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"What do you think you're doing?" Wenlang asks, his eyes trained on his secretary. His best friend, once upon a time. These days, they don't feel that friendly any more, with Gao Tu more sick than working and even when he's here, he's doing his best to avoid Wenlang.
And now: this.
Looking at the silly piece of paper is not even worth his time.
On the other side of the desk, Gao Tu draws himself up into a painfully straight stance. Wenlang knows him well enough to recognise it as a sign of anxiety instead of aggression. He's bracing for whatever is coming. In this case, 'whatever' is Wenlang.
"President Shen-"
"Cut that out", Wenlang interrupts him before Gao Tu can utter another word.
They have cleared this up years ago. Wenlang did not give Gao Tu this job to lord his position over him, he gave it to make Gao Tu's obviously difficult life a little easier. And his friend has paid it back by working himself to the bone; needlessly, Wenlang might add. It's not like Wenlang would ever fire him. Not even when he disappears to take personal time off Every. Other. Week. Wenlang would know because every day without Gao Tu is etched into his consciousness.
Still, Wenlang would never fire him.
Ever.
And now, Gao Tu is the one who wants to end this working relationship. Clearly, he has lost his mind. The stress, his sister's health, that unreasonable Omega of his, it's all too much and he's cracked. Because that is the only explanation Wenlang can come up with to make sense of this.
Gao Tu cannot think he'll find something better, another place of employment that is half as understanding as Wenlang is. Anybody else would have had him pack his bags a long, long time ago.
Giving up this job is lunacy. Gao Tu must know this.
"President Shen", Gao Tu says again, holding himself perfectly straight and still, barely allowing himself to blink. "I thank HS Group for the opportunity."
Wenlang stands so abruptly his chair rolls back and bangs into the shelf behind his desk. Gao Tu flinches at the noise. There's an apology on the tip of Wenlang's tongue, but anger and hurt keep it at bay.
"What is this nonsense?" he demands to know. "Ten years of friendship, five years of working together and this is all I get? A thank you for the opportunity?" Wenlang is furious. And weak with hurt. He doesn't understand. None of it! Neither the nonsensical conversation this morning about pregnant Omegas nor whatever is happening now.
Oh, he gets that Gao Tu knocked up his partner alright. If it's even his, a mean little voice whispers in the back of his head. Really, how likely is it that a Beta would impregnate an Omega? And how many Omegas sneak around and lie and betray their partners instead. Chances are much higher that Gao Tu – soft-hearted, hard-working, naive Gao Tu – is being had by a terrible partner who's trying to get him to take care of an illegitimate child!
... Wenlang needs to stop thinking about this or he really will lose it. He has never liked Gao Tu's partner. Most of the time, he tells himself it's because they are treating his friend so poorly, making him work so hard while pulling him away from his work at the same time, putting Gao Tu in an impossible situation. Only very rarely, usually late at night and with the better part of a bottle of wine in his system, does Wenlang allow himself to be a little more honest. Besides all those very valid, very reasonable objections, it's mostly blinding, raging jealousy. How someone else (and someone so unworthy at that) got to take what should be Wenlang's before Wenlang even had the chance to notice that there was something to take.
When they first met, Wenlang hadn't thought much of Gao Tu other than 'quiet, studious, pretty'. It wasn't before Gao Tu left his little meals on Wenlang's desk that Wenlang really started to pay attention. But by then, Gao Tu had already met his Omega. It must have been right around that time because he never mentioned them before and then all of a sudden, right as Wenlang was maybe willing to consider that he liked someone as more than a friend, there they were, just narrowly beating Wenlang to the punch.
For a while (too long and some desperate nights still), Wenlang had held out hope that Gao Tu would break up with them. But he never did. Loyal to a fault.
So loyal.
Except to Wenlang, apparently. It hurts.
"I demand an explanation", Wenlang says. Gao Tu draws in a breath, his features smoothing out. Wenlang can tell by the way the other man relaxes that he's about to be served more perfectly polite corporate bullshit. So he adds: "And spare me the excuses. I want the truth. I deserve the truth."
Something like fear flickers in Gao Tu's eyes.
Aha, Wenlang thinks, bitter yet triumphant, so there is something shady about this, something to hide.
Wenlang would bet his left arm that it has something to do with that equally shady Omega of Gao Tu's. The one that is never there for him when he needs help, but can always be counted on to make Gao Tu's and by extension Wenlang's life more difficult.
"Due to personal reasons", Gao Tu begins and then almost trips in his haste to take two steps back when Wenlang rounds on him.
"I told you to spare me the platitudes", Wenlang reminds him, voice deliberately calm and controlled. It's either that or lose his temper and Gao Tu will definitely leave then. That possibility is enough of a threat for Wenlang to shove his frustration, the hurt and the boiling anger down where they can't ruin him. "Is it your Omega?" he asks gently. He tried, he really did, to keep his disdain out of his voice, but he might not have succeeded all the way because for a split second, hurt flashes over Gao Tu's face.
"As I said earlier today, Sir", Wenlang presses his teeth together tightly to not react to that, not to rage at the way Gao Tu is putting titles like walls between them, that he feels his jaw crack, "my priorities have shifted." He looks away from Wenlang to stare down at his own feet. No, his midsection. Wenlang does not know what to make of that, but before he can dwell on it, Gao Tu continues. "My... the child needs me. I have to think of them first." And not you. Even if it's unspoken, Wenlang hears it loud and clear. He has never been the number one in Gao Tu's life and now, he definitely never will be. A partner, Gao Tu might have left. Might have. But a child? Never. Wenlang sees how he clings to his sister, how he takes care of her even when the debt threatens to bury him alive.
Gao Tu bows and turns around, ready to walk out of the office and Wenlang's life for good.
Wenlang cannot let that happen. Gao Tu is one of the few truly good things he has. The pharmaceutical industry is a cut-throat affair and sometimes, Wenlang wonders if life wouldn't have been more peaceful staying with the original family business. At least there is honour among gangsters. Something that definitely cannot be said for this line of work.
Hua Yong, the only other person Wenlang is close to on a regular basis – even if he gets recruited into psychotic schemes that are somehow meant to make the love of Yong's life fall for him – is as far from sane and stable as can be.
Out of everything in his life, Gao Tu is the best influence he has. By a long shot. He cannot, he absolutely cannot let him walk away.
He's behind the other man within a heartbeat, wrapping both arms around him and pulling him in. Gao Tu makes a surprised little grunt and instinctively tries to pull away. Wenlang tightens his hold.
"What are you doing?" He sounds incredulous.
"I am not letting you go until you give me a good reason."
Gao Tu huffs. "I told you-"
"No more lies", Wenlang demands. There's desperation in his tone, but also anger. Ten years. They've been friends for ten years and this is all he deserves? Gao Tu thinks he can just walk out of Wenlang's life like this? Like Wenlang does not get to have any say in this? Not a choice, not even an explanation.
Screw that!
"President Shen", Gao Tu pleads, clearly out of his debt and holding on to professionalism like a life line. "This is highly unprofessional."
"You are quitting your professional relationship with me", Wenlang reminds him, his arms only closing more tightly around him. "So this is strictly between friends. And from one friend to another: I won't let go until you tell me the truth. Just be happy I'm not dunking your head in the toilet to make you."
"Disgusting", Gao Tu immediately remarks, that single word sounding so offended, so fully him and unfiltered that Wenlang can't help but grin. Of course, the threat is empty. In his entire time at school, Wenlang has not done that or anything close to his enemies, let alone his friends. And nobody better have done that to Gao Tu or Wenlang would have eaten them alive.
"Tell me." Wenlang does not whine on principle, much more accustomed to making things happen than to pout for them, but it's a close thing.
Gao Tu sighs, momentarily stopping his futile attempt to get Wenlang's arms off of him. He doesn't exactly relax in his hold, but Wenlang gets a taste of what that might feel like, having Gao Tu close and familiar, feeling his body lean into his, letting Wenlang take his weight. He wants it a frightening amount.
"I already told you, there's the child-"
"All the more reason for a family man to have a reliable income", Wenlang interjects. "Is it the money you are worried about? We can talk you taking on some more high-volume projects, which would reflect in your pay check, obviously." Truth be told, he'd just give him a raise, anything, really, though that's not very professional of him either. But he's never been on hist best CEO behaviour when it comes to Gao Tu. Like any good leader, Wenlang tries not to play favourites, but even to himself, it's painfully obvious that he has one. As it is to everybody else. It's a miracle, really, that Gao Tu has not used Wenlang's obvious infatuation to rob HS Group blind. It speaks of his moral character.
"No", Gao Tu says quickly, half turning to look behind him at Wenlang. All of a sudden, his face is close. Very close. Closer than it's been in years and Wenlang clearly forgot how much effort it is to not lean in and put his lips on him. Because in that short moment, that's all he can think about. The gap between them is miniscule. Thankfully, Gao Tu turns back around before Wenlang can make a fool of himself and mess this up even further. "No, I am not angling for a promotion. I know that my salary at HS Group is very fair, more than."
"Then why", Wenlang demands to know. "Why are you leaving a well-paying, stable job?" It makes not sense. None. Unless... "Gao Tu, is someone bothering you?" Wenlang can't imagine who'd be so stupid. Gao Tu is clearly one of their most senior employees, capable, smart, constantly in and out of the CEO's office. He's also kind and quiet and never one for gossip. In all their time, he has not once complained about a colleague, not once abused his closeness to Wenlang. He's also, pretty obviously, under Wenlang's personal protection. Wenlang really cannot think of a worse target to pick for petty office drama, but who knows, some people are just that stupid. And if any one of his employees is the reason Gao Tu feels he needs to leave, Wenlang will personally kick them to the curb.
His friend shakes his head.
"No, no", he says quickly, "everybody is more than pleasant to work with."
"Then I don't understand. If the work is fine, if the colleagues are fine, if...", Wenlang stops, a bitter thought settling in the pit of his stomach. "Is it me?" he asks bluntly. And to his horror, Gao Tu hesitates. Where he has been so quick to dismiss the first two guesses, he's hesitating now. Dread spreads from Wenlang's throat all the way down to his heart.
What could he have possibly done to chase Gao Tu away like this? He wrecks his head, sifts through his memories at lightening speed and comes up empty. Nothing stands out. Just days and days and days of quiet camaraderie, working together, having lunch together – not as often as Wenlang would like, but still often enough. Nothing warrants Gao Tu running for the hills.
"What have I done?" he immediately wants to know. Gao Tu shakes his head.
"Nothing, it's nothing."
A fissure of anger curls up in Wenlang's chest. How can he fix the problem when his friend won't even tell him what the problem is? He tamps that down. Getting angry won't help, he's seen it in the past. The louder someone gets, the quieter Gao Tu becomes. He's not built for confrontation, preferring to solve everything with quiet professionalism and more work. It makes him a fantastic employee. It also makes him impossible to fight with.
"It's clearly something. And something pretty big at that", Wenlang argues back. "If it's bad enough to drive you away like this. Please, tell me so that I can fix it."
"You can't fix it!" Gao Tu says, a bit too loudly, a little too quickly, slightly curling in on himself. "There's nothing to fix."
"You're obviously lying." Wenlang cannot help a bit of annoyance slipping into his tone. He hates liars. He hates it even more that Gao Tu won't just tell him. Whatever he did, whatever he said, he'll apologise for it. He cannot remember anything bad enough to trigger this, but who knows. Even though Wenlang doesn't think he's in the habit of attacking his friend – Hua Yong being the nominal exception that proves the rule – the weeks are long and sometimes, tension rises, so it might theoretically be possible that he's been less than kind to Gao Tu. Even if he did not mean to and even if Gao Tu has never been the kind of man to let little things like that bother him. Still, it's possible that Wenlang has slipped up somewhere. "Look, I am sorry, okay? If I said something-"
Gao Tu shakes his head. "You didn't. There's nothing to be sorry about."
"Then why are you leaving me?!" It comes out too raw, his grip turns too tight, he can hear Gao Tu make a chocked off little sound. So Wenlang makes sure to gentle his hold, even though he does not let him go.
"Wenlang", his friend says, voice very soft. He puts a hand on the arm still cinched around his waist, the tips of his fingers brushing against the sliver of skin where Wenlang's suit has ridden up. It's a tiny bit of contact, barely there, but it drives home how much they usually don't do this: touch. At all.
It's not a conscious decision, at least not on Wenlang's part. He has no problem touching Hua Yong. A slap on the shoulder, a pat on the back – though you always have to be careful to never take things to far since that little psycho relishes the tiniest transgression to unleash his stupid Enigma powers. But still, they touch.
With Gao Tu, he doesn't. Which turns out to be a massive mistake because if Wenlang was more used to it, that little bit of skin to skin contact would not affect him the way it does. Now, he wants Gao Tu's hands on his skin, his face, all over his body.
He can't, because Gao Tu has a partner and has never, not once, shown this sort of interest in Wenlang (and Wenlang had been looking, hoping, really). He knows it won't happen. Ever. Because Gao Tu is as loyal to that undeserving Omega of his as he is to Wenlang and his company.
"Please let go."
"No", Wenlang stubbornly presses his head into Gao Tu's shoulder, closes his eyes and breathes in the familiar, clean Beta scent. Tinged with just a hint of sage. Wenlang's mood sours considerably. That Omega. Again. Leaving their stench all over his friend. Wenlang has the ridiculous urge to drag Gao Tu into the bathroom and scrub him clean. "Not until you tell me what I've done."
"You haven't done anything", his friend says. "I told you."
"You're lying", he accuses. "I can smell it on you."
Funnily enough, that figure of speech gets more of a reaction than Wenlang thinks it deserves. Gao Tu hunches in on himself, shoulders drawn up.
"No you can't", he says, nonsensically.
Wenlang opens his eyes to look at him, or rather, the bit of skin he can see on his neck, bowed and half hidden between his shoulders. Something catches his attention, something that is not smooth skin and dark hair. Just underneath the edge of Gao Tu's collar, barely visible, skin tone just a little bit of, he can see the corner of what looks like a band aid. Or one of those exhausting suppressant patches that never really do the trick for Wenlang. It's one of the few downsides to being an S-class Alpha, his body burns through suppressants almost faster than Wenlang can apply them. Which is why he rarely bothers, preferring to keep himself in check through discipline and internal regulation.
He frowns, one hand coming up to drag the collar down a bit. Gao Tu goes stiff all over before he renews his struggles to push Wenlang's arm away.
"Wenlang, you are going too far!"
"Why do you have a band aid on your neck?" Wenlang asks instead of letting him go, through he dutifully stops pulling at his collar until the little bit of plastic is almost all the way hidden again.
"I cut myself", Gao Tu says. Wenlang frowns down at his neck so hard his friend must be able to feel it.
"You cut yourself. At the back of your neck? How?"
"Does that matter?" Gao Tu hisses, uncharacteristically annoyed. "Just leave it alone." A fresh wave of sage rolls off him, but muted, just the memory of a scent. Wenlang stares and stares at the band aid. What if it doesn't hide a cut but a bite? There's a low-level anger simmering in Wenlang's stomach. What's the point of biting a Beta? The mark won't stick, it's needlessly painful. His already low opinion of Gao Tu's mystery partner, that awful person who is never there when Gao Tu looks ready to keel over, but demands so much of his time and attention in return, sinks to the bottom of a very deep lake full of resentment. If they wanted someone to carry their mark, they should have gone with an Alpha, as is tradition. And not dragged poor Gao Tu into their schemes. Of which this supposed pregnancy has to be the latest one.
He stares at the edge of the band aid, his fingers itching to peel it off, see for himself if his suspicion is true. In the back of his mind, he notices how it's the exact size and colour of one of their most potent suppressants. The ones that last Wenlang for about an hour.
It has to be pure coincidence, what use would a Beta have for suppressants. One of the many blessings of being one is not having to deal with any of that pheromone nonsense. Most Betas can't even detect them. There could be two S-class Alphas going at it right in the next room and a Beta would be none the wiser.
Unless they have the sort of asthma that gets triggered by it, like Gao Tu.
...
... ...
Gao Tu shifts in his arms. Usually, that would have been enough to draw Wenlang's attention away from whatever thought was about to form, being this close to Gao Tu's face has that effect on him. But this time, Wenlang resists the lure of his big eyes and too red lips to look at his neck where the tissue is stretched taut to accommodate the rotation.
And sure enough, there's a small, fleshy bump. The same that is on Wenlang's neck and every Alpha's he has ever met. And Omega, of course, though Wenlang keeps his distance from those.
It's a scent glad, just barely visible against the stretched skin. An entire organ that should not even be on Gao Tu's neck. Because Gao Tu is a Beta and Betas, very famously, do not have scent glands.
It can't be.
It's right before Wenlang's eyes, but it can't be.
He has known Gao Tu for ten years. Ten years of late night studies at school and then late night projects at work. Five years of living in each other's pockets during business trips. Wenlang has watched Gao Tu interact with countless of Alphas, not one has spared him more than a passing glance.
Gao Tu cannot be an Omega. Wenlang would have known. He would have known.
Without thinking it through, Wenlang reaches out and presses two fingers against the gland. The reaction is instantaneous. Gao Tu makes a noise Wenlang has never heard him make in real life, only half-imagined in the middle of the night. He curls in on himself and almost drops, the only thing keeping him upright being Wenlang's arm around his middle.
Wenlang knows the feeling well, like hitting your elbow on a very sharp edge, only way more intense. He has the urge to do it again, just to be really, really sure, but he pulls his hand back, opting to peel off the band aid that is not really a band aid instead.
Within seconds, the sage scent intensifies, carrying the sharp undertone of fear.
Wenlang is still too stunned to react to that in any way but stony silence. This revelation feels too big to comprehend all at once, so his brain takes it in in chunks.
The scent is not some faceless Omega stealing his best friend away from him, it's Gao Tu.
All those weeks off, those were not for an overly demanding partner, they were for Gao Tu. So he could deal with his heat. Because Gao Tu is an Omega and therefore, has those.
Gao Tu is an Omega.
He's an Omega.
His best friend is an Omega.
Given his history, Wenlang expects his first reaction to be anger. Instead, the first clear thought he has is: This explains so much.
"There is no Omega partner, is there?" Wenlang is both surprised and also not at all that this is the first question he would latch on to.
Gao Tu, having somewhat recovered and straightened himself out, shakes his head. "No", he says, so quiet Wenlang would not hear him if they weren't still plastered together. "It's always just been me. I'm sorry."
Good, that buried part of Wenlang, the one that's only active when Wenlang is half out of it, preens.
"So there's also no child", Wenlang concludes. And therefore, no reason for Gao Tu to leave, right?
"No, there's", Gao Tu pauses, swallows. "There's a child."
Wenlang's brain screeches to a halt, unwilling to accept that reality. He's had less than a minute to even consider how Gao Tu might be a free man after all, not shackled to a partner he'd knocked up. Only to now be confronted with the idea of some faceless Alpha having put their unworthy offspring in his best friend.
That's almost worse. It feels worse! Wenlang is not entirely sure if it really is worse. The idea of Gao Tu having a child with anyone who is not... who is not Wenlang is unbearable.
He releases the other man, but only for a fraction. Only long enough to take him by the shoulders and turn him around. Gao Tu doesn't try to fight him.
"Who?" he demands to know.
"It's not important", Gao Tu murmurs.
"It damn well is. Who?" This is what he should have done ten years ago. Instead of silently seething with jealousy, he should have demanded Gao Tu show him this mystery Omega. The one that always left their scent on him. Maybe if Wenlang hadn't be so immature and petty, he would have figured it out back then. That there was no Omega partner. That the place at Gao Tu's side was actually empty and the only reason his friend did not tell him was because of Wenlang's stupidly big mouth.
Oh God, his mouth. And all the hateful shit it spewed about Omegas. Created through his own fucked up family life but then made ten times worse by jealousy.
"It doesn't mater", Gao Tu says, trying to squirm free. "He doesn't want to be involved with the child."
Stupid, Wenlang thinks with a ferocity that is unknown even to him. Who would not want Gao Tu and his child? Who'd turn his nose up at the best thing that could possibly happen to them?
"Then let me", he says. At that Gao Tu's head whips up.
"W-what?" He must be truly caught off guard because Gao Tu never stumbles over his words. Ever.
"If the Alpha doesn't want to be involved, let me. Let me help. In any way you need."
"But I'm..." he points to his neck, to the scent gland that Wenlang so rudely abused earlier.
"You're my friend." In all the chaos, in all the uncertainty that is still thick enough to suffocate them, that one truth shines bright.
"Wenlang", Gao Tu says, his voice choked with emotion. He's pushing against his hold, but this time, to get closer, so Wenlang lets him, lowers his head when both arms come around his neck and pull him in. Wenlang responds by wrapping one arm around his waist, the other coming up to press along his spine, fingers loosely curled around the back of his neck. Gao Tu's hair tickles against his fingertips and his skin is warm and soft against his palm. Wenlang holds him completely like this. It's powerful, being allowed this close, being trusted so much. He never wants to let him go again.
The scent of sage surrounds him, deep and heady. That will take some getting used to. For a decade, it has driven him into fits of jealousy. When it's always been just Gao Tu.
"You smell so good", he says and Gao Tu gives a full body shudder.
There's something like... déjà vu at hearing those words in his own voice, at holding Gao Tu's neck, at drowning in this scent.
Wenlang has suppressed most of what happened that night, all of it involuntary, himself just a slave to someone else's lure. Wenlang was a spectator to his own body and he eventually shut his eyes in front of it, just waiting for it to be over, reaffirmed in his conviction to never again get near another Omega if this is what they can reduce him to.
But if it's with someone he trusts. Someone he loves. He doesn't think he'd mind the loss of control as much.
They stay like that for what simultaneously feels too long and not long enough.
Eventually, Gao Tu draws back a little and with a heavy heart, Wenlang lets him. His fingers are itching with the urge to pull him back, to always have one hand on Gao Tu.
Mine, the animal inside him growls. Mine, mine, mine.
But Wenlang is not an animal and this is Gao Tu, the person he loves most in the world, his very fucked up family included. There's no one else who's been this loyal for this long, even if he lied. Wenlang understands that there's probably more to that than just his own rampant vitriol about Omegas. After all, Gao Tu pretended to be a Beta before Wenlang exchanged a single word with him. This can't be all because of him, even if he certainly did not help.
More secrets.
There's still a lot, too much, that Wenlang does not know. But for now, just this is enough.