Crafting Love

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Louis Tomlinson had always known who he was meant to be: an alpha. Raised in a household where traditions weren’t just valued but sacred, he’d been brought up understanding the importance of the alpha's role. He learned early on that an alphas strength was in their loyalty, their protectiveness, and, most of all, their devotion to their omega.

The Tomlinson family was steeped in these customs, where every step of courting was precise and purposeful. Louis had seen it play out countless times within his family—uncles, cousins, even his own father with his mother. There was a script to follow, and it had been drilled into him since he could remember.

Harry Styles, on the other hand, had a different upbringing entirely. He was an omega who had grown up in a modern, progressive family where traditional roles were seen as optional rather than obligatory. His family encouraged him to explore who he wanted to be without being confined by labels. As a result, Harry never felt the pressure to conform to any one idea of what an omega should be.

Their worlds were different, but when Louis first saw Harry across a crowded room at a mutual friend's party, none of that seemed to matter. He was captivated by Harry bright smile and the confident way he carried himself. Louis felt an undeniable pull toward him, and his instincts kicked in immediately: he wanted to court Harry, wanted to show him he could be the best alpha for him.

But Louis knew that his approach might come off as archaic, considering how Harry had been raised. Courting rituals weren’t exactly the norm anymore, especially not in Harry circle. Still, Louis couldn’t help but feel that this was the right way to show Harry how serious he was.

He began his courtship the way he knew best, with small gestures that he hoped would speak volumes. Louis bought Harry his favorite coffee in the mornings and offered to drive him home after late nights out. Harry found the gestures endearing, if a little old-fashioned, but the sincerity behind them was what caught his attention. No one had ever gone to so much effort for him before, and that was something Harry couldn’t ignore.

It was when Louis presented Harry with a selection of fabrics that Harry truly began to understand just how different Louis was from anyone else he’d dated.

“What's all this?” Harry asked with a curious smile as Louis handed him a neatly wrapped bundle.

“I know it’s a bit much,” Louis said, his voice tinged with nervousness, “but I wanted to give you something for your nest. I, uh, picked these out myself. Thought you might like them.”

Harry blinked in surprise, his fingers carefully unwrapping the bundle. Inside were several different fabrics, all soft to the touch and in colors that Harry loved—deep greens, midnight blues, and a few pieces of ivory that made Harry’s heart swell.

“Oh, Louis,” Harry breathed, running his hands over the materials. “This is... wow. No one's ever done this for me before.”

Louis’ cheeks flushed a deep red, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I know it’s kind of old-fashioned, but I wanted to do something special. Something that showed you I’m serious about this—about us.”

Harrys heart softened at the sight of Louis standing there, looking so earnest and hopeful. It was true that his family had never put much stock in traditional roles, but there was something about the way Louis approached him with such care that made Harry feel cherished.

“These are beautiful,” Harry said, looking up at Louis with a gentle smile. “Thank you.”

Louis’ relief was palpable, and his smile grew wider. “I’m glad you like them. There’s, um, something else too.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh?”

“Yeah, it’s... well, it’s not as nice as the fabrics, but I thought you might like it.” Louis reached into his bag and pulled out a small stuffed animal—a rather wonky-looking bear, its stitching uneven and one of its eyes slightly higher than the other.

Harry stared at it for a moment before breaking into a laugh, not out of mockery but pure delight. “Did you make this?”

Louis nodded, his embarrassment evident as he held out the bear. “Yeah, I know it’s not great. I’m not exactly good at knitting, but I wanted to try. I thought maybe it could be part of your nest, if you wanted.”

Harry took the bear from Louis’ hands, his fingers brushing against the soft, imperfect fabric. The bear was lumpy and clearly made by someone who didn’t quite know what they were doing, but that only made Harry love it more. It was personal, made with Louis’ own hands, and that meant everything to Harry.

“I love it,” Harry said earnestly, hugging the bear close to his chest. “It’s perfect.”

Louis’ eyes lit up at Harrys words, and the tension in his shoulders eased. “Really?”

“Really,” Harry confirmed, grinning. “No one’s ever made something like this for me. It’s the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever gotten.”

Louis looked down at his own hands, a little in awe of how well this was going. “I’ll keep making them then, if you want. I’ll get better at it, I promise.”

Harrys smile softened, his heart swelling with affection for this alpha who was so unlike anyone he’d ever known. “You don’t have to get better, Louis. I love them just the way they are. Just the way you are.”

Louis felt a warmth spread through him at Harrys words, and he couldn’t help but lean in and press a gentle kiss to Harrys forehead. “Thank you, Harry. For giving me a chance.”

“Thank you for caring enough to do all this,” Harry replied, wrapping his arms around Louis in a tender embrace.

As they stood there, wrapped up in each other, Louis knew that this was just the beginning. He would continue to court Harry, continue to show him how much he meant to him. And maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to blend their worlds together, creating a love that was uniquely theirs.

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The end the end the end.
Hope you enjoyed whatever this mess was.
-A