Past

Shen runs to YiJun, who looks like he is on fire. By the time Shen reaches him, the older man is in tears. He takes out his outer robes and tries to put out the fire. It doesn't help. 

He picks up YiJun, and winces as his clothes catch fire too. Ignoring pain, runs to the cottage. "Cong, it's me. Open the door." He yells. 

Cong opens the door, and together, they bring YiJun inside. Shen lays him down on the floor. Meanwhile, Cong gets jugs of water and splashes Shen. Xi Xi helps Cong put out the fire. They leave YiJun alone; they know that, if sunlight has touched him, YiJun can't be rescued.

Shen keeps yelling, "Help YiJun, help him. He must be in pain!!!" Cong ignores his words and continues to splash water on Shen's robes; Shen loses conciseness as the pain becomes unbearable. 

Cong and Xi Xi stop after the last of burning embers get extinguished before finally looking at YiJun. 

 Xi Xi gasps and looks away from the YiJun's almost naked body. Cong gets a sheet and kneels next to YiJun's body and covers the prince with a sheet; Cong checks his vitals.

"Cong, what is happening? How is he still breathing? How is he still alive when Xian is dead?"

She had not witnessed what had happened outside, but Cong had; he had peeped through the window, trying to see what was happening outside. He had failed, for it was too dark. But as soon as the sun had begun to rise, Cong had seen how YiJun was fighting off hoards of night creatures. He had seen that despite being bitten several times, YiJun had continued to fight. He had ripped and slashed the night creatures' throats and hearts, making sure that none of them could enter the dwelling where his Xian slept. YiJun had only stopped when the arrow had pierced his heart.

Cong doesn't answer Xi Xi. He looks at YiJun's chest, 'The wound has almost healed.' He observes. He checks YiJun's teeth, 'The fangs are gone.' He inspects the other wounds on the prince's arms, shoulders, and legs, 'It's like nothing happened. His skin is unmarked. Blemish free.' 

Xi Xi kneels next to her husband, "Cong, what is happening?"

"Sweetheart, did you know, our Xian could do magic... Not simple magic. The magic of our people. Your people."

"Cong, that's not possible. Magic was taken from our people. Moreover, Xian couldn't have; he was not yet of age. Even if he had magic in his blood, he wouldn't be able to channel it."

"But he did, my dear. He used it on YiJun. He did the Blood Protection spell." He informs Xi Xi.

"No. That can't be." She looks at Xian's lifeless body and runs to it. She shakes his shoulder. Her eyes are full of hope, "Xian. Son. Can you hear me? Are you still there?"

"Xi Xi, our son is gone."

"But the blood protection spell!"

"You said it yourself. Xian was not of age yet. His magic was incomplete."

"No. I can't accept that, Cong. Fix my son. Do anything." Xi Xi begs.

Cong embraces his wife, "There is nothing to be done. The most important thing to do now is to help YiJun."

Xi Xi pushes Cong away, "Why should I help him? I lost my son because of him!" She yells.

"In this lifetime and every other lifetime, YiJun and Xian are bound, Xi Xi."

"I already know that. What are you trying to say, Cong?"

"This is YiJun's first and last lifetime. If YiJun perishes now, he will never be born again. And even in death, Xian will remain incomplete. His soul will never find peace. "

"What do you mean he will remain incomplete?"

"Cong.... ", Shen whispers regaining consciousness, "How is YiJun? He was burning. Cong, save him..." Shen tries to sit up; Cong supports him, "YiJun is fine, Shen. And you will be fine too. You will heal."

Shen crawls towards his nephew, "He did not burn?... I saw him catch fire." Shen takes in YiJun's unmarked body. Except for the almost healed wound on his chest, he is fine. 

"His robes... " Shen starts, but Cong interrupts him, "Shen, his clothes were drenched in their blood. Their blood can't stand the light of day. The sun rays burnt off his clothes."

Shen looks at YiJun's red tear-stained face. "But the blood on his face.."

"It's his blood. YiJun's blood is protected."

Present 

"Look into my eyes... "

Xian looks into Wangji's eyes and blinks, releasing tears. Wangji cups the back of Xian's head and brings him closer, "You will forget what I am about to do to you now."

The little doubt that Xian had about Wangji's identity disappears. 'He is my Jun!' 

Wangji pulls Xian closer and unbuttons his shirt midway. He turns the younger man around and pushes his shirt off his shoulder, exposing Xian's shoulders and back. His eyes find the place where he had hurt Xian on his upper back, right between Xian's shoulder blades. "Sorry, Xian," Wangji whispers in the young man's ears before kissing the wound and licking it.

Shivers run down Xian's spine, and blood starts pooling under his belly. He moans. His thoughts become hazy.

Wangji's eyes turn red. He pulls Xian close as soon as the wound heals. He turns Xian to face him, and with shaking hands, he buttons up Xian's shirt.

"I love you... " Xian says, reversing their positions and pinning the immortal's hands above his head.

Wangji is too surprised to react. Before Xian, Wangji had never touched a human after using his persuasion power on them. He didn't know how it would work.

Xian's aggressive and possessive actions turn Wangji on more than they should. His mind tells him to get away from Xian. That is what he had decided. But when he had seen Xian speaking with XiChen on the monitor, he had not been able to bring himself to ignore it.

"I want you..." Xian says breathlessly before crushing their lips together. 

Wangji feels powerless to refuse Xian's touch, his kiss.

 Xian takes Wangji's lips between his and starts sucking. He teases the immortal's lips till Wangji parts his mouth.

Xian's tongue enters Wangji's parted lips; he hums and sucks on Wangji's tongue. Wangji moans, low and deep. Xian breaks the kiss. His eyes travel lower. The tips of Wangji's ears turn red. His brain screams, 'Not safe here. Too many eyes.' He grabs Xian's wrist and leaves the locker room. He makes his way to his office.

As soon as they are inside, Xian once again pins Wangji against the door and brings their lips together.

Wangji realizes that even though it's him that is supposed to be leading here, in reality, it was Xian. Wangji tries to push Xian away, which only serves to anger the younger man. Xi'an steps away just a little and growls, "How dare you!?" Before once again capturing Wangji's lips and biting them. 

Wangji's lip starts to bleed; Xian blinks. He doesn't understand the reason behind his possessiveness. Meanwhile, his brain keeps on screaming, 'Mine, only mine. Forever mine.'

"Sorry." He murmurs before once again taking Wangji's bleeding lip between his full lips and sucking on them gently; Wangji moans louder and pulls Xian close.

Xian lets go of Wangji's lip. 'Gorgeous, perfect MINE!' Xian's brain screams again. 

He wants to take everything that Jun has to offer and give him everything he has. The need to touch and taste him is almost overwhelming. Xian cups the immortal's face gently, "What do you want?"

Wangji feels a sense of Deja Vu. Centuries ago, his Xian had said these exact words to him just before making love for the first time.

He wants things; many things from Xian. But Xiao Xian's body in his bed is something he is not ready to let go of; he can't let go of. He knows he shouldn't cross more lines with Xian. He had already kissed and touched the young man without even being sure if he was HIS Xian. And now, Xian was asking him what he wanted. 

Wangji realizes that it's probably not what Xian wants. It is probably because Wangji seems to have this effect on people sometimes. Even without meaning to do it, he makes people desire him.

But Wangji knows that Xian is a little different. When Wangji had visited Xian at his home for the first time, instead of freaking out, Xian had pulled him closer. 

Where others were scared of him, Xian was confident that Wangji would never hurt him. And then there was a very puzzling thing: Xian could hear his thoughts sometimes. 

And therein lay the problem.

Wangji knew that his Xian was never able to hear his thoughts. Yet, the boy in front of him now could do it. Why?

Wangji had thought about it long and hard, but had never understood the reason behind it. And lastly, His Xian could do magic. Uncle Cong and aunty Xi Xi had told him that the white lotus mark that Xian bore on his chest was special; that it made him capable of strong magic. The Xian in front of him was not magical. The only power this Xian seemed to possess was that he made Wangji powerless to stay away from him.

Wangji keeps staring at Xian, trying to figure him out. Then he remembers that since he had already broken his promise to Shen and persuaded Xian, he might as well confirm if Xian remembers other things, "Xian, look at me." He orders. Xian stops and looks at Wangji. 

"How did you find the locket?" The immortal enquires. 

'He wants to know if I remember him. If I tell him that I remember everything we have ever done, he will know that I have figured out that he is my Jun.' Xian thinks.

He remembers that Jun had not wanted to reveal himself. He had always asked Xian not to look upon him. Jun had wanted to be sure of something before things progressed between them. If he were to tell Wangji the truth now, Xian thought that Wangji would distance himself from Xian. So Xian remains vague, "I found it on the street."

"Do you remember what happened before that?" Wangji asks, hopefully.

"I went to pick up Jiang Cheng." Xian answers.

'My powers work on him.' Wangji tells himself, feeling disappointed.

Xian looks at Wangji's sad face, 'Why is he sad? Should I tell him the truth?' He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, tears start rolling down Wangji's cheeks: Red tears. Xian gasps. 'What is he?'

Wangji cups Xian's face gently, "I want you so much, but it's wrong....so wrong... I am sorry that I hurt you. I regret it. Please, forgive me."

Wangji brings their lips together and starts kissing Xian softly, innocently. If ever a kiss could be called pure and childlike, Xian thinks, this would be it. Wangji places featherlight kisses all over Xian's face. As if Xian was a child and not an almost grown-up. He feels an unknown pain in his chest. He doesn't know how, but he is sure that Wangji is hurting. Tears start making their way down Xian's cheek as well. 

Wangji looks into Xian's eyes, "Why are you crying?"

Xian puts his hand over his chest, "It hurts."

Wangji cups the back of Xian's head and tilts his head to a side slightly, and licks the young man's neck, making Xian giggle. The pain in his chest reduces. He smiles.

'So much like my Xian.... and yet not my Xian.' Wangji kisses the young man's forehead, "I will always protect you, Xian."

He takes a deep breath and kisses Xian softly, "I don't want to let you go. I love you, but I shouldn't. I am a monster."

Xian doesn't understand anything. 'Why can't he love me? How can he be a monster?' Xian doesn't voice his thoughts.

Wangji hugs him. "I love you... I love you, Wei Xian, but I can't...Please forgive me." He steps away from Xian and stares into his eyes, "Go to the locker room. Pick up your things and wait in the parking lot for Mr. Lan."

Xian does what he is asked to do; he picks up his things and exits The Emperor's Smile. When he reaches the parking lot, he sees Wangji waiting for him. Like always, he is expressionless and cold.

{Note:- Word count 2064

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