highly new, slightly improved open post

[appliances]

assorted morons

☆ @ the muselist

optional prompts/ideas

☆ caught in the rain meme ☆ little steps meme ☆ affectionate physical contact meme ☆ picture prompt also acceptable but link them so it's tidy ☆ AU ideas: soulmates AU, reincarnation AU, Bad End AU, canon divergent/roleswap AU, dorky college AU, crossover AU, super indulgent high fantasy AU ☆ melodrama is ultimate tier ★ SHIPPING AND FUCC: ☆ non-fluffy relationship types I'm down for: codependent, master/servant power imbalance type ships, "we're bad for each other but worse for anyone else," other things I am failing to think of tbh ☆ things I am not into: noncon (includes "dubcon"), incest, tsundere shit if your tsundere is just verbally abusive, gratuitous torture porn, you'll probably have to ask me about harder kinks and they will vary by character ☆ I don't have a kink list so pitch me an idea if u thirsty ☆ if you would prefer a locked post I can also make that happen

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[disposable]

[Xichen. Guangyao doesn't laugh, but almost; something like that out of the mouth of Xichen is charming at the best of times and torturous at the worst, and he prefers to think about the former.]

For my guqin skills, the credit is all yours.

[And— hmm. He doesn't move to hold Xichen's hand more boldly, but covers it instead with his other one. This is so much.]

Show me your favorite song. I'll practice it properly.

[xiaosolo]

[It's a lot, for them, and yet it isn't, all at once. It's the overlooking of rules and roles in favor of something more affectionate, and yet they don't actually put a name to it. They don't ever make reference to it. It's just . . . little moments like this, things that Xichen knows he oughtn't take pleasure in, but does anyway.

He's struck cold suddenly with the thought: is this what it was like for Wanji? Because of course he knows his brother, knows how good he is. He never once would have willingly trusted evil, no, but at the same time . . . it's easy to spot temptation when it's flashy and gaudy. Harder when right and wrong are muddled together, as was the case with Wei Wuxian.

But Guangyao-- Meng Yao, still, quietly, in the back of his mind, no matter how his father renames him-- is different. He's sweet. Clever, oh, yes, remarkably so, and driven, and yes, perhaps he's a little, hm, more efficient than Xichen would care for him to be, but his heart is good. He's sure of it. It's moments like these that convince him, after all. What is there to gain but affection in this? Taking his hand, soothing his guilt and distracting him from his grief . . . surely no one could lie about such things. Not this well. Not when his eyes shine so sweetly and his expression is so sincere.

(And that, there, is the mistake he makes again and again. Guangyao is sincere right now. It's just that he doesn't look at everyone like that, does he?)]

You'll practice it to perfection, and then I'll be left with nothing to offer you as thanks.

[He emerges from his dark thoughts with that, offering another little smile that doesn't quite reach. But his hand pulls back, so he can stand and find wherever it is the Lans store their host of practice instruments.

The thing about guqin is that it's not actually that hard to play at first. There's only so many notes, after all; it's easy for the beginner students to learn the songs and memorize the patterns. The hard part comes later, when it's the art of precision: putting too much pressure on one string or failing to remove a finger too swiftly, and suddenly the feeling of the song, the intent behind it, will falter and change utterly. It's note after note of precise fingerwork, and thus an instrument both admirable to play and utterly maddening to learn.

Which is why, naturally, he's the one to play Song of Clarity for Mingjue. It would be an awful thing if someone were to get it wrong, right? Even a few notes would change the meaning. Haha . . .

Anyway. The point is: it's easy to teach the notes of his favorite song, and of course Guangyao picks it up so very quickly, because he's far cleverer than anyone gives him credit for. But less so to teach the emotion, to convey the precise way he needs to flick his fingers or pull back-- and so it's easier to simply sit next to him, occasionally putting his hands over him.]

Sliding. Like that-- yes, very good.

[Does he need to teach it like this? No, of course not, he's taught too many juniors to need to. But . . .

It's soothing. He'd taught Wangji like this, back when he was so small and everything was so much easier. Huddling around him, watching the way his tiny face would wrinkle in frustration before smoothing out into determination once more . . . it's a happy memory, and it's one he enjoys remembering now, as he once more leans in, his arms going around Guangyao as he guides his hands along.]

Harder. Not all melodies are delicate. If there's no harshness, the sweeter parts won't mean as much.