for pridefull

[Mo Ran is constantly busy as Emperor of the Cultivation World. He's not busy because he wants to be, of course. He's constantly forced to deal with things he couldn't care less about. Who really cares about law and these stupid, sycophantic courtiers?

Just being near them fills him with rage.

It's why he stalks towards Red Lotus Hell after leaving in the middle of some sort of something. He didn't even pay attention to what the courtiers were talking about, he'd been too busy staring down the room full of betas who kept offering him various gifts as tribute. More than once, he's been offered omega brides, and he couldn't give less of a shit about it.

But Taxian-jun still doesn't want anyone to know the truth: that he is very much only interested in fellow alphas&mash; or, more specifically, one alpha in particular.]

Wanning, this venerable one needs you.

[The crazed look in his eyes doesn't settle when he breathes in the alpha pheromones that permeate the space, but it does shift a little. Calms down, if only a little bit.]

Those bastards keep trying to marry off this venerable one. But I don't like omegas, so I won't. I refuse.

[He pulls Chu Wanning into a crushing embrace, teeth grazing at his nape.

They're both alphas, so it's not possible for there to be a bonding mark. But that hardly matters.]

[Chu Wanning only knows peace these days when Mo Ran is busy. Whenever he's not, he seeks Chu Wanning out, says he needs him, and forces Chu Wanning to placate whatever is plaguing his mind at the current moment.

Once, Chu Wanning would have been able to fight him off; these days, he does what he needs to. He tries to wriggle away from Taxian-jun's seeking teeth.]

Wouldn't it be easier if you just said yes?

[As an alpha, Taxian-jun's pheromones don't addle him the same way they would an omega, but they still push against his thoughts. It's like oil and water, the adrenaline running under his skin to pick a fight, but he knows it's not worth it.

And Mo Ran simply refuses to do what he's supposed to and bond with an omega. Instead, he takes it out on Chu Wanning, and his bad moods continue.]

Why would I say yes?!

[It's snarled as he presses his nose against the scent gland on the back of Chu Wanning's neck and breathes in. This scent is the only thing in the world that calms him.

He mouths at it, almost painful, practically purring.]

Those omegas always smell awful. Their scents make me want to puke.

[But Chu Wanning's doesn't. He hates the man, but even he can't deny that his scent is soothing. It's the only thing in the world that gives Mo Ran any amount of clarity and peace.]

[Normally, an alpha would be disgusted by the scent of another alpha. It seems to be the opposite for Mo Ran, at least with Chu Wanning's scent. He can't say he understands, gritting his teeth at the pinpoints of pressure as Mo Ran bites at his scent gland. He's an alpha; this isn't how it's supposed to go. It's even started to feel somewhat nice, which Chu Wanning hates.]

Wouldn't it solve your problems?

[The neediness, the clinginess, the sex. It would quell any rumors, too. For Taxian-jun, taking an omega spouse would make the most sense, but the man has never really been sensible, especially not these days.

Chu Wanning pushes at him.]

Stop. This never gets you anywhere.

Even if it was possible to turn an alpha into a omega, I wouldn't.

[That doesn't answer Chu Wanning's question whatsoever, but it's what he says in response.

He snarls when Chu Wanning pushes him, but doesn't do anything to stop it. He bares his teeth, clearly angered, but doesn't strike the other man. Even with his spiritual core gone, Chu Wanning is still an alpha. Such actions just result in them getting physical, and not in a way Mo Ran thinks is fun. All Mo Ran can really do is posture, letting out pheromones that demand submission from someone who won't be threatened by the scent.]

I'll never marry a damn omega!

[Of course he wouldn't. Mo Ran must get some weird kind of pleasure, subjugating another alpha like this. Chu Wanning doesn't understand, but then again, he's also never been interested in omegas.

He wrinkles his nose when he scents Mo Ran's pheromones. They don't work on him the way they would an omega, but they still make it clear that Mo Ran wants him to back down and submit. Chu Wanning won't pick a fight - he knows he won't stand a chance against Taxian-jun, but he also knows he won't be able to back down.

He doesn't submit, either.]

So you'll marry an alpha? Become the laughingstock of the realm?

[He knows he's pushing it, getting a little too antagonistic.]

Who said anything about marrying an alpha?!

[The explosion is immediate and aggressive, and he grabs at Chu Wanning's collar.]

Who said anything about marriage!

[He's angry because it's true. Because there is only one person he'd bother to marry, and he doesn't even know why.

He should hate this man more than anything, but all he needs to do is breathe in his scent, and he calms down. The burning resentment isn't so powerful, now. Not right now, anyway.]

Who would dare laugh at this venerable one and his spouse?! I'd kill them!

[Chu Wanning sometimes knows what will set Mo Ran off, but other times, he's taken by surprise. He should have known this one, but he still looks slightly startled at the sudden, intense anger. He's never scared, the way the attendants are. Chu Wanning just blinks, waiting.

This time, Mo Ran is just as quick to calm as he'd been to rage.]

...you're right. Nobody would laugh at you and a hypothetical spouse.

[They'd be too scared, and for good reason.]

[Chu Wanning acting scared would have been another thing to set him off. Fortunately, Mo Ran just lets go of him after a moment, and stalks a few feet away.]

What's wrong with an alpha wanting another alpha anyway?

[The only other person who could get Mo Ran to... well not calm, exactly, but to have his rage go from a boil to a simmer would be Liu-gong, who Mo Ran could never bring himself to shout at.]

I don't want to marry an omega. I don't even like them.

[Even his precious Shi Mei hadn't been one; he'd been a beta.]

Then don’t marry one.

[Chu Wanning stays where he is, straightening his collar.]

An alpha wanting another alpha doesn’t work out.

[There can be no mating bite, no children, and their pheromones would constantly clash. But it’s not like Chu Wanning particularly cares what other people do.

He considers suggesting Mo Ran find a beta, but that would absolutely set him off.]

I won't.

[He grumbles nothing in particular under his breath.]

Why wouldn't it work out?

[He doesn't get it. Because of some stupid rules he's too dumb to understand? If an alpha wants to be with another alpha, there should be nothing stopping them! He wants to grab Chu Wanning again, so he can continue to breathe in his scent.

Mo Ran doesn't normally like the scent of pheromones at all, but he's always liked Chu Wanning's scent, ever since first coming to Sisheng Peak.]

This venerable one will pass a law to make it acceptable.

[Chu Wanning has no doubt that he will, but won't that lead to more questions? Why would Taxian-jun pass a law for something that didn't benefit him?]

That won't stop them from pushing suitors at you.

[Chu Wanning himself doesn't understand why Mo Ran would want such a thing. It's certainly not like he wants to marry Chu Wanning. There are no other alphas that Chu Wanning knows of that Mo Ran tolerates enough to be considered marriage candidates.

If it were just that he doesn't want to marry at all, there would be no reason to pass such a law.]

Alphas aren't suited to each other. You know that.

[Mo Ran lets out a noise rather like a growl. It's not a territorial noise or meant to make Chu Wanning back off. He's just irritated. For Taxian-jun it's practically polite.]

This venerable one will keep rejecting those suitors until they get the message!

[The omegas have all been terrified enough not to go near him, and there have never been repeated attempts. Surely eventually the world will run out of stupid lords and their omega sons and daughters?!]

What's the point of marrying when there's no love anyway!

[Probably not the thing one would expect Taxian-jun to say, but he doesn't take it back.]

[Now that is unexpected, coming from Taxian-jun. He hasn't spoken of love since... Maybe he's still hung up on Shi Mei? Chu Wanning glances away, unsure of what to say to that.]

Like I said, then don't marry.

[So this has nothing to do with alpha-alpha marriage; he's just being fussy and contrary. Chu Wanning himself has never been interested in marriage, not that he has a chance at it now.]

[Mo Ran steps close again, once more pressing his nose to Chu Wanning's scent gland.]

Then I won't marry.

[Why would he bother with anything so stupid anyway? He doesn't think it's possible to find someone who smells better than his shizun, anyway.]

[Again, Chu Wanning tries to push him away.]

You can't use me as a replacement.

[Whether or not Mo Ran is intending to, isn't that what he's been doing?]

What makes you think you're a replacement?!

[It's growled, and this time, he just holds on tighter. Not painfully so, but there's definitely an undercurrent of warning to it.

A replacement for who?! Shi Mei had always been too precious for Mo Ran to even dream of doing something like this to him. Mo Ran could never show him something so filthy, so filled with desire, when every part of him had been too wonderful to sully.]

[Ah- Chu Wanning made him angry again. It's not a rare occurrence; in fact, it's unusual that it's taken so long this conversation for Mo Ran to get angry again. The strength in his hand is a reminder that he could bruise if he wanted to.]

A replacement for a spouse.

[He would never think of himself as a replacement for Shi Mei. So many times, Chu Wanning had wished they could have traded places; maybe Mo Ran wouldn't have gone down this path. Chu Wanning has never been a replacement, only something for Mo Ran to take his anger out on.]

No one in the world smells as nice as Shizun.

[Just like that, he switches back to calm, nuzzling against Chu Wanning.]

I can't stand other pheromones, who would I possibly pick as a spouse?

[Quickly flipping between emotions doesn't exactly inspire confidence, not that Mo Ran is really capable of that sort of self-reflection.]

[Mo Ran has always said that, even at his most angry. Chu Wanning doesn't understand it - he can't smell his own scent - but in truth, he doesn't dislike Mo Ran's either. Maybe it's because of how long they've been in close proximity, when Chu Wanning generally dislikes being close to anyone.

He sighs. There's no figuring out what Mo Ran is thinking, or where his thoughts are going.]

Is that it? You just don't like the way they smell?

[Surely then they could find someone Mo Ran would accept.]

I don't like how their pheromones make me feel, either. It's such a disgusting feeling, losing control... this venerable one hates that.

[Even his own ruts don't make him feel so helpless. He gets aggressive and territorial, but that's nothing that being in the same space as Chu Wanning can't fix, unless their ruts line up.

Admittedly, that is when things become fraught, and they have actually gotten into nasty physical confrontations before.

Not that Mo Ran is ever capable of properly apologizing for the injuries he causes, but he has awkwardly presented gifts before.]

Wanning's scent has always been calming.

[Chu Wanning can understand that. He'd practiced very hard to not be too affected by omega pheromones, but he knows what it feels like. During his ruts, he goes into seclusion - or he did, before all this. Now, there's always the risk of their ruts lining up, and Chu Wanning always ends up in worse shape than Mo Ran does.

Another sigh.]

What about...a beta?

[He tentatively brings up the idea; betas don't go through heats, nor do they have the same sway with their pheromones.]

No. A beta wouldn't smell like you.

[Is that too intimate of a thing to admit? Mo Ran doesn't seem to think so, because not only does he not try to take it back, he shamelessly nuzzles further against the other man.]

Come, we should be sitting down.

[His tone doesn't leave room for argument, but at the very least, he's not demanding he be allowed to take Chu Wanning to bed.]

[Chu Wanning tells himself he's only doing this to keep the peace for now. If letting Mo Ran nuzzle his neck will prevent anything worse, Chu Wanning will relent for the moment. He's had to swallow some of that pride and stubbornness over the time he's been imprisoned here.

They sit down, Chu Wanning's back just as straight as it always is. He refuses to pay attention to Mo Ran's scent. He doesn't understand the fascination Mo Ran has with his own scent, but at least it's something that can snap him out of those raging episodes.]

Aren't you doing this too often?

[It really has been more and more common lately. At least nobody seems to have noticed, or if they have, they haven't commented on it.]

Too often?

[The words are repeatedly, somewhat grouchy, but his anger hasn't flared up again. He nibbles at Chu Wanning's neck, taking advantage of the new position to lay his head on Chu Wanning's lap.

He should despite Chu Wanning, but this truly is the only time he feels comforted and calm. Any other time, and the rage he feels is so palpable he wants to slaughter rooms full of people just to quell the beast inside of him.

But all that does is make it even worse, and seeking out Chu Wanning's comforting embrace, his familiar scent, just for a moment of calm.]

I'll cut out the tongues of anyone who dares to talk.

for pridefull

alpha/alpha nonsense

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