#toxic lans

Because fluff is hard, and angst is right there.

Jingyi doesn’t flinch. It’s one of those weird things that only Sizhui probably noticed, bc who else?

The backstory is sad though. His parents never hit him, but there was a lot of emotional abuse (mostly his absent mother and drunkard of a father, but his dad was just an asshole, not necessarily abusive).

Then Lan Qiren ‘saved him’. Except it wasn’t much better then his before situation, because you can’t tell me that the Cloud Recesses is as completely good as they market it.

Because as much as I love forever annoyed granduncle LQR, a stone cold ‘emotions aren’t real’ Lan is much more realistic. Probably workohalics too. Too much work to do, and not enough time to do it cause of the sleep schedule.

Even if the Cloud Recesses genuinely did their best to treat all their students equally and with respect and not suppress their personalities, it’s still hard for Jingyi to learn in their environment.

Sizhui, on the other hand, thrives in it. Which gives LJY feelings of self-doubt.

But did you think that Sizhui was free of the angst?? Because if so, you were sorely mistaken.

Sizhui has had to work so. damn. hard.

Because he’s an outsider! He didn’t grow up there, he doesn’t know these people, doesn’t remember anything, and he sure as fuck doesn’t trust any of them.

Ofc, he’s a scared three year old. His guardian is still mourning his dead crush, and Sizhui is very much alone. He throws himself into learning, because he’s in debt to these people and has to do his best or else he’ll be a disappoint.

Sizhui thrives there because he has to, not because he just... does.

And honestly? It’s fine. He might not be happy at the Cloud Recesses, and he might miss home, even if he doesn’t remember where it is, but at least he isn’t completely alone. He has a father figure and a best friend, and that’s a little more than the bare minimum. 

Ughhh I don’t wanna give Zizhen angst, but life is life until your mom gets eaten by a spider-monster

Big time arachnophobe. Saw the spider choke his mom with webs, and Zizhen ran to get help. No one believed that Madame Ouyang actually got nom-nomed on (oh, the imagination of children) until they find the preserved corpse.