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Lan Wangji has not been home in eighteen months. Not because he hasn't wanted to return, but the pressures and expectations from his job mean that anytime he has off has been spent resting, cleaning, and meal prepping for the next few days of intense work.
But his older brother is getting married in a few months, and wants Lan Wangji to meet his fiancé. Lan Xichen was perfectly fine taking the trip to Beijing to see him, but his uncle had instantly jumped on the news to guilt Lan Wangji into returning to Gusu for a weekend. He knows that his uncle does it out of love and because he misses him, so he hadn't fought as hard as he normally would have.
As he pulls up the driveway, it hits him how much the house has not changed from when he was growing up. It's still beautiful, still open, still a strange sense of warmth that has always reminded Lan Wangji of autumn. A sudden sense of homesickness rises up in him, because as much as he loves Beijing, it is not Gusu.
It is not his home.
His uncle is sitting on the porch, his brother next to him, both of them staring at Lan Wangji's car with small smiles on their faces. He raises one hand as he pulls up, waving slightly. They have not changed either. His brother's hair has gotten a little longer, his uncle's goatee is trimmed into an actually decent style, and both of them still have the same warmth in their eyes as they've always had.
He steps out of the car to immediately be pulled into Lan Xichen's embrace. He wraps his own arms around his brother, squeezing him so tightly that he's a little worried that he might break a rib. But his brother is squeezing him back just as tightly, and it's like he's a child again.
"How are you?" Lan Xichen asks when he pulls back, looking Lan Wangji up and down. His uncle is doing the same, both of them trying to make sure that he is eating enough and getting enough exercise. Just like when he was a child, both of them were desperate to take care of him because they never wanted him to feel unloved with the turmoil going on with his parents.
"I'm good, Xiongzhang," he replies, placing a hand on his shoulder. "My work is going well. I suspect that I am being considered for a promotion, and I'm eager to prove to them that their trust in me would not be misplaced."
Lan Xichen smiles brightly. "I'm glad to hear that, Wangji." He turns to Lan Qiren. "Uncle, let us go inside. I am eager to introduce Wangji to Wei Ying."
Lan Wangji pulls his suitcases out of the backseat, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name. "Your fiancé?" he asks, and gets a short nod in return. His brother's smile is still wide, but it's tight at the edges. It would fool their uncle and the elders, but it could never fool Lan Wangji.
He's not an idiot, this engagement is happening rather fast and his brother has never talked about his fiancé in the breathless terms of love that he would expect. It's an arranged marriage.
Of course, they don't use the term, but Lan Wangji knows how his family works. Lan Xichen is introduced to a young omega that they deem appropriate to produce the next generation of Lans. His family never outright forces him to get married, but they make it very clear that it's what they would want. His brother is smart enough to pick up on the hints and dutiful enough to obey them. He proposes as soon as it's appropriate and he knows that the omega is someone that he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life with. It's a tale that many in their friend group have been through, and his brother is just the latest in the line.
This omega must be someone beautiful and quiet
The first one is true. The second one is not. Wei Ying bursts out of the house in a flurry of brightness, a red dress hanging off his slender frame and his long brown hair tied back with a red ponytail. His smile is bright and joyful, a laugh falling out of it as he looks at Lan Wangji. "Is this Lan-er-gege?" he asks, his gray eyes sparkling.
Beautiful actually does nothing to fully describe the omega in front of him. He's . . . he's glorious. The most perfect thing ever created in the world. His uncle's lips curl in distaste, which Lan Wangji vaguely registers that Lan Qiren is not entirely happy about the choice that the rest of the elders must have agreed upon, but he can't really care. Not when Wei Ying runs down the steps and throws his arms around Lan Wangji, gripping him in a tight hug that is full of warmth and joy.
He carefully wraps his arms around this omega that smells like cherries and blackberries. His skin is softer than his silky dress, and it takes everything in him not to kiss him.
Not to ravish him.
The only reason that he doesn't push him down and claim him just like his cavemen ancestors would want is because he squeezes his fists so tightly that his nails dig into his palm, forcing himself to remember that this is his brother's fiancé, and not someone that Lan Wangji is allowed to claim.
At least not yet.
He will have to check, but if he's right (and he knows he is), then this is not a love match and he can take this omega without feeling guilty. His brother will find another omega, one that he will love.
Wei Ying pulls back, and Lan Wangji instantly misses him in his arms. He wants to make sure that he never leaves him. He is Lan Zhan's, even if he doesn't realize it yet.
"Come in," Wei Ying says, the smile still beaming on his face. He tilts his head suddenly, a thoughtful look crossing over his face. It's adorable. And then he laughs. It's a beautiful laugh. Lan Wangji wants to hear it everyday for the rest of his life. "I'm sorry. This is your home! I shouldn't be inviting you in."
But Lan Wangji wants him to invite him in. He wants to come home everyday to a smiling Wei Ying telling him to come in.
"Don't worry," he whispers out, gripping his suitcases tightly so that he doesn't pin Wei Ying to the car and fuck him. "You've lived here more recently than I have."
Wei Ying laughs again. "Oh, Lan-er-gege, you're so kind." He slides his arm through Lan Wangji's pulling him towards the door. "Come on! I've made lunch."
He hears his uncle and brother make strange sounds behind him, but he doesn't pay attention.
*
It turns out that the strange sounds behind him was because Wei Ying uses spice when he cooks. A lot of spice. Perhaps too much spice. Most people would say too much spice.
But the look of delight on his face when Lan Wangji keeps eating and doesn't make an excuse to stop so he can regain feeling in his mouth makes the pain worth it. He even gets second helpings, and Wei Ying is so happy that tears come to his eyes. "I'm so glad you like my cooking," he whispers. "Most people don't."
Lan Wangji hates everyone who ever made Wei Ying sad. He wants to eat Wei Ying's cooking for the rest of his life. He wants to make sure that beautiful and perfect omega never doubts how incredible he is.
"You are a wonderful cook," he states plainly. Now that he is no longer capable of tasting anything, he can tell that the texture of the food is rather good. And even if it wasn't, the look on his face would be more than enough to say those words. He ignores his uncle and brother's shocked glances and their nearly full plates. Lan Wangji will make sure that Wei Ying knows that he can depend on him.
A hand lands on his arm, squeezing it tightly. "Lan-er-gege, you are so kind."
Lan Wangji knows that he can be kinder. He knows that he can prove it. He stares at his brother's plate. He will make sure that his brother is happy. He will make sure that he finds another match, this time with someone that he loves, with someone whose food he enjoys.
He already has a plan, and he's sure that it will work out well for all of them.
*
Inducing a heat is really quite a simple thing. Lan Wangji has read enough cases, and has prosecuted more, to know all the mistakes that he needs to avoid. He simply takes one of his rut suppressants, crushes it into a fine power, and sneaks into Wei Ying's drink before he heads downstairs to study for a test (Wei Ying, he finds out, is only twenty-one years old, the best student in his biochem program, and likes to stay up until one in the morning).
For himself, he had taken one of the rut inducers that he keeps on back-up. It's a normal enough thing for an alpha to have. Going too long without a rut can mess with brain chemistry as much as having them too much. So if he has the chance to take the time off and if it's been too long since his last one, he takes one and within hours, he's fucking some omega whore that's willing to spend three days at his apartment.
(He always follows up, of course, to make sure that there's no children that will be born from the union. He isn't ready for that, but he makes sure that the omegas are safe and healthy and able to support themselves just fine in their chosen profession, or leave it for the one they would rather be working in.)
(He knows that he's a good alpha, and he just needs a chance to prove it to Wei Ying. One night of fucking his brains out, and he won't be able to think about Lan Xichen at all.)
He heads downstairs as soon as he knows that his brother and uncle are sound asleep. He knows that the drugs are affecting Wei Ying. Rut suppressors and heat inducers have a lot in common chemically speaking, just as heat suppressors and rut inducers do. So just as the meds are hitting Wei Ying, he can feel them hitting him.
He makes enough noise for Wei Ying to know that it's him. The omega has a stressed look on his face, but he's trying to cover it up with a smile.
"Lan-er-gege," he whispers. "How are you?" Wei Ying is sweating, his loose hair sticking to his neck while he's panting, trying to take a breath of air as the heat is starting to overtake him. "Did someone turn the heat on?"
Lan Wangji shakes his head. The rut has taken over enough of his mind that he gives himself permission to pounce. He's on top of Wei Ying before either of them can blink, wrapping those pretty long legs around his waist as his mouth slowly tastes Wei Ying's. It tastes like chilis and chocolate, and he wants to taste this everyday for the rest of his life. He wants to completely claim Wei Ying, watching him walking around in silky sundresses and covered in his bitemarks, everyone knowing who his true alpha is.
Wei Ying makes one startled sound, but his arms are wrapped around Lan Wangji's neck, whimpering into his mouth as he presses down on Lan Wangji's bulge. He can feel the sparks shooting down his spine as he can feel the wetness that is flowing out of Wei Ying's hole, the only thing separating them is Wei Ying's pretty lace panties.
He doesn't know what color they are, but he's desperate to find out. But he doesn't want to pull away from Wei Ying's lips. He wants to lavish this pretty omega with attention, make him feel like the most perfect and amazing person in the world. He picks him up, enjoying how that pulls a gasp from Wei Ying. He slides a hand down his panties, pressing his fingers against his hole, feeling the slick dripping out of him.
This is all because of Lan Wangji. This is all for Lan Wangji. He slides the tip of his finger inside of his Wei Ying, and he enjoys the gasp that's pushed into his mouth. It tastes so sweet, and he wants to pull so many different noises out of him. He wants to hear the beautiful symphony that Wei Ying can make.
He brings him upstairs. He doesn't care if his uncle or brother wakes up. At this point, they would never allow Wei Ying to marry Lan Xichen. And while they wouldn't force him, they would understand that it would be appropriate if Lan Wangji married Wei Ying instead. He knows how their minds work. He knows how to use it against them. He presses Wei Ying down onto his bed, tearing off his panties like he's been dying too this entire time. He looks at them quickly, while making sure never to take his lips off Wei Ying's.
They're white. Pretty. Adorable.
Virginal.
A thought crosses his mind, one that he desperately hopes is true. If it is, if he's the first to lay claim to this body, he has no idea how he would be able to handle his joy.
"Wei Ying," he whispers, pulling back just enough to ask him this. He doesn't want to separate, but he has to know. "Are you a virgin?"
Wei Ying blinks up at him with confused eyes, until the thought settles in his brain and he turns a bright red. It's adorable. He's absolutely adorable. Lan Wangji loves him so much, especially as he nods. He can't even say the words, but he doesn't need him to.
He just wants the truth to be confirmed.
He doesn't bother taking off Wei Ying's dress, and he doesn't bother taking off more of his clothes. All he cares about is getting into Wei Ying's sweet body, fucking him until he sees stars.
He wants to make his baby feel so good.
He unzips his pants and gets himself out of his clothes just enough that he can fuck into Wei Ying without a big fight. As soon as he slides in, he knows it was the right decision.
Wei Ying is warm and welcoming, and how his pretty face tips back as he runs his nails over Lan Wangji's arms, how he tightens his legs around his waist, and how his hips stutter and jerk because his poor baby is a virgin who has no idea how to move with a cock of Lan Wangji's size in him. That's okay. He has plenty of time to learn how to move later. Right now, he's already the best fuck he's ever had just because of how tight and pretty he is, his pretty, red mouth opening up as he tilts his head back and whines .
Fuck, his voice is so fucking pretty and good. He presses kisses to his neck as he grips Wei Ying's hips and fucks into his warm, wet body. He can feel his slick staining his pants, absolutely ruining them, and he wants to save them forever. He wants to keep these pants that prove how much his Wei Ying wanted him.
"Lan-er-gege," he whimpers. "Lan-er-gege, I don't- I don't-" Lan Wangji thrusts hard inside him, driving all other thoughts out of his body besides, "Lan-er-gege, you feel so good. "
Lan Wangji growls at the praise, kissing his way up to his ears and nipping them slightly. "Call me Lan Zhan."
Wei Ying obeys. "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan," he chants, trying to fuck himself on Lan Wangji's cock, but he can barely move because of how he's pinned down on the bed. Good. He wants his Wei Ying to be surrounded by him.
He hears the bedroom door creaking open, knows that it must be either his brother or his uncle, but he doesn't care who. All that matters is that after this, Wei Ying will be his. Not Lan Xichen's, but his .
What he does make sure to do is bite down on Wei Ying's neck, hard enough that it will mark up and be bruised for weeks. Yes, the biting mark is archaic and no one does it anymore, but Lan Wangji does not care. People deserve to know that they have no chance to take Wei Ying now, because he belongs to a better alpha than they could ever be.
It's only when he feels the sweet salt of Wei Ying's blood on his tongue does he look up to meet his uncle's eyes. He forces his eyes to be unfocused, to look like he was just caught up in his rut and desire. Wei Ying doesn't need to pretend. His uncle will never think that Lan Wangji could induce a heat into an omega, even if it was for his own happiness. He will believe him. His brother will too, and he will have no choice to.
His uncle leaves the room quickly, just as Lan Wangji realizes that if he doesn't knot Wei Ying now, crying and sobbing from pain and pleasure underneath him, he might actually die. So he does, filling up Wei Ying with his seed. He wonders if he can get Wei Ying pregnant tonight. He hopes that he does. He wants to see his Wei Ying filled up with his babies as soon as he possibly can.
Wei Ying whimpers and shakes underneath him, coming just as he does, proving how perfect they are together. And he came untouched too, because Lan Wangji already knows how to best pleasure his baby.
His omega is crying, from the pain and the pleasure and the shock. Lan Wangji is not surprised. He knows that it would be a lot for him to go through so suddenly, and in one night, and soon they will have to be married. It's going to be a lot. He can be a good alpha and hold his omega close, making sure that he knows how perfect and loved he is.
He turns onto his back, holding his Wei Ying close to his chest and tucking him underneath his chin. He shakes and shivers, gripping Lan Wangji's shirt as he buries his face into it. He's not fighting his hold, and he's so proud of his omega. He knows that he can crumble in his alpha's arms.
*
He wakes up to a confused Wei Ying who remembers everything that happened last night, but doesn't seem to know how to formulate thoughts about it. But he understands that he's now Lan Wangji's fiancé. He doesn't argue when things have to be rearranged for them to marry this weekend, a hurried affair that makes them glad that the engagement wasn't broadcasted to others, because they will barely survive this scandal. His uncle is furious at both of them, but Lan Wangji doesn't care. He makes his face look contrite, like he regrets what happened, like he had in no way planned it.
No one suspects a thing.
Not even Wei Ying, who seems to think he tempted Lan Wangji, that his heat set off his rut and caused this whole thing.
Lan Wangji wraps him up in his arms and whispers that he doesn't care how it happened, he's just glad that he has Wei Ying now. The teary, grateful eyes that statement gets him in response makes absolutely everything worth it. Everything about Wei Ying makes it worth it. Even the wedding, where Wei Ying's foster family looks at him with uncertain eyes. His foster father attempts honest conversation, but is unsure what to say. His foster mother looks at Wei Ying with fury, and Lan Wangji makes sure that she never gets close enough to say the words that are on the tip of her tongue. His foster sister smiles at him, a pretty beta with a handsome beta husband and a small toddler of her own, but confusion is clear in her eyes as well.
His foster brother?
The way that Jiang Wanyin looks at him makes Lan Wangji realize that if one man is going to figure out what happened, it would be him. His mind whirls with ideas how to take care of him, but his honor won't allow him to hurt a pregnant omega, especially not when his husband, an alpha that is always finding ways to touch the bump, has no idea what's going on.
Hopefully, Nie Huaisang can keep his wife in line.
He doesn't want to make sure anyone else grows up motherless, but he will do what he has to protect his Wei Ying.
*
The wedding happens smoothly, no one causing any stir. The reception is a joy, even though Wei Ying still looks confused about everything that is happening. The wedding night is spent with Lan Wangji showing Wei Ying how much he has already learned about his body, and then showing him what else he wants to study.
When he walks out of the room to grab a breath of fresh air, standing on the upper level porch to look out over the lake, he almost doesn't notice his brother sitting on a bench.
He doesn't think he would have if he weren't so clearly waiting for him.
"Xiongzhang," he states coolly, stopping in his tracks, unsure what he should admit to. What Lan Xichen has already figured out.
His worst fears are confirmed with his next words.
"How did you do it?"
Lan Wangji had never wanted to hurt his brother. He had just known that they weren't right together, and that it was never going to be a love match. But Lan Wangji will love Wei Ying, and that's what was most important. He would make Wei Ying happy in a way that Lan Xichen never could.
He knows his brother has to understand that.
Lan Xichen sighs as he stands up, brushing off unseen dirt from his pants.
"I want to know how you did it," he states again, and now Lan Wangji can see that his brother is smiling. He isn't mad. Why isn't he mad? "Don't worry, Wangji. You did me a favor. Wei Ying isn't my type at all. But I knew that he was yours. I knew that you would be unable to resist him. And Uncle and the elders were never big fans of him. But he was raised by a good family with good connections, and they decided he worked well enough." His brother stretches his arms out. "You met Wei Ying's brother-in-law? Nie Huaisang? Well, Nie Huaisang has an older brother that is an omega. But the Nies come from a line of butchers and after what happened to their father? Well, Nie Mingjue ended up getting married at seventeen to Wen Ruohan, the man who killed him. You probably remember the wedding? But you were young. But oh. . . . Even at fifteen, I was in love with him."
Lan Wangji waits with bated breath. His brother isn't mad at him. He doesn't hate him. His worst fear has come true and it's working better than he ever thought.
"But Wen Ruohan died a year ago. Leaving behind Nie Mingjue and an infant son, and I know that he never loved him, but he feels it wouldn't be proper to move on so fast. I know better. Uncle and the elders won't help me, because they agree with him. And besides that, they don't think a Nie is good enough, especially one that was married to a Wen. Jiang Wanyin was lucky enough to get a father who is sympathetic towards a love match, but what do I get? No understanding. No compassion."
His brother wraps his arm around Lan Wangji's shoulders. "But you can help me. Get Nie Mingjue to marry me just like you got Wei Ying to marry you. I knew that you would come up with something brilliant, and now Wei Ying is so happy. And he has no idea about how it happened at all. I want that for my A-Jue. Do you understand?"
There was no one in the world who could understand more than Lan Wangji.
"Whatever you need, Xiongzhang," he tells him, pulling his big brother into a hug. If they get Nie Mingjue married to him quickly, then perhaps they could have their firstborns around the same time, cousins growing up as close as siblings. "I just want you to be happy."