#it changes everything

Also tagging @ineffablequeenoftheuniverse and @miusmusings - i know you guys are writing something. Go on and share a snippet from your wip if you want!

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(Excerpt from 'The Tranquility of Reading')

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Silence reigned for a good ten seconds before someone snorted loudly in the background and murmurs quickly started up again. Between interspersed laughter and chatter, Shen Yuan could hear an astonished “Damn!” from the crowd as well. The Bai Zhan disciple had gone red in the face by now, his hand clutched tightly around his sword. And Yue Qingyuan was still standing there, looking harassed as he tried to calm everyone down.

Just as the Bai Zhan disciple took a step forward, anger a palpable aura around him, a voice called out: “Zhu Yao! Come back here!”

Another disciple in red and white robes was moving towards their little congregation, his stride long and agitated.

So this isn’t Liu Qingge. Huh.

Good to know that the future Bai Zhan Peak Lord wasn’t this much of an idiot at least.

“Ah,” said Yue Qingyuan in relief at the newcomer’s arrival, “Liu-shidi… I think you better escort Zhu-shidi back to your seats, now.”

Shen Yuan froze in place. ‘Liu-shidi’ scowled at the order, but nonetheless grabbed at his fellow disciple’s collar and began dragging him away.

“Liu-shidi,” Zhao Mei called out, making them stop. “Are you leaving without an apology? Your shidi just insulted my shixiong—Yue-shixiong, is this the courtesy shown to one’s shixiong?”

At Zhao Mei’s words, the tension which had been slowly dissipating, zapped right back into place.

 Aiya, Shen Yuan sighed. Like shizun, like disciple. 

She really had to bring up the fact that Bai Zhan ranked below Qing Jing so blatantly, huh? Then again, that Zhu Yao guy had made the insinuation that they ranked above Qing Jing first.

He side-eyed her. And the fact that she’s demanding an apology on my behalf. The comment stung her as well.

Liu Qingge slowly turned around. His hand was still curled around Zhu Yao’s collar, mouth fixed in a scowl. But Shen Yuan could see the resemblance now, could recognise those features… it was, plain and simple, a male version of Liu Mingyan. 

Liu Mingyan, the most beautiful woman in Luo Binghe’s harem, that she had to constantly wear a veil to keep her face hidden from zealous admirers. In every official or fan-made artwork, her face was covered, no distinguishing features to see. But Airplane had described her well enough during the papapa scenes (of all things!)—peach blossom eyes, a round face, with a sharp jawline and slender nose. Skin as fair as mutton-fat jade, and as soft and supple as silk. Shen Yuan’s favourite wife, to be honest, not just because of her absolutely gorgeous looks, but because she was also absolutely badass with a sword!

And her brother, Liu Qingge, War God of Cang Qiong… 

Fuck, he’s a total pretty boy from a shounen manga!

Maybe the characters who only know him for a few hours being unhappy with how the protocol is not followed and he is not fired/doesn't loose his license/is not in prison but his attending and other colleagues who have known him for four years not being so harsh on him is the point.

Maybe it's about how we refuse to see the bad actions of people we consider good and how we won't call them such an emotionally charged word as a criminal so we ignore/excuse/refuse to properly punish their actions.

Ideally, a slight canon divergence where during the meeting with Samura, Chihiro is 11, making Iori 10. Iori would defeat Chihiro in a sword fight that was definitely arranged between them.

Then she would start training him (because we've all been 10-year-old girls who seized a moment to start "professionally" teaching someone) and would keep insisting, "Chihiro!! You need to close your eyes!!! Feel everything around you!!!!" Chihiro, with his Sharingan, would react like "😐😐".

Eventually, he tries closing them anyway, gets bonked on the head with a stick, and decides that, actually, keeping his eyes open is more important. So anyway, THAT would be an additional reason for the whole "I inherited my swordsmanship from your daughter" thing—oh yeah.

Iori and Chihiro would talk... Maybe it would come up about school, and Iori would say she doesn't want to go and doesn't like school, while Chihiro, on the contrary, would like to try it.

Iori would become interested in the fact that Chihiro doesn't go to school and is homeschooled (?)

"Dad's unemployed anyway, he could teach me... Probably."

The fic would include their meeting, and then maybe even them staying over, because Kunishige found out Samura has a daughter and is instantly like, Shiba, I DON'T CARE about secrecy, Samurai has a DAUGHTER and we have to introduce her to Chihiro, this is hilarious. Chihiro, meanwhile, is mentally like, "Dad, stoooop 😫 this is so cringe," but externally maintains his usual calm expression of displeasure/confusion at his father's actions.

Kunishige lives his life as a bladesmith, while two 10-11-year-old kids make him breakfast-lunch-dinner: 😎😎

Chihiro watched Iori chopping vegetables with her eyes closed, decided to copy her, and CUT HIMSELF HAHAHAHAHAH and this was the fiiiiiirst time he ever cut himself while cooking, so he spent the next few days hiding his hands from his father because Kunishige also knew Chihiro had never cut himself before.

The fic would be titled something reflecting that Chihiro always keeps his eyes open, while Iori prefers to close hers...

"Wide Shut Eyes" or "Tightly Open Eyes," something like that.

I feel whether you like him romantically or platonically, Sebek is the type to care for you always and look out for you.

Yes, he has his duties to Malleus and he always will. But Sebek cares and he observes.

Despite his larger than life attitude at times and how his actions might be misconstrued, he has shown repeatedly how much he cares and the actions he would take for others.

I am not a coward.

I have spent most of my life assuming I was.

Because when something important happens (like our current situation) my brain is faced with so many options- it freezes in indecision.

And once I make a decision- I procrastinate.

Would I be willing to face jail, injury or death to do the right thing? Absolutely.

Do I care deeply about my neighbor and even complete strangers I have never met? I am often moved to tears.

Do I take the time to learn what would be most helpful to do in any given situation? Several of my ADHD rabbit holes have been dedicated to just this topic in ever more detailed ways.

My brain does not care what is important to me or what I want to do. I will procrastinate anyways.

As long as the life and death threat is not here, in front of me, to react to, it is going to avoid forward momentum.

In the past, I always thought it was because I was secretly more afraid than I thought and holding back.

I thought my cowardice was keeping me from helping more people.

Now I know- I am not a coward. I am just disabled.

What I CAN do and am ABLE to do is at least trying. Pushing through it to action is, in fact, proving how committed I am.