Chapter Text
“How is he?” Du Cheng was pacing frantically up and down the hospital hallway when he finally spotted a doctor. She raised an eyebrow at him before holding up a hand in a placating gesture, probably because his scent blockers had worn off from the stress of the last few hours. He knew he needed to reapply them — he was still on duty, and it was against regulations — but his worry about Shen Yi consumed his every thought.
“Are you family?” the doctor asked, her voice calm yet professional.
“I’m his partner... uh, police. We brought him here,” he quickly explained, fumbling to pull out his ID.
She glanced at the badge and nodded. “Physically, he has some minor injuries, nothing that won’t heal in a few weeks. But… a scent bond was forced on him. He’s suffering from withdrawal, and that complicates things.”
It was hard not to let anger consume him. A broken scent bond was dangerous and excruciatingly painful. He couldn’t imagine how much Shen Yi was hurting at that moment. But beyond that, the thought of that psycho touching Shen Yi in such a way made Du Cheng feel physically sick. If he hadn’t already shot that guy…
“Is there anything I can do?” he murmured, guilt now joining the anger; it had taken way too long to find Shen Yi.
The doctor reached out to touch his arm. “We usually ask the Alpha in the family to help in those cases. He needs a scent he feels safe and comfortable with to get through this. I already had a brief talk with Shen-laoshi about it, but he has no family… ”
Du Cheng shook his head. “I'm the closest thing to family he has.”
The doctor nodded. “Then you might actually be able to help, if you're willing. Go to the bathroom and wash off the rest of your blockers.”
Heat flooded his cheeks with embarrassment, but he quickly nodded and sprinted to the nearest bathroom. Du Cheng knew that Shen Yi was familiar with his scent, just like he knew the scent of his partner. Oftentimes when he had brought Shen Yi home after work, especially on long work days, the blockers had started to fade, leaving them in a situation where they were able to smell each other. They had never talked about it, but Du Cheng knew from that first faint whiff that they were very scent compatible. Probably the reason why they got along so well as partners at work.
When Du Cheng held his hands under the cold water in the bathroom sink, he winced slightly. He couldn’t help but worry that offering his Alpha scent to calm Shen Yi might make him uncomfortable. It felt... intimate. Still, it was good to feel useful for once. Du Cheng wanted to help — no, he needed to.
He splashed cold water onto his throat, scrubbing the skin forcefully until it turned red, before drying himself with a rough paper towel. The blockers were gone now, leaving only his natural scent behind. It made him feel strangely exposed, almost naked. Working in the police force for so long, he’d gotten used to masking his scent. He even wore blockers on his days off, initially as a precaution in case he was called into work. Over time, it had simply become a habit.
Du Cheng hesitated briefly before stepping out of the bathroom. The doctor was waiting for him in the hallway, offering an approving nod before gesturing for him to follow.
“Remember to try to stay relaxed,” she said as they walked. “I know you’re very worried about your friend right now, but you’ll need to push that aside for the time being. Otherwise, your scent might stress him out further. He’ll be alright. Keep reminding yourself of that.”
Easier said than done, but Du Cheng nodded, inhaling deeply in an attempt to calm himself.
“He’ll likely be pretty out of it,” the doctor continued. “Don’t be surprised if he falls asleep mid-sentence. That’s completely normal during the recovery process.”
When they reached a door at the end of the hallway, the doctor paused. “This is an isolation room. There’s a bell on the nightstand if you need assistance or if anything unexpected happens.” Her hand hovered over the handle, but she didn’t open the door just yet.
“When we go inside, we’ll explain everything to him. Of course, we’ll need his consent for this form of therapy.”
Du Cheng nodded quickly, his only concern seeing Shen Yi and staying by his side. The doctor finally opened the door, and they entered quietly.
The first thing that struck Du Cheng was Shen Yi’s scent, sharp and sour with distress and fear. The room was dark and cool, but there was just enough light for Du Cheng to take in the sight before him. Shen Yi looked way too small and fragile in the large hospital bed. He lay on his side, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, his body shivering. The cuts on his face had been treated, most of them covered with small plasters, but it did little to ease the knot in Du Cheng’s chest.
He didn’t react to their presence. His eyes were closed, but Du Cheng had the distinct feeling he wasn’t asleep. Moving carefully, Du Cheng stepped closer to the bed and lowered himself to his knees.
“Shen Yi,” he said softly, his voice gentle. “It’s me.”
Shen Yi trembled at the sound of his voice, his body curling further in on itself. Slowly, he opened one tired, bloodshot eye to look at him.
The doctor joined them, speaking in a calm, reassuring tone. “Shen- laoshi , do you remember our conversation about getting you some help to get through this?”
Shen Yi gave a slight nod, though his gaze stayed fixed on Du Cheng, his brows knitting together in confusion, as if he was silently asking why Du Cheng was here.
The doctor continued, her tone steady but encouraging. “Good. Cheng- dui has offered to help you. Of course, we need your consent for this, but I strongly recommend it. With his help, you’ll heal faster and get through this much more easily.”
It seemed like Shen Yi was thinking about it, closing his eyes for a moment before he finally nodded.
Du Cheng heard the doctor exhale softly beside him, a hint of relief in her voice. “Good. This will help tremendously,” she said before facing Du Cheng. “It’s important that you stay physically close. Nurses will check in on you regularly and provide anything you might need. If there’s an issue, you can use this button here.” She gestured toward a device lying on the nightstand next to Shen Yi’s bed.
“I’ll show you the best position to be in so Shen- laoshi can benefit from your help,” she continued. “Please, take off your shoes and get onto the bed.”
Du Cheng swallowed his embarrassment and rounded the bed, removing his shoes with careful movements. Climbing onto the mattress, he tried not to jostle Shen Yi as he propped himself up against the pillows. His shoulders felt stiff with nervousness, but he kept his movements deliberate and gentle.
The doctor helped Shen Yi turn on the bed, guiding him closer. A moment later, Du Cheng felt Shen Yi’s warm arms wrapping around his chest, trembling against him. The doctor positioned Du Cheng’s arm around Shen Yi’s smaller frame, encouraging him to hold him securely. “Guide his face to your throat,” she instructed in a quiet, calming tone.
Du Cheng’s heart was pounding so loudly he was sure Shen Yi could hear it. He carefully pulled Shen Yi closer, guiding his face toward the curve of his throat. He felt the light bump of Shen Yi’s nose against his skin, followed by a deep inhale as Shen Yi purposefully took in Du Cheng’s scent for the first time, unobstructed.
The trembling began to ease almost immediately. Shen Yi’s body relaxed against him, the rigid tension in his muscles softening. Du Cheng could even detect a subtle change in Shen Yi’s scent — it was growing sweeter, calmer, like the surface of water after a storm.
When Du Cheng glanced up at the doctor, she gave him an encouraging smile and nodded. “It’s working. Thank you. This will make everything much easier.” She reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed and tucked it around Shen Yi’s curled-up form.
“I’ll check in on you later,” she said softly before stepping out of the room, leaving Du Cheng and Shen Yi alone in the quietness.
Du Cheng’s focus returned to Shen Yi, whose breathing had evened out. He gently stroked his thumb over Shen Yi’s shoulder, leaning closer into his warmth. Now that he was finally here, with Shen Yi in his arms, Du Cheng allowed himself to relax for the first time in the two days he’d spent searching for him.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you,” Du Cheng whispered after a moment, his voice broken with guilt.
Shen Yi shifted slightly, the tip of his nose sliding over Du Cheng’s throat. His voice was quiet and husky, but underlined with Shen Yi's typical air of confidence. “You saved me. And I know you… Did you even sleep in the last forty-eight hours?”
“Of course not. I was trying to find you,” Du Cheng replied without thinking, only realising the implication of his words after they were spoken.
“See?” There was amusement in Shen Yi’s voice and it was really nice to hear. “I knew you’d do everything in your power. So there’s no reason to apologize.” There was a pause, long enough for Shen Yi to take a steadying breath, before he added, “Thank you for helping me through this.”
Du Cheng let out a quiet, short laugh. “There’s no need to thank me.”
“Still, this must be weird for you,” Shen Yi murmured, his voice dragging the words as if he was on the verge of falling asleep again.
It wasn’t. If anything, it felt entirely natural, like Shen Yi belonged in his arms. But Du Cheng quickly pushed those thoughts to the side, refusing to let his mind wander further down that dangerous road. “Does it feel weird for you?” he asked, hesitantly, wondering if Shen Yi was projecting his own feelings about the position they were in.
“No,” Shen Yi answered, his tone thoughtful but hesitant at the same time.
“Good,” Du Cheng replied quickly, hoping to put him at ease. “It’s the same for me. Shen Yi… you’re family. My partner. So don’t worry about it, alright?”
He could feel the way Shen Yi tightened his grip on him, inhaling deeply before murmuring, “Xiao Xuan and Xiao Gui are alone at home.”
Du Cheng had already thought of that. He’d texted his sister earlier to make sure the two pets were taken care of. Pulling Shen Yi closer, he said, “I took care of it. Don’t worry. My sister is looking after them.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Du Cheng yawned, murmuring a quiet apology.
“Thank you,” Shen Yi whispered. “You should sleep a little.”
Du Cheng hummed in response, burying his face in Shen Yi’s soft hair. For the first time, he allowed himself to enjoy Shen Yi's scent without the interference of blockers. It was pure, clean, like a winter night blanketed by the first frosty snow.
“Only if you sleep too,” Du Cheng murmured.
Shen Yi didn’t reply, and it took Du Cheng a moment to realize that he’d already fallen asleep. A small smile tugged at his lips as Shen Yi’s hair tickled his nose and lips. Feeling Shen Yi’s steady breaths against him, Du Cheng closed his eyes, finally letting sleep pull him into its embrace.
…. :::: :::: ….
When Shen Yi woke up, his face was resting on Du Cheng’s shirt. Just his shirt. Du Cheng was nowhere in sight.
The warmth was gone, and an icy wave of panic rolled over him. Even though the shirt still carried Du Cheng’s familiar scent, it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t him.
Shen Yi started trembling. His breath quickened, and the edges of his vision blurred as a suffocating pressure wrapped around his chest. He whimpered, his mind dragging him back into the dark abyss of his memories. The Alpha’s rough hands on his throat. The crushing weight. The terror that had consumed him. He clawed at the mattress, gasping for air that refused to come.
“Shen Yi!”
The voice pierced through the haze, faint and muffled at first, as if it came from underwater. It grew louder, closer, until a grounding, familiar scent filled his senses — earthy and sweet, like sandalwood and pine trees. Safety. Home. Du Cheng.
It was like resurfacing from almost drowning, as Shen Yi took a desperate, shuddering breath, opening his eyes to the here and now. Du Cheng had his arms wrapped tightly around his shaking frame, pressing Shen Yi’s face firmly to his throat. “I’m so sorry,” Du Cheng sounded panicked, his voice raw with guilt. “I was just outside making a call. I didn’t want to wake you.”
Shen Yi was still shivering, desperately clinging to Du Cheng's broad chest. He felt pathetic but he still couldn't hold back the words, “Don't leave me again.”
“I won't, I promise,” Du Cheng replied quickly.
Shen Yi could hear the pain in his voice and knew how guilty Du Cheng must feel. The thought made Shen Yi feel even worse. He hated being so needy, causing Du Cheng pain. He hated the situation that made him depend entirely on Du Cheng for comfort. But there was no one else. No one who cared.
Of course, Du Cheng felt the responsibility of helping him. He was his partner and the best friend Shen Yi ever had. And Shen Yi knew that Du Cheng would always protect him because he had proven that over and over.
He was an amazing Alpha. Absolute boyfriend material, and Shen Yi really didn't want to think about the day Du Cheng would find a woman who would tie him down. The thought twisted something inside Shen Yi, and he selfishly wished he could keep Du Cheng like this — close, constant, his.
Shen Yi relaxed into Du Cheng’s calming scent; his heart rate normalised, and he felt like he could breathe easy again. “Who did you call?”
“Zhang- ju . I've taken the week off to take care of you.”
That surprised him more than it should have. Because of course Du Cheng had to take time off since he agreed to help, but then again, his work had always been the most important thing in Du Cheng's life. He never took vacations or days off, other than when Zhang- ju forced him to. He even worked on cases in his free time.
“How did she react?” Shen Yi asked hesitantly, feeling worried about what his boss was thinking about the whole incident. He knew it was dumb to feel shame for the situation he was in. None of this had been his fault. His rational mind had already reminded him of that fact a thousand times. He just hated being the victim… especially for a crime that only affected omegas.
“She is worried about you and told me to take as much time as I need to help you. She also wanted me to tell you not to worry about anything and just concentrate on getting better.” Du Cheng's voice was soft and sincere, and it was exactly what Shen Yi needed to hear in that moment.
Shen Yi exhaled slowly, hesitantly wrapping his arms around Du Cheng’s chest as the Alpha shifted them into a more comfortable position on the bed. He was only wearing a black t-shirt, his discarded shirt now lying somewhere under them. His strong arms were holding Shen Yi, and it was hard to take his eyes off the bare skin and the way his biceps were straining the sleeves of his t-shirt. It also didn’t help that Shen Yi’s nose was touching Du Cheng’s throat, inhaling his amazing scent with every breath he took.
It wasn’t easy to pretend he wasn’t affected by all of it. Shen Yi wasn’t kidding himself. He knew he was attracted to Du Cheng but he was pretty sure it was a one-sided crush. Du Cheng didn’t seem to be interested in relationships. He always tried to wiggle himself out of the blind dates colleagues set up for him, finding excuses not to attend.
Being scent compatible also didn’t help with his crush, nor did the fact that Du Cheng was exactly his type. Tall and handsome, nice smile, good heart and so protective. Of course he fell for him. Du Cheng checked every box Shen Yi had about what a perfect mate should be like.
Even though it was helping a lot being so close to him, it was also in a way torture for his heart. Shen Yi closed his eyes for a moment, trying to live in the here and now. Just enjoying the fact that he was able to be close to Du Cheng. Especially when Du Cheng’s thumb started to stroke softly over his arm. Shen Yi was sure that he was only doing it on a subconscious level, probably deep inside his mind somewhere. He wondered what Du Cheng was thinking about.
So Shen Yi decided to ask about something that he was dreading to ask but needed to know. “He is dead, right?”
Du Cheng stopped the movement of his thumb, and his whole body tensed for a second. “Um, yes. I killed him. You were pretty out of it when we found you, but I thought you knew.”
“I wasn’t sure,” Shen Yi confessed. “That night is kind of a blur.”
“I’m not surprised.” Du Cheng inhaled, and his chest expanded before he continued, “He, um, had a knife and was about to stab you. I had no choice, but I also don’t regret it.” Even though Du Cheng was saying it in a calm and neutral way, Shen Yi still could hear the underlying anger. It was unusual for Du Cheng to kill someone. He always looked for a way to just incapacitate an attacker, never going for a kill shot. And he was an excellent shot. Shen Yi was sure if he had wanted to, he could have stopped the attacker without killing him.
“You’re not going to be in trouble because of it, right?” Shen Yi asked hesitantly, inhaling deeply when Du Cheng pulled him a little closer.
“No, don’t worry about it. I wasn’t going to risk your life. The knife was too close. Jiang Feng confirmed that opinion.” Shen Yi could feel Du Cheng shifting, turning his head to bury his face in Shen Yi’s hair as he whispered, “You don’t have to worry about him anymore. He will never touch you again.”
He hadn’t anticipated how much those words had felt like a relief.
…. :::: :::: ….
Du Cheng’s arm had fallen asleep but he didn’t care. Shen Yi was sleeping again after they ate the hospital dinner. It was weird how quickly he had gotten used to this, having Shen Yi close, having his scent surrounding him like a comfortable and warm blanket in winter.
The doctor hadn't been kidding. Shen Yi still had trouble staying awake for more than a few minutes. He had barely managed to get through dinner before his nose had found Du Cheng’s throat again, and he had fallen asleep in the process of cuddling close to Du Cheng.
Du Cheng’s fingers stroked over Shen Yi’s arm. He was wearing a long sleeve hoodie, so he couldn’t see if he had more injuries other than the cuts on his face. Without thinking about it he reached up to gently push Shen Yi’s hair out of his face, his thumb tracing the edges of the plaster on his forehead.
He quickly pulled his hand away when there was a knock on the door and, a second later, the doctor entered. Du Cheng had forgotten her name again so he quickly checked the name tag when she walked up to the bed with a smile. Zhou Xiao Ran .
“Zhou- yisheng ,” Du Cheng greeted her quietly so he wouldn’t disturb Shen Yi.
“I just wanted to check up on you and see if you have any questions,” she said as she looked over Shen Yi.
Du Cheng nodded slowly. “Thank you. I actually do have a few questions. You said it was normal that he would sleep a lot. When will it be better?”
The doctor grabbed a chair so she could sit beside the bed. “It usually takes about a week until everything is out of his system. This is a natural reaction. The body is protecting him from the withdrawal symptoms by sleeping. And the only reason he can sleep is because you are here, providing him with a safe environment.”
That made a lot of sense and also explained why Shen Yi was okay with Du Cheng going to the bathroom while he was awake, but he was not okay when he left for a phone call while Shen Yi was asleep.
“So he has to stay in the hospital for a whole week?” Du Cheng asked; he already hated the hospital food and the sterile room here.
“That depends. If it were just about his physical injuries, we would release him today. But the broken scent bond is a different story. Are you in a position to take care of him at home?”
“I took a vacation. So yes, that would be no problem,” Du Cheng chewed on his lower lip. “Unless you’re saying that there are risks?”
The doctor shook her head. “It is beneficial to be in a familiar environment. It’s the same with your scent. But of course it always depends on the individual situation. I’m assuming you don’t live in a shared space?”
“No, we live in separate places. Would it be better to be at his home or in mine?” Du Cheng asked, wondering if it was better to be in a familiar place or somewhere that carried Du Cheng's scent.
“Where do you spend the most time together?” The doctor asked, leaning forward in her chair.
“At his place. I can’t remember Shen Yi ever being over at my place,” Du Cheng replied thoughtfully.
The doctor seemed to think about that for a moment. “He was kidnapped, right? Was it from his home?”
Du Cheng’s eyes widened. Of course! How could he have forgotten about that fact? “Yes, so I’m guessing, it’s better to stay at my place?”
She nodded and gave him a little smile. “The other benefit is that at your place, everything will smell like you. It will give him an extra layer of feeling protected. You shouldn’t have any visitors in that time though. And you need to organize a way to get food. Because as I said, you have to stay close to him. That makes daily tasks like going to a supermarket a little difficult to handle. You can't leave him on his own but you also can't take him with you. He needs to rest.”
Du Cheng was already making a list in his head of things he would need to do. He was sure his sister would be able to help again. She liked Shen Yi a lot, always taking him out for parties or shopping when Du Cheng ditched her. “I can organise that. If it helps to heal him quicker… I would do anything.”
The doctor smiled at him and nodded, “I wouldn’t recommend it, if I didn’t have a strong feeling of this being the best option. I can see how much he trusts you. He is already doing much better than any other person in his situation.”
It was really nice to hear the doctor’s words. It gave Du Cheng reassurance and confidence that he was helping Shen Yi.
Shen Yi stirred against him, blinking tiredly as he pushed himself up a little to look at the doctor. He really resembled a sleepy kitten whenever he woke up, and Du Cheng knew he would never get tired of witnessing that.
“Going home?” he murmured, and Du Cheng had to grin that apparently Shen Yi had noticed parts of his conversation with the doctor.
She leaned a little closer, her voice calm and quiet. “We were talking about discharging you. You would have to stay at Cheng- dui ’s place for a week and rest there. Would that be amenable to you?”
Shen Yi looked up at Du Cheng with questioning eyes as if he was asking if he was okay with that. So he nodded to give him the reassurance. “I will call my sister to bring food over for us, so I can stay at your side. And we’ve talked about my home being more beneficial for you to get better. All you have to do is agree and I can take you home.”
Shen Yi nodded, still rubbing his eyes from being sleepy. “If you’re okay with that then yes, of course.”
“Of course, I am. It will be so much more comfortable at home,” Du Cheng said with a smile before he faced the doctor. “I think that settles it then.”
The doctor stood up with a nod. “I will prepare the discharge papers. If there is anything you need or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us. I will write the number on the paper.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Shen Yi said, his voice still sounding weak, and the arm which he used to brace himself in an upward position trembling a little.
Du Cheng pushed himself up on the bed and wrapped his arm around Shen Yi in support. “I’ll pack our stuff. Don’t push yourself. Just relax and let me take care of things.”
The soft and grateful look Shen Yi was giving him, meant everything to Du Cheng at that moment. It felt great to be able to take care of him, and he wondered if he felt that way because of his Alpha instinct or because it was Shen Yi. If he was honest with himself, it was probably both.