#snowdrift

It feels like rubbing salt in the wound. 

Buck's Winter Olympic dreams were destroyed three months ago during a training incident. Sabotage that wasn't even meant for him but he's the one who ended up with a crushed leg along with a crushed dream. And now they've got him raising a ceremonial flag on the outskirts of the opening ceremony in a twisted humiliation ritual as the announcers reduce his suffering to a few pitiful sentences and his team walks into the arena to represent their country on the world stage without him. 

He pushes through the condolences and meets excitement for the games at large with as much media-trained politeness as he can manage, forcing a smile for the global broadcast and for the officials. But that ever-present dull throb of pain that was numbed by the strong painkillers this morning is giving way to a sharp stabbing sensation every time he shifts his weight or breathes too hard, and his forearms ache from white-knuckling his crutches for over an hour.

If he didn't think it would tarnish what little is left of his public image he would hobble off the stage right now and find the nearest car or buggy to take him back to the hotel. Hotel, because he's not allowed in the official barracks because he's no longer a competitor, just another tourist in town for the games. They comped him the full two weeks and he's gonna stay to support his team and try to enjoy the experience from the other side of it all, but it still fucking sucks.

It fucking hurts almost as much as his leg.

The commentators are still talking, the cameras are still rolling, he tries to will away the tremor in his arms and ignore the pain in his leg and blink back the hot tears threatening to spill down his cheeks—

A big hand on his back stabilizes him and a murmured, "Come with me," almost sends him to his knees when he recognises the deep, warm voice belonging to the broad suited man who greeted him when he first arrived and is now escorting him off the side of the stage without bringing attention to it.

Snowdrift

by Rainewritesfanfics

G, 1k, Wangxian

Summary: Lan Qiren goes to Yiling a year afterwards, looking for something of hers to bury. Instead, he, or rather A’Zhan, finds a little boy with her smile. Kay's comments: I'm so weak for stories where the donghua canon gets picked up and little A-Zhan immediately imprints on A-Ying when he sees him in Yiling and forces his family to take him home with him. Bonus points for Lan Qiren being in unrequited love with Cangse Sanren and not being as asshole about it. Excerpt: “What is it, A’Zhan?” Lan Qiren asked, smoothing the ribbon back into place and trying to ignore the voice in the back of his mind that said it should be his brother’s place, and not his, to do these things. “Shufu, there is a boy in need of aid,” Lan Zhan said gravely. “This way.” Lan Qiren blinked, but he allowed himself to be led down the bustling market street. It heartened him that Lan Zhan was so diligent and considerate even at this age. He would surely make their sect prouder with each passing year, just like his brother. Lan Zhan directed him to a narrow alleyway, where a small figure in threadbare garments knelt in the snow. The child was gaunt, his hair matted and wild, and his bare arms littered with teeth-shaped wounds in various states of scabbing and scarring. Lan Qiren could not see the child’s face, but he could see the boy playing with Lan Zhan’s rattle drum. “I gave it to him,” Lan Zhan said at Lan Qiren’s questioning look. “That is very generous,” he praised, patting his head. Lan Zhan didn’t even let him touch the toy, and yet he had gifted it to this child? “Wait here a moment.”

pov lan qiren, canon divergence, good uncle lan qiren, child wei wuxian, child lan wangji, pre-canon, gusu lan elders bashing, location: yiling, street child wei wuxian, grief/mourning, unrequited love, hopeful ending, one-sided cangse sanren/lan qiren

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I don't want to draw TTTE characters in my "style" because I think it kills their charm (also I know the eyes are different size but I did this in MyPaint where I can't cheese fixing it with Transform)

Plant of the Day

Sunday 7 September 2025

Using one plant species or cultivar often provides a more striking display. This window box of the annual or short-lived perennial Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum, sea alyssum, snow-white carpet, sweet alison, snow in summer, snowdrift) provides a summer show and filled the nearby seating with a honey scent.

Upcoming look at an ask I was really excited to get about some non-canon dragons of mine, so here’s my wofsona/og oc, Snowdrift! I think I posted she before but it was not as good as this..