maplewalnut

[maplewalnut]

This time on AUs I'm Very Passionate About for No Discernible Reason: Galra!WWX x Altean!LWJ

WWX is a Galran warrior who happens to catch Emperor WRH's eye during an interplanetary hunt, and is soon promoted to an honourable position in his personal guard. In fact, he's so impressed with WWX, he wants to clone him for future war purposes.

WWX doesn't know how to feel about this, but one doesn't refuse the emperor to his face, and so he allows himself to be cloned.

Several days later Baby A-Yuan is born. ...Baby A-Yuan is definitely, indisputably part Altean. This poses many questions, most of which WWX would prefer not to answer. 

WRH looks at the newborn cradled in his top scientist, Wen Qing's, arms. He looks to WWX.

"What is the meaning of this?"

WWX shrugs, sneakily relocating the baby into his own arms. "Who even knows? Maybe my great-grandmother took an Altean lover or something?"

WRH accepts the excuse. However, this unfortunately means he cannot clone his best warrior - he refuses to have soldiers who look like off-world scum in his army. He'll have to make do with someone else, but who?

In the meantime, he orders the clone disposed of. WWX is tasked to dump it in empty space. WWX…does not do that.

Upon reaching the dumping location, he turns on his secret (non-standard issue) communication device and calls his most trusted contact, LWJ. LWJ may or may not be the Altean prince he was sent to assassinate in his youth that 'mysteriously survived' a 'fatal stabbing'.

"Wei Ying?"

As soon as LWJ's face fills the display panel, WWX holds up the baby and cries, "Gege, you got me pregnant!"

LWJ freezes for so long, WWX starts to worry the comm is broken, until the prince suddenly relaxes and frowns.

"Do not joke."

WWX whines. "I'm not joking! WRH cloned me, and…uh…" He looks away, flushing. "There must have been some foreign matter in the test sample."

LWJ's reply is stilted. "...Foreign matter?"

WWX chuckles awkwardly. "Anyway, the emperor wants me to kill our son, so I need you to take care of him for a while."

Silence again. WWX flicks the display a few times to make sure it's still working. 

"Our…son…?"

WWX sighs. LWJ seems to be having a hard time with this, but he supposes it IS quite unusual to have a normal, non-erotic meeting with your Galran informant one week, only to find yourself fathering a child with them the next.

"I guess I didn't wash my hands properly after handing you that map?" He supplies apologetically. How was he meant to know something like this would happen? For the first of many times, he distracts LWJ's ire with A-Yuan's cuteness. "Look at him! He looks just like you!"

The baby, who indeed looks exactly like LWJ, with feathered Galran ears, glares up at the screen. LWJ makes a sound deep in his throat that could almost be called panicked, if Altean royalty ever panicked for any reason. His eyes have gone big and round, and his lower lip seems to be trembling a little - most likely with the effort of keeping it from dropping open in surprise.

WWX bites back a giggle. LWJ is so cute sometimes. While he maintains eye contact with A-Yuan, WWX inputs his current coordinates into the comm's keypad and sends them to LWJ. "Can you meet me here to pick him up?"

After another tense moment, LWJ nods. "Mn."

WWX breaks into a relieved grin. "Thanks LZ. You're the best!"

He thinks LWJ's ears flush a little then, but can't be sure because the comm cuts out in the next moment, flashing a blazing red [CALL ENDED] notification.

WWX sighs and leans back, bouncing the baby in his lap idly. "What do you think A-Yuan? Isn't your baba the handsomest?"

The baby, less than a day old, looks confused. The baby, being a baby, always seems confused about something. 

"Well, I'm sure if you could see properly, your little heart would've beaten right out of your teeny, tiny chest." He tweaks A-Yuan's nose, then bows his head. "I hope Lan Zhan doesn't get in trouble for this."

----

LWJ arrives only a few hours later, having piloted a fighter jet with a built in warp drive.

"Let me have a go. Please, gege?" WWX simpers and bats his eyes, making LWJ's brows furrow. 

"Come back to Gusu and you may," he says, gently rocking the baby in his arms. WWX never would have thought of LWJ as the paternal type, but he never thought they'd have a child together, either. 

He's so distracted by how easily A-Yuan takes to him that he almost forgets to answer. "Lan Zhan, you know I can't. Not until WRH is dealt with."

LWJ sighs, but doesn't fight him on the matter. "If you are unsafe you should call me regardless." 

WWX can't help but smile. He clutches LWJ's hand, the one resting on A-Yuan's little back. "Of course, gege. Haven't I just done that?"

LWJ stares at the hand touching his until WWX retracts it, and nods. "Mn."

He turns to leave, bundling A-Yuan up into his state-of-the-line spaceship. As he starts the engine, he looks back to WWX, almost smiling when WWX waves at him. Then he turns on the thrusters, and he's gone before WWX can blink, shooting off through the stars at a pace no Galran ship could hope to replicate.

Alone, WWX folds his hand to his chest, his ears drooping low in misery.

"...Take me, too."

He shakes his head and straightens his back. No matter how much he wants to leave with LWJ, he can't. Not until WRH is defeated.

So, he'll just have to dethrone him faster.

----

LWJ, carrying A-Yuan into CR: 😌❤️

LQR: Wangji, what is that?

LWJ: …Clone.

LQR: Whose clone?!

LWJ: …Mine.

LXC: Where did you get a clone?

LWJ's eyes shift to the side.

LXC: Uh...he looks Galran.

LWJ: …Yes.

LWJ walks away quickly.

LQR: WANGJI! EXPLAIN!!

----

LWJ, not long after, carrying WWX into CR like a sack of potatoes: 😌❤️

LQR: WHO is THAT?!! 

LWJ: …C-

LQR: Don't you dare say it's another clone!

LWJ: …

He looks at WWX's fuzzy, pettable ears, and equally fluffy tail.

LWJ: …Rabbit.

LQR: Rabbit?! That is a Galra-!

LWJ starts walking away, a sheepish WWX grinning and waving behind him. 

WWX: Nice to meet you, Uncle!

LQR: UNCLE?!! 💢😱🩸

----

Altean LWJ has haunted me since I read MDZS. I'm finally free! Jks, there's a part ii.

[maplewalnut]

MDZS!Wangxian meeting their CQL selves [Part 5]

Oh the horrors.

Poor CQL!Wei Ying isn't ready for what he's about to learn.

Part 1 & 2 / 3 / 4

[maplewalnut]

I watched the Disney version of Mulan earlier and my cursed brain instantly went 'but what if LWJ was Mushu?'

I'm not going to write about it, but just imagine WWX signing up for the army as injured General JFM's eldest son. He's so inept - he was basically a house servant before this! But he can't let JFM go off to battle, and JC is his only heir. He's doesn't have a choice but to take their places. It can be his repayment for the Jiang family's kindness toward him throughout the years. And thankfully, he has a dragon on his side to help him.

...Or maybe a lizard? It's hard to tell.

LWJ would like everyone to know that he is, in fact, the most majestic of dragons. He's only tiny because...well...it's embarrassing.

He's had a crush on the mortal WY for a while now, but the only way he could really see him without the boy noticing was to make himself little and twee enough to hide behind petals and around incense burners. It's not creepy! He needs to observe his human for his health! And a good thing he did!

When WY rushes into the Jiang ancestral hall and prays for guidance, LWJ is already just kind of there, waiting for him. He gets punished to kneel here so often, of course LWJ was hanging around. What if WY had needed some snacks, or bandages for his wounds? It would be up to him to provide assistance.

WY never asks for these things, but LWJ still wants to give them to him, anyway. So, what was a poor, lovesick dragon to do when his mortal called out for help? Let him march to his death alone? Absolutely not!

Breath misting the air majestically, he appears before his WY at last! ...Who for some reason thinks he was sent by the Jiang ancestors? LWJ is dubious. Why on earth would the ancestors of the people who hurt WY now help him? And why would he, a celestial dragon, be in the service of a cultivation family? If Uncle heard such blasphemy, he'd lose his wits to anger! But he supposes it doesn't matter, as long as he's the one with WY. He wraps himself around WY's neck and boops their noses together - an act of comfort.

Jiang ancestor who just appeared in the background: Yeah, I may have ascended but I'm not fighting a Lan dragon. I'm out.

----

Once out of the Jiang estate, WY and LWJ travel to the encampment they're meant to report to on the back of an extremely ornery donkey. LWJ gets to rest tucked down WY's shirt as they go, which he enjoys very much. His mortal also likes to scritch his ears until he purrs, which is nice.

He does have to draw the line at antler pulling, though. They are not yet wed - it is inappropriate! WY doesn't seem to understand his hesitance towards the act, and continues to tug at them anyway. LWJ wallows. If only he could vocalise his discomfort, but he's too scandalised to speak!

WY boops his nose and smiles, drawing his attention away from the disrespectful act. Maybe... Maybe it's not so bad. They will be married, in the end. Perhaps WY should have a taste of certain...activities beforehand, so he will know what to expect?

LWJ's next breath comes out as burning ice. Yes, there are many things he will have to introduce his innocent mate to.

----

When they finally reach the camp, there's an issue. The scribe manning the enrollment tent wants his name. WY is so nervous he's shaking, but he comports himself with the dignity of a noble-born lord. LWJ is so proud.

Scribe: Name?

WY: Jiang Ying

The scribe sighs, watching WY fidget with bland disinterest.

Scribe: Courtesy name?

WY: Ah...

He hisses over his shoulder: Wangji?

The scribe hears him and starts scribbling his details down.

Scribe: Jiang Wangji?

LWJ: Use Wuxian.

WY misses what the dragon says.

WY: Huh?

Scribe: I said, Jiang Wangji?

WY: N-no, my name is Wei-

He falters.

Scribe: Wei Wangji?

LWJ slithers nearer, till he's flush with WY's neck, and tries again: Wu-xian.

WY jumps as the dragon's tongue flicks over his ear. For some reason, it makes him blush.

WY: -Wuxian?! Jiang Wuxian!

Scribe: ...Jiang Wuxian?

WY: Yes. That's me!

The scribe hums.

Scribe: If you're sure...

He writes down a little 'possibly unfit for duty' next to the boy's name when he sees him jump again on his way out of the enrollment tent. The man shakes his head.

Scribe: Won't survive a day...

----

The next morning, WY - now WWX - meets the man in charge of training his unit - General Wen Chao. It does not go well for either of them.

[maplewalnut]

Aaaaaaaggh! The Paper Thin verse is so compelling exactly because no one did anything wrong and yet the knives are there anyway. I love it. I adore the glimpse of LXC having more feeling than he’d started with, I wonder if WWX would ever get there, or how LWJ would feel after seeing them be more than a little comfortable with each other.

[ part one (LWJ) | two (LXC) | three (WWX) | four (LWJ) | five (NQY) | six (WWX) ]

As a prince growing up in the confines of the Inner Palace, Lan Wangji did not have many he could call friends. He had his brother, of course, and the siblings born to the consorts and concubines were there in the schoolroom beside him for their daily lessons—but they were not friends. 

His brother may be family, and Lan Wangji may both love and respect him above all others, but as heir to the throne, there had always been an invisible gap between the two of them their whole lives. Lan Xichen had been training his whole life to shoulder the weight of the throne; likewise, Lan Wangji has spent his whole life training to support him. They are—have always been, and will always be—first and foremost a lord and his vassal, and brothers second. And as the Emperor's vassal, it is his duty to honour and obey him above all others.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think his loyalty would be tested like this. In this way.

"Wei--Wei-xuanyi." The title burns on his tongue. He forces himself to push past the lump in his throat to continue. "Paying respects to Wei-xuanyi."

Wei Wuxian. Wei Ying. His closest friend and confidante. The one, selfish desire he had ever held close to his heart. The one thing he had wanted for himself in this life of duty and service.

His brother's consort.

On the other side of the room, draped in layers upon layers of the finest Gusu silks in blue and purple, flanked on either side by four servants, Wei Wuxian drops the inkstone in his hand. It clatters back onto the well and splatters droplets of black ink over the desk; for a moment he is visibly torn between cleaning up the mess and the obligation to greet Lan Wangji, his fingers hovering in mid-air. Eventually obligation wins out and he ducks his head and bends his knee.

“Hanguang-wang.” He quickly straightens, eyes averted. “My apologies. I did not realise you were there.”

“The fault is mine,” Lan Wangji assures him. “Wei-xuanyi was merely focused on his task, and I was the one who caused a disruption.”

Wei Wuxian hisses sharply under his breath, as if suddenly reminded of his work, and hurries to inspect the damage. He holds out a hand and one of the maids standing behind him places a cloth into the outstretched palm without hesitation, ever attentive to her master’s needs. As they do their best to clean up the mess before it stains—the damage is thankfully not extensive—Lan Wangji cannot resist moving closer to catch a glimpse of what has Wei Wuxian so concerned. What he sees is not what he had expected.

“Dongying warships?” he asks before he can stop himself. “Are those...blueprints?”

Wei Wuxian freezes in mid-motion, his fingers tightening around the cloth until his knuckles turn white. 

“I’d quite forgotten Hanguang-wang would be most familiar with Dongying warships,” he says finally, voice clipped. He does, however, allow Lan Wangji to move closer so they are standing shoulder-to-shoulder, careful to keep at least half a desk’s worth of space between them. “Huangshang knew of my interest in them and so allowed me the opportunity to study their construction plans, in hopes of perhaps improving on them for use in Gusu’s navy.”

Lan Wangji swallows past the lump that has appeared in his throat.

“Wei-xuanyi has always been at the forefront of innovation.” he says. “Your studies and inventions are renowned throughout the Empire. It is only expected fpr Huangxiong to call upon your expertise on this matter.”

It is meant as a compliment, but it does not ease the tension in Wei Wuxian’s answering chuckle in the slightest.

“Huangshang is magnanimous,” he says. “The Inner Palace is not usually permitted to view such documents.”

The tone in which the last part holds the air of something repeated often and frequently and Lan Wangji’s heart aches to hear it. 

“It would be foolish indeed if they kept you from it,” he retorts, and is rewarded with a dusting of pink across Wei Wuxian’s cheeks and a look of wide-eyed surprise at his vehemence. “There is no one better suited to this work than Wei Ying.”

Their sleeves brush against each other as they turn, and Lan Wangji’s breath catches in his throat. They were close enough to touch—he only needed to shift his hand just so and he would be able to brush his fingers over the ink smudges over Wei Wuxian’s knuckles; already now he can feel the warmth of his skin in the air between them. 

Want seizes him then, fierce and hungry; the urge to reach out and grab him by the hand and take him far, far away from this gilded cage and into the vast world beyond its vermilion walls burns in the pit of his stomach. He could. He would. He would fight the Imperial army single-handedly down to the last man if it meant Wei Wuxian could be his once more. He would lay his life on the line to give Wei Wuxian anything and everything he desired—happiness, love, freedom. He would do it, if Wei Wuxian asked it of him.

But he doesn’t.

He pulls away instead, and leaves a wide, yawning chasm where the want had been only a moment before. Cold. Empty. He curls his hand into a fist, digs his nails into the palm of his hand, and pulls away.

“Huangshang has arrived!”

The announcement from the doorway startles them both. Wei Wuxian nearly jumps away with how fast he moves from Lan Wangji’s side, moving around the edge of the desk just as Lan Xichen steps through the door to the library. 

“Wuxian,” Lan Xichen says as soon as he spots Wei Wuxian, already stepping towards him with an arm outstretched.

“Your concubine greets Huangshang,” Wei Wuxian murmurs, sinking to his knees in greeting, only for Lan Xichen to catch his elbow before he can complete the gesture. “Huangshang has come at an opportune time. We were just discussing the blueprints from Dongying.”

“Oh?” Lan Xichen raises an eyebrow curiously. “We?”

The smile in his face flickers in surprise when he notices Lan Wangji’s presence; his eyes dart immediately to the flush high on Wei Wuxian’s cheeks and back to the tense set of Lan Wangji’s jaw, to the heads of the servants, bowed low to the ground. Surprise gives way to realisation, before it settles into a calm acceptance, the warmth in his eyes dimmed.

“Wangji, this is a surprise,” he says. “I was not expecting to see you here.”

Lan Wangji bows his head.

“Your subject greets Huangshang,” he says. “Your subject had come in search of Moling’s harvest records from the past decade as per your instruction. Wei-xuanyi was here when I arrived.”

“I see,” Lan Xichen says levelly. His tone is odd, stilted. Lan Wangji recognises it from countless court sessions against pandering courtiers. 

Wei Wuxian must recognise it too, because he steps in with a ready smile, one hand resting lightly on Lan Xichen’s arm.

“Huangshang, come see the modifications your concubine has made to the design of the ship,” he tells him. “I think you will be very pleased with the improvements.”

Lan Wangji sees the way his brother’s attention is immediately drawn to Wei Wuxian like a moth to flame, his eyes never leaving Wei Wuxian’s face as he allows himself to be led to the desk. His own gaze is drawn to their joined hands, to the familiar way in which their fingers intertwine, and the easy way in which Lan Xichen’s hand rests on the small of Wei Wuxian’s back as they pore over the blueprints together. 

Wei-xuanyi is most beloved. Most favoured.

Wei Wuxian catches his gaze in the middle of his explanation; there is gentleness there, a soft sadness in the corners of his eyes as he speaks. 

And then he turns back to Lan Xichen and the sadness fades a little, his eyes grow warmer, lighter. It pierces through Lan Wangji’s heart and sinks into the pit of stomach, heavy as lead.

He would never ask it of me.

He looks to Lan Xichen, to his brother, and knows in his heart—

I could never ask it of him.

--

buy me a ko-fi!

more paper-thin fic | verse

--

What? I managed to pull myself away from Stardew Valley long enough to write this??? :OOOO Amazing.

[maplewalnut]

Wangxian's domestic bliss is shattered when Lan Xichen abdicates the throne due to (insert reason). LWJ is forced to take concubines. He promises to love WY only. But as many children are born, that promise feels shallower. LWJ still loves WY with his whole heart but his other children are raised under the shadow of their male Empress and his adopted son A-Yuan.

And they want none of that. When LWJ goes out to quell a rebellion, they attempt to murder WY and A-Yuan. He barely manages to escape. The palace believes them to be dead. WY decides it's for the better. His relationship with LWJ has run its course. He can't take his husband having other consorts anymore. A parent is supposed to protect their child and he can't do that with LWJ.

It rankles that LWJ won't be able to do much against them because A-Yuan is merely an adopted child and they're 'real' royals. So WY leaves. The palace plotted to murder him but instead, they freed him. LWJ is heartbroken. On the other hand, as WY watches the sunrise from his newly bought farm, there is a smile on his face. The first one in what must be years.

.

[maplewalnut]

Concept art by Paul Felix and Hans Bacher for Mulan (1998)

[maplewalnut]

I feel like the thing Mulan (1998) accomplished better than any other Disney ‘princess’ film was how her society valued women based off 1. their attractiveness and 2. their ability to be submissive.

Other Disney movies (ex. Beauty and the Beast) make references to the misogyny women face for being unable to fulfill traditional female roles, but the disgusting standards aren't explored nearly as much as they are in Mulan. The entire song “You'll Bring Honor to Us All” focuses on all these horrible beauty standards she is expected to uphold:

“With good breeding/ And a tiny waist”

“Like a lotus blossom/ Soft and pale”

“a perfect porcelain doll”

But the song also reflects the social status of women and their roles in society:

“Boys will gladly go to war for you”

“A girl can bring her family/ Great honor in one way/ By striking a good match”

“Men want girls with good taste/ Calm/ Obedient/ Who work fast-paced”

“A man by bearing arms/ A girl by bearing sons”

Mulan’s reflection of this caricature she is meant to become is so much more powerful and sticks out even compared to other more recent Disney movies (Frozen, The Princess and the Frog, etc.)

I personally feel like Mulan is the only ‘princess’ who does not fall into the society's expectations of feminity in come category. She does not seek to become an object, and she defies the roles her society wants her to uphold. Mulan is the only Disney film that shows the impossible standards women are given. The only film that comes close to this would be Brave.

[maplewalnut]

Mulan character designs by Chen-Yi Chang

[maplewalnut]

My little baby’s all grown up and savin’ China.

[maplewalnut]

So happy to get Mulan for the lovely snarkies’ Disney Ladies Collaboration on twitter! If I hadn’t been destined to love Ariel by default, Mulan would be my favorite Disney lady of all time.

#gorgeous!!

[maplewalnut]

Things you didn’t know about Mulan (adapated from Oh My Disney)

[maplewalnut]

Modern Mulan sketches by Elena

[maplewalnut]

[maplewalnut]

By MASSO

[maplewalnut]

By Alisvart

[maplewalnut]

Different Love Stories by Yingzong X

[maplewalnut]

love letter 😘💌