#unspecified time but it's set way after postcanon

[llycaons]

ep50 (4/4): super special extra reunion post time

I've said this already but for the uninitiated: I was a dumb idiot watching this for the first time and when this shot appeared I got all excited because for a split second I thought. I thought wwx was on one knee. like to propose 😭 obviously for several reasons that was not what was happening but I always think of it when they cut to this shot

ahh they're in the green of summer. growing things, life. not going towards winter. maybe the colors and season was why I think of jc and wwx's relationship as ending, but wwx and lwj's as persisting. that color symbolism is powerful

oh god those mountains are so gorgeous behind them

see he's wearing that patchy blue-black robe set from before! this could not have POSSIBLY been all in the same day.

anyway, bittersweet but ultimately for the best. not just wwx leaving to find some equilibrium in this world he's come back to, but lwj feeling the full force of his own affection and parting with wwx anyway. not exactly the same situation as lwj's parents were in, but significant all the same. wwx needs to be loved and cherished, but he also needs to be free. commitment (a collar) was something he feared in his previous life, and I don't think it's a stretch to say even now he's jumpy about it. after years of persecution and violence, letting him feel everything he needs to, establish himself in the world, and then come back when he's ready is one of the best things he can do for himself. staying in CR for a few weeks to rest and get ready to go back on the road made sense, but several things in cql point to CR not being wwx's preferred permanent home, especially the way this finale played out

lwj looks so beautiful in these shots my goodness. and he's not wearing all white anymore :)

wwx and lwj (and this shot) are SO dramatic I'm sure they didn't need to do All That. and yet they did. and I'm happy for it

ah but he'll still miss lwj. he plays the song as he goes - don't forget, I'll be back to ask about this. I still care about you. I won't forget either. I'll see you again

this must be a fragment of conversation from the walk up. I think wwx does know - he's teasing, and lwj is reassuring - yes, I know it. I've known it for a long time. I'll tell you, when you come back

one of the most formative pieces of meta I've read described the name of the song as lwj's confession piece, which is why I always find it odd that postcanon fics don't often incorporate it. I guess if you're not worried about censorship, you can just have them make out. but it's such an elegant and thematically appropriate mechanism of confession, and the deep significance it holds to the characters make it especially suitable. that's how I envision the confession happening

back to wwx after an unspecified amount of time, but definitely not the same day unless wwx very quickly and without stopping his music changed clothes. I think, minimum three months, max 12 . probably more like 6-8

reading get-togethers, I always get nervous about him standing right near the cliff edge. what if he falls! but he's easily 10 ft away from the edge so I guess I can rest my heart

on that topic, there's not much cover for them. if they wanna fuck it's going to be right out in the open. unless they pitch a tent or something ig

but honestly, if they never so much as kissed before this, they're probably going to take their time getting closer. they jumped right into intimacy in the book but even with their more consistent relationship here I think it would take a while. if they DID kiss in ep43, maybe not quite so long, but it's not like there's a rush. they're together, they'll go at their own pace. I feel like a lot of fics rush it, but sometimes the journey fun and exciting all on its own

ah this is so beautiful

HERE IT IS!!!

oh and he FREEZES. I always assumed they planned to meet, but he seems genuinely shocked here, so maybe not

aw I always liked this smile. a secret little thing, private and excited. anticipatory

and there he is with the 🥺 vibes. before he breaks out into the big smile, he just turns with that look like this is the most important thing he's ever looked upon

and there's that smile. he's okay, he's okay. we've come full circle, right down to a cliffside meeting. he's happy, and healthy, and ready. he made it! and now the next chapter of their lives can begin

man I don't even know what to say. it's the end! what a journey. what a performance from everyone. what a lot to digest. what a lot to love. what a lot of grieve. this story will be with me for the rest of my life no matter what. wei wuxian and lan wangji, always in my heart. I love you all

personal highlights:

when I picked up that jgy was giving lxc a test, that was neat

lqr, running up, yelling "running is prohibited! loud voices are prohibited!"

jin ling looking over for wwx with such a yearning expression on his face...

the entire scene in the autumn courtyard. TAKE CARE 😭

wwx being happy and playful with chenqing 😊

wwx happy crying!!! as is his right!

waving bye with his dizi like he did when he was young!

wwx's mid-forest crying really did hit me ugh xz was so good in this episode as he always is

lwj playing in the springs and wwx walking down to join him on dizi...what was happening there 👀

remembering their shared vow and 'you deserve to be wei ying' are like two of the highest points in the SERIES for me

wwx quoting the 'do not associate with evil' line to nhs lmao

I really do love the entire cliffside separation scene AND the reunion scene of course but of particular note

them being dramatic and going in opposite directions of a massive mountain

"When I return, you better have a name for this song"/"I have long known it."

wwx freezing when he hears his name in lwj's voice, the tiny smile, the slow turn, the big relieved grin. my god. my god. all of it.

everything is just so beautiful 😊🥰♥🎉🎇❤🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍 and love is real!!! thank you the untamed!!!!

[twinclownsoflotuspiers]

Chengxian Minific | angst, open end, mutual pining, postcanon

In the past whenever Jiang Cheng suffered from insomnia, Wei Wuxian used to sing to help him sleep. While a-jie did it too, somehow Wei Wuxian's voice always helped soothe him better. Coz when Wei Wuxian sang, his voice got softer with a husky quality. Wei Wuxian was always better at instruments than singing. He tended to go slightly off key at times and he didn't have a high scale but Jiang Cheng loved his singing especially for that. It was strangely soothing, strangely grounding.

When after the whole Sunshot Campaign happens n Wei Wuxian begins avoiding him, Jiang Cheng doesn't have time to worry much coz he is preoccupied with rebuilding the sect and dealing with diplomatic stuff. But occasionally he would sit alone in the office, frustrated & unable to sleep and he would recall Wei Wuxian's voice & miss it terribly. Even if he wants to ask the other to sing, he can't bring himself to ever do it because there seems to be a chasm between them now & he doesn't know how to cross it.

And then things go further to the deep end and Wei Wuxian defects then dies and Jiang Cheng is left in the wake cursing, mourning - conflicted whether to hate or grieve the one he loved, still loves. He distracts himself through overworking, taking care of Jin Ling, hunting down demonic cultivators who think the power is a "fun" thing and use it for wrong purposes. What would they know when demonic cultivation lost him some of the most important people in his whole life. He wouldn't let himself admit that he missed Wei Wuxian's soft singing and the comfort it brought him. He wouldn't let himself admit that he missed Wei Wuxian.

Life goes on. Jiang Cheng thinks he's getting better at moving on. But then Wei Wuxian comes back, secrets are revealed and suddenly his life is thrown into chaos once again. Suddenly a lot of things are explained & once again Jiang Cheng is conflicted about what to feel - hate? anger? guilt? sadness? overwhelming love? Gratitude? All of them together? He decides to let himself feel acceptance and peace and fulfill Wei Wuxian's wishes and let him go.

"If he's happy perhaps I can be happy for him too"

He tries not to think about how he still misses Wei Wuxian's voice, his songs. It wouldn't be the same now anyway. Wei Wuxian doesn't have the Same body or voice as before. He thinks they both can be happy apart.

No one would've expected however, for a collaborative nighthunt to go wrong & Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian stuck in a cave together with Jiang Cheng badly injured to boot. The cave is blocked & they're separated from everyone And this feels strangely similar to the indoctrination situation & Xuanwu cave.

Jiang Cheng is in pain even if they've tried to treat his wounds as much as possible. Wei Wuxian awkwardly tries to get him to rest but Jiang Cheng can't sleep nor rest peacefully.

He tries to ignore the other man, to shut his eyes and drift, and then he hears it. Wei Wuxian singing. His voice isn't the same. It's not soft and husky anymore. It's slightly nasal and lighter. Yet Jiang Cheng can't help but feel a lump in his throat.

Wei Wuxian continues singing & that is when Jiang Cheng notices the words he had never Noticed before. Of course he knows the song because it's the same song Wei Wuxian always used to sing except Jiang Cheng had never noticed the words before seeing he always fell asleep before Wei Wuxian reached the crucial bits.

And Jiang Cheng can't help but get amazed, shocked, bewildered. Because these are words of longing, of awe, of affection and love - it's a one sided confession & Jiang Cheng is baffled because he's been hearing this song since they were 11 and....is this for him?

He sits up suddenly, startling Wei Wuxian, and asks him so, tentatively and with a strange feeling blooming within. Wei Wuxian is looking at him in shock & surprisingly, fear.

"You didn't fall asleep?" He asks

"No," Jiang Cheng replies. "Answer my question, Wei Wuxian. What does that song mean?"

Wei Wuxian looks ready to deflect and run away as always and Jiang Cheng is TIRED. He's had enough of both of them always running away and he wants answers.

"For once, Wei Wuxian please don't lie to me," he says tiredly. "Who is that song for?"

Wei Wuxian crumbles, looking extremely tired himself. Maybe all the running away was taking a toll on him too. Who even knew with him?

"For you," he answers.

And Jiang Cheng’s heart skips a beat but he can't believe it. "You're lying."

"I'm done lying," Wei Wuxian snaps back & he looks REALLY tired, like he's breaking apart from inside out and Jiang Cheng has NEVER seen him look this vulnerable. "I wrote that song and I wrote it for you."

They're both quiet, not knowing where to go from there. Jiang Cheng doesn't know what to feel once again. On one hand he's happy that Wei Wuxian had written such a song for him. On another, he's not sure what to do with the reminder that it would now be in the past & Wei Wuxian has someone else now.

"That song....I still mean every word in it"

Jiang Cheng looks up in shock and Wei Wuxian has a painful smile on his face.

"I'm sorry for dumping this on you," Wei Wuxian continues. "I'm always dumping unnecessary burdens on you. I will never fault you for hating me. I know I'm selfish for it, but I still need you to know after all. Jiang Cheng....every word in the song, I meant it then, I still mean it now"

Jiang Cheng can't believe it, but there's a part of him that feels like a heavy burden had just suddenly lifted from his heart.

"You don't need to return my feelings," Wei Wuxian is rambling now, & tears are streaming down his face. Jiang Cheng realises it's been a while since he last saw the other cry. "I'm sorry I'm saying it all now, but...I just wanted you to know. I'm sorry...."

Jiang Cheng wonders if he hadn't been awake & heard the song for how much longer would Wei Wuxian continue hiding it all.

"You're an idiot" he tells him and Wei Wuxian laughs.

"I know."

"No you don't," Jiang Cheng counters. There's something buzzing under his skin and he NEEDS to say something. "You don't know. I---"

He stops, frustrated at himself & his hesitation. "If I could compose songs I'd make one for you too."

"What?" Wei Wuxian asks in confusion.

Jiang Cheng gestures vaguely, frustrated, "I return them. Your feelings. I return them all. Always have."

He wants to jump off a cliff in mortification.

Wei Wuxian is staring at him, disbelieving. "Why would you?" He whispers. "After everything that I've..."

"I HAVEN'T forgiven you," Jiang Cheng grits out. "But I can't--"

I can't stop loving you either.

It's what he wants to say but can't say. Fortunately Wei Wuxian gets it. There was a time they could communicate without words. Perhaps it wasn't entirely lost.

When rescuers manage to get them out, things haven't been fully solved but there's a certain peace in both.

As they bow to each other before parting ways, Wei Wuxian looks at him with a silent promise There was still lot to talk out. But maybe, for once, jc could be hopeful

-End-

[mysaldate]

valentine's event, if you're accepting ships outside of kny, then sasuke/isanami laughs (and if you aren't that's okay too!). i'm starved B) the setting could either be the KNY au or just their canon au (or perhaps a postcanon au :thinking:) thank you in advanced!

I am accepting ships outside of KnY for every event unless specified otherwise, no worry! I’m not sure how to make it post-canon since Isanami is sealed away though so have just a time-unspecified canon-verse, please!

SasuIsa

It was really just a matter of time until the two of them became a couple. Isanami was probably the last one to know she had a huge glaring crush on Sasuke but luckily even she realized it eventually. They even considered dating in secret so it wouldn’t disturb any relationships within the group but they soon found out everyone already knew anyway.

They’re the kind of couple that’s very open with their affection even in public. This especially annoys Kamanosuke but since neither of them likes him much, it doesn’t bother them in the slightest. To be fair, though, they’re not too shameless. Kissing is a big deal for them so the most they would usually do is hold hands or sit next to each other. Sometimes Sasuke would kiss her on the cheek or forehead as a charm before a mission when they would have to stay separated.

Isanami insisted they share a room now that they’re a couple. Sasuke is a little awkward about that at first but it doesn’t take him long to get used to it. He really loves to wake up every morning to see her sleeping face, a faint smile playing on her lips as the first rays of sunlight slowly fall in through the shoji doors.

Not long after they officially get together, Sasuke starts learning how to cook. Of course, this is mostly for Isanami’s sake since she eats so much but he finds himself interested as well. Also, since he is very knowledgable about nature, it’s easy for him to pick just the right combination of spices and herbs to make every meal a delight. He sometimes lets Isanami help him but she’s as clumsy in the kitchen as everywhere else.

Sasuke promised her at one point that they would get married after the warring states have calmed down some. Neither of them knew things were going to turn out the way they did, of course, but even after what happened, Sasuke is still waiting for her. Sure, he knows it’s silly and that she won’t be out for another millennium, but he carries the hope in his heart, having complete trust that one day, maybe when he’s reborn, he will meet her again and fulfill his promise to her.