Thread by @lwjrights

I was reading an r/relationships post and I am just thinking of #omegaLWJseason husbands!wangxian having a fight over wwx choosing his family over lwj.

I don't know why the fight happens or what exactly wwx's family did but he does take their side. Because... Idk obligation/guilt/duty whatever.

Maybe it is a fight between JC and LWJ, and WWX, ever the one to maintain peace, ever the one to prioritize JC's feelings because

Of their family dynamics, doesn't realize that trying to be the peacekeeper means not supporting LWJ in front of his in-laws.

And LWJ is just so upset. He doesnt think he would be. But he is.
He knew that he doesn't come first in WWX's life and he knew that and he thought he was fine with it.

But apparently he's not.

He's an omega and they are planning on having children in the future. Would WWX be like this too when they have their own family? When LWJ's in laws have opinions on how to parent their kids? Will he not protect their children either?

He's just so hurt. His heat is coming soon so he's even more emotional. He feels rejected by his alpha.
So he just leaves. He packs an overnight bag, leaves a note when WWX's gone out with JC or any of his family members who he had a fight with. And just goes to his brother's.

I just love the idea of WWX coming home after a night with his family to a dark, empty home. Just a note on the fridge.

His omega gone.

WWX immediately ​whips out his phone, his hands shaking, and calls LWJ, who doesn't pick up.

He calls three more times, pacing across the floor, the main door still open, his shoes still on.

When he still doesn't pick up, he calls LXC.

"WWX," LXC's crisp voice comes through and WWX sighs in relief.

"Give LWJ the phone," he says, his heart still hammering.

"LWJ doesn't want to talk to you right now. I suggest you give him some space."

"What? That's- just give him the phone!"

"I said," LXC hisses, "he doesn't want to talk to you."

WWX's patience runs out. "Just give him the phone!"

There's some background noise at the other end as WWX waits until-

"Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan," WWX croaks.

"Lan Zhan, what is this? Where are you? Come home."

"Wei Ying," he hears LWJ sigh.

"I will come pick you up, okay? We can talk about this after."

"Wei Ying, I am not leaving you," LWJ says quietly.

WWX's heart lurches to his throat at the words. "Leaving? What?

Where did that even come from? You are leaving me?" He says, his voice broken by the end.

"No," LWJ says immediately, but WWX can't draw any comfort from that.

"Then I will pick you up." He looks around for his car keys before realizing that they are in his pocket.

He's already out the door when LWJ sighs. "Wei Ying, I don't want to come home right now."

WWX freezes midstep, his keys jangling in his hand. "What?"

"I want some space."

WWX's heart drops to his stomach. "Lan Zhan? What? Why?" He asks, unable to make sense of it.

There's silence on the other end and WWX panics. "Lan Zhan, talk to me, baby."

A sob sounds and WWX's breath hitches. His alpha instincts rage inside him at the sound of his omega crying. "Lan Zhan, I am coming over."

"No," LWJ says, more firmly this time, his tone final. "No"

WWX stops this time at his words. "Lan Zhan?" He asks weakly.

"I will talk to you soon."

And with that, he hangs up, leaving WWX standing outside of their house, tears in his voice, his world crashing down.

He gives it a night. He gives LWJ a night. He thinks about what he has done. He knows it's because of the fight. It has to be. There isn't anything else.

He didn't know LWJ felt that badly about it.

He didn't have a chance to talk to his omega when the argument between LWJ and JC had ended. He had taken JC to a bar right after, his phone filled with all the Jiangs bitching at him for fighting with JC. Even though he wasn't the one who did!

He always takes JC out when they have a fight. So he did the same thing that evening. He even asked LWJ to come along!

He only realises now that if Auntie Yu was cussing him out about how terrible he was for fighting with family, she must have been cussing LWJ out too.

WWX lies on their bed, the sheets smelling strongly of his omega and texts LWJ.

He doesn't sleep, he doesn't think he can sleep without LWJ anymore.

They have never spent a night apart since they got married.

He apologises to LWJ in text. He tries to explain himself, he apologises again, he asks him to come home. He notifies him that he will be there the next morning.

No one replies and yet, he doesn't sleep.

He waits until it is 5am and then he sets off.

LXC opens the door to him, only partly, his stance defensive. "WWX, I thought LWJ told you not to come here."

"Can you call him?" WWX really doesn't want to deal with his brother-in-law right now.

His eyes are red and itchy from the lack of sleep, his throat dry and his heart a mess.

"Give him some space."

Space. Space. Fucking space.

"I am not going without seeing my omega," WWX seethes.

LXC fixes him with a hard look. "Then you should have treated your omega better."

WWX clenches his jaw and calls, "Lan Zhan? Lan Zhan?"

LXC hushes him. "It's 6 in the morning, Wuxian. Stop making a ruckus outside of my house."

WWX crosses his arms. "Call Lan Zhan then."

LWJ finally presents himself from behind the door and WWX almost keels over in relief. He reaches for his omega but LWJ steps back, out of his reach.

WWX swallows, his heart breaking. "Lan Zhan."

LWJ's brows are the slightest bit furrowed, a sure sign of his annoyance.

"Wei Ying, I said I will talk to you soon."

"Did you get my messages? I am sorry, Lan Zhan. I am sorry, okay. I just didn't want you guys to fight and I didn't know how you would feel about it. I am sorry, baby."

LWJ bites his lip, his eyes trained on the floor. "This is not

-the first time this has happened."

WWX gapes. "Wha-?"

"You always let Auntie Yu's criticism about our house slide. The house I take care of. You postpone our plans if you find out your siblings have the slightest problem. You cancelled a week long trip I had planned for-

-months because JC was having a root canal. You even changed our wedding date because Auntie Yun didn't want you to get married before Li-jie."

WWX stands there, rooted in place as LWJ says it all with resignation.

LWJ sighs. "I knew, I knew going into this that I won't be your priority, that your family came first." He pauses. "But I was foolish. I don't think I can continue like this. I am sorry, Wei Ying."

"No, no, Lan Zhan. You are my priority. You are. You know that," WWX says softly.

LWJ shakes his head. "I don't."

WWX grabs his biceps, before rubbing them in comfort. "You are my omega. Of course you are my priority."

LWJ finally looks up, his eyes sad.

"It doesn't feel like it, Wei Ying."

"I am sorry, I am sorry, Lan Zhan. I will show you that you come first. I won't do that again. Never. I promise."

LWJ shakes his head. "I don't want you to force yourself. Your family means a lot to you. I-" he stopped.

"I know why you feel the way you do," he continued. "I understand it and I don't blame you for it. I just don't think I can live with that."

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, we are married. We are mated. You come first. You will always come first. Of course you will."

LWJ purses his lips.

"Please come home, Lan Zhan," WWX whispers. "I won't let it happen again."

LWJ closes his eyes. "I need some time to myself."

"Lan Zhan."

"I am sorry, Wei Ying."

WWX stands there as the door shuts on him, LWJ's quiet plea of "Please go home," echoing in his ears.

He thinks he's going to throw up.

Home, he thinks and laughs.

What is home without Lan Zhan.

His stomach heaves and he turns and runs out of the apartment complex, before throwing up last night's dinner into the bushes.

He wipes his mouth, his eyes watering and he stumbles to his car.

He doesn't know what to do. Lan Zhan wants space. WWX doesn't want to give it to him.

He doesn't know how to convince LWJ. He knows he messed up. He knows what he did wrong. But now LWJ won't come back with him.

This has never happened before. Even in their worst fights, they still slept in the same bed.

Even while they were dating, they had never been able

-to stay angry for more than a day.

But now, it seems like LWJ isn't even angry.

That's what's worst about this. LWK doesn't seem angry.

Instead, he seems sad.

And WWX hates himself to his bones for being the cause of that.

He goes home. He goes home because he doesn't know what to do.

He goes to his empty house, everything reminding him of Lan Zhan. The paintings that they chose together, the coffee table that LWJ fell in love with on their honeymoon, LWJ's embroidered wall hangings,

-the to-do list that LWJ maintained which Auntie Yu had criticized.

WWX winces at the thought of it.

He failed as an alpha. He failed to care for his omega and now LWJ doesn't want him.

LWJ doesn't contact him the whole day. WWX spends the day sitting on the couch, the TV on to something he doesn't watch, the absence of LWJ too much to bear.

He texts LWJ some more. But he gets no reply.

He calls in sick to work.

TW: alcohol abuse

It is around six in the evening when he starts drinking. When he can't take the silence anymore. When he can't take not having LWJ beside him.

He doesn't even know when he arrives in front of LXC's apartment again.

He manages to get the correct doorbell.

This time it's LWJ who opens.

"Lan Zhan," he cries.

"Wei Ying?" He can hear the concern in his voice despite his muddled senses and cries some more.

"Wei Ying, have you been drinking?"

"Please don't leave me, Lan Zhan," he begs.

LWJ opens the door wider. "Come inside."

WWX huffs out a watery laugh.

He rushes in before the invitation can be declined. He turns as LWJ closed the door and hugs him, gripping him tightly. "I am sorry, Lan Zhan," he says, his voice muffled against LWJ's neck.

He nuzzles his scent glands, inhaling in LWJ's comforting scent.

The scent their home is filled with. The scent he had missed too much. "I am sorry. Please come back to me."

LWJ gently leads him to the couch and lays him there, extracting himself from WWX, much to his distress.

"I will call you a didi."

WWX's hopes die a painful death. "Lan Zhan. Please."

LWJ sits on his knees beside the couch, his phone in his hand. "Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian looks, ready to do anything. Anything that would make LWJ come home.

"You want me to come back."

WWX nods vigorously.

He will do anything. Anything.

"Then give me some time."

WWX groans, closing his eyes as tears escape. "I am sorry," he whispers. Sorry for coming here. Sorry for not respecting LWJ's decision. Sorry that LWJ had to take this step.

"It is okay."

He goes home alone, the driver looking at the rearview mirror again and again in concern as WWX stares despondent out of the window, tear streaks still on his cheek.

The next few days are a haze for WWX. He spends it drunk, the only time he's sleeping when he passes out anywhere in the house but their bed. He can't stand the sight of their empty bed.

He keeps his phone charged in case LWJ texts, but ignores everyone else.

It's on the fourth day that LWJ calls.
His phone is on the table when it rings. WWX jumps at the sound of it and crawls to the table, too drunk to brave standing up.
His heart stops when he sees LWJ's name.
"Lan Zhan," he says, his voice bright in a way he hasn't felt in days.

"Wei Ying. Your work called me."

WWX deflates like a balloon.

"They told me you have neither been coming in nor responding."

WWX shuts his eyes close, bracing himself against the disappointment that engulfs him. "I- yeah."

"Wei Ying," LWJ says then stops.

He takes a deep breath. "Are you okay?"

WWX shakes his head, even though LWJ can't see him. "Yeah, I am okay. You don't need to worry."

"Then why aren't you going to work?"

"I-uh, I forgot to tell them about my leave. I will call them now. Don't worry."

"Wei Ying."

He can hear his disapproval.

"I am just taking a few days to myself, Lan Zhan. Like you."

LWJ remains silent and then, "I am telling NHS."

WWX groans again. "You really don't need to worry."

"It is my job."

These are the things that LWJ says so casually that just shoot straight through WWX's heart, leaving him immobile. As if caring for him is second nature to LWJ.

He misses him so terribly.

"I miss you," WWX says really quietly, so quietly that he hopes LWJ wouldn't hear him.

But it is LWJ after all. There is no one who hears WWX like him.

"Wei Ying."

"Forget I said anything, Lan Zhan. Take your time."

Another time, LWJ would have continued with his line of questioning. Another time he wouldn't have let WWX go.

Today, he just says, "Mn."

In the evening, the door bell rings. WWX ignores it. He knows LWJ won't come today. Not after their call.

The ringing eventually transforms into knocks and then into bangs, until a voice calls out, *WWX, open up."

He doesn't.

The person, who he belatedly recognises as NHS, goes away eventually and WWX keeps sitting, his life seemingly aimless now that his partner isn't there.

They were supposed to build a life together. They were supposed to get through everything together.

Now WWX is left alone.

The next day, NHS isn't alone.

And WWX can't ignore it anymore.

"A-Xian. A-Xian, open the door."

Link to the top!!

https://twitter.com/lwjrights/status/1473584134102474754?s=20

WWX drags his feet to the door, rubbing his eyes. He had noticed her missed calls, while checking his phone for any sign of LWJ.

He hadn't bothered to call back.

But if she actually came all this way for him, he knows he isn't going to get away without meeting her.

But for the first time in his life, he doesn't want to.

"A-Jie," he says, opening the door.

Her kind doe eyes go straight through him. He doesn't deserve this kindness. He doesn't deserve anything. Least of all, his omega.

Only when he hears a cough does he realise that JC has come along with them.

He doesn't want to do this right now. He only wants LWJ back.

"Won't you let us in, A-Xian?"

His instincts fight against him. He doesn't want to let another alpha inside _their_ house, _their_ space.

It shouldn't even matter because there's nothing to protect. There's no one to keep safe. Are they really invading their space when his omega himself doesn't want to be here?

He lets them in.

JC grunts as he passes him, annoyance written on every inch of his shoulders.

WWX sighs.

"A-Xian, you haven't been returning our calls," JYL says as they pretend not to notice the mess he has made of their space.

NHS draws the curtains, letting sunlight through like WWX hasn't seen in days.

"How much did you tell them," WWX bitterly asks him.

"Only what LWJ told me, that you guys had a fight."

WWX grits his teeth, his temper suddenly rising. "I don't need your help. I appreciate your intentions... But I don't need your help."

JC raises an eyebrow, before looking around."Well, it sure doesn't look like that."

"A-Xian, sit down," JYL says, her voice gentle but an order nonetheless.

WWX sits down with a huff, all of them on one side like the goddamn picture of an intervention.

"Now, tell us what this is about."

WWX crosses his arms. "It's between me and Lan Zhan."

He is not going to betray LWJ once again. Even though he knows JYL would understand, he can't risk his family thinking any less of LWJ. He doesn't want his family putting their nose in their business yet again.

If they intervene, it would just push LWJ away even more.

NHS says quietly, "We are just concerned about you, Wei-xiong."

"A-Xian, we can't fix this if you don't tell us."

"You don't need to fix this!" wWX snaps, and then immediately regrets it. "I am sorry," he whispers.

"But I would still appreciate it if you let me deal with this on my own."

"A-" JYL starts but JC interrupts her before she can finish.

"Is it about that argument he and I had? Is he being a baby about that?"

A wave of fury washes over WWX and the next thing he knows, he is on his feet, growling at JC as he points at the door. "GET. OUT"

Everyone freezes as WWX and JC stare at his each other, a growl still rumbling from WWX's chest.
"I am not going to say this again, JC. Get. Out."

"What," JC sputters, "what's gotten into you?"

"If you ever, and I mean ever, talk about Lan Zhan like this again, you will be in a worse condition than Wen Chao was after he broke A-Jie's wrist."

JC stands up, fuming. "You-! What is wrong with you?

How can you talk to family like this?" He crosses his arms. "And just when we are trying to help you."

WWX's eye twitches. "Me? How can you talk about Lan Zhan like that? Do you think I will just listen?"

NHS comes in between them. "Wei-xiong, calm down."

"You don't get to come to our house, JC, and insult my husband. Now, Get. Out."

WWX stands there, his teeth bared, until JC leaves, grumbling the entire time.

He wishes the other two would leave too. They have just made it worse.

"A-Xian," JYl says, her voice stern, "if you look at yourself, you will see that you clearly need help."

Before he can react, she straightens her back and clears her throat. "Now, you don't have to tell us what happened between you two, but you do need to fix it."

WWX sits down and drops his face into his hands, his shoulders sagging. "He wants space, I am giving him space."

"Then take this time to fix what you have done wrong. Or apologise."

"Do you think I haven't apologised?"

JYL isn't fazed. "If he doesn't want an apology, then he wants change. Fix what you have done."

WWX bites the inside of his cheek. "I told him I would never do it again."

NHS inhales sharply. "Did you cheat on him, Wei-xiong?"

"Don't be stupid," WWX snaps.

NHS raises an eyebrow and fans his face. "I won't judge if you do, you know. Well, I would. But I would still be your friend, Wei-xiong. LWJ though? Not so much."

"I didn't cheat on him," WWX says through clenched teeth.

"A-Sang, you know A-Xian would never."

But NHS doesn't listen. "It wouldn't take LWJ much time to find another alpha, Wei-xiong. Whatever you have done, you should fix it fast."

He continues speaking but WWX has long stopped listening. He doesn't even realize he's shaking.

The thought of Lan Zhan leaving him for someone else... The thought of Lan Zhan being with anyone other than him... The thought of another alpha's mark over WWX's faded one.

He growls again, this time so loud that even the omegas, NHS and JYL can't help but cower.

"Leave."

They listen this time.

WWX calls LWJ as soon as they are out of the door. He wants to go to his omega, he wants to see his omega so bad but he knows LWJ would be mad if he showed up unannounced.

LWJ picks up and WWX almost sighs in relief.

"Wei Ying?"

"Lan Zhan, can I come see you?"

He can almost hear LWJ hesitate. "I don't know what benefit it would serve, Wei Ying."

WWX breathes out. "I - I won't let them do anything to you ever again, Lan Zhan. I will protect you. I mean it." He clutches the phone tightly in his hand-

and whispers into the speaker, "Please, just, let me come see you."

"Have you talked to Yu-ayi recently, Wei Ying?"

WWX blinks. "Huh? No, why?"

LWJ doesn't say anything and WWX gasps at the realization. "Has she been saying something to you? Did she find out about this?"

LWJ sighs at the other end and WWX's heart breaks.

"What did she say, Lan Zhan?" he asks, hating the answer already.

"..."

"Tell me," he says quietly.

"..."

"Tell me so I can _fix_ it."

"She said that I was embarassing her family and that even if you were cheating, it did not excuse me running away from home."

Link to the top

https://twitter.com/lwjrights/status/1473584134102474754?s=20

WWX's hand is shaking when they finally end the call. In a daze, he checks his call logs and messages. There are indeed missed calls from Yu-Ayi.
There are a dozen essay-long messages deriding him for ruining their family's reputation. An aunty who knows Yu-Ayi lives in-

- LXC's society and had seen LWJ living there for the past few days.

WWX switches off his phone, grabs his keys and leaves.

He is not- he is not going to lose LWJ.

It takes thirty minutes to get to the Jiang house. He does not how he's going to deal with JC but he realises he does not care.

He rings the doorbell, because Yu-Ayi took his key back as soon as he moved out.

In any other situation, he would have been surprised to see his sister at the door, who lives 40 mins outside the city with her husband.
But as such, WWX only stands there, waiting to be let in.

"A-Xian," his sister starts, but WWX interrupts her, "Is Yu-Ayi here?"

JYL blinks. "Ah, yes, A-Xian, come in."

WWX walks past her, going into the empty living room. He stands in the middle, waiting for their family to gather.

JYL does the job and one by one, each Jiang trots into the room, except Yu-Ayi ofcourse. Yu-Ayi doesn't come in silently.

She storms in, her dangerous eyes wild and furious as they land on WWX. They have all spent more than twenty years trying everything in their power to prevent that look from coming out.

Even now those eyes would have sent a flicker of fear up WWX's spine if he had already not lost everything he cared about.

JYL stands up, ever the pacifier, willing to face the brunt of it for the small chance that it calmed Yu-Ayi down. "Ma, A-Xian is going through a hard

-time, maybe we should-"

"And whose fault is that?" Yu-Ayi yells, going straight to the point. "He can't even keep a husband. And now our name is being spit on!" She stares at him, her eyebrows twitching in the way it always did when she was at the start of a days-long fit.

WWX can see JC shift uncomfortably in his seat. It will not be long before he too joins the fight, on his mother's side. He has never been able to handle emotions well, whether his own or someone else's.

All these years, WWX had subjected LWJ to this. With no protection.

No guide. No advice except to "Ignore them, Lan Zhan. You know how they are."

"And that Lan Wangji!" Yu-Ayi yells, snapping WWX to attention. "Not even mature enough for marriage. Runs back the second it gets hard! What reason could there be to go back to his family?

People will say we are mistreating him."

"Are we not?" WWX stands there, shaking as Yu-Ayi turns her eyes on him.

He thinks his voice was too soft for them to hear, but judging from Yu-Ayi's expression, he need not repeat himself again.

"How are we mistreating him, boy?"

All these years. All these years and she still doesn't realize the harm that she causes. None of them realize what it is like to live in this family.

Hell, not even WWX.

It took LWJ leaving to knock some sense into him.

"I know," WWX begins, his voice quiet and tone calm despite the boiling anger he feels, "that it is my fault. I let Lan Zhan be exposed to this. It is my fault. But this ends now. I am not going to let anyone hurt him."

Yu-Ayi furrows her brows. "What are you talking about?"

JYL shifts closer to him but he shakes his head.

"You cannot treat Lan Zhan like you treat us. None of you can," he growls, his eyes falling on JC, who glares back at him. "He is my omega. He is deserving of respect. And I am no longer going to let him be pushed like that."

Yu A-Yi watches him, her mouth agape. "When have we ever said anything to him?"

WWX's hands form fists by his side. "I know you can't help but be as you are, A-Yi, and you don't even realize what you are doing. And I know it is partially our fault for letting it go on for this-

-long but I am not going to be the reason that Lan Zhan has to go through all of this. I am not going to let *anything* be the reason for Lan Zhan to go through such mistreatment."

He takes a deep breath as he watches Yu-Ayi face turn impossibly red.

"I told JC this and I am going to say it to you too, I am going to say it to all of you." WWX looks around the room at the people who had taken him in, raised him up, kept him off the streets, given him this life. "I am grateful to you. I am. I know it doesn't show but I am.

But Lan Zhan shouldn't have to suffer for my debt," his voice breaks as he says this and it's only then does he realize that there's tears in his eyes. "Lan Zhan deserves better than someone who places his gratitude and this family over him. Lan Zhan deserves the best

-and I am going to give it to him." WWX looks up at them. "So if you ever say anything bad to Lan Zhan, or make a snide remark, or try to tell him that he's doing something wrong, or try to make him feel unwelcome, I am going to make sure you never see us again."

JYL gasps, falling back on the couch, while JC stands up and roars. "How dare you!"

Yu-Ayi is still staring at him as JC goes on on a tirade, "You are willing to leave us for him? What- the guy you met five years ago?"

WWX growls so loudly that even JYL cowers.

"He is my husband, and you will address him as such."

Jiujiu has not said anything all this while and WWX doesn't expect him to.

No, he's only waiting for Yu-Ayi. She is the one who decides whether he stays in this family or not.

They stare at each other, and WWX realises this is probably the first time he has ever stood up to her. This is probably the first time in a long time anyone has ever stood up to her.

Finally, Yu-Ayi says, as quietly as WWX himself was talking, "You won't know what family is if it hit you in the face."

In another time, it would have speared through WWX's chest and cleaved it in half. She always knew how to hit the weak spots.

"Ma!" JYL protests.

Maybe it is true. Maybe he doesn't know what family is.Maybe he will never truly know.
But what he has with LWJ? He knows it's greater than any family he could ever be a part of. What he has with LWJ is all of his own and he's going to protect it with his last breath if he has to

"Get. Out. Of. My. House."

WWX turns to leave as he hears Jiujiu finally open his mouth, "Now, now, I don't think there's any need for that. I am sure we can solve this out?"

Yu-Ayi sputters, "Did you not hear what that brat just said?! After all we did for him?!

If he wants to leave, he can very well leave! See if I care! I knew this would happen! I told you! I told you when you asked to take that brat-"

WWX closes the door behind him and takes a deep breath. He realises he doesn't feel anything, no second thoughts, no regret

at breaking something that might never be mended again.

He's about to go to his car when the door opens again. "A-Xian, wait."

He turns around slowly, his hackles up. He doesn't know what to expect. He has never been on the other side of an argument with his a-jie.

JYL has tears streaming down her cheeks and he steels his heart against it. Lan Zhan's face comes into his mind and suddenly it's a lot easier to come to terms with the fact that he made his sister cry.

"A-Xian." She doesn't try to touch him. She knows, too, that WWX

is different now. He won't be pacified anymore.
Instead she says, "Whatever you want, I will do it, A-Xian. Don't cut me off. Not me and A-Cheng."

WWX averts his gaze. "A-Jie..."
He doesn't know what to say. He doesn't think he can let JC back in. He doesn't think JC will change

"Please, A-Xian, LWJ won't want to separate you from his family."

WWX clenches his jaw and for the first time in his life, he feels angry at his sister. "It is *Not* Lan Zhan's fault. He is not doing anything."

JYL flinches, taken aback by his outburst.

"I didn't say that, A-Xian," she coos. "It is not. I agree. And I know it is not the same for LWJ as it is for A-Xuan."

WWX closes his eyes. It is not. The peacock is treated like a king by Yu-Ayi and the other Jiangs, being her best friend's son. LWJ, on the other hand,...

"So I understand if you don't want to talk to Ma and Ba for a while. But please don't let this come between us siblings, A-Xian."

"I don't know, Jie, I don't know if I can handle JC again if he doesn't change. And you know how he is, he's not going to change."

JYL gives a determined look. "He will. He will when he realises hes going to lose his brother."

WWX sighs. "I- we will see."

"A-Xian," she pleaded.

"I will still be your three year old XianXian, Jie," WWX says, clutching her hands. "I am just Lan Zhan's husband first."

With that, he leaves, ready to go fix things with his omega.

****

(okay at the start I said lwj's heat was near, so we are gonna pretend only 7 days has passed since lwj left)

LWJ lies curled up in his nest, his nose smushed into his own cardigan. He didn't grab any of WWX's clothes when he left. He hadn't planned anything. He had just left a note and run.
And now he is left smelling his own dirty clothes to get any whiff of his husband's scent.

His heat is scheduled to start tomorrow, he has already taken time off work. WWX was supposed to too.
This will be the first heat he will spend alone in almost five years.

He almost broke yesterday when WWX called. He almost asked him to come over, to scent him, mate him,

remind LWJ that he is his.

But he knows that if he did that, things would just go back to the way they were. And LWJ cannot live that way anymore. He loves WWX, he loves him more than anything but he cannot start a family with him like that.

He knows that if this doesn't work out, there will be no one else for LWJ. He will spend the rest of his life alone, with a half bond on his neck.
Because surely his charming, affable husband would find someone the second he announces their break up to the world.

LWJ wonders if he will regret it then. He wonders if it is better to live like this than not have WWX at all.

He shakes his head. His hormone-addled brain is craving for his alpha in his pre-heat.

Dragging the cardigan closer, he hugs it and tries to sleep.

He awakes to a commotion outside. There's noise of feet shuffling and then-
"He's my omega!"
"I don't care if he's your omega. He is in pre-heat."
He recognises WWX's loud growl and sits up in his nest, his heart racing. WWX won't see LWJ's brother as his brother-in-law-

-right now, he will only see him as an alpha that's preventing him from entering his omega's nest.
"Ge," he calls. He doesn't want to leave the nest but he will if they start fighting.

Silence falls outside and he swallows down his anticipation as WWX answers, "Lan Zhan,

- tell your brother to let me come in."

"Ge, let him."

"Are you sure, Wangji?"

LWJ hesitates for just a moment. "Mn."

He waits as WWX slowly opens the door, before poking his head in.

He looks unsure as he walks the rest of the way in, closing the door behind him. He doesn't try to make light of the situation, his lips turned into a frown.

His brows are furrowed as he looks around, anywhere

-but at LWJ.

He stops short of LWJ's nest, not daring to enter without his permission. His scent hits LWJ a second later and he can't help but inhale deeply, taking what he can before he loses it again.

"I, uh, I wanted to talk." He looks around for a place to sit before-

-awkwardly sitting at the vanity table, fiddling his fingers.

"Lan Zhan..."

LWJ reminds himself of all the reasons why he can't invite him to his nest. All the reasons why it would be a recipe for disaster.

But after a week without his alpha, a day before his heat, LWJ is weak.

"Wei Ying."

WWX shakes his head. "No, wait. Let me say it first. I just- I am sorry, Lan Zhan. I am sorry I let you suffer like that and I can say without a doubt that it will not happen again."

All things WWX has said before.

"I talked to them. I talked to all of them and I made sure they won't trouble you again."

LWJ's brain comes to a freezing halt. "What?"

"I did, Lan Zhan. And I told them I am not going to be a part of the family if they continue

- to treat you like that. Yu-Ayi reacted badly. Well, obviously. That was a given. So I don't think we are a part of the Jiangs now. And I also refused to talk to JC. But I told A-Jie I would still talk to her. And if she doesn't treat you right either, she said she's willing to

- correct her behaviour. And yeah, Lan Zhan, they are not going to bother you. And if they do, I will give them a piece of my mind and you can just block their numbers. I will support you. I mean it." WWX looked at him earnestly, his eyes fearful.

"You did?" LWJ asks again in a daze.

WWX nodded. "Have you gotten any calls since then? If so, tell me, I will shut it down. I really will. They can't bother-"

"Come here."

WWX stopped mid-sentence. "Huh?"

LWJ patted the bed. "Come here."

WWX need not be told again. He dived into the nest without a second thought, before taking LWJ into his arms.

They clung onto each other, WWX scenting LWJ's neck as LWJ nuzzled into his hair.

"Lan Zhan," WWX suddenly sobbed, his face pressed into LWJ's skin. "I am so sorry."

Tears fall against LWJ's neck and he gasps, clutching WWX tighter. "I did not want Wei Ying to leave his family for me."

WWX shakes his head, sniffling. "No, Lan Zhan, you were right. I can't see them insulting you like that. I don't want to be around people who hurt you."

LWJ sighs. "They are your family."

WWX shakes his head again. "If they were, they wouldn't make you feel like that."

When LWJ doesn't say anything, WWX lifts his head. They stare at each other, both teary eyed and red faced.

Finally, LWJ whispers in the smallest voice.

"I am scared you will end up resenting me."

WWX widens his eyes. "No! No! Are you crazy? How could you even say that!"

This time, LWJ is the one who hides his face in WWX's neck.

WWX pets his hair, the comforting gesture calming LWJ down. "Do you remember that transfer offer I had gotten? The transfer to Hubei?"

LWJ lifts his head at that and nods.

"I checked and it's still available. So if you want- some distance from all of this, we can go."

LWJ inhales sharply. "You are willing to go to Hubei for me?"

WWX had lived in this city all his life. His friends, his siblings, everything was here. He loves his life here.

WWX grabs his cheeks. "I will only be happy if you are happy, Lan Zhan. Do you think I

-could ever resent you for wanting your own happiness?"

LWJ cries, "Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan," WWX says, pulling him to his chest. They lie like that for a minute, content to be in each other's presence after so long.

Finally, WWX whispers, "Will you come home with me now."

LWJ sheepishly nods. He missed their home. He missed his alpha.

WWX slumps in relief, tears escaping his eyes again. "I am so glad, Lan Zhan."

"I am sorry," LWJ mumbles into his chest.

"I love you so much. Please tell me before things get this bad again, okay?"

LWJ nods.

"I don't think I can handle you leaving me again."

LWJ tightens his hold around WWX's waist. "Never again."

WWX keeps his hand on the back of LWJ's neck, a claim. "My Lan Zhan. My omega."

LWJ nods. "Let's go home, alpha."

~the end~

Final thoughts:
They don't decide to go to Hubei after all
LWJ urges WWX to give JC a chance and JC does improve.
WWX sends a mass text to the Jiang extended family to not bother them anymore.
LQR hears the news and comes over to mother WWX, all past disapproval forgotten.