Gothmog’s Cavern

This is among the best relationships in danmei ever.

Spoilers:

Volume 2 starts with angst and grief and all Lu Wancheng's background plans to save Lin Qingyu after his death coming to fruition and the inherent ROMANCE of Lin Qingyu relying on him without realizing he's relying on him to shield him from grave danger and being ECSTATIC when he gets the code that he's alive and slowly realizing he's HERE and for him and Gu Fuzhou is manipulating basically an entire empire to get back to his side and...it's SO GOOD.

And then they're together and they are just gleefully scheming, scheming, scheming, scheming.

Two highly intelligent master manipulators doing everything they can to be together, mainly murder plots, and repeatedly whalloping each other over the head unintentionally with how devoted and in love they are, and at least one party is still in active denial that he's in love.

They're just SO HAPPY together, and part of being happy is working flawlessly together to bring down and murder their enemies without any pretense that they are acting anything but villainously.

They have a hot and heavy sexy-roleplay together (on the bunkbed Lin Qingyu preserved from their first marriage) reenacting how they thought the assassination attempt they arranged might have happened after they were blocked from getting details.

Also, their chemistry and banter is amazing and hilarious.

Gu Fuzhou: Oh no! They're trying to arrange me to marry a woman!

Lin Qingyu: the solution to this is obviously treason and multiple murders.

Gu Fuzhou: SLAY KING! <3 I died once without seeing that guy in his grave before I was, let's not let that happen again. I want him DEAD. XD

Lin Qingyu: yes >:) and if it the assassination fails, I'll solve the problem by remarrying you.

Gu Fuzhou: ......I am suddenly and deeply conflicted about this murder.

*

The two of them, on their way to a clandestine meeting to check on the results of their attempted murder when they run into a guy that insults them:

Lin Qingyu: Dickhead

Gu Fuzhou:

Lin Qingyu: what? I learned it from you? I can't curse?

"In the House of Eorl," answered Háma.

"But Éomer I cannot spare, nor would he stay," said the king; "and he is the last of that House."

"I said not Éomer," answered Háma. "And he is not the last. There is Éowyn, daughter of Éomund, his sister. She is fearless and high-hearted. All love her. Let her be as lord to the Eorlingas, while we are gone."' -conversation between Théodan & Háma before they leave for Isengard, The Two Towers.

Click for better quality 😉

Fëanor & Curufin: Splendor. They are wearing Noldor informal daywear inspired by Baroque/Rococo European Aristocracy (17th–18th century), especially the Sun King and the extravagant courts of Versailles. Opulent, luxurious robes with theatrical flair and shimmering footwear. Fëanor is wearing the dramatic gemstones that once belonged to Míriel. Fingolfin & Turgon: Discipline. They are dressed in Vanyarin court fashion inspired by late Ming Dynasty China (17th century). I tried to portray the restrained elegance of high-ranking Ming officials and princes. Layered hanfu, structured silhouette, and minimal jewelry. Refined nobility rather than ostentatious wealth. Finarfin & Finrod: Harmony. They are the most timeless here in my opinion. They are wearing Telerin outdoor fashion inspired by Ancient Mediterranean clothing (particularly Minoan and Classical Greece) mixed with Art Nouveau. Lots of drape and movement, sandals (because the Teleri love walking by the sea), gold jewelry, olive greens, laurel-style headpieces, wrapped waists. I tried to go 'less' historical noble and 'more' idealized gods.

Close-ups of my favorite details I'm forcing upon y'all

The Silmarils, gouache on bristol paper, 42 inches (3.5 feet) in diameter

I made a thing! Illustrations about the story of the silmarils in red-figure pottery style. It was fun to work on such a large scale.

this man has tethered himself to the mortal realm for hundreds of years out of pure unadulterated rage for what happened to his family. his fiancee and baby sister being turned into glorified prostitutes (BABY sister, she was a little girl in the He Family Snacks extra and if he died at 16 like SQX ascended at 16, it meant she had to have been so young) and beaten to death and forced to suicide. him getting locked up for adultery for years for trying to find them justice. his elderly mom being so sick with worry it killed her. his already elderly dad being left alone to die in misery.

all of that. hundreds of years of anger that could not be quenched. and this motherfucker still couldn't bear to do more than shackle qingxuan and let some homeless people fondle him for a few minutes. and that's after being 'betrayed' by him multiple times during an arc that heavily implies he xuan didn't want bloody vengance anymore but was driven to it when his less bloody plan falls apart.

he's an angry, vengeful ghost, and even HE, in all the hundreds of years he's been stewing in that anger and grief, couldn't bear to actually touch a hair on qingxuan's head. couldn't even stand by idly and watch him get hurt; he still actively kept him safe from harm even when actively pursuing his revenge.

even at his worst, he couldn't hurt qingxuan. he wouldn't hurt qingxuan.