There's No Such Thing As A World Without Tears

Chapter 4: It's something I'll just deal with in the future.

"A-am I dead?" He stuttered out as their eyes met. Lan Zhan froze at the question. But the omega didn't continue, instead starting to cough up whatever was left in his lungs from the lake.

When he was finally able to sit up he spoke again: "Oh, it's just you Lan Zhan. . . What happened?" He asked as he blinked at his surroundings, taking in how he was currently lying on a sandy beach.

"Under the water for too long, you passed out." Lan Zhan answered, finally getting over himself.

"D-did the Lan disciple get out?" He asked, worriedly looking back at the alpha. He got a small nod in response.

With a blatant sigh of relief, he tried to stand up, still uneasy on his feet as he did so. When he nearly tumbled over himself in the attempt, Lan Zhan grabbed him by the upper arm to help him steady.

Wei Ying paused before a sly grin spread along his features. He looked up to meet the alpha's golden eyes. "If Lan Zhan is trying to flirt with me, maybe courting at a more convenient time would be a better idea?" He said with a sparkle in his eyes.

In retaliation to the accusation, Lan Zhan dropped the omega's arm, backing up to give him space. He was about to turn around and head in the opposite direction when he heard Wei Ying speak again.

"I don't mind Lan Zhan, I just didn't take you as someone so forward." He said with a snicker. Lan Zhan actually turned to walk away this time. No interruption to his motion other than more boisterous cackles coming from the omega. He soon heard the man following him as he headed towards the bustle of town.

"Aww, Lan Zhannn~, I was just kidding!" He said as he tried to hang off of the alpha's shoulders, much like he did with his brother. But he was shrugged off as Lan Zhan quickened his gate.

"Is the big strong alpha not gonna help this injured omega?" Wei Ying pouted, speeding up his own stride to match Lan Zhan's longer paces. "You seem fine," He responded, then continued to ignore the other teen.

"Whatever. You're no fun sometimes!" The dark-haired omega huffed as he crossed his arms only to be ignored again.

When they made it to the town, it took very little time to find Wei Wuxian's brother, who was frantically speed-walking back towards the beach, an elderly (who he assumed was a doctor) in tow.

"A-Ying! Are you okay? Are you feeling ill at all? Did that alpha do anything to you?" He asked rapid-fire questions as he grabbed the omega by his shoulders, inspecting every inch of the man that he could see, then taking in the scent of his brother with an inhale to make sure. "You smell like him." He said with a glare in Lan Zhan's direction.

"A-Cheng, A-Cheng! I'm fine, I was a little wobbly on my feet when I first woke up, Lan Zhan just helped steady me, he didn't do anything." Wei Ying responded with a smile as he looked over to meet the other alpha's golden eyes. Lan Zhan was a little awestruck when he saw the omega's smile soften when they made eye contact.

"Don't mind my brother, he can get a little overprotective of me and shijie sometimes. I guess his instincts don't like the idea of another alpha taking away his family. The big sap-" Wei Ying said with a teasing tone, quickly cut off by his brother tossing him towards Lan Wangji. "S-shut up! You do whatever you want! I don't care!" But the rosiness of his embarrassed face gave him away.

"Love you too A-Cheng!" Wei Ying laughed as he jumped on his younger brother and ruffled his hair.

"So, I'm assuming this is the omega you wanted me to look at? He seems fine at the moment." The doctor, whom Lan Wangji hated to admit he forgot about, said with a soft smile as he looked at the display in front of him.