Chapter Text
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Gusu society had an unwritten rule: two alphas under the same roof were an inevitable collision. The marriage between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian was expected to be a constant struggle for dominance. At banquets hosted by large corporations, whispers followed Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji like a trail of smoke. "Two alphas," they said disdainfully, "it's a constant power struggle, a ticking time bomb." They predicted that the walls of their home would be stained with dominance, that the air would be unbreathable, and that, sooner or later, one of them would seek the "gentleness" that only an Omega could provide. Mo Xuanyu believed those words. For him, his stay at the Lan residence wasn't just a refuge from Madam Jin's scorn; it was a love story that was destined to happen. However, for Mo Xuanyu, who had been living as a "temporary guest" at the Lan residence for two weeks, the reality was far more irritating.
There was no shouting.
There was no broken furniture. There was none of that acrid, aggressive smell of alpha competition.
As Mo Xuanyu climbed the stairs of the imposing residence, adjusting his shirt collar, he smiled inwardly. He was the missing piece. A young, fertile Omega, with the scent of wild strawberries and the devotion, lineage, and love for Lan Wangji. In his mind, Wei Wuxian was nothing more than a noisy obstacle, a biological anomaly that Wangji tolerated out of a misguided loyalty they called "love."
That Thursday, Xuanyu decided it was time to pull the trigger.
He looked at himself in the mirror. Beneath her loose, demure clothing, the black lace of her bodysuit pressed against her skin, an invisible armor of seduction. She had released just enough pheromones to make the air in the room feel thick, sweet, almost suffocating. She knew Hanguang-jun would arrive at 6:00 PM. The plan was simple: Lan Wangji would arrive at 6:00 PM, find her "unwell" due to a sudden heat on the sofa, and nature would do the rest.
But at 3:45 PM, the beep of the electronic lock broke the silence.
Xuanyu froze. Wangji? So early? Her heart pounded in her ribs. She peered through the crack in the door, but the footstep that echoed in the hallway wasn't Lan Wangji's rhythmic, measured one. It was heavier, more... vibrant.
Wei Wuxian entered the living room, shedding his business suit with lethal efficiency. Surely believing he had the house to himself, he allowed himself such a display. Xuanyu swallowed hard. Despite his hatred, he couldn't deny that the "Patriarch" of Lan Industries was an imposing sight. It wasn't brute strength; it was his agile figure with lean muscles, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist that exuded an electrifying virility.
What frustrated Xuanyu most was the scent. There was no struggle. No smell of aggression or competition for dominance. Wei Wuxian's scent—forest after a storm and ozone—mingled with Wangji's lingering sandalwood, creating something Mo Xuanyu refused to acknowledge: a home.
When the bedroom door closed and Wei Wuxian emerged shortly after in loungewear, Xuanyu had to back away. Wuxian paused in front of his door. For a second, Xuanyu's heart stopped. Does he know? The Omega held his breath, pressed against the wood. Wei Wuxian's hand rested on the doorknob for a second, but he didn't enter. He simply pushed the door shut completely, leaving Xuanyu in the shadows.
"Air it out a bit, little Mo," Wei Wuxian's voice sounded nonchalant but firm from the other side. "The scent is too strong in here." Xuanyu flung open the windows, his face burning with embarrassment. Did he know? Had he detected his trap?
Half an hour later, Xuanyu came downstairs, now dressed modestly, trying to resume his role as the "innocent guest." He expected to find Wei Wuxian sprawled on the sofa or ignoring the housework; instead, he found the alpha in front of a tablet screen, following a cooking show with almost sacred concentration. His hands now wielded a knife with meticulous care over the vegetables.
"I thought I was alone," Xuanyu said, feigning shyness. "Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable earlier."
Wei Wuxian didn't even look up from his knife.
"You're young, Mo Xuanyu. Just be careful and close the door when you're... 'taking care of yourself.' You don't want visitors to get the wrong impression."
Xuanyu faked an awkward, shy smile. Wei Wuxian was known for not being shy about pointing out mistakes; apparently, Xuanyu's scent made him uncomfortable. The alpha thought he was masturbating. He saw him as a hormonal teenager, not a threat. Perfect, Xuanyu thought, that he underestimated me.
"You won't burn the house down, will you?" Xuanyu asked, his voice dripping with venom. "I understood you didn't touch the kitchen."
“Xichen-ge taught me,” Wuxian confessed with a knowing smile. “It’s a secret, don’t tell the others.”
“Why hide it?” Xuanyu asked, searching for a weakness, a sign that Wei Wuxian felt inferior. An Alpha cooking for another Alpha… society would say that’s unnecessary submission.
Wei Wuxian burst out laughing.
“Why tell them?” Wuxian countered, chopping a carrot and giving Xuanyu a mocking look as if he were a puppy. “Some gifts are only for one person.”
For the next hour, Xuanyu found herself, much to her own misfortune, enjoying herself. Wei Wuxian’s energy was magnetic, warm, without the weight of judgment that Mo received at the Jin house. Wei Wuxian was funny and surprisingly kind. It was easy to forget that she wanted to steal her husband until the door opened at 6:00 p.m.
At precisely 6:00 PM, Lan Wangji crossed the threshold. Xuanyu rushed toward him, reaching for his coat.
"Welcome, Hanguang-jun. Let me help you..."
"I can," Wangji's voice was icy and curt. "Your help isn't needed, Mo Xuanyu. Thank you."
The Omega recoiled, hurt. But Wangji's coldness evaporated the instant his golden eyes met Wei Wuxian emerging from the kitchen.
"Wei Ying? I thought you'd be at the office late." Xuanyu expected a lascivious kiss, a territorial marking of his territory by exploiting the Omega factor. But what he saw was far more unsettling. Wei Wuxian approached and simply kissed his forehead with a tenderness that seemed almost sacred. His hands slid to Wangji's waist and he calmly embraced him, allowing Wangji to bury his face in his neck as he pulled him inside the house.
"Welcome home, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian whispered. Xuanyu went to the dining room; it was a bit insulting to be the violinist.
Later, Xuanyu learned that it was the anniversary of the Lan matriarch's death. Wei Wuxian wasn't cooking out of obligation; he was recreating the flavors of his husband's childhood to sustain him on his darkest day.
Dinner passed in a silence that Xuanyu couldn't break. When they finished, Wangji got up to wash the dishes, and Wei Wuxian stood beside him to dry them. It was a choreography rehearsed for a decade.
From the shadows of the hallway, Xuanyu watched as Wei Wuxian wrapped his arms around Wangji's waist from behind as the Lan Alpha finished drying his hands. Wangji slumped back, resting his head on his husband's shoulder, closing his eyes with a sigh of relief that broke Xuanyu's heart.
"You did really well today, darling," Wei Wuxian murmured. Wangji didn't respond with words, only pressed Wei Wuxian's arms against his chest, as if that embrace were the only thing keeping him tethered to the world.
Xuanyu went upstairs to his room in silence. His lace bodysuit felt ridiculous, a bad joke.
But as he undressed, Mo Xuanyu clenched his fists. It was just a tough day, he told himself. Even the strongest walls have cracks. I just have to find mine.
Wei Wuxian's intervention was perhaps in his favor.
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