Solstice Souls

Hidden Agendas

Lan Zhan POV

Leaving before the curfew was not a problem. His body clock told him it was around eight thirty in the evening and he had about half an hour before the wards were put into place. Getting out would be easy...getting back in, not so much.

The problem with a spontaneous plan was the number of factors that needed to go his way, and right now, the odds were against him, because with his first thought of sneaking out, came the horrid realization that he was 'the Great Hanguang-jun' and the second Jade of Gusu.

His white robes would be recognisable anywhere, let alone Caiyi town where he and his brother were famous. He had to change clothes, but with whom? And how? All of his clothes were white or pale blue, certainly a dead giveaway. And he was running out of time...

In his hurry to leave, he had taken a shortcut which led him to go past the gardens. It was dirty work, planting the flowers and maintaining the landscapes of Cloud Recesses, and the gardeners had their own special tool shed. Something told him to go inside and see if there was anything that could help him out. It wasn't locked. There was nothing of excessive value inside, and Lan Zhan slipped behind the door noiselessly.

He dared not risk lighting a candle, instead the bright blue glow Bichen provided was more than enough to see his way. Like everything else in Cloud Recesses, this place was no exception, organised meticulously by tools and supplies, but the work bench was different. Several bundled outer robes lay scattered and he picked one up, sniffing it. The pungent odour of fertiliser made his eyes water, and actually putting on the dirty clothes went against every instinct drilled into him from a young age, but Lan Zhan was on a mission.

This one was too short and he thankfully put it back, grabbing the larger set of robes. These stank less and covered his own white robes completely. When he picked them up, something metal clattered to the floor, and for a second, his heart jumped into his throat at the loud noise, amplified by the quiet outside. Minutes passed by and when nothing happened, no guards rushing in to save the day, Lan Zhan released the breath he had been holding in.

He bent and picked up the item on the floor, and upon realising what it was, he carefully put it inside his sleeve, ready to use when the time came.

What a piece of luck...

As he neared the gates, wondering how to make his departure less noticeable, a group of men were just leaving, and he silently joined their ranks. Close enough for the guards to mistakenly assume he was with them, but a few paces away so they would not think so.

Past the white pillars of Cloud Recesses, the nerves that had been gathering momentum in his stomach burst into life.

Was he really going to do this? Break rule after rule, just to catch a glimpse of his dancer?

Yes.

Yes, he was.

He slowed down enough to sneak behind some bushes, and summoned Bichen. Caiyi town would be reached faster by sword and he could find a quiet place to land without causing attention to himself.

Anticipation, different from the acidic nerves, grew in his belly, the closer he got. Butterflies fluttered in his chest at the thought of seeing his enigmatic dancer again, and questions filled the space inside his mind.

Would he recognise him?

Would he be happy to see him again?

Would he dance the same dance again?

That last one didn't really bother Lan Zhan. He didn't care so long as he could feast his hungry eyes on the man who had taken his breath away. Silver eyes filled with twinkling mischief came alive in his mind, and he flew faster, anxious not to miss the show.

He needn't have worried about not finding the place; crowds had gathered in the doorway of the largest tavern in town, and instinct had him landing in the back courtyard of the building. It was relatively empty...or so he thought.

He turned around at the noise of shuffling feet and effortlessly caught the stumbling man in his arms, and to his sheer delight, discovered it was him.

What an incredible coincidence!

The object of his desires, the pinpoint of his attention, given to him by the Universe.

Dressed exactly as he remembered, in black robes that bled into crimson, made from the softest, floating silk chiffon. His red ribbon tied around tumultuous ebony locks fighting their confinement, wispy strands framing an elegant face hidden behind his mask.

Silver eyes, incandescent with longing stared up at him, and Lan Zhan was lost to their beauty.

The sweet scent of lotuses rose up to meet him...and he finally relaxed.

Minutes passed by and yet all they could do was look at each other, lost in a world that was just theirs, where nothing else mattered.

"Mo Xuanyu!"

The voice calling out his name had Lan Zhan holding him closer and whisking him away behind a wooden pillar. With any luck, they would not be discovered, because....Lan Zhan was not ready to let him go.

"Are you real?" The sultry voice of his obsession whispered, mouth impossibly close to his.

Lan Zhan did not believe in wasted opportunities.

His lips fitted over the softest ones, parting just enough for him to invade. Sweet, sweet joy burst into his mind, obliterating any and every thought. Firecrackers exploded in his heart, the sensations overwhelming, engulfing him completely.

The man in his arms moaned, and the electrifying current shot straight to his nether regions.

"MO XUANYU! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!"

The voice was louder now, and terribly close.

They broke apart, both panting from lack of oxygen.

Regret and yearning filled the Mercury eyes as he was pulled away, still staring at him. Lan Zhan reached out without thinking and tried to hold on, but his hand caught something silky and he tugged.

His dancer left him...with a gift.

The bright red ribbon perfumed with his dancer's own scent, fluttered between his long fingers, and he wished with all of his heart that his lover had stayed.

Moments later he was pulled from his thoughts by the cheering crowd.

He took out the metal eyepatch and placed it over his left eye, before leaving his hiding place to reach the open doors from whence came the starting of music. Drums began to beat, a staccato rhythm in tune with his heart, and a flute began to play.

Here, hidden in the shadows, Lan Zhan watched three dancers move forward. His position hid him from view, but his own was unobstructed, being at their rear.

The music hit the tempo and in front of him, his dancer swirled amidst the fluttering fans, high kicks gave way to showcasing his agility as he danced from one end of the stage to the other, and when he turned, their eyes met. The sizzling current scorched both of them, but in doing so, his dancer dropped a single fan out of two he was holding. He picked it up without missing a beat, but Lan Zhan had seen the flash of surprise, and warmth flooded his veins that it was because of himself. He had caused this elite professional to make a mistake.

Someone in the crowd tossed a sword at his dancer, and he caught it in one hand. Without missing a beat, Mo Xuanyu, the best of all dancers, incorporated that sword into his routine.