#put this on queue bc im not posting at 8pm again😭

[charlotte-family-apologist]

I was reading your OCs post and I sympathize with Huai a lot. Kung Lao is one of my favorite characters so I'm glad to see some lore about his family, as terrible as they are to this poor gal.

I don't know if this aspect of your AU completely follows the canon lore so it might be irrelevant but how did Huai live through the death of her cousin and her family moving to the U.S? What about her son leaving the family to become a thief or when she found out about Jin's orientation? Surely she had to find herself standing up for her son despite the pressure of her family's hate and judgement.

Thank you so much for the ask! 😭

In my au the Kung family doesn't move to America because of their status in China. If they are as powerful as canon suggests I don't understand why they would uproot their life. Also I've structured them like a clan with land that multiple families live on, with Lao's being the main family/clan heads (I figured they wouldn't name some random Kung after their ancestor).

Lao's death hit her hard as he was essentially her rock, even if he didn't know the true extent of how she was treated. She found herself just going through the motions for a couple years afterward. The only times she was really present was when she was raising Jin. I don't think she ever fully processed her grief and just tried to "move on" on her own.

After Jin was caught with his boyfriend at school there were several family meetings on what to do with him. The majority without Jin present. His head had already been shaved to mark his dishonor. So most was about deciding his future and whether or not he is still fit as a member of the main branch.

The consensus was to have him married off to a woman and if he resisted he'd be kicked out and disowned with nothing but the clothes on his back. Huai tried to fight it, not wanting him to become as miserable as she is. She pulled her status as clan heiress, something she hadn't done in over a decade, but was overruled. That night after everyone was asleep she helped Jin pack a bag and gave him the money from her childhood escape fund, she told him the elders were disowning him (purposefully leaving out the marriage part) and he had to get as many things as he can and leave before they noticed. Telling him that he'd be happier out there than he ever would be here.

I imagine Jin feels incredibly conflicted about it. He found himself resenting Huai despite his better judgment. He questions why she didn't fight for him more, why she was such a doormat his entire childhood, and, while grateful for keeping him afloat the first couple weeks while he adjusted to his new life, why she gave him such little money, not knowing it wasn't from the family's vault. An itching feeling keeps telling him there's more to the story but he can't seem piece it together.

After joining the Shaolin, he's redirected most of his anger toward the clan itself, accepting Huai tried to do her best. But if he saw her again he doesn't think he'll be able to meet her eyes.