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*struggles while writing* i suck and writing is hard

*remembers some ppl use ai* i am a creative force. i am uncorrupted by theft and indolence. i am on a journey to excellence. it is my duty to keep taking joy in creating.

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If you just saw me reblog and then delete like 20 posts shhh no you didn’t.

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Approach with caution

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Vampiric vascular access PSA from your friendly neighbourhood fanfic writing medic: Where To Bite

For those of you who, like me, love to write/read this sad vampire (or indeed anyone who likes to write any vampire), there were just a couple of sexy little anatomy things that I wanted to highlight (purely for fun).

First: arteries vs veins - Arteries take blood at pressure generated by the left ventricle of the heart, hence the pulse, to tissues and organs. Veins are a low pressure system that take blood back to the heart (via all sorts of mechanisms like valves, suction pressure from inspiration, pressure gradients, etc). - The inherent not-quite-sexy risk to puncturing/bleeding from an artery (especially a big one) is the risk of clot formation and with that the risk that those clots travel (embolize) further down the artery. This can result in things like strokes or ischaemic limbs. - Major arteries have associated major veins running nearby them. - Because of pressure differences, arterial punctures can spurt blood out, whereas veins ooze. To drink from a vein you'd have to apply a little more suction, whereas drinking from an artery might be a bit more messy/squirty. - Sure, veins don't pulse in the way arteries do BUT the way that we find these big veins (without ultrasound) is via use of anatomical landmarks. Your fave vampire will likely know those landmarks. Durge will likely also know these landmarks...for other reasons.

The neck (the classic, and everyone's favourite) - One of the things we look for as part of a fluid status assessment/CVS exam is the JVP (jugular venous pressure), which reflects pressure changes in the right atrium. For this we look for the double waveform pulse on either side of the neck coming from the internal jugular vein. It's not really palpable in the way arterial pulses are, but it is visible in most people (especially at neck turned 45 degrees). - The internal jugular vein (IJV) AND the external jugular vein are the two chunky veins of the neck. The IJV in particular would be a good one to bite for the same reason it's often a favourite vein to use for central line insertion- it's large, superficial, and usually pretty straight in its course within the neck. - The carotids are the major arteries of the neck, sitting more in the midline and protected a bit by a muscle there (sternocleidomastoid).

The inner thigh (the smut writer's favourite) - Gods know that the femorals have been doing some heavy lifting in vampire smut fics. Given the fact that they are located on either side of the groin, any biting action there has the inference of a lot more physical intimacy. - Like the neck vessels, you have big arteries AND big veins in the femoral region too. You have the femoral arteries which lie again more in the centre (like the carotids), and you have the femoral veins which actually lie more medially (more towards the mid-line of the body, i.e further in on the groin). These then branch out. - For purposes of vampiric vascular access, the femoral veins would be just a bit easier to get into position wise, but they do run very close to the femoral arteries. Because of how anatomy and fat distribution works also worth mentioning that the femoral vein and artery also lie a little deeper, so would require a much deeper bite.

Peripheral pulses (for those little nibbles) - For a quick snack more peripherally, it's going to be much easier to chomp into a peripheral artery. Arteries have thicker, more muscular walls than veins and the more superficial veins get the flimsier they are (i.e would be bitches to try to puncture with fangs). - We often sample arterial blood by puncturing the radial arteries. The radial artery runs on the thumb side of the wrist, and is very easy to palpate! - One could also attempt the brachial arteries, which are just above the inside of either elbow. A little deeper, but still palpable. - For the more adventurous bloodsuckers, you could even go for the dorsalis pedis (top of the foot), or the posterior tibial (below and behind the innermost part of the ankle bone)! See below: Astarion sampling a little of that radial artery juice

Aftercare (for the bitten) - If you are biting an artery or big vein you will usually need to apply some pressure to stop the bleeding. - In terms of clotting, it depends on what magical properties you believe vampire spit has. If none, it generally takes a few minutes to stop bleeding with a bit of added pressure, but bigger puncture sites may take longer. - That said, all bleeding stops eventually in one way or another- just ask Durge. - Like always, after a big drink you may need to ask your cleric friend to help you out with a cheeky lesser restoration spell to stimulate erythropoeisis so you're not wandering around the Realms so deeply anaemic.

Happy biting, friends!

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Summary

He hated the feeling - it was too much like The Urge for him to feel safe.

Astarion seemed to pick up on it too, his idle movements stilling to watch him. “Not going to go all murder-y on us, are you?” He asked, tone light and eyes serious.

Was it really that bad? Or was Astarion just that perceptive?

Vivex shook his head. “No, only the usual amount.” His joke fell flat—which, fair—but it seems to be enough to calm Astarion down anyways. His muscles carefully untensed.

“Good, because we need to talk.” Astarion gestured for him to sit. Vivex did, feeling more than a little awkward

…

Vivex has a rather strong reaction in the shadow-cursed lands to hearing Madeline’s story. The Urge approves, but his companions do not.

Astarion sees through him, like usual.

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i made a whump wheel

want to beat up a character but don't know how you wanna do it? same here, friend. behold, the whump wheel! it currently has 60 different prompts/tropes on it and is ready for use! 🎉 i...love this thing. it is wonderful for writing exercises. (if you wanna know what's on it before using it, take a peak at the screenshot below)

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ur gay <3 /pos

True and real

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Not sure if you write for females but can I get an lumine with like hurt/comfort where she spends too much time with her brother and eventually forgets about you and realizes when her friends tell her? Thank you if you do this! ❤️🥰

Hi!! It’s been forever but since its summer and I’m on a train I figured I’d go through my ask box on this blog. I hope this still finds you!!!

And yes I do write female characters, I’m just usually fixated on men for both the gender and the attraction lol. Usually I don’t do inserts so it’s a bit short but anything for you anon!

It’s not that you didn’t understand why Lumine was so busy. After all, even before she had been reunited with Aether she’d been busy. You had learned to expect long stretches where all you had were letters describing her latest quest, freeing a nation, saving hundreds of lives, or discovering some long lost secret.

Many times, several of those at once.

You had your own life as well, and with your own responsibilities along with a respect for her life it had never really bothered you too much before. It was just how Lumine was.

It’s just now she was staying here right by your home with her brother and you were supposed to have more time together.

You missed the early mornings checking ar the Adventures Guild together and helping her with whatever errand or quest assigned. You missed the long afternoons spent eating lazy lunches in the shade and quiet hours fishing together.

An ugly resentment had grown inside you instead, since she’d been far too busy doing all of that with Aether instead. You knew it wasn’t entirely fair. Aether had been perfectly nice the few times you’d spoken to him. But you just wished Lumine could visit for a bit or at least invite you along with them sometime. You felt left behind. Forgotten about.

You missed her, and it was terribly lonely. Your eyes were watering and you let them. You were at a lunch spot under a tree the two of you often stopped at but it wasn’t the same alone. Your own efforts to cheer yourself up backfired and you felt even worse. You just wanted your friend back.

Suddenly you heard the fair sound of two familiar voices laughing in the distance. You wiped your face quickly, horrified.

What timing.

It was Lumine and Aether, of course. As they rounded the corner towards your spot in the shade, you got to see Lumines carefree expression morph into surprise.

“Oh! I didn’t think I’d run into you here today,” Lumine said breaking into a bright smile. It faltered slightly when she focused on your face, easily reading your expression and red and puffy eyes.

She turned to Aether. “Give me a minute with them,” she said quietly to him, and he nodded, staying a respectful distance behind as she approached you.

“Hey, are you okay?” Lumine kneeled beside you, with a comforting hand resting on your shoulder.

“I’m okay,” you try and reassure her, but she could always read you too well.

“Come on, don’t give me that. What’s wrong?” Her tone was stern, but not unkind.

Your throat felt dangerously tight. You swallowed and let out a shaky breath. “It’s stupid-”

“It’s not,” she interrupted with an air of finality.

“I just miss you,” you admitted.

She tilted her head, studying you. “I’m right here, she points out.

You shrugged. “Yeah it’s just… we’ve hardly seen each other since you’ve been back you know. With Aether.” And once you’ve started it felt impossible to stop. “You said you’d cook those recipes for us when you got back but you’ve been busy…” you wipe the tears spilling over your cheeks, sniffling. “It’s like you’ve forgotten about me,” you finished, voice small.”

Lumine immediately pulled you into a hug, holding you for several long moments. She only lets go once you’ve stopped crying. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess I’ve gotten pretty distracted with my brother back- it’s no excuse though.”

“It’s fine,” you murmured.

“Honestly,” she sighs, “Not really.” She sits down beside you, leaning against the rough bark of the tree. She takes her time, collecting her thoughts. “I supposed I just… before, you know, the two of us, my brother and I, we were inseparable. I didn’t need anyone except him. After all that’s happened… part of me just wants to pretend we can just go back to being like that.”

You leaned against her at the admission, trying to provide your own comfort now. “Lumine-”

She shook her head. “No, like I said, it’s no excuse. It isn’t like that anymore. I know that. Besides, I’ve missed you too.” She smiled softly at you and you return the gesture.

“How about this,” she said, “do you want to join me and Aether picking mint? Then afterwards we can have dinner. Just the two of us.”

Your smile brightened at that. “Only if you’re cooking,” you agreed, and Lumine laughed loudly.

“Anything for you.” She got up, and offered you a hand.

You took it.

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Howdy everyone! I would love to write some today, so please send in some prompts!

Currently I’d be interested in genshin impact prompts (or maybe Hades game?)

I’ll tag my favorite characters to write for but feel free to send in any you have!

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This isn’t what I normally post here but I have written a fic so I thought I’d share it!

Warnings: idk what we can use on tumblr anymore so uh lemon? Citrus scale throwback time ig? Full list on ao3!

Snippet:

You felt your heart rate pick up in your chest. At your long pause, Zhongli’s eyes darken. “I… Didn’t get them. I might’ve, uh, gotten a bit off track?”

He stares at you, face stony and still, but it only makes him look more intimidating. That face, that look… it should not make your mind go to the places it does. You feel the warmth in your cheeks grow.

“I’m sorry,” you continue, “I really didn’t mean to! It was the end of my trip and it was storming so-“ you stumble over your words as you try to explain and justify yourself. At first, it seems like you have no effect breaking his cool exterior, but then Zhongli takes a step closer to you.

“Wha-“ your voice cuts off in a squeak as his hands reach behind your head, fingers entwining to grasp a fistful of hair. “Wait, what are you-“

You’re cut off by a glare. His face is-it’s intense. He pulls you by the hair and into the alleyway behind the shop. It’s dark here, without the lanterns that line the main streets. Though the weather has improved from yesterday, it’s cloudy – even the light of the moon is blocked out.

He pushes you against the stone wall, and it makes you shiver. The stone is cold even through the layers of your clothes.

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Top 10 Tips for Actually Writing

for the writer who can’t seem to write.

Buy a pencil and paper. Get a writing program and a keyboard.

Spill all your ideas into a notebook that will never see the light of day. Write down literally every idea you have that even sort of relates to the scene/chapter/book that you want to write until your thoughts converge on a pointed attack.

Quality vs. Quantity? No competition. Quantity all the way. The more you write, the better you will know your story. Worry about Quality LATER.

Think about where the idea came from. Go there. Set up a cardboard box and live there. This is your home now.

What is the coolest, most self-indulgent thing you can think of? That’s what you want to write at this point, until you get some steam.

Short-term goals, my friends. And by short-term, I mean a minute from now, ten seconds from now. What are you going to do to write RIGHT NOW? Stop thinking about an hour from now, stop thinking about a day from now.

This is not a book. This is not a book. You are not writing a book. You are writing a story. A story is much easier to take bites out of than a book. A book is a big, scary, colossal thing. Stories are fun and carefree.

Get yourself a writing friend. A cactus, an old bottle of nail polish, a fish in an appropriately sized tank, etc. Make them hold you accountable.

Set crazy low goals. Promise yourself you will write ten words today. Ten words and you will be the Best Writer in the Entire World to Ever Exist. Accomplishing things is a morale booster and will urge you to write more.

Just keep writing. I believe in you.

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I was shocked when I realized this 😳

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hey guys! I’m writing regularly again, working on some longer for the untamed right now but I’m not gone! I hope I can post some new stuff for y’all soon 💖

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Sickfic Community

Hello, I’m relatively new to tumblr and this community, so if you are a sickfic author for OC’s or any fandom then reblog this and I’ll follow.  I just need to get a wide option of authors to binge-read!

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Hi James! Hows your health, i read you were sick a time ago... Also, i miss your good omens writing! And happy holidays sweet human, wish you a healthy and full of hapiness ans great moments, new year. Stay happy, stay healthy 😉😘

thank you!!! I was sick for awhile ahah, I actually had to go to the ER twice so that’s why I haven’t been on...

I am finally healthy again and I miss my good omens writing too!! It might not be as often just since I’m in love with so many fandoms atm but y’all give me too many good prompts for me NOT to fill them ;)

I hope you have a great new year!

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Deaged!LWJ PART 2

Sorry for the wait but I hope y’all enjoy it!

By the time the sun started creeping down into the horizon, they came into town again. Although Wei Ying spotted several comfortable inns, he passed them, choosing instead for one smaller and more modest. He is spending Lan Zhan’s money after all, and while he knew that the other wouldn’t mind, he still didn’t like doing it while he was stuck as a child and couldn’t give him his approval. 

He rented a room quickly, and with a glance at Lan Zhan who won’t stop yawning, he decided to bring dinner up to their room too. 

He even only orders one jar of Emperor’s Smile for him to drink. Not that that would save him from the small child’s judgment. At least Wei Ying was older than him at the moment, so the child didn’t try and scold him. 

Although Wei Ying thought, it would be hilarious to see him so small trying to scold him. He chuckled just at the idea of it.

He chats carelessly during dinner, not expecting any response for Lan Zhan and not receiving any, other than concerned looks that he was so easily speaking during a meal for no reason. 

Once they had finished and the dishes had been cleared, Wei Ying was about ready to undress and crawl into his bed. However, he was instructed by a nervous tug on his robes from Lan Zhan.

“What is it?”

“The Jingshi… can we go once we get back?” His voice was soft and hopefull, but the boy looked nervous as if he was convinced that he would be scolded for asking the question. 

“Of course!” he smiles.

Lan Zhan brightness instantly, a smile gracing his face. “I can see my mother?”

In a split second, Wei Ying realized the mistake he made. “A-ah…” He looks away from the hopeful child. How was he supposed to tell something like this to a kid? He wished for a second, that Wen Qing was there. 

She always managed to explain to A-Yuan when Wei Ying had messed something up, or the moments when he was too upset to properly explain the situation to the child…

But that was a long time ago. Wei Ying had to do this and do it as best as he could for Lan Zhan.

“Lan Zhan, I… I can’t let you see your mother, I’m sorry. She’s not there.”

The happy look was quickly wiped off of his face. Lan Zhan’s momentarily bright eyes dulled again, and quickly he looked down. “Oh.” was all he said. He wasn’t making any noise, but his shoulders were trembling as he stared at the floor and Wei Ying could feel his heart break. “Everyone says she’s gone away,” The boy said quietly. 

He grimaced at the words but nodded. “She has.”

“Why won’t she come back?” 

Wei Ying takes a bracing breath. “She can’t, she’s dead, Lan Zhan.”

The troubled, confused look didn’t vanish from his face, but Lan Zhan didn’t ask any other questions. Instead, he just looked towards the floor, small hands clenched until his knuckles were white by his sides. 

Wei Ying watched, frozen. He wasn’t sure how to comfort him, and in that moment he couldn’t even think of a joke or something to distract him from the sorrow he must be feeling. It wouldn’t be right to try, anyway.

But then, sobs came from the trembling boy, shaking his small body and muffled by a mouth that seemed determined to quiet the sounds completely. 

The sound spurred him into action, and quickly he pulled Lan Zhan onto his lap, hugging him firmly. 

“Sorry!” Lan Zhan managed to squeak out in between gasping sobs. 

Wei Ying shook his head. He can feel his heart physically shatter into individual pieces at the sight and the sound of his precious Lan Zhan having to feel this kind of pain when he was so young. Did anyone let him cry like this? It didn’t seem like it, with the guilty way he hung his head.

It wasn’t as if Wei Ying had the ideal childhood, but at least when he was this sad he could cry, could be comforted by his shijie. “You miss her, right?” Wei Ying spoke softly.

Lan Zhan hesitated but gave the slightest of nods.

“Then don’t be sorry,” he said firmly. “Even I miss people! I lost my parents. I miss my mother too. A lot,” he admitted. Lan Zhan’s eyes were on him, wide and golden. “I miss my sister too. I’ve cried for all of them.” In fact, Wei Ying felt a familiar tightness in his throat and stinging in his eyes just having mentioned them.

 He took a deep breath. He didn’t need to make little Lan Zhan more upset with his own troubles. “It’s not bad to cry. It just shows how much you care for them. How good your heart is, right?” Wei Ying smiled in encouragement. 

Lan Zhan seemed to consider this, eyes flickering down. His fists were now clutching the black fabric of Wei Ying’s out robe. “That makes sense,” He agreed, blinking up at Wei Ying, trust replacing the confusion in his gaze.

“Right! That’s why, a lot of the time, the rules are bullshit.” Wei Ying’s tone was light, although his point wasn’t necessarily all a joke. 

Instead of responding to him, Lan Zhan simply rested his head on one of the arms Wei Ying had wrapped around his small body. 

Within a minute, he was asleep. It was nine.

Wei Ying smiled fondly at the sight, not wanting to move too soon and disturb him. Once he was sure that Lan Zhan was completely asleep, he carefully stood up, lifting the boy with him. He stirred, but didn’t wake. 

Slowly, he walked to the bed. He set Lan Zhan down gently, making sure his head rested on the pillow just so, knowing that if he slept improperly his neck would most likely hurt the next morning. 

Lan Zhan’s small hands were still clinging onto him. He released the fabric from the child’s grip with care, pleased when he didn’t seem to notice it in his sleep. Gently, he pulled the blanket over the sleeping boy as well.

The sight of him sleeping, as usual, was peaceful. Lan Zhan was innocent and unbothered in his sleep, and the sight of him so little was heartwarming, especially considering the exhausting day he must have had. 

Even he was tired, Wei Ying realized, although for him it was still early in the night. Deciding it was best if they got an early start tomorrow anyway, he decided to sleep as well.

The bed felt… cold. 

It’s not as if he was unused to going places without his husband or even sleeping in much less comfortable places than where he was currently. And Lan Zhan wasn’t gone, he was in the same inn room as him, safe. But Wei Ying missed him.

He slept early, tired and still recovering from the energy he’d used during the night hunt. But he was restless, never slipping into a deeper sleep. 

When he woke early in the morning, just as the sun’s rays were starting to creep into the inn’s windows, he barely felt like he’d rested at all. 

Without much fuss or speaking, he got ready for the day, little Lan Zhan right behind him - although he needed to be woken up, he was clearly still used to rising so early. 

Lan Zhan seemed to notice his silence but didn’t comment, just sticking closer to Wei Ying and they walked through the town. His own mood seemed to be better than the day before, at least. 

Wei Ying noticed him looking around with interest, drinking in the sights and the people who were already awake and working. 

“Wei Ying.” 

“Hm?” He looked down to find the boy peering right up at him, face earnest. “What is it?”

“What you said last night…” Lan Zhan’s eyebrows creased. “You should respect the rules,” he stated firmly. 

Wei Ying found his mouth opening, and he quickly pressed his lips together tightly, eyebrows raised high as he tried not to laugh. How can a little kid look so harsh and serious?! It’s too similar to the expression he often wore way back when he had been attending lectures at the Cloud Recess as a disciple. 

“All right, Lan Zhan,” he said breathily, a small chuckle escaping into his voice. The child glared at him, and Wei Ying found himself shaking, laughing silently in an attempt not to offend Lan Zhan anymore.

It didn’t seem to work.

Instead, the boy focused himself more on looking around the town on their way. Wei Ying noticed how his gaze would always be caught longer by the merchants selling toys on the streets, although he didn’t look to Wei Ying to ask for anything.

They passed a particularly big stall, with many bright, colorful items and he noticed Lan Zhan mostly ignored the flashy trinkets to look at the set of bamboo dragonflies. 

“Lan Zhan, do you want one?” Wei Ying asked. 

Lan Zhan immediately looked straight ahead, blushing as he shook his head. “No,” he insisted.

This time, Wei Ying didn’t hold back his laugh. It was light, and not unkind, but Lan Zhan watched him in horror as he walked up to the merchant, picked the toy up and paid for it, handing it to the boy. 

“We have most of the day left to walk, why shouldn’t you play with it a bit, hm, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying’s voice was gentle and encouraging.

While his face was still red with embarrassment, Lan Zhan nodded, twirling the toy in his hands gently. 

Wei Ying smiled brightly. 

They quickly left town, traveling on the road to Cloud Recess. It was well-worn and familiar to Wei Ying, although he imagined for this Lan Zhan it was less so. He had to walk slower with a little kid trailing behind, but all things considering they would still most likely arrive before evening.

When they took breaks for water or to eat, Wei Ying was happy to see Lan Zhan play with the toy he’d bought him, letting it twirl in the air as it fell down and he caught it again. 

For such a calm kid, he definitely didn’t lack in energy, he noted.

About an hour after they had stopped to eat lunch, they arrived at the gates of cloud recess. Wei Ying’s carefree attitude changed.

He walked through quickly, not stopping to greet anyone like usual, and ignoring the questions about who the child was or where Lan Zhan had gone.

The poor younger Lan Zhan looked just as confused, not recognizing so many people, or even the changes that seemed to have happened overnight in his home.

Wei Ying just wanted to his - their older brother now, technically, however weird it was thinking to himself that he had Zewu-Jun as an in-law - as fast as possible. 

He was walking so quickly with Lan Zhan in tow that he almost ran straight into him as he turned a corner. 

“Lan Xichen!” He greeted.

“Wei Wuxian,” came the much calmer reply. Quickly though, he noticed the child holding on to his hand. His brow creased in confusion, slight recognition on his face. “Is that...?”

“Lan Zhan,” He confirmed. 

In an instant, Lan Xichen was kneeling down to look at his younger brother. “Lan Zhan? It’s me, Lan Huan.”

Lan Zhan looks to Wei Ying, bewildered, and Wei Ying can only nod. “Something happened with the creature we were fighting. It was… it wasn’t anything I’d seen before. I don’t know how, but Lan Zhan got stuck like this.”

A soft blue glow came from Lan Xichen’s fingertips as he assessed the situation. The silence was tense, Lan Zhan confused but all too trusting, and Wei Ying all too apprehensive to find out what had gone wrong.

Lan XIchen’s frowned. “I can’t say how… but he has a clear lack of spiritual energy. It seems his body and mind have tried to make up for it like this, I’ve just never seen anything like it before.”

“Can he go back to normal?”

Lan Xichen nods. “It seems like the kind of curse that will fade on its own after he regains his spiritual energy.”

“But we could speed it up then, by giving him more?” 

He nodded. “It would be quite a large amount, but with everyone here, we can finish it tonight. At least, if it’s what I suspect…”

Wei Ying released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, letting some of the tension fall out of his shoulders. 

Lan Zhan seemed to have tuned out of their adult talk, fiddling with the toy still in his left hand.

“Lan Zhan, do you trust me?” Lan Xichen asked.

Lan Zhan looked up at his big brother, who was much bigger than he should be to the child, but he nodded. “Yes,” He said. 

Lan Xichen smiled. “Good. Come with me then.” The child nodded again, and he stood back up. Wei Ying went to follow the two of them but Lan Xichen shot him an apologetic look. 

“Ah, I guess I’d be in the way then,” Wei Ying said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“It might be for the best if you got some rest,” Lan Xichen agreed, taking ahold of Lan Zhan’s hand.

Wei Ying watched the two of them walk off.

He wasn’t an outsider here, not after marrying Lan Zhan, but in that moment he felt like one. He stood there helplessly for a few minutes more before sighing, turning, and walking dejectedly to his and Lan Zhan’s room.

Of course, he wouldn’t be able to rest.

It was not even the evening yet, and he knew they probably wouldn’t be finished before dinner. Maybe even not until after curfew. If transferring energy was all it took because no one seemed to really understand why Lan Zhan had suddenly turned into a little kid.

He tugged at his hair in frustration. He couldn’t help, and he was pretty sure he was unofficially meant to stay on house arrest at the moment so he wouldn’t sneak around and check on Lan Zhan. 

Knowing Lan XIchen, he would have told any disciples that saw him to gently remind him to get some rest and not wander around. 

Wei Ying sighed, leaning back at the desk he and Lan Zhan shared. That was mostly Lan Zhan’s, as Wei Ying used it only on occasion, perfectly content to spread his work on the floor and write there as well.

Write. That, at least, was something he could do. No one had a full account yet, and even Wei Ying felt fuzzy on the details, although he never had the best memory in the first place. But if this was truly some new threat that no one had even heard of before, everyone would want as many details as possible.

So with that new goal to distract him, Wei Ying gathered paper and writing supplies, laid them on the desk, and got to work. 

His handwriting was sloppy, notes turned into sentences and ideas that he added to almost without any structure. His work was always chaotic as he came up with new ideas and remembered details as he was going.

Lan Zhan often helped him refine it in another draft in which Wei Ying made his handwriting much neater. But he would need his help to describe what happened after Wei Ying had passed out from harnessing so much resentful energy anyway. 

He works until it is dark, and quickly lights a candle so he can write more, coming up with ideas and theories of what might have happened and writing them so they made any sense at all. He leaned on the desk, probable smugging some ink with his hand and didn’t pause at all until he heard the door slide open and footsteps approach.

Quickly he looked up, face quickly turning bright with a smile. 

“Wei Ying,” said Lan Zhan, looking at him with a warmth in his eyes.

“Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, oh, I didn’t know if they’d get you back!” He spoke while scrambling up and over to his husband. He practically threw himself onto the man, wincing when Lan Zhan stumbled from the force. “Ah, I guess you must still be a little out of it, right?”

“Mn,” he confirmed. Wei Ying bit back an apology, because Lan Zhan was hugging him back, and that’s all he wanted to focus on. “Wei Ying was worried,” he said, and it really wasn’t a question. 

“Of course. No one else goes around and gets turned into a kid, Lan Zhan. It was scary! Ah, but at least you were such an adorable child!”

Wei Ying feels more than hears Lan Zhan’s laugh. “Thank you.”

“Hm?” Wei Ying pulls away from the hug to look at his husband. He still had a trace of a smile on his face, although his eyes looked a bit red and watery. He isn’t surprised Lan Zhan might feel emotional at the moment. “Why are you thanking me?”

“I needed someone to say those things back then to me,” he stated simply. 

Wei Ying looks down. “Ah, I wasn’t even sure if you’d remember,” he admitted.

Wei Ying feels Lan Zhan’s calloused hand on his cheek. He looks up and sees about a thousand things in Lan Zhan’s eyes. Love, gratitude, sorrow, happiness, it’s all too much to look at. 

So he doesn’t. Instead, he pressed his lips to Lan Zhan, delighting in the way the man relaxes into him.