Work Text:
Lately, Cheng Xiaoshi had been catching an odd scent in the air.
It wasn’t particularly strong, but it lingered all around the studio, like a whisper tugging at the edge of his senses. This scent was rich, heady, and undeniably strong. Probably an alpha. But compared to his own, this scent was darker, deeper, with a pull that made his own alpha instincts twitch uncomfortably beneath his skin.
At first, he thought it was just a fluke. Maybe someone passed by the apartment complex wearing too much cologne. Maybe a smelly customer had stayed over too long. Or maybe an unfamiliar alpha had brushed shoulders with Lu Guang at the market and left some of their scent on him by accident.
But it kept happening.
Always inside the studio. And often near Lu Guang.
He didn’t say anything at first. He didn’t want to worry his omega. Lu Guang had always hated unnecessary anxiety, and Cheng Xiaoshi prided himself on being the kind of alpha who could keep his partner feeling safe.
Still, the scent clung to the furniture. The couch. The hallway near their room. Sometimes, Cheng Xiaoshi could even swear he smelled it on Lu Guang’s clothes.
He clenched his jaw one morning as he stood in the kitchen, watching Lu Guang casually sip his tea, his delicate fingers wrapped nonchalantly around the cup.
Cheng Xiaoshi picked up a second cup and fiddled with it before reaching for the teapot. He poured some tea, pretending to focus on the task while stealing a glance at Lu Guang from the corner of his eye. “Did… someone visit yesterday while I was out?” he asked as casually as he could manage.
Lu Guang blinked up at him, all doe-eyed innocence. “No, we were closed yesterday. Why?”
Cheng Xiaoshi inhaled again. There it was. That alpha scent. It pulsed in his chest, impossible to ignore.
“Nothing,” he said too quickly. “Just… something smells different, is all.”
Lu Guang tilted his head. “Different how?”
Cheng Xiaoshi waved it off with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll check with the landlady. Probably a neighbor or something.”
Lu Guang hummed, his face hidden for a moment behind the rim of his cup.
~~~
It only got worse.
At night, Cheng Xiaoshi started waking up from dreams. Vivid, embarrassing dreams.
It felt like the mystery scent seeped into his brain during his sleep. In his dreams, he started seeing visions of someone pressing against him like a dominant force, wrapping around his throat, dragging a low growl from his chest. He would wake up in a sweat, tangled in the sheets, heart pounding, fists clenched. And, well… kind of hard.
The worst part, though?
He caught himself nesting!
He hadn’t even noticed at first. Just felt restless, couldn’t get comfortable. But then, without thinking, he was rearranging the blankets. Pulling Lu Guang’s pillow closer. Fidgeting, adjusting, moving things until it felt right. And when he actually became aware of what he’d done, his stomach dropped.
There was a nest in their room.
And it was his.
That couldn’t be right. Lu Guang was the omega. But, no. That didn’t make sense either. Lu Guang didn’t nest. He’d said so ages ago, back when they first moved in together. It just wasn’t something he did or needed. Their apartment had never had a nest in it. Not once.
So if it wasn’t Lu Guang-
Oh no. It really was himself.
God.
Alphas weren’t supposed to do this! Or at least not commonly. They could, but it was rare.
Nesting in alphas was almost unheard of, appearing only under severe stress or when their hormones were dangerously unbalanced, like from a rare hereditary disease or genetic anomaly. And now, with the scent of some phantom alpha lingering in the air, he could feel it twisting up in his head. Like something inside him had snapped awake. Something territorial. Possessive. Out of place.
He was nesting.
Before his omega ever did.
What the hell was wrong with him?
~~~
Lu Guang did not seem to be affected.
When Cheng Xiaoshi paced the room with his furrowed brows and eyes scanning for threats, Lu Guang would curl up on the couch, legs tucked under him, reading quietly, exuding soft warmth like he was none the wiser.
“You’re pacing,” Lu Guang eventually said, looking up from his book. “Is something wrong?”
Cheng Xiaoshi plopped down beside Lu Guang with a soft thump of frustration, shoulders tense. He leaned his head lightly against Lu Guang’s shoulder, almost pouting, and took a careful sniff to calm himself. The familiar warmth of Lu Guang’s scent, soft eucalyptus with a hint of mint, clean and refreshing, made his chest ease for a moment. Lu Guang’s scent was always comforting, safe, and like home.
But then he caught it again, a faint, foreign note, heavy and unsettling, flickering at the edges of his senses. His brows furrowed as the brief peace slipped away. “Ugh, not really,” he sighed, voice low and uncertain. “I just think there’s an alpha who’s been hanging around.”
Lu Guang blinked slowly. “Really? Around here? Why?”
“I don’t know! I haven’t seen anyone, but their scent is everywhere, it’s irritating!” Cheng Xiaoshi muttered, scowling. “It’s so strong, they must have no shame, leaving their scent here, near you... it’s disrespectful. Ugh. You…really don’t smell anything?”
Lu Guang pressed his lips together, his expression strange. “Not really. Hm, sounds like they’re trying to start a fight with you. You sure you haven’t accidentally annoyed anyone recently?”
“No way! And if they want a fight, they won’t win,” Cheng Xiaoshi growled, an edge slipping into his voice. “I promise I’ll protect you, Lu Guang. If this stupid alpha ever shows their face, I’ll punch them so hard their smell changes.”
Lu Guang tilted his head and gave him an amused smile. “That’s very alpha of you.”
“Damn right it is,” Cheng Xiaoshi muttered under his breath, missing the glint of deep amusement in Lu Guang’s gaze.
~~~
Later that night, when Cheng Xiaoshi had gone to bed, the scent intensified.
He was mid-dream, buried in warmth, when it hit him again. That scent, rich and deep, full of command. It was dominating, but not quite suffocating. It stirred something deep in his gut, a trembling need to fight or submit, and he jerked awake, panting.
His eyes scanned their room’s window, and it’s open. Maybe if they closed the window it would be better, but the night breeze is too nice to shut away.
And there by the doorframe, stood Lu Guang, just barely illuminated by the hallway light.
Dressed in one of Cheng Xiaoshi’s oversized t-shirts, sleeves drooping off his shoulders, Lu Guang looked every bit the vulnerable omega... except for his eyes. His gaze was unreadable and sharp, like he was watching something interesting unfold.
“I just went to get some water. You okay?” Lu Guang said quietly.
Cheng Xiaoshi blinked, swallowing thickly. “...mm. Yeah. Bad dream. Cuddles?”
Lu Guang slid back under the covers, eyeing him with a hint of concern. “Want to talk about it?”
Cheng Xiaoshi hesitated, then shook his head no. Lu Guang’s presence was enough to make him feel calm. Grounded. Safe.
As Lu Guang got comfortable into bed beside him, Cheng Xiaoshi relaxed, just a little. The room was dim, quiet. His heartbeat was starting to steady.
And then the scent hit him again.
It was heavy, rich and dark, like cedar and pine in a forest after a light rain, with a faint, raw edge that made the hair on his arms stand on end. It wasn’t coming from the hallway. Not from the furniture.
It was coming from Lu Guang.
The realization made Cheng Xiaoshi stiffen, arms tightening beneath the covers. He didn’t move, just blinked into the shadows, jaw clenched. Maybe his nose was off. Maybe he was too tired, losing it, or misreading something. Omegas didn’t smell like that. Couldn’t smell like that.
And yet…
Just when he wanted to say something, anything, Lu Guang’s warmth pressed in close. One of his legs slid over Cheng Xiaoshi’s thigh, and he settled with casual intimacy, head resting just beneath Cheng Xiaoshi’s chin, arm tucked around his waist like usual.
Cheng Xiaoshi grunted and shifted slightly under the weight. Lu Guang was lean, but the way he was half draped over him made it hard to ignore the quiet pressure of his body.
“…You’re tense again,” Lu Guang murmured, voice low and soft against Cheng Xiaoshi’s collarbone. “Another bad dream?”
“Mm,” Cheng Xiaoshi muttered, eyes half-lidded. He didn’t know what to say. Didn’t want to accuse him. Not without proof. Not when Lu Guang was wrapped around him like this-warm and small and his. And of course, his heart trusts Lu Guang no matter what.
But the scent lingered. Bold. Possessive.
Lu Guang shifted, just enough to climb a little higher on top of him. His thigh pressed firmly between Cheng Xiaoshi’s legs now, his hands slipping beneath the edge of the blanket. The weight of him made Cheng Xiaoshi suck in a sharp breath.
This wasn’t quite how their usual cuddling went.
“You’re not sleeping,” Lu Guang said softly, pulling back just enough to meet Cheng Xiaoshi’s gaze.
Their eyes locked.
Cheng Xiaoshi tried to look away but couldn’t.
He had always struggled to lie to anyone, but it was even harder with Lu Guang.
Lu Guang’s eyes were steady. Curious. Like he was watching the gears turn behind Cheng’s furrowed brow and trying to pick apart the confusion there.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, still wearing that gentle, deep tone, but there was something beneath it. It felt… demanding.
Cheng Xiaoshi swallowed. “Nothing. Really! It’s just…um… that weird smell again.”
“Still?” Lu Guang asked, tilting his head like a confused kitten. “You’ve been saying that for days.”
Cheng Xiaoshi pouted up at him. “I’m not making it up, I swear.”
“I didn’t say you were.” Lu Guang’s fingers brushed along Cheng Xiaoshi’s jaw, tracing the line of his face before sliding down to rest over his chest. “But maybe you’re just… smelling things? Hallucinating?”
“I’m not! I mean… pretty sure. Like, ninety percent sure..”
“Then maybe your nose is picking up something it doesn’t understand.” Lu Guang’s hand pressed down lightly, but firmly, right over Cheng Xiaoshi’s sternum. “You alphas get like that, don’t you? When you’re frustrated? Or stressed?”
Cheng Xiaoshi blinked, caught off guard by the pressure on his neck. “W-What?”
Lu Guang leaned down, very slowly, until their noses nearly brushed. His weight pressed a little more solidly against Cheng Xiaoshi’s chest, making it hard to breathe normally. He made eye contact as his large hand squeezed ever so slightly against the sides of Cheng Xiaoshi’s neck. The look in his eyes was intense, similar to before in the doorway.
“I think you’ve been working yourself up these days,” Lu Guang said, so close his breath warmed Cheng Xiaoshi’s cheek. His tone sank suddenly, deep and quiet, “All these territorial instincts. All this scent-marking. Poor thing. You’re stressed.”
Cheng Xiaoshi opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He didn’t understand the way his heart fluttered, or how warm he felt under Lu Guang’s gaze. It was stupid. He is an alpha. He doesn’t get short of breath from a simple touch.
And-and… what is happening actually?
“I’m not, um, stressed,” Cheng Xiaoshi replied, but it came out more like a question.
Lu Guang smiled faintly.
And then, slowly, deliberately, he pinned Cheng Xiaoshi’s wrists to the mattress.
Just for a moment.
Not hard. But firm.
Cheng Xiaoshi’s breath caught. His body reacted before his brain did. He was tense, alert, confused, and definitely turned on.
“Lu Guang-?”
“Hm?” Lu Guang blinked innocently down at him. “Something wrong?”
“You’re...” Cheng Xiaoshi shifted under him, not liking how easily he’d let it happen. “ah…you’re... kinda on top of me right now.”
“Oh,” Lu Guang said, feigning surprise. He didn’t move. “Sorry. You’re just warm.”
“I…I see…,” Cheng Xiaoshi muttered. “Do you usually want to do that?”
“Do what?” Lu Guang asked, voice pure sugar. “Lie on my alpha when he’s having a bad night?”
Cheng Xiaoshi made a weird face, confused and flustered. “I mean, um, m-my arms. I can’t move.”
Lu Guang tilted his head. “Oh. Well, you’re always so touchy too.”
“That’s different,” Cheng Xiaoshi said, wriggling slightly in the hold. Because I’m an alpha, his brain finished for him.
“Is it?” Lu Guang asked, still not moving.
The strange foresty scent curled around them now, undeniably alpha, strong and inescapable. But Cheng Xiaoshi’s brain refused to process it. He couldn’t. Couldn’t accept it. Omegas didn’t smell like that. And Lu Guang was his omega. His.
Then why did his heart thump so hard every time Lu Guang leaned in like that?
Why did he feel small under that gaze?
His eyes fluttered closed, the intensity of the moment too much. His body seemed to move on its own, a subtle shift, his neck tilting slightly, offering himself in a way he hadn’t meant to. A physical submission. The air around him grew thick, fuzzy, clouding his thoughts and softening the edges of reality. He braced for the weight of Lu Guang’s presence to pull him in, expecting him to lean closer, to do something…
But then- nothing.
Lu Guang released his wrists and tucked himself back against Cheng Xiaoshi’s chest, sighing like he hadn’t just rattled Cheng Xiaoshi’s entire sense of reality.
“You worry too much,” Lu Guang said, voice muffled by his shirt. “Close your eyes. We have a long day tomorrow.”
Cheng Xiaoshi stared at the ceiling, eyes wide, arms limp at his sides, brain full of static.
Huh?
~~~
It was Saturday finally.
Today, Cheng Xiaoshi was making breakfast. Naturally, he was shirtless, his bedhead a mess. Unusually, a faint frown was etched on his face. His sleep has been a bit rough recently due to the unwavering mysterious scent, but he still wanted to make something for Lu Guang on their day off.
Lu Guang walked down the stairs and leaned against the doorway, watching quietly. His gaze lingered.
Cheng Xiaoshi hadn’t said much since last night. He’d been quiet and withdrawn, clearly lost in thought. He’s also wearing a tight t-shirt and grey sweatpants.
He looks tastier than the food he’s making.
“You’re up early,” Lu Guang said nonchalantly.
Cheng Xiaoshi’s face brightened as soon as he noticed Lu Guang. “Yeah, I just wanted some coffee! Also, made you some pancakes.”
“Still smelling that alpha?”
Cheng Xiaoshi’s smile fell slightly, and he looked away.
Lu Guang observed for a little longer before stalking closer like a tiger. He slipped in behind Cheng Xiaoshi, close enough for their bodies to brush, and reached around him, plucking a coffee mug from the cabinet.
His fingers slipped under the skin-tight shirt and brushed Cheng Xiaoshi’’s waist. Purposefully.
Cheng Xiaoshi froze and sucked in a breath.
Lu Guang didn’t step back.
Instead, he further settled his whole palm on Cheng Xiaoshi’s hip, lingering longer than necessary as he leaned in close. His breath skimmed the edge of Cheng Xiaoshi’s ear.
“Careful, Xiaoshi. You’re starting to smell like jealousy,” Lu Guang whispered, voice light.
Cheng Xiaoshi jerked slightly, ears burning. “H-huh? What do you mean?”
Lu Guang smiled behind him, stepping away with his mug in hand. “Nothing. Just something omegas notice.”
The scent followed him like smoke. Cheng Xiaoshi gripped the frying pan tighter.
What the hell was that about?
~~~
Lu Guang liked reading on a Sunday afternoon, especially when the sun poured into the living room in soft golden streaks. But he wasn’t reading today.
He was lying across the couch, legs stretched out, head resting on the armrest. Cheng Xiaoshi sat nearby on the floor, fiddling with his phone, trying very hard not to pay attention to the way Lu Guang’s thigh brushed his back every time he shifted.
The scent was stronger today.
Not overpowering, but ever-present, like a hand resting on the back of Cheng Xiaoshi’s neck.
He scratched at his scent gland absentmindedly.
“You good down there?” Lu Guang asked, peering down at him upside down.
“Mmhmm.”
Their afternoon passed in the usual silence, until Lu Guang moved, shifting to the edge of the couch to straddle his upper back. Not fully sitting-just a knee on either side, hovering, casual, and intimate in a way that made Cheng Xiaoshi’s blood pressure spike.
You know, because his head is right between Lu Guang’s thighs.
“L-Lu Guang! What are you doing?!”
Lu Guang stretched like a cat before leaning down and putting his hands on Cheng Xiaoshi’s upper back.. “Your shoulders are all tense cuz your posture sucks. I’m helping.”
“I don’t need a massage! Really, my posture’s fine!” He says as he visibly sits up straighter.
“Too bad.” Lu Guang’s fingers found the tense muscles of his shoulders, pressing down with deceptively strong pressure. Slowly, he worked his way inwards, the pads of his fingers digging in just the right amount. The movement was rhythmic and steady, controlled pressure that loosened the muscles underneath. Cheng Xiaoshi’s body responded beautifully, melting like butter.
The pressure shifted, firm circles now, digging deeper, and it was a little painful-but the good kind, the kind that made Cheng Xiaoshi want to lean into it even though his body hurt. He fought the urge to shift, to squirm, but a low, involuntary noise slipped out anyway. A soft moan.
“There,” Lu Guang murmured. “Good alpha.”
Cheng Xiaoshi was busy melting in a puddle so he thought he misheard. “..mmm.. Good.. wha did you say?”
Lu Guang hummed innocently. “Nothing. Relax.”
He stayed there a moment too long, scent flooding the space. Cheng Xiaoshi felt dizzy. The room turned wavy at some point.
Eventually, Lu Guang got up. Cheng Xiaoshi didn’t for a long while.
~~~
Warmth.
The first thing Cheng Xiaoshi felt wasn’t the warmth of the sunlight or the weight of the blankets, but the steady presence of body heat, close and a bit icky. His senses stirred slowly.
He blinked, vision swimming. The room was dim, soft. Probably golden hour. The weight of a blanket lay over him, but someone was also pressed tightly against his side.
Familiar scent.
Calming. But... dangerous.
Comfy. But… too close?
Lu Guang.
Cheng Xiaoshi tried to move, but everything felt… wrong. Heavy. His limbs ached faintly, like he’d been wrung out and left to dry. His mind floated in static.
“…Wha…?” he croaked, voice catching.
A gentle touch brushed his forehead. Cool fingers tucked back his hair. “Shh,” Lu Guang whispered, voice dipped in concern. “You passed out. I brought you to bed.”
Cheng Xiaoshi blinked up at him, dazed. “I... passed out?”
“You must’ve been more stressed than you realized. And you smell like you’re in pre-rut. You’re burning up.”
Lu Guang’s arm was around his waist, holding him close, his other hand soothing slow patterns into Cheng Xiaoshi’s scalp. That felt real nice. His chest was solid beneath Cheng Xiaoshi’s cheek.
When had he curled into him?
When had they gotten this close?
Cheng Xiaoshi’s breathing hitched. The dark scent was stronger here- raw and thick, curling around him like silk ties. It draped itself across every instinct he had, setting off sparks beneath his skin, but he was too tired to resist.
His body moved before his brain could stop it.
He nuzzled in closer.
Face pressed to Lu Guang’s chest, forehead tucked under his chin. The warmth wrapped around him like a nest, like home. Wrong, wrong, wrong-
Comfort.
He inhaled sharply.
Deep breath.
His lips barely moved.
“…Alpha…”
Silence.
Then Lu Guang exhaled, slow and steady. A soft laugh vibrated through his chest.
“Mm,” he murmured, his voice velvet-smooth. “What was that?”
Cheng Xiaoshi stiffened.
His eyes flew open, panic beginning to flood in.
“I-I didn’t mean-”
“It’s okay,” Lu Guang said gently, cutting him off. “You’re not thinking straight. You’re exhausted. Shhh.”
His fingers traced the curve of Cheng Xiaoshi’s spine, his scent now a cradle, seeping into Cheng Xiaoshi’s bones like it belonged there.
“Just rest,” Lu Guang whispered. “You’re safe with me.”
Cheng Xiaoshi should’ve pulled away. Should’ve argued. Should’ve done something.
But he didn’t.
His eyes slipped shut again, shame mixing with comfort in his gut like oil in water. And through it all, Lu Guang held him close.
He smiled and whispered into Cheng Xiaoshi’s hair.
“I’ll take care of you.”