#the way HC chose to give XL his ashes specifically after XL tells him he really does want to see HC's real appearance and doesn't care even

[hualianisms]

the way HC grew up thinking he was weak, monstrous, repulsive, was told that he was cursed, and believed that he had to spend 800 years becoming better, stronger, more powerful, for XL, bc he wanted to protect XL -

but then he meets XL again, and shortly after becoming friends, XL tells HC that he doesn't care if HC is hideous, doesn't care if HC is a beggar or royalty, a ghost or human. later on, XL even tells HC that he doesn't care if HC is strong or weak, at his lowest or highest point, in worst or best moments - XL loves HC no matter what state HC may be in, he loves him simply bc he is HC.

and this unconditional love from XL is so important to HC, so healing for HC, and is exactly why it shaped HC so inexorably, both 800 years ago and 800 years later. bc XL truly is the kind of person who loves someone for who they are, not how they appear on the outside.

and HC fully reciprocates this unconditional love by loving XL no matter if XL is the god-pleasing crown prince or the broken husk of a man wearing bwx's mask trying to take revenge. HC returns this unconditional love by repeating XL's words back to him, what matters is you, not the state of you.

#hualian #my meta #i've talked about this before but it just hit me all over again #the puqi shrine sleepover and the campfire convo and when xl says 'you can't be strong every moment of everyday' #are the same in essence #the way HC chose to give XL his ashes specifically after XL tells him he really does want to see HC's real appearance and doesn't care even #if it's hideous or monstrous #XL being the one who says 'what matters is you not the state of you' #XL truly being the kind of person who doesn't care about all these things!! he only cares that HC is HC!! he loves HC bc it's HC!! #anyway. the thesis of hualian is 'what matters is you not the state of you' #aka unconditional love!!! #mp: tgcf