Chapter Text
The bell rings and Jiang Cheng slams his locker shut just to be startled by Wei Ying.
"Hey!" Wei Ying greets.
"Shit! Don't do that" Jiang Cheng says smacking him in the chest.
"Okay fine won't happen again," Wei Ying says, but Jiang Cheng knows better than to belive him, "Anyway, have you heard A-Sang is having a birthday party?" He asks placing an arm around Jiang Cheng's shoulder.
"Well yeah? I thought it was just gonna be our friend group?" Jiang Cheng responds.
"Well actually. He decided to expand it. See his older brother won't be home so he's thinking of breaking out the booze. You know how he is, really let loose," Wei Ying explains.
"Why should I go then?" Jiang Cheng asks.
"Oh don't be like that. It'll be fun! Plus it's only all the boys from our grade. We're all starting to present our secondary gender but what's the chance of male omega. That's practically unheard of. We'll be fine," Wei Ying scoffs.
Jiang Cheng feels like he's going to throw up. Yeah, they're presenting. The thing is he's pretty sure he's going to be an omega. So all this 'it'll be fine' is bull shit.
Originally the plan was to claim their secondary gender this Thursday. Then on Saturday whomever drew the short end of the stick would get wasted....and so would everybody else, eventually.
Jiang Cheng had hyped himself up for the occasion. He hadn't really cared about outing himself as an omega to his friends. Now Jiang Cheng thinks his friend group is convinced none of drew a short stick. This might just be a way to spice it up.
"So...none of you guys think you might be an omega?" Jiang Cheng asks hesitantly.
"Nope, no preheat feelings. Kinda sucks though. I think Lan Zhan would rail me hard if I were an omega," Wei Ying laughs at his own fantasy.
Jiang Cheng feels something tilt before smashing to the floor inside of his heart. He tries to brush off that Wei Ying also thinks omega is the shortest stick. But it stings to deal with the fact he has feelings for someone else.
"Ew gross, I don't want to hear about your sex life," Jiang Cheng says smacking his shoulder.
"It's a sex fantasy, for now," Wei Ying corrects with a wink and Jiang Cheng responds with an eye roll, "soooo are you coming to the party?"
"I don't know. I'll think about it," Jiang Cheng answers before heading to first period.
The truth is he tries to forget about it. He tries to ignore the party rumors in class. Tries to fouces in on the lectures and tune every social interaction out.
It works until he can't avoid it anymore when Nie Huaisang sits next to him.
"Hey Jiang Cheng, are you and Wei Wuxian still planning to attend?" Their friend asks, probably wondering with Wei Ying's chickened out yet.
"Well one of us is excited, but I think I'll pass," Jiang Cheng says deciding to voice his concerns, "rather stay on the safe side."
"Well that sucks, it won't be the same without you. Why not, any pre heat symptoms?" Nie Huaisang asks
Jiang Cheng's face flushes, "Well no, I just feel like I'm definitely going to be an omega," he huffs refusing to make eye contact and crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm sure that's just the anxiety getting to you. Nobody wants the short stick," Nie Huaisang says with a shrug.
Jinag Cheng spends the rest of the period wondering if being pregnant would actually be so bad. By the end of the period he decides kids wouldn't be bad if they were Wei Ying's.
Lunch period comes sooner than Jiang Cheng would've liked. As he'd anticipated Nie Huaisang has already told everyone how he doesn't wish to attend the party. They all stare at him when he sits down.
"What?" He asks specifically to Wei Ying who's next to him.
"We're confused on why you're scared of attending," Wei Ying answers.
"I'm not scared. I'm just really sure it's going to happen. I don't think I want to be humiliated in front of a bunch of assholes," Jiang Cheng says.
"Jiang Cheng, what makes you think I'd ever let someone humiliate you in my home?" Nie Huaisang says in a way that makes Jiang Cheng question if this is a trick question, "humiliating you is for us to do," he finishes. Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes as Wei Ying reaches across the table to high five Nie Huaisang for clever timing.
"You're the worst," Jiang Cheng says unbothered and completely not surprised.
"So? Are you coming?" Wei Ying asks.
"I guess," Jiang Cheng says in defeat.
Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang cheer as Lan Wangji and Wen Ning share a look and continue eating.
Jiang Cheng looks around the table. He needs new friends. The conversation carries on without him with Wei Ying hopelessly flirting with Lan Wangji.
Nobody says anything when Jiang Cheng leaves to throw his food away and doesn't come back. He goes and sits outside by a window incase anyone came looking for him.
He really needs new friends. Friends that aren't tied to Wei Ying. Which seems impossible considering Wei Ying's been his best friend since they were nine. He doesn't want to imagine life without Wei Ying by his side. Wei Ying promised, even after he moved in with Granny Wen that nothing would change their relationship.
It hadn't, not really. Nothing changed except they were nolonger under the same roof. He misses getting roped into dumb parties. All it took one sneak out and police envolment to get him kicked out and things to suddenly shift. Although, Jiang Cheng wants things to change. He wants Wei Ying to quit seeing him as a little brother. He wants Wei Ying to actually see him.
He curls up in the windowsill and watches Wei Ying's friend group from afar. The bell rings and he goes back to class.