瑯琊榜 Nirvana in Fire; recs

[issenllo]

superborb mentioned that there were Nirvana in Fire fics, and I went looking for them. It's a tiny tiny section of AO3, though I don't doubt there must be thousands of Chinese fics at Chinese websites. But at AO3:

[at the end| I still lose you] Mei Changsu/Xiao Jingyan, Langyabang, by incoherenttruth

the very first words of a lifelong love letter, Lin Shu/Xiao Jingyan, AU, WIP, by Alaceron, which is very adorable, with a plot that I'm on the verge of outgrowing: character A 'practises' kissing with character B and character B is actually in love with character A but is too manly/uncomfortable about saying so and so simply lets himself enjoy the physical intimacy while pretending this is all situation normal. but still, pretty entertaining. WIP, though.

Am reminded of that link from yifu: why fangirling is better in your 30s, because by then you have seen trends come and go.

Thoughts:

Nirvana in Fire, episode 43, when Consort Jing diagnoses Mei Changsu... the look on his face when he realises that in front of her, he's not the powerful leader of Jiangzuo or the enigmatic strategist that everyone is in awe of, but a junior, a child to be protected. He's her nephew Xiao Shu, once again the golden boy who is favoured and beloved by everyone. Even Consort Jing offers to do everything on his behalf, though MCS doesn't agree. He has everything planned and he wants to see the thing through himself. And he wheedles her into agreeing with him, "Aunt Jing, you'll agree to what I say, right?" In that instant, he is both Mei Changsu the strategist who has been plotting for ages and he's Xiao Shu who in his usual headstrong fashion, wants adults to indulge him. So many echoes of the past and present. Excellent scene.

Comments

[colorblue]

I find myself really charmed by the very first words of a lifelong love letter so far.

Also, I love the way that you describe that scene. I wish we'd had more scenes of the two of them together, and it's pretty heartbreaking to contrast that scene with that of the only other elder in Lin Shu's life to find out who Lin Shu was, the emperor.

It also makes me wonder if, whether at one time, MCS/Lin Shu had intended to publicly reveal himself? What he says when his great-grandmother passes away, that he'd wanted to come back to her as himself.

[issenllo]

He was really hoping that he could return to his great-grandmother as Lin Shu, but she died before he was finished with all this grand plans. Yet another family member dead. Xiao Shu is in need of someone who can pat his hands "there, there" in comfort. :(

[troisroyaumes]

I _just_ finished watching this weekend, so these recs are perfect timing!