Chapter 1: Deal with The Devil
Chapter Text
“You could have asked anyone for this, why me?”
He Xuan stands in Shi Wudu’s office, arms crossed and untrusting as he watches the omega behind the lavish desk. Shi Wudu pushes a thick contract towards the alpha, looking almost bored at the exchange. However it’s not every day that He Xuan gets called into his best friend’s brother’s office to discuss the pH of his cum. And yet, as far as he can tell, to the omega in front of him it’s just another Monday.
“Because you have what others lack. Discretion,” Shi Wudu admits, though it looks like it pains him to do so. “If you’re trying to get compliments out of me, this is hardly the way to do it.”
He Xuan raises a slightly unamused brow. “If I wanted compliments I’d ask your sibling.”
Shi Wudu juts his chin in the direction of the document again. “My brother is the only reason I’m even entertaining the idea. It’s all laid out in the contract and I expect an answer by Friday. You will be generously compensated for your time, of course.”
“What’s the catch?” The alpha’s eyes narrow in suspicion, his golden eyes roving over the dark lines of text.
“You have no other partners over the contract's duration, you are to report when you go into pre-rut without fail, and those ruts are to be spent with me. Your semen will be collected, tested and then used as a personal product line. As much as I adore my didi’s entrepreneurial spirit, I refuse to get what I need from a stranger. Take solace in that you’re a measly step above that.”
“So you want a sugar baby, is that it?” He Xuan counters, still not making any indication that he’ll pick up the stack of printed pages
“In a sense, as I said. It’s all in the contract.”
He Xuan sizes the omega up carefully, regarding Shi Wudu’s professional posture, the cold intellect in his deep blue eyes. The man is hungry, his gaze not leaving the alpha’s even as he paces and shifts.
“Why not Pei—”
He’s cut off by a simple raised hand and a cold look. “Pei is a whore, and I require a certain standard of quality control, see section three subsection 15.a.”
It’s then that He Xuan pauses and looks a little more carefully at the article on the desk. “You’ve really thought this through.”
“I have. Now are you going to take the damn thing or must you insist on wasting my time?”
“All this for what? Cosmetics? I know you Shi’s are vain but this is a bit much.”
“If I wanted your opinion I’d ask for it,” Shi Wudu counters, looking mildly bored.
“I’ll consider it.” He Xuan finally relents, reaching for the stack of pages before he’s stopped.
Shi Wudu slips them into an envelope and winds the string tightly. “Don’t be an idiot, or I’ll call the whole thing off. No one lays eyes on this except you and a lawyer, understood?”
“Yeah sure,” He Xuan mumbles, stuffing the package under his leather jacket clad arm.
“Understood?” the omega repeats himself more firmly, leaning forward with a sharp gaze. <<<
He Xuan crowds forward, large palms splayed over the desk as he bares his sharpened canines, yet Shi Wudu is still unmoved.
The moment takes a breath, one…two…as the silence stretches on. <<<
“Yes sir,” He Xuan relents with a measured sigh as he pushes off and begins to walk to the door.
“Good, I expect to see you Friday afternoon,” the omega says as the alpha starts to leave. He Xuan merely waves the folder in the air in acknowledgment as he steps into the long trek down from the top floor of the sprawling office.
He Xuan takes the slow descent, the heavy weight in his hand kicking off a rumination that haunts the back of his mind. There’s a slow burning ember in his chest; if anything he should be elated that he could have the chance of proximity to the omega heir of the Shi Company. The money, the status, how easy it would be to rip away from him?
He would have to be slow, deliberate. He can't be too merciful, not after what happened to his family at the hands of the Shi’s, if not directly then by association. His wife, his sister, his mother, all victims of the Shi family greed. Their distorted, scarred faces, their stuttered labouring breaths, still echo in the back of his mind. They were too poor to sue, almost no lawyer would even listen to them without a retainer. The one they had had gotten close with simply urged them to accept a settlement. None of them even lived to see a court date.
Then, there is the endless court of appeals, a curse or a blessing, depending on wealth and time…
The package in his hand feels like a thick metal manacle; it would be his choice whether or not to put it on. It’s more of a choice than his loved ones got.
He’ll admit It was different once Shi Wudu came into power: the unethical testing stopped, and family members that had participated mysteriously vanished or sat rotting behind bars from the young omega’s insider testimony. But it doesn’t change that it won’t bring Miao-er back.
He did the bare minimum. So what—
He Xuan doesn’t notice the way people part from him like the Red Sea, the quiet whispers of concern and the subtly-covered noses as the thick bitter scent of brine permeates the office air.
“Must’ve been a bad deal.”
“Oh dear, just give a wide berth and don't get involved.”
“Don’t catch his eye. Alphas like that lack control, violent things.”
The whispers circle and shift until he’s through the sliding glass doors, breathing deep the fresh air as his lungs ache.
He Xuan looks at the packet again, a steady resolve settling like titanium in his spine.
He takes the train home, going from the heart of the city to the darker corners. His own isolated island by the docks where the inky black waters bring a comfort few are able to find within the murky depths.
The papers are dropped unceremoniously on the small coffee table that serves as a catch-all. Bowls, plates and bottles line stacked and dirty from the last 48 hours. Meagre portions of fresh caught fish from the dock and the occasional homemade sauce. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough.
To call it an apartment would be generous. The flat consists of a lofted bed, a small sink, standing shower, toilet and storage, in an ‘open concept’ arrangement. It’s more a closet with amenities than a home. But it’s enough given everything.
His own, beloved Blackwater Manor. A mess of memories hanging in scuffed picture frames.
He walks over to his generous fish tank, the aquatic creatures living far more luxuriously than their master. He traces his fingers over the glass gently, watching the iridescence catch and shimmer in the plant-filled water.
“What do you think?” he asks, feeling just a tad soothed. “I won’t get a chance like this again…”
He pulls away and drops in some food for his little friends that eat ravenously, their clear bellies growing round and dark. He looks back over to the beige bag of papers on the table. Carefully, he unwinds the envelope and begins to read.
“No other partners, must maintain a high degree of hygiene, provided meals, exercise regime, must submit to regular specimen collection—” On and on it goes, listing requirements, caveats, and stipulations.
But something stands out:
“Subject will be provided an allowance of 15000 a month.”
In that moment, eyes flicker over to the stack of unpaid medical bills, the growing debts going to one Crimson Rain mob leader and ‘King of Ghosts’ within the city, for help with the extensive care his family needed and the lacklustre lawyer. He Xuan’s heart lurches. It’s a life changing amount of money, it would be steady, better accommodations…And all he has to do is be a personal sperm bank for the assholes that took his wife from him.
His gut twists painfully.
“Gods DAMN IT!” he roars, arms sliding across the surface of the table as he feels fangs elongate and his eyes sharpen into pinpoint slits. Glass shatters along the wooden floor in a cymbalic cacophony as his beloved fish hide in the long grasses and duckweed within the tank.
He Xuan gets up suddenly from the floor, walking to the mini-fridge that sits beside the sink and grabs the first bottle he can lay hands on. He pops the top with a sharp twist of his sleeve-covered hand like the serrated top doesn’t still bite through the threadbare fabric. He paces the small room feeling suffocated as he drinks down the bitter yeasty liquid like it’s not revolting to his palate. One beer follows another, and another and another, until the room swims and sways like the steady rocking of a boat lost at sea.
He locks eyes with a portrait of Miao-er in her graduation gown, looking so full of pride, of life.
He Xuan doesn’t cry; he tells himself he’s not, even as wet spots stain the front of his dark charcoal-grey shirt. He can feel the phantom traces of her hands grazing over his face, shaky and weak as they were on the hospital bed where they said goodbye for the last time.
“Find happiness Xuan-ge, you deserve that much.” Her smile is small, gentle and all too knowing.
It hurts.
It hurts in the way words choke and claw for the bitter air trapped in his lungs. In the way that sends a burning lump of coal to sear itself through his throat. And, the beast of an anguished roar to tear itself through his chest when his tongue can’t form the syllables of grief. Desperate, angry, feral and destructive.
He Xuan is drowning. He’s been drowning for years since his beloved went missing, since they returned, scarred and changed. But she was always, is, always still so heartbreakingly beautiful to him.
He falls asleep like that, surrounded by broken glass and the sharp smell of spilt beer. He doesn’t notice the cuts on his feet from the pacing, but he feels it when he wakes.
Sore and stiff he rises. She’d hate to see him like this, he can feel her disappointed judgement from the watching eyes of his fish. He spares them a glance and scowls.
This is ridiculous. He’s being ridiculous. It’s too little too late for his loved ones, sure, but he has a chance to ruin the Shi’s. Not just the bubbling breezy ball of concentrated sunshine that is Shi Qingxuan, but her brother as well. He could take that crown off his head and bring that man to his knees. Make him beg for forgiveness, for not acting fast enough, for not righting every wrong his seniors made for not—for not knowing he even existed until there was nothing else left to be done.
He’ll bring him heartbreak; he’ll shatter the ground out from beneath him and let him suffocate on the vapours of wrath and inadequacy.
He Xuan starts to plan.
He reads the contract carefully; he makes copies. He raises a brow at the ‘public outings’ clause, coming to terms with the notion that he will in fact be arm candy for the shittiest person imaginable. But it’s fine. With all the money he’d get, he could build a monument to his family, give them a better burial, finally something worthy of them. If not in life, then in death.
The contract is absolutely littered with highlighter and red pen. “This contract can be ended at any time by either party with three months severance” is circled three times. “Subject will submit to routine health inspection and check-ups. Regular doctor’s visits are mandatory, inclusive of STD testing. Any and all further medical requirements will be covered by Shi Cosmetics at no cost to the subject.”
All in all the contract is generous, extensive and meticulous to each dotted ‘I’ and crossed ‘t’. Social engagements, modelling opportunities, networking options, healthcare, it’s all there.
But what He Xuan can't wrap his head around is why.
His first thought is guilt, but there’s no way Shi Wudu would know, let alone care, how badly his family was affected. If he did, he wouldn’t put him through the anguish of being used just like his wife was. An object to play and test on, not a person.
Still, he goes through the motions. He goes to work on the docks for meagre pay that no longer matters. His knife falls swift and sure as he thinks, and head after head of fish falls on the service room floor. He doesn’t talk to anyone, but that’s normal. It’s only once or twice he imagines the knife falling on his behated; his movements are slower, in those moments.
Shi Qingxuan tries to message him about lunch, something about a new friend he wants them to meet, but it goes ignored, at least for now.
Oddly enough, waiting for Friday is almost the hardest part. It's not like He Xuan could say no, so why draw it out? It’s a better package than most jobs could ever offer.
In the days between he talks to his fish; they know everything. He cleans the apartment and begins painstakingly packing everything dear, and though it’s not much, each photo is still wrapped in four layers of bubble wrap.
Presumptuous sure, Shi Wudu could have changed his mind, but no one has come banging on his door, so he dares to hope.
“I trust you’ve read the fine print,” is the first thing He Xuan hears when he enters the office.
“You know, most people would say hello,” he bites back, crossing his arms, envelope in hand. He drops it unceremoniously on the sleek, modern desk with a loud ‘thwap’.
“I’m not in the business of wasting time,” Shi Wudu counters. He pulls out the contract, eyeing each mark and pen scratch appraisingly. He flips to the back page, the signature line sitting blank.
“Am I supposed to take this as a denial?” Shi Wudu looks up from the pages, to a pen extended out to him.
“If I’m selling my soul to the devil, I’m going to watch him sign it first.”
“You ignored my brother's offer of lunch. He was quite distraught.” Shi Wudu pivots, signing his name with quick and practiced ease, his own copy and the annotated one for good measure, and sets the pen down, motioning for the alpha to take it.
“Interesting way of saying you’re keeping tabs, boss,” he counters, the pen hanging in a hovering pause before following suit.
“Find happiness,” he hears again, whispered in the dark corners of his mind.
“My brother’s happiness is paramount. You’d do well to keep that in mind.”
“You spoil him.”
“That’s my prerogative, and one you will be subject to. I hope you realize you’ve signed away every bit of autonomy you’ve ever or could ever possess, He Xuan. This is your last chance to back out.” Shi Wudu levels him with that sharp, soul-piercing gaze, as if searching for any point of weakness
He Xuan meets it, unyielding. “Article 23 point F. Either party can end the agreement at any time, with three months severance.”
Shi Wudu hums and waves him off as he relaxes back into his chair. “The movers will be around at three tomorrow to take you to your new apartment. You’re free to go.”
He Xuan doesn’t question the authority, he simply follows, as much as it irks him to do so. He places a hand on the door handle before stealing a glance over his shoulder at the omega scribbling notes into a small black book. He takes in the strong ridge of his nose, the harsh line of his cheekbones, but there is a subtle softness to him; it simply sits buried under a furrowed brow of focus and a stern expression. A dark urge grips the alpha’s chest. He wants to ruin him.
He Xuan tears his gaze away, stepping through the threshold and pulling out his phone to send a quick message to Shi QingXuan.
‘Want lunch? You’re buying.’
The response is almost immediate. The bubbly oblivious man is supposed to be in a meeting this morning, as he is every Friday, but still he replies.
‘YES!!~ ✨ I’m already out with my other friend! We’ll pick you up! Where are you??’
He Xuan scoffs, not tearing his gaze from his phone, but still he weaves through the mundane office crowd like a fish through water as he types.
‘Downtown, I’ll meet you at the usual place. Is this ‘friend’ someone I need to tell your brother about?’
He can’t help the oh-so-subtle smirk that quirks at the edge of his mouth. A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it type smile as he feels Shi QingXuan’s eyes roll through the typing bubbles that pop up at the bottom of the screen.
“No! Gege already met him 😤 and you’re not my keeper!! And I don’t like him like that, I’m too high maintenance for anyone and I LIKE it that way 💅 so quit trying to play matchmaker!!”
He Xuan simply raises a brow as he exits the building, taking a sharp left to get as far away from the Shi Building as time will allow. He doesn’t know if Shi QingXuan knows about the deal, and he’s not about to jeopardize the opportunity by giving him reasons to suspect.
The restaurant is small, unassuming, and cosy. The menus are tattered at the edges and worn from decades of use, but the place holds so much sentiment to the alpha that steps through the door. He’s greeted like a regular, all warm smiles and friendly hellos.
He Xuan nods politely to the owner, but the dark scowl is still very much present on his face. The owner of the establishment simply smiles wide in return, all too familiar with the stormy countenance. The elderly woman is already bustling around setting out bowls, chopsticks, and cups for tea when he sits down and signals he’s waiting for two others.
The alpha enjoys the quiet peace and the light trickling sound of the water feature on the backmost wall. That is, until the red front door is thrown open wide with a cacophony of uproarious laughter and a blinding twirl of green.
“He Xuan!” Shi Qingxuan cheers brightly, dragging over some poor man with a gentle smile dressed in an oversized baggy white sweater by the elbow.
“You know, I’ve heard herds of elephants quieter than you,” he greets, leaning back in his comfortable worn wooden chair.
“I missed you too!” they counter with an unbothered grin of their own.
The person dressed in light minty greens and gentle swirling patterns smells sweet today, like fresh linens drying on the line and flowers in spring. It’s comforting even as he’s attacked by an unwelcome embrace.
“Oi, what are your letters today before you smother me to death,” He Xuan asks, only half-heartedly returning the hug with a simple pat on the back.
“Oh! Right! S, H, O!” she proclaims, flicking a lock of long silky hair over her shoulder.
It’s then that the alpha locks eyes with the androgynous-looking person she brought along. He tries to catch a scent, but nothing hits his nose. He raises a brow ever so slightly but doesn’t question it.
“Are you going to introduce us or are you going to keep being a terrible host?” the black clad alpha asks, taking a pointed sip of his tea.
“You can use your words too y’know! You’re being rude Xuan-ge.” She pulls the awkward-looking person closer as she pulls out a seat for them, as a means of urging them to sit.
“I’m Xie Lian.” They smile lightly, their rich brown eyes curling into gentle crescents. “Pleased to meet you.”
He Xuan’s eyes flash with recognition, and he regards the person more closely, picking them apart piece by piece. He maintains a relaxed posture, but it’s not hard for a cautious eye to tell that Xie Lian is being studied.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name,” he remarks, taking another sip of his drink
Xie Lian’s smile doesn’t fade, though it does become a little more strained. “It’s not often I’m remembered.”
“Well if you see a dinky little butterfly, say hello.”
“A Butterfly?--”
“Okay, now that that’s out of the way and you’re being annoyingly cryptic, what are we eating?” Shi Qingxuan claps her hands, giving He Xuan a pointedly polite simper.
“The usual, what else.” He Xuan shrugs, turning his attention to her.
“That much meat is going to make you sick one day.”
“What? I’m going to share. I’m not a monster.”
“No, but you are a glutton!” She sticks her tongue out at him with a smile and pats Xie Lian’s shoulder. “Get whatever you like! My treat!”
“I’m alright, but thank you.”
.“It’s no use arguing with her, she’s going to make you eat. She’ll just get the tab when you’re in the bathroom if you try to say otherwise. She’s an asshole like that.” He Xuan rolls his eyes, cutting in before Shi QingXuan can get a word in edgewise.
“Okay, one, RUDE! And two, it’s my money, so I get to decide what to do with it.”
“If you’re sure…” Xie Lian trails off, looking between the two people carefully.
“Absolutely!”
“So,” He Xuan looks pointedly between the two sitting across from him. “How did you two meet?”
“Xuan-ge don’t start!” Shi QingXuan whines miserably at the tone
“It’s an honest question, quit your bitching.”
“I’m in town for a conference.” Xie Lian acquiesces softly, scratching the bridge of his nose. “Miss Shi and I were paired up in a joint project with Shi Cosmetics, and an old associate made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I can sympathize with that. Who is the associate?”
“Xuan-ge, stop, this isn’t a business interview. That was already handled.” Shi QingXuan pouts into her teacup
He Xuan gives her a sidelong glance as Xie Lian politely waves off her concerns. “Please, it’s okay. It’s nice that you have people who care about you so much.”
He Xuan scoffs. “I wouldn’t go that far— Oof!”
Shi QingXuan is still smiling pleasantly as the alpha rubs a sore spot on his shin from where he was kicked. “Aren’t omega’s supposed to be gentle?? Geez.”
Shi QingXuan levels him with a look that shuts him up quickly. “Don’t start.”
“Ah…” Xie Lian trails off. “It’s okay… I’m currently doing business for Jun Wu. He needed a model for the Shi’s newest product, though it seems my responsibilities grow by the day.”
“Interesting,” He Xuan remarks, eyeing the table as plate after plate of food is set down.
“If I may, how did you and Lady Shi meet?”
“Oh that’s easy!” the omega remarks behind their hand as they chew politely.
“I was kidnapped.” He Xuan interjects
“We met when Gege was sourcing fish from the docks—kidnapped!? He Xuan, don’t be mean!”
The alpha only nods sagely as he takes a bite. “They came to buy fish and I ended up in a suit in the back of a car. Tragic, really.”
“It was a workers’ appreciation event and as I recall you had fun getting smashed on Champagne and eating so much red meat you got sick—all over my shoes, I might add.”
“We’ve been inseparable ever since.” He Xuan doesn’t smile, but his tone is lighter.
“Except when you don’t answer your phone! What the hell was that! I was worried!”
He Xuan simply shrugs. “I was busy. Packing up my fish is an intensive process.”
“Packing? Why are you packing?” She quickly shifts from smug to concerned
“Found a new place, more space, and no, you can’t have the address. I value my peace.”
“You’re so mean!”
He Xuan turns his attention back to Xie Lian, who sits quietly munching on a mantou. “How long are you planning on staying in town for? I might need you to keep this one occupied while I get settled.”
Xie Lian chuckles lightly. “The plan is to go back to my village in about two weeks.”
“Then it sounds like that plan might change.”
“I can't really say no to more work, as much as I miss my quiet existence,” Xie Lian admits, finishing his bun.
“Let me know if you need employment. I know a guy.”
“He-ge, that sounds more scary than comforting, you know that right?”
“It’s alright Miss Shi, I’m used to taking odd jobs. Surely your friend doesn’t mean me any harm.” Xie Lian comfortingly pats her arm “otherwise you wouldn't be friends, right?”
“When have you known me to be patient?” He Xuan smiles, all pointed teeth and narrowed eyes as he tries to make himself seem just a touch more threatening..
Shi Qingxuan merely rolls her eyes and relents to Xie Lian. “Yeah, okay fine.”
It’s then that Shi Qingxuan’s phone beeps loudly with the unique ringtone meant for her brother. Pulling it out, the omega groans loudly and fish out their wallet to put a generous amount of money on the table
“Looks like break time’s over. Come on Xie Lian, we’re needed to pick tablecloths.”
“Sounds riveting.” He Xuan waves them both a farewell and finishes his meal. Pulling out his phone he types a quick message to his creditor.
‘Knock 20000 off and I have information for you.’
The response is quick, abrupt, and to the point. “If the information’s worth that much, I’ll pass it along.”
‘It’s about your chain holder’s elusive flower boy.’
He Xuan’s phone blares loudly with an incoming call, and the grin that spreads across his face is all too viciously smug.
“If you’re fucking with me, that’s another 100000 added,” is the first sound he’s greeted with when he brings the phone to his ear.
“So did you ask nicely for Yin Yu’s phone, or were you a heathen?”
He Xuan nods politely to the staff in thanks before taking off to find a more private place to discuss the matter of his boss’s obsession.
“Irrelevant.”
“Are you going to be a creep about this?” he asks, fiddling with the string of his hoodie.
“Don’t waste my time.”
“You must be a delight at parties.” He Xuan ducks into an alley and quickly surveys for any recording devices or listening ears aside from the one on the other side of the line.
“He Xuan!” Hua Cheng hisses.
“He’s in the city.”
There’s a quiet pause, hesitant, disbelieving, until:
“Details.”
“Accept the deal first.”
“Done, but leave anything out and—”
“Yeah yeah, it’s my head. I know. He’s working for Jun Wu as a model, but is doing some extra business for the Shi’s. He’s especially close with Shi Qingxuan, and says he’ll be leaving in two weeks to a village unless something keeps him. Didn’t specify where.”
There’s a sharp breath through the receiver and some muffled speech, but He Xuan waits patiently, digging at the grime beneath his nails.
“You spoke with him?” Hua Cheng’s voice is noticeably softer, though not by much. “Where? How long ago? Where is he now?”
“Like you don’t track people through their phones, you fucking stalker.”
“If you don’t—”
“God, you’re pushy. We ate at Lady Mei’s. He left about ten minutes ago with QingXuan, something about picking tablecloths.”
A heavy crash echoes through the receiver before Yin Yu’s voice carries through. “Well, you certainly made his day.”
“So, about my balance—”
Click.
“Assholes,” He Xuan mutters to himself. He’d be more upset if he knew the loan shark wasn't good for adjusting what he’s owed, but the kingpin is annoyingly consistent.
There’s a listlessness about him now, like a freshly dead corpse bobbing along the seafloor. With the contract, he doesn’t need to work; he’s already packed, his fish are in their temporary containers for tomorrow, and the one he was going to waste his time with is off on another adventure.
So, He Xuan walks. He waits. He ignores the annoyed calls from his boss down at the docks, and tells him to go fuck himself in so many words.
Eventually, he finds himself on the pier near home. He dips his toes in the water and watches the fish swim and sway beneath him, lulling him into a bitter sweet trance. Part of him will miss this place. The smell of the sea and the screeching of the gulls overhead. He ruminates on how little he’s losing, how much he stands to gain, and feels…empty.
So painfully empty.
Chapter 2: Moving Day
Notes:
sorry for the delay folks! I got into a...disagreement with my editor so we are no longer on speaking terms-- but I hope to post all I have available for yall to enjoy! sorry in advance for any errors in grammar
Chapter Text
Chapter 2
It’s hard to sleep that night, tossing and turning, trying to imagine what his life will be like now that he’s a pet for a rich asshole that, quite literally, only wants his body. He thinks about Shi Qingxuan, if she knows what he’s done. What would she think, what would Miao-er think, knowing that he sold himself?
He wants company, he wants to be alone, he wants this unnameable ache to cease.
Thoughts of Shi Wudu’s tearstained face flood his thoughts instead. What would he look like? Brought low and broken for him? What would his misery taste like? He can see the upturned brows in his mind's eye, hear the hiccuped cries, the panting breaths, the anguished pleas for mercy.
He Xuan doesn’t notice the way his hand instinctively reaches lower, or recognize the aching for what it is.
He just thinks.
Fucking him would be too easy; he needs to humiliate him. Break him in ways the little omega never thought he could be. Gods it’s been so long since he—
There’s a knock, sharp and sudden. “Hello? Earth Master Moving Company.”
He Xuan wakes, groaning low and annoyed. He pulls the blinds back with a wince at his pleasant dreams of conquest being cut short. Though it’s odd he’s slept so late, he doesn’t have time to consider why.
He opens the door, bleary-eyed, and looks down at the man in front of him. “You were supposed to be here at three.”
“Are you He Xuan? I’m sorry, but I have you penciled in for 9 am. Is this a bad time?”
He Xuan simply stares down the smaller man while he collects his long inky hair to pull up into a ponytail.
He retreats into the small apartment voice. “You’re here now aren’t you? Get in here and do your job. If any of my fish die during this, I’m suing.”
“Uhm, yes sir. I was asked to give you something? Before we begin?” Ming Yi sheepishly holds out a sleek-looking phone towards He Xuan.
The alpha’s eyes flick between him and the device suspiciously. “Look, you look nice enough, but you’re really not my type.”
The mover has the decency to look away even as He Xuan’s oversized sleepwear slips over the edge of his shoulder. “It’s from Mr. Shi, sir.”
He takes the phone and finds it unlocked. There’s a message notification waiting for him.
‘You have brunch at 11. You will be picked up in 40 minutes. Look presentable.’
A low growl forms at the bottom of the alpha’s throat, and his eyes sharpen into slits. “Fucking asshole.”
“I’m..sorry? Sir?” Ming Yi looks uncomfortable, and his nose scrunches ever so slightly as the acrid scent of angry sea brine reaches him.
He Xuan doesn’t answer; he simply opens a box to pull out black jeans that are ripped at the knees. He mutters angrily the whole time he gathers his things, taking a peek at the time.
“Uhm, sir, I still need you to sign the release form?” Ming Yi watches the alpha cautiously as he storms about the small home.
“Yeah fine.” He gruffly grabs the clipboard and gives it a cursory glance, using the attached pen to scribble ‘don’t kill my fucking fish’ in the margins before writing his name on the dotted line.
He drops the pad onto the counter instead of Ming Yi’s waiting hand. He’s too preoccupied trying to run a brush through his waist-long black hair.
He glances at himself in the mirror. Presentable, sure, in that delinquent kind of way. He’ll be damned if he puts on a suit for the bastard unless explicitly commanded. And well, ‘presentable’ has a wide margin for interpretation.
Ming Yi just watches tiredly as the man paces impatiently. “I take it you will be leaving, then?”
“Is that a problem?” he asks, arms crossed.
“Ah, no, Mr. Shi was very thorough in his instruction—” He takes a quick glance at the empty tank, the temporary bucket setup, and the twice-underlined note on the clipboard. “I assure you your fish will be fine.”
He Xuan begins to speak when there’s a honking that fills the spaces between speech and breath.
“Good luck, Mr. He.” Ming Yi smiles gently at him, just as another figure darkens the doorway.
“So this is where you live? It's…cozy.”
“QingXuan,” He Xuan growls, already feeling infinitely more tired.
“Hi Xuan-ge!” Their cheery voice is far more irritating first thing in the morning than it has any right to be.
“Do you have a reason for coming into my home, or are you just here to gawk?”
“Don’t be mean Xuan-ge, I’m here to help!! Promise!! Gege is waiting for you though—” They give the alpha a cursory once-over, adjusting his shirt to look a little more intentionally skewed. They also smooth out the flyaways of his hair.
He Xuan’s eyes grow dark, but he lets them fret. “Am I to take your presence in my home to mean you knew?”
“You think Gege would proposition one of my friends without asking first? I’d have his head.” They give him another once-over and nod in approval
“Uhm, can I get started?” Ming Yi pipes up from the corner of the room, a heavy box held in his arms.
“Of course!” Shi Qingxuan smiles, reaching down to pick up a box of their own.
“Oi, before I bitch about this to your brother, what are your letters?” He Xuan may be pissed, but he’s not that kind of asshole
“H/T, A.” The Shi sibling smiles, patting He Xuan’s shoulder appreciatively, even as they keep stealing quick glances at the mover.
Shi Qingxuan lightly shoves his shoulder with their own, and He Xuan catches that familiar linen and spring scent. There’s a twisting in his chest, like the sharp knife of betrayal, when he realizes that the smell is comforting.
“Now go! You know gege doesn’t like to be kept waiting. I’ll take care of everything. Promise!” Shi Qingxuan steals another glance at Ming Yi, a large cheerful grin plastered across their face.
“Uhm..hello?” Ming Yi almost whispers, shy and unsure as a tint of red slowly creeps up the back of his neck under the Shi sibling’s gaze.
He Xuan groans, grabbing a threadbare sweater for good measure. “Just no fucking on the job, please? Or in the new place.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Qingxuan waves him off, carrying the box out to the truck with Ming Yi spluttering behind them.
“And don’t kill the—”
“I’m not going to torment the mover, okay!” They cut him off indignantly as they reach the sleek black car.
“…I was going to say fish.”
Shi Qingxuan rolls his eyes and waves to their brother in the car. “They’ll be the first to arrive, swear. Just…don’t kill my brother? I know this is a big change for you, and we’ll talk more later, but you’ll always be my friend…won’t you?”
Images of Miao-er laughing and smiling shoot painfully behind his eyes. The softness of Shi QingXuan’s cheeks and the gentle slope of his lips match the silent overlaid memory of his wife.
“Yeah…” He Xuan mutters quietly as he opens the car door. “Sure.”
There’s a tense silence when He Xuan enters, the door closing behind him with an unceremonious ‘thunk’.
Shi Wudu is dressed well as always, a dark blue merino wool sweater and beige slacks with brightly-polished brown dress shoes. The CEO gives He Xuan a once-over, taking in the thin and damaged clothing. While it’s clear to the trained eye that the fishmonger’s clothing isn’t ripped in that overpriced designer way, He Xuan holds himself in a way that makes it look expensive.
There’s a stark juxtaposition between them that makes the silence grow thicker. The minutes stretch on before either of them speak, He Xuan ready to tear at Shi Wudu’s throat and Shi Wudu itching to make the feral-looking man submit. Silently they sit as the car’s engine whirrs to life.
He Xuan simply watches the morning traffic though the tinted windows, feeling trapped and suffocated in the enclosed space of the car. His hand opens and closes into a fist, the act hidden by the turn of his body towards the window, when the scent of fine floral tea and a sea breeze hits his sensitive nose.
“I would like to discuss your medical history.” Shi Wudu’s voice breaks through the brooding silence.
“Ask, then.” He Xuan already feels like he’s drifting listlessly on open waters.
“Sexual history? Any undisclosed records of STDs or admittances to rut aid facilities?” There’s a rustling of paper and a click of a pen.
“No.”
“Any known children?”
“No.”
“Current sexual partners or romantic partners?”
“Wow, you really know how to woo a guy on the first date, you know that?”
Shi Wudu simply looks at him expectantly, those bright blue eyes cold and piercing. But he doesn’t respond.
“No.”
Another faint sound of a pen scratch.
“When was your last rut?” The omega is clinical in the way he speaks, to a degree that’s near maddening for the alpha. Part of him wants to claw a reaction out of him, to make him squirm under the implications of what he’s asking, why he wants to know. But He Xuan remains still, controlled, dispassionate.
“Three and a half weeks ago.”
“Are your ruts regular?”
“Yes.”
“Details.”
Golden eyes flick quickly over the man sitting cross-legged and unbothered in the seat next to him. Shi Wudu is still focused on that damn form like it’s nothing.
The temptation is there, sitting at a low simmer. Something about the way his captor says it sets his teeth on edge. “Be more specific.”
“Duration, frequency, propensity to violence during hormonal states.”
Distant. Still so distant.
“They come almost every four and a half weeks, and last four days.” There’s a beat of silence, one He Xuan lets hang until Shi Wudu looks at him, matching his golden gaze without an ounce of trepidation.
“Continue.”
“Why?”
“I need to know whether or not you’re a mutt that requires restraint.”
“Would you like that?” He Xuan doesn’t look away, drinking in every microexpression he’s offered, as much as Shi Wudu tries to hide it.
“This is a matter of safety.”
He Xuan hums noncommittally, leaning towards the omega ever so slightly. He lets his scent permeate the air just enough to watch the way the other man’s nostrils flare in automatic response.
“Answer the question.” The omega’s voice is still firm and steady as the car begins to slow to a crawl. Blue eyes flick up briefly to catch the driver in the rearview mirror before turning back to He Xuan, who seems so much closer than before, even though he hasn’t moved at all.
“You first.”
Shi Wudu scribbles something on the pad that He Xuan can't read from this angle, but doesn’t respond. A heavy silence hangs in the air as the only thing between them is shared breath and a challenge. That is, until Shi Wudu’s door opens from the outside.
The man takes one look at the valet, his face twisting into something akin to annoyance before the harsh lines of his face smooth back out the following instant.
“Come on,” the omega beckons, stepping out of the car and onto the sidewalk. His posture is relaxed, but his hands are balled into fists in his slacks. The leather-bound clipboard sits closed and tucked under his arm.
He Xuan cranes his neck up as he follows, staring at the immense highrise that soars into the sky like a monolith. It would be intimidating if the exterior weren’t so gaudy, endless panes of glass and chrome. Shi Wudu doesn't waste any time, marching in like he owns the place.
Granted, he probably does.
He Xuan follows like a pup on a leash, taking in the sights of people milling about on the vast lapis-covered floor interspersed with patterns in jade and pale white quartz.
“…I think you need to fire your interior designer,” He Xuan remarks idly as Shi Wudu talks to the person sitting at the reception desk.
“If you hate it that much, gouge your eyes out,” Shi Wudu replies easily, sliding a key off the desk with a simple nod. He turns on his heel and walks towards the elevator, still expecting the man to follow close behind.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” He Xuan murmurs under his breath, but does as he’s bid.
It’s within the elevator that the form and pen returns, much to the alpha’s dismay.
“Birthday?”
“Same as your brother.”
“Family medical history?”
“Substance abuse, high blood pressure.”
“Emergency contact?”
“Don’t have one.”
That gives Shi Wudu pause, his hand stilling on the page.
“Not close with your family?” the omega asks almost cautiously, if not probing.
“Hard to be close with the dead.” He Xuan shrugs, looking pointedly at the climbing digital numbers on the red LED display above their heads.
“Looks like we have something in common, then,” Shi Wudu offers, but his tone is still so detached, it’s hard to take it as anything more than small talk rather than condolences.
The silence stretches on again, crushing and looming like it is its own person hanging over their shoulders. He Xuan clears his throat after a few painfully long moments. “Anything else?”
“Not for this particular form.”
He Xuan simply nods as the numbers grow until the elevator dings to the penthouse. The place is painfully modern, white, sleek, and clean. The only pops of colour come from deep blue accents and the occasional painting. But it’s the view that takes He Xuan’s breath away, even if he’ll never admit it. The far walls are floor-to-ceiling tinted glass, giving an endless view over the city and out to the ocean. He’s so close, yet so painfully far away.
The man tears his gaze away, taking in more of the sprawling interior. He cracks half a grin when he sees the fish tank empty, ready and waiting for his beloved pets.
“So you know I have fish. That’s not creepy at all,” He Xuan deadpans, crossing his arms.
Shi Wudu shrugs, rolling his eyes. “I know you like fish. Didi took pictures of you staring at pet store windows.”
“Your brother is a creep.”
“He cares about you.”
“So you’re doing all this for his sake?”
“No.”
“Shi Wudu, CEO of Shi Cosmetics, how do you manage to be the most forthcoming man in the world?” He Xuan retorts in bitter sarcasm.
Shi Wudu looks him in the eye with a bored expression, taking out the clipboard and quickly jotting something down before closing it with a snap. He tucks it under his arm and moves to a closed door on the opposite side of the kitchen, where he waits.
He Xuan looks at the omega curiously, following once it’s clear he’s being waited on.
“Open it.”
He Xuan looks around for a moment, just a little more closely at his surroundings. While the fish tank sits empty, there are pictures on shelves of the Shi siblings, and decorative sculptures QingXuan wouldn’t be caught dead with. Shi Wudu appears comfortable in the space, relaxed, even. Slowly, puzzle pieces start to form in his mind, spinning and clicking into place.
He Xuan feels his heart lurch in his chest. Shi Wudu stands beside the still-closed door, tucked into the corner out of the way it would swing. But He Xuan moves closer to him, closer than he has any right to. He crowds Shi Wudu’s space, looming and dangerous, but the omega simply raises his chin defiantly to look at him.
“What are we doing here, Shi-ge?” He Xuan purrs, his expression hungry and wanting as he boxes the man in. He has one hand on the door handle and the other braced on the wall beside the CEO’s head.
The use of that endearment causes a sharp intake of air, a little gasp through Shi Wudu’s sensitive nose. But he doesn’t back down, keeping his gaze steady when he repeats, “Open it.”
He Xuan does as he’s told, turning the handle and pulling the door open. Inside is a simple bedroom, but in contrast to the fine whites, there’s hues of dark greys and gold. There’s still the occasional blue accent, but it doesn’t feel as gaudy. It’s richer, darker, like the endless depths of the sea. And still, that view.
There’s a small box on the bed, no bigger than a book and adorned with a satin blue bow.
“What aren’t you telling me?” He Xuan whispers, looking between the box and the fearless man wedged between him and the wall.
“Guess.”
“Again with the one-word answers.” He Xuan frowns, pushing off the wall and releasing the omega.
“This is your home,” he continues. “You want me to live here, whether it's for ease of access or something more. The motivations I don’t know, but this? Ease of access, public engagements, living with you..” Small fangs poke from beneath his lips in a vicious half grin. “You’re trying to fuck someone over.”
“So you’re not an idiot. Helpful,” Shi Wudu mutters as an imperceptible heat crawls up his neck. He Xuan places a hand over his heart dramatically. “Another compliment? Shi Wudu, are you dying?”
The omega sighs bitterly, following behind He Xuan as he steps into the bedroom and watches the man move about the space. His eyes follow as He Xuan touches the sheets, pointedly avoiding the box. The omega worries his lip between his teeth.
“Investors want an heir. I don’t.”
“So it’s not about the cosmetics?”
“Oh no, I do intend to use you as I please. Make no mistake about that. I have ideas that you are needed for that must be kept quiet.”
The admission makes something jolt down He Xuan’s spine. A heady desire making itself known, until the alpha clears his throat to dismiss the intruding thoughts.
“And past that, you need someone for appearances.”
“Correct.”
He Xuan’s golden eyes move over to the box suspiciously, but he doesn’t make any move to take it.
“So you’re lying to investors. Sounds awfully illegal.”
Shi Wudu waves his hand dismissively. “I want to stop being asked about my sex life by disgusting old alphas looking to secure further power for themselves, who would sooner drag my company back into the mud than see it thrive.”
He Xuan goes to speak, but Shi Wudu continues on, though his face erupts into a deliciously bullied shade of red. “Besides, it’s not lying if we are being…intimate.”
“Just, no pups.”
“No pups.”
He Xuan nods and glances back over to the box. “And this is what, a housewarming gift? How much of this does your brother know?”
Shi Wudu sighs, thankful for the chance to regain his composure. “He knows enough. As far as he’s concerned, I have an interest in you and I made it known. I knew my choice was sound when you didn’t ask him about the contract.”
“So secretive.” He Xuan smiles, low and predatory. “Aren’t you scared I’ll blackmail you?”
“Why do you think I’m paying you as much as I am?” There’s a flash of annoyance across Shi Wudu’s face as he steps closer. He may be smaller, but there’s a silent power in the set of his shoulders, one that has He Xuan on the back foot.
The omega approaches until it’s the alpha pinned against the wall by proximity. He Xuan’s heart nearly skips a beat when Shi Wudu cranes his head just so, letting his sweet scent fill the spaces between them.
“Besides,” he whispers in a purr of his own, placing one hand on the alpha’s chest. “With all that’s being given, you’ll be a good boy for me…won’t you?”
He Xuan’s mouth feels dry, his mind swimming with a sense of intoxication. He swallows and speaks in spite of himself, before he even registers the words leaving his lips.
“Yes…” It’s quite barely more than a whisper as he can’t tear his eyes away from the soft, inviting curve of Shi Wudu’s mouth. A mouth that approaches his own so teasingly slowly.
“Yes what?”
Another swallow.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good boy,” Shi Wudu says in a breath, his lips ghosting over He Xuan’s. It’s almost nothing, but it’s enough to make tingles erupt at the nape of his neck.
All thoughts flee from the alpha. He shouldn’t be this affected, but that doesn’t stop his fists from curling at his sides. Or the stuttered breath. Cautiously he reaches for the omega’s hips, pulling Shi Wudu flush against him, letting him feel the way he’s started to fill out in his jeans.
“Tell me you want this,” He Xuan whispers, brushing the tip of his nose over Shi Wudu’s. He can feel the way the omega tenses under his grip. He can smell the way his scent changes to something syrupy and thick in a way that clings to his throat and makes him feel drunk.
“Yes—”
Shi Wudu doesn't even get to finish the word before he’s being devoured. He Xuan springs on him, wrapping a hand around the nape of his neck to pull him into a searing kiss. They move in tandem, Shi Wudu’s arms snaking over He Xuan’s shoulders to pull him impossibly closer, like he can’t get enough of the man trapped against him. Neither can help the small little ruts of their hips. Or the sweet sighs that escape between them.
He Xuan’s hand finds its way to Shi Wudu’s hair, his fingers curling into a fist and ruining the long, beautiful braid. He pulls just to hear Shi Wudu gasp, biting at the man’s lip ruefully just to hear him moan.
He explores every inch given to him. The only thoughts running through his mind are how to get more of those addictive noises. How to taste him better.
He runs his tongue along the back of Shi Wudu’s teeth and the omega’s knees buckle. The arm at his waist tightens as He Xuan supports him, taking the opportunity to place his knee between Shi Wudu’s legs and grind.
“Fuck!” the omega hisses, nails digging into He Xuan’s back in sensual revenge.
It’s so little yet so much, Shi Wudu feels like he’s falling. He doesn’t want this to stop, feels like he’s going insane when he moves on instinct, jumping up to wrap his legs around He Xuan’s waist. Kiss after kiss, it’s hard to tell where one of them begins and the other ends.
The omega’s heart stutters in his chest when He Xuan breaks away to lay wet and heavy marks into the scent gland on his neck. He Xuan growls deep and low in his chest, nipping softly with the express purpose of marking his territory. There’s no thought behind it other than the carnal need to claim.
“He-ge,” Shi Wudu sighs, using his hand to press the alpha more firmly into his neck, his thighs tightening as he moans into the quiet of the room. He feels so dizzy; he’s been intimate before, sure, but he’s never felt so devoured, so out of control, from something as simple as a kiss.
He Xuan’s only response is another teasing bite, another bruise to paint that delicate skin. He’s moving before he realizes it, laying Shi Wudu down on the bed as gently as he can without relinquishing his hold.
He needs more. More skin, more sighs, more Shi Wudu.
Neither of them hear the front door open, neither register the padding of footsteps and the gentle thunk of boxes.
He Xuan digs his hands into the flesh of Shi Wudu’s thighs, his other hand slipping beneath that soft blue sweater to feel more of the omega’s skin beneath the rough pads of his palms. He revels in the way Shi Wudu arches up to meet his touch, his heart thumping painfully in his chest as each reaction feels like a hit of a drug he can’t name.
“Gege?— oh SHIT GUYS WHAT THE FUCK!!”
Shi Wudu’s head thunks back into the mattress with an exasperated sigh as He Xuan hides his face in his neck.
“Hello Didi, you’re early.”
Chapter 3: Shark Tank
Notes:
two updates in one day oh gosh! I'll be honest, part of updating what it is I have available from my editor before the split is so it can stop haunting me like a dead fish in a locked closet. There's 7 chapters written, all originally from a discord thread mind you, and dear editor got through 3? 5? of them??
not important-- just be aware that there may be (will be) a bump in grammar issues and run sentences in later chapters but a lot more smut
Chapter Text
Chapter 3
“Gross, so so gross, y’all couldn’t have waited? UGH!” Shi Qingxuan throws their hands up in the air, turning their back to the scene that was unfolding before them.
“I’m too young to be an uncle!” he cries as he retreats into the kitchen to a mildly mortified Ming Yi still hauling boxes into the room.
He Xuan can't help but chuckle, although he still has some decency to look ashamed. But even like this, with Shi Wudu beneath him, he still manages to suck another dark and possessive mark into his neck. It’s only when the omega thumps a fist on his shoulder that he relents into letting him go. He stands up to survey the damage, the flushed face and kiss-red lips that he wants to bite all the more.
He gives a little nod, catching Shi Wudu’s gaze, still hungry and wanting. But he turns on his heel without a word, quietly adjusting himself and leaving the man on the bed.
“Where are my fish?” He Xuan calls as he walks through the door.
Shi Qingxuan gestures to the bucket by the door, and the alpha wastes no time in pulling off the lid to verify his beloved pets are still alive and well. He counts carefully, ensuring none have been missed, before breathing a soft sigh of relief. He surveys the other boxes for a piece of blue tape; while there’s water in the new tank, He Xuan doesn’t trust either of the Shi siblings with proper pet care.
Finding his mark, he rifles through the supplies until he finds his biologicals and pH strips.
“Oi,” he calls to the people milling about the kitchen. “Hand me a chair, will you? This thing is huge.”
Ming Yi is the one to look at him curiously and drag over the chair as requested, and Shi Wudu finally follows in close behind, the omega’s sweater since replaced with a turtleneck.
He Xuan watches Shi Qingxuan give their brother a stern look. “You’re not fooling anyone, Gege.”
“If I want a peanut gallery, I’ll ask for it,” he responds in kind as the younger of the Shi’s simply sticks out their tongue.
“What are you doing?” the eldest asks, crossing his arms over his chest when the alpha starts rolling up his sleeves
“What does it look like?”
“Making a mess.”
“Have either of you ever owned fish?” He Xuan asks in turn, dipping the litmus paper into the water. He pulls it out with a frown when it indicates untreated tap water. “Well. That answers that.”
He Xuan surveys the tank more closely as Ming Yi so helpfully pipes up in the corner, “I had a betta. The fish, I mean. When I was growing up.”
“Really now?” He Xuan gives him a mirthless grin. “And how long did it live?”
“…A year.”
“Ah,” He Xuan answers simply as he pulls his hand away from the tepid waters. He looks at his fish in their bucket and frowns. “How much water does this tank hold?”
Shi Wudu thinks for a moment. “About 1100 gallons.”
He Xuan nods his head in acknowledgement. He steps off the chair to assess the tank more fully. He takes account of the soft sandy substrate and the plentiful plants clinging to the beautiful aquascape.
He moves back to the blue-taped box, taking out kits and a thermometer. The Shi siblings watch curiously as he moves about.
“What is he doing?” Shi Qingxuan asks, voice barely above a whisper
“Obsessing,” comes Shi Wudu’s quick reply, but his eyes don’t leave the man digging through boxes. The omega marks the frown on his face when He Xuan pulls out a small mechanism no bigger than his hand.
“What’s the problem?”
“There’s too much plant material in the way. Does this tank have a flow filter? A suitable one for the size of the tank, not a little dinky one.”
Shi Wudu rolls his eyes softly. “I’m not an idiot. It has a light current. I don’t want bugs.”
“Well then, I have some bad news about my fishes’ diet.”
There’s a smile, barely noticeable but it’s there for a fraction of a second, and suddenly Shi Wudu’s shirt feels just a tad too warm.
“Everything you need is there. However, whether your fish are fresh or salt water, I couldn’t have known.”
He Xuan hums softly, turning his attention back to his tank supplies. He pulls out several bottles of biologicals and minerals. More test strips go into the water, and he adjusts and inoculates as needed.
“Congratulations, this will be less painful for my fish than expected.”
“What kind of fish are they?” Ming Yi asks as he sets down the last box after being abandoned by Shi Qingxuan.
“Glass catfish,” He Xuan replies easily. “Picky little guys too. If conditions aren’t perfect, they’ll die.”
He Xuan turns his face towards Shi Wudu as he pulls out a small container of fish food. “And sorry to disappoint, but bloodworms are their favourites.”
Shi Wudu visibly makes a face at the prospect of having worms in the penthouse, but doesn’t comment on it as Qingxuan slides over curiously to look at the transparent fish.
“Why do they look so…”
“Cute?” He Xuan helpfully supplies, with an edge of warning to his voice.
“Sure…yeah. Cute.”
“They’re a river species from Thailand. The transparency is an adaptation so they can swim around in the middle areas of the water body instead of being bottom or top feeders. Hard to see if there’s nothing to see.”
“Fascinating. How long is this going to take? We still have brunch,” Shi Wudu interjects, sneaking a peek at the fish for himself. His microexpressions shift just enough for He Xuan to clock the easing of the crease of the omega’s brow.
“Couple hours for the water to be safe enough,” He Xuan supplies. “Just how important is this meal?”
“Investors,” Shi Wudu mutters miserably.
“Not even going to let me get settled before turning me into a show pony, huh.”
Ming Yi watches quietly from the corner, clipboard back in hand. He tries to politely get the eldest’s attention to no avail, instead gently tapping QingXuan’s shoulder.
“Could you sign this? Please?” he asks, holding out the board and pen
“Hmm? Oh yeah, sure!” They reply easily with their signature smile, though there’s a slight pressure in their chest at the demure expression of the man in front of them. Against their better judgement, they steal a sticky note from the inside fold and jot down their name and number. They leave a little doodle of a smiley face to boot before tucking the pen into the man’s front coat pocket.
Ming Yi seems just a little shellshocked, having to shake his head ever so slightly to get his wits back. By the time he does, the younger Shi is back by his brother’s side, antagonizing the newest addition to their little family.
He pats the clipboard in a daze before nodding to himself and walking away. Shi Wudu paid upfront and in cash, so there’s nothing more to do. But it doesn’t stop Ming Yi from stealing one last glance before he leaves the trio.
“You guys are going for breakfast? Can I come?”
“No.”
“Aww Gege, why!” Qingxuan whines with a prominent pout
“Because they’re more likely to accept him as your lover than mine,” Shi Wudu says, rolling his eyes while watching He Xuan feed his fish.
“You’re not going to make me act the part of the rich asshole are you?” He Xuan scowls.
Shi Wudu gives him a half grin. “I’m sure you’re asshole enough on your own.”
He Xuan takes a brief moment to look shocked before something clicks behind his eyes. He wraps an arm around Shi Wudu’s waist, getting in his face, his own expression painted in a challenge.
“And that's why you love me isn’t it Wudu-ge?” He Xuan smiles like a shark that got the fish, all predatory teeth and smugness.
Shi Wudu flushes a bright red while his jaw moves soundlessly. His eyes catch his brother’s, looking only mildly mortified.
“Dude, I’m RIGHT here!” Qingxuan squawks, turning around while Shi Wudu pushes against He Xuan’s shoulders to get him to relent.
The alpha does as he’s bid but not without grinning like he’s won something.
“Xuan-ge, I have never known you to be this affectionate. What the hell!” Shi Qingxuan protests, grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen so they don’t have to look at…whatever that was.
“Wudu-ge,” He Xuan says with a subtle purr, “is just fun to bully.”
“Well can you bully him when I’m not around? Please?” the man asks, still looking slightly mortified when they return. “He’s my brother and you’re my best friend. It’s just…weird.”
“I’ll train him properly, don’t worry—” Shi Wudu begins to soothe his brother before He Xuan’s interjection stops him in his tracks
“Train? Of all the words to use, you go with the kinkiest one?”
“He Xuan!” the Shi siblings hiss while the alpha simply cackles to himself.
Shi Wudu scowls. “You—!”
“He-ge, only you could leave him at a loss for words.” Shi Qingxuan shakes their head with a sigh.
“My crowning achievement.”
It’s then that Shi Wudu grabs a lock of He Xuan’s hair and tugs bitterly in retribution.
“Ow! Hey, hey, yeah, okay, fine! I’ll tone it down, geez.”
Shi Wudu clears his throat, releasing his grip on He Xuan’s hair. “We really should be going.”
“So soon?” Shi Qingxuan whines. “You really are a slave driver, Gege.”
Shi Wudu clears his throat but says nothing, instead walking towards the door to slip on a tailored wool coat. “If you’re going to stay, you better not make a mess.”
“Gege! You’re no fun.”
He Xuan for his part moves the bucket of fish into a shady corner to protect them from the heat of the sun and slips the lid back on carefully, bidding the fish farewell.
He follows obediently, gently nudging Shi Qingxuan with his shoulder as he passes. “Lunch tomorrow?”
The display begets him a small smile. “Yeah, yeah okay.”
He Xuan nods in acknowledgment and follows out the door when it’s clear Shi Wudu has no interest in waiting for him to say goodbye.
“And here I thought you’d have more manners than your brother,” he chides when they enter the elevator.
“We’re behind schedule, and you didn’t have to be so aggressive.” Shi Wudu glares at the blue and green tiling on the elevator floor.
“By the sounds you were making, I’d argue you enjoyed it.” He Xuan steals a peek at the turtleneck, mourning the loss of the sight of his handiwork. He sighs. “You gave me that contract to help with appearances. This is a strong way to do that. If it bothers you, we can act like every married rich couple and not-so-secretly hate each other. No affection at all.”
“That’s not what I said.” The heat is creeping up the omega’s neck again when the mechanical carriage dings with the ground floor’s arrival.
“Then what are you saying?”
Shi Wudu looks to the ceiling as if it will give him any strength. “Five minutes into this relationship, and I already want to break up with you.”
He Xuan hums nonchalantly as he takes the moment between when the platform stops moving and the doors open to once again crowd the omega. He enjoys the little reactions he’s given behind that stoic and severe face. The heat that curls off him, the ever so slight upturn of his brow. The hunger, the challenge that grows in Shi Wudu’s perfect, endlessly blue eyes.
“You can’t,” He Xuan declares, voice barely above an intimate whisper. He brings the end of Shi Wudu’s braid to his lips to kiss where it’s bound tightly. “You have too much to lose right now.”
He sees the anger rise and the words run to the tip of Shi Wudu’s tongue, the tongue He Xuan finally knows the infuriatingly intoxicating taste of. But the alpha pulls away as the doors ding open, leaving any passerby who might look in none the wiser.
“Come on,” He Xuan calls to the unmoored man, echoing his own words. “We’re behind schedule.”
Shi Wudu is quick to regain his composure, even if the overwhelming urge to throttle the alpha remains. He’s quiet the entire time his personal driver takes them to the meeting, both men refusing to look at one another. But it doesn’t stop Shi Wudu from fixing his braid, the swishing movements catching the alpha’s eye when the waist-long hair spreads over the leather seats. It doesn’t help as much as Shi Wudu would like, as he starts to get frustrated without a mirror. Eventually, he settles on a ponytail instead.
“You look like a whore,” He Xuan says idly, tugging the hair at the base of where it’s tied.
“And you’re acting like one,” Shi Wudu snaps back, feigning disinterest.
“Let me help.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let me braid it.” He Xuan casts a sidelong glance at the driver in the front and frowns. He leans in close, whispering low and sweet in the omega’s ear.
“You’re giving me a king's ransom. I have to play my part to be worthy of that much don’t I?” He punctuates it with a soft bite to Shi Wudu’s ear.
Suddenly, he’s shoved back into his seat with more strength than he was expecting.
“A day. It’s been—can’t you keep it in your pants for a day, or are you like every other goddamned knot-brain out there?” Shi Wudu fumes. “It’s not enough you tease, but must you try to humiliate me at every opportunity?”
He Xuan looks smug, even with that dispassionate frown there’s a victory, a hunger welling in his eyes at the reaction.
“You need to learn how to relax.”
“I am relaxed,” Shi Wudu hisses, fixing his posture back into his professional poise.
“You’re a puffer fish is what you are.” He Xuan’s grin is toothy and merciless.
“And you’re an eel, disgusting and slippery.”
He Xuan puts a hand over his chest in a display of mock hurt. “Oh. How you wound me.”
“Just—when we get in there you let me do the talking, understood?” If looks could kill, He Xuan would be dead several times over at this point, but it would be worth it. Being able to needle his way under that haughty composure is a treat in and of itself.
He Xuan is on his best behaviour until the car pulls to a stop and his door swings open. It’s only then he takes a steady breath, a minute break in the carefully-crafted veneer he’s put on.
He steps out first, standing beside the door, and holds out his hand to help the omega out of the vehicle. Shi Wudu nearly hesitates in taking it, but his gaze catches something—or rather someone—waiting for them at the door of the restaurant. So the omega schools his expression and lets himself be helped, as much as it irks him to do so.
Shi Wudu’s hand is so much softer than He Xuan’s, but it’s only a brief recognition from either party before He Xuan is pulling Shi Wudu up in front of him, placing his hands on either side of his waist to lean into him again. Stealing a small moment before going in to whisper intimately, to be the picture of the attentive lover.
“Lead the way, sir.” He Xuan places a small kiss on Shi Wudu’s temple. A soft, intimate act he hasn’t performed since he got to hold his wife just like this.
What surprises him, however, is how Shi Wudu blushes even as he continues to frown. He knows the game, but it’s still surprising. There’s a gentle pat to He Xuan’s cheek. “Come on mutt, let’s make this quick so you can get back to your guppies.”
He Xuan trails behind as Shi Wudu approaches an older gentleman. He’s well-kept, long dark brown hair kept up in a tasteful bun with a few streaks of grey here and there. He looks nice enough, but there’s an edge to him that He Xuan can't place, a lecherousness hiding just beneath the surface.
“Darling,” Shi Wudu starts, holding He Xuan’s hand to pull him closer, both as a comfort and a safety measure.
“This is Jun Wu.”
Jun Wu looks at He Xuan expectantly, but the alpha doesn’t give the man an inch. He simply looks bored—disinterested, even—at the prospect of meeting one of if not the most powerful man in the world. But He Xuan looks at him like he’s just that: a man and nothing more.
It takes Shi Wudu subtly stepping on his foot for him to nod politely.
“Pleasure.”
“And you are?” Jun Wu doesn’t give any indication of malice, or even much interest outside of the sake of politeness.
“He Xuan,” he replies simply, choosing instead to possessively wrap his arm around Shi Wudu’s shoulder.
“Ah.” Jun Wu hums, stepping to the side letting the two men enter the restaurant. “So you’re the alpha he keeps stashed away.”
“I must say I’m surprised,” he continues. “I was expecting someone a little more…polished.”
He Xuan simply shrugs, taking Shi Wudu’s coat like it’s the most natural thing in the world. He drapes it over the back of his chair when the omega seats himself at the table. There are half a dozen older men at the table, all alphas by the smell of them, though none are at all remarkable.
“So,” one laughs. “Of all the alphas biting at your heels, this is the one you choose?”
“I’ve barely sat down and you’re already hounding me for my relationship status? I expected better,” Shi Wudu chides, as prim and proper as always when He Xuan takes the seat next to him.
He Xuan reaches for Shi Wudu’s hand under the table, and the omega allows it. For now.
“Still,” another alpha pipes up, a woman this time, painted to high heaven in makeup and rouges. “I was hoping for someone with a pedigree.”
“That’s the beauty of it not being your relationship isn’t it?” He Xuan smiles mirthlessly.
“I came here to give you an update on affairs. While this could have been a filed report, I wanted you to meet my lover in person to dissuade any doubts.” Shi Wudu’s voice carries command, authority, even through the quiet din of the restaurant.
“If you think one meeting will have everyone convinced some stranger you’ve pulled off the street is fit to sire a Shi heir, then I kindly suggest you might be overestimating yourself.” Jun Wu’s gaze is unwavering from the couple, looking intently for any flaw or inconsistency.
“Of course not,” He Xuan responds, looking over the menu with mild distaste. “Forgive me, all of you, but I am a private person. Shi Wudu has been kind enough to respect my wishes of staying out of the limelight.”
The man stares right back at Jun Wu, golden eyes unyielding in turn. “Going public has become something important to him. What kind of partner would I be if I didn’t support him in that?”
“I take it we’ll be seeing more of you then?”
He Xuan can feel Shi Wudu’s grip tighten around his hand under the table, but the omega’s expression is still firm and stoic.
“Of course,” He Xuan answers easily. There’s a dark gnawing in his chest, the urge to bare his fangs and growl at the table for daring to suggest he wouldn’t. But another squeeze to his hand comes, less reassurance and more warning.
That’s when He Xuan smells it, the acrid scent of volcanic smoke and burning incense.
He’s being played.
The alpha forces himself to relax, and turns his attentions to Shi Wudu. “Darling, I will admit I would have preferred meeting them at the gala.”
“You’re going to the charity—” Someone nameless and unimportant speaks, or rather begins to, but neither party in the couple pays them any mind.
“I understand,” Shi Wudu answers simply, locking gazes with the alpha and grounding himself in the shifting tide pools of his eyes. There’s too much for He Xuan to name there at the moment. But it’s enough.
“Unfortunately, these are an impatient and needy lot,” the omega continues, causing the taller man to crack the smallest of grins.
“Only you would be so bold,” he purrs in response. He can vaguely make out the others talking, but the chatter fades into the background din. “Can I at least cook for you instead? The menu here looks gross.”
Shi Wudu glances at the menu, then back at the line of alphas, still clocking the sulfur smell. He shrugs. “I suppose I owe you some concessions, seeing as I dragged you out of bed today.”
A smile, a tease. He Xuan’s heart leaps, but he promptly ignores it.
“Any other business here?”
“Nothing that can’t be put in an email.”
He Xuan nods, standing up to help Shi Wudu from his chair.
“And where might you be going?” Jun Wu’s tone is still impassive and cold, grating like a glacier down a mountain side.
“Home.” And Shi Wudu rises to match it with grace. He flicks his ponytail back over his shoulder when He Xuan drapes his wool coat back over him.
It’s Shi Wudu that leads the way out, leaving the investors dumbfounded and fully aware that their leash on the boy they helped to seize control is lengthening by the day.
“We haven’t discussed further options!” one of them calls, voice gravelly and grating from years of smoking.
To his credit, He Xuan doesn’t say a word, walking silently and obediently behind as the indignant, entitled cries from the table shrink as they move.
“As If any of your bloodlines are good enough.”
Shi Wudu’s final remark is punctuated by a closing door.
incorruptible_chastity_meatballs on Chapter 1 Wed 20 Mar 2024 05:24PM UTC
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SyringaLilac on Chapter 2 Fri 20 Sep 2024 01:06AM UTC
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Juldve on Chapter 3 Mon 20 Jan 2025 09:37PM UTC
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Marylene on Chapter 3 Fri 31 Jan 2025 09:10PM UTC
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