#han ying best boy

[orchisailsa]

This is some of my best work, tbh. (Adapted from this post on Twitter.)

[izzabela]

Hello! I was thinking about what would happen if the female reader was first to say "I love you" to the Lin Kuei trio (different scenarios) and since their whole lives involved with training and counseling emotions that they freeze upon those words and trying to process but it causes the reader to think they don't reciprocate their feelings and walks away depressed and now the boys have to figure out how to tell the reader "I love you" back.

Up In the Air - Lin Kuei x fem!reader (scenario fic)

in which your brazen love confession leaves Tomas, Bi Han, and Kuai Liang speechless

a/n: YUMMY REQUEST

ship[s]: tomas, bi han, kuai liang x fem!reader

warning(s): anxiety/panic attack mention, fluffy ends

[why the fuck does kuai liang sit like that, straight back and arms tucked in his lap, ON A WOODEN BENCH]

=====================

Tomas

"I love you," you tell Tomas softly, your eyes closed as you slipped your hands in his.

You two were walking around the compound, the Summer air and winds treating you two with a warm evening. Despite the warmth of both confession and evening, Tomas was at a cold still.

You and Tomas may have started as initiate and teacher, but as you climbed the ranks in the Shirai Ryu, you proved to be indispensable, unique, and talented. Grandmaster Kuai Liang appointed you as Tomas's second in command, and you two had begun spending more and more time together.

Tomas, despite being the ruthless and calculated ninja he is, was kind and soft with you. He spent nights with you when he couldn't sleep, spoke to you about his frustrations and fears, and even confided in you when he gets into arguments with his older brother.

He's your best friend, no doubt about it, but your heart yearned for more than what was available. You craved him to hold you longer than his hugs, do more than just pat your head, and even more than just walk side by side on an evening like this. In fact, you really hoped the confession you had planned would signify he felt the same way with you.

When you opened your eyes to see his expression, he simply stared back at you with emptiness. You were shocked at this response, since he was the most expressive one in his family- why was this any different? You were so sure of yourself, even talking to Harumi to see if she saw it as you did, and she assured his affections for you were mutual.

Your hopeful smile deflated faster than a clown's balloon, and you masked your broken heart with an awkward smile.

"I- I meant to say I love you... for the mission you sent me on!" you recovered badly, "Toughie, but definitely..."

You frantically let go of his hands and shuffle away from him, "Definitely worth... it... yeah."

Tears welled in your eyes as you realize your mistake. So stupid, for you to think he would love you the way you loved him. He was busy with his family drama, his new clan, and dealing with his newfound trauma- of course he wouldn't have room in his heart for you.

"Goodnight then, Tomas," you abruptly say, running away and retreating to your room.

Tomas watches as you leave him alone in the summer evening, your words hanging in the air and ringing in his ears.

When was the last time he heard those words? Perhaps before his sister and mother died back in Europe, or when Kuai Liang opened up his heart to him and accepted his brotherhood. Those words had lost meaning to him when Bi Han betrayed him and Kuai Liang that fateful mission at Ying Fortress.

However, when you said it, it was like all the color that had faded over the years came back. Sure, Tomas stared at you like he died inside (I mean, he kind of is), but it wasn't unwelcome.

As you rounded the corner of the compound, your stifled sobs echoing in his ears. Tomas leans back on a wooden pillar, hand clutching the patch of fabric that covered his heart. He grips his uniform tightly with that hand and runs his other through his hair. Tears burn Tomas's eyes as well and his breathing becomes labored, chest rising up and down as he puts his head in between his legs.

Kuai Liang and Harumi are chatting happily, but their conversations stop at the sight of the poor man on the verge of a panic attack. Kuai rushes to his brother's front while his wife is at his side, trying to bring the young man back.

"Hey, Tomas!" Kuai Liang yells frantically, "Tomas, look here brother. Stay with us, you can do it."

Tomas's head rises, chest still heaving as he makes eye contact with his sister-in-law and brother. Kuai Liang puts his hands gently on his shoulder as he coaxes him back to reality. Tomas matches his breaths while Harumi rubs his back gently and softly, like a feather duster on china.

"We are in Japan," he begins to list, "You are in Harumi's compound, it is Wednesday evening, and you finished a debrief with (y/n)."

At the mention of your name, Tomas looks at his family with worry, words sputtering like a struggling car, "Is she alright? She left crying after... after I..."

Kuai Liang looks at Harumi worriedly, "Tomas? What happened? Why is she of concern?"

Tomas is finally back to his usual self, ish. He sits up against the pole as he explains his dilemma to his family.

"So... you froze after she confessed to you?" Kuai deadpans, which earns a smack on the back of his head from Harumi.

"Tomas," she begins, "You must've been reminded of something, or perhaps letting her words register?"

"It's... It's been too long since I heard something like that," Tomas explains, "She said it with heart, brother and sister. So much I thought my own would explode."

Kuai offers his hand to Tomas, to which he accepts and gets put back on his feet. Kuai places a hand on his shoulder while Harumi holds onto her husband's bicep.

"And did you answer her? Give her your answer that you feel the same way?"

Tomas has loved you before he even knew it was called "love". He loved being able to talk to you, confide in you during his darkest moments, and just be around you. Normally, he'd say that his fire was his brother, but now it's you. You ignite something inside his heart, and it pushes him to put one hundred percent in everything he does.

Smoke follows your burning passion and dedication, and it's not just his magic. He wants to be with you more than command head and second, and more than people working to defeat evil, and definitely more than friends.

Tomas just stares at his brother before he shakes his head side to side. Kuai sighs and his head is down in disappointment, and Harumi nudges Tomas's shoulder.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Go on!" Harumi urges, "Come on, Tomas, before it's completely ruined forever!"

Tomas rushes to your room quickly, heavy steps padding on the wood in thumps. He finally makes it to your room, and unfortunately, he can hear your sobs past the thin material of the door. Tomas wants to slide the door to the side, but he simply announces himself with a knock.

"(y/n)?" he said softly, hand on the door, "By the gods, I am so sorry."

You stop crying, head turning to the door to see Tomas's silhouette past the door. You didn't want to come to the door, but you didn't want to sound like you were crying for a whole fifteen minutes. You wipe your tears and blow your nose into a dirty shirt before clearing your throat and speaking.

"Tomas? W-what are you doing? It's quite late, and you should be asleep."

You can hear him take a deep breath before speaking again, "(y/n), I..."

Your breath stops, your eyes watching Tomas's shadow fidget. Quietly, you walk closer to the door and press your hand and forehead on the door to hear him better.

"(Y/n)," he begins again, "I haven't heard those words in a long time- and I mean a long time. I lost my first family, my faith, my second family... I was so sure I could never feel this love again despite being surrounded by it.

More tears form in your eyes as he continues, "But spending time here, watching brother marry, taking Hanzo in, and meeting you... I realize that maybe things are turning up for me."

You carefully slide your door open, eyes meeting a tear-stained Tomas. He smiles weakly, wiping the tears away, but they keep replacing themselves as he continues speaking.

"(Y/n), you said you loved me. I hope I'm not too late in saying that I love you too."

You smile softly, taking his hands in yours and squeezing it. He's shocked, but he this time his eyes aren't empty. They're full of love, life, and hope- and there is no slowing down with the overwhelming emotions he was feeling.

The moon shines brightly over both of you, almost like the gods blessing you two with eternal happiness. There was also Kuai Liang and Harumi quietly stalking you two in the distance, but you two didn't care. Not when the confession isn't left hanging in the air.

=====================

Kuai Liang

"Oh my goodness," you say happily, "Thank you, Kuai Liang, I love you so much!"

It's the middle of the night, and you two were in Kuai Liang's room discussing battle plans and information over matters regarding the Lin Kuei. However, as you two were planning, you had lost a very special pen from your family. He stopped everything to help you find it since you were on the brink of tears. Your outburst, though, might make the dam burst.

"You... I beg your pardon?" Kuai Liang says with a bewildered look. Your face burns hot and grows pinky-red, you wave your hands around like a maniac, flailing as you try to explain yourself.

"I mean, I love you for finding my pen! I mean, I love how you found- Ah! Uh, agh..." you groan, sucking up your divine punishment and confessing, "I can't lie to you, Kuai Liang, not about how I really feel."

You knew them through Harumi, since they were childhood friends. And, like Harumi, you were the inheritor to your own clan, which specialized in tactical brilliance, weaponry, and manpower. You offered your support and frequented their compound, where your relationship with him grew from colleagues, to partners, to very close friends. You remember after a few months, you spoke to Harumi about your feelings towards him, and ever since that she's been doing her best to give you more chances to meet and talk.

This was no different. Harumi actually set this whole thing up, shoving papers into the already busy Kuai Liang's hands and telling him to work with you on it. Dutiful to his work and clan, of course he'd work on it, and Harumi made sure you could jump on this opportunity.

Now, here you were, spilling your heart out to your friend about the feelings you had been harboring.

"From the minute we began working together, you made me feel like I wasn't my clan's inheritor. You made me feel normal, like a person, and like a woman. Being a leader is tough, but being a female leader is harder- you grounded me. You made me feel... seen. And for that, I love you- very much."

He doesn't move, still like a marble statue. You look and search his eyes for any sign of reciprocation, any hint that perhaps that Harumi was right about the things she told you about your crush. But he remains unmoving, and your heart completely shatters. The dam in your eyes crumbles and you begin to let go. Finally, Kuai Liang reacts and robotically gets you tissues, trying to calm you down.

You look at him with a ridiculous "what the f#ck" face as he hands you a tissue, to which you knock the box out of his hands and storm out. All he can do, though, is begin to clean up quietly, leaving your sudden outburst in his head.

Kuai Liang kept his heart locked in a bulletproof, titanium metal, fire-proof, and multi-padded safe. He was loyal to his duty, family, and clan, emotions were good, yes, but they were unreliable to his mission. Yes, he cared for his friends and little brother, and yes he cared for the defense of Earthrealm, but that was duty- there's no heart in it. Hence, his robotic motions, however being with you slowly unlocked the layers that buried his heart.

He felt the same with you, truly, but with how tightly he locked his heart up, he was afraid. What if things don't work out? What if his heart overtook his mind? What if...

His thoughts were interrupted with Harumi stepping in his room, watching him clean up with a slacked jaw. She pieces everything together and puts two fingers on the bridge of her nose, sighing at the way her plan unfolded.

"How in the gods names did you mess it up?" Harumi seethes out to her friend, "What even happened?"

He sighs and sits down in front of the tissues and messy papers, "She, uh, (y/n), confided in me her feelings."

Harumi egged him further, "And? Did you respond? Did you say anything to her at all? You know, I see how you look at her and-."

Kuai Liang disassociates from her rant, processing your words even harder. By the gods, he does love you. He loves how you laugh when he tells you stories about Tomas, he loves your confidence, your leadership, and your very being. He, too, feels grounded, and being with you makes him forget the war he was fighting against his own blood brother. He would hate to see you drawn into this feud, but you already involved yourself by supporting him.

Funny, since love works exactly like that. You can deny it, bury it, lock it up as best as you can, but it always wins. Love is fun, fleeting, and scary, but when is anything in life not? Getting up, he towers over Harumi and asks for your location.

"Perhaps check the roof? I know she frequents the roofs when things become too much," she ponders, a finger on her chin.

Kuai Liang storms out and leaps on the walls that surrounded the compound. It's a huge plot of land that stretches far, right before a pine tree forest. However, he finds you atop the peak of a tower to the left of the main home. He sprints over to you, jumping, leaping, and climbing up to reach you. When he reaches you, you're eyes are wide and you try to scoot away from him.

"Go away, Kuai Liang," you hissed, "Just ignore what I said- it was a mistake." He doesn't listen, though, and walks closer to you while talking about his newly processed feelings.

"(Y/n)," he starts, "You are more than your clan's leader. You are the pride of your parents, the future of your people, and person that took my heart by storm."

You gasp, and he keeps talking as he squats to your level, "You cannot fathom how much your very being has helped me, but how I repaid your help, and love, was inexcusable. My heart has been locked up since... well, forever, and duty had really guided me for the rest of my life, for fear of losing everyone I know and love- including you."

Tears spill over your eyes, blurring your vision of Kuai Liang's face. However, unbeknownst to you, he too was holding tears back as he finished his confession.

"I love you, (y/n)," he whispers, "I love you more than anything. If you have me, my heart and duty is yours to command, yours to control, and for once I am okay with someone else taking control."

You nod happily, tears still streaming down as you bring him into a deep hug. The warmth of the evening and Kuai Liang's magic filled you with pure joy.

No, his fire did not waver. In fact, it burned brighter than any light in the entire universe.

=====================

Bi Han

"Thank you, Bi Han," you wince as wraps your bloody shoulder, "You did not have to do this." Bi Han grunts, but he does not halt any operations he has on you.

You had come back from a mission with Sektor across the world, in Japan to be specific. Sent to scope the possible locations of the Shirai Ryu base, you two were ambushed by a group of Shirai Ryu ninja and wounded pretty badly against the battle. There were losses, but you and Sektor came out victorious. Bi Han, though, was not pleased to see his second-in-command and familiar injured.

A cooling sensation came over your shoulder, and you sigh in relief when you realize it's Bi Han using his powers to relieve some of your pain. You lean backwards just a bit, your head hitting his lower abdomen area as you preen in the comfort. Bi Han flinches a bit, but it isn't unwelcome.

Bi Han was fascinated by you ever since you waited for him to wake up in the infirmary. In fact, you found him first while on watch duty, Bi Han's body sluggishly walking through the snow before passing out by the grand entrance. You were moved, the mighty grandmaster betrayed by his family and left alone. It angered you so much so that you began to train even harder than you already did, waking up early to get more reps in, more spars in, and more time to hone your deadly skills.

Bi Han saw your efforts, even offered to train with you (which was a big deal to your little heart). It was rare for him to spar with someone outside of his circle, even rarer for him to train with a simple soldier. He had you in his sights, though, ever since you waited for him in the infirmary. After his first spar with you, he concluded that maybe having you around would be nice.

Sometimes, you had breakfast with him after your spars. He would tell you all the places you needed to work n or improve in a scarily gentle tone. He would also send you on missions with people in his inner circle, your skills exceeding the expectation he held for his star pupil, Frost. But your favorite moments were when you two sat in comfortable silence, doing nothing but palace-temple chores, stretching, or walking around your home. This was something that solidified that he liked you too (although, delusions might have been taking over at this point).

As Bi Han kept alleviating your shoulder, your true feelings slipped out like buttery bread in a pan, "I love you, Bi Han."

The constant chill Bi Han's magic provided ceased immediately, and you don't realize the weight of your words until you feel the air grow chilly. You look at your crush's face and see a truly awful scowl on his face, his brows facing downward and the amount of lines that formed on his pale face.

You notice ice beginning to line his arms and growing around his feet as he grunts a command, "Explain. Now."

"I-It-It's, ah, uh," you stutter, his fear-mongering getting to you, "It was a mistake! I misspoke, Grandmaster, I was-," Bi Han wasn't buying it, though.

He barks the same order at you, so you give up and muster your courage to face your Grandmaster with a situation beyond his control.

"It wasn't a mistake, I apologize for trying to deceive you," you begin, "But what I am about to say is not a trick. I do love you, Bi Han, more than anything in the world, realms and universe combined. Your mentorship over me, and the little "friendship" we developed over the past couple of months has bubbled into this- I am in love with your firm leadership, quiet attentiveness to everyone within the palace..."

You looked in his eyes with unwavering confidence, finishing your last statement, "And I am especially in love with your comforting silence. The way your eyes spoke to me, the way we had mutual understanding while alone together, everything. I love it- I am in love with you."

You search his eyes for any sign of your feelings being reciprocated, but his pupils were small and his deep brown irises took over- there was no hope for any reciprocation. Your confidence shattered, and any pain you felt was gone as adrenaline forced you out of that room, sprinting away from the infirmary and somewhere else in the palace-compound. Bi Han, though, stood still and finally grasped the situation he was in.

Though Bi Han was no longer with his brothers, he recalled the memories of how he kept his heart so buried in ice and snow while he was living with them. Emotions were a liability, a weapon that could be used against him, and now that they were gone he thought he was safe- until you. You were his new liability, yet he wanted that risk, he wanted to have you because for the first time in a very, very, very long time, he was willing to put himself on the line for something, you.

The chilled air began to recede, and the ice that formed on and around him did the same. As he brought himself back to the real world, Sektor walked in on the scene. His cyborg-like helmet was off, revealing his aged face and hair wrapped in a tight bun in the back of his head. He carried tea, rice balls, and a content face, but it drops when he sees his leader.

"Grandmaster?" He asked carefully, "What in the realms happened here?"

Bi Han shakes off any remaining ice on his body, stretching his body in the process as he explains, "Nothing of your concern, Sektor. Leave."

He shrugs, not wanting to egg him on, but he departs with some useful information, "In case you were worried, (y/n) is in the training room. For what reason, I do not know, but she's been at it for roughly fifteen minutes now."

He immediately leaves the room, careful not to bump into his friend(?) and the treats he was holding. Quickly, he heads to the training room and finds you sparring with another assassin, completely obliterating them and sending them tumbling towards the wall. He huffs and jumps in the ring, watching your face morph into a foreign emotion he's never seen before- fury.

You taunt him, "I mean no disrespect, Grandmaster, but I am sparring. I never asked you to join."

He tuts his mouth, simply walking towards you to try and close the distance, "You are a strong-willed woman, that is certain."

Tears begin to well in your eyes, so you throw a punch at him to distract yourself, "Is that all, Grandmaster?"

The punch is easily caught by Bi Han's calloused hand, "Not yet, but let us see you work."

You grit your teeth, quickly letting go from his hand and throwing a roundhouse kick, which was caught again. He taunts you a bit more, "Closer, but you're close. One more, and I will speak."

Angered beyond compare, You unleash a fury of kicks, punches, and jabs to the grandmaster, all dodged by his years of experience. One of your punches was stopped, and he took you down on your back and pinned you to the floor. You wriggle and writhe under him, trying to get away.

"Will you allow me to speak? Or do you wish to cause more trouble?" Bi Han asks with a quizzical look and upturned brow.

You stay silent and turn away, the tears not stopping. He sighs, and beings to talk.

"You are strong, resilient in any task given. Kind, to everyone and not just me. But most importantly, you are a risk, and one I am willing to take," Bi Han says very softly, which differs from his usual demeanor, "One final risk, if you will take it with me, is that I do, truly, love you as well, (y/n)."

Your eyes widen and turn your head to him. The tears keep flowing as he gently pulls your head into his chest, raising you up with him as he cradled you in his arms. You hug him tightly, feeling his chill breath on your skin where it was exposed. He breathed softly, taking in this experience with all five senses.

The training room went eerily silent, the only sound being the footsteps in the distance and the gentle howl of the the winter wind. Yet, Bi Han kept you warm and safe with his embrace, perhaps another risk he didn't realize he was already taking.

=====================

if Bi Han didn't become an opp, maybe Harumi would help him bag a baddie too. also, when i described sektor, i used the mk9 version of him (best version of MK btw) to fill the gap. i discovered the power of the <s> button, and i will be using that to type my longer fics

i also understand the importance of tags and the specificity of them, so big ups and thanks to the accounts that told me!

thank you for reading, and i will see you in the next fic!

[aretheyqueer]

Is he gay?

disclaimer: this is a hc, not speculating on what the writers intentions were.

reason: poor boy was only created in the censored adaptation so he's not allowed to be canonically gay even though I know in my heart he wants to fuck his lord zhou zishu so bad. he should have had an earth shattering threesome with zhou zishu and wen kexing but because he wasn't allowed to be gay on screen he had to settle for sacrificing himself to save wen kexing because he couldn't let the person his lord is in love with get hurt on his account. he literally jsut wants to be the best boy for his lord and it doesn't matter if a dangerous man just kidnapped him and has his hand around his throat he WILL drop to his knees the second he realizes that his lord is also there

[lilapplesheadcannons]

Hey can you write a fic where wei wuxian hears lan zhan's inquiry in the burial mounds and follows it back to gusu.

It should be hurt and comfort and a happy ending.

Setting can be after the fall of Lotus peir or any other. I just want hurt/comfort for them.

It was dark and cold, which was confusing to him, because when you think about it, darkness and coldness is just absence of light and warmth, and he could not remember being anything but cold and in dark. To be fair, he could not remember being a ‘him’ either, but he somehow had the notion he was a ‘he’. Like the person who reminded him of light and warmth also reminded him of being himself, and if he ever let go of that, he would truly cease to exist.

So, Wei Wuxian existed. He was not alive, but he was not truly dead either. Neither was he a ghost or a spirit. He existed somewhere in between life and death, the way a sliver of air exists between the pages of a closed book. And anytime he felt like he was forgetting who or what he was, a voice that sounded like warmth and light called out, ‘Wei Ying!��� So, he remembered who he was, and he waited for the voice to find him and take him away from the crowded emptiness of his non-existence.

******

Lan Xichen stood staring in the darkness with his back resting against the door. He remembered standing like this a long time ago, but that felt like a whole lifetime ago. What would Mother say if she could see Wangji like this? Would she be disappointed at Xichen for failing him? For not looking after him? Would her eyes have the same silent judgement that Shufu tried to hide desperately?

The music came to a slow stop. Devoid of the hauntingly lonesome melody of Enquiry, the silence was crushing.

“Come in,” Wangji sounded tired.

Emotions were not a luxury Xichen could afford to openly show anymore. He never got the opportunity to grieve their father. Never came to reconcile with the loss of his best friend. Instead, he was thrust into the position of the leader of a sect in turmoil. But seeing his brother hunched over his guqin like this made him want to scream. Wangji was always on the lither side, but now he looked practically gaunt. The hollows under his eyes were glistening in the candlelight.

“You need to stop,” his own voice sounded too harsh to himself. “He is not answering. He is not coming back. You can’t keep doing this.” You can’t keep doing this to me -remained unsaid.

“No wrong,” Wangji mumbled.

“Sorry?”

“Never did anything wrong. Followed all the rules. Was punished. Why?”

Why? Lan Xichen would like to know too. Why would people fall in love with ones they were not meant to be with? Why would they lose the people they love? How were they supposed to wake up, smile through the day and then go to bed like every moment of existence without them was not excruciating?

He sighed, “Go to bed, Wangji.”

But Wangji remained motionless in his seat, like a stone statue in the flickering light. Xichen rushed out of the room. A part of him wanted to escape, to run away somewhere his brother was not wasting away, where his parents’ tragic legacy didn’t follow his every step, where he still had his friend to rely upon, but he had a sect to run and another one to manage from distance. So, he dragged his feet towards the Han-shi.

******

The candlelight continued to flicker. Lan Wangji was trying to focus on the paper in front him, but whoever oversaw teaching JingYi calligraphy was an incompetent fool, and he could not, for the life of him, decipher if the boy meant to write never or severe. His husband was lying beside him, head on his lap and trying to roll a strand of his hair around his finger.

“Er-gege!”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever thought of me?”

“Always think of Wei Ying.” In fact, now he wished he did not have reports to read and grade so he could think about his husband some more.

“No, I mean, you know,” Wei Wuxian faltered.

Lan Wangji put the paper down. His husband was never shy or squeamish. If he was hesitant to talk about it, it must be difficult for him to bring up.

Confronted with his steady gaze, Wei Wuxian finished his sentence, “You know, when I was dead. Did you think of me?”

"Why does Wei Ying ask that?"

Wei Wuxian rolled so his face was completely hidden in Wangji's lap. From there, he mumbled, "I don't know. I just seemed to remember seeing you like this, sat in the dark, calling out to me. But I could not answer back. It felt like there was miles between us, and I was drowning in molten lead, so I couldn't speak, I couldn't reach out to you, couldn't touch your face. I could just see you cry, but not wipe your tears away."

Lan Wangji thought about the nights he spent playing enquiries. The little sounds outside his door from xiongzhang shifting weight from one leg to other. The curious gaze of Sizhui looking at his shredded fingers. The almost pitying looks shifu cast at him before running away. But Wei Ying does not need to know that. Wei Ying needs to be happy and giddy and laugh without a care in the world so the sunlight can catch on his irises and his hair can swing with every step and Wangji would never tell him anything that would cause him to look sad. Especially sad for Wangji. So, he bent down to kiss the tip of Wei Ying’s nose and said, “Must be just a nightmare. Enough paperwork for tonight. Let’s go to bed, hmm?”

[luukka]

I watched Wish recently, and regarding what people had said, it wasn't bad.

It wasn't good either but it wasn't bad it was... meh.

(Might be spoilers but yeah, if you didn't/don't want to watch it my little analysis won't really interest you)

Now as a Disney and animation fan, I must talk about it because I watched it very late and still manage to bear my own opinion even if no one asked for it so here it is yoohoo

Did I laugh ? Yes two are three times (and no joke, I was the only one cause I'm an easy-laughter); did I smile ? Sure; did I find some music interesting ? Kinda; were the colors pretty ? Yes; the animation for a disney ? Err... m'k.

I get people that like it, there are things that are interesting, it... passes the time, you can show it to toddlers, but yeah, I mostly get people that didn't because I was kinda disappointed. If you take one thing apart from the other, it's quite awful, and when you put it all together it's a "hell no", especially because it's supposed to be the 100th Disney classic. I mean, I get the point of foreshadowing old classics, but some were really messed up like- some characters are just carbon copies of old design ? Asha's best friend is Snow white if she was a disabled four-eyed girl, the tired guy looks like the rich guy in Big Hero 6 and Bambi ? Little John ?? Can't you do that any clearer, we're fucking blind here.... I mean, ok I laughed when I heard that but I don't count I'm an easy laughter, wtf was that, like- I couldn't help but look at my brother like "did you see the same shit I just saw ? And you forced me to come and pay for that ?" and I was mostly laughing out of embarrassment because I WAS ALONE GIGGLING TEARS OF WTF-NESS

Some things were cool I guess, like the mirror effects when Magnifico sings I think ? And at the end when he elsa'd his castle to take the star. The Jafar effect wasn't bad either, but because it's Jafar effect and Jafar is a fucking badass, same with Elsa-ying the castle, because this scene in frozen was very cool

I felt bad at first but I must say, the songs are very disappointing. Like I wasn't expecting much, and it sure stuck in the head easily but that doesn't mean it's nice. The ones I appreciated were the song about the wishes (the clip is pretty) and maybe the revolution song (but the clip was urgh and why the hell they look so lifeless ???) I get why people said it was made by AI lol

In terms of character, except the Queen and grandpa, I didn't like any of them. Like usually I can't hate or dislike a Disney character, but here ? None of them was fine to me. Actually, I felt nothing from them. The villain was erh... basic I guess, he could be nice like the woman in The Rescuers but no he was, well basic "I'm perfect they should be grateful but they are not so let's become an asshole !" So yeah. Disappointed. He was a better villain than Hans, tho, maybe because Hans wasn't supposed to be a villain at first and that Magnifico was like Jafar, Evil Queen and Scar had a baby. Also, it seems to me like they didn't have a few or any -like ANY- personality, like- I CALLED THE TREASON OUT THE MOMENT I SAW THE LIFELESS BIG BOY COMON'

Now, I'm coming to people saying all the kids love it and I'm too old for that: no. No, I'm not too old for that, Disney is for everyone. No, not all the kids will love it, kids get easily bored, and this movie isn't very attractive. I bet if I show this to my nieces and nephews and siblings, they wouldn't care less - and they already don't very much care about movies in general when you put one for them. There were at least four kids in the theater and none laughed, or sounded interested, one preferred to play on his daddy's phone ??? well, I know all kids aren't like that, but really, this movie wasn't made to content the kids, it was made to content the fans clearly, that is why the movie isn't good.

Anyways, if you enjoyed it good for you ! The colors are pretty and the technic used is interesting, the chara design of Asha and the Queen are pretty, I can't say anything for the rest, tho, because the bg design is just resuming the old (and new *cough* encanto *cough*) classics anyway, but less good at guess... but really, if you like it, good for you, and say why, so I don't have a bad souvenir of it forever lol

[yuanzhous]

physically, I am here, mentally, I am transmigrating to the shl universe as a random nobody, walking to the nearest village and stealing a horse from some poor unsuspecting horseguy, travelling across the land for months in search of my best boy han ying, and once I find him, wrapping him up in the biggest, coziest blanket and telling him all about the weirdos in a different universe who love him and would go to war for him and think it's so so sexy when he commits crimes but also when he is happy :)

[deepestbluesky]

hello it is time for a VERY niche post. join me for... SHL characters as SNAKES!!!!! i tried to find snakes that naturally occur in china or near china, as a terrible added parameter—there's a TON of snakes in china, but i just don't know many so it's terrible bc it added a lot of work for me lol. but i've learned things! and found some cool snakes! so! let's go. pictures of snakes ahead, if that's not your thing, feel free to peace out.

Wen Kexing - Sinomicrurus macclellandi a coral snake! just a nice boy you know? just a nice, extremely venemous boy with dramatic red coloration. shamless plug for my fic where wkx turns into This Snake.

Zhou Zishu - Bungarus multicinctus look at this lovely unassuming snake. got some goth-y drama but overall not too bad, right? one of the most venomous land snakes in the world 😌 (also. he and wkx match but like in a complimentary way.)

Zhang Chengling - Pareas margaritophorus the first thing wikipedia says about this snake is that it is small and harmless. for the first time so far, i am not trying to mislead you. just a little snek boi!!!!!! cute!!!!!! I Want To Hold And Protect Him

Gu Xiang - Fowlea piscator look i'm gonna be honest. there are not a lot of snakes that are even REMOTELY purple but this one has a little purple whip tongue! also, not venemous but (if it's anything like water snakes in the US) kind of an asshole. apparently pretends to be a cobra. look at her go.

Cao Weining - Coelognathus radiatus this snake has no thoughts in its head. look at it. i don't mean as a species i mean This One. That's cwn. just sitting there doing a blep. no venom, apparently a defensive sort of dude. cool colors tho!

Luo Fumeng - Calliophis bivirgatus a different kind of coral snake! i've gone a bit further outside of china for this one but LOOK at how gorgeous it is. how could i not let lfm be this glamorous. also i like the idea that she's a different genus of snake than wkx but still a (venemous) coral snake.

Liu Qianqiao - Elaphe taeniura gonna be honest here, the common name of this snake in english is the beauty snake (or ratsnake), so i didn't think too much farther. there's a ton of different color morphs of it. look at it, the elegance! she's beauty she's grace she'll constrict you (if you are a small mammal)!

Xie Wang - Bungarus fasciatus this is a different krait! zzs has MANY bands, xw just has bands. a little brighter colored and more extra than zzs, sliiiightly less deadly, still can very definitely kill you. LOOK at that warning coloration. if i was to pick two characters to DEFINITELY have warning coloration, it WOULD be wkx and xw.

Du Pusa - Euprepiophis mandarinus this is NOT my best work, but i just thought this snake was really pretty and so i was determined to include it somehow. hence: dps. they are ~secretive~ apparently. also. again. Look At It

Ye Baiyi - Python bivittatus BIG BOY!!!! ALMOST THE BIGGEST BOY!!!!! does occur in white color morphs in captivity (and like, i guess presumably in the wild? at one point? but i have to imagine that's like. not so much a thing anymore.) also, did i pick the picture that looks the most like a cryptid? of course i did, it's yby. he doesn't want his picture taken. he doesn't want you to know he exists even. leave him alone. where he belongs in his natural habitat.

Han Ying - Lycodon septentrionalis a shiny pretty boy. a shiny pretty boy who looks very much like a many-banded krait, in fact. however, they're not venemous. hy just looks like zzs. again: LOOK AT THIS GOOD SNEK.

Jing Beiyuan - Ahaetulla prasina several things here. one, this is an elegant but strange boy (i don't think this shows just how weird this guy's nose looks. it's like someone took a snake's nose and used pliers to stretch it out all pointy). two, FASHION!!! look at those pattens!!!!! a striking example. and three, it looks kind of like wu xi's snakeclet

Wu Xi - Naja atra he's a cobra. i think this speaks for itself.

[joylinda-hawks]

Has anyone asked you to do this? I just wanted him to have a good life. WOH, episode 28, part 3. Han Ying is in one of the rooms of Siji Manor, and ZCL brings him medicine and gives it to WKX, who tries to heal the former subordinate of ZZS. WKX asks HY to eat the given medicine. WKX orders ZCL to bring the stoves, the boy agrees, and WKX asks ZZS for help. Both ZZS and WKX help XY lie down on the bed. HY looks exhausted, ZZS sits on the edge of the bed. HY takes out a piece of Glazed Armor from his jacket and gives it to ZZS, saying that he stole it for ZZS, who asks what he needs it for. ZZS puts Glazed Armor on the bed and says he told HY not to take any chances. HY replies that he has researched it and the Yin Yang Book of the Valley of Healers contains techniques that can cure even incurable diseases. Thanks to the energy of Yin and Yang, one life can save another. ZZS tells HY not to talk about it and asks how HY discovered this place and what happened since we last met in Yueyang. HY explains that someone from Tian Chuang diagnosed ZZS during the Hero Conference in Yueyang. HY intercepted this information, and when it was about to be revealed, he killed them all, making it appear that Scorpion's men had done it. HY says it's a pity he had to hide from Prince Jin for such a short time. He adds that before escaping, he wanted to take something from there that would be useful to ZZS. ZZS sits speechless, looks at HY and listens to his story. HY goes on to say that he sneaked into Prince Jin's office and discovered the secrets of the Glazed Armor there. My only regret is that I only managed to find one piece of the Glazed Armor before Tian Chuang discovered it. ZZS picks up a piece of Glazed Armor. HY explains that luckily Xing Ming didn't rat him out and that's why he ran away from prince Jin. HY adds that although he never had the honor of being a student of Siji Manor, he is ready to do anything for ZZS, just like his older brothers. Furious, ZZS asks if anyone asked HY to do this because ZZS wanted HY to have a good life. HY replies that a faithful servant does not serve two masters, he is faithful only to ZZS and as long as he lives, he will serve him, and if necessary, he will die for ZZS. ZZS is horrified by the state in which Han Ying arrived at Siji Manor, and his horror increases when he discovers that despite the warnings ZZS gave him, HY has risked discovering the secret of the Glazed Armor. HY had no idea that the piece of Glazed Armor he stole from Prince Jin was a fake. WKX knows this and must feel even more remorse. He knows that he not only hurt ZCL, but also ZZS's best friend. He understands that his revenge is out of his control and another innocent person has been hurt. That's why WKX is cautiously silent, he sees the eyes of ZZS, who knows that WKX is behind the fake Glazed Armor elements. He is unable to say anything, he can only act and through this action save HY's life. ZZS is surprised how devoted HY is to him, who doesn't care about his own life but wants to protect his former commander. This part of the scene is very emotional. Both ZZH and GJ empathized with their characters, understood and showed how both main characters should actually behave. That's why this scene has such striking power.

[sugarbabywenkexing]

Anyway time to ask the real questions:

[bigfattyrat]

Top 5 BL series

Ok so I'm new to the BL drama world (I've read BL comics/yaoi/webtoons forever tho) and now I feel like I've seen enough of them to make a top 5 list.

#5 Plus & minus

I'm gonna be honest the main reason this show is so high up on my list is because it's just so unproblematic. This feels like one of the few shows that's is actually written for the LGBTQ+ community instead of rabid BL fans. Ze Shou and Li Gong are such a cute couple, but our final breakup is a bit stupid tbh. I don't really care as much about Yuki and Ying Ze but Zheng Qi Lei really slays the day away, he could really just stand still and I'd love him. The opening makes me gag though, it's truly terrible I'm sorry.

I'd give it an 8/10

#4 Where your eyes linger

I've talked about this before but this show really has one of my favorite soundtracks. It's only 4 songs but there all on my playlist. This is the main reason this show is on here but I still like the actual show. It is kinda icky with this servant/master relationship but I don't think they take it to far.

8.5/10

#3 Color Rush

Color Rush is such a unique show that it truly delights me every time I see it. Yoo Han introducing Yeon Woo to the world of color is so beautiful. I also love we address this idea of love vs obsession, very nice, very fun. Yoo Jun is also an ACTOOOR, I love every scene he's in and the level of just pure, shattering pain he's able to display is amazing. We got some bangers on the soundtrack to

9/10

#2 The Eclipse

Number 1 and 2 are really neck and neck on this list but since The Eclipse hasn't ended yet I can't really say it's my favorite yet. Also this show is just like slightly to chaotic. Anyways we love a fancy boy school, we love a revenge plot, we love enemies to lovers, this show ticks so many boxes for me. I get so much entertainment out of this show it's insane, and I think at the end of the day that's really what makes a show for me. I wish we had some music but the soundtrack for this show is a little weak tbh.

10/10

#1 KinnPorsche

Acting 10/10

Music 10/10

Cinematography 10/10

Plot 10/10

Relationships 10/10

It's 10's across the board, this show ticks every box for me. Does it have a pretty mid ending, yes, but I don't care I was entertained from start to finish. We really just have amazing actors all around I could watch them forever. I listened to Free Fall on repeat while writing this and we also had Jeff Satur a MUSICIAN writing songs for this show and he only makes absolute bangers. Our sets, amazing, every scene is so beautiful and well thought out. Kinn and Porsche, a beautiful couple they really bring out the best in each other. Pete and Vegas... Anyways Kim and Porchay pretty cute, we write some beautiful songs and like I said I love Jeff Satur so.

100/10

(I'm sure this will all change as I watch more shows)

[drwcn]

《yan, like the expanse, unrestrained》

[1] [2] [3] [4]

Beiyuan knew.

He'd have to be an idiot not to know.

The first time he met the boy - well, at twenty one years of age Wen Kexing wasn't really a boy anymore, but Beiyuan was old, very old, and every disciple at Mt. Changming was a child to him - others have whispered about for months and years, Wen Kexing's life had been hanging by a thread.

He'd never seen his oldest friend in such a state of panic. Zhou Zishu had gone to the immortal court in the Nine Heavens for some matters of politics Beiyuan didn't want to hear about - he'd given it all up when he relinguished his princely rights. While he was gone, a group of junior disciples had been sent to the mortal realm on a training expedition. It was meant to be a simple trip, no longer than three nights, yet somehow long the way they had encountered ambush.

It was just Wen Kexing's luck that his first trial of immortality had arrived at the exact same day. The pure, burning divinity of the lightning that struck him had incinerated the yaos that attacked him and his peers, sparing them from any further combat, but exhausted and wounded, Wen Kexing had been in no state to receive fate's test.

Jiuxiao and Han Ying had gotten to the juniors just in time, but even so, Wen Kexing had laid in a comatose state for a month.

To save Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu had sent a beseeching message to his oldest friends requesting they come to Mt. Changming at their earliest. Since then he'd barely left We Kexing's side.

Beiyuan knew. Da'wu did too. They both saw the seed of something taking root and sprouting between master and disciple that could easily become wretched and rotten. As it were...it was already unseemly.

Jiuxiao tried to turn a blind eye, but Beiyuan was certain Zishu's shidi had cotton on as well.

"Xiao-Wen, drink up the medicine and sleep for a while." From inside the chamber came Zhou Zishu's voice, gentle and indulging.

"No, I don't wanna."

"Be a good patient to Da'wu. He's worked tirelessly to heal you."

Wen Kexing, miles better than what he was before, and now freshly anointed with immortality, said, "Alright, but you won't go? You'll stay and keep me company? It's so boring just resting all day, A-Xu."

"I won't go," replied Zhou Zishu. "I'll be right here."

Beiyuan exchanged a look of concern with Da'wu at the door. They best hoped Ye Baiyi stayed away on his sabbatical and never returned to visit. If he did...there was no telling what he would do.

[orchisailsa]

If you look at Han Ying's littol face when he first hears Wen Kexing call him 'xiao xiongdi,' you can pinpoint the exact moment his crush on Zhou Shouling expands to include his horrible wife, too.

[randomingoftherandomness]

This one is a bit long, but If I could still hop on the wks mpreg train and add a smidge of h/c:

Several months into the pregnancy, the family is in Four Seasons Manor leading a quiet, domestic life, more or less. But, one day wks gets into a little skirmish with a group of bandits or scorpions at the market (maybe he takes chl to help him carry the bags, a nice peacefull day of running mundane chores, until it isn't). And wks makes a quick work of the assasins without even breaking a sweat, mostly on adrenaline, bc he is now doubly overprotective AND pissed. But later at home the stress still catches up to him and he is running a fever or something similar. There are no major injuries on him, but zzs is still horrified when he finds out (it's hard not to when wks nearly faints???). So he is FUSSING over wks big time. The details can be up to you, but I just live for mother hen A-Xu, who is grumpy and scolding wks, but at the same time tender and worried about his husband even if it's nothing major.

TW: Mpreg

—

It was perhaps the moment when Chengling merely levelled him with a determined narrow of the eyes when Wen Kexing had told him to run away, that he finally had the thought, ah, our Chengling is all grown up now. It made him smile even if he had been both gratified and exasperated to see the stubborn flare of hesitation to obey.

Really, after all this time, he still was that child that had no martial arts skills whatsoever and yet was so determined to protect the old Boatman and his Shifu.

Chengling darts his gaze down to the pregnant swell at his midriff. Ah yes, Lao Wen huffs with frustrated amusement. Then there's that.

Ever since he hit the point where he looked like he’d swallowed a mountain, Chengling, Ah Xu, and even Han Ying - Han Ying! Who was always so obedient! He laments the loss of an underling - would scarcely leave him alone for even just a second; always underfoot to bring him anything he could need, always carefully and respectfully allowing him his freedom of movement but never declining any opportunity to coddle him.

In truth, Lao Wen can't deny that he likes being cared for.

But this market day, Chengling had been the only one free to follow and so he had taken him along to help carry the load. It was to be a quick sojourn into town with an eye for being back by lunch, but as always, man plans and god dispenses because he hadn't actually been looking for trouble this time, he swears!

Unfurling his fan, Lao Wen shifts his feet, readying for a fight. Ever since he' started showing, his centre of balance has been a little off and every time he had sparred or fought since, the shift had to be compensated for. Counting off the bandits that had thought their lives too long lived, he waits until Chengling sets off a Longyue Cabinet made mechanical bird before making the first strike.

Between Chengling and himself, it was embarrassingly easy to dispense of the fools. And it was hardly worth lifting a finger for. But he was tired and his feet were sore from walking all day, and all he wants is to go home and have his Ah Xu cuddle him and rub his back.

"Lao Wen!"

The last bandit was still twitching where Chengling had unhesitatingly delivered a punch to his sternum. Lao Wen feels pride bubble up in his chest and makes sure to throw an arm around him and tell him as much.

His Ah Xu doesn't wait for his horse to stop before dismounting, rushing to his side. The sight of his worry warms him, even more so when he spies Han Ying and the some of the senior members of the Manor coming to surround them with a defensive formation. All at once, the adrenaline leaves him and he lets himself be pulled into a hug.

"Hi," He answers tightly, hand curled protectively over his belly. The gesture doesn't go unnoticed.

“Are you hurt?”

Lao Wen laughs. “Nothing more than a bit of exercise, right Chengling?”

“Don’t joke, Lao Wen.”

“I’m fine. Chengling is fine, baby is fine. Stop mother henning,” He huffs, leaning in to press a kiss to that pinched corner of Ah Xu’s lips. He can tell that his husband isn’t placated in the slightest but with a well-timed wince and a sigh, he is quickly bundled up onto Ah Xu’s steed and led home.

Chengling sticks to him for the rest of the journey and no one allows him to lift a finger. On a normal basis, Lao Wen would have protested this tooth and nail, but the fight dies a quick death the moment he sinks down on their bed and gives in with a quiet hum to Ah Xu and Chengling’s care.

More than just having to compensate for the loss of his balance, he is now tired from a two second burst of energy?

Lao Wen dozes off midway through Ah Xu wiping him down of the dirt and blood, and barely feels it when he is bundled into clean and soft things that feel heavenly against his skin.

“Chengling,” He calls out in a soft slurring of the syllables when he senses that they were pulling away. “Come here.”

The obedient child comes right up to him, grasping his hand. Smiling, Lao Wen pats his head. “You’ve grown up so quickly, it almost feels like yesterday when we first met. In the future, this baby will have to rely on you to keep them safe. I hope you will be good to them.”

“Shishu, of course I will. I’ll be the best Gege to them. I’ll take care of them whatever happens.”

“Good child, you’ve done well protecting your Shishu,” Ah Xu says with clear approval in his voice and eyes, sitting down on the bed. Lao Wen watches with his own approval as the Shifu continues, “Now, go make sure Han Ying and the rest have enough hands to dispose of the bodies. We don’t need any more trouble. And tell the others not to disturb us for the rest of the day.”

Lao Wen waits until the boy is gone to sigh, letting himself melt into the bedding. He was so very tired. A gentle brush of a hand through his hair tugs him back into the present where Ah Xu is smiling down at him.

“No need for me to mother hen, huh?”

“Oh, do shut up and climb in here to cuddle me,” Lao Wen chuckles, already feeling the relief pinpricking sleep in the edges of his consciousness.

He is safe now, he is home. In a moment he will pout and ask for back and feet rubs, but for the now, he is content to be held in the arms of his beloved.

[chalkrevelations]

So, Episode 7 of Word of Honor, and where to start? No, I’m kidding, I know exactly where I’m starting, which is with some recognition of what a great job this show does of developing 98 percent of its multitude of characters, because the first two things I’m going talk about this week aren’t even Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing OR Wen Kexing’s thirst (AKA, the three main characters of the show).

Well, I guess I’m really starting with the usual warning – this is a re-watch and so there are SPOILERS here, not only for this episode, but for most of the show. Scroll away and come back later if you’re trying to watch all 36.5 eps unspoiled.

SO, I mean, come on. Of course I’m starting with the Smartest Man in the World, who has finally shown up in this episode, and I’m reminded once again what an actual cinnamon roll, too good for this world, Cao Weining is. He’s maybe the single completely good character we meet  – even Chengling wants to burn down somebody’s house at one point because he’s mad. But Cao Weining is almost too good to be true – and yet, there he is! Living his best life, being good, eating good, falling in love, and refusing to let his beautiful, clever, fierce girl’s neuroses come between them. I love him, y’all. And not just because he instantly falls in love with A-Xiang when he happens to see her beat up a bunch of drunk bro assholes in the inn where he’s having a quiet little lunch by himself before she storms into his life like a purple whirlwind. But let’s do think about this from his perspective, yeah? And let’s remember it as we watch the progression of their relationship, as we wait for the revelation we know is coming, and as – many eps down the line – he learns the truth of her. Cao Weining’s first experience of A-Xiang is someone who’s brave and capable, who defies outsized odds to come to the rescue of those in need, who doesn’t allow women and girls to be abused, who expects proper behavior from the representatives of the jianghu, and who is absolutely fearless in demanding just treatment and never even thinks to be intimidated when she faces unfair censure from an authority figure. This is the girl WKX raised, y’all. This is a girl who embodies everything Cao Weining has been taught to believe in as a cultivator. And this is the girl Cao Weining sees every time he looks at A-Xiang. Maybe, just maybe, this is the truth of her, and Cao-dage sees and understands it from the very first time he spots her, and anything else he’ll learn about her is really extraneous. (Hmm. I wonder what other relationship we’ll eventually end up seeing that kind of dynamic in, where someone truly knows you and believes in you, so everything else is unimportant?) Also, Cao Weining tells A-Xiang she’s very beautiful, and how many people do you think have ever told her that before in her life? He asks why he would want to fight and hurt her, and how many people – particularly men, given where she grew up – have ever told her that before? He buys her lunch – twice, because the first round gets cold. Remember a few episodes back, when WKX asked her who the second cutest person in the world was, and she responded that it was someone who would buy her a meal? Well, here he is. For bonus points, it is hilarious how badly WKX responds to Cao Weining’s very existence after ZZS points out the pair of them having a toast at the same inn that WKX and ZZS have stopped in WKX has dogged ZZS’s footsteps into. Poor Cao Weining doesn’t even get the shovel talk – although to be fair, he doesn’t get the full-court Ghost Valley Master press, either, so WKX must have been holding back somewhat – he just gets told to get out, before WKX grabs A-Xiang by the ear and delivers some scathing commentary on her taste in men, like he didn’t immediately fall for some rando who was tits out, drinking himself to death in the gutter.

ANYWAY, from the Smartest Man in the World, we’re going to move to Han Ying, My Beloved, who we see interacting with the Five Lakes Alliance again, this time in the person of Gao Chong, leader of Yueyang Sect and host of the upcoming Heroes Conference, da-ge of the 5LA. I had honestly forgotten we got to see so much of Han Ying this early on. What strikes me here is that this is a guy who I actually could believe is the second-in-command of Tian Chuang at what is it? 21 years old? When he’s doing his job, and ZZS is nowhere around for him to make pining puppy-dog eyes at, he’s focused and determined and a bit forceful and somewhat threatening and, frankly, appropriately arrogant for the job he’s been sent to do. He’s also wearing a cloak with a mini-Collar of Evil. He comes off as, dare I say, a capable leader of an assassin organization and a guy who’s able to do a proxy flex for his boss without looking completely ridiculous - which puts him one up on Duang Pengju, omg that asshole, and also makes me feel a little better about how I want ZZS to wreck him (or I guess, technically, him to wreck ZZS, because I’ve never seen a character (except Marcus Flavius Aquila, THANK YOU for your service, Channing Tatum) who put off such subby service-top vibes. WHY is there not more Han Ying/ZZS on AO3, fandom? I thought better … worse? … better? … of you.) When Gao Chong claims the Glazed Armor is a myth, Han Ying basically calls this older, respected zongzhu a liar and gets up in his face before refusing a dinner invitation and sweeping out in his mini-Collar of Evil with a credible “PAH.” My boy has layers, y’all.

What else? We start out the ep at Luo Mansion, a wedding scene, and I’m struck by how the Ghost Valley colors match traditional wedding colors, here. I’m thinking about how A-Xiang’s wedding dress won’t be red (and I think green was more common during the Tang dynasty?) although all the decorations will be, and I’m thinking about how we have this wedding as a book-end to that wedding, and I’m thinking about how it’s interesting that a girl who was raised in the Ghost Valley and protected by the Department of the Unfaithful meets a man who’s going to be so faithful to her in the same episode as this wedding with/of the dead. Ghoul, who’s one of the attendees from the Ghost Valley, also remarks that the red makes him hungry, so there’s a meat reference to throw into the thematic basket, I guess. (Also, hey. Ghoul is played by the same guy who’s Sun Yongren in Killer & Healer.) Lovelace (ugh) briefly menaces one of the Department handmaidens before Luo Fumeng shows up, and I think she’s Yun Zai or Hong Lu, one of the two maids that A-Xiang rescued from him, although I’m not positive, because her hairstyle is so different and hides a lot of her face, here. So, we’re all attending the “wedding” of Mu Yunge, the apparent fuckboy who got got a couple of episodes ago as bait for Ao Laizi when Changing Ghost got his hands (briefly) on the Danyang Glazed Armor. We did see a brief scene with Yunge in the last ep, when he woke up tied up in bed, being menaced by someone who appeared to be his dead lover – who hanged herself while pregnant with their child – but turned out to be Beauty Ghost using a face-masking technique similar to ZZS’s disguises. In the interim, Ghost Valley has kidnapped 10 cultivators as his wedding party, and – this is the important plot point – that includes Deng Kuan, head disciple of Yueyang Sect. We get to see some of Beauty Ghost’s ruthlessness here, as she carries in the dead woman’s memorial tablet draped in a red cloth – how’s that for some foreshadowing (my f’kn HEART) – to set it down in the “bride’s” place before Yunge is forced to bow three times. (Dead girlfriend was a Mo from Broken Arrow Manor, and I … am not sure if that is significant or not. Is she possibly related to Mo Huaiyang? Does anyone know which sect is associated with Broken Arrow Manor?) Beauty Ghost also kills two of the 10 “guest” cultivators for talking without permission as she explains the next event to them – cage match. Only one of them gets to get out alive. Deng Kuan, the best of them, apparently, pleads with everyone to not let themselves be divided, but we can all guess how this is going to go. I guess maybe he’s the other completely good character we meet, but he sure is a punching bag. He ends up the last man, sort of, standing, as he kills the final other person in self-defense, but not before getting stabbed, and he goes down and is out for the count.

Meanwhile, cut to Zhao Jing and Shen Shen drinking and gossiping at an inn on the way to Yueyang. Shenshen – Shenshen – continues to bemoan Chengling’s uselessness, and also talks about the torture the other Zhang family members underwent just in time for Chengling to overhear in the hallway, so thanks a lot for even more trauma, Shenshen. Zhao Jing is so sad about it all, y’all. He’s just so very very sad, can we just stop talking about it, Shenshen, because you’re making him sad, and he’s just going to let Da-ge figure it all out, OK? Uh-huh.

Fourth plot thread of the episode is ZZS skulking around, following Chengling, trying to convince himself that this kid is safe now that he’s turned himself in to gone to live with the 5LA, even as ZZS spots Tian Chuang spies in the ranks of the Yueyang disciples and among the dumpling vendors on the streets outside. ZZS follows the dumpling vendor, gives him a code phrase and almost gets his head taken off by a Scorpion blade for his trouble, before stabbing Dumpling Man in response. WKX picks this exact moment to wander back into ZZS’s orbit, taking the chance to flirt as Dumpling Man spits up blood and dies in the alleyway, because of course he does. WKX tsks, accuses ZZS of being cruel, and quotes some poetry about fair faces and poisonous hearts, which - like all of his poetry - has a double meaning, because which of them is he really talking about, ZZS or himself? ZZS notes that WKX is openly wearing the (Danyang) Glazed Armor because of course he’s looking for trouble, but WKX loosens his stays and clutches his pearls and replies that he couldn’t possibly be looking for trouble – him? Philanthropist Wen? He’s not a merciless killer like ZZS. Whereupon ZZS finally says out loud what he’s been clearly thinking since he started going on about what an awful person he is in the LAST EPISODE, which is why the hell don’t you stop following me around, then? There’s some more flirting, and WKX continues to follow ZZS around, and ZZS takes note that WKX is obviously flaunting the Glazed Armor out in the open, and then there’s a little sleight of hand when Famous Pickpocket Fan Bu Zhi, oh noes! Steals WKX’s Glazed Armor right off his belt when he isn’t even looking! before WKX continues to follow ZZS around, conveniently into the same inn where Cao Weining and A-Xiang are having lunch. After WKX attempts to chase him away, we discover Cao Weining has had his wallet stolen. WKX deploys his Sadness Eyebrows to convince ZZS to turn over his wallet to pay for Cao Weining’s and A-Xiang’s lunch. ZZS – who does an admirable job of refusing for a bit – finally caves, and WKX orders lunch for everyone, on ZZS. Now all we need is Chengling, because the fam is not complete without Goldbean.

[lillotte17]

Tomorrow

Got hooked watching Word of Honor and Zhou Zishu's Sad Face Journeys in episodes 33-34 came for my life, so I wrote a little scene set after the whole Heroes Conference Thing. ...And then Wen KeXing showed up and just...*gestures vaguely* I don't know what happened here. XD

~

Zhou Zishu sits quietly beside the bed, watching Wen KeXing's sleeping face with an ache in his chest that has nothing to do with his failing body, and everything to do with the fact that he is about to die.

When his shidi had made a miraculous reappearance at the Heroes Conference, his first reaction was gut-wrenching surprise. It felt as though the ground had suddenly dissolved beneath his feet. His heart leaping so high in his throat that he forgot how to breathe. Dizzy with the overwhelming rush of joy and confusion. Uncertain whether to laugh or cry.

But once the shock had subsided, the anger had been hot on its heels. And he wanted to be mad about it. Wanted to take Wen KeXing by the shoulders and shake him so hard that his teeth rattled around in his skull. Wanted to scream and sob and rail against the now inevitably fast-burning candle of his fate. At the unfairness of losing his life just as he had found something worth living for again. Someoneworth living for. For a few moments, the fury had burned so brightly in him he thought it might be enough to kill him then and there. That the fire between his lungs would simply burst his chest open and engulf everything around them in a sea of red.

But when they had caught each other’s gaze, he had seen the apology roiling in Wen KeXing’s dark eyes, raw and miserable, even without a word being said. The apology, and the fear. That same fear Zishu had seen flicker across his face every time he had tried to coax him into confessing that he was from Ghost Valley. The same fear he had seen in him the night Wen KeXing had snuck out of the Four Seasons Manor to intercept Ye BaiYi and tried to prevent him from reveling his identity. And yet again, when Han Ying had died, and he had nearly killed himself in a blind panic trying to fix it somehow. The fear whispered that death was preferable to his hatred. That his blade would be kinder than his revulsion. That Wen KeXing would sacrifice anything to avoid being abandoned once again.

Zhou Zishu was helpless in the face of it; as he always seems to be. The look that passed between them had been fast and fleeting, there and gone again with barely a blink, but it was enough to douse the flames of his anger with a tide of chilling and fathomless grief. The rest of the Heroes Conference passed before him in a daze. Vengeance, and justice, and pride. Wen KeXing blazing in the brightest and truest version of himself for all to see. Dazzling and mesmerizing and impossible to look away from. He does not know if he has ever loved him more, even as he felt his heart slowly sinking down into the pit of his stomach. The numbness of acceptance settling into his bones.

There will be no escape from death, this time.

He had been quiet on the way back to Jing BeiYuan’s Manor. Quiet enough to worry both Wen KeXing and ChengLing, who always seems to see more than he understands. He had listened to their reasons and excuses, and he had done his best to reassure them afterwards, but his own words sound hollow in his ears. The best he could do was to get Lao Wen hopelessly drunk, and pray that it made him less intuitive. The suffusion of elation and hope in the air had nearly been enough to choke him, though. He did not want to rob them of it, but he found he could take part in it either, no matter how much he wanted to. He could not bring himself to celebrate a future he can no longer share with them.

Zhou Zishu understands Wen KeXing. He understands that he is just as abysmal at properly conveying affection as he is himself, if not more so. The man only knows how to protect people he cares for by either sending them away from him or drowning them both in blood. It is how he had managed to survive all those years surrounded by madness and chaos and death. Zishu had done much the same, while he was working in the capital. Hiding all of their softer places far away from where the light could reach them. Playful banter has always passed easily between them, but tenderness is heavier, and vulnerabilities almost impossible to speak aloud. They are both trying to do better, struggling to pull their own humanity back into their hands where it can be shared freely, but Wen KeXing’s hurts are older and deeper. His path back to the world of the living inevitably more winding and complex. He still has not mastered the art of articulating his fears and concerns.

Zhou Zishu’s health was tenuous even before he had been kidnapped and tortured. As much as he hated to admit it, he had been in no fit state to fight an angry mob. Wen KeXing hid the truth from him because he knew that he would chafe at being told to stay out of harm’s way; that they would have argued about it until he was either allowed to participate in the scheme or he was spitting blood and passing out on the floor. Zishu cannot even say that this assessment of his character was a bad one, but it still stung to be kept in the dark, and the hurt was lingering. And yet, however deep the barb of this secret may have landed, however misplaced the caution may or may not have been, he knows without a shred of doubt that Wen KeXing’s deception was born of love, and he can hardly hold that against him.

Especially not now.

Wen KeXing turns his head slightly, mumbling something that sounds suspiciously like an extremely slurred version of his name. His expression is smooth and peaceful, his hair a dark fan across the bed behind him. The rosy glow of happiness and alcohol still pinking the apples of his cheeks.

Zishu smiles despite himself. It is much easier to find traces of the little boy his master had planned to take for his second disciple when he looks like this; safe and sleeping and completely at ease for the first time in who knows how long. He wishes he could recall those few precious days they had spent together as children with more clarity, but the memory of it is like a silk brocade left to sit too long in the sunshine, its delicate patterns fading as the colors wash away in a flood of light. Zhou Zishu had been too young to fully comprehend the weight of death when his master had returned from his trip to collect the Wen family without his shidi or his parents in tow. That his master had been sad about it was enough to impact him, but in the grand scheme of things, the wounds to his own heart had been minimal.

What would have happened if they had kept looking for Zhen Yan, he wonders. If he and Wen KeXing had grown up together as best friends and martial brothers and soulmates? Would their master have found a way to soothe Zhen Yan’s rage before it consumed him? Would Zhou Zishu have made the same mistakes with the Window of Heaven if Wen KeXing had been at his side? Perhaps they could have saved each other before things had reached the place they were now. Or perhaps Wen KeXing would have died under Zhou Zishu’s leadership with the rest of their sect, and his failures would have tasted that much more bitter.

He sighs quietly. There is no sense dwelling on things he cannot change. He had been a child, and just as powerless to save Wen KeXing from his fate as the boy himself had been. Feeling guilty about it was meaningless at this point. It was enough to have him here and now. Enough that they had had any time together at all. Enough that Wen KeXing had fallen off of that cliff and somehow still managed to walk back to him.

It has to be enough, because it is all they have. All they can have. Even if he wants more.

“Ah Xu?”

The voice is thick with sleep, but marginally less inebriated than before.

“Mn,” Zhou Zishu hums in acknowledgement, his gaze shifting slightly to watch Wen KeXing blink himself back into wakefulness.

“You didn’t go to bed?” he asks, bleary and swaying slightly as he attempts to sit up.

“There is someone in my bed.” Zishu points out archly.

Wen KeXing looks murderous for a few seconds until he realizes that the person in question is, in fact, himself. When the clouds break, his expression immediately shifts to one of insufferable satisfaction. He leans precariously off the side of the bed, robes and hair both hopelessly askew.

“I am always willing to share everything I have with Ah Xu,” he declares with feigned sweetness.

“How kind of Philanthropist Wen to make a present of what he stole from me,” Zhou Zishu snorts, “Your generosity knows no bounds.”

“Ah Xu!” Wen KeXing objects. “How is it stealing when you gave it to me freely? You think I would come to your bedroom with the intention of sleeping?”

“I’m sure I don’t know anything about your intentions.” The reply is given with a smirk, but his eyes dart away from him. “You asked me to drink with you, but the jar you brought was empty. Besides, I am thinking about giving it up. I have been told that it is bad for my health.”

“Aiya, first Ah Xu accuses me of being a thief, and now he tells me such scandalous falsehoods!” Wen KeXing shakes his head, attempting to seem wounded despite the grin on his face. “I already accepted your punishment earlier, there is no reason to be cruel.”

“Who is a liar here?” Zhou Zishu inquires laughingly, gesturing back and forth between them. “Which one of us is the most scandalous?”

“It’s me, it’s me,” Wen KeXing acknowledges, his head bobbing up and down in agreement, “But Ah Xu, you cannot expect me to ever believe that you would willingly give up drinking good wine with me? And as for not understanding my intentions, well…I believe that even less.”

“Was your intention to make sure I could not get any sleep?”

Wen KeXing only smiles at him widely.

“…I regret asking such a question,” Zhou Zishu chuckles, reaching out to lightly slap the side of Wen KeXing’s face in both fondness and chastisement. “Ask a shameless man a question and you are sure to get a shameless reply.”

Wen KeXing grabs hold of his hand before he can pull it away, leaning into it with a sigh.

“What is so shameless about it at this point?” he wonders, something soft and shining igniting within his gaze. “Living together. Dying together. Watching as our hair turns gray with old age. We’ve already promised to share these things, haven’t we? Why give me your bed when we could share that, too?”

Zhou Zishu takes a long look at him. At the dark hair spilling across his shoulder in disarray. The front of his robes just rumpled enough to expose the elegant line of his throat as well as part of his collar bones. The flush of his cheeks and the promise burning in his eyes.

He cannot deny that he wants it. Even knowing it might make things more painful later on. He wants to be selfish. He wants to be greedy while he still can. While he can still hear Lao Wen calling for him and feel his skin beneath his hands. His sense of taste and smell have gone already, but can still see him, and that could be enough. More than enough.

But will it be enough for Wen KeXing?

This is the last thing they have to give each other. The last pieces of themselves they have been holding back. Mostly because there simply had not been time for it amidst the chaos swirling around them. It always seemed as though either their lives were in danger or one of them was injured. Up until now, even Zishu had been optimistic enough to assume they would have time for it later, though. Time to use physical intimacy as an almost second meeting. To learn how they need each other in the quiet and the dark. To learn the ways they can be gentle, and the ways they can be fierce. To burn each other up in desperation and desire.

It seems too heartless to have it be a farewell instead.

Zhou Zishu lets out a long breath.

“…Not when you are drunk,” he says quietly.

Wen KeXing blinks at him in astonishment, eyes blown wide and round as saucers, clearly expecting a flat-out rejection.

A moment later, the blankets have been hastily flung aside, and he is staggering off of the bed has fast as he can. Which, as it turns out, is not very fast at all. Zhou Zishu easily catches him with one arm, lightly pushing him back into a seated position.

“Lao Wen, where do you think you are going?” he laughs.

“I need to sober up,” Wen KeXing explains, looking so serious about it that Zhou Zishu cannot help but reach out and pinch his cheek. Lao Wen slaps his hand away, his expression mulish.

“Don’t pout,” Zishu scolds, still chuckling, “It is too late to be staggering around someone else’s house. With my luck, you would drown yourself in the fish pond, and then BeiYuan and Wu Xi would be terribly put out.”

“But Ah Xu, if you won’t let me leave, and you won’t share the bed, just what do you want me to do?” Lao Wen complains. “Even if you don’t want to have sex, you should at least lay down and rest properly. I want you to get well as soon as possible.”

Zhou Zishu’s mouth stiffens slightly.

“I know.”

Wen KeXing’s brow furrows in concern. He reaches out a hand, long fingers hovering just above his heart, when Zhou Zishu catches them tightly in his own. He is not certain if Lao Wen could glean the truth about his condition from his pulse while still tipsy, but he is not about to run that risk tonight.

“Are the nails bothering you again?” Wen KeXing asks, doleful this time.

“No.”

It is not a lie.

“Then come to bed,” Lao Wen cajoles, using their joined hands to tug him closer, “I promise not to molest you unless you ask me to.”

Zhou Zishu makes a sound of grumbling disbelief, but still allows himself to be pulled down next to Wen KeXing. The bed is big enough for two, but only just. Lao Wen retrieves the formerly discarded blankets from whatever corner he had toss them and bundles them up together like two caterpillars in a single cocoon. His face is close beside him on the pillow, warm breath fanning the side of his neck. An arm drapes loosely about Zishu’s waist, and he turns his head slightly, intending to shoot a warning glare in the other man’s direction.

This is a mistake.

Wen KeXing’s eyes are dark and intense in the moonlight, half closed with either sleep or desire, it is hard to say. His lips part slightly as Zhou Zishu turns to him, and the hand draped around his waist clutches faintly at his robes as if on instinct. Both of them seem to have forgotten how to breathe.

“…Ah Xu, you can kiss me, if you like,” Lao Wen whispers finally, so soft it almost seems like a dream.

“What makes you think I want to kiss you?” he means it to sound teasing, but it comes out in almost a sigh.

“Because I want to kiss you,” Lao Wen replies matter-of-factly.

“I never thought of you as a pillar of self-restraint,” Zhou Zishu huffs.

“I promised to be a gentleman.”

Zishu closes his eyes and lets out a deep, soul-rattling sigh. He is almost glad he cannot smell the oils Wen KeXing uses in his hair or the trace of alcohol on his lips. The proximity is staggering enough all on its own.

“…It would not stop with a kiss,” he admits aloud to both of them.

He does not open his eyes again, but he can feel Wen KeXing’s body tremble slightly as he laughs, and that is almost as bad.

“Ah Xu, I would hardly complain,” he replies, testing his luck by shifting close enough so that their foreheads are lightly touching. “But you want to rest, and I want you rested, so it is no great loss, either way. You will still be here with me tomorrow, after all. There is no need to rush these things. Sometimes, a slow spring is sweeter.”

“Yes,” Zhou Zishu manages to reply around the lump lodged in his throat, “I will still be here tomorrow.”

[kuroi-no-sora]

Ah, lemme indulge in this, please...

Canon-verse AU, m-preg. Set two years after Day 7: Serendipity.

He could not believe it. They are being frisky after A-Liang's second birthday. He thought he would not getting pregnant just because it was one time he let A-Xu topped him. Who would have thought to get pregnant at the same time as your pseudo daughter??

He sighs. He have not yet telling A-Xu about it. Just few days ago he felt a foreign budding pulse of energy below his dantian. And now, being confirmed by a physician, he is officially pregnant about six weeks. A-Liang, their precious daughter, bore by A-Xu probably excited at having new sibling. To think he himself feel what A-Xu had felt is truly exciting and dreading at the same time. A-Xu had a bad morning sickness that he had to be bedridden for few weeks at best. Nausea then stop in his throat. He groans at the reminder.

Telling A-Xu is just pure happiness and annoyance at best. The man is happy. At the same time he teases as well. Telling the rest of the family mortifies him as well, but they are all happy at the news. Day by day, feeling the pulse getting stronger and stronger makes him happy.

The first month after knowing his pregnancy, the ball of energy gives him a happy pulse in response. It is growing well. Then, the next feeling it moves internally makes him joy. Now he knows what A-Xu means to have the bond only he can feel inside.

The second month after that, the baby is actively flutters inside him. Sometimes giving him nauseas and fatigue. As well as making him selective with smells and foods. He pouts at A-Xu for he could not eat his favourite nuts.

The third month after that, the first kick happens. It is when he is lounging at the inner pavilion, watching Han Ying and Chengling spars, with A-Xu and A-Liang beside. He gasps. A-Xu instantly crowd at him. He give a smile and take A-Xu's palm towards the kick. A-Xu gives a wet laugh. A-Liang wants to take a feel too. He is overwhelm with joy.

The fourth and a half month after that, he meet A-Xiang and xiao Cao. A-Xiang is big as him too. Both he and A-Xiang looks very big at this moment, waddling around the manor. It is so embarrassing, he is having a child as well as having a pseudo grandchild too. A-Xiang laughs at his predicament. Their child are also actively kicking their insides, growing well. Seeing A-Xiang being pampered by her husband and her nagging voice around the manor, he is content. Deep in his heart, he is very happy at seeing his sister slash daughter is having her own family as well. Happily with her own first child. Their family is growing day by day.

When he heard the news of A-Xiang going into labor few months later, he begs A-Xu to bring him to her. Thankfully, they just 2 li apart. He is very worried about her. A boy is born during the dawn. His A-Xiang is very beautiful. Even though she is still brash as ever, the motherhood tamper her down. Glowing with life. Their newest addition is very cute. He suddenly wish that his own would arrive sooner. But who would have thought that his own arrives a little bit earlier too?

Wen Kexing does not even realize he was in active labor. Few hours after the birth of Cao Huan, his own water broke. His mind blanked during the labor process. A-Xu beside him giving him encouragement. But all he could think of was that his child is born too early. He did not mean it. Honest!

But, hearing a cry from the child broke all the blankness inside his mind. Ah, I get it what A-Xu means...

They also got a boy. Safely nestles on his arms, their baby boy is yawning. A-Liang is giggling at the cute expression. A-Xu smiles warmly and Chengling just crying happily at the door. Their family is getting bigger and bigger!

Day 9: Growth