#xia writes a thing

[actualbird]

so ive talked about this with some of my tot friends but im starting to get....Fluffy Date Fatigue with post-anniv1 card stories, especially with luke, because his and mc's pre-relationship era was ENTRENCHED in conflict, in their opposing ideals and beliefs constantly butting heads, in luke's flaws and mc's worries causing friction in their relationship and it was from within that friction from whence a deeper bond was able to be forged, and it was incredible. but ever since they got into a relationship i feel.....bereft. the friction is gone. sure, it comes up sometimes but only rarely (off the top of my head, the ones that come to mind are SSR Dream of Benji and his 2nd anniv card SSR Orange Scent) (and this is not counting the AU cards because theyre AUs) but those are outliers. overall, their relationship has stabilized into a frictionless happy and smooth relationship. which is great! good for them! this is what i wish upon all irl relationships filled with love!

but it makes for a repetitive lineup of stories in fiction.

im not saying i want lukerosa to break up or whatever (thatd harm my heart) but...but i want that CONFLICT again. and i understand that their stabilized relationship is because of the character growth that luke underwent in his pre-anniv1 personal story arc, but even given all that, conflict can still happen in a happy relationship between two loving individuals. i feel as if ever since anniv1, we've lost the emotional stakes of their relationship. which is a damn shame, because the emotional stakes is what made me adore lukerosa in the first place. their relationship brings out everything compelling about both luke and mc's characters.

but nowadays it almost feels like tot is afraid of showing anything other than a happy perfect relationship with no relationship bumps or problems whatsoever, in card stories. which just is kinda a bummer because it does lukerosa a great disservice, imo. what made their relationship so strong is how much they had to go through to get there. and i wish that was followed through on, because maintaining a happy relationship still comes with their ups and downs, and those ups and downs would make for such wonderful stories. let them argue. let them go against each other. let their stubbornness butt heads, let their fears and worries run amok. let conflict happen again, because thats what makes the resolution so much sweeter

this is all just my own view of course tho. KJBLSKDLJFBD

[cartelheir]

....... i miss writing pat truly being a menace tbh

[ofgentleresolve]

harbinger ( drabble one ft. patrick & myungdae )

He smiles knowing this is going to be the last time his dear friend will see him.

a/n: hey so remember when i said i was tempted to write patrick’s goodbye letter/audio message/note? well alex and xia enabled me ( THANK YOU SO MUCH ) and this happened fjskldj also interpretation of lee hyuk belongs to alex at @jeoseungsaja ( except i consider lee hyuk to be alex’s oc sorry these are only facts JFKLSDJF )

words: 823 words

---

September 20th, 2016

*The video starts; he’s sitting at his desk with his room in the background. It’s not completely visible, but his apartment is messier than usual. There are books and folders and files strewn everywhere, some of them peeking into the camera. His bed behind him is unmade. He looks more bedraggled than usual too, with his hair messy, his skin a bit more ashen, and not to mention the bags beneath his eyes are more prominent. Like he hasn’t seen the light of day in weeks.*

*He stares back into the camera for a long moment as if to check if the video is recording. And then he glances up and coughs discreetly into his hand. Clearly, he’s not used to doing this.*

“Right…uh, so today is September 20th, 2016. It’s a Wednesday at 10:04 PM, GMT Time Zone.”

*He chuckles albeit nervously before scratching his cheek. A look up as he smiles bashfully.*

“Hello, Hyuk. Surprised to see this? Neither of us are exactly wizards ­when it comes to technology and I suppose it’s not quite like me, using technology when pen and paper is readily available. But I…for some reason, I wasn’t able to quite put this on paper. Forgive me- it most likely would be safer for you to receive this as a letter rather than through here. You would have said it yourself- you never know who is watching. I suppose you can double that number when it comes to using the ‘dark web’.

“I got on a tangent there. Let me get to the point. If you’re watching this, I’m going to assume the worst-case scenario has happened and I…I’m not with the living anymore.”

*Suddenly, he chuckles. It’s not forced, but it doesn’t sound jubilant either.*

“My apologies, it most likely doesn’t for you, but I guess it sounds a little silly, me saying that. Maybe I am exaggerating this; maybe I’m being unnecessarily obstinate. Maybe I’m just going to hit a dead end and all of this is going to be for nothing, but I couldn’t…I couldn’t just it let rest. I needed to see for myself if she, she was meant to-“

*He blinks rapidly and looks away from the camera for a moment. A hand scrubs at the corner of his eye.*

“…Sorry. Anyways, I know what you’re probably thinking; why didn’t I tell you? Actually if you happen to get ahold of this in any other scenario, I think I know what you would say.”

*He puts on his best Hyuk voice and though his voice sounds mock angry and it’s easy to see he’s trying not to laugh.*

“Yah- why didn’t you tell me this sooner, pabo-  don’t you know that I’m a pigeon- I’m coming back whether you like it or not, we’re stuck together you know that!”

*And then he breaks his impression with a genuine laugh and shakes his head.*

“I’m sorry. I didn’t-it’s not that I didn’t want you to know, but if you found out, I have a feeling you would’ve dropped everything to come over and I know they assigned your current case because of me. You’ve already done so much for me and I’ve relied too much on it. On you. I haven’t been that great of a friend these last few months either. I’m sorry; I know I should have reached out more, been a better friend to you.

“But that’s not why I made this. I guess, I just…wanted you to have this, again, in case anything happens to me. If that does end up being the reality, please…please don’t give up. There are still a lot of good things in this world, Hyuk. A lot of good people, people worth protecting and getting to know. You’re not alone in this world. I know you’re going to probably shut yourself away for a while, grieve me for even longer- do so for as long as you need to and when you’re ready, go forward. It’s not good to hold onto things for longer than needed- that’s why I’m probably going to be considered a fool by the end of this. Don’t make the same mistakes I did, Hyuk.”

*Silence. The lamp on his desk flickers.*

“…Do one thing for me though? Drink some hot chocolate for me once in while. Make sure you do the things that make you happy- if not for yourself then because I asked you to.”

*He glances at the bottom of the screen.*

“I guess…this is getting a bit long, so I’ll end it here. I care about you. A lot, Hyuk. Please be well. Hopefully, you won’t have to watch this though and I can do all these things with you when this is over. But again, this isn’t going to be sent out unless the worst case happens to me.”

*He smiles knowing this is going to be the last time his dear friend will see him.*

“Take care, Hyuk-ah.”

*The video ends.*

.

.

.

fin.

[ghostofthepresent]

Why I think Shiguang can be canonically read as romantic

(I will only be using the donghua for reference, so no Studio Lan retweeting those fanarts (lmao) nor those especially gay manhwa panels (lmao x2) nor even the songs ("chase you to the end of the world, just to say your name once more" my beloved).

It's important to start off by saying that I'm aware Director Li said they ended up not making Lu Guang a girl because they didn't want romance to be seen as a must in Shiguang's relationship by the audience (and because he feels that "bros can have a good heart-to-heart connection with each other"). In my opinion that was a great move since it allows more freedom with how they write them than they'd have otherwise. I also think viewing Shiguang as queerplatonic is a great read too and it doesn't diminish their love for each other nor the importance of their relationship at all.

With that said, despite Director Li's words, there's been things that had me going 🤨 as someone who likes to adhere to canon relationships and read into the writer's intentions, so I wanted to share why I personally see them as romantic.

EPISODE 2

We've all seen this coming, right? Most obvious parallel ever, and in the second episode no less. We all know the similarities between both relationships, so I will just touch on those I consider the most important ones.

Lin Zhen and Yu Xia have gone to college together, and since then decided to start a business of their own - named after a mix of their names. They've been shown as being really close and having no romantic relationships. Lin Zhen also says that Yu Xia's happiness is her own, and then it's shown to us that she's gone through years of unhappiness just for Yu Xia. I believe you can replace their names with Lu Guang's and Cheng Xiaoshi's in your head without me writing all this again. And I'm not even going to get into the most obvious parallels like the special noodle recipe for each pair.

I think it's safe to say that Lin Zhen and Yu Xia are implied to be romantic. From that "one noodle" scene, to the close shot of Lin Zhen grabbing her hand, etc.

Now, I want to get into a writer's point of view and pose two questions:

1. What's the purpose of this episode, when even those which seem episodic connect to the overarching plot of season 1 (even the missing kid's case, as it leads to the involvement with the police)?

2. If we answer the previous question with the conclusion that it's meant to show us the nature/development of Cheng Xiaoshi's and Lu Guang's relationship, what does that say about it?

"Partner" in Link Click

Continuing with episode 2, what really got me thinking about the romantic intentions in their writing was the constant mention of marriage and anything in relation to it.

(may I remind everyone that the driver's comment was said when Cheng Xiaoshi was complaining about Lu Guang lmao)

They're telling us through "show don't tell" (for example, when Lin Zhen kept on eating the noodle despite knowing they'd kiss) and, also, connotations. They are presented to us as business partners, but then the entire episode goes on to tell us that there's more to them by tying their relationship to things percived as romantic. So what they want to really tell us is that beyond simple business partners, they're life-long partners.

And then, after establishing this kind of connotation to the word partner, Cheng Xiaoshi says this to Lu Guang in the next episode:

This doesn't stop at them. While it's the most obvious example, I think partnership in Link Click is intended to be seen as romantic, or at the very least dancing somewhere close to it. Let's go even further and take a look at our fully canon, heterosexual relationships and see briefly how their story is written:

1. Dong Yi and Xu Shanshan: both of them chose the comfort of each other's presence over moving on with their respective futures. Dong Yi had so much faith in their relationship and their love that he couldn't choose a life/future that didn't have Xu Shanshan - choosing to not go back to his family home nor go to that interview, and instead waiting for Xu Shanshan to define their relationship.

2. Liu Siwen and Ouyang: Siwen spent his entire life training with the purpose of getting his father-in-law's respect and marry Ouyang, going every year over and over to fight him. His perseverance and his undying love for her allowed Siwen to do the (seemingly) impossible.

3. Chen Bin and his wife: they're a tragedy. His wife understood Chen Bin the best, enduring feeling lonely because she loved him and wanted a future with him. But their relationship was cut short, so they promised each other to be together in a future life to make up for the time they wouldn't be in this one.

With this + the pictures I attached, it seems like Link Click has set this theme of "love is a life with you" for its romantic relationships, a partner that will fight to stay because they can't see a future that doesn't have their beloved. Going back to episode two, this applies even to the noodle ladies. When Yu Xia remembered what actually matters to her, she went back home - to the start, to her hometown. And, most importantly, to Lin Zhen.

So why is Shiguang romantic? Why aren't they queerplatonic, or just best friends, or bros or whatever else? Because besides what I said at the start of the previous paragraph, Shiguang's relationship mirrors a lot of the romantic ones. Each story and author writes romance and other kinds of relationships differently, portraying them in the way they perceive "this is what this kind of love is like". And beyond life-long partners, I think that the key elements of romantic relationships in Link Click are the ones I highlighted in bold above in the 3 canon relationships part - which Shiguang shares, too.

(I didn't mention this before with the het couples, but I find it a little amusing that season 2 happened because a man wanted to go to the past and get his wife back (still fuck you Qian Jin) and then we find out Lu Guang did go back to the past and got his boyfriend partner back lmao).

"Friend" vs "Partner"

So where is the boundary between platonic and romantic? What marks the difference between a (best) friend and a partner?

There is, for example, Liu Xiao and Li Tianchen's relationship. They aren't shown to have any kind of romantic undertones and there's even the very real possibility of manipulation on Liu Xiao's side. They're also never labeled as nor call each other partners, but instead Li Tianchen says he "met a new friend" and Liu Xiao says he's "going to meet an old friend" years later. So we could say for now that they have a somewhat close relationship (we see Li Tianchen go against Qian Jin to give the phone to Liu Xiao), but never cross that "friend" label.

We can even bring Qiao Ling and the boys' relationship. She's never labeled as a partner despite taking part in the side job and, more importantly, being super close to both of them. She is very important and a cherished friend to Shiguang, so why not call her partner too? I think it's intentional. Since she's been given a familial role already (calling Cheng Xiaoshi her brother when talking to Li Tianxi), she can't fill a partner role. I wonder why? because it's supposed to be a synonym for a romantic relationship. who said that.

So even best friends (Qiao Ling, arguably what Liu Xiao is to Li Tianchen) don't enter this close space that is being a partner. It's different, it's beyond platonic. Or at least that's what they've been showing us for the past two seasons.

I could go soo much more into this honestly, because I do think the little hints thrown here (the music videos) and there (tiny seemingly inconsequential details) are worth to be looked at too, but I wanted to get into the core reason that makes me go "woah so they're In Love fr". I hope I expressed myself well ^^

tldr; the series shows us a divide between having a (best) friend and a partner, giving "partners" romantic connotations.

[mermazing-art]

The real name of the Furious Five 

After the Kung Fu Panda 4 movie I started thinking about what Zhen's first conversations with the Furious Five would be like. I imagined her nervous about making a good impression but fitting quite well with her group dynamic given her mischievous attitude and enjoying their adventures with her, establishing a relationship of trust. Which led me to a thought "Would she, wanting to know them more, ask them what their real names are?"

This theory has been circulating in the fandom for years since it is said that their names actually refer to their fighting styles or their species (as well as Master Ox, Crocodile or Rhino) since those who retain their own name within this discipline are those who have a superior role such as Oogway, Shifu or Po and those who do not have a title such as Zhen or Tai Lung.

Well, I decided to look for a suitable name for each one, one that fit their physique or personality, that was easy to remember and that would distinguish one another, let's go!

Mantis: Xun Yu ( fast jade )

With Mantis I was clear that I didn't want to look for anything that had to do with his size but I did want to highlight his most powerful abilities such as his speed.  That's where his first name, Xun, comes from.  His middle name, Yu (Jade), is because of his green color although this can also mean ''insect'' depending on the kanji with which it is written.  My idea is that Mantis calls himself ''the green lightning'' referring to his real name.

Crane: Zimo ( refined ink )

At first I wanted his name to be related to the sky or the air due to his avian species or his techniques, but it made me think that one of the things that catches my attention about this character is his interest in Chinese calligraphy.  Therefore, I decided to name him Zimo (ink or writing) to reflect his beloved hobby in his name.

Monkey: Wong Sang ( yellow mulberry )

For Monkey, I researched his voice actor, the one and only Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-Sang. I wanted to take it as a reference by changing the name Kong since it is the name of the Monkey's brother to Wong (yellow), relating it to the color of his fur. I wanted to make a reference to his comic side but I couldn't find a suitable name for the guidelines I had assigned to it.

Viper: Jia Ling ( beautiful tinkle )

As with Monkey, I researched on her voice actress, Lucy Liu, whose full name is Lucy Alexis Liu Yu Ling. I wanted to reflect her charming and sweet personality, so I took the name Ling (tinkerbell) as a reference of the hiss' snake she produces, as well as her happy attitude.  But her first name would be Jia to emphasize the beauty of this character.

Tigress: Xia ( sunrise )

For her, I thought I would delve deeper into her story and her development as a character in order to give her the appropriate name.  This is her story:

When Tigress lived in the orphanage, she received the name Xian ("who lives in seclusion") from the other children perpetuating their contempt and fear of her. When Shifu finally decided to adopt her, after He heard that name many times, almost always accompanied by the word "monster", he asked her what new name she would like. She simply accepted Tigress because she didn't believe she could deserve a name. Shifu pondered and decided to call him Xia. Tigress at first didn't like this idea because it sounded similar to the previous one, but Shifu explained his choice to her. Both names, although similar, did not have the same meaning because now she would no longer be in the darkness, secluded and alone, but rather she had the opportunity for a new life, a path marked by the light that emanated from her, a new sunrise.

So yes, Zhen would ask the furious five their names, giving the situation that Po would find out right then and there about this. Everyone except Tigress would answer this question since for her it is still a very personal matter related to her past and Shifu and she still doesn't feel comfortable sharing it with everyone. Could Tigress talk to a certain panda about this?

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Alla Nazimova (A Doll's House, Camille, Salomé)—She was a proud lesbian, she was a director, she was artsy and experimental, she was instrumental in the rise to fame of Rudolph Valentino, she had the worlds biggest strap on energy

Xia Meng, also known as Hsia Moog or Miranda Yang (Sunrise, Bride Hunter)—For those who are familiar with Hong Kong's early cinema, Xia Meng is THE leading woman of an era, the earliest "silver-screen goddess", "The Great Beauty" and "Audrey Hepburn of the East". Xia Meng starred in 38 films in her 17-year career, and famously had rarely any flops, from her first film at the age of 18 to her last at the age of 35. She was a rare all-round actress in Mandarin-language films, acting, singing, and dancing with an enchanting ease in films of diverse genres, from contemporary drama to period operas. She was regarded as the "crown princess" among the "Three Princesses of the Great Wall", the iconic leading stars of the Great Wall Movie Enterprises, which was Hong Kong's leading left-wing studio in the 1950s-60s. At the time, Hong Kong cinema had only just taken off, but Xia Meng's influence had already spread out to China, Singapore, etc. Overseas Chinese-language magazines and newspapers often featured her on their covers. The famous HK wuxia novelist Jin Yong had such a huge crush on her that he made up a whole fake identity as a nobody-screenwriter to join the Great Wall studio just so he can write scripts for her. He famously said, "No one has really seen how beautiful Xi Shi (one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China) is, I think she should be just like Xia Meng to live up to her name." In 1980, she returned to the HK film industry by forming the Bluebird Movie Enterprises. As a producer with a heart for the community, she wanted to make a film on the Vietnam War and the many Vietnam War refugees migrating to Hong Kong. She approached director Ann Hui and produced the debut film Boat People (1982), a globally successful movie and landmark feature for Hong Kong New Wave, which won several awards including the best picture and best director in the second Hong Kong Film Award. Years later, Ann Hui looked back on her collaboration with Xia Meng, "I'm very grateful to her for allowing me to make what is probably the best film I've ever made in my life."

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Alla Nazimova:

HOT as hell. GAY as hell. TALENTED as hell. Producer, director, writer, actress. A silent era superstar who is credited with having coined the term "sewing circle" as a code-word for gatherings of lesbian and bisexual women. Has been called "the founding mother of Sapphic Hollywood" and was the owner/operator of the Garden of Alla Hotel in West Hollywood, which she bought in 1919 and sold in 1928 after deciding she wanted to go back to Broadway. In addition to starring opposite Valentino in Camille, she also had an affair with BOTH of his wives (Jean Acker and Natacha Rambova). In her day, she was one of the most influential women in the business.

"Nazimova was primarily a star during the silent film era, and her career in film started when she was almost forty. She was openly bisexual, and was engaged in two lavender marriages during her life while she carried on relationships with women (including at least one, and possibly two, of Rudolph Valentino's wives). She was brilliant and an autodidact - when she first moved to the United States from Ukraine, she spoke no English, but taught herself "in about five months" and went on to work as a screenwriter (among other things). Her predilections lay in art film, and she's credited with starring in / producing / directing one of the first American art films, the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play Salome (1923). She has an elegant and commanding presence in all of her films, and is an absolute sensation to watch in motion."

Gif link, another gif link

A great actress who also produced a great deal of her films, Nazimova is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. She was also bi and coined the phrase "sewing circle" for sapphic celebrities.

Xia Meng:

[pomefioredove]

Hi! not sure if u write for content that isn't a character x reader, if not, feel free to ignore this req!

but I'd like to req some timeskip hcs for the twst charas.. like what would they be after graduation? I could totally see Riddle being a lawyer but I'm not entirely sure for the rest of the twst cast 🤔

Thank you in advance! Take all the time u need !

ohhh actually speculation/analysis is something I write a lot of! I hail from a very literary fandom and these sorts of prompts are some of my favorites to do!

I could def give my thoughts, just based on what we already know + my own headcanons

➼Deuce: Deuce, to me, is a hands-on learner type. I could see him getting really into mechanics, but... my heart says house husband. tells his kids bedtime stories about Cauldron Deuce (with... um, better morals, we'll say)

➼Ace: professional moocher hmmm Ace is kind of a wild card (pun) to me. I can see his life going in a lot of different directions depending on how the story goes

➼Riddle: definitely something prestigious. we know his parents are doctors, it's likely he'd feel pressured to follow in their footsteps, with other high-paying professions close behind (such as lawyer)

➼Cater: trophy husband(/influencer)

➼Trey: takes on the family bakery. I can see him getting settled down relatively fast compared to everyone else. he just needs a spouse whose as weird as he is

➼Leona: professional moocher (for real this time). In an ideal world he would get fed up with his family and move out, either to another palace they own (you know how it is with royalty and their real estate) or to his own place. but that freedom might get him to really apply himself to something he cares about, independent of his family. would get married if the opportunity presented itself, would NOT have kids

➼Ruggie: Leona's little buddy. Leona assured him a job after school, sooo probably not much different from what he's doing already, but paid. sends fat checks home to his grandma every month

➼Jack: whatever it is, he's committed to it. I can't see him working a dead-end job with no hopes of improving himself, so nothing too academic. the obvious answer is athletics... but he could just as likely become a sculptor. just something that he can apply himself to and continue improving in

➼Azul: businessman. he just has a thing for it. he's running multiple restaurant chains and dabbling in retail before age thirty, and always looking for more opportunities

➼Jade: Azul definitely guarantees him a job, but I think he'd be more interested in staying on land and doing field work. mycologist... or anything that really captures his interest

➼Floyd: cliché answer, he can't decide. likely bounces between working with his brother and working with Azul. may just stay within the "family business" which is implied to be. mafia?

➼Kalim: do we even know what the al-Asims do. besides be rich. well whatever it is, he's doing that. definitely gets married fast, probably has a bunch of kids already. they're just as loud and excitable as he is

➼Jamil: oh Jamil :( please please have a happy ending. I can see him really enjoying academics, especially in positions where he can publish papers and get feedback. good for his ego. may start some insane academic drama, though (nothing he can't handle)

➼Vil: actor/model. confirmed! probably waits a while to get married, he's put off his career long enough

➼Rook: the fact that he wants to go into archaeology is so cute... being an ex archeology (now religious studies) major myself I think it's just so... Rook of him to be interested in history. I would love to talk to him about the Minoans. Or the Xia dynasty. can I marry him while we're at it? he eventually settles down somewhere in the woods

➼Epel: eughhrrggg can I say farming. sorry. I'm from a family of farmers and kinda sentimental about it. the connection to the land is very real and very emotional. but he does other stuff, too

➼Idia: [cue book 6 angst]

diasomnia fam is up in the air for now considering... *gestures to all of book 7*

➼bonus rollo: judge. because it would be funny.

[ritunn]

I acquired the Lost Omens Tian Xia Character Guide for PF2e recently and there's lots of cool things in there, but as the person who writes about familiars extensively, I always check those out first. This thing, this tiny fella, let me tell you I love it.

Why yes I would like my familiar to be the kindest and wisest tea master in the world that just so happens to also be this fudging thing.

Anyway, if you want to see me talk about this and many more familiar options in PF2e, check out my familiar guide I've been working on since December. Now updated fully for PC2 and LO: TXCG!

Magnificent Menagerie: A Remaster Familiar Guide

[beautifulsnake2162020]

Rambling Fan Review of the donghua Heaven Official's Blessing (English dub)

I just need to ramble for a bit after finishing the entire series (PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A SEASON 3!).

Quick Quick review version: I LOVE IT even if I didn't read the novels yet. Highly recommended.

Quick review version: Why is this so underrated?! Would me fangirling about it make Season 3 to arrive faster? I GET THE HYPE NOW!

Actual review/rambling:

So just to be clear on a few things so that everyone is on the same page:

I deliberately chose the English dub once I saw it was an option because my brain needs to rest from all my academic readings and it was too tired to read the subtitles;

There is nothing professional about this review - it's just me writing all my feelings after crying on the closing montage of season 2. Considering that I was emotionally crying on the closing montage of Season 1, I don't know why I'm surprised at myself for doing the same on the Season 2 montage;

I read some spoilers from the wikia pages because I want to know if Hualian gets a happy ending or if I have to write one for them;

I am horny for James Cheek's Hua Cheng voice;

Having said that I am so impressed with his vocal chemistry with Howard Wang's Xie Lian. When I read the novels (when life finally allows me to do so), their voices will be the voices in my head for Hua Cheng and Xie Lian;

I watched some of Kictor's videos on TGCF , specifically this video but I stopped at around the 12 minute mark since I was confused at first midway on the first episode on who was supposed to be Xie Lian's love interest. I initially thought it was going to be a love triangle with Xie Lian being fought over. I was impatient and I needed to know just the background details. I can confidently say that I think this video helped me in clarifying some things and I think the emotional reveals still work;

I am very aware that there were certain scenes that needs to be changed because of China's censorship laws and that the novels have more leeway;

A part of my brain is already making outlines for fanfiction for Hualian; and

The most important point - It is okay to disagree with me. This is just my opinion on what touched me the most while watching the story unfold.

Okay now to the fangirl rambling:

As I type this to the youtube loop of Red Supreme by Hu Xia I've got a lot of positively emotional feelings.

I LOVE how their love story unfolds. How they save each other and they complement each other so well.

I especially love how the story within itself shows why Hualian loves each other even though they may not expressly say it but it is so obvious from their actions to each other and their internal monologue that we are given every now and then.

Season 1 is about showing that Hua Cheng's reason for existing is his love for Xie Lian.

Season 2 is about showing why Hua Cheng's feelings are from genuine love for Xie Lian.

If anything their love story teaches an important lesson: Hope doesn't have to be perfect to be effective.

At the start of Season 1, everyone in Heaven has given up hope on Xie Lian being nothing more than a waste of space who has the audacity to ascend three times and it seems like everyone except Ling Wen who after informing him of his debt because of the damage his latest ascension caused was able to help him get a task to quickly get more credit to pay off the debt (to be honest I still don't really understand the currency of Heaven but maybe that's kinda the point that the story is trying to make in that in a place supposedly of paradise this should be ridiculous. Mortals believing themselves reaching heaven will grant them freedom only to be subjected to the current system in place). And it is this little piece of hope that leads him to Hua Cheng who is the very proof that he has managed to greatly affect someone by giving them hope when they wanted to give up. Xie Lian may think later on that he might have said something ridiculous but to Hua Cheng who wanted to commit suicide, his very existence is the hope he needed to change his perspective on life and it is because of Xie Lian telling him to make him the purpose of Hua Cheng's life that Hua Cheng finally got to live. Even if now he is a ghost, from the brief time he actually truly lived life, that experience showed him what are the things that matters the most. And him achieving greatness in the form of being one of if not the most dangerous calamity that Heaven had to face. So much so that he has killed 33 Gods and has gained a reputation of being someone who is essentially the God killer. He did all of this because Xie Lian saw him in a time when no one wanted to see Hua Cheng, much more help him. This is mirrored in Ban Yue who kept the hope that Xie Lian gave her when he shared with her his dream of saving the world. Something he is later embarrassed about but it was enough for her to do her best to change things, even when it involved the massacre within the city walls. And once again this is shown in Lang Qianqiu to whom Xie Lian was a mentor to (I forgot the word they used for mentor but you get what I mean), when he taught him that it is not the royal family but the people that makes a nation thrive and this lead to Qianqiu leading a peaceful reign and united the nations of Xianle and accomplishing what several others had hoped for.

And this is where these relationships begin to act as a foil to show why the Hualian relationship works.

Ban Yue was misguided and did not have enough experience to trust in herself to know the difference between right and wrong and the subtly gray area in between. While influenced by Pei Jr, she also isn't wrong for saying that she also had some responsibility. But she thinks that the beatings she took in her afterlife is her penance for what she did on that day. It was self-destructive because while she may not say it out loud a part of her feels like she deserves to be treated badly after what she has done. And it was only after they saved her - that she begins to start moving on.

When Xie Lian started to become a God that was hated, he was also self-destructive and feeling like maybe he did deserve it. It was during this time that Hua Cheng still in his mortal lifetime declared that he will never forget Xie Lian. While this may or may not have influenced Xie Lian into moving on from any past mistakes, we do know that he may have not confronted any negative feelings enough that he still has a mental breakdown when the truth is revealed to Lang Qiangqiu. And so Hua Cheng provided Xie Lian that space and person to not be alone while confronting these feelings and thoughts all the while also reassuring Xie Lian that he is not a bad person for what he has done.

Speaking of being viewed as a bad person, we also come to the flaw of Lang Qiangqiu's perspective on Xie Lian. Both Lang Qiangqiu and Hue Cheng admired Xie Lian for saving them and wanted to be like their savior. But there is a difference: Lang Qiangqiu despite having more interactions with Xie Lian as his student, grew up idolizing him so much that he did not notice that the image he made of Xie Lian in his head is either a savior who could do no wrong or the traitor who killed his family and all of their lessons and experiences together were lies so that Xie Lian could kill his entire family. This simplistic reduction of Xie Lian which had carried out even in Lang Qiangqiu's life as a martial God, is not the true Xie Lian who was somewhere in between. Seeing him as nothing more than a savior prevents him from thinking of the times when Xie Lian was the killer rather than the savior. And seeing him as nothing more than a traitor would make him blind in the things that Xie Lian was genuinely trying to teach him to make him better than generations before.

Meanwhile Hue Cheng only had a few but significant interactions with Xie Lian that doesn't simply reduce Xie Lian as either one or the other. He knows enough to know that Xie Lian is altruistic and would do anything that would make the world better. Whether that was disrupting a procession in his honor to save a bandaged child from being killed from a fall or what seems to be the massacre of the Yong An royal family with only the heir remaining, he knows Xie Lian has enough reason to do the things that he did, though he may not know all the facts of the story. And to talk with the God he loved when said God was feeling hopeless and was in despair because people now hate him and are destroying his temples made Hue Cheng realize that even Gods feels remorse, upset, tired, and hopeless. I think this is the moment that Hue Cheng truly becomes devoted to Xie Lian. I forgot who in the Hualian tumblr community said it but I have to agree that this very human moment of Xie Lian being in despair is the catalyst in Hue Cheng's life to be the person whom the God he loves could turn to when he needs support from someone. And what better support could a God have than the most devoted follower that would become the most dangerous and notorious Ghost King among the four calamities. Him being a ghost is also the very thing that ensures Xie Lian continues to exist. These two interactions he has had was enough to not paint a simple picture of Xie Lian in Hue Cheng's mind which allowed him more than Lang Qiangqiu more contemplation on Hue Cheng's part on who the actual Xie Lian is while also allowing room to get to know him more.

Add this to how he is disgusted by how Heaven is for allowing Xie Lian to be taken for granted and which made him realize that beneath the beautiful veneer it is still a system which seems to hinder rather than actually help both Gods and mortals alike - being the most powerful and dangerous Ghost to warrant being a threat to Heaven truly was the best option for Hue Cheng.

And I know this has already been said but it is beautiful that even now in the early stages of their relationship both of them wants to be there for each other. Xie Lian was always there in some form or another for Hue Cheng and Hue Cheng is always there for Xie Lian no matter what disguise or form he takes. They both complement each other's weaknesses. Xie Lian tends to overthink and sometimes doesn't allow himself to truly feel because of his religious sect. Hue Cheng while also calculating tends to take action more because of either efficiency or boredom. Xie Lian apologizing to Hue Cheng for giving him half-truths and thinking about the damages he caused while Hue Cheng apologizes for wounding Xie Lian was so beautiful in that they both love each other to think they deserve retribution from the other when it is so obvious they want their relationship to be repaired.

Hue Cheng is the one being that Xie Lian could truly be himself with and Xie Lian is the one being that keeps Hue Cheng living even though he himself is no longer mortal. And that is such a beautiful love story.

[hisclockworkservants]

I hope you don't mind but I wanted to say that I really love your tales and skips!! I haven't been into the SCP mythos in a hot minute but I just really, really love the way you link so much of it together and to Chinese mythology, it always means so much to me to see our culture represented, especially in a genre that is so seemingly incongruous!! I have always been really interested in Alagadda lore and I came across your Peking opera SCP while combing through the tag and the rest is history haha. Your Alagadda tales are, like, foundational (haha) to my understanding of what Alagadda is and its history. I'm pretty sure you actually introduced me to the CotBG mythos too! I absolutely adore the Xia anomalous culture group pages. Linking Mekhane and Yaldabaoth to Fuxi and Nüwa is absolutely genius and I will think about it forever and always. Also your art is basically the definitive SCP art style to me. It never even crossed my mind that you might be on Tumblr but oh my god I'm so glad you are

Awww thanks! :DDD

Glad you enjoyed my writing an art! It means a lot!

My including of Chinese mythology stuff is very much intentional because I'm fascinated by the concept of seeing things through a different cultural lense.

(And it would make sense from a worldbuilding perspective, since if broken god and such are actual presences, different parts of the world would interpret them differently.)

Also I like writing in classical Chinese (poorly), it's really fun! Translating it into English makes it a very different experience from writing in English to begin with.

I'm glad you like my different interpretations of Alagadda origin :D I think my writing in prominent in this part is cause most of the people like to develop the story further but I just wanted to write more origin lore XD Pretty sure I've established at least 4 verions in my writing.

Speaking of which, I recently wrote this tale about Journey to the West meeting Alagadda, if you are interested :P

[silviakundera]

Snowfall watch comments backlog, ep 7-8

Ep 7

me trying to sight-read the actual drama name: 冰雪谣 ..ice...snow... FUCK. FUCK. that's the language radical, right? um. 😭 hi google translate, help me yet again por favor.

vocab so tiny I always know like 1.5 characters in a drama name and it gets me nowhere

"My feelings for you make it impossible for me to forget you. I feel restless and cannot bear you might disappear from the world."

Loser Li. bruh.

We pause this gay programming for a check-in on doctor bestie and blind girl

Doctor bestie is not at all pressed. Because he's mildly evil? or he simply can't imagine this loser as a threat? or.... cause he really hopes that Shen Zhiheng will break and eat him, thus chilling the fuck out? 🤔

Blind girl says goodbye to her dad, who is worthless as a parent but clearly succeeded in business with such brilliant insights as: when mysterious animal attacks besiege your town, LEAVE. IMMEDIATELY.

I like that both her parents are different aspects of terrible. The dad isn't a 1 dimensional monster, he just is shallow & selfish. Only willing to do the bare minimum for her, as she doesn't bring him value.

There are peaceful protestors trying to get the protagonist released, so in the grand tradition of corrupt institutions everywhere, Team Warlord turn it into a riot

Doctor Bestie is now concerned and getting involved, going to rich nepo baby for help. Not a bad plan. He's calling Zhiheng not just a friend, but like his closest family. 👀👀

"Mr Shen, I've come to rescue you."

Blind girl makes the most badass move, to falsely accuse him of assault in order to get close enough to give him strength by kissing him with a bloody mouth. Legitimately clever!!!!

Superintendent Chi has our vamp released, I presume due to the press and power brokers in Xia getting involved

Most important: now we're getting the Mu family involved. The 32nd heir of the Mu family 👀

Vamp Daddy Shen Zhiheng and Barely Legal Blind Teen Mi Lan continue checking all boxes of their hurt/comfort trope

Ep 8

Vamp Daddy is taking an ice bath. Because I guess that's a vampire medical treatment now. sounds awful but you do you. Perhaps say something to the blind girl instead of letting her stumble around your bathroom as you sit there naked, though. ??

Nepo baby comes to harass Loser Li but as it pales in comparison to the layers of neurosis in Li's psychosexual fixation on Vamp Daddy: I do not care and you can't make me

Things have become very cute at casa Shen as doctor and teen have invited themselves in. Everyone is having a great time together and Li Man is very satisfied with being bossed around by Vamp Daddy, as long as she gets to fuss over him in return.

Nice scene of Mi Lan with the printing press. Vamp Daddy is getting so cranky about everyone in town knowing she's obviously his girlfriend, when he's the only person who's bothered (including said girl). Let it go, man.

The Mu heir shows up with an entourage giving me TMNT Foot soldiers flashbacks

Can't believe that Vamp Daddy and bestie just feed Mi Lan his blood to see what happens, hiding round the corner to spy on the side effects GUYS. THIS IS HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION ON YOUR GF. asdfghjk

I do appreciate that when he explains simply that vamp blood is not a good cure for her blindness, she actually just accepts his expert opinion and doesn't stubbornly run around trying to do dumb shit. I have a pet peeve about characters who have no knowledge about something but won't listen to the people with actual expertise, and persist in stubbornly chasing after their idea. just to cause plot annoyances.

She's 18 but more mature than some 30 year old characters.

The Mu foot soliders demo their strange shadow powers. Many boxes died this day. RIP.

Again Mi Lan proves to be very sensible: "What would you write?" "If I were to write the ending, I don't think I'll die." She would like her & her boyfriend to survive together, thanks. I feel u, girl.

[swannieluv]

Teyvat's Festa Junina!

✦⸼࣪⸳ Pairing: PLATONIC! Genshin characters x GN! Reader ✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐜: 1,5k ✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!!: none (if I missed one, please tell me!!) ✦⸼࣪⸳ A/N: Hello! This is something I've really wanted to write, so I hope you can enjoy this even if you don't celebrate it! :)) ✦⸼࣪⸳ likes, reblogs and comments are appreciated!! <3

It's winter, and what better way to celebrate than under the covers and drinking hot chocolate? Holding a Festa Junina in Teyvat! It was a simple idea, but it took on slightly bigger proportions than intended.

Stalls with games, colorful flags and lots of food. These things made it one of the liveliest parties Teyvat has ever seen!

One of the main traditions is jumping the campfire in pairs. But by coincidence, the only person left was Bennett. His bad luck, coupled with his fear of jumping over the fire, could only result in absolute failure.

"Bennett, that's not a good idea," you hesitated, as you stared into the embers coming from the fire. "We're just going to hurt ourselves on that fire."

"Really?" the boy's face saddened slightly. Jumping the fire was something he really wanted to do — but he couldn't, not with all this bad luck. No one really wanted to jump with him, but it was a tradition that Bennett would really like to try.

Watching the other pairs jump the bonfire while Bennett stood still was a bit depressing. Of course, you didn't want to get hurt and ruin your colorful outfit; but if it was for the happiness of a friend, then it would be okay to come up with yet another accident story to tell.

"Okay, decided." With a sigh, you stood up and brushed the dust off your clothes. At least a jump of one and a half meters would be enough not to hurt yourself, since the fire wasn't that high. "We're going to make the biggest jump this world has ever seen!"

"Are you sure? What if we fall face first into the fire?"

"Trust me. I'm 100% sure we'll make it!"

Lie. Although the others could do it, you weren't sure about your own abilities at the moment. But as the saying goes: who doesn't take a risk, doesn't take a chance.

"We'll make it..." Bennett paused before grinning from ear to ear. "Let's do it!"

Hand in hand, you went to the back of the queue. The confidence of a few seconds ago seemed to disappear completely, replaced by a certain fear. Were the flames too high? Wouldn't the wind blow them onto you?

But as soon as it was your turn, you ran towards the fire. Holding each other's hands tightly, you matched your steps so that they were in complete sync; that's before you gave an impulse to jump over the fire.

It was quick, less than a second perhaps. And by some miracle you didn't hurt yourselves or knock over the wood during the jump.

You grabbed his hands, jumping for joy. "Bennett, we did it!"

"We did it!"

His face became confused for a moment as he looked around. "Do you smell something burning?"

"Yes..." With your eyes widening, you realized that the smell of smoke was coming from the back of his jacket. "BENNETT, WAIT A MINUTE!"

Just then, a kamera shot a picture of the two of you. Bennett's flaming jacket would stay in your memory forever, just like you trying to put out the flames with a little flag you grabbed from the decorations.

One of the most special traditions of the Festa Junina is undoubtedly the preparation of the traditional dishes. And who else could be in charge of such a task but Liyue's best chef: Xiangling.

Her stall had a huge queue all afternoon, so you couldn't wait to grab something. How much money was she making selling so much?

"[Name]!" As if in an instant, the girl grabbed your shoulders and shook you lightly. "There you are, I've been looking for you all afternoon!"

"Say, do you have any food left? I'm starving, and running after Bennett didn't help much..."

Xiangling went behind the tent, setting up a plate full of the delicacies she and Guoba had prepared. Putting a finger over her lips as if to shut someone up, even though no one was talking, Xiangling passed the plate to you as if it were a top secret item. "Don't tell anyone, it's all here!"

"But what exactly is... all this?"

Even with your decent knowledge of cooking, you had no idea what each of the things she put on your plate was. But it looked good, and that's what mattered.

"This is cuscuz, I made it with corn!" She pointed to a yellow pile, which seemed to be made of flour. "There's also freshly fried pastel! It's a kind of fried dough with cheese inside, a nice simple recipe, right?"

"Damn... I'm going to end up with a stomach ache eating so many different things."

Xiangling let out a laugh, pausing only to sort out more food, "It's not that bad, go! There's still sweets!"

"Sweets?"

"Pé-de-moleque, rice pudding, fubá cake. Everyone will eat later!"

"Let's see how it goes, I'll stop by again if I need to. Thanks!"

She smiled back at you and went back to the back of the tent. In the background, you could see Guoba wearing a hat with fake braids sewn into it — only the Festa Junina could bring moments like that.

On the bloody battlefield, hundreds fall during the fight. Victory is never certain in the face of the merciless monster that is Klee with a packet of estalinhos — little bombs made for children to play with.

"That... That's crazy!" Running like crazy, you couldn't help but get hit by some of the projectiles Klee threw. Since there was no real explosion, she had no restrictions on who she threw the estalinhos at.

Nothing made the moment worse than the certainty that your sanity was diminishing with every popping noise. You wanted to throw any estalinho back at her, but there was no box near you - Klee had monopolized everything.

"Hey, you!" a faint voice called out from behind a pile of boxes. While Klee was distracted by chasing someone else, you hurried to hide there.

"First time playing with estalinhos?" It was Diona, hiding with Qiqi. Although Qiqi didn't seem to be paying much attention, more entertained by the braid in her hair than anything else.

"Mhm. Why is it so difficult?!"

"Festa Junina is Klee's new battle ring. Well, pretty annoying, huh?" Diona's face frowned slightly. "It's impossible, we never beat her! Do you throw a estalinho? BOOM! She throws like seven!"

"There are three of us, aren't there? She's one."

Diona raised an eyebrow, looking at Qiqi for a few seconds and then back at you. "So your crazy plan is to go three against one? Really?"

"It doesn't hurt to try." You stood up, offering a brand new packet of the bombs. "Come on, let's do it. Please!"

"There! That's good, that's good!" She clicked her tongue, handing Qiqi some estalinhos. "Are you coming too, Qiqi?"

"I'm coming..."

And so began the great estalinho war of the Festa Junina. As it was three against one, Klee made no effort to throw the bombs. In the midst of so many people, it was impossible not to hit someone with an estalinho by accident. But you didn't expect to be the unlucky one to throw one right Jean 's face.

"Oh, what a thing! Now we'll have to stay here!" Diona complained, crossing her arms in sheer irritation.

Klee giggled as she re-braided Qiqi's hair, which had come loose while playing. "It was super, hyper, mega, ultra fun! Isn't that right, Qiqi?"

"Mhm... I wrote about it on my notebook..."

Being grounded, sitting on plastic chairs until it was time for the quadrilha, wasn't very nice. But the fun was worth it, at least they didn't kill anyone in the process - yet.

And then the most eagerly awaited moment arrived: the quadrilha. This year, you were the lucky one to lead the dance. Although it was easy, rehearsing so much made that tune stick in your head.

"Get ready to dance. Smile!" You joined your partner, leading the line of pairs to the center of the party. In the middle, the circle opened up and everyone joined hands to spin around the fire.

"Look at the snake!" With a jump, everyone left the ground at the same time. Then you turned in the opposite direction. "It's a lie!"

"Look at the rain!" Covering their heads, they continued spinning. "It's a lie!"

"Look at the mora!" They looked down down, pretending to pick up coins from the ground. "This time it's a lie!"

They laughed, it could be true — who wouldn't like a bit of free mora? But now, it was time to prepare for the tunnel, where the pairs go underneath.

"Tunnel!" You raised your arms upwards, instructing the others to do the same and create a roof over their heads. And then the first pairs began to pass through.

"Snail!" Holding hands again, you began to make circles. Back and forth, repeating the process twice.

Standing in the center, you can appreciate the decorations that took so much work to put up. The little colored flags that were strung from one end to the other looked radiant in the campfire light. In the end, everything went well. The quadrilha ended and you did a good job.

As night fell and the festive music stopped, people were already leaving. Perhaps it was time to end this year's Teyvat's Festa Junina and save the memories for the next year.

[ofgentleresolve]

me: *has a v stressful af morning/afternoon even tho it is my day off only to find see @theimpalpable @mythvoiced and @thegreenswillcome​ in my notifications/dms*

me:

[phoenix-of-jade]

12

In honor of SPOTIFY WRAPPED,  send me a number 1-100 and I’ll write you a starter based on the song.

Song number 12: Love the way it hurts by Cloudy June

Oh, your demons match my ghosts

Twin spirits... That was the conclusion the raven haired had came to after listening to Minjun's story about his past and the unfortunate love story he'd gone through. It was interesting how two seemingly completely different people, with completely different backgrounds, could share soo much in common, from a complicated family background characterized by messy games of power and the iron fist of parental authority, to the tragedy of losing their first loves in an unfortunate turn of events that would make said people haunt them to this day (even if the circumstances were different for each one of them, as well as the nature of the "haunting").

I'm sad as fuck you know

When Minjun told him that he couldn't let go of Joowan because he was his very first ever love, the information kind of struck a sensitive chord buried deep within Xuan's heart and soul. He could relate in a way with the lawyer's pain and struggles with moving on, because he too was haunted by a similar ghost: while he didn't lie about Cheng being some sort of 'ex', the man wasn't Xuan's only friend he'd ever gotten involved with in a seemingly romantical way.

The two had another friend with whom they both were very close, a boy named Xia, and while Xuan didn't love Cheng in a romantic manner, he did bear this kind of feelings for this boy; feelings he was too young back then to be able to fully understand what they were or what they meant, but which made Xia be the closest thing to an actual crush Xuan had ever experienced. Unfortunately, Xuan lost Xia when they were still kids, the young man dying at the ripe age of 13 and leaving the at the time 12 year old Xuan with a grueling sense of survivor's guilt. And to this day, the green eyed man blamed himself for Xia's death even if it wasn't his direct doing, living under the impression that anyone he'd grow to love ever again would end up suffering a similar fate, which made Xuan swear that he'll never love again.

You can always make it worse

Yet, cut to the present, and the time spent in the company of this stunning and clever lawyer made Xuan feel a kind of tingle he hadn't felt in literal years, something he never thought would be possible ever again. That strong feeling of compassion and empathy he felt for Minjun, paired with his respect for this handsome man's strong will and determination, had made Xuan develop a keen liking for his new business associate. In other words, he was starting to develop a new crush. But was he ready to accept this kind of feelings in his life? Was Xuan ready to allow himself to love again and welcome this still unknown feeling to nestle into his stone cold heart?

Baby I need you I need your claws on my neck I need your bitter red wine lips and dirty regrets I need your hunger Feels like you're tying me up I'm begging you for your love Begging you for your love

Before he realized it, Xuan had already started to slowly fantasize about him and his lawyer, and that did not include the business framework in the slightest! He couldn't take his mind off of Minjun's charming smile, his charismatic voice and the way his pretty lips looked soo kissable! It was strange feeling like this for someone so suddenly after he hadn't ever caught any semblance of such cravings for anyone else in literal years, not even for Cheng, with whom he had an intimate relationship after all...

Maybe it was the fact that Minjun kind of reminded him of Xia, in a way? It was true, he had black hair and brown eyes like his long departed friend, but so did many other people he'd interacted with in the past and he hadn't developed any displays of lust like this for them. Or maybe it was Minjun's charisma and very kind and selfless nature that reminded him of the young man? Xuan didn't know, but it frustrated him nevertheless. He wanted something from Minjun, that he could tell, but what exactly that something was, heck if even he knew!

Interesting enough was that the lawyer seemed to be interested in him too, or that's what Xuan thought from watching him closely during their conversations. It was bad! This only served to fuel those weird feelings and desires he was having even further! Should he even try to initiate something...?

Xuan shook his head in frustration, sighing and leant back into the chair, staring at the ceiling. Was it even worth it? What if he tries to initiate something romantic with him and Minjun rejects him? Not only would he end up hurt (especially his pride and ego), but that would also risk ruining their business relationship as well...

The raven haired heaved a deep sigh, wondering why things had to be soo complicated? And even if let's say, Minjun were to actually return these feelings of attraction, there was still the issue of his stalker ex boyfriend... Xuan furrowed his eyebrows remembering about what Minjun had told him: Joowan was a murderer and if he'd deem Xuan as competition, he might attempt 'eliminating' him the best way murderers know...

But how can I make me not want you now? Can I make me not go to your house?

But when was he ever afraid of death to begin with? Xuan let out a self-ironic snort. The idea sounded soo stupid in comparison to his lifestyle: he was dealing with the threat of death on a daily, such was the life of a powerful mob leader such as himself. So what was one more assassination threat on top of the already long list looming over his head? Xuan wasn't a scarredy cat. He'd never fret in the face of danger and that wasn't something that would change now. If he wanted Minjun, he could've as well gone for it! Xuan wasn't going to let anyone get in his way and if worse came to worse, he was sure that at least he could rid the lawyer of this annoying pain in the ass.

Baby I crave you I crave your taste in the night (...) And it's rushing from my feet to the back of my head

That thought in mind, Xuan smirked to himself a sinister smile. Yeah, he wasn't going to back down and give up that easily! When he wanted something, he was the type of man that wouldn't refrain from doing almost anything to get that something and if that bastard was even going to think to stand between him and Minjun, Xuan was going to show Joowan what it meant challenging the Green Eyed Death himself.

So yeah, he was going to actually go to Minjun house tonight and finally do what he's been craving to do for quite a while now. Once that decision set, there wasn't turning Xuan back from it and he was going to make sure that nothing, and really nothing, would stand between him and his goal! Those were the very thoughts traversing Xuan's mind as he stared at the shiny revolver glistening in the dim light of the study, before placing it in its holster, concealed nicely underneath his shirt and pants at his back.

Oh, your demons match my ghosts I'm sad as fuck you know You can always make it worse But I love the way it Hurts and maybe that's my curse Come and drag me through the dirt You can always make it worse But I love the way it hurts It hurts It hurts But I love the way it hurts It hurts Oh it hurts

Indeed, they were twin spirits attracting one another and for that reason they should have been together... Xuan wan't one to give up without a fight and even if this would've ended up hurting him in any shape or form, he was more than willing to take that pain. After all, wasn't he the type who liked a little bit of pain anyways?

Cheeky grin played at the corners of his lips and his emerald eyes shined with the glow of a hungry predator ready to go after its pray, as the raven haired exited the office. Let the hunt of the night begin!

[omgpurplefattie]

MLC WIP Wednesday

The beginning of the spicy extra I am writing for the current episode. Behind a cut because spicy with a side of alien anatomy. DFS PoV.

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

Di Feisheng woke when an icy cold hand slid over his lower belly, coming to rest just over his pubic mound.

"Xia — Lianhua?a" he said, remembering at the last moment that Fang Duobing had also fallen asleep with them, after tea and some Nanyin stories and half an hour of increasingly sleepy kisses.

Yeah, he belonged here, but he didn't need to hear Di Feisheng call Xiangyi that as an endearment.

"So nice and warm," murmured somebody near Di Feisheng's left armpit.

"Is he warming his hands on your cock?" Fang Duobing asked, sounding blurry with sleep as well. "He does that."

"Just my bush," Di Feisheng said. "It's not that bad, considering — EEEP!!"

Something icy had slid in right between his penises, snaking its way around the posterior one.

"Now, obviously," Fang Duobing chuckled. "We are all awake now. Let's warm our HuaHua up properly, then?"

"Yes," Di Feisheng said. "As soon as my private parts become unfrozen."

"Let me try," Xiaobao said, reaching over the cold, sleepy lump that was Li Lianhua. Finally, the icy thing went away as Fang Duobing pulled at Li Lianhua 's wrist and replaced it with his own hand — warm and surprisingly strong as his fingers caressed the length of the anterior penis.

Di Feisheng relaxed. This was so much better.

"You are nice and warm, Xiaobao," Li Lianhua murmured. "A strong little furnace to keep the cold of space at bay."

"How can one singular person," Di Feisheng wondered, "exude that much cold?"

"Singularity," Li Lianhua murmured. "I bumped into one. Remember?"

[rockybloo]

what are some of your favorite aspects of jack and nana’s dynamic? please unleash the red beans thoughts into the world 😭❤️

personally i love how flirtatious nana is with jack (and only jack!), it’s a complete subversion of what you’d expect from her personality

Oh there are SO many aspects.

I love that Jack is a clumsy goofball who is willing to do anything for Nana and wouldn't hesitate getting into a fight for her because no one is talking bad about Nana in his presence.

Nana learning to come out of her shell a bit more due to her friendship with Jack but not because he's telling her she has to. Jack actually works with her antisocialness and learns about her boundaries and limits. Nana just likes being around him and would like to be around him more. But in order to do that, she knows she has to stop holding herself back from interacting with everyone by staying in her room or the Lupine forest.

There's the fact Nana is the one who teaches Jack how to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Xia def has their hand in teaching him but Nana is what makes the lessons stick (she also is the one who teaches him how to use his elongated canines). That lad learned how to bite and make it count from his girlfriend.

The fact they both have their own "dark" sides that they are a bit self conscious about while ironically loving the other's alternate side and wishing they'd be more comfortable about it.

Nana is very aware of the fact Jack likes sweets and always makes some for him when she gets the chance, but she also knows he needs to eat healthy foods too. And sometimes, getting Jack to eat that good stuff is like pulling teeth. So, in the early days before she fully moved into Briar Patch, she'd bring homecooked food with her for Jack to make sure he's eating SOMETHING that ain't jam packed with sugar. And she knows because she made it, he'll eat it.

I also very much love that Nana is so flirtatious with Jack even though she's so reclusive around people she doesn't know and can be super pokerfaced around her own friends. She does express herself around Pin, Ashe, and Kai, but Jack is the one who fully sees her other sides. She wasn't planning on having him be the only one either, but he makes her feel so comfortable she tends to drop that limit she has on her emotions.

What's funny too is that she wasn't planning on being the flirty type, nor did she intend to be, but one day she did something and Jack responded a certain way and something inside her woke up. She learned she really liked how Jack gets when she flusters him.

I think what my absolute favorite part of their dynamic is the fact that Nana never intended to fall in love with Jack. She was fully planning on just never falling in love...ever. She was fully avoidant of such a thing and never thought it would happen to her. And then Jack came stumbling into her life and accidentally breaking down the walls she built around herself by just being a genuinely nice guy and good friend and she realized "Shit I got it bad for the farm boy."

There's something about a character trying to suppress their feelings for someone because they are scared of getting hurt and/or just have low hopes for life, only for the ball of sunshine to be head-over-heels for them leading to them spending more time around the latter and having them grow fonder and fonder. And then one day they snap and just have that realization when they are by themselves one day "SHIT I'M IN LOVE"

The list of the things I love about Jack and Nana and their interactions together would literally be endless but they are just super fun and comfy for me to write and draw together.