#mostly lan wangji/suffering | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

robininthelabyrinth · 1 year

Note

Could you do Accidental sworn brothers NHS, JC, WWX?

ao3

“So,” Jiang Cheng said.

It was a very ominous sort of ‘so’.

“Hi, Jiang-xiong,” Nie Huaisang said. “Have you eaten? I trust you been well. I’ve been all right, myself. Things are pretty quiet. The weather’s been pretty nice, though I don’t think it’s ever as nice in Qinghe as it is in Yunmeng. Has it been raining much?”

Jiang Cheng was giving him a death glare.

“…lots of rain, huh?”

“I don’t care about the vast majority of what you did to get revenge on Jin Guangyao,” Jiang Cheng said flatly. “But you put Jin Ling in danger.”

“Not…much danger.” At Jiang Cheng’s incredulous look, Nie Huaisang shrugged. “He kept him alive this long, didn’t he? I figured Jin Ling was pretty safe, as these things went. It was only at the very last moment that he actually threatened him directly – and Jin Ling wasn’t even supposed to be there.”

Judging from Jiang Cheng’s expression, he wasn’t buying Nie Huaisang’s argument.

“All right, fine,” Nie Huaisang said. “Still, you came to visit me, which means that you’re not just here to yell and tell me that our friendship is over, you could do that by letter. You want something from me?”

Jiang Cheng struggled for a moment, then grimaced. “Yeah, I want something.”

He was so predictable sometimes.

“Tell me what you need me to do to get your friendship back, and I’ll do it.” Nie Huaisang thought about it for a moment. “Within reason.”

“I want you to help me fix my relationship with Wei Wuxian.”

“…I said within reason, Jiang-xiong,” Nie Huaisang said, horrified. “Do you want me to bring the moon down and give it to you while I’m at it?”

“It’s not that bad!” Jiang Cheng protested, except, no, really, it was exactly that bad. Years and years of deception and betrayal and bad feelings on both sides, an incredibly knotty tangle of emotions with no one completely right and no one completely wrong and debts and anger and – it was bad, okay? “Anyway, you managed to fix Jin Guangyao, didn’t you, even though he was Chief Cultivator and you had basically no evidence? Fix this, too.”

“It’s in no way comparable!”

“Listen, you said you wanted to know what you needed to do to get us to be all right with each other again, right? This is it. Do it.”

Nie Huaisang opened his mouth in protest.

“I won’t accept anything else,” Jiang Cheng said, and crossed his arms in a way that suggested finality. “You’re the mastermind, aren’t you? So mastermind!”

Nie Huaisang really didn’t want to lose Jiang Cheng’s friendship, now that he knew there was a possibility of keeping it, but he also had no idea how to even start going about fixing the unfixable. He flattered himself to think that he knew Jiang Cheng pretty well after all these years, but based on everything that had happened, he didn’t understand Wei Wuxian well enough to know where to start.

Clearly, he needed help. No, more than help – he needed expertise.

Currently, Nie Huaisang was sitting in one of the rooms in the Cloud Recesses the Lan sect used to host guests waiting to see the sect leader on business. Of course, with Lan Xichen in seclusion at the moment, the actual person taking petitions was the person Nie Huaisang come to see: Lan Wangji.

He didn’t expect to be seen to quickly, the way he might have when he’d been on familiar terms with Lan Xichen – he was a Great Sect leader, yes, and an allied one, and so ought to be accorded first priority, but Lan Wangji was also a petty little brat sometimes. Lan Qiren had come by in an unofficial capacity, looking long-suffering, and they’d had an unexpectedly enjoyable conversation on the subject of the rules relating to filial piety and revenge, which Nie Huaisang interpreted as possibly the first time Lan Qiren had ever voluntarily given him a good grade on anything.

(He was weirdly moved by it, but mostly still traumatized. He’d hated school.)

After the old teacher left, Nie Huaisang sat around waiting and drinking tea, amusing himself by thinking of all the ways this forthcoming conversation could go wrong, and just when he’d gotten to the end of the fourth scenario, Wei Wuxian himself came strolling in.

“Oh, hi, Wei-xiong!” Nie Huaisang said brightly, not allowing considerations like shame to apply. “How’ve you been?”

“I’m good, I’m good,” Wei Wuxian said. “And you?”

“Well, I’m –”

“It works out quite well that you’re here, actually,” Wei Wuxian said, barreling onwards without waiting for the answer. “There was something I was hoping you might help me with.”

Nie Huaisang hid his face behind a fan. “Who, me…? I mean, I’m always glad to help, if it’s within my power – and, I mean, I’m glad you asked! And here I was worried that Wei-xiong didn’t like me anymore.”

Wei Wuxian waved a dismissive hand and sat down.

“I’m sure it’s something you can help with,” he said, smiling in a way Nie Huaisang didn’t like. “After all, you led the entire cultivation world around by the nose to catch Jin Guangyao, didn’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say that…”

“Well, I would. This should be no problem in comparison!”

Which meant, of course, that it was going to be a problem, because anything was easy in comparison.

“Oh, Wei-xiong, I really don’t know…”

“Don’t give me that! At least listen to it, okay?”

Nie Huaisang was always willing to listen. He nodded.

“I need you to use your mastermind skills to help me fix my relationship with Jiang Cheng.”

Nie Huaisang blinked once, long and slow. “With…Jiang Cheng?”

“That’s right!”

“But…why me…”

“Everything is just a complete mess between us,” Wei Wuxian said plainly. “It’s probably mostly my fault, and I’ve probably wronged him in ways I don’t even remember, but – I’d like to fix it. I’ve tried to fix it. I even tried leaving it alone to see if that would help, and it definitely didn’t. Everything I’ve done only makes it worse! So I need someone else to manage it.”

“And you picked…me?”

“Don’t put yourself down, Nie-xiong. You’ll manage!”

“I haven’t even agreed yet!”

“You need something from Lan Zhan, don’t you?” Wei Wuxian said, grinning at him. “You’ll agree.”

“Of course I’ll agree,” Nie Huaisang said with a huff, tossing his head. “You’re a dear friend, Wei-xiong! Why wouldn’t I agree?”

Anyway, he had to do the work for Jiang Cheng anyway. Might as well score some points flattering Wei Wuxian while he was at it.

“You’re so kind,” Wei Wuxian said, rolling his eyes at him. “Thanks, Nie-xiong. I look forward to hearing what our next move is. Have fun having tea with Lan Zhan!”

“You did this to yourself,” Lan Wangji said solemnly.

“I know,” Nie Huaisang said. He was lying on the floor, arms and legs splayed to the sides as he stared up at the roof in an effort to express the depths of his desolation. “I’m well aware.”

“Mm.”

“I’m having a crisis over it, even.”

“Mm. Could you have the crisis elsewhere?”

“Don’t be mean, Lan Zhan. Of course not. I need your help!”

“Denied,” Lan Wangji said, as if Nie Huaisang really were just one of the random petitioners he had to deal with these days.

“If you don’t help me, I’ll fix up their relationship so good that you’ll have to deal with Jiang Cheng all the time,” Nie Huaisang said threateningly, and noted with amusement the way Lan Wangji’s brow twitched at the thought of having to share either space, time, or Wei Wuxian with Jiang Cheng. “Listen, no matter what the others think, I’m not really a schemer or a mastermind! I just ran with the course of events and tried to change them when they looked like they weren’t going my way, that’s all.”

“I wish you luck,” Lan Wangji said, immoveable as an iceberg.

“If I try to solve this, I’m only going to make it worse,” Nie Huaisang said. “That’s not even a threat. It’s just a fact.”

“I look forward to seeing the end results,” Lan Wangji said.

Cruel, indifferent man.

“I don’t even have a good model on how to solve this,” Nie Huaisang complained. “I mean, I don’t think I know of any relationships that splintered and then were actually repaired? The only thing that comes even close is what er-ge was up to with da-ge and san-ge all that time ago, when he was trying to get them to like each other again – of course, san-ge ruined that by committing murder, but I think we can probably avoid that here! I mean, I think we can. And it’s not workable, anyway, because…”

He frowned. Nothing was coming to mind.

Nothing at all.

Well then.

“Actually…”

Lan Wangji actually put down his brush. He looked mildly alarmed. “Nie Huaisang,” he said. “What are you thinking of doing?”

“Nothing, nothing…nothing at all…”

“How did this happen?” Jiang Cheng wondered.

“No idea,” Wei Wuxian said. “But at least we’re friends again, right?”

“Not just friends,” Jiang Cheng said. “Isn’t that right, da-ge?”

Wei Wuxian puffed himself up like a peacock. “You bet, er-di!”

“The sacrifices I make for my friends amaze even me,” Nie Huaisang said to a stunned-looking Lan Wangji. “I’m really all heart, aren’t I?”

“Nie Huaisang,” Lan Wangji said solemnly. “I am going to kill you.”

Nie Huaisang cackled. “No, you’re not,” he said cheerfully. “Or else my da-ge and er-ge might have something to say about how you’re treating their san-di…and I, at least, promise not to kill either of them!”

#mdzs #jiang cheng #nie huaisang #wei wuxian #lan wangji #my fic #my fics #I'm finally going to start posting again #even though I'm mortally terrified I'm going to repost an old one #which is at least 65% of why I have been so quiet #but I will do it anyway #anyway showing up WAY late with your prompt fill sorry #my nhs&lwj childhood friends agenda strikes again #also my 'what is the funniest way this could happen' agenda

394 notes · View notes

lryghe · 9 months

Text

MXTX thoughts; themes

Okay so this was supposed to be a post about themes AND conventions common throughout MXTX’s writing, but I literally wrote too much for one post so I’ve split it in half. This is the half that addresses two of the most prevalent themes splayed across MXTX’s novels. Yes, this post will contain spoilers for all of MXTX’s works (though probably minor ones in terms of plot points). Expect the second half in the next week as I’m kind of busy over the next couple days!

REDEMPTION

In SVSSS, Shen Qingqiu has this genius moment where he realises that he’s now an active part of ‘PIDW’, that the people around him are actually affected by what he does. This comes in relation to (unsurprisingly) Luo Binghe, and the guilt he feels for having been so caring towards him before hurting him so soundly. And this realisation takes 70 chapters but when he does realise this, he actively starts making himself better, so that he’s ‘worthy’ of staying by Luo Binghe’s side, even after all the anguish he caused him. He’s attempting to redeem himself even from the very beginning though, because when he had transmigrated, his very first thought was to change the hand fate had dealt him, wanting to survive past his probable miserable ending in a pickle pot at the protagonists' hands. This wasn’t driven by guilt but over time the guilt complex gradually appears in the picture.

MDZS is focused mostly on Wei Wuxian’s guilt complex and him working to forgive himself and move past his time as the Yiling Patriarch. Lan Wangji is a key factor in this, his presence being something that Wei Wuxian clings to when he comes back to life after the burial mounds siege. And it’s something so important to MDZS as a whole because it’s so lovely that although Wei Wuxian himself admits he had done horrible things, Lan Wangji is there to help him through it, and he eventually comes to forgive himself for his actions (even if the rest of the world probably hasn’t). I’ve already talked about this before on 4 separate occasions, so if you want more insight just find a post about MDZS thoughts on my page :)

And finally, there's TGCF. The key characterisation point that Xie Lian has is the guilt he carries over the situation of Xianle and the death of just about everyone and their mum, but over the course of 800 years he eventually moves past it? He even feels guilt over how Qi Rong turned out, something that’s so stupid in the scheme of things, but he’s such an empathetic and intuitive character that he’ll stew in guilt over it anyway. I don’t think this theme is as important to TGCF because Xie Lian is also very mature (one would hope so after over 800 years of living) character, and he states (in one of my favourite quotes of all time) “rather than remembering how I was butchered and trampled hundreds of years ago, I’d prefer to remember that I ate a delicious meat bun yesterday”. And this gives important insight, because he feels the guilt but he moves past it, and Hua Cheng is central to this, helping Xie Lian realise he’s worthy of love, after 800 years of suffering.

LOYALTY

This is a rather obvious theme and I plan to actually write an analysis about loyalty in MDZS specifically, but I think we can categorise it and explore it in two different categories.

Firstly we have romantic loyalty, something that is prevalent throughout all her works considering that they are all romances. Each love interest remains steadfastly loyal to their main character, even through the rise and fall of dynasties, through death and through years of steadfast mourning. It’s so important that these characters remain loyal, because even though Lan Wangji mourns, and Luo Binghe has every chance to sleep with his future 3000 wives, and Hua Cheng could have destroyed his ashes when he lost track of Xie Lian 800 years previous, none of that occurs. They continue holding on to that loyalty and it fuels many of their motivations. You can also point out the loyalty that the main characters have for their love interests. Shen Yuan sits through 1000+ chapters of some horribly written stallion novel because he has some ridiculous crush on the protagonist of said story. Wei Wuxian has a similar type of obsession with Lan Wangji, every second thought something along the lines of ‘Lan Zhan would love this!’. And Xie Lian waits quietly at Puqi shrine for Hua Cheng, no matter how long it took for Hua Cheng to come back to him… “Last time, they spent eight hundred years running towards each other. This time, it only took an instant to fall into each other's embrace.”

Another type of loyalty that could be explored is familial loyalty. Yi Ziyuan, Jiang Yanli, and Jin Zixuan end up dying to protect their home, dying to save their brother, and dying trying to make their wife (and by extension, son) happy. Wen Qing and Wen Ning die to protect Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian sacrifices his core for his brother. Qi Rong spends time hanging out in his aunt and uncle's tomb for some weird reason. The various peak lords of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect spend years fighting for Shen Qingqiu’s body. Xie Lian cooks horrendous food, because his mother cooked the same way and even if its not on purpose, he holds true to her memory. This loyalty is the backbone of character backstories, whereas romantic loyalty is more of a plot device, but both are equally significant.

There’s another version of loyalty that I want to talk about, but I think I’ll save it for my eventual post on analysing loyalty in MDZS.

I may post the second half of this post in a few days (I haven’t finished writing it (I haven’t started writing it)). Until then, goodbye.

Words: 997

Reading time: 4 mins

60 notes · View notes

jayktoralldaylong · 2 years

Text

MDZS ENDING SPOILERS

Thinking of how Lan Xichen had to be the version of Lan Wangji that looked his 'Wei Ying' in the eye and killed him. It's not easy being the parallel character to your own brother, knowing he gets his happy ending but you cannot. It broke him. Especially when you realise, if he could control the situation, Lan Xichen would never kill Jin Guangyao. He'd rather punish him in a way that would keep him alive. He would forgive Jin Guangyao again and again and again no matter how many crimes he committed. It just wasn't meant to be. The fact that he used his own hands and weapon to end it all. The fact that he wanted to end right there too.

The fact that Wei Wuxian looked at his own parallel character and chose to end his life because he knew they could not live with that pain. (TT) (But mostly because his parallel character was a piece of shit. Yes, I'm talking about Xue Yang).

Jin Guangyao being Wei Wuxian's third parallel character. The one that didn't take the insults or hate lying down. The one who actually tried to do something about the corrupt system, accidentally became the corrupt system 😅, but hey the Cultivation world didn't seem to be suffering for it, just his unfortunate enemies.

Just all of Wei Wuxian's parallel characters choosing death over living in a world where they are not loved by their Lan Wangji.

Then there's Lan Xichen. The final Lan Wangji. The forever mourner. Waiting for someone who will never come back.

#lan xichen angst #poor lan xichen #lan xichen deserves a break #lan xichen deserved so much better #mdzs #mo dao su zhi #mo dao zu shi #mdzs thoughts #wei wuxian #lan wangji #jin guangyao #xue yang #xiao xingchen #xiyao #wangxian #xuexiao #cue all the sad songs in existence for the wangxian parallels #and every other side character in this show

165 notes · View notes

whumpbby · 7 months

Note

I love reading your headcanons they're all so interesting! By any chance do you have any thoughts on a pregnant JC, through natural (trans or a/o/b for example) or unnatural means (tentacles or curses for example). He's a family man, so I like throwing family angst at him, twins would make him cry I think

Aw, thanks, I love headcanoning and coming up with little story ideas!

I have so many thoughts on pregnant JC-_-

What do you wish for? Omega!JC getting pregnant via one of the eligible bachelors? During the Sunshot, getting pregnant via NMJ, and suffering through carrying the kid so big he spends the last two months mostly laying on his side and cursing to the heavens?;) A mutual-hel deal with Lan Xichen that will result in one heir for each in a post-war world where omegas of high station are rare? An alcohol-fueled night with Wei Wuxian, that left him with a pup and heart full of regret? Pick your poison!

I always liked the omega to be a bit of a dick and not compliant with stereotypes - except they are, but only with the important ones. Like JC being an angry bitch most of the time, but also a good parent to Jin Ling, caring about his safety and happiness, but in his own frank way.

As a mom, he'd be talking to his newborn child as if it was an adult disciple that constantly fucks up ("Now what? Spitting the food out again? Marvelous, now you have wasted the meal and dirtied another outfit. I'll have you run rounds around the compound if you dare to do it again!") There's no baby-talking ("I'd break your legs if they weren't so short! Look at these toes, too damn short! What are you giggling about, huh? Spend that energy in learning how to talk!"). An outsider would think that Sect Leaders hates his pups, but anyone from Yunmeng knows this is their love language. He growls and snaps at the baby all day, but try to take it away from him and he'll bite hands off. The kid spends the first six months of its life strapped to his chest.

I like the idea of pregnant JC because of the suffering xD He has no time for this. Absolutely no time. He wants the child, but he hates being pregnant. Not even because of morning sickness or any pains - actually, his pregnancies are quite easy, his skin get a better and his hair is marvelous. Bit the limitations are a bitch!

Can't train, can't drink wine, can't night-hunt, can't lift, and in the end months, can't even get out of the bathtub without help-_- He's done. The the last two months he spends in the lake as much as possible - at least there he can still move with a degree of ease and grace. He hates his pregnancy robes (so undignified) and hates how big he gets (but if an aunties in the teashop reach to pat his stomach, he will let them without a word), what a drag!

What he doesn't realise is that pregnancy looks good on him - his hormones react well and he's glowing, his temperament evens out and he sleeps more, which only aids the previous two. His sect bursts with pride at having such beautiful Leader. I subscribe to the idea that the Jiang disciples are more like a pack of Wei Wuxians, so they become ridiculously protective and wanting to please, every single one desperate to touch the belly T_T They keep bringing more and more exotic and rare foodstuffs, keep achieving more and more risky deeds to get his attention and earn the honour of patting the stomach,

"Sect Leader, please try this dish! It's sweet and sour, it should satisfy your cravings!"

"Sect Leader, I have defeated a yao during the night hunt!"

"Sect Leader, Lan Wangji has been spotted on the border of Yunmeng! I will go and break his hand for you!"

"Are you fucking crazy?!"

Many disciples taste Zidian (but also many get to touch the tummy), because he shouldn't be dealing with this!

And god forbid Wei Wuxian learning about it! Jiang Cheng's stomach will be hijacked!

...hmm, I like the idea of the father being absent during the pregnancy (for whatever reason) and the sect smoothly steping in to bridge the gap. They make sure he's never alone, that things are taken care of. They know he doesn't like to be smothered or pitied, so they're as respectful as they can be (which is not terribly much but it's the intention that counts), but they show their care all the time. He can push and growl, but there's always a hand ready to help him stand up or get off the sword, always someone with food on stand-by, etc.

In an a/b/o scenario, the alpha disciples will rotate to spend time with their omega Leader - sit by his bed at night, emiting calming pheromones and providing gentle touches. JC's first alpha disciple will scent him every morning, to keep the pregnancy developing correctly. The sect aunties will tidy up his nest and make sure that his throne is laid out with soft fabrics and support pillows. The future baby belongs to the Sect and they will all chip in to bring it in safely. (Idea that Yunmeng Jiang is the only sect to be happy with an omega leader, because they stick to their motto. If the omega isn't mated, they'll just have an alpha first disciple and the balance will be achieved, no stress).

...

I have so many of these in my head XD Just throw ideas at me and I'll deliver ;)

#headcanon #mdzs #jiang cheng #abo headcanon #omega!jiang cheng #yunmeng jiang are a bunch of labradors #that adore their one resident cat

17 notes · View notes

mxtxfanatic · 1 year

Note

No I don’t get tropes that out down one half of wx to make the other look better. The amount of bashing either lwj or wwx is the comments in the name of protecting “the wronged party” always makes me feel horrible. Not to mention it’s atrociously ooc to turn one of them into a scum in favor of a redemption trope.

Agreed, anon. I think this all mostly comes about because of character favoritism (“I like this character, therefore they are the best, narratively, and they are the only good one.”) and people inserting fanon into canon. I’ve noticed that the more someone buys into the morally gray!wwx, oblivious!wwx, and/or hyperactive!wwx narratives, the more likely they are to believe that Wei Wuxian is an unthinking, impulsive, hedonistic character who only does things for the thrill of adventure, never knowing or caring for who he harms in the process. So we have people obsessed with how wwx has “hurt” Lan Wangji and believe that wwx must grovel for his affections. These people tend to also believe that Jiang Cheng is right to hate wwx and that Lan Xichen was justified in his Guanyin Temple speech.

On the other hand, we have people who are most sympathetic to wwx and the injustices he suffered during his first life when nobody (that he knew of) stood with him. I think the fact that wwx stood alone with not even lwj being publicly, definitely on his side makes these readers group lwj in with the rest of the cultivation world, making them believe that lwj for having “abandoned” wwx in his first life is undeserving of wwx in his second.

Neither of these views really take in wangxian’s relationship based on the narrative the book is setting up but based on what certain readers think their favorite character “deserves” or is “owed,” regardless of what the story has to say. And you’re right: all of this sets up for the idea of a “redemption arc” for the only two main characters in the story who do not require one. People just don’t seem to know what to do with a couple that was set up as enemies-to-lovers (to trick us) but is actually two good people falling in love with each other and choosing to be good together.

#mdzs asks #anon #omg anon i am so sorry for forgetting this was here 😭

62 notes · View notes

gentil-minou · 8 months

Text

Background Info about OUAT for my MDZS fic

So I recognize not everyone has seen Once Upon a Time so this fic and premise might be a bit confusing. I wanted to make a short notes/guide in case people might be curious about the premise of the show and how it will fit into my fic specifically.

You can read the fic itself here on Ao3

Once Upon a Time is a show where characters from various western fairytales get cursed to live in modern day Maine. The hero is Emma, who is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming but was separated from them as a baby when the curse hit. She grew up in the real world and suffered the perils of foster care and other not fun realities, so by the time we meet her she's almost 30 and pretty jaded. Then, the son she gave up for adoption ten years ago finds her on her birthday. He says he's her son, Henry, and that she needs to follow him back to his hometown, to lift the curse set by the evil queen and help bring these fairytale characters back where they belong.

The fun part is, this evil queen, Regina is actually Henry's adoptive mom and the primary antagonist of season 1. And although Emma is skeptical of Henry's claims, she realizes she wants to be his mom after all and get to the bottoms of all the mystery surrounding the town and its odd inhabitants.

There's like so much more involved, like Emma's best friend actually ends up being her mom Snow White, and in one season they go to both Camelot and Hell, and also they play fast and loose with what a fairytale character is because the doctor is Victor Frankenstein. and pretty much everything gets fixed with True Love's Kiss it practically becomes an in-universe meme. The plot gets absolutely unhinged (I mean this with all the love in my heart, I adore this show), but I'm mostly drawing from the first season.

Mostly the bits I took from the show are the whole curse, except here the cultivation world is dragged into some American small town with no memories of where they're from. There are some hints that not everything is as it seems, like all the signs being in Chinese and no one being able to leave/contact the outside world. However, just like in the show, because of the curse the people in the town have no idea anything is wrong, they just believe this is all normal.

The show goes a bit further in that the town has basically been frozen in time while Emma aged 30 years, only unfreezing when she arrives. I decided to do away with that, so in my fic it's been about 5 years since they arrived and everyone aged normally.

Another important thing to remember is all the fairytale characters are basically growing up miserable and cursed with the exception of Regina, the evil queen who set the curse and acts as the mayor of the town. For instance, Snow White and Prince Charming are cursed to be separate as Prince Charming is both under a sleeping curse and engaged to someone else. Basically everything sucks then Emma comes and fixes it. That is something that will also be happening in my fic, and the first few chapters are about establishing the level of suck before we get to mystery involved.

The formatting of the show is also important. Similar to the MDZS novel, each episode features flashbacks to the fairytale land in the past that tells a bit more about the story happening in the present modern day. That's not something I can easily achieve in fic form, so instead at the end of each chapter (hopefully) I am including a once upon a time excerpt meant to tell clues about what happened to lead our characters to where they are. It's canon divergence from the burial mounds, as evidenced by the fact that in the first chapter Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are already together in the burial mounds with A-Yuan and the Wens. I'm hoping to give more info at a steady pace, but the intention is to leave the readers as confused as Wei Wuxian and everyone else is.

Otherwise, besides the basic premise and a few easter eggs, the plot and characters in my fic are more true to MDZS and not at all to OUAT. For instance, Regina's role is taken by Lan Wangji but he is absolutely not the one who set the curse and is under it just like the others. There's more, but I won't spoil it.

Some of the bits of fun easter eggs I added were Wei Wuxian's Lilttle Apple Bug, based on Emma's yellow bug that basically becomes a character of its own in the show. Also his red leather jacket is based on hers too. The book A-Yuan shows Wei Wuxian is also based on the fairytale book Henry shows Emma, except I'm picturing it looking more like a more extravagent version of the books in the Cloud Recesses

I want to add more Easter eggs as we go but my main focus here is on MDZS than the show, but if you catch anything else you get a gold star!!!

Thanks for reading this mess if you did sdjkghd. I think I covered the main bits I wanted to clarify, but if you have any questions dont be afraid to reply or send an ask, or leave a comment on the fic! I'm having so much fun with this AU featuring two of my favorite fandoms, so yay!

#i hope this helps hahahsdkljthf #i know the first chapter can be a bit confusing but thats the point!#channel your inner wwx and just go with the flow my guy #bushy writing #mdzs ouat au

18 notes · View notes

osameow24 · 2 years

Text

Wei WuXian closed his eyes, opening his mouth to let him in deep. After a while of tongues twirling around, out of the blur he saw the brand mark below Lan WangJi’s collarbone.

He put his hand there, covering up the scar. His smile had mostly faded, “Lan Zhan, tell me. Is this related to me as well?” With a moment of silence, Lan WangJi responded, “Nothing. I was drunk.”

The wine was fragrant. And mellow. It was clearly not of the pungent kind, yet his throat burned the moment it went down, on fire from his eyes all the way to his heart.

He didn’t like the taste, but he felt he understood why that person liked it.

That night was the first time Lan WangJi ever drank, as well as the first time he was inebriated.

Some said that night he broke through the storage room of the Cloud Recesses, ransacking the chests in search of who-knew-what. When Lan XiChen asked, he said he wanted a flute, his eyes lost.

Lan XiChen gave him the finest flute made of white jade, yet he threw it away in fury, saying this wasn’t the one he wanted. He couldn’t find it no matter what, when all of a sudden, he saw the iron rods that had been sealed away after being confiscated from the QishanWen Sect.

After he sobered up, a scar the same as the brand mark Wei WuXian received in the cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter appeared over his chest as well.

He drank the wine he drank, suffered the wounds he suffered.

Until now, it’d been thirteen years since scab grew over this wound.

#mo dao zu shi #mdzs #mdzs manhua #mdzs new manhua chapter #wei ying #wei wuxian #yiling patriarch #yiling laozu #lan zhan #lan wangji #hanguang jun #wangxian

124 notes · View notes

loosingmoreletters · 9 months

Note

i sincerely hope there are thousand more “who wouldn’t want to marry lan zhan?” oblivious in love wei ying moments, for lan qiren to suffer through, in the in-laws road trip au 🙏🏽

also ich anted to ask if the fic is only gonna be from wei yings pov or if maybe later on we get a chapter from lan qirens pov, as a treat?

Aaah thank you so much for the ask! (Getting asks about fanfics on tumblr is always Extra Special in my head ❤️)

And yes, we’ll get Lan Qiren chapters! The first one will be chapter 4!

I decided to stick with Wei Wuxian first mostly to show his current lack of information. He’s not even quite sure what date they have besides the vague season (not that he says so explicitly, king of unreliable narration strikes again) and all the conclusion he comes to from what surrounds him.

Lan Qiren, meanwhile, obviously knows what’s been happening in the world (well, to a degree) and is more than less purposefully withholding information from Wei Wuxian. One of the reasons should become very apparent in the next chapter (to be posted Tuesday if I can finish chapter 5 in time), the other is straight up that Wei Wuxian is terrifying.

Like, in canon we don’t really get the sense of that when Wei Wuxian is resurrected because he decides “yes, I’m gonna act like gay lunatic as a cover this tracks 10/10” and frankly speaking behaves incredibly chill. Sure, we hear about things he allegedly committed before dying, but there’s always this filter because we don’t see Wei Wuxian act like that and the characters surrounding him aren’t even 100% if he is Wei Wuxian, or just Mo Xuanyu after all.

So yeah, kicking this fic off with Wei Wuxian’s POV because he is very smart about a lot of things but doesn’t quite realize just how much his return unsettled Lan Qiren.

But trust me, there will be plenty of Lan Qiren POV in the future, definitely also to my and the reader’s amusement about some of Wei Wuxian’s conclusions ;)

I intend to make this fic the funny get along sweater in laws road trip those two deserve.

Not that Lan Wangji knows that yet.

#ask #fic: murder mystery roadtrip #I am so sorry for people who expect LWJ to show up any time before I’m guesstimating chapter 10 #joblessmonday #love your URL btw #mdzs

11 notes · View notes

stiltonbasket · 1 year

Note

i've noticed that you're fond of gender-swap fics, but they're...a certain flavor of genderswap? Especially in the fem!wangxian au, since there are social limitations for the female characters but it's not about suffering under patriarchy either?

The fem!wangxian AU (aka Flowers in the Palace) has a theme of women living on their own terms in a way that seems to follow social conventions, but goes against them under the surface. This is because most of the "harem" cast (i.e., Lan Xichen, Jiang Yanli, and Wangxian) grew up in families that chose not to uphold traditional gender roles; but when marriage enters the picture, all four women are forced to leave their natal families and make their way in a strictly gendered world.

For fem!Lan Xichen, her marriage isn't the issue: but her role as Empress comes with the expectation of obedience to the Emperor, managing a harem to foster political harmony, and raising sons who will either a) inherit the Emperor's seat or b) hold high-ranking positions in the army. Personally, Nie Mingjue expects none of these things from her, but the stability of the nation partially depends on how well Lan Xichen can play her part. Eventually, she chooses to follow her own path and gives up all pretense of wifely piety with Nie Mingjue's full support.

Lan Wangji's struggle mostly concerns Wei Wuxian, as it did in canon: for while men are allowed to have same-sex marriages, provided that they have brothers/cousins to carry on the family line, marriages between two women are completely unheard of. Thus, Lan Wangji is forced to keep her feelings hidden until Jin Zixun pursues Wei Wuxian against her will, driving away her other suitors and leaving Nie Mingjue as her only viable option. Before this happened, Lan Wangji spent years coming to terms with the fact that Wei Wuxian would marry and have her own children with someone else.

On the other hand, Jiang Yanli's turning point in the series comes when she decides to raise Jin Ling on her own terms instead of giving his paternal family a say in his upbringing. She decides that she wants to have full custody of her child and educate him as she sees fit; and by choosing to do so, goes against the Jin clan's wishes as well as her own family.

Wei Wuxian's story is much shorter, but her refusal to enter a loveless marriage or let the Jiang clan suffer on her behalf leads her straight to Lan Wangji. Initially, her only two options after JZXun proposes are a) save herself from marrying a man she hates, or b) protect her family from ruin - and in true Wei Wuxian fashion, she manages to do both.

#asks #reference #flowers in the palace #i also just really like stories where characters are a different gender #especially when gender has so much of an effect on their life paths #not really into it for modern-day media but !

34 notes · View notes

wangxianficrecs · 3 months

Text

Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach by Khashana

Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

by Khashana

T, 8k, Wangxian

Part of Wei Wuxian's Birthday Gift Exchange Oct 2022

Summary: “I am not looking for a husband,” says Lan Zhan. “I am a lesbian.” “I’m not a good match for anyone looking for a husband anyway,” says Wei Wuxian, yanking hard at a loose sleeve thread. “I’m, uh. A woman. Transgender.” In which Lan Zhan and Wei Ying enter into a marriage of convenience, try on dresses, watch Star Trek, and accidentally fall in love. Kay's comments: This story was so incredibly sweet and I enjoyed it a lot! There was a bit of angst that hit at the end, but got resolved very quickly. Apart from that, it's mostly so much yearning and pining and Wangxian falling in love in a marriage of convenience and gender euphoria and I love that for them. Excerpt: “So…” says Wei Wuxian finally. “Do you have any questions I can answer?” Lan Zhan considers the question. She already knows Wei Wuxian has a good career as a software engineer, high social status as the ward of the Jiangs, and no real health issues, courtesy of Uncle. “What do you enjoy doing as a hobby?” she asks. Wei Wuxian looks taken aback. “I play the flute,” she says eventually. “And I read a lot. Nonfiction mostly. I like learning new things.” Lan Zhan nods. “I enjoy poetry and romance novels,” she offers. “Not that this isn’t a worthwhile train of thought,” says Wei Wuxian, “but before I forget: what I actually meant was, do you have any questions about…” She makes a vague gesture at all of herself. “The trans thing?” Oh. Lan Zhan thinks about it.

pov lan wangji, modern setting, modern no powers, lesbian lan wangji/wei wuxian, trans female wei wuxian, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, married lan wangji/wei wuxian, strangers to lovers, wifes to lovers, developing relationship, pining, mutual pining, gender euphoria, light angst, angst with a happy ending, domestic bliss, domestic fluff, moving in together

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

37 notes · View notes

robininthelabyrinth · 2 years

Note

Through a strange twist of fate, lan jingyi accidentally becomes the chief cultivator. He is ridiculously good at it???

Untamed

It happened very abruptly.

Lan Wangji's tenure as Chief Cultivator had thus far been an excellent one. He'd met with all the people he needed to meet with, set up agreements, made arrangements - nowadays he mostly got petitions by correspondence, rather than in person, and it suited him and them just fine. Lan Jingyi knew this because he'd gotten involved in helping draft the formal responses to various people...though that was only because it was more interesting than copying rules, which was the other alternative punishment he could accept.

(Those rules about loudness were bullshit. Completely discriminatory! He was just a loud person. It happened, right?

"You're allowed to make sounds," Teacher Lan had said, looking long-suffering. "Even loud sounds. Even loud yodeling sounds. But not at midnight. Not even if your friends dared you!"

He might, maybe, have a point.)

They were about eight months in, if Lan Jingyi was counting right, when Lan Wangji just put down his brush in the middle of the afternoon, said, "Wei Ying needs me, and I him. I will wait no longer." and then swept out the door without another word.

"Uh," Lan Jingyi said, glancing at Teacher Lan, who was staring at the open doorway in disbelief. "Okay. So that happened."

More staring. The beginning of a glare - not good! Teacher Lan needed to stop being angry all the time; it was bad for his health!

"Well, best of luck to Hanguang-jun and his romantic endeavors," Lan Jingyi said quickly. "Now why don't we change the subject to something more practical, huh? Like...who's going to be Chief Cultivator now?"

Teacher Lan glanced at the giant pile of paperwork on Lan Wangji's desk, and now he looked really pissed off.

"I am not," he said through gritted teeth, "going to clean up another person's mess. Not again. You hear me? Not again!"

And then he stormed out, too.

Leaving Lan Jingyi alone in the jingshi.

"Uh," he said intelligently, then looked down at the paperwork. He'd already been doing most of the formal correspondence for the last month or so, so people were probably used to his handwriting.

Maybe if he just...didn't tell anyone about Hanguang-jun quitting on the spot and Teacher Lan refusing to take the job, they would, like, maybe, perhaps just...not notice that it was him and not Hanguang-jun writing back to them? Could he do that?

...was there any reason not to?

Eh, whatever. If he messed it up, what was Teacher Lan going to do? Assign him more copying?

Whatever. It'd be all right!

#mdzs #alt headcanons #my fic #my fics #in fairness we don't know that this isn't what happens #none of my usual headcanons dispute it #at least for the Untamed #lan jingyi #lan qiren #lan wangji

354 notes · View notes

lordhelpme0-0 · 2 years

Text

Crossover - MDZS + Twisted Wonderland

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Twisted Wonderland Part 2:

Backstory: the MDZS cast was transported to the twisted wonderland world by a talisman or from a gathering nighthunag or with an ancient artifact. Though, when they get back it’s where they started so it’s a pause on their world. This will be taken place after all the overblogs actually. ENJOY!~~

Heartslaybel Dorm:

Riddle:

He ain’t R E A D Y

He facing nobility with powerful mana- wait. Spiritual power.

Able to defeat high grade monsters and all that jazz on fierce corpse.

Lmao!

He will find some solace with Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji

Strict mama? Angry mommy? Comparing and toxic standards on childhood?

Angry grape uncle (Jiang Cheng) got chu covered angry strawberry

They will vibe and Jiang Cheng will see HIMSELF in him

Both are angry and will lock magic or break legs on anyone when forced to

Lan Wangji is calming

Both are rule followers

Well…Wangji mostly when it’s rules cause Wei Wuxian be getting his sugar dadd—

He will seek advice from Lan Xichen and will most likely be raised by Lan Qiren

The Junior quarters will remind him of the first years

He and Jin Ling with Sizhui will click

Jin Ling as both had threatening guardians (Jiang Cheng was only threatening verbally but they both know he is a huge softie for his nephew)

Sizhui as he is a role model for Riddle

Reminds him of Trey lmao—!

Jingyi and Jin Ling can be similar to the adeuce duo so Riddle will have a tantrum at that

He be seeking Lan Xichen for music to soothe his poor UNFORTUNATE souls

Will be curious of their cultures and learn a few tricks and tips

Immediately adopted by Wei Wuxian

No question asked

Cause Wei Wuxian thrives on teaching the younger generation

I mean— look at how many disciples followed him during the first arc and at the Yiling City

Riddle will remind Wei Wuxian of Peacock low key but he acts more like his martial nephew Jin Ling

Riddle will have uncle figures go BRRRRRR

Riddle will be a bit concerned on the huge PDA displayed by the couple (Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji)

He be alright

Hopefully those two won’t do papapa on the school property—

Lots of good role models and will not survive Wei Wuxian spicy foods

May the lord pray that Trey use his special magic to change the hot flavors

Will be aghast on how Lan Wangji eats Wei Wuxian food no question am and a stoic face at that

Jingyi: first time?

Riddle: *dying from the hotness*

This angry strawberry is in for a RIDE!

Trey:

Haha..

Ha…

…

Wei Wuxian cooking: *existed*

Trey: *internally dying*

He is gonna be using his special magic a lot on Wei Wuxian cooking so the students can not suffer

Like Riddle and Ace are dying on the sidelines with the Junior quartet and deuce patting their backs with concerned and neutral faces

Trey will click with Lan Xichen as both knows what it’s like to mediate and deal with arguments

Wei Wuxian adopted Trey

Wei Wuxian gonna adopted the rest of the twst cast no questions asked

Adoption paper go BRRRRRRRR

Trey is quite fine with the rest but Nie Huasiang be sus

Nie Huasiang gives the same vibe of Idia and Jade aura at the same time

Trey will be alright with Lan Qiren as he is similar to Professor Trein and Professor Crewel on a way

Will suffer the shamelessness of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji love for each other

Ouyang Zizhen: first time?

Trey: …

Trey be alright with most, though be concerned with others

RIP kitchen

Cater:

Nie Huasiang and cater will click automatically

Aesthetic? Yes. Appreciating anything trendy? Yes.

Both be gossiping lmao

Cater will definitely Magicam a the chaos that will happen

Likes go BRRRRRRRR

Wei Wuxian shenanigans will most likely be joined with Cater

Cater only their for the context

He is immediately adopted

Ouyang and Cater will be partners cause y’know

Cater will likely record and make a compilation every time Jingyi calls Jin Ling “yOuNg MiStReSs!!”

Poor Jin Ling—

Absolutely intrigue by the spells of the lans and complicated arrays of the Jins

Will most likely be there for every night hunt for the views

He pretty chill with them all

Definitely gets seen through on his problems

He will definitely be like Lan Xichen on supporting the Wangxian couple after hearing their hardships and all

Cater definitely enjoying the ride!

Ace:

HAH! Troublemaker meets master troublemaker?

Chaos ensues.

Meets Jingyi?

Best pals for life!

Definitely teases Jin Ling with Jingyi and clicks with Wei Wuxian

He idolizes Wei Wuxian. Literally.

Will gag at the pda of the wangxian couple

Despises Lan Qiren cause of rules and why so many rules?!

Ace: wait. So you’re telling me. You have 4000+ RULES?!

Jingyi: Yep! And still counting. Wei Wuxian-qianbei (qianbei= senior) is still finding loopholes and all! He even made a book on how to beat the system!!

Ace: *immediately respect Wei Wuxian on a whole notha level*

Ace will get silencing spells and discipline by Lan Wangji 2 or 1 time a day

Sulky and Riddles appreciates Lan Wangji even more

Definitely causes mayhem and scolded

Was terrified when meeting with Jiang Cheng

Zidian literally used when a bunch of bullies was targeting Yuu cause of grim.

The first years and Junior quartet about to throw hands. But a huge whip sliced down.

It’s strike crackle and zipping lightings as the rest of the spectators looked wide eye at a tall sneering man.

His purple fine silk robes and dark aura cackle, as if bearing its fangs to those to bow.

Zidian whip was slithering as Sandu Shengshu was prowling towards the rowdy 2nd year NRC delinquent with a terrifying scowl

Ace had never been terrified before as he did right now.

After that, no one dared to approach until once or twice that Wei Wuxian with his demonic cultivation powers, Wen Ning Ghost general, Lan Wangji guqin and sword skill, and Lan Xichen terrifying smile scared off there troublemakers

Ace now knows not to piss these war veterans off

He still scared of Jiang Cheng but lower down a bit when he knows Jiang Cheng protected him from a monster

All in all, he vibing and enjoying these new people appearance

Will hear the war stories and all the adventures

Deuce:

This sweet child gonna idolize Wei Wuxian and be adopted quick!

He will idolize Lan Xichen for his mannerism and Jiang Cheng for his bada$$ moves

Definitely will know about the chicken story and stay clear of handing chickens to anyone

Will definitely be interested in any night hunt stories

He will sympathize with Jin Ling as both of them are teased.

They be clicking

He will be helping Ace on Wei Wuxian spicy cooking while Sizhui brings sweet milk for everyone

Definitely looks to Lan Xichen advices and learn moves with Lan Wangji

He will be teased by Wei Wuxian in good spirit

Definitely empathizes with Wen Ning

Both be isolated and with bad backstory or history

Both are babies, fight me!

Will blush on the pda displayed cause he is an innocent boi on love

Lan Qiren is intimidating to Deuce, but will learn of Lan Qiren softness later on

This boy will definitely wanna try to ride the flying spiritual swords but is too neevous to ask

Jin Ling takes him on the ride

He enjoys the feeling and will ask lots of questions about it to Lan Wangji who simply replies with patience with bunnies around

Will definitely believe anything Wei Wuxian says which Lan Wangji gently and lovingly stops Wei Wuxian from doing

He gonna be having lots more role models now!

————————————————

Hope y’all enjoyed this! Next one will be Savanaclaw~! Cause I’ll be going by the order of each Overblot. Hopefully this is good and do leave some comments. I’ve experimented with the aesthetic and maybe get better! But hey? Who asking? Adios!!

62 notes · View notes

ibijau · 2 years

Text

today is @veraverorum ‘s birthday, so as per tradition I wrote them a fic of their choosing. And then that fic got a little long, so I’m posting it in 3 parts over the week!

I'm not the step-dad, I'm the dad that stepped up pt1 // On AO3

(checking the tags on AO3 is advised)

People who did not know Nie Huaisang tended to assume that he was not a morning person. It was an assumption that he gladly encouraged, making it clear that nobody should ever expect him to be available for them until late morning at best. In fact, anyone trying to check on him mid-morning would indeed find him deeply asleep, and nearly impossible to wake up, confirming their assumption of his laziness.

But anyone foolish enough to instead bother him at the crack of dawn would have merely found an empty bed, because Nie Huaisang usually woke up a first time before the sun rose, dealt with his business for a shichen or two when nobody was around to bother him, and then went back to sleep while others were starting to wake up.

His business was not usually of a nature that others considered as serious (though he personally took it very seriously). Daylight might be good for running a sect or doing cultivation, but fishing usually yielded better results if he went early, painting was more fun when he was sure nobody would scold him for it, masturbating and then going back to sleep immediately was a huge favourite, and bird watching at sunrise was just the best.

It was bird watching that he’d elected as his activity of choice that morning, as it had done nearly every morning in the few weeks since he’d been sent to hide in the Cloud Recesses. Partly because it was always his favourite thing to do, of course. But with paper becoming too precious to be wasted these days he rarely dared to paint, masturbating was boring when he only had one set of erotic prints with him, and fishing was forbidden within the limits of the Cloud Recesses, while leaving those borders was not allowed to him. His brother had sent him here to stay safe in case the Wens decided to attack more great sects, and safe he had to remain. Normally Nie Huaisang didn’t care much about his brother’s paranoia, because surely there would never be an actual war, but…

But the Cloud Recesses had burned, leaving most of it in ruins. And Lan Xichen, now its sect leader, had not been heard of in the four months that had passed. And Nie Huaisang, along with others his age, had been kept hostage by the Wens for over two months. And just the day before, Nie Huaisang had heard that the Yunmeng Jiang sect had been completely slaughtered by the Wens, who hadn’t left a single survivor behind, not even the youngest children or weakest elders.

For once, Nie Mingjue was right about the situation being pretty bad.

Nie Huaisang, who was a proud coward, stayed where he was told to stay, and remained out of everyone’s way whenever possible. He even played at following the Lan rules during daylight, mostly for the novelty of it, and because Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji scared him so much. But Lan Wangji had now left to find out what had really happened in Yunmeng, and Lan Qiren was usually very busy in the morning, so Nie Huaisang was free to do as he pleased, as long as what pleased him didn’t get him in trouble.

Hence, bird watching, usually the world’s least trouble inducing hobby, or so Nie Huaisang tried to tell everyone who suspected him of mischief.

Usually.

For a few days already, Nie Huaisang had been tracking a certain bird that lived near the Cloud Recesses. Its song was unfamiliar to him, which had made him curious enough that he’d put in significant effort to see it, even going into parts of the Cloud Recesses he wasn’t normally supposed to be in. That morning, his relentless pursuit had led him to the half ruined Hanshi, where sect leaders of Gusu Lan were supposed to live. It wasn’t somewhere an outsider like Nie Huaisang was supposed to visit without invitation, but the place had suffered significant damage from the fire, and it wasn’t as if there was a sect leader in the Cloud Recesses at the moment. So Nie Huaisang, following that haunting bird song, had not hesitated to make his way into the ruined part of the building until he reached an inner courtyard. There a little garden, which must have once been exquisitely beautiful, now laid blackened by the fire. But just as the Cloud Recesses hadn’t been fully destroyed, something remained in that courtyard, and already a few strands of green grass were trying to grow amidst the blackened mess.

Nie Huaisang, who enjoyed pretty gardens as much as the next person (provided the next person loved gardens to a somewhat concerning degree), felt saddened by the miserable state of that place, and thought that he just might come there secretly sometimes and try to get things back in order. Surely it would make Lan Xichen happy when (if) he returned to have a nice place to meditate. Nie Huaisang liked it when Lan Xichen was happy, just on the principle that handsome people were even more pleasant to look at when their mood was good. Besides, Lan Xichen was a nice person, who’d always been quite kind to Nie Huaisance, and it would be fun to be kind to him in return, just to try it out.

Nie Huaisang’s rare thoughts of selfless generosity quickly evaporated when he heard again that bird that had been messing with him for the last few days. Without thinking, Nie Huaisang turned toward the source of that song, somewhere near the more intact half of the Hanshi. But rather than to see at last that mysterious bird, Nie Huaisang found himself looking at something far more unexpected.

Across the courtyard, on the unburned part of the building, a door had been opened wide, showing glimpses of a refined room. Nie Huaisang could just barely see a large bronze mirror resting against a wall and. He had a much better view of the man standing in front of that mirror, fully nude.

Lan Xichen.

Nie Huaisang was first surprised that Lan Xichen had returned without his knowledge. He was usually good at knowing what was happening around him, if only because he enjoyed gossip a little too much. If Lan Xichen had returned officially, through the main gate, Nie Huaisang would surely have known.

His second surprise was caused by Lan Xichen’s nudity. Of course Nie Huaisang knew that even Lans had to get naked sometimes, to wash if nothing else, but the concept just felt so alien it was almost funny. After all, Nie Huaisang knew for a fact that even when they went to meditate in their horrible cold springs, they usually kept some of their garments on (but that might have been because the springs were, indeed, very cold). Not that Nie Huaisang was complaining at all about the view. Lan Xichen was a very handsome person to begin with, and Nie Huaisang had always enjoyed looking at him when he needed to shed layers while training on very hot days (the only reason he'd ever showed up to the training grounds, actually). And Nie Huaisang didn’t believe in ethics strongly enough that he wouldn’t stay and get a good look, especially since Lan Xichen appeared unaware that he had company.

That was because Lan Xichen’s attention was entirely on his own body. He kept looking into the bronze mirror with an unreadable expression, then would look down at himself and frown. Both his hands were on his stomach, touching and stroking it, as if trying to map it out. Not without reason, Nie Huaisang thought. At the angle from which he could see Lan Xichen, it appeared that his stomach was a little fuller than normal. It could have been that Lan Xichen had eaten too much, but he’d have needed to truly gorge himself on food to get his stomach distended that way. Besides, it made no sense. Lans had strict rules against overeating, and Lan Xichen was not the sort to break his sect’s rules. And then the way he kept touching his stomach… it was a familiar gesture. Nie Huaisang has seen others do it. One of his cousins had been like that after she’d gotten pregnant, always touching her belly even when it was still very flat, trying to find if it showed at all under her clothes, and she’d probably done the same when she was naked as well.

It was rare for men to get pregnant, but not unheard off. It could happen in various ways, either because they’d been born with a body that didn’t suit them which they’d trained until they were indistinguishable from other men, or weird dual cultivation methods, or curses, or potions, or who else knew what. Nie Huaisang had encountered these options and more when reading, and he had jerked off more than once to such stories.

He watched a little longer, fascinated by the sight in front of him, which was just as erotic as those illustrations he'd seen. Lan Xichen’s body was lean and strong and gorgeous, and then there was that little bump at the bottom of his stomach, that unexpected softness that looked both out of place and like the perfect addition to an already perfect silhouette. But the longer Nie Huaisang watched, the more obvious it became that this wasn't a happy moment for Lan Xichen. After he'd spent a while observing his own body, Lan Xichen appeared to be getting frustrated. He started pushing down on his stomach, as if trying to force his body into its normal shape. His expression grew darker as well, and although Nie Huaisang was a little too far to be sure, he thought that Lan Xichen might have started crying.

It suddenly occurred to Nie Huaisang that he was witnessing something he shouldn’t have seen at all. Normally he might not have cared, and would instead just have observed this and used it as masturbation material later when he was bored. But he did like Lan Xichen. In fact, Nie Huaisang sometimes suspected he had a bit of a crush (more than a crush, perhaps), though he also believed that everybody had a crush on Lan Xichen anyway, so it didn't really matter.

The point being, Nie Huaisang had enough respect for Lan Xichen to leave him to deal with his problems and pretend he hadn’t seen anything. So he very carefully made his way back through the ruined part of the Hanshi, walked back to the room he’d been given for his stay, and went back to sleep without being noticed by anyone.

Well, Nie Huaisang tried to go back to sleep, anyway. But he found himself turning this way and that, or staring at the ceiling, absolutely unable to keep his eyes shut.

He kept thinking of that little bump of a stomach, of Lan Xichen’s tears. And the more he thought about it, the more he wondered how Lan Xichen had ended up in that situation. He was after all too serious to sleep around (Nie Huaisang would have know about it otherwise, and fought for his own chance to jump in Lan Xichen's bed), especially if he was the sort of man whose body could naturally fall pregnant… but even if that wasn't normally a risk, the Lan cultivation method put great emphasis on the importance of having one single dual cultivation partner. It didn’t stop junior disciples from fooling around, but it did mean they were never willing to do more than handjobs or blowjobs unless they thought it was true love, as Nie Huaisang himself had learned long ago. And while Lan Xichen was universally admired and lusted after, it was difficult to imagine him getting close enough to anyone to get in such a sticky situation. His only close friend, the one person who could be suspected of having his affection, was Nie Mingjue, and he was even less the sort to fool around, and entirely uninterested in romance anyway. It had to be a secret relationship then, one so secret that it had even escaped Nie Huaisang’s attention.

Judging by the small curve of Lan Xichen’s stomach, the pregnancy couldn’t be more than three or four months in. That placed the conception around the time the Cloud Recesses had been burned, either a little before or a little after… but more likely before, since after Lan Xichen would have been on the run and probably too busy hiding to have dalliances. Or had he met a handsome stranger who had swept him off his feet? Perhaps someone who had helped him stay away from the Wens, and now Lan Xichen missed that person, and that was why he’d have been crying…

Nie Huaisang huffed angrily, and turned again on his bed, pulling his thin blanket over his eyes. This whole thing was unpleasant to think about. Not because he was envious of Lan Xichen's mysterious lover (he wasn't so foolish as to think Lan Xichen could ever like him) but merely because he hated not knowing the whole story. He hoped that there would soon be an official announcement to put him out of his misery.

But for the time being he eventually had to accept that he wouldn’t fall asleep again.

So Nie Huaisang got up, and patiently waited for the bell that announced breakfast. As soon as it was allowed he made his way to the dining halls, and went to sit at his usual place, next to his current best friend, Lan Shuhuai. Lan Shuhuai was ninety at least (he’d stopped counting after that age, he liked to say), but didn’t look a day over fifty. He was a (mostly) well respected elder of the Gusu Lan sect in charge of the library (or what remained of it), and he’d half recruited Nie Huaisang in helping with his cleaning effort. Something Nie Huaisang had readily agreed to, because Lan Shuhuai knew all the best gossip, and didn’t mind sharing it with the right person. And since Nie Huaisang was always more than happy to hear all the gossip available, they made a great team.

Of course Lan Shuhuai noticed when Nie Huaisang kept looking at the table when Lan Qiren was eating, surprised not to see his oldest nephew sitting with him. And when Nie Huaisang hesitantly confessed that he thought he’d caught a glimpse of Lan Xichen that morning, Lan Shuhuai quickly silenced him with a gesture. It was only when they were alone together in the ruins of the library, still sorting through the destroyed books that Lan Xichen hadn’t been able to take with him, that Lan Shuhuai agreed to talk about his young sect leader’s whereabouts.

“He came by last night,” Lan Shuhuai confirmed. “Spent a good shichen with that Chengfu boy, the doctor, and apparently he was pretty upset when he left. From what I’ve been told, our young Lan zongzhu even raised his voice about… whatever it is he needed a doctor for. Old Chengfu apparently wanted him to stay in the Cloud Recesses until his condition improved, but you know how young men are. I’ve heard he’s already left Gusu again, either to see your brother or to meet some other sect leaders about what happened in Yunmeng.”

Considering how even tempered Lan Xichen was, it was really odd to think of him getting angry. At the same time, being pregnant could affect people’s mood, and it really was an inconveniently timed pregnancy at that. It would have been better to end it, but if Nie Huaisang’s guess of four months was right, then it would have been complicated.

He didn’t understand all the details, but after a certain point the baby became too accepted by the bearing parent’s golden core to be safely aborted. From what Nie Huaisang had heard, two to three months was the ideal period, anything after that became riskier. And that was supposing Lan Xichen would have preferred the baby gone, which Nie Huaisang had to assume was unlikely. Considering the Lans’ ideas on love and sex, Lan Xichen probably had intense romantic ideas about his baby and his baby’s father, and he’d want to keep it of course… in which case, the doctors might have advised him to maybe not run around when the Wens still wanted to capture him and they were all on the verge of a war. Lan Xichen probably wouldn’t have liked that either, because he was not quite twenty, and even someone reasonable like him must have wanted the chance to be a hero.

What a complicated situation, really.

Lan Shuhuai, seeing Nie Huaisang so deep in thought he’d been inspecting the same scroll for the better part of half a shichen, nudged him with a smile.

“Well, Xiao Sang, do you know something about this that I don’t? I’ve never seen you look so serious.”

“I just hope Xichen-ge is not too seriously ill,” Nie Huaisang innocently replied. “My brother would be so sad if something happened to his friend… and besides, can you imagine if Wangji-xiong had to become sect leader?”

That made Lan Shuhuai shiver, and got him to start retelling stories about the Twin Jade’s father, who had not been a very good sect leader even during the short time he had actually bothered leading anything, and how Lan Wangji was similarly an amazingly talented young man but simply not a good fit for the role. Nie Huaisang got a few good laughs out of that, and at least two new embarrassing childhood anecdotes that would make good ammunition against Lan Wangji someday. But most importantly, Nie Huaisang once again managed to hear plenty of gossip without sharing much himself, which was exactly how he liked it.

Days passed, turning into weeks, and still there was no announcement of Lan Xichen’s pregnancy. Odder still, there was no rumour of it, either. Even Lan Shuhuai did not seem to know why his young sect leader had needed a doctor that night he’d finally come home. At most, he’d heard something about possible early signs of a Qi deviation, but he shared that without great conviction, just because he was bored and liked to chat while they sorted books.

Nie Huaisang, curious as he was, figured it made sense for the pregnancy to be kept secret, especially once an alliance was formalised to fight against the Wens. The whole thing was already fragile enough, what with Jin Guangshan’s reluctance, and Lan Xichen’s age, and Jiang Cheng’s age (and lack of an actual sect to speak of). If people knew that Lan Xichen was pregnant on top of being too young, it would make that alliance too much of a joke. It was probably better to keep things secret as long as possible, and to hope that by the time Lan Xichen’s predicament became too obvious to hide, the Sunshot Campaign would be doing well enough that this wouldn’t cause problems.

Nie Huaisang’s assessment of the situation was confirmed when Lan Xichen visited again, a month later. This time the visit was a little more official. Lan Xichen did not try to hide his presence (there was no longer a need for that, now that they’d reach open war) and yet there was still no news of his condition. Yet that condition was still an on-going issue, Nie Huaisang figured, because Lan Xichen’s second stop (right after seeing his father’s tomb to pay his respects) had been to go see the one Lan doctor who hadn’t left yet for the front. Rumour had it that Lan Xichen was once more very unhappy about whatever news it was he received, which suddenly made the theory that he was on the verge of Qi deviation a lot more popular among the Lans. They could not imagine any other reason why their young, strong, and apparently healthy new sect leader would be in need of medical attention.

Nie Huaisang, who knew better, held his tongue. At dinner, he kept glancing across the dining hall toward Lan Xichen who sat alone with his uncle, both of them looking equally grim. It was one thing for Lan Qiren to be so severe, when the man had probably never smiled once in his entire life. But to see Lan Xichen frowning that way was rather discomforting. Nie Huaisang quickly decided that he did not like it. And, being used to getting his way about nearly everything, he decided that what he wanted at the moment was to see Lan Xichen smile again, just to get a sense of normalcy when everything else felt so chaotic.

It would have been ridiculous to approach Lan Xichen during dinner, or right after it for that matter. A sect leader had many duties to attend, especially within a sect already half depleted by the demands of war. Nie Huaisang’s experience in dealing with his brother had taught him to be smart about these things, and to wait for the right moment. Concerning Lan Xichen, he knew that the other man had slept last time in what still remained of the ruined Hanshi, and he knew as well how easy it was to get there without being noticed, having gone a few more times since that fateful morning because he was still looking for that damn bird. It was logical, then, for Nie Huaisang to return to that ruined garden and hide himself there, as patient in this as he was when he went birdwatching.

It was a long wait to be sure, yet less so than Nie Huaisang had prepared himself for. Night had barely fallen when the light of a candle appeared inside the room where he’d seen Lan Xichen last time. Better yet, the door toward the garden soon opened and Lan Xichen himself appeared, fully dressed this time, and came to stand among ruined beauty. Nie Huaisang sprang from his hiding place and greeted Lan Xichen with the same good humour as always. Lan Xichen was startled to find that he was not alone, but quickly relaxed when he realised who was there with him.

“Huaisang, you shouldn’t be out here so late,” Lan Xichen scolded too gently, as if he were still incapable of being reasonably harsh toward Nie Huaisang even when it was deserved. “If you are caught wandering at this time, you’ll have to be punished.”

“It’s fine, I’ll just be tasked with helping Lan Shuhuai even more,” Nie Huaisang retorted. “And that’s what I do all day already.”

“Yes, I’ve heard you’ve been helping a lot. I’ll make sure to mention it to your brother when I see him, I’m sure he will be glad to hear it. I know I’m very grateful for your hard work.”

“It’s not so hard, and Lan Shuhuai always has fun stories to tell so time passes fast.”

“I can imagine Lan Shuhuai is just the sort of company you’d enjoy,” Lan Xichen said, his mouth twitching in amusement, though he did not quite manage to smile.

Even that was an improvement over Lan Xichen's sour mood at dinner, and Nke Huaisang took it as a first victory.

"Of course, Xichen-ge's company is even more enjoyable," he said with sincere warmth. "I'm so glad I was able to catch a moment with you."

"Is that so?" Lan Xichen asked, a little mocking. "I'm surprised. Considering how many times you've accused me of being cruel and unfeeling just because I asked you to study, I thought my company would be particularly loathsome to you."

"I'm not a student anymore, so I'm safe from that now."

"I can still report to your brother on the frequency of your training," Lan Xichen retorted with good humour. "When was the last time you picked up that sabre he lent you to come here? Should we spar a little so I can check your progress?"

Nie Huaisang gasped in mock horror, one hand over his heart while he pretended to stumble as if he'd been struck. Lan Xichen smiled at first, then laughed when Nie Huaisang, now pretending the attack had been mortal, leaned against the remains of a burned tree with a dramatic groan.

It was a soft little thing, that laughter. It sounded fragile almost, as if Lan Xichen couldn't quite remember how to laugh after so much tragedy. And yet, quiet as it was, it illuminated his face, giving it back the warmth that had been absent so far.

Forgetting his comedy, Nie Huaisang stared at him in awe. It always caught him by surprise, how handsome Lan Xichen was when he forgot to restrain himself. Not that he wasn't handsome the rest of the time (he definitely was) but in those too rare moments of sincere emotion, Lan Xichen appeared as a stunning god walking among mortals. A god for whom Nie Huaisang felt more than he ought to have felt, especially when all signs pointed to Lan Xichen having already found his cultivation partner.

But it was fine if Nie Huaisang had a crush. It was fine as long as he didn't let it stop him from being a good friend. In fact, unrequited love, as far as he was concerned, was very fashionable, so he didn't mind partaking in that a little. It would give him something to lament over next time he saw his other friends, and maybe he'd even get Nie Mingjue to feel sorry for him.

"Fine, I'll keep that secret from your brother," Lan Xichen promised, still retaining a certain softness at the corner of his eyes even as he tried to make himself stern again. "And I am happy that you came to see me, but you must go now. I meant it earlier, you will be punished if you're caught breaking curfew."

"It'll be worth it."

"I would be sad if you were punished because of me," Lan Xichen replied. "You don't want me to be sad, do you?"

The question was asked in a playful tone, but Nie Huaisang couldn't help taking it seriously. He really didn't want Lan Xichen to be sad. It would be unbearable to cause Lan Xichen any sadness, when already the world was so unkind to him. Nie Huaisang wanted Lan Xichen to be happy, and he might even be willing to slightly inconvenience himself for it, or to put mild effort into it, which was far more than he could say about literally anyone or anything else in the world.

"Fine, I'll go for now," Nie Huaisang conceded. "But can I come to see you again tomorrow night?"

"I'll be gone by then," Lan Xichen said, fully serious once more.

"Then can I come next time you visit? Just to chat a little like this. I won't bother you, I swear!"

"I don't think I have the power to stop you if that's what you want."

"Of course I want it. But if you don't, I'm not going to force you."

From being stern, Lan Xichen's expression turned a little sad. "That's very kind of you. I think I would like it if you came again. It would really be... But I won't hold it against you if you change your mind between now and then."

"Oh, I definitely won't!" Nie Huaisang exclaimed.

Lan Xichen only looked more sad, as if he knew something Nie Huaisang didn't know. Except Nie Huaisang did know about the pregnancy, and he didn't mind, didn't care, and just wanted to make Lan Xichen smile again.

As long as Lan Xichen smiled, and he smiled because of Nie Huaisang, for Nie Huaisang, nothing else mattered at all.

After that, Lan Xichen returned more often to the Cloud Recesses. Every two or three weeks he would drop by, sometimes alone, more often accompanied by people he had freed from the Wens' clutches. Among those people, some would leave again with him if they were strong enough to fight and judged trustworthy. The others, the young, the old, the weak, those of dubious allegiance, would be confined to the Cloud Recesses.

Lan Xichen never stayed long. A day or two, three at most, and then he was gone again, almost a ghost within his own home. But two things were sure to happen when he was there. First, that he would go see the doctor. Second, that Nie Huaisang and him would exchange a few words.

At first it was Nie Huaisang who sought him out each time, which appeared to surprise Lan Xichen. But then again, with his pregnancy still a secret, there were no rumours to isolate him more than his status already did. And it seemed to do him real good to have someone chat with him as if he were still nothing more than a young master, so Nie Huaisang made sure never to miss out on his visits.

Then, about three months after Lan Xichen's first secret visit, came a day where Lan Xichen was the one to purposefully seek out Nie Huaisang. Of course Nie Huaisang was easy enough to find, because if he wasn't helping in the library then he was gardening, the most pointless and most run activity he'd found for his spare time. Nie Mingjue might have been impressed to see his brother hard at work removing dead bushes and burned out small trees, but Nie Huaisang took comfort in knowing that he was still doing something useless, so physical effort was acceptable.

Still, when Lan Xichen found him, Nie Huaisang was dirty and sweating, his face and hands black with dirt, and overall it wasn't at all how he wanted to be seen by the other man. Least of all when Lan Xichen, in spite of the war, still looked magnificent in his long pale robes.

Magnificent, and visibly pregnant. It had gotten to the point where the many layers worn by the Lan sect could no longer hide Lan Xichen's state. Others would notice, and gossip would be inevitable. But as for Nie Huaisang, he pretended he couldn't see anything, and just greeted Lan Xichen with the same good humour as always.

His silence on that topic appeared to come as a relief to Lan Xichen, and yet his thanks for Nie Huaisang's kindness was to be unbearably cruel, and mean, and the worst friend in the entire world.

"It's just your sabre," Lan Xichen said with barely restrained laughter as Nie Huaisang inspected the offending chunk of metal. "No need to be so upset."

"It's just my sabre, and then it'll be just training, and then just something else that's awful," Nie Huaisang whined. "I can't. I'm too delicate. Can't we pretend you lost it on your way here?"

The argument about being delicate would have worked better without the pile of uprooted bushes surrounding Nie Huaisang, but he was shameless enough to try anyway.

"Your brother would be very upset at me if I lost your sabre," Lan Xichen pointed out with a smile.

"But now he's going to be upset at me for not using it! Have you no mercy?"

"None at all. Better you than me."

Nie Huaisang gasped in horror and betrayal, before both of them started chuckling like schoolboys. Lan Xichen stayed a little more after that, giving some news from the war and from Nie Mingjue, before he had to leave again. But that visit proved a turning point. From then on, whenever Lan Xichen came to the Cloud Recesses, he would look for Nie Huaisang to talk with him, instead of Nie Huaisang trying to steal a few moments of his time.

That change was of course noticed and, combined with Lan Xichen's now obvious stomach, it naturally gave rise to questions and suspicions. Nie Huaisang noticed that the elders who had stuck around would look at him with either interest or open hatred, when before they gave him as little attention as if he'd been an ant under a blade of grass. Lan Qiren was the only one whose attitude did not change, confirming that he had to know who was really to blame for his nephew's condition.

A condition that was still not being acknowledged in any official way. There was still no announcement, which Nie Huaisang was starting to find odd. The war was going well enough at this point, the alliance was strong enough, that publicly admitting Lan Xichen was with child should have been fine. In fact there should also have been news of an engagement at this point. If the other father was a commoner, he should have been brought to the Cloud Recesses and a pretty tale woven to explain why it was actually fine for Lan Xichen to make such a bad match. And if it was a cultivator, a stronger alliance could have been struck with his sect, or else he could have been treated as a martyr of the war against the Wens if he'd fallen against them, and Lan Xichen granted a posthumous marriage to his one true love.

It was all very odd. Nie Huaisang took it as proof that the Lans didn't understand politics and propaganda at all. If he’d been in charge of that, things would have gone very differently.

Not that Nie Huaisang wanted to be in charge of anything. In fact, now that Lan Shuhuai and him were done sorting out the remains of the library, Nie Huaisang was hard at work to avoid being given anything else to do. Helping Lan Shuhuai had been one thing, because Nie Huaisang had hardly done anything at all except provide company. But now Lan Qiren had suggested that Nie Huaisang might give him a hand with double checking the sect’s budget, and that would be more of a problem.

Not because Nie Huaisang wasn’t capable of doing it. In fact, he was immensely competent with numbers, which always surprised everyone who bought into his image as an idle and useless young master. But numbers were fun, and Nie Huaisang was good when it came to money because the too small allowance his brother gave him forced him to be very careful with spending (it had even forced him to build some small businesses while studying in Gusu, to supplement his income and maintain his lifestyle). But if people found out that he was good at one thing, then they’d start expecting him to learn how to be good at other things, and Nie Huaisang just couldn’t be bothered. It was better to keep expectations low and pretend to be a complete idiot.

Which would have been a lot easier if Lan Qiren hadn’t confiscated his accounting book some years ago, and found out first hand that Nie Huaisang was occasionally competent when it suited him. As a result, they were now stuck in a very polite conflict where Lan Qiren tried to get Nie Huaisang to help, while Nie Huaisang pretended he couldn’t pick up the subtle hints dropped at him.

In a way, it was kind of fun.

Well, it was fun until Lan Qiren pulled a dirty trick and had his older nephew ask Nie Huaisang to help around a little.

Lan Xichen was once more visiting the Cloud Recesses after doing whatever people did out there to fight the Wens. It had snowed recently, the first snow of the season, and Nie Huaisang had been happily wasting time making snowmen around the Hanshi, just for the fun of it. It was there that Lan Xichen found him, having likely come there as soon as he’d taken care of his more urgent duties.

By Nie Huaisang’s calculations, Lan Xichen had to be close to giving birth by then. Certainly his stomach was frightfully large. Had he been a woman, he would have stopped appearing in public weeks ago, forced by doctors to rest until the birth. So much activity couldn’t be good for the baby. It probably wasn’t very good for Lan Xichen either, who looked quite tired, but he was probably too stubborn to stop helping with the Sunshot Campaign.

“So this is what you've been doing lately?” Lan Xichen asked when he reached Nie Huaisang, gesturing at the snowmen. “Aren’t you a little old for this?”

“One is never too old to have fun. And I have nothing else to do, anyway.”

“Yes, I’ve been told you made sure of that,” Lan Xichen replied with a mischievous smile. “I have something to say about that. First, can you help me sit? My back hurts if I stand too long.”

Nie Huaisang dutifully obeyed, guiding Lan Xichen to a nearby bench, wiping away the snow from it, then helping the other man sit down. Lan Xichen sighed in relief, and gestured dismissively at his round stomach.

“It’s such a bother, always in my way. I’ve been told some people enjoy this state, but personally I can’t be freed from it soon enough.”

Startled to hear Lan Xichen acknowledge his pregnancy, Nie Huaisang found himself unsure what to say and just nodded.

“Sit down with me,” Lan Xichen said, patting the space next to him on the bench. It wasn’t a very big bench, they’d have to sit close together, and that made Nie Huaisang hesitate. “Sit, please,” Lan Xichen insisted. “At this point, just seeing someone standing makes my feet hurt.”

“Fine then,” Nie Huaisang mumbled, sitting next to Lan Xichen, trying not to enjoy too much the way their elbows and thighs touched.

“You’re always so considerate with me,” Lan Xichen said. From anyone else it would have been sarcasm, but he seemed sincere enough. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet for the way you’ve tried to keep me in a good mood whenever I’ve come here, but I’m really grateful. You’ve made this a little more bearable.”

“I haven’t done anything!”

“You’ve told me jokes, and made me laugh, and distracted me whenever I was angry with something, which was nearly every time I’ve had to come home,” Lan Xichen retorted. “It was really helpful. And I also deeply appreciate the fact that you’ve never asked me any question about… about my situation. Knowing you, you must have been very curious, so I’m sincerely grateful you made an effort not to mention it.”

Nie Huaisang’s cheek heated up, embarrassed by more praise than he was used to.

“I figured if you wanted to talk about it, you’d say so,” he muttered. “You didn’t, so I didn’t either. I bet you had enough people pestering you about it already.”

Lan Xichen grimaced as he nodded. One of his hands came to rest on his stomach for a moment, but he quickly removed it with another grimace.

“People feel so entitled to the details of my life,” he sighed. “But there’s just a lot I don’t feel like sharing. I’ve told the doctors what they had to know, I’ve told my uncle what he had to know… I don’t see why anyone else deserves to hear about it, or why I should share unimportant facts. Even your brother was pestering me about it, and refused to accept that any answers I could give would just be unpleasant for him. But you… thank you for respecting my privacy.”

Thinking about having watched Lan Xichen naked that one time, and having imagined him nude many more times since, Nie Huaisang shrugged. He didn’t feel he’d been particularly good at respecting anyone’s privacy here, but he wasn't above taking a compliment he didn't deserve.

“You’ve really been a true friend,” Lan Xichen insisted, looking at Nie Huaisang with a smile so soft his heart skipped a beat. “And I hope you’ll allow me to ask you for a favour, out of friendship.”

“Anything you want, Xichen-ge!”

“I’ve just been told that I’m too close to my term to leave the Cloud Recesses again,” Lan Xichen explained, gesturing at his stomach with a dismissive gesture. “Especially not when Wei Wuxian has been using… rather unconventional means to fight against the Wens, and it is feared that being near him could have an impact on the baby. So I will be confined at home starting tonight, until after that child is born. It promises to be rather boring. I’m not allowed to do any work at all.”

“I can’t imagine you being idle very long,” Nie Huaisang said.

“Just the thought of it makes my skin crawl,” Lan Xichen agreed with a shiver. "But I believe I found a loophole. You see, I was given permission to have company in my confinement, as long as I can find someone willing. And such a companion would of course not be subject to the same restrictions as me. They would be permitted to work."

Nie Huaisang nodded slowly, half guessing where this was going.

"Naturally if my companion needed help with his work, I would offer to assist," Lan Xichen went on. "And as it happens, my uncle mentioned to me that he has hoped to recruit you into doing some paperwork for him…"

"Accounting," Nie Huaisang corrected with a laugh, surprised that either Lan Xichen or Lan Qiren would be capable of scheming like that. "I have always refused so far because he scares me too much to spend my days in his office. But if I could get to spend my days in your room instead, I wouldn't mind as much."

Actually, several of Nie Huaisang's top ten ways to hypothetically spend his days involved Lan Xichen and a bedroom. In some versions, they even got to stay dressed. In most, they didn't.

Accounting was not a common part of those fantasies, but he could adapt.

"I can't say how grateful I am," Lan Xichen replied, smiling warmly. "You have no idea how much it scared me to be alone or in bad company, with nothing to do but wait idly for this ordeal to be over.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Nie Huaisang assured him, delighted by the perspective of so much time spent with his crush, and with nobody to bother them, too. “I’m glad if you think we’re friends, and I guess it’s fine if I even have to do a little work. If it’s to help you, it’s worth it.”

Lan Xichen appeared pleased by this, and relieved as well. Nie Huaisang wasn’t naive enough to think he would have been the first choice if there had been other options. If Nie Mingjue or Lan Wangji had been around, Lan Xichen wouldn’t have asked him at all. But these two were busy in the war, and there just wasn’t anyone even a little bit fun or interesting left in the Cloud Recesses, except Nie Huaisang.

Being the last resort wasn’t flattering, but it was better than nothing.

“I will be a terrible friend now,” Lan Xichen said after a moment, “and ask for one more favour."

"Anything, anything at all!"

"Can you help me get up?" Lan Xichen shyly asked. "It's slippery with the snow, and my balance is currently a little off. I'm worried I might fall."

Nie Huaisang laughed at the request, and promptly jumped to his feet. He offered both of his hands to Lan Xichen, who took them both as he carefully rose from the bench. Then, instead of letting go of Nie Huaisang's hands, he kept holding them a few moments too long. Nie Huaisang felt too aware of the warmth of their skin touching, of their breaths mixing like clouds in the cold air, of how little space there was between them, barely enough for that round belly. Lan Xichen opened his mouth, as if he might say something, then closed it again and let go of Nie Huaisang’s hands.

In case Lan Xichen changed his mind about whatever he wanted to say, Nie Huaisang offered to walk him to the dining halls for his last meal around others. But they made their way there in silence, the moment having passed.

Hopefully, it would return some other time.

#xisang #nie huaisang #lan xichen #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #jau writes #step dad nhs

37 notes · View notes