#nyi fic

[tweakerist]

if i invented twitter on nyi

[milktrician]

didn't think i'll also get this done today, but some cover art for my fic Shang Qinghua's Reincarnation Survival Guide.

[theimpurelily]

“isn’t Cui Wenyan meant to do your chores? Are you going to give it to him? Can I come with you? I want to throw snowballs at him, my aim has become so good.” “Oh. Wait. Have you spent these days throwing snowballs at him?” “And Ming Fan,” Ning Yingying cheerfully admits, “and if Zhao De was here, him too! But I would add a rock in those.” Holy shit.  (from chapter 8)

I fucking love how unhinged NYY can be in @grubus Shen Yuan of No Relation

[myartsing]

That moment when you fall for your husbands wife

[tweakerist]

hope you like it!!:) <3

YESS NYI UPDATED

[yankeelxver]

‘LYRA’S FIRST BASEBALL GAME’ | A. Judge

(part of the lyra!verse!au on my other blog @burkhxrts )

“the greatest in the league. where's the trophy? he just comes running over to me.” -taylor swift [6.8k words]

summary: lyra’s first baseball game is…eventful to say the least.

warning(s): none, a bit suggestive at the end but you get cockblocked cause i was up til 3 am writing this :3

"Hey, sweetheart," Aaron rumbles, his voice low and warm, a small smile on his face, "Bring bug here for a bit?" He gestures to the spot next to him, surrounded by the usual reporters and cameras.

You give him a soft smile, clutching Lyra tighter to your chest as you make your way towards him.

Aaron's eyes light up as you make your way over to him, a small smile forms on his face. He looks at Lyra quickly, before his eyes return to you. He leans forward, his voice low and quiet.

"You staying for the game?" he asks, his voice holding a hint of hopefulness.

“Yeah.” You murmur, shifting Lyra on your hip. The five month old pays no mind, looking around and waving at anyone who looks her way. “Figured it’s time to let her see her dad in action.”

Aaron's eyes soften as you speak, a fond look in his eyes as he watches Lyra wave cheerfully at the reporters. He shifts his body so that he's facing more towards you, still standing where you've come to him.

"She's getting big so fast," he murmurs, reaching out a hand to gently touch a strand of your hair, running his fingers through it.

You hum at his touch, sighing sadly as you look at Lyra. “I know, I can’t believe she’s five months already.”

Aaron watches you watch Lyra, his eyes trailing over your face and the way you look at your daughter. He can see the sadness, the bittersweetness in your eyes, but he gives your hair one more soft, gentle tug.

"She looks like you," he murmurs quietly, his voice warm, "She has your eyes. Your nose."

“You think so?”

Aaron nods, giving your hair another tug. He leans a little closer, his voice taking on a soft, almost confidential tone, just for you to hear.

"Definitely. She has your eyes, your nose, your smile, your lips, everything. She's just a tiny version of you, sweetheart."

You try to suppress the smile threatening to break across your face, but it’s no use. A breathy laugh escapes you, and you shake your head lightly, a playful glint dancing in your eyes.

"You’re a sap, y’know that?" you tease, though your tone carries more affection than mockery.

Aaron grins, a cheeky sparkle in his eyes, as if he knows fully well he is a sap, and that you love it. He gives your hair another gentle tug, a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Just for you," he murmurs, his voice a bit lower, a bit husky. "Only for you, sweetheart."

You hum, closing your eyes for a moment when Lyra presses her face into your neck affectionately. “I love you.”

Aaron's smirk softens, replaced by a small, tender smile as Lyra nuzzles against your neck. He lets his gaze soften slightly on the two of you, his voice dropping even lower, more intimate.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he murmurs, his hand now resting on your hip. "So much."

You open your eyes, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Good luck tonight, baby.”

Aaron smirks as you lean forward and press a kiss to his cheek, his eyes fluttering half-shut. He can't help the way his breath hitches ever-so-slightly at the contact, the way his heart skips a beat.

"Thanks, sweetheart," he replies, his voice a little rougher than usual. He lifts a hand to gently rest it against the small of your back, pulling you just a tad bit closer to him.

Lyra shifts in your arms, eyes landing on Aaron. She stretches her arms out, whining softly.

Aaron's eyes immediately dart down to the sight of Lyra's small arms being extended towards him. His smirk softens into a smile, his eyes glimmering with adoration and love as he regards the little one.

"Well, looks like somebody wants a hug." he mutters, his voice soft and warm. He opens his arms slightly, watching her expectantly.

You move Lyra closer, grinning when she gives Aaron a gummy smile.

The corners of Aaron's mouth quirk up into a proper smile as soon as she smiles at him. He gently takes her from your arms, holding her up so that she's eye level with him. His expression is warm, affectionate, a hint of playfulness in his eyes as he peers at her.

"Hey there, pretty girl," he murmurs, his voice deep and soft all at once. He gently pinches her nose.

Aaron is completely captivated by the little one in his arms, his attention focused solely on her. His eyes dart all over her small face, admiring her features, his expression filled with a mixture of tenderness, affection, and pride. He can feel the cameras on him, the reporters' lenses pointed his way, but he doesn't seem to care.

"Aren’t you just adorable," he muses, his voice still low and smooth. His gaze flicks back to you, still holding Lyra in his arms. "Just like your momma."

You give him another smile, resting your head on his shoulder as you look at Lyra, who’s playing with the gold chain that rests on Aaron’s chest.

As you rest your head and look at Lyra, she continues to mess with the gold chain, seemingly fascinated by the shiny metal. Aaron can feel you leaning against him, and he turns his head slightly to look down at you for a moment.

His heart warms at seeing you so close, the way you look so comfortable against him. His gaze softens as he looks back down at Lyra, his voice warm and affectionate.

"She's so curious," he murmurs, his arms gently adjusting her in his hold.

“I think she gets that from you.”

Aaron can't help but chuckle at your remark, a small, warm smile tugging at his lips.

"Fair enough," he concedes, his eyes shifting to you again. "I'm certainly the curious one." He can't help the hint of teasing in his voice, but he knows there's a grain of truth in it.

His hand gently pats Lyra's back, his other arm pulling you a bit closer against his side.

The warmth and comfort of having you so close to him, your body pressed against his side, is something Aaron cherishes more than anything. He turns his head slightly, his voice dropping to a quiet murmur, just for you to hear.

"I missed you," he murmurs, his gaze gentle as he regards you. Even with Lyra in his arms and the reporters around, his focus is entirely on you in this moment.

Your eyes softens into something lighter, and you give him a sad but understanding smile. You knew he had been on the road for a week, and that this was the first time you’d actually seen him since then. “I missed you too.”

Aaron's heart sinks at your sad smile, and he can hear the undertone of sorrow in your voice. He knows that, even though he's been gone and you've been on your own, taking care of Lyra, that you've been missing him.

He hates being away from you, hates being away from the family. He gently pulls you closer to him, his hand rubbing soothingly against your back, his voice a near whisper.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." he murmurs, the sincerity in his tone evident.

“Don’t be. You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

Aaron can hear the sincerity and trust in your voice, a small part of him feeling a bit guilty, but mostly just grateful that you're understanding. It still bothers him that he's not been around, but the reminder that he is now, that he's here, matters greatly to him.

His expression softens, his voice dropping even lower, almost a whisper, just for you to hear.

"I don't want to miss anything," he murmurs, pulling you a little bit closer. "I don't want to be apart from you and Lyra for so long."

“You’re not missing anything, Bean.” You reassure, subconsciously using the nickname you gave him so long ago. “You're doing what you love, and I’m so proud of you for it.”

Aaron's heart warms at the nickname you give him, a wave of affection washing over him at the endearment. He can't help but love the way it sounds coming from you, and the way it makes him feel.

"I know," he murmurs in reply, a small, almost sheepish tilt to his head. "I know." But he can't deny that he misses you, that he's missed seeing you, seeing Lyra. He still hates the fact that he's been away almost constantly lately.

"Just... missing being a family," he continues quietly.

“We are a family, dork.” You snort, pinching his side lightly. “You don’t have to be there every single second to know that we’re a family.”

Aaron lets out a soft, amused huff, a bit of a huff laugh at the pinch on his side, his expression softening at your words. He knows you're right, of course, but he can't help the possessive, protective streak within him that wants to spend every second with you and Lyra.

"I know," he replies, his voice taking on a hint of playful mock-pout. "Just don't go falling in love with someone while I'm gone."

“I’m offended you think I would even look at another man.”

A small, almost smug smirk tugs at the corners of his lips at your words, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He pulls you closer, his arm now fully around you, practically holding you against his side.

"Just making sure, sweetheart," he teases, his eyes gleaming. His hand gently pats your hip, his voice lowering to a murmur, a hint of possessiveness present. "My girl."

“Your girl.” You hum, resting your head against his shoulder once more, flickering your gaze over to Lyra, who, to no one’s surprise, is waving to another baby in the stands.

Aaron can feel a sense of pride and satisfaction swell in his chest when you confirm that you're his, his girl, and only his. He can't help the smile that spreads across his lips at that, his hand gently rubbing against your hip in a possessive manner.

His gaze goes to Lyra, a small smile forming as he watches her wave to the baby in the stands. He's not surprised at all - his girl was made to be sociable and friendly, after all.

"She's so damn cute," he muses, his voice softer than usual.

“Our social bug.” You murmur, brushing a finger over her cheek.

"She's definitely a charmer," Aaron agrees, his voice holding a hint of warmth and affection. He watches as you brush your finger over Lyra's cheek, his heart swelling as he looks at the two of you.

His hand stays on your hip, holding you close to his side, as he turns his gaze back to the people around you. He's suddenly aware again of the reporters and cameras, but he doesn't seem to care.

You follow his gaze, clearing your throat softly and gently untangling Lyra from his arms. “I should let you get back to your interviews.”

Aaron lets out a small, reluctant huff as you gently take Lyra from his arms, the little one whining slightly at being untangled. His expression softens as he looks at the two of you, his eyes full of affection and a hint of reluctance to part.

"You sure?" he asks, his voice quiet. He knows you're right, but he can't help wanting to keep you and Lyra close to him, to hold onto this family time for just a little longer.

“Yeah.” You hum, and you feel Lyra nuzzle her head into your neck. “We’ll be up in the suites with the girls, so you’ll know where to find us.”

Aaron nods at your response, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes, but he understands. He gives Lyra a small, parting pat on the back before shifting his gaze back to you, his expression a bit softer, more tender.

"Alright," he murmurs, his voice quiet, just between the two of you. "I'll find you when the game is over, sweetheart."

You mumble out a soft ‘okay’ and lean up, pecking his lips softly. “Good luck, baby.”

The kiss on his lips is something Aaron doesn’t expect, but he can’t help but lean into it, soaking in the softness of your lips. He lets a small smile grace his lips afterwards, his eyes warm and affectionate.

He gives your hip a gentle squeeze, his voice taking on a hint of mock-pouting. “Tease,” he mutters under his breath, watching as you walk away, Lyra still resting on your hip.

The suite is filled with the low hum of the other wives' conversations, the sound of laughter and friendly banter mingling in the air. It's a comfortable atmosphere, made even more so by the suite's luxurious accommodations - plush couches, well-stocked bars, and a large flat screen TV showing the game.

You're comfortably settled among the others, a warm drink in your hand and Lyra napping peacefully on your lap.

As you watch Aaron make the field, you feel a soft hand on your shoulder. You can’t help but jump, turning around to see Amy, Gerrit Cole’s wife.

“Amy what’re you doing here? I thought you hated the suites?”

Amy's presence in the suites is a bit of a surprise to you, considering her previous dislike of such places. You can't help but jerk a bit when you feel her hand on your shoulder, turning to look at her in slight surprise. When she answers your question, a small, sheepish smile graces her lips.

"I know, I usually do," she replies, a hint of resignation in her tone. "But Gerrit said that you were hanging out here, so I figured I'd come keep you company."

“Are you sure you didn’t wanna get a peak of the baby?” You tease, raising a brow.

Amy lets out a small, sheepish laugh at your comment, her cheeks tinting pink slightly.

"Maybe a bit," she admits, a hint of embarrassment in her tone, though there's a sparkle of amusement in her eyes. "But I'm mostly here for you, honest."

“Amy Cole, are you going soft on me?”

Amy lets out another laugh, her cheeks pinkening even more at your teasing.

"No! Of course not." she protests, feigning offense. She tries to keep a straight face, but a small, playful smile tugs at her lips. "I am not going soft. I'm still the same ole badass, thank you very much."

You give her an unconvincing hum, turning your gaze to the field down below, rocking Lyra in your arms.

As your attention turns back to the field, Amy grins a bit wider. She knows damned well she's not going soft, but she's still amused by your teasing. She moves to sit down beside you, her eyes on the game.

"You're the one who's going soft," she counters, a hint of playful mockery in her tone. "Just look at you - you're a walking heart eyes emoji these days."

“Can you blame me?” You scoff, clutching Lyra tighter to your chest, eyes still focused on Aaron on the field.

Amy lets out a small laugh as she follows your gaze, her own eyes going to the field and landing on Aaron.

"No, I can't." she responds jokingly, a hint of a softer, understanding tone in her voice. "But you're always so whipped for him. You're like a walking gush of heart eyes and soft smiles every single time you look at the guy."

“Well it’s been like that since I was sixteen so I doubt it’s going away anytime soon.”

Amy can't help but let out a light laugh at your response.

"Jesus, really?" she asks, a hint of disbelief and amazement in her voice. "Since sixteen? Damn, no wonder you can't stop looking at him. That's some serious devotion, girl."

You nod shyly, unable to stop the flush that creeps onto your cheeks. You keep your gaze on Aaron, watching as he starts to put on his batting gear in the dugout.

Amy watches your gaze fixed on Aaron, noting the soft pink flush on your cheeks. She can practically see the love and devotion radiating off of you.

"You're still gushing!" she points out, her voice a mixture of teasing and genuine affection. "Look at you, going all heart eyes just from watching him put on his gear.”

“Oh don’t act like you don’t get the same way when Gerrit’s on the mound.” You shot back, giving her a look.

Amy lets out a small huff of mock offense, a hint of a blush on her own cheeks at your jab. She feigns indignation, holding a hand against her chest.

"Hey! I most certainly do not!" she tries to protest, but her voice sounds a little too unconvincing. "I am perfectly cool and collected when Gerrit pitches."

“You practically drool every time he walks onto the mound, Amy.”

Amy can't help but let out a small, sheepish laugh at your comment, her cheeks pinkening even further as she's exposed for her true thoughts. Still, she tries to feign mock-indignation.

"I do not drool!" she protests, but the hint of a smile on her lips betrays her. "Okay, maybe I get a little excited when he's on the mound, but who could blame me? Have you seen Gerrit pitch?!"

“He’s one of a kind, for sure.” You comment appreciatively about the Yankee Ace. It was true, Gerrit did do remarkable things for the team's pitching rotation, and it was always a good game when he was on the mound.

Amy nods in agreement, a hint of pride in her expression. Even though Gerrit wasn't pitching in the game you were currently sitting in, it was undeniable the impact he had brought to the team's pitching staff.

"Damn right he is." she agrees, her tone filled with pride and admiration. "He's a hell of a player - the ace of the team, and one of the best in the whole damn league. And on top of that, he's one hell of a husband."

You give a soft hum, focusing on Aaron again as you sit Lyra up against your chest. “And you say you're not going soft.” You murmur to yourself, shaking your head.

Amy lets out a small scoff at your comment, the hint of a blush on her cheeks betraying her softening demeanor.

"Hey, shut up." she tries to protest, but there's no real menace in her voice. "Just because I'm happy and proud of my husband doesn't mean I'm going soft. I'm still the badass Amy you know and love."

“Okay, okay.” You put a hand up in defense, watching as Lyra starts stirring, rubbing at her small face tiredly. “You're a badass.”

Amy snickers at your quick agreement, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

"Damn right I am," she says, a hint of sass in her tone. Her gaze shifts to Lyra as the little one starts to stir and rub her small face tiredly.

"Looks like someone is waking up." she notes, glancing at your little girl sleepily rubbing her eyes.

“Good afternoon, sleeping beauty.” You cooed softly, sitting Lyra on your lap and facing her towards you.

Lyra gives a small, sleepy smile as you sit her up on your lap, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She rubs at her face once more before letting out a small yawn, her little arms reaching up to cling to your shirt.

Amy can't help but smile at the sight, her expression soft.

"She is just too precious," she says, her voice filled with a hint of awe and affection. "Looks just like a little angel."

“You wanna say hi to Mrs. Amy? Wave hi, bug.” You whisper, pointing to Amy, faux-excitement coating your voice.

Lyra looks over at Amy, her eyes still sleepy but curious. She follows the direction of your pointing finger and sees Amy sitting there, a small grin on her face.

With a bit of coaxing from you, Lyra gives a small, adorable wave to Amy, her little hand moving up and down in a small, sleepy wave.

Amy's heart just about melts at the sight of Lyra's little wave, a soft laugh escaping her lips. She returns the wave with a little wave of her own.

"Oh, look at you," Amy coos, her voice just as soft as yours a moment ago. "You're such a sweetheart. So cute and adorable."

Lyra lets out a small, sleepy giggle at Amy's cooing and words of praise, her little hand coming back down to cling to your shirt. It's clear that even in her sleepy state, she loves the attention.

Amy's eyes soften as she looks at Lyra, her expression warm and affectionate.

"She's just too cute," she says, her voice filled with a hint of awe. "You and Aaron have made one helluva adorable baby."

“We did, didn’t we?” You hum, pressing a kiss to Lyra’s rosy cheek. The five month old doesn’t respond, clutching onto your necklace and babbling softly.

“You most certainly did.” Amy agrees, watching as you press a kiss to Lyra’s cheek. She can’t help but smile at the infant’s soft babblings and the way she clings to your necklace.

“She’s got your eyes,” she muses, a small laugh escaping her lips. “And Aaron’s hair. And his adorable little nose.”

You smirk at her, raising a brow. “You got a crush on me and my husband, Aims?” Lyra moves to stand on your knees, and you hold the soft skin of her waist.

Amy lets out a small laugh at your comment, her cheeks flushing slightly. She tries to brush it off with a wave of her hand.

"Oh, shut up." she responds, feigning mock-indignation. "I just happen to have eyes, okay? Your baby’s cute, and your husband’s hot - sue me.”

You huff, turning Lyra around and facing her towards the field, her wide eyes flickering all over the stadium, landing on Aaron. “What about me?”

Amy gives you another small laugh, shaking her head.

"You're cute too, obviously." she replies with an eyeroll. "I just don't feel like gushing over you like a love-sick fool in front of a baby. But, you're not half bad yourself. Pretty cute, actually - and good taste in men."

Lyra's wide eyes flicker to the field, taking in the whole stadium. She seems particularly intrigued by Aaron, her little head tilted as she watches him batting.

“Very good taste in men.” You murmur, focusing on Aaron’s at bat, mimicking Lyra and tilting your head as well.

Amy snickers softly at your murmured comment, nodding her agreement.

"Damn right you do." she mutters in response, her eyes moving to the field as well. Both of you sit there, watching as Aaron steps up to the plate, both of your heads tilted to the side as you focus intently.

The game continues, Aaron successfully making it to first base after hitting the ball to the left side of the infield. He looks up into the stands as he makes it to first, scanning the bleachers until he spots you in your suite, Lyra sitting on your lap.

He gives you a small grin and a wink before returning to the game, now waiting patiently on first base.

You wink back, taking Lyra’s small hands into yours and clapping them together softly.

As you wink back, Aaron can't help but smile wider, his grin showing hints of his dimples at the corners of his lips.

Lyra watches you clap her little hands together, her head tilting in confusion. She's still too young to understand the significance of the game, but she seems happy just holding onto your hands and playing the makeshift clapping game.

The game moves on, with the Yankees gradually building up more runs and gaining the lead. In the end, the team wins, and the stadium explodes in applause. You and the other wives clap and cheer along, knowing the celebration you’ll have once you make your way down to the clubhouse.

As you all make your way down towards the clubhouse, your arms gently bouncing Lyra in your arms, the chatter of the other wives can be heard around you. They share small talk, commenting on the game, their husbands' performances, and other small things.

Amy walks beside you, every now and then chiming in to the conversation, though her eyes dart ahead to the entrance of the clubhouse, likely eager to see Geritt.

You stay perched by the door talking to Lyra in hushed murmurs as you wait for Aaron to finish his shower and post-game interviews.

The time seems to tick by slowly as you wait by the door, talking softly to Lyra. Your gaze flickers occasionally to the other wives, but mostly stay on the corridor where the showers are located, waiting for Aaron to emerge.

The sound of the shower spray comes to a stop after a few more minutes and you can hear the faint sound of male voices coming from the other room, likely the media and their questions.

The faint sound of the media’s voices and the sounds of lockers closing fill the air as the players answer the reporters' questions and pack away their things.

After a few more minutes, Aaron emerges from the other room in a fresh set of clothes, towel slung over his shoulders, scrubbing his wet hair back from his forehead. His eyes scan the hallway, searching for you.

You don’t notice him at first, still continuing your one-sided conversation with your daughter, who’s resting her head against your chest and looking up at you sleepily.

Aaron can't help but smile when he sees you and Lyra standing near the entrance to the clubhouse. The sight of you talking to a sleepy Lyra, her head resting against your chest, is sweet and endearing.

He walks over to you as quietly as he can, not wanting to disturb the soft murmur of your voice. When he's standing directly behind you, he reaches out and places a gentle hand on your hip, his touch causing you to jump slightly in surprise.

Aaron grins when he feels you jump at his touch, watching as you slowly turn around while cradling Lyra in your arms. "Scare you?" he teases, his hand still resting on your hip.

“A little bit, yeah.” You murmur softly, giving him a small smile and pecking his lips in greeting.

He chuckles lightly when you admit to being frightened, his grip on your hip tightening just a little as he returns your smile. "My bad, sweetheart," he whispers, his voice low and gentle.

Aaron leans in to press his lips against yours in greeting, his hand tracing a small circle on your hip. "Missed you." he murmurs against your mouth before pulling back slightly.

“Missed you, too.” You whispered, giving him one more kiss. “You did great out there, Bean.”

He smiles against your lips as you return his kiss, his hand still tracing small circles on your hip. "Thanks, babe." he murmurs quietly.

Then he glances down at Lyra, who’s still resting her head against your chest, sleepily looking up at the two of you. Aaron grins at the sight. "Looks like someone’s getting sleepy."

“She wore herself out with all the clapping she did.”

Aaron lets out a soft chuckle as you mention Lyra’s excessive clapping. “Must’ve been some real good applause if it tired her out that much.”

He reaches out a hand to gently brush a finger against Lyra’s cheek. “Poor girl’s all tuckered out.”

"Definitely." you murmur. Lyra’s eyes are just barely open, a soft yawn escaping her small mouth as her head lolls against your chest. The poor baby looks so tired she’d probably fall asleep right in your arms if you let her.

Aaron continues to gently brush his finger over her cheek, shaking his head affectionately. “Sleepy little bug.”

"We should probably head home soon, or she might pass out right here." you say, a soft laugh escaping your lips. Though the very sight of Lyra falling asleep where she stands is adorable, you'd rather get her safely buckled into her crib back at home.

Aaron nods in agreement, a grin still playing at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, you're right. We’ve worn our princess out."

You gently adjust Lyra in your arms, making sure her head is resting comfortably against your shoulder. The poor baby is practically already asleep, her little eyes slowly closing and eyelashes fluttering.

Meanwhile, Aaron continues to keep his hand on your hip, walking beside you as you make your way towards the exit.

The two of you make your way out of the clubhouse, the cool evening air hitting your bodies as you step outside. The sky is just beginning to darken, the last traces of sunlight disappearing over the horizon.

Lyra sleepily mumbles against your shoulder as you walk towards your car, nuzzling her face into the crook of your neck.

"Poor baby," you murmur gently, gently stroking Lyra's back as she nuzzles against your shoulder. She lets out another soft yawn, her eyes barely open.

Aaron nods, his expression affectionate. "She really did wear herself out, huh?" he muses, his hand still resting on your hip.

"Yeah, looks like it." you agree, shifting your hand to cradle her head. "She’ll be out like a light any second now."

The three of you reach the car, and Aaron unlocks it with a small click of the key. You’ve almost got Lyra buckled into her car seat when she suddenly opens her eyes fully and lets out a small, protesting cry.

“Shhh, it’s okay, bug. You're okay.” You murmur, brushing a curl from her face.

Her small cries continue as you reach out to brush a stray curl from her face, her tiny hands reaching up to grab at you. Lyra doesn’t seem very happy about being placed into her car seat.

"Shhh, baby." you soothe, gently stroking her hair. “You’re okay. We’re just going home.”

Lyra just responds with another grumpy cry, her hands still reaching up towards you. It’s as if she doesn’t want to be separated from you, even for the short car ride home.

Aaron watches from the side, a small smirk on his face as he observes the scene. He can’t help but find it a little amusing how fussy the baby has gotten.

You sigh, pulling off your jacket. You place the sweater over her small frame, hoping that the smell of your familiar perfume would comfort her.

Lyra seems to settle a little once your jacket is placed over her small frame. She buries her face in the soft material, inhaling the scent of your perfume. The soothing fragrance of your jacket combined with your gentle touch seems to work, and her small crying gradually subsides into soft whimpers.

"Looks like all she wanted was a little piece of Mommy." Aaron says teasingly, watching as Lyra calms down in your arms.

The baby continues to nuzzle her face into the jacket, still whimpering a little, but no longer fully crying.

You sigh in relief, stepping back and closing the car door softly. You turn around to face Aaron with a small smile, tilting your head up at him. “Hi.”

Aaron grins down at you, his expression affectionate as you tilt your head up at him. "Hey." he murmurs back, his hand returning to the curve of your hip.

He gazes down at you for a moment, his eyes flickering across your face, as if taking in the sight of you. "You know," he says, a hint of playfulness in his voice. "Lyra's not the only one who missed you."

You laugh softly, a soft blush coating your cheeks. Even after all these years, he still manages to make you blush like a schoolgirl. “I guess I didn’t give you a proper hello, huh?”

Aaron lets out a low chuckle at your soft laugh and the blush that crept onto your cheeks. He can’t help but feel a slight sense of satisfaction at the fact that he can still make you blush so easily after all these years.

“Oh, did you forget something?” he teases, his hand on your hip tightening just a little. He steps closer to you, close enough that you’re nearly pressed flush against his chest.

You hum, frowning in thought. “I guess I did. Wonder what it was.”

His hand moves from your hip to slide under your chin, tilting your head up ever so slightly. His eyes flicker down to your lips, the slightest hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Hmm, wonder what it could be."

He moves even closer to you, his body now fully pressed against yours. The proximity is practically making heat coil in your gut as he looks down at you. "Care to remind me?" he murmurs.

You keep your curious facade up a little longer, leaning even closer into the warmth of his body. “Hmmm, I think I remember now.”

"Oh, do you now?"

Aaron responds by pressing closer into you, his body molding to yours perfectly, like a puzzle piece slotting into place. His fingers keep your chin tilted up, his gaze flickering from your eyes to your lips.

"And what do you remember?" he asks, his voice low and husky, his own playfulness laced with something deeper.

“I think I remember something like this,” You whisper, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “And this,” Another kiss, but to one of his cheeks. “And…this.” A final kiss, finally on the lips.

Aaron lets out a low hum of satisfaction when he feels your lips press against the corner of his mouth, his eyes closing as he relishes in the feel of your touch. As you move to kiss his cheeks, his breath hitches, his eyelids fluttering.

And then, as your lips finally press against his own, he lets out a soft, almost inaudible moan, a shiver running down his spine. His hand moves away from your chin to rest on the small of your back, gently reeling you impossibly closer to his body.

The kiss deepens, your lips moving against his in a slow, languid dance. Despite the years you two have been married, there's still something almost electric about the simple act of kissing one another. His hand on the small of your back tightens, gripping you closer to him, his body yearning to be as close to you as physically possible.

He breaks the kiss after a moment, pulling back just enough to look down at you. Lust pools in his eyes as he takes in your flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips.

"Damn, I missed you."

The words slip out of his mouth in a soft murmur, his hand on your back gently rubbing small circles on the material of your shirt. He runs his tongue over his bottom lip, savoring the taste of your kiss.

Aaron's gaze remains fixated on you, his eyes roaming over your flushed face and swollen lips. He can't help but appreciate the sight, his own heart rate beginning to quicken in response.

“Missed you too, handsome.” You murmured, giving him another soft peck.

The corner of Aaron's mouth quirks up in a small, almost boyish smile. He can't get enough of your affections, and the sound of your voice uttering an endearment only makes him want you more.

He returns the small kiss, his own lips lingering on yours just a bit longer. "Still as sweet as ever, huh?" he murmurs against your mouth.

"Can't help it when I'm around you." you reply, your lips brushing against his again. "You bring out the sweet in me."

Your fingers toy with the collar of his shirt, tugging gently in a playful gesture. There's a hint of a smug smirk on your face, as if you're aware just how much your affection affects him.

Aaron lets out a huff of laughter, a slight rumble in his chest. Your reply and the tugging of his collar causes a shiver to run down his spine. He can't help but fall apart at the sight of your smirk.

"Such a tease." he says in a low murmur, his hand on the small of your back dipping just low enough to nearly dip into the back pocket of your jeans. "You know exactly what you're doing to me, don't you?"

You laugh softly, the sound both sweet and just a touch evil. "Of course I do." you reply, keeping up the playfulness in your voice. "You think after all this time, I wouldn't know how to get a rise out of you?"

Your hand moves from his collar to instead slide down his chest, fingers tracing the muscles underneath his shirt. All the while, your smirk remains in place, your confidence unwavering.

Aaron swallows hard, the feeling of your hand on his chest and the sight of your smug smile are nearly too much for him. He can hardly form a coherent thought, let alone speak in anything more than a low, gruff murmur.

"You're gonna be the death of me, you know that, right?” he manages to mutter, leaning down to press his forehead against yours.

You chuckle softly, the sound almost a purr. "I know." you reply, the tone of your voice almost sultry. You let your hand rest on his chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breaths.

A coy smile graces your features. "But you love it."

Aaron lets out a low rumble deep in his chest, his eyes closing as he leans his head against yours. He can't deny the truth in your words, no matter how teasing you may phrase them.

"Damn right I do." he admits, a hint of desire in his voice. He lets out a breath that's almost a sigh, his hands gripping your hips even tighter.

Your smirk widens at his admission, a sense of satisfaction washing over you. It's always good to know you still have the power to make him weak.

"Good." you murmur, shifting your hand from his chest to once again toy with his collar. "Because I'm planning on making you suffer a lot more tonight."

Aaron lets out another low rumble, the sound almost like a growl this time. The implications in your words send a shiver of anticipation racing down his spine, his grip on your hips tightening reflexively.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" he asks, his voice deep and roughened with desire. He lets his forehead rest against yours again, his eyes opening to meet yours again, the hint of lust still visible.

"Oh, I have a few ideas." you reply, your tone still dripping with an intoxicating sense of confidence. You know exactly how much your words are affecting him, and you bask in it.

You press your body against his, closing the distance between you even more. Now, you're practically flush against his chest, and you can feel the rapid beat of his heart against your own.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

Aaron's breath hitches as you press against him, the feeling of your body flush against his making it difficult for him to think clearly. It takes all his will power not to react like a horny teenager and push you against the car and have his wicked way with you right here in the parking lot.

A low whine escapes his lips as he leans his head down, burying his face in the crook of your neck. He lets out a hot breath against your skin, a low moan escaping his mouth. "You're killing me, y'know that?"

A shiver runs down your spine as you feel Aaron's breath hot against your skin. His low whine and the sound of his voice against your ear make your heart skip a beat, your chest tighten at the raw desire in his words.

"But you love it when I tease you, don't you bean?" you murmur, your voice low and sultry. You run your fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, nails gently scratching his scalp.

Another shiver runs down Aaron's spine as he feels your nails scratching against his scalp. He lets out another moan, the sound muffled against your neck. He can't help but react to your touch, his body begging for more.

He manages to pull his head away from your neck, his breathing still heavy and ragged. He meets your gaze again, his eyes dark with desire. "God, you're so unfair." he mutters, his hands running up and down your sides.

You can't help but smirk at the sight of him all worked up, loving the feeling of how much your teasing affects him. It's almost delicious, seeing him come apart under your touch.

"Oh, is that so?" you purr, your fingers continuing to run through his hair. "Why don't you do something about it, then?"

You press your body even further against his, your chest now fully against his, your faces inches apart.

Aaron lets out a low groan, his restraint slowly slipping away. It's hard for him to resist you when you're so close like this, your body pressing against his, your voice sultry as you dare him to do something about his current state.

He can feel the heat of your bodies mingling, the contact sending bolts of need through his body. He wants you, now.

“Let’s go home.”

[bandsandwristbands]

Hi I was going to finish my horror fic(was hoping to post on Halloween, probably not going to happen) and I ended up starting a leegaa overstim smut I am... a degenerate 🙃

[redjayson]

It's like that fic where the plant body is female and SY is like

SY: I am going to be dicked down by the heavenly pillar

LBH: You don't have to?

SY: Oh, I'm gonna.

oh noooo, he's a wife now, he has to sleep with luo binghe, how horrible! oh well, if he has to fulfill his role as a wife then he will bravely do it. he's putting on flavored lipgloss and negligee as we speak and no one can stop him. it's what luo binghe wants, after all!

[fistfuloflightning]

The Tiger, the Crane, and the Dragon

[maxbruiser]

I just finished the "not your y/n" and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind on sparing us some spoilers? I feel really bad abt y/n alone on the surface W/ no support so, in the future, would her boys be transported too? Would she find comfort W/ the horrortale bro's? They would be a closer comparison to what she's used to(if they're already there I mean). I really really enjoyed reading it before bed and I hope there'll be more updates soon *thumbs up* :)

Her boys would definitely be transported to the surface eventually, but not for some time, gotta build up the angst ya know.

I think that y/n would be pretty comfortable interacting with the horror bros since they look and act kinda similar to her her boys back home. Although, there may be some initial confusion about why y/n doesn’t feel comfortable looking at Crooks’ face. Hopefully she’ll get over that soon enough, though.

I had once written a ghost chapter(unpublished) a few weeks after y/n was brought to the other AU, where in her original universe she pretty much is just erased from the universe entirely. Sans has no memory of her, but something deep in his being is nagging at him that something is missing. Something is…wrong. He just can’t seem to put his phalange on it. One thing he does notice though is how often papyrus just stares into certain spaces. He’ll often see his headless brother in his bedroom’s doorway, facing the bed and just…stays there. It’s worse during mealtimes though.

——

"C’mon paps, the chair can’t be that interesting." Sans sighs as he looks at his brother, then to the direction Papyrus’ neck is turned towards, seeing nothing but an empty space.

Papyrus makes a long, drawn out noise that sounds somewhat inquisitive to sans. He hasn’t even touched his spaghetti yet.

"Heh. Is that so?" Sans drawls out, spinning a bit of pasta onto his fork, not even a lick of understanding for his brother’s garbled speech.

papyrus makes another sound, sounding much more frustrated this time around.

Sans rubs a massive hand over his cracked face. Stars, he wish he could understand his brother. Has it always been this hard to communicate with him since the last reset? He can’t remember.

he stays staring at the chair with papyrus for a bit, resting his gaze on the much smaller chair.

Wait…

his brow furrows.

…why did the dining table have three chairs?

[mthlg]

!!! new fic alert!

my soul takes wing - mowochi

🌊 the minglingying siren au!

🌊 10.5k

🌊 converted thread for #svsssrpweek2023 d6 - fantasy! on twitter

🌊 pirates nyy + lmy with their siren shl!

[tweakerist]

I spent an embarrassing amount of time doing this FHSHQJQJQ i'm going to bed for real now 😇😭

[afsosville]

This is just an /opinion/ and I'm just tryna find ppl that agree with me.

I do not think having kids could quote on quote "fix" Shen Jiu, biological or otherwise. 1) A kid should not bear the responsibility to be that emotionally invested in the shit mental health of their caregiver. Don't make any child go through that. And 2) Nothing about any child could make Shen Jiu be a decent caregiver out of his own volition (sure, he was nice to NYY and probably did care for her, but that's about how far it went ejrrjf tho I'll gladly eat up AUs where he does treat her like a daughter when he knows how to care for a kid properly).

Good luck trying to make Shen Jiu get his shit together unless you're actually changing things about his past. The easiest "fix" imo is to give Shen Jiu an ADULT, heavy emphasis on this, an ADULT that could invest in his mental/emotional wellbeing when Shen Jiu is still a kid or a teen. How else do you expect Shen Jiu to be a responsible adult around kids when he's never had a responsible adult to care for him at all?

There's not a single authority figure in Shen Jiu's life that's ever done him good, not QJL, not WY, and SJ's own shizun, the prev. QJPL is up for debate but I have reasons to believe why they ain't shit too. And like hear me out, YQY doesn't count either coz SJ *thinks* YQY is another caregiver that gave up on him and didn't take responsibility for him. And obviously that's not true, but that's just how it is from his perspective sadly.

I still really like Shen Jiu's dark backstory, coz there's no Shen Jiu without it, buuuuuuuut if you really want a version of him that doesn't take that bullshit out on his disciples, do give him an ADULT, coz never a kid, give him and adult first, before you give him any kids, so he can LEARN HOW TO BE AN ADULT.

Ykwim???

Anyways, this is why older SY/ younger SJ is best Shen Bros dynamic don't try to change my mind.

Here's some Shen Bros fics that are like that >>

Locked and Loaded by Hellister

These Gentle Hands Will by anorangecarrot

Reversal of Fortune by Grace_Youya

The Shadows that Raised Me by Lbhs_left_tiddie

[mars-syndrome]

sooo if ur somehow stumbling across this randomly nothing about this post will make sense unless youve read this fic https://archiveofourown.org/works/57909193

but hey, that promised bingge pov post! (full disclosure i am writing this before ive written the sqh scene so some info may be repeated!)

binghe was aware of sy’s nature from the very beginning. he knew it was demonic, but meng mo was the one who let him know about the concept of demon dolls and how theyre created. when he chose sy for qing jing, he was fully convinced it was actually a demon doll with sqq’s exact soul/copy and wanted to get ahead of whatever revenge he and/or yqy may be planning.

meng mo also told him that since sqq’s been dead yqy had probably used his own soul to help ‘create’ sy so both of them were hesitant to use their dream manipulation incase it let yqy know something was up since they could be spiritually linked and lbh’s half demon status was unknown plus he’d be the first person yqy would want to blame. while he wouldnt use dream manipulation since it was spiritual based, he would use the blood parasites as insurance since it was fully physical.

upon meeting sy, he began to have doubts about whether it was sqq’s soul. hence the fungi mission. he used that mission to judge just how human or demonic sy’s body is and also gauge his reaction to not being affected by the spores if his body was demonic to tell how “in the know” he was. when sy was genuinely confused and just accepted whatever explanation lbh gave him, he concluded sy knew absolutely nothing at all and shifted his focus to actually making sy care for him.

his confrontation with yqy after the fungi mission was basically yqy and lbh trying to psych each other out about how much the other knew. it ended with lbh implying he knew what was up, that he could reveal yqy for colluding with demonic cultivators and/or demons, and that he wouldnt let sy get found out unless yqy does some shit bc hey, thats his disciple. so up until now (chapter whatever this is linked on) they’ve operated under a strained truce that yqy stays away from sy and lbh wont reveal them.

for lbh getting close with sy was just a fun little side project. after all, a little sqq who adored him more than anything in the world? sqq would be seething and rolling in his grave. it doesnt hurt that sy was so earnest and cute either and him being on the peak made nyy happy so he was fine with getting some revenge like that.

in the fic’s og pidw, this grows into lbh desperately craving affection and validation from the kid who looks so much like his shizun who withheld it. he’ll grow codependent with sy, but the relationship stays very much master/disciple. on some level he’s aware that though sy does genuinely care for and admire him, hes playing out a role to receive lbh’s protection.

but in the fic our sy, earnest and naive, found the jade pendent.

this is bingge, two decades removed from the abuse he suffered. he’s had two decades to get stronger, to realize the world bends to his whims. to realize no matter where he goes he’ll have women falling over themselves to get into his bed but none of them will ever truly love him and what they give him is shallow. to realize he’ll have men envying him and wishing him harm just for being better. this bingge doesn’t have mobei-jun or any wives to share even the illusion of closeness or companionship with. he has nyy yet she’s been relishing in her role as da-shijie and hes happy for her truly, but he’s been alone in the bamboo house for 20 years.

when bingge meets sy!sqq in svsss who shows him just two days worth of normal domestic kindness, he immediately wants to leave with him. so how would our bingge feel with our sy, who he’s had unrestricted access to for 2 years, who holds genuine affection for him with no ulterior motive, who admires him openly and unashamedly, when he returns the very symbol of his happiness and the last bit of true love hes ever felt?

“precious fake jade indeed” he said

this fake sqq, this flawed copy of the man who tormented him, gave him back this fake pendant that he held most dear, that he lost hope of ever getting back again.

was that not symbolic? did that not make shen yuan his as well? did that not make shen yuan another symbol of love for him? did shen yuan not hand himself over to binghe when he handed over the pendant?

he begins objectifying sy almost. this was his person. obviously if sy was defective for yqy’s purposes, then wouldnt it make sense for sy to have been made just for lbh? after all, who else could cherish and protect sy like he could? yqy let him out of his sight long enough for him to becomes lbh’s so he wasnt fit. sy cant look after himself. only luo binghe could.

the mission he took just after sy’s 16th birthday was to track down the demon clan responsible for sy’s creation and learn more about it to see if he could sever and/or work around yqy’s connection. as soon as he learned everything, he returned and used dream manipulation (after he figured out it was safe) to walk through sy’s memories like svsss bingge did to sqq. he realizes sy’s memories are gone, he and meng mo conclude it was probably an error in the connection to body and soul bc of the nature of demon puppets. but hey, a wins a win. sy has no affection for yqy and the fact sy is loyal to only lbh remains unchanged.

speaking of, he should probably make sy his head disciple officially so yqy cant make any accusations about lbh’s inappropriate closeness to his disciple, no matter how true they are.

[kirkodiletears]

I wanted to answer this question: (it's only a speculation)

"How intense is Luo Binghe love for the original Shen jiu and why is he so damn fixitated him for is it his looks or personality lol ? I'v read so many fics of Shen yuan identity reveal with Luo binghe and the peaklords that always ended positively but do you think it'd be the same in the canonverse? Like if Shen yuan were to reveal he wasn't the original would they react positively or negatively?"

I think 1st thing he feel in love was SJ's looks

"Shang Qinghua: “What was your first impression of the other person?”

 

Luo Binghe continued to reminisce and lightly said: “An aloof and remote, distant and untouchable immortal.”

then he started to do anything to gain SJ's attention/favor... He befriended with SJ's favorite disciple NYY, even if she always got him in trouble, then after he was pushed down to the abyss he realized that SJ would never return his feelings so he decided to destroy him, meanwhile he started to cope with it and started to pretend that SJ was a scum villain who couldn't love anyone but himself (that's probably why he never seen SJ's memories even if he was able to do so) and when YQY died he and SJ's reaction finally shattered his illusions...

Well, in my opinion, you pretty much nailed it. Especially keeping in mind the original intentions of Airplane to write PIDW as a yaoi novel with SJ (SQQ) and LBH as a OTP.

P.S.: Apparently I better quote the text of SVSSS, chapter 81 to be precise, to avoid ignorant comments. There's a huge misunderstanding going on in the English-speaking segment, probably dew to an English translation of SVSSS. Some readers are mislead by two quotes, that they take as a contradictory, which in truth, they are NOT.

The first one is from a Chapter "The story begins". It is the last chapter of the novel, after this the extras start. And this particular chapter is a culmination: this is where the truth is reveled. Like in a detective story, where we finally find out, who the killer is. This meant to become a real "bomb", that makes a reader go WOOOW!!! And this is THE KEY for understanding the whole story: the plot and the characters, especially Luo Bing-mei (and Luo Bing-ge). And speaks about the intentions of the Airplane. (original scrapped outline(c))

The second quote on the other hand speaks of an EXISTING PIDW. (original outline(c))

The first quote, from the final chapter:

Shen Qingqiu looked him up and down. “You don’t look crushed at all after all this foolish messing around ended up completely changing your own novel.”

Shang Qinghua said, “You can’t say it like that ah. Maybe you think it’s just all foolish messing around that isn’t worth a damn, but for Bing-ge, your foolish messing around is probably the meaning of this entire world.”

... holy s***, Great God Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky was able to say something like that?!

Shen Qingqiu was terrified. “F***. You didn’t turn back into the original character, did you?”

Shang Qinghua said seriously, “Don’t be like that. I’m also a young person with literary ideals. Of course, I have my own reflections and emotions.”

Shen Qingqiu laughed coldly. “What literary ideals? How come all I saw in the original work was shameless fanservice?” Not to mention his hand speed that could produce ten thousand words a day, and the courage to even occasionally explode with twenty thousand. If he didn’t have such equipment, there was no way 《Proud Immortal Demon Way》 would have been able to hold out before it was serialized!

Shang Qinghua spread his hands. “You think that I always wrote shameless content that lacked any integrity from the very start? I’ve also written belles-lettres4 before, but they were all unpopular, so I had no choice but to go down a path that catered to the masses. It must be said that writing novels is a very lonely undertaking. Rather than writing a stallion male protagonist who’ll be stereotypical in the end, it’s more in line with my philosophy for writing to create the current Bing-ge━this kind of weirdo male protagonist whose character is a bit more complicated, has contradictions and conflicts, and has a rough destiny.”

Shen Qingqiu concluded, “So, your philosophy for writing is to write about gay guys?”

Shang Qinghua: “Do you look down upon gay male protagonists? Works of art and artists all like to create gay guys. Belles-lettres favors gays, do you know that?”

He waved his arms wildly and passionately. “Cucumber Bro, if the System hadn’t chosen you, this faithful die-hard reader, perhaps the plot wouldn’t have deviated so thoroughly, thoroughly to the point that it deviated all the way back to my original scrapped outline. Even though the me back in reality━who couldn’t endure the loneliness and was under financial pressure━chose to finish writing 《Proud Immortal Demon Way》 according to other people’s preferences and what they found cool... now, all thanks to you, essentially everything that I wanted to write has already unfolded in front of my eyes. Cucumber Bro!”

He patted Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders with deep sentiment and solemnity. “You... are the chosen one; as for my career, I have no more regrets!”

... why did it sound like the System and this world were both products of Shang Qinghua’s resentment over scrapping that outline and going with what was mainstream?

Shen Qingqiu, who shamefully became this kind of “chosen one”: “Who’s your faithful die-hard reader?”

Shang Qinghua waved his hand and one-sidedly declared his victory. “I’m not going to talk to you; you’re an anti-fan.”

Shen Qingqiu was about to say, “I’m only an anti, not a fan!” when he suddenly heard Shang Qinghua starting crooning something like, “Emotions are warm, kindness hard to bear, lips moving together, desires turning the evening to the next morning, never resting from dawn to dusk.” The crucial point was that melody, which sounded extremely familiar to the point that it made Shen Qingqiu’s hands and teeth itch. He pointed at him and said, “Shang Qinghua, what are you singing?”

Shang Qinghua continued to croon. “The warmth of emotions makes gratitude hard to bear. Lips to lips, locked in a kiss. Let this night linger ‘til tomorrow’s dawn. Day after day, night after night; never to end. Will tomorrow be another today? When ‘til Zheng Yang reaches its zenith? As Zheng Yang ascends, the voice of Autumn stirs. A sheathless Xiu Ya, a spurt of cold nectar. Tragic pleas amidst choked sobs, thus in vain; for he rises again5...”

Shen Qingqiu was in disbelief. “F*** you—why don’t you just try and sing another line?”

Shang Qinghua said, “Great Lord Shen, why aren’t you listening to what I’m saying? You must never go around casually f***ing people. Bing-ge will go crazy. I’m telling you, this Resentment of Chunshan is equivalent to Shi Ba Mo6. You two are the legendary national homos, do you understand? I have no problems with you shutting me up, but ultimately it’s useless. You can’t possibly make all the countless people in the world shut up...”

The second quote, from the extras: "

System: 【Basic accomplishment of《Proud Immortal Demon Way》’s original outline, slight deviation of romance plot, objective accomplished. Function to return to original world download complete. Activate return home sequence?】

Basic accomplishment of the original outline, that he agreed with, all the holes which needed to be filled were filled. But, this “slight deviation of romance plot” isn’t quite right. Bing-ge is gay no━how can you say this is a “slight deviation”? Ay okay, okay. In fact, in his original outline, Bing-ge didn’t have a romance plot; he was doomed to fade away, alone and unaging forever. If you insist on adding a plotline, that’s whatever, but he’s wasted this many words… you mean he can return to his original world?!?!"

The second quote is very poorly translated into English. What it actually means, is that Bing-ge does not have ANY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP, LOVE. Nothing to do with he amount of partners he fucks. And yes - the ending for the tyrant he became in PIDW is not happy in a slightest. This is how his relationship with the harem is described by the PIDW reader's forum in the novel:

"Airplane really doesn’t know how to write romance plotlines, best if he just doesn’t. I feel like Luo Binghe doesn’t have feelings for any of his wives, he just wants to use them. And I can’t see any of those women with real moving emotion for him. "

[lawsofchaos1]

Shadowhunter Promptlet: Obeisance

In honor of the impending AO3 Shutdown Great Panic, please have a writing promptlet from one of my oldest journals. Fun fact: this is the predecessor to my angsty fic For Every Bird There Is a Stone. :)

~

When Alec is sixteen he discovers that his parents were in the Circle.

Not trusting any story they would tell him, Alec doesn't ask his mother or his father about their past, going instead to Alicante on official business and slipping the Hall of Records on his way back to New York.

Alec reads the file he illegally copied and is unsurprised to learn they were highly ranked- Maryse was one of Valentine's highest generals- and neither his mother nor his father stopped killing Downworlders without reason until it was made a condition of their parole.

Alec wishes he was surprised.

The file on his parent’s activity estimates the number of Downworlders they murdered and tortured, but no names are listed. The werewolves and the Seelie and the vampires and the warlocks are all left almost entirely anonymous, not even a cursory effort to identify them.

Alec reads every single word in both documents and discovers that there is one name contained in both, a single name that belongs to the only known survivor of his parent's wrath under Valentine's orders: a warlock that Maryse and Robert brutally tortured before his escape. Magnus Bane.

Alec is livid when he finds out that Magnus was never so much as apologized to, not even when he was later contracted by his parents to perform magical upkeep of the NYI wards after their parole.

When Shadowhunters have wronged another, the strongest expression of regret and repentance in nephilim culture is performing obeisance before the one who was wronged. It’s an expression of complete abjection and humility, acknowledging you (or one you are responsible for) have wronged the recipient and your punishment is in their hands.

In response to what he’s learned, Alec petitions the Clave for not only the Institute in full, but also the Headship of the Lightwood family.

Disgusted as they are by not only Maryse and Robert’s past actions, but also by their cowardice in refusing to take responsibility for their actions in the Circle and their present action in effectively leaving the Headship of the NYI to their son since he was fourteen, the Clave agrees. After the ceremonial transfer, Alec goes directly to Pandemonium. 

Magnus asks sarcastically if the new Head of the NYI is there to lay down the law or to make trouble. Alec doesn’t respond. Instead, he disarms himself, laying his weapons on the ground. All of them.

“Last week, I petitioned the Clave for Headship of not only the New York Institute, but also the Lightwood family. Both were granted, making me directly responsible for the future actions of all Shadowhunters under my command, but also for all actions of the Lightwood family, future and past.” 

Alec breathes deeply. “My parents, Robert and Maryse Lightwood, were in the Circle and believe wholly in the racist, genocidal doctrine preached by Valentine Morganstern. They committed unspeakable atrocities in his name to all factions of Downworlders, but when they spoke of their crimes to the Clave when requesting leniency, they only named the species of those they murdered and tortured without remorse. Except for you, High Warlock Bane. You, they named.”

Magnus was coldly imperious when he spoke. “Did you come to request absolution on their behalf, Shadowhunter? Because you certainly won’t receive it from me. Your parents slaughtered dozens for no other reason than their blood, and I will not forgive them.”

Alec nodded. “I didn’t expect you too. However, when I accepted the Lightwood Headship, the responsibility for their crimes became mine to bear. Although I know that this will be no consolation for you or for the friends and families of those hurt by my parents, you should know that I have ordered them confined to their home in Idris for the rest of their lives. They will never again bear weapons or act as members of the body of the Clave. They will never again harm another Downworlder. You have my oath on that.”

Magnus raised a brow. “A letter would have sufficed if that’s all you have to say.”

“No.” Alec paused. “Are- are you aware of the nephilim Rite of Obeisance?” 

Magnus paused for a fraction of a second, only noticeable to Alec given his closeness to the warlock. “I’ve heard of it, yes. It’s only been performed twice in the past century, if I remember correctly?”

Alec’s lips twitched sardonically. “It’s fallen out of favor since it requires admitting fault and accepting the consequence without possibility of appeal.”

Magnus’ own smile was cruelly amused. “Yes, I can see why you nephilim might not like that thought when the Clave hands out pardons to anyone with an old enough family name.”

Alec didn’t respond for a long moment. When he did, his voice was soft, but not hesitant. “Like they did to my parents.”

“Yes,” Magnus agreed, even though Alec hadn’t made it a question.

Alec closed his eyes for a brief moment in acknowledgement, then looked up to lock gazes with Magnus. “High Warlock Bane,” Alec’s voice was pitched to carry, his intonation suddenly formal. “As Head of the Lightwood Family, Maryse and Robert Lightwood now fall under my responsibility. They have both committed grievous harm to your person and have also committed grievous harm, including murder, to an unknown number of warlocks under your protection. Their crimes have not been punished by the Clave, nor can their crimes be fully addressed by anyone other than one harmed by them.”

And before the astonished eyes of all those present in Pandemonium, Alec sank to his knees, bowing forward until his forehead touched to floor in front of Magnus’ feet.

“As the one bearing responsibility for their actions, I give myself wholly to you in the fullest expression of remorse I can offer. In recompense for the harm done to you and yours, everything I have, up to my life, I give in offering to you.”