Chapter Text
The night air carried with it the scent of an omega in heat.
Which, by itself, was not out of the ordinary or alarming.
There were plenty of omega workers under the employment of the Qiu family, and heats can arise out of nowhere and catch a person off guard, the same as ruts, before maturity was reached at the age of twenty. Irregular cycles were common among the youths.
It was less common for this heat stench to happen at night when the majority of the staff had retired to their quarters and behind the safety of scent-dissipating incenses. Shen Jiu's sense of smell was that of a pup's, blessedly avoiding the dangers of puberty thus far, so if he could smell it from this distance, it was a problem.
The scent wafting from under the crack of the door he was locked behind was a peculiar one.
No embarrassment or bitter shame to be found. No sour-bright fear. No cloying reluctant desire that had them fleeing to safety or a mate's arms.
It was savage and foreign, a portent of oncoming calamity. There was no familiarity that would leave it assigned to any servant that Shen Jiu would know.
His education on intimate matters was sorely lacking beyond what filth and vulgarity he could pick up by ear on the streets, but there was no need for details when he could use his head. Someone had gone into heat on the premises and was enraged to the point of going feral.
There were a few instances of this Shen Jiu had witnessed among older beggars when he was living on the streets. Each time was triggered by someone invading their territory and threatening someone special to them.
A pup perhaps.
Nothing angered an omega more than having their child threatened.
Red spider lilies and white mulberries, with a lethal hint of the sharp coppery stench of blood, dashing apart the mild honeyed sweetness and soft floral notes. The bloody stench grew sharper the angrier the unseen omega was, thick enough to choke upon.
Shen Jiu choked on the overpowering smell invading his nostrils and his own rabid envy. To be so loved and dear to another's heart, to have a mother, a father, who cherished their child to the point they would fight anyone and everyone, their colleagues, their employers, the entire world. It made him want to scream.
There was only one person in the world who loved him, and the insufferable dolt wasn't even here. When the fuck is he getting back? Just you wait and see. He would make him grovel for years.
His wrists were raw from rubbing against the ropes forcing them together. He strained against his bonds futilely, agitated. The sound of metal striking metal, what he presumed were swords clanging together, agitated him further. Shouts rang through the halls.
Then came a deathly silence.
The door splintered apart, revealing the owner of that corpse flower, mulberry, blood stench. His icy expression was at odds with the rumbling purr that left his chest the moment his heat-bright eyes landed on Shen Jiu. The soothing sound, reserved for partners, friends, and children, startled Shen Jiu.
Later, he was privy to the fact his own unpleasant scent had drawn the man's attention.
Most called Shen Jiu's scent repulsive and had no qualms about comparing it to that of an alpha pup's, which was fine by him. If it deterred people from coming near him, he appreciated that. Mates were optional and not a necessity by any means. The longer he could fool others into assuming he was born to be an alpha or a deeply misfortunate beta, the better.
It was unwelcome enough he was born with a beautiful face that drew unwanted attention to him. If he smelled enticing as well, it would spell his doom.
Everyone knew what happened to pretty omegas. Everyone.
Better to smell of rotting wood and acrid smoke to scare off panting beasts. He would take a territorial fight any day of the week.
Despite being brought along to study cultivation under him, Shen Jiu expected to be put in his place... and then wasn't.
"This disciple could grow into an unruly beast." Where is the caution?
"Do you mean an alpha? Shifu doesn't mind. His apprentice will be his apprentice, no matter how large."
Although he was reluctant to acknowledge it, Wu Yanzi viewed him as family, right from the first moment he saw him. Scents were not something a person could lie with, which was why medications and incenses to conceal one's scent were so popular. Humans loved their lies and omissions.
Wu Yanzi was restrained with his face, but his scent would blossom with the sweetness of corpse flowers and mulberries whenever he was pleased with Shen Jiu. Which was painfully often. It took little to earn his praise.
Shen Jiu didn't consider his shifu as family, but he did respect him. When he admitted he wanted power, Wu Yanzi gave it to him, teaching him all he knew. They traveled the world together and saw sights Shen Jiu had only dreamed of.
More importantly, he didn't enter Shen Jiu's tent or room without permission or make attempts to nip at his cheeks or rub the scent glands of his wrists against his neck like a father would a son. He understood boundaries better than most men Shen Jiu had the displeasure to meet. For a man, he was tolerable.
Some days, Shen Jiu was willing to admit he liked him. He made learning fun and engaging. He took him away from that hell. Of course he liked him.
Didn't fully trust him, but yeah, he liked him.
Wu Yanzi's scent irritated Shen Jiu, not because he found it disgusting but because he found it comforting and pleasant, which was difficult for him to deal with as he grew older. It was incredibly mild when he was out of heat, which also irritated Shen Jiu.
Everything about Wu Yanzi irritated Shen Jiu.
"Shifu, what are you doing?"
Rationally, Shen Jiu knew that this man was more than capable of taking care of himself. Just last week, he bested yet another demon lord in a game of wit. If it weren't for that same wit, he would have ended up abducted for marriage on the same day.
Shen Jiu's shifu was a man of many talents who refused to submit to any authority. He could handle himself.
Yet... what was this.
Why was he going out?
Wu Yanzi lifted a scarred brow.
His face was reserved but mildly annoyed, at odds with how fresh and bright his scent was.
With a child around or family (Shen Jiu), the heat would take on more of a cramps and fever-like appearance, with a heightened urge to rest in a nest surrounded by the scents of loved ones or look after packmates. It depended on the omega.
Without family near, well. It's clear what would happen.
"This master is going out. Did A-Jiu need something?"
"You are going out. Like that." Shen Jiu waved a hand.
Wu Yanzi turned a critical eye on his outfit, simple and black as ever, functional and practical with its tapered sleeves and shorter tunic. After moving down to the toes of his calf high boots, he turned to Shen Jiu.
"Yes. There is no need for additional layers on a warm day in the midst of spring."
He had to know he was in heat. It was not possible at his age to be so ignorant.
It wasn't the first time Shen Jiu saw him wander around carelessly in the midst of heat, but with the exception of the first that came with their meeting, these heats happen to coincide with their travels in the deep wilderness, no humans around to bother them. This was different.
Why would he need to go out?
To get knotted, Shen Jiu's mind supplied unhelpfully, and his mouth twisted into flat line. He didn't examine the jealousy, repressing it under anger and the fear, which spiraled into more anger, a scalding heat in his chest.
An old man like him should know better. An omega was an omega, and his scent was enticing. He could be harmed. What if something happened to him?
"Will you abandon your disciple for the company of a dog?" came spitting from his mouth, the concern trapped behind his chest.
"If my disciple wants to come to the market, say so. What's this hissy fit for?"
Wu Yanzi rolled his eyes and continued on his way, an angry disciple dogging at his heels. People stared and whispered, aghast. Shen Jiu kept his hand on his sword's hilt, a snarl stuck on his face.
His master purchased several treats and trinkets for Shen Jiu, shameless.
Shen Jiu hated the way Wu Yanzi would purr any time he watched his disciple eat, almost as much as he hated the rising urge within his own chest to purr back. Shameless old man!
In a way, he was also jealous of the fact Wu Yanzi was so confident and arrogant that he would walk around like this, no fear of being pounced upon. And why should a man with so many cursed objects hidden in his sleeves be fearful? He could turn any marketgoer to a puddle of goo in the space of a blink. No one here was stronger or capable of besting him in a game of wits.
"Sir, please refrain from using our establishment in your condition. The smell will drive away... customers," the pitiful beta manservant at the teahouse door managed, cowering under Wu Yanzi's stare.
"Smell? Which smell?" If Shen Jiu hadn't grown accustomed to the nuances in Wu Yanzi's expressions, he would have presumed this were mockery. The seriousness of the query stunned Shen Jiu. He... could smell the heat on himself. Surely. "A-Jiu, does your shifu smell that awful?"
Shen Jiu nodded, pushing the confusion from his face. "Shifu stinks."
Wu Yanzi apologized profusely and retreated to the safety of their home, blushing madly the entire way back and reprimanding Shen Jiu for not speaking up and leaving his old master to lose face like this.
"If Shifu needs to bathe before leaving the house, say so. He would rather know."
"A bath would not fix the stench."
"Brat."
"Shifu." Shen Jiu hated to ask, but it needed saying. "You do realize you are in heat." He had to. It would be ridiculous otherwise. He was so old. He had heats before this. It wasn't his first. Shen Jiu should be the one not noticing.
Wu Yanzi stared blankly.
Then he started laughing, a rich deep sound that echoed in Shen Jiu's bones.
"No, that's not possible. Shifu doesn't get heats."
WHAT?