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“Cancel my meeting with my half brother.” Hua Yong told Chang Yu as he sat down at the table that Shen Wenlang liked to sit when he came to the cafe. Gao Tu’s mother had started the place in her youth then almost lost it because of her abusive mate. Thankfully she’d gotten rid of him and brought this place from ruin. It was cozy with the homely decor, trinkets, and photos. He couldn’t help but actually enjoy the place. No wonder Shen Wenlang liked it here. It was like their dorm, personable not the cold lifeless home the alpha had grown up with.
“Of course boss.” Chang Yi responded before the two ended the call. Hua Yong sat his phone face down on the table as he observed the omega. His normal level of irritation came to the surface but he forced it down. There was a reason his younger alpha felt a pull and the omega was clearly not trying to insert himself. Shen Wenlang had let him see the chat history between them. Gao Tu was respectful and supportive. But the deepest answer is why? Omegas had been trying since their high school years to snatch Shen Wenlang from him. Why was this different?
He was still curious two hours later when Gao Tu approached him with an iced marshmallow pumpkin spice latte. There was a sprinkling of glittery cinnamon and pumpkin shaped sprinkles. Honestly it smelled really good and just from the many times that his boyfriend’s had gotten it for him before he knew it was going to be really tasty.
“Are you just going to sit here and stare at me until my shift ends today??” Gao Tu asked, voice calm and his warm sage scent blooming around them. He sat down across from him. He was wearing the sweater that Hua Yong and Sheng Shaoyou had been teasing Shen Wenlang about.
“You misunderstand…”
“No, I think you’re misunderstanding me because I don’t mind that you’re here for me.” Gao Tu giggled softly. In fact it made him quite happy. Perhaps this meant that Hua Yong wasn’t going to be jealous about him anymore. There wasn’t a need for it when he liked both of them with the added bonus of Sheng Shaoyou. How did one confess that he’d been happy to support their love and wanted all three for himself?
Greedy. Ha Meng had called him when he’d confessed that he liked the trio of mates. He hadn’t missed how Hua Yong’s mating mark had grown lately with an iris and orange blossom bloom intertwined in a fine line style tattoo with his orchid. In his late night and far more shameless thoughts he allowed himself to wonder where Shen Wenlang’s and Sheng Shaoyou’s marks were at.
“Tu-ge, are you…do you like me too?” Hua Yong tilted his head, giving the omega an incredulous look. He subtly scented the air, smelling the flustered sweetness in addition to the omega’s sage scent. For all of his jealousy he hadn’t even considered that the omega might actually like him as well. Had he really missed Gao Tu looking at him as well?
“Yes, Sheng Qianbei too.” Gao Tu said before he realized that he had spoken that out loud. A bright deep red flush settled on his cheeks and he was sure that it went up to his ears and down his neck.
“So you have a crush on all of us?” Hua Yong asked, his mind wrapping around the idea. One that put his worries to rest that Gao Tu made was going to try to steal Shen Wenlang away. No, the omega across from him wanted all of them. Now it made more sense why the chat history was so supportive of Shen Wenlang keeping his heart open. He wanted to see them happily mated, not torn apart. It was like a veil had been ripped off of him and he started seeing exactly what his mate saw in Gao Tu. Honesty and genuine care.
“Yes.” Gao Tu swallowed hard. It was the most honest he was being when he wasn’t alone with his shameless thoughts at night. He sat back in his chair a little, “So please do not think I have any intention of trying to ruin what you all have.”
“Then what do you really want?” Hua Yong asked him, lifting his cup to finally take a sip of his coffee .
“To still be allowed to be in your lives now that you know. Nothing has to change.” Gao Tu’s smile brightened further at the happy hum of Hua Yong enjoying the drink he’d made him. His poor heart skipped a beat and his scent reflected his joy. A smirk formed on the omega’s beautiful lips and Gao Tu knew he was further doomed. Hua Yong had made a liar out of him, because now he wanted more than ever to be with the three of them so that he could kiss those smirking lips.