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No one ever expected Nie Huaisang to present as an alpha. Not even his own brother, who stared at him with a sceptical look once he came out of seclusion, his first rut leaving him both unsatisfied and restless. After the initial disbelief, his brother came to accept it with a shrug and a laugh, patting him on the back and reminding him to get back to saber training. The hope was there, for Nie Huaisang to suddenly take an interest in the saber rather than his fans and paints (an omega hobby), as if becoming an alpha might change his whole personality. At least his brother didn’t seem too disappointed once it was shown that Nie Huaisang did not become instantly enamoured with sabers and martial training, more of an expected acceptance. Nie Mingjue never mentioned the fact that Nie Huaisang didn’t suit his second gender, instead accepting it as one of Nie Huaisang’s many quirks.
Others remained less accepting. Upon meeting Nie Huaisang and realising he was an alpha from his scent, they would always be taken aback, their eyes wide as they gazed up and down Nie Huaisang’s smaller body. He had enjoyed the looks of surprise and shock at first, but it quickly became old, getting more annoying each time it occurred. His face was more pretty than handsome, his body more petite than most, his skin more delicate than rough. He came to expect the words behind his back, whispering behind closed hands about his omeganess and how a good bitching will do the trick . Soon, everyone grew to avoid him, as if they might catch his oddness and lose their fragile alpha masculinity.
It didn’t matter to him, he decided. He was happy with his painting and his fans and his books. He knew exactly what made him an alpha: his possessiveness, a dark, deep part of him that bordered on obsessiveness, both his insatiability and his vengefulness. He didn’t need anyone else to tell him what he was.
He knew what to expect with his visit to the Cloud Recesses. He had visited there before, with his brother being close to Lan XiChen, and had been forcefully put together on little friend-dates with Lan WangJi with the faint hope that they would become friends like their brothers. Lan WangJi was too much of a bore and a prude for Nie Huaisang to be interested in him, but he appreciated the fact that they had a mutual agreement to stay silent on their joint animosity so their brothers would be none the wiser, spending their forced time together on their own interests. Nie Huaisang had almost come to enjoy Lan WangJi’s silent company, if only for the fact that it meant there was no gossip or snickered words being directed at him. A year studying within the Cloud Recesses, though? It tested his resolve not to just claim to be going into seclusion with the intent of studying the way of the saber, just to avoid the entire thing.
He would make friends, his brother said. Don’t you get lonely being all by yourself?
No. He much preferred being by himself, in fact, rather than spending time with people who did not appreciate him.
He got sent to the Cloud Recesses anyway.
The Nie Sect was one of the earliest to arrive. He greeted Lan XiChen with a chirpy hello, vaguely nodded to Lan WangJi, and a stuttering salute to Lan Qiren. The older man gave him a dismissive glance, and thus Nie Huaisang knew he would successfully fade into the background without any further action. As much as the man liked to pretend that he followed all Gusu Lan rules to perfection, Nie Huaisang knew that he was inclined to gossip and formed opinions based upon those rumours. In this case, it worked for Nie Huaisang flawlessly; he would remain the lazy, mediocre cultivator that would not prove to be much in class.
He chose a corner to haunt, remaining hidden from sight of any arriving sects but being able to see clearly who arrived. He opened and closed his fan in boredom as he watched familiar faces appear and greet the Twin Jades and Lan Qiren. There was the Jin Sect: Jin Zixuan, lips turned in a frown and his eyes dismissive, with his usual group of lackeys following behind him and agreeing with everything that came out of his mouth. Behind him was the Ouyang Sect, the sole heir arriving and bumbling his way through a greeting. His nervousness did not rival the Li Sect’s heir, who had only just managed to obtain an invitation to the Cloud Recesses, tripping on his own feet when saluting Lan Qiren. Nie Huaisang huffed at the appalled expression upon Lan Qiren’s face, but was considering leaving out of sheer boredom when the Yunmeng Jiang Sect arrived. There were a few disciples Nie Huaisang’s eyes merely brushed over, unimpressed, landing on Jiang Wanyin who, as always, looked downright grumpy. The frown had seemingly never left his face since he was a child. He laughed at his own thoughts, standing to leave until his eyes landed on a figure.
His fan fell from his grasp. He leaned forward as much as his hiding place would allow.
There was another boy standing beside the Jiang heir. He was slightly taller than Jiang Wanyin, although that could have just been an illusion from him constantly bouncing on his feet, seemingly restless. His hair was tied up with a vibrant red ribbon, contrasting sharply with the inky strands that hung in curls around his face and waist. Nie Huaisang couldn’t help but let his eyes linger on where his hair ended, his waist being cinched with a black belt to look perfectly small, and the resulting curve of his hips. His eyes were startlingly silver, like the metal of a blade, or the stars in the sky. The boy looked like he belonged within one of Nie Huaisang’s books, the strikingly beautiful protagonist that was better than a thousand beauties.
A gust of wind sent the boy’s scent hurtling in Nie Huaisang’s direction, as if by fate. He took a deep breath in. A spike of cinnamon, something spicy, and the aroma of magnolia blossoms. An omega.
It was decided.
Nie Huaisang must possess the boy before his time in the Cloud Recesses ends.
If there was one thing that Nie Huaisang knew about courting beauties from his numerous books on the subject (nevermind the fact that they were all fiction), it was that first impressions meant everything. If he did not present himself as a possible suitor from the start, then it was unlikely the omega would ever see him as such (especially with his unusual appearance for an alpha, with more people seeing him as a mispresented omega). Unfortunately, the boy was seemingly never alone, with the always-loyal hound Jiang Wanyin by his side.
And so, Nie Huaisang turned to ever faithful rumours. There were many of them floating around, unsurprisingly, even in the constricting sect of Gusu Lan. The boy was called Wei Wuxian, Wei Ying. He had been orphaned when young, his parents Wei Changze and the famous Cangse Sanren perishing on a night hunt, and was left to survive on the streets. He had eventually been picked up by Jiang Fengmian, who had seemingly brought him into a different kind of hell, in which the Madam scorned him and accused him of being Sect Leader Jiang’s bastard. It was a badly kept secret that she was infamously cruel to the boy.
A growl welled up in his throat. He wondered if he could just drag Wei Wuxian home with him and do the wooing later, if only to rid him of the Jiangs. He restrained himself; all things would come if he was patient.
In the end, he had gotten to know several things about Wei Wuxian. He was, above all, a miraculous talent that formed his core in only a few short years, even doing so before the Jiang heir managed to (much to Jiang Wanyin and his mother’s chagrin, but Nie Huaisang firmly believed both of them needed to be taken down a peg or two). He seemed to have a talent in everything: from the sword, the bow, talismans, general knowledge of cultivation and was widely recognised to be mastered in the Six Arts. Nie Huaisang knew his brother would love his new mate. One of the only hiccups people had with him is that he was the son of a servant, but that was a rumour only enforced by Yu Ziyuan; Wei Changze had been a cultivator in his own right, and had walked free from Lotus Pier. If anything, Wei Wuxian should be classed as a son of rogue cultivators. He would have to look into that specific rumour more, if only to find where it originated. Another hiccup people had was that he was an omega; tall, handsome, wild and free-spirited, and a hundred-year talent in cultivation, people thought he was more suited to be an alpha. ( They were practically perfect for each other , Nie Huaisang thought). That did not mean there was not a competition to gain the omega, yet Jiang Fengmian seemingly disregards them outright. He would need something more permanent than asking Jiang Fengmian for Wei Wuxian’s hand in marriage. Perhaps he should convince Wei Wuxian to ask Jiang Fengmian himself? Or maybe to make it so they would have to be married, leaving no doubt in the matter.
Well, that can come later.
There was one more rumour of importance, something that caused a smirk to adorn his face: Wei Wuxian was terribly, irredeemably afraid of dogs.
It was mere coincidence that Jin Zixuan had brought his dog along with him to the Cloud Recesseses, but had been forced to leave it at the bottom of the mountain due to the no pets allowed rule. He had probably been hoping that they would let him bend the rules or disregard them altogether, as the spoiled Jin heir, but it only works in Nie Huaisang’s favour. It was not unheard of for a spiritual dog, big and strong as they are, to get loose from any bindings and thus find their way to their owners.
That would be the official story, at least.
It had been easy to coax the dog with a few treats and chunks of meat, the animal easily accepting his petting with frantic wags of its tail. He grabbed hold of the simple rope that kept it tied to the back walls of the inn (would Jin Zixuan be happy to know his spoiled little dog that he had been paid to be looked after was spending its time tied to the back garden? Probably not.) and was happy to see that the rope was already threadbare. He cut it off with a knife, purposefully doing a rough job that made it appear that it had simply broken from wear and tear, and began leading the dog up the mountain through a backpath that was hidden with trees and vegetation. The years he had spent visiting here had not been in vain. Perhaps he should thank his brother for dragging him along so often.
Fortunately, Wei Wuxian, for once, did not have Jiang Wanyin immediately at his side. Instead, the other alpha was a distance away, chatting with other disciples, but was not completely out of sight. Nie Huaisang pondered on the unusualness of it; Wei Wuxian, from his brief time watching him, was quite obviously a people person, and for him to be alone while Jiang Wanyin interacted with other disciples literally within his sight was quite strange. Soon, though, he merely counted it as his blessing, for Wei Wuxian was wandering increasingly further away from Jiang Wanyin, humming a melodious tune to himself while stepping further into the forest, away and out of sight from the others. Nie Huaisang followed him patiently, keeping a tight grip on the dog.
Eventually, Nie Huaisang assured himself that they had meandered far enough away that there was no immediate help coming. He crouched down beside the dog, taking a moment to appreciate the sight of Wei Wuxian looking so clearly relaxed within the lonesome of the forest, before letting go of the lead. He pointed to Wei Wuxian and whispered, “Get!”
The dog immediately took off after him.
It was on the first bark that Wei Wuxian realised something was wrong, stiffening up and instantly swirling around to catch sight of the offender. The dog was already only a few feet away from him, stopping short to simply bark at Wei Wuxian, most likely thinking that it was all a simple game. Wei Wuxian let out a shriek, cautiously stepping back while keeping his eyes set on the dog. “Good–good doggy,” He stuttered, a shine of wetness appearing in his eyes. His scent was heavy in the air, distress wafting off him in waves. Nie Huaisang had to cover his nose just to not act on his instincts, which screamed at him to protect the distraught omega.
The dog barked again and lunged forward. Wei Wuxian let out a cry, turning and running even as the dog chased after him with a giddy wag of its tail. Nie Huaisang followed silently behind at a much slower pace, making sure to keep hidden behind bushes, despite doubting the fact that Wei Wuxian had much awareness on what was happening on anything other than the dog.
When he had caught up with the omega, he was hiding in a tree, precariously balanced on a branch. He let out tiny cries each time the dog jumped and attempted to reach for him, murmuring pleas for it to go away. He did not call for help, knowing that he was now in a secluded piece of the forest that made it unlikely anyone was wandering around, and probably hoped that the dog would eventually grow bored. Nie Huaisang could have never hoped for a better situation.
He sat and waited for a bit, if only to drive Wei Wuxian’s tension further. The dog gradually did grow bored, but unlike what Wei Wuxian was hoping, it simply sat and waited at the bottom of the tree, tail wagging everstill. When he knew he could wait no longer, with Jiang Wanyin probably catching on sooner or later that Wei Wuxian had disappeared, he stood up from his hiding spot. He made it appear that he was taking a leisurely walk in the woods, simply enjoying the sight of the birds - as an avid bird collector - when he let out a theatrical gasp upon ‘catching sight’ of Wei Wuxian.
“Hey!” Both the dog and Wei Wuxian’s head shot to him, the omega’s eyes wide. He stormed up to the tree, fan poised in his hands and his alpha scent sharpening to ward off the dog. “Get lost!” He shouted, and the dog obediently left with a whine and a mournful glance. He planted his hands on his hips, staring off at where the dog went and his scent continuing to ward off any danger.
When it was well and truly gone from sight, he turned back around, his scent turning to something more calming, soothing like a gentle touch. His eyes met metallic silver, still so wide and stunned, framed by the prettiest eyelashes.
The silence lasted a second, two seconds, three, before Wei Wuxian let out an adorable squeak as his knee slipped off the branch, sending him hurtling down to the ground. It was only through sheer instinct that Nie Huaisang dropped his fan and reached out his arms to catch him. The omega landed in his arms with an oof , Nie Huaisang almost managing to trip himself until he steadied his feet on the ground. He internally thanked his brother for managing to at least get him to form a golden core, weak as it is, just for this moment. His only saving grace was that Wei Wuxian was not as heavy as one might expect a sixteen year old boy to be, instead seeming entirely too light, to the point where Nie Huaisang speculated whether he was malnourished.
“Well,” Nie Huaisang said, staring down at the omega in his arms, who was still gazing up at him with those bright, wide eyes. “It is not everyday that a beauty lands himself in my arms.” A dark blush painted Wei Wuxian’s cheeks red, more beautiful than any shade of rouge could be. He jumped up out of Nie Huaisang’s arms, much to his regret, but he would get him back soon enough. He knew it.
He sent a charming smile to the still disarrayed Wei Wuxian, purposefully letting out a sliver of his scent to convey his interest. “Gongzi, this one is Nie Huaisang, heir to the Qinghe Nie Sect.”
Wei Wuxian sent an unsure smile, his eyes shifting around the empty forest. It was downright scandalous for an omega and alpha to be alone and in close proximity, after all, but Nie Huaisang had wished to get him alone exactly for that reason. Most likely shrugging off any courtesy rules as well and truly passed by now, Wei Wuxian’s smile became more genuine, as if the sun had finally peeked out behind grey clouds. “Nie-xiong, I am Wei Ying, courtesy Wuxian. Many thanks for saving me from the, ah, dog .” He spat the word as if he meant to say beast instead.
Nie Huaisang took a step closer, grinning when Wei Wuxian did not take a step back. If anyone else saw them right now, they would be horrified at the indecency. “So the one named Wei Wuxian is truly as beautiful as the rumours say, more exquisite than the most delicate of lotuses, an immortal among men.” And much more delicious smelling, too , he thought, savouring the blush that once again spread over Wei Wuxian’s cheeks and the scent of magnolia sweetening. “And there is no need for any thanks or apologies between us; I already know that we are going to become very close .”
“You do?” Wei Wuxian smiled despite himself, raising a challenging eyebrow at Nie Huaisang’s words.
“I do.” Nie Huaisang said, confident.
“Wei Wuxian!” A voice shrieked a distance away from them, echoing throughout the trees. Nie Huaisang almost snarled at the annoying voice of Jiang Wanyin, a possessiveness crawling up his veins and telling him to just take Wei Wuxian on the ground now and claim him as his. Instead, he took several steps away from Wei Wuxian, putting an appropriate amount of distance between the two of them, right on time for Jiang Wanyin to arrive. The other alpha locked eyes with Nie Huaisang immediately, a scowl on his face and a growl caught in his throat, his scent of leather biting at Nie Huaisang’s heels and threatening to overwhelm his own.
He let it do so, snatching up his fan from the ground and hiding his face behind it, letting out a shrill shriek. “Jiang-xiong!” He stammered nervously, “Nothing is happening here! I just got here! I don’t know anything!”
Jiang Wanyin sent him another glare, before huffing and seemingly dismissing him entirely, storming up to Wei Wuxian. The omega sent him a curious glance at his sudden change, but made no mention of it, simply listening to Jiang Wanyin rant and lecture him about going off by himself unchaperoned and how he could bring shame to the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. Nie Huaisang’s grip on his fan tightened just listening to the words that spewed out from his mouth, wondering whether Jiang Wanyin knew about the multiple rumours about him and his mother, how they were both over-aggressive arrogant knotheads whose only focus is bringing themselves up by tearing an orphaned omega down. They were the ones who brought shame to the Jiang Sect, not Wei Wuxian, who seemed only to exist for them to beat around. Maybe the rumours needed to be encouraged. It would be for the best, after all.
Nie Huaisang watched as Jiang Wanyin dragged Wei Wuxian away by the arm, savouring how the omega took one last glance back at him.
Yes, Jiang Wanyin would have to go.
Only a few days later, Nie Huaisang successfully integrates into Jiang Cheng’s - as he so insistently wished to be called - and Wei Wuxian’s sphere of influence, which usually remained just them. Every time someone wished to become friends with Wei Wuxian - for it was never Jiang Cheng, with his subpar personality - Jiang Cheng would drive them away through unbridled jealousy and blatant aggressiveness, as if worried someone would steal Wei Wuxian from right under his nose (which, admittedly, is warranted, if only through Nie Huaisang aiming to do just that). Nie Huaisang had only managed to infiltrate into Wei Wuxian’s side for the simple fact that so many other people underestimated him: they did not see him as an alpha. For Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang seemed to embody everything that he thought an alpha was not, which worked hugely in his favour. When he finally had Wei Wuxian within his grasp, he will be sure to mock Jiang Cheng with this very fact.
For now, taking amusement from the slight danger Jiang Cheng felt each time Nie Huaisang acted out of character appeased him. There would be times that Nie Huaisang simply gazed at Wei Wuxian in adoration, letting a slither of his scent out to convey such affection, in which Wei Wuxian’s scent would dance with his own and the omega would glance at him with a blush at the practically scandalous actions. Jiang Cheng, once he caught onto it, would suddenly tense and send him a distrustful and suspicious glower. Then, Nie Huaisang would revert to the bumbling fool, and Jiang Cheng seemed to question why he would ever need to feel threatened by Nie Huaisang’s presence. It was almost laughable, if not for the fact that if Jiang Cheng told Wei Wuxian to avoid Nie Huaisang, he probably would. It was of no matter. Soon, he would be getting Wei Wuxian to avoid Jiang Cheng.
Yet, Nie Huaisang’s own ugly possessiveness reared its head only a day later.
Wei Wuxian’s brief night rendezvous with Lan WangJi, confessedly, struck one of Nie Huaisang’s nerves. Wei Wuxian’s boredom-fueled teasing of Lan WangJi within class even more so, but he was at least assured that the omega did not have any constant contact with the alpha. When he heard that Wei Wuxian was charged with copying the rules under Lan WangJi’s purview, however, it certainly sent him into a jealous rage, breaking one of his precious fans. He managed to calm himself with the simple fact that Lan WangJi was one of the most boring people on the planet, with his strict adherence to the rules having no place alongside Wei Wuxian’s free spirit, and he would be unlikely to tolerate any of Wei Wuxian’s actions.
Then why was he seeing Lan WangJi staring at Wei Wuxian with such conflicted and enraptured gaze?
Sure, Wei Wuxian did not return any longing gazes, and remained oblivious for the majority of it, but it did not stop Nie Huaisang constantly wishing to snarl and tear at Lan WangJi’s throat. Wei Wuxian was his omega, not Lan WangJi’s. The attention caused Nie Huaisang’s nerves to pull taut, his possessiveness over Wei Wuxian reaching a new high. He would have to hurry in his plans. He was close with Wei Wuxian, sure, but nothing would come by simply being friends with the omega. Wei Wuxian was painfully oblivious to any flirting, and though would blush at Nie Huaisang’s forward advances with his scent, would merely believe that the alpha was teasing him. Nie Huaisang needed to make himself seem special, to stand out above all others.
The chance came a few days later. Wei Wuxian had dragged both Jiang Cheng and him to the back mountains, where they had spent many times catching fish and roasting them to avoid eating the plain meals of the Cloud Recesses. It offered a calm, private spot away from the bustling majority of the Lan Sect, where disciples were peeking around every corner to see if you were breaking any rules. Especially around Wei Wuxian, who had gained a reputation for himself.
Nie Huaisang sat, puzzling over some work that Lan Qiren had set and wondering if he could bribe Wei Wuxian to do it. Beside him, Jiang Cheng was especially grumpy, for Wei Wuxian had been particularly outspoken in class today in debating about the merits of using one method of exorcism over another, so much so the class practically turned into a one-on-one between Lan Qiren and Wei Wuxian. Nie Huaisang didn’t mind, spending most of his time in Lan Qiren’s classes bored out of his mind, thus Wei Wuxian’s interruption was a welcome entertainment, and he was certain others felt the same. Even Lan Qiren seemed quite chuffed by the end of the lesson, probably too used to people accepting his word for granted and not having had a proper debate in decades.
Jiang Cheng obviously did not share the same thoughts. He spent most of the time huffing and puffing, clearly wishing for one of them to ask what was wrong. Wei Wuxian was absorbed in his thoughts, and Nie Huaisang was more than happy to wait for him to explode. “You’re so shameless!” The alpha finally erupted, throwing his arms up in anger.
Wei Wuxian was bent over some papers, a half-drawn design decorating a page. “Huh?” He said in confusion; the lesson had ended over half an hour ago, and he had clearly already forgotten all about it.
“You!” Jiang Cheng snarled, his scent snapping at their heels and suffocating the air. Wei Wuxian glanced at Nie Huaisang in confusion, but he simply shrugged his shoulders. “Why can’t you be quiet for once? Don’t you think Lan Qiren already despises you enough, why do you have to add to it? You’re always running your mouth, speaking senseless things, thinking you’re better than everyone else!”
“Jiang-xiong,” Nie Huaisang began in a wary voice, using his book to cover half his face. His anger burned in a pit in his stomach, consuming him whole. He kept careful control of his scent, for he knew if Jiang Cheng caught notice of the overwhelming, choking scent of anger coming from him his act would be up. “I rather thought that the old man was quite happy with Wei-xiong today…and it goes without saying that Wei-xiong was very good! I don’t think I’ve heard anything quite like that on array arrangement, and not to mention his thoughts on the use of talismans in combination…”
Of course, that triggered a whole new wave of anger from Jiang Cheng. The boy snarled, slamming down his work so their papers flew everywhere. “What do you know about anything, huh? You’re just the useless young master from the Nie sect, who is famous for amounting to nothing!” Nie Huaisang squeaked, holding his book above his head as if afraid Jiang Cheng would hit him. Behind the cover of the book, he smirked.
Wei Wuxian was frowning, a clear indication that he thought Jiang Cheng was going much too far, his scent quickly souring.
“You bring shame to the Jiang sect! Arguing with a teacher, constantly getting on his nerves; do you think that just because my mother isn’t here to watch over you, you can do what you want? You’re here as a servant to the Jiang sect, so you should act like one!” The boy shouted, his face becoming red and veins bulging out in anger. “And these!” He grabbed Wei Wuxian’s half-finished drawing, the omega trying and failing to rescue the paper. “These stupid drawings! I’ve had enough of your stupid fantasies about flags and compasses or whatever. Can’t you think about something normal for once, like being a good omega and sitting nice and quiet until you’re eventually married off? No alpha wants someone who is so arrogant!” As he said so, Jiang Cheng ripped the paper, tearing the design into pieces. Wei Wuxian blankly stared as the pieces fell down by his knees with a strange sort of stillness. “Enough! I’m the Jiang heir, not you; you’re merely my servant, so act like it !” The alpha stormed away in a huff, leaving the two of them with the tattered drawings.
(Once again, leaving them unchaperoned. Yet, it was Jiang Cheng’s fault, so clearly neither of them were to blame. Yes, Nie Huaisang thinks it works quite nicely.)
Nie Huaisang gazed at Wei Wuxian, who was still for a few moments before he began gathering the ripped pieces of paper in his hands. The two sat in silence until the omega had gathered every piece, setting them into a pouch for later.
“Wei-xiong,” Nie Huaisang began, hesitantly opening his mouth. He had never comforted anyone before, his brother having seemingly never felt sadness, but there was always time for a first. “Wei-xiong, I rather like your designs. I know I’m not very good at well, the whole cultivator thing, but I truly think that one day you’re going to become a great pioneer in the way of cultivating. Maybe you’ll even become a grandmaster!”
“You think so?” Wei Wuxian raised a brow, a smile beginning to play on his lips. Nie Huaisang hesitated before grabbing hold of Wei Wuxian’s hand, feeling the smooth skin on his own. His heart soared as Wei Wuxian’s fingers hesitantly curled around his own.
“I know so! Don’t listen to anything that Jiang Cheng says, he’s just jealous. I have never seen the old man so happy! I think he rather secretly likes having you here just so he has at least one smart person in class that can debate with him, god knows that Lan Wangji would never go against a word that his uncle says. You’re the smartest person in that class, better than all the sect heirs even! You shouldn’t have to hide that no matter what.” He shuffled closer, until their knees were almost touching. Wei Wuxian blushed and glanced around at the action, but the only thing surrounding them were trees. There was no one to warn them about propriety or virtue, nor to tell them off for being so close as an unbonded alpha and omega.
Nie Huaisang’s voice lowered to a whisper. “Look, I don’t know if I should really say this, but I think you need to know.” Wei Wuxian subconsciously leaned closer, until Nie Huaisang could almost smell the magnolia scent straight from the source. “I don’t know much about your parents, but my father, before he died, did mention them once or twice. About Cangse Sanren, who descended from the mountain of immortals, and was one of the forerunners of her generation. And about Wei Changze, close friend to Jiang Fengmian. How he had originated from the Tanzhou region, but had come into the Jiang sect at a young age. He grew up together alongside Jiang Fengmian, that was for sure, but never did they class him as a servant. He was a disciple and cultivator, and probably did seem like a servant at times when beside the Jiang heir, but that is just the way sect hierarchy works. Disciples are meant to serve the main family.” And it was the truth, mostly; he had never heard anything about Wei Wuxian’s parents from his father.
“But that would mean…” Wei Wuxian trailed off, a lost look in his eyes.
“Wei-xiong, you’re not a servant. You do not belong to the Jiang sect.” He grabbed his hand more firmly, staring straight into Wei Wuxian’s eyes. “You’re a cultivator, an inventor, and a beautiful omega. Not a servant.” Wei Wuxian blinked at his words, and Nie Huaisang could almost feel the heat radiating off him. The omega’s mouth opened for a moment before closing, seemingly floundering on his words, glancing down at Nie Huaisang’s face.
“Huaisang,” Wei Wuxian whispered.
“Hm?” He was too distracted by the way Wei Wuxian’s gaze jumped to his lips and then away, the glossy shine of the omega’s hair, the perfume of his scent.
“Huaisang,” Wei Wuxian said once again. “You’re pretty good, too.” Nie Huaisang blinked in surprise, leaning back with an embarrassing ‘ huh? ’. “You know every book on the market, and you are second to none in knowledge of poetry. Your paintings are incredible, particularly your fans. And you are much more knowledgeable than you pretend to be. And you never care what anyone thinks, and I think that’s pretty commendable. You do not need to be specialised in sabers or cultivation; I think you’re just fine as yourself.”
A heat rose to his cheeks, and it took him a while to realise that he was blushing, himself. He had hardly ever done so before; he could easily rival Wei Wuxian in his shamelessness, and he was not afraid to cry and whimper and act like a fool. But this was something new, something he had never experienced before.
“Wei Ying,” He said, then amended, “A-Ying.”
Wei Wuxian smiled, practically glowing in the sunlight filtering in from the treetops.
Jiang Cheng returned only a day later, muttering some excuses but never a true apology, trying to worm his way back into the fold. But, Nie Huaisang thought with a smirk, he was much too late.
Wei Wuxian had become attached to Nie Huaisang, and they often spent hours together just sitting around, painting or reading. Nie Huaisang could honestly say that he had never had more peaceful and happy hours in his life, even with the occasional disturbance of Jiang Cheng. The other alpha seemed to sense that something was happening, something out of his control. He spent increasing time glaring at Nie Huaisang, until it became well-known within the Cloud Recesses that Jiang Cheng had a problem with him. Even Lan XiChen heard of it, and pulled aside Nie Huaisang asking if there was anything he could do to help. He thought about simply declaring that Jiang Cheng hated him for one reason or another, telling the man what Jiang Cheng had actually said to him in the forest that day where it would definitely make its way back to his brother (who would be fuming and ready to start a feud with the Jiang sect), but there was use for Jiang Cheng yet.
Soon, rumours began circulating around Gusu about the awful Jiang sect. The Sect Leader was a coward who allowed his wife to push him around. The Madam was unwilling to accept her place in the Jiang family, ordering people to call her Yu instead of Jiang , and constantly pushed blame onto a boy, an omega, for anything and everything. How horrible was the way they treated their head disciple! Not paid as a head disciple ought, constantly punished, spat on and mistreated. Forever demeaned as a servant , although he never was. In fact, all Jiang disciples feared the Madam, who easily threw around her Zidian as if it was a toy and not the life-threatening weapon it was. The only disciple who did not live in fear was the Jiang heir, who held a similar countenance as his mother and had nothing but jealousy over the head disciple, the poor omega. Even Jiang Yanli was not spared (for, as much as Wei Wuxian gushed over her, Nie Huaisang could see the cracks in the story, the little snippets of her not being the perfect person Wei Wuxian portrays her as) who merely told the head disciple to not anger the Madam so much – despite having never done anything to anger her in the first place – or to forgive them for their temper simply because that’s the way it is .
Disciples began eyeing Jiang Cheng as if he were a wild beast, just waiting to tear into those around him. They began glancing at Wei Wuxian with pitying looks, although Nie Huaisang made sure to keep him oblivious to the rumours, and even Lan Qiren began sending considering glances as if reevaluating the boy. The rumours were in Gusu, now, but they would soon spread even farther, he knew. He would make sure.
Although Wei Wuxian remained clueless to the entire thing, the same could not be said for Jiang Cheng. Spending his time in constant anger, he only fueled the rumours more, lashing out at anyone that looked at him wrong.
Eventually, Jiang Cheng did figure it out.
“ You .” He snarled, the stink of his scent choking Nie Huaisang, who quickly fluttered his fan to waft it away.
“Me?” Nie Huaisang said cluelessly, pointing at himself as if truly befuddled. He sent a puzzled glance to the two disciples standing beside him, one a Chang disciple and another belonging to the Lan sect. To be honest, he knew the confrontation would come, but was surprised Jiang Cheng decided to do it so publicly. Although both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were occupied in the library doling out Wei Wuxian’s punishment, they were in one of the main courtyards of the Lan sect, and the training grounds were within shouting distance. He knew for a fact that both Lan Qiren and Lan XiChen were having tea close by, only a minute or so away, as they usually did every other day. It didn’t matter though, and even worked in his favour. The more public, the better.
“Yes, you! I know this is all your fault!” Jiang Cheng marched up to him. The disciples standing behind him quickly stepped back, but Nie Huaisang simply stood there in presumable confusion. “You’re the one that's spreading all those lies, I know it! You’re ruining the Jiang sect!”
No, you’re doing that yourself, Jiang-xiong , he inwardly thought, glancing around at the crowd that was gathering. Instead, he exclaimed, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Whatever you want, I don’t know!”
“You do!” Jiang Cheng screamed. “You do, you’re the one doing it! You’re just trying to steal him away from us, I know it, you’re making us seem bad so he can go running to you. Well, he won’t! He’s a Jiang servant, so he belongs to us! He belongs to me !” With that, Jiang Cheng charged, shoving Nie Huaisang onto the ground and wrestling on top of him. Nie Huaisang struggled, dropping his fan to grab Jiang Cheng by his lapels and trying to yank him away. A fist met his face, jarring him for a second with the taste of blood in his mouth, before his rage that had been simmering for the past few weeks finally erupted. He gritted his teeth and kneed Jiang Cheng in the side, hurling him over so he was on top, and swung his fist into Jiang Cheng’s face, again and again. His knuckles cracked and ached, but he ignored it in favour of teaching the other boy a lesson. Jiang Cheng did not let him keep the advantage; with the aid of a stronger core and a bigger body Jiang Cheng turned them over again, attempting to grasp his hands around Nie Huaisang’s throat but failing due to Nie Huaisang’s struggles. They did not fight according to the martial manuals they had been studying all their lives, but simple, instinctual movements that came with being human, an animal fighting an animal.
“What is this!?” He heard Lan Qiren shout, but it could have been a mountains way for all Nie Huaisang cared. He elbowed Jiang Cheng in the neck, sending him sprawling onto the ground in coughs, and managed to get one last punch in before Lan XiChen dragged him off.
“What is going on here?” Lan Qiren ordered once again, but those that had gathered to watch the fight merely glanced away or fumbled under his gaze.
Nie Huaisang wiped away the blood on his mouth with his sleeve, before turning to Lan XiChen. He pounced upon the man, crocodile tears coming to his eyes. “Wahh, Er-ge! Er-ge, save me! I don’t know what happened, I don’t know! Jiang-xiong just attacked me out of nowhere!” When Lan XiChen looked at others, they nodded along with his words, murmuring support of Jiang Cheng shouting nonsense like how Nie Huaisang ruined the Jiang sect or how he owned Wei Wuxian. It made Jiang Cheng appear quite crazy.
The alpha in question sat on the ground, glaring at anyone who supported Nie Huaisang’s words. “It’s true! He’s trying to ruin the Jiang sect!”
“We’ll see about that, Jiang Wanyin.” Lan Qiren remarked. “For now, both of you kneel in punishment. Your guardians will be called to sort this mess out.” Jiang Cheng paled, a horrified look overcoming his face. He had to be dragged over to where he would kneel, seemingly despondent.
Nie Huaisang let himself be escorted to where he would kneel by Lan XiChen, the man muttering comforting words on the way. He did not need to be comforted; he got exactly what he wanted, even if it took a few aches and pains along the way. When they arrived, the man promised he would find his fan for him, and went on his way. Nie Huaisang winced as he kneeled on the hard ground, and delicately felt along his face to see where it was bruised. Jiang Cheng had, admittedly, got him quite good. His cheekbone was definitely bruised, as well as his jaw, but thankfully neither of his eyes were close to being hit. He would look very ugly if either of his eyes swell.
An hour passed. He stared at the blank wall before him, imagining scenarios of punching Jiang Cheng until he was black and blue or throwing him off the mountain, before he heard the tap of roof tiles behind him. He glanced behind him, and there Wei Wuxian was, an immortal descending from the heavens with the backdrop of the sun behind him.
“A-Ying,” He exclaimed.
Wei Wuxian huffed a laugh, pressing a finger to his lips in a clear shushing motion. He leapt from the roof, landing beside where Nie Huaisang was kneeling. “Do you want us to be caught?” He laughed, crouching down beside him. “You do know alphas and omegas are not meant to be alone, unchaperoned together? It seems that’s all we ever are. I would almost think you’re planning it, Nie-gongzi.” The omega narrowed his eyes at him, though amusement still danced on his lips.
“Well, if I were, you are now complicit in it.” Nie Huaisang smirked. “Here I was, innocently kneeling here, when a shameless omega approached me! Without a guard, without a chaperone, what else was I to do?”
“I suppose you should claim responsibility,”
“I suppose,” He muttered, lost in the glimmer of Wei Wuxian’s eyes. The omega huffed a laugh, turning away from him.
“I’m sorry about Jiang Cheng.”
“Huh?” To be honest, when beside Wei Wuxian, it was easy to forget about the Jiang heir. He supposed that’s what made Jiang Cheng so jealous, but how could he think to compete with someone like Wei Wuxian? It was like comparing an ant to a tiger. “It’s not your fault Jiang Wanyin suddenly went crazy and attacked me. You shouldn’t have to apologise for him.”
“But, still…He was attacking you because of me…” Wei Wuxian said, looking down at his hands.
“A-Ying,” He grabbed hold of his hands with his own, pulling him to meet his gaze. “You are not at fault for Jiang Wanyin’s jealousy. He is a spoiled child that needs to learn that not everything belongs to him. You don’t belong to him, and you are not his servant to order around. He should come to me and apologise himself, or not at all, I don’t care, but you shouldn’t do it for him.” He interlinked their fingers, huffing a laugh. “Besides, I’d rather him be angry at me than at you. At least I’ll fight back, where I know you will not. I just wish you saw yourself as I do.”
The omega pursed his lips, but seemed to quickly dismiss the words. “My saviour,” The other boy said instead, a teasing grin on his face. “And to reward my brave warrior, I bestow upon you this gift: the finest healing salve in the land, or otherwise known as the one I stole from the medicine pavilion.” He dug into his robes and conjured up a small bottle of bruise salve, pressing it into Nie Huaisang’s hands.
“You know, I would have thought that after having fought such an arduous battle, I would have deserved having a beautiful omega to tend to my wounds himself.” Wei Wuxian blushed, but glanced down consideringly at the bottle of bruise slave. There was a cough behind them. Nie Mingjue stood, one eyebrow raised in silent judgement. “Or not.” Nie Huaisang pouted.
“Sect Leader Nie,” Wei Wuxian saluted, bowing low. He gave a side-glance to Nie Huaisang, before quickly leaving, dipping his head in silence as he passed by Nie Mingjue in a movement that was unusual for him.
“Did you have to come at the worst time?” Nie Huaisang complained, standing up and dusting his robes from the dirt. “I was in the middle of something.”
“You were in the middle of consorting with the head disciple of the Jiang sect, unchaperoned. If anyone saw, they would have you two married in an instant, or else you would both be branded as unvirtuous and unprincipled.” Nie Mingjue grunted, crossing his arms over his massive chest. “Unless that is what you want? You looked quite close.”
“Soon, not now. I have some people that I need to pay back first.”
Nie Mingjue gave him a strange look, as he always did whenever he caught Nie Huaisang scheming. “Well, whatever. Just remember that if you get caught, the backlash upon him would be much worse than on you.” Nie Huaisang compliantly nodded. “Now, what is this I hear about you fighting with the Jiang heir? When XiChen sent me the message, I almost thought that they had mistaken some stranger for my brother, and yet here you are, with bruises to show.”
“Don’t get used to it,” Nie Huaisang pouted, rubbing at the bruises on his face. They ached something fierce. “I am innocent, Da-ge! I was simply standing there when Jiang Wanyin suddenly attacked me! I was the victim; he punched and beat me to the ground, and it was so terrible, Da-ge, it hurt so much. I could do nothing but take it, weak as I am!” He cried.
“Uhuh,” Nie Mingjue said, one eyebrow raised. “And I suppose the bruises on that Jiangs face just magically appeared there, did they?” Nie Huaisang blinked up at his brother in clear innocence. His brother sighed. “Don’t even know why I bother. That Jiang is being punished, anyway, with a beating from the wooden board, and then will have to write twenty copies of the Lan rules. You also have to write two copies as well.”
“What?” Nie Huaisang exclaimed. “Why am I being punished? I didn’t do anything!”
“Right. And I suppose the Jiang heir fought with himself.” Nie Mingjue grunted. He turned to leave. “Don’t pick any more fights. Or do. I don’t care, just don’t get them to call me. Get XiChen to handle it or something. Bye.”
Cursing his brother, Nie Huaisang stormed away, promising vengeance upon Jiang Cheng.
He did not get to witness Jiang Cheng’s punishment, unfortunately. It was rumoured that the punishment wasn’t even the worst part for him, but the fact that he got chided by his father, who then promptly went to visit Wei Wuxian. The boy remained despondent for over a week, and then was swiftly back to his usual huffing and puffing around the Cloud Recesses, snapping at anyone who dared come close to him. Jiang Cheng was single-handedly becoming one of the most hated people within Gusu, isolating himself from all his peers and frankly ruining the prospects of any alliance with the Jiang clan.
Nie Huaisang couldn’t be more pleased.
Well, that was a lie. Wei Wuxian had seemed to realise that he had slowly been distancing from Jiang Cheng, and somehow blamed himself for Jiang Cheng’s current actions. He trailed after Jiang Cheng, who usually would chase him off by shouting obscenities and hurtful words, blaming him for sticking up for Nie Huaisang instead of himself or vying for his father’s attention.
And so, Jiang Cheng did nothing but push Wei Wuxian further into Nei Huaisang’s arms.
Yet, entirely contrary to his actions, the other alpha also seemed to be further enraged by Wei Wuxian becoming closer to Nie Huaisang.
Unfortunately, the downside of being an omega and an alpha, any time they spent alone together had to be in a clear public setting. They usually retreated to one of the many hills of the Cloud Recessess, lounging under a tree, which gave the illusion of privacy yet remained clear in sight of one of the busier sections of the Cloud Recesses. Lan Qiren even occasionally passed them, squinting his eyes at them as if daring them to do something uncouth. They ensured no fault could be found, staying an appropriate distance from one another and talking in low whispers that could not be heard. Nie Huaisang had painted many beautiful sceneries there, with Wei Wuxian as the forefront. Wei Wuxian laughing, Wei Wuxian smiling, Wei Wuxian napping: he aimed to capture every moment of the omega.
(In the privacy of his mind, he imagined scenarios of Wei Wuxian in a more risqué setting, like the protagonist of one of his yellow books. Lounging like he does without a care in the world, but this time with only a thin inner robe to cover him, falling off one shoulder to reveal ivory skin. Or him spread out on a bed, blush painting his body red, with nothing to hide him from Nie Huaisang’s eyes. His wavy hair spread over the pillow. His hands clutching desperately to the bedsheets. The stain of his slick covering the bed. Yes, Nie Huaisang, in time, aims to paint and capture every situation, every moment Wei Wuxian bestows upon him).
Jiang Cheng spent increasing time glaring up at them, peeking behind corners whenever they passed and certainly emphasising his lonesomeness, looking like he wanted to join but was much too hung up on his jealousies to do so. Nie Huaisang would always make sure to meet his eyes, telling the other boy he knew exactly what he was doing, and would lean closer to Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng, as a result, would spend the rest of the day fuming, glaring holes into Nie Huaisang’s head. But to everyone, Nie Huaisang was the victim who Jiang Cheng had wrongly imprinted on, and so they would always stop and tell Jiang Cheng off for his actions.
Wei Wuxian began looking increasingly lost, staring disappointedly at where Jiang Cheng stood until the boy got carted off for punishment. It seemed like he didn’t know this new Jiang Cheng, who only had bad words to say to him and nothing else, who spat and glared at everyone until they were driven away. Before, Wei Wuxian had known Jiang Cheng’s passable traits, thus the omega had seemingly excused all his bad ones. Now, faced with nothing that could redeem Jiang Cheng, nothing that could excuse his actions, the omega didn’t know how to react. Now, Jiang Cheng was someone he didn’t want to relate to.
Regrettably for Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian was only human. Even he had a limit.
That limit came on a bright autumn day. They were sitting in their usual spot, shaded by the great oak tree which was slowly shedding its red and orange leaves. Dinner would be served soon. Nie Huaisang had one of his poetry books balanced on his lap, although he had barely spared a passing glance at it since he opened it.
“I can’t believe the old man picked on me in class,” He complained, pouting his lips to gain some sympathy. “I thought he and I had a mutual understanding that I am absolutely hopeless at everything. Or is this payback for me failing the last test? I had tried on it, but some of us just can’t help but automatically fall asleep when–A-Ying?” Wei Wuxian was staring down the hill with a hopeless sort of look, where Jiang Cheng was standing with two other disciples. Well, that was putting it lightly. Arguing was more like it, although it remained fairly tame in comparison to Jiang Cheng’s usual fights. Nie Huaisang pursed his lips, annoyance welling up at him for the other alpha having stolen his affection’s attention, and the urge to just yank Wei Wuxian towards him and ensure his attention remained on him grew strong within him. He offered instead: “Do…you want to go down and see?”
Wei Wuxian scrunched his brows, hesitancy surrounding him, before slowly nodding.
They approached the three disciples, the voices becoming louder each step they took, Jiang Cheng’s voice being the loudest. They were hidden behind some buildings from the sight of any Lan disciples, but any privacy they may have would not last long with their increasing volume.
“Hah, a sect heir who can’t even prove himself to be any better than some servant omega has no right to talk to me! Then again, we don’t truly know who is the real sect heir, do we? Hasn’t your father been grooming the perfect set heir right beside you your entire life? They say he prefers that omega’s company compared to his own children, his own wife even! Don’t you think something is going on there?” A Jin disciple snorted, evident by the vermillion dot between his bows. Nie Huaisang had to search in the deep recesses of his mind to even remember the other boy’s name, Jin Zixun, for he was so unrememberable. A deep, dark hatred stirred within him at the boy’s words. “It’s honestly hilarious how you just let him walk all over you, but I suppose trash is trash. That’s what they’re calling Yunmeng Jiang now, isn’t it? Sooner or later, you’ll no longer be one of the great sects, but merely the scruff of the street! Servants, even! Don’t worry, I’m sure if you behave well then I’ll ensure a place as a servant in Lanling Jin; we do charity handouts, after all.”
“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, bounding to the other boy’s side. “Hey! Don’t speak about Yunmeng Jiang, or I’ll show you exactly the worth of the sect!”
“Oh! I’m so scared!” Jin Zixun sarcastically gasped, although he was slowly inching away from Wei Wuxian as if he was afraid he would suddenly attack him. “I guess this proves it, then. The Jiang sect heir is no better than some omega taken off from the streets! A better heir than the actual Jiang heir, a better omega than the actual omega of the Jiang family, the Jiang family really can’t compare! But I suppose you have a history of that, don’t you? They say the sect leader is nothing but a coward who lets his own wife control him. Who knows, maybe that's the reason they’ve been grooming an omega so well by your side!”
“How dare you!” Wei Wuxian seethed, unsheathing his sword. “You Jin have no place to comment on the Jiang sect, you would first need to look at the state of your Jin sect! Tell me, how many illegitimate children does you sect leader have running around now–”
“Wei Wuxian!” The omega jumped, startled, turning to face Jiang Cheng who stood with his head bowed, hands clenching by his side. “You shut up! You have no place talking about the Jiang sect!”
“Jiang Cheng?”
On the alpha’s face was a furious snarl. “Day by day you have been ruining the Jiang sect ever since you’ve joined it! The day you were taken in by my father is the day that things started going wrong, from my parent’s marriage, to my father overlooking me, to both me and my sister being overshadowed by you ! Everything is always about you! The perfect heir who has the perfect cultivation who is also the perfect omega! And now that you’ve gotten all that you can from the Jiang clan, you’ve evidently moved on, and wish to bring us down with it!” Jiang Cheng angrily gestured to Nie Huaisang, letting out a growl.
“What?” Wei Wuxian said, a quiet, confused little thing.
“How do I not know Jin Zixun’s words are not true, huh? My father has always preferred you to everyone else in my family, you’re his perfect little creation, how do I not know if your intentions are really pure? You are an omega , after all, and god knows how everyone moons after your mother! Maybe you saw your chance with my father, and now that you’ve done with him, you are evidently moving onto the Nie family! Moving your way up, huh? First it’s Nie Huaisang, next thing you’ll be with Nie Mingjue, and who knows!? Maybe you’ll even set your sights on the Lans next!” Jiang Cheng stepped forward. Nie Huaisang instinctively moved between Wei Wuxian and the alpha, his nerves preparing for a fight. “Opening your legs for anyone who’ll give you attention! In the end, you’re nothing but a whore after all!”
“Jiang Cheng!” Nie Huaisang growled. He wanted to tear Jiang Cheng’s face off, to rip his throat out so no flighty words would ever get past his lips again, to shred his chest open and yank away his lungs so there was no breath left in him again. Who was he to comment on Nie Huaisang’s omega? No better than a pup who pretended to be an alpha, showing off his scent everywhere like he was mightier than he actually is. “You’re going too far. I swear if you don’t shut up right this second, I’ll make you.”
But it was unnecessary, for Jiang Cheng was already looking slightly regretful at his words, an uncertain air about him. Nie Huaisang growled at a laughing Jin Zixun, who quickly shut up and ran away, before turning around to face Wei Wuxian.
Except Wei Wuxian was not there.
Nie Huaisang sighed, sent one last glare at Jiang Cheng who stood frozen in place before going off to find his omega.
It was an hour later when he found him, huddled under the tree where he first met him. Nie Huaisang would have thought he associated the area more with being chased by a dog than with meeting Nie Huaisang, but his heart warmed at the sight nonetheless. He carefully sat down in front of the other boy, crossing his legs and gazing at the hunched over figure carefully. Wei Wuxian had his legs drawn up, head huddled between them.
“Hey,” He said uselessly.
A moment passed. Sighing, Wei Wuxian revealed his face, resting it on his arms. He was not crying, thankfully, although his eyes were tinged with redness. “Hi.”
“So…do you want to talk about it?”
Wei Wuxian huffed a laugh, rubbing at his eyes and leaning back on the tree. “Don’t pretend that you’re suddenly good at comforting people. You are good at pretending to be many things, A-Sang, but you cannot pretend to be this.”
“Hey! You didn’t mind when I was comforting you before!” He squawked.
“Maybe I was too nice to say anything,” Wei Wuxian teased, a grin spreading across his face and showing off his pearly white teeth.
“This is treachery!” He complained, revelling in the resulting laugh. “But I do make the same point I made before: Jiang Cheng is an idiot. You do not have to listen to a word he says because none of it is true, and besides, you are a thousand times – no, a million times! – his worth and it is only in his dreams he can compare to you!”
“You always say such pretty things.” Wei Wuxian smiled, that one where he looks all soft and cute, his eyes slightly squinted, little dimples appearing on his cheeks. Slowly, it slid off. “I suppose I should have expected it, eventually. Jiang Cheng has always been resentful over what I do, no matter how much I try to reassure him. It’s like there was always a screen between the two of us no matter what, but shijie always kept us together. And then I presented…they had been hoping I was going to turn into a beta, you know? Jiang Cheng would be the alpha, and would finally be confident in his ability, shijie would be the perfect omega, and I would be the beta. But then I presented as an omega, and everything has just been going wrong since then. They said I was a better sect heir despite being an omega, so I tried to just focus on omega things, you know? But then they said I was a better omega than shijie, and she suddenly started looking at me strangely, and I didn’t know what to do. It’s like no matter what I cannot do what they want.”
“A-Ying, you shouldn’t try to fit into their standards just so they’ll accept you. You shouldn’t have to. You should just be you.”
“But they don’t like me.” Wei Wuxian frowned.
“I like you,” Nie Huaisang said.
Wei Wuxian paused, his eyes looking up to meet his own. He opened his mouth, closed it, before turning away. “Shame I’m not in the Nie sect, then.”
“You could be.”
Wei Wuxian’s eyes snapped back to his. “A-Sang. Huaisang . What you’re suggesting is–”
“Do you want it?” Nie Huaisang asked, clutching at Wei Wuxian’s arm. “Don’t think about Jiang Cheng, or the Jiang sect, or whatever gratefulness you have for them. Think about what you want. Do you want to be in the Nie sect?”
“But–”
“A-Ying,” Nie Huaisang said firmly. “Do you want it?”
Wei Wuxian hesitated, his brows furrowed. “I will be able to do what I want?”
“Yes, anything you want.”
“If I want to study talismans or create inventions?”
“You’ll get your own private room, I’ll make sure of it. No one will stop you. You can make whatever you want.”
“And…there will be no whippings?”
“No. Never.”
A moment of silence passed. Finally, “Yes. Yes, okay.”
Happiness burst from within him. He longed to push Wei Wuxian down to the ground, sniff along his scent gland, claim what was his. “Okay,” He outwardly said. “Okay, now, do you trust me?”
Wei Wuxian blinked prettily at him, surprise evident on his features. “Yes, of course.”
“Good. Let’s go to your rooms.”
“My rooms?” Wei Wuxian softly frowned, puzzled. Then, a slow kind of understanding overtook him, a blush rising to his cheeks. “ Oh . Okay.”
The omega disciple dorms were on the further part of the Cloud Recesses, hidden away so no scents of their heats would be able to reach any of the other disciples. Other than that, it looked exactly like the alpha dorms. Nie Huaisang could not hide his disappointment in not seeing anything that was featured in every young alpha’s fantasies, like omegas lounging around in large nests in one big cuddle pile, or the scandalous bathing scenes that were in almost every one of his novels. Every disciple that passed them gave a suspicious glance to Nie Huaisang, as if they were reading every thought in his head. It was not forbidden for alpha disciples to be near the omega dorms, but it was certainly unusual, to the point where Nie Huaisang thought that they were giving an excuse for Lan Qiren to write it up as a rule the next day.
Oblivious to his troubles, Wei Wuxian led him to his room. He threw open the door without a care and strolled in. Nie Huaisang hovered at the entrance. It was forbidden to go into an omega’s room. Scandalous, even. They would be the talk of the town.
He glanced to the side, up the path where they had come from. There was someone lurking there, a flash of the bell. Nie Huaisang huffed; the other boy probably wanted to apologise, but had stopped short at the scene of Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian together. They were in dangerous territory here. If Jiang Cheng rattled on them–but, then again, that is exactly what he wants, isn’t it?
“A-Ying,” He asked, suddenly uncertain. He thought back to his brother’s words. “Are you sure? You know we don’t have to do it this way. I can think of another–”
“Come in, already!” Wei Wuxian grinned, yanking him by the hand until he stumbled into the room, nearly tripping over the low table. The room was identical to his own: a table, some draws, a bed. The Gusu Lan sect was always very minimalist. The only thing that stood out was Wei Wuxian’s scent which practically covered every inch of the room, the aroma clinging to every piece of furniture, every particle of air. He breathed it in every second. If his guest room was this heady, what about his actual room, back in Lotus Pier? What would the scents be like tangled together, sharing the same space? Nie Huaisang longed to smother Wei Wuxian in his own scent until they were virtually indistinguishable.
When Nie Huaisang turned to Wei Wuxian, the omega was already sitting on the bed, staring at him with wide eyes. It instantly struck him that he was in an omega’s room. Alone with an omega, who was sitting on a bed, so innocently. An unexplained nervousness overwhelmed him. He had never been in this situation before, and many of his novels skipped this step entirely, going from almost-strangers to having passionate sex (normally in the wild or some other place that wasn’t a bed) in a few short chapters.
He carefully sat down on the bed, a distance away from Wei Wuxian. He fiddled with his fan, too anxious to even meet Wei Wuxian’s eyes. “You know…if you want, we don’t have to do anything more…I think they’ve already seen.”
Silence was his answer. Panic filled him even more, afraid that he had suddenly driven off Wei Wuxian and missed his only chance. He dug his fingers into the bones of his fan, rhythmically opening and closing it.
There was a huff. Next thing he knew, Wei Wuxian was standing right in front of him. He quickly looked up, but his vision was a blur as he was abruptly pushed down onto the bed. He let out an oof, hands squabbling to get purchase on the bed, and then Wei Wuxian was there, straddling his lap, and he was in heaven. Wei Wuxian leaned over him with a teasing grin, eyes alight with mischievousness, until they were so close together there was hardly a breath between them. Nie Huaisang waited, expecting the soft touch of lips upon his own, or even a caress of his hand, but Wei Wuxian merely hovered there, looking down on him coyly.
“Well?” Wei Wuxian said, an eyebrow raised. It was a challenge.
A beat passed. Two.
The alpha within him snapped. He lurched forward, grabbing hold of Wei Wuxian’s robe to force him under him, pinning him to the bed. Wei Wuxian’s scent blossomed, the smell of arousal and slick filling the air. He took a huge gulp in, his control slackening.
Wei Wuxian’s eyes were dilated. His hair was beginning to plaster to his skin, and from his cheeks came a beautiful vibrant blush that spread further down his body. Nie Huaisang admired the sight for only a second before he dove in, lips searching for Wei Wuxian’s own.
It was sparks and kaleidoscopes and everything the novels portrayed it as and more. The feel of soft lips on his own was heavenly; the omega’s lips were burning hot and irresistibly wet and much better than the many times he had imagined it in his daydreams. He bit at the plump lip, revelling in the blood that followed, lickimg it up from the source, feeling more like a beast than a human. When he dove his tongue in, Wei Wuxian submitted wonderfully, their tongues dancing together.
There was a hand in his short hair, helplessly tugging him closer until they were joined together, one body. His own hands had a mind of their own, tugging on Wei Wuxian’s robes until frustration overwhelmed him. He growled, leaning back to tear the cloth open which shredded with a loud rip, but he didn’t care and was already diving back in again, finally getting a taste of Wei Wuxian’s scent gland, the aroma of magnolias from the source. His teeth itched to dig in, claim Wei Wuxian as his own, but he knew it was much too early yet, and soothed himself with little bites around where he would soon claim. The soft moans that Wei Wuxian released echoed in his ears, stoking him further to claim, bite, suck everywhere he could.
When he glanced up again, Wei Wuxian was nearly unrecognisable, flushed with pleasure and clearly lost in desire. He leant up to kiss him once again.
There was a sudden angry knocking at the door. Nie Huaisang ignored it, devouring Wei Wuxian’s mouth. There was shouting, cursing, kicking. The door burst open. He heard Jiang Cheng’s angry shout, the scandalised gasps of disciples. Someone yanked him off Wei Wuxian.
It didn’t matter. Wei Wuxian was his. From the horrified look on Jiang Cheng’s face, he knew it too. For them not to be wed now, Wei Wuxian would be permanently marred, along with the Jiang Sect. For the safety of their reputation and for continuing the amicable relationship with the Nie, there is no way Sect Leader Jiang and Madam Yu would not give Wei Wuxian to Nie Huaisang, even if it meant losing their favourite punching bag.
Nie Huaisang grinned up at Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian’s own blood smeared on his lips, letting himself, just for once, revel openly in his victory.