Rosa: A Wangxian Reincarnation Story

A Twin Soul's Commitment

The three men walked somberly back to Scott's apartment. There was a deep silence all along the way. All of them were lost in their thoughts and feelings. Each had been close to Yenay in their way, and the pain they felt upon seeing her in this condition was debilitating.

They had been overwhelmed by Qinyang's return. The impish sense of mystery at the club was so her, but it had covered a sadness and a strong-willed sense of duty and love. Once again, the gods had decided to make life very hard for one of them, and it was the one person who had always been solidly behind them; the one who allowed the Geniuses of Gusu to flourish as needed without fear of harm. Hadn't the price Yenay paid in their first life been enough? The minds of the gods were an unsolvable puzzle. At times, the family from Cloud Recesses simply hoped the deities knew what they were doing. However, they sometimes worried that those higher beings were completely mad.

Alain spoke up. "I will buy this apartment house. I can afford it. The fool upstairs has moved on, finally. The other six units are unoccupied, so it is apparent that the owners are planning to sell."

Scott chimed in." Oh, they are planning on it. I got the notice of a tenants' meeting next week. By tenants, that means me, I guess."

Alain glared at his partner. "And when were you going to tell me this?"

"Tomorrow." He glanced at his watch. "I mean this morning! Is it that late already? Didn't want to tell you and put a damper on our night out. It did not seem too urgent at the time,"

"Your, and now Qinyang and Yenay's, security is always my number one importance. I will offer them twice the going value in cash. They will not refuse. Quen and Halo live in two rooms behind the store. It is deserted at night along the Mall. It is not safe."

He turned to Xavier. "You will have a unit as well as our sisters. They are large and airy. Redone in an original style, they will be perfect. I will occupy the back units and that will become my US studio. I need a permanent headquarters here."

Wei laughed. " You are sounding a little like your old self, my Love. Perhaps you should ask if they want to move, first? And besides, if we do this, you will not live in the back. Make it a set of guest rooms or something. You will live with me."

"You want to live together?"

"Seriously? Do you really think you could move into this building and not curl up next to me every night?? He moved closer, his silver eyes gleaming, his mouth curved seductively. Alain stood, mesmerized as his lover stood chest to chest against him.

"Are you propositioning me...?"

"More like proposing. you big dope."

"Do both then..."

Xavier cleared his throat. They had forgotten his presence.

"Oh...my..."

"Mhn."

"Guys, Over here... Hello? We are in the middle of a conversation, remember? Discuss the two pros later, please?"

They broke apart reluctantly and Alain asked, "If I can swing this deal with the landlord, are you willing to move into one of the suites?"

Xavier, smiled placidly. "On one condition."

"And that is?"

"You let me approach Quentin. She has never done well when faced with a request that sounds like an order."

"A wise idea, Brother," cracked Scott.

"That may be best. You are more diplomatic than I am. Even if she does not agree, the building will be a good investment."

Scott laid a hand on Alain's arm. He smiled, and the look of adoration on his face made Alain's stomach do a flip-flop, stunned by the beauty before him.

Xavier gave an exaggerated yawn and stretched his arms."I will leave you two here, I am suddenly exhausted. I'll visit Quentin tomorrow and lay all this before her. I'll call as soon as she decides."

"Rent free. That goes for all of us. She is starting a business over again. She does not need added expenses."

She will object."

"Then negotiate. Tell her we are all living here at no cost. The studio will make more than enough to support this endeavor. If she insists, it must go into an account for Yenay's medical bills and therapies. I have a huge debt I owe our Guardian. She helped me heal after Meng Shi abducted and tortured me. No amount of lifetimes will be enough to repay her."

Wei Ying entered the apartment with Lan Zhan. He had not seen his lover in such a state in a long time. Perhaps not since Ming was murdered, or when Hans decided to offer his life to the boots of Gestapo thugs. Angry, sad, a sense of helpless futility.

Lan Zhan turned to face him. "It's not enough. Not enough. I can't stand seeing her suffer. She has this sadness. It was in her eyes the night we found her again; when she insisted she was at fault for all that happened after her banishment because she was no longer there to protect us. I want to make that go away. I must. I must."

Wei Ying came up and hugged him from behind. "You have made a bold and brave start, my Love. You stepped up, and in one decision, have found a way for us to be near one another again. To make it possible for us to work as a family to help Yenay. We will be able to do this because of you. And you did it as only my Lan Zhan could have. "

He felt a hot tear fall on the hands he had clasped around Lan Zhan's waist, and he held him even tighter.

"You are my hero, you know. You have been since I was a small child and much later as a sixteen-year-old brat, a thousand lifetimes ago. You are a quiet, implacable force of nature that stands firm against all danger. And I adore you. 

Hey, hey. Stop this. You cannot blame yourself in any way. Let's concentrate on making her safe and getting her the best help available. And you need to make sure that any sort of blame does not sit on these strong shoulders. There is no room for that. Okay? Lan Zhan? Okay? Now turn around and look at me."

The bigger man turned to face Wei Ying, who carefully wiped the tears away. " I want you to calm down and lay on the bed. I will work those knots out of your shoulders, and then I want you to relax and let me care for you in my own way. Okay?"Lan Zhan nodded like a small child and placed himself in his husband's magical hands.