#and one that currently only lives in my head where lan sizhui explains to jin ling why he spends so much time with the guy who ripped

[lilnasxvevo]

aaaaaaa the only fics i can write are post canon fics where two characters sit dow nand one goes "so i'm sure you're wondering what the hell just happened and why"

[featherfur]

I would love a Fix-it Au where Nie Huaisang fails to kill Jin Guangyao (maybe he slips through his fingers, maybe he just slits Lan Wangji’s throat the second he has the chance and Su She never has a moment to go get Huaisang because he has to hold back Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian so Huaisang can’t maneuver the playing field). So he goes back in time and just stabs Jin Guangyao and blames Xue Yang.

(More below the cut)

Huaisang’s not an idiot, he knows he’s not the smartest person in the room he’s just the best at adapting. Jin Guangyao can set up all the pieces but if something doesn’t go right he flounders, but Nie Huaisang has grown up as a Nie and no one in the Nie make sense or follow predictable patterns so he adapts easily. He had a back up plan, of course, if things went south but he wasn’t expecting things to go so south. So he approaches Wei Wuxian, grieving at Lotus Pier where Jiang Cheng brought him when he found him and Jin Ling frozen at the temple. Wei Wuxian hadn’t said a word since, clutching Bichen and Lan Wangji’s headband so tightly even Lan Qiren didn’t have the heart to pull it away.

Huaisang sits beside him, wondering how Jiang Cheng is handling his newly mute brother but he doesn’t worry too long, if things go right this time he won’t ever have to feel that. If things go wrong… well, he’ll be dead anyways so why not try?

He quietly passes him the spell he found in the Lan Forbidden Library (Jin Guangyao isn’t the only one who had Lan Xichen wrapped around his finger all these years, Huaisang was always his didi the moment they met even before he and Mingjue were sworn brothers) and says “let me fix this, please.”

Wei Wuxian doesn’t know why Huaisang thinks he needs to fix it, he doesn’t know that Huaisang is the reason the feared Yiling Patriarch is back instead of an actual demon, doesn’t know he sent the sword arm to Mo Village, doesn’t know he set up the meeting in Yi City, doesn’t know anything. But he takes the papers and stares at them and he knows and part of him, a fierce bold part of him filled with empathy and love and hope, wants to fight Huiasang on it. If this spell failed Huiasang would be torn apart, his soul reduced to nothingness. But he’s tired, he’s so very tired. It has been 16 years for everyone else but for him, he’s lost his family with the Wen’s, his sister, and the love of his life all within the span of six months. He doesn’t have the strength to argue, not when the only reason he eats is because Jiang Cheng comes over three times a day and feeds him, the only reason he sleeps is because the Head Disciple (Liu Xiolan, his sisters best friend and that hurts too) brings him to his room and waits for him to sleep, the only reason he moves is because Sizhui needs him to stay alive.

So he takes the papers and he writes the rest, focusing all his energy on something that will distract him. He writes and writes until he can wake up on his own again, until he shovels food in his mouth at a pace that actually has Jiang Cheng trying to stop him after a month of forcibly pushing chicken in his face. Because this could save Lan Zhan, his Lan Zhan.

He finishes it finally, three months later with Jiang Cheng passed out beside him at three am, Jin Ling and his posse only a few feet further all curled up like a bundle of kittens from the night hunt they’d just completed to get the blood of a ghoul for the spell. When he passes it to Huiasang he isn’t expecting the hesitation when he reads it over.

“You… do understand you can’t go back right?” Huiasang says quietly, “this needs a golden core on both sides and you won’t be able to go back far enough with your current core.”

Wuxian doesn’t even bother to think about how in the hell Huiansang knows he gave up his core, since Jin Guangyao’s disappearance he’s been different and Wei Wuxian has come to realize he’s smarter than he was ever given credit for.

“Your core isn’t much stronger,” Wei Wuxian snaps but there’s no fire as he nods tiredly. “I know, I can send you back to before I died though, if your past self is willing to give in and let you merge with him. If you can save all of this from happening, I’d do anything.”

Huiasang eyes him and tucks the papers away. He doesn’t say “you know this will create an alternate timeline and you will continue to live in world without him.” Wei Wuxian knows, and he’s tired but he won’t strip Sizhui of another father.

“I’ll take care of everything, Da-Ge will stab anyone who tries to stop me.” Huiasang says as jovially as he can even though he knows it comes out flat but Wei Wuxian gives him an appreciative smile.

“Good luck,” is all he says before he’s turning around and walking wordlessly towards the Head Disciple who waits patiently for him. Huiasang makes a note of her, wondering if he can find her in the past and wiggle her into the Jiang Sect, he never met her before and he isn’t sure where exactly to find her but if he can it’ll make it much easier to have someone hold Jiang Cheng back if he starts barking and biting. (Though, he remembers with a gentle feeling of fondness, Jiang Yanli had been good at that too so if he does this right she could help him get those two idiots to being brothers again)

It takes almost two weeks to prepare the spell but he doesn’t mind taking the time to get his affairs in order. The Nie Sect never truly loved him, not after Da-Ge’s death (they used to adore him, he thinks bitterly before tossing the useless emotion away). But he had the most trustworthy members by his side throughout the whole plan against Jin Guangyao, so he assigns his heir and orders them to say they found his body dead on a night hunt. He thinks Lan Xichen will be the only one who will grieve for him, there’s only a flicker of guilt for that after all Xichen led to his brother’s death because he was too kind to listen.

He does the spell and the world goes dark and he thinks it failed, until he opens his eyes and realizes he can see. Then he feels the other consciousness rouse beside him, confused at first then absolutely pissed. He almost laughs at the indignant emotions in his past self at the idea that a ghost would be so brazen as to attempt to posses him.

It doesn’t take long to convince his past self to merge with him, he wouldn’t be dying only becoming one with his future self. Really it would just be like growing up really fast since they are the same person. It does take longer to convince him that they are the same person, nearly half a day before he gives in.

The merge is, easy honestly. Huiasang faints in the middle of walking through the fields, and wakes up a day and a half later after living through all of his memories on fast forward to a pissed (worried) Da-Ge.

He doesn’t even speak at first, he just sobs, he sobs and sobs and sobs as he holds onto him, until Da-Ge gently soothes him and the awkward strokes become gentle caresses through his hair like Huiasang is five again.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” Da-Ge asks when Huiasang can breathe again and Huiasang cries softly again and burrows into his chest and Da-Ge doesn’t ask again. He just pets his head and cradles him close until Huiasang is nearly asleep again.

Xichen visits once and Huaisang has to force himself not to bare his teeth and scream, but 20 year old Huaisang wouldn’t do that. Xichen looks so young too, his touches on Mingjue’s shoulder are full of affection and Huiasang hates him, hates him so much that he wishes Xichen died at the temple instead of Lan Wangji. He did this, because he didn’t listen to Mingjue because he fell in love with someone even though he already loved Mingjue. How could he-

Then Xichen lays a hand on his head, and 28 years of affection from his Er-ge wells in him and he throws himself forward into his arms. He wants to hate him, but this is his Er-ge. Who held him through nightmares when he visited, who went through night hunts protecting him when Da-ge couldn’t, who snuck him treats and paintings and gave Huaisang his first painted fan, who loved it when Huaisang called him Ge-ge and called him didi and spoiled him almost as much as Da-ge did.

And Da-ge loves him, loves him only less then Huaisang himself. So Huaisang can’t hate him, even if he loathes his choices and won’t ever be able to fully trust his decisions again, he can’t hate him.

Xichen takes his crying better than Mingjue did and murmurs to him quietly until he does actually pass out. Nie Zhongui almost makes him cry too but Huaisang manages not to, instead he gives him the prettiest fan he can buy because that’s how 20 year old Huaisang would say “you’re my favorite” even if 36 year old Huaisang would have just said it.

It’s two weeks until the ambush at Qiongqi Path and that’s all Huisang needs. He convinces Mingjue to take him to the celebration (much easier now with his fainting spells, and the almost full day of sobbing that Huiasang won’t explain). Thankfully Xiao Xingchen hasn’t captured Xue Yang since his escape and it provides the perfect excuse.

He quietly asks Jin Zixuan if he could go and meet Wei Wuxian at the base of the Burial Mound with Jiang Cheng before Jin Zixun even has a chance to leave, Huaisang didn’t think it would be so easy but when he mentioned being worried because of Sect Leader Yao and Ouyang, staunch haters known for screaming for Wei Wuxian’s blood, they’d both agreed immediately and Huaisang has to trust them not to be morons because he has something else that needs to be taken care of. Su She would be too late with Jin Zixun failing to arrive in time to ambush and Nie Huisang could discredit him (and possibly have him executed) immediately by showing the hundred holes curse on him. But Jin Guangyao? That was going to be personal.

A few crudely written demonic cultivation talismans (curtesy of Wei Wuxian’s Sunshot rampage where he left them fucking everywhere) and a knife shaped like Xue Yang’s familiar sword, where all Huaisang needed. That and alone time with Jin Guangyao.

That was probably the easiest bit, convincing Jin Guangyao to walk with him so Huiasang could show him his new fans. He was eager to walk with him, and Huaisang wonders as he plunges the knife through his back and into his heart between the ribs if Jin Guangyao still held affection for him in the end or if he simply wanted another pawn to use to keep Lan Xichen close.

Huiasang wished he took pleasure in the betrayal on Jin Guangyao’s face, but really? He’s just tired. It’s been 16 years of this, 16 years of loss and pain over and over again and it’s finally over.

Well nearly.

He slices his own face too and slips the knife into a qiankun pouch where he knows no one will look, after all Nie Huaisang was no good at being a cultivator much less a killer, and shoves a few talismans into Jing Guangyao’s clothes to be found later (maybe they will be, maybe they won’t but that’s not what he’s worried about).

Then he screams, he howls, he cries for Da-ge as he runs toward the gates and he’s almost surprised at how fast he gets there (he shouldn’t be, he was Da-ge’s most precious thing in the world but it’s been 14 years without him and some things he’s forgotten like the feeling of safety that comes with his brother’s rampaging steps storming to protect him from anything and everything). He throws himself into his brother’s arms and sobs, swiping through the air at the dead Jin Guangyao.

“Da-ge! He’s dead! He’s dead! San-ge!” He wails as Mingjue presses him against his chest with all the force in the world, Baxia ready to destroy anyone. “I was just showing him my fans and I only turned around to look at a bird and- and- Da-ge he…”

He sobs and dramatically yanks at Da-ge’s robes like he’s beside himself with agony and grief, and maybe he is, not for Jin Guangyao but for everyone else who lost everything because of his need to get his father’s approval.

“What? Huaisang stop crying and just spit it out.” Da-he’s harsh in such a familiar way that the tears spill out more. He’s not angry, he’s worried and he wants to hunt down his sworn brother’s killer but he won’t leave his didi behind.

“He tried to protect me, San-ge! San-ge!” There was no point in tarnishing his reputation, he hadn’t done anything yet beyond be a disgusting snake who killed the Captain and freed Xue Yang but that would be so much harder to prove when Mingjue had let the bastard go. “But he got stabbed instead! Da-ge please.”

“Who was it? Did you recognize them?” Theres louder shouts behind them, Xichen’s voice is worried but still soft as he moves to comfort him as well.

Huaisang nods frantically, reaching out to tug on Xichen’s robes like he’s terrified.

“It was Xue Yang! He said he was going to kill me then Da-ge and the rest of the Nie for imprisoning him. But San-ge pushed me out of the way and- and- and he-“ Huaisang cut himself off with another wail and his brother’s hands are firm as they tilt his head up to look at the deep cut on his face. “I screamed and he ran after taking something from San-ge.”

Mingjue tries to step forward and Huaisang sobs louder.

“Da-ge no! Please! Don’t leave, what if he comes back? He killed everyone at the Chang clan!” He howls and he’s shoved into Xichen’s arms that fold around him immediately. Huaisang ignores the tears on Xichen’s face, the tears on his brothers because their grief is nothing now compared to the future. The future of Mingjue’s death and Xichen’s loss of every brother he had.

He lets himself collapse into Xichen’s embrace as Mingjue kneels beside his sworn brother and slides his hands through the messy robes and finds the notes, written in what Huaisang would consider pretty good renditions of Jin Guangyao and Jin Guanshan’s hand writing. He hadn’t though he could actually get them to look but he was nothing if not adaptable.

Mingjue’s face is unreadable as he passes the talisman’s to Lan Xichen and Xichen’s eyes darken. Huaisang knows he won’t be there to track down Xue Yang, he doesn’t want to be at 20 years old and he doesn’t want to be there at 36 years. He wants to sleep.

He sobs until Nie Zhongui is called and then latches onto him instead, listening to him promise to protect him no matter what. He wrings out promise after promise until Nie Zhongui owes him atleast another century of personal protection and two hours a week for the next month of painting together and finally allows himself to be quieted.

He’s taken back to his quarters and only an hour later, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are bursting through the doors like they’re fifteen again. Both are yelling questions and he wails as he hugs them, this time it’s not fake. They’re alive and they’re not grieving messes and he has his best friends with him for the first time in sixteen years and he cries and almost laughs as they panic trying to comfort him.

He has a lot more to do, he knows. He has to protect Wei Wuxian, has to save the Wens (though he’s certain a small baby A-Yuan will make that simple, Da-ge was weak for babies), he has to make sure Jin Guangshan is either dead or discredited so Wei Wuxian can’t be hunted down, has to shove Wei Wuxian back into the Jiang Sect and let Jiang Cheng’s insane protection streak go wild, and he has so so many fans to make to give his brother after he chews him out for not telling him about the Sabers and getting him to let Wei Wuxian help. He has so much to do and he is so tired.

But he’s lighter than he’s been in ages, his brother is safe, everyone he cares about is safe and he is happy.

(This is just a very rough draft of an idea lmao)

[grapefruitsketches]

Untamed Spring Fest - Day 14: Butterfly

2,601 Words

The Junior Quartet, fluff, hurt/comfort, post-canon. 

“Whoa - Zizhen, be careful! If you can’t even make this step, we’ll start to think you’re a fierce corpse yourself!” Lan Jingyi laughed as he caught the Ouyang heir before he tripped over Sizhui’s doorstep.

“She is beautiful like the dawn, kind like a… a… like ripples on the pond!” Zizhen sang, off any key he might have been trying to hit.

“I didn’t think it was possible for you to be any worse at poetry than you usually are, but good for your drunk-self for proving me wrong!” Jingyi dragged his friend over to the table and sat him down. “Why did you even challenge that old man to a drinking contest? You’re the lightest light weight I know.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Sizhui said cheerily as he entered his room behind his friends, grinning as if at some private joke. He turned to Ouyang Zizhen, “Who are you talking about, Zizhen?” Sizhui asked kindly, but had a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Only the most beautiful, the loveliest, the…” Zizhen paused, scrunching his face and scratching his chin, “I can’t remember.”

Jin Ling shook his head, sighing heavily, “I don’t know why I’m friends with you.” Zizhen only shrugged in response, grinning.

The four of them had just come back from the annual Spring festival in Gusu, planning to stay over in Sizhui’s room given that Jin Ling and Ouyang Zizhen would not (could not, given Zizhen’s current state) travel back that night. Jin Ling rolled his eyes, and took a glance around the room.

His eyes widened.

Zizhen, who had followed Jin Ling’s gaze but didn’t have the benefit of a sober man’s restraint, blurted, slurring his words almost incomprehensively “What’s up with all the butterflies, Sizhui?” He gestured vaguely at the dozens of grass butterflies decorating the room, disrupting the otherwise very-Lan appropriate, minimalist aesthetic.

Jingyi whacked him over the head, “He invites you to stay in his home and you ask such rude questions? You should have stayed away from that special Emperor’s Smile brew when you had the chance.”

But Sizhui only smiled, deciding to answer Zizhen’s question, “They’re stories,” he said, as though this explained everything.

Jin Ling turned to him, “Stories?” He raised an eyebrow.

Sizhui nodded, and sighed, “They’re all from…” he pursed his lips and glanced quickly at Jin Ling, then the floor, “They’re from Wen Ning.”

Jin Ling gaped. Zizhen swayed, though only from the wine. Jingyi glared at Jin Ling, challenging him to comment.

Sizhui explained, “He made all of these for me.”

Jin Ling looked around the room, taking in the various colours and sizes of the butterflies, “He made… all of these?” he asked, incredulous.

Sizhui nodded, a bashful smile on his face.

“They’re so pretty!” Zizhen remarked.

Jingyi rolled his eyes, jabbing Zizhen in the side, “Of course they are! Did you expect an uncle to give his nephew an ugly gift?”

Sizhui hadn’t taken his eyes off of Jin Ling, worried at his reaction to the subject of Wen Ning. Jin Ling didn’t seem bothered, though, just curious.

“Why did he make you so many?” the Jin Clan Leader asked.

Sizhui flushed, “They’re each… Well, he makes them, and he tells me a story each time he gives one to me. A story of one of my… my family members.”

Jin Ling blinked, understanding dawning on his face, “What kind of stories?” he asked.

Sizhui glanced around at the various figures, smiling softly, “All kinds of stories. What they were like, things we did together, life in the Burial Mounds, memories from Dafan Mountains, that kind of thing.” His smile faltered as he finished. He looked back to Jin Ling, who had unconsciously reached for Suihua, touching it gently and nodding.

Jingyi steadied Zizhen in a seated position, and made his way to Sizhui, touching him lightly on the shoulder, “Sizhui…” he said.

“I’m ok, Jingyi.”

Something that sounded like choking came from the other side of the room, and the three junior cultivators closest to the door looked up to see tears streaming down Zizhen’s face.

“So each of these,” he blubbered, looking around, “Each of these is one of your clan members?”

Sizhui nodded, “I know it makes things seem a bit messy in here, but it’s nice to have them around.”

“Sizhui…” Zizhen cried, “That’s so… so beautiful…”

It was Jingyi’s turn to roll his eyes, “Be quiet. You’re making Sizhui think about depressing things. Tonight is supposed to be about having fun.”

But Jin Ling was intrigued. “What were they like?”

Lan Sizhui leaned forward, “I’ve heard so many stories.” He looked around the room, and stood up to grab a butterfly dyed a vibrant orange, “This one is Fourth Uncle. He used to carry me on his back when I was little, while he planted vegetables.” He put the butterfly down, and picked up deep red one, adding excitedly, “This one is Wen Ning’s sister, Wen Qing. She was apparently the best at getting me to stop crying, and the best doctor in the world.” He blushed, looking around to see if the thought of him wailing like an infant would make his friends laugh, but they all looked on, nodding, or, in Zizhen’s case, leaning forward on the table, chin supported by both hands, smiling dopily. Encouraged, Sizhui reached for a pair of butterflies sitting side by side, one blue and white, the other red and black, “Uncle Ning made these to be my fathers, so they could always be with me even when they were away.” He paused, stroking the two tiny sculptures softly before returning them to their perch.

He shook his head, “I mean, each one has a story but…” he sighed, looking around fondly at the display, “Well, I don’t want to bore you. Like Jingyi said, we should be having fun.”

“Family memories are never boring.” Jin Ling said firmly. His grip on Suihua tightened. Jingyi, who was currently trying to force Zizhen to drink some water, nodded vigorously.

Sizhui smiled at the two of them, “Well if the two of you agree on something, that must mean it’s true.”

“I disagree though.” Zizhen barely avoided falling flat on the table as he pointed forward wildly. The three others turned to him, one curious, one angry, one annoyed. Zizhen went on, “Yours might be interesting but… my family story is…” he exhaled heavily, “Very. Boring.”

“Why do you say that, Zizhen?”  Sizhui asked. Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi, who had seemed set to ignore this interjection, looked to Sizhui, mirroring each other’s single raised eyebrows. Sizhui cast them a glance that prevented any interference.

“Where do I start?” Zizhen grumbled, “I mean, my dad’s a coward - you saw him at the Burial Mounds. At least your uncle,” he looked at Jin Ling, “actually had personal stuff going on with the Yiling Patriarch, and wasn’t just siding against him because everyone else was.” He bit his lip, “And my mother? I mean, I love her, but she’s hardly as intense as all of your ancestors - Lan Yi, Madam Yu. They were awesome.” He took another look around at the butterflies, “And look at all these! Sizhui, your family’s story is incredible! Refugees, wrongfully accused! Your fathers are the Yiling Patriarch and Hanguang Jun, who have the most incredible love story in history!” He looked around to his friends, then down to his lap, “I mean… it’s stupid, but… I don’t know, it’d be nice to have some epic story like that as my legacy, you know?”

A silence worthier of the Jingshi’s name fell on Sizhui’s quarters, before Jin Ling broke it.

“Yeah. It is stupid.” The other three looked up at Jin Ling’s harshness. He sounded more like Clan Leader Jiang than ever, “You want a legacy? You want a family tragedy worthy of those stories you spend all your time reading? You want the heroic deaths of your parents put up on a wall by the person who orchestrated their murders? You want to grow up with one uncle who’s too sad to talk about them and another who worshipped them too much to tell you anything meaningful about their lives? Fine. I’d trade you in an instant.” Jin Ling huffed, crossing his arms. Tears grew out of the corner of his eyes, and he wiped them away fiercely, sitting down on the floor. He gritted his teeth, “An. Instant.”

Zizhen gulped. “Jin Ling, that’s not… I-“ He looked helplessly around to his friend, his inebriated mind only now catching up with what he had said, and what it must have sounded like to the others, “I’m sorry, of course I wouldn’t…”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way.” Jingyi jumped in. Zizhen looked to him gratefully. Sizhui was trying to look anywhere but any of the other Juniors’ faces, choosing instead to linger on a few of the more prominently placed butterflies.

Jin Ling’s shoulders shook as he tried to hold back his frustration, “I know… I just… I mean…” he looked to Zizhen, “Your dad sucks,” he said bluntly. Zizhen recoiled in surprise, Sizhui blinked, torn away from his thoughts and contemplating jumping in given the turn to more personal attacks. Jin Ling went on, his desperate expression and the group’s understanding of this subject’s significance to him preventing further interruptions, “But at least he’s there, you know?”

Zizhen put a hand over his chest, nodding earnestly, “You’re right,” he said, genuinely apologetic, “I shouldn’t be so selfish.” He paused, following Jin Ling’s eyes, which had drifted towards Suihua, “But Jin Ling?” he added, “Your parents were amazing. I wouldn’t trade my parents for anything, but I’m still jealous of the ones you got.” Jin Ling didn’t look up, but the corner of his mouth twitched in appreciation. Zizhen took this as a sign to keep going, looking up as his voice shifted to the tone he usually used when he was reciting his most recent love poem to them, though his voice was more garbled than usual, “They had the most epic romance. They fought to the end to protect the things they loved.” He looked at Jin Ling, “To protect you.” He pointed sloppily at the golden-clad teen.

Jin Ling coughed, once, twice, but this was only a fruitless attempt to stop the tears that came anyway. Sizhui placed a hand on each of his shaking shoulders.

“You’re still stupid, but… thanks, Zizhen,” the Jin Clan Leader managed, “Sorry I said your dad sucks.”

Zizhen shrugged, and clasped his hands together, going into a bow which only ended with a faceplant into the table. He was asleep immediately.

Jingyi rolled his eyes, “Idiot.” But he smiled, alongside Sizhui and Jin Ling (although the latter still had tears streaking his face). Jingyi stood up. “I’m gonna go grab some blankets for all of us, and I guess we can just cover him up there if he’s comfortable. No use in him catching a cold before our night hunt tomorrow.”

Sizhui nodded, arms still wrapped around Jin Ling’s back comfortingly, “Thanks Jingyi.” Jingyi nodded, and left.

“Jin Ling?” Sizhui tilted his head, trying to catch his friend’s eye, “Are you okay?”

Jin Ling sniffed, wiping his nose with his sleeve, “Yeah. Yeah it’s nothing. It’s no big deal. I shouldn’t have yelled like that - Zizhen was just being his stupid drunk self anyway.”

Sizhui patted his shoulder before standing up. “I have something for you,” he said.

Jin Ling looked up, watching Sizhui as he walked towards a shelf not far from the butterfly-Yiling Patriarch and butterfly-Hanguang Jun’s places. The Lan disciple stood there for a moment, scanning the various figures before reaching for one that Jin Ling couldn’t quite see. Sizhui cupped it in his hands and made his way back around the table to Jin Ling.

“I want you to have this.” Sizhui said, opening his hands to reveal a delicate grass butterfly, light purple with what looked like dried lotus leaves weaved decoratively into its wings.

Jin Ling looked to Sizhui in confusion, but reached out and took the butterfly anyway.

Sizhui smiled. “While I was still living in the Burial Mounds, my uncle, the Ghost General, he brought me a bowl of soup one day. He had brought it all the way from Yiling. When he told me this story, I tried to think back. I think I can remember that day just a bit - it was a delicious, but stone-cold soup, better than anything I’d eaten in a long time.” He sighed. Jin Ling was confused, wondering if Sizhui was just getting pointlessly sentimental so far past the Lan bedtime, “When he gave me this butterfly, my uncle told me that the soup had come from the nicest woman he’d ever met, and the best cook too. He told me that it had been from Wei Wuxian’s sister, that she had given it to Uncle Ning but that he couldn’t eat it so he had wanted me to have it instead.” Sizhui looked up at Jin Ling in time to see realization dawning on the other boy’s face, “I only remembered the taste of the soup when Uncle Ning told me this story. When he gave me this.” Sizhui held up Jin Ling’s hands, which were still clutching the carefully woven insect. “I think he’d want you to have it.”

Jin Ling held the butterfly up to his face, stroking the sides tenderly, “This…” he gulped, “The Ghost General made one of these… this one is… my mother?”

Sizhui nodded, smiling. “He almost cried when he told me about her. Jin Ling…” Sizhui caught his gaze, “She was an amazing person, kind even to someone like Wen Ning who most of the world hated at that point.” Sizhui sighed, “I’m sorry I don’t know more about your father but, knowing you? He must have been amazing too.”

Jin Ling smiled, though his chin trembled, “Sizhui…” he held the butterfly close to his chest, “Thank you.”

Sizhui smiled, “No need. We all need something to remember people by, right?”

Jin Ling nodded, looking around at the memories of all the people who had been incredible enough to be related to Sizhui.

By the time Jingyi got back, heavy blankets gathered from the guest rooms, he had to cover up not just one but three cultivators. He would make fun of Jin Ling for drooling on his sleeve the next day, but was happy to see the peaceful expressions on all three of their faces.

--

“I am never. Drinking. Again.” Zizhen groaned, holding his head and plodding along behind the others. The four of them followed Wei Wuxian and Hanguang Jun for what was sure to be an exciting night hunt.

Wei Wuxian laughed, “I’ve said that to myself more than once. It never works out.” He punched his husband lightly on the arm, “Right, Lan Zhan?”

Hanguang-Jun only said “mmm” in response, but Wei Wuxian could see the hint of a smirk on his face. Wei Wuxian glanced back at the Juniors. All except Zizhen, who was still too hungover to offer more than a half-hearted grin, laughed with him. It was then that Wei Wuxian noticed, contrasting sharply against the golds of his robes, a little purple butterfly dangling from Suihua’s hilt. Sizhui, who had followed his father’s eyes, looked to him and smiled, confirming Wei Wuxian’s suspicions.

Wei Wuxian sighed happily, turning to look forward again. I’m glad you can still be at his side, Shijie.

[mdzsgildedfate]

Gilded Fate - Chapter 3

Reincarnation AU [Chapter 3/?] Characters: Xue Yang, Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling, Original Characters. Pairings: Xue Yang/Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen, Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi

The early hours of the morning had been spent hiking along the river that flowed through the valley. MingYue and Gongzhu trailed along after Jin Ling as he briskly walked to and fro, following the guidance of a small, black compass. The needle spun back and forth, seeming to be drawn to two different sources. Jin Ling grumbled quietly to himself, too hushed for MingYue to understand anything he was saying.

By now, she was used to being kept in the dark by the older man. She stuck by him, watched after the dogs, carried bags, and assisted him however she could, but had long since learned that it was useless to try to ask him anything. He explained exactly as much as he wanted exactly when he wanted and there was nothing she could do but wait til that happened. Even after he’d led her halfway up the river, backtracked a mile or so, and then headed straight back the opposite direction, she kept quiet about it.

The compass, of course, was a spiritual tool made by Wei Wuxian to detect nearby evil. Half the time, the needle pointed back to Leng Shuang WeiFeng Temple, drawn to Song Lan’s Yin energy. The other half of the time, it led them deeper into the mountain, off the beaten trails and long abandoned roads. In the unfamiliar terrain, it was too easy to get turned around with the needle jumping back and forth, only serving to work Jin Ling’s temperament up.

“Damn this thing.” He hissed, slumping down onto a rock and slamming the box shut.

“What’s the matter?” MingYue asked, pouring water into a bowl for Gongzhu.

“Most renowned inventor of our time and couldn’t even make a compass that can differentiate between Yin energy and malicious intent.”

“Which one are we looking for?” MingYue sat down across from Jin Ling.

“Malicious intent, obviously. We’re not in the middle of nowhere to investigate harmless ghosts.”

“What are we investigating?”

Jin Ling gawked back at her. “Malicious intent. Obviously.”

MingYue pursed her lips into an irritated smile. “Obviously.”

By the time the sun had finally peaked over the mountain, the downward angle of the river had flattened out. At the end of it, the water collected into a small pond, filled with lotus plants. The stems sprung up, swaying gently in the breeze. Nothing seemed out of place or unusual about the area, but Gongzhu anxiously paced back and forth along the water’s edge. Jin Ling walked over to her and crouched, touching the surface of the pond with the tips of his fingers.

The river they followed was too wide and too deep to have such a small pond at its end. Although there was nothing especially interesting about the area itself, Jin Ling wondered about what lay beneath the surface of the pond. He reasoned the water had to be going somewhere. Without a word of explanation, Jin Ling shed his sword, bow, and quiver and began stripping the outer layers of his robes.

“Going swimming?” MingYue asked, an amused smile on her face.

“Yes. Stay here. Keep an eye on Gongzhu.”

With the excess fabrics folded neatly on the ground, Jin Ling strode into the water, clenching his teeth at the low temperature. Once he was in up to his waist, he bent his knees and ducked under the surface. Unfortunately, the water was too murky to see much, causing Jin Ling to have to search about the bottom with his hands. They brushed over mud and plant roots, the occasional rock, but nothing that indicated where the water was draining. After a while, he had to come back up.

He paused, treading water, for a moment in frustration before swimming back to shore. He reached into the pile of clothes and pulled the compass back out, eyes glued to the needle as he turned around slowly. Walking up along one side of the pond and then the other, the needle stayed pointing past the water, deeper into the woods. He huffed and closed the compass again, putting his hands on his hips and glared out into the trees.

“What’s next, boss?”

A moment of silence passed and Jin Ling slumped to the ground, sitting in lotus position. “Lunch. We’ll continue on in forty-five minutes.”

~X~

As soon as morning light poured into the valley and illuminated the temple, Sizhui and Jingyi began strolling from room to room to wake the students, herding them into the courtyard Donning their Lan Sect robes at an early hour to walk the halls of a temple had invigorated the two, their liveliness and bright energy served only to agitate the bleary-eyed teens. Once everyone was accounted for and seated at individual low tables, the Lan disciples joined Song Lan in dishing out bowls of rice for breakfast.

Xinyi kept his eyes glued to Song Lan, the events of the previous night playing in his mind. Xiao Xingchen had come out of his own volition, yet Song Lan acted as though Xinyi had snuck into his room and dragged him outside, kicking and screaming. He looked around the courtyard, unsurprised to see that Xingchen was nowhere to be seen. As Sizhui came around with his breakfast, Xinyi grabbed the end of his sleeve and gave a gentle tug.

“Jiaoshou. Song Lan Daozhang mentioned another priest that lives here, why haven’t we seen him yet?” Xinyi asked, trying to sound impartial to the matter.

Sizhui’s features twitched for a second before softening out, regaining whatever composure he’d momentarily lost.

“I’m sure he just likes his privacy. He’ll likely join us later in the day. It’s common to observe private meditation in the early morning.”

Xinyi gave a shrug and turned his attention to his breakfast, saying a quick thank you before eating.

The morning meal passed in silence, everyone either too hungry or too tired to acknowledge each other’s existence as they ate. Afterwards, Song Lan explained the schedule for the day, which seemed to just be one boring lecture after another about Taoist theologies, principles, and mannerisms. Xinyi could already feel his brain leaking out of his ears from boredom. The only thing that held his interest through the first lecture was the sight of his two, boring anthropology teachers dressed regally in white robes, accented with clouds, carrying matching blue and silver swords.

It really was a sight to behold. Compared to their usual looks, in black slacks, white button-ups, and cardigans that made them look like old men, they were both quite handsome. Jingyi still had a look of irritable anticipation, but they both seemed more at ease here than in the lecture halls. They moved gracefully with their robes billowing around them, while the students stumbled about clumsily, tangled up in the excess fabric. Such a unique display almost made listening to Song Lan’s boring, droning voice worth it.

Almost. As soon as their first break was announced, Xinyi grabbed Chen and QianHua by their collars and dragged them out the front gate. The three boys tumbled down the gentle slope to where the river cut through and stripped off the outer layers of their clothes. Now bursting with energy from sitting still through the lecture, the valley quickly filled with the sounds of three college students shouting and splashing in the river.

“Is this really what we have to sit through for the next six days? That was worse than anything Sizhui Jiaoshou put us through.” QianHua groaned, collecting rocks to throw back into the water.

“I hate agreeing with you…” Chen picked up a fallen branch to stabilize himself against the current. “But I agree with you. I thought we were gonna tour a big temple and look at old art and swords and-”

“Hey, fuck you Chen!” Xinyi picked up a clump of mud and hurled it at Chen. “You always say the art and swords at my house are creepy, but you wanted to come out to the middle of nowhere to look at someone else’s?”

“The art at your house is of ghosts and demons and battles.” Chen replied, smoothly dodging the mud clump. “And your swords are haunted.”

“My swords are not haunted.” Xinyi rolled his eyes, wading further down the river. “You’re so superstitious.”

Abandoning the other two to their conversation, Xinyi pulled a sharp-looking stick out of the water and crept down to the formation of rocks that hung over the edge of the water, eyes downcast in search of fish. Once he had one in his sights, the world disappeared around him, his focus narrowing in on this one objective. The fish flicked back and forth, darting ahead and pausing just long enough for Xinyi to get within range, then darted forward again.

He hadn’t even noticed he’d gone around the rocks and out of Chen and QianHua’s view when a voice jolted him back to reality. The fish bolted this time, disappearing into the darker parts of the river. Xinyi spat, straightening up and perching his stick over one shoulder. He whipped around to see which of the two had disrupted his hunt, shocked to see a soft, glowing face staring back at him.

“Oh! It’s you!” Xinyi grinned, sticking his tongue out between the two sharp teeth in the corner of his mouth.

“Hunting fish is prohibited in Leng Shuang WeiFeng.” Xingchen said cooly.

The man sat along the rocks, one leg hanging over casually, swinging back and forth so the bottom of his shoes just barely grazed the top of the water. He had one hand behind him, holding him up, and the other draped across a sword sheathed in white with an intricate silver accent. His expression was indifferent, as though Xinyi was just a part of the riverview.

“Who said I was hunting fish?”

The corner of Xingchen’s mouth twitched up. “What were you doing, if not hunting fish?”

Xinyi shrugged. “Practicing my swordplay?”

“Is that why you skipped my Daozhang’s lecture?”

The smile disappeared off Xinyi’s face. “Who says I skipped it? You’re not there either.”

Xingchen straightened up, letting his other leg hang over the side of the rocks now. “Would it be more interesting if I were?”

“Mm…. Perhaps.” Xinyi let the hand holding the stick drop down, swinging casually at his side as he took a few strides about the river. “I think it’s more interesting out here with you.”

Xingchen held his gaze quietly for a while as though he was thinking, as if Xinyi’s words had been infinitely more interesting than they had been. His fingers drumbed along the top of his sword, tapping rhythmically to some beat only he could hear. After a moment, he lept off his perch and slipped gracefully down to the edge of the water, walking along the shore until only a few feet remained between him and Xinyi.

“Why such an interest in me?” Xingchen asked, cocking his head slightly, though his eyes narrowed at Xinyi.

“Interest?” Xinyi smirked, taking a step forward.

Xingchen grew rigid, his jaw clenching.

Xinyi paused, scratching his thumbnail into the stick, frowning slightly. “Maybe I could ask you the same thing. You’re the one that followed me outside last night.”

“Hm…” The man looked down for a moment, considering the younger’s words. “I was surprised.”

“Surprised? Did no one tell you we were coming?”

“No one told me you were coming.”

Xinyi blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. Although the man had elicited some strange feeling of nostalgia, he hadn’t really seemed familiar- but now Xinyi questioned if they’d met in the past. Staring hard at the white-clad man, studying his features in the sunlight, the only thing that came to mind was that he looked startlingly like the figure he frequently saw in his dreams.

“Have we… Do you know me somehow?” The younger man cast a glance to the side, checking if Chen or QianHua had come searching for him yet.

Xingchen returned the question with a small, sweet smile. “We’ll see.”

Xinyi smirked, a shiver running down his spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The priest said nothing in response, simply held his gaze a moment longer, still smiling, and turned to follow the river back up to the temple. Xinyi let out an unsure laugh, baffled by the situation. His heart fluttered in his chest and a buzz of energy sent him into a jittery flurry, half-running through the water back to where Chen and QianHua were. The resulting splash of his arrival drew their attention, the boys splashing back and hurling lighthearted insults.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Chen called, balling up a handful of mud.

“I was following a fish.” He replied, twirling his stick between his fingers.

“A fish?” QianHua scoffed. “You’ve been gone all this time following a fish?”

Xinyi shrugged, looking down into the water. “It was a really pretty fish.”

~X~

Jingyi looked absolutely starstruck, moving slowly through the room alongside Sizhui and Song Lan. The walls were adorned with intricate, hand crafted tapestries depicting iconic landmarks of Gusu, Lanling, Qinghe, Yunmeng, and Qishan. To the students in the room, they were unfamiliar paintings of made-up mountains and cities, but the skill put into them was appreciated nonetheless.

Song Lan made quiet commentary as the group gazed at each tapestry. Since it was impossible to explain the places depicted, he stuck to explaining the techniques used to create each piece, how old they were, interesting quips about how he acquired them, and small details about the kinds of plants or clouds the scenes contained. Despite all the priceless details Song Lan gave about the others, Jingyi couldn’t take his eyes off the painting of Gusu.

Sizhui came to stand beside him, his hand brushing against Jingyi’s. “Feeling nostalgic?”

“It’s hard not to.” He replied, tightening his grip on his sword. “For all the bitching and groaning I did back then… I’d go back if I could.”

Sizhui looked over the painting, quickly identifying the mountain where Cloud Recesses sat. “What do you miss the most?”

Jingyi was silent for a moment. “Not the food, of course.”

Sizhui laughed, quickly stifling it and glancing around.

Jingyi gave him an amused look. “Worried HanGuang-Jun might scold you for making noise?”

“I’ll never shake the instinct.” He replied, still chuckling lightly.

“What do you think he’s doing right now?”

Sizhui hummed thoughtfully, taking in a deep breath and turning from the painting to move on to the next.

“Probably the same thing he always did. Play his guqin. Read the same academic literature he’s already read a hundred times. Desecrate the sanctity of his headband by using it to tie up Wei Wuxian.”

Jingyi’s eyes widened in horror, immediately looking around to make sure none of their students overheard the conversation. Once he was sure no one was paying attention to him, he jabbed his elbow into Sizhui’s ribs, practically knocking him over. After he regained his balance, Sizhui looked at Jingyi incredulously and shoved him back, quickly looking around as well. Being childhood friends and companions for over 8,000 years didn’t change the deeply ingrained Lan etiquette, or the need to remain respectable in front of their students.

“I can’t believe you said that.” Jingyi muttered under his breath, leading the parade of teens back into the hall.

“Had you forgotten about it?” Sizhui asked, a small smirk refusing to fade from his lips.

“Yes! With much effort! Now I have to forget all over again!”

“Maybe I can tweak your memory a bit.” Sizhui reached his hand up behind Jingyi and tugged on the ends of his headband.

“A-Yuan!” He yelped involuntarily, loud enough this time to garner the attention of the four or five students closest to him. He clapped a hand over his mouth and shot a horrified look at Sizhui. “We’re in public!”

“Just be glad Jin Ling isn’t here.” Sizchui snickered.

The comment stopped Jingyi dead in his tracks, his blood running cold as their band of children continued past him, laughing amongst themselves at whatever funny expression the professor had on his face. Only the questioning look of Song Lan kicked him back into gear, deciding it was safer to remain at the back of the group with the black-robed cultivator instead.

The next room contained a number of assorted artifacts, displayed on tables, the walls, and in display cases. The wall opposite the entrance was covered in decorative fans, some looking so old they might disintegrate if you tried to touch them. A table along the left wall had a collection of heavy books who’s pages were sewn together with thick threads. Display cases standing throughout the room held hand-painted vases, golden hair ornaments, and objects only the cultivators in the room could recognize as spiritual tools.

The right hand wall was adorned with a display case that spanned from the floor to the ceiling. Each shelf held a sword, some displayed on their own, others still in their sheathes. Song Lan watched cautiously as Xinyi approached the shelf, looking over each of the swords with sparkling eyes. With his lips curled up in a smile that showed off sharp canines, it was impossible to quell the feeling of needles crawling up his neck.

“Daozhang, why are some of these swords missing their sheathes?” Xinyi asked, jolting Song Lan from his thoughts.

Stepping forward to look the shelves over, he spoke without looking at Xinyi. “My fellow Daozhang and I recovered these swords over a course of many years, from many different sources. Many of them had been relics of war, picked off battlefields and kept as trophies. In those cases, the sheathes were not found with them.”

Xinyi nodded, humming thoughtfully. “What about this one?”

Song Lan followed the boy’s outstretched finger to the sword in the bottom left shelf. “Mm… What about it?”

He squatted down to be at eye level with the blade. “Do you know the names of the swords? Who they belonged to? What about this one?”

“That sword belonged to a very evil man.” Song Lan replied, his gaze piercing through Xinyi. “It’s name is JiangZai.”

Xinyi laughed and stood up. “I guess that’s a fitting name then.”

“Indeed.”

“Where’d you find that one?” Xinyi looked up at Song Lan now, a childishly innocent joy in his eyes.

“...”

“Daozhang?”

“I don’t know, I wasn’t the one that tracked it down.” With that, Song Lan turned away to stand beside Jingyi.

~X~

Xinyi threw himself down onto his bed with a huff, folding his arms behind his head and glaring up at the ceiling. Chen was to his left, laying on his stomach with his chin propped up on one hand. His roommate’s eyes burned holes through him, but Xinyi ignored him a moment longer, still fuming about his exchange with Song Lan.

“What the fuck is his problem?” He growled finally, sitting up abruptly.

Chen laughed. “There it is. What happened this time?”

Xinyi threw his arms up angrily. “I was just asking questions about the swords! He doesn’t look at anyone else like that- it’s like he hates me already. What did I do that was so wrong?”

Chen stayed silent, only shrugging in response.

“He looked about ready to stab me when I asked about that one sword- JiangHui? Whatever. He said he wasn’t even the one that collected that sword, why act so sour about it?”

Xinyi slumped back again, tugging his blanket up over him.

“Maybe it’s a sensitive topic.” Chen suggested. “If the other Daozhang brought it back, maybe Song Lan didn’t want him to.”

“That sword’s gotta be hundreds of years old, at least! How could it be so personal?”

Chen extinguished the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. “Could be a family feud thing. Like maybe that sword killed a bunch of his ancestors or something.”

Xinyi didn’t respond, just rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes. Having been up since the crack of dawn, and the exertion spent playing in the river with Chen and QianHua, it didn’t take long for sleep to take him. Even on the hard floor mat beds, his muscles relaxed right away and the day’s events melted away. In his dreams, Xinyi saw himself holding that sword. It swung about with ease, feeling perfectly balanced in his grasp.

Through the dark, distant screams could be heard. Just a few at first, but quickly joined by dozens. Men… women… even children… their horrible screams burned his ears. The feeling of hot, slick blood rushed around his hands and crept up his arms. He could feel it dripping down his face like sweat. The darkness slowly began to clear, black smoke dissipating from his vision.

The people the screams belonged to rushed back and forth in front of him, fear guiding their steps. The man nearest to him stumbled over his own feet, falling to the ground hard, his face bouncing off the stone flooring. Blood rushed from the wound that had split across his cheek, streaming down his jaw as he whipped around to face some invisible foe, only to be slammed back again.

The heart in his chest pounded painfully, it’s pace too fast. Fear gurgled in his throat, but when he opened his mouth to scream, only blood poured out. Why was it always this way? Why was he always covered in blood? He looked down, surprised to see that the hand that was usually bashed and broken had healed. The pinky finger was missing, but the wound had long since scarred over.

Looking up again, the compound had been replaced with a dusty, white road. Either side was lined with run down shops, their paper windows worn and ripped. The only other person in the whole town was the white-robed figure ahead, his back facing him. He begged his feet to move, to let him walk over and see the face of this ghost. The harder he pushed his muscles to work, the slower they moved. He’d barely taken two steps when the figure fell to his knees, wavering for a moment before collapsing onto the ground.

An overwhelming sense of dread and despair washed over him, gripping his heart... his throat... choking him…

Xinyi sat up with a gasp, sucking air in as though he’d really been choking. Struggling to disentangle himself from his blanket, he climbed to his feet and rushed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Not knowing where he was going and despite still being out of breath, he flew down the hall, not stopping until he was sure he was far away from where everyone else was sleeping.

He threw himself against a wall and slid down to the floor, letting out a heavy sob and burying his face in his hands. The dream had already begun fading from his mind, but the emotion it’d brought on was crushing. Even after it lessened, he sobbed on in frustration. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept through the night and he couldn't understand why he was having such horrible nightmares. It felt like he was losing his mind, and Song Lan's glaring and Xiao Xingchen's riddles weren't helping.

~X~

Nothing quite matched the irritability that came from an unsuccessful night-hunt. Long after Jin Ling had sent MingYue back to the temple, he'd remained in the woods, scouring the area surrounding the pond. He used every trick he could think of to locate the source of the weird energy he kept picking up on, but every time he seemed to be getting closer, it vanished and reappeared somewhere else. Around midnight, Wuxian's compass gave up and just started spinning wildly. That had been the final straw that sent Jin Ling stomping back to the temple.

Beyond exhausted, spiritual energy running low, and mood soured, all Jin Ling could think about was collapsing into his bed and passing out. The thought was sounding better and better as he trudged down the hallways to his room. With that acting as a distraction, it took him longer than it should have to process the soft sniffles and occasional stuttered cry that echoed off the walls. His muscles froze, ears straining to study the noise and determine where it was coming from.

Eyes narrowed, sword unsheathed, Jin Ling walked slowly down the hall, preparing himself for a sobbing, bleeding ghost to appear in front of him at any moment. Instead, when he turned the corner, all he was greeted by was the shocked, soggy face of Xue Yang.

No.

Wang Xinyi.

This was Sizhui and Jingyi's student. This problem could not be solved with talismans. Or his sword. He sheathed it quickly, regaining a dignified composure, although looking quite awkward. Jin Ling had never been good at comforting others. Or being in their presence when they cried. He wondered if Sizhui would scold him if he simply pretended he hadn't seen Xinyi and walked away. He glanced down the hall, then back at Xinyi, down at the floor, and then straight ahead.

"It's the middle of the night, what are you doing crying out here? It's barely been two days, you can't be homesick yet." Jin Ling's voice was as curt as ever, lined with an ever present tone of annoyance learned from Jiang Cheng.

Xinyi sniffed, also refusing to look at the other man. "It's nothing."

Jin Ling shot a look at Xinyi, annoyed that the boy would dare to drag this out with formalities. "It's not nothing. Men don't cry over nothing. Say it directly or don't cry at all!"

Xinyi looked up at Jin Ling, baffled by the harsh words. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Why else do people cry out in the night?" Xinyi asked, standing up and dusting himself off. "Just a nightmare. It’s nothing."

Jin Ling met his gaze now, staring him down. "What nightmare?"

The younger man shrugged, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "Just a nightmare. I don't remember now."

Xinyi turned to leave, but Jin Ling stepped around him quickly, blocking his path. One hand grasped the hilt of his sword tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

"How often do you have nightmares?" He demanded, his presence boring down on Xinyi.

"Are you gonna stab me if I give the wrong answer?"

Jin Ling's eye twitched, having long run out of patience from using that damn compass. "How often? And don't lie, I'll be able to tell."

Xinyi huffed, but wasn't interested in dragging it on any longer. This man was uncomfortable, annoying, and most importantly, a complete fucking stranger- no one knew why he was even here or how he knew the Lan professors.

"Every night."

Jin Ling's eyes widened for a second. "For how long?"

"A year."

The cultivator practically choked at the answer. "A year? Every single night for a year?! How are you-"

He paced back and forth a few times, the gears spinning in his head as he processed the answer. Usually reincarnated souls only had nightly dreams from their past lives for a handful of months before either awakening or losing their mind completely. Not only had Xinyi been having nightmares, but he'd been having them for a year! It was a miracle he hadn't snapped and gone on a killing spree yet!

Jin Ling stopped abruptly and faced Xinyi again. "You've had these dreams for a year. Surely you remember enough to tell me what they're usually about, even if you supposedly don't remember the one you had tonight."

Xinyi tried to move passed him again. "Sir… why is this importa-."

Jin Ling stepped in front of him again. "Because it is!"

He frowned, his eyebrow twitching angrily. "I don't know! Getting hurt in some horrible way, watching people die, being followed by this creepy ghost girl…. And sometimes there's this person I'm trying to get to but I can't move."

"Person? What person?"

Xinyi shrugged. "Some person. A dream person I guess."

Jin Ling finally released the hilt of his sword and swept the sleeves of his robe out to clasp his hands behind his back.

"It's late. Go back to bed."

Without another word, Jin Ling turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving Xinyi gaping after him.

"Everyone here is out of their goddamn minds." He hissed, finally heading back to his room.

[starshinegoblin]

Walking Right into Your Heart

Here’s your request @ruensroad for JinYi au where Jin Ling is CEO and Jingyi is a dog walker. In this AU. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng aren’t brother’s but friends from college. Oh and Jingyi is still cousins with Lan Wangji but they aren’t close at the start. Shizui is a Wei here with Wen Qing being his surrogate mother. Here’s the start of their love! It got away from me and thank you for being patient! 

///

Bloomp! Bloomp! Bloomp! Bloomp! 

Jingyi groaned sleepily waking up to the sound of rapid fire text message notifications on his phone. His sleep crusted eyes opening to see that the alarm clock read that it was barely after five in the morning. He grabbed the pillow placing it over his head in hopes of blocking out the sound. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. Just by the time of day was telling enough. Sizhui may be a man of few words like his father Lan Wangji but when it came to texting it was like he was truly his other father, Wei Wuxian’s, son. Now don’t get him wrong. He does love his best friend but he hadn’t gotten back home to his apartment till after two in the morning. 

The lack of bloomp sounds stirred him from his thoughts. He was just about to go back to sleep when his phone started ringing. Jingyi huffed in frustration before reaching out to palm the nightstand until he found his phone. He answered without checking the ID. 

“This better be good you, Wei demon. ” he croaked. 

“Jingyi?” A-Qing’s soft voice came through the phone instead of Sizhui’s, “Is this Jingyi?”

Jingyi quickly sat up letting the pillow roll off him. A-Qing is Sizhui’s girlfriend and it was rare for her to call him. He moved the phone away clearing his throat before trying again to speak, “Yes, it’s me.” 

“Hey, I’m calling you because we are currently at the hospital. Sizhui was in an accident.” She explained. 

“Which hospital is he at? What happened?” He asked tossing the blankets back getting out of bed. He grabbed his towel heading to the bathroom. He’d take a quick shower to wake up some more before heading to the hospital. 

“He’s at Gusu General and you don’t have to come. He just fell and broke his leg after dropping off one of his clients. That’s all. He should be home either today or tomorrow.” 

“I’m on my way.” He said hanging up. He liked A-Qing but he had a feeling in his gut that she was leaving something out. It hadn’t been the first time he’d caught her in a lie when it came to Sizhui. If it was just a broken leg they’d have set it and sent him home. He’d find out soon enough though he thought as he started stripping to get into the shower. 

Ten minutes later, Jingyi was fresh from his shower with a hoodie over his t-shirt and jeans with his converses. He put on his sunglasses as he stepped out of the elevator of his apartment building to the front entrance. He might be sipping a Monster Mean Bean but that didn’t mean he needed to be driving with barely two and a half hours of sleep in him. Thankfully his uber was waiting for him. 

“Gusu General please.” He said getting inside. An acknowledging nod had the car pulling out of the parking lot to his best friend. 

Jin Ling sighed loudly as he tossed the pen on his desk.  He leaned back in his chair resting his head against the top of the chair as he rubbed his face. That was the last of his paperwork declining the merger with Chang Industries. A deal that his grandfather had orchestrated in his schemes to get the company back from him after his parents had died. Thankfully, he’d been able to stop it. It’d taken him nearly a year to keep the Chang’s from taking his father’s business. The one that Jin Zixuan had built from the ground up without the help of Jin Guangshan. Jin Ling wouldn’t let it be taken from him. 

“Boss?” Rayne, his personal assistant called for him as she stepped into his office. A  look of annoyance on her face as she took in his appearance. He was still in yesterday’s outfit and there was day old take out boxes from last night’s dinner on the corner of his desk .  “I thought you said you were going home?”

“I did.” He replied sheepishly glancing at the open door to the small living quarters to her left. 

Her lips pursed approaching his desk reluctantly using her stiletto covered foot to push the trash can closer to the edge of the desk.“That’s not home, sir.” She stated as she took one of the unused napkins to push the take out boxes into the trash can. 

“I’ve been informed by Director Luo to send you send you home.” 

“But the Tang meeting.” 

“Has been moved Director Luo’s schedule. So has the Fang meeting and Wen meetings. In doing that allows for you to have the rest of the month off. So that you will be well rested for the Zhan meeting.” She replied going over to the coat rack plucking his coat off it. 

“Song is already downstairs isn’t he?” Jin Ling asked despite already knowing that his former personal assistant turned director because the woman was smart as hell and was a force to be reckoned with, Luo Qingyang, had everything in place for him. Realistically he knew nothing bad would happen but the anxiety was there. He sighed in resignation before standing up. 

“Yes, sir.” She nodded as he rounded the desk to allow her to help him into his jacket. 

“See you when I get back, Rayne.”

“You too, boss.” Rayne replied waving goodbye to him. 

So….I distinctly remember her saying it was - quote...nothing serious. Jingyi thought biting his the inside of his cheek to keep from scolding the woman. Said would woman was lazily lounging in the armchair munching on a bag of hot cheetos while Sizhui was on the phone with his father’s. 

His golden eyes taking in the sight of his best friend - who’s now in a room,with his leg in a cast with a bandage on his forehead and his arm wrapped up. Oh his phone? Yeah, that’d been smashed. So he was talking to his parents on the hospital phone. The woman claiming she couldn't bear to leave him. He sent a glare towards the to the woman as the responses to his father and the injuries told him that he’d been hit by a driver reaching down to grab their phone out of the floorboards. He’d been flung in the air and gravity aided in the sudden stop. 

Suddenly, she got a call before his temper got the best of him. “Oh, gege!” she practically screamed happily making Jingyi clinch his jaw. He wished she would just leave. 

Gege? he thought, Her parents made one before her? He mentally shivered at the thought as she wiped her cheetos dust stained hand on her jeans before getting up. 

“Bunny, I have to take this and if you want I can go get you a phone while I’m out.” she said with a forced sweet tone that sounded grating to Jingyi’s ears. Sizhui gave her a warm smile and nodded as she practically bounced out of the chair grabbing Sizhui’s wallet. Then fluttered out of the room.

“Oh thank god.” he thought he said in his mind but the sound of Sizhui smacking the bed made him realize he said it out loud. He quickly turned his head to look at Sizhui who gave him a knowing look. 

“I will dad. Yes, I’m going a new pho….I have A-Yi and A-Qing here with me. There is no need to fly...Okay...I love you.”

“Your mother coming?” He asked with a sigh. 

“No, but my dad’s are.” Sizhui replied. 

“That’s going to be interesting.” 

“Don’t be like that.” Sizhui scolded lightly.

“Sorry.” He apologized. 

“It’s okay.” Sizhui sighed. 

“What are you going to do about your clients?” Jingyi asked.

“I only have Fairy this week.” Sizhui replied from memory as he leaned his head back. His snapped opened as he leaned forward repeating, “I have fairy this week.”

“ My beloved sugar plum of a husky puppy?”

“She isn’t yours and hardly a puppy.”

“Cuteness trumps reality.” Jingyi replied tilting his nose up in the air. 

“What am I going to do?” Sizhui replied. “I don’t have his owner’s secretary’s number. The whole phone was crushed!” 

“I mean I could take care of her for you.” 

“No, I couldn’t…”

“Dude, you’re not asking and it’s just walking her on her normal route right? I’ve done that a million times with you two. Besides she knows me and you said you’ve never met her owner. Only spoke over the phone with his assistant. ” 

“Yes, but-”

“What?”

“What about your clients?” 

“Her routine is early in the morning. So that fits perfectly with my other clients.” 

“Are you sure?” Sizhui asked again. 

“Yes, and don’t even think about sending me the money. You know I don’t need it.”  Jingyi chided as he handed his phone to Sizhui to add Fairy’s information into his phone. 

Fuck. Jin Ling thought as he woke up to the sound of Fairy barking rather loudly. She sounded happy so it wasn’t an intruder.  It hadn’t been her barking that bothered him rather than the sharp pain to his head when he’d trying to sit up to go check on her. His body gifting him with a skull cracking headache after finally getting more than two or three hours of rest. He reached into the nightstand grabbing for the bottle of aspirin he keeps there. Popping two of them in his mouth then washing it down with tepid water from the glass that he left there last night. 

He tossed the bottle on the back in the drawer before getting up. Jin Ling gently rubbed his temples with both hands as he stepped out of his room walking towards the living room. He guessed that he’d probably left the blinds opening and Fairy had spotted a bird on the balcony of their penthouse. Though the idea faded as he stepped into the living room seeing a man crouched down scratching behind both of Fairy’s ears.

“How’s my favorite sugar plum?” The man childishly said to his dog earning a happy bark. 

“Apparently happy and her name is Fairy.” Jin Ling stated with a scratchy grumbling tone dripping with sarcasm making the other man jump and topple back onto his butt. The way his beloved husky was acting plus the clock on the wall told him that this was his dog walker. 

Jin Ling’s dark eyes taking in the sight of him. The man had dark brown hair cut short with a long bangs but not too long that it covered his beautiful whiskey colored eyes. He wore a jean jacket with an over sized grey sweater and a pair of jeans with black converses. 

“Uh, I think so too.” the man chuckled with a blush creeping up his neck from the sweater’s collar, “Stop sugar plum.” he said to Fairy ignoring him while gently pushing her off him to stand up, “You must be her owner. Since you’re home. I’ll just go.” He gestured towards the door. 

Jin Ling was about to agree but then he got another sharp pain. “Wait, If you don’t mind can you walk her today?” 

“Sure, thing. Let’s go sugar plum.” The man nodded heading out the door with Fairy and her leash before he could ask about why he was even here. Jin Ling huffed turning around. He’d worry about the cute dog wal...wait no…annoying dog walker later. He shook his head making it hurt even more. His head was busting and all he wanted to do was crawl back into bed. 

“Dude.” Jingyi said practically yelled into his phone the moment that Sizhui answered the phone. “Sugar Plum’s dad is hot.”

“How do you know that?” Sizhui asked with a worried tone.

“I went to go pick her up and he appeared in the living room. Lord, Sizhui. He’s hotter than the sun.” He happily answered.

“Jingyi!” 

“You should have seen him. That messy bed hair, the muscles, and the -”

“Don’t say another word and don’t you dare sleep with my client.” Sizhui replied with a warning tone. 

“Who said anything about sleeping?”

‘Jingyi.”

“Okay, Okay, I won’t.” Jingyi chuckled “But I can ogle right? Because he has a tattoo on his left pec is…”

“I’m out.” Sizhui replied hanging up. Jingyi couldn’t help but laugh sticking his phone in his pocket as he refocused on the walk. If he ran a bit with Fairy to try get the memory of her shirtless owner out of his head before going back no one else would know. 

[stella-maria7]

THE UNTAMED FAN FIC: THE TANGLED HEART

Chapter 22: ESOTERIC IDENTITY

Jiang Cheng was fixated on Lan Xichen the minute he walked in. Despite the build figure, he could see that Zewu-Jun had lost some weight. His face was smaller and so did his waist. Even the smile that he was putting on his face seemed so weak compared to his usual smile five years ago. Was he living in seclusion or starvation? Jiang Cheng asked himself.

Lan Wangji was about to move away from the seat when Xichen held up a hand to stop him. “Please Wangji. Stay where you are. I am not here as a Sect leader.” He then turned towards Sizhui. “I am only here as an uncle.”

“Zewu-Jun.” Sizhui paid his respect to his uncle.

“Zewu-Jun.” Jingyi followed suit. “You are finally out.” He couldn’t hide his excitement at all. A big smile was plastered all over his face.

Lan Xichen smiled at everyone in the room who were welcoming his presence with warm hearts. “How about we all sit down?” Right after everyone was properly seated, he began to answer Jingyi's question. “We experienced a strong current of wind that came at the wrong season. More likely, it was the upshot of some disturbance activities.”

“Mine is different.” Said Jiang Cheng. Then, he started telling what phenomenon Lotus Pier had undergone.

“It was indeed different.” Wei Wuxian murmured with his fingers tapping his chin. “I can understand why Zewu-Jun and Jiang Cheng experienced different phenomenons since they were at two different places. But Lan Zhan and I were also in Cloud Recess, why didn’t we get affected by the same thing Zewu-Jun did?”

“You were deeply asleep because of that nightmare.” Wei Wuxian’s question was answered by Lan Wangji.

“Hmm…look like both of us were distracted by our own disturbances to notice that wind.” Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji and got a head nod as a yes from his husband. “Well then, Zewu-Jun was disturbed by the wind, Jiang Cheng by the Earth, Lan Zhan by the sound and I by the dream. What about you A-Ling?” He realized one person hadn’t told his side of the story yet. And that person was his nephew.

“Well…” Jin Ling talked about what happened at Carp Tower.

Jiang Cheng frowned and bellowed when his nephew finished. “How is a breaking of a tea cup counted as unnatural occurrence?”

“W-well, it gives me a weird feeling though.” Jin Ling stammered under his uncle’s glare and the discomfiture of his weak occurrence.

“You judge thing based on your feeling?! Tell me, is this befitting of a Sect Leader?” Jiang Cheng was almost on his feet to Jin Ling’s direction when Lan Xichen spoke in his usual gentle tone.

“Please calm down Sect Leader Jiang. I am sure Jin Ling hasn’t done with his explanation yet.”

Jiang Cheng took a deep breath and stayed still as if he was calm down right away. Wei Wuxian raised his eyebrows in bewilderment at his brother’s swift calmness.

“Yeah, well, what I am saying is even though what happened to me that night might be less conspicuous than any of you, it hit me with waves of anxiety. You know I was holding that mug tightly in my hand, it was highly unlikely for it to just slip out of my hand like that. And one more thing, the movement of that spilled tea when it moved was so weird. I don’t really know how to explain it but I just know that it wasn’t normal.”

“I think we shouldn’t take Jin Ling’s story lightly.” Wei Wuxian said. “Remember my dream? I saw both Sizhui and Jin Ling were in danger. Maybe the cup breaking is a warning for Jin Ling himself. Therefore, Jin Ling, you might as well be careful. Don’t be too snobbish. For the time being, try to stay in Carp Tower as much as possible. And don’t travel alone. Always bring group of your best men with you. Sizhui, you too. Now that Wen Ning is here, you must always bring him with you on every mission." he then turned to Wen Ning. "Please help looking after them."

"Yes, Gongzi." Wen Bing's voice was heard for the first time.

Wei Wuxian then turned to his son and nephew. "Be on full alert until we can confirm that everything is okay, alright?”

“Fine.” Replied Jin Ling.

“Yes, Senior Wei.” Sizhui said.

“Sizhui, now that our side of the story is finished, do you have yours to share?” Lan Xichen spoke as he looked at Sizhui.

“Not exactly, Zewu-Jun. I don’t experience any unnatural disturbance while I was away to the village with Master Zhang. However, I somehow encounter some outlandish situations during that visit.” replied Sizhui.

“Tell us everything, A-Yuan. Don’t leave out even the tiniest bit of information.” Wei Wuxian urged his adoptive son. His dream was heavily focus on the death of Sizhui so he must knew every peculiar thing whether it related or not.

Sizhui began narrating the whole story in details. As soon as he was done, Jin Ling, once again, was the first one to lash out. “Damn, that boy is a big sinner. I would have killed him right there and then. The crime he committed is inhuman."

“But Sect Leader Jin, we didn’t catch him red-handed so we can’t really say that he was responsible for the death of those people.” Sizhui said calmly.

“Do we even need to? He tried to kill that Master Zhang, he appeared in the crime scene and he even created those fog talisman. Who else can be the murderer except him?”

“But that is just your speculation Sect Leader Jin, we still need hard evidences before we accuse someone.”

“Lan Sizhui, why do you keep defending him?” Jin Ling frowned at Sizhui.

“I am not. I just don’t want to jump to conclusion.” Sizhui still maintained his calm demeanors even under Jin Ling’s scrutiny.

In fact, Sizhui didn’t completely disagree with what Jin Ling had said. Given the boy’s aura that he had felt during those time their swords clashed, Sizhui’s instinct told him that the boy was capable of doing such a thing. It made him curious of the boy’s upbringing. What kind of environment did he was raised in to have such a cruel thought at a young age like this? Was he bound by revenged? And it all went back to him. What about me? He asked himself. If Hanguang-Jun didn’t bring me to Gusu Lan that time, how would he live his life? Would he become a vicious and power-hungry just like his clan? Or would he become a vengeful man who lived his live taking revenge?

Before everything was revealed, he wanted to give the boy a chance. Just like he was given once.

“Sizhui, proceed with your story.” Said Lan Wangji when Jin Ling was about to talk back to Sizhui.

“Yes, Hanguang-Jun.” Sizhui addressed his acting Sect leader with a bow before continued. “He’s young but his swords skills is very good for his age. He was able to withstand my first two strikes. It seemed he was very well-trained. However, his sword fights are not cultivators’ common styles. He uses two swords, one longer than another. And he is an ace with daggers. I have never encountered a fighter like him before.” Sizhui frowned a little to himself. “But what peculiar is his spiritual energy. He does have it, but it is so unlike ours.”

“Don’t be so ambiguous. I don’t understand.” Jin Ling fisted his palm as he was so anxious to hear the whole thing.

“If you just shut up and let Sizhui finished his words, then you’ll understand.” Said Jingyi. He so had enough of Jin Ling’s restiveness.

Before his two best friends could tear off each other in front of the seniors, Sizhui hurried with his narration. “What I mean is, for us cultivators, once we do our swordfights, we are able to feel our opponents’ strength through the power of the Golden Core that is transferring towards our swords. In short, we get to feel each other’s Golden Core. But when I had a swordfights with this boy, despite him using those swords, I couldn’t register his Golden Core at all.”

“Maybe he just has no Golden Core. Look at Senior Wei. He can still be a cultivator without his Golden Core.” Jingyi unconsciously blurted what he was thinking out. And he regretted it the moment those words escaped his mouth.

Everyone in the room was silence still, too afraid to even breath. Jingyi gulped and looked around to see that all eyes were on him. He trembled as he knew what he had done. He had broken the taboo. The matter of Wei Wuxian losing his Golden Core might be known to the cultivation’s world but it was a taboo in Cloud Recess. Hanguang-Jun didn’t like that particular topic being discussed. Now he had done it.

Wei Wuxian was fidgety as he looked at Jiang Cheng to see his brother was lowering his head, hiding his guilty face. He wanted to walk there and consoled him but that would be too obvious. It would only arouse more suspicion. He knew that Jingyi only knew what the majority of the cultivation’s world had known. Only those few knew where his lost Golden Core went to.

“Jingyi, copy the Lan’s principles two hundreds time after this.” Lan Wangji said.

“Yes, Hanguang-Jun.” Jingyi replied weakly.

The room was quiet again. Wei Wuxian knew that if he wasn’t to do anything, the whole day would just ended with silence. “Oh, yeah, that’s very flattering Jingyi.” He stood up and went to stand besides the nervous Jingyi who still had his head lowered and his body slightly trembled. “But that is because I was born a prodigy. I am unique, you know.” He gave Jingyi’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. Jingyi looked up at him to which he added a smile to assure him that everything was alright.

“Oh shut up. Don’t you feel shame at all for bragging about yourself?” Jin Ling scoffed.

Wei Wuxian smiled to himself as the tense atmosphere was finally lifted. So now, things could get back to business. “But I have to clarify one thing. I was born with a Golden Core. I just lost it afterwards. However, the boy Sizhui has mentioned seems to have no Golden Core from the very beginning. Besides, I cannot draw my sword for long or else I will be way too drained. But that boy is able to use not only one but two swords during the fight without showing any sign of exhaustion. This is highly unprecedented.”

“Sizhui, what else do you remember about the boy?” Something about that boy caught Lan Xichen’s interest.

Sizhui took a brief moment to think. “Oh, I had injured him on his shoulder during the fight. And my sword that wound him was smeared with black liquid.” He thought back to when he was about to sheath his sword and saw the stain.

“Black?” Jin Ling and Jingyi asked simultaneously to which Sizhui answered with a nod.

Zewu-Jun stood up from his seat with his face as pale as snow. Jiang Cheng was the first to notice and the first to ask. “Zewu-Jun, are you alright?”

Finally, everyone’s attention was on Lan Xichen. Lan Wangji also stood up and walked to stand in front of his brother, his face worried. “Brother. Is it serious?” Years of brotherhood had made the two brothers understood each other even without asking.

Lan Xichen turned to look into his younger’s brother eyes and nodded. Lan Wangji frowned just as Wei Wuxian walked to stand next to him. “Zewu-Jun, what is it that you know?”

Taking a deep breath with his eyelids shut, Lan Xichen braced for his own answer. Once he opened them back, traces of trepidation were shown. “I have read a book in the Forbidden Chamber. According to the characteristics that Sizhui had described, I fear that the boy isn’t a human.”

“Not a human? What do you mean?” Jiang Cheng had left his seat and joined the standing line next to Wei Wuxian.

“It means, Sect leader Jiang, that we are up against a demon in human form.”

[bloodgarnet]

MDZS Original Mystery Fic Idea

So I came up with this idea for a mystery plot since I was so impressed with all the fic until I read the novel and realised most of it was just minor alterations on canon :/// (still impressive though). I got pretty far in the outline before I realised it would need a lot of minor character interactions and cultural knowledge which I respectively can’t be bothered with and don’t know shit about lol. The premise was also meant to have a lot of happy trolling WWX but most of the scenes turned out pretty serious… There’s probably a 99% chance I’m never going to write this so posting it publicly as free real estate.

Tags: Case Fic, Memory Alteration, Mystery, Plot Heavy, Romance, True Love

Title: Fortune’s Memory OR One Thousand Worries (*from Chinese proverbs)

Summary: Wei Wuxian successfully manages to convince everyone that he is Mo Xuanyu… through absolutely no merit of his own.

Prologue: WWX reflects after his resurrection that even if MXY forgot to state his wishes, he still did a pretty good job—after all, with a totally untested ritual from the branch of cultivation that he invented, who knows how many things could have gone wrong. /foreboding

WWX’s wrist held by LWJ as JC and he argue. Unexpectedly, JC says this is giving him a headache and decides to leave (jin ling says you too, uncle? JC like you ARE my headache, child). LWJ says WWX is coming with him to gusu but WWX argues it and says he doesn’t want to go to such a place with LWJ, whose eyes go cloudy and he suddenly releases WWX, confused. They part ways, but WWX wonders what the heck just happened—unexpectedly lucky! He’s still interested in all the weird things happening though and decides to meet up with wen ning elsewhere.

Meanwhile, LWJ inexplicably feels a profound sense of loss.

JC goes back to Yunmeng with Jin Ling and has trouble remembering things. He tries to recall the culprit of the ghost general incident but can’t picture his face. He tries to scold jin ling but can’t remember what for; jin ling also has trouble remembering. He tells jin ling to go to his room and if he wants sympathy, go to his mother for that. Jin ling freezes and says what are you even talking about. Jiang Cheng blacks out as jin ling screams.

Lan Xichen talks to Jin Guangyao about how both Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang have come down with a mysterious illness which affects their memory—possibly a targeted curse at clan leaders, though perhaps a small smattering of rogue cultivators have also been affected. Sadly, it has even affected the Jin heir, Jin Ling, though his is a bit better. JGY reflects since it’s the opposite way, it can’t be the strength of his golden core but rather maybe his youth that makes him resistant as some spells operate that way. LXC thanks him for the advice and worries that LWJ was recently in contact with JC and JL. JGY comments that these unexpected events are the most dangerous.

WWX meets up with wen ning and they discuss what to do: he frees wen ning from chains and needles and says he could go live life if he wants, but WWX is interested in the ghost arm incident. They get wen ning a disguise and hear from locals that nie huaisang and JC have come down sick. WWX frowns and wonders about the current political climate, who knows how many people would want to take down the sect leaders. Then he hears that LWJ is possibly also ill and feels really bad about it for some reason—that’s what makes him decide to investigate himself, putting this over the ghost arm incident. Wen ning asks how to do that and WWX says they need information now more than anything—they must prepare for the upcoming conference which will discuss what is happening.

JGY attends the conference and notices a strange bird outside. He’s seconds away from touching it when LXC calls him and it flies off. They go inside and discuss the potential epidemic; LXC confesses LWJ seems to show preliminary signs but Clarity seems to be helping him remain stable for now. They discuss it’s potential as a contagious epidemic and agree to have healers share findings as well as a group of famed Lan healers (?) visit the other sects with a small entourage in order to compare patients directly. JGY notes that this subject has totally eclipsed the issue of the ghost hand, which tried to escape Gusu Lan but was caught at the barrier with no casualties but many injuries. Also JC has woken and has a clean slate memory and just seems to be much happier??? They decide to keep the whole thing quiet from the public for now to prevent panicking. Conference ends with JGY accidentally revealing that he’s forgotten something important, so he’s infected too, to LXC’s shock. The bird flies away.

Wwx discusses the situation with wen ning at a restaurant (where wen ning is like thank god my tastebuds are dead lol). Wwx says that the situation is bad but not killing anyone so far which is good. Explains to wen ning that the healers probably know this but it can’t be an epidemic because it hasn’t spread enough; it’s far more likely a targeted attack since it’s really only affecting important people. Lan Sizhui and Jingyi enter the restaurant and WWX hides his face by faceplanting in his noodles lol. WWX and wen ning eavesdrop on their plans to escort the healers back from Nie territory to Gusu Lan, noting that LWJ may have gotten worse in the time they were gone. WWX worries and decides he needs to steal a jade token, but for now they have a convenient target for a little spy.

Sizhui and Jingyi report to LXC with the healers who explain that it IS contagious, a qi transmitted virus, but only from the carrier—likely only one since it hasn’t spread far: so it must be someone who has come into contact with all of the people affected fairly recently. Also it seems like an imbalance of energies causing qi deviation. Sizhui reflects this will be hard since the victims don’t remember anything. LXC says that’s somewhere to start, though, and gets disciples/servants to fetch LWJ from seclusion since it’s not contagious. LWJ joins (sizhui happy!) and says that his illness has not progressed at all. LWJ says that the number of potential carriers is too many but to retrace his steps he might as well seek out the rest of the ghost hand’s body as the hand has conveniently pointed in that direction. Sizhui and Jingyi volunteer to go with him along with some other junior disciples; justification that it can be a low-stress learning exercise if nothing else(?) which is what LWJ was doing originally. Then takes out his sword and strikes down the hidden bird which was trying to steal his token – LXC marvels that LWJ broke a rule (no killing) but LWJ says the bird was already dead.

WWX says, “Shit.” WWX talks to wen ning and says that chasing the hand’s body now is dangerous since LWJ will be there—he wants to investigate the victims too in case there’s a demonic element but has an inexplicable bad feeling. Laughs off concerns about memory because his has always been bad. WWX says that his expertise in this area is lacking though and what they really need is a healer who knows about demonic cultivation and wouldn’t run on sight… oh. Wen Ning is like I mean. WWX like would she kill us?? Hmm. They head to Yiling Burial Mounds.

Dead bird makes everyone realise it’s related to demonic cultivation

Filler scene…? Maybe LWJ POV? Tiger seal? Body parts?

Sizhui and Jingyi realise that someone LWJ met right before this happened (along with JL and JC) is MXY, so they should find him!

Wwx and wen ning arrive at the burial mounds and talk while wwx makes chenqing 2 (joke that’s a JC name! But I can’t think of one now lol). He uses it to summon wen qing with inquiry and ask her about it. She says it’s hard to say but given that no one’s died, it may not even be intentional, maybe just a side effect or symptom of something else. WWX says since there’s no change in political power. It does weaken the sects affected temporarily but a widespread attack like this isn’t so good tactically so it could fit. Wen Qing says she’d need to examine a victim herself but would need a body for that and hers is long gone. WWX like wait you would be okay with me getting yours back? Also idk how to do that?? He explains the ritual he used to come back and she frowns. WWX like to accomplish what you suggest would need more power than I currently have in this body… perhaps by repurposing the tiger seal???

And this is where I stopped because I legit can’t remember what happened to the tiger seal at this point in canon. Probably something about Xue Yang but I skipped over his chapters because I wasn’t interested lol. Since there wasn’t really a point to bringing Wen Qing back, I imagine their plan fails but it brings them into the fold with the other characters, and she stays a ghost and has a tearful goodbye with WN at some point near the end or something. Also having to figure out exactly how the whole Nie Mingjue thing would fall apart with both Nie Huaisang and JGY incapacitated, as well as the whole Qin Su thing... blah. Wanted to change the dead bird thing since I was annoyed at myself for copying a fandom trope but couldn’t think of anything better.

Basically the points I wanted to reach were:

Sizhui and Jingyi note that the spell reveals your ‘true colours’ lol

WWX is eventually caught and interrogation reveals that he also has the virus even tho he has a very weak golden core and they realise he must be a demonic cultivator; some pity because he seems so happy without memories of abuse (his happy antics are even kind of familiar... hmm)

Full clarification that WWX is the virus carrier: it’s a golden core imbalance caused by the imperfect resurrection which infectiously causes qi deviation for people who come into contact with his demonic cultivation and triggered by emotional upheaval which is why JC gets the full thing IMMEDIATELY lol

WWX was trolling at first but then actually DOES forget everything (caused by something with LWJ? Maybe a gay panic lol), but still knows his shit and explains that if it’s an imbalance then the opposing yang/yin energy must be demonic in nature so they should just huff a demonic seal or something lol

^ political statement that demonic cultivation isn’t evil, just ~opposite~

Jin Ling has recovered a bit and says he will talk to MXY but is like wait that’s… not him?? like yes I know he forgot everything but it’s really, really Not Him???

Interrogation of JGY’s spotty memory leads to deduction of what scrolls of WWX’s MXY learnt—body sacrifice and summoning

The cure is demonic energy + confessing your sins and being happy you fucks

And then like the one scene I actually had in mind when I wrote this: WWX confused but yelling MXY is not my name!!! And LWJ, on the brink of forgetting everything, still says, “Wei Ying,” recognising him immediately despite everything. Much shock, so drama.

[rosethornewrites]

Tuesday’s T and G fics

Again, all The Untamed/MDZS.

I’m 5ish pages away from my goal of clearing most of the fics under 3k words from my AO3 to-read list. (It’s 60 pages long lol.) Then I start on the 5k and under.

Finished:

Rated T:

Everything Is Solved With Soup (And Poison), by Love_Psycho

Waking up from a nightmare – that may or may not just be a nightmare – Jiang Yanli decides she needs to stop that nightmare from becoming reality.

Any moment now, by Anonymous

A heavily pregnant Wei Wuxian takes a moment to breathe and look forward to the life ahead of him.

& again tomorrow, by bleuett

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying exclaims. He pretends to be annoyed but he bursts into laughter. “Gege, you’re too much. What would I do without you? My life would be so boring.”

Lan Wangji’s breath hitches, but he doesn’t cry.

Or: 114 days in space.

zooming out of the scene, then rapidly zooming back in, by kkochiya (loveta)

"Haven’t you noticed?" Nie-xiong snickered, fluttering his fan in front of his face. "Second Childe Lan always smiles when he says your name."

or:

Wei Ying sneaks some of his precious Emperor's Smile into Cloud Recesses. It goes a little differently than expected.

slipping secrets, skipping stones, by LaivineNinuiel

There’s a chubbiness to A-Zhan’s cheeks, especially when his head is turned down the way it is, and his bottom lip is pushed out in a pout that never fails to make Lan Huan laugh. His little brother manages to keep his expression even, no matter if he’s frowning or pouting, often not even responding to the measured praises the Lan elders give him for being such a well-behaved child. It’s only Lan Huan who seems to see the subtleties of his blankness, and who already understands that the young child’s guardedness isn’t necessarily something to be praised. A-Zhan is quiet, but he’s too quiet, as if he’s told himself to keep all his feelings a secret, only to be whispered about. And he only whispers it in A-Huan’s ear.

About a Farm shop, Toy Castles, and Bunny Pictures, by KrisisUnmanaged

Lan Zhan’s bunnies’ castle broke. He is, against all odds, very thankful for this.

Wei Ying spends a lot of time contemplating whether or not he might be hallucinating.

What else is there to say?

Rated G:

Hold On Tight (Never Let Go), by Purplepulu (2 chapters)

4 times Wei Wuxian asked Lan Wangji to let him go and the 1 time he doesn't.

Let The Spice Flow, by hinotoriii

With Lan Wangji facing a cold, Wei Wuxian fixes him a meal. One with enough flavour that he hopes his husband can taste.

Close Captioned Enabled, by makebelieveanything & nerdzeword

Lan Wangji is not good at talking, luckily, he doesn’t have to because Wei Wuxian will do it for him.

OR

Jiang Cheng thinks his brother is a menace with a big mouth, and he's only half wrong.

stained with red, by mnousay

Lan Wangji’s life was a series of black and white pictures, monotone and dull.

Until he met the man painted a vibrant, alluring red.

Spice, by 1PB2PB3PB4

"Sugar and spice and all things nice. That's what little girls are made of."

Jiang Yanli is a Yunmeng girl, spice burns.

Character study of JYL and some of her relationships while trying to meet expectations.

Affection, by eponinemylove

Lan Wangji is amazed by how easily Wei Wuxian shows affection. Luckily, Wei Wuxian doesn't seem to mind that Lan Wangji is a little bit more reserved, especially when it comes to PDA.

I Will Remember, by Grace_Logan

Wei Wuxian has a moment of clarity through the resentment filled haze over his mind during the sunshot campaign and begs Lan Zhan to help him once the Sunshot campaign is over.

Watching The Sunrise, by Preludian_Staves

Sometimes he likes to get early even before his husband and watch the sunrise break through the mists that have settled around the Cloud Recesses during the night.

Jasmine Tea, by Speechless_since_1998

Yanli was the first to recognize that demonic cultivation had changed her younger brother. It would be hypocritical, however, not to see how the war had changed the people around her.

A-Cheng looked more like their mother. They had always had similar characters, but it had gotten worse. He was shooting for anything, the weight of the reconstruction of the sect all on his shoulders. And she felt guilty, because she was weak, useless, and all she could do as the world destroyed her family was cook.

But sometimes even the little things could help.

Wangji, by youjezebel

In the end, he picks the guqin. It is the exact opposite of who Lan Wangji is; it is loud, and it is passionate. The thrum of the strings demand attention and evoke raw feeling. It is everything he has ever wanted to be.

And so he named it Wangji.

trees sing with the river, by twigofwillow

When Jiang Yanli was eight years old, she was sent on a visit to her grandmother in Meishan.

Let us be there for you, by Jade_Pearl

Sizhui was always there for them, no matter what; now they have a chance to return the favor. It's got to be perfect; can they pull it off?

Cleansing, by tabulaxrasa

Sizhui didn’t remember Wei Wuxian. He would not have used resentful energy on purpose.

WangXian 4ever, by Aki_no_hikari

At the end of their latest concert, as Wei Wuxian is saying their goodbyes, Lan Wangji interrupts him for the first time ever.

“How long do you want to keep doing this?”

“As long as I can, of course!”

“How about forever?”

Wangxian Week Day 1: Modern AU

Radish, Rabbits, Rinse, Repeat, by scifigeek14

Lan Wangji was not planning to save a child from falling into a washing machine and get a date when he set out to do his laundry, but these things happen.

Short little Wangxian Meet-Cute at a Laundromat, feat A-Yuan being the cutest.

Unfinished:

Rated T:

love's a hand-me-down brew, by tricksterity

After being convinced by his brother that his current life as an office drone for the Lan family business is making him unhappy, Lan Wangji moves across the globe to follow his dream of opening his own café.

Lan Wangji is happy, and Jingshi is running well - even if it has to be closed on Tuesdays so that Lan Wangji can get some sleep outside of his seventy-hour work week. But as usual, Xichen is right, and Lan Wangji needs to let go of his careful control and let a second staff member into his café, and into his life.

Enter Wei Wuxian: everything that Lan Wangji is looking for in an employee wrapped in the personality of his worst nightmare. But maybe, just maybe, this will work out. If Lan Wangji can stop himself from strangling Wei Wuxian to death. Or bending him over the counter and licking coldbrew espresso off his neck.

To Dream the Impossible, by LadyHallen

Lan Hui is Lan Zhan's cousin.

She is the kind of curious that would stop at nothing until she achieved results.

Unfortunately, she and Wei Wuxian get along very well.

let's call the whole thing off, by jotarems

Recently returned from being burnt at the stake after being tried as a witch, Wei Wuxian wakes to the past and does everything in his power to not repeat it.

Chenqing: "setting forth one's thoughts and explaining one's actions", by LyzDrake

After an assassin is nearly successful, Wei Wuxian grows concerned that should it be needed, there will be no one who knows the truth. She decides to entrust it to someone honorable, and the last person she ever thought possible.

An Inch of Grass, and All The Sunshine of Spring, by ChilianXianzi

"Did you…Did you know our A-Ying?"

Cangse Sanren's eyes are wide and full of hope, and Lan Wangji is suddenly struck by the realization that he is the only one in the world now who would still speak of Wei Ying with fondness. Who knows him enough outside of the wild and hurtful rumors scattered across the land. Just him, in all of his own failings and his poor grasp of words.

But Lan Wangji had failed Wei Ying once, and if he could not speak for Wei Ying when the whole world had bayed for his blood, then he owes it to Wei Ying to speak of him kindly now, to let his meagre words tumble out of lips unused still to speech after years of silence. He doesn't expect there to be so much words inside him, doesn't expect that his words would carry him until the sky darkens around them. Doesn't expect the embrace enveloping him after he is done - Warm and firm and safe.

Making Different Choices (For A More Hopeful Future), by Preludian_Staves

Through a bout of unexpected time traveling, they decide to usurp Fate's plans and do their best to make different choices to create more hopeful future.

Dawn, by Jengabears

The canon divergence which might have happened, if Wen Qing came with Wei Wuxian to ask the Jins where Wen Ning was being held, rather than waiting outside.

fade into view, by Zoodan21

Jin Ling is pretty sure that his friend’s dad is the same guy that his uncle used to have a crush on in the ’90s, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to get them to actually talk to each other.

Journey, by ninho_emy

This is the story what could have been if Lan Zhan returned to the Bourial Mounds before the Siege, took Wei Ying and A-Yuan and travelled together as rogue cultivators as a family of three.

Rated G:

the sum of us, by baobeijuns (canyoudamianot)

A series of ficlets about reincarnation across time and universes, where soulmates only remember their past lives when their eyes meet.

First up: fashionista!wwx/model!lwj at Paris Fashion Week.