Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian had never been able to think that he could harbor any kind of bad feeling for anything produced by his shijie, especially his son. Still, as he sat next to his son, running his fingers through his hair gently as he practically curled around himself, lying on the bed, feeling too bad to get up. At that moment, he even saw in red thinking of Jin Ling, his fingers trembling slightly from the corrosive feeling that slid through his chest.
"A-Yuan..." He called as calmly as he could, not wanting to put the anger he felt into his voice.
"I am fine. I'm just a little dizzy. I'll be fine in a moment."
It wasn't true and Wei knew it perfectly well. However he could not say anything else with his son so fragile. He could see his fingers on him still-smooth, but soon-to-grow belly and was the source of him son's unease. No, no, that was wrong. The little one that grew inside was not the source of SiZhui's discomfort. Jin Ling was, directly and indirectly.
"wei Ying." The husky voice called him from the doorway and he looked up at the alpha in impeccable position there. Still, with his eyes already versed in decoding him husband, he could see all the tension in the other's shoulders.
Reluctantly, he left his son's side to go to the door where Lan was. With a look, he understood that he should leave the hanshi a little, accompanying him husband. It didn't take more than a few steps for him to ask:
"What is it, Lan Zhan?"
"This situation. It can't stay like this. SiZhui needs the presence of the cub's alpha parent with him."
The way him husband spoke the words made it clear that it was the last thing in the world he wanted. Neither of them would want Jin Ling near SiZhui again. Certainly Jin being his shijie's son and his nephew was the one who stopped Lan Zhan from actually hitting the boy, regardless of the diplomatic problems that would create. In their defense, it was Jin Ling who created the diplomatic problem first when he broke the link between the two, expelling him from Carp Tower soon after while he was still sick from the broken link.
The elders of the Jin sect were desperately trying to remake the alliance with the Lan sect, but the elders of the Lan sect were resolute in severing any proximity between the sect after one of their omegas had been so deeply humiliated. There were little whispers here and there about the Lan sect not being able to afford to break an alliance with the Jin sect because of a disgraced and despised omega. Lan Zhan even pulled Bichen when he heard something like that. It didn't matter. Lan Qiren loved SiZhui . So much so that not even his ties with the Wen and Wei Wuxian could shake and he wouldn't let even an elder move against the decision to cut ties.
"A-Yuan said he doesn't want to."
"SiZhui is in bad shape."
Wei felt his temple ache. He knew very well that his son was in a bad way and that things were going to get worse. If he was already like this three months pregnant, how would he be as this went on? The doctors had already made it very clear that he needed the presence and spiritual energy of the cub's father to continue the healthy pregnancy. Male omegas had more difficult pregnancies and, without the presence of the alpha parent of their offspring, they tended to be eroded in health and hardly resist giving birth.
What an unbearable situation! SiZhui, of course, already knew this and still didn't want to see Jin Ling. His argument was reasonable, however, and that's what Wei remembered:
"Jin Ling won't want to stay anyway." If he rejected SiZhui for being a Wen, he will also reject the cub.
“We can convince him. We have to convince SiZhui."
His temple hurt. All he wanted least was to force his son into the presence of the alpha who disowned him. That crushed his heart and put him in such a fragile state. Honestly, he didn't even know how he could not wring Jin Ling's neck when he saw him, SiZhui himself imagines what it would feel like to see him again.
"I don't want to do this, Lan Zhan."
“We do, Wei Ying. I don't want it either. But SiZhui is bad."
Lan Zhan 's sentences were short and clipped, as usual, but he could see the anger. Lan WangJi was filled with hate in every gut of his being. From the beginning, he had been against it. He had always said that Jin Ling was not the alpha he had dreamed of for his son. Lan still resented the fact that Jin had hit Wei so long ago. He found him immature, even after becoming the leader of his sect at such a young age. But SiZhui was so deeply in love and Wuxian trusted his nephew. He couldn't imagine a better couple since he loved them both involved with all his heart.
He bitterly regretted that he hadn't listened to hum husband.
Anyway, he knew Lan didn't want to either. He wouldn't be suggesting it if it wasn't necessary.
"Lan Zhan..."
"He can't handle the birth. We need the Jin".
Trembling with hatred, he nodded. Your husband was right. It was useless for them to keep trying another way. What good was it not asking for the help they needed if it killed A-Yuan in the end? They could get through this. They would only need Jin Ling during pregnancy and then never need to see each other again.
"Right. Let's try to convince A-Yuan. If you and I talk to him, I'm sure he'll relent. He's such a good boy... he would never do anything that would make us sad."
Lan Zhan had raised such a good boy. At times, Wuxian thought it might be better if the omega were not so sweet and obedient. He reminded her so much of his shijie . And look how it ended.
"Let's talk to him."
~X~
SiZhui knew. He knew exactly what would be said when his parents sat around his bed, when Wei Wuxian ran a hand through his hair so sweetly and looked at Lan Zhan as if looking for a way to start. Still, he felt the impact when they said about him needing Jin Ling's presence, about the cub needing his presence.
He was aware of this, especially when he felt it in his own skin. It was normal for a pregnancy to cause symptoms. The nausea, dizziness and tiredness he felt would happen anyway. But not like that. Not so that he couldn't keep any food in his stomach for days or that he felt so weak he could barely get out of bed. All the healers of the Lan sect had already said that if he wanted to maintain a healthy pregnancy, he needed the father of the cub by his side, transferring spiritual energy, giving him his scent and his presence.
Unlike most people in the world, SiZhui had never looked down on himself or felt worse than anyone else for being an omega. But this time, he definitely had a thing or two against his natural situation that seemed to conspire against him.
As he watched his parents look at him with worry melting through their eyes, he sighed. Since the moment their bond was broken, he hadn't seen a moment of peace in those two pairs of eyes. With pregnancy and the worsening of his condition, those eyes became more and more tormented and he would give and do anything to give both cultivators some rest. Besides, it wasn't just his health that this was about, it was also his cub's health at stake.
The fact is, SiZhui could hardly bear that he had despised the alpha who had once sworn the world to him and bit his neck. He had managed to get over the pain of having his connection broken, a physical and emotional pain that seemed to have bruised his bones and pulled the ground out from under his feet. But as a parent, he couldn't bear to hear Jin Ling reject his cub. Even with his soft, gentle nature, he had a feeling he would fly around the alpha's neck if he said a cross word about the life growing inside his body, the life they'd made together.
But if he continued like this, his cub might not even survive.
“I agree that we can try." She let go as gently as she could as she gathered him strength to sit up in bed. "But I don't think he'll agree. The cub has my blood. It's a Wen. I don't think he's going to be interested in keeping him alive and well, especially if it takes another seven months with me."
"We will convince him." Lan Zhan said simply and the tone used made SiZhui know he really would. The omega did not hesitate, even without further explanation. "Are you in agreement?"
He bit his lip gently before nodding his head twice. It didn't matter how much seeing Jin Ling or living with him would turn him insides and wreck him already frayed emotional state. SiZhui was a father and should do everything possible for his baby growing inside him. If that meant living with him, so be it.
“It's just going to be for these months. Then you'll never have to see him again!" Wuxian was quick to add, no tone trying to hide the anger he had for his nephew. “After that, it's going to be the four of us. Me, you, your father and our grandson or granddaughter!"
"I couldn't imagine anything better than that." He assured, smiling as sweet as he could.
He knew how worried his parents were and he wanted them to know he was okay. Or at least that it would stay. He couldn't bear to see those eyes full of pain and worry looking at him. Besides, he wasn't exactly lying. The idea of being able to take refuge in peace with your parents and your future baby seemed incredible when everyone else in the world was so cruel.
"I'll send a letter to Carp Tower." Lan Zhan said in an almost stoic manner as SiZhui observed the small details of his father that showed how affected he was by the whole story.
“So…soon he'll be back."
SiZhui sighed, feeling the wounds that had barely begun to close writhe. Having Jin Ling close to him would open up all those still bleeding wounds. He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about how this would only last for seven months. Seven months. It was what he needed to survive. Yes, he could do that.