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Chapter Text

Before Wei Ying even knew what a social construct was, he knew something was different. When on the streets as a child, no more than five, he could tell the difference between himself and his counterparts. 

Wei Ying had always been a small child, even more so with his growth stunted from the time spent as an orphan in the slums. Other children always seemed to have this naive sort of confidence that no matter what he did, he was unable to muster. There was this steady gap separating him from others his age. Ignorant as to why, he had no way to bridge it. 

As time went on, he began to understand this seclusion. It wasn’t others that were the problem, it was him. Fragile with eyes as wide as saucers, he would watch the children around him, how they interacted, and how they were perceived. The longer he looked, the more it made sense. 

There was this hollow space in his chest that he couldn't fill. No matter how long he tried to sleep, or how much grimy street food he stole to eat. He always felt hollow, like he was hungry for something that he just couldn't find. Whereas the other children seemed full.

They looked as if they had hope, even though the vast majority were in the same predicament as him. Then some weren't. The ones in loving, happy families. When he watched them specifically from his dusty alleyways, that hole inside him seemed to gasp for air. As if it had found what it wanted. So slowly, he began to figure it out.

It was loneliness. He realized. Wei Ying just wanted someone he could love, and someone who loved him. His body remembered a time when he had once been like that, had a loving family. But regardless of how hard he tried, his mind could not. The memories were foggy and faded. All he could remember from those times was warm arms holding him, an even warmer smile that glowed on a familiar face. He missed it. His mother, or so he assumed. 

That hole inside of him was a sore spot that just wouldn't heal, as if some sort of bond had been broken, a very important one at that. So one cold, winter evening, when a kind man garbed in purple saved him from a pack of dogs, he thought he might have regained something, if not mended it.

That man brought him to his home and introduced Wei Ying to his new family. To his big sister, his shijie, as he called her. And his younger brother, A-Cheng. 

“I was your father’s family, long before you came into this world. I promised I would take care of you, so you will be safe here.” Jiang-shushu explained softly, a sad smile ever present on his face. 

“This is your family, we will protect you; in turn, you will protect them.” The man continued, holding him close. Wei Ying nodded up at the man, leaning into the warmth as he was held at his hip. 

Although as they got older, A-Cheng made it clear he didn't want to be protected, Wei Ying still watched over his brother. When they got into fights or arguments, he would always keep that in mind. Even if not by blood, they would be brothers. So instead of truly getting mad, he would just go and complain to his shijie, regardless of whether A-Cheng called him a snitch.

The only thing that remained unchanged in all the years that Wei Wuxian resided with the Jiang was Madame Yu. She refused to acknowledge Wei Ying as anything more than a pest. Maybe at best a hated disciple. But not family. The only time that was ever mentioned was when he awakened his second gender.

He was fourteen at the time, his vision blurry with pain as his body changed rapidly, getting him ready for his first heat cycle.

He had been freaking out for the past two days, with Uncle Jiang away for the week, she refused to even acknowledge that it was happening. She commented in her usual, off-handed manner. Wei Ying’s siblings had been pestering her about it for a few hours at that point, and she had been fed up. 

"If that omega's so important to you, stupid child, then why don't you do something about it? He's gonna go into heat eventually, might as well make use of it." Jiang Yanli had been outraged at the comment, the only one with enough worldly experience to understand the insinuation. 

From then on, those kinds of snide remarks became the norm. Despite the fact that Wei Wuxian wasn’t the only omega in the house, his Shiejie presented the same way a couple of years prior; he was the only one subjected to the Madame of the household’s torment. The female alpha wouldn’t even think to harm her firstborn.

The two of them were untrue omegas, each of them having two alpha parents, yet still presenting the opposing second gender. Jiang Yanli, however, fit the norm of an omega much better than her brother. She was kind, polite, docile, and most importantly, pleasing to the eye. Wei Ying, on the other hand, was classified as a dominant omega, his physical makeup not completely in line with the standard. He was taller than normal, his scent not completely distinguishable, somewhere between omega and alpha. He was an odd one, that’s for sure.

Worst of all, though, was his personality. He was loud, crass and abrasive. He was practically mate-proof despite his conventional attractiveness. 

He was a nobody by blood. Despite being adopted by the head family of Jiang Yunmeng, he was treated as nothing more than a favoured disciple. It didn’t stop people from talking behind his back, behind the backs of his family. The behaviour of others was only encouraged by the glee Madame Yu seemed to feel at watching his torment. His abuse was only further emboldened by her attitude towards him. 

It was the worst the first two years after his second gender had been revealed. Even though he gained his golden core early for a disciple, through his hard work, determination, and pure talent, he was still an omega. There were only so many ways he could try and convince others of his capabilities, and if they refused to see him as nothing more than his second gender? Then that was on them.

So instead of fighting it, he hid it. No one who didn’t already know would be privy to the knowledge. Of course, there were rumours, but the longer Wei Ying lived, the further in the ranks he climbed, the more people doubted them. 

Soon enough, Wei Wuxian became the head disciple. Any doubts about his competence are long gone, and his second gender is a relatively well-kept secret. Only those who absolutely had to know were in the loop. It was one of the few things Madame Yu had agreed to. 

Male omegas were rare. Seventy-five percent of the population were betas, fifteen percent alphas, and only ten percent omega. In every fifty omegas that presented, statistically, only one would be male. Madame Yu, in spite of her dislike of the young omega, could see his use. Wei Ying was a card in their back pocket if they ever needed to use him. 

He had finally begun to get comfortable with his position of head disciple, and he enjoyed the time he spent training his juniors. He liked the night hunts he would lead, the skills he would practice and the respect that he was given. People looked up to him, and he liked feeling valuable. 

So when Jiang-shushu announced that he would be accompanying Jinag Cheng to study in the cloud recess, he couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed. Yes, this would be an amazing opportunity, yes, he would probably enjoy himself and meet new people. But at what cost? Would he have to rebuild what he had earned somewhere completely new? He would be starting all over from scratch! He would be in an entirely new place, with entirely new people, absolutely zero respect, and one hundred percent way too many rules. Like seriously, who needed three thousand rules? He thought it seemed a little excessive.

---------------

Wei Wuxian let out a small huff of indignation. He wasn’t completely upset, though, even if he was frustrated. 

The omega had been caught breaking numerous rules. How many? He wasn’t completely sure, but apparently it was enough to land him here: in the library pavilion, stuck copying the entirety of the three-thousand Lan precepts.

Bored with the task, he snuck yet another glance at the young alpha sitting across from him. He couldn’t bring himself to be genuinely upset at his predicament. The work was tedious, but it could be done relatively quickly. Most of all, he had someone to bother while he ‘worked’. 

The teen in front of him was annoyingly pretty. He had silky, dark locks pulled into a half-up hairstyle by a simple but expensive headpiece. His skin was as fair as it could be without making a person look sickly. But his eyes were by far his most attention-grabbing feature. Such a light golden-brown, they appeared yellow. 

Lan Wangji, one of the twin jades of Lan, is second in line for the position of sect leader. Wei Ying had to admit that despite his cool nature, he was much more appealing than his brother. 

Lan Wangji was aloof, something about his unapproachability drawing the omega’s attention. He was strict and more than a little uptight, the complete opposite of Wei Wuxian. Still, something about the other teen intrigued him beyond explanation.

Maybe it was just because he was fun to tease, always getting so riled up over the smallest things. Wei Ying held back a snicker at the image behind his eyes. Lan Wangji’s perfect composure broken, hair slightly ruffled like his robes, a spark of anger visible in his eyes. 

The teen in question raised his head to stare incredulously at the omega, noticing his lack of focus. He glared ever-so-slightly, as if he was prepared for Wei Wuxian to do something nefarious. 

“I’m working!” Wei Ying exclaimed, looking back down at his ink and paper. A small huff could be heard from the alpha; the Yunmeng disciple glanced up to see the other teen return to his own work.

Screw his stupid scent blocker, he wanted to tease this man soooo bad. He wanted to see how he would react to Wei Ying’s scent. Regardless of his dynamic presentation, he was sure he could get a rise from him.

The Lan clan had so many rules, there were bound to be rules about the use of pheromones around others. Hell, he was pretty sure their Gusu robes had scent-blocking properties sewn into the fabric. They were quite conservative like that.

The Lans were a clan made up largely of betas, like any other. But somewhere along their family line, they had been blessed with the blood of an alpha. So now, unlike the vast majority of the cultivation world, their main family was made up of almost exclusively Alphas. It was truly an impressive feat. 

The only downside to this, though, was an almost complete lack of omegas. This meant that their precious Lan Wangji probably didn’t have much experience being around an omega. The tolerance to omega pheromones that people would subconsciously build up is bound to be essentially non-existent. Which meant he was probably highly sensitive to scents.

As if to prove his point, the alpha’s nose twitched, and he raised his head to glare at Wei Wuxian.

“Stop that.”

“Huh?” The omega met his eyes, a little confused. 

“Stop that.” Lan Wangji repeated,

“Uhh, I'm not doing anything?” Wei Wuxian replied, his eyes shifting around as if looking for an answer. The only response was a slightly furrowed brow.

The other teen just returned to his work as if he hadn’t just made no sense. With his question unanswered, Wei Wuxian begrudgingly went back to work.

Could Lan Wangji smell him through his scent blockers? Those things were potent as fuck. The only other person capable of anything even remotely similar was Jiang Cheng, and he had a freakishly good nose. 

To test his theory, he pushed his pheromones against the scent blockers. Not much would escape because of the greasy substance that covered his scent glands, but it was worth a try.

“You’re doing it again. Stop.” Lan Wangji glared at Wei Wuxian, eyes stony.

“I’m wearing scent blockers; the only way you would be able to smell anything would be if you were sniffing me.” Wei Wuxian poked, a small smirk crossing his features.

“I am not sniffing you.” The alpha responded, his glare getting even colder.

“Whatever you say!” Wei Wuxian teased. He should probably be worried that Lan Wangji could pick up his pheromones despite his precautions. But there was very little chance the other teen would recognize him as an omega. His scent wasn’t that potent to begin with, and he had been told repeatedly that it was hard to tell what he presented as. A lucky trait of his dominant omega status.

He watched with amusement as Lan Wangji attempted to focus on his work, the teen trying his darndest to return to ignoring Wei Wuxian.

---------------

"So, how was the study session with Lan Wangji?" Nie Huaisang asks, keeping in stride with him and A-Cheng.

"Wasn't all that bad, he's awfully easy to tease." Wei Ying says, a small smirk crossing his features.

"Really? What did you do? He's such a stick-in-the-mud, always following the rules, no emotions to be seen." His fellow omega says, a look of awe dazed in his eyes.

Nie Huaisang was the only other male omega he knew. The teen openly displayed his dynamic willingly. It wouldn’t affect his day-to-day much. The omega is much more keen on his art and literature than trying to achieve anything great. Plus, he had his older brother to protect him, and that alpha was terrifying. No one would dare insult his little brother in his presence.

Regardless, there was bound to be rumours. Nie Huaisang didn’t seem all that bothered by what he heard; he knew it was all just talk.

"The guy is a real rule-stickler, like you said. All you have to do is break them in front of him. He's sure to get pissed." Wei Ying exclaimed as he jumped up onto the railing beside them as an example.

“Wei Ying, you shouldn’t be doing that. You’re gonna fall into the water.” Jiang Cheng chided, finally pitching into their conversation.

“Oh, you scared I'm gonna drown or something?” Wei Ying said, his tone mocking. He purposely teetered further over the edge, dramatically pretending he was slipping.

“Oh, you won’t drown. But the water here is frigid, and I don’t want to have to listen to you complaining about being cold.” Jiang Cheng grumbled.

“Aw, don’t pretend like you don’t care about me. I know my baby brother is a big softy deep down.” He teased, using the sheath of Suibian to tap him on the head. In response, the alpha shouted, jumping forward and grabbing Wei Wuxian’s legs.

“I will push you in.” He growled, putting his strength into dangerously wobbling his brother.

Wei Ying yelped at his sudden lack of balance, only steadying himself by grabbing his brother’s head.

“Let go!” The omega shouted, trying to force Jiang Cheng to release him.

“Not until you let go of my head first, asshole!” His brother shouted back.

“Guys, stop. One of you is bound to fall in. I would love to see that and all, but Jiang Cheng is right. You complain far to much for it to be worth it.” Nie Huaisang stated, walking up to where the two of them were roughhousing.

Slowly, Jiang Cheng let go, allowing his brother to safely return to solid ground.

“Thank you!” Wei Wuxiang said begrudgingly, brushing out some of the wrinkles from his outer robe. He wasn’t actually all that grateful; it would have been Jiang Cheng’s fault if he had fallen in.

So instead of letting it go like the benevolent omega he should be, he reached out with his sword, Suibian still in its cheetah, and smacked Jiang Cheng across the face. The alpha let out a shout, quickly recovered, then began his pursuit after his brother.

Expecting this outcome, Wei Ying was already running. Laughing and having a jolly good time as he skedaddled away from an angry Jiang Cheng. His brother’s shouts echoed around the silence of the Cloud Recess, accompanied by a cacophony of laughter from the two omegas.

As he ran towards their classroom, hoping his brother would at least have the decency not to murder him in front of their teacher, he heard Nie Huaisang’s laughing come to an abrupt halt. Wei Wuxian turned his head to see why, only to be greeted by a mildly horrified face of his fellow omega.

Before Wei Ying could turn his head back to see what had caused that reaction, he caught a whiff of sandalwood. It was quickly followed by Wei Ying running headfirst into a solid object.

A small kernel of dread popped into the omega’s stomach as he had just run into Lan Wangji, literally. The alpha’s hard frame stopped Wei Ying’s momentum dead, and he fell flat on his ass.

“Heyyy-” He started, only to be cut off by a curt ‘Shameless’ from the alpha in front of him. Before he could respond, Lan Wangji left with a huff, White robes billowing as he turned. Wei Ying couldn’t help but stare, dumbfounded.

 "Oh my god, that is some serious bad luck you have, Wei Ying." His friend let out after a tight silence, followed by the howling laughter from his brother.

"Wow, you're such a hypocrite. To think that you called me an asshole." Wei Ying huffed out, crossing his arms as he sent a half-hearted glare in Jiang Cheng's direction. The only response he received was more laughter, this time from both teens in front of him.

"Y-you have to admit, that was kinda funny. Ironic, almost." Nie Huaisang stuttered out between his wheezes of laughter, his smile hidden behind his favourite fan.

" Whatever, you guys are mean." Wei Ying says, before beginning his ruffled march towards class. Only to realize it was the same way Lan Wangji had left earlier.

It's gotta be a coincidence. He hasn't been to our last two classes. Wei Ying decides, brushing the thought off as he continues walking towards his class, his friends catching up to him on the way.

----------------

Nope! Not a coincidence! Wei Wuxian thought as he stared at the back of a very familiar, tall frame. Because, of course, Lan Wangji just had to end up sitting directly in front of him. 

"You've got to be kidding me." Wei Wuxian muttered, obviously not quietly enough, though, because both Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren turned towards him.

"What is it now, Wei Wuxian?" His teacher asked in an exasperated tone.

"Uhh, not much really. Other than the fact I can't exactly see the lesson." He responded, then gestured towards Lan Wangji at the quirk of Lan Qiren's brow, his larger frame the issue here. Not because he was distracting for other reasons.

"Maybe if you had better posture, it would be easier to see." Lan Qiren deadpanned before sighing. "Fine, move over two places. There's another free desk beside Nie Huaisang. Don't be causing any more distractions." The older man finished, pausing before he continued his lecture.

So, Wei Wuxian gathered up his minimal stuff before going over to sit next to his friend. They smiled at each other, and he could hear the exasperated sigh that came from A-Cheng, even from halfway across the room. Wei Wuxian only sent the teen a look that said something between "I'm not doing anything" and "You know me too well". His brother only turned away from him, his hands moving up to rub his temples as if calming an oncoming migraine. Wei Ying snickered to himself at the teen’s worry.

As the lesson went on, Wei Wuxian did try to pay attention, even taking a couple of notes. But he was an impatient person, and he could feel his attention slipping. So his minimal notes began to turn into small doodles, which turned into full drawings. As he continued, even the drawing became tiresome, and he began to fidget in his seat. His lower end shifted from side to side as he tried to get into a more comfortable position. His hands moved from his drawing to more mindless tasks like tapping out a quiet rhythm on his desk or leg.

When that would no longer do, he turned his focus to the things around him. The quiet chirping of unknown birds outside, and the even quieter trickle of a stream off in the distance. The cloud recess was quiet, achingly so. Wei Ying missed the busy go-go-go of Lotus Pier. The sounds of vendors advertising their products, the laughing and screaming of children, the constant sounds of rippling water, and his shijie's voice.

Oh, wow, he missed her. It hadn't even been two whole weeks yet, and he couldn't wait to see her again. But it was still a dreadful two and a half months away till he got to return home. So he let out a heavy sigh. He'd just have to make do with bugging his A-Cheng, and maybe Lan Wangji while he was at it.

Which reminded him that the handsome teen was sitting only a seat ahead and to his left, and he would not want to disrupt his uncle's class. So, of course, he can't get too mad if I bug him now. Wei Ying thought, a conniving smirk reaching across his face.

He drew a small doodle on a piece of scrap paper, a small note at the end. Once he deemed it suitable, he tossed his little masterpiece directly at the intended Lan alpha. It landed directly on his desk. To make it even better, it hit his arm as it reached him, so there was no reason for Lan Wangji to ignore Wei Wuxian.

But to his immense disappointment, Lan Wangji just crumpled up the paper and shoved it into his sleeve. This action made it obvious to anyone other than Wei Ying that he wanted to be left alone. So the only possible answer was to toss the man another one; this time, the paper hit him on the shoulder before falling to the ground beside him.

Yet again, to Wei Wuxian's increasing disappointment, he completely ignored the piece of paper. This time, he didn't even acknowledge it to put it away.

So Wei Ying threw a third note, nothing more on the paper than a winky face. But he was ignored yet again. Maybe the whole Stoic thing Lan Wangji had going for him was more than just a show. But Wei Ying was not one to back down from a challenge. Instead, this time, Wei Ying drew up a little talisman out of ow paper he kept to himself. Then, once the little guy was animated, he sent him on his first mission: to bother Lan Wangji enough to get his attention. So the loyal little guy began to follow his orders, only to be harshly destroyed by a flying projectile just before reaching his target.

"WEI WUXIAN! What did I say? You can't even last an hour and a half in my class without causing a distraction! Can't you see everyone else is trying to pay attention!? Leave my nephew alone now." Lan Qiren exclaimed loudly, his sudden change in tone waking the rest of his reasonable students from their fatigued daze.

"Have you been paying attention at all, young man?" Lan Qiren asked, his tone somewhere in between condescending and disappointed.

"Yes, I have." Wei Ying responded confidently, even though the statement wasn't one hundred percent true.

"Very well, then you won't mind answering a couple of questions, will you?"

---------------

*Sighhhhhh*

All Wei Wuxian could do was sigh. Because he is currently sitting back where he was the previous afternoon, except now with a different set of tasks. Still the same supervisor though, so at least there was that.

The morning had gone along swimmingly, and during class, he had answered nearly all of Lan Qiren's questions perfectly. But the last one was a different story.

Personally, Wei Ying thought he answered the question amazingly. Maybe he had tripped up a bit at the start, but his finale was awesome. He had come up with a completely new technique for exorcising a fierce corpse, except it wasn't the answer that his grumpy teacher had wanted. It had been so bad that he had gotten two things thrown at him, and he now had to copy a stupid chapter of one of the Lan's stupid books three hundred times. Seriously, what was it with Lan's and their threes?

I mean, come on, really? Three months stuck here, three thousand rules, and three hundred copies he now had to make of some chapter he probably should have already read.

But just like before, it could have been so much worse, so he was grateful for that. 

He sat quietly, or at least as quietly as he could muster. The silence didn’t last long, though. Lan Wangji is just far too tempting not to tease. Eventually, fed up with Wei Ying, the lan alpha placed a silencing spell on him. So the poor omega had to resort to tossing things at him instead. 

Small things like pieces of paper or little clips, until the silencing spell finally let up about forty-five minutes later. Any normal person would have probably kept silent and finished the work that they were given. But Wei Ying wasn't a normal person. Hence why, when he realized that his lips were no longer forcefully sealed shut, he dived directly back into talking, not exactly with the teen, but more or less towards him.

"Say, Lan Wangji, why are you so boring all the time? I mean, you have the hot and stoic alpha vibe going for you, but does it ever get annoying?" He asked, his tone light, but missing his usual tease. He was kind of curious whether or not the personality of the teen in front was his real personality or a façade.

The only response Wei Ying ended up receiving was a minute pause in the strum of Lan Wangji's Guqin, which went nearly unnoticed by the omega. 

"Ugh, Lan Wangji, you are seriously so boring!" He exclaimed loudly at the lack of response. "Lan Wangji! Are you even paying attention to me? How do you know whether or not I'm doing my work? Huh?" Wei Ying provided as he draped himself over the desk in front of him.

"Lan Wangji. . . Lan Wangji. LAN WANGJI!" He just repeated the teen's name over and over again; something was bound to get his attention.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying called loudly, and sure enough, the calming music of the Guqin stopped.

Wei Ying looked up at the alpha through his unruly bangs. His eyes met surprised golden ones, which turned into glaring yellow.

"Lan Zhan, don't be jealous. If you want, you can call me by my given name! Wei Ying!" He said, a smirk curling his lips as he watched Lan Wangji's ears turn ever so slightly pink. Wei Ying was beginning to learn his tells.

This time, he got a response, even if it was curt and nearly muttered.

"Shameless." Lan Wangji said, but he didn't refuse the trade. Only going back to strumming his Guqin, long fingers dancing over the strings elegantly.

"Aw, Lan Zhan... does this mean we're besties now? How awesome! My Shijie would be so proud!" Wei Ying exclaimed proudly, tapping on the desk in front of him as his mind began to wander yet again.

He really did miss his Shijie, and it hadn't even been a day since he last thought about his big sister. He guessed that maybe it was a good thing he was away from her for a while, only now realizing the dependence he had built up towards his sister. He knew why it had happened, and he was happy he had that kind of bond with someone. But it could become annoying beneath all of its comforting natures.

When two omegas grew up together, in close quarters, usually with some form of outside danger, in his case, Madame Yu and some of the meaner disciples, they would sometimes form a physical bond similar to that of a mated pair, except it was familial instead of sexual or romantic, in most cases. It usually affected the omega with the weaker bonding capacity. So it made sense that it had happened to Wei Ying. He grew up the majority of his younger years without any type of familial bond. He could still remember the empty hollow feeling in his chest, and it made him shiver just thinking about it.

As he grew up, he eventually formed something similar with his Jiang-Shushu, but it was nowhere as close as needed for an omega to develop their bonding capacity properly. Eventually, though, he gained another, much closer figure in his life, whom he will admit, he sometimes views as less of an older sister and more of a mother. She wasn't much older than him, only a couple of years, but his second gender recognized her as a very close familial figure compared to Jiang-Shushu, or even A-Cheng.

So yeah, sometimes it got to be a little confusing, but he tried to regulate it. Wei Ying's whole bonding issue was more of a ‘him problem’, and he didn't like pushing it onto others. Even if his shijie and A-Cheng knew about it, they had talked, and it was a topic best left further undiscussed.

Now, as he sat there, the serenity of his surroundings made him a little drowsy, and he let his mind wander. He reminisced about happy memories from his childhood. It made him nostalgic. As if he wanted to chew on some loquats or go for a refreshing dip in one of the many lakes of Lotus Pier. He wished he could show Lotus Pierre his home, to Nie Huaisang. He was sure his fellow omega would love the bustling atmosphere and the delicious alcohol.

Only then did he realize he currently had a friend in the same room he could talk to about it.

"Hey! Lan Zhan, have you ever thought about visiting Lotus Pierre? I could show you around if you ever come by?" Wei Ying asked, re-opening his eyes, he hadn't even realized he had closed them.

The small twitch of the alpha’s nose went unnoticed; Wei Wuxian was too excited to talk about his childhood home to pay much attention. 

"I think you would like it there. The loquats are delicious, and we have really beautiful women and omegas.” He continued on, speaking as if he were telling a story. Lan Wangji didn’t respond, but he also didn’t stop Wei Ying from talking.

Soon enough, the time came back to him, Wei Wuxian realizing that he was expected back by Jiang Cheng. He rose from his seat, halfheartedly putting his papers and ink away.

“I'll see you tomorrow! Enjoy your evening, Lan Zhan!” The omega bid as he walked towards the exit. He cast one final glance over his shoulder at Lan Wangji and was quick to notice the small gleam of something light in his eyes.

He was stunning, sitting there peacefully in the late afternoon light. Wei Ying pushed away the flutter in his stomach, turning his head back towards the door. It would be really embarrassing if he face planted.

Fuck, Why am I like this?

---------------

Chapter Text

Huh. Lan Wangji thought as he took a quiet inhale of the room he stood in. It smelled like him.

"Annoying," the alpha mumbled as he glanced around the room once more, his eyes eventually resting on the door that Wei Wuxian had left through. Whatever it was that he was feeling, it was completely foreign. Wei Wuxian was foreign. He wasn't used to this sort of feeling, like an itch that couldn't quite be scratched. It was annoying. Painfully so.

With a finalized huff, Lan Zhan left the library, not quite sure where exactly he was going, but somewhere without a Wei Wuxian to bother him would be preferred.

His uncle's residence, then, or maybe the cold springs. Undecided, he began to wander around the cloud recess, no real destination in mind anymore. He just wanted some air.

So with quiet, almost unheard footsteps, Lan Zhan made his way around the border of the cloud recess until he came upon a familiar and secluded spot, a beautiful willow tree above his head. It was a comfort, a similar feeling to having a cozy roof over your head or lying in a nest your mother made, quietly wrapped in her arms.

Lan Zhan missed his mother, and for some odd reason, Wei Wuxian reminded him of her.

It was odd, the teenager bothered Lan Zhan, but he was also sort of welcoming. He had only known the teen for a couple of days prior, yet the other teen somehow managed to chip away at the fortified walls he had built up.  He wasn’t close to anybody other than his direct family, and he spent know time whatsoever trying to get to know his peers. There was a barrier between himself and those around him, especially his fellow juniors. Lan Wangji both enjoyed this separation and loathed it. 

He didn’t necessarily want to understand others, but if he didn’t at least make an attempt every so often, his brother had a tendency to worry. So instead of trying to get close to his peers, Lan Wangji would watch. He would keep his distance but still be close enough to listen or see how others would interact. His fellow disciples tended to reciprocate this distance, if out of fear or respect, Lan Zhan wasn’t always sure. He didn’t mind, though; it was peaceful. 

Wei Wuxian, however, did the exact opposite; the teen went out of his way to interact with the stubborn alpha. Despite the boy’s exhausting nature, Lan Zhan couldn’t help but feel the warmth that came with the torment. Was this how everyone acted when it came to interactions? Was this how he was supposed to feel?

Probably not. When he interacted with the juniors of his sect, the separation remained. There were also juniors from the other sects, besides Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng was loud, so was Nie Huaisang, although in different ways. The Jin heir was okay, although quite stuck up, and Lan Wangji had little to no contact with the Wen. His uncle wanted to keep his nephews as far away from them as possible, ‘terrible influences’ as he would say.

Perhaps his barrier-breaking down might become a good thing? Despite what his uncle thought about the Jiang disciple, his cultivation skills and interpersonal abilities were impressive. Wei Wuxian wasn’t necessarily the worst person he could have become friends with. 

Someone's footsteps could be heard ascending the steps just beyond the willow tree, and Lan Wangji’s attention was pulled away from his thoughts.

Lan Zhan stiffened, unsurprisingly miffed about someone intruding on his thoughts and privacy. But at the scent of smoked sandalwood, he calmed down. It was just his brother, Lan Huan was allowed here; it was originally their mother's special place to begin with.

"Found you." Came the quiet words of his brother as he approached, moving the drooping branches of the canopy out of his way with his hand.

"Are you feeling well, Lan Zhan?" the older brother asked, even if it was only by a couple of minutes.

Golden-hued eyes met light brown ones, a quiet nod the only response.

"You sure? You only really come to Mother's willow tree when something is troubling you. Do you want to talk about it?" Lan Huan asked, yet again receiving only a non-verbal response in the form of a quiet sigh.

"All right, I won't pry. . ." There was a quiet pause before his brother began to talk again, falling back on the words he just said, "Is it about Wei Wuxian?" Once more, he gained no verbal response, but he didn't need one when Lan Zhan's head whipped around and made eye contact again. And those bright yellow eyes said it all. "How did you know?" The words didn't even need to be said to be understood. It was glaringly obvious.

"I overheard a few guest disciples. One of them seemed quite embarrassed." Lan Huan said, a small, amused smirk growing on his lips. "He seemed a little flustered, mentioned something about unintentionally chatting the ears right off your head. I don’t blame him, especially when there's an 'annoyingly attractive alpha' sitting right in front of you." The older teen's grin widened more as he mimicked something he had overheard.

Lan Zhan just glared, trying to ignore the warmth in his ears.

"I'm just teasing Didi, but you shouldn't worry too much, I'm sure he just got a little lost in thought."

"Mn" was his only response.

"Regardless, what were you guys talking about?" Lan Zhan's brother asked, his tone light but curious.

"He was inviting me to come see his home... and that his sister would be proud," he responded, his voice trailing off a little in the middle as he remembered the conversation that happened a couple of hours prior.

"That's sweet, you guys seem like good friends. I would also be proud of my little brother for making a close friend. I am proud." Lan Huan said, his voice just as soft as his smile and as warm as the hand that now rested on his shoulder.

"We should start heading back now. It's getting late, and Qiren-Shushu is getting dinner prepared. We wouldn't want to miss it." The slightly older teen said as he gently patted Lan Zhan's shoulder before turning to leave. Lan Zhan didn't wait to follow, trailing after his brother down the winding stairs of the cloud recess.

---------------

There wasn't much conversation; there usually wasn't. But something about this meal felt slightly tense, and Lan Zhan wasn't completely sure why. Instead of being the one to break the thick silence, he just ate slowly and calmly, listening to the soft clacking of chopsticks on bowls.

"Zhan-er, what happened today with Wei Wuxian?" Lan Qiren asked directly; apparently, this was why the meal was unusually tense.

"Not much," came the curt reply. Why was everyone so curious all of a sudden? Was it really that surprising that he would talk to someone?

"Are you sure? Because that child is nothing but a problem magnet, I have no doubt that he spent the time intended for punishment irresponsibly-" Lan Qiren started, as if preparing the opening to a rant. He knew his uncle was nothing but concerned for his well-being, but he found the oncoming conversation unnecessary, so he was quick to politely cut his Qiren-Shushu off.

"I'm fine, nothing happened. If that is all, I'm going to retire for the night." Lan Zhan said, standing up and bowing before turning away to leave. As he walked towards the door, he missed the look his brother and uncle shared, but he could hear the shuffling of clothes as someone followed him out the door.

The night air was refreshing, a smell of blossoms on the wind, but it had the stuffy undertones of the approaching summer. Hot, he had a feeling that this summer was going to be annoyingly stifling. And Lan Zhan really wasn't looking forward to it.

"A-Zhan!" his brother's voice called out from behind him. Lan Zhan's stride halted, but he had yet to turn around.

When no response came from the younger twin, more footsteps could be heard as his brother approached. "If anything unusual happens, or someone is making you uncomfortable, please let me or Shushu-" for the second time that evening, Lan Zhan cut someone off, he knew he was going to feel bad about it later; he always did when he broke the rules; but he didn't want to get lectured about how inexperienced he was at forming meaningful relationships from either his brother or uncle, so cutting them off before the even started was usually the best outcome when it came to these kinds of situations. For any lecture, really, especially the ones Lan Zhan had no interest in listening to.

"I know all about that kind of stuff, brother. There is no need to worry about me. And no, nothing unusual has happened, especially anything I can’t deal with myself." Lan Zhan said, finally turning to face his brother, if only to say a proper goodnight.

"If you're one hundred percent sure, then I'll let it go... but I'm serious, if you feel off in any sort of way, at least let me know." Lan Huan said, his tone was calm, but the younger alpha could see the hint of concern in his eyes, even if it was mostly clouded over with relief.

"Mn." Came the efficient reply, but Lan Zhan couldn’t help the small quirk to his eyebrow. Was there something going on that he didn’t know about?

"Nothing you have to worry about. 'Night, Zhan-di." Lan Huan said, reading his brother's mind. 

"'Night," The final bidding of goodbyes and goodnights, both brothers went their separate ways for the night. One returned to their uncle's residence, the other deciding that sleep was probably a good idea.

It had been an annoyingly long day.

---------------

The following day was much less exciting than Lan Zhan had previously thought. He had expected Wei Wuxian to be his usual pain, but for some odd reason, he was avoiding the alpha. Nothing like skipping their daily classes or his library punishment, but he was, for the most part, leaving Lan Zhan alone. Maybe the teen did have some common sense after all.

Sadly, the quiet bliss didn't last very long. Roughly an hour and a half into their quiet study session, Lan Zhan noticed Wei Wuxian's leg bouncing, then his fingers started drumming on the table, and it only really went downhill from there.

The smaller teen started to scribble something away on the paper in front of him, and when Lan Zhan focused his eyes to try and get a better look, Wei Wuxian hid the paper better. So with an exasperated sigh, Lan Zhan stood up and left the room, not bothering to explain himself to the Jiang disciple in front of him.

He did this for two main reasons: one, hoping that the temporary space might give Wei Wuxian some time to get rid of his extra energy, and two, he needed to grab his Guqin.

So he thought that right now would be the appropriate time to do so.

By the time Lan Zhan returned, Wei Wuxian was standing in the far corner. Wondering what he was doing, Lan Wangji placed his Guqin down in front of his mat and walked over to the boy.

As he got closer, he recognized the scripture on the front of the paperbook. It may not have been what Wei Wuxian was supposed to be doing, but at least he was reading something useful.

The literature that book may be somewhat simple, a scripture Lan Zhan had read when he was much younger, but the words were eloquent with many different ways of interpretation.

"Oh! Lan Zhan, I didn't notice you returning." Wei Wuxian said. Lan Wangji, still unused to hearing his given name from the teen's mouth, was too distracted to notice the small extra hand movement of Wei Wuxian as he placed the book back on the shelf.

Wei Wuxian quickly skipped back towards his seat as Lan Zhan reached out for the book he had just been reading. A quiet feeling of nostalgia washed over him as he looked at the cover of the book. It used to be one of his favourite stories.

With a ghost of a smile, he opened the book, only to be bombarded with horrifically graphic drawings of what he could only imagine to be pornography.

Angered and rightfully disgusted, he threw the book to the floor, unable to look at the images any longer. The variation and detail of the few pages he saw were mortifying. It didn't help that he could hear Wei Wuxian's giddy laughter from further back in the library, still sitting at his desk.

"O-oh wow! I didn't know that you could make such colourful expressions! The look on your face! Ha ha. . ." The omega stuttered out between his bouts of laughter. He made eye contact with Lan Zhan as he stood and walked over to crouch before him, picking up the book splayed out on the ground.

"To believe that one of the esteemed Lan twins would read such pornography, you just broke one of your way too many rules, ya know!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed as he laughed once again, waving the open book in front of him. openly viewable to Lan Zhan.

So in a fit of uncontrolled anger, the alpha grabbed the open book from the other teen's hands with a hint of a snarl and proceeded to tear the papers into numerous pieces.

"Hey! I borrowed that from someone! Don't ruin it!"

Lan Wangji's only response was one word, said with probably more hatred than necessary. 

"Shameless!"

He drew his sword, his anger boiling even more. Maybe it was more than just anger, but whatever it was, his face was red with it. He felt embarrassed and ashamed, and he had no idea why; it wasn't like he had read it by choice.

"What kind of person are you? To be reading something so disgraceful!" He asked, his question brimming with anger.

"I'm just a man! Luckily, you only saw one of the tame books; some of the stuff we have stored away would be bound to give you an aneurysm. I have no idea how you'd react to that!" Wei Wuxian said, then paused to think, as if to imagine the face he would make if he were to see one of these "books"; only to practically crumble to the ground in laughter.

In response to this uncontrolled fit of laughter, Lan Zhan pointed Bichen in the teen's direction.

"H-Hey now, no need to get all riled up." He stuttered out again around his laughter, still trying to contain himself.

"Outside. We're going to fight." Lan Zhan said, gesturing with his sword towards the door.

"But Lan Zhan, personal fights are against the rules!" Wei Wuxian said with a smirk, standing up as he continued. "That's two, maybe even three rules you've broken so far. At this rate, we'll be sharing the emperor's smile and 'shameless' literature by the end of the month." A pause before he started speaking again, ". . . If you want, I can get you some more of those books, I know how to hide them really well-" But he was cut off before he could finish by a swipe of Bichen in his direction. "WEI YING! GET LOST!"

"Fine, fine, I'm leaving," the boy said as he quickly hopped away and out the door.

With that interaction, Lan Zhan took back what he said before, that man has zero humiliation.

---------------

For the rest of the day, Lan Zhan had this unbridled anger simmering just below the surface. Wei Ying knew how to push his buttons and it pissed him off. To be honest, he hadn't felt this much anger in years, maybe ever. It made him feel. Feel so much to the point that it seeped into his pheromones. The omega hadn't reacted to it, but after he had left, Lan Zhan could smell his anger in the air surrounding him. He ended up having to open the windows to let the pavilion air out as he went for a walk, this time heading to the cold springs to hopefully cool his head.

The anger Lan Zhan usually felt was like a cold blue fire in the pit of his stomach, but whenever Wei Ying did something to anger the alpha, that rage became hot and all-consuming. The only upside to this anger was that once he tried, he could calm down relatively easily, especially with the help of the cold springs. It was like dousing an unrelenting flame. It was reliving.

After his calm bathing in the frigid water of the mountains, he always felt refreshed and relaxed, if not a little tired. It was the good kind of tired, like how you feel after a good workout. So with the scent of anger washed from his mind and pheromones, he headed back home to meditate before sleep.

The following day, Wei Wuxian was back to his normal self; whatever had come over him the day prior had been let out of his system by that annoyingly awful prank. The teen was full of bright smiles and was woefully clingy to anyone who would dare stand next to him. Lan Zhan could only watch. His anger may have subsided a while ago, but he wasn't one to show his emotions. So he stayed as cold as ever, maybe even a little extra indifferent.

Lan Zhan had to admit, even with how much the Yunmeng junior pissed him off at times, he did tend to brighten a room. The days almost seemed to speed up from their usual loping pace. Wei Ying would laugh, poke fun and flirt with anyone in his vicinity; an easy distraction from the sometimes difficult classes that his uncle gave, even when it landed him in the pavilion for more punishments.

An outlier soon appeared, though, maybe a week and a half after Wei Ying's prank, Lan Wangji's brother called a meeting. A large group of Lan elders and powerful cultivators where present, Lan Wangji attending alongside his twin. It started as usual, everyone reporting their last missions or whether they were heading out on one or into seclusion. Lan Qiren began to list off available night hunts and missions to the Lan disciples. All was pretty standard, and he hated to admit it, but he wasn't listening. That was until his brother elbowed him in the side, a gesture for him to return from the clouds and pay attention.

"Finally, to those who aren't busy, there's been an issue with water ghosts in Caiyi town as of late; quite a number of fishermen have gone missing or perished, and there have been numerous sightings of ghouls near the area. I was hoping, since my nephews are free at the moment, that they wouldn't mind taking some Lan disciples down to the lakeside town and checking it out. Hopefully, all is well, but with the number of rumours, I would recommend taking more than just a few. If anyone has disciples who would be willing and in need of some extra training, please collect a list of names and hand them in by this evening." Lan Qiren directed with a gesture of his arm towards where the Lan twins were sitting.

Lan Wangji only nodded his head in response. Great, I've been voluntold again. He thought with a silent sigh as his uncle and brother finished up the meeting.

With a polite bow of his torso towards the elders and disciples as they left, Lan Wangji turned to his uncle and brother just as people finished leaving.

"Do I have to go? I would like to stay and finish my studies." He asked as he met his uncle's eyes.

"Apologies, Lan Zhan, but I do require you to go. This may be more dangerous than originally presumed, and the disciples' going would greatly benefit from your- along with your brother's help. I doubt you'd fall behind regardless." His uncle responded. It was clear that the decision was final, with more than enough good reasoning behind it for Lan Wangji to comply. It wasn't just a reason to get him away from an incessant omega who had been getting under his skin. Lan Zhan knew the man was worried about what kind of influence he might have on his younger nephew.

"Very well, uncle," he said with a bow, suppressing his urge to sigh.

I guess it would be good for me to head out on a mission; it has been a while. Lan Zhan thought as he headed to the door.

He could hear his brother as he bid a quick goodbye to their uncle before following him out the door and down the steps.

"Is there any particular reason why you didn't want to go on this mission?" Lan Xicheng asked, his hand coming up to rest on the backside of Lan Zhan's shoulder.

"No. You worry too much, brother. I'm alright." He replied with a contented huff, a hint of a smile kissing his features. Even though Lan Huan had asked whether or not he should be concerned, Lan Zhan could tell he had been regardless. The hint of his brother's worry was very light in his scent as it drifted off him. It quickly disappeared and was replaced with quiet relief in both his brother's features and scent.

"Well, I guess we'd better start recruiting some help-" Lan Xicheng was cut off by someone making a not-so-polite coughing sound to get their attention.

Lan Zhan could tell who it was even before he could see him, the omega's scent becoming familiar over the past couple of days.

"We overheard the elders mentioning that you needed help on a mission in Caiyi town?" Wei Wuxian half asked, half told as the jade twins turned to face him, his two companions now stood at his sides.

"We are looking for some aid, but we should be okay with just Lan disciples. I do not doubt that you have studies to stay on top of." Lan Xicheng responded directly, casting his gaze to meet the eyes of the other omega in the vicinity.

"G-good day Xicheng-ge, and yes, we do have studies to work on." Nie Huaisang said, a slight shiver running over the omega's body as he ducked from the Lan alpha's gaze. It looked like the guy wanted to run away.

"Speaking of which, how are your studies going, Huaisang?" Lan Wangji's brother asked the Nie omega. By his reaction, Lan Wangji had a feeling that this question was one Nie Huaisang was trying to avoid.

With a sigh and a slight droop of his shoulders, the shy cultivator quickly responded, looking like he had just given in.

"Surprisingly well, considering how much fun I'm having. Wei Wuxian is really helping me with my studies. I feel as if I'll truly pass this year." Nie Huaisang responded, almost all of his previous reservations gone as he made eye contact with Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangi could have sworn the two shared words through solely their eyes before Nie Huaisang began to speak again.

"Wei Wuxian is very intelligent and an amazing teacher; he always seems to notice things that others don't." The omega said a small smile crept onto his face as he continued. 

"Despite being a bit of a troublemaker, he has been incredibly useful since he got here. A great friend too." He stated with a nod of his head as he finished, another smile passing between the two teens.

"It's true, I've been told I'm very helpful. And from what I've heard of previous years, Nie Huaisang is doing much, much better. So much so that I think it wouldn't hurt if we missed a couple of days to help some innocent people in Caiyi town." Wei Wuxian said proudly. Lan Wangji was about to protest when the alpha of the group piped up.

"Not to mention A-Ying and I grew up in Lotus Pier, so we've been exorcising water ghosts and have been swimming since we were little. Exorcising those tepes of ghosts is one of the first things the Yunmeng clan teaches us." Jiang Wanyin pointed out.

Lan Wangji could tell the three of them were up to something, even if he couldn't tell what it was; it would seem it was working.

"I guess that's true, it would be useful having the two of you there, especially since you can probably swim better than us Lan. But Huaisang," The omega in question looked up. "Would you be coming with us? I'm sure your brother would be worried about your studies." The omega looked a little crestfallen at the fact of being unable to attend, but it wasn't really like he could help out much anyway. Not to mention, the omega's overly sweet smell was starting to make his nose itch.

"I guess you're right, I'll see you guys later then. Tell me all about it." Nie Huaisang said to the Yunmeng disciples before bidding a quick goodbye to the Lan brothers and scurrying off.

"As for you two, let's stop by the mess hall and see if we can pick up some willing volunteers." Lan Xicheng said as he gestured for everyone to follow as he began to walk.

Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian followed shortly behind with Lan Wangji carrying up the back. So it was easy to see the contagious smile that the head disciple gave off as he made a happy sound to his brother with a half-hug. His excitement was somewhat confusing to Lan Wangji, considering that this was just a quick excursion to get rid of some water ghosts. He guessed it was an excuse for the two of them to get out of the cloud recess and its "stuffy rules".

Wei Ying's words, not his.

But he was even more confused as he felt his instincts begin to preen at the delighted noise the boy was making. Lan Zhan was quick to shut it down, even with the unwarranted internal protests as he did so. He had no logical reason for him to feel this way, and he just assumed it was his instinct's reaction to being around this kid so often. At least he hoped it was.

Stupid instincts.

Chapter Text

The trip to Caiyi town went well, Wei Ying being his usual annoying self. After the not-so-long flight on their swords to the town, they had no quarrels with touring the city, Wei Wuxian using the excuse of collecting further information to properly explore the place that they may be staying for the next couple of days. It all depended on the difficulty of the task at hand.

As Wei Ying walked down the crowded streets, he could smell the heavy odour of fish and seaweed, and a happy shiver crept down his spine at how this small town reminded him much of Lotus Pier.

Only for his pleased sighing to be interrupted by his brother rudely shoving his shoulder. Wei Ying was starting to regret his decision to drag the alpha along with him. But at least with his brother by his side, he didn't have the bother of a stuffy Lan disciple following him around.

Stupid Lan rules! He thought with a humph, why do they even apply out here anyway?! Wei Ying crossed his arms in mild displeasure at the thought.

But to some extent, he had to admit that the rule of always staying in a group made sense, even if it was mildly annoying.

Originally, when Wei Wuxian had announced to the group that they would be going out into the town, at the time it had been mid-afternoon, Zewun-Jun had told him to just stay inside and rest before the next day, when they would all be exploring together. But as stubborn and persuasive as he was, Wei Ying managed to convince the alpha in charge that he wouldn't be gone for long.

So after a little bit of polite back-and-forth, the older Lan heir had let him go under the conditions that he would be back before sunset and he would stay with his brother.

Wei Ying would have dragged Lan Zhan along; he even tried to, but the other Lan had been adamant about staying with his brother. So Wei Ying just took his own brother with him instead.

A-Cheng was the second best.

Since the whole exchange, it had been about an hour and a half, and the sun was nowhere near setting yet, hence why Wei Ying and his brother were still out and about through the bustling town.

He could hear vendors loudly promoting their stands, and children laughing and playing in the busy street. The bustle of bodies and the constant movement of human traffic was a little overwhelming, especially for such a geographically small town, but the people were lively and entertained.

Even though all seemed well from an outside point of view, if you listened closer to some of the more softly spoken conversations, you could hear the worry in their voices. Even with the bright atmosphere, there was a thick tension settled on top. It waned over every person on the street, and he was sure this restless feeling made its way into their homes.

With a little shake of his head, Wei Ying grabbed Jiang Cheng by his sleeve and pulled him over to one of the nearby vendors.

The vendor in person was a happy-looking young lady, selling some of the upmost delicious-looking loquats he'd probably ever seen. Then again, that was probably just his empty stomach talking. The journey had been tiring, and Wei Ying was sick of eating all that bland Lan food, so these lovely fruits seemed much more appetizing than they probably would have been three weeks ago. Not to mention the lovely lady selling them was anything but an eyesore.

"Hey there, miss! May I ask how much those delicious-looking fruits might be?" Wei Wuxian asked, a lopsided grin happily plastered on his lips. Anyone could see the sparkle in his eyes when he looked down at the juicy-looking treats.

"Depends, what's the young man offering?" The lady asked, a wink in her left eye.

"For a basket of loquats, about this much and one hell of a good time." Wei Ying responded, holding up a small handful of coins. His brother only sighed at his flirtatious antics, and even though he wasn't looking at the alpha, he could feel the eye-roll behind his back.

"What kind of good time?" The young woman offered, looking ever-so-slightly skeptical of Jiang Cheng, who stood behind him, as if skeptical of his irritated expression. Jiang Cheng, on the other hand, looked horrified at even the idea of what the young woman was implying. From the whiff of her pheromones that Wei Ying picked up, he could tell she was an omega like himself.

So in response, he let off a wisp of his own, usually undetectable omega scent, in her direction. She calmed down from her small bout of uncertainty almost instantly at the recognition of a fellow omega.

"Well, I do have a mighty impressive sword here that could easily carry both a pretty lady like you and me to take a good look at the water from above." Wei Wuxian stated as he pulled Suibian out from where it was hiding behind his sleeve.

"Oh! you guys are cultivators, I should have recognized the clan colours. Jiang Yunmeng, right? I have a friend whose brother is a disciple of your sect." The young lady said, her flirting momentarily gone, replaced by an even brighter, more honest smile.

"I must decline, that water is cursed, plus I have work I need to do. But I will sell you that basket of loquats." She continued as she handed the basket of yummy fruit to Wei Wuxian, and he dropped the coins in her other hand in response.

"May I ask why you say that water is cursed, miss?" Jiang Cheng asked as he stepped forward.

"My, my, there's no need for all that miss stuff, just call me Mao Tingyi, or just a-Ting." She said with a wave of her hand as she faced her head away. A bashful look on her features.

"Alright, a-Ting, do you really think the water is cursed?" Wei Wuxian asked, his tone still light and friendly, but it was clear he was looking for a proper answer.

"I know it is, don't tell anyone I've said this, but I've seen some of the traffickers throw their dead on the far side of the lake. I collect my loquats in the area and have noticed them on multiple occasions. I could have sworn something pulled the dead bodies into the water after the men had left. The water has totally become cursed." She finished quickly, even though it looked like she wanted to gossip a bit more; the sight had obviously spooked her.

"You have no idea how much that helped, but did you, by any chance, see what pulled those bodies into the water?" Wei Ying asked, gently placing a hand on her shoulder at the sight of the shiver that ran up her spine. A-Ting suddenly looked very cold despite it being a relatively warm day for the time of year.

"Sorry, but I didn't. I only watched the first body get pulled in, I kinda ran the second, it was safe to." The female omega denied politely, patting her fellow omega on the hand just before he let go.

"Thanks, a-Ting. It's good to know some people have good instincts." Wei Ying said with a small huff. "Regardless, maybe stay away from the water for the next little bit until we get the thing with the lake sorted out." He said before a kind goodbye, wishing the young lady some luck in selling her loquats. In response, Mao Tingyi wished him luck on his hunt. The two Yunmeng disciples left quickly, stopping by the water before returning to the inn where their group was currently staying. 

"I have a really bad feeling about this." He said, a dash of worry crossing his features. "I don't know what it is, but both my gut and my instincts are telling me to stay on guard."

"I agree." Came his brother's response. "I didn't notice it at first over the stench of fish, but I can smell something akin to rot; it's all over the place. It isn't pleasant whatsoever." He said as his nose twitched when he inhaled again. The omega had noticed him doing this all day, but he thought it was just because his brother was trying to get a good whiff of some omegas nearby or something.

He knew that most alphas had stronger senses of smell than omegas, especially true ones. A category in which his brother fits. Wei Ying himself had a stronger sense of smell than most omegas, being both a cultivator and a dominant omega.

Regardless, when he lifted his nose to smell the air, really taking it in this time, the smell of the fish was more than just strong; it was pungent and overpowering. As if the locals were unintentionally trying to cover up a smell of a much worse degree.

His nose scrunched at the stench. Even if Wei Ying couldn't smell the decaying scent his brother claimed, he trusted him and just went with it. It actually happened quite often when they were growing up, his brother having a much stronger sense of smell than nearly every other person they knew. The alpha always being the one to warn him and their sister when he could smell their heat coming on; or the smell of a fire in a different room of their estate. The young Jiang heir had saved their family from numerous smell-related risks over the years, so Wei Ying had just come to blindly trust his brother's sense of smell.

"We should mention what we found out to the group tomorrow when we wake up. I would say tonight, but all those Lan might be asleep by the time we return." Wei Ying responded as he gestured towards the sun that had just begun to set.

"Speaking of which, Zewun-Jun is probably expecting us back by now. . ." He said, then quickly turned and started to jog back to their inn. It wasn't a long run; he wasn't even tired when the two of them finally returned, maybe fifteen minutes later.

When they entered the inn, he noticed very few Lan disciples were still up, and after talking to Lan Xicheng, he found out that the majority had retired for the night. Lan Wangji included. So with a quick goodnight to both his brother and the alpha in charge, Wei Ying headed up to his assigned room. Quickly undressing and falling into the bed provided.

It was nearly bare, at least compared to his nest back home. He missed his nest.

With a quick, begrudging scavenge around the room for materials, he eventually made himself a temporary and half-assed nest on the stiff mattress. His work was not nearly up to his usual standard, but he was quick to pass out anyway. Dreaming of Loquats and his sister as he slept.

---------------

The next morning, Wei Wuxian was rudely awoken by someone banging on his door. Originally, he planned on ignoring it after whoever it was left. But that option quickly went out the window when his brother barged into his room.

Wei Ying suppressed the urge to growl at the invasion of his personal space.

"Seriously, A-Ying! We've been trying to get you up for nearly forty minutes now. Everyone's already ready to go!" His brother stated loudly, throwing the omega's outer robes at him from across the room.

Wei Ying sat up, slowly trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. "Alr-riiiight, I'm coming. Just give me ten-" His response was cut off by his sword getting thrown at him.

"Now Wei Ying! I can hear people starting to leave." The alpha said as he turned around and exited the room, most likely heading downstairs to get the Lan disciples to hold out for a few minutes as the omega got ready.

Eventually, probably around three minutes later, Wei Wuxian had made it downstairs, still only half dressed and looking quite dishevelled.

Lan Wangji, the only Lan disciple who had waited for him and his brother, was blatantly staring at his wrinkled, barely put-together clothes.

"Improper!" He huffed before turning and leaving the inn. 

"He's right, though, you look like shit." His brother said, looking annoyingly amused. "Shut it, A-Cheng! You were the one who barged into my room!" The older Yunmeng disciple said, a pout on his lips.

"Whatever, quickly fix whatever this is," Jiang Cheng said with a gesture to his whole body, "Then we'll catch up with everything else." He finished, crossing his arms, waiting for Wei Ying to finish straightening out his clothes.

Once they had finally left the building, Wei Ying bade a quick goodbye and thank-you to the inkeeper, and the two quickly caught up with the rest of the group. The Lan disciples are only a few streets up.

Wei Ying could feel the stares of the townspeople as they walked down the street, everyone wanting to get a glimpse of the majestic-looking Lan cultivators. He himself was quite impressed with all their prim postures and calm faces.

But the omega could see the way the jade twins of Lan Gusu caught most people's eyes. He had to admit, his reaction had originally been the same. But after getting to know Lan Zhan, he could say the man was not as perfect as he tried to be.

With a grin, Wei Ying quickly jogged to the pack, coming to stand beside Lan Zhan.

"Soo. . . Any pretty omega's catching your eye?" Wei Ying intrusively asked, a teasing expression on his face.

". . ." Only to be ignored by the alpha as they continued to walk.

"Whatever, Lan Zhan is such a prude." Wei Ying pouted, crossing his arms with a huff.

"Have you guys noticed anything yet?" He asked the Lan disciples. "Not much, but we can all feel the tension in the air." Lan Xicheng is the one to respond to his question.

"Actually, yesterday, when A-Cheng and I were out and about, we asked around a bit and got some more defined rumours. Not to mention the scent of decay my brother noticed." Wei Ying said, his finger and thumb coming to rest on his chin.

"Please elaborate?" Zewun-Jun asked, turning to properly face the omega as they continued to walk.

"Well two things, first: My brother has an abnormally keen sense of smell, and he pointed out that the closer you get to the water, the stronger that smell gets. The source may be the water itself." Zewun-Jun nodded for him to continue. "Secondly, when I was asking around yesterday, a kind lady told me about her experience on the other side of the lake. She stated that she had witnessed a dead body get pulled into the water, but she couldn't see what the pulling was being pulled. She was smart enough to run before she could get caught up in the mess." Wei Ying finished, and he really did believe that A-Ting did the right thing by running in the opposite direction. But he wished she had gotten a better glimpse of what happened by the water.

Zewun-Jun nodded, and he was about to turn to his brother for input, most likely on the scent that was supposedly in the air. He could understand why it was a widely known fact that the younger twin of Lan was both a true and dominant alpha himself, but before he could, they all heard a scoff coming from behind him.

Wei Wuxian didn't know where it came from, but Lan Xicheng obviously did, sending a vicious-looking glare in that direction. From the sigh he made after the fact, he could tell that whatever this was, it must have been a common occurrence. Deciding to leave it be, even if it might become more of a problem later on, the omega couldn't help to think: I hope I'm never the one getting that glare, if looks could kill, I'd be totally dead. Who knew the famously kind Lan Xicheng could be so scary?

Wei Ying gave his own little huff at the thought, soon forgetting it entirely when they came upon a familiar street. Soon, the omega saw a familiar face and couldn't help but wave and shout her name.

"A-Ting! Hello! Do you have any loquats to offer to some hard-working cultivators?" He asked, well, more or less yelled, considering he still wasn't exactly within talking distance.

The young lady looked surprised, but when she saw who it was, a happy smile crested her face. That same happy smile soon turned into a light flush and a smirk when she noticed who he was with.

"Wow! What a lucky guy, that's probably the most attractive group of alphas I've ever seen. Does Ge think I should join a sect?" Mao Tingyi said in a not-so-quiet voice when Wei Wuxian was finally within talking distance.

In response, Wei Wuxian threw his arm around her shoulder and whisper-yelled into her ear: "I hate to say this, A-Ting, but all those Lan can be real sticks in the mud. If you want to join a sect, come to Yunmeng, I can be your tutor!" The male omega said, only half joking as he flirted.

"What an amazing idea! I just might! Well, are you still offering that good time, or are you gonna pay with your money this time?" She responded, their flirting continuing as a happy giggle left her lips.

"I am greatly sorry to say that that was a one-time offer. I have some work I need to do." Wei Wuxian said, a disappointed pout on his face as he removed his arm from his fellow omega's shoulders.

"Shame, really. But if it's our cursed lake that you cultivators are going to fix, then the loquats are on the house!" She said happily, handing him a small basket of the yummy fruits.

"Oh my! What a generous reward for something we have yet to complete. I am in the lady's debt. I'll be sure to save you!" He said dramatically, adding a mock bow for the fun of it.

"Well, I wish you luck!" She said, laughing at his antics, only to give him a quick peck on the cheek as he left. Wei Ying returned to the group, most of which had just witnessed the whole scene.

Some of the Lan cultivators looked mildly horrified, some impressed, but the most surprising wasn't how his brother actually looked amused at his antics, for once. No, it had to be the look Lan Wangji was giving both him and A-Ting as he blew a kiss goodbye.

The alpha looked conflicted, so much so that he looked nearly constipated. And he wasn't moving, feet frozen to the ground below him.

Only when Wei Ying was finally in front of him, placing a loquat in his hand, did the alpha return to earth. "Loquats will help!" The male omega stated before skipping away happily to join his brother, the other alpha attempting to smack him over the head when he did.

Maybe five seconds after dodging the half-assed attack from his brother, he felt the hairs on his neck raise, a sign that a projectile was coming his way, and fast. So just in time did Wei Ying put his hand up to catch said projectile, which turned out to be the loquat that he had just handed to Lan Zhan.

He tossed it back, thinking the alpha was just having some fun, only to get it thrown back at him harder. The fruit dented when he caught it the second time.

"Not gonna eat it?" When no response came from the alpha, he shrugged. "Whatever, more for me!" He said happily, taking a juicy bite. He heard a quiet "frivolous" coming from Lan Zhan, and he snickered in response.

---------------

Time passed by relatively quickly after that. The Lan disciples did some of their own investigating as they further wandered the town. Then, maybe around noon, Wei Wuxian was just guessing based on the sun, did Lan Xicheng decide it was time to go and investigate the water themselves.

So in no time, all of them were on the lake, in their own individual boats. These boats themselves were relatively small, only able to comfortably fit three or four people at a time. But with the funding of the Lan clan of Gusu, it was an easy task to acquire enough for everybody.

Along with the boats, everyone had been given flares and was warned to keep a close eye on the water, and that if they noticed something trying to pull either themselves or their boat under the surface, to get on their swords.

The group of cultivators floated gently along the surface for about an hour before fog started to set in. It put Wei Ying on edge.

It was still early afternoon at the latest when this mysterious mist started to stir, making little sense when it only proceeded to thicken. Even with the sun's glare slowly disappearing, they stayed out on the water.

And it didn't take long for Wei Wuxian to notice something. Drifting his raft closer to Lan Wangji's, trying to make better sense of what he was seeing. Even though there was only the alpha standing in the boat, it rested deeper in the water than everyone else's. Quickly coming to his conclusion, Wei Ying called to the alpha, not waiting for a response before jumping onto the teen's boat.

Lan Wangji, on the other hand, didn't stay when the omega landed; instead, jumping to the next raft over. It had been the reaction that Wei Wuxian was looking for, easier and involving much less explaining than if he had just asked the man to get off the boat.

Wei Ying jumped from previously Lan Zhan's boat to his, using the momentum of a backflip to turn the other boat upside-down with a bamboo pole, effortlessly revealing the water ghouls attached to its underside.

The creatures now in view, he heard some gasps coming from some of the other cultivators, them starting to look for clues that they might have something under their own boats as well. With a quick sign with his hand did Wei Wuxian sent out Suibian to efficiently slay the visible ghouls, but he had a bad feeling there was more that lay unseen beneath the surface.

His assumptions were quickly confirmed as more dead hands tried to claw their way onto the surrounding boats. It was less effective than one might think. So soon enough, everyone was either on their swords, rising up and away from the water, or recalling their swords so they could do so.

With Suibian under his feet, Wei Ying quickly maneuvered his way over to where he had previously seen the Lan brothers, soon discovering that they were already ahead of him in killing the annoying water pests.

A quick hop and he was now standing on their boat beside them.

"How could you tell that those monsters were attached to Lan Zhan's boat?" Zewun-Jun asked as he pulled out his liebing.

"Easy, really, the weight distribution wasn't right on his boat, it was sinking more than everyone else's, as if more than one person was riding it." Wei Wuxian responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, it's good that it was quickly noticed, thank you." Lan Xicheng said between notes of his xiao, the alpha playing a melody to encourage the ghouls to leave them alone.

"I wouldn't thank me yet, I have a feeling it's about to get a lot worse-" Almost as if jinxing it did something dark started swirling under the water.

"It looks like hair. . ." Came Lan Wangji's quiet observation as the liquid-looking black object started to surface. "I told you so." Was Wei Ying's only response as he recalled Suibian, hopping elegantly onto the sword? He could hear the Lan heirs following quickly behind.

They started to rise further up from the water, maybe about six meters,, when a shrill howl came from below the thick fog.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP! IT'S PULLING ME IN!" A terrified voice yelled, followed by the sounds of ghouls growling.

"I'll be right back." Wei Wuxian said to those next to him in the air, then flew off in the direction of the noise, not waiting to hear any of the protests he knew would be said if he stayed.

It only took about fifteen seconds to find the thrashing beta, a terrified scent coming off of him in waves, so strong it overpowered the smell of decay in the air.

Once the Lan disciple was within reach, Wei Wuxian pulled the man up onto his own sword, away from the clutches of the monstrous black hair. But the hair reached out further in retaliation, strongly latching on to the lan cultivator's leg, dragging another shrill screech from the man.

Wei Ying tried to pull away, the beta still in hand, but Suibian was built for speed and agility, not strength. So with the extra force of the pull from the hair on top of the already heavier weight of the Lan teen, Suibian began to struggle. Cultivator and sword fighting a losing battle of strength.

"HEY! I KINDA NEED SOME HELP HERE!" Wei Wuxian yelled, sending out waves of qi, hoping it would help the other disciples find them more easily.

In response came the thrumming sound of another sword. Wei Ying felt a wave of hope wash over him at the sight of white and blue robes only a few feet from him.

Wei Ying's eyes locked with golden yellow ones, and in a moment of indescribable emotion, he reached his hand out in the alpha's direction. Maybe only inches apart when a powerful tug drew his attention back to the fight with the water creature, and he was pulled under the water.

Cold, stinking water shot up his nose and into his mouth as he went under. All his senses became disoriented as he crashed into turbulent waters and long, black hair.

He tried to fight the water, being a powerful swimmer, the omega thought he might be able to get to the surface. But that idea came to a crashing halt when he felt thick hair crawling up his legs, rendering the limbs immobile. He had been under the water for a dangerous amount of time, and he could feel himself getting dizzy. His already limited vision became further unusable as the swirling blue of the water became blotched with black as his eyes stopped doing as they were told.

Just as he was about to fully lose his consciousness, he felt the water around him make a drastic movement, as if something crashed in after him, then a hand tightly grabbed him by the collar.

Just as he passed out, he felt himself being ripped from the tight grip of the long hair.

You're late, he thought when the scent of comforting sandalwood washed over him as he broke the surface of the water.

Then everything went black.

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan sat quietly beside Wei Ying on the shore, every once in a while checking his breathing.

The teen had been unconscious when he was pulled out of the water, nearly thirty minutes later, and he still was. It was starting to worry the alpha. He had no idea why, but his instincts were screaming at him to help the boy, to save him. But he was no doctor, only able to perform emergency aid.

But Wei Wuxian was breathing steadily, and his pulse was strong, so it was a possibility that he had just dropped.

Dropping was a phenomenon commonly found in omegas, possible for other subgenders, just highly unlikely. It was caused by higher stress chemicals in the system, messing with hormones and making one lose consciousness temporarily.

Lan Zhan had never seen this happen before, and according to Jiang Wanyin, Wei Wuxian had yet to drop, ever. Lan Zhan could tell the teen was resilient, and the alpha was unsure of what his subgender was, although it seemed unlikely that he was an omega. The teen had many characteristics aligning with those of an alpha, yet he was as scentless as a beta. There was a chance he had a hormone deficit of some sort, which could cause his lack of pheromones and also make him prone to dropping. Wei Wuxian was also a cultivator with one of the strongest cores of their generation, even if most didn't want to admit that. His core should have been able to combat any vulnerabilities that an illness might cause.

So something must have caused this, some sort of build-up over the past couple of weeks. But the alpha had no clue what it could be. Hence, Jiang Wanyin was off trying to find a healer or doctor up to the alpha's standards to give his brother a quick check-up. The lack of good doctors in the area was causing Wei Ying's brother to take his time.

Originally, after they had subdued the creature in the lake (that they had decided was a Waterborne Abyss), Lan Zhan had offered to carry the other teen back to the Cloud recess, or at the very least, Gusu. But both of their brothers seemed reluctant, for apparently different reasons.

First of all, Jiang Wanyin was injured from the quarrel with the Waterborne Abyss and wasn't able to carry his brother back himself, leading Lan Wangji to offer to do it. But the other alpha had quickly gotten prickly, telling him to keep his hands off his brother. It didn't make sense; it wasn't like he would do anything to the boy, not to mention he physically couldn't if they were going to be flying back home on their swords.

Then his own brother had piped up, saying that it was better if they stayed in Caiyi town, to both keep the Waterborne Abyss under control while they waited for their messenger to return with word from the Cloud Recess (They had someone to let them know what happened). And also that it might put a strain on his body to carry Wei Wuxian's limp form back to Gusu.

Lan Zhan didn't think so, but he decided to listen to his brother regardless, instead offering to stay with the unconscious Jiang disciple while everyone else either helped with clean up, subduing the Waterborne Abyss, or finding a decent doctor for Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Wanyin had been a little reluctant to leave his brother alone with the alpha, but with some reassurance and promises that his brother would be alright from Lan Xicheng, he finally gave in. After a quick couple of moments for everyone to recuperate, Jiang Wanyin's injuries healed up enough to help, did everyone leave to go do their own thing.

So, Lan Zhan now sat quietly beside the other teen.

A soft sound came from the cultivator, drawing Lan Zhan's attention to the boy. Then another louder muffled groan, it sounded as if Wei Wuxian was finally waking up.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan asked as he scooched a little closer to get a better look at the boy's face.

With one more soft groan, Wei Wuxian slowly opened his eyes.

"A-am I dead?" He stuttered out as their eyes met. Lan Zhan froze at the question. But then he didn't continue, instead starting to cough up whatever was left in his lungs from the lake.

When he was finally able to sit up, he spoke again: "Oh, it's just you, Lan Zhan. . . What happened?" He asked as he blinked at his surroundings, taking in how he was currently lying on a sandy beach.

"Under the water for too long, you passed out." Lan Zhan answered, finally getting over himself.

"D-did the Lan disciple get out?" He asked, worriedly looking back at the alpha. He got a small nod in response.

With a blatant sigh of relief, he tried to stand up, still uneasy on his feet as he did so. When he nearly tumbled over himself in the attempt, Lan Zhan grabbed him by the upper arm to help him steady.

Wei Ying paused before a sly grin spread along his features. He looked up to meet the alpha's golden eyes. "If Lan Zhan is trying to flirt with me, maybe courting at a more convenient time would be a better idea?" He said with a sparkle in his eyes.

In retaliation for the accusation, Lan Wangji dropped the teen's arm, backing up to give him space. He was about to turn around and head in the opposite direction when he heard Wei Wuxian speak again.

"I don't mind Lan Zhan, I just didn't take you as someone so forward." He said with a snicker. Lan Wangji actually turned to walk away this time. No interruption to his motion other than more boisterous cackles coming from the other boy. He soon heard the man following him as he headed towards the bustle of town.

"Aww, Lan Zhannn~, I was just kidding!" He said as he tried to hang off the alpha's shoulders, much like he did with his brother. But he was shrugged off as Lan Zhan quickened his gait.

"Is the big, strong alpha not gonna help this injured whelp?" Wei Ying pouted, speeding up his own stride to match Lan Zhan's longer paces. "You seem fine," He responded, then continued to ignore the other teen.

"Whatever. You're no fun sometimes!" The dark-haired disciple huffed as he crossed his arms, only to be ignored again.

When they made it to the town, it took very little time to find Wei Wuxian's brother, who was frantically speed-walking back towards the beach, an elderly person (whom he assumed was a doctor) in tow.

"A-Ying! Are you okay? Are you feeling ill at all? Did that alpha do anything to you?" He asked rapid-fire questions as he grabbed the teen by his shoulders, inspecting every inch of the boy that he could see, then taking in the scent of his brother with an inhale to make sure. "You smell like him." He said with a glare in Lan Zhan's direction.

"A-Cheng, A-Cheng! I'm fine, I was a little wobbly on my feet when I first woke up. Lan Zhan just helped steady me, he didn't do anything." Wei Wuxian responded with a smile as he looked over to meet the other alpha's golden eyes. Lan Zhan was a little awestruck when he saw the teen's smile soften when they made eye contact.

"Don't mind my brother, he can get a little overprotective of me and Shijie sometimes. I guess his instincts don't like the idea of another alpha taking away his family. The big sap-" Wei Ying said with a teasing tone, quickly cut off by his brother tossing him towards Lan Wangji. "S-shut up! You do whatever you want! I don't care!" But the rosiness of his flushed face gave him away.

"Love you too, A-Cheng!" Wei Wuxian laughed as he jumped on his younger brother and ruffled his hair.

"So, I'm assuming this is the boy you wanted me to look at? He seems fine at the moment." The doctor, whom Lan Wangji hated to admit he had forgotten about, said with a soft smile as he looked at the display in front of him.

He had to admit, the domestic display of sibling love before him was definitely one to smile about. It vaguely reminded Lan Zhan of a more dramatic version of him and his brother.

"No! Just give him a quick check-up to make sure he's really okay." Jiang Wanyin said loudly as he turned towards the small-town doctor. "Alright, young man, I'll give your brother a once-over just to be safe." The old man said with an amused huff and began to walk towards Wei Wuxian.

"Your brother was giving me a quick history of what happened, but does the young man in question wish to further explain?" The doctor asked as he led Wei Wuxian to sit on a nearby bench. Lan Zhan followed, even if he didn't really know why. It was probably just to make sure he was okay. Right?

"Uh, well, we were fighting the lake monster-" "Waterborne abyss," Jiang Cheng interrupted, Wei Ying continuing regardless. "The Waterborne Abyss, and I was attempting to pull someone from its clutches when I got pulled under the water. I guess I was below the surface for longer than it felt because I started losing consciousness. . . After that, I'm not too sure what happened, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying said as he looked at the alpha.

Lan Zhan continued the story without hesitation, assuming that was why Wei Ying looked at him. "I pulled him out of the water and made it back to the beach while the others finished subduing it. Wei Ying stayed unconscious for about thirty minutes." Lan Zhan efficiently explained to the doctor. The doctor asked a few more questions about the young cultivator as he continued to look over his body, seemingly finding no immediate visible issues.

"A few more questions, but they're a little private. . . if you're okay with me asking in front of your alphas." Lan Zhan's mind halted at the doctor's words.

Someone's alpha. Wei Ying's alpha. He thought he could feel his ears warming up.

Lan Zhan knew there were many different ways to be someone's alpha. Familial, soul-bonded, or mated, but his mind immediately went to the latter. The thought made him flush even more.

He knew the thought was absurd; the two of them barely knew each other, only meeting a handful of weeks prior. But he wasn't going to mention it, or how it gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling in his stomach, kinda like he ate a bunch of butterflies.

Even though it was a pleasurable feeling, he decided it was something best left ignored. He decided that paying attention to the conversation at hand was probably a better pastime than thinking further on the thought.

"Alright, have you recently been away from someone that you have bonded with for an extended period?" The elderly doctor asked, and Lan Zhan assumed he had missed Wei Ying's response when he had been within his head.

"Yes, I have been, actually. She’s a non-biological familial bond, an omega." Wei Ying responded. A dreary wave washed over him, his expression growing suddenly sullen. 

"That's what I thought, and I'm assuming you've been feeling anxious or sad recently as well?" His response came in the form of a hesitant nod. 

"And finally, are you due for a heat or rut any time soon?" Wei Ying paused, a slight flush passing over his features before he responded.

"I usually don't have steady cycles, s-so it could be possible. My last one was about two months ago. . . I think." The boy said as he placed his finger and thumb on his chin in thought.

"Seriously, A-Ying? Shijie told you to start tracking those, they're too inconsistent, I'm totally telling her when we get back home!" Jiang Wanyin said as he crossed his arms, looking disappointedly at his brother.

"Good to know. Did anyone help you through your last rut?" The elder asked as he examined the scent glands on Wei Ying's wrists. "No," was the quick response. Lan Zhan, on the other hand, started to turn away awkwardly, thinking this was a subject he shouldn't be listening to.

"So no one's going to help you through your next one then?" The doctor asked, this time turning his head to make eye contact with the Lan alpha that stood a few steps to his left. The alpha paused at the look the old man was giving him. His confusion did anything but subside as the doctor just shook his head softly and returned to examining Wei Ying.

"Okay, well, I think your inconsistent cycle is putting stress on your body, on top of the tension being caused by time away from a bond, and the situation you were describing wasn't exactly a low-stress one. So the build-up of all these put together gave you symptoms of dropping. Uncommon for an alpha, but sensible, especially considering your high levels of Yin energy. You should be fine, though, you didn't actually drop; you just came close. Be more careful with yourself, young man." The old doctor scolded, "But I would recommend resting for a bit, along with spending time with your fellow bond-mates, she may be feeling similar to you right now if she is without support. So the two of you being around each other frequently, slowly growing the intervals of time away from one another, will stop these potentially harmful symptoms. Think of it as treating withdrawal." He stated as he backed away from the teen, signalling he was finished.

"Thank you, doctor." Wei Ying and Jiang Wanyin said simultaneously with equal bows. Lan Wangji quickly followed with his own low bow as the man walked off down the street, presumably back to wherever the Yunmeng alpha found him.

"So he's saying I need regular doses of Shijie, huh? Shove that in Madame Yu's face!" Wei Wuxian said loudly, earning himself a slap over the head from his brother.

 "What!? Your mother was the one who said we spending so much time together was bad, take that! I knew we were better off together!" The boy shouted as he ran ahead.

"I'll send a message to Jiang Fengmian to let him know of the situation." Lan Wangji offered to the other alpha, gaining a quiet thank you.

With that finally over with, the three of them headed back towards the inn, hoping to meet up with the rest of the group when they returned.

---------------

"So the Wen caused this?" Lan Qiren asked, looking between his two nephews.

"We think so, yes. This Waterborne Abyss has the same description as the one reported under the list of Wen defeats. Not to mention the report never specified how their disciples had defeated the thing, just that it had been taken care of." Lan Xicheng retold the same story that Wei Wuxian had told the two of them the day prior. Apparently, the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng had been looking into large groups of demonic beasts that had started showing up in their territory. Originally, nothing had been suspected of the seemingly coincidental appearances of injured creatures. But they started to notice patterns in where and how these creatures manifested. Some still had swords or a Wen talisman embedded in their flesh. After that, they were quick to open an investigation.

Not too long after, the Yunmeng clan had discovered that similar things had been happening to many different sects, especially those closer to Wen territory and with less influence. They had somehow found a way to deter most resentful creatures from their land. It was genuinely insightful that the Wen had managed to find a way to do this, but regardless, it was causing more problems than it was worth.

"What terribly irresponsible and dangerous thing to do!" Lan Qiren shouted, slamming his teacup down onto the arm of his chair. 

"It's true, uncle, and the only way for us to properly dissipate the Waterborne Abyss would be to drain the lake and let the Yang power of the sun dry the Yin of the creature from the lake-bed; otherwise, we can't get rid of it." Lan Wangji's brother stated with a nod of his head.

"With the current influence of the Wen sect, we can't put up a direct opposition, but we can start leaking this information to the other sects. Hopefully, with the push of the greater sects along with us, the tension will be enough to get them to stop. Maybe even lose some of the power they currently hold. The power imbalance between the great sects is too much; it is causing too many problems." Their uncle said, and Lan Wangji nodded in agreement. He had a feeling that if they didn't put up some sort of resistance now, it would only get much worse.

"If you want, uncle, we can send out some disciples to leak this information right now? It couldn't hurt to get a head start?" Lan Xicheng asked, looking to his uncle for an answer.

"Yes, you do that. Lan Zhan, stay for a moment. I wish to talk to you about something." Lan Qiren requested when he noticed Lan Wangji beginning to move to stand up with his brother.

The alpha nodded, wondering what this was about.

"A-Zhan, you did well." His uncle said, looking prideful as he made contact with his nephew. "Thank you, Shufu. But it wasn't anything exceptional. I've done better before." Lan Zhan said with a bow, feeling a little embarrassed at the sudden praise.

"I heard all about it from our disciple you saved; he seemed pretty adamant that you did well." Lan Qiren said, a small grin on his features. 

"Well, it was his life on the line. Wei Ying wasn't that impressed." Lan Zhan stated, surprising both himself and his uncle with his words.

Why do I care if he was impressed? He's just some troublemaker. Lan Zhan thought as he looked away from his uncle's stare, feeling a little bashful.

"That's right, you pulled both of them out of the water, didn't you? . . Are you fond of that boy?" His uncle suddenly asked, looking both curious and worried.

"N-no, uncle. I don't think so." Lan Zhan responded, his voice uncharacteristically unsure. His uncle only shook his head, the older man looking slightly disappointed, but amused.

"Alright, that's all I had to say. Good job, A-Zhan, I'm proud." Lan Zhan just nodded as he was dismissed.

Lan Wangji exited the inn in Caiyi town, towards the waterfront.

His uncle and a few other disciples had come down from the Cloud recess to inspect the corrupted waters themselves about a day and a half after they sent for aid. And according to their messenger, a party of Yunmeng Cultivators were also on their way, both for Wei Ying and to do their own investigation of the Waterborne Abyss. It made sense considering their previous involvement with the Wen.

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Did you get in trouble?" A peppy voice yelled from a group of disciples, Lan Zhan easily picking out who from their voice and dark clothes. He decided it was best to ignore the curious teen and continued to walk towards where his brother was standing.

His attempt concluded to nothing when the boy in question came running up to his side. "So, did you get in trouble? I'm sorry if I was the cause?" Wei Wuxian asked, a pout on his face from being ignored.

Lan Wangji gave in: "No." His answer was curt, but it made its point.

"Oh! That's good to hear." He paused before continuing. "Is it true my Shijie is on her way?" He asked, his eyes shining excitedly as he looked up to the alpha for his answer.

"Yes. But we will be meeting them back at the cloud recess." The answer came from Lan Xicheng, of whom they now stood in front of.

"Cool! Are we heading back soon? When are we going to see them?" Wei Wuxian asked this time to Lan Wangji's older twin.

"We're departing at noon, and should be back by this evening. The Jiang delegation will be arriving two days after." Lan Huan answered with a kind smile.

*SIGHHHH* Came the dramatic expression from the other teen. "I don't know if I can wait that long~" He stated with another long sigh. Then gave a quick bow before he headed towards his own brother, shuffling his feet as he went. He had to admit it was kind of adorable, the way Wei Ying talked about his sister; it was clear the two were very close. It made Lan Zhan want to smile.

"I can see why you like him." Lan Huan said with a laugh, looking at his brother's wistful comportment. Lan Zhan was thrown out of his daze to stare at his brother.

 "I don't like him!" He said, but it wasn't really true. He did quite enjoy the omega's company, at least when the teen wasn't being exceedingly annoying.

"Don't lie to yourself, A-Zhan, but I think he'd be good for you. Even just as a friend." His brother asked before walking away, leaving Lan Zhan standing there dumbfounded.

I was also just talking about it as a friend. I'm so confused.

---------------

The trip back to the cloud recess was relatively calm. Jiang Wanyin nearly fell off his sword when Wei Ying threw something at him. Both Yunmeng disciples bickered along the way and laughed. The two of them were much louder than the rest of the Lan disciples combined. But it was entertaining to say the least, so no one really said anything. Only a couple of small grumbles about wanting some peace and quiet. Though no one would admit it, they were enjoying the show the brothers were putting on.

When they finally got back to the seclusion of the cloud recess, Wei Wuxian and his brother were smart enough to quiet down. Everyone was settling into the silence that was Lan Wangji's home.

The Lan twins headed to the main hall, retelling the whole story to the Lan elders. Their reactions were just as expected: some surprised, some angered or sad, but for the most part, they all seemed as if they expected this. But it seemed as if they were not going to do anything about it. Lan Wangji was shocked at how they responded.

But he knew that his brother had already let loose the rumours. Even if it was against the Lan Family precepts to participate in the spread of rumours, it was an immensely useful tactic when you wanted to stir doubt.

And from the news that Lan Wangji heard, it already seemed it was working.

On the way back from Caiyi town, they had stopped in one or two of the more busy villages, and from the talks that they heard from the commoners, it seemed that the word had spread quickly.

No one really liked the Wen; they were all stuck-up assholes, some even going as far as calling them 'Wen Dogs'. And now that the word had spread over what they had been doing with the beasts they couldn't defeat, the name 'Wen Dogs' was something used by more than just begrudging sects under the effect of the Wen.

Lan Wangji knew that name-calling wouldn't do anything; that action was what was needed. But at least it was a start.

When Lan Wangji was finally released from the meeting with the elders, it was late. So he just headed home. Sleep sounded very appealing to his tired body.

With quick goodnights between himself and his brother, Lan Zhan entered his room, quickly falling into his nighttime routine. When he lay down on his bed, sleep took longer than he had hoped to take him.

Thoughts were swimming incessantly through his head. He worried about the issue with the Wen, how it would take more than rumour to get the stubborn sect under control. He worried about his brother; he knew the sect would soon be passing into his twin's hand, and becoming the head of the Lan clan of Gusu was more work than it probably seemed. He thought about his classes and how they sometimes seemed a little pointless in the grand scheme of things. He begrudgingly thought about how Wei Wuxian had a point when he said that the Lan precepts were sometimes much too large in numbers. And he thought about Wei Ying, how the teen was both causing and solving more issues than one probably should. And he wondered if his involvement with Wei Ying was worth more than it gave.

But since the other teen had entered his life, it had been anything but boring. That had been his original issue. The world seemed brighter after Wei Wuxian had entered his life, and he had a feeling it was a good thing. Even if it starts causing problems, that was an issue for future Lan Zhan, and he shouldn't worry about that right now.

Right, it's something I'll just deal with in the future.

Then he fell into the bliss of long-awaited sleep.

Chapter Text

"A-Ying! This isn't your brightest idea!" Jiang Cheng shouted, crossing his arms. Wei Ying, on the other hand, just completely ignored his brother, turning his body to face Nie Huaisang.

"Trust me, I'll be back in no time. With the tastiest alcohol in a hundred kilometres!" The dark-haired teen said as he jumped in the air, raising his fist above his head stubbornly. "Give me an hour, you won't even know I'm gone. When I come back, we can have a feast to go with our Emperor's Smile. Think of it as a celebration for not dying yesterday. From me to the two of you! Okay?" Wei Ying said happily, turning to leave.

"Do you seriously think I'm kidding?! If you get caught, I'm not saving your ass." The alpha said with a huff, glaring at his brother's stupidity. 

"I won't get caught, A-Cheng, don't worry. And even if I do, I'll find my way out of it." Wei Ying stated confidently as he looked back towards his worrisome brother.

"Whatever, I don't care." Jiang Cheng said, his usual grumpy features even more defined as a scowl laced his lips. Nie Huaisang, bless him, just wished Wei Ying luck before turning back towards the warmth of the residence. Jiang Cheng soon followed.

That left Wei Ying taking a deep breath before sprinting out into the rain.

He had a plan. Kind of. But it was safe to say he had an easy way in and out of the Cloud recess. The teen had snatched a jade amulet, one of the ones that granted access in and out through fortress-like walls that surrounded the Lan residence.

So it was a clear shot as long as the patrol schedules had been left unchanged. He had been memorizing them for the past two weeks just for this occasion. He really wanted to taste some emperor's smile; his first attempt, nearly a month ago, had been rudely interrupted. Lan Wangji caught him when he was attempting to return, alcohol still in hand.

The alpha had told him to leave, to return when the sun rose, but Wei Ying had been a little too dazed at the time. Two main things: He hadn't expected to be caught, and much less by such an attractive alpha. Of his age, too! And secondly, he was embarrassingly mesmerized by Lan Zhan's eyes, their golden hue sparkling in the moonlight.

Tonight, though, it was raining heavily. It played directly into Wei Ying's hands. The omega doubted anyone would be going on a moonlit stroll tonight. Not to mention it was much later than the last time he had attempted to smuggle in booze, well past midnight, to be exact.

So with a small grunt, he flung himself to the top of the outer wall of the cloud recess, looking down towards the town far below.

Even though it was a dark and stormy night, the omega could still appreciate the beauty that was the landscape. He also much preferred the constant drumming and thunder of the rainstorm to the usual soundless nights that were the cloud recess.

He smiled to himself, proud of how far he had gotten for his first attempt, but slightly regretting his timeframe of an hour. Looking down at the city from this far up, he could tell he'd have to hurry. With a quiet sigh, he hopped down from the wall, feeling the slight buzz in the air as he was let through the perimeter without hassle. He felt a little guilty about stealing from the Lan disciple he had rescued from the Waterborne Abyss, but the alpha did kind of owe him, so the guilt was quick to subside. The cool, damp air of the rainstorm helped to clear any regret from his head.

He wiped the rainwater from his eyes, finding the feeling of the cool liquid running down his face refreshing, keeping him from building up a sweat too quickly.

Wei Ying had a feeling he was gonna be lucky tonight.

---------------

Okay, so maybe he had been wrong.

The reason he said that was: he had gotten the Emperor's Smile from the town, and he was making really good time on his return, but the second he got over the outer wall of the cloud recess, he had run directly into someone. Slamming flat onto the tiled roof they were previously standing on.

"Hey! What are you doing standing in someone's way like that?" Wei Wuxian grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. To be honest, it was most definitely his fault, but what the hell was some Lan cultivator doing up on the roof this late at night? Sleepwalking?

No, apparently not. From the look of the umbrella that covered their face, they had been on a late-night stroll. Maybe appreciating the scenery in the dark.

But when the person he had knocked over moved the umbrella, and he got a proper look at the guy's face, Wei Ying was momentarily dumbstruck. He felt like a stun-bunny as he looked into Lan Zhan's deep, golden-yellow eyes.

WHAT THE HELL IS LAN WANGJI DOING HERE!!!???? Was the only thing that came to his mind. Neither of them made the first move to stand, both looking just as shocked to see one another as the other did. The omega thought he knew the alpha's scent well enough to avoid him if he smelled the teen coming, but it was a heavily rainy night, covering up most scents with the smell of rain and wet earth. Originally, Wei Ying had thought this would be beneficial to him, not getting caught, but it was obviously about to bite him in the ass.

Curse his luck.

Surprisingly, Lan Zhan ended up being the one to break the tense silence, "What is Wei Ying doing h-" But he cut himself off when he caught sight of what the omega was holding. "Wei Ying." His voice suddenly turned stern.

The omega finally broke his trance as he stood, hiding his goods behind his back in an attempt to seem innocent. "What is Lan Zhan doing out this late? I'm sure you're breaking curfew." Wei Ying said as he took a step back from the alpha, trying to change the subject.

Obviously, though, the Lan disciple wasn't that naïve as he took a step towards the omega, matching his stride.

"Any chance you could let me slip by? We just pretend like we never saw each other?" In response, Lan Zhan lunged towards the omega, attempting to grab him by his sleeve. Wei Ying deftly dodged the other teen's hand, sliding further away from him as he jumped backwards. With this jump, he landed back on the ground below them, and he hoped it would be enough to deter the Lan disciple.

"Wei Ying." Lan Zhan said loudly, picking up his umbrella before following Wei Ying onto the ground.

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, if you let me go now, I promise you there won't be a next time!?" Wei Ying countered, but it was useless as the alpha unsheathed his sword. Bichen's gleaming blade was getting pelted with rain as it left the cover of the umbrella.

"Please, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying pleaded, even if he wouldn't admit to anyone that he had. But it only caused Lan Wangji to pause momentarily before lunging at the omega again, this time attacking with his blade.

Wei Ying jumped back in an attempt to dodge. With his hands full, he had no way of summoning Suibian, nor a way to defend himself, so dodging was the only option. At least for now.

But as he leaped backwards again, the weight difference of the alcohol in his hands caused him to be imbalanced, slipping on the wet grass. At his stumble, Lan Wangji took the opening. Wei Ying stood up to his full height quickly, leaning backwards as Lan Zhan's shining blade came within inches of his throat. Was this man trying to kill him!?

But it had obviously been a fluke, as now the alpha stood to his right, the tip of Bichen's blade millimetres from his neck. Wei Ying froze. "You will take your punishment." His golden eyes tipped downwards to meet Wei Ying's shocked grey-blue ones. "Alright, you win." Wei Ying said, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

But it wasn't the sword or Lan Zhan's glaring golden eyes that got him to submit so willingly. It was the overpowering scent of sandalwood wafting off the alpha, making Wei Ying's knees feel weak.

The scent was strong, laced with anger, but at the close proximity of which they stood, it was starting to make Wei Ying's eyes water.

"Could you stop that, please?" He asked, his voice sounding strangely weak in his own ears. "I'll take the punishment, just stop with your scent." Lan Zhan's eyes suddenly widened at the omega's words. he backed up quickly, dropping his sword to his side.

Wei Ying took a deep breath in through his mouth, trying to cleanse his palate of the taste of sandalwood. He didn't hate the scent, just the way it made his body react. He actually quite enjoyed the way the alpha smelled, but this time, it was near stifling. Something about it seemed to appeal immensely to his omega, his instincts trying to savour the taste, protesting when it went away.

When the omega finally regained his composure, ignoring the slight ache in the pit of his stomach, he finally got a good look at the alpha's face.

The alpha looked just as surprised as Wei Ying felt, his eyebrows raised high into his forehead. But he quickly got himself when he noticed Wei Ying moving to escape.

The omega threw one of the three casks of alcohol onto the roof of the building on which he stood at the base. Without missing a beat, he jumped up, grabbing hold of one of the beams, using his momentum to throw himself onto the tiled roof. He only stopped in his tracks when he saw Lan Wangji standing on the opposite side.

You've got to be kidding me. He thought before grabbing the container of booze just to his side, then making a mad dash towards the next rooftop. He was quickly intercepted by the alpha, his hand coming out in an attempt to grab Wei Ying once again. At least his sword remained at his side this time.

They continued in a cycle of Lan Wangji trying and failing to grab him, umbrella still in hand. It became a pattern that had to have continued for a couple of minutes before he noticed Lan Zhan's eyes darting to the tiled rooftop beneath him. It was barely a second before the man was in a spinning handstand, using his momentum to knock one of the three casks from Wei Ying's hand.

The omega looked down at him, dumbfounded, then at the ground below them as the jug shattered three meters down. That had been two weeks' worth of savings! He was officially getting a little ticked off!

So Wei Ying threw the two remaining containers into the air, high, and he took his turn to lunge at the alpha.

Lan Zhan, not seeing that coming, dropped his umbrella as he dodged. His eyes flickered between the alcohol high in the sky and the omega in front of him. But in his split second of distraction, Wei Ying lunged forward again, this time making direct contact with the other teen.

His arms came wrapping around Lan Zhan's sides, hands clenching in the white fabric of his robes. Then came the unexpected weight of Wei Ying's whole body falling into his chest. The action is almost reminiscent of a hug.

At least until he noticed they didn't hit the tiled ceiling he thought was still behind his back.

While Lan Zhan had been distracted, Wei Ying had turned them so the alpha's back was facing the outside perimeter of the cloud recess. So when he knocked the man backwards, they both went toppling over the edge, onto the somewhat soft ground just outside the wall.

After a justifiable pause when they hit the ground, Wei Ying rolled into a sitting position, acutely aware of who he had just landed on top of.

He looked up, meeting the alpha's golden eyes. A small, pained groan escaped his throat as he rubbed his head.

"See, now we're both outside of the cloud recess. I can sure say you're breaking curfew now." Wei Ying said as he looked up at the sound of the alcohol casks returning to ground level, swiftly catching them once they were within his range.

But Lan Wangji only gave a quiet scoff, standing up and brushing off his robes. "I promise I won't tell anyone if you don't?" Wei Ying proclaimed loudly, repeating his statement from earlier. The alpha turned and walked away, earning nothing in response.

Taking the other teen's retreat as a win, Wei Ying started his final stretch of his return to Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang.

---------------

"Iiiiii’mmmmm Baaaaaaack!" Wei Ying proclaimed loudly in a sing-songy voice. "How'd it go?" Asked Nie Huaisang as he walked to meet his fellow omega at the door.

"Pretty good, all things considered. I'm fucking freezing though." Wei Ying said, handing the liquor over to the omega before stripping himself of his outer robes. "I need something that's not soaking wet." He said as he threw his outer robes to the floor by the door, planning on washing them tomorrow. The statement is true, but not the only reason for his discardment of layers. 

He was, in fact 'fucking freezing' and in need of dry clothes. But he also wanted to make sure no one noticed Lan Wangji's heavy scent that still resided on his robes. Even if he couldn't smell it, it didn't mean his brother couldn't. So better to be safe than sorry.

"I only ran into one mishap, and I dropped one of the jugs, but otherwise, not much." Wei Ying said as he grabbed a spare change of clothes from the back of the temporary Jiang residence. When he returned to where the other two were sitting, he was quickly handed a cup of the booze he had so bravely gone to retrieve.

"I can't believe you actually got away with it, Wei Ying!?" Nie Huaisang said happily, a boisterous laugh escaping from his mouth. In response, Wei Ying smiled, knocking back his cup, the small glass soon waiting for a refill.

"Don't jinx it yet, Huaisang. I'm sure there's something my brother's not telling us," Jiang Cheng said skeptically, taking elegant sips from his own cup.

Can he seriously smell Lan Zhan on me? Wei Ying thought as he made eye contact with his brother. In earning himself a fierce glare, Wei Ying returned his focus to his cup.

Within two hours or so of knocking back glasses, or taking sips in Jiang Cheng's light-weight case, they were all what you could well as describe as drunk. Maybe slightly less so in Wei Ying's case. He prided himself on his capability of holding alcohol. Especially compared to people like Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang. Both of whom were nearly passed out, currently draped over one another. Wei Ying decided it would probably be a good idea to keep an eye on the two.

He knew his brother wouldn't admit to it; he couldn't even tell if his brother knew, but Wei Ying had noticed the little looks the two of them gave each other, subconsciously or not. He laughed a little at the thought.

He knew the two were a compatible couple, seemingly melding amazingly into one another. They would make great mates. Wei Ying was forming a little plan in his head on how he would make it happen. But first, he needed to talk to Shijie. He had promised their sister to update her if he noticed anything about their younger brother's love life. And well, this was obviously something.

Ah, teenage love~ Wei Ying thought wistfully as he watched his brother wrap his arms sleepily around the omega splayed on top of him. Then he giggled. He was never going to let the two of them live this down, even if he supported them.

But it got him thinking, what would he like in a mate?

Well, first and foremost, they have to be fun, and they have to be able to live life with no regrets. Secondly, probably a powerful cultivator, someone who would be able to keep up with me when we went on night hunts. Definitely attractive, I don't really care if their male or female, as long as we love each other. Finally, I'd probably want an alpha, from the experience of taking my heats alone. I know I'd need someone who would be able to safely help me through them. . . He thought, looking down at the empty cup in his hand.

"Picky, aren't I?" Wei Ying murmured to himself, knowing no one else was there to listen.

He knew he could probably find someone with most of those attributes, but the hardest part would be getting them to like him back.

Wei Ying sighed, reaching out to grab the jug of Emperor's Smile, completely forgoing his glass and just finishing the rest of the bottle. Ah, right, my heat should be coming soon. He thought as he looked out the window at the dark and rainy sky. He was old enough to have someone other than his shijie help now, an alpha probably being the best decision.

In the past, when his sister was around during his heats, she would comfort her fellow omega in his time of need. This was common practice for bonded omegas, so sometimes he would help her during hers as well.

Just having someone's comforting presence to purr and rub a calming circle on your back was one hundred times better than having no one at all. He knew, because sometimes, when his Shijie wasn't there, or Madame Yu wanted to punish him for whatever reason, she wouldn't let her daughter help. The Madame of the Jiang family usually claimed he was trying to hurt her daughter, but that was anything but the case.

Jiang Yanli had been of age to get married for a while now, and her mother had already betrothed her hand to a Jin alpha. But because she was betrothed and had been for most of her life, she was never able to get proper help from an alpha. So the two Jiang omegas usually resort to one another's company during their time of need.

It was customary in most regions around the country for families to try and keep their omegas 'pure' for marriage, but in reality, it only caused more torment.

Wei Wuxian couldn't help but feel somewhat grateful to the Jiang sect for his protection. He knew what happened to omegas and women alike on the streets. He had heard many, many stories from both Madame Yu and other omegas. He trusted the word of the omegas who had actually experienced this over the Mistress of the Jiang sect. The woman was an alpha, a dominant and rare one at that. So when she told these stories of omegas on the streets, he knew it wasn't because she cared for him, definitely Jiang Yanli, but not him. And the female alpha usually told these stories when she tried to gain sympathy from others or obedience from Wei Wuxian. But when she spoke to him about this subject, it was more commonly used as a threat, just another harsh way for the woman to keep him in line.

Despite everything, he was grateful for all the Jiang sect had done to save him from that life, a life that could have very possibly become his if not for Jiang Fengmian. But the omega couldn't find it in his heart to be grateful to Madam Yu. Maybe it was because he held onto grudges too tightly, maybe it was because of the constant abuse he received from her, but there was nothing in his heart towards the woman, not even hatred.

Wei Ying looked back over to his sleeping brother and saw nothing of that horrible woman. Maybe he took after her with her anger issues, but his A-Cheng was anything but cruel, and he hoped the teen stayed that way.

With a final sigh, Wei Ying stood up. He thought about separating his brother and Nie Huaisang, but found it pointless. The two were too drunk to move properly, and he doubted that they would do anything. So with a small smile, Wei Ying returned to his room, quickly falling into his nest. And the omega was out like a light in no time.

---------------

The next morning, when Wei Ying awoke, it was by his instincts screaming at him to get up. Someone was in his room, in his space. He felt his lips pull back in a snarl, his pupils shrinking into glaring slits.

His eyesight was blurry, but he could tell that whoever was in his room was not his brother or Huaisang. He growled when his eyes focused enough to see two Lan disciples.

"You have two minutes, meet us outside." One of them said, looking slightly taken aback by how the teen greeted them

After the two of them left, it took him a few moments to calm down. But he quickly complied, thinking whatever this was, it was apparently important enough to barge into an omega's room while sleeping. He couldn’t really blame them, though; they didn’t know.

This was viewed as taboo in the common culture. Omegas tended to be extremely territorial of their personal spaces. Wei Ying was among the more territorial of omegas, both presenting as dominant, and because of how he was raised.

He quickly got dressed, his hands still shaking from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. When he finally made it outside to where the Lan disciples were standing, he couldn't help the way his lip twitched when the white of their robes came into view.

What kind of person would barge into an omega's space like that!? Do these two have no respect? He thought as he suppressed another snarl. "What is it that's so important you needed to enter my space without permission?" Wei Ying asked, still glaring daggers into the Lan disciple's heads.

"You are requested to report to the Ancestral Hall for punishment." One of the disciples in white said, though both looked slightly uneasy, their tone probably not as commanding as they had thought it would sound.

Then it dawned on him: Lan Wangji had actually reported him for punishment. That asshole! He thought as he walked towards the two. 

"But what if I don't comply?" Wei Wuxian asked as he crossed his arms.

"Then we'd have to force you." The same disciple replied. "What if I reported you for barging into my room?" Wei Ying asked again, hoping to stall for a while, even if he had no plan on how to get out of this.

"I'm sure there are rules about entering someone’s space uninvited." Wei Ying said, hoping to intimidate the two into letting him go.

And it seemed like it was working until another Lan disciple exited the temporary Jiang residence, an empty bottle of Emperor's Smile in hand. "Found it." The man said.

The two that he was originally talking to reached forward and grabbed his arms, locking them behind his back. "That's our proof, let's go." They proceeded to drag Wei Wuxian all the way to the ancestral hall.

The two holding him in place barely budged when he struggled, and had no reaction when he complained. He was soon roughly shoved into a kneeling position in front of Lan Qiren. 

"Breaking curfew, smuggling alcohol, and participating in a personal fight. Thirty strikes with a baton per rule broken."

Fuuuuuck, that was ninety, this was gonna hurt. Wei Ying thought. Wait! Why does Lan Zhan get out of this? He broke almost all those rules as well?! The thought seemingly summoned the alpha as Lan Zhan knelt beside him.

"For you, Lan Wangji, breaking curfew, initiating a personal fight. I'm very disappointed. I expected as much from Wei Wuxian here, but I thought better of you, my nephew. Fifty strikes for each rule broken." Lan Qiren said, the disappointment in his voice prominent.

Wait! Lan Zhan is going to get punished as well!? Why is his punishment worse than mine!? Wei Ying thought, trying to catch Lan Zhan's eye. But he was only ignored.

"H-hey! Wait! I was the one who initiated the fight; Lan Zhan was only trying to follow the rules!" Wei Ying protested loudly, but to no avail; he was ignored. Then the baton came flying down, earning a shocked yelp from Wei Ying. He subconsciously tried to get out of range, but the two disciples who had dragged him here still held firm, allowing no movement of his body.

The strikes continued, gaining more noise of protest from the omega. But in reality, they weren't that painful. They may have been heavy, but the only thing they really did to affect Wei Ying was knocking the air out of him; uncomfortable, but bearable. So he held out, through the strikes, trying to distract himself with his surroundings.

When he looked to his side, he saw Lan Zhan kneeling as properly as ever, eyes closed tight. His body swayed very little when the baton came down across his back, but Wei Ying noticed the grimace on his face and the way the alpha was starting to break a sweat.

Wow, that's dedication. Wei Ying thought as he stared at the alpha. He really did follow the words of the rules to the T.

Chapter Text

Okay, so maybe he had underestimated his pain tolerance. The longer the punishment went on, the harder the Lan disciples seemed to hit. It got to the point that Wei Ying began to grit his teeth, a half-hearted attempt to pull through.

At about sixty hits (Wei Ying wasn't really counting to begin with), he started to feel his eyes water. It was twice as embarrassing when a tear trailed down his cheek, regardless of his attempt to stop it. Wei Wuxian was honestly surprised at his body's reaction. He had gone through much worse.

Maybe it was because every hit was precise, accurately beating down onto the same spot. At least until they switched spots! Like seriously! Was that really needed? But it did sort of make sense. Don't want to permanently injure or maim their cultivators. Wei Ying thought as he tried to find a more prominent distraction.

In the meantime, the omega did what he usually did, keeping the pain on the surface. Because the moment pain reaches your core, it begins to radiate beyond the point of origin. This puts you at a higher risk of losing yourself to the pain. That was never a good thing. When you lose yourself to pain, you risk qi-deviation, and in some rare cases, ferality. None of which were good things.

Wei Ying searched his surroundings yet again, soon making eye contact with his brother. Jiang Cheng looked insanely worried and angry; you could almost see the emotions flowing off of him in waves. If you stood near him, you could probably smell it.

"A-YING!" Jiang Cheng called out to his brother, and Wei Ying was about to reply, but some other Lan disciples came to his brother's side and ushered him away. To be honest, it was more forcing than ushering.

Another, prominently hard hit came down on his back, making contact with an injury that had only just recently healed. It drew an impromptu whimper from his lips, loud enough to break through the shield that was his gritted teeth. Wei Ying only clamped his jaw tighter. Even through his embarrassment, he noted that the noise hadn't gone unnoticed.

The Alpha beside him tensed and made no obvious reaction, but the movement was different from how he had previously received his punishment.

Wei Ying's thoughts paused; he hadn't been expecting that. But even though Lan Zhan didn't actually do anything, the reaction his body made, most likely due to his instincts, seemed to soothe him. Even though Wei Ying didn't actively find comfort in the slight movement, his subconscious did. His omega did.

The punishment had to be over soon; this was taking far too long for just ninety hits. Wei Ying contemplated as he bit down on his lip, hard. The omega didn't even really take notice of the warm, copper taste that seeped into his mouth. But the pain that came with it was an easy distraction from the beating he was receiving on his back.

With his eyes shut tight, he held his breath and waited for the punishment to end, and to his surprise, it only took a few more blows for someone in the room to announce the end of his punishment.

Wei Ying hated to admit it, but he was dizzy enough that he slumped to the ground when the Lan disciples who were previously holding him in place let go.

He stayed that way for a little while, a couple of minutes in a slightly disoriented daze.

Wei Ying thought he could still hear the pounding of his punishment replaying in his ears before he realized Lan Zhan was still receiving his. It was only ten more strikes that the alpha received, but it sounded like it lasted forever.

Honestly, hearing the beating Lan Zhan was receiving was almost more painful than his own. The sound of it made his own battered skin throb more, but what was truly the worst was the fact that Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan was receiving this punishment because of him.

Even if the alpha had been the one to report it, and it was dramatically more his fault than Wei Ying's, he still knew he was at least partially responsible for this.

Fuck, these Lan punishments really made their point. Wei Ying thought with exasperation; he hated the fact that he was contemplating his own decisions. He would probably forget about it later.

---------------

"Owwwwww, everything huuuuurtsssss!~" Wei Ying complained, holding on tighter to his brother's shoulders. He really didn't want to fall.

"Well, serves you right! I knew you'd get caught!" Jiang Cheng said as he boosted Wei Ying higher up on his back. Wei Ying, in turn, started to complain louder. 

"HEY! Be happy I even agreed to carry you, you asshole!" The alpha said, jostling his brother a little more to make a point. Even with his rough behaviour, Wei Ying knew his brother was actually quite worried, not to mention pissed. Luckily, Wei Ying doubted the full force of his brother's anger was in his direction.

"It's okay, A-Cheng, we know you care more than you would let on. I saw how pissed you got at those Lan disciples that dragged you off." Wei Ying said as he poked his brother's cheek, finding amusement in the way his cheeks started to tint pink in embarrassment. "Shut It!" His brother growled, nearly dropping Wei Ying.

"Alright, alright! Just please don't drop me, I already hurt enough." He pouted, his brother huffing in response.

"That was impressive, Wei Ying. I don't think I would have been able to hold out as well as you did." Nie Huaisang stated, with an impressed look on his face.

"Yeah, I've been told I have a pretty high pain tolerance. . . But I still hurt like a bitch." Wei Ying pointed out, but that wasn't entirely true. He did have a really high pain tolerance, and he was in pain, but not as much as he was playing it out to be. He just liked being spoiled. And he knew that his Shijie would be arriving at some point today, so this would just be another excuse to get pampered by his older sister.

He was really excited.

Wei Ying was too deep in thought, planning how he would steal all of their sisters' attention, that he didn't notice when Jiang Cheng stopped walking. He only did so when his brother attempted a half-bow with Wei Ying still on his back.

"HEY!" He yelled as he hopped off his brother's back, landing in a not-so-graceful pile on the ground next to him. He hated that his legs refused to hold him up properly. Wei Ying made a grunting noise as he tried to stand up, and Nie Huaisang ended up helping him get to his feet.

"Good afternoon, Xicheng-Ge." Nie Huaisang greeted. The Lan alpha nodded to the omega before he began to speak:

"Good afternoon, you three. I heard what happened. Are you doing okay, Wei Wuxian?" Lan Xicheng asked.

Wei Wuxian was tempted to make a snarky remark regarding how he had elegantly stood up, but he thought better of it, seeing the genuine worry on the alpha's face.

"I'm in quite a lot of pain, and I doubt this will heal quickly." He said, crossing his arms. 

"It's true, one of the distributors of the punishment mentioned that this would take a couple of days to heal, at best." Jiang Cheng pointed out as he took Wei Ying's weight off the omega.

"That's quite unfortunate. . . I do hope you will heal quickly." He said, looking a little conflicted.

"OW! Can you quit that? It hurts." Wei Wuxian yelped as Jiang Cheng tried to wrap his arm around the omega's back, attempting to hold him up, but forgetting where the injury actually was. He instead, just let go, Wei Wuxian resorted to leaning on his brother’s shoulder instead. 

"This is gonna be such a pain, I don't think I'll be able to train for a while. Or be useful." Wei Ying grumbled as he leaned further against his brother, letting the alpha take more of his weight. He had a feeling he looked quite pitiful at the moment, and he really didn't like it.

"Actually... if you think that you need some help healing up faster, I know a place you can go." Zewun-Jun pointed out, looking a little hesitant. 

"But I might wait a little bit, it's a sacred place for the Lan family. I wouldn't want you getting into any more trouble." The Lan heir stated as he looked over Wei Wuxian's pitiful state.

"Oh? Really? Thank you for helping my brother." Jiang Cheng said with a bow, nearly knocking Wei Ying over yet again. It earned him a little growl. 

"Yeah, thank you! But where is it? And what is it?" Wei Ying asked, perking up a little bit from his self-pity. 

"The backside of the far mountain, it's a cold spring, high in Yang energy. It's really good for healing sore and battered muscles. You'll feel better after you go." Lan Xicheng finished with a soft smile.

"Alrighty! That's great to hear. I'll head out in a couple of hours. Thank you, Zewun-Jun!" Wei Ying said graciously with an attempted bow of his own. 

"Feel better soon." Lan Xicheng said before turning and leaving.

"Now! Carry me back home!" Wei Ying shouted as he tried to jump on Jiang Cheng's back, failing miserably. 

"You seem fin-" he was cut off almost immediately: "Noooo! I hurt, carry me please!?" He whined, wrapping his arms around his brother, putting all his weight on the alpha's shoulders. 

"Good grief. Fine, Nie Huaisang, please help him up." Jiang Cheng asked the other omega, not noticing that he was too busy laughing to actually be helpful.

"Seriously! You too?! This isn't funny. A-Ying! If you don't stop, I'm leaving you here!" He yelled, but at this point, his anger was only becoming funnier for the two omegas. 

"Whatever! I'm leaving!" He said, prying Wei Ying's grip from his shoulders, dropping him where he stood. Jiang Cheng turned to leave, but Wei Ying had gotten a grip on his ankle and was trying to hold back his laughter, but he was still splayed out on the floor. 

"What are you? Two?" His brother scowled as he looked down at his brother, who was trying to sit up and still keep his hold on his brother's ankle.

"Get up, you idiot. You look stupid!" Jiang Cheng said, shaking his grip from his ankle. "You're making a scene. And you, too, Huaisang, you're not helping." The alpha said, taking a step back. Clearly, he didn't want to be seen with his child of an elder brother.

"Only if you carry me!" Wei Ying huffed as he stood up with the help of the other omega. 

"Only if you apologize!" Jiang Cheng countered. 

"For what!?" 

"Being stupid, you child." 

"Aw, is little A-Cheng embarrassed~" 

"Shut it!" 

"Aw, he totally is. Am I embarrassing you?" 

"NO! Now get up if you still want me to carry you!" They continued back and forth the same way, bickering all the way back to their residence. Nie Huaisang could only watch in entertainment; the two brothers had an incredibly comedic scene.

"You two are so funny sometimes." Nie Huaisang muttered, "I don't think I've ever been able to talk to my brother this way." He said, looking a little sad all of a sudden.

"Well, that's because your older brother is terrifying!" Jiang Cheng said as he put Wei Ying down on one of the beds. 

"What do you mean by that!? I can be really terrifying!" Wei Ying yelled, trying to jump up in defiance. It didn't go so well when he flinched and fell back down, making nearly the exact opposite effect than he was trying to. 

"My case still stands." Jiang Cheng said as he looked over at his pouting brother with a smirk. But his face froze for a couple of moments before falling.

"Wei Ying, I think your preheat is starting soon." He said before taking another whiff of the air around him. 

"Hm? Well, that explains why I've been feeling a little tired. . ." He trailed off as he began to get lost in thought. That explains what I was feeling last night. That makes so much more sense. He thought, then looked towards his brother. 

"How long do you think I have until my preheat actually starts?" He asked. 

"Maybe seven hours or so, if you want, I can go get you some more bedding?" His brother responded, looking towards the door.

"Okay, that means I still have enough time to go to that cold spring Zewun-Jun told us about." We Ying said, sitting up to scan the room for a clean pair of clothes. 

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Nie Huaisang asked, looking between Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng.

 "I should be fine, I'll just head over a little earlier than originally planned, and I won't stay long." He said, looking over at his brother, "Can you get me a fresh pair of clothes? I can't see any from here?" He asked politely, gesturing to his room. 

"Sure, then I'll grab you some more bedding. I'll head out for the night, Huaisang. Do you think I might be able to stay with you?" Jiang Cheng asked as he walked into his brother's room to grab some robes, quickly exiting and bringing them to Wei Ying.

"Uh, sure, I guess. Just let me know when you'll be arriving." The omega responded, his face looking a little flushed. Jiang Cheng was usually quite aware of others' reactions in a proper social setting, but for some reason, when it came to this omega, he seemed to become as oblivious as a rock. Usually, it was a big deal for an alpha to ask to enter an omega's home. Especially if there were some underlying implications or feelings. But he doubted his brother was in the know about how this probably sounded. Especially from an omega's perspective.

Wei Ying could only snicker. And Nie Huaisang gave him a shooting look. But he only snickered more, starting to get changed into the clean robes his brother gave him.

"I'm gonna head out and grab you that bedding. I'll be back soon." Jiang Cheng said, still completely unaware of what he had just asked." See you soon, Huaisang." He said before leaving, waving a quick goodbye to his brother.

As soon as Jiang Cheng was out the door, Wei Ying couldn't hold it in any longer.

"OH MY GOD! WEI YING SHUT UP!" Nie Huaisang shouted, throwing his fan at the other omega's now hysterically laughing figure. 

"Y-You two are s-so fucking funny. Especially my brother. He's so stupid s-sometimes!" Wei Ying stuttered out between his bouts of laughter, pausing to try and catch his breath. It didn't last long, because when he looked over at the other omega's bright red face, he could only start laughing more, holding his sides in agony as he laughed.

"P-Please don't make me laugh, I-it hurts. Ha, hahaha, ow~" He said, as his laughing subsided into giggles. 

"You're so mean sometimes, Wei Ying!" Nie Huaisang said with a pout, falling back onto the seat behind him. 

"Please don't say anything to him? I know he didn't mean it like that." The Nie omega said, looking a little crestfallen. 

"Oh, you poor thing. Just give it some time, I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually. Oww~" Wei Ying said, trying to put on a clean pair of pants, and failing measurably. "Mind giving me a hand? I'm kinda stuck." He asked, Nie Huaisang quickly hopping up to help his fellow omega.

"So, uhm, this is a little off topic. But are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Huaisang asked as he helped Wei Ying get into a better sitting position to get dressed. 

"My back? Yeah, I'll be fine, I've had worse in the past." At his answer, the other teen gave him a concerned look. 

"No, you're heat. Jiang Cheng mentioned you had it pretty bad." He asked again, stepping back to give Wei Ying some space to finish getting dressed. 

"Oh, yeah, I'll be fine. They've always been the same, so I know how to deal with them pretty well. Not to mention, by the time my heat actually starts, my Shijie will be here to help." He said, even if he didn't completely believe his own words.

"Well, alright, if you say so. I just wanted to let you know: if you ever need help with that kind of stuff, and you don't have your Shijie here, I can be your last resort. Or just someone to talk with. If you're okay with that, of course." He offered, looking a little anxious. But the rpoposition warmed Wei Ying's heart. He had never been close enough with anyone else to have that kind of friendship. And it made him want to tear up with joy.

Stupid hormones. He thought as his eyes started to water. "Oh, I'm so sorry!-" Nie Huaisang said, jumping forward to catch Wei Ying as he lunged at the other omega for a hug. "No, I-it's okay, I'm just really happy." Wei Ying said as he hugged the other omega tighter. 

"Whew, that's good to hear. I thought I did something wrong." He said, letting go of a breathy laugh.

Wei Ying pulled away from his friend, looking him directly in the eye. "I'm just gonna say this now: when my brother stays at your place, NO FUNNY BUSINESS." He said firmly. 

"I'm too young to be an uncle." He said exasperatedly, only to get pushed backwards, landing roughly on the bed he had just gotten up from.

"Not funny, Wei Ying!" Nie Huaisang yelled, his face once again flushed bright pink. Wei Ying could only laugh.

---------------

Lan Zhan nodded to his brother as he stopped by their residence. He was still limping, but it wasn't as bad as it had been an hour ago. His brother had asked him to stop by so he could take a look at the other alpha's back.

"Lan Zhan, this doesn't look too good. Are you sure you're able to walk around by yourself?" Lan Zhan just nodded, pulling his robes back up and around his shoulders, fastening his belt up neatly in the front.

"Okay, you might want to stop by the cold springs sooner rather than later. I know you like your privacy." Lan Huan said, helping his brother into a standing position. 

"Mn." He responded, grabbing his sword and heading to the door.

"A-Zhan! Just be quick, okay?" Lan Zhan just nodded to his brother, confused as to why he said that, but didn't question it further. He probably just doesn't want me out long with my injury. Lan Zhan thought as he walked towards the cold springs. It was going to be a long walk.

With the beating he took to his back, there was no way he was going to risk flying on Bichen, for the possibility of falling off would be too great. And he couldn't walk nearly as fast as he usually would, the long, quick movements pulling at his battered muscles. So he took time walking around to the backside of the far mountain, maybe two or three hours in total. Way longer than he was expecting to. His brother would be worried if he took the same amount of time getting back.

As he walked, he looked around at the scenery. He always loved the way the mountains looked in the late afternoon; the sun touching the tops of the mountains, birds chirping, and a stream running in the distance. But most of all, he liked the little rabbits.

When he was younger, his mother had kept two little, white, red-eyed rabbits at her house. It had never been allowed; it was against the rules to keep pets in the cloud recess, but his stubborn mother had kept them hidden in her garden. Lan Zhan and Lan Huan had loved playing with them when they were younger. After his mother died, the rabbits had disappeared from the garden. When he was younger, he had always believed they had escaped and run away to some hidden place on the mountain. But he was older now. He knew that someone had probably found them when her house was cleaned out, and they were most likely eaten.

A couple of days ago, he had been walking up to the cold springs, not to bathe, but to admire the scenery; he could have sworn he saw a little white bunny tail sticking out from one of the bushes. But when he had gone to take a closer look, nothing had been there.

It had been an overlap of memory; even so, it made him sad. Now he paused, and he could have sworn he saw another one of those rabbits. But when he did a double-take, it was gone; the only thing remaining was a tiny pile of snow. One of the very few left from winter.

He shook his head, walking the last couple of meters to the cold springs. He stood for a second. He wouldn't admit it, but he had to hype himself up to even take off his clothes. The water was bitterly cold.

He began to remove his outer robes, hissing slightly as the fabric of his under-robes rubbed against his bruised skin. He paused before removing Bichen from his waist, placing the sword beside his clothes, which were neatly folded on the stone. Slowly and stiffly, he removed his inner robes, taking his time so as not to overly disturb his beaten skin.

With a grimace, he bent down to remove his pants, letting them slide off. He stepped out of them as soon as they rested at his feet. Once again, he grimaced as he bent over to pick them up and fold them neatly beside the rest of his clothes.

With a quiet hiss, he stepped into the fresh water of the cold springs, the water biting at his skin as he further submerged himself. Once he was somewhat used to the cold temperature kissing his thighs, he stepped in further, the water now reaching his hip bones.

Lan Zhan stood for a few moments, basking in the refreshing but cold sensation of the water. When he finally deemed himself brave enough, he reached up and over his shoulder, collecting his long, silky hair in his hands. He really needed to give it a proper brushing. Taking a deep breath, he dunked himself under the water, submerged all the way up to his neck.

He let out a sharp breath, starting to get used to the temperature. He took in another deep breath, ignoring the stinging feeling of the freezing water on his back.

Lan Zhan stood up in the water, already feeling better, a little numb, but better. The water was magical; he could feel the way the tightness of his skin began to subside. And his muscles ached so much less already.

He gathered his hair further up on his head, nearly on top; a few thin strands slipped from his grasp, tickling his chest. Lan Zhan then pinched his nose with his other hand and dunked himself in the water yet again, except this time it covered his face. The cold water nipped, making him want to gasp as he went under, but he held his breath anyway. He stayed that way for as long as possible. The only parts of him not under the water were his hand and hair; he really didn't want to wash them when he got back home, so this was an easy fix.

When he finally went up for air, he paused, inhaling deep once more. He could smell someone coming, their scent familiar yet different. He ignored it; they must be passing by to head to the meadows on the far side of the mountain. So he dunked himself under the water yet again, only resurfacing when he began to get dizzy from a lack of oxygen.

This time, when he got out of the water, he stood up, taking another whiff of the air. They were closer, much closer. He turned around, only to be splashed in the face by a large amount of cold water. It doused his previously dry hair. He gave up on keeping it dry, instead using his hands to try and block his face from the splash.

Before he could even get a word in, a loud screech sprang from the water. "YIOOWWWCH!! That is really fucking cold!" The voice yelled. Lan Zhan could recognize that voice anywhere. So when he was finally able to wipe away the water that was blurring his eyes, did he get quite a spectacular view?

Wei Ying stood in the water, the teen only waist-deep, but he had goosebumps already crawling all over his skin. The other boy had jumped into the cold spring, so his hair, which was pulled up into a high ponytail, was now slightly askew and completely drenched. As was the rest of his body. Lan Zhan had to pull his gaze away from a water droplet that ran down the soft skin of the Jiang disciple's neck, over his collarbone, to his chest.

"Jees Lan Zhan, it's terribly cold in this water! How were you able to stay under the surface for so long?" He asked, taking a step closer the Lan Zhan. In turn, the alpha broke from his daze, taking his own step, except backwards. Trying to get as far away from the omega as possible.

"Lan Zhan? You look cold. How long have you been in the water?" Wei Ying asked, taking another step towards the Lan disciple. But he stopped short when a wave of shivers wracked his body. The teen was the one who looked really cold, his lips already starting to turn cool. . . Why was he looking at his lips?

"'m fine." He said, turning away from the guest cultivator. 

"Leave." Lan Zhan said, not daring to face the other teen, only now realizing that he was probably completely nude, much like himself.

"Zewun-Jun told me about this cold spring. Why would I leave?" Wei Ying said, and Lan Zhan heard the shift of water, indicating that the boy was moving. "Why does Lan Zhan want me to move?" He asked, his voice suddenly sounding much closer.

Lan Zhan whipped his head around, making eye contact with the other teen sooner than he had hoped to. When he noticed how close he was, the alpha moved backwards as fast as he could, practically jumping away from Wei Ying.

"What was that for? I was trying to steal your body heat!" Wei Ying said with a huff.

"Shameless!" It was the only response the other teen got.

"Well, I'm not the only one completely naked here. " Wei Ying said, a small shivering laugh escaping from his lips. 

"Leave." Came the same response yet again. 

"In a bit. Your brother said that this would really help with my sore muscles. And I can already feel it working. So no. I'm gonna stay until I'm too cold." He stated, crossing his arms defiantly. "But seriously, how are you still in the water? It's fucking freezing!" He yelled, only to be shushed by a scowl from Lan Zhan.

"So, how does the cold springs work?" Wei Ying asked, uncrossing his arms, only to use them to rub his shoulder's probably trying to gain some warmth.

Finding no good reason not to properly respond, he answered the other teen's question: "All the way in, the cold helps with the swelling." He responded curtly, trying once again to turn away from the Jiang disciple. But he stopped short as he watched Wei Ying dunk under the water, only staying for a few seconds before resurfacing. 

"Shit! That's cold!" He said, bouncing up and down a little in the water.

The motion was most likely unintentional, but it made his hips visible, along with a horrendously appealing V-line. Lan Zhan sucked in a short breath, dragging his eyes away from the view. In doing so, his gaze accidentally dragged up the teen's body. To anyone else, he probably looked like he was eyeing him. As soon as his eyes made it up to Wei Ying's face, he quickly took note of the sly grin that lay on his features.

"You checking me out, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, his smirk growing as he noticed the flush on Lan Zhan's ears.

"No." He said, turning away, his gaze now resting on the water by his own stomach. 

"Sure. Regardless, that dunk did help a bit. Do you do this often? You seem pretty much immune." Wei Ying asked, slowly walking closer to the alpha.

Lan Zhan nodded his head, lifting it but still facing in another direction. He didn't want to be accused of assaulting someone with his eyes.

Suddenly, he got another whiff of the teen, his flowery scent different than before. Stronger than before, spicy on his palate. Something the alpha wasn't used to, but found immensely appealing. He inhaled deeply, taking in more of Wei Ying's scent. When he did so, he felt something in his stomach drop, and his groin area began to heat. He froze.

Was. . . was Wei Wuxian an omega?

While yes, it would be surprising, but if it were in fact the case, it would explain so much. How he reacted when he was around the omega, how Wei Ying never seemed to leave his mind. There were so many other circumstances that could be far more easily understood about the Jiang cultivator if he were an omega.

Then, the reason the omega smelled different earlier was so much so that he hadn't recognized him. It was because he smelled spicy, instead of the usual light and sweet smell of lotus. The Omega was close to his heat, insanely so. And it was affecting them both, mind and body.

The omega took another step towards him. Wei Ying was now close enough for Lan Zhan to feel the warmth coming off his body. No wonder he had been so cold, his temperature was high.

"See, that's better~" Wei Ying Sighed, his form sagging ever so slightly. He was obviously enjoying the warmth. His pheromones seeped off him, not in large amounts, but enough that they filled Lan Zhan to the brim. He began to try and recite the Lan clan precepts in his head when he felt his pupils start to dilate.

The omega let out another sigh, another wave of his scent wafting off of him, and Lan Zhan couldn't hold back the low growl that escaped his throat. Wei Wuxian froze in his steps at the sound. He looked up to make proper eye contact with the alpha, and he took a step back.

"Y- I- Please leave." He asked, but it was more of an order. 

"YUP! I'm leaving!" Wei Ying shouted, jumping backwards, probably because he had noted the size of his pupils and the hazy look Lan Zhan was sure he was giving. And Wei Ying quickly got out of the water. The Omega unintentionally gives Lan Zhan a full view of his naked backside.

His stupid body found the display as a reason to get further excited. As his blood rushed towards his nether regions, he had to look away from the view in front of him; he didn't want to do anything he would regret, and he definitely didn't want to hurt Wei Wuxian. He doubted the omega was trying to use his heat to take advantage of the alpha, and he doubted even less that Wei Ying was trying to get Lan Wangji to help him through his heat. Even if Lan Zhan was asked to do so, he had no idea if he would agree. And to him, this just seemed like an accident. He heard when they were talking to the doctor in Caiyi town that Wei Ying had really unpredictable cycles, so that backed up his theory even more.

When the omega had finally gone far enough that Lan Wangji could no longer smell him, did he finally take another breath, removing the hand that he didn't know was covering his nose and mouth? He looked down at his groin area and sighed; even if he wasn't able to feel it, just looking through the water would prove how excited his body had gotten.

He was both shocked and disappointed in himself as he reached down to grab the absolutely raging boner that rested between his legs.

If that's how he reacted to being in close vicinity with an omega that had barely even started their pre-heat, what was going to happen if he was somehow stuck in a room with an omega in the throes of a heat? He had no idea, but he expected it wouldn't be good.

Now I need to deal with this. Lan Zhan thought as he slowly moved his hand. Even the slightest friction on such a sensitive place made him shiver.

This is going to be an issue. He thought with a sigh. He knew that this wasn't the kind of erection that would go away on its own, induced by the pheromones of an omega, was the same as when he was in rut: impossible to deal with and an absolute pain in the ass. Lan Wangji knew he would have to deal with it here; he couldn't handle the shame of walking back to his home with an erection. So he began the process of stimulating himself to completion. 

Chapter Text

Wei Ying lay in his nest, his eyes burning a figurative hole in the ceiling. He couldn't stop thinking about it, about him. It probably didn't help that he was still wearing Lan Zhan's outer robe. It was stupidly embarrassing, really. He had been too distracted to notice the difference between white and black fabric, too out of his mind not to notice that he had grabbed the wrong clothes.

He lay there, slowly waiting for his heat to take him, and just hoping that he could calm his instinct-driven brain into forgetting the way Lan Zhan's golden eyes seared into his soul. The alpha's gaze had been hungry, vicious, and an almost complete loss of control. But most of all, it had been the sheer emotion on his face, his true feelings breaking to stoic jade which it usually displayed. His heart thundered just thinking about it.

Wei Ying sat up, he could feel his skin starting to dampen; one of the first signs his pre-heat had started. Usually, Wei Ying felt feverish, then suddenly cold. But because he had been in the freezing water of the cold springs, he hadn't noticed when it first came on.

His other usual symptoms, such as hunger, the urge to nest, and arousal had been hinting when he had been in the water with Lan Zhan, so he had no real excuse as to why he stayed near the alpha. He knew what was about to happen, especially with the warning buffer his brother had given him. So now, all he could do was wait for his soul-sister to finally arrive. And she was taking far too long!

He wanted to cuddle up tightly in his nest, his sister's lap as a pillow as she stroked his hair. He wanted to eat her pork rib lotus soup, to relish in its warmth. But he couldn't if she wasn't here! He was starting to get frustrated. Yet another confirmation that his pre-heat had started.

With a disgruntled huff, he hopped out of his nest, deciding to remove the too-big outer robe that was obviously not his. He couldn't even imagine what Lan Zhan must be thinking right now, either having to walk home in his underrobes or Wei Ying's- most likely too small- outer ones. Both thoughts were ridiculous, even if one appealed much more to his omega. The other just made him want to giggle.

Now, as he tossed off the white garments, leaving them in his nest, he marched into the small kitchen that his temporary residence offered; and began scouring the pantries for some decent snacks. Not only did he find nothing, he had banged his head on one of the open cabinet doors. Wei Ying knelt on the ground, holding back the tears that pricked his eyes, and he just growled up at the inanimate object.

If his Shijie didn't get here soon, he would start to lose it!

Usually, his heats in full lasted about four or five days, one of which being his pre-heat. It had barely started, and his anger was already much more heightened than it usually was at this time.

Wei Ying's heats involved a lot more emotion than he was used to. Yes, he got sad or mad outside of them. But during them, he was like a raging storm or a massive dam that might break at any moment. With his emotions so heightened, every little thing ticked him off. The simplest gesture of kindness made him tear up in joy, or a sad story made him ball his eyes out. But don't even get him started on his anger. Sometimes, just thinking about how irrationally he acted during his heats was enough to piss him off. So one could probably imagine how he felt right now: tears pricking his eyes, pissed off at a cabinet door, and unable to find any good food.

Luckily, before he began to start smashing the evil cabinet door, a soft knock sounded from the front door, and then a soft voice followed right after. Wei Ying could recognize that voice anywhere. 

Forgoing his vengeance on the cabinet for now, he made a mad dash towards the residence entrance, nearly slipping as he rounded the corner.

"SHIJIE!" He cried as he opened the door, a brightly smiling face quickly came into view, and with it, the feathery-light scent of lotus petals and vanilla. "A-Ying! How are you feeling? I came as quickly as A-Nian would al-" She was cut off as Wei Ying's warm body slammed into her nearly knocking her delicate figure to the ground. "Oh, your pre-heat has started. That makes sense." She said, the worry that had previously resided in her voice lessened but didn't disappear.

"Come! Come! I want you to sit." Wei Ying said, stepping back from his sister, but not letting go of her hand. "You must have had a long journey, tell me about it?" He asked, his sister closing the door behind her as she was swept into the living room.

"Slow down!" She said, "I want you to sit down." His Shijie gestured to one of the satin couches. "I'll tell you all about it shortly, but first, tea!" She said happily as she forced her brother to sit, pushing him back down as he tried to stand back up. Wei Ying complied, even if it meant letting go of his sister's hand. "I brought lotus seed paste buns!" She exclaimed happily, pulling them out of a basket Wei Ying hadn't even noticed she was carrying.

The female omega happily began to arrange the buns neatly on a plate, soon handing them over to her brother. "I'm going to make some tea to go with these, any preferences?" Jiang Yanli asked as she headed to the kitchen. Wei Ying stood up to follow her, but he didn't get far before she made him sit bsck down again. "Oolong please." He said in a small voice, his lips downturn in a pout. His Shijie had just gotten here, and she was already running around to take care of him.

Yes, Wei Ying wanted to be spoiled, but he didn't want to run his sister dry within minutes of her getting here. So with disdain, stayed sitting, formulating a plan to get the young woman to sit and rest.

"Wei Ying? Where are you keeping the teapot?" Jiang Yanli asked from the other room, her voice loud so he could hear, but not yet yelling. Wei Ying gave her instructions, knowing the other omega would get fussy if he got up and tried to help. So as soon as she returned with steaming tea and set it down on the table, Wei Ying snagged her by her waist, pulling the other omega down to sit next to him. She yelped but didn't protest, soon stroking his hair as he laid down on her lap. "Does A-Ying want to snuggle?" She asked, her voice soft as she looked down at her baby brother. He could hear the smile in her voice as he nodded into her lap.

"Tell me about your trip now?" Sounding childish as he asked, but his sweet sister only giggled and began to tell Wei Ying all about it. He listened diligently, asking questions as he pleased. And all too quickly her voice trailed off, signaling the end of her story.

Overall, not much had happened. The Jiang delegation had run into a couple of Yao on the way here, but they were quickly dealt with, the low-level beasts no trouble for their entourage. Soon, it became Wei Ying's turn to ask questions, his sister was curious about his studies. The female omega asked about any friends he had made while here (Nie Huaisang), what had been his favorite part of the classes (none), had he gone on any night hunts (Caiyi town). He answered them all, happy to tell his sister about how he was doing, and even happier to complain to someone other than Jiang Cheng. That alpha could be no fun sometimes! He thought with a humph.

And Wei Ying for sure told his Shije all about Nie Huaisang and their brother, his sister giggling with delight at the gossip, and sighed when the other omega told her about Jiang Cheng's obliviousness.

Wei Ying adored his sister, and he adored the time spent with her even more. Just the silly little things like making fun of their brother made his heart swell. He really had missed her.

Then came a question that made Wei Ying flush: "Any alphas caught A-Ying's fancy?" She asked, poking his cheeks when they started to turn red. Wei Ying had answered with a "Not particularly." But his blush gave him away. His sister only pestered further, making the male omega blush furiously at some of her questions.

His Shijie may act all dainty and well-mannered, but sometimes the other omega could come up with the craziest questions; most of which Wei Ying had no answer for.

"Fine, if you won't tell me who this mysterious alpha is yourself, then I'll ask A-Cheng!" She said, her cheeks puffing out at his refusal of a name. "He doesn't know shit. Maybe if he paid a little more attention to his surroundings sometimes, he might have gotten some sort of clue. Also, I haven't completely figured it out myself yet." Wei Ying said, his eyes lowering.

"Alright, you don't have to tell me who it is, but tell me about them?" She asked, her voice clear of her teasing tone, instead replaced with gentle strokes in his hair and knowledgeable eyes. Sometimes he could swear his sister knew things about him before Wei Ying himself did.

"Well. . . He's the complete opposite of myself, and there's quite a large possibility he hates me." "Wei Ying-"  His sister said, her voice quiet, but her eyes ever so slightly sad. "Don't worry about it Shijie, it's not a big deal." He said, plastering a smile on his face. Jiang Yanli frowned. "Do you still want to hear about him?" Wei Ying asked, his own frown staring up at her. "Okay, continue please." She said, her face lightening a bit at his pouting face.

"Alright, so, he's calm, stoic even. But his ears turn all red when he's flustered, even if his face doesn't show it." His sister nodded along. "He's tall and has long dark hair. But he's a terrible rule follower." Wei Ying exclaimed. "As in he does or doesn't follow the rules?" His Shijie asked, sounding slightly confused. "He does! Every, Single. One!" Wei Ying explained with a huff. "But he's righteous, and I can tell he's kind. He seems to have a good heart." The younger omega continued, a small smile peaking through his frown. "And he's sooooo fun to tease!" Wei Ying proclaimed, looking up to meet his sister's smiling gaze.

"Awn~ Little A-Ying has a crush!" She said, back to her teasing. Wei Ying sat up, facing in the opposite direction so his sister couldn't see his blush. "Shhh!" He said, even though there was no one else in the room to hear. "Fine, maybe I do. Just, whatever you do: Don't tell A-Cheng. I'm not sure who he'd kill first, me or Lan Z-" He slapped his hands over his mouth, Jiang Yanli gasping in half-faux surprise. "This mystical Alpha is a Lan?" She asked, then burst into a fit of giggles. Wei Ying could only pout, too happy seeing his sister laughing. 

When she calmed down enough to properly speak, even with a glaringly bright smile she said: "But yes, I won't tell A-Cheng. I know how protective he can get." His Shijie promised, then made eye contact with Wei Ying, he could see the smirk in her eye. "At least until you're courting!" She teased, earning herself a pillow in the gut. "A-Liiiii~" He wined, his sister only laughing.

"Alright, alright, I'm done teasing now." She said, fluffing the pillow as she placed his beside her neatly. "Want me to make some food?" She asked, taking note of the sun that had long gone down. In response to Wei Ying's stomach growl, his sister smiled. "Pork rib lotus soup?" He asked, yet again sounding like a little child, his sister nodded, heading to the kitchen. Wei Ying smiled with glee, following to help her cook.

---------------

Dinner had been amazing even if it had been late. Wei Ying's Shijie's soup was always the best at making him feel better. Maybe not as good as his sister herself, but it was a close second.

He lay in his nest, a few of his sister's silks added to the multitude of materials, tucked right next to a white robe that probably shouldn't be here. But Wei Ying just couldn't seem to wash or put it away. It just smelled too damn good! You couldn't really blame him. 

Wei Ying snuggled further up against his sister's silks, keeping the white robe to his back. He had a feeling that if he acted the way his instincts were telling him too, he'd be far too embarrassed to ever face the Lan alpha ever again. Then again, that might already be the case. Wei Ying had nearly driven the alpha insane, at least it looked like he was nearly insane. The sharp golden glare Lan Zhan had given him was now seared into his memory. Wei Ying didn't think he'd be forgetting that for a long while. And most definitely not the way it made him feel, or how his omega had reacted.

With a single look from the alpha, he had been frozen. Despite the freezing water they had been in, he still felt the way his skin had warmed, and his instincts had told him to move forward, into the mouth the beast named Lan Zhan. Now that he thought about it, with his pre-heat starting, it made sense that his instincts told him to go to the alpha. The first and foremost reason for heats to even begin in the first place was to pull an alpha and omega together, to mate. His instincts had been telling him to let that heavenly attractive alpha, who smelt of sandalwood and comfort, take him. Right then and there.

Horrified at even the prospect, Wei Ying curled in on himself tighter, trying even harder to ignore the white Lan robe behind him. He shoved his face into Jiang Yanli's silks, letting her flowery scent overflow his senses. The action blocking out any other smells.

The omega in question had gone to stop by Jiang Cheng, promising to tease their brother and Nie Huaisang for him. He eased at the thought.

His sister would be returning shortly, planning to sleep in the room next to his. Wei Ying had managed to convince his Shijie that he would be okay for tonight, that she should stay in her own bed a and get a good night's sleep before his actual heat started. Wei Ying knew how needy he could be. His sister had promised to take care of him, and was a little saddened at the prospect of not sharing his nest, but she had agreed that it made sense.

The next couple of days would be tiring. Even if they would lay in Wei Ying's nest for the majority of it, heats were both physically and emotionally exhausting. All though Wei Ying wouldn't be mating with any alphas, his body would yearn for it. Then the stress of not getting what his body so desired would cause him pain and fatigue. It really wasn't a pretty sight.

At least with his Shijie here, Wei Ying wouldn't have to go through it alone. His sister would lay next to him, cuddling and humming to the omega in distress. A common practice among closely bonded omegas. He wouldn't get the satisfaction of an alpha's knot, but he would have his sister to comfort him with sweet words and tasty food.

Wei Ying could feel the haze starting to settle in his mind. It's close. He thought, the feeling terribly familiar. 

During Wei Ying's heats, his body significantly raised in temperature. It caused him to sway in an out of consciousness the entire time, usually not exactly remembering what had happened afterwards. It was an issue, in more than one way.

When Wei Ying lost consciousness, it meant he really couldn't take care of himself within these few days. This caused him to starve or get severely dehydrated, especially after his occasional really long lasting heat. So back in lotus pier, Jiang Fengmian had decreed that he would always have an beta or omega to bring him food and water. This had eventually led to his sister just staying with him throughout most of his heats.

Wei Ying greatly appreciated the efforts his sister made to help him, knowing the trouble she got from Madame Yu when she did. So every chance he got, Wei Ying tried to pay his sister back, But he doubted he could ever do anything to balance out the debt.

Jiang Yanli's heats were no where near as bad as his, the other omega keeping a pretty regular sleep schedule throughout. His Shijie still able to consciously move, and take care of herself. Even then, Wei Ying would accompany her through the worst parts of it. Though the female omega didn't have it as bad as her brother, she still had to deal with the pain of going through the heats without an alpha. Hence why the male omega would frequently visit her during these cycles.

Wei Ying would do the same thing she did for him: holding his sister in comforting warmth, telling her soft stories and singing happy songs. He would also bring food, Though he didn't dare make it himself. He knew he wasn't the best in the kitchen.

But his inability to take care of himself wasn't the only problem. There was the risk, that if he ever went into heat in a place that he was vulnerable; the omega would have zero way to protect himself. If this were to ever happen, the threat of some alpha taking advantage of him was high. So as a way to protect himself, he always kept an anti-bond bite collar on him. The strong leathered accessory tucked into the furthest part of his sleeve.

Wei Ying found the prospect of the collar kind of embarrassing, but it did protect him. Luckily, fate had always been kind enough that Wei Ying had yet to go into heat in a place where he was un-protected.

Even so, Wei Ying had always attached the thick leather strap around his neck when his heats started. The only current issue being that it had been left in his outer robes, of which were currently with Lan Zhan.

The omega began to flush darker at the thought of the alpha finding the collar. He had no idea what Lan Zhan would think of the thing. He curled further in on himself, embarrassment pulling a whimper from his lips.

As the daze pulled further over his body, is mind began to feel groggy. He took a last couple of breaths, awake only long enough to hear his Shijie come home. He quickly passed out, the females comforting scent wrapping around him like a blanket.

The last thing he remembered was his sister curling in next to him on his nest, Wei Ying using her stomach as a pillow as her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. He sighed at the feeling, the minor discomfort he had began to sense easing away. Wei Ying let out a breathy sigh as he lost himself to the darkness that was sleep.

---------------

The next couple of days were hazy. He wasn't awake often, but when he was, Wei Ying was usually in pain. He would feel hysterical, constantly searching for something he wasn't able to find. But his sister was almost always there, urging him to to either eat, drink or go to the washroom. She would bring him food and water, force feeding Wei Ying when he would refuse. But she would leave him be when he needed his privacy.

Heats weren't just discomfort, they were the overwhelming urge to mate; so ones body would have certain. . . reactions. These were not anything his sister could help him with. So when Wei Ying's- for lack of a better term- horniness, would become too much for him to handle, Jiang Yanli would leave her brother to his own devices.

For the most part, this system worked, even if all Wei Ying's instincts craved was for comfort, or release. He knew that the only thing that could possibly make him feel completely better was an alpha, but there was no way that was going to happen. By law. And even if they were in the Cloud Recess, it never hurt to be safe, so the two omega's had made sure to lock any doors or windows in the area. This kept all of Wei Ying's potent heat pheromones from any alpha that might smell him; and even if they did, they would have to break down the securely locked door's to get at him.

They did this as a last precaution because of Wei Ying's missing collar. He knew he would be getting a proper scolding from his sister once he was better.

When his Shijie had asked where his collar was, Wei Ying didn't have the heart to tell her what actually happened, still to embarrassed to not flush when thinking about it. Not to mention the heavy teasing and scolding Wei Ying would get for it.

The days passed slowly, nothing really making sense. So when Wei Ying finally felt his heat beginning to subside, all his emotions were overrun with relief. He always hated his heat cycles.

Maybe five days later, Wei Ying awoke to sun beaming down on his face, the sudden brightness making his eyes twitch open.

He groaned at the sound of birds singing loudly outside his window. The noise pretty, but annoying this early in the morning. Wei Ying sat up, his hair all frazzled from being in bed the past couple days, and he blinked blearily at his open window. Shijie must have opened it. He thought, quickly throwing on his clothes and heading towards his bedroom door.

When he finally made it to the living room, he quickly took note of the guest they had: Nie Huaisang calmly sipping tea and chatting with his sister. "Oh! You're awake, that's good." Jiang Yanli said, quickly excusing herself from her conversation. The female omega walked over to her brother, immediately pressing the back of her hand to his forehead, ever the doting sister. "Your temperature is back to normal, come sit, we have tea." His Shijie invited, gesturing to the cushion next to her's.

"Good morning sleepy-head. How was the heat?" Nie Huaisang asked, his tone teasing but light. "Not to sure, I don't remember much. Shijie?" He responded, then turned to his sister for the answer.

"You didn't seem to bad. You did need more privacy then usual, though." She said, poking at his shoulder. Wei Ying only rolled his eyes. "I'm assuming you just opened the windows?" He asked his sister, nodding his head to a couple open windows on the far side of the living room. "Yeah, a couple hours ago. I noticed your fever slowing down and thought you might want some fresh air when you came to. It also helps air the place out a little quicker, assuming you probably had guests coming at some point." Wei Ying nodded his response looking over at where the other male omega was sitting.

"Speaking of guests," His sister started joyfully, probably taking note of his gaze. "Nie Huaisang came to see how you're doing, and he said he also had something to give you." She said, her voice curious as she explained.

"Yeah, I do have something for you. Lan Wangji dropped it off early this morning, asking me to return it the next time I saw you." Nie Huaisang said, pulling out a neatly folded robe from behind his back.

Wei Ying's eyes locked onto the black cloth. He knew it was his, but he hadn't expected to get it back so soon, if at all even. "Why did Lan Wangji have you're robe's Wei Ying?" Nie Huaisang asked, his features extremely curious. Then at the mention of someone unknown having Wei Ying's cloths, Jiang Yanli turned to face her brother looking equally as intrigued.

Shit. How am I gonna explain this? Wei Ying thought, looking between his sister and friend. He could feel the heat of a blush creeping up his neck.

"I, uh, ran into him on the way back from the cold springs, he looked like he was heading there just after me. I must have forgotten it when I left, and Lan Wangji must have found it. You know how he is, he probably thought it best to return." Wei Ying lied, his hand coming up to rest at the base of his neck. He could only hope his half assed attempt actually hid the badly suppressed flush.

"How on earth did you forget your outer robes? You were on your way back from the cold springs, weren't you, ya know, cold?" Nie Huaisang asked skeptically, his Shijie's eyes barrowing at the question. Shit. " I was in a rush. I could feel my pre-heat starting, so I thought I better get home. You know how forgetful I can be when I'm in a hurry!" Wei Ying lied yet again, a tight laugh slipping from his lips.

Wei Ying sighed internally when he saw his sister's features soften, a small smile quickly forming on her face. The female omega obviously believed him, having lived long enough with her brother to recognize the partial truth behind his words. He really could be forgetful sometimes!

But Nie Huaisang on the other hand would be a little harder to convince. When Wei Ying met the other male omega's eyes, he was giving him a look that said they would be talking about this later.

Wei Ying could only sigh.

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan wished with all his heart that he could forget what happened. It had been nearly a month now, and he still couldn't forget it. And every time he tried, it only seemed to make the memory more vivid. Curse his perfect memory.

So now, as the Lan alpha tried to do his job, the Yunmeng omega in front of him was becoming an increasing distraction. Whenever he saw Wei Ying, his senses flooded with the omega scent. For some reason, the other teen's pheromones were ever more noticeable than they had been before. And it was extremely irritating!

Lan Zhan had to admit, the omega smelled great, amazing even. But the underlying smell of spice beneath Wei Ying's usually flowery scent was an issue. The smell was immensely appealing to his alpha, his instincts telling him to do the most shameless things he hadn't even known were possible. All because he had seen some stupid omega's pretty fucking body! Excuse his language. He still played the vivid and vulgar display over and over in his mind; not even reciting the Gusu Lan precepts could prevent his body's embarrassing reaction.

Getting an erection every time you thought of someone's naked body really couldn't be normal. Lan Zhan was ashamed of how he was acting, never once had he been affected this much by something before. It was both confusing and thrilling, to the point that he didn't know what to do with himself half the time.

And his brother was starting to take notice.

Lan Zhan had given a very brief explanation of what had happened that night at the cold springs. He had elected that leaving out the details of Wei Ying's pre-heat and his own bodily reactions would be a good decision. At the time it was. He just wanted to be left alone with his thoughts. And he really didn't want to worry his brother more than he already was.

But now, all he wanted to do was get an outside opinion, though he couldn't do that because he had told no one what happened. And there was no way in hell he was talking to Wei Ying about it. He had a feeling that if he tried, he would die of embarrassment right on the spot. It wasn't going to be a pretty scene. 

Lan Zhan sighed, his index and thumb coming up to rub softly on his temples. He could feel a migraine coming on. All this stress wasn't good for him, and he knew it. But with no way of relieving it, Lan Zhan decided to suffer in silence.

Silky smooth skin, water droplets tracing over delicious-looking curves. A round ass so soft he could just- What in the world had gotten into him?! Lan Zhan's ears burned as he tried to vanquish the vulgar thought from his mind. He was better than this, he had better control. So why was he affected so deeply by one stupid accident? Nothing had even really happened! 

"Hey! Hey Lan Zhan! Whatcha thinking about that's getting you so flustered." A teasing voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to his body. Lan Zhan would have been grateful if he hadn't opened his eyes to get a face full of Wei Ying.

Lan Zhan flinched backward, surprised at the sudden intrusion of his personal space. With his breaking of calm, Wei Ying only laughed. "Sorry! I probably caught you off guard. I'm just teasing." The omega said, stepping back to his side of the table and returning to his sitting position. But paused and looked back up to make eye contact with the alpha.

"Besides, I know what you're thinking about." Wei Ying said with a wink. 

Lan Zhan, taking no notice of the omega's own slightly flushed skin, stood up and turned to leave the room. He really needed some air. But he could sense the soft giggles that surrounded him almost as deeply as Wei Ying's scent as he left. It was driving him CRAZY!

---------------

What Lan Zhan finally returned after his probably unnecessarily long walk, Wei Ying was no where to be seen. The alpha could still taste him on the air, so he had to be near by. But Lan Zhan was slightly too relieved at the lack of the omega to really care what mischief he had most likely gotten himself into.

Wei Ying seriously needs 24/7 supervision. The alpha thought as he sat down at his desk. He hoped he could finally get the thing finished, he was taking way too long.

And he did, for about fifteen peaceful minutes. Only to be interrupted by some quiet humming and soft laughing coming from outside his window. Lan Zhan sighed, knowing exactly who it was.

"Psst! Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying's whisper-shout sounded from outside his window. "Lan Zhan!" He repeated a little louder, "I know you can hear me!" A pause "Wanna see something cute?" 

That peaked the alpha's interest. Knowing his attempt at ignoring the disturbance was useless, Lan Zhan stood up and walked to the window. When he stuck his head outside to take a look at what Wei Ying might be talking about, the first thing he got was a face-full of the omega. Yet again.

Lan Zhan was about to scold the shorter teen about his lack of respect of other's personal space, two surprisingly warm hands grabbed his face, turning them to look towards his left, and down.

Once more, Lan Zhan was about to scold the other boy for his brash behavior only for his thoughts to come to a thundering stop.

Rabbits.

Two, little white rabbits, happily nibbling away at the clovers in the garden.

Wei Ying's hands quickly slid away from the alpha's face, most likely taking note of his abnormal behavior. "Lan Zhan, you good?" Wei Ying's only answer came in the form of a quiet shush. Looking just as dumbstruck as Lan Zhan felt, the omega looked between the Golden-eyed teen and the happy little rabbits. "Okay" He said quietly in defeat.

Lan Zhan didn't really care that he was being rude to the other teen, he was just too happy. Unbeknownst to him, a small smile had begun to creep on to his features, his lips gently upturned.

It had been years since he last saw those rabbits. So long he knew for sure that they were dead. But these once that sat in front of him now were decently alive. He raised his hands and gently rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them, the bunnies still remained. Another one had joined them, even. Though this one was black.

"Lan Zhan, do you like rabbits?" Wei Ying asked, his voice quiet and soft. Still to mesmerized by the presence of the little creatures, he didn't even notice when he nodded a silent response. "Do you want them as pets?" The omega asked, amusement evident in his voice. At this, he paused to think; he would love to have some as pets, but it was against the rules. Not to mention if he did decide to keep some, he had no where to hide them.

"Yes, but it's against the rules." Lan Zhan responded slowly, his smile fading into its usual still façade, if even a little sad looking. "Why should that matter?" Wei Ying asked defiantly. "It is against the precepts to keep pets. A waste of time and resources." Lan Zhan replies, standing up from his previous leaning-out-the-window position. He threw one last longing glance at the rabbits before turning to face Wei Ying.

"Well your Lan precepts are stupid!" The omega said, crossing his arms. "If you want to do something, especially something like getting some pet rabbits, you should be aloud to." Wei Ying huffed, looking genuinely upset.

"This is why you're always in here being punished. You don't respect the rules." Lan Zhan shot back, his own features contorting, slightly angry. "Ugh! Whatever. I'm done my work for today, I'm leaving." The other teen said, heading towards the door. "See you tomorrow Lan Zhan." The omega bid as he left. The Lan disciple watched him go, not truly angry enough to keep him here. Not to mention he was correct. When the alpha checked Wei Ying's work, it was complete, really well done too.

Lan Zhan let out a little huff. Wei Ying was nothing but an amazing student when it came to his work, even if his hand writing was a little crooked. But when it came to the omega in person, he was easily distracted and a pain in the ass. Not to mention he never followed the rules.

Try as he might, the omega was always on his mind, be it provocative thoughts, angry or impressed. Lan Zhan put Wei Ying's work with the rest, a neat pile of doodle-covered paper resting on one of the far back shelves of the library.

When he returned to the windowsill and looked to where the little bunnies had previously been, he found no evidence that they were even real. The only way Lan Zhan knew he had actually seen them, was because Wei Ying had been the one to point them out. He knew they were real because he wasn't the only one to have seen them. Disappointed, he turned away from the window, returning the work on his desk. Lan Zhan could only hope he would be able to see them again in the future.

Maybe I'll plant some lettuce. He thought, hoping the food would entice the fuzzy animals back into his garden.

---------------

The next day, Wei Ying didn't show up for class, nor did he show up for his punishment. Lan Zhan didn't care all that much when he missed a day of class, it happened every once in a while. But when the omega didn't appear at the designated time for his punishment, he started to worry. It got to the point that Lan Zhan was about to leave to report Wei Ying's absence when he heard something from one of the other rooms in the of the library. He went to check but found nothing, determining himself paranoid, the alpha returned to the main room. He was picking up his sword from beside his Guqin when something in the far corner of his vision caught his eye.

Small, white and fluffy. There were bunnies in his library. Ten of them. How in the world had they gotten here? He was gone for only a minute.

When he heard a very familiar snicker from the window, Lan Zhan knew exactly what had happened. Though it did confuse him further. Where had Wei Ying even found all of these rabbits? Lan Zhan had looked everywhere for them a couple of years prior. And why had the omega given them to him? It made no sense.

"Do you like the gift?" Wei Ying asked as he hopped through the window, landing elegantly on the floor next to the horde of furry creatures.

The alpha was too stunned to speak, his eyes could only rapidly trace over the pile of rabbits. Most were munching on lettuce leaves, he was pretty sure one was even taking a nap. But the singular black rabbit stood out against the starkly white fur of it's comrades. "Wei Ying, You-" He cut himself off, he really had no idea what to say. He just nodded.

"You seemed sad that you weren't allowed to have any. So I got you so many that you wouldn't be able to refuse!" Wei Ying exclaimed happily. Lan Zhan just continued to look stunned.

"Where did you find them?" He asked, stepping closer to lift one of the small creatures up into his arms. The little ting didn't even squirm, far too content chewing on it's lettuce. "The far, far side of the mountain. Actually, quite close to the cold springs. I found a small cave. The silly little things were hanging out by the opening." Wei Ying replied absent-mindedly as he himself reached down and picked up a rabbit. Though this one was the black one, and it squirmed like hell.

"You should put them back." Lan Zhan said, admiring the fuzzy bunny he held. "What if I don't want to." The omega replied, though he didn't sound all that serious. "How are you getting them to be so calm?" Wei Ying asked, letting the rabbit he held drop to the ground. "I'm not doing anything. Maybe they just don't like you, taking them away from their home." The alpha retorted, no real bite behind his words. He put the rabbit back down on the ground, watching it quickly scamper over to the rest.

"Hey! I was nice about it. Not to mention there wasn't much foliage around where they lived, I thought you might know of a better place for them to live. . ." Wei Ying trailed off, sounding ever-so-slightly unsure of himself. "Maybe." Lan Zhan replied. He had an idea of where to keep the fuzzy creatures, but he wasn't too sure if it would actually work out.

"Tell me about it?" Wei Ying asked, his voice perking up as his interest peaked. "No." Was the omega's only response. Lan Zhan watched with mild amusement as the omega started to pout.

"Regardless, you were late to your punishment, and you missed class. It has been extended by two days." Lan Zhan said, abruptly changing the subject. He didn't actually care all that much, still to happy about the rabbits; but he thought it best to keep the punishments equal to the rule breaking. His uncle would be asking after Wei Ying soon, so Lan Zhan saw no need to lie to him about Wei Ying's punishments. The alpha had a feeling he would be doing that too often in the future, no need to start now.

The omega in question flopped down at his side of the table, a loud and exasperated sigh echoing from his throat. Lan Zhan payed him no mind, too busy admiring the rabbits to do anything else.

Yet again, another distraction keeping the Lan disciple from completing his work. 

With a quiet sigh, he knelt down to give a rabbit to his left a soft scratch behind the ears. Now I have to deal with you guys~ He thought, his eyes surveying the little creatures scattered across the room.

---------------

The following week was relatively quiet. Only one night hunt open to the junior disciples, Lan Zhan deciding not to go. It would only be a hassle. He had thought, still a little too shaken from his last night hunt, a repeat would be inconvenient. 

When his brother had asked why he wasn't participating, the younger Lan twin stated exhaustion as his answer, along with a need for further training. In reality, the Lan alpha was anything but lacking in the physicals skill department. But it wasn't his skill Lan Zhan wanted to train, it was his mind.

To put it simply: the Yunmeng omega dubbed Wei Ying had become more of an issue than he would like to admit. Not to mention he could feel that his rut was not too far off, so it would be best to stay close to home for the time being.

But he really did want to train his mind. Lan Zhan needed better control, especially if he was ever going to be around the flirty omega any time soon.

The days leading up to one of his ruts, his mind would fog, and he was much more susceptible to his instincts. And he knew, that if he did as his instincts told him, he would most definitely be punished for them. Not to mention his almost guaranteed regret and guilt.

So he decided to head to the Jingshi earlier than he usually did, planning to take the extra time to meditate, learn to better control his own thoughts.

Lan Zhan let his brother and uncle know of his plans, but not the reason as to why he was doing so. They probably just assumed he wanted to be better; and he did, but it was more than just that. Lan Zhan wanted to be able to face Wei Ying without being plagued with memories of the omega's scent and naked body.

And his plan worked. At least until his rut took over his senses, making him loose pretty much all of the control he had been working so hard to gain.

His instinct driven brain leading him to imagine what it would have truly felt like to take the pretty omega. Those thoughts alone had been enough to drive him over edge on numerous occasions.

In his right mind, Lan Zhan knew it was terribly shameful to be thinking about someone in that way. But his alpha had the power over him in this situation. Lan Zhan had a feeling that if the doors of the Jingshi hadn't been locked from both the inside and out, there would have been a large chance he would be hunting for said omega.

Remind him to thank whoever had built the Jingshi for it's amazingly well thought out design.

Even with all the precautions in place, Lan Zhan still didn't completely trust himself. He knew just how out of control he was during his ruts. It had been an issue in the past. Whereas most alpha's just got stupidly horny or aggressive, Lan Zhan could be straight up violent. 

The first time he had ever gone into a rut, he was terrified and confused. He had been really young as well. Even so, when people had tried to approach him, Lan Zhan had nearly taken off one of their arms, as well as another's head. It really wasn't pretty.

Hence why, ever since then, Lan Zhan spent his ruts in the Jingshi; locked up and far away from anyone he might hurt.

But they were unbearable. Lan Zhan knew he didn't have it as bad as an omega, but at least they could have someone to comfort them through their hard times. The Lan alpha was stuck all alone. And when his hand wasn't enough to fulfill his bodily needs, he would sit there and suffer. It was painful, but it was the only option. He wasn't allowed anywhere near omega's during his ruts, because of his lack of control. The only way he would be allowed to was if they were his mated pair, and married.

He was sixteen. Lan Zhan didn't have any plans on marrying any time soon. Even if he did, the alpha had impressively high standards, and he doubted he'd find anyone who could both meet them, and be willing to marry him.

So Lan Zhan suffered the next three days by himself, then took an extra day off of his duties to make sure his rut was completely over.

When he finally returned to his, and his brother's residence, he got the usual concerned look from Lan Huan. But his brother knew better than to ask questions. An alpha's rut was an extremely private matter, regardless of how tired and bedraggled Lan Zhan looked. It was vaguely annoying, but he put up with it, returning to his own bed.

Then just as he usually did after a rut, he spent almost an entire day sleeping off the leftover fatigue and emotions. And like always, he felt one hundred times better afterwards.

"Feeling better, A-Zhan?" His brother asked when he finally emerged from his room the next morning. "Mn." Lan Zhan responded, heading over to the kitchen to grab some food. He was always terribly hungry after his ruts.

Lan Huan just smiled softly as he watched his younger twin not-so-elegantly stuff his face with anything he could find. "That's good to hear." His brother said happily. "And you're out just in time for the lantern festival. 'Gonna join in this year?" His brother asked as Lan Zhan came to sit down at the table. "Maybe." Lan Zhan replied once he finished his mouthful of food.

"Alright, just letting you know, it's starting in about an hour, so you might want to hurry up." With that, Lan Zhan gabbed all his stuff and quickly hopped up and out the door. His brother could only shake his head.

---------------

"Lan Zhan! Look over here!" An annoyingly familiar voice called out as a finger poked at his shoulder. The alpha recoiled at the touch, slightly taken aback at the sudden contact. He had been keenly aware of who had slowly migrated to the ink station behind him, but Lan Zhan thought that if he ignored the omega well enough, he wouldn't have too look him in the eye. He hated to admit it, but Lan Zhan was still slightly too mortified to even talk to him; feeling ashamed of his own actions.

"Lan Zhannn~ I'm serious, I wanna show you my lantern." When he got no response, he suddenly threw his arm over the alpha's shoulders. "Please stop ignoring me. You make me feel so lonely Lan Zhan~" The omega whined. Lan Zhan, in turn remained as solid of a stone, still trying to process what had just happened.

"Oh! I also have something to return to you!" Wei Ying said happily, taking a step away from the alpha to retrieve something from his Qiankun bag.

Quickly, the other teen pulled a large, white robe from the pouch, holding it out lazily in front of him. Lan Zhan paused, looking between Wei Ying and the Lan robes for a couple seconds before hesitantly reaching out to take it.

When the piece of clothing was finally returned to it's rightful owner, Lan Zhan gave a quick nod of his head, "Thank-you." He said quietly. He was about to tuck the spare piece of clothing into his own Qiankun bag, when he got a whiff of pheromones. Achingly familiar, he looked back up at the omega in front of him. But he could detect nothing more than a regular scent coming from him.

Then he glanced back down at the robes, now hovering over his open bag. The robes smelt of Wei Ying, of his full blown heat.

The scent was dull. Obviously the outer robes had been generously cleaned, but the alpha could smell the scent below the smell of a fresh wash. Lan Zhan rapidly tucked the garment into his bag, hoping it would stop the permeating smell. And it did, but Lan Zhan still knew it was there, and where to find it. It was really distracting.

"Hey! Now that I have Lan Zhan's attention, I'm gonna show you my lantern!" Wei Ying's perky voice snapped him from his slight daze, and when he looked up, there was a pretty white lantern held directly in front of his face. Seriously, boundaries. He thought, but as soon as his eyes could focus on what was directly in front of his nose, did he notice the elegant swoops of an ink brush.

"Tadaaaaa!!" Wei Ying exclaimed, "Bunnies!" The omega smiled brightly, pulling the lantern back towards his chest.

Now, at this much more respectable distance, the alpha could properly admire the detail of the of the painting. Tiny, well placed marks of a bush illustrated two small rabbits, one looking up and off to the side, the other laying next to it, most likely chewing something in it's tiny mussel.

"Ha-HA! The perfect jade is smiling! I knew you'd like it!" The omega teased, A smile Lan Zhan didn't even know he had, fell from his face. As it quickly was replaced by a frown. "Awn, come on Lan Zhan~ You looked so cute!" The omega continued to tease, a childlike pout finding its way to Wei Ying's lips. "Frivolous!" Lan Zhan exclaimed, attempting to turn away from the omega, only to be caught by his sleeve. "Really? I thought we were having fun." Wei Ying said, his mock-pout deepening as he, yet again, continued to tease.

"Lanterns are for wishes, not drawings." Lan Zhan pointed out as he pulled his sleeve from Wei Ying's grip. "But it is a wish! I'm wishing for the rabbits' safety. An offering for their protection!" The omega retorted as he took a step back, still all lighthearted. "I'm gonna go release mine, wanna come?" He asked as he began to turn to where everyone else was now headed. Lan Zhan hadn't even realized that they were two of the only few people still there.

Deciding it best to remain with everyone else, Lan Zhan retrieved his own lantern before tailing not too far behind Wei Ying. 

Lan Zhan had a feeling it was going to be a good summer.

Chapter Text

A whole year passed before Wei Wuxian saw the Lan Alpha again. When he finally did, the omega was just as impressed as he had been the first time he laid eyes on Lan Wangji. If anything, Wei Ying could have sworn the alpha had become an even sweeter eye candy.

The most prominent thing Wei Ying had taken note of when he arrived with the Yunmeng delegation, was how ethereal the Lan disciples looked in their white garments. If you didn't point out the fact that they looked as if they were on their way to a funeral. Seriously, they really had to rethink their clan colors. Wei Ying just held back his snicker as he took his seat. 

Regardless, he was coming down with something, And Wei Ying didn't totally agree to come. Don't get him wrong, he was super excited about the archery competition, along with the other fun events that would take place at the annual discussion conference; he just hated being sick.

Wei Wuxian's main reason for hating being sick - besides the obvious - was that his body couldn't just get sick in a normal way. It made him terribly achy and cranky, and depending on whatever it was he had come down with, head-colds to be specific; always blocked up his senses. An easier way to put it was that he became so stuffed up in the face, his ears would ring, his eyes would water and his fucking nose would be useless. 

It was honestly no fun.

Paying no mind to the conversation and introductions at hand, Wei Ying took pleasure in quietly complaining to his sister. "Shijeiiiiiiiii~ My head hurts~" He whisper-whined to the other omega. "It's okay A-Ying, I'm sure whatever you have won't kill you." She soothed in a hushed whisper, her hand coming to gently pat his under the table. Wei Ying much appreciated the subtle gesture of comfort. It still wasn't enough though. "I don't believe you, it feels like I'm dying." He retorted with a huff. "If it helps, when we get to our residence, I can make you something for your head?" Jiang Yanli offered sweetly, patting her brother's hand once more. Wei Ying just nodded happily, pleased with the outcome of his complaint.

But before he could relish too much in his accomplishment, their brother rudely interrupted. "Would the two of you shut up please!?" He whispered aggressively in his siblings' direction, "No offense JieJie." He added quickly and quietly at his sister's stern look.

"Humph, Fine." The male omega replied to his brother, sticking his tongue out and crossing his arms. "Ugh!" His brother turned away, obviously trying to keep his cool in such a large room filled to the brim.

Yet again pleased with himself, Wei Ying tried to pay at least a little attention to what was going on around him. But in all honesty, it was much more difficult than usual. He was already easily distracted enough, and now with an on-coming head cold on top of it, not dozing off was an extremely hard task.

So instead the omega busied himself with his surroundings, trying not to look completely distracted to others.

As his eyes traced over everything around him, one of the most obvious about this discussion conference was the power dynamic.

This year, the conference was being hosted by the Wen Clan of Qishan, And even if it was their territory they were currently on, it gave them little to no right to act the way they currently were. Normally, at Discussion conferences, everyone was treated as an equal; peace and discussion being the whole reason for these meet-ups in the first place. Hell, it was even in the name. But the Wens seemed to have a different idea: they served their own people with different (if not noticeably so) meals. But most of all, it was the seating arrangements.

Usually, at discussion conferences, everyone was placed on the same seating level; sometimes if the host was cocky, they might sit ever-so-slightly higher. The Wen clansmen took that to another level, all subtlety disregarded. They sat a floor above everyone else, the Wen heirs a whole floor above the other sect heads. And don't even mention Wen Ruohan. The man sitting nearly all by himself on the very top floor of the establishment where the meeting was taking place. Like an emperor on his throne.

The action was disgusting, showing just how little the Wen clan respected the other sects. 

Something about it made Wei Wuxian nervous, a bad omen if you might. He had a feeling that nothing good would come of this Discussion conference. And he just hoped the other sects had a plan to kick the Wen Clan off of their high horse. Men with this much ego and the power to back it up were never a good thing. Especially when it affected everyone.

They had all heard the rumors of the Wen clan absorbing other small sects into their own. They were conquerors, and it was messing with the power balance along with the peace.

If something wasn't done soon, it would most likely boil up into a massive issue, for everyone. Keeping that in mind, Wei Wuxian looked closer at the other sect heads. He was quick to notice everyone's displeasure, it was thick in the air. The Jin head specifically. The man sat quietly, a scowl ever present on his usual smirking face. This isn't going to end well. Wei Wuxian thought, his eyes taking another quick scan of others' expressions. And just as he thought, the sentiment was common, everyone looking slightly peeved - even if some were better at masking it.

Wei Wuxian just hoped no one would bring it up. Yes, it was something that definitely needed to be pointed out, but his head was hurting too much to deal with the drama.

Don't get him wrong, he loved drama. Most of the time you could find him instigating it, but he was tired and really, really wanted a nap.

---------------

It hadn't gone well. 

Jin Guangshan seemingly getting really upset about the disrespect, had pointedly made sure everyone who didn't already (which was no one) knew of the blatant rudeness being displayed. Wen Ruohan, had disregarded the comment, pretty much ignoring the Lanling sect leader, and had gone on as if nothing had happened.

His son on the other hand, had taken quite the offence to the comment and had attempted to get the man kicked from the hall. It hadn't exactly ended well for him. An uproar from the gathered sects had shut the stupid alpha's mouth quite quickly, even if the only reason being because is ass of a father had shut everyone up.

To put it simply, the dinner had ended not too long afterwards.

Even if Wei Wuxian doubted the stingy alpha would get any consequences, he doubted the Wen heir would let it go any time soon. So he just hoped the problem wouldn't end up biting him in the ass, as it usually did. Thankyou luck! The sarcastic comment didn't eave his lips, but he sure as hell thought it. His sister was in the room, Wei Ying had no reason for the female omega to think he was somehow not being appreciative. Because he sure as hell was!

When they had gotten back to the temporary residence provided for them, Jiang Yanli had been quick to collect some herbs for a soothing tea. Whatever it was that she had made, Wei Ying's headache was fading, and his ears had pretty much stopped ringing.

"Thankyou Shijie, I feel much better already." Wei Ying praised his sister's magical brew. "It's really no problem at all, I hate to see you so sick." She responded, playfully ruffling Wei Ying's hair.

"Honestly, I think he's fine." Jiang Cheng said from the other side of the room, not looking up from his work. "He doesn't look fine." Their sister responded, holder her hand up to his forehead, "He's not feverish though, that's good." The female omega said with relief. "Don't worry Shijie, I'll be fine by tomorrow!" The younger omega smiled. "I hope so." Jiang Yanli said before turning to refill his cup.

"You better be. You still haven't pulled out of the archery competition, so I doubt this illness is all that bad. You just like complaining." Jiang Cheng shot from across the room. "Hypocrite! You're no better. Do you know how needed you get when you're sick? You also complain like fuck!" Wei Ying shot back, no real bite behind it. "Language please." His sister scolded calmly as she began to tidy up the teapot.

"Sorry, Shijie-" "Oh shut up, If you're so sick then go to bed, I don't want to hear your voice any longer!" Jiang Cheng cut in before Wei Ying could finish. "Language." Their sister said again. "That was actually what I was about to do dickhead! No need to be so mean." The omega said with a huff. But before either of them could continue, a defeated sigh came from Jiang Yanli's direction. "Both of you just go to bed. A-die will be back soon, and we don't want to disturb his work. Not to mention it's getting late."

"Yes, A-Li." The two boys said in unison before heading to their respective rooms. Their sister could only shake her head at their childish banter. "Goodnight, sleep well." She bid them before retiring to her own room for the night.

--------------- 

Wei Wuxian sat upright in bed, choking ever-so-slightly on his own snot. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. To put it simply, the omega had only gotten worse through out the night. Now, he couldn't even breath through his nose, and he had begun coughing. For him, that usually wasn't a good sign. But it was Wei Ying's first year in the archery competition, and because of his age, he would probably only get one for attempt before he aged out. And the omega really wanted to participate.

So, he would have to stop complaining; because he knew his sister wouldn't even let him near the door if she knew he had gotten this bad. But sucking it up wasn't really his best skill, especially when it came to the sweet omega that was his sister. He just loved being pampered to much.

No! I will push through. I've been waiting too long to let go of this chance. That chance being to show off in front of all the other clans. especially those stupid Jin. He could do it. So he hopped out of bed, stifling his coughing as he through on his clothes.

He paused in front of the wash-bin and mirror. God he looked terrible! But it was nothing a quick wash couldn't fix.

Sadly, after some thorough scrubbing of his face, all he managed to do was make it red. With a sigh, he gave up on trying to look presentable, instead retying his red hair ribbon. He had a habit of leaving it in before bed, all that ever did was make his bed-head ten times worse.

Sadly, again, he didn't get far before having to reach for a comb. As best he could, he brushed out the knots, though his sore arms only fumbled with the comb. It took his a depressing amount of time to get ready; but once he was, he waved a quick goodbye to his siblings as to not let them catch on to his condition. Even with how salty his brother had been last night, Wei Ying knew that the alpha was still concerned for his brother's health. Not to mention if his Shijie caught him looking like this, she would order A-Cheng to drag him back to his bed. Yes, it would probably be better for him to be inside and resting if he's sick. But it wasn't that bad, honestly.

Not to mention, the fresh air of the early morning was already clearing up his sinuses. He would be fine. Maybe I should try getting up earlier more often, everything's so peaceful. Wei Ying thought as he slowed his half-assed jog into a walk.

He could hear birds chirping up in the canopy above his head, and the breeze was sweet and refreshing. he paused; Nah, I'd rather be in bed. 

Wei Ying only wiped his nose and continued to move. He wasn't too sure what he was gonna do for the next hour or so, the introduction ceremony for the archery competition didn't start for a little while. So he had some spare time on his hands.

Hence, he just continued to wander, admiring the scenery. But it didn't take long for the omega to find something that peaked his interest.

After, maybe twenty minutes of walking, Wei Wuxian came upon a small field hidden by a tall trees and a creek on one side, and an over-hanging cliff on the other. There wasn't much special about the small cove itself, but who resided within it.

Another cultivator, obviously Wen. Not much about the young man stood out. His robes were a brighter red than the usual Wen cultivator, so it signified he came from the at least a side branch of the Wen family. But Wei Wuxian didn't recognize the cultivator. He was young, same age if not a year younger than Wei Wuxian himself. But what was unusual about the teen was that he carried himself far differently than any Wen cultivators he had ever seen. When he moved, nearly every step was unsure; and when he drew the bow in his hand, it wobbled all over the place.

Wei Wuxian watched, his thoughts laced with so much pity, he was about to walk over and show the teen how to properly shoot when his entire demeanor changed.

His figure became steady, the bow and arrow calm in his grip. And when he shot, the arrow landed as a perfect bullseye.

Surprised, Wei Wuxian began to clap, and from the looks of it, scared the sprit right out of the other teen.

The young Wen cultivator began to stumble, turning around a couple times before making eye contact with Wei Wuxian. "I-I'm so s-sorry!" The frightened teen stuttered out as he dropped his bow and arrow. Wei Ying was about to snicker when he noticed the teen looked as if he was about to bolt.

"Hey! it's cool! You're quite good with a bow and arrow, how come I haven't seen you around before?" Wei Ying called out politely as he approached, even if he had no idea why he had ben apologizing. Deciding to be safer than sorry, he let off small wisps of calm pheromones.

He had no idea what the other cultivator presented as, and probably wouldn't because of his cold; but he figured that it would best to come off as harmless in any case. And it seemed to work - so not a beta - the other teen relaxed ever so slightly, no longer looking as if he was gonna sprint for his life. Though Wei Wuxian still didn't get a response.

"My name's Wei Wuxian. It's a pleasure to meet you! But what are you doing al the way out here so early in the morning?" Coming off as curious rather than suspicious was his whole point as he took one last step closer to the teen. Luckily enough he did because if he had been any further away, he probably wouldn't have heard the Wen's response.

"Practicing." The other teen continued to look at his feet, not making eye contact with the Yunmeng omega. "All by yourself?" he paused, "Mind if I join you?" He asked, pulling out the bow that he had forgotten was around his shoulder.

"Uh, o-okay." he responded, sounding just as surprised as he looked. "I'm not v-very good though." He said, twiddling with the strand of hair that fell down along the side of his face. "I hate to disagree, but if you want, I might still be able to give you a few pointers?" Wei Ying offered, his hand now outstretched towards the Wen cultivator. Finally, after a contemplating pause, the other teen's eyes made their way up to meet his own. Deep, round and kind eyes, something he really didn't expect from any Wen cultivator whatsoever. Wei Ying kept contact with the beautiful eyes before him as he asked: "I never did catch your name?" He smiled.

"Oh! It's, uh, Wen Qionglin." He responded, placing a spare arrow in Wei Ying's, still outstretched hand.

---------------

Wei Ying sat just behind his brother, a small pout on his features. "A-Cheng, why do we have to watch this peacock anyways? He's mediocre at best." The omega protested quietly as they waited their turn to enter.

"Shut it you! Pay attention." His brother responded, giving him a quite rude shushing gesture. Without being given an answer, Wei Ying just sat back into his chair, slouching and crossing his arms.

Regardless of his complaining, he still did pay attention. They would be competing against the Jin during the actual competition anyways, might as well see how they shoot. He still didn't see any proper reason for the sheer theatrics of the Jin heir though. We get it, you're a pretty alpha who doesn't suck complete ass at archery, now can we start the competition. The omega thought as he continued to watch the Jin heir parade around the arena on horse back and shoot again. I could do ten times better than that. He thought.

And as if someone had read his mind, the Jin head spoke smugly: "Anyone think they can do better than my son?" He challenged loudly, yet without any real intent to get a contender.

Wei Wuxian stood, more vulgar than he had ever truly been before, and walked up to the arena. The omega could hear the gasps and whispers from the crowd as he did so, along with the very obvious shouting of Jiang Cheng. He ignored them, and looked the Jin heir dead in the face and announced: "Yes, I can."

His immense dislike of the alpha was well known to anyone who had seen or heard of their interactions, so this was quite in character for him, if not a little dramatic. But he didn't care what others opinions where, and he was enjoying the attention most of the ladies were giving him. But it was but short when the Jin head spoke up: "How could you possibly do better when you don't even have a steed to shoot from? What are you going to do, blindfold yourself?" The older alpha mocked, and he could hear the snicker ripple through the crowd.

"Sure, Why not." He said. To be completely honest, Wei Ying hadn't thought this through. But now that he stood in the middle of the arena, wrapping a black cloth around his eyes, he knew he had to defend his honor. Along with pretty much all of Jiang Yunmeng. He was their head disciple after all, if he messed up, he would be humiliating his entire sect.

On a normal day, Wei Ying would have been stoked to do this in front of so many people, He really loved to show off. But he was ill, and it was effecting his senses. It wasn't as if he doubted his skill, he just wasn't at his full potential right now, and wouldn't be able to give the crowd the show they disserved.

Whatever, too late now! He thought as he tied the final knot behind his head. It was tight and secure, perfectly blocking anything from gracing his vision. Wei Wuxian reached out his left hand, fumbling a bit as he tried to grasp a couple arrows. Turning away from the targets as he began to nock the arrows; all four of them, one for each target.

Because Wei Wuxian currently lacked literally any of his other senses, he reached outwards with his Qi, trying and succeeding to locate the targets. More specifically the arrows imbedded within them. Normally this wouldn't work, and he would have to base his shot of of sound and luck. But because those arrows had been shot from a spiritual weapon, Jin Zixuan's bow, they had small traces of it's power left behind. So if he could remember where on each of those targets the arrows had landed, he could get our perfect bullseyes. Blindfolded. All at once. And he knew for sure that would be enough to overshadow the Jin heir, and definitely piss him off.

A win's a win. he thought, drawing the the bow, pulling it as tight as possible before turning around. He could hear the muffled whispers of excitement from the crowd.

Wei Wuxian spun around quickly, still unable to wipe the grin off his face, and it got even larger when he released his arrows. And it only got worse when he heard the recognizable thunks of four bullseyes.

The crowd gasped and cheered, Wei Ying giving a low bow to the crowd before turning and leaving right out the back gate. He knew once the opening ceremony was finished, which in now definitely was, the archery competition would officially begin.

The smug look still remaining on his face, he entered the grounds on which the competition would be taking place; not even bothering to remove the blindfold.

---------------

The omega strolled through the forest, soon coming upon a tree he could perch in. Once he was comfy and for sure alone, he traced his fingers over the scent glands on his neck. Wei Ying had been sweating earlier, and it had been a couple hours since he had reapplied his scent blockers. So he pulled out a small jar from his outer robes, removing the cap and sticking his fingers into the sticky, oily substance. Cringing, as he always does when he had to apply the stuff, he re-covered all of the scent glands on his neck, quickly moving to his wrists and ankles.

Scent glands on appendages don't usually give off much of scent unless done purposefully. But Wei Wuxian really didn't want to risk anyone catching a whiff of his omegan scent.

Yes, he hid the fact that he was an omega. Not because he was ashamed, but more as a precaution than anything. And it also helped that he got treated a whole lot better when people assumed he was an alpha. Because of the dominant sub-gene he carried as an omega, when people couldn't smell his scent, they tended to assume he was an alpha, or at least a pheromone-aware beta.

So to the vast majority of people he knew excluding most jiang disciples, his family, and a handful of other people; he was just an alpha that didn't have a strong scent. He really didn't mind either. Though he knew it would become a scandal when Madame Yu finally decided to marry him off to some wealthy clan alpha. By then though, everybody would be aware of his second gender. It was common to advertise your second gender and status when you were looking for an engagement, especially when it came to being an omega, a male one at that. Wei Ying was rare enough as is being a male omega, think for every fifty female omega their was about one male one. Then a dominant one on top of that, it put him in the eightieth percentile. The only other thing considered more rare than he was, was a true born alpha. But that took quite a few conditions to achieve. Whereas, both his parents had been alpha's, but he turned out an omega. So his chances to be an alpha were so much more probable then what had happened. Oh well, 'twas his fucking luck.

But Wei Ying had always kept that part of him to himself, finding a more private matter than others seemed to think it was. He knew that the second he was out on the engagement market, regardless of the fact he didn't come from a prominent family, he would be getting offers from everywhere. People seemed to think having a rare wife was a flex. Wei Ying didn't think so.

He thought that for a marriage to be formed, true love was needed, not just a bond-mark. But he knew that was a very rare thing in this world. He just hoped all his bad karma would be equaled out, and he'd be lucky enough to have that kind of relationship.

He sighed, fumbling slightly as he tried to screw the lid back onto the small container. But it was quite difficult when you were still wearing a blindfold, and your hands were greasy as hell.

With a triumphant huff, he managed to screw the lid back on, even if it had been after a sad amount of failed attempts. Luckily though, he tucked the small container back into his robes just in time, because he could hear something approaching.

More like someone. Even with his stuffed up head, he could make out the nearly silent footsteps of someone approaching. They sounded light, and well trained, but because of his clogged nose and palate, he couldn't make out who it was from their scent. Wei Ying got the feeling he recognized the person, he just couldn't pinpoint from where.

He hopped down from his perch in the tree, and was about to call out a greeting when something grabbed him roughly. The omega proceeded to be pushed roughly against the tree he was previously sitting in. Then began to get slightly scared when he realized he was now pinned between a body and a large tree. Still too stunned to speak, he just froze, hoping he wasn't gonna drop.

His mouth was agape, and it was about to speak when something soft and warm interrupted him. Lips, he realized, as the person pushed him impossibly further into the tree. His back was getting sore from the pressure when a cool hand slunk it's way behind his back, pretty much lifting his lower half from being crushed by the tree. Except now, he was being pulled into a firm body, a warm one.

He remained frozen as the lips connected to his moved back, releasing the omega long enough to get a fresh gasp of air. But not long enough to speak. Instead, the perpetrator's lips kissed into his once more, this time more hungry, yet still softer at the same time.

Wei Ying hated to admit it, but he was starting to enjoy the kiss, if he disregarded the fact that he had no idea who was doing it. At first, he thought is was a maiden who had come to confess their feelings when he couldn't see her. Then he thought he was about to be attacked, and honestly he kind of was. Except now, he was pretty much sure it was an alpha, yet he still had no idea who.

He could get the sense that their scent was familiar, especially at such a close proximity. But because of his stupid cold, he couldn't figure out who it was.

Jinally, having enough, he pulled his face away from the horny alpha, a snarl curling onto his lips.

Luckily enough, the alpha wasn't stupid enough to try and do anything else. Instead, Wei Wuxian felt then back away, almost instantly disappearing. Once he was out of their grip, he ripped the blindfold from his face, blinking at the sudden harshness of the sun. he growled when he realized there was not trace of the perpetrator.

Soon enough, he was calm enough to think, his heart no longer threatening to explode. Rather than any reasonable trains of thought, the first thing that came to his mind made his stop, his fingers coming up to trace over his now tender lips.

They just stole my first kiss!

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan stood as if his feet were frozen. His hand had come up to rest on his lips, the fourth time doing so since he had kissed the omega. But it didn't make any difference, he was still absolutely mortified. Never once had he done such a thing. Never once, had he lost his control. And it terrified him.

So what if he liked the omega? It gave him absolutely zero right to do what he had just done. Lan Zhan had forced himself on an omega. Even if he hadn't been in the right place of mind, it was no excuse to do such a thing. 

Yes, he had wanted to kiss Wei Ying; needing confirmation of the feelings he had come to terms with over the past year, But doing that was inexcusable! He had broken so many rules, and gone against so many precepts. But that didn't change one fact: he was undoubtedly attracted to Wei Ying. At first, all the way back to when the omega had been studying at Gusu, Lan Zhan had felt differently about him than he had any other potential partner. But he had thought it was just his alpha. 

Now though, with the sheer overwhelming sensation that had led him to doing such a thing to Wei Ying, he was sure his alpha was hunting him. His feral side wants the other teen as his undeniable mate.

The thought made him shiver. It wasn't as if he was against having the pretty omega as his mate, if anything he liked the idea. But The way his instincts had driven him towards the other male, especially when he was blindfolded, made him feel sick to his stomach.

Lan Zhan had always thought he had better control over his alpha, but the way it had taken almost all of his will to keep him from biting Wei Ying, had him doubting himself. 

They were truly lucky Lan Zhan himself wanted nothing more than to kiss him, otherwise it could have gone way worse.

His hand reached up to trace over his headband, Stay in control, have restraint. He thought, a shudder rolling over his body. He couldn't imagine forcing himself on someone, and yet, he just had, and he hated himself for it. He was contemplating dropping out of the competition and going to receive punishment when he heard some rustling from behind him.

His head whipped around at full speed when he came face to face with Wei Ying. Immediately reminded of what had just happened, he took a couple of stumbling steps backward.

"Wow! Did I really surprise you that badly? You're so jumpy." The omega said with a laugh, his now uncovered eyes sparkling.

Fuck, he was infatuated. It hurt to look at that face, one that now acted as if nothing had happened. How couldn't he know who kissed him? The omega was familiar with his scent. Both his usual and feral one.

"Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, mild concern lacing his features. "Mn." He responded, wiping the dumbass look he was sure he had, off his face.

"I saw you at the banquet, why didn't you say hi?" The other teen asked, his figure open and calm. Had Wei Ying always been this good at acting? 

"Why didn't you?" Lan Zhan mimicked, not trying to sound rude, just curious.

"I wasn't feeling the best yesterday, but if you had come and said hi, then I might have stayed a little longer." Wei Ying shrugged, a finger coming up to touch his lips.

Lan Zhan paused, Did he know? He thought, suspicious. "Are you feeling alright today?" Lan Zhan asked, seeing if the omega's answer might hint at whether or not he was aware of the alpha's actions.

"To be honest, not really. I have a terrible cold, my head is so stuffed up!" Wei Ying exclaimed, sniffing loudly as if to prove his point. Lan Zhan could hear how stuffed up he was. 

Could he even smell? The alpha contemplated, his eyes narrowing as he studied the omega's features.

It was true, his nose was red and dry, and his eyes were puffy and teary. If he paid close attention, Lan Zhan could smell the sickness in the air around him. The omega was truly ill.

But that brought up another point: The alpha couldn't pick up Wei Ying's scent at all, and he was standing directly in front of him. As if noticing him smelling the air, Wei Ying chuckled.

"You can probably smell how sick I am, can't you? Or is it something else?" Wei Ying asked, his eyes becoming a little more serious. "Random question: have you ever been kissed before?" 

The alpha froze, Did he know? No, he couldn't. He thought, his eyes narrowing towards the omega. 

"You're an attractive alpha, I'd be surprised if you hadn't kissed your fair share of people." Wei Ying said, now obviously teasing. 

"Have you?" Lan Zhan asked, not actually wanting to know.

"Yup! Quite a few actually!" He responded. Lan Zhan hated the way that made him feel; maybe he was a little more than just attracted to the omega. He felt the urge to growl. 

"Mn," He began to turn away. He shouldn't feel so territorial over an omega he was barely friends with. It wasn't right.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Wei Ying asked as he began to leave.

"It's a competition, you should be taking it seriously." He said without turning around.

"Alright. But your headband is crooked. Sure you wanna leave like that? I can help-" 

"I'm fine,"

"I'm not joking, here."

Lan Zhan heard the omega take a step closer but was nowhere near prepared for what he did.

The alpha felt the tug before he could realize what was happening. His headband came loose, the white fabric falling right before his eyes.

"See! I told you, look how easy it came undone!" Wei Ying exclaimed, But Lan Zhan couldn't even think. All he felt was rage.

He turned around, glaring daggers at the omega. The bow in his hand snapped without him realizing, and he reached out and grabbed the long, white piece of fabric from the omega's hand.

He held it so carelessly, so shamelessly. He had read the Lan precepts, how could he act the way he did without knowing? Was this revenge for the kiss the alpha stole? No, the omega was just ignorant, he had no idea what this meant to Lan Zhan.

A growl finally ripped from his throat, low and angry. Shocked, the omega jumped back, stumbling as he did so. 

"Lan Zhan?" He asked hesitantly but got no response.

The alpha turned and left, his footsteps heavy and fast. He ignored the omega, his confusion, and just left.

---------------

Wei Ying had placed first at the competition, not by a landslide, but it was still impressive considering he hadn't really been trying. He bowed respectfully towards the elders as they handed him his prize, trying very hard not to cough on them.

Luckily enough, the awards ceremony at the the end of the competition didn't last very long. The reason being a very jealous Wen heir. Most of the Wens didn't like the rankings due to the fact that none of them where even in the top 5. You'd think that because there was so many of them, that at least one would be good enough to have ranked high; but nope! the highest ranking Wen was at ninth place, barely squeaking in in front of a Yunmeng disciple.

The rankings had been as followed: Wei Wuxian in first place, Lan Xicheng in second, Jiang Wanyin in third, and surprisingly enough, Lan Wangji in fourth. It only went to show how amazing how amazing Lan Zhan truly was. He had managed to place fourth, even after leaving a third of the way through the competition.

Wei Ying was impressed, but confused. He wasn't really sure what had happened when Wei Ying saw him last. But whatever it was, he had been pissed. More so than the omega had ever seen before. Maybe the whole kissing thing had been a touchy subject, or it had something to do with the alpha's headband. Regardless, Wei Ying had actually been surprised, a little frightened too; but he wouldn't admit that out loud.

The sheer rage in Lan Zhan's eyes had been something to behold, and that growl. . . Oh fuck, He thought, feeling the arousal sink into his abdomen. He tired to shake the image from his head. That kiss must have had really messed with his hormones. 

Tat was another thing, he had to figure out who kissed him. It wasn't as if he was scared or something, he just really wanted to sock them in the face. Who the hell steals a helpless omega's first kiss? like seriously! Then again, he doubted that person even knew he was an omega. If they did, that raised some more questions.

Besides the point, he couldn't figure it out himself, and it wasn't like he could ask his siblings either. Wei Ying could already imagine how that would go. Simply put, the three of them got quite protective over one another. So if either of them figured out who had assaulted him, attempted murder and public humiliation would be some of the first things that came to his mind.

He shuddered. Wei Ying loved scandals, but there was no way in hell he would want to be part of one. Not to mention he was exhausted. Far too worn out by both the competition and his illness to truly appreciate the glory of such a scandal.

So instead he went along with the rest of the awards ceremony, and tried to keep his mind off of the mysterious alpha.

Frankly, his attempts came through, at least up until he was finally able to return home. Jiang Shushu was quick congratulate him, but the alpha gave him a weird look when he went to pat his back. Whatever it was, the sect leader didn't mention it, and soon returned to his study to work.

Jiang Cheng on the other hand seemed to have no quarrels with pointing it out, "Wei Ying! You smell terrible! What did you get into during the competitions?" He asked, very evidently sniffing him.  

"Nothing, I think. . ." Wei Ying responded, but was quick to trail off. Shit! He thought, Could A-Cheng smell the alpha that had kissed him? He really hoped not.

Jiang Cheng's sense of smell was impeccable, Wei Ying just hoped it wasn't that great. Then again, it would be nice to know who the perpetrator was. Who knows, if Wei Ying likes them enough, he might even decide to try a bit of courting; after he punched them of course.

"You smell like an alpha?" Wei Ying's brother continued, "You smell like an alpha." He repeated, except this time his tone was much darker. "What happened?" 

"Nothing bad! I promise. I just bumped into someone rather roughly when I was blindfolded," Wei Ying deflected, trying to calm his brother's exceedingly deeper glare. "Why, do you recognize it?" The omega asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"It's familiar, but the ferality is overpowering the base scent so much I can't tell, not to mention the overall scent is pretty faint." His brother reported as he continued to smell the air around the omega, "Are you sure nothing happened? Because this alpha smells completely out of control," Jiang Cheng asked, his tone now worried.

"Yup! They just got pretty pissed when I knocked them over. I'm also pretty sure I scared away their catch." Wei Ying said as he walked towards his room, trying to ignore the comment that sounded too much like: "pretty pissed would be an understatement".

"Tell shijie I've gone to bed. And please, don't let her worry anymore than she has to." Wei Ying asks softly before ducking into his room.

The first thing he did when he closed the door was strip himself of his two-day-old clothes. He would need to get them washed before his sister found them. Wei Ying really didn't want her to pick up on the scent that may still be lingering.

Once he had found an adequate hiding spot, he drew himself a bath. Wei Ying wanted to try and wash away both his sickness and that alpha's smell. But still, he also kind of wished he was able to smell the scent. The feeling of it alone was familiar, even if he was unable to tell from who. 

So that limited his half minded search by about seventy percent of the cultivation world. He knew the perpetrator was an alpha, he had felt the marking canines grazing his lips. Heat pooled in his stomach. Wei Ying sighed; his omega really liked that thought.

He thoroughly washed his hair, then took the time to scrub his body nearly raw. By the end, his bath water was cold and he was exhausted. Not even draining the water, or properly drying his hair, he dragged himself to bed. He didn't really have the energy to pull even a half-assed nest together before he passed out. He was out so cold Wei Ying doubted even an explosion would wake him within the next twelve hours.

---------------

Wei Ying had been thoroughly correct. Nothing had woken him up for more than fourteen hours. He had even missed the next event of the discussion conference. Luckily, he was now feeling ten times better than he had the day prior. His head was no longer pounding and his coughing had subsided for the most part. And now, he was actually able to breath through his nose. Yes, it was still relatively runny, but at least he could smell.

"A-Ying? You're finally awake! How are you feeling?" Yanli asked, hurriedly rushing to his side. "A whole lot better. I guess I just needed some sleep." Wei Ying responded sheepishly.

The female omega's hand came to rest on his forehead for a moment before she nodded, satisfied with her findings.

"You're just in time for lunch, come eat," his shijie said, pulling him towards the kitchen by his arm.

He sat down, and they ate a delicious home made meal. They talked about the rest of the week, the competition, the dinners to come, and before they knew it, it was time for the next event.

Everything after the archery competition went by relatively quickly, Wei Ying having very little interest in the rest of the discussion conference. The only reason he had come in the first place was to partake in the clan wide competition, so he pretty much ignored everything after that.

The end of the discussion conference couldn't come soon enough, and when it finally did, Wei Ying was jumping in joy. He had been having fun, yes, but he really missed the warmth of lotus pier, and the swimming. Not to mention he really wanted to curl up in his own nest, not some half hazard one he had made for the week. He also, really, really, wanted to eat some properly spicy food. These Wens were no where near as bad as the Lans when it came to spices, but it still couldn't compare to a good noodle bowl from the vendors in lotus pier market.

His mouth was already watering at the thought.

"Wei Ying! You coming? If you don't hurry up, we'll leave without you!" Jiang Cheng shouted from where he stood with the rest of the Jiang delegation.

"No we won't, but your brother's right, hurry up please!" Another jiang disciple shouted out from behind Wei Ying's brother, only to be smacked upside the head by said brother.

"Alright, fine! Just give me a minute and I'll be ready!" The omega responded before turning his head towards the rest of the parting sects.

Everyone was leaving, and he was hoping to say goodbye to a couple of people before he left. The first person he spotted was Nie Huaisang, standing and laughing with a group of random sect disciples.

"Huaisang! We're leaving now, make sure to send me letters!" Wei Ying exclaimed, speedily approaching him and draping his arm over the other omega's shoulders. 

"I will, don't worry Wei Ying. Not to mention my brother and I will be stopping by in a couple of weeks, something to do with an extermination." The Nie omega said, elbowing Wei Ying in the ribs.

"That's good to hear, me and A-Cheng will take you swimming. And you'll get to try some proper Yunmeng liquor!" Wei Ying announced, promptly ignoring Nie Huaisang's slightly flustered features.

The poor omega had finally come to terms with his crush on Jiang Cheng. And even if Wei Ying found it mildly disgusting, it was terribly amusing to tease him. He knew why Huaisang was blushing, he remembered the last time the Nie omega had seen his brother without a shirt. It had been so bad Wei Ying had been curled up on the floor laughing for hours. Every time he would start to calm down, Wei Ying would make eye contact with Nie Huaisang's flustered face and would begin bursting out with laughter all over.

And of course, while that was happening, Wei Ying's poor brother stood there all confused and sad, thinking he was the bud of an inside joke. When the Jiang alpha had finally left, it took forever for Wei Ying to stop teasing Huaisang, only really taking the hint when he got clocked in the face by a fan. Those stupid things can really hurt sometimes!

To put it simply, The other omega was never gong to live it down. Now, mentioning scenarios where his brother wouldn't be fully clothed was one of his best sources of entertainment when it came to his friend.

"I'll see you then, Bye Huaisang!" He waved, gaining a laugh and response from the other omega before he moved on to his next target.

Wei Wuxian gave polite nods to everyone he recognized, and was conscious enough to bow to some of the other sect elders before his gaze fell to white robes. Slowing his pace, making an effort to seem ever so slightly more mannered than he truly was, he approached the Lan delegation. He scanned the crowd for familiar yellow eyes, but felt a cornel of disappointment in his gut when they weren't present.

When he decided that they wouldn't be found, he was in the center of a crowd of white, sticking out like a sore thumb in his black garments. He was about to retreat to the safety of color when a familial face approached him.

"Wei Ying, good to see you," Kind, hazel eyes smiled down at him. 

"You as well, Zewu-Jun. . ." he paused in his bow, "If I may ask, where is your brother?" Wei Ying asked, standing back up and meeting the Lan heir's eyes. 

"My brother wasn't feeling well, he returned home about two days ago." The Lan alpha said, a mildly amused look on his face. 

"Oh, I was wondering why I hadn't seen him. Well I hope he gets better!" Wei Ying responded, pondering how the hell an alpha of such immense core strength had gotten ill. Oh no! Did I get him sick? He thought. Wei Ying had been bothering him quite a bit at the start of the week, but he doubted that would have been enough to get the other teen sick.

"Anyways, you shot well in the archery competition, I hope to see it again!" Wei Ying exclaimed, those Lan twins were extremely good with a bow.

"Not as well as you, I was impressed. You were quite quite extraordinary, even while sick," Lan Xicheng complimented, nodding his head.

"Thankyou Zewu-Jun, I had fun." Wei Ying agreed, taking the compliment to heart. Even if he thought he had been hiding his illness well he enough, at least he was on the good side of one of the Lan.

They bid their farewells, and Wei Wuxian began to return to the Jiang delegation, but something at the far corner of the clearing caught his eye.

Hoping none of the Yunmeng disciples saw him coming, he ducked behind a group of cultivators and headed towards movement. Wei Ying could now make out a face, a familiar one attached to a body in Wen robes. It was the Wen disciple he had encountered before the archery competition, what was his name again? Wen Qianla? Wen Qionqui? Oh! It was Wen Qionglin!

Making his approach very obvious (he didn't want to scare him like last time) Wei Ying came to stand in front of the anxious teen.

"Hello!" Wei Ying greeted, still some how managing to make the boy flinch. They had been making eye contact a he walked over, he had no idea how the boy could be this nervous!

"H-hi," he responded, but didn't continue.

"I didn't see your name on the competition results? Did you not end up competing? You were doing so well!" Wei Ying exclaimed, looking over the Wen disciples features. 

Now that he could actually smell, Wei Ying was able to pick up on the other teens pheromones; alpha, but faint. To be honest, Wei Ying was kind of expecting him to be an omega like himself. Wen Qionglin had surprisingly delicate features for an alpha.

"I-I wasn't allowed to c-compete. . ." The other teen trailed off, breaking Wei Ying's eye contact. "B-but I saw how w-well you did, c-congratulations on first place!" He said, sounding slightly more chipper.

"Thankyou! It was easy! But it really was a shame you weren't allowed to compete, I was so sure you'd at least place in the top ten!" Which was completely true. After shooting a couple shots with the Wen alpha, he had been convinced that the other teen might actually be some competition, even if he did need to get his confidence up a bit. The poor guy was so nervous, it made Wei Ying feel a little bad for him.

"Oh n-no, I could n-ever! I-I'm no where near t-that good!" Wen Qionglin deflected, his face turning red at the praise. Wei Ying couldn't help but snicker, this guy was kind of adorable. He reminded Wei Ying of a shy little child.

Resisting the urge to pat the guy's head, Wei continued, "Well, hopefully at the next discussion conference, your sect will be smart enough to let you compete. If you couldn't tell, they really needed your help!" Wei Ying laughed, only to continue when the Wen alpha couldn't even stutter out a proper response.

"Anyways, I hope to see you soon! In less than a year preferably. You should totally stop by lotus pier, we could have a competition just the two of us!"  Wei Ying exclaimed, still all smiley from his laughing fit.

"T-that could b-be fun," Wen Qionglin said, smiling back at Wei Ying.

"Or, If you want, you can bring some friends and we could make it a whole thing! I would love to beat some Wen ass!" The omega exclaimed, happily patting the other teens shoulder "Maybe then we could show them how amazing you can be!"

"M-maybe," He responded, his smile still present, and a small spark in his eye, even if his body seemed to curl in on himself a bit at the thought.

"I'm serious though, Wen Qionglin, I want some real competition!" Wei Ying said, he could feel this conversation coming to an end.

"Actually, p-please call me W-wen Ning," The wen alpha said, some sort of wave of confidence overtaking him as he outstretched an arm. Taking Wen Ning's hand in his own, he smiled," Then call me Wei Ying!"

He had a feeling this was a start of a great friendship.

Chapter Text

Wei Ying rolled over, or at least tried to. He was lying on hard rock, and something wasn't allowing him to do as he wished. With a struggling grunt, the Jiang disciple pushed away whatever it was that was holding his waist down. Now, finally able to sit up, his hand reached up to rub his eyes. They remained stubbornly closed, both with morning eye gook and swelling.

What the hell? The omega thought he couldn't remember what he was doing, and his chest really hurt.

When Wei Ying finally managed to open his eyes, with much difficulty, he took quick note of his surroundings: He was in a very dark cave, he was hot, and the air was full of pheromones.

"-The Fuck?" He cursed under his breath, finally looking down at himself. His clothes were torn to shreds ,and he had a horrendous-looking Wen brand on his right pectoral.

It may be what hurt the most, but it was far from the worst of the marks littering his body.

Bruises littered his body, some large and some small. But what made his brain finally blow a fuse were the marks that looked concerningly like bite marks.

"-?"

He tried to curse, but nothing came out. What in the world had happened? No, screw that. He knew what happened, but how?

Wei Ying's answer came in the form of a mini heart attack, the omega nearly jumping out of his skin when an arm -AN ARM!?- reached out and curled itself around his waist. The grip was firm as it pulled Wei Ying closer to the warm body that it was presumably attached to.

Not so slowly, he whipped his head around to face the perpetrator, only to further freeze in place. He wasn't sure if it was horror, mortification, or just plain shock. But when two, very hazy, golden-yellow eyes bore up at him, all Wei Ying could feel was both his heart drop, and his blood drop even further.

The events of the past couple of days rushed through his head, his memory suddenly very jogged. The Wens had dragged all the young cultivators here, sending them down into the Xuanwu of Slaughter's cave, forcing them to fight the beast without swords. When it had been proved that the beast wasn't so easily defeated, the cowardly Wen cultivators had buried all those without swords down here in an attempt to escape. They had succeeded, but all of the young cultivators were then stuck, Wei Ying, Jiang Cheng, and Lan Zhan among them.

With great effort, he and Jiang Cheng had found a way to escape the cave, but it required everyone to swim through an underwater tunnel in the same pool that the Xuanwu of Slaughter inhabited. As Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had distracted the beast, everyone departed through the tunnel, Jiang Cheng led their way. But throughout the chaos of the battle between cultivator and beast, the underwater cave entrance ended up being blocked before Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had been able to escape.

However, that didn't really explain the predicament he found himself in now. But he had a vague idea.

Wei Ying had been affected by the negative Qi the beast was exuding; it hadn't really helped that he had been inside the beast's shell. The only reason he had gone in in the first place was to see if he could find some sort of weakness underneath the shell.

Neither Lan Zhan nor he could find a way to harm the snake turtle due to its shell, so the only resort was to find a way around it. So yet again, while the Lan alpha distracted the Xuanwu of Slaughter, Wei Ying snuck into the beast's shell. He was quick to discover two things: The shell's interior was disgusting, radiating extreme amounts of resentment, but the skin of the turtle was weak.

So while Lan Zhan attempted to cut off the beast's head from the outside, Wei Ying found a spare sword in the decay around him and took his time stabbing the beast from inside the shell. He only later found out that Lan Zhan had indeed managed to sever the beast's head right off its neck, using some ancient Lan technique. He still liked to think he helped, wading through all that resentment and filth couldn't have been for nothing.

When Wei Ying had re-emerged from the shell of the Xuanwu of Slaughter, it had been quite a shock to find a very battered, very feverish Lan Zhan. Wei Ying hadn't really been in much of a better state himself, though, so he couldn't talk.

The alpha's leg was acting up, stupid Lan had refused to stand by and rest while Wei Ying attempted to take care of the beast. So his previously broken leg was greatly affecting him. Using the last of the herbs Mianmian had given him, they made sure that the wound wouldn't get infected.

Sadly, the medicine should have probably gone to Wei Ying, because his own wound -the blistering Wen brand- had gotten infected, leading to the omega himself getting pretty feverish. He was in and out of it for days, how many? He wasn't too sure. However, when he was finally conscious enough to pay attention, he realized there was something severely wrong with Lan Zhan.

The man was panting heavily, his face far more flushed than Wei Ying had ever seen. The pink of his skin stained from his forehead down his neck, his ears a bright red.

"Lan Zhan?" He had asked, sitting up to get a better look at the alpha, only then did he get a full intake of the air.

It had been full of pheromones, just as it was now, except then it had only been the pheromones of an alpha in rut, not the combination of alpha and omega. The air now was sickly sweet, the scent of sex filling Wei Ying's senses. What had he done?

At the time, Wei Ying had been far too enthralled to truly react. It had been the first time he had ever seen or smelled an alpha in the throes of a rut. His omega side had loved it, fuck, he had loved it. Even the lewdity of the was making him flush just thinking about it. So, how in the world was he supposed to react when the alpha had pounced on him, with no warning at all?

Although Lan Zhan had a broken leg, the sheer force with which he had slammed Wei Ying to the ground was impressive. It had knocked the air from his chest. He wasn't even given the chance to catch his breath when achingly familiar lips crashed against his. Warm, wet, smooth, and oh, so arousing.

It had to have been his pheromones controlling him, because the second he had the chance, Wei Ying was making some of the most shameless noises possible.

It didn't take long for his fever to return, even if all that was happening was some insanely sexually motivated making out. The omega was soon forced into a heat, but for once, he didn't fear it.

The scent of his slick started to mix with that of Lan Zhan's rut, and only then were his clothes torn off.

Everything after that was foggy, but he was well aware of what happened. His virginity had been stolen by some alpha whom he could have sworn hated him.

Okay, maybe hate was a strong word, but Lan Zhan did seem to have this ever-present displeasure when it came to Wei Ying. Now, though, he was starting to doubt his original impression of the Lan heir. Then again, he had been the only omega within fucking distance when the alpha began to rut, so he really shouldn't be overthinking this.

Even still, the sheer intensity with which Lan Zhan met Wei Ying's eyes made his annoying, stupid heart flutter.

"Wei Ying~" Lan Zhan let out softly, his voice rough and breathy.

He had no control over his body as it tried to relax into Lan Zhan's grip, but his mind knew differently.

"Lan Zhan, you need to let go." Wei Ying said, fighting against his instincts as he struggled against the alpha's firm grip.

"Mn," the usually affirmative noise came out as if he intended to say no.

"You're not thinking straight, Lan Zhan, let me go." He said, struggling further against his arm.

But his struggles were in vain as he was roughly pulled down into a prone position, Lan Zhan's head to toe pressed against his side.

"My Wei Ying~," He said, his nose coming to sniff at his neck.

Wei Ying could feel how tender the area was, he could only hope that the alpha had yet to claim him fully.

"No, not your Wei Ying," only to be shut up as a possessive growl crawled its way from the other man's throat. Wei Ying couldn't say he hated the way it made him feel.

"Yes." was the only word further spoken by the alpha before a tongue found its way to one of the scent glands on Wei Ying's neck. He shivered at the tickling sensation, but yet again, he couldn't say he hated it.

"Lan Zhan, please stop. We need to preserve our energy, not. . . fuck."

"Yes, fuck" He breathed between kisses against Wei Ying's nape. He couldn't control himself as he choked out a small whimper. Mortified, he tried to slap his hands over his mouth, only to find that they were now pinned down by Lan Zhan.

"Hey-!" He tried to protest but he was cut short as wet lips pressed against his. Wei Ying slammed his eyes closed, his whole body tensing up as if scared of something. Lan Zhan must have picked up on it because the intense, but comforting scent of sandalwood began to surround him and his body began to slowly relax.

"It's okay, I will protect the omega," Lan Zhan whispered as he pulled back from Wei Ying's lips.

Slowly, he began to open his eyes, quickly taking note of their proximity. If he was any closer, our noses would be touching. Wei Ying thought, his eyes crossing as he tried to focus on the bright yellow in front of him.

He could feel his head getting fuzzy as his heat began to overtake him again.

"Lan Zhan, please~" Wei Ying begged, though he wasn't sure what for.

Whatever it was, Lan Zhan seemed to know because he backed away from the omega's face. Finally, thinking he had a chance to get away, Wei Ying began to move, but once again found it futile as two large hands moved from his wrists, only to clamp down harder on his hips.

"AH!" He let out a yelp as he was roughly pinned down on his front. No chance of escape now, he thought in defeat.

Though his self-pity was cut short when he felt Lan Zhan's warm breath on his embarrassingly bare rear.

"Lan Zhan! What are you doing?" but his only response was a low, hungry growl. Then came the mortification about what was about to happen.

Wei Ying's now free hands came up to cover his mouth in preparation, and just in time too, because any later and his shocked moan would have been echoing around the underground cave.

A mouth pressed against his rear entrance, and the warm, wet sensation of a tongue soon followed. The sheer image of Lan Zhan's elegant face pressed between Wei Ying's cheeks made him almost cum then and there.

Wet sounds mixed with the omega's moans as Lan Zhan began to eat him out. Yes, Wei Ying had read quite a bit of porn, but not once did he think he would be in this situation. He always thought that if he was married off to some wealthy alpha as far away from Madame Yu as possible, he would only be pounded mercilessly from behind, and while he quite enjoyed the thought to some extent, the reality was far better than imagination.

He was harshly pulled from his thoughts when Lan Zhan's tongue made its way inside of him, the slide and slight stretch making his legs shiver. This went on for a couple more moments before the alpha pulled away. And Wei Ying shivered once more as cold air filled the gap.

He wasn't empty for long, and he definitely wasn't expecting two long fingers to be suddenly thrust inside of him. A loud gasp was ripped from his throat, and Wei Ying tried to back off the fingers.

Much to the omega's displeasure, he was roughly flipped over onto his back. Even though he probably scraped his arm on the ground in the process, the view was totally worth it. A sweaty, flustered, and ravenous Lan Zhan met his eyes, his remaining hand coming to press down on his lower abdomen, intentionally leaving his throbbing cock untouched.

"L-Lan Zhan, don't tease. Please~" Wei Ying whined at the sight, sadly gaining no response. Instead, the alpha continued to press one hand down, while the other began to move inside of him. The slow, dragging sensation almost immediately began to drive him insane. Once again, he continued, now making scissoring motions yet still never breaking eye contact for what felt like forever.

A small, almost imperceptible smirk found its way onto Lan Zhan's face, and Wei Ying could only watch and moan as the alpha pulled his two middle fingers out, then stuck them in his mouth, with the addition of his index.

Slow slurping noises were made as he stuck as much of his fingers in his mouth as he could without choking, only to end up returning them to Wei Ying's hole. Once more, without notice, all three fingers were shoved inside him, now making a curling motion as they moved.

"Ah, ah~ Mn~ Lan Zhan~, more," Wei Ying pleaded as the movement began to drag out the feeling of an orgasm. In response, the alpha began to speed up his motion, shifting the position on his wrist occasionally, as if searching for something.

Then, out of nowhere, immense pleasure began to overcome him, and his back began to arch off the ground. He hadn't been expecting his climax so soon. But it wasn't his orgasm, just a sudden wave of pleasure. A growl from Lan Zhan greeted him, and the alpha began to drive his fingers back into the same place over and over, and over again until Wei Ying was both a moaning mess and coming all over himself.

The alpha was not quick to pull his fingers from Wei Ying's clenching hole, obviously intending to ride his orgasm out with more, much slower drags of his fingers.

Then, when one of the greatest pleasures of Wei Ying's whole life was finally over, the alpha pulled his fingers from the omega's slick-seeping hole. Wei Ying lay there, eyes closed tight, and panted as he floated through the after-bliss of his climax.

"My turn," Came Lan Zhan's gruff voice. Wei Ying barely had the chance to open his eyes when he felt something warm and much larger than fingers poke at his oversensitive entrance.

Wei Ying couldn't help but freeze at the sight before him: Lan Zhan, flustered bright red, holding his equally flustered cock that could only be described as nothing short of impressive. Wei Ying really shouldn't have expected less in terms of prowess from the man, this was one of the twin jades of Lan he was talking about here, of course, everything about the alpha had to far exceed the standard.

"Wait! Hold on, is that even going to fit?" Wei Ying asked, a scared look on his face. He only received a 'Are you serious?' look from Lan Zhan, who looked mildly amused if not sexually frustrated.

"Wei Ying, it has fit before," Lan Zhan said, then proceeded to push the tip as if to prove a point.

Wei Ying let out a loud moan at the feeling. The combination of stretch and pleasure drove his pheromones crazy. His previous clarity of mind was all but dispersed.

"Then you better fuck me good Lan Zhan, fill me up~" He began to speak, only to break off into a cacophony of moaning and whimpering as the alpha happily obliged.

The slapping of wet skin echoed around the cave, mixing with the omega's moaning and the alpha's panting. It took no time at all for a second orgasm to be fucked out of Wei Ying, thanks to that heavenly spot from earlier. Not to mention the sheer size of Lan Zhan's entirety, it gave him little hope as the alpha just continued to thrust into him even after the omega's orgasm passed.

Wei Ying's moans turned more to cries the longer it went on, he was overstimulated and tired from his first two climaxes. What more could Lan Zhan want?

Then it hit him, why wouldn't he continue? He had yet to reach his own completion. But from the look of his face, he was close. Wei Ying wrapped his legs around Lan Zhan's waist, pulling him in deeper, then, through his moaning, he managed to reach out and pull Lan Zhan's face down into his neck.

Wei Ying then bit down into the shoulder of the alpha, not marking, but close. He was quick to gain a similar response from Lan Zhan. He couldn't do anything except dig his nails into the Lan disciple's back, drawing out long, rosy scratches on his fair jade skin.

That's when he felt it: Lan Zhan's cock began to expand, his knot beginning to form at the base of his length. It didn't go unnoticed as the alpha began to pound down faster and harder into Wei Ying's soaking hole.

"Mnn~ Ah! Ah! Ah~ L-Lan~ Zhannnnn~" Wei Ying moaned into the alpha's neck at the feeling of being stretched even further. A third climax sprang from nowhere, his whole body arching as Lan Zhan's thrusts began to shorten, smaller and smaller until it was only twitches of his hips, the previous, long and hard thrust no longer possible as the alpha's knot caught.

This was the first time Lan Zhan had knotted in him. Even through the haze, he could tell that this had yet to happen until now. The sensation of being tied to someone as they filled you full of their seed was something Wei Ying couldn't even imagine trying to describe. His whole body relaxed instinctively as if it knew that if he tried to move, he would hurt.

A connection had been formed, and it wouldn't be going away anytime soon. So Wei Ying lay limp under the weight of Lan Zhan's sweaty body. They both breathed heavily for what felt like forever until Lan Zhan began to move.

He wasn't trying to pull out, but regardless, the movement still made Wei Ying wince. Taking note, Lan Zhan wrapped his arms around Wei Ying's torso and shoulders respectively. They then pulled him up into a sitting position as Lan Zhan shuffled them back so they were resting up against one of the cave walls, a little hollowed-out dent in the wall that felt nearly like a den.

Wei Ying was too tired to protest as the alpha pulled his outer robes over his shoulders. The fabric was warm, dry, and smelled like Lan Zhan. He was comfortable in the alpha's lap, so comfortable and tired that he began to fall asleep.

"My omega," Lan Zhan whispered in Wei Ying's ear, the last words he heard from the man before he drifted off into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

The rest of the time spent in the cave remained the same, they had to have been stuck there for six or seven days by the time someone came to rescue them. But by then, Wei Ying's infection was so bad he had remained pretty much only unconscious until then.

At some point, after all the fucking, Lan Zhan's rut began to disperse. By then, Wei Ying put back on whatever was left of his clothes -maybe they weren't as torn up as he initially thought, but he would definitely need new ones when he returned to Lotus Pier- only to pass out again shortly after.

Somehow, Lan Zhan had managed to find a source of clean freshwater, so the man was able to nurse Wei Ying's wound as much as possible. But even with his basic knowledge of medicine, there was only so much you could do with limited resources. Not to mention that the alpha himself was a little out of it.

After that point, the only thing Wei Ying could remember through his feverish haze was soft humming and soft strokes of a hand through his hair. The tune stayed with him even as he swayed in and out of consciousness.

---------------

Chapter Text

Jiang Cheng looked at his brother and let out a long sigh,

"What are you planning now?" He asked, his tone low and exasperated.

"I really fucking hate the Wen, but even I ain't that stupid." Wei Ying responded, keeping his eyes fixed ahead of them, "Unless I see a perfect opportunity!"

A grin crept over his features, and Jiang Cheng couldn't help the bundle of nerves that began to form in his stomach, "Don't do anything too reckless, they took our weapons and easily outnumber us."

"I'm aware, I'll figure something out, don't worry." The omega replied, beginning to scan their surroundings.

They were walking down a woodland path, the road well worn by both feet, hooves and heavy utility; Jiang Cheng could see the marks of wheels in the dirt. The canopy was beginning to yellow with the first hints of autumn but the sun still beat down heavily on their skin. The cultivators walked in a relatively straight line, Wen clansmen on either sides, guiding, yelling and throwing insults at them. It was humiliating.

The Wen dogs had pretty much ordered the attendance of all heirs of any, even somewhat, influential clans about a month ago. Many other cultivators had tagged along, some sensing the danger that their young masters may be heading into. The Yunmeng clan however, had only sent Jiang Cheng himself and Wei Ying.

Originally, his mother had been adamant on sending just his brother, knowing very well that he was being sent into the belly of danger, not bothering to make up an excuse as to why. Jiang Cheng knew, hell, everyone in their clan new that the mistress of the house wanted the omega gone, she made no attempt at hiding her detest.

This didn't fly very well with their father, the clan head expressing how dire it was that they follow the instructions of the letter. The wise man could feel the on coming storm that brewed.

"Why not send some of our disciples?" Jiang Cheng had asked, still ignorant to what was to come, "We don't have to send Wei Ying, I can go with the disciples, they asked for the heir specifically" He pointed out, interrupting the argument between his parents.

"You stupid child! That is why we shouldn't send you. If those scheming Wen are asking for the heirs, then they are most definitely planning something. We need you alive and functioning, not dead in a pit somewhere!" His mother yelled, smacking her hand against the table in front of her. The alpha picked up the way his brother flinched at the loud noise.

He loved his mother, and Jiang Cheng was eternally grateful towards her, but sometimes he wished she would just stop being so hateful. It made it hard for his family to get along.

"She's right A-Cheng, listen to a-Niang." A-Li said, giving him a kind, but stern look. He recognized it easily, she was telling him to shut up. He looked down at his unfinished meal.

"We'll send both A-Cheng and A-Ying. If the Wen are truly planning something, we'll need to prepare." His father said, standing up from his head table.

Madame Yu opened her mouth to protest but he shot his mate a glare, "That is final." He stated before walking towards the exit. Their mother quickly stood up and followed him, the three siblings left by themselves, listening to their mother yell down the hallways as she chased him.

The silence in the hall was thick, he had no doubt that he could cut it with Sandu if he pleased.

". . .Soooo, anyone wanna go swimming?" Wei Ying suggested, his voice breaking through the quiet after a long pause.

Jiang Cheng shot his brother a half hearted glare, and Yanli tossed one of her chopsticks at him.

"HEY! I was just trying to lighten the mood!" The omega declared, a snotty pout gracing his face, "Not cool."

It was true, at least Wei Ying was trying. Jiang Cheng just sighed, patting his brother's head as he passed by, earing a huff and a swat at his hand.

"Sure, why not."

***************

They came upon a rocky slope, a cavern gaping wide at its base, the shrubs and rubble around it's entrance had clearly been cleared away. This is where they were intending to bring them, the alpha still had no idea why though.

"What are we doing at Mount Muxi?" Jiang Cheng heard a cultivators ask, it seemed he wasn't the only person out of the loop.

The only response the man got was a bout of cussing from the nearest Wen disciple.

"Guess were not getting an answer then." The alpha heard his brother mutter.

Jiang Cheng took note of Wen Chao, walking towards the mouth of the cave. He lit a torch and threw it into the well hidden entrance. It plummeted into the darkness, the glow of the fire quickly disappearing. Instead of it landing on solid ground, it seemed almost as if minutes passed before a quiet thump was heard. The woman next to the man let out a gasp, her hand coming up to cover her mouth, the other resting on the tree to her side.

"Oh my, Wen-gongzi. That is very far down!" The pretty omega said, her eyes fluttering towards the Wen alpha at her side. Jiang Cheng looked between the two, that beautiful yet sly looking omega must be Wang Lingjiao; it was known that she was currently the third young master's favorite attendant at the moment. Everyone who knew the alpha knew what that implied.

The female omega only had one bite mark on her marking scent glands, claiming her as someone's omega, but not as an alpha's mate. Two bite marks were only permitted between married or soon to be married couples, mistresses and concubines only being permitted one. During one's lifetime, it was only possible to have one mate, and it was most often found after a couple had been wed. In the case of concubines, or multiple wives, the alpha would usually only put a claiming mark on the omega's bodies. The two marks meant complete and total unity between two people, and you could only be mated to one person in your life. An alpha, on the other hand, could claim as many as they wanted, taking Wen Chao as an example; that alpha easily had an entire harem of omegas, and Jiang Cheng doubted that all of them were consensual. The Wen alpha was known for his terrible personality, an his absolute need to whore around. Jiang Cheng had no doubt what so ever that he would become just like the Jin sect leader if he was given the chance.

The Yunmeng heir could not comprehend why anyone would want to do anything of the such, he saw very little physical appeal in an omega. He knew he would need a wife when the time came for him to lead the sect, he needed someone to give him heirs, but he was planning to see if he could just marry a female beta or alpha instead, omegas seemed to be too much work. It was hard enough taking care of his siblings, he had no idea what to do with an omega wife, and he did not want a mate. That kind of commitment took more effort than he was willing to put in; he was much more keen on improving his cultivation and his ability to lead instead of chasing after some fluke of a romance.

"Wen-gongzi said to step forward!" Wang Lingjiao shouted, stomping her foot like an overgrown child.

"Thank you Jiao-Jiao, but I can do it myself. Move scum!" The Wen alpha shouted, his tone doing a near 180 between the two sentences.

Before anyone could step forward themselves, Jiang Cheng doubted anyone even would have, a few Wen disciples moved forwards and corralled two or three of the mulling cultivators in front of the cavern. An before anyone could protest, much less fight back, the first two were pushed in. The surrounding cultivators gasped, or yelled as the screaming echoed from the cave entrance. After a long bout of the sacrificed cultivators screams slowly getting quieter, they heard a loud THUMP!  that ricocheted out of the opening, soon after came loud groans, and something that sounded very a-kin to crying.

"Good, they survived, NEXT!" Wen Chao shouted and against the will of nearly everybody present, the remaining cultivators were forced to either jump or be pushed down the hole.

"We wouldn't have to do this if they had just let us keep our swords." Wei Ying noted as they neared the entrance, "Hey! Lan Zhan!" He suddenly shouted, nearly scaring Jiang Cheng from his skin.

The Yunmeng alpha looked to where his brother ran off to, and sure enough, there was the Lan alpha. It had been a while since Jiang Cheng had seen their fellow cultivator, regardless, he could tell that the man looked a little worse for wear.

As Jiang Cheng approached, following his brother, he picked up on the scent of blood and ash coming off the man. His face was as blank as ever, but the alpha had a slight limp to his gate that would have been almost unnoticeable if it weren't for jiang Cheng's keen senses.

"You doing okay?" Wei Ying asked, obviously noticing something off as well.

The Lan alpha paused, looking down towards Wei Ying before answering, "Mn, I'm fine." Jiang Cheng himself paused, looking between his brother and the alpha, his nose picking up on the scent change in their pheromones. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, one could even consider him glaring at Lan Wangji.

"We should continue moving, I would prefer it if we don't get killed." He said, giving the Lan alpha one last hard look, something smelled really off with him.

---------------

"Can you tell us what kind of Yao beast we will be facing? It would be safer to know what to expect." Jin Zixuan asked, standing in front of Wen Chao. His response started as a wave of pheromones, Jiang Cheng ended up having to cover his nose they were so potently putrid.

"Why would I have to do that? I am the one in charge, you are all taking MY orders! You are nothing but MY subservient cultivators! Know your place, Jin scum!" The Wen alpha stated, his tone intending to be fierce and commanding, but Jiang Cheng only found it infuriating. Especially on top of all the overwhelming pheromones he was putting out.

The Yunmeng alpha quickly turned to his brother, taking note of the hands over his face and the slight sway in his stride. He was about to walk to his brother's side, but Lan Wangji got to the omega first, placing a firm hand on Wei Ying's shoulder. He muttered something to Jiang Cheng's brother, too softly for him to hear. But Wei Ying just gave a silent nod before the two separated.

Jiang Cheng stared even harder. He knew the two had gotten relatively close during their stay at the Cloud Recess, but that was over two years ago, and the only other time they had come into contact since then was at the grand discussion conference the year prior. And he was pretty sure they had gotten into a fight then too, so this didn't make much sense.

Then it hit him; Lan Wangji was one of the very few people outside of the Yunmeng Jiang clan that knew Wei Ying was an omega. A wave of relief washed over him, Lan Wangji was just making sure his brother was okay. No harm in that.

Jiang Cheng walked up to his brother, standing on the opposite side of his as Lan Wangji, "We should look for another exit, I have a bad feeling about this." He said, looking at both the omega and alpha. Both, in turn, giving him a curt nod.

Lan Wangji went left, while the two Yunmeng cultivators went right, attempting to be quiet while Jin Zixuan and Wen Chao argued, "I didn't know that Jin had the guts, he makes for a great distraction." Wei Ying muttered softly to his brother.

"Very true, he can sometimes be not so much of a pain in the ass." Jiang Cheng agreed.

After a long pause, Wei Ying spoke again, "Lan Zhan is pretty badly injured, I think he broke his leg."

"I noticed the same as well. . . he also smelled of ash and blood, something may have happened."

"Really? I didn't notice. He does smell off though." His brother said with a nod.

"Let's separate off again, you look that way." Jiang Cheng suggested, pointing past a group of female cultivators, "Alright" came his brother's quick response.

Jiang Cheng did quick work of his side, but he had come to the conclusion that the cave system was much larger than they had anticipated, and it was very unlikely that they would find an exit without anyone noticing they were missing.

By the time the Yunmeng alpha had returned to the main group, he was quick to notice that his brother was in fact not looking around. Instead he was talking with that group of female cultivators he had been supposed to pass by. A little ticked off, Jiang Cheng marched up to his brother and the girls, still making sure that no one noticed his odd behavior.

"A-Ying! I said look around, not flirt with girls-" But he was quickly cut off by the group of women laughing, and one up front, who had a slightly red face, throwing a small sachet at Wei Ying.

"For your information, I was asking them if they had seen anything. We did get a little off topic through." Wei Ying said, turning to his brother as the girls walked off.

"Mianmian also had these really useful sachets." The omega said, holding up the small, elegantly embroidered baggie.

Oh, to help with Wen Chao's pheromones. Jiang Cheng thought as he looked at his brother.

"Apparently they're also medicinal!" His brother said, twirling the sachet around on his finger, "I didn't find anything, you?"

"No, not much. This cave is much larger than I expected anyway." Jiang Cheng said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction he came from.

"That could work in our advantage," Wei Ying said, a small smile creeping onto his face, "We should get going, the group is starting to move."

He was right, the group of cultivators had begun their descent further into the cave. Soon they came upon a still body of water, the surface dark and the bottom fathomless. Small islets littered the small lake, and it really seemed like they had reached the end of the cave. Beyond the water, where the light of the torches barely reached, Jiang Cheng could just barely make out the stony surface of a wall. It seemed to continue all around the other end of the water.

"There's a wall at the end of the water, this is as far as the cave goes." Jiang Cheng said to his brother, but his brother seemed to pay him no mind. Instead, he watched a white figure, slowly navigating his way through the crowd.

"I heard the Cloud Recess was burnt to the ground." Both Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying's heads whipped towards the source of the statement. A beta cultivator, maybe from a sub-sect of the Jin clan looked back at them.

"What do you mean?" Came Wei Ying's voice

"I mean, the oldest Wen heir marched right into the Cloud Recess, accused the sect leader of some crime and forced the Lans to burn down their own home."

"Why would Lan Wangji be here then?" Jiang Cheng asked

"I heard that they forced him to burn down the library pavilion, and when he didn't comply, they busted his leg and dragged him here."

"That's terrible,"

"Yeah, at least he's doing better than his brother, no one knows whether or not he's alive. He supposedly disappeared, heavily injured mind you, after the burning of the surrounding woodlands. The blow of loosing a centuries old immortal forest must have been too much for him." The cultivator said before quieting down for good.

"No wonder he smelled of ash and blood." Jiang Cheng muttered, only really loud enough for his brother to hear. Wei Ying's face was contorted into something in between rage, disgust, and sadness; he was quick to right his expressing when Lan Wangji in question stopped at their side.

Wei Ying looked as if he was about to say something to the alpha when Wen Chao began to bark out his next orders.

"Hang someone up, make sure they bleed. We need to draw this Yao out!" He shouted, pointing at his men.

"How about this one, Wen-gongzi?" Wang Lingjiao asked, an ugly smirk on her face as she pointed at one of the female cultivators. Jiang Cheng recognized the woman as the one who had previously thrown the sachet at his brother, his hand reached out to grab Wei Ying. He figured something was going to happen, might as well restrain the reckless omega now.

A look of shock crossed over the Wen alpha's face, he hadn't gotten to taste that woman yet, and she was very pretty. Most sects sent male cultivators, cus well, that was the majority. But a few did send some women. And Mianmian, as Wei Ying had called her was definitely not ugly.

"Are you sure Jiao-Jiao, why not choose another?" Wen Chao asked, looking in between the omega at his side at the beta woman in front of them.

"No! I want this one. Why, do YOU not want her to be picked?" Wang Lingjiao wined, batting her eyelashes up at the third Wen heir. Wen Chao looked over Mianmian's clothing, she seemed to wear no sect emblem, and she wasn't marked as someone's mate, which meant she wasn't someone of great importance. It would be okay if one disciple went missing, Wen Chao looked as if he was thoroughly contemplating it.

"Very well, my Jiao-Jiao gets to do as she wishes." He said with one final look at Wang Lingjiao.

Mianmian fled from the attempted grip of the Wen cultivators, everyone knew that once she was strung up, there was almost zero chance of her making it out of the cave alive. She attempted to hide behind other cultivators, asking for their aid, but no one complied, all too scared for their own lives. The beta woman was quick to notice that one young men hadn't moved an inch, Jin Zixuan. Begrudgingly, even Jiang Cheng could admit that he was one of the strongest people in their generation, he would make for a perfect protector.

"Out of the way Jin trash!" Wen cultivators barked at the Jin heir, trying to push past him to get at the young woman.

"This is enough, were we not sufficient meat shields? Now you want to use us as bait for this Yao beast that is no where to be seen!" Jin Zixuan said, his voice loud, and his hands balled into fists.

"Out of the way! Otherwise you'll be the only Jin cultivator going home!"

Jin Zixuan just sneered, not dining the sleezy looking alpha to an actual response.

"Such insubordination! KILL HIM!" Wen Chao yelled, pointing a finger towards the Jin heir.

Wen cultivators jumped forwards, brandishing their swords they began to approach Jin Zixuan.

"How dare he not listen to me, what is this disrespect!" Wen Chao complained, watching the seen unfold in front of him. He smiled as if it was some sick and twisted for of entertainment.

"Yeah!" Jiang Cheng swung his head to look at his brother, a look of sheer terror on his face. What is this idiot doing!? Jiang Cheng thought, about to but in, but Wei Ying continued on, "Those who use their families influence to oppress others, boldly committing crimes all deserve death! Not just death- Beheading! Then put their heads on display as a warning to future generations!" His statement was sarcastic, bleeding irony as he tore away from Jiang Cheng's grip. The Yunmeng alpha open his mouth to say something, but was cut off once again.

"What did you say!?" Wen Chao whirled around, now facing Jiang Cheng's brother.

"Did I stutter?" Wei Ying asked, his head tilted to the side, a small mock-pout on his lips, "Do you need me to repeat myself?" He took another step forward, and when he received nothing more than agape faces as an answer, he did just that: "Those who abuse their family's power to oppress others and boldly commit crimes all deserve death. Beheading is a better punishment fit for the crime is it not? Let us put their heads on display for millions to see, and let it be a warning to their future generations." A smile replaced the previous expression on his brothers face, it looked angry and insincere.

Wen Chao's face turned red with anger, and began to scream profanities at the Yunmeng omega. Wei Ying just broke down into insolent laughter.

Wei Ying paused his fit of laughter, looking back up into Wen Chao's rage filled face, "You call it treasonous, yet you denounce a quote from the mouth of the hugely renown cultivator Wen Mao. Those words are that of Wen words through and through!" He finished, before bending over, holding his stomach as he laughed.

"Now, I can't quite remember, what was the sentence for insulting a famous Wen cultivator? Oh yeah! To be killed without mercy; take the liberty, and go die now." Wei Ying said, a pep in his voice, and a smile on his face. Wen Chao on the other hand, looked terrible. His face was bright red, blood vessels popping on his forehead and neck from the strain. He couldn't hold himself back any longer, he lunged forward and drew his sword.

"Oh, that's what he was doing." Jiang Cheng said, Lan Wangji turning to look at him, as if asking for an explanation, "He was enticing him into a fight, trying to get him out of range of the Core Melting Hand, Wen Zhuliu." Jiang Cheng pointed to the stern looking alpha that had been shadowing Wen Chao. The man was dangerous, from their parents generation, and had one of the most terrifying skills out there: the ability to destroy a person's golden core. The thought gave the Yunmeng alpha a shiver down his spine.

"That is. . . dangerous." The Lan heir said, his eyes averting back to following Wei Ying's movements. My thoughts exactly.

Jiang Cheng's brother snatched the sword from Wen Chao's hands with lightening quick movements, turning the man's weapon against him. He managed to subdue the rampaging man, standing flush against his back, holding the sword up to Wen Chao's throat. He jumped backwards taking the Wen alpha with him, separating him and Wen Chao from Wen Zhuliu. A smart move on his brother's part.

"Anybody moves, I will spill your Wen-gongzi's blood." Wei Ying threatened, his voice cold.

"Don't move!" Wen Chao screeched, "Everybody stop moving!" His voice quaked with fear.

Only then did the disciples engaged in a semi-combat with Jin Zixuan stop their attacks. But before anything more could be said, the cave began to shake, "Jiang Cheng, is that an earthquake?" Wei Ying asked, looking over towards his brother.

"No! Its not the ground shaking, It's that thing under your feet!" The Yunmeng alpha shouted back. Without truly taking note, his brother had jumped into the center of the lake, and was now standing on one of the islets, the larger and moving one to be exact.

As the thing under his brother's feet moved, Jiang Cheng could make out the shape of a creature lurking under the water. Wei Ying was standing on the Yao beast's back.

---------------

Jiang Cheng watched his brother dive in front of the branding iron, taking it directly to the chest. During the chaos of the battle, Wei Ying had been the only one to notice Wang Lingjiao's behavior. She had ordered two servants to hold down Mianmian and a third to brand her face. It made no sense and far to much sense at the same time. This would definitely be something that would take priority in the scheming omega's life. She was jealous and bitter, she new that her position was feeble, holding no guarantee.

Wei Ying had lost his hold on Wen Chao, long enough for Wen Zhuliu to retrieve him and head towards the exit. Most of the Wen cultivators had followed once they had gotten a good look at the Yao beast in front of them. It was a massive tortoise, easily six men tall, with a neck incomprehensibly long compared to it's body. It had hard, black scales that covered any body part outside of the shell, and so one was able to find a weak spot to focus their attacks on. Not to mention they had been left with almost no weapons. Maybe ten bows, and three swords, definitely not enough to go around.

Even when aimed at the eyes and nose, the arrows did no damage. Not to mention that no one was able to get within a close enough range to use the swords, it was a loosing battle.  

The tortoise bared its yellow-black teeth once more before lunging, this time aiming at Jiang Cheng who stood frozen as he watched his brother.

Someone slammed into him from behind, sending him rolling out of the way before he could get killed.

"Pay attention." Came Lan Wangji's stern voice before the young man jumped back into battle.

Jiang Cheng couldn't, the smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose. He lunged forward, stabbing one of the very few swords into the back of the woman in front of him. How DARE she hurt his brother! Blood spilled violently from the wound as the sword went clean through her chest, she fell limp to the floor, no longer a danger to anyone.

"A-are you okay?" Jiang Cheng asked, turning to face his brother. A knot of worry clenched in his stomach.

Luckily, Wei Ying just paused, looking between him and Wang Lingjiao on the ground before smiling. It was tight with pain, but still genuine, "Who knew you could be so cool." He responded before letting out a small laugh.

"Shut up!" Jiang Cheng yelled, looking over his brother for any other possible injuries. Other than the branding mark on his chest, the omega seemed perfectly fine.

"Shameless fucking Wen!" Came the shout from the other end of the cave, the source of the noise being a very ruffled Jin Zixuan, "They cut the damn vine, we have no way of escaping." He said, now looking a little forlorn.

"There has to be another way out!" Came the cries of the remaining cultivators, "I don't want to die here!"

"Everyone, Shut UP!" Jian Cheng yelled, and luckily enough, they listened, some even froze. Waves of anger filled the air, the Yunmeng alpha's pheromones rolling off of him heavily. So much so that it was enough to dilute the fear that that already hung thickly in the cave.

"If there's one exit, there's bound to be another. Everyone just look!" He shouted, helping his brother to his feet. In turn, his brother turned to Mianmian, quick to comfort her, asking if she herself was okay. Jiang Cheng didn't have the time to care, and began to look for a way out himself.

"The water." A voice said from his left, turning, Jiang Cheng made eye contact with Lan Wangji.

"What?" He asked, not really looking for a response.

"There's red leaves in the water." The Lan alpha said, gesturing to the body of water.

He was right, there were a few maple leaves that littered the wavy surface of the water. They were fresh, and there was no way the leaves would have gotten this deep under ground from the other end of the cave, which meant only one thing, "An under water tunnel!" He said, looking back towards the Lan heir.

"Who here can swim?" Jiang Cheng shouted, looking around at the cultivators who weren't preoccupied with battling the Yao beast. Only a portion of the hands present went up.

"Jiang Cheng, go ahead and check to see if the exit is big enough for people to fit through," His brother said, coming up to stand next to him, "We'll distract the tortoise so you can get by." Wei Ying finished, looking as if he was prepared to jump back into battle.

Jiang Cheng gave a nod, telling his brother to be careful before waiting for the perfect moment to jump into the water. He crept forward, getting as close to the lake as he could without the Yao beast sensing him. Luckily enough, it's main sense seemed to be sound, so if he stayed quiet enough, it wouldn't be likely to notice him.

The cultivators dragged it's attention to the farthest side of the body of water, far enough away that Jiang Cheng finally felt safe enough to jump in. With a small splash, he entered.

The water was absolutely frigid and it felt this against the movements of his body. He kept his eyes closed tight, feeling around the rocks under the water. About a good minute later, he felt a change in the currents, finding where the leaves were coming from. He followed it until he made it to a divit in the wall and ducked in. He was so lucky that he was good at holding his breath, otherwise this would have been pointless.

Soon enough, the tunnel began to resurface and his head popped out of the water on the other side. Sure enough, when he opened his eyes, sunshine, sharp and hot stared back. Without looking around much, he dived back down, following the same path back.

When he got back to the inside of the cave, people had already began to crowd around where he dived down. All those that couldn't help in the battle were present.

"I found it! I can take four or five people at a time!" He said, just barely loud enough for his brother to hear him.

"Okay! You guide them, we'll distract the Xuanwu of Slaughter!" The omega shouted back, once more drawing the beast's attention. So that's what it's called. Jiang Cheng thought before guiding the first group into the depths of the water.

He tried to move quickly, but each group took two minutes, then another minute and a half to get back. Then there were the cultivators who couldn't swim, which only put a damper on his efficiency. By the seventh trip, he was getting really annoyed, he shouldn't be leaving his brother to fight that beast alone. Logically, Jiang Cheng knew that Wei Ying wasn't alone, he had Lan Wangji, Jin Zixuan along with a handful of other cultivators who had decided to stay till the end to help. His time was anything but well spent, even with only one group or so remaining inside, but the anxiety that something would go wrong clawed at his gut. This was too easy.

The last time he resurfaced inside of the cave, only four other people remained: his brother, Lan Wangji, Jin Zixuan and one other Jin cultivator he didn't know the name of.

"A-Xian! Lets go! We can make it!" He cried out, his eyes following the slowing movements of his brother. Even with the omega's high level of cultivation, the man could still tier.

"Lan Zhan and I are going to stay, you take the other two, we'll follow you out once you guys are through!" His brother shouted back.

"You don't know the way out!" Jiang Cheng pointed out.

"I'll find it, don't worry!"

"No, lets go now!" He protested.

"Don't argue, you're distracting me!" Wei Ying Shouted back.

"Fine." With one final look back at his brother, Jiang Cheng dove back under the water, the two Jin cultivators close on his tail.

They came back up on the other side about 70 seconds later, and Jiang Cheng was about to dive back under but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Jin Zixuan, still coughing had stopped him, "The tunnel isn't very wide, if you go back and, *Cough, cough*, and Wei Wuxian is exiting at the same time, you'll only get in the way." He pointed out between coughs.

The man had a point, it would only hinder his brother and Lan Wangji, especially considering the two of them were injured.

Jiang Cheng nodded, standing up straight. He was about to turn around and exit the water when a loud crash sounded from the inside of the cave. It was so loud that they could hear it through both water and stone. His anxiety spiked to an all time high and he jumped back into the water intending to return to the tunnel. But once again, the Jin alpha's hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Are you crazy? That did not sound good, don't go back." He said, clearly looking out for his safety , but all Jiang Cheng thought was that this young man hated his brother, he wanted him to die.

"Are YOU crazy?!" Jiang Cheng countered, "If something happened to my brother, I need to save him!" Jiang Cheng shouted, anger and fear thick in his pheromones.

"If something happened to your brother, what makes you think you'd be able to save him?" Jin Zixuan shot back, his lip curling at the scent of the Yunmeng alpha's pheromones, and he began to release his own.

Jiang Cheng shoved the man away, escaping his grip. Without a second thought he dived back under the water.

He swam, and he swam as if his life depended on it, his heart thundering in his chest. He couldn't loose his brother, he wouldn't loose him like this.

His stomach dropped when he reached the part of the tunnel where it should have connected to the underwater cave. Something had fallen in front of the exit. He rammed his shoulder against the stone, hoping by some miracle that he would be strong enough to move it.

His luck had worn out, the stone was heavy, and was not going to be moved by him alone, if at all.

He began to channel his Qi, intending to send a blast that might knock the rock out of the way. But it made no impact what so ever. Whatever had caused this stone to put here was much larger and stronger than him, and the tunnel wasn't wide enough for two people to attempt it at the same time.

He let out a scream, the thick water muffling the noise. Only then did he realize he was out of breath. He had to return to the surface, he had no idea how long he had been under water.

By the time he made back to the surface on the outside, he was gasping for breath, coughing out any water that may have gotI can't get back inside!" Jiang Cheng said, his voice raspy and hard.

"Then there's nothing we can do." Jin Zixuan responded, looking to the drenched alpha.

"Yes there is, if a couple of us try and blast the mountain at the same time, then-"

"Then we'll collapse the cave, with those two still inside." Jin Zixuan cut him off.

"Now come on, we have to go. The Wen disciple are bound to descend on us eventually."

"No! I'm staying here until I find a way to save my brother!" Jiang Cheng shouted.

"I won't let you, I don't want to have to be the one to tell your sister that she lost both her brothers." That shut Jiang Cheng up, he looked at the Jin alpha in front of him.

"We'll come back as soon as possible. Those two might still be alive. And if we bring reinforcements, then we might be able to defeat the Xuanwu of Slaughter and defend against the Wen." Once again, Jin Zixuan had a point. they might still be alive, and if they brought reinforcements and weapons, they might have a chance.

"Fine." Jiang Cheng concluded, exiting the little pond, "Let's go."

---------------

Two weeks. It had taken them nearly two weeks to get home, rally a squad and return to save his brother.

Two weeks was too long, Jiang Cheng believed in his brother, but the odds were stacked against him. He was injured, fighting against the Xuanwu of Slaughter which he now knew was a formidable beast previously known for devouring over 5,000 people around 400 years ago. Not to mention that Wei Ying had no food or water and was surrounded in negative energy. There was very chance he was still alive.

Still, Jiang Cheng managed to get together a large number of their disciples, and now, as they looked up at the blasted side of the mountain, they could only hope Wei Ying And Lan Wangji had survived.

The scanned through the rubble after thoroughly opening the mouth of the cave.

The first thing they came across was the severed and rotting head of the Tortoise of Slaughter. Everyone took a moment to admire the work then continued to work.

If the Yao beast was dead, then that meant there was a much larger chance that Wei Ying was not. And there was surprisingly no sign of any Wen interference, so it was probably his brother and the Lan alpha who had killed the beast. Especially considering when they had gotten here, it looked as if the Wen had sealed off the original entrance.

The next thing they came across was the decaying main body of the Tortoise. It lay dead, body half out of the water, and a putrid smell seeped from the shell of the creature. It was so bad Jiang Cheng had to cover his nose and leave.

According to the Yunmeng disciple who had offered to inspect the body, they found no remains of neither Wei Ying nor Lan Wangji. That was good.

Finally, Jiang Cheng just decided to try and sniff them out, going off in the direction he had been exploring the last time he was in the cave. Sure enough, he picked up the heavy scent of blood, along with a hint of his brother.

He began to run, his eyes scanning the rubble. The air became heavy with pheromones, both Jiang Cheng's panicked ones, along with the strong scent of fear from another alpha.

Jiang Cheng stopped when he made eye contact with two harshly glowing yellow iris'. "Lan W-Wangji?" Jiang Cheng stuttered out, the half conscious alpha just growled at him, another's body cradled in his arms. Jiang Cheng could recognized his brothers clothes anywhere. They may have been half destroyed and turned to shreds, but it was still very much his brother.

"Lan Wangji, is he okay?" Jiang Cheng asked the Lan heir, but only got another, more threatening growl for an answer as he approached.

The alpha was not in his right of mind, his pheromones thick and protective in the air.

"It's me, Jiang Cheng. I need to see if my brother's okay," The Yunmeng alpha slowed his approach, raising his arms in surrender, showing the half-conscious alpha that he meant no harm, "I need to see Wei Ying." He said softly.

Finally recognition flickered through the angry haze of Lan Wangji's eyes, and the man began to drop his guard. Soon enough Jiang Cheng was able to slip Wei Ying from the other alpha's grip, Lan Wangji dropping completely unconscious once he could tell that the omega was in safe hands. He hit the floor with a thud, and his eyes rolled closed.

The two looked terrible, Wei Ying the worst. Thankfully he was still alive, really badly injured, but still alive.

Jiang Cheng wanted to cry, instead he called out the the rest of the disciples, and they carted the two young men to safety. Wei Ying was battered really bad, and his breathing was shallower than the doctors liked. He had cuts and bruises all over his body, and the brand on his chest had gotten infected.

Jiang Cheng sat in the carriage next to his brother on the way home, not once letting go of the omega's hand.

---------------

Chapter Text

Wei Ying startled himself out of bed, jumping up and then rolling to the floor with a loud thump! He let out a low groan as his head smacked against the ground.

"A-Cheng! He's awake," Came his sister's voice from the other end of the room, "Are you okay A-Ying?" She asked as she rushed to his side, dropping whatever it was she was doing.

"Uh, I think so?" The male omega responded, gratefully excepting the help Jiang Yanli offered, "Everything hurts." He complained as his sister helped him back into bed, holding the back of his head tightly.

Both omegas turned their heads towards the doorway as loud, quick footsteps thundered down the hall, only to be met with the sight of Jiang Cheng resting his hand on the doorway and clearly out of breath. He paused before dashing inside, slamming Wei Ying into a soul crushing hug. The omega's body protested, and he turned to his sister with a helpless look and mouthed "Help me".

"Alright you too, that's enough. Jiang Cheng, try not to kill A-Ying." She said, gently pulling the alpha off of Wei Ying's mattress. 

"That was no where enough to kill him. HOW DARE YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT YOU BASTARD!!" Jiang Cheng yelled, throwing a pillow at the injured omega.

"Oww, hey! I'm the wounded one here," Wei Ying retorted, "But at least that means you do care about me!" He teased, pointing a finger at the alpha. Jiang Cheng only deigned him with a snarl in response.

"I'm serious, Quit it you too!" Their sister said sternly, looking between her two brothers. 

Both looked at her and apologized in sync.

"Are you really okay though?" Jiang Cheng asked, looking back towards his bed-ridden brother.

"Yes, I'm quite alright. Really fucking sore, but alright." He said, looking up at his brother.

"What happened in there, you looked terrible by the time we were able to find the two of you?" Jiang Cheng questioned, now sitting on the edge of Wei Ying's bed.

"Well, we fought off the Xuanwu of Slaughter, Lan Zhan was actually the one to kill it-" He froze, his memories of those days spent in the cave flooding back to him. OH FUCK! I mated with Lan Zhan!!!!!! His face began to turn a deep shade of red and he rolled backwards, hiding under his covers.

"Hey, dickwad! What's wrong?" Jiang Cheng asked, kicking the lump of blankets that was his brother. The omega only let out a high pitched groan, too embarrassed to look at his siblings.

"Are you feeling okay? Do you need someone to fetch a doctor?" Jiang Yanli, ever the saint, asked.

"No, It's okay. I'm. . . I'm fine." He responded finally opening up the blankets again. Hopefully his face wasn't so red anymore.

"Well good, then you should go take a bath, you smell horrible." His brother said, flopping backwards on the bed.

"What?"

"It's true, you do smell a lot like death," Jiang Yanli said, covering her nose in emphasis, "You wouldn't let anyone touch you, much less bathe you. And it's been a couple days since a-Cheng brought you home." 

"Thanks assholes." He said, knocking off the covers. 

"Want some help to the bath?" Their sister asked. Wei Ying nodded when he began to sway as he stood. She gently grabbed his elbow, letting the younger omega put some of his weight on her as they moved. She then helped his sit down on the edge of the tub as she went to retrieve some soaps and oils.

Wei Ying began to disrobe, but froze as he looked down at his marred skin. Normally, the omega would have been fine with his sister seeing him in minimal clothes, but as he traced his hands over the finger prints, hickeys and bite marks that littered his skin, he thought that maybe, it would be best if he kept this private.

"Do you want lavender-lotus soap or sandalwood, A-Xian?" Jiang Yanli asked, walking back into the bathing chambers. She didn't raise her head to look at her brother, regardless, Wei Ying quickly closed his robes, making quick work of hiding his battered skin.

"Uh, Sandalwood!" He replied without thinking, then began to melt into a puddle of mortified goo. I don't want to smell like Lan Zhan! Wei Ying thought, but his body seemed to like the idea, his lower regions becoming heated. He was about to call out to his sister, telling her that he had changed his mind, but he paused before he could.

He had mated with an alpha, there was bound to be some leftover pheromones clinging to his body. He was lucky enough so far that the smell of death had been keeping his family in the dark. But if Jiang Cheng and his freakishly good sense of smell picked up on the scent of sandalwood, this would give him a good excuse as to why. He had no doubt that his brother knew what the Lan alpha smelled like, he had apparently been the one to find them, and the scent of sex would have been heavy in the air.

"Do you need anything else?" Jiang Yanli asked when she returned, laying a towel, soaps, oils and brushes next to the tub.

"No, I'm good, thanks Jiejie." He replied giving his sister a small wave as she left.

He sat and watched as two servants quietly filled the tub, too lost in though to make much conversation, he thanked them quietly when they left.

Once he was alone, he stripped himself bare, finally being able to get a good look at his body. Most of the bruises and bite marks were littered around his hips and shoulders. He turned around in front of the mirror, getting a better look at his back side: He had a nasty scrape running down the back of his thigh and there was a massive bruise on his shoulder blade, no doubt from the battle with the Yao beast. But what caught his eye was the two fading bruises around his waist, of which looked suspiciously like hand prints.

He shook his head, ignoring the heat in his body that flared at the implications. The omega made rapid work of removing the wrap that covered the injury on his chest, he wanted to give the burn a good cleaning before covering it back up. Then he got into the bath, hissing as the steaming water soaked into his healing wounds. Once settled, he took his time cleaning himself, both his skin and insides. It took all of his will power not to die of mortification as he did so.

Once he had deemed himself clean enough, Wei Wuxian lay in the tub, half asleep and relaxed. He really needed this, the warmth of the water soothing his aching muscles.

---------------

Wei Ying sat curled up around a bucket as his sister gently rubbed circles on his back. It had been about a month since he had been brought back from the Wen territory, and he felt like complete shit.

He was nauseous all the time, had constant headaches and always felt like either commit arson or murder, sometimes both. Not to mention, he was always so fucking tired all the time.

"Shijieeeeeeee, make it go away!" He complained to his sister, "I hate being sick!" 

"It's alright, you'll be okay," His sister replied, her voice laced with kindness, "Would you like some ginger tea?" She asked, not once pausing the circling motion of her hand on his back.

"Yessss pleaaasssseeee~" The younger omega whined, "What's wrong with me?" He asked, then paused to gag into the bucket again, nothing came up from his stomach. It made sense, he hadn't eaten anything in nearly half a day, and since then, he had thrown up more times than he could count.

"The doctors said it is probably your body trying to get rid of all the negative energy you absorbed while you were stuck in the cave. Once it's all gone you'll feel better." Wei Ying's sister responded, a cup of steaming tea in her hand as she returned.

He cringed away from the smell of the tea, it just made him feel more sick. It wasn't just the tea that made him feel ill, it was the knowledge that he was currently hiding a bundle of iron so full of negative Qi that it even scared himself sometimes. Maybe he should just go put it back, he had no need for the thing. Yes it was interesting, but if it was effecting him this badly, he should probably reduce his contact with the object.

"Come on, A-Ying. You have to have something in your stomach," The female omega pleaded, taking her younger brother's indifference as more than it was, "I don't want to have to call the physician again." She said, forcing the cup into Wei Ying's hand.

He gave in, taking small sips from cup. He wanted to tell his siter about everything that had happened in the cave, but he was to scared of how she would react. He doubted the kind hearted omega would be mad, but she would most definitely be disappointed. Both because of his irresponsibility with the negative Qi iron, and with what happened with Lan Zhan.

It's not like the thing with Lan Zhan was his fault, but he probably could have done more to prevent it.

"A-Li, what would you do if something happened, and- and you don't know if you regret it or not?" He said, his voice unsteady in his question. She looked over at him, her eyes worried, but they quickly turned to kind and sincere.

"Well, that depends on what it was that happened. If I hurt someone, or destroyed something, I would regret it and try to apologize. But if it was a spur of the moment decision, or something I had no control over, then it might be a different story," She said, ever wise as she sat down next to her younger brother, "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, her pheromones exuding comfort.

"Not really," He responded, resting his head on his sister's shoulder, "I-I don't think I regret what happened, I just didn't really expect it." Wei Ying said staring into the cup in his hands.

"Is it something you think you might need to apologize for?"

"Maybe, neither of us really intended on it happening. It might have been a mistake." He said softly before taking another sip of tea.

"Want me to sleep here tonight?" Jiang Yanli asked, a knowing look in her eyes. Wei Ying just nodded against her shoulder.

That night, Wei Ying fell into a dreamless sleep, curled up softly next to his big sister. Just like they used to when they were little, only missing Jiang Cheng.

---------------

"Hey sleepyhead! Wanna go down to the water? We should swim before it starts to get too cold!" Wei Ying awoke to the loud voice of his brother, shaking him awake at what felt like the ass crack of dawn.

"Huh?"

"It's nearly midday, come on, you need to get outside!" His brother said, practically pulling him out of bed. Wei Ying looked out the half open blinds of the window, sure enough, the sun was nearly in the center of the sky.

"Ugh, fine. Gimme five minutes to get ready." He said, slowly rolling himself out of bed.

He made quick work of his orderly, then followed his brother out the main gate. They encountered numerous of the younger disciples on the way out, Wei Wuxian smiling and joking with them as he retold the defeat of the Xuanwu of Slaughter.

"Wowwww! Wei-gongzi is amazing!" One of the smallest disciples praised, their eyes gleaming as they looked up at the omega.

"That's for sure! Was Lan Wangji also as cool as they say? I heard he can be scary!" Wei Wuxian paused before answering, a soft smile on his face

"That Lan alpha was the coolest alpha I've ever seen!" He said, poking the younger disciple on the top of his head, "Sorry Jiang Cheng, but I think Lan Wangji wins in this category." He teased, paying no mind to the glare his brother gave him.

"But did any of you here how our own amazing heir saved and guided all the cultivators out of the cave!" Wei Ying exclaimed, now taking the time to praise his brother for his accomplishments, "At least sixty people, he had to guide them through an underwater tunnel that he found, taking dozens of trips! So many of those cultivators couldn't swim!" He explained, making a big show with his hands at how exasperated he was, "This is one of the many reasons why the Yunmeng sect is the best: Were the only ones who can swim properly! Never know when you're gonna need a skill as simple as being able to swim!" He wagged his finger at the younger disciples, all of whom were laughing and cheering.

"Young master, I want to be as awesome as you some day! I want to be able to save everybody in the world!!" A female disciple shouted, waving her wooden sword in the air, all the others cheered.

"Alright you guys, that's enough, go practice your swordsmanship." Wei Wuxian finished shooing the squealing children away.

"What was that for?" His brother asked, "You didn't have to go out of your way to make it about me." Jiang Cheng said, his voice a little sad.

"I just think people who do good things should get praised for them. Plus, that was a little too much attention, even for me." Wei Ying said, flipping the hair of his ponytail over his shoulder. The omega heard the scoff his brother made, as if he didn't believe the older teen.

"Now let's go take a quick dip in the water, maybe even bring back some lotus for a-Li." He said before dashing off.

"Last one there is a walking corpse!" He yelled out behind him after he was far enough away that any normal person would consider it cheating. He heard the loud bark of protest from his brother, then the thunderous footsteps of the alpha as he followed.

---------------

They had only been down at the water for about an hour before a sect disciple came running down, calling out for Wei Wuxian.

"Wei Wuxian! Wei-gongzi!" he called, looking around as he did so. Wei Wuxian hopped out of the water and walked over to greet the man.

"I'm here, what's up?" He asked, the man looked worried, out of breath and more than a little freaked out.

"There's a Wen delegation here, and Madame Yu is asking for your attendance." He said, his eyes darting around rapidly. Wei Wuxian could recognize this reaction anywhere; Madame Yu was really fucking mad, the disciples sent to fetch him usually coming straight from a harsh berating. 

"How bad is it this time?" The omega quietly asked the frightened looking beta.

"Pretty bad, Wei-gongzi." He replied.

"Noted, thanks." He said, giving the disciple a comforting pat on the back, "A-Cheng! I'm gonna head back, you keep swimming!" He shouted towards where his brother sat on the edge of a dock.

"Want me to come with you?" His brother yelled back.

"Nah, it's fine! I'll come join you when I'm done!" The alpha gave him a curt wave before hopping back into the water, leaving Wei Wuxian to follow the disciple back to their residence.

It was a quick walk back to the main hall where he encountered madame Yu and a young woman sharing a pot of tea. He could tell that by the way the cup in the Jiang Mistress' hand that she was royally pissed, the slight twitch in her brow confirming it.

"Good, your finally here brat," She spat out when she caught Wei Wuxian in her peripherals, "Do you care to explain yourself?" She asked, but her tone already said everything. Whatever he was in trouble for, Madame Yu seemed to know exactly why, she just liked to torment him.

"Sorry, but I don't know what I did, or who that is." Wei Wuxian said, gesturing towards the pretty woman in Wen garbs. Wen. He now had a vague idea on what this was about.

He heard a quiet growl from the Jiang alpha, the woman glaring daggers at him.

"OH! That's quite alright! I'll explain it to you!" The unfamiliar woman pipped up, "I'm Wen Xiumin! You probably wouldn't know me, but that's okay!" Her voice was high and peppy. Honestly, Wei Wuxian found it annoying, there was something intensely fake and off-putting about the way she spoke.

"I'm one of Wen Chao's omegas, and I've come to give your mother a couple requests-" She was cut off as Madame Yu placed her tea cup on the table harshly.

"I'm not that child's mother." She said, her voice stern and angry.

"Well, I don't like being interrupted!" The Wen omega said, shooting her own daggers at the alpha, "But that's not the point." She said, turning back to Wei Wuxian.

"I came here to acquire the surrender of lotus pier and to ask for you to hand over the Jiang son that killed my sister omega!" Wen Xiumin said, her tone much more earie than it was previously.

"I will not be handing over lotus pier to the Wen, and that is final. But even if I'm not willing to hand over this scathing brat," She said, gesturing towards Wei Wuxian, "I will do well to appease you're anger. A compromise if you might." Madame Yu said, standing from the chair she sat in.

"That's not all, this young man here also threatened our youngest master's life, you must understand the weight of the situation!" The omega said, standing to meet the alpha head on. Wei Wuxian himself had to admit the woman had some guts, anyone who had any bit of intelligence was scared of Madame Yu. She wasn't called the Violet Spider for nothing, both her bark and her bite were sharp. Maybe the omega was just stupid then.

"This disciple will be punished severely, have no doubt." Madame Yu responded, looking down her nose at the much smaller woman. Regardless, Wei Ying heard the familiar crackle of Zidian, the scent of O-zone coming to life within the air. Both omega's froze, they could feel the danger that lingered in the atmosphere.

"Brat, come here," Madame Yu ordered, Wei Ying only had a moment to hesitate before he followed through, "Kneel!" She said, not even looking at him. He did as he was told, he could feel the way an alpha's command laced through Madame Yu's words. Not once did she break harsh eye contact with Wen Xiumin. The omega took a step backwards, her eyes flooded momentarily with fear before she steeled them.

"I-I will watch the punishment to make sure I see it well fit." She said before returning to her seat.

The first crack of the whip had Wei Wuxian starting to quake. This didn't happen often, but every time it did, it was memorable. He still had some scars from the last whipping he took. 

From a normal whip, Wei Wuxian would be able to heal the wounds pretty easily. It may be uncomfortable for a couple days, but at least it was bearable. When the omega had started to take normal whippings with too little crying or screaming, Madame Yu had shifted to her present weapon. It cut deeper, it cut sharper, and it lasted longer. The thing with Zidian was that it didn't just harm one's body, it cut into a person's life force, their Qi energy. So in turn it took longer to heal, even for a person of as high of cultivation as Wei Ying.

He bit his tongue as the second whip came crashing down. Then the third, fourth and fifth.

Yeah, maybe he did deserve this. He had put his clan at risk of an attack when he had taken Wen Chao in as a prisoner, even if he hadn't greatly injured the man. Physically anyways, he had no doubt that the man's ego was crushed. No wonder he sent an envoy, the man must be feeling emasculated and humiliated. Wei Ying let a out a small whimper as another whip came down, this one particularly harsh.

Wei Ying hadn't killed any omega though. Definitely not one that was mated to anyone. Maybe they had died during the combat with the Xuanwu of Slaughter. Maybe Wen Chao didn't want to admit he couldn't protect one of his omega's and had gotten them killed, instead deciding to put the blame on someone else.

Someone else.

Wei Ying hadn't killed any omegas. But Jiang Cheng had.

---------------

The whipping had gone on for what felt like forever, only stopping when he had lost consciousness.

He vaguely remembered his brother come storming in, dragging off his unconscious body as he screamed at his mother. Jiang Yanli had followed shortly after, not shouting at the alpha woman, but instead quietly helping to carry Wei Ying back to his room, to a place where she could begin to treat him.

The two Jiang siblings had been pulled away from his side not to shortly there after, their mother calling them into the main hall. The male omega fell into a state of dreamless sleep short after, his pain ebbing into his subconscious

About a week later, he finally considered himself well enough to walk around the estate. he made sure to avoid his siblings the best he could, he didn't really want to see their faces.

Logically he knew it wasn't their fault, knowing Madame Yu she had probably order the two of them to stay away from Wei Wuxian. But it still hurt to not have any contact with anybody other than the healer as he got better. At least Jiang Yanli sent some of her amazing Lotus rib soup. He definitely didn't cry as he ate it.

Wei Ying paused as he walked through the halls, even if he was avoiding people, the estate was far too quiet. He tried to listen harder, but picked up on nearly no movement within the thin walls of the mansion.

He began to run, something was wrong, something was really wrong. The sun was setting and he heard no fireworks, he smelled no dinner being prepared. Then he heard it, the alarm bells began to sound. A loud and high-pitch ringing from the walls of the manor. 

They were under attack.

He could hear it now, the quick shuffle of feet and people mounting swords as he got nearer to the entrance. As soon as he got outside he looked up, the barrier had been risen, his fellow cultivators in the air, ready for the defense. His stomach clenched, his instincts screamed at him to run the other way, but he picked up an abandoned sword, it wouldn't do nearly as well as his Suibian, and he jumped on. He was quick the join the lines formed in the air, looking quickly among the ranks for his family. Thankfully neither his brother or sister were anywhere to be found, but he was quick to take note of Madame Yu, standing by the entrance, Zidian at the ready.

He flew to her side, forgiving any past dilemmas and looked to her command, "Go find A-Cheng, don't let anything happen to him. You understand!" She said, glaring down at the omega. Wei Ying was quick to nod yes.

"Good, if he dies, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth!" She shouted looking back at the trembling barrier above them.

"Where is Yanli?" He asked, panic lacing his voice.

"She's visiting with the Jin right now. She's safe. Now go!" She said, making a shooing motion with her hand. Wei Ying did just that.

He zoomed through the halls of the manor on a sword he didn't know, eventually, he found his younger brother heading towards the main entrance where everyone else was.

"Are you okay?" Wei Ying asked, hopping off the sword to run next to his brother. he let out a pant as he continued to run.

"Uh- yeah-" The alpha was cut off when they heard the crashing sound of the barrier falling, then followed by the battle cries of the Yunmeng disciples. Jiang Cheng's step broke as he tried to speed up, barely managing to right himself before he could hit the ground.

They rounded the corner, stopping dead in their tracks at the sight that lay in front of them. 

Bodies littered the ground, Wen and Jiang corpses scattered throughout the courtyard and down the road to the town. He could hear the screaming of civilians as they attempted to flee from the massacre. Wei Ying hadn't been gone longer then fifteen minutes trying to find his brother.

"Wei Ying, what h-" The omega cut his brother off, pulling him back behind a corner, "I don't know, but Madame Yu asked me to keep you safe. I have to keep that promise." He said, beginning to pull his brother away from the fray.

"What? No, I'm a disciple of the Yunmeng sect just like any of you! I am going to protect my home!" He pulled away from the omega's grip, his pheromones flaring with fear and outrage.

"I can't let you do that." Wei Ying replied, takin a pace towards his brother, only stopping when he saw him unsheathe Sandu from his hip. 

"When did you get Sandu back?" Wei Ying asked, looking between his brother and the sword in his hand.

"A Wen delegation stopped by about a week ago, they brought our swords with them. Did you not get Suibian?" His brother asked, his sword lowering slightly. Wei Wuxian just shook his head, not trusting his voice to respond properly.

"Mom must not have had the chance to return it." He said, turning his attention back to the battle that raged on. She definitely had the chance. Wei Ying thought bitterly, but didn't voice the notion.

Before Wei Ying could react, his brother darted out into the battle field, ignoring the omega as he yelled at him. Wei Ying began to chase after, her couldn't let his brother get hurt.

Once again, he was too slow to react, watching as Jiang Cheng slammed into Madame Yu's side, pushing her out of the way of an incoming threat. A hand found it's place on the alpha's chest, and time seemed to slow as he watched his brother begin to convulse before dropping to the ground. He continued to twitch as Wei Ying turned his head towards the perpetrator.

Wen Zhuliu, his hand still stretched out. He wore no expression on his face as he watched the younger alpha slowly fall to the ground, blood spilling from his nose and mouth.

A scream tore Wei Ying's attention from his brother's now unmoving body. The ever-powerful Violet Spider had tears welling in her eyes, but the expression on her face was more than Wei Ying could bear. He looked back at the purple clad figure that lay on the ground, taking a step towards the unconscious alpha. He could still picture the face of all consuming rage that Madame Yu wore, and it hurt. It hurt more than any whipping ever would. He reached the other teen's body, quick to pull his brother's arm over his shoulder, his other hand coming up to cover his mouth and nose. The pure fury that radiated from the Jiang Mistress was fierce, polluting the surrounding air with her scent of rancid anger.

"I am going to FUCKING KILL YOU!" She yelled as she charged at the Core Melting Hand. Wei Ying couldn't blame the woman, she had just watched her pup get knocked to the ground, and she very well had the knowledge of what had just happened. How her son's future was most probably destroyed forever. Wei Ying's eyes watered as he pulled his brother away from the battle field. 

The alpha was still alive, which meant that he could still protect him. All hope wasn't lost yet.

He heard the clashed of sword on whip, he continued to pull his brother away.

They made it to the docs, hiding away behind a boat and a pillar. Wei Ying let his scent waft out slowly. Strong enough for his brother to smell as he began to regain consciousness, but not powerful enough for anyone else to track them with.

It helped to dull the scent of pain and fear that came from his brother, an omega's scent a natural calming source for alpha.

He wanted to go back and fight, but his brother needed him, the bother that got injured because Wei Ying couldn't react fast enough.

"Y-You smell weird." Came Jiang Cheng's quiet voice as he was finally awake enough to talk. He still seemed loopy though, his eye's unable to focus on anything in particular.

"What? This really isn't the time for you to be a dick." Wei Ying responded quietly, looking over at his brother as the alpha began to sit up.

"I'm serious, something smells off," He replied, trying to focus on his brother's face, "What happened? I feel empty." Jiang Cheng asked, his chest coming down to rest on his midsection. His face froze before slowly turning from terrified, to sad, to angry and back into terrified again.

"Wei Ying! We need to go back! We can't leave mom back there!" He shouted, his voice becoming louder than Wei Ying felt comfortable with.

"We can't. We need to escape." The omega responded, but he himself had chosen to hide instead of flee. He told himself it was to wait until his brother woke up, but he knew that wasn't true.

"You won't be returning." A female voice said, Wei Ying jumping to his feet before he recognized Madame Yu.

"Mom!" Jiang Cheng shouted, running up to meet his mother, "Are you alright?" He asked, looking over her torn and dirtied clothes.

"That is none of your concern. You!" She said, turning her attention to Wei Ying, "This is all your fault, I'd kill you right here if I could!" She shouted, raising her hand and sending a biting slap across the omega's cheek. Wei Ying bit his tongue, deciding it best to stare at the ground.

"Mom!" Jiang Cheng yelped in surprise at the action, reaching up to grab is mother's raised arm. She in turn grabbed his hand, pulling the younger alpha into a hug.

Wei Ying watched as the female alpha slipped her ring onto his finger.

"I love you." She said, looking down at her son, "Don't you ever forget that. You are always enough, regardless of what anyone says." she said, a look of determination suddenly overtaking her feature.

Wei Ying watched as she pushed her son into the boat behind him. The omega hadn't even noticed it had been there. As Jiang Cheng fell, he reached out, attempting to grab anything that would keep him upright. But alas, the only thing close enough for him to reach was his brother. The alpha just ended up pulling the omega into the boat with him.

"Wh- A-Niang! Mom!" Jiang Cheng shouted as he landed roughly in the boat, "What are you doing?" he asked, attempting to get back out of the boat.

"Zidian." His movement halted as the ring on his finger opened up and wrapped it electric filled cord around his body. He was forced to sit back down.

"Zidian recognizes you as it's new master, treat it well." She said, pushing the boat off with her foot. She stood on the doc for a while, watching her son struggle against the bindings of the spiritual weapon, but to no avail did he succeed.

Slowly, the weapons wrapped itself around Wei Wuxian as well, tying the omega to his brother. He stayed in a dazed state as they were swept away by the current. He was pretty much unresponsive against his brother's struggling back. It was his fault. It was all his fault.

I need to do something to fix this.

---------------

Chapter Text

Zidian soon let the teens go, the smell of ozone leaving with it. Without so much as a word between the two, they began to return towards Lotus Pier. Wei Wuxian might not have been paying the most attention to his surroundings, but he still recognized the waterfront; they must not have floated too far downstream. It took them what felt like two agonizing hours to return. With the meagre amounts of Qi that remained between them, the boat moved more slowly than it would have had they just had paddles. But by their blessed luck, they had been deigned no such luxury.

No noise came from either man as they docked the boat silently. Shared gazes carried no words behind them other than the necessary information to continue. Quietly, they crept up sombre streets, the flames that previously ravaged the Pier only now reduced to cinders.

Jiang Cheng could smell the fear in the air, but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming sadness that weighed heavily all around him. It could do nothing to quell the rage he finally had enough energy to feel.

He could hear a child weeping off in the distance, which made his anger boil.

When had he seen the streets so empty and lacking life? He never thought he could miss the crowded streets that once annoyed him.

What could he do to fix it? He had no strength to speak of. He had no idea what had happened to his parents. They were strong, he did not doubt that they would remain firm. But in the hollowness of his bonds, he could feel that they had grown thin. The connection between parent and child is something hard to break, even when it comes to distance.

But he was home now, and the part of his soul that carried his mother's flaming love and his father's cool adoration seemed thin and brittle. As if the barrier that protected his bonds could be broken at any moment.

His sister's connection was weak, but he could tell she was safe and sound, but his parents, his parents felt like something out of control. As if only a whisper remained.

Jiang Cheng broke into a sprint, he could hear his brother shout in surprise before quickly following suit.

His muscles felt weak, and every part of him was tired and sore, the tender emptiness of where his core once was doing nothing to help. He was so blindsided by desperation that he nearly collided with a pack of Wen cultivators as they patrolled what seemed to be a perimeter. If it hadn't been for his brother's grip pulling him back behind a corner, a hand coming up to firmly cover his mouth and nose, he didn't want to know how that brawl would have played out.

He was being honest with himself, it wouldn't have been anything other than a brawl. It could only end in more blood, and not of those who deserved it.

Now that they were still, he could feel the tremors in Wei Ying's hands, his arms only clamping loosely around his brother's shoulders. They were both beyond exhausted; that fight wouldn't have been something they could have won.

The alpha was about to say something to his brother, maybe shove the omega off of him, when, without warning, his brother's grip clamped down as firmly as ever. The hand covering his nose made it impossible to smell any danger approaching, whatever it was that was making Wei Ying act like this. He let out a small growl, just a small sound that required little air, his brother's hands giving him barely any room to breathe, letting Wei Ying know that he was confused and asking for an answer.

None was given except his brother's body, which went completely rigid next to his. He tried to turn his head to gauge the reaction on the omega's face, but Wei Ying gave him no space to move.

Without his core, the prolonged lack of air was beginning to make him lightheaded. Jiang Cheng tapped his brother's forearm roughly, trying to get Wei Ying to take the hint; he did not. It took a full elbow to the gut before the omega's hands loosened enough for him to take a proper breath.

"What the F-"

He was cut off by the hand clamping down over his mouth again, but at least this time, his brother had been kind enough to leave his nose open for breathing. Wei Ying made a quiet shushing noise, indicating to remain silent. He was smart enough to follow his brother's intuition.

Now that he was no longer distracted by a lack of oxygen, he could hear the conversation slowly growing louder as the previous group approached their hiding spot.

Jiang Cheng began to grow anxious; the competing urges to fight or flee caught in a stalemate, so instead he froze. He didn't dare move a muscle, didn't dare breathe.

"-uking filth everywhere. I'm just happy I'm not on trash duty. It's gonna take us forever to clean everything up completely," Jiang Cheng heard as the Wen cultivators marched on past, no more than a meter and a half away from their half-ass hiding spot.

As soon as they were far enough away to be deemed safe, Wei Ying let go of his brother before moving to stand.

"We need to leave," Wei Ying said, beginning to pull Jiang Cheng back towards the docs, only for his arm to be thrown away by the alpha.

"What are you even saying? We need to save my parents!" He said, his voice just short of a shout.

"I don't have a good feeling about this, a-Cheng, please." The omega replied, reaching for Jiang Cheng's arm once again.

"No! Wei Ying, we have to go back. I can't just leave them here. The pier is too quiet for everything to be alright." His voice began to break, he could hear his own desperation as he spoke.

"I promised Madame Yu that I would keep you safe, if I let you return to the estate, where I have no doubt the rest of the Wens are, I won't be keeping my promise." Wei Ying responded, his face contorted with emotion.

"A-Ying, please, I need to make sure they're alright," He pleaded.

His brother didn't argue any further, but his face was twisted. Regardless, he made no protest as Jiang Cheng turned to head towards their childhood home. Jiang Cheng soon heard his brother's soft but hurried footsteps following not far behind.

---------------

Red, purple and the morbid grey of dead skin.

The heaping mound of corpses still radiated warmth with closer proximity, the iron stench of violent death so thick in the air that Jiang Cheng could feel bile rising in his throat. The alpha tried to ignore the retching of his brother as he approached the dishonoured bodies of his fallen comrades. He recognized the faces he'd known since childhood, remembered the voices of people he had grown alongside his whole life, of martial seniors to the youngest juniors. No one was spared, no leniency given. Jiang Cheng had to look away when he spotted the hand of a child, the body so mangled that they were beyond recognition.

The memory of the child's clothes, battered and stained, that of a first-year junior disciple, too young to even have their own sword, still burned into the back of his skull. He heard his own growl before he registered he was making it, looking up to find the source before realizing it was him.

His family, his friends, his pack, his home, all destroyed, be it burned to the ground or slaughtered by the sword of a Wen. He could do nothing to prevent it.

Wei Ying and his mother had forced him away from the battle before he could do more than kill a dozen of those bastards. Those heaven-forsaken excuses for cultivators. The battle long since died down, with no way for him to help.

He fell to his knees. His already weak body, relying on nothing more than his desperation and will to keep going, was giving out. A strangled noise escaped his throat, replacing the growl that could only be described as guttural.

"A-Cheng-" His brother started from somewhere behind him, but was cut off as a noise from the other side of the clearing caught his attention.

The horrible squelching noise of a sword through flesh echoed around the eerie clearing, followed shortly by the thump of a body hitting the ground. Hollow laughter broke out, the nasally voice of Wen Chao easily distinguishable.

"Poor, old Jiang Fengmian, lost his golden core, then fell by the sword of a nobody." Jiang Cheng didn't need to see what was happening to know the whole picture.

"Watched his mate die, his son's future destroyed, and his home burnt to the ground. Such a shame," laughter rolled from his body as he threw the sword to the ground with a loud clang, "Really."

"And the dangerous Purple Spider, now nothing more than soon-to-be rotting flesh," the Wen said, turning to where Jiang Cheng could only assume his mother's body lay, "Wasted away her life as the bitched alpha of the Jiang clan. Imagine how far she could have gone had she just gotten a proper mate," he spat, the thump of a kicked body followed by the shatering sound of her broken hair pin, "Female alphas only disappoint."

Jiang Cheng turned his head towards the sound, only able to see the top half of the Wen cultivators' bodies, nothing more.

He watched as the pathetic excuse of an alpha went to kick his mother's corpse once again, only to be stopped by Wen Zhuliu.

"She was a remarkable cultivator, let her be dead, she has been humiliated enough in life." The man spoke, his baritone voice low, respectful yet firm.

With a scoff, the Wen young master turned away from her corpse, only glancing back to compare Jiang Cheng's mother and father.

"What a pair these two made, now, report."

The words that followed were lost to Jiang Cheng's ears, lost to the gaping void that was his soul. His bonds officially severed, his home destroyed, and his core completely gone. He had nothing to fill the space inside of him that once felt so full.

He made no move to fight as familiar hands grabbed him from behind and began to drag his numb body. The last thing he remembers is the distant nip of water as he was pulled into Lotus Pier before losing consciousness.

---------------

Wei Wuxian reached for his brother the second he snapped out of his daze. They needed to get out of here, otherwise they risked being captured and or killed.

He heard his brother's name mentioned just as he managed to pull the semi-conscious frame of the alpha into the water with him. The omega hadn't been paying close enough attention to the preceding conversation to determine if they had been noticed; he wasn't dumb enough to linger around to find out.

With a quick hit to the knock-out pressure point on his brother's neck, to not cause further issues as Wei Wuxian got him to safety, he dove under the murky water, dragging Jiang Cheng's body with him. He kept them under the surface as long as his lungs let him, only resurfacing when he deemed them far enough away and sufficiently well hidden among the reeds.

Wei Ying heard the splash of someone in the water, he didn't give himself the chance to look back. With his brother safely under his arm, Wei Wuxian swam among the reeds, staying clear of open water. He could see the flicker of torches along the shore. Risking getting spotted wasn't an option.

So even though his clothes were soaked to the bone in murky, muddy water that smelled of blood, Wei Wuxian stayed out of sight.

Eventually, they made their way to one of the far shorelines, the overhang of low-barring trees carefully shadowing their presence.

With what little strength left remaining in his exhausted body, the omega dragged his brother away from the familiar waters of their home. Just in time, too. Wei Wuxian noted, a watchful eye resting on his brother, the man beginning to stir towards consciousness.

He curled himself into a ball, small, stuttered breaths escaping his lungs as he tried to slow his racing heart. He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, hoping the pressure would stop the tears before they fell. His hands came down to wrap around his legs once he started seeing stars; it would do him no good to be blind.

Instead, he buried his head into his knees, making sure every last bit of effort he had was put into staying conscious. He had to protect his brother, he had to find his sister. He needed to keep them safe, they were the last family he had. Even if he never truly considered Madame Yu and Jiang-shushu his parents, they were still family. He had felt the bonds, weak as they were, break into what felt like a million pieces. The hollow feeling that resided only made worse as he watched their bodies get desecrated by those wretched Wen cultivators.

Wei Wuxian could only imagine how Jiang Cheng must feel. Or Jiang Yanli.

The other omega probably had no idea what had happened. He didn't even know if she was close enough to feel the connection shattering, but she had to at least have some idea; there was no way she couldn't.

Even if his sister was safe from any bodily harm, he did not doubt that she was hurting regardless. The loss of a bond was a horrible thing to experience, he could only speak on behalf of omegas, the community-reliant creatures they were. It felt like part of your soul being torn from your core, then burned at the stake for all to see.

Wei Wuxian could still vaguely remember the feeling of his bonds with his parents being severed, even if the rest of his memories from that time were either foggy beyond recognition or completely gone.

He couldn't stop the sob that wracked his body, no tears fell, but his heart felt empty.

Friends, family, people he had grown up with for the majority of his life, their bodies now lay in a pile of purple, blood and ash. He could only hope they wouldn't be further disrespected, but his hopes were low.

The streets had been empty as well, the occasional body here and there, but very few compared to the usual population density of Lotus Pier. He prayed that they had made it out safely, and not something far worse.

A rustle of movement to his left made him flinch before it registered that it was just Jiang Cheng, finally regaining consciousness.

Wei Wuxian watched carefully as his brother sat stiffly, the only movement he made was his eyes taking there surroundings. The omega began to move towards his brother, They needed to get further away from Lotus Pier; they weren't safe yet. He had no idea if they would ever be safe, but for now, he would do what he could.

He was suddenly pushed to the ground, two hands coming down, forcefully wrapping around his throat. Wei Ying began to panic, using his arms to bat at the body that sat heavily on his torso.

Heavy, but familiar pheromones wrapped around the two of them. All Wei Ying could smell was the desperation and rage that wafted off his brother. Jiang Cheng was the one choking him.

He tried to speak, but the grip around his neck was strong enough to prevent him from making any noise. strong enough to stop him from protesting.

He looked up to meet his brother's watery eyes. The alpha was crying, rage and sorrow the only emotions evident on his face.

"Why didn't you save them!?" His brother shouted, spit flying from his mouth, "Why didn't you let me save them!" His canines were on full display as he growled into his brother's face.

Wei Ying let out wafts of his own pheromones, doing everything he could to calm his brother down, but it only seemed to irritate him further.

"If we had just gone back, if we had just stayed! I could have saved them! I-" A sob cut him off, "Wei YIng! Why don't you even look sad? Why am I the one crying?!" His brother choked out around his tears.

"You truly are a bastard, Wei Ying," Jiang Cheng said, his voice softening into barely a whisper. "Why are we the ones who survived?"

The alpha's hands slowly lost their grip, and Wei Ying watched as his brother began to lose consciousness again.

He pushed his brother off, the man slowly falling to the wet ground once again. Wei Wuxian could only observe quietly, his body frozen with fear.

Wei Wuxian felt fear before. He had been in far more dangerous scenarios than this and had been more than okay. But something about the way that it had been his brother who had hurt him, how it had been Jiang Cheng who had wrapped his finger tight enough to strangle him, that hurt more than the actual act.

He knew his brother was hurting, he knew the man had terrible coping mechanisms. Jiang Cheng had clearly gotten a mix of both of his parents' terrible habits: Bottling it up and lashing out. But the alpha had never taken it out on Wei Wuxian before, or at least not this badly.

A shudder ran down his spine, and the tears that once he would have had enough energy to defend against now began to run down his face. He made no noise, just silent tears as he felt the first string snap in the tightly bound rope that was his bond with Jiang Cheng.

---------------

When daylight finally broke over the horizon, Wei Wuxian had only managed to get the two of them a handful of kilometres away from where they rested the night prior. Jiang Cheng had passed out and remained unconscious since, so that left the omega to attempt to carry his brother's limp body to the next safest place. With him being overly exasperated himself, it made this very difficult. More so than one would probably think.

Though the two Jiang disciples were around the same height, Wei Wuxian was all the lean muscle of an omega, whereas his brother had been gifted with the musclemass that came with being both an alpha and a cultivator. To put it simply, the man was stubbornly heavy and impossible to carry with any good grip.

Along the way, Wei Wuxian had to duck the two of them into hiding spots as Wen cultivators came riding through. The clan obviously intent on finding any who may have survived the massacre.

They now rest in a broken-down shed, maybe a few hundred meters away from the main path. He would have tried to get them further, but his body had finally given out on him about an hour ago, and he didn't want to risk collapsing somewhere easily found.

Wei Wuxan was beyond frustrated. He had no clue why his body was being so useless. It had scarcely been twenty-four hours since the massacre had begun, and before that, he had been well rested and fed, if a little ill.

His core was strong, if not one of the strongest of his generation, he could last weeks of inedia if well rested and actively cultivating, not that he would want to. But right now, he was beyond exhausted, everything hurt, and he felt emotional like an omega going through puberty. It sucked.

His eyes finally began to close when he heard a rustle in the bushes just outside the shed. Suddenly wide awake, he jumped to his feet, unsheathing Suibian as he made his way to the run-down entryway.

He quickly scanned the undergrowth around the small clearing, but was unable to pinpoint where the sound had originated from.

Wei Wuxian doubted that the Wen cultivators were actually competent enough to come searching this far out into the woodlands, but you never knew.

Another rustle was heard, and Wei Wuxian stiffened as he watched a young cultivator slowly creep out of the shadows. The man looked weak, simply put, and about the same age as himself. Sadly, it was a Wen cultivator, even if the man barely looked confident enough to kill a fish, let alone a person.

Wei Wuxian watched for a few more moments before it was clear that the cultivator was alone, and with a swift movement, he sent Suibian in for the attack. The sword was nothing more than a flash of reflected light before it made contact with the Wen disciple's leg. Just hard enough to trip the young man up, not enough to truly injure him, even if it was deserved. Something in his subconscious stopped him from killing the teen.

He made a loud yelping sound, then flinched so hard he knocked himself to the ground. Wei Ying stood there for a second, too baffled to do anything. This seemed oddly familiar.

"Wait!" The cultivator shouted, his arms raising above his head, "Don't kill me, please!" He pleaded, his face still hidden behind his limbs.

The man carried no sword, just a bow and an empty quiver on his back. He truly seemed pitifully helpless.

"Why should I oblige you?" Wei Wuxian asked, slowly approaching the other cultivator's cowering figure.

"Y-You don't have a reason to-" The teen paused as he looked up to meet Wei Wuxian's eyes, "Wei Ying?"

The omega stared down at the Wen disciple in front of him. Why was he calling him by his birth name? He did not doubt that most cultivators, throughout clans both large and small, had at least some sort of knowledge of who he was, but that gave them no right to call him by his given name. Especially not some Wen.

"You, shut it!" He growled, he could see the other man stiffen, "How did you find u- find me?" It was less of a command than a question, even if he almost misstepped with his words.

The Wen hesitated for a second, his mouth moving, but no sound came out.

"How did you find me?" Wei Wuxian repeated, his sword now firmly gripped in his hand.

Soft, dark eyes flitted between the Yunmeng cultivator's sword and face. Familiar deep eyes made contact with his. He paused, blinking rapidly to try and base this sense of familiarity somewhere.

"I-I trailed after you, I saw you jump in the water. B-by a stroke of luck, I picked up your scent when I was patrolling around the far edges of Lotus Pier." The Wen disciple responded after a long moment.

"Why are you following me?" He responded with yet another question, even if he knew the most probable answer.

"Wei Ying? Are you sure you don't recognize me?" He asked instead of responding, his tone quiet but hopeful.

Wei Wuxian prided himself on his memory; even if his facial recognition wasn't the best by most standards, he would have thought he would remember such an unusual-looking Wen. His robes were a lighter red than the usual disciple, signifying his heritage of the Wen bloodline, even if not the main one. He had dark hair and clear skin, but by far the most shocking part of his appearance was his eyes. They were bright, clear, if distressed. But most of all, they were some of the kindest eyes he had ever seen, outside of his Shijie, of course. Most definitely not a look he would expect from a Wen cultivator.

"It's me, Wen Ning?"

His constant brain fog from the past couple of days finally cleared enough for Wei Wuxian to put the face to the name.

"From the last discussion conference?" Wei Wuxian asked, his head slightly cocking to the side to try and remember better.

"Y-yeah! You helped me with my archery, even though I didn't end up competing." Wen Ning said, the small spark of hope now bursting across his face.

Oh, "Oh yeah! I remember you now," Wei YIng responded, few but fond memories of the two of them hanging out together at the Wen Qishan Discussion Conference resurfacing.

"That still doesn't answer my question, though." Wei Wuxian said, his face returning to a more stony expression as he got back on topic.

Once again, Wen Ning hesitated. This time, though, it seemed he was trying to formulate the words to his answer. Wei WUxian gave him the courtesy to think it through.

"I-" he started, his face becoming serious and determined, "I want to help."

The omega's brain froze. He was not expecting that answer.

"I know somewhere to keep you safe, and I know someone who can help your brother."

Chapter Text

They had been travelling for two days now, first by boat and then by carriage (Wei Wuxian still had no idea how Wen Ning managed that). The entire time, Jiang Cheng had remained unconscious, barely stirring. Wei Wuxian had been careful to keep an eye on his brother's breathing, ensuring the alpha didn't spontaneously die as they traversed.

By noon on their second day, Wen Ning had them stay in a busy part of town while he went for disguises. He returned shortly after with lower-class Wen garments and then left to give them privacy to change.

The next time he returned, he helped Wei Wuxian get Jiang Cheng up and toward the door.

"Where are we going?" The omega asked, pausing before the entrance.

"The only place where Wen Ruohan or his men won't be able to find you. N-now, come on, we have to go." Wei Wuxian bit his tongue; he had a feeling that pointing out Wen Ning was also technically one of the chief cultivator's, if he could even be called that anymore, men by blood.

They stepped out into the bustling streets of an unfamiliar town, the people surrounding them sombre but safe.

"What town is this?" Wei Wuxian asked, trying to place why the landscape seemed oddly familiar.

"Yiling," the alpha answered as they moved quickly to a destination still unknown to the Yunmeng disciple.

The omega's rushing thoughts stilled. Wasn't this where Jiang Fengmian had found him as a child? No wonder the place felt familiar. But as they continued to walk, others in Wen garb slowly joined beside them, startling Wei Wuxian at first.

No words were spoken, but for every disciple that joined, young and old, they looked to Wen Ning before nodding respectfully at Wei Wuxian and his unconscious brother. At some point, the density of dirty townsfolk that brushed against them as they moved diminished until the two Jiang cultivators were surrounded by at least fifteen, if not more, Wen.

One of the Wen gestured politely to the limp form of Jiang Cheng, confusing Wei Ying until the woman silently grabbed the alpha's other arm, slinging it over her shoulder. Wei Wuxian kept to close of an eye on her, even as his body began to sag with relief from the lightened load.

He paid such close attention that he didn't notice his surroundings as they entered the wealthier part of Yiling. The roads were less populated, and the streets were cleaner. Not a part of the small town Wei Ying had ever been in before, especially not during his days as a street orphan.

Soon, they approached a large estate surrounded by a courtyard; the establishment could only be described as a mansion.

Two Wen cultivators stood guard at the entryway, with Wen Ning stepping away from the crowd to talk to the men. With a couple of words, the group was soon let through; the two guards did not even properly survey the people as they entered.

Once inside the mansion, the crowd quickly dispersed. The older woman who had been helping with Jiang Cheng let go of his arm. She then turned to face Wei Wuxian and bowed her head before disappearing into the large estate just like the rest.

Wen Ning was soon at his side, guiding him down hallway after hallway until they reached a small room. Not tiny, but smaller than the ones they had passed on their way here.

"What is this place?" Wei Wuxian asked as he laid Jiang Cheng down on the wooden bed at the far end of the space.

"The. . . Yiling overwatch o-office." He said, his eyes turned down to look at his feet.

Wei Wuxian couldn't help the outrage that surged inside of him.

"Which unlucky clan did the Wens subjugate to get this territory, huh? Why did you bring us here specifically?" He just about shouted, but had the mind to not make too much ruckus in a house full of enemies.

"You said you could help." Wei Wuxian all but growled, malice and hurt dripping from his words. Wei Ying watched as the alpha took a step backwards, his hands flinching upwards as if preparing for a strike to the face.

"I-I can, it's just... " Wen Ning started, but was cut off as the door was flung open.

Instinctively, Wei Wuxian dropped into a protective stance, shielding his brother's unconscious frame. A snarl pulled up at his lips, his canines on full display. He would absolutely not let anyone hurt his brother. They would have to kill him, then dispose of his ghost before they could even lay a finger on the man.

Before Wei Ying could move to react further, a woman's voice rang out.

"Through the front door, A-Ning! Really? You could have been caught!" A female cultivator stood in the door, her frame firm and imposing, but her face ever so elegant. At first glance, she sort of reminded Wei Wuxian of Lan Wangji. But the illusion was quickly destroyed by the haughty yet worried look that incorporated her features.

Slightly tanned, but smooth skin, familiar dark eyes and long brown hair pinned in a half-up-half-down hair style, silky and well taken care of. The woman, the young woman, could be described as nothing short of stunning. She could be no older than A-Li.

She was a familiar face, her Wen robes embroidered in a bright, lustrous red that brought out the undertones of her skin. Too red, and too familiar.

This was Wen Qing. She was famous within the cultivation world, one of the few female alphas with a high status. She was also a close subordinate of Wen Ruohan, standing equally in terms of rankings as Wen Chao, one of their clan's heirs. She was widely known for her disciplines such as literary arts, politics and medicine, regardless of her position as a member of the Wen clan of Qishan.

Both Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning startled as she shut the door quickly behind her.

"Chief Officer Wen?" Came another voice just outside the door, "Everything alright?"

"Yes, all is well. My brother has just returned and isn't feeling well. We will need some time." She said, her voice unwavering even as her face seemed a little panicked.

"Understood." Came the response before multiple footsteps could be heard leaving the area.

Once they were gone, she trod closer to her brother, looking over the other alpha with a careful eye.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Is your heart acting up at all?" She asked, grabbing both sides of his head and bringing his face almost directly in front of hers. It looked as if she was peering into the teen's soul.

"I'm fine, JieJie, I'm not the one who needs your help." Wen Ning said, his face slightly red from embarrassment at his sister's pestering. Regardless, he gestured to the Yunmeng disciples at the other end of the room.

Wei Wuxian could feel his hackles rising as the Wen aphla's sharp eyes turned towards them, but he didn't dare move.

She let go of her brother and began to approach them, her pace slow and her eyes piercing as she studied them.

"Why are you here?" She asked, her steps coming to a halt not two meters from Wei Ying.

He glanced between the two Wen cultivators, siblings apparently.

"I'm not completely sure, your brother was the one who brought us here. I have an idea, but it would be best to ask him." His face returned to a more neutral state, no longer snarling at the alpha as she was no longer an apparent danger.

"Did you hurt him, my brother?" She asked, looking Wei Wuxian dead in the eye.

"Not seriously, no." He responded. Wen Qing looked back towards her brother for confirmation.

"I deserved it, and I'm fine." He said.

She nodded and looked back at the omega, then behind him.

"Is he why you're here?" She asked, the alpha in question still soundly asleep.

"Yes, Wen Z-Zhuliu got to him." Wen Ning replied. Wei Wuxian hadn't told him that; was it really that obvious?

"Move aside, let me see him." The Chief officer said, not waiting for a response, as she stepped around him to get to Jiang Cheng.

She snapped her fingers beside his ears, lifted his eyelids and moved to put her hands on his stomach. Wei Ying watched the steady flow of Qi that stretched down her arms and around Jiang Cheng's body before she removed her hands with a sigh.

She stood up straight and began to walk towards the door, but paused when she passed Wei Wuxian. She sniffed at the air around him, then looked him up and down thoroughly before sighing again.

"I will be right back, I need to fetch some medicine to treat the two of you." She explained, promptly turned and walked out the door, closing it tightly on her way out.

---------------

Not long after his sister had left, Wen Ning excused himself as well, saying he had a few things he needed to take care of, leaving Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng alone.

Within minutes of the teen leaving, Jiang Cheng began to stir, finally waking from his two-day-long nap.

When he finally opened his eyes, they remained sort of glassy, and he did not attempt to move. The alpha just lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling above him.

He was too calm.

"Jiang Cheng?" Wei Ying spoke his name carefully, coming to sit next to his brother's bed.

Still with no response, Wei Ying reached for his brother's shoulder, hoping the contact would be of comfort to the alpha. Once again, no reaction. The omega began to worry.

"A-Cheng? Do you hear my voice? Can you see me? Do you recognize me?" The only response he got was a slow glance upwards, followed by an equally slow blink.

Wei Wuxian asked a handful of more questions before his brother truly began to react. Slowly, the alpha sat up, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings and disgustingly familiar garments. The first thing he did was tear them off, the innocent robe shredded and thrown halfway across the room.

"Where are we, and why are we wearing the Wen dogs' clothes?" He demanded, his bleary eyes scanning their surroundings.

"We're in Yiling, I was told there was someone here who could help us." Wei Wuxian answered, walking over to pick up the ruined garments.

"That doesn't answer my second question." Jiang Cheng said firmly, glaring at the red and white robes as if they had personally offended him.

"We're hidden right under their noses. Yiling. . . Yiling is an overwatch office." He said, his voice hesitating as he spoke. Wei Wuxian knew how bad it sounded.

"So a trap? Really, Wei Ying! What in the world were you even thinking?!" He all but shouted, his upper lip curling back into a snarl.

"No, I don't believe it's a trap-"

"No?" His hands curled into fists at his sides, "No! Wei Ying? Why would you believe them? Why turn to the bastards who destroyed our home for help!?"

"They have been nothing but helpful, I honestly think there might be something going on h-"

"I DON'T CARE! I don't care what you think!" The alpha shouted, his pheromones rolling off of him in waves, "Why would you bring us here? Why Wei Ying?"

Wei Wuxian could feel the guilt in his chest, but he knew he was in the right. He had to take any available opportunities he could, regardless of how questionable they may be.

A hand roughly grabbed the collar of his clothes, pulling his face down and in line with Jiang Cheng's. He felt his brother's other fist meet his gut, but it was nowhere near as hard as the alpha had probably intended.

"Did you feel that?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Feel what?"

"My Qi?" He responded, just as roughly, letting go of the omega.

"No? Try again." Wei Ying asked, reaching out to grab his brother's hand, but he was once again pushed away.

"No use, my core is completely gone. You do know why they call Wen Zhuliu the Core Melting Hand, right?" The Yunmeng alpha asked, looking down at his own hands, "Because he literally destroys the cores of his victims, rendering them almost completely unable to form a new core. Regardless of who the cultivator is, there's nothing to do against the man. He is formidable," He spat out the word with the intensity of a flame, "So formidable he destroyed the cores of both of my parents, leaving them unable to defend themselves."

"Because of him- because of Wen Chao, my home is destroyed, my parents murdered, and my future gone!" He shouted to the sky, "What use is a cultivator without a golden core?"

Wei Ying noticed the tears that began to stream down his brother's face, slow and ugly as he began to laugh.

"How am I to protect my family!?" his body shaking with laughter, high and hollow. The laughter of a man on the brink of insanity.

"Why did you even bother to save me if I have no future left to live?" He shouted before lunging at Wei Ying once again. His hands wrapped around his brother's neck.

The omega struggled against the grip, even though it wasn't very strong, the alpha had his fingers dug into the flesh of his neck. Wei Ying could feel them bruising the sensitive skin of his scent glands.

A swoosh of the door opening followed by the glint of metal had Jiang Cheng unconscious once more, the alpha strewn across the bed in an outstretched manner. Wei Ying wanted to help put his brother into a comfortable position, but was gently pulled back by Wen Ning before he could.

"Leave him be, we will take care of him." Wen Qing ordered, stepping past the omega to get to the unconscious Jiang disciple.

"You didn't hurt him, did you?" Wei Wuxian asked, watching the female alpha right his brother's position before gently feeding a decoction into his mouth.

"He will be fine."

"She just knocked him out, he'll wake again as soon as Jiejie removes her needle." Wen Ning supplied for his sister as she continued to work. He gently tugged at Wei Wuxian's shoulders, leading the man to a chair not too far from his brother's bed.

"You need rest as well." Wen Ning said, nudging him to sit, "I-I don't think I saw you sleep once on our way here."

He slowly pulled a teacup out from behind him, placing the warm beverage into the omega's hands.

"Drink, my Jiejie said this will help." Wei Ying sniffed at the steam, it was pleasant but unfamiliar.

"What kind of tea is this?" He asked, raising the cup to his nose to get a better whiff.

"Its goji berries, astragalus, and rehmannia root. It will help with blood production, hydration, and to restore your qi." Wen Qing answered from beside Jiang Cheng, not looking up from her diligent work to respond. Wen Ning's eyebrows furrowed, looking at his sister's back, then turning to study Wei Wuxian closely.

"Make sure he eats that tonic as well," She continued, gesturing over her back at the small bowl beside the teapot.

"Don't raise your eyebrow at me, A-Ning." She scolded, not even turning to look at her brother.

Wei Wuxian looked upwards just in time to see the younger alpha schooling his features.

"What's the tonic for?" He asked, savouring the bittersweet flavour of the tea as he took a large sip.

"So many questions, goodness." She said with a huff before explaining, "It's Dan Gui and Jujube. It will help kickstart your metabolism and hopefully balance out your Qi." She responded, finally turning around to face the other two conscious people in the room, "Your energy is all over the place, Wei Wuxian, and you are exhausted." She said, her voice firm but with an almost pitiful undertone.

"How long has that negative energy been in your system, and why haven't the Jiang Yunmeng physicians done anything to right it?" Wen Qing asked, coming to place a cool hand on Wei Ying's forehead.

A memory of Jiang Yanli doing the same thing to him the last time he was ill flashed through his head. He hadn't even realized he'd been running a temperature.

"'Bout a month." He mumbled into his cup, not looking up to make eye contact with the woman. He didn't want to remember anything more about his sister. He still had no idea how she was faring.

Wen Qing sighed before placing the small bowl of tonic closer to Wei Wuxian.

"Finish this, then get some rest. We will put some trusted guards on either end of the hallway. If you need anything, use this," She said, placing a small, incomplex talisman in his hand. "It will notify both my brother and me that you need help, and we will be here as quickly as possible. Just please, don't leave this room." She pleaded lightly, even if the words sounded more like an order coming from her mouth.

The two Wen siblings began to clean up what they had brought with them, then headed for the door.

"A-Qing, is he-?" The younger alpha began to ask, but was quickly silenced with a glare from his older sister.

"We will return later to check up on the two of you. Until then, sleep." She commanded, giving Wei Wuxian a pointed look.

He wanted to protest, but as the two Wen cultivators left the room, the door sliding shut behind them, the relief and exhaustion hit him all at once. His body sagged deep into the chair, and he made quick work of finishing what Wen Qing had given him. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer.

---------------

The first thing Jiang Cheng felt when he awoke was a small pinch on his temple, then his surroundings began to clear. 

He could tell they were no longer in the overwatch office, but his surroundings were still unfamiliar. Physically, he felt better than before, but he could feel his mental state rapidly deteriorating. Jiang Cheng could feel the gaping void in his body where his golden core used to reside, and the knowledge of everything leading up to this point weighed him down.

Over the next couple of days, the alpha didn't get up from his bed. He ate no food, and drank little water, and that was only when his brother forced him to.

Minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into days. The longer he lay there unmoving, his resolve only further crumbled. He watched as the days passed, Wei Ying would leave for longer periods. The omega always returned, sometimes with a hopeful expression, sometimes with a grim one. Jiang Cheng couldn't bring himself to care.

Normally, the alpha would be on top of his brother like a hound. Even if the omega was technically older than him, he felt at least a little responsible for man's safety. Wei Wuxian might be a powerful cultivator and a genius in so many ways, but he was still an omega. There were just certain things he couldn't do, certain customs he had to follow.

Regardless of wether or not the vast majority of the world knew the status of his brother's second gender, he still had to be cautious. The man was relatively easy to disguise, being a dominant omega and all, but unforeseen events could still happen. His brother could get caught up by an alpha's rut, he could fall into heat, even though it was unlikely, someone could force themselves on Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng should be able to protect him. 

He should be able to protect his whole family, even if now that was just the three of them, A-LI, A-Ying and himself. Without his spiritual energy, he felt useless, less than useless. 

Jiang Cheng was angry and so very sad. He couldn't even protect himself anymore, much less lead his broken clan into a battle of vengeance against the Wen.

Jiang Cheng didn't know how long it had been when his brother burst through the doors, his step fiercely joyous.

"Here, eat!" He said, placing a warm bowl of congee on the table next to Jiang Cheng's futon.

The alpha didn't respond, instead eyeing the gooey substance. He didn't have the energy to turn his nose up at it.

"You need to eat." His brother stated, tugging on his arm to help him into a sitting position.

"Why? What's the point?" Jiang Cheng responded with the rhetorical question, not truly looking for an answer.

"Because I finally know how to help you, but you will need your energy. Now, eat!" He stated, shoving the bowl closer to the alpha. 

Jiang Cheng turned to look at his brother, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. He didn't believe the omega. It was probably just a trick to get food in his stomach. But something at the back of his mind whispered doubt. The chipper way Wei Wuxian was talking, the way his eyes sparkled, even if dulled from their usual brightness. So he asked.

"How could you help me? There's no way to restore what has been lost, you can't bring my parents back from the grave." He said bitterly, even though his parents hadn't even been given a proper burial.

"Maybe not, but I might know a way to get your Golden Core back. My mother was a student of the renowned Baoshen Sanren, the cultivator of over a hundred years who was said to be able to bring people back from death." He stated, his features dulling before returning to a more excited state as he continued to talk, "I might not know all of the great immortal's secrets, but I do know what my mother was able to pass on before her death, an we are blessed that it is of use to us!" He exclaimed, flopping down next to the alpha, "So eat, we have a long couple of days ahead of us." 

Jiang Cheng could only freeze. A way to restore his Golden Core? No, that was impossible. If that did exist, and Wei Ying had known about it this whole time, he would have brought it up sooner. The alpha wasn't whether or not his brother was to be believed.

"I thought you said you couldn't remember anything from your childhood?" The Jiang heir asked quizzically.

"Not nothing silly, just most things. I can still remember what my mother drilled into me as a child, the information that she thought would be of dire importance to me as I aged." Wei Wuxian said, clapping a hand gently, aware of his brother's weakness, against his back.

"Why do you only remember now?" He asked, still not quite believing the omega, even if hope began to build in his gut.

"I was small, Jiang Cheng, and it was a long time ago. The memories I have of my parents aren't always there, and even when they are, they tend to be fuzzy." He explained, looking Jiang Cheng in the eyes.

"Well then, what is it? Spit it out!" The alpha demanded, and he could see the beginning sparks of hope flare in the reflection of Wei Wuxian's eyes.

"Back when I was very small, I remember my mother telling me that if I ever came into a situation where I had no other choice, to ascend the mountain where her former master resides and beg the woman for help." He explained, his arms moving as if to animate the scene, "Now eat!" He all but shouted, forcing his brother's head to turn towards the meal on the table.

Jiang Cheng had no reason to protest; his stomach grumbled greedily at the thought of food. He looked between his brother and the Congee. 

"Eat, or I won't tell you!" No more explanation needed, Jiang Cheng began to chow down.

"My mother would repeat the location of this 'Baoshen's' territory to me before I could even talk, she was very determined for me to remember. I wonder why it took this long?" He mumbled to himself as the aloha next to him gorged on the food provided.

"I will take you there in the next couple of days." Jiang Cheng paused his eating, trying to ask why around his mouthful of food.

"An immortal who has supposedly lived nearly a millennium, do you really think she would disappear from the face of the earth within the time it will take you to recover?" Wei Wuxian questioned without needing to hear his brother's answer.

It made sense, so Jiang Cheng continued to eat as his brother further explained the story.

"Grandmaster Baoshen was supposedly a very strict woman when it came to taboos. Over the next couple of days, I will do my best to help you memorize them. Because if you break them, then all hope is lost. Understand, A-Cheng?" He asked seriously, and Jiang Cheng could only nod furiously.

He would do anything if it meant he could protect his family again.

"Once you enter the mountain, you mustn't memorize your surroundings or the faces of those around you, she is obscured in mystery for a reason. So we will tie something around your eyes to prevent you from even looking. Regardless of what you hear or sense up on the mountain, you can, under absolutely no circumstances, remove the blindfold. Capich?" He said firmly, looking for his brother's confirmation. Once received, the omega continued.

"Don't ever reveal your identity. If, for whatever reason, you are asked for your name, say Wei Ying, the son of Cangse Sanren. The grandmaster only helps those close to her, and the family of one of her disciples counts," he said, waggling his finger to make a point. "And you must do what you are told, regardless of how outlandish it may seem. Lastly, by the heavens above, keep your nose to yourself. I doubt Baoshen Sanren wants to be sniffed by some young alpha." He said with a sigh.

Up until they made it to the point where Wei Wuxian finally put the blindfold on his brother, he quizzed the other man relentlessly. Even as they travelled, during meals and before they slept. The next couple of days felt as if Jiang Cheng was studying for the biggest, most important test of his life. Though the questions were straightforward, the answers seemed to make little sense at times. But the young alpha didn't question it. He was serious when he said he would do anything.

"You remember the village we passed not too long ago?" Wei Wuxian asked as he handed his blinded brother a walking stick, "I will wait for you there." He finished once seeing his brother nod.

"The mountain terrain might be difficult without your eyes, but there aren't any malicious creatures here; the spiritual energy of the grandmaster keeps them at bay." The omega said, patting Jiang Cheng on the back.

"So take your time, trust your feet. Good luck, A-Cheng." Wei Ying said, turning his brother so he was facing the right direction.

"I will, and thank you, A-Xian. I don't think I've said that to you enough." Jiang Chjeng heard the quick intake of breath from his brother, but did not comment.

"I will see you soon, goodbye." Jiang Cheng bid over his back as he began to ascend the mountain. He could not lie; he was nervous. He hoped this would work; if not, he had no other options.

"Bye." Was the last thing his brother said before he was out of hearing distance.

Time to go get his Golden core back.

Chapter Text

Since leaving the overwatch office, Wei Wuxian had been searching as thoroughly as possible. He had to find a way to help his brother. Jiang Cheng was competitive down to the fibres of his being, and he needed a way to protect those dear to him. The man still lay in a semi-conscious state, fading away as the days passed. It was even a struggle to get the alpha to drink water, much less consume anything.

Wei Wuxian combed through as many libraries as possible, book stores and the personal collections of any passer-by who would let him.

It took almost a full week before a kind old lady led him into her backwater pawn shop, where he finally found his salvation.

The book was fairly new, but had a couple of papers torn, others damaged by water. It was small, and some words were hard to read, but the calligraphy was neat. He re-read and re-read the words, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. He couldn't believe his eyes; a way to transplant a golden core, from one person to another. 

The author seemed to doubt themself, but the more Wei Wuxian read this theorized procedure, the more plausible it sounded.

There were downsides, of course, but it was possible. And if it meant his brother would be happy again, the omega would do everything in his power to bring it to fruition.

The operation sounded gruelling, cutting through layer after laying of tissue before slowly and carefully separating the Golden core from each individual meridian. Wei Wuxian didn't know if he could think of anything that sounded more painful. It was also long, the author speculated that it would most likely take upwards of twenty hours to complete. An exhausting experience for both the physician and the patient.

Sadly, the author explicitly stated that this had never been done before and was nothing more than a hypothesis. Everything could turn out differently than previously stated. There was only a fifty percent chance, if not less, of it actually working.

Wei Wuxian slammed the book shut, startling the bookkeeper at the other end of the shop. He thanked the woman profusely, giving her any spare change he had on him as payment, but was quickly waved off the the elder.

"Don't worry about it, dear, you seem more excited about this than I've ever seen any young lad." She said, gently patting his arm, "It's on the house." A kind smile crept over her features.

"Thank you so much, you have no idea what this means to me!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed loudly, bending a full ninety degrees before running out the door.

Once back to the bustling streets of Yiling, Wei Wuxian examined the book closely, looking for any indication of the author. He had no doubt in his mind that the creator of this theory would be able to do this; he just had to find them.

At the last page of the little green booklet, he found the author's name spelled in the same neat handwriting as the rest of the essay.

He gaped at the familiar name: Wen Qing.

---------------

Wei Suxian attempted to return to the Overwatch office, but quickly changed his mind when he noticed the large number of guards in the surrounding area. There hadn't been this many Wen cultivators before. He thought, pivoting on his heel and walking the other way.

He stopped, hopping up onto the rooftops as soon as he was far enough away not to get noticed. He tapped his nose as he passed back and forth, trying to come up with a solution. The omega's hands soon made their way into his sleeves, trying to find inspiration for one of his brilliant ideas when his fingers came into contact with a small piece of paper.

He didn't remember putting that in there. He pondered as he pulled it out, careful not to damage the brittle paper. Wei Wuxian scrutinized the sheet, quickly recognizing the familiar markings and feel of a talisman.

Now he remembered! It was the one Wen Qing had given him. Wow, how convenient. Sometimes, his luck really did have spectacular timing.

He held the paper out in front of him, keeping it at a relative distance as he activated the simple spell. He really hoped it worked. Otherwise, he would have to risk breaking into the protected overwatch office, and Wei Wuxian didn't feel like putting his brother at any more risk than he already was.

If he got caught, regardless of whether or not he was able to defeat them, not that he thought he couldn't, it would alert those loyal to the Wen Chao that something was going on. He didn't need that at the moment, his hands were already quite full.

With the sun beginning to set, Wei Wuxian knew that he would have to get back to his brother soon. He needed to make sure the alpha didn't end up killing himself, the thought grim. So he decided that he would only remain here for another hour and then return to Jiang Cheng.

He was in luck because he watched as Wen Qing exited the mansion within the next fifteen minutes, quickly navigating her way down the streets.

There must have been some sort of tracking beacon or something within the talisman, because the Wen alpha was navigating her way towards the building where Wei Wuxian was perched.

Once the omega deemed her close enough, he hopped down and quickly pulled the Wen cultivator into an alley.

"Hey!" She began to protest, her hackles rising and her hand reaching for her sword before she noticed it was Wei Wuxian.

"Don't ever do that again." She growled, her eyes glaring daggers at the omega.

"Alright, alright," Wei Ying relented, his hand raising as a sign of defeat, "But I have a request of you."

Wen Qing raised her brow, her eyes not letting up on their rigidity.

"I need you to perform a Golden Core transplant on my brother." Wei Wuxian asked, his tone deathly serious.

"W-what?" Wen Qing stuttered, her hand dripping away from her sword, clearly surprised.

"Please, I found your essay on the theory. It's the only solution I've been able to find." He begged, his hands coming in front of him to clasp together.

"Wei Wuxian- There is no way I can perform that procedure." Wen Qing refused, taking a slight step backwards.

"I beg of you, you are my only hope. I doubt I could find anyone else in the world with the same level of genius as yourself." He pleaded, dropping into a low, respectful bow. 

The Wen doctor pondered before responding.

"The likelihood of it succeeding is too low; it's never been done before." She said, eyes wide.

"I read your detailed description. I truly believe you are the only one capable of completing it."

"Wei Wuxian, I'm sorry, but I don't feel confident enough to-"

"I believe in you. You are trustworthy. I know you can do this." Wei Wuxian cut her off, "You and your brother have already helped so much. I know this isn't right of me to ask of you, but this is the only way." He said, not raising his head from his bow. Taken aback, Wen Qing's mouth opened and closed.

"There's less than a fifty percent chance of this working," she said, tapping the book Wei Wuxian had given her, "and that is if we can find a willing donor. That will likely be the hardest part." She explained, never looking away from him.

She was right; cultivators were competitive and prideful. He couldn't think of anyone willing to help. He looked up to meet Wen Qing's gaze.

"I will do it, I am willing to give Jiang Cheng my Golden Core." He said fiercely. Wei Wuxian had made up his mind, and there was no way Wen Qing could convince him otherwise.

She saw the determination in his eyes.

"It would be one of the most painful experiences you will face if you choose that. The extraction of a Golden Core involves many steps, breaking and then improperly putting back intricate systems. Are you sure?" She asked, as if confirming he really wanted to go through with this.

"I would give my everything for family." He said, his eyes never breaking contact with the female alpha.

"Very well, let me talk to my brother, and we will try and plan something out." She said, stepping away from Wei Wuxian.

The omega watched her go, still not completely registering what he had agreed to. He remained frozen, only starting to move when he realized the sun had dipped below the horizon. He was quick to scamper back to his brother.

---------------

"Wei-gongzi, are you ready?" Wen Qionglin asked, walking up beside the omega. Wei Wuxian didn't move till his brother completely disappeared around the mountainous terrain.

He didn't speak, just nodded and began to follow the alpha as he led him to Wen Qing.

"I would prefer to do this somewhere more sanitary, but I can't risk you alerting Wen Ruohan's men." The female alpha said as soon as the two men were within hearing distance.

She had white cloth laid over the short grass of the surrounding area, obviously an attempt at sterility. There was a willow tree overshadowing the space, its long, hanging branches offering privacy and protection from the light breeze. 

"Can I ask you something?" Wei Wuxian requested, still surveying the location where his golden core removal would be taking place.

"G-go ahead." Wen Ning replied, his sister now busy preparing her tools and equipment, he tried not to think about the sharp and metallic pieces he saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Is there something going on at the Yiling overwatch office? Some of the Wen disciples I encountered seemed to know who I was, and they didn't care." Wei Wuxian spoke, looking back at Wen Ning.

"I-" He started before cutting himself off, "I'm not at l-liberty to say."

"Your sister also refers to certain Wen cultivators as 'Wen Rouhans's men', are you not technically one of his men as well?" He asked, his eyes boring into the uncomfortable teen.

"Well, yes- technically we are. . . but-" The young alpha began slowly, clearly looking for the right words.

"But also no, right? Cus if you were, you wouldn't be helping me right now." Wei Wuxian said with finality, not looking away from Wen Ning.

"We're part of the Dafan-Wen branch, one of the oldest offshoots of the main lineage." Wen Qing spoke, finally returning to where they stood.

"Yes, and you in particular are quite favoured by the head of the Wen clan." He pointed out. Wei Wuxian knew it sounded accusatory, but he couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on here.

"We are doctors." Wen Qing said firmly, her chest puffing up with pride, "The Dafan-Wen don't support what Wen Ruohan is doing. Our purpose is to heal others, not harm them. It goes against everything we stand for." 

"So, why not do something? Why not speak up?" The omega asked, looking the female alpha in the eyes.

"We tried, our parents went 'missing' because of it." Glaring into Wei Ying's eyes, he could feel her hatred towards the man.

"I am useful to Wen Ruohan, too useful for him to get rid of me as well. And he knows that if anything were to happen to my brother, I would stop cooperating."

"So he's holding Wen Ning over your head." Wei Wuxian finished for her. He knew how the man operated.

"As of now, he still thinks my branch is loyal. But as soon as I officially take over as head of the Dafan-Wen, we're leaving. Until then, I might as well use his trust in me, if limited, to my advantage." She explained. Wei Wuxian knew the woman was cunning, but this was more than he was expecting.

The alpha had something planned, but he just wished he was privy to the knowledge of what. If he knew, he could help; he was strong, intelligent and extremely resourceful. And he was full of a thirst for vengeance, something  Wei Ying could see a spark of behind Wen Qing's sharp eyes.

"Same as you, I want to protect those around me. Right now, the way to do that is to stay low and not cause a scene. When the time comes, I will take it." She said. He knew she had a point, regardless of whether or not he truly agreed with her.

"Now, do you still want to do this, or just yap until we get caught?" Wen Qing asked, even though it was a rhetorical question.

He nodded, following her as she guided him to lie in the middle of the large cloth.

"I'm going to get you to remove the upper half of your clothing, I need to have direct access to your skin." She said, then directed Wen Ning to grab something from behind her.

Ever so self-consciously, Wei Wuxian began to strip, leaving his torso and above bare to the elements.

"Good, now I'm going to check your Qi. We have to make sure you're a suitable candidate for this procedure." She said, gently reaching forward to press her hands against Wei Ying's skin.

The omega felt a shiver run up his spine as she added pressure just below his ribs. Soon, he could feel her own Yang energy being circulated through his meridians. It felt odd, and he suppressed the urge to shiver again.  

She let out a soft 'hm', her brows knitting together slightly.

"This better not be anything bad, I doubt we'll have an easy time finding someone else willing to give up their Golden core." Wei Wuxian said with a huff, closely scanning the female physician's expressions. It was difficult to predict what she was thinking, as her features were quick to correct themselves.

"You have an abnormally high level of Yin energy, but I did locate your core." She said, sitting back from Wei Wuxian to study his whole body.

"Have you had an encounter with an omega recently?" She pondered. Wei Wuxian froze before shaking his head no, his cheeks flushing ever-so-slightly red at the implications.

That's right, they had no idea he was an omega. Wei Ying really hoped he would still be able to go through with this, regardless.

"I did help defeat the Xuanyu of Slaughter. It exuded extremely high levels of negative and Yin energy." He provided, hoping maybe that was the reason, not his second gender.

Wen Qing reached forward again, this time palpating lower on Wei Wuxian's abdomen. He jumped slightly at the hands suddenly, nearly on top of his pelvis.

"How long ago was that?" She asked, her hands moving more to the left.

"Just over a month now, I think." She hummed.

"That can't be it then, it would be out of your system by now. Especially with a Golden core of such impressive cultivation like yourself-" She froze, the constant movements of her hands pausing shortly before pressing harder in that one spot.

She pulled away, her eyes set firm.

"Show me your neck." She commanded, eyes glaring at Wei Wuxian. He stilled before complying.

Wen Qing let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"You have to answer me honestly, Wei Wuxian. Are you an omega?" She asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked sheepishly, resisting the urge to curl up into a ball. No one was supposed to know. At least, besides the people absolutely required. Wei Ying guessed this counted as a requirement.

"No, actually, it's not; that's the problem. But I had a suspicion. Dominant, recessive or undefined?" She asked, continuously scanning his features.

"Dominant." He said finally, looking away from both the Wen siblings' prying eyes. He could still see Wen Ning's shocked face as he fumbled with a needle and bottle.

"Uncommon. Alright, lie back down. I need to reassess now that I have been made aware." She said, Wei Ying hadn't even noticed he had sat up, his legs coming up into an almost curled position.

Wen Qing's chilly hands pressed back down onto his abdomen, not nearly as hard as before, but still firm. As she moved, more and more of her Qi was filtered through his system. He could feel it replenishing vitality he didn't know he was missing. But it wasn't long before he began to feel nauseous. 

"T-This doesn't change anything, right? I'm still going to be able to give Jiang Cheng my Golden core?" He asked, looking up to see Wen Qing's concentrated face.

"It shouldn't, no." Wei Wuxian sighed with relief. He didn't want any more obstacles. 

"Have you been nauseous lately? Fatigued? Maybe more emotional than usual?" She questioned as Wei Wuxian felt her Qi begin to pinpoint on a spot in his lower stomach.

"Honestly, a little. But I thought it was just because of the negative Qi the Xuanyu of Slaughter had put off. Our physicians suspected that it was the most likely case." He responded, trying not to squirm as the warm, ticklish feeling in his abdomen strengthened.

"Have you missed any heats or had any bleeding?" 

"No bleeding, I don't think. And my, uh, heats are very sporadic. They don't tend to follow a schedule, so I wouldn't be able to tell you. Why?" He asked, starting to worry again. His mind ran through every possible scenario. Was his scent deprevation coming back to bite him in the ass? Maybe his lack of a proper pack or familial mark? It could even still be the trauma of losing his parents at such a young age, the issues re-ignited after the severed bonds, however weak, caused by the death of the Jiang.

"Have you had any sexual encounters recently?" Wei Ying's rushing mind came to an abrupt halt.

The waves of pleasure that washed over him as the Lan Wangji's length dragged in and out, over and over again. The pleasure only built with each powerful thrust the alpha gave, and he felt something catching on his rim. The sensation continued to grow until the two were locked together, Lan Zhan's seed spilling inside of him with a groan. He felt plugged, he felt stretched and abused. But as warm liquid filled him up even further, unable to escape because of the alpha's knot, all he felt was blissful content.

It was all he could think about. He felt his face flush a deep, shameful red.

"I will take that as a yes." Wen Qing said, sitting back once more.

"The reason you have been feeling the way you have, besides all the stress you're under, as well as the reason you're reading so high on Yin energy, is because y-"

"HE'S PREGNANT!?" Wen Ning exclaimed, dropping what he held as he interrupted his sister.

Wei Wuxian felt his jaw go slack. 

---------------

Chapter Text

"Sorry- Ha," Wei Wuxian started, his mouth hanging open as he searched for the words, "I'm what?"

"Pregnant." Wen Qing supplied, before turning to give her brother the most rotten glare he has ever seen. He would have found it funny if he hadn't been so preoccupied with freaking the fuck out. 

"That's not- that can't be possible," He said, still in shock.

"It's very possible. Do I need to explain how babies are made to you?" Wen Qing asked, looking back at the omega. When Wei Wuxian didn't reply, she continued.

"If both you and your partner had the correct parts, then it only takes-" Wei Ying cut her off, his face flushing.

"I know how it works, " he said, looking away. No one spoke for a long while.

"How far along am I?" Wei Wuxian asked, his voice meek, barely heard by the alphas. He already had a good estimate; he just wanted confirmation.

"Since I'm only sensing the early stages of distortion in your Qi, as well as minimal changes to your physical body, I'd say between four to six weeks." The female alpha explained. "The embryo has yet to form into a fetus, which means that you are very susceptible to a miscarriage. I'm honestly surprised the embryo has survived this long, considering how much you've been through in the past couple of weeks."

"S-stress tends to harm the unborn pup," Wen Ning said, still rapidly rummaging to clean up his mess.

"Which is why I have to ask: are you still certain you want to go through with the procedure?" Wen Qing asked calmly, her hand coming to rest on Wei Wuxian's shoulder, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin at the sudden contact. 

He looked up, his eyes meeting the female doctor's, his face full of questions and worry.

"This is a very traumatic procedure; it will probably cause you immense pain. Those types of events tend to lead to miscarriages. I wouldn't expect this embryo to survive." She stated, a look akin to pity in her eyes. 

Wei Ying didn't even know the child in his womb. It hadn't even formed a soul yet. So why was he hesitating?

He loved his brother, would do anything for the man. Jiang Cheng was his family, alongside Jiang Yanli. He would do anything for his family. Give up everything for them.

But so was this pup. This small, unformed, combined clump of Lan Wangji and himself would be his family if it managed to survive. He shouldn't have to think about this so hard. Jiang Cheng was alive right now, and in dire need of his help. As long as Wen Qing would let him, he would give the man his core, even if it meant losing this possibility.

A possibility he hadn't even thought about until now, it had honestly never crossed his mind.

Wei Ying's hand came down to rest on his lower abdomen, right over where his womb was. He tried to feel the disturbances that Wen Qing was talking about, or any indication of the life he was creating, but he felt nothing. It took a very skilled physician to spot something so small. Wei Ying was not that.

"This is entirely your choice, Wei Wuxian. I wouldn't feel comfortable telling you what to do." Wen Qing stated, obviously taking note of the omega's hesitance. 

"I still want to go through with this, but how high is the chance of survival for the pup?" He asked, looking between the two alphas.

"Considering we don't have an accurate assumption on your survival, I can't confidently give you any answer. It will be a miracle if even you last this, much less your embryo." Wen Qing explained, obviously contemplating her decision to agree.

I wasn't that attached; I didn't even know the baby existed before five minutes ago. His rational brain explained, and it made perfect sense. But his omega had a completely different sentiment.

This is your pup, protect it with everything you have! It spoke, clearly hormonal and pumped up on instinct. If this surgery killed him or injured him beyond repair, it wouldn't just be himself he was hurting. He wasn't alone in his body anymore; he had a reason to keep it safe.

"I want to proceed with this," Wei Ying declared, gazing intently into Wen Qing's eyes.

"I will protect the family I have, even if it means risking a possibility of the future." 

"Very well, I understand. A-Ning, finish prepping the equipment."

---------------

In total, the procedure took thirty-three hours and fifteen minutes. Thirty-three hours of cutting, scraping, ripping and suturing. At one point, beyond the agonizing pain, Wei Wuxian could hear the sizzle of burning flesh as Wen Qing attempted to staunch a major bleed. 

When they first began the surgery, Wen Ning had given him as much pain medication as he possibly could. Sadly, the heavy-duty stuff would harm the embryo more than it would help him, so they ended up just using Wen Qing's acupuncture needles to paralyze the majority of his body. 

The needles didn't stop everything, though; if he paid enough attention, he would feel the slight tug on his skin as Wen Qing sliced into him. It was disturbing, but it wasn't like he hadn't been stabbed before, and with the lack of responsiveness from his pain receptors, it was nothing more than uncomfortable. 

Roughly six hours into the abscission, Wen Qing grew frustrated and soon stopped everything she was doing.

"We're going to have to take you off the pain killers, and probably take out the parilizer." She said, her tone forlorn.

"W-why?" Wei Ying asked, his throat rough from disuse and his head fuzzy from the drugs.

"They're putting your body into a dormant state, all of you're meridians are acting as if you were asleep." She explained.

"Why is that a bad thing?" Wen Ning was the one to ask.

"You should really know this, a-Ning," She scolded, "Because when you're asleep, your body is in overdrive to repair itself, making the connection between meridians, the core and organs stronger than during the rest of your circadian rhythm." She explained, both to her brother and the half-out-of-it omega. 

"Which makes the core harder to remove." Wen Ning supplies, looking pleased that he got the answer right.

"Exactly," she confirmed before turning back to Wei Ying, "You still want to do this? Even without a way to prevent the pain?" She asked even though the alpha already knew the answer. 

The omega nodded, not trusting his voice not to betray him.

She removed the needle from the base of his skull. It took a couple of moments, but Wei Wuxian soon felt the waves of pain as they began to crash over him. From that point on, everything became foggy and hard to remember, not that he wanted to.

A couple of close calls and another twenty-five hours later, he began to come back to himself. Wei Wuxian could still feel everything they were doing; he could swear he could feel the breeze on his innards as they pushed them back into his abdominal cavity. He could smell the rancid stench of burnt flesh and fresh blood in the air. Any time he risked opening his eyes, he could see the piles of bloodied cloth that lay scattered all around them.

"Stay awake, Wei Ying, we're almost done." A voice broke through the haze.

"Yes, a-almost there. We're closing you up right now." Another, more nervous one stated, it's familiarity comforting.

"D-di'it- Wrk?" Wei Wuxian slurred around the cloth in his mouth. When did that get there?

"Yes, Wei Ying. It worked. Now, stay awake so we can get you sewn shut." A female voice replied. He felt the overpowering sensation of relief wash over his being before he remembered.

"Th-b'by?" He pleaded, his tone strangled. 

"Too early to tell, but I will check again as soon as you're safe." The alpha's voice sounded again, this time further off into the distance. 

"We're putting you back on the medication." Came a male voice, even further than the last. Wei Ying's tongue felt too heavy to respond. He vaguely felt a needle go into his arm before he began to lose consciousness.

"-Ying, st. . . wake-" The voices muffled and long distant. The last thing he felt was his body relax to the drugs before completely going under.

---------------

When Wei Ying was finally strong enough to break through the darkness, he could hear a voice murmuring next to where he lay. His eyes cracked open slowly, but were soon shut once again, too heavy to remain open.

"-And we haven't told him where you are," He heard, his brain finally comprehending the words being spoken. "He thinks you disappeared, but we have no way to tell him what happened. N-not that I think you'd even want to." The voice finished.

"I'm needed back for the welcome party, I-I will get my Jiejie to check on you as soon as she is free." The voice spoke. Wei Ying could hear the shuffle of feet and the clanking of bowls as the person moved. clumsily so.

Ah, Wen Ning. He thought, before he began to fade back out of consciousness, no strength left in his body to even stir. 

"Don't make too much n-noise, okay?" Wen Ning joked, huffing slightly at the irony of his own words before the door could be heard sliding shut, the alpha finally gone.

He drifted back into the blissful nothingness that was the depths of his mind once more.

The next time he opened his eyes, he felt stronger, strong enough to shift in his bed. His eyes opened, no larger than crescents, and he blearily took in his surroundings.

Where am I? He thought, the unfamiliar surroundings only further disoriented him. 

He began to sit up, only to be gently pushed back down by cool hands. 

"Stay still, you're still healing." Wen Qing's familiar voice directed softly from beside his bed. 

Too weak to do anything but comply, Wei Wuxian shuffled to try and rest in a more comfortable position. His mouth felt dry, and his tongue tasted bitter. He tried to speak, but only a hoarse noise escaped his lips. The man mouthed "water" and watched as the alpha shuffled to the other side of the room to fetch him something to drink.

"Be careful, I don't need you choking." She said before tucking some extra cushioning behind his back. Once properly up to Wen Qing's standards, she helped him take small sips from the cup.

"Why a-am I so weak?" Wei Wuxian asked when the doctor removed the cup.

"What do you mean?"

"C-compared to A-Cheng, w-why am I so weak?" He clarified. 

"There are many reasons, but I have no doubt your brother was also incapable of taking care of himself when he lost his Golden Core." She replied, even if it didn't answer Wei Wuxian's question.

Seemingly taking note of his confusion, she continued: "You were already extremely weak due to a mix of exhaustion, stress and bodily harm. Your brother lost his Golden Core during the initial attack on Lotus Pier, right?" Wei Ying nodded around his internal grimace, "Which means he was most likely healthy and well-rested beforehand. Not to mention your body is trying to divert all its remaining energy into protecting your unborn pup."

Wei Ying looked at his hands, clasped loosely around one another in his lap.

"He lost his Core like ripping off a bandage. Yes, it was dangerous and had lasting effects, but it was done almost instantaneously. You, on the other hand, had it done slowly over the course of a day and a half. Even if it was done in a controlled environment, the process was painful. Any type of pain, regardless of the cause, for an extended period of time is bound to exhaust the body."

Wen Qing softly rested her hand on his shoulder once more.

"Don't feel bad about your body's reaction. Everyone is different, and it's a miracle that you even survived." She said. He could hear the sincerity in her voice, and she truly believed what she was saying.

Wei Wuxian forced his lips into a smile, but he knew it didn't reach his eyes, not entirely.

"Did it work?" He asked quietly, not looking up to meet the female alpha's face.

"I was able to give him your Golden Core. It has yet to be rejected, and the procedure passed with minimal complications." The alpha explained, her comforting hand leaving Wei Wuxian's shoulder as she moved back to the table next to his bed. 

"So it worked?" Wei Wuxian asked, and he could feel the tiny hope he kept cradled in his chest burn brighter, then light aflame when she nodded.

"So far, yes." This time, his smile felt real, and he was able to meet the Wen physician's eyes. 

"Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me." He thanked from the bottom of his soul. "I will forever be in your debt." He moved to attempt a kowtow, but was quickly stopped by Wen Qing when she noticed his movements.

He groaned slightly as she put him back properly into the bed.

"Damn straight you are! Now, stay in bed. I'm serious," She scolded as she tucked the ruffled sheets back over his body. 

His smile didn't leave his face as she made her way towards the exit.

"I will be back to check on you later. I need to relieve my brother of his duties of entertaining our unwelcome guests. Stay quiet, and don't leave this room." Wei Wuxian nodded, but Wen Qing already had her back turned as she left. Her comment was odd, but the omega chose to let it be, just hoping she didn't mean Jiang Cheng. It would truly be a hassle if he were causing any issues.

He could feel his eyes drooping once again, not even a short while later. Then, just as before, he drifted back into his unconscious state. 

---------------

"Is this the last time I'm going to see you?" Wei Wuxian asked, looking between the two alphas.

"Doubtful. You still owe us big time." Wen Qing said, gesturing for her brother to give him the Qiankun pouches in his arms. The omega gratefully accepted them with both hands.

"H-herbal teas and tonics to help you heal and keep you healthy." Wen Ning explained as the omega began tucking them into his sleeves. 

"It's the same tea and tonic we gave you when you first got here, as well as some extra stuff that might come in handy. Rations, clean water, premade talisman. . ." Wen Qing supplied as she seemed to almost fret over the omega. Or as close as she could with someone she had met barely a week prior.

"You didn't have to-" He started, but was cut off before he could finish.

"Think of it as an apology. I know it doesn't fix everything our clan has done to you. We may not associate with them willingly, but we still carry the Wen surname." A frown graced the female alpha's elegant features as she spoke.

"You have done more than I could ever repay you for, you put yourselves in harm's way for Jiang Cheng and I when there was no benefit to you. This really isn't necessary." Wei Wuxian said, but still kept the pouches. He wasn't stupid enough to give up a resource such as this. Without a clan to fall back on and being wanted fugitives, medicine would be hard to come by.

"It will pay off in the future, I have a feeling." Wen Qing said, her eyes as sharp as ever.

"P-plus, when Jiang Wanyin regains his strength and position, h-he will be a useful ally." Wen Ning said hopefully, the younger alpha's eyes sparkling brightly.

Wei Ying snickered, reaching up to ruffle the teen's hair.

"You're very right, Wen Ning." He agreed before turning back to the teen's older sister.

"Take it easy, and stay safe. Your pup has survived so far by the grace of the heavens and their blessed miracles." She paused before muttering: "You're obviously some god's favourite."

"But you're not past the checkpoint yet." She said sternly, he could feel the hint of scolding under her tone, and Wei Ying couldn't help but be reminded of his sister. The two women were both so different, yet so similar sometimes. A small smile rested on his lips. What would Shijie think of his predicament? 

His hand came to rest gently on his stomach. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had an infant growing inside of him. A whole human being. Then, the fact that the embryo had managed to survive? Wei Wuxian had been prepared to lose the unborn pup; he had almost come to terms with it, but now? He didn't want to think about it. Not until he was sure that everyone was safe. Not until he could talk to A-Li about it.

Wei Ying knew he would have to tell his sister eventually. Before he would even start to show, she would know. Jiang Yanli was sharper than most gave her credit for, one of the most intelligent people he knew. And she was far more perceptive than most, especially when it came to those she was close to. 

Thinking back to their last interaction, before everything went down, before she left to visit the Jin, she obviously knew something had happened, but was waiting for Wei Ying to tell her himself. He would tell her as soon as they reunited, as soon as Wei Ying could make sure his family was safe.

"The people taking care of Jiang Wanyin up on the mountain camp have sent word that he has just left. If he keeps his blindfold on as instructed, he should be fully descended from the peak by sun-up tomorrow." Wen Qing explained, looking off down the streets behind them, keeping an eye out for anybody who may be hostile.

"I should be able to make it in time, even without Suibian." Wei Wuxian said, trying not to think about the hollowness of where his core used to be.

"Keep your eyes open, Wen Chao's party is in the area. Hunting for the two of you, actually." Wen Qing said, a slight snip to her tone. She clearly didn't like the man; she wasn't very quiet about her displeasure.

"H-he made a couple of comments a-bout hunting you two when he stopped by." Wen Ning added when his sister didn't clarify.

So that was who she was talking about. The alpha had been muttering under her breath every time she had stopped by his room the past couple of days. Now he knew why she had been so frustrated and annoyed. Wei Wuxian couldn't argue with that.

"I will keep that in mind." He replied, bowing one last time before pulling the hood of his jacket, so graciously given by the Wen siblings, over his head. The shadows of the heavy cloth hid his features from any possible prying eyes.

"Thank you." He whispered under his breath as he slipped down alleyways and onto the crowded evening streets of Yiling.

---------------

Wei Wuxian glanced warily at the early morning sky, the sun just barely above the horizon. There were dark clouds that threatened rain, and without his Golden Core, he would be more susceptible to the weather. He didn't feel like getting a cold would do him any good.

He ducked into a relatively empty tea shop on the far edge of town, within sight of the mountain range his brother was supposed to descend.

The omega could hear the soft clinking of glasses and chopsticks when he entered. The small tea shop was quaint and well taken care of. However, something in the air made Wei Ying's hackles rise. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but something in the air sent his instincts haywire.

He pulled his hood closer around his body, trying to block out the warm light the tea shop offered. He wanted to rest; he had been on the move nearly all night, but he couldn't stay here.

Remaining here wasn't an option.

Run! His instincts demanded. He was smart enough to trust them.

He swiftly turned towards the door, only to be stopped by two large bodies.

"My, aren't you familiar." A rough voice sounded out, before Wei Wuxian could react, he was shoulder-checked into the wall behind him.

FASTER! His instincts screamed, You need to leave!

He scrambled to his feet, not fast enough to dodge the hand that grabbed the back of his hood, yanking it away from his face.

"I was right!" The Wen cultivator shouted, "Wen Chao! We found one of them!" The man holding him by the nape of his hood, finger digging tightly into the thick cloth.

Wei Ying struggled against the hold, but without his Golden Core, he could feel how weak he was in comparison.

Just because he was weak, it didn't mean he wasn't still skilled and very resourceful. He reached up behind his head, grabbing the Wen disciple's forearm with both hands. With the momentum of his body weight, he spun his body till he heard a crack from the man's shoulder. The noise was quickly followed by a pained howl, and the cultivator let go.

No longer trapped, he made a mad dash out the door, heading towards the forest line not too far from the shop. Wei Ying was ever grateful for his scent blockers, regardless of how annoying they could be sometimes, they sure as fuck helped him when he was trying to hide.

The dense shrubbery of the forest would provide him some much-needed cover, hopefully thick enough to keep him hidden. But he could hear the thundering footsteps of at least a dozen men behind him, quickly closing the gap.

Curse his terrible luck. Of course, he would walk into the exact place Wen Chao and his men were staying. Wen Qing had warned him to keep an eye out, but he had lost focus and gotten himself found out.

He made it past the line of trees, but the underbrush was far from what he desired. It was bare and wilting with the approach of winter. Unless he climbed a tree, there were not enough leaves to properly conceal him. 

A spew of curses left Wei Ying's lips as he continued to run. He was a fit man, but with everything going on in his life right now, he was far from his peak prowess. 

He heard the telltale sound of a sword blade cutting through the air moments before he felt it slam into his side. Disoriented, Wei Ying tumbled to the ground from the force of the blow. His head slammed into the ground when he fell, the dead leaves on the ground doing little to cushion his landing.

"Why are you running?" A familiar, nasally voice shouted from somewhere beyond the trees, "We got the rest of your clan; you were bound to get caught eventually." Wen Chao spat as he finally rounded the last few trees to where Wei Wuxian was trying to regain his footing.

"Wen Zhuliu!" The Wen heir shouted. He had no way to react in time to block the hand that slammed down onto his chest. He felt the sizzle of energy the contact transferred into his chest, but his body didn't react beyond falling back into the ground.

Core melting hand wouldn't do anything to someone who had no core.

Wen Zhuliu paused, looking down at the omega, but it only lasted a moment before Wen Chao could be heard again.

"Aw, fuck this. I thought you were Jiang Wanyin." He complained, coming to loom over the downed Jiang disciple, "Where is that alpha, by the way?" 

"Why would I ever tell you?" Wei Wuxian asked, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Because, maybe, I'll go easy on you." The slimy alpha sneared. 

"Never." 

He was answered with a rough kick to the face, and he could taste blood in his mouth when he tried to speak again.

"If you're sure about that, but we're going to find him eventually. Why not make it easy, huh?" He demanded a hand gesture, ordering Wen Zhuliu to lift Wei Wuxian's head.

"You look like a bitched alpha on your knees." The Wen heir noted, a messed-up smile gracing the disgusting man's face.

With the angle Wen Zhuliu was holding him up by his hair, it gave him a perfect line to the alpha's face.

Wei Wuxian spat a mouthful of blood right into the man's eyes.

With nothing short of a growl, the sleezy alpha kicked him to the ground, knocking him right out of the vice grip Wen Zhuliu had him in. 

"You're going to regret that." Wen Chao threatened, kicking him once more on the ground. Wei Wuxian curled around his abdomen, doing his best to protect his stomach as the kicks came down harder and harder. He did his best not to flinch, but his senses were heightened on adrenaline, and he felt like a wild animal in a cage.

"You know the pretty little Jiang omega? What was her name again, Yanli? I'm going to make her my little bitch, and every time she gets knotted down, I want you to know that it was because of you and that stupid Jiang heir!" He shouted. Wei Wuxian could feel the enraged growl curling up in his throat.

No one! Absolutely no one talked about his sister that way!

He grabbed the Wen alpha's foot the next time it approached his body, curling his body around the limb and dragging Wen Chao to the ground with him. 

He only got a handful of good blows to the Wen cultivator's body before he was forcefully dragged off and thrown to the dirt once again. He kicked and fought the whole way, only stopping once a heavy blow landed to the back of his skull.

The next couple of hours were spent in a dull state of semi-consciousness. Wow, he had really been unconscious too many times in the past couple of weeks; this couldn't be good for him.

As Wei Wuxian was dragged along by the Wen cultivator party, he could feel the air growing colder and damper. The negative qi in the area strengthened as they proceeded. He could guess where they were bringing him, but he didn't want to think about it, not with the pounding headache that tore through his skull. 

"I-if you kill me, I will haunt you for the rest of eternity. N-not even your offspring will be safe." Wei Wuxian growled around the pounding headache that rattled his brain.

"Then I guess we'll just have to put you somewhere you won't be able to escape, be it alive or dead." Wen Chao responded, pulling the omega up onto his sword.

The ground slowly fell away from his feet, and they climbed higher and higher into the foggy sky.

"Do you know what this place is?" He asked, clearly a rhetorical question, "The Burial Mounds."

Wei Ying felt a pit drop in his stomach; he truly was about to die. This is where it ended.

He looked up at the man who held him by his nape, searing his rotten face into his memory. Wei Ying turned to the other disciples airborne around them, eyes locking onto the familiar figure of Wen Zhuliu. The man who had caused the deaths of Jiang Fengmian and Madame Yu. The same man who had helped massacre the entirety of Lotus Pier, Children and all. His anger turned into cold resolve. He would come back for revenge, dead or alive. He would kill those who had destroyed his entire life, the people who had taken his brother's Golden Core and threatened to rape his sister.

This wouldn't be forgiven, even in death.

He didn't hear the majority of Wen Chao's useless monologue. But his last words as he tossed the omega off the sword were heard loud and clear:

"Tell Fengmian I said hi."

---------------

Chapter Text

Almost three months into the Sunshot campaign, there was still no sign of Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji stepped in time with Jiang Wanyin. His fellow alpha still had his brother's sword at his hip, Suibian and Sandu clanging together gently as the Jiang sect leader marched on.

"Any news?" Jiang Cheng asked, not turning to face the Lan heir

"Mn," Lan Wangji replied, glancing down at the omega's sword again. He must have lost it during the initial attack on Lotus Pier. When Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng besieged the Education office, his sword was not among those that they had reclaimed. Not until a couple of weeks later, when Jiang Wanyin had snuck back into the remains of Lotus Pier, did he return with the familiar sword. But no Wei Wuxian in tow.

He wanted to talk to Wei Ying. Lan Wangji needed to apologize. He had gone into rut during the time they had been trapped in the cave, but with a combination of his fever and usual rut complications, he had very little recollection of what had taken place. Lan Wangji could only pray that nothing bad had happened.

Normally, the alpha had really good control over his composure, but something about Wei Ying always seemed to set him off. He had no real explanation for it, but the omega always made him feel so many things.

"I'm going to give Suibian back to him as soon as we find him. Might smack him over the head first, though." Jiang Cheng said, muttering the last half as if talking to himself. The Jiang sect leader must have taken notice of his gaze. Lan Wangji turned to face forward; he had not realized he had been staring.

They had been hunting Wen Chao for roughly two and a half weeks now, but every time they managed to find his last known location, he was long gone before they arrived.

At first, Lan Wangji had thought the man was planning something, maybe a sneak attack when they least expected it. But the longer this hunt went on, the more hints there were that something greater was afoot.

Every sighting of the man slowly described him as more injured, more wary. The first time they had heard of this was not long after his eldest brother had been beheaded, his desecrated corpse hung up on display. Since then, every location has had evidence of the man leaving in a rush. Equipment left behind, dead Wen cultivators, clearly the youngest heir's lackeys. Now, there couldn't be more than just Wen Zhuliu still watching over the sleazy alpha.

The group Jiang Cheng was leading was small, but skilled. All the cultivators had impeccable levels of cultivation and the necessary tracking skills to hunt the Wen disciples. A large portion of them were the scavenged and leftover men of Yunmeng Jiang. Those too old or sickly left behind to train up more disciples. It was clear that Jiang Wanyin was trying to rebuild his sect from the ashes, but it was a slow process. Not to mention, he was young, the Yunmeng alpha barely eighteen years old.

He was too young to be a proper sect leader, even Lan Wangji could see that.

Lan Xicheng was the same, though older than both himself and Jiang Wanyin, he was still a junior. Lan Wangji's brother had returned two months ago, finally managing to find a safe place to store the salvaged, unquantifiable texts of the Library Pavilion.

Regardless, the two were doing the best they could, and honestly, it was probably better than Lan Wangji could ever hope to achieve, so he wasn't going to complain.

"Jiang Wanyin, we found more of them." A sturdy voice called from the front of the group, one of the trackers they had scouting ahead.

Lan Wangji could feel the Yin energy before he saw the talisman the man was referring to. Every location they had tracked Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu to had remnants of talisman paper scattered in the surrounding area. The talisman was small and meticulously crafted, based on ghost-warding talisman but somehow reversed.

It attracted malicious spirits from the surrounding areas, sometimes even strong enough to raise corpses from beyond the grave. They were nasty, but even Lan Wangji could see the skill it took to make them.

They had long ago concluded that their party weren't the only one hunting the Wen heir down. And from the looks of it, this was only one cultivator.

Along with the sightings of Wen Chao and his men, there have been other whispers of a rogue cultivator following them. Covered in soot and blood, long, black garbs that early trailed on the ground. The man carried no sword, just a flute at his hip that sang the corpses right from their graves.

It was eerie, and none of the witnesses could give a proper description of the cultivator's face, just that he was powerful and surrounded by nothing but negative Qi.

The man seemed to be nothing but trouble. He was also the one who kept scaring off Wen Chao and his men before Jiang Cheng's party could catch up.

They approached the estate slowly, on guard for any malicious beast who might still be active, but soon came to a halt just inside the interior of the courtyard.

Bodies lay scattered around the grounds, all killed in numerous violent ways. They surveyed the house but found no signs of any survivors.

"Truly evil." One of the Lan cultivators in their party muttered, a look of blatant disgust on their face,

"Is there anything more evil than the Wen dogs?" Jiang Cheng retorted, the young alpha frustrated by being one step behind once again.

"This was an overwatch office by the looks of it. It's a good thing that the people of this town have been rid of their Wen overlords." Jiang Cheng bit, scanning the area before zeroing in on a female corpse.

The Yunmeng cultivator stepped towards it, Lan Wangji closely behind, curious as to this reaction.

The corpse bled from all seven apertures, once a beautiful face frozen with fear. The woman was also an omega if the residual scent of fear lingering in the area was any indicator.

"She was one of Wen Chao's omegas. I don't care to remember her name, but she was the one sent to give us word of Wen Chao's orders when he couldn't care enough to come himself." He spat, foot moving forward to nudge her now cold corpse.

The limbs weren't completely stiff; rigour mortis had not yet taken over her body entirely.

"She's still quite limp." Jiang Cheng noted, looking away from the pale corpse.

"They haven't gotten far." Lan Wangji supplied, reaching for Bichen to take flight. This rogue cultivator supposedly carried no sword, which meant if they left now, they had a high chance of catching up.

---------------

Two days later, they still had not caught up to the rogue cultivator and the Wen. But it was clear that they were getting closer. Every time they found traces of the men, be it the still-cooling corpses or just negative qi, the fresher they were.

The Wen was travelling in the direction of Qishan, making it to one of Wen Chao's mansions on the outskirts of the city. The surrounding land was surprisingly lush for how late it was in the season, with small lakes and rivers scattered around the terrain.

Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng were the first to touch the ground, the rest of the cultivators in their party remaining in the air as lookouts. There was no evidence that Wen Chao had gone any further, and there was still minimal destruction to the estate. The Wen heir was most likely still alive, which meant that the rogue cultivator would be in the area.

Jiang Wanyin slowly moved through the courtyard, heading towards the main building. The two men could feel the negative Qi in the air, but it was subdued compared to the last few locations. There were dead guards scattered occasionally in the halls as they walked, but nothing more grotesque than the prior locations. He heard the Jiang cultivator make a discussed noise as they passed by the next corpse, his foot nudging the body.

"Still warm." He whispered, only to hush himself as a crisp voice rang through the building.

Both alphas froze; it sounded like a woman shouting.

Why would a woman be shouting? Lan Wangji pondered. The rogue cultivator always seemed to let the labourers go free if traumatized. The Lan heir moved to approach the source of the sound, only to be pulled back by Jiang Wanyin. He turned to look at the offending man, Jiang Cheng, holding a finger up to his mouth. Lan Wangji nodded but pulled his arm out of the man's grip regardless.

They moved silently, soon able to pick up rushed, quiet voices.

"All the guards are dead; this is our chance." A woman's voice pleaded.

"We can't just leave, where would we go?" Another, younger voice replied.

"A-Mei is right, most of us don't have families to return to. And those who do might not be accepted." A third voice explained, sounding frustrated and scared.

"We were promised a life of luxury, that we would be cared for. But the second Wen-Gongzi finds another beauty, he leaves us here to rot." The second voice continued, a foot could be heard stomping against the ground, and soft murmurs of agreement from more people could be heard from the room.

Where were they? Lan Wangji wondered, who were these women?

"Wen Chao's heram, willing and unwilling. This must be where he tosses his marked omegas when he gets bored with them." Jiang Wanyin supplies, taking notice of the confused look on his face.

"We should help them get out before the rogue cultivator gets here. I have no idea how he's going to react to them." He said, moving towards the entrance to the room.

This time, it was Lan Wangji's turn to pull the other man back, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the open entrance. Waves of negative Qi roll from the room, the women letting out shrieks of fear.

"He's here." Lan Wangji says.

The Yin energy radiating from the room was suffocating; he could tell that even the omegas on the other side of the screen were having difficulty with it.

"Run." A familiar voice sounds out, too rough and distorted for Lan Zhan to place it, but Jiang Cheng freezes in his grasp.

"W-we can't," A meek voice pipes up after a long pause.

"Why not?" The rogue cultivator asks, not sounding all too pleased. Lan Wangji needs to get in there; he doubts any of them have strong enough cultivation to protect themselves against the Rogue cultivator. He's seen the evidence of how easily he slaughters his way through trained Wen disciples. Most omegas don't have very high levels of cultivation; the Yang energy required to form a golden core is hard to maintain with the natural levels of Yin energy that omegas tend to produce. He only knows of one powerful omega, and he doubts that any of these women can stand on par with Wei Ying.

"We are b-bonded with Wen Chao, even if we aren't fully marked, it could hurt us to be away from him for so long. He has just returned." A woman's voice explained, sounding desperate.

"Then break the bond."

"It's not that easy. A-and none of us are strong enough to kill him."

"Not even together?" The rogue cultivator asked, seemingly stunned. The more he heard the man's voice, the more familiar it got. Did he know him?

No response was given.

"Very well, I pity you. Take any valuables you can find, and stay together. This is going to hurt." The rogue cultivator stated, his tone angered.

"You can't kill him!" A voice shouts before the rogue cultivator can even finish his sentence.

"Humour me, why not?" He asks.

"H-he's my alpha, he promised he would marry me!" She pleads, sounding desperate, "He promised he would take care of me and our pups-"

"You stupid bitch! He made you kill you're pups before they were even born!" Someone else cuts her off before she can continue.

It was common for lower-ranking omegas in a harem to be forced to lose their children. The Wen clan was no exception. When it came to Wen Chao, he was the youngest of all of his siblings, making him the last in the line of succession. The chances of the sleazy man taking up his father's position were extremely unlikely under normal circumstances, much less now that he was being hunted. Even though his eldest brother had been killed, there were still more to go through, and that is even if the Wen clan survives this war.

The Wen clan was very strict about the number of possible heirs. If you weren't the one expected to inherit the throne, you weren't allowed to have any offspring. Not until the person of your generation succeeded in the position. So, unless Wen Chao somehow becomes next in line for the position of Wen Chief or one of his brothers takes their father's place, he wouldn't be allowed to have any surviving children. That is, unless explicitly stated otherwise by his father.

"I won't let you kill him!" She shouted, ignoring the other women as they began to yell. From the sound alone, he could tell she lunged at the rogue cultivator. Her delusions fill her need to protect the horrible man.

The screaming got louder, so loud that Lan Wangji barely heard the sound of a flute. The Lan alpha tried to move into the room, but Jiang Cheng's figure was still blocking the way.

"The rest of you leave unless you want to end up like her." The rogue cultivator decreed, and the sounds of screaming subsided as the women made hasty exits.

As soon as Lan Wangji was able to maneuver around Jiang Wanyin's body and into the room, all that was left was residual negative energy, scattered furniture and the blood of the concubine the rogue cultivator had killed. But no sign of her body.

"Jiang Wanyin?" Lan Wangji asked, looking for the man's input, but he stood in the doorway, moving slowly.

"That was my brother. Wei Ying is back."

---------------

The two men ventured further into the estate, hackles raised. This rogue cultivator may be Wei Ying, but what has become of the omega? The way he seemed to act was nearly unrecognizable.

Not even moments later, another shriek pierced through the eerie stillness of the estate. The voice was shrill, but male. Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng picked up their pace, following the noise as best they could, even after it cut off.

Through the next set of doors into what seemed to be the master bedroom, one large bed at the far end, and a doorway on either side leading off into other parts of the room. The scream came again, sounding more like the howl of an animal than a person.

"HE'S HERE! HE'S FOUND US!" Wen Chao cried out, sounding almost completely different than his prior self. He sounded small, pitiful and absolutely terrified. Lan Wangji almost pitied the man, but not nearly enough to forgive or help him.

"Don't cry, it will only fester your wounds." Wen Zhuliu scolded, sounding entirely fed up with the man he was supposed to protect.

"B-but he's found us. Even here, h-he's found us. We're all going to die!" Wen Chao cried.

"If you aren't quiet, he just might. Now, take your medicine." Wen Zhuliu responded.

Lan Wangji and Jiang Wanyin approached silently and slowly, staying far enough away not to be noticed. It also helped that Wen Zhuliu, the great core melting hand, seemed exhausted from travel, his senses lacking.

Taking advantage of his apparent lack of situational awareness, the two of them were now in a position to bear witness to the scene that was about to unfold.

Garments were torn and stained, the cloak ragged and rough-looking as it fell from Wen Chao's mutilated face. From Jiang Cheng's expression, the Lan heir could tell he was attempting to restrain a grimace.

Easily eighty percent of the man’s face was burned and blistered, only the bare edges beginning to scar. Nearly all of the hair on his head was gone, replaced with molten red, peeling skin. One of his eyes was so swollen and goopy, Lan Wangji doubted he could use it at all; the other was wide and terrified. His hands came up to bring a small cup to his mouth, all wrapped in bloody bandages. From what they could see, he seemed to be missing at least three fingers on his left hand, and his right seemed nothing more than a stump.

Wen Chao’s cheeks were hollow, and his eyes sunken into his face. Worst of all, it looked as if his mouth had been halfway torn off, his teeth visible even from a distance and his lack of an upper lip obvious.

Lan Zhan couldn’t help the furrow that deepened his brow. This was horrible, even for someone like Wen Chao. The man was terrible, but this was beyond necessary. He could feel the barest hint of bile rising in his throat at the sight before him.

How could Wei Ying be capable of something like this, something so grotesque? Lan Zhan thought as he watched on.

“Hold still.” Wen Zhuliu said as he began to apply a salve to any still visibly open or infected wounds. Infection was sure to kill the man if Wei Wuxian didn’t get to him first.

“I just w-want to return to my father! He will protect me! He will keep me safe!” Wen Chao whined out around his cries of pain.

“Two more days, we’re back in Wen territory. We made it to your summer estate.” Wen Zhuliu explained, the older alpha was trying to quiet the younger one.

“TWO MORE DAYS? Does it look like I will survive two more days!?” He shouted at his only remaining guard. The man was beyond terrified. Lan Zhan could see the true, unadulterated fear that resided behind Wen Chao’s eyes. This man had gone through something, many things, so horrific that most would have died from fright long ago. It was no doubt thanks to Wen Zhuliu and Wei Wuxian’s leisurely way of torture that the man had lasted as long as he had.

Before Core Melting Hand could respond, the steady thumps of footsteps could be heard approaching. Calm and even in their gait.

Everyone froze as all the blood that remained inside Wen Chao’s battered body drained from his face. Before Wen Zhuliu had the thought to react, the Wen heir rolled over and began to crawl, his stumps of hands working with all their might to pull him towards the window. From the looks of it, his legs seemed to be battered beyond any function whatsoever. 

As he moved, the bandages covering his legs came loose, enough for the Lan alpha to see the blackened-green flesh of wound-eating bacteria, a stark contrast to the white of visible bones. 

He began to wail once more, even as he crawled away from Lan Wangji's hiding spot, it was ear-piercingly shrill. 

A slender figure clad in all black rounded the corner, and at his hip rested a deep, dark green flute instead of his sword. A smile crept over his lips when he took note of the wailing, crippled man. 

This man looked like Wei Ying, same hair colour and facial features. But his demeanour was entirely different.

Instead of the joyful youth Lan Zhan remembered, there was a biting cold. Instead of a smile that always looked as if he was on the brink of laughter was one that didn't reach his dead eyes. 

The omega looked malnourished as if he had just dug himself out of a grave. His hair looked limp, and his pallor was ghostly. The young man who stood before them looked like an empty shell of the person they once knew. 

"Unable to run? What a shame, I was enjoying this game of cat and mouse." Wei Wuxian pondered as he approached, still yet to take note of the two other cultivators in the room over.

"WEN ZHULIU! WEN ZHULIU! WEN ZHU-" Wen Chao cried the man's name over and over again, as if he were a broken record, only to be cut off by a pained cry when he struck in head against a wall. The man was too fearful to pay attention to his surroundings, leading him to slam headfirst into the far side of the room.

Wen Zhuliu moved to rush forward, intending to protect the injured man but was blasted backwards through the doorway by a wave of negative energy.

"Don't interfere, I will deal with you when I'm ready." Wei Wuxian declared, not even sparing a glance at the man as he was tossed backwards. 

He continued to approach Wen Chao, and Lan Wangji could tell the moment realization finally dawned on him. He was pinned against the wall, with nowhere to go, and no Wen Zhuliu to protect him. He was finally at death's door. 

He began to spew gibberish, a mix of pleading and shouting, as it slowly dispersed into nothing more than guttural screaming. 

"What a pathetic man you turned out to be." The omega said, breaking his perfect posture to get into the now-prone man's face. 

"I offered your life to your omega's you know? They wanted nothing to do with you." He said, reaching forward to pat the cowering man's head. 

The quiet wailing of an infant could be heard as Wei Wuxian reached into the shadow beside Wen Chao's head.

"I thought the two of you should meet." He said, a small infant now cradled in his arms. But instead of bursting life radiating from the child, Yin energy poured from its body, its eyes pure black, and its skin grey.

"A-YinGuo, little Karma: cause and effect. A fitting name for a child you killed, is it not?" Wei Ying held the silent infant closer to the man, "Do you not want to meet your child, Wen Chao? Your father had it's mother killed for you when you no longer found use for her. And you murdered this baby, did you not? When you found out his mother hid his birth from you?" A couple, tense moments passed with nothing more than frightened whimpering.

"Pathetic." He said before turning towards Wen Zhuliu, the man now standing in the doorway, sword at the ready.

"Are you truly willing to lay down your life for this man?" Wei Wuxian asked, reaching for the flute at his hip.

"Of course, I have a debt to repay." The Wen alpha replied, barely glancing at the cowering man behind Wei Ying.

"Futile dedication. Were the lives of those you killed worth less than this debt?" He said just before his flute touched his lips, giving the man no chance to react. 

Wen Zhuliu rushed forward in an attempt to stop the inevitable. But the shrill note rang out long before he could make it to either man in the room. A figure clad in torn, white garments crashed through the roof, landing on Core Melting Hand. Unprepared, he crashed to the ground.

"She was convinced you would marry her, that you would grow old and care for your pups together." Wei Wuxian said over his shoulder to Wen Chao, "Such a shame she was so delusional."

Wen Zhuliu attempted to push her off, but the walking corpse had her claws dug into the man's skin and teeth in his neck. Another shrill note from Wei Ying's flute, and she tore out his jugular, leaving the man to bleed out.

It all happened so fast, with a single movement of his head, the infamous Core Melting Hand was dead. Almost anticlimactic.

Enough. Lan Wangji thought, finally able to shake off the shock. He moved forward, stepping into Wei Wuxian's line of sight, Bichen half open and ready to strike. He could hear Jiang Cheng right behind him.

They were at a standstill. The dead woman overtop of Wen Zhuliu's corpse jumped backwards, scurrying behind Wei Wuxian.

No one moved for a long moment, even as the woman's face curled back into a snarl. Lan Zhan opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He shut his mouth to try and reduce his embarrassment. The Lan Alpha watched silently as Wei Ying's eyes looked back and forth between him and his brother, never meeting Lan Wangji's eyes.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiang Wanyin move, but could only tell why when Suibian was swiftly caught out of the air by Wei Wuxian.

"Your sword back, arse." Jiang Cheng said. Another long pause before he moved to hug his brother.

Even from where Lan Zhan was standing, he could tell it was suffocating. Jiang Cheng was the one to pull away, only to look his brother in the eye and slap him over his head.

"Where the fuck have you been!?" He shouted, clearly worried, but the relief that his brother was alive and safe was palpable, "Do you have any idea how worried A-Li and I have been? When you didn't meet me in that shitty town like we agreed, I waited for almost a week with no response. Where were you?!" He half growled out at his brother.

But the tension was broken, a small, real smile broke onto Wei Ying's face, a huff of laughter with it.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about some other time." Wei Wuxian said, but a sad look briefly crossed his face. fast enough that Lan Wangji had almost missed it. If he hadn't been paying attention, he would have also missed the way Wei Ying pulled away from his brother. Quite different from how he used to hang off the other man. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly.

"Lan-er-gongzi and I started a whole campaign to hunt down Wen Chao. But by the time we got to his last known location, he was already gone. You were the one who got to him first, yeah?" Jiang Cheng asked, nodding towards the unconscious man on the other side of the room. The small, dead baby still poking at him.

When did he pass out? Lan Zhan thought.

"Speaking of which, what are we going to do with him?" Jiang Cheng pondered.

---------------

Chapter Text

"I heard that you and Shijie were rebuilding the sect. I thought it would be helpful if I got rid of some pesky Wen dogs while I could lessen your load." Wei Wuxian said, looking his brother in the eye. He was trying to refrain from looking at the white jade of an alpha on his other side.

"It's been a challenge, but we're managing. We're planning the siege on Lotus Pier as we speak. We want to reclaim our home." Jiang Cheng responded, reaching out to pat his brother's arm.

It took every ounce of restraint not to flinch away from the contact. The feeling of others' hands on him reminded Wei Ying far too much of his time in the burial mounds. Although this was his brother, his living, breathing, warm-blooded brother, contact with anyone was still iffy. Just the thought of those cold, dead hands gripping him made him shudder.

It also happened that he was really trying to hide the fact that he was pregnant. His brother had a sense of smell beyond that of so many others; Jiang Cheng would most likely be the first one to find out, despite Wei Wuxian's attempts at hiding it.

Wei Wuxian was beyond thin, his lips pale and his cheeks hollow. He was sure that if he removed his outer layer- purposely oversized and thick to hide his growing stomach- his bones would be visible below his skin. He was cold all the time, and there was this ever-present heaviness to his body that he just couldn't shake.

He reached up to push his hair back over his shoulder, shaking out his body in yet another attempt to lighten his step.

"You good?" Jiang Cheng asked, his eyes scanning over Wei Ying's new getup.

"Yeah, just chilly." He responded, forcing a smile onto his face.

"No shit, you're thin as bones- and close ur damn robes, we don't need to see your entire chest." The Jiang alpha scolded, shouldering his brother lightheartedly as he walked past.

Wei Wuxian huffed at his brother, but did close his garments a little more, not realizing that he had opened to such an extent. They were loose, but there wasn't much that could be done, not without the risk of getting discovered, heightening.

"You've been gone for three months. Why didn't you return sooner?" Jiang Cheng questioned without looking at the omega. His eyes scanned the room as he spoke, as if searching for something.

"Long story, but Wen Chao captured me and some of his men at the base of the mountain when I was waiting for you. They tossed me into a hellhole and left me to rot. Luckily, I was able to find my way out, even if it did take a little while, and I went on a bit of a killing spree." Wei Wuxian explained, leaving the vast majority unsaid.

"So that was you who killed all those Wen, then? Just confirming." Jiang Cheng asked, giving his brother a look somewhere between pointed and disbelieving.

"For the most part, yeah. I've been roaming for a couple of weeks now. I was going to finish with these two here," He said, gesturing to the corpse of Wen Zhuliu and the unconscious Wen Chao, "Then come join up with you. But I guess you guys found me first." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"So, what are we gonna do with him exactly?" Jiang Cheng asked, walking over to the unconscious form of Wen Chao.

"Torture him some more, then maybe kill him if I'm feeling merciful enough." Wei Wuxian said with a shrug, but his eyes darkened as he spoke, now standing next to his brother to loom over the horrible man.

"I was trying to hold out when it came to Wen Zhuliu as well, but she seemed to hold a grudge." Wei Ying explained, pointing at the beastly corpse of a woman who was still hovering in the shadows of the room.

"How'd you manage to kill them without Suibian? Each corpse we've found has been slaughtered in a different, more gruesome way than the last. Not that I'm complaining." Jiang Cheng looked back at the dead body in the room, his eyes also locking onto the animated corpse in the shadows. He seemed cautious, as if unsure of whether or not the creature would attack.

It was under Wei Wuxian's control; there was no way he would let her hurt his brother.

"Would you believe me if I said I found a cave full of ancient artifacts and scrolls depicting an entirely new form of cultivation?" The omega replied to his brother, quirking a brow as he spoke.

"Not particularly. You read too many fantastical stories, a-Ying." Jiang Cheng teased.

Wei Ying didn't push; he knew that if the location of the cave, or the knowledge of the cave's existence to begin with, got into the wrong hands. He huffed at his brother, sticking out his tongue.

"Anyways, do you want to be the one to kill him, or should I?" Jiang Cheng asked just in time for Wen Chao to start regaining consciousness.

The man didn't scream or plead. It was as if he had truly given up. Even if his body was shaking like a leaf, the small, meaningless words that spilled from his destroyed mouth made no sense.

"Why does he sound like that?" The Jiang alpha pondered out loud. Wei Wuxian didn't think he was actually looking for an answer, but he responded anyway.

"He lost his prowess. One of the first things to go, actually. Apparently, without the constant supply of hormones, you can lose the pitch of your voice, among other things." Jiang Cheng cringed at his words.

"A little morbid, don't you think?" Jiang Cheng asked before replying to his own question, "Nah, he had it coming."

Wei Wuxian walked until he was directly over top of the severely wounded man. He raised his foot, letting it come down harshly on Wen Chao's nether regions. He did not doubt that it was still a weeping, open wound. He suppressed the thought of having to urinate without the proper equipment.

"How does it feel being a eunuch? Fitting?" Wei Wuxian questioned the quivering man. He pressed his foot down harder, watching in satisfaction as he squirmed and began to howl with pain.

"A-Ying-" Jiang Cheng started, but stopped himself when the omega removed his foot. A small puddle was now forming underneath the maimed man. His lip curled with disgust. The smell of the dying man was putrid.

"Eating your own flesh wasn't enough? You seem to wish to drink your own fluids." He growled, hatred thick in his words.

"Wei Ying-" An all too familiar voice called out, the man silent till now. Wei Wuxian paused his movements to look at the tall man. His hair was slightly dishevelled, with a small tinge of debris on his face, yet his headband and clothes were still pristine.

This was the most unkept he had seen the man since- well, for a while.

"Hanguang-jun." Wei Wuxian couldn't keep the cold bite from his tone, regardless of how hard he tried.

Nothing that had happened was Lan Wangji's fault, not entirely anyway, so why was he blaming the man?

"How do you control them?" The Lan alpha questioned, taking a couple of paces forward. It wasn't long before he was standing only an arm's length away.

Wei Ying stepped away from Wen Chao; he had no reason to stand in the puddle forming around the man, not when it seemed that this was going to be a conversation.

"What do you mean?" He replied, still trying not to meet his golden gaze.

"The creatures you surround yourself with. The infant, the woman."

"Lan-er-gongzi-" Jiang Cheng began, but Wei Ying was quick to cut off his brother. He didn't need someone else to defend him.

"What are you implying?" Wei Wuxian retorted, still yet to meet the alpha's eyes.

"Answer me." He practically growled. Wei Wuxian raised his head, something in his body telling him to look at the alpha, to heed the command.

Oh wow~ his omega was enjoying this. The intensity behind those eyes, the ever-so-slightly unkept appearance, his beauty. Screw these fucking pregnancy hormones! Wei Wuxian thought this was decidedly not the best time to be horny. He wanted to poke the bear.

"What if I don't?" Wei Ying countered, leaning in closer, not really understanding why he was trying to get a rise out of the man. At the sharp intake of breath, he wasn't sure if the man was angry or just as turned on as he was. Never once was he so grateful for the cheap ass scent blockers that seemed to work miracles.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the twitch of Lan Wangji's hand, which gave him enough time to step backwards, narrowly avoiding the hand that reached out to grab him. Instinctively, his hand lowered to wrap around his stomach. His own arm twitched, Yin energy twirling in his unoccupied hand. He was itching for a good fight. All these pathetic Wen were nothing but spineless whimps, all bark and no bite. Not to mention an agitated, sweaty Lan Zhan would be delicious to see.

He mentally smacked himself over his head. Not the time.

He jumped backwards again as the Lan alpha's other arm came out in another attempt to grab him. He was hot, yes, but the hug Jiang Cheng gave him was more than enough contact for the next week and a half.

"We've only just reunited Lan-er-gongzi, and you're already trying to capture me. Not very gentlemanly, don't you think?" He teased, forcing his lips into a grin.

The man seemed ready to pounce. This was definitely the most riled up he's seen the man. Maybe second, if you include the time Lan Wangji caught him trying to smuggle alcohol into Gusu.

"That's enough. The two of you!" Jiang Cheng interrupted, putting himself between the two men.

"You are being unreasonable," He said, pointing to Lan Wangji, "And you are being a pain in the butt. Don't think I'm blind enough not to notice you egging him on!" Once again scolded by his brother, Wei Ying began to back down.

"It's complicated and would take a while to explain in depth. Plus, if I asked you to explain the secret techniques of the Lan, would you?" The omega counter, maneuvering his body to see around his brother.

There was a pause. Jiang Cheng looked like he wanted to murder him, and Lan Wangji seemed to be cooling down and contemplating.

"Then come back to Gusu with me." He decided to say, his eyes sharp and determined. 

Wei Wuxian couldn't respond; his inner Wei Yings began a full-blown debate. His omega wanted to do nothing more than return with the father of his child, to thrive on those heavenly hormones in Lan Wangji's home, to give his pup a stable, protected life. The other side of him wanted this man to struggle. For Lan Zhan to put every effort into bringing him home, he wanted to be hunted. Wei Ying wanted to watch this alpha prove himself, yet still inevitably catch him.

His rational/irrational side was unclear, but he knew it was his brain talking, not his hormones. He thought that was a terrible idea. Why in the world should he return with Lan Zhan? The alpha wanted to question him, wanted to know his methods of cultivation. He didn't think he himself would be malicious with it, but once one person was able to do what he could, it wouldn't be long before others could. Not to mention, Lan Wangji supposedly had a habit of telling his brother and uncle everything.

The Lan clan would disapprove of his methods; he would be forced to burn everything he knew about his new cultivation, then would either be killed, imprisoned, or severely punished for walking the deviant path of a rogue cultivator. None of those things were options he was willing to choose.

Before he could respond, his brother once again stepped in. Despite their more than occasional head-bumping, Jiang Cheng always had his back.

"Whoa, not happening. That is completely improper; if he were returning with anyone, it would be me. He is my brother and the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang. We need him to help rebuild our sect. You have no right." Jiang Cheng stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"He saved you in the cave of the Xuanyu of Slaughter. You are fellow cultivators, and right now we need to work together. To condemn someone just for their cultivation, especially one that would be immensely helpful to our cause? What you are asking is unreasonable." His brother continued, still holding firm in his place between the arguing men.

Wei Ying, on the other hand, was very rudely reminded of the cave incident. He pushed down his embarrassment as best he could, but the slight flush on his cheeks was inevitable.

"Wow, you sound like a sect leader." Wei Ying teased his brother, trying to change the subject. While doing so, he got a quick glimpse of Lan Wangji. He seemed completely stoic, but there was a barely noticeable tinge of redness to the tips of his ears. If the omega hadn't been familiar enough the the alpha, he would have thought he had been unbothered.

He was embarrassed. Wei Ying thought, narrowing his eyes at the man. So he did remember something, he knew some people tended to have pretty bad memory issues when it came to ruts and heats, he himself only had snippets of what went down still accessible in his mind. It wasn't much, but it was enough to know what had happened. And the child growing in his stomach was proof that it wasn't just some fever-induced hallucination.

Both of them had had extremely high temperatures from their wounds alone, with Lan Wangji's rut on top of it, it was likely that the man was missing gaps in his own memory. Still, though, it could be figured out through deduction. Wei Ying was only convinced of how important it was that he kept this child a secret.

"You, shut up." Jiang Cheng turned to shut down the teasing, but nothing more came of it. The alpha's eyes caught sight of his brother's hand placement.

The second Wei Wuxian noticed his brother's eyes, he dropped his hand away from his stomach, acting as if he had just been dusting himself off.

"Cultivating the deviant path has untold impacts on the body and mind. Wei Ying will pay the price without my interference." The Lan alpha's sentence could be taken one of two ways, threat or friendly warning; Wei Wuxian's hormone-riddled brain chose threat.

"I know the harm that will come, I am prepared. And I need no one interfering!" He growled, eyes narrowing into slits.

"It has been the same throughout history; there is no way to avoid it other than to stop." Lan Wangji countered.

"I don't need a lecture from you, I know my limits."

"Some things are beyond one's control."

"Oh! And you're the one who can help, right? Because you are a perfect Lan, one of the twin jade? Of course, you can do no wrong." Wei Wuxian glared around his brother.

"That's not what-"

"I'm serious, stop it." Jiang Cheng ordered, moving to push Wei Ying back away from the confrontation.

"Wei Ying!" The alpha shouted, ignoring any attempts from Jiang Cheng to back off.

"Lan Wangji!" Wei Wuxian shouted back, pushing past his brother and into the Lan alpha's space once more.

"You want me to return with you so you can punish me? Well, not happening. I am not going to Gusu, not any time soon! If you attempt to take me by force, I will fight back, and I won't be an easy catch!" He practically shouted in Lan Wangji's face, he was so angry he didn't even catch the look of fear that flashed over the man's features, the heartbreak.

His hand raised, reaching out after the omega just as Wei Ying's brother finally managed to pull him out of the alpha's face.

"There are still Wen who need to be killed, this is not the time!" Jiang Cheng pointed out, keeping a firm grip on his brother's shoulder, "Everyone has their hands full, so keep yours to yourself. We are allies, and this is Jiang's business; it will be dealt with by ourselves." 

"Why does it matter the method by which I kill them? A dead Wen in a dead Wen, regardless." Wei Wuxian exclaimed angrily. He was beyond frustrated with this man.

"I-" Lan Wangji started, but cut himself off; it seemed as if he had nothing more to say.

"Now, if we're done here. We have a Wen dog we need to take care of. You should leave, this might be too unsightly for your Lan eyes." Wei Wuxian though over his shoulder at the Lan alpha, not wanting to face the man anymore tonight. He shrugged off his brother's grip and approached the gibbering man.

When Lan Wangji finally left, he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Wei Ying felt his body begin to sag with exhaustion once again. All the anger and adrenaline seeping away from his brain left him feeling even more worn than before.

"So, how do you want to take care of him?" Jiang Cheng asked, looking at the Wen heir.

---------------

“You smell like death.”

Wei Wuxian turned to glare at his brother, “I wonder why?” He retorted sarcastically.

“No, I’m serious. You need a good bath, especially before you see Jiejie.” Jiang Cheng expanded, pinching his nose as if to prove a point.

“Well, you don’t smell the best yourself.” Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes, poking fun at the other man. Logically, of course, neither of them would smell the best; he was sure his brother barely had the chance to bathe. Much less himself, he had only just recently managed to drag himself out of the Burial Mounds, and he had been too preoccupied with hunting down Wen Chao and his men.

The last time he had actually washed himself was probably when he was with the Wen siblings, though he wasn’t completely sure. The days leading up to his capture were hazy at best, still recovering from his Golden Core extraction.

Wei Ying also didn’t want to think about cleaning off the stench yet. He didn’t want to be able to smell himself, didn’t want to accept how his scent was bound to have changed. Scent blockers could only do so much to one's pheromones; they couldn’t erase them completely, just subdue them. Even if the ones Wei Ying had managed to salvage worked wonders, he would have a challenging time hiding the scent change from his siblings.

Regardless, he wouldn’t be allowed to stay putrid; his sister would no doubt murder him if she caught him in this state.

“I’ll clean up before arriving, at some point.” He muttered the last part, following a step behind his brother as they continued the path towards Lanling.

The trek back to safety was long and exhausting, especially considering Wei Wuxian couldn’t use his sword to fly back. So instead of a journey that would have only taken them maybe a day and a half by sword, they ended up riding horseback for nearly ten days. The entire time, Wei Ying had to make up new excuses after excuse for his symptoms.

Being pregnant, so far, was not fun. Not in any capacity. His feet hurt, he was constantly in a fluctuating state of nausea, and his hormones were absolutely all over the place. His body craved the touch and comfort of family, to breathe in the warmth of a loving embrace and to rest his head safely. None of which happened.

They were on a battlefield, even if they were on their way home. Not to mention, Jiang Cheng wasn’t much of one for physical comfort, and he always seemed to be busy. The man was a sect leader now, the cultivator in charge of this whole excursion. He was responsible for the lives of his people, so Wei Wuxian couldn’t blame his brother’s lack of presence.

Even on the occasion that they were in a safe enough place to rest, the alpha would be off strategizing with the other cultivators in their party. Technically, Wei Ying probably should have been as well, being the head disciple of his sect, but he ended up spending nearly all of their downtime sleeping. He couldn’t help it; his body needed the rest.

All he did was eat, sleep and cry; he truly was the pathetic one, wasn’t he?

The night before they were estimated to arrive, Jiang Cheng came to his tent. A small cough at the closed front flap brought the omega’s attention back down from the clouds. In his half-asleep state, he didn’t realize that he wasn’t wearing his robes properly.

“Come in.” He called out, not looking away from Chequing as he gently fiddled with the flute in his hands.

“I brought you something to eat, you weren’t at the fire when they were serving the rations.” His brother said, placing a simple bowl of stew on the bedside table next to the omega.

“Thanks.” Wei Ying replied, still facing away from his brother.

“A-are you feeling alright? Do you want to, uhg, I don’t know, talk about anything?” Jiang Cheng asked, his tone hesitant and sort of grouchy. But the man was clearly trying to be empathetic. Wei Ying couldn’t help the small smile that made its way onto his face.

“Are you trying to be kind? How unheard of, the great Jiang Wanyin lowering himself onto my level. You don’t have to be so domestic, oh wondrous sect leader!” Wei Ying teased, flopping backwards on his bed.

“You shut up! I was trying to be nice!” His brother pouted, crossing his arms and roughly sitting on the end of his bed mat.

“I know. I’m just teasing.” The omega relinquished his effort, too tired to pester his brother any more, “How are you enjoying being sect leader? It must be hard.” He asked, then let out a wide yawn. Jiang Cheng didn’t answer right away; it wasn’t the most enjoyable topic, but it had to be brought up eventually.

“It’s difficult, but I think I'm doing pretty darn good. I’m the youngest sect leader in a very long time, and I’m managing to rebuild my sect from the ashes.” The alpha finally responded, trying to stifle his own yawn. Wei Ying knew how contagious they could be.

“You are doing a really good job, my didi is so strong.” Wei Ying replied, despite everything that was going on, he was proud of Jiang Cheng; his little brother was doing so well. He reached his hand out and softly patted his brother’s cheek. In real time, he watched as his brother folded, the alpha sagging with exhaustion.

They sat there in a comfortable silence, Wei Ying eventually eating the food his brother had brought him. He enjoyed his brother’s presence, after so long by himself with nothing more than walking corpses to keep him company, he was happy to have a warm body at his side. Even if it was his annoying, stubborn brother.

“You’re welcome to just stay the night here, you look too tired to even stumble your way back to your own tent.” Wei Ying pointed out after a while, moving to put the empty dish back on the desk.

“I probably will- What is up with your scent glands?” Jiang Cheng changed the subject abruptly, seemingly taking notice of his brother’s neck.

Wei Ying’s hand came up to clamp around the glands as quickly as the words had been said. His Outer robe must have ridden down; he was being so careful. The stupid nodes had gotten all irritated not too long after he had gotten his core removed. Wen Qing had said it was caused by a combination of his pregnancy and the lack of proper scenting. The pheromones of an alpha can really help pregnancy symptoms, especially in that of an unmarked omega.

Now they were all puffy and inflamed. Wei Ying was sure it wasn’t a pretty sight. The scent blockers he was using were effective, but they were cheap, and the nonstop application only made the irritation worse. His skin needed a break from the greasy substance, but the omega hadn’t felt comfortable enough to completely remove it.

He had bathed himself about an hour ago; he wanted to at least be decent when he finally saw his sister again, but he had quickly reapplied the blockers, not wanting to risk Jiang Cheng picking up on any changes in his scent.

“My scent blockers, as well as all of the Yin energy. It boosted my system, and now my hormones are a little out of whack.” Wei Ying replied, hoping the half-truth explanation was believable enough.

“We’ll be back in Lanling soon. You should take a break, get some rest, and stop using those ones. I told you they were no good! It doesn’t matter how effective they are, you shouldn’t be applying it all the time.” His brother scolded, “Maybe Lan Wangji was right, try taking a break from the demonic cultivation, see if that helps.”

Wei Wuxian nodded, not wanting to argue with his brother. But the fact that the alpha was agreeing with Lan Wangji made it feel a little put off.

“I’m going to sleep now, there's another mat in the corner.” Wei Ying said, changing the topic, he didn’t want to talk about Lan Wangji, even offhandedly.

“Thank fuck you actually bathed, otherwise I don’t think I would be able to sleep tonight.” Jiang Cheng teased, pulling the old mat up next to his brother.

“Arse.” Wei Ying retorted, curling up a little tighter in his blankets. He was still happy his brother was here.

“Night dickhead.”

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian sulked the entire day; he felt like crap, and he was going to make it everybody's problem. (Read: Jiang Cheng’s problem). He had done nothing but barf up his guts all morning; any food his brother managed to force feed him lasted no more than twenty minutes before it ended up on the side of the trail like the rest.

Now, as they marched through the streets of Lanling, the bright lights and loud bustling of people only made his headache worse. Wasn’t the second trimester supposed to be the best? He thought irritably. He couldn’t begin to imagine how bad the third trimester of his pregnancy would be.

Absolutely not excited for swollen feet and more insomnia than Wei Ying had already been blessed with, he let out a long sigh. This pregnancy would be the death of him.

“What’s your problem?” Jiang Cheng looked away from the crowd to glare incredulously at his brother.

The omega didn’t respond, instead throwing his hands over his ears and closing his eyes tightly. They were almost back, another hour max before he could see his sister. Wei Ying hadn’t even realized how much he missed the woman till he was about to see her. He really hoped she was doing okay, that the stupid peacock wasn’t being too much of a stubborn, pompous dickwad.

“Tch, we're almost back. No need to overreact." Jiang Cheng finished before increasing his horse's pace, leaving the omega by himself.

Eventually, they made it to the main gates of the Jin residence. The establishment was nothing short of extravagant.

"Were gonna drop off the horses at the stables, then we have to head up and-" Jiang Cheng explained, but he did not get to finish his sentence before his brother ran off.

“We need to greet Jin Guangshan! You asshole, GET BACK HERE!!” The young alpha shouted, but to no avail. Wei Wuxian couldn’t care less about that manwhore, all he wanted to do was to see his sister. He missed Jiang Yanli so very much.

He sped down the wide hallways of the residence, looking for any sign of his sister, but when it became evident that he wouldn’t be able to find her without some help in this maze of an estate, he asked one of the servant girls walking by.

“Do you know where Jiang Yanli is at the moment?” He asked, nearly startling the poor girl out of her skin.

“Uh, whose asking?” She replied hesitantly, clearly unsure if she should divulge the location of the Jin heir’s betrothed to some rando wandering the halls in a near-frantic state.

“I’m her brother. We grew up together in Yunmeng.” He said, but it only made the young lady more confused.

“. . . This one’s pretty sure you’re not Jiang Wanyin.”

“The other brother, I'm adopted.” He said with defeat.

“Ah! Wei Wuxian? Wow, everyone was convinced you were dead.” She exclaimed, finally recognizing him.

“Besides the point, do you know where my sister is staying?” He replied, dismissing the comment entirely.

“This one’s pretty sure she’s having tea with Madame Jin, but will be returning to her quarters soon.” Wei Ying nodded along, still eager to see the omega. He reached out to gently hold the servant’s shoulder, restraining his urge to shake the information out of her.

“And where might her quarters be?” He asked, his voice forced into a faux calm. He wasn’t going to die if he didn’t see her right this moment, but it sure felt like it.

“Uhm, t-this way.” The servant girl flushed, gesturing down the hall. Wei Wuxian was quick to let go, allowing the young beta to guide the way. She was cute, but not his type, as well as a little on the young side. He still appreciated the admiration, though, even in his current state.

Soon they came to a large door, with gold-plated murals on either side. The young lady stepped to the side, letting him in. She bowed politely, her face still tinged a slight pink. Wei Wuxian nodded a thank you, and she returned to her duties, a small hop in her step.

Even looking as morbid as he did, it seemed he still had it. As charming and handsome as ever, if a little rugged. Maybe that's the appeal?

Shaking off the thought, he took a deep breath. Yup, definitely Jiejie’s room . He could smell the sweet floral scent of his sister; she had resided here long enough for the air to carry whisps of her pheromones. Wei Ying could feel his whole body sag; he was beyond spent, and now, surrounded by the comforting smell of his family, he began to grow weary.

He could feel his eyes droop, and the way his muscles stiffened. Wei Ying was quick to make it to one of the divans in the far back of her room, flopping down in a very unelegant way. He was horizontal no longer than five minutes before he passed out, his body finally relaxed enough to sleep. 

---------------

Wei Ying awoke in a panic, jumping up from where he lay, ready to fight. His chest heaving, he slowly became aware of his surroundings. Unfamiliar bed, unfamiliar room, way too many shiny things, but the comforting scent of his sister permeated the air, light and calming.

The Yin energy bled away from his vision, and he noticed the soft sliding sound of the large door. Slowing his breathing, he sat back down, as having his heart rate this high couldn’t be safe for the baby.

Jiang Yanli rounded the corner, the hint of a snarl on her features. They completely disappeared when she recognized who was in her space.

“A-Ying!” She nearly shouted, her stride quickening as she made it to her side. “You scared the daylights out of me, are you alright?” She asked.

Wei Ying couldn’t help the smile that broke over his face, watery eyes included. Screw his pregnancy hormones.

“I’m alright. I’m so happy to see you, Shijie! How have you been?” Wei Ying responded with his own question, trying to ignore the frog in his throat.

“No, you don’t get to come in here asking how I’ve been as if you haven’t been missing for THREE MONTHS!” She exclaimed, reaching forward as if she were preparing to throttle the younger omega. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been, how scared I was that you were injured, or worse? Oh, you’re so damn lucky I’m in a good mood or I would-” She stopped when an awkward coughing noise could be heard from the doorway.

“I guess I’ll let the two of you be then, congrats on not being dead Wei-gongzi.” Jin Zixuan said, not waiting for a response to take his leave. Wei Ying furrowed his eyebrows.

“What was he doing here?” He asked noncommittally.

“He was walking me back to my room.” Jiang Yanli responded, her cheeks tinged ever-so-slightly pink.

“Oh, absolutely not! Don’t tell me you still like him?” Wei Ying blurted out, not really caring whether or not the man in question could hear them through the door.

“You, shush!” She swatted at her brother, trying to get him to lower his volume, “He’s been very kind to me since I arrived, to everyone in our time of need.”

“Only because his mommy told him to, I bet.” Wei Ying responded with a scoff, ignoring the way Jiang Yanli glared at him.

“He has been kind of his own volition. There's no need to be mean, A-Ying.” She scolded.

“Jiang Cheng told me what happened between the two of you. If he hadn’t left so quickly, I would have given him a good talking to.” The male omega growled, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

“He apologized for that, sort of.” She mumbled, looking away from her brother.

“What do you mean ‘sort of’?” He asked, lowering his tone.

“It doesn’t matter, we’re talking about you right now, don’t change the subject.” She pointed out, raising a hand to poke him in the head. Wei Ying dramatically tumbled backwards at the jab, happy to hear the soft giggles his sister let out.

“Well, I was captured by some Wen, then escaped the imprisonment they threw me into and went on a bit of a killing spree. We managed to get Wen Xhao and Wen Zhuliu by the way,” he explained briefly. There was no way he was going to subject his sister to everything he went through; she didn’t need to hear that.

“How long were you travelling with A-Cheng’s party? He didn’t write me at all to tell me he found you. I’m going to give him a good scolding when I'm done with you.” Jiang Yanli proclaimed, moving to sit down next to Wei Ying.

“You as well, you should have sent me a message or something to let me know you were alive. The second you were able to, I was so scared, A-Ying, I don’t think I would have been capable of handling myself if I lost anyone else. A-Nian and A-Die are more than enough for one lifetime.” She said sorrowfully.

“I know, I miss them too.” Wei Ying comforted quietly. He knew what it was like to lose your parents; he wouldn’t wish that experience on anybody. Well, almost anybody.

Jiang Yanli wrapped her arms around Wei Ying, squeezing him tightly in a hug. For someone with a frame like hers, she could give some seriously tight death squeezes. The younger omega stiffened, but was quick to melt in her warm embrace. With all of his trauma, nothing could ever make him dislike his sister’s hugs.

Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Jiang Yanli in turn, and they stayed that way for a long while. Eventually, the older omega pulled away, her face pulled into a contorted frown.

“Have you bathed yet?” She asked, taking a deep inhale of the air around them.

“Yes, Shijie, I did. A-Cheng made sure of it.” He said exasperatedly.

“Are you still wearing your scent blockers?” She asked gently, peaking around Wei Ying to get a better look at his neck. Subconsciously, his hand made its way to cover his scent glands, even though his hair probably obscured her line of sight.

“Yeah, I am.” He replied, looking away from his sister. Soon, he felt her hands on his wrist, slowly pulling his arm down. She gripped him loosely, giving him the option to pull away if he wanted to. His hair was delicately brushed away from his neck.

He heard the soft intake of breath from Jiang Yanli, and he didn’t need to look at her to know the expression on her face. Small whisps of worry could be picked up in her scent; he really didn’t want her stressing out over this.

“Your glands don’t look very good.” She said after a pause, moving to stand up.

“I know, I need to give my skin a break.” He agreed, but internally, he was starting to freak out. She was going to make him wipe them off; she was going to find out.

There was absolutely zero way Jiang Yanli wasn’t going to notice the change in his pheromones, fuck, it was a surprise she hadn’t felt his baby bump when she was hugging him. Wei Ying tried his best to suppress his anxiety, but when his sister returned, wet cloth in hand, he knew it was over for him.

“I-I’m fine, really. I’ll take care of it when I get back to my room.” He said, standing up and attempting to back away. He didn’t get far, though, and ended up tripping over a low dining table across from the divan.

“A-Xian. Your neck is nearly infected; that's how bad it looks. I don’t trust you to ‘take care of it’ yourself.” She scolded, eyes following his every move. She looked ready to pounce if necessary.

“I promise, it’s okay. Jiang Cheng made me swear I would look after it.” He pleaded, stumbling back to standing.

“Well then, I guess I will make sure of it. You wouldn’t want to break a promise to your little brother?” She slowly took a step forward, a cloth in hand.

“What if someone walks in and smells another omega in the room? How would we be able to explain that?” Wei Ying countered, backing up further as he tried to aim for one of the large, open windows.

“No one is allowed in without my permission- Wei Ying, is there something wrong?” She asked, stopping her approach. Once again, Wei Wuxian could smell the worry in her scent.

“Nothing at all, Shijie. I guess I’m just a little stressed out. I don’t want my scent worrying you, I’ve stressed you out enough already.” He conceded, looking at his feet. Wei Ying wouldn’t look his sister in the eye. He hated lying to her.

“Why would your scent worry me? Did something happen?” She asked more sternly this time. There was no way to get out of this without either his Shijie finding out about his pregnancy, or Wei Ying seriously angering her.

“N-No nothing at all-” He started to rebuke but was cut off.

“Did someone hurt you?” She asked, sounding angry and scared, “Does Jiang Cheng need to kill someone?”

“There’s no need for that, I’m not hurt.” He said desperately, he looked up and made eye contact with Jiang Yanli, and she looked terrified.

The world was dangerous for omegas, and both of them knew as much. If he didn’t tell her himself, she would find out eventually, be it by her inquisitive intelligence or just the birth of his child. Regardless, there was no need to give his sister Qi deviation over this. Hey, who knows? Maybe I can play this off as a complication of my cultivation ? He thought.

That, though, would mean he would have to tell the older omega about his golden core, as well as what happened when he was missing. Wei Wuxian didn’t think he could tell anyone about his experiences there, and he was taking the information about his golden core to his grave. No one, except the Wen siblings, would be privy to that knowledge. He didn’t want anyone doubting Jiang Cheng’s capabilities, especially not because of what Wei Ying did.

Jiang Cheng shouldn’t be punished for his brother’s faults, and he wouldn’t, not if Wei Wuxian had any say in it.

“A-Ying, please?” Jiang Yanli pleaded; he could see the tears beginning to brim at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m not hurt.” He said finally, weighing his options.

He knew Jiang Yanli could never hate him, or at least he hoped so. Especially not for something as silly as a pregnancy that might not even make it to term. She wasn’t that kind of person.

Wei Ying didn’t like lying to his sister, hated it actually. It made him feel all sour on the inside. The thought of lying to Jiang Yanli about his pregnancy, something this big? He let out a sigh.

Solemnly, he walked towards his sister, sitting back down on the divan. He pulled his hair away from his neck, putting his ugly, swollen glands on display. Jiang Yanli understood. She made her way behind her brother, and he could feel her cringe uncomfortably at the sight.

“Just, don’t freak out, okay?” He asked pitifully, putting himself at the mercy of Jiang Yanli.

Without a word, she gently whipped the sticky substance away that covered the scent glands on his neck. Wei Wuxian tried his best not to flinch away from the touch, the skin in the area beyond tender. She then passed the cloth to him to whip away whatever else he had covered.

Shamefully, he wiped away the blockers from his wrists and ankles. When he was done, he couldn’t force himself to look at his sister. Not even when she sat next to him once again, pulling him into yet another suffocating hug.

“Were you forced into doing it?” It was the only thing she asked, not letting go of her brother.

Through tears in his eyes, he answered, “No, I participated willingly.”

“Do you want to keep the child?” She asked, surprised, Wei Ying gently pulled away. He had expected her to, to what? He didn’t even know. But not whatever this was.

He couldn’t hold it back anymore, and the waterfalls let loose. Ugly crying in front of his sister, this was definitely how he wanted their reunion to be. Still, he nodded. After everything the two of them had been through, yes, he wanted to keep his pup.

“Okay, Shh. It’s okay, you’re allowed to cry.” She comforted, pulling him back into her embrace.

Why was he crying so much? He wasn’t nearly this upset when he had found out. The truth was that it was finally hitting him. He was going to have a baby; he was going to need to be responsible for this child. He would do anything to protect his pup, who had beaten all odds.

Wen Qing said it was a miracle the embryo had survived the golden core transplant. What would she say if she knew everything he had been through now?

Wei Ying cried for a long time. By the time his tears began to slow and he pulled away from Jiang Yanli’s warm arms, the front of her robes was covered in snot and tears.

“Ew.” He mumbled around his sobs. She just gave a warm-hearted chuckle.

“Ew indeed. I will just change.” Jiang Yanli comforted.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked, a warm smile on her face.

“I d’know.” He mumbled. Wei Ying didn’t know how to feel right now.

“Okay. How far along are you?” The female omega asked softly; she wasn’t forcing him to answer or anything. And she gave Wei Ying all the time he needed to calm down.

“Four months, roughly.” He admitted, looking down at his hands.

“FOUR MO- Sorry, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” She asked, cutting off her shocked exclamation. Wei Ying understood the surprise; he was quite far along, all things considered.

“I didn’t know until about three months ago. I probably would have told you sooner, but I was a little preoccupied.” He responded, facing back towards Jiang Yanli.

“D-do you know who the father is?” He nodded, colour rising to his cheeks.

“Wait, four months ago. . . Is it who I think it is?” Her eyes widened to saucers as she put together a timeline. Wei Ying nodded once more, turning an even darker shade of red.

Jiang Yanli let out a small laugh, tried to stifle it, then gave up and laughed uproariously. Her brother became even redder, breaking the barrier of what was thought to be possible from the man.

“No way-” She laughed again, “Sorry, sorry. A-Ying, I almost don’t believe you!”

“Shijieeeee~ Don’t teaseeee.” Wei Ying whined at his sister’s insinuation.

“One of the twin Jades of Lan got you pregnant. The one who can’t even break a simple rule!” She laughed again, then paused. “Does Lan Wangji know?”

The younger omega shook his head no. Jiang Yanli raised her eyebrow, looking for an explanation.

“I-I don’t even know if he remembers what happened.” Wei Ying admitted, causing his sister to look even more confused.

“Lan Zhan went into uh, into his rut. Uhm, we both had pretty bad fevers to begin with, I only remember bits and pieces. He had it worse than I did.” Wei Wuxian explained, twiddling his thumbs in embarrassment.

“He went into rut? Wei Ying, are you sure you weren’t forced?”

“No, absolutely not. Nothing like that. I don’t think he could even if he had wanted to. No, I was an, an eager participant. If I didn’t want it, I could have stopped.” He clarified. Wei Ying wouldn’t have Lan Wangji’s name disgraced like that.

“Eager, huh?” She poked. Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop the flush that made its way onto his face once more.

“Alright, alright. Are you planning on telling him?” She asked.

“I’m not sure, I don’t want Lan Zhan to be blamed for something that wasn’t entirely his fault. It would ruin his reputation. Knocking up an omega out of wedlock, me specifically? Yeah, I think Lan Qiren would have an aneurysm.” He proclaimed. And it was true, the older man could barely stand him as just a student, how would he react to Wei Wuxian bearing his nephew’s heir? There was no way it would be good.

“This isn’t just his reputation we’re talking about, A-Ying. This is also your future.” She said sternly, making the other omega look her in the eye, “I’m sure he would appreciate knowing he had a child in the world.”

“Not yet.” Wei Ying told his sister, “There’s a chance that this pup won't even make it to birth, the doctor I visited said as much.” He explained.

“This is true. The pregnancies of male omegas are more prone to miscarriage than those of female omegas and betas. But it doesn’t change the fact that the pup is alive now, if inside of you.” Jiang Yanli spelled out.

“She said that my child was a miracle when I saw her. I’m sure A-Qing would have an even grander explanation now.” His sister huffed out a laugh.

“This A-Qing seems wise, are you friends?” The older omega asked.

“She was the doctor who helped me; I owe her a life debt.” Wei Wuxian admitted.

“Then I do as well.”

“Shijie-”

“A-Ying, you are very dear to me. If this A-Qing saved your life in any way, then I will be eternally grateful.” Jiang Yanli stated, a happy-sad look resting on her face.

“Then you’ll be glad to know she and her brother were the ones to hide A-Cheng and I after the attack on Lotus Pier. They were the ones to help nurse Jiang Cheng back to health after he was injured.” Wei Wuxian explained with a laugh, “She reminds me a lot of you. I think the two of you would get along splendidly.” His Shijie just smiled.

“I don’t think she’s completely right, though. Both you and the baby's father are extremely powerful cultivators. I believe that’s the reason they’ve survived.” Jiang Yanli exclaimed, and it sounded like she truly believed it.

They sat in a comfortable silence, Wei Ying eventually being the one to break it.

“Do you want to feel the baby bump?” He asked, a shy smile on his face.

“I thought you’d never ask!” Jiang Yanli proclaimed happily, scooching even closer on the sedan.

Wei Wuxian opened his outer robes, leaving only the thinner, gauzy ones covering his stomach. He watched quietly, a happy warmth in his heart, as his sister leaned down to gently place her hands on his stomach. The bump was still relatively small, but noticeable, Jiang Yanli said as much.

“I don’t think I’m far enough along for you to feel any kicking.” Wei Wuxian was a little sad that he didn’t have anything more exciting than a little bump to show his sister.

“That’s alright.” She said, moving her hands from one spot to another on his stomach, as if she were checking out the progression of the bump. “Do you have a name in mind?” She asked, not looking up from her hands.

“Uh, not really. I guess I haven’t really thought about it.” He admitted it was true. This was all still so new for him.

“Not even a nickname?” She pleaded.

“Uhh, well I guess I’ve sorta been calling them ǒu tǔ. But I’m not committed.”

“A-Ying. You can’t call your child barf.” She scolded, turning her head to glare disapprovingly at her brother.

“What? It’s what he’s been making me do! I swear I can’t keep anything down!” He shouted out, frustrated at the child, but it wasn’t as if he was doing it on purpose.

“He? Do you want a son, or is it just a feeling?” Jiang Yanli asked, catching onto the words that just slipped out. Wei Ying didn’t even realize he had called the baby a he; once again, it had never occurred to him to think about it.

“Huh, I don’t know. Just a feeling, I guess.” Wei Ying pondered out loud.

“If you want, we can try some old wives' tests, I’m sure at least some of them have to be accurate.” She offered. Wei Ying watched his sister run around the room, looking for things to complete these experiments. Jiang Yanli seemed way more excited about this than he did, then, of course she was. Jiang Yanli loved kids, not to mention that she was amazing with them.

“You’re going to make an amazing aunt.” Wei Ying admitted quietly. He didn’t realize his sister was within earshot until she peeked up and responded.

“I know!” Wei Ying startled, then laughed at her antics. “The next step is telling Jiang Cheng, though.” She pointed out, causing the younger omega to stiffen.

Oh no. He thought. I completely forgot about Jiang Cheng!

“Hey, hey. Don't freak out. It will be fine, he won't kill you.”

“HE MIGHT!” Wei Ying protested.

“Doubtful, just, maybe don’t tell him who the father is. At least not until A-Cheng gets the chance to hold the baby. I’m sure he will soften into a big, mushy pile as soon as your pup is in his arms.” Jiang Yanli provided. Wei Ying supposed the thought helped a little. And yeah, he could one-hundred percent see Jiang Cheng cooing over a little baby.

“He would make a great uncle.” Wei Ying admitted.

“And when I have a pup, they can be playmates. We can raise them together!” The older omega exclaimed happily. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, was trying really hard not to think about his sister and that peacock coupling. It made him want to barf.

“Uhm, how are we going to tell A-Cheng? Won't he just freak out?” Wei Ying asked, pulling his robes closed again.

Before Jiang Yanli could answer, the soft sliding noise of the door could be heard, and a voice soon followed.

“What would I freak out about?” Jiang Cheng asked, walking into Jiang Yanli’s room.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Yanli grabbed Wei Ying. It was helpful considering the younger omega was completely frozen. She then used all her might, and taking into account the size difference between both omegas, the following feat was quite impressive indeed.

She tossed him over two meters into her bed, the pillows and blankets of her nest tumbling in, sufficiently burying him. He could hear the tell-tale sound of perfume being sprayed, and watched through the crack of the blankets as Jiang Yanli practically danced around the room in an attempt to cover the scent of the pregnant omega.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng asked quizzically, “And did I just see you throw A-Ying?”

Chapter Text

“Wei Ying is tired and needs to sleep. Now, come, I need to have a talk with you.” Jiang Yanli redirected, placing her hands on her brother’s shoulder, turning him around and leading him out the door.

Wei Wuxian could hear his stubborn protests, but when their Jejie made up her mind, there was no avoiding it. She was just as stubborn as Jiang Cheng, if not more so.

Wei Ying lay in the silence of the empty room, his mind curiously blank. Even if he was exhausted beyond forming a complete thought, he could feel his content radiating through his bones. The omega was so happy to have support from his sister. Jiang Yanli’s acceptance helped him more than she would ever realize.

He could feel the tears welling in his eyes once more, and he tried his best to stifle a sob. Fear was a powerful drug, but relief was even stronger. The man curled into himself, happily dazed in his sister’s nest. Wei Ying couldn’t help but gently cradle his stomach in his hands, rubbing small circles into the smooth, stretching skin.

Slowly, he began to drift back into unconsciousness, a blissful smile plastered on his tear-stricken face.

---------------

Wei Wuxian spent two weeks recuperating in Lanling, but there were only so many excuses he and Jiang Yanli could come up with before he would have to rejoin the battle. That is, unless he wanted the cultivation world to know of his predicament.

By the end of those two weeks, he could feel the extra weight on his frame. His previously malnourished body began its journey towards health, and his skin was no longer so closely stretched over his bones. He felt content, more than he had been in a long while.

Jiang Yanli would constantly tell him he was glowing, but his pregnant body was working overtime to keep both Wei Ying and his pup in good health. Not nearly as hard as his sister, though.

If she could have it her way, he would be confined to one of the inner wings of the estate. A small courtyard, bathing suite and library all to himself, fed plump on rich food courtesy of the Jin clan. It couldn’t last forever, though; people were bound to get suspicious. He was getting fatter by the day, his baby bump growing rapidly as soon as he was well-rested and fed. It seemed as if his pup was trying to catch up. Jiang Yanli did say the baby seemed on the smaller side. So it was understandable.

Along with her hovering, Wei Ying’s sister was adamant that he should see a physician or, at the very least, a midwife. He, on the other hand, thought that was a recipe for disaster. The Jin were known for having their noses where they shouldn’t belong. Wei Wuxian doubted that even the doctors were free from under Jin Guangshan’s thumb.

However, Jiang Yanli had managed to convince the younger omega to get his scent glands checked out. It wasn’t much, but they had snuck off far into the bustling city of Lanling in disguises. A small-time apothecary had taken one look at Wei Wuxian’s scent glands and had recommended against ever using those scent blockers again.

Eventually, after a fearsome lecture about taking care of himself, the male omega had been handed a poultice that should help, as well as two entirely new types of scent blockers. A tea-based one that would suppress his scent, but not block it and another oil blocker to cover his actual glands. The elderly apothecary had ordered him to let his skin rest before even considering using the new oil one. Wei Wuxian was grateful; these scent blockers were far more herbal-based than his last few and had quite a pleasing scent to them.

With a polite goodbye and a sack of payment that probably exceeded what was necessary, the two omegas returned to the Jin estate. Happy with Wei Wuxian’s reluctant agreement to follow the apothecary’s orders, Jiang Yanli had cooked her brother her famous Pork Rib Lotus soup. Jiang Cheng had come to join them, and all three Yunmeng disciples had eaten a delicious meal, going to bed with happy stomachs and full hearts.

This peaceful limbo they thrived in couldn’t last forever, and the scathing comments from their hosts began to get tiresome. At roughly the two and a half week mark, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian bid their goodbyes to Jiang Yanli and left to fight. His sister was beyond against Wei Ying joining the battle in his condition, but they were running low on options. Not to mention the male omega had begun to feel useless just sitting around, sleeping and eating all day. Yes, it was restful, but he had promised to protect his siblings, to protect Jiang Cheng. He wouldn’t be able to do that from the safety of his nest in Lanling.

He wanted to slaughter the people who had burned his home to the ground. He wanted to get his revenge and enact the justice that the Wen dogs had coming for them.

“I will be safe, I promise.” Wei Ying assured Jiang Yanli as they said their farewells. A small, doubtful smile rested on his sister's lips; they both knew that would be a hard promise to keep.

She turned to Jiang Cheng, the alpha standing just slightly off to the side.

“Take care of each other, both of you. I don’t want you two to be at each other's throats while you’re away, and make sure to write to me whenever you get the chance, okay?” She spoke, her tone serious but not quite forlorn as her eyes danced between her two younger brothers.

With a few more goodbyes, they were on their way, the Yunmeng disciples leading the next wave of cultivators towards the battlefield. People cheered as they left the streets of Lanling, the men of their entourage carrying supplies and rations to bring to those still on the battlefield.

Even though Jin Guangshan had yet to send any of his own cultivators, he, at the very least, had the sense to offer his support in the form of provisions. The food they carried was that of the Jin, their way of staying on the good side of both the rest of the major sects and the Wen. The Jin sect leader had a nasty habit of trying to wait out conflict, his way of ensuring he was on the winning side of history.

It didn’t always bode well for the man; he tended to only pissed people off with his lack of loyalty. This time, especially with such a large battle at hand, the alliance against the Wen would need as many bodies as could be spared. Despite all the corruption and terrible leaders, the Wen were strong and numerous. The entirety of their clan, including the smaller ones from the surrounding areas that they had absorbed, numbered just over the might of the rest of the clans.

The Jin were large and rich; if they wanted to have any chance at properly beating these Wen dogs into the ground, they would begrudgingly need their help. As of now, especially with the recent destruction of Lotus Pier, the numbers they had could be considered lacking at best. Despite Jiang Cheng’s best efforts, an entire clan couldn’t be rebuilt without the proper time and resources, of which they had neither.

Not even past the barrier of Lanling and Wei Wuxian could already hear some of his fellow cultivators voicing their complaints about the Jin. Everyone was grateful for what they had been provided with, but there was clearly much, much more that could be done on the Jin’s pat.

“You feeling better? I didn’t get to see you at all when we were in Lanling.” Jiang Cheng asked, drawing Wei Ying’s attention to his brother.

“Uh, yeah- Much better. I wasn't doing too hot when I arrived, feel great now though!” The omega responded, pulling a bright smile onto his face. The lack of contact with the alpha had been intentional; there would have been no way Wei Ying and Jiang Yanli would have been able to keep his pregnancy a secret. He had to be off his scent blockers to let his glands heal, and as his body began to regain its strength, it had decided that pumping out as many hormones as possible was the best solution.

It was not. If anything, it just made things worse.

“Well, that's good, because we got some stupid Wen dogs that need to be killed, and I need you in the best condition if you’re going to be fighting on the front lines.” Wei Ying’s brother responded with a curt nod. He seemed a little awkward at first, but the two of them were quickly settling back into their old habits.

“No need to worry, baby brother, I have a few new tricks up my sleeve. I’m sure they won't see them coming.” His smile turned sly, just short of an evil smirk. Even so, he couldn’t help the ball of anxiety forming in his chest; this would be the first time he used his new cultivation on such a large scale, as well as in a battle scenario. He’s only ever used his corpse puppets to hunt or torture; he wasn’t completely sure whether he would be able to be as effective as he hoped.

“Do I even want to know?” Jiang Cheng asked, his brow scrunching in concern.

“I’ll let you know when it becomes relevant. Right now, all you need to know is that the Wen won't know what hit them.” Evil grin still present, he pushed down the ball of nerves. This will work.

“Whatever you say.” The alpha said with a small huff of laughter, clearly pleased with the mental image.

---------------

Not even four days later, they were handing out the provisions that they carried to soldiers on the front lines. The encampment was messy, tents and stockpiles set up with no real rhyme or reason to their locations. It honestly made it hard for the men in charge of making sure everyone got the necessary amounts.

Wei Wuxian was given a relatively small tent a few spots away from his brother’s. He was still in the heart of the camp, but now with Jiang Cheng as one of the Sect Leaders on base, the alpha was given much more priority and safety.

Wei Wuxian was okay with this. Jiang Cheng truly deserved every ounce of respect he was given, if not more so.

Happily, or as happily as you could, being in the midst of a battle, Wei Ying pulled out his furs, scarves and pillows, humming quietly to himself as he set up his makeshift nest. It was probably a waste of resources, but fighting his instincts took more effort than he would like to admit. His nest was one of the small pleasures he was allowing himself.

“Wei-Gongzi?” A voice startled him away from his work; someone was calling for him at the entrance. He was quick to toss a blanket over his half-finished work before stepping out of his tent.

“Sorry to disturb you,” an unfamiliar cultivator said. He wore the Jiang colours, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t recognize his face: “Your presence is needed at the head tent; they are having a meeting, and Jiang Wanyin is requesting your input.”

“Really? We just got here.” Wei Wuxian mumbled, but was quick to take note of the setting sun and torches being lit all around him. Man, his perception of time was not it today.

“It shouldn’t be long, Gongzi.” The cultivator said with a bow.

“No, no, it’s alright. I just wasn’t paying attention. Lead the way.” He responded with a bashful smile, pulling the thick cloth of his winter garments closer. Fuck, it’s cold . He thought as he followed the Jiang disciple.

A short walk later, Wei Wuxian was ducking into the main strategic tent, and he was quick to sense the tension in the air.

A map was spread out wide across a center table that took up the majority of the enclosed area. Jiang Cheng was off to his left, glaring at one of the clan leaders that Wei Ying could recognize by face, but not by name. Lan Xichen was trying his best to tone down the atmosphere, but didn’t seem to be doing the best, and Nie Mingjue was not helping.

“I’m sure there was no ill intent behind what he said-”

“I’m sure he just has a rod up his ass-”

“Mingjue!” Lan Xichen scolded, doing his best to reel in his sworn brother, “If we want to win this battle, everyone's cooperation is needed. How about we all-Oh, Wei Wuxian, you’ve made it!” The Lan alpha looked relieved to see Wei Wuxian, an easy distraction from whatever disagreement was taking place.

“It’s nice to see you, Zewu-Jun. How are you doing?” Wei Wuxian answered, his head nodding, but he kept moving to take his seat next to his brother.

“Very well, all things considered. I’m happy you could finally join us, and that you are alive and strong.” The man responded, a kind smile on his face.

“My brother was awfully concerned when he heard of your disappearance, I think we all were.” Lan Xichen said, although not many people were nodding along. Wei Ying pushed away the sour feeling in his heart but still thanked the Lan Sect leader for his condolences.

“I’m back now, though, and ready to help.” Wei Wuxian said with a smile.

“That’s the spirit! Unlike some of these louts here.” Nie Mingjue spoke up, giving the omega an approving nod before turning to glare at some of the disgruntled men around the table. The motion was small, but Wei Wuxian watched as Lan Xichen jabbed the larger man in the side with his elbow. Yet another attempt at keeping him on topic.

“As I was saying, we don’t have enough men to pull off what you are planning to attempt. The Wen will obliterate our troops if we try and rush them head-on like that!” A sect leader in dark mauve pipped up, wanting to get back to the meeting.

“And as I said, there’s not much of a choice. It either works or it doesn’t, and everything you lot have come up with the past couple of weeks has caused us to do nothing but lose ground.” The Nie sect leader growled out, his hackles practically raising to his ears.

“If we try this,” A second man started, gesturing at the map, “and fail, we lose over half our troops. That will give the Wen an opening to advance their front line!” The pointer stick in his hand drew Wei Ying’s eyes to the coloured blocks on the table, each different shade indicating a different company. He could also see where the ‘front line’ was, which indicated, taking up a large section in the middle left of the map. The smaller portion of the territory displayed was that of the alliances.

“If we no longer have men to fight, then the Sunshot Campaign is no more!” Another man barked out, frustrated to the point his pheromones were leaking into the stuffy, surrounding air.

Wei Wuxian subconsciously pulled his sleeved hand up to cover his nose and mouth as he continued to study the map. The Sunshot Campaign, huh . He thought the name made sense; it was a little silly, however. The conversation, or rather argument slowly fading into background noise as he tried his best to focus on the information given.

Just beyond the front line, off to the far side of what was labelled ‘Wen territory’, there was a hill. The formation was far enough away from where the main battle seemed to be taking place, but still close enough to have a good view. Especially for someone who didn’t want to risk being spotted in the air.

From the looks of it, unless the map was improperly labelled, it wasn’t being used as a watchpost. At least not a visible one by the Wens and especially not by the alliance. It would make a perfect spot if he were to use an army of corpses. His hand came to rest on Chenqing, and a small, thoughtful hum left his throat.

“How many people have been lost in this battle, do you think? Both our side and the Wens?” Wei Wuxian turned and asked his brother.

“A couple thousand, easily. Why do you ask-” Jiang Cheng started to question but was quick to come to his own conclusion. His face turned grim, but it was clear he was thinking it could work.

Wei Wuxian indicated to the hill formation that he was thinking about, and his brother also took his time studying the map and the possible threats of the area.

“It could work. I don't like it, though. It would be far too easy for someone to sneak up on you.” Jiang Cheng grumbled as he squinted suspiciously at the last recorded locations of the Wen troops in the surrounding area.

“Do you two have something you would like to add?” A man in dark brown said begrudgingly from across the table, his hostility directed at the two Jiang cultivators.

“Well, I think I might be able to solve part of your issue, but it will be a pain in the ass for me.” Wei Wuxian responded, still looking at the map. He wasn’t about to give his full attention to someone who would so rudely interrupt his planning.

“Instead of using our men as the distraction, Wei Wuxian will be able to divert their attention.” Jiang Cheng put forward, the argument to silence the idea.

“All by himself?” The same man in mauve who had been arguing with Nie Mingjue now turned his displeasure towards the new arrival.

“I’ve been developing a new form of cultivation, which primarily uses puppets. I could send them in, while you guys implement whatever it is you're planning. I’m assuming the largest issue was the casualties involved with drawing out a large number of Wen. If we use my puppets instead, we wouldn’t have to worry about how many people we would risk losing, regardless of whether or not it worked.” Wei Wuxian stated.

“And these puppets are durable enough to withstand prolonged combat with the Wen dogs?” Nie Mingjue, ever the largest man in the room, asked.

“If I can control enough of them, it shouldn’t be a problem. How long would the enemy need to be distracted?” Wei Wuxian responded, looking over to meet the fierce gaze of the Nie alpha.

“Long enough for a stealth team to plant large amounts of explosives in the heart of their camp. We would need as many Wen dogs out of their tents and into the fray as possible. The fewer in camp, the better.” Wei Wuxian grinned. That should be a simple enough task.

"Make as large of a commotion as possible for as long as I can hold out, maybe kill a few scum while I'm at it? Oh, that will be a piece of cake!” Wei Wuxian replied, an eerie joy building with anticipation in his chest. At least it wasn’t heartburn; he couldn't deal with any more heartburn.

Nie Mingjue bellowed out a laugh, clearly enjoying the younger man’s eagerness.

“I like you more and more by the minute, Wei Wuxian. I have a feeling we will get along well.” He pronounced loudly before laughing again. He was no longer glaring at the men around him, and the tension in the room was finally beginning to lessen.

“The only issue is that while I'm controlling my puppets, my body can be a little defenceless. I don’t trust that there will be no Wen on that hill. I’m sure that if they have even an ounce of common sense in them, they would have a watchpost somewhere in that terrain. Getting rid of them would be my first priority.” The Yunmeng head disciple explained, taking his time to gesture at the raised landform drawn on the map. He could see the Nie Sect leader nodding out of the corner of his eye.

“We could give you a flare, fire it off as soon as you are sure you are safe and ready for the attack. An easy way to signal to us that you have started.” Lan Xichen suggested, his thinking face clearly in place as he spoke.

“A flare will also alert the Wen dogs to your location, not just us.” Jiang Cheng pointed out, “If you had a reflective surface, you could signal back to our men directly, but that would require light, and we want to do this in the cover of night.” Wei Ying’s brother explained, looking over at the omega with a concerned look.

“I don’t think that will be completely necessary. When I unleash my army, you will be able to tell. It can be quite loud.” The omega said with a small chuckle.

“Why should we believe you?” Yet again, the man in mauve spoke up. Every time he opens his mouth, at least so far, he’s had nothing positive to say. Wei Wuxian’s grin hardened as he turned to look the man in the eye.

“Because you have no choice. You need my help.” He said firmly, not breaking eye contact. A silence washed over the tent. Of all the men present, no one was denying it. He was sure a handful of them knew what he was capable of, and those who didn’t were too stunned at his audacity to say such a thing so confidently, even to speak.

Even as the man in mauve began to squirm at the intensity of Wei Wuxian’s gaze, the omega refused to be the first one to break the contact.

Another deep chuckle sounded from the head of the table, Nie Mingjue’s booming voice being the thing to break the silence.

“As confident as ever, I see you do not doubt yourself. A smart child such as yourself knows that hubris without skill is nothing but a weakness. If you say you can do this, then I believe you.” The man said proudly as ever, and his words were true. Hubris was nothing but a weakness, but this wasn’t overconfidence on Wei Wuxian’s part. He knew there was a possibility he would wear himself out before the stealth part of the operation had enough time to complete their mission. Logically, that was always a possibility. Regardless, Wei Wuxian had ninety percent confidence that he could achieve this, with a higher chance if the cultivators placing the explosives were quick.

“We should send a platoon with you to act as your protection,” a man who Wei Ying had yet heard speak said, “If you end up dead before you reach your vantage point, then this whole operation would be useless.”

“I’m strong enough to defend myself.” Wei Wuxian countered, his eyebrows ruffling.

“I’m not doubting your strength; this is just a precaution.” The man replied. He had kind, knowing eyes. Wei Wuxian could tell he meant no harm.

“He’s right, Wei Ying, you yourself said you could be a little defenceless while you were controlling your puppets.” Jiang Cheng pointed out, his brother was ever the protective worryer.

“I will be fine, not to mention my cultivation could have a negative effect on the platoon you want to send with me. Their protection would be useless if they were incapacitated. Those with weak mental fortitudes are highly susceptible to injury when my cultivation is at play. I apologize, but I don't know you’re men well enough to trust that they would be strong enough to counteract its effect. Even proximity could be enough to daze someone.” Wei Wuxian retorted, not to mention he didn’t really want a bunch of random men in his space for the foreseeable future. Just the thought made him uncomfortable.

“I could go with you. I have my Jiang Spirit cleansing bell, as well as mental fortitudes.” Jiang Cheng replied, offering his services. Yet again, being super close to a brother with an extremely good sense of smell would not be ideal for Wei Ying’s current situation. While yes, he trusts the alpha completely, the men he leads also need him

“Jiang Wanyin, your troops need your leadership. I am not doubting your strengths, but you are needed elsewhere.” Lan Xichen said, pointing out what the omega was thinking.

“Then who do you suggest that is strong enough and reliable enough to go in my stead?” Jiang Cheng asked. There was a pregnant pause, and Wei Wuxian could see the gears working in everybody's heads. A pit of nerves was forming once again in Wei Ying’s stomach; he knew exactly who Lan Xichen was about to suggest. And he knew that it would be hard to argue with and impossible to refuse without looking like a completely suicidal idiot.

“We could send my brother. I am sure he would happily and reliably take on the task.”

Chapter Text

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with this. I should be the one taking care of you." Jiang Cheng grumbled as he watched Wei Ying flutter around his tent.

"I know Shijie told you to protect me, but Lan Xichen is right, your people need you. Jiang Yunmeng is already weak in moral, strength and cultivators. If they lost you, even temporarily would have the opposite of a positive impact." The omega responded, his arms now full of paper scraps and bits of fluff.

"Still, the two of you alone doesn't seem like a good idea." Jiang Cheng mentioned. He watched the way his brother's shoulders tensed slightly before hurriedly returning to his incessant movement.

"That's not really up to you to decide for me." The omega's words sounded stuffed with emotion. Jiang Cheng didn't even want to begin trying to comprehend.

"It kind of is, Wei Ying. I'm the head of the house, you're one of the family's omegas. It is quite literally in my job description to protect you." Jiang Cheng countered.

"None of these people here know that! And if you keep acting like this, they're bound to find out. Just please, stop." He said with a shake of his head.

"It's clear Lan Wangji knows. That alpha is rubbing me the wrong way; you shouldn't be in such close quarters together." The man in purple growled. All he wanted to do was protect his family, but why was Wei Ying so adamant about getting himself into trouble?

"Have you even met him? Lan Zhan doesn't have a single malicious bone in his body!"

"Malicious bone or not, Lan Wangji is an alpha. The last time the two of you were left alone together, I had a hard enough time prying your unconscious body out of his possessive grip. He's clearly got something going on that he needs to sort out. You don't need to be a part of his issues." Wei Wuxian didn't reply to his face, but he heard his older brother mumble something under his breath.

"Speak up, please- What are you doing?" Jiang Cheng cut himself off, Wei Ying's behaviour finally getting on his nerves, "You won't stop moving, it's getting unusual, even for yourself."

"Uhh, tidying?" Wei Wuxian replied, but he didn't seem all that confident, and his previous anger was almost completely gone.

"Never once in my life have I known you to 'tidy'" he said matter-of-factly, "Seriously, what's up?"

Jiang Cheng watched as his brother's face once again contorted into a multitude of different emotions, the man taking his time deciding whether or not he should say something.

"Is it about your new cultivation? If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to use it. If anything, it would probably be best if you didn't." Jiang Cheng supplied, though his brother still looked emotionally constipated.

"Or do you just need to take a massive shit? Cus you look-"

"Okay, that's more than enough. No, I don't need to take a 'shit', and yes, I'm perfectly okay with using my cultivation. I was the one to create it." he paused, looking down at his feet. Jiang Cheng watched the way his hands twitched towards his torso, and the way he forced them back down to his sides.

"I guess I'm just nervous that I won't be as effective as I say I can be. People are relying on me, and if I can't control everything perfectly, well, I will have hurt a lot more people than just myself." Wei Wuxian explained slowly; at least he was calming down now.

Jiang Cheng could see that talking about this was getting it off his chest; he could see the way his brother was finally starting to relax for the first time since they left Lanling. Jiang Cheng, however, was at a loss. Despite how close they were as brothers, he was not expecting Wei Ying to actually open up to him. His brother tended to be far too stubborn for his own good, and that was coming from him of all people. Not to mention, he knew the way the omega bottled up his feelings; he's seen the man finally lose his cool before. It's rare, but it's far from pretty.

This was better than that. At least Wei Ying was maturing. I wish I could be like that. Jiang Cheng thought as the two brothers sat in silence.

"Uhm, well. If you ever need anything, you can come to me, I guess." The alpha said, his tone lacking confidence, but making up for it with sincerity.

"Thanks, A-Cheng. I think I'm going to return to my own tent now. Today tired me out more than I thought it would, and I'm gonna need all the rest I can get for tomorrow." Wei Wuxian said, looking up to meet his brother's eyes.

"See you tomorrow, A-Xian. Night."

"Night." He said with a wave as he left his brother's tent.

---------------

Wei Wuxian stood as silently as he possibly could. Qiankun pouches were packed full of rations, water, and as many talisman papers as he could safely fit. Fine, a little unsafely. Besides the point, right now he was trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible, which was a little odd for him.

He stood in the center of Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, the two men deep into a staring contest just far enough above Wei Wuxian's eye level that he couldn't join. He could smell the way his brother's pheromones were seeping out slowly beyond his garments, and despite Lan Wangji's best effort, the omega could smell him as well.

The scent was far more pleasing than it should have been, and he couldn't deny the way his omega preened at the thought of these two fighting over his protection. Wei Ying was just happy to see his brother wasn't still mad enough at him to stop wanting to keep him safe. Lan Wangji's scent was just an added bonus.

Despite every ounce of common sense within him, he couldn't find the strength in him to turn up his nose. No matter what he did, Wei Ying had a feeling Lan Zhan would always smell nice to him.

"If the two of you are quite done, I'm sure Wei-Gongzi is ready to go." A familiar voice interrupted from the sidelines, Lan Xichen, always the saviour.

"If we want to get to our intended location before nightfall tomorrow, we need to get going. Even if this is entertaining." Wei Wuxian agreed, adding on the little quip to seem more his usual self.

"Wei Ying is right, we need to be leaving." Lan Wangji said, his voice sending a shiver down Wei Ying's spine. Has his voice gotten deeper? The omega thought before giving his body a violent shake. The movement drew the attention of all three men, and Jiang Cheng quirked a brow.

"What? It's chilly!" He protested, pushing down the flush that threatened to colour his cheeks.

"Maybe you should put on some more weight then, you're still barely nothing more than skin and bones." Jiang Cheng pointed out, squinting at his brother.

"I have put on weight, thank you very much. You try getting fat when all your nutrients are being snatched." Wei Wuxian said with a half assed snarl. He then froze when he realized his slip-up.

Back in Lanling, he had been making these kinds of jokes with Jiang Yanli the whole time. He must finally be feeling comfortable enough to actually tease, a shame it's gonna blow his cover.

"Does this new cultivation drain your energy?" Lan Xichen was the one to speak up, drawing Wei Ying away from his spiralling thoughts.

"Y-yeah, on top of a handful of other things. But try not to worry too much, A-Cheng, it's no worse than the flu." The omega took the chance; this way, if Lan Wangji ever noticed how prangancy-y the way he was acting was, he could play off his symptoms as side effects from the negative energy.

That was what he was originally diagnosed with back in Lotus Pier before he knew he was pregnant: Yin energy overload. While this was technically true as well, Yin energy was needed to begin the formation of a fetus and high levels of it were commonly found in pregnant omegas; he was also being influenced by the Yin Tiger Tally. That stupid Iron Sword is screwing him up more than he initially realized. Now that it was getting closer and closer to perfection, Wei Wuxian felt he had control over the amounts of negative Qi it put out and how it affected his body.

These alphas didn't know that, though. He would happily use this as his scapegoat, even if it worried his brother. Anything was better than the loud, stubborn man finding out about his pregnancy.

He shuddered again.

"Are you sure you're alright? We can have someone fetch you more furs." Zewu-Jun stated, looking ever so slightly concerned.

"Nah, I'm just peachy. Just gonna have to get moving, all this standing around is bound to freeze my feet to the ground." He declared and began walking. Wei Wuxian could hear the men behind him.

"I can send one of my most trusted men with you; an extra set of eyes wouldn't hurt." Jiang Cheng said, calling out as he sped up to walk next to his brother.

"It's okay, seriously. Plus, I'm your most trusted man, who would you even send?" Wei Ying teased, though he was a little too slow to dodge the hand that swatted at the back of his head.

"Just, just tell me if anything happens, please?" the purple-clad alpha pleaded, his tone surprisingly soft.

"Fine, fine. If I get bent over backwards, I'll give you all the deets." Wei Ying teased, this time fast enough to dodge the hand coming to cuff him.

"Not funny, don't even joke about that!" Jiang Cheng scolded, sounding genuinely upset. But his brother could see the rosy tint to the back of his neck; the man was embarrassed as well.

Wei Ying couldn't help but snicker at his brother's prudeness. No wonder the man had yet to get into a relationship.

"Im serious though, don't get hurt. I want you to be actively trying to keep yourself safe." His eyes said more than his words did. Jiang Cheng was worried; his brother was going off with some 'random alpha', just the two of them alone for goodness knows how long? Logically, Wei Wuxian could see that his brother was coming from a place of worry.

That worry didn't change the fact that the alpha Wei Wuxian was going to be spending his time with was Lan Wangji, and that man couldn't even eat rabbits. The omega couldn't realistically believe that that man would ever do something to intentionally hurt someone, especially not himself.

Wei Ying looked at his brother. Although he still kept the physical distance between the two of them, he gave the sect leader a sincere nod; he would at least try and stay safe.

"We'll be back in a couple of days, see you after the battle." Wei Wuxian bid his farewell, then turned to give Lan Xichen a respectful bow. out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Lan Wangji was ready to depart.

The man, as stone-faced as ever, carried his Guqin on his back and Bichen on his hip. He stood still, seemingly not nervous whatsoever. Well, he doesn't have anything to be nervous about. Wei Ying thought with a small frown as he approached. I, on the other hand, have far too much.

---------------

This trip was going to be longer than they had originally thought. The map that they were using to coordinate exact locations was outdated. As of now, the two men had seen at least six Wen outposts that had not been recorded. Each one they came across, they tried their best to avoid.

The original plan had them moving around the ridge quickly and preferably by sword. However, since there were Wen watchpoints nearly every few kilometres, it would be highly unlikely that they would go unnoticed in the sky. Unless they found some horses they could steal, they were stuck walking to their destination on foot.

Wei Wuxian was trying his best to act normal, but now, twelve hours in, he was barely fighting down his nausea. At least the walking was helping some, even if it was making his feet hurt.

“Does Wei Ying wish for me to carry some of your Qiankun pouches?” Lan Wangji asked, looking over his shoulder. Wei Wuxian hadn’t even noticed he was falling behind.

“Nah, I’m alright, but a water break wouldn’t hurt!” He said before dramatically flopping to the ground. The omega distracted himself by rummaging through his pouches, even though he knew which one his water was in. He could feel Lan Zhan’s eyes boring into him as he moved.

“The sun is beginning to set. I will prepare our camp.” The Lan alpha said after a few moments of silence.

“We have a long trip ahead of us; we should continue until we make it to the base of the hill.” Wei Wuxian replied, now turning to look at the alpha.

“We have a long trip ahead of us; we should save our strength and rest.” The taller man countered.

“Are you mimicking me?”

“Mn”

“Is that a yes or a no?” Wei Wuxian flipped over to his other side. He needed a better vantage point to try and gauge the man in front of him. The omega couldn’t tell if he was serious or not.

“Are you teasing me? ‘Cus we’ve barely made it a quarter of the way there and you’re already wanting to stop.” His tone was accusatory and his eyebrows were furrowed, but Wei Ying didn’t really feel angry, just tired.

“Wei Ying needs rest. We can travel by sword once the sun is below the horizon.” That sounded reasonable, other than the fact that Wei Wuxian couldn’t fly by sword.

“I’m not carrying Suibian, I won’t be able to fly. And I’m not weak. We should keep going.” The Jiang disciple said, his furrowed brow now turning to a full frown.

“Not weak, tired.” He said firmly as he pulled out sleeping sacks and food.

“We should continue until dark. If you still think we need to stop, then fine. But we’re going to keep moving.” Wei Wuxian stated and began to stand up. He was no longer in the mood for a break as he put his water away.

“My thirst is quenched, let’s go.” He said without giving a chance for Lan Wangji to reply. There was a pause before the alpha could be heard tucking his equipment back into his pouches, then silent, quick steps as he made to catch up.

“We will travel by sword tonight after we rest.” Lan Wangji declared, not looking over at the omega for his opinion.

“I already told you, I don’t have my sword with me. If you want to fly, be my guest, but you’ll be leaving me behind.” Wei Ying repeated, also not looking at the other man. Fine by him, if Lan Wangji wanted to go ahead as a scout, he would gladly appreciate the alone time.

“We can share Bichen, the two of us on one sword will still be faster than by foot.” Lan Wangji explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Wei Ying, on the other hand, was having a manufacturer’s malfunction.

“Uhh, yeah- No. Last time we ‘shared a sword’, you had me dangling off the edge, you were holding me by my clothes. I’m not doing that again.” Wei Wuxian said with a disbelieving laugh. The last time he had even brought up the idea that they could share a sword back in the cloud recess, he had been outright ignored.

“I was saving you from the Waterborn Abyss. Wei Ying was unconscious. How would he know what happened?” Lan Wangji pointed out, turning to glance at the omega.

“Jiang Cheng told me all about it afterwards. He wouldn’t let me live it down for weeks.” The Jiang disciple pouted as he thought of how much his brother teased him. After yelling at him, of course.

Lan Wangji said nothing, but Wei Ying was picking up hints of amusement in the small wafts of scent that escaped the man’s robes. As pleasing as the scent was, he was not about to get all pliant for this stuck-up prick.

“The only reason you had to grab me was because I jumped into the water to save one of your clansmen. I don’t believe you actually know how to swim.” Wei Ying snarked and stuck his tongue out at the alpha.

“In the end, Wei Ying was the one who needed saving.”

“I could have saved myself, thank you very much!” Wei Wuxian retorted with a huff. He pretended he couldn’t see the ever-so-slightly raised eyebrow Lan Zhan was giving him.

They walked until the sun was well below ground level and the moon took its place high in the sky. At the end of the day, Wei Wuxian almost wished he had listened to Lan Wangji. But no, he just had to stick it to the man. Fuck, his feet were killing him. And his back was hurting too.

. . .And he was tired.

Really tired.

Wei Ying was almost grateful enough to express these thoughts when Lan Wangji finally pulled out the sleeping sacks once again. Normally, cultivators were able to sleep outside under the stars without much equipment. But it was winter, and it was cold. Even the best of cultivators could catch a chill on nights like these if they weren’t careful.

Without his Golden Core, Wei Wuxian was almost tempted to ask the other man if they could set up a tent. Luckily, tonight wasn’t nearly as bad as the omega had originally thought it would be when the sun dropped and the temperature dipped along with it. At least it shouldn’t snow out here in the plains and low forests. They might have had that issue when they began to climb the hill, though.

Wei Wuxian spent no time at all, hopping into the warm sleeping bag. If only he could have his nest right now. After a long, stressful day, he would have loved sleeping somewhere cozy. He sighed, the noise muffled by the pork bun in his mouth as he ate.

Without much conversation, the omega was almost instantly asleep. For once, his mind was not keeping him awake, and he was out like a light. He slept surprisingly peacefully all the way until he was rudely awoken by someone nudging the side of his sleeping bag.

“Wei Ying, if you don’t wake up, the sun will rise and we won't have time to make up our distance.” Lan Zhan’s deep voice could be heard as he spoke softly, his hand on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder to help him wake.

The omega attempted to roll over and close his eyes once more, but the cold was beginning to nip now that he had been woken. The man grumbled as he slowly peeled himself out of his sleeping sack.

“How long till sunrise?” Wei Wuxian asked, once his voice was no longer too sleepy to speak properly.

“Three hours.” The alpha responded, taking the half-folded sleeping bag from Wei Ying’s hands and tucking it into one of his pouches.

“Did you sleep any?” Wei Wuxian pondered when he noticed the fact that there seemed to be nothing left out except for what he had been using.

“No. It’s not safe here without someone keeping watch.” Lan Wangji responded. He seemed fine, as if not a single bone in his body had been exhausted.

Screw those Lan genes. Wei Wuxian thought with an annoyed huff, it wasn’t fair that this man could look so perfect even in these conditions. At least this was one thing ǒu tǔ would benefit from by having Lan Wangji as his sire.

What will he look like? Wei Ying caught himself wondering, Will my baby take after me or his father? What if he turns out like Lan Qiren!? The omega thought with mild panic. No, that wouldn’t happen. He would do everything in his power to make sure his pup turned out to be the happiest, most spoiled and kindest child they could be. No way was he going to let the poor guy end up as a stick-in-the-mud rule follower like his father’s side of the family.

“Ready?” Lan Wangji asked, breaking him from his thoughts before they could truly begin to spiral. Wei Ying flushed ever-so-slightly; he wasn’t expecting to be so caught off guard by his own thoughts. But he really did wonder what his baby would look like.

What if he has Lan Wangji’s eyes? The omega considered, before turning an even darker shade of red. He didn’t want to confront why the thought made him feel all warm on the inside.

“Y-yeah. Take the lead!” Wei Wuxian replied when he realized he still had yet to respond. He was met with no movement, however, and Lan Wangji just looked at him quizically.

“We’re going to travel by sword, like we planned last night?”

“Oh! Right! My bad, my bad. I’m still waking up.” He had completely forgotten. He paused before speaking again: “I will be right back, gotta pee.” He excused himself somewhat impolitely before rushing off behind some shrubbery on the other side of the small clearing they had camped in.

The omega was quick to reach into his bag and pull out his scent blockers. He grabbed a handful of the tea, shrugged, then tossed it into his mouth. He reached for his water, knocking it back and swishing the liquid around in his mouth in a sorry attempt to make tea(?). It tasted far from pleasant, especially when he had to swallow the leaves whole. He cringed as they went down, just hoping they wouldn’t make him throw up.

With his other hand, Wei Ying grabbed the tin of oil scent blockers and began to rub them into the scent glands he had easy access to. As he fumbled to multitask, putting away the rest of his stuff and applying his protectant, he could have sworn he heard rustling in the bushes.

The foliage in the area was barren, but the undershrub was still dense enough to obscure Wei Wuxian’s view. The noise stopped just as he froze, straining his ears to get a pinpoint on the sound. Were they being followed? Was this an enemy or a friend? His mind flashed back to Wen Ning; he had been lucky enough that time that it had turned out to be a friend. This time, however, he couldn’t be so sure.

He quietly tucked away anything that he hadn’t managed to already, his eyes peered into the eerie darkness of the forest. With slow, silent steps, he made his way back to where Lan Wangji was waiting in the clearing.

The man turned when he noticed his approach, but froze as well when Wei Wuxian gave him a ‘quiet’ gesture with his finger. Lan Wangji nodded, understanding what it meant: they weren’t alone anymore.

The noise was quiet, but steadily growing louder.

“Do we hide or kill them?” Wei Wuxian asked, his voice just barely above a whisper as he reached the Lan cultivator’s side.

“We don’t want to alert anyone to our presence. If it is multiple people and we only manage to get rid of one of them, there's a chance the others might notice and set off an alarm.” The omega nodded. It made sense, even if he really wanted to kill the Wen dog. Wei Ying was still smart enough to have common sense. 

They moved until they stood in the near complete darkness of the shadows cast by the trees. The crescent moon did little to brighten the ground, but instead made the starry sky all the more vast. Wei Wuxian could feel the body heat radiating from Lan Wangji; they were pressed close enough together that he could feel the alpha’s silent, slow breaths on the back of his shoulder. The omega did his best to suppress a shudder. Now was not the time to be getting distracted.

“This is useless! Why are we even going this far east? There’s nothing up here but dead trees.” An unfamiliar voice complained; his speech patterns were recognizably those of a Wen. Wei Wuxian glared into the clearing as the culticators dripped in sun-red entered his line of sight.

“I saw fresh footprints only a few Sichen back, I’m sure they haven’t gone far.” Another one spoke, his eyes trained on the ground as he walked, not looking up as he responded to his comrades.

“Why are you so fixated on this? It could have just been an earlier patrol.” A third one piped up. Wei Wuxian counted their heads, four, five, six, as they entered the open area. None of them looked to be very skilled; he did not doubt that he and Lan Zhan could take them easily if they tried. But he was right, they risked giving away their location to any other Wen patrols that might be in the surrounding terrain.

“I miss my bed,” one of the other men muttered, “It’s far too late to be awake right now.” He announced with a loud yawn. The action made Wei Ying himself want to yawn as well,

“Shut up and quit complaining!” The second one scolded, “There are no other patrols in this quadrant of the map. We followed the footprints up this far. Whoever it is, we’re going to find them.” He explained with a growl. 

Wei Wuxian nudged Lan Wangji; he needed no more information than that. He was at least giving the man some warning before he started his ambush.

He reached into one of his Qiankun pouches, pulling out a stack of pre-prepared talisman, each one with a more sinister use than the last. Wei Wuxian pulled the first one up to his lips with two of his fingers, blowing a long, high-pitched whistle over the paper. The ink was quick to turn a deep red, the faint light illuminating Wei Wuxian’s face with a sinister glow.

The Wen cultivators barely had time to react; the stack of talisman previously in the omega’s hand was now activated, each paper also giving off the same faint glow. The sight was horrific. As the talisman papers flew through the air and began adhering to the men in the clearing. Some of them burned into their skin, others knocked them into the dirt. Talisman were effective for more than just protection. If engineered properly, their aspects could be completely reversed.

One of the men let out the start of a guttural scream, but with another sharp whistle from Wei Wuxian, a ‘silencing’ talisman slapped itself onto the man’s neck. He tried to scratch away at the paper as it prevented him from yelling, but little success was made. That talisman did more than just shut people up; it cut off their airways, suffocating people with nothing but a small piece of paper.

Wei Wuxian ignored the way Lan Wangji stiffened behind him; there was no need for the man’s input whatsoever.

Once it seemed as if everything was settled down, the omega left the shadows, moving forward to check the bodies and collect any unused talismans he could salvage. He looked over the bodies, his face laced with disdain. At least this was another batch of Wen dogs gone for good. He couldn’t wait till they were all rid of.

He kicked one of the bodies as he passed, paying the already cooling corpse no mind. These dead Wen would be no more than just another bunch of his puppets within the next few days; he did not need to further desecrate their bodies.

“Wei Ying-” The Lan heir began, but the omega cut him off before he could continue.

“I don’t want to hear it, Lan Zhan, I’m not in the mood.” He said, turning towards the man. But his expression wasn’t what he expected. The look of sheer, unadulterated fear in his eyes had Wei Ying frozen.

“WEI YING!” The alpha shouted, already drawing his sword as he approached. Lan Wangji wasn’t looking at Wei Wuxian; he was looking behind him.

The demonic cultivator whipped his head around just in time to see one of the Wen, still bloodied and battered, cleave his sword down towards Wei Ying’s head.

---------------

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan wasn’t in control of his body as it began to move. Something deep within him was commanding his muscles, forcing his spiritual energy into action. He still had yet to process what was happening when Bichen flew from his hands, the sheer amount of Qi put into the sword made it glow like moonlight on snow.

Then came the slicing sound of the blade tearing through flesh, the noise soon followed by the thud of the Wen cultivator’s limp body hitting the ground. The alpha could feel how wide his eyes were, but nothing he did could break through the vividness of his senses. Everything was too bright, too cold and too loud, even in the darkness of the night that engulfed them.

Bichen flew back into his outstretched hand, the gleam of the sword softening as soon as it was securely in his fist. He felt it as his feet began to move, but once again, he had no control over his limbs. He watched as if he were a passenger in his own body, through eyes that perceived far too much.

His heart thundered in his chest as he stopped in front of Wei Wuxian. He wasn’t trying to, but he had the vague sense that he was towering over the other man. Lan Wangji scanned over the omega’s frame, trying to pick up on any injuries he might have received. His thoughts only began to slow when he realized Wei Wuxian didn’t seem to have a scratch on him. The only visible blood was that of the dead Wen, the red splattered against the side of his face and down his arm. The omega’s usually tanned skin now a pale contrast to the deep crimson that had begun to dry.

“Lan Zhan, I didn’t get hurt; this blood isn’t mine.” Wei Wuxian said, his deep blue-grey eyes looking up into to meet his own. He felt his breath catch and stutter in his throat; any words he might have had vanished before they even made it to his tongue.

The alpha stored as deep as he could into those eyes; he wanted to see if he could read Wei Ying’s mind. He wanted so badly to know what was going on in that man’s head. Everything he did, no matter how stupid, drew Lan Wangji’s attention. He couldn’t get this man out of his head, hadn’t been able to for years, but as of late, it was easily ten times worse. It took more effort not to think about Wei Wuxian than he would like to admit. Nearly every waking moment, he was worrying about the omega; he could feel the way his instincts finally began to relax when he had him within arm's reach.

Lan Wangji only managed to look away once the omega broke their eye contact to wipe his face clean. The taller man turned to glare off into the forest, Bichen still at the ready in case of another attack. He needed to pay attention; if something were to truly happen to Wei Ying, Lan Zhan didn’t know what he would do with himself.

“We should get moving. It’s no longer safe to stay here.” The alpha said with a flick of his blade, there was no need to get their feet all dirtied with blood.

Wei Wuxian didn’t answer right away; instead, he scanned the edge of the woods for any other possible threats before turning back to Lan Wangji with a nod.

The alpha dropped Bichen, the sword brimming with spiritual energy, stopped to hover roughly a foot off the ground. He was quick to step up onto his sword, but when he turned to help Wei Ying up, he noted how the man eyed the blade wearily.

“Bichen will not drop us.” Lan Wangji supplied, reaching out his hand in a gesture to help.

“That’s not what worries me. Isn’t you’re blade too bright? If that was in the sky, I would be able to see it from a kilometre away.” He responded, glancing up at the other man before returning his gaze to the spiritual weapon.

“Mn. That can be fixed.” Lan Zhan urged the sword to dim its glow; he knew how proud Bichen could be, but at least the sword knew well not to deny its master. It was soon dimmed to an acceptable amount, and Wei Wuxian nodded, reaching up to take the alpha’s outstretched hand.

Lan Zhan noted the hesitancy in his frame as he stepped up onto the blade, the way his hand was clammy, or how his body was as stiff as a board. This wasn't very Wei Ying of Wei Ying; his behaviour was just enough out of the ordinary that it raised some questions.

This wasn’t the first time the Lan cultivator had noticed something was amiss. At first, he had just thought it might be anxiety for the battle; it still very well could be, but that explanation was only understandable for people other than Wei Wuxian. Even back in his teen years, he had been outwitted undaunted by threats. They would fight Yao, walking corpse and monsters without breaking a sweat. Wei Wuxian would howl with laughter and joke the whole time.

Now, however, the man seemed sombre. The way his smile didn’t reach his eyes, or how his gaze never left their surroundings. The omega was always on edge. But worst of all was the way he would flinch away from touch. It didn’t escape his attention that Wei Wuxian would try his best and keep at least a double arm's distance between the two of them. A complete two-fifty change in behaviour compared to before the Sunshot Campaign. He used to struggle, forcing Wei Wuxian to walk with his own two feet instead of hanging off those around him. Something had happened, that was for sure. But Lan Zhan had no idea what, and it worried him.

Maybe the war was something Wei Wuxian was just unable to handle, maybe this was the line he drew? But that seemed unlikely; there was more to this than what met the eye.

Bichen lifted them into the night sky, Wei Wuxian teetered on the far front edge of the sword, clearly an attempt to gain some personal space on such a small standing area. Lan Wangji obliged, despite the fact that it did make steering more difficult; he wasn’t going to force the omega into his own space.

He had already pushed the omega’s limits the last time he had seen the man; he wasn’t about to risk Wei Wuxian’s safety over something as small as personal space. If Lan Wangji couldn’t protect Wei Ying in the safety of the Cloud Recess, he would do his best to protect the head Jiang disciple on the battlefield, instead. It was the least he could do.

The wind howled past his ears as they flew, the dark ground a blur beneath their feet. Despite what he thought about Wei Ying’s comfort, he still had his own greed. Hence why he wasn’t flying at full speed, he wanted the omega as close to him as possible, even if it was just when they were travelling by sword.

They flew for what felt like hours, even if they passed as quickly as they came. Over the course of the flight, Lan Wangji kept catching whiffs of the omega’s scent. Something about it was different from what he remembered.

Wei Ying’s scent was always pleasant, light, flowery and spicy. This time, something about it was off. There wasn’t any particular way he could explain it, but if he tried to put it into words, he would almost say it smelled deeper. As if there was a depth to the pheromones that there hadn’t been before. It was addictive. Lan Zhan wanted as much as he could get.

The universe seemed to be telling him that they were meant for each other, but life was constantly getting in the way. It was awfully frustrating.

Eventually, they landed. The spot on the hill in which they stood had a small dusting of snow on the ground and a clear layer of frost on the shrubbery. With very few trees to conceal their presence, they had to return to walking, and just in time, too, as the sun was finally beginning to break the horizon.

“We will walk till lunch, then you will sleep.” Wei Wuxian ordered as soon as his feet touched the ground.

Lan Wangji knew that would be difficult; he had never been a napping kind of person, but he didn’t argue. He also didn’t ask about the omega’s pheromones. Who knows, it might be because his heat cycle was approaching; he knew it could be a touchy subject for some people.

They came across surprisingly few Wen soldiers as they trekked, each one less formidable than the last, and they quickly fell into a rhythm. Although Lan Wangji was far from approving of Wei Wuxian’s newfound cultivation, he could see its utility. Even though all the man was using were talisman, they made for impeccable distractions. Whenever they encountered an enemy cultivator, Wei Wuxian would use his talisman to injure or maim them, and when they were incapable of properly defending themselves, Lan Wangji would swoop in and finish them with a clean blow.

Morally, their tactics were grey at best, but it was efficient and didn’t have them worrying about any more potential surprise attacks. Lan Wangji might just have a heart attack if that ever happened again.

The way his body acted on its own, how every fibre of his being screamed at him to protect his omega, it made no sense. Some might call him thick-headed, but there was no logical reasoning behind this. The only thing the alpha could possibly think of was that they were a fated pair, but that was just the stuff of fairytales. The kind of stories his mother would tell him when he was little, of fated mates finding each other against all odds, that kind of thing didn’t exist. Or at the very least, it hadn’t been proven.

Sure, there were reports of people finding their supposed fated pair all the time, but nothing could be physically proven. There seemed to be no impact on souls, Golden cores or the overall vitality of these mates to support their claims. Nothing besides the usual heightened positive emotions and fertility that came with mating and properly bonding with someone.

Then again, there was always the possibility that Wei Wuxian was either sick or that his Demonic Cultivation was slowly killing him. That would surely set off any alpha into the urge to protect, especially those close to the man.

Lan Wangji wouldn’t necessarily call himself close to Wei Wuxian, but he cared for him so much so that it hurt sometimes, even if it wasn’t reciprocated. He wanted to watch the omega flourish, even if it meant watching from the sidelines. 

Lan Zhan pondered even as he was forced to lie down and attempt to sleep by Wei Ying. He had a feeling that his mind would be wandering far too much for him to even just get some restful meditation. So instead, he lay there, eyes closed and pretended to sleep. He hoped that if he pretended hard enough, then it might come to fruition.

Maybe thirty minutes into his half meditation, half attempting to sleep, the quiet sounds of Wei Ying’s voice drew his attention. The omega was humming softly, a tune all too familiar to Lan Zhan. Hearing it made his composure begin to crumble, but he tried his best to remain as unconscious-looking as possible. He wanted to hear the hushed tune for as long as possible, the only other person who knew of its existence being the one to sing it, eerily tranquil.

The song was repeated a couple of times, but it wasn’t the complete version. Parts of it were missing, and the entire beginning was slightly out of key, but it made his heart ache. If only this man knew what that song truly meant.

Wei Wuxian cut himself off before he finished the last bit, and he began to speak, his voice barely carried over the low wind that whistled through the barren winter landscape. He sounded as if he was talking to himself, seemed to be soothing something. Then, without much notice, he stopped talking entirely. It startled Lan Zhan so much that it began to rouse him from the drowsiness he hadn’t noticed overtaking him.

The alpha sat up just in time to watch the omega rush to the edge of their makeshift campsite and begin to retch. Once again, Lan Zhan's body began to move without a conscious prompt, and he found himself rubbing small, comforting circles on Wei Ying’s back and holding his hair as he threw up.

“Did something in the provisions upset Wei Ying’s stomach?” He found himself asking once the omega seemed to be calming down.

“Y-yeah, I was trying to eat the tangerines, but they must not have agreed with something I ate earlier. Stupid orange bastards came right back up.” Wei Wuxian grumbled unhappily as he wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve.

In spite of just puking up his guts, Wei Wuxian seemed oddly content, if a little bewildered.

“Something happened?” Lan Wangji couldn’t help but ask when he noticed the other man’s odd expression.

“Nothing at all. Now, since you’re awake, let’s get moving.” The smaller man said. The Lan heir picked up on the attempt to avert the conversation, but chose to leave it be.

“Mn,” He responded and began to back up the few things they had left out.

Once again on the road, they moved more slowly after their break. It wasn’t just Wei Wuxian diminishing their pace; Lan Wangji found himself not wanting to push on any faster. Whatever pace Wei Ying set, that was the pace they were going to march at.

In due time, they made it to the relative area they had been intending to reach. For once, somewhat on schedule as well. They stopped about halfway up the backside of the slope, and if they continued at this pace, they would make it to their destination within the next thirty-six hours. Which wasn't bad, but later than they had intended.

Lan Wangji began to set up their camp and quickly decided that a tent would, in fact, be needed for tonight to be bearable. The alpha would most likely have been fine, if a little chilly. But Wei Wuxian wasn’t looking too good, and his sickness over the course of the day was mildly concerning.

When asked, he explained that it was just a minor side effect of his new cultivation. And when Lan Zhan told him it was not safe to be practicing a cultivation method that damaged one's own body, he was shouted at and then given the cold shoulder. Wei Wuxian was still not talking to him more than absolutely necessary, and it was bringing down the Lan disciple’s mood.

At least the view wasn’t terrible. And the muffled silence of the winter months reminded him of Gusu, to some extent. The side of the hill that they currently resided on was slow-sloped, a long and meandering incline to the peak. The other side that was their intended goal, however, was far steeper with jagged edges. Right now, if Lan Wangji strained his eyes, he could make out the rough shape of the Sunshot Campaign's campground.

Once they made it to the opposing side, they should be just above the Wen encampment, if a couple of hundred meters away. Close enough that Wei Wuxian had deemed it acceptable for whatever it was that he was planning.

“I’ve set up a barrier around the camp.” Wei Wuxian said as if thinking of the man could summon him.

“Hm?” Lan Wangji responded, turning to look at the omega.

“This way, my talisman will alert me if anyone is approaching, and the two of us can get some proper shut-eye. I know you didn’t actually sleep for long today.” The Yunmeng disciple clarified, plopping down on a rock not too far from where Lan Wangji sat.

“Smart.” The alpha commented. It was clear they both needed some proper rest, and this gave it to them.

“I see you set up the tent. . . Would you like me to place some heating talisman inside?” The other man asked after a pause.

“That would be pleasant. It looks as if it might snow tonight.” Lan Wangji noted, gesturing to the dark sheet of clouds that crawled closer in the sky.

“I can smell it in the air; it's going to be cold.” The omega responded with a sigh, standing up to head towards the tent.

The white and grey fabric of the shelter was thick and blended in well enough with its surroundings. The only issue was that it was quite small; any smaller and either Lan Wangji’s feet or head would have to stick out the end. The two of them would also have to be sharing, at least it looked wide enough to somewhat comfortably fit them both.

The intended purpose was for the shelter to be heated up by the body heat of the cultivators using it, as they tended to run warmer than the average person. But the material of the tent wasn’t the most waterproof-looking, and Lan Wangji was questioning if it could properly keep out the snow that threatened to fall. Oh well, time would tell. At the very least, Wei Wuxian’s heating talisman would give them some amount of comfort.

“The scenery is hauntingly beautiful.” Wei Ying commented when he returned, his eyes gazing out across the barren winter landscape below them.

“Mn, it’s too peaceful.” Lan Zhan agreed; he tried to ignore the feeling of the omega’s gaze as he turned to look at the taller man. The alpha just kept his head facing forward.

Neither of them spoke for what felt like forever. Not until the sun was officially below the horizon, or until the snow cloud was reaching just above their heads.

“What is Wei Ying planning to do when we reach our destination? What does he have in mind?” Lan Wangji asked when his curiosity and worry got the better of him.

“I told you not to ask. I doubt you actually want to know.” Wei Wuxian responded, his face looking solemn in the last purple light of the setting sun.

“I want to be able to help you if it becomes necessary.”

“It won’t be necessary.” Wei Wuxian started, his features hardening.

“If there's an emergency, then.” Lan Wangji countered.

“If there's an emergency where I’m the problem, then I think you will have larger things to worry about than me.” The omega replied, turning to look the other man in the eye.

“Wei Ying.”

“Fine. I have this Yin Iron, I’m calling it the Yin Tiger Tally,” He started to explain, “I found it- found it in the shell of the Xuanwu of Slaughter. The thing is corroded with negative Qi.”

“That isn’t safe-”

“Do you want me to tell you or not?” Wei Wuxian shut him down harshly; the alpha had the sense to shut up and listen.

“I can manage the stupid thing, and I know how to control it, what it responds to.” He said as he reached into the chest of his robes. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding what looked to be a ball of talisman. Lan Wangji must have looked confused because Wei Wuxian began to clarify.

“It’s inside the talisman. I’m trying to keep as much of the Yin energy inside of it as possible. So far, this is the most effective way of preventing it from leaking and from me absorbing the negative Qi.” He demonstrated by peeling up a corner of one of the pieces of paper.

Almost instantly, a dark miasma began leaking from the disturbance. Lan Wangji stared in shock. How on earth had Wei Ying come up with this? Never in a million years would doing such a thing ever cross the Lan disciple’s mind, and he wasn’t sure if he should be horrified or impressed.

“How does it work?” Lan Wangji found himself asking. His urge to sate his curiosity was one of the many things he usually had great restraint on. But Wei Ying always seemed to amaze him by how easily he broke down all of his long-standing barriers.

“It absorbs negative Qi, so I'm able to charge it with Yin energy. It pretty much just allows me to boost anything I can do with Chequing.” He said as he tapped the Dizi at his hip.

“Mn?”

“I am able to manipulate the dead, amongst other things. When the time comes, I will use up the energy stored in the Yin Tiger Tally and unleash an army of walking corpses on the Wen. It seems only right for what they have put everyone through.” Wei Ying finished, his eyes shining with disdain and something akin to eagerness. He wanted to see the Wen crumble, and Lan Wangji could relate.

Although his methods were downright barbaric, he would repeat this, they were effective. It went against everything Lan Wangji had ever been taught, but it was quick, merciless and deserved. The alpha could feel his inner conflict building the more he heard about this new cultivation.

It really was Demonic.

"I'm going to bed now." Wei Ying announced that it seemed as if he could sense the alpha's inner thoughts and wanted to excuse himself before he would be confronted again.

Lan Wangji watched him go, but he remained a few moments more. He wanted to cool off his brain before he entered the tent, because he sure as fuck won't be in his right mind if he's in such an enclosed space full of Wei Ying's pheromones. Might as well clear his mind now.

When he felt the first snowflake hit his cheek, did he know he should probably sleep as well.

Did this count as entering an omega's nest? Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to be safe.

"May I come in?" He asked when he got to the front flap of the tent. A quiet but clear yes could be heard from inside.

When Lan Zhan finally made his way into the small but warm enclosed space, he found it smelled surprisingly little of Wei Ying. He distracted himself by removing his ornaments, then combing his hair, and was quick to climb into his sleeping sack.

The tent was dark, but through the emptiness, he could just vaguely make out Wei Ying's sleepy eyes watching him get ready for bed. Although it was a tight squeeze, it was surprisingly comfortable.

Originally, Lan Wangji had arranged for two tents to be packed, but when Nie Mingjue found out, he said it would be impractical and a waste of limited space. Not to mention the whole point of the tent was to share body heat to stay warm.

Jiang Wanyin had started to protest, but was quickly shut down by his brother. It was obvious the other alpha was looking out for his brother, but none of the other men in the room knew he was an omega, and it would have just looked suspicious. Wei Wuxian didn't want to draw any more attention to himself than he already had.

Begrudgingly, the Jiang sect leader had agreed, but Lan Wangji had a feeling it took some convincing on Wei Ying's part. Not that he was complaining. Actually, he couldn't have been happier with how things turned out, all things considered.

Now, in an enclosed space with very minimal airflow, Lan Zhan was really beginning to pick up the deeper notes of Wei Ying's pheromones that were different from before. It was now much clearer that something had happened or changed his regular habits.

Once again, his curiosity and concern got the better of him.

"Do you smell different? Does Wei Ying's cultivation affect his pheromones?" He asked as politely as he possibly could. The alpha still heard the sharp intake of breath the omega took. It was hard not to with his face only a foot away from his ear.

"I, uh-I don't think so? I mean, I'm taking scent suppressants now, and I have new scent blockers. That might be changing my scent?" The omega supplied very hesitantly, pausing to take an inhale of the surrounding air.

"Can Lan Zhan really smell me? I'm using both right now." Wei Ying continued, the alpha had a feeling he was looking at him curiously, even if he couldn't really see the man's face.

"Yes, but it's faint. I appreciate the concern, but there is no need to take this many measures around me. It doesn't bother me." Lan Zhan replied, surprised by his own boldness; he felt his ears begin to warm.

"Oh." Came the quiet response from the other half of the tent, followed by some shuffling noises as Wei Ying squirmed around in his sleeping bag.

"It's quite pleasant." Lan Zhan said, the words just barely audible above the omega's movements, but the man froze regardless.

"Huh?" Wei Ying asked, sounding entirely confused, his shuffling paused.

Instead of responding, Lan Wangji, ever the coward, pretended to be fast asleep. It wasn't a stretch; he did fall asleep very quickly, but that was a little absurd. He just hoped Wei Ying believed the rumours that a true-bred Lan could fall asleep in two minutes flat.

His ears burned red hot as he played dead.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian woke up far more comfortable than he had been in months. His head didn't hurt nearly as much as it usually did, and his body didn't ache with exhaustion. The omega still let out a loud yawn, sitting up to stretch. He, however, was quick to pull his hands back down towards his chest. The cold, damp fabric of the tent grazed his fingers, surprising him at how wet it was.

It was also darker than he thought it probably should be; he could tell the sun was rising outside, but no light filtered through the mesh of the shelter. He hummed softly. Lan Zhan was right; it must have snowed at some point.

Wei Ying's movements stilled, and he looked over to the empty spot where the alpha had been sleeping last night. He inhaled slowly, and everything smelled like the other man. It was like he had hot-boxed himself in the alpha's scent. No wonder his mind was so pleasantly dazed; his omega must be enjoying this.

Slowly, he pulled himself from his sleeping bag, his mind still groggy as he half-hazardly attempted to pack some of his stuff away. Wei Ying couldn't find it in himself to dislike the scent of sandalwood, or how the smell soaked into his robes. The way it calmed his nerves was almost bone-chilling. The omega began to move faster, mortified by his own thoughts and came rushing out of the tent.

He needed fresh air.

As he broke through the front flap of their sleepspace, the early morning light forced his eyes into a squint. But blind from the sunrise, the man wasn't able to see the snow before he managed to trip and fall into it. He lay there, face flushed with embarrassment and chill. Despite how soft it was, the snow was quick to seep into his layers.

Crawling from the white fluff gave him just a sense of how deep it was.

"Whoa." Wei Wuxian muttered softly once he got a proper look around. Everything in sight was covered in a thick blanket of white crystals, at least half a meter deep. No wonder there was no light seeping into the tent. He thought as he turned to look at the vaguely triangular-looking pile of snow behind him.

And no wonder he had been so warm. The snow had been acting like an insulator, keeping everything in without air flow. That also explained why it was so scent-heavy inside. Wei Wuxian thought with a small grumble; usually, tents had at least a little bit of breathability compared to what he woke up in. Stupid snow is making him a hot mess.

The only upside to the cold was that it was quick to shock some sense into him, waking him up far faster than any embarrassment ever could. With his mind now in a proper state, he noticed Lan Zhan was nowhere to be seen. There was a trail in the snow leading around the edge of the mountain, to the other side of the outcropping Wei Ying currently stood. Out of curiosity and mild concern, he followed the path in the snow as it led to a portion of slightly more rocky terrain. It wasn't far from camp, just a little off to the side, but it seemed that the mountain had blocked the vast majority of the snow that had fallen. At least compared to where they had slept, which was now buried in the stuff.

Up on a rock that jutted higher than the rest sat Lan Wangji, always the eternal vision of beauty. Wei Wuxian tried to ignore the way his heart stuttered in his chest at the sight. The alpha had his eyes closed, a sunbeam streaking across the serenity of his face. He sat in a meditative pose, his head held high and his back as perfectly straight as could be. The way the man's silky dark hair fluttered ever-so-slightly in the wind made Wei Ying's breath stutter.

Despite every feeling he had towards this man, be it positive or negative, he would never be able to say a bad thing about his appearance. No one who had any sense at all could.

Wei Wuxian must have made a noise because the alpha slowly opened an eye to peek at him, the golden crest of his iris burning like the sun itself in the light.

"Uhh. . . Hate to interrupt, but we should probably put the tent away." Wei Ying's brain short-circuited, and he said the first lame thing that came to mind.

A quiet "Mn" was the response he was granted before the Lan cultivator hopped down from his perch and began moving towards the camp, glancing back only once as he passed the omega. Oh! He hadn't even realized he was staring. Was his mouth open? He moved his tongue and jaw around in a test and was pleased to know that he hadn't been completely slack-jawed the entire time. At least he could save himself some face.

A small pout pushed out his lower lip as he trailed behind the alpha, keeping his distance but still having Lan Wangji within eyesight.

It took more time than convenient to clean up camp and eat a small breakfast. The fact that all their, albeit minimal, supplies were buried below dozens of centimetres of snow was not at all helpful. With more struggling than Wei Wuxian would ever admit, they were ready to be on the road.

Despite the passage of time, neither of them had said much, and there seemed to be a subtle tension in the air that Wei Ying couldn't place. He wasn't sure if it was awkwardness or if they were just both tired, maybe a little cold and out of it, but it really seemed to put a damper on the mood. Things had been going surprisingly great thus far; he really hoped it was just because of the early morning.

"Wei Ying." The omega in question stopped what he was doing to look over at the man.

"We're going to have to use Bichen again. It's far too easy to leave trails in this kind of snow." Lan Wangji was frustratingly right, as always. The snow was just wet enough that any footprints or tracks they might leave behind wouldn't be blown in by the wind. At most, they would freeze in place and leave semi-permanent evidence that they had been there and where they were going.

That was far from optional.

"We have the highest chance of being spotted if we fly through." Wei Wuxian pointed out, gesturing to the somewhat cloudy sky. If the sun hit them in just the wrong way, Bichen was sure to send a gleam of reflection miles in any direction, and that was just if the Wen's in the area weren't looking up.

"Fly close to the ground then. It will be slower, but present the least risk." The alpha replied. It made sense, and looking at the snow on the ground, Wei Ying wasn't sure he would enjoy cold, wet feet.

"Are you sure you aren't just using this as an excuse to steal my body heat?" Wei Ying couldn't help but tease. The deadpan expression on Lan Wangji's face left him looking royally unimpressed, but the way his ears tiged the tiniest bit pink left his true emotions to be interpreted.

"Kidding, kidding. Let's go." He said with a wave of his hand, turning away at the lack of response. He couldn't bear to look at that man's stupid face with his stupid expressions any longer. It was bound to make him nauseous.

Speaking of which. . .

"One sec, I will be right back." Wei Ying said, his pallor quickly turning green as he moved to puke into the snow-covered bushes at his side. Lan Zhan was quick to come to his side.

Regardless of the fact that the alpha didn't know, this was still his fault, so he was allowed to be mad at him for this. He wiped his mouth with a humph, and they were ready to leave.

---------------

In true Wei Ying fashion, the omega ended up being the one to steal body heat. His tumble in the snow that morning left a shiver in his spine, and the wet snow kept his clothes damp. If he wasn't careful he would end up with a fever, his lack of a core in his lower dantian making him far more susceptible to common illnesses than his alpha counterpart. Of whom seemed perfectly content, if enjoy te begruging contact Wei Wuxian had resorted to.

The two of them werent pressed close together, per se. But they were most certainly in eachother's personal space. The mountain had a breeze that felt as if it swept right through his layers of clothes, in hindsight, he really should have accepted those additional furs from Lan Xichen. He was severely regretting his stubbornness right now, but it was of his own making.

He crossed his arms and scowled, trying his very best to keep his teeth clattering at bay.

For some stupid reason, Wei Ying had been dumb enough to use up the majority of his remaining heating talisman on their tent last night. Yet another thing he was now regretting. But he knew they would need whatever remained tonight, because even as the sun rose far above the horizon, the air remained cold and damp. Wei Ying would need any warmth he could get tonight if he wanted to keep this cold at bay.

"Wei Ying is cold." Lan Zhan's deep voice rumbled softly in his ear. He hadn't realized how close he had gotten into the other man's personal space.

"I'm f-fine." Wei Ying rebuked, but his chattering teeth gave him away.

Lan Wangji stepped back on Bichen, opening the gap between the two men, as well as causing Wei Ying to lose balance and nearly fall off. Thank goodness he hadn't lost all the skills he had gained as a cultivator. Even if his pregnancy led the omega's center of balance to change, he still had the muscle memory to write himself.

"Here." Lan Wangji finally spoke up, pulling a furlined coat out of one of his Qiankun pouches, and Wei Wuxian couldn't help but look dumbstruck.

. . . . . HOW LONG HAD HE HAD THIS?! Wei Ying, though, was rightfully ticked off. He was here, freezing his ass off, and he knew damn well Lan Zhan could feel his shivering, but this pompous dickwad was only now getting this out!?

The omega said none of this, however and just snatched the warm-looking garment from the man's hands, no care for how rude he may seem. Wei Ying was just as quick to put it on, his shivers now those of relief as his body began to warm up.

"Wei Ying should have brought warmer clothes." The alpha scolded half-heartedly, but Wei Ying didn't turn his head to give him any notion of guilt.

"Not my fault, I come from a warm climate. You stupid Lan and your cold mountains, you're used to this, I, very much, am not!" Wei Ying retorted, his tone more biting than he originally intended it to sound. His face was turned downwards in a scowl, and he did not want to look Lan Wangji in the face right now.

He heard a soft hum come from the other man, but no further response. That only made Wei Ying's already unpleasant mood worse.

The rest of the flight, all the way until their next stop, was done in complete silence. Wei Ying's quietly simmering rage had cooled off, but he was still in no mood to talk to the alpha, especially not if his bad mood would lead them to argue. At the moment, all he wanted was warm food, but there was little chance of him getting it.

They landed in a spot sheltered from the wind, the ground having almost no snow due to the protection of the surrounding terrain. The ground was almost completely rocks and ice; the previous slow sloping traverse of the other side of the hill now cut off into jagged cliffs and stony paths. Not to mention that everything other than their current resting spot was covered in snow. And looking up at the sky led them to believe that there was likely more snow on its way.

Just his luck, less visibility and more cold was exactly what Wei Ying needed.

"More pork bun?" Lan Wangji asked, his outstretched hand holding the delectable-looking food within Wei Ying's reach.

Wei Wuxian nodded, taking the ration and chomping down immediately. His puke fest from earlier had left him drained and hungry, so almost anything would do for now. 

“We’re almost at the intended location. We’ll be there just after dusk if we continue at this rate.” Wei Wuxian said around his mouthful of food, his eyes looking every which way except for Lan Zhan.

“That will give me enough time to set everything up before I start.” He explained, licking his fingers clean and reaching to grab his water.

Lan Zhan didn’t reply; it was obvious he disliked what the omega had planned. But they were in too deep now. The whole ambush that Nie Mingjue had planned wouldn’t work without this distraction, and they had no way to contact the rest of the camp to let them know that they were backing out. If they backed out now, it would be the same as deserting their comrades to die, and there was no way he was going to leave them unprepared. Wei Wuxian promised he would take care of everything, and he was a man of his word.

No matter how much the alpha thought Wei Wuxian’s methods went against his morals, Lan Zhan wasn’t the one actually committing any ‘sinister’ acts. His job was to make sure no one snuck up on him while his defences were dampened; it was his job to make sure no one killed the omega. That was it. So as long as Lan Wangji could properly complete his task, then they would have minimal issues.

Once again, barely even a peep was shared between the two men as they made their way through the last leg of their trip. It seemed faster than before, but that may have just been that Wei Wuxian was distracted, still planning how exactly he would accomplish what he was promised. He had a vague idea, but not a full itinerary of his next couple of steps. He just hoped he could fake it till he made it.

I've always been good at bullshitting my way through things. What's the difference now?

---------------

Little to no sunlight made its way through the harsh, heavy clouds above their heads. Wei Ying was almost disappointed that he wouldn’t get to see another morbidly beautiful sunset, but he guessed one was enough. The weather was somewhat fitting, one could suppose. And if even the moonlight wasn’t present to give away their location, it would make the alpha’s job even easier.

The following few hours were tense, Lan Wangji watching silently from the side of their destination. His face was grim and only got darker the longer he watched. The omega had long decided he wasn’t going to let the other man’s brooding get in his way; he wasn’t going to be affected by him right now. He needed to concentrate.

With every layer of talisman he peeled away from the Yin Tiger Tally, his senses became sharper, more tuned in to the snowy landscape around them. This, however, also made the small movements of Lan Wangji all the more distracting, as well as strengthened his awareness of the alpha’s scent that lingered in the clothes he wore.

He was eventually down to the last few pieces of paper, and the strength in his muscles felt invigorating. He reopened his eyes, unaware that he had closed them and took in the wasteland in front of him.

Below their vantage point, not even five klicks away, was the Wen encampment. With his eyesight sharper than he remembered, he was easily able to pick up the movements of the soldiers on the ground. The Wen dogs were awfully stupid; the torches and fires they had lit burned high into the sky, a beacon to any and all who might want to cause them harm. Wei Wuxian could see the patrols of cultivators at the edges of their camp, how none looked awake enough to realize something was wrong before it was too late. His heart rate spiked, and the Yin energy of the Tiger Tally spiked to meet it.

The Iron let off a chilling, red glow, the serenity before the storm only amplified by the dark miasma that swirled outwards from his hand. Wei Wuxian ignored Lan Wangji’s sharp intake of breath. It wasn’t his problem what the alpha thought of him.

But it is. A voice dark and eerie whispered in his head, the Yin Tiger Tally testing the waters of today's metal purgatory. Wei Wuxian pushed away any thoughts of the alpha from his mind. He was here to harness the power, to feed the corpse buried below the snow. They would watch the Wen dogs be torn limb from limb by their own dead comrades; he could feel the way their resentment burned, even after death.

To kill and to avenge, the only thing that mattered right now was that he made a large enough distraction.

Wei Wuxian pulled off the very last of the talisman, keeping the negative Qi at bay, and he watched as the Tiger tally lifted from his palm and floated into the air. It glowed brighter, shone stronger as it was freed from its meagre shackles.

Kill. kill, kill them all, make them pay for what they’ve done. The Yin energy sang as the miasma stretched out in tentacle-like arms. A life in exchange for power, power in exchange for freedom. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but agree. Freedom to right every wrong that had occurred, to avenge those he had lost and those he has yet to lose.

The omega pulled Chenqing from his belt, the black Dizi hummed with excitement, its rhythm the same as what pulsed from the Tiger Tally. Both instruments of destruction had been honed in the depths of Yilling, the burial mounds their founding homes. The two bathed in blood and miasma, in tune as the day they had been created. It was a song to Wei Wuxian’s ears; he couldn’t help the small smile that broke his lips.

Chenqing was cold when it was brought to his mouth, but quickly began to warm as the warm breath of intention that powered in began to course through its bamboo hull. Every movement of Wei Wuxian’s fingers is a new instruction to the dead that lie in wait.

It took no time at all before Wei Wuxian could see hands and arms break through the snowy ground. At the bottom of the hill that he currently resided on was a mass grave, a dishonour to the dead, but a convenience to the omega’s cause. The Wen couldn’t even give their own men proper burials; no wonder the dead were so restless, so easy to entice.

Empty promises of glory were the last things they had been told before being sent off to be slaughtered on the battlefield. The screams of pain and the cries of despair echoed through the air as they arose. The quicker Wei Wuxian moved his fingers, the more intense emotions he channelled through Chenqing, the louder the dead got.

He was a man of his word, and he had promised that the Sunshot campaign would know when it was time to strike. So far, the sound was only from the dead; he couldn’t even begin to relish in the thought of how the cries of the living would harmonize and expand what was already present. How loud this one-sided slaughter would be.

Never once had Wei Wuxian used his dizi on such a large scale. Despite the raging war, there wasn’t nearly enough negative qi in the surrounding area to sustain Chenqing for long, and the omega wasn’t quite stupid enough to feed the hungry dead with his own vitality. It was time to properly introduce the Yin Tiger Tally to the cultivation world. It wouldn’t be a day to be forgotten.

---------------

Screams of terror echoed through the night, each one more thrilling than the last. Wei Wuxian knew it was the negative Qi influencing his thoughts and opinions, but anyone in his place would find this satisfying. Killing the people who had slaughtered your family and friends, the people who had burned your home to the ground? Don’t kid yourself into thinking you would be any different.

I am no different; this was bound to happen eventually. He thought, the words slow in his mind.

The flames of the Wen camp had risen and fallen, but he was not close enough for them to turn green. He watched as the Wen dogs tired themselves very badly until it was too hard to fight off the invading army of walking corpses, paying no attention whatsoever to their camp. The place that held their provisions and shelters was left wholly unattended as the cowardly cultivators attempted to save their own skins.

This wasn’t something that anyone could have seen coming. No one in their right mind would expect the dead they had laid to rest to be the ones to take their lives. But that’s just yet another possibility of the cultivation world, if the proper rights aren’t followed, even the weakest of cultivators has the possibility to turn into a vengeful spirit. This was even more so the case with a sect as corrupt as the Wen. Pesants could turn into creatures of torment, but it was far more uncommon than when the death of a powerful cultivator led to a fearsome walking corpse.

And Wei Wuxian had brought along one of his favourite toys. The corpse of Wen Zhuliu wreaking havoc on the people to whom he had sworn his loyalty, such a shame that things had to turn out this way.

The longer the slaughter dragged on, the more Wei Wuxian could feel the drag in his bones. He did his best to ward off any Yin energy that attempted to take root, but he could feel the way his limbs were beginning to tingle.

When his fingers finally began to cramp, he thought it might be time to subside, but something urged him to continue. The whispers of the Yin Tiger Tally telling him MORE, that he should kill more, watch more suffer. The hours passed as Wei Wuxian began to feel more and more disconnected from his own body. By the time he realized it was too late, he was struggling to even rein in his own muscles. Muscles that were beyond exhausted.

He could vaguely hear someone calling his name, but his eyes could see nothing beyond red and black. Wei Ying could almost feel the warmth of another person’s hands as they peeled his fingers back and cramping from Chenqing’s shell. Every ounce of his being protested the sudden change, every part of him screamed to keep going. He NEEDED to make sure every last one of the Wen dogs were gone.

The Amulet thundered in rage, its Miasma reaching wildly in his direction. The cold grasp of the dark smoke on his limbs was terrifying. He could hear someone as they cried out in pain, this time far closer to where he was perched.

Was that him? Did he sound like that?

It sounded so. . . sad. There was so much rage and fear in the pained cry that made him want to cower. He would never sound like that.

But Wei Ying knew that wasn’t true. HE had heard himself when he was in the burial mounds, the way they had shrieked and cried and pleaded for help as the dead tried to tear him limb from limb. What he was feeling right now was comparable. It hurt so bad, everything hurt.

His hands, his feet, his eyes, his head, ah, fuck his head. The negative qi began to seep into his skin, tearing small cuts into the pale surface of his outermost layer of his body, blood beginning to stain his clothes.

Oh, the cloak Lan Zhan had given him was being ruined. The man was sure to be mad that he had stained such a well-made garment.

Something in his stomach clenched, something made him want to cry, and his instincts went haywire.

Everything in him was telling him to fight back; every ounce of who he was was telling him to protect his child. This would kill his unborn pup at this rate; he would be the cause of his own son’s death.

Wei Wuxian began to claw his way back into control of his body. The sheer force of his will was the only real strength he had left. No matter what happened to him in the process, he would protect his baby. With a cry that finally sounded like it was coming from his own throat, he managed to open his eyes.

He watched unblinkingly as the tendrils of miasma spasmed violently, refusing to subside. It was a battle of mental fortitude; he was going to win.

It’s your fault they're all dead. Give in and let us gift your peace.

No.

See your parents again, meet your child and let us free.

Wei Wuxian didn’t grant the comment a response, using every last drop of concentration he could spare into condensing the Yin energy.

We will kill them all, enact the revenge those monsters deserve. Kill them in cold blood. The voice retorted in an attempt to change tactics. Give us your will and strength, let us take on your burden. We will slaughter every person who has ever done wrong, kill all who get in our way!!

The omega ignored the chants of death; the overlapping whispers of the Yin Tiger Tally spoke. He knew the stupid thing was evil, and yet it was his last resort. Anything to protect those he loved.

But right now, he had to get this negative Qi out of him before it hurt his baby. Even if it’s the last thing he does.

With one final grunt of pain and shrieking protest from the Yin Iron, he finally detached himself from the horrendous metal. Now, without something to turn its resentment into actual thoughts, it fell to the ground. With Wei Wuxian, its power source, no longer supplying it with palpable notions, the Yin Tiger tally returned to its semi-dormant state. The energy Wei Wuxian had packed the thing with now almost completely drained, and it left the metal nearly useless.

Wei Ying felt his muscles stutter and collapse, but he didn’t hit the ground. Firm arms wrapped tightly around his waist kept him from further dirtying his clothes on the snowy floor. They pulled him close into a warm embrace, his back flush with another’s body. He had no strength to fight it.

Warmth spread through every point of contact, Yang energy pouring into his shrivelling meridians. It was like a floodgate had been opened, and it gave him a rush of adrenaline. It felt so good, so familiar, and so very welcome.

“Lan Zhan-” Wei Ying began softly, but his raspy voice gave out before he could actually say anything. That, on top of the waves of overpowering pheromones that seeped from every part of the alpha’s body, had him spiralling deep into his mind. The arms clung to him tighter, the grip like a vice closing in.

Then a head was pressed into the crook of his neck, right next to his marking scent glands, and his body stilled even further, as if in anticipation. But nothing else came of it. Lan Zhan’s face, planted deep into his shoulder, was comforting, even as his vision began to fade once more. He could tell he was about to drop.

Again.

But this time, he wasn’t nearly as worried as he probably should have been as his unconsciousness consumed him.

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan tried to slow his erratic breathing, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. He pushed his face deeper into Wei Ying's neck, using the omega's scent as a calming mechanism.

Wei Ying was safe; he was breathing and his heartbeat was steady, if a little fast. He could feel the way his grip trembled around the other man's smaller frame, and he wrapped his arms tighter, an attempt to prove to himself that everything was okay. Wei Ying wasn't dead.

He forced every single particle of Qi into the omega's body as he could possibly spare, doing whatever he could to negate the effect of the Yin energy that was invading his system. Everything he gave was soaked up like a dry sponge; Wei Ying's body put the energy to good use immediately.

Lan Zhan took another deep breath, relishing in even the minuscule amounts of the omega's scent that seeped out in response. How the omega smelled, and how hints of his own scent mixed in with the omega's. He kept his muscles taut for what felt like an immeasurable amount of time. He pumped his Qi through Wei Ying's body until the first sparks of dawn could be seen on the horizon. Only when their cover was at risk did he loosen his grip long enough to pick up the still unconscious omega.

With one hand, he wrapped the Yin Tiger Tally in the talisman that had survived. Although the Yin Iron seemed empty, Lan Zhan didn't want to risk any surprises. Along with Wei Ying's dizi, the two destructive objects were packed away securely into an empty, extra-fortified Qiankun pouch.

The omega's weight shifted against the Lan cultivator's shoulder, and the man propped against his side as Lan Wangji made small movements, trying his best not to jostle the unconscious cultivator or disrupt the supply of Qi.

The alpha moved to cradle the other man oh-so-carefully against his chest, making sure there was no possibility he would drop him as he mounted his sword. Bichen was slow, Lan Wangji's Qi too preoccupied to supply much energy to the spiritual weapon, but the sword didn't protest. It was as if the blade could sense the severity of the situation.

They slowly made their way back around the rocky hillside, Lan Wangji only stopping when he had not an ounce of strength left to keep moving. He laid Wei Ying down in the snow, and any extra garments the Lan disciple could find were wrapped securely around his sleeping form. It wouldn't be pleasant if he woke up cold. From a distance, he looked like nothing more than a pile of robes.

Lan Wangji did this so he would have enough mobility to set up a shelter and bedding. The snow still fell heavily, and a fire would be more harm than good, so a tent and body heat would be the best option to keep Wei Ying comfortable. It would also allow Lan Zhan to stay close enough to monitor Wei Ying for any hints of a possible Qi deviation. He was honestly surprised it had yet to happen thus far.

He gently began to unravel Wei Wuxian from the fabrics that encapsulated his body once they were in the tent. There wasn’t much room to move around, but the alpha was making do with what he had. When the shelter began to crowd with piled clothes, Lan Zhan wondered if he had possibly overpacked. The Lan were descendants of monks; it was against the rules to be greedy. One single person did not need this many things. But it wasn’t just for him; he was trying to keep Wei Ying warm.

In the end, once the omega was down to his undergarments, still stained in blood but less ragged than the rest of his clothes, the two of them were almost completely surrounded by fabric. It reminded Lan Zhan of a nest, even with his almost purely theoretical knowledge. It wasn’t his fault; he hadn’t really experienced being in one before.

His mother was an alpha, and even then, she had passed away when Lan Zhan was still too young to remember much. Of what sparse memories he had of her, few were clear enough for him to remember if the late Madame Lan had even done such a thing. He had a feeling she probably did; he could always ask his brother the next time he saw him.

The Lan disciple placed the backside of his hand against Wei Ying’s cheeks; he was warm and a little clammy, but not yet feverish. As long as he stayed warm and Lan Wangji continued to supply Qi into his systems, it would be easy enough to keep any illness at bay.

The omega lay on his back, still unconscious but breathing steadily. Lan Wangji lay on his side, facing so that he had a clear view of the other man’s face. They were close, arms and legs touching, but it wasn’t near enough for him.

Lan Zhan wanted Wei Ying in his arms again, wanted to feel his pulse against his body. He wanted to be the omega’s warmth; he wanted to protect him in any way he possibly could. Lan Wangji had already failed the other man so thoroughly that he had no idea if there was even a way to make it up to him.

He reached out, unable to fight his intrusive thoughts, and pulled the omega against his chest. Lan Zhan provided his remaining arm as a pillow. He smelled amazing.

Whatever new scent blocker, however pleasant they had been, couldn’t compare to the omega’s real scent. Now that they were fading, Lan Wangji could relish in the soft spiciness of the Yunmeng disciple’s pheromones. But most of all, his own sandalwood pheromones were present, if weak in the omega's scent. The way a claimed omega was described to smell, an explanation courtesy of the literature of the library pavilion. Lan Zhan felt an overwhelming sense of pride; he loved the way Wei Ying smelled like his omega. The way someone else might mistake them for a mated pair. Even though this was most likely due to a combination of the omega taking on his Qi and the close contact from the previous night. Lan Zhan wouldn't admit it might have been ever so slightly intentional, bathing their tent in his scent—another guilty pleasure that he would feel horrible about later. 

But just the idea that the omega could be his, that there was even such a possibility, it was far too hard to resist. Lan Wangji was not one to force himself on someone else, but whenever it came to Wei Ying, he was beyond hopeless. Just thinking back to the most recent Discussion conference had him feeling woozy. If it was from guilt or pleasure, remembering the way the omega's lips felt, the alpha had no idea.

Clearly, Wei Ying didn’t want people to know he was an omega, but it was just the two of them, and Lan Zhan had known since their… days at the cloud recess.

It had come to attention back when he was a teenager that he was one of the very few people privy to the information of Wei Ying’s second gender. He was a dominant omega, the son of two alpha parents. His physique followed more after his sire’s than that of a usual omega. The difference in appearance, along with the scent blockers, usually leads others to believe the man was either a beta or a low pheromone presenting alpha.

Even still, he attracted attention from omegas and alphas alike, and it sent Lan Wangji haywire. He should be the only one allowed to see the man in this kind of light, fragile and trusting, a complete three-sixty to his usual demeanour.

In the dim lumination of the tent, the man looked so small, so frail. Yes, he was still too thin for comfort, but his time spent in Lanling had clearly put some extra meat on his bones. Wei Ying needed it.

Lan Wangji’s hand twitched on the omega’s chest, contemplating whether or not he wanted to know how much of his ribs could be felt below his clothes. The previously well-toned body from back when he had visited Gusu was gone. His face was gaunt, but had signs that it was refilling; any baby fat that had been present when they were younger had all but disappeared, be it because of age or malnutrition. His neck was thin, and equally so were his arms. It made Lan Zhan’s heart pang with sadness and guilt.

He should have looked for the omega when he had first gone missing. His current appearance could have been prevented if he had been found sooner. Deep down, Lan Wangji knew that probably wasn’t true. Wei Ying had gone through something traumatic, something that seemed to stretch on for months.

The omega didn’t know it, but Lan Zhan was at times quite a light sleeper, and on this trip, he had barely slept at all. Those hours spent while Wei Ying was in the world of dreams had given the alpha the chance to observe him. The way he twitched at night, or how his face would contort with discomfort or fear. He was hurt, and it was deep and psychological. Lan Wangji had no idea how to help with that.

Lan Wangji stiffened as Wei Wuxian began to move. He was still in a deep sleep, but at least it was just that, a sleep. The omega turned on his side, facing away from the other man, but in doing so, he pressed his back closer along the alpha’s torso. Lan Wangji frowned as he felt the outline of Wei Ying’s spine as clearly as he could. He would have to feed the omega more, something healthy and hearty to help him put on weight.

The idea of a plump Wei Ying caused by his own hand was enticing, so much so that he had to suppress a shudder. Instead, the hand that had pulled Wei Ying closer to begin with was now pushed lower by the sleeping omega. No longer on his chest, instead gently placed on the dip of his waist.

Images flashed in Lan Zhan’s mind; he wasn’t sure if they were fantasies or memories, but the feeling of Wei Ying’s hips in his hands was vivid. Skin flushed and warm to the touch,  with his grip tight enough to leave bruises in the omega’s flesh.

Lan Wangji pushed away the arousal that heated his insides; now was not the time. There was honestly no such thing as a ‘proper’ time for these kinds of thoughts, but they always resurfaced regardless.

The spiral of memories, dreams? Whatever it was was overwhelmingly sensual, and Lan Zhan didn’t know how to feel. He could almost remember holding the omega against his body, arms wrapped tightly around his waist as he- Lan Wangji flushed bright red.

How could he possibly be getting horny at a time like this? One would think he would have better control of these things, these revelries. But no matter how he tried or what he did to cope, Wei Ying would always come back to mind.

Wait, when was his last rut? Wasn’t he due for one soon? Could that be the cause of these delusions? It was a possibility, but Lan Zhan tried not to worry. If his rut was coming, he would have more warning than just a heightened libido. His ruts also almost always came on an exact schedule; very rarely did they deviate from the norm, so if he was right, he wasn’t due for one for another week and a half to two weeks. He was fine, no need to get all worked up.

Ignoring everything else, one thing was for certain: despite the weight Wei Ying had lost, his waist felt different than before. More rounded instead of the previous ellipse shape, and his stomach seemed to protrude out from the rest of his frame.

Immediately, it sent Lan Zhan spiralling once more. This could be something as simple as him putting weight back on; it pooling in his gut first before spreading to the rest of his body. But of course, worst-case scenarios came to mind first.

What if it was a tumour, or something wrong with his core? Maybe he had large amounts of scar tissue in his abdomen that were building up and would have to get removed? WHAT IF HE HAD A PARASITE?! Wei Ying had been feeling quite under the weather lately; maybe the omega was actually sick with something deadly. It could explain why he was acting so recklessly with his new, and very dangerous cultivation. Maybe this was another side effect of his Demonic Cultivation.

If that was the case, Lan Wangji would do everything he physically could to prevent it from getting worse. He would try to find a way to heal whatever was wrong.

The alpha sent as much of his remaining Qi as he could towards Wei Ying’s stomach, and was once again amazed by how quickly it was absorbed. The omega’s body assimilates and uses up the energy as soon as it makes its way to his abdomen.

It was odd; it didn’t feel quite right. Lan Wangji had given energy to people before and had helped others recuperate with his spiritual Qi. But the way the cultivated anima was being used was quite a staunch difference from how a core normally worked.

Lan Zhan had previously noticed how weak the omega’s Yang energy had been, and now, as he examined his closer, his meridians seemed damaged and almost unused. It was as if Wei Ying was no longer keeping up with his cultivation, and all the Yang energy had been replaced with Yin.

Yes, omegas were supposed to have higher levels of Yin energy in their systems, but this seemed extreme. Could it be caused by the Demonic cultivation? Lan Zhan thought. Yes, that was almost certain. Only another reason to be added to a rapidly growing list as to why he should never leave Wei Ying alone ever again. His instincts screamed at him to drag him back to Gusu forcefully; who cares what the omega thought? It was for his own protection.

But his rational brain won the argument as always; there was no way he was going to turn out like his father.

Another thought popped into his mind, but it was jarring and sounded completely impossible.

Could Wei Ying be pregnant? It was possible, but Lan Zhan had no way to check whether or not that was the case. He had genuinely no experience whatsoever with pregnant omegas; the alpha wouldn’t even know what to look for. Sometimes, just sometimes, the Lan precepts came back to bite him in the ass.

There were almost no omegas in the cloud recess, which meant even fewer pregnant ones. Not to mention, he was busy all the time and wouldn’t have come in contact with one of them. That was even if they were outside of their residences.

Part of the many Lan rules also regulated what one could or could not do while carrying children. It was expected that they would remain at home and rest, especially as they grew closer to their due dates. So even if Lan Wangji had come across a pregnant omega back home, it was very likely he wouldn’t have noticed because they wouldn’t have been far along.

The second a Lan omega was found to be expecting a pup, they were pretty much forced into seclusion in their own homes, only close family, mates and their midwives being allowed contact.

I would have to verify with someone else. Lan Wangji thought as his racing mind began to slow. And it wasn’t very likely anyhow.

---------------

The morning following the attack on the Wens, Wei Wuxian had woken up, seemingly just as healthy as the days prior. But there was a drag to his step that was new. It worried Lan Zhan, and it continued all the way until they made it back to camp.

Once safely in the protection of their fellow cultivators, Wei Wuxian had all but isolated himself in his tent. The only person he really allowed any contact with, besides an occasional greeting, was his brother. And this carried on for days.

The Jiang sect leader was tense, and it put Lan Wangji on edge. There was something wrong with Wei Ying, but every time he tried to approach, the other alpha would stop him in his tracks. Any attempt was outright shut down, half the time without a proper reason given.

When the time came to advance their camp forward, Wei Ying volunteered to be with the first group to move. Lan Zhan wasn’t able to follow him because his brother needed his help. Not to mention, he was due for his rut any day now and needed to head back to the secure walls of the cloud recess. 

But his rut never came. He had his usual pre-rut symptoms, but the brunt of it never started. It was completely out of the ordinary and had Lan Wangji quite confused.

So after his usual week of rut-induced seclusion, he left to contact the physicians. When they could give him no answers, Lan Wangji was left wondering if it could be because of stress. If the War was weighing on him this much, or if it could be something else?

The second he was cleared by the Lan doctors to return, he made his way back to the base camp, but Wei Wuxian had long gone.

Lan Wangji couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being purposely avoided.

Had he done something wrong? Had he managed to offend Wei Ying somehow? Lan Zhan was never given the chance to ask. He then spent the next few excruciating weeks trying to track down where exactly the omega was on the battlefield so that they could talk. Regardless of how hard he tried, it really felt like the universe was against him.

Every battle he fought only delayed his mission to find the other man, but on top of that, he couldn’t just leave his brother behind. Lan Huan was busy, extremely so, and overworked to the point of exhaustion. With their father confirmed dead only a few months prior, and their uncle still nowhere to be found, all the responsibilities of being the sect leader fell on the older twin.

No matter how badly he wanted to chase after Wei Ying, his brother needed him. Together, the two of them were able to handle the weight of leading a clan during battle, but it wasn’t what took up the majority of Lan Zhan’s mind.

When, nearly months later, by coincidence Lan Zhan found himself in the same battle front as Wei Wuxian, His body wanted to go to him as soon as his eyes caught sight. His mind, however, told a different story.

Wei Wuxian had changed in the short time since they hadn’t been in contact. Despite looking fuller, he looked far more unhealthy than before. His skin was pale and looked paper-thin, to the point that his veins below were visible if one paid close enough attention. His eyes glowed an eerie red hue that sent chills up Lan Zhan's spine, and his hair seemed limp and dry. There was this near-constant miasma that radiated from his body, and no matter the location, there were always ghosts or walking corpses at his side.

Even if the alpha had the chance to get him alone, to be able to talk to him, he had no idea what he would say. Lan Zhan wanted to comfort him, to protect him, but from the looks of it, the only thing he needed protecting from was himself. Lan Wangji had no idea how to accomplish such a feat.

Instead, he watched. He deflected any attacks at the other man's weak points, but still kept his distance. It tore him apart watching Wei Ying destroy himself, but the last time he had offered something to help, it only made the omega angrier. The Lan disciple was clearly going about it the wrong way, but without any idea as to what needed to be changed, there would be no improvements made.

His guilt, anger and fear only continued to build. It got bigger and bigger and bigger until he could no longer keep it bottled up. Everything came to a head when they finally broke through the failing front lines of the Wen.

“Are you just going to keep staring, or are you going to say something?” Wei Ying asks, startling Lan Zhan from his thoughts. He hadn’t even noticed the omega approaching.

“I’m not staring.” The alpha responds, keeping his words curt.

“Judging then? Because I don’t need it.” Wei Wuxian glares, eyes glowing a deep red.

“Wei Ying- I-”

“Cut the crap, seriously. I've seen how you’ve been watching me. I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on inside your head.” The demonic cultivator says, moving closer towards Lan Wangji. He will never admit how intimidating the other man can truly be at times, or how it makes his aching heart somersault.

“I’m not coming back to Gusu with you. Not now, not ever. I know you think you’re trying to help, but you’re going to cause more harm than good.” He all but threatens, gaze cold as righteous ice through the curtain of his bangs.

“-Wei Y, Wei Wuxian. Please, let me at least try to do something.” Lan Zhan can’t help the way his voice sounds, how vulnerable and hurt he must seem. He will get on his knees and plead if that is what he must do.

“No, just no! I have a goal I intend to complete, and I won't let you stop me. They are killing innocent people, Lan Zhan! They are hurting our friends and family! They killed my people and burned my home to the ground!” Wei Wuxian practically cries, eyes so full of rage he can almost see the tears beginning to form.

“If anybody, you should be able to understand. We all heard what happened to Gusu. Even if you were able to rebuild, it doesn't erase the past.” He continues, his voice softening in volume, but just as cold and desperate.

“I understand, but Wei Ying, you are killing yourself. It is no good to enact justice if you are dying in the process.” Lan Wangji replies, his face hardening with conviction.

Wei Wuxian halts his movements, his words seemingly catching in his throat. The omega’s eyes are trained on his face, as if searching for something underneath his skin. When it looks like he isn’t able to find what he’s looking for, he scoffs and turns away.

“Come back to Gusu with me, let me protect you.” Lan Zhan finally says, his words barely audible in the aftermath of the battle around him. Wei Wuxian hesitates, his steps coming to a stop, and he begins to turn towards the alpha. There’s something behind the red haze in his eyes, something Lan Zhan doesn’t know if he wants to name. His mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.

Lan Wangji is about to say something else when a Jiang disciple comes running towards them, his face looking slightly panicked.

“Wei-gongzi? Apologies for this one’s interruption, but a woman is looking for you. She is causing a bit of a scene and says she won't leave without talking to you.” The Cultivator says, his head bowed as he speaks. Lan Wangji can see the slight tremor in the older man’s hands; he was scared of Wei Ying.

“It cannot wait?” Wei Wuxian asks, looking over at the unfamiliar Jiang disciple.

“Not really.”

“Very well.” The omega responds, his large, thick robes billowing as he turns to leave.

Lan Wangji watched as he began to depart. He wants to say something, to hear what the other was going to say to him. Anything to bring his hopes up, but Wei Wuxian looks over his shoulder, his eyes stony once more.

“I can protect myself,” was all he said, and Lan Zhan felt his resolve begin to crumble.

Chapter Text

Something inside of Wei Wuxian clenched; the look of almost unrecognizable emotion on Lan Wangji's face was so out of place. That man should never have to look so sad, so hurt or so angry. The persistent tugging in the omega's gut only worsened when he finally came face to face with the father of his pup.

Over the past couple of weeks, he had been aware that Lan Wangji was trying to hunt him down, but Wei Ying had no intention of speaking to him. He wasn't mad at the alpha, per se, but he knew his emotions were bound to break free if he were to see them again. And as always, his predictions were right.

That same something inside of him told him that if truly given the opportunity, if the current factors weren't at play as they were now, Wei Ying wouldn't have been able to refuse Lan Wangji's request. There was a war going on, and despite being deep into his pregnancy, his skills were needed on the battlefield. Now, well over the halfway mark in the development of his unborn child, his omega screamed at him to go to the child's sire. The alpha clearly wanted him to return with him badly, even if Lan Wangji was unaware as to why he felt that way.

Wei Wuxian couldn't do that to the man. He would like to think that the two of them had once been friends, or at the very least close acquaintances, neither of which was the kind of relationship that you would spring an unplanned pregnancy on. Fuck, they were barely eighteen, and unmarked, but most of all out of wedlock.

That would be sure to ruin Lan Wangji's perfect reputation. Just thinking about telling the alpha had Wei Ying's nerves in a twist. Sure, Lan Wangji would most likely make an amazing father, but it wouldn't be out of love. It would be from a sense of duty, responsibility, or guilt. If the alpha ever found out how he came to be with child, he would be sure to tear himself apart with remorse. Lan Wangji's sense of morality, although heavily influenced by the Lan precepts, was immensely strong and just.

Even though it was truly neither of their faults alone, it had happened, and there was not much to be done about it now, especially with how rapidly it seemed Wei Wuxian was approaching his due date. The omega subconsciously rested his hand on his stomach, light and comforting to the touch.

If Wei Ying paid close enough attention, in the depths of the night when his insomnia and nightmares kept him awake, he sure did; he could feel the faint 'badum' of his son's heartbeat. Every time, it just refreshed the concept that he was currently growing life inside of him, human life. Faint, but present, he would never stop being in awe of the capabilities of humanity's flesh.

Wei Wuxian followed the Jiang cultivator in front of him. The man was on the older side, clearly one of Jiang Cheng's second resort recruits, but the way the man walked showed skill in his steps. It was refreshing to see, not to mention he was polite. Wei Ying had taken a liking to the man, one of the few disciples who lowered their heads to him not just out of fear, but with respect as well.

"She won't leave, but she also won't give us a name to inform you with. She is quite stubborn that one, a lady friend of yours?" The older Jiang disciple further explained, a teasing note to his words. Wei Wuxian didn't respond, just keeping his eyes focused and forward.

They rounded the corner around the last few tents on the edge of camp, and Wei Wuxian was beginning to hear the commotion. No one was yelling, but they were arguing just loud enough that it was clear it wasn't a normal conversation. The woman's voice was frustrated, but civil. Most of all, it was familiar.

When the omega finally came face to face with them, he was pleasantly surprised to see a cloak-covered Wen Qing arguing with one of the border patrol cultivators. Although her face wasn't visible underneath the thick layers of cloth, her voice and attitude were all too familiar.

"I just need to have a word with him, then I will be out of your hair. It won't take long at all." She said, her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyebrows pulled downwards in a slight frown.

"Ma'am, we can't just let some random woman into our camp; it's dangerous, and we have no idea what your intentions are with Wei-gongzi." A Nie cultivator replied, looking more exasperated the longer this conversation went on.

"I am not just some 'Random woman', we're acquaintances and I have some information for him that will be quite useful to the endeavours of the entire SunShot campaign-"

"Then if you give us you're name, we can take your information and leave a message."

"Don't ever interrupt me again. This is information that can't just be passed through anyone's hands, and I am unable to give you a name." She said sternly, scolding the man. Finally snapped from his daze, Wei Wuxian walked out into the view of the guards. As soon as they noticed him, they lowered their heads and began to back away.

"A-Qing, long time no see. How have you been?" He spoke as she turned around to face him; he could feel the genuine smile that crossed his features. Her face was still obscured by her hood, but he could see the way her frame momentarily lost some of its tension when she recognized him.

"Wei Wuxian, it's good to finally see you. I've been well, all things considered. I hope you have been taking care of yourself?" She replied, her tone nowhere near as harsh as it had been just moments before, but he could still feel the way her gaze studied his body. She was sure to have more than a few words on his health and appearance.

"Yes, yes. Now, I hear you have some information for me? We should find somewhere private to have this conversation." He said, brushing away her questions as well as motioning her to follow him. Out of the corner of his eye, Wei Wuxian saw one of the guards about to speak up before the other one elbowed him in the side, a clear warning for him to shut up. He could also see the knowing look the Jiang disciple was giving him, and how he was quick to make his leave. Let them think what they wanted to think; it was none of their business anyway.

They walked out past the edge of camp, still close enough that if there was an emergency they could quickly return, but far enough away that no one should be passing through any time soon. Wei Wuxian stopped walking and leaned up against a tree to catch his breath as discreetly as possible; he didn't want Wen Qing to worry for him. She wouldn't be here if there wasn't something important on her mind.

"Is everything alright? I really thought I wouldn't see you again." Wei Ying asked, ignoring her slightly concerned expression as she lowered her hood.

"Not wrong, per se, but I do have something for you." She said, pulling a scroll from her sleeve, it was unmarked but sealed, and in a slightly worn condition.

"When we last saw you, I told you that my branch of the family didn't agree with what our counterparts were up to. Well, it has only gotten worse." Wen Qing explained as she handed the paper over to the omega.

"We finally have proof that Wen Ruohan was the one to murder our parents, even though it was pretty much already common knowledge. But in our doing so, we came across some information that I thought you might want to be privy to." She said, gesturing to Wei Ying to open the scroll. As he began to read, she continued to elaborate.

"My brother and I have gotten quite deep into the Wen Sect leader's good graces, despite our parents' so-called betrayal; he truly thinks we are his loyal subordinates. This has given me the chance to come to understand how exactly he has gained as much power as he has."

"Why tell me?" Wei Ying asked, looking up from the paper.

"Keep reading, I will explain." She replied, pointing towards the scroll once more.

"He has managed to find a way to control low-level walking corpses, malevolent Yao and curses. I thought you might want to know because of your newfound Cultivation." She said just as Wei Wuxian finally read the description of a cursed item in the man's possession.

"His previous inability to further his study on Demonic cultivation has found new inspiration. You were able to do what he hasn't been able to in ever thirty years, Wei Ying. He wants to know how and will do anything to have what you do. He wants the Yin Tiger Tally." She said, her face morbid and a little pissed.

"I have been gifted with the generous privilege to keep his experiments alive. Wei Ying, what he is doing to these people, to his own people, is downright demonic. After you were able to gain control over your Yin Tiger Tally, whatever it is, he drastically increased the number and speed of his experiments." Wen Qing looked down at her hands, the omega could see the way they tremored even as she tried to hold them still.

"I-I have no idea how to help, Wen Qing. I'm sorry." Wei Ying replied, reaching out to gently grasp the woman's shaking hands. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know the alpha well enough to know what might help.

"It's okay, that's not why I came to you. Actually, we've been trying to contact you for a while now, but every time we send a messenger, they are unable to track you down on the battlefield. The only reason I'm here right now is that the situation is only getting more dire. As well as the fact that I was in the area." She said offhandedly, squeezing the omega's hands.

"In the area?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. That didn't seem good.

"Yes, that is why I'm here. He's planning an ambush, hoping that he will be able to overwhelm you with your own walking corpses. Wen Ruohand thinks that if he releases a large enough number of the dead, the Yin energy required to control them will be enough to take you out for good." She responded, her tone steeling over and her hands slipping out of his grip.

"How many are we talking? Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands?" Wei Ying wanted to get a gist of how many numbers he would be taking out and how much energy he would need to store for him to be able to properly defend against this attack.

"I'm not completely sure, but he's been digging up Wen graves to fuel his army. What I'm worried about, though, is that he doesn't actually have a way to properly control them, at least not something as reliable as the Yin Tiger Tally." The alpha explained, reaching over to point at a small illustration on the paper she had given to Wei Wuxian.

"He's built a sort of knock-off Tiger Tally, but in every experiment he does, the user always ends up dead before truly commanding the undead army to do anything productive. At this point, he is just wasting what's left of his truly loyal servants. My point is that there is going to be a lot of death, but with no reason for the chaos. I wanted to give you a warning beforehand in case you might know of a way to defend against sheer unorganized numbers." Wei Wuxian began to ponder. If that was the case, he was likely to be able to just gain control over the army once their commander was dead. The more he thought about it, the stupider Wen Ruohan's plan sounded.

The man was so convinced he had found a way to override the process of the Sunshot Campaign that he didn't think that he might just be granting Wei Wuxian a larger army. Could it truly be that simple? He said as much to Wen Qing.

"You think you'll be able to control whatever he throws at you?" Wen Qing asked skeptically.

"As long as I relinquish the Yin Tiger Tally's hold on any other walking corpse I currently have under my command, it shouldn't be much of a problem. The only gamble will be whether or not the Yin Iron will be willing to let go of its grip on what it is attached to right now. I have a feeling that part might not go over well." He explained with a scratch to the back of his head. He felt surprisingly sheepish thinking about it.

"Can you do it safely?" Wen Qing asked with concern and doubt.

"No need to sound like you don't trust me. . . But yeah, that is what might be the problem." He said, looking away from the Wen alpha's sharp gaze. Her judgment really wasn't helping him think.

"How have you been managing the repercussions of your cultivation thus far? Wei Wuxian, come here." She ordered, the omega hadn't even realized he had been slowly backing away from the woman.

"Let me check your meridians. I need to make sure you aren't currently killing yourself." She scolded, stepping after him.

Wei Wuxian was quick to give up; only a few minutes later, they were sitting on the ground with both of Wen Qing's hands flat on his back. The steady flow of her Qi as she poked around the omega's meridians was ticklish and warm, but he could feel the way the residual Yin energy in his system fought her as she tried to repair any damage she could get her hands on.

"I am genuinely surprised you aren't dead yet. Although you do look it." She mummbled under her breath. Wei Ying tried his best to ignore her.

"How have you been feeling over a-" She cut herself off and let out a surprised laugh.

"There is no way you are still pregnant." She said in disbelief as more of her Qi was pushed into his abdomen. He could feel the way his skin was heating to the touch, the force of her energy in his system warming his insides to the point of discomfort.

He flinched, and she began to pull away.

"I am beyond words. I don't know what kind of karma you have been blessed with in this life, or what you have done to deserve it, but your pup is still alive, might I even say thriving." She exclaimed, sounding completely in awe.

"I don't know if my karma is good or bad at this point." Wei Ying responded, a small, sad smile creeping onto his lips; he couldn't possibly agree more with Wen Qing.

"Lay down, I wanted to get a better look at the fetus." She said, gesturing for him to lie flat on the ground. She quickly moved so he could do so and waited patiently for him to get comfortable.

"Have you been eating well and getting proper rest?" She asked as she gently laid her hands on his stomach. Even through his many thick layers of fabric, he could feel the pressure as she palpated his abdomen.

"I try to, but sleep is hard when you're fighting. I am eating well, though, my sister makes sure to send care packages full of good food, and when I'm not throwing up, I'm as starving as a pig." He explains honestly that he knows it would be counterproductive for him to lie. Wen Qing would surely find out anyway.

"Your sister knows of your predicament?" she asked, moving her hands to the other side of his round belly.

"Yeah, it was impossible to hide from her. But she is really supportive, if worried, I'm not sure what I would do without her." He said, his face all soft smiles and his heart nice and warm.

"Have you told your brother?" Wen Qing asked, still focused on her hands.

"Have you met my brother?" Wei Ying responded sarcastically, "I'm trying to hold off as long as possible. Hopefully, I won't have to tell him until there is a baby in his arms. If not, he is sure to murder me." He said with a snort.

"I can see that as a possibility, yes. Now, do you think you could lift your clothes? I want to get a better feel of your stomach." Wei Ying nodded, dreading the cold air, but knowing it was for the best. It wasn't like he was going for regular check-ups.

Her hands were cold as they pressed down onto his bare skin, but still warmer than the chilly air. He watched enthralled at the sight of his baby bump. Although the omega had been pregnant for a while, it was very rare that he saw the bare skin of his stomach. Even in the privacy of his own tent, he kept his layers on, scared that someone might walk in at the wrong moment and he would be unprepared. The only time he would see his extra curve was when he bathed, and he was usually too occupied with getting it done quickly to pay much attention to it.

His belly button protruded slightly, and there were faint, light stretch marks near his hips, but they were very small. His skin looked otherwise very smooth, if a little thin.

"I want to check its size, but it's a little bit too bright outside to do it properly. I can estimate, though." She said just as she pushed a little more Qi into his abdomen, far less than before, but still an odd sensation when used this way. Wei Ying remained quiet and let the alpha focus, but he couldn't help but be nervous.

Despite everything, he still wanted the baby to be healthy. He knew that the way he was going about things wasn't the most helpful when it came to that goal, but Wei Ying still hoped he wasn't hurting the unborn pup.

"Congratulations, you have a healthy, if small, baby boy. A fetus at twenty-two weeks should measure just about twenty centimetres. This little guy is about sixteen to eighteen, so a little small, but understandable. Try to eat more protein, and please get more sleep. I would tell you to reduce your stress levels, but I have a feeling you won't listen to me. I do, however, want you to contact me if you drop, or if you are having symptoms of high blood pressure. So headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleeds." Wen Qing enunciated as she pulled Wei Wuxian's garments back down to cover his stomach.

"Why nosebleeds?" He asked, a little curious.

"Because that can be a really serious symptom of high blood pressure, and if you have high blood pressure, there will be greater risks with your pregnancy. The baby is already quite small; we don't want him to be born early or have complications with his development." She explained as she helped the omega stand up.

"I really don't think being on the battlefield will do anything good for you, but I know there is no way you'll return home to rest." She said with an exasperated sigh. "I can, however, recommend getting healthy doses of pheromones. I don't know how you feel about asking the baby's father, but any familiar pheromones will help. They are calming and can reduce the effects of stress on the fetus and omega." Wen Qing supplied, clapping her hands together to emphasize her point.

Wei Wuxian flushed a little. He knew that already, but just hearing it from Wen Qing really solidified it. He could still vividly remember waking up in a tent in a daze, Lan Wangji's pheromones thick in the air. His head had felt so light, none of his body had hurt, and the urge to go back to sleep had been powerful. Wei Ying really tried not to think of how deeply the alpha's pheromones affected him, body and mind.

"Yeah, I don't know. I guess I can ask Jiang Cheng, but he might ask too many questions. Do omega pheromones work as well?" He asked, looking over at Wen Qing, and she nodded.

"They do, but they aren't nearly as effective as pheromones of the opposing secondary gender. Just do your best to try and rest, that alone should help." She explained before glancing up at the sky.

"I have to get going. I was barely able to sneak away to begin with. The Wen will start to wonder where I am if I stay any longer." She said as she began to rummage through her sleeves.

"I understand, thank you. You have done so much for me already, and now you're risking your life and your family to help the Sunshot Campaign. I don't know how to repay you." Wei Ying said, lowering himself into a deep bow. Right now, there was nothing more he could offer. Maybe when they won this war, he could repay the Dafan Wen by protecting them, but right now, he was nothing but a useful soldier.

"This isn't just for you. I want to keep people safe as well. People shouldn't have to die because a power-hungry man is unsatisfied with his riches. I expect to provide more information in the future. I want to rid the world of Wen Ruohan just as much as you do." She said, handing over another scroll.

"This is a more detailed explanation of what exactly the Wen are planning to do. Please take this to whoever you need to see that you're able to defend against it. And Wei Ying, don't shoulder all the burden yourself; you have allies that can help." Wen Qing stated, her hand resting on the omega's shoulder.

Wei Ying nodded, thanked her profusely until she bid her final goodbyes. With damp eyes, he made his way back to camp.

---------------

“Where on earth have you been?” Jiang Cheng accused loudly as soon as the omega walked through the opening to his own tent. After nearly jumping out of his skin, he turned to glare at his brother, who was currently sitting off to the side of his tent.

“I went for a walk.” Wei Ying replied, not looking at the alpha.

“We both know that is a bold-faced lie. I know you left with someone; my subordinates tell me things.” He spoke, his arms crossed as he glared daggers into the omega’s back.

“I spoke with an acquaintance, and she had some valuable information.” Wei Ying replied, still not turning to face his brother.

“You smell like an alpha. You know damn well you shouldn’t be off galavanting alone with some random alpha. It’s dangerous and could start rumours.” Jiang Cheng retorted; his feet could be heard against the ground as he stood and approached.

“That makes no sense, if people wanted to start rumours, they could have done so about Lan Zhan and I. Genuinely, I couldn’t care less. When you learn what information I have gathered, you won't care either.” Wei Ying stated as he pulled out the papers Wen Qing had given him.

“This is what being well-liked will give you: connections and inside information on Wen Ruohan’s plans.” He explained without giving Jiang Cheng a chance to cut in.

His brother looked surprised, but quickly averted his focus to the now-unravelled scrolls on one of Wei Wuxian’s many cluttered desks. His eyes scanned over what they could, his body stilled as he absorbed the information.

“Who gave you this information, and how do we know we can trust her? I doubt one of your fan girls would be a very reliable source.” The alpha joked, moving one of the scrolls off to the side to get a better look at the other.

“She’s not one of my ‘Fan girls’, I trust her with my life. This information is accurate.” Wei Ying said as he also looked over the papers, he hadn’t quite gotten the chance to properly read over them yet.

“Well, if what this is saying is true, then we need to let the other sect leaders know as soon as possible. We’re going to need a way to properly defend against this.” His brother replied, roughly tapping his finger against the paper. Wei Ying nodded his head in agreement. It would be pointless for him to try to do this completely by himself. The more help he would get, the better; it would be a hard battle to win. But at least now they had the advantage of awareness. Wei Wuxian didn’t want to even think about what would have happened if Wen Qing hadn’t warned him. The aftermath would be horrific.

With little more conversing, the two Jiang cultivators were out the door, Jiang Cheng already sending for the other sect leaders. Wei Wuxian had a feeling that he would have a harder time convincing the other clans to trust his information, at least compared to his brother. The omega was his closest companion; they had known each other since childhood. When Wei Wuxian said he trusted someone with his life, Jiang Cheng wasn’t one to ignore it. 

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian met with the other sect leaders. He also argued with them. . . and threatened to maim a few. But it wasn't his fault! They were getting on his nerves and being downright disrespectful. It took more than a bit of convincing to get those stubborn brutes to actually listen to him. Despite his numerous contributions to the Sunshot campaign, those assholes still had a nasty habit of paying him no mind. They were terrified of him, but despite this, it hurt their pride too much to actually act with some decency towards him. Admitting that someone of low birth as himself could be right was beyond their scope of generosity.

Dickwads, all of them.

Only with the input of his brother and Lan Xichen did they finally take time out of their busy schedules to actually listen to what he had to say. Once they did, it took a whole other word-brawl to get them to believe him. Some still doubted him, all the way up until the point that the hordes of undead were marching on their front lines.

Wei Wuxian was lucky enough to have the backing of the Jiang and the Nie; without the two of them, the other sect would have undoubtedly not acted on the omega's information. Sect Leader Nie had, at the start, doubted the credibility of Wei Wuxian's sources, especially when he admitted he couldn't give a name. But he had quickly come around once he spent the time reading over the scrolls.

The alpha had been able to cross-reference the information on those papers with the information he had on hand and had eventually been able to prove, at least what he knew of, to be accurate. Accurate and especially detailed on top of that.

So by his word, the Sunshot alliance had begrudgingly prepared for an attack that a vast majority of its participants didn't believe was actually going to happen. Thank goodness they did, though. Because if Wei Ying was being honest, he didn't know if he would have been able to handle the sheer onslaught of the walking corpses.

How Wen Rouhan had managed to dig up that many corpses was beyond Wei Wuxian, but he undoubtedly agreed with Wen Qing; this would have been far too dangerous had he just done it himself.

It was an arduous battle, by far the hardest one they had fought yet. Thanks to their preparation and prior knowledge, they managed to pull through. The sunshot campaign was still thriving because of Wen Qing.

At this rate, Wei Ying would never be able to pay the woman back, not in a million lifetimes. Maybe one day he would get the chance, but from the looks of it, the omega would be at her mercy for the rest of his life.

After their defence against Wen Rouan's last-ditch effort to wipe them from the map, Wei Ying had taken Wen Qing's words to heart. He spent the next three days doing nothing but eating and sleeping. Despite his bone-deep exhaustion that still seemed to linger, he was faring much better afterwards than he had in previous weeks.

To be frank, Wei Ying had spent most of his time off in a sleep-induced haze. The Yin energy backlash from the Tiger Tally had taken out any strength he had in him at the time, so even if he had wanted to continue fighting, he had been out for the count. It was to the point he had barricaded himself in his tent, thinking back, he hadn't even left once the entire time. The omega quenched his knowing hunger every time he woke by the bundles of food someone had graciously left at his door.

Pork buns, spicy stews and soups filled his belly, always somehow still warm by the time he spotted them. He relished in the taste, lucky enough that his body was too tired to throw any of it back up. By the end of his impromptu time off, he felt fat and well-fed. Probably looked it too.

Wei Ying sat in the quiet stillness of the night forest, taking the opportunity of the war's stalemate to get some needed fresh air. One of his feet dangled off the branch he sat in, and his back rested against the sturdy trunk. His eyes closed for long periods of time in between looking up at the stars, and his hand rested gently against his belly. His breathing was slow and calm, his senses turned inwards, paying close attention to his pup. He wanted to go to Wen Qing again; he wanted her reassurance that his baby was okay, that he hadn't hurt him by overdoing it.

Logically, he knew that if something was wrong, he would know, but his irrational brain told him to worry, told him that all this Yin energy was killing his child. The quantity of negative in his life right now was anything but good for him; he could only imagine what it might be doing to ǒu tǔ.

Man, he really had to find a better name for his kid. If there was a chance that his son would make it into this world happy and healthy, then he should have a name that could represent that. Calling him barf wasn't very nice, Jiang Yanli was right about that much.

He felt something move in his stomach, and Wei Ying froze. Every ounce of movement previously present was all but gone, which included his breathing. When nothing happened for a solid few moments, he began to relax again, hoping it was just gas.

But no, the second he hesitantly began to sink back into the tree, he felt it again. It felt like something was nudging him from the inside, light and fluttery, but prominent. Wei Ying moved to sit up, his other hand coming to cup his belly right over the feeling.

The omega couldn't feel the sensation from underneath his skin in his hand, but the warmth of his palms only seemed to further encourage the movement. Wei Ying felt his omega preen. His baby was alive and moving! This was the first time he had felt anything of the sort, and the sensation was strange.

Was this his son's way of trying to comfort him?

It seemed as if it was working. He could feel his happy hormones flooding through his body. So much so that his pheromones were leaking past both his blocker and suppressants. No matter how much he wanted to care, he was just too happy, too relieved to try and rein them in.

His baby was safe; he hadn't killed his son.

A small, wet laugh bubbled from his chest, relief taking over the joy he felt, washing over his entire body. Wei Ying wanted to cry, he wanted to laugh and holler with joy. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't make an absolutely terrible parent after all. If there was even the slightest chance that he hadn't already fucked up his kid beyond repair, he would make sure the pup would have the happiest life he could possibly provide. No matter what it took.

“Wei Ying? What are you doing in a tree at this time of night?”

---------------

Wei Wuxian looked towards the voice, his anxiety spiking, but his hormones to far out of whack to allow him to reel in his emotions. He could feel the way his eyes still threatened to spill, how he was jittery with sentiment. Worst of all, he could smell himself in the air; no doubt, whoever this was would as well.

Like a three-sixty, his expression turned on a dime, his hackles raising at the sudden unwanted intrusion. This was a very personal, happy moment, and it was currently being disrupted.

“I went to your tent, but you weren’t there. Someone saw you leave camp in this direction, and I wanted to say hi before my brother- WOAH!” The perpetrator shouted when a talisman shot right past their face, landing on the tree right where their head would have been.

“That was not very nice, Wei Ying!” The man retorted, finally coming into view. . . was that-?

“Huaisang?” What in the world was he doing out here?

“I know it’s been a while, but that’s no way to greet a friend!" The older omega responded, his arms crossed and his lips in a pout.

“What are you doing here?” Wei Ying asked, thoroughly confused and still pumped full of adrenaline.

“Hey, I asked first! Get down from that tree, I want to say hi to my old buddy!” He shouted up into the canopy, the moonlight only giving away the barest shapes of Wei Wuxian’s silhouette against the shadows of the bare trees.

Still a little dazed and confused, but pleasantly surprised, Wei Ying obliged and hopped down from his perch in the tree. Nie Huaisang looked as if he was about to start teasing the other omega when his eyes shot wide open.

“. . . Wei Ying, are you- are you carrying?” He asked, his voice considerably quieter than the moment before. Once again, Wei Wuxian froze; of course, the other omega would be able to smell him; that’s what he had been worried about to begin with! He was too surprised by Nie Huaisang’s presence that he had completely forgotten the surrounding air was full of his scent!

“Uhhh. . . no?” Wei Ying replied, trying to put on his best dumb face.

“That response shouldn’t have been a question! Wei Ying! ARE YOU PREGNANT!?” The other omega’s voice was shrill, still in a whispered tone as his ever-present fan came up to cover his mouth.

“What are you talking about? Don’t be stupid!” Wei Ying replied, gslighting it was then. Maybe he could convince the other omega that he was smelling things.

“DON’T BE STUPID- NO! I know what I’m smelling, don’t lie to me!” He growled, his eyes still blown wide with shock.

“Who knocked you up? Do I need to bury someone?” Nie Huaisang asked, his eyes darting side to side, as if looking for this unknown perpetrator.

“No one ‘knocked me up’, Huaisang. You sound crazy!” The younger omega retorted, turning his nose up and away.

“There is no way you’re pregnant before me! What on earth happened? Scratch that, I know what happened. But with whooooo?!” He pestered, stepping into the Jiang disciple’s personal space.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about. I’m not pregnant!” Wei Ying tried to counter, stepping back, but was immediately blocked by the tree.

“There is seriously no way you don’t know. I don’t believe you for one second!” He refuted, stepping back to get a better look at the younger omega.

“I mean, you look like a pile of cow-lard, but you’ve clearly got the pregnant glow to you.” He commented, his head quirking to the side as he attempted to further study the other man.

“Ouch?”

“It’s true. Fine, if you didn’t already know, let me be the one to tell you; you have been sufficiently pumped full of pup.” Nie Huaisang said with a nod of his head, only to tilt it in the other direction to take in his whole appearance.

Wei Ying sputtered, trying to find the words to refute that claim, but he was too embarrassed and shocked to say anything. He could feel the way his face flushed at the other man’s words.

“See, I’m right. I’m always right. Now, give me the tea!” He exclaimed, his eyes looking bright and sharp.

“I- uh. I don’t know what you want me to say?” Wei Wuxian replied, cocking his head slightly to the side in confusion. In response, Nie Huaisang raised a brow, an expression that read: Are you serious?

“Everything! How far along are you? Are they healthy, a boy or a girl, but most importantly: WHOSE THE DADDY?!” He practically shouted, his voice once again high with excitement.

“I Um, was trying to keep this a secret-”

“Well, no shit, you’re what, eighteen? Unmarried, unmarked and barely anybody knows you’re an omega. I would expect nothing less, but come on, you can trust me. I’m sure you need someone in your corner.” The Nie omega cut him off, laying out nearly every worry that had been plaguing Wei Ying about his pregnancy.

“Do you have any idea just how sketchy you sound right now?” Wei Ying replied, it was now his turn to quirk a brow, “What are you gonna do, sell my secrets to the highest bidder?” Nie Huaisang smacked his fan against Wei Ying’s forehead. Lightly, but enough to leave the younger omega pouting and rubbing to impact sight.

“Quite that, you know I would never! Now, seriously. We haven’t seen each other in so long, and the first thing i find out about you is this?” He said, gesturing to Wei Ying’s stomach, “I would have at least expected a letter or something!”

“Like I said, I was really trying to keep this a secret. The fewer people who know, the better. Also, I’ve been busy. I don’t see you fighting a war?” Wei Wuxian diverted with a tease, but the other omega was quick to catch onto his intent. Sometimes Nie Huaisang was far too observant for his own good.

“I’m an omega without the luxury of disguising myself as an alpha, you know, I would never be allowed on a battlefield. Not to mention my brother is fiercely overprotective of me. That's actually what I was trying to tell you about when you threw a talisman at my face!” He snarked back, “We should head back to camp soon. My brute of a brother is bound to lose his freak if he finds out I'm off in a forest in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah, why are you out here? I’m surprised Nie Mingjue even let you set foot in the camp.” Wei Ying noted, trying his best to sidestep around the other omega.

“It took a lot of convincing. He thinks I'm here to scope out possible mates. It is about time I get married.” Nie Huaisang replied, stepping back to let his friend pass.

“Well. . . Are you?” It was Wei Ying’s turn to quirk a brow.

“Sort of? But I mostly wanted to say hi to you and some other old buddies. It’s hard to send letters during a war, especially if they aren’t significant to the cause. So if I want to have any steady communications with anyone, I actually have to go visit them.” He said with a huff, clearly annoyed at having to leave the comfort of his own home.

“That sucks. Hopefully, at the rate things are going, this battle shouldn’t last too much longer. So far we’ve made up some pretty good ground.” Wei Ying replied, tossing his hair over his shoulder. He needed to air out his clothes.

“Hey! We need to talk about you, stop diverting!” The Nie omega suddenly said, using his fan to smack Wei Wuxian once again.

“Well, it almost worked.” He muttered to himself, still loud enough for the other man to hear. “There’s really not much to say. I can’t exactly tell you who the father is.”

“Why not- DO YOU NOT KNOW?!” Nie Huaisang exclaimed; the other omega could almost see the assumptions playing out behind his eyes.

“No, no. Not that. It’s just, uhg. I don’t know, I guess I don’t want to ruin his life. Neither of us really planned this; it was, in every right, an accident.” He retorted with a defeated sigh. He already had this conversation with his sister; he wasn’t exactly in the mood to have it again.

“Fine, don’t tell me. But you better not expect me not to find out on my own, I have my ways.” The older omega replied, his eyes squinting mischievously.

“Are you at least going to tell me how far along you are?” He asked, his voice full of curiosity.

“Knowing you, that would be the same as giving you the father’s birth name.” Wei Ying shook his head.

“. . . I’ll know regardless when you’re pup is born, is it really that big of a deal?” Nie Huaisang asked genuinely.

“Probably not, but to me it is. I have a feeling you’ll find out eventually, despite how hard I try to hide it.”

Neither of them spoke the entire way back to camp after that. It wasn’t a tense silence, but it was clear that Nie Huaisang still had questions. Questions Wei Ying wasn’t sure he knew he had the answers to.

It wasn’t until they were comfortably back in Wei Wuxian’s tent that Nie Huaisang finally spoke up again.

“Can you at least tell me if you’re having a boy or a girl? I want to know what kind of gifts I should start stockpiling, and whether my kids are going to have a ge or a jie.” He asked with a teasing smile.

“A little boy. He’s small but healthy, and apparently far more resilient than you would expect from an unborn pup.” Wei Ying replied with a light laugh.

He hated to say it, but he was proud.

---------------

Weeks passed by in a blur. Between the fighting, the sleep and the food, his days seemed to mould into one. Even without trying, Wei Ying found him self falling into unconsciousness more easily, the days’ experiences weighing down his bones.

Every night, before he would finally close his eyes, he would spend time just holding his stomach. He wanted to feel his pup’s movements. And every night they grew stronger and stronger, so much so that he found himself pausing during the day when the familiar fluttery nudge could be felt in his abdomen.

It got to the point that if he placed his hand over his stomach, he could finally feel the movement from the outside. By the time he was just a few meagre weeks away from his due date, it felt like his son was assaulting him from the inside, no longer the odd yet pleasant feeling the kicks had once been. Instead, they were full-on attacks, which were especially fierce when he was trying to sleep.

When he finally reached the eight-month mark, the weight of his stomach had him on death’s door. If the Yin Tiger Tally didn’t kill him first, his stupid pup would.

The pregnancy, though not pleasant to begin with, was now downright horrible. He thought he had been exhausted before? Yeah, that could no longer compare to how he currently felt. His feet swelled if he stood for too long, and he always had to go pee; sometimes his temperature would fluctuate violently; one moment he would be as frigid as could be, the next he would be wishing he could tear off his heavy cloaks.

Taking them off was, however, not an option. Wei Ying was beyond huge, or at least he felt that way. It was beside him, how nobody had yet noticed, there were sure to be a few that had had to, right?

That was another thing, his paranoia seemed to be out the window. Every little thing had him jumping; he was jittery and nervous nearly all the time. It felt instinctual. Maybe all those months without any proper pheromones were starting to get to him. Although Nie Huaisang offered his services, whatever reprieve the other omega’s pheromones gave him was quick to wear off. Wen Qing was right once again; they were nowhere near as effective as Lan Wangji’s had been, even if they did help somewhat.

He wrote to his sister as frequently as he could, thanking her for all the food she was sending and telling her all his woes. But Nie Huaisang had a point; letters took longer and longer to be transported, and it took an eternity to get a reply.

The correspondence with Wen Qing, on the other hand, was as speedy as possible. Any information she could get her hands on was sent over as quickly as she received it. It was to the point that Wei Wuxian had come to recognize the disguised Dafan-Wen who would hand him the letters. Hidden under thick clothes too hot for the early spring, their faces became familiar.

Every week and a half, almost to the hour, one of three Dafan-Wen would hand over a handful of meticulously sealed scrolls and letters. Sometimes there were diagrams, other times just lists, be it of names, locations or experiments. Wei Ying now had a section of his tent reserved solely for properly decoding and organizing their contents.

Any who had become privy to the knowledge within those papers had grown to trust their words. So far, every stroke of ink had been correct down to the number of rations supplied. Wen Qing was systematic and detailed to the point that it was clear she wasn’t the only one writing these letters. Every move the Wen made, they knew of days before their enactment. And it was all thanks to the effort of the Dafan-Wen.

Wei Ying wanted to give them recognition for their hard work, but if it somehow got out that they were behind the tides of the war, there was no doubt that Wen Ruohan would wipe them clean off the map. Once the war was over, Wei Ying would make sure they would get all the acclimation they deserved.

At thirty-two weeks, the letters from Wen Qing slowly diverted ever so slightly from their usual topics. A small detachable note to the side telling him to return home, or an extra paper telling him to rest. Wen Qing was worried for him; his due date was rapidly approaching, yet he was still in the midst of a battlefield. Even if he was as actively fighting on the front lines as he had previously been, he still wasn’t at home on bed rest, which is exactly where both Wen Qing and his Shijie thought he should be.

At thirty-three weeks, Wei Ying finally admitted that it probably wouldn’t be the best idea if he gave birth to his son on a battlefield. It was dangerous and would, without a doubt, give away every secret he had been working so hard to keep.

At thirty-three weeks and three days, Wei Ying left the front lines to find somewhere safe and secure to have his pup.

Returning to Jinlintai was tempting; having his sister by sister by his side again made him ache with longing at the idea. But there were too many eyes, too many unknowns in Lanling, too many people he couldn’t trust.

His sister wrote to him of her reengagement to the young master Jin, and how madame Jin was already in the depths of planning her son’s wedding. Despite his dislike for the pompous peacock, from his sister’s words, it really sounded as if he was doing the omega right. At least Wei Ying could trust that his sister would be safe under his protection.

At thirty-four weeks, Wei Ying was well on his way to Lanling, his goal to stop by and see Jiang Yanli before hopefully returning to somewhere he could give birth. Right now, he was thinking maybe at the edge of Jiang territory, perhaps Yilling or in the Yu sect’s territory. Both are relatively small, secluded areas with little Wen movement. From what Wen Qing had been telling him, Wen Ruohan was beginning to pull his backup forces from the smaller towns, as more bodies were needed for the active fighting.

Just as he reached the edge of Lanling, a cloaked woman ran into him, nearly knocking him off his horse. She froze, kneeling to apologize profusely, but Wei Ying was quick to recognize her voice.

It was one of the messengers who brought him Wen Qing’s letters, but she was panicked and looked stressed out of her mind. This was a far cry from the usually calm demeanour she usually presented.

“Is everything alright?” Wei Wuxian asked, carefully getting off the horse. He knew he probably shouldn’t be horseback riding this late into his pregnancy, but he needed to get from point A to point be in at least a somewhat respectable amount of time. There was no way he would make it on foot, so horseback was the next best option.

“N-No. Wei-Gongzi, I’m really sorry, but this is urgent. I was sent for you, but by the time I made it to the camp, you were gone.” She said, her voice cracking slightly.

“Take a deep breath and tell me what's going on.” He replied, placing his hand comfortingly on the woman’s shoulder. It seemed to have the right effect, but she looked close to tears.

Wen Qing knew he was returning to Lanling before he left again. They had planned not to contact each other until well after his son’s birth. The female alpha knew just how important the first weeks after delivery could be for both baby and parent. The two of them had set up a system so that the information would be given directly to Jiang Cheng in a code that he knew how to decipher. If Wen Qing had sent someone to chase him down, then something really bad must have happened.

“Wen Ruohan, he found out about our correspondence. Wen Qing managed to get out of Qishan with whoever she could, but he’s coming for them. He plans to exterminate the entire Dafan line!” 

Chapter Text

Wen Ran, as Wei Wuxian soon learned, had the ability to travel by sword, but because of her low levels of cultivation, she couldn’t span long distances. She was, however, very good at moving at top speeds. It was to the point that whenever they had to rest so she could recouperate her Qi, the omega found himself bordering on whiplash.

In total, it took them barely six hours to make it to their destination. Considering how frequently they needed to take breaks, that was beyond impressive. With Wei Wuxian on the sword as well, he and his huge, pregnant self, there was no way he was making this easier for the Wen disciple.

“There’s a small town on the eastern border of Qishan, last I heard that was where Wen-Qianbei was stopping next.” She noted between mouthfuls of water. Wei Wuxian could see how much energy she was draining trying to transport the two of them, but he honestly had no way to help. Suibian wouldn’t heed his commands without any Qi to power the blade, so the omega had decided to leave it with his sister.

“How far out are we?” Wei Wuxian asked, his tone stern and worried.

“If we keep up our current speed, no more than twenty minutes. Are you able to travel any further?” Wen Ran replied, turning to look at the omega who sat with his head in his hands.

“I should really be the one asking you that.” He said with a small smirk.

“Just because I am primarily a healer doesn’t mean I can’t have other skills.” She joked back, but her voice was still laden with anxiety.

Not even ten minutes later, they were back in the sky, blade soaring as fast as it could while carrying two people. Wen Ran had been correct. Through his discomfort, Wei Wuxian estimated it took them less than fifteen minutes until a sparse-looking village came into view. The roads were dirt, the crops were many, and the houses were small. Despite this, traces of a large number of people could be spotted if one looked hard enough.

The hamlet looked nothing short of a ghost town. It was too quiet. When the two cultivators landed, Wei Wuxian soon noticed the trails of hurried footprints that led into the dense shrubbery. Quietly but quickly, Wei Wuxian led the way, Chenqing gripped in his hand. He really hoped they weren’t too late, and the lack of blood was promising.

He pushed through the thick layers of dead branches, only to be nearly shot in the head with an arrow. If he hadn’t ducked out of the way as quickly as he had, the thing would be sticking out from right between his eyes.

“Whoa!” He shouted, standing back up tall, flute raised to his lips.

“Wei Wuxian? What on earth are you doing here!?” An angry, female voice called out, soon followed by her head popping out from behind a tree.

“I heard you needed some help, thought I might as well start paying back my debt now.” Wei Wuxian responded as soon as he recognized the face. Wen Qing stood there, looking travel-worn and royally pissed off.

---------------

They trekked over terrain after terrain, trying their best to avoid any other cultivators or major towns. If anyone were to notice the large group and recognize them, the greater the chance was that it would get back to Wen Rouhan.

Now that they could no longer travel by sword, too many elderly, farmers and children to safely share the available blades, it would take them days to reach their intended destination. Days Wei Wuxian could barely spare.

“Wei Ying, we know where to go, let someone fly you there, and we’ll meet you when we get there.” Wen Qing urged once again, but to no avail.

“You’re all travel worn and there are far too many for your cultivators to protect. Your people are doctors, not fighters, you said so yourself.” Wei Wuxian replied, his eyes pointed ahead.

He had ghosts in the surrounding trees, the dead keeping an eye out for any possible unfriendlies. But even still, his head kept on a swivel. The omega would protect the Wen; he owed them as much.

“You, Wei Wuxian, should absolutely not be fighting!” She scolded harshly in his ear, “If it comes down to it, we’re able to defend ourselves.”

“Not against the sheer numbers, I have no doubt Wen Rouhan has sent after you. We will arrive soon, I’ll rest properly then.” Wei Ying replied, but Wen Qing still looked doubtful.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I promise.”

“. . . I will use my needles if I have to, and I will have no remorse.”

“Very well.”

Giving up with his stubborn attitude for now, she huffed and turned to help out an elderly couple that had begun to trail behind. They tried to keep those the least suited for travel on foot on either horseback or carriage, but there were limited spots. Another thing Wen Qing kept trying to get Wei Wuxian to do, take a turn in the singular carriage they had, but the omega adamantly refused.

Despite his pregnancy, his exhaustion and his swollen feet, he wasn’t weak. He was able to walk, especially better than the children they had with them. Kids so young they weren’t able to ride horseback. They were stacked securely in the carriage with any rations Wen Qing had managed to snatch in their hasty departure.

Two days of almost nonstop walking had them on the edge of Yilling. The town is far enough away from any major sects that if someone saw the, it would take too long to make it back to enemy lines. By the time any forces arrived, they would be long gone and safely hidden.

They needed food. Anything, the meagre amount of money the Dafan-Wen had on them. Rice and vegetables were quickly bought up, even if the prices were high and the vegetables were well out of season. They had only just begun spring; nothing had yet sprouted in the fields, so everything was dried and canned. Therefore, their stop in the town was short and sweet, only the absolutely necessary number of people actually entering the streets, everyone else tucked away into the forest at the base of the Burial Mounds.

“You want us to hide in there?” Someone asked from the crowd when Wei Wuxian returned.

“It’s the only place where no one will be able to get you. If you have a better idea, I would love to hear it.” Wei Wuxian couldn’t stop the snark that seeped into his tone; he felt agitated, tired and uncomfortable.

Luckily, without many more complaints, the Wen followed Wei Wuxian deep into the maw of the burial mounds. Kids were kept close, and anyone too weak to protect themselves had a warding talisman slapped onto their backs. Heavy, scared footsteps made their way to the center of the barren land, nothing but dead trees and dried shrubs between the jagged outcroppings of stone. It was protected, though, and that’s all that mattered.

During the three months that Wei Wuxian had spent in the burial mounds, he had fortified a small area around a cave he had found. This was the same cave that the omega had discovered the scrolls containing the bare bones of his demonic cultivation. Despite his experience with the gods-forsaken place and what it had done to him, he was nothing but grateful for everything the land had provided him. And now, how much more it would.

He guided the Wen into the cave, taking his time to double and triple check the talisman that littered the walls. Although the papers were old and somewhat worn, the talismans were still sufficient in their use. Without the papers, the negative qi that previously drowned the land would suffocate them, especially those with golden cores. Wei Ying no longer had one, and that was probably the only reason he had originally survived falling into the burial mounds.

If his core had still been intact, his Yang energy would have fought so hard against the Yin energy of the lands that it would have killed him in the process. Even though a golden core’s intended purpose is to protect its host, they increase the holder’s sensitivity to negative energies, and the backlash of trying to fend against it would have hindered more than helped him.

Luck was a fickle thing, and Wei Ying could never decide if his karma was good or bad.

Although the cave was halfway abandoned and a tight squeeze for the couple of dozen of them that were there, it was better than being exposed to the elements. Anything was better than being exposed to the elements of the Burial mounds.

“When everyone is done settling in, can you supply some of your more fit cultivators to help me fortify the talisman barrier?” Wei Wuxian turned to ask Wen Qing, the woman tucking in a dreary-eyed child.

“I can send people with you now if necessary, but you should rest first. Set the barrier in the morning. From what I can tell, it seems sturdy enough.” Wen Qing replied, the alpha grabbed his shoulders and guided him towards an open cot.

He tried to protest, but he could feel the way his eyes were drooping and how his lower body ached. The woman was right, he begrudgingly admitted to himself; he would surely mess up a talisman if he tried to do anything now. An hour nap, then he would go to place the wards.

“Ill make sure Wen Ning puts you to sleep as well-” He broke off into a yawn, “I’m not the only one who needs rest.” Wei Ying said, rubbing his eyes with his palm. He felt useless sleeping now, but there wasn’t much he could do to help out tonight, at least not anything that couldn’t be held off till tomorrow morning.

Wen Qing froze but didn’t respond, and Wei Wuxian, being too exhausted to properly think, didn’t pay it any mind. His eyes would no longer stay open, and he quickly fell into a dreamless slumber.

---------------

Wei Wuxian startled awake, thoroughly disoriented until he realized that one of the smaller children had accidentally knocked over a pile of pots and pans. In a daze, when Wei Ying realized no one else was yet awake to noticed slowly made his way out of bed and over to the little girl.

“What might you be doing, little one? We big kids are trying to sleep.” Wei Ying scolded lightly, placing his hands on his hips. Preferably, he would have bent down to talk face-to-face with the child, but if he somehow made it down, there was no way he was getting back up without help. Yet he couldn’t help but feel like his Jiejie, with her hands on her hips, scolding a little Jiang Cheng.

The child startled, and tears began to well up in her eyes. But as if remembering something, she wiped away the dampness and bowed. It was clumsy, especially for someone who could be no older than five, but it made the omega’s heart squeal.

“No, no. There's no need for that. I was just wondering what you were up to. The sun has just barely risen.” Wei Ying affirmed, one hand coming to rest on the little girl’s head and the other pointing towards the mouth of the cavern. The sky was far too cloudy to prove his point, but the little girl still turned to look.

“I-I’m sorry.” She stuttered, her head raising as Wei Wuxian lifted his gentle hand.

“No need to apologize, but do tell me why you’re rustling through all our stuff?” the omega asked softly, trying his very best to be a responsible adult. He didn’t want to spook the poor child, and he also didn’t want to wake anybody else. Everybody needed their rest.

“I was hungry, unc’l.” She mumbled quietly, lowering her head once more. She was so quiet that Wei Ying barely heard her.

“Ah, that makes sense. Why not ask your parents, I’m sure they wou;d have been happy to get you some food.” The man asked, looking around to see if there was anyone looking for a child. But to no avail.

“I- This one doesn’t have any parents unc’l. It’s just me and my sister.” She replied, her lip starting to wobble. Something inside of Wei Wuxian went off like a spark, and despite his size, he reached down and swooped the tiny girl up into his arms, a tight, comforting embrace.

“That’s all right, we’ll find you some food. Now tell me, does this one have a name?” Wei Wuxian questioned, trying to distract the little girl. She seemed startled by the sudden lack of ground under her feet, and her tears subsided only to be replaced by a look of surprise.

“Uhm, Meiyu Dafan-Wen, unc’l.” She replied shyly, her face still pointed down. Wei Ying could still hear the tears in the way her voice trembled. Without realizing, he had subconsciously begun releasing his pheromones, his omega’s attempt to try and soothe the small pup.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Meiyu, you have a very pretty name. What kind of fruits do you like?” he said, looking over what was easy access and something a child would enjoy.

“I l-like apples,” Meiyu replied, peeking her head up to look for the delicious fruit.

“Hmm, I see some over here. If I lifted you, do you think you could grab some? I don’t know if I will be able to reach on my own.” He said, adjusting the little girl on his hip. It was hard to keep her up with his stomach in the way, and she was slightly too large for Wei Ying to safely rest her on his belly.

“Isn't that dangerous unc’l?” She asked her big, round eyes, finally turning to look up at him, then flitting towards the fruits on top of one of the nearby piles of boxes.

“Not if we’re quick, it won't be.” He said, putting on a big grin. With a small nod from the shy child, he lifted her up high, letting her grab an apple or two, then brought her back down to his hip. She squealed, still quiet, but louder than she had been the whole conversation thus far.

“Now, we’ll find somewhere to sit down so you can enjoy your harvest.” The omega said with a pat on her back. Once placed down, she began to take almost ravenous bites of one of the apples in her hands. It was amusing because the red fruit was nearly as big as her face.

Eventually, he couldn’t hold back and let out a small snicker. The girl paused her munching to look up at him again. Her big puppy eyes were slightly confused.

“Does unc’l want some?” She asked around a mouthful of food, holding up the other large apple she had managed to grab.

“I’m alright. But I do have to say, I’m far too young for you to be calling uncle.” He teased, feigning heartbreak as he placed a hand on his chest.

“Ah! I’m supa sorry!” She yelped, looking around as if trying to find answers.

“Tell me, how old is your sister?”

“Uhhh, sixteen, I think?” She replied, quirking her head to the side.

“Well, I’m not much older than your sister, so you can call me Wei-gege.” Wei Wuxian returned, watching the girl as she nodded and thanked him for the food.

From the other side of the cave, a commotion began to stir, then the figure of a young woman popped up, looking frantic. She quietly began to call out a name, getting louder when she realized what she was looking for wasn’t right beside her.

“Is that your sister over there, Meiyu?” Wei Wuxian asked, interrupting the little pup from her meal. She nodded and moved to sit up, clearly noticing that her sister was distressed.

“Here, I’ll walk you over.” Wei Wuxian offered, taking the little girl’s hand in his own.

“A-Yu! A-Mei! Meiyu, where are you!?” The older sister called as her eyes darted around the cave, the opposite side from which the omega and pup were approaching.

“Is this who you’re looking for?” Wei Wuxian asked once they were within comfortable talking distance. The young woman jumped, the panic in her pheromones quickly morphing into relief when she noticed her sister, the child still happily munching away at the second apple.

“Where on earth have you been? I woke up and you were gone! Do you know how much you scared me?” The older sister scolded, snatching the child away from Wei Ying’s hand. Something curled inside of him, but he pushed it down. This was Meiyu’s sister; she was fine.

“Sow’y.” She mumbled around her food, letting the older girl pull her into a hug, “Wei-gege got me food.”

The older sister whipped her head to look up at the omega. There was fear in her eyes as they met Wei Wuxian’s own. He watched as she pulled her sister closer, her hackles rising slightly at his presence.

“It was no hassle, I didn’t want little Meiyu to wake anyone else.” He said with a soft smile, one meant for charming girls and omegas alike, yet gentler with a hint af earnestness. He missed his own sister.

She began to untense the longer she looked at him, then something inside of her completely relaxed when her eyes focused on his stomach. She froze, looking baffled and mildly confused.

“A-are you-” She cut herself off and bowed her head, “This one apologizes for my sister's impudence. It will not happen again, Wei-Gongzi.” She apologized profusely, little Meiyu now struggling to get out of her grip.

“Jiejie, Wei-gege is only a couple years o’der than you, you can cal’ him Wei-gege too!” Meiyu exclaimed as soon as she broke free from her sister’s hold. Her older sister flushed ever-so-slightly at the little girl’s words before responding.

“That’s not how it works, Meimei. You shouldn’t be calling Wei-Gongzi gege.” She turned to look back up at the man in front of her, “I’m really sorry for her.”

“No, he told me to cal’ him Wei-gege. He’s not as mean as he looks, and he smells very pretty.” The pup said stubbornly, puffing out her tiny chest, half-eaten apple still in hand.

“Ah- okay, Meimei. If Wei-gongzi said you're good, then alright.” She smiled in defeat, patting the little girl’s head gently. The child pulled away from her and walked back up to the omega, her big puppy eyes curious and eager.

“Wei-gege, you smell very pretty!” She exclaimed, drawing a brighter smile onto the man’s face. He should be worried about people finding out about his secondary gender, which he had been his entire life. But in the end, he would have his pup, and everyone would know. At the very least, all of the Dafan-Wen would, some of them already did.

“Thank you, Meiyu, but I don’t think I could ever compete with your beauty!” He declared, the little girl beaming back up at him.

“Meimei!”

“Meimei, then,” he replied, taking his turn to ruffle the small girl’s hair.

“A-yu, we should leave Wei-gongzi be, I’m sure he wants to go back to sleep-” The older girl tried to redirect, but was once again interrupted by her little sister.

“Wei-gege? Why does your tummy stick out? Do you eat a lot of sweets?” Wei Wuxian paused, slightly surprised by the sudden question, but then a look at Meimei’s older sister’s expression sent him into a fit of laughter.

“N-not particularly,” Wei Ying replied between his snorts of amusement, “I have a pup in my tummy, he’s making it stick out like that. He also makes me super hungry, just like you were this morning, except he really likes tangerines.” The omega rested his hand on the protruding curve of his stomach.

“How did he get in ther-” She began to ask, but her sister slapped her hand over the little girl’s mouth.

“Wei-gongzi, I deeply apologize for my sister’s disrespect; she doesn’t know any better.” The older sister forced Meimei into a bow, nearly causing the little girl to drop her hard-earned fruit, but she didn’t protest.

“It’s quite right, children are curious. There's nothing wrong with that. But Meimei, that is something you will learn when you’re a bit older, not right now.” The girl raised her head against her sister’s hand just to give the man a pout, and Wei Wuxian couldn’t help how his smile grew.

The commotion finally began to stir others from their sleep. Now that little Meiyu wasn’t as reserved or quiet, her high voice brought in the day.

---------------

Wei Wuxian spent the next two weeks doing almost nothing except expanding and fortifying the talisman barrier. The omega had tasked a handful of cultivators with helping him clear what they could of the dead shrubbery and gnarly roots, but not much progress was made.

When he had asked for Wen Ning’s help once again, the news was finally broken to him that the timid alpha hadn’t been among Wen Qing’s group that had escaped. The teen had been off on a missing at the time, unaware of his family's predicament. But Wen Qing said that their bond was still strong; she could feel that he was still alive and well.

So instead of driving himself with worry, he was doing just as Wen Qing was, distracting himself. He sent a letter to his sister with a very brief explanation as to what had happened. Then more busy work, talisman needed to be written, patrol schedules needed to be made, and the Wen needed to be protected.

His only reprieve was when Meiyu and her sister would come and visit, or Wen Qing would force him to rest.

Meiyu was lively, the opposite of timid, once they had gotten to know each other. But most of all, she brought along the other kids in their group. Four of them in total, excluding Meimei’s older sister. There were two little boys, about the same age as Meiyu and a girl roughly eight or nine. All of them were scared or sad. Wei Ying tried his best to cheer them up, but there was only so much he could do in the wasteland that was the burial mounds. He would have to go to town to get them toys or something, even though it wouldn’t be a smart use of the money Wen Qing had managed to save.

Almost an entire other week passed, and Wen Qing was getting worried. For two reasons: her brother had yet to send any correspondence, and Wei Wuxian was fast approaching his due date.

“I can tell you’re baby has already started to drop, that means he will be here soon. You say roughly thirty-eight weeks?” The female alpha asked as she pressed down into his stomach once again. It was somewhat painful, and Wei Ying couldn’t help but flinch.

“Ow! Yes, just under, I think, why?” He asked as he watched the alpha do her thing.

“Most male omegas never carry for the full forty weeks, usually pushing the pup out around two to three weeks early.” She responded, still continuing to massage around Wei Ying’s abdomen.

“Isn't that dangerous?” Wei Ying asked, worry curling in his gut.

“Yes, but it would be more dangerous to deliver any closer to forty weeks, for male omegas specifically.” Wen Qing replied, and the omega couldn’t help but raise a brow.

“How so?” he pondered out loud.

“It has to do with your male anatomy. Male omegas and female alpha are similar in this case, because of their hermaphroditism, childbirth becomes more dangerous. Male omegas are less suited than female omegas or betas when it comes to childbirth, simply because of the lack of a vaginal opening. So the larger the baby is, the more dangerous the process of childbirth becomes for the mother. Mother and baby. If, for whatever reason, you pass away during labour, we then have to risk cutting into you to retrieve your pup.” Wei Wuxian’s eyes blue wide in horror. No one told him he could DIE?!

“Don’t worry, that won't happen. You have a whole clan of the best doctors on the continent to take care of you; nothing that we can’t handle or haven’t seen will befall you.” She consoled, her fierce eyes meeting Wei Ying’s.

“So, having the pup earlier negates size-based complications from happening?” Wei Wuxian supplied.

“Almost. While yes, it does lower the risk, it doesn’t absolve it completely. Even though the natural gestation of a male omega is a few weeks shorter than that of anyone else, it can still lead to developmental complications with the pup. But nothing good milk and diligent care can’t take care of.” The female alpha explained.

“I’m almost done. I can see you getting antsy. I just need to check the little guy’s size.” She said as she closed her eyes to concentrate. That same warm feeling Wei Wuxian remembered from a couple of months back crept through his abdomen once again. But just like before, it stopped before it became completely uncomfortable.

“Forty-nine centimetres, plus or minus one for a margin of error. Your baby is big, especially for his current gestation, but it’s a great sight compared to the last time I checked. You’re just going to want to have the baby soon, that way he doesn’t kill you.” She spoke once she opened her eyes.

“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not. I need to be able to tell if you’re joking.” Wei Ying said skeptically as he took in the female alpha’s flat look.

“Have you had any birth coaching?” She asked, ignoring Wei Wuxian’s completely justifiable question.

“Have I had any birth coaching? What do you think my answer is gonna be?” The omega replied, looking somehow both unimpressed and distressed at what ‘Birth coaching’ implied. He had never learned much about it; Madame Yu only sent Jiang Yanli for female/omega education. The Woman probably thought he would never need to know anything, or maybe it was yet again another kind of cruel torture. The jealous woman was still haunting Wei Wuxian, even after her death.

“No, then. I will find some of the omegas that have had children, as well as our midwives, to come talk to you. Hopefully, they can get you some instructions before little mr here decides it’s time to make an entrance.” She commented, lifting her hands and stepping back.

“Not you?”

“Childbirth is not my specialty. People who have already had children and those trained in aiding the process would be better suited to help you.” Wen Qing explained.

“So you’re not going to be there when ǒu tǔ decides to rip me open?” Wei Wuxian asked, for some reason a little crestfallen at the possibility that Wen Qing wouldn’t be there.

“Oh no. I’m still the best doctor here. I’ll be watching from the sidelines, that way I can help if something happens.” She replied, the response brought more reassurance than Wei Ying thought it would. He wasn’t looking forward to a bunch of strangers, knowledgeable strangers, but still strangers, looking at his nether regions. Despite what most would think, he wasn’t completely shameless; he wanted to keep at least a bit of his dignity.

“And Wei Ying,” The omega in question looked up to meet the alpha’s eyes again, “ǒu tǔ, really?”

Wei Wuxian snorted out a laugh, not expecting the look of sheer disappointment on Wen Qing’s face. Oh, how she reminded him of his sister sometimes.

“It’s a placeholder, and you can’t shun me for being accurate.” He refuted, though it was only half-heartedly.

“Well, I would recommend coming up with a baby name soon. I’m sure some of the aunties would love to help.” She suggested, returning to help Wei Wuxian into a standing position.

The omega paused as soon as he stood up, his hand coming to rest on his stomach. His pup was kicking, but it felt weird.

“Everything alright?” Wen Qing asked, looking slightly worried.

“I think he knows we’re talking about him.” Wei Ying replied, his tone nothing above a whisper.

“I’ve had mothers to be say that before; it probably has to do with the hormones that are released when you talk about him. I can smell your emotions from here.” Wen Qing said with a smile, lowering her voice to match his tone.

Wei Wuxian reached out to cuff gently at her shoulder. Who knew Wen Qing could be such a bully.

“Just finish getting dressed, I’ll go get you some tea. It might not be expensive, but at least it will be warm.” Wei Ying nodded, then watched her leave as she went to fetch him a cup.

That same feeling as before hit him, stronger this time. It was in his back now, lower than before. His son had kicked him in the spine before, but it didn’t feel like this. Whatever this was, it was longer, duller and achier.

Wei Wuxian shuffled around on his feet, trying to jostle his pup away from his spine, but nothing worked. Eventually, he had to sit back down, hoping that if he rubbed his back hard enough, he could loosen the achy muscles. Maybe all that walking he had been doing was finally catching up to him. Maybe Wen Qing had actually been right, as usual.

It soon subsided, reducing to nothing but a slight throb, and Wei Wuxian was left baffled by its sudden disappearance. Just as quickly as the sensation came, it was gone. Soon enough, Wen Qing returned, cup of tea in her hand. But her expression changed from calm to more serious and nearly unreadable the second she came within scent range of the omega.

“Your tea,” she said, handing Wei Ying the cup. “How are you feeling?” she asked, taking a deep inhale of the air around her.

“Fine, I guess? Tired, maybe, all this doing nothing has me beat.” He tried to joke, but the alpha’s smile didn’t break her lips again.

“You sure, no pain or pressure in you’re gut?” She pressed.

“Well, I mean, I think baby was sitting on my spine for a bit, but the ache is practically gone now.” Wei Wuxian supplied, looking a little confused.

“Okay, that’s all I needed. I will be back in a second.” She stated, gone before the omega could even ask what she was talking about.

About ten minutes later, just as Wei Wuxian was about to leave to go find her, she was back. But she wasn’t alone. A group of alder women were with her, all of them carrying something or other.

“Everything okay? What’s going on?” Wei Wuxian asked, and an older female omega who passed by him paused to take a whiff of his scent. She nodded, then continued on with the basket in her hands.

“Wei Ying, I just have to say, your son has impeccable timing.” Wen Qing finally spoke out, the only truly familiar face in the group.

“Huh?” He tried to ask, but then the same ache in his back returned, this time stronger. It wasn’t by much, but it was noticeable.

“What did I just say?” The female alpha said something akin to a sigh behind her words.

“I believe you’ve started early labour.”

“. . .HUH!?”

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji woke with a start, and something akin to a cold sweat washed over his body. But there was no cause to be found. He wasn't having a nightmare; there were no threats in the surrounding area, and he was perfectly safe in the jinshi. The only sound to be heard in the early morning light was the trickle of water, ice finally starting to melt in the early spring.

As he looked around, he realized it was earlier than he usually awoke. But instead of returning to sleep like a normal person, the alpha decided it was best to start the day. The war wasn't yet over; he was only in the cloud recess for a short while, and he should spend as much of that time as possible awake.

Lan Wangji went to the cold springs, the water especially chilly this time of year, hoping to help settle his nerves. Yet the sichen spent in the cold water did little for his unexplained anxiety.

He spent the next couple of hours teaching some of the younger disciples, a task given to him by his uncle. Despite the task not being one of his usual ones, it was surprisingly enjoyable. Although today, the young juniors were getting on his nerves.

His Shushu had thought it best to give the younger Lan Clansmen some greater insight into war. The Sunshot campaign wasn't their first, and it surely wouldn't be their last. But it did make for great discussion topics.

Midday meal time came around, and he ate silently as per usual, but that itch from that morning had only grown. It was uncomfortable and left Lan Zhan unable to sit for any extended period of time. When he tried to complete some records in the Library pavilion, the alpha ended up having to quit halfway through. His mind was elsewhere, and he kept making mistakes.

Later in the afternoon, when it was time to instruct the disciples in swordsmanship, he found himself agitated to the point of nearly growling at some of the more. . . Frustrating juniors. Hours later, when the last mealtime of the day arrived, Lan Wangji ended up just skipping it. He was able to practice inedia; one meal wasn't going to damage him.

There was just no way he would have been able to stand being near so many other people, eating shoulder to shoulder with his fellow Lan earlier today had already been extremely overstimulating. Now, with his mental fortitudes completely messed up, there was no way he would be able to withstand the scents, the noises or the contacts that were inevitable when a whole clan ate in one dining hall.

So, a second dip in the Cold Springs was what ended up happening. The numbness that the low temperatures brought to his skin was grounding, but overall, it did little to soothe his current demeanour.

As the sun began to set, Lan Wangji was doing his best to meditate, now returned to his personal estate. But no matter how hard or long he tried, he couldn't absolve the bundle in his stomach. It was something between anxiety, fear and anger. It made him agitated, jumpy and nauseous. But worst of all, he didn't feel right. It was visceral, like he was supposed to be somewhere else. Something was happening, and he couldn't help. His instincts were screaming at him to help. Help what? Who?

Nothing made sense; he could smell his pheromones in the air, he could smell his own distress. Something wasn't right, and he could feel himself beginning to spiral.

The muffled sound of a door opening could be heard; it drew Lan Wangji's attention. His lip curled at the intruder, but quickly fell when he recognized his uncle.

"Wangji? Is everything alright? I could feel your distress." The older man asked, his usually stoic face graced with worry. Lan Zhan watched through slightly blurred eyes as his uncle's nose twitched and he grimaced at the smell.

The room was full of his scent, powerful and potent. Anyone, even close relatives, would be uncomfortable with it.

The alpha tried to suppress his discomfort. The fact that his uncle had been able to feel it through their bond was saying something; it was rare for anything beyond slight sentiments to be passed through the connection. It made him worry about how he might be distracting his brother. Lan Xichen was still on the battlefield; he shouldn't be disturbing the man with his feelings.

Lan Zhan took a deep breath, trying his best to rein in his scent.

"Apologies, uncle. I am simply feeling a little under the weather." The alpha tried to brush Lan Qiren off, but the way the older man's eyebrows furrowed made it clear he didn't believe his nephew.

"Come, we'll take a walk." Lan Wangji's uncle gestured towards the door. He tried to refuse, but the older man had already begun to leave, so there was no point.

As they stepped outside, the evening chill brought back some clarity. The alpha hadn't realized everything had gotten so blurry. As they walked, they didn't talk. Even still, the fresh air and open room to move instead of pacing did wonders for his pheromones.

They walked almost the entirety of the paved section of the cloud recess, and soon Lan Wangji began to recognize the familiar sloping hills surrounded by jagged peaks that he had been avoiding for nearly fifteen years.

"Shufu, why are we here?" The young man asked, turning to look and his uncle.

"The night you were born, your father nearly killed me." Lan Qiren said, not looking at the younger alpha.

". . . What?" Lan Zhan asked, dumbfounded by the sudden information.

"Your mother had attempted to run away. She tried to take A-Huan with her as well, but in the end, only managed to get out without him." He paused, then continued, "She was heavily pregnant with you at the time."

"What does this have to do with anyth-"

"Don't interrupt your elders." Lan Qiren cut him off, and Lan Wangji tried not to raise a brow at the hypocrisy.

"I'm sure you're aware of your parents' strained relationship when they were alive," Lan Zhan nodded, still not seeing what this had to do with anything. "Despite being bonded, I don't think your mother truly loved him. Maybe once, in the past. But at that point, no longer."

"Despite everything my brother did for her, she was still a free spirit. She was not a bird that could live caged. So she ran." Lan Wangji opened his mouth to ask once again what this had to do with his current predicament, but was quickly shut down with a glare from the man.

"Your brother was with me when this happened, so your mother was unable to get him, but she still had you. Then two nights after she had disappeared, while a massive manhunt for her was taking place, she gave birth to you." Knowing better than to ask questions, Lan Wangji just quirked a brow.

"Your father could still feel everything that was happening to her through their mating bond. He knew she was giving birth. His instincts nearly drove him mad, not being there for her. I tried to console him, but only ended up agitating him further. Without going into too much detail, we fought and he ended up damaging one of my meridians, almost beyond repair." The Lan elder described a pained, sorrowful look that crossed his features, but was quickly stamped out.

"In the end, we ended up finding your mother. Well, more like she ended up returning, I'm sure she could have outrun us if she had wished. But she had another son she couldn't leave behind, so she came back. That's one of the main reasons she was confined to this estate, secluded and surrounded by peaking mountains that she wouldn't be able to escape. Your father was desperate to keep her within his grasp, despite how badly she did not want that."

"My point is, I am your uncle, I have known you almost your entire life, disregarding the first few weeks after your birth. I can tell when your scent has changed." He finally finished, turning to look sternly in Lan Wangji's eyes.

"Do you have a mate that you have not told me about?" His uncle asked, face hard as stone and eyes as fierce as a beast. But even in Lan Wangji's shock, he could see the hint of worry behind the older man's eyes.

The younger alpha did nothing short of spudder. A mate? What? That made no sense whatsoever.

"No?" He finally replied, once his tongue would work properly, of course.

"Do not lie to me, Wangji. I do not wish to have to punish you."

"Honestly, uncle. I have no such thing." Wei Wuxian briefly flashed across his vision, but the omega was not his mate, no matter how much he wished the man were. One week of blurry memories, Lan Zhan wasn't sure where a fever dream did not count.

"I am asking because you are exhibiting a lot of the same symptoms your father was when your mother went missing, if not as drastic. I wanted to clear this up before it could get worse." That same pained look as before flashed in his eyes, but disappeared just as quickly as it had surfaced.

"War is difficult. I just want to make sure you are still following the Lan precepts. Not that I think you wouldn't break them, but we don't need another Jin Guangshan in this world." Lan Qiren said with a disgruntled sigh.

Almost offended, Lan Wangji repeated his previous statement: he had no mate, and he was hurt that his uncle would even think that he could end up like the wretched alpha that was the head of the Jin.

With an apology from the older man, the two quickly returned to the Jinshi, and Lan Qiren bid him a good night.

---------------

"FUCK! Fuck fuck fuckfuckfuckfuck fuuuuuuuck! Why does this hurt so much!?" Wei Wuxian cried out, one of the midwives trying to follow his movements with a damp cloth as he writhed.

"You're pushing an entire human out of you, Wei Ying. It's gonna hurt." Wen Qing explained from the other side of the room.

"I'm not even pushing yet! IS IT GONNA GET WORSE!?!" He asked, looking as terrified as he felt.

"Yes, it will probably get worse." She condoled, turning to look at the omega sympathetically.

Wei Wuxian panted his way through yet another contraction. With each breath, he tried to distance his consciousness from his body. He didn't want to feel this pain; he didn't like pain. A small sob cracked through his breathing, one of the women in the room quickly noticing and coming to comfort him.

The pain eased, but the ache didn't leave. A firm, comforting hand rubbed circles on his back as another dabbed a cool, wet cloth on his forehead.

"How much longer?" He whined, his voice hoarse.

"Well, this is your first pup, and the first birth tends to take longer than second or third labours-"

"I am NEVER doing this again!" Wei Ying exclaimed loudly, cutting Wen Qing off in the process.

"Good on you, but as I was saying, your body is new to this; it isn't quite sure what it's supposed to do. But your reproductive organs are built for this, so they should figure it out eventually. As for right now, you aren't dilated enough for your pup to fit through your cervix. You need to be at least ten centimetres; last time Wen-Jie checked, you were only seven. Almost there, but still a little while yet." She said as she gestured to one of the older midwives.

The elder Wen had a kind smile, but it still wasn't pleasant having a stranger's fingers inside of him. He returned the smile, but it was tight.

"So how long until I get to push? I want this to be over with already." He complained loudly, looking back at his friend.

"That's up to you, dear," One of the midwives next to him replied, "But if you start pushing too soon, you will just tire yourself out; it's best to wait." Wei Ying nodded, but shuffled uncomfortably in his half-baked nest. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as it should be, but all his plush furs and pillows were in Yunmeng, and he hadn't been able to get them.

"Here, let's walk a bit. Sometimes that can help move the baby along." The same older woman suggested kindly, reaching her hand to offer some help. Wei Wuxian gratefully accepted.

She was right, walking did help distract him from the discomfort, but this was easily his tenth time or so standing up. Every time he did, he ended up having to lie back down when the contractions hit him like a horse.

He hobbled around, one hand on his protruding stomach, the other on his back. The omega made his way over to where Wen Qing was sitting, a small desk scattered in a mix of her medical literature and his own talisman.

"Watcha reading?" He asked, peaking over her shoulder to try and distract himself.

She turned to respond, but quickly raised her hand to cover her nose.

"Sorry, it's just. . . You smell very strong, Wei Ying. I am normally much more professional than this, but I'm also not usually this personal with my patients." She muttered through her sleeved hand, eyes downturned with shame.

"No, it's okay. I understand. I'm honestly impressed you haven't gone mad yet. I'm sure my pheromones are driving you up the wall." He replied, looking away.

"It's not that. . . I, it's just my instincts are mad at me for not helping you. Despite how much I claim to my immunity to pheromones, you are still an omega, a pregnant one at that, in distress. My alpha wants to comfort you, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable." She returned, still not looking at him.

A smile broke across his face; he couldn't help it. Wei Ying was just relieved he wasn't absolutely disgusting to Wen Qing. Even though they had barely known each other for more than a year, he would still consider her a very good friend. She had helped him through so much; he probably wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for her.

Wei Ying reached forward and crushed the alpha in a hug; he really couldn't help it. The omega felt the urge to giggle at how stiff she grew under the sudden contact, then how quickly she relaxed. A deep, rich scent flowed from the female alpha. Soft at first, but growing steadier the longer he hugged her.

The Jasmine and ginger were comforting, and the subtle smell of herbs he couldn't name was happy and warm. Wen Qing wasn't his alpha, but her scent still sent a shiver down his spine, the pheromones telling his muscles to relax.

"Damn, that shit's like magic." He huffed out a laugh, letting go of the Wen doctor. So far, her scent had worked better at helping him relax than any of the herbal teas he'd been fed combined.

"I might not be the best option out there, but if you wish, I can lend you my scent." She smiled, the shyness net very effectively masked as she looked back up at him. Wei Ying nodded, just happy to have something to use as a crutch.

"But seriously, what are you reading so astutely?" He asked again, looking over at the books that weren't his.

"Acupuncture and Labour. I'm trying to verify a theory before I offer it as a solution." Wei Wuxian quirked a brow, wondering what she meant.

"Remember what I did during the last procedure I performed on you?" She asked, flipping through the papers in search of a diagram.

"Honestly, no. I think I blocked out everything that happened the second it was done." He said jokingly, but his self-deprecation was quickly shut down with a glare.

"Acupuncture needle laced with a sedative into the spinal column. Deep enough that the drug will be passed from that point downwards, but shallow enough that I don't hit any nerves." She explained, finally finding the image she was looking for. Wei Ying winced just thinking about it.

"Didn't that not work last time? I think I remember you saying something like that." He replied with a question.

"Well, no, but that was because we needed you're meridians awake. Right now, however, we just need to numb you a bit, and meridians don't take a large part in childbirth." She answered, tapping the paper thoughtfully.

Wen Qing turned to look at the midwives in the room, briefly explaining her theory. They looked skeptical, but agreed it could work. The spinal column wasn't connected to the fetus in any meaningful way. That meant that, unlike any pain medications that were taken orally or intravenously, it was very unlikely to be passed to his pup. But the risk of nicking a nerve and then him losing control over his lower half could cause other issues. For birth and in general.

"Maybe ask me again later?" He supplied, although the answer seemed more like a question than anything.

"Good idea, I'll keep looking then." She said, turning back to her books.

Wei Wuxian then spent the rest of the time until his next contraction pacing around in Wen Qing's general area. The woman no longer reining in her scent, but it was of no mind, because Wei Ying was eagerly soaking it all in.

The next contraction, however, hit him harder than all the previous ones. It was stronger, longer and more intense than he thought possible.

He ended up dropping to the ground, with Wen Qing and some of the midwives instantly at his sides. They were quick to guide him back to his nest, even as he shouted curses and cussed out everybody present on not. Death grip on Wen Qing, and the string of profanities continued.

“MOTHERFUCKER!! Oh, fucking shit, I’m gonna kill him the next time I see him! Asshole, this is all HIS FUCKING FAULT!” He shouted, his voice rapidly growing hoarse. He wanted to punch Lan Zhan in the face so fucking badly, knock his stupidly perfect teeth down his horrendously pretty throat! He would do anything to be able to strangle the man right now.

“Breath, Wei Ying. If you don’t breathe, you’re going to pass out.” Wen Qing’s voice instructed from his side, her cool hand still gripped firmly in his. Her rich scent was pleasing, the pheromones laced with the instructions to breathe. He hadn’t even realized he had started holding his breath. Not until her pheromone-laced words brought his fading vision into focus.

With a stuttered gasp, he opened his mouth, taking in as much air as possible, only to let it back out with yet another string of curses. Although it wasn’t clear, he was pretty sure he was cursing the entire Lan bloodline. Their bloodline and their stupid rules.

Once the contraction finally passed, he turned to Wen Qing and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna take that needle. . . And maybe some water.”

---------------

“How do you feel?” Wen Qing asked, her chilly hands still on his bare back.

“Tingly?” He replied.

“You can’t answer with a question, Wei Ying.” She scolded, but he paid her no mind.

“Tingly.”

“Can you feel this?” She asked, a pad of pressure against his leg was his only sensation.

“Not really. No touch sensation, just pressure.” He described.

“Okay, how about now?” She asked again after a couple of moments and some fiddling with the needles in his back.

“Less pressure than before. Honestly, barely anything at all.”

“Okay, that’s good. That’s what we want. Now, if any of your muscles start to spasm, or something starts to hurt really badly, and not in a contraction kind of way. Let me know immediately.” She replied, the relief in her voice evident.

“I’m going to take the needles out. The dose should last for about an hour; if it starts to wear off soon, just let me as well.” She finished, taping up her back with some clean cloth and adhesive.

Wei Ying felt his body sag with exhaustion. Worse than he had ever felt before. It had been what, thirteen hours since his contractions had officially started? And he had been in pain for the vast majority of it.

He felt his eyes begin to close despite his protest.

“It’s okay if I sleep for a bit?” He half asked, half mumbled.

“Yes, of course, hun. Get as much rest as you can, you’re going to need it for when it comes time to push.” The elder midwife replied, patting his hand comfortingly.

So Wei Ying did just that, passing out at a speed that was nobody’s business.

The next thing he remembered was waking up in excruciating pain, with an urge to take a shit like no other.

“Wen Qing! WEN QING!? SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!” He cried out, startling the women in the room. They all began to move with a start, each running to grab something or coming to his side.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did the drugs wear off?” She asked and turned to see that she was still sitting next to him. The book in her hands was quickly put aside when she saw the panic on his face.

“I have to use the restroom really badly!” He said in a half-whisper.

“What kind?” She replied, looking around the room at the other women.

“I need to take a shit. Like right now!” He cried out, struggling into a half-sitting position.

“Whao, slow down. Here, let me help you up.” She did just that, but the second he was standing, he found his knees buckling into a squatting position.

Pure mortification washed over him; he did not want to defecate on the floor, in front of a bunch of strangers. A sob wracked through him as another wave of the contraction crashed over him. His vice on Wen Qing returned the second she was within reach.

“I need to push!” He cried, his body tensing without his permission.

“Wen-JIE!” Wen Qing shouted the older woman’s name, and she came running, performing a half slide to a kneeling position that was spectacular for her age. She stopped just behind him, one hand gently bracing against his thigh.

“I’m going to check to see if the baby is ready, okay?” She explained, waiting for his struggling nod before continuing.

Her hand was warm, but it was still uncomfortable nonetheless.

“Alright, Wei Wuxian. If you need to push, go ahead. You are fully dilated, and I can feel the hair on your son’s head; he’s right up against your cervix.” She said finally, moving her hand and shuffling back to give him some space, but still close enough to catch if need be.

Wen Qing began to back away, clearly trying to give him room and the midwives room to work. But he clamped onto her and did not let go. He could smell the worry on her pheromones, but they were still more comforting than nothing.

“Please, don’t go!” He pleaded, although his voice barely sounded like his own.

“I won’t Wei Ying, don’t worry. But you need to listen to Wen-Jie, if she tells you to do something, then do it, okay?” She replied, her voice steady and reassuring. Wei Ying nodded rapidly.

“Okay, Wei Wuxian. The next time you feel the urge to push, I want you to do just that. Bear down like you’re pooping. When I’m able to see the baby’s head, I’m going to put my hand just below his head, that way you won’t tear.” The Wen elder explained.

“TEAR!? I was only kidding when I said he would rip me open! Are you being serious?” He asked, his voice panicked, justifiably so.

“There is a possibility, but you’re labour has progressed on schedule so far, so the likelihood of a major tear is low.” She confirmed.

“So I will still rip anyway?!” He asked again, his anxiety growing.

“Most likely, but-” Wei Wuxian stood up abruptly, back as rigid as could be.

“I change my mind. I don’t want to do this anymore! I’m leaving!” He exclaimed, his feet moving towards the cave entrance. Everyone surged forward to stop him. There was no way in any universe that that would be a good idea.

“Sorry, Wei Ying. But it’s far too late for that. You’ve gotten through the majority of this; it’s only the last step to go.” Wen Qing, encouraged, still attacked Wei Ying with her hands. Even as he tried to leave, he still wouldn’t let go of his only support system.

“I’m scared.” He said out loud, he could feel tears welling up in his eyes, “I miss my Jijie.” His voice wobbled.

“It’s okay to be scared, but you’re almost done. No backing out now.” She replied, her smile laced with potent pheromones, urging him to do as he was told.

“As soon as this is over, we’ll send a message to your sister. We’ll invite her to come visit you and your son, okay?” Wei Ying nodded, his eyes leaking down his face.

The urge to push hit him again, and he bent down, doing exactly as he had been instructed. He pushed with all his might, a cry ripping from his throat. It hurt so bad, he could feel something moving inside of him, though, so it must have been working.

“Breath, Wei Ying, Please.” The words were so potent with pheromones he couldn’t help but obey, only managing to get a couple of gasps of air in before he had to push again.

He bared down, using all the might his exhausted body could offer. Once again, he felt something move, and again, and again, every time he pushed. Each time it hurt more, but each time he was encouraged to continue.

“It hurts, Wen Qing. It hurts so bad!” He cried, tears now flowing down his face.

“Almost there, I can see baby’s head!” Wen-Jie spoke up from behind him. It was encouraging, but he was so scared, and it hurt so much.

“I know it hurts, but you’ve got this. One more big push!” The female alpha encouraged, and the mix of Wei Ying’s distress and her encouragement filled the air around them. Almost there, he’s almost there.

“What if I make a terrible parent. What if I raise him terribly and he ends up just as bad as me?” Wei Ying asked in a panic, looking for any reason why having this child was a bad idea.

“What if Jiang Cheng finds out and decides to kick me out of Yunmeng Jiang? I can’t raise this pup by myself?!” He sobs, still not pushing that last push.

“That won’t happen, Wei Ying. You won’t be forced to go through this by yourself, and you will make an amazing parent! Now push, or your son will be in danger!” She replied, her eyes as true as her words.

So he pushed, with all the might he could muster, only for Wen-Jie to yell Stop. But he couldn’t; his body needed to push.

“I take back what I just said, Wei Ying. Stop pushing right now!” Her voice had a hint of panic, just as her pheromones did. And it sent Wei Ying into a spiral?

Was he such a terrible parent that he was already killing his child? His son hadn’t even made it into this world yet, and he was already screwing things up.

“The umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck; we need to get it off.” A sob wracked through his body once again. His baby was dying! He was killing his pup! Wei Ying’s omega screamed at him. He needed to push him out to he could be saved. He would do anything to save his baby. He prayed and wished for any luck that could be spared. Wei Ying’s son could have his luck; he didn’t need it!

“Wei Ying, stop pushing!” Wen Qing orders, her words nothing short of an alpha’s command. His body seized up, unsure of which instinct to follow. But in doing so, it gave enough time for the older Wen midwife to react.

“I’m cutting his umbilical cord right now. I can’t get it off by unwrapping it.” She narrated as she did just that. Snipping of scissors could be heard; through Wei Ying’s panic, it sounded almost as if she was cutting through a thick, wet cloth.

But then the previous resistance he was feeling gave way, and his son practically fell out with nothing more than a small push. It got so quiet that a feather could have been heard hitting the floor.

Then the shrill sound of a baby crying cut through the air, and Wei Ying’s knees completely gave out from under him. In a daze, Wen Qing and a few other midwives helped him back into his nest, another helped him pass his placenta, the large, bloody organ coming out in one piece. A good thing they said.

But he felt detached from his body, like his soul was floating away. His son’s cries were loud and strong. Another good thing, they said. But it didn’t mean anything right now, right now, he needed to hold his son.

“Wei Ying? Wei Ying opens you’re arms.” Wen Qing’s steady voice ordered, her scent happy and comforting. He did his best, but every part of his body felt weak, even the muscles he hadn't been using.

A naked, slimy baby was placed against his chest. The infant was warm and writhing. His son was alive. As if something reached up into the spiritual plane and pulled Wei Ying's spirit back into his body, he was grounded again, his son was in his arms.

His loud, slimy and a little ugly son was in his arms.

. . . 

"Is he supposed to look like that?" Wei Ying asked, dazed, "Weren't babies supposed to be cute?"

"Yes, Wei Ying. He's supposed to look like that." Wen Qing said with the hint of a laugh.

The omega scrunched up his nose, studying the pup a second longer before leaning down to take a whiff. He wasn't sure why; the wrinkly thing wasn't all that appealing to look at. But he did so anyway.

And thank the gods above, he did. His son smelled the most amazing Wei Ying had smelled. He sent him right to serotonin heaven. The dopamine running rampant through his veins quickly changed his opinion on his son's cuteness.

This baby was the cutest, most amazing thing in the entire world. His scent was that of spicy sandalwood, light, homey and refreshing. 

The tears that streaked his face now were those of joy, instead of fear or pain.

"I hope you have the best life possible. My Wish is that you live strong, happy and healthy. My little hope, Wei Yuan."

Chapter Text

“I’m alright to go by myself, A-Cheng. I don’t need an escort.” Jiang Yanli said, looking down at the letter in her hand.

“There is a war going on, the Wen previously occupied Yilling, and you are the sibling of a sect leader and engaged to the heir of another. You are not going by yourself.” Jiang Cheng replied, still stuffing a Qiankun pouch full of snacks.

“Yilling is Jiang territory, and the Wen have since vacated the area. Wei Ying asked me to visit. I want to make sure he is safe.” Jiang Yanli argued back, her eyebrows furrowing with annoyance.

“As do I. That idiot is my brother as well!” The alpha growled, not looking back at his sister, “He needs a good talking to, and you coddle him far too much to give it to him.” Jiang Cheng turned around just in time to watch his sister’s features soften, looking a little sad.

“If he wanted you to come, he would have sent you a letter,” JiangYanli replied.

“I don’t care if he invited me or not. He’s been missing for two weeks! Last time we lost track of him, he was gone for over three months and came back a demonic cultivator!” A sardonic smile plastered on his face as he spoke.

“A-Cheng-” His older sister started, but he cut her off, “No. I’m sorry, but I’m coming too. Whatever it is you’re trying to hide, I don’t care. I just need to give A-Ying a proper throttle.” He barked, his hands waving dramatically in the air.

“I will meet you outside in an hour. I need to finish up some things before we leave.” Jiang Cheng stated before walking out the door.

He didn’t care what his siblings were trying to hide; he just needed to make sure his brother wasn’t dead.

---------------

They made it to the base of the mountain early the next morning. His tasks from the afternoon prior had ended up taking longer than expected, so they left just before dark. They travelled till roughly midnight, until Jiang Yanli decided it was best if they rested and got to Yilling the next day. She said it was best not to exhaust themselves.

Over the past couple of hours, Jiang Yanli’s scent had been progressively getting more and more nervous. But underneath her anxiety, excitement could be detected. Jiang Cheng tried to ask about it, but she had shut him down almost immediately.

He didn’t know why they were in Yilling, just that this was where Wei Wuxian had said they should meet. The looming shadow of the burial mounds was suffocating; he really hoped that place had nothing to do with it. He really hoped his brother was alive.

. . . That way, he could kill the omega himself!

Asshole had him worried out of his mind. When Jiejie had notified him that Wei Ying had never shown up in Lanling, Jiang Cheng began to panic. He couldn’t lose him again; once was more than enough. The last time, seeing Wei Wuxian as skin and bones, his eyes hollow and morbid. If he had anything to do with it, that would never happen again!

Luckily, Jiang Cheng had been with Jiang Yanli when the letter had arrived. The relief from the two siblings had been thick and palpable in the air.

Jiang Yanli turned a wary eye to the dead grounds. It was clear from her expression that she could feel the negative energy that radiated from the place.

“We really need to exercise that place. It’s in our territory, and it can’t be good for the people living in Yilling.” She noted allowed, but she knew the reason why they hadn’t. Anything of that quantity and that old would take more than the entire cultivation world working together to properly exercise. They didn’t have the manpower for it, and trying would just be a waste of resources.

“It’s no use.” The alpha responded, curt and true.

“Where exactly did Wei Ying want us to wait?” He asked, turning to his sister.

“He just said the base of the burial mounds, by the far end of Yilling. So not very precise.” She replied, looking around the street. It was run down, but still lively. Although the further they walked towards the burial mounds, the fewer and further in between were the sightings of other people. It was obvious the people of Yilling knew better than to get too close to the mountain.

“Don’t tell me he’s hiding in there.” Jiang Cheng said with exasperation. He was being honest before; he really didn’t want to deal with that place. The two siblings ended up finding a tree to sit under and spent the next little while waiting, hoping that they were in the right spot.

Eventually, a figure in the distance could be seen approaching, and as it got closer, Jiang Cheng quickly recognized it.

“Wen. . . Qing?” He pondered out loud. Why would she be here?

“You know her A-Cheng?” Jiang Yanli asked, looking between her brother and the rapidly approaching woman.

“Ah- Yes. She helped Wei Ying and I after the attack on Lotus Pier. I don’t know why she’s here.” He responded, quirking his head to the side.

“Oh! A-Qing! Wei Ying mentioned her. A-Qing as in Wen Qing! I’ve never met her, but I’ve heard of some of her medical feats.” Jiang Yanli perked up as she recognized the name.

“I would hope so. She’s the one who took care of me after my golden core was returned. Her and her brother.” Jiang Cheng nodded solemnly, but his eyebrows still furrowed.

He had heard of some of what Wen Ruohan had her doing. She was still a Wen; he really hoped she was still on their side. The alpha would hate to have to kill the woman who did so much for him.

“Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Yanli.” She greeted politely with a small bow once she made it to a conversational distance. The Jiang siblings returned it, although hesitantly, on Jiang Cheng’s half. He was still thoroughly confused as to why she was here, and a little on edge.

She was a doctor! Was Wei Ying hurt!?

As if sensing his panic, she turned to him and spoke.

“Your brother is fine, just a little preoccupied at the moment. I offered to come fetch you in his stead.” She replied smoothly.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Wen Qing! My brothers have only sung your praise.” Jiang Yanli broke in, a massive smile on her face, but there was still worry in her scent.

“Your brother talks about you quite often as well. I have heard much of you.” The female alpha returns the smile, although more subdued than his sister.

“How is he doing? I received his letter and came as soon as possible.” The female omega asked. Once again, Jiang Cheng found his eyes flitting towards her in confusion. He had never actually gotten the chance to read his brother’s letter; any time he tried, Jiang Yanli had been quick to whisk it away from his hands.

“Very well, all things considered. And his p-” Wen Qing replied but cut herself off before she could finish, as if remembering something.

“And his what?” Jiang Cheng butted in, feeling a little annoyed that he wasn’t in the know. Especially when his sister and this, albeit helpful, stranger, were.

“Uh, I think he should tell you himself.” Jiang Yanli replied for the Wen alpha. Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow, and his frown deepened. He could feel his anger beginning to simmer.

“Yes, that would be best. Although I am unaware as to whether he was expecting you.” Wen Qing responded, turning an almost stern look in his direction.

“A surprise visit. I need to make sure my brother isn’t killing himself.” He said sarcastically, his frown growing even deeper, now just short of a scowl.

“Fair enough. Follow me!” Wen Qing finished, then spun to lead them back up the way she had come.

The trip was relatively quick, especially for terrain such as the burial mounds. As Jiang Cheng studied his surroundings, he realized the path they took seemed far more kept, and overall bathed in far less miasma than the ground to either side of them. The closer he looked, the more he noticed. Such as the trees or stones plastered with a talisman, or carved directly into their surfaces. He found himself vaguely recognizing the symbols. They were extremely similar to those on Wei Wuxian’s talisman, the ones he had used on the battlefield.

Despite still being unsettled by how they were simply walking into the burial mounds, his gut unclenched slightly when he realized the subdued negative Qi was his brother’s doing. He wasn’t walking into a Wen trap, at least that was a step in the right direction.

They continued until they came upon something like an encampment. Small wooded shacks were in the process of being built, and there were stacks of firewood piled up under the overhang of a rock ledge. But most importantly, there were Wen. There were Wen everywhere, and there had to be at least sixty of them!

Jiang Cheng reached for his sword, his hand gripping tightly on the hilt. This was a Wen trap!

His lips began to curl into a snarl, the sudden change in his scent alerting his sister and Wen Qing to his sudden change in demeanour. Both women, who had previously been walking ahead of him, whipped their heads around.

“A-Cheng! Put that away!” Jiang Yanli scolded immediately. When her younger didn’t do as she said, she marched towards him, hand outstretched to pull the blade back into its sheath.

“It’s a trap! We were led into a trap!” The Jiang alpha growled out, not loud, but still at a point where Wen Qing could hear him.

“I can guarantee it is not.” Wen Qing stated firmly, “And I highly recommend you listen to your sister’s voice of reason. I don’t want to have to knock you out, but I will if I have to.” Her eyes were just as sharp as the needles now held between her fingers.

“I deeply apologize for my brother’s accusation. It is my fault. In my haste, I forgot to inform him of everything that was going on. He is of no threat to you or your family.” Jiang Yanli apologized, standing in front of her brother, shielding him with her body, but her hand still pressed firmly to the hilt of Jiang Cheng’s sword. She turned to give him a vicious glare.

No one spoke for a few tense moments, not until Jiang Cheng’s bristles softened and his body language began to untense. He was still not relaxed, but at least his hand was no longer on his blade.

“What exactly is going on here?” He questioned; his voice indicated he wanted any response to get straight to the point.

“Long story, but the Dafan-Wen defected. Wei Wuxian is hiding us here until we can find somewhere safe to stay.” Wen Qing’s reply was curt, picking up on his indication.

Jiang Cheng didn’t respond for another long while, his thoughts racing.

Why would Wei Wuxian do that? Why wouldn’t he inform his brother that he was doing this? Why was he helping the Wen? Well, the answer to the last question was pretty obvious: he was repaying a debt, helping a friend. But still, what happened that made everything so sudden?

He asked none of those questions; instead, just nodding, his body finally beginning to relax. Despite all of Wen Qing’s more, shall we say, prickly nature, she was honest. Jiang Cheng believed her. And even if he didn’t, he still owed her a debt himself, despite the fact that it hadn’t been one of his choosing.

“If we are done here, then I’m sure you would like to talk to your brother. That is the reason you came, is it not?” Wen Qing asked, dropping the topic, but her hackles were still raised. She was still on edge.

“It is. Where might we find him?” Jiang Yanli replied, not leaving room for her younger brother to respond.

“I will show you.”

They headed a little further up the hill until they came to a large mouth in one of the rock faces. A massive cave was carved into the mountain, and talismans hung thick along the outer rim.

As they entered, a few, less fit Wen were sitting around a fire, some others counting stores of supplies. They, however, continued, Jiang Cheng just barely catching a glimpse of a child scooting behind a young woman.

There were only children and the elderly in here. While yes, there were some younger, more fit cultivators and people outside, they seemed little to no threat.

The Jiang siblings followed the Wen alpha further into the cave, something akin to a passageway to another corridor, far deeper into the mountain than the first, much larger room they had previously been in.

Outside the cave, there was still negative Qi, even if it was heavily muffled. Now, however, as they went deeper and deeper, the resentful energy was so diminished that it was practically non-existent. An impressive feat considering they were in what could be called the heart of the burial mounds.

Jiang Cheng had a feeling that the sigils carved into the stone walls had something to do with it. When his hand gently brushed against one, he could feel the warm Qi radiating from it. He wasn’t able to tell whether it was Yin or Yang, though, something concerning to think about at a later date.

“He’s just up ahead. He might be asleep, though.” Wen Qing said, her voice quieter than before, softer. Jiang Cheng furrowed his brow yet again, picking up on the drastic tonal change from before.

But it was quickly forgotten as he became distracted by his sister. Jiang Yanli was practically vibrating, her excitement and anxiety made him reach up to cover his nose. She noticed and gave him an apologetic look. Normally, she was much better at controlling her pheromones.

“Sorry, A-Cheng. It’s just-” But she stopped talking before she finished her sentence, a cheek-tearing smile broke across her face, and she stepped ahead of both alphas.

“Wei Ying! Oh my goodness! Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere? Are you hungry? Do you need something to eat?” She shot off the rapid-fire questions, rushing forward to wrap her younger brother in a massive hug.

“SHIJIE!” Wei Ying cried out after the initial startle of being surprise hugged from behind. He looked ready to sob.

His body language shifted, going stiff when he finally noticed Jiang Cheng entering the room, not too far behind his sister.

“A-Cheng? I wasn’t expecting you!” His voice wavered a bit, but despite his hesitance, the omega still seemed relatively happy to see his brother.

Jiang Cheng marched forward, his steps heavy, and he watched as Wei Ying’s face tightened with worry.

“Where the fuck have you been!? You disappear, AGAIN, with no letter or anything! You’re lucky you’re still alive, that way I can kill you myself!” Jiang Cheng growls, his for raising.

Wei Ying stepped back, now no longer protected in his sister’s warm embrace. But it didn’t stop Jiang Cheng from getting right in his brother’s face eventually.

“A-Cheng, I-” he started, but did not finish.

“No, absolutely not! No excuses! Where were you and what the fuck were you doing!? Why did it take you so fuckig long to send any notice that you were still alive?! I thought you were dead! AGAIN! For the SECOND TIME IN ONE YEAR!” He practically shouted in the man’s face. Jiang Cheng backed up to take a breath, to try and calm his heart rate. In doing so, his nose twitched when he picked up something. An odd, unfamiliar scent.

“Why aren’t you wearing your scent blockers? This place is full of people!” He scolded, his tone softening to a half yell, half whisper. The alpha looked over his shoulder to glare accusingly at Wen Qing.

“And full of alphas!” He said resolutely. His instincts were telling him to rip out the jugular of anyone who might be a threat to his brother, to his family.

That was odd. He paused. Even for him, he never got angry that quickly. His nose twitched again, picking up on that same scent from before.

It was all around them in the room; it was coming off Wei Ying.

“What on earth is that smell?” He asked, raising his head to try and get a better indication of what it might be.

“So, Jiang Cheng. I’m going to tell you something, but first you have to promise not to be mad. Well, that’s actually absurd of me to ask you, but you have to at least promise to hear me out before you get mad. No, that's not right either. A-Cheng, pleasedon’tmurderme!” Wei Ying said, his words fast and almost jumbled together.

He reached behind him, into a pile of blankets and pillows on a rock slab that Jiang Cheng hadn’t noticed before, and pulled something out. It looked like a pile of blankets, wound tightly around itself. The omega moved back towards the Jiang alpha, not looking up to meet his eyes. Instead, his eyes never left the bundle of blankets.

“A-Cheng, open your arms!” Jiang Yanli whispered from beside him. He did just that, but was about to ask why when the bundle was placed into his grip.

His nose recognized what was in his arms before his eyes did. And his instincts told him not to let go before Jiang Yanli could tell him to be careful.

In his arms, wrapped in a large bundle of warm blankets, was a face. A tiny face.

A very tiny face.

Connected to a very tiny body.

A very tiny person?

A pup?

A newborn pup?

“What’s this? I don’t get it.” Jiang Cheng asked, looking up at his brother before his gaze was drawn back down to the infant wrapped in his arms. His grip tightened as he started to freak out a little bit. What if he dropped the baby? That would be really bad.

Every once of anger, of tension that had previously run through his muscles evaporated in an instant. It was like he deflated completely, nothing except this warm feeling in his chest, and pure confusion in his head.

“Meet A-Yuan.” Wei Ying replied quietly, but a small smile was now forming on his lips.

“Y-your nephew.” He stuttered out the last two words.

“Excuse me? My what?” Jiang Cheng asked, his voice an octave higher than before. Despite the warmth inside him, something chilly ran over his skin; he was sure to have goosebumps.

“He’s your nephew, A-Cheng! Isn’t he adorable?” Jiang Yanli spoke softly, her voice so full of smiles that he didn’t need to look at her face to know what her expression currently was. He could feel her heartbeat as she hung slightly off his shoulder, the female omega trying to get a better look at the baby in his arms.

“Where did he come from?” The Jiang alpha asked, still in shock. He heard his brother snort out a laugh.

“You’re kidding?” Wei Ying asked with a small smile, but seeing the pure look of confusion on his brother’s face, his own expression changed, “A-Cheng? Oh, oh no. You’re not kidding.”

“Here, how about you sit down?” Wei Ying started to pull him towards one of the old wooden chairs beside his nest. Jiang Cheng started to follow, still in a daze, but then froze. The cogs in his brain are finally beginning to turn. Turning in the wrong direction, however.

“Where did you get him? This is a newborn pup, Wei Ying! You can’t just take someone’s child!” He started to scold, looking completely panicked.

“Jiang Cheng, hey, A-Cheng! Just shut up and listen for a sec.” Wei Ying cut in, placing a hand on the alpha’s shoulder.

“He is my son, A-Cheng. I gave birth to him. A-Yuan is definitely my pup, and he is definitely your nephew.” The omega replied, looking extremely amused, but inclined to make sure his.

Everyone in the room held their breath as Jiang Cheng’s brain finally started to put the puzzle pieces together. Even though the puzzle was an easy one, put on clear display, it was entertaining watching the Jiang alpha have such a hard time wrapping his mind around it.

“Wait. . .WHAT!?” He practically shouted, but was immediately shushed by his siblings, both of them gesturing to the sleeping infant in his arms.

“When did this- How did it- Why?” He stuttered between questions, unsure of what he wanted to know first, or what he wanted to know in general.

“How did I not notice? Why didn’t you tell me?” Jiang Cheng all but demanded, still carefully cradling his infant nephew in his arms.

“Well, I only really started showing during the winter, and the cold weather gave me a perfect excuse to stay covered up. The hardest part was making sure you wouldn't be able to smell it on me. And, the reason I didn’t tell you was because, well, because I knew you’d be mad.” Wei Ying explained, flinching away as if preparing to be yelled at.

“Why would I- WHOSE HIS FATHER!?” Jiang Cheng suddenly questioned, changing his sentence halfway through speaking. He leant down to sniff the baby, picking up two very distinct scents. He turned, hackles raised and lip curled in Wen Qing’s direction.

“Is she his fucking sire?” He growled, ready to murder the woman.

“What? No! No, absolutely not!” Wei Ying responded almost as quickly as the words left his brother’s mouth.

“Then why does he smell like her? Your pup is absolutely drenched in her scent!” The Jiang alpha accused, still ready to jump the other alpha in the room. The woman in question had her eyes wide, but no reaction otherwise. She seemed guilty; he had noticed how soft she was acting towards his brother, maybe this was the reason.

“Wen Qing is my friend. She’s also one of the only alphas here that I felt comfortable with scenting A-Yuan. He needs more than just my scent to thrive, especially during the first few months of life. I asked her to help. That’s it. She is not his sire.” He explained, his tone still a little panicky, but not nearly as sporadic as it had been just moments earlier.

“Then who is his sire?” Jiang Cheng prodded, not willing to let the topic go.

“That doesn’t matter anymore; it’s besides the point.” The omega refuted.

“It absolutely does! Whoever knocked you up out of wedlock needs to take responsibility. After I beat them to a pulp, of course, you can have whatever is left over.” Jiang Cheng stated so matter-of-factly that it seemed like there was no other possible solution.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not.”

“That’s not a reason!”

“Yes, it is! If I say it’s a reason, then it is!” Wei Ying shut his brother down, his face and scent growing distressed.

“You can’t raise him alone, Wei Ying!” Jiang Cheng replied, still clutching the pup safely to his chest.

“I won’t be. I have Shijie, Wen Qing, and I have you! That’s not alone.”

“You know what I mean. He’ll be considered a bastard, you don’t want that for him!”

“Well, that can’t be helped now, can it? I already gave birth to him, didn’t I?” Wei Ying countered, his voice sounding hurt and frustrated.

“Who did this to you? I will find them and make them pay!” Jiang Cheng offered. It was meant as a comfort, but it only seemed to upset his brother more.

“I’m not telling you! It takes more than one person to make a pup, A-Cheng. You can’t blame someone else; it was my choice as well.” The omega growled, his eyes rimming with red as he spoke.

“Oh, I definitely can! Just tell me who! I will find out eventually anyway!”

“Okay. That’s enough! The both of you!” Jiang Yanli suddenly said, butting into their argument.

“This is supposed to be a happy moment. You two arguing is just ruining it!” She scolded, shaking her finger in each of their directions, “A-Cheng, if he doesn’t want to tell you, then it is none of your business. And A-Ying,” She turns to face her other brother, “Jiang Cheng is just worried for you, he’s trying to protect you. Now, I want both of you to apologize.”

She stepped back, letting the two men look each other in the face once again.

“I’m sorry I yelled, but Shijie is right, this is none of your business.” Wei Ying finally responded after a long pause; he felt like a scolded child all over again.

“It is my business. I’ve said this before, and I will say it again because it doesn’t seem to want to stick in that thick skull of yours: You are my brother, an omega in my family, and I am literally responsible for you! If something like this happened to you, it is my business to make sure everything is taken care of. I am supposed to protect you, but I can’t do my job if you won't let me.” Jiang Cheng’s tone ended up sounding more pleading than he intended, but he at least hoped it got the point across.

Wei Ying didn’t respond, but he also didn’t deny the claim, so that was something.

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t tell you. Maybe someday in the future, but not today.” He finally replied, but his words were slow and carefully predetermined. Jiang Cheng opened his mouth to protest, but a stern look from their sister shut him down before the words could escape his lips.

“Alright, now if that is taken care of, it’s my turn to hold A-Yuan!” Jiang Yanli exclaimed, walking back up to Jiang Cheng and slowly peeling the infant from his tight embrace. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding onto the pup that hard. Now, as he let go, he watched sadly as the baby squirmed a bit in his sleep before settling back down in the warm, comfortably scented embrace of his aunt.

“He’s so tiny, A-Ying! He has to be the cutest thing I have ever seen.” Their sister cooed, a finger coming up to gently poke the pup’s plump cheek.

“Well, he sure didn’t feel tiny when I was pushing him into existence.” Wei Ying joked, Jiang Yanli laughed, and Jiang Cheng grimaced a little in disgust. He didn’t need to hear that.

“He has the same cheeks as you did when you were a kid! I can already see the resemblance.” She cheered, not leaving the baby alone to his rest.

“Uhm, Wei Ying? Why is he so crinkly?” The female omega asked, barging up the odd crunching that was coming from the baby’s bundle of blankets.

“Ah, that's, uh. Those are talismans to help make sure no negative Qi will affect him.” He replied, watching as his sister admired his son.

Even Jiang Cheng couldn’t help the way his stomach kindled with warmth. He could only imagine how Wei Ying must be feeling.

Wow, he was really an uncle now!

Chapter Text

Wei Ying curled tightly around his sleeping son, the little pup squirming slightly before settling down once more into the crook of the man's abdomen. Despite being deep in the cave, the omega could still hear the downpour of rain as it echoed through the corridors. Yet another of the many downsides of living in a cave: the acoustics.

Despite the chill that the rain brought, Wei Ying did his utmost to guarantee it never nipped at his son's delicate skin. He pressed his nose to his son's scalp, inhaling deeply. His A-Yuan was the best smell in the entire world, and no one could convince him otherwise.

The small, chubby pup was wrapped in thick furs, each one warmer and more expensive than the last. Only a couple of days after the Jiang siblings had left, crates upon crates of gifts had been left in Yilling under his name. The only reason he had found out in the first place had been because a terrified shopkeeper had found Wen Qing on the outskirts of the Burial mounds and had begged her to take them. There had been so many that it had apparently been disrupting his business.

Wei Ying was grateful to his hot-headed brother, even more so because he hadn't been the only one using them. The young and elderly, hidden in the burial mounds, had put the excess to good use. Because honestly, there was no way he could possibly use everything his brother had gifted him himself.

The omega let out a small, exasperated huff before deciding it was irrelevant and returning his attention to properly scenting his son. His wrists rubbed gently into any of his pup's exposed skin. When his instincts told him it wasn't enough, he began to unravel the infant to get better access.

His hormones were at an all-time high, and for once in his life, it wasn't a horribly negative experience. Along with the heightened hormones came the cuteness aggression, something the omega hadn't exactly been expecting.

"Sorry, Boabei, you don't smell quite right yet." Wei Ying tried to appease against his pup's fine hair as he pulled away at the now annoying furs. The baby let out a garble, almost as if he was protesting, but didn't struggle against Wei Ying's warm and familiar hands.

Once the first few layers were pulled away, the omega paused, slowly tracing his hands over the numerous talismans that were layered onto the inner fabric of his son's garments. It was for his protection, but the scents that they gave off made Wei Ying scrunch his nose. His baby shouldn't smell like that.

It wasn't a generally unpleasant scent; it was smoky and almost minty, but it was different. Yes, A-Yuan still gave off the intensely pleasant baby scent that Wen Qing claimed most children had (not just his pup). But his scent, A-Yuan's scent, wasn't there.

Ignoring the papers, he pulled his son up close to his face, allowing his scent to seep from the scent glands on his neck. If he wasn't able to smell his pup's scent, then the least he should be allowed was for the infant to be bathed in his own.

"If the talismans are bothering you that much, then just take them off." Wen Qing supplied unhelpfully from across the room. Wei Ying poked his head out of his nest to glare at the alpha.

"I can't take them off, they're for his protection." The omega countered, snuggling so close to his child that the only way they could get any closer is if he absorbed A-Yuan into his skin.

"Are you sure they aren't for your protection, Wei Ying?" The Wen doctor raised her eyebrow, although nothing more was expressed on her face.

"That's not fair." Wei Wuxian huffed back, a pout on his lips. But he couldn't deny the truth behind the statement, regardless of how much it hurt.

"I doubt there's anyone here who will recognize A-Yuan's sire from his scent alone. I doubt few of the people here have even met him." Wen Qing said flatly, putting down the herbs she was organizing to face his direction.

"But you might, and you never know who other people have met." He tried to rebuke, but even he could tell he was scrambling for an excuse.

"Wei Ying, I knew who A-Yuan's father was from the second he opened his eyes. Gold isn't a very prevalent eye colour." Her tone sounded a little sad, but the omega wasn't quite sure as to why. He looked away, back down at his son, who now stared back up at him with blinking brown eyes.

He missed the golden eyes, in reality just a light brown that made them look yellow, but still another feature of his son's that he was trying to cover with a talisman.

While yes, he hadn't been completely lying to his siblings about the Yin protection talisman, some of them were, but the vast majority of the papers that covered his son's clothes were concealment talismans. When he sent for his Shijie, he had been expecting Jiang Cheng to show up as well, so he had layered them especially thick that day.

A-Yuan wiggled in his grasp, but made little sound. In general, the pup made little noise. At first, Wei Wuxian had been worried out of his wits at the lack of crying. Everyone always told him that babies were loud and fussy, so much so that it would drive him mad with their crying. It got to the point where he had each and every one of the midwives check his son for illness, then had Wen Qing confirm everything they said.

He was a perfectly normal, happy pup. Wei Wuxian was relieved, but he still couldn't help but wonder if the Yin energy in this place would eventually affect his son.

While yes, his son did cry, he was relatively easy to console. A-Yuan would cry when he was hungry or in need of a change of undergarments, but as soon as either problem was corrected, he was back to being the happily quiet baby he usually was.

Maybe he took after his father? Because there was no way Wei Wuxian was this docile as an infant.

Everyone in the Burial Mounds knew that a pup had been born, although they had yet to meet him. Every time Wei Wuxian would leave to go outside for one reason or another, he would hear the Wen whispering about his son. Nothing malicious so far, but they seemed both excited and worried.

He squeezed his son closer to the scent glands on his neck yet again, letting another wave of pheromones bathe the pup. A soft rumble crept from his throat, warm and deep. It had been a long time since he purred as freely as he did these days, longer than he would like to admit.

Wei Wuxian wished that Lan Wangji could meet his son. Despite the reality of how the situation would play out, he could still almost imagine the soft look in his eyes and the comfort in his scent. The Lan Jade would look spectacular with a pup in his arms.

"Do you want something to eat?" Wen Qing asked after a little while, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous room. Wei Wuxian startled, his purring stuttering to a halt; he had forgotten she was still here. He could, however, hear his stomach as it began to grumble at the mention of food.

"Sure." He replied, keeping his voice low so as not to wake his sleeping son. Wen Qing nodded, then politely excused herself.

Even after there was no longer a parasite inside of him leaching off his nutrients, A-Yuan still depended heavily on Wei Ying for sustenance. And as it turned out, producing milk required Wei Wuxian to eat almost just as much as he did while he was pregnant.

The first time A-Yuan had latched onto him, he had helped with surprise. When he actually started to supply mild in return, he had been just as shocked. Logically, he knew that when someone gave birth, they needed a way to feed a pup that couldn't eat solid food. But he had always thought that it just happened with women!

Looking back now, that was stupid of him to believe; of course, male omegas would also lactate. But in every piece of literature he had read, it had only ever been the female omegas and betas. So yes, it had been quite the jump scare every time his body started to leak in response to his son's hungry crying.

Wen Qing had laughed, as close to uproariously as she could, at the dumbfounded look on his face. A-Yuan tucked halfway into his open robes, suckling to his heart's content, Wei Wuxian looking as stupid as ever, and Wen Qing teasing him relentlessly. It had been quite the scene to witness.

In the end, she explained everything to him thoroughly, sparing little detail. While yes, male omegas did lactate, it was once again similar to female alphas and the nature of their anatomy. Because of the much smaller amounts of fat and functioning breast tissue on both, while still rich in nutrients, the supply they could produce tended to be less than that of other female sub-genders.

Wen Qing had told him that if he ever thought A-Yuan wasn't getting enough food, he should let her know. There was no shame in being unable to sate the never-ending hunger of a pup. It was better for both omega and son to have help than for Wei Ying to try to tough it out on his own. She explained that they had a few female omegas here that were quick to restock a milk supply, even without a pup of their own, and that if needed, they would be happily willing to help out.

Omegas were naturally inclined to stay in packs, for protection and for this very reason. In many regions, especially outside of the patriarchal influence of the clans, pups would be raised by a community of omegas. Even with mated parents, the pup would grow up close to those of other couples. They would be raised, fed and nurtured by all omegas in a pack.

Wei Wuxian thought the reasons behind this made complete sense. But still, the thought of someone else raising his son made him itch. Then again, if he were to raise A-Yuan with his Shijie, or possibly even Nie Huaisang, he could sort of see the appeal. Actually, no, that sounded really nice.

The omega loved his son beyond measure, but being around him all of the time could be quite draining. A-Yuan was an easy baby; even still, Wei Wuxian always found himself tired.

"I've got dried meat, some loquats and an apple." Wen Qing announced upon her return, just in the nick of time to keep the omega from spiralling. Wei Wuxian smiled, gratefully accepting the food from her hands.

--------------

Wei Wuxian watched as Wen Qing paced back and forth, her brow low with worry. They had sent out a group of some of their best cultivators, people who could defend themselves. But now, weeks later, they had still returned no word, positive or negative.

"I should go after them. This was a terrible idea." Wen Qing muttered to herself, her pacing not ceasing.

"That would be an even worse idea." The omega replied, A-Yuan in his arms, happily getting bounced in his sleep.

"It's been too long, and I can't send any more of my family on a manhunt that I should be partaking in myself. If they aren't returning, then something must have happened." The female alpha stated, turning to look at Wei Wuxian as she walked.

"If you leave, then who will lead the people here? I know you're worried about your brother, but at this point, all we can do is wait." Wei Wuxian tried to explain, but it was weird being the responsible one for once. He wasn't used to being the voice of reason.

"I know you're right, but I'm still going to worry about A-Ning. He's smart and won't do anything stupid, but he's not powerful enough to protect himself!" She exclaimed, the omega could smell her anxiety from where he stood.

"The next time I write to my sister, I'll ask her if she can get Jiang Cheng to keep an eye out for Wen Ning. If your brother is anywhere near the front lines, Jiang Cheng will find him." He tried to reassure her, but the alpha looked doubtful.

"Here, how about in a couple of weeks, if he still hasn't made an appearance, I'll head out myself to take a look around. With the walking corpses, I'm sure to spot something that others might not have." The omega offered, but it seemed to do nothing to satiate her worry.

"You shouldn't leave A-Yuan's side, and besides, I hope it doesn't get to that point. He's been missing for almost a month now, I might just go crazy if we can't find him before then!" She scolded, then growled. It was true, he really shouldn't be leaving his pup at all during the first year of his life, but he also couldn't stand by and do nothing to help. He still owed the Wen siblings too much to do otherwise.

"I'll write to my Shijie now, we might as well get started on that front." Wei Wuxian said, moving to put his pup back into the safety of his nest. With a kiss to his soft forehead, the omega sat down at one of the desks and began writing.

Neither of them said anything; only the sound of quill on paper filled the space.

"Have you thought of A-Yuan's thirty-day ceremony at all?" Wen Qing broke the silence just as he was finishing up his letter.

"Uh, not really? We don't exactly have the goods to spare, and it's not like I can invite people to the burial mounds for a party." Wei Wuxian replied, placing the quill back on the ink block with a clack.

"It would be in a couple of days, right? You should at least see if the Jiang siblings would visit again, maybe poach some more supplies or funds in the name of your son." She replied, although her tone had a teasing lilt as she spoke.

"Honestly, Jiang Cheng might just bring things anyway, without me even needing to ask." He replied with a snicker. Every time Jiang Yanli wrote back to him, there was always at least one line describing how much Jiang Cheng was fretting. The last letter he had received had a whole paragraph dedicated to making fun of their brother. Even so, Wei Wuxian found it sweet how much Jiang Cheng seemed to care. Sometimes, he even received letters from the alpha, uncommon for the man but appreciated.

Jiang Cheng would ask after his health and his pup's, as well as give him play-by-plays of what was going on with the Sunshot campaign. It was nice to hear from his brother.

"I'll mention something about it to Jiang Yanli. I'm sure she would be excited. But no, I don't think I'm going to have a proper celebration. After all, I don't exactly have anyone I could invite." He said with a laugh, but it was partially hollow.

"I'm sure the rest of the Wen could use a bit of a party." Wen Qing replied, a small smile finally breaking through her worry.

"Is this the doctor's orders to have some fun?" Wei Ying asked, a conniving grin across his face so wide his canines gleamed.

Wen Qing just shook her head; a huff of laughter could be heard as she left the room.

---------------

Wei Wuxian sat at the center of the crowd, the Dafan-Wen on pretty much every side of him, all cooing and talking about the baby in his arms. It was the first time they were getting to meet A-Yuan; the first thirty days of his life passed without so much as a hiccup, and the baby's seclusion was finally lifted.

The first month of a pup's life is considered sacred and highly risky. The fewer people that come into contact with an infant within those first thirty days, the better. Usually, only the parents and close family members are allowed contact until the thirty-day celebration; however, an exception had been made for Wen Qing.

She was there to ensure no complications occurred, but also as a companion to Wei Wuxian. The omega had no close family who could have shared time with him. An older omega in the family or grandmother would normally spend the entire first month helping to care for the newborn pup and omega, but Wei Wuxian had none. Jiang Yanli had offered to take up that position, but it was unlikely she would be able to stay. Her clan needed her, and people would start asking questions if she disappeared for any extended period of time.

So Wen Qing had taken her place, albeit with an insane amount of pushback from Jiang Cheng. Some random, non-familial alpha that Wei Wuxian "claimed wasn't the sire," as Jiang Cheng said, shouldn't be allowed to do such a thing. It could be dangerous, and it was improper. He was quickly shut down by both Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian, however. It wasn't his place to make those decisions.

Now, as the Dafan-Wen met his pup for the first time, he couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. While yes, some of them had witnessed his pup's birth, they had been quick to leave the premises once both the omega's and the pup's health had been confirmed. Yet he was still nervous.

Even though he was being crowded, no one reached forward in an attempt to take the child from his arms, nor did they put their hands in A-Yuan's face. It was a small reprieve from his stress that these Wen had the sense to be respectful. Wei Wuxian was pretty sure Wen Qing had given them a stern talking to before this.

Everyone, while close, was polite. No one asked any questions that could have been considered invasive or rude, even if he could see them lingering behind some of the Wen aunties' eyes. It was nice being the center of attention once again, even though it was because of his pup. He missed the attention.

As the amazement began to dwindle throughout the day, people slowly left him alone, to give him more space. That was also quite nice. Then it would happen all over again tomorrow, when his siblings came along for the actual thirty-day celebration (Jiang Yanli had scolded him harshly when she found out she wasn't originally going to give him one, claiming it was bad luck).

They finished up a good stew dinner that some of the older Wen had made up in large pots. It was a communal meal, and it was refreshing to finally talk to people who weren't just Wen Qing. Yes, during the past month, he had left his room; he hadn't spent much of that time socializing with others. Instead, it was spent checking perimeters and restocking talisman wards along the barriers.

He flirted with some of the women, praised the elders' food and drank good wine. Or at least tried to until he was pried from his grasp by Wen Qing. He got a few good sips in, the burn of alcohol refreshing in his mouth.

The omega thoroughly enjoyed himself right up until A-Yuan began to fuss, the pup tired and hungry. He excused himself for the night, tired but refreshed.

He awoke the next day to Wen Qing telling him that the barrier ward had been tripped, meaning that the Jiang siblings were probably here. Wei Wuxian hopped out of bed faster than he thought possible, excited to see his siblings for the first time in a couple of weeks.

With A-Yuan bundled tightly in his arms, he made his way to the mouth of the cave, his body vibrating with excitement. So much so that his pup awoke from his sleep to garble up at him, as if scolding the omega. He giggled, pinching his son's cheeks and responding with happy chirps of his own.

Soon enough, he saw his siblings trekking up the hillside, each carrying what looked like armfuls of Qiankun pouches. He laughed just imagining what might be found inside them.

"Wei Ying!" Jiang Yanli shouted excitedly once they were within hearing range, her steps speeding up as soon as she noticed the man. In doing so, she nearly dropped everything she held.

"Jiejie! I missed you so much! So has A-Yuan, he wants his Yima!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, holding A-Yuan up in both hands in front of him, clearly visible to Jiang Yanli. The omega in question looked ready to pounce on her nephew. As she got closer, he could smell her excitement.

"Ahhh! A-Yuan, such a cutie, missing his aunty Yanli!" Jiang Yanli exclaimed as she finally made it in front of the male omega and baby.

"Do you mind showing me somewhere where I can put these down so I can snuggle my nephew?" Wei Wuxian replied with an eager nod, guiding her into the large opening of the cave. She was quick to put down the things in her arms, Jiang Cheng following close behind.

Without even needing to ask, the female omega turned around to a baby being placed in her arms, and she happily accepted. Her happy, floral scent seeped out, mixing pleasantly with the spicy herbal pheromones that radiated from the pup.

"Oh, he's such a pretty baby! His chubby cheeks tell me that he's very well fed, such a diligent omega, my A-Xian is to his pup!" Jiang Yanli praised, spending every positive word on omega and his son. Wei Ying preened at attention. No matter how much time he spent away from his sister, he could never come to dislike his sister's attention.

"He's actually cute now." Jiang Cheng pointed out from behind the omegas.

"Are you saying A-Yuan wasn't cute before?" Wei Wuxian asked accusingly, faux offence masked over his face.

"He was cute in an ugly kind of way. He looked like a tiny old man." The Jiang alpha shot back, but there was a smile on his face and no real bite behind his words.

"A-Cheng, be nice! Don't mind him, A-Yuan, your Jiujiu is just a big old meanie." She cooed to the baby, her index finger tickling his face until he garbled a happy sort of sound.

Wei Wuxian's omega instincts keened at the scene. He was so beyond happy to have his family here. Still, something inside of him ached, something was missing. He knew exactly what it was, but he refused to acknowledge those feelings.

He was happy right now; he should enjoy it.