He Xuan had been ready to leave the desert well before Shi Qingxuan had finished her little investigation. It wasn’t the sun, or the sand, though both were unpleasant, but Crimson Rain’s stupid voice on the private communication array: « Oh, sorry, are we walking in on something? If I knew there was a dress code I would have gotten done up. » And if it wasn’t that, it was the tinkling of jewelry in Shi Qingxuan’s hair as she moved, or the meaningless asides that were disorienting in…
He Xuan had been ready to leave the desert well before Shi Qingxuan had finished her little investigation. It wasn’t the sun, or the sand, though both were unpleasant, but Crimson Rain’s stupid voice on the private communication array: « Oh, sorry, are we walking in on something? If I knew there was a dress code I would have gotten done up. » And if it wasn’t that, it was the tinkling of jewelry in Shi Qingxuan’s hair as she moved, or the meaningless asides that were disorienting in the scale of their inanity: “Isn’t this fun? I love having fun with you.”
When the time comes to transfer a golden core to Jiang Cheng a different choice is made.
“Do you understand what this means? For me?” he asks, eyes flicking back and forth as he searches her face. “And you approve?”
She smiles as she reaches out and cups his chin. “Our XianXian is very brave,” Jiang Yanli says, not quite answering his question yet. “I knew you would find a way to save him but you cannot make this sacrifice.”
He shakes his head…
When the time comes to transfer a golden core to Jiang Cheng a different choice is made.
“Do you understand what this means? For me?” he asks, eyes flicking back and forth as he searches her face. “And you approve?”
She smiles as she reaches out and cups his chin. “Our XianXian is very brave,” Jiang Yanli says, not quite answering his question yet. “I knew you would find a way to save him but you cannot make this sacrifice.”
He shakes his head. “There’s no one else,” Wei Wuxian says, tears already forming in his eyes. “I promised I’d look after him.”
“You cannot look after him if you don’t have a core,” Jiang Yanli says, gently. “But I’m not doing much with mine.”
A little breaking-and-entering never hurt nobody, right? Especially if they're rich pirates who deserve it.
(For the Star Wars Rare Ships Challenge over on Pillowfort!)
The Brides have their hooks in Jonathan, less pleasurably than before. Written for Elise, prompt "naked".
"Assume success," says Bruce unencouragingly. "Describe how it's achieved."
One night only — this is the only way they meet, with her bruises on his body, with his old name at the back of her throat, choked. He's broken away from what he used to be, but what he is now, there's no name for — just a warm shape in the dark.
Janet is there for the trial, and afterward.
Meng Yao goes to a party at Jin Zixun's apartment hoping to get close to Lan Xichen and gets more than he bargined for when he ends up stuck in a room with Nie Mingjue.
Kaz and Inej, back in Ketterdam.
Adventures in keeping power in a country that would rather you stepped down, or: Prunella still has a few tricks up her sleeve.