sarah-yyy replied to your post “Ack, I can’t believe it. Now I’ve hand an idea for an actual Sugar...”
*chin hands* tell me more tell me more
marin0a replied to your post “Ack, I can’t believe it. Now I’ve hand an idea for an actual Sugar...”
What a pity. �� do tell ��
...
It will be a terrible story in which Lan Zhan actually puts an advert onto [handwave] website because he’s Tired of meddling relatives and friends. The advert reads something like:
Looking for live-in boyfriend.
Must be clean, quiet, obedient and sophisticated. Must be able to play his part convincingly around relatives, business associates, and friends.
Physical relations not required, but negotiable. No romantic entanglements. No affairs during the duration of the contract.
I offer a large aparment with own private room. All ensuing costs (rent, food, clothing, allowance etc.) covered.
Wei Ying, who has just been kicked out of his own apartment because he has no money, and is precisely none of the things listed: My time has come. l
Hello I read you thorki letter fic thing and they are so so sad! Lovely writing, and now I need to know why Thor's letters changed suddenly so (and ceased coming???) and why Frigga hasn't got Loki's letters, and Loki my poor baby is so alone I need Thor to hold him tight... Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it's lovely and heartrending and I cry.
!!!!!!! heartrending was exactly what I was going for. it’s not the happiest story, there’s a lot of trouble brewing, but I assure you that Thor wants to write to Loki - there’s just things in his way
yeah Loki is super alone and I can’t deal either which is why I’m taking a little break haha lmao
Romance had never been one of Varric's strong suites when it came to writing. It wasn't getting the chemistry between characters right, nor was it finding an interesting adventure to send them on. What always threw him was the ending. He wrote adventures, and thrillers, but mostly he wrote heroic tragedies. Those kinds of stories, with Hawke's being an exception, didn't lend themselves well to happy endings. Good endings was what people wanted with romance according to his publisher. Cassandra was insistent on that as well, and unlike his publisher, she was usually armed. But those stories felt wrong somehow. He could never explain why, but it felt almost to wild to believe that things could work out without some massive complication spoiling it all.
Perhaps that was why it felt right here. Whether or not people believed it, he had seen it first hand. Two people who shouldn't have even been friends, let alone lovers, actually turning into a married couple in front of his eyes.
Varric looked over the notes he'd made when observing his two friends. A Tevinter altus mage, and a tal-vasoth qunari mercenary.
Realistic or not, he hadn't planned on giving their story a bad ending. He could be a git at times, but he was a good friend.
What even he hadn't expected, as he made the final adjustment to his outline, was there was only one ending that seemed to fit.
'They both lived happily ever after.'
X
Gift for @marin0a for @adoribullholidayexchange of Dorian and Bull’s relationship through Varric’s perspective. I loved drawing this prompt and got to play with some fun textures to. You can find it on AO3 here.
Hello! If you feel like it, wangxian with 36 would be lovely. :3 Have a great day!
Prompt 36: You throw a snowball at a friend but missand hit them instead.
Wei Ying was out for revenge. His stupid brother had gotten the dropon him last week, and he couldn’t let this injustice stand. He was going toabsolutely drown Jiang Cheng in snowballs this time.
It was probably rather childish that they still got involved intosnowball fights every year during wintertime, but whether he was twelve or thirty,it was fun to make Jiang Cheng eat his words (and snow) every year. He had areputation to maintain, and he was ready to defend it. It was, basically,tradition at this point. So he had prepared a small army of snowballs, and hewas ready to use them on Jiang Cheng with extreme prejudice.
He had planned it all out so perfectly, so meticulously, and thenJiang Cheng had to spoil the entire thing by moving at the worst moment.And that was how Wei Ying ended up throwing a snowball with full force into theface of a perfect stranger.
Everyone froze for one moment, even Jiang Cheng’s eyes widening inshock.
The next moment, Wei Ying ran over to the stranger in a panic.
Shit. It wasn’t just the snow. This attack must have actually hurt; thesnowball had been pressed tightly and he had thrown it with full force.
“I am so sorry!” he exclaimed before he had even reached thestranger. He reached out with his glove to help wipe the snow off the man’sface, and then checked him in a slight panic. The skin had become reddenedalready from both the impact and the cold, and Wei Ying was half fearing thatthe man was going to have a nosebleed.
“Oh my god, I cannot apologise enough,” Wei Ying said, a littlequieter this time, and he cursed himself internally. He had smashed the face ofa really, really handsome man. This was the kind of face they would want toprint in magazines. This man was probably a model or something like that. Justhis luck. He would be getting sued any moment now.
“It is alright,” the stranger said stiffly, wiping the last bits of snowoff his face. “I am sure it was an accident. Be more careful next time.”
“I will, you can believe that!” Wei Ying promised him. Then he hoveredaround the man uselessly, trying to figure out if there was something he could do.He did feel extremely sorry about the whole event, after all. He’d just wanted totake revenge on Jiang Cheng, not assault unknown but good-looking men. “Can I…I don’t know, can I help you?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” the stranger replied, fishing out some snowfrom the collar of his long white coat.
Wei Ying couldn’t be content with that reply, however. He had reallydone a number on this man’s face, and while he would have probably laughed atJiang Cheng’s misery if the same thing had happened to him, he held no grudgesor ill will against this man. He also didn’t look like he was accustomed togetting pelted with snowballs, so he felt additionally terrible about it. Itfelt like bullying a cute pet, somehow. He was the worst.
“Can I maybe offer you some warm beverage from that café over there?”he asked in his desperation. “Maybe it helps you warm up a little. You’re halfdrenched in snow.”
It wasn’t entirely wrong, too. The stranger’s clothes were damp now,his hair a little tousled, and his face still red.
The stranger opened his mouth, no doubt ready to decline the offer,when he suddenly stopped and scrutinised Wei Ying intently, as if to gauge hisintentions.
Wei Ying made his best ‘I have never done a bad thing in my life andI am very sorry’ pitiful face.
It seemed to work. The stranger sighed once, and turned towards thecafé.
“A tea would be agreeable.”
“Yay! Okay! See you later, Jiang Cheng!”
And with that, he jogged after the stranger who was already headingtowards the café with quick steps.
They found vacant seats immediately and sat down at the small roundmetal table decorated with a small bouquet of flowers. The interior of the caféwas rather hipstery, but Wei Ying knew from experience that they made very goodcoffee.
“So, what’s your poison?” Wei Ying asked. “Choose whatever you want,it’ll be my treat.”
“Just tea is fine, thank you.”
Wei Ying raised an eyebrow. “Here is your chance to take revenge onme and order the most elaborate concoction you can think of, and deplete myalready severely stressed wallet to boot, and you order tea?”
The stranger looked at him with what Wei Ying chose to interpret asa very flat version of offense.
“It is not my intention to exact revenge on anybody.”
“Mmmh, I see you’re a good person, unlike my brother who would havemilked this for all its worth.”
He smiled at the stranger, got up and went to the bar to order: onepot of tea for the handsome stranger, one very black coffee for himself.
As he returned to the table with the beverages balanced on a try, henoticed the stranger was watching his every move with intent. Was he afraid ofany more sudden attacks? Wei Ying had reached his limit for the day, thank youvery much.
“I really am very sorry about that, by the way,” he said again. “Iusually don’t go breaking the noses of handsome men to get their attention.”
“I do hope so,” the stranger said, and then he was silent again,still watching Wei Ying as he placed the tea pot in front of him.
Wei Ying coughed nervously. “My name is Wei Ying, in case you werewondering.”
“Wei Ying,” the stranger said, as if testing out the sound of thatname. Wei Ying had to admit that he kind of liked the way this man said hisname. With intent. “My name is Lan Zhan.”
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying smiled, happy that the man didn’t seem entirelyaverse to conversation. “So, tell me, Lan Zhan, what do you usually do when you’renot busy getting your face battered? Have I ruined your livelihood bydestroying your most important asset?”
“No,” Lan Zhan said. “I am an assistant professor. I could teach evenwith a broken nose.”
“But all the students would cry if their handsome professor gotmauled! Oh god, are they going to hunt me down?”
“Doubtful,” Lan Zhan said, taking a careful sip of his tea. “I donot believe they care.”
“Ah, that’s where you’re entirely mistaken, Professor Lan,” Wei Yingsaid, amused. “The students have to be wild for you. And the rest of theteaching staff as well! You must be very popular.”
“No,” Lan Zhan answered, looking a little doubtful. “I think I am…too stiff for that.”
“Not so,” Wei Ying said confidently. “You’re drinking tea with me,after all. Not stiff at all, see?”
“Hn,” Lan Zhan agreed. “Perhaps the trauma of being assaulted by asnowball made me act irrationally and out of character.”
Wei Ying gaped at Lan Zhan for a moment in utter disbelief.
Then he saw the tiniest uptick in the corner of Lan Zhan’s mouth. Hegasped loudly.
“I can’t– I can’t believe this! Was that a joke at my expense? Ah, what abetrayal! Now I hope you had been a stiff fuddy-duddy! How dare you!”
Lan Zhan took another deliberate sip of his tea.
“Perhaps that will teach you not to use projectile weapons in publicin the future,” he said primly, but there was a glint in his eye that made WeiYing’s heart beat faster despite his words.
“Fine,” he conceded with a dramatic slump in his chair. “I willagree to exercise restraint, if you promise me to shield me from any studentsplanning bloody revenge for disfiguring their favourite teacher.”
Lan Zhan considered that for a moment.
“That can be done.”
And then, to Wei Ying’s utter astonishment, he pulled out a business card and a pen out of his leather bag, andwrote his personal phone number on the card before he handed it to Wei Ying. WeiYing was almost sure he saw the bastard smile.
Can I ask what you do (for a living? Studies?)? It sounds really interesting! :D
I do a lot of stuff, hahahaha. I’m trying to be a researcher most of the time, and am working on two different research projects while also trying to finish my PhD. (Don’t do this if you ever want to see any money coming in, cannot recommend. I need to look for another side job if I don’t get the scholarship in June, in this economy.)
It gets complicated real fast, but I mostly deal with belief systems/questions of identity and culture somewhere in the intersection of Japanese literature and art. In my two research projects, I deal with religion (specifically Buddhism) a lot, while my personal research is more on the side of folklore/legend/myth.
It’s super interesting if you ask me, it’s hella complicated (also language-wise, it’s all premodern/classic Japanese), and I cry every day about my hubris thinking I’m good enough to actually do this.
But if you ever have questions about Buddhist iconography, or want to hear about the “crimes” of Toriyama Sekien, I’m the person for you. Lol.
Hello! I've got a ship for the ask meme, which is, unsurprisingly: wangxian. But if you've already got it, then how about NieLan? :3
Why not both??
Wangxian
who’s the werewolf and who’s the hunter: So I have already written WWX as a werewolf, I guess I have to stick to that. And man, I just like the image of LWJ as the hunter who feels more and more compromised the longer he is hunting WWX.
who’s the mermaid and who’s the fisherman: LWJ is the mermaid. He occasionally helps WWX with his catch, since the poor man doesn’t eat enough and has half a village that is dependent on him, and when WWX realises that his recent good fortune is thanks to a little supernatural help, he goes on a mission of thanks. Only LWJ doesn’t want any (he was just smitten by those pretty eyes).
who’s the witch and who’s the familiar: LWJ is the constantly distressed rabbit familiar to witch WWX and tries to keep him out of trouble and from breaking every single law of magic. One day, trouble ensues with another witch, and in his attempt to shield WWX he accidentally gets turned into a human. After the first shock, it’s not so bad, because now he has opposable thumbs to stop WWX.
who’s the barista and who’s the coffee addict: As funny as LWJ as a barista would be, I have to go with WWX on this one. LWJ likes to pretend his taste is fancy but in reality he just craves the hit of coffeine in whichever form it comes (it’s a stress thing). And no one knows his needs better than WWX (because, let’s face it, WWX is just as bad, he knows a coffee goblin when he sees one).
who’s the professor and who’s the TA: Professor LWJ has my heart. But I guess I’d make WWX a lecturer or sth who keeps getting denied a tenure track position because he unafraid of speaking truth to power, despite the fact that he is one of the best in his field.
who’s the knight and who’s the prince(ss): Let’s face it, WWX is already a princess and LWJ his knight in shining armour. Maybe it’s time to reverse that. Only princess Wangji takes one look at WWX and decides that thank you, he is fine, no need for that.
who’s the teacher and who’s the single parent: DAD!WANGJI HAS MY ENTIRE SOUL YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. WWX would be so great as a kindergarten teacher for one of these special schools where the children go out into the forest to learn etc. Of course LWJ would send his child to one of these kindergartens.
who’s the writer and who’s the editor: WWX is the incredibly talented and creative writer who also hands in terribly messy manuscripts, and only LWJ’s strictness and minuteness manages to save them from certain doom.
NieLan:
who’s the werewolf and who’s the hunter: LXC is the werewolf, NMJ is the hunter, NMJ has long since given up actually catching LXC (don’t tell anyone).
who’s the mermaid and who’s the fisherman: LXC is the mermaid. NMJ is the poor fisherman who goes to catch LXC and sell him to JGS to feed his brother, but in the end, he can’t go through with it.
who’s the witch and who’s the familiar: LXC is the witch, NMJ his excessively grumpy familiar who jealously keeps people away from LXC.
who’s the barista and who’s the coffee addict: NMJ is the grumpy barista who hates making those ridiculous elaborate orders, LXC is the coffee addict with a ridiculous taste and at least three extra shots in his coffee. NMJ is abso-fucking-lutely smitten but that coffee is a monstrosity.
who’s the professor and who’s the TA: Both of them are professors, I’m sorry, the power imbalance would be too much for me. Both are absolutely crushing on each other and have no idea what to do about it.
who’s the knight and who’s the prince(ss): Okay, I mean, imagine NMJ as the princess. Clearly it must be LXC. He’s been in love with NMJ since forever, but apparently NMJ is denser than a rock. LXC gets promised to another prince and is like “if I have to marry someone I don’t love, at least spend the last night before my marriage with me (and deflower me properly)”.
who’s the teacher and who’s the single parent: NMJ as the harried older brother/replacement dad of little Huaisang, LXC as the patient kindergarden teacher who helps NMJ with his troubles (and his non-existent love life).
who’s the writer and who’s the editor: Oh man. NMJ is a boor until he has a pen in his hand, and LXC is less busy with correcting NMJ’s drafts (they’re amazing, he’s won so many prizes) than keeping the rest of the publishing world from murdering NMJ and his stupid, blunt mouth.
marin0a replied to your post: Still slightly mad about the fact that women don’t...
I… didn’t even realise this. ._. Just yesterday I was writing a fic and I thought, “what was wen qing’s courtesy name again? Ah doesn’t matter, wei ying calls her by first name anyway.” I actually can’t believe myself.
IT TOOK ME A WHILE MYSELF.
I actually first assumed that Jiang Yanli was Yanli’s courtesy name, since both Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying have one-character given names but two-character courtesy names, and somehow my brain jumped to the conclusion that the same thing must be true for Jiang Yanli, too.
I actually noticed it because of Wen Qing, because I was looking up her name and realised that while we know Wen Ning’s courtesy name (Wen Qionglin, still crying about that one), Wen Qing’s... is just not there?
