Chapter Text
Sheng Shaoyou left the banquet in a terrible mood. How had that been worth leaving his sick omega at home alone all evening? Ridiculous.
He turned into a quiet corridor, intending to slip out of a side entrance inconspicuously. This may have been a waste of his time, but there was no need to get more bad press, or piss off the mysterious X Holdings boss with his irreverence at the moment. Not when his father's life still hung on him somehow managing to get on the good side of these business titans that seemed to hate him for no discernable reason.
Shaoyou pulled his phone from his pocket to message Chen Pinming to get the car brought round. He'd slipped off without notifying anyone, and though his secretary wouldn't worry yet, he should probably not just leave in a taxi without letting him go as well. As he swiped onto the messaging app, someone stumbled out of an adjoining corridor, almost crashing straight into him.
Shaoyou stepped back and jolted with surprise again. This was Shen Wenlang's secretary? What was his name? Gao?
"Secretary Gao! I didn't see you there.", Shaoyou said in a friendly tone, not apologising for the near collision, but clearly not taking offence.
Gao Tu looked up at him from where he'd stumbled back. His eyes were bleary and his cheeks unnaturally flushed. In a shaky voice he responded, "I'm sorry Mr Sheng, I didn't mean to run into you. I'm very sorry." He attempted to bow, but ended up reaching out to steady himself on the wall when the motion nearly took the last of his balance.
Sheng Shaoyou stepped forward and grabbed his arm, alarmed. "Secretary Gao? Are you okay?"
A redundant question, he clearly wasn't, but Shaoyou wasn't quite sure what to say. Had Shen Wenlang really forced his secretary to attend this banquet with him even when he was sick, that bastard? Nothing was beyond him, huh, no care for his people. He shouldn't be surprised.
Gao Tu wanted to shake off his supportive hands, but couldn't trust himself to stay upright without them. This heat was hitting so much harder than usual, and he was so far from somewhere safe. He didn't know what to do, and the world was tilting nauseatingly around him as he tried to think of a way to extricate himself with dignity.
Before Gao Tu could come up with the right words, Sheng Shaoyou stiffened, the scent of Gao Tu's pheromones reaching his nose. An omega? And in heat? What the hell?
"Secretary Gao…you're in heat?", he said gently, both his conscious mind and his instincts shifting into concern. Sheng Shaoyou wasn't sure how this omega had been hiding himself as a beta this long, but he must have been good at it to be by Shen Wenlang's side the way he was. That S-tier asshole's disdain for omegas was well known, even if he seemed to make an exception for harassing Hua Yong. It must be suppressant abuse, logically, and the glazed look in Gao Tu's eyes was lending credence to his theory that this was not a normal heat. Shaoyou may not be a scientist, but he paid attention to the products in his industry, and was familiar with omegan heats regardless. Gao Tu clearly shouldn't be left alone like this.
Gao Tu wasn't aware of the concern going through the alpha's head. He was too busy trying to suppress his panic as his heat was discovered by someone he knew.
"Mr Sheng. I'm sorry. Please… please don't say anything. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'm sorry.", Gao Tu couldn't stop apologising, as he finally mustered the strength to try and move away from the alpha's anchoring grip.
Sheng Shaoyou frowned as the omega in front of him apologised repeatedly for…going into heat? Like it was some offence he'd committed to disgust Shaoyou specifically.
"It's okay. You're okay.", Shaoyou attempted to soothe Gao Tu, simultaneously releasing the gentlest most soothing pheromones he could manage. At this stage any hint of luring or dominance in his scent would only make Gao Tu's heat haze worse, especially as Sheng Shaoyou wasn't planning to knot him any time soon.
"Secretary Gao, where can I take you to ride this out? Do you have somewhere safe in this hotel?", Shaoyou was hoping that the omega already had a room here, or at least was coherent enough to tell him where he was trying to go. Unfortunately, Gao Tu's coherence seemed to be worsening by the second, and his pheromones were only getting stronger and more enticing.
Sheng Shaoyou resisted the urge to take a deep breath of the blooming sage wafting towards him. This omegan scent was lovely, and he could tell there was a high compatibility between them already. But he had an omega that he was trying to be serious with, and honestly Secretary Gao seemed too out of it to pick him to take care of his heat at this point anyway.
Gao Tu could tell that Sheng Shaoyou was speaking, could feel the sweet touch of his pheromones finally taking the edge off of the cramping, disorientating pain sweeping through his abdomen. But he couldn't quite understand what the alpha was saying to him. He tried to tell him it was alright, that he was sorry for disturbing him with his filthy omega scent that was just leaking everywhere, but the words wouldn't come out right. An involuntary whine rose in his throat as he teared up. He didn't know what to do! Why was this hitting now? Why couldn't he think?!
Sheng Shaoyou stopped trying to get sense out of Gao Tu as the omega whined suddenly, leaning into him with a ragged sigh. Sheng Shaoyou had considerable experience with omegas in heat, and this… this didn't seem right.
"You're okay", he repeated, shifting to take more of Gao Tu's weight, letting him press up close to his neck. Hopefully the proximity to his scent would make him feel better, while he figured out how to get him real help. Shaoyou didn't know if Secretary Gao had an alpha or mate to contact, and sure as hell wasn't going to trust an omega to that sick bastard Shen Wenlang if he could help it. The omegas lush scent and the trusting way he was leaning into him was far too tempting; there was no way Shaoyou could just leave him now, someone might hurt him. In this state, Shaoyou wasn't sure Gao Tu could even tell who was with him.
Sheng Shaoyou cast his eyes around for somewhere more comfortable, landing on one of those inexplicable round hotel settee sets, nestled into a corner next to a floor length window. Why on earth that would be needed in a corridor he'd never been sure before, but it could be useful now. Gently, he coaxed Gao Tu into following him to the seat, steering him as he took shaky steps and finally collapsed onto the plush settee. Shaoyou knelt in front of him, keeping his hand on Gao Tu's thigh and pumping out soothing pheromones to try and help the omega keep calm. With his free hand, he unlocked his phone again, Chen Pinming's contact already on screen. He called him quickly.
"Secretary Chen?", he said as the call was promptly picked up, "I need to you to bring the car around. To the entrance by the decorative pond at the back, I need to make a discreet exit. Please hurry."
Chen Pinming didn't question the order, confirming immediately, and going to collect the car. Shaoyou returned his attention to the lightly panting omega in front of him, wishing futilely he had some water or something to give him. Or just a fully prepped nesting area, where he could make sure the omega was properly looked after, wipe the sweat away and feed him water and fruit and…
Time to stop thinking about that. The heat pheromones were clouding his thoughts slightly now, so he tried one last time to get a request from Gao Tu.
"Secretary Gao? Can you understand me? Is there somewhere you want to go right now?"
Gao Tu was fighting the haze over his thoughts, and finally understood the question that the alpha was asking. But he wasn't sure of the answer. Where could he go? It had all felt so wrong, every heat just hurt and got worse and worse. . . but this time there was some relief. When Sheng Shaoyou was close, the alpha's pheromones mixing with his heated scent like it belonged, it didn't hurt quite so much.
Gao Tu whimpered, and let out the words he couldn't hold in any more, "It hurts. It hurts so much, don't leave me alone.". He was ashamed of himself, ashamed to be asking this alpha, his bosses rival at that, to stay with him, to look after him. But he was so tired. He couldn't do it. He couldn't go back to his dingy flat, with nothing to nest with, and nobody to care, and just ride it out. He couldn't.
Sheng Shaoyou's heart broke a little at Gao Tu's quiet plea. No way would he be leaving him to deal with this on his own.
"I won't. I promise I won't, I'll help you I promise. You'll be okay.", Shaoyou reassured him the best he could. "Come with me now, can you walk? I'll take you somewhere safe, you won't be alone."
It turned out Gao Tu couldn't really walk, at least not at anything but a stumbling, glacial pace. Sheng Shaoyou carefully lifted him into his arms, frowning again at the light burden. Gao Tu wasn't built like a delicate waif, to be this light, there's no way he could be eating enough. Shaoyou tried to set aside the thought, Gao Tu's diet was none of his business, but the protectiveness building in him only got another boost.
They quickly made their way to the car that Chen Pinming was waiting next to, driver already in place ready to take them. The secretary gave his boss a startled look as he arrived cradling an omega, clearly in heat. Who? Hua Yong didn't attend, oh dear…
As they got closer, Chen Pinming recognised Secretary Gao and became even more alarmed. Was his boss kidnapping the HS Group secretary? Was this some kind of revenge against Shen Wenlang? That wasn't really Sheng Shaoyou's style, but he was very upset about Hua Yong so…maybe?
Before he could express his concerns, Sheng Shaoyou reached the car and placed Gao Tu gently through the open back door. He turned to Chen Pinming, "We're going to my main residence tonight, not the city flat. And call a doctor on the way, one who specialises in abnormal heats. Secretary Gao isn't well."
Chen Pinming nodded quickly, and got into the front seat as Sheng Shaoyou quickly rounded the car to join the softly whining omega in the back. That was a relief, his boss hadn't lost his mind, he was just helping.
They sped away towards Sheng Shaoyou's main home, the one he hadn't been living in since he'd coaxed Hua Yong into staying in his central flat, closer to their places of work. Now… he'd better deal with that issue as well.
Shaoyou took out his phone again, holding it one handed while he tucked Gao Tu under his other arm securely. He needed to let Hua Yong know he wouldn't be home that night, and make sure he didn't need anything.
Hua Yong picked up straight away, his voice eager and soft in Shaoyou's ear as he said, "Mr Sheng?". It sounded almost, strangely, breathless…
"It's me," Shaoyou smiled as he heard his omega's sweet tones down the phone, just hearing him wiping away some of the stress of the frustrating evening and the sick man in the back of his car. "I'm sorry, I won't be making it home tonight. I ran into a colleague, and they need some help, so I'm going to take them back to my main house. We won't disturb you, the pheromones might trigger your disorder again."
He was rather sparse with the details, but Gao Tu had clearly been hiding his secondary gender before, and he didn't want to say too much.
"Oh," was all that Hua Yong replied, and Shaoyou felt another pang of guilt for leaving him alone.
"I'm really sorry sweetheart. He's really in a bad way.", Shaoyou tried to apologise.
Hua Yong's voice perked up, and came again through the phone, "Sorry, it's okay! I didn't mean to be needy. I know Mr Sheng is kind, of course you have to look after your friend."
Sheng Shaoyou felt his heart soften again at the omega's soft and doting tone.
"Do you need anything? I can send Secretary Chen. Are you okay there?"
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, I'll be okay tonight, look after your friend well. Please tell me when you're coming home?", Hua Yong replied.
Sheng Shaoyou smiled, such a caring person, and he'd somehow become lucky enough to have him in his life. "I will. Sleep well sweetheart."
While he'd been on the phone, Chen Pinming had contacted an emergency doctor to make a house visit. "The doctor will arrive at your house in 20 minutes, Mr Sheng. We should arrive in just over 10 minutes.".
Sheng Shaoyou absent mindedly thanked his secretary, and refocused his attention on the omega slumped against him. Gao Tu didn't currently sound or smell so distressed, but he was worryingly quiet, and didn't seem to be much more aware of his surroundings.
Shaoyou gently touched his chin, encouraging him to look up.
"How are you doing? Still with me Secretary Gao?"
Gao Tu met his eyes and nodded faintly. The extended exposure to compatible s-tier alpha pheromones was helping, he could tell; the pain he'd felt for the last few years with every heat was fading, the effects of his long term suppressant and painkiller abuse less acute as his body registered that a compatible alpha was taking care of him. The cessation of the pain left him feeling lightheaded though, and he couldn't muster up the energy to try and figure out his own plan. His body was giving up on him, the abuse over so many years too much to take, and his stressed out mind didn't want to deal with this either.
"I'm okay. I'm sorry. Thank you.", was all he could say. He didn't even ask what the plan was. Sheng Shaoyou seemed like he knew what he was doing, probably it would be alright.
"No need to apologise. We'll get you somewhere safe and comfortable, and then a doctor can help you okay? It'll be fine, I'm not going to leave you.", Shaoyou said gently.
Gao Tu just nodded, and leaned back into Shaoyou's chest, trusting his weight, and his heat, to this alpha he barely knew.
He was just so tired.