#xiaoxi qiang

[softlycandescent]

𝐴 𝑁𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

Bewitching Night Rave: Return to Night [MR]

Xiaoxi Qiang (OC) X Vyn Richter [Special Edition: Halloween!]

Tags: very small mentions of blood, fluff?, so this was supposed to be spicy spice but I truly do not think it turned out that way, maybe a little bit suggestive, mostly SFW

Xiaoxi loves the color red. The color of her favorites: roses in full bloom, the color of fresh strawberries, and even the apples she’d picked yesterday. Namely, right now, red is also the color of the sky.She’s not sure what to compare the sky to, she’s definitely never seen anything like it.  She’s never seen an eclipse before, much less one like this. The sky looks like it’s been dipped in crimson. 

She sits on the cushion of the window seat, her feet dangling aimlessly off the edge as she observes the phenomena of the lunar eclipse. It only did happen annually, after all, or so she’s read. She should treasure every moment of it, even if it means staying awake until it inevitably ends.   

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering brings her attention away from the conditions outside and to behind her, instead. How had she forgotten she wasn’t alone here? Vyn was staring at his now bloodied hand, glass beneath his feet. Just what had he been holding, he’s never that clumsy.

“Are you okay?” Xiaoxi asked immediately, her brown eyes reflecting nothing but genuine concern. “Y-You’re hurt!” 

“I am fine.” Vyn murmurs, his voice shaky, his gaze still dropped to his hand. “Did I scare you..?” 

Xiaoxi gets up from where she was sitting by the window, quickly hopping off the window seat and closer to Vyn. She drops her gaze down to the blood on his hand, then starts fumbling towards the door. She was wracking her brain on what she could do to make it better. “Are you...do you want me to get something? I think I could find something, there’s some-” 

Vyn grasps her sleeve in his unbloodied hand, breathing hard, his gaze torn between looking at her and the empty space next to her. His gaze finally settles on her own, His voice cuts through her thoughts and abandons all of her wishes to scurry out of the room. 

“Do not go, please.” 

He was..asking her to stay, right? 

 She didn’t have it in her to go now. She turns her body towards Vyn again. “Are you sure you’re okay, honey? You seem kind of..out of it.”

“We are unusually weak in the case of an eclipse.”

“Can I help at all?”

“Sorry, coming close to you will…it would make me lose control.” With a shaky inhale, he looked down at his hand and then back at her. Namely, the slightly exposed skin of her neck. It looks like Vyn is fighting himself on something. Uncertainty and indecision flashes in his golden eyes, yet he doesn’t look away from her. Behind all of it, there was such an intense sense of yearning and adoration.“But more than that, I really cannot stand to part from you.”

Xiaoxi looks at him and places her hand on his upper arm gently. Her touch is all he’s ever known her to be: warm and welcoming. It only takes him a moment to melt into it, a ghost of a smile gracing his features, despite his current condition. 

“Vyn, please, let me,” Xiaoxi says firmly, though he asked her to not go, she also knew he might not let himself take what he needed. She might’ve understood under different circumstances, maybe she would not have pushed it, but the simple fact of it was that they’ve been in the situation before. They had an agreement of sorts, she would give him some of her blood occasionally whenever he got in such a state, or on the very rare occasion he asked. Seeing him so weak, so much not like himself, it broke her heart into a million pieces. There had to be something she could do, and she knew what that “something” was.

It took much of her stubbornness for them to start this arrangement in the first place. His insistence on not hurting her knew no bounds, even at the extent of his own wellbeing. While she was really appreciative of his care for her, she wished he was a little more selfish and thought of himself more.

“I..” Vyn looked at her and it felt like he was finally seeing her, his eyes still looked dazed. He uses the hand he had on the end of her sleeve, still,  and pushes her sleeve up to reveal her forearm. Freckled and smooth in the candlelight, save for a few faded scars. He definitely felt guilty he was about to contribute to them, she could see it in his eyes. But like clockwork, his mouth latches onto her wrist followed by the sharp sting of his fangs.

She was satisfied that she was finally able to get him to cave, in such a pivotal moment of need for him. But in the blink of an eye he pulled away, he was so sure not to leave any blood dripping down her arm.

But just as quickly as his fangs sunk into her skin, they were gone just as quickly. Actually, he didn’t linger nearly as long as usually might have. 

“Okay, just until here,” Vyn states breathlessly, crimson still lingering on his lips. His hot breath kissed the sensitive skin of her wrist. “Let’s wrap things up for now.” 

His chest heaved as he struggled to meet her eyes again, there was no way that was enough, right? He usually lingered much longer savoring it for at least a little longer. Besides, tonight most likely, he would need more than usual to regain his energy.

Xiaoxi doesn’t let him go far enough to even find bandages, her hand grabs his. Her touch was often gentle, so much so it was easy enough to shake off with the flick of the wrist. But when Vyn didn’t even seem much better after a little bit of her blood, how could she just let him go? It was her duty, as his lover, to make sure he is well looked after. Just as he does for her. She keeps her grip firm. 

“Don’t stop, you don’t have to stop, Vyn.”

“Don’t stop..?” Vyn looked at her incredulously, his eyebrows raised with a hitch of his breath. “You want me to continue..?”

Xiaoxi nods, her gaze unwavering, there was no way she was backing down. Not this time at least. She inches forward slightly, as if it might sway him just a little bit. 

“But..I am afraid I will break you.” With a weak chuckle his gaze meets her fierce one. Brown eyes looked back at him with an expression he was powerless to argue with.   

“Like I’ve said before, I want to do this. I want to see you feeling better more than anything.”Her hand squeezes his warmly, trying to give him encouragement."  Besides, I know you’ll take good care of me. It’ll be okay.” .

“It is fine? Well, all right then.” A smile pulls at his lips, pulling her closer to him with their entangled hands. She lands in his lap with a soft thud, joining him on the soft mattress. Using one of their joined hands to keep her close, he uses his other hand to move her hair away from her neck quickly.Her black curls fall onto her other shoulder messily.

Xiaoxi fully expected him to just sink his teeth into the flesh of her neck, but she was pleasantly surprised when he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, taking in her scent. 

“You smell so nice, so sweet,” he said, before pressing a chaste kiss to the skin of neck, which by now was warm to the touch. He trailed gentle kisses in a line from her shoulder and then back up before he settled back into her neck. A dark smile crossed his face. “Are you embarrassed, love?” 

“N-No,” Xiaoxi fibbed, albeit breathlessly. Of course, it was a bold faced lie. Anyone would be able to tell by the bright hue of her cheeks and the not so subtle lift to her voice. And of course, this was Vyn. Of course he could see through her. 

With a sly chuckle, he grazed his fangs against the skin of her neck, eliciting a sharp gasp from Xiaoxi. She threw one of her arms around his neck as his fangs finally sunk into her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed and sigh upon sigh brushed past her lips, tickling Vyn’s hair. 

—

“Vyn, I was wondering,” Xiaoxi asked, gazing at him with curious yet bashful eyes. “What does it taste like? I can’t imagine it’s very, well, y’know-.” 

“You taste so sweet, my dear, so intoxicating.” Vyn breathes against her skin, pressing a kiss to the mark he just left on her neck. Then he leaves one more before brushing his fingertips over the mark gently. It was as if his touch alone chased away any of the lingering pain that was left behind, which was probably his plan all along. “I mean, we are talking about you, after all.” 

Moving her arm from around her neck, she buried her hand into his silver hair, an absolutely dazed grin on her face. She trails her hand to his cheek, smiling wider when his eyes meet her brown ones, affection sparkling behind them.

“Are you alright?” Vyn asks, his fingertips moved from the mark on her neck to the apple of her check, caressing her skin carefully, his touch featherlight and cautious. 

“Yeah, I’m okay. See, no harm done!” Xiaoxi smiled and leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand. “You can keep going, I think I could handle a little bit more.” 

“Maybe, but why don’t you take a rest, love?” His thumb brushes up to her cheekbone, his smile was sweet, comforting. His other hand entangled his fingers with hers, thumb brushing alone the back of her hand. “We have all night, after all.” 

[lovestellis]

𝐴 𝑁𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

Bewitching Night Rave: Return to Night [MR]

Xiaoxi Qiang (OC) X Vyn Richter [Special Edition: Halloween!]

Tags: very small mentions of blood, fluff?, so this was supposed to be spicy spice but I truly do not think it turned out that way, maybe a little bit suggestive, mostly SFW

Xiaoxi loves the color red. The color of her favorites: roses in full bloom, the color of fresh strawberries, and even the apples she’d picked yesterday. Namely, right now, red is also the color of the sky.She’s not sure what to compare the sky to, she’s definitely never seen anything like it.  She’s never seen an eclipse before, much less one like this. The sky looks like it’s been dipped in crimson. 

She sits on the cushion of the window seat, her feet dangling aimlessly off the edge as she observes the phenomena of the lunar eclipse. It only did happen annually, after all, or so she’s read. She should treasure every moment of it, even if it means staying awake until it inevitably ends.   

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering brings her attention away from the conditions outside and to behind her, instead. How had she forgotten she wasn’t alone here? Vyn was staring at his now bloodied hand, glass beneath his feet. Just what had he been holding, he’s never that clumsy.

“Are you okay?” Xiaoxi asked immediately, her brown eyes reflecting nothing but genuine concern. “Y-You’re hurt!” 

“I am fine.” Vyn murmurs, his voice shaky, his gaze still dropped to his hand. “Did I scare you..?” 

Xiaoxi gets up from where she was sitting by the window, quickly hopping off the window seat and closer to Vyn. She drops her gaze down to the blood on his hand, then starts fumbling towards the door. She was wracking her brain on what she could do to make it better. “Are you...do you want me to get something? I think I could find something, there’s some-” 

Vyn grasps her sleeve in his unbloodied hand, breathing hard, his gaze torn between looking at her and the empty space next to her. His gaze finally settles on her own, His voice cuts through her thoughts and abandons all of her wishes to scurry out of the room. 

“Do not go, please.” 

He was..asking her to stay, right? 

 She didn’t have it in her to go now. She turns her body towards Vyn again. “Are you sure you’re okay, honey? You seem kind of..out of it.”

“We are unusually weak in the case of an eclipse.”

“Can I help at all?”

“Sorry, coming close to you will…it would make me lose control.” With a shaky inhale, he looked down at his hand and then back at her. Namely, the slightly exposed skin of her neck. It looks like Vyn is fighting himself on something. Uncertainty and indecision flashes in his golden eyes, yet he doesn’t look away from her. Behind all of it, there was such an intense sense of yearning and adoration.“But more than that, I really cannot stand to part from you.”

Xiaoxi looks at him and places her hand on his upper arm gently. Her touch is all he’s ever known her to be: warm and welcoming. It only takes him a moment to melt into it, a ghost of a smile gracing his features, despite his current condition. 

“Vyn, please, let me,” Xiaoxi says firmly, though he asked her to not go, she also knew he might not let himself take what he needed. She might’ve understood under different circumstances, maybe she would not have pushed it, but the simple fact of it was that they’ve been in the situation before. They had an agreement of sorts, she would give him some of her blood occasionally whenever he got in such a state, or on the very rare occasion he asked. Seeing him so weak, so much not like himself, it broke her heart into a million pieces. There had to be something she could do, and she knew what that “something” was.

It took much of her stubbornness for them to start this arrangement in the first place. His insistence on not hurting her knew no bounds, even at the extent of his own wellbeing. While she was really appreciative of his care for her, she wished he was a little more selfish and thought of himself more.

“I..” Vyn looked at her and it felt like he was finally seeing her, his eyes still looked dazed. He uses the hand he had on the end of her sleeve, still,  and pushes her sleeve up to reveal her forearm. Freckled and smooth in the candlelight, save for a few faded scars. He definitely felt guilty he was about to contribute to them, she could see it in his eyes. But like clockwork, his mouth latches onto her wrist followed by the sharp sting of his fangs.

She was satisfied that she was finally able to get him to cave, in such a pivotal moment of need for him. But in the blink of an eye he pulled away, he was so sure not to leave any blood dripping down her arm.

But just as quickly as his fangs sunk into her skin, they were gone just as quickly. Actually, he didn’t linger nearly as long as usually might have. 

“Okay, just until here,” Vyn states breathlessly, crimson still lingering on his lips. His hot breath kissed the sensitive skin of her wrist. “Let’s wrap things up for now.” 

His chest heaved as he struggled to meet her eyes again, there was no way that was enough, right? He usually lingered much longer savoring it for at least a little longer. Besides, tonight most likely, he would need more than usual to regain his energy.

Xiaoxi doesn’t let him go far enough to even find bandages, her hand grabs his. Her touch was often gentle, so much so it was easy enough to shake off with the flick of the wrist. But when Vyn didn’t even seem much better after a little bit of her blood, how could she just let him go? It was her duty, as his lover, to make sure he is well looked after. Just as he does for her. She keeps her grip firm. 

“Don’t stop, you don’t have to stop, Vyn.”

“Don’t stop..?” Vyn looked at her incredulously, his eyebrows raised with a hitch of his breath. “You want me to continue..?”

Xiaoxi nods, her gaze unwavering, there was no way she was backing down. Not this time at least. She inches forward slightly, as if it might sway him just a little bit. 

“But..I am afraid I will break you.” With a weak chuckle his gaze meets her fierce one. Brown eyes looked back at him with an expression he was powerless to argue with.   

“Like I’ve said before, I want to do this. I want to see you feeling better more than anything.”Her hand squeezes his warmly, trying to give him encouragement."  Besides, I know you’ll take good care of me. It’ll be okay.” .

“It is fine? Well, all right then.” A smile pulls at his lips, pulling her closer to him with their entangled hands. She lands in his lap with a soft thud, joining him on the soft mattress. Using one of their joined hands to keep her close, he uses his other hand to move her hair away from her neck quickly.Her black curls fall onto her other shoulder messily.

Xiaoxi fully expected him to just sink his teeth into the flesh of her neck, but she was pleasantly surprised when he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, taking in her scent. 

“You smell so nice, so sweet,” he said, before pressing a chaste kiss to the skin of neck, which by now was warm to the touch. He trailed gentle kisses in a line from her shoulder and then back up before he settled back into her neck. A dark smile crossed his face. “Are you embarrassed, love?” 

“N-No,” Xiaoxi fibbed, albeit breathlessly. Of course, it was a bold faced lie. Anyone would be able to tell by the bright hue of her cheeks and the not so subtle lift to her voice. And of course, this was Vyn. Of course he could see through her. 

With a sly chuckle, he grazed his fangs against the skin of her neck, eliciting a sharp gasp from Xiaoxi. She threw one of her arms around his neck as his fangs finally sunk into her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed and sigh upon sigh brushed past her lips, tickling Vyn’s hair. 

—

“Vyn, I was wondering,” Xiaoxi asked, gazing at him with curious yet bashful eyes. “What does it taste like? I can’t imagine it’s very, well, y’know-.” 

“You taste so sweet, my dear, so intoxicating.” Vyn breathes against her skin, pressing a kiss to the mark he just left on her neck. Then he leaves one more before brushing his fingertips over the mark gently. It was as if his touch alone chased away any of the lingering pain that was left behind, which was probably his plan all along. “I mean, we are talking about you, after all.” 

Moving her arm from around her neck, she buried her hand into his silver hair, an absolutely dazed grin on her face. She trails her hand to his cheek, smiling wider when his eyes meet her brown ones, affection sparkling behind them.

“Are you alright?” Vyn asks, his fingertips moved from the mark on her neck to the apple of her check, caressing her skin carefully, his touch featherlight and cautious. 

“Yeah, I’m okay. See, no harm done!” Xiaoxi smiled and leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand. “You can keep going, I think I could handle a little bit more.” 

“Maybe, but why don’t you take a rest, love?” His thumb brushes up to her cheekbone, his smile was sweet, comforting. His other hand entangled his fingers with hers, thumb brushing alone the back of her hand. “We have all night, after all.” 

[the-monkey-ruler]

Tales From Journey To The West (2014) 西游记的故事

Director: Wu Min Screenwriter: Malaysia Starring: Jiang Guangtao / Zhang Lu / Ma Zema / Yang Tianxiang / Zhang Jie / Guo Haoran / Tut Harmon / Yang Xi Zhang / Kai / Qiang Yan Mengmeng / Lin / Chen Zhang Taikang Zhang Lei / Guo Yixiang / Cao Yuntu / Huang Zhenji / Yang Mo / Liu Qianhan / Ban Chuang / Wei Chao / He Guannan / Hou Hongyi / Zhang Zhe / Tang Xiaoxi / Baomu Zhongyang /Yang Ning / Liang / Su Shangqing / Xiaoqiang / Yang Jing / Wang Guannan Genre: Animation / Fantasy Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Language: Mandarin Chinese Date: 2014-01-26 (Mainland China) Number of episodes: 52 Single episode length: 11 minutes Also known as: Stories from Journey to the West Type: Retelling

Summary:

This film is based on Sun Jingxiu's radio version of "Journey to the West". In the form of stories told by Sun Jingxiu's grandfather, this film tells the story of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing who protected Tang Monk on his journey to the west, overcame difficulties and obstacles, and eliminated monsters along the way.

Source: https://movie.douban.com/subject/25830641/

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Journey-West/dp/B07FS9PX7N

[softlycandescent]

May I have this dance?  ☀︎

Xiaoxi prepared a surprise for her students, who missed dressing up. But she was the one who ended up surprised.

Ms. Xiaoxi goes above and beyond for her students. It wasn’t an opinion, it was ore of a fact. Any of the other teachers she worked with, who doubted her abilities, quickly came around to that fact. How could they not? Any child who has been in her classroom for even a minute absolutely fell in love with her.

Every moment in her class was special, and well, today was no different.

It’s not Halloween or a special occasion really. 

But, her students worked so hard, so she enlisted the help of a few fellow teachers who decided to stay late. She’d gotten so engrossed in her work that when Vyn came by her classroom to pick her up, she hadn’t even heard him come in. Her hands were wrapped in party streamers she was attempting to hang up.

“My love, what’s all of this?” Vyn’s voice was soft and she could feel his breath on the side of her face. He wrapped an arm around her waist and settled behind her comfortably. 

Xiaoxi couldn’t help but smile as she pinned one end of the party streamer to the wall and turned a little so she could see Vyn’s face. Her smile only grew wider. “I’m just setting something up for my kids. they said they missed dressing up and stuff from Halloween, so I thought, maybe they would like another opportunity to dress up. What do you think?”

“What is the opportunity, what have you planned?”

Xiaoxi’s eyes sparkled, she would never get over how interested Vyn was in everything she did. She turned back to her streamer, pinning another few spots on it. Now it finally was out of her hands. She kept her hands on it though, an excuse to avoid his gaze a little longer out of embarrassment. “Well, how about a costume party, with some snacks.”

She turned around then to see Vyn’s reaction.

His features softened and he took her hands in his gently. He helped her off the chair she’d been standing on so that her feet were flat on the ground now. But, now she has to make more effort to look at him, she never minded though.

“What a wonderful idea,” he took the opportunity and pressed a kiss to the top of her scalp. “Are you excited?”

She nodded excitedly, a smile still very much present on her face. The only change in her expression was the warmth that danced on her cheeks. “Of course,” she squeezed his hands in hers. “You know how much I like to dress up!”

Vyn chuckled, the sound was sweet against her ear. “That I do. Although, you have never needed to put in any extra effort to be beautiful to me.”

Xiaoxi jumped with a light gasp, her face flushing even more. She’d been so surprised she tore her hands from Vyn’s unknowingly. “That’s not fair, you can’t say things like that all of a sudden, I-”

Instead of reaching for her hands again, Vyn pulled her close, so that her cheek pressed against his chest. “I meant every word,” Vyn murmured. 

She’d started to make a sound of protest, but instead she hummed contently into his embrace, moving her own arms to wrap around him. “I know,” she said lightly, settling further into him.

After staying like that for a while longer, they separated and decided to work on the rest of the decorating together.

 It was while they were tying a few last balloons that Xiaoxi finally told him what her costume was going to be. And the smile he directed at her following that was enough to make her heart leap out of her chest again. 

—

The evening of the actual costume party, or well, more like a costume dance, Xiaoxi saw a lot of lovely costumes. 

A few of her students had come in their costumes from halloween, that they loved that much. Other’s came with one that was brand new. Regardless though, whether she'd seen them or not, they were all equally wonderful too. But, that was entirely because all of her students were smiling. 

She smiled to herself, she would give anything for her students to be this happy all the time. Maybe she should do more stuff like this. 

Xiaoxi dressed up, just like she told Vyn about. Her costume was a princess, which was obvious by the simple tiara on her head and the long yellow dress she wore. Even in the dim-warm lights of her classroom, the sparkles on her dress made her feel like a real fairytale princess.

Which, her students definitely had told her, too. One of them even asked who her fairy godmother was. 

Or, one of them asked where her prince was.

She giggled and waved her hand at that one. She’d been prepared to tell that very student that she wasn’t accompanied by a prince tonight. 

Suddenly, the students that occupied their desks with snacks gasped and went to point behind Xiaoxi. But then quickly settled back down for some reason. 

Quirking her eyebrow, she was tempted to explain that pointing is rude, not to point at someone-

But then she felt someone tap her shoulder, and it sent a familiar wave of goosebumps along the bare skin of her arm. So she whipped head around. And immediately she gasped. 

Vyn was here, or well, should she call him Prince Vyn instead?

He looked like a proper fairytale prince, and matched her effortlessly. She was finding it hard to tear her eyes from him. 

Time felt like it was frozen as he took her hand in his, but it was much different. His hands were a little chiller, the smooth fabric of his gloves brushed against her skin.

He brought her hand to his lips and pressed his lips to her knuckles, looking up at her. The kiss was so soft, so gentle, she hardly knew it was there. She might not have even felt it if not for the way her complete attention was on him. Behind his glasses, his golden eyes were filled with pure adoration.

Their moment was briefly itnerupted by one of her female students, who screeched,“Dance with her, prince!”

When they turned their attention to her students they were looking at them expectantly. This was what Xiaoxi gets for reading every fairytale princess story she could, huh? She didn’t mind though. Her students were cheering her on, she knew it. 

She couldn’t help but wonder what class would be like next time. 

Xiaoxi turned her attention back to Vyn, who looked like he was waiting for her to meet his eyes. He smiled, his lips met her knuckles again and she had to fight the urge to squeal. The difference was, this time he was bowed, like a real prince.

“May I have this dance, princess?”

Xiaoxi’s face lit up and her cheeks warmed again. She manages to find her voice when she gazes at him this time. Her lips quirk into a sweet smile, the type of smile that Vyn has rambled about in the past. “Of course, my prince.”

Some of her students clapped, while others gushed about how there was a “real life princess and prince” who were about to dance just for them. Xiaoxi was giddy, so giddy. It seemed to rub off on Vyn, too, because when he stood properly, he snuck her a nose-kiss.

Though it could hardly be counted as a sneaky kiss when Xiaoxi reacts by giggling like a schoolgirl over it. Though, when didn’t she when it came to Vyn and all of his affection. Every bit of it.

Vyn kept that on hand of hers in his, gently. His other arm wrapped around her waist firmly, keeping her close to him. They’d assumed this position before, this was far from their first time dancing together. So Xiaoxi knew she had to put her hand on his shoulder. 

And even if she understood the dance well, she was perfectly happy with letting him take the lead. The notes of the music she’d started to play through her bluetooth speaker when the party started began to cycle back to the beginning of her playlist. She’d almost forgotten about it. The soft notes of the music felt perfect right now. One of her favorite classical pieces was playing and it felt right. 

When they started swaying back and forth and flowing with the music, she could tell VYn felt the same way. 

As it turned out though, one dance turned into two, then two into three. 

Xiaoxi’s students had to interrupt her dance, a few younger boys this time, tugging on the fabric of her dress. It was enough to make Xiaoxi avert their attention to them. 

The party was almost over, she supposed, so she decided to give her students their dance, for a little while. And while she’d done that, Vyn wanded over to some of her other students and hung out with them. They adored him, almost as much as Xiaoxi, herself.

The end of the celebration came quickly, and as soon as the last parent picked up the last student, Xiaoxi closed her classroom door and started to take down some of the decorations to store away in a box.

“You did a really good job today, darling.”

Xiaoxi turns her head and smiles at Vyn brightly, “Thank you, and thank you for coming to see me!”

Vyn, who was leaning against a desk, steps towards her and cradles her cheek in his hand, “How could I not? We were planning on getting together anyways, right?”

“It made me happy, I felt like an actual princess,” Xiaoxi giggled and leaned her cheek further into the palm of his hand. His hand was much warmer now, and his gloves were gone. He must’ve set them aside. He did know that likes the feeling of his hands on her face like this, without gloves or anything in between.

“You definitely are like an actual princess to me, Xiaoxi.” He chuckled, making sure to kiss her cheek. “You’re…so beautiful.”

“What about you, you look gorgeous!” Xiaoxi exclaimed, putting her own hand on Vyn’s face, thumb caressing the mole under his left eye. The action made his eyes widen slightly before relaxing into her touch, leaning into it. She swore she might’ve heard his breath hitch, could I have been her imagination. “I feel very lucky right now!

With a soft chuckle he leaned close enough to where his breath fanned over her face, tickling her eyelashes. “As do I, my rose. You make me feel so lucky.”

Without thinking, Xiaoxi closes the distance. Pressing her lips against Vyn’s softly and kissing him gently. Vyn hummed and kissed her just as softly, bringing his hand to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and then letting his hand go back to her cheek.

Even after they separated, neither of them moved their hands and stayed close, every breath mingling together.

“I love you,” Xiaoxi murmured, leaning her head on his shoulder tiredly. It was getting kind of late for her now, considering all of the preparations she’d done. 

“I love you so much, more than words can say.” Vyn whispered into her hair. Xiaoxi sleepily giggled against his shirt and wrapped her arms around him tightly. “You’re everything to me.”’

Later, Vyn would take her back to her house, giving her a proper goodnight kiss, but the night lingered in his mind more than necessary. A smitten smile not once leaving his face.

[softlycandescent]

Tears of Themis Navigation

𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯

𝖬𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝖱𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖶𝗈𝗋𝗄(𝗌): Gingerbread Crumbs, Movies and My Beloved

𝖶𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗍 𝖱𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾:  𝐴𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑎 𝐿𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑥 [her archive here]

𝖧𝖾𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖧𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌 𝖱𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾:  𝑋𝑖𝑎𝑜𝑥𝑖 𝑄𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔 [her archive here]

𝑇𝘩���𝑠 𝑛𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑔𝑜

[lovestellis]

Xiaoxi Qiang: Study 💕✨

[lovestellis]

𝗑𝗂𝖺𝗈𝗑𝗂 𝗊𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗀: 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗒 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍 🌹

[softlycandescent]

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑀𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑊𝑒'𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑏𝑦𝑒

𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝗎𝖽𝖽𝖾𝗇 𝖵𝗒𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝖷𝗂𝖺𝗈𝗑𝗂 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗎𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖲𝗏𝖺𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐𝗌.

Xiaoxi Qiang (OC) X Vyn Richter

part two coming soon!!

It was early evening and before she knew it it had become routine to enjoy Vyn’s company. Tonight it was via facetime. Xiaoxi had already dressed for bed, her blouse already traded out for a comfortable fleece sweater. Vyn, on the other hand, looked far from ready for bed. The only clue that he had even settled in was that his shirt was unbuttoned at the collar.

Talking long into the night hadn’t been uncommon, nor were her interruptions of his nightly routine. 

“I told you I’m not good at airports, they need a bigger map!” Xiaoxi insisted in between uncontrollable laughter. “It’s such a maze!”

“Where were you headed that time? I did not think you traveled that much, sunshine.”

“Oh I don’t, not so much anymore.” XIaoxi spins in her desk chair, which was only slightly out of frame of their face-time call. “That was when I was abroad in Svart, maybe it was just that airport. Svart was just confusing.”

Despite her adorable distress, Vyn can’t help but chuckle.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Vyn’s eyes, full of seriousness and a bit of concern, flitted to Xiaoxi’s. The flicker of playfulness now was completely absent from his gaze. “I am going back to Svart.”

Oh you are? That’s..” Xiaoxi’s fit of giggles died down and her eyes widened slightly. It was so sudden. It felt like she had just been punched in the gut, her heart pounded in her ears and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He’s…going back to Svart? To stay? 

She wanted to ask why. What happened?

It was confusing, she never imagined he would want to move back there.

The way he talked about it before, and talked about Stellis like it’s his home. 

Now, she stops making direct eye contact, pretending to busy herself with tidying her desk. She was mostly hoping to hide her true feelings. Though, with Vyn, something like that wouldn’t make a difference. Not even close. “When are you going?”

Finally, she makes the brave decision to glance up at him through her lashes. The atmosphere felt uncharacteristically tense, there was a certain emotion behind Vyn’s eyes that she’d seen before but she couldn’t put the name to. 

But just as quickly as she took note of that expression, with the subtlest shake of his head, it was gone in an instant. He softly smiled at her, slightly adjusting his phone. “After my seminar on Friday.”

Seminar, that’s right, that was the last one scheduled for the semester, just before all of the university students went on break.

There was an overwhelming amount of uneasiness in her chest. 

She had gotten so accustomed to having Vyn at her side, always there no matter what, she couldn’t even comprehend losing him. 

She didn’t want to comprehend it, she didn’t want it to happen at all.

“Don’t..!” Xiaoxi took a deep breath. A deep breath in and a careful breath out. “Don’t leave before we say goodbye, I’ll come to the airport.”

–

Airports are overwhelming. Everyone has somewhere to be and nobody spares consideration when it comes to getting to said place. 

Xiaoxi was sure she would have bruises with how many times she’d been bumped into.

It’s not that she couldn’t handle the airport, she had to face them when it came to her study abroad in Svart, and that involved a lot more..complications. All she has to do now is see a dear friend off.

A dear friend…that’s all he is. All he would ever be to her. 

This was a good thing, she couldn’t burden him with her feelings, not when he’s leaving the country, never coming back. 

Why was he doing that? 

Why now?

–

She lifted her eyes from the zoomed in map of the airport on her phone, which she opted for when she made one too many wrong turns. 

Her eyes met a head of silver in the distance, among the crowd. 

Just like that, her feet weren’t her own and she was running in his direction.

 She didn’t pay mind to the people around her, cutting through the crowd. She was smaller and easier to push around but that didn’t stop her, not even close. For once she wasn’t hesitating.

She had to reach Vyn, just one last time, that’s all she asked. 

Even if it was too late, even if he might not listen, she had to try. 

When she finally reached Vyn all thoughts left her mind. 

His hair was ever so slightly messier than usual and he looked tired, but his eyes didn’t look any less bright. In fact, for some reason they looked brighter than she’d ever seen them. A peaceful expression was on his face, his features looked much softer than usual against the golden light of the window.

When he turned his golden eyes finally met her desperate brown ones. She didn’t think it was possible at this point, but his expression softened further. “Xiaoxi-”

“Vyn, Vyn..!” XIaoxi’s chest was heaving, breaths coming out in quick bursts. “I was worried I wouldn’t make it in time..”

“You told me you wanted to see me off, of course I am still here.”

A warmth filled her chest, a brief calm against her raging thoughts. A relieved smile lit up her face for a moment before she shook her head. “I’m so glad, I had to see you.”

Vyn’s eyebrows raised but he didn’t say anything. He wanted to hear what she had to say, everything she had to say. 

He didn’t dare interrupt her. 

She had his full attention, as she always has and always will.  

“I needed to tell you, I couldn’t let you leave before I did,” with her cheeks ablaze, her chest felt tight. Was she really going to do this? No going back now. “I don’t think I’ll ever get this chance again, or at all, so it has to be now. Even though this might be one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, I’ve never done something like this.”

Another deep breath accompanied by an even shakier exhale. She could do this. 

Quickly moving her gaze from her messily laced boots, she’d done it in a hurry when coming here.

 She looks up at Vyn again. She needed to see his expression when she told him this. It’s only fair, he’s being so patient with her. But in times like this she found eye contact extremely difficult. After all, Vyn’s eyes were the brightest she’d ever seen and she always, without fail, had difficulty looking away.

Finally, she met his eyes. 

His eyebrows are slightly furrowed, a look of confusion crossing his golden eyes before he schools his features back to his attentive gaze. No matter what, he was always willing to hear her out, even in times like these when she talks too fast to understand or trips over her words in a blunder. He always waits for her.

But she didn’t have the chance to slow down and breathe. He didn’t have time to wait. 

“Vyn, I know this might sound sudden, really sudden. And I know it’s not good timing since you’re leaving but I had to tell you this before you are gone forever. You need to know about my feelings before it’s too late, but I don’t want you to leave forever.

“I don’t want you to leave forever at all, but I also know i-it’s not my place to keep you here. What I’m trying to say is that I like you, I like you so much. I love you, I didn’t think I could tell you this, well ever, but-”

Xiaoxi’s ramblings are suddenly cut short but a pair of warm arms enveloping her. Vyn’s hair tickled her face when he pulled her closer and leaned down to her level.

Xiaoxi stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around Vyn’s torso. Her own embrace lacked the usual gentleness, instead it was much tighter and desperate. A silent plea: come back, don’t stay away too long. 

She’s grown used to having a crush on Vyn, as annoying as it’s come to be, she’s grown comfortable with the fluttering in her chest. But she’d watched Vyn go plenty of times, for plenty of trips. For longer than this even. So why was now any different?

Because you love him, because you know you love him, the nagging voice at the back of her head reminded her. It’s true. It’s far more than a crush now. 

It was always Vyn who was able to quiet her thoughts so easily, so effortlessly.

“I am not leaving forever, " Vyn admits, his soft voice washing over her like a warm blanket. His breath kissed the tip of her ear.  “I was never leaving forever, just ten days.”

“Ten..days?”

Ten days. Ten days.

That’s not even close to forever. 

They would be able to spend more time together, he wouldn't leave before they could make more memories, complete every little thing they’d planned to do. 

“Just ten days, and then I will be right back to you.” 

Xiaoxi wanted to say so much more in the moment, take back every bit of her very true confession. She wanted to know what he felt, know why he hadn’t told her sooner how short his stay would be. 

She pulls away from the hug, her hands still on his back, barely brushing his jacket now, but now she could see his expression.

Most of all, she thinks, why is he looking at her like that? 

Golden eyes fixed just on her, as if there wasn’t a sea of people here. 

“Vyn, about what I said, I-“ She took a deep breath. She should explain, insist that none of what came out of her mouth was true. Maybe she could convince him of it. That  way nothing would change. Nothing would have to change when he comes back. 

“Last call for flight 2: Svart, please head to gate 7A. ”

Xiaoxi, suddenly spooked by the announcement, jumps and wiggled of of the embrace. Any longer in Vyn’s hug she was afraid she wouldn’t let him go and not let him go on his flight. He shouldn’t have to miss it because she can’t control her feelings.

Vyn doesn’t pull her back to him, instead grasps her hand with his. His hand is chilly and cool against her own, would he notice just how clammy her hands have gotten? If he had, would he say anything?

But he doesn’t comment on how uncomfortable her hands are to hold, or how inconvenient they are to hold, instead he runs his thumb along the back of her hand in a smooth caress.

“I will miss you,” Vyn whispers, his eyes holding hers. 

“I’ll miss you too, so much.”

“I promise, ten days.”

“Ten days,” Xiaoxi repeated, softer this time. 

Vyn releases her hand. He truly couldn’t stay a moment longer. His eyes hold hers a moment longer before he retrieves his bag from the ground. He must’ve dropped it when he brought her into his arms. 

“I will see you as soon as I get back, Xiaoxi.”

Through her own flushed cheeks she can only manage to nod eagerly. 

Definitely, the moment he came back, she would make sure she was there the moment he returned. 

[softlycandescent]

xiaoxi qiang playlists ♫