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Chapter Text

In this world, there are Gods, cultivators, and civilians. There are royals, rulers, and common people; Heavenly officials, ghosts, and the undead; The good, the evil, and the bystanders. 

There are also Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. 

Alphas have long been respected as having the strongest yang energy, making them the most powerful cultivators. Most of those who ascended to the Heavenly Realm were Alphas, with Betas following close behind. Omegas, though, with their strong yin energy, were weak in cultivation. Their golden cores were fragile at best and unstable at worst, which is why Omega cultivators were so rare.

Even among those with special traits, there existed a hierarchy. Dominant, standard, and recessive, with Dominant Alphas almost always sitting at the top. Some believed it was better to be born a Dominant Omega than a Recessive Alpha--at least then there was a chance to marry into a powerful sect. After all, Dominant Omegas were most likely to birth Dominant Alphas. Others believed it best to be born a Beta--better to be judged on one’s own merit than to be born with a natural cheat code from one’s gender. Even so, it was a well known fact that Alphas would always come out on top, and Omegas would always live at the bottom.

One sect took this hierarchy of secondary genders to new heights--the Qishan Wen clan. Their shift from the school-based system of cultivation to a bloodline-based one became legendary when their lines produced countless Dominant Alphas and Omegas, overtaking the spiritual world. 

It didn’t take long before Wen Ruohan, one of the most powerful Dominant Alphas of his generation, moved to take over the entirety of the cultivation world, tipping the tenuous balance the sects kept for generations. 

It was then that powerful Alphas and Betas from the Four Great Clans launched the Sunshot Campaign. They saw the value of all cultivators, not just Dominant Alphas, and they fought for the right of every sect to live harmoniously as equals, bowing to no singular ruler but the Emperor himself. 

Wei Wuxian, a powerful Dominant Alpha and top disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang, was a key figure in the turning point of the war. His innovations in demonic cultivation turned the tide, giving the Four Great Clans an opening to take down the evil Wens, earning him the title “Yiling Patriarch,” named for the burial mounds in which he cultivated. 

After the war, there were rumors that the Jiang clan would negotiate alliances with other clans through Wei Wuxian’s mating--that they would review hundreds of omega applicants to pair him off. Wei Wuxian was the hottest alpha on the market, even more in demand than Jiang Cheng, his own brother and clan leader himself. Not only was he a hero of the Sunshot Campaign, but he was a master of the six arts and an innovative cultivator. Any Omega would be honored to be his mate, or even a low ranked concubine!

But Wei Wuxian never took a mate. He and Jiang Cheng devoted their energy to rebuilding the Jiang, though the mating-minded mamas never truly relented in their quest to have their best Omegas presented before the Yiling Patriarch. 

That was, until the Yiling Patriarch turned. 

Some speculate that Wei Wuxian was corrupted by the yin energy of his demonic cultivation, his Alpha yang energy unable to find true balance. Others believe Wei Wuxian was corrupt from the start. 

The cultivation world had barely healed from the stain of the Wens when Wei Wuxian and his Ghost General massacred hundreds at Qingqi Path and the Nightless City. Many cowered in fear of Wei Wuxian and his army of demons. It was said his pheromones alone could suppress armies, rendering other Alphas, and even Betas, unable to move. He could enslave any Omega he desired, and turned their mates into undead puppets to do his bidding. Omegas quaked at the mere mention of his name. Children slept with their lamps lit in the hopes that they wouldn’t be taken away. 

It wasn’t until the Four Great Clans gathered again for the Siege on the Burial Mounds that this fear was assuaged. Led by Jiang Cheng, his own brother, Wei Wuxian was defeated. Accounts of the battle vary, some saying Jiang Cheng didn’t even get to deal the final blow; rather, resentful spirits tore Wei Wuxian’s very soul to shreds until not even a body was left behind. Others say that Wei Wuxian managed to temporarily corrupt the pure-hearted Hanguang-Jun into fighting the other sect leaders! Yet, no matter which version is told, the ending is the same: the Yiling Patriarch is no longer in this world.

His death was celebrated by all. Jiang Cheng and the other leaders were celebrated as heroes once again. 

Yet, even with his spirit destroyed, unable to be summoned by the strongest of Alpha cultivators, Wei Wuxian’s name continued to strike fear into the hearts of all for years to come. 

Chapter Text

When Wei Wuxian opened his eyes, he immediately became aware of a sharp pain in his side.

What the--

It had been some time since he’d felt genuine pain. Living in Ghost City for so long, he’d grown accustomed to the numbness of death. So why, now, did it feel like he was developing a bruise? Could a spirit even bruise? 

“Get up, already!” A voice thundered, fully rousing Wei Wuxian from his slumber.

Another kick landed on Wei Wuxian’s ribs, this time sending him flying across the crusty, dirt lined floor. 

The shrill, fierce voice pounded at his eardrums as his assailant hurled more verbal abuse his way, piling on top of the physical blows. 

As the voice shrieked at him about something or other, Wei Wuxian tried to gain his bearings. He rubbed his eyes as they came fully open. Sure enough, he was back in the human realm. 

A loud crash sounded, the sound of wood splintering as it slammed into the concrete walls.

“You don’t own anything, anyway,” a young man with a pinch face sneered, thick fists gripped around a set of disciple’s robes as he ripped them apart. “How can I steal from a bastard like you? I’m the only reason you have a roof over your head and rice to fill your stomach! So what if I borrow some trinkets? Who are you to complain?” 

Where in the world was he? How had he ended up like this?

For a moment, Wei Wuxian wondered if he’d stolen some poor soul’s body by mistake, but he knew better than anyone that such things were never done by mistake, especially not something as complex as body snatching.

The pinch-faced young man yelled at some servants who further wrecked the small room, dumping chests and smashing bottles, before turning back to Wei Wuxian.

“Filthy xunguo,” he spat, “See how you like spending a month in confinement.” 

Xunguo? Wei Wuxian fought back the disgust at the insult. He bit back the urge to shout something like “You have some nerve saying that to the Yiling Patriarch.” He couldn’t afford to expose himself until he had more information. 

The man and his servants left the room with a slam of the door, and a heavy snick as a lock clicked into place. In the silence that followed, Wei Wuxian tried to push himself up, still reeling at the rude awakening. 

His limbs still ached, and felt impossibly weak. Was this what having a human body had always been like? No, he must just be suffering injuries from that young master. When he was unable to push himself up from the crusty floor, he felt around for something, anything to give him a hint about his surroundings. Finally, he managed to find a small mirror among the shattered belongings. 

The young master hadn’t been nasty for nothing when he’d called Wei Wuxian a xunguo, not that it excused the slur. Wei Wuxian took in his new appearance, and realized he most definitely had to be in the body of an Omega! The features, what he could see of them in the dirt-crusted mirror, were mostly obscured by white and crimson makeup in a crude mockery of the ornate style Omegas typically wore when being presented to a potential mate. What was normally meant to enhance the Omega’s delicate features left this face looking monstrous. Yet, even through the heavily caked powder, he saw a fine nose and delicate chin. 

Wei Wuxian reached to the back of his neck, feeling for the telltale sign of a mating bite, but was thankful when he couldn’t feel any raised scars around his scent gland. How awkward would that be to explain? Sorry, your mate isn’t here anymore. Yeah, he did not want to have to explain that. So, whatever attempt at courtship this Omega tried had clearly failed. 

He wanted to wash the makeup off, to see what this new face really looked like, but there wasn’t a single drop of water in reach. He sighed, supposing he’d have to wait. At the very least, he could say beyond a shadow of a doubt that the body belonged to a man. As he studied the reflection, his eyes caught on a stark streak of red on the floor beneath him. 

Slowly, as the strength returned to him, Wei Wuxian pushed himself to a sitting position. That streak of crimson was, in fact, a gruesome array drawn in blood, an ancient sacrifice where the subject offered their soul in exchange for a vengeful, demonic spirit to enact revenge on their behalf. It was a horrifying ritual, and a painful one. What on earth could this poor Omega have experienced for them to offer up their body like this?

And in what world was Wei Wuxian a vengeful, demonic spirit? 

Though, he supposed, the reputation he left behind would lead most to believing that of him, but in his years away from this world, he had not haunted one single person from his lifetime! He lived peacefully in Ghost City, as an honest soul, thank you very much! Never so much as stepping foot in a gambling den, nor seeking to grow his power as a wraith. 

Yet, somehow, he’d been yanked out of that quiet, if not restful, afterlife and back into the world of the living for the sake of another’s revenge? He took stock of his new body, and found several gashes across his arms--the wounds he would live with until he enacted that revenge. 

With a sigh, Wei Wuxian set about looking for clues for how, exactly, he should do that, and who, exactly, he’d become. 

Omegas had it tough.

It wasn’t the first time Wei Wuxian had thought such a thing, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. 

And, as far as Omegas went, Mo Xuanyu was possibly the most pitiful of the lot.

In his search, Wei Wuxian discovered that Mo Xuanyu was the bastard son of one powerful Alpha. Though the Alpha wasn’t named, it was clear he was someone high up in the cultivation world. His Omega mother, a servant to the Mo patriarch, had died when Mo Xuanyu was young, leaving him in the care of the patriarch’s other daughter, the Alpha, Madam Mo, her husband--not mate, husband-- and their son, a Recessive Alpha named Mo Ziyuan. 

Mo Xuanyu, though never acknowledged by his father, had been invited to train under his father’s sect as a disciple. Apparently, that Alpha was confident that Mo Xuanyu would present as an Alpha as well, maybe even a Dominant. Yet, his golden core remained weak, even years into training, and Mo Xuanyu’s eccentricities won him few allies among his martial siblings. 

When he presented as a Dominant Omega a few years ago, it had been speculated that maybe the sect could mate him off to one of their Dominant Alphas, but Mo Xuanyu’s erratic behavior only grew more intense until he was exiled from the sect and sent home to the Mo family. He was not treated kindly by his aunt and cousin. He held no value to them as a cultivator, he was useless as a laborer, and his value as an Omega had been utterly ruined with his banishment. From the scattered ramblings in the journals Wei Wuxian found, it was clear the suffering of the Mo’s abuse, along with the grief of being unable to cultivate took its toll until he fully descended into madness. No wonder Wei Wuxian had woken in such a disheveled state.

He considered this as planned ways out of the little shack Mo Ziyuan intended to lock him in for the remainder of the month, another of the Mo family’s cruelties. He had clearly intended for Mo Xuanyu to suffer through his heat unmedicated and alone in this dilapidated shack as a punishment. After all, there was no greater torture for an Omega, or an Alpha for that matter, to spend their cycle alone. Unfortunately for him, Wei Wuxian was too crafty to take that lying down.

Some time later, one of the servants brought Mo Xuanyu’s meal. As he ate, Wei Wuxian mentally counted off the days. Based on the erratic entries in Mo Xuanyu’s journal, his heat cycle should occur within the next ten days. Did reincarnation affect one’s cycle? That was a question Wei Wuxian had never considered. Whenever he worked with fierce corpses, regardless of their secondary gender, their cycles stopped upon the death of their physical form. While primary gender might have to do with the spirit of a person, maybe secondary gender was strictly tied to the physical form?

“...another fierce corpse,” he overheard one of the servants say.

Wei Wuxian paused his musings and tuned into the conversation outside of his window. 

“...cultivators are coming to the Mo Village today,” another replied. “I’ve heard they’re coming from a prominent sect and they’ve promised to eradicate all of these fierce corpses that have been running about!”

“Can they take down that many, though?”

“They must be able to! They’re very strong. You should see the--”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t wait any longer. He took the chance while the two servants were engrossed in their conversation to kick the door to the little shack, focusing all of the spiritual power in Mo Xuanyu’s delicate golden core to his feet and shattering the wood to splinters. 

The servants screamed. 

Taking care of these two should have been a bother, but Wei Wuxian loved an acting challenge. With a sly grin, he thought, it was time to embrace the reputation of a mad man. 

Lan Jingyi extended a gracious thanks to the servant who handed him a cup of tea. He and Lan Sizhui were listening to the inane chatter of the Alpha Madam Mo, a wealthy daughter of a former merchant, and current Matriarch of Mo village. 

He could almost hear Zewu-Jun’s voice in his head, reminding him that a Lan must be patient, especially with the common people. They were cultivators, they were masters of their art, and they would help the common people whenever they could. 

But that didn’t mean Lan Jingyi had to like it. 

Don’t misunderstand, Jingyi loved cultivation. He practiced hard to establish his golden core, and according to Zewu-Jun, he and Sizhui were both laying strong foundations to become respected cultivators. So, as much as it frustrated him to indulge this arrogant woman as she tried to convince the two of them, junior disciples no less, that her grown son with his feeble golden core was worthy of training with their sect, he would do so with grace. 

“...recessive, but he is an Alpha, after all. So I’m sure his golden core just needs the right nurturing.” She continued. “A member from the younger generation even trained in cultivation recently--”

Jingyi suppressed the urge to sigh when a sudden commotion cut off Madam Mo’s raving. 

An Omega, only a few years older than Jingyi and Sizhui, burst into the room, his courting makeup smeared haphazardly across his face, his robes tattered, and his hair disheveled. But that wasn’t even the most startling thing about him. Rather, it was the manic gleam in his eye as he tumbled into the room. Jingyi hazarded a glance at Sizhui, hoping to catch his friend in as much shock as he was. The only sign Sizhui gave of his surprise was the slightest widening of his eyes--so typical of Hanguang-jun’s ward. If Jingyi didn’t know any better, there were times he’d think Sizhui were Hanguang-jun’s clone. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Here I am!” The disheveled Omega grinned. 

He was met with only stunned silence.

“Who was calling for me earlier,” The Omega continued, “I’m the only one in the household who used to be a cultivator!”

“Pfft,” Jingyi could barely hold in his laughter, some air escaping as he clamped down on it. 

Sizhui gave him a disapproving glance, and Jingyi schooled his features once again. He had to save face. For now. 

Yet, as ridiculous as his appearance and words were, Jingyi didn’t miss the calculated glance this Omega sent their way. There was a split second of recognition.

Aah, he thought, he knows who we are. At the very least, he knows of the Gusu Lan sect.

Madam Mo’s face reddened at the Omega’s sudden appearance. “Who let him out? Someone, come take him away!” 

Mister Mo, Madam Mo’s husband, smiled gently at his wife, attempting to placate her, but she brushed him off.

The Omega, for his part, flopped to the floor, arms and legs spread wide as if giving the floor a hug. He loudly proclaimed that he couldn’t be moved, and Madam Mo’s face reddened even more as she cursed him as a madman. 

It took everything within Jingyi not to let out his laughter. He didn’t understand how Sizhui was holding himself together in his situation. They’d heard the rumors of Madam Mo’s mad nephew, but neither of them expected they would see the antics firsthand. 

As the servants tried to peel Mo Xuanyu from the floor, he suddenly grinned and pointed at Mo Ziyuan. “Tell him to return my things, and I’ll be happy to leave.”

“What have I ever stolen from you?” Mo Ziyuan protested. “Why should I steal things from you? Anything you have would be worthless to me anyway!”

“Aah, yes, you don’t need to steal,” Mo Xuanyu said, his tone teasing, “But you did rob me anyway!” 

Sizhui’s eyes narrowed, Jingyi noticed. Mo Ziyuan moved to kick Mo Xuanyu, but Sizhui didn’t give him the chance. With the slightest lift of Sizhui’s finger, Mo Ziyuan lost his footing and fell to the ground. Jingyi smirked at the slight lift of the corners of Sizhui’s lips as he took a sip of his tea, allowing the scene to continue playing out before them.

Even though Sizhui ensured the kick wouldn’t land, Jingyi was surprised when Mo Xuanyu cried out in pain, exposing his bruised chest in the process, loudly complaining about how badly Mo Ziyuan treated him. 

“He stole my belongings, and all I wish is to retrieve them,” Mo Xuanyu protested. “Do I deserve such ridicule for retrieving my belongings?” 

Madam Mo’s eyes cut to the Lan disciples, still sipping tea at the low table as the scene played out. The corner of her eye twitched, and her voice was strained when she spoke. “Stealing? Robbing?” She laughed brittlely, “How can you say such things about your younger brother? We’re all just one big family, so you shouldn’t be so reluctant to lend him your playthings. I’m sure he’ll be happy to return them once he is finished.”

That had Lan Sizhui turning fully to meet Lan Jingyi’s incredulous eyes. It would be more unusual if they didn’t know about the discourse in the Mo household, but it would seem Madam Mo wanted to make it seem as though the cousins were good friends. 

The mad Omega thrust out his hand to Madam Mo, “Then return them!”

This left Mo Ziyuan sputtering.

“My younger brother not only stole from me, but he did so in the middle of the night. Really, an Alpha sneaking into a poor, helpless Omega’s rooms in the dead of night? Is he not ashamed of his behavior?”

Madam Mo’s face turned three shades of purple at the insinuation. “A-Yuan is your cousin! How could you make such shameless accusations in front of our honored guests?”

“Shameless is shameless,” Mo Xuanyu sang, his grin wild, “He clearly knows I am his cousin, but he still comes all the way to my room, where I am helpless and alone. He’s after my innocence, I’m telling you! How will I ever find a good Alpha for myself if he’s ruined me?” 

That was when the room devolved further into chaos, and the Lan disciples could do little but watch the scene play out. Mo Ziyuan chased Mo Xuanyu about the room with a chair, Madam Mo, still purple faced with rage, forced herself to smile while ordering the servants to drag Mo Xuanyu out of there. It wasn’t until Lan Sizhui rose, allowing Mo Xuanyu to hide behind his back, that things came to a stop. 

No matter where they went, Lan Shizui had a talent for placating chaos. He managed to redirect the conversation back to setting up the array in the courtyard, their very purpose for coming to this place. Lan Jingyi watched as Mo Xuanyu took advantage of the situation and strolled out the front door, appearing very pleased with the chaos he’d just sewn. 

The work was far from intense. The Lan disciples ensured the residents of Mo Manor and the village civilians knew that they were not, under any circumstances, to leave their homes after dark. With that out of the way, setting up the flag formation in the west courtyard was a breeze. These corpses wouldn’t stand a chance, Lan Jingyi was sure of it. 

Lan Sizhui stood at the top of the manor, consulting a scroll to ensure the formation was correct. 

Lan Jingyi was about to call out to him, when a familiar figure caught his eye. 

Mo Xuanyu lingered in the courtyard, thoughtfully observing the flags in the array. The look in his eyes was far from what he’d looked like mere hours ago. They’d lost their mania, instead appearing cool and calculative as he looked over the flags. 

Still, Lan Jingyi couldn’t allow an Omega to linger in this place, especially not with the demonic energy they were going to be summoning. 

"Please go inside, rougui,” He called. The Omega looked around, as if unsure who he was addressing, before looking up to where Lan Jingyi stood on the rooftop. “It isn’t safe here.”

“Rougui?” The Omega murmured under his breath. 

At first, Lan Jingyi thought he was going to turn and leave, and that would be the end of it. But that wasn’t what happened. 

Instead, that mad glint returned to his eye. Rather than leave, Mo Xuanyu jumped to grasp the end of the flag and pulled it down with him. 

Jingyi barely had a second to react. He jumped from the rooftop, heart thundering, and shouted, “Don’t touch that! That isn’t safe!”

But Mo Xuanyu expected to be chased, and tore across the courtyard, cackling and raving the whole way, “It’s mine now! It’s mine now! I’m going to keep this! You can’t have it!” 

Swift as he may be, Lan Jingyi was faster. He channeled his spiritual power into his feet and managed to catch up with Mo Xuanyu in mere steps. He reached for the flag and gave it a tug, but the Omega was surprisingly strong.

Lan Sizhui landed next to him in the courtyard.

“Lan Jingyi, don’t make such a fuss. Just take it.”

Lan Jingyi scoffed. “I didn’t touch him. But he’s messing up the formation! He won’t give it back!” 

Lan Sizhui’s voice was gentle as always as he addressed Mo Xuanyu, “Mo Rougui, please return the flag to us. It is full of malicious energy, and it could bring harm to Rougui’s body.” 

Once again, that calculating look entered Mo Xuanyu’s eye, though if Sizhui noticed it, he didn’t show it. After a moment, Mo Xuanyu shoved the flag back into Lan ingyi’s hands. Only quick reflexes kept Jingyi from falling to the ground.

“Rougui, rougui, rougui,” the Omega ranted, “What’s with the rougui? Who taught you to be so respectful? That’s just a flag, no big deal! This rougui could make a hundred better ones in his sleep!” With that, he stuck his tongue out, and roamed off, leaving Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi staring blankly at his retreating form.

“Did rougui somehow become a rude word?” Lan Sizhui asked, sincerely worried he insulted the older Omega. 

Lan Jingyi waved his hand. “No way, he’s just a maniac! Don’t listen to him!” 

Though, even Jingyi was having his doubts about the man's insanity. Honestly, it was more likely that it was the first time Mo Xuanyu was addressed with such respect, at least based on how the Mo family appeared to be treating him. 

“We should report to Zewu-Jun about the state of things here,” Jingyi suggested. 

Lan Sizhui nodded.

Zewu-Jun was a major advocate for Omega rights. If he saw the state of things in Mo village, surely he’d know the right resources to get Mo Xuanyu some support, if nothing else. Clearly, he needed it. 

Lan Wangji pushed another branch to the side as he made his way through the densely packed trees. He'd seen the signal from his junior disciples coming from this direction. They were fortunate he and Lan Xichen made a point never to stray too far, even when allowing their disciples their independence to handle these minor incidents.

Lan Wangji hadn't thought the issue in Mo Village would require much assistance. It seemed very straightfoward, only some stray fierce corpses stirring up trouble. Besides, he'd trained them himself on the use of the Black Wind Flags. Something must have gone horribly wrong if Lan Sizhui deemed it necessary to call for help. Perhaps they had underestimated the threat.

He reached Mo Manor before a quarter incense time, landing atop the highest roof, guqin at the ready. He rapidly assessed the state of things--the junior disciples attempted to subdue some kind of entity with an array, but that entity was currently attacking...other fierce corpses? Lan Wangji didn't have a chance to think of the absurdity of the situation. There were civilians present. Several servants of the Mo household were huddled together in a corner. On the opposite end of the courtyard was a very oddly dressed Omega with a look of fierce determination on his face. 

Before the Omega could do something rash, and before the demonic entity had a chance to turn on the junior disciples, Lan Wangji strummed the strings of his guqin, allowing the notes to reverberate through the courtyard. 

As expected, all of the creatures that had been locked in a ferocious battle went rigid. 

Lan Sizhui wiped blood from his face--how had he gotten that much blood on his face?--and cried, "Hanguang-Jun!" 

Never one to waste precious time, Lan Wangji played an eradication song, immobilizing and neutralizing the threats. 

The junior disciples cheered. Lan Wangji would have to discuss decorum with them once they cleaned up this mess. He descended from the rooftop to stand with the teenagers, once again scanning the courtyard to ensure he hadn't missed a hidden threat.

"Where is he?" Lan Sizhui asked, tugging Lan Jingyi's robe.

"Where is who?" Lan Jingyi asked, celebrating with some of the other junior disciples. 

"Mo Rougui," Lan Sizhui replied. 

Lan Jingyi scoffed. "Why are you looking for that guy? Who cares where he's run off to. Probably cowering in some corner."

Lan Sizhui shook his head at Lan Jingyi's carelessness. "I was hoping to have him speak with Hanguang-Jun."

"You think he'd make any sense if he did?" One of the other juniors asked. 

Lan Wangji folded the cloth over his guqin and approached his ward. "Who is Mo-Rougui?"

Lan Sizhui folded his hands in front of his chest and bowed his head to his guardian. "Hanguang-Jun, Mo-Rougui is the Omega nephew of Madam Mo. He is the only surviving member of the Mo family."

"He's mad," one of the other disciples added. "Lost his mind after being rejected by the Jins. Everyone knows that."

Sizhui shot the disciple a warning look, filling Lan Wangji with pride. 

"I don't think he's mad, actually," Lan Jingyi interjected. "Unhinged maybe, but he seemed very sane. Like, he was trying to show us the madness we expect, while holding his cards close to his chest. Didn't you see that calculating look in his eye every time he spoke with one of us?"

Shizhui nodded, "He definitely understood more than he led on. More than that, though, he's clearly been mistreated here. I wanted to bring him to see Zewu-jun in case he could help him."

Lan Wangji nodded. "Keep watch for Mo-Rougui. He should be close. I will inform Zewu-Jun." 

Relief filled Lan Sizhui's eyes, "Thank you, Hanguang-Jun."

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded. "Let us clean up."

The disciples each extended their arms and bowed in unison with a, "Yes, Hanguang-Jun" and set about tending to the wounded and cleaning up the remains of the fierce corpses. 

Lan Wangji approached the entity at the center of the courtyard that had been attacking the other fierce corpses. 

A disembodied left arm, filled with evil qi the likes of which Lan Wangji hadn't seen in years. 

This was not a good omen. 

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian and Little Apple traveled a short distance from the Mo village, but far enough away that he did not fear being exposed. 

That was a close call. If there was anyone Wei Wuxian wanted to avoid, it was Hanguang-Jun, or Lan Wangji. He was the only Dominant Alpha from their generation who had been able to match Wei Wuxian for spiritual power. There were a few people he would avoid religiously, as they were very likely to see through his disguise quickly and with ease. Lan Wangji was one of those. 

He was also among those least likely to believe him if he said he definitely did not steal this body. 

He would have to tread carefully. 

Wei Wuxian led his noble steed to the edges of Dafan Mountain. He was originally in search of some land with good spiritual energy in the hopes that he could nurture this fragile golden core Mo Xuanyu left for him, but hunger was starting to get to him. Apple, too, was slowing down. He would need to forage for food. While he didn’t have a weapon on him, Wei Wuxian was confident he could find something worth eating in the forest at the base of the mountain. That was when he’d overheard a group of cultivators lamenting the presence of evil entities on the mountain. For a moment, he’d considered following the path they described to overtake the evil entity, but when they mentioned the Jiang clan were going after it, he turned and went the other way. 

He paused along a river bank, and Apple assessed the patches of grass, trying to determine if they suited his palate. Wei Wuxian took the chance to finally wash his face. The powder was beyond smudged by now, and had begun flaking and crumbling off. 

He quickly doused his face in water and used the sleeve of his robes to scrub the makeup away. He managed to clear away some of it, but some of the red smudges remained around his eyes. He was surprised to find that Mo Xuanyu was not an unattractive young man. He wouldn’t have called himself vain in his first life, but he had certainly been confident in his looks. He knew better than to be choosy about his appearance when given a second chance at life, but it was pleasing to find that his features as Mo Xuanyu shared some similarities to his own face when he’d been young. Certainly not the same, but he could get used to this face. If only he could do something about the rest of his appearance…

With a sigh, he resigned himself to looking disheveled until he could make enough money for a room at an inn where he could take a hot bath. 

Which he would need to do very soon. He also desperately needed to find an apothecary. He was unfamiliar with the most up to date methods to manage an Omega’s heat, not that he had much experience with it in the first place. After a couple of days on the road, he was that much closer to his first heat in his new body. He couldn’t allow himself to be placed in a compromising position. So far, he’d been traveling without incident, but if he didn’t find suppressants soon, he would surely run into issues. For now, all he could do was hold these unfamiliar pheromones in tight control, a skill that, thankfully, seemed to work the same way for both Alphas and Omegas. 

Wei Wuxian was mulling over how to deal with this when he suddenly came across a group of cultivators trapped in a spirit net! Trapped high in the branches of the tree was a family of unaffiliated cultivators--two older men, a woman and a man who appeared to be her mate or husband, and a young girl. 

"Help us down!" One of them called, appearing relieved that someone had wandered by. 

"Watch your step, young man!" One of the older cultivators warned. "Wouldn't want you to be trapped up here, too!"

He looked around and noticed a great deal of spirit nets, webbed in the trees like a spider’s nest. Wei Wuxian moved to call for help, hoping that more man power would get the small group of cultivators down swiftly, when a young master in fine, golden robes emerged from the trees. The boy, with his delicate features and cinnabar mark between his eyebrows, was clearly a young master of the Lanling Jins. He was prepared to shoot down whatever creature was trapped in the net, only to realize it wasn’t a beast at all, but fellow cultivators. 

“It’s always some idiot getting caught in my net. Haven’t you ruined enough of them? How am I supposed to hunt the real target when you keep getting in my way?” The young master complained. 

Wei Wuxian sniffed at the arrogance of the boy. Just because he could afford what Wei Wuxian could only assume were hundreds of spirit binding nets didn’t mean they should all be put up at once. The mountain had been practically covered in the material. No wonder these cultivators were caught up in them. It felt very much like cheating. 

It was clear that everything he’d heard about the Jin’s recent arrogance as the “top cultivators” and “leaders of the cultivation world” were proving true. Even in the way he berated these fellow cultivators, refusing to let them down.

He was sitting cross legged on the donkey, trying not to draw attention to himself, but the young girl in the net began to cry once it became clear that this young master would not be letting them down. Her sobs startled Apple, causing the donkey to buck him off of his back and to the ground below. Apple, after making even more of a fool of his generous master, galloped into the brush, leaving Wei Wuxian aching on the cold, hard ground. 

The Jin boy turned his bow and arrow at Wei Wuxian, ready to take down whatever threat had made itself known. 

His eyes widened with recognition, then darkened with disgust. “What are you doing here? And why are you” he gestured with the bow, ”looking like that? Did you finally snap when we sent you back to your village?”

Apparently Mo Xuanyu knew many people. Wei Wuxian realized Mo Xuanyu might not be the son of just any Major Alpha Cultivator. He very well might be the son of Jin Guangshan. That man had been well known for his promiscuity, not satisfied with his own mate, and enjoying flings with Omegas far and wide. The number of illegitimate children he father were more than Wei Wuxian could track, even when he’d been alive the first time. Those with the potential of presenting as an alpha were sometimes permitted to train under the Jins. 

When he’d been looking into current affairs, Wei Wuxian discovered that only one of Jin Guangshan’s extramarital children had been formally recognized by the Lanling Jin Sect. Wei Wuxian had known him by the name of Meng Yao, but when he formally joined the Jin family, he’d taken the name Jin Guangyao.

The young master sneered, annoyed at Wei Wuxian’s lack of response, and spat “Get out of here, filthy xunguo . Go spread your pheromones somewhere else.”

That slur once again left Wei Wuxian’s blood boiling. Hadn’t he read that Jin Guangyao became some kind of pioneer of Omega rights? His activism must not have trickled down into the masses. Clearly, Mo Xuanyu had not only made himself a nuisance to the Lanling Jins, but his presentation as an Omega would have been an embarrassment to his father, as well. Wei Wuxian’s anger flared on Mo Xuanyu’s behalf. “Have you no shame? I suppose you didn’t have a mother to teach you?”

The boy’s eyes flared, and he drew his sword, “What did you just say?”

The cultivators in the net watched, awestruck, as this eccentric Omega and the young master faced off. At first, the Omega didn’t appear to be paying attention, only digging through the bag he held on his wrist. But when the young master lunged, the Omega stepped just out of range. The young master’s momentum was too great, and he couldn't catch himself before he tumbled over. The Omega took advantage of his momentary imbalance and slapped a talisman onto his back, causing the boy to collapse to the ground and drop his sword. The Omega dusted off his hands, a smug grin on his delicate face. The other cultivators were speechless. 

While the young master hurled slurs and abuse at the Omega nasty enough to burn the ears of a Heavenly Official, the Omega took his sword and cut the cultivators down from their nets.

“Give me my sword, stupid Omega!” the boy howled.

Wei Wuxian spun the sword by its handle, waiting for the cultivators to run off before he let the child up. “What, do you think my pheromones will taint it? Will I get my yin energy all over it and hurt your chances of becoming an Alpha?” 

“When I tell my Jiujiu--” 

“What, your Jiujiu? What will your Jiujiu do, huh? Who is he anyway?” He taunted. 

“I’m his uncle,” a cold, commanding voice sent shivers down Wei Wuxian’s spine, and the familiar scent of bitter orange, hickory smoke, and wine overtook him. 

Wei Wuxian turned slowly to face the other Alpha he’d been seeking to avoid on that mountain. 

Jiang Cheng looked no older than he had the last time Wei Wuxian had seen him. Maybe there was a little more maturity in the shape of his jaw, but his sharp eyes and confident stature were no different than Wei Wuxian remembered. 

He was torn between joy and terror at the sight.

Wei Wuxian immediately and discreetly called the paper talisman to retreat, allowing the boy to rise from the ground. 

“Jin Ling, get over here.” Jiang Cheng snapped. 

Jin Ling snatched the sword right from Wei Wuxian’s hands and scurried behind Jiang Cheng. 

It was then that Wei Wuxian saw the resemblance between the two. Jin Ling’s face was softer, but otherwise held the almond shape of the Jiang eyes. In fact, Jiang Cheng easily could have passed for Jin Ling’s older brother. 

Jiang Cheng’s eyes followed the paper talisman that had been affixed to Jin Ling’s back. Before it could return to Wei Wuxian’s hand, with a sneer, Jiang Cheng motioned for the doll to burst into flames mid-air. 

“You couldn’t strengthen your golden core, so you resorted to demonic cultivation?” Jin Ling sounded appalled. “I really will have to purify my sword after this.” 

“I should cut you down where you stand for bringing this evil filth onto this mountainside,” Jiang Cheng threatened. 

It was terror that won over the joy then. Wei Wuxian couldn’t even bring himself to speak. He knew Jiang Cheng hated him in the end, but he couldn’t have imagined his hatred ran so deep even all these years later. He knew he needed to get out of there. He tried to subtly back away, but Jin Ling moved to direct his sword glare at him. Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure he could dodge the attack in time. He had his own swift mind, but Mo Xuanyu’s reflexes left something to be desired, not to mention how out of shape he was. 

But before Wei Wuxian could even begin to dodge, an icy silver blade shot past, intercepting the golden glare before embedding itself in a nearby tree. 

At the sight of this familiar blade, Wei Wuxian nearly lost his footing. There was no way he wouldn’t recognize such a famous and formidable weapon. Delicate and light as snow, with an iron bite, it was Bichen.

Before any of the three could react, Bichen vibrated until it came loose from the trunk of the tree, flying backwards until it sheathed itself in its master’s scabbard where he stood a few feet away. 

Wei Wuxian really needed to run.

Was Dafan Mountain holding a cultivation conference or something? Otherwise, why would the two people he wanted to avoid most appear in front of him at the same time? 

Not even fifteen feet away, there he was. One of the Twin Jades of the Lan clan, Lan Wangji. 

Wei Wuxian hadn’t even scented his approach. His pheromones were tightly reigned in the way only highly dominant people seemed to be able to do. It had Wei Wuxian subtly checking to ensure his own pheromones were still locked down. 

Jiang Cheng tossed a vicious glare Lan Wangji’s way. “So you’re the one who’s been cutting down all the spirit nets. You’ve followed the chaos, yet again?” 

At one time, Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji were allies. Even up to the Siege of the Burial Mound, though he didn’t like to think back to that day, he was sure he remembered the two of them being there together. So why was Jiang Cheng greeting a fellow honored cultivator with such disdain? 

“Hanguang-Jun goes where he is needed,” Lan Sizhui stepped up beside Lan Wangji. “It’s a pleasure to see that Sect Leader Jiang came, as well.” 

Wei Wuxian had wondered who Lan Sizhui reminded him of. Seeing the two of them side by side, he imagined young Sizhui was much like a cuter version of what Lan Wangji would have been if he said more than two words at a time in his youth. 

Jiang Cheng sneered at the young Lan cultivator, taking note of the other junior disciples who stepped up behind him. “Doesn’t the Gusu Lan Sect have precepts against disrespect toward one’s seniors?” 

Lan Wangji, the biggest stickler for the rules Wei Wuxian had ever met, did not respond to Jiang Cheng’s taunts. 

Lan Sizhui, for his part, turned to Jin Ling instead. He inclined his head as a respectful greeting. “Young Master Jin, is it correct to assume these spirit nets we have found all over Dafan Mountain belong to you?”

“Yeah, so?” Jin Ling replied harshly. 

Lan Sizhui’s voice was gentle as always, yet this time it held an edge of firmness. “You might not be aware, but the nets have hindered your fellow cultivators, who have fallen into the traps meant for malicious spirits. Is this not against the spirit of fair competition the sects have maintained for night hunts?” 

Jin Ling rolled his eyes. “It’s not my fault these incompetent excuses for cultivators can’t keep their eyes on where they’re going. I’ll release them once I’ve caught the prey anyway.” 

Lan Wangji frowned. As Jin Ling opened his mouth to spew more nonsense, he suddenly found that he could no longer speak! Lan Wangji had sealed his mouth shut.

This was Jiang Cheng’s last straw. “Hey, Lan Wangji! You may discipline Jin Ling at the cloud recesses, but outside of those walls, he is my disciple. Release the spell this instant!” 

Lan Sizhui spoke up again. “There is no need to yell, Sect Leader Jiang. The spell will release on its own in about an incense time.”

Jiang Cheng looked like he was about to lose his head. He stepped into Lan Wangji’s personal space. “You need to get your disciples in check.” He turned on his heel to see Jin Ling holding his mouth angrily. “If Hanguang-Jun finds fit to punish you, we won’t argue. Clearly he feels he must discipline disciples from other clans.” He waved his hand, summoning Jin Ling to trail after him. 

Lan Sizhui bowed respectfully to Jiang Cheng as he passed. Lan Wangji merely followed him coldly with his eyes.

As soon as Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling were out of sight, Lan Sizhui turned his attention to Wei Wuxian. He approached, holding out a hand to help him to his feet. “We meet again, Mo- Rougui .”

Lan Jingyi approached closely behind, his mouth screwed up. “Is this where you ran off to, rougui? Why did you run away before?”

Wei Wuxian mumbled a non-committal response, trying to brush them off. He had already felt the brunt of one Alpha’s fury today, he really didn’t want to catch the attention of another if he could help it. He just hoped Lan Wangji would move along without acknowledging his existence.

Lan Sizhui was telling him something about the Mo estate, but Wei Wuxian was only half-paying attention. Lan Wangji was instructing the other junior disciples, in as few words as he could manage, to return to their tasks.

Like Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji barely aged a day. Though, with his powerful golden core, he wouldn’t be surprised if the great Hanguang-Jun had already attained the status of “immortal”. If not, he likely would soon. With the state of Mo Xuanyu’s golden core, Wei Wuxian would be lucky to move beyond the early stages of soul formation. 

Although he always looked to be wearing mourning clothes, Wei Wuxian could not deny how handsome Lan Wangji looked in white. He was sure that any Omega who laid eyes on him would swoon for him on the spot. He spoke softly to the junior disciples, the exact opposite of Jiang Cheng’s approach with Jin Ling. His voice was low, with the same enchanting resonance of his guqin. Wei Wuxian used to go out of his way, teasing Lan Zhan to no end until he spoke, even if it was only to scold him, or call him shameless. If only he didn’t have such a tight hold on his pheromones…

“...inheritance for Mo-Rougui,” Wei Wuxian finally tuned back in to Lan Sizhui to hear that last, most important bit. 

“Inheritance?” Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Sizhui nodded and gestured for Lan Jingyi. 

“We aren’t errand runners,” Lan Jingyi complained, but still graciously withdrew a letter and small but heavy pouch. He passed them both over to Wei Wuxian. “It isn’t much, but as the last surviving member of the Mo family, it does pass on to you.”

“Except for the management of Mo village,” Lan Sizhui added. “That has been left to…another of Madam Mo’s associates.”

Wei Wuxian could tell Lan Sizhui was trying to delicately dance around the truth--as an Omega, let alone one with questionable mental stability, he had no right to the properties held by Madam Mo or the rest of her family, even as the last surviving member of the bloodline. Omegas, after all, could not be trusted to manage an estate, despite the fact that they were expected to do so on behalf of their mates while the Alpha went off to work outside of the home. 

Omegas sure have it tough , Wei Wuxian thought. 

“At the very least, there is enough to support you for a time, or perhaps act in place of a dowry should you need one,” Lan Sizhui added gently. “But should you ever need anything, we would be happy to put you into contact with Zewu-Jun. He has many connections--”

“No need,” Wei Wuxian interjected, peering at the contents of the small pouch. “This is more than enough to keep me going.”

With this, he had more than enough to purchase some suppressant herbs and maybe find an Omega shelter to nest in during his heat instead of the first inn he came across. Maybe his luck was turning around after all. 

At that moment, Lan Wangji approached the remaining two juniors. “Sizhui. Jingyi.”

The disciples turned and responded promptly, “Yes, Hanguang-Jun.”

“Do your tasks.”

In just the same way he’d spoken with the other junior disciples, Lan Wangji spared no excess vocabulary. He was concise. It was clear that his disciples’ obedience was not borne of fear, but rather the result of their deep respect for him. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but be impressed. 

As Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi bid Wei Wuxian well, he almost believed he’d gotten away without attracting Lan Wangji’s notice. Maybe he almost had. But at the last moment, before following the disciples back into the woods, he turned back to Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian did not allow himself to cower. He stood tall, reminding himself Lan Wangji had no reason to suspect his true identity, so there was nothing to fear. 

But there was intensity behind his gaze that had Wei Wuxian on edge. Wei Wuxian held his breath as Lan Wangji inclined his head for just a moment before saying, “Mind your pheromones.”

Without another word, he turned and left, leaving Wei Wuxian stunned. 

He lifted his sleeve and sniffed, wondering if he’d really been letting them out recklessly.

“But I can barely even smell them…”

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian planned on going back down the mountain. He really had. He was going to go down the mountain, settle in an inn, and plan where to travel next. He would find an apothecary and stock up on suppressants, and maybe build himself a modest farm. He’d always thought a simple life as a farmer sounded appealing. This was his chance.

But here he was, fighting a demonic statue because his guilt over what he said to Jin Ling about his mother kept rattling around in his head. 

He could have kept walking. 

Unfortunately, he knew he would never abandon Jin Ling like that, even if the boy despised him with the passion of a thousand suns--as both Mo Xuanyu and as Wei Wuxian. 

So, there he was, battling a Goddess statue filled with resentful energy, channeling his qi into a makeshift flute in a vain effort to get things under control. 

He was thankful these juniors had yet to present their second genders, as he was quite positive he’d lost control of his pheromones entirely. He was always like this in times of high stress. At least when he was an Alpha, his pheromones and yang energy had the ability to suppress resentment! Now his yin pheromones seemed to do nothing but egg the soul-eating goddess on! 

“Come on,” He murmured, desperately reigning in his pheromones. The air grew just a little lighter as he managed to pull them back. The goddess statue’s movement became marginally less erratic. 

There was an opening!

The junior disciples fought valiantly, but he knew they wouldn’t be able to handle a threat this large, figuratively and metaphorically, alone. His spiritual power alone wasn’t enough, so he had to depend on his old tricks. He had to summon help. 

Wei Wuxian was usually very calm under pressure, but Jin Ling kept trying to throw himself into the thick of things, and absolutely refused to call for help. He and the Lan disciples were in over their heads with this one. Wei Wuxian was on edge more than usual. 

He wasn’t sure why that particular melody came to mind. He wasn’t even positive where it came from. It was something from the deep recesses of his memory, a tune that comforted him as a wandering spirit. Now, that melody surfaced again. He channeled his qi into the notes, wretched as they may be on the makeshift flute, asking for someone to help them. Until, finally, he felt someone respond. 

“It’s the Ghost General!” Someone screamed.

“This is impossible! Has the Yiling Patriarch returned?”

“The Ghost General has appeared! We’re done for!” 

Wei Wuxian was momentarily stunned seeing Wen Ning standing in the clearing, eyes blank, awaiting orders. The feeling quickly turned to rage as he noted the ragged state of his robes, the black veins in his face and neck, and the chains he’d clearly ripped out of, still dangling from his wrists. 

How was he here? Jin Guangshan burned him to ash before the Siege on the Burial Mound. How was this possible? 

His heart was shaken, but he had no time to process this revelation. Jin Ling, distracted by Wen Ning’s appearance, was about to turn his rage on the Ghost General, leaving himself open to the soul-sucking goddess. 

With trembling hands, Wei Wuxian began to play his flute once more. 

It was that same melody again. This time, he didn’t try to hold back his pheromones. Instead, he allowed them to flow freely in the hopes that the yin energy would support Wen Ning’s attacks rather than the stone statue’s. He wasn’t disappointed. 

At first, Wen Ning’s movements were wooden, unsteady. It felt like controlling a rusty toy soldier. But once Wei Wuxian’s pheromones reached him, his movements were fluid and natural again. His attacks on the stone goddess were gaining speed and power; he was nearly as strong as he had been before the incident in the Nightless City.

But how could that be? 

Had Wen Ning really been active all this time? Was Wei Wuxian feeding him spiritual power? He checked his golden core, and found he really wasn’t expending any spiritual power at all. This was purely the work of the yin qi in his pheromones! 

He kept up his melody as much as he could on the rickety flute he’d thrown together, trying not to cringe at the out of tune notes. Wen Ning nearly had the goddess statue subdued. He just needed a little more--

A hand shot out, suddenly gripping Wei Wuxian’s arm as Wen Ning dealt the statue its final blow. He abruptly stopped as the resonance of that last note died out, Wei Wuxian unable to continue playing as that hand held his wrist in a painful grip. 

Wei Wuxian’s blood ran cold. He pulled his pheromones in close, attempting to shield his core with yang qi, when he quickly realized that wouldn’t work as an Omega. 

“Lan Zha--Aah!” Wei Wuxian gasped in pain.

Lan Wangji’s gaze burned with unrestrained fury. 

Wei Wuxian tried to pull his arm back, but Lan Wangji held tight. 

Had he seen through him somehow? Wen Ning’s appearance was incriminating, but surely it wasn’t enough to give him away. Maybe, like Jiang Cheng, the mere use of demonic cultivation was enough to infuriate Hanguang-Jun--

Wei Wuxian’s thoughts ground to a halt as the wind shifted. The scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost overtook him.

Alpha pheromones.

It was his first time experiencing them from the other side. In his first life, the scent of other Alphas always struck him as bitter. Even Jiang Cheng’s scent earlier was heavy  with the alcoholic sting of wine, which Wei Wuxian found shockingly off-putting considering how much he enjoyed alcohol. But it hadn’t appealed to him in the slightest. 

But this…

Lan Wangji’s scent was…familiar somehow. Intoxicating.

Had his scent been this intense during Wei Wuxian's first life? The Lans were so conservative with their pheromones, Wei Wuxian couldn't remember ever smelling them.  

His pulse quickened. His face grew heated, and his breathing was shallow. Wei Wuxian had never experienced anything like this.

Sure, he’d been with Omegas during his ruts, but their pheromones were nothing like this. Omega pheromones were…cooling. Soothing. Comforting. Like Jiang Yanli’s orange blossom scent when she tended to his injuries or made him soup. Omega pheromones were a welcoming hug when returning home. 

He’d heard of Alphas who couldn’t control themselves when they scented an Omega, but he always brushed it off as some kind of self-control issue. 

But this? 

Lan Wangji’’s scent lit a fire in him, like he was on the verge of a rut--or, well, it would be a heat now, a distant part of him supposed. 

He needed more.

Lan Wangji’s scent was…all consuming. He was embroiled in it. He wanted to wrap himself up in this scent and never let it go. He wanted to--

A fierce growl snapped Wei Wuxian back to the present. 

While he’d been leaning into Lan Wangji, trying to fill every part of himself with that intoxicating scent, he’d lost control of Wen Ning! 

Wen Ning stood at the center of the clearing, the rubble of the goddess statue scattered about. The goddess’s spiritual core lay at his feet. The disciples and cultivators were closing in. He was cornered.

Lan Wangji’s grip loosened just slightly with Wei Wuxian’s momentary lapse, just enough that he could bring his flute back to his lips to trill out three swift notes-- Hide. Wait for me.

Wen Ning heard the message loud and clear. He immediately jumped to the trees and disappeared into the brush, leaving angry and confused cultivators and junior disciples behind. 

Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian’s arm back again, this time staring at the flute. 

Wei Wuxian opened his mouth, unsure of what he was going to say, when that scent of bitter orange, hickory, and wine overtook his senses once again, leaving a small part of Wei Wuxian yearning to cleanse his senses with frost and sandalwood. 

But Lan Wangji was in control of his pheromones once again, now glaring over Wei Wuxian’s shoulder to where Jiang Cheng landed in the clearing. 

“A-Ling!” Jiang Cheng shouted.

Jin Ling was still standing, though his legs were far from stable from the looks of him. His voice was filled with relief. “Jiujiu!”

Jiang Cheng checked Jin Ling over, releasing what Wei Wuxian was sure were meant to be comforting pheromones that really just overwhelmed his senses, as he ensured his nephew was unharmed. Jin Ling, though he had yet to present, seemed to steady on his feet as he breathed it in. 

“Where are your signal flares?” Jiang Cheng chastised once he was certain Jin Ling was in no mortal danger. “Who do you think you are trying to fight a thing like that by yourself? Do you think you’re stronger than all of these senior cultivators that you can’t call for help when you’re in trouble?”

Jin Ling, who had been basking in the relief of being in the safety of his uncle’s presence, scowled at the scolding. “Weren’t you the one who told me not to come home if I couldn’t catch that thing?”

It was then that one of the cultivators, wearing the violet robes of Yunmeng Jiang Sect’s senior disciples, approached Jiang Cheng, holding a wounded arm. “Sect Leader, it wasn’t just the cursed goddess! The Ghost General, Wen Ning, has returned!”

Jiang Cheng’s pheromones turned acrid, betraying the storm of fury brewing within him at the mention of that name. “What are you saying? Wen Ning was destroyed.”

Another of the Jiang sect disciples approached with a swift bow. “It is the truth, Sect Leader. It truly was Wen Ning! I don’t know how, but he’s returned!”

“I know how,” the first disciple said. With his uninjured arm, he pointed directly to where Lan Wangji held Wei Wuxian hostage. “He summoned him!” 

Wei Wuxian paled. 

Jiang Cheng stared for a long moment. Wei Wuxian subtly tried to pull his arm away from Lan Wangji’s grasp, but it was to no avail. Lan Wangji was not letting up.

Jiang Cheng’s sneer slowly twisted into a mockery of a smile. “Well, well, well. You’ve returned after all.” He dropped his left hand, and a whip of violet lightning shot out from the ring on his finger. Zidian. “Good of you to make yourself known so quickly. I appreciate how convenient you’ve made this for me.” 

Fear struck through Wei Wuxian the way he was sure Zidian would in mere moments. He, again, tried to wiggle out of Lan Wangji’s grasp. Was Lan Wangji always this strong, or was it this body? In a moment of true horror, he wondered if all Omegas were this weak. That certainly was the prevailing opinion of the cultivation community. If Wei Wuxian got out of this, he vowed to train his body religiously every single day, so he would never feel like just some weak Omega again. 

Jiang Cheng approached, Zidian sparking in his grasp. He knew Jiang Cheng was going to try to whip his spirit out of this “stolen” body, but Wei Wuxian really hadn’t stolen it! If Jiang Cheng really had the chance to whip him with that, Wei Wuxian didn’t think he would survive. 

Jiang Cheng pulled back the whip, and Wei Wuxian tensed. 

Lan Wangji’s grip loosened, and Wei Wuxian thought it was his chance to escape. But, before he could bolt, Lan Wangji placed himself in front of Wei Wuxian, guqin at the ready.

As Jiang Cheng brought Zidian down, Lan Wangji strummed the guqin.

The resonance of the note collided with Zidian’s bolt, nullifying the attack, and leaving the whip to fall flat. 

“Lan Wangji!” Jiang Cheng growled, “What is the meaning of this?”

Lan Wangji didn’t respond. 

The tension was palpable. None of the cultivators or disciples dared to even breathe too loudly.

Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng were locked in a test of wills, Sect Leader against Honored Cultivator. Alpha against Alpha. But while Jiang Cheng wielded his pheromones as a weapon, Lan Wangji kept his under tight control. 

Wei Wuxian looked between the two Alphas, and quickly realized this was his only chance. He certainly wasn’t strong enough to take either of them on his own with the state of this body, and it wasn’t like he could call Wen Ning back to save him--not when Wen Ning had only barely escaped to begin with. Besides, he was sure that doing so would be a surefire way to signal to everyone present, “Indeed it is me, the Yiling Patriarch has returned!” 

No, his only option was to run, and the only chance he had was right now.

Without another thought or moment of hesitation, Wei Wuxian bolted.

Unfortunately, in his fear, Wei Wuxian hadn’t considered what Jiang Cheng would do once he was out of Lan Wangji’s range of protection. Maybe he hadn’t thought Jiang Cheng would notice him. That hope was in vain. Jiang Cheng, eyes sharp as a viper, took the chance as soon as Wei Wuxian was in sight and struck. 

Zidian sparked and sizzled. Even Lan Wangji didn’t have a chance to react before Wei Wuxian was struck to the ground by its powerful bolt. 

He tumbled over, landing face first in the dirt with a sharp cry. 

“Sect Leader, you really do like to bully people, don’t you?” Wei Wuxian cried, pushing himself up and rubbing his lower back where the whip struck. “Is this what happens when you come from a powerful sect? You get the right to beat up Omegas you meet in the woods? That doesn’t seem very fair. Omegas have rights, too, you know!”

“Omega, Omega, what do you know about being an Omega?” Jiang Cheng shouted, lifting Zidian to strike again, “Wei Wuxian--”

“Sect Leader Jiang,” a gentle but firm voice spoke up. It must be Lan Sizhui. “Is this not enough? If Wei Wuxian had stolen someone’s body, that strike from Zidian should have removed his spirit from that form. Yet, Mo- Rougui is still himself. You must know that striking him again would be unjust.” 

His hand tightened on Zidian as he considered Lan Sizhui’s words. 

Someone--Wei Wuxian thought it sounded like Lan Jingyi--said quietly, “oh my, do the leaders of the Jiang sect treat all of their Omegas this way?”

The comment sent other judgmental murmurs through the crowd.

He was certain either Lan Sizhui or Hanguang-Jun would have words with the disciple about stirring the pot, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but be a little bit thankful. He knew Jiang Cheng wasn’t the type of person to beat up on helpless Omegas. He only did that to Omegas who resembled Wei Wuxian. 

Jiang Cheng glared at Wei Wuxian across the clearing. “Who are you?”

Wei Wuxian didn’t know how to respond to that. 

Fortunately, some other cultivator spoke up. “Um, Sect Leader Jiang, that is Mo Xuanyu, a former disciple of the Lanling Jin Sect. He was discharged from training a few years ago because…” the man looked around nervously. “Well, he wasn’t a very strong cultivator, and…once he--he presented, he was quite uncouth with his pheromones and created problems for his peers…”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes narrowed. He motioned for the man to continue, but he appeared to be unable to get the words out. 

Another cultivator with robes Wei Wuxian didn’t recognize spoke up instead. “He doused everyone in heat pheromones!”

Wei Wuxian tried not to let his shock show. Maybe the Jin sect weren’t as prejudiced against Omegas as he thought. If Mo Xuanyu really had recklessly gone about scent marking Alphas he was not mated to, that was definitely a worthy reason to be removed from training!

The other cultivator cleared his throat and continued, “Yes, well, so when he did… that to a certain someone, the Jins expelled him. Rather than being possessed by the Yiling Patriarch, it is more likely that he is frustrated and wants to stir up some trouble.” 

Wei Wuxian wondered who this “certain someone” Mo Xuanyu had scent marked was, and how had that been the final straw? It must have been someone of high rank or with tremendous spiritual power.

Jiang Cheng returned his attention to Wei Wuxian.

In his first life, Wei Wuxian was a powerful, Dominant Alpha, only rivaled by Lan Wangji in strength and spiritual prowess. When Lan Wangji announced in his youth that he would not take an Omega mate, Wei Wuxian became the most highly sought after match for unmated Omegas. Jiang Cheng had seen the piles of letters Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian had to sort through--proposals for Wei Wuxian’s potential mate. After the Sunshot Campaign, though it may seem impossible, the letters tripled in volume! By then, Wei Wuxian was devoted to helping Jiang Cheng rebuild their sect. But he had no shortage of rut partners when he needed relief, even well into his final months at the Burial Mounds. 

So, if Wei Wuxian were to steal a body, a desperate, weak, low level Omega who scent marked Alphas who were clearly out of his league would be the last one he would pick. At least, that was the case by Jiang Cheng’s way of thinking. 

In reality, I had no say in the matter , he thought. 

“Besides, did you hear the way that flute sounded?” Another cultivator added. “Wasn’t Wei Wuxian, like, known for being a master of the flute? No way he would be caught playing like that!”

Normally, Wei Wuxian had a pretty thick face. He wasn’t even bothered by their judgments based on Mo Xuanyu’s past. But the insinuation that he was a lousy musician was just too far! They should try making a flute in under five minutes and see how theirs sounds! 

“Even so,” Jiang Cheng said slowly, “He still summoned the Ghost General.” He signaled to his disciples. “He will be brought back to Lotus Pier for questioning.”

Wei Wuxian jumped to his feet. “Aah! What do you mean! I haven’t done anything! I’ve done nothing wrong!” He scrambled back behind Lan Wangji. If his disciples were still willing to speak out on his behalf, maybe their Hanguang-Jun would be willing to hear him out…

Lan Wangji’s expression, as always, was impassive. But, he didn’t move to hand him over to Jiang Cheng, either, so maybe that was a win! He even tolerated the presumptuous way Wei Wuxian held onto his arm, nor did he appear annoyed by his audacious whining. 

Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui stepped up next to Lan Wangji, forming a small barrier between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng. 

Lan Jingyi said, “Sect Leader Jiang, it is clear that this person is not being possessed by Wei Wuxian or any other malicious spirit. Please do not trouble yourself with him.”

Wei Wuxian stifled a laugh, drawing a confused look from Jiang Cheng. 

“Oh my, Sect Leader Jiang,” he simpered, “were you jealous when they told you about all of my strong bedmates from Lanling? I’m not such an easy Omega who beds any Alpha who shows off their pheromones. Even if you take me back to Yunmeng with you, I’m afraid you just aren’t my type.”

While he was certain Jiang Cheng wanted nothing to do with bedding Mo Xuanyu, even as a fling, Wei Wuxian was pleased when he took the bait. His expression dark, he replied, “Oh, well who is your type, then?”

Wei Wuxian didn’t bother to suppress his mischievous grin. Lan Wangji was such a stick in the mud. He’d said hundreds of times in his youth that he had no interest in Omegas, and would never take a mate. With this, Wei Wuxian could be free of both of these annoying Alphas. 

“I like someone with sweet pheromones, not like your bitter, rancid ones,” He sniffed, “I much prefer softer scents…like sweet Hanguang-Jun, here.” 

The clearing was silent. Even the birds and insects held their breath. 

Surely, Lan Wangji would shrug him off any second, calling him “shameless” with that disgusted look in his eye. Then, Wei Wuxian would be free to go!

Sure enough, moments later, Lan Wangji turned his gaze to Wei Wuxian. Really laying it on thick, Wei Wuxian rubbed his cheek on the sleeve of his robe, like he wanted to be scented by Lan Wangji. He blinked up at him with the biggest doe-eyes he could manage and grinned. 

Lan Wangji sniffed at him. “Mind yourself.” He looked back at Jiang Cheng. “I will bring this person back to Gusu.”

Wei Wuxian blinked. 

What?

Chapter Text

For a sect with 4,000 rules and a ban on idle gossip, word sure does travel quickly. Before long, it was common knowledge that Hanguang-Jun brought an Omega back to the jingshi .

One of the Twin Jades of the Lan sect, Hanguang-Jun the purehearted who swore never to take a mate, who spent his ruts medicated and in isolation, brought an Omega to the jingshi . 

It would be more unusual if word of such a thing didn’t spread. 

Not that a Lan disciple would ever speak behind someone’s back, but some said Hanguang-Jun suffered a long lecture from Lan Qiren, something that hadn’t occurred in some of these junior disciples’ lifetimes. Yet, at the end of it, Hanguang-Jun left the lecture hall looking no more repentant than before, and Lan Qiren left with veins pulsing in his forehead and a sour attitude. 

Lan Xichen tried not to listen too closely to the murmurs he most definitely wasn’t overhearing. He was supposed to leave to meet with Jin Guangyao, but his younger brother’s sudden return with a young Omega and a donkey, and his bold proclamation that they would be staying in the Cloud Recesses piqued his interest. He sent word ahead to A-Yao that he was running behind. 

He heated two small teapots, one with the standard brew, and one of his own, before sitting with his younger brother. He quietly served them both, patiently waiting for his didi to be ready before bombarding him with questions. 

Lan Wangji surprised him by speaking first. “I won’t be separated from him.”

Lan Xichen was surprised for only a moment, but quickly realized he shouldn’t have been. Their uncle begged him to talk some sense into Lan Wangji, to insist that if the Omega had to stay in the Cloud Recesses, he would be given quarters in the Omega dorm rather than the jingshi. He already tried to convince Lan Wangji of it himself, to no avail. Lan Xichen wasn’t sure why their uncle thought he would be able to convince Lan Wangji any differently. One mistake people made in their judgment of Lan Xichen’s brother was the idea that Lan Wangji’s mild temperament made him passive. In fact, he was the most stubborn man Lan Xichen had ever known. Always had been. 

So, his stubborn insistence that he would not separate from Mo Xuanyu should come at no surprise. Lan Wangji had made up his mind, and that was that. Lan Xichen smiled as he sipped his tea. 

“I know,” He said.

Lan Wangji’s ears were the faintest hint of red. 

“It has been quite some time since you’ve brought someone home with you. Last time, you raised that child into our finest junior disciple. Why would I begin to complain now?” 

He ducked his head ever so slightly, making Lan Xichen chuckle. 

“Oh certainly, Uncle wished for me to lecture you on propriety and modesty and tradition, but I’m sure you’re already well aware of all of that. My question is this: Do you plan to court this Omega?”

The redness of Lan Wangji’s ears deepened. It reminded Lan Xichen of how he looked when he was still very small--just a chubby, stubborn little boy who pouted in silence when he was teased by the older disciples. 

He didn’t expect an answer--not really. He already had an inkling of what it would be. He just wanted to tease his brother a little bit--he was so very hard to tease. And, while he was certain he knew the answer to his own question, Lan Xichen was still startled by Lan Wangji’s response.

“He is my fated person.” 

Lan Xichen placed his tea cup gently on the table. His voice trembled very slightly. “Are you certain of this?”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Mn.”

In all their years, no matter how many opportunities he had to do otherwise, no matter how many times it was called into question, Lan Xichen always trusted his brother’s judgment. “Does he know…”

“No.” Lan Wangji replied softly. “I am not sure he wants me to know the truth. But even if he does not find out, I will let no harm come to him.”

Lan Xichen smiled softly into his tea cup. “In that case, things are as they should be. You have my blessing for your rougui to stay in the jingshi . I will deal with Uncle and the elders. Just be sure to bring him some of my special blend of tea.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Thank you, Ge.” 

Lan Xichen shook his head, already anticipating their Uncle’s complaints. He really would do anything for his brother.

Wei Wuxian paced the length of the jingshi for the ten thousandth time. He was bored out of his mind, and no closer to escaping this prison than he had been when he arrived. 

Lan Wangji left him soon upon their arrival to the Cloud Recesses, but gave him no restrictions. Wei Wuxian initially thought to take advantage of that fact to stir up trouble, but it was more difficult to do than he remembered. 

Escaping was useless--he was just dragged away from the walls by the sentries. 

He already knew the layout of the compound as well as the back of his hand--not much had changed since he studied here in his youth. 

He’d even already found and taken advantage of Lan Wangji’s secret stash of Emperor’s Smile hidden under the floorboards. 

Now, there truly was nothing left to do. 

He wanted to meditate, but he was far too restless. So, he’d been here pacing in Lan Wangji’s private chambers for at least two incense time. Maybe even more. 

He counted the days on his fingers once again. Six days until Mo Xuanyu was supposed to get his heat. Would the Lans give him a suppressant herb if he asked for one? They would, right? The last thing Wei Wuxian wanted to experience was an unmedicated heat, let alone one in the Cloud Recesses. Supposedly, Omegas had their own quarters here. He’d never visited them as a disciple, obviously--not only were Alphas and Omegas strictly forbidden from interacting, but the unpresented disciples were divided as well, with the boys studying on the Alpha campus and the girls studying on the Omega campus. It had never struck Wei Wuxian as anything unusual in his childhood. The majority of boys would present as Alphas anyway, so what difference did it make to him?

But now he was worried he would be at a disadvantage if he went into heat in the Alpha campus. Perhaps if there were no suppressants he would have to go into seclusion to ride it out after all. It wasn’t ideal. No, it was actually used as a form of torture in some places, but he would do what he must to stay safe until he understood how his new body reacted to his cycle. 

He was about to set off on his five hundredth circle around Lan Wangji’s sitting room when the door to the jingshi slid open with a quiet rush. 

He expected to find Lan Wangji at the entrance, but instead was met by Lan Sizhui placing a number of bundles in the entry. 

“Good evening, Mo- rougui, ” He said with a polite bow. “Hanguang-Jun sent for new robes, and had dinner prepared on your behalf.” 

Wei Wuxian tried not to be touched by the gesture. He thanked Lan Sizhui for the trouble, and said, “Is your Hanguang-jun not joining me for dinner?” 

“He will return later this evening. He is needed with the elders at the moment, but he asked me to tell you to enjoy your meal. Oh, he also sent this,” Lan Sizhui withdrew a small canister from his sleeve and handed it directly to Wei Wuxian. “You should have it with breakfast and dinner daily.” 

“Why? What is…” Wei Wuxian’s voice trailed off as he opened the canister. Inside was a custom blend of white tea, dried fruits, and suppressant herb. What on earth did Lan Wangji know about Omega suppressants that he could have put something like this together? Wei Wuxian couldn’t complain, though. This tea was a boon for someone in his position. “Thank you for delivering this.”

“You’re quite welcome.” Lan Sizhui bowed formally. “If you’ll excuse me…”

Wei Wuxian wanted to pester him, to make himself a nuisance in another attempt to get booted out of the Cloud Recesses, but he had a feeling his antics wouldn’t get very far with Lan Sizhui. That was likely why Lan Wangji sent him in his stead.

Wei Wuxian brought the parcels into the living space and unpacked them neatly--though the thought of throwing the contents across the floor to irritate Lan Wangji did cross his mind. 

The food in the Cloud Recesses was always so bland, but Wei Wuxian noticed the meal Lan Sizhui delivered was especially so tonight. It was full of medicinal herbs and vegetables, and absolutely no spices whatsoever. Wei Wuxian missed the spice market at Lotus Pier, or even the unique dishes he found in Ghost City. He really needed to snag a travel token before he lost his spice tolerance entirely. Or became malnourished from lack of meat. 

Even so, he was starving. He quickly choked down the congee and vegetables before lighting the fire to heat his tea water. Wei Wuxian examined the tea canister. It was mostly unmarked, only showing light wear from use, but otherwise no branding or embossing to indicate where the tea had been grown or sold. There was only a very small mark on the bottom of the canister. Wei Wuxian could barely make it out, but he thought it said “Lan Huan”. Wasn’t that Zewu-Jun’s birth name? 

As sect leader, Wei Wuxian reasoned, he must have access to specialty blends from the Omega side of the compound. That would explain things. 

The tea was a fragrant brew, the sweetness of the dried fruit offsetting the bitterness of the suppressant herb nicely. Wei Wuxian was actually thankful for the thoughtfulness. He sipped his tea and looked through the clean robes Lan Sizhui brought. There was one set of the classic Lan white mourning robes, but Wei Wuxian found another set beneath those. Black, grey, and red. His favored colors. He didn’t think such robes existed in the Cloud Recesses.

Once again, Wei Wuxian wondered at how well he was being treated. It was…strange. Lan Wangji had never been so courteous in their youth. When did he become so tolerant?

Lan Wangji didn’t return to the jingshi until it was nearly time to retire. When he slid the door open, he found Wei Wuxian in exactly the position anyone could have expected. The clean, white robes Lan Sizhui delivered were strewn across the floor, and Wei Wuxian was inelegantly draped over the low table. His old, stained robes were in a messy pile near the door, and he’d changed into the new charcoal set. 

The biggest problem was the state of those robes. 

The belt was tied loosely at his waist, leaving his outer robes unkempt, his collarbone and the smooth skin of his pectorals left bare. Wei Wuxian shot him a scandalizing grin.

“Hanguang-jun~,” his voice lilted, “You’ve left this Omega waiting for so long!” 

Lan Wangji, though, barely spared him a glance. He walked into the room, stepping over the strewn robes, and went directly to the wardrobe. Wei Wuxian chuckled as he removed his outer garments. 

“Lan Zhan,” He continued, letting his voice drop into what he hoped was an alluring tone, “You know you should let your Omega do the honors of undressing you. Won’t you at least let me brush your hair before we join together in the bed chambers?”

Lan Wangji flicked his wrist, and Wei Wuxian’s lips sealed themselves shut. He groaned and flopped onto the floor. He rolled about, kicking some of the clothes across the room in a vain attempt to get Lan Wangji to look at him.

It reminded Wei Wuxian of those early days when Lan Wangji first used the silencing spell on him during those long hours in the library spent copying the precepts over and over again. Lan Wangji seemed to have developed a thicker skin since then.

Wei Wuxian watched as Lan Wangji took a spare blanket from the wardrobe, revealing the tip of an old, slightly pink scar at the top of his pectoral. Wei Wuxian strained his neck to see a little more of the mark, but to no avail. What was that from?

The gong signaling it was time to retire sounded in the distance. Lan Wangji placed the blanket on one of the few clear sections of the floor. “You will sleep here.” 

He didn’t wait for Wei Wuxian to respond. He turned and retired to his own sleeping quarters, leaving Wei Wuxian speechless in the sitting room. Lan Wangji was really allowing a strange Omega to sleep in his private quarters. He had to be violating at least ten precepts with this. How were Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren allowing this to happen? Had Lan Wangji truly lost his mind? 

Whatever his reason, Wei Wuxian wondered how far he could push him until Lan Wangji got fed up with him for good.

Wei Wuxian stood from his place on the floor and padded to the small sleeping quarters. It had only been a short time, but Lan Wangji was already stiffly laid out on his wooden bed. He looked to Wei Wuxian like a corpse--a handsome corpse, but a corpse nonetheless. 

He crept over silently, hoping Lan Wangji wouldn’t wake. He scanned the room, hoping to find a jade travel talisman. He wasn’t sure where Lan Wangji kept his talisman, but surely it would be nearby, right?

Wei Wuxian peered into the various boxes and shelves, hoping there would be a conveniently placed travel talisman, to no avail. He crept up to Lan Wangji and again was struck by how handsome he was. It was unfair how little he aged since Wei Wuxian last saw him. Though, as far as Wei Wuxian could tell, Mo Xuanyu was a good few years younger than Lan Wangji, so who was the real winner in terms of youth? 

He was about to pull back when he caught that scent again. 

White lotus, sandalwood, and frost. 

It was much lighter this time, just the faintest hint of it. But it was just as intoxicating as before. Wei Wuxian leaned in even closer. He just wanted a little bit more, that’s all…just a little bit…

This rush was better than he’d felt after drinking any alcohol. It filled him with warmth and comfort, the likes of which he hadn’t felt in years; it heated his very soul. 

Just a little bit more, he told himself again and again. 

Just a little more, then he would get out of there.

Just when Wei Wuxian was ready to pull away for real, Lan Wangji’s eyes shot open. 

Wei Wuxian barely had a moment to react, but he’d always been pretty good at thinking on his feet. 

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian murmured flirtatiously, “it was a risky move letting this Omega stay with you in your private quarters. You’ve heard stories of my conquests, and you still brought me home with you?” In a moment of true shamelessness, Wei Wuxian traced hearts on Lan Wangji’s robes with the tip of his finger. “Isn’t that the same as an invitation?” 

Lan Wangji stared impassively at Wei Wuxian for a beat. Then, he sighed and closed his eyes. 

Wei Wuxian thought he’d finally done it. He was sure he was about to be thrown out on his tail.

“Stop messing around,” Lan Wangji muttered. 

“You’re the one who invited me to your chambers, Lan Zhan.”

“Very well,” Lan Wangji replied.

Wei Wuxian blinked. He opened his mouth to offer another innuendo-laced retort, when Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian down the rest of the way onto the bed, directly over Lan Wangji. 

“Then stay like this all night,” Lan Wangji said. 

“Don’t think I won’t. I--” But Wei Wuxian was cut off.

Lan Wangji lightly tapped the base of Wei Wuxian’s spine, and suddenly his waist went numb. Unable to hold himself up any longer, Wei Wuxian fell on top of Lan Wangji’s chest. 

“Hey,” Wei Wuxian cried. “What is this?”

“Go to sleep,” Lan Wangji said flatly, closing his eyes again. 

Wei Wuxian struggled against him, fruitlessly trying to push himself up with his hands alone. His waist was totally paralyzed. His legs felt like lead. He could do nothing but lay flat against Lan Wangji. 

How did things end up like this, he wondered. 

Unable to make another move, Wei Wuxian resigned himself to a very long night. 

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian spent the majority of that night laying on top of Lan Wangji wondering how he ended up in this position--both literally and figuratively--in the first place. He couldn’t even get any sleep until the sky began to lighten ever so slightly with the first signs of dawn’s approach. 

When he finally woke again a number of hours later, Wei Wuxian was alone. Lan Wangji was nowhere to be found. At some point in the early hours of the morning, the spell on Wei Wuxian wore off. Rather than turning away from his bed mate like he normally did when he fell asleep next to someone, he had apparently taken it upon himself to wrap himself fully in Lan Wangji’s scent. 

He found himself curled up, Lan Wangji’s blanket twisted in his grip. He was even clutching one of Lan Wangji’s robes up to his nose, the scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost enveloping him entirely. Wei Wuxian couldn’t tell if the scent soothed him or excited him. Maybe it was a combination of both things. 

Omegas have it rough, Wei Wuxian thought. 

He could finally understand how Omegas were so easily manipulated by Alpha pheromones. 

Was it going to be like this every time he met a new Alpha now? Is this why Omegas have a reputation of throwing themselves at anyone they could? That didn’t quite seem fair to him. When he was an Alpha, Omega pheromones didn’t do anything like this to him. How was it possible that the effect was so disproportionate between the secondary genders? Had he ever met an Omega that made him feel this way? Surely if he had, he wouldn’t forget so easily. 

To elicit such feelings from another person by scent alone should be against the laws of nature. 

Even as Wei Wuxian pondered the unfairness of it all, determining that he would have to find a way to control such urges in the future to protect himself, he couldn’t seem to let go of Lan Wangji’s robe. 

He kept telling himself, just a little bit more. Just a little bit more. Just a little bit more, then attempting to draw back, only to be pulled in again and start the whole cycle over.  It wasn’t until there was a knock on the entryway door that Wei Wuxian finally pulled himself out of it. 

 It was Lan Sizhui calling to him from the courtyard. “Mo- rougui ,” he called, “it’s long past time to wake up. Surely you can’t expect to lay about in bed all day?” 

Wei Wuxian groaned and replied loudly, “your Hanguang-Jun left me in such a sorry state last night, I fear I cannot move!”

Lan Jingyi, who must have come along with Lan Sizhui, scoffed and replied, “How can you continue to slander Hanguang-Jun like that? Certainly, he has more decorum than a madman like you! He would never do such a thing with an Omega he’s just met!” 

Wei Wuxian smirked. “Your Hanguang-Jun worked me so hard last night! I couldn’t even feel my waist! It’s true, I’m telling you, he’s a beast!”

Lan Jingyi made an appalled noise, but Lan Sizhui showed no sign of disturbance from Wei Wuxian’s antics whatsoever. 

He really does take after Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian thought, who else could raise such an unflappable young disciple? 

Lan Jingyi scoffed again, “If you keep talking like that, you’re going to regret it! Come out already!”

Wei Wuxian sniffed pitifully, “I can’t bear to face anyone in this state! Unless you can fetch Lan Zhan for me~.”

Lan Jingyi cringed. He really did not want to think about Hanguang-Jun in that situation, but this Omega truly was the shameless sort. He was practically rubbing their faces in it! 

Finally, he could hold his temper no longer. “Our Hanguang-Jun has no interest in Omegas, especially not shameless Omegas like you! Now, come get your stupid donkey! It won’t stop disturbing the other disciples!” 

That had Wei Wuxian on his feet and rushing to the door. “What have you done to my precious Little Apple?” 

The juniors braced themselves, expecting to feel the wave of Omega pheromones when the door opened, even if they couldn’t yet scent them. Surely, Hanguang-Jun would keep his under control, but they were certain this promiscuous Omega would have taken any chance to recklessly spill his on Hanguang-Jun and his belongings in a clumsy attempt at seduction. But when the door slid open, all they could sense was clean air and incense.

The Omega had even made himself presentable. His face was washed, his hair brushed and neatly pulled back into a pristine ponytail. He was nothing like the disheveled mess they’d seen before. Maybe Hanguang-Jun had done something to tamed him after all. 

Lan Jingyi pulled himself together. “We haven’t done anything, but if it doesn’t stop that braying, the elders will have him trussed up and sent to the market! He’s interrupting lessons.”

The juniors led Wei Wuxian to the back mountain, where Little Apple was, indeed, braying and trotting about. It was clearly trying to eat some of the sweet grass, but was being harassed by several small, black and white tufts of fuzz.

“Little Apple!” Wei Wuxian cried. 

He rushed ahead of the juniors, ready to defend his donkey, when he realized what, exactly, Little Apple was being bothered by. 

There were at least three-dozen fluffy, loppy bunnies hopping in the grassy field, defending their grassy treat from the loud monster. Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened. When did the Cloud Recesses get so many rabbits?

He swiftly grabbed one of the rabbits, held up its ears, and presented it to the juniors. “Quick, someone find me a skewer!” 

Lan Sizhui was horrified. Lan Jingyi’s face turned pink, and his fists were clenched at his sides. 

“You can’t kill animals in the Cloud Recesses!” Lan Jingyi cried.

“Fine,” Wei Wuxian said, “then, loan me your travel talisman. I can take this guy outside the walls, and--” 

“You can’t!” Lan Sizhui shouted, “Those rabbits belong to Hanguang-Jun!”

“Hanguang-Jun?” Wei Wuxian repeated.

He looked at the pathetic, angry little black bunny in his hands, glaring at him as if offended by his very audacity to lay hands on the cotton-tail. 

Wei Wuxian laughed. Lan Wangji had put up such a fuss when Wei Wuxian tried to give him rabbits in their youth. And weren’t pets forbidden in the Cloud Recesses? Yet, he’d gone ahead and raised himself a whole warren! 

Lan Jingyi looked like he was ready to scold Wei Wuxian again, so rather than give him a chance, Wei Wuxian placed the indignant rabbit back in the grass and took out a shiny, red apple. He tossed it to Little Apple, who devoured it happily, and finally stopped complaining.

“So, where is our Hanguang-Jun?”

Lan Jingyi scoffed, “Our?”

But Lan Sizhui answered, “He is in the watchtower with the elders. That strange arm from Mo Manor is restless. They are still trying to determine the best method to use to seal it.”

That was unsettling. A spirit like that didn’t normally give strong cultivators like Lan Wangji so much trouble. 

“Have they figured out why it’s behaving in such a way?”

Lan Jingyi protested that it was none of his business, but Lan Sizhui continued, ignoring him. “It is unusually filled with resentful energy.” 

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Its body has been desecrated. It’s only natural to harbor so much resentment.” 

“They’re keeping it contained for now, but if they can’t figure out a more permanent option soon, things are going to become very difficult.”

“Then, we should go help.” Wei Wuxian suggested. 

Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi shared a look that had Wei Wuxian raising an eyebrow.

“What, does the Gusu Lan sect discriminate against Omegas, too?” He challenged, “Do your elders think this Omega is unworthy of entering your sacred spaces?”

“Of course not,” Lan Jingyi began, “But you--”

Lan Sizhui interrupted, “We only worry about you, Mo- rougui. You helped us a great deal on Dafan Mountain, but your golden core is fragile. We fear that too much exposure to resentful qi will cause damage to Rougui ’s body.”

“Besides,” Lan Jingyi added, “Hanguang-Jun asked us not to let you come to the mingshi.”  

Wei Wuxian’s eyes narrowed. What kind of nonsense was that? He’d done just fine the other day. That “fragile golden core” sounded like some kind of excuse. 

Suddenly, the bells of the watchtower tolled from the western side of the compound. They were deep, ominous, and much different from the usual tolls. Wei Wuxian noticed the panicked look on Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui’s faces. They immediately ran off toward the bell, and Wei Wuxian knew something at the mingshi had gone horribly wrong. 

Wei Wuxian’s heart thundered in his chest. He wasn’t sure why the mingshi let him in when that other disciple ran out, but he wasn’t about to complain. 

As soon as he and the juniors reached the watchtower, the other disciple had been thrust out of its doors, blood dripping from every orifice as he stumbled to the bottom of the stairs and collapsed on the ground. The other disciples couldn’t seem to get the door open again. 

Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi immediately took charge supporting the injured disciple. Wei Wuxian took advantage of their inattention. He rushed to the watchtower door and commanded it to open. Whatever wards kept the junior disciples out decided he was worthy of entering, and he made it inside. 

The sight he was greeted with inside the mingshi was what set his heart thundering uncontrollably. Each of the elders, including Lan Qiren, had passed out in their circle surrounding the demonic arm. It was convulsing on the ground in the center of an array, resentful energy swirling around it like black smoke. The last one still upright was Lan Wangji, still playing his guqin despite everything. 

For a moment, Wei Wuxian wondered if he had even noticed the mingshi door opening, but really, nothing could get past Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian was sure Lan Wangji saw him, but he remained focused on holding the line against the resentful qi emanating from the arm. The arm twitched and spun in place. Wei Wuxian could tell it was seconds away from breaking through the tenuous control Lan Wangji held over it. 

Wei Wuxian made eye contact with Lan Wangji across the room, still unable to read his impassive expression. But, he wasn’t chasing Wei Wuxian out of the watchtower, so Wei Wuxian took that to mean he could stay. He sat cross legged on the opposite side of the array from Lan Wangji and took his makeshift flute from his belt. 

He didn’t need a strong golden core to manage a fierce corpse. He’d proven that enough already. 

Wei Wuxian brought the flute to his lips and hid his cringe at the off key notes that came out of it. He steadied himself and worked to match the melody Lan Wangji was still playing on  the guqin.   Wei Wuxian’s pheromones immediately began to seep out of him as that old habit of his kicked in. He tried to pull them back, but the yin qi had already saturated the notes of the tune. The arm convulsed as the yin energy aggravated its resentment. 

Lan Qiren suddenly cried out from a corner of the room, blood leaking from his eyes and ears. “Please, stop!” He pleaded, “You mustn’t--” He coughed up more blood.

Wei Wuxian could only imagine what he was trying to beg of him--stop Lan Wangji from participating in such unclean acts with an Omega like him, burn his clothes for associating with such dark energy, or to stop corrupting his nephew and prized disciple’s music with such unclean notes. Whatever it was, Lan Qiren passed out once more before he could tell him.

But, even Lan Wangji gave him a Look that had him pouting. Really, he wanted to see one of these perfect Lans play with his flute and tell him just how easy it was. If he had Chenqing , they’d all eat their dirty looks for breakfast.

As Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji played, the arm continued to convulse. Despite the way it reacted to Wei Wuxian’s yin energy, it wasn’t putting as much force into its attempts to break free. Wei Wuxian took that as a good sign. 

A single bead of sweat trickled down Wei Wuxian’s forehead. 

They’d reached an impasse with this fierce corpse. 

They needed to change tactics.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. 

Rather than continue to play Evocation, Wei Wuxian shifted the tune to a softer, lullaby-like melody--Rest. 

Lan Wangji quirked an eyebrow at him, but immediately moved to follow Wei Wuxian’s lead. 

Wei Wuxian wanted to try something--it was risky, but if his hunch was right, it would be worthwhile. He only hoped Lan Wangji was on board. Though, if things went wrong, he had no doubt Hanguang-Jun could subdue both the arm and Wei Wuxian. 

He began to channel his yin qi into the notes, allowing soothing pheromones to flow freely as he played. He sent a wave of calm and comfort along with them, keeping his own agitation in check as he played. Just as he had hoped, as soon as Lan Wangji figured out what Wei Wuxian was doing, he gave a barely perceptible nod, and continued to play. 

The arm reacted. At first, it tensed, but Wei Wuxian kept the comforting flow of pheromones going. Once the arm was fully enveloped, Lan Wangji released pheromones of his own--that intoxicating scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost complimenting Wei Wuxian’s own pheromones as the Alpha sought to soothe the resentment. 

It’s working! Wei Wuxian thought.

Slowly, the arm seemed to tire, wrapped in comforting yin and yang qi, balance was struck, and the arm was finally settling. Rest was finally working. 

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji weren’t taking any chances. Even as the arm went quiet and the resentful energy dissipated, they kept playing until the song came to a close. The two of them allowed their final notes to resonate fully before they even considered moving. 

Only once it was clear that the arm would not move again for a time did Wei Wuxian rise to his feet. He took the spirit trapping bag he’d constructed on the road a few days prior from his belt and contained the arm within it before shooting Lan Wangji a grin. 

“Nice work, Lan Zhan,” he said. 

Lan Wangji sent Wei Wuxian a rare, faint smile. Wei Wuxian tried not to think about how his heart skipped at the sight of it.

Chapter Text

Thankfully, following that incident, Lan Wangji didn’t try to ban Wei Wuxian from participating in any cultivation practices or spiritual management any longer. In fact, he and Wei Wuxian became sort of…uneasy allies. 

For some reason, out of everyone at the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian was the only one who could work alongside Lan Wangji to keep the demonic arm under control. Anyone else who tried found themselves injured or knocked out of the array entirely. Wei Wuxian, though still scheming ways to get out of the Cloud Recesses, couldn’t, in good conscience, leave Lan Wangji to manage such a spirit alone. It seemed that, for now, his secret was safe, so what was the harm in helping him solve one little mystery before he left?

So, Wei Wuxian busied himself with managing the arm, theorizing with Lan Wangji about the arm, and, shockingly, helping some of the juniors with their cultivation techniques. Little Apple settled into the back mountain, and even agreed to share the sweet grass peacefully with Lan Wangji’s rabbits. It was a shockingly peaceful routine.

But, that didn’t mean Wei Wuxian had given up on his scheming entirely--he had a reputation to uphold, after all. 

Which is how he found himself lurking outside of the cold baths one evening after dinner. Lan Wangji often came here before returning to his rooms for the evening. Normally, Wei Wuxian avoided them altogether, but he realized Lan Wangji had to take off his clothes to enter the baths. Wei Wuxian had practically torn Lan Wangji’s rooms apart looking for that travel token, to no avail. So, the logical last place it could be is on Lan Wangji’s person! 

Stealing it from him in his sleep hadn’t worked. Every night that he tried, he ended up half paralyzed on top of him just like that first night. And every time he fell asleep like that , he ended up wrapped up in Lan Wangji’s robes and blankets by morning, which was just embarrassing.

So he would try a different approach--stealing the great Hanguang-Jun’s robes right out from under his nose. He would find the talisman and hold onto it until they found a solution for the arm, then take his leave of this prison permanently. Maybe he would cultivate alone in the woods for a while--build a log cabin, plant some crops, and let his legacy as the Yiling Patriarch become nothing more than a legend before reintegrating into society in a few more decades. Still, that sounded like a whole lot of work to do on his own….

Wei Wuxian shook his head. He’d cross that bridge when he got to it. For now, he needed to stay focused. One step at a time. Jade token first, farm in the woods later. 

He crept along the rocks at the edge of the cold pools, his footsteps as light as he could manage to keep from catching Lan Wangji’s attention. 

Lan Wangji’s robes were neatly folded on one of the rocks a few meters away. Recently, he’d taken to robes of both white and blue, which, in Wei Wuxian’s opinion, was much less depressing than his typical funeral white. It also made it easier for him to grab exactly what he needed. He could leave the white inner robe untouched and just focus on the light blue lined outer robe. He reached across the rocks, fingers about to brush the stiffly pressed fabric, when something else caught his eye. 

Lan Wangji was still partially submerged in the cool waters of the pool, not even facing toward him. The timing was perfect, but he was thrown off by the sight of Lan Wangji’s back, sending shivers down his own. 

Wei Wuxian had been struck by the Jiang discipline whip only a handful of times in his youth--it was a surefire way to ensure a lesson stuck with a young disciple. And, he had been fortunate that the punishment was dealt above the clothes rather than on bare skin. His punishments, while severe, never warranted permanent scars. But Lan Wangji, the perfect disciple of the Lan Clan, bore many scars.

Dozens of scars criss-crossed Lan Wangji’s back, all appearing to have been borne of a whip’s lash. Wei Wuxian’s breath caught in his throat at the sight. 

What on earth happened in the decade or so he was gone from this world? 

Scars like those were reserved for those who committed only the gravest offenses against one’s clan, usually accompanied by banishment--if the disciple survived the lashing, that is. But Lan Wangji was still known as the strongest, most dedicated and honorable  member of the Lans, only ranked below his brother in terms of reverence. Wei Wuxian couldn’t believe that Lan Wangji could do anything warranting such a punishment.

Wei Wuxian was suddenly reminded of the edge of a scar he’d seen on Lan Wangji’s chest that first day in the Cloud Recesses. He hadn’t seen even a hint of it since then, though he had wondered. Could the scar on his chest have anything to do with the lashes on his back? Both looked to have long healed over…

Wei Wuxian was lost in these thoughts, otherwise his reflexes would normally be much more swift. He barely registered the change in the air before a sword glare shot past him, just a hair from striking his nose clean off his face. With a yelp, Wei Wuxian toppled over. 

Bichen, he realized. Lan Wangji must have kept his sword handy, even while meditating in the cold pools. He quickly scrambled to his feet, taking the opportunity to uphold his reputation now that his plans to obtain the travel talisman had been thoroughly foiled. 

“Aah!! I swear I didn’t see anything,” he shouted, running away from the cold pools. “I didn’t see Hanguang-Jun’s sexy, naked body, I swear!” 

Lan Wangji sighed and considered staying a few extra hours in the cold water to get his errant body under control. His self-control had been tested time and time again over the past few days, and what was previously a once-every-couple-of-weeks ritual had turned into a daily routine. 

He was thankful to his brother for leaving some of his suppressants behind before he left. The scent of plum blossom and blackberries that clung to the Omega were incredibly faint, and he doubted he would even detect the scent if not for sharing such close quarters, but even just that small bit was enough to sustain Lan Wangji through inedia for a thousand years. 

Was it really just a coincidence that Mo Xuanyu shared a similar scent to Wei Wuxian’s Alpha pheromones? Lan Wangji knew would never forget the scent of them as long as he lived, no matter how many years passed since he last scented the other Alpha. 

Wei Wuxian had been unlucky enough to present while the two of them had been trapped in the cave with that rotting corpse of the Xuanwu of Slaughter. They were both already injured, starving, feverish, just barely holding onto hope that someone would come back for them. Through the stench of the rotting monster and the mustiness of the cave, Lan Wangji thought he must be hallucinating when he caught a light wind tinged with blackberries, jasmine, and rain. He thought his mind was offering up one last pleasant experience before he joined his mother in the afterlife.

He quickly realized that wasn’t the case--they were Wei Wuxian’s pheromones! 

Lan Wangji had marveled at how alluring he found the scent. He had already long been infatuated with the other boy, but assumed, as anyone would, that another Alpha’s pheromones would be off-putting at best, but not Wei Wuxian’s. The other boy always managed to surprise Lan Wangji in the best and worst ways.

Lan Wangji was always praised for his self control. His uncle spoke well of his ability to hold himself together in the most trying circumstances, even during his early ruts. He took well to suppressants, and barely needed to isolate for more than a few days. He never fooled himself with expectations that Wei Wuxian would present as an Omega. His yang energy was far too strong, even as a junior disciple, for the possibility to ever cross Lan Wangji’s mind, as much as he wished it could be otherwise. 

If he had presented as an Omega, maybe Lan Wangji’s reaction would have been logical. It was not logical for him to react like this in the presence of another Alpha . 

Lan Wangji’s heart pounded. His stomach and blood both boiled. He plastered himself against the wall, breathing in the scent of wet stone in an attempt to get away from the delectable scent. 

No suppressants. Nowhere to isolate. No way to offer either of them any relief. 

Through the oppressive heat boiling his very reason away, Lan Wangji remembered something he’d read when studying secondary genders in preparation for his own presentation. An Alpha with exceptional control could offer some relief to an Omega in heat without sexual contact if they could release consistent waves of calming pheromones. This was only possible if the Alpha could keep themself from responding to the Omega’s stimulation, and hold themself in check to let no unneeded emotions taint that calming wave. 

Lan Wangji was holding himself together by a fine thread. His tenuous control was seconds away from snapping. The lightest touch or a stray gasp from the alluring Alpha suffering his first rut threatened to send him over the edge. But, he feared he had no choice. 

Suffering ones’ first cycle with no resources and no release would feel like death to a newly presented Alpha. It threatened to send Wei Wuxian over the edge of insanity. Already, Lan Wangji saw his consciousness fading as he fought through his injuries. Lan Wangji wondered if he was well enough to make it through the next few days himself. He didn’t even know if he had the self control to offer such a comfort to an Omega, let alone whether this would work on an Alpha. It was only a theory, and an untested, baseless theory at that. There was a chance that it could even aggravate Wei Wuxian during this primal stage, causing him to lash out rather than be soothed. Lan Wangji could easily be putting himself in even more danger than he was already in. Still, he was out of options. He had to try. 

Pushing away from the cave wall, fighting through the urge to give in to his base instincts, Lan Wangji approached Wei Wuxian.

He settled himself with his back to the cave wall and pulled Wei Wuxian’s form, slick with sweat, against the front of him. His breathing came in shallow gasps, but he didn’t struggle against Lan Wangji’s embrace. In fact, he nuzzled into him, his nose rooting into the base of Lan Wangji’s neck in a move that had Lan Wangji wondering if he might be experiencing the same strange reaction to Lan Wangji’s pheromones that Wangji had to his. He didn’t have time to ruminate on that. He needed to act before things got worse. 

Centering himself, calling upon every ounce of restraint his uncle praised him for having, Lan Wangji focused his mind on a feeling of peace, relaxation, and tranquility, channeling those feelings into his qi before releasing his carefully managed pheromones.

Lan Wangji remembered the strain on Wei Wuxian’s face. The struggle persisted for several hours, leading Lan Wangji to wonder if it was even working. It could even have been days, Lan Wangji had no way of knowing, before Wei Wuxian’s twisted features finally relaxed and his breathing evened out. He was still steadily releasing rut pheromones, but at least he no longer appeared to be suffering. 

It had been many years since then already, but the scent of Wei Wuxian’s Alpha pheromones still saturated Lan Wangji’s very soul. Even now, while meditating in the cold pools, when he caught the faint scent of blackberries in the Omega’s pheromones as he snuck around the stone outcropping assuming Lan Wangji couldn’t sense him, his own pheromones threatened to rise to the occasion. 

He really was testing Lan Wangji’s self control.

Lan Wangji sent a glare from Bichen toward the shore, suppressing a smirk when he heard that high shout as the Omega ran off to cause another scene. 

He emerged from the cold bath, palm absent-mindedly rubbing the brand over his pectoral. He dressed, the tightness in his heart easing as he tied his robes adorned with hints of blue for the first time in thirteen years.

The scent of blackberries was stronger than usual.

Wei Wuxian reluctantly made his way back to Lan Wangji’s rooms when no one seemed to respond to his antics. Sure, he’d horrified some of the juniors, but no one with the power to kick him out of this place so much as batted an eye at his scandalous behavior. Even he was starting to get embarrassed by his crass audacity, and he was hard to embarrass. He’d have to change up tactics. 

He mulled over possible strategies as he brewed his evening tea and looked over some notes he’d taken about the arm that afternoon. He added a few additional thoughts to his pages, trying to keep his train of thought on track. 

For some reason, ever since that morning, Wei Wuxian had been warm. He couldn’t seem to cool off no matter what he did. He’d even considered taking a dip of his own in the cold pools, but quickly dismissed the idea when Lan Wangji tried to take his head off with Bichen. He wanted to annoy the guy, not get maimed by him. 

He took another sip of his tea.

How many days were left until he was supposed to start his heat cycle again? He counted back in his head. He should have at least two more. So why did his body feel so…wrong?

He wondered if the tea was working correctly. Wei Wuxian had always been pretty good at keeping his pheromones in check in his first life, with the exception of when he was using his demonic cultivation--that always had a tendency to throw off his control. Thankfully, the skill translated into this life, and the suppressant tea seemed to help for the first several days. He didn’t find himself leaking pheromones erratically, nor did he seem to react to the many Alphas he encountered on this side of the Cloud Recesses--except for Lan Wangji, but that situation was entirely different. Today, though, there were a few moments that he’d noticed the Alpha’s eyes linger on him a little longer than usual. He found himself growing more irritated with Lan Qiren’s nagging than normal. His clothes even started to rub him the wrong way, despite the fact that they were about five times softer and better cared for than what he’d arrived wearing from Mo Xuanyu’s wardrobe, and the robes he’d worn in those last days in the Burial Mounds.

He determined that he’d have to suck it up in the morning and speak with Lan Qiren about where he might isolate for a few days until his heat blew over. He’d be missing more chances to tease Lan Wangji, which did leave him feeling a bit remorseful--not over his actions, of course. Just the missed opportunity. Still, he didn’t want to put Lan Wangji into more of an uncomfortable situation than necessary. 

The scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost drifted into the room before Lan Wangji opened the door to the jingshi, sending tingles down Wei Wuxian’s neck. His vision temporarily faded at the edges and he grew lightheaded as Lan Wangji silently came inside and removed his snowy white boots. The smell of frost was stronger today than usual. Wei Wuxian chalked it up to the chill of the cold pools bringing it forth, but the thought soon drifted off. Wei Wuxian had been planning on giving Lan Wangji a hard time again that evening, or at the very least attempting to discuss his theories about the arm some more, but he found himself unable to fully collect his thoughts to form a coherent sentence.

Maybe he was more tired than he thought, he reasoned. 

That had to be it.

Lan Wangji went to bed shortly after his return to his rooms. 

Wei Wuxian, for once, didn’t bother to follow him.

With his heat this close, he didn’t want to take any risks, especially with how Lan Wangji’s pheromones seemed to render him entirely insensate. So, Wei Wuxian took advantage of the blankets Lan Wangji prepared for him on that first night. 

Yet, several incense time later, he was still tossing and turning, unable to even attempt to fall asleep. His skin was crawling. The back of his neck wouldn’t stop itching. Every brush of the banket threatened to scrape his skin from his bones. And the worst part of all--the cloying scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost was assaulting him. 

He curled into himself, simultaneously trying to escape the smell and wrap himself around it as he had done every night since arriving at the Cloud Recesses. To try to sleep without it felt…wrong. It left him feeling at odds, incomplete. He needed to be closer to it. 

But he couldn’t bring himself to crawl into Lan Wangji’s bed again. If that paralyzing technique were used on him again, he would probably truly go mad from overstimulation. So, he was left thrashing on the floor, sweat beading at his forehead with the effort to remain calm and normal. 

Finally, he could take no more of this. He bolted upright, heart thundering in his chest. If he couldn’t cling to Lan Wangji in his sleep, he would have to do the next best thing. 

Wei Wuxian stumbled over to the wardrobe on the far side of the room. This was where Lan Wangji dressed every morning and undressed every evening. It may not hold much, but at that moment, its contents were worth more than their weight in gold. Wei Wuxian yanked open the wardrobe doors and grabbed armfuls of clothes from the shelves--pure white under robes, freshly laundered and folded to perfection, a forehead ribbon embroidered with silver, brocade clouds, and, the target of Wei Wuxian’s current mission, the blue and white outer robe Lan Wangji donned following his bath that evening. Wei Wuxian dropped the under robes to the floor, unfolded the elegant robe and wrapped himself up in it, allowing himself to breathe deeply and fully take in the fresh, soothing pheromones. Wei Wuxian sank to his knees before the wardrobe, sinking into the white pile and pulling the robe over his head. He reached to pull his blanket to him as well. He was so cozy--cozier and more comfortable than he had been in days.

He wrapped himself up thoroughly in the blanket, keeping the robe as his base layer in an effort to keep himself fully wrapped in the comfort of Alpha Pheromones. A slight whimper escaped from his throat as he wiggled, trying to get even more comfortable. 

The cloud of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost scented pheromones had fully permeated Wei Wuxian’s conscious thought. He didn’t even notice as the rest of the room filled with the scent of plum blossoms, blackberries, and the faintest scent of rain.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian whimpered, tangling his limbs in the soft, stimulating cloth. His mind was a jumbled mess. Even in the dark of night, the colors of the room seemed bright to his eyes, but they all blurred together. He was dizzy. He couldn’t think straight. He was a mass of nerves who could only feel.

Hot.

Need.

His very brain was boiling with desire. There was an uncomfortable wetness between his legs. He rubbed his thighs together, seeking relief from the foreign feeling. It was like the grey matter of his brain had melted down and was actively leaking out of him. 

Hot.

Need.

That was all that was left of him. Just a bundle of nerves, boiling alive and ready to be set off with the slightest touch.

He didn’t even hear the door to Lan Wangji’s sleeping quarters open. 

He wasn’t aware of the rapid footsteps as Lan Wangji darted to where he was curled against the wall, panting and sweating. 

All he knew was that one moment, he was shaking on the floor alone, and the next he was pulled into a pair of strong, cool arms. That scent of frost seeped into his mind, offering a reprieve from the insufferable heat. He needed more.

Wei Wuxian’s head lolled against a firm, muscular shoulder. He nuzzled closer, pressing his nose against the source of that cool, comforting scent. He needed to swim in that scent. He wanted to drink it in--wanted it to fill him entirely. He wanted to become one with that scent.

“Lan Zhan,” he whined, “more.”

“Mn.” A deep, buttery smooth voice replied, sending shivers down Wei Wuxian’s spine.

Suddenly, another wave of that intoxicating scent hit him, but rather than stoking the fire within him, it soothed. The fire was far from extinguished, but with each breath Wei Wuxian took, he regained more and more of his sense of self. 

Heat still tormented him, but no longer did he fear the soft cloth would chafe his skin from the bone. That uncomfortable, slick feeling and the emptiness between his legs persisted, but he no longer felt like he was about to lose that important appendage of his if he didn’t get stimulation soon. His thoughts were still muddled, but it was more akin to what he felt when he was waking from a heavy sleep. 

The one thing that didn’t change was his need for that scent. 

Wei Wuxian didn’t understand what Lan Wangji’s scent did to him. At the moment, he didn’t care. If his scent could already relieve this much, he imagined Lan Wangji’s pheromones could truly cure him. And if not his pheromones, he was sure Lan Wangji had something else that could douse the fires burning within him.

“Lan Zhan,” he panted, “need you. Need more of you. Please don’t leave.”

A strong, heavy hand rubbed his back in soothing circles. “Mn,” that low, soft voice murmured again, “I am here, Wei Ying. I will not leave.”

For a moment, Wei Wuxian wondered if he was hearing things wrong. Maybe his boiled brain was playing tricks on him, making him hear things that weren’t there, but the soothing feeling of Lan Wangji’s hand at his back grounded him. Lan Wangji called him Wei Ying. 

Lan Wangji had been roused from a light slumber by the scent of pheromones. 

That wasn’t unusual. It was becoming routine at this point. What was unusual was the thickness of them. 

Normally, Wei Wuxian was fairly proficient at keeping his pheromones in check. Lan Wangji was pretty sure he was the only one aware of them most of the time. But that evening, Wei Wuxian had been behaving abnormally. He seemed normal until that afternoon, but when Lan Wangji returned from his bath, he was spaced out. He didn’t even bother to tease him before the evening gong signaled it was time to retire. Normally, an hour or two later, Lan Wangji would be woken by the scent of plum blossoms and blackberries as Wei Wuxian crawled into bed with him. They would tease, Lan Wangji would immobilize Wei Wuxian, and they would sleep the remainder of the night like that. He even found he liked the feeling of sleeping with another person. Or maybe he just liked sleeping with Wei Ying. 

So, waking to Wei Wuxian’s scent without Wei Wuxian in his arms raised the red flag in Lan Wangji’s mind.

Then, his scent shifted. 

It wasn’t just the scent of plum blossoms and blackberries permeating the jingshi. There was a new layer there, one Lan Wangji wasn’t expecting. 

Petrichor.

The scent of rain.

In his first life, Wei Wuxian smelled of blackberries, jasmine, and rain.

As an Omega, the tea like note of jasmine had been replaced with the floral note of plum blossoms, but Lan Wangji wouldn’t complain. The fact that Wei Wuxian’s soul had been gifted a body that smelled similar to the way he always had, that Lan Wangji could even smell his pheromones again, Alpha or Omega, was more than he could have asked for. 

But somehow, now he even smelled the rain. 

Lan Wangji shot out of bed. 

There was only one reason Wei Wuxian’s pheromones would change like that. 

Heat cycle. 

It was a dangerous oversight on Lan Wangji’s part not to consider when Mo Xuanyu would be due for a heat cycle. It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed the way Wei Wuxian tracked days. Sure, he had suppressants, but this was essentially his first heat. He wouldn’t know how his body would react. He wouldn’t know what to do to manage the symptoms. Wei Wuxian was born an Alpha. He had been educated on an Alpha’s first rut. He wouldn’t have the skills to manage a heat the way Mo Xuanyu likely did.

When Lan Wangji reached the sitting room, his hunch was confirmed. 

Wei Wuxian was writhing on the floor, tangled in a mass of Lan Wangji’s clothes in a sort of makeshift nest, his hair slick with sweat. The scent of Omega pheromones slammed into Lan Wangji like a brick wall.

Just the same as it had during Wei Wuxian’s rut in the cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter, Lan Wangji’s body reacted immediately. The urge to mate with Wei Wuxian reared its head. His heart pounded. His blood boiled. Even more than in their youth, Lan Wangji fought the rising urge to pin Wei Wuxian down and mark him, tying their very souls together so that he could never leave again. 

But Lan Wangji was a man known for his self control. He beat that desire down. It wouldn’t be right to force such a bond on Wei Wuxian.

Not yet, at least.

Clearly, the suppressants weren’t strong enough. 

Just like before, Wei Wuxian was trapped with no medication, no way out.

But this time, Lan Wangji knew what he was doing. 

He could offer this suffering Omega some relief. 

He centered himself, pulling the mating pheromones in so as not to further stimulate Wei Wuxian’s heat, and focused on releasing only peaceful, soothing qi. Once he was confident he was under control, he approached. 

Wei Wuxian let out a high, keening sound as Lan Wangji lifted his prone, writhing form. He settled with his back against the wall and settled Wei Wuxian against him, careful that the sensitive Omega wouldn’t brush against Lan Wangji’s more sensitive anatomy. The last thing he needed was for Wei Wuxian to be alerted to its presence in his incensed state. 

As soon as he was settled, Wei Wuxian nuzzled into the crook of Lan Wangji’s neck. His thin arms snaked around Lan Wangji’s neck, pulling their bodies flush together as he nosed at Lan Wangji’s scent gland.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian keened, “more.” 

Lan Wangji hadn’t accounted for Wei Wuxian being more conscious this time around than he had been during his rut. The sound of his voice calling Lan Wangji’s name was nearly his undoing, but he immediately clamped down on his pheromones, not allowing the slightest stimulation to leak out.

Calm. Cool. Soothing. Tranquil.

The words became a mantra in Lan Wangji’s head. He placed one hand on Wei Wuxian’s back and rubbed slow circles the way he remembered his brother doing for him when he’d been small and sick.

“Mn,” he muttered. Now that he knew his pheromones were firmly under control, Lan Wangji allowed them to flow freely. 

He expected it to take time. He didn’t know how long it took the first time he tried it, but it had certainly been several hours before Wei Wuxian calmed in that dank cave. 

Maybe it was because he was an Omega this time around. Maybe it was because Lan Wangji was more experienced. Whatever it was, the results were almost instantaneous. As soon as Wei Wuxian took in Lan Wangji’s soothing pheromones, his tense muscles released. His face was no longer twisted in agony. He slumped against Lan Wangji rather than clung to him. 

Sweat still rolled down his forehead, and his gaze remained hazy, but Lan Wangji could breathe easily knowing that at least some of Wei Wuxian’s suffering was lessened. 

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian panted as his mating pheromones continued to pour over Lan Wangji in waves, “need you. Need more of you. Please don’t leave.”

He knew what Wei Wuxian was really asking of him. He knew better than to think Wei Wuxian was seriously pursuing him with his antics. Any desire Wei Wuxian felt for him in this moment was purely borne of his instinct as an Omega seeking the relief only an Alpha could provide. To take advantage of that would be the utmost betrayal of trust. Lan Wangji was not lying when he’d sworn to his brother that he would allow no harm to come to Wei Wuxian again, even if it meant he would never truly taste Wei Wuxian in that way. 

Instead of giving in and taking what Wei Wuxian offered, Lan Wangji continued to rub those soothing circles on his back. He answered honestly, because even if he could not make Wei Wuxian his mate, he would not leave him alone. 

“Mn,” he murmured, “I am here, Wei Ying. I will not leave.”

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji remained locked in each other’s embrace for ages after that. Wei Wuxian lost count of how many times he heard the gong sound, but surely it had been a couple of days. Still, no matter how tedious or uncomfortable, Lan Wangji did not let him go. Neither did he move to soothe Wei Wuxian’s heat in other ways. Though other methods would certainly calm Wei Wuxian’s heat more quickly, the aftermath would certainly be awkward at best. 

So, they clung to one another, Wei Wuxian struggling to keep his mind coherent, and Lan Wangji tirelessly working to soothe the heat that consumed him. 

In those long hours, they rarely spoke, but Lan Wangji’s voice was always soft, tender as he murmured “Wei Ying” like a prayer.

It left Wei Wuxian unable to utter the slightest shameless remark. 

Between waves of boiling heat and the reprieve of Lan Wangji’s cool pheromones, he was behaving shamelessly enough.

By the time the heat finally and fully subsided, the sun was low over the horizon. They were sure at least a couple of days had passed. Wei Wuxian’s pants were soaked nearly translucent with his love fluids, and both his and Lan Wangji’s stomachs were growling. Wei Wuxian wanted to pass out in Lan Wangji’s arms, but the larger man--had he always been so big?--wouldn’t allow it. He wrapped Wei Wuxian in one of the only unsullied robes left in the wardrobe and carried him to the warm springs behind the dorms. It was near enough the time to go to sleep that most of the other disciples and cultivators had retired to their quarters, giving the two of them some privacy. 

Suddenly struck by embarrassment from the state he’d been in, Wei Wuxian was the one who insisted they bathe in their inner robes to preserve some semblance of modesty. 

“I’m surprised Lan Qiren wasn’t busting down the door to the jingshi when you didn’t come out.” Wei Wuxian remarked, eyes heavy as Lan Wangji lathered his hair.

“I told Uncle we were not to be disturbed.” Lan Wangji replied.

“You told your Uncle?!” Wei Wuxian shot forward, suddenly very awake. “Oh man, he already hates me! Now he’s going to think I’ve corrupted one of his favorite nephews! He’s going to hate me even more!”

“Uncle does not hate Wei Ying.” 

“Of course he does. I do nothing but make his life difficult!” And that was absolutely by design. Wei Wuxian simply couldn’t allow such an uptight person to go unruffled. 

“He does not hate Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji insisted. 

Rather than argue the point with him, Wei Wuxian asked, “when did you even get a chance to tell him? Even I thought that heat was a few days away.”

“When I brought you home.” Lan Wangji said simply. “No one will disturb my private rooms.”

Wei Wuxian was touched by his thoughtfulness. Lan Wangji poured warm water over his hair, rinsing away the lather. Wei Wuxian took the cleansing bar from his hands and motioned for him to turn around to reciprocate the care. 

“You knew it was me the whole time, didn’t you?” He asked quietly, working the lather into Lan Wangji’s silky locks. 

“Mn,” Lan Wangji murmured. 

“How did you know? I thought I hid it so well!” 

The corner of Lan Wangji’s lips quirked up in an almost smirk. “You want to know?”

“Of course!” 

“You told me.” Lan Wangji said simply. He pulled away from Wei Wuxian’s ministrations, back still turned to him, and tipped a ladle of water over his head, clearing the suds away. 

“I did?” Wei Wuxian was stumped. “Was it because of Jin Ling? Or maybe Wen Ning? That’s not right, is it?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “Think.” 

Wei Wuxian scrunched his face up. “I’m asking because I can’t think of it!” 

When it became clear that Lan Wangji wasn’t going to tell him, Wei Wuxian resigned himself. He’d have to annoy it out of him later. 

He tightened his belt, ensuring his pants and inner robes were secure, before jumping into the warm spring, sending a broad wave of water cascading over the great, aloof Hanguang-Jun. 

Wei Wuxian slept apart from Lan Wangji that night, much to Lan Wangji’s chagrin. He supposed he couldn’t expect Wei Wuxian to keep sleeping with him now that the cat was out of the bag. Still, it didn’t mean he wasn’t disappointed when Wei Wuxian asked for a fresh set of blankets when they sat to eat dinner together. He ordered them anyway, but it still left him feeling down. 

So, after the gong sounded that night, Lan Wangji was surprised to hear the door to the sleeping quarters slide open. He sat up. Wei Wuxian padded in quietly and stood next to the bed, looking surprisingly bashful with his blankets in his arms. 

“Lan Zhan,” He whispered, “It’s cold in the sitting room.”

Lan Wangji could have protested that the jingshi’s temperature was consistent throughout and carefully maintained. He could have given Wei Wuxian a section of floor in his sleeping quarters. He could have done any number of things. Instead of any of those possibilities, and potentially against rules of propriety and his own better judgment, Lan Wangji slid his own blanket to the far side of the wooden bed, leaving Wei Wuxian plenty of space to lay next to him. 

Wei Wuxian could have scoffed. He could have laughed. He could have made a joke at Lan Wangji’s expense. Instead of any of those more probable options, Wei Wuxian settled into the bed next to Lan Wangji. 

The Cloud Recesses were a little more peaceful following Mo- rougui’ s heat. There was less shouting, less running, much less of one Omega intentionally scandalizing Hanguang-Jun in public. Some of the junior disciples, who would most definitely never discuss another person’s private matters behind their back, speculated that Mo- rougui finally managed to trap Hanguang-jun somehow. They would have been more concerned if not for the lightness they saw in the senior cultivator. It had been years, over a decade, since Hanguang-jun wore anything but full white robes and a dour expression, but lately, he had been donning the deeper blue accessories most Lan cultivators favored. And, while his expression remained impassive, there was a softness in his eyes. 

Plus, no one could find any evidence of a mating mark on either Hanguang-jun or Mo- rougui , so maybe this was just a phase! It would surely blow over. At least, that’s what many hoped for.

Wei Wuxian was finally free from the Cloud Recesses. 

Well, maybe not entirely. He planned to go back. But he was free for now! Little Apple shared his joy and trotted alongside him down the path. 

Lan Wangji brought him along to a market in Qinghe while he investigated some disturbance Nie Huaisang reported to the cultivation council.

The two of them had reached an impasse with the disembodied arm, and Lan Wangji reached out to Lan Xichen for advice about new suppressants for Wei Wuxian after it became clear that the tea was not strong enough. Lan Xichen asked them to check in with Nie Mingjue’s younger brother while they were out. 

The “Head Shaker” had fallen into his position as Sect Leader after his brother succumbed to madness--their family curse and the reason Nie Huaisang didn’t touch a sword to this day. Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Jin Guangyao were sworn brothers. After Nie Mingjue’s passing, the other two looked after Nie Huaisang whenever they could. Unfortunately, with the discussion conference at Lanling coming up in such a short time, Lan Xichen was unable to get away to check on Nie Huaisang’s distress call. He only trusted Lan Wangji to act in his stead. 

“Why does your brother know so much about Omega suppressants, anyway?” Wei Wuxian asked, “I thought he was a Beta. Is it because he has to manage the Omega compound, too?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “My brother is not a Beta,” he confided. 

Wei Wuxian’s eyes bugged. “He’s not?! But I thought-- everyone thinks he’s--” He shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. “So if he’s not a Beta, that means he’s…”

Lan Wangji nodded. 

Lan Xichen was an Omega! The head of the Gusu Lan Clan was an Omega! If the cultivation world at large caught wind of this, no matter how progressive they claimed to be, there were surely those who would refuse to accept such a thing. To think, an Omega could be such a powerful and respected cultivator! Wei Wuxian always admired Lan Xichen, but his respect for the man grew tenfold. 

“He is Recessive,” Lan Wangji remarked.

“That must be why his tea didn’t work for my heat,” Wei Wuxian concluded. 

Mo Xuanyu was a Dominant Omega. Lan Xichen being recessive was likely why he was able to hide his secondary gender for so long and so thoroughly--their heats were shorter, and their pheromones less potent. The more recessive one was, the closer to a Beta they were and the more easily they could pass.

“Then, the rumors that Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Jin Guangyao…” Wei Wuxian mused aloud.

The three friends had appeared inseparable after the war. Two Alpha cultivators, powerful in their own rights, and a Beta powerhouse with a seeming unbreakable friendship. Following the war, the three of them had become Sworn Brothers. It was rumored that the three of them shared a relationship deeper than mere brotherhood. But such a relationship would never be accepted within their society, especially not as the ones tasked with leading their sects. Jin Guangyao might have had more freedom than the others in that regard, but in Wei Wuxian’s first life, he had been so concerned with gaining his father’s trust and recognition, he couldn’t afford any perceived deviation from perfection. In this life, he was married, faithful, and devoted to his wife.

Lan Wangji silently led Little Apple toward the inn where they would be staying for the night. 

Wei Wuxian was about to follow him, and possibly pester him for more information, when a voice from one of the street stalls caught his attention.

“The Yiling Patriarch, five coins for one, ten coins for three!” A fake cultivator called, holding up a stack of gruesome illustrations, ”This price can’t be beat! Use the demonic energy of this villain to your advantage! Protect your home and ensure no evil beings can come near you!”

He was selling door-gods! And falsely invoking Wei Wuxian’s name to do so! Wei Wuxian took a closer look at the illustration on the poster and immediately felt the affront in his very soul. 

The charlatan had drawn him as an ugly, squat, horror-faced goblin with misshapen arms, fangs, and talons. He couldn’t believe anyone would dare slander him like this!

“You can’t possibly claim that this is meant to be the Yiling Patriarch?” He asked.

“But of course!” The man said proudly. “He can scare off the strongest of evil entities with his powerful demonic qi. ”

I’ve never wielded demonic qi, Wei Wuxian internally snorted. 

But he tried to argue with well known facts, hoping to get through to the stranger. “Wei Wuxian was the most highly sought after Alpha in his generation. You think he would have so many potential mates looking like this? Have you even seen the real thing?”

“How would I have seen him? Even if I had, do you think I would live to tell the tale? Besides, everyone knows he only had suitors because he manipulated them with his pheromones!” The charlatan argued. 

“That’s not even realistic! No one can manipulate pheromones on that scale, or to that extent! What kind of lies are you spreading to children?”

The man was about to offer some weak retort, but was swiftly knocked to his behind. A wealthy looking young master clad in yellow and gold had just kicked him to the ground! 

Unable to speak against someone of status, but unwilling to allow his pride to be so hurt, the man asked in a small voice, “Why did you kick me?”

It was Jin Ling, looking down at the man with arrogance, and an icy stare that reminded Wei Wuxian eerily of Lady Yu. His voice was as cold as his father’s. “You dare to speak of Wei Wuxian in front of me. Why shouldn’t I kick you? You’re lucky I don’t destroy your entire stand. Or worse. Do you have a death wish?”

Wei Wuxian sighed, lamenting how it could be possible that the child could look so much like his mother, but only inherit the worst traits from both sides of his bloodlines. How was Jiang Cheng raising this child? He was glad Jiang Yanli’s spirit wasn’t lingering to see her son like this. He would have to meddle a bit if he wanted to be able to face her in the afterlife.

“Jin Ling,” Wei Wuxian interjected, poised to scold him for his treatment of this man. Scammer though he might be, he didn’t deserve to be assaulted for it. 

But Jin Ling turned that arrogant sneer on Wei Wuxian next. “You, again? I would have thought you would have run off naked into the woods by now.”

Wei Wuxian laughed. “That’s no way to greet your grand savior. Who was it that kept your soul from being sucked out by a demonic statue?” 

Jin Ling glared at him. He blew a short whistle, leaving Wei Wuxian a little confused, until he heard the rapid footfalls and yips of an animal’s approach. 

Wei Wuxian had a sinking feeling in his gut that he knew what that whistle was for.

A black dog, his head roughly at Jin Ling’s waist, came bounding through the crowded street, barking as it dashed right at Wei Wuxian. 

With a startled shout, Wei Wuxian turned and ran as fast as he could toward the inn. Thankfully, a tall figure was emerging right in time.

“Lan Zhan! Help!” He cried, launching himself at the Alpha.

He clung to Lan Wangji’s side, clinging to him with his arms and legs in an effort to escape the spirit dog. 

Spirit dogs tend to be more intelligent than your average dog. Even this dog knew better than to upset Hanguang-Jun. So, when Lan Wangji turned an icy, warning stare on the dog, it doubled back and curled around Jin Ling for protection. Jin Ling, for his part, appeared to be satisfied with Wei Wuxian’s distress. He smirked triumphantly before whistling again and stalking off. 

Wei Wuxian watched him go with a sour feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He and Lan Wangji helped the fake cultivator back to his feet, and helped him pick up his dropped merchandise. The man tried to thank them by giving them his “authentic” portraits of the Yiling Patriarch, but one icy look from Lan Wangji silenced him. 

Once they bid the man goodbye, Lan Wangji led Wei Wuxian to a teahouse down the road where they were to meet with Nie Huaisang. 

His old friend hadn’t changed much, Wei Wuxian observed. He’d always been a bit timid in the face of authority. Apparently, even being an authority himself hadn’t shaken him of the habit. 

Wei Wuxian was surprised to hear how bad the situation was in Qinghe. There was some kind of evil entity eating people in the woods, and none of the cultivators who had gone out to fight it had returned. Nie Huaisang didn’t use a saber like his predecessors, and professed that he didn’t have the slightest idea how to eradicate the man-eating castle. 

The worst part of all was that this so-called man-eating castle was actually the ancestral hall of the Nie clan where the violent spirits corrupted by their sabres were housed and honored. Nie Huaisang worried one of his ancestor’s spirits may have been corrupted, and began to lash out. He told Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji that he set up a number of traps to deter people from getting too close, but clearly they hadn’t worked. So, a plan was made--Lan Wangji, who was still among the strongest cultivators of their generation, would look into the disappearances that evening on Nie Huaisang’s behalf. 

And Mo Xuanyu, his weird little Omega friend, would tag along, too!

Oddly enough, Nie Huaisang didn’t argue when Wei Wuxian mentioned joining Lan Wangji in this. It was probably because, with Wei Wuxian going, Lan Wangji wouldn’t ask Nie Huaisang to come along as backup. 

Hiking up to the stone castles was a feat in and of itself for Wei Wuxian. He knew he shouldn’t complain--having a body at all was something to be thankful for-- but once again, Wei Wuxian vowed to get this poor body into shape. 

They had to navigate a number of barriers and traps to reach the epicenter, and when they finally did, Wei Wuxian once again lept onto Lan Wangji’s back.

“Why are we meeting so many dogs today?!” He cried as the spirit dog barked at him from the entrance to the stone castle. 

“The same.” Lan Wangji stated.

“The same?” Wei Wuxian repeated. He looked at the dog and realized he was right! This was Jin Ling’s spirit dog! He should have realized that Jin Ling would go after this evil entity! He had just enough of his father’s arrogance and his uncle’s recklessness to run into a situation like this. Of course, he would hear about disappearances and assume he was the one person who would come out safe! “Where’s Jin Ling?” 

The dog began pacing in front of the entrance, whining now instead of barking. 

“Do you think Jin Ling is trapped inside?” Wei Wuxian cried

“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded, not phased by the way Wei Wuxian crawled up his back. 

“I have to go get him,” He started to get down, but the dog whined again, sending Wei Wuxian back up onto Lan Wangji’s back. 

“If we wish to find Jin Ling, we will have to follow him.” Lan Wangji said. 

He felt Wei Wuxian nod, but still, he made no move to get down. 

Resigned to his fate, Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian’s legs around his waist and pulled his arms around his neck from where they gripped at his shoulders. He felt Wei Wuxian begin to complain, but he cupped his hands together at Wei Wuxian’s seat to support him. “I will follow him.”

Lan Wangji ignored the sound of Wei Wuxian’s protests, and stepped up to the entrance to the stone castle. The spirit dog whined, then led the two of them into the dark.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian was screwed. Completely and utterly screwed. Why had he agreed to split up with Lan Wangji? What kind of foolishness was that? 

The acrid scent of wine and hickory smoke filled his senses, making him long for the soothing scent of sandalwood and frost. Even his own pheromones seemed to be more sour with fear than he'd like to admit. 

“I knew I smelled something,” Jiang Cheng sneered. He dragged Wei Wuxian back into the inn and made his way to a private room. 

Wei Wuxian didn’t even have it in him to resist. His mind was reeling. He really didn’t have a way out of this one. 

He shoved Wei Wuxian to the floor of the room and closed the door with a command for the disciples not to allow anyone to enter. 

Wei Wuxian briefly struggled to right himself, rubbing the place Zidian had been wrapped around his ankles. He watched closely as Jiang Cheng calmly poured himself a cup of tea. He raised the cup as if to take a sip. Before the cup touched his lips, he finally looked up, eyes full of contempt. He threw the cup at the wall, where it shattered just a little bit away from Wei Wuxian’s shoulder.

He bared his teeth at Wei Wuxian. “Do you have nothing to say to me?”

Wei Wuxian knew he’d been caught. Jiang Cheng knew him too well. “What would you have me say?”

He slammed his hand against the low table, rattling the tea pot. “Did you think you hid yourself so well that I wouldn’t know your scent?”

His scent? Wei Wuxian discreetly sniffed, trying to catch his pheromones. Mo Xuanyu was an Omega. Wei Wuxian had been an Alpha. Their scents couldn’t be the same. Wei Wuxian could only smell something sweet and floral. It wasn’t easy to detect one’s own scent, after all. 

“Sure, you smell like an Omega now,” Jiang Cheng continued, “but really, it’s almost the same. I couldn’t tell on Dafan mountain, but now, there’s no mistaking it. So, where have you been hiding all this time? Surely this isn’t the first body you’ve possessed, is it? But that’s some complicated work if even Zidian couldn’t pull you out. So, tell me, you rotten bastard, how did you do it?” 

Wei Wuxian’s face pinched. “I didn’t steal this body.” 

“Sure you didn’t,” Jiang Cheng snorted. “Just like you didn’t mean what you said to Jin Ling on Dafan Mountain, either?” 

Wei Wuxian turned away, shame filling him as he recalled his harsh words against Jin Ling’s mother. “I didn’t recognize him.”

“You owe him more than your life, yet you have the gall to say such a thing to him?” Jiang Cheng’s glare burned. “You’re the reason he’s without a mother in the first place, or have you forgotten everyone you’ve hurt in your quest for power?”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t take it anymore. “You know perfectly well that’s not what I-”

“Don’t give me that!” Jiang Cheng shouted. “You’ve forgotten yourself along with all of the promises you’ve made, haven’t you? Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you atone for each and every one of your sins as you prostrate yourself in front of my parents’ graves.” 

Wei Wuxian knew he owed Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan that much and more, but he had a feeling Jiang Cheng intended a far more gruesome fate for him. He needed a way out of here…

Suddenly, Jin Ling pounded on the door and called, “Uncle!”

Jiang Cheng cried through the door, “I told you not to come here! What are you doing?”

“I have something to tell you! It’s important! Please let me in!” 

Jiang Cheng opened the door, chastising Jin Ling for not speaking up sooner, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t focus on what they were saying. 

Jin Ling had brought back that black spirit dog, and it was looking at him . Wei Wuxian’s heart was thundering as he scrambled backward and plastered himself to the wall. The dog came even closer, trying to sniff Wei Wuxian’s pants. He cried out, desperate for anyone to get the dog away.

“What use is it calling for Lan Wangji?” Jiang Cheng shouted at him. “Have you really been clinging to him this entire time? When did the two of you get to be so close?” 

Jin Ling shot him a look of disgust. 

“Can’t someone please get the dog?” Wei Wuxian begged.

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Who are you to ask anything of me? You never change. This is the least of what you’ll be suffering, so get used to it.” 

“I’ve already died once! What more do you want?!” 

“It doesn’t matter if you die a thousand times! It will never be enough! Now, I’m going to find that fucking mutt of yours and kill him again . Then I’ll be back to deal with you.” Wei Wuxian didn’t even have time to wonder what Jiang Cheng meant by ‘that fucking mutt of yours’. Jiang Cheng tossed a hand over his shoulder and turned back to Jin Ling. “In the meantime, look after this bastard. Don’t let him out of your sight.” He pulled Zidian’s ring off of his hand and dropped it into Jin Ling’s palm before turning back to address Wei Wuxian. “Don’t say anything else you might regret.”

Wei Wuxian waited for Jiang Cheng to leave, barking orders for some of the junior disciples to watch the front entrance, and for others to follow him, before he asked, “where is he going?”

Jin Ling rolled his eyes. “Can’t you hear? I spotted Wen Ning earlier. He’s going to capture him.” He whistled two sharp notes, calling the dog away from Wei Wuxian. “How can you be so afraid of a dog? Are you stupid? Fairy doesn’t hurt people, only evil beings.”

“Did you seriously name your dog Fairy?”

Jin Ling glared at him. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. 

“Anyway, just--” He sighed. “Follow me.”

“Where are we going?” Wei Wuxian was sure Jiang Cheng intended for him to stay right where he was. “Don’t you know why your uncle wants me?”

“He thinks you’re Wei Wuxian. This happens all the time. But you’re obviously not possessed, and I don’t want to drag you back to Lotus Pier with us. Who knows what kind of debauchery you’d drag the disciples into. I’m surprised you didn’t try that on Jiujiu with how you draped yourself all over Hanguang-jun. And I don’t want to give you the chance, anyway.”

Wei Wuxian grimaced as he got to his feet, not wanting to think about tangling himself up with Jiang Cheng of all people. “No way,” He said, letting his voice lilt in that teasing way he’d come to like, “My Hanguang-jun really is the only Alpha for me!”

“Good. Keep it that way.” Jin Ling opened the door and glanced down the hallway. When he deemed it to be clear, he sent Fairy to make sure no one came to bother them, then towed Wei Wuxian in the opposite direction, toward the back door. “With this, you don’t need to have anything else to do with Lanling Jin or Yunmeng Jiang. So, stay with those Gusu Lan Alphas you’re so into now, and leave us alone. And if you get caught by Jiujiu again, don’t expect me to help you.”

Jin Ling shoved Wei Wuxian’s shoulder, pushing him into the courtyard. He probably would have slammed the door shut, but Wei Wuxian grabbed his sleeve between his fingers. 

“Wait,” Wei Wuxian said.

Jin Ling looked at Wei Wuxian’s hand in disgust. “Don’t get your pheromones on me you--”

“I’m sorry.” Wei Wuxian said “There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed. When one crosses the line, it’s important to always make amends.”

“What do you--”

“I’m sorry about what I said to you before--about your mother.”

Jin Ling’s cheeks pinked, but it didn’t appear to be out of anger this time.  “It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve heard it. I’m not going to let not having a mother hold me back.”

“Still, I was wrong.” Wei Wuxian said solemnly. He let go of Jin Ling’s sleeve and rested his hand on Jin Ling’s wrist instead. “I won’t be so careless again.”

Before Jin Ling could pull his wrist away, Wei Wuxian quickly, and as gently as he could manage, pulled Jin Ling closer and hit a point on his neck with the side of his hand, soundly knocking him unconscious. 

“Sorry for this, too.” He added. 

Wei Wuxian treated Jin Ling with the utmost gentleness as he laid him on the ground a and pulled up his pants. The bruise-like curse mark was spreading. It radiated yin energy, so trying the same tricks with his pheromones that had worked on the demonic arm would only make this situation worse. He reached to his golden core to channel some of his nascent yang energy into his hands as he tried a few other techniques. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to be working, either. 

Wei Wuxian suspected he only had a few minutes before Jin Ling regained consciousness. He wouldn’t allow his sister’s son to walk around with that thing on his legs for a moment longer, and he knew he needed to disappear before Jiang Cheng returned. So, Wei Wuxian absorbed the curse mark into his own body. 

He then carefully laid Jin Ling on the ground against the nearest tree so that when he woke he wouldn’t be in too unsightly a state, and made his own escape. He needed to get to the rendezvous point and meet with Lan Wangji before it got to be too late. Unfortunately, even in this day and age, walking around as an unmated Omega wasn’t safe. Not that Wei Wuxian was completely helpless, but with this curse mark on his leg, he worried he might have some trouble. 

He reached the spot out front of the inn in short time, only to find Lan Wangji wearing an unreadable look on his face. Well, Wei Wuxian had to admit that most of his expressions were difficult to read, but this one was especially opaque.

“Lan Zhan!” He chirped, waving his arms above his head. “I’m back!”

Lan Wangji raised his eyes, and was that a little softening around the corners? But when Wei Wuxian got close, the hardness returned.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said, voice low, “what happened?”

“What do you mean?”

Lan Wangji reached out and placed a hand at the middle of his back just as Wei Wuxian reached him. He was about to ask again, when suddenly, his legs gave out. If Lan Wangji’s steadying hand hadn’t been there, he would have fully collapsed in the middle of the street. 

“You’re hurt.” Lan Wangji said. “What happened?”

“This?” Wei Wuxian tried to laugh it off, “It’s no big deal. I just have to--woah!”

Without warning, Lan Wangji swept an arm under Wei Wuxian’s legs, keeping his other hand at his back, and effortlessly lifted the other man into his arms. 

“Lan Zhan, what are you doing?!” 

“I need to look at this.”

“You don’t need to carry me!”

But despite his protests, Wei Wuxian barely struggled. Once he was in his arms, those familiar pheromones wrapped him up like a blanket and had him subconsciously relaxing. He hadn’t realized how wound up he was. But while Wei Wuxian was getting comfortable, Lan Wangji grew more tense. His nostrils flared.

“You met Jiang Wanyin.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Well,” Wei Wuxian said, “It’s hard to avoid him entirely. The cultivation world is only so big. And I should have known he would be near wherever Jin Ling appears.”

They made their way into their own inn, Wei Wuxian describing the curse mark he’d found on Jin Ling all the way, and Lan Wangji laid Wei Wuxian down on the bed. 

“I had to escape while Jiang Cheng was occupied, but I’m sure he’ll find me again another day to try to drag me back to Lotus Pier.” At one point, that thought would have made Wei Wuxian happier than anything, but so much had changed. The thought of going back to that place with the way things were…

Lan Wangji was silent for a moment more. He busied himself rolling up Wei Wuxian’s pants leg to examine the curse mark and the red streaks Zidian left in their wake. Wei Wuxian watched, entranced by his gentle ministrations. 

“Don’t leave.” Lan Wangji finally murmured. 

Wei Wuxian chuckled. “Where am I supposed to go with my leg looking like this? I’m afraid you’ll be stuck waiting on my every whim until it heals, Lan Zhan. Will you carry me everywhere? It might be easier if you carry me on your back, though.” 

Lan Wangji’s head was down as he examined the wounds, but Wei Wuxian was sure he spotted the barest hint of a smile, but it was quickly overshadowed by a dark expression as he looked at the curse more closely. 

“I was only gone for a couple of hours.” He muttered darkly. 

“It’s only a little curse,” Wei Wuxian tried to comfort him. “It’ll be easy to manage. I just needed more time. I’ll have it healed in no time.”

“So you absorbed the curse into your own body?”

“What’s a little more yin energy?” He waved off the concern, but winced when Lan Wangji’s hand tightened on his calf. “Aah--” 

“Wei Ying is not an alpha anymore.” Lan Wangji said darkly. “Wei Ying doesn’t have the yang energy he once did to counteract such resentful yin qi . If we do not act soon, it will grow out of control. You risk qi deviation.” 

Wei Wuxian hadn’t thought of it that way. He was starting to get used to his strong yin energy, and figured it made him more resistant to harmful energy, not less. But, he supposed Lan Wangji could be right. After all, balance was key to maintaining a strong golden core. It was what made Omega’s cores so unstable in the first place--an excess of yin qi overwhelmed the little yang energy they naturally produced, making attaining a strong, balanced core a seemingly impossible task.

“I should have thought of that,” He mused. “After all, that’s what happened when…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, but he knew Lan Wangji understood what he meant. That’s what happened when I died. “In any case, this is manageable for now. I just need to--”

“Wei Ying.”

“Fine, fine,” he sighed. “I won’t do it again.”

“Promise.”

“I promise.”

Lan Wangji nodded, seeming to accept Wei Wuxian’s words as the absolute truth. 

Lan Wangji worked in silence after that, using his own yang qi to push back the effects of the curse mark and keep it contained, at least for now, followed by rubbing a salve on Wei Wuxian’s wounded ankle. Wei Wuxian surprised even himself by allowing Lan Wangji to work in silence rather than fill the air with chatter or teasing. Instead, he allowed himself to be soothed by the gentle warmth of Lan Wangji’s qi, and the faint scent of his well-managed pheromones. 

Lan Wangji checked in with Nie Huaisang about his findings after setting Wei Wuxian to rest for a bit. He’d learned quite a bit about the Nie clan’s sordid history that he would have to get Wei Wuxian’s opinion about. They had yet to solve anything with the stone castles, but there wasn’t much else they could do while Wei Wuxian was suffering the effects of that curse. 

He was thankful he could be of some help to Wei Wuxian, though. The pain seemed to ease when Lan Wangji channeled his own qi into Wei Wuxian’s meridians. If only Mo Xuanyu’s golden core hadn’t been so weak. Wei Wuxian’s original form had been brimming with yang qi . The curse mark would have been nullified in seconds. But if Lan Wangji were to try that method as things were, the risk of qi deviation was just as high as if they left it untreated. Too much yang would be just as disastrous as too much yin.

He sighed, quietly pushing the door to the sleeping quarters closed. He was about to remove his outer robes, when a light rustling noise caught his attention.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian pushed himself up to a half sitting position, his inner robes enticingly loose and in danger of sliding down his slim shoulder. He rubbed his eyes in a way that made him look soft, warm, delicate, enticing--

Lan Wangji cut off that line of thinking. He looked around the room, waiting to hear that sound again…

There it was! The noise had Wei Wuxian straightening immediately, sensing the seriousness of the matter. He slowly rose from the bed, pulling his inner robes tight and proper, much to Lan Wangji’s dismay. They silently moved about the room to where they’d heard the noise. 

It was coming from the spirit pouch! The one they kept the demonic arm in! 

Wei Wuxian reached for his flute the same time Lan Wangji reached for his guqin. They’d played Rest just that afternoon, so why was the arm not, well, at rest? They would have to try again. 

Wordlessly, the two set out to soothe the arm with their combined pheromones and song, when suddenly, the arm burst out of the bag! It writhed and spun, fighting the way the melody coaxed it to relax. 

The arm was, somehow, more determined than either of them had taken it for. Instead of settling, the arm jerked forward, gripping Wei Wuxian by the leg. 

Wei Wuxian, to his credit, didn’t cry out. He kept playing, even more fiercely than before, but he wasn’t able to shake it off! Just when Lan Wangji considered tossing his guqin to the side in favor of slicing that horrid thing off of Wei Wuxian and hacking it to bits for daring to touch him, the melody started to work its magic. Slowly, the arm released it’s grip until it finally fell to the floor, finally at peace. For now, anyway. 

Lan Wangji grabbed the spirit bag and indelicately shoved the arm inside, considering how hot a fire would have to burn in order to destroy it down to its very soul. But if things were so simple, he supposed they wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with. 

“It was after something,” Wei Wuxian murmured. He stared thoughtfully at the bag. “That wasn’t a normal outburst. It wanted something specific.”

The arm hadn’t been so restless when they played Rest since that first night they figured out the trick with their pheromones. The only difference now was…

“The curse mark.” Lan Wangji murmured.

The arm had grabbed Wei Wuxian’s injured leg. It was going after the curse mark that came from the stone castles. 

“Do you think the two cases are connected?” Wei Wuxian asked. 

“We must find out.” Lan Wangji replied. And he knew how they would do it, too.

Lan Wangji was a smart guy.

Wei Wuxian always knew that. He’d have to be in order to be recognized as Gusu’s top disciple. But he’d put things together way faster than Wei Wuxian did. Using his guqin, he’d managed to decipher that the spirit possessing the arm had been after something in those stone castles. Despite the late hour, they followed it back up the mountain, Lan Wangji carrying Wei Wuxian on his back the entire way despite his protests, to investigate further and managed to uncover a pair of legs! Once the arm and the legs reunited, the feeling returned to Wei Wuxian’s own leg for the first time in hours. His curse mark had retreated significantly more than when Lan Wangji had fed yang energy to his meridians. 

That was how Lan Wangji deduced with certainty that the two were connected. From there, Wei Wuxian realized the resentful energy was dispersing as the corpse’s pieces were brought back together. He guessed that the best way to cure the curse would be to piece the body together the rest of the way--simultaneously, they would hopefully figure out where such powerful resentment came from in the first place. Killing two birds with one stone. 

They didn’t return to the inn until dawn was breaking over the horizon. Lan Wangji was reporting their findings to Nie Huaisang, assuring him that the danger had passed, but imploring him to reach out to Zewu-jun the minute something else strange pops up. Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian was in the street market, fulfilling their trip’s other purpose.

Zewu-jun sent Lan Wangji a recipe for a new, much stronger suppressant tea. Wei Wuxian was far from a tea connoisseur, but he had to admit, he much preferred drinking a pleasant brew over chewing raw suppressant herbs twice a day to keep his pheromones--and his response to other Alphas--in check. 

They were going to follow the trail the corpse left behind. They weren’t sure how long it would take, though ideally Wei Wuxian hoped to find safe shelter before the month’s end. 

For the first time in several days, Wei Wuxian allowed his mind to wander back to that lustful, frenzied state he’d been in when his heat came. He’d been a man possessed, desperate to be as close to Lan Wangji as he could possibly be. He’d thrown off any semblance of propriety and clung to the Alpha for days on end, begging him to take away the heat in the way only an Alpha could do. It was, frankly, embarrassing. 

But, Lan Wangji took it in stride. He was strong. Probably stronger than Wei Wuxian would have been in his situation. If a needy Omega in heat had come to him in his past life, Wei Wuxian couldn’t imagine turning them away. Nor did he think he had the self control to soothe the heat with pheromones alone. To his shame, Wei Wuxian likely would have given in to instinct. But Hanguang-jun had always been the better man between the two of them. 

In his past life, he never would have imagined relying on Lan Wangji like this. Sure, there had been a time when he wanted the two of them to be friends. He liked seeing Lan Wangji get ruffled when he was teased. The two of them were a formidable pair when they fought on the same side of the battlefield. But he could count on one hand the number of conversations they’d had in their later years that didn’t end with them yelling, the threat of an altercation, or one of them storming off. Or, worst of all, Lan Wangji’s threats to imprison Wei Wuxian in the Cloud Recesses. 

Though, Lan Wangji had kind of won on that front. 

Still, instead of being met with the hostility he’d imagined, rather than being chained up like an animal as his cultivation is stripped from him, Wei Wuxian had been treated with great respect and care. Even when doing his best to embarrass Lan Wangji, and escape, even when breaking every rule he reasonably could, Lan Wangji remained patient. He remained kind, thoughtful, and, surprisingly, warm. 

Wei Wuxian felt the weight of Lan Wangji’s purse in one hand and the sachet of tea in the other. He would have to do something to thank Lan Wangji for his kindness when this was all over. He wasn’t sure what yet, but he would figure it out. In the meantime, he needed to keep his pheromones on lockdown. At the first sign of an approaching heat, he would make Lan Wangji take him to an Omegas only inn to go into isolation and meet up with him later. He loved teasing the man, but he would not become a burden to him, either.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian grinned. He hadn’t expected Lan Wangji to agree to drink with him again, but here they were. The juniors were downstairs, so they would have to be careful, but he just could just never resist the urge to mess with this man! 

“Lan Zhan~,” Wei Wuxian sang, “Will you really drink with me again?” 

Lan Wangji looked down at the cup of liquor Wei Wuxian placed in front of him. His face was impassive as always, but internally, he was a mess. He had no idea what he’d done the last time Wei Wuxian convinced him to drink. He was sure he’d made a fool of himself somehow, or exposed his most embarrassing and base urges, but Wei Wuxian insisted nothing untoward happened between them. The absence of pheromones had been evidence enough that Lan Wangji let it go. 

In the past few days, much had happened. It was every dream he’d ever had regarding this incredible person-- spending night and day together, bickering over small things, sharing meals, working together to help the common people. Lan Wangji knew he should not yearn for more. He should lock up his desire to keep Wei Wuxian for himself and be satisfied with what they had.

But that was…what exactly? 

He had comforted Wei Wuxian through his heat. Even after revealing that he knew Wei Wuxian’s true identity, the Omega had continued to tease him. At first, Lan Wangji thought it was to keep up appearances to others that he was still that shameless Omega Mo Xuanyu, but he continued to taunt and pick at Lan Wangji even when the two of them were alone. Though, he supposed, Wei Wuxian had always been like that. 

There were other confusing signs, too. The way Wei Wuxian seemed drawn to his pheromones, more so than any other Omega Lan Wangji had ever seen. There were days that Lan Wangji was certain he was in control of himself, allowing none to leak out, but Wei Wuxian still drew near, subconsciously sniffing, or leaning into Lan Wangji seemingly to be nearer to his scent. 

They still slept together. Following his heat, it was clear Wei Wuxian found comfort in Lan Wangji’s presence. Lan Wangji was the same. He wondered if he would ever be able to sleep in Wei Wuxian’s absence again. He didn’t like to consider it. 

Wei Wuxian was finally within Lan Wangji’s reach. After decades of pining and yearning, Lan Wangji’s greatest desire was right in front of him. But his self control and his ridiculous sense of honor would not allow him to reach out and simply take what he wanted. 

So, to drink with Wei Wuxian again, to risk exposing all of his inner desires and turmoil, was a risk. A large one at that. 

Yet, when Wei Wuxian looked at him with those large eyes, pleading with him so sweetly, Lan Wangji found he could deny the man nothing. 

Without another moment’s hesitation, Lan Wangji lifted the cup of liquor to his lips. 

Wei Wuxian grinned a catlike smile.

He hadn’t paid close enough attention last time. He missed the subtle way Lan Wangji pursed his lips after swallowing the liquor, the light tension in his brow, the way his eyes immediately and almost imperceptibly glazed over. 

Wei Wuxian couldn’t keep the mischievous grin from his face as he counted in his head. By the time he reached eight, Lan Wangji closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

Wei Wuxian rested his cheek in his hand and grinned. Lan Wangji was so cute when he was sleeping. The stern look in his eyes and firm line of his mouth softened. The soothing scent of his pheromones drifted hazily about the room. It was a test of his own will not to get lost in it. Without thinking, Wei Wuxian’s hand drifted across the table and tangled in Lan Wangji’s hair. His finger’s glided through the silky locks, the scent of sandalwood growing the faintest bit stronger.

He wasn’t sure how long Lan Wangji would be out for, but he didn’t want him to end up with a cramp in his neck from the way he slumped over the table. Or so he told himself. So, Wei Wuxian came around the table and gently pulled Lan Wangji to slump on his shoulder instead of the table, his nose pressed into Wei Wuxian’s neck. 

Lan Wangji made a low noise in the back of his throat that might have been a groan, or might have been a snore. One of his arms came up to Wei Wuxian’s other shoulder and he pressed himself even closer to Wei Wuxian’s neck.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian murmured, “gentle.”

Another of those groan/snores and Lan Wangji’s other arm snaked up Wei Wuxian’s back, sending a shiver up his spine. Wei Wuxian was about to drag Lan Wangji to the bed to lay him down until he woke again, but the scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost drifted off of Lan Wangji. It wasn’t the usual scent of his pheromones, soothing and calming. This was…deeper. Headier… Wei Wuxian’s stomach grew hot and there was a tingle at the base of his spine. Before he realized what he was doing, he turned his head until his own nose was buried in Lan Wangji’s silken hair, hand tangled in the black strands and the white of his forehead ribbon. He felt his own pheromones leak out to meet Lan Wangji’s in kind, his heart thundering in his chest, and he felt the heat in his stomach bleeding out to the rest of his limbs--

Wei Wuxian shot up, dropping the unconscious Lan Wangji to the floor, heart racing, but now for an entirely different reason.

Heat pheromones.

He’d been bleeding out heat pheromones. And he wasn’t even in heat! Or near it! He looked back on his day, and sure enough he had taken his suppressants. So why on earth was he suddenly marking Lan Wangji with his scent?! Wasn’t this what had gotten Mo Xuanyu kicked out of the Lanling Jins? Had that guy's instincts come out at the scent of some Dominant Alpha pheromones? 

Wei Wuxian was pressed against the wall, trying to get as far from Lan Wangji as he could as he reigned his pheromones in. He needed air. He needed to air out the room before Lan Wangji woke up and realized--

Wei Wuxian’s face heated at that thought. What would Lan Wangji do when he realized what he’d done? He’d been trying to get Lan Wangji to kick him out for so long, but suddenly, the thought of being abandoned by the other man sent a twinge of pain shooting through his heart. He realized the past days he’d been…happy. Happier than he was for a long, long time, even in his first life. Maybe especially in his first life. Teaching the juniors, traveling with Lan- er-gege , solving mysteries and helping people, there were so many moments that he was… thankful to Mo Xuanyu for giving him this life. He found he didn’t want to give it up. 

So, he couldn’t risk the wrath of the great and proper Hanguang-jun if he woke up and realized he’d been scent marked by an Omega who was not only not his mate, but wasn’t even a real Omega? He imagined any Alpha would be disgusted by the idea of another Alpha scent marking them. Sure, he wasn’t an Alpha any more, but he didn’t know how to act like anything else. 

He knew what good Omegas were like, and they were nothing like him. Jiang Yanli was raised to be the perfect Omega--kind, demure, devoted to her family and home, with a stronger focus on supporting her Alpha than participating in the cultivation world. While that kind of quiet life did appeal to Wei Wuxian in a way, he knew he was far too brash, far too impulsive to ever conform to what being an Omega was supposed to be. 

Oh well. Lan Wangji swore he would never take an Omega mate anyway--wait, wait, wait--why was he worried about whether or not Lan Wangji would take a mate? That had nothing to do with him! Why was he even thinking like this?

Wei Wuxian shook his head. He pushed open the windows to get a cross breeze going. He needed some fresh air, anyway. He grabbed one of the liquor jars and slid out to the rooftop.

He downed about a third of its contents when movement from one of the bushes below caught his eye. Was that--

“Wen Ning!” He whispered, waving an arm.

Sure enough, there he was--the Ghost General in the undead flesh, hesitating at the edge of a copse of trees and bushes, looking in on the tea room where the juniors were loudly bickering about something or another. Thankfully, he finally looked like himself again--at least, as much like himself as he could. No more milky white irises or black, strained veins. The malicious energy surrounding him dissipated a little bit, as well, leaving behind the gentle young man Wei Wuxian knew and cared for. 

When Wen Ning caught sight of Wei Wuxian on the rooftop next to the window, his eyes warmed. Wei Wuxian beckoned him to join him, and get out of the line of sight of the window while he was at it. 

When he reached the roof, landing heavily on his knees, there probably would have been tears in Wen Ning’s eyes if he could still cry. 

“Young Master,” He whined. He pressed his head to the roof tiles, shoulders shaking.

“Aah,” Wei Wuxian sighed, reaching out to pat Wen Ning on the head with a gentle hand, “There, there. It’s not worth all of this. Can you speak to me normally?”

“How are you here?” Wen Ning asked, voice quaking. He still didn’t lift his head.

“Well, you know, these things happen. Do you remember everything from before?”

“Not much. I remember someone nailed something into my head. Then, I heard you calling ‘wake up’ and I heard your flute. I remember breaking out of these chains and rushing outside…” He held up the chains still locked around his wrists. 

Based on what Wen Ning said, Wei Wuxian was able to piece together that it was likely Xue Yang who nailed those spikes into his head, and he explained that much to Wen Ning. He tried to catch him up on what he knew, but when asked how much he’d heard, Wen Ning fell even further into melancholy.

“Sect Leader Jiang killed you,” he whispered.

“Aah,” Wei Wuxian shook his head. “Not quite. There was a siege on the Burial Mounds, but Jiang Cheng wasn’t responsible for me… it was a qi deviation. A backfire of yin energy. I was already walking a tenuous path. It was too much. Only a matter of time, really.”

Wen Ning’s eyes were pained. Wei Wuxian could tell he wanted to say more, but bit back the words. “Is that…down there…Lady Jiang’s son?”

Wei Wuxian gave him a rueful smile. “It is, indeed. But you don’t need to feel responsible for anything. Let me carry the burdens for my own mistakes. You are not at fault.”

“But I--”

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “No. This isn’t your burden to carry.”

He was about to say more, when suddenly a flash of white burst past him, barreling into Wen Ning and pressing him into the roof tiles.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian cried.

“Young Master Lan!” Wen Ning cried. 

Lan Wangji was awake. He had one hand firmly against Wen Ning’s chest, his forehead ribbon askew. 

“Hanguang-jun, let him go!” Wei Wuxian scrambled over, but Lan Wangji shrugged him off. 

Lan Wangji pulled Wen Ning to his feet, stumbling only the tiniest bit, but still held tight to the collar of Wen Ning’s robes.

“What’s wrong with him?” Wen Ning asked.

“Nothing,” Wei Wuxian waved a hand. “He’s just drunk.” He lowered his tone and said in a much more gentle voice, “ Er-gege, let Wen Ning go, huh? We should go back inside.”

Lan Wangji’s hazy eyes slid to Wei Wuxian, and his grip lessened a little. Wei Wuxian took the chance and placed his hand over Lan Wangji’s, coaxing his fingers open until Wen Ning was free. He motioned with one hand for Wen Ning to hide himself. “We’ll talk more later. Go get some good rest.” 

Wen Ning nodded.

Wei Wuxian lowered his and Lan Wangji’s hands as Wen Ning faded into the night.

He playfully tugged at the end of the crooked forehead ribbon. “Come on, Lan Zhan, let’s get you back inside--” He was about to pull the other man back into the window, when suddenly, his foot slipped!

Lan Wangi tried to catch him as he fell, but he only ended up losing his own footing in the process, sliding down the slick roof tiles himself until both he and Wei Wuxian were sent tumbling to the ground below! Even inebriated, Lan Wangji had incredible dexterity, and managed to flip the two of them so that Wei Wuxian landed on top of Lan Wangji with a dull thud.

“Lan Zhan, are you okay--” Wei Wuxian winced as he pushed himself upright. 

“What was that?” A voice cried.

  Great. The two of them had landed in the bush right below the window where the juniors were eating. 

“What, you want to go investigate?” Another voice asked, tone slightly taunting. “Haven’t you had enough excitement for one day?” It had to be Jin Ling. 

Wei Wuxian winced at the sound of their bickering, and was about to get up, when a  strong arm held him in place.

“Lan Zhan!” He whispered.

“Mn.” Lan Wangji replied, hand now petting Wei Wuxian’s hair.

“Lan Zhan, you have to let me up.” He said urgently. 

As he struggled against Lan Wangji, the usually well controlled scent of his pheromones wafted around him. 

He has no idea what he’s doing to me right now. Wei Wuxian thought. He’s definitely not in his right mind.  

But if this kept up, there was no way Wei Wuxian could hide his body’s response for much longer. He had to get away--

A hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

“Don’t leave.” 

Wei Wuxian shivered at the sound of the command, and did as he was told. He canted his hips away from Lan Wangji’s legs and hovered above him, both hands pressed to his chest.

They’d spent so long sleeping with one another by now, yet the feeling of Lan Wangji’s body against his was still so new, as was the feeling of security that settled deep within him at the contact. He hadn’t even had a chance to unpack what all that meant, and he really didn’t need this physiological reaction on top of it!

He was glad he’d sent Wen Ning off. He did not need anyone seeing him in this state. Now he just needed to find a way to get away without the juniors noticing…

Wei Wuxian was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Lan Wangji moving beneath him. He didn’t notice that he never released the soft, white forehead ribbon, nor that the ribbon had come completely untied in their struggle. He didn’t notice any of this until he felt a firm, calloused pair of hands wrapping something around his wrists.

“Lan Zhan, what are you doing?” Wei Wuxian asked. 

With a concentrated look on his face, Lan Wangji was wrapping his forehead ribbon around both of Wei Wuxian’s wrists! Wei Wuxian reflected on the last time he’d tugged on Lan Wangji’s ribbon. He’d been so upset he left the archery tournament early! He was so mad back then that Wei Wuxian feared he’d made a huge mistake, yet here he was treating the thing like some kind of toy! His heart constricted. Did Lan Wangji back then hate him so much?  He tried not to let the disappointment of that realization color how he felt about their recent time together. Clearly, things were different now, right? If Lan Wangji still hated him, they wouldn’t be playing together like this. 

Wei Wuxian looked down at the careful knots Lan Wangji tightened at his wrists. He hadn’t just tied one. There was a whole chain of them! Lan Wangji pulled the knots tighter, thought for a moment, then tied one last knot on top to hold the rest in place. When he finished, the corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly, leaving him looking very pleased with his handiwork. 

“Don’t go.” Lan Wangji said.

“Clearly, I’m not going anywhere.” Wei Wuxian said. “You have me all tangled up. Now, we should get moving if we don’t want the kids to find us in a compromising position.”

But instead of letting Wei Wuxian go, Lan Wangji yanked on the ribbon, pulling Wei Wuxian down against his chest. He then wrapped both of his arms around his back, firmly holding him in place. Wei Wuxian, for his part, could barely breathe. He was entirely overtaken by Lan Wangji. In the past, he could have held his own against the man in every way, including physical, but this body was so much smaller and more delicate, there was nothing he could do to escape.

Wei Wuxian took a breath in an attempt to steady himself, but for the second time that evening, he could only smell Lan Wangji’s pheromones! Again, that heavy, addictive quality came to the forefront, threatening to make Wei Wuxian dizzy. He pounded his conjoined wrists lightly against Lan Wangji’s shoulder. 

“Take it off!” 

Lan Wangji lifted his nose from where he had it pressed into the top of Wei Wuxian’s head and stared down at him for a moment, processing what Wei Wuxian said. After a moment, he reached toward the collar of Wei Wuxian’s robes and started to slide his palm into the folds. Wei Wuxian jerked with a slight yelp. 

“No, no no no,” He got out, “Take this off!” He held his wrists up over his head. 

Lan Wangji stared some more, before he started to shift his position. He sat up, bracing Wei Wuxian with a hand at the small of his back. He rose to his feet, bringing Wei Wuxian up with him. At first, it seemed as though he would untie the ribbon, but instead, he only tugged it tighter. 

“Hanguang-jun, you shouldn’t do such a thing,” Wei Wuxian whined. “What are you going to say if one of the juniors sees us like this, hm? You have me looking like some kind of prisoner. Are you trying to lock me up and throw away the key?” 

At that, Lan Wangji’s eyes almost seemed to light up. This time, instead of untying the ribbon, he turned and dragged Wei Wuxian along with him! He walked the two of them toward the back door of the inn.

“Lan Zhan, what are you doing? Where are you taking me? Hey! Lan Zhan, are you seriously going to-- Lan Wangji!” 

But Wei Wuxian’s protests went ignored. Lan Wangji dragged him through the back courtyard, to the entrance of the inn. It seemed he was taking the two of them back to their room, which would mean…

“Lan Zhan, all of the kids--”

It was right at that moment that they passed the tea room that housed all of the juniors. There were several playing drinking games--including some sneaky Lan disciples-- others chatting, some fooling around, but as Hanguang-jun dragged Wei Wuxian toward the stairs, all of them stopped to stare in shock at the sight before them. 

Lan Jingyi shot to his feet, knocking over some of the alcohol in the process. Lan Sizhui was right behind him. 

“H-hanguang-jun! We thought you were retired for the evening,” Lan Jingyi said. 

Lan Sizhui bowed politely. “Is everything alright?”

Wei Wuxian kept his arms behind Lan Wangji’s back and laughed a little too loudly. “Ahaha, our Hanguang-jun wanted to take a little stroll in the garden and decided to check up on you all. Everyone doing alright? No one breaking any precepts, right? Certainly that alcohol is for our Ouyang and Jin friends, right?” He laughed again, nudging Lan Wangji with his foot to go up the stairs already. 

Lan Wangji started to move, but unfortunately, instead of taking him up the stairs, he dragged Wei Wuxian further into the tea room! Wei Wuxian struggled to keep his hands down and out of sight, but at such a distance it was only a matter of time before someone spotted the ribbons. Wei Wuxian had a sinking feeling that if Lan Wangji remembered this when he sobered later, he would truly be mortified. 

But, apparently, the inebriated Lan Wangji had his own agenda. He took another step into the tea room, not too close to the juniors, but intimate enough that it seemed he might stop to have a quick chat. He turned his body to the side, allowing Wei Wuxian to be fully seen by all, and held up the ribbon as if presenting some prize.

The silence in the room was palpable. 

Wei Wuxian felt a cold sweat blooming on the back of his neck. 

Lan Jingyi was the first to find his voice, “Hanguang-jun are you--”

Lan Sizhui quickly shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth.

“Ahaha,” Wei Wuxian grinned, “You know, your Hanguang-jun was just giving a demonstration on what to do if you encounter a fierce corpse you need to detain. You can use your forehead ribbons! Haha…” 

Lan Jingyi swallowed the chicken Sizhui had crammed into his mouth and began to speak, “That can’t be right! Our sect’s fore—“

But he was cut off again when Lan Sizhui crammed more food into his mouth.

Lan Sizhui gave Wei Wuxian an unsteady smile, “is that so? We will remember this lesson well. Thank you, Mo- rougui .”

Wei Wuxian sensed something off about Lan Sizhui’s easy acceptance, but he didn’t have the time or the presence of mind to do anything about it. 

The juniors watched as Hanguang-jun dragged Mo Xuanyu up the stairs, presumably back to their private room. They waited until they heard the door close before the chaos broke out among them.

Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling, along with several of the other disciples, exclaimed loudly about what just happened. 

Lan Jingyi exclaimed, “Does Mo Xuanyu really not know what our forehead ribbon symbolizes?! He can’t be this daft, can he?!” 

“Does that mean the rumors about the two of them are true?”

“But neither of them have a mating bite! We would have seen it by now!”

“Do you think they smelled like pheromones? I couldn’t sense anything.”

“I thought Hanguang-jun was celibate!”

“He said he wouldn’t take a mate, not that he was completely sex-free.”

But while the rest of them lost their minds over the sight of Hanguang-jun’s clear declaration toward Mo Xuanyu, Lan Sizhui simply stared at the now empty doorway, face flushed, unable to utter a word. 

Slowly, tuning out the chatter and speculation of his peers, Lan Sizhui sank back to his seat. 

Mo Xuanyu was nothing like the rumors said about him. Sure, he played into the part of a lunatic when it suited him, and he clung to Hanguang-jun with an audacity and impropriety the likes of which Lan Sizhui had never seen, but he always got the feeling that it was only surface. Nothing he showed seemed genuine, like he was trying to irk distaste from others.

And, when they’d been trapped in Yi City, it was Mo Xuanyu who ensured their safety. He was the one who taught them about the ghosts and corpses. He helped cure the corpse powder that poisoned them. He had been clear headed the entire time. Even with Hanguang-jun around, there were no propositions between them. His behavior never became untoward. He was far from the lunatic he pretended to be; he was steady. 

Hanguang-jun was the closest thing Lan Sizhui had ever known to a father. Hanguang-jun was quiet, and his expressions were often cold, but he was far from unfeeling. Every time Lan Wangji spoke about Mo Xuanyu, his features softened. Some deep part of him, some horrible knot in his soul, eased. Others may not have seen it, but it was impossible for Lan Sizhui to miss. 

His whole life, he’d gotten the sense that Hanguang-jun was waiting for something. He would get this melancholy look about him sometimes, and withdraw further into himself. It was like he was plagued by a deep sadness.

Most people said Lan Wangji was pure and chaste for his vow to never take a mate. 

Lan Sizhui always knew it went much deeper. 

He recalled a conversation with Zewu-jun from his childhood.

Lan Sizhui had made some mistake in class, he couldn’t remember what, and Lan Wangji had been so cold toward him. Fearing Lan Wangji didn’t like him anymore due to his slip up, he’d gone to Zewu-jun with tears in his eyes to beg not to be kicked out. Zewu-jun had laughed at first, but then he sat down with Lan Sizhui and explained. 

“Wangji may look cold, but he is loyal. When he has chosen someone to give his heart to, he will devote himself to that person. The heat within him will burn with an endless heat, and he will wish to become a steady light to guide that person forward. Never doubt that he cares for you, even if he looks scary sometimes.” Zewu-jun said, resting a gentle head on Lan Sizhui's head. 

“Even when I mess up?” Lan Sizhui sniffled.

“There is nothing you can do that would make our Hanguang-jun stop loving you.”

“How can you be sure? What if I broke every one of our sect’s rules? What if I became a demonic cultivator?”

Zewu-jun sighed. “There was someone like that once. He broke all the rules, and frustrated Lan Wangji to no end, but if you looked very closely, you would see how much he enjoyed being in that person’s company. There was a lightness in him that I hadn’t seen before. But that person made some bad choices. Hanguang-jun risked everything trying to save that person from himself, and the people who wanted to hurt him because of those bad choices, but in the end it was no use. Even when that person’s mistakes cost him everything, Hanguang-jun stood by him.”

“If that person was so important to Hanguang-jun, why does he refuse to take a mate? Couldn’t they have gotten mated?”

“That person wasn’t someone our world would ever have recognized as Hanguang-jun’s mate. As much progress as we have made as Alphas and Omegas, the cultivation world has much prejudice. Besides, there’s no way for us to know if that person would have accepted a mating bond with Lan Wangji, either.”

“So, he doesn’t want a mate because he doesn’t like anyone else?”

“I think he believes there is one great love out there for each of us, and he’s had his. Why would he test fate by seeking another?”

Lan Sizhui knew it was true, for Lan men at least. They fell in love once and they fell hard. Hanguang-jun had been in mourning of this lost friend of his for years, unable or unwilling to accept that they were not returning. Maybe, somehow, Mo Xuanyu had been able to break that cycle. Or, maybe, Zewu-jun had been wrong about how he felt for that mystery person, and Mo Xuanyu was Lan Wangji’s fated person. 

No matter what actually happened, Lan Sizhui knew one thing for certain: the lightness he saw in Hanguang-jun while in Mo Xuanyu’s presence was unlike anything he’d seen from his father figure before. The fact that he'd tied Mo Xuanyu with his forehead ribbon made it abundantly clear that he had laid his claim. This Omega was his. Lan Sizhui decided that he would accept anything as long as it made Hanguang-jun happy. 

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian was, once again, glad that the juniors couldn’t smell pheromones yet. Their wonderful, reserved, chaste Hanguang-jun had absolutely drenched Wei Wuxian in his scent. If they thought Mo Xuanyu was scandalous, this would have ruined the Second Jade of the Lan Family. 

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian tugged at the bindings on his wrists. “Are you going to lock me away now?”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji replied seriously. He pushed Wei Wuxian into their room, onto one of the wooden beds. 

Was it because it was time to sleep? Was he putting Wei Wuxian to bed again? He couldn’t keep up! 

“Lan- er-gege, ” Wei Wuxian let his voice drop to a simper. “You’re tormenting this poor hostage. Won’t you let me go?”

“Does it hurt?” Lan Wangji asked, holding Wei Wuxian’s wrists in the palm of his hand.

“It does! It hurts terribly!”

Lan Wangji examined his wrists, but showed no signs of letting Wei Wuxian go. 

Wei Wuxian upped the theatrics, suppressing a smile. “Oh, Hanguang-jun, it hurts! You’re going to leave my poor wrists bloodied and mangled. How will I survive? It’s so tight! Hanguang-jun, you’ll let me go, won’t you? Please, Hanguang-jun, have pity on this poor soul!” 

Lan Wangji was on to him. He put a palm over Wei Wuxian’s mouth--why he didn’t just use the silencing spell, he didn’t know. But since he didn’t , Wei Wuxian could take his revenge. He licked Lan Wangji’s palm.

Lan Wangji jerked his hand back, clearly appalled that Wei Wuxian had done such a thing! 

Wei Wuxian burst into laughter. “Serves you right! Come, let me have my hands back and I’ll clean it off for you.” 

Lan Wangji’s eyes narrowed, and he shook his head. 

“You don’t want me to clean it?”

He stared down at his palm, not moving for a moment. 

Wei Wuxian reached out with both hands and took hold of Lan Wangji’s palm. He gave Lan Wangji his best pout, with big, teary eyes. Lan Wangji looked at his palm, then at Wei Wuxian’s wrists, then slowly, his hazy gaze rose to meet Wei Wuxian’s. But, instead of untying the ribbon, Lan Wangji threw both of his arms around Wei Wuxian, pulling him into a tight squeeze-hug, burying his nose in Wei Wuxian’s neck. 

“Smells good.” He said into Wei Wuxian’s skin.

Wei Wuxian decided the Lans were terrible drunks. He never pegged Lan Wangji for the affectionate type, but he couldn’t seem to keep his hands to himself tonight. It was…kind of nice, actually. It made him want to be just as cuddly in return. 

Wei Wuxian couldn’t hold back an affectionate smile. He nuzzled his head against Lan Wangji in place of returning the embrace. Lan Wangji’s scent was strongest here. Wei Wuxian was tired of fighting the urge to luxuriate in it, so maybe he should just allow himself a little bit…

“You smell good, too,” He murmured, eyes fluttering shut as that familiar scent filled him. 

Lan Wangji pressed even closer to his neck, and Wei Wuxian felt something warm and wet run over his pulse point.

Wei Wuxian’s heart jumped in his chest.

Did he just lick me?! He thought.

But he made no effort to push him away--not that he could have done much, what with his wrists being tied up, of course. 

Then, Lan Wangji did it again--slow and deliberate. 

“Lan Zhan--” He breathed. “Aah!”

The sensation sent shivers down his spine, and sent heat pooling in his stomach. 

The scent of sandalwood grew stronger. Little did Wei Wuxian realize, but the scent of blackberries and rain did, too. 

The next time, Lan Wangji didn’t just lick his neck. He kissed it. Open mouthed kisses trailed up the curve of it to his jaw, then back to his nape, subtly running his teeth over skin the entire way and sending shivers down Wei Wuxian’s spine until they pooled as heat in his core. 

Wei Wuxian was drowning in the scent of Lan Wangji’s pheromones, and the sensation of his tongue and lips at his neck, so close to his scent glands--that sensitive point where one little bite would bind the two of them together forever-- that his mind was on fire.

His hips canted forward, bringing him even closer to Lan Wangji. This earned him a deep, resonant growl from the depth of Lan Wangji’s chest. The sound had Wei Wuxian’s breath catching and muscles clenching. One of Lan Wangji’s hands gripped the ribbon, and he yanked Wei Wuxian’s hands above both of their heads, while the other trailed down his side to grip his slim hip, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

Lan Wangji trailed kisses up Wei Wuxian’s neck, pausing to lap at the line of Wei Wuxian’s jaw before pulling back. His eyes were heavy lidded, his lips slightly parted. While he held Wei Wuxian’s wrists hostage and could overpower him quite easily, Wei Wuxian got the distinct impression Lan Wangji was giving him a chance to say “no”, and that the slightest sign of rejection or resistance to his ministrations would have even the inebriated man pulling away and releasing him. 

Maybe Wei Wuxian was out of his mind. Later, he would justify his actions by blaming the alcohol, but he knew that wasn’t the case. He surged forward, his mouth meeting Lan Wangji’s soft lips. 

The taste on his tongue was more delectable than any sweet, more intoxicating than any wine, more stimulating than any…anything Wei Wuxian had ever felt. It set him ablaze. 

“Lan Zhan,” He pleaded between kisses.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji growled his name, his voice laced with passion and possession that sent Wei Wuxian spinning.

The sound of Lan Wangji’s breath was heavy in Wei Wuxian’s ears. The rasp of their robes as they rutted against one another heightened every sensation between them. 

Wei Wuxian was nothing but a creature of instinct, bathing in pleasure and the scent of this Dominant Alpha as he chased these tantalizing sensations. He was only distantly aware of the slickness between his thighs.

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” He keened, “Let me touch you.” 

Lan Wangji’s hand was feather light as it trailed back up to his shoulder, up his arm, to his hands still bound above their heads. He tugged lightly at the bindings until they finally came loose, lightly massaging them. He gave a gentle kiss to Wei Wuxian’s wrists, leaving the skin superheated. 

He didn’t release Wei Wuxian’s wrists until he recaptured his lips. Once again, the taste of him was overwhelming. Wei Wuxian threw his arms over Lan Wangji’s shoulders and pulled him in close, pressing the full front of his body flush against Lan Wangji’s. 

He groaned his approval as he felt just how much Lan Wangji was enjoying this, and hiked one leg over Lan Wangji’s hip. He needed the sweet friction and pressure that came with such closeness. Lan Wangji buried one hand in Wei Wuxian’s hair, lips and teeth capturing Wei Wuxian’s tongue and he sucked, drawing a low groan from the slightly smaller man. 

“Wei Ying,“ his name was a prayer on Lan Wangji’s lips. One hand gently cradled Wei Wuxian’s head, fingers tangled in the jet black tendrils. 

Wei Wuxian was already halfway to fully losing himself in Lan Wangji. He wanted to beg the Alpha to claim him, to knot him, to fill him body and soul. And he would have begged for it, too, until he felt Lan Wangji’s hand at the curve of his ass. He opened his eyes, watery with lust, and looked into Lan Wangji’s. 

They were still hazy, and heavy lidded with drink. 

The realization hit Wei Wuxian like a bucket of cold water. Through the haze of pheromones, he realized Lan Wangji was still drunk—likely on both alcohol and the heat pheromones Wei Wuxian had saturated them both with. 

“Lan Zhan,” he murmured gently, not allowing his shock or panic, nor the heat of his desire, to color his voice. “Lan Zhan, we have to stop.” 

Lan Wangji’s hands paused their progression, but he didn’t let Wei Wuxian free just yet. He tilted his head, as if questioning what was wrong. Wei Wuxian wondered when he had become so good at reading Lan Wangji’s expressions.

Wei Wuxian’s hands came down to rest on Lan Wangji’s chest, ever so slightly pressing him away. “You’re drunk. You’ll regret doing this in the morning.” 

Lan Wangji surged forward, pressed his nose to that spot on Wei Wuxian’s neck, and shook his head. “Never.” 

“You’ll never stop?” Wei Wuxian joked, even as he felt Lan Wangji pull his pheromones in again. 

“Wei Ying,” he said, his voice low and gravelly “don’t leave.” 

He chuckled, even as his core churned with residual desire. Lan Wangji clung to him like a child, like he was afraid Wei Wuxian would disappear into thin air. “I’m not going anywhere.” He carded his hand through Lan Wangji’s hair, damp with sweat. The residual scent of sandalwood rising up as he did. He shifted, causing Lan Wangji to clutch him even tighter and make a low sound of protest in his throat. 

“Easy, I’m just trying to make room.” He let go with one arm, keeping the other wrapped around Lan Wangji. He patted the bed next to him. “Come up here. Lay on the bed with me.” 

Without letting go, Lan Wangji maneuvered himself onto the bed next to Wei Wuxian. “Don’t leave.” He said again. 

Wei Wuxian wondered again if all the Lans were so clingy when they drank. He wiped the cooling sweat from his neck with the sleeve of his robe, then did the same for Lan Wangji. “I’m not going anywhere, Lan Zhan. I’m right here. I’m not leaving.” 

“Mn.” The tension finally bled out of Lan Wangji’s shoulders. 

He blamed what he did next on the residual pheromones in the air. He pressed gentle kisses to the top of Lan Wangji’s head, then his temple, and his forehead. 

His voice was low, intimate. “Sleep it off, Lan Zhan. I’ll still be here in the morning. I promise.” 

True to his word, Wei Wuxian didn’t move until morning. 

Despite the late night, Lan Wangji still rose at the break of dawn, and as usual, he tucked Wei Wuxian in properly before leaving the bed. By the time Wei Wuxian rose, he was alone in the sleeping quarters. 

Immediately, he decided he would not make Lan Wangji drink with him again--if he could even face him, that is. He sniffed. Thankfully, their pheromones seemed to have already dissipated. If he was lucky, Lan Wangji wouldn’t have even noticed them when he woke that morning.

Wei Wuxian had plenty of time to prepare to face Lan Wangji. He was able to wash up and change before the other man returned.

“Aah, Lan Zhan, what have you done to me?” He chuckled as he looked into the polished bronze mirror. His neck was a mess of mottled, bruised skin right over his scent glands where Lan Wangji had nibbled at him all night long. 

Fortunately, he was able to pull his robes up high and tie them off tightly, keeping the marks concealed. He’d just finished tying his sash when Lan Wangji returned, carrying a tray of youtiao and tea.

He tried his luck. “Lan Zhan, you’re looking chipper this morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Mn.” He said in his usual bland tone.

Seeing as he was not threatening Wei Wuxian within an inch of his life, nor did he seem embarrassed, Wei Wuxian concluded he must not remember and held in his sigh of relief. He kept his tone teasing, “You don’t remember anything from last night, do you?” 

“Not particularly.” Lan Wangji said, the tips of his ears a little pink. “Should I be concerned?” 

“No, no!” Wei Wuxian waved his hand. “You were just a little silly, that’s all. We played a game of tag!”

“Hm.” Lan Wangji set the teapot out and placed a cup in front of Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian thanked him and poured himself a cup. He scowled a bit at the teapot.

Suppressant tea, my butt.

It had done nothing for his self control last night. Maybe he should just chew the herb directly from now on. Maybe then he wouldn’t be such a slave to his hormonal urges. He couldn’t believe he’d done that to Lan Wangji! He was the sober one! He should have controlled himself! But, instead, he scented Lan Wangji for just a moment, and he became a simpering mess. 

It was then that he remembered Lan Wangji’s words from their last drinking adventure. Lan Wangji had someone he liked. He was in love with someone else, and Wei Wuxian had taken advantage of him while he was out of his mind. And that was after Lan Wangji had helped him with his heat!

Lan Wangji was a good person. He kept his cool when saving a helpless Omega in heat. He sought out ways to help others not for the glory of doing so, but for the sake of making the world a better place. He cared deeply for the juniors, even if his face didn’t show it, and he even took care of Wei Wuxian when he showed up out of the blue after years of hating him. Whoever Lan Wangji loved was a lucky person. Wei Wuxian shouldn’t get in the way of them, and that meant absolutely no more drinking with Lan Wangji. He’d have to chill on the flirting, too. 

He took another sip of his tea, and wondered why that thought left his skin feeling too tight.

Downstairs, Lan Sizhui gathered the Lan disciples and awaited Hanguang-jun and Mo- rougui for further instructions. The Ouyang disciples were packed and preparing to return home, as was Jin Ling. He cast a glance to where Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi were having a heated discussion. They almost appeared to be bickering, but Lans did not bicker. Knowing the two of their personalities, their discussion was likely perfectly friendly. 

Lan Sizhui heard Hanguang-jun before he could see him--or rather, he heard Mo- rougui before he saw them. They were the very definition of opposites attract. The thought made Lan Sizhui smile. Hanguang-jun was stoic while Mo Xuanyu was boisterous. Where Hanguang-jun was reserved, Mo Xuanyu was expressive. Hanguang-jun could stand in silence for hours, but it appeared that a mere five minutes without chatter had Mo Xuanyu itching out of his skin. 

Zewu-jun seemed to like Mo Xuanyu well enough. Or, at least, he hadn’t voiced any objections when Hanguang-jun brought the rougui back to the Cloud Recesses and kept him in his private quarters, something reserved for formally mated couples. 

Lan Sizhui bowed formally to Hanguang-jun and Mo- rougui before reporting about their status, but his mind was still fixated on the new tenderness and softness he saw in Hanguang-jun’s eyes. He tried not to watch as Mo- rougui went to Jin Ling to chastise him. 

He’d heard rumors that Mo Xuanyu was one of Jin Guangshan’s illegitimate sons, which would make him Jin Ling’s half uncle, though Lan Sizhui was sure Jin Ling would rather die than refer to him as such. It hadn’t stopped Mo Xuanyu from trying to mentor the other disciple, ignoring the chagrin it inspired in Jin Ling. 

“...listen well to your Jiujiu, alright? You have to stop throwing yourself into danger at every turn. You know Sandu Shengshou treasures you. What would he do if something happened to you?” 

Lan Sizhui was, oddly, not the least bit surprised at the paternal tone in Mo- rougui ’s voice, but it seemed he was alone in this. Jin Ling sputtered at the gentle scolding. Lan Sizhui gathered the other Lan disciples to prepare to head out, and acted as though he was not eaves-dropping. 

“And why shouldn’t I take down these monsters?” Jin Ling protested. “Even dog-Wei Ying killed the Xuanwu of Slaughter when he was fifteen! If he could do that, so can I!”

Lan Sizhui caught sight of an odd look that flashed across Mo Xuanyu’s face. It was unreadable, and gone in an instant, and it seemed to happen often when the Yiling Patriarch’s name was mentioned. Though, as far as Lan Sizhui knew, Mo Xuanyu had never encountered Wei Wuxian. He wondered what it could mean. He filed that information away in the back of his mind. 

“Was he the one who killed it?” Mo- rougui asked casually, “I thought it was Hanguang-jun who did.”

Lan Sizhui wanted to smile at that, but it wouldn’t do to give away that he’d been listening, so he moved on to speak with Lan Jingyi. He would have to report to Zewu-jun that Mo Xuanyu was just as devoted to Hanguang-jun as Hanguang-jun appeared to be to him.

Most of the disciples would be returning to their home sects, with only a few moving on to night-hunt in other areas. The Lan disciples had debated what to do--go along with the Ouyang disciples to Tanzhou, or return to Gusu. Ultimately, they decided to return to Gusu with Hanguang-jun. 

So, the disciples waited outside of the inn with Mo- rougui , saying goodbye to their friends while Hanguang-jun and Lan Jingyi purchased a few more supplies for their journey home. Mo- rougui stared after Jin Ling as he walked in the direction of Lanling, not Yunmeng, presumably to avoid Sandu Shengshou’s wrath. 

“Lan Sizhui,” Mo- rougui called him over, his voice soft, with none of the demands or arrogance that junior disciples had come to expect when interacting with seniors of other sects. “What is the meaning behind your ribbon?” 

Lan Sizhui blinked. He didn’t already know? And after Hanguang-jun put on such a proud display the night before? Lan Sizhui’s eyes dropped to the ground as he considered this. If Hanguang-jun hadn’t told him, was it really his place to do so? But Mo- rougui was asking him so sincerely, that he found he wanted to give him an honest, straightforward answer. 

He would choose his words carefully, then. Had this been the Mo Xuanyu of rumors, the truth would likely send him into a manic frenzy, leading to a scandal for the ages; however, Lan Sizhui had long ago dismissed rumors and hearsay as useless when it came to knowing the truth. He was more afraid of spooking Mo Xuanyu away from Hanguang-jun than he was of what Mo Xuanyu would do . 

“The forehead ribbon of the Gusu Lan Clan means to regulate oneself. You know this, right?”

Mo -rougui nodded and motioned for him to continue. 

“The founder of the Gusu Lan Clan said one can only let go of all regulations and restrictions  when they are with their…fated person--the one they love and cherish above all others.” He watched Mo- rougui’s expression carefully as he continued. “So, the ribbon is intended to be a special object that is very, very personal and sensitive. One cannot freely give another person permission to touch it, nor can one take it off as they please.” He emphasized this next part. “And one absolutely cannot tie it on someone else. It is prohibited. That is, unless… unless…” He trailed off, no longer able to meet Mo Xuanyu’s eyes directly. When he did look up again after a moment of silence from the normally boisterous rougui , Mo Xuanyu’s face was somehow both green and bright red at the same time. He opened and closed his mouth several times, appearing like a hungry koi. He tried to speak, but ultimately turned and stiffly stalked away.

Lan Sizhui was dumbfounded. Had he said too much? Was Mo Xuanyu not aware of Hanguang-jun’s intentions? That couldn’t be possible, right?

At least he appeared to be happy about it. Yes, Lan Sizhui was pleased to be able to report back to his sect leader that Hanguang-jun would be deeply cherished by this Omega. Once they sorted out this miscommunication, at least. 

Chapter Text

They were back in the Cloud Recesses before evening. 

Wei Wuxian never, in his first life nor his current life, would have thought he would be glad to return to the Cloud Recesses. A small part of him still dreaded the rules and restrictions he was about to face. But a bigger part of him was glad to stay in a familiar bed again. He was eager to make himself a pile of blankets to burrow into--maybe he would even put some of the seat cushions from the sitting room on the bottom to make it nice and plush. And he bet if he asked super nicely, Lan Wangji would loan him one of his robes--

Oh.

He wanted to nest. 

This was the nesting instinct. 

He sighed and dropped his forehead into the palm of his hand. He should have known this little Omega quirk would come out eventually. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to be embarrassed by it the way he might have expected. Really, the way most other Alphas would have been. He was certain if he mentioned such a thing to Jiang Cheng in their youth, he would have been laughed at. Nie Huaisang, while a beta, might not have laughed in his face, but he certainly might have considered it odd. Not "Dominant Alpha" behavior, for sure. 

So, Omegas made nests. What was there to be embarrassed about? They’d always sounded cozy to him. He remembered making a makeshift nest during his heat, but this could be a real one. Maybe if it was kept neat enough, Lan Wangji would let him keep it through his next cycle--

Woah. He needed to stop that train of thought right there. He would not be inconveniencing Lan Wangji by spending another heat in his jingshi . 

The juniors were off to report their night-hunting progress to Lan Qiren, and Wei Wuxian handed the spirit sealing bag off to Lan Wangji to store in the watchtower until they had a chance to consult with Lan Xichen on their progress. 

That left Wei Wuxian alone in Lan Wangji’s quarters. 

He did, in fact, construct his nest just the way he’d imagined, cushions and robes and all. He stepped back to look over his work and cocked his head. Was that really the way it was done?

The door opened, and Lan Wangji joined him looking over the nest he’d built right next to Lan Wangji’s bed. 

“How does it look?” He asked. “I’ve never made a nest before, and I haven’t seen one since Jiejie made them back in Lotus Pier, and she was a master. I remember how cozy they were when she invited Jiang Cheng and I to snuggle with her in them. They were so big! You could probably fit five whole people in there with us. But they still felt intimate. I don’t think I’ll ever make one as nice as her’s, but I wanted to at least give it a try.”

“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded. 

That wasn’t exactly an answer, but Wei Wuxian supposed it was as good as he would get. They stared at the nest like that for a moment longer, before Lan Wangji turned and stalked out of the room.

Wei Wuxian frowned. Was the nest that much of an eyesore? 

But he didn’t get a chance to ask Lan Wangji before the man returned with a small bundle in his arms. 

He passed the soft bundle to Wei Wuxian. “Use this.”

Wei Wuxian opened it. There was a small plush rabbit wrapped in a small, blue and white blanket. The scent that clung to the plush was…sort of familiar… But Wei Wuxian couldn’t quite place it. It definitely still smelled of Lan Wangji, but there was something else clinging to the fabric that Wei Wuxian couldn’t name. 

“Is this yours?” Wei Wuxian asked. 

“No,” Lan Wangji said quietly, but offered no further explanation, either. 

Whoever the rabbit plush belonged to, it clearly meant a great deal to Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian thought of declining the gesture, but he knew Alphas didn’t give nesting materials lightly. He didn’t want to insult Lan Wangji’s kindness, so ultimately, he held onto both the plush and blanket and silently vowed to take good care of them. 

He wrapped the little rabbit up in his blanket, like he was gently swaddling a baby, before tucking it into the nest. 

He glanced at Lan Wangji just in time to see the warmth of pride in his eyes. The Omega in him preened at making his Alpha proud.

Wei Wuxian paused.

His Alpha? 

Since when was Lan Wangji his Alpha?

He shook his head and settled into his nest, pulling the heavy blanket he’d dug out of the closet over himself, enveloping himself fully in Lan Wangji’s scent.

It didn’t matter that the smell of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost settled his pounding heart and soothed his nerves. It didn’t matter that Lan Wangji gave him nesting materials like it was the most natural thing on earth. It definitely didn’t matter that his heart beat in double time when Lan Wangji’s enticing, buttery smooth voice reached his ears. And, it definitely didn’t matter that a distant part of Wei Wuxian believed that his nest would only be complete if Lan Wangji joined him in it. 

Lan Wangji wasn’t his Alpha. 

He was an Alpha. He was a good Alpha, even. 

But that didn’t make him his. 

He couldn’t believe he was even entertaining thoughts like these after what happened last night. The only thing saving him face at that moment was the fact that Lan Wangji didn’t seem to remember what happened between the two of them. He’d been careful to hide the marks on his neck, and Lan Wangji didn’t press too hard to figure out what went down after they drank. He should be thankful to just leave things be, but his stupid Omega instincts wanted him to invite the very Alpha that sent his brain spinning to share his nest? He couldn’t do it. 

No matter that Wei Wuxian had gotten used to sleeping with Lan Wangji. He could still sleep alone if he tried, right? Even if sleeping with Lan Wangji was the best sleep he’d had in two lifetimes. And Lan Wangji made the perfect pillow. And he was so tired…

He was ruminating over that when he heard a rustling of silk and the soft padding of footsteps. He popped his head out of the nest. 

Lan Wangji stood at the very edge of it, blanket draped over his arm. “Forgive me if I am overstepping,” He said, his voice lower than usual. “My older brother has said a nest doesn’t feel finished if he’s alone.”

Wei Wuxian’s lips parted and heat rose to his ears.

“If you wouldn’t mind, may I…”

Wei Wuxian smiled genuinely. “Lan Zhan, you always know exactly what I need.” 

To some, the words may have sounded like a tease, but Wei Wuxian meant them wholeheartedly. He made room in the nest, pulling the plush rabbit along with him, and patted the empty space, inviting Lan Wangji in.

Lan Wangji settled into that warm, empty space, allowing instinct to guide him over his typical routine. 

“Don’t lay with such stiff posture when you’re in an Omega’s nest,” his brother’s voice chastised him from his memories, “Otherwise, they’ll kick you out of there in a heartbeat. Nests are about comfort and closeness with the people you want to cherish. The Lan sleeping posture has no place in a nest.” 

He thought the advice preposterous, even now. Lans always slept properly. It demonstrated their control and restraint. If not in the standard sleeping position, how was Lan Wangji supposed to sleep? He never thought to ask his brother such a thing, wrongly assuming he would never need the information--after all, the only Omega he ever planned on laying beside in a nest was his brother. Maybe Sizhui when he presented, but the likelihood of him presenting as an Omega was low. How could he have known that he would be laying in a nest made by Wei Wuxian, anyway? It should have been absurd on multiple levels. Yet, here he was--in Wei Wuxian’s first attempt at a nest. 

Lan Wangji pictured how Wei Wuxian typically slept--he looked like a cooked shrimp with how he always curled around himself. In an effort to mimic the posture, Lan Wangji turned to his side-- already uncomfortable -- and hiked up one of his legs-- even more uncomfortable-- before pillowing his head on his arm-- how does Wei Ying sleep like this?

He looked down at himself. That was shrimp-like, right? He looked at Wei Wuxian’s posture--so much more effortless. Lan Wangji suspected he was doing something wrong, and was about to adjust when he caught sight of Wei Wuxian’s face. 

His plush lower lip was caught between his front teeth as he stifled laughter. Lan Wangji had a pretty thick face, so he didn’t immediately turn away, but internally, he still wondered what he was doing so wrong. 

He braced himself for the inevitable laughter, but felt a pair of warm arms wrap around him, instead.

“Thank you, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian murmured, humor still laced in his voice. “I don’t think my nest turned out half bad if you’re willing to share it with me.” 

The tension lessened just a little bit, before finally bleeding out of Lan Wangji entirely. If Wei Wuxian wasn’t bothered by his stiffness, he wouldn’t worry about it any further. He wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian, thoughts of propriety between Alphas and Omegas soundly ignored, and pulled him in close, the plush rabbit sandwiched between the two of them. 

Only when each of them were wrapped peacefully in each others’ scents did they fall into a blissful, comfortable slumber.  

The discussion conference in Lanling was mere days away. 

Meaning, the window Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had to convince Lan Xichen to help them was more narrow than usual. He would only be in the Cloud Recesses for two days leading up to their departure for the conference. Lan Wangji didn’t typically attend, so they could take advantage of Lan Xichen’s good mood to attempt to win his favor. 

“My brother is a man of integrity,” Lan Wangji said on that third morning, the day Lan Xichen would arrive to speak with them. “He will listen to the facts.”

“I hope you’re right,” Wei Wuxian murmured. 

The two of them had spent the past three days re-constructing and studying the corpse. They were at the edge of a breakthrough, but they would need to investigate a bit further before they could say anything conclusively. And if they wanted to investigate the Lanling Jins, they would need Zewu-jun’s blessing. 

So, Lan Wangji asked his brother to meet the two of them in the mingshi so they could show him properly what they were up against. 

Wei Wuxian released the fierce corpse within the array Lan Wangji set up. Thankfully, it wasn’t terribly agitated after the two of them played Rest for it again that morning. Wei Wuxian believed they had a few incenses’ time before it got worked up again. 

He was about to say as much to Lan Wangji when he heard the sharp intake of breath from the entrance. 

Lan Xichen looked like he’d seen a ghost--or maybe, for cultivators, that wasn’t terribly accurate, especially for an experienced cultivator like Zewu-jun who faced malicious spirits every day without batting an eye. Wei Wuxian wracked his brain for another analogy. He looked like…like his uncle, Lan Qiren, when Wei Wuxian had replaced his teaching scrolls with trash novels in his youth. Speechless. Flabbergasted. Appalled. Infuriated. 

“Xiong-zhang,” Lan Wangji bowed formally to Zewu-jun, and Wei Wuxian followed suit, but Lan Xichen paid them no mind. 

“Brother,” Lan Xichen murmured, but it was clear he didn’t mean Lan Wangji. “Mingjue-xiong, who did this to you?”

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji’s eyes met. They had been right, after all. Thankfully, Lan Xichen recognized the corpse, too, saving them from having to give him such a painful explanation.

“Careful,” Wei Wuxian held a hand out as Lan Xichen nearly stepped into the array. “Without his head, we have no way of knowing if he’ll recognize you, nor how he’ll react.”

“What happened? How is Mingjue-xiong here? He was laid to rest years ago!” 

“That’s what we wanted to discuss with you, Zewu-jun,” Wei Wuxian said formally. “Will you hear us out?”

Lan Xichen felt that should go without saying, but one look at Lan Wangji had him hesitating. To all others, Lan Wangji would appear expressionless at best, stern at worst. But, Lan Xichen saw the nervousness in his younger brother’s form. Though his pheromones betrayed none of his inner strain, Lan Xichen could sense it anyway. 

And so, Lan Xichen could only listen to the tale his brother and the suddenly serious Omega told. It sounded more like a mystery novel than anything one could expect from real life. Yet, Lan Xichen could see that these two believed what they told him wholeheartedly. 

“...the mist covered his face, so we weren’t able to see him directly,” Wei Wuxian said, “but when we fought, it was clear he knew the Lan sect’s sword forms like the back of his hand!” 

“But you don’t believe the culprit was a Lan disciple?” Lan Xichen clarified. 

“Unlikely.” 

Lan Wangji continued, “His swordsmanship was unfamiliar. I don’t recall encountering such a person while sparring with our sect’s disciples.”

Wei Wuxian spoke again, “Which leads us to the more likely scenario: he is not Lan himself, but knows your customs and rules. He likely trained here as a guest disciple in his youth, or maybe he spends a great deal of time sparring with Lan disciples.”

Lan Xichen thought about this. Their deductions did make sense. “And who, in your view, is the most likely culprit?”

Here, the Omega hesitated. “It would have to be someone who didn’t want anyone to realize Chifeng-zun’s corpse had gone missing, and who can cover up the desecration. It would be someone who knows the history of the Nie Clan’s sabers, someone close with GusuLan, and someone who likely had a complicated history with Chifeng-zun.” 

Lan Xichen was no fool. He could read between the lines. He knew where those signs pointed, but the ridiculousness of it all left him nearly speechless. 

“Xiong-zhang,” Lan Wangji began when Lan Xichen didn’t immediately react. “Jin Guangyao--”

“Jin Guangyao,” Lan Xichen interrupted, though his voice was without heat, “has been in my company nearly non-stop these recent weeks. He hasn’t had a spare moment for a proper meal, or to see his mate for more than five minutes at a time, let alone dismember the corpse of our sworn brother, or- or- sword fight you in a graveyard.”

“Maybe he used a transportation talisman--”

“There would be signs of that,” Lan Xichen said. “Transportation talismans take a great deal of spiritual energy. He is just as strong today as he was yesterday, and the day before. He has not used one of those.”

“Perhaps he did not go himself.” Lan Wangji suggested. “It is possible he is not working alone.”

Lan Xichen didn’t want to consider the possibility! It was outrageous. 

“I know how people view him,” Lan Xichen said after a few more moments of heated debate, in which his brother made several compelling points. “I know of his reputation. I also know he is not that kind of person. I just can’t imagine he would betray Mingjue- xiong --would betray us like this.” He shook his head, looking to the fierce corpse that his sworn brother had become. “I trust you, Wangji. And your rougui has clearly thought this through thoroughly. I am not saying I believe Jin Guangyao is guilty of what you say, but I will not stop your investigation, either. If only to get to the bottom of who did this to our brother.” 

It was, again, clear that Lan Xichen was not referring to Lan Wangji when he said "brother", but his voice was kind. “I will support your endeavors. But please, do what you must discreetly.”

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian agreed to the terms easily. In return, Lan Xichen also promised not to speak of this to Jin Guangyao--at least not until the conclusion of their investigations. 

Lan Xichen stayed with Nie Mingjue long after Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian retired for the evening. 

Headless, senseless, all the fierce corpse could do was stand menacingly. 

Lan Xichen felt a deep sorrow pierce his heart. 

He slowly approached the corpse and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“What happened to you, Da-ge?” He asked. 

Was it his imagination, or did Nie Mingjue seem to relax under his touch? 

He was well aware of the rumors about the trio of sworn brothers. The cultivation world loved a juicy gossip story, after all. Even with a mate, Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen were still subject to speculation. He was positive it would be worse if his secondary gender were exposed to the public. But truthfully, there were none in the cultivation world who would likely take the time to understand their bond. Romantic attachments meant nothing to Lan Xichen. He’d seen the way romance tormented his parents. Despite the path to a happy ending Lan Wangji was finally, possibly, getting, he’d seen the way these attachments tormented his brother. Even with things as they were now, nothing was guaranteed.

Lan Xichen had never allowed himself to fall into the trappings of romance. He thought he could protect his heart from harm by avoiding it. He only needed his dear brothers--by blood and by oath--and the safety and security of his clan and sect to be happy. Now, someone dared to threaten each and every one of those things he held dear. 

Lan Xichen hoped his brother’s hunch was wrong. He couldn’t imagine a world where he lost Mingjue-xiong and A-Yao both. 

Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but worry about Lan Xichen. Not that he would betray his brother’s trust and say something to Jin Guangyao or anything. But, he could see how deeply the revelations cut.

“He looks like the world is ending,” Wei Wuxian murmured. He knew Lan Xichen tried to hold it in--the disbelief, the fear-- but Wei Wuxian read it on his face. “Maybe I shouldn’t have been so blunt with him.” 

“He needs to know,” Lan Wangji said stonily. 

Wei Wuxian still had difficulty reading him. He looked closely at Lan Wangji’s face. Was that the slightest drooping at the corner of his eyes? He discreetly tried to sniff out his pheromones, but, as always, Lan Wangji let nothing slip. 

He sighed. “I guess I’ve just made a career out of ruining things.”

“Wei Ying does not ruin things.”

Wei Wuxian snorted. “Tell that to Jiang Cheng.”

He didn’t know why that comment slipped out. The thought sent a soreness through his heart, but normally it was the kind of thing he kept to himself. Maybe seeing the bond between the Lan brothers had him feeling…jealous? Nostalgic? Melancholic? Something. 

Lan Wangji paused a few paces behind him and stared thoughtfully at the stone path. 

“What’s wrong?” Wei Wuxian asked. They were nearly back at Lan Wangji’s quarters, and if the emotional toll of that evening’s conversation had him this worn down, he could only imagine what it was doing to Lan Wangji. 

“Jiang Cheng knows who you are.” He said. Wei Wuxian didn't notice the hard set of his jaw, or the cold fire in his eyes. 

Wei Wuxian sighed again--he was doing that a lot this evening. “Yeah, he knows.” He probably wanted to dissect Mo Xuanyu’s body right there to pull my soul out by force. “What can he do, though? He doesn’t have any evidence. Plenty of people saw him use Zidian on me.” That reminded him… “I’m curious, though. How did you recognize me, Lan Zhan?” 

Lan Wangji finally lifted his eyes, “I’m also curious about why your memory is so bad.” 

Wei Wuxian couldn’t tell if he wanted to laugh at the remark or whine over it. He didn’t get a chance to decide. Lan Wangji moved ahead, leaving Wei Wuxian jogging to catch up. 

He still didn’t know what to do when all of this ended. He would probably take after his mother’s legacy and become a wandering cultivator, though that dream of a little farm house still held some allure. Jiang Cheng knowing his identity, and his reaction to it, cut him off from ever returning to Lotus Pier, even as just a wanderer passing through. His heart was heavy. After everything, he still thought of that place as his home.

Lan Wangji looked back at Wei Wuxian, who appeared to be lost in thought. 

The scent of rain in his pheromones had become more pronounced over the last few days. He hadn't said anything to Wei Wuxian about it, but it almost seemed like the longer he spent in this new body, the more it adapted to his original soul. He was certain when he first encountered "Mo Xuanyu" on Dafan Mountain, he hadn't smelled of petrichor. It wasn't the most common scent for pheromones to take on, after all.

But even the faint scent of rain when he'd encountered "Mo- rougui " the second time wasn't what gave Wei Wuxian away. It had been an additional confirmation, certainly, but by then Lan Wangji hadn't needed it. 

They returned to the jingshi together, each lost in their own thoughts, neither saying much for a time. For Lan Wangji, this was nothing unusual, but for Wei Wuxian...

They were settling in for the evening, Wei Wuxian snuggling into his nest, before they spoke again. 

"You rebuilt it." Lan Wangji observed. 

There were a few extra blankets that hadn't been there before, and several more plush cushions scattered about. Lan Wangji was pleased to see the little rabbit plush and several of his robes still tucked into the coziest spots.

Wei Wuxian nodded, cheeks slightly pink. "Some of the juniors brought extra supplies from the Omega dorms. I keep wondering what Jiejie would do if she were here..." His eyes were wistful.

How could anyone believe this boy who loved his sister so dearly would intentionally cause Jiang Yanli harm? The thought inflamed Lan Wangji's fury at Jiang Cheng all over again. He thought it his right to do what he would with the Yiling Patriarch as revenge for destroying his clan, but he was the one who failed to protect them-- he failed Wei Wuxian, not the other way around. He had the power, the resources, the influence to keep Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli safe, yet he'd left Wei Wuxian alone in the Burial Mound, exiled him--

Lan Wangji took a deep breath. It was in the past. Wei Wuxian was safe now. He was alive. He was in a warm nest of his own creation, lined with Lan Wangji's own blankets and robes--a thought that still had him chuffed, and likely would for a long time. 

He sat at the edge of the wooden bed, which had been left cold for the past few nights, to remove his socks before slowly approaching the edge of the nest. 

"May I enter?" He asked. 

Wei Wuxian smirked, eyes full of humor. "You've been sleeping here every night, but you still ask permission?"

Lan Wangji felt his ears get hot with a flush. Thankfully, his voice sounded steady. "I wouldn't presume an invitation." 

It wasn't proper for him to lay with an unmated Omega in the first place. He'd forsaken the principles of their greater society for Wei Wuxian's sake--he would continue to do so over and over as long as it meant Wei Wuxian would be safe and happy--and considering he was originally an Alpha, he would likely not see such gestures the same way a naturally born Omega would. So, while being with Wei Wuxian this way satisfied something primal within Lan Wangji, made him feel the pride of a Dominant Alpha, he would not cross the line any further than he already had. He would allow his Omega to set the boundaries between them, be thankful for what he was given, and ask for no more than he was offered. 

"If I didn't want you in my nest, you would know," those mirthful eyes glistened. "So, please, don't be such a stranger."

After everything they've done until now, Wei Wuxian thought, Lan Wangji was still the same formal man he'd always been. It left him to wonder if he was the only one who felt… Probably.

Lan Wangji was an honorable Alpha. While he was absolutely forsaking much propriety for Wei Wuxian’s sake, he likely didn’t see him as a real Omega. They’d hardly even been friends in his first life, yet he was doing so much for him now. Would he still do so if he knew of the feelings Wei Wuxian had begun to harbor? 

Lan Wangji took one more breath to steady himself before stepping into the nest. He lowered himself into the soft den.

His light, golden tinged eyes held the steely black of Wei Wuxian’s the whole time. 

Wei Wuxian found himself holding his breath until Lan Wangji laid in the plush. When he finally breathed again, he instinctively sought out those sweet pheromones and snuggled in a little bit closer. Lan Wangji’s sleeping posture had loosened up these last couple of nights, but Wei Wuxian noticed he still appeared most comfortable when he was laid out flat like a sheet of paper. 

He always pulled Wei Wuxian close in the night, though. He never complained when they ended up tangled together. It reminded Wei Wuxian of how well he slept on that first night together in Gusu. How he’d slept so soundly with Wei Wuxian’s dead weight on him, he’d never understand. 

He felt Lan Wangji’s hand at his lower back, urging him to press closer. He tucked himself snuggly into Lan Wangji’s side, reminding himself that Lan Wangji was doing this to comfort a friend. 

“Can I stay here?” He asked quietly, enjoying the feeling of fitting so well into Lan Wangji’s arm. 

Lan Wangji closed his eyes contentedly. He imagined spending every night like this, heart fluttering at just the idea that this closeness need not be temporary, no matter how far-fetched the fantasy might be. In another lifetime, he might have even dipped down to gently kiss the top of Wei Wuxian’s head.

He restrained himself for now. 

But he didn’t hold back the soft smile that rose at the thought. “Stay,” he said, “Right here. As long as you want.”

So, Wei Wuxian stayed just as he was. 

Before they knew it, it was time to depart to Lanling for the discussion conference. 

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji rode at the front of the gondola that lifted them toward the Lanling Jin’s reception hall, while Wei Wuxian sat at the back and watched the hundreds of gilded stairs fly by. He was lost in thoughts of Lan Wangji’s gentleness, his care, his thoughtfulness, and the person he supposedly liked.

He hadn’t managed to get a name out of Lan Wangji. When they were young, he suspected Lan Wangji might be interested in an Omega from Lotus Pier. Now, he really had no idea. Whoever it might be, Wei Wuxian had a feeling they’d get the wrong idea about the two of them with their current living arrangements, especially attending the discussion conference together. When Wei Wuxian brought it up, though, Lan Wangji simply said, “it doesn’t matter.”

That left Wei Wuxian totally stumped. It brought him back to his previous hypothesis--the person Lan Wangji was interested in must be someone unattainable, like another Dominant Alpha, or someone who is mated to someone else. 

So, with that in mind, Wei Wuxian decided something. He would do what he could to support Lan Wangji’s feelings, but he also wanted to test the boundaries of his own. Was this fluttery feeling in his heart an Omega’s instinct, or was it something more? How deep did they really go?

He was still ruminating on this when the gondola reached the top of the stairs. Lan Xichen was the first to exit the carriage, a broad smile when he spotted Jin Guangyao and his wife, Qin Su waiting for them. 

“A-Yao!” Lan Xichen cried warmly by way of greeting. 

“Welcome, Zewu-jun,” Jin Guangyao said, bowing formally.

All melancholy from the night before forgotten, Lan Xichen waved off the bow. “Come, now, don’t act like such a stranger…”

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian whispered, noticing the way Jin Guangyao and his wife were eyeing him suspiciously, even as they greeted their new guest and close friend. He beckoned Lan Wangji over. “Please, won't you stay close to me while we’re here? I’ve gotten so used to things in the Cloud Recesses, I forgot Mo Xuanyu has a pretty complicated history in Lanling.” Lan Wangji followed his eyes as he looked around the room, taking note of the barely disguised looks of disgust on some of the Jin disciples’ and servants’ faces. “I’m a little worried I might have to act the part of a fool again to keep my cover. Please forgive me in advance if I do something to embarrass you.”

Lan Wangji nodded, considering his words. “It’s fine as long as you don’t provoke anyone on purpose.”

Wei Wuxian could tell he meant it. That their trust had grown so strong warmed him. “I won’t.”

The two of them struggled through strained greetings with their hosts. Wei Wuxian decided the smartest thing to do would be to hide himself a little behind Lan Wangji, pretty much at all times. The man wasn’t much one for small talk, so the attention left them pretty quickly. It wasn’t until he made the announcement that they would share a room together that attention returned to them. Was it just him, or did Jin Guangyao seem to pale a little bit at that announcement?

Lan Wangji didn’t appear to be affected in the slightest. 

“Please lead Hanguang-jun and his…guest…to their room.” Qin Su said with a strained smile. She gestured gracefully with her hand to one of the servants to lead the way. 

“Let them talk if they must,” He said in a low voice as the two of them were led away from Lan Xichen and the rest of the Jins. “The truth is not for them to know  or judge.”

“When did Hanguang-jun grow such a thick face?” Wei Wuxian chuckled, brushing his arm against Lan Wangji’s as they walked. 

They had a few hours to kill before the conference formally commenced, starting with a banquet dinner. They needed to discuss their game plan before they came under the watchful, nosy eyes of the rest of the cultivation world.

The two of them didn’t yet realize just how much they would learn, nor just how much of themselves they were about to reveal.

Chapter Text

After their arrival at Lanling for the cultivation conference, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji have the unfortunate luck of running into Jiang Cheng, who is cutting and rude, intentionally trying to corner Wei Wuxian into revealing himself or otherwise slipping up. Jin Ling also appears, and is immediately disgusted to see Wei Wuxian/Mo Xuanyu in Lanling. Jiang Cheng chastises Jin Ling for not showing his face at Lotus Pier again after his last night hunt. Jin Guangyao stands up for Jin Ling, saying he is so distraught over what he did wrong that he hasn't even been eating properly.  Jiang Cheng, of course, scoffs at this. 

Later, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji sit together at the cultivation conference dinner, and Wei Wuxian tries to smile at a woman (or Omega in this universe). He becomes conscious of how everyone is staring and sneering at him when he does so. He is overly aware that Mo Xuanyu is not well liked, and he is currently wearing Mo Xuanyu's skin.

Later, Wei Wuxian comes across Jin Ling alone. Several bullies from the Jin family begin to taunt Jin Ling, looking down on him for a variety of reasons, but especially for being an orphan and a spoiled brat. Wei Wuxian supports Jin Ling from the sidelines, showing him the best way to fight back when bullies come after him, and teaching him how to defend himself. They have a small moment of bonding before Jin Ling realizes this is Mo Xuanyu. During their conversation, Wei Wuxian pieces together that Mo Xuanyu was kicked out of Lanling for hitting on, not just anyone, but his half-brother, Jin Guangyao. 

We learn about Jin Guangyao and Qin Su's backstory, including their reputation as a loving couple, and the fact that their son was murdered at a very young age. Jin Guangyao hunted down the people who killed him and got justice for their family, but they have not had another child since.

Later that evening, when in their rooms for the evening, Wei Wuxian uses the paperman spell to spy on Jin Guangyao in his own quarters. He discovers several key things. 

The first thing he sees is Qin Su in obvious distress. She has received a letter telling her several horrible, terrible scary things about Jin Guangyao and the "truth" of their son's death. She melts down in front of Jin Guangyao, who, while trying to comfort her, has a sinister aura about him that raises red flags for Wei Wuxian. 

They enter a secret room. Wei Wuxian snoops through Jin Guangyao's belongings and hidden treasures, leading him to his second discovery: Jin Guangyao has been holding onto Wei Wuxian's old books full of research and journals on demonic cultivation! That explains in part how so many of his inventions became commonly used in the cultivation world, and he suspects it may be connected to how Xue Yang was able to re-create the other half of the Yin Tiger Tally. 

Finally, while trying to evade Jin Guangyao's discovery, Wei Wuxian hides behind a curtain and comes face to face with Nie Mingjue's missing head. 

He uses Empathy on it to discover how it managed to get there, and sees into Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao's tumultuous past, from their cooperation and animosity during the war, to how Lan Xichen attempted to bridge things between them, to Nie Mingjue's ultimate death. Wei Wuxian deduces that Jin Guangyao must have used the music that was meant to heal Nie Mingjue to actually harm him and speed up his qi deviation, leading to his death. 

When Empathy ends and Wei Wuxian's consciousness is once again in his paperman form, he finds Nie Mingjue's eye open and looking at him.

The curtain opens. 

Jin Guangyao has found the paper doll and smiles at him. He knows Wei Wuxian has been following him. 

Jin Guangyao attacks Paperman Wei Wuxian with his sword. In the chaos, Wei Wuxian finds and awakens Suibian, not realizing that the sword has been dormant since his death. He commands it against Jin Guangyao, unintentionally revealing his true identity before returning to his own body. 

When he wakes in his body again, he fills Lan Wangji in on his discoveries, and drags him to investigate Jin Guangyao in person. 

Of course, the commotion catches the attention of other lead cultivators and sect heads who follow them to investigate Jin Guangyao.

Jin Guangyao claims he isn't hiding anything. Wei Wuxian asks to see Qin Su. They get into the secret room, where Qin Su seems normal for a time. Wei Wuxian is searching for Nie Mingjue's head, but it is suddenly gone! Qin Su gets a hold of a dagger and commits suicide in front of everyone. 

These two things give Jin Guangyao an opening to reveal Wei Wuxian's true identity, with the final proof being Wei Wuxian's ability to draw Suibian from its scabbard. This all occurs directly in front of the major leaders of the cultivation world, making him their target rather than Jin Guangyao. Jin Guangyao shifts the blame for Nie Mingjue and Qin Su onto Wei Wuxian, who knows he has to escape immediately or risk losing his life again. 

Lan Wangji helps Wei Wuxian escape. Wei Wuxian tells him that doing so will ruin him, but he does not care. As the two are escaping, they come across Jin Ling, who stabs Wei Wuxian with his/his father's sword.

Unfortunately, several world building pieces have been lost by not re-telling these chapters, but I'd hate for them to go unsaid: 

 Jin Guangyao is a Recessive Alpha. He was acknowledged by his father and welcomed to the Jin family due to his war victories, but also because he was one of Jin Guangshan’s only descendants (aka illegitimate sons) who presented as an Alpha, the other being Jin Zixuan. Even though Jin Guangyao was Recessive, he was able to make up for it with pheromone boosters and his strong persistence. 

These experiences with manipulating his own pheromones also allowed him the tools and support for Lan Xichen, a Recessive Omega, in hiding his secondary gender from the cultivation world. Had Lan Xichen not acted the role of a Beta, it is very likely that he would have been pressured to leave his role of Sect Leader around the time of the first Siege of the Burial Mound. At that time, many Omega cultivators were discriminated against just as much as demonic cultivators were due to their strong Yin energy. It was a time of great recession and persecution for Omega cultivators 

Meanwhile, Jin Guangyao gained a reputation for being very progressive in his policies for Omega cultivators: not banning Omegas from entering the sect to train, allowing them to train alongside Alphas, treating them with basic dignity, etc. His justification was that Wei Wuxian had developed demonic cultivation as a Dominant Alpha, and for others who had nothing to do with him to be punished for his deeds was unjust. This perspective was seen as logical, well intentioned, and reasonable. It went a long way in improving the status and treatment of Omega cultivators across the cultivation world. 

Chapter Text

Lan Xichen hadn’t seen this side of Lan Wangji in a long time. It was truly like they’d turned back the clock by over a decade.

Wei Wuxian was laid out on Lan Wangji’s bed, tucked under a thick quilt and one of Lan Wangji’s robes, a familiar plush rabbit placed next to him where he would easily be able to scent it. 

Lan Wangji knelt beside him, brows tightly drawn in worry. Lan Xichen was reminded of the sight of his brother kneeling in a similar position about thirteen years prior. Back then, the fire in his eyes had been enough to set fear into the hearts of all of the Lan elders, especially their uncle. Now, that fire was not but a dull flame. 

“The healers stabilized him. He will recover quickly.” Lan Xichen reassured him quietly. 

“Mn.” Lan Wangji said numbly. 

They were quiet, neither brother knowing what to say to each other. Lan Wangji explained things to Lan Xichen earlier--how Wei Wuxian had used his paper doll technique to sneak into Jin Guangyao’s secret room, what he’d overheard with Qin Su, even the fact that the head of Mingjue-xiong was supposedly hidden away in A-Yao’s quarters somewhere. Wei Wuxian even had a theory that Jin Guangyao had taken advantage of his friendship and stolen secret sheet music from the forbidden books in order to harm Nie Mingjue intentionally! But Lan Xichen taught him Cleansing personally. He couldn’t--he wouldn’t believe that Jin Guangyao, his A-Yao, his brother would do something like that. 

It was impossible. It was horrifying to think about. And Lan Xichen just couldn’t bring himself to believe it. 

“You saw it with your own eyes?” He had asked. 

“He saw it with his own eyes,” Lan Wangji insisted.

“You believe him.” Lan Xichen continued. 

“I do.” 

“And what about Jin Guangyao?”

“Not to be believed.” His voice had been so final, so firm. 

It cut through Lan Xichen, but still, he tried to reason with his brother. “Wangji, how do you judge whether someone should be believed or not? You trust Wei-Rougui, while I trust Jin Guangyao. The fact that Mingjue-xiong’s head is in his hands…neither of us have actually seen it. We can only believe what another person says based on how much  we know about them. You think you know Wei Wuxian, so you trust him; but I think I know A-Yao, so I trust him. You believe your judgment. Am I not allowed to believe mine?” 

Lan Wangji had been quiet after that, his brows drawn in frustration. He wanted to believe what Lan Wangji was saying. Maybe things would be different if the one who had seen the evidence was his didi himself, but that wasn’t the case. 

“Wangji,” Lan Xichen continued after some consideration. “The version of Jin Guangyao that I know is entirely different from the person you know, and the person the world things they know. For all these years, in my eyes, he has always endured suffering while caring for all people and treating everyone with respect.”

He saw the softening of Lan Wangji’s brows. 

“If not for him, do you think I could have taken over as sect leader? Just as I saw the good in his heart beyond the surface opinions others hold over him, he saw more in me than pointless ambition for a Recessive Omega. Despite every rumor and speculation, he has endured. We have endured. Because, we have always known better than to trust the words of others more than our own experiences. Is that not why you have remained loyal to Wei Wuxian in spite of everything others say about him?”

He knew saying such a thing would reach Lan Wangji. The last of that stubborn tension in his brow softened as he looked upon his reborn Omega, watching his breathing and likely counting each breath to thank the heavens for each and every one. 

Lan Xichen sighed and knelt next to his brother. “You have been loyal to him through two lifetimes, even after seeing the bloodshed and agony others have placed on his name. And I have always believed, without a doubt, that the criticism A-Yao received from others came from misunderstandings. I believe I know who he truly is. Now, you are asking me to believe, all at once, that everything I know about this person is fake, that I was a part of his plan and even helped him…” His voice finally broke, betraying the depth of his pain in a way that was improper for the head of the Gusu Lan sect to reveal. “Please, allow me some discretion and time to learn more before I make my own judgment.”

They hadn’t spoken much since that discussion. 

He had agreed to look into the library once Wei Wuxian woke again. Though he trusted A-Yao, he would not dismiss his brother’s concerns. Maybe in the process, they would come to see the truth. There must be some other player involved, trying to make A-Yao out to be the bad guy. He’d seen plenty of people do so in the past, as had Lan Wangji with others using Wei Wuxian’s name. Maybe once Wei-Rougui woke he would be willing to hear Lan Xichen out in that respect. 

Lan Xichen sighed. He placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Wangji, I will go prepare the Gentian House.” 

Lan Wangji turned to his brother, an inquisitive look in his eye. 

“It won’t be long before they come looking for him here,” Lan Xichen explained. “I may not agree with him, but he is one of our own now. He will be safe here.” 

Lan Wangji seemed to understand his brother’s meaning. “Will you tell Uncle?”

“Do you fear Uncle will expose him?”

Lan Wangji didn’t speak for a moment. 

Lan Xichen was aware of their Uncle’s prejudices against Wei Wuxian, but if that man was anything it was old fashioned. That came with many pros and cons, but in this case, it would work to their advantage. “Uncle would never put out an Omega who is under our care.”

And it was true. One of their precepts, one of the earliest ones, required that Alphas would always treat Omegas with care and protection. As he had been growing up, that was a cage more than a safe haven, but in this case that cage would ensure their Uncle’s cooperation.

Lan Wangji seemed to agree with that fact. “Thank you.” He said simply.

Lan Xichen nodded and stood. 

His heart was heavy, but he would not allow his personal drama to interfere with his duty to his clan, including taking care of his brother’s fated person. 

Wei Wuxian’s mind was swimming in a sea of darkness and chaos. 

Two lifetimes of memories and thirteen years of afterlife bled together, leaving him unable to tell up from down. 

How did he get here? 

He couldn’t remember. 

His mind was too muddled.

He could hear a child crying in the distance, piercing through the sound of agonized screams. The Wen elders were cut down before his eyes. He couldn’t find A-Yuan! He couldn’t see past flashes of red.

His soul was in a state of chaos. He couldn’t tell left from right, up from down. His mind was ever turning over his sins, reliving his most horrifying moments until they blurred together.

When the crying and screams finally faded, his hands were covered in blood, Yanli’s broken body cooling in his arms. His vision blurred at the edges. He was on the verge of losing himself again.

“You’re Wei Ying?!” 

The memory of a shocked, indignant voice, suddenly devoid of its typical pride cut through his mind, along with the image of Jin Ling’s angry face, eyes filled with unshed tears. 

“You’re Wei Ying?!” He’d cried, “You really are Wei Ying? Wei Wuxian?” 

Jin Ling was in pain.

Wei Wuxian’s very existence was an agony for him. A reminder of all he lost. All Wei Wuxian took from him.

He knew Jin Ling hated him. Knew that if his identity were to be revealed, Jin Ling would be among the first out for his blood. But knowing something and facing the reality of it were two different things. 

He hadn’t even tried to justify his actions to the boy—not that he ever had in the past to begin with. He’d always believed people would believe what they wanted, and as long as he and those closest to him knew the truth nothing else would matter. 

He thought the people who mattered knew the truth. 

He very quickly learned he was wrong. 

First Jiang Cheng, now Jin Ling. 

They would only ever see the worst of him. 

In that young man’s teary eyes, Wei Wuxian saw his sister. It wasn’t just Jin Ling looking at him with such contempt, but Jiang Yanli. Not just strangers of the cultivation world, but the person who taught him what it meant to love and be loved. 

He never wanted to let her down. But because of him--

Jin Ling was right to run him through with his father’s sword. 

Lan Wangji had carried him away from Lanling, but the fading sight of Jin Ling’s broken hearted form left Wei Wuxian thinking no matter how many lives he could give, it would never make up for what Jin Ling lost. 

“Lan Zhan…” He called, seeking the steady Alpha’s presence to ground him. 

“Mn,” That quiet, low, calming voice sounded near, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t pinpoint it.

He tried again, his voice hoarse, “Lan Zhan…”

“Wei Ying,” He felt a warm hand in his. The scent of white lotus, sandalwood, and frost filled him. “I am here.” 

He turned toward that voice. The whirl of memories and nightmares faded as he grounded himself to that hand and that soothing scent. 

But instead of the warmth and comfort of his nest, Wei Wuxian felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Right where Jin Ling had run him through with the sword. He groaned.

“Wei Ying.” 

He cracked an eye. Lan Wangji really was sitting right at his bedside, holding onto his hand. His normally impassive face was drawn, eyebrows tense, lips screwed into a frown. 

He wouldn’t say it out loud, but it was kind of adorable. 

“Hi, Lan Zhan.” He croaked.

He tried to sit up, but another warm hand pushed him down to the bed again. “Stay still.”

He chuckled dryly. “What, now that I’m an Omega, you think I can’t handle a little stab wound? This is nothing.”

But he didn’t try to sit up again. 

“Does it hurt?”

He could have lied, said he was fine, but he thought better of it. “It doesn’t feel great.”

“The healer will come check on you again.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. “How long have I been out?” 

“Three days.”

He sighed. He probably could have slept more, but those nightmares plagued him. It was easier to deal with them in the waking world. 

The healer was there within minutes, fussing over “The Honorable Rougui’s” injuries. Wei Wuxian wondered if the healer had heard about his real identity by now, and if she would still treat him with such respect if she had. 

Lan Wangji held himself very still off to the side of the room while Wei Wuxian was looked over. The healer replaced his bandages--the wound mostly healed over thanks to Wei Wuxian’s gradually strengthening spiritual core--and applied a salve. She believed he would be totally healed within the next three days or so, a rate significantly faster than a non-cultivator by leaps and bounds. But, he was on strict orders not to do anything strenuous. Which meant looking for the sheet music in the library pavilion would be left to Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen. 

Thankfully, Lans were nothing if not thorough. He was certain he and his brother would want Wei Wuxian to play the melody he’d heard Jin Guangyao play in Nie Mingjue’s memories before and after their search. 

Once the healer left. Lan Wangji brought Wei Wuxian’s nesting supplies back to the bed. They’d been washed since their trip to Lanling, and Lan Wangji knew Omegas healed better in their nests. 

Wei Wuxian seemed surprised by the gesture. “I hadn’t even thought of something like that.”

“My brother said it will help.” Lan Wangji gave Wei Wuxian a hand to stand on his feet. “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to lay down the foundation to save your body some of the strain.” 

Wei Wuxian ignored the way his heart stuttered. An Alpha was offering to help him build a nest. He was new to the whole nesting instinct thing to begin with but such an offer was…wow. 

He couldn’t seem to get his thoughts straight before Lan Wangji began laying cushions down on the bed--not the floor where it had been previously, but in Lan Wangji’s bed. He set them up just as Wei Wuxian had last time, lining them with a thin blanket and leaving some of his robes at the cozy corners. 

“Not bad,” Wei Wuxian grinned as he surveyed Lan Wangji’s progress. It was nearly the same as before. He left a few pillows and blankets behind for Wei Wuxian to arrange more intricately. Of course, the little rabbit plush took the place of honor at the nest’s very center. “But are you really okay with me taking over your bed?” He asked, as if he hadn’t been doing so for weeks as it was. 

“It is only temporary.” Lan Wangji said. 

This had Wei Wuxian starting. He knew that, of course, but it still hurt to hear Lan Wangji say it. 

“Tonight, we will be moving to the Gentian House.”

Wei Wuxian tried not to show his relief at Lan Wangji’s use of the word “we”. “What is the Gentian House?” Even while a guest cultivator, Wei Wuxian thought he’d explored everywhere in the Cloud Recesses, but he had never come across a building known as the Gentian House. 

“The place my mother lived.” He said simply. “No one will bother you there.”

Lan Wangji never spoke of his mother. Not that they had been close enough for him to do so in the past. Even in rebirth, though, Lan Wangji had never mentioned her. So, to hear him do so now was surprising. 

“I’m sorry,” Wei Wuxian found himself saying, “I’ve brought trouble to your doorstep. You don’t have to go to such lengths to hide me. I can go--”

“No,” Lan Wangji said firmly, “You are not a burden, Wei Ying. And you have done nothing wrong. You are safe here. We will not allow any harm to come to you.” 

Wei Wuxian’s throat tightened at the words. He felt a heavy burden, one he’d been carrying since the end of the Sunshot Campaign, ease at Lan Wangji’s reassurance. He hadn’t realized how badly he wanted to hear someone, anyone, tell him “you are not a burden,” and “you are safe”.

He felt tears prickle his eyes. Were Omegas really so prone to crying? He turned his face away from Lan Wangji, too embarrassed to let him see.

They stayed in Lan Wangji’s rooms for the remainder of the afternoon, Lan Wangji not allowing Wei Wuxian to lift a finger. According to the healer, Wei Wuxian should have slept at least another day, so Lan Wangji, ever a stickler for the rules, didn’t allow him out of bed until Lan Xichen came by again.

“I want to help look for the music,” Wei Wuxian insisted as the brothers walked him to the back of the mountain, bundles of nesting supplies and food in tow. 

“We will bring all we can back to the house for you to check over,” Lan Xichen said, “But this is the safest place for you for now. I can only hold off the rest of the sect leaders for so long. They’re out for your blood.” His voice was apologetic, as if he could make up for the fact that Wei Wuxian was the scourge of the cultivation world with words alone. 

Lan Wangji had said as much earlier, and didn’t bother repeating himself. He only nodded at his brother’s words and kept them moving forward.

“And the sect leaders will believe you when you tell them I’m not here? Even after they saw Lan Zhan escape with me?” Wei Wuxian clarified. 

“We have character witnesses to vouch for the fact that Wei Wuxian has not set foot in the main campus of the Cloud Recesses since the night of the cultivation conference. And one would have to have a death wish to question the validity of both my word and his.” Lan Xichen explained.

They approached a cottage, and Wei Wuxian understood why it was called the Gentian House. It was surrounded by thousands of the blue flowers, in bloom despite the season. It was an adorable, peaceful little house that reminded him of that fantasy of making a life for himself in a cottage in the woods.

“Wei Wuxian!” A furious voice boomed from the front door of the house, shattering the sense of peace. 

It was a voice chastising his name in a way he hadn’t heard in decades, and thought never to hear again. He had been poorly mistaken. 

Lan Qiren stood at the door of the little house, arms folded in ire, his forehead scrunched in displeasure. Wei Wuxian was certain he could see veins popping out of his skin. 

“Laotou?!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed before he could hold his tongue. Immediately realizing what he’d said, he scrambled to correct himself. “I-I mean, Lan-xiansheng, it’s a pleasure to see you.” He extended his arms in front of him and bowed to his former teacher.

He could swear even more veins popped on the man’s forehead. “Irreverent as an Alpha, irreverent as an Omega. Should have known it was this child all along.” He grumbled to himself. “Get inside, quickly, before you catch your death.” 

“Is Lan Qiren your amazing and credible witness?” Wei Wuxian whispered, “Because he’s wanted to string me up as an offering to the gods since I was a kid.”

“That’s not true,” Lan Xichen said, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “He thinks you’re much too annoying to offer the gods. He’d much rather use you as bait for a demonic entity.” 

Wei Wuxian laughed despite himself. 

“Uncle does not hate you,” Lan Wangji reassured him simply. “He will keep you safe.”

We’ll see about that, Wei Wuxian thought. 

When they came into the little house, Lan Qiren had already set out a pot of tea and a cup for each of them. He gestured for Wei Wuxian to sit across from him.

He knew he was already on thin ice with Lan Qiren. He’d never been the man’s favorite in his youth, and he’d avoided him in his young adult years. Even staying in the Cloud Recesses for a number of days in this lifetime, it was his first time crossing paths with the man. For his life and safety to be resting in this stern old geezer’s hands…

Wei Wuxian recalled one of Jiang Yanli’s etiquette lessons with Madam Yu. Though not an Omega herself, Madam Yu strove to ensure her daughter would be the very picture of a perfect Dominant Omega. Wei Wuxian always resented that, knowing it was only to ensure she would be mated off to a powerful sect for an alliance, but his jiejie never seemed to mind. Especially when it came to light that her betrothed would be a certain peacock from the Jin clan…

He remembered one afternoon at Lotus Pier, Madam Yu was instructing Jiang Yanli on proper tea etiquette. 

“The Dominant Omega will always serve the clan’s elders,” she instructed, “especially when trying to impress your mate’s family. Do not wait for them to serve you first. Take the initiative. Start with the most senior member of the family, either by age or by status, first. Then serve your mate. Then work your way down the hierarchy. The Yu-xiong will always be served ahead of the betas. The Rougui take their tea last.” 

Jiang Yanli had nodded diligently before serving Jiang Cheng his tea first, and Wei Wuxian’s second, all under Madam Yu’s watchful eye. She had been criticized for the slightest slip in her posture, the smallest detail so easily misconstrued as a slight against her guest. Wei Wuxian remembered thinking he was glad he wasn’t an Omega. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to remember all of those rules. 

He cursed himself for it, now. Still, his memory was pretty good. He could probably make it work. Besides, he figured he could stand to earn a few points in this man’s book. He’d have to give it his best shot.

But as Wei Wuxian knelt before the table and reached for the tea kettle, Lan Qiren barked, “Wei Wuxian!” 

His hands stilled. Had he made a mistake already?

“How could you think I would allow an injured Omega to serve my tea?” The older Lan groused. “You really need to learn your place. You can’t possibly think so lowly of the Lan clan that we would be so inhospitable…” 

Wei Wuxian was startled. His tone was harsh, but Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but notice the extreme care he took when serving the tea. Rather than serving Lan Xichen first as sect leader, or even himself as the most senior in age, he took great care preparing Wei Wuxian’s tea cup first. His movements were formal and precise, diligent and careful. He served Wei Wuxian’s tea with a very subtle bow before pouring cups for his two nephews, and finally for himself.

Wei Wuxian was stunned.

Lan Wangji observed him out of the corner of his eye, catching that Wei Wuxian understood that this was his Uncle’s way of showing his acceptance of the situation. He gave Lan Qiren a subtle bow of his own.

Wei Wuxian thanked the man for the tea, still a bit bewildered that he’d been so insistent on serving it himself, but thankful nonetheless. 

“I don’t know how they treat their Omegas in Yunmeng,” Lan Qiren grumbled, “but we do not allow Rougui to be treated as lowly servants in the Cloud Recesses.”

Some may have found his words insulting, but they lacked heat and malice. 

“No matter your past,” Lan Qiren continued, “You are a guest of the Cloud Recesses, an accomplished cultivator, and a noble Omega. It would be undignified and against all of our beliefs to simply hand you over to those blood thirsty gossip mongers.”

Wei Wuxian glanced at Lan Xichen from the corner of his eye, and suddenly understood how a Recessive Omega had been able to rise to the position of Sect Leader when his younger brother was a Dominant Alpha. He may have copied the Lan rules hundreds of times, but he never realized how seriously they took the chapters on treating Omegas with dignity and respect. In his youth, he’d dismissed it as all talk, empty words. Maybe that wasn’t the case after all…

He wondered what things would have been like for his sister if the Yunmeng Jiangs or the Lanling Jins treated their Omegas with such status and care. Maybe she wouldn’t have been treated as a political chess piece all her life. Sure, Wei Wuxian knew she had loved Jin Zixuan dearly, but perhaps if she had received the same training as her brothers, she could have defended herself. She might have been quicker when that sword came down. Or, maybe, she could have stopped him before he’d gone too far into the darkness. If anyone had that power, it would have been her. 

Lan Wangji noticed the melancholy air that overtook Wei Wuxian, but, clueless as he was to its origin, he was helpless to fix it. Everything was spiraling out of his control, and his instincts to fix things for his Omega--no, not his Omega--were gnawing at him. 

Lan Xichen noticed his brother’s distress, and Wei Wuxian’s shift in mood. He subtly signaled for his uncle, who paused his musings to observe the two younger adults. He glanced to Lan Xichen and nodded, sensing his intentions. 

Lan Xichen cleared his throat, “Wangji, why don’t you go gather some firewood. If you and Wei-Rougui will be staying the night here, you’ll want to keep the fire going. It is rather drafty. Uncle and I will stay with Wei-Rougui until you return.”

Helpless to do anything else, and thankful for a task that would make this living arrangement more comfortable for Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji easily agreed. He went out back to cut several logs into firewood for the next night or so.

Lan Xichen did more than stay with Wei Wuxian. He helped the newer Omega set up his nest in the bedroom, reassuring him that the nesting instinct was just stronger a couple of weeks after a heat, and it would get easier for him over time. They brought everything Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had collected in the jingshi, and then some. It was finally starting to resemble what Wei Wuxian recalled Jaing Yanli making for herself. 

Looking at the bundles of pillows and blankets and quilts, Wei Wuxian’s throat constricted. He wished he had something of her’s to add. He wished he could wrap himself up in her comforting orange blossom scent again. He missed his jiejie.

Maybe his life after her death had been too short. He still wanted to run to Lotus Pier, expecting to see her serving tea or peeling lotus seeds for him and Jiang Cheng like when they were kids. He felt like he could still hear her laughter. The image of her in her red wedding robes was fresh in his mind. Maybe it wasn’t until this moment that the reality of her being gone fully sank in. 

Jin Ling’s agonized face flashed in his mind once more. So much like his mother’s. The mother he would never know. 

He may not have been the one to deliver the killing blow, but he would forever wear Jiang Yanli’s blood on his hands. What right did he have to mourn her now? To wish he had her scent for his nest? 

Instead of orange blossoms, the scent of sandalwood, white tea, and almond blossoms enveloped Wei Wuxian, washing away the embittered scent of Wei Wuxian’s grief.

“I don’t know what it’s like to go through what you have,” Lan Xichen said quietly, “But you are not alone. Don’t carry your burdens as if you are.”

He led Wei Wuxian into the nest they’d built together and laid him down. Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but feel guilt that this man was dealing with so much grief of his own, yet here he was comforting Wei Wuxian. Instead of voicing the thought, he tried to channel as much comforting qi into his pheromones as he could and gently released just a little bit, just enough to reciprocate Lan Xichen’s tender

It was long after nightfall when Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren left Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in the Gentian House. Lan Wangji had joined Lan Xichen in Wei Wuxian’s nest after collecting the firewood while Lan Qiren strengthened the wards hiding the house from detection. 

Lan Qiren knew his nephew. He knew that Lan Xichen was using Wei Wuxian’s distress and need for comfort as a way to put aside his own pain. Thankfully, Wei Wuxian sensed it, too. 

Where had such emotional maturity come from in the young former Alpha? Was it rebirth? 

He was never one for gossip--it was forbidden, after all. He refrained from casting judgment against the young man in his previous life when his crimes were broadcast to the cultivation world to play at justice.

He certainly hadn’t been fond of the young, troublemaking disciple who plagued the Cloud Recesses in his youth, but Lan Wangji was. Lan Xichen spoke his praises. His nephews, who otherwise possessed impeccable judgment and discernment, held affection for the young man. At first, Lan Qiren had dismissed it as a misguided folly. He hadn’t condemned Young Master Wei as the rabid dog the cultivation world made him out to be, but he certainly wasn’t someone he imagined going out of his way to help, either. 

It wasn’t until Lan Wangji suffered thirty-three strikes of the discipline whip that he came to understand. 

He remembered Lan Wangji’s ever-stoic form after he suffered his punishment in silence. He made no move to resist, from start to finish. By all rights, it should have killed him. Yet still, he knelt with a straight back and determined eyes. 

When asked if he regretted his actions, Lan Qiren would never forget the way those eyes focused once more with a burning fire, nor the way his voice, hoarse from biting back the pain, choked out a clear, resounding, “Never.”

Wangji had gone into isolation afterward, not even being awarded time to heal. It was clear the other elders deemed his transgression deep enough to warrant death, but they did not condone the death penalty in the Cloud Recesses. Instead, their council would allow nature to run its course, and if his injuries killed him, so be it. 

Lan Qiren never considered himself a particularly brave man. He wasn’t one to stand against the decisions of the council at large.

That had been his brother, who foolishly stood before that very blackhearted council to defend his wife before they sent their own leader into isolation, and the mother of their heir into eternal house arrest. 

Lan Qiren had done nothing on that day, either. The same way he had done nothing when Lan Wangji stood his ground to defend a troubled, persecuted Alpha, going against everything he’d been taught to believe. 

Lan Qiren never asked Wangji the truth about Wei Wuxian. He never pried into why his star pupil, the moral guide for their sect, would forsake everything for a black sheep like that. 

The look in his eyes on that platform had said all Lan Qiren needed to know.

That the council made the wrong call.

The cultivation world made the wrong call.

And only Lan Wangji had the courage to do the right thing. 

The shame the old man felt that day was something he never wanted to feel again. 

So, this time, he would make the right call. He would keep his nephews safe, and he would not allow the Lan’s council of elders, nor the rest of the cultivation world, to punish a young man merely for existing--for being reborn against his will. Until it could be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Wei Wuxian was guilty of the horrors he was accused of, he would have safe haven in the Cloud Recesses. Lan Qiren would ensure it. 

But he said none of this to his nephews. 

He called Lan Xichen away from that intricately crafted nest when it became clear that Wei Wuxian needed to heal. Lan Xichen needed time to recover, too.

For his part, Lan Xichen’s mind was a disaster. 

He was thankful to his uncle. He’d known calling upon his help was the right move, but the man had gone far beyond even his own expectations. 

Now he needed to figure out what to do for Jin Guangyao.

No matter what Wei Wuxian said he found, he couldn’t bring himself to believe his A-Yao was a bad person. 

After bidding his uncle goodnight, Lan Xichen returned to his own sleeping quarters. His own nest.

He rarely took his down. Ever since Nie Mingjue’s death, he simply kept it out. Even after all these years, he only withdrew strategic pieces for regular cleansing. 

He never removed the dark robes neatly folded at the head of the nest. They were kept preserved by a series of intricate talismans, ensuring the cinnamon and warmed liquor scented pheromones wouldn’t fade with time. 

Lan Xichen collapsed into the plush den, gripping Nie Mingjue’s robes to his chest. Out of habit, he reached to the golden brocade outer robe tucked into the sides of the nest. He didn’t need to be as careful with those. He could usually trade them out every few weeks, A-Yao’s faint, honey-and-clove scent ever-fresh. 

Normally, on nights like these when grief was heavy and he was at a loss for how to move forward, he would take both robes and curl around them both, needing to feel the comfort and closeness of his sworn brothers. 

But tonight, he hesitated, the fine fabric of Jin Guangyao’s formal robes just barely brushing his fingers.

He didn’t want Wei Wuxian’s suspicions to be right. He was certain there was a logical explanation for what he claimed to find. His A-Yao wouldn’t betray him this way--wouldn’t betray their Da-ge like Wei Wuxian claimed. He truly believed that. He did. 

So why did he hesitate to bring their robes together? 

Lan Xichen’s heart quivered. He held Nie Mingjue’s pheromones against him as tight as he could, praying for his brother’s spirit to ease the pain, even as he knew Nie Mingjue’s fierce corpse was still held within that spirit-trapping pouch. He held the golden fabric of Jin Guangyao’s robes in his extended hand, unable to pull it in close, but still unwilling to let go. 

Chapter Text

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji stayed true to their word. While Wei Wuxian stayed in the Gentian House recovering from his injuries, the Twin Jades of Lan went into the depths of the Lan Archives to locate something, anything, that resembled what Wei Wuxian heard in Nie Mingjue’s memories. 

While he waited, Wei Wuxian stared at Suibian . 

Lan Wangji managed to hold onto it for him when they’d escaped from Lanling. He was tempted to practice some of his sword forms, but the thought that it wouldn’t feel the same held him back even more than the threat of Lan Wangji returning and chewing him out for over-exerting himself while injured. Or worse, Lan Qiren coming in to check on him and delivering the same lecture.

He smiled ruefully at the blade. It wasn’t like he would get very far, anyway. His spiritual core was just too weak. Though, maybe he would have a chance someday… At least he had a golden core again.

He was lost in his musings when the door to the cottage opened. 

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen held a few books of sheet music each. There was a slight tension between them, but neither of them acknowledged it, so Wei Wuxian decided he wouldn’t, either.

“Did you find something?” He asked. 

Lan Xichen’s usual, gentle demeanor returned, replacing the dour expression he’d worn upon entering the Gentian House. “We found a few things. But I wanted to hear what you say you heard in Mingjue-xiong’s memories again to be safe.”

Lan Wangji laid out a few books in front of Wei Wuxian. “Do any of these look familiar?”

Wei Wuxian looked over the sheets in front of him. “No. None of them. Well…” he tapped one sheet of paper. “This one is almost right.”

“That’s Cleansing.” Lan Xichen looked almost relieved. 

“But it’s different right around here.” Wei Wuxian ran his fingers over one of the stanzas. Lan Wangji handed him the makeshift bamboo flute, which had long been polished up to produce a nicer sound. “Can you play what you remember?” 

Wei Wuxian nodded. Lan Xichen had some paper ready to transcribe the notes. 

He played the song from his memory. The beginning was nearly identical to the notes of Cleansing, but they deviated toward the end, taking on a new pattern wholly different from what they should have been. 

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji shared a look.

“What is it?” Wei Wuxian asked. 

Rather than explaining, Lan Wangji placed another book in front of Wei Wuxian. This one had a torn page. “Play from here.” He pointed to the page before the rip, to the beginning of a different, unnamed melody. 

Wei Wuxian did as he was asked, and immediately understood. The melody he played was a little similar to Cleansing, but much darker, more sinister. Wei Wuxian was careful not to touch any spiritual energy as he played, sensing that this song would do immediate harm to the listener. But even worse, the melody lined up a little too well with the misplaced verse in the fake Cleansing. 

“What is this?” He asked when he finished. 

“The Collection of Turmoil,” Lan Xichen explained. They were forbidden songs designed to curse the listener that had been locked away in the library pavilion. Lan Xichen already knew what they found when he and Lan Wangji stumbled upon it, but just to be absolutely sure, he’d convinced his brother to hide both cleansing and the Collection of Turmoil in a stack of other musical pieces. If Wei Wuxian were lying, surely he wouldn’t recognize them. But, he had.

Their running hypothesis, as Jin Guangyao had never stepped foot in the archives of the Library Pavilion, was that he, or whoever the culprit was, must have had help to retrieve the sheet music, not to steal the music itself, but to eliminate the evidence. Without the sheet music, there was no way to prove that Jin Guangyao had intentionally played a piece from the Collection of Turmoil with the intent to harm. He could still claim that he thought he played Cleansing. 

“There is only one way to know for certain--the song must be tested on a willing volunteer.” Lan Xichen said. 

“We can’t do that,” Wei Wuxian protested, “We don’t know what this could do to someone!”

“Then I will test it on myself.” Lan Xichen decided. 

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian started to protest, but Lan Xichen wouldn’t hear of it. It was his duty to protect their sect from harm, and if their techniques were being stolen, he must know with full certainty. He couldn’t rely on speculation. He needed to feel the evidence. He had to know.

He warned his brother and Wei Wuxian off of telling Lan Qiren about his plan. He was glad to have had his uncle’s support with keeping Wei Wuxian safe, but if the man knew how deep this ran and how they planned to uncover it, he was sure it would be enough to send the man to an early grave. 

“Thank you for your assistance, Wei- rougui,” Lan Xichen said. “Truly, it is much appreciated. I will leave you to heal.”

Wei Wuxian’s expression was gentle. “Take care of yourself, too. Don’t run yourself ragged over this. You aren’t alone.”

He appreciated the sentiment. Lan Xichen bid the two a good afternoon and retreated to his room, aptly called the “cold rooms”. They certainly felt cold lately. 

Waiting on his desk was a stack of correspondence he would rather ignore, but he knew keeping himself occupied would be far better for him than sitting idle to ruminate on what this discovery could mean. 

A stiff letter with golden edges sat at the top of the stack. 

It was from Jin Guangyao. 

***

Wei Wuxian tried not to let his mind linger on Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao. He didn’t consider himself a particularly comforting person, given his past. He wasn’t sure how to help Zewu-jun with this dramatic news. 

In that way, he supposed he and Lan Wangji were alike. There wasn’t much they could do other than silently support the other person. 

His eyes drifted to where Lan Wangji stood. He was carefully plating food for their meal, and Wei Wuxian’s heart warmed at the sight. He tried to tell himself to calm down, not to read too much into it, but it was hard not to. A Dominant Alpha was serving him a meal. He didn’t have to grow up as an Omega to feel the weight of such a thing. 

Ever since his rebirth, Lan Wangji had sent his mind spinning. He broke tradition at every turn. Wei Wuxian’s belief that it was simply because Lan Wangji still saw him as a fellow Dominant Alpha and didn’t care to bother with propriety was giving way to the hope that maybe that wasn’t the case. He and Lan Wangji hadn’t been close enough to serve one another meals in his last life. They never discussed courting Omegas, or even scented each other--in a friendly way, of course. If such a thing existed. Could Alphas do things like that together? 

The only thing that came to mind was a distant conversation he’d had with Jiang Fengmian in his youth. He couldn’t even really recall what had sparked the conversation, but the words always stuck with him. 

Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli hadn’t been around. It was just Wei Wuxian and the man who had taken him in, and given him a warm bed and hot meals. He looked to Wei Wuxian with eyes that almost seemed a little sad, and said, “Alphas will always mate with Omegas. Betas like My Lady have more freedom. But, A-Ying, should you present as an Alpha, pray for the fortune that your love is an Omega. Love between two Alphas in a world like ours will always be doomed to fail.”

Why had he said such a thing? 

Wei Wuxian wracked his brain, wishing he could remember more about that day. It had been so long ago, only a few short months after he’d begun training at Lotus Pier, long before his secondary gender even presented. He cursed his mind for leaving so many memories from his childhood to wither away. 

He supposed he would never have a chance to learn if what Uncle Jiang said was true. He was a Dominant Omega now. Even if his identity was now exposed, he had none of the powerful yang energy he’d exuded from his first life. He would never have the privileges and status he might have earned as an Alpha in this world again--not that he’d had it in the first place. But it also meant if he chose to love an Alpha, if he was terribly lucky and the stars aligned in his favor, maybe his love wouldn’t be doomed to fail the way his uncle warned. 

Wei Wuxian was lost in these thoughts as Lan Wangji placed the food at the low table, and missed the glassiness to his eyes.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said, never struggling to find a topic of conversation, “ Laotou has been weirdly nice to me lately. He didn’t even try to give me homework when he came over earlier. Not that I’m even of the age to be his student anymore. I just always get the feeling that he’s waiting for an excuse to make me write lines, or study-- Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji was always quiet, but something about his demeanor struck Wei Wuxian. There was a fine tension to his form that wasn’t normally present. His breathing was shallow, pupils dilated. 

Wei Wuxian frowned. “Hanguang-jun?” 

Lan Wangji’s cheek twitched, but he didn’t respond. 

“ Er-gege,” he began to reach for Lan Wangji.

“Don’t--” Lan Wangji’s voice was coarse. “Don’t move.”

Wei Wuxian dropped his hand. “What is it? Are you unwell?” Had he missed some sign of injury while Lan Wangji allowed him to sit idly and recover?

“No.” His nostrils flared. 

Wei Wuxian subtly sniffed. His breath hitched. “Wait. You’re--”

“I will manage.” He stood. “Stay. Eat. I will leave you. Uncle will return to check on things for you.” 

Wei Wuxian blinked. “Wait, no! Lan Zhan, you’re--”

“I will manage.” His voice sounded final. 

But Wei Wuxian was never one to obey easily. “Alone? What, will you go into isolation and try to meditate it away?”

Lan Wangji was quiet. Wei Wuxian had hit the nail on the head. 

“I should leave,” he finally said. 

Wei Wuxian’s stomach clenched at the prospect.

“You don’t have to!” He didn’t know what came over him. Maybe that little bead of hope overtook him. Maybe he was emboldened by the meal that had just been placed with such care in front of him. Maybe it was the memory of his first heat in Lan Wangji’s arms that had his heart aching. Whatever it was, the words burst forward before he could think about them. “Let me help you.”

If it were even possible, Lan Wangji became even more rigid. 

Unable to take it back, Wei Wuxian pressed forward. “I don’t know how you were able to do what you did during my heat. I don’t think I can do the same thing if I tried. I’m just not as strong as you are, Lan Zhan. But I can…help the way normal Omegas help. I’m Dominant. My pheromones should…” He flushed.

Lan Wangji looked pained. “It is…not safe.”

“Are you saying you would hurt me?”

Lan Wangji turned to him with glassy eyes, his voice laced with conviction. “Never.”

Wei Wuxian was emboldened by that response. “Then don’t ask me to go.”

Lan Wangji’s mind was ablaze. He didn’t know where he went wrong. Did he miscalculate the date of his last rut? This felt…early. 

Distantly, he remembered his uncle’s warnings that spending too much time around particular Dominant Omegas could affect his rut, especially if the Alpha were exposed to that Omega’s heat pheromones. He hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, and reactions like that were so uncommon that he hadn’t even considered that such a thing might occur. He had no suppressants on him, and Wei Wuxian’s pheromones--that scent of wild plum blossoms, blackberries, and the precious scent of rain that he thought lost to the ages-- were intoxicating. Mind numbing. 

He had been careless, thoughtless, and now he walked a knife’s edge of control as he tried to break away from this hell. He couldn’t live with himself if he were to bring harm to Wei Wuxian, especially while he was still in recovery. 

Only his ironclad resolve kept his pheromones in check. As usual, his well practiced habit kept Wei Wuxian safe. 

For now, he thought, gritting his teeth. 

He knew the power a Dominant Alpha’s pheromones held. While he’d never made any grand vows to keep such a power in check, never thought too deeply about the ways someone in his shoes could take advantage of an Omega, he certainly had no desire to abandon his principles, especially not with Wei Wuxian. He wanted to protect the other man, to ensure he continued to live and thrive. He couldn’t give in to his inner beast. 

But that resolve was crumbling. 

The worry in Wei Wuxian’s dark eyes was the first crack in his will.

The way his voice softened as he asked Lan Wangji to let him help had him shaking.

Then, there was his offer.

If Lan Wangji were a weaker man, he could have blamed such an offer on the pheromones, but a quick check ensured he had kept most of the rut-laced scent in check. Wei Wuxian had detected it, but only the barest trace. Not near enough to induce the animalistic lust that could leave him disoriented and entirely uninhibited. No, Wei Wuxian still had his wits about him, even when he told Lan Wangji that he would help the way normal Omegas help .

Lan Wangji tried to brush it off, but Wei Wuxian asked him not to let him go, and Lan Wangji was immediately lost in the depth of those eyes.

His iron will, that firm resolve, dissolved to dust. 

Without another thought, Lan Wangji surged forward, circling Wei Wuxian with his arms and immediately devouring his lips in a searing kiss. 

Wei Wuxian froze for only a moment, presumably in shock of the swiftness of Lan Wangji’s movements, but quickly melted into the other man. 

Lan Wangji couldn’t take it any more. He couldn’t bear to hold back his pheromones for another moment. There was this need within him to feel the effects of his scent melding with Wei Wuxian’s. So, finally, he let go. 

Wei Wuxian made a low, keening sound in the back of his throat, his pheromones bleeding out of him, and-- oh gods above! 

Lan Wangji’s soul sang at the way their scents danced together, his increasingly hazy mind further intoxicated not just by the scent, but the fact that this was Wei Wuxian. Wei Ying was in his arms. He was there and he wasn’t leaving. Lan Wangji’s restraint snapped, and he wouldn’t allow this opportunity to pass.

It didn’t take long for Wei Wuxian to lose himself in Lan Wangji--his body, his scent, his kisses, his touch, all aspects of him.

He was burning--his entire sense of self was up in flames until all that remained was the desire he felt for this man. 

Lan Wangji had clearly tried to maintain control, but it was a losing battle. As soon as Wei Wuxian offered himself, Lan Wangji acquiesced and allowed instinct to take over. They lost themselves in searing kisses, savoring the flavor of each others’ pheromones on their tongues. 

Lan Wangji soon wrapped his arms fully around Wei Wuxian’s waist, pulling him flush against his chest. Wei Wuxian wrapped his legs around Lan Wangji, craving some way to be even closer to the man. 

“You’re burning up,” Wei Wuxian murmured, rubbing his cheek against Lan Wangji’s neck. 

“Mn,” Lan Wangji hummed. His arms locked around Wei Wuxian, he stood, bringing the other man up with him so effortlessly it was as if the slightly smaller body weighed nothing at all.

Wei Wuxian, for his part, barely noticed. The air was thick around him. Lan Wangji might be the one in estrus, but Wei Wuxian was practically dizzy with lust. He kissed the alpha on every bit of exposed skin he could reach as he was carried to their nest. He hadn’t even realized that was where they were headed until he felt the cool, soft fabric at his back. 

Lan Wangji reached over Wei Wuxian’s head and adjusted something before his hands returned to the collar of his robe. 

Cool air on bare skin did little to relieve the urgent heat boiling in their veins.
Lan Wangji’s eyes were fierce, but his touch was gentle. Wei Wuxian melted under his fingers, becoming entirely liquid from his heat and tenderness. He lost himself in the sensation, and he knew Lan Wangji was the same. The room and the world fell away from them. Soon, there were no sounds but that of slick skin against skin, heavy breath and gentle gasps, and the sweet music of each other’s voices. Their scents, heavy and warm, wrapped around their joined forms, insulating them from thoughts or worries about the outside world. 

Wei Wuxian’s heat had been three tortuous days--long hours of agony, barely soothed by Lan Wangji’s care that left both of them exhausted.

This rut was nothing like that. For either of them. 

Time was lost to them. 

The only agony they suffered was the endless craving for each other’s bodies, ceaseless even when granted release. But it was an agony they endured gladly. It was an agony experienced in equal parts with bliss. 

In some ways, Lan Wangji's desperation mirrored what Wei Wuxian remembered of his own ruts--inexplicable need for release, and the knowledge that one's partner was the key. Yet, there was something in the tenderness of his touch that was unlike anything Wei Wuxian had ever felt from another, or experienced himself. He had the desperation of a drowning man gasping for air, yet he held Wei Wuxian like a rare butterfly, as if the wrong move would send the delicate creature flying away, or grievously injured. 

For his part, Wei Wuxian had never felt such a connection to another person. Between fervent breaths, in the brief moments of clarity in which Wei Wuxian had the presence of mind to think coherently, he was struck with awe at this connection, and a twinge of fear of what might happen when their coupling came to an end. 

But he didn't want to think of the end, even in those fleeting moments. 

They fit together in a way Wei Wuxian didn’t try to understand. Every touch, every kiss, every sigh called to their very souls in a way he’d never experienced before. He lost himself in Lan Wangji, and he never wanted it to end.