Xiao Zhan's POV:

"Are you sure you want to do this alone?" BoBo enquires and I look at him.
Once I made up my mind to meet Ruan, BoBo drove me here to the State Penitentiary where Ruan was being held until the trial was over. He then would be sent to another prison to be locked up forever. This was my last chance to meet him. It had to be now or never.

"I am sure" looking into his eyes I smile "for a new beginning some old chapters need to be read for the book to be completed. Only when I can have my closure will I be in a position to start a new one." He understood the meaning behind my words. With a gentle smile he nods and I walk into the prison loby. They were expecting me. One of the guard's escorts me towards the hallways and soon I enter a meeting room. Save for one table and two chairs there was nothing more in this dimly lit room. He wasn't here yet.

A minute or two later I hear rattles of chain. He's here. The guard opens the door and in walks the man whom I once considered to be someone I could depend upon for my needs. His gaze meets mine and they were truly warm and affectionate.  Even during our sessions his eyes held a degree of warmth and safety which now makes me realise that maybe this was the reason I allowed him in my safe space. He knew me. Sadly, I never did.

"Master-" I cut him off "Ruan, call me Xiao Zhan. I am no one's Master." I could visibly see him holding his breath. My words hurt him deep but it's best to breakout the reality now than repent later.

"Very well" he bows and slowly walks over to a chair placed on one side of the table. He gestures me to take the other one and I comply.

"You wanted to see me?" I enquire and he smiles. "Yes, I wanted to see you one last time."

"Why?"

"Because I wish to apologise for everything. Xiao Zhan" he stresses "for me you meant everything. Years ago when you came in search of me for your pain, I saw a kind and gentle soul in you. Ones that are rare to find." A tear falls from his eyes, yet it is the heart wrenching smile on his face that shakes me up. "Did you know after what my father did to me, I never dared to fall in love with anyone? I always felt inadequate. Imagine the man who had to protect you is the one to destroy you completely.

"My father once whipped me when I dared to make a friend. Even today I could never understand the reason. Was it so bad to make one decent friend? Maybe that's why when you were held captive, it made me bold enough to approach you. It was your gentle smile that lured me in."

Some of those nights I remembered him all bloodied and bruised. Did his father...?

"Ruan"

"Xiao Zhan" even though I asked him to call me by my name, it didn't sound right.

"Did you father ever-" he understood my question and chuckles sadly. "Yes, He did. Repeatedly."

Fuck.

"There were times I was just numb when he did what he did." Sighing he rubs his face.

"All those times when you protected us, did he-" I question and his silence spoke million words. "Why do you think I could not meet you those next few nights? Not only you, I knew Yibo is a good guy too. Though he scared me, you trusted him so that made me protect him too. Maybe all those things truly made me a deranged man."

"Ruan" I whisper and he shakes his head "You asked me a question and I just vowed to answer you. Don't feel bad for me. I am just a mere mortal, Xiao Zhan. At times when one wishes to hold onto something so dear to them, even if it is not theirs, all can be lost.

"As a child in my previous birth, my father killed me when I was young. Ironically, my father killed me in this lifetime too, albeit slowly, every single fucking day, but he did. He just hated Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. That drove him into madness to commit atrocities back then and even in this birth. I have my own sins. I won't ever feel bad to have committed the act of killing those souls because I know, if I hadn't, they'd have hurt you and Yibo in future."

"How did you know?" I ask and he smiles yet again "Premonition. I saw a future and it was filled with bloodbath." My soul knew he wasn't lying. One thing Ruan can't do is lie to me.

"My only regret is" he continues "that you got hurt in the process. I can never fathom hurting you, but I did. That would be my sole regret in life. Xiao Zhan" he perches forward by placing his hands on the table "all those letters and messages I wrote to you as J  was with a hope to lead a peaceful life with you. Maybe if I had been more courageous and forthcoming, I could have laid out my heart to you. Probably before Yibo walked into your life, I could have had a chance with you."

"Ruan" I whisper and he peers into my soul
"I love you, Xiao Zhan. Never will I ever stop loving you, but don't worry this one meeting is enough for me to sustain this lifetime. Having known you, being with you for last 10 years, spending those precious moments during the darkest time of my life, is enough for me. Even when I took Sharon with me, never did I raise a finger at him. He is precious because he has your blood in him.

"Yibo is a good guy. He loves you. I can see it. Give him a chance. Learn to trust another soul, Xiao Zhan. You've been alone for way too long. Trust me. I know." His sincerity was tearing me apart.

A knock on the door and we knew our time together was coming to an end.

"Xiao Zhan, maybe next lifetime I hope we can be friends if not more. That way, this soul would have a chance to be next to you, protect you, cherish you and just be with you."

A guard walks in and Ruan stands up "Live well, Xiao Zhan. This is all I wish for."

As his gaze meets mine, time stands still. I knew this is the last time we would ever be sharing a space. This was indeed a goodbye forever. A closure for both of us. No blame game. No anger. No resentment. I could never resent him. What he did was wrong but only I was privileged to know of his intentions. Ruan Suk is not a deranged man but rather a broken soul, who just wanted to love and be loved.

"Ruan" I whisper and he bows down with respect. No words were needed. He follows the guard out and I was left all alone in that dimly lit room.

Wang Yibo's POV:

Waiting for him to come out is excruciating. Trust Weibo. That's what I am doing. I need to trust him to make his own decisions. An hour later he walks out and instantly my soul knew that things were far more complicated.

"Everything alright?" I question him softly and he nods. Was everything alright? The drive back home was quiet. There were lot of things going on internally within him and I didn't want to disturb. When he's ready, he will talk.

Taking the elevator to his penthouse, I observed him quietly. His eyes were heavy with pain and his face is pale. Whatever Ruan said hurt my Weibo. Not necessarily in a bad way, but nevertheless, he isn't the same man who was in my arms just few days ago.

"Welcome back home!!!" Various voices resonated throughout the house to welcome Weibo. His smile was farce but yet he acknowledged their effort. As the day wore off, his eyes looked even more troubled. Everyone knew that he had visited Ruan. They were supportive in their own cheerful ways. It was after dinner that they all decided to stay back in the penthouse house below and so bidding Weibo a warm night, they left.

He was locked in his bedroom all alone.

"Something is troubling your Xiao Zhan." Lan Zhan observed "Go and talk to him."

Ambling my way towards his bedroom I knock and a moment later he gestures me in. Wrapped in a blanket he was sitting on the ground by the bed, facing the window, looking at some old photos of his parents.

"Weibo?" I take a seat next to him and he crawls into my lap. It was when he starts crying that my heart breaks for his soul.

"Never before did Ruan ever reveal that his father -" he was unable to complete the statement and my heart sank. Hugging him tightly I try to soak his pain. "He has saved you and me innumerable times. He has been victimized repeatedly for saving us."

Oh dear.

For a very long time the man in my arms breaks down. His body shivers and all I could do was comfort him with my body and heart. My soul.

"BoBo?" His voice is hoarse.

"Hm?"

"Where do you see us? Our relationship? Do you want to even start one with me?" He enquires and I look down at his beautiful face. "I see you as my partner. Yes, I want to have a meaningful relationship with you, Weibo."

He's quite for a moment and slowly he moves away from me to stand by the window. The moonlight reflects his body and he truly looks like an innocent angel.

"Then if I ask you something, would you it give me?" He questions as I stand before him. "Yes." There is nothing I could deny this man.

"Then all I ask is for some time. Before we start a relationship, I need to be mentally healthy. There are so many things going on in my mind at this moment that would ultimately lead to a wreakage if I don't heal first. I want to be in the right space when we start out. At this moment I am too broken."

He was right. "What do need?"

"I have been a hermit for far too long. Never seen the world beyond the jurisdiction of my house. Luckily because of you guys, I had some or way too much exposure for my mind to handle." He pauses and smiles albeit small, but it was definitely a smile.

"I wish to travel alone. Be a wanderer. Trust my soul to heal in time and be back when I know we can work this out. The question is, will you wait for me?"

"You want to travel all alone?" I ask and he nods. Taking him into my arms I smile "I'll wait for you. I am good at waiting, but after this, once your back, don't ask me to wait any longer!" I pout and he laughs lightly.
"Where are you planning on going?"

"I don't know" he shrugs "maybe just backpack somewhere and along the way learn to control my powers too, so that they don't create any unnecessary havoc for us."

"Sounds good" I kiss his cheeks and he sighs against mine.

That night he shows me his childhood pics and I knew he had somewhat started the process of healing.

For a man like Xiao Zhan, it's difficult to be with someone when you have dealt your life all alone. He needs his space and I knew to respect that. Being a couple does not mean to force youself on them, at times its just best to let them go, so that when they're back and ready, they'll be at their best mental state.

Being with him, he has taught me one life lesson and that is in a relationship there is no I, there is no me. There is only WE.

The next day when I came back from work, the penthouse was empty. My soul knew he was gone, but he'll be back when he's ready.

Walking into my bedroom I find a letter from him.

Dear BoBo,

Take care of Lan Zhan for Wei Ying.

Yours,
Weibo.

Be safe. Come back soon. The Red String of Fate was glowing even more brighter.