#A-qing only dates jingyi and zizhen | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ibijau · 4 years

Note

For that prompt list thingy 87. “I dare you.”95. Spin the bottle. for zhuilingyizhen or any combination of the juniors really, if you wouldn't mind please and thank :3

It’s Jin Ling’s idea, but they’ve all three agreed that whoever gets the chance should put that plan in action. At least, that was the plan. Sizhui did have the chance when the bottle landed on Jingyi, and Jingyi chose dare rather than truth (he’s been avoiding truth every time they’ve played lately, which is how Jin Ling came up with his idea). But Sizhui, however brave he is in others domains, is a damn coward for this and chickens out at the last minute, asking instead for Jingyi to do push ups without his shirt on.

Which at least isn’t a complete waste of that dare, even Jin Ling will concede it. And then Jinyi, absolute awful little shit that he is, doesn’t put his shirt back on, giving some bullshit excuse that he’s sweaty and doesn’t want to get it dirty. Jin Ling wants to punch him in the face, or maybe to french him. The two needs, he’s figured out long ago, are not mutually exclusive when he’s thinking about Jingyi.

A few turns go without the bottle picking Jingyi again. Jin Ling is starting to despair, half convinced that Sizhui has ruined their only chance. He’ll pay for that. Not that Jin Ling has much hope that his plan would bring anything good for him personally anyway, but… but he’s got to know already, and this was the best way to deal with it, and he’s so damn tired of the uncertainty of it all, and…

Ouyang Zizhen spins the bottle, which finally lands again on Jingyi.

“Dare,” their friend quickly said, rolling his eyes as if it’s obvious he’d pick that.

“If you’re in love with someone in this room, kiss them,” Ouyang Zizhen orders with a calm assurance that Jin Ling would kill to have.

Jingyi stares at him, his cheeks colouring quickly. “What?”

“I dare you,” Ouyang Zizhen insists, his voice trembling a little now. “Or are you too scared?”

Jingyi stares some much, scrunching his nose the way he does when he has to actually think for once. It is not at all an adorable habit, and Jin Ling doesn’t find it endearing in any way.

“Ok, fine,” Jingyi huffs, rolling his eyes again before he leans to his left to kiss Sizhui square on the lips.

It’s.

It’s not a surprise, of course.

Among them, Sizhui is the one who has known Jingyi the longest, and he’s so stupidly perfect and sweet and gentle and beautiful (maybe Jin Ling has more than one crush, it doesn’t matter, he never had a chance with either) so of course, of course Jingyi is in love with him. It makes sense. Everyone should be in love with Sizhui, it’s only logical.

Jin Ling exchanges a dejected look with Ouyang Zizhen who has lost his facade of coolness and seems on the verge of actually crying, like the big baby he is. He doesn’t get to, though, because as soon as Jingyi’s done kissing Sizhui (and he must be good at it, Sizhui looks a little dazed and breathless), he leans to his right and kisses Zizhen as well.

Jin Ling gapes at the sight.

This is so fucking unfair. But then again, well, Zizhen is almost nearly as handsome as Sizhui, and he does laugh in that way that makes Jin Ling’s heart clench, and he always says all that stupidly beautiful poetic crap, and… really, if Jingyi has to be in love with two different people, of course it would be those two. Jingyi is a damn idiot, but he’s got taste.

When that kiss is done, Jingyi turns his attention to Jin Ling. For a good half minute, the two of them glare at each other. Jin Ling knows that he probably should leave and let those three sort themselves out, but it’s not fucking fair, and he’s hurting, and he doesn’t want to be nice. Not right now, anyway. Later he’ll be happy for them, but right now he’s trying to think of something mean he could call Jingyi.

Before he can think of something, Jingyi’s huffing and rolling his eyes again.

“Ok, fine, fine, I’ll be honest all the way!” he grumbles. “You can punch Zizhen if it pisses you off, it’s his fault,” he adds, shuffling on his knees until he’s nearly on Jin Ling’s lap, and…

Jingyi presses their lips together, much more briefly than he did with Sizhui or Ouyang Zizhen, as if he expects for the gesture to be unwelcome. When he tries to pull back, already half grumbling about how stupid that game is, Jin Ling grabs him by the collar and brings him closer, kissing him clumsily. He feels Jingyi tense and gasp against his mouth, but the older boy doesn’t push him away or punch him in the face or shout at him for not seeing that it was just a joke. Instead, Jingyi puts his hands on Jin Ling’s cheeks and kisses him back for a long while, until they’re both breathless.

Zizhen is half laughing as he comes closer, pulling Sizhui with him so the four of them can hug.

“Anyone else you’d have kissed if they’d been there?” Zizhen teases.

“A-Qing is pretty neat too,” Jingyi admits, blushing hard. “So you’re not… mad?”

He looks at Jin Ling as he says that, clearly expecting him to be the one who’ll make problems.

“I’m mad we had to trick you into admitting it,” Jin Ling retorts, his cheeks burning. “What, were you going to fucking pine in silence like an idiot for ten years like Sizhui’s dad?”

Sizhui winces at the reminder that his dad has a love life now, while Jingyi starts arguing that Jin Ling isn’t allowed to disrespect Lan Wangji like that. Up until now this would have degenerated into a big fight, but now Jin Ling can grab Jingyi and kiss him to silence him, which turns out to be a super effective way to shut him up.

With how often they argue on a daily basis, Jin Ling has a feeling that his life is about to get pretty fun in the near future.

#zhuilingyizhen #Lan jingyi #Lan sizhui #Jin ling #ouyang zizhen #Jau writes #They end up in a poly relationship with also a-qing #A-qing only dates jingyi and zizhen #Zizhen and sizhui aren't dating #Jixngyi dates everyone and he's very happy #Jin ling takes three months to realise he's dating not just jingyi but also zizhen and sizhui

74 notes · View notes

inessencedevided · 4 years

Text

What your favourite mdzs/cql ship says about you

So, by absolutely nobody's request I made a shitpost based on Eldena Doubleca5t’s awesome youtube videos. I included the link to the channel in the source because this post won’t show up if i put it here. Go give her videos a watch and then read this post in her voice because I swear to you it'll be a 100% funnier

Also, these are absolutely NOT to be taken seriously. I was just procrastinating by taking the piss out of these characters. I’m not here to start any ship wars. I don’t even have a legit opinion on over half these ships ^^ (though I DID jokingly include why I ship some of these. You can guess which)

Lan Wangji / Wei Wuxian (cql)

You’re always a slut for period dramas.

Lan Wangji / Wei Wuxian (novel)

You’re always a slut for the exact OPPOSITE of period dramas, which is sexual tension culminating in kinky consensual dub-con sex and copious amounts of pda.

Nie Mingjue / Lan Xichen

Your ideal high-school romance is jock/nerd.

Lan Xichen / Jin Guangyao

You’re a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of devotion, deception and despair.

Wei Wuxian / Mo Xuanyu

You were looking at that tumblr memes about fucking your clone and thought “Mhh ...”

Wei Wuxian / Wen Ning

You don’t understand people who say they wouldn’t date their best friend. Like, aren’t you best friends for a reason?

Wen Ning / Wei Wuxian / Lan Wangji

You either just wanted good things for Wei Wuxian (and really who wouldn’t?) OR you’re just ... really horny.

Luo Qingyang / Jiang Yanli

You read mdzs and watched cql and each time a woman was in a scene you just thought “Aren’t you tired of being nice? Don't you just want to go ape shit?”

Wen Ning / Jiang Cheng

You are YuBin. (there’s a post on his Weibo. it’s brilliant)

Wei Wuxian / Xue Yang

You have a secret necrophilia kink that you won’t admit to under threat of torture.

Wei Wuxian / Wen Qing

You want a girlfriend who not only can kick your ass, but will do so upon request.

Wen Qing / Jiang Cheng

You are a firm believer in 👏 men 👏 getting 👏 pegged.

Baoshan-Sanren / Lan Yi

You are a lesbian who loves MILFs

Jin Zixuan / Jiang Yanli

You’re ideal relationship dynamic is sitcom-wife/sitcom-dad

Lan Wangji / Jin Zixuan

Your ideal date involves awkward silence and stilted conversation.

Wei Wuxian / Jiang Cheng

You're really into sibling incest, but manage to pretend that you're not.

Ouyang Zizhen / Jin Ling

You're always a slut for grumpy “tough” boys who go soft for one ☝️ man.

Wen Qing / Jiang Yanli

Your ideal relationship dynamic is just girls bein’ friends, gals bein’ pals.

Jiang Fengmian / Yu Ziyuan

This is just the same joke as Wen Qing / Jiang Cheng but you also have a strong fondness for MILFs

Lan Sizhui / Jin Ling

You got your start in online fandom shipping drarry.

Lan Sizhui / Ouyang Zizhen

You love soft boys (too good for this world, too pure) so much that one day you were like, “Hey! You know what’s better than one soft boy? Two soft boys!”

Lan Jingyi / Jin Ling

You're a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of being bullied.

Lan Sizhui / Lan Jingyi

That’s just the same joke as Wei Wuxian / Jiang Cheng, but you just can’t with all their trauma.

Song Lan / Xiao Xingchen

You don't understand why anyone would care about a couple with a canonical happy ending when there’s a worst-timeline-au parallel ship right there.

Song Lan / Xiao Xingchen / Xue Yang

Based on my experience with this side of the fandom you‘re either into hardcore psychological horror or fluff so sweet it’s cotton-candy and there is no in-between.

Xue Yang / Xiao Xingchen

That’s just the same joke as Song Lan / Xiao Xingchen / Xue Yang, but you never forgave Song Lan.

Cangse Sanren / Wei Chanze

You're a firm believer in keeping things ☝️ canon and keeping things ✌️ wholesome.

Yu Ziyuan / Cangse-Sanren

You love the dynamic of teenage Wangxian, but you’re also a lesbian.

Jin Guangyao / Xue Yang

You were absolutely fucking thrilled when be gay do crime became the hot new meme.

Jing Guangyao / Su She

You’re a firm believerin the inherent eroticism of class-solidarity.

Luo Qingyang / Wen Qing

Honestly, this is just the same joke as Luo Qingyang / Jiang Yanli, but you’re also into girls out-topping each other.

Madam Lan / Cangse Sanren

You just want good things for Madam Lan and really, who wouldn't?

Wei Wuxian / Jiang Yanli

That's just the same joke as Wei Wuxian / Jiang Cheng BUT you're also heterosexual.

Nie Mingjue / Jin Guangyao

Your new favourite meme is that exchange that's like "go fuck yourself!" - "fuck me yourself, you coward!"

Nie Mingjue / Lan Xichen / Jin Guangyao

You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of failed conflict negotiations and unsolved moral dilemmata.

Nie Huaisang / Wei Wuxian

You're ideal date involves wacky hijinks after which PAIN ensues.

Lan Xichen / Nie Huaisang

You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of shared trauma.

Lan Xichen / Jiang Cheng

You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of shared trauma AND working through it together.

Wen Ruohan / Lan Qiren

I can’t say for sure that you wanna fuck dads, but you definetly want to fuck father figures.

Luo Qingyang / Luo Qingyang's husband

You’re always a slut for characters who are in dire need of more screantime.

Lan Wangji / Jiang Cheng

You don't understand why anyone would care about a happy marriage when there's an unstable love/hate relationship to fuck around with.

Luo Qingyang / Lan Wangji

You ... are Wei Wuxian

4K notes · View notes

unforth · 3 years

Text

So keeping in mind that I’ve literally already written a 40k Destiel fic inspired by Selena Gomez’s “Back to You,” today it came up on my play list and I started to think about ficcing it again, but this time Wangxian. It’s just such a ficcable song, I can’t even.

Like, a modern AU (set in the US) where Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were once dating, and Wei Wuxian started making friends with “the wrong sorts,” and so Lan Qiren forced Lan Wangji to dump him. They part ways for a few years.

Lan Wangji never really recovers, and he perfunctorily dates the people his uncle sets him up with, and his life kinda stalls...not that there’s anything wrong with it, just...it’s always the same, the same places, the same people, the same work, the same wake up time, the same daily routine, the same bedtime. Sometimes he’s not sure which he misses more - Wei Wuxian, or the disruption to his life that Wei Wuxian represents. He almost wishes that Wei Wuxian has gone as “bad” as Lan Qiren was so, so sure he would, because then it would be proof - that stepping outside the box is not the way to a good life, that Lan Wangji made the right choices even if he’s not happy with them, that kind of thing.

Wei Wuxian also never really recovers, but instead of letting it get him down, he’s even more determined to prove that he’s so much more than what snobs like Lan Qiren thought of him - and so are the friends he made, who are of course Wen Qing and Wen Ning. They also have really had a tough time, with a lot of people assuming the worst about them because of their family connections. The three make a pact together - to succeed, no matter what it takes, and to help each other whenever one of them starts to struggle. And it works. Though they’re a little behind their peers - they all go to college, and they all finish their degrees, they all get advanced ones. Wen Qing becomes a doctor. Wei Wuxian becomes an engineer. Wen Ning becomes a vet. They get respectable jobs, if poorly paid because that’s the economy in 2020s USA, and they’re slowly building lives for themselves. No one from the circles his adopted family move in will associate with him anyway - he got kicked out for some of his youthful shenanigans, and though he’s in touch with his siblings, his “parents” won’t acknowledge him - but he doesn’t care. He knows he’s succeeding, no matter what they say about him.

(read more)

Though Lan Wangji never stops thinking about Wei Wuxian, he refuses to Google him or look him up. Fantasize about him? Yes. Wish his current SO was them? Yes. Occasionally scroll through Jiang Yanli’s friends list just to make sure Wei Wuxian is still there? Yes. But he doesn’t look him up, doesn’t friend him, doesn’t outreach. Why should he? Some regrets are normal, but he’s over it - he’s definitely over it.

Not that Wei Wuxian expected him to. Lan Wangji broke his heart, and it hurt - oh, it hurt so much, but Wei Wuxian is definitely over him. Who needs that asshole anyway? Wei Wuxian knows his worth, and he doesn’t need the affection of someone who cast him aside at the say so of his uncle. If he occasionally comes moaning Lan Wangji’s name...that’s a perfectly normal thing to do as regards someone Wei Wuxian hasn’t dated in a decade, right? Lan Wangji was, and presumably still is, hot as fuck, and Wei Wuxian has a healthy labido

Which is to say, neither of them is over it at all.

Still, their mutual pining might have never come to a head if not for Lan Wangji’s best friend - Jin Zixuan - getting engaged to Wei Wuxian’s sister Jiang Yanli.

And then, suddenly, after so many years, they’re in frequent contact again - helping with planning the wedding - and, well...

For Wei Wuxian, it’s infuriating. There’s Lan Wangji, still quiet, still distant, and sometimes when Wei Wuxian glances his way, he can swear that he caught Lan Wangji looking at him with resentment and regret, which - that’s some fucking bullshit right there, cause it’s not Wei Wuxian who ditched Lan Wangji, not Wei Wuxian who caved to family pressure. That’s all Lan Wangji - what’s Lan Wangji got to resent?

For Lan Wangji, it’s awful. Wei Wuxian is at least 8 times more gorgeous than Lan Wangji remembers him being, tall and lithe, his hair long, his affect casual. Despite the same air of nonchalance he always projected, though, now he’s like that but ALSO educated, successful, and self-made. Every bad thing Lan Qiren said would come to pass for Wei Wuxian is now proven a lie, and Lan Wangji feels wretched about it. Even worse, Wei Wuxian is clearly single - and “ready to mingle,” as Lan Wangji believes the phrase goes. Literally anyone who breaths, of any gender, is apparently fair game, and Wei Wuxian flirts constantly, especially with members of Lan Wangji’s friends circle. Mo Xuanyu? The poor guy never knew what hit him. Lan Jingyi? Is like eight years to young for Wei Wuxian, but that doesn’t stop him. Ouyang Zizhen? Lan Wangji is pretty sure Wei Wuxian doesn’t even know Zizhen’s name - or his age - but again, when did any reasonable objection ever stop Wei Wuxian? Luo Qingyang? She’s a lesbian for fucks sake, but she apparently doesn’t mind, and even flirts back, and Wei Wuxian is incorrigible.

Maybe Lan Qiren was right after all.

Wei Wuxian is determined to flaunt what Lan Wangji missed out on, loudly and publicly. Mo Xuanyu does make for a fun fling, and Lan Jingyi is a good kisser but they never get farther than that. Ouyang Zizhen is definitely too young - and he’s straight - but he laughs along when Wei Wuxian is outrageous, and they understand each other. And Luo Qingyang...Wei Wuxian suspects she knows exactly what the score is, and is maybe even helping him.

Helping him make Lan Wangji miserable, that is.

Wei Wuxian is definitely not looking to accomplish anything else.

Unless he can secure a Plus One to the wedding, ideally one who can join the wedding party and stand beside Wei Wuxian when he and Jiang Cheng give Jiang Yanli away.

Cause, oh, the look on Lan Wangji’s face, if he’s forced to spend the entire wedding facing Wei Wuxian and his date? Priceless, definitely.

Lan Wangji is determined to give Wei Wuxian the space to do...whatever it is Wei Wuxian is doing. Wei Wuxian always was a whirlwind, and Lan Wangji has never wanted to control him, never known how to keep up. Still, it galls to see Wei Wuxian flirting, and it hurts to see Wei Wuxian act indifferently towards him, and it aches to remember that, had things been different, Lan Wangji could have been on the receiving end of all those lovely, carefree smiles.

Rather than deal with the difficulty he has breathing whenever he’s in the same room as Wei Wuxian is in the room, Lan Wangji throws himself into the logistic planning of the final weeks leading up to the wedding. He coordinates vendors. He soothes ruffled feathers. He makes sure the caterers know literally everyone’s dietary preferences and restrictions. He works, and he works, and he works, and he tries to do nothing but work, but sometimes...

...Wen Qing will wander by, take over his spreadsheet, and tell him to go socialize...

...or Wen Ning will intercept the decoration Lan Wangji was moving, lift it surprisingly effortlessly, and tell Lan Wangji to join the main gathering...

...or Luo Qingyang will come and lecture him about how hiding is dumb and maybe he’d actually meet someone new if he tried.

As if Lan Wangji will get to meet someone new.

As if Lan Qiren will let Lan Wangji be with them, even if Lan Wangji did.

They’re trying to help, but he can’t figure out why. Wen Qing and Wen Ning especially are barely even his friends - but they’re closer to Wei Wuxian than anyone else in the world...Lan Wangji can’t fathom what they’re up to. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost think they were trying to get him back together with Wei Wuxian? Which makes him think they don’t know Wei Wuxian half as well as they think they do, cause there’s no way that Wei Wuxian wants that - no way that Wei Wuxian wants him. Lan Wangji had his chance. He gets that.

(But, oh, it’d be nice to believe, even for a minute, even for a single dinner party, that maybe that would be something Wei Wuxian would want.)

But that’s impossible.

So Wei Wuxian flirts shamelessly.

And Lan Wangji hides behind duty and a stoic facade.

And the day of the wedding approaches - they get through the rehearsal dinner, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, the hangovers the next morning, all of it...and then it’s time.

Lan Wangji knows he should be watching Jin Zixuan, dressed in full Chinese traditional garb for an utterly Western style wedding, but instead he can’t keep his eyes off the opposite wedding party. Luo Qingyang is maid of honor, in a chongseom that makes no sense as either traditional Chinese or modern Western - and Jiang Yanli insisted on her brothers standing at her side, and so Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are both there.

In tuxedos.

A sharp contrast to the robes in muted colors that Jin Zixuan picked out for his wedding party.

And Jiang Cheng still has a look on his face like he stepped in something gross and is too dignified to wipe it off on the carpeting, but Wei Wuxian...oh, Wei Wuxian is so perfect, absolutely flawless, and his pleasure is so obviious and uninhibited. From the moment the tent flaps open and Jiang Fengmian walks his daughter, in full Phoenix robes and an elaborate golden head dress (a family heirloom, no less), Wei Wuxian only has eyes for his sister, and his joy for her is spectacular and makes Lan Wangji’s chest ache.

As the ceremony commences - Western secular, seriously, what, not that it’s a surprise, Lan Wangji helped plan it, but it’s still weird - Lan Wangji looses himself in the rhythm of non-religious liturgy and imagining that, had his life gone differently, how Wei Wuxian looks now might have been how he’d have looked on their wedding day.

He wants that so badly.

He so, so desperately wishes that could have been.

For once, Lan Wangji isn’t wrong about Wei Wuxian’s train of thought. He’s got eyes for no one but Jiang Yanli - well, and a small aside of imagining all the ways he’ll make Jin Zixuan regret ever being born, should he ever hurt her. The ceremony passes so quickly he’s amazed - usually he’s super impatient and antsy during events like this - but no, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s...and then it’s over, and he glances to the groom’s party, and he realizes...Lan Wangji is staring at him.

Reflecting back over the ceremony...Lan Wangji has been staring at him the whole time?

And seriously - what the fuck is up with that? What had Wei Wuxian done wrong this time? Was it the tux? Lan Wangji coordinated the rental, if he’d objected to the Western attire, he had plenty of time to say something. Was it the way Wei Wuxian was rocking back on his heels? As if Jiang Yanli didn’t know Wei Wuxian couldn’t stand still - as if she’d ever hold that against him! His mind scrambles through explanations, each more ridiculous and rude than the last...no matter what the reason is, he’s sure that his existence offends Lan Wangji, as it also offended Lan Qiren. If it didn’t, why would Lan Wangji have treated him so indifferently since they re-met?

(It definitely isn’t because Wei Wuxian has intentionally kept him at arms length, oh no, this - whatever this is - is absolutely entirely Lan Wangji’s fault.)

Still, now that he’s aware of Lan Wangji’s condemnation, Wei Wuxian can’t stop thinking about it. It preoccupies him all through agonizingly dull hour of taking group photographs in various places in the picturesque garden, and all through the brief period he actually gets to spend during the passed platter part of the reception - hors d’ouevres to tide the guests over while the family and wedding parties do the pictures - and all through the achingly dull meal. The food is good, Wei Wuxian supposes. The wedding has been nice, Wei Wuxian supposes. Jiang Yanli is elated, Wei Wuxian knows, and he’s delighted for her, but...somehow, the joy has drained out of the evening.

Fucking Lan Wangji - can’t behave himself for one fucking evening, he’s even going to ruin this for Wei Wuxian.

Fuck it - as soon as the meal is over, and the first dances done, and the reception switches from staid social affair to open bar dance party, Wei Wuxian resolves to get sloshed as fast as humanly possible. Anything to stop him from thinking so damn much.

Lan Wangji is one of a handful of designated drivers amongst the people in his generation - he’s expecting to do at least three runs back to the hotel, starting with the bride and groom, then all the Jin half-siblings, then probably the Jiangs, judging by how they’re behaving so far, and then...he doesn’t know, but he suspects there’ll be others. Looking around as the evening grows later, the music louder, and the dancing more raucous, he tries to do a mental tally, and realizes...something is wrong.

No, nothing is wrong...someone is missing.

Where’s Wei Wuxian?

Confused, Lan Wangji looks around again. Wei Wuxian had been dancing - with his sister, with his brother in law, with Luo Qingyang, with Mo Xuanyu, with the folks a half-generation younger like Lan Jingyi, with anyone or anyone, by himself...but no...Luo Qingyang is dancing with Wen Qing, if “intense dance floor frottage” can be considered dancing...and Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli are dancing together, and Mo Xuanyu is flirting with some guy Lan Wangji doesn’t recognize, and the half-generation younger folks are teasing some poor Jiang junior, and Wei Wuxian has been exuberantly present for much of the evening, and now he’s just...gone.

As drunk as Wei Wuxian appeared to be, that can’t be good.

So, concerned - just that Wei Wuxian is drunk and might have tried something dumb, like driving home himself, or gotten lost on the way to the bathroom, or needed to throw up, not about anything else, Lan Wangji is definitely not concerned about Wei Wuxian in any other respect - Lan Wangji goes in search of Wei Wuxian.

He checks around the outside of the tent - nothing.

He checks inside the venue’s main building - nothing.

He checks the bathrooms - nothing.

He checks the parking lots - nothing, and of course Wei Wuxian didn’t take a vehicle, he didn’t drive himself.

He checks everywhere he can think, as the night grows later and darker and the party proceeds and the oldest, most staid guests start to say their goodbyes.

Finally, tired, out of ideas, and disinterested in returning to the loud bright heat of the tent, Lan Wangji goes for a walk through the manicured grounds. Even in the dark of night, the place the Jin-Jiang’s chose is lovely. Scattered decorative lights cast barely enough light to navigate the lanes and paths, aided by a full moon and the occasional flicker of a firefly. There’s a koi pond in the center - they took a lot of pictures there - and a few stone benches around it, so Lan Wangji meanders in that direction. He can still hear the party. He’ll know when they need him. He really needs some time to himself - it’s all been too much.

He tries not to think too hard about what “it” actually refers to in that thought.

Nothing Wei Wuxian does diffuses the empty feeling in his chest; every drink, he feels worse. Every dance, he feels more like he’s putting on an act. His friends were starting to notice - Luo Qingyang and Wen Qing had exchanged a look and then rounded on him like they were going to pin him down and force him to...or try to force him to...talk about his ~feelings~, and so Wei Wuxian fled into the gardens, found a bench where he could listen to the soft sussuration of flowing water somehow audible over the thump of the bass, and breathe.

It’s been a long time since Wei Wuxian felt like he could breathe.

He still doesn’t feel like he can breathe.

Which is ridiculous, he knows, and he’s in the process of going into extensive internal detail of why it’s ridiculous when a damn ghost steps into the clearing around the koi pond...

...no, not a ghost...it’s Lan Wangji, cheeks pale from how much time he spends in doors, robes nearly white when their pale blue is washed out by the moonlight, hair raven falling about his shoulders. His headband frames his noble brow, and his corsage rains a trail of vining flowers over one shoulder like some strange epaulette, and oh, he’s gorgeous, and Wei Wuxian recognizes, to his horror, in that instant...

...he’s never, ever, ever been over Lan Wangji, and he never will be...

...and he’ll never, ever, ever get to be with Lan Wangji. Like, ever.

Lan Wangji is staring at him.

Fuck Wei Wuxian’s life.

“I’ll just...go...” Wei Wuxian mumbles.

The statement hangs heavy in the night air as Wei Wuxian rises, straightens his tux, heads toward the pathway that Lan Wangji just entered from...and then stops.

Because Lan Wangji has grabbed his forearm.

“Oh come on, man - what the fuck?” Wei Wuxian demands, yanking his arm away. “Look, I get it, I’m your least favorite person - well, the wedding’s done, you’ll never have to see me again if you don’t want. Is that what you want? Would that finally make you happy?”

He’s breathing hard by the time he stops talking, and Lan Wangji is still staring at him, and Wei Wuxian wants to flee - not to the tent, but to...literally anywhere...anywhere that Lan Wangji isn’t...except he can’t make his legs work, and he can’t seem to move, and Lan Wangji won’t. stop. staring. and then Lan Wangji opens his mouth, and it seems to be in slow motion, and is he actually going to speak, holy shit, Lan Wangji hasn’t said a word to Wei Wuxian since he said, “good bye” ten years ago, and then of all the fucking things to come out of Lan Wangji’s mouth, all he says is,

“No.”

“Wha...why...ho...WHAT?”

“You asked, ‘is that what I want? Would that make me happy?’ The answer is no, Wei Ying. That is not what I want. That would not make me happy.”

“Oh. Well. Fucking good for you.” Wei Wuxian doesn’t even know what the fuck he’s saying. He doesn’t know what the fuck Lan Wangji is saying. All he knows is that being there hurts, and he’s so damn tired of hurting, and Lan Wangji already destroyed him once...

...and I’d give anything for five minutes with him, even if I know he’ll likely destroy me again...

“What do you want?” asks Lan Wangji, like he actually cares about the answer, and Wei Wuxian can only goggle at him, because he was so so incredibly clear about what he wanted ten years ago - he even fucking asked Lan Wangji to marry him, said, “I’ll do anything, conquer any challenge - we can make this life together, Lan Zhan,” and Lan Wangji had just said, “Good bye,” and now, now, Lan Wangji wants to know what Wei Wuxian wants? What gives him the right? What gives him the entitlement? What gives him the audacity?

What makes him think anything Wei Wuxian wants has changed?

But Wei Wuxian can’t say that, can he...?

The silence stretches out between them.

Neither moves.

Neither speaks.

Fireflies flit around them.

Lan Wangji dreads Wei Wuxian answering, dreads him walking away, dreads losing this last precious moment they share, even though the tension of this moment is so awful that Lan Wangji fears it will break him.

“What would you say if...if I said that all I want...is all I’ve ever wanted?” whispers Wei Wuxian, like he’s terrified.

Lan Wangji has no idea why he’s terrified.

Lan Wangji has no idea what he means.

He asks with a raised brow, and Wei Wuxian laughs awkwardly. “Naw, I can’t do the ‘silent Lan act’ right now. Use your words, I’m fucking right out of here, okay?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try.” It’s ludicrously hard, but...for Wei Wuxain, Lan Wangji will always try, always regret that he didn’t try harder when he should have. “I...don’t understand. You say...what you always wanted. A degree. A found family. Your siblings at your side. A pet rabbit. An apartment with a bidet. A signed copy of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’ There were many things you said you wanted. I’m afraid I’m unclear which you mean.”

“You...you remember all that dumb shit I said back then?” Wei Wuxian sounds astonished. How can Wei Wuxian sound astonished? How can Wei Wuxian believe Lan Wangji would have forgotten a minute of those wonderful days - the best of his life?

“Mn.”

“Well, none of that shit’s what I mean. Got most of it anyway. Bidets are awesome. But Lan Wangj...Lan Zhan...”

His name, said in that sweet voice, causes a tingle to go down Lan Wangji’s spine.

“...all I’ve ever wanted was you.”

Lan Wangji’s jaw drops.

“And you told me to fuck right out of your life when I asked for that, so...fuck, what am I even still doing here?”

“Kissing me.”

“Wha--”

Lan Wangji interrupts Wei Wuxian’s confused exclamation with action - grapping Wei Wuxian’s shoulders and pulling him into a kiss. It’s rude, and inappropriate, and consent - what consent? - and Wei Wuxian doesn’t reciprocate but...oh well. Lan Wangji has already ruined his love life. At least he can have one kiss to remember fondly, to cherish, to--

--and then Wei Wuxian has an arm around Lan Wangji’s shoulder, their bodies pressed together, their lips moving as one, and oh, it’s good - glorious - Lan Wangji could weep he’s so happy. They kiss, and kiss, and kiss, shifting in the moonlight, lost in their embrace. Lan Wangji is breathless and growing dizzy, but he’s terrified to put space between them - what if this is goodbye? What if it’s just Wei Wuxian flirting, like he flirts with everyone? What if...what if...what if...

But finally, they do part, and scantly, bodies still close, embrace still maintained, faces inches apart.

“What’s going on, Lan Zhan?” asks Wei Wuxian weakly.

“I kissed you.”

“Yeah...got that part...but why...?”

“I know I’ve no right to ask this...but would you try again? With me? With us? Would you--?”

Wei Wuxian is kissing him again before Lan Wangji can finish the question.

Wei Wuxian can’t believe that’s a real question Lan Wangji has to ask - as if Wei Wuxian wouldn’t have taken Lan Wangji back anytime, at the drop of a hat, over the past decade.

(Okay, that’s unfair...Wei Wuxian’s actually been a huge dick about it...he knows Lan Wangji had no independent living, and relied on his family, and Wei Wuxian was just some aimless jackass, and, and, and...but it still stung that Lan Wangji wouldn’t throw all cares to the wind to be with Wei Wuxian, as Wei Wuxian would have done - had done - to be with Lan Wangji.)

But it feels dumb to dwell on that when Lan Wangji is in his arms, kissing him so eagerly, asking if he’ll try again.

Because of fucking course Wei Wuxian will try again.

“I don’t know what that means, Wei Ying,” says Lan Wangji with obvious frustration.

Kiss.

“It means yes,” Wei Wuxian replies.

Kiss.

“Yes?”

Kiss.

“Yes.”

Kiss.

“Always?”

Kiss.

“If you’ll have me back...”

Kiss.

“As if I’d ever turn you down!”

Kiss.

“Already did once...”

Kiss.

“And regretted it endlessly.”

Kiss.

“Good. You deserved at least that much suffering.”

Kiss.

“Deserved it, and more.”

Kiss.

“I suppose I’ll forgive you, if...”

Kiss.

“Anything. Just tell me.”

Kiss.

Oh, Wei Wuxian has so many ideas, and he delights in teasing Lan Wangji with each and every one, whispered between husky breaths in to the cooling air, interrupting himself constantly to kiss, and kiss, and kiss.

They’re still making out by the koi pond when Wen Qing and Luo Qingyang come looking for the promised designated driver.

They don’t even consult - or consider interrupting - when they do find the two idiots locked in an embrace. As one, the ladies turn, exchange a silent, smug high-five, and pull out their phones to order Ubers.

They can pay for rides for the Bride and Groom and family members and other drunken party goers.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have a lot of catching up to do.

(and done)

(oops, this got long)

(and yes, this is absolutely a mash up of a modern AU with the lyrics to “Go Back to You” with a healthy dose of the plot of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”)

#unforth writes #the untamed #cql #mdzs #wangxian #modern au #background ships #idek here have a pile of words

42 notes · View notes

aethel · 3 years

Text

MDZS/Untamed fic recs

Since I’m in danger of wandering off to another fandom, here are some recs I’ve collected so far:

Wangxian

Strange Darling, fic by etymologyplayground. Explores what Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen mean to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

Habits of Defiance by Feynite. It's a WIP, but I think stands on its own. Explores Alpha/Alpha attraction in an A/B/O world.

all the modern AUs by detectorist, including and there was only one tent

Let's Play Pretend and Live Our Lives by Tassos. Modern AU where Wei Wuxian forgot to tell everyone he was adopting a child and tries to bluff his way through it; Lan Wangji ups the stakes. Pretend husbands, very ridiculous :)

Nothing But Trouble by brooklinegirl. Modern AU with fake dating. Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian with side Jiang Cheng/Wen Qing. On your rich breathing by Petra. Psychic wolves AU. Lan Wangji bonds with Wei Wuxian's wolf after he dies. of all the hands by typefortydeductions. Canon divergent AU with arranged marriage for diplomacy reasons. Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian. tell me your whole life by phnelt. Cyberpunk noir AU. Android Wei Wuxian/hacker Lan Wangji.

i’ll be your girl by plonk. Modern AU, miscommunication, cross-dressing, happy ending. The "extras" companion piece is also very cute.

baby let's take the long way home by plonk. Modern academic AU. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are academic archnemeses until Wei Wuxian gets pregnant and Lan Wangji drives him 6 hours to get an abortion. They fall in love! My favorite line is from Wei Wuxian, during sex with Lan Wangji, saying "I'm so fucking glad I got an abortion." I hope that you will come and meet me by feyburner. Post-Untamed-canon, Wei Wuxian returns to Cloud Recesses. Bed sharing and other delightfulness! I've been listening to the podfic by exmanhater to fall asleep. Other sleep aids in the Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian bed sharing podfic genre: hunters seeking solid ground, and You, Asleep and Dreaming.

this river runs to you by sundiscus. Modern fantasy AU with cultivators. Wei Wuxian is on probation, Lan Wangji is secretly a dragon, nobody dies, much pining and angst. So good! So far there are two podfics, one by argentumlupine and one by Rhea314.

In Case You Should Ever Ask by phnelt, plus sequel from Lan Wangji's POV. Modern AU in which Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are still cultivators (a secret identity). They go undercover at a fetish party for cultivation purposes, but not really. Mianmian, Nie Huaisang, and Wen Qing as Wei Wuxian's kinkster friends who are concerned about him was possibly my favorite part of the fic, followed by Lan Wangji discovering a creative way of satisfying Wei Wuxian's kink. wear me out by plonk. Not!fic modern AU where Wei Wuxian is a soccer player and Lan Wangji is a former child actor/fashion something intern. Very cute! when I look over my shoulder by cafecliche. Modern AU fusion with some horror film I haven't seen? Lan Wangji is an exorcist, and Wei Wuxian is a medium. Wei Wuxian overexerts himself, so Lan Wangji takes him home. A most excellent and creepy use of Mo Xuanyu!

happy not knowing by plonk. Lan Xichen is aggressively clueless about the nature of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's relationship.

live from new york by varnes. Everyone is a writer on SNL. So good! So fun!

a ghost is just a memory you haven't met yet by ThirtySixSaveFiles. Modern AU with super creepy haunted library :) All Caught Up by brooklinegirl. Post-canon Untamed verse where inexplicably Lan Zhan hasn’t noticed that his feelings for Wei Wuxian are not platonic, but the fake betrothal plot clues him in. to dwell inside a body by typefortydeductions. Modern AU series, BDSM, genderfluid Wei Ying.

Like You Mean It by CoatWrites. WangXian, Modern AU, asexual!Wei Ying. Love Is More Than Telling Me You Want It by phnelt. omega!Wei Wuxian/alpha!Lan Wangji. They have sex in the first chapter, but it takes 100K words to communicate their feelings! A most-people-live AU, with unjust gendered A/B/O dynamic social expectations to boot.

Clear Through the Long Night by mistresscurvy. Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji. Pining while sleeping together.

Always Knew You Were Magical by jeyhawk. Modern cultivators AU, with bed sharing.

flourish, full-flowered by lazulisong. Novel-canon, but with A/B/O.

The Last Three Feet, podfic by knight_tracer, fic by etymologyplayground. bunnies, Lan juniors, and lunch.

The Simplest Way Forward by harriet_vane. Modern AU, we-have-to-get-married-for-citizenship, kidfic.

i don't wanna lose you (hope it never ends) by annemari, podficced by exmanhater. The Untamed, Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji, sickfic, 2 hours

Resolutions series by incendir. Various POVs, Wei Wuxian’s obliviousness is trauma-related, angst, happy endings, attempted sexual assault in one of the later stories.

Rule 63 Wangxian femslash

if your body's into me by plonk. Modern cultivator AU Gimme shelter by 74243. Modern A/B/O AU.

a history of the body, by northofallmusic, podfic by Thimblerig. Modern AU where Wei Ying has hip problems from an old injury and Lan Zhan pines. Then they use Lan Zhan's sex toys. say all that you're feeling by phnelt. Modern urban lesbian community AU.

wake up all in tangles by la_dissonance. A Rule 63 remix of varnes' live from New York, the SNL AU, except Lan Wangji says I love you before Wei Wuxian ruins it so Wei Wuxian freaks out about the I love you instead.

hush now by astronicht. Always-a-girl modern academic AU. Wangxian.

And they were roommates... by harriet_vane. Modern always-a-girl AU. I read this before I started watching the show (I started watching the show because I read this).

Non-Wangxian

a compromising position by verity. Lan Jingyi/Jiang Cheng (!!). Hilarious Lan Jingyi POV.

A Civil Combpaign by Ariaste. post-canon Jin Rulan/Lan Sizhui, with combs.

Misdirection by feenwitch. Some kind of fantasy spy agency AU. Lan Jingyi/Lan Sizhui/Ouyang Zizhen/Jin Ling

throughline by lunatea. Modern setting, everyone is detectives or forensics experts. Wen Ning/Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian.

Revealing That You Can't Forget Me by phnelt. Nie Huaisang is at loose ends without revenge to plan, so he takes up a hobby writing porn.

Marry for Love by tuesday. Jiang Yanli/Nie Huaisang. Time travel fixit.

the final cut by Wildehack (tyleet). Mò Xuányǔ/Niè Huáisāng. For when you want to be emotionally devastated past bedtime and cry yourself to sleep.

the height of summer by la_dissonance. Post-canon Wen Ning/Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji, very sweet. Wen Ning has a secret admirer.

anyway, here's wuji by kakikaeru. Post-Untamed canon Lan Jingyi POV, featuring Lan Jingyi/Lan Sizhui. Sequel is ok, jiujiu: Jin Ling POV, Jin Ling/Ouyang Zizhen.

Four Days in Lanling by halotolerant. Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang.

Untamed RPF

bring your secrets to me and I'll drink them all down by ThirtySixSaveFiles. Untamed RPF magic AU. Features a creepy magic house and otherworldly problem solver Wang Yibo/human Xiao Zhan.

you can take my heart (and hold it together) by ThirtySixSaveFiles. Wang Yibo/Xiao Zhan. Wang Yibo is a robot/spaceship AI. A little bit Ancillary Justice-y

Sexting Chicken: It's More Likely Than You'd Think by la_dissonance. Untamed RPF. Wang Yibo/Xiao Zhan

you're the reason that i just can't concentrate by gdgdbaby. Wang Yibo/Xiao Zhan

#recs #mdzs recs #untamed recs #mdzs #podfic recs

18 notes · View notes

littleladygodiva · 4 years

Text

I don’t know ya’ll....I don’t mean to be that person again, BUT ya’ll ever considered shipping Ouyang Zizhen and A-Qing?? I’ll set the scene:

Yi City Crew LIVES (that’s important, don’t forget that part)

Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen reunite and reconcile about their falling out. Turns out what while he was away, Song Lan invested time and energy into getting them their own sect! He’s got a compound and everything! (It’s actually the remains of an old clan wiped out before the war, and he go it for dirt cheap because no one wants the housing complex of an extinct clan, but a desperate need for forgiveness calls for desperate measures).

And Song Lan meets A-Qing and is like, “Hey kid, you wanna learn cultivation?” and she’s like “Sure, why not.”

Where’s Xue Yang? I dunno, probably peeing around the perimeter of the coffin house to mark his territory. It doesn’t matter, he’s not essential, this is about A-Qing.

So Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen get to work recruiting, setting up their school and teaching A-Qing some cultivation. They keep Xue Yang as a guard dog of sorts and allow him to intimidate people who come looking for trouble. And probably tie him up on a leash next to the front door, who knows, he’s probably into stuff like that.

Fast forward about 12 years (A-Qing would be 20, because from the web novel she looks pretty young), Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen’s Sect?? THRIVING. Turns out the merit over bloodlines system really appeals to folks. Who knew!

A-Qing is the star pupil of their Sect. She takes the last name Xiao (much to XXC’s delight) and brings her sect pride. She gets carted off to the Cloud Recesses to attend lectures.

Enter 17/18 year old Ouyang Zizhen, Assistant manager of the Junior Disciples squad. Soft boy extraordinaire. He sees Xiao Qing, an he’s like “Wow.....She’s??? She is....WOW.”

The words he is looking for are Beautiful, Stunning, WOWEE MAMA, Heavenly, Graceful, Are those muscles????, Exquisite, a total knockout!

Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi begin to plot WITHOUT DELAY, because their boy Zizhen deserves the classiest girl around.

Their interactions are stunted and awkward at first. Xiao Qing doesn’t understand why Oyzz keeps sitting next to her in class and trying (and failing) to hold conversation. He stutters and blushes the entire time, he can’t even say her name without turning red. She thinks he’s a weirdo, but at least he’s nice.

One night a month or two later Oyzz arranges a beautiful candlelit dinner at a nice secluded spot that Sizhui told him about. He invites Xiao Qing, and she thinks “sure why not, I don’t have anything else to do with my evening and we’re friends.”

Gets to the secret spot and it’s a clear night, and there are these beautiful pink flowers hanging from the trees, and Oyzz our boy is dressed to the nines in his best robes ready to give her the ole razzle dazzle. Because Xiao Qing is absolutely worth all the effort he could possibly give.

She’s intelligent, a good cultivator, has a strong personality, and good heart. She’s kind and funny, and gets along with his friends, has a strong sense of justice and it’s obvious that she wants to become a cultivator to protect and help people above all else.

(Lan Sizhui is probably in the background playing soft guqin to set the mood. Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi are also there, but mostly to be nosey).

And Xiao Qing is feeling kinda of awkward because she wasn’t expecting any of this, and it’s all so....romantic? She’s never seen something like this outside of cheezy books. She’s never really had a crush on anyone, focusing more on cultivation, and Xue Yang sacred all the boys (and some girls) away per Song Lan’s orders. It’s quite....nice.

She figures “No time like the present” and since she’s been there Oyzz and his homeboys have gone out of their way to make her feel welcome.

Oyzz is nice....he’s still a little weird but he’s warmed up and relaxed, he’s charming, and honest, and smart, and has a way with people, and she thinks he could potentially, but not definitely, but perhaps a may be a tad bit....good-looking. Perhaps....but that’s only for her to know.

And that’s the story of their first date. It goes swimmingly!

60 notes · View notes

goldencored · 3 years

Text

Years based off of the Han Dynasty to help the timeline of MDZS become a little more understandable (to me). This timeline is super unofficial and has DEFINITELY strayed a little bit from canon!

72 AD —Wei Wuxian is born

77 AD —Wei Wuxian’s parents die on a night-hunt at 5 80 AD —Wei Wuxian is discovered by Jiang Fengmian & brought back to the Jiang Sect at 8

82 AD —Mo Xuanyu is born. His mother is 16. —**Su Minhui is born 86 AD —Jin Guangshan returns to Lanling Jin. 91 AD —Junior Cultivators are invited to study at Gusu Lan. Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang & Jin Zixuan are all present. Jiang Yanli is present in The Untamed. They’re all between 15 & 16. —Fallout between Nie Mingjue and Meng Yao —Cloud Recesses are burnt by the Wens 92 AD —Junior Cultivators are forced to go to the Wen Sect to be indoctrinated. Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang & Jin Zixuan are all present. They’re all between 17 & 18. —Lotus Pier burns. Jiang Cheng loses his golden core. With help from Wen Ning and Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian gives Jiang Cheng his own golden core —Wei Wuxian is captured and thrown into the Burial Mounds. —Mo Xuanyu is brought to the Jin Sect —Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi and Oyang Zizhen are all likely born during this time period, as they are all 15/16 when the story begins. 92-93 AD —Sunshot Campaign +Misson to steal back their swords +Wen Xu dies +3 months after Wei Wuxian disappears, Wen soldiers begin to die in mysterious & gruesome ways +Wei Wuxian returns and has Chenqing. He kills Wen Chao while Jiang Cheng kills Wen Zhuliu +Attack on Nightless City. Meng Yao kills Wen Ruohan —Chief Cultivator position is made, Jin Guangshan becomes the first —Work to rebuild Lotus Pier begins —Hunt at Phoenix Mountain —First Incident at Qiongqi Way. Death of Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian returns to the Burial Mounds —Jiang Yanli marries Jin Zixuan

94 AD —Jin Ling is born —Second Incident at Qiongqi Way. Death of Jin Zixun and Jin Zixuan (—**The Untamed: +Wen Ning, Wen Qing and the other Wen remnants give themselves up at Lanling Jin. All are killed. +Battle at Nevernight. Jiang Yanli dies protecting Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian destroys half of the Stygian Tiger Seal, throws himself off of a cliff.) —Bloodbath at Nightless City. Death of Jiang Yanli —Wen Ning is captured and burned to ash. —First Siege of the Burial Mounds +Wei Wuxian destroys half of the Stygian Tiger Seal, dies —Xiao Xingchen (17) leaves Baoshan Sanren’s mountain

95 AD —Xue Yang murders part of the Yueyang Chang Sect

96 AD —Xiao Xingchen implicates Xue Yang as the murderer of Yueyang Cheng Sect. +Jin Guangyao finds Xue Yang’s talent useful & coerces the only survivor to recant +Xue Yang becomes a guest cultivator in the Jin Sect —Tensions mount between Nie & Jin Sects over Xue Yang

98 AD —Nie Mingjue dies of qi deviation —Xue Yang Baixue Temple and blinds Song Lan as revenge on Xiao Xingchen. +Xiao Xingchen takes Song Lan to Baoshan Sanren’s mountain, gives up his own eyes for Song Lan. 99 AD —Jin Guangshan dies —Jin Guangyao becomes Sect Leader —Mo Xuanyu is shamed and cast out of the Jin Sect. +his mother dies shortly after his return to Mo Village +he is locked in a shed and verbally and physically abused by the Mo Family and their servants

100 AD —Xue Yang is cast out of the Jin Sect —Xue Yang is found and nursed back to health by Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing —Song Lan leaves Baoshan Saren’s mountain to look for Xiao Xingchen

104 AD —Xue Yang murders Song Lan, Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing —Xue Yang murders Chang Ping via lingchi

107 AD —Mo Xuanyu uses his own blood to draw an array to perform a body offering ritual. +Wei Wuxian is brought back to the living in the body of Mo Xuanyu +**The REAL Mo Xuanyu awakens in a previously drawn blood array with temporary amnesia; becomes Cang Jinse, a brothel worker.

—Events of Mo Village +The Mo Family die at the hands of an evil Arm (**The Untamed: Sword Spirit) —Events of Dafan Mountain +Soul snatching statue +Wen Ning’s return +Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s rocky reunion —Lan Wangji returns to Gusu Lan with Wei Wuxian —Search for “Our Dear Friend” +Xinglu Ridge ^Nie Burial Mound secret is revealed ^Jin Ling’s curse mark ^Jiang Cheng learns the true identity of “Mo Xuanyu” ^Wei Wuxian discovers nails controlling Wen Ning and removes them

+Yi City ^Fate of Song Lan, Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing revealed ^death? of Xue Yang —Incident at Fragrance Hall +Paperman adventure! ^The truth of Nie Mingjue’s death ^Crimes of Jin Guangyao revealed ^Suiban returns +Death of Qin Su +“Mo Xuanyu” revealed as Wei Wuxian ^Jin Ling stabs Wei Wuxian —Second Siege of the Burial Mounds +Cultivators vs Wei Wuxian round 2; all but the juniors, Wei Wuxian & Lan Zhan lose their spiritual energy +Su She revealed to be working with Jin Guangyao ^Su She flees, **causing Su Minhui to scramble and pick up the pieces +Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning & Lan Wangji pave the way for the cultivators to escape —Return to Lotus Pier +Jin Guangyao’s crimes on full display via Biaco and Sisi +Wangxian Yunmeng date (**Not in The Untamed) +Confrentation between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian ^Wei Wuxian faints ^Wen Ning confronts Jiang Cheng with Suiban, reveals the story of the golden core —Incident at Guanyin Temple +**Death of Su She (I believe this is Untamed only but I haven’t read the book in a hot second) +Death of Jin Guangyao

108 AD —Aftermath: +(**The Untamed: Lan Wangji becomes Chief Cultivator) +Nie Huaisang becomes Chief Cultivator +**Su Minhui becomes the leader of a broken Moling Su Sect +Jin Ling is poised to become leader of the Jin Sect thanks to Jiang Cheng ^The Jin Sect’s reputation may be irreparable +Wen Ning and Lan Sizhui go to make a monument to their family +Lan Xichen goes into seclusion

109 AD —**The REAL Mo Xuanyu returns, memories still a bit hazy, but there-ish.

#I’m shit at numbers and basic math but listen I did my best #i rEALLY TRIED #this is a repost from my old blog with some date tweaks #bc i can't count LMAOOOO #if u have any suggestions about this lmk #「ᴼ」— general meta ( ooc )

2 notes · View notes

zhuilingyizhen · 4 years

Text

High School AU (Part 1)

i’m a sucker for the junior trio so let’s goooo

Warning: use of “meanie head” is used in this. be warned.

-jin ling is bullied by jin chan. jin chan is a meanie head.

-he talks to a qing & ouyang zizhen of course but they just chill during lunch

-but then high school happens, and sadly, they end up going to different places. if jl had it his way, he would be with them, but his uncle makes him go to this other school.

-jin chan somehow becomes worse during high school, and no matter how many times jin ling tells him to F off, jin chan doesn’t stop.

-sadly, he can’t exactly do anything cause jin chan’s dad works for jiang cheng and jin ling doesn’t want to hurt his uncle’s rep

-he joins the archery club and that’s fun.

-sometimes he imagines that the target is jin chan’s face. very fun.

-during lunch he kinda just sits in a corner and exists.

-he may be kinda lonely but it’s not like anyone is gonna try and befriend him. and he sure as hell ain’t gonna try talking to anyone.

-a qing texts him memes sometimes and friendship is nice. ouyang zizhen and a qing end up dating (wholesome~)

-jin ling is like “well that only took like 6 years”

-little does he know-

-anyways, about a week into hs and jin ling hates it cause 1. it’s high school and 2. he’s kinda lonely

-seriously the only person he’s talked to is this guy from archery who was actually terrible at it

-jin ling is offended by how bad he is

-they end up arguing and somehow he convinces jin ling to help him practice

-he agrees to help him cause seriously, he is offended by how bad he is

-next tuesday is the next archery meeting so they agree to meet on Thursday afternoon so newbie can practice

-that thursday, jin chan corners him on the way to lunch

-and since this is a convenient hs au, jin ling gets, well, cornered

-jin chan, noticing that jin ling isn’t getting as riled up lately, decides to up his bullying game.

-he says some things about jin ling’s parents. more specifically, his lack of them.

-jin ling is pissed off but doesn’t wanna upset his uncle. he’s gotta be the perfect jin heir to live up to their expectations, and that means not punching jin chan in the face.

-thankfully he doesn’t have to, cause archery noob does it for him.

-(by now if you haven’t figured out archery noob is jingyi, don’t worry. i wouldn’t have either. you get a cookie. and if you have figured it out, you also get a cookie. virtual cookies for all! 🍪🍪🍪)

-well that worked out.

-jin chan runs away cause the most unlan lan to have ever lan’d in the history of lan packs a mean punch

-he would much prefer his archery tutor to not plagued by memories of his deceased parents, thank you very much.

-sizhui, who was with jingyi, goes up to jin ling to ask if he’s alright

-jin ling is okay (physically, at least), so lsz goes on to ask ljy what the heck he was thinking??

- “You’ll get in trouble if that gets reported, even if we explain that he was a bully. There’s a zero-tolerance for violence and bullying, so you could both be expelled, you know!”

- “Oh. Shoot.”

-jin ling, confused as to why archery noob just punched jin chan in the face, stays silent and watches this madness unfold.

#zhuilingyi #jr trio #high school au #lan sizhui #lan jingyi #jin ling #the jin ling protection squad #ouyang zizhen #a qing #prompt #headcanon

57 notes · View notes

mdzsgildedfate · 3 years

Text

Gilded Fate - Chapter 4

Reincarnation AU [Chapter 4/?] Characters: Xue Yang, Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling, Original Characters. Pairings: Xue Yang/Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen, Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi

In all the world, there were very few cultivators that had achieved immortality. There was BaoShan SanRen, of course, who’d long since disappeared from the world after vowing to never take another disciple. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, too, found their home together away from other cultivators. Wen Ning and Song Lan were technically immortal as Fierce Corpses, but most people believed them to be nothing more than myth and legend.

The other immortals, the only ones who hadn’t secluded themselves away, were Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling, and Ouyang Zizhen. As good friends since childhood, the four cultivators had come together to build a joint sect on the south face of a mountain between LanLing and Gusu. The small village at the base of the mountain was one the larger sects paid no attention to, so when the renowned four immortal cultivators established their school there, the villagers flocked to their doors in hopes of being taken on as disciples.

At almost five hundred years old, the boys had long forgotten thoughts of encountering souls from their lives before immortality. All their attention was funnelled into their school, working hard to combine the principles from each of their clans into a single cohesive curriculum. Despite the first generation of disciples being an embarrassing train wreck of trial and error, they managed to produce a handful of decent and respectable cultivators.

The second generation was well into their studies when a long forgotten ghost appeared at their doorstep. Wen Ning had travelled to their mountain, bringing along with him a girl no older than 8 or 9 years old. After a heartfelt reunion between Lan Sizhui and his estranged relative, Ning had explained that he suspected the little girl to be the reincarnation of his older sister, Wen Qing. He begged them to take her in and teach her cultivation, hoping to give her a better life than the one she’d led in Wen Ruohan’s debt.

They agreed and Wen Ning left, saying if he stayed he’d be too much of an influence, either by his own feelings or his existence as a fierce corpse. So Wen Qing became Li JiaYi and was indoctrinated into BaLanSu Shi. Sizhui watched over her studies personally, feeling his own memories of Qinq resurface as she grew into the spitting image of her past self. By the time she was fourteen, her skills were well known in the cultivation world. With JiaYi representing the BaLanSu sect, they grew to be a gentry clan alongside Jin, Lan, Nie, and Jiang.

The world seemed bright and the future seemed promising until JiaYi became plagued with insomnia. The other disciples could find her up at odd hours of the night, practicing with her sword in the courtyard or poring over books in the library. After she fell asleep on her feet during a night-hunt and nearly lost her head to a measuring snake, Sizhui began playing Clarity for her twice a week before bed. For a while, it seemed to help.

When her soul finally awakened, the four immortals were unprepared. Soul awakening was rare and usually only heard of in small, insignificant instances. A farmer remembering a life where he fought in a war and so his sword skills improved slightly. A handmaid remembering a life in a kitchen and suddenly preparing complex dishes with ease. Nothing to the degree of what happened with Li JiaYi.

On the day Ouyang Zizhen was meant to marry, JiaYi stormed into the banquet hall and went on a sleep-deprived tangent about the crimes the gentry clans had committed against the Wen clan. When Zizhen tried to calm her down, she snapped and killed half the wedding guests, including Zizhen’s bride, before disappearing. If the slaughter of prominent clan members, some of which were clan heirs, wasn’t enough to bring the BaLanSu clan to an end, Wen Qing continued her siege of revenge in the city below.

The entire population of Da Su was decimated indiscriminately and reanimated as an army of walking corpses. The destruction was enough to bring Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian out of seclusion to intervene. With their help, the walking corpses were destroyed, but in the end it was Wen Ning who subdued Qing long enough for Sizhui to finish her off. In the aftermath, the JinLan Yang sect was abolished and Zizhen removed himself from the cultivation world to a life of solitude.

Centuries could lessen the guilt and pain of what happened with Wen Qinq, but it was something Sizhui had never been able to dispel from his mind. He encountered more and more reincarnated souls; some he knew, most were strangers, but he dedicated himself to each and everyone in repentance for his failure to Li JiaYi.

~X~

When Jin Ling revealed the contents of his conversation with Xinyi the night before, Sizhui and Jingyi felt a wave of dread wash over them. Experiencing the symptoms of awakening for so long was utterly unheard of, and for someone like Xue Yang to persist for so long without losing his mind- It felt impossible to believe.

“A-Yuan. This is your area of expertise.” Jin Ling said, breaking the long silence that had fallen between them. “How do we proceed?”

Sizhui shook his head slowly. “I… I’m not sure…”

“He seems perfectly fine.” Jingyi said, eyes glued to the floor. “He shows no signs of awakening. He shows up for class on time, he does his work well, he has friends- I don’t.... I don’t see how this is possible.”

“Last semester.” Sizhui chewed his lip anxiously. “My class last semester was earlier than yours, A-Yi. He was almost always late, and missed class so frequently I had to fail him. I thought he just didn’t care about the class, since he’s only majoring in anthropology because of the Wang Collection.”

“The what?” Jin Ling interjected, getting brushed off immediately.

“I can’t believe I dismissed such an obvious sign.”

“That still doesn’t explain how he’s coping so well.” Jingyi was pacing around the room now, chewing on his thumbnail. “Do we even need to do anything right now?”

Sizhui was silent for a moment, considering their options and the position they were in before speaking. “Since he seems fine for now… let’s try to hold out until we leave Leng Shuang. We can’t seal him without arousing suspicion, and guiding his awakening would just be a burden on Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen.”

The others nodded in agreement and set the conversation to rest for now, heading out to rejoin the group of students Song Lan had led out to the clearing near the temple. While Jin Ling headed off on his own again, Sizhui and Jingyi were left alone to keep an eye on Xinyi, watching out for any symptoms they may have missed before. In their absence, the students had already constructed a dozen or so poorly-made kites and were getting ready to send them up as targets.

Song Lan guided the students to line up in groups of five, with everyone else waiting impatiently behind them, and showed them how to hold their bows. The first group fired off their first arrows and missed their kites completely. Going through four more arrows each, only two kites were brought down. The second group consisted of Xinyi, Chen, QianHua, and MingYue, which of course made their turn an unspoken competition. Chen shot all five arrows into the air with no luck. QianHua nicked his kite on his fourth try, but it stayed suspended in the air mockingly. MingYue brought her’s down on the second try, and Xinyi shot his down with the first arrow.

After retrieving their kites, MingYue turned to intercept Xinyi with a smile. “Nice shooting-”

“No.” Xinyi picked up his kite and turned away from her without so much as a sideways glance.

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, crumpling her kite slightly. “We’re here for four more days, are you really going to ignore me the whole time?”

“We?” He asked, back still turned to her. “Didn’t you come here with your twin? You’re not part of my class, I don’t have to pay attention to you.”

“He’s not my twin, he’s…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, are the matching robes a couple outfit? My bad.” Xinyi rolled his eyes, shooting Chen and QianHua an exasperated look as he rejoined them.

“Hardly!” MingYue’s grip on her kite tightened, tearing through the paper. She took a deep breath and loosened her grip, forcing a small smile. “Look. I may not be part of your class, but we’re here together regardless. Can’t we just be civil with each other?”

“I’ll be civil with you.” QianHua stepped in, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Her smile tightened, hiding an air of disgust. “A-Xin, I-”

Xinyi spun back to face her now, throwing his kite to the ground and stepping close to her. “First of all, don’t fucking call me that. Ever. Again. Second of all, there’s twenty other people here for you to bother. Just because your freak boyfriend keeps ditching you, doesn’t make you my fucking babysitting job. Just piss off!”

Without another word, he turned back and stormed off into the trees. Chen and QianHua exchanged startled looks and ran after him, ignoring Sizhui and Jingyi calling after them. Once they caught up to him, QianHua swung an arm around his neck, walking alongside him on the path back to the temple.

“Man. What fucked up shit did a girl that hot have to pull to make you blow her off like that?”

Xinyi pushed his arm off, but slowed his pace for the two to keep up with him. “She just gets under my skin. She’s irritating. And I don’t get why she’s suddenly trying to reconnect with me. I haven’t heard from her in two fucking years, and now suddenly she shows up here out of nowhere and wants to be my friend?”

QianHua nodded thoughtfully, humming obnoxiously. “Sounds like fate to me. You guys must have been lovers in a past life, destined to be together.”

Xinyi scoffed. “The only thing she’s in love with is my family’s artifacts. I’m certain that’s the only reason she dated me. I’d sooner marry Chen than consider giving her another chance.”

“Hmm… Chen’s pretty in these robes, but is he really wife material?”

“I’d make the best wife. Don’t be jealous A-Qian.” Chen replied, grabbing Xinyi’s hand. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the only one of us that knows how to cook.”

Xinyi broke out in laughter and pulled Chen close. “See? Perfect! I never have to look at MingYue again.”

“Wait! I forgot about his cooking, I want Chen for my wife!” QianHua grabbed Chen’s other hand and tried to pull him away from Xinyi.

“Hey! Hands off my wife, how dare you disgrace her like that!” Xinyi pulled Chen behind him and snatched up a stick from the side of the trail, brandishing it at QianHua. “Your whole clan should pay for her dishonour!”

Chen broke down to his knees, laughing so hard tears welled up in his eyes. The two launched into a dramatic sword fight, chasing each other up and down the trail, jumping off of rocks and spinning around trees. QianHua got two good strikes in, which just urged Xinyi to fight harder. He found another stick and held them both up at his foe.

“Yin QianHua! I never like to exaggerate when I’m talking.” Xinyi smirked and lunged forward, swinging both swords down at QianHua. “If I say I’m gonna kill someone’s entire clan, I’ll actually kill their entire clan. I won’t even leave a dog behind!”

QianHua blocked the first two blows, but missed the third as he burst out laughing. “A-Xin!”

Xinyi pushed QianHua to his knees with his foot and pointed his sticks at him.

“A-Xin!” QianHua kept laughing, even with the ‘swords’ at his throat. “A-Xin, you should be careful wielding two swords like that.”

Xinyi paused, breaking character to toss a bemused glance at Chen, who only shrugged in return.

“You don’t know the term ‘Ryoutoutsukai’?” QianHua dropped his stick and wiped tears from his eyes with his sleeve. “I didn’t realize you were so serious about marrying Chen.”

Xinyi was about to question the man further, but their nonsense was finally cut short by a pointed throat-clearing. Three sets of eyes shot up to see Lan Jingyi and Song Lan staring them down disapprovingly. QianHua and Chen both bolted to their feet, brushing dust and leaves off their robes.

“If you three have no interest in participating with the group, I can find you a better activity.” Jingyi said sternly, holding a hand out to signal them back towards the temple.

Once they returned, the three were sat down in the courtyard and left to stew in their nerves while Jingyi disappeared inside the temple. When he returned, each of them were given thick, blank notebooks, a couple dozen scrolls, inkwells, and brushes.

“These scrolls contain the 3,000 principles of the Lan clan. Transcribe them.”

~X~

It was nearly ten in the morning by the time Jin Ling made his way back to the pond. Despite having spent hours the night before exploring every inch of the surrounding area, things looked different during the day and he was bound to notice something he hadn’t seen before. He circled the pond a few times, trying to see if there was any spot where the water was clearer. When nothing new revealed itself, he decided to pull the compass back out and turn his attention to the forest.

As he followed his previous route, Jin Ling checked the talismans and sigils he’d left. Everything was still in place, untouched and unchanged. It almost seemed like a waste of sigil papers. Heaving a sigh, he ripped them down to hang up elsewhere later on. Reaching his last set of papers, he took out the compass and watched as the needle spun and jerked around, finally stopping to point up the hill in front of him.

He packed the papers away in his sleeves and started the climb. After ten or fifteen minutes, Jin Ling found the remnants of an old beaten path and began to follow it, leaving a sigil behind on one of the trees. The spiritual energy in the air had increased, giving him a small feeling of hope that he was close to finding what he was looking for. With the sensation growing stronger, Jin Ling wondered how Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen hadn’t been able to pick up on this.

During his first night at the temple, Jin Ling had questioned the two about it, but neither one seemed aware and had reassured him that if anything malicious resided in their mountains, they would have slain it right away. Not wanting to insult their cultivation, he’d dropped the subject, but continued to investigate on his own. Having Sizhui and Jingyi’s students at the temple provided a distraction for the priests and an excuse to ditch MingYue, not wanting to endanger her unnecessarily until he knew what exactly he was tracking.

Having followed the path for half an hour, Jin Ling slumped down against a tree to rest, deciding to stop for lunch before deciding whether or not to turn around and follow the path the other way. He’d barely taken a sip of water before a rustling in the trees had him springing back to his feet. He drew his sword and froze, straining his ears at the sound. The woods were quiet for a moment, but then the rustling came again. A twig snapping, leaves being disturbed, the clumsy sound of footsteps. Jin Ling walked forward slowly, approaching the noise with his sword pointed out.

From behind a thicket of vines, an ambling figure stumbled forward. It’s skin was nearly black, leathery, and it’s movements were stiff and jerky. It’s clothes were dirty and ripped and it’s eyes had no pupils. Jin Ling recognized the thing immediately as a walking corpse. It’s spiritual energy was low and posed no threat to Jin Ling, but it’s presence brought an unbelievable sense of foreboding. How many millenia had passed since Jin Ling had last seen a walking corpse? How many millenia had passed since he’d last seen anything beyond low level restless spirits?

Jin Ling lunged forward and slayed the thing with ease. A quick search of the corpse revealed no clues as to how it had transformed. Something about the modern world had quelled corpse transformation- if there was one here now it could only mean someone with cultivation abilities had reanimated it intentionally. In the past, Jin Ling had only encountered a handful of situations like this. One turned out to be an immortal who’d turned to necromancy, driven mad by her long life in solitude. Most instances were descendants of forgotten cultivator families who’d tried practicing with incomplete lessons passed down through the generations.

Although there had also been a couple instances of reincarnated cultivators who’d lived traumatic lives, died gruesomely, and awakened too suddenly. Considering the current circumstances, Jin Ling had a hunch as to which scenario he was probably dealing with. Packing away the corpse inside a qiankun pouch, the cultivator carried on in the direction the thing had come from. He tracked it’s path for a few hundred yards before it seemed to disappear. No other corpses appeared, so he decided to finish for the day and head back to the temple. Having wasted most of the day backtracking all around the mountain, he was looking forward to eating dinner and having a drink with Sizhui and Jingyi.

When he got back, Jin Ling was surprised to find only three boys sitting in the courtyard, as opposed to the gaggle of twenty-or-so children he was bracing himself for. Song Lan, Sizhui, and Jingyi were nowhere to be found. At a loss for anything else, Jin Ling walked up behind one of the boys and looked down at the notebook that was slowly being filled. He quirked an eyebrow.

“How’d you piss Jingyi off that bad?” He asked, startling Chen so badly he practically leapt over his table, spilling his inkwell onto the ground.

“Wh-where’d you come from?” Chen scrambled back, pushing his glasses back into place, smudging one of the lenses in the process.

“From behind you. Obviously.” Jin Ling retorted, turning to Xinyi. “This was Jingyi, right? What’d you do?”

Xinyi shrugged indignantly. “That girl you brought with you was pissing me off and she wouldn’t leave me alone, so I left.”

“Hmph. Whatever. Where’s Jingyi now? And Sizhui? Where is everyone?”

“Eating inside.” QianHua replied, slumping over his table.

Jin Ling narrowed his eyes. “What, did they forget about you? Get up. Don’t transcribe anymore of that bullshit.”

The three boys shot up, chirping out thank you’s and trailed after Jin Ling like baby ducks, following him into the temple to where everyone else was eating. He shooed them in and directed them to sit down before joining Sizhui and Jingyi. The latter gave him an annoyed look, immediately berating him for bringing the three back in.

“Jin Ling! Don’t interfere with the way I discipline my students! Did they even finish transcribing the principles? How can you undermine me like this-?”

“A-Yi, eat your dinner.” Jin Ling cut him off, shoving a piece of lotus root into his mouth. “There’s 3,000 Lan principles and you had them using brushes. They wouldn’t have finished even if they worked nonstop for the next four days.”

Jingyi frowned, mumbling through the root. “That’s still not for you to decide…”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Jin Ling snapped back. “Song Daozhang. Why has Xiao Daozhang not joined us for a meal yet?”

Song Lan looked over, tearing his eyes from where Xinyi and his two friends sat in the corner. “He’s here tonight, he just left to make more tea.”

~X~

After seeming to only see Xiao Xingchen when he was alone, Xinyi was relieved to finally see the man at dinner, confirming he hadn’t hallucinated him. However, it didn’t make him any less of an enigma. Xiao Xingchen hadn’t spoken at all the entire meal. Even when one of the professors or Jin Ling addressed him directly, he’d only smile or nod. With how easily Xingchen spoke to Xinyi, it seemed strange that he wouldn’t speak to the men he actually knew. The curiosity ate at him, but there was no way to even get near him with Song Lan there, and at the end of dinner, Xingchen quickly disappeared again.

Xinyi shrugged and decided to worry about it later. After staring at those scrolls for over two hours, his brain was too fried to do anything but go to bed. Accompanied by Chen and QianHua, Xinyi dragged his feet back to their shared room. They stripped out of their robes in silence and slipped into their beds, too tired to even complain about Jingyi’s arcane punishment. The only break in silence came from QianHua just as they were dozing off.

“Hey….”

“What.”

“After that battle today... you’re not even going to sleep next to your wife?” QianHua whispered, stifling laughter.

Xinyi snorted and grabbed whatever piece of clothing was nearest to him and chucked it at him. “Go the fuck to sleep.”

Do not kill within Cloud Recesses.

Do not fight without permission.

Do not go out at night.

Do not make noise.

Do not walk too fast.

Do not laugh for no reason.

Do not sit with a disgraceful pose.

The words echoed over and over again. Ghostly white figures walked past him in a line, one after another. As the whispers grew distant and muddled, the figures faced him and moved in closer. The one directly in front of him was a middle-aged woman, her face lined with worries. Her soft eyes were upturned with sorrow and tears spilled over her cheeks.

“How could you kill me so easily?”

Her voice was filled with heavy sobs. Tears spilled out faster and stained her pale face.

“You didn’t even spare my daughter, who was only four years old.”

A man took her place, his features much harsher and filled with anger.

“How disgraceful you are, cutting up my corpse for him.”

A young boy around his age spoke next.

“My body was never found. I was read no burial rights. No one burned paper money for me at a shrine. Why do you get to live again while I’m trapped in restlessness?”

He turned away desperately, trying to escape the ghosts coming towards him.

“You were still laughing as you carved the flesh from my bones.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, covering his face with his hands.

“You turned me into a corpse and made me kill my own brother.”

“I was on my way to my wedding-”

“You killed my children in their beds-”

“You were still laughing-”

“Was it fun?”

The whispers disappeared and, slowly, he opened his eyes. Only one ghostly figure remained. A man who shined like moonlight, with pale skin like porcelain, who’s only flaw was white bandage wrapped around his eyes.

“Was it fun?”

Two red blotches appeared on the bandages where his eyes would be.

“Of course it was. It’s always fun for you.”

The red bled down his cheeks.

“Killing people… it’s just a game to you.”

His throat opened up and added to the red pouring from his eyes, blooming down the front his white robes.

“Was my death… fun?”

Xinyi opened his eyes. The room was still dark. Chen and QianHua were still asleep beside him. He sat up and kicked the blankets off of him, his weary gaze settling on the crouched silhouette in the corner. Was that Chen’s backpack and clothes piled up? He squinted, leaning forward into a kneeling position. The silhouette mirrored his actions and leaned forward. His heart lurched and he jumped to his feet, his fingers turning cold. The silhouette stood up and took a step forward.

It’s long, black hair was disheveled, the knot at the top half falling out of it’s ribbon. It’s clothes were loose and sloppily held together. It’s eyes were blank slates, no pupils to indicate what Xinyi already knew- that it was looking directly at him. He looked down at Chen and QianHua for a split second, and when he looked back, the man was gone. Not waiting for it to come back, he opened the door and slipped out into the hall.

“Xue Yang!”

The figure reappeared in the hallway, spitting the words out with one finger pointed up accusingly. Fear shot through Xinyi’s body like electricity and sent him flying down the corridor, paying no attention to which way he was going, not stopping until he nearly collided with the closed door of the artifact room. He yanked the door open, stepped into the room, and slammed it shut. On his hands and knees, Xinyi crawled across the floor and made himself as small as possible in the far corner of the room.

Just as his heart rate was finally returning to normal, the door began to slide open. He held his breath, hoping the ghost somehow wouldn’t find him if he didn’t move or make any noise. But the man that appeared in the doorway wasn’t disheveled or dressed in rags. He was dressed in a plain, white night robe and his hair was neatly combed down his back. Xiao Xingchen stood across from Xinyi, his eyes finding him in the dark immediately.

“Appreciating the art?”

Xinyi let out a heavy breath of relief. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Xingchen smiled. “I was already awake.”

The light from Xingchen’s lamp illuminated the room as he came inside and closed the door behind him. He crossed the room and knelt in front of Xinyi, placing the lamp on the floor beside them.

“Nightmare?”

Xinyi nodded slowly. “How’d you guess?”

“It’s the middle of the night.” Xingchen replied, his smile widening. “And you’re hiding in the only room in the temple full of swords.”

He looked over at the wall of swords beside him, having not even noticed them until now, and broke out laughing. Or crying. Or both. He covered his face with his hands, trying not to let the other man see.

“Xinyi?” Xingchen reached a hand out and placed it on Xinyi’s knee.

After a moment, he dropped his hands, meeting Xingchen’s gaze.

“Did something else happen?”

Xiao Xingchen’s face showed such genuine concern it hurt Xinyi’s heart. Something about it made him want to laugh again, but another part of him wanted to tell Xingchen what he saw, confide in him about all the horrible nightmares he’s been having and how now he seemed to be plagued by restless spirits.

“Xingchen…” His fingers rubbed together anxiously. “What does… Xue Yang mean?”

The man’s body went rigid. The smile disappeared from his face and his gaze hardened. Xinyi regretted his question immediately. He wasn’t sure which was worse; the way Xingchen was looking at him or the fact that he recognized the words the ghost had shouted at him.

“Why are you asking me that?” He asked planely.

Feeling his nerves building up, Xinyi laughed quietly and looked away. “It’s nothing. It’s just nonsense from my dream.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

He clenched his fists. “Would you believe me if I said I heard it from a ghost?”

Xingchen was silent and Xinyi couldn’t help but look back up. To his relief, the angered expression he wore before had dissipated and his features were soft again. The man looked down at the flame from the lamp, wrapping his fingertips on the floor, drumming out that same beat from the day at the river. After running through the beat several times, Xingchen looked back at Xinyi.

“Every artifact in this temple is thousands of years old. The tapestries, the fans, and porcelain dishware. They all have ghosts attached to them. Most people aren’t sensitive enough to hear them.” Xingchen took Xinyi’s hand and held it between his own. “These restless spirits think only of why they’re trapped here. Time is frozen for them, so they don’t understand things like forgiveness or change. Your nightmares have made you vulnerable to them- you can hear them now.”

Xinyi swallowed hard, unsure of whether or not he believed what the man was saying. He didn’t want to believe it- that the ghosts he saw were real and that he was going to keep seeing them. Was it just one more horrible reality that he’d have to adjust to, like he had to adjust to the nightmares?

“Xue Yang.”

He looked up, startled to see that Xingchen had leaned in closer to him.

“It’s a name.” He looked to the right where JiangZai stood in its case. “The name of the man who owned that sword.”

#mdzs #mdzs fic #xuexiao #xue yang #xiao xingchen #jin ling #lan sizhui #lan jingyi #junior disciples #song lan

7 notes · View notes

this-solaris-life · 4 years

Text

Don’t Tell Me My Sect Rules

Prompt: a kiss of anger Notes: @ruensroad You ask me sometimes about some Jinyi before being married so here is some Jinyi while they are dating in this au; Tang Yanmei is a Jin sect disciple OC; Xue Yang and A-Qing are brother and sister & Jin sect members in this au.

Jin Ling woke with pain in his head and in his left shoulder. Dark eyes opening. His vision blurry making him blink several times for them to focus. As his eyes focused he realized where he was. It was the medical rooms, not the assigned guest rooms of his sect in the Cloud of Recesses. Shit he thought as the memories came back to him before he blacked out.

He’d promised Jingyi that he would stay behind if the juniors went on a hunt, because he’d already gotten injured a week prior on his side. He would have kept his promise except that Hánguāng-jūn and his Uncle Wei had already left with Jingyi and some of the other juniors. So he’d made the choice to go with Sizhui, Zizhen, and the remaining juniors. And he might have left the part out to his friends where he was injured, and Jingyi hadn’t gotten around to telling Sizhui yet.

“That’s what your in because I just heard that Jingyi is on his way back.” Zizhen’s voice said from beside him startling him. He thought he’d said that to himself but he must have spoken it out loud. Jin Ling turned to see his best friend since he was born sitting beside him.

“How bad is it?” Jin Ling grimaced as he tried to adjust himself but found his limbs not cooperating with him. The healer must have given him something to keep him still while working on healing him.

“Not as bad as your Jiujui’s clash with Rozen.” Zizhen answered, visibly shivering. Jin Ling would have done the same but his body was still under the healer’s medicine. No one had ever seen Zéwú-jūn that angry before and it was terrifying to witness that day. Zizhen cleared his throat as the divider opened revealing Sizhui. He closed the door behind him.

“Your original stitches to whatever happened to your side didn’t break, you had a nasty gash on your forehead from where it threw you against the tree, but between the healer and Zéwú-jūn all that’s left is a bruise.” Zizhen continued with a wince “And, uh the branch speared your shoulder. So, you’re not going to be able to use your right arm for a bit.”

“Shit.” Jin Ling said out loud again with a heavy sigh. He turned his head back to where he was looking up at the ceiling. The conversation with Jingyi wasn’t going to be a good one. Sure, the two of them had only been together for several months intimately but as friends they’d known each other for years. Jingyi trusted him at his word when he promised to do something. Today, he’d broken that promise and had gotten even more injured.

“No cursing in the Cloud of Recesses.” Sizhui stated as he approached the bed. A frown on his face.

“Is he here?” Jin Ling asked.

“Not yet.” Sizhui answered, “He was outside of Qinghe when he was informed.”

“So, I’d rest while you can brother.” Zizhen stated as Sizhui gave him pointed a look. Jin Ling was about to say something when suddenly a cooling and calming, feeling took over lulling him back to sleep.

Three days had passed since he’d gotten the knews of Jin Ling being injured and he was still angry. Jingyi took several deep breaths as he rode his sword towards the Cloud of Recesses. Thankfully, none of the juniors with him were saying anything. There were limits to anyone’s patience and he honestly would lose what self control he had if he’d heard any gossiping on the way. The night sky was clear with the midnight sun out glowing with the stars. So, the trip back home didn’t take long.

The juniors that had returned with him scattered once they were back. Not that Jingyi minded in the slightest. He made his way towards the healer’s rooms. As he arrived, Sizhui and Zizhen were standing outside. Whatever conversation that the two of them had ended as he walked past them.

“Jingyi.” Sizhui called to him making him stop at the top of the stairs of the porch. Jingyi looked over his shoulder narrowing his eyes at Sizhui. A look that Zizhen had never witnessed before. No words were spoken but the slight changes in their expressions spoke volumes. Zizhen didn’t know what to think when Jingyi took a deep breath, tilted his chin up in defiance, then promptly headed into the healer’s rooms.

Jin Ling most certainly did not jump at the slap of the door opening, clacking against the frame coming to a stop. His stunned eyes meeting Jingyi’s intense gaze. Those hazel eyes he’d come to love shifted to Tang Yanmei and Xue A-Qing on each side of him. Xue A-Qing sat with a pile of signed paper documents in her lap working to get them sealed while Tang Yanmei on the other was helping Jingyi sign documents with his left hand.

Jingyi felt like he was going to explode with anger but also a tidal wave of relief at the sight of his lover prevented him. A rather nasty bruise on his forehead was partially hidden because Jin Ling’s normally half hair up in a top knot was down with his bangs hiding it. Instead of his golden robes, he was in one of Jingyi’s inner light blue robes. Jingyi as he’d gotten older he had grown taller and more broad. Unlike Jin Ling, He was like his uncle Wei Wuxian and his beloved jiujiu, staying lean with more arm muscles built from being an archer.

“Leave us.” Jingyi ordered, voice still quivering with anger. Obeying immediately the two women gathered everything taking it with them. Both giving Jingyi a respectful nod as they left. Xue A-Qing closing the door behind them to give them privacy.

Jin Ling was about comment sarcastically that the two women were his disciples but the look of fear mixed with anger stopped him. “Come here.” Jin Ling said, a warm smile on his lips as he patted the bed where Jingyi could sit.

Jingyi let out a shuddering sigh before he finally walked over. His gaze never leaving Jin Ling’s. Though he felt his eye twitch as he sat down on the bed. He swallowed trying to keep it all in. Jin Ling looked as if he was about to say something but Jingyi stopped him.

“Don’t.” He interrupted letting go of his Lan decorum. His tone rising in frustration, “You told me you weren’t fucking going to go hunting with the others.”

“No cur-” Jin Ling started to tease to lighten the mood.

“Don’t you dare tell me my sect rules, you ass! I wouldn’t be this way if you had just kept your promise!” His hand reaching out to jerk back the collar of Jin Ling’s thin inner robe exposing that underneath was bandage covered flesh. He gestured to his shoulder, “Don’t you understand? Do you know how close that is to your heart? How I could have-” Jin Ling’s smile brightened making Jingyi growl but he couldn’t continue on his rant.

Jin Ling reached out with his good hand grabbing him by the back of the neck, pulling him into a kiss. Jingyi caught himself before he fell completely on top of the other man and tried to break the kiss. However, Jin Ling only tightened his grip keeping him in place. When Jingyi parted his lips to protest Jin Ling used it to his advantage to deepen the kiss.

“You feel this?” Jin Ling panted, when they parted for much needed air. He brought up Jingyi’s hand from beside his hip over his heart. Jingyi nodded breathing heavily not being able to find the words to speak. A new feeling that had nothing to do with the anger rose up. He could feel the wild beating of the other’s heart beneath his hand . “It still beats for you.” Jin Ling stated as Jingyi dug his fingers into the sun kissed flesh splattered with freckles.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Jingyi mumbled once he was able to get his words to form. Jin Ling nodded softly before Jingyi leaned down to lay his head in place of his hand. The sound of Jin Ling’s strong beating heart giving him what he needed to let go of the anger completely.

Read the collection of kisses here // prompt list ~ req open

#in every life i'll love you au #jinyi #I hope that you like this one #I think I missed the markish?#mdzs kiss prompts #jin ling #lan jingyi #original oc #a-qing #xue yang and a-qing are siblings in this au

27 notes · View notes

grandmaster-of-denial · 5 years

Text

Mdzs Modern Supernatural AU

A warning tho: this is very shitty

So like, it’s really not that much. Supernatural people exist, and while their existence is known to society they usually live in mainly supernatural-only communities, since humans aren’t very pleased with them.

Most of the Wens are humans and the Wen family is know for being against supernatural people. Everyone else is just some kind of supernatural creature

Wwx is half wizard. His mom was a star from Baoshan Sanren’s constellation who came to earth and fell in love with his dad, a wizard (that’s why he’s more powerful than normal wizards, and why sometimes he just seems to... glow). His mom had to return to the sky when he was 6 so ever since then he’s been living with just his dad.

The Jiangs are werewolves and pretty much wwx’s second family. He tries to keep away from them when they are in their wolves form tho as to not get scared.

The Nie brothers are minotaurs. The Jins are fairies (and very prideful of that).

The Lans are vampires, and most of the time they are hibernating to avoid consuming blood.

(Some types of supernaturals will age much slower, or will stop/ slow down aging after reaching a certain age. Vampires will age very slowly while in hibernation, but their aging will speed back up while out of it, and will stop aging after the age of 30. Wizards will start aging more slowly after 30, but continue aging. Werewolves and minotaurs age normally and fairies stop aging between 20 and 30)

Lwj and wwx meet in highschool during their junior year after lwj leaves hibernation. Wwx just sees this sparkly teenager in fancy victorian clothing sitting in the first raw right in the middle with the oldest journal he’s ever see and ink quill, and he just has to bully him ok?

Lwj acts displeased but is actually smitten.

Also? Light usually bothers him? But there seem to be this light radiating off of wwx and not only does it not bother him? But also makes him feel content and happy? Disgusting.

Wwx gets detention and lwj has to supervise him. Also lwj discovered computers in the library, and while he is away to try and find some manuals on how to use one, wwx opens a porn video on the computer for when lwj returns.

Lwj nearly yeets him from the third floor window.

After highschool they part ways for college and lose contact.

They meet again years later when lwj is followed by some greesy wen guy and his lackeys who are trying to stake him.

Wwx finds him and hides him in his apartment, but lwj is hurt and lost too much blood to regenerate, so wwx being wwx and having nursed feelings for lwj ever since hs sees his chance and offers lwj to drink from him. (That’s also how he finds out that wwx is half star)

From there they just reunite and is shameless wangxian flirting and getting together.

The wens end up in a tragic accident and almost all of them die.

Wen Qing (with a little bit of help from wwx) revives her brother into a frankenstein-like zomby?

Little A-Yuan who unfortunately got caught in the fire too became a ghost, and is adopted by wangxian. (Ghosts can take any appearence they want age-wise, but ghosts who died as kids whill usually keep a kid appearence until they mature enough for an older one. They can’t die again but their souls can be liberated so they can move on)

Jyl marries jzx and has jl who is half fairy and half werewolf. (Thank ypu @evilgay and @animeluver1798 ) (Tho, since the jins are so prideful I imagine that his werewolf side would be the one kept secret? Another secret is also the fact that he also doesn’t have wings like other fairies? So his fairy form is more like a more sparkly and magical thumbelina? And he can turn into a wolf in a state of great distres or during full moons but it’s very tyring?)

Lxc has been out of hibernation for much longer than lwj and has been dating jgy and nmj.

Xxc is a gorgon and is married to sl who is a human, and they adopted A-Qing who is also a ghost, and Xue Yang, a changeling.

Mian mian is a nymph and is dating Wen Qing.

Ouyang Zizhen is a satyr.

Lan Jingyi is a vampire who should be in hibernation but can’t hibernate for more than half a day.

#mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #the founder of diabolism #mdzs #gdc #wei wuxian #lan wangji #jin ling #wen qing #a yuan #lan sizhui #my post #ildiko talks shit #supernatural au #lan jingyi #this is just self indulgent i’m sorry #and I really love supernatural things in a modern envoirment #sorry you had to read this

65 notes · View notes

goldencored-arc · 5 years

Text

Years based off of the Han Dynasty to help the timeline of MDZS become a little more understandable (to me). This timeline is super unofficial and has DEFINITELY strayed a little bit from canon!

72 AD —Wei Wuxian is born

77 AD —Wei Wuxian's parents die on a night-hunt at 5 80 AD —Wei Wuxian is discovered by Jiang Fengmian & brought back to the Jiang Sect at 8 —Mo Xuanyu is born. His mother is 16.

82 AD —Su Minhui is born 84 AD —Jin Guangshan returns to Lanling Jin. 91 AD —Junior Cultivators are invited to study at Gusu Lan. Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang & Jin Zixuan are all present. Jiang Yanli is present in The Untamed. They're all between 15 & 16. —Fallout between Nie Mingjue and Meng Yao —Cloud Recesses are burnt by the Wens 92 AD —Junior Cultivators are forced to go to the Wen Sect to be indoctrinated. Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang & Jin Zixuan are all present. They're all between 17 & 18. —Lotus Pier burns. Jiang Cheng loses his golden core. With help from Wen Ning and Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian gives Jiang Cheng his own golden core —Wei Wuxian is captured and thrown into the Burial Mounds. —Mo Xuanyu is brought to the Jin Sect —Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi and Oyang Zizhen are all likely born during this time period, as they are all 15/16 when the story begins. 92-93 AD —Sunshot Campaign +Misson to steal back their swords +Wen Xu dies +3 months after Wei Wuxian disappears, Wen soldiers begin to die in mysterious & gruesome ways +Wei Wuxian returns and has Chenqing. He kills Wen Chao while Jiang Cheng kills Wen Zhuliu +Attack on Nightless City. Meng Yao kills Wen Ruohan —Chief Cultivator position is made, Jin Guangshan becomes the first —Work to rebuild Lotus Pier begins —Hunt at Phoenix Mountain —First Incident at Qiongqi Way. Death of Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian returns to the Burial Mounds —Jiang Yanli marries Jin Zixuan

95 AD —Xue Yang murders part of the Yueyang Chang Sect

96 AD —Xiao Xingchen implicates Xue Yang as the murderer of Yueyang Cheng Sect. +Jin Guangyao finds Xue Yang's talent useful & coerces the only survivor to recant +Xue Yang becomes a guest cultivator in the Jin Sect —Tensions mount between Nie & Jin Sects over Xue Yang

99 AD —Nie Mingjue dies of qi deviation —Xue Yang Baixue Temple and blinds Song Lan as revenge on Xiao Xingchen. +Xiao Xingchen takes Song Lan to Baoshan Sanren's mountain, gives up his own eyes for Song Lan. —Jin Guangshan dies —Jin Guangyao becomes Sect Leader —Mo Xuanyu is shamed and cast out of the Jin Sect at 17. +his mother dies shortly after his return to Mo Village +he is locked in a shed and verbally and physically abused by the Mo Family and their servants

100 AD —Xue Yang is cast out of the Jin Sect —Xue Yang is found and nursed back to health by Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing —Song Lan leaves Baoshan Saren's mountain to look for Xiao Xingchen

103 AD —Xue Yang murders Song Lan, Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing —Xue Yang murders Chang Ping via lingchi

104 AD —Mo Xuanyu uses his own blood to draw an array to perform a body offering ritual. +Wei Wuxian is brought back to the living in the body of Mo Xuanyu +The REAL Mo Xuanyu awakens in a previously drawn blood array with temporary amnesia; becomes Cang Jinse, a brothel worker.

—Events of Mo Village +The Mo Family die at the hands of an evil Arm (**The Untamed: Sword Spirit) —Events of Dafan Mountain +Soul snatching statue +Wen Ning's return +Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian's rocky reunion —Lan Wangji returns to Gusu Lan with Wei Wuxian —Search for "Our Dear Friend" +Xinglu Ridge ^Nie Burial Mound secret is revealed ^Jin Ling's curse mark ^Jiang Cheng learns the true identity of "Mo Xuanyu" ^Wei Wuxian discovers nails controlling Wen Ning and removes them

+Yi City ^Fate of Song Lan, Xiao Xingchen & A-Qing revealed ^death? of Xue Yang —Incident at Fragrance Hall +Paperman adventure! ^The truth of Nie Mingjue's death ^Crimes of Jin Guangyao revealed ^Suiban returns +Death of Qin Su +"Mo Xuanyu" revealed as Wei Wuxian ^Jin Ling stabs Wei Wuxian —Second Siege of the Burial Mounds +Cultivators vs Wei Wuxian round 2; all but the juniors, Wei Wuxian & Lan Zhan lose their spiritual energy +Su She revealed to be working with Jin Guangyao ^Su She flees, causing Su Minhui to scramble and pick up the pieces +Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning & Lan Wangji pave the way for the cultivators to escape —Return to Lotus Pier +Jin Guangyao's crimes on full display via Biaco and Sisi +Wangxian Yunmeng date (**Not in The Untamed) +Confrentation between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian ^Wei Wuxian faints ^Wen Ning confronts Jiang Cheng with Suiban, reveals the story of the golden core —Incident at Guanyin Temple +Death of Su She +Death of Jin Guangyao

105 AD —Aftermath: +(**The Untamed: Lan Wangji becomes Chief Cultivator) +Nie Huaisang becomes Chief Cultivator +Su Minhui becomes the leader of a broken Moling Su Sect +Jin Ling is poised to become leader of the Jin Sect thanks to Jiang Cheng ^The Jin Sect's reputation may be irreparable +Wen Ning and Lan Sizhui go to make a monument to their family +Lan Xichen goes into seclusion

106 AD —The REAL Mo Xuanyu returns, memories still a bit hazy, but there-ish.

#idk even know what to tag this as fgkjdflg #「ᴴ」— shake the heavens ( meta )#this is a goddamn monster

2 notes · View notes

tentative-wanderer · 5 years

Text

Shout My Love For You (Actually, No)

Grandmaster of Legal Cultivation 律道祖师 - Chapter 3 (standalone)

Valentine’s Day Special (a day and a half late)

Law Students + Flatmates AU (though the legal aspect isn’t apparent in this chapter)

I intended to write this for the WangXian Week prompt “Valentine’s Day”, but it evolved into something else.

***

A heavenly aroma wafted through the kitchen as Xiao Xingchen pulled a tray of cookies out of the oven. His gaze raked over the black, white and grey lines and curves decorating each heart; the unconventional colour scheme worked surprisingly well. Biting into a cookie, he let the fragrant sweetness suffuse his senses and concluded that he was satisfied with the result.

It was a shame that Song Lan wasn’t here to taste his handiwork, but at least A-Qing would like them. Jiang Cheng, who lived in the opposite flat, would probably enjoy some cookies too—Xiao Xingchen guessed that as a currently single gentleman, Jiang Cheng was planning to spend Valentine’s Day with Netflix for company, so snacks would be in order.

At that moment, the doorbell rang and a bright voice sang out: “Gege! I’m—huh? Why are you...”

Xiao Xingchen was bemused for a second before a cacophony of screams penetrated the wooden door and rattled his soul.

His heart lurched. What on earth was going on? “A-Qing!” Dumping his tray onto the countertop, he raced to the front door, fumbled with the lock and slammed the door open.

A-Qing was right in front of him, but her back was turned. She was facing a young lad in a neat white shirt, whose cheeks were as pink as the delicate bouquet of roses he held. Behind him, a horde of boys vibrated in excitement, grinning from ear to ear. Half of them were still screeching until they locked eyes with Xiao Xingchen, whereupon they ceased abruptly.

An eerie silence rapidly descended on the scene as all the boys stared at him. The colour drained from the face of the lad with the roses. Clear as day, every one of their expressions read: I think we just botched our mission.

A-Qing noticed the change that befell them and whipped around to face Xiao Xingchen’s wild eyes and tense stance. “Gege!” She paused, noting that he was poised to beat the living daylights out of any potential threats, and continued in a more placating tone: “Gege, it’s nothing.” She gestured at the boys. “They’re my friends from school. Sorry for making you worry.”

Roses Boy regained his senses the fastest among the lot. He gulped, then rallied and bowed. “I’m sorry that we disturbed you! We didn’t mean to.” His buddies (including the Lan kids and Jiang Cheng’s nephew, Xiao Xingchen noticed) quickly chimed in with a clumsy chorus of apologies.

Xiao Xingchen’s brow unknitted. “It’s fine. I’m glad no one was being murdered outside my door.” He assessed Roses Boy. Despite his ashen complexion, the lad had a winsome air about him. There was an open, earnest look in his gaze that was offset by the nervous way he gripped his bouquet, lending his mien a certain charm.

Xiao Xingchen made a split-second decision. He flashed a reassuring smile at everyone and said, “I’ll go inside to pack my cookies. I’ll leave the door unlocked so you can come in whenever you’re done.”

After he shut the door, he heard a low bubble of very, very suppressed squeals and hollers, presumably as Roses Boy made his heartfelt declaration of affection.

Roughly twenty minutes later, the group of teenagers hesitantly filed into Xiao Xingchen’s flat and were treated to cookies. A-Qing, looking uncharacteristically shy, rummaged around in the cupboard for a vase for her newly-acquired flowers.

Xiao Xingchen had just found out that Roses Boy was the Ouyang Zizhen that A-Qing had been talking about for the past five months when a terrified shout ripped through the air.

It came from the opposite flat.

“Stay here!” said Xiao Xingchen hastily to the kids before rushing over to Jiang Cheng’s apartment.

He hammered on Jiang Cheng’s door. “Jiang Cheng? What’s going on?”

From this close, he could make out the content of the frantic yells. “Go away! Make it stop!”

To his surprise, that sounded like Wei Wuxian. Weren’t he and Lan Wangji supposed to be out on a date?

“Wuxian?” Xingchen called, but received no reply except panicked yelps.

After a number of bangs and scuffling noises, the flat turned quiet. Then the door opened and Wei Wuxian tumbled right into Xiao Xingchen’s arms.

Xiao Xingchen steadied him and gave him a once-over. He didn’t seem physically hurt. “Are you okay?”

Wei Wuxian shuddered. “No.”

Lan Wangji came out of the apartment. Running a hand across Wei Wuxian’s back in comforting circles, he enlightened Xiao Xingchen with one word: “Dog.”

Lan Wangji steered the quivering human-shaped jelly aside, giving the doorway a wide berth. Jiang Cheng exited the flat, somehow wearing a frown and an expression of resignation at the same time. A Shih Tzu wriggled innocently in his arms.

“I’ll take Dolly home.” Jiang Cheng stroked the lapdog soothingly in a way that was uncannily similar to how Lan Wangji was rubbing Wei Wuxian’s back.

Lan Wangji nodded. “We’re sorry for inconveniencing you.”

Jiang Cheng gave a small shrug. “Not a problem.” Grudgingly, he added: “Sorry for the scare. I didn’t expect you to be home until a lot later, so I thought I’d bring Dolly over to visit.” Even more grudgingly, with a look faintly reminiscent of someone having his teeth pulled out, he continued: “It’s decent of you to think of me and come back, though I really wouldn’t have minded if you two went for a good meal to celebrate.”

“...It’s not like Lan Zhan and I don’t eat together often,” said Wei Wuxian, eyeing Dolly warily from the safety of Lan Wangji’s arms. “I wanna watch the new episodes of Shadows of the Burial Mound with both of you. It’s fun to host a running commentary together throughout the show.”

This made Jiang Cheng’s semi-permanent scowl almost nonexistent—a rare and admirable feat.

“Mmh. I’ll be back soon.” He strode down the corridor, nodded to Jin Ling—who, alongside the other kids, was craning his neck to watch the drama unfold from Xiao Xingchen’s doorway—and vanished around the corner.

Wei Wuxian looked at Xiao Xingchen ruefully. “Sorry for the ruckus.”

Xiao Xingchen shook his head. “Don’t apologise. It’s not your fault that you’re afraid of dogs...Hang on.” He went into his flat and brought out a container of cookies. “Eat the remains of your shock away. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

***

When Xiao Xingchen resettled back onto his couch, his handphone rang. It was a call from Song Lan.

A-Qing eagerly grabbed the phone from the coffee table, pressed “accept”, and put it on speaker mode. “Song-gege, hi! Xingchen-gege baked cookies but you’re not here so don’t mind if I eat your portion!”

The response was a series of piercing shrieks which sent them all reeling backwards. Lan Jingyi gaped at the phone. “That’s one heck of an overreaction!”

Xiao Xingchen massaged his temples. Why was everyone screaming on Valentine’s Day?

Staticky crackles emanated from the phone, but they failed to completely obscure the voices crying: “Put the scorpion down!”

“EEEEYAAAAAGH!!! Song Lan, throw it away!”

“Shit, this is the biggest one so far, it’s almost bigger than his palm!”

“Why are you using your bare hands?!! Get the tweezers!”

Everyone in Xiao Xingchen’s living room felt their eyes widen inadvertently. Xiao Xingchen sighed.

Song Lan’s level tone cut through the clamour as smoothly as a blade cuts through tofu. “There’s no time to find the tweezers; it was almost in our food. Calm down, I’ll take it somewhere far away.”

The racket gradually died down to an indistinct hum as Song Lan put more and more distance between himself and his groupmates. Then the only sound left was Song Lan’s measured breaths, followed by a quiet “Off you go.”

Unbeknownst to Song Lan, his audience on the other side of the world let out a sigh of relief for him.

“Sorry, A-Qing. Dealt with some trouble just now. You were talking about cookies?” Song Lan resumed his phone conversation as casually as if he had merely stopped to tie his shoelaces.

“...Yes. Xingchen-gege baked Valentine’s Day cookies. I was going to eat your share but I’ve decided against it, because I hope the cookies can incentivise you to come back alive, preferably without missing an arm or an immune system. Are you sure you’re okay?”

There was a pause as Song Lan presumably checked his body for injuries. “I’m fine. I...” He hesitated.

“Please continue,” urged Xiao Xingchen.

“...I have one cut where the grave robbers tried to stab me when they tried to grab the artefacts we were transporting from Empress Minyan’s tomb, but it’s completely healed already. Just a scar.”

“What the hell,” mouthed Lan Jingyi silently to Lan Sizhui. Then he nudged Ouyang Zizhen and whispered, not too quietly, “Zizhen, this guy is gonna be one of your in-laws.”

Both Ouyang Zizhen and A-Qing elbowed him. “We aren’t engaged!” A-Qing hissed, also not too quietly. Even louder, she said, “Also, Xingchen-gege and Song-gege aren’t in that kind of relationship...yet.”

Xiao Xingchen wanted to bury his face in his palms. Song Lan probably heard that last part. It was devoid of all subtlety, volume and content-wise.

Song Lan asked: “May I talk to you in private?”

“Sure.” Xiao Xingchen picked his phone up and switched speaker mode off, ignoring A-Qing’s waggling eyebrows.

In the safety of his bedroom, he said, “I’m alone now. Zichen, are you hurt anywhere else?”

“No. Only one scar this time, and it’s painless.”

“Please be careful. Just let the scorpion eat your food, it’s better than risking a sting.”

“I can’t do that. This is the first proper meal I’ve had in a month. We mostly subsisted on canned food at the excavation site, but that’s over now.” Song Lan said all of this matter-of-factly, without a hint of joy or complaint. But he sounded more appreciative when he added: “Now we have proper showers.”

Xiao Xingchen felt a grin spread across his face. That was so like Song Lan; stoic in the face of danger, enduring challenges with fortitude, only allowing his mysophobia to surface once the need for grit in the circumstances had passed.

“That sounds very nice, after so long. And good job for completing your task. Proud of you.”

Song Lan was silent for a few seconds—Xingchen could imagine him almost-smiling—before he said, “I look forward to having your cookies, if A-Qing hasn’t eaten them all by then.”

“She won’t.” I wouldn’t have used the monochrome colour scheme that you like if I didn’t intend to save some for you.

“I have something for you too," Song Lan informed him. "It’s supposed to arrive in the mail at our flat today."

Right on time, a knock sounded once on his bedroom door before A-Qing bounded in. “Song-gege sent you something! Thought you’d want to see it before you end your call.” She dropped a package onto Xiao Xingchen’s lap.

Xiao Xingchen’s curiosity soared. He and Song Lan hardly ever did surprises, so receiving a mystery package was extra exciting. “A-Qing just brought it in. May I unwrap it?”

“Go ahead.”

Xiao Xingchen eagerly peeled away the layers of cardboard and cushioning material and pulled out a small rectangular picture frame. Splashes of purple, white, yellow and pink spread from one end to the other, a demure palette of tiny pressed desert blossoms.

A card was attached to it. High on anticipation, Xiao Xingchen flipped it open.

It read:

“I tried very hard to find flowers in the Gobi Desert, and I was lucky to have found them.

I hadn’t tried very hard to find someone I love among the billions of people in this world, so I am incredibly lucky to have somehow found you anyway.”

A-Qing was unabashedly peering over Xiao Xingchen’s shoulder and reading the card. Then she shrieked in his ear.

Dazedly, Xiao Xingchen thought again, today is full of screams.

“FINALLY! Song-gege, you finally found the guts to spit it out!” Bouncing on the bed, A-Qing grabbed Xiao Xingchen’s phone and yelled: “CONGRATULATIONS!”

Outside, Lan Jingyi commented to Ouyang Zizhen: “She’s a tad more excited now compared to when you confessed.”

Ouyang Zizhen ground his knuckles against Jingyi's abdomen, making him squawk. “That’s probably because I haven’t waited for years and years before saying the things I should say!”

Dimly, Xiao Xingchen noticed that his fingers were trembling. He put the card down and fumbled for his phone from A-Qing. He let out a helpless sort of chuckle, overflowing with fondness and warmth.

“...I love you too,” he said, a little hoarsely.

He thought he was acting in a frankly ridiculous manner—he already knew he held a treasured place in Song Lan’s life; it was evident in the way Song Lan treated him and looked at him (attentively, tenderly, eyes an inky, endless depth of unspoken but understood promises and everlasting faith), but he couldn’t help but metaphorically jump for joy to have those feelings irrefutably manifested in clear words.

He heard Song Lan let out a small gust of a breath, like a laugh, but one that was incomplete because he was too overwhelmed to do it properly.

When Song Lan spoke, Xiao Xingchen could hear the smile in his voice, a tinge of sunshine through the leaves. “See you soon.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

***

Click my AO3 username in my profile to read the other standalone chapters in this fic :) Kudos and comments are appreciated! What do you think of this sort of Xingchen and Song Lan? Are their characterisations okay?

IS SONG LAN SMOOTH OR NOT? Because that’s how I’m gonna woo a boyfriend if I ever go to the desert ahahahahaha 😄🔫

27 notes · View notes