1.6 FATED LOVE: Curse

"Liu Lianyu, was it? You smell amazing."

Liu Lianyu freezes. He thinks he heard wrong and at that moment the world lays still, time suspended. He's completely tense when the couch dips and Tao Zhen's weight is right next to him. It's cramped on the couch.

The fear he feels ripens. But it's likely just Liu Lianyu overreacting. After all, this was his meimei's fiance. There's no way Tao Zhen is a predator. There's no reason for him to even have an interest in Liu Lianyu. So he chalks the roaring heartbeat in his chest to the awful omega instincts he's been saddled with thanks to biology.

There's no other explanation.

"Come on, sit up and drink some water. It'll make you feel better." Tao Zhen's voice is low enough to vibrate in Liu Lianyu's chest. The hairs on his nape stand up and he doesn't really feel like sitting up or drinking water. Not with Tao Zhen sitting on the edge of the couch, trapping him with that tall looming alpha presence.

Liu Lianyu groans and rolls to face the back of the couch, "Mmm, later. Head hurts. Dizzy," he lies even though much of the drunkenness abated the moment alarm cut through his consciousness.

Tao Zhen doesn't give up and continues to coax him, "You're only making it worse." There's an edge to his voice but Liu Lianyu chalks it up to his imagination. "Come on, Liu Lianyu."

Liu Lianyu hates the way his name rolls off the man— the alpha's tongue but there's no way of objecting it without sounding rude. He groans and stirs a little, taking his time to calculate his next move.

Which happens to be a mistake because he takes too long and Tao Zhen takes this as an opportunity to place his hand over Liu Lianyu's thigh.

He jolts up immediately. There's no monster that greets him though, only Tao Zhen, a normal alpha male by alpha male standards. He's tall, his face pleasant to look upon with wide eyes framed with double lids, a square jaw. His brows are naturally a bit downturned, puppy-like even.

Tao Zhen's head tilts slightly to show his innocence, one brow lifted up in pointed confusion and Liu Lianyu can't decide if this man's a psychopath or if he's the one going insane.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Liu Lianyu's eyes veer down, not wanting to catch the alpha's gaze and snatches the cup of water from his hands. His movements are wide, jostling the hand off his leg but relief doesn't come, not when Tao Zhen is still so close. The alpha scent is potent too, sour, bitter and a hint of peppery spice and its proximity makes even water difficult to swallow.

Liu Lianyu forces himself to take two large gulps before setting the cup down on the table. "Thank you," he says, "I feel better now." He doesn't. In fact, he feels hot, feverish, despite goosebumps raising his skin. The sweat on his brow gathers and he feels a droplet trickle down the side of his face and down his chin.

Why won't Tao Zhen move?

Equal parts frightened and disorientated, Liu Lianyu pulls out the ultimate excuse. "I need to go to the bathroom." Please move, he adds internally.

"Oh," Tao Zhen nods and finally gets up. Liu Lianyu eagerly follows, wanting nothing more than to escape the couch. But he's still intoxicated and even when his mind is clear, his body lags behind. He clumsily trips and falls into Tao Zhen, who doesn't hesitate to catch him. One hand goes under his left arm, the other is on his waist and alarm bells are in his mind.

Liu Lianyu, unthinking, shoves Tao Zhen away. The large alpha stumbles back, hands held up in a stance of surrender. "Wow there." He says, there's no hostility in his voice but Liu Lianyu feels something akin to a sharp edge under his skin.

"Sorry." He doesn't linger, backing off and making a break for the bathroom on the other side of the living room. The door shuts behind him and his mind is racing. Liu Lianyu presses his back against the door and his breath, ragged, shakes his body. What is wrong with him?

Is there a need to react this way? He cradles his head in thought. Is Tao Zhen being strange or is it him? The more he thinks, the dizzier he becomes; his mind turns like a merry-go-round with no end in sight.

Liu Lianyu flicks on the lights. It's bright enough to sting his eyes, the bulb cheap and flickering. He staggers towards the bathroom mirror and catches his reflection; flushed face with glistening sweat. His eyes are glassy and his composure impossible to maintain. Fingers fold over the edge of the sink as dread sets heavily in his belly.

Something's off.

His appearance is as though…as though he's going into heat but he doesn't feel the need to drop to his knees and present himself to sate his lust. It's not that. Not even the soft thrum of sexual needs could be glimmered from his feverish mind. And yet…

He touches his face, feeling the heat radiating off his skin and there's that horrible feeling, that swelling apprehension that makes itself known and consumes his world whole.

Liu Lianyu curses at biology and his foolishness. He curses at Lin Jiaen and her creepy alpha fiance. More importantly, he curses at himself.

A knock comes at the door, startling him. "Liu Lianyu? Are you okay?"

No. And no thanks to you. Liu Lianyu thinks to himself. Luckily he's sober enough that he doesn't say something stupid or offensive. If anything, he needs to get out.

Another knock. "Liu Lianyu?" Tao Zhen practically coos and Liu Lianyu wants to throw up. The omega pushes himself away from the sink and takes a deep breath to compose himself.

"I'm fine."

"Lianyu?"

"I'm fine!" His voice comes out raised and even when he grabs toilet paper to wipe the sweat off his brows he still looks like a mess. It's hopeless.

There's a moment of silence— solace but it doesn't last. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

Liu Lianyu can no longer resist the urge to scoff. It's now or never he tells himself, glaring at his reflection with visceral hatred. It's enough to rally his determination.

The bathroom door swings open and Tao Zhen's figure is looming on the other side. Shrouded in shadow he is like a beast, a wall, a monster that's impossible to fight off in a fair battle.

Tao Zhen is frowning, glaring even, but Liu Lianyu isn't looking at him. "Have you finally calmed down?"

Liu Lianyu decides that this isn't worthy of an answer. He shoves the towering alpha aside and makes a break for it. There's cursing behind him, and his name being called but it's easy to ignore when he's a rabbit in flight. The apartment isn't large and yet the halls seem to elongate; dark harrowing and the exit's much too far. Liu Lianyu scrambles to get his shoes on. His jacket next.

And he's fumbling for the lock and the presence is there behind him.

"What in the world has gotten into you?"

Liu Lianyu must be insane after all. "I'm not feeling well." The lock clicks open.

Tao Zhen grabs his arm. "Lin Jianen will be back soon with painkillers so why don't you just lie down for a bit?"

Liu Lianyu doesn't listen. The door swings open and he's about to bolt when an offending hand clasps over his bicep. Panicked, he flails, tossing the arm away. "Don't touch me!"

He thinks he's crazy. There's disapproval on Tao Zhen's face; brows knit, lips thin. Liu Lianyu must be crazy when he makes a break for it.

He crosses Lin Jiaen when he rushes out the building's main entrance and she does a double-take.

"Yu-ge?"

But she doesn't chase after him, likely confused. And Liu Lianyu's heart is roaring too loudly for him to think straight. It's dark outside, the autumn wind biting with the promise of winter.

His eyes sting. It's cold, he complains internally. The main streets host a few whizzing cars and taxis that honk at him for attention. But Liu Lianyu ignores them and walks, his form hunched, hiccups on his lips and he blames the alcohol. His face scrunches up and he blames the alcohol. He hobbles below an overpass, the piss-yellow lights irritate his eyes; his vision is blurry and he blames the alcohol.

Liu Lianyu finds a corner on the side of the road, under a streetlight that no longer works and squats down. He's a grown man, dammit. And he hates himself. But there's nothing he can do to stop the tears from building up and a sob rips out of his throat despite his best efforts.

His phone in his pocket buzzes obnoxiously and rings so he fumbles to turn it off.

Liu Lianyu hates himself.