Chapter Text
It was moments like this when it was really hard to keep his cool, to not submit to the burning rage inside of him and lash out and hurt everyone around him. But his years of experience were helping. It wasn’t his first time doing undercover work and certainly wouldn’t be the last time, but that didn’t mean it was getting easier to pretend to be an uncaring bastard.
Du Cheng kept counting the Alphas, every one carrying a handgun. The raid would be dangerous, especially because he wasn’t wearing a vest, unlike his colleagues who were waiting outside the abandoned factory for his signal. But with any luck, he would get out of here unharmed with the abducted victim.
The air was heavy with cigarettes and sweat as the boss of the operation walked up to him with a smile, his arms outstretched. “It’s so good to finally meet you in person. We think you will be very happy with our product.”
Du Cheng raised his eyebrows and pulled down his sunglasses, tucking them into his flamboyant shirt that had the first three buttons opened to show off his chest. “I’ll be the judge of that. Tell me about the little slut.”
The Alpha grinned, “He is really special. Was a popular artist before we grabbed him a year ago. Pretty little thing. Especially when he cries.”
Du Cheng pressed his nail into his own finger, concentrating on the piercing pain so he wouldn’t snap in rage. He had searched for that kidnapped artist – Shen Yi – for so long without any luck but finally… he had found him. He couldn’t ruin this. He needed to save this man.
It was one of those cases that somehow had stuck with him. The art community had reported Shen Yi missing a year ago, kidnapped right after one of his exhibitions. They had it on CCTV but the kidnappers had worn masks and even though they had found the car…it hadn’t led to anything because it had been stolen. His sister had been a great fan of Shen Yi, had shown Du Cheng pictures of his art and even though Du Cheng didn’t feel especially knowledgeable about art, seeing Shen Yi’s pictures had made him feel something.
He wasn’t sure what it was but he had promised himself that he wouldn’t give up until he had found the artist. And now he was so close….
“Well, call me intrigued. But before I buy him, I wanna inspect the product thoroughly.” He hoped the asshole in front of him would grant him that, so Du Cheng could get a better understanding of the situation. Because his main objective was to save Shen Yi and protect him. He nodded quickly to the other police officer, Jiang Feng, who was undercover with him and who carried the money, posing as his lackey.
“Of course,” the Alpha said and grabbed a key, gesturing to Du Cheng to follow him down into a cellar.
The cellar was cold and damp, deep beneath the ground where sunlight never reached. There was an overwhelming stench in the air of mold and piss. Du Cheng held his hand in front of his nose, nearly gagging when they descended. “This is how you treat customers?” he complained, even though he tried not to talk too much, fearing more of this disgusting smell would assault his nose.
“You get used to it. This is what happens when you keep animals,” the Alpha said as they reached the ground. The only light came from a single bare bulb hanging from the ceiling, swaying slightly, showing off the gruesome scene.
Along the moldy stone walls stood a row of rusted metal cages. Most were empty now, their doors hanging open or barely latched, but the straw inside them told a clear story. It was matted down, darkened with stains and it reeked; a mix of urine, sweat, and something almost sweet, like decay. It was clear that they once had omegas in those…. Fuck, they were really treated like animals.
When they reached the last cage, Du Cheng's heart skipped a beat. He immediately recognised Shen Yi from photos of him, even though he looked like a shell of the man he once had been. He was wearing a short, ripped, and dirty tunic that barely covered his backside, his legs completely exposed. He was curled in on himself, his knees drawn close to his body, his body was shivering when they closed in on him.
“That’s him. So how long do you need to make up your mind?” the other Alpha said with a smirk as he unlocked the cage.
“I will call you,” Du Cheng growled, his eyes still on Shen Yi who was starting to make himself smaller, crawling to the back of the cage.
“I think it goes without saying but don’t damage the product. If you do, you also have to buy him,” the Asshole said before he nodded and walked back up the stairs, leaving them alone.
Du Cheng noticed that there were cameras on the ceiling so he needed to be very careful when he approached Shen Yi, who was now cowering in a corner, trying to hide. He carefully stepped inside the cell and lowered himself in front of Shen Yi, not touching him.
“Don’t be alarmed. Just continue to react like you’re afraid of me,” Du Cheng whispered even though he knew Shen Yi’s fear of him was very real, “Shen Yi, my name is Du Cheng. I’m a police officer and I’m going to get you out of here.”
Shen Yi suddenly looked up, whimpering, his eyes wide in shock. Du Cheng slid a little closer to hide him from the camera. He deliberately kept his voice gentle and soft. “When I give the signal, a raid will start. It will be dangerous if we’re still inside. So I need you to trust me. I know that this is a big ask, but I promise you, I will keep you safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Shen Yi didn’t reply. He just continued to stare at him with wide eyes, his face pale and his lips dry and split. He looked so exhausted and weak, like a leaf would be able to knock him over.
Du Cheng held his arms open in invitation. “Come here, please. Let me get you out of here.”
He could see the way Shen Yi was frantically searching his face, his body trembling. Du Cheng did his best to not make any sudden movements so he wouldn't scare him. He kept his face inviting and hoped he came across as unthreatening as possible as he looked at Shen Yi, hoping the omega would trust him.
It felt like forever but finally Shen Yi took in a shuddered breath and slid forward and into his arms, even though it was clear that he was expecting to get hurt judging by the way he was squeezing his eyes shut and was whimpering, trying to make himself as small as possible.
“Shhh, it’s all good. You’re safe now,” Du Cheng whispered as he lifted him up into his arms, guiding his face gently to his throat so Shen Yi could inhale his Alpha scent. He wasn’t sure how much it would work in a situation like this, but it was worth a try using his pheromones to calm him down.
He carried Shen Yi up the stairs, making eye contact with his colleague, giving him a barely there nod before he turned to the seller. “You were right. He is a treat. I’ll take him.” Du Cheng looked at Jiang Feng and roughly barked, “Pay the good man.”
Du Cheng could feel how Shen Yi was trembling in his arms, clinging to his shirt, so he soothingly rubbed his thumb over his back, hoping to calm him down as he watched Jiang Feng opening a bag with money and letting the criminal count it.
“It was nice doing business with you. I hope you will soon stock up on products.” Du Cheng felt dirty saying it, but he needed to keep them oblivious, playing his role until they were out.
“We sure will. Have fun with your slut. If you break him you can contact us again for a new one,” the Alpha asshole replied and Du Cheng was so looking forward to this guy to get arrested, or maybe even shot in the raid that would come down on them. But first things first.
He nodded at the guy and then at Jiang Feng as they walked towards the exit with a heavy, beating heart. Jiang Feng opened the door for him and Du Cheng inhaled deeply as the cold air filled his lungs, freeing him from the stench that had been inside.
Shen Yi was trembling hard in his arms and Du Cheng couldn’t even begin to fathom what must be going through his mind right now, feeling fresh air for the first time in who knows how long. “Almost there, Shen Yi. You’re doing so good,” he whispered, deliberately using his name to give him back his humanity.
They reached the car and Jiang Feng opened the door on the back seat, waiting for Du Cheng to carefully place Shen Yi inside and immediately wrapping a soft blanket around him. Du Cheng sat next to him and turned to Jiang Feng. “Drive, I’ll give the signal.”
Du Cheng grabbed his phone from under the seat and called the tactical commander. “We got the victim out. You can go in. I counted fifteen men, all armed with handguns.”
He waited for the affirmation before ending the call and turning to Shen Yi, who was still pale as a ghost and trembling, his eyes wide open as Jiang Feng started to drive. “Hey,” he said softly. “Shen Yi….”
Shen Yi looked at him and a tear fell from his eyes. All Du Cheng wanted was to reach out and wipe the tear away but he knew it would be unprofessional. “We’re driving you to our camp nearby. We have medical personnel there. They will check up on you, alright?”
Shen Yi was still staring at him before he finally croaked out, “Is…this real?”
The question broke something in Du Cheng’s heart. He nodded, giving him a soft smile. “Yes, Shen Yi. You’re safe. You’re free.”
A gasp fell from Shen Yi’s lips, his eyes filled with more and more tears that spilled over as he broke down and started sobbing. Out of instinct Du Cheng gathered him up into his arms again, just holding him gently. He knew he shouldn’t touch a victim like that but all his instincts were crying out to him, to give Shen Yi the support in that moment. Something he could hold on to.
Shen Yi’s fingers tightened in his shirt, he was crying so hard that he had clearly difficulties breathing, his tears soaking Du Cheng’s ugly undercover shirt as the Alpha rubbed his palm over his back, making soothing noises.
He knew it was a good sign that all of this was coming out right now. Shen Yi needed this, and Du Cheng was glad he could hold him through that moment, even though he very much ignored the looks of his colleague in the rear mirror.
Shen Yi was still crying and clinging to him when Jiang Feng parked next to the medical tent, so he carded his fingers through his hair and gently said, ”Shen Yi, we’re here. Are you okay with walking or do you want me to carry you?”
Instead of answering Shen Yi wrapped his arms around Du Cheng’s neck, pressing his face against his throat. Du Cheng couldn’t help but smile a little as he opened the door on his side and somehow managed to get out of the car with Shen Yi in his arms. It helped that the omega was a lot smaller than him.
He carried him over to the medic tent, nodding at the doctor there. “This is Shen Yi. He was abducted a year ago,” Du Cheng explained to her. The doctor looked friendly and empathetic and she gestured to the cot.
“Hello, Shen Yi,” she said softly. “I’m Wang-yisheng. I’m going to have a look at you, all right? Just to check if you’re injured.”
When Du Cheng tried to sit him down, Shen Yi’s grip around him tightened and he started whimpering again, clinging to him like his life depended on it. “Hey, shhh, it’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid,” Du Cheng whispered in surprise, holding him close again so he would calm down.
“Don’t… leave… me,” Shen Yi sobbed out, trembling hard in his arms.
“I won’t, I promise,” Du Cheng said as he exchanged a worried look with the Doctor.
She nodded at him, still calm and friendly. “It’s all right. Du-dui can stay with you. Is it okay if you sit down on the cot and he sits next to you?” she asked softly, waiting for Shen Yi’s consent.
It took a moment before he finally nodded and Du Cheng was able to sit him down. The blanket was still wrapped around him from the drive and Du Cheng doubted that Shen Yi was okay with removing it. He sat next to him and looked at the Doctor. “Maybe we can keep the check-up short for now? Until Shen Yi is used to being…you know.”
She sank to her knees and looked up at Shen Yi with a friendly face. “You are in charge here, Shen Yi. Can you tell me if you’re in pain?”
Shen Yi was trembling and leaning against Du Cheng’s shoulder, although it looked like he rather wanted to hide behind him. “No,” he replied after a while.
The doctor exchanged a look with Du Cheng that basically spelled out in neon letters what Du Cheng was thinking. He hadn’t been truthful.
So Du Cheng turned to Shen Yi with a soft smile. “I want to take you to a safe house, where you can have a good meal, can wash yourself and get new clothing…but I need to know if you’re okay before I can take you there. Please, Shen Yi….”
Shen Yi looked at him for a long moment before he swallowed and nodded. Another tear fell from his eyes when he slowly peeled the blanket from his shoulders. He kept the blanket around his lower body and started to lift the tunic and Du Cheng quickly looked away. He could hear the doctor taking in a deep breath though.
“Officer…you might want to take pictures for evidence. Would that be okay, Shen Yi?” The doctor said, her voice kind and calm.
“Y-yes, if you have to…” Shen Yi replied quietly.
Du Cheng forced himself to look, pressing his lips together into a thin line when he saw the purple and red bruises on Shen Yi’s torso. He grabbed his phone and opened his camera app before quickly snapping a few pictures, especially of under his rib cage where the bruise had a shoe print pattern.
“Is it okay if I touch you and feel for broken ribs?” the doctor asked and Shen Yi reluctantly nodded.
Du Cheng sat down next to him again, sending the pictures to his team, before he turned to Shen Yi. “Look at me, Shen Yi,” he said softly, waiting until he had the omega's attention before he continued, “tell me, what’s your favourite food?”
He could see that the question distracted Shen Yi enough that the Doctor was able to examine Shen Yi’s injury without him getting too afraid. “I…don’t know…I can’t…” He furrowed his brow before he finally said. “Luosifen… I haven’t had that in ages.”
“What would you say if I ordered that for you tonight?” Du Cheng said with a smile.
Shen Yi nodded, his eyes growing softer as he looked at Du Cheng with grateful eyes. “Are you going to stay with me?”
Du Cheng nodded quickly. “Yes. If you need me to be there to feel safe, I will stay with you.”
Shen Yi nodded, looking relieved before his attention returned to the doctor in front of him who had just finished her examination.
“Good news, his ribs aren’t broken but I will give you pain medication and something to help with the bruising. Shen Yi…when you’re at the safe house, the police medical examiner from Du-dui’s team will also have a look at you. It’s a bit more invasive, but they have to do it in order to bring those horrible people to justice. Do you understand?”
“I do,” Shen Yi said, his body trembling again. “I do understand….”
Du Cheng hummed and wrapped the blanket around Shen Yi again. “You will like our medical examiner. Her name is He Rongyue. She is very nice. I've been working with her for years.” He leaned in conspiratorially and whispered,”If you're a good patient, she will give you a lollipop.”
Shen Yi looked at him in surprise before a small smile appeared on his lips and his gaze fell onto his lap. “I… I understand that it is important but it's not…” He stopped speaking before he took in a shuddered breath. Du Cheng could hear how badly he tried to pull himself together. “I'm afraid…”
“I don’t know how much it will help, but I will be close by. I promise nothing bad will happen. You’re safe with me,” Du Cheng said before he nodded at the doctor and gathered Shen Yi up into his arms again.
“I… believe you,” Shen Yi murmured before he cuddled closer to Du Cheng’s throat, inhaling his scent. It looked like his calming pheromones were working as intended, which had been a long shot because after such a long time, getting abused by Alphas, the chances that this would still work on a victim was almost zero.
He sighed as he carried Shen Yi towards his car. There was something stirring in his instincts and Du Cheng knew it was dangerous. He could feel how much he wanted to protect Shen Yi, how much he wanted to care for him on an instinctual level.
This wasn’t the first case he’d ever had with rescuing an omega, but up until this point in his career he had always been professional about it. But he couldn’t lie to himself. This was different. He wasn’t just helping Shen Yi…this was going deeper.
Du Cheng enjoyed carrying Shen Yi, having him so close and providing safety for him. And he knew he shouldn’t feel that way.
…. :::: :::: ….
He could tell that the medical exam had been hard on Shen Yi. By the end Shen Yi was shivering violently, his arms crossed over his body and his legs drawn to his body. He looked pale, sitting on the couch in the safe house so Du Cheng went up to him, wrapping him up into a soft blanket. “I’ll be right with you, I just have to talk a little with He-fayi, all right?”
Shen Yi nodded, and it looked like he was sinking into the blanket, trying to hide himself. Du Cheng gave him one last look before he left the living room to talk with the medical examiner from his team. “So how does it look?”
He Rongyue pulled off her gloves and packed the last little sample glasses into her bag before she looked up at him with a sigh. “Not good. He is severely traumatised, Cheng-dui. He was even assaulted today, so I took some DNA samples to match them with the people we arrested today. He has a lot of bruises and scars. Luckily no broken mating bites or internal injuries, also no broken bones. I photographed a shoe print under his ribcage and I also catalogued the scars and other bruises.” She licked over her lips before she added, “I will advise that you will stay with him for the time being because this is a severe case and he needs an anchor during those first few nights. I already suggested it to Zhang-ju and she agrees.”
Du Cheng nodded his consent quickly, understanding why this was important and why it had to be him. “I’ll do my best,” he said, looking up when there was a knock on the door. Three knocks, so one of them. He opened the door and Jiang Feng was standing there with two big plastic bags. “I got you everything. The food is still hot.”
“Thank you, Jiang Feng,” Du Cheng said as he took the bags from his colleague and said goodbye to both of them as they left at the same time. With a deep inhale of the cool, almost freezing air, he watched them for a moment before closing the door. He then carried the bag over to the open kitchenette.
Shen Yi was still sitting inside the blanket cocoon, not moving, but at least it looked like he had stopped trembling. Baby steps. Du Cheng pulled out the two portions of Luosifen and grabbed some chopsticks before he walked over to the couch, approaching Shen Yi from the front as he sat the bowl down on the coffee table.
“Look, what I got you,” Du Cheng said softly before he sat down on the floor in front of Shen Yi, staying in his line of sight and making himself smaller.
He could hear Shen Yi’s stomach growling, his eyes widening as Du Cheng lifted the bowl for him and carefully handed it over. “You remembered…” he breathed out when he took the chopsticks and carefully started to eat, a tear falling from his eyes.
“Of course, I remember.” He hated how much he wanted to sit beside him, wiping that tear away from Shen Yi’s eyes. It started to physically hurt, almost like he had accidentally scent bonded with him. But Du Cheng knew he hadn’t. His scent was still the same, unchanged. “And you know what? As long as I’m here you will get all the food you want to eat. Just tell me and I will make it happen.”
Shen Yi gave him a small smile and a nod before he continued to eat the noodles. His eyes kept drifting towards Du Cheng, looking at him with an expression Du Cheng wasn’t able to read. “By the way, I also have a dessert for you,” Du Cheng said as he produced a colourful lollipop out of his pocket that he stole from He Rongyue when she wasn’t paying attention.
He was really proud of himself when Shen Yi actually smiled, hiding it behind his bowl. It was nice to see him smile and Du Cheng was happy that he was still able to. That only spoke for his strength. “After that… you probably want to wash yourself, right? Are you up for a bath or do you feel dizzy or too weak for it?”
“I…I’m not sure. But I would really like a bath. I feel so…dirty.” His eyes were tearing up again so Du Cheng tried to distract him.
“I understand. We can see how you feel after eating. If you feel comfortable with my presence I can stay with you, making sure nothing happens,” he suggested, knowing how important it was for the victims to wash themselves, much to the dismay of the medical examiners because the victims usually also washed away the evidence. But in this case they had already taken care of that and Du Cheng knew Shen Yi would feel much better after a bath.
“I…feel safe with you,” Shen Yi said after a moment.
Du Cheng looked up at him in surprise before he smiled at him. “That’s good. Because you are, Shen Yi. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Shen Yi gave him another barely there smile before he finished his dinner and Du Cheng took the bowl from him with a smile, handing him the lollipop as reward.
He got up and brought the empty bowls into the kitchen, putting them into the dishwasher before he unpacked the rest of the plastic bag’s contents. In there were a pair of black sweatpants, a loose grey t-shirt, underwear and an oversized soft hoodie. He put the clothing to the side before he unpacked the other bag containing toothbrushes, a notebook and some coloured pencils. He smiled when he carried everything over to the living room table. “My colleague got you some new clothes that should fit you and if you like to draw something we also got you some coloured pencils and a notebook.”
Shen Yi gasped as his eyes fell on the pencils. Tears are running down his cheek and his breathing comes out in short gasps. It sounds like he isn’t getting enough air, so Du Cheng sat beside him, putting his palm on his back and rubbing it. “Breathe, Shen Yi. Please.”
To his surprise Shen Yi was suddenly in his arms, burying his nose against his throat and inhaling deeply as he silently cried, radiating so much pain that Du Cheng’s heart felt like getting stabbed. All he could do was to wrap his arms around him, holding him until he worked himself through those emotions.
He rubbed his palm over Shen Yi’s back, making a soothing noise, “Shh, it’s okay, let it all out.”
Du Cheng didn’t know how long they were sitting like that but finally he could feel Shen Yi breathing normally again. He leaned back to look at him, and before he could stop himself he reached out to wipe a few tears from his cheek. “Do you feel better? I…I’m sorry that I made you cry.”
Shen Yi shook his head, leaning into his hand. “Don’t be. You…are very thoughtful giving those to me. I…I just haven’t drawn anything for a year. I…I don’t know if after everything…I still can….”
“Hey, none of that. I know you can. I bet it’s like riding a bike. You can’t unlearn it. You just need some time to heal, that’s all.” Du Cheng touched his chin and lifted it, so Shen Yi had to look at him. “I believe you can do it. You’re stronger than you think.”
Shen Yi blinked and looked down, a soft smile graced his lips before he shook his head. “I…you’re really nice.”
“Can I have that in writing?” Du Cheng joked, chuckling as leaned back a little, trying to be more professional. He kept stepping over the line by touching Shen Yi and he was starting to get worried with his own inappropriate behaviour.
Shen Yi raised his eyebrow in surprise, “Do others not think that?”
“I think they would mostly describe me as grumpy,” he admitted, happy when he noticed that Shen Yi looked a lot more relaxed now. “How are you feeling now? Do you think you’re strong enough on your legs for a bath or shower?”
“I think I would prefer a shower. But maybe you could stay in the bathroom with me…just in case I feel dizzy. I…trust you,” Shen Yi said with a firm nod as he reached out to the new clothing on the coffee table.
Du Cheng was relieved that he was allowed to stay. Not just because of Shen Yi’s physical condition but also because he didn’t want to misjudge his mental state. A lot of victims were suicidal, a sad fact that was nagging in the back of his brain, making him worry. “I won’t look. I will just sit there with my back to you, so you don’t have to worry. Thank you for letting me stay with you.”
He helped Shen Yi up, giving him his arm so he could brace his weight on him as they started to walk to the bathroom together. Du Cheng could feel that Shen Yi was still very weak, his muscles trembling hard, looking like he was close to collapsing so he quickly scooped him up and lifted him into his arms, guiding Shen Yi’s face on instinct towards his throat.
It was such an instinctual reaction that Du Cheng hadn’t even had the time to think about it. But of course he realised what he had done the moment Shen Yi’s nose brushed against his throat, scenting him. Du Cheng froze, breathing heavily as he closed his eyes.
“Sorry…I…” he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. “I’m sorry, I keep touching you.”
But still he couldn’t bring himself to put him down again and let go.
Shen Yi shook his head. “It’s okay, really. I don’t mind.” His voice was quiet against his throat and he sounded tired.
“I should have asked for your consent first. I…keep messing up,” Du Cheng admitted, feeling horrible as he carried Shen Yi over to the bathroom, somehow managing to open the door with Shen Yi in his arms.
“If it makes you feel better, you really help me to relax,” Shen Yi said before Du Cheng carefully put him down in front of the shower. He kept his hands on Shen Yi’s sides to stabilise him though, looking at him in surprise.
“I do?”
“Yes,” There was another soft smile on Shen Yi’s lips as he leaned against the glass door of the shower with a sigh. “Being in your arms like that… I feel safe in a very profound and almost instinctual way. I think we’re very scent compatible and this is why you have such an impact on me feeling at ease.”
Du Cheng took a deep breath and nodded. “Oh, I…I wondered about that. I don’t know if I should say this but since meeting you, I feel this strong instinct to protect you. I’ve never felt that before.”
“I’m glad you’ve told me,” Shen Yi said in an earnest voice. “You have no idea how much security this gives me, knowing you will protect me. All of my instincts are telling me that I’m safe with you. I haven’t felt this safe in like…I don’t know…forever.”
Du Cheng exhaled deeply, still feeling somewhat apprehensive about the situation even though he was relieved that he was giving Shen Yi a safe feeling. Having a high scent compatibility was a very rare thing and even though he knew about the effects it had on Alpha and omegas in theory, feeling it for himself was…intense. He still wasn’t entirely sure that this was a good thing, because it brought him into a moral dilemma.
He wasn’t allowed to give into those instincts. Shen Yi was in his care. And not only that, he was a victim of a horrible crime and suffered immense trauma through it. Du Cheng could very much understand that Shen Yi was craving security and stability after this. But he needed to make sure it was the right kind of support he was giving him, and not losing himself to his base instincts, turning this into something that it wasn’t, that it couldn’t be. Because it would feel like he was abusing the situation.
Shen Yi was watching him intently, his eyes were searching him as if he was reading him like an open book. “What are you thinking about? You look…troubled.”
Du Cheng gave him a quick soft smile before he shook his head. “I just… I’ve never met anyone who I was so highly scent compatible with. On one hand…I’m glad that you feel safe with me. One the other…I’m here as a police officer, protecting you is my job. So there are rules and regulations. And those are there for a good reason. I don’t want to cross any boundaries because of our high scent compatibility.”
Shen Yi nodded thoughtfully. “I understand. I think as long as we’re talking openly…we’re going to be fine.” Shen Yi gave him a comforting smile, which made Du Cheng feel weird for a moment because how did they end up being in a situation where Shen Yi felt the need to comfort him. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
“You’re right,” Du Cheng said before he nodded at the shower. “So, um, I doubt you can stand in the shower on your own. There is a plastic stool in the garage. Can you stay here while I grab that? That way you have something to sit on while showering.”
“Yes, that is a good plan. Thank you,” Shen Yi said as Du Cheng helped him to sit on the floor.
“I’ll be quick.” Du Cheng gave him one last look, making sure Shen Yi was okay before he quickly left the bathroom to go into the garage. It still took a few minutes for him to grab the plastic stool and return to Shen Yi, because the stool was under a few heavy boxes.
He froze in the door when his eyes fell on Shen Yi who was breathing hard, looking like he was in panic and about to pass out. “Shen Yi,” he exclaimed as he quickly knelt beside him, the stool falling to the side as he reacted instinctively, pulling Shen Yi into his arms and guiding his face to his throat again. “You’re safe, breathe. Just breathe,” he whispered into his hair.
Shen Yi was trembling in his arms, scenting him deeply like a drowning man until Du Cheng could feel him starting to relax. His breathing was very slowly turning from short gasps into deeper and slower breaths.
He had only left him for a few minutes…why had that happened? Du Cheng was incredibly worried but he could feel that being close was helping Shen Yi to calm down. Subconsciously he had started to card his fingers through Shen Yi’s hair, petting him in a soothing way before he realised what he was doing. In that moment, the voices telling him to fuck the rules and give Shen Yi what he needed were louder than the voices reminding him of the rules. He only cared about helping him through the panic attack.
When Shen Yi had calmed down, he wrapped his arms around Du Cheng for a tight hug, murmuring, “Please, don’t leave me again.”
“I won’t, I promise,” he quickly whispered back, too afraid that this would happen again than to think of the consequences of what that meant. “Are you okay again? What happened?”
When Shen Yi leaned back, his eyes were wide and he was still breathing a little too fast for Du Cheng’s liking. “I don’t know. When you were gone, it felt like I couldn’t breathe anymore. I was so afraid…I thought I would die. I’m sorry…I don’t want to make things…hard for you.”
“No, no, no,” Du Cheng quickly shook his head. “There is no reason to feel sorry. I think you will probably feel like that for a while. I’m not a therapist but I believe this is quite a normal reaction after everything you’ve been through. You will need time to adjust to the concept of being safe again.”
The way Shen Yi scoffed out a laugh and shook his head made it clear that he hadn’t a lot of hope in that moment. “Safety…I thought I was safe before…They kidnapped me after a party. My new exhibition had just started. I was elated on my way back home, happy, not thinking anything could happen to me. And why would it, right? They…hit me right in front of my home. I was almost at my door.”
Du Cheng already knew that. They had found traces of Shen Yi’s blood at his home at the beginning of their investigation. “I understand. Nothing in the world is safe or completely secure. But for now…I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe.”
Shen Yi hugged him again, pressing his face against Du Cheng’s throat. “I know. It’s crazy how safe I feel with you,” Shen Yi whispered, his voice muffled from being pressed against him.
Du Cheng closed his eyes for a moment and hugged him back before he leaned backwards to look at Shen Yi. “Come on. Let’s get you in the shower. I bet you feel a lot better after it.”
Shen Yi gave him a little smile and a nod as he leaned backwards against the bathroom tiles while Du Cheng was putting the chair inside the shower. When he leaned back, he looked at Shen Yi, trying to sound professional without blushing. “I can help you sit inside. Are you going to manage to get out of your clothes on your own?”
Thankfully Shen Yi nodded at him. “Yes, I think I will manage.”
Du Cheng wrapped his arms around him again, lifting him up before carefully sitting him down on the plastic stool. He had put the stool at the backside of the shower so Shen Yi could lean back. He reached up to pull down the shower head, putting it close to Shen Yi before he also grabbed some shower gel and shampoo, putting it in reach next to him. “Go slow, take your time. I will be right there in front of the shower, so you can see me, all right?”
After Shen Yi nodded, Du Cheng got out of the shower and knelt on the floor tiles in front of it, his back towards Shen Yi so he wouldn’t be able to see him but Shen Yi had him in his line of sight. He could hear Shen Yi’s labored breathing and his clothes rustling before Shen Yi’s dirty tunic landed somewhere on the ground next to Du Cheng. A few moments later he could hear the water running, Shen Yi sighing contentedly.
Du Cheng couldn’t help but smile at hearing that noise. “Are you doing okay?” he asked softly.
Shen Yi hummed and groaned again. “It feels really good. You have no idea.”
Du Cheng nodded and smiled, getting comfortable on the ground while Shen Yi was enjoying his shower. He kept checking in from time to time, especially when he got too quiet, making sure he wasn’t losing himself in a bad headspace while washing his body. Du Cheng could imagine that seeing the bruises and scars on himself, touching those areas while washing them, was making it difficult not to remember what he had been through.
When Shen Yi stopped the water, Du Cheng grabbed a big towel and blindly reached back to hand it over. He heard some rustling as Shen Yi dried himself until he asked for the new clothes. Du Cheng grabbed the underwear, handing it backwards again for Shen Yi, waiting for him to ask for the next part of clothing. But after some rustling Shen Yi sighed and asked, “Can you help with the shirt and pants? I’m at the end of my strength.”
Du Cheng carefully turned around and saw Shen Yi kneeling on the shower floor, looking completely wiped. “Of course,” he replied and wrapped his arms around his naked torso, trying not to concentrate on the fact that his skin was warm and soft and that after the shower his scent was even more prominent, reminding Du Cheng of a rare flower blooming in the middle of a snowy winter night.
He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts as he lifted Shen Yi out of the shower. He was shivering a little, probably still having droplets on his skin that weren’t dried up yet and cooled him down now that he was exposed to the air.
Du Cheng picked up the rest of the clothes and carried Shen Yi over to the bedroom, carefully putting him down on the soft mattress before he helped Shen Yi into the loose and soft shirt. Getting him into the sweatpants was a little bit more difficult but Du Cheng managed it without touching Shen Yi in an unnecessary or inappropriate way. When he was finally dressed, Du Cheng pulled the blanket over Shen Yi, covering him gently with it as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I make you some tea?”
Shen Yi’s hand suddenly reached out to grab Du Cheng’s wrist, giving him a panicked look. “No…don’t go anywhere. Don’t leave.”
Oh, right…Du Cheng covered Shen Yi’s hand with his own and nodded, “I’m sorry…I won’t. I’ll stay.” He hadn’t planned on sleeping in the same room with Shen Yi but apparently he didn’t have a choice. So he climbed onto the bed next to him, putting the other pillow behind him before leaning against the headboard on top of the blanket, making sure he wasn't touching Shen Yi. “Is this okay?”
Shen Yi looked up at him with a soft smile, his expression was thoughtful though. “Yes, thank you…Iis this…against the rules?”
Du Cheng sighed and nodded hesitantly. “I should sleep in the living room but I’m making a judgement call. I think for tonight it’s more important that you rest well, without any panic attacks. I want you to feel safe. You’ll need the strength.”
Shen Yi closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply, visibly relaxing next to him. “I know I say this a lot but thank you…for staying, for everything.”
“You really don’t need to thank me for that, Shen Yi. I’m just glad that we finally found you and got you out of this place. Tomorrow a therapist will come over and meet with you. I know her. She has a lot of experience with cases like yours.”
Shen Yi had his eyes closed now and just hummed tiredly. “Okay…How long will I be staying in this house…with you?”
“That depends. I can tell you probably by tomorrow how long you have to stay in the safe house. We don’t want to risk anything until the people who did that to you are in prison. After that you should move to a new apartment. Don’t worry about your old one, by the way. Everything is still there. Xu Yi Duo, your art teacher, made sure to look after it when we were searching for you.”
Shen Yi opened one eye to look at him before he nodded slowly, “I’m glad he did. He always took good care of me.” He paused for a moment before he inhaled deeply and added, ”You didn’t answer my other question.”
Du Cheng licked over his lips, looking at his lap. “I don’t know. It depends on how long my boss is keeping me assigned to your case. I’m here with you on the recommendation of my team's medical examiner. Which means for now…you don’t have to worry about that.”
He could see that Shen Yi still looked worried though. A feeling Du Cheng could relate to because it felt like having a countdown hanging over their head. And Du Cheng really hated the idea of not being there for Shen Yi. It almost felt like a betrayal just thinking about it. It was intense. He wondered if Shen Yi felt the same intense discomfort at the thought of being separated.
“I mean it…don’t worry about that,” he repeated softly, not just for Shen Yi’s sake but also his own, because he promised himself that he would think of something, so he could stay and be there for Shen Yi.
When Du Cheng looked at him, their eyes met for a moment until Shen Yi nodded. “It’s…strange, isn’t it? I don’t know anything about you but…I trust you so profoundly. I hadn’t thought this was possible.”
“Yeah, it’s…an intense feeling,” Du Cheng admitted before he shook his head. “Almost like I’ve known you since forever, even though I don’t. I only know what I’ve learned about you in my search for you.”
“Then you probably know more about me than I do about you,” Shen Yi murmured after a moment.
Du Cheng laughed softly, cuddling into the pillow behind him to find a more comfortable position. “Well, you can ask me all you want to know about me…tomorrow…after you slept.”
Shen Yi closed his eyes but this time there was a smile on his lips. “Sounds like a plan. Good night, Du Cheng.”
“Sleep well, Shen Yi.”