Dusk And Dawn ✔️

Part 2 :- In 'Pain' and In 'Pleasure'

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.