Work Text:
Luo Binghe's rut symptoms were textbook perfect. He knew exactly what to expect because as soon as he'd been able, he'd memorized everything about secondary genders, excited and nervous as he flipped the pages of old medicine books. They were written in complex words, but Luo Binghe was nothing if perseverant. He filled the empty cup of his mind with information, thirsty for knowledge.
He’d needed the certainty and he'd found it. He saw the early signs of alpha characteristics in himself: his height, his instincts, his... size. He'd been over the moon with joy. He was going to be an alpha, the best alpha for the best omega in the world: Shizun.
He still had a long way to go but he'd be ready. He'd been studying for this. He was so ready to start the arduous road to become worthy of Shizun.
He couldn't help but purr as the need to scent his "den" became unbearable. He didn't even mind the headaches, the sensitivity to light and scents, he was just happy to see his alpha presentation unfold as he'd wanted.
He started scenting his room, and then discreetly marked the kitchen, the living room, and Shizun's study. Their scents mingled deliciously all around their home, soothing and familiar. He hadn't dared go into Shizun's room, but he'd been happy enough to mark the door, pressing his cheek to the wood as high as he managed on tiptoes.
Then he'd cooked his weight in treats for Shizun; sweet and sour, he filled the table. Tanghulu, nian gao, almond cookies, yellow pea cakes, dumplings with all sorts of fillings. He had felt an animal satisfaction when Shizun's mouth wrapped around the food, when his cheeks were filled, and he was sighing dreamily at the taste.
Binghe had watched in fascination as Shizun tried everything at least once, then twice and then, when Shizun was full, Binghe had whined and whimpered for Shizun to eat: "At least one more dumpling, Shizun? Please? I worked so hard; did you not like them?"
Shizun had a saint's patience with him. He took Luo Binghe's mood changes and brattiness in a stride, affectionately petting his head and allowing him to do as he wished. Binghe had fallen into the habit of grappling Shizun's skirts and sleeves, their softness and scent addicting.
If Shizun was in a well enough mood, he'd drape his longest sleeves over Luo Binghe like a pup, like a treasure protected dearly. That was the day his gums started hurting. He'd had to start putting cold compresses as he lay in bed; he could only fall asleep once his mouth was entirely numb.
But it was worth it! The pain was proof of his growth, he thought proudly, tonguing his inflamed gums. He'd soon be mature enough to pursue Shizun with honor and mate him.
💥
The day finally arrived that Binghe could feel it in the blood boiling all through his body. He jumped from his bed and dressed in a hurry; being in an early rut was no excuse to slack off. He needed to feed his future omega.
As he went to the kitchen a powerful scent stopped him in his tracks. His head turned as it by itself… Toward Shizun’s room. He took a big, slow breath.
In. And in. And even more, until it felt like the delicious scent filled his lungs, his whole body. Until tender bamboo and sugar syrup were all he had inside.
He walked to the door and called:
“Shizun?”
A soft groan answered. Luo Binghe dared to open the door, just enough to peer inside. Shizun was a pile of blankets, smelling sweet and warm. Binghe’s teeth hurt from the need to chew.
From his studies, he could deduce what was happening, he just wasn’t sure how it was possible.
It was a well-known fact that Shen Qingqiu of Qing Jing Peak was a beta, but the trembling figure in the nest in front of Binghe was definitely an omega in heat. Luo Binghe searched his brain for any way a beta could spontaneously turn into another gender but none of the books had ever mentioned that kind of thing. (They did mention a very horrible thing to do to alphas that could turn them into… It wasn’t relevant).
Even late presentations were never this late, so there was no way! Either Shizun was a medical rarity or, and that was a thought, he’d hidden his presentation for some reason.
That seemed plausible. Luo Binghe gathered all his self-control and neared the bed. Shizun’s face was half-hidden in a feather-filled pillow; Luo Binghe brought a hand up and gently pressed next to his tender cheek.
“Shizun,” he purred affectionately. Shizun made a little noise and half opened one of his pretty eyes to look at him. Binghe couldn’t help smiling, “Good morning.”
Shizun hid his eye again with a little whine. Luo Binghe held back, somehow, the desire to nuzzle his teacher’s face.
“Shizun doesn’t have to worry at all,” he whispered to him. “I’ll make some easy food and leave Shizun to his season.”
“Hot,” Shizun mumbled against his bed.
“I’ll get Shizun something fresh, yes?”
Shizun shook his head stiffly. “Fever tonic,” he mumbled to Binghe.
“What for?”
Shizun raised a hand, slowly, like it was heavy, and pressed it against his forehead. “Hot,” he repeated.
“I know, I know,” Binghe purred, sympathetic. An alpha should soothe their omega. “It’ll be over soon.”
Shizun shook his head stiltedly. Frowned. Scrunched his face until his nose wrinkled. He finally said, “Sick.”
Luo Binghe stared at his Shizun for a good long moment. Could it be that Shizun did not know? Once again, he told himself, no way. There was no way on earth or hell that Shizun didn’t know what a heat felt like.
Then again, Shizun had had that horrible qi deviation, hadn’t he? And he’d forgotten a bunch of stuff. Had he forgotten he was an omega? As impossible as it seemed, it was the only logical explanation for why a mature omega, a peak lord at that, did not recognize something as elemental as his own heat.
Binghe explored his options carefully. He was a young alpha presenting in the same house where an omega was, also, basically, presenting. Binghe knew what to expect but Shizun would be entirely at the mercy of his instincts.
The image came, unbidden and accidental, to his mind: Shizun, in this very half-made nest, hands on himself, trembling with the need to breed. To be bred. And with an alpha so close, just a door away. Binghe bit his lip.
It was tempting. It wasn’t righteous.
Under his nose, Shizun whined and Binghe, before he could think it through, leaned forward and scented Shizun’s face. His cheek to Shizun’s cheek, his nose rubbing Shizun’s, like a child’s kiss.
Shizun melted into his nest, like a doll without strings. A strong purr reverberated between them, straight from Shizun’s chest.
He half-opened his eyes, little crescent moons, and smiled sweetly, trusting. He threw his clumsy arms up and around Binghe’s neck, and pulled him close, until Binghe had his hands next to Shizun’s shoulders and one knee on the soft bedding. It smelled delicious.
It became too much. No one could blame him. A precious omega in heat was dragging him into his nest, purring and scenting him like a treasure. How could an alpha -a rutting alpha- reject this? It would be unnatural self-control. Binghe was not that strong.
He brought his other leg up the nest and laid next to Shizun, delighted to feel the purr’s vibrations up his arm. He’d let Shizun sleep a little longer, before really putting in the work of a true mate.
💥
Shen Qingqiu woke up feeling like his arms and legs were made of melting playdough. He was so hot. The air was burning him. Beneath his limbs the bedding was wet from sweat, and it felt disgusting when he shifted.
His body bumped into a warm mass right next to him. He flinched but soon relaxed again; it was just Binghe taking a nap. His little face was relaxed in sleep and Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help raising his noodle arm to trace the shape of his nose.
Binghe blinked awake slowly. He was so cute! His long eyelashes gently kissed his cheeks, and his dark eyes were doozy. He made a little puppyish noise before mumbling, “Shizun is awake?”
Shizun wants to eat you up with a spoon! Shen Qingqiu shushed him tenderly then pulled him gently into his arms. Binghe allowed the manhandling good-naturedly, and he soon was resting on top of Shen Qingqiu, his torso on his teacher’s chest and his face in the crook of his neck.
Shen Qingqiu heard him take a deep breath. His little hands clutched his sleeping robes, and he began kneading. Shen Qingqiu could’ve laughed, A/B/O settings were so ridiculous!
Still, having an armful of a puppy protagonist was adorable. He allowed himself to press his cheek to the top of his head and rub until he could smell himself on the hair. He put his lips as he breathed in their mingled scents.
💥
Binghe didn’t dare move for fear of breaking the spell they were in. While he felt quite in control, it was clear that Shizun wasn’t. His hips were moving, grounding into Binghe’s leg with delicious need. He was grooming him too, mouthing and teething at his sleep-knotted hair with such clear affection Binghe felt like crying.
He himself was getting harder by the second, so enveloped in Shizun’s scent. He was clenching his jaws, trying to suppress the urge to bite at Shizun’s unmarred skin. He settled on continuing to knead, trying to give Shizun comfort until they lost control. It wouldn’t be long before- Shizun stiffened suddenly.
The air smelled like pleasure, like salt, like-
Binghe’s leg was wet.
Shizun, Shizun, Shizun!
Luo Binghe raised his head to look at Shizun’s face. He was beautiful, oh so beautiful, with the feverish blush over his cheeks and his little red mouth panting. Binghe leaned and pressed his forehead to Shizun’s and drank up his warm breath.
“Shizun, I’m sorry,” he smiled as he spoke. “Shizun will have to forgive this disciples weakness.”
And he licked a long stripe over Shizun’s mouth. He tasted like a dream.
“Huh?” Shizun licked his lips, half-seeing Binghe. “Mhhm?”
Binghe didn’t bother explaining, clearly Shizun was too out of it to hear. He should focus on taking care of him in a way his body would understand.
He nibbled affectionately at his chin while he worked his sleeping robes off. Shizun’s body was ready, he smelled ready, and Binghe delighted in running his hands up and down his sides, barely daring to touch his hipbones.
Shizun squirmed under him as he pressed his mouth to his chest, right over his heart. Then, under his breast, at the edge of his ribs, his soft belly.
Binghe pressed his nose to his belly, where he knew, underneath the skin, lay his womb. He mouthed at it like a pup, scenting the space to later mark it properly from inside.
He shivered when he smelled the humidity from between his legs. He licked his lips reflexively as his mouth filled with saliva. He pressed one last bite-kiss to Shizun’s navel before going down further.
He’d read about this in a different kind of book, but he’d always wanted to try. He slowly leaned in into the space under Shizun’s cock, feeling his chest heaving from excitement.
The hole -Shizun’s cunt- was glistening wet. It smelled heady and inviting, and when Binghe pressed his tongue to the liquid, it tasted musky. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he whined long and needy. He opened his mouth as far as it went and tried desperately to drink from Shizun.
Next to his head, Shizun’s thighs started shaking. Binghe sank his hands into the plush meat and fat and hugged them to himself. It felt so good. It was heaven on earth.
Under his mouth, his licking and sucking, Shizun’s cunt started pulsing. Binghe stuck his tongue inside as far as he could and felt the tight walls squeezing around it. High above him, Shizun moaned. Heavenly music.
He was making Shizun feel good. Binghe smiled as he released Shizun’s cunt and started petting his trembling thighs. He seemed wet enough, now. Binghe dragged his hand across his face to gather the slick over it, then brought his palm up and licked it. He couldn’t waste a single drop. He loved it, wanted to drown in it. He wanted Shizun to drip over his head like he’d poured the tea when they’d met.
He went back up to Shizun’s face and nuzzled his cheek. He was dizzy from joy and rut, and he panted like a dog into his skin.
Shizun was also catching his breath; his eyes were closed and his hair, mussed. He was gorgeous and he smelled so good. He knew the rut was about to take him over, but he wanted to keep this memory with him forever.
💥
He was aware of himself only in flashes.
There was warmth between his legs, there was- There was! Oh god! That was insane, he was going to- Gonna-
Then- There was a strain in his hips from how spread his legs were. There was a weight on his legs and then -oh god- he opened his eyes and gasped. His back arched from the pleasure, his fingers digging into the bedding.
When he fell back down, eyes half lidded, he couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing. Was he dreaming?
Binghe was there, with him, and he was between his legs, and Shen Qingqiu felt so good, and Binghe was pushing inside of him, over and over again, thrusting, making Shen Qingqiu feel like a ragdoll.
“Shizun,” Binghe crooned, his cute face scrunching up in affection. “Shizun, you feel so good, I’m going to-“
He blacked out again. And woke up with Binghe all on his face.
He turned his face away and Binghe followed him, scenting his cheeks like an eager puppy. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t do anything but let him press himself to him, chest to chest, cheek to cheek; breathing each other in wet pants.
And then, stranger yet, he woke up screaming.
Laying on his back with a limpet clinging to his back (Binghe???) and screaming in pleasure and begging for more- He could barely follow what his mouth was saying without his permission, his hand thrown back and digging into the skin of said limpet, edging him on with a “uh uh uh”.
“There, right there,” his mouth said. “Feels so good, you make me- Ohh! Don’t stop, please don’t stop-“
Next to his hear, Binghe rasped: “Never, never Shizun, I’ll never stop, never let you go, oh Shizun, you’re so wet-“
Shen Qingqiu threw his head back and it fell on Binghe’s shoulder. He closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, he was speared through his stomach.
Or at least it felt like that.
His stomach hurt. He brought his hand down; he was so full he could feel his belly bulging outwards. He groaned.
A hand went over his. He struggled to open his eyes.
“You’re alright,” Binghe said, with a smile. Shen Qingqiu stared at him dazed. Binghe reached out and touched his forehead. “No need to frown. How does Shizun feel?”
“Full,” he stammered. Binghe visibly shivered. He was naked. Shen Qingqiu rubbed his eyes. What was happening? He tried to sit up and was stopped by a cramp: “Agh!”
“Shizun, careful!” Binghe’s attentive hands were on him immediately, rubbing his legs (naked too?). “Please bear with this a little longer.”
“Wha’s this?” He mumbled.
“Shizun’s heat surprised this disciple,” Binghe said. The words seeped slowly into his brain, his heat? What heat? Shen Qingqiu was a beta. “And it triggered this disciple’s rut.”
Oh.
Oh no.
Shen Qingqiu slid his hand down slowly until it reached the parts of himself he never dared to explore. Binghe’s navel was pressed right to his thighs, warm and solid. There was something inside of him. He touched tentatively around the ring of his own hole, where it was inflamed.
This was -what was it called- a knot. He was knotted. Tied.
To Luo Binghe.
He felt his face heat up.
💥
Binghe watched as an adorable blush spread over Shizun’s face and chest. He brought his hand up and hid his face in his palm.
Binghe hurried, “I beg Shizun’s forgiveness, of course. I really couldn’t stop myself. Please punish me.”
Shizun didn’t look like he was going to punish him.
“You…” Shizun muttered. “You’re…”
Shameless? An opportunist? A debaucher?
“You’re so young…” Shizun whined, still hiding his reddened face.
Binghe regained what little confidence he had lost. Of course Shizun wouldn’t be mad at him! There was no helping it if an omega in heat and an alpha in rut ran into each other. It was natural. Instinctual.
“Shizun needn’t worry,” he said, petting the slick-wet skin of his thighs. “This disciple-“
“Nooo…” Shizun whined. Binghe had to laugh.
“I thought Shizun’s heat was already over, but it seems he’s still a little warm, hm?”
It was alright. It gave him more time to enjoy with Shizun. He reached out to hold Shizun’s hand and Shizun did, entwining their fingers. He was so sweet.
He raised the hand and kissed it. Shizun shook his head, but it wasn’t denial. Binghe knew him. He was just embarrassed. He just needed to wait for the next wave to prove to Shizun just how well he’d take care of him.