After coming across a tiktok edit of veil x maomao ai slop, I wanted to try and recreate maomao in kotteri’s style from hand myself, and I’m quite happy with how it came out in the end! Obviously heavily referenced from the original image, but I’m still very new to drawing and it did make for wonderful practice and understanding of details, so I may do a few more and perhaps attempt the style without a reference at some point, but idk yet. Anyway, this was fun! I thought the snakes would kill me but I survived drawing them
Um, time to not draw again for another few years because I’ve exceeded my drawing limits by a lot now. Headcanons I thought about for this whilst trying to sleep though are below! Very mild spoiler warning for light novel 9, but nothing that would even make sense without context.
hcs for witch maomao (fantasy au):
- she was allowed by the imperial family (jinshi, probably) to travel to the west to study medicine, and fell down the rabbit hole of ‘witchcraft’ (as seen in the book they uncover in ln9, except more magical AND medicinal) very willingly.
- her thoughts on the witchcraft in this au is that it can be used for ill intent, and is dangerous in the hands of individuals who wish to misuse it, but only in the same way that knowledge of poisons would be. If either poisons or witchcraft can be used to help create or find knowledge towards a ‘cure for all’ panacea, then she would stop at nothing to further her understanding towards it.
- mossy ass living wood broomstick. if she is allowed magic then she is allowed a broomstick made of alive wood.
- the blue rose in her hand is a rose she created through magically-enhanced botany, with different properties to that of a normal rose. she is still testing what it does, though, if anything. it was inspired by her previous palace shenanigans with jinshi.
- she found (was adopted by) a group of fellow witches around her age after a year of her studies, except they never had much further experience with witchcraft besides what they had found out for themselves accidentally and shared between each other, so maomao takes to teaching them both witchcraft and medicine (and the huge overlap between) whilst they give her a place to stay and food to eat.
- (jinmao in this au) jinshi takes every opportunity he can to travel west and ‘establish better trading relations’ in order to drop by. they send messages through pigeon communication still, though. more so from jinshi. he allowed her to travel that far whilst he worked on finding a path to cease his connections with the throne, but it took a lot of strength on his half to let her go all that way without him initially.
feel free to build off this however you want, i would love to see further head canons for a maomao witch au because those are like my two favourite things squished together.
”Say, Maomao,” Jinshi asked, right as she took a large bite of her dumpling that left her mouth full. Typical timing. “How would you feel about getting a cat?”
”Another one?” Chue quipped, and Maomao watched as Jinshi smirked and swiped jokingly towards her face from the other side of the table.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
“Another one? Have you been secretly raising a cat?” Maomao’s mouth was still full, and her speech was muffled by the food, but the question flew out of her mouth before she could stop it. No one took offence to her poor manners, though. No, instead, all four of them laughed off her question far too easily. Or rather, three of them. Basen looked equally as confused.
Or!
Maomao begins an investigation to secretly lure out Jinshi's supposed hidden cat.
!! No spoilers - it’s all an entirely made up post-canon setting
Summary:
After hearing of his brother’s sudden passing and subsequently the demand for him, the only feasible heir as of the moment, to take the throne in his stead, Maomao had been the first person he had called upon. It was far into the late hours of the night - early morning, even - by the time he had been freed from council discussions regarding his status change. As soon as the summon had been sent out, the apothecary had come with little complaint.
Jinshi couldn’t read the expression on Maomao’s face as he had relayed the information of the Emperor’s untimely death, and frankly, his own tone had been equally as unreadable. That was, up until the moment he voiced that he had to let go of her.
…
”I see. Then, I won’t let my presence interrupt a moment longer. I wish you a good evening, your Majesty.”
Or!
The aftermath of a too-swift break up, nine years later.
It started with a crash; a loud bang against the wooden door followed by thudding, heavy footsteps, and the ambience of the outside downpour becoming a little deafening in the silent apothecary shop. Her eyes shot up in alarm, ready to run, pounce, or freeze, before the overpowering stench of blood - too much blood - hit her, alongside a very familiar face.
”Master Jinshi?”
The man in question took a far too haggard breath, before wincing a smile and a bitter laugh: “It’s been a while. Hungry?”
Modern AU | Coffee shop AU | Fluff | Role reversal
» please see the ao3 post for more tags!
!! No spoilers
Summary:
Jinshi had, of course, heard much about the recent new star brought to the stage - Maomao. From his job in a tea room, he enjoyed listening to interviews and such featuring her as he served customers. As part of his career in film writing, of course! What he didn’t expect was for her to one day walk in to order herself a tea and some cake, nor did he expect to cross paths with the young woman past that.
Or!
5 times Jinshi accidentally ran into Maomao + 1 time she sought him out.
Yaoguai!Jinshi | Mythical creature AU | First meetings | Fake dating
» please see ao3 post for more tags!
!! No spoilers
Summary:
In desperate need of help, and an abysmal number of options left to call upon, Maomao tries her luck in asking for help from a mythical yaoguai. Going off palace gossip and rumours, she is skeptical but out of luck, and sneaks out of the safety of her home the night before her impending arranged marriage.
She didn’t actually expect the yaoguai to exist, let alone be as seemingly benevolent as the rumours suggested.
NOTE: Potential spoilers up to light novel 12. None major, but please don’t proceed if you do not wish to be spoiled!
Summary:
After years, many many years, an opportunity arises for Xiaolan to take a trip to visit her old friend, Maomao. Both of their lives have changed drastically over that time period, but with some secret aid, Xiaolan's letter arrives in just the right place to arrange such a meeting once more.
Cooking up a new jinmao AU inspired by this one of @dynamitebean ‘s posts in my head… not exactly going to get properly written anytime soon but feel free to ask about it!!
The basis is that Jinshi is some sort of minor deity who lives on the mortal earth (where he can get hurt), and Maomao is the immortal spirit assigned to keep him safe while he’s there! A very fluffy thing so far :>
