Chapter Text
It's been a week that happened, a week of healing hands, a week of that floured covered kitchen and... Somehow something changed in a week.
It was subtle in simple ways, perhaps in the way xie lian started to sit beside hua cheng not across, or how hua cheng's arm would touch his just enough to feel the heat from the alpha's body or maybe in way when xie lian actually started to take care of his hands without the alpha hovering over his hands constantly.
And the changes were... Scary, he felt scared in way he never felt, the feeling was fluttering, happiness warmness and — back in mind a red warning, all wrapped in a blanket.
Xie lian could feel it, he could feel how slowly he was falling over hua cheng. Slowly? Or.. Maybe not. He didn't know but it was something he never felt and.. It was exciting in way he felt as if his heart is suddenly running miles and miles and he could see, see how it was slowly changing him, his life.
His life differed in ways he didn't expect, from eating cold packed breads to having a warm homemade meals, from wearing the same coat to having different color pajamas, from sleeping in that thin matted floor to the comfy soft bed... With hua cheng in arm distance.
Tonight was so, xie lian stared at the alpha's broad back, never did hua cheng once crossed a line, touched him even after sleeping in the same bed, it was a wonder how this alpha was.
He was used to alpha's being nothing but rough, lusty, aggressive, if even gentle they always had one thing in common : motive.
Xie lian was used, used in ways he was thoroughly disgusted by himself and others, he has seen endless living monsters and all of them wanted something in return, his body, his beauty, his wealth, and.. What not.
He remembers the contract, a baby. He needs to birth a baby. For hua cheng.
The thought of that contract surreal stays in the back of his mind, itching like a bug at times, scratchy itchy scary new. But not once, never once after he moved in to hua cheng's manison has the alpha mentioned about the contract.
A month and two weeks passed, yet— not once mentioned the contract.
Why? he doesn't know, he has been given what was promised to him.
A good—luxurious life even, food, warmth, shelter, endless gifts, money and what not. His debts? All paid. Then what is hua cheng waiting for? For him to approach?
The thought of approaching hua cheng feels scary not in bad way.. But in way which leaves xie lian breathless, he still remembers the soft kisses, the feel of those soft lips against his burns, his wrists and.. What he felt at that moment was is more scarier than ever.
Never in life xie lian had felt something liked that from a person let alone... a dominant alpha. The gender he has grew to hate, disgust.
Then why? How? What happened to him? Maybe—maybe because its hua cheng, it's.. san lang. Maybe its because of how gently San lang talks to him, maybe it's in the way how san lang looks at him, maybe it's in the way he shows how much xie lian already means to him, it's in the way he respects xie lian— an omega, it's in the way he makes xie lian feel like a normal person like he isn't the same person who has been used thousands times, like he isn't the person who is dirty, maybe it's the way he looks at xie lian like he is the most beautiful person hua cheng has ever seen, maybe it's in the way he stares at his chestnut hair like he wants to nuzzle at it, maybe it's in the way he has pressed those very soft lips to his wrists like—
“gege?” the sound of the low raspy voice of hua cheng breaks the train of his thought with a flinch.
“h-huh?” xie lian blinks, his vision falling on the broad back of the alpha, an arm length between them, what if he got a little closer? Just to feel that heat and—
“you are breathing hard, do you feel alright?” hua cheng asks, his back still turned to xie lian. The omega blinks again his breathe hitching.
He hadn't even realized his breathing has gotten quick, heavy, as he tries to control his breathing the sound of covers shuffling catches his attention, he turns his head his breathe once again catching at the view.
The alpha has turned to his side facing him, he is still wearing that eye patch, his eye watching him with that intense stare which somehow makes xie lian suddenly feel hotter, his gaze falls on the hint of collarbone and pec peeking through hua cheng's red robe he is wearing, loose, the same one he.. Burrows his nose in secretly.
And suddenly the room feels even hotter, he doesn't realize his breathing is quickening again, his pupils diliating as he stares at the alpha, he can't look away, he tries but he can't it's like there is something in that eye—
"Gege? You.. Your scent” hua cheng's voice drops an octave lower, something flashing in his eye as his body tenses, like a beast holding back from devouring his feast and—
“oh" Xie lian breathes out almost a choke his nostrils flare as he finally registers... his scent. Lilies with a hint of vanilla.
The room is almost flooding with the bursts of his scent, the smell of essence of vanilla, sweet and delicious.
Xie lian sits up his hand flying to his scent gland—it's throbbing, hot and he chokes again standing up in panic—from the corner of his eyes he sees hua cheng sitting up eyebrows furrowed in worry as he opens his mouth to say something— xie lian rushes.
He doesn't waits for hua cheng's word, nothing, he rushes to bathroom locking the door with a thump! As he stares at his neck, his scent gland is slick, throbbing as he stares at the mirror.
His scent— after years, years, it has finally returned, why? He doesn't know— he doesn't understand— all he cares is about smelling it, he inhales it unconsciously as tears well up in his eyes.
Hell he doesn't knows why he is crying what is happening, all he knows his he is feeling happy panic excitement and—
“gege are you okay? Please open the door I'm worried” the alpha's voice cuts through air, Xie lian forces himself to take a breathe.
He doesn't know why it's happening, is he going to heat? But he doesn't has heats, it's been years he had one, then? Why his scent suddenly returned?
"I- I am okay, give me.. A moment San lang” he murmurs uncertain soft voice, as he continues to stare at the mirror.
“as you wish gege” he hears hua cheng murmur through the door slowing his still racing heart a bit.
The scent of lilies and vanilla is still potent in the bathroom, xie lian freezes when he feels something wet in his panties... Something.. So—slick.
But he hasn't experienced this in years, the last heat he had was years ago then how—? Is he going into false heat??
No, no that can't happen possibly. No way, “I need to take a cold shower " Xie lian murmurs under his breathe, rushing straight under the shower.