please come tl;dr at me about Shen Wei

[extrapenguin]

I need to figure out stuff about Ye Zun, and [spoilers], but also stuff about Shen Wei! Since having other people say things about the thing is in general a productive way for me to acquire thoughts, I now invite your opinions on Shen Wei and secrecy. He's trying to tell Zhao Yunlan the absolute minimum to protect him and also the timeline, yes, but in a divergent scenario where he was unavoidably associated with Zhao Yunlan, how much would he tell? What do you think is the core of the (over)protectiveness and secrecy? What is the root of his nondisclosure?

Comments

[forestofglory]

Ok, yeah I can see that. I guess I was thinking that seeing some vulnerability from ZYL might help SW be more trusting -- but there's lots of ways that could go that don't involve caretaking.

Also I'm someone who find it easier to socialize if I have something to do with my hands so I like cooking for people. But I do see the point about Shen Wei taking that as being in charge and closing off.

Is the fic going to include the YOHE meeting? Because I'm curious how that went in this scenario

[extrapenguin]

I guess I was thinking that seeing some vulnerability from ZYL might help SW be more trusting -- but there's lots of ways that could go that don't involve caretaking.
Zhao Yunlan will be a positive example and be honest and open with his feelings, and also genuinely inquire after Shen Wei. A hint of emotional vulnerability and genuine caring about Shen Wei should be a winning formula. Shen Wei can fuss with a teacup. :)

Is the fic going to include the YOHE meeting?
This one won't, but if I end up writing the sequels, the third part of the trilogy would contain the meeting. Basically, bb Shen Wei doesn't consider Kunlun his soulmate, but Kunlun tells him that people can be positive influences on each other even if they're not soulmates, and xiao-Wei should chill a bit and let himself be befriended. Also, here Shen Wei asks Kunlun how to best spell his non-Han name in hanzi, instead of Kunlun being a spontaneous renaming service.

[forestofglory]

Aww... That sounds very sweet. And I love your twist on the naming.

[extrapenguin]

Ngl, I was actually a lot meh on the scene in canon, since Zhao Yunlan just up and tells Shen Wei he should change his name, and I find that uncomfortable and Not Okay. So in this AU, Kunlun merely offered Shen Wei solicited advice on name Sinicization. (The whole "soulmate's name" soulmark would also make the prospect of changing names more fraught.)

[forestofglory]

That's a really good point about the name scene in canon.