#writing a whole fucking essay about xiao what's new

[hhhecates]

Hey Hecate, it's interpretations HELP NO THAT WAS MY AUTOCORRECT THIS IS IRATEMPESTATIS I'M SOBBING

You don't have to answer this ask at all btw! This is just me yapping you can ignore this gajdhwjshsj

BUT I actually don't understand WHY Xiao's popularity met such a steep decline when he was so goddamn popular just like. The year before last. Is it Kinich? I have seen people migrate to Kinich, including my own friends

It is a bit tragic in a meta, sagau way that Xiao was abandoned in droves because a newer character came out with many of his characteristics, but is easier to deal with. Like sure Kinich has a ton of baggage that would be incredibly difficult in its own way but he's much better settled and socialised than Xiao. He's just easier, I guess

With Xiao unless you're doing a modern au you're again restricted in some way bc he does not travel, he remains within Liyue and your settings are limited bc his actions among humans are limited bc then his karma might hurt them. But writing Kinich is easier in a way because he's not restrained by any of this

Xiao's limitations also make it so he can't really interact with mortals much in a confrontational way- he has to contrive convoluted plans to reform Wang Ping'an bc he can't beat it out of him since he's sworn to never hurt a mortal. Kinich though can go pick fights with someone who hurt you for example, without being restrained by this

There's several layers of security you need to have for Xiao to guiltlessly interact with you and one of the most important ones is a physical one- the vision. Or I don't think he'd come close at all, he's a lot of things but he's not irresponsible

Whereas you could make so many situations in Kinich fanfics specifically because they don't have that physical advantage

I could go on and on but it is a bit funny (and also absolutely tragic, I WANNA TALK ABOUT HIM NONSTOP BUT THERE'S LIKE SIX OTHER PEOPLE HERE) that it happened this way

To be clear I've got nothing against Kinich or the people that write for him!! Writing is so hard no matter what character you're wielding and I've heard of my friends yap at me about some absolutely lovely Kinich fanfics

I also think fault in part lies w the eng localisation and eng va direction... I do not blame the va whatsoever, she did a great job but they emo-ified him and turned him so much harsher than he is, in dialogue and voicelines both whereas in the others and especially CN he's just calm, but wary of coming close to people because he's like. Emanating cancer come on

AGKSHSJSJ IM SORRY ABOUT THE LONG ASK but I had to word vomit somewhere and you were an appetizing victim HSJHSH THANK YOU BYE BYE MWAH <333

I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT WEEK <3

Ps it's just my luck to finally excitedly join a big fandom and the specific subset I want is... Dead... </3

I hope they release more Xiao content, a second quest or at least include him in events. They should've made him a contender in the beetle fight thing, that would've been so cute qgjdhwjwj. Please do something hoyo </3

Sksksks HELLO! Iratempestatis!^^ I'm really glad to have you here in my inbox hehehe.

Honestly, I kind of get? Well not really but that's simply because xiao is my favourite character, on a more objective point of view, I do get it.

The shift to newer characters is unavoidable, and when new characters happen to fill the "role" of old ones, it's obvious people are gonna pick novelty. Characters like kinich come with a lot of new content too (and the last time we truly had a considerable amount of content and lore about xiao was what? back in 2.7?).

Also, there's the irony that xiao, much like his character in game, needs a lot of investment.

I see the restraints in writing him if we want to have a narration that follows canon as closely as possible (reader needs to have a vision, he doesn't leave liyue,...) but I do think with a bit of imagination there can be a lot of options available, even if maybe they stray away a bit from what's most likely to happen in canon: reader could not have a vision, perhaps the setting can be during the archon war, when xiao's companions are still alive and none of them have takes the role of slaying gods yet, or it hasn't affected them as much yet (I really love fanfics that explore xiao's dynamics with the other yakshas, and having a moment of peace and found family after the hell he's been through with his previous master), or reader could be a god; I remember reading this ongoing series from @reilliane where reader happened to be a newborn goddess, and amongst her powers was one to nullify xiao's pain upon touch. That was an extremely interesting concept, I always really like toying with the idea of a reader that can take away xiao's pain or karmic debt somehow, especially because you can then explore the dynamics of whether xiao comes to like and trust them because of their powers or not (he's not an opportunist like that ofc, but I feel like on an unconscious level he might start to trust them because of that, which isn't bad, just worth exploring).

For settings, while it's true that xiao is limited to Liyue, I don't see that as a particular hurdle? Maybe it's just because I love Liyue so much myself lol. However I do think there's something extremely sweet in reader going on a commission or travel outside of Liyue, and xiao just waiting for them and realizing how much he misses them; one of my absolute FAVOURITE xiao works is "if all stars fell at once" by @lavendermin and they also have some related oneshots "constellation miscellany" with one of them exploring this dynamic and it was just so sweet and perfect (also that one in particular it's a nsfw work, saying that cause idk if you're comfortable with that kind of content^^).

Also also while modern AU is certainly an option, I feel like xiao can be extremely well versed for different kind of fantasy AUs as well: there's this ongoing series called "Genus Daemonium" by EdenxWrites on ao3, where xiao is a demon, and his backstory on how he became one is masterfully crafted to me (won't spoil since that's towards the end of the fic), I also recently saw a writer start a series set in a Liyue torn up by karmic debt, where "tamers" and adepti work together to protect it (tamers are human chosen by the gods to have special powers to deal with karmic debt, they help out adepti rid with karmic debt if they aren't beyond saving and usually have a partner adeptus to work with) the fic talked about a reader who had been betrayed by their adeptus and xiao, a rogue adeptus who was once worked to death by his tamer and now trusts no one. Though it was still the beginning of the series, it was beautifully written, and I love how it explored themes of betrayal and learning how to trust again. I won't say the name of the writer in case they don't want to, since I think they deleted the fic.

Well, I've yapped enough, my point is though, that while xiao is certainly a character that brings many limitations in writings, I also feel like he's extremely versatile with a little care. Probably though, the biggest "problem" when it comes to him, is that he's extremely well-versed for longer fics and series instead of one shots or shorter content. I completely understand writers that lose interest or hope, also because tumblr and other sites are going towards a more short content format (for example those short scenarios where at the bottom you have then a series of names of different characters it refers to). Being a writer always was, but especially now is a lot of thankless work, and writers are just trying to share their content with us while trying not to burn out.

Xiao is a complex character, and fleshing him out takes time. But that's also exactly where his charm lies: how soft he is once he starts trusting you and how much he cares in little ways, how you need to be patient with him, but slowly you come to realize xiao has a fierce kind of gentleness to him, he's protective and loyal, and after a lifetime of suffering, he still just has the unpresuming and apologetic wish to know a little peace and to have that little peace with you.

[cassidyawesome]

@ohnoitstbskyen’s “Nine Essays About Characters That Matter” video literally struck me through the heart with a dagger. The way it’s presented as stories told by people of their blorbos with mister the big skyen commenting in between is perfect. So perfect i’ve been inspired to write a small essay about my Characters That Matter, if this is just rambling into the wind or not, i just want to express my thought in this form.

It’s Yang, it’s Yang, of course it’s Yang how could it not be Yang Xiao Long. Yang as a character - and rwby as a whole literally flashbanged my entire humanity in june of 2022.

Lots of people love Yang, how couldn’t you. Maybe you relate with her backstory in relation to Ruby, how she was forced to grow up and play parent for Ruby because both their mom’s fumbled the bag. Maybe you’re someone who’s lost a limb or otherwise disabled and find triumph in how she fights on despite her disability. For me, it’s neither - what gets me going about her is her personality, particularly in early volumes. She’s this larger than life, fun loving person who’s the embodiment of warm fire who brings you in and is your friend. Which is exactly the kind of standard i try to live up to. Another aspect of this side of her i love is the protector aspect she inhabits, she was Ruby’s protector, as a huntress she’s everyone’s protector. I want to be her in every way imaginable.

The “Rule of Cool” in character designs, which is that if something is cool enough it deserves to exist is so very alive to me, and gosh is Yang cool. she’s cocky, her personality and silhouette is so big and massive and imposing. “let’s kiss and make up then you’ll learn” is such a good lyric for her from the song about her “i burn”. These attributes of her and the rule of cool are all things that i identify with myself. I’m also massive and cocky and i think i’m awesome but i am literally Ivern in red flannel. Yang does the whole damn thing, looks the part, saves the day sometimes, has an emotional background and gets bitches all while being so so human.

To continue on with Yang’s cool factor i want to touch on her design as a whole. It’s perfect, that’s just a fact. My favorite part about her is her hair. Big wavy hair that gives her a massive anchor in her design as well as giving her a unique silhouette compared to other characters in the show. Secondly her outfits she wears in different volumes are always the best. Her outfits are practical, and look like they totally belong to a biker girl who beats the shit out of you. Even down to her more finite details, like the purple bandana around her knee which relates to her relationship with Blake.

A tertiary point about yang that’s fundamental in *why* i like her so much is how she is this strong, imposing and daunting character, but she’s still presented as feminine. The way that rwby as a show presents Yang as a whole and tows a line between allowing Yang to be a masculine aligned berserker while not falling on “butch” tropes is so important to me. Yang is almost an entire new breed of femininity, one that i align with a lot.

Yang is so very much a part of me, But so is this fucking asshole.

POWER SWEEEEEEEEP i love Power for so many reasons that are so painfully simple.

Her backstory or storyline isn’t a tragedy like Yang or even Denji. Her backstory is just she was a lonely freak and found a cat. It’s so simple, yet i relate to it in my own way. And it’s so important to me to relate to a character in my own way. Never in my life have i found a character i related to, not once. And power gets me somewhat close to that feeling we all deserve.

Power borrows from the “Rule of Cool” less than yang, but is still great from a design wise on her own. When i first saw her in the intro i figured she was going to be a typical boring shonen-girl-type, but i was immediately proved wrong. Her human form design is so simple but portrays so much about her. The devil horns constantly present in her design are testament to her troublemaker attitude, which are contrasted by the business shirt and tie that she shares with her peers in public safety. **Spoilers for the ending of CSM part 1** When she assumes her devil form upon coming back from getting bang’d she’s a crazy looking monster, similar to kindred (who i also love dearly). This monstrous form she assumes for only a few pages are easily my favorite moment in chainsaw man as a whole. There’s just something right about this asshole getting to be a monster for like 10 min and giving up her life to save her state appointed brother

Power is, for all intensive purpose, a comedic relief character - in a show about horrible miserable topics with a messed up sense of humor, which is another trait i find relatable, i’m also the comedic relief girl.

Thankfully Power isn’t *just* her awful traits that make her hilarious and ridiculous. She’s a dutiful protector, of Meowy and of Denji in later chapters. She’s shown to have deep seeded fears in her character, her submission to makima, her impairing fear of the dark after darkness devil. These additions into her silly persona make her a well rounded, entertaining and fun character.

These two characters aren’t related at all, besides both being from shonens. As personality’s, their both big, loud and powerful which is the key element that makes me so attuned to them. The shows i watched in 2022, and subsequently become obsessed and consumed by shaped me as a person completely. And having characters for the first time in my life i saw myself in has been a liberating experience. I truly understand what TB Skyen meant when he said: “sometimes characters are important”.

[jadekitty777]

Troika - Chapter 1: To Act Good

Troika - (Noun) Russian in origin, meaning "set of three" or "three of a kind". It is a three-way dance between people.

Summary: Taiyang has a bad dream, Qrow has homesickness and James has a headache. Not necessarily in that order.Or, a series of snapshot events at different times of this trio's relationship together.

Rating: T

Pairing: James/Qrow/Taiyang

AO3 Link: Chapter One

Quick notes:  So, this story plot-bunnied from reading multiple other Tai/James/Qrow stories, which eventually sparked my interest in the pairing enough to write for it (of which I named more precisely on a03). First chapter is James! I’ve never written his character so extensively before, so I hope it’s alright.

~

A loud sigh was heaved in the empty office, the tall man sitting at his desk rubbing a hand over his eyes, stacks of paperwork spread before him across the desk.

There were few things in life that could give James a headache like the beginning fiscal year budget plan. While he only had to submit his general plan (he could almost hear Taiyang laughing) for the committee to overview and approve, it was still a good week’s worth of work crunching the new numbers in, then submitting it to his financial department to triple check those numbers. Even using last year’s data as a template, he still had to recalculate for inflation, economical changes, and, this year, a potential school expansion.

When his lovers had first brought up the idea, admittedly, James had tried to tune them out. Atlas had been functioning fine for 80 years now, what need did it have to change? Sure, Signal was one of the few schools in the world to have a few less traditional classes and there were no reported ill effects from these differences, but most of the academies didn’t think it was necessary to add to their curriculum based on that factor alone. Particularly psychology, which was still viewed by many in the science community as nothing but a ‘textbook full of crazy ideas made by crazy people’. So, when it was that course in particular the two pushed him on the most, James had told them that all of his students were trained to instill pure discipline in their minds and didn’t need an additional course to deal with “problems” that could arise from such a thing.

Sassy didn’t even begin to cover the way Qrow had looked at him as he bluntly quipped, “And that’s why students from Atlas have the highest recorded numbers of PTSD and depression, right?”

That had actually started a hell of a row between them and ended with Qrow furiously storming out of the house. He didn’t see him again until the next afternoon when the flying bird invaded his office and, rather than being shitfaced drunk like he expected, a report that would give most thesis papers a run for their money was slammed down onto his desk. Leafing through it, he wasn’t sure what impressed him more: that the expository essay detailing the effects of mental and cognitive-based courses on the proper development of strong Huntsman was surprisingly persuasive or that it had only taken Qrow one night to accurately compose it.

He’d gone home that night with an apology on his tongue and a promise in his heart to at least hear them out this time.

Tai, who had mostly watched the unfolding argument and reconciliation without weighing in to avoid taking sides, eventually contacted a former colleague from Signal and got him a lesson plan for the course. It gave him an idea of how the class was set up, what it covered and how it was applied to the students’ daily lives and future careers as Huntsman or even just members of society.

So now here he was, trying to find a way to spare funds for the additional classroom space, materials and staff needed while also trying to convince the committee it was a necessary change without turning himself into a total laughingstock at the board. He was just beginning to amuse himself over what it would be like if he let Qrow take his place at the meeting instead, when a knock at his door drew his attention.

“Come in,” James said. The door opened and his expression smoothed out to something a bit gentler when he saw it was Winter, though the look of stress across her features did worry him some. “Winter, is everything alright?”

“Sir, there’s,” She approached his desk, remembering herself enough to salute. “I apologize for interrupting but we have a problem.”

“What is it?”

“Have you seen the news yet?”

He arched an eyebrow at the curious question. “I can’t say I have. Why?”

She hesitated, and it wasn’t often he saw one of his most composed soldiers so uncomfortable. “I just received word from Commissioner Bradley that Taiyang is being detained at her facility for assault and battery.”

James’ eyes widened, jerking to his feet. “What!?” That, that couldn’t be right. While Tai had a fiery side to him at times, he was usually the one who kept things from getting too out of hand. He had always been a firm believer that things could typically be handled in a more peaceful way. He would never hit an innocent – expect, according to his soldier, he apparently would.

“Qrow is there too. He’s not being incarcerated, but they are holding him for questioning.”

Before he could even think to ask more questions, his phone started ringing. He shoved aside some of his papers, picking up the receiver. “Hello?”

“James, what in blimey is going on?!” It was his director, Major Sergeant Steele. And he sounded absolutely furious. “I’ve got the press trying to ram down the gates right now all because of some riot one of your��” There was a derisive scoff, “partners decided to start.”

“Sir, there must be some kind of mistake,” He quickly tried to refute.

“You better hope there is! James, I could give less of a damn about your personal activities until it has the committee breathing down my neck. It was bad enough that you had the drunk vagabond in your bed, but now you’ve got some unstable psychopath too?!”

James was glad he picked up the phone with his real hand, otherwise he would have shattered the receiver. “I’ll get this cleared up and under control immediately.”

“See that you do General! If any further incidents like this hits the news, I GUARENTEE we will be discussing different opportunities for your position.” There was a click as the call was abruptly cut.

He took a few deep breathes to calm the race of his heart, setting the phone back on the hook. “Winter?”

“Yes sir?”

“I need a vehicle escort to the police station, immediately.”

“Right away sir.” She saluted him, before taking her leave.

~

Two years ago, his love life suddenly became a hot button topic when reporters had got wind of his relationship with Qrow just a few weeks after they finally made the big decision to start living together. While no stranger to having the occasional sweetheart in his bed, it was his first publicly discovered with another man. And with a world-renowned huntsman no less. It had been doubly insulting to realize that having become General back in his mid-30s had been something that barely lasted a week in the papers, but who he was seeing was worth a whole month of coverage. Still, he handled the situation as professionally as possibly, holding a conference to clearly dissipate any rumors and officially announcing his relationship with the other man, expressing how he hoped people would allow the matter to remain as it should: private.

It had been a foolish man’s hope, as barely three days later, Qrow was assailed by the paparazzi just outside of a bar downtown. Being as drunk as he was led to a very loose tongue – not to mention just his overall ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude – and certain things James would have rather remained unheard was broadcast all over the evening news. The next morning, the committee also talked his ear off about their disappointment in how he was handling his ‘professional image’ and how he might want to consider a ‘more respectable’ partner if he was going to continue to pursue romance.

It was an extremely rough patch in their relationship, one they almost didn’t weather through, but once the press and committee had backed off enough and they could breathe again, it gave them a chance to both establish some boundaries and reconnect.

He had thought there would be nothing worse than that incident.

Unfortunately, as he held his Scroll just shy of shattering it while the video played out on the screen, he discovered that he was very wrong.

“The streets of Atlas exploded this afternoon when a Huntsman knocked a reporter unconscious after a round of questioning.” Jewell Olsen was saying, a picture of the blond playing out on the screen behind her. “The perpetrator, identified as Taiyang Xiao Long, is a former instructor of Signal Academy and was seen fraternizing with a past teammate, Qrow Branwen. Former accounts from a few years ago detail Mr. Branwen being in a long-term relationship with the current General of the Atlas military, James Ironwood. When approached by Oliver Sikes, an alleged reporter of CTT News, the questioning quickly turned hostile. The camera crew was able to catch the following footage.” Jewell’s image faded to black, playing the beginning of the video.

“Mr. Branwen! Mr. Xiao Long!” Oliver, a young, ginger-haired adult in a dime store suit, was quickly hurrying down the sidewalk. “A moment please!”

The two men who, if James to guess, had just been on a date, were walking astride one another, hands linked between each other. At the call of their names though, they looked back. Qrow’s eyes darted between the reporter and the camera, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Taiyang, however, just looked confused as he responded, “Uh, yes?”

“I’m Oliver Sikes from CTT News. I was wondering if I could have a word with you both about your current relationship status with one another and General Ironwood.”

Qrow scoffed, waving his hand to shoo the other off. “Not interested, Freckles N’ Heckles. Go find someone else to pester, alright?” Without waiting for an answer, he whirled around, tugging Tai after him.

Persistently, the reporter walked after the duo, the camera bobbing behind him. “But sirs! There have been rumors going around and the public would like a clear answer. Is this perhaps an affair?”

“You need to clean your ears Scarlet Fever? Get lost!”

“Qrow!” Taiyang hissed.

Oliver glanced back, waving the cameraman forward before quickly sprinting to the blond’s side, the camera soon panning a side shot of them. “Mr. Xiao Long, is it true your hometown is located in the southern side of Anima?”

“I, well – yes,” He replied, increasing discomfort starting to show.

Ignoring the death gaze the former bandit was sending him, the reporter babbled on, “Research shows that many households in the southern villages still participate in becoming concubines for financial stability. Is that, perhaps, the relationship you now share with the general and Mr. Branwen here?”

“E-Excuse me?!” Taiyang spluttered, stumbling to a stop as his cheeks went bright red with mortification. Beside him, for probably the first time in his life, Qrow seemed to of been rendered speechless as he just stared, jaw agape.

James could feel the blood rushing hot in his veins, his scroll giving a warning creak as his grip tightened even more.

Oliver, quick on the draw but not on the shot, continued, “Or perhaps, it’s the other way around? After all, the background check reveals you’ve also had two daughters with two separate mothers within a very short amount of time of each other. While Mr. Branwen’s records show he also originates from Anima and has the same cultural appropriation as yourself, how did you convince General Ironwood of all people to enter into such an arrangement?”

Qrow’s face had twisted into absolute rage. “Matchstick, you did not just-”

He never even got a chance to finish before Tai moved.

It was so quick, had James not had such a well-trained eye, he would have easily missed the exact way the brawler whirled on the young man and bashed him right in the face; the punch was so powerful, it blew right through the other’s aura and the crack of breaking bone split loud in the air. The force flung the reporter right out of the camera’s view and there was a sound of shattering glass and screams. Whomever was working it quickly turned, revealing the broken storefront window across the street and the gathering of pedestrians crowding around the unconscious, sprawled form of Oliver Sikes.

“Tai!”

The view moved back to the duo. Qrow had grabbed onto the blond’s arm, looking around furtively for an escape. Tai, a mask of impassive calm, slowly turned and faced the camera straight on. The only indication of the inferno of fury underneath that visage was the golden-orange glow of his eyes. And for a moment, James was back at the tail-end of the war, during the last time he’d ever even seen Tai with his semblance activated. One second, he had been going toe-to-toe with Hazel Rainart, the next their enemy was being flung through a wall as the blond casually stalked after him, looking much like the ferocious beast of legend he was named after.

Shaking of the vestiges of the past, he focused back on the video. And when Tai spoke, James felt a disturbed shiver run down his spine at that tone filled with nothing but malevolence and wrath, “If you do not wish to join him, perhaps you should turn that camera off now.”

The feed ended and Jewell appeared back on screen. “Authorities managed to arrest both men a few blocks from the incident, and currently have them in holding at a local station. Oliver Sikes was transported to the nearest hospital, where he is currently being treated for multiple lacerations, along with a broken jaw and fractured skull.”

As she moved onto the next headline, James turned off his phone and slumped back into the passenger seat of the car with a loud sigh, already feeling the weight of a long and awful day that would precedent many long and awful weeks. And Tai, much newer to their relationship than he and Qrow had been when they had been discovered, might be the cost this time. The idea that he might lose the blond when he barely got to have him at all just because people couldn’t mind their own god damn business infuriated him as much as it tore him apart.

Other than a quiet glance his way, Winter said nothing as she turned into the parking lot of the police station.

~

“He’s over here, being as cooperative as ever.” The commissioner said as she led him through the interrogation center, something about her tone belaying someone whose day had already been too much. On top of everything else in her lap that day, having to deal with Qrow’s ornery attitude, of which she was all-too familiar with, probably was the cherry on top of her least favorite type of sundae.

“I’m sorry about this.” James replied. Lila Bradley had been a friend ever since his academy days and she had always been a trusted confidant when it came to keeping him in the loop of certain local legal issues that he might need to be aware of – the most brazen of which was the pedophile case of a recognized officer’s brother.

However, he had never thought he’d need her assistance on such a personal matter before. He knew it was no mistake that his two lovers had ended up in her hands, and for that, he was already grateful.

The commissioner plucked some keys off a wall, morosely staring at the two-way mirror as she said, “It couldn’t just be another bar fight, could it?”

James peered in as well.

Qrow was balancing on his chair’s back two legs, arms loosely crossed over his chest as he spoke more to the ceiling then his audience. “Look, I don’t know what you want me to say. I told the kid to back off. He didn’t. Then he said some shit he shouldn’t have and it got him in trouble. If you ask me, he caused his own situation there.”

His interrogator standing across from him was a young woman. Her long braid of pinkish-white hair fell over her shoulder as she shook her head at him. “So, you think what your friend did back there was just fine and dandy?”

“Perhaps,” He said the word almost as spitefully as Tai had, “The fucker should have considered his mouth before calling us a bunch of sluts all over national television.”

The deputy questioning him remained unmoved by their plight, saying steadily, “That’s still no reason to send a guy to a hospital. He wasn’t threatening you in any way. You should have just walked away.”

“Thanks for the life lesson there Eggshell.” He replied, voice drawling with sarcasm, “Should I try talking things out with Grimm next? Start sending out invitations to tea parties?”

She slammed her hands down on the table. “That’s not even remotely-”

Lila unlocked and opened the door in one quick movement, stepping into the room. “Shelly!”

The officer jerked around. “Ma’am!” When he walked into the room next, her eyes bulged some, quickly saluting as her heels clicked together. “General, sir!”

“At ease.” He told her.

“We’ll take over from here. Go take a break.” Her boss added.

Once Shelly had left and the door was again closed, he turned to Qrow. The man hadn’t even moved, though he did smirk his way. “Hey Jimmy-boy. Finally left that stuffy office long enough to come save me?”

“I don’t know. A day in here might do you some good.”

“Please don’t inflict that on me.” Lila said as she flipped off the microphone and camera to the room, allowing the three of them some true privacy.

The legs of the chair made an audible clack as they landed back on the floor, the man sending her a wink. “An evening with me too much for you, toots?”

“I’m certain your star performance is ten minutes at best,” Was her short return as she leaned back against the wall.

There was an amused snort, but as James came to stand beside him, Qrow looked towards him, “You saw the video, right?”

“Yeah.” Just the thought of it was enough to make his headache creep back, “I did.”

“The hell are we gonna do?”

For the long term, he had no idea. But for right now… “Under normal circumstances, he’d have to be executed here for the crime. But Tai’s not a citizen of Atlas yet, meaning he falls under the jurisdiction of the military, not the local authorities. It won’t take much for him to be appointed under my charge.”

That seemed to ease Qrow some, until the commissioner spoke up, “But, by the time this all hits the court, he’ll have his green card, so he’ll still have to attend a sentencing and he’ll be tried as a citizen regardless. In the best-case scenario, a lawyer will be able to convince the jury that Sikes assaulted first, but there’s a very high chance he’s going to be doing some time.”

“Ugh.” The huntsman groaned, placing his head in his hands. “Why is Atlas so fucked up?”

“Moreover though,” Lila turned to James, saying, “Do you really want to pull Taiyang out of here based on a technicality like that?”

“What?” Qrow looked up. “Why the fuck wouldn’t he?!”

“You give him special treatment now, the defense will flock to that like sheep; but if you make him responsible, the judge might take more sympathy.” She sighed, running a hand through her pixie-cut brown hair. “Look, if you want my true opinion? No matter which way I angle it, I’ve still got someone in a hospital and someone who needs to be held responsible. The best option is to keep him in holding until things calm down.”

“Hell no.”

James gave the man beside him a look that he hoped said ‘behave’, before saying softly, “Lila, I know how this looks-”

“Do you?” She cut back tersely. “James, if this had been one of your men, you would have incarcerated them yourself.”

“Or shot them.” Qrow quipped with bitter humor.

Ignoring that, she folded her arms over her chest, continuing, “I’m just saying, you’re not exactly the most objective person to be making a decision like this right now. If the public finds out you released Taiyang, you know how the press will try to twist that.”

“Who cares about the damn press! We’re not leaving him here!”

“You should, if you give any merit to the men you’re dating, that is.”

The huntsman was on his feet almost immediately. “Where do you get off-”

“Qrow!” The snap of his name made him flinch, the man turning to scowl down at him. “She’s not wrong. We are making this decision solely on emotion.”

“No, yeah I get it, believe me.” He waved his arms out expressively, before placing a hand on the table to lean forward, an angry gleam in his red eyes. “But thing is Jimmy, that shit’s already out for the whole world to see. So, while we all put up with the fact that every damn newspaper and magazine from here to the black markets of Vacuo chat about how we’re whoring my best friend around between us, least we can fucking do is let him suffer in the comfort of his own home before he has to be holed up in a goddamn jail cell!”

James breathed softly through his nose, trying to stay calm. “Sometimes to avoid exasperating a situation, it requires making a decision we may not prefer.” He could already see a retort on the tip of the other’s tongue, so he said first, “But it does not mean we should be the one’s making it.”

That caught the other off guard. “Meaning?”

He glanced over to Lila. “Would it be possible for us to see Tai?”

Her eyes darted between them, before she pushed off the wall. “Of course. I’ll bring him here.”

When the door had shut again he turned back to Qrow. Most of the fight had blown out of the man, leaving him partially slumped against the table as he scowled at the wall. He stepped up next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “One way or another, we’re going to figure this out, Qrow.” He followed the length of his arm until he could curl his own hand around the other’s where it was curled tightly around the edge of the table. “I promise.”

Whether the other believed him or not was hard to tell, but eventually the tension eased as he turned his hand, interlacing their fingers together and pressing himself against James’ side. “Can’t be any harder than fighting Salem, right?”

“Can’t imagine it will be.” He said, nuzzling his face into Qrow’s hair.

“Hey now, do you know how long that takes me to style?”

“Unfortunately yes, I do.” He joked lightly. “You’re undoubtably the reason they call it fashionably late.”

He got hip-checked in reprimand for that one. “I’m not that bad.”

“And yet I was the one who had to lie about when our dates started.”

“Pff, whatever.” He turned his head so it rested in the hollow of James’ clavicle.

They continued on like that, keeping the conversation light, just trying to find a way to pass the time as they waited. None of it was consequential, though James did find out his two lovers indeed had been on a lunch date enjoying the warm spring day, before they’d been ambushed. Likewise, he told Qrow about his mock plans to put him as the figurehead on the council so he could convince all the other “high collars” where they could shove their fiscal budget; mostly, he just enjoyed hearing him chuckle. When they ran out of things to say, they just stayed close, silently supporting each other as the weight of the mess they were in tried to weigh on them. It wasn’t until they heard the turn of the lock in the door that they pulled apart, watching as it opened and Lila ushered Tai into the room.

As Qrow flocked to his best friend’s side, Lila eyed him and gave him a nod. “Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you.” James replied frankly. Another click of the door and they were once more locked in.

“You alright?”

“Yeah. I mean, not really but…”

He turned his gaze to the two men. Qrow had his hand around the other’s wrist, bowing his back a bit to try and get the blond to look at him. “Tai,” He said stepping forward and it was enough that Tai darted his gaze towards him. The sight of him gave him pause. His face had paled like the life had been drained from him and stress and fear carved wrinkles into his forehead. But none of that stood out quite like: “Your eyes…”

Lilac-shaded eyes blinked back at him, and then he looked down, chuckling humorlessly as he held up his free hand. “Yeah, no aura.”

He recognized the inhibitor instantly of course. He’d put the same binds on many previous criminals himself. But looking at the white handcuff, blue lights on it indicating it was functioning and depleting the wearer’s aura, James couldn’t help but feel how wrong it was to see that same bind on Tai of all people. He reached out and caught his hand, rubbing gently at the reddened skin where the shackle had chaffed it, whispering solemnly, “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” Tai was staring at him again. “I’m the one who punched someone through a window!”

“Because someone decided to dig through your history and shame you on public television!” He could feel his blood running hot again and he quickly let go of the other so he didn’t accidentally grip him too hard. “You and Qrow shouldn’t be harassed like this on the streets. But you will be, all because you’re with me.”

“Oh hell no.” Qrow intervened loudly, whirling on him. “Stop those damn thoughts right now because you are not doing this again.”  

“But-”

“No, I fucking mean it!” He said, cutting his hand through the air. “The rest of the world can go fuck itself!”

Tai placed a hand on his teammate’s shoulder, glancing his way. “I think what Qrow means in his delightfully articulate way is: we know who we’re dating James. You’re a public figure and that means everyone is going to be in your business. Honestly, I knew it was only a matter of time someone would headline me as being some affair or mistress.” That caught James a bit off guard, guilt tangling its way through his heart. He had predicted this? Tai was staring back at the ground again, running a hand over the back of his neck. “But I never expected them to make the same claims about you guys. Or Raven and Summer. That’s why I lost it. I can handle someone insulting me. But I wasn’t really ready to have someone insult everyone I’ve ever loved.”

“It was low.” Qrow spit caustically.

“That’s no excuse!” He retorted, voice cracking. “Everyone’s going to pay consequences for this, not just me. Reporters are going to be stalking you both for weeks!” Tai turned towards him. “And I know the council is going to be on your ass over this for months.”

True as it was, the urge to argue the matter surged through him. James didn’t want him thinking that was his fault – and anyways, the unfortunate truth was even had there been no violent retaliation, the fallout probably would have been about the same. It was just a bit more complicated now.

He never got a chance before the other was shaking his head, tangling his hand into his blond hair. “I haven’t even considered Ruby and Yang. I can’t even get ahold of them from in here. And that poor kid.” His watering eyes squeezed shut. “Fuck! I didn’t mean to hurt him. I don’t even know if he’s okay.”  

Whatever residual blame James was feeling was quickly overshadowed by his sudden worry for Tai. He carefully coaxed the hand from his hair, letting him hold onto him instead. “I called on the way over. Sikes is going to make a full recovery.”

“And I’ll smooth things over with the girls.” Qrow said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. “Things are going to be fine Tai-guy. Come on, let’s sit down, alright?”

Many minutes later found them all sitting back against the wall. A much calmer Tai was between them, sitting crossed legged. James was at his left, his arm braced along the blond’s waist for comfort as he let him lean up against his shoulder. At his right was Qrow, one knee drawn up and hand dangling over it, while his other held Tai’s. As the tension eased, they started to shuffle through their options on what to do next.

“How about this,” Qrow intervened as they cycled over the pros and cons of putting Tai under military house arrest for the third time now, “What’s the best and worst case scenario here?”

James rubbed his chin, thinking it over. “Best case is Sikes never presses charges. We won’t know whether he will be or not until he can make an official statement with the police, which will probably be a few days from now. But if he doesn’t, then we’ll just have to deal with some fines and this’ll blow over in a few weeks.”

“What’s the likelihood of that though?”

“Not very. Even if he doesn’t want to, I imagine his superiors will push him into it just for the coverage.”  

Tai tilted his head just enough to look up at him. “And worst case?”

He grimaced, unable to meet his eyes. “Would be you getting the maximum sentence. It would be about half a dozen counts of assault, one count on property damage and one count battery. If it’s all treated like a misdemeanor, it would result in quite a few fines and about a year in jail. But, the problem is the battery count. If the judge determines it was a felony… that could be an additional four years.”

He heard the nervous swallow, Tai saying weakly, “That’s scary.”

“That’s the worst case and I really can’t see it going that far.” But it could, and that was the problem.

Qrow scoffed, scowling at nothing in particular. “What about what Pixie-cut said, that Sikes assaulted first? How does that work? He didn’t attack us.”

“No but assault can be verbal too. Technically, he never got permission to film or question either of you.” James explained. “You had denied consent entirely and even though Tai gave answers, the omission of saying yes still counts. Defacing someone’s character isn’t exactly lawful in the books either. It won’t abolish his own charges, but the fact that it can be construed that Tai was baited, it might help lessen whatever sentence he gets.”

“But that’s why I can have so many counts against me too, right?” The blond spoke up, realization dawning along his face. “Because I threatened the camera guy and could of hurt bystanders?”

“Right.”

Tai pressed a hand over his face, heaving a sigh, “All this legal stuff is a bit beyond me.” He straightened up, looking between the two of them. “Alright, before we do anything rash, why don’t you guys go and consult a lawyer? You can ask them what the best course of action is.”

That was actually a fairly solid idea. “But we’d have to leave you in here.” James pointed out.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I know.”

“I don’t really like that.” Qrow grumbled, sliding down the wall some.

“Neither do I, but it’s safe. And right now, that’s what we need: to play it safe.” He pulled a bit at the shackle, twisting it along his skin. “Besides, I’m not trying to erase myself of any responsibility on this. I screwed up. So I’ll face whatever consequences I get for it.”

Qrow groaned, burying his head into the blond’s arm as he growled, “I hate it when you get self-righteous like this.”

Tai spared him a compassionate smile, running his fingers through the other’s dark hair, just enough to get those red eyes to peer up at him again. “Sorry, not all of us can be as immoral as you.”

Though James couldn’t see Qrow’s expression, he could see the blond’s. How his smile faded and the light in his eyes went out as the weight of the situation crushed over him once more. Tai reached out, pulling his best friend close and clinging onto him almost desperately. The other man said nothing, just pressed his face into his neck.

The sight of them seemed to amplify the heaviness James could also feel, almost making it hard to breathe. He moved forward, curving his other arm around Qrow’s thin waist as he dragged them both against his chest and whispered baseless promises against their hair, “We’ll be fine. We’re going to get through this.”

He just prayed that he could somehow make those words true.

~

James lifted his head from his hand when a mug was placed down on his desk. From the aroma, he could tell it was coffee. He looked up at the person who had brought it to him curiously.

“You looked like you could use it.” Winter said in way of explanation, straightening up respectively. “If I may be so bold, sir, you haven’t been looking well.”

“I’m fine.” He replied, rubbing a hand over his burning eyes. “Things have just been… stressful at home.”

That was an understatement. Things were absolutely miserable.

Winter gave a nod, crossing her arms behind herself. “I can imagine.” She seemed to debate her next words carefully, before adding, “While I’ve always respected your dedication, I do hope you’ll consider some time to yourself soon, sir.”

Irritation hit him like a wave on the beach, fast and then receding quickly, leaving him further worn. Could he really fault her concern? He knew how he must appear. “I will… consider it Schnee. But for now, I need to finish my work.” He nodded to the cup. “Thank you for the coffee.”

She saluted. “Sir.” And with that, turned and left the room.

He sighed, slumping back over to rest his head back into his hands.

Though Sikes had awoken after the first day in the hospital, he had yet to give any sort of statement. It had been nine days now and still no news. The apprehension was starting to get to even him, but it seemed to be even worse on Qrow. The huntsman was refusing to leave the house, unwilling to face the press right now, and most nights found him drinking heavily. He doubted he was eating much, intaking his calories with the alcohol instead.

Tensions really came to a head last night though, when Qrow ran his last bottle of whiskey dry and James denied going out to get him more, claiming he’d be better off without it. Which, of course, rose slurred allegations of him acting like a tyrannical know-it-all. Fighting with a drunk Qrow was never pleasant. But he quickly discovered dealing with a crying, drunk Qrow was worse which was where things eventually ended. He had never seen the other man like this before. Had it not been for Tai, frowning knowingly at the updates on his behavior, not warned him of the potential outcome, it might have even scared him a bit.

Since this morning, with some time to sober up, Qrow was doing much better both emotionally and mentally, but the whole fiasco had left James only a few hours to sleep before he had to roll out of bed again. Not that it really mattered, since after many long years of dormancy, his insomniac tendencies decided to return with a vengeance. He’d already been up over twenty-four hours on two occasions now, mind too wrapped up in anxious thoughts to allow him to slow down and rest. When he was at home, he felt like he wasn’t doing enough. But when he was at work, he was struggling to focus. And when he wasn’t dealing with the press or council breathing down his neck, he was spending it at the police department.

He could still see the concern in those lilac eyes as Tai asked, “James, you have been sleeping, right?”

He shook off the memory. Of all of them, Tai was handling things the best, despite being in the most dire situation. Every time they met in the visitation center, he was doing his best to smile and even crack a joke or two. Had already said more than once now that worrying over the unknown wasn’t good for them and all they could do was wait until they had something more concrete. If he had to guess, James wagered he was putting on a brave front for him – and Qrow, who may not have been visiting in person but was sneaking out in bird form to sit at Tai’s window.

The ringing of his phone jerked James upright, and he blinked down at the device blearily. When it gave another shrill tone, the noise buzzing oddly along his dim senses, he reached out and picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

“I have wonderful news!” It was Nikolas Falco, the defense attorney he had hired to look into their case. Lila had been the one to recommend him, telling him he was the best in the business. Though the slightly eccentric thirty-year-old was certainly not what he expected when he walked into his office the first time. He heard the man give a cough as he remembered himself, “I mean, General Ironwood, sir, I-”

“You can get to the point, Falco.” He said, not caring for semantics right now. “What did you hear? Did we get a plea bargain?”

“Even better! Sikes isn’t going to press charges!” He practically sang.

“W-What?” James fell back against his chair, unable to believe it. “But, why?”

Falco gave a thoughtful hum. “No clue. Sometimes people just don’t want to go through the trouble. Other people don’t want to get mixed into a high-end case with a powerful figure. Or maybe he was just feeling guilty. Either way, you know what they say: Don’t look a Griffon Grimm in the mouth unless you want to get bit!” He snickered. When James failed to answer, the lawyer coughed, then said, “Anyways, congratulations! I’ve already given word to the commissioner. She’s ready to release Mr. Xiao Long upon your arrival. So, if you want my advice, get going!”

That seemed to break him from his shock, jumping to his feet. “Right, of course! Thank you, Falco. I’ll send you a check tomorrow.” He hurriedly ended the call, before lifting the receiver again, heart pounding rapidly as he started to dial Qrow’s number. Tai, he’d be coming home today! He couldn’t believe their luck!

Just as he was about to press the last digit in, his eyes fell to the coffee still cooling on his desk. His hand hovered there, suspicion starting to grow, and then he pressed down on the cradle, hanging up the call. When he dialed again, it was much slower, more deliberate.

It didn’t take long for the Intelligence Department to answer. “General Ironwood, it’s a pleasure!”

“Cecilia, I need a number.”

“Of course. For who?”

He told her, quickly writing it down when she’d gathered the information for him. As he dialed that number, he slowly took his seat, breath stuck in his throat as he waited for an answer.

Just when he thought it might go to an answering machine instead, he heard the click of someone picking up, and then a gentle voice of an elder woman was in his ear. “Hello?”

“Good day ma’am. Is this Mrs. Lola Sikes?”

“Why yes, it is. How may I help you?”

“Mrs. Sikes, I apologize for calling at this time, but this is General James Ironwood.”

He heard her gasp. “O-Oh! Oh my.” She pulled away from the phone, probably hoping she was being discreet as she took a few deep breathes. When she came back to the phone, her tone was cheery and bright, “I feel honored, General. Did you call to speak with my son?”

“I would prefer he continue to rest. I understand he is still recovering, though if you can give him my gratitude for not pressing charges I would be eternally grateful. I also wished to offer my condolences and deepest regret over what happened. I would have reached out sooner, had the situation not been what it was.”

“Never you mind that.” She was quick to say. “I raised my boy to be more respectful then he was that day, so if anyone should apologize, I feel it should be me. Ollie will be just fine and maybe now he’ll think a bit more before he opens his mouth. Not that he’ll be opening it at all until those wires come out.”

He wasn’t sure whether he was meant to laugh or not; his lips quirked up all the same as he lent forward, folding an arm across his desk. “Be that as it may, I know those medical charges must be steep. At the very least, allow me to front them.”  

“That is very kind of you, truly. But, it’s already been taken care of.”

“Oh? May I ask by whom?”

“Why, Miss. Winter Schnee of course.” He knew it. James shut his eyes, listening to her continue on, “It was quite a shock when she came in to check on my son in the hospital. Quite a lovely and sweet girl, really. She spoke very highly of you as well.”

“I see. She is my best subordinate. Well, I suppose I should let you go then. Again, I apologize for all the trouble caused. If there is anything else I can possibly provide, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Mrs. Sikes gave a soft noise of disapproval. “Believe me General, I’m just glad to be done with this awful situation. I wish you and yours well.”

“As I yours.” He replied. “Have a good day ma’am.”

He set the phone down and lifted it up one more time. Rather then punching in a number, he quickly dialed the extension to the office secretary. “Jaxon, can you call Schnee back to my office?”

“Yes, sir!”

By the time his door was opening, James had already packed up and was waiting in front of his desk. Though she seemed a bit taken aback by his change of demeanor, she saluted him all the same. “You asked for my presence General?”

“I did.” James said, leaning back against the wooden surface behind him as he crossed his arms. “Tai’s being released today. As it turns out, there won’t be any charges against him.”

“Really? That’s wonderful news!” She said, and had he not been looking for it, even he would have been fooled by the falsely surprised tone. She was once Jacques’ perfect performance doll after all, and those skills had never quite left her arsenal.

“Yes. It is.” He agreed slowly, “However, when I offered the Sikes household reimbursement for the bills, it turns out it was already taken care of. I imagine that same generous donor also persuaded him from going through with the case.” The growing wariness on her face fell to shame as she realized she had been discovered, her head lowering. He knew the reaction had very little to do with him, but it still pained him to see her like this. What teachings did you have to give to a child to make them believe being kind was a crime?

He pushed off from the desk, approaching her slowly.

“Sir?” She asked him questionably, only to gasp in surprise when he reached out, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She stood rigidly, stunned and maybe a bit confused. “S-Sir?”

“Thank you, Winter.” He said sincerely, though the longer she remained stiff and unmoving in his arms, the more he worried he maybe overstepped his bounds.

Just as he was considering to pull away, she relaxed, returning the gesture hesitantly. “It was nothing, James. Really.”

He smiled. “If I thought you’d accept it, I’d offer to pay you back.”

As expected, she shook her head. “With all due respect, this was one I owed to you.” That got him to draw back finally, quirking an eyebrow in question. She looked up towards him, saying, “Do you remember what you told me when my father was holding me back from the specialist exams?  You said if I truly wished to become a Huntress, to be all that I could be, that I’d have to take some risks every now and again. It gave me the courage to finally step away from my family, to become my own person. And it’s with that, I was able to finally find happiness.” Her own smile was small but genuine. “Protecting your happiness in return was the least I could do.”

“You had that strength in you all along.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I just gave you a nudge in the right direction.”

In the sassiest tone she would ever allow herself around him, she replied, “Then I gave you a shove.”

James laughed heartily. “Indeed. Thank you.”

She nodded, then added, “If I may ask one favor though?”

“Anything.”

“Don’t… tell Qrow about this.” She rolled her eyes. “He’ll never shut up if he knows.”

He didn’t have to stretch his imagination far to picture the scenario. It would probably only take one ‘Ice Queen what finally went and melted your heart?’ for Atlas Academy’s courtyard to be the next on the list of unfortunate causalities that resulted from their skirmishing. And they didn’t have a Glynda to put it all back together when they were done, either.

“Consider it done.”

She relaxed considerably. “Excellent. Are you heading to the police station then?”

“After a few calls, yes.”

“Allow me to let you get to it.” Her heels clacked together. “I hope you have a good evening, sir.”

“You as well, Winter.” As she took her leave, he crossed back over to his desk, pulling out his scroll. There would still be a lot to deal with in the coming weeks, but things were certainly in a much better place then they had been just an hour ago.

“Mmmgha, yea Jim?”

As soon as James heard Qrow’s sleepy drawl, joy zinged through him as he circled his desk, looking for his keys. Nothing in the world could have made him stop smiling at that moment. “You’ll never believe the call I just got.”

A/N: Thank you all for reading and I hope you’ll all stick with me for the next one. Tai’s perspective is up next!

A few inconsequential notes:

I’m not sure how clear I made it, but Tai’s semblance in this is meant to be “aura disruption”. Basically, when his semblance is active, he can go right past someone else’s to deliver a wounding hit right off the bat. And while most semblances aren’t hereditary, I adore the idea that between parents and kids they can have similarities between just because of genetics or whatever. Which is why, like his daughter, his semblance also creates a change of eye color and a temperament change.

Atlas’ police, legal and citizenship system is American inspired but done with amateur research. Anima is of course Asian, with the mentions of Tai’s culture being drawn from Chinese history specifically. Vale, and by extension Patch, is supposed to be subtly European, as the Europe area was the first to make Psychology a science (Germany, actually). Whether that’s accurate to what the show is actually doing is kind of up in the air, since the culture references are all over the place.

James and Winter’s very slight father-daughter relationship is entirely because of Jacques line about how James “stole his daughter from him”.

Name inspirations:

Oliver Sikes is a reference to Oliver Twist. Oliver being the protagonist, Sikes being the antagonist. Sikes, ironically, has a prostitute for a girlfriend in the book. I made him a ginger after Oliver the cat from Disney’s Oliver’s Company.

Jewell Olsen and Lola Sikes are both references to Superman’s Jimmy Olsen and LOis LAne.

Nikolas Falco is a reference to Law and Order’s detective Nick Falco but the eccentric nature is meant to give a more Pheonix Wright vibe.

Shelly is a reference to seashells.

Lila Bradley isn’t a reference to anyone, I just liked the last name and had to find something that sounded good with it and fit the color naming rule. Same for Cecilia, Jaxon and Major Sergeant Steele.

[saezutte]

Dear Yuletide Writer

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Happy end-of-the-year season! Thank you for writing for me!

This is my first time signing up for Yuletide, though I’ve been reading Yuletide fic for 14-15 years and it’s one of my favorite yearly traditions. Now I’m turning over a new leaf of active participation in my old age! I guarantee you I am much more worried about what I’m writing than what you’re writing—I’m pretty easy-going about the fic I read and I am going to try to help you out as best I can with this letter. If there’s something you’re unclear about, feel free to contact the mods or stalk me to find my preferences.

My AO3: saezutte

My public twitter: juncassis

My tumblr: here but I do not use tumblr much anymore, sorry.

Do Not Wants

[note: I have no actual triggers, nothing you can write for me will make me any more depressed or anxious than I already am]

Death (of major/important/beloved characters)

Suicide attempts

Rape

Angst without a happy ending, really too much angst at all

University/college settings

Established relationship

Cheating

Actual Unrequited Feelings

Pregnancy (the actual process; breeding kink is fine)

Scat or watersports

Hard BDSM or any kink complicated enough that the characters would have to discuss it ahead of time

Non-canon cisswapping or gender change (it’s ok if they do it in canon, e.g. HX/SQX)

Homophobia as a plot device

Excessive attention to sexual identity or queer politics

Note on AUs: I am ok with the usual popular AU tropes (except, see above, university settings) but I do not want them combined, e.g. A/B/O is fine and coffeeshop is fine, but I don’t want an omega barista getting his scent all over the lattes he makes for some alpha lawyer who comes in every morning. (Ridiculous example, but you get the point.) For AU/modern settings of fandoms with magic, I often like it when the magic is still there in the AU setting. I also like AUs which maintain the general outlines of the character’s relationships, like if the characters are childhood friends in canon, I like to keep that intact.

General preferences:

I am a pretty basic bitch when it comes to fanfic: I like it when two clueless boys pine for each other through some shenanigans and then lock eyes/lips/dicks.

If you fed a neural net every fanfic written in Stargate Atlantis fandom between 2005 and 2010, the result would probably be some nonsense I’d enjoy.

I love many tropes. Tropes! Bed-sharing. Sharing an umbrella. WASHING EACH OTHER’S HAIR? Confessions where they are having an argument and then one of them yells “Because I love you!” 

I love situations where characters are forced to spend time in close proximity and find themselves with feelings.

I love fakeness: fake dating, fake marriage, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, fake lust induced by sex pollen or heats, aliens make them have sex, whatever. 

I’d prefer story/romance/build-up to PWP but you are welcome to write porn

Tian Guan Ci Fu

Requested characters: He Xuan, Shi Qingxuan

Note: If you don’t want to write those two, I would be happy with Hualian! There are other pairings I like as well, like Fengqing. I requested these two because they are the ones I want the most, but I like almost all of the characters in TGCF so if you want to write me something that sells me on your pet pairing, go for it. Caveat is that I don’t like Qi Rong (sorry cousin)—he makes me anxious, haha.

Why I like the canon: Tian Guan Ci Fu is my favorite of MXTX’s novels, which took over my life this summer. What I love about it is the gods/mythology angle. The different story arcs remind me of reading myths about gods going out on adventures—I love folklore and myths! I love Xie Lian, I respect him so much, and I love Hua Cheng. I love how dark the story gets and I love that I could read it while being relatively assured of a happy ending. But with MXTX, you only ever get that happy ending for the main pair, hence why I requested my side pair.

Why I like these characters: I was in love with these two when He Xuan was pretending to be a grouchy Earth Master who reluctantly goes along with whatever Shi Qingxuan wants. When it turned out to be ABOUT REVENGE and they have FATES WHICH ARE ENTANGLED TOGETHER, I promptly lost my mind. I like the contrast in personalities.

I love Shi Qingxuan as a happy gossip god who is friends with everyone and yet also still pretty good at his job (unlike a lot of the gods around). I like his struggle with realizing he wasn’t meant to be a god and I honestly like where he ends up at the end of the novel—but personally I’d like it better if he re-qualified as a god, haha. I love his sex switching and you are welcome to play with that, though I would prefer if it weren’t a straightforward switch where he (she) settles as a woman. With He Xuan… I love that he’s on this dark completely-justified vengeance quest but he is also kind of a mess? How in debt is he to Hua Cheng? Has he totally neglected his ghostly duties to play Earth Master in heaven? How did he feel starting to be friends with SQX when he’s still planning on ruining his life?

What I would like for these two is something between pure fluff / all the issues are solved / “decapitated brother who?” and angst. I think they mirror Hualian in a lot of ways and I wish they had a chance together!

Prompts:

Them meeting again post-canon: He Xuan not knowing what to do with his (after)life now that he’s got his revenge and not being totally sure what’s keeping him around now that his business is over. SQX living his happy beggar life and HX not sure how he’s still so energetic.

A canon divergent AU where He Xuan doesn’t pull off his revenge plot ? Instead something else happens?

A soulmate AU would work well for these two IMO

Modern AU where HX is infiltrating the company that destroyed his family business and falls in love with the heir to the company president

SQX reascending to godhood as a beggar god and HX suspecting he will come for him in revenge but he just wants to be friends again

The Untamed (RPF)

Requested characters: Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan

Why I like the canon: Uh, it took over my stupid life this summer. I haven’t liked an idol in years. I have frequently said I don’t like RPF because the canon is too diffuse to keep up with! And yet look at my twitter. I’m living in a hell of my own making.

Anyway, I got into the RPF side for The Untamed initially because the fictional canon here was very overloaded with its status as an adaptation of a novel where the characters are already together and where there aren’t many points for a writer to jump in and add to it. So I got more interested in the actors’ dynamic particularly because it’s different from Wangxian—WYB is a gremlin! Xiao Zhan is the serious professional one! And then I fell in love with them and now this is my life.

Why I like these characters: I just love their stupid handsome faces, I can’t help it. Don’t look at me. I am more of a Xiao Zhan fan but I want to be Wang Yibo’s best friend and bully him.

With Xiao Zhan, I love his smile and I love that he can write a whole essay on Wei Wuxian’s character and I love that he was a regular person who worked in an office before deciding to join one of wjjw’s basically-a-scam idol raising shows and then accidentally becoming the most famous man in China. He’s so professional and serious in interviews and it’s a great contrast to how we see him goofing around with WYB and the others on set.

With Wang Yibo, I like that he’s a wild boy who will run off to race motorcycles at any minute. I would like to shove him a little bit, in an affectionate manner. I love that he’s always looking at XZ and smiling and doesn’t seem to care if anyone notices.

Prompts:

Fooling around on set leads to love? The most basic of basic  

AUs with different settings/meetings—maybe XZ is still a designer and his company ends up working with WYB (who is still an idol)? Or WYB is a pro motorcycle racer and XZ is a sports photographer?

They drift apart now but meet again in 10 years with Regrets

Porn star AU

Having to share a bed

WYB is scared of something! XZ comforts him!

Any dumb AU you want but I would like to veto ABO for this, it’s too weird for me when they’re real people.

The Untamed (TV)

Requested characters: Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian

Note: There are other CQL/MDZS pairings I like, namely Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang. I also like the junior trio (as OT3 or as various twosomes.) Also, one night I read a Jiang Cheng/Lan Sizhui fic and suddenly I got all these ideas for inappropriate uncle pairings JC/LSZ and LXC/JL. If any of that speaks to your heart instead, go wild.

Why I like the canon: So obviously I read the novel and plunged into this MXTX abyss for 100 years. With this adaptation, there are a few things I don’t like versus the novel but I’m happy to ignore them because I love what they did with the visuals and music and the acting choices. Some of the changes I also do love—I love how WWX seems to be so much more into LWJ from the beginning! I love seeing them goof around, I love drunk!WYB in the drama.

I also don’t like established relationship fic for the most part, so the censorship in this adaptation means I have more to play with in fanfic!

Why I like the characters: They invented love!!! They did. I particularly like them both as kind of messes… It’s easy to forget with how great Hanguang-jun is but he’s also bad at expressing himself and it gets him into trouble. Then you have WWX the deviant genius troublemaker with a heart of gold (even when he doesn’t have his golden core). They’re immature kids who can’t figure their shit out before things get serious and then 16 years later, they are emotionally stunted 30-somethings and (tbh) I feel that. These two are meant for each other and meant to wander the country following the chaos and getting into adventures together while fucking a lot.

Prompts:

How do Wangxian get together in this universe? Was it as teens? During the war? Did they split up? Did LWJ give in to temptation earlier than in the novel? When did WWX realize his feelings?

Fix-it for the ending where they separate!! Duh! Does anyone think them being apart is going to last?

Star Trek AU with the Lans as Vulcans

Uh, I really like A/B/O fic for these two.

MAGIC SEX CURSES. Fuck or die! Sex pollen! Particularly if they’re not a couple yet and this leads to awkwardness and getting together.

Nirvana in Fire (TV)

Requested characters: Mei Changsu, Xiao Jingyan

Note: I also love Lin Chen so if you want to write some MCS/LC or LC/Fei Liu or LC/MCS/JINGYAN OT3??? go for it. I am also a Nihuang/Xia Dong shipper so if you want to put that in… somehow… my gay little heart would be happy. I also like Nihuang/MCS/XJY or MNH/MCS + MCS/XJY but I’d like the focus on the men in that case! 

Why I like the canon: I watched this show because someone recommended this show to me as, like, Chinese Game of Thrones but good. I think it’s genuinely one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen. I love plots and revenge and good people doing bad things for justice. Even the ending is good for me though obviously it left me unsatisfied on several points.

Why I like the characters: I am deeply into sickly doomed genius MCS and every time he got even more deeply ill, I fell deeper in love. Every time he coughs up blood, my heart would race. I love his terrible schemes and stupid self-sacrificing choices. I find watching this show very soothing because I knew he would always come out on top in his schemes. I trust him. I love handsome clueless Jingyan and how he’s just so good (it’s terrible.) I love his mom and how much he cares for her. I love him but he is useless, he needs his Xiao Shu and I need fanfic to restore him to him.

Note: So my limited research on this says that male/male sex practices were accepted and well-known in this time period in history, so I really don’t want them thinking “oh no what are these weird gay feelings.” There are other barriers to them being together, like a ruler or official being overly attached to one person was considered very bad. I am also a big supporter of the socially-approved polygamy of this time period, so I don’t need Jingyan to refuse to sleep with his wife or something out of loyalty to MCS—he has to do it! Or all their plans are ruined! And he can enjoy spending time with her or the concubines without affecting his feelings for MCS—you could explore that complexity in fic if you like.

Prompts:

Mei Changsu isn’t dead, he’s hiding again, Jingyan searches for him

They start having sex during the series, the ending is averted [somehow]

Post-canon, MCS is alive and Jingyan hides him in the palace with his consort/concubines to keep him on as an advisor without anyone objecting

AU where male/male marriage is customary (maybe aristocratic men are expected to have one male and one female consort?) and so MCS decides the best way to influence and help Jingyan in the capital is by becoming his wife or one of his concubines

anything just get them together and happy.

Promare

Requested characters: Galo, Lio

Why I like the canon: I love this film but I also find it to be… not enough? I wanted more character development, I wanted more plot, I wanted the goddamn Burnish to stay burning things. So I requested it because I want more! Please help me.

Why I like the characters: I love freedom fighter idealist Lio who will kick everyone’s ass for what is right. I love idiot idealist Galo who wants to fight all fires and learns to love exactly one fire. I think now that they aren’t saving the world by punching global warming, they should have a nice romance. I also like they points where they clash in the film, so I’d love to see them adjusting to “normal life” and having to deal with not having the crisis to make sure they get along.

Prompts:

Galo and Lio rebuilding the world together

Lio regaining Burnish powers?

AU where the Burnish are still a thing but it’s not a big crisis/battle and they just have normal jobs and there are integration programs and Lio is an angry Burnish teen and Galo volunteers at a community center helping Burnish control their powers. Like a world that’s more everyday X-Men than X-men in full adventure war mode.

This is the one request where I’d probably enjoy gen fic with lots of worldbuilding.

I would also enjoy lots of horny porn, preference for Galo topping with his giant stupid dick? I’m sorry I’m like this.

I do want to note ahead of time that I might be traveling (as in, possibly literally on a plane) when fics go live, so please do not be upset if I do not comment on the fic right away! But I definitely will! I know this can be a sore spot for authors so I wanted to give some warning. 

I think that is all! Thank you very much and I’ll see you at the end of all this.