#paper thin verse

[besanii]

Ok, so. Wangxian is OTP and Wangji is an angel and we love him forever. But. Is it bad that I'm hoping WWX falls for LXC and they're happy together? Like, LWJ doesn't have a happy ending with WWX here, so that band-aid is ripped, burned and buried. But XiXian endgame seems to be the least painful ending? I know it won't be 100% cause they both love LWJ, but... this is just heartbreaking either way 💔

WangXian is my OTP too, and that's why I want them to suffer.

But seriously though, I think one of the main reasons why I wrote this verse in the first place was because I had all these XiXian feelings and nowhere to put them, but WangXian refused to be sidelined sooooo ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also because the inherent helplessness of the whole situation and the resulting tension and angst is just *chef's kiss*

so yeah, you're not alone, don't worry!!

[besanii]

In paper thin couldn’t LXC gift WWX to LWJ? Or release him from service? Both were things that happened in history. Though I’ve only ever heard about concubines being regifted to forgein kings so maybe that’d be an issue?

Hi nonny!

The only example I could think of from the top of my head was Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei. She was married to his son, he wanted her so he sent her to live as a Taoist nun for a few years to avoid the inevitable criticism of coveting your son's wife, and then brought her back as his concubine. And yeah, well, that worked out great lol

Concubines have been regifted to foreign kings before as well, usually for political reasons or to secure alliances. Because women were political pawns, obviously, and why risk getting thousands of soldiers killed when you can sacrifice one woman for the cause?

So yeah, it is possible. But I don't think it would be in character for any of them to do it (not in this verse anyway). LWJ loves WWX, but he also loves and respects his brother, plus his sense of duty to the Emperor and the country is much too strong for him to dare create such a scandal.

And WWX loves LWJ, but he's also developing feelings for LXC. Plus, in his mind he owes his life to LXC and he's already committed to using the rest of his life to repay that debt. So he's not going to go back on that now.

And LXC...well, he did this to save WWX. By taking WWX into his harem, he's protecting WWX from the people who want him dead in two ways: it's incredibly hard for anyone not in the Imperial family to get into the inner palace without permission, and members of the Imperial harem are forbidden from interfering in politics. It's a punishable offence. So as long as WWX stays in the inner palace, his enemies will think that his wings have been clipped and he's no longer a threat. Keeping WWX by his side has both political and emotional benefits for him ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

[besanii]

So is wwx in paper thin so meek because he is, I don't know, broken, given up? Is that what he looks like when he has nothing left?

He's not really "meek". He's being demure and/or modest, the way women/concubines/consorts/people in the palace are expected to behave.

At first, it's largely due to the grief of losing LWJ and also guilt that his actions had caused such a big problem for Yunmeng. He knows if he steps out of line and gives people yet another reason to condemn him, things will get worse. So he reins himself in and behaves.

Another facet is he feels he owes it to LXC, who pretty much took him and all his issues on and risked falling out with his most powerful ministers and subjects to protect him, to behave himself. Because now his actions not only affect himself and Yunmeng, they also reflect on LXC, and WWX is not the kind of person who would repay a debt with ingratitude.

And remember, this is just what LXC and the others see on the surface, the role WWX has chosen to play.

[besanii]

I loved paper thin!!! like i’m a wangxian hoe all the way but there’s something about xixian that is just so delicious. (it’s the angst, it’s definitely the angst) anyways, in paper thin, does i chen even have feelings for wei ying or is it more of a “i’m doing this because my ‘dead’ little brother loved him” kind of thing

Same same, nonny. XiXian is my lowkey ship that I occasionally indulge in for a bit of variety.

As to your question…yes. Yes he has feelings. Not at first, but he develops them quite quickly.

[besanii]

My brain is not functioning right now. It's way too early & I have distracted myself from getting ready for work long enough trying to figure this out; but in what order do you read the paper thin fic in. I found the part where xixian goes horseback riding & read that. But I'm not sure where it starts....

Hi! :))))

The short version is: whatever order you want to read it in. It's a non-linear narrative!!

Also acceptable: posting order (the link sorts out the posts in the paper-thin fic tag in chronological order by posting-date)

--

FYI (cos I know I'm going to get this multiple times from different people):

I'm not writing or posting any of the ficlets in any sort of chronological order, I'm just responding to inspiration and/or prompts sent in from readers wanting to read about different aspects of the verse. It's pretty much the only way I write here on tumblr, otherwise I get too stressed out about posting the "right" parts at the "right" times and my brain just nopes out completely.

Plus, parts of some ficlets also overlap with parts of others, so it's hard to put it into any concrete order, but if you're absolutely dead-set on needing a timeline, I guess it would be something like:

three (WWX)

two (LXC) (although the first parts of 03 and 02 kind of overlap each other, and the last part of 02 overlaps with 01)

five (NQY)

six (WWX)

part one (LWJ)

four (LWJ)

I would, however, recommend just treating it like the non-linear narrative it is, or think about it like flashbacks and flash-forwards :)

[besanii]

The fic i associate with you the most has gotta be paper thin. That story is camped out in my brain like a survivalist off the grid.

(I have almost finished the next part. It's super late, I know, but it's almost there!)

what fic do you associate me with?

[besanii]

Paper thin, oh the feeeeeels. The only way I'd see out of this without too much heartbreak would be for a wu zetian scenario... Lan xichen dies and lan wangji scandalizes everyone by making his concubine the empress.... But oh, lan xichen you poor soul!

(am I saying I want Wei Wuxian to become a political powerhouse? Yes. Do I want Lan Wangji to die to illness? No. Btw, empress of China Version of wu zetian. Not rl.)

Love all your stuff, would love to hear your thoughts on this, but no pressure on posting this or replying pubilcally! All the best!

Ah but see, LWJ wouldn't be the next Emperor after LXC, because LXC has sons of his own. After LXC dies, WWX and the other concubines will be sent to a monastery to live out the rest of their lives as monks/nuns.

(because once you've served the Emperor, you cannot serve another for the rest of your life)

I mean, okay, so LWJ could maybe then whisk WWX away from the monastery and they could elope. But that would mean committing treason, which LWJ's sense of duty and loyalty would never allow him to do (stepping out of line is one thing, treason is a whole other thing), and they would have to live as fugitives forever.

Maybe they become monks together? lol

Another thing that could happen is LWJ goes to war against LXC for WWX. Which…is even less likely. And WWX wouldn't want that to happen either.

So suffering in silence it is!

[besanii]

For those waiting for the promised part 2 of paper-thin, it’s half-written!! I’m sorry!!!! But TeniRabi and also Tezuka and also Fuji and tezufuji ????? 

current me: head empty, only tezufuji