(no subject)

[shangba]

( Midday, past lunch observed with Xichen: )


How fared the children this morning?

Comments

[emperorssmile]

You’re not lesser, either.

Do you want me to teach you what you need to do for immortality? I mean, it’ll be a few years before I really know it works, but it should in theory. It’s not that difficult, but it requires a little bit of demonic cultivation.

[shangba]

Wei Ying.

[emperorssmile]

What? It’s what I have to do, isn’t it? I guess that would be going against the sect though…

[shangba]

You cannot ask this of me.

[emperorssmile]

I won’t.

I don’t want to live forever if it’s not with you, though.

[shangba]

For our children.

[emperorssmile]

Lan Zhan…

I can’t face that on my own.

[shangba]

Would you look them in the eye and say so?

[emperorssmile]

They’ll be adults with their own lives by then. They won’t need me anymore.

[shangba]

Children ever need their parents.

We orphans know so.

[emperorssmile]

Isn’t my natural life long enough?

[shangba]

In their stead, would you think it so?

[emperorssmile]

I wouldn’t want them to suffer just for my sake.

Would you cultivate to immortality for the kids if I weren’t there at your side?

[shangba]

No.

[emperorssmile]

If I lose you, I promise that I won’t give up and that I’ll live the rest of my life for the kids. But I can’t face hundreds of years without you.

I’m sorry, Lan Zhan.

[shangba]

...no. I asked too much.

[emperorssmile]

You ask so little of me most of the time. You just had the kids in mind.

I just assumed you asked me to figure it out so we could stay together longer. I’ll keep working on it until I can find a way that doesn’t use demonic cultivation.

[shangba]

Though less skilled, shall humbly assist.

[emperorssmile]

We’ll do it together, Lan Zhan. There has to be a way for both of us.

[shangba]

My husband is a crafty man.

[emperorssmile]

I won’t give up on us!

All this time, I’ve been saying we’d have forever together… when were you going to tell me?

[shangba]

Had assumed... Wei Ying understood. Demonic cultivation cannot be my path.

I must forge another.

[emperorssmile]

Well, we’re on the same page now. We’ve still got a few years to figure it out. Unless we want to be shriveled old men forever.

[shangba]

My husband would be a bright, younger thing.

[emperorssmile]

Don’t worry, Lan Zhan. I would still love you even if you got old and I didn’t.