Past
Shen runs out, thinking of going to Xi Xi, but stops just before he reaches his village.
"What will I say to Xi Xi? What will I tell Cong? How will I tell them that their son is dead? Once again, they have lost a loved one because of my family." He falls to his knees, "What is wrong with YiJun? Had they bonded already?" This thought scares Shen the most. He knew enough of the folktales to know that if after bonding, one dies, the other follows soon after.
"No. I can't lose YiJun. He is all I have left of my sister. Cong will know how to save him." Shen tells himself and runs to Xiao residence.
Xi Xi opens the door and comes face to face with Shen. Her eyes widen in surprise, "Shen!" She throws herself at him and hugs him tight. She lets go and pulls him inside, "Cong, look who is here! Shen is alive, Cong. Come quick." She smiles brightly at him.
When Shen doesn't return her smile, Xi Xi's face falls, "Shen...? Don't you remember me?" She asks, holding his wrist.
Shen can't hold back his tears anymore; Xi Xi was almost like a sister to him. They had grown up together and cared for her deeply.
"Shen, why are you crying?" She asks, her voice trembles. Meanwhile, Cong runs outside and hugs the broken man, before realizing that the other is crying.
Shen breaks the embrace and steps away, "Xi Xi, something terrible has happened...YiJun and Xian... "
Xi Xi frowns. She has many questions for Shen. But she asks the most worrying one, "Did you attend the wedding? Did you meet my son? Was he upset?"
Shen gulps. He holds her hand and makes her sit down, "I was held captive all these years. When I was able to escape somehow, I wanted to warn YiJun about his bride to be. Xi Xi, she is not human. She is a creature of the night."
Xi Xi lets out a gasp of fear.
"I wanted to warm YiJun, but I was too late. Then I was captured once more. Things happened. And-" Shen trails off, unable to complete his sentence.
"And what, Shen!?"
"Xian killed himself. He died in YiJun's arms.
"No." Xi Xi shrugs Shen's hand away. "You are lying. Xian can't be dead. YiJun promised to protect him. YiJun always keeps his promise." She says confidently.
Shen looks at Cong, who is looking at Shen's tears. He understands that Shen is not making this up. Cong stands speechless; tears roll down his eyes.
Shen continues, "Cong, had they bonded?" Shen knows he is being selfish and rude.
"Yes."
"Can you save YiJun?" Shen asks.
Cong walks over to Shen and holds his shoulders, "YiJun is alive?"
"Yes."
"That's not possible; they are soul-bound. If Xian is truly dead, if what you are saying is true, then either Xian is not dead, or YiJun is not alive."
"They are Soulbound?"
Xi Xi walks over to them, "Take me to him, Shen. Take me to my son. Now."
Shen knows that he shouldn't let them see YiJun or Xian now. But he knows Xi Xi won't understand.
"Ok." Shen nods.
Xi Xi reads Shen's eyes, "What are you not telling us, Shen?" She looks at Shen carefully and steps away from him, "Your wolf is awake!"
Cong shields Xi Xi, "Get away from us."
Shen had expected this. There hasn't been a wolf in the Zhu family for ages. Thus, many misconceptions had spread. The most prominent one being that the wolf is dangerous.
Shen puts his hands up, "Cong, listen to me. I will never hurt you. You are like my family. Please, just listen, what we thought about wolves was wrong. All the bad things that the wolves did in the past was because they were being manipulated."
Xi Xi wasn't listening, "Was it you who killed my boy, Shen? Did you lose control and hurt him? He loves YiJun; he knows that if he kills himself, YiJun will die too. He would never do that to YiJun."
Shen takes a deep breath, "Xi Xi, if I had to kill you, why would I just be standing here talking to you?"
"Maybe you are under control. Maybe, you are here to trick us so that you can have Xian."
The last statement confuses Shen. He doesn't understand why anyone would want Xian. He shakes his head, "Fine. I am leaving now. But please remember that I tried to ask for your help. I thought you would want to help YiJun since he is Her Son."
Shen turns to leave, "Stop." Cong yells.
"You are right. YiJun is like a son to us. And if he is alive, maybe Xian is too, take me to him." Cong says, walking out the door.
Xi Xi stops them. She wipes her face, "Sorry, Shen. I would like to see my son too."
The three make their way towards the cottage, but only a few minutes into their journey, Shen hears noises. "The creatures! You guys go ahead. I must warn our people. I will join you soon."
His village is one of the closest ones to the Wang Kingdom, and the Princess's body was missing too. Shen guesses that there was a good chance that if the princess had survived, she would attract them. He guides Xian's parents to the cottage and runs to their village once again.
*Cottage*
During the time Shen was gone, YiJun had bathed both himself and Xian. He had dressed Xian in his favorite robes and was holding him in his arms, "Soon, Xian, we will meet Aunty soon. I am sure she will give you something to wake you up."
Just then, there is a knock on the door; YiJun smiles, "Xian, how lucky we are, uncle and aunty are here already." He opens the door, smiling at Xian's parents.
Xi Xi pushes him aside and enters the room. She runs to Xian. "Son, open your eyes. It's me, your mother." She shakes his shoulder and strokes his face. Cong follows her in. He takes in YiJun's smiling face and Xian's unmoving form. "YiJun, how are you feeling, Son?" He asks in a shaky voice.
"Uncle, have you brought medicine? Xian is just sleeping. His wounds have healed. He will wake up, right?" He asks, continuing to smile.
Cong nods and walks over to the bed. He checks Xian's vitals. And hugs Xi Xi, "He is gone, my dear."
Present
*Jiang Residence*
Xian wakes up when he hears someone whisper in his ears, 'I love you... Only you.'
Sleep leaves him. He opens his eyes and finds himself on his bed. He doesn't know how, but he is sure that it was Jun's voice. He feels his body heat up as warm hands come up to caress his cheeks.
"Jun... " Xian whispers, "Kiss me." The boy says, trying to touch the hand stroking his face.
'Xian, is that you?'
"My Jun, please kiss me." Xian urges and waits. Nothing happens.
'Maybe I am still dreaming.' Xian reasons, but just then, he feels lips at the corner of his mouth.
Xian smiles, "My Jun, I love you. I will always love you. In every form, Mr. Lan." Xian says, as a feeling of quiet calm surrounds him. He yawns, "Jun, let's sleep."
"Thank you." Xian murmurs before falling asleep once more.
*Lan mansion*
YiJun runs out of his room. He is about to enter Shen's room like he always does, but Zhau's scent stops him. He knocks on Shen's door, "Uncle! Please open."
He hears Zhau murmur, "What the actual fuck, man!?" From their room.
YiJun feels guilty, but he doesn't want to wait. He knocks again. Shen opens the door and looks at Wangji disapprovingly, "Yijun, this is really... "
"I am sorry, uncle, but I couldn't wait till morning."
Shen had never seen YiJun so excited. It was like the younger man was vibrating with energy.
"Speak."
"It's Xian...My Xian...Uncle, I swear he whispered to me. I could feel him touching me... His... His hands didn't move....but... "
Shen's eyebrows disappear into his hairline, "What!?... Wait, slow down. Tell me clearly."
YiJun blushes, "I told him that I love him, like I always do. Only this time, I felt like he responded."
"Did he move?"
YiJun looks away for a second before catching Shen's eyes again, "No."
Shen sighs and pinches between his brows, "YiJun, we have been th..."
YiJun cuts him off, "No, uncle, it's not like the other times... I... I am not making this up." He gulps, biting his lips.
'It's the first time YiJun has admitted that he was pretending all along. He must have definitely felt something.' Shen realizes.
"Ok. I believe you. Was there anything else?"
YiJun gets excited once again, "When I touched his cheek... " YiJun's face flushes, and he blurts out, "He asked me to kiss him...His lips didn't move, but his voice was clear. It was close. Then I heard his voice again. It was Xian. He said that he loved me. That he will always love me, in every form." Wangji pauses. He doesn't think it's right to tell Shen that he had heard Xian call him Mr. Lan. He knew that Shen already thought that Wei Xian was his Xian, and Wangji wasn't ready to accept that yet, so he skips the part where he had heard Xian call him Mr. Lan. He continues, "Then he said that we should sleep, and then he thanked me."
YiJun looks at Shen expectantly, "Uncle, what do you think?"
"You heard him, but his lips didn't move. He touched you, but his body didn't move. Are you sure you were not dreaming?"
"Uncle, I haven't slept in four hundred years. You know that I don't sleep. Lying in bed is not sleeping, is it?"
Shen feels like an ass. He knows that YiJun never sleeps. "I am sorry...Are you sure what you felt was actually happening?"
YiJun nods. "Uncle, I think it's finally happening. I think Xian is about to wake up."
Shen doesn't reply. He believes that YiJun may have felt something, but he knows that the body lying in YiJun's bed will never move again.
Shen smiles and hugs his nephew, "I am happy for you."
Wangji returns to bed. He holds Xian close and falls asleep. And for the first time in four hundred years, he dreams. He dreams of his days and nights from long ago when they were happy teenagers. YiJun smiles in his sleep and holds Xian closer. The scene in the dream shifts. He is back in the cottage. He hears Xian moan. 'Touch me Jun... Make me cum.'
The scene shifts once more; he is back in Wei Xian's room, kissing him, sharing his blood with him, licking his wound.
*
*
*
YiJun wakes up; there is wetness between his legs. He gulps, feeling embarrassed. Luckily, there is no one to witness it. He looks out the window. 'It's almost midday.' YiJun realizes. He closes his eyes, and once again, Wei Xian's moans of pleasure as the boy moves under Wangji's touches come to his mind.
YiJun looks at this soulmate who is lying next to him unmoving, and his eyes well up again. He runs to the washroom, 'Why are you in my mind... I can't let you in my heart... I will not let you in my heart.'
YiJun decides that he will avoid Wei Xian, he will make sure that he stays away from Xian's doppelganger. 'My Xian is going to wake up. All I have to do is wait some more. I am good at waiting.' YiJun thinks, making up his mind.
{Note:- Word count 1985
Please Vote to show your support for this update if you have enjoyed it.
Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}