The alpha listed off his symptoms, pretending to be strong and getting more “skilled” at it: “It’s fine, though I might accidentally spike a fever in the middle of the night, lose consciousness, and fall into a coma…”
“I’m not… not leaving,” Tang Zhe interrupted, unable to listen any longer, stopping Min Yang before he could list more symptoms.
Tang Zhe said, “You’ll… you’ll be fine.”
He didn’t want Min Yang to be sick; even just hearing him talk about it, Tang Zhe didn’t want it to happen.
In the bedroom, the warm yellow light softly illuminated the Omega’s gentle face. The little stutterer sighed, holding Min Yang’s hand as he sat down on the edge of the bed. There were still some candies Tang Zhe had prepared on the nightstand. The faint scent of grapefruit quietly filled the room, gradually soothing the alpha’s earlier anxiety.
Tang Zhe said, “I’m here.”
For once, he didn’t stutter.
No one noticed when, but the alpha’s pheromones began to slowly seep out, gradually wrapping around the gentle grapefruit scent.
Tang Zhe was jolted awake by the scorching embrace, and when he reached out in his drowsy state, he touched the burning hot skin of the alpha.
“Sir!”
Tang Zhe was shocked, instinctively trying to get up, but in the next moment, his legs gave out, and he fell straight into Min Yang’s arms.
In the bedroom, the alpha’s pheromones spread out like a giant net, slowly capturing the prey that had stumbled into it.
Min Yang had woken up at some point, his voice hoarse: “Wife…”
“Your… your rut has… started.”
Last night’s fever wasn’t just from taking a cold shower; it was also because the alpha’s rut was approaching. And since Min Yang’s last rut had been forcibly suppressed with inhibitors, this one was hitting even harder.
But the alpha had been panicked, and Tang Zhe’s emotions had also been affected, so neither of them had noticed.
Tang Zhe remembered their first time had been an accident, and he’d always known he was someone forced onto the alpha by his stepmother. Although Min Yang hadn’t said anything, Tang Zhe, who had never been liked by the Tang family, was very sensitive to others’ emotions.
Tang Zhe knew that Min Yang probably resented this arranged marriage.
At least, that’s how it was at first.
As for what Min Yang had said last night about needing him, Tang Zhe didn’t dare to take it seriously.
Since Min Yang was in rut right now, then last night, it was very likely that the alpha had already been showing the signs. Alphas in rut are very emotional; the things they say and do are rarely well thought out.
“Where… where are the inhibitors?” Tang Zhe asked, struggling to hold onto his reason as he tried to get up.
Min Yang parted his lips, and when Tang Zhe leaned in closer, he heard Min Yang say, “No inhibitors.”
“Then… then what do you want?”
Min Yang answered, “I want Tang Zhe.”
Tang Zhe froze, not knowing how to respond.
The alpha’s pheromones wrapped around Tang Zhe, circling him carefully, then gently coiling around his fingertips, repeating, “I want Tang Zhe.”
“I need Tang Zhe.”
“But… but I can’t even… even speak properly,” Tang Zhe said, trying hard to stay rational. He told Min Yang seriously, “And this is… this is just an arranged… marriage.”
Tang Zhe added, “A marriage we were… were forced into.”
Min Yang’s thoughts were sluggish, and his instincts screamed to pull the Omega close, to mark his fair neck, or to hold the little stutterer tight in his arms.
He wanted to peel back the thin layer of grapefruit skin and sink into the soft, white flesh.
But he couldn’t help but catch the fleeting sadness in Tang Zhe’s eyes when he mentioned “not speaking properly,” so Min Yang suppressed his instincts. His possessive embrace softened under the weight of Tang Zhe’s hesitant words.
Min Yang tried to think, and when he heard Tang Zhe mention being “forced into marriage,” he suddenly refuted, “Wrong.”
“Hm?” Tang Zhe met Min Yang’s gaze.
Min Yang said, “I was willing.”
“But… but sir, before… before you…”
Min Yang had never said this before.
Min Yang quickly admitted his mistake: “I was wrong before.”
Min Yang said, “Tang Zhe, have I forgotten to say it? I like you.”
Tang Zhe had said so many times that he wanted to protect him, but now Min Yang wanted to say it to Tang Zhe.
He wanted to protect Tang Zhe too, whether it was the stuttering Tang Zhe or the Tang Zhe who could take down eight alphas single-handedly.
The scent of grapefruit in the room slowly grew stronger, spreading to every corner.
The cool skin of the grapefruit often felt cold; as the night draped the fruit in dew, it grew moist.
The juicy grapefruit flesh was full, and perhaps the night was trembling too much, causing the fruit to quiver along with it.
Amidst the rising tide, a pair of long, white hands cradled the grapefruit, beginning a new round of harvesting.
…
The rut lasted an entire week. One vial of nutrient fluid after another was drained before Tang Zhe could hold out until the rut ended.
When it was over, Tang Zhe lay limp in Min Yang’s arms, still trembling slightly.
Min Yang lowered his head, pressing a kiss to Tang Zhe’s cheek, “I like you.”
It took a while for Tang Zhe to recover, and even then, he was still weak: “You… you already… said that.”
Min Yang replied, “I was afraid you didn’t know.”
“I like you, Tang Zhe.”
Tang Zhe might think it was just the rut talking, so he said it again after the rut ended.
If one time isn’t enough, he’d say it ten times.
If ten times isn’t enough, he’d say it a hundred times.
If a hundred times isn’t enough, he’d say it for a lifetime.
Because he liked Tang Zhe.
He would like Tang Zhe for a lifetime.
“I love you, Tang Zhe.” Min Yang whispered reverently, pressing a kiss to the corner of Tang Zhe’s lips.
~End
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