Coffee and Sugar
In a small town in southern France, the afternoon sun is always too generous, filtering through the gaps in the blinds, carving alternating bands of light and dark across the wooden floor. The air is filled with the aroma of dried lavender and a faint, burnt smell.
In the kitchen, Si Qi sat facing an exquisite espresso machine, his expression as serious as if he were handling a multi-million dollar merger. He followed the instructions meticulously, weighing the beans, grinding, and tamping the coffee, his movements imbued with an almost reverent caution.
However--
“Beep—”
The coffee machine made a dissatisfied sound and dispensed half a cup of dark liquid with a layer of rough foam floating on the surface.
Siqi's shoulders slumped, and he wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead in frustration. This was already his third failed cup this morning. He was like Siqi, once a master negotiator, yet now he couldn't even handle a tiny coffee bean.
He sighed, resigned himself to cleaning up the mess and starting over.
A pair of slightly cool hands gently wrapped around his waist from behind, and her cheek rested on his broad back.
Si Qi's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, covering the hands around his waist. His voice was filled with frustration and helplessness: "...Failed again. Maybe I really don't have the talent for this."
Shao Wei's voice, lazily like someone who had just woken up, came through the thin fabric of his shirt, muffled, "It smells... very refreshing."
Si Qi laughed, turned around, and pulled the man into his arms. Shao Wei was wearing soft cotton pajamas, his hair a little messy and sticking up. His icy blue eyes were moist with sleepiness, like a lake covered in mist. He had obviously just been awakened from his nap by the noise.
"Refreshing and tasting good are two different things." Si Qi lowered his head and rubbed his chin against the top of his soft head, his tone doting but also a little self-blaming, "I promised to cook it for you."
Shao Wei tilted his head slightly in his arms, looked at the newly emerged stubble on his chin that he hadn't had time to shave, and touched it lightly with his fingers. Then he turned his gaze to the failed cup of coffee and said simply, "Try it."
Si Qi hesitated for a moment, but still picked up the cup of coffee, which could be called a "murder weapon", and took a sip with a fearless attitude.
In an instant, extreme bitterness and indescribable sourness swept over his taste buds, causing him to frown uncontrollably.
Shao Wei looked at his distorted expression, a hint of a clear smile flashing across his icy blue eyes. He reached out, took the cup, and took a sip from the same spot where Si Qi had just drunk.
It was too late for Si Qi to stop it.
Shao Wei's brow furrowed slightly, but then quickly relaxed. He put down the cup, and under Si Qi's worried gaze, he turned, opened the nearby cupboard, took out the sugar bowl, and scooped a full spoonful of sugar with a small silver spoon. He added it to the cup of dark liquid and stirred it slowly.
The sunlight fell on his focused profile, casting a soft light on his long eyelashes. His movements were neither hurried nor slow, with a unique, quiet rhythm.
Si Qi watched his movements, watched the sugar grains slowly melt in the dark coffee, and his heart seemed to be slowly filled with something, becoming soft and soothing.
After stirring, Shao Wei handed the cup back to Si Qi and signaled him to try again with his eyes.
Si Qi took it and tasted it again. Even with the addition of a generous amount of sugar, while it still couldn't completely mask the flaws caused by the poor extraction technique, at least the horrible bitterness was neutralized, transforming into a strange but... barely edible sweetness.
"How is it?" Shao Wei looked at him and asked.
Si Qi looked into Shao Wei's clear eyes, which held a subtle hint of anticipation, and nodded without hesitation, his tone as solemn as if he were announcing some important decision: "It tastes good."
The corners of Shao Wei's mouth curved upwards slightly, a tiny arc that, like a stone dropped into a lake, sent ripples through Si Qi's heart. He took the cup back, took another sip, and then, perfectly natural, passed it to Si Qi's lips.
Si Qi took a sip from his hand.
The two of them stood in the sunlit kitchen, sharing a cup of coffee that had too much sugar and was awful. The air was filled with a strange, cloying sweetness, yet also an indescribable, cloying sweetness flowed quietly.
At the end of the drink, only a little sweet liquid remained at the bottom of the cup.
Shao Wei stuck out his tongue and quickly licked the foam on the corner of his lips.
This unconscious, kitten-like movement was like a feather, gently scratching Siqi's heart.
His eyes darkened, he took the cup and put it aside, reached out to pull Shao Wei into his arms, lowered his head and kissed him.
This kiss, still carrying that strangely sweet, cloying taste of coffee, felt strangely lingering. Si Qi meticulously traced Shao Wei's lips, licking away the remaining sweetness, as if tasting the world's most precious wine.
Shao Wei was startled for a moment, then relaxed, closed his eyes, and put his arm softly on Si Qi's shoulder, responding awkwardly but gently.
After the kiss, both of them were breathing faster. Shao Wei's cheeks were slightly flushed, and his ice-blue eyes were sparkling with water, which made Si Qi's heart burn.
He leaned against Shao Wei's forehead and said in a low, hoarse voice, with a smile and immense satisfaction: "From now on, when you make coffee, put double the sugar in it."
Shao Wei looked at him, the mist in his eyes dissipating, revealing Si Qi's smiling face clearly. He said "hmm" very softly, paused, and added, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper:
"...as long as you cook it."
The sun is warm and the years are long. You may never brew the coffee right, but you can always add sugar.
And Si Qi finally understood that his only career for the rest of his life was to feed all the sugar to the person in his arms.
Summer arrives early and intensely in the south of France. The sun blazes down on the red-tiled rooftops, and the air is thick with the scent of lavender and olive trees, thick and lazy. The pace of the small town is as slow as congealed honey, but for one top-tier Alpha, a certain internal cycle is as precise as a Swiss clock.
Si Qi found that something was wrong with him recently.
He became particularly irritable. He used to think the fat cat in the town cafe, always rubbing against his trouser legs, was so adorable, but now he inexplicably irritated him, wanting to pick it up and throw it away. The sound of the neighbor's rose bushes being pruned with shears, usually insignificant, now tugged at his nerves. Even the subtle sound of pages turning when Shao Wei sat quietly by the window reading made him want to rush over, close the book, and then lock him in his arms.
What was more obvious was that his desire for Shao Wei's pheromones had reached an unprecedented peak.
Because of Shao Wei's glandular damage, his pheromone levels were extremely low, nearly inaudible at ordinary times. Only when he got extremely close could he faintly detect a cool, clean cedar base note. Si Qi, however, felt like he was suffering from a kind of pheromone hunger. He would unconsciously move closer to Shao Wei, his nose brushing against the top of his head and the side of his neck, like an anxious large dog, trying to absorb the slightest bit of scent that would calm him.
He even developed a strange attachment to Shao Wei's well-worn, washed-soft gray cashmere sweater—because it had the strongest lingering cedar scent. Once, Shao Wei tucked the sweater away deep in the closet. Si Qi searched everywhere for it but couldn't find it. He couldn't help but release pheromones, shaking the glass on the living room coffee table and leaving a fine ripple.
Shao Wei came out of the study and looked at the glass fragments on the ground and Si Qi standing in the middle of the fragments with a gloomy face and restless pheromones. A hint of understanding flashed in his ice-blue eyes.
He didn't say anything, but turned and walked back to the bedroom, took out the old sweater from the bottom of the closet, walked over, and silently handed it to Siqi.
Si Qi took the sweater and buried his face in it, breathing in the cold, haunting air. The volatile pheromones gradually subsided. He looked up and saw Shao Wei's calm eyes, and belatedly felt a wave of embarrassment.
He...seems to be approaching his susceptible period.
Ever since the complete failure of the labeling three years ago (or perhaps it had never been successful), coupled with the subsequent glandular damage suffered by Shao Wei, Si Qi's susceptible periods had become extremely irregular and unpredictable. Sometimes there would be no activity for a year or two, and sometimes, like now, it would come suddenly and violently. He knew this was related to the special spiritual and physiological connection between him and Shao Wei.
"...I'm sorry." Si Qi's voice was hoarse, with a hint of grievance and irritation that was barely noticeable. "I can't control myself."
Shao Wei shook his head, walked closer to him, ignored the broken glass on the ground, raised his hand and lightly touched his tense jawline: "I know."
His fingertips were slightly cool, yet the touch seemed to have a strange soothing power. Si Qi subconsciously rubbed his palm, and a sigh of satisfaction, almost a whimper, came from his throat.
The real susceptible period arrived in the early morning of the next day.
Siqi awoke to a palpitation and an indescribable feeling of emptiness and heat. His blood seemed to be boiling, clamoring for something. His glands were swollen and aching, and pheromones spread uncontrollably. The strong scent of sandalwood filled the entire bedroom, carrying a strong sense of aggression and possessiveness.
He sat up abruptly, his forehead drenched in sweat, his breathing heavy, and an abnormal reddening under his eyes. His first instinct was to reach out and feel around—nothing.
Shao Wei is not in bed.
In an instant, a huge panic and feeling of being abandoned were like ice water pouring over his head, almost making him lose control! He suddenly threw back the quilt and was about to get out of bed, but the sudden dizziness made him fall back down.
"Shao Wei!" He growled hoarsely, his voice full of panic and violence.
The bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Shao Wei stood at the doorway, holding a glass of water. He was wearing Si Qi's baggy, old T-shirt, revealing his thin collarbone and a small patch of fair skin. He seemed to have just washed, his hair hanging softly, and his face was filled with the slight surprise of being startled by Si Qi's roar.
The moment he saw Shao Wei, Si Qi's frantic heart, threatening to explode, seemed to be instantly soothed, but this was followed by an even greater surge of dependence and longing. He almost climbed off the bed using both hands and feet, staggered over, and grabbed Shao Wei tightly in his arms, nearly crushing him with such force.
The cup fell on the carpet with a dull thud, and the water stain spread out into a small dark area.
"Where have you been?!" Si Qi buried his face in the crook of Shao Wei's neck, greedily breathing in the faint, almost imperceptible scent of cedar. His voice was hoarse, trembling with grievance after surviving a disaster, "I thought you were gone..."
Shao Wei was strangled to the point of being unable to breathe, but he didn't struggle. Instead, he raised his hand and gently patted his back, like soothing a frightened beast. He could feel Si Qi's muscles tense, his body temperature frighteningly high, and his pheromones so strong that it was almost suffocating.
"Pour some water." Shao Wei's voice remained calm, like a stable island in this turbulent sea of pheromones. "Your voice is a little hoarse."
Si Qi ignored him, hugging him tighter, nuzzling the glandular area at the back of his neck. Even though it couldn't respond strongly, he still stubbornly sought that pitiful bit of comfort. His susceptible period symptoms were made even more excruciating by the unique condition of Shao Wei's glands—his intense possessiveness and marking instincts had nowhere to vent, transforming into deeper anxiety and restlessness.
"I feel bad..." Si Qi mumbled like a child, his voice unclear, "Shao Wei... I feel bad..."
Shao Wei was tickled by him and turned his head slightly, but still indulged his movements. He thought for a moment, holding on to the large pendant that was almost hanging on his body, and slowly moved to the edge of the bed to sit down.
Si Qi immediately clung to him like a koala, head resting on his lap, arms tightly wrapped around his waist, his entire body curled up, appearing incredibly vulnerable. The strong sandalwood pheromones continued to emanate uncontrollably, but they were no longer aggressive, instead becoming... aggrieved.
Shao Wei looked down at the furry head on his lap, radiating a high fever and a strong sense of dependence. A hint of helplessness flashed across his icy blue eyes, but more of a soft indulgence. He stretched out his fingers, inserted them into Si Qi's sweat-soaked black hair, and gently massaged his scalp with moderate pressure.
Si Qi hummed comfortably, and his tense body seemed to relax a little.
The only sounds left in the room were Si Qi's heavy breathing and the subtle rubbing of Shao Wei's fingertips through his hair.
After a long time, Si Qi seemed to have finally recovered a little from the initial most turbulent wave, but his body was still burning hot, and his pheromones were still sticky and entangled with Shao Wei, refusing to let go at all.
"Are you hungry?" Shao Wei asked in a low voice.
Si Qi shook his head and rubbed his face on his legs: "I just want to smell you."
Shao Wei was silent for a moment. His pheromones were too weak, practically a drop in the bucket for an Alpha desperately craving a mate's scent during his susceptible period.
He suddenly remembered something and patted Siqi's shoulder gently: "Wait a moment."
Si Qi immediately tightened his arms and snorted in dissatisfaction: "Don't leave!"
"No," Shao Wei said patiently, "Get something."
Si Qi then reluctantly loosened his grip a little, but his eyes were fixed on him, as if he was afraid that he would never come back.
Shao Wei stood up, walked to the closet, and pulled out a small tin box from the bottom drawer. It was a small box of hard candies he'd made while he was bored, using pine needles and fir essential oils he'd bought at the town market, mixed with syrup, and then boiled and cooled. He'd made it just for fun, and after tasting it once, he found the flavor too strong and set it aside.
He opened the box and took out an amber-colored candy with a rich, cold pine aroma.
Walking back to the bed, Si Qi's eyes were immediately drawn to the candy. His nostrils twitched slightly, and his eyes lit up. The scent of the candy mimicked the cool notes of cedar pheromones. While not a true pheromone, it was like a sweet spring in the desert to the thirsty Si Qi.
Shao Wei put the candy to his lips.
Si Qi opened his mouth and took it in without hesitation, and his tongue inevitably licked Shao Wei's fingertips.
Shao Wei's fingers curled slightly.
The cold hard candy slowly melted in his mouth, and a strong, pure, cool, sweet pine aroma instantly filled his mouth and nose, strangely alleviating the heat and emptiness that had been raging from within. While it couldn't compare to the pheromone soothing effect of a real partner, it felt like an effective placebo, providing a momentary soothing relief to Siqi's agitated nerves.
He narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, like a cat that had gotten its favorite snack, and buried his face between Shao Wei's legs again, sucking on the candy and letting out a vague, contented sigh. The sandalwood pheromones around him also seemed to have become calmer, no longer so oppressive.
Shao Wei looked at him like this, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He combed Si Qi's hair with his fingers again, and patted his back gently with his other hand.
The sunlight gradually rose higher, shining through the gaps in the curtains, casting warm spots of light on the two of them.
Si Qi rested his head on Shao Wei's legs, holding a cedar-flavored candy in his mouth. Amidst his partner's gentle caresses and the simulated yet caring embrace, he resisted the waves of heat and palpitations that came during his susceptible period, and fell asleep with difficulty but peace of mind.
When he woke up again, it was already evening. The heat in his body had subsided considerably. Although his glands were still sore and his emotions were still sensitive, the worst of the discomfort seemed to have passed.
He found himself still curled up on Shao Wei's lap, and Shao Wei...had actually remained in that position, leaning against the headboard and asleep. In his hand, he still held the opened small tin box, which contained a few amber candies. One of his hands was unconsciously resting on Si Qi's hair.
The golden light of the setting sun fell on his peaceful sleeping face, incredibly soft.
Si Qi's heart instantly softened, a mixture of bitterness and love welling up in his heart. He carefully stood up, not disturbing Shao Wei, and gently laid the man flat and covered him with the quilt.
He looked at the faint blue under Shao Wei's eyes and knew that he had kept him from getting enough rest. Guilt and heartache washed over him, and at the same time, the clingy and overbearing possessiveness that was unique to his sensitive period emerged again.
He took off his shoes, climbed back onto the bed, and carefully scooped Shao Wei, blanket and all, into his arms, like a rare treasure he had lost and found again. He buried his face in the back of Shao Wei's neck. Although the pheromones there were faint, he still persisted in breathing in them, as if that was the only scent in the world that could make him feel at ease.
Shao Wei unconsciously leaned back in his sleep, close to his warm chest, and uttered very soft, comfortable murmurs.
Siqi sighed with satisfaction and hugged the person tighter.
The susceptible period may be difficult to endure.
But as long as he is in my arms, no matter how restless I am, it seems that it can be easily soothed.
Outside the window, the night breeze from southern France brought the aroma of distant vineyards. Inside the house, the sandalwood and the subtle scent of cedar blended seamlessly, becoming indistinguishable from each other.
Si Qi thought, maybe when the next susceptible period comes, he can try... preparing a few more candies with different flavors.
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