#and then he sees xichen finding some sort of supoort in jiang cheng

[whumpbby]

This so is such a juicy premise. LWJ slowly getting there idea that his older brother is just as human as everybody else, that he has flaws and desires and needs just like LWJ... coming to grips with his own tendency to put people onto pedestals and into clearly labelled boxed of good and bad.

LWJ asking his brother "Why didn't you tell me?" and receiving a heartbreaking answer of "You never asked."

lxc knowing his brother was gay since lwj was a teenager vs lwj learning well into adulthood that lxc is also gay. like in lwj’s mind lxc is like the pillar of lan virtues who’s probably never even considered sex. lxc the man who helps everyone to his detriment. and then to find out he had a secret evil bf to rival lwj’s own evil bf.

it’s even funnier to me if you prefer the 3zun universe bc he would then have multiple secret bfs and then post canon xicheng to just add the most insult to injury bc we all know how much lwj LOVES jc

i jest but in actuality i do think post canon is a fascinating time for the lan brothers bc for the first time lxc’s secrets are the ones being spilt and lwj wouldn’t know how to process this information. and the complex emotions towards his own brothers contradictions. like he was fine with lwj being queer but he didn’t like wwx yet he too had a morally ambiguous partner while never sharing about his one queerness. they’re a mess your honor.

and lwj would be upset with lxc at least for keeping his sexuality from him but after reflection (tbh it would be wwx pointing it out) would realize he never gave his brother a reason to trust him (mr. i left my brother fighting for his life on the battlefield to rescue the man attacking us). when years of actions have consequences.