey that wouldn’t match her drink. So call him a sap all you want but he rather appreciates to keep seeing Sophia’s chuffed expression for every sweet honey flavor he places on her matcha. Harry can have all the sour ones and you won’t hear him complain as long as Sophia remains to be the sweet little bee that she is like the white chocolate infused honey Harry chose for her that day.
Another new somewhat permanent feature that they’ve found in this routine of theirs is that Harry now always takes residence on the table nearest to the kitchen counter. He’s one of the first customers of the bakery every morning so the seat was always free. It’s not like he has ulterior motives for always picking that seat, like observing the way Sophia carefully transfers honey into her personalized mini jars with pastel colored bows, or how she has a specific manner of plating her honey creations that exudes a lot of finesse and precision.
Yup, Harry definitely did not pick the best seat in the house for any reason.
It’s a blessing that Harry is still able to work efficiently in the bakery regardless of the newfound attention and care he’s receiving from Sophia. It still takes him a second look on his watch to make sure he reads the right time whenever he realizes that the day is already half way done. This scenario happens so frequently that Sophia has taken it upon herself to just serve him whatever fresh baked goods they had that day for lunch without even asking him.
When it first happened, Harry was not only surprised but he also felt bad for once again not being present enough to check the time. The omega baker has told him quite a few times already how she doesn’t like it that Harry seems to forget about his health and well-being whenever he's too deep into his work.
Normally, Harry would retort that it’s really not the first time he has neglected lunch time when he has a new collection stewing, but Sophia’s narrowed blue eyes and downward curl of her lips is enough for Harry to concede and believe that skipping lunch today would exceptionally deteriorate his health.
So he really made it a mission of his to be more conscious of his time to not worry or upset the omega. But he’s yet again forgotten that time and now Sophia was now placing various plates of honey pastries for him like an entitled alpha.
That thought had bothered Harry thinking that he might have made Sophia feel like she needed to serve him food without him asking for it like some sort of autocratic and spoiled prick that’s just waiting for people to tend to him. His anxious thoughts were soothed by Sophia as she had made him sit back on his seat after the frenzied way he stood to apologize to her, standing between his parted thighs to cup both of his cheeks in her gentle hold.
“Harry, what are you talking about? You’re not an entitled prick so stop apologizing,” she said in a firm tone, thumbs gently stroking his cheeks as a little timid smiles curls on her glossed lips, “I wanted to serve you food because I think it’s the most sustainable way to do so since you always forget to take track of your time. And before you apologize again, I see that you’re trying to follow my requests of taking better care of your health for not eating late. I just think that the best solution is for me to just serve you your food without interrupting your work to ask for what you want when you just let me pick it out for you every time.”
When she placed it that way, it made complete sense. But Harry still felt bad regardless.
“I still feel quite upset though,” Harry confessed in a pout, “don’t want you ever thinking that I’m entitled of your hospitality like those other bigoted alphas. I’m not like them, I promise, sunflower.”
“And I know you aren’t, far from it, bunny,” Sophia replies softly as if talking to a stressed child, a little sigh escaped her lips and a rosy tint begins to bloom on her skin which got the alpha’s attention, “You’re not a spoiled alpha either, since it was my free agency to spoil you with my care and attention. I don’t think that makes you spoiled if I believe it isn’t.”
And Harry just about almost busted a knot right then and there. Almost, he said almost, don’t you worry he’s not really a filthy alpha.
Instead, Harry had looked at the omega like she was the most ethereal and unreal creature on this earth. A dreamy sigh had certainly escaped his lips a thousand times that day when Sophia had finally soothed him well enough to leave and continue her work while he pined from a far (it was only five feet away but semantics really) thinking how fucking blessed he is for having met the omega.
Harry might have said he feared that she thought he was spoiled, but he doesn’t feel any ounce of guilt when Sophia returns to his table much later in the afternoon, spoiling him further with a baby blue floral printed plate filled with his slowly becoming favorite: honey cookies.
When they had first conversed and Sophia had shared that these cookies were addicting and that she once ate ten of them in one sitting, Harry thought it couldn’t possibly be as addicting as her scent.
But boy is he wrong. On a regular afternoon Harry consumed eleven honey cookies. And in a particularly amazing afternoon where he was just feeling exceptionally ravenous, Harry had devoured twenty honey cookies in one sitting.
So the alpha is hooked not only by the enamoring aura of the baker omega, but that too of her amazing honey treats which if Harry doesn’t know any better, he would assume she places some sort of witch craft into her batter, no doubt about that.
At this point, it’s really just a cherry on the top of everything sensational when he feels Sophia take a deep breathe of his scent when they hug in the mornings (or at lunch as a thanks when Sophia serves him his food, in the afternoon when Sophia asks if he wants more honey cookies, or when he has to leave to call it a day; Harry’s not picky with their hugs) and then proceeds to compliment him about it because she somehow thinks he deserves to be appreciated so much more than he already feels in her company.
So maybe Jeff and Glenn are right to fear that he's going to be finding a new baby now that he has moved back to the countryside.
His baby sunflower.
*~*~*
It’s the first time in two weeks that Harry entered the cottage bakery after lunch instead of early in the morning.
The first thing he notices upon just a few more walks before he reaches the place, is the constant opening and closing of the door allowing the heavenly scents of baking honey delights to travel outside in the crisp England air. Harry feels something pleasant tug in his stomach, lips curling up in their own accord at the prospect of finally getting a whiff of a much more divine scent of honeysuckle and vanilla bean from someone pretty special inside the bakery.
The alpha politely holds the door open for a couple of people that are leaving the bakery, smiling politely at a few of them who he knows are also neighborhood people that frequent The Hunny Pot. Upon finally entering, Harry notices the lengthy line that has formed within the bakery, not at all used to seeing such organized chaos as his often shut out from his surroundings by this time in his favorite corner nook working away with his eyes intervally taking a peek on the whereabout of the owner of the shop to check how she’s doing.
Except today seemed to be of the normal kind as he notices that his usual table is currently occupied by three omegas upon nearing the front of the line in the till section. Technically, there’s no such thing as designated seats here so Harry shouldn’t feel put out about this, it’s just bloody seats. But he can’t help the little irked feeling that rises within him when he’s right beside that seating area as the line progresses.
First of, he feels the blatant stares the three omegas are throwing his way and he doesn't like that at all. Granted that his line of work in the fashion scene made it synonymous for him to be frequently ogled at, Harry does not appreciate it when it happens outside any fashion events, particularly in his neighborhood bakery where he’s supposed to feel comfortable and normal, not his public confident and somewhat cocky public persona as one of London’s most successful and well-known bachelor fashion designers.
But what really raises his hackles is their mixed scent that is now permeating his favorite space.
Harry does not want to smell anything in his usual corner nook other than the peppermint and sandalwood tones of his scent, and Sophia’s honeysuckle and vanilla bean goodness. Any other scent than that around his working space, repulses Harry. Well maybe repulse is such a strong word, but it’s definitely in the lines of complete distaste.
Harry’s frowning by the time he reaches the front of the line, already thinking of borrowing one of Sophia’s floral scented disinfectant spray to use later when the three omegas have left. He thinks that would at least reduce the scent of strangers without him having to tell the omega herself to scent his work nook like some sort of territorial nest.
He is so displeased by the idea of having lost the comforting smell of Sophia in his favorite spot that he does not notice instantly the look of pure worry on said omega’s face.
“Harry, oh my god you’re here!” Sophia exclaims far too loudly in the front of the register, surprising Harry.
His frown deepens when he smells strong tones of worry and distress in Sophia’s scent, expression going tensed and rigid at the possible scenarios that might have caused that change in her scent.
“What happened?” Harry finds himself asking without any preamble of a greeting, “What’s wrong, sunflower? Who hurt you?” The hard edge of his tone is not mistaken for anything but serious business.
Sophia’s eyes skirt to the side, Harry following the path of her eyes in quick succession which lands to the earlier aforementioned three omega ladies sitting on his spot. His nostrils flare in displeasure as he glances a look at Sophia again, only to see the omega biting her lip in some agitated tell with her wide blue eyes darting from him and at the table just near her side.
“Sunflower, tell me what they fucking did to you so I can make it better,” Harry says through gritted teeth. If his annoyance earlier was quite insignificant in some regards, well if the way Sophia’s eyes widen like saucers after he just asked that to her, Harry is starting to feel the furious protective alpha side of his seep through his veins alerting him of possible threat.
When Sophia remains mute at her stand behind the register with her mouth agape in shock, her scent still remains smelling of unease and panic, Harry’s jaw tenses harder with his fists curling up so tight that his knuckles are white. The fact that the normally communicative and honest girl has been left speechless right now, speaks volumes of alarm to the alpha.
“If you’re not going to say anything sunflower, I’m going to take care of it myself,” fueled by unbridled anger, Harry turns to make the short distance to the table filled with purpose, his willed force breaking in an instant upon the cry of plea from the omega that suddenly strains his ears.
“Alpha!” panic and distress drips all over Sophia’s voice, everything in Harry forgets all of his earlier anger just from that one word utterance from her.
“Don’t go,” the omega pleads in alarm, wide blue eyes casted with a glassy sheen, “alpha don’t leave me here, please!” her arms are outstretched as if she’s trying to reach for the angered riddled Harry without provoking him even further.
It’s one thing for Sophia to call on Harry when she needs help with lifting heavy things when she’s cooking in the kitchen, and a completely different thing when an omega calls for an alpha in downright pleading nature.
Harry has not moved faster in his life as he drifts back in front of Sophia, hands reaching across the kitchen counter to cradle her face in his shaking hold. He sees the way Sophia visibly calms down the moment his skin touches hers, the omega’s own hands clasps around his wrists in a tight squeeze, the contact anchors the two away from the swaying currents of indignation and worry.
With Sophia’s eyes closed, Harry is able to take a deep breath in an attempt to calm his relatively still agitated state, “Omega, I cannot simply be here to comfort you when I know you’re not telling me what they did to you so I can make everything completely better.”
Sophia’s eyes flutter open, panic no longer pooled around her irises though a tint of worry is still clouding over her blue orbs, “They didn’t do anything to me, alpha. You don’t need to fix anything anymore, just stay here with me.”
“Are you being truthful with me or you just don’t want me to cause a scene that’s why you’re not telling me what really happened?”
Before Sophia can reply to his firm question, a third voice breaks their little tensed cocoon.
“You’re already causing a scene, Harry,” Sabrina states matter of factly as she eyes the two with obvious concern, “Soph, why don’t you take Harry with you in the backroom for a few minutes so you can also take that rest I’ve been coaxing you to do since earlier.”
Little alarm bells hackles in Harry’s mind once again, “Why has she needed to take a rest since a while ago?” he asks in a deep frown, eyes turning back from the omega still grasping his wrists and the determined beta on her side.
“It’s nothing serious, Harry,” Sabrina exhales, “Alright, Soph, go take him in the backroom for the both of you to talk and calm down or something, Georgie and I will take care of the bakery first.”
Sophia nods in response, thumbs rubbing soothing circles on Harry’s wrists, “Okay, I’ll be back in a few, don’t worry.”
Sophia drops her hold on Harry, the latter already prepared for protests that all of his questions are being answered half heartedly as she rounds her way to go beside him. Harry finds it to be the perfect opportunity to train her gaze on the three omega suspects still sitting on his coroner nook, eyes hardening in warning as he looks at the three ladies that are now slowly turning pale around the edges at being subjected from such a heated stare of displeasure coming from an alpha.
“I suggest the three of you to tell me right now what you did to Sophia before I lose all my patience and start listing the reasons why it’s such a disgrace for omegas to gang-up on other fellow omegas like you don’t even know how hard it is already to be an omega in this society. Do you guys have no human decency for fucks sake?!”
Harry’s unrelenting and honest outburst is halted by the little hand worming its way on his balled up fists, tension slightly leaving his form in having Sophia’s anchoring touch back.
“Alpha, stop.” Sophia chastises him firmly, “I already told you they didn’t do any harm to me, you’re just scaring my customers away.”
Harry looks down at Sophia who is now starting to tug his hand in some sort of retreat, with a tone of disbelief he replies, “Well they should be scared of coming here in the first place with malice intentions instead of pure ones like everyone else. You’re not losing any customers if it’s the likes of them.”
“Harry!” Sophia loudly gasps in affront, “I said stop it already, you’re coming with me now.”
Harry allows her to drag him by his hand to the backroom if only for the incentive of finally getting full answers to his questions because in the end, Harry’s priority is Sophia’s safety and well-being and not to educate other omegas on why they shouldn’t treat others badly cause they should already know that for it’s common sense.
Although he does spare one last glance of warning at the three omegas that still have the audacity to stay in his corner nook, except now he can clearly see that it’s the last place they want to be in right now. Good, that should teach them a lesson.
“Stop looking at them,” Sophia chides him as they stop in front of a door with Harry’s head still turned towards the direction of the busy dining area of the bakery, “Alpha come on, focus your attention on me.”
Like a knee-jerk reaction, Harry’s gaze locks down on Sophia’s eyes, both arms wrapping around the omega as a form of complete compliance to her request. “Is something the matter, omega? What do you need my full attention for? Is something wrong, what hurts?”
Instead of the cry of hurt that the highly worried Harry is expecting, Sophia’s heavenly giggles are what is presented to him. “Why are you so worried? Such a silly alpha.”
Harry does not understand her strange reaction to his justified worried attitude when the omega has yet to divulge on everything that he had asked concerning her well-being since earlier. Nevertheless, Harry follows Sophia inside the backroom which he assumes is their little break room and office.
With a slight look around, Harry can tell that it still followed the same all white motif of the bakery with the added pops of pastels scattered around the room like the peach couch in the side and the pastel yellow iMac in one of the desks which he already knows without a doubt is Sophia’s. His little glance around is interrupted by the soft call of his name and sees Sophia sitting nicely on the peach couch as she taps the area beside her for him to take a seat.
There’s a little smile in her glossed lips that Harry knows is there as part of the means to calm his agitated inner alpha, but Harry finds himself shaking his head a little in refusal causing an instant downward tilt on the side of her lips.
Not wanting the panicked expression to return in Sophia’s features, Harry quickly replies with his excuse, “Omega, I do not think I can sit properly beside you without still having the slightest clue on why you looked so distressed and upset earlier. I need to be able to see you if you want me to remain calm.”
Harry runs his hands through his long curls as a way to lessen the stress he’s feeling all the way up to his fingertips, eyes finding Sophia’s pout on her comfortable seat on the couch.
“But I need you beside me if you want me to be calm,” Sophia rebuttals in a little whine that Harry in this high alert state cannot ignore no matter how conflicted he feels.
“Compromise, how about a compromise,” It’s not a question but more of a statement that Harry heavily breathes out, walking to shorten the distance between them as he stands in front of Sophia. The latter gives him a confused look before it morphs to one of understanding and relief when Harry slowly drops his bum on the floor and crosses his legs together in a comfortable sitting position on the floor. His big ringed hands grasping the omega’s dainty ones in a warm hold.
“My attention is all yours from here on out,” Harry strongly shares, “Now will you please let me out of my misery omega before I completely lose my mind out of concern over you.”
It might be a tad bit dramatic to say but Harry is genuinely serious when he said that no matter his natural flair of being a slightly dramatic diva. It graces an amused little smile from Sophia’s lips, gently tugging their clasped hands closer to her.
“I don’t understand what I have to say more for you to believe me,” Sophia softly replies, eyes falling on the glistening rings on Harry’s fingers, “I promise that those omegas earlier didn’t do anything to me, nothing at all. I really want you to stop being angry and worried over me for no reason, alpha.”
Harry sighs, not liking the sad tune of her voice for thinking that he doesn’t believe her, “Omega, I believe you but you have to understand where I’m coming from too. I entered the bakery today and saw you looking so worried for the first time since I met you. What made it worse is that I actually smelled the panic and worry in your scent which you know, I am very attuned to.”
Sophia slightly drops her head in a timid nature, “Okay, I get where you’re coming from. But as I’ve said, you don’t have to be so troubled about me even if I smelled of panic and worry, like it was because of a silly reason and not something so deep.”
Harry frowns, not appreciating the way she can just simply downturn her feelings as something silly and not worth of care and attention, “I don’t think it’s silly when you called for me in distress, cried for my alpha in distress.”
The redness that starts to bloom all over Sophia’s exposed skin matches quite perfectly with her pink square neckline dress, blue eyes peeking through her mascara coated lashes to look at Harry’s soul, “Was that bad? Did it make you feel uncomfortable?”
Give it to Sophia, the sweetest omega on earth who thinks Harry being called an alpha is something disagreeable that made him feel uncomfortable when in reality, it’s anything but that. Granted that it’s unusual for people to call others by their secondary gender if they’re not mates, since when did Harry pay close attention to following such unnatural societal norms that deprives people from accessing their inner, primal selves.
“Of course not, sunflower,” Harry assures her in an endeared tone, squeezing their intertwined hands in comfort, “it might have alerted my alpha on full protective mode but it also centered me a bit to focus my attention on your well-being and not letting my mind wander to ways that I can do to avenge you from your perpetrators.”
Sophia giggles at his wording, “Well thank jesus there weren’t any real perpetrators to avenge me for.”
“I know, but that doesn’t change the fact that you were downright distressed and I had the right to worry over you.”
And that’s the hard truth. Harry cannot simply be scolded for his earlier actions when his primal protective instinct as an alpha was brought out by a clearly upset omega. Harry thinks that Sophia might not know the magnitude of how he felt earlier to the point that he wanted to climb over the kitchen counter to drape himself all over her while his nose drops down to her scent gland to scent her.
Scenting is a way to stake claim over someone’s mate or as Harry wanted to accomplish earlier, was to scent Sophia as a means to release calming pheromones that can lessen her panicked state. Scenting strangers is a blatant scandal, while scenting friends and family members is also not agreeable in society. Now, Harry and Sophia are just friends, although they both know they’re pretty close (way closer) than normal just friends, that other people in his position would think it’s justifiable like the earlier situation for scenting to occur. But Harry is not like the others, his alpha who would not scent anyone without their consent regardless if the omega was frazzled and in clear need of calming.
Besides, they’re in this weird position of being way more close than usual friends but less intimate than a standard couple that Harry cannot just step over that invisible line that might blur everything all together. Call him cliché all you want, but Harry would rather remain as simply, a hundred percent just Sophia’s friend instead of stepping that line and coming on the other end scaring the omega away not wanting both his romantic love but also his platonic affection.
“It’s still embarrassing though,” Sophia mumbles almost to herself, quiet enough that Harry’s sharp alpha hearing came in handy this time.
“Then it’s okay if it’s embarrassing,” Harry conceded, “because it’s just me and when did I ever care if you’re embarrassing? All I want is for you to feel comfortable and truly honest with me, and that includes whether something is embarrassing or not.”
Maybe it should be a revelation in some form when Sophia whimpers audibly for Harry, tugging their touching hands for reasons Harry cannot understand.
“What? What do you want, omega?”
Another whimper leaves Sophia’s lips, although this time it has an added tone of annoyance like she can’t fathom why Harry is not complying to her. Well Harry can’t give her what she wants when she doesn’t ask for it verbally, a surprise yelp leaving him when Sophia launches herself at him almost toppling the both of them on the floor as she wraps both legs around his waist and arms snaking around his neck, Harry’s own steadying her position on his lap.
“Need to be held by you to say what happened,” she whispers in reply to Harry’s unasked question for her sudden movement. Harry just returns her hold, enclosing her little body with his much larger one in a tight but not suffocating hug.
“Alright, whatever you want, sunflower. I’m just going to listen here.”
“I still think it’s silly,” Sophia begins, resting her head on the crease of her arms that's atop Harry’s shoulder, “but in a nutshell, I was just really worried and stressed out when you didn’t arrive this morning like you usually do. I don’t know why I was so panicked but I’ve been really quite on the edge and agitated as the morning shift passed by to the point where Georgie and Sabrina noticed. It probably heightened even more to the point where you were able to smell it on my scent when you finally arrived. God was I so relieved when I finally saw you, that you’re safe and nothing’s wrong.”
Harry might just cry right here. He really wills any tears not to drop from the bubbling beautiful and amazing feelings he has inside from Sophia’s explanation that’s trying to spill over him.
Harry coos without any care in the world, hands affectionately running through Sophia’s blonde locks as he allows her to pull his body closer to hers like there’s even any space that needs to be closed between them.
“Oh now I feel awful,” Harry realizes as Sophia’s words finally make complete sense to him, “I was the cause of your distressed state, not those three omegas. That’s quite unkindly of me.”
Sophia breaks away from her little hiding spot near his neck to look at him, “No, don’t feel awful. It’s not your fault I got instantly panicked when you didn’t come in the morning like the usual. That’s so expecting of me that you always have to go to my bakery every morning as if you have nothing else to do with your life. It’s really my fault for worrying so easily, not yours, bunny.”
“Still,” Harry protests with a little pout, “As your friend, I should have said something before I left in the afternoon yesterday that you shouldn’t be expecting me this morning so you didn’t have to worry about me. I’m sorry, sunflower. It totally crossed my mind with all the work things I had to do in London.”
Sophia tilts her head to the side in a cute fashion, curiously asking, “London? So you went to London this morning?”
“No, I came home from London this morning,” Harry clarifies with a smile when Sophia reaches for one of his curly ringlets to twirl around her finger, squeezing her hip in fondness, “I drove to London yesterday after I was here the whole morning and afternoon. I fixed and started a lot of stuff in our office, and I even pulled an all-nighter to make sure everything's sorted with our on-going lingerie campaign.”
“Oh, I see,” Sophia nods her head in understanding, “I also pull some all-nighters sometimes when I’m working on a new honey recipe for the bakery, though I make sure I’m well fed and sustained for the strenuous activities. You had your dinner and a midnight snack I presume?”
Harry finds himself biting his bottom lip in slight guilt, knowing the next words that is going to come out of him will not please the omega who is now looking expectantly at him.
“I didn’t have time for dinner but my midnight snack was delicious,” he doesn’t miss the way Sophia’s blue eyes narrow in slight animosity for his answer, Harry thinks she’s not full-out chastising him for the fact that he at least had a midnight snack to keep him fed.
Or so he thought.
“Okay, but you did have breakfast this morning, yeah? And your lunch too cause you arrived at my door after lunch time already.”
When Harry just shakes his head in answer with a now full-on look of guilt covering his features, Sophia stops playing with his curls to sternly fold her arms in front of her chest.
“Harry!” She calls out his name in rampant annoyance, “Have you seriously not eaten your breakfast and lunch?”
Harry nods his head in answer, “I’m sorry, sunflower, it’s just that I was so tired from my all-nighter in the office and then I decided to drive back to Cheshire right after I finished all my pending work in London around 2:00 AM. By the time I arrived back home it was already 5:00 AM so I went straight to bed and slept without fixing any alarm. The next time I woke-up, it was already 1:00 PM. I didn’t really have it in me to prepare any food because I wanted to go straight here to see you.”
Although Sophia is still looking at him in a disapproving light, the little edges of her lips that’s slowly turning up tells Harry that he’s on the clear.
“How can I be totally angry with you when you’re going to end it on a sweet note?” Sophia huffs, trying to fight her smile to break her face, having a hard time to follow through when Harry begins to giggle at her adorableness. Her attempts were commendable in Harry’s opinion, but she breaks into giggles not a few seconds later which will always be a joy to hear.
“I still don’t like that you neglected your meal times for sleeping,” Sophia reminds him, trying to be stern, index finger pushing slightly on his chest for emphasis, “but thank you for not laughing at me when I told you the real reason why I got upset.”
Harry grins in pure tenderness, reaching for Sophia's little arms and wrapping it around his own neck to get her to hug him back again.
“How can I laugh at your reasoning when you also ended it on a sweet note?” Harry whispers to her ear before singing in contentment, “I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m positively beaming with affection right now. I don’t think anyone has made me feel so cared for and appreciated like this except for my own mother.”
Harry’s heartfelt admission leads Sophia to drop a little kiss on his cheekbone, Harry feeling the warmth of her gaze and the sweet stickiness of her gloss on his skin.
“Me too,” Sophia replies, eyes casted with a cloud of awe, “I can’t believe my omega called for you in dire need and that you responded so perfectly protective over it. Didn’t know that was ever possible.”
“Why not?” Harry frowns.
Sophia shrugs her shoulders, head tilting to the side in thought, “I don’t know, just never had someone who cares so much about me like you. And someone that I’d care so dearly in return too. I feel so many deep things about you that I can’t even make complete sense of them sometimes, you know?”
Harry knows. Harry fucking knows.
He might be reading this all wrong but he thinks this is the omega’s way of silently telling him that whatever they have is special, something way deeper than just being friends. His thinking of reply something in return that can help lead to proving his wishful thoughts right when something ruins the entire mood.
Something being Harry’s bloody betraying stomach that decides to growl in hunger at that exact moment. The two look at each other in surprise at the loud noise, before they laugh in unison at what just transpired.
“Time to feed that hungry stomach of yours if you want to keep on being all big and protective alpha on me. Can’t do that if you don’t have proper sustenance in you.”
If she puts it that way, how can Harry decline?
*~*~*
The first thing Sophia does after she’s asked Harry to help her in the kitchen to make the both of them some food (which Harry found weird because the omega rarely wanted his presence in the kitchen, usually shooing him away to wait and ‘sit pretty’ on his seat whenever he attempted to offer his help) is to cover her nose when they’ve reached his usual corner nook spot.
“Blech!” She reacts unattractively, “Why does it reek so badly here?”
Harry frowns, carefully placing the tray of their food that he was holding, down on the surface of the table. His nose works in its own accord to smell whatever it was repulsing Sophia but is left with nothing but the earlier scents of the three omegas that he wrongfully berated earlier.
“I’m not sure what you’re smelling,” Harry notes, pulling the single chair that Sophia usually sits on for her.
Sophia’s frown just deepens, one hand pinching her nose while the other is also covering the bottom holes of her nostrils, “It smells so strongly of roses and gardenia, yuck.”
Harry gives her a questioning look, thinking that Sophia had never told him she disliked said flowers, but shrugs nonetheless thinking that there’s so much more to learn about the omega which excites him.
“Yeah, it smells like those flowers.” Harry agrees, “I think the scent came from the three omegas that we're here a while ago. Which, you have to tell me if they come back here, hopefully I didn’t fully scare them away from ever going here again, so I can personally apologize for my wrongly accused actions.”
Harry’s about to take his seat on the corner seat, stopping abruptly when a now familiar cry of distress emits from Sophia, alerting his senses like before.
“No, don’t sit down,” Sophia asserts in full don’t-even-dare-think-of-disobeying-me attitude as she very reluctantly removes her hands on his nose in favor of scenting his corner nook seat.
Harry’s jaw is literally dropped as the scene of Sophia making her way around his favorite seat to thoroughly scent the area as much as she can unfold before his eyes. He clears his throat when he almost chokes on his own saliva that was trying to drip down his mouth as Sophia’s honeysuckle and vanilla bean scent began to strongly permeate his vicinity and all his bloody senses.
“What are you doing?” Harry asks, trying to find his voice from all the surprised emotions in him.
Sophia finishes scenting one of the throw pillows on the seat, eyes turning into displeased little slits like she can’t believe Harry even needed to ask why she was obsessively scenting his favorite spot right now.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking away those horrible scents. I don’t want our space smelling of others. Do you not want my scent here or something?”
“No! Of course not!” Harry rapidly replies to that awful thought, still caught-up on what the omega had just said that he can’t even reply to anything other than that.
“Good,” Sophia smiles brightly all of a sudden, “It’s not like I would have accepted any answer really.” she giggles so innocently like she didn’t just make Harry’s heart combust in ashes at her blatant claiming of their space, allowing only their scents to be contained in it.
“Okay! You can take a seat already, bunny.” Sophia claps excitedly, Harry moving on autopilot as he tucks her chair in when she sits on it, finished with her scenting spree, before he makes his way to sit himself. Though he is stopped once again by a hand on his wrist.
Sophia is looking at him demurely from underneath her lashes, “May you please sit down beside me today, bunny? Want you near me right now, please.”
Harry falls even more on this sweet honey-daze spell that Sophia has unknowingly placed upon him, finding himself nodding at her request while Sophia gleefully guides him to the seat beside hers with her hand now clasped on his own.
Harry does not know what was happening really, trying to catch-up with his wits when Sophia gives all of her attention to him like she’s never done before. As much as they are normally close when they’re together, they’re never this close-close.
Never has Sophia taken his plate of banana pancakes to her side of the table, never has she sliced it for him into tiny pieces, and never ever has she hand fed him the now tiny pieces of banana pancakes doused with cinnamon honey. Except she’s doing it now, fork raised in her delicate hold waiting for Harry to finish his bite to serve him another one.
It’s surprising but definitely not out of character for her as Harry knows how innately caring and affectionate the omega is. He watches on as Sophia takes a bite from his serving of pancakes with the same knife and fork she used for him, smiling fondly when even in mid-chew, the omega seemed to have her attention still trained on him as she reaches over his face to thumb away the little dollop of honey that have collected on the side of his lips.
“Why are you extra caring today, sunflower?” Harry can’t help but ask after Sophia happily hands him his glass cup of English tea (with lavender honey today) like it’s such a joy to be tasked with such.
“Nothing in particular,” Sophia chirps, attention focused on spreading honey butter on the croissant that they’re now going to share, “I just feel like compensating for the lack of time and attention I didn’t give you when you didn’t come in for breakfast today.”
Harry frowns at that, trying to not be instantly upset at what she had just said, “If you’re just taking extra care of me because you think you have to, please stop.” he whispers in a sad tone, “I don’t want you doing something nice for me just to compensate. I don’t want you to ever do that for me.”
Harry knows he’s pouting like a sad and neglected puppy, which he has every reason for upon knowing that Sophia is just being extra sweet to him because she basically feels like she just needs to compensate for something Harry does not know. It even saddens him even more thinking that he made the omega feel like she owed him something to compensate for to begin with.
“Oh, that’s not what I mean, bunny,” Sophia replies in slight alarm, hands frantically grasping the alpha’s hand that’s now nervously playing with his rings. “I shouldn't have said the word ‘compensate’, I think it’s a really wrong way of describing what I feel.”
Despite her remorseful tone, Harry doesn’t find it in himself to seek her apologetic aura. He lets her continue to touch his ringed fingers though provides no further look or response in her direction.
“Harry, look at me please.” Sophia requests with a gentle lilt in her voice, “Come on, I can’t correct myself to you if you’re not looking at me. Bunny, please.”
“Don’t wanna,” Harry stubbornly shakes his head in answer, feeling Sophia’s grip on his fingers tighten as she places his hand on her lap.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Stop being difficult,” Sophia lightly reprimands him, “I’m not going to give you honey cookies later if you don’t want to look at me right now.”
This catches Harry’s attention much more than it probably should, head raising up from its earlier crestfallen descent, yet still not turning his head to the omega’s direction and instead looks ahead on the other occupied chairs in the bakery.
“You can’t do that,” Harry replies, “I’m a paying customer so it’s illegal and unethical for you to not give me something that I paid for.”
“Fine,” he hears Sophia say from his side, not realizing until now how close they’re apparently sitting to each other as he feels her warm breath hit his jaw when she puffs out a breath of determination.
“I’m just not going to give you extra honey cookies then.”
Now that’s just pure evil in Harry’s books.
His head snaps to her direction, a satisfied grin falls over Sophia’s lips at her desired outcome. Harry only narrows his eyes at her, with no real heat behind them despite what he had hoped to convey, with his bottom lip popping out in a pout.
“Why are you threatening me when you already made me quite upset with your words?”
Sophia returns his pout with her own glossed one, “I didn’t mean to upset you earlier, that’s why I’ve been calling for your attention to look at me so I can apologize properly. Instead you decided to be a stubborn alpha.”
“Was not.”
“Was too.”
“I’m never stubborn.”
Sophia chortles uncontrollably, “I don’t think that’s a good argument to make while still having that stubborn pout on your lips.”
“Well I have full rights to be pouting right now when you just said straight to my face that you’re hand feeding me my favorite banana pancakes because you wanted to compensate for something that I apparently made you feel like you owed me for.” Harry’s stubborn pout turns into that of a saddened one, downcast eyes can’t bear to look at the unpleasant tinge in Sophia’s own eyes. “Frankly, that last bit upset me the most.”
“Oh, alpha.” Sophia coos in a soft wounded tone, closing the already non-existent space between them by enclosing all his blue melancholic energy in a warm hug, the omega practically sitting on his lap once more.
“I’m sorry that I made you feel that awful, bunny, not what I meant at all, not even in the slightest.” She holds his face so delicately on her dainty tiny hands like he’s such a precious cargo, sympathetic blue eyes captivating Harry’s downturned ones despite how much he doesn’t want Sophia to feel guilty.
“What I was trying to say, but failed to do so cause I’m crap at expressing my feelings to words,” a self-deprecating smile can be heard on her tone making Harry frown every time she views her wonderful self in a negative light, “but I’m going to try my bestest to still do so, cause that’s what you deserve.”
Harry doesn’t deserve her kindness, that’s the hard truth. Though the determination is clear in her eyes like Harry’s never seen before, hands on his cheeks slightly trembling in undeniable nerves making Harry instantly wrap a hold on her tiny wrists to anchor her like the little bit of solace she had given him earlier during his raging fit.
“What I’m feeling is that, there’s this deep foreign emotion in me that makes me want to be so attentive and caring towards you,” Sophia presses her thumb on Harry’s lips, sensing the rebuttal coming, “and before you even say anything mean about yourself, like that crazy thought you always have of you forcing me to do things, which you should stop by the way . Because that’s not what I’m feeling, I wanted, no I needed, to give you all of my attention right now and every dose of care I have in me. I don’t know what it is, but my omega just needs this.”
She finished with a nervous expression, plump baby pink bottom lip caught between her front teeth. It’s such an astounding thing to hear, that..huge thing she just said that Harry can’t still quite believe really left her lips.
It can definitely be said that no omega, actually no person, has ever been affected by his alpha to the point where it’s a necessity for the omega in Sophia to bestow him with utmost care, attention, and vigilance, because that’s what this all boils down to when Harry’s properly thought about it. It should probably scare him even in the slightest that he can apparently affect Sophia in such a profound way, tapping into a part of her primal instincts to essentially tend to his alpha. This definitely doesn’t affect any of Harry’s previous already culminating tremendously stupefying lovey-dovey feelings because how can it?
Yeah, he’s screwed, he’s done for.
Harry adoringly stares at the sweetest creature he’s blessedly fallen upon without any ounce of shame at his obvious dreamy gawking. With that being said, maybe he should change the name of his lingerie company now because there’s no way his baby can rival that of this girl’s honey personified nature.
He plucks a kiss on her thumb that’s still resting on his lips, preening at the way it results in a timid smile from Sophia, probably also reminiscing that first time she did that similar affection towards him back in the days where they had just first met like Harry is fondly thinking of right now. It’s crazy how close they’ve become in such a short period of time, both metaphorically, referring to their tight-knit bond as friends, and literally with the way they always find themselves almost attached at the hip when in the same place.
“If you put it that way,” Harry says in answer to her previous heart-swooning utterance, “then your actions don’t upset me in the slightest, makes me feel over the moon in fact that I’m apparently not the only one who has harboured such extensive emotions in this friendship.”
Sophia gasps in honest surprise, “You feel it too? Like these new, jumbled emotions that I don’t know what they are but they’re pleasant ones, are bubbling up inside my small body that sometimes feels so overwhelming cause the only time I can release them is when you’re with me, and I get to shower you with my emotions. Is that how it feels for you too?”
Harry laughs a loud one, positively sold with her explanation, “That’s a really brilliant way to describe it, sunflower, but I think it won’t work for me as I have a very much larger body than yours so my jumbled pleasant emotions are probably way more than what you just described, but it’s alright, I can carry on feeling much for you than you do.”
Harry’s teasing evokes another gasp from Sophia, this time out of offense.
“Excuse me?! You can’t just belittle my feelings like that! I have you know,” Sophia animatedly taps the button of Harry’s nose for emphasis, making the latter quite cross-eyed just looking at it, “I might have a tiny body cause I’m an omega, but that doesn’t equal how much I can feel inside me.”
“Yeah, sure,” Harry dismisses her with a light tap on her hip, “I still think it won’t compare to my naturally, smothering ways of affection.”
Sophia snorts at his confident words, “Who was the one feeding you pancakes and sitting on your lap right now?”
Alright, she has a slight point, Harry thinks giving that to her, “It’s because you haven’t given me enough recovery time for me to dote on you, as if your obsessive scenting earlier didn’t cause my heart to combust with so much emotions it’s surprising that I’m still alive.”
Instead of looking timid like Sophia would usually react after Harry mentions something that she has done in a teasing way, the sweet angel just smirks at him like it’s a regular thing that she does.
“What can I say, I guess you’re not the only one who has the ability to smother someone with affection,”
Harry thinks his heart just stopped beating all together.
“Sunflower, smother me with all your loving feelings all you want then.”
*~*~*
The next time Harry has to do another business errand in London, he’s made sure to message Sophia beforehand as for her to not worry about his safety and whereabouts like last time. It shouldn’t have taken them this long to exchange phone numbers, but Harry’s pleased to know that it still gives him butterflies of excitement when he makes a walk from his place to the bakery every morning despite their unrelenting exchange of text messages at the times that they’re apart.
By the time he’s arrived in the cottage bakery that afternoon after a late night in London, Harry frowns at the little piece of paper that is propped on his corner nook spot that he can see while waiting in the line to get his order. He’s not sure what that’s supposed to be, knowing that Sophia does not take reservations at her place.
When he’s right beside the table being second in line already, Harry gets a clearer look on the carefully placed baby blue paper on the table. His name catches his eyes in an instant, the familiar refined cursive not mistakable as well. Giggles of child-like euphoria bursts out of him as he notices the little drawn on bunnies at the sides of the paper, one of them holding a plate with a stack of pancakes and the other munching on cookies with it’s face admittedly filled with it.
“Good afternoon, bunny,” Sophia smiles brightly at him when he reaches the front of the line. Harry rolls his eyes good naturedly at her act of innocence like she just didn’t make his whole day by reserving his table for him in such a cute fashion.
“Oh come here,” Harry reaches out to hug the omega, the latter giggling as Harry coos words of gratitude in her ear while they take in each other's scents as much as a few seconds can allow them.
“You’re such a dear thing,” Harry says after letting go of their hug.
“Thank you,” Sophia tilts her head at the side while grinning at Harry, “I thought it was really clever for me to make the sign, so your spot won’t be taken when you arrive this afternoon.”
Harry smirks at finally having a stamp of validity from the owner herself that it really is Harry’s spot. Yeah, it’s the territorial alpha in him talking, what can we really do about it?
“You are very smart,” Harry agrees, “and creative too! I absolutely adore your little bunny drawings on the side, artistic masterpiece that one.”
Sophia unequivocally preens at Harry’s praise, “You did? That’s brilliant!” The omega claps her hand in surprised joy, “I didn’t want it to look boring with just your name, so I decided to spend a few minutes drawing two bunnies on them. Did you see what they were holding?”
Her excited tone is matched by Harry’s equally exuberant grin, “I did, made me extra hungry seeing my favorite honey treats on those bunnies paws.”
A giggling Sophia is always a sight, but a giggling Sophia who reaches over to gently grab Harry’s cheeks to squish together in a fish-looking pout is a total marvel with the way the omega almost purrs in delight.
“I know, I made sure to make one of the bunnies snacking on your favorite honey cookies with this exact adorable puffy face you have when you snack on them so happily.”
Harry can’t really reply properly with the way his face is squished together as Sophia continues softly murmuring indistinguishable words that he assumes is what she does when she pets adorable pets.
Is Harry annoyed that he might have been mistaken as an actual adorable bunny? No, not really. Sophia can definitely continue her cooing at him if he’s rewarded with her pleased little noises every time he scrunches his nose at her when she squeezes just a little bit harder on his cheeks.
Harry is basking in her smothering of affection.
*~*~*
It’s officially a month since Harry and Sophia have met and become the bestest of friends.
With that being said, Harry’s new lingerie collection is certainly taking a lot more of his time than he wants to with a lot more trips to London to guide and supervise his team with his first design.
Harry already knows that this upcoming collection would be the most dear to his heart compared to all the ones he’s done in the past. He is not going to settle for the next best thing in making his designs come true, requesting his head seamstress, Mitch, to create the first tangible sample of the slip dress using only the finest quality of materials.
At first, Mitch and Jeff had looked at him with surprise after he listed out specific instructions on how he wants this dress to be done during one of their meetings. To be fair, he’s never paid this close attention to detail to any of his other collections except his first one which is understandable since that collection would determine if he would make it or break it in the fashion industry.
Well it did make him and now he’s ignoring the raised brow Mitch and Jeff are giving him as he instructs them that he has to be alerted right away after the first sample is made. A very out of character thing for him to order when he’s done sketches in the past only to forget about them until Mitch rings him up to view it.
It’s good that his close friends don’t question him after their meeting, Jeff addressing his slightly unusual behavior but saying that he won’t question Harry this time around because whatever is happening with him, seems to be doing wonders for their upcoming collection. Mitch, always the quiet one, just taps Harry on the back in understanding of his requests.
That’s good, and Harry’s relieved he’s yet to explain the deeper meaning of this new collection and how his creative process involves the woman that just tilted the axis of his entire worldview in life into something more honey sweet.
That honey sweet thing is something he’s missing right now as focusing on his work in London also means less time in the sunflower’s whimsical cottage bakery. Harry’s past the point of ignoring the way he’s missing Sophia, bombarding the latter with lengthy messages of how he wishes Sophia was right there beside him to tell off Jeff who’s bullying him as per usual.
The omega replies back with short replies of how he should be kind to his best friend, choosing to reply to his messages of honest longing with pictures of her cat, Tilly, with edited effects of hearts in the background or tears on the gray fluff’s sapphire blue eyes. As per Sophia’s explanation after he admitted of being quite an old man with technology, not understanding the edited pictures as replies instead of normal, ‘ancient’ text messages using English words like he does, that it apparently means she’s missing him really bad too.
Harry is still confused as to what her cat has to do with the way they’re missing each other. But when Sophia sends another picture, now with her pouting face and blue wide eyes looking at the camera beside the cat’s similar expression complete with the cutely dilated blue orbs, Harry gets it now.
To: Honeyed 🌻: “So you look like a snuggly cat when you’re missing me that’s why you sent me pictures of Tilly?”
From: Honeyed 🌻: “Precisely! 🤗 But I look way cuter than her, right? Don’t worry, I won’t tell her your reply so she won’t get mad at you when the two of you meet.”
To: Honeyed 🌻: “Then it’s a definite yes 🤭 just promise no telling! Want to get along with your baby when I meet her.”
From: Honeyed 🌻: “I promise, bunny. Now go back to work and BE KIND to Jeff! Missing you still so much! 💛”
That specific exchange was two days ago, now Harry’s just coming up the corner to the cottage bakery to finally have some time with Sophia because they both really need it if those messages are anything to go by.
Harry really appreciates the slow and barely existing crowd in the mornings, appreciating it especially more right now as he enters the bakery with the little bell on top of the door signaling his arrival.
His breath absolutely gets caught-up in his throat as he watches in some sort of slow-motion sequence of Sophia twirls around to see the newcomer with her radiant blonde hair perfectly swaying along with her movement like a summer breeze just flew by in that exact same moment.
“Harry! You’re here!” she exclaims, far too bright and loud for such an early hour in the morning as she drops the rolling pin that she was using on the kitchen surface.
“Heya,” Harry grins, waving his right hand cheekily while staying put at his position near the door like he’s not itching to crash Sophia in a hug.
But it seems like he doesn’t need to worry any further as Sophia says in a still shock-ridded voice: “Oh my god!” and starts bolting towards him only allowing Harry a few seconds to stabilize himself when the omega evidently jumps on open arms, wrapping all herself tightly on his waiting and willing body.
“Bunny, you’re actually here,” Sophia murmurs still in surprise at his ear, “Oh my god I missed you so much, so so much.” arms and legs tightening around Harry making him bubble up with elation.
“I can tell, you literally have been saying the same phrases ever since you saw me.”
Harry’s teasing results in a little nip on his earlobe that is no doubt from the warm omega in his arms making him hiss, “Ouch, what was that for, sunflower?”
“You weren’t being very kind with my honesty, that’s why. Plus, you haven’t even returned my I missed yous.”
Without a look at her face, Harry already knows she’s pouting at him, “Yeah, that’s very unkind of me, huh?”
Sophia hums her agreement, nosing at his earlobe like a true snuggly puppy, “Very, didn’t appreciate it.”
Harry chuckles knowing that there’s not real heat behind her almost whining words, “I’m sorry, sunflower, was just joking like the usual silly ‘ol me, but I did miss you too. Truly missed you so much, my sweet honey treats baker.”
Like a Pavlovian effect, the mention of her honey goodies makes Harry’s stomach grumble in hunger. It’s not the first time it had ruined a tender moment between them (not only that one time in the backroom, mind you) so Harry no longer feels embarrassed about it as it only makes the omega dote over him by eagerly making him his special banana pancakes while making sure he stays still on his corner nook after they’ve chosen the flavor of the honey they would add to their morning cuppas.
Sophia leaves a featherlight kiss on his cheekbone while Harry raises his head a little to nose on her temple in adoration before they let go of each other. Of course, it must be understood that some semblance of togetherness must still be retained after missing each other so much these past few days, hands naturally intertwining together as they walk back to the kitchen counter.
In need of keeping their hands held, Harry follows beside Sophia on the other side of the kitchen counter where he usually isn’t allowed to be in. Heart beating fast at how domestic it looks and feels with them along together in the kitchen as no customers are present yet, nor are the two betas working for Sophia.
“What honey do you want to add to my matcha today?” Sophia asks him with that sweet little tilt to her head that Harry has definitely missed.
“Uhm, let me think..” Harry ponders, fingers pinching his bottom lip in thought.
Before he can even think properly, a furry gray blob suddenly comes out of nowhere and jumps on Harry making him yelp so loudly without a care of how he sounds.
“TILLY!” Sophia bellows in return as Harry feels the unmistakable kitten claws settling on his torso with his hands instinctively trying to remove the cat from his body as you never know when the sharp nails are coming in contact with his skin.
Thankfully, Sophia comes into the rescue to get her cat away from Harry, although without a fight as the usually cute and snuggly grey chubby furrball that Harry always sees on his phone, has suddenly transformed to an extremely angry looking kitten who’s continuously hissing at Harry like he’s offended her or something.
“What in the world was that?” Harry can’t help but ask as Sophia tries to calm down her cat who is still enjoying the scared wince in Harry’s features every time she hisses at his direction.
“I don’t know, I brought her in today so you two can finally meet,” Sophia turns to him with an apologetic look before turning to look at her cat again with a much stern expression on, “Tilly, that was rude, why did you do that to mama’s friend?”
She’s properly scolding the cat already in a way that makes her still sound like she’s just cooing at something, only Sophia can do that. But like earlier, Tilly just keeps her menacing little blue eyes trained on Harry, watching his every movement while hissing every once in a while when she thinks Harry is going to make his way beside the omega.
He does not know what he’s done to clearly upset the cat, but he kind of has an inkling to what it may be.
“I think it would be best if I take my seat already, it seems like she doesn’t want me beside you, or even near you.” Harry shrugs, trying not to sound too affected when in fact he kind of is.
This is Sophia’s dearest baby cat that she adores just as much as her affinity for honey and bees and everything pastel from her dainty little dresses to her soft to the touch collection of cardigans. So Harry believes it’s only logical that he wants her to like him, or at the very least, for them to get along.
But without even talking yet to the cat, she already decides she despises him to the point where bodily harm is about to be inflicted on him if he remains to be anywhere near her mama.
“What?” Sophia frowns at him, “That’s not true, Tilly loves everyone that’s kind, yeah baby? Harry’s kind my love, you wanna meet mama’s best friend? I thought earlier you were excited to do so when we were getting ready this morning.”
When Sophia motions for him as an invitation to be introduced properly, the cat stands up in alert from her cautious seat on the kitchen counter when she notices Harry nearing their way. Harry stops moving but Sophia calls for him again saying Tilly’s just stretching her little limbs so he follows along.
But now that Harry’s beside her, Tilly starts hissing so loudly again with her claws stretching out ready to pounce again. Except this time, Sophia instantly covers Harry’s front so the cat can’t quite pursue her motives.
“Tilly! What are you doing, young lady? That’s very mean, we never do that.” Sophia reprimands the grey cat much more firmly than earlier, her arms reaching behind her to wrap around Harry. “Harry is very kind, my love. We don’t need any of that rude hissing, and please put your claws back cause that’s dangerous.”
Tilly actually obeys her mother this time, though clearly still in alert and warry of Harry’s presence as she retains her untrusting gaze on him.
“Hey, Tilly, nice to finally meet you.” Harry decides to say with his chin perched on top of Sophia's head when the latter just kept on looking at her cat with a look of disappointment that the alpha decides he never wants to be on the receiving end of.
Staying true to her character, Tilly hisses in reply to Harry’s polite greeting making him laugh for some reason as Sophia gasps, sounding so appalled like her cat hasn’t been hissing at Harry this entire time already.
“I am so sorry,” Sophia turns around to properly hold Harry on his waist, head raising up to look at him in the eyes with an embarrassed light casting her beautiful features and a sad pout gracing her glossed baby pink lips. “I don’t know why she’s acting so mean today, and especially towards you that I always say only good things about.”
Hearing that makes Harry forget of the intimidating cat still looking at him, instead he places his hands on Sophia’s bare shoulders to rub it affectionately, “You talk about me to your cat?”
Sophia simply nods, Harry positively preening at this new information especially when she explains more. “Of course I would. You’re a very important person in my life just as much as she is.”
Harry’s face scrunches in that smile he knows Sophia’s quite smitten with, “Thank you, sunflower, you’re so cute when you’re being sweetly honest with me.” he pinches her cheek for good measure as Sophia giggles at his touch, “But I still think I should leave you here on your own before she thinks I’m beginning to become more important to you than her.”
“Well maybe you are,” Sophia innocently replies, making Harry gasp in shock this time at her apparent cheekiness.
“Sunflower, quiet down or she might hear you,” Harry widens his eyes comically, “don’t want her getting upset with me any further.”
“Alright, just because I don’t think I can be able to tend any of your scratches without crying if she does gets her claws on you successfully this time,” Sophia concedes making Harry chuckle at her specific reasoning, “but I still think she needs some sort of retribution for her very unkindly actions.”
“Maybe no special honey treats for her today?” Harry suggests.
Sophia puckers her lips in thought, “Yeah, I think that would be a good one.”
“Excellent,” Harry squeezes her collarbones fondly, “more for me then!”
The day goes on after that initial interaction (or lack thereof) and Harry’s quite down to report back that Tilly is still hostile towards him regardless of him doing basically nothing to cause such aggressive behavior.
Sophia has remained pretty cross with her cat all day as well, particularly when she prevents her from joining Harry at their corner at any chance she tries to have a word with him or to share their cuppa together. Claws and hissing and beady little frightening eyes always coming out like the usual routine every single time Harry even tries to look at the omega.
The busy afternoon rush puts a halt on Tilly’s threatening gazes at Harry as the cat chooses to focus her attention on Sophia like some sort of guard dog. Harry will certainly hire her for the job when there’s a need for it, that little grey furrball can be bloody scary without even doing anything. Harry can attest, he’s been on the receiving end of it all day now.
Similarly, Harry pays no mind to Tilly’s blatant hostility as he gets submerged in his own work related agendas. He spent the majority of the day answering emails from their main office in London, and the occasional matters he needed to attend to from their international branches. He’s also keeping a close eye on the updates from Mitch regarding the status of the fabric they ordered all the way from Japan as Harry had firmly stated it has to be that specific kind for his precious slip dress. It’s honestly quite a pain when Harry thinks about it, because the longer it takes for Mitch to make the dress, the prolonged time it would be for Harry to create his next piece for the collection.
Usually, he just sketches and sketches once the inspiration starts to flow but this time around, Harry is really taking his time to perfect everything. He can’t just start the next piece when the first one is made and he notices some needed alterations if ever his drawings cannot be translated that well in the finished fabric form of the dress.
Nevertheless, Harry doesn’t find it in himself to be that all worried as Jeff (and Glenne) has left his neck after reporting back with something really promising. They’re obviously under the impression that being back home in the countryside of Cheshire and much nearer to his mom, has probably propelled Harry’s inspiration back on track. Harry would just tell them the complete story once he’s settled with the fact that he can’t keep Sophia’s sweetness all to himself any longer
Harry’s fairly lost in his head regarding all these that it takes him in complete surprise and panic when he suddenly hears that already familiar (as much as he despises for it to be familiar) whine from the omega baker, a loud clattering of something falling on the ground follows after. Harry springing fast on his own feet ready to take action when he hears another whimper, now laced with an undertone of pain.
“Omega!” He all but says in alarm as he sees the sight of Sophia clutching the top of her chest where her collarbones are located in obvious pain, elbow propped on the kitchen counter as Sabrina and Georgie stand beside her with the first aid kit on hand.
“No, I’m alright. I don’t need any first aid, I think.” Sophia mumbles reassuringly to the two fussing betas who are trying to seek her injury. Despite the baker’s assurance that she is alright, Harry can clearly hear the underlying tone of discomfort in her voice as he situates himself near her.
“What happened, omega?” Harry asks in barely concealed urgency, eye raking up her form to check any signs of injury.
Sabrina and Georgie removed themselves from Sophia’s immediate side when the latter suddenly elicited a whimper of pain for Harry.
“Alpha, I dropped the pan that I was trying to place inside the top cupboard there,” Sophia whines pitifully, her glassy eyes raising up to look at the offending cupboards that is technically, really high for her to reach by herself without any help. “Now it hurts.”
“Oh, omega. What hurts?” Harry replies instead in concern, being cross with her for not asking for his help when doing such a futile task considering her short stature can be later discussed. Harry needs to appease the fretful alpha within him after hearing such unnerving noises from the omega.
“Here,” Sophia pouts at Harry with her dainty hands slightly clutching her collarbones, “it hurts here.”
Her wobbling lips and little sniffles is the last thing Harry registers before taking the last few strides to gather her in his arms.
Obviously, this entire chaotic ordeal made Harry forget of the omega’s little menace of a cat child that’s visiting the bakery today, the alpha only remembering when he feels the unmistakable sharp edge of her claws as Tilly scratches his legs when he had tried to close the distance between Sophia and him.
“Fuck!” Harry curses at the now positively growling cat who’s looking at him like he’s the perpetrator who caused her mother harm. “Stop scratching me, Tilly. I need to help your mother.”
The growling and hissing just keeps getting louder as Harry is forced to keep on removing the angry cat that keeps on latching on his leg, losing his patience when he hears Sophia’s sniffling become louder in obvious distress.
“For fuck’s sake, I have no time for this!” the deep, alpha timbre in Harry’s voice as he agitatedly removes the cat from his body, somehow stops the cat from resisting his ministrations.
Harry sighs in complete annoyance, hard green eyes staring straight to that of the undying fierce blue orbs of the cat, “Tilly, your mother is hurt and I need to help her, alright? So please stop trying to attack me. And before you hiss at me again, I didn’t do it. I’m here to make sure she’s going to be tended to and that she won’t have to be subjected to any harm again. I’m here to protect her just as much as you are. We’re both here to protect mama, alright?”
Harry doesn’t know what type of response he’s really looking for when talking to a cat, but he thinks that Tilly might understand the tone of his voice and the look on his face when all the fight in her rounded fluffy body leaves her. She wiggles out of Harry’s hold and stays put beside him, head turned towards Sophia’s direction, mewing.
Harry sighs in relief at whatever sort of compromise they have just achieved in that moment, finally turning his full attention to the silently crying omega to get that hug he’s been wanting to give her.
Sophia goes pliant in his hold, whining a little when Harry’s tight hold around her causes to strain her bruised collarbones, “Ouch, that hurts.”
“Sorry, I’m sorry. I was just trying to make sure nothing is broken.” Harry soothes her quickly, hands rubbing up and down her blonde hair in a comforting manner, “Does anything else hurt?”
Harry puts a little bit of distance between them, eyes intently focusing on searching her physique for any signs of other bruising, frowning deeply when he notices her right collarbone turning slightly purple from the impact of the steel pan falling on it.
“Nothing,” Sophia shakes her head while sniffling, knuckles rubbing at her eyes to stop the little streams of tears from falling any further, “I don’t know why I’m crying so much, I think I was just shocked at the loud noise. My collarbone hurts but not as much as when I accidentally cut my pinky open before.”
Harry groans, sounding like he’s the one in pain this time, “Omega, please do not start saying bloody things like that, I can’t take it.”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to be bad,” the omega sniffles, Harry stilling for a moment and groaning again for a completely different reason this time.
“Not being bad,” Harry tries to say in a calm tone without sounding so affected by her choice of words, it’s inappropriate to feel the hot and burning little coil inside him right now. “Just clumsy and stubborn for not asking my help to reach a very high cupboard.”
Sophia just whines at the undeniable little chide in Harry’s statement, gently squishing her face to his torso in fear of being scolded much more.
Harry sighs, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, “We should go to the backroom, omega. I have to make sure you’re completely looked after.”
The alpha said his thanks to the two betas that have resumed working, reassuring them that he’d tend to any of Sophia’s bruises in the backroom while gladly accepting the first aid kit they’d brought out earlier. The omega baker still docile on his hold around her as he leads them back to the now familiar door of the backroom. He’s almost forgotten again of the watchful little creature that was standing beside him earlier until said cat does her familiar hiss when Harry almost closed the door on her face.
“Oh, sorry Tilly,” he apologizes, rolling his eyes after when the only response he gets is a snarl and a not-so gentle flick of the tail on his chin making him wince at her violent antics.
He forgoes any more cross words with Tilly and instead guides Sophia to take a seat on the peach couch as he prepares the first aid kit on the coffee table situated in front of it. Harry feels Sophia’s eyes watching him attentively as he’s forced to take his time arranging the content of the kit when the latter didn’t want to let go of one of his hands.
That’s perfectly fine for Harry as he’s quite adept now with using one hand for tasks having a lot of practice time whenever they eat together, the omega keeping their intertwined hands on her thigh as they feed themselves and each other with their remaining free hand.
Harry thinks he might even be an expert at this point with this whole doing task with one hand thing as no whines of pain leave Sophia’s lips as he carefully tends to her bruising collarbone with a soothing ointment. His eyes are focused intently not only on her bruise but as well as her facial features to see if he’s not hurting her by tending to her purpling bruise.
“All done,” Harry softly says, placing the little tub of ointment back on the coffee table before turning his focus back on the fortunately no longer crying omega. “What else do you want me to do to make you feel better, sunflower?”
Sophia’s quite red all over her face from her crying earlier, even the remaining exposed skin from today’s outfit of a lilac ribbed tube top is flushed with the same rosy-red tint. There’s no longer a downturned tilt to her lips, Harry making sure he’s wiped it all away with his gentle strokes to her face as he helped her dry her little tears earlier. but pouting is still a thing she’s exhibiting which tells Harry that she needs a little bit more tender affection.
“Cuddle on your lap, please, bunny?”
“Love, anything for you.” Harry honestly responds, slowly placing his hands on her waist to guide her down on his lap as Sophia expertly wraps herself on his toned body.
For the amount of times they’ve already done this sort of thing, Harry already knows the drill as Sophia tucks herself near his neck, resting her face on his shoulder where he rhythmically rubs her cheek on the silky material of Harry’s usual shirts finding comfort.
On the other hand, Harry brings his hands to rest on the omega’s supple love handles on either side of her slightly curvaceous physique, breathing in her sweet scent in utter contentment as he noses along her temple and her ear.
The serene calmness that they always get from cuddling like this is hampered today by the mewling neglected cat that’s now rubbing herself on Harry’s ankles, surprising him for a moment.
He looks down at Tilly without having to disturb the little peaceful and warm snuggle cocoon that Sophia and him are currently encased in, brow quirking in question when the cat continues to meow for attention without any aggressive actions being threatened at him.
“What’s it, Tilly?” Harry asks quietly as to not disturb the peaceful omega straddling his lap, “Your mother’s fine already, no need for those meowing sounds.”
Tilly quiets down a bit, although not completely as she continues to speak in the only way that cats can not allow Harry to bask in the silence of having Sophia in his arms.
“Do you want to join us, or something?” Harry asks again when the cat began to show signs of impatience at Harry’s lack of competence for being able to understand her language.
Tilly completely stops her pawing and meowing, head tilting to the side as she blinks at Harry in response.
Yeah, she definitely looks like her mother, Harry muses to himself in amusement while trying to stop the fond smile to escape his features as the cat has yet to apologize or stop her unjustified hatred towards him. No matter how adorable the grey furrball is, Harry knows not to trust her so wholly as there’s a fiery and despicable energy within her fluffy chubby body waiting to be unleashed with just one ‘wrong’ move from him.
“Alright, I guess you can join us,” Harry concedes, bending a little to pick Tilly’s waiting raised arms, “but you gotta keep quiet because mama needs to rest, okay?”
Tilly doesn’t reply and choses instead to paw his hands away from her once she’s on top of the couch with them. See, Harry knows he’s not completely on the clear yet with her abhorrent dislike for him.
“Okay, okay, geez,” Harry quietly says in surrender, “not going to hold you anymore but you got to stop squirming if you want to cuddle with us. I’m not going to leave your mama here just because you can’t stand being near me.”
If cats can roll their eyes, Harry’s sure that’s what he exactly gets in reply from Tilly as the cat huffs at him all irritably while squirming her body in between their sides with the majority of her resting on Sophia’s thigh finding the perfect comfortable position to cuddle in.
Harry sighs thinking of today’s turn of events when the peace and quiet is finally able to fill and permeate his entire system.
It’s a lot for just wanting to stop missing the honeyd omega, but Harry knows he won’t have it any other way, with the annoyingly adorable half-demon cat and all.
*~*~*
Harry’s everyday visits at the bakery certainly helps his relationship with Sophia cat child to develop a little bit better each time the omega brings Tilly with her.
By no means are Harry and Tilly suddenly besties after that one afternoon and the following days of being with each other. Though they’ve definitely reached a clear common ground on where they both stand in the omega baker’s life.
The two of them just want Sophia to be happy and safe all the time, that’s just that. So Tilly just needs to trust Harry that he won’t do anything that will harm or endanger Sophia, and she should remember that he’s not the enemy here. Harry has said time and time again to the cat that they’re here to work together to make sure her mother is always safe and protected.
Of course, no matter how conniving and threatening Tilly can be, she’s still a cat who doesn’t have the same rational as a human who can understand the English language. That’s why Harry is already starting to get used to the occasional hissing from Tilly whenever he feeds Sophia her favorite honey corn muffins, discerning that the cat might not understand his verbal reassurance that he’s not going to overfeed or choke the omega.
“Your patience with her is so commendable,” Sophia notes as she takes her afternoon break with Harry on his corner nook, her eyes reflecting fascination as she watches Harry try his best to pet Tilly only for her to squirm away from his big hands only to come rolling back again on his side.
She’s definitely starting to warm up to him no matter if she denies it, Harry thinks, turning to smile at Sophia.
“I’m also surprised at the amount of patience I have for her,” Harry admits, “I’m not usually one to tolerate rudeness from people, but I apparently can for pets. Plus, I kind of understand why she’s being mean to me in some way.”
Sophia accepts the tea spoon filled with today’s dish of honey and cheese soufflé that Harry’s raised on his hand waiting for her mouth to open, “What do you mean?”
Harry tuts at her actions, “Please don’t talk when your mouth is full, sunflower.”
Sophia smiles sheepishly at him in some sort of apology, finishing the spoonful that the alpha had fed her before curiosity struck back again within her as she eagerly asks Harry the same question.
“In my opinion, she’s just being territorial with her mother, which is you,” Harry points out helpfully with an endeared smile at Sophia’s adorable confused look.
“Why does she feel the need to be territorial over me when you didn’t even do anything?”
Harry shrugs, “She probably felt and thought that I was a possible threat. I noticed some similarities with her and alpha baby me. Because when I was a child, I remember being extremely displeased, borderline territorial for my mother’s attention whenever we went to parks or parties where there’s a lot of people that might take her away from me. I was a proper jealous and possessive mess back in my diaper days.”
Instead of the laugh that Harry expects Sophia to react with on his rather ridiculous story, what he finds instead is a cooing Sophia with a dreamy look clouding her doe-like blue irises.
“Oh my god,” she gushes, “you were surely a proper cutie back then, huh? Frowning like an angry bunny in pictures when Anne had to help other children.”
Harry giggles at her way of thinking, “I’m not sure if I was that cute but I can confirm that frowning pictures of me in my relative’s parties because mum wasn’t by my line of sight, definitely exists. Anne Styles is a very clever mother who will not throw away items like that in the hopes of getting me embarrassed in the future, and will probably take a picture of my embarrassed reaction as well.”
Sophia giggles a happy sound, offering Harry the last honey cookie on the plate, “I definitely have to see those pictures myself when you take me to her home for a visit. And I don’t think it’s embarrassing, knowing how cute you are today means you’re superbly cute before as a little alpha pup for sure.”
Harry just munches on his mouthful of honey cookies, lips curling up in exuberance at Sophia’s twinkling eyes while talking about visiting his mother and how cute she thinks he is. He’s definitely not turning pink up to his tiny ears, nope.
That’s a thing with them now, actually. Talking about plans, like tangible plans, normally monumental types of big plans like that of going to each other’s childhood home to meet their respective parents. Granted that specific intentions are present for the purpose of the visit, - Harry to learn about her family’s bee farm first hand, Sophia to learn how Anne makes her homemade honey soaps she’s quite fond of - it still can’t escape Harry’s mind that this is essentially ‘meeting the parents’ type of ‘meeting the parents’ nevertheless that they’re just best friends. It feels so much more than just that.
At these specific instances, it makes the alpha realize how much he views what Sophia and him have as something more than just platonic relations. He already knew deep inside him when he started conversing with her that very first day, that he kind of doesn’t want to keep it in the platonic realm once he gets to know her properly.
And that’s what he’s been doing the past month, what they’ve been doing all this time. They’re already the bestest of friends (sorry Jeff) right now without any question.
Harry was quite clear with himself that he wasn’t going to come in strong with his not-so platonic intentions in the beginning of their friendship as to not scare the omega away from how forthcoming and intense he can be. Harry hasn’t really done this ever, this entire serious relationship thing, that’s why he’s also cautious with his words and actions not wanting to hurt in any way just because he’s inexperienced in this regard.
But no matter how he tries to keep it in himself, his deep affection towards the omega just ends up unfolding in one way or the other if it wasn’t already clear how much unknowing control Sophia’s omega has on his alpha and vice-versa. The rapt caring attention, affectionate words, electricity zapping touches and the warm cuddling and scent inhaling hugs, are just the tip of the iceberg of how connected their inner energies are.
And it might be wishful thinking, but he really thinks it’s not, that Sophia might share the same aims as him. She’s a naturally timid and gentle soul no matter how friendly and bubbly she seems, that Harry most of the time feels that Sophia’s just waiting for him to make an actual move on her, too shy to start the conversation herself regardless that they both don’t believe that it’s always supposed to be the alpha that should ask the omega out on a date.
It’s just a matter of time, is Harry's resolve to this situation at all the times he’s taken a time to think about it.
Just a matter of time before he shows his complete and unyielding devotion to the omega.
Honey Bunny
ABO universe setting.
For his every creation, one muse is behind it all.
Sometimes, individuals think they’ve somewhat got it figured out in life, that change is not something so monumental. But one should believe that if a lot can happen in a year, how much so in a single day? So they meet, on one ordinary day; and then everything else swiftly shifts. Stumbling upon each other might make them see beyond what they thought they’ve perceived before.
What’s that something hopeless romantic people say?
‘Love finds you, you don’t find love.’
Well great thing they’re both self-proclaimed saps; they just need to say that to each other over lingerie sketches and saccharine sweet honey treats.
The story of lingerie designer alpha Bunny, and ultimate honey baker omega Sunflower.
*~*~*
Story Masterlist:
- Part I
- Part II
- Part III
- Part IV
- Part V