little bitty rattle (and all our dreams are comin' true) | Larry Stylinson

Chapter 2

Nineteen and Twenty-One, September

After his professor dismisses the class for the day, Louis immediately pulls out his phone to check for messages from Harry.

Louis' friends might say it's funny how whipped he is for Harry, how utterly fucking gone for his mate he is, how devoted he has been to this omega since childhood. His friends might say that if they wanted a fist to their jaw. So they don't.

It's not funny, not in the least. Not even if Calvin wants to curl up his lip and say it's just amusing seeing you like this, that's all, or whatever-the-fuck. It's not. It's what Louis's always wanted.

He'd be happy just simply mated to Harry; all the rest is a giant, extra perk. The actual mating cermony they'd had. The fact that Harry has his last name now. They both have claiming marks on their necks. Rings on their fingers. Just another source of dual-ownership, Louis thinks, smiling serenely to himself as he packs up his laptop and textbooks, texting Harry with his free hand.

Louis's always been proud to say that he's never been an ultra-conservative Alpha. He's not controlling, he's not dictating, he doesn't place punishment or shit on Harry like other Alphas sometimes do with their omegas. What they have together is a partnership, a friendship and a bond that's ridiculously deep, and Louis being an Alpha doesn't make him any better than Harry, just like Harry being an omega doesn't make him any less than Louis. Harry's amazing. He's growing life inside him, a new life, a baby they've created together, and it's what Louis's dreamed of forever.

Knowing that he'd gotten Harry pregnant makes Louis feel a thousand feet tall and made of steel.

They're mated, and they're having a freaking baby together.

Still. Despite there being an overwhelming happiness to Harry being pregnant, Louis can't stop the nagging feeling of underlying worry--like a fear, a fear that won't go away. He wants to be able to keep any harm from happening to Harry and their unborn child at whatever cost. This pregnancy has been so fucking hard on him so far, and Louis just wants his mate and his child okay and healthy.

Even though Louis's not controlling, his natural instincts still have to come out somehow. It's really just boiled down to telling Harry to check in with him throughout his day, asking for a text when he's leaving the house or whatever. That way Louis'll always know where he is if any type of emergency were to happen. It's a simple rule; these are normal Alpha things. The obsessive amount Louis ruminates over them, however, is not. And he knows it.

Louis stops texting about halfway through a line of typos to just call Harry instead.

Harry answers the phone goofily. "Hellllllo?"

"Hey, Haz," Louis says, smile in his voice. "You home yet?" He hears commotion in the background signaling that he's not.

"Wrappin' things up now. Think I'll be another half-hour tops."

Louis walks out of the building where a majority of his classes are now housed and makes his way to the parking lot. "I'm gonna swing by the apartment and drop off lunch. What are you in the mood for?"

"Lou, you—"

"What are you in the mood for?" Louis interrupts.

"Um." It's quiet for a bit. "Chicken?"

"I can work with chicken. Chicken what? Chicken nuggets, chicken sandwich? Chicken strips? What?"

"Surprise me."

"But no, not if it'll be something that'll make you sick. What sounds best?"

"Nuggets."

"I'll get you a Happy Meal," Louis decides, and he grins at the child-like noise Harry makes in response. This is the person carrying his baby, and he's so in love with him.