#kung huai

[charlotte-family-apologist]

More traditional sketches with a Kuai Liang cameo

[running-with-the-feels]

Okay, now I'm thinking of Jade x Huai, which I've decided to call "HuaiJade" because it kinda sounds like "why Jade" and I think that's funny. So, I propose an AU. This takes place before Kitana decides to court Kung Lao, so Kitana, Jade, and Huai haven't met yet.

Lao visits Huai during the early stages of her pregnancy, and Huai, being hormonal and stressed out of her mind, breaks down and tells him everything.

Lao immediately decided to get her out of there, but where? He's pretty sure the clan would go knocking on everybody's door trying to get her back and knows they wouldn't stop until she was returned. He needs to find a place as far away as possible, somewhere she'll be safe. But he can't think of a place that fits that criteria-- then he remembers Kitana owes him a favor. Maybe it's too much to ask, but it's worth a shot.

Kitana is sympathetic to Huai and takes her in without a second thought. She is somewhat appalled that Lao thought he needed to cash in a favor for something like this.

She quickly gets Huai a room and clothes, assigning Jade to guard and guide her. Jade, still disliking Kung Lao at this point, argues this, but Kitana puts her foot down.

At the end of the first month, Huai asks Jade to shave her head. She doesn't completely trust her with her hair, but she can't keep living with such a permanent reminder of her suffering. Huai discovers she prefers having shorter hair.

Months pass, and Jade and her get closer until Huai is comfortable leaving the palace. As the two walk through the capital, Jade starts to think. Jade hasn't ever had any desire to travel, she's always been content staying in one place and severing Kitana, but... the way Huai's eyes shine with awe, smiling softly at what Jade considers mundane, makes her feel some type of way.

Also in this AU Jin would be born and raised in Outworld.

eeeeeeeeeee I love this!

Jade and Huai are both very similar characters in a kot of ways (resilient but with a preference for softness) and that just sounds like such a cute romance for them to have!

Also, Jin being raised in Outworld is one of my fave hcs for him (I know he lived there for a bit in canon but idk how long it was meant to be so I like to think it was a very long time) so I love the idea of him becoming Outworld nobility and just not mentioning that to any of the kombat kids until they're on mission and he takes them to see his family and everyone is shocked when the "family home" is the literal palace

Plus, Jade being so jaded (pun intended) and learning to love life again through Huai is adorable and Huai learning to feel safe again through Jade is so good

[spectercrums]

Huai Tian Pei vs Mengben

Who could have guessed that a kung-fu master obsessed with being the best and a wandering folk hero who protects people would meet and spar with one another? Mengben vs Huai Tianpei, who will be victorious?

Posted using PostyBirb

[shuttershocky]

I love Mr. Lee Arknights because his backstory is that after going to a really good school he fucked off all the way to the ends of Fantasy China to start a shady detective agency and then one of his two best friends from school shows up and goes "Oh hey Mr Tooty Fruity I know you don't have any kids so why don't you take care of my daughter for a while" before said friend fucks off for YEARS on some kung fu journey so after said daughter graduates from college Lee's other best friend tasks him with securing an evil cursed goblet containing the fragmented soul of a Dragon God from like 50 different government agencies and then Other Best Friend goes

"Alright Lee, I know it's pretty weird to ask you to drop everything and walk across Yan to go fight a god and the government for me so name your price"

And then Lee says

"I need you to pull all your Mr Mayor strings to start a manhunt for this girl's father"

"Is... Is that fuckin Huai Tianpei's kid?"

"She's not even a KID anymore! She graduated university with me attending in place of her actual dad! Am I going to walk her down the aisle in place of her old man too? That's fucked up! She's going to finish growing up without a father at this rate, I need to drag him back home!"

And then 8 chapters later the Dragon God inside the goblet is like

"Let's play a boardgame with stakes. If I win, I take your body for my own and cast away your soul. I'll kill everyone in this town too just for the hell of it. If you win, you get to keep your body or whatever."

So Lee goes

"I have no idea what game we're even playing but I'll take that bet"

And then he wins

[thedragonholder]

Kung jin trauma

Personally we all know Cassie, takeda , frost , Jacqui these kids have trauma and that has been descriptors well but there is one thing that pisses me off is kung Jin's trauma that no one recognises not even the Kombat kids.

He was thrown in the streets after being disowned by his own family except for kung lao who was at that Tim a revenant and worst is the fact he was just a kid in the streets stealing and learning how to survive with no parental or adult guidance.

He wasn't even considered going to the wushi at a very late age until he met raiden who took his sweet time getting to jin and I hate the fact he didn't take him to the wu shi really quickly.

One person that does regret is the sister of kung Lao and the mother of kung jin because she loved kung jin as an infant hell she gave birth to her baby and this was taken by @running-with-the-feels and @charlotte-family-apologist that the kung clan members forced her to disown kung jin.

My au:

And how this trauma is in my au because Hatsune thought that kung jin was happily with kung huai with no news of his disownment and she was concentrating on her kids thinking he was safe but he wasn't and kung huai couldn't communicate with Hatsune through letters because of the elders wishes and Hatsune was in hiding to protect her kids from them.

The only reason kung jin meets his cousins is at the age of sixteen where he accidentally steals Hiroto's hat but the hat goes back to kung hiroto and kung jin recognises his cousin and kung hiroto recognises kung jin because of kung Lao's visits while taking hiroto.

So from that point on kung jin starts a bit of healing and he got accepted into a home and when Hatsune had came back from one of her missions she had immediately saw kung jin and had pulled that boy into a hug and that was the first time in years he felt a mother's touch and a parental figure along with a family everything he wanted his whole life he got it after a long year's.

[libertariantaoist]

Daily Selections From Lao-Tzu’s Tao Te Ching – March 21, 2024

“Which is more vital

fame or health

which is more precious

health or wealth

which is more harmful

loss or gain

the deeper the love

the higher the cost

the bigger the treasure

the greater the loss

who knows contentment

thus suffers no shame

and who knows restraint

encounters no trouble

while enjoying a long life”

-Lao-tzu-

(Taoteching, verse 44, translation by Red Pine)

HUANG MAO-TS’AI says, “What the world calls fame is something external. And yet people abandon their bodies to fight for it. What the world calls wealth is unpredictable. And yet people sacrifice their bodies to possess it. How can they know what is vital or precious? Even if they succeed, it’s at the cost of their health.”

SSU-MA KUANG says, “Which is more harmful: to gain wealth and fame and lose one’s health or to gain one’s health and lose wealth and fame?”

LU HUI-CH’ING says, “Heroes seek fame and merchants seek wealth, even to the point of giving up their lives. The first love fame because they want to glorify themselves. But the more they love fame, the more they lose what they would really glorify. Hence, the cost is high. The second amass wealth because they want to enrich themselves. But the more wealth they amass, the more they harm what they would truly enrich. Hence, the loss is great. Meanwhile, those who cultivate Virtue know the most vital thing is within themselves. Thus, they seek no fame and suffer no disgrace. They know the most precious things is within themselves. Thus, they seek no wealth and encounter no trouble. Hence, they live long.”

LI HSI-CHAI says, “If we love something, the more we love it, the more it costs us. If we treasure something, the more we treasure it, the more it exhausts us. A little of either results in shame. A lot results in ruin. And regret comes too late. People who are wise are not like this. They know that they have everything they need within themselves. Hence, they do not seek anything outside themselves. Thus, those who would shame them find nothing to shame. They know their own limit, and their limit is the Tao. Hence, they don’t act unless it is according to the Tao. Thus, those who would trouble them find nothing to trouble. Hence, they survive, and surviving, live long.”

HO-SHANG KUNG says, “Excessive sensual desire exhausts our spirit. Excessive material desire brings us misfortune. The living keep their treasures in storerooms. The dead keep their treasures in graves. The living worry about thieves. The dead worry about grave robbers. Those who know contentment find happiness and wealth within themselves and don’t exhaust their spirit. If they should govern a country, they don’t trouble their people. Thus, they are able to live long.”

HUAI-NAN-TZU says, “Long ago Chih Po-ch’iao attacked and defeated Fan Chung-hsing. He also attacked the leaders of the states of Han and Wei and occupied parts of their territories. Still, he felt this wasn’t enough, so he raised another army and attacked the state of Yueh. But Han and Wei counterattacked, and Chih’s army was defeated near Chinyang, and he was killed east of Kaoliang. His skull became a drinking bowl, his kingdom was divided among the victors, and he was ridiculed by the world. This is what happens when you don’t know when to stop.”

[hambor12]

conflicted over huai tianpei (Waai Fu's father) showing up in person during the upcoming Arknights CN event

on the one hand everything we know about the guy is that he's a dogshit father who abandoned his daughter at age 5 for kung fu

however, he is kinda hot

[clowncollectr]

Arknights - I want to see you. I need to see you. (Liang Xun / Lee) - Chapter 4

Rating: G

Word Count: 4943 (this chapter), 14804 (whole story)

Summary: Following the recent events in Shangshu, Liang Xun decides to visit Lungmen to properly give Lee his thanks and apologize for the trouble he's caused him. It's his first time visiting Lungmen, but he quickly finds that he's known in every corner of the city, despite never having visited before.

Notes: Final chapter! To anyone that stuck it out this long, I hope you enjoyed the story :D

AO3 Link

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

__________

Chapter 4: I want to give up on you.

The universe was playing a cruel trick on him. That was the only explanation for it. Before he set out today, he had checked his fortune. It wasn’t something he took too seriously. Just a little habit he had picked up over the years. He found himself quite pleased with this morning’s reading, which predicted that something very good would happen to him today. But now, seeing the person before him, he realized that he'd been played for a fool. He had spent the better part of a month trying to forget about him and move on with his life. And yet, there he was, sitting on his couch. Really, if the world hated him so much, it could’ve thought of other ways to mess with him. And why was Liang Xun here anyway? Was the fate of the nation hanging in the balance again? There was no way he’d be visiting just to say hi. He was never that type of frivolous man. Still, even if Lee wanted to forget, the arrival of an old friend was a cause for celebration. He approached Liang Xun, whose head tilted up slightly to meet the other’s gaze because he was still seated. They stared at each other for a little while, not saying anything. It was Lee who broke the silence first as he closed his eyes and smiled, extending a hand out to Liang Xun.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of the esteemed Mr. Liang, magistrate of Shangshu, gracing my humble office? Ah actually, you’re even more important now, aren’t you?”

Liang Xun grimaced a bit at Lee’s words, but he was happy to see that the carp was still in a happy enough state that he could tease him like this. He got up to shake the other person’s hand, and the tense atmosphere in the room seemed to melt away. Lee was always quite good at mellowing out an entire room. His laziness was infectious even. After shaking the other’s hand, Liang Xun moved away slightly and stood up straight. He told him with complete honesty:

“The reason for my visit is that I wanted to see you.”

Lee only stared back at him with wide and curious eyes, as if trying to gleam the meaning behind his words. Then, one of his hands moved to pat Liang Xun on the shoulder.

“Hm. Well, we’ll save business talk for later, eh? I’m starving. Why don’t you all sit tight while I cook dinner? Hung, you can join me if you’d like, or talk with our friend here. Your choice.”

Hearing this, Hung shot up enthusiastically and ran after Lee to follow him, clearly excited at the prospect of cooking together. His tail could be seen wagging behind him as both of them headed to the kitchen.

Compared to earlier, dinner and the preparations leading up to it was a mild affair. With Lee around, no one felt it was appropriate to discuss what they were talking about earlier when the subject of the discussion was a room away making stir fry. Aak and Waai Fu sat with Liang Xun while Hung and Lee worked in the kitchen. The two began to ask the man rudimentary questions such as how long he’d known Lee for and what living in Shangshu was like. At some point, Waai Fu worked up the courage to ask about her father. Liang Xun assumed Lee would have already told her if he made any progress with the lead he had given him, so he decided to entertain her with stories from his past instead. He recalled the times when Huai’s obsession with kung fu or Lee’s carefree spirit had gotten them both into trouble, usually with Liang Xun caught in the crossfire. Looking back, it really was a wonder how he ever ended up being friends with those two, who are so completely unlike him.

Before he could get too lost in the past, Lee and Hung stepped into the living room, carrying plates of food with an aroma that could make anyone’s mouth water. It looks like the two had prepared some sort of sweet and sour pork stir fry, fried rice, and a type of dumplings. 

While it looked like Aak and Waai Fu were used to what they saw, Liang Xun could only stare at the feast in front of him dumbfounded. When was the last time he had Lee’s cooking? A decade? Two decades? The carp’s cooking has always been notoriously good but just what was he looking at? 

The food in front of him looked like something he’d see at a high quality restaurant. Scratch that, despite its obvious quality, there still seemed to be an element of home cooking that restaurant food simply couldn’t replicate.

Tik tik tik tik.

Liang Xun looked up to see Lee’s thumb and index fingers snapping in front of his face. After noticing that he’d successfully gotten the other’s attention, Lee crossed his arms and looked at him with a slight frown.

“I’m sure this doesn’t come close to whatever they’re serving you in that grand estate of yours, but humor me won’t you? Dig in. If it’s poisoned, then I’d be going down with you.”

Not wanting to aggravate the other person further, or rather to keep him from telling any more jokes, Liang Xun lifted his plate and took a bite.

It was unmistakably Lee’s cooking, but a little different from what he remembers too. Perhaps the man’s skills have been honed and tempered by his time at Lungmen. Liang Xun has never told the other person this, but despite all the food he’s tried over the years, Lee’s cooking always had a unique quality to it that he could never pin down. For lack of a better word, it had the feeling of “home”. Not as a sense of place but a sense of being. A part of Liang Xun wished he could have Lee’s cooking every day. But of course, he could never trouble the other person with such an absurd request. It was his sentimentality getting to him, and he decided that he should simply be grateful for the opportunity to have it right now.

They spent some time enjoying the delicious meal together, and Waai Fu and Aak thanked Liang Xun for humoring them with his stories. To which, Liang Xun responded by turning around and thanking Lee and Hung for cooking dinner as well. After such a heavy dinner, everyone could only sit there on the couch, feeling content but sluggish as each person digested their meal. Eventually it was Lee who clapped his hands and announced to everyone in the room:

“It’s getting late. Now that you’ve eaten, you three look seconds from passing out. Why don’t you head off to bed?”

He phrased it like a suggestion, but Hung, Aak, and Waai Fu knew what he really meant. Lee wanted to be left alone so he could talk with Liang Xun privately. The three excused themselves but not without each sparing one last glance at the Kuranta before heading out the door. The way they looked at him told Liang Xun all he needed to know. Their glaring eyes carried a whole host of emotions: concern, wariness, a threat. After they left the room, he couldn’t help but sigh a little. They still didn’t trust him.

“Don’t worry about them. I, uh, I may have given them a bad impression of you is all.”

But in the end it was because of my actions , Liang Xun thought quietly to himself.

Lee continued, “Let’s forget about that for now. How about you and I have a drink together? You’re still not off the hook for just randomly showing up at my place, you know. If you didn’t even have the time to write, then whatever brought you here must’ve been urgent.”

“It is urgent.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“I needed to see you.”

“Yes, I got that part. But why?”

“Because I owe you an apology. And a proper thank you, among many other things.”

Lee raised a brow at this. He wasn’t exactly sure what this person was getting at. An apology and a thank you were something Liang Xun could’ve easily done over a letter. And technically he had already received both of these things in a formal capacity. He had many questions. But asking questions was Lee’s specialty, and he knew better than anyone that sometimes the right thing to do was to just let the other person speak. So he walked into the kitchen and returned with two empty glasses and a bottle, sitting down to pour himself and his guest a drink before setting the bottle down and looking at the other expectantly.

Liang Xun got the hint. He nodded his head in thanks, reaching for his glass and occasionally taking a sip of his drink as he spoke sincerely.

“Lee…the way I’ve been treating you recently, it was wrong of me. What happened in Shangshu, even if I did it out of trust, I put you in harm’s way without even realizing. And the incident with Miss Ning, I’m sorry for being inconsiderate of your feelings. I don’t want you to think that I don’t value our friendship. In fact, what I’m saying now, I should’ve said sooner. But I let myself get distracted with my work again. Whether you think I deserve forgiveness or not, I want you to know how grateful I am to you and that I owe you more than I could ever repay.”

After saying all of this, Liang Xun waited for Lee’s response, mentally preparing himself for whatever judgment the other person chose to pass on him. What happened next, however, he hadn’t anticipated at all. Without saying anything, Lee covered his face with his hands and began to tremble. Liang Xun looked at him in panic, frantically thinking of how he could comfort him. Was the carp so upset that he could no longer hold back his tears? Or was he angry at him and doing all he could to contain his anger and frustration? Liang Xun didn’t have too much time to deliberate because a few seconds later, he saw Lee clutch his stomach and fail to hold back a snort.

“Pfft…ha…haha…hahaha…”

“Lee?”

“Ahahaha! Liang Xun-…Liang Xun did you-...did you come all the way here because you thought I was mad at you?! Hah…why on earth do you think you need to apologize for anything? You sent for me and I answered. Simple as that. And about the whole almost dying thing, I have to admit, I’m pretty happy to still be kicking. But well, dying for an entire nation and for a friend, I don’t think I would’ve minded all that much. Not that either of us even had any control over that situation. Why bother beating yourself up over it?”

Lee raised a finger to wipe away some tears from his eyes, caused by his unexpected fit of laughter. His expression softened as a look of fondness swept across his face. When his laughter finally died down completely, he said in a gentle voice:

“You haven’t changed at all, have you? You still take things too seriously to a fault. Hm…but I’ve always liked that about you.”

Seeing that look on Lee’s face, it felt akin to being warmed by sunlight on a breezy day. It made him want to forget all about his worries and follow that warm feeling in his heart. It would be nice to accept things as they are. But Liang Xun couldn’t let it go. No matter what, he couldn’t let go. This person has already forgiven too much. Even if they acted like nothing was wrong, Liang Xun still remembers everything he’s heard today. Waai Fu’s pained description of what Lee’s been like ever since he returned to Lungmen. His odd behavior when it came to reaching out to him. He surely did not miss the way Lee deliberately ignored what Liang Xun said about Miss Ning in his response either. The children were right. There was something Lee was keeping secret from him. It upset him. Worried him. It was driving him crazy.

Has our relationship deteriorated so much? Why don’t you trust me anymore? Why won’t you tell me how you truly feel?

So he pressed on. He wanted to bring his worries to light in a way this person couldn’t possibly avoid.

“Waai Fu tells me that you haven’t been well ever since you returned from Shangshu. She says that you're lacking energy and you’ve been drinking more often. And that you refuse to talk about me…”

Lee took a big swig of wine from his glass. He should have expected this. Those kids were too damn curious for their own good. It was his fault for teaching them to be like this, as perceptive and annoying as he was. He set his glass down again before responding.

“It’s not that serious. It’s just…ugh, I mean I was lugging around that Sui possessed cup the whole time I was in Shangshu. And those guys from the Escort bureau and the Yan government big shots gave me a real run for my money. Is it that strange for me to be a little tired when I got back?”

“Lee.” 

Liang Xun said his name in silent accusation. They both knew it was a flimsy excuse at best. In fact, the greatest sign Lee could possibly give him was his sudden inability to lie. Although he often said what he meant and believed wholeheartedly that honesty was key to establishing a successful business, Lee was an excellent liar when he wanted to be. But right now, even Lee wasn’t buying into his own lie. So he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing the tired eyes behind his glasses. He gave a defeated sigh and tried again.

“You don’t need to worry your pretty head over my problems so much. I guess I just…had my expectations set too high about my trip to Shangshu is all. Thought I’d get to see an old friend and try out the local cuisine while I’m at it. Guess things just didn’t turn out how I expected it to. I was hoping for too much…delusional, even. I don’t know what I was expecting. Don’t mind me. I’m being foolish. I only didn’t talk about you because I didn’t want you getting involved with my idiocy.”

Lee had a small, somber smile on his face. His posture was the same as during that night, hunched over his drink looking down, refusing to meet Liang Xun’s eyes. His words barely made any sense. But for some reason, it felt closer to the truth than what he said before. While Liang Xun couldn’t gleam the whole truth he wanted out of the other person’s words, some pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together. And the conclusion he arrived at, he didn’t like it at all. This entire time, so many terrible possibilities had floated through his mind, the reason for this strange distance between them and Lee’s odd behavior. Maybe the man resented him. Didn’t trust him anymore. Maybe Lee’s been secretly offended by his behavior for so long. But like a knife through his heart, the truth cut Liang Xun much deeper.

He thinks he’s a burden to me.

This conclusion made the most sense, explaining all the strange behavior Liang Xun has heard about today. The way Lee wrote him letters often but hesitated to send them. His wish to invite him to try Lungmen’s food together but failing to ever mention it. His refusal to ask for help even if it meant saving himself a month’s worth of work. It was like the carp thought of him often but simply didn’t want to get in his way. And what about his trip to Shangshu? According to Waai Fu’s account, Lee was really looking forward to it. Why wouldn’t he? The person that all this time, he was afraid of being a burden to, has suddenly asked for his help. If Liang Xun placed himself in the other’s shoes, it was a natural response. If he had received a letter from Lee saying that he needed his help and to come to Lungmen, he would probably feel excited at the opportunity to help and for the chance to see his old friend again. But he thought about this scenario more. About the incident with Ning Ciqiu. About the sad smile on Lee’s face that night when he joked about Liang Xun’s popularity, refusing to even look up from his drink. He looked at Lee now, who had gone completely silent after speaking, holding that same dejected pose and expression. Even after the matter with the Sui was resolved, their goodbyes had been brief. At the time, Liang Xun was swamped with paperwork after all the trouble that incident had caused. He had failed to send Lee a single letter in that time since he planned on visiting the carp in person at some point in the future. Thinking about all this now, a desperate feeling roused in his heart, as if his mind was screaming at him that he couldn’t make any more mistakes. Without thinking twice, he grabbed each of Lee’s hands into his own without warning.

Lee instinctively pulled back in surprise, but Liang Xun kept his grip tight so that the other person would only slip away if it was what they truly wished. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case as Lee found himself bound in place by the determined eyes looking back at him. When did Liang Xun’s face get so close to his?

Liang Xun felt a little guilty about overstepping his boundaries like this, but he didn’t want this person avoiding him so much anymore. Even if it was unintentional, his actions so far seem to have conveyed to Lee that he didn’t care about him at all. It was laughable really. How could they both be so wrong about how the other felt about them? Lee’s kids had been right. They really were “stupid old people” that needed to sort their problems out themselves. 

He kept his grip firm and looked into the other's golden eyes, which seemed larger and brighter than usual as they stared back at him curiously. At this moment, it felt like he was seeing two suns. He chose his next words carefully, making sure that his true feelings were conveyed with no chance at miscommunication. His tone was stern, even somewhat commanding. He usually only spoke like this when he was giving orders as magistrate, but right now he felt it was important to stand his ground. It’s not that he wanted to offend Lee, but rather he was standing up against the doubts and insecurities that had grown inside his friend for far too long.

“Lee. I shoulder the blame for pushing you away like this, and making you think that I’m not interested in your company or that I only see you as a burden outside of what’s deemed necessary. But I’m clarifying it now. You’re the person who I trust the most in the whole world. And I don’t want you to keep assuming that you’re a bother to me like this. I want to hear everything you want to say to me in your letters. I want to visit more and try Lungmen’s street food with you. I want you to ask me for help when you need it. Don’t go assuming what I want on your own. Even if you still refuse to tell me everything, please consider what I’ve said.”

Taking in everything Liang Xun just said was a lot for Lee. On one hand, he felt indescribable joy and relief hearing such caring words come out of this person’s mouth. Hearing that they wanted to spend time with him and they wanted him to rely on them more. It made his heart skip a beat for sure. He wondered how this person was ever teased for being unsociable in their youth. If Liang Xun spoke like this to everyone he met, forget being teased. Everyone would be at his beck and call. Except him, he would definitely still do both. But that leads Lee to the other emotion he was currently feeling, which was fear. Fear that he was beginning to have hope again.

When he returned from Shangshu around a month ago, a harsh reality had taken root in his heart. He realized that the current Liang Xun was doing just fine without him, better even. Sure, he needed his help for the incident with the goblet, but it was just him doing his job as a detective. It became clear that time had taken too much of a toll on their relationship, and the other man had already begun to form closer relationships even with his coworkers. It felt like Lee was being left behind. He had always hoped that maybe one day this person would return his feelings, but seeing him then in Shangshu, he realized that he was a fool for even thinking it was a possibility. So when he returned to Lungmen, he mourned for the loss of an old love, one he’d nurtured in his heart ever since he was young. It was a difficult process, but he’d gone through it already when he left everything behind once before. He knew better than anyone that time heals all wounds, even if it left a scar in the process. But now, this person was here, in front of him. Holding his hands and telling him such things. It wasn’t exactly a confession per se, but it was…something? So he felt that love in him, the one he’d tried so desperately to kill, slowly coming back to life with a renewed vigor. 

Lee didn’t say anything back, but just this once, he thought he would allow himself to be a little selfish. He finally moved his hands out of Liang Xun’s grasp only to put them around the other’s back, pulling him into an embrace. Whether Liang Xun realized or only saw him as a friend overcome by emotion, he didn’t care. Right now, he just wanted to hold him and soothe his own exhausted spirit. Liang Xun reciprocated the hug, relieved to see that his words had reached Lee after all. Even if all their problems weren’t solved overnight, he was happy to see a proper ending to this ordeal for both of them. And finally, that sinking feeling that had haunted him so much ever since he had that dream began to slowly ebb away, allowing him to feel a peace that he hasn’t felt in quite a long time.

When they finally pulled away from each other, Lee coughed a little. The reality of what had just happened was starting to settle properly in his mind, so he was desperate to get a conversation going before his mind had a chance to dwell on it for too long.

“So uh…about all that stuff you mentioned. Writing letters? Lungmen street food? Didn’t you just arrive today? What happened to you while I was gone all day, exactly?”

Liang Xun laughed nervously at his question. He forgot that he had mentioned those things in the heat of the moment. 

What’s done is done I suppose…  

He resigned himself to having to tell Lee all about his day. If he wanted this person to be more honest and open with him, then it was only right for him to take the first step. He started his story from the moment he had set foot in Lungmen.

__________________

They spent the next hour or so just like that. Liang Xun told Lee about all the people he met today, including his initial encounter with Aak who kickstarted his whole search to begin with. Lee scowled a bit after hearing that, muttering something about giving the boy an earful later. The tense atmosphere between them had dissipated by now, and at the moment it was really like they were just old men rambling to each other about how their day went over a drink. Every time Liang Xun brought up something another person had said about Lee, the carp would shut his eyes and take another gulp of his drink. Eventually, the other man was red enough that Liang Xun couldn’t really tell anymore whether it was his embarrassment or the alcohol that caused it. A few more minutes passed after that, when Liang Xun noticed the way Lee’s responses had started to become slower and shorter. He continued telling his story, but he carefully observed Lee, watching as the other man began to nod off with greater frequency. It wasn’t long before he was totally passed out, falling to his side and turning a little so that he was completely face down on the couch. It wasn’t too much of a surprise, given that Lee had been out working all day. The alcohol probably didn’t help either. But now, Liang Xun was at an impasse.

He stared helplessly at Lee who slept on the couch, the light rise and decline of his chest being the only noticeable movement from the man. Liang Xun was glad that he seemed to be having a peaceful sleep but…this was really unacceptable. He was still fully dressed in his outdoor clothes and his office couch could hardly be considered the ideal environment to sleep. He’d have back pain tomorrow when he woke up for sure. Liang Xun looked around for a blanket, some pillows,anything he could use to make the couch a more comfortable place to sleep for Lee. But there was nothing around for him to use. He looked back down at the person sleeping on the couch and bit his lip.

I shouldn’t but…there’s no way I can just leave him like this .

He decided to forego his reservations and shook the other’s shoulder a little in a gentle attempt to wake him up. While doing this, he whispered: “Lee…Lee…is there a bed in this building somewhere?”

The sleeping dragon groaned a bit, obviously annoyed at whatever was interrupting his sleep. However, he did manage to piece together enough coherency to respond to the question. In a low rumble, he muttered:

“Upstairs…”

That was enough for Liang Xun. He looked down at Lee and hesitated again for a few seconds before deciding once for all. In one swift movement, he scooped the old carp into his arms and carried him like how someone would carry their bride at a wedding. He was really surprised at how light Lee felt in his arms, comparative to their childhood that is. When they were young, Lee would sometimes fall asleep on top of him, claiming that he wanted to “steal his body heat” so he wouldn’t get cold. At the time, Liang Xun couldn’t really refuse. The carp was way too heavy for him to carry on his own back then, so he always kept a book with him to read whenever something like that happened. But now, carrying Lee wasn’t too much trouble for him. He wondered if it was a case of himself being stronger now thanks to his martial training or if it was the carp who had become lighter. Thinking back on what Waai Fu and Hung said before, he hoped it was just because he was stronger now as the thought of Lee eating less due to his poor mood saddened him. He didn’t linger on the thought for too long and instead focused on finding the stairs Lee mentioned so he could carry him to bed. 

He was relieved to discover that the layout of Lee’s house was fairly simple, and it took him little effort to find the bedroom the other man was referring to. Once he found it, he gently placed Lee on the bed and took some time to remove the parts of Lee’s attire that would surely bring him discomfort while sleeping. He removed his boots and coat, then placed his hat and glasses on the bedside drawer as well as other small tools that Lee liked to keep on his person, such as his talismans and his coin sword. Liang Xun wished he could do more to help, but of course he couldn’t simply change his clothes for him. It was better to just leave the carp alone so he could get some much needed rest. So instead, Liang Xun pulled the bed’s blankets over Lee and took one last look at him to make sure he was comfortable. Seeing him tucked away and sleeping peacefully like this, it was kind of adorable, wasn’t it? He imagined what Lee’s reaction to such a compliment would be, and he couldn’t help but smile a bit.

As Liang Xun was heading out, he heard Lee mumble something and stopped for a second, thinking that the carp might be calling out to him.

“Liang Xun…I’ll wait for you…”

Lee’s light breathing continued after that, indicating that he was still fast asleep. Liang Xun stood there for a moment, wondering what Lee meant by his words.

Is he dreaming about me? What is he waiting for? Waiting for the next time I’ll visit maybe?

Liang Xun decided that it didn’t matter. Whatever it was, he didn’t intend to keep him waiting any longer. He looked back one last time before shutting the door.

“Good night, Lee.”

[munichasia]

The body is a temple. You are a projection of love. Love the Earth, love the air, love the water, love the fire. - Kuan Yin 🇹🇭💯😊📷 Wat Huay Pla Kung, Chiang Rai, Thailand Have a fantastic day all. ~~~ Wat Huay Pla Kung - Often mistakenly called Chiang Rai's Big Buddha for its large white statue that is a representation of the goddess of Mercy. . . #beautifulthailand #discoveringthailand #discoverthailand #ilovethailand #thailand_allshot #thailandallshots #thailanddestiny #thailandgram #thailandinsider #thailandismagic #thailandlovers #thailandphotography #thailandvacation #tourismthailand #traveltothailand #wheninthailand #asianwanderlust #discoverasia #asiatour #asiatravel #loveasia #seasia #seasiatravel #southeastasiatravel #southeastasiatrip #travelinasia #travelsoutheastasia #visitseasia #visitasia #seasiaig (at วัดห้วยปลากั้ง จ.เชียงราย - Wat Huay Pla Kang) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpdRnPtsTbt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[canis-majoris]

[momentsnotthings]

Temples, Temples, Temples. Wherever I went in the Asian Countries I’ve visited yet, there are Temples. A lot of them. But just the Moment you think you’ve seen enough of them, there seems to be another really unique, special and beautiful Temple you need to see. Same in Chiang Rai, where I’m staying since 2 Nights now. The Temples here are mostly pretty new ones. I really liked the blue Temple “Rong Sear Tean” (last 3 Pictures), because of its strong, luscious Color and the many detailed Paintings inside. Those Temples will definitely not be the last ones I visited on this Journey, so brace yourselves for more to come haha..

[charlotte-family-apologist]

Please more Kung Family incorrect quotes I BEG (no rush tho, whenever you have the time or inclination i am waiting patiently)

Ask and you shall receive. Also let’s pretend that some time travel bs brought the great Kung Lao (GKL) and Jian (what I’ve renamed Jen from Conquest to in my rewrite) to the present ✋😭

-=-=-

Lao: You are… much different than I expected.

GKL, hanging someone who tried to mug him from the ceiling by their feet: What did you expect?

Lao: I don’t know, but it wasn’t this. *Points at Jian* How is she worse?

Jian, stripping said mugger of all belongings except their underwear, mumbling as she appraises the items: Good quality, it would sell for quite a bit…

-=-=-

Lao: Shang Tsung?! Of all people Shang Tsung?!

GKL: You are blowing this out of proportion.

Jin: Okay, but I get it…

-=-=-

Jin: What was the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you?

GKL, sighing dreamily: Attempted murder…

-=-=-

Lao, talking to himself: And to think, this is the man Lord Raiden compared me to…

-=-=-

Jin: And I have to confess, after I was disowned, I became a thief. I’m not prou-

GKL and Jian: Oh, like Taja.

Jin, confused: Who?

GKL, horrified: They didn’t tell you about Taja?! What about Siro?

Jin, even more confused: Who?

Jian, murmuring: What has this clan come to…

-=-=-

Huai: How’d you convince them to let you fight?

Jian, smiling: Bullying. A lot of bullying.

-=-=-

That’s all I got for now

[running-with-the-feels]

I don't think you saw it, but I did answer your ask and am now here to bring you Kung clan headcanons.

The great Kung Lao used a whip as a weapon. His fighting style relied heavily on quick movements. As honorable as he was, he had a bad habit of toying with whoever he was fighting. Often lassoing them and throwing them around. The whip is now hung in the main house of his clan.

Hair holds great importance to Kungs. Long hair is a sign of pride. The traditional style is a low, tight braid. If a member is dishonored, they are to shave their head.

To be initiated into the Shaolin, one must shave their head to show devotion. They only have to do it once and can grow their hair out afterward, with the more dedicated monks keeping their heads shaved. The Kungs actively fought the Shaolin for Lao to keep his hair, but he ended up bald anyway.

After the first Mortal Kombat, Lao decides to shave his head because he believed his actions during it were dishonorable and immature. Liu Kang tried to persuade him not to, but he insisted. Kang shaved it for him.

Lao is overly protective of his hair. Can, has, and will smack someone's hand away if they try to touch it without permission. He's like a cat in that way. Also takes amazing care of it. He has oils, masks, and expensive shampoo and conditioner.

After being disowned, Jin was forced to shave his head but grew it back out of spite. Him wearing a high ponytail while using the Kung name is seen as a sign of disrespect.

If Huai ever left the clan, she'd shave her and Jin's heads (because she refuses to leave him in the clan's care).

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Kungs have insane upper body strength. Even the civilian members. Takeda is convinced that his type is people who can lift him without breaking a sweat.

Most are also tall, but Jin is massive, standing at 6"4'. It's the Kyrgyz genes.

The first step in Kung courting is to ask for a blessing from a family member. Lao ended up asking Jade for her blessing to court Kitana and brought gifts to Liu Kang's parents' graves. He spent over an hour speaking to them before leaving.

nooooooo I missed it! I'll go check it out asap!

I Love these headcanons sm

Both Kung Lao's are actually very similar personality wise, but Raiden has kinda mythologized the great Kung Lao to the point that he sees him as a paragon and our Lao as a poor imitation, a sentiment a lot of the monks share

Kung Lao learned a lot about haircare and styling from his family and will do Kitana's hair for her for important events. She shows up one day when his family is visiting with a traditional Kung style braid and the family loses their shit over the implications (whether from happiness or anger is your call)

Kung Lao cried when they shaved his head and wouldn't talk to anyone for a week

Liu then cried when he had to shave Lao's head for him, and was over the moon when Lao started growing it back.

Lao and Johnny bond over their hair care routines and swap tips and products, with Johnny being the only person Lao has ever given a bottle of his family's hair oil made from a recipe they've had as long as they existed.

Kung Lao will fight anyone who says that Jin has no right to the name or his hair and when he joined the Shaolin and was asked to shave Lao raised hell until the monks gave in, not wanting Jin to go through what he did.

Huai has contemplated leaving the clan multiple times, its kind of an escapist fantasy for her at this point (pls feel free to ignore that, she's your oc not mine)

Kung Jin once lifts Takeda over his head ballet style to prove a point and Takeda loses the ability to speak for a while. Jin's form is perfect and he doesn't even tremble.

Jin is the tallest kombat kid (Cassie is 5'11, Jacqui is 5'6, Takeda is 5'10 and Frost is 5'3)(no one mention's Frost's height bc it took three people to hold her back last time)

Jade was touched by Kung Lao asking her for permission to date Kitana and when Kitana learned of the custom, she went to Lao's parents and asked them for permission as well

Kitana and Liu also both love to run their hands through his hair and are the only people he will allow to do that

[amazing-thailand]

Alone in the land of Mercy. :D Chiang Rai’s mythologic landscape of Wat Huay Pla Kung features, among other things, the gigantic unblemished statue of Guan Yin, or the Goddess of Mercy. Guarding the stairway leading up to her are these mythical protective dragons. Picture by @wenqianchang.

[shuttershocky]

I like how Waai Fu's story arc went, and thought it was especially cool how they contrasted her journey with both Du Yaoye's, and her own father Huai Tianpei's.

In Invitation to Wine, Du was a spoiled rich girl trying to escape the shadow of her father, wanting to become a warrior while he set up a successful inn and restaurant business for her to inherit, since she believed her father turned his back on the martial arts out of believing his daughter shouldn't be a fighter. What Du didn't know was what made Zheng leave the bodyguard business was him failing to protect one of his new recruits during a terrible mission, and realizing he had to go to the recruit's father and tell him his son died in battle protecting a stupid goblet that they didn't even manage to secure. Zheng didn't want that kind of violent, heartbreaking life for his daughter, and so he pivoted to the restaurant business instead. This is why Du left Shangshu for Yumen, as she still refuses to leave the path of a martial artist and set out for a new city to make her fortune doing her dad's old job.

But while she complains about all of this to Waai Fu, Fu can't help but muse that even if Du's father was overbearing, he did what he did out of love for her. Her own father ditched her to go on a kung fu journey and never looked back, focusing only on becoming the best kung fu master in Yan and leaving Waai Fu to grow up without him. For Fu, having a dad like Zheng would have been much more preferable. Even if the path Zheng wants for Du is not what she wants for herself, at least he thinks about her, and lets her go her own way. Even if she's annoyed with her father, she still loves him, seen when she mistakenly assumes Waai Fu is still rooting for Huai Tianpei in his duel vs Chongyue, because obviously you'd still be cheering for your dad right?

There's quite a few details about Waai Fu's issues with Huai Tianpei. For example, whenever she watched TV at home, Hung or Mr. Lee would quietly change the channel any time a soap opera involved a child meeting their missing father. Lee is also concerned about Waai Fu losing her way and becoming too obsessed with a deadbeat that abandoned her and never even visited in ten whole years.

I liked that even after Tianpei saved her life by fighting a literal nature god for her, Fu thanks him for the rescue as is proper, but still immediately challenges him to a duel anyways. It's not going to be that clean, convenient story where Tianpei does one good thing and that somehow makes up for a decade of neglect.

Fu loses the duel. It's to be expected, as Tianpei has been training in kung fu for 40 years and has never lost to anyone, but despite that, Fu's satisfied. She managed to finally kick him right in the jaw as payback, and for her to be able to land blows on a master who's been training for longer than she's even been alive makes her confident the gap between them isn't impossible.

Eventually, she may surpass him, and even then, she doesn't have to. In the ten years since he left, she graduated magna cum laude in mechanical engineering, got a job at Rhodes Island, became a detective with her fellow strays in Lee's Detective Agency, she has a whole other life outside of the only thing her father cares about, and even then she's still on track to defeating him. She doesn't need him, and she doesn't need his respect, what with having her own life and family now. She just really, really wanted the opportunity to break his jaw, and she got it.

As a bonus, she also got to see Tianpei challenge Chongyue, First Under Heaven, immortal god, and the guy that literally created half of kung fu, and watch her dad get his ass kicked. Tianpei finally manages to find an opponent that even he can't defeat, and Chongyue is delighted to see that there's a mortal warrior so dedicated that someone finally managed to get the upper hand on him (momentarily) after centuries. It will take 360 more years of training for Tianpei to be able to surpass Chongyue, three centuries that he doesn't have (tigers don't live that long). It will take MUCH less time for Waai Fu however, to eventually catch up to him, though she may not even have to anymore.

In the end, Waai Fu is satisfied. And even when Tianpei leaves once again without saying a word, it doesn't bother her. She helped save the city, got to fight a god, got to punch and kick her deadbeat father, got to see another god demolish her deadbeat father, and now she can go home a hero with her real dad, the shady fish conman detective.

[jose-a-perez]

The body is a temple. You are a projection of love. Love the Earth, love the air, love the water, love the fire. - Kuan Yin 😊📷🇹🇭💯🙏 Wat Huay Pla Kung, Chiang Rai, Thailand Greetings and have a fantastic day all. ~~~ Wat Huay Pla Kung - Often mistakenly called Chiang Rai's Big Buddha for its large white statue that is a representation of the goddess of Mercy. . . 🙏🏻🧘🏻‍♂️🙏🏻 (en Chiang Rai, Thiland.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcALNO4IawB/?utm_medium=tumblr