#so he hasn't yet assigned all his weird baggage about being in a gay relationship with the protagonist to their relationship

[waitineedaname]

One thing I love about that scene is how casually SQQ pushes Binghe around and manhandles him. Book 2 was heavily defined by his complete terror of Luo Binghe, and now all that fear is just gone. Binghe is even enraged with jealousy, but it doesn’t even threaten him anymore. Nothing has changed but his perception of the situation and it makes all the difference. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

that's so true!! I think that really says something about how far they've come, especially taking into account the two previous scenes. like you said, Shen Qingqiu spends so much of book two terrified that Luo Binghe wants to kill him, but by now he's figured out Binghe's feelings for him and is realizing that Binghe doesn't actually want to hurt him. before the Tent Shenanigans, there's the scene where they're fighting before SQQ's soul gets yoinked out of the plant body, and then there's Holy Mausoleum arc. there's a lot to unpack in their fight in the plant body but I think most relevant is that SQQ is less Scared and more Pissed Off, and as many people have pointed out, Binghe did not intend to actually hurt him in that scene, he was just trying to scare him because he thought he was fulfilling a role SQQ wanted him to play. and he was Also Pissed Off.

and then there's the Holy Mausoleum, which is just. so much. Holy Mausoleum I love you, best arc in the whole damn series. but SQQ spends most of that arc carrying Binghe's unconscious body around and protecting him, and they have their Moment when they're both sobbing at each other. at this point, SQQ is really coming to understand Binghe's feelings for him and that Binghe doesn't truly want to hurt him. plus this scene in the tent starts with Binghe kissing him and SQQ snapping at him to kneel and Binghe fucking DROPPING to his knees! this might be the first point in the story where they are truly Equals, especially in SQQ's understanding of things. Binghe might be the terrifyingly powerful demon emperor protagonist, but SQQ has the authority to shove Binghe around and the security in knowing he's not going to be dismembered for it

so yeah, he can manhandle Binghe as much as he likes! Binghe even enjoys it, even if he's also angry that someone else is daring to look at Shizun

[skeren]

@waitineedaname Your TAGS!

#they're still very dysfunctional at this point <3 #but they're getting CLOSE to being functional #or at least as functional as these two can get #i saw someone say this was the point when they're at their most equal #because it's after sqq acknowledges that binghe is in love with him (and therefore isn't going to kill him) #but BEFORE he acknowledges his own feelings #so he hasn't yet assigned all his weird baggage about being in a gay relationship with the protagonist to their relationship #like later on once he's confessed we see his issues about like. ''i can't top the protagonist!'' and all his other internalized homophobia #but he hasn't acknowledged his own feelings at this point #so he's more comfortable bossing binghe around #like ordering him to kneel and seriously scolding him for being disobedient #which like. binghe clearly enjoys. a LOT. he likes being scolded and bossed around by sqq #and i think sqq is aware that it's a Sex Thing for binghe #but he hasn't acknowledged that it might also be a sex thing for him too lol #because he hasn't acknowledged that the attraction goes both ways yet #so he can snap at binghe and shove him around and SIT ON HIM but it's fine because it's not like it's a sex thing for HIM #<- he is a buffoon #anyway this is my dom sqq agenda #i think i've gotten off track. um. where was i. #anyway yeah it's really nice seeing that he's not scared of binghe anymore :')

One thing I love about that scene is how casually SQQ pushes Binghe around and manhandles him. Book 2 was heavily defined by his complete terror of Luo Binghe, and now all that fear is just gone. Binghe is even enraged with jealousy, but it doesn’t even threaten him anymore. Nothing has changed but his perception of the situation and it makes all the difference. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

that's so true!! I think that really says something about how far they've come, especially taking into account the two previous scenes. like you said, Shen Qingqiu spends so much of book two terrified that Luo Binghe wants to kill him, but by now he's figured out Binghe's feelings for him and is realizing that Binghe doesn't actually want to hurt him. before the Tent Shenanigans, there's the scene where they're fighting before SQQ's soul gets yoinked out of the plant body, and then there's Holy Mausoleum arc. there's a lot to unpack in their fight in the plant body but I think most relevant is that SQQ is less Scared and more Pissed Off, and as many people have pointed out, Binghe did not intend to actually hurt him in that scene, he was just trying to scare him because he thought he was fulfilling a role SQQ wanted him to play. and he was Also Pissed Off.

and then there's the Holy Mausoleum, which is just. so much. Holy Mausoleum I love you, best arc in the whole damn series. but SQQ spends most of that arc carrying Binghe's unconscious body around and protecting him, and they have their Moment when they're both sobbing at each other. at this point, SQQ is really coming to understand Binghe's feelings for him and that Binghe doesn't truly want to hurt him. plus this scene in the tent starts with Binghe kissing him and SQQ snapping at him to kneel and Binghe fucking DROPPING to his knees! this might be the first point in the story where they are truly Equals, especially in SQQ's understanding of things. Binghe might be the terrifyingly powerful demon emperor protagonist, but SQQ has the authority to shove Binghe around and the security in knowing he's not going to be dismembered for it

so yeah, he can manhandle Binghe as much as he likes! Binghe even enjoys it, even if he's also angry that someone else is daring to look at Shizun