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Hua Cheng startles awake at the loud crashing sound coming from somewhere down the hall. A quick glance through the surveillance wraith butterfly immediately informs him of the trouble at hand. Not wasting a second longer, Hua Cheng is on his feet and teleporting through the private wing towards the source of such clamor, his and his husband’s private kitchen. What he finds there fills his breaking heart with equal parts worry and shock. His pregnant omega husband is sitting on the cold floor, surrounded by toppled over condiment jars and pots, crying his eyes dry and sobbing his throat hoarse.
“Gege!”
He’s by his husband’s side scooping him up into his arms to get him off the cold floor in less than an instant. His dearest is barefoot as usual, clad in only thin sleeping robes that do nothing to block out the chill of midnight in a land that already gets abysmal sunlight during the day like Ghost City. His hands are quick to offer comfort by holding his husband close, using spiritual energy to heat up the air around them to warm icy cold skin. Hua Cheng casts a simple spell to check the overall well-being of both his husband and the baby in his belly. Confirming that nothing is out of order, Hua Cheng gathers his wits and steadies his voice as he asks after what happened.
“Gege, were you hungry? You know that you could have woken me up to go fetch anything for you, right?”
He’s careful to keep his voice from sounding too scolding or angry because his omega has been quick to cry lately and after such a horrible accident in the kitchen, being scolded by his alpha husband would only serve to upset him further - the last thing Hua Cheng wants is for his husband to feel guilty and start apologizing to him unnecessarily. He watches on patiently as Xie Lian wraps his arms around his belly, hiccupping with his face buried in Hua Cheng’s shoulder. Most probably comforting himself by cradling the baby, something he’s taken to doing lately, and breathing in the deep woodsy scent of his mate. His hiccupping and hitched breathing rattles his whole body, making for a very pitiful sight.
“...gard..nn.. p…dge..,”
The alpha is caught off guard by the sudden croaked reply from the husband tucked against his chest.
“Forgive me, Gege but what was that?”
Xie Lian sniffles once before tilting his head up from Hua Cheng’s chest, “Garden Porridge,” He says again with wide teary eyes and quivering lips. It takes Hua Cheng approximately half a second to go through the entire glossary in his mind in regards to any food named ‘garden porridge’, even the ones with names translated from different languages. Coming up with nothing, the alpha frowns.
“Does Gege mean to have porridge made with condiments from our garden? Or is it porridge eaten in our garden?”
“No…,” Xie Lian whines pitifully, tears welling up anew.
Hua Cheng’s face twists into a complicated expression. “Then pray my omega forgives my ignorance about this dish,”
“It’s an old Xianle dish. I always had it as a child when I got upset.”
That causes the alpha’s heart to grow a bit heavy. If it’s something that Xie Lian used to eat then it was most likely a food that is eaten by royalty and high dignitaries of the kingdom of Xianle. Not something an unwanted deformed orphan of foreign lineage would have ever been able to get their hands on much less see or taste. His heavy heart is not from self pity, Hua Cheng wouldn’t have made it this far if self pity is something he regularly entertained. His heart is heavy because he isn’t able to provide the dish immediately. He would have to first dig up the ancient texts to find the recipe of how to make something like that.
Exhaling softly, Hua Cheng readjusts his hold on Xie Lian and stands up, extra careful not to jostle him around too much despite his mate reassuring him that being pregnant doesn’t automatically mean that he’s fragile in any way - which the alpha respectfully but silently chooses to disagree with. Xie Lian may not be fragile, but inside of him is a child that is half ghost half god. Who knows what the mix of two different spiritual energies would do to the child. Hua Cheng has resolved to always check on his mate’s meridians to ensure that the ghostly qi inside of him, courtesy of Hua Cheng himself, doesn’t cause a qi deviation.
Most probably exhausted after all that crying, Xie Lian’s eyes begin to droop heavily. But just when Hua Cheng sets him down on their bed, the omega’s eyes fly open, mumbling something that sounds like an apology. The alpha’s mouth curls into a soft smile. He presses a kiss on his mate’s forehead and on the gentle swell of his mate’s belly to soothe him back to sleep.
“Don’t worry, Gege. Just rest for now. Let your husband get that dish for you, alright?” He whispers.
As if finally placated by that promise, Xie Lian finally allows his eyes to close fully and let himself fall asleep. Hua Cheng thinks it adorable the way his mate immediately leans on his side while curling around his baby bump. His heart is close to bursting with affection. But in order to not bother the tired omega, he quietly opts to leave the bedroom and head straight to Paradise Manor’s expansive library to see if he could possibly find anything that can tell him how to make Garden Porridge from a kingdom long past.
…
Xie Lian wakes up late in the morning feeling all out of sorts. His eyes are puffy and swollen. The room reeks of ‘sad omega’. It doesn’t take him long to figure out why. His husband isn’t next to him, and that side of the bed feels cold as if it’s been empty for hours now. He knows that his mate is a ghost king, ruler of a city and probably has a list of more important things to do than lay around in bed until mid morning just to be there for his husband when he wakes up, but Xie Lian cannot help the pout that pulls on his lips.
Already missing his beloved, Xie Lian crawls out of bed and pulls on the nearest robe he can find that can protect him from the chill before setting out to look for the ghost king. It doesn’t take him long to locate his husband because by the time he enters the main hallways, a silver wraith butterfly is already fluttering over to greet him. How cute!
Xie Lian squeezes out a ‘good morning’ through peals of easy laughter when the butterfly keeps on bumping gently against his face. He once told Hua Cheng that they felt like the butterflies’ version of tiny kisses. His husband hadn’t confirmed nor denied that statement, but Xie Lian is convinced he’s not wrong.
“Hello, little one. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of where my husband might be?”
The intelligent butterfly lands once briefly on the tip of his nose before taking off down the hall. Xie Lian giggles and chases after it to not get left behind. The butterfly leads him to the kitchen. Curious. Usually Hua Cheng would leave the cooking to him or a manor staff. A sweet and pleasant smell catches his attention though.
“San Lang!”
The ghost king turns away from the clay stove, flashing him a radiant smile. “Gege, you’re just in time to try this dish I made,”
Xie Lian’s eyes grow twice its size when he realizes what his husband had made. He looks for the nearest stool and sits at the small wooden table meant for preparing plates before they’re brought out to the dining hall. A bowl is immediately placed before him, and he can feel his mouth water. His tummy also rumbles a bit louder than usual. Xie Lian places a hand upon his bump and caresses gently.
“Look at what your father made for us, baby. I hope you grow a taste for Xianle cuisine too,” He whispers softly as if in prayer.
Hua Cheng takes in the entire scene silently, heart overflowing with affection for the two most important people in his world.
“Try it, Gege. Tell me what you think,”
Xie Lian smiles gratefully before spooning some of the sweet porridge into his mouth. The temperature is just right. Not too hot nor too cool. Trust his husband to always serve him the dishes in perfect condition ready to eat.
“Mm, it’s delicious, San Lang!”
With every mouthful, more and more sincere praise is showered upon his husband.
“The texture is just how I remember it!”
“The milk to water ratio is perfect!”
“Not too sweet, but not too bland either! I love it, San Lang!”
However, with each positive affirmation that leaves his lips, fat droplets of tears trickle down his face. His words become unclear with the way it’s forced out of quivering lips that’re very obviously fighting the urge to form a pout.
Hua Cheng begins to panic and quickly snatches the half eaten bowl away. This only exacerbates the situation, because now the omega full on sobs.
“San Lang, give it back! I wasn’t done eating,”
Hua Cheng sets the bowl on the kitchen counter and rounds the table to envelop his husband in a tight hug.
“Gege, my dear Gege. Don’t force yourself to eat something like that anymore, alright?”
Xie Lian cries harder in his alpha’s chest, curling into himself as much as he can with the baby bump in the way.
“B-But my San Lang m-made it for me…,”
Hua Cheng begins rocking them slowly, kissing away the tears as quickly as they escape.
“...It was so g-good too…I really liked it…,”
This time the alpha shushes him, “Shh, Gege. It’s okay. You don’t have to lie for my sake. I will just redo the recipe again and this time I’m sure I’ll get it right,”
But Xie Lian shakes his head vehemently, “No! It’s already perfect. It tastes just like the Garden Porridge I had back in Xianle…,”
Hua Cheng presses another sound kiss against his mate’s forehead, one large hand resting gently over the baby bump.
“But?”
Xie Lian frowns. Seeming to chew on his words for a few moments before settling in on a quiet and breathy “It wasn’t the same,”
The alpha nods slowly in understanding. When Hua Cheng found a recipe he dubbed authentic enough to be used, he had an inkling that the food served in commoners’ taverns and the food enjoyed by the royal family would undoubtedly be very different. But after seeing his mate cry himself to sleep over it, he had to try something.
He exhales measuredly against the top of Xie Lian’s head before asking, “Well, are there any defining characteristics of the one you used to have that could be added or changed from the current dish?”
He watches as his omega appears to contemplate it seriously for a moment, before his brows begin to knit as if something has caught his attention.
Uh oh, Hua Cheng thought. He knows that face.
“San Lang!” Xie Lian all but leaps to his feet. The alpha already has a foreboding feeling about this.
“Mu Qing is here. I have to get dressed!”
He knew it.
…
Properly dressed and this time no longer barefoot, Xie Lian glides through Paradise Manor with all the grace of a dancer. Showing none of the struggles of pregnancy that he would sometimes wake up crying about. The alpha follows close behind, albeit with a lot less enthusiasm. Looking like he’d rather belly crawl on glass shards than welcome their guest at the manor’s gates.
“Mu Qing, you made it!” Xie Lian rushes over to him, but it is clear to the fellow omega that his highness’ eyes are locked firmly on the pile of blankets in his arms.
“Xie Lian, stop skipping around. You’re pregnant, remember?” Mu Qing chides worriedly. Xie Lian doesn’t deign to give a reply, instead reaching over for the blankets which are then immediately taken away by his alpha.
Those blankets are delivered here today upon the request his highness had made several weeks ago. As the mated pair were working on their nesting room for when they would welcome their newborn baby some four moons from now, Xie Lian had complained that the nest was lacking something. It took a visit from his friends Feng Xin and Mu Qing for him to figure out what it was. On the same day Xie Lian realized that he needed nesting materials that carried the scent of his closest friends, he immediately contacted them through their private communication arrays. Hua Cheng had seemed quite put off by it. But after a round or two of… convincing, the alpha reluctantly agreed to the idea of having the scents of a foreign alpha and omega in what would be their baby’s room.
With the absence of blankets, Mu Qing’s arms are now free to catch the omega flying into his embrace. He is shocked for only a split second before his wits start to grasp the situation - and he immediately hugs back. Though not without a scowl scrunching up his forehead to show his unwillingness at being physically affectionate in front of an audience. Even if the audience is only a pair of eyes - er, one… eye.
“Xie Lian, doesn’t your husband understand what it means to not hover over someone like some ghost?” He sniggers.
“Ha ha.” Comes the ghost king’s dry deadpanned ‘laugh’. If one could call it that.
It takes everything in Hua Cheng to not spontaneously combust the visiting martial god that’s darkened their doorstep. He counts today as his first unlucky day as a married ghost king.
“I missed you,” Xie Lian says breathily with his face pressed into the omega’s neck. Mu Qing tightens his hold on his smaller friend, gathering him close. As close as he can with a large bump sandwiched between them. However, as he feels the burning gaze of one irate alpha still stuck with holding a stack of blankets quietly by their side, Mu Qing gathers the sense to slowly pull away.
“It’s not like we never see each other. Besides, you should tell your San Lang to not lock you up here in the ghost realm. That possessive bastard. The baby is still half god you know. Maybe it’ll do them good if you visit the heavens once in a while.”
Xie Lian only flashes a blinding smile up at him, but doesn’t attempt to argue. They’ve been having this talk ever since the omega first found out that he was carrying his and Hua Cheng’s child.
“Where’s that dog that follows you around everywhere? Finally got tired of you yet?” The ghost king quips towards Mu Qing. His words are none too kind and his voice drips with irritation. But Mu Qing pays it no mind. Hua Cheng is behaving like the typical overprotective alpha with Xie Lian out in the open like this. Mu Qing has seen this behavior enough times during missions with a certain other overprotective alpha.
“General Nan Yang is a bit preoccupied answering prayers right now. Sorry to disappoint,”
Xie Lian frowns at the mention of Feng Xin’s absence. Though it’s not like he’s unreasonable and refuses to understand that work is work. He understands, and yet… tears still start building up in his eyes. This is terribly undignifying. He doesn’t mind crying in front of Hua Cheng, especially now that his emotions seem more fragile than a hummingbird’s wing. But Mu Qing is a bit different. He still wants to keep some measure of composure in front of his friend.
But of course his luck would have it that the taller omega bends down to look him in the eye and notices something else equally mortifying. The red puffiness has not fully gone down yet. Not with how much tears he’s been shedding as of the last few hours.
“You’ve been crying?”
It isn’t said like a question.
“For a long time too,” He notes. “Crimson Rain, what exactly is going on here?”
Hua Cheng’s already severe face turns frigid at the direct accusation.
“Wait!” Xie Lian exclaims, placing himself squarely between his husband and friend. “This is a misunderstanding,”
Mu Qing turns his blazing gaze towards the pregnant omega and says curtly, “He made you cry. What is there to misunderstand?”
At this, Xie Lian huffs. “Well, it’s not like that! San Lang would never make me cry,”
The San Lang in question has been deathly silent throughout this back and forth. He can’t deny that Mu Qing is unfortunately right, he did make his highness cry.
“If it’s not like that then care to explain to me what it is like?” Mu Qing asks. Xie Lian just about opens his mouth to answer when Mu Qing abruptly cuts in, “If it’s something indecent then please don’t enlighten me actually,”
Hua Cheng smirks. Xie Lian blushes.
“No! Mu Qing, why would you- it’s completely unrelated.” The omega sighs, rubbing his forehead.
“It’s just… Do you remember the Garden Porridge we’d had back then? The one we’d sneak into my bedroom every year for your and Feng Xin’s birthdays,”
“You’d find any excuse to have them way past bedtime so it’s kind of hard to forget…,” Mu Qing grumbles halfheartedly, reminiscing about the time the three of them used to be silly and the scariest thing was getting caught sneaking around by the palace guards.
Xie Lian’s face lights up, his excitement having him stand on his tippy toes. “Well I- oh!” Mu Qing’s hands shoot forward to stabilize the omega who seems to forget that his center of gravity is skewed by the growing child inside of him. The action earns him another icy glare from the brooding red clad alpha. Mu Qing tries hard not to roll his eyes at that. His ears automatically tune out the possessive growl he can hear thundering away none too subtly.
“You were saying?”
“Baby wants to eat it!” Xie Lian replies spiritedly.
“Right, and I’m going to assume that your San Lang can’t make it for you. Which is why you had been crying,” Mu Qing says in a dry tone.
Xie Lian’s face and shoulders droop at the reminder of how ungrateful he’d acted after his husband had spent hours painstakingly looking for and preparing the dish just for him.
Mu Qing sighs. “Show me your kitchen. No need to get depressed over dessert porridge,”
Xie Lian gasps in wonder, “Are you saying you would-”
“Yes.”
This has the omega cheering in pure joy, launching himself forward to tackle his friend in another hug.
“Hey- what did I tell you about being careful when you’re pregnant?” Mu Qing protests, though it lacks its usual bite.
With a firm grip on the taller omega’s arm, Xie Lian starts dragging his friend into the manor.
“Gege…,”
A low plaintive whine has him pausing in his tracks, however, and he turns around to see his poor alpha stuck with carrying the heap of blankets. Xie Lian offers a consoling smile and musters his sweetest voice. “My San Lang, my dear San Lang. Will you take it to our baby’s nest room for me?”
The alpha huffs, looking all the world displeased by the sudden change in today’s plans. But Xie Lian gets up onto his tippy toes to place a kiss that narrowly misses Hua Cheng’s cheek and ends up on his jaw instead. “You can come join us in the kitchen, San Lang. Don’t take too long with those blankets. I’ll miss you,” He murmurs pleasantly.
With his husband somewhat appeased, Xie Lian continues his trek leading Mu Qing into his and the ghost king’s private kitchen.
The taller omega only takes one look at the entire cooking area, still a bit messy from Hua Cheng’s earlier attempts at making Garden Porridge and tsks. He turns to Xie Lian and lightly pushes him to go take a seat while he gets to work.
The ghost king comes to join them not a moment later, wrapping himself around his mate like a sticky octopus. The pair share soft pecks here and there, cooing at the gentle swell of Xie Lian’s belly as they leave the porridge making to their guest who regrets not banishing them to their bedroom now. It doesn’t escape Mu Qing’s notice that a wraith butterfly is perched on the wall over his cooking station. He gets the distinctive gut feeling that the little beast is taking note of how he’s preparing the dish.
Mu Qing is just about done plating up a serving of Garden Porridge when he turns around to see Xie Lian already fully seated in Crimson Rain’s lap. Don’t these two understand the meaning of propriety? It seems Xie Lian might, because he’s quickly scrambling off of his husband and into his own chair. The ghost king however, bears no sign of such shame. That little beast.
“Here you go,”
He places the steaming bowl in front of the ecstatic looking omega, who takes in a large whiff of the sweet milky dessert. His hands reach down to his belly, rubbing at it as he calls excitedly to his baby in soft whispers.
“My baby, look! It‘s my favorite food growing up. This is what you’ve been asking for isn’t it?”
Hua Cheng and Mu Qing both bear similar expressions of silent awe and affection as they’re completely taken by the sight of Xie Lian who looks so gentle, fond and quietly content. Talking to his baby as if there’s already a gurgling little one cradled softly against his bosom. It’s endlessly endearing and tugs violently on every protective instinct either of them might have.
Xie Lian spoons out a bit of the porridge, taking his time appreciating its snowy milky appearance. But before he could put it in his mouth, Hua Cheng sharply blows a stream of air undoubtedly filled with spiritual energy to instantly cool it down enough so that Xie Lian doesn’t burn himself. Oh, right. Xie Lian realizes. He’s gotten so used to his husband serving food at just the right temperature that he’d forgotten to blow on it when it’s hot.
Nodding thankfully at his kind and thoughtful husband, Xie Lian takes the first bite. Not a moment later, tears start streaming down his face. But he doesn’t stop spooning more of that porridge into his mouth.
“Gege-”
“Xie Lian are you-”
The omega finally looks up from the bowl. He probably looks like a mess with his puffy teary eyes, runny nose and cheeks stuffed with sweet rice porridge, but he can’t help but look at the faces of the people who’ve given him this. Both Mu Qing and his San Lang. This is finally it. This is what he’s been craving for. He might be going crazy but he can feel his baby rejoicing too.
“I…,” He’s not sure what to say. But soon he realizes that no words are needed. Because his husband’s arms are already wrapping around him, scenting him gently while Mu Qing on the other hand regards him with a rare unguarded expression that bears his fondness.
“...Thank you,” He finally manages.
Mu Qing shows him a soft, sincere smile, before turning a smug look towards the alpha stuck to Xie Lian’s side.
Hua Cheng scowls in response. Xie Lian is still on cloud nine.
“Hope those butterflies of yours picked up a thing or two. If not, heaven and hell aren’t that far apart.”
The ghost king’s lips curl into a sneer, ready to lash out with a poisonous comeback. But Xie Lian interrupts him before he could even speak.
“San Lang is an extremely fast learner, so there’s nothing to worry about. The next time I call you and Feng Xin over, it won’t be to cook for me but for you to come and enjoy a lovely meal with us. Right, San Lang?”
His alpha is suspiciously silent. Taking it as a yes for now, Xie Lian slowly stands up from his chair. For the first time since anyone’s seen him today, he carries the proper comportment of a crown prince as he cups his hands together and bows lightly in a way that is more friendly than reverent. He rounds the table and goes right up to Mu Qing to take his hand and place it over the baby bump.
“Me and my baby thank you so much. For the blankets and the porridge. One day, when this little one is out, I would love for them to be able to meet the person who made them that exquisite porridge. A little taste of Xianle, am I right? Of course Feng Xin should be there too. I want my baby to get to know all the people who make me happy,”
Xie Lian watches contentedly as the look on Mu Qing’s face morphs into one of fascination when he feels a light movement beneath his palm. A light kick. The uncharacteristic wide eyed expression on his friend’s face has Xie Lian giggling despite himself.
“It seems the porridge woke him up. He’d been so quiet up until now,”
The pair of omegas move to sit down as they trade hushed murmurs back and forth about how the baby is lovely but keeps Xie Lian up at night, about how considerably clingier his alpha has become in the last few months, how much hungrier Xie Lian has been feeling lately, and just generally catching up with each other on what they missed.
Hua Cheng, feeling like making himself useful, starts cleaning up the kitchen. Putting away used utensils and sneaking a taste of the Garden Porridge.
He hates everything about having to depend on Mu Qing of all people to fulfill his own omega’s pregnancy cravings, but when he sees the overjoyed look on his mate’s face, he has no choice but to swallow that pride.
…
Once Xie Lian and Mu Qing say their farewells at Paradise Manor’s entrance, Hua Cheng scoops up his husband and teleports back to the bedroom. Xie Lian barely gets a word in before his alpha is hurriedly divesting him of all his clothing.
“San Lang?”
But Hua Cheng has no mind to answer just yet. After getting both him and his mate in bed and below the duvet, the alpha begins scenting his mate all over. From the top of Xie Lian’s head, down to his baby bump, and over his naked ass and thighs. Xie Lian is speechless by this sudden display of enthusiasm. So he lets himself go limp, surrendering to his husband’s whims.
The thorough cuddling and snuggling pleases the omega, and has him purring before they know it. The alpha answers in kind, growling in playful affection as he leans down to gently bite Xie Lian’s ears.
Unexpectedly, Hua Cheng soon begins to calm down and seems content to just hold his pregnant omega in his strong arms, chest rumbling in mimicry of Xie Lian’s purr. To say the omega is shocked is putting it mildly. Usually overenthusiastic snuggles like that end up with him on his back being stuffed with his alpha’s fat knot. But not this time.
“Are you ready to explain yourself, my dear San Lang?” Xie Lian asks from where he’s smooshed against his husband’s chest. He doesn’t mind being squeezed like this. It’s very grounding and makes him feel safe.
“Gege smells good. Like milk. And pregnant. And now Gege smells like mine,” Hua Cheng sighs dreamily. His pupil is dilated wide, like a cat on catnip.
Xie Lian can only laugh heartily at that. His San Lang truly is the cutest in all the realms. This further strengthens his desire for his baby to be born a boy who looks just like his husband.
With his belly full and his heart warm, Xie Lian quickly falls into easy sleep. Hua Cheng follows soon after, though not before leaning down to place a goodnight kiss to his mate’s belly. This time when he sleeps, he no longer has to worry about his mate disappearing from his side in search of ancient dessert porridge dishes from Xianle. Not when he can already confidently make them himself.