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The ice cream parlor sat only a few blocks away from the Hero Photo Studio, but, surprisingly, it had taken ages for Cheng Xiaoshi to finally get around to visiting it.
He’d always said that he wanted to go with Qiao Ling, but eventually, decided to just bite the bullet and go.
He was glad that he decided to go alone, because almost as soon as he’d stepped inside the parlor, a warm, sweet scent curled around him that made his mouth water. And yet, no matter how long he stood in the doorway with his nose in the air, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact flavor of it.
“Can you please decide to enter or not and close the door?” came an exasperated voice. “Just make up your mind already.”
Cheng Xiaoshi looked up, making eye contact with the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. He stood tall, with snow-white hair, stormy gray eyes that seemed to pierce through Cheng Xiaoshi, and a frown to match. Even though he was scowling, he still looked gorgeous.
With a gulp, Cheng Xiaoshi stumbled inside, further into that sweet, sweet scent, the door closing behind him with a merry jingle. “I… uh… sorry,” he offered.
The man behind the counter simply inclined his head, accepting Cheng Xiaoshi’s apology, but providing no reassurance. Instead, he heaved a great sigh. “Welcome to the Little Scoop Ice Cream Parlor,” he greeted monotonously, all too obvious that the words were rote at this point. “We have both sugar-free and dairy-free options of most of our flavors. Let me know when you’d like to order.”
Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t help but smile fondly to himself as he walked forward, looking at the options but not seeing them. This job seemed much more suited for a bubbly omega, not a frosty beta who looked neutral at best, glowering and sullen at worst.
And yet, the sweet scent that Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t help taking large lungfuls of… it softened the blow of the other man’s not-quite frown.
It had to be one of the flavors here, right? Cheng Xiaoshi refocused on the words before him, still unsure of what he wanted. They all looked so tasty that he wasn’t sure what had gripped him since he first walked in.
Would it look weird if he wanted to try a sample of each? Yeah, probably. Cheng Xiaoshi grimaced as he imagined the kind of look the man behind the counter would give him.
“Umm,” he began, trying to tamp down on the butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he offered the man a hopefully-bright grin, “I’ve never been here before. Can I ask what your favorite flavor is?”
He was met with a raised eyebrow before the man walked a step to the side and gestured to the flavor he was standing in front of: “The brown sugar flavor.” His answers were short and to the point, but Cheng Xiaoshi found himself hanging onto every word.
“I’ll have that, please!”
A few moments later, Cheng Xiaoshi exited the ice cream parlor with his treat in hand. But before he tasted it, he smelled it, hoping that this was the source of that incredible scent that he still couldn’t get enough of.
Unfortunately, he’d chosen the wrong kind of ice cream as its scent was different. But, Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t find it in him to be upset, as he finally dug in and savored the warm spiced ice cream with walnuts.
It just gave him an excuse to visit the shop again to try another flavor!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A week later, Cheng Xiaoshi was nearly sick and tired of ice cream. He’d returned to the parlor every day since first smelling that amazing scent - sometimes twice a day - and yet he still hadn’t found the right flavor.
However, every day, he got to know the man behind the counter a little bit more.
Lu Guang, while initially closed off, eventually began biting back with his own retorts, surprising Cheng Xiaoshi before he grinned and doubled down.
They fell into an easy rapport, as if they’d known each other for years,
It was almost as if they’d launched themselves past acquaintances and new friends, propelling themselves straight into best friends.
By the time Cheng Xiaoshi finished working his way through all the flavors, he was ready to just collapse over the counter in frustration. “Why can’t I find itttt…” he lamented, as he did just that.
“Find what?” Lu Guang asked, his words lilting slightly in amusement.
“The amazing smell!” Cheng Xiaoshi whined. “I swear, it’s been haunting meeee.”
Lu Guang let out a small huff. “Well, what does it smell like?”
Breathing in deeply and feeling his heart begin to pound as more of that delicious scent filled his lungs, his very being, Cheng Xiaoshi tried to describe it: “Sweet and light, but kinda warm too? Aughh, I don’t know!” he groaned in frustration. “I thought it was one of the flavors here, but none of them even come close to it!”
There was silence, and then a muffled sound from above him. Cheng Xiaoshi’s head raised only to watch as Lu Guang tried - and failed - to stifle his laughter.
“What?” Cheng Xiaoshi asked, trying to keep the whine out of his voice.
“Cheng Xiaoshi… snkt… That’s me.”
Furrowing his brow, Cheng Xiaoshi squinted up at Lu Guang. “N-no, that’s not right. You’re a beta… aren’t you?”
Instead of answering, Lu Guang’s lips just curled up into a knowing smile, almost a smirk.
“You’re… not a beta?!”
Lu Guang shrugged. “My scent is a bit too sweet for my liking, so I hide it among the ice cream scents. Although, no one’s ever mentioned they could smell it anyway,” he muttered to himself with a bit of a scowl.
Cheng Xiaoshi forced himself to swallow thickly. “But it smells so nice.” Now that he had an answer to his most burning question, Cheng Xiaoshi didn’t know how to continue, especially with how Lu Guang’s eyes were watching him. “Um, would you… I mean, did you want to…?”
Another huff of laughter interrupted his verbal flailing. “Yes, Cheng Xiaoshi. I’d love to.”
Later that night, after Lu Guang’s shift had ended and they were walking along the road together, Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t understand how he hadn’t pieced it together earlier.
That delicious scent of sweet, warm vanilla and cream swirled around him, filling his nose, his lungs, his soul with Lu Guang’s essence. He sighed happily as they made their way to the Hero Photo Studio.
It was all-too clear now that Lu Guang wasn’t doing anything to restrain his own scent as it filled the space, curling around them both as they made their way to the couch.
And when they finally kissed, Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t help raising his wrist and tenderly brushing it against Lu Guang’s throat, right against his scent gland.
Later that night, when Lu Guang had returned home - with the promise to see him again the next day - Cheng Xiaoshi raised his wrist to his nose, inhaling the remnants of Lu Guang’s wonderful scent.
He fell asleep with the scent in his lungs and a smile on his lips, already looking forward to seeing Lu Guang again.