3rd Person P.O.V.
Lan Wuxian and his husband Lan Yibo were the first people to give Kim Mitzuki a chance when he came to Liánhuā Hú around nine months ago. For Kim Mitzuki it's a night that will ever remain etched in his pastel heart. Once he'd recovered enough to communicate coherently, Kim Mitzuki was told how these two men saved him from the streets and probably himself.
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* As told to Kim Mitzuki (3rd Person P.O.V.) *
When the torrential downpours had swept into the region a few days ago it had brought with it a desolate, howling wind. It was the kind of wind that makes you feel as if it's slicing you a thousand times - straight through your skin to your bones, no matter how many layers you're wearing and seems to freeze your marrow solid. The kind of cold that encouraged people to stay indoors and cuddle in front of the fireplace (if they had one) or if you were unlucky enough to have to be outside, for even a short a trip as from your front door to the letterbox and back, it was the bitter cold that would also encourage hypothermia...
Yeah, it was that type of cold that swept in and looked like it was planning to stay.
A pair of distinguished looking men named Lan Yibo and Lan Wuxian had seen what looked like a duffel bag in the doorway of a store they used to frequent from the other side of the street. Curiosity brimming over, Wuxian brought it to Yibo's attention, Yibo didn't even hesitate to agree because they both sensed something wrong with the situation. Crossing carefully in the rain to the doorway where the bag was the pair moved closer but the closer the pair got, the more worried they were - Wuxian and Yibo became aware there was a person crouching behind the huge bag (which was easily three feet tall) and that there was something wrong with the person who tried to be hiding behind the bag - something very wrong.
Huddling in the doorway of the abandoned department store in the middle of a huge thunder storm was a young male, most likely in his late teens. The boys previously coloured hair had faded badly and grown out. Hanging just past his shoulders his hair was dirty, greasy and matted in places; he was curled up as small as possible, trying to shield himself with the large bag from the bitterness of the night.
The two Lan's looked at the pitiful sight and realised that something bad was happening to this youngster and both understood without speaking that they would be taking him home with them. Lan Wuxian assessed the boy who was shivering violently behind his bag, though the shivering was not entirely because of the weather, but because he was running a high fever. The sick, rancid smell emanating from the younger indicated there was also an infection somewhere in a wound on his body (also that he probably hadn't bathed in a while).
The male wearing black introduced them both, though he sincerely doubted the younger would even know what was being said to him, "I'm Lan Wuxian and this is Lan Yibo. We're out enjoying the weather and noticed you over here, are you okay?" The boy looked up at them with dull brown eyes, void of emotion. "You can't tell him where I am. You can't tell him where I am! He will take me, he will find me, he will kill me when he finds me, he must not find me - he CAN'T find me!! You won't tell him will you? Please don't tell him you found me or he's going to kill me! Don't let him see you talking to me, if he see's you talking to me he will hurt you - he will kill you! Stay away!! Stay away from me, nobody can help..."
The boys hoarse voice cracked as he dissolved into hysterics. Wuxian and Yibo didn't even need to share a look to know what they were going to do. They had a reputation for taking in 'strays' as the locals called them, everyone knew the Lan's took in broken people and healed them. The boy in front of them had been beaten, abused and broken. He looked as if hadn't eaten in months, maybe only scraps he'd managed to scavenge or morsels that had been begged from strangers.
The pastel boy had lost such an unhealthy amount of weight he looked skeletal, many cuts and bruises on his smaller frame hadn't healed properly (or worse), they'd gotten infected and he had become delirious with fever as a result. They didn't know the pastel haired teen was many hundreds of miles from home although they had an accurate feeling he didn't know anyone in the area or he'd be safe inside somewhere instead of out in the bitter freezing cold, dying on the sidewalk.
Wuxian was the one who spoke to the boy quietly and tried calming him down. He promised the teen they would keep him safe and look after him well, that he could have a warm shower and a hot meal and a bed to sleep in. The teen was delusional, hallucinating because of the infections running rampant in his bloodstream, the two Lan's weren't sure how long they stood in the downpour trying to connect with him, to save him. Wuxian looked at his husband who then gently took the boy's wrist and transferred some spiritual energy into him to help settle his emotions.
Once the boy was calmer and his sobbing had subsided enough for the two to move him safely, Lan Wuxian picked up Kim Mitzuki with one hand under his legs and the other supporting his back, Wuxian frowned deeply at how light the teen was. Wuxian moved closer to his husband, who had taken his overcoat off and placed it carefully over the boy in the black clothed males arms, before collecting the duffel bag from the doorway where it was leaning slanted against the door frame and putting the strap over his shoulder. Yibo readjusted the umbrella in his hand and after wrapping his other arm around his husbands waist they made their way back to Wàng Jī Lǚdiàn.
Kim Mitzuki's P.O.V.
I smiled at the two men who had become treasured people to me. I'd told them a little about what I remembered, though I guess the infections had set in after a few days and because I didn't have anyone to treat the wounds on my back and I didn't want to go to anyone who would contact the people I'd used to know - they would only have taken me back to Izuka Yang. "You don't have to tell us you know? We're asking because we want to know how you ended up here, or why you chose here to be." A soft smile, a gentle hand wearing black gloves enveloping mine and warmth gradually spreading from the small contact. "Mn. We would like to know. How to help." Agreed the male in white. "It's okay, I .... I think I'm ready to tell you. I've been here a while now and I don't know how to say what everything you've done for me means to me."
I squeezed the hand that held mine and I reached out to hold the hand of the other, who allowed the contact. I told Wuxian and Yibo the story of what had happened to me, about my relationship with Izuka Yang and how in the beginning everything had been wonderful; then I how I noticed how things were not going as smoothly between us, our relationship had deteriorated and finally broken down between us after we'd gone out to celebrate my eighteenth birthday and I'd been raped by one of his friends. I didn't even notice as the tears had welled and overflowed, leaving tracks over my cheeks, until the stoic Lan Yibo had kneeled down in front of me and wiped my face gently with a handkerchief from his pocket. "You don't have to continue, if it hurts so much." He expressed his concern for my tears.
I shook my head. "I need ... I want to say." I gave him a watery smile. "I vaguely remember running out of money in the second week after I walked out but I didn't have much to begin with, you know? Leaving in the middle of the night and taking nothing but what you found me with. My phone was stolen during one of the bus trips while I was asleep. I was moving around as much as possible for maybe a month since I ran out of bus fare. I knew I had to get as far away from my... my ex-boyfriend. I mean, I didn't care where I was going just that I knew I had to leave and I had to keep moving, to keep going as far as I could. I'm still scared that he is going to find me or that his friends will. I remember walking from town to town and I didn't even know where I ended up or if I cared, honestly as long as I wasn't anywhere near him. I don't think I even cared that I didn't know who I was by the time you both found me that night. I would probably have been happy to wake up dead."
I rubbed my hands over my face with the confusing mix of feelings that were crowding me. Anxiety, worry, fear, and relief. Relief I was telling someone and the weight in my chest felt a little lighter. "You guys have taken me in without knowing who I was or why I was even here. You've fixed my wounds but you didn't just do that, you know? You healed me, fed and clothed me, you've given me a job when I finally convinced you I want to repay your kindness." I felt the words run out of my mouth like a runaway train but I knew they all came from my heart.
"You've given me a room to rent three months ago when I said I want to try and make my own way in Li��nhuā Hú, so I can still stay close to you guys, you know? So now I have my own place and you've given me a job and you've loved me.... and I really, really want to thank both of you for everything - for doing all this for me and not knowing anything about me. Thank you. Lan Yibo, Lan Wuxian, Thank you." I burst into tears again, throwing myself into Yibo's arms and hugging him tightly causing a bright laugh to erupt from Wuxian before he wrapped his arms around the both of us and said to his flustered husband, "I told you he likes you Hanguang Jun! You don't have to worry about him forgetting about us."
I've changed a lot since I walked out. Some days I feel like could finally be who I used to be and other days I still want to be someone else. The days I don't like myself are less, slowly, though I don't think they will ever go away for good. The Lan's have taught me how to respect myself again, how to love myself. Living with two men I was lucky enough to be rescued by for the last six months has helped me believe in myself and trust myself - I don't let people walk over me or use me the way I used to allow.
One day between tutoring students and working at Wàng Jī, Lan Wuxian snapped a photo on his mobile phone of me and showed it off to everyone at the bar like he is a proud father (totally embarrassing me of course), his actions made me feel so loved and cared for.
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The Lan's... those guys, they're... they're honestly something else. I can truthfully say that Lan Yibo and Lan Wuxian have shown me and taught me more about generosity, faith, kindness and love in the last nine months than anyone else has. They've taken me in and accepted me as one of their own - as part of their family now.
Meet Lan Wuxian and Lan Yibo.
Lan Yibo:
Lan Yibo always wears white and pale blue clothes, he wears a white ribbon that has clouds embroidered on it, Lan Yibo wears it around his forehead and then it ties back into his hair. He has hair halfway down his back and really pretty golden brown eyes. Yibo is always quiet and comes across as very serious and strict but he is kind and generous, he is thoughtful with his words and will always listen to your problems without interrupting. Lan Yibo offers encouragement and support without being overbearing. 'Light Bearing Lord' (Hanguang Jun) certainly suits him well.
Lan Wuxian:
Lan Wuxian wears black or navy and red, he usually has a red ribbon tying up his hair though he doesn't wear a forehead ribbon like Lan Yibo. Lan Wuxian is pretty easy-going, he likes to joke and play around a lot and he seems to get along well with everyone who works here, though I've been told by one of their sons.. ugh, what's his name...? Sizhui? Shisui?... that while it takes a lot to anger Lan Wuxian he can be really fierce if you piss him off so just... Don't.
Lan Wuxian loves teasing his husband every day by doing all sorts of tricks; pulling on his forehead ribbon to try and loosen it, or trying to sneak into the kitchen at the bar to add weird spices to drinks or chili to the food, or by trying to smuggle his favourite (home-made) liquor called Emperors Smile upstairs to their room...
Lan Yibo just gives him this look like 'Seriously? This again?' then Lan Wuxian pouts -and I swear to the Gods it's absolutely the most adorable thing you'll ever see in your life- before almost dancing or skipping to Lan Yibo and the way he gently kisses his husbands cheek or the back of his hand is so sweet!
This of course makes Yibo blush every time and then he gives Wuxian another look as if he's saying, 'You're lucky I love you and will do anything for you or I'd kick your ass'.
Apparently the Wàng Jī Lǚdiàn design is based on some place called the Cloud Recesses where they used to live, and honestly, it sounds like a pretty serene place to be. Peaceful, restful, relaxing and somewhere you could really clear your mind. Yeah, I'd like to go one day to where they grew up.
They're weird, you know, but they've been family I didn't know I needed or ever thought I deserved. Lan Yibo and Wuxian have told me that I'll always be a part of their family because they love me and care about me and if I ever need anything I can go to them. Their kids have been accepting of me too, which I didn't expect. Not a lot of families are as diverse as theirs, or accepting, but I've found a secure kind of love I didn't know I craved this whole time.