Work Text:
Falling
Love was a concept that was foreign to Hua Yong.
At first, when he was born, he was expected to be an omega due to his looks, but as he grew older, closer to the age of presenting, he started to show more alpha like characteristics. However, deep down, he knew that he was more than that- though, he couldn't really explain why he felt that way.
Coupled with the fact that he was an illegitimate heir, he was hated in his own family. His siblings hated him, his parents didn't love him either. He didn't have friends either, because of the way his family was perceived.
Then, Sheng Shaoyou happened.
Their first encounter was something that Yong remembered in vivid detail. The way someone stood up for him- it was strange. Why would this random alpha do that?
Added to that, Shaoyou had used his orange scented pheromones to soothe him, mistaking him for an omega, despite the fact that Yong was very much leaning into an alpha presentation.
Yong didn't understand why Shaoyou did what he did, nor did he understand why his heart had skipped a beat when Shaoyou had rubbed his head gently.
Back at home, clutching the paper with an "X" written close to his chest, he couldn't help but smile. The watch Shaoyou had dropped felt heavy in his pocket where he'd kept it safely, the weight of it strangely comforting.
Yong had fallen in love when he didn't understand what it meant.
Understanding
A few years pass this way, and Yong finally presents. Not as an omega, nor an alpha.
But as Enigma.
Finally, Yong started to understand why didn't fit in any traditional moulds. Because he was simply not made for any of them.
He also begins to understand slowly, why he was growing an interest in the Alpha that resided in Jianghu.
During his travels to the other country, Yong deliberately positioned himself in spots where he could see or observe Shaoyou.
Yong was older now, and while the concept of love was something that still didn't fully make sense to him, something about seeing Shaoyou scold his brother for losing money, yet still take care of his mess even when he did it repeatedly, and the way he stopped to pet the street cats so gently, speaking to them sweetly-
Something about Shaoyou was different, and it started to make sense why.
Shaoyou was kind, not just to Yong, but to everyone around him.
Maybe, Yong had never been loved in his life. But experiencing that one moment of kindness from Shaoyou had changed him fundamentally. Changed how Yong viewed things- made him realise that true kindness was out there somewhere, and he wanted to keep it safe.
For the first time in his life, Yong wanted to love someone.
Loving
When Shen Wenlang comes to him for money, he accepts the deal- with a plan to win the man he wanted to love for the rest of his life.
Wenlang was refreshing in the way he was blunt with Yong, as he was an S-Class Alpha himself. Even though he was not approving of Yong, he still supported Yong in his endeavours, though he had a question.
"Why him?" Wenlang asks Yong one day, even as they were playing chess together. They were not quite friends, but Yong knew that Wenlang, despite how he presented himself, had his heart in the right place. Yong moves the knight on the board, his face as expressionless as usual which Wenlang was used to by this point.
Yong looks at Wenlang and responds with a question of his own. "Have you never been in love?"
Wenlang didn't come from a loving family either, and to him, love was simply a waste of time. He was content with having Gao Tu, his friend, by his side, and he was the CEO of a company that had good financial backing. What else did he need?
"I don't need love," Wenlang replies, moving another piece on the board. "Besides, that doesn't answer my question."
Yong looks at his phone, which probably had pictures of Shaoyou, and a small, almost imperceptible smile forms on his lips.
"He is a kind person," Yong finishes.
Yong, who was one of the most powerful beings on earth, with an empire behind him, who could have anyone he ever wanted, chose Shaoyou as his mate, because he was kind?
Wenlang scoffs and shakes his head.
"Chang Yu told me he dates around a lot, but never keeps anyone around," Wenlang reminds Yong, who's lips thin out into a line. "What makes you think he'll ever like you back? You're not an omega, which is what he prefers too. You say you want him because he's kind, but do you think he will feel the same way?"
It was a harsh question, but Yong wasn't deterred. "I am in love with him. And no matter what, I'll make him mine."
Wenlang, though he thought Yong was crazy, kind of understood.
Love wasn't something he'd experienced either. Companionship with Tu was the only thing he had. Wenlang knew that Yong didn't have anything of that nature too. Yong was too strong, was an illegitimate child, and didn't fit the mould of anything that was appealing for the people around him.
And in a place like that- kindness was hard to come by. Even though the Shaoyou incident was one time, it was one time more than what Yong probably experienced at home. And just like how Wenlang wanted Tu to stay close with him always, he understood why Yong wanted Shaoyou.
While he chose to keep his heart safe, Yong was choosing to love someone else- and by the way things were going, with no expectations to be loved back. While he wasn't exactly opening his heart up, he was willing to go and extra mile for Shaoyou- with ideas that were genuine even though they were intense.
So even when his plans were very concerning, Wenlang goes along with it.
Returned
And as the months pass, Yong experiences more of it- Shaoyou's kindness, and the gentle way he was being treated while they begin to date, even with the issues they have a few times.
He sees it when Shaoyou fights Wenlang multiple times for him. He sees it in the way Shaoyou does everything to get him back and keep him around.
When Shaoyou expresses genuine worry towards him when he was hurt- Yong has another realisation.
All these years, the only thing he wanted- was to love Shaoyou. To protect the man who was kind and genuine. He hadn't considered that someone could care about him, because he never experienced it from people around him. He didn't even expect Shaoyou to love him back, he just wanted the alpha to let Yong love him.
But with Shaoyou standing in front of him, with tears in his eyes, it hits him hard.
He was also loved back.