#aaaaaaaangst

Oooo. NieLan! Excellent choice! (Although, with canon, beware this for some Sads.)

NieLan Head Canons

It's Nie Mingjue who makes the first move. And frankly, it's a miracle any Lans join the new generations, if all of them are as slow as Lan Xichen about their feelings.

They happily skip several eons worth of mutual pining by Nie Mingjue stealing a kiss in a secluded corner of the Cloud Recesses one day when he comes to check on Nie Huaisang's studies.

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"Honestly, Huan, I'd ask for your forgiveness for being so blunt, but I'd rather get on with it before my deviations turn serious."

"Mingjue, any deviation is serious!"

-

It takes all of 3 hours for Nie Huaisang to figure out that something is up, and for a solid two days he and Lan Wangji work together to figure out why their oldest brothers have suddenly started behaving so oddly.

It's a good thing that the Lan family has a more secluded living area, because when Lan Wangji finally reasons Nie Huaisang into just asking, they walk around the corner to Lan Xichen's rooms and see them kissing through the window, and half the mountain would have heard Second Master Nie screaming.

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Lan Qiren thinks its quite well and good that his nephew has taken to diplomacy with such enthusiasm. A good ally to have, that Nie Mingjue. Sensible and direct. And Lan Xichen always seems to be able to reason with him during conferences, which is a nice change from their respective predecessors. A good political ally, yes. *strokes beard with Respectable Lan Pride*

*Lan Wangji gives the equivalent to a major "ok boomer" eye roll in the background.*

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Lan Xichen is one of the only people truly allowed to see all facets of Nie Mingjue. The large Nie leader let's him lean against his chest as they share the woes of being responsible for their clans and sects, and runs a hand through Lan Xichen's hair, weaving small braids to hide on the underside of the dark curtain.

And in turn, Lan Xichen allows him to see the truth of him as well, allowing the polite, proper smile to fall and simply be as he is not comfortable being elsewhere.

The trust that comes is well earned, and on par with no other.

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*Lan Wangji and his Thousand Yard Stare at the table while his brother does Subtle Lan Flirting over the new trade negotiations with the Nie*

*Nie Huaisang contemplating splicing himself with the edge of his fan to Please Make the Torture End, Da-Ge.*

*Elder Brothers absolutely being little shits by having fun Flirting in front of the two people who absolutely know what's going on here.*

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All the joy, all the peace, threaded through the loopholes in their positions, a trip for "diplomatic relations" or "a request to consult the Lan Library", build over the years. The small seed planted with a surprise kiss, watered with small affections, grows into a great tree, rooted deep into the hearts of its two caretakers.

Until it is ripped up from the roots.

Lan Xichen is not there, caught in a tangle of negotiations with the Yi clan to the West, when the anger of the sword spirit spills over and stains the halls of The Unclean Realm.

He is not there, as Nie Mingjue gasps around the last strings of his sanity, cursing a betrayal- reaching out for his brother, and a shadow dressed in blue and white.

He is not there, in the hour his beloved needs him most.

And when the news greets him at the gates, whispered to the wind by an unnaturally still Nie Huaisang cowled in white, the river of his tears carries him to the Sect Leader's rooms. He is laid in state, waiting to be put to rest in the ancestral tombs.

He takes a breath. After that summer, after all this time, this is what she asks? As if there was any other option than a happy ending for the three of them. As if they would have been tragic if it had ended differently. He knows in his heart that that it would have been so good. If only he had had courage. If only he had had been brave.

“we would have been...” he pauses, thinking. “Happy, I think. If we wanted ut to be.”

I headcannon that Selene is keeping Della on the moon. Since Scrooge and his family left Ithaquack on poor terms, the goddess might have figured the only way she’d ever see Della again was to keep her on the moon. When the boys show up to save their mom, Selene simply takes Louie in hopes that Della will come back to the island

There are some holes in the idea XD but i like the angstiness of the situation! Hopefully, it came across alright!

5: I'm leaving you.

COWER CIAMPA

It takes a moment for Caden to turn his thoughts to what she means; he’s been so focused on finding Imoen again that everything that came before, even Gorion, even his own blood has fallen a little to the rear in his mind. But now she’s recalled it to memory, and his expression drops somewhat.

She nods, places a hand gently on his arm. He fancies he can almost feel the warmth of it through the leather bracers, light soothing away the darkness of the memories.

He looks sideways at her, mildly surprised at this change of tone, at the energy which has imbued her words which have thus far always had a weight of melancholy to them. She catches his look, smiles faintly.

For every thrill she speaks of, he thrills equally to the sound of strength in her voice, the warmth and passion he’s always known could be there. He’s told her himself, after all, that there are things worth living for beyond the horrors she’s endured in her past. He’s told her...

...ah. And it is only now, with Haer’Dalis’s encouragement, that she is finding her voice.

He sighs, looks down and away from her, scuffs his boot absently against the road.

She seems not to notice his pensive expression, caught up as she is in her own thoughts.