#like once his cultivation stabilizes?

[tcfactory]

the obvious shenanigans that follow are well! if sj isnt going to socialise the poor beast then sy will! lqg staring like. "What is that." begging peak lord Liu's pardon, but this is a spiritual wolf that is meant to be under the care of peak lord shen. it requires socialising and i was informed you also possessed a spiritual wolf! the wolves, ofc, get on. sj wants to die when he finds out. he wont STOP them because that would make it worse but sToP WaGGinG YouR TaiL when liu-shidi comes over!!

Liu Qingge takes Shen Yuan at face value about the wolf - like, he knows Shen Qingqiu's daemon is a wolf, had seen its silhouette move in the shadows during night hunts, but this wolf is out in the open and is getting pets from Shen Yuan so he can't be Shen Qingqiu's Calamity (the wolf is actually called Harbor, like 'Safe harbor in a storm', but he would never admit to it so when people started making up names he just ran with the most menacing/powerful sounding one) - and during the next Peak Lord meeting he goes to confront Shen Qingqiu about neglecting a spirit beast in his care. How jealous does one have to be to hurt such a majestic wolf like that?! He can tell exactly what caused those scars and he will not stand for a fellow peak lord whipping innocent beasts!!

Shen Qingqiu can glare Yue Qingyuan into silence, but not quick enough to shut Shang Qinghua up before he can blurt out what's up. Liu Qingge demands that Shen Qingqiu prove himself by calling his daemon there. He's reluctant, but complies. Everyone is upset at the state of the wolf (did someone try to dock its tail to make it look a bit more like a dog?!?!!? yes, it was one of Qiu Jianluo's bright ideas to make them more obedient), most of them on Shen Qingqiu's behalf. Shen Qingqiu very much wants to strangle both Liu Qingge and Shang Qinghua, so Airplane reaches for the most convenient bombshell he has as distraction and blurts out what happened to Yue Qingyuan before he flees.

So now Shen Qingqiu has a regretful shidi (planning various nutritious and difficult to hunt monsters as apology gifts) a very regretful and kinda relieved shixiong (sporting one hell of a black eye) and a bunch of other mildly regretful and worried martial siblings and things are going to be fine. All thanks to one oblivious but very pretty hallmaster of his who he absolutely will not thank or fill in about what's up, no sir. (It's fine, it will take YQY and LQG maybe a day or two to get over their shock, realize what happened and start matchmaking, like the idiot sibling-types they are. Shen Qingqiu will have a supportive family whether he wants one or not, and we all know that he kinda really wants one actually.)

It's all going to be fine.

#svsss #daemon au #I'm honestly debating about whether Shen Yuan should have a daemon eventually? #like once his cultivation stabilizes? #because they are supposed to be part of/reflections of the soul #and since he's not paralyzed by depression and slowly fading away everyone assumes that his daemon didn't really die #as much as got reabsorbed after severe injury? hence the sudden impulses to herd everyone everywhere #shen yuan: I don't have a daemon. the universe: now you do :) #mostly because I adore the idea of like #lazy pile of giant wolf + giant wolf + oversized motherfucking lion + doge sleeping in the sun #while their people are having an argument (friendly) nearby #shen yuan has the vibe of someone who would have like. a pug #but I did say herding dog so probably tibetan terrier #small and fancy #or a xigou? but that was used more for hunting I believe #he would lose his shit if he had a Weird Shape kinda greyhound vibes dog let's be honest

[frostbitebakery]

filled prompts for @codywansleepbingo :D we got: spooning, deep sleeper, insomnia! nothing particularly to warn for, though this is set sometime in the HEA phase of I Got My Head Checked, the Sithywan AU. Rest of the ficlet and bingo card under the cut!

Soft Sick Underbelly

“Major or long-lasting stress can lead to chronic insomnia.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Obi-Wan mutters to himself.

It has been… a while since sleep turned away from him in such a snit. He’s not unfamiliar with insomnia. For a long time he had been too afraid to sleep, catching naps here and there during his training—

“Abuse,” Cody would correct him.

His unconventional youth.

Sleep was for doomed prey until he was shaped enough into a predator to grab the luxury and take advantage of it. To take and take until the sleep deprivation was a fond, silly memory of the weak.

To sleep soundly, arrogantly, next to an enemy until the blaster was pressed against his forehead like birdsong. Nothing to concern himself with because he was made to be just that good.

Cody, Obi-Wan mourns to think of their first morning, isn’t anything special in that regard. What made him special, and continues to do so, is that Obi-Wan came back into his arms to sleep, to rest, over and over.

With Cody, he could wake up slow and unafraid. How Cody manages the same is a mystery to Obi-Wan still, on some days. Possibly the insomnia talking him into the spiral of fear, hate…

He doesn’t bother to remember what came after hate in Qui-Gon’s little speech. Cody said it was something to do with toasters.

Cody isn’t naïve. Perhaps he’s still lacking a bit of life experience, down to the few years he’s existed and how, but he’s not going into situations without a plan. Admittedly, he had lost his sight for a tiny bit there when Obi-Wan slithered into his life like the snake he was. Nevermind that it all had backfired on Obi-Wan rather spectacularly, the blind spot for himself Obi-Wan had started to cultivate in Cody had turned out to be mutually beneficial.

Obi-Wan snorts to himself and goes back to reading treatments for insomnia in hopes the irony alone will put him to sleep.

The small data pad is balanced on Cody’s upper arm in front of him, angled away so no light shines into Cody’s face. Obi-Wan is nothing but courteous.

Cody is a deep sleeper, here. In their space, their home, with Obi-Wan. Endearing and humbling. Not naïve. Not even with his back, his neck, to Obi-Wan like a lamb.

It’s trust like a soldier shows. Endearing and humbling, indeed.

Obi-Wan desperately wants to hold his hand, suddenly. The urge rising in his chest. The back of his fingers brush over Cody in substitute, careful not to disturb.

Cody wakes up anyway.

Slow for a minute, then all at once with a jaw-breaking yawn. One of his hands flaps over and behind him, and Obi-Wan offers his own. Like Cody knows.

His hand is guided around Cody, cradled into his chest.

“Bad night?” Cody asks in a murmur.

Obi-Wan fits himself closer into Cody’s warmth, not exactly hiding from the world.

Sleepy eyes turn to him. “Still blue.”

He feels his eyes are blue but it’s a relief to have the confirmation. Sometimes he can’t tell the difference, insides feeling breakable and rotten.

Cody shuffles back into him, a barrier between Obi-Wan and everything else that is not in his head only.

The early morning sun shines on the windows, sneaks through the glass, and plays with Cody’s skin. It's mesmerizing. Charming, in its own way.

The tiredness, the pulling at his eyelids and thoughts, is sudden and unwelcome. It’s morning. They should get up. Routine is good for both of them, after everything. A bit of predictability to stabilize them. They still get up to too many fun adventures. They're somewhat the personified headache of the Jedi Order, especially after their vacation. But this is home. Home is where the masks fall.

Cody latches onto more of his arm, lays his cheek into Obi-Wan's palm. “I’m awake now. Do you want to sleep?”

“Keeping watch for me?” Obi-Wan teases and his wrist is kissed.

“If you want.”

He sighs into Cody’s neck. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Never.”

Obi-Wan closes his eyes. Inserts the details into himself, of Cody watching over him like Obi-Wan watches in return. The light behind his eyelids, no suffocating darkness. Cody's stubble scratching over callouses.

Sleep doesn't come immediately. It takes its time. But eventually it's there, welcomes him like Cody's warmth.

#codywan #commander cody #obi wan kenobi #sith!obi wan #sithywan cinematic universe in my head #my art #my fic #the clone wars fanart #the clone wars fanfiction #frostbitebakery art

[poorlittleyaoyao]

is jgy different in the books than in the untamed? sorry if u haven’t read them im kind of just assuming u have even tho i haven’t lol but i was wondering if his characterization has any major differences like how wwx in novel vs untamed they sort of sanitize him and take away any culpability and honestly some of his edge. just curious if there’s any major differences in his characterization between the two

I'm not the best person to answer because I've only read the first two volumes of MDZS. Short answer: Yes, he is different, and in fact gets the reverse of WWX's treatment: Drama JGY is more overtly villainous than Novel JGY. However, IMO it's a little more complicated than that!

(Novel enjoyers, please chime in if I'm forgetting or misrepresenting anything.)

A lot of JGY fans greatly prefer the novel and feel that The Untamed did him dirty, because a lot of the show's plot changes that make WWX look better make JGY look worse. Jin Zixuan's death is the most glaring one: in the novel, WWX really does lose control of WN because he overestimates his abilities, and it's a tragic accident. JGY and SMS's implied involvement in the Massacre at Nightless City also doesn't happen in the novel; that, too, was a devastated WWX wreaking havoc and/or losing control. The novel also establishes that JGY is subject to abuse within Jinlintai, so there's an element of duress that one can read into his actions under JGS. Novel NMJ behaves more aggressively towards JGY than he does in the show, so his murder doesn't have the same tinge of malice. (The novel timeline also has JGY and LXC meeting before JGY and NMJ, all during Sunshot, so there's that.) Additionally, the novel tells us that JGY is genuinely a very good leader once he's Chief Cultivator and has implemented policies that have improved the lives of regular people and contributed to political stability. We're also told more about his childhood and his love for his mother, and we learn that his relationship with QS is a tragic love story (he doesn't know they're related until after she's pregnant) rather than something he went through with anyway. So in the novel, he's got a lot of positive things going for him that censorship didn't allow to carry over into the show for fear of having too much moral ambiguity.

HOWEVER!!!

The thing about the novel (and why I don't vibe with it as much) is that it's very much WWX's story, whereas The Untamed spends wayyyyy more time with its supporting cast. You might've noticed that I said the word "told" a lot in the above paragraph, because... well, that's what happens. We're told things about JGY, but we don't see him as much, especially since the novel is focused on the post-timeskip era with the stuff in the past coming through non-linear flashbacks. You don't get to see Meng Yao being Just A Little Guy very much before he becomes the Kitten Thinks About Nothing But Murder All Day meme. Now, you also don't hear dramatic music telegraphing HEY!!! HEY!! VILLAINY IS AFOOT!! HEY!!! every time JGY does literally anything, but you do have everything filtered through WWX's unreliable narrator monologue, and he is out there saying some truly wild shit. (You also get less Xiyao. Like, it's there if you want it to be, but The Untamed really went all-in on that.)

For me, the show works better, because I am a sucker for corruption arcs where you see glimpses of the character before they start the atrocities. Seeing him be Just A Little Guy making the saddest meow meow faces when people were mean to him kept me from totally losing sympathy for/interest in him once things start getting squicky, because I had evidence that he wasn't always like that. Meanwhile, JGY's first big scene in the novel is the confrontation with QS (which already makes my skin crawl and is somehow WORSE in novel form), and I was just like "wow, this guy sucks" even though I knew the story and all the extenuating circumstances already. For others, the novel works better, because "first impressions and society's opinion are unreliable" is a major theme, so the reverse reveal combined with the fact that he demonstrably tries to improve people's lives as a leader is less expected and more satisfying.

So yeah! JGY is different, but the ways in which he is different are due to storytelling methods as well as to plot changes!

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Hello! Can I ask if there was mention of how JC was doing after he found out that WWX gave him his golden core? (specifically in the novel) I feel like there was but I cant remember if I hallucinated it or it was canon... consuming and interacting with the fanon media has been... uhh... yea... Hahaha --; Im not quite sure anymore too cuz its been years since I read the novel too...

Thanks for your time.

Good day, anon!

There is no on page mention of Jiang Cheng concerning the core transfer after it. Only of Wei Wuxian still recovering from the surgery itself before he is thrown into the Burial Mounds. The next on screen interaction we have is between Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng who is shown to be as he had been pre-core loss.

Edit: @admirableadmiranda also noted you asked specifically after he found out about the core which... is a lot less nice?

Essentially he threw a tantrum within Guanyin Temple as to why he wasn't told at first, cried and then continued to frame it once more as Wei Wuxian asking him to see it as repayment for the deaths of his family. And... that's that. His closing thoughts were that he finally understood why he didn't tell Wei Wuxian of his distraction of the Wens. Because why tell a truth that would only break the stability that someone has finally received by telling them they owe it to you to for your sacrifice. He was kicked down and learned to live with it because he was no longer being coddled and made to be an adult. You live with what you did, caused and move on.

"Jiujiu, were you going to say something earlier?”

"What?” Jiang Cheng said. “No.”

"Just now!” Jin Ling persisted. “I saw it. You were going to say something to Wei Wuxian, but you didn’t.”

After a long silence, Jiang Cheng shook his head. “There’s nothing to say.”

What was there to say?

Perhaps there was this:

“I didn’t get caught by the Wen Clan because I insisted on returning to Lotus Pier to retrieve my parents’ bodies.

"When you went to buy rations in that small town during our escape, a group of Wen cultivators caught up to us.

I noticed them early and left the spot where I’d been sitting to hide in a corner of the street. I didn’t get caught, but they were patrolling, and they would have surely bumped into you while you were getting us food.

“So I ran out and lured them away.”

But just as the Wei Wuxian of the past who’d extracted his golden core for Jiang Cheng had been unable to tell him the truth, the Jiang Cheng of the present could no longer bring himself to speak up.

Why continue to dwell on what has happened and in the past that can't be changed or make up for what you had done in hate against another now that you know? Jiang Cheng has made peace nothing more can be said or changed now between them.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #in any adaptation it is not dwelled on for anyone but how it effects Wei Wuxian

[twst-drabbles]

The World, Chewed and Spat Out 2

Summary: You take Azul to the beach to introduce him to a very unique friend of yours.

The beach was not as familiar a place as, say, the stringy lines of kelp that Azul would often hide in as a child. As warm, beautiful, and fascinating as this place was, it was simply too open, too vast. The sun wasn’t supposed to be this large orb of light in a changing sky. It was supposed to be stray rays through unstable waters that find themselves lucky to hit the sea bed. The clouds weren’t supposed to be perfectly white and reflective. They were meant to be large dollops of sea foam that languidly drift by in their scummy form.

Azul never felt truly comfortable on the beach, as close as it was to home, but he can’t deny the beauty of it. Though, whatever stability he managed to grasp overtime was being tested. As, in front of him, was something that Azul could have only described in his head as a monster.

“These, creatures,” Azul almost wanted to say ‘things’ but decorum dictated he keep his true thoughts under a veil of polite words, “have a name? Truly?”

Besides, who was Azul to insult prospective contract signers? Just because this once-human creature had their skeleton blooming out of their skin like fatty flower petals didn’t mean they were any less deserving of respect. Well, as much respect as the value of this golden contract in his hands had. The more use he has out of this creature, the more he’s willing to extend some of his carefully cultivated olive branches.

However, Azul has many doubts as to whether he can make this creature do anything. By all means, it looked no different than a corpse, despite the fact it didn’t smell like it. In fact, it didn’t smell of anything horrible. The sunlight reflected off of the delicate bones stained red with mucus and coagulating viscera, an odd black mass that beat within the cage of its ribs, and yet anything below that was still of warm flesh that twitched against the sand you all stood on. All this, and yet no scent.

Azul’s stomach was still tight, and the doll-like stillness of this creature you had dragged from the sea did nothing to comfort that.

“Everything has a name, Azul,” you spoke as you drew in the sand in a language Azul will never understand, “Though, not all of us are equipped to hear it. And not all of us should try and learn them. Let alone say them.”

You spoke to him of your name and its meaning but you never told him what it actually was. Just another piece of information that he will never learn no matter how hard he or Jade may comb through the internet and pliant minds. You only told Azul a first name, a potentially fake first name.

Time had passed since the raid of his vault and the destruction of his paper collection, and yet still Azul refused to speak of your human name. You never once commented on that, and Azul isn’t sure if he should be irritated or relieved.

“A warning like that makes me think that I shouldn’t attempt to make a deal with this… friend of yours.” If even its very name was a danger, a curse waiting to be cast, it wouldn’t do him or his customers any good to have it near.

“And yet you stand here with a contract at hand, with your feet still in the sand,” you pointed out and extended your hand, as though to invite him near. “If you tell me you’re a cautious individual, don’t get angry when I laugh in your face.”

And how can Azul fault you for that? One look at the company he keeps would speak of his nature as a risk taker.

Even so, he sighed as he extended the contract to the creature that sat below you both. “Does it need a pen?”

This creature, with its skull empty of any eyes save for the slugs that rested within, signed a name Azul could not read, with a finger dyed in the ink of its chest organ. The creature was embraced by the tide as it rose past his knees and soaked the once dry sand.

Azul was compelled to give an order. “Bring more of your brethren to me. As many as you can.”

It sank beneath the waves with only a dull rattle of a laugh.

The contract in his hands was the only evidence that it ever existed…

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst-drabbles #twst-drabbles exclusive #drabble #the world chewed and spat out #octavinelle #eldritch au #reader insert

[lilbagdermole]

do you have any headcanons for the dunebabies (toph and aang's kids)?

Hello Anon!

Thank you so much for sending an ask - as you can tell I absolutely love talking about Taang and everything related to them. I especially love talking about the dunebabies and how they'd handle parenting!

Ok, as I previously stated in a past post, I really think Toph and Aang would have a very big family - about five to six kids. It comes in part because of Aang's burden of repopulating the Air Temples and keeping his culture alive. But I just genuinely believe that Toph and Aang are such a good team and couple that they take the challenge of raising a large family, test their communication, relationship and love.

They have 3 girls (one earthbender, two airbenders) and 3 boys (one earthbenders and two airbenders);

Their first-born son, at the ripe age of two, sneezes twelve feet into the air - scaring his mother as she momentarily lost "sight" of her boy; his father, on the other hand, cried with thrill with the notion he was no longer the last living proof of the Air Nomads;

Their first three children are all airbenders. Toph loves them more than she'll ever be able to put into words, but a part of her does fear that her earthbending genetics would not pass onto her children. Thankfully, their fourth child, a beautiful girl, at one, whilst throwing a temper tantrum, cracked their living room wall.

All their children are menaces - they either adopted their mother's humor and confidence, or inherited their father's mischievous and playful personality. They're kind and respectful children, but, just like their parents when they were young, they love having fun and goofing off;

Toph loves parenthood, adores being a mother. It's something she had once believed ill-suited her and she'd worried she lacked the nurturing, soft, gentle touch that came naturally to Katara and Suki. Despite everyone's concerns, Toph is an amazing mom. Laidback and carefree but strict when need be; she gives her children the freedom her own parents had denied her but always keeping a close, protective "eye" to guarantee their safety; she plays with the kids, tells them bedside stories of her adventures with Aang, suffocates them with tender love and care (love and care exclusively reserved for her family). Aang never once doubted her.

Aang would take all his kids to the Air Temples - earthbenders and airbenders alike - he took great pride in teaching them his culture, his values and morals, his history. He'd promised Toph he wouldn't force the Air Nomad lifestyle on his kin, unless they showed interest in pursuing it; additionally, Toph had made it clear that if he ever showed any sigh of favoritism for his airbending children, she'd terminate the Avatar Cycle with him - it was a threat he had taken seriously (though Aang would never neglect his two little earthbenders, he loved all their kids equally);

The kids adore teasing and pranking Toph because of her blindness - especially her airbending boys. They had found great joy in airbending their way out of her sight to escape punishment - so much so, that she had crafted little metal bracelets for all her children so she could keep tabs on their whereabouts (and so they wouldn't surprise her into an early grave);

The dunebabies love their uncles and aunts - and when accompanied by the steambabies and bladebabies... chaos and mayhem is certain. It doesn't help that the two youngest members of the Gaang enjoy causing their friends just as much stress as their children - many a times, Aang and Toph would join all the children in terrorizing the Fire Palace Staff or pissing their parents off;

Instead of having a permanent home - they have little homes in every nation due to Aang's Avatar duties. However, once the children grow old enough to go to school, cultivate friendships and need that stability - Aang and Toph agree that a forever home was long overdue. They eventually settle to reside within a calm town just on the outskirts of Republic City;

Toph eventually reforms the old Dai Li into Republic City's law enforcers. Balancing motherhood with her professional life was no easy feat, however, she and Aang had always worked in perfect harmony. So, when she needed to be present at work to teach metalbending, Aang would be at home caring for the kids; When Aang needed to leave for Peace Summits, Political Events and other Avatar duties, Toph would step in. They were always a team and because of that their kids never once had to be alone or without a parental figure.

Despite the odds, Aang and Toph raise their children beautifully and their a happy family, imperfect yet wonderful.

#dunebabies #aang x toph #taang #toph x aang #atla aang #toph beifong #adult taang #taang headcanons #taang as parents #they would be such great parents #they balance each other out so well and together I think they'd avoid becoming what they become in TLOK #I'm still pissed off with Toph and Aang's characterization in TLOK can you tell? #Like Toph would NEVER allow for her babies to be neglected #SHE KNEW HOW THAT FELT AND YOU'RE TELLING ME SHE BECAME A NEGLECTFUL MOM??? NAH BRO

[quirkwizard]

Can you make a Quirk from Lifeweaver, the Overwatch hero? I would like to see a Thai hero.

For the sake of this, I will cover his Healing Blossom primary fire and Tree of Life ultimate as a single power.

I see it working as an Emitter type Quirk that allows the user to make small, glowing white flower petals from their hands. The user may throw these flowers out over a fifteen-foot range, causing them to become planted on whatever surface and grow into flowers. These flowers will start to heal and stabilize whoever is nearby, able to repair things like heavy cuts, bruises, and bleeding within seconds. When enough of these are planted together, they will begin to combine and may grow together into a larger tree, able to spread out their healing to multiple people at a time. The user may close these plants to prevent the spread of healing. This gives the user a good tool for support, able to apply quick healing or create a safe zone for their allies. If nothing else, their ability to glow can make for good distractions or markers for others. Aside from being only useful for support, the flowers are limited in their healing, quickly whittling once they run out. The Quirk is heavily reliant on the user's own health to work properly, needing to take care of themselves to cultivate the flowers to get the maximum number and healing potential. A possible name for the Quirk could be "Health Blossom".

#My Hero Academia #Quirks #Original Quirk

[ratatouillewastakendammit]

Another smut excerpt of my Chrollo fic <3 (holding up hypnotism wheel Oh you wanna click that link so bad)

(reader has nen abilities that let other people feel her emotions when touching her)

＊

＊

"Again."

With a pained sigh, you pushed yourself off the grass, ignoring the painful urge to lay back down and rest your aching muscles.

Per your request, you had sacrificed a Saturday of lazing around to pick up training again. With the York New auction steadily approaching, you weren't keen on the possibility of holding the Troupe back with your less than extraordinary combat skills.

Improvements had been made, sure, but most of the members were still so far ahead of you.

And Chrollo was a whole different story.

Saying he was a formidable opponent would have been a crude understatement.

With his acute senses and unparalleled intelligence, he could easily beat you within seconds, as he had multiple times in the past half hour. But adding that to smooth reflexes and years of his own power cultivation meant the defeat was inevitable before stepping into the ring.

Shooting forward, you immediately analyzed his relaxed posture, searching for any areas that might give you an opening. Within seconds, you attempted to analyze his exposed stance, despite recognizing that it was a purposeful tactic.

Like a usually dormant animal, Chrollo never seemed to make the first progression with you, instead waiting for you to strike before mirroring in retaliation.

Arrogance was not an adjective you would use when describing yourself, and stupidly was probably lower on that list. It was obvious that he would be able to overcome you just as easily now as in a situation where he threw the first hit, so you didn't make any negative comments. Besides, you were the one who had asked for his help anyway.

You tensed your hand, lunging forward.

Fatigue had begun to take a toll on your body, making the once agile movements sloppy under the weight of exhaustion. He effortlessly caught your fist, using it as leverage to yank your body past his and effectively tripping you with an outstretched ankle.

With a surprised yelp, you fell to the ground once more, a location that seemed pretty popular for you during these training sessions.

Still encasing your hand, Chrollo positioned your tumble so that the most force would be taken on your back instead of into a face full of dirt. Regardless, the air was jerked from your lungs upon impact. This gave him ample opportunity to guide your arms above your head, efficiently rendering you incapacitated.

He peered down at your form, searching for any hint of unexpected retaliation. Obviously, he found none, having left your limbs useless from his own imprisoning grasp and hours of debilitating exercise.

"And I think that leaves me with another victory. Unless, of course, you're planning to beat me from all the way down there." Not a drop of sweat coated his flawless skin, a physical reminder of his superiority in this realm.

You shot him a glare, squinting in between the splintered rays of sun his form had fractured. It had started to set a few minutes ago, emphasizing the shadows that hid dormant around the desolate field.

"Fuck you."

"Time and place, darling." He quipped, offering you a hand up.

You took it with an irritated scoff, but you couldn't help the spark of warmth his words sent blossoming up into your cheeks.

It had been two weeks since you had fucked Chrollo Lucilfer.

Not that you were counting or anything.

As it turned out, even after years of surviving without the contact you unfortunately lacked, you were quite a sucker for it.

A mere taste of his caress left you with an irritatingly strong craving for more. So many waking minutes were spent wondering if or when he would take your mouth in his again.

Obviously, you weren't going to bring it up. The subject was still new and delicate to you. While completely normal, it was almost as if mentioning it might break some part of the stability you had gained in this relationship, or embarrass you at the very least.

So, you had come to the sullen conclusion to ignore the problem unless he mentioned it. Still, it was impossible to disregard the hollow yearning that grew stronger with every flirtatious comment or innocent brush.

Just as now, when he arms wrapped around your torso to teleport back to the penthouse. The world around you dissolved as usual, objects melting into one another before rebuilding into a completely new location.

The inclination to stay in his grasp was strong, but you forced yourself away, not wanting to slowly ease into the desire that you had tried so hard to overcome. If he took notice, Chrollo didn't show it, offering to begin dinner while you hopped into the shower.

Cold water fell down your body, but it did nothing to quell the itching warmth of your longing. It might've been because you had been deprived of that aspect for so long or maybe because of the blockages, both emotional and material, that you had built.

With a nen ability that transferred your emotions through direct physicality, you had never entertained the notion of enjoying it.

Even if you were strong enough to constantly conjure an output of protective aura, you doubted that you would ever really be able to relax in the presence of another.

Chrollo's individual mastery had been quite the beneficial skill. It not only allowed you to become more lenient in how you approached human contact, but embrace it in some way.

On the other hand, your continual itch for his touch might have been because of how good it was. Obviously, you had nothing in terms of comparison, but fuck, you were getting needy.

With a soft swipe of your arm, the fog was wiped from the mirror, revealing your reflected image. The form looked back at you, no longer smothered in dirt and sweat, but still just as unsatisfied. She dried the dampness from her skin with a plush towel before throwing on a pair of shorts and oversized shirt.

It was one of his.

While he wasn't exceptionally larger in terms of muscle, his height warranted a big enough difference so that fabric fell just above your knees. Even though you had your own pajamas, you had found that his stolen clothes were your favorite type of apparel in terms of comfort.

With your hair cleaned and favorably restyled, you walked out from his bathroom into the living room.

The aroma of miso and simmering garlic met your senses, matching with the soft sizzle of frying butter. You followed the pleasant scent inside the kitchen, meeting Chrollo, who had just finished introducing noodles into the cacophony of flavor.

Watching him cook was something you genuinely enjoyed. He displayed an odd nimbleness between the searing heat of the pan or the fine tip of a cutting knife that would usually have you mesmerized.

However, you were still a bit distracted at the moment, to say the least. Before you knew it, two bowls of steaming umami were being carried over to the table. You ate with sizable gratitude, the hollow emptiness in your stomach from extraneous activity finally filled.

The meal was mostly quiet, most likely because you were the more talkative individual of the two of you. This time, you pushed yourself to ignore the other hankering that had yet to be gratified, instead focusing on the luscious flavor of the broth against your tongue.

And while that strategy might have worked for a while, your self-control crept away as soon as you moved to the couch.

With tentative maneuvering, you allowed yourself to lean into Chrollo, body tensing slightly when he pulled you closer.

The television was turned on, though you weren't exactly sure what was playing. It became a muted buzz as you mentally willed yourself to relax, an endeavor that grew increasingly harder as his hands trailed down to meet yours.

A surprised hum met the muffled silence of the unknown channel and you, curious, offered him a detached murmur of inquisition.

"Nothing." He replied, offered you a small grin. "You're just really turned on right now."

Your eyes shot up.

"What? No, I'm not!" Your sputtering fizzled to silence as he slowly raised your uncovered wrist, still in his grasp. It clicked and your jaw dropped in shock. "You, asshole! What happened to your weirdo constant nen output bullshit?"

"I thought I was making you nervous for some reason so I figured I would check." He chuckled under his breath. "Clearly not."

Heat blossomed up your neck as you snatched your arm from his grasp. "That's cheating!"

He cocked an eyebrow in amusement. "Cheating? That's quite an assumption, darling. Besides, you clearly weren't going to say anything."

"Well, you weren't doing anything either." You scoffed, crossing your arms. "I didn't want to bother you with doing something like... ya know, if you didn't want to."

"Didn't want to?" The muscle in your chest began to accelerate as he turned, gently guiding your shoulders back until you were laying flat on the couch. "I've wanted you for months."

"So why didn't you? Say anything, I mean."

"I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Ebony locks perfectly framed every angle of his face as he looked down at you, falling slightly to the left as he tilted his head in inspection. "Of course, I was under the impression that you would've asked for my help."

"I don't..." You shifted underneath him, averting your gaze with an awkward sigh. "I don't like asking for stuff like that. It's embarrassing."

Consideration flit across his face for a moment, only to be replaced moments later with desire. "Well, that works out perfectly then. You won't have to ask."

With a complacent smirk beginning to grace his features, you watched in confusion as leaned forward, warm breath tickling the rim of your ear. You gasped when he lifted his knee, pushing it in between your thighs.

"You're going to beg."

And then his mouth was on your skin.

His kiss traveled from below your ear to past your collarbone. A pleasured sigh was quickly drawn from in between your lips, captured moments later by his own once more.

Goosebumps erupted up your back as his hands slipped under your shirt, ghosting above the curves of your hips before moving up to find your chest, gently beginning to knead the flesh.

Dexterous fingers rolled over your hardened nipple, delivering soft pinches whenever he saw fit. That recognizable, titillating warmth had begun to flare in your abdomen, increasing steadily until the area underneath was throbbing in anticipation. In desperation, you began to unconsciously grind your hips against his knee, relishing in the dull pressure it provided against your clit.

With one final tweak, he changed positions to wrap his arms under your thighs, allowing him to prop you up and efficiently move to his room while keeping his mouth on yours.

After carefully setting you down on the bed, his lips resumed their previous placement on your neck, sucking and biting and creating the marks you were sure would have to be hidden later.

But you didn't care.

Your attention was intently captured on the way he was making you feel, the way he lifted the fabric of your shirt to let his kiss trail between your breasts and down toward your stomach.

His hands playfully rimmed the hem of your shorts, toying with the fabric that blocked his contact from where you needed it most.

"I know how much you hate that part of your nen ability, but in all honesty," He pulled the piece of clothing away. "I quite enjoy feeling how desperate you are for me."

Confusion arose on your face as you watched him fall back, tugging your ankles to pull your body closer to the edge of the bed. "What are you doing?"

Ignoring your question, Chrollo took a knee on the mattress, bending down so he was eye level with your form. You immediately went to close your legs in a feeble attempt at preserving your dignity, but he held you steady.

Silver irises shot up to meet yours. "Eyes on me, darling."

He placed his mouth on your thighs, dangerously close to aching slit, marking the soft flesh before moving back for a moment.

And then he licked straight from your cunt to the tip of nerves above it, gaze trained unwavering on your face the whole time. Your back arched in surprise and you tried to stifle the whine threatening to fall from your throat.

Still, a quiet hum slipped out, tickling Chrollo's acute sense.

Removing his tongue from your skin, he gave you an expression laced in imitated disappointment. "I'm almost certain I mentioned something about staying quiet last time."

'I want to hear you.'

But you offered him a shrug, refusing to entertain his constant teasing. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Oh, I'm happy to help jog your memory. I said," his grasp on your thighs tightened, fingers diving downward to toy with the wetness of your slit. "that I want to hear every pathetic sound that comes from that nasty, little mouth of yours."

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell." You retorted, trying to remain steady in the wake of his words.

He cocked an eyebrow, obviously unfazed. You simply mirrored the action and he hummed in the feigned displeasure encasing his amusement.

"Such a brat."

Leaning down once more, he encased his lips around your clit.

And then he sucked.

Hard.

The moan that was ripped was nothing less than disgraceful. The sinful noise echoed off through the room, no longer stifled with unmet attempts.

His tongue swirled around the oversensitive bud, pulling similar sounds with each lick.

It wasn't long before your high was advancing, pulling you closer and closer to the brink of euphoria with every oral caress. It was at arms reach, mere moments away from the release you had been neglected of these past weeks.

And then it was gone, sweet bliss yanked between the tips of your fingers as he backed away.

"What... what are you doing?" You breathed, glancing up in shock. The whine was exceptionally pitiful, but you lacked the mind to care, still reeling over the loss of your ever-so-near climax.

"You don't know?" He tilted his head. "I know you had some trouble remembering my words earlier, but I'm sure you can manage to conjure up something more recent."

Bits and pieces about making you beg filtered through your train of thought and you groaned in realization. "Fuck you."

Chrollo chuckled, tone dangerously low. His fingers teased your slit, thumb barely grazing the oversensitive tip. "That's the idea, but I don't think you've earned that yet."

Every whisper of pleasure was pure torture.

Even as he finally began to apply pressure, you knew that it would merely be a tease, offering you the notion of satisfaction just to tear it from your grasp moments later.

He inserted a finger, pumping it in and a few times before following it with another, making sure to keep his thumb trained on your clit.

Already close from before, it didn't take long for you to creep up upon your high. Of course, he was able to tell, well acquainted with the unconscious roll of your hips and the convulsions around his hand that signaled a climax.

It was stolen away from you once more.

Hot tears brimming at the corner of your eyes threatened to overflow, boiling with physical frustration.

Taking notice, he let out a laugh, brushing away one of the droplets with tender mocking. "Aww, did you want to come?"

"Please." You breathed, taking notice of the cruel glee lacing his expression.

"Oh, come on." He pushed a strand of stray hair behind your ear. The gesture seemed loving, but his tone reeked of imitated sympathy. "I know you can do better than that."

"Please." You repeated, a little louder this time, even though it came out sounding just as pathetic. "Fuck, I'll do anything, just please."

He removed his other hand from your thigh to undo the strings of his sweatpants. "Please, what, darling? You're going to have to be more specific."

Embarrassment pushed into the forefront of your mind, but it was nothing in comparison to the burning need already present.

You averted your line of sight, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Please let me come."

The statement was flustered and quick, something much too humiliating to admit at a normal volume. Still, warmth blossomed up your neck as it was quietly sputtered.

Tipping your chin gently with the tip of his finger, he forced your gaze to meet his. "Now that wasn't too hard, was it, love?"

Aligning himself at your entrance, he pushed forward in a way that set every nerve in your body on fire.

He started to roll his hips into yours at a steady pace and you groaned at the delectable pressure, fingers curling into the silk sheets that had once been so pristinely organized.

But just as you were, they had turned into a mess, undone easily in the hands of another.

Chrollo's thumb found your clit once more, circling around it in a tortuously slow rotation. The prickling heat in your core sparked brightly with every thrust. His previously established rhythm had started to accelerate, leaving you a puddle of desire.

Bliss had clouded over your vision, infiltrating your train of thought until there was nothing left but pure lust. The soft throb in between your thighs had also begun to quicken, matching the speeding drum of the muscle against the walls of your chest.

Some part of you, most likely the perceptive fragment left, took notice of it. "I... I'm gonna-" The rest of your statement fizzled away into a broken moan.

"I know, darling, go ahead." By the soft rasp in his voice, you were almost certain he might have been close too.

Your climax was merely a whisper away, taunting you with its cruel pleasure. It filled you to the brim, bursting at the seams and threatening to spill over.

Ecstasy shot through your body, flooding over your conscious mind in a way that your legs shaking. A sharp cry was torn from your throat as you arched into the euphoria.

Gently helping you down from your high, Chrollo continued, finding his own soon after with his hands still wrapped around your hips. He gave them a soft squeeze, carefully pulling out and picking you up to continue the same route he had the night of your first time.

Prior exhaustion seemed to have crept back. The hot bath water felt all the more delightful against your skin, soothing the sore muscles between bubbles that smelled of lavender and vanilla.

Chrollo's loving praises and soft caress filtered through the aromatic foam. You watched as he turned away to grab a towel and another shirt, still his.

"Thank you." You murmured, taking his hand out of the tub.

"Of course, my love." Brushing the wet hair away past your ear, he placed a soft kiss upon your temple with a smile. "Always."

#chrollo lucifer x reader #hxh chrollo #hxh #hunter x hunter

[femmefatalevibe]

hi

i am an 18 year old thats just about to graduate

what are some in general tips you have for a person is not/put together?

Hi love! Congrats on entering this new, exciting chapter of life (and legal adulthood). Here are some of my general tips for living a more put-together life: 

Create Bookend Routines: While most people obsess over morning and night routines, I’ve found the most important rituals to be the ones I do right before and after my biggest tasks of the day. So, for you, this probably will be work or school. Consider how you start your day or prime yourself for these activities (if in the afternoon). Set up a couple of habits that can you in the right headspace – a nice cup of coffee and a hearty, healthy meal, listening to some upbeat music, journaling for 5-30 minutes, and creating a to-do list. Then, create a wind-down routine to signal the end of the productive portion of your day (or at least classes or work instead of small homework assignments or a side hobby). I like to take a long walk while listening great playlist to signal the end of my workday. Also, try adding a relaxing shower, another satisfying meal, and doing some shadow work or reading a book afterward to ease into your evening. 

Decide On Your Current Focus Areas In Life: Pick one or two life arenas that you want to truly focus on at the moment and strategize daily to cultivate habits to work towards your goals in the areas. Make sure to maintain the other areas of your life for balance, but forgive yourself if you don’t put 100% of your desired effort into these areas for a season or two of your life. Priorities are essential for achievement, avoiding burnout, and mental stability. 

Give Yourself 1-3 Top Priorities Daily: Complete this one large task or a few smaller to-do list items and errands to feel accomplished daily. This method allows you to do what you need to get done and feel productive without driving yourself crazy about doing everything at once. List out everything you anticipate needing to do the following week on a Sunday. Itemize it by area of life, work or school task, or errand/appointment, and assign it to a day of the week.

Discover Your Simple Pleasures: Whether it’s a favorite coffee, snack, or a ritual like getting your nails done or watching a certain TV show, it’s important to find what activities give you true joy and pleasure. Reward yourself daily with at least one small indulgence – even if it’s just a hot 10-minute shower. These activities will give you the mental stamina to keep going and enjoy your life (which is essential – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!). 

Allow Yourself Time and Space To Discover Your Interests & Passions: Allocate 10-30 minutes a day to learn more about yourself – whether it’s scrolling on social media for inspiration, reading about a topic of interest, or engaging in an energizing activity. Learn what you love. This skill can only help you and allow you to feel fulfilled as life responsibilities continue to pile on over the years. 

Hope this helps xx 

#femme fatale #life advice #girlblogging #dark femininity #dark feminine energy #the feminine urge #high value woman #it girl #hypergamy #high value mindset #divine feminine #hypergamous #goal setting #girl advice #career advice #healthyhabits #dream girl #queen energy #ideal self #self improvement #glow up #success mindset #female excellence #female empowerment #femmefatalevibe

[river-in-the-woods]

Do you personally believe in Asian superstitions surrounding lucky and unlucky numbers? As somebody trying to make something but unsure of how much these beliefs have an influence on me it highkey drives me insane 😭

Hi there!

I did have this same struggle once with superstitions in general. Like you, I had the thought of "Should start believing in all these things now that I'm a spiritual person?"

Superstitions are held by laypeople who have an indirect and watered-down understanding of the world of spirit. There is undoubtedly some truth in them, yes, but it is often over-simplified, incomplete or misinterpreted. Think of Plato's allegory of the cave, where the prisoners see only the shadows on the wall and not the objects that cast those shadows.

What we do as spiritual practitioners is to ponder and investigate why and how, and base our craft and cultivation on that.

Just as a layperson can tell you that aspirin reduces the sensation of pain, but a scientist can explain the chemistry of why and how it happens.

You've probably heard of iron being used as a protective metal to repel Faery Folk, right? It's a natural assumption to make that iron is somehow fundamentally harmful to fae. This fascinating post by Lailoken proposes instead that iron is in fact sacred to the Folk, and the perversion of this metal through smithing is what repels them.

Remember, that spiritual practitioners, occultists, witches, magicians, sorcerer/esses (etc) are beings that laypeople have superstitions about.

I suspect you have visited my blog because you consider yourself to fall into this general category 🙂 So ask yourself, on what basis do you believe in the superstitions of your ancestors?

Onto the topic of numerology...

If I may: what you are really asking me is, where do things get their power from?

Laypeople believe that 4 (四) is unlucky simply because it is a homophone for death (死), or that 6 (六) and 8 (八) are lucky because they are homophones for the flow of fortune (溜, and 发 as in 发财).

Is there power in this? Perhaps, from the collective psyche of innumerable people making this connection. Whether it is powerful depends on how well you can tap into that current of psychological power. I personally find the idea of homophones creating in/auspicious numbers to be shaky, so I struggle to invest much belief in it.

I do believe that there is power and meaning in numerology, though. In magic, numbers are symbols, in the same way that colours, shapes, plants, animals, and celestial bodies are.

These things have power from how they naturally express themselves in reality. Allow me to expand on this:

1 is the number of beginnings, individuality, single-pointed focus. It can be used to express both the entirety of existence or the tiniest piece of it.

2 is duality, polarity, cycles and opposite or/yet complementary forces. Day and night, yin and yang, heat and cold, mother and father. It is attraction, passion and pursuit, such as that between predator and prey, or between lovers. Hence it begins to generate movement and force.

Where 1 lacks motion because it has nothing to be moved by, 2 creates a dynamism as it strives to find balance and union.

3 is the number of innovation and creativity, born of the attraction and movement of 2. Between fire-hot and ice-cold, between Heaven and Earth, 3 is the sweet spot in between that creates life, drawing on powers from contrasting forces.

3 is the first number where stability and balance can be found (a chair cannot stand on 2 legs, but it can on 3; pyramid structures are highly stable). 3 is the number that brings a sense of space and time: length/width/height, past/present/future. Triangles are used in magic for conjuration as well as for trapping spirits.

4 creates foundations upon which all else is built. The four elements, cardinal directions, seasons, DNA nucleotides. Therefore it is a number of solidity, consistency and endurance, yet it can also mean stagnancy and obstinance. You could argue that 4 is unlucky because it can be used as a symbol of imprisonment; after all, death is a fate none of us can escape.

5 is often the number of transformation, as our five-fingered hands create and destroy. 5 brings conflict because it is attempting to break out of the solid confines of 4 (incidentally, 5 is also associated with Mars, the planet of aggression).

In East Asia, we have 5 elements instead of 4. Hence our elements work differently; they are not building blocks or foundations, instead they represent the ever-changing and dynamic forces of reality that are constantly overpowering or being subdued by each other.

Conclusion

I'm vaguely aware that numerology features heavily in Daoist magic, but I have no idea how much of what I said above overlaps with Daoist numerology and how it is used in ritual. Even so, like any esoteric tradition, it is a study of the nature of reality, and anyone can attempt to reach these revelations through their own studies and meditations.

I hope I have demonstrated that it is not so simple as 'lucky' and 'unlucky', 'good' or 'bad'. Just as it is with all things. The water that nourishes and brings life, can also destroy everything in a mighty flood.

I also hope I have been able to inspire some clarity in you on this matter 😊 good luck on the path.

#numerology #spirituality #witchcraft #magic #resources #inbox #anonymous #spellwork #magic numbers

[robininthelabyrinth]

Discordant Rhapsody - ao3 - Chapter 5

“Wei Wuxian!”

Lan Qiren opened his eyes. He had been meditating, trying to stabilize his unstable qi further – rest and Nie Mingjue’s help had done what they could, but the damage he had suffered was quite real, and at this point, suppressing it was more a matter of willpower than of health. He had politely but firmly declined all offers by Wen Qing to examine him, no matter how avidly she looked at him with her doctor’s eyes, and it wasn’t even because her surname was Wen or because she’d once run a Supervisory Outpost designed to equip and supply the armies that slaughtered his family and sect members and students.

No, it was far simpler than that – until he had Wei Wuxian’s answer locked down, he could not afford to show weakness.

Lan Qiren stood carefully, stretching out the muscles that threatened to become locked up, nodded politely to the still unconscious corpse of Wen Ning, and headed out of the cave to greet Jiang Cheng, whose presence was impossible to hide.

Wei Wuxian had been calmed, or possibly cowed, by Lan Qiren’s offer – following his ridiculous suggestion regarding Lan Wangji, Lan Qiren had scolded him quite fiercely and for quite some time for taking serious matters lightly. Wei Wuxian had initially tried to protest that he’d been serious, but naturally that was absurd, so Lan Qiren ignored him. In the end, he’d insisted that he take the time to think the offer over in earnest, and Wei Wuxian had agreed. Admittedly, Lan Qiren suspected the agreement was mostly designed to get him to stop yelling, since Wei Wuxian hadn’t exactly spent a great deal of time in actual thought since then.

Though, interestingly, once he’d relaxed, Wei Wuxian had begun to act far more like the wild boy he’d been years before than the terrifying demonic cultivator he’d become. The cold arrogance and ruthless indifference he had displayed while attacking Lan Qiren was nowhere in sight as he mumbled his way through new thoughts on how to improve Wen Ning’s condition, nor when he got distracted in chasing little Wen Yuan from side to side, eventually catching him and tickling him triumphantly. Lan Qiren noted it to himself, and on the few instances Wei Wuxian had started reverting back to his demonic cultivator persona, he had made a point of interrupting in some way or another – saying something, throwing something at him, playing some short tune…as soon as Wei Wuxian was distracted, the darkness receded once more.

It was in full force now, though. Wei Wuxian’s face was cold as he regarded Jiang Cheng, even though all the world knew that they considered each other as close as blood brothers.

“- don’t need you to solve my problems,” he was saying, voice harsh, and Jiang Cheng looked fit to burst.

Lan Qiren could sympathize.

“Don’t you know what they’re saying about you?” Jiang Cheng demanded of Wei Wuxian. “About me? If you keep going like this –”

“He won’t,” Lan Qiren interjected, and had the pleasure of seeing two reactions: Jiang Cheng turning to gape at him, as shocked to see him there as he would have been if Lan Qiren had descended from the sky in the midst of a heavenly tribulation, and Wei Wuxian instinctively lifting up his hands to cover his head in anticipation of another smack.

(He’d deserved all the ones he’d gotten so far, every last one of them. Some of the things he said..!)

“Sect Leader Jiang,” Lan Qiren added, inclining his head politely, and Jiang Cheng’s manners took over before his conscious mind recovered, his mouth closing and his hands rising into a perfect salute.

“Teacher Lan,” Jiang Cheng said respectfully, and then paused, his brain clearly catching up. “What…are you doing here?”

“The same as you,” Lan Qiren said dryly. “Trying to fix matters before they have been broken irrevocably. I will tell you now, so that you do not waste time, that Wei Wuxian has already stated that he will not apologize, nor repent of his actions, and neither will he return the Wen to the Jin.”

“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed, horrified, turning to stare at Wei Wuxian at once. “If you don’t, I won’t be able to protect you!”

“I know,” Wei Wuxian said, and having lost a little of the fearsome aura that so distanced him from the world as a result of Lan Qiren’s interruption, some true part of him leaked out: he looked only tired, and a little sad. “Ah, Jiang Cheng, it’s not like that, you know? I just – I can’t.”

“But –”

The moment passed, and the coldness returned. “Didn’t you hear me before? I don’t need you to protect me! If you just –”

“Naturally, if he will not apologize and you cannot force him to apologize, you will have both played into Sect Leader Jin’s trap,” Lan Qiren said mildly, keeping his voice low and steady and thereby attracting the attention of both men. “You will have no choice but to cast Wei Wuxian out of your sect, negotiating to ensure that that expulsion is sufficient to ensure his safety, but in doing so you will cut off his backing and leave him vulnerable to the next trick aimed at him.”

“So he should just apologize!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed, glaring, and Wei Wuxian crossed his arms over his chest and looked forbidding; he was clearly not going to bend. And Lan Qiren begrudgingly admitted that there was some justice to his position, for retreating now would leave the Wen to the questionable mercies of the cultivation world…the rules said Perform acts of chivalry, and Wei Wuxian certainly believed himself to have done that.

Perhaps he even had.

“There is another option,” Lan Qiren said. “I have offered to accept Wei Wuxian as my personal disciple.”

Jiang Cheng stared, jaw agape.

He looked exceptionally similar to Wei Wuxian when he did that, regardless of the lack of blood relation between them.

“Both of our sects have suffered greatly during the war,” Lan Qiren continued, deciding to ignore the reaction to give Jiang Cheng some time to recover. Jiang Cheng had been raised as the prospective leader of a Great Sect the way Wei Wuxian had not; he would understand an explanation focused on the political nuances of the situation far better than Wei Wuxian would. “But we are still Great Sects. With both the Lan and Jiang standing together, it will be difficult for the Jin sect to force through its demands. The Nie would support an investigation of the facts should we insist on one, at the very least.”

They’d support far more than that. Lan Qiren had all but told Nie Mingjue that he was going to do something to help Wei Wuxian, and Nie Mingjue had said he would back him, a promise made blindly and recklessly – Lan Qiren wouldn’t rely on it, of course, wanting to give Nie Mingjue all the opportunities he needed to back out. Unfortunately, he knew Nie Mingjue’s character too well to think he’d take advantage of them.

No, the Nie would support them for Lan Qiren’s sake, no matter how much Nie Mingjue hated the Wen sect.

And with three Great Sects aligned, there was little they could not do. Whether it was justice or injustice, power was power…

“But…your reputation, your personal reputation…” Jiang Cheng shook his head, clearly dismissing that argument even before he finished making. Lan Qiren approved; Jiang Cheng had clearly realized that Lan Qiren was well aware of the consequences of his current move, and yet had made the offer regardless. “Teacher Lan, I appreciate the magnitude of what you are offering, and I do not mean to question your motivations or impugn your kindness…”

He trailed off pointedly.

“You may proceed with your questions,” Lan Qiren said, already resigned. It was rather amusing how quickly Jiang Cheng could flip from being furious at Wei Wuxian to being fierce in his defense. “You would be doing your shixiong a disservice if you did not investigate as thoroughly as you can at this moment in time.”

“Then I’ll beg Teacher Lan’s forgiveness for my rudeness. Very well: if you take Wei Wuxian as your personal disciple, you will have authority over him. For what purpose do you want to use that authority?”

Lan Qiren hadn’t even thought of it from that angle. The Jiang sect clearly raised its young men with a great deal of imagination.

“I had not expected that he would have a great deal of respect for my authority, as he has never previously displayed any,” he said, a little puzzled, and was bemused still further when Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng exchanged glances as if he’d said something significant. “I’m already his teacher, and it’s not as if he listened to me before. Why should that change?”

“He doesn’t want the Tiger Seal,” Wei Wuxian said to Jiang Cheng. “Since it’s apparently a ‘disgusting artifact’. He doesn’t intend to force me to give up demonic cultivation, but neither does he seem to have any interest in demonic cultivation himself –”

“I most certainly do not!” Lan Qiren exclaimed, offended by the very suggestion. “Do not think that because I will not insist that you desist from it that I approve of the abominable cultivation path you have chosen.”

Another exchange of glances.

“He says that his sole motivation is to ensure that I am not rendered a pariah in the cultivation world,” Wei Wuxian said.

“That is my sole motivation,” Lan Qiren said with a huff.

“Those who are overly solicitous are hiding bad intentions,” Jiang Cheng said grimly. “Teacher Lan, your offer does you credit, but there’s no benefit in this for you. Your spotless reputation will be tarnished, your sect’s face affected. The only way that this scheme works without shaking your sect’s good relations with the Jin, which could affect the rebuilding of the Cloud Recesses, would be if you take all the responsibility for what you’re doing upon yourself – something your sect will no doubt object to internally, no matter what they say externally, and that, too, will cause you no end of difficulties! What could possibly be worth all that? If you don’t want Wei Wuxian’s power, and you don’t want to make him stop what he’s doing, then what do you want?”

Lan Qiren was stymied. It wasn’t as if he could say I want him not to be living in the Burial Mounds in the event that my nephew decides to pine from up close rather than at a distance – in fact, he had no intention of mentioning Lan Wangji at all. He certainly didn’t want to give Wei Wuxian the impression that he had no choice but to accept Lan Wangji’s suit in exchange for his life; nothing could be more repulsive to him. The entire purpose of this exercise was to prevent Wei Wuxian from becoming trapped in the mire of his own making the way He Kexin had.

Or, at least, to ensure that the only person trapped in the mire with him was Lan Qiren, not Lan Wangji.

Unfortunately, that left Lan Qiren with nothing to say in response to Jiang Cheng’s question, not really.

But for him, when there was nothing, there was always still the rules.

“The rules say, Uphold the value of justice,” he said, putting his hands behind his back, taking comfort in the formality of the pose. “They also say, Appreciate the good people. I have sought my entire life to live up to the demands of my sect’s rules. Despite our differences, I have reason to believe that Wei Wuxian is a good person. If he says that he had good reason to do what he did…I choose to believe him.”

Now they were both staring at him.

“Sect Leader Jin’s stratagems have forced you both into a corner,” Lan Qiren said. “No matter what choice you make, you will have played into his hands – stand together, and your Jiang sect will be disgraced; stand apart, and your Jiang sect loses one of its mainstays. I do not wish to see either of those happen, both as a fellow cultivator and teacher to you both, and as a former sect leader who is all too aware of the importance of a balance of power between the Great Sects.”

He shook his head.

“Yet these are your personal affairs,” he continued. “Despite our prior connection, in the end I am an outsider to you both, and as an outsider, there is nothing I can do. But if I take Wei Wuxian as my personal disciple, with the blessing of his sect leader, then I am no longer an outsider – I can be the one to take the blame of the world, not you, for a teacher is always blamed most for what his student does. In this manner, your Jiang sect’s face will be preserved, for you are not the ones that endorsed his actions, and yet Wei Wuxian will still be able to support you and strengthen you. As for me…foolish as my actions are, my sect will support me.”

The irony of what Lan Qiren was doing did not escape him.

The matter at issue was not so much who the world would blame for Wei Wuxian’s actions, but rather what they could do about that blame. The Jiang sect standing alone could not defend him – but the Lan sect, which was in better shape, could, and so it was the Lan sect that needed to be convinced to do so.

For so long Lan Qiren had hated his brother, who had wielded his marriage as a weapon, knowing that as soon as He Kexin became his wife, the sect could not touch her, bound as they were by society’s rules; more than that, the world could not touch her, because she had given up her identity in order to hide behind his. The sect had been forced to support him and cover for him, lest they lose face by admitting what had really happened and publicly concede that their prized Qingheng-jun had acted in such an unfilial manner. And now it was Lan Qiren who was using the norms of the cultivation world to his own advantage, knowing that the moment Wei Wuxian was his disciple, his sect would have to support him just as they had reluctantly supported his brother. After all, despite their horror at his actions, they had allowed Qingheng-jun to take in a murderess as his wife, even if Lan Qiren’s brother had paid the price for his rashness through his permanent seclusion.

Lan Qiren wondered, grimly, what price his sect would extract from him.

Still, that was his own business, not Wei Wuxian’s, who was at least at the moment still an outsider, and certainly not Jiang Cheng’s. Unlike Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng had been a good student, working hard and paying attention, generally well-behaved when he wasn’t being distracted, and Lan Qiren had always mourned what had happened to his family and his sect, the burdens Jiang Cheng had been forced to take on too early and too young. He had been impressed at what Jiang Cheng had managed to accomplish in rebuilding his sect out of nothing, binding people together with little more than determination and personal charisma of a different sort than Wei Wuxian but no less potent. He looked forward with great pleasure to see Lan Xichen work alongside Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue, proper sect leaders of the next generation – eventually to be joined by Jin Zixuan, who was maturing nicely into a proper young man, and hopefully sooner rather than later.

But in the end, Jiang Cheng was an outsider to Lan Qiren, and a junior, the two of them connected only by the weak bonds of a single season’s worth of lessons.

Lan Qiren did not need to explain himself to him.

“Teacher Lan, do you even like him?” Jiang Cheng asked.

“What does that matter?” Lan Qiren asked in return, feeling exasperated by a question he perceived as being utterly misdirected. First Wei Wuxian and now Jiang Cheng; why were they so focused on such an irrelevant aspect? “Obviously, if I were wholly free to choose, I would prefer to have someone like you, Sect Leader Jiang –”

“You would?!” Jiang Cheng blurted out. His eyes had gone round.

“As a student, you are superior to him in virtually every aspect,” Lan Qiren said, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone and yet Jiang Cheng stared at him as if he’d just said that the color of the sky was Jiang purple. “Wei Wuxian may be a genius, but he doesn’t want to learn or listen, he doesn’t respect authority, he doesn’t respect tradition or orthodoxy –”

“Before you got here, he said I was ‘insolent and arrogant, impertinent and annoying to be around’,” Wei Wuixan put in, his voice oddly gleeful despite the insult. “Teacher Lan, Jiang Cheng’s not like that, right?”

“Of course not. Jiang Wanyin was always hard-working and diligent, applying himself well and serious in his studies; he was a pleasure to have as a student,” Lan Qiren said, and did not entirely understand why his words made Wei Wuxian grin so hard or Jiang Cheng gape like a fish. “But he is not the one who requires the protection of a master.”

Normally, he’d think that explanation would be enough, seeing no need to explain himself to juniors. But if both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng harbored such doubts – he chose to take that as a sign of how harsh the war had been for them, rather than a personal slight against his character – then their concerns would not be assuaged so easily.

Accordingly, Lan Qiren hesitated for a moment, then finally, reluctantly, added: “The reasons I have told you are accurate, though not complete. But I promise you that the other reasons I have are purely my own, and will have no impact upon either of you without your consent. They do not implicate the political considerations of the moment. That is all I will say on the subject; I ask that you respect my privacy beyond that.”

“Do not lie is a rule,” Wei Wuxian said to Jiang Cheng, and shrugged when Jiang Cheng, still mute with apparent shock, looked at him. “I think we can trust to his intentions, but I figured I’d wait on his offer to hear what you’d think.”

That loosened Jiang Cheng’s tongue, but only to say, “…I think that’s the most unbelievable thing you’ve said all day.”

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes and jerked his head at Lan Qiren. “Teacher Lan said it’d be inappropriate for me to agree or disagree without my sect leader’s input, since the whole point of this is to give me an out that means that my actions won’t drag the Jiang sect down without cutting me off from doing things for you in the future.”

His tone was mocking, clearly quoting words that Lan Qiren had said in a lilting tone, but Jiang Cheng was already nodding.

“That’s more like you,” he said, then turned to Lan Qiren. “Teacher Lan, he’s never understood the concept of ‘appropriate’ or ‘authority’, and he’s always acted like he can make decisions on my behalf – on everyone’s behalf. He thinks he’s the smartest person in every room.”

“So what? I usually am!”

Jiang Cheng ignored him. “He’s a complete menace. Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?”

Wei Wuxian started as if he’d been stabbed with a pin. “Wait,” he said. “You’re agreeing?”

“I’m not happy about it,” Jiang Cheng said stiffly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into your head, going off and murdering Jin sect guards on behalf of a bunch of Wen-dogs, much less deciding that you’d rather protect them than – than stay by my side. But Teacher Lan has chosen to believe that you have a good reason, so I’ll believe it, too. He can protect you, I can’t, it’s as simple as that.”

Wei Wuxian looked lost. “Jiang Cheng, it’s not –”

He stopped.

Jiang Cheng waited for Wei Wuxian to explain, but he didn’t go on. Jiang Cheng pressed his lips together in obvious frustration.

“Our situations are different,” he said, his expression severe and voice harsh. “Even if both our sects were devastated by the Wen, Teacher Lan is right: he and I are not in the same position. Our Jiang sect has always been most closely allied with the Jin, who are the injured party, whereas the Lan have always been closer with the Nie. Moreover, just on a personal basis, I’m the sect leader, expected to think first of the sect and only second of everything else, whereas Teacher Lan has the advantage of being one of his sect’s elders – even if Zewu-jun objects in his heart, he’s bound by propriety to respect, defend, and support his uncle’s actions, and everyone will know that. No blame will fall upon Zewu-jun or his sect for providing that support; the entire burden, and blame, will fall only to Teacher Lan. In short, Teacher Lan’s plan is terrible, but it will work.”

“Terrible?” Lan Qiren asked, frowning. “In what way is it terrible?”

He’d thought it was quite a neat solution.

Jiang Cheng was looking at Wei Wuxian, and he didn’t turn away now, even as he spoke to Lan Qiren. “Because it will ruin you, Teacher Lan. You’ve done nothing to harm either of us, and yet for our benefit…listen, the best result of this is that people think that you’ve been ensorcelled or maybe blackmailed, or else that you’re a fool that let yourself get taken in by him. At the worst…”

“I am well aware of the harm that comes with a bad reputation,” Lan Qiren said.

“You know, Teacher Lan,” Jiang Cheng said. “But do you, Wei Wuxian? If Teacher Lan’s reputation is ruined, it’s not just a matter of hiding out for a while to let it pass over – most people don’t forgive so easily as you! He’ll have to stop teaching, or else lecture to an empty classroom because no one wants to send him their children. People would say cruel things about him behind his back, and shun his company in public. And that’s just the start of it! And all this, all this, just for the sake of a bunch of Wen-dogs that stood behind the people who murdered our sect, giving him nothing in return –”

“I would not say nothing,” Lan Qiren said, cutting Jiang Cheng off. He didn’t need a rendition of the parade of horribles that might take place if all went bad. He’d already reviewed them all in his own mind: ostracization, disdain, everything he did being misinterpreted, being ignored or even cast out…yet there wasn’t a single one of those consequences that he wasn’t happy to bear if it meant that Lan Wangji wouldn’t. “For instance, I understand Wei Wuxian to have some considerable talent in music, and that is an interest we share in common. Spare me your pity, Sect Leader Jiang, if for no other reason than it is premature, and speculative.”

Jiang Cheng looked abashed.

“If the consequences are as bad as all that, I’ll just refuse to do it,” Wei Wuxian said, looking between them both with a stubborn set to his jaw. “I don’t need to drag Teacher Lan down with me, just like I don’t need to drag the Jiang sect down with me. I can make it on my own.”

“You really can’t,” Jiang Cheng said, and he reached up to rub his face, looking suddenly exhausted. “Maybe for a few months, even a year, but Teacher Lan’s right, you’re already being schemed against, you and these Wen both, and that won’t stop just because I throw you out, no matter how hard I try to protect you. You took responsibility for them. You have to live up to that, you realize? They’re relying on you. That means doing things you don’t want to do if it’s for their sake – that’s what it means to be a leader. You can’t just avoid everyone forever...I mean, look at this place! What would any of you eat?”

“We could grow food!”

Lan Qiren looked down at the ground with significant skepticism. He’d only ever tended a garden as a hobby (and even then he was fairly sure that his cousin’s far more enthusiastic contributions and the gentle climate of Gusu has been the only things that had actually made anything grow), but corpse ash, resentful energy, and lifeless dirt in which nothing natural grew did not seem to be a promising place to start farming.

Jiang Cheng’s expression seemed to convey a similar level of disbelief.

Wei Wuxian grimaced, and glanced behind him at the distant figures of the Wen sect. Old men and women, a young child, and only Wen Qing a hale cultivator in her prime.

“Well, we could have,” he said mulishly, but then seemed to give in, glancing over at Lan Qiren. “But only if it were our last option, and it’s not, apparently. You’re right, Jiang Cheng. I took responsibility here, to them…if I don’t agree, they’ll die, is that what you’re both saying? You both think that? No matter how much I defend them?”

“It doesn’t matter if you were three times as powerful as you are now,” Jiang Cheng said flatly. “You can only fight against the entire world for so long. You refuse, they die – now, later, fast, slow, whatever. It’s inevitable.”

Lan Qiren nodded in agreement.

Wei Wuxian gritted his teeth, his eyes flickering over to the Wen, to little Wen Yuan clinging to his grandmother’s robes, to the worried-looking Wen Qing, to the cave with Wen Ning’s corpse. All those obligations he had taken on of his own volition, for whatever reason of his own that was driving him, the reason he wouldn’t speak of even to Jiang Cheng.

“Fine,” he spat out, looking pained. “Fine. Last chance to back out, Teacher Lan.”

If only.

Lan Qiren shook out his sleeves and tried to straighten his already straight back.

“Go get some tea for the ceremony,” he said formally, then remembered the foul taste of the earlier stuff and hastily added, “Proper tea, from Jiang Wanyin, if you don’t mind.”

“Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng said sharply. “What have you been poisoning Teacher Lan with?!”

#mdzs #lan qiren #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #my fic #my fics #variations #discordant rhapsody #i was going to skip posting for today but I promised someone I would #so here you all go #much belated

[tcfactory]

A smile for the master

Okay, what if white lotus Luo Binghe and OG Shen Qingqiu body swap.

The fake cultivation manual does make Luo Binghe qi deviate. Relatively early too, he's still in his white lotus phase. This qi deviation just coincides with one of Shen Qingqiu's many, many deviations and, by some freak twist of luck, swaps their bodies.

The only people who know about this are Yue Qingyuan, Mu Qingfang and the people directly involved, because they can't let word get out about the body swap. Unlike all the regular shenanigans (amnesia, de-aging, animal transformations, etc.) Mu Qingfang has no idea how to approach fixing this. He can't even tell if it is possible to fix it or not. This is such a one-in-a-million thing that there's no precedent.

So for the time being Luo Binghe in Shen Qingqiu's body will be confined to the bamboo house, under some supervision, with the excuse that Shen Qingqiu is still under danger of another qi deviation. And Shen Qingqiu gets to go out and pretend to be Binghe.

He's meant to move into the bamboo house to 'assist his shizun in his recovery' (yeah, right, like anyone would believe that), but the first thing he does once everyone leaves them alone that evening is grab a few things in a qiankun pouch and prepares to leave.

"Where is shizun going?"

"Wipe that pathetic look off my face! I'm sleeping in the woodshed."

"But shizun doesn't have to! This disciple will sleep in the side room, I-"

"I don't care where you sleep in my house. But I'm not sleeping under the same roof as a man, and you currently qualify as such."

It's such a strange thing to say that it sticks with Binghe - does his shizun genuinely feel safer in the woodshed than in the same house with his own body??? - but he is still disoriented and in so much pain that he doesn't have it in him to argue. Mu-shishu said it was not unusual for a severe qi deviation to cause pain, but he hopes it will fade quickly.

The pain doesn't fade by morning. It stays a persistent, sharp ache in his joints that seems to sap the strength from his limbs. Binghe thinks he can cheer himself up by cooking breakfast in shizun's kitchen, but his hands shake and his fingers refuse to bend right. He still scrapes together two servings of palatable congee, which gets him an unreadable look from his returning shizun. You'd think Binghe would be able to read the man's expressions on his own face better, but all he can say for certain is that his face has never made that expression before.

"Shizun, how do you stop the shaking?" Binghe asks tentatively. Shen Qingqiu made tea and brought over a few dry biscuits that looked completely unappetizing to Binghe. He planned to pointedly ignore them in favor of his own, much better food, except he has eaten two spoonfuls of congee and he's suddenly feeling sick. Something on his face must be showing because Shen Qingqiu snatches his bowl away and pushes the biscuits to him instead.

"Eat one, slowly, with the tea. It will help you keep the food down." In Luo Binghe's body his shizun has no problem eating both portions while Binghe nibbles on the biscuit. It's bitter from the herbs, but it does help. "Haven't you learned how to channel qi to stabilize your body? Useless little beast." After a moment his eyes grow wide and he hastily holds up a hand. "Don't try it with my body! The last thing we need is for you to have another qi deviation."

"Even this useless one knows how to direct and circulate his qi, shizun." Binghe tries to pout - it has never worked on his shizun, but maybe he will be more receptive of such tactics when it's his own face - but finds that the muscles of his face are not working as they should.

"Not with my meridians you don't. I thought even the lowliest of outer disciples have heard by now that my cultivation base is ruined." He squints up at Binghe and his glare is no less formidable on a different face. "Little beast. What are you trying to do with my face?"

Binghe has, in fact, reached up and is trying to feel out why he can't move part of his face as he should. "This... is there a scar here?" He's not familiar enough with scars to be sure, but he can feel the slightly different texture of the skin with his fingers as it curves around his cheek and jaw. Strange, he's sure he would have noticed before if his shizun had such a big scar on his face.

Shen Qingqiu slaps his hand away.

"A mule kicked me in the face when I was a child. They put an ointment on it at the time, so it healed well enough that it's no longer visible."

Not visible, but still present. Later, after Shen Qingqiu leaves for Luo Binghe's classes, he stands in front of the bronze mirror to test the range of his expressions and suddenly understands why Shen Qingqiu prefers to hide the lower half of his face behind a fan. The scar tissue tugs on the muscles of his face and makes the way one corner of his mouth moves rather ghastly.

It's not the only scar he has. It takes Binghe until the afternoon to work up the courage to take a bath and he can't help to look at his shizun's body then. The history written into the man's skin is distressing to say the least. Cuts and whip marks, all etched in deep, and burns, so many burns. The most horrifying is on one of his thighs, the muscle and skin deformed where it was burned deep; Binghe has seen kitchen accidents before and this has the look of boiling oil, but it's position and size both speak of intentionality. He can't even imagine what shizun has done to be injured there, so close to an intimate area.

And the crowning jewel of all scars, the one that raises the most questions in Binghe's mind, is the slave brand. Qiu, it reads on the left side of his chest, still clearly legible despite obvious signs that someone tried to ruin it with deep cuts; the character just ate even deeper into the flesh to retain its shape.

He's standing in front of the bronze mirror, staring numbly at the brand while the water goes cold next to him, only snapping out of his stupor when the front door slams open, then closed, then his shizun calls for him. "In here, shizun!"

Shen Qingqiu is in a good mood - the body he's in is strong and healthy, despite everything, and unlike that dolt of a little beast, he knows exactly how to get out of chores - so he doesn't immediately snap at Binghe when he finds him inspecting his body. "It would have been too much of a blessing to expect you to not undress and poke at my flesh the moment you were left alone."

"I just wanted a bath." The face he currently wears doesn't lend itself to his usual tactics, so he simply... doesn't try. It makes him much more tolerable in Shen Qingqiu's eyes. "Begging shizun's forgiveness, I expected him to take longer with this disciple's daily chores."

"Unlike you, I don't have the personality of a doormat. I've done the chores for you and Yingying and then tricked one of your shixiongs into insulting Ming Fan, so he got saddled with the rest." He says it like it's the easiest thing in the world and there's a disapproving edge to it. See, little beast? His eyes say. Why don't you do it this way, it's so easy.

"I don't know what shizun expects from me," Binghe finally says, his frustrations overflowing. "I want nothing more than to cultivate in peace! I used every trick I have ever learned to make the bullies go away, but it only made things worse!" He claws at the slave mark, as if he could rip it from the skin and hand it to Shen Qingqiu. "I thought shizun to be a rich master who would not understand, but shizun has come from a background as lowly as this one's! Shizun should understand! Shizun should-!"

"Shut up. You don't know anything about me." There is no real anger in those words, but Binghe immediately shuts up. Shen Qingqiu regards him with something calculating, until he finally comes to a decision of sorts. He closes his eyes, schools his features and when he opens them again the picture of innocence looks up at Binghe, a harmless white sheep who could do no harm.

It's almost as good as when Binghe does it.

"What did you say your mother's job was?" The moment is gone and Shen Qingqiu arranges his features back into something more comfortable and Binghe, still reeling, answers on autopilot.

"This one's elderly mother was a lowly washerwoman."

"An elderly woman, of a low, but stable position, with no ambitions left in life and no power to protect her son." Shen Qingqiu exhales slowly. "She taught you to smile, hasn't she? To be good and docile to avoid trouble."

"Yes!" Finally, it feels like they are going somewhere, they have found common ground. "My mother taught me that no matter what grief or grudge settles in my heart, I should always-"

"Have a smile for the master," Shen Qingqiu finishes for him. He looks annoyed, but not angry - at least not at Binghe. "Go take that bath." He reheats the water with the touch of his hand and a careful application of qi. "This master has essays to grade."

The hot water is a blessing, but Binghe still hurries to get clean and get dressed again. Shizun, true to his word, is grading essays at the table when Binghe returns. Binghe fidgets with nothing to do while his shizun works, so eventually Shen Qingqiu chases him off to make tea so he can work in peace.

Binghe is just returning when the sect leader arrives. "Qingqiu-shidi, Luo-shizi. I hope everything is going all right so far?"

"Good timing," Shen Qingqiu looks up from the essays with a wolfish expression that makes Binghe's face look almost scary. "Qi-ge, think fast: smile for the master-"

"-Snarl for the wolves-" Yue Qingyuan answers without thinking, something sharp and dark glinting in his usually soft eyes. This minute slip in his mask scares Binghe more than the worst of his shizun's temper.

"-knife for the rivals." Unexpectedly, Shang Qinghua pops his head out from behind the wide bulk of the sect leader. "Why are we reciting the Urchins' Laws?"

Shen Qingqiu narrows his eyes at his shidi. "Where this one grew up we said rocks for the rivals, but the sentiment is the same." He gestures for Binghe, who stands frozen in Shen Qingqiu's body, to serve the tea. "What is Shang-shidi doing here?"

"I might have, ah. Overheard? Overheard the situation and I might know an herb that can remedy it. Liu Qingge is already on his way to get it, so it's only a matter of days!" He rubs the back of his neck. "I just wanted to be here when zhangmen-shixiong tells shixiong the good news."

"That's acceptable." Shen Qingqiu takes a sip from his tea, then pushes the essays away in favor of an empty sheet. "Then Shang-shidi can stay and help us remedy a serious shortcoming in disciple Luo's education. It would seem he only learned to smile and never to snarl, leaving him with the appearance of an unfortunately spineless disposition."

"I see." All three adults look at Luo Binghe with pity, even the one currently wearing his body. He takes a big gulp of his tea to get away from their staring and almost chokes from the overwhelming bitter taste.

"It's fine, shizi! I think there are no better people to teach disciple Luo these lessons, so he will learn them in no time!" Shang Qinghua hurries to reassure him.

"That's not- thanking shishu for his encouraging words! It's just this tea is unexpectedly bitter."

The lords all look puzzled. "Bitter? Has Shen-shidi acquired a new blend?"

"As if you could tell," Shen Qingqiu huffs dismissively and takes another sip of his tea. "I don't taste anything wrong with it."

They all turn to Shang Qinghua, who takes a sip and immediately makes a noise of disgust.

"It's been severely over-steeped," he declares, pushing the cup away.

"Interesting." Shen Qingqiu drinks the rest of his tea and shakes his head. "Disciple Luo can't taste bitterness, so he doesn't know when he over steeps the tea."

"This one can taste bitterness, shizun! Mu-shishu's cold medicine-"

"-doesn't count. Even zhangmen-shixiong can tell it's bitter and he has almost completely lost his sense of taste when we were children."

The sect leader has a soft, awkward look on his face and Shang Qinghua stifles a laugh behind his sleeve. "Can confirm! Yue-shixiong once drank an entire undiluted bottle of chili oil on a bet when we were disciples. Luo-shizi is in good company."

Good company indeed. It's strange and a little frightening to see the three untouchable immortal masters acting so human, but Binghe rubs the scar on his face and thinks of masks. The same way Binghe puts on the mask of a meek little lamb every morning, the peak lords put on their own masks each day.

In the fifteen days it takes for Liu-shishu to get the herbs and return, they teach Binghe how to navigate the power plays of the sect in the way only those not born into power know:

A smile for the master (be pleasant and meek and uninteresting in the face of those who can hurt you without consequence, because it's boring to bully docile and uninteresting servants. Bide your time and only plot where they can't see it).

Yue Qingyuan smiles, because he has risen above the rest. Nobody would dare to trample him, so he can wear a smile if he wants; it makes him more approachable. Luo Binghe smiles at him and the sect leader winks back; this comes the easiest to him.

A snarl for the wolves (do not let your peers trample you. You are roughly of equal standing and power, so fight for what you deserve. If someone with only slightly higher standing tries to strike against you and you can get away with it, bite the hand that struck you, so they would think twice before they try again).

Shen Qingqiu was born a wolf and will likely die one, too broken and battered to become a prized, pampered hound. He snarls at the world and wants Binghe to snarl back at him, to show him that he has the determination to make it through. (Urchins who don't learn to bare their teeth when they should all die, trampled in the dirt, and Binghe suspects that his shizun has seen it happen enough times that he has hardened his heart against it.) It comes frighteningly easy, once he tries, and he makes sure to restrain himself so he doesn't become a mirror of his bitter shizun.

A knife for the rivals (be ruthless and deadly to the outsiders who come to harm you and yours. Set aside internal strife in the face of outside threat and sharpen your fangs together; the only good enemy is a dead one).

Binghe doesn't know what to think of Shang Qinghua at first. The An Ding lord has his own flavor of pathetic (it's not quite the same as smiling, he thinks), but Binghe is not a fool. If the sect leader is the smile and his shizun the snarl, then Shang Qinghua is the knife, and his cultivated helplessness is the perfect disguise for his sharp edge.

Out of all three of them, he decides that Shang Qinghua scares him the most.

The day after they are switched back Luo Binghe returns to the bamboo house to report to his shizun.

"So early today, little beast." Shen Qingqiu doesn't look up from the novel he's reading, sprawled carelessly over the couch. Binghe knows that this crack in his shizun's peerless facade is only there for him to see because he has lived in his body for two weeks and knows exactly how much agony he is in day in day out (Binghe did some much less dignified sprawling when he was wearing that body, that's for sure), but it still makes him feel honored, in a way. He's in on a secret none of the other disciples are and it makes him feel... special.

"Ming-shixiong had an unfortunate incident with a hive of wasps and forgot to assign his shidis extra chores."

Shen Qingqiu glances at him over the edge of his book. "Where in the hells have you found wasps this time of the year?"

"I could not say. Shizun will have to ask Shang-shishu."

The set of Shen Qingqiu's mouth shifts. It's not a smile, but it's as close as the man gets and Luo Binghe's heart soars when he sees it. His shizun stands with mesmerizing feline grace and plucks a manual off from his shelf. "Catch." Binghe scrambles to catch the manual, his eyes going wide when he recognizes his shizun's calligraphy. The book is bound in an old cover to make it look used, but the pages and the contents are all brand new. "This master has noticed that disciple Luo's current manual is unsuitable for his cultivation. This one will be a better fit."

"Thank you, shizun!" He turns to walk into the side room, planning to pretend that he belongs here ('sometimes if you are confident enough, you can make others think that you belong somewhere you have no business being', Shang Qinghua said), but he stops dead when his shizun calls after him.

"Where do you think you are going, little beast?"

"To my room, shizun." He brazenly meets Shen Qingqiu's narrowed eyes and carefully gauges the man's mood. He's not angry yet. "This disciple has no place in the dorms, but he got to thinking: wouldn't it reflect badly on our peak and our peak lord if word got out that one of the Qing Jing disciples sleeps in the woodshed? This one is not a man, so he thought shizun would have no opposition against him taking the unused side room in exchange for performing extra chores around the house."

Shen Qingqiu approaches him with an aura like a fierce storm, but Luo Binghe stands his ground. The man wanted him to snarl back; it was time to test the practice of that theory.

"Luo Binghe has done a lot of thinking in the day since we last met."

"Of course. This disciple had years of thoughtlessness to make up for."

Shen Qingqiu exhales sharply; a silent laugh. "Luo Binghe might not be a man yet, but he will grow up to be one. Why should I tolerate his presence?"

"This one might become a man, but only if shizun can't mold him into something better."

"Insolent little beast!" He expects the smack with the fan. It smarts like always and it's likely going to leave a bruise. He doesn't expect the hand on his head, not petting, but... acknowledging. "Go to your room."

Binghe can't restrain the smile that spreads over his face. It earns him another smack, lighter this time, but it's worth it. He sets the new manual down on the bed and starts brewing tea for his shizun, lighting a timer talisman so he doesn't seep the leaves too long.

It took him to walk a mile in his shizun's boots in the most convoluted way possible, but he has finally done it: he found common ground with his master. It could only get better from now.

#svsss #shen qingqiu #shen jiu #luo binghe #tc writes #tbf lbh won't grow up to be a 'man' he will grow up to be a demon #it's debatable if that's better or worse

[llycaons]

hi i love hearing your opinions about cql and i remember you said that you prefer mianqing over yanqing. i love both but i think mianqing would suit each other more tbh. id also love to hear your reasons why!

Hi anon, thanks so much! for me it comes down to compatability in personalities

yanqing is a fine ship based on shared experiences (both familial and traumatic) and relatability, and wq could provide the stability and strength and confidence that jyl often finds herself without while wq could get taken care of AND help take care of jyl too....but wq is so reserved and guarded, and jyl is so polite and shy and uncomfortable with pushing, that I think unless they were together for an extended period of time in intense situations that forced them to rely on each other, it would be hard to for them to get close or open up to each other. and you could argue CR arc and the wen attack provided that foundation, esp with wq helping jyl medically and jyl apparently becoming closer with wq's beloved wen ning, but I'm someone who likes to imagine relationships based on what you see in canon (this is about to make me a hypocrite) and they seemed just as gently polite to each other at the end as they did initially. but it's a nice ship, I certainly don't disparage it or dislike it! there's just too little...spark in there for me if you know what I mean

now for mianqing. this is actually quite a bad justification so I apologize in advance but the way that mm acts just makes me think she'd be more likely to break through wq's walls, and provide interesting and valuable companionship. wq, even more polite but just as distant as lwj, carefully guards herself as he does. and the only person (besides a literal child) unrelated to them who really broke through those barriers was wwx, who's attention and interest was impossible to brush off or ignore. and like wwx, mm and wq are both sharply intelligent and have strong enough principles to defy their sects and do the right thing for others regardless of the damage it incurs to them, and mm isn't willing or able to sit by while wq's family is hunted down once she knows the situation. NOT to blame jyl for what other sect leaders are doing but it makes for a somewhat awkward situation, romantically speaking 😭. wq's best friend is wwx, so it just would make sense that she could come to care for someone just as fiery and witty and passionate as him. wq is an extremely strong and brilliant person with equally strong ideals, and I can't see her with someone who doesn't share those ideals or is willing to risk what they have for her family. I don't have much of a reason for mm to return her affection besides 'wq beautiful genius, who wouldn't? but it's something I can see arising in a rogue cultivator scenario. I actually find mm's canon husband very charming (as I find xuanli), but there you have it

also....women are hot.

thanks for the ask!

#asks #cql txp

[long-distance-love]

Sorry for spam reblogging your posts recently.

I'm in a ldr and honestly I go a little insane when we are apart. I'm really fortunate that we can see each other every 1-2 weeks, but I kind of start losing my mind during the 2 week+ mark. The longest we've gone apart was a month and e half.

We met online and honestly it feels like I've known him forever. We were originally 6 hours away from each other and could see each other once a month. Now I moved and we're an hour and some apart and can meet up on the weekend.

I never expected to be in a straight-ish relationship (I'm a demi bi but I lean heavily sapphic) and now I literally cannot imagine life without him. Its funny because I didn't even like him in the beginning when we were talking on the phone and thought it'd pass in a few weeks, but we've been dating for almost a year. We have talked loosely about it, but I'm highly considering bringing up marriage after the holidays.

I'm sort of rambling, but I wanted to say thank you for having this blog. It helps me process and deal with the yearning in between visits.

Hi Nonny,

We absolutely love people spam reblogging our stuff, so we won't accept your apology!!

It's okay to not feel well when you're not together with your loved ones. Being together in the same space has loads of benefits both mentally and physically - you may be calmer, sleep better, be in a better mood. And that's okay, LDRs are quite the roller-coaster rides when it comes to mood. Try to call as much as possible, i.e. Benny and I found it easiest to incorporate video calls into our day-to-day schedule and it helped cultivate a bit of stability. Otherwise you need to find things to do on your own unfortunately, which I know is easier said than done!

I'm very happy you've found this blog a comfort - that's all I wanted when I started sharing our journey here, to offer a bit of solace and encouragement to those who go through long distancing. 💕

- Danny

P.S. It's amazing to see other demi bi folks find love, good for us haha!

#danny loves #benny & danny asks #relationship #couples in love #long distance relationship #long distance couple #long distance problems #long distance love #long distance relationship advice #relationship asks #relationship questions #relationship advice #long distance call

[crisps-craft]

Hello, love!! I hope you're doing awesome! Can I please have free reading? If not, it's totally okay! 💐🪷

My initials are DB, emojis that describe me: 🧚‍♀️😖, and i have venus in pisces ♡♡

So can I ask... where will i be 1 year from now? (i don't mean physical place, just how will i be doing.. hope that i will be doimg better than now... i hope you know what i mean♡♡)

Thank you very much and take care!

hi! you too <3 and of course! here are the messages i picked up on :)

Cards: 10 of wands, empress (reverse), king of pentacles, 3 of pentacles, devil, justice, judgement, 3 of wands

You got some very intense cards! But i honestly feel really good about this - these cards are outling your transformation, how you are gonna get there, as well as the root of what is holding you back currently. once we shed illumination on our blockages, we can overcome them :)

when i saw empress in reverse i felt so sad! i think this shows that recently, one of your biggest blockages is a sort of disconnect from the divine feminine. this means that you are currently having trouble receiving and thus in turn - giving. for some reason, this cycle started (it might have been karmic - esp with judgement, justice, and devil) where you were once giving so much but not getting anything in return? i dont know why i keep thinking of a toxic ex or something - or some sort of masculine energy that tried to steal or tread on your divine presence. your sensitivity is a gift - esp with ur venus in pisces! as soon as i saw ur account, i felt such a light, soft, and sweet energy. i felt someone who cries easily - from happiness, sadness, joy - the whole wheel of emotions <3 its beautiful though - i have a pisces moon so i feel ya!

but somehow, now you feel like abundance is somehow cut off or "access denied" from you (immediately after i typed this, i heard "access granted" from your spirit guides!) they want you to remember that yes- you ARE magic. This person who tried to step all over you - i keep seeing this Devil / monster like energy from this person (a player, a liar, a snitch, i heard) who somehow made you (a literal earth angel) feel lesser than

with both 3 of wands and 3 of pentacles (two cards with 3s! yay for synchronicity!) im seeing you pick yourself up off the ground. and yes. you are gonna MAKE IT (even if you dont know what this pertains to right now, you will later ;) i love how cryptic ur guides are these messages are all over the place lmaoo)

im seeing you build what you want to manifest - slowly but surely. with the 3 of wands, you are going to connect again to that inner fire. what is it that I want? you will be asking yourself <-

you will secure material success, security, and stability for yourself, coming from a much stronger, durable, and less easily swayed version of yourself. im so proud of you - you are going to break this karmic cycle. i dont know why i keep getting this message of a toxic masculine energy that caused you to feel this way (if this doesn't resonate, feel free to ignore it :) ) someone who was overpowering, really mean - like verbally aggresive, etc.

but you are going to turn that empress reverse into upright and grow + cultivate the most flourishing, beautiful garden - a garden that recursively nourishes itself from.. itself! isn't that so divine? you have a strong feminine energy (again, if this doesn't resonate, feel free to ignore it if you dont resonate with feminine energy :)) but seriously - i really feel you do. you dress feminine, its really cute. i dont know why i saw curly cute hair. you have a style thats more cute + coquette like. very stylish :) are you blonde? psychic visuals are something im practicing with

you are so strong dont forget this!! you are going to be in alignment - knowing WHO you are, WHAT you want, and best of all? HOW to get it for yourself and by yourself ;)

best of luck love! lemme know if it resonated <3 -crisp

#intuition #tarot card readings #witchblr #tarot card reading #tarot reading #tarot cards #tarot #astrology readings #free tarot card readings #intuitive readings #witch #divination #tarotblr #tarot witch #tarotcommunity #tarot reader

[chaoticgoodlawyerwrites]

Sneak Peak for DYK Ch 24

SQQ is looking over some documents at Huan Hua Palace after the announcement that he is open only to very specific marriage alliances. Gongyi Xiao is speaking with him

-

“Could you please explain to me the reasoning behind the wording of this announcement? It seems rather… directed.”

Uh oh. 

Did. Did Gongyi Xiao think this was some passive aggressive attempt to force him into a courtship?

“Ah, yes, I see how that could be confusing. It recently came to my attention that the general public were under the assumption that we were courting as a political matter. As time passed where neither of us addressed the rumors nor was a formal engagement announced, various parties assumed that I was open to other suitors. This is an attempt to end such assumptions without causing offense.”

“I see,” he said evenly, face neutral.

“I hope that you were not offended by the rumors, Palace Master. We both know why I am here, and I understand why you preferred people to assume we were courting rather than the fact I was aiding Huan Hua so extensively. Please, think nothing more of the announcement.”

Shen Qingqiu turned his eyes back to the numbers, but then Gonyi Xiao said softly, “What if I want to think more of it?”

Shen Qingqiu looked up and blinked at him. “Palace Master?”

“I will be honest with you, Sect Leader Shen. I have greatly admired you for a very long time. Your character and strength, your brilliance and kindness. You do not pretend to play at compassion but actually act on it. I. I have never encountered someone like you before, and I doubt I ever will again.”

Um.

Okay?

“...Gongyi Xiao, I–”

“Please, allow me to finish.” He looked at Shen Qingqiu with sincere and open brown eyes and he was helpless to do anything but nod stupidly. “I have striven to act with utmost respect and gratitude for you in each of our interactions. Not only do I owe you much for the aid you have given Huan Hua, but I personally owe you and Luo Binghe my very life.”

He swallowed and bowed from the neck to him. “I will forever be respectful of his place in your heart as your soulmate. It was out of consideration of your loss that I never spoke of my personal admiration for you. Yet now, seeing this announcement, I cannot help but hope you perhaps return some of my regard.”

Oh.

Oh, no.

The realization of what this conversation was landed on his head like a ton of bricks as Gongyi Xiao continued, looking at him with clear affection. “Huan Hua is recovering and will soon be strong enough to once more honestly claim to be the second largest sect in our world. Our cultivators hold you in their hearts and would be loyal to you willingly. In fact, a good number have asked me why I have not done this sooner,” He laughed to himself. 

“In any case, you said you would only consider a political match that would lead to greater stability and security. A partner you could work well with as well as hold in some affection. Someone who was either your political equal or better. I would not claim to be your equal, but I can only promise to try to be. And it seems that there is no other person in existence who could claim to be that.”

Shen Qingqiu stared at him with wide eyes. He had not mentally prepared for this and was very much thrown. He sat stone still as Gongyi Xiao boldly reached out a hand and touched where his rested on the table. “Please, Sect Leader, Shen Qingqiu, tell me. Am I completely off the mark, or would you consider allowing me to court you?”

#yes i'm posting this now for reasons