Work Text:
***
Xie Lian realizes exactly how tense he is when he catches himself stress-grading lab reports that the students aren't expecting back until next Friday.
He hasn’t heard from Hua Cheng. Admittedly, Xie Lian had only left the courting gift in front of Hua Cheng’s apartment door two hours ago, and Hua Cheng rarely finishes at the studio until late. Still, he can’t help it. He can only hope that Hua Cheng responds tonight; otherwise, Xie Lian definitely won’t be getting any sleep.
He has spent the last few hours regretting every life decision that led up to this moment. He’d known it was a dumb idea even before he left the gift, but it was as if he were in a trance. Maybe mating season is getting to him. The heat suppressants he’s on have always kept it at bay before, but perhaps they’ve just stopped working. He could probably use that as an excuse.
He knows Hua Cheng won’t be cruel in his rejection, but the real question is how badly Xie Lian has sabotaged their friendship. Hua Cheng has become completely intertwined with Xie Lian’s friend group since Shi Qingxuan introduced him a year or so ago. If things get awkward between the two of them, it could potentially disrupt the dynamic for everyone. Shi Qingxuan especially will likely feel caught in the middle though, Xie Lian thinks she probably deserves it.
This whole mess had started, as many questionable decisions in Xie Lian's life do, with Shi Qingxuan.
***
“You could do it, Lian,” Shi Qingxuan insisted. Her elbow was digging somewhat painfully into Xie Lian's side with how hard she was leaning against him. After a few rounds, she had decided they needed to be sitting on the same side of the booth for their little heart-to-heart. “You could totally do it. Are you kidding me?”
“It’s not about if I could,” Xie Lian said firmly—or tried to. It mostly came out as a mumble. He didn’t drink often, but when he did, the world tended to go a little hazy. “It’s about—it’s about—”
“He’d love it! He’d love it so much, I know him. He might seem like he doesn’t like that mushy stuff, but that’s just because he doesn’t know how to respond to it. It’d be so cute, and he’d love it, especially if it's you. So, do it.”
“It’s not about being cute, or… mushy, it’s…” Xie Lian paused, flapping a hand vaguely in front of his chest in an attempt to telepathically communicate his point without having to articulate it. “I just think. You know?”
Shi Qingxuan nodded sagely. “Yeah. You’re so right.”
“And you also have to consider,” Xie Lian began, reaching for the now-lukewarm beer on the table, “not just if he’d like it, but if it would, like… offend him or something. I mean, it is pretty antiquated at this point, not to mention kinda poor taste when you start to think about the implications of—”
Shi Qingxuan rolled her eyes. “You’re not some greaseball, Lian. It’s harmless. And you’d totally, completely win his heart.”
Xie Lian stared blankly at the table for a moment. His mind drifted back to earlier that afternoon, when Hua Cheng had texted him a selfie right after teaching an art class. He’d been pulling a mock-crying face, looking sweaty and exhausted, yet Xie Lian had still swooned. “He’s just so… You know?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s like… I just feel like he deserves it. Someone putting in effort.”
“Mm-hmm. Plus, you’re a romantic at heart.”
“I’ll text him. Should I text him?” Xie Lian asked.
“Absolutely,” Shi Qingxuan declared. Her cheeks were so red it was almost comical. Xie Lian faintly wondered if they’d had too much to drink. “This is an amazing idea. You’re so smart.”
Xie Lian felt a lump form in his throat. “You’re such a good friend, Shi Qingxuan. I love you.”
“Then tell me more often,” Shi Qingxuan said, swaying dangerously as she bumped her shoulder against his. “You can’t use being shy as an excuse with Hua Cheng, okay? You have to say you love him all the time.”
“I will,” Xie Lian said, filled with sudden determination. “I’ll tell him so much. I’ll keep track.”
Xie Lian pulled out his phone, wondering why he hadn’t thought of any of this sooner.
Xie Lian 11:48pm
I have a surprise for you 💕🫣🫵🥳
Hua Cheng 11:56pm
??????
Are you okay?
Gege??
***
The hangover Xie Lian woke up to this morning was his first since college. Alongside the pounding headache came the stark realization that he isn’t entirely sure how one goes about courting Hua Cheng. Not that there is a strict rulebook, necessarily, but there are traditions to adhere to. Though, he supposes that an omega wanting to court another omega throws most of those traditions out the window anyway.
He at least knows that Hua Cheng is into other omegas. Beyond that, he knows little about Hua Cheng's dating life aside from the fact that he is unmated. When Xie Lian thinks about it, he’s only known Hua Cheng for a little over a year. Yet, given how close they’ve grown and how utterly smitten Xie Lian is, it feels as though they’ve known each other for lifetimes.
Xie Lian hasn’t had many omega friends throughout his life. Around them, he often felt strange and awkward. In his youth, he’d worried he was feeling some subconscious sense of competition—the kind of biological rivalry some people still spout—though he never truly bought into it.
That was before he realized he’s just really, incredibly gay, and physically unable to look a pretty omega in the eyes without his knees threatening to give out.
Hua Cheng was no exception. Is no exception, his brain helpfully corrects. But by the time they met, Xie Lian had reached a point where he was craving genuine connections with other omegas. He had forced himself to make a conscious effort to get over his fumbling and butterflies, and somehow, miraculously, he had succeeded. He’s always suspected that Hua Cheng must know about Xie Lian's feelings, purely based on how jittery he had been when they were first getting to know each other.
As impulsive as he had been last night, the idea hadn't come out of left field. He does believe Hua Cheng deserves to be properly courted, and he really had been considering finally letting him know he was interested. He just… probably would have waited a bit longer. At least until he had some indication that he wasn’t going to be completely rejected and ruin the delicate chemistry of their friend group.
Contrary to Shi Qingxuan’s nagging, he hasn’t just been too shy to make a move. Really.
Another way to look at it, he tells himself, is that his choices were essentially: ask him out normally and get rejected, or initiate a courtship and get rejected. At least this way, Hua Cheng will have a funny story to tell.
It’s not even that Xie Lian is insecure at least, not significantly more than anyone else. It’s simply that he has met all his previous partners through dating apps, where the romantic intent was established from the very first message. He has never been in a situation like this before: stuck with a hopeless crush on a friend.
But there was no going back now. The first courting gift is less about the object itself and more of a declaration of intent. Xie Lian had gone with a simple, high-quality cloth case for the tablet Hua Cheng uses every day at work. Not exactly the most profound or sentimental gift in the world, but Xie Lian had scented it thoroughly and left it wrapped on the doorstep to Hua Cheng’s apartment. Even without Xie Lian giving any prior indication of interest, there is no way Hua Cheng will misinterpret it.
Xie Lian’s rumination is cut short by the sharp ping of a text notification. Unsurprisingly, it’s from Hua Cheng, wanting to meet up.
Well, Xie Lian thinks, his stomach dropping. There is nothing he can do but reap what he has sown. He only hopes that when the dust settles, this will just be another embarrassing story they can laugh about over dinner.
***
“Hey,” Hua Cheng says as he sweeps in, and god. He looks so good. He smells so good, too. Xie lian remembers reading on a site he was pretty sure was trying to sell a self-help book that omegas naturally don’t get along because of their scents. It triggers an old competitive instinct, one that tells an omega to watch out and make sure their mate is secured. Omegas are naturally on guard around each other, it’s just how the world works.
Xie Lian had laughed at it then, but he didn’t fully realize how wrong that person was until meeting Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng’s scent is very noteable. It’s something vaguely floral, leaning more towards earthy and dark than bright and delicate, it's something Xie Lian hasn’t encountered before.
The way it makes him feel is. Hua Cheng’s scent makes him want to curl up somewhere warm and covered and protected. It makes him want to claim and be claimed, take and be taken. It makes him want to run his fingers through Hua Cheng’s hair and watch as he relaxes. It just makes him want.
Oh heavens. He’s fucked. Even if he hadn’t come up with the brilliant plan of courtship last night, surely he’d just have revealed himself in some other way sooner or later.
“Is this a joke?” is the next thing out of Hua Cheng’s mouth, when he’s barely even stepped inside. Xie lian winces.
Not pulling any punches, then. No point to it, really, they both know why he’s here. He doesn’t sound angry—sounds eerily neutral, if Xie lian had to place it. He’s not sure which would be worse.
“Uh, no,” Xie lian says, eyes flicking to the gift. “It’s. You know. With it being mating season and everything—”
“A courting gift?” Hua Cheng asks. His eyes are trained on Xie lian , sharp and calculating like he gets when helping someone at his studio. Xie lian fidgets in place.
“Yeah,” Xie lian says miserably as he slumps down on the couch.
The silence that follows is excruciating. The worst part is that Xie lian can’t even be upset about it, can’t reasonably claim he was expecting anything else.
“You don’t have to sound so sad about it,” Hua Cheng mutters. Xie lian feels the couch dip down next to him as Hua Cheng takes a seat.
Xie lian risks a glance at Hua Cheng’s face. He… doesn’t look upset, at least. Actually, Xie lian can’t really read what he’s feeling. He looks slightly off-kilter, almost flustered, which is an expression he doesn’t see on Hua Cheng often.
Hua Cheng fiddles with the edge of the gift in his hands. “You’ve never really… This is kinda unexpected, Xie lian.”
“Yeah, well,” Xie lian says with a dry laugh. “Surprise?”
Their eyes meet and Xie lian has to turn away, face starting to burn. He wishes Hua Cheng would just get it over with.
“So, you really—”
“I, uh—”
They both cut each other off at the same time. Hua Cheng laughs and shakes his head, seemingly to himself. He’s playing with the cover in his hand, tracing his fingers across the surface and picking at a corner.
“Okay,” Hua Cheng says after a moment of silence.
Xie lian stares. “Sorry?”
“Okay, go ahead,” he says. He smiles at Xie lian and shrugs, a picture of nonchalance. Xie lian can’t help but notice that the tips of his ears are pink. “Gege wants to court me, go on court me.”
Xie Lian's heart rises from where it’d sunk to his stomach to beat wildly in his throat. “You–are you sure?”
“Yeah,” Hua Cheng says lightly. “It sounds fun.”
Fun. Xie Lian isn’t sure if he should be offended by that. The whole idea of courting in this day and age might be a bit goofy, but surely Hua Cheng understands by this point that Xie lian’s feelings are genuine. Xie lian isn’t the type that’d do something like this as a joke.
At the same time, it feels like a pressure in his chest lifts off.
He doesn’t know how he’d forgotten over these past few hours. Hua Cheng always gets Xie lian playful in a way he just isn’t playful anymore. He brings out a side of him that Xie lian hardly lets anyone see. Hua Cheng, above all else, is one of his best friends.
He should’ve known this would be no different.
Xie lian grins.
“I’m gonna court you soooo hard San lang.”
Hua Cheng bursts out laughing, the tension between them finally broken. “I’d like to see you try.”
So, Xie lian does.
***
Xie Lian , in an exemplary display of his wisdom, had decided that the best gift to showcase his talent was cooking.
The thing is, he doesn’t paint or draw or any other form of visual art. He isn’t particularly handy, making anything homemade probably would’ve ended in disaster. He’d considered making a song for Hua Cheng, but with courtship only lasting a few weeks, he didn’t want to rush something out.
And his friends like to joke that he’s a walking tornado, but he’s not that clumsy. He’d never be able to get through living alone otherwise. So he’d invited Hua Cheng over for dinner, and he’d cooked.
It was… terrible.
“God, gege. This is so romantic,” Hua Cheng says, batting his eyelashes.
“Oh please,” Xie Lian grouses.
“Hey, you tried. And it tastes good! It just… could use some work on presentation.”
Hua Cheng is sitting across from Xie lian at his dining table. Having their first date (Xie lian still isn’t sure if he should call it that) at his own apartment probably goes against courting tradition in some way or another. But they’re both so familiar with each other already, it felt weird pretending that they aren’t.
He set out a candle and picked up a bouquet of peonies from Mu Qing’ and Feng Xin’s flower shop to attempt to make things at least a bit more special. The effect was kind of ruined when Xie lian remembered that all the dinnerware he owns are the cheapest sets he could find and his dining table is chipped and stained because it’s from a thrift shop he bought years ago.
Still, Hua Cheng is here in his apartment, enjoying Xie Lian's company and teasing him gently and laughing at everything that comes out of Xie Lian’s mouth. Which really isn’t that different from normal, but it certainly feels like it is. Xie Lian's palms have been clammy this entire time and he can only hope that he doesn’t sweat through his shirt.
It’s been a few days but Xie lian still expects himself to wake up. Xie Lian wants to court Hua Cheng, and Hua Cheng is letting him. Hua Cheng knows how Xie lian feels, and he didn’t awkwardly let him down. Instead he’s here, letting Xie lian make a fool of himself, and just smiling fondly at him.
Xie lian isn’t entirely certain what it is Hua Cheng wants. Obviously he isn’t opposed to the courting, but with how casual he’d been about it, surely it doesn’t hold nearly as much weight as it does for Xie lian . He’d said it sounded fun—and maybe, that’s all he wants from it.
Xie lian knows he should be sad about that, but he really can’t find it in himself to be upset with Hua Cheng. About anything, really.
“Not sure about the garlic, though,” Hua Cheng says. “That’s kinda gross. Is gege not gonna walk me home and kiss me goodnight?”
“It’s spaghetti aglio e olio,” Xie lian says, resolutely ignoring Hua Cheng’s bait. “It’s fancy.”
“Just because it’s Italian doesn’t mean it’s fancy.”
Xie lian elbows him. “I'm wounded, San lang. After I spent hours preparing all this for you, here you are. Attacking me in my own home.”
Hua Cheng seems to brighten at that. “I’m just saying, Gege. I thought you were gonna woo me. I’m expensive, I dunno if I can be satisfied with overcooked spaghetti for the rest of my life.”
“Expensive, sure. I’ve been to your dingy apartment? I know you and Yin yu live off of instant ramyeon.”
“Hey, that boyfriend of yin yu’s brings over home cooked meals sometimes. Honestly he's an angel for that”
Xie lian gasps “Really? Quan Yizhen never gave a thought to cooking before Yin Yu. Those two are so cute”
“No way,” Hua Cheng gags.
As the night goes on, Xie Lian finds himself shocked by how normal everything feels. The context may be odd, but their conversations aren’t much different from usual. Hua Cheng talks about the new batch of students he’s teaching, Xie lian complains about his upstairs neighbors, Hua Cheng mentions a new art exhibit he wants to visit.
After dinner, they move to the couch to watch a movie, with no small amount of self-doubt from Xie Lian at this whole thing feeling decidedly unremarkable. Surely he’s not going to impress Hua Cheng like this.
Still, he can’t deny that it’s nice to have an excuse to have Hua Cheng right in his space. With permission for courtship officially granted, Xie lian is supposed to be… well. He’s pretty sure it used to be called staking a claim, though he tries not to think of it like that in his head. It sounds too barbaric.
He likes to think of it as simply ramping up the affection. He touches Hua Cheng more than he’s ever touched him. Casually, with a hand on his lower back to guide him when they walk, or an arm slung over the back of his chair when they sit. He leans in much closer than strictly necessary when they talk, brushes their shoulders together much too often for it to be seen as accidental.
It comes extremely unnaturally to him. Hua Cheng is a decently touchy person, but Xie lian is not. And for Xie lian to be initiating it—he keeps expecting for Hua Cheng to jerk back, eyes wide and asking what the fuck Xie lian is doing.
He doesn’t. If anything, he just touches Xie lian right back, shoots him these small, almost shy smiles that Xie lian has never seen Hua Cheng wear in his life. He doesn’t know what to do with it. But he certainly knows he’ll never be able to get himself to stop now.
Xie Lian isn’t inexperienced. He’s dated. He’s done things for his partners, grand shows of affection. He’s never quite had the ball entirely in his court before, though. It should terrify him.
Fun, Xie lian thinks. Hua Cheng said this was going to be fun.
And maybe it should be. Maybe Xie Lian doesn’t have to overthink this any more than necessary. Maybe he deserves to have some fun, too.
He sees Hua Cheng off, feeling like the insecurity that's been quietly present in the back of his mind has receded.
***
Of all the traditions of courtship, Xie Lian likes the constant gift-giving the least. He doesn’t want to feel like he’s buying Hua Cheng’s affection. Still, that didn’t stop him from showing up at Hua Cheng’s studio every evening this week with some sort of food in tow. He’s not going to just not take advantage of an opportunity to see Hua Cheng more after work.
The Art studio technically belongs to one of Hua Cheng’s oldest customers who after had rented the place to Hua Cheng, and even though the place is not that good Hua Cheng still puts his heart and soul into keeping it running. A little too much sometimes in Xie Lian’s opinion, but he’s long since learned that he can’t convince Hua Cheng to take a break.
Hua Cheng always looks grateful and mildly surprised whenever Xie lian shows up, as if he didn’t expect him to come. Sometimes Xie Lian gets the sneaking suspicion that Hua Cheng still doesn’t fully realize how serious Xie Lian is about this. He’s considered bringing it up, but the thought of dramatically redeclaring his interest in Hua Cheng makes him want to dissolve on the spot.
Tonight Xie Lian brought fried chicken, because he knows Hua Cheng likes it, and the price doesn’t hurt.
“Thank god no thank you GEGE” Hua Cheng practically moans when Xie lian walks in. “I skipped lunch because I thought I’d be leaving early, but a student of mine needed help with her project and then two others ended up taking extra classes and then. I tried calling their parents to let them know the kids will be late but they weren't returning my calls so I had to send an e-mail—”
“San lang,” Xie Lian cuts him off with a laugh. “You always do this. Just admit you’re a workaholic.”
Hua Cheng rolls his eyes dramatically. “Whatever. At least I have gege, my knight in shining armor.”
“Don’t try to flatter me into buying more food.”
“Oh, was I being that obvious?”
Xie lian takes a look around the room and frowns. “What’s all this?” There’s a few rags out, along with various cleaning products and a bucket. Hua Cheng winces.
“About that,” he starts. “Don’t get mad, I promise I’m not overworking. It’s just… it’s been kinda slow lately, so the landlord decided we may as well save some money on the cleaning crew and just do it ourselves.” At Xie Lian’s probably icy expression, he adds, “We switch off! Today’s just my day. It’s fine.”
Xie lian puts the food down. “Is the amount of money you guys save really that much? I feel like that’s not worth it.”
“I know, but you know how she is,” Hua Cheng mutters.
Xie lian intends to distract Hua Cheng, but as they eat Hua Cheng ends up just venting about his day. It isn’t often Xie Lian sees Hua Cheng this stressed. In a way, it makes him feel special. He knows how hard it is for Hua Cheng to show any sort of vulnerability, even something as simple as admitting he doesn’t completely have everything under control. The fact that he lets Xie lian see him like this makes something fond and a bit smug burn under Xie lian's skin.
But above that, seeing Hua Cheng so obviously distressed makes Xie lian want to fix it somehow. Xie lian isn’t exactly versed in using his omega, as some people put it. Besides never having much need to, he kind of just feels awkward about the whole thing. Xie Lian ’s never been uncomfortable with being an omega, but sometimes he feels a bit of a disconnect.
But right now he just wants to calm Hua Cheng down. So casually, without commenting on it, he bares his neck, stops regulating his scent like he’s grown accustomed to over the years. He doesn’t have precise control over it—nobody does, really—but he tries his best to internally relax.
After a few moments of silence, Hua Cheng’s own scent spikes, which isn’t exactly the soothing reaction Xie Lian had been hoping for. He looks up in confusion only to find Hua Cheng staring at him with an expression Xie Lian can’t quite read, but that makes his face heat up nonetheless.
“What are you doing?” Hua Cheng asks, sounding a bit strangled.
“Uh,” Xie Lian answers intelligently. Now he just kind of feels like a weirdo.
Hua Cheng eyes him up and down, then grins. “Is gege propositioning me?”
Xie Lian chokes on air. “No!”
“Really? Because you’re kinda pulling out the omega-flirting-101 stuff.”
“Oh please. I was trying to, like… you know. Be all calming and stuff.”
“Is your idea of calm flashing a giant neon take me now sign?”
“You’re so mean San lang,” Xie Lian whines “Why do I like you again?”
“Not sure. Feel free to remind me, though.”
Xie Lian supposes his plan worked, though, the tension Hua Cheng was holding now gone. They finish eating in a content silence.
Xie lian is scrolling on his phone when Hua Cheng leans back and stretches with a groan. “Can someone ruthlessly force me to clean. I’m not gonna be able to do it otherwise.”
Xie lian eyes him. “What happened to it’s fine?”
Hua Cheng slumps down in his seat. “It’s just… I’ve had a long day.”
Xie lian considers this for a moment. “Hey. Let me do it.”
Hua Cheng’s eyes widened. “Gege no! You’ve literally bought me dinner like every day this week, I’m not putting you to work too.”
“San lang.” Xie lian cups the back of Hua Cheng’s neck and squeezes. “I’ll handle it, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” Hua Cheng asks weakly. The fact that he’s actually giving in, and so easily, means he must be even more stressed out than he’s been letting on.
Xie lian squares his shoulders and puffs out his chest exaggeratedly. “Of course. How else am I gonna prove I’m the most suitable mate? It’s not like we have hunting competitions anymore.”
Hua Cheng laughs, which makes Xie lian want to preen for real. “Fried chicken and a clean studio. What more could an omega ask for?”
Beyond the humor, Hua Cheng looks genuinely grateful, and Xie Lian can’t help how proud that makes him feel. He’d feel a lot more heroic if what he was offering to do wasn’t just cleaning, but he’ll take what he can get.
An hour later, Xie lian has decided that a thorough cleaning is fucking work.
Hua Cheng had joined in after ten minutes. Which went against the whole point of the gesture, but Xie lian finds that he can’t really complain. They finish faster, and Hua Cheng blasts music and convinces Xie lian to dance along with him as they work.
Xie Lian is laying right on the floor, finally cooling off when Hua Cheng speaks up.
“Let me thank you gege.” He pats the seat next to him. “I’ll give you a massage.”
Xie lian eyes him warily. “Your massages hurt.”
“What no way?” Hua Cheng says. “Fine, I’ll be gentle with you. Just get over here.”
Xie lian begrudgingly rolls off the floor and goes to sit facing away from Hua Cheng. “Just… don’t injure me, please.”
Xie Lian can’t help but jump when Hua Cheng lays his hands on his shoulders. “I’m insulted. I thought gege liked my massages.”
“I do, just…” Xie Lian starts, then trails off into nothing when Hua Cheng immediately presses into that spot right in between his shoulder blades. Hua Cheng learned how much tension Xie Lian carries there a couple months ago and he’s never stopped taking advantage of it.
Hua Cheng wasn’t lying when he said he’d be gentle. After a few minutes of kneading Xie lian’s shoulders until Xie lian’s effectively mush, he switches to running his hands up and down Xie lian ’s back. It’s more like a caress than a massage, but once he starts using the back of his nails to run along Xie lian 's skin, Xie lian really isn’t complaining.
“My mom used to do this for me back when I was a kid,” Hua Cheng says. “It’d put me right to sleep.”
Xie lian can only hum in response. Hua Cheng uses pressure that’s light enough that it doesn’t feel like he’s just scratching at him, but hard enough to where it doesn’t tickle. Goosebumps rush up and down his spine until his whole body is tingling. Xie Lian is surprised by how good it feels.
It feels so good, in fact, that Xie lian completely loses himself. He’s so spaced out that he doesn’t notice the noises coming from him until Hua Cheng’s fingers stop. The soft continuous rumble from his chest feels so foreign Xie Lian almost doesn’t recognize what he’s doing.
He hasn't purred since… ever, it feels like, but that can't be right. Since he was a child, at least, with his mother and too young to be embarrassed by the stark vulnerability of it. It's one thing to use words to tell someone I'm happy, I like you, I'm safe. It's another thing to show it with something fully out of conscious control.
That can't be faked. Xie Lian can't shield himself that way.
He expects a laugh. He doesn't think Hua Cheng would be cruel about it, but maybe he’d see it as something similar to watching a puppy trip and fall over itself as it bounds towards its owner. It’s pathetic, but in a cute way.
Hua Cheng doesn't laugh.
He resumes his touches, but this time they’re even gentler, more languid. Xie lian hears him hum, a low satisfied sound as if he’s the one feeling good. Xie lian allows himself to relax again.
Hua Cheng’s scent goes saccharine, calm and content and tender and home flooding Xie lian’s senses. He thinks about how this is what it could be like. Maybe, if he’s gotten Hua Cheng to like him enough after this courtship is over, he could have this.
Then Hua Cheng brings his hands up to lightly scratch through Xie lian’s hair instead, and Xie lian’s ability to think blots out entirely.
***
Xie Lian didn’t expect things to completely change between him and Hua Cheng after he started courting him. He knows that wouldn't make sense, they’re still themselves. But he just didn't think it'd be like this. He didn't think it'd be so fun.
His bank account is screaming at him, but he takes Hua Cheng out as much as their schedules allow. Dinners, movies, art exhibits, one memorable bike ride that ended with Hua Cheng nearly twisting his ankle—it doesn’t matter where.
They’re out at dinner now, some fancy new place with serving sizes much too small for the price. Xie Lian, with a sense of bizarre confidence, has found himself flirting all night, dropping cheesy one-liners that surely should just make Hua Cheng cringe. And that’d been Xie lian’s intention, to make Hua Cheng laugh. Because Xie lian loves seeing him happy, loves seeing proof that Xie lian himself can make him happy.
Hua Cheng does laugh, and rolls his eyes and smacks Xie Lian on his arm, but there’s something beneath the surface. Something small and pleased and maybe even a little bashful. Xie lian wishes he could draw it out, shower Hua Cheng in attention and well-deserved praise until he has no choice but to bask in it and admit it’s all true.
“Since when did gege get so smooth?” Hua Cheng asks, cheeks pink in a way that makes Xie lian want to puff out his chest and brag. I did that, I made him feel like that, that’s all me.
“I don’t know,” Xie Lian says, and he doesn’t. He’s never experienced anything like this before. He’s never been like this before.
He didn’t know it could feel like this. No uncertainty or insecurity or fumbling over how much to show. Just him, and his feelings out in the open, and Hua Cheng fully aware yet still letting him give chase. Because it’s fun. Because it’s nice to try, to put in the effort. Because it feels good to pursue and be pursued.
It all feels so good, with Hua Cheng.
They stumble home together, completely sober yet Hua Cheng keeps practically hanging off of him, drunk on the atmosphere. Xie Lian walks Hua Cheng back to his apartment so much that it’s not even a question. He finds himself outside the entrance, with the realization that he isn’t ready to say goodbye, but he doesn’t have anything to say.
Hua Cheng seems hesitant too. He turns to face Xie Lian , as if to thank him and see him off like they usually do, but he doesn’t.
“Hey,” Hua Cheng says. He taps Xie lian on his side and Xie lian can’t tell if he shivers because it tickles or because he’s just that starved for Hua Cheng’s touch. “I thought you’re supposed to be courting me.”
“I am,” Xie Lian answers, distracted by the way Hua Cheng tugs on his own shirt. There’s something strangely anxious about the gesture, but it exposes his collarbones and Xie lian can’t look away.
“You haven’t asked to scent me.”
Xie Lian's eyes snap to Hua Cheng’s face. He’s smiling like he’s joking, but there’s a dangerous glint in his eyes, a challenge. He’s not wrong, either; Xie Lian may have started touching Hua Cheng much more than he used to, but he hasn’t properly scented him yet.
“You want me to?” Xie lian asks, a bit disbelieving.
“It’s not about what I want,” Hua Cheng says, though the way his scent flares in intensity betrays him. Xie lian feels a rush of lightheadedness. “It’s courtship. It’s what you do.”
He's right, but Xie lian hasn't even considered it until now. He didn't allow himself to. Scenting—makes this whole thing seem more real, almost. More concrete. It makes heat rush down Xie lian 's spine to think Hua Cheng has ever imagined being scented by him.
“You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t care that people would know?” Xie lian asks, insecurity creeping up on him. “That you’re being courted by another omega?”
Hua Cheng smiles and shakes his head as if Xie Lian’s being ridiculous. “I’d want them to know.”
Xie lian stares at him for a moment, waiting for the punchline. Then Hua Cheng just backs himself up against the wall, gives Xie lian a small smile, and bares his neck.
Xie Lian starts slowly, giving ample time for Hua Cheng to change his mind and push him away. When met with no resistance, he holds Hua Cheng by the waist, exhales shakily, and nuzzles into Hua Cheng’s neck.
Hua Cheng’s scent makes him weak in the knees. It always has, but like this, close up and saturated, Xie Lian has to stop himself from swooning. But alongside that, there’s the desire to mark. To paint over it with his own, to mix their scents so thoroughly that anyone that Hua Cheng meets would think oh, he’s taken.
So Xie lian does. He scents him meticulously, makes sure to brush against every inch of skin, from his neck to his clavicles. Hua Cheng doesn’t say anything. But he sighs contentedly, tilts his head back to give Xie lian easier access. He enjoys it, Xie Lian thinks faintly. His scent sweetens under the attention, burning and heady as Xie Lian tightens his grip on Hua Cheng and tries not to drown.
Scenting during courtship is—different. Hesitatingly, still in disbelief that Hua Cheng is allowing him to do this (not just allowing, a voice in his head says, he asked for it), Xie lian works his way up to just below Hua Cheng’s own scent gland. Right where a mating bite would go. He takes a moment to collect himself before biting down, gently, and sucking at the skin. Marking it. Hua Cheng gasps and arches sharply in Xie lian’s arms. Xie Lian prays Hua Cheng can’t smell his arousal, but with how close they are, it’s inevitable.
Hua Cheng fists his hands in Xie lian’s shirt, breathing shallow and unsteady as Xie lian lets up. The skin is pink, tender, but Xie lian’s sure it’ll darken within the day. It won’t last long, but that’s not the point. It’s about the idea behind it. The promise of more to come, someday.
“Okay,” Hua Cheng says as he pulls back, breathless. “Okay, okay.”
“Okay,” Xie Lian repeats, not sounding much better himself. He takes a few steps back and tries to calm his racing heart.
“Gege,” Hua Cheng says. He’s not looking Xie lian in the eyes. He’s looking everywhere else, not even attempting to disguise the way he’s drinking Xie lian in. “I…”
“I should. I should go,” Xie lian says. “Right?”
“Right,” Hua Cheng says. He gulps, seems to get a hold on himself. “Yeah. That’s—yeah. Thanks, for tonight.”
“You’re welcome,” Xie lian says softly. He wants to tell Hua Cheng how good he looks, disheveled and frayed around the edges, but he can’t find the words. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Hua Cheng says. “Of course.”
***
Xie Lian isn’t lonely, necessarily. He has his family. He has his friends. He loves his alone time. He doesn’t need anyone. But sometimes, he just thinks—
He wants someone to care for him, but he wants to care for someone right back. He wants to make someone nervous and giddy, he wants to make someone fuss over what they wear before they meet up. He wants someone to text him in the middle of the night just because he was on their mind. He wants to be special to someone—not number one, he wouldn’t ask for that much, but still special.
He wants Hua Cheng, but more than anything he wants Hua Cheng to want him back just as badly.
After last night, he thinks—maybe. Maybe he's been missing something.
Hua Cheng is coming over to his apartment. He claims that Xie lian’s been spoiling him too much, that tonight it’s his turn. And Xie lian —Xie lian’s pretty sure he’s failing at this whole courtship thing. At this point, he’s supposed to be doing something to demonstrate that he can provide for Hua Cheng, that he’s the most deserving to be chosen as a future mate.
But lately they’ve just been hanging out like they always have, with a sharp increase of affection. Lately it kind of just feels like Hua Cheng is his boyfriend.
Xie Lian is strangely nervous. He’s been stress-cleaning for the past hour, rearranging the cushions on his couch and switching his dining chairs around. He can’t imagine Hua Cheng going into his room, but for some reason that’s the place that’s bothering him the most.
His bed just looks so wrong. So cold, uninviting. He brings in a couple of spare pillows that he keeps in the closet and props them up. He fluffs them, tries to make them look as comfortable as possible. Then he notices how his blanket looks off, tucked neatly into his bed, so he musses it up, tries to make it look more lived-in. He takes a step back to look. It’s better, but still not perfect. And his bed is so exposed, so out in the open. He wishes he could drape something over it, a canopy to tuck it away from the world.
He’s on his way to see if he has anything he could hang from the ceiling before it hits him. He’s not stress-cleaning. He’s nesting.
Xie lian hasn’t nested in years. Not since he was freshly presented, and he never even felt so much as an urge after he started suppressants. He feels his face burn even though he’s completely alone. Nesting doesn’t even have any relation with courting—he’s just apparently so content that he decided to act like he’s in heat. He groans into the empty room.
Hua Cheng shows up an hour later, grocery bags in hand. Apparently he’d decided it’d be fun to cook together instead of buying something from a restaurant. Xie lian appreciates the gesture, except Hua Cheng seems to have missed the fact that Xie lian lives in a cheap one-bedroom apartment and his kitchen is tiny. After the fifth time of colliding into each other, Hua Cheng kicks him out of the kitchen to go find something good to watch on Netflix.
Dinner is good, and Xie lian tells him as much, but that’s not what makes him happy. It’s how they’re pressed together, side by side, sharing food that they made in Xie Lian’s own home. It’s how content Hua Cheng seems to be with something as mundane as this.
And Xie Lian doesn’t know why he does it. He really doesn’t. He assumes that the scenting from last night has something to do with it. If anything, he should be embarrassed. But now that Hua Cheng’s here, he just—wants to show him. He wants his approval.
So after they’re finished eating, he turns to Hua Cheng and says, “Let’s watch it in my room. We can use my laptop.”
Hua Cheng raises an eyebrow at him, but thankfully doesn’t tease. They put their dishes in the sink and Xie lian leads him down the hallway, heart pounding.
He opens the door and tries to act casual, tries not to check Hua Cheng’s face for any sign of a reaction, but he fails.
“Oh,” Hua Cheng says, because of course he’d instantly be able to recognize it for what it is.
“Do you like it?” Xie lian blurts out, a bit nonsensically. Yes, Xie lian , I really love how you’ve added two pillows to your bed. It’s lovely.
“It looks cozy,” Hua Cheng says softly, and the swell of pride Xie lian feels is so sharp that he doesn’t even care if he’s humoring him.
Hua Cheng said it looks cozy. Xie lian wants to build it up more. He wants Hua Cheng to bring blankets from his own apartment, maybe a sweatshirt or two he doesn’t wear anymore. He wants Hua Cheng to add to it himself, fuss with it and rearrange everything until it’s to both of their liking. Xie Lian hasn’t had a proper heat in years but he can’t stop the fleeting image of sharing one with Hua Cheng, hidden away in their nest, gently helping each other through it.
“It’s weird,” Xie lian says, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I don’t usually… it just kinda happened. It’s stupid.”
Hua Cheng grins. “Gege. You should see what I’ve done to my living room. Yin yu’s pissed that I won’t let him on the sofa.”
“You’ve been nesting too?” Xie lian asks. “I thought I’d gone crazy.”
“Yeah. I’ve been a mess lately,” Hua Cheng sighs. “It’s been… hard, I think. I guess I'm not as patient as I think I was. ”
Xie Lian nods automatically, before frowning. He doesn’t actually understand a word Hua Cheng just said. “What’s been hard?”
“You know,” Hua Cheng sighs. “Waiting.”
That just confuses Xie lian even more. Before he can ask, Hua Cheng plops right down on Xie lian’s bed with a huff of laughter. “If there’s one thing this whole courting thing has proved, it’s that I have way better self-control than I’ve ever given myself credit for.”
“San lang,” Xie Lian says slowly, with something building in his stomach that isn’t quite dread, “what are you talking about?”
“Look,” Hua Cheng says. “I know there’s still technically, like, a week or two left that we’re supposed to go through, and there’s probably some grand thing I’m supposed to do to announce my decision or whatever. But I’m dying here, can we just, like—cheat? Skip to the good stuff?”
Xie Lian’s soul is promptly projected to another plane of existence.
At Xie Lian’.s silence and likely devastated expression, Hua Cheng laughs. “Come on. I’m not saying, like—I’m not complaining. Just, it’s kind of killing me here, not being able to touch you and kiss you when I want.”
“Kiss me?” Xie Lian hears himself ask. He watches from afar as his body walks over to the bed, mechanically sitting down next to Hua Cheng. “I didn’t know you. Uh. You want to kiss me?”
Hua Cheng looks at him, puzzled. “Yeah? Especially after last night, I definitely want to do a lot more than kiss gege. Sorry, am I being too forward?”
“I thought…” Xie lian says. He closes his mouth, opens it again, floundering uselessly. “I mean, I did think you were starting to notice me, but…”
“I notice you,” Hua Cheng says slowly. “I notice you a lot. I’ve noticed you since… wait, what are you even talking about?”
Xie lian stays silent. He stares at his own clasped hands, unmoving. He can’t let himself process what he’s hearing, because it almost sounds like—
“Xie lian,” Hua Cheng says, shifting closer. “God. I think I’ve made a mistake.”
“What?” Xie lian asks, a little hysterically. He clears his throat. “What.”
“I thought you knew,” is all Hua Cheng says.
Xie lian shakes his head, his heart pounding in his ears.
“Gege,” Hua Cheng breathes, “are you telling me this whole entire time, you didn’t know?”
“I thought,” Xie Lian starts. “I thought you… this was…”
“I’ve been into you since—I don’t even know,” Hua Cheng says. “Since I realized you liked omegas so my crush wouldn’t be completely hopeless?”
“I was dating an omega when we were introduced,” Xie Lian says. “That’s like… the whole time.”
“Maybe?” He has the decency to look a little bashful. “I was sitting around all miserable and pining away, before this all started. I think I just automatically filed you away as out of my league. You’re just so… you’re so good. How could I not?”
Xie lian takes a moment to process this. Accepts it. Nods to himself.
“San lang,” he says accusingly, “What the heck. No, I didn’t know!”
“I thought Shi Qingxuan told you!” Hua Cheng throws his hands up, defensive. “She always said that she's tired of me angsting about whether to make a move or not and decided to do it herself. Or… I dunno. I guess I just thought it was obvious.”
“Obvious? San lang.” Xie Lian feels like he’s going to pass out. “Obvious? You’re the least obvious person about anything I’ve ever met in my life.”
“No I’m not!” Hua Cheng yelps, indignant.
“Seriously, you’re the hardest person to read in the world. Your walls are iron-clad. You think I was somehow able to read hints? Me? With you?”
“Okay, but honestly Gege , in my defense—you wanted to court me. I said yes. Don’t really see the room for confusion.”
Well. He has Xie lian there.
“You… you said it would be fun,” Xie lian sputters.
“Yeah, because it would! I mean, courting in this day and age. Gege, it's cute and cheesy and fun.”
“Okay, but like, let me get this straight—from your side, the guy you’ve had a crush on basically declares in the most dramatic way possible that he’s into you too. And your reaction is sure, sounds fun dude?”
Hua Cheng flops down on the bed. “Oh my goodness, Gege, it’s called acting. Playing it cool. I was dying on the inside, are you kidding me? I went home and screamed at Yin yu so much he ignored me the entire next day..”
The thought of Xie lian being able to make Hua Cheng nervous is just—he can’t. He just can’t. Maybe this is a hidden camera prank.
“I thought we were in a wink-wink-nudge-nudge sorta thing," Hua Cheng says. "We both knew but we were going through the whole courtship thing anyway, like maybe you thought it was all romantic and—”
"San lang , I'm an idiot," Xie Lian interrupts. "You've known me for this long, you should know this by now."
“The point is,” Hua Cheng starts, an arm thrown over his eyes, “these past few weeks have been amazing, but gege never had to win me over. You’ve already had me, for—oh god, can we just stop talking now?”
“You’re all shy,” Xie Lian says, because that seems like the reasonable thing to comment on from that. “You’re blushing, what the fuck? Who are you?”
“That's not fair. Gege you can’t make me feel embarrassed here. You’re the idiot that didn’t realize the guy that agreed to courtship was into you too.”
Xie Lian shakes his head to himself. "Apparently I am, yeah."
A few moments of silence pass. Through the banter with Hua Cheng, Xie Lian had distracted himself from how hard his heart is pounding, how his blood feels like it's buzzing under his skin. He feels it in full force now.
"I just really like you," Hua Cheng says quietly.
And for some reason that, out of everything, makes it click for Xie lian .
Hua Cheng likes him. Xie Lian has never had to prove himself, never had to win over Hua Cheng’s affections.
“Wow,” Xie lian says.
“That’s your response?" Hua Cheng rolls over and sits up. "Wow?”
“I mean, San lang , you…” Xie lian feels his face heat. “You have to know I’m crazy about you.”
“I dunno," Hua Cheng says. "I’m still not entirely convinced this whole courtship thing isn’t some sort of prank Shi Qingxuan roped you into.”
“It’s not."
“Oh, really. Then I bet gege would have no problem kissing me, huh?” Hua Cheng narrows his eyes, playful and warm. “Gotcha. I bet you’d love it, if you are who you really say you are, mister—”
“Shut up," Xie lian says, laughing. "You’re so stupid, come here—”
Before he can overthink it, before he can hesitate, he leans forward and presses his lips to Hua Cheng's. Even though he's the one that initiates it, it shocks him, sends a little pleasurable zing from his lips to the bottom of his stomach. He pulls away quickly, unreasonably flustered.
Hua Cheng doesn't look embarrassed. He doesn't look shocked, or bashful, and maybe that should come as a disappointment. But it doesn't, because he's smiling at Xie lian like Xie lian just promised him the world, like Xie lian just gave him something precious.
Then he's sitting up straighter to kiss Xie Lian again. Xie lian faintly observes that Hua Cheng has to tilt his head down to reach Xie lian’s lips, and something about that makes Xie lian want to disintegrate on the spot.
“Does this mean we’ve messed up with the courting?” Xie Lian asks when Hua Cheng breaks the kiss. It was sweet, chaste, but Xie Liang still shivers from the warmth.
“No,” Hua Cheng says. “No, we just like… skipped a few steps. Modernized it.”
"Should we…" Xie lian hesitates. Partly to think of what to say, partly because he's distracted by the shine of Hua Cheng's lips. "Do you want to keep going with it?"
Hua Cheng grins. “I dunno about gege, but if you wanna keep buying me stuff for the next week, I’m completely fine with that.”
“I mean, we’ve made it this far. We may as well try and follow it through.”
“Yeah,” Hua Cheng says. “Let’s try.”
***
They last two days.
They’d gone out to dinner with Yin yu and Quan Yizhen and Xie lian really had just planned on innocently being walked home by Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng had joked that it was his turn to be a gentleman. So he’s not really sure how they ended up here, how they went from a chaste goodnight kiss to making out on the couch to Hua Cheng spread out underneath him on Xie Lian's bed.
“We’re skipping steps again San lang,” Xie Lian murmurs against Hua Cheng’s lips.
“Gege wants to stop?” Hua Cheng asks as he trails his lips up the side of Xie lian ’s throat.
Xie Lian tries to laugh, but it comes out sounding more like a moan. They’d both stripped down to nothing but their boxers at some point. Xie lian can’t quite recall when. His head is swimming with the overwhelming scent of Hua Cheng’s arousal, coupled with the unshakable feeling that he’s dreaming.
Hua Cheng looks like he came out of a wet dream. He’s flushed all the way down to his chest, eager and pliant yet with a mischievous glint in his eyes that makes Xie lian want to roll over and let Hua Cheng do as he pleases.
Xie Lian has discovered that Hua Cheng isn’t too rough, but he doesn’t know if gentle would quite fit either. He’s intense. Thorough. His hands never stop running across Xie lian ’s body, as if he’s trying to map it out. As if they don’t have all the time in the world for this.
As much as Xie Lian wants to just sit there and melt into Hua Cheng’s touch, he can’t quite believe he gets this opportunity either. He licks into Hua Cheng’s mouth as he explores with his hands, trying to find any weak spots he can exploit. He finds that scraping his nails lightly against the dips in Hua Cheng's waist makes him shiver so violently that he has to break the kiss to gasp.
At first Xie Lian was embarrassed by how quickly he was getting worked up. How wet he was getting from just kissing. How easy he is for Hua Cheng, how obvious it is how much Xie Lian is into him, just like always. That worry was quickly quelled by the discovery that Hua Cheng has it just as bad.
“Fuck, San lang ,” Xie lian breaks away with a hiss. “You—”
“What?” Hua Cheng asks, goading. “Surprised that I want you too? We’ve been over this.”
"Are you in pre-heat?" Xie lian asks, slightly dazed. Hua Cheng pinches his side.
"No, gege. This is just what it’s like when you get a hot piece of omega tail.”
Xie lian snorts. “I’ve been with omegas before. They've never been like this.”
“I was talking about you, actually.”
Xie lian feels his face flush. He has to resist the urge to ask if Hua Cheng really thinks he’s hot.
“What exactly do you wanna do exactly?” Hua Cheng asks, wiggling slightly underneath him.
“Anything,” he says. “Anything, San lang , literally anything.”
“Okay. Then, if you don’t mind, I’ve been fantasizing you bending me over the nearest flat surface and fucking me for weeks now, so—”
“Jesus,” Xie lian laughs. He can’t help but jerk his hip forwards, unintentionally grinding their cocks together and making Hua Cheng gasp.
Without being prompted, Hua Cheng rolls himself over and pushes himself up on his knees. Xie Lian watches, entranced, and has to press a palm to his cock to get some amount of relief. Hua Cheng reaches back to hook his thumbs under the waistband of his boxers and pull them down. Xie lian suppresses a whine.
Xie Lian couldn't believe that just a few days ago he was starting to think he might not have a chance with Hua Cheng. And now Hua Cheng is on all fours in front of him, wet down to his thighs with slick, effectively putting himself on display. Presenting himself, all for Xie Lian.
Seeing how turned on Hua Cheng is makes Xie lian have to squeeze his thighs together and squirm, an odd sort of empathy reaction making Xie lian even wetter. He wonders if he’d look as good as Hua Cheng does right now if it was him spread out and open. He tugs his boxers down unceremoniously, grabs for a condom from his bedside drawer, trying not to stumble over himself in eagerness.
It doesn’t even register that he’s just been staring at Hua Cheng in awe until Hua Cheng laughs and nudges Xie Lian’s side. “You can do it gege. Whatever you want.”
Xie lian swallows, his mouth suddenly dry. Xie Lian doesn’t want to tease him. He doesn’t know if he could stand to wait for himself, really. He fingers Hua Cheng open without pretense, gets two fingers in him as soon as he realizes how easy Hua Cheng takes it. He curls them, tries to find that spot that makes Hua Cheng arch his back and hands fist into the sheets, but he finds himself distracted by the sight. Hua Cheng is eager for it. He circles his hips, presses back against Xie lian’s fingers like he’s trying to get them deeper.
“Fuck, the way you’re looking at me gege…” Hua Cheng murmurs, breaking Xie Lian out of his reverence.
“What? What about the way I'm looking at you?”
“It’s like… you look so… do you really want me that badly gege?”
The words sound like they could be teasing, but there’s something in Hua Cheng’s voice—something hitched, something vulnerable, something that makes Xie lian think that he can’t fully understand how much weight the question carries for Hua Cheng. He can’t understand, but it’s enough that he knows to answer sincerely.
“Of course. Probably even more than you think I do.”
Hua Cheng shivers at that, and that’s about as much as Xie Lian can take.
“San lang , I need to—are you ready?”
Hua Cheng laughs, disbelieving. “Of course I am, is gege waiting for me to beg? I can, if you want.”
“I just… I don’t want to hurt you,” Xie lian says. And it’s true, though he doesn’t fully understand himself. Neither of them are inexperienced; there’s no need for Xie lian to be as careful as he’s being. He just can’t bear the thought of causing Hua Cheng any discomfort.
“It’s okay,” Hua Cheng breathes. He seems to sense the sincerity in Xie lian ’s words, his demeanor immediately softening. “You’ll be gentle. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“You won’t hurt me,” he says, reaching back to squeeze Xie lian’s hand.
“I’ll be good to you,” Xie lian whispers, and it isn’t a confidence thing, not really. He’ll make it good for Hua Cheng because that’s all he ever wants to do for him. Hua Cheng deserves to feel good.
“Go slow at first,” Hua Cheng continues. “Let me get used to it. It takes… it takes me a while.”
“You’re sensitive,” Xie Lian says in wonder as he runs a hand up Hua Cheng’s side, watching the way he trembles. He's not sure what he expected, really. But he didn’t expect Hua Cheng to be so responsive. So obviously affected by Xie Lian’s touch.
Xie lian rolls on the condom and shifts forward to slide his cock between Hua Cheng’s thighs. He intends just to coat himself in Hua Cheng’s slick, but the pressure feels so good that he can’t stop himself from rubbing himself between them. He spreads Hua Cheng open and watches as his hole clenches around nothing, pressing his hips back into Xie lian 's touch like he’s trying to chase something.
“You want it,” Xie lian marvels. “You want it so bad, oh my god , San lang you want me—”
“Yeah, yeah. Can you just get in me already?”
Xie Lian flips Hua Cheng over without thinking much about it. He needs to see him properly during this. Surprise is painted across Hua Cheng’s face before it shifts to something more appreciative as he rakes his eyes up Xie Lian’s form.
“Did gege start working out just to fuck with me?” Hua Cheng asks. “I’ve never been the same since that one gym selfie you sent me.”
“Shut up,” Xie lian laughs.
Hua Cheng brings his legs up to his chest. Xie lian presses in slowly, delicately, even though the immediate tight wet heat renders him nearly unable to function. Hua Cheng seems to have lost his ability to speak, mouth dropped open in a silent moan.
“Can I move?” Xie Lian asks, hands shaking where he grips Hua Cheng’s hips. Hua Cheng jerks his head in a nod.
It’s more of an exploration, at first. Xie lian slides into the hilt, until he’s pressing Hua Cheng into the mattress with his weight. Hua Cheng lets out a high, sweet noise that makes Xie lian’s stomach swoop. Hua Cheng squirms and Xie lian can’t tell if he’s trying to get used to the sensation or if he’s trying to rub himself on Xie lian’s stomach.
“Move,” Hua Cheng murmurs, voice choked. “Fuck me gege.”
“You said to let you get used to it,” Xie Lian says, though he can’t help from jerking his hips forward at the demand.
“Yeah, well. I failed to account for how I’ve been wanting this for fucking ages.”
That’s all the convincing that Xie lian needs. Xie lian fucks him slow but deep, tries to keep enough of a handle on himself to where he can watch the way Hua Cheng’s face goes slack and blissed-out. Xie Lian’s legs shake as he thrusts into him. Hua Cheng’s just so wet, and combined with Xie lian’s own slick, the noises as Xie lian pushes into him are nearly obscene.
“That’s good,” Hua Cheng gasps out. “That’s—oh god, just like—yeah, Gege—”
Hua Cheng keeps attempting to talk, stuttering encouragement that makes the fire in Xie Lian's guts burn brighter even with their simplicity, but Xie Lian wasn’t wrong about Hua Cheng being sensitive. He stops breathing every time Xie lian hits somewhere particularly weak, his grip on where he’s holding up his legs tightening until Xie lian can see his nails digging into his skin.
Hua Cheng’s cock is untouched between their bodies. Xie lian tries to coordinate himself enough to where he can reach down and jerk him off, but before he can, Hua Cheng wraps a leg around Xie lian ’s waist, forcing him down closer. He mouths up to Xie lian ’s scent gland. Just as Xie Lian starts to relax into the feeling, he skirts his teeth along the skin before biting down. It’s as gentle as a bite can possibly be, likely won’t even leave a mark, but it’s an odd burst of possessiveness that leaves the blood roaring in Xie lian’s head.
And it’s—bold and presumptuous and cocky, something a stereotypical alpha would do to soothe their needy omega. It’s cheeky, because Hua Cheng is grinning up at him like he knows how silly it is, and Xie lian’s pretty sure it’s too early to call anything love.
He thinks it, nonetheless.
“San lang —” he gasps out. “I can’t, I'm sorry, I—”
“Yeah,” Hua Cheng rasps. “It’s fine, it’s good, let me watch you come. Wanted this for so long, let me have it, please?”
Xie Lian loses himself when he comes, mindlessly chasing his own pleasure. Hua Cheng takes it all, pets his hands through Xie lian’s hair and down the back of his neck. It leaves him trembling, gasping for air, with a bone-deep satisfaction that makes him want to roll over and just nuzzle into Hua Cheng’s scent until they both fall asleep.
He doesn’t let himself. Hua Cheng is still hard beneath him, staring up at Xie lian with a dazed smile. He looks smitten.
Xie lian pulls out and rolls off the condom, throwing it in the wastebasket near his desk. He’ll worry about it later. For now he rolls Hua Cheng over, interrupting his laugh by sliding three fingers in. He fucks him fast and sloppy, reaches around with his other hand to wrap around his cock, just to give him something tight to grind into.
Hua Cheng goes silent as he gets close, hands shaking as they grip the sheets and a leg kicking out against the mattress. He comes with a cry of Xie lian’s name, clenching around Xie lian’s fingers so tight it makes his cock throb in interest, even as spent as he is.
“Fuck,” Xie lian says eloquently after a few moments of nothing but their panting filling the silence.
Hua Cheng just laughs, chest heaving. He rolls over to his side and sprawls out.
“We should shower,” Xie Lian says, before being cut off by Hua Cheng’s groan. Hua Cheng throws an arm over his eyes and stretches, obviously in no mood to go anywhere.
“Lazy,” Xie Lian says, fondly.
He rolls his eyes and forces himself up to get a washcloth. He feels Hua Cheng’s eyes on him as he cleans them both off.
“I’m gonna court you so hard once you’re done,” Hua Cheng says.
Xie lian barks out a laugh. “That’s not how it works, San lang.”
“Oh please. I want to make gege feel appreciated as well. Also I probably owe you a lot of money for all the food you’ve bought me.”
“Guess you’ll just have to make it up to me. Might take a while, though.”
“Yeah,” Hua Cheng says. “I imagine it might.”
***
"Fancy seeing gege here” Hua Cheng says with a grin.
Xie lian turns around, surprised. He's picking up a bouquet from Feng Xin's and Mu Qing’s shop. Not for himself or Hua Cheng, but as a congratulations to Quan Yizhen for finishing his finals.
“Oh San lang what are you doing here?" Xie lian asks. "I thought you were working late tonight."
"Got off early for once," Hua Cheng says and shrugs. "I thought I'd pick up a present on my way home. There's this omega I've been eyeing recently—handsome, sweet, always leaves about a centimeter of milk in the carton instead of just finishing it off. I'm trying to catch his attention."
Xie lian groans. This is a game Hua Cheng likes to play now. He also never stops telling people they get to know that his boyfriend courted him, even though they technically messed everything up at the end because they couldn't keep it in their pants for another week.
"He sounds annoying," Xie lian says flippantly, turning back to the counter. "Maybe you should just give up."
"Oh. Are you jealous, Gege?" Hua Cheng purrs, sliding up and running a hand over Xie Lian 's back. “Be careful, I might start to think you have a thing for me. That’s embarrassing.”
“San lang ,” Xie Lian says, glancing back at him, “I’m literally in love with you.”
“Jeez. Gege's gonna make me blush,” Hua Cheng says, batting his eyes exaggeratedly. Except there’s a real flush forming around the edges of his face and Xie lian really, really loves him.
("can we make them stop?" mu qing whispers loudly.
"trust me," feng xin deadpans. "i've tried.")
“Anyway,” Xie lian says. “Flowers? Isn’t that kinda boring? You’re gonna have to do better than that if you want to court me.”
“Gege’s just gonna assume it’s him? That’s pretty cocky.”
Xie lian snorts. “Of course it’s me, you’re infatuated. It’s sweet. And I’ll tell you right now, I’ll need more than some flowers.” He ignores Mu Qing and Feng Xin's gagging sounds
“Oh, is that a challenge?” Hua Cheng asks, a glint in his eye. “Be careful what you ask for gege. I’ll court you so good it’ll make your attempt look like nothing.”
Xie lian grins. “I’d like to see you try.”