#eirenical does whumptober

[eirenical]

...holy shit, guys.

I think I finished Reclamation last night.  XD

You know what THAT means.

...ugh.  EDITING.  OTZ

But hopefully I’ll get the first part up today?  I know at least a few of you who will probably be interested in hearing that, anyway...  ;D

[eirenical]

Chapters: 1/4 Fandom: 许你浮生若梦 | Xǔ Nǐ Fú Shēng Ruò Mèng | Granting You a Dreamlike Life (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Luo Fusheng/Xu Xingcheng, Luo Fusheng/Xu Rui'an Characters: Luo Fusheng, Xu Xingcheng, Xu Xingyuan, Liu Shuzhen, Luo Cheng (Granting You a Dreamlike Life), Shuang-jie, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags: *cracks knuckles*, Here we go..., Rape/Non-con Elements, Rape, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Panic Attacks, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety, Panic, Past Torture, Sexual Torture, Held Down, Object Insertion, Asphyxiation, Drowning, Rough Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Dissociation, sub space, (but not in a sexual way), Eating Disorders, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Whumptober 2020, Cuddling & Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Hair Washing, Bathing/Washing, hair petting, Dirty Hair, feeling dirty, Ablutophobia (Fear of Bathing), Reconciliation, Recovery, Safehouses, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, If I think of any, Suicidal Ideation, Suicidal Thoughts Series: Part 7 of Indefinitely

Summary:

Fusheng is finally free, and Xu Xingcheng is out from under his father's thumb... but that doesn't mean the road ahead will be easy or smooth.   Fusheng has a long way to go to even find all the broken pieces, much less to begin to put them together again, with his own mind now his worst enemy.  Xingcheng wants nothing more than to help, but the wrong kind of help, or the help of the wrong person, can be worse than no help at all.  Fortunately, Xu Xingcheng isn't the only one with a vested interest in seeing Fusheng back on his feet, and Xu Xingyuan has more than enough strength of will to carry them all for as long as she has to, and she isn't afraid to use it.

You know the drill: further notes and detailed warnings behind the cut.  ^_^

September 4, 2021: First of all, thank you all for your patience!  This monster is about 22k words, so hopefully it will be worth the wait.  ;D  As with the last one, I'll be editing as I go, so I don't have a definite posting schedule, the whole thing IS done, so at least I can promise I won't leave you hanging.  ^_~  I have five prompts left in last year's Whumptober set and I think I can finish this series off in another one or two fic... so there's a chance I'll finish it off before the next Whumptober starts?  ;D  (I have my eye on Wu Xie and Ershu for that one, so... watch this space?  XD)

Further details about warnings and Prompt fills:          This is the fic where the series most earns its major archive warning, so... here we go!

The chapter opens on a scene in prison.  (This is a nightmare, but it depicts elements of real events that Fusheng remembers from the month Xingcheng was gone.) There are mentions of Xu Rui'an beating Liu Shuzhen.  Fusheng hears this but doesn't witness it.  Xu Rui'an then comes into his cell and rapes him.  This is somewhat graphic, but not very long.  If you want to skip the act itself, it starts after the sentence: "Fusheng wanted to vomit." and you can pick up again at "When Fusheng came to, there was still a heavy weight pressing him down..."

The next section includes a panic attack (when Fusheng wakes up), during which Fusheng isn't sure what's real and thinks he is still in prison.   There is also a section where he has a rapid series of flashbacks to the nightmare he just had.

In the next section, Fusheng is still experiencing bursts of panic/anxiety as Xingyuan tries to help him and talk to him, and he is mostly unable to speak in return.  He later escapes from his room, but not before having another flashback to what Xu Ruian had done to him.  Xingcheng catches up to him just before he can leave the house and Fusheng has one final full panic attack, leading to an episode of severe dissociation before eventually coming back to himself.  There are more elements of derealization here, as Fusheng is convinced that none of this is real, that Xingcheng is playing some kind of game with him.  Fusheng also has a brief moment of suicidal ideation in this section.

There will be further detailed warnings on later chapters, but for now, please check the tags so you have some idea of what you're getting into!

 Prompt fills: No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? (Branding, Heat Exhaustion, Fire) -- alternate used: Alt 10. Nightmares No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN (Possession, Magical Healing, Science Gone Wrong) -- alternate used: Alt. 12. Water No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO (Panic Attacks, Phobias, Paranoia) No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE (Experiment, Whipped, Left for Dead)

[eirenical]

🌹 ! Do you have anything with “fold”? Or “floor”?

Nonny, you are in luck! I do, indeed, have a few selections for those. ^_^ And since I'm not sure what fandom you'd like... here are a few!

[Anyone else want to play? ^_^ Feel free to include a word for me to search for and/or a fandom.]

(By the way, I am really enjoying this meme; I hope you guys are, too! ^_^)

From Mirror, Mirror (a Guardian reincarnation fic):

Floor:

Another boy now sat beside him, a messy mop of hair crowning the warmest brown eyes Shen Wei had ever seen. Once they made eye contact, the other boy smiled and patted him once again on the back. "That's some impressive stage fright you've got going on there… Shen Wei?"

Shen… Wei…? That lifting second tone, lofty and free… Shen Wei's heart leapt with it, taking flight in a way it never had before when his name rolled off another's lips. He had to hear this boy say it again.

"Ah… no. No, I'm sorry. I didn't see. It's Shen Wei. My apologies!"

Wei. Flat, broad tone. As wrong as when his name tumbled from his parents' lips to crash upon the floor, unheeded, unresolved. He reached out, clutched at the other boy's sleeve and shook his head. "No. No, what… what you said before. Can you say it again?"

"Wha—? Shen Wei?"

Lifting tone. Second tone. Did it really sound so much better that way? Or was it just that it was this boy's voice speaking it? Shen Wei forced himself to nod. "Yes. That. I… I like that better. Can I keep it?"

And behind a cut for the rest, I think, or this will be far too long. XD

From Legacies Found, the sequel to Legacies Lost:

Fold:

Jiang Cheng took in one last, deep breath, then slowly extricated himself from the bed. As he pulled away, Wei Wuxian twitched, brows furrowing further, hands clenching in the sheets. It took everything Jiang Cheng had in him not to immediately fold back down around him, to ease that uneasy slumber in whatever way he could. But he had responsibilities, duties to see to, and he couldn’t afford to spend the day whiling away in bed, watching over his brother as he slept.

Floor:

And that was the entire problem, wasn’t it? Jiang Cheng could only assume that the non-Jiang moves Sizhui used originated from Qishan Wen. Perhaps there had been a cultivator or a guard left among the Wen Remnants, or perhaps Wen Qing had remembered enough of her own sword training to start him on the path, or maybe it had even been Wei Wuxian—his brother had been a genius with a sword until the Sunshot Campaign—remembering enough from fighting the Wen cultivators to teach Sizhui what they knew. It almost didn’t matter. If the wrong person saw Sizhui using those techniques, they would know who he was immediately, or at least who his people were, and that was just as dangerous. And so, Jiang Cheng couldn’t risk him sparring with the other disciples until he’d convinced the boy to stop using those techniques, at least where others could see him, even though he’d mop the floor with nearly every disciple at Lotus Pier, given half a chance.

And there are so many for both of these in Reclamation (most recent GYADL Whumptober fic) that how about I'll just give you this one...

Fold:

Luo Fusheng had a routine, now. When the sun's light was high enough to illuminate his bedroom, Liu-bomu or Yuan Yuan would knock on his door, politely leaving his breakfast just outside it. Still generally easy foods, gentle foods, kind foods that wouldn't tie his stomach in knots when memories had ridden him too hard in the night, but varied, flavorful, love in every fold of the huajuan, affection in every grain of rice. Liu-bomu and Yuan Yuan never stayed, never pressured him for company, just left the food and went to their own breakfast.

[eirenical]

Reclamation: Chapter 3 (6,407 words) by eirenical

Chapters: 3/4 Fandom: 许你浮生若梦 | Xǔ Nǐ Fú Shēng Ruò Mèng | Granting You a Dreamlike Life (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Luo Fusheng/Xu Xingcheng, Luo Fusheng/Xu Rui'an Characters: Luo Fusheng, Xu Xingcheng, Xu Xingyuan, Liu Shuzhen, Luo Cheng (Granting You a Dreamlike Life), Shuang-jie, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Here we go..., Rape/Non-con Elements, Rape, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Panic Attacks, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety, Panic, Past Torture, Sexual Torture, Held Down, Object Insertion, Asphyxiation, Drowning, Rough Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Dissociation, sub space, (but not in a sexual way), Eating Disorders, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Whumptober 2020, Cuddling & Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Hair Washing, Bathing/Washing, hair petting, Dirty Hair, feeling dirty, Ablutophobia (Fear of Bathing), Reconciliation, Recovery, Safehouses, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, If I think of any, Suicidal Ideation, Suicidal Thoughts, Derealization, Dreams vs. Reality, Forced Orgasm Series: Part 7 of Indefinitely

Summary:

~You're not taking proper care of yourself, boy.~

Fusheng moaned low in his throat, arms wrapping around himself as he swayed in the middle of the room.  He couldn't think about that.  He couldn't start down that road.  Not now.  Not now that he was finally doing better.

~I think a hot bath is just what you need.~

With a low cry, Fusheng forced his body back into motion, pacing, pacing, pacing, anything to exhaust himself enough so that he could sleep.  Anything to outrun the memories.  Anything to escape him.

~Maybe you need a little help with that.~

Fusheng lunged for the door to his room, uncaring who might be awake or asleep or pacing the hallway.  He had to get out.  Anywhere that that voice couldn't follow him.  Anywhere where he could breathe.  Anywhere that he couldn't feel those hands all over him with every step he took.

September 19, 2021:

*cracks knuckles* OK, everyone.  Here we go. This last week and a half was a LOT with the holidays and work and just... LIFE, so sorry about the delay, but this chapter is the climax of the story and I wanted to make sure I gave it the time I needed to edit and iron it out properly. All the same warnings apply to this chapter as the rest of the fic...

BUT.

If this fic is the one in this series that most earns its warning, then this CHAPTER is the one in this FIC that most earns its warnings.   PLEASE BE AWARE.

Glossary and detailed warnings in the endnotes, as usual.

...enjoy?  ;D

Detailed warnings behind the cut, as usual, but BEWARE THAT THESE ARE EVEN MORE OF A DOOZY THAN USUAL.

Further details about warnings: The first scene contains a moderate anxiety attack and some mild self-harm (Fusheng pinches himself by accident, then does it again, digging his nails into his skin, when he finds that it helped him regain some clarity).   Mention is made to a phobia developing in regards to bathtubs/bathing.

In the second scene, Fusheng starts out about 75% of the way into a panic attack due to nightmares.  Mention is made of poor self-care habits (e.g., an inability to bathe without inducing a panic attack).  He's partway into flashback territory at this point, with memories of Xu Rui'an's voice acting like intrusive thoughts.  He flees the house into the ocean, and seriously considers letting himself drown.

XXC saves him from that decision, but pushes him over the edge into a panic attack at the same time.  In the discussion that follows, they manage to reconcile somewhat and Fusheng lets slip what Xu Rui'an had done to him that finally broke him.  When they get up to go inside, Fusheng realizes that he's covered in sand and salt and is going to have no choice but to bathe.  He begs Xingcheng to just knock him out with drugs and bathe him while he's unconscious.  Xingcheng refuses, and in his panic, Fusheng finally drops into the flashback that he's been running from all night.

The flashback is a scene of sexual torture. If you want to skip it, it starts here: "But Fusheng was lost, spiraling down into that memory..." and ends here: "Mama!  Yuan Yuan!  Come quick!   Please, I need help!"

Xu Rui'an and the guards force Fusheng down into a bathtub of very hot water, jerking him off at the same time, then pull him up just before he drowns. He orgasms soon after.  He's then forced back into the water.  Xu Rui'an and the guards start teasing him with the sponges, then push him back under the water, pushing several of the sponges inside of him, .They let him up again, then push him back into the water, this time with Xu Rui'an on top of him. Fusheng is forced to give him a blowjob until he blacks out from lack of oxygen.

When Fusheng wakes up he's being held down on a bench. Xu Rui'an starts fucking him with the sponges still inside him, the cold water from the sponges causing pain and cramping. He is forced to orgasm again, but still the rape continues. This is about when he comes out of the flashback.

Final scene contains a panic attack and mild dissociation due to the bathing.

...I think that's everything? O_o;;;

[eirenical]

🌹🌹🌹 How about... "soft"? In GYADL?

I would like you to know that the word "soft" appears in this fic no less than 23 TIMES. Which is once in ever 846 words. So. Clearly a good word choice. XD I'm not going to give you all of them, but here are two of my favorites:

[Anyone else want to play? ^_^ Feel free to include a word for me to search for and/or a fandom.]

It was strange still, having her mother back, but a welcome kind of strange. Xingyuan only barely remembered her from when she'd been young, more feelings and impressions than anything else, but her mother seemed to know instinctively to be soft with Xingyuan, to be quiet and careful and gentle. She never demanded, never made loud noises, was content to sit quietly at Xingyuan's side for hours, each in pursuit of their own hobbies. It was… nice. Not to feel pressured. To just… be allowed to *be.*

*

Thirty minutes later, there was a noise at the door, then the handle turned, and the door opened with a soft 'click.' Xingyuan moved out of the way, but Fusheng-ge seemed unable to make it any further than opening the door. He was huddled against the wall, still inside the room, eyes downcast, arms wrapped tightly around his middle, and swaying slightly, like he might fall at any minute. Xingyuan moved to his side, lightly tapping at his right arm.

Fusheng-ge looked almost normal, dressed like this, in real clothes, but the normality was only clothing deep. Slowly, sluggishly, he turned in Xingyuan's direction, eyes darting everywhere except her face. His skin was pale, his lips almost white, and he'd lost weight, muscle mass… a ghost would have looked more alive than this.

With a gentle prod and a soft noise, Xingyuan got Fusheng-ge to lift his arm so she could wrap hers around it, and slowly began to lead him out the door and down the hall. His trembling increased with every step they took until, by the time they reached the door to the veranda, she could hear his teeth chattering. So, when Xingyuan reached out to grab the coat she'd left hanging on the door handle, she also began talking. Casual things. Unimportant things. Cold air and pounding surf and the struggle to find the right shade of blue. Things of no real consequence. And as she talked, Fusheng-ge's trembling slowed, easing just enough that she could guide his arms into the sleeves of the warm, wool coat. She then donned her own coat and opened the doors.

[eirenical]

🌹🌹🌹 (Turnabout's fair play!)

Since I think you're one of the few people who sent me an ask who would also appreciate this one and you didn't specify... how about another piece of the next Whumptober fic? ^_~ Some Luo Cheng this time, because I love him, and it's about time he showed up, yeah? ^_^

[Anyone else want to play? ^_^ Feel free to include a word for me to search for and/or a fandom.]

Eventually, when his tears slowed and he could think again, Luo Cheng stripped off his blue sweater. He'd worn it on a whim, tonight, instead of his usual suit, for the same reason he'd brought the butterfly knife: it had been a gift from da-ge. Luo Cheng had seen it in a shop window when he was fourteen and fallen in love with it. It was expensive, though—too expensive for Luo Cheng's meager salary—and he'd been too unsure still, to ask da-ge for the money, not for something frivolous. Two days later, however, Luo Cheng had found that sweater folded neatly into a box on his bed with a note inside. He'd put it on immediately, knowing without a doubt who had bought it for him, but it had taken him almost a week to get up the courage to ask someone to read him the note.

~*Didi, Next time you want something, just ask. It will make catching up on all those missed birthdays much easier. —Da-ge*~

Luo Cheng still had that note.

[eirenical]

Reclamation: Chapter 2 (6246 words) by eirenical

Chapters: 2/4 Fandom: 许你浮生若梦 | Xǔ Nǐ Fú Shēng Ruò Mèng | Granting You a Dreamlike Life (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Luo Fusheng/Xu Xingcheng, Luo Fusheng/Xu Rui'an Characters: Luo Fusheng, Xu Xingcheng, Xu Xingyuan, Liu Shuzhen, Luo Cheng (Granting You a Dreamlike Life), Shuang-jie, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags: Here we go..., Rape/Non-con Elements, Rape, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Panic Attacks, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety, Panic, Past Torture, Sexual Torture, Held Down, Object Insertion, Asphyxiation, Drowning, Rough Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Dissociation, sub space, (but not in a sexual way), Eating Disorders, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Whumptober 2020, Cuddling & Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Hair Washing, Bathing/Washing, hair petting, Dirty Hair, feeling dirty, Ablutophobia (Fear of Bathing), Reconciliation, Recovery, Safehouses, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, If I think of any, Suicidal Ideation, Suicidal Thoughts, Derealization, Dreams vs. Reality

Series: Part 7 of Indefinitely

Xingyuan tightened her grip on the bundle of clothes, tucking it deeper into the crook of her left arm so she could knock on the door.   No answer.  Then again, she hadn't really expected one.  The morning after her nighttime visit, Xingcheng had admitted to having had what he called "a minor incident" of his own with Fusheng-ge.  Fusheng-ge had retreated to his room again, after that, refusing to leave the corner he'd retreated to that first night, refusing to talk with anyone, refusing to do anything, barely managing to even eat or drink, and only that when Xingyuan's mother or Officer Ren could persuade him to it.   Things couldn't go on like this.  He was wasting away, fading to nothing right in front of their eyes and Xingyuan wouldn't stand for it.   Someone had to do something, even if that someone was her.

Hitching the bundle a little higher, Xingyuan leaned into the door.   "Fusheng-ge, it's Xingyuan.  I'm coming in."  She then pushed open the door, slid into the room, and pushed the door shut behind her.

Fusheng-ge was in his corner, as usual, mostly hidden by the blanket he had wrapped around him, knees tucked tightly to his chest, a lost, faraway look in his eyes.  Xingyuan wasn't even sure he could see her.  She walked closer, stopping several feet away from the corner and folding to her knees.  Still, Fusheng-ge said nothing.  Xingyuan pushed the bundle of clothing towards him: boots, thick socks, underthings, jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a deep green sweater, all donated by Officer Ren.  Still no response.

Xingyuan took a deep breath and, just like Ruomeng-jie had taught her, put just a hint of a snap into her voice.  "Fusheng-ge."  She was rewarded by Fusheng-ge looking up, eyes wild until they identified the source of the noise.  She smiled.   "Hello.  I'm going to go out on the veranda to paint for a while, and I thought it would be nice to have some company.  Do you want to come?"

(Detailed warnings below the cut)

Further details about warnings and Prompt fills:

There is... surprisingly little that requires a detailed warning in this chapter?  O_o;;;  Fusheng does have a bit of an anxiety attack when trying to leave his room with Xingyuan.  There is a reference later on by an original character that she was 'saved' by Luo Fusheng from Hou Li, the implication being that she was saved from becoming a prostitute in Hou Li's brothel against her will, but there is nothing graphic there.

There will be further detailed warnings on later chapters, but for now, please check the tags so you have some idea of what you're getting into!

Prompt fills: No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? (Branding, Heat Exhaustion, Fire) -- alternate used: Alt 10. Nightmares No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN (Possession, Magical Healing, Science Gone Wrong) -- alternate used: Alt. 12. Water No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO (Panic Attacks, Phobias, Paranoia) No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE (Experiment, Whipped, Left for Dead)

[eirenical]

🌹 GYADL please ^_^

OK, my major WiP for this (19K+ words and counting!) is the latest in the Whumptober series, Reclamation. So, you get to have a piece of that. As a treat. ;D For those not in the know, this fic is... brutal. But it's also very soft in its own way. And Xingyuan gets a chance to shine, and there is NEVER enough good Xingyuan content to go around. So... for context, Fusheng has had... a really, really BAD year and, at this point in the fic, is deeply traumatized, but slowly starting to come out of it. Xingyuan is one of the reasons why.

[Anyone else want to play? ^_^ Feel free to include a word for me to search for and/or a fandom.]

Once outside, Fusheng waited until Xingyuan settled herself in her favorite spot on one of the lounge chairs facing the ocean, then curled up in his own—on a pillow on the stone floor, resting his head against Yuan Yuan's leg, a warm blanket arranged to drape over them both. He sat for a moment, tense and waiting, until Xingyuan shifted minutely and dropped a hand into his hair, petting gently through the strands. Yuan Yuan never commented on it, on how greasy his hair had gotten after the first few weeks, but the shame of knowing how disgusted she must be had prompted him to at least try to clean it, every now and then. He'd done his best to wash it just the day before, but he could only do so much with a bar of hand soap and the bathroom sink. But still he tried because the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint her.

Those gentle fingers carded through Fusheng's hair, moving gently through the tangles and slowly teasing them apart, then drifted lower still to brush through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. Fusheng shivered slightly at the sensation, but pressed closer when she paused, hoping that she wouldn't stop. A moment later, she started again, lightly scratching at Fusheng's scalp as she petted, catching the hair that fell into Fusheng's eyes and stroking it back to lay with the rest. It became harder and harder to get his eyes back open each time that they closed, and after a while, Fusheng stopped trying. The gentle petting, the warmth of the blanket, the soft scratching of brushstrokes against canvas, the quiet shush-shuuuush of the ocean waves… Fusheng found himself drifting, like usual. The clamor in his head—memories that rose up unbidden, fears that never quite eased, the tension of watching for enemies around every corner when Yuan Yuan always insisted there were none—all of it quieted, drifting out to sea along with Fusheng's ability to keep his eyes open.

Sometimes, exhausted from nightmares that had kept him awake at night, Fusheng would sleep, dozing lightly against Yuan Yuan's leg as she painted. Other times, he simply drifted. Warm. Content. Peaceful. No need to move. No need to think. No need to do anything or be anything. He could almost fool himself into believing he was on the balcony of Tianying's apartment, curled up against her as she gently stroked his hair, his back, his face. It had been quiet there, too, facing the distant mountains, lush greenery on all sides…

Fusheng let himself sink deeper into the memory—the smell of Tianying's perfume, the dappled sunlight through the pergola, the sound of her voice as she murmured the dialogue in the script she was reading, the slight salt taste of her skin as he turned into her hand and kissed her palm—and for the first time… the memories didn't hurt. Yuan Yuan wasn't Tianying—it wasn't the same kind of relationship, at all—and Fusheng never wanted her to be, but they had the same kind heart. And Fusheng felt safe, so safe—safer than he had in a year and a half—when she was near. Somewhere above him, Yuan Yuan made a soft shushing noise, echoing the ocean, her brushes, and petted some more, teasing the thoughts from Fusheng's mind as easily as she had the tangles from his hair. Fusheng pressed his face into her leg, took in a deep breath, and let himself drift off again… quiet… safe… at peace.

[eirenical]

1 and 2 for the writing meta prompt please!

Thank you, @flamingwell

[If anyone else would like to send questions, here is the list. ^_^]

1. Tell us about your current project(s) – what’s it about, how’s progress, what do you love most about it?

Oooooooh boy. Well, I have quite a few. XD So, how about we just go through the ones I have actively open in Word right now?

Legacies Found: The Untamed, sequel to Legacies Lost. This is a giant canon divergent AU that I've been working on for well over a year at this point. There is one key thing that I changed (and in the interest of spoilers, I'm not going to say what, but if you're curious and don't mind spoilers then, by all means, come ask and I'll tell you all about it. ;D) and it affected everything in-universe, some for the better, some for the worse. Here's the AO3 summary:

Sixteen years ago, the Yiling Patriarch died, a victim to his own hubris and the Yin Tiger Seal. Hundreds of cultivators from many different sects died with him that day, their souls forever doomed to find no rest, even in death. On this, the 16th anniversary of the battle of Qiongqi Pass, Jin Ling is determined to make pilgrimage, to try to put the spirit of his long-lost father to rest. He finds much more than he bargained for, and what he finds… will change everything.

And in the sequel, things have progressed significantly from this point, but the people involved are still broken in various ways, not quite at the point of healing yet, but getting there. The plot is opening up to the wider world and new characters are going to be introduced, and I'm having a lot of fun writing it, but it is SO MUCH SLOWER GOING. OTZ

Mirror, Mirror: I talked about this one extensively in this post, and it hasn't really progressed any further from there. XD This is a Guardian AU based on a short film that Zhu Yilong did with Li Bingbing called "Into the Mirror" (there's a link in the other post).

Reclamation: *eg* For anyone who's been following my Whumptober series (yes, I know we're WELL past October OTZ) of fics that I've been writing for Granting You a Dreamlike Life, this is the latest in the series. This monster is already almost 18K words and it's... it's a LOT. The story is a canon-divergent AU that starts out mostly overlapping canon during episode 35 and begins to diverge somewhere between there and episode 36. I leaned REALLY hard into the whump on this one, went really self-indulgent and wrote the fic that I would most want to read for this fandom, because I was pretty damned sure that no one else would write it or would take it as far and as dark as I wanted it to go if they did. And this particular story is the darkest of the bunch so far. ^_~ I'm not going to link directly to this one, because this is definitely a HEED THE TAGS situation, but if anyone's interested in some really, REALLY dark GYADL fic... hit me up and I'll be happy to tell you more. ^_^ (And for those who just want to look for themselves, you can find it under #eirenical does whumptober or on my AO3 where the series name is "Indefinitely." ^_^)

2. Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project

I think I've talked enough about my current projects, so how about some future projects for this one? ^_^

(...and how about under a cut because this is getting kind of long...)

The Lost Tomb Reboot

I have... several fic at the plotty stage for TLTR, and I just added a new one to the list this morning. XD

Ershu fic: So, for anyone who's been following my TLTR journey, you know I'm obsessed with Ershu. I LOVE HIM. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. And you know what happens when I love a character, right? Right? I WANT TO BREAK THEM. *coughs* Anyway, something happens to Ershu in S2 of TLTR that I won't go into detail about because spoilers, but essentially, he's betrayed and ends up in the hands of the person who betrayed him with no one else being the wiser and with him helpless and unable to tell anyone. And there are just... all KINDS of dark, fucked up possibilities there, and just like the Whumptober series, I AM going to write that fic, even if no one but me ends up reading it. ;D

Probably post-canon domestic bliss fic: For those of you who enjoy WHIPLASH ;D, I just honestly want ALL THE SOFT DOMESTIC IRON TRIANGLE. ALL OF IT. And I want Wu Xie and Ershu to have an opportunity to sit down and actually TALK about things (e.g., their need for a family heir), instead of trying to one-up each other. Special appearances by all the ducklings, Xiao Bai's girlfriend, and Lia Jiale and Jia Kezi (...my fic, my rules, we ignore canon when we want to ^_^) having an ...oh moment, and sweet, soft cuddles for Liu Sang and Kan Jian because they're adorable and I love them, too. (I have no idea if this is all going in one fic or if it will be a series of slice of life things, but I just want everyone to get their happily ever after IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK???)

Post-canon Huo Daofu and Xiao Ge... time-sharing Wu Xie?: IDEK what to call what's going on here, but... yeah. XD (See, @elenothar, I haven't forgotten! ;D) To crib from another post... I really do think that Xiao ge loves Wu Xie and loves being with him and all that that entails, but that he gets… restless.  A little feral cat, if you will.  And he just needs to wander off and be on his own for a while sometimes.  And I would love to see a permutation where it’s just kind of understood that he and Huo Daofu just kind of… share Wu Xie.  ^_^  Not in a threesome way, but in a way that they both understand each other’s claim on Wu Xie and neither of them wants him to be alone, so they just kind of… work that out between them.  Like he's a time share. (OMG, I have to be careful of how often I use that phrase for this fic or I'm going to end up calling it that as a title. XD)

DMBJ x Highlander xover that I just came up with literally this morning: No, seriously, this LITERALLY just popped into my head as I was waking up this morning. It was a wild fucking ride, too. O_o;;; ANYWAY, I'm probably going to make a separate headcanon/plotty post for this one, but basically I just randomly woke up thinking... Duncan was an antique dealer in the late 80s/early 90s in the US. Wu Xie is an antique dealer in China, now, and his family has been involved in the antique trade for a... VERY long time. Maybe Duncan did some business with the Wu family. Maybe he met Wu Xie as a kid. Maybe he knew Xiao ge even EARLIER than that (like 100 years earlier). Maybe post-canon Highlander, Duncan starts getting back into the antique trade by helping to quietly repatriate artifacts and comes to China to deal with the Wu family to do that, and meets Wu Xie again... and Xiao ge. And has a WTF moment because Xiao ge ISN'T an Immortal like he is, but he doesn't look a day older than when they met 100 years ago and just... WTF?? And Wu Xie is looking at Duncan and looking at Xiao ge and having a WTF moment of his own because is EVERYONE immortal except him and Pangzi?? And... I just think that would be a lot of fun to play with. ;D

Guardian:

The Care and Training of a Former Megalomaniac V and VI, maybe?: OK, so this idea isn't really concrete, but I still want to play with it. I want to do something to tackle Ye Zun's past with the Rebel Leader and the trauma that that left behind, and I'm thinking he'll end up having a good (...drunk) talk with Da Qing about it.

Another idea I had (MUCH more concrete) was based off my own poor lazy bb. He LOVES to catch bugs. LOVES IT. He gets SO EXCITED and SO into it... but sometimes the bugs fly up to the ceiling. And Gabriel is comfy in my lap and doesn't want to move. So he will swat at the bug... halfheartedly. And then he will turn around and complain to me when it won't come down to be swatted at again. Like I can somehow make it come down so he can play with it? IDEK. XD ANYWAY. I had a vivid mental image of Da Qing doing this to Ye Zun and somehow convincing him to actually... bring the bug down. Using his powers. And someone at the SID detects Ye Zun using his powers so ZYL and SW race home... to find Ye Zun... using his powers... to tether bugs for Da Qing to play with. And I just think that would be hilarious. XD

...I think that's everything in the mental kiddy right now? XD

[eirenical]

"I saw her every day, but she couldn't recognize me!"

"She couldn't call my name, hug me, or love me!"

"Something that I paid dearly for was just a stranger that looked like her."

...oh fuck. I'll probably try to say something more coherent about this later when I'm not on mobile, but do you ever think about the fact that Li Qian is saying this to a Shen Wei who has to be, on some level, at least, thinking THE EXACT SAME THINGS about Zhao Yunlan?

Because I'm watching Shen Wei's face in that scene and thinking about it AND BAWLING MY EYES OUT. TT^TT

ETA: OH FUCK, OH FUCK, OH FUCK.

IN THE VERY NEXT SCENE...

Li Qian: Shen-jiashou, are you sure it's not too late to turn back?

Shen Wei, looking like he'd very much like to be alone so he can bawl his own eyes out: Those that were hurt and betrayed... Perhaps it's impossible to return to the past.

Fuck. Fuuuuuuck.

Because Kunlun said, "We'll see each other again..." AND THEN (from Shen Wei's perspective in that moment) FORGOT ALL ABOUT HIM. So, he has to be questioning just EVERYTHING right now and FUCK, THAT HURTS EVEN MORE. TT^TT

[eirenical]

So... on the one hand, I’ve written 5400+ words today, and I’m STILL NOT DONE.  On the other hand?  I was NOT planning to tackle all of this IN THE SAME FIC.  OOPS.

*headdesk*

...I suppose that’s a good problem to have, though, eh?  ;D

[eirenical]

Day 3 of the conference, and at least the speaker whose sessions I’ve been attending is good today.  Enough to hold my interest, but not so heavy that I can’t do other things simultaneously.  As a result... I’m soon to have the next Whumptober fic ready to post.  So, yay!  ;D  Currently playing in the tags and having all kinds of fun... and feeling very bad for Fusheng.  But HEY, IT’S ALL GOOD, RIGHT?  ;D

[eirenical]

AHAHAHAHA.

Well THAT was 2000 words of Hong Lan angst and Hong Lan + Tianying bonding I didn’t think I was going to be writing tonight, but HERE WE ARE I GUESS.  XD  It’s already two days late for the first of the two prompts and like... two weeks early for the second of the two prompts, so I’m going to hold off on editing until tomorrow and post it then.  OH WELL.  ;D

[eirenical]

@onemuseleft​ in reference to this post:

AHAHAHA.  I DID SURVIVE, YES.  I... did not free myself until 4:30, and by then it was almost dinnertime, and the kitty was Highly Disgruntled when I did, but I LIVE.  :D

And... hehehehehe.  ^______________^

I am VERY MUCH looking forward to diving into the Whumptober challenge, myself.  ;D  I think I sense a lot of Zhu Yilong-related fandom writing in my future, because... let’s be honest... he whumps up VERY nicely.  *eg*  ^_^

As for the spreadsheet...

TA-DA!

I’M GONNA HAVE SO MUCH FUN WITH THIS BAD BOY, I CAN’T EVEN TELL YOU.  XD

[eirenical]

AHAHAHA OMG.  OTZ  THIS WHUMPTOBER FIC IS EVEN WORSE THAN THE LAST ONE.

It covers four of the prompts and throws in some dubcon ahead of schedule for seasoning.  Pfft.  Well... I am nothing if not predictable, I guess.  ;D

Gonna let it marinate for the night, since the prompts cover yesterday, today, tomorrow, and a random day about a week from now?  So, I can let it sit until tomorrow when I’ll have time to edit it properly.  But yeah... it’s coming.  And it’s whumpy.  And emotionally messy.  And Fusheng is NOT having a good day.

Again.

SORRY FUSHENG.

(...totally not sorry.)

Teaser snippet anyone?  ^_^

(Behind a cut because spoilers for at least up to episode 35/36.)

Boots.

And a cadence Fusheng would know anywhere.  But it was too early.  It hadn’t been a full day.  Fusheng was sure of it.  Why was Xingcheng here?  Was he now as unreliable as the watch, the guards, the light, itself?

Fusheng’s knees buckled.

…and a hand caught him under the elbow, lowering him to one of the stools at the table before he could fall too far.  Fusheng looked down at the hand still gripping his arm, then up, up, up...  He swallowed. “Xingcheng…?”

Xingcheng was not dressed in blue today, but in white. Pressed and detailed, the height of Western fashion, showing off his figure to best advantage.  He was softer this way, his hair flopping loose instead of constrained under his uniform cap, his hands bare and warm.  Fusheng swallowed, again.

Xingcheng lowered himself to the other stool, his hand shifting, stroking slowly down Fusheng’s arm, lingering briefly at his wrist—a shackle stronger than any handcuff could ever hope to be, a memory of happier times—before sliding beneath his palm to grip his hand.  He smiled—the same cold smile that was the only one he ever wore now—and said, “Fusheng… I’m getting married, today.”

Married…?

“Yes.  I’m getting married today…”  Xingcheng covered Fusheng’s hand then, trapping it between both of his.  “…and I’ve come to say goodbye.”

[eirenical]

*sigh*  Tumblr is hiding the actual post again, so...  Here is a link to it.

Grief (2225 words) by eirenical

Series: Part 3 of eirenical does whumptober (2020), Part 3 of Indefinitely

Summary:

Xu Xingcheng. The very sight of him made Hong Lan feel ill, all the more so now that they were officially married. The very thought of having to cling to his arm all evening, smiling, responding to well-wishes—to say nothing of what she would have to do with him later that evening—made her wish for nothing more than an escape route.

But Hong Lan was a daughter of the Hong family—its first daughter—and the Hong family trembled before no one.

Hong Lan turned.

“Will you dog my every step then, my husband? Will you follow me even into the restroom?”