Past

The day Xian takes medicine for the first time, he breaks out in cold sweat in the middle of the night. He feels like his whole body is on fire; his chest hurts. He closes his eyes and fists the sheets. He finds it difficult to breathe and starts gasping for air.

Xi Xi, who is sleeping next to him, opens her eyes, only to find her son's whole body drenched in sweat.

Xian looks at his mother's worried expression and gives her a reassuring smile, "It's alright, mother, it's for Jun. It doesn't hurt much."

Xi Xi knows how brave her son is. She nods and squeezes his hand, "I know Xian is strong." She takes a wet cloth and starts wiping his body to cool it down.

'Only six more days to go. Then I will be stronger for my Jun.' Xian tells himself, trying to ignore the pain.

At the palace, YiJun sits at his desk, working on a project, when he starts feeling restless. It begins with a mild ache in his chest, and within a few minutes, it turns to a stabbing pain. He clutches his heart. He doesn't know how, but he is sure that Xian is in pain. 

He ignores the pain in his chest and rides to Xian's house. When he arrives, he finds Xiao Cong waiting for him at the door.

"Uncle, something is wrong with him. Please let me see him." YiJun begs.

"I am sorry prince, I can't let you in. Xian is fine. He is with his mother."

"But uncle... " YiJun starts again, but Cong cuts him off with a hard stare and harsher words, "You have already done enough. We are fixing the damage you have caused. Please leave."

Cong knows he is being unfair. But he absolutely cannot let the boys meet.

"Ok. Uncle, I won't ask to see him, but please let me stay."

"A storm is headed this way. You should go back."

"It doesn't matter. Just please let me stay."

Cong knows his words won't make a lick of difference; giving up on trying to send the prince back, he says sternly, "Suit yourself, but remember, if you enter, I will make sure Xian never sees you again." With that, Cong walks back inside, leaving YiJun waiting at the door.

Inside, Xian's breathing and heart rate stabilizes, and Xi Xi looks at Cong questioningly.

"Their bond is stronger than I anticipated. YiJun is sharing Xian's pain."

"Cong, is that even possible?" Xi Xi wonders.

"It is, in rare cases." He walks over to Xian's bed, "The mark that has manifested on him is a white lotus. It is placed right over his heart."

Xi Xi gasps, "Soulbond!"

Cong nods, "They are bound in this life and all their future lives."

The days roll by, but neither the rains nor the storms stop YiJun from waiting at Xian's door, from dusk till dawn for the next seven days. Xian's condition improves as soon as YiJun arrives at the younger boy's door.

As expected, no one invites him in. But he doesn't mind. He is just glad that he is allowed to remain close to Xian.

He stays through that night and leaves at the break of dawn. It goes on for seven days.

On the final night, Cong comes to YiJun again, "He will be at your service tomorrow." He states formally. 

YiJun has many questions that he wants the answers to, but before he can voice any of them, Cong leaves.

YiJun waits outside till daybreak, before riding back home.

Present

Xian opens his eyes just before sunrise. Dawn's soft fur tickles his chin. He smiles, feeling calm and peaceful. He kisses Dawn's nose, "You are already up." 

 Dawn keeps staring at Xian.

"Dawn, where did you go last night?" Xian asks, burying his hands in the animal's soft fur.

Dawn whines.

"Your master, what must he think of me?" Xian sighs before continuing, "He must think I am a cheap slut, right? I mean, I found a stranger in my bed kissing me, and instead of screaming and pushing him away, I kissed him, touched him. I wanted to do more- Fuck!" Heat rises to Xian's face as memories of the night before come back to him.

Dawn licks his face, and Xian instantly calms down. 

Like he does every day, he walks over to the window and looks at the rising sun. But this morning feels different. He wants to look at the sun, but his eyes keep getting drawn to Dawn, instead.

Xian chuckles, "Dawn, I think you have put a spell on me... Hehe. It's my favorite time of the day, but all I want to do is look at you."

Dawn wags its tail happily. Xian sits by the window holding Dawn in his lap. They watch the sunrise together.

"Dawn, today is an important day for me. I have an audition at the Lan Hall. Dawn, will you come and watch me sing? I don't think I am that good, but people say that it makes them feel things when they hear my voice."

As soon as Xian mentions Lan, Dawn stops wagging its tail and tilts its head.

As if remembering something, Xian walks over to his desk and opens the drawer, "It's gone." He says, looking at Dawn. 

 The wolf-dog walks closer and wags its tail.

"Dawn, did your master steal it last night?"

Dawn looks offended. It barks once. 

 Xian pets it, "I don't know why, but it feels like it is back where it belongs." Xian pauses, "I can't help but think it belongs to your master."

Dawn licks Xian's neck, making shivers run down his spine; a soft moan leaves him.

His breathing becomes labored, and a stranger sense of sadness comes over him, "Dawn, will you tell him that I am not someone who does things like that... I have never- I have never felt like that. Fuck!" Xian's mind wanders to what might have happened if Shijie would not have interrupted them.

Without a word, Xian rushes to the restroom. He forgets to close the door behind him, giving Dawn a chance to follow him inside. 

Dawn finds Xian resting his forehead on the wall with his hand over his heart. 

 It looks like Xian is in immense pain. 

"Fuck! What is wrong with me!? I want you. Why did you leave?" Xian murmurs.

Dawn knows that those words are for him. He involuntarily shifts into his human form. His heart breaks at the pitiful sight, 'Why is he like this... I didn't mark him. I didn't use my persuasion on him. He hasn't even seen my face... '

Xian's body stiffens, and without turning around, he says, "You came back."

Wangji gasps and tries to shift back, but fails. He panics, 'I should leave before he sees me.' Wangji thinks, but his feet refuse to move, 'What is wrong with me!? "

Once again, Xian interrupts Wangji's thoughts, "Please stay. I won't look at you if that's what you want."

It finally hits Wangji that the boy in front of him can read his thoughts, 'How is that possible?... How can he read my mind? I should go before- damn it!... Can he still hear me?'

Xian giggles, "I can still hear you."

For reasons unknown, as soon as he had heard Wangji's thoughts, Xian's heart had started feeling better; listening to the former's panicked thoughts had made him feel elated.

'Fuck!... Shit...No... I shouldn't have thought that. Damn it! I need to control my language...'

Xian smiles to himself. He likes the effect he is having on this man, "Stop thinking; come closer." Xian orders.

*Lan Mansion*

Shen knocks at Wangji's bedroom door, "YiJun, I need to talk to you. I know you must be busy," Shen looks disapprovingly at the floor before continuing, "But this can't wait."

When there is no response, Shen knocks again. "Fine. I am coming in," Shen says, before opening the door and walking inside.

All he sees is Xian on the bed, just like YiJun had left him.

"He didn't come home last night!" Shen realizes. He closes the door and is about to call his nephew, when something occurs to him, "Damn it, YiJun!" he screams, before taking his keys and driving off.

As soon as the car leaves, Officer Zhau walks out into the open, from where he had been hiding the whole night, and walks towards his car in long strides, "Loverboy, looks like you finally realized that your nephew didn't come home last night."

He starts the car and follows Shen.

{Note :- Word count 1446

Please Vote to show your support.

Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}