They Aren't Perfect They Aren't Completely Sane But They Are Loved - Tumblr Posts

I have a fraction of a braincell, and it decided to hyperfixate on Ming Fan, which, fair enough. Hear me out:

Gongyi Xiao/Ming Fan

Now, this is a semipopular pairing for Ming Fan. Certainly not the MOST popular (considering Gongyi Xiao/Zhuzhi-Lang which I ADORE), but I feel like they would be good foils for each other.

After the whole bingqiu saving the world via papapa, it's now a period of purely reconstruction. Human and demon relations are turning out different, Huan Hua Palace is an absolute mess, and Gongyi Xiao doesn't entirely know where he fits in all of this. While it's undeniable of the Old Palace Master's crimes, he was still the authority figure, the one who GYX used to look up to. He used to be his father figure, his mentor, and the one who believed in him.

Until he didn't.

And although GYX is busy helping the Little Palace Mistress run Huan Hua, he's getting burnt out. He's questioning himself and his own judgement. It doesn't help that the two of them don't feel any attraction to each other and break off the relationship because goddamn, they're both shattered one way or another.

Huan Hua Palace needs a renewal. Not another dubious relationship.

Cang Qiong's got a different problem. Yes, two of their peak lords are dating demons. Yes, the QJP one is gone like half of the time. SOMEONE's gotta fill in that role. And that someone's Ming Fan. At the rate he's going, he's like 90% there. He just needs to wait for the next generation to ascend before having the full responsibilities and powers of a peak lord. So naturally, as a future peak lord and basically peak lord of the second highest peak, he's often sent for diplomacy, especially Huan Hua.

Insert meet cute. Or meet ugly. The problem is that they both see the other as a better version of themselves.

Ming Fan envies Gongyi Xiao because of his cultivation, his strength as not only a martial artist, but a leader determined to sift through the muck to truly make Huan Hua as golden as its treasury.

Gongyi Xiao looks up to Ming Fan, not only because the man's older and from Cang Qiong, the dude's basically a peak lord. He looks so put together, so reassured, so beautifully dangerous. Gongyi Xiao feels like a rock sinking in mud.

Regardless, the two of them meet, and maybe it's through joint missions, maybe it's through the endless diplomacy, maybe one of them is sent over to the other sect for an exchange for the time being, but whatever the case is, that picture perfect view of the other?

It's getting shattered. The window is getting shattered, and maybe, just maybe, the two of them like it that way.

Gongyi Xiao is not perfect. He is hard working, kind, tired, and so so real.

Ming Fan is not otherworldly. He is flawed, humorous, dedicated, and so so human.

The two of them fit in a way that they never knew before. And although they certainly aren't complete, they aren't alone.

The world may be a mess, but here in your arms, I feel loved.

Ming Fan did not consider himself to be a main character.

Let's be honest here, he was second in his family and overshadowed by both his older and younger siblings. He wouldn't inherit the family business, he wouldn't go and become the next influential scholar in the Capital. People could barely recognize him. It was, in short, a miracle he even got into Cang Qiong, much less Qing Jing Peak.

Which was the second peak.

He's not complaining. Ming Fan loves it much better than home, and for once, he's first in something. As the most senior of them all, he basically was in charge. He can control things now.

Except, as time goes on, he can't.

His Shizun changes completely from a qi deviation that he should've been able to prevent earlier. How, he has no idea, but surely there could've been something.

His youngest shidi outshines everyone and eventually becomes the reason for his Shizun's death before having the audacity to marry him.

All of a sudden, he sees everyone around him less and less as more paperwork is shoved to him on top of all his classes. Eventually, he basically becomes an unofficial peak lord before ascending to become the peak lord.

All because Ning Yingying didn't want to.

Was it out of pity? Was it out of boredom? Was it out of fear of what the title peak lord truly meant?

Ming Fan has officially become the very top of Qing Jing Peak. And it's lonely.

Ming Fan knew himself to be many things, but out of all things, he still considers himself a side character in his own life. He looks around at the house he inherits and spots a congratulatory bouquet before laughing. He's basically the baby's breath of bouquets.

It takes a few years to get used to being called Peak Lord instead of just Da-Shixiong. It takes a few years before he starts accepting disciples, it takes a few years before he fully embraces the role, and it's a few years before he meets Gongyi Xiao again.

The man's beautiful as always, and for some reason, Ming Fan still looks up to him as the person he ought to be. Strange how Gongyi Xiao thinks the exact same thing to Ming Fan.

They end up becoming accidental pen pals after a diplomacy meeting. One after another after another, before an entire shelf is dedicated to just Gongyi Xiao's letters.

Ming Fan, somehow, is in love. And he is torn apart when he is constantly reminded of the Little Palace Mistress always following behind Gongyi Xiao.

In any case, it takes a few years before Ming Fan finally messes up and confesses. He waits for a rejection only for arms to encircle his being and comfort his soul. Gongyi Xiao looks at him and he looks back, seeing themselves in the other's eyes.

It takes a few years before Ming Fan realizes that although he may be the baby's breath of bouquets, he is still beautiful when you look closely. All it takes is the right person and the right time. He may be second in many things, but in Gongyi Xiao's heart?

There is no other competition.