Fated (Wangxian)

#14#

“WEI YIIINNNGGGG!!!!!”

Lan Zhan screamed himself awake from yet another horrific nightmare in the last few hours of his exhaustion sleep.

Trembling, sweating profusely despite the calming cool night breeze of Cloud Recesses.

Gasping, hitting his chest hard, trying his best to extinguish the suffocating feeling and take just one single breath to dissipate the dark claustrophobic, engulfing feelings of loneliness, fear, and excruciating pain constricting his heart once again with his own, years of suppressed separation anxiety and helplessness of being unable to find his Bunnying, his little Wei Ying, his sweet Ying’er, even after searching in and around entire Gusu for several long hours that filled him with trepidation.

While his Xiongzhang and his Ayuan searched every nook and cranny of the Cloud Recesses, Lan Zhan went outside to search all the places he'd think his little Bunnying would go to explore the world, including the small but lively forest outside Caiyi Town coming under the territory of Gusu Lan Sect, and thoughtfully leaving out the dense, ominously dark part of the forest under Lanling Jin Sect because Lan Zhan knew…

He knew that his Ying’er didn’t like the pretentious Jins... and therefore would never step on their land even out of curiosity, and also because that dark and dense part of the forest was too far away, quiet and separated from the bustling civilization, for his little Ying’er to go there, all alone.

“Please! Come back! Just why can't I find you? Where are you, my Heart! My Ying'er!!!” Lan Zhan screamed in his thick, hoarse voice choked with emotion, golden eyes streaming down with tears of anguish and pain, as he curled himself on his cold empty bed, unable to feel the warm presence of his Life in his arms, unable to hear his strong, rapidly beating and soothing heartbeats, unable to fill the burning, gaping hole in his heart that was cut open again mercilessly by his cruel fate that thought of playing with his emotions yet again and snatched his Lover away…

“B-Baba, please, calm down. I-I cann’t see you like this an-anymore…”

Lan Zhan heard the soft devastatingly heartbroken, breathy, exhausted, and guilt-ridden voice of his Ayuan.

Only now, he realised he wasn’t truly alone in his Jingshi.

His son- their son was there with him, keeping him company and taking care of him while Lan Zhan lost himself to his heart-wrenching nightmares, dark and ever-growing fears driving him close to the point of insanity with the thought of losing his Wei Ying all over again.

He was so deeply consumed by all his negative, depressive thoughts that he failed to listen to his Ayuan’s sobbing words but then…

“……only. It was all my fault, B-baba. I knew Yingying want-ted to go outside on his own, explore the world- to find answers to his question but I-I didn’t think he’d leave Jingshi like this!

I-It is my fault, he got to know about the window.

I didn’t tell you this yesterday but he was still in his human form when I visited him in the late afternoon and h-he didn't directly tell me but I heard him thinking that his ability to stay in human form grew by 2 hrs every year on his birthday... And he didn't tell us because he likes how we kiss him all the time to make him hold his form...

Later, I tried to discourage him from meeting normal bunnies, saying that they won’t treat him well because he- he isn’t one of- of them-” Ayuan burst into tears sobbing, “BunBun a-asked me if he’s one of us and I- denied him again, Baba! I told him he is beautiful with great powers but he is not one of us and therefore should stay hidden and protected inside Jingshi!

I didn’t think it then but unknowingly, I’ve hurt him, Baba! BunBun- must’ve es-caped Jingshi tto go somewhere he would feel belonged! It’s all myy fault for making my BunBun feel that way, Baba!

Please, you can p-punish me however you want but please, bring him back home safely! I-I miss him so much so- p-please!” Ayuan sobbed his heart out, head hung low in regret, guilt, and pain.

“It’s not only your fault, Ayuan." Lan Zhan managed to speak in his choked gravelly voice, "I knew my Wei Ying is free spirited, bright and an exuberant soul.

I-I know he can’t be trapped, can’t be confined in one place by force, still I did everything that pushed him into escaping from Jingshi, from me, never to return again...

Yesterday morning, when he asked, to allow him to leave Jingshi and explore the world on his own, I de-nnied him and even left Jingshi, without looking back, ignoring all his cries.

I didn’t even return to cook him his favourite food during lunch thinking that, my little strictness and for once, not giving him what he wants would discipline him but how did I forget, my Wei Ying is never the one to be suppressed and disciplined, without his will!

It’s not because you told Ying’er about the window, Ayuan. Nobody can ever imagine, a small baby bunny or a kid having the height of a year-old child would be able to reach high up there and jump out of the window.

Maybe that's why I didn’t even place the barrier on the window... It's my fault for forgetting, he would not be my Wei Ying if he didn’t just attempt but even achieve the impossible!

Morning has arrived, son. You should return to your chamber, take some rest and prepare yourself for the day.

Don’t worry, I’ll bring my Love back into my life. This time no matter what happens I will not allow him to leave me alone in this uninteresting world.

Inform Xiongzhang not to wait for me. I’m going to look for him again and won’t return unless I find him.” Lan Zhan announced monotonously, unconsciously saying more than he'd ever speak, his mind being cluttered and scattered because of his Wei Ying’s disappearance from his life.

“I want to come with you, Baba! He’s my BunBun too! I’m responsible for all this... How could I begin my day as if nothing happened when my whole world has lost all its colours!” Ayuan exclaimed annoyed but at once froze into silence seeing the cold, seething, threatening glare of his Baba, “You’ve done enough, Ayuan!

Don’t forget you’re only eleven years old and have much to learn and train. Behave well and trust me... I promise to bring our Ying'er back home safely, before the day ends.”

...Ayuan could only nod subtly when suddenly he recalled, “Baba! BunBun said the same words! He promised to return to Jingshi before sunset on his birthday and today is BunBun's sixth birthday!”

“Mn... Will begin the search at far-off locations and narrow down to around Cloud Recesses by the sunset.”

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