#or well they don't get together while hua cheng is a student

[unforth]

(tw attempted suicide)

Thinking so so so so SO much about a modern AU where the "power binding mark" is a tattoo that Xie Lian's horribly abusive ex and former dom Jun Wu forced Xie Lian to get in a prominent location so everyone would be able to see at a glance who Xie Lian belongs to.

It took him a long time to get away.

Now he always wears turtle necks.

He's convinced he'll never find anyone willing to date him when he's got such a tattoo.

And of course, then he meets Hua Cheng...

(Xie Lian is also trans)

(Xie Lian also has wrist scars from trying to kill himself)

Just imagining a scene where they're finally getting close to each other and instead of being able to use his words, Xie Lian just says, "I need you to know, there are three things you have to accept about me, and if any of them aren't okay, you should leave right now" and he takes off his shirt to reveal his top surgery scars, his suicide scars, and his horrid tattoo.

Of course Hua Cheng understands all three (and HE uses HIS words so they both can be sure he's understood correctly) and accepts all three.

(Xie Lian will also be gentle domming HC into oblivion)

[e-n-t-r-o-p-i-c-f-r-o-g]

Idk if this is a headcanon or if I've just gone absolutely nuts at this point with the sheer degree of prolonged brainrot but anywho

I was researching irl blood rain. I am constantly trying to think of plausible ways to include tgcf elements into a sci fi setting for my (long AS FUCK) au, which is why I was looking into this, and I learned something new! (If you already know this I'm sorry I don't intent to yap on my high horse. My horse is a film student background. I have no prior knowledge of this subject)

From my rudimentary understanding, blood rain/red rain is caused by an increase of airborne iron oxide (aka rust) that is then caught in the rain droplets as they fall. How the iron oxide gets there (under natural circumstances) has been due to the spores of this algae: Trentepohlia annulata (thanks wikipedia). There are other natural cases that don't involve this algae, I just think it's cool askfklgl

But, obviously, for most of human history, we did not know this. Blood rain was a bad omen, and still is in most stories involving it.

BUT!!! Iron oxide is great for creating fertile soil! Which I didn't know. I don't normally think of mettalic rust and plants going well together in that way, but hey (IT'S INCREDIBLY RELEVANT TO MY OWN NICHE SCI FI INTERESTS AFSGRKGL. CRYING!! "TEARS IN RAIN" DAWG!).

Also, iron oxide is a key historical ingredient in red paint. Just thought I'd throw that in there, too. Red, red, red... So much red.

Honestly, to my memory, I can't recall a moment where the blood rain power was explicitly explained in canon. I always thought that it was meant to be mainly metaphorical, which probably remains true. If anyone can correct me on this, I'd love to hear it.

Anyway, this is my long-winded way of saying that my headcanon is as follows: rather than be merely an omen, or a way to announce his own ghost-kingly presence, I've always seen the blood rain as like, violent nourishment. Kindness in vengeance. Inciting fear while also thwarting drought. Hua Cheng imo is conflicted in that way (also don't even get me STARTED on the fact that his power is rain when that is literally what Xie Lian and Xianle needed holy FUCK).

Volcanic eruptions can and do cause blood rain as well. Perhaps that could be the first instance of this happening? Reborn from Mt Tonglu as he was? I like to think that young Hua Cheng stumbled a lot in order to get to the cool persona he puts on 800 years later. Meaning that i think much of what contributes to him as a person in the early days are things that 1) happen to him by happenstance and 2) are then converted into ways he can find/protect/support Xie Lian. Perhaps the miraculous blood rain gave him ideas and inspired him to recreate such a catastrophic and miraculous event and become synonymous with it. To cure droughts, he makes the heavens bleed.

I...have hijacked this post completely...I AM SO SORRY!! But also thank you for making me think about this. It's helped me write at least a little coherently when I haven't been able to at all the last few days.

WHEEEE!

guys pls share your hua cheng headcanons i beg