Chapter 42: Grooming

Chapter 42: Setting Things Straight

A knock came at the door.

Xu Shaoen jumped, his heart beginning to race—whether from anticipation or fear, he couldn't say.

He leaned against the door, ears perked to catch any sound from outside, hoping Pei Ju would assume he'd already gone to sleep and leave him alone.

Pei Ju waited patiently, but still no sound came from inside.

Asleep?

That couldn't be. He hadn't cleaned up the mess from earlier yet—he'd only given it a rough wipe with tissues from the room.

If he didn't clean it properly, he could easily get sick.

The place was pretty basic—only one shared shower room. They'd been holed up in the room so long that heading straight to the shower the second they came out would've been way too obvious.

To keep from corrupting their underage neighbor's innocent mind, Pei Ju had tossed him a game console, and Xiaojin was so grateful he was practically calling him "dad."

Now Xiaojin was glued to his game, and Pei Ju finally had a chance to go comfort his poor little kitty.

"It's me." Pei Ju stared at the basin of water he was holding, his voice steady.

Xu Shaoen knew damn well it was him.

Otherwise, why wouldn't he dare open the door?

"We agreed we wouldn't share a bed today..."

The kitten's voice from inside the room trembled, laced with panic.

Was he resisting because his technique today wasn't good?

Pei Ju thought hard about it.

After all, he was a new driver—first time on the road, so being bad at it was inevitable.

He just needed more practice.

A dark glint passed through Pei Ju's eyes.

He knew his baby had great potential; he wouldn't be satisfied with just a little taste.

But he couldn't rush it.

"I'm not going to do anything else."

Pei Ju cleared his throat: "I just brought you some water. And the stuff I bought this morning is still in the room—want me to grab it now?"

Xu Shaoen glanced at the floor—sure enough, the big bag was still there.

He cracked the door open just enough to let Pei Ju in.

His baby was way too innocent.

Way too easy to coax.

A slight smile tugged at Pei Ju's lips as he slipped through the gap.

Pei Ju set the water down on the table, and Xu Shaoen handed him the bag.

Pei Ju looked through it—he obviously knew what was inside. He was just leaning against the table to kill time.

Xu Shaoen's scent at the tip of his nose made his heart pound wildly.

That shopkeeper was right—an omega was the best cure.

Except this medicine was addictive. Once you got a taste, you wanted more—no matter how much you had, it was never enough.

Pei Ju's breathing got heavier, and Xu Shaoen jumped back like a scared rabbit.

Why was he avoiding him again?

Was he dangerous? Some kind of untouchable?

The omega this morning hadn't been like this—he'd clung to him, wanting more and more, utterly greedy.

He'd only fed him a little extra. Why was he so scared now?

Pei Ju stopped tidying up and stared at the dark, ominous muzzle in his hands, a restless feeling churning in his chest.

If he was going to tame a beast, how could he tease its appetite and only feed it tiny scraps of meat at a time?

Like this... he could easily lose it.

Pei Ju hung his head, his voice low and muffled.

"Are you scared of me now?"

He licked his lips, looking sorry and dejected: "This is my first time too... I don't really know what I'm doing..."

His black hair drooped over his forehead, softening his fierce, predatory vibe and making him look almost vulnerable.

He turned to look at Xu Shaoen, his voice rough: "Did I hurt you this morning?"

The tall Alpha looked utterly dejected—pitiful and listless, like a kicked puppy. Xu Shaoen's heart melted.

He'd never seen Pei Ju like this. He rushed over: "No... it doesn't hurt that much."

It was just a strange feeling—swollen, with fabric brushing against it causing a tingling numbness, and occasionally a bit of sticky wetness seeping out. It made him both shy and embarrassed, unable to face the one who'd caused all this.

So he wanted to push him away, let him calm down and adjust—maybe by tomorrow, everything would be fine.

"I know my technique is terrible..."

The alpha lowered his head, tidying up the scattered items that had fallen from the table. His voice carried a sigh, tinged with helplessness:

"After today... will you not want me anymore?"

"No, how could I!"

Xu Shaoen felt their positions had completely flipped. This kind of thing—the omega was always the one at a disadvantage. Wasn't it always the alpha coaxing the omega? How had it become his job to coax Pei Ju now?

He tilted his head up to study Pei Ju's expression, suspecting his reddened eyes were about to spill tears, and quickly added with certainty: "Actually, your technique isn't bad at all."

"Really?" Pei Ju's eyes trembled, as if he still couldn't believe it.

"Really!" Xu Shaoen nodded emphatically.

It did hurt a bit at first, but...

But it was quite comfortable afterwards.

It's just... he took in a bit too much, and he was afraid he might break.

He couldn't fully trust Pei Ju either; at times like that, his sense of restraint seemed to vanish completely. Although he still considered his feelings, it still made him feel out of control.

It was like being lifted up, sent into the air with nowhere to land, like a beautiful doll at his mercy.

What was even scarier was that this feeling seemed addictive. Just like now, his first reaction upon seeing Pei Ju was a dry throat and a racing heart.

This change left him at a loss; maybe they both needed some time to adjust? So spending a night apart would be good for both of them.

Unfortunately, Pei Ju didn't seem to think so.

"I'm so worried you might be hurt; I didn't get a chance to check earlier." Pei Ju took his hand, gently stroking each of his fingers.

"How about I check and clean you up?"

Xu Shaoen's eyes went wide.

Isn't the map of Yan that Pei Ju brought a bit too short?

He's not stupid; how could he not see right through his ulterior motives now?

All that talk about being hurt or sad was fake! Fake!

Pei Ju just wanted to trick him into taking off his clothes!

Xu Shaoen tried to shake off Pei Ju's hand, but it was too late.

"Baby."

Xu Shaoen was pulled into his arms, their fingers laced together.

The pheromones wrapped tightly around him, and against the chest pressed to his, a heart beat strongly.

Pei Ju kissed the top of his head.

His voice was so gentle that any omega would be fooled by it: "It's really just a check... let me take a look, okay?"

And his gaze was clear as he looked at him: "Absolutely just cleaning up."

**

It was really hard to believe Pei Ju's motives were pure.

But how he ended up lying on the bed, Xu Shaoen couldn't figure out himself.

His pants came off without question.

The warm towel's touch made him blush before he could stop it.

Xu Shaoen covered his face with his arm.

He still felt uneasy, keeping his legs pressed tightly together.

Spreading his legs for Pei Ju outside of that kind of moment was just too much.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before." Pei Ju wrung out the cloth and wiped him down.

The more he wiped, the more fragrant the omega became.

The realization that Xu Shaoen was covered in his scent inside and out made his heart pound.

But there was one strange thing.

As his fingertip brushed across that slit, another trickle of maple-syrup-like honey flowed out.

"It seems like it's gone." Pei Ju found it fascinating; he pressed on Xu Shaoen's lower belly, having poured so much in, yet it was all gone.

"It's just the special period; the body absorbs the pheromones."

Xu Shaoen blushed: "I said there's no need to wipe."

"Why is that?" Pei Ju asked, genuinely curious.

"Didn't you learn this in AO physiology class? During an omega's heat, they need to be drenched in pheromones; the more they're drenched, the faster the heat passes."

Even though it was knowledge everyone had to learn in big lectures, being taught it one-on-one made it especially awkward.

"Then isn't that dangerous?" Pei Ju's breath caught.

He remembered how this world differed from Blue Star.

Omegas can bear offspring.

That meant, after today, they might welcome... a child.

Xu Shaoen saw the other man staring fixedly at his lower belly and immediately guessed what he was thinking.

Pei Ju must have skipped class.

Half amused and half annoyed, he pushed his hand away: "What are you thinking? Do you think having a baby is that simple?"

An omega in heat needs a lot of pheromones; the higher the omega's rank, the more pheromones are needed. These pheromones help them get through their heat effectively and promote the development of their reproductive tract.

Only when the omega's body has been saturated with pheromones to a certain degree does the reproductive tract become fully prepared.

At that point, an Alpha who has been laboring for a long time can deliver his pheromones to the deepest part of the omega's body and finally knot, completing the permanent mark.

An omega with a permanent mark automatically rejects other alphas' advances, and the pheromones lingering in the omega's body for a long time also make other alphas feel threatened and keep their distance.

But that doesn't mean pregnancy happens quickly; female omegas might be better suited for bearing children, while a male omega like him, if paired with a low-compatibility alpha, might not conceive for three to five years.

These new terms hit Pei Ju's mind hard—reproductive tract, knotting, temporary mark, permanent mark—all tangled up in his head.

The only thing he could be sure of was:

"So, I haven't fully marked you yet?"

Pei Ju touched Xu Shaoen's slightly swollen nape, which he had gnawed and worried at for a long time, yet the pheromones he'd gotten from it were barely worth mentioning.

He curled up, hiding himself in Pei Ju's embrace.

"Theoretically, that's right."

"And no need to worry about pregnancy?" Pei Ju lowered his head and placed his fingers over his lower belly.

Indeed, it was flat there, much like his own, not like a place that could carry a child.

"…It might not be as simple as you think."

If AOs could be matched and conceive at will, there would be no need to go to the Empire's matching hall for tests before marriage.

These days, an AO compatibility rate of eighty percent is already considered excellent, and even then, couples who want children have to try for a year or two.

If the compatibility rate is below passing, they can't even get a marriage certificate and can only remain just partners.

Xu Shaoen didn't want to kill Pei Ju's enthusiasm, but the truth was that for an Alpha of his C-rank, the pheromone concentration would make it very difficult for him to conceive a child.

Maybe they wouldn't be able to get married in the future either… Xu Shaoen's mind was in a tangle.

He really wasn't ready to be a father, but… what if Pei Ju really wanted kids?

"The higher the rank of the Omega, the harder it is to conceive." Xu Shaoen murmured.

"Conceiving across ranks is even harder."

He was worried Pei Ju would be disappointed, but Pei Ju seemed to let out a sigh of relief instead.

"Oh, thank goodness."

He hadn't dared to go too hard today, always worried about hurting Xu Shaoen.

He was still so small—still just a baby himself.

Pei Ju stroked his face.

So from now on, he could go all out and fill his baby up?

This was freaking fantastic news.

"Don't you want a kid?" Xu Shaoen couldn't believe it.

Many Alphas hoped to score a bullseye on the first try to prove their ability.

Though most were just pipe dreams, it didn't stop them from bragging about it.

"You're still way too young." You haven't even graduated yet—you're still at the age for studying.

Pei Ju didn't care if he had kids or not. The moment he confirmed his orientation, he'd already prepared himself for a life without kids.

"Even if we never have kids, that's fine too—then it'll just be the two of us." He kissed Xu Shaoen lovingly, stealing his breath.

Xu Shaoen closed his eyes.

He'd never heard an Alpha say anything like that.

More often than not, people would say things like: You'll surely continue the Empire's superior genes.

As if he were just a tool.

But Pei Ju was really something else.

Until he brought up the unfinished task: "Should we do a mental grooming today?"

He hadn't yet tasted Xu Shaoen thoroughly, and even if there wasn't much to clean, just purely appreciating him was enough.

Xu Shaoen rested his head on his shoulder with a soft hum.

The slightly swollen, sore spot was being coated with cool, soothing ointment, but the feel of those fingers became increasingly distinct.

Pei Ju kissed his earlobe, then his jaw, bit his lip, savored it, then bit his Adam's apple, licking away the beads of sweat with his tongue.

"Sweet." Then his head moved lower, teeth lightly closing, nibbling.

Tears welled up in the corners of Xu Shaoen's eyes.

"Sweet." A gentle kiss, moving down, over the taut, lean muscles.

"Your V-line is beautiful." So irresistible to touch.

The next kiss fell lightly on his thigh.

What was he gonna do?

He hadn't even been touched, and he was already in tears.

His fingers playfully pressed down, and Pei Ju's lips remained vividly red even in the darkness.

Xu Shaoen bit his own forearm, swallowing every sound that slipped out.

"You forgot to do my mental grooming just now again."

Pei Ju's lips, that had just tasted him, kissed him again. Xu Shaoen tried to dodge but got scolded.

"Ungrateful little thing." Turning his nose up at what was his own.

His tongue, forced into the kiss, tasted a hint of saltiness and bitterness.

Xu Shaoen pulled away—why did he have to taste it? If Pei Ju liked it himself, that was enough.

"…Mental grooming." Xu Shaoen stopped him and pushed him away.

"Didn't it work well before?"

Xu Shaoen was confused.

It didn't work well?

It had brought him up to C+ in a single session.

"Let's try a different kind of link."

His lips were covered.

They kissed, his tongue being chased.

Xu Shaoen thought this wasn't bad, but the mental link kept flickering on and off.

"Don't move…" Xu Shaoen whispered.

"Let me in, and I'll stay still."

Pei Ju coaxed in a deep voice.

As if that would ever happen.

"There's medicine… I just put it on."

“Wouldn’t it be better if you spread it evenly?”

His hand got swatted.

Fine, then. Pei Ju clicked his tongue regretfully.

“Anyway, can you really hold back?”

“Doesn’t seem like it right now.”

Pei Ju added, “But once I’m inside, then I can.”

Xu Shaoen said in a panic, “You said we wouldn’t do anything else today!”

The scary feeling of being watched by a predator hadn’t gone away at all.

“You also said you’d give me a mental cleanse today. That way, I’ll have a better shot in the arena in a few days, right?”

Xu Shaoen went quiet.

Pei Ju’s fingers brushed Xu Shaoen’s lips, his intent obvious: “If it’s like just now, then when we go in and out—isn’t that all your call?”

Xu Shaoen couldn’t say no anymore.

It wasn’t the first time Pei Ju had helped him out, so if he refused again, wouldn’t that be kind of rude?

He’d just consider it returning the favor.

That pretty face lay obediently in his palm.

Pei Ju lifted his chin by the tip of it.

“I’ll be gentle.” Such a beautiful one certainly couldn’t be handled roughly.

He was tender and patient.

“Stick out your tongue for me, okay? Be a good boy.”

Pei Ju couldn’t resist tracing a glittering star on his face.

He absolutely loved it.

Just like the stars shimmering in his mental sea.

His heart was overflowing with satisfaction.

“Enen, I want to...”

Xu Shaoen jerked back in a panic.

“I’m sorry...”

That pretty face was smeared with his mess.

So embarrassing.

==========Author’s Note:==========

Pei Ju: Can’t get enough.

Enen: Too full.

20 random red envelopes dropping!