Chapter Text
Sheng Shaoyou wanted to scream. He was kicking his legs like a kid, out of frustration. After all, the clock pointed out that it was almost two in the morning. But the real kid living in the apartment next door hadn't stopped crying.
Shaoyou had been trying to ignore the voice for hours. He pretended not to hear it by using earplugs to no avail. The kid’s shrill voice could still penetrate his ears. His head is throbbing. His eyes are stinging. His body, incredibly tired from working overtime, felt like it was about to fall apart.
Exhausted, sleepy, and with the reminder of an important meeting early in the morning, Shaoyou decided to visit his neighbor. He intended to reprimand, or if necessary, yell at the crybaby himself. He had even put on his most intimidating expression as he knocked on his neighbor's door.
An effort that soon became useless the moment he found out an omega was opening the door, looking equally tired and sleep-deprived.
His body was thin and sluggish, like a factory worker working overtime without proper wages. His dark, large eye bags almost resembled those of pandas. His hair looked disheveled and unkempt, as if it had been exposed to the sun without protection. The omega looked more like a homeless person on the street than a father living in an upscale apartment.
In the end, Shaoyou could only huffed irritatedly and folded his large arms across his chest. "Can you shut him up? People are trying to sleep at this hour."
The omega in front of him immediately grimaced. Whether it was the reflection of the light or his tired eyes, Shaoyou saw the omega's round pupils glaze over. "Sorry," he said, feeling guilty. "Huasheng has an ear infection. He's a bit cranky from the pain all day.”
Shaoyou frowned. Huasheng was probably the name of the crybaby. Feeling it wasn't important to know the name of the troublemaker that disturbed his peace, Shaoyou continued to express his annoyance. "Where's your alpha? Don't tell me he can sleep soundly hearing his child making such a fuss."
In fact, that was also what Shaoyou had been wondering all along. Alphas' ears were so sensitive. How could the other father of this crybaby ignore all the screaming and doesn't try to stop it?
But the omega's next answer explained everything. "I don't have one." When he saw the alpha didn't immediately respond, standing still as if he didn't understand, the omega slowly rephrased his answer. "I’m the only parent he had." He said. Hoping that the alpha would finally understand.
Shaoyou freeze.
No wonder the omega in front of him seemed to be having a hard time dealing with his child. He was a single parent! Shaoyou wanted to slap himself. How can you be so rude, Shaoyou? Your mother didn't raise you this way!
Feeling embarrassed for jumping to his own conclusions, Shaoyou felt his cheeks heat up. He cleared his throat softly while scratching the back of his head, which suddenly felt itchy. Then, in a softer tone, he finally said, "Well, the important thing is... keep the voice down, okay? I need to sleep."
He intended to run away immediately and never appear in front of the omega again. However, before he could move his feet or turn around, his neighbor spoke first. This time, hesitantly, with a half-raised hand as if to stop Shaoyou from leaving, he hurriedly says, "Actually, can you help me? Hold Huasheng for a moment. They say the scent of an alpha can calm a fussy baby. Between us... you're the one who can calm him down."
For the third time in ten minutes, Shaoyou froze where he stood. He couldn't believe the request he just heard. He also felt embarrassed because he could already imagine his friend, Shen Wenlang, laughing mockingly hearing this. An alpha who hated kids being asked to hold one and soothe them?
“I—I—am not sure—”
“Please? I’ve tried everything… but nothing works. They say, an alpha’s scent can calm anyone. And you… are the only alpha around that I can ask for help right now.” The omega’s voice sounded on the verge of desperation. For a moment, Shaoyou feared the man might cry too.
“Just five minutes? If Huasheng doesn’t shut up, you can leave. Then, I’ll go. I can take Huasheng to a hotel. We—”
“Hey, hey. Calm down. I’m not that cruel.” Shaoyou quickly cut the omega off before the man could kneel at his feet. He glanced inside to see the child in question. But because the door was only slightly open and the omega’s body was blocking it, the alpha couldn’t see anything. How old was this crybaby? Shaoyou wanted to ask. But the words that came out of his mouth instead were, “I can’t promise I’ll be helpful….”
The omega's eyes lit up at that statement. He immediately jumped forward. Grabbed Shaoyou's wrist gratefully then said, "Thank you! You have no idea how helpful you are. Come on. Come in. He's in the living room."
Without waiting for a response, the nameless omega preceded him inside. Leaving a warm trail around Shaoyou's wrist and a blush on his cheeks that made the alpha cough.
"Idiot." Shaoyou whispered to himself as he stepped inside and closed the apartment door. You blush just because he held your hand? What are you? A virgin who's never knotted someone?
While battling with himself, Shaoyou ventures further into the house. Trying to maintain his dignity and charisma as he followed the omega toward the living room.
Since their apartment rooms were the same type, Shaoyou wasn't too surprised to see the interior of the omega's home. The space was optimally utilized to accommodate the needs of a single father with a son living there. There was a space for welcoming a small group of guests, a playroom with a television, a minimalist kitchen, and a hallway that seemed to lead to a bedroom. Just as his father had said, the whiny, sulking boy sat in front of the television, rubbing his eyes with his small fists.
Shaoyou almost cursed again when he estimated the child's age to be around five years old. The age where rebellion surfaces. How can he be of any help? The kid might just have screamed even louder!
Taking a deep breath, Shaoyou approached the child. The omega had already crouched down beside his beloved child, gently stroking the boy's back, which rose and fell from his violent sobs.
"Hey, pup. Look who's here."
"Who?" Amidst his sobs, the boy still responded to his father.
Shaoyou closed the remaining distance between them by squatting in front of the child, just like his father. Then, awkwardly he introduced himself. "No one. Just a neighbor next door. What's wrong with you, hm? Does your ear hurt?"
Huasheng pouted grumpily. "Hurts so much!”
"Come here, let me see." Without waiting, Shaoyou lifted the little boy into his lap and leaned his back against the sofa behind him.
Since the omega had said his alpha scent would help, Shaoyou wasted no time releasing his soothing pheromones into the air. He wrapped the unwell little boy in his scent. Then, he made a gesture as if he were carefully examining the boy's ear to convince him.
"Hmm, the pain will go away if you sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, it'll be fine. So, try sleeping now, okay?"
"It hurts."
"I know, I know. I'll help you blow it so it doesn't hurt that much anymore.”
Thus, the alpha tried to calm the baby. He rubbed the little boy's back and blew into his red ear to ease the pain.
Beside him, the omega sat down and joined him. He gently combed his son's hair before casting a grateful look at Shaoyou.
Before long, the cries that had pierced the silence of the night finally subsided. Until it gradually shrank and finally fell completely still.
Shaoyou bent down to check on the child a few moments later. He was somewhat surprised to see the little boy asleep, chubby cheeks pressed against his broad chest. Clearing his throat softly, the alpha turned to the father to ask what else he should do after successfully lulling the fussy child to sleep. However, he was further shocked to find the omega asleep next to him.
Was it …because he smelled my soothing pheromones too?
Shaoyou cursed himself. In his desperation to quickly quiet the child, he had forgotten to control the amount of scent he was releasing. Now, the alpha was faced with difficult choices.
He could wake up the omega next to him so he could go home, but that also had the potential to wake the little one.
The other option was even worse. Because what else was he supposed to do but stay awake until one of the two boys woke up themselves?
In the end... the decision was out of his control. The Alpha closed his eyes for a moment to stretch his neck muscles and forgot to open them again until sunrise.
***
Shaoyou woke up to a child's face staring curiously at him.
"Are you my father?" the child asked. As if waking up to a strange child's face greeting you first thing in the morning wasn't shocking enough. "Daddy said I have two parents. Daddy one. Father two?"
"Ah, sorry!"
Fortunately, before Shaoyou could have a sudden heart attack from the accusation of being a father of some random babies, someone interrupted.
An omega quickly picked the baby up in his arms. A very beautiful one. "My child is always like this."
Ah. Shaoyou just remembered. Finally, he recognized the face of the omega in front of him. Last night, he had visited his neighbor to soothe a crying baby suffering from an ear infection... and had accidentally fallen asleep after completing his task?
Feeling the blush creeping up his face again, Shaoyou finally got up from the pillow he didn't remember taking last night. Come to think of it, he had also slept sitting up. So, how did he wake up in a sleeping position with a pillow under his head and a thick blanket covering half of his body? The omega must have woken up shortly after Shaoyou fell asleep and helped the alpha lie down in a better position.
For some reason, this thought made Shaoyou even more embarrassed. He tried to hide it by clearing his throat softly and praying to God that the blush on his cheeks could be interpreted as the body's natural reaction to waking up in the morning.
He then asked, "It's okay. What time is it now?"
The omega looked embarrassed as he said, "It's five in the morning. We're used to waking up at this time. I told my son not to bother you, but somehow he escaped my supervision while I was preparing his milk."
As if to prove his point, the baby in the omega's arms began to struggle, demanding to be released from his father's embrace. The omega sighed tiredly. He let his son down so the baby could stand beside his feet.
Not wanting to interact with the brat who was now staring at Shaoyou with interest, the alpha stood up. "It's okay. I have to go to work anyway."
"Stay for breakfast? I made pancakes," the omega offered politely. "As a thank you for helping out last night."
Shaoyou shook his head again. If he went home now, he would still have time to catch up on two hours of sleep before having to get ready for work. "Maybe next time. I'm not used to having breakfast anyway."
"Ah, okay." The omega looked quite disappointed with his response, which he quickly hid behind a small smile. "Thanks for last night anyway."
"Father’s leaving?"
Shaoyou, who was about to take his first step out of the house, froze when he heard the boy's question.
"Wha—" Turning back to see the boy's expression proved to be the wrong choice. Because when Shaoyou saw how his round eyes began to fill with tears, he couldn't move his feet anymore, stuck where he stood.
The baby whimpered shakily, repeating the words that had Shaoyou frozen in place. "Don't go."
"Huasheng." The omega gasped in horror at his son's words. "Don't be—"
"Don't go." The baby shook his head. Escaping his father's restraining grip, the young man chased Shaoyou's feet. "Don't go, don't go, don't go." He repeated the phrase while burying his face in Shaoyou's sweatpants.
"Okay, calm down." Still shocked and a little panicked, Shaoyou placed his broad palm on the boy's head. "I guess I can stay for... breakfast."
The boy didn't cheer as Shaoyou had expected. It was a clear sign that the little one wasn't trying to trick the alpha into getting his way by fake crying like most children his age. He really wanted Shaoyou to stay.
This made his omega father feel even more embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Shaoyou quickly shook his head. "I know how annoying a child can be," he said, though his hand continued to pat the child's head soothingly.
The omega sighed. "He's in a curious phase. He's starting to ask about his other parent and where he is."
"Ah."
"As if I know where that bastard is."
Hearing the unfamiliar word, the toddler, his eyes still glistening with tears, repeated his father's words. "Bastard?"
The omega immediately widened his eyes, shocked.
"Wha—no! Don't repeat what I said!"
The child frowned in confusion. "Why?"
"Because it's a bad word."
"But you said it."
"Only adults can."
"Why?"
"...!!!”
"Because we adults know what that word means and why it's okay to say it." Shaoyou sighed tiredly. It wasn't even 6 a.m. yet. How could the father and son in front of him be so energetic? "You have to know the meaning of the words you're saying so that they're used appropriately. Like how you say 'ouch' when you feel pain.”
"Oh." The boy was finally satisfied with the explanation he received. He looked back down at Shaoyou’s pants which he was holding, before he began to squeeze it.
Meanwhile, his omega father was busy muttering a silent "thank you" to Shaoyou. The alpha responded with a small nod before gesturing for them to start breakfast.
That morning, Shaoyou left his neighbor’s house with a full stomach from the incredibly delicious pancakes. He was also in a good mood, for the first time in a week of exhausting workloads. He even smiled at the boy who had gotten him into this position as they bid farewell at the door.
"Don't give your papa any more trouble tonight, okay? Go to bed early." He said to the little boy, which was now gripping tightly onto his omega father’s pajama pants.
"Will Father come back tonight?"
The alpha answered the question by squeezing the baby's cheek.
***
Children are cunning little things.
Shaoyou should have known this when he heard his neighbor's baby crying again that night. Worse, the omega who opened the door looked like he had just been crying too. Perhaps he was also frustrated with his child's behavior.
"Sorry."
Shaoyou let out a long sigh.
Rubbing his tired face, he could only say, "It's okay. Let's comfort him."
Those activities soon became a routine.
***
Shaoyou was walking down the hallway toward his apartment door after a long day at work when he heard someone shout from across the floor.
"Father!"
It was the neighbor's child, whose ear infection had cleared up over the past week and had stopped crying in the middle of the night.
"Huashe—oh."
His beautiful father followed behind him, running with a worried expression on his face, having failed to catch his son. When he saw where his baby had gone and whose leg the little one was hugging, the omega breathed a sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed instantly.
"Hello," Shaoyou greeted him, giving him a small, sympathetic smile.
The omega took a deep breath before smiling back.
"Hi." A blush appeared on his cheeks as he finally stood up properly. "Now that I think about it, I didn't know your name."
"It’s Sheng Shaoyou."
"Ah, I'm Hua Yong."
"I'm Huasheng!" The little boy hugging Shaoyou's leg didn't want to miss out.
Chuckling softly, Shaoyou placed his hand on the little one's head fondly. "I know. How are your ears?"
"It doesn't hurt!" Huasheng, the cranky baby, grinned happily. "The noises are so loud!"
"And where do you think the loudest noises are coming from?" Shaoyou shook his head in amusement. "Anyway, where are you two coming from at this hour?"
"From school and work."
Shaoyou was taken aback. School? "At this hour?"
Smiling sheepishly, Hua Yong explained. "I work two jobs and have to leave Huasheng with school security until I can pick him up."
Shaoyou frowned. His heart sank at the explanations. "This late?" It was now 7 p.m. That meant the little one had been waiting for his father to get home from work for hours with the school security.
"Isn't it dangerous?"
Hua Yong looked a little defensive as he replied, "I know the security guard well. His name is Cai Hong. He's also the one who recommended good part-time jobs to me."
Shaoyou frowned in disagreement. "Still. You should consider other options. Like hiring a babysitter, for example. So that Huasheng can be safe at home waiting for you to come home."
Hua Yong clenched his fists. "You think I haven't considered that? I have two part-time jobs just to put food on the table every day. Not to mention the electricity bills, water bills, and apartment rent. Hiring a babysitter would only add to the burden. You don't understand how hard it is for omegas to find jobs that—" Realizing he had rambled and his voice had gone up an octave, Hua Yong quickly stopped.
"Ah, sorry. I …didn't mean that."
Shaoyou, eyes widening the moment Hua Yong's voice rose, felt his chest suddenly sink. A cold sensation immediately washed over his entire body due to embarrassment. "No. Sorry. I was too presumptuous. I know you did your best." He sighed softly. Cursing his own stupidity for judging others without understanding the problem, again.
Living as an alpha was a great privilege. Shaoyou knew all too well how the world treated omegas. "How about we have dinner at my apartment today? Consider it payback for making such a delicious breakfast the other day," Shaoyou finally offered as an apology.
Hua Yong, not understanding, blinked slowly. "Wha—but yesterday breakfast was to thank you—"
"I insisted," Shaoyou interrupted, immediately carrying Huasheng in his arms to eliminate any further room for argument.
The little one was naturally delighted to be held by the alpha, who had become his favorite person lately. He looked shyly at the side of Shaoyou's face before hiding his chubby face in the crook of the man's neck. Shaoyou hummed softly, deep in his chest, accepting the affection. But he didn't say anything, opting to pat the little one's back in response.
When they finally entered the apartment, this time Shaoyou's, Huasheng pulled his face away from the alpha's scent glands to glance around. "Is this Father’s house?" he asked, his tone so innocent.
Hua Yong, walking behind Shaoyou's strong back, desperately held back his embarrassment.
"Huasheng," he sighed. "Daddy has already told you. This is our neighbor, Shaoyou-ge. Not your other father."
"Father lives near my house." Huasheng, the stubborn little one, naturally ignored his daddy's words. "But why haven't we met before?" He asked, even more curious.
He stared at Shaoyou with his round, innocently blinking eyes that looked so much like Hua Yong’s.
Shaoyou shrugged indifferently. "I work early in the morning and come home late at night."
"Work?"
"Yes. At a company."
"Where?"
"Downtown."
"Which town?"
"Enough, Huasheng." Hua Yong immediately stepped forward to take over carrying his fussy child. "Sorry," he apologized, god knows how many time today.
Shaoyou smiled reassuringly. "It's okay. I'll order delivery first. Do you like seafood?"
Half an hour later, Shaoyou's next-door neighbor sat at his dining table, preparing dinner. Huasheng curiously reached for the plastic bag that had just arrived. Rummaging through the contents, the little one pouted when he couldn't find what he was looking for.
"Where's the candy?"
Shaoyou, who had just returned from the kitchen to get a plate, raised his eyebrows.
"Which seafood restaurant sells candy?"
Hearing that, Huasheng pouted even more.
"But I want candy!"
Hua Yong quickly reassured him. "You'll eat the candy at home later, xiaobao. Now, eat this first."
"I want candies now!"
"Huasheng, please." Because his wish wasn't granted, as usual, the little one started crying. His voice was deafeningly loud, making Shaoyou wince, as he was sitting right in front of him.
"Hey," the alpha scolded him in a rather stern voice. "You shouldn't be like this to your father. He's worked hard and is tired. A good child shouldn't add to his burden by screaming and crying like that just because he didn't get candy."
Huasheng ignored him. He started kicking where he was sitting. The table shook, and Hua Yong, who was serving their food onto plates, nearly dropped the food from his hands.
"A-Sheng…" The omega sighed tiredly. Seemingly having no spare energy for his child’s tantrums.
Shaoyou felt so sorry for him. This is why he hates children in the first place. "How about this? I'll buy you lots of candy tomorrow if you stop crying now."
Huasheng paused. "How many is lots?"
"Like …more than two packs of them."
"Okay." As if nothing had happened, Huasheng stopped crying completely. His round, wet eyes were fixed on the plate of food his daddy had prepared. He was clearly hungry.
Shaoyou was stunned immediately.
Had I just been pranked by a little kid? He thought, looking at Hua Yong for an answer.
Hua Yong gave a sheepish smile.
Shen Wenlang would really laugh himself to death if he knew this. []