#tianlin

As they bicker over what food is appropriate for children, zhuzhi-lang walks in the kitchen and quietly cooks on a stool he finds. It's rudimentary but edible.

He deposits mobei jun into a chair and politely gestures for the adults to sit. They're quietly impressed--linguang-jun only slightly turning his nose up--at the bowls he sets before them with his little, careful hands.

zhuzhi-lang even feeds mobei jun, successful after a few swatted utensils.

"How do you know so many things at such a young age?" tianlang-jun inquires playfully.

zhuzhi-lang answers, unblinking, with a child's straightforwardness, "mama wanted me to learn things before she died."

linguang-jun nearly chokes on his noodles.

mbj pulls a face like he's about to upend his bowl. Then he starts sniffling, big black eyes shining. linguang-jun just swallowed his difficult mouthful and he's recoiling from the sudden display of emotion from the otherwise quiet child.

zhuzhi-lang informs them, "he misses his mama too."

tianlang-jun feels bad that zhuzhi-lang automatically takes on do many responsibilities around the house. One, he knows the boy did the same for his ailing mom and two, he's supposed to be taking care of him.

But zhuzhi-lang really doesn't mind.

Despite his age, he understands what this new jiujiu has given him. A nice permanent home in a safe neighborhood. He can walk the streets alone without feeling scared—like he used to do when mama became too sick for grocery shopping.

jiujiu's bf yells at him when he tries picking up a few things they're low on.

linguang-jun comes rushing out the door, mobei jun on his hip and gnawing on his shoulder, grabbing him roughly by the elbow.

He's furious, asking if he's lost all sense, leaving the house without telling him!

It's scary for half a second, until zhuzhi-lang notices linguang-jun shaking. He's basically ignoring mobei jun drooling on his shirt.

Oh. He's worried.

zhuzhi-lang blinks, slowly. He apologizes and tells linguang-jun he doesn't need to worry, he knows the way. The market is closer than the one by his old house.

"That's not the point! Your jiujiu would be insufferable if you suddenly disappear out on your own."

linguang-jun snatches his hand and adjusts mobei jun on his hip. "Detach yourself, leech. Let's get this over with."

zhuzhi-lang lets himself be pulled along, hardly able to match linguang-jun's long strides.

It was nice shopping together.

Experiencing a lot of emotions about baby zhuzhi-lang growing up too fast caring for his sick mama. The mother/son pair living in poverty in the wake of his dad abandoning them one night. zhuzhi-lang's mama was too proud to ask the family she ran away from for help until it's too late.

Switching tracks for a sec to explain tianlin's top surgey preferences:

linguang-jun "money is no object for looking your best" vs tianlang-jun "my body is perfect as is, why would I change it?"

This results in a few awkward moments on tianlang-jun's no binding days. Baby mobei jun full on grabbing his chest.

linguang-jun was in love with mobei jun's eventual mother back before he was out. His father refused giving his consent on their union, citing it as pointless. "No daughter of mine will waste her life. Two women can't produce children."

Furious, linguang-jun spits back "well this son of yours has no plans on having children!"

He leaves the house, his family, and his inheritance behind. Pretends he doesn't care that the woman he lost everything for ditched him for his brother.

It's a bittersweet victory he's the only one alive to care for the family's precious heir in the end.

The last time he saw his brother and sister-in-law alive, they extended an olive branch by inviting him to mobei jun's first bday. The old man was dead by then.

His guts twist seeing the happy family.

He drinks too much, steals baby mobei jun away. Drunkenly tells the fussy child the whole sorted tale, how he should have been his dad. Laughing bitterly at the absurdity of his own statement.

His parents find them some time later, frantic.

sister-in-law snatches the child back while her husband berates linguang-jun. The two trade barbed words before linguang-jun is bodily ejected from the house.

The next he sees the boy it's 2 years later & mobei jun's parents are gone. Their private jet crashed in the sea.

The same week tianlang-jun's sister passes from cancer.

I like to think this starts with 5yo zhuzhi-lang carefully bringing his coughing mama a glass of water, spilling some along the way. She takes it and gives him a long, sad look.

Ok. If she's must leave him, she'll make sure he's prepared.

She underestimated how much time she had left

Additional tidbits for this au:

-zzl has patches of severe eczema all over, including his face. Because of this he shies away from strangers and crowds.

-He acts disarmingly mature and calm, a symptom of how his grief has desensitized him.

-mbj is nonverbal and less expressive than most kids his age.

-Also he's a biter.

-tlj pays the bills by reviewing erotic novels. They're littered across the apartment.