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Watching the All-Stars from the audience seats was really an experience, Ye Xiu reflected. No matter how much he complained, at least this way there was little to no chance of him actually getting called up for any events, and he still got to watch the other pros live. And this year was… well, interesting didn’t quite cover it.
Gao Yingjie’s match with Wang Jiexi had been almost entirely unexpected, and even though Ye Xiu wasn’t inclined to think the best of the way Wang Jiexi had treated Qiao Yifan, he’s logical enough to understand why. As team captain, Wang Jiexi’s free time was even lesser than the average pro player, and he really did only have a limited window when he could work with Tiny Herb’s up and coming. Of course, in those circumstances, he would prioritise his successor over the rest, and naturally wouldn’t have the time to baby a player with seemingly minimal potential.
Still, Ye Xiu had thought better of Wang Jiexi’s tactics, and that the man didn’t see how badly suited Qiao Yifan was for the Assassin class rubbed Ye Xiu the wrong way. It implied that Wang Jiexi didn’t pay even the slightest lick of attention to Qiao Yifan, which- that wasn’t the way you groomed a rookie, no matter how badly you thought they played.
So yes, Ye Xiu had gone into All Stars without the best opinion of Wang Jiexi, but watching Wang Jiexi with Gao Yingjie had flipped that opinion on its head.
Sure, maybe Wang Jiexi had barely paid any attention to anyone who wasn’t Gao Yingjie, but- the way he treated Gao Yingjie, that he was willing to sacrifice even his own reputation for the future of his team… There is no fault that Ye Xiu can find there at all. Not even if he tried.
And… well, maybe Ye Xiu could understand, sort of. With a successor as skilled, as talented as Gao Yingjie, but also as shy and unsure and utterly lacking in self-confidence- well, it was no wonder that Wang Jiexi had had to put so much time into training him.
And that was really only the first rookie challenge match.
Qiao Yifan’s match against Li Xuan- well, Ye Xiu would admit that he was disappointed. Qiao Yifan had already proven to Ye Xiu that he had potential, had already cemented his skill in Ye Xiu’s mind, but to challenge the number one when he himself had barely been training as a Phantom Demon for a month?
It went past the blindspots of the inexperienced and straight into the territory of foolhardy.
Yifan would have fared much better against almost any other player that he could have chosen, really.
So yes, Ye Xiu would readily admit that he was disappointed. But he was not unempathetic, and he knew what it felt like, that desire to prove yourself, that desire to show what you were capable of.
As for Old Lin’s match against Tang Hao- well, the lesser said about it the better, really.
But then Sun Xiang had come up, with One Autumn Leaf- it had hurt, seeing his avatar, the avatar that he had raised from level one, the god-level account that had brought him to the peak of Glory time and time again. Somehow, seeing One Autumn Leaf blond, of all things- it was such a superficial change, such a trivial change, but- it hurt, like a knife to the gut.
It was just another reminder that One Autumn Leaf wasn’t his any longer.
And then Sun Xiang had challenged Han Wenqing. Wenqing. Wenqing, his husband, his alpha, his fated mate.
Wenqing had stood, stoic, calm, and headed down to the stage. Ye Xiu could see the tension in the set of his shoulders, the way he glanced up at the hovering hologram of One Autumn Leaf behind Sun Xiang, lips thinning. Wenqing was upset, maybe even angry, but Ye Xiu trusted his alpha to rein himself in.
Han Wenqing was known as the Alliance’s most self-controlled alpha for a reason, after all. Ye Xiu had never known his alpha to lose himself to his instincts in public, no matter that it was a common sight in the Alliance, with tensions running high before and after matches, with trash talking and losses tugging ever so persistently on already tenuous control.
Almost every alpha and even omega in the Alliance had lost control of their instincts on stage at least once. Everyone, except Han Wenqing.
(Well, and Ye Xiu, but that was more because of the fact that Ye Xiu was pretty much never on stage to begin with.)
Still, Sun Xiang was an alpha, and a prideful one at that. An alpha, who was the reason Wenqing’s omega was forced out of the team he had painstakingly built up from the ground. An alpha, who-
Oh, fuck.
An alpha, who had just laid claim to a rivalry between fated mates.
Even from the audience stands, Ye Xiu can see the way Wenqing’s fists clench. To Wenqing’s instincts, Ye Xiu knew, this would undoubtedly be taken as a challenge, and not just a match. No, Ye Xiu knew his instincts had to be howling for blood, screaming that this- this arrogant upstart dared to come between him and his fated omega. To Wenqing’s alpha instincts, this would be taken as a duel for his omega.
That alone, would have been enough to throw any lesser alpha straight into an uncontrolled alpha rage. Even now, hearing Sun Xiang’s words, Sun Xiang’s challenge, Ye Xiu’s inner omega screams in outrage. Unworthy, Sun Xiang wasn’t worthy, he wasn’t good enough, how dare he-
Tamping down the urge to punch something, claw something to shreds, destroy something, is harder than it’s ever been. And if Ye Xiu was having this much trouble with it, he could only imagine how much worse it would be for Wenqing, who was face to face with Sun Xiang, actively met with that conceit.
In his pocket, the phone that Wenqing had all but forced on him after Excellent Era had kicked him out chimes, and Ye Xiu pulls it out. Not many people have his number, and the chime had been an incoming message, not a QQ notification. It must be urgent, given that all the people who had his number were literally at the All-Stars right now.
Little Zhang:
Senior, if you are anywhere near the Samsara stadium, I would appreciate it if you made your way here now. I anticipate that Captain is perhaps two misplaced comments away from falling into a rage, and should that happen you are the only one who can pull him out. I will try my best to calm him until you have arrived, should the worst happen.
You:
Don’t worry, little Zhang, I’m watching the All-Stars from the audience seats. I can see exactly what’s going on. If Sun Xiang really pushes old Han into a rage, I’ll be there.
Little Zhang:
Should it happen, would you like me to attempt to bring Captain to a more private area?
You:
No, it’s fine. If old Han really goes into a rage you’ll be hard-pressed to move him when he doesn’t want to, and he won’t, not with the target of his anger right there. Besides, even if we aren’t out to the public, we’ve discussed it before, and we’re both fine with it if it happens.
Little Zhang:
Alright, thank you, Senior.
You:
No need to thank me, little Zhang, I quite literally signed up for this.
Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Ye Xiu focuses back on the stage, on his mate, and feels the slight amusement that talking with little Zhang had raised in him vanish at the sight of his alpha’s clear irritation, and Sun Xiang’s unknowing pride in the face of it.
Ye Xiu sighs, watching the two of them turn to head to their respective rooms. If Sun Xiang lost the match -and it was likely that he would, against someone who had quite literally been fighting One Autumn Leaf since even before the conception of the Alliance- the odds were that the organisers would have to deal with not one, but two alphas in a rage, and that was- well, that was not good, to say the least.
At least Sun Xiang, as an unmated alpha, would be easily calmed down by a professional mediator- any event where tensions were bound to run high had them, people who were professionally trained to calm down raging alphas or omegas with calming scents and actions.
But Wenqing, as a mated alpha with a fated omega… well, Xinjie hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said that Ye Xiu was the only person who could pull Wenqing out of a rage.
Reaching into his pocket to ensure that his face mask was present, Ye Xiu begins running the layout of Samsara stadium through his head, mapping the quickest route from his seat to the stage. Beside him, Chen Guo glances at him, likely offended that he wasn’t paying attention to a match between two god-tier accounts, before turning her gaze back to the stage.
On screen, Desert Dust and One Autumn Leaf materialise, and Ye Xiu finds himself smiling fondly at the familiar rugged visage of his alpha’s avatar. Inwardly, his omega still rankles at the thought of an undeserving alpha daring to challenge his fated mate, and his smile turns sharp as Desert Dust charges forward.
Go on, old Han, he thinks. Win for us.
Really, that Sun Xiang had expected to win against a man who knew all the ins and outs of fighting battle mages despite having newly changed classes himself- well, it spoke of overconfidence and inexperience. The Sun Xiang that storms onto stage after his loss is a Sun Xiang close to rage, Ye Xiu can tell. Alpha rage on a young, uncontrolled alpha like Sun Xiang is easy to spot, in the flare of his nostrils and the murderous scowl on his face.
The cheers of Tyranny’s fans and the disappointed silence of Excellent Era’s is likely the last straw, as Sun Xiang snaps visibly. When he snarls, his canines are already sharp with instinct, and the scent suppressing patch that all alphas and omegas in the Alliance were required to wear for public events had clearly broken under the force of Sun Xiang’s rage. From his seat, Ye Xiu can see the way the host’s smile freezes on his face, the way he whispers frantically into his mic, likely requesting for a mediator’s presence immediately.
"He really didn't expect to lose, huh?" Chen Guo asks from beside him, and Ye Xiu turns to look at her, startled.
"No, he didn't," Tang Rou replies, her gaze still fixed on the stage. "An alpha wouldn't rage over something that they'd expected, or even accounted for. Is this something that happens often, though, in matches?"
Ye Xiu's lips thin, and he shakes his head. "No, not often. Sure, a rage is more common in the pro circle than it is in everyday life, tensions are high during matches, but most pros are prepared for any eventuality, including the possibility that they lose. Besides, the fact that this isn't even a championship match, and is mostly for show- most pros wouldn't really care all that much. Sun Xiang… well, it's not unheard of, but it's rare."
Tang Rou nods in reply, falling silent once more, while Chen Guo turns to look at him momentarily before turning back to the stage.
"I really don't like this," she sighs.
"Some fans do," Ye Xiu says, and is glad to see the way Chen Guo's brow furrows at that.
"Well, I don't," she denies almost vehemently. "How could anyone enjoy this? It's messed up, wanting to see your gods losing themselves like this!"
Somewhat pleased at the reply, Ye Xiu just nods, already turning his focus back on his alpha. "I agree."
Standing opposite Sun Xiang, Wenqing looks almost composed in comparison. Still, the small hints are there, invisible to one who didn't know Wenqing. It’s visible in the white of his knuckles, in the tension in his neck and shoulders, the way his jaw is tight, teeth clenched.
Despite having won the match, despite having proven that he is worthy of his fated, Ye Xiu knows that the anger from earlier has not faded. It would take far more than winning to sate that anger- it still bubbles within Ye Xiu himself, that someone had dared, knowingly or not, to challenge their relationship. No, that anger will not be quenched until Ye Xiu has Wenqing beside him once more, until they have had the chance to reaffirm their bond.
But that also means that Wenqing is maybe one more insult away from raging like Sun Xiang is.
The bite to Wenqing’s voice, the deliberate provocation, as Wenqing snaps a low, “If it were Ye Qiu, that last Rising Dragon Soars The Sky wouldn’t have missed,” confirms the thought. Wenqing is far past irritation, and well into fury, if he was deliberately provoking an already raging alpha.
Sun Xiang growls, and lunges for Wenqing. The host, perhaps braver than Ye Xiu had given him credit for, grabs for Sun Xiang, trying to restrain him while security was still on its way. Really, Ye Xiu thinks, shouldn’t they have predicted something like this happening and stationed security personnel closer to the stage?
As it was, the host, a beta man without the enhanced strength of a raging alpha, would have had no hope of restraining Sun Xiang had Wang Jiexi and Zhou Zekai, both strong alphas in their own rights, not immediately rushed down from their teams’ areas to hold Sun Xiang back. Right behind them is Zhang Xinjie, who has likely seen the same signs that Ye Xiu himself had, and would be trying to calm Wenqing down before a true rage could take hold.
Having seen enough, Ye Xiu makes for the stage as well, pulling his mask out of his pocket and fitting it into place. With things as tense as they were now, with Sun Xiang bleeding aggression, Xinjie wouldn’t be able to hold Wenqing back. Xinjie would be fine, Wenqing would allow him close because he was a calm, collected and trusted beta companion, but he would have no hope of doing much more. No, with Wenqing already on the brink of a rage, and faced with an alpha who was both already in a rage as well as the cause of his anger, it was a wonder that Wenqing hadn’t already started trying to assault Sun Xiang like Sun Xiang was him.
Ye Xiu makes his way down familiar corridors, unhindered as the few staff members easily let him pass, recognising his masked features for who he is. It hasn’t been too long since Ye Xiu last walked these halls as Excellent Era’s captain, after all.
By the time the stage comes into view, a professional mediator has already made their presence known. Standing between Sun Xiang and Wenqing, the mediator is facing Sun Xiang, every gesture telegraphed obviously. As Ye Xiu watches, Sun Xiang’s struggles within Wang Jiexi’s and Zhou Zekai’s holds weaken, his instincts already beginning to soothe down. Slowly but surely, the rage subsides, until all that is left is Sun Xiang, panting and wide-eyed in between the two older alphas. When both alphas let him go, Sun Xiang doesn’t move from his spot, and that’s how Ye Xiu knows that that side, at least, has been calmed.
But when the mediator turns to Wenqing, clearly recognising the beginnings of a rage as well, and begins the same process that had calmed Sun Xiang, nothing happens.
The mediator pauses in what looks to be shock, and moves to try again.
Zhang Xinjie shakes his head. “It won’t work, Captain has a fated omega, and is mated. I’ve contacted them, they’re on their way now.”
Stunned now, everyone else within earshot of Xinjie’s words stares. Clear as day, Ye Xiu can read the disbelief on their faces, that Han Wenqing was bonded, with a fated omega. He can’t help the smirk that crosses his lips at that, mildly amused. They hadn’t intended to keep their relationship from the rest of the pros, but, well, seeing the way Wang Jiexi’s jaw all but drops at the statement, the way Zhou Zekai’s eyes widen- well, it was funny. Even Sun Xiang, whose mind is likely a mess, still recovering from his rage, blinks a few times as he processes, and then stares.
"Well," the mediator says, the only one who has remained calm in the face of the news. "When will Captain Han's mate be here?"
"It should be soon," Xinjie says. "They were already present-"
Stepping up onto the stage, Ye Xiu hums. "I'm here, little Zhang, don't worry."
The entire stage freezes.
"Se-Senior?" Zhou Zekai startles, hands falling limp by his side.
Wang Jiexi stares for a long moment before finally shaking his head in disbelief. "That's why Senior Han reacted so badly when Sun Xiang issued his challenge…"
Sun Xiang goes white, realisation written across his features. "I- I didn't-"
Ye Xiu laughs, the simmering anger within him softening at Wenqing's proximity. "You didn't know, so I can forgive the challenge, but that doesn't excuse that you tried to lay claim to a rivalry that wasn't your own. Old Han is right, you know. You're still too green to win against him."
Sun Xiang jerks back as if slapped, and Ye Xiu is well aware that if Sun Xiang hadn't been as emotionally drained as he was right now, that sentence, coming from him, might have triggered another rage.
As it is, the younger alpha just goes stock-still, and Ye Xiu turns away from him toward his own alpha.
"Old Han," he greets, coming to stand before Wenqing. This close to him, Wenqing's scent reaches out, curling around him and beckoning him close. Ye Xiu goes without protest, reaching up to remove his own scent suppressor, basking in the comfort of his fated alpha by his side once more.
Breathing deep, the familiar scent of woodsmoke and coffee, underlaid with Ye Xiu's own citrus, does more to soothe his underlying, instinctual anger than anything else could, and Ye Xiu's smile widens as he leans in close to his alpha.
"Xiu," Wenqing rumbles, too low for anyone’s ears but their own, shoulders relaxing as he tugs his omega close.
Ye Xiu hums, and catches Wenqing's hand in his own. There isn't much more he needs to do to calm his alpha down- he'd already very publicly declared Sun Xiang not good enough, and that declaration isn't something that Wenqing's instincts are going to ignore. The moment the words had left Ye Xiu's mouth, simultaneously agreeing with Wenqing while rejecting Sun Xiang- well, Wenqing's inner alpha would have already been soothed.
Still, it doesn't cost anything to make sure, Ye Xiu thinks, leaning into Wenqing's warmth and tangling their fingers together, running the scent glands in his wrist over Wenqing's own. It is about as strong a claim as Ye Xiu can publicly make, marking himself with Wenqing's scent and doing the same for his alpha. It pales in comparison to actual scenting, nuzzling up against Wenqing's throat before guiding Wenqing to his as well, but that is an activity better done in private, without an audience.
(Ye Xiu may be shameless, but there is a difference between being shameless and breaking societal taboo, and, contrary to popular belief, Ye Xiu knows when to stop.)
Wenqing rumbles, low and contented, and presses a fond kiss to Ye Xiu’s forehead, ever mindful of his mask. Something in Ye Xiu warms at that, the clear consideration for his likes and dislikes even though Ye Xiu knows Wenqing would have liked nothing better than to actually kiss him.
"Better now, old Han?" He asks, grinning up at his alpha. "No more murderous rage tendencies?"
Wenqing huffs. "You know as well as I do that you caught me before it could become a full blown rage."
"Hey, you never know," Ye Xiu says, shrugging. "So if you look at Sun Xiang over there you won't suddenly start trying to kill him, right?"
"Is it me that you have so little faith in, or your own ability to calm me down?"
“Just you.” Ye Xiu smirks, angling his face such that Wenqing blocks it, before unhooking one side of his mask and pressing a quick kiss to Wenqing’s lips. A millisecond later and the mask is back on his face, and Ye Xiu is grinning smugly behind its cover once more. “Don’t worry, I still love you.”
“Glad to hear,’ Wenqing says drily.
“Senior, Captain,” Zhang Xinjie interrupts. “I would remind you that we are still on live camera.”
“Well, it’s not like they can hear what we’re saying.”
Standing on the other side of the stage, Zhou Zekai makes a strangled noise.
Ye Xiu blinks. “Ah, sorry, little Zhou! Turn away, you’re too young for this.”
“Senior…” Wang Jiexi starts, looking pained. “The audience may not be able to hear you, but we can…”
“And they can see you perfectly clearly, Senior,” Zhang Xinjie adds, and Ye Xiu stifles a laugh at the thread of exasperation that laces his words.
“Alright, little Zhang, I know when I’m not wanted,” Ye Xiu chuckles. “Since I’m not here in any official capacity… Well, I’m free to leave, of course.”
Turning to Wenqing, he winks. “Sadly, you aren’t, old Han.”
Wenqing scowls, but Ye Xiu ignores it, reaching out to pluck the host’s microphone from limp fingers. He turns to wave at the crowd, then at the pro teams’ areas. “Okay, I’m leaving now. Bye!”
Fitting the host’s fingers back around the microphone, Ye Xiu gives the other pros one more wave, snickering as Blue Rain’s area breaks out in chaos as Huang Shaotian leaps to his feet and begins yelling something that Ye Xiu can’t hear, but probably starts with “old Ye” and ends with “PKPKPKPKPK me!!!!”
He smiles when Mucheng waves back, then walks off the stage, leaving Wenqing to glare at his back.
Well, he reflects, maybe he should switch off his phone for tonight.
(He won’t.)
Trending:
#AllStarsSeason8
#hanye
#GodYeAtAllStars
#GodYeIsATroll
#gloryotp
Huang Shaotian V:
@Ye Qiu V wHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE MATED TO HAN WENQING
Su Mucheng V: why are you tagging Ye Qiu, you know he never replies
Huang Shaotian V: WELL HE BETTER REPLY NOW @Ye Qiu V
yeqiuismygod: waitwaitwait what does god huang mean god ye is mated to han wenqing??????
glorythinemistresssosweet: @yeqiuismygod you haven’t seen the s8 allstars yet right, go watch them, specifically the rookie challenge between sun xiang and han wenqing and its aftermath
Yu Wenzhou V: Shaotian, aren’t you supposed to be training now?
Huang Shaotian V: yES CAPTAIN SORRY CAPTAIN
bluerainbestrain: lmaooo god huang is wHIPPED
Su Mucheng V: shh, no telling!
bluerainbestrain: goddess su!!! Aaaaaaaaaa
glorythinemistresssosweet: lp you have been nOTICED
See all 2792 comments…
DesertLeaf:
DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME??? #HANYE IS REAL????? #AllStarsSeason8 #gloryotp #GodYeAtAllStars
eraeggcellent: youre not wrong op!!! Did you see when god ye just APPEARED on stage hes such a cryptid???? #GodYeIsATroll
DesertLeaf: my ship is real :crying:
twoautumns: op change your name, god ye should top!
AutumnDust: op- don’t steal my name!
bowdowntohanye: but god ye doesnt play oal anymore QAQ
DesertLeaf: god ye’s name still has ye in it!!!
AutumnDust: it still has qiu too!!!
TyrannicalKnight: Does this mean Tyranny’s motto can’t be “defeat Ye Qiu” any more?
Han Wenqing V: Yes.
TyrannicalKnight: oMG GOD HAN NOTICED ME
eraeggcellent: congrats lp! Also wild god han spotted
Fairy_princess: wild god han spotted +1
DesertLeaf: wild god han spotted +2
twoautumns: wild god han spotted +3
See all 673 comments…
Ye Qiu V:
<3 @Han Wenqing V #hanye
[Attached is an image of Han Wenqing and Ye Xiu together in Tyranny’s clubroom. Ye Xiu is leaning his head against Han Wenqing's shoulder, both their backs to the camera; beside them are two computers logged into Glory. Ye Xiu is facing the computers, his own mouse abandoned as he reaches for Han Wenqing's. Han Wenqing's head is partially turned to the side, pressing a kiss to the top of Ye Xiu's head, and he is dressed only in a plain black shirt while Ye Xiu is wearing a team Tyranny jacket that fits too loosely around his shoulders.]
Han Wenqing V: <3
eraeggcellent: oh my god is that Tyranny’s clubroom,,, also omggggg god ye’s first post!!!!
excellent_leaf: asdfhjkl han wenqing looks so??? soft??? here???? #hanye i ship it so hard i didnt have any big feelings about this before but???? theyre so cute and so obviously in love???? QAQ
excellent_leaf: also oh my god is that han wenqing’s jacket on god ye
Su Mucheng V: About time too!
yeqiuismygod: god ye’s first post!!!! Aaaa i need faster fingers D: i wasn’t first comment on god ye’s first post,,,
DesertLeaf: lp god han was first comment ofc!! Nothing to be sad about!!! #hanye is real!!!!!
fight_princess: ugh my lonely single's heart :crying: but pls god han and god ye feed us more wholesome content :crying: :crying:
Huang Shaotian V: shameless shameless absolutely shameless old ye how could you do this to us how could you do this to anyone why did no one know about it until now are we not your friends!!! Also no one needed your dog food at all stars old ye wtf!! Pk me for my innocent virgin eyes!!!
Chu Yunxiu V: They sent hearts!!! I ship it!!! #hanye #gloryotp
Wang Jiexi V: Well, this is belated, but congratulations, senior.
Zhou Zekai V: Congratulations!
Yu Wenzhou V: Congratulations, senior. If you need catering for the reception, Blue Rain will be more than happy to help.
Fang Rui V: and suddenly, the pro players storm the world. Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! #hanye
Li Xuan V: Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +1
Wu Yuce V: Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +2
Tian Sen V: Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +3
Jiang Botao V: Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +4
Xiao Shiqin V: Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +5
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.
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… : Congratulations to Glory’s battle god! +11086glorygloryglory: all the pros amassing on god ye’s first post oh my glory
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