#the solution? cause enough of a ruckus that the master has to come and stop them from being a danger to his humans

[flautistsandpeonies]

Reformation Part 4

Read the Previous Chapter [Here]

Word Length: 3,101

Summary: You have to succeed no matter what. If you don’t, the loss would be devastating.

The day after the next, the Lan Discussion hall was filled once again; however,  this time, a ruckus was occurring in every corner of the room.

“This is outrageous!, “Sect Leader Wang cried, a sentiment echoed by many leaders within the hall, “We have to do something about that foul beast!”

After the hunting party returned, the Lan Sect went into lockdown; the guards tripled, all armed with banishment tools and blades freshly sharpened. Visiting disciples were told to lessen their departures from the Cloud Recesses as a safety measure. With the events of the other night, guards were placed around the Jingshi, and no one but sect leaders were allowed to see Wei WuXian in his worsened state.

“We are taking a-Xian home, “Jiang Fengmian stood toe to toe with Lan Qiren

“That is unnecessary, “Lan Qiren said tersely

“What’s necessary, “Jiang Fengmian replied, “is making sure that my head disciple is no longer in danger. That creature may come back for him.”

“Which is why he should stay here, “Lan QIren challenged, “How can you be sure it won’t attack as soon as you leave the Cloud Recesses?”

“It’s a being of the night is it not?, “Yu ZiYuan huffed, “It won’t come in the day; if we leave right now we’ll be safe in our home soon enough.”

“And is Wei WuXian safe in your home?, “Sect Leader He challenged, “How can we be sure that the Jiangs won’t cause him more harm?.”

Yu ZiYuan glared at the man, “Does He Zongzhu believe that we are more dangerous than some unknown creature?”

“Seeing as you are the cause of this whole situation, I can firmly say “yes”, “Sect Leader He returned her glare

The noise within the hall grew louder. Sect leaders were doing their best to hush their disciples, but the room was slowly descending into chaos.

A disciple in the back hollered, “None of this would’ve happened had you just controlled yourself, woman!”

“What was that!, “Madam Jin thundered while Yu ZiYuan grew purple at the accusation

“Say that again!, “Jiang WanYin challenged the hidden cultivator

The disciple was brave with their anonymity, “The Violet Spider is insane! Wei WuXian would’ve never been in Gusu if she hadn’t attacked him at the banquet! That creature would have never shown!”

Minor sect disciples nearly screamed in agreement. Yu ZiYuan looked ready to unfurl Zidian against the crowd while Madam Jin braced her palm against her blade.

Wen Ruohan slammed his hand down against his table; the action silenced many.

“That’s quite enough of that, “the man looked vaguely annoyed, “Squabbling like children will get us nowhere.”

The Wen disciples were the only ones other than the Lans not kicking up a fuss in the hall. Sitting diligently beside their sect leader, they could only differ to him and keep quiet unless spoken to.

“Wen Zongzhu, “Jiang Fengmian turned to him, “It’s best if we leave with a-Xian immediately. The creature seems to favor forests and mountains, our lake-fronts may deter it.”

“And will Jiang Zongzhu be able to keep Wei WuXian safe from the other beast after his life, “flicking a hand in ZiYuan’s direction, Ruohan was unaffected by her anger

“I won’t allow her to harm him anymore, “Fengmian replied, though no one believed him, “I can send my own hunting party after the creature.”

“And who will lead it, “Sect Leader Wang questioned, “Yourself? Your son? The last hunt had Nie Zongzhu and Gusu Lan’s Twin Jades, and the creature fought them easily. What hope do you have? What hope do any of us have?”

Sect Leader Wang’s words sent a wave of depression over the crowd. With the Cloud Recesses in lockdown, it was as if they were prey animals trapped in a pen, and the creature outside was a fox waiting to devour them.

“What will we do?!, “a minor sect disciple cried, “What if it tries to consume us all?!”

Jin GuangShan stood and walked towards his fellow sect leaders, “Perhaps, we could try using Wei WuXian again?”

“No, “Lan WangJi said with an icy air around him, “Another attempt only endangers Wei Ying.”

“Second Young Master Lan, “Jin GuangShan implored, “Let’s not be unreasonable. What else could we possibly do? Wait until the creature tries to break in?”

“Having Wei WuXian there in that state is too dangerous, “Lan XiChen said in his brother’s defense

“We need a solution, “GuangShan replied, “We can’t all stay here waiting for something to happen.”

“We will not risk him again, “Lan WangJi said tersely

“It may be necessary, “the Jin Sect Leader pressed, “For the moment, the creature seems to be focused on him. This may be our only chance to kill it.”

“You are all so very incompetent, “a chill went up in the air, Wen Ruohan tapped his hand against his chair impatiently as he interrupted the ensuing argument again

Unlike before, Wen Ruohan didn’t seem to find satisfaction in the other sects arguing. The man was slowly releasing his spiritual power throughout the room; some people found themselves falling to their knees from the pressure.

“Wen Zongzhu, “Lan XiChen was choosing his words carefully, “the Lan are very capable of attending to Wei WuXian’s needs.”

“Are you?, “the near-immortal replied, his tone neither pleasant nor placating, “That’s twice now a hunt by the Lans has injured him.”

“This creature is new to us all, “XiChen said as finely as he could, “Now that we know what it’s capable of, we can deal with it better.”

"Still, the Cloud Recesses is no safer than Lotus Pier with that creature around, “Jiang Fengmian spoke, “I don’t see why he has to stay here.”

“We cannot be blamed for..., “XiChen started but was stopped by Wen Ruohan raising his hand

“I will say this clearly..., “the Wen Sect Leader was out of patience, “The Jiangs have damaged a perfectly good disciple for no reason. The Lans took him in, only for him to be bewitched by some unknown creature.”

The pressure in the room got even stronger. More experienced cultivators grit their teeth, forcing themselves to stay upright.

“Who should care for him now? The Nie? The Jin? A minor sect? Will we cycle him through all of your healing pavilions before the year is out?, “Each question came with the cultivator’s ever-darkening tone

Everyone in the room flinched as Wen Ruohan slammed his hand down once more.

“Plan another hunt. A better hunt, “it wasn’t a suggestion, “If there’s no change after this next attempt, if he is damaged again, then I’ll be taking Wei WuXian back to Nightless City with me. I’m certain my Xu-er can hunt this creature while a-Qing watches over him.”

Wen Ruohan’s eyes were a deadly fire, “Are there any objections?”

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For the next couple of days, sect leaders met and prepared for the next hunt. Limited in what disciples they could send, they couldn’t be as choosy and particular as they normally would when vetting their disciples. Too scared that a courier would be eaten by the looming creature, they had to choose from what little reserves they had.

The Jiangs would send Jiang WanYin, heading all the disciples the Jiang clan brought to the discussion. The Lan would be sending their Twin Jades along with several senior disciples. The Nie would bring their sect leader along with the disciples he carried along. The Jin would send their heir, his cousin, and their retinue. The Wen were sending all the disciples Wen Ruohan brought with him. The minor sects were sending their strongest disciples they had with them at the time.

Everyone was both nervous and excited about the hunt. The idea of fighting an unknown creature no doubt gave them a lot of anxiety, but, on the other hand, the fame and glory that would come from defeating it was enough to solidify their resolve.

Back in the Jingshi, Lan WangJi sat in the guestroom, sharpening his sword and preparing for the hunt.

“Master.....”

To his right, Wei WuXian lay in bed, a disturbed look upon his unconscious face. Uneven breaths came out of his slightly open mouth.

“Calling me.....Master...is...”

Not pausing in taking care of his blade, each word from Wei WuXian’s mouth made WangJi press the wet stone down a little bit harder, the sparks flying high.

“WangJi, “looking up, Lan XiChen, Nie MingJue, and Nie Huaisang stood in the doorway

“Xiongzhang, “WangJi nodded in greeting, “Nie Zongzhu, Second Young Master Nie.”

MingJue nodded back, “Huaisang wanted to see him, so I called a break from our night-hunt planning. Apologies for intruding.”

“No need, “WangJi shook his head as Nie Huaisang stepped into the room and quickly went up to Wei WuXian

“He says it during the day now, “Huaisang sat down gently beside his friend

Placing his hand on Wei WuXian’s forehead, the enchanted man tried to shake him away.

“Master....”

Huaisang sighed and removed his hand, “Wei-Xiong, you have the worst luck”

“He’s still alive, that’s at least something, “Nie MingJue said, trying to console him

“Calling me.....Master...”

“The meeting?, “WangJi asked while flipping his blade over

“It’s more arguing than planning, “XiChen replied, “People aren’t as worried about the hunt as more as who has a claim to Young Master Wei after all this is over.”

“No one does, “Was WangJi’s succinct reply

“Calling me....calling....calling.....”

“True, but they’re all talking  in possibilities. Everyone’s claiming Young Master Wei would be more comfortable with them than anywhere else, “XiChen spoke

“That’s for Wei Ying to decide, “giving a quick glance to the man, he said, “after he wakes.”

“Jiang Zongzhu still advocating to take him back to Lotus Pier, “Huaisang frowned, “I don’t trust Madam Yu around him, nor Jiang WanYin.”

“And Ruohan seems determined to take him to Nightless City, “MingJue added, crossing his arms

“He won’t have reason to after the hunt, “Lan WangJi’s stern tone matched the scrape of the wet-stone against Bichen

“WangJi?, “XiChen questioned, giving a look to his little brother

Lan WangJi’s eyes were alight with resolution as he set the wet stone on the floor.

“I will take off its head.”

...

“Calling me.....”

Standing in the middle of the clearing, Wei WuXian stood slouched, the moonlight shining down upon him. Glossy pink eyes seemed to be looking for something as he chanted on and on.

“Master.....”

Hiding in the trees, cultivators had swords, arrows, and talismans at the ready. It was only a matter of time before the creature appeared.

Their plans had changed dramatically from the last time, instead of trailing the enchanted man to the clearing, they simply brought him before his nightly wake and set up traps along the way.

“Calling me....Master...is...”

“Nothing is showing on the compass, “Jin ZiXun complained staring down at the cultivation tool

“Perhaps the compass doesn’t register it as a resentful being, “a Wen disciple thought aloud

“Then how will we track it?, “a minor disciple questioned, “This will be even harder if it escapes again.”

A ways away, Lan WangJi stood listening. Thinking back to the hunt that started this, his eyes narrowed in contemplation

“Calling me...., “Wei WuXian chanted on in the center of the clearing

The cool air blew about them as the night went on. Insects of the night, trilled on as they waited and waited.

“Calling....call-”

All of a sudden, Wei WuXian grew silent. The cultivators tensed, knowing what was coming.

"SCREEEEEAAAAAH!“ 

The sound was the same as last time, nightly creatures vacated their homes in fear as the monster drew ever closer.

The cultivators shifted into battle-ready positions and a large silhouette was seen arriving in the sky.

The beast slammed down on the ground, wings expanding for a second before retracting.

“It’s you, “Wei WuXian sighed dreamily at the monster

The beast disregarded Wei WuXian for a moment. Glaring at the trees, the cultivators realized it was looking for them to appear.

“Huh, “Nie MingJue grunted, narrowing his eyes, “It’s smarter than we thought.”

Wei WuXian started to walk to the monster, speaking again, “Master, I’m here.”

Narrowing its eyes, the beast finally looked to its prey. Spreading its arms, it invited Wei WuXian with a rumbling hum. Closing its eyes, it breathed deeply as it savoring the cultivator’s scent.

“Now!, MingJue ordered, “rushing out with his fellow Nie cultivators

Brandishing his blade, XiChen sent it straight at the unaware monster just as it was about to embrace Wei WuXian, piercing deep into its arm.

The beast howled, hand striking out to throw Wei WuXian far away. The enchanted cultivator gasped in shock as he landed in a nearby bush.

“SCREEEEEAAAAAH!, “the beast howled as its tongue darted out and claws elongated, shaking its head wildly

Cultivators charged from all angles, sword glares flashing out at the beast. The creature charged and swung, knocking back cultivator after the cultivator and even tearing into many of them; their blood coated its claws as the battle commenced.

Jiang WanYin quickly engaged the monster with Zidian. The electrified whip slashed against its broad wings, cutting deep. The beast tried to get at him, but he was quick on his feet, dodging the clawed nails as they danced.

“Tch, “throwing Sandu out, it pierced the monster’s wing, throwing it back

Several cultivators jumped backwards, drawing their arrows, and fired. Spiritual binding ropes were attached. Firing into the beast they began to run around trying to entrap it.

“SCREEEEEAAAAAH!, “Grabbing the ropes with its claws, the tore the ropes to pieces

Ripping his sword out of the beast’s arm, XiChen aimed for the other, striking down hard, blood covered his face as he hit a vein.

“Switch, “Nie MingJue called to him, jumping forward

Striking at its torso with his saber, a deep gash was left on its stomach. Clawing back, MingJue was thrown backwards and flipped to land on his feet.

Lan WangJi darted forward, slashing with his blade. Uncaring of the clawed hands coming for him, he pressed on the beast, his golden eyes blazing at they stared one another down.

Going for wounds already inflicted, he made sure to widen each and every gash, blood rushed out and covered his white robes.

“Second Young Master, “a disciple cried out as a claws hand came dangerously close to his face

Grasping its wrist, WangJi twisted it as hard as he could until he heard the bone snap. The beast hollered, snatching its hand away in pain.

Summoning as much spiritual power as he could into his sword, he brought his blade up high, jumping as he charged forward. The beasts neck was unprotected as he slashed down.

The beast’s eyes widened at the sword glare coming for it; it tried to slide away as fast as it could before-

"SCREEEEEAAAAAH!“ 

Dark red blood pooled on the ground, the creature’s clawed hand flew up to its wound; shaking its head, the thick dark red liquid flew all around.

Lan WangJi raised his blade to strike again, sword glare bright and powerful. Charging forward, he slashed again and again. The beast was disoriented and forced the back away bit by bit.

Rapidly taking out a tracking talisman, Lan WangJi rushed forward, throwing his sword, the blade pierced the monster’s arm. Thrusting his hand out, he quickly shoved the talisman into one of the beasts gaping wounds. Taking out another, he jammed it into an adjacent gash.

“RAAAAHHHHH!!, “The monster howled in agony

Twirling in place, WangJi kicked up, foot hitting the monster’s chin and making it bite its own tongue. Then, with a bone-shattering punch to its chest, the beast flew back.

The beast struggled to stand back up, blood gushed out of varying would on its body, yet they were slowly starting to heal.

"SCREEEEEAAAAAH!, “the monster howled at Lan WangJi, black and red eyes were searing in anger

WangJi stood his ground, raising Bichen once more for another assault.

The creature growled as it was surrounded, cultivators from all the sects ready to charge at it. It knew it was at a loss.

"SCREEEEEAAAAAH!, “rapidly flapping its damaged wings, dust and blood swirled into the air

“Dammit, no, “Jiang WanYin lashed out with his whip, attempting to hold it down

The beast was too quick! With a loud rush, the beast burst high into the air and out of Zidian’s reach. Screeching once again, the monster zoomed through the sky.

Taking out a compass, Jin ZiXun grinned in glee as the needle started to throb from the talismans from Lan WangJi’s attack

“After it!, “Jin ZiXuan ordered his fellow Jin, all of them mounting their blades and following after the fleeing beast

Following behind them, the clearing soon became empty of cultivators except for a few. Sheathing his blade, WangJi walked to the puddle of blood the monster left behind. A pointed ear lay discarded on the ground. Picking it up, Lan WangJi quickly stowed it away in his qiankun sleeve.

“Amazing, Second Young Master Lan, “a senior Lan disciple rushed over to him

Rushing over to the bushes on the edge of the clearing, Wei WuXian sat, still bewitched, in the bushes. Wide-eyed, his pink pupils were actually glistening with tears.

“Master....left, “he mumbled, “Master...calling....left....”

Gently taking the man by the arms, Wei WuXian didn’t fight him but continued to mumble.

“Master....calling me...., “he said, “Master....left?”

“WangJi, “Looking up, XiChen was high upon his blade, “Take Young Master Wei back. Show the ear the Wen Zongzhu so he doesn’t try and take him.”

“Xiongzhang , “WangJi wanted to protest

XiChen smiled, “He’s your priority. We have it now. Go.”

XiChen flew off, leaving no room for argument. Nodding at the senior disciple, WangJi let go of his blade and let it hover for a second before mounting it. Grabbing Wei WuXian by the waist, he held him tightly as the enchanted man slouched against him.

“We will return, “he said, “do not lose it.”

“Of course, “the disciple replied as WangJi rose high in the air and set off towards the Cloud Recesses

He had a sect leader to talk to.

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The light of the afternoon sun shined through the windows of the Jingshi’s common room.

Lan WangJi sat at his table, flipping through a journal of songs. Title after title passed before pausing on the one he was looking for.

On the top of the page, in neat, what many would consider perfect, calligraphy was the piece’s name: WangXian.

Placing the journal in his lap, WangJi quickly summoned his guqin and sat it down on the table. Giving a cursory glance down at the piece, he began to play.

Lan WangJi’s nimble fingers, plucked at the silver strings of his WangJiQIn, a soft sound filling the bedroom. The melody was pleasant and pleasing to the ears; disciples walking past outside even stopped for a second before continuing on their way.

In the Jingshi’s guestroom, Wei WuXian lay peacefully. The sounds from the common room soon drifted in and filled that room as well.

Even in his unconscious state, Wei WuXian could still be affected by music. The man gave out a slight gasp as the music filled his ears. However, instead of fighting against the tune, the man actually relaxed even more, letting out a pleasant sigh.

In the common room, Lan WangJi continued on with his playing. Even when he got to the end of the song, he restarted, playing over and over again.

In the guestroom of the Jingshi, Wei WuXian smiled.

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Author’s Notes:

-I really tortured myself by having two fight scenes two chapters back to back lol

-This and the previous chapter were once one but I separated cause I felt that it flowed better

Read my Prompts and WIPs [Here]

[imagine-loki]

Magic Potion of Mischief

TITLE: Magic Potion of Mischief

Authors :latent-thoughts & lokilover9

Notes: Hello everyone. My lovely tumblr wife and I have come together again to offer you another laugh on our behalf. We hope you enjoy it. 😘

Rating: Teen

Original Imagine: Before Thor���s Coronation, Loki had a secret hobby of making potions. Or so he believed. Odin learned of it and went to him for a ‘specific’ remedy. Loki strengthened the dose and trouble ensued.

———————————-

Loki arrived in his private chambers within the palace via a portal generated by his magic. He had kept himself consistently concealed from Heimdall, for no other reason than having his privacy. Ever since he had entered his youth, the fact that Heimdall could see all of his activities had rubbed him the wrong way.

And the Gatekeeper had not shown a shred of regret in giving Loki a piece of his mind on whatever activity he had seen Loki participating in.

Needless to say, Loki’s desperation to avoid Heimdall’s gaze had proven to be fruitful.

Loki quickly settled in his study then, ordering dinner to be sent to his chambers. He wasn’t in a mood to dine with others, especially not his dunderhead brother. He had much to accomplish before the night would be over. Night was his favoured time to work on his projects.

When the servants came by with the dinner, he was nose deep in an ancient tome about potion mixing. They asked him very pointedly if he’d remain in his chambers only. This most likely his mother’s doing, asking after him through the servants.

He dismissed the servants after stating that he would retire for the night early, claiming exhaustion after hours of riding amidst the woods.

Finally, the servants were gone. Blessed silence…

After eating his dinner, Loki promptly returned to his study with the aim to finish his reading before heading for bed. He was only halfway through it when his head servant hurriedly approached him with a most surprising news.

“The Allfather wishes to see you, my liege. He’s at the door.”

Loki faced the servant astonished, noting it well past midnight. “What could be so pressing, it couldn’t be spared until morning?”

“I’m uncertain, your highness. The Allfather didn’t explain.”

Odin appeared in the doorway of his study, politely dismissed the servant and Loki curiously observed ‘him’, wait until the servant was gone. Then rising to his feet, he bowed to Odin in a slightly mocking manner, earning a frown. "Good evening, father. How may I help you?”

“We must speak.”

No shit…. “Regarding?”

“Recently, I sought to remedy an ’ailment’, which Eir hasn’t the means to resolve, by discreetly searching the black market for potions.”

Loki feigned innocence. “And?”

“As a result, I was steered back to you.”

Fuck….

“Me? Whatever for? I assure you, father, you’ve been led astray.” Loki gave him his best wide-eyed expression of innocence.

He knew very well that his seidr practice was frowned upon by the royal council. A potion business on the side would be open to even more ridicule. Thus why he kept the potion business in secrecy.

But trust the Allfather to find out about it. He must have sicked his ravens on him.

Odin gave him a stern look of disapproval. “Oh, put a sock in, son. Word is out, you’re Asgard’s best kept secret where potions are concerned and I’m desp–I need aid.”

Loki sighed in defeat. “Very well. What do you require?”

“It has come to mine and the entire palace’s attention… that your mother is quite irritable as of late.”

Loki’s pursed his lips and nodded. “I’ve noticed it as well. Perhaps it’s midlife hormonal changes. Certainly Eir could…”

Odin raised his palm to stop Loki mid-sentence. “She recently went through all the relevant hormone tests at the healer’s and all is well…” The Allfather hesitated a moment. “���Yet the mood swings have only become more pronounced.”

Loki was at a loss for a solution, as the problem seemed non-existent. “Norns, then what could be ailing her?”

The king squared his shoulders and cleared his throat, looking stricken. “Certainly not mine, that would be preposterous”, he stated, struggling to contain eye contact.

Loki was truly intrigued now, yet still perplexed. If anything, Odin looked even more uncomfortable than before.

The realization then struck Loki like a lightning bolt, causing a smirk to grace his lips. “Have you come to me because you’re lacking the ability to raise your sword in glory, father?”

Odin’s eyes narrowed. “Should I hear any word of this beyond these chambers, that same sword will cut your royal allowance in half.”

Loki’s nose crinkled in disgust. “Should I disobey, I’d prefer you used another.”

“Loki Odinson!”

“Calm yourself father, I’m merely jesting.” He chuckled inwardly when Odin breathed a sigh of relief. “How much do you need?”

“You’re the master of unethical potion making, shouldn’t you know?” Odin’s tone was quite patronizing as he said that, which irked Loki to no end.

“Fair enough.” Loki conjured a small potion bottle, the size of his pinky. “There you are. It works instantly.”

Odin took the bottle from him and inspected the blue liquid inside. “How much do I consume?”

“Everything,” he replied with a shrug. “As a safety precaution, I never offer more than a single dose to start.”

“Wise choice, son. Thank you and remember…” Odin raised his finger in warning. “You are to abide by the rules of utter discretion in this matter.”

“You have my word, father.” Loki clasped his hands behind his back and solemnly nodded.

With his problem now sorted, Odin dispersed.

Loki didn’t really want to picture it, but was certain his father would seek his mother quite soon. He snickered loudly once alone, having controlled his amusement for so long. The reason being, that Odin had just received the strongest potion Loki had ever concocted for this particular purpose. Thrice as strong as the usual dosage.

“That should earn you some accolades dear father.”

Loki went back to his half-finished tome and waited for the ruckus to begin.

—————————————————

The potion made Odin’s erection last over a day, forcing him to consult Eir for a remedy to ease it. All in all, it had been a most embarrassing experience, one which rendered the Allfather red-faced.

Loki had gotten the wind of it through the palace staff and their rather loud whispers. It had been a well executed prank, though, he did feel apprehensive about the backlash from his father. Regardless of Odin’s anger, there were always those dark paths between realms through which Loki could readily escape and not return for the next fifty years.

He hadn’t, however, added the variable of his mother’s fury into the equation.

He was made aware of it by none other than Odin himself, who burst into his chambers, looking haggard and sleep deprived. “I should have you quartered for that trick! What in Valhalla were you thinking?“

Loki crossed his arms and gave his father a knowing smile as he swiftly diverted the topic off himself. "You sly old dog. I heard mother was trapped in your chambers for hours, if not more.”

That made his father halt in his tracks, a smirk of pride replacing his scowl. This was delightful to Loki, for Odin chose to let go of his anger in exchange for focusing on taking pride in his restored manly prowess.

"I won’t deny it was entertaining. Especially when Frigga held me tight and…” He coughed and caught himself at the last moment, much to Loki’s relief. “…right. Presently, your mother is giving me the silent treatment.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, well, and I must warn you. Do not laugh or even think of making the slightest comment of mockery upon seeing her.”

“Oh my…” Loki pressed a palm to his chest. “Dare I ask?”

Odin coughed again, though a chuckle escaped through as well. “She’s walking rather ‘peculiar.’”

Loki cackled at that. “Shall I conjure you a second dose?”

Odin suddenly glared at him. “Shall I feed you to a bilgesnipe? I guarantee you if I took another dose and touched your mother afterwards, that would be my fate, son.”

Loki shrugged, trying not to cackle again.

Seconds later, though, his father seemed to perk up at that thought. “Let me think about it. Perhaps in a few days time.”

Loki clasped his hands together at the possibility of yet another prank. “Well, you need only ask.”

—————————————-

A FEW WEEKS LATER…

—————————————-

Odin banged at Loki’s door and angrily shouted. “Loki, you incorrigible cad! It’s time you were fed to a horrid beast! Open up!”

It was morning, and Loki wasn’t a morning person. Hence, it took time to present himself to his furious father. That just seemed to fuel his anger, more.

Odin stomped inside as soon as Loki opened the door to his chambers, smacking it closed with a flick of his spear–the Gungnir. “You deplorable wretch!”

“Good morning to you too, father,” Loki responded, his mouth stretching in a long yawn. Still mentally asleep, his father’s invectives weren’t really registering. “What has you in such a pleasant mood?”

“I’ve knocked up your mother!”

Loki’s yawning was immediately cut short and he was suddenly wide awake. “What?!”

Odin glowered at him. “You heard me!”

Loki’s jaw dropped in shock. “At her age? How is that even possible?”

“How is…you’re asking me? Your damned potion caused it!”

“Yes, but–”

“And your mother was in her fertile phase!”

Loki opened his mouth to speak, but no words could come out. He acknowledged that this was one of those very rare moments when his silvertongue was utterly inept.

Odin banged the Gungnir against the floor, making it shake. “Your mother is in distress! I’m horrified and disappointed in your actions!”

“What is Eir saying?” Loki gulped, worried that perhaps this time his prank had gone too far. “Is it a hazard to mother’s health?”

Odin stared at him aghast. “What? No. She’s a resilient woman. A warrior and queen!”

Loki breathed a sigh of relief. “Then… the baby?”

Odin gave him a withering look. “The babies are fine too. It’s just… a shock!”

Loki did a double take. “Babies?”

Odin lost it again at that, picking up a book lying on the mantle to throw it at Loki’s head, who narrowly avoided it by ducking. “Yes, you fool! Babies! Your dastardly potion caused me to sire triplets!”

That was when Loki undoubtedly knew… he’d fucked up.

“My heartiest congratulations, father.” As soon as he said that, he dashed out the door. Odin gave chase for a while, but couldn’t keep up which Loki had already predicted.

Just when believing himself free from parental reprimanding, his path crossed with Frigga’s, who looked none too happy about carrying three children of Odin.

“Are you responsible for this, God of Mischief?” She came at him with her royal dagger drawn, making him back away in fear. “Rumor has it you’ve a side career!”

Loki saw Thor bounding towards him from another corridor and realized he was trapped. He nervously laughed, raising his arms to depict surrender. “I love you mother! You know that.”

“You’re going to pay for this, Loki!”

“Looks like I already am,” he muttered, “but really, where’s the bad side here. You’re going to get a gaggle of children, and that’s going to keep you quite pleasantly busy.” And keep you off my back…

“Loki,” Thor’s voice boomed. “What is this I’m hearing of? Is mother–”

Just then, Frigga lurched forward, dropping her dagger to the floor. Both the sons hastily grabbed each of her arms, trying to hold her steady her as she swayed.

“Mother?” Loki looked at her in concern, trying his best to ignore Thor’s perplexed and angry gaze.

“I’m fine, you cad! It’s just… morning sickness.”

She lurched again, hurling the contents of her breakfast in the direction of Thor’s cape.  

“Norns!” He screamed, all high pitched and full of terror, falling victim to her projectile.

Loki narrowly missed getting it on him and at least he didn’t scream like a distressed maiden. He tried his best then, to help her to her room, while Thor trailed them. “There, there, it’s going to be fine.”

Frigga glared at him. “I have half a mind to slap you senseless!”

That’s when Loki knew that he had overstayed his welcome at his mother’s side. “I’ll see you soon, mother!” She tried to grab his arm but he slipped away, opening the portal to his secret potion lab. “Until we meet again!” He knew he may just have saved himself by a hair’s breadth, as his mother yelled and cursed him until it closed.

“I know magic too and will find you, you little shit! You’ll pay for this, I swear!”

——————————————-

Some time later, when feeling like herself again, Frigga approached Heimdall and demanded to know Loki’s whereabouts.

“Forgive me, my gracious Queen” he replied with a straight face. “Magic has concealed him from my sight.”

“And the King?” She asked with a scowl.

Valhalla help me should I offer you congratulations… he thought, just about keeping himself from cringing.

“He has taken shelter in the armory.”

She smiled in a way that made the watcher almost shudder in apprehension. “Thank you, good Heimdall. Your services shall be rewarded.”

She stormed off then, heading towards the armory and Heimdall could only hope that the king knew how to calm the queen’s anger… hopefully without needing a magical potion.

Once she was out sight, Heimall snickered at Loki’s plight. “Enjoy your new lodgings, God of potions and deceit. You may be there a time. Payback for my 'two’ sets of triplets.”

———————————

Ten months later, Frigga went into labor, spewing profanities at Odin. “Your days of quim wedging are over, you beast! Raise that sword to me ever again and I'll…”

She doubled over with a strong contraction and recalled the main culprit behind her predicament. “BILGESNIPE LOKIIII!”

Balder, Vidarr, Hermod.

[sebeth]

Fantastic Four #7 - 9

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

 A Brief Summary:  The Master of Planet X, The Puppet Master, and FF: The Movie!

Debuts:

·         Kurrgo, Master of Planet X

·         The Puppet Master

·         Alicia Masters

Favorite Cover: #7’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” poster

Important Points:

·         Kurgo, a short, bald alien with a wrinkled, over-sized head spies on the Fantastic Four: “In every way we of Planet X are the Earthlings’ superiors! We are a far older race, a far wiser one! Our science is a thousand years more advanced than theirs! So, what a pity it is that they will survive, while we will perish when that runaway asteroid collides with our luckless planet!”

·         If Kurgo, the Master of Planet X, is aware of the incoming asteroid, shouldn’t he have had better things to do for the “last three weeks” than spy on the Fantastic Four? Maybe use their society’s advanced science to destroy the asteroid or set up an evacuation of the planet?

·         My evacuation idea is shot down: “Oh, Kurrgo, my Lord! If only we had enough space ships to enable us to flee our planet before the holocaust!”

·         “Fool! You know we have only two space ships on Planet X! But one of those ships is even now blazing towards Earth…towards the only four creatures in all the universe who might find a way to save us!”

·         How exactly does Kurgo think the Four will save him? We have a non-force field projecting Sue and a Johnny who doesn’t have the control and stamina of his adult self. Is Ben expected to smash the asteroid to bits? I know Reed will end up being the solution but Kurgo admits to spying on the team for the past month – mentally recap the last six issues – would you trust Reed with the fate of your planet?

·         We switch to the Baxter Building. Reed wants the team to attend a dinner in their honor in Washington.  He’s met with a severe lack of enthusiasm.

·         Johnny: “Aw, who needs it, Reed? I’m not even hungry! Heck, we’re no speech-makers! Imagine what would happen if I have try to say something clever! I’d probably get all tense and nervous, and the next thing we know, it would be just my luck to burst into flame!”

·         A shy Johnny? Much different from his later appearances where he loves the spotlight!

·         Reed brushes aside Johnny’s concerns: “That’s foolish and you know it, Torch!”

·         I don’t know, Reed, you should take it seriously if a man who burst into flames expresses concerns over his control of his abilities.

·         Ben: “Bah! It’s just a waste of time! I ain’t going! Can ya imagine how I’d look in front of all those Congressmen at a big state dinner? They’d think I was nutty if I kept all bundled up, but I’d scare ‘em to death if I took my hat and coat off! And then, what if those wise-guy photographers try to take pictures of me? You know my temper! In a couple of seconds, I’d start tearin’ the joint apart! And I’m just the guy to do it, too! No, siree! I don’t want any part of that fancy pants dinner!” Ah, early Marvel, when Ben was the angriest hero in the universe – pre-revived Namor, the Hulk, and Wolverine, of course.

·         Sue: “Such short notice! I haven’t got a thing to wear! Oh, Reed, I’m afraid to go. I’m not used to meeting all those important people! I’m liable to get so flustered that before I know it, I might vanish in front of their eyes! If that ever happened, I’d simply die of embarrassment!”

·         Did Sue attend college? Or did she not have the option as she was raising Johnny at the time?

·         Reed brushes aside his teammates’ concerns: “All right, I’ve heard all your silly little excuses, and now I’m sure you feel better, now that you’ve said them! So, let’s start getting ready now, and let’s this all this nonsense! You know we can’t refuse a request from Congress!”

·         Uh, it’s a dinner, Reed, not a congressional investigation, you are allowed to say “no, thank you!”

·         Reed is such an ass in this scene. He brushed off Johnny’s legitimate concerns about his control of his powers, Ben’s PTSD and desire not to be gawked at, and Sue’s social insecurity.  Is he that desperate to have his ego stroked by politicians?

·         The Johnny-Ben prank war begins.  Ben adjusts the water temperature while Johnny showers.  Ben oddly chooses to increase the temperature.  I would’ve thought Ben would have decreased the temperature – Johnny’s a “Human Torch” – heat’s not an effective weapon against him.

·         Ben again vocalizes his displeasure about the dinner: “I just wanted to start a little ruckus so I wouldn’t have to go to that blamed dinner!”

·         Reed: “Thing, stop feeling sorry for yourself! How do you think I feel! I’m in the middle of a new rocket fuel experiment which is almost reaching fruition, and I’ve got to interrupt it also!” World’s smallest violin, Reed, world’s smallest violin.

·         Reed: “C’mon, Thing, cheer up! You might even enjoy the dinner!”

·         Ben: “Sure – sure! I just love to have people gaping at me and laughing behind my back!” Who doesn’t? Someone needs to sign Reed up for sensitivity training.

·         Reed: “I suppose these nerve-wracking ceremonies are the price we must pay for fame!” No, Ben’s transformation and disfigurement is the price that was paid for fame!

·         Kurgo’s robot arrives in Washington and activates a “hostility ray”. The congressman turns on the Four in mid-speech: “It’s time the public awoke to the fact that the Four of you are the worst menaces ever to threaten this land!”

·         “Down with the Fantastic Four! Drive them out of this country!” “Call the police! The militia! Get the Fantastic Four!”

·         Johnny clears the way. The militia realize “We can’t tackle him without asbestos suits!” Do not get the asbestos suits!

·         The Four escape and return to the Baxter Building.  The robot arrives: “Heed my words, puny Earthlings! I have travelled many light years to find you – and to bring you a message from Kurgo, master of Planet X!”

·         The robot announces that the whole planet has turned against the Four but, hey, my home planet will offer you asylum.  Reed’s response boils down to “Makes sense, let’s do it.”

·         Sue, Ben, and Johnny need to revolt and elect a new leader for the group – Reed’s plans suck.

·         The Four travel to Planet X. Kurgo combines the “Welcome” and the “We’re all going to die” speeches.

·         Ben: “I knew we shouldn’t come! But nobody’d listen to me!” Let’s make it official – Ben should be the leader of the Four.

·         Johnny and Ben battle the robot – Johnny goes super-nova for the first time.

·         Reed’s solution is to shrink the entire population, have them board the ship, travel to another planet. They will return to their original size upon leaving the ship. Should Henry Pym sue for gimmick infringement?

·         Sue questions Reed over the effectiveness of the “enlarging gas” capsule that will return Kurrgo’s people to their original size upon reaching their new destination. Reed’s response: “There was no reducing gas, Sue! It was just an empty projectile! I only told them about it so they could consent to my plan! But once they reach their new world, it won’t matter! They’ll all be the same size, and in this vast universe of ours, one’s size is only relative, anyway!”

·         This is the second time within seven issues where Reed has shown no respect or consideration for an alien species’ right to their own physical appearance and refused to consider the long-term consequences of his actions. Kurrgo’s people are going to land who knows where – it may not be safe or feasible to be the size of a bug in their new home.

·         Ben attempts to enter Reed’s lab but is stopped by Sue and Johnny. “Please, Ben, trust me! Don’t enter Reed’s lab!”

·         “Bah!  How come you only call me ‘Ben” when you want something?  All the rest of the time I’m just the Thing to all of you!” Ben’s not wrong on that – In previous issues the rest of the Four only refer to him as “Thing”.

·         Ben moves Sue out of the way “because I got a feelin’ things are gonna get rough around here! Okay now!  I���m gonna teach you and that walkin’ rubber-band not to try to keep secrets from me!”

·         Johnny pleads with Ben: “Thing, wait! You don’t understand!”

·         “I understand plenty! I’m thru bein’ a patsy for you two grand-standers! You’re real buddy-buddy with me when you need my muscle – but whenever something important comes along, I ain’t good enough to be told about it!” Ben makes another good point. Ben was an astronaut, an occupation that requires an advanced education – they shouldn’t talk down to him.

·         Reed refuses to explain why Ben isn’t allowed in the building causing Ben to storm out.

·         An invisible Sue pleads with Ben to re-enter the building, the group needs him.  Ben refuses: “Sure!  That’s why you treat me like Dracula’s brother!  Sorry, lady!  I ain’t buying!”

·         Several men approach Ben to harass him for talking to himself: “How about introducin’ us to the lady you were talkin’ to?” “Yeah! What was she? A gremlin, or one of the good fairies? Haw Haw!”

·         Sue promptly kicks one of the men in the behind: “I’ll bet you’ve never been kicked by a gremlin before, wise guy!” I love feisty Sue!

·         The Four’s argument is interrupted by a man attempting suicide by jumping off a bridge.

·         We see a bald man inside a home with a replica of the bridge and the climbing man: “Go my helpless puppet! Jump as your real-life prototype will also jump at the same instant.  You, a nameless nobody, will be my first test of power!”

·         The bald man pushes the figure off the bridge only to suffer burns to his finger.

·         Johnny has arrived at the bridge and prevented the man from falling his death.

·         The bald man exclaims: “Only one living creature could have done this! It means the Human Torch will be the Puppet Master’s next victim!”

·         A young woman enters the room: “Father!  I heard you cry out!  What is wrong?”

·         “Nothing, Alicia!  It is of no concern of yours!  I have work to do!  Return to your room!  And I have told you never to call me ‘father’!  I am only your step-father!  Do you understand?”

·         What an ass! The Puppet Master is rather psychotic in his first appearance – willing to casually murder a nameless stranger and needlessly cruel to Alicia.

·         The Puppet Master’s “power” is terrifying – even more so than the Purple Man.  Killgrave has to be within a certain radius of his victim to gain control of the individual’s mind.  The Puppet Master simply sculpts a figure and – bam – instant control!

·         The Puppet Master reveals the source of his power – radioactive clay!

·         The Puppet Master carves a figure of Ben and places it in a replica of the house causing Ben to head towards him.  An invisible Sue follows him.  A blind Alicia realizes Sue is in the house when she hears her breathing – and her heartbeat?  Really? Is Alicia secretly Daredevil?

·         The Puppet Master captures Sue.  It’s the eighth issue and Sue has been a hostage in four of them.

·         The Puppet Master notes that Sue “looks remarkably like you Alicia”.  I don’t see it.  If anything, Alicia bears a resemblance to the not-yet-created Crystal.

·         The Puppet Master dresses Alicia up in a Fantastic Four uniform and wig.  He orders her to accompany Ben to “play a harmless little prank for me!”

·         Alicia touches Ben’s face and notes “This man – his face feels strong and powerful! And yet, I can sense a gentleness to him – there is something tragic – something sensitive!” Nice summary of Ben’s character. But not one comment on the not normal texture of Ben’s face.

·         The Puppet Master orders the duo to return to the Baxter Building. Alicia states “This is all so strange!  I do not understand!  But I must do as I am told!” Alicia was clearly not one of the liberated women of the 1960s.

·         Ben attacks Johnny and Reed upon entering the Baxter Building. Reed tricks Ben into destroying a container that holds an experimental liquid.  The liquid transforms Ben back into his human form. Reed reveals that the liquid is the reason he didn’t want Ben in the lab: “I didn’t want you to know about it, in case it failed!  You’ve had so many disappointments I didn’t want you to suffer another one until I was sure!”

·         Reed’s heart was in the right place but it’s incredibly arrogant and condescending to not inform a patient about their course of treatment.  He’s essentially treating Ben like a lab rat.  Ben would have to brace for disappointment either way as potential success wouldn’t be known until Ben tried the formula.

·         A blind, and very confused, Alicia pleads: “Where am I?  Who are you?”

·         Reed, mega-genius, notes: “That girl!  She isn’t Sue!” Seriously, Reed, it took you this long to notice?  I can think of one more butt-kicking Sue needs to deliver!

·         Ben assures Alicia: “Don’t worry, kid!  You’re safe and sound!  We’re all your friends!”

·         “You’re voice! You are the strong, kindly one! But – you seem different now!”

·         Ben transforms back into the Thing.

·         Alicia continues: “No, wait! I was mistaken! It is you – it is the same wonderful man!”

·         Ben laments to himself: “She likes he better as the Thing!” I wouldn’t say Alicia prefers Ben as the Thing – I’d say it was more that Alicia – a blind woman in an unfamiliar situation – found comfort in a familiar presence.

·         The Puppet Master causes a riot/breakout at a state prison. The men head to the prison to contain the situation.

·         Johnny rescues the warden while Ben insists “I’m gonna grab me a little bit of the action, pal! Like wow!”  When did Ben become a valley girl?

·         “Sufferin’ snakes!” The inmates are terrified of Ben’s rampage especially when he plays “fastball special” with said inmates.

·         The Puppet Master reuinites with Alicia. He informs Alicia of his upcoming plans as the “Ruler of all the world!” Alicia and the Puppet Master struggle for control of the “Ruler of the world” figure.  Alicia trips which causes the Puppet Master to fall out a window and plummet to his presumed death.

·         Nice introduction of the Puppet Master – a surprisingly scary villain who thankfully isn’t as depraved as the Purple Man.  If the Puppet Master hadn’t allowed his ego to take over, he could have become a true “puppet master” – pulling the strings of a huge criminal empire.

·         #9 is the first “clunker” of an issue. The Four go bankrupt and have their fortunes restored by Namor: Movie Producer!

·         Namor, chilling undersea, watches a television newscaster announce: “The world-famous Fantastic Four are bankrupt!  They have announced plans to dissolve their partnership and sell all their possessions in order to pay their debts!”

·         I now understand why Sue eventually takes control of the groups’ finances – Reed didn’t even last a year before he went bankrupt!

·         Writers often use the “FF go bankrupt” storyline – it’s rather silly since Reed can invent something that will cure their money woes in five seconds.  Who wouldn’t want a Reed-designed smart phone? However, at this point in the group’s history, potential investors would be worried – it was less than a year ago that Reed’s mistake caused his friends’ extreme transformations.  

·         The Four are dealing with bill collectors back in New York City. Johnny, Ben, and Sue offer their abilities as a way to raise money.

·         Reed refuses: “I appreciate your support, but it’s not that simple!  I’m not going to let you rent yourselves out to a freak show – and the only other way to cash in on our supernatural powers is thru crime – which would be unthinkable!” Or the alleged mega-genius could invent something and turn a profit?

·         Ben stumbles across the dissection of the Pogo plane: “Leggo of my plane, you crumbs!  I oughtta pulverize ya for that!” Yeah, you don’t touch a pilot’s plane!

·         Reed assures Ben that they’re “getting a good price” for the plane. Ben counters “No price is good enough for all the work we put into designin’ that ship!” Poor Ben is very upset over the loss of the plane!

·         Ben rips on Reed: “Some rotten manager you were, rubber-man! You made a fortune by selling patents on all your inventions – enough dough to keep us going for years – but you hadda be a big shot and invest it all in stocks! You lunkhead!” Reed’s genius clearly doesn’t extend to financial management.

·         Ben decides – once again – to quit the group. A cab refuses to stop for Ben so he impales the vehicle on a street pole.  I’m not sure how this didn’t result in Ben being sent to jail.

·         Reed receives an offer from S.M. Studios: One million dollars cash if the team star in a movie.

·         Ben reunites with the team and they head to Hollywood. The team is broke so they have to hitch-hike across the country. In full costume.  

·         The group arrives at S.M. Studios only to discover the producer is the Sub-Mariner!

·         How did Namor keep his purchase of a movie studio a secret? It wasn’t that long ago Namor was terrorizing New York City and threatening the surface world with dire vengeance. The authorities should have been swarming the place as soon as Namor assumed ownership.

·         Sue’s still has a serious case of Namor-lust: “He’s so masterful – so confident!”

·         The men film the movie while Namor romances Sue.

·         Namor fills his movie with legitimate threats to attack the men – Cyclops, poison spears immune to flames, etc. Namor battles the Thing. Ben loses when he transforms back into human form mid-fight.

·         Namor returns to Sue, announces he’s triumphed over the men, and proposes marriage. Sue’s not impressed and attempts to flee. However, Namor has “the powers of all the creatures who live beneath the sea!” and uses the “power of the electric eel” and the “radar sense of the cave fish from the lowest depths of the sea” to capture Sue.

·         Namor announces “Your struggles are useless! I like a woman with spirit! Only such a female can be a fitting mate for the monarch of the sea!” Namor, I love you, but you’re delving into very creepy territory.

·         The boys arrive and are ready to trounce Namor. Sue prevents a brawl by stating both parties must “honor the contract”.  Namor pays the FF the million dollars and returns to the sea.

·         Not a great issue and not a good portrayal of Namor. Only highlights were Ben’s despair over the loss of the Pogo plane, Ben’s excitement over being a “white knight” and a fun Ben-Namor brawl.

[dimpled-gummy-smiles]

ok, so i finally got around to the delinquent/student council au.

so imagine this.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

if wwx was a student council president;

- he probably run for president as a joke, not knowing he would win. and then he’ll laugh about it. “this presidency thing is not a joke.” “what are the chances I would win?” 

- almost everyone retreats the council election the moment they heard wwx was running. and then he gets a bit lost because he won and he doesn’t know what to do. he didn’t expect himself to win. “its a joke.” yeah. a joke gone wrong.

- wwx ask jc to be the vice pres because at least he knows what to do and i live for yunmeng jiang duo moments. wen ning becomes the secretary. he is as lost as wwx. but since he decides to be wwx’s right-hand man, he tries to do his job properly. and he’s scared of jc if he doesn’t do things correctly. lsz becomes the treasurer because wwx trust him to take care of the finances.

- jc will be the one that takes care of the administrative stuffs with the school and wwx would be taking care of the students. wwx is great with students and are friends with almost everyone.

- the teachers are surprised that the school hasnt collapse with wwx as president.

- (i can’t seem to fit lwj as a delinquent type) he’s the kind of student that just ignores the whole world. its between school, home and probably a part-time job as a librarian (because he doesn’t really need to communicate with people except scanning books).

- lwj always waits for lsz to end his council meeting before going back together. wwx always sees lwj sitting in a library, studying. and then promptly packing up his bag when lsz reaches. and lsz and lwj will have dinner together. lwj always waits for lsz to have dinner.

- sometimes wwx would invite lwj over for their “council meeting break” because they would sometimes end late and this means lwj would have a late dinner. and wwx doesnt let anybody starve. so they’ll have dinner (usually yl would cook pork rib lotus soup or maybe wq some herbal soup because they’ve been working late these days and shes worried for her younger brother).

- so they’ll have dinner outside the council room resting area and chat something more leisure. lwj knows more about wwx.

- wwx tells lwj to just rest here for a while more while they finish up their meeting. so lwj just studies as he waits for lsz to end the meeting.

- wwx always invites lwj to “council events” even though jc objects to it but wwx doesnt care because lwj is part family.

- lsz went out with his friends today leaving lwj alone. lwj decides to go home when he notices the auditorium lights on. did someone forget to turn off the lights?

- he walks past the room to see wwx hanging banners for the upcoming school festival. he sees wen ning hanging streamers at the other end of the room. it looked like it was too much for a two men job.

- lwj decides to help them instead. wwx thanks him.

- “lanzhan, can you hand me that white balloon?” wwx falls from the ladder because he couldn’t reach. lwj to the rescue as he catches the falling wwx. “haha thanks lanzhan.”

- wwx was about to climb up the ladder again but lwj stops him. lwj takes the decoration from wwx hands and climbs up the ladder.

- lwj doesn’t allow wwx to climb ladders throughout the day. wen ning finds it cute.

- wen ning walks their direction home, leaving lwj and wwx together. the both of them walk home together.

- wwx hears lwj’s stomach grumble and realised lwj probably hasnt had dinner. so wwx walks the other way (away from his house) and brings lwj to eat. “its cheap and good.”

- wwx orders assorted dishes. he likes spicy food but he isn’t sure about lwj. lwj is thankful that there was something he could eat. although he wouldnt say it.

- wwx walks home with lwj. lwj finds out wwx is afraid of dogs. because cue nervous laughter and faster pace walking everytime a dog barks. “i live here.” “mhm” “have a safe walk home” “mhm” “bye lanzhan” “mhm” “see you in school tomorrow.” “mhm.”

- it becomes a routine for lwj to wait for wwx as well. (a) to protect wwx from dogs (b) because he likes spending time with wwx.

- (cue awkward confession some time later)

- nothing much has changed. except now wwx sometimes wait for lwj to end his library work shift, so he waits for him at a corner. usually he falls asleep. but hes usually within eye view of his lwj. they’ll have lunch together before lwj needs to go back to work again. and wwx goes back to his seat and continues his work. doodling rated r things maybe? 

if lwj was a student council president;

- he’s probably a legacy student kind of thing. like lxc was probably a council president before. lwj was the vice pres and when lxc graduated, lwj steps up as the president.

- school probably feels more at ease when lan family runs for presidency. like lwj hears things like “your uncle is an alumni” “your family are part of the alumnus.” and so lwj continues his family legacy. lsz is the next in line as the vice president as he follows lwj’s footsteps.

- ljy is the secretary and the whole school board is at ease because it’s basically ran by the lans and they are happy. the school board trusts him a lot with the school affairs.

- lwj would be with the school disciplinary master every morning at the school gates, catching students who are late and have messy attire. and every morning, wwx would be one of these students.

- wwx is the smart delinquent student who comes to school with uncombed hair, his school shirt has creases or some times unbuttoned. and every morning he would smile at him and shout “morning lanzhan!”

- wwx would sit at the back of the class, and not listen to the teacher. he would some times stare out of the window or daydream, some times he would just fall asleep in class. the teachers are just thankful he doesn’t cause a ruckus.

- wwx is a smart student that always aces his exams. even the teacher questions how the hell he does it. teachers suspects he cheats because there was no way he could score this well despite not even listening to the teachers.

- “he didn’t cheat.” “i know wwx. wwx would do anything but cheat.” because even though wwx has a bad rep with the teachers, he has a good rep with the students. because he usually gets in trouble by helping student out a lot.

- but the teachers still doesnt believe them. “one more word and whoever defends wwx has to redo the exam.” wwx smiles and tells them not to worry about him so the students all kept quiet. so the teachers makes wwx redo the exam in front of them, alone in a separate room. lwj to stand in and invigilate as well. because two pairs of eyes were better than one.

- wwx complains it was more difficult than the one he took earlier but he still scores well in the exams. the teachers eyes widened as he marks the paper right in front of wwx. it was nearly full marks. except for some horrible handwriting and scribbles which was difficult to decipher what he was writing.

- lwj notices wwx’s maths scores are always higher than the rest of the subjects. he decides to approach him to be the student council treasurer to look after the finances. and also he needed someone that was good with the students as well. ljy and lsz could do the junior section of the school. but lwj isn’t good with the seniors.

- “what do i get?” wwx asked. it was a joke. he would say yes in the end. he couldn’t refuse because (a) it was lan zhan (b) he’s goodlooking. damn the lans and their gene pool.

- wwx becomes the school’s treasurer, and in charge of the finances. but it wasn’t like he was needed anyway because the lans always thought of the best solution using the least finances.

- but lwj tells him that he needed somebody that was good with the students as well and wwx was the best person he thought of.

- the school first objected to wwx being on the school council. but lwj told them that what better idea to look after wwx?

- lwj finally understands why wwx was always running late for classes every morning. (insert cliche reasons why smart student is late for class every morning). so lwj always sends signals to wwx when he sees him entering the school gates. button your shirt properly. your hair is in a mess. your school tie. run, wwx youre still safe if you pass the gates within the next 30 seconds.

- lsz feels that it is more bright with wwx during the meetings. it was always so uptight.

- council member after-parties are usually held in the lan residences. wwx asking lwj if he had tried alcohol. so he pours a glass to lwj and have him taste alcohol for the first time.

- (cue drunk lwj) lsz and lly sees a drunk lwj for the first time. because their party dont have alcohol and this is the first time. “mine” lwj claims, hugging wwx. “mine no touchy.” lwj drunk glares his juniors. lxc is amused with his drunk brother. because he knows his brother. wwx is just comforting a very drunk lwj and hopes he doesn’t remember what happened the next morning. lqr doesnt interfere for the night because hes too old for this. and also he doesnt like interacting with wwx.

- “you have a really weak alcohol tolerance, lan zhan.” wwx mumbles as he looks as the clingy lwj for the first time. lwj only drank a glass and he’s down. wwx looks at the two lan juniors and tell them to not mentioned what happened.

- (cue graduation party and the student council members hold another party at the lan residences) lxc tells his brother that he better confess now if not you’re probably never going to see that cute ass again. lwj looks at his brother and lxc just shrugs his shoulders. siblings knows best.

- so cue awkward one to one confession. lwj confessing to wwx. thanking him for coming into his life and so on.

- lwj decides to go to a university or whatever place wwx is going to, no matter his results. wwx doesnt allow his boyfriend to do so. lwj follows his brother and studies masters in a prestigious school while working.

- wwx is thankful that his result is good enough. he surprises lwj by applying to the same school lwj was at, and getting in.

- (cue happy ending music for wangxian)