#indchu headcanons

[mysticalmusicwhispers]

what’s your favorite headcanon of indchu? what kind of dates do you think indchu would go on?

aaaaa sorry for taking stupid long to answer your ask! I am glad though that we are getting a resurgence in Indchu interest because they deserve it :)

(also the actual headcanon is in the 3rd paragraph... sorry about the long preamble...)

Ship asks!

tw addiction and drugs?

ooh... I already have a couple here, and while it might not be a favorite, I think the most interesting hc is their tension/awkward situation around the Opium Wars. I headcanon China to have had opium addiction starting in about the 1830s and so his head was like, sometimes perfectly clear and sometimes really foggy, which led to poor decision making, detachment from reality, etc. Also his government was kinda rotting and was another hit to his health and well being as a nation personification. Meanwhile India was grappling with the East India Company’s strengthening hold on him and the unsustainability of growing opium and other cash crops instead of actual edible stuff, and a lot of upheaval in politics as well. And when 2 people are tired, bruised, and faring badly politically, it leads to snarkiness, lashing out, and general crankiness associated with tiredness, which is a nice atmosphere for misunderstanding.

Additionally, Wang Yao is someone who’s constantly scheming and expects other people to be doing the same and looking for a way to stab their friends in the back, coercing and blackmailing to get what they want, pretty manipulative. Because India’s opium was getting shipped to China to fuel the illegal opium trade, and there were (according to Wikipedia, so I’m not sure if it’s accurate) around 7,000 British Indian troops that fought on behalf of Britain in the 1st Opium War, I think when he found out India was on Britain’s side and against him, he kinda thought India had betrayed him? China thought India had finally decided to suck up to Britain and sorta left him to fend for himself—that obviously wasn’t true, but given how Yao expects others to always be playing for their own interests AND his fog of opium addiction, he probably would’ve believed it. India on the other hand: I think he reluctantly and resentfully went along with Arthur,,, there was no choice besides to go along with the East India Co and march into China when he was ordered to. I think there was a little apprehension; India has known China long enough to realize he might feel betrayed by this, but there was nothing he could have done.

I imagine them meeting somewhere near Guangdong/Canton, probably in some restaurant/tavern and having a rather tense conversation, but one that cleared up some misunderstandings, mostly on China’s end. Yao is very hostile and sort of butt hurt at first; they start talking vaguely with all the general niceties (India: “I haven’t seen you in a long time.” “And I you.” China speaks slowly, each word falling like heavy stones in a pond. His voice is scratchier than India remembers (and he thinks about China’s flute-like laugh he’d heard, centuries ago), but the acid sharpness is still the same. He doesn’t say anything else, and the silence stretches on, a chasm of awkwardness growing between them. India clears his throat. “You look... you look-” “I know the state I am in. But thanks for the compliment, British India.” China’s voice is biting and bitter. India grimaces, perhaps from the insult of ‘British India’, which he has not accepted yet, or perhaps from China’s rebuke, but hides it almost immediately with a blank face. “You are welcome,” he says, and somehow his voice sounds sincere enough to stop it from sounding like sarcasm. And China looks up, and his face is momentarily absolved of its sour, tired expression, and for once, he looks genuinely confused.) Then they somehow travel to important topics after some food and maybe some baijiu on China’s part, and they just,,, really talk and release the tension that has resulted from not seeing each other for a long time. They talk about what’s changed, and their interactions with the West, maybe rag on England’s absurd ways of everything, and it’s a little bit of a pity party + mutual understanding + just a time to catch up on the things that have happened to both. By the end of it both of them are still assured that yes, deep down the other is still the snarky neighbor they’ve had for centuries, just perhaps a little worn, and a little ragged. They part ways, because the First Opium War will not be resolved by 2 of the 3 nation personifications involved talking it out and sharing memories over a table; India goes back to playing his part as England’s almost-colony and assistant in a war he has no interest in, and China falls back on a fog of opium and goes to see what the Daoguang Emperor has been up to and how badly his people are losing to England.

slk;fd;safdjksfkj I don’t think that was a headcanon but yeah... I just want a fic of someone exploring their interactions around the time of the Opium Wars and hope it won’t have to be me lol

As for date ideas, I think just going to a cheap restaurant (Yao is stingy and usually doesn’t really feel like paying lots for food) and people watching would be something they’d do. An alternative would be cooking each other’s food/trying new recipes/fusion cuisine at one of their houses; I know it’s very cliche, but it just feels like their thing. I don’t think they really care about romantic dates but aren’t really the type to do super fun, adventurous stuff lol; they’re both old men who don’t put any effort into dating anymore (but are still charming when they want to be; 4,000-5,000 years of living doesn’t count for nothing). But also lowkey I can see them going into a mall or something and just wreaking havoc, playing pranks on people and the poor cashier, trying on all sorts of crazy clothes, etc., or going to a flea market/open air market and just wandering around, looking at cool things, clothes, little trinkets, stuff like that

They are both magpies; sorry I don’t make the rules

[mysticalmusicwhispers]

if it’s not too much to ask... india/china hcs pls? i know u ship it so i’d love to hear what ur opinions are!!

Thank you for asking friend!! It’s never a bother :)

Length Warning: Very, Very Long, A Lot Of Rambling

Preface: I honestly don’t know much in-depth stuff about India-China history (all the “history ramblings” is based on my previous knowledge + Wiki), so I don’t have a lot of grounding in what their relationship is like. Also, when writing their history I realized I still see them as a brotp (so the first part isn’t very shippy) but there are romantic ship headcanons at the end. See this cool post for other hcs!

+++

HISTORY RAMBLINGS

- I guess in Ancient Times, I see them having a friendly trading partner vibe; my personal hc of Ancient China is of someone who builds friendships for convenience, and then starts getting attached with time, so I think this is how his attitude was at first. He and India probably had some vague contact through diplomats and travellers who brought back tales to their own country, and then once trading and influence and religious imports (ex. Buddhism) really kicked off, they started actually interacting with each other (as people, not nations) and over time, that just kicked off into being closer and closer friends until they were basically lovers.

- In Hetalia canon China goes along with Zheng He (Ming Dynasty, early 1400s) on his voyages around the world (the episode with a giraffe), and historically they did make stops at India, where they traded and visited Buddhist temples and stuff; this would be fun to examine in terms of Indchu. I’m sure they had more opportunities to visit each other in person (in contrast to Romechu, the true long-distance relationship) but I’d like to see them just checking in on each other, talking about the news of the day and stuff! Talking about trade and the places they’ve seen; Yao rambling on and on about where he’s headed next, India interjecting time to time about things he’s heard about places far away from them. A moment of peace where they’re just super comfortable and relaxed with each other would be amazing

- Ok fast forward a bit to the 1850s-60s: Qing Dynasty is resting in pieces, the Opium Wars have thoroughly beaten China, the government is unstable from the Boxer Rebellion and there’s a bunch of hate at the ruling people, stuff happens. India has been taken by Britain and it’s Not Fun; these two old men are down in the dumps and being bitter together. I don’t think they’re “dating” or whatever rn because there’s just too much on both of their plates, but they are still close friends and still mutually hate England together. I can see them having tense arguments with each other out of pure stress, complaining about who has it worse: India, who has been made into a colony! *gasp* “My pride has been killed, Yao!” and China, who is basically a colony to 5 nations all at once and also reeling from losing HK to Britain. They know exactly how to hurt each other by this point, but they also know they don’t really mean it, and things usually blow over after they’re in their right minds again.

****Also, Indian sepoys were used by Britain to fight China, and Indian opium was shipped to China as well; I think that might have been a sticking point for a while, but I think Yao would’ve slowly accepted that India was not the one making decisions in the end. 

- The World Wars: India is in the Gallipoli campaign, conscripted by Britain, China is fighting on the side of the British and French but does not gain a single thing from winning, and has also lost the First Sino-Japanese War (I think Hetalia canon says China got his scar from there). Then Japan invades China, and he and India are fighting together in WWII against China’s estranged sibling/brother/vague relation. Both are beaten to the core, still bitter, but they keep reminding each other that they will just have to weather the storm and wait for their moment. This too shall pass. Same mood as the beginning of imperialism, but more tired and more done.

- After India’s Independence and China’s Government Overhaul: 1950s: India was one of the first non-Communist countries to recognize the PRC instead of the old ROC, but I think they started distancing from each other a little while after? There were territorial disputes with Nepal and I think both countries’ governments might have told them to cut it out and be less friendly with each other because they had rather clashing agendas

- Things seem to be relaxing just a bit, but then the Sino-Indian border dispute (1962) happens, and then there are other clashes near the border, and they don’t know if they can trust each other. Additionally, there’s the Sino-Soviet split, and India is getting help from the Soviets, and it makes things more complicated between them. The relationship is on shaky ground right now, and if they meet in person, both are putting on an impersonal facade. Not very friendly. I think they’re still cooling off until at least the late 1970s, when China’s economic reform happens.

- Skipping to Modern Day: they are cool again and are close friends again. However, they know their countries are competing in population, economy, world status/power, but they’re still friends. They know it might end badly, but I think they’ve learned to roll with the good times and savor it; their pride and hearts have been stomped on already so they don’t care anymore and take risks even if they might come out feeling a bit broken. They are buddies, and they might be dating, and they don’t really care about the boundary between friends and lovers. They are comfortable with each other.

- This article, published in 2007 by Harvard Business Review, presents an interesting take on China and India’s relationship, and in particular, their economies: it says that although people think they’re destined to be rivals because of their competing business sectors, they have developed complementary strengths and it’d be foolish not to work together. I think that could somewhat summarize Indchu’s relationship with each other in the hetaliaverse; they complement each other, and even if they might become competitors, it won’t affect their friendship/relationship because they just fit together. They click; it’s not forced friendship or whatever, they just integrate into each other so well (it’s almost like they’re meant to be together).

- There are border skirmishes (ex. the incident in June 2020), but I’m not really sure how that would factor into their relationship? Maybe they’ve gotten over it and they both know the other personification doesn’t like the fighting, and that their government’s opinions come first? Or maybe it’s still unresolved between them, because India has known Yao for a long time and knows what he’s capable of, and Yao knows what a potent force India can be when he wants? Idk. I think the idea of unresolved tension is more accurate, but I also like this ship because it’s soft and /mostly/ pure in modern day and I sometimes really want to ignore historical accuracy

ONTO THE GENERAL SHIP HEADCANONS!

- They argue with each other a lot, basically like an old married couple; their jibes at each other don’t mean anything though. China insists it’s so their wits stay sharp.

- Also they have debates over various academic topics; it’s basically their fun hobby by now. They’re both intellectually matched and read rather voraciously, so it’s a fun challenge (and keeps their wits sharp)

- I mentioned it before but it’s worth bringing up again: they know exactly how to hurt each other with their words; they just don’t get into bad fights often so they don’t need to cut each other to pieces.

- China is the less sentimental one, but they’re both really good at picking out tasteful, meaningful gifts for each other. “Experiences over material items/gifts” doesn’t really appeal to either of them; they’d much rather stay home being cozy than “gifting” each other a week in the Caribbeans or something.

- T e a  l e a v e s (No Teabags unless Strictly Necessary). No coffee, sugar, cream, or milk. Sometimes India jokes about switching over to coffee or drinking tea the British way, and Yao just goes “You’re canceled”, dead seriously.

- They wear each other’s traditional clothing sometimes. Occasionally Yao asks India to wear a hanfu instead of a changshan (men’s equivalent of qipao) because he thinks it’s more traditional (qipao was invented in the 1920s). India has managed to stuff Yao into a qipao at least three times, and has pictures to prove it.

- India likes running his fingers through China’s hair (he says it’s really soft, a comment that makes Yao scoff every time) and he sorta hates his ponytail for that reason alone. Yao knows this, and he tries to make up for it by letting it down more on weekends, when he doesn’t have to look presentable (also India insists Yao looks presentable all the time, another comment that always earns a scoff).

- They teach each other their own dishes. China has been getting in the habit of substituting beef and pork for other things, mainly tofu/chicken/shiitake mushrooms

- They take walks together in the evenings after dinner when they’re in the same place. As long as it’s still light out and the weather’s not too bad, they will do it every day (even if it’s raining, they might just bring an umbrella).

- Their way of showing affection is a) with gifts and b) just talking to each other about anything. It’s their way of winding down for the day and being comfortable with each other; they have long talks about random, silly little things that happened, perhaps a funny (or stupid) meme/joke their siblings sent, or dumb stuff that happened with their boss at a meeting.

- I think they’d call each other nicknames in private. It wouldn’t be something too “sickly sweet” I guess, but something to show they care. They use nicknames sparingly as well, so it doesn’t lose meaning through overuse. (I personally hate nicknames so I’m not giving out any suggestions here, but I think Yao would use something like “亲爱的” for India, basically means “dear/beloved”. Not too flashy or sweet, but still affectionate.)

- China gifts houseplants to India’s apartment/house because he knows India likes them (I think he’s a green thumb). China doesn’t really bother with decorative plants; he prefers to grow spring onions and other low maintenance shit that he can use in his cooking lol he’s all about the practicality

- During ancient times, they had lengthy, invigorating discussions about mathematics, either through letters or in person.

- They aren't really affectionate in public; PDA is limited to hand holding and occasionally a kiss on the cheek. Neither China nor India are the type to “show off” their relationship or their partner.

- Adding onto that, they don’t really announce their relationship to everybody but if you ask them, they’ll tell you. Basically you have to be the one to notice something’s up; they just don’t think it's necessary to share every little bit of information about their lives with people. They're the “secretly married” couple trope; signs of affection are rather subtle but still noticeable because they don’t act that way to other people.

- China forced India to get a Wechat so he can send India 10¥ red packets every week just because he has the app

- Not really a ship headcanon, but these two would throw the best parties??? Like if you want a party that’s really loud and noisy and fun, ask them. They may be old and “not fun” or whatever but they know how to organize large scale events effectively and how to achieve the correct atmosphere, and despite all Yao’s siblings’ trash talk, they usually pull off very stylish, sleek functions/events. Maybe it’s a little tacky here and there but it’s barely noticeable, and everyone is just. Awed.

Yeet that’s it; thank you for reading! This got really long, and I feel like a lot of the headcanons were rather platonic, but yeah! Hope you like it!