#astrinde

(From @astrinde, thank you for the ask! You are indeed the first, and I'm super excited to talk about my boy. <3)

6. What’s something you have in common with this character?

I would say we're both people-pleasers and people who want to see others getting along, and we can be rather conflict-avoidant with the people we love. I'm someone who will typically simply not bring up a topic with someone I'm close to if I know it will only lead to an argument, so I understand a lot of the behavior that LXC tends to get criticized for.

Also I like to hope I'm a kind and compassionate person like he is, although obviously all you can really do is try your best.

22. If you’re a fic reader, what’s something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don’t like?

I am a major fic reader and I've read a LOT of fics with LXC, so I have many thoughts on this! Probably the biggest thing I like to see is fics that respect his character and portray him as an intelligent, kind person with deeply considered values, rather than an easily manipulated dupe or a patsy.

Also, this may sound surprising from a Noted JGY Stan, but I actually really appreciate post-canon fics that dig into his range of feelings for JGY in all their complexity (whether that's after JGY's death, or in AUs where he's alive or comes back). Because on the one hand, ultimately I don't think he'll ever stop loving him, nor do I think the good parts of their relationship were a lie, which I see in some corners of the fandom. But I also think there's a lot of anger and betrayal there which aren't going to magically go away without being resolved.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first impression was mostly just... Nice Older Brother, as that's basically how he first shows up in the book. I liked how it's almost immediately established that he's the only one who can always read LWJ, and understands how deep the emotions LWJ's feeling actually are. And I still love that about him, but as I went further in the story I also became a lot more deeply invested in him in his own right, in all his complexity and the tragedy of his story. And of course I have SO MANY DAMN FEELINGS about xiyao, but we know this about me.

26. What’s something the character has done you can’t get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

IDK probably KILLING MY OTHER FAVE, GODAMMIT LXC--

... If it's any comfort, I don't think he's getting over it any time soon, either. 😭

(That really doesn't make it better, does it?)

27. What is a color or colors that you think of when you think of this character, be it their canon color(s) or not?

I am so boring for this answer, but it would have to be blue and white, since that's what he's so often wearing and those colors are so associated with Cloud Recesses.

This look is probably the ultimate Xichen Color Palette to me:

28. If you could have this character meet another in another media, who would you have them meet?

Oooh, fascinating! Surprisingly I have not thought about this! My first thought was Clark Kent, and I do think they'd probably adore each other and find a lot of common ground. But on more considered thought I'll say Sansa Stark, because she could really use a kind and supportive older brother figure (especially with all of her actual siblings either dead, presumed dead or otherwise separated from her), and she could use her experiences to bring a more grounded and cautious perspective that would probably do LXC a lot of good.

30. FREEBIE QUESTION!! What is a quality you lack, but wish you had in common with this character?

I mean the obvious answer would be that I wish I had superpowers and could fly around on a magical sword, but that feels like cheating.