The Demonic Clan of Yiling (MDZS Fanfic)

The Black Sheep Of The Family (Pt.2)

Xuanyu spent days wondering streets and barely surviving the cold, early spring, nights. People stared at him due to his odd appearance. A Lanling Jin disciple in only his outer robe and trousers, how undignified. 

Xuanyu cried often. Not because he regretted leaving but because he still wasn't over the betrayal of his friend and what the other disciples had done to him. Sure, he wondered if his brothers cared about his disappearance and was sad that he missed out on his dinner with Jin Ling, but he couldn't stay there anymore.

The boy curled himself into a ball at the foot of a tall tree and watched the sun set in the sky. He was already shivering, but at least it wasn't frosty anymore. A tear trickled down his cheek and he buried his face in his knees. Sobs wracked his body. His heart felt heavy. He wished he wasn't such a nuisance. Maybe then he could have a happy life... 

He sniffed gently into the fabric of his trousers, his eyes feeling heavy. Just as he was about to drift off into sleep he felt something warm wrap itself around his shoulders and he looked up.

In front of him stood a tall, lean man with black and red robes and long hair falling over his shoulders. Xuanyu recognised him instantly as Wei Wuxian and crawled back slightly. As he moved he felt the warmth slip off his back and looked around to see a black and red outer robe laying on the floor. He picked it up and gazed at the man who was just watching him.

"You're Jin Zixuan's brother?" Wei Wuxian asked in a cool voice and Xuanyu nodded softly. "Why are you out here?"

"I ran away..." Xuanyu mumbled and Wei Wuxian nodded in understanding.

"Do you plan on going back?"

Xuanyu shook his head and looked down at his knees feeling sad again. Wei Wuxian sighed.

"You must be freezing. Do you have anywhere else you can go except Lanling?" He bent down to meet Xuanyu's level. The boy felt his body tremble in fear at the thought of returning to the Mo Estate and Wei Wuxian seemed to notice. "You can't stay here like this... I know this sounds a bit suspicious but would you like to come back with me to Yiling?" He offered and Xuanyu blinked up at him.

He had heard several stories about Wei Wuxian. Many about how he was evil and shouldn't be approached and others about how he hated Jin Zixuan. Yet he was being kind to Xuanyu and had even given him his robe so he didn't freeze. Xuanyu wanted to accept Wei Wuxian's offer but something stopped him and he clutched his knees closer to his body.

"I'm a cut-sleeve..." Xuanyu mumbled expecting Wei Wuxian to walk away the second he heard this, but to his surprise Wei Wuxian chuckled softly.

"There's nothing wrong with that." He smiled and Xuanyu's eyes went wide. Wei Wuxian examined his face as the boy started to tear up again and felt a twinge of rage at the Jin clan and their leader. They need to do better. "What's your name?" Wei Wuxian asked gently.

"Xuanyu. My last name is Mo after my mother's family... I'm 13 years old." Xuanyu answered and Wei Wuxian smiled again.

"I think you already know my name, but just in case, I'm Wei Wuxian."

Xuanyu nodded to show that he already knew who Wei Wuxian was. After their little exchange Wei Wuxian stood up and offered a hand to Xuanyu, who took it hesitantly. Wei Wuxian's robe slipped all the way off of his shoulders once he was on his feet, but before Xuanyu could react the man had already picked it back up and wrapped it around the boy more securely.

"So Xuanyu, would you like to come with me and get out of the cold?" Wei Wuxian asked again and Xuanyu couldn't help but chuckle at the way he said it. Granted there was no non-suspicious way to invite someone back to your home, but from other stories Xuanyu heard from the Mo estate. Wei Wuxian often helped children who were in rough shape and with the help of his doctor friend Wen Qing, the kids started doing much better.

"Yes please." Xuanyu answered and Wei Wuxian smiled.

"Great! You know I think you're the same age as my disciple Xue Yang." He said as the two of them began walking down a road. "He's a good kid. He helps me take care of my son when I'm busy."

"You have a son?" Xuanyu questioned and Wei Wuxian laughed.

"Sure do! He's starting to turn into my copy honestly. His name is Wei Yuan." Wei Wuxian continued to talk about his home the entire way back.

Somewhere along the way the caught a ride on the back of a cart and made it to Yiling in the early hours of the morning. Xuanyu was exhausted. He leaned against Wei Wuxian as the walked across the stone bridge that lead to Wen Village.

The small wooden houses were quiet as all of the people were inside. Wei Wuxian lead Xuanyu to a large building that had ladders all around it. It looked like they were adding another floor to it. Xuanyu followed Wei Wuxian up the stone steps and into a hall full of tables. The roof was tall which was good because in the corner stood a large canvas tent. The two of them walked over to it.

Wei Wuxian held the door open for Xuanyu to step inside and as soon as he did he was greeted by a woman dressed in red and black robes. She jumped a little when she saw Xuanyu but regained herself and placed a figure to her lips. 

Xuanyu looked around the tent curiously and noticed that behind the few tables covered in bottles lay two boys. Both of them wore black and red robes like Wei Wuxian and both of them had their heir tied up in ponytails by red ribbons, again like Wei Wuxian's. As Wei Wuxian himself entered the tent, the bigger of the two boys stirred and sat up.

"Shifu?" He asked in a horse voice and rubbed his eyes. "I didn't think you would be back until later." He mumbled and climbed out of his nest of blankets to greet the man. However he stopped the second he saw Xuanyu and blinked at him.

Xuanyu noticed the boy was taller than him and had a similar build to Wei Wuxian. He had some muscle but was lean and looked a little scruffy. The boy also looked at Xuanyu and then at Wei Wuxian and then at the woman.

"I thought you said no strays?" He asked her and she just rolled her eyes.

"Do any of you ever listen to me?" She grumbled and made her way out of tent.

"Don't mind her. She's just grumpy because she was probably awake all night." Wei Wuxian smiled and Xuanyu nodded. "Anyway! Xuanyu this is Xue Yang, my disciple. Xue Yang, Xuanyu here is your age!" Wei Wuxian introduced the boys to each other.

Xue Yang glared down at Xuanyu for a few seconds before his face softened into one of confusion.

"What happened to your clothes?"

---<~>---

Wen Qing returned with Wen Ning after awhile and gave Xuanyu some new clothes before sending him to bed. After a few hours of sleep Xuanyu woke up to a tiny yellow butterfly in his pillow and a steaming bowl of rice waiting for him.

Everyone at Yiling treated him kindly and for awhile Xuanyu tried to pretend he wasn't a cut-sleeve, but in the end it got too much for him and he told everyone over dinner. To his surprise and absolute delight everyone was okay with it and Wen Qing even told him that she too was interested in the same gender and that was why she was still single.

Xuanyu cried because of how accepting everyone was and for the first time in his life he felt like he belonged. Eventually he plucked up the courage to ask Wei Ying if he could also be one of his disciples and Wei Ying agreed happily. After that Xuanyu had the family he had been denied and never thought of running away again.

-End Of The Black Sheep Of The Family-