Jin Zixun's day had not improved.

He had demanded care for the bruised wrist and punishment for the man who did it. The med tech who examined his wrist rolled his eyes.

He flexed the wrist while feeling the bones. Searching for a possible break. Jin Zixun had snarled.

"Be careful!"

The tech had firmly grasped the wrist and squeezed. Jon Zixun gasped, scowled, and then tried to hit the med tech, who calmly squeezed harder.

"This is not a game you can win, you arrogant little prick." the med tech stated. "Wanna try again? This time, I'll break it myself and blame it on whoever it was you pissed off."

He stared down Jin Zixun.

"No one gives a fuck who you were on the outside. Here, you are fresh meat. Period." he pulled out a bandage and began to wrap the wrist.

Jin Zixun stared at the bandage.

"No xray?" He was angry.

The med tech laughed. "You are definitely going to do this the hard way, aren't you?"

He finished with the wrist and leaned back. Casually, he lit a cigarette and looked critically at Jin Zixun. A quick glance at his computer and then he stared thoughtfully at Jin Zixun.

"You might have murdered someone - excuse me, been accused of murder - but it was a sneaky murder, wasn't it? Poison? Stab in the back? Because you are a cowardly bastard. Definitely, a rich kid expecting everyone to kiss his ass. Ain't gonna happen."

Jin Zixun's eyes narrowed.

The med tech flicked the ash of the cigarette into the trash can.

Another stare into Jin Zixun's eyes. "I will be seeing you again. No doubts. You're too big an asshole to know when to shut the fuck up."

A sarcastic smile and a half laugh. "Now get out."

"I'll remember you." Jin Zixun growled. It was a blatant threat.

The med tech broke into a hearty laugh. "Good! You'll be able to find my office again when they beat your ass into the ground."

Not sure what to do with such blatant disregard of his station and wealth, Jin Zixun huffed at the laughing man and left.

He sat silently. Alone.

This wasn't going like he thought it would. He was going to help himself to whatever he wanted - he was a Jin - so naturally others would defer to him.

Turned out no one else gave a shit he was a Jin.

Trying to cut in line at dinner time got him knocked sprawling on the floor. When he finally got food, there wasn't much left to be slopped on the tray.

He looked around at all the men eating quickly and almost turned green. It was simple, basic food. He thought back to the precisely prepared and presented meals he ate at home. To the amazing meal he had eaten for lunch.

He took two bites.

He went to throw it away but a scrawny kid just took the tray and left him standing there.

He blinked as the kid walked away, already eating.

The scowl that was his most common expression, deepened.

Moments after, a bell started clanging. Loud. Harsh.

Everyone began lining up. Jin Zixun followed suit though he didn't know what was going on. Gradually, the line inched forward until he was at a doorway. A roll of bedding was thrust at him. The guard pointed to the left so he shuffled left with other prisoners.

Glancing into the cells, he saw men spreading the rolls out on the floor and flopping down on them.

They expected him to sleep on the floor like a dog?

He was livid.

Before he could open his mouth, he was shoved into a cell with three other men. The others prepared their beds with practiced ease. Jin Zixun stood in the corner, letting his anger feed on him.

The door had been slammed already. He stormed forward and shook it.

"HEY!!" he yelled down the corridor trying to see a guard. "HEY!! I'm not sleeping on the fucking floor!! Come back here - "

Two sets of hands yanked him back hard.

"Shut the fuck up!" the third man hissed. "You keep this up, we'll all be punished."

He quickly checked to see if any guards were coming and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're good." he said to the other two before turning to Jin Zixun. "It's your first night. We get it. Don't worry. You get used to sleeping like this. It's good for the back!"

The man smiled and clapped Jin Zixun on the shoulder.

Jin Zixun shoved the man back.

"I don't give a shit what you think. I am the mayor's son and I'm not sleeping on the floor!" His voice was getting louder with each word.

Without hesitation, the man in front of him gut punched him. The air whooshed from his lungs leaving him gasping for breath.

"Now that you can't talk, let's get a few things straight. No one here is willing to be punished for you." The prisoner punctuated his point by slapping Jin Zixun hard enough to whip his head to the side.

"You will be quiet." Another slap on the other side of his face. "It does not matter to any of us if you sleep on the floor, lean against a wall or stand on your head as long as you shut the fuck up."

The man's voice was calm, low and smooth. "We tried to be friendly and help you but you try to draw attention again and we will beat you until you can't talk. Got it?"

Jin Zixun gulped in air. He had never been slapped. Ever.

His pride burned with indignation.

"You fucker!! Slap me? I'll kill you! " he growled and launched himself at the man.

He did not expect to be caught and dragged backward. To be held firmly in place.

The man in front of him just shook his head. "You are one dumb mother fucker."

He glanced at the other two men and nodded. They tightened their grip.

"All you had to do was shut up but no. You want to do it the hard way. Fine. The hard way it is."

"My family will destroy you!!" Jin Zixun raged. Spit flew as he yelled.

The first punch hit him in the mouth. Pain exploded in his jaw, lips and teeth.

"Shut."

Another blow to his mouth. Blood ran down his chin.

"The."

A hook to his jaw swung his head around and put black specks in his vision.

"Fuck."

A second hook hit the other side of his face. Everything above his shoulders was in agony.

"Up."

A final punch hit him in the crotch, doubling him over in torturous pain. All he could do was groan as they let him slide to the floor.

"Now do you understand?" The man shook his hand trying to ease the discomfort from the punches. It didn't matter. It was nothing in comparison to what the guards would have done to them if that stupid bastard had drawn their attention for no reason.

Jin Zixun couldn't answer. He could barely breath. Never had he experienced pain to this degree. All encompassing. In compacitating. Crippling.

The other men finished laying out their bed rolls and laid down.

It took almost an hour before Jin Zixun could crawl forward, haphazardly unroll his bed and collapse on to it.
-----

Yu Ziyuan peeked at Wei Ying, who was leaning against the sink. He appeared to be reading a magazine.

For the moment, he was ignoring her.

Her mind was whirling with ideas. She needed to get rid of him. Whatever type of demon he had become, she wanted no part of him and his red eyes.

"Ooo, they've released the new collection of Tod shoes. I should go check that out." Wei Ying muttered to himself.  "Can't get fashion stale."

"You should go shopping." her voice was tentative.

"I really should. But, fortunately, I don't need to." He laughed and snapped his fingers. The newsboy cap, comfortable sweater, and jeans were gone. In their, stead was a sharp, black suit with a red shirt. His black tie with its red pattern matched perfectly. "See? Quite simple really."

He smirked. "Besides, surely you don't think you can get rid of me that easily?"

"What can I - What do you want? What is your price to go away and never come back?" she said through gritted teeth. Her fingers were twisted together so tightly the knuckles were white.

"The one thing you could never understand is that some things have no price. You can't sell me to get rid of me. You can't bribe me to get rid of me." His tone was flat. Emotionless. "I will be here every breathing moment until your death. Seems Karma has a rather twisted sense of humor."

Yu Ziyuan blanched.

"They won't let you stay. They'll make you leave." She choked out the words.

"They couldn't care less about me. But you ensured they care about you. Trafficker." His voice curled around the word. Tasting it like blood in his mouth. He licked the edge of his lips.

"Even if they let you go some day, which I highly doubt, I'll always be with you." He grinned. It was horrifying in its fanged good humor.

"Always."
-----

Lan Xichen waved his card key at the elevator's scanner.
He was tired. Told his staff that he was going to go to his apartment for a cup of tea and a few moments of quiet. They could call if there was an emergency.

So far, they had been lucky. There were small groups of rioters in the red light district, but it hadn't truly gotten out of hand. Damage was fairly minimal, and there hadn't been any fires.

He breathed a quiet, fervent prayer of thanks.

It was after two a.m. Not incredibly late, but he had been awake since five in the morning.

"Not as young as I used to be..." he muttered to himself just before the elevator dinged softly and the doors opened.

The few lights he'd left on for his guests' convenience glowed comfortably. He flipped the electric kettle on after checking the water level. A clink as he pulled out an English looking tea cup and saucer. A smile as he put a double bergamot Earl Grey tea bag in the cup.

His night was far from over and the caffeine would help.

Earl Grey always reminded him of the year he spent in Oxford and the man he had loved there. James had blue eyes like a summer sky, a smile he found devastatingly handsome and a passion for Earl Grey tea. They had spent that year buried in studies and each other. Xichen had adored him, and James had returned those feelings with abandon.

It wasn't until the year was drawing to a close that they ran into a problem. Xichen knew he had to return and James didn't want to live in China. They had considered so many alternatives. So many ways not to lose each other but they couldn't find a way through.They had parted friends even if it was painful.

For several years, they managed to stay in contact, but with the passage of time, that too had faded. Now, he received yearly Christmas cards from James and his partner, Bill. Last year, they had adopted a little girl who sat smiling happily between her beaming fathers.

Xichen wasn't exactly jealous. He was truly happy for James. Just, the picture made him feel so very alone.

The burble of boiling water pulled at his attention.

Filling the cup, he dunked the bag a few times out of habit before taking his tea to the sofa. He sat down and propped his feet up on the coffee table.

'Uncle would have been scandalized.' he thought to himself with a fond smile. He wiggled his tired toes and sipped delicately.

His eyes drifted to his bedroom door. Behind it was a man totally unlike James in appearance. A'Yao was small. Delicate. Almost fragile. But that smile and those dimples had curled up in Xichen's heart like a cat cozying up on a hearth.

He had been put through hell by the Jin and he would need help to recover from that, but there was a tenacious strength to A'Yao. He had chosen to do the right thing, knowing the consequences could be dire. A flare of protectiveness surged through him.

Another sip as he stared at the door. Lost in his thoughts. Enjoying the warmth of the tea and the quiet.

As he took the last sip, he rose and placed the tea cup by the sink. Walking silently across his apartment, he cracked open the bedroom door.

Meng Yao was sound asleep. Curled on his side, bruises upward, he looked so small in the king-sized bed.

Xichen smiled and tucked him in. Rest and time would mend the concussion.  The bruising was serious, but it would heal. The split lip would smooth back into the soft red flesh.

Since James, there had been no one else. Not seriously. No one who understood his passion for his profession.  His devotion to his hospital.

Who realized Xichen had a heart large enough to still love and adore a partner despite his other obligations.

Maybe... maybe Meng Yao would be the one.

For now, he was content to see Meng Yao dreaming in his bed.

A gentle kiss on his brow and Xichen left the room, closing the door behind him.
~♡~♡~♡~

Thanks to ManuAndhale for beta reading and advice. Extra helping of pain for Jin Zixun just for you. 😁 ❤️🐼❤️

Huge Hugs and Much Love!

Now, go eat chocolate!

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