Work Text:
“Maybe instead of this, you should try to find someone already.” Pei Ming exclaimed, like he did whenever they got to the never pleasant topic for Mu Qing. The tone of his voice stayed teasing, making Mu Qing roll his eyes in half feigned annoyance at him.
“For once, I need to agree with him.” Shi Qingxuan offered with an exasperated sigh. “Go get laid or something, or just find another friend too.”
“Or you could stop with the nonsense.” Mu Qing huffed, shooting a glare at both of his friends, even if neither seemed to take it seriously. Shi Qingxuan even had the nerve to laugh at him, but today she was getting a pass, he doesn’t make the rules (he does, but that’s not the important thing).
“At least try that app we told you about.” Shi Qingxuan continued, undisturbed by his words.
“Well that’d require him to be more… likeable.” Pei Ming chuckled. Seconds later, Mu Qing threw a pillow at him, from the couch. “See? That’s what I mean.”
Mu Qing scoffed, crossing his arms as he watched Pei Ming keep the pillow, much to his annoyance, which he guessed was exactly why Pei Ming did it.
However to Mu Qing’s immediate satisfaction, Shi Qingxuan did push Pei Ming after that and snatched the pillow. Then they returned it to him too, for which Mu Qing was so close to thanking them… but the thought came far too soon it seemed, when she said: “If you don’t want an omega, that’ll work there too!” Needless to say, she had to dodge the pillow with a laugh.
←→
Mu Qing did not download the app for a few weeks after that conversation. It did keep crossing his mind every once in a while though. That’s how he found himself looking it up one evening. He wasn’t sure he was really ready for a relationship, but then again he supposed he’d get his friends off of his back for a while. Most people on these types of apps wanted only hook-ups anyway, didn’t they?
And so, he installed it after thinking it over a bit more, taking his time to set up his account. He did so with a sigh, not understanding why Shi Qingxuan was so set on having him try this one. He wrote down his name, found some good enough photos, that much was easy. His preferences, not so much.
He spent a bit after, swiping through profiles, while through it all, he just told himself he was bored. It wasn’t like anyone would really be interested in him, much less in a relationship. It wasn’t long before he closed the app again. There were many pretty omega’s on there, he’d be a fool not to see, most just weren’t his type. Or seemed to look for more than he could give. It just really seemed like a waste of time…
Over the next few days, he came to mostly ignore the app. He managed to match with a free people, to his surprise, though that went only as far as a few messages, ending in nothing. He basically gave up on the app, wanting to use it only as a way to make his idiot friends satisfied for a bit… and then he got a new match.
Xie Lian , Mu Qing read as he looked at just who was actually willing to match with him. THe omega in question, he was simply beautiful. There was nothing else Mu Qing could say, outside of a string of praise. So beautiful, Mu Qing couldn’t believe Xie Lian would be interested in him. Surely it couldn’t be anything serious, a joke at most. Maybe… he’d play along for a little while (so perhaps the omega was just his type).
He was hesitating on how to start a conversation, not wanting this one to just drop him, when he was the one to get a message first, probably for the first time since he started using the app.
→ hello there, handsome
Mu Qing flushed a bit. What a straightforward person…
← Hello
→ is that a cat I see with you?
Another message came after a minute or two where Xie Lian just might have decided to lead the conversation when Mu Qing failed to, asking about a photo Mu Qing had with Shi Qingxuan’s cat. That was a terrible start for Mu Qing, no matter how little seriously he could take this (lies, he saw it plenty serious, did you see how good Xie Lian looked?).
← Yes. He’s my friend’s.
→ he's cuteee
→ I wanna cuddle him so much
Cute, Mu Qing had to think, a small smile showed on his lips. Perhaps he could talk for at least a little while with Xie Lian…
←→
“Earth to Mu Qing.” Shi Qingxuan snapped his fingers in Mu Qing’s direction from where he lay sprawled on the couch. Mu Qing didn’t even look up from his phone, acknowledging him with a little hum only. It earned a huff from Shi Qingxuan. “Seriously, what’s got you so distracted.”
“Hm? Oh Xie Lian was just texting me.” Mu Qing finally looked up, confusing Shi Qingxuan for a second. Xie Lian, who was that again…
“Wait, you’re still texting with him?” Shi Qingxuan sat up quickly, remembering when Mu Qing mentioned the omega to them. That was two weeks ago. Oh this was perfect. He swiftly snatched Mu Qing’s phone, ignoring the alpha’s protests.
→ I’m bored
→ Feng Xin refuses to entertain me :(
→ *Photo of Xie Lian sprawled on his bed*
Shi Qingxuan didn’t get further, before Mu Qing took the phone back with a huff, but the glance was enough to get him laughing. “Oh I do get why you’re distracted now.”
“Shut up.” Mu Qing rolled his eyes, typing off a quick reply to Xie Lian before turning the phone off.
“Never. Tell me, do you like him? He definitely likes you. Wait, you better have replied to that photo. Are you meeting up yet? If you did and didn’t tell me I’m disowning you. Who’s that Feng XIn, your love rival? Ah, you really grow up so fast… when can I expect the wedding?” Shi Qingxuan rambled on, one thought after the other, without giving much chance to Mu Qing to reply. So it seemed it was wrong to think he’d get some peace.
“Slow down. The answer’s no, to all. I think.” Mu Qing waved them off. It was basically all nonsense. So what if Xie Lian acted all kind to him and texted him often? There was no way he liked Mu Qing romantically, there was no way especially when Xie Lian mentioned how many alpha’s he gets messaging him sometimes. He was just too damn gorgeous to settle with Mu Qing. Even more so when Mu Qing couldn’t even promise the omega what he deserved to be promised.
“Come on, you’re so boring.” Shi Qingxuan pouted at him.
“No. You’re just love gossip too much.”
“Mean.” Shi Qingxuan sighed, laying down again. “But seriously, are you interested in him?”
Mu Qing had to pause, thinking the question over and over. He couldn’t say he wasn’t exactly interested in Xie Lian. He just wasn’t interested in more in general…
“I don’t want to date him.” He settled on.
←→
“I was wondering.” Xie Lian said, catching Mu Qing’s attention. Mu Qing wasn’t even sure why he agreed to call with Xie Lian, when the omega asked him, but perhaps he’d grown too charmed by him already. “Are you free anytime soon? We could hang out.”
The words caught Mu Qing off guard. He could only stare at the table in front of himself. Right. It was a matter of time before Xie Lian wanted to meet. But Mu Qing didn’t think he was ready to ever do it.
“I’ll need to check. I might be busy with projects.” Mu Qing lied, knowing he’d have time if he just made it. But the perfect Xie Lian… how could he so selfishly meet him, when he wasn’t going to give him everything he should? It wasn’t fair.
“Are you sure?” Perhaps he imagined it, but Xie Lian’s voice, while not accusatory, perhaps held a note of distrust. Truly. Xie Lian was far too smart to not catch on. Mu Qing had to regret letting the omega closer all over again. To gods, he just chose to give that app a chance and really, how did he come to being so close to call? Mu Qing didn’t like calling others! How could he say no to Xie Lian though? Yet he refused to promise anything and wasn’t that just wrong of him? Xie Lian was so good. And he… how long it’d be till he was deemed not worth the trouble.
“I just said it. How would I not be sure?” Mu Qing’s voice was perhaps a bit too sharp. There was a silence that followed from the other side. There was a moment in which Mu Qing considered that would have been that moment. And yet…
“You and Feng Xin act the same sometimes, I always wonder how you don’t know each other.” Once more, there was no accusation where it could have been. Even if Xie Lian simply didn’t want to accuse him without proof…
“I need to go.” Mu Qing simply announced, turning the call off. He sat in his chair, frozen. He ran his hand through his hair. He was fucked, the moment his heart seemed to skip a beat. He couldn’t do this. Not to Xie Lian. Maybe it was time to stop.
“Stop looking so annoyed, you’ll scare everyone off.” Pei Ming’s voice was too loud to his liking, but so was the bar they had entered minutes ago. The music was too loud, the lights far too annoying and Mu Qing didn’t appreciate the scents mixed together either.
“Good. I didn’t ask to come here.” Mu Qing huffed, taking a drink Pei Ming had almost shoved into his hands. At least there was something he was getting out of this, free drinks were too good to turn down and since Pei Ming was the one who forced him there, they would be.
“Too bad, I didn’t ask if you wanted to.” Pei Ming’s words caused Mu Qing to roll his eyes as he sipped on his drink. The next second a hand was thrown over his shoulders, making his face scrunch in distaste.
“Get off of me.” He hissed, pushing Pei Ming’s hands off.
“You’re as scary as a kitten.” Pei Ming let go with a laugh, finally paying attention to whatever monstrosity he must have ordered for himself, that Mu Qing would rather not know the details of. Perhaps he spaced out a bit too much after that, simply looking around the room. “You’ve been moping around since you let that guy go.”
Mu Qing’s hold on the glass in his hand tightened. Great. Of course Pei Ming would bring that up. It wasn’t like he really stopped talking to Xie Lian. He just… stopped replying as often. It worked, given how little Xie Lian would try to talk, he noted with a pang in his heart.
Moments later, he noticed a sweet scent that only seemed to strengthen over the mix of the others. Mu Qing shifted in his seat. He looked around, as if to find the source of it. He had a bad feeling, yet he couldn’t quite piece it together.
His eyes landed on a small group of people. Who seemed very off. He studied them, alphas..? There’d be no reason to crowd like that unless- there it was. He could see a figure between them, when one of them shifted, looking far too uncomfortable and with that scent, it spelled nothing good.
A single glance at Pei Ming told him he saw it too. Good. He set the glass down, on the way towards the small crowd before Pei Ming had the chance to utter a word. Yet it only took a few steps to make him freeze. Wasn’t that… Xie Lian?
“Move.” He hissed at someone, not even looking at them as he pushed his way through the alphas (how dare they think themselves so high as to corner an omega like this? Mu Qing ought to break their necks-). Any protests were sniffled by his glare, luckily.
The moment Mu Qing reached Xie Lian he saw red. Still, he gently reached to touch Xie Lian’s arm, trying not to startle him. He should get him out. And what was it with the scent? One of the braver alpha’s raised his voice at him. He only forced out “Leave him the fuck alone.” to get his point across, when Xie Lian’s voice brought him some clarity.
“You.. you’re…” Mu Qing could hear the stammer in Xie Lian’s voice. He finally took a good look at the omega. Who was somehow even more beautiful in real life and Mu Qing really wanted to- he had to shake his head to keep those thoughts away. Xie Lian’s cheeks were flushed. Was it shivers he could feel coming from Xie Lian.
“Xie Lian-” Mu Qing froze. Xie Lian was going into heat. Right here in the bar. Fuck. Mu Qing had to keep a clear head and get him out right now. “Follow me. I’ll get you away from them.”
Mu Qing had expected protest, so it surprised him when he got a nod from Xie Lian. Either Xie Lian was too trusting in general, or towards him only. Which Mu Qing couldn’t understand, but if it got him to safety, he wouldn’t complain (yet).
“Are you here with anyone who can take you home?” Mu Qing asked when he finally managed to get the bastards around to leave them, hands holding onto Xie Lian almost protectively (not that Xie Lian seemed to want to get any farther from him, Mu Qing seriously needs to teach him something about safety and there goes his plans to let him go).
“...Mu Qing.” Xie Lian whispered, making Mu Qing freeze up once more. “...alpha.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying, idiot?” Mu Qing forced the words out. Gods. Xie Lian was tempting him far too much and Mu Qing couldn’t let himself dwell on it.
“Mhm. You’re so… handsome… up close.”
Mu Qing was being tempted too much. Why was Xie Lian complimenting him? He could just see how affected the omega was and yet he still… Mu Qing helplessly looked around for Pei Ming in hopes of getting help, when a hand fell on his shoulder, the grip strong enough to make him wince.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing.” An enraged voice sounded far too close to him. Mu Qing turned to look at him with a glare, only to be met with one probably even more intense. This man wasn’t easy to scare off.
“And who are you?” Mu Qing narrowed his eyes.
“The one who’ll make your life hell if you don’t let go of my friend, bastard.” The person basically growled. Friend, he said.
“...Xie Lian, do you know him?” Mu Qing asked the omega still in his arms.
“How do you-”
“...Feng Xin?” Xie Lian interrupted Feng Xin, finally extracted himself from Mu Qing, who could finally breathe a bit clearer. Feng Xin immediately supported Xie Lian.
“...so you do. Some idiots were cornering him. You should take him home.” Mu Qing had to relax. Feng Xin. He remembered Xie Lian talking about him. He hoped this was really the safe choice.
“...right. I still don’t trust you.” Feng Xin didn’t seem to let down the threatening behaviour, but he let go of Mu Qing and started leading Xie Lian away.
Mu Qing himself wasn’t in the mood to stay either. So he found a nearby watching Pei Ming to leave as well.
←→
It was a few days after, when Mu Qing got a message from Xie Lian for the first time in a while. He was relieved, having texted Xie Lian himself to let him know he was fine whenever he was able to.
→ hey
→ thanks for the help, I told Feng Xin you were really helping already
← He was just worried.
← I’m glad you had someone there.
→ I’m sorry for clinging to you like that
Mu Qing had to smile. Wasn’t he the one holding onto Xie Lian more?
← No need. You weren’t really.
← I’m sorry if I did anything wrong.
→ you didnt
→ I know you didnt want to meet up
← Xie Lian, about that
← Do you
← want something more from me?
Mu Qing held his breath for a moment. He had to ask. After thinking the interaction in that bar over…
→ Mu Qing i like you
→ but i understand you werent looking for a relationship
Mu Qing’s heart basically skipped a beat. He wasn’t looking for one. But with Xie Lian, maybe.
← I want to try. If you didn’t mind being patient with me
→ are you asking me on a date?
← I am.
→ i dunno. Might be busy
→ just checked my schedule, im free whenever
← Wednesday at 2? I’ll send you the address
→ I’ll be there
Mu Qing couldn’t hold the smile off of his face. Maybe Xie Lian was really worth it. If Mu Qing was willing to show his heart to him.