#hinted shenxie. there'll be more in the actual full fic

[tazzy-ace]

Ohh for the theoretical fic summary, how about this:

Wu Xie has seen a lot. In fact up until this very moment he would have argued that he had truly seen it all, but apparently not. Shadowy figures he had seen enough. Shadowy figures with black smoke for a face - maybe not something so specific, but it still wasn't anything wildly out of his scope of experience.

No, what he was truly unprepared for was such a figure to pop out of nowhere in the middle of a tomb and politely ask him to put back the artefact he just picked up.

From the Fic Summary Ask game. Oooo this is so good. Have a little stream of consciousness tidbit:

Xiaoge was on edge in this tomb. It wasn't uncommon but he nearly always right when he'd warn the others of the Iron Triangle not to tread to heavily. Pangzi was doing his due diligence, pointing things out to Xiaoge for approval before he dared touch. Wu Xie ... Well, Wu Xie had been trying his hardest to do the same, but sometimes he gets so wrapped up in the moment that he reaches before his brain fully catches up to him. A small chest with the lid already hanging open had taught his eye. It was cushioned to the perfect shape of the curved statue, almost making a full circle. Probably Jade. A dragon with it's horns curving upwards and small details in the face. It looked like each individual tooth had been carved, a detail that wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been tucked away out of reach of so many. But why would the lid already be open? Wu Xie should close the chest. It's a nearly overwhelming urge telling him to do so. Just one quick look before he did wouldn't hurt though. He hadn't been paying attention to the conversation between Pangzi and Xiaoge in the background until it suddenly cut off. Wu Xie turns quickly to see what had caused such abrupt silence, the jade dragon still in hand, only to see Xiaoge and Pangzi frozen in place. Between them and Wu Xie was a shadowy figure. Not the weirdest thing Wu Xie had ever seen, even with the black smoke almost circling around where the figure's face should be, but his still companions was enough to make him concerned. He was about to demand what the figure wanted when a gentle voice came from it. "You need to put that back. Only horrible things come to those that attempt to remove that dragon from this place." That voice... Wu Xie knew that voice. It was one that he adored, still with that softness and care that was always directed towards him. "Shen Wei?"

I was originally going to have this be a stand alone little tidbit and just use the vibes as inspiration for a similar event in the Steady Lives & Steady Loves series on ao3 that you suggested in comments, but this is what happens when I just let my mind loose jksjs. So here's a sneak peek for another Shenxie fic to come! :D Thanks for the prompt. This was a great way to get the writing brain up and running (a struggle, as you know) 💙