State of Grace » stylinson

[ intro. ]

Laying awake at 5:47am on a Saturday, Louis starts to question every decision he has ever made.

Moving to - what is evidently - the busiest street  corner known to man is at the top of the list for his dumbest decisions, if he were asked right this moment.

Who on Earth authorized a construction crew to work at bloody 5:30 in the morning, anyways? Don't they know that there are people who like to sleep?, he seethes inwardly, wishing there were someone to give his two cents to.

Like, don't get him wrong. Louis' as pumped about having a Starbucks right in front of his apartment complex as the next guy - but his enthusiasm is quite zapped at this very moment.

"Come on...," he groans, voice coming out hoarse, since he only just woke up - to the sound of an assortment of different, teeth gritting-ly loud machinery. "Why does this happen on the one Saturday I have off?," he grumbles to himself, in the full knowledge that he will not be going back to sleep until it is dark outside and the construction workers have packed up for the day.

He knows he wasn't singled out by the construction crew. They aren't trying to ruin his day; they've been working every day for months. Louis just usually wakes up around 5:30am, anyways. But, still, he feels personally victimized by the sounds that have almost served as his alarm clock in the recent months.

Using his left hand to throw his soft (oh, still so inviting) blanket off of his legs, he uses his right to grab his phone from his nightstand. He presses the middle button, and in addition to realizing his phone didn't charge last night, he notices that he has 3 unread text messages from his best friend, Niall Horan. If the name sounds like the epitome of Ireland, then the blonde haired boy would be more than happy to agree.

Louis blows air out of his nose, blinking a few times to try to get his sore eyes used to focusing before he lazily swipes his thumb over the screen, unlocking it.

Niall (2hours ago)
iMessage
Maaate !! There's so many Alphas here 2night!

Louis skims over the first message and rolls his eyes. Niall sent the messages 2 hours ago, so he was out until at least 3am. Blinking groggily, he looks over the last two, seeing that they're just random emojis. He types out a reply, telling Niall to call him up when he's sober enough to function, and he gets a reply before he can even lock his phone back.

Niall (now)
iMessage
Will do , better have some cookies ready, wifey !!

Louis scoffs.

I ain't your wifey . But will do with the cookies ! Be safe .xx

Louis doesn't get a response immediately, so he assumed one isn't coming. But, if he got one, he's sure it would be along the lines of 'good lad'.

Finally, feeling at least a bit up to par, Louis makes to stand up from his bed, wincing a little as the burn on his hip chaffs against the elastic band of his boxers. Oven accident at work. Nothing that will happen again. Hopefully.

Setting his phone down, carelessly on his bed, he walks over to the giant window on the other side of his bedroom, yanking the curtains back as soon as he reaches them.

It's this, this sight, that reminds him why moving to New York City wasn't really the worst decision of his life. Befriending such a colorful Omega as Niall... questionable, but moving to the most energetic City known to man? No, no question of why he's here.

His parents, being very successful attorneys back in England, could afford to sent him to any college of his choice. They expected him to attend Juilliard, or one of the Ivy Leagues, perhaps, but he had different ideas.

As soon as he graduated his last year of school, he walked up to them and told them that he was moving to New York.

His poor mum nearly fainted, and Louis still feels bad, to this day, about the color of her face, how scared she seemed. But, looking out this window, at all of the people, milling about, enjoying their own early morning theatrics, Louis knows that he's where he should be.

And his parents seemed to understand just how serious Louis was about living in the Big Apple.

At least they were when Louis asked for his passport, showing them his plane ticket as proof of just how sincere he was. They had caved, fretting over their son's safety and welfare. He would be a small, male Omega in the busiest City in the United States, perhaps the whole world, and they just didn't feel completely comfortable with that.

So, with some negotiation, all three of them agreed that Louis would move to New York, to a little corner of the city called SoHo, and they would pay for his apartment. Louis grudgingly agreed to let them help, secretly because he knew that he was vastly out of his limit.

So they had bought him a cozy little apartment - a bit too big, against Louis' request - in a complex that only accepts Omega tenants.

The possible advocates have to take a test, just to prove their species identification (there has been plenty enough Alphas trying to move into a building designed to house nearly a hundred Omegas), and any and all Alphas are to be escorted in and out of an apartment by a Beta, say an Omega request them.

If the Alpha is found to have left the apartment without an escort, not only would they be kicked out and immediately exiled, but so would the Omega tenant. They have a very harsh policy, and the Omega would be expected to be out before a full week can pass.

Louis is thankful that he hasn't had any run ins. He considers himself to be a picture perfect tenant, his rent is always on time, he never brings home any Alphas that could threat the delicate Omega-centric ecosystem in the building, and he never plays his music too loud.

His life is quiet and there are no surprises. Unless you count on Niall's dramatics.

His life is perfect. Or so he thinks.