Thread by @BiennaTodd

anyway. heres my favorite #xianlequartet relationship progression while still being canon compliant⬇️⬇️⬇️

fenglian get together first. they absolutely had the childhood besties "it was inevitable" vibes. they used to play house together, silly games of rescue the prince that XL would rewrite to end with him saving FX instead-- they are each others first kiss and its very sweet

they dont progress much further than that though, since XL still decides to pursue his cultivation method. and they're fine with that! Mostly. (XL doesn't regret it.. even though FX grows up looking like THAT--but its a close thing)

FX only wants what Dianxia is comfortable with

next is actually mulian.

I think MQ at first would be pretty uncomfortable with the idea of dating XL while XL is also dating FX, especially bc FX seems to hate him so much and has plenty of jealousy issues. and mq has insecurities.

but i think that in the end both fx and mq would have the mindset of whatever dianxia wants, dianxia gets-- (even xl thinks like this! if only subconsciously)

and yes im aware this is unhealthy thinking. thats kind of the point.

nonetheless they make it work. XL is still oblivious, but hes so sweet at the same time and he makes MQ feel *special* when he pays attention to him and its nice and they share cherry flavored kisses and hold hands sometimes..

fx and mq aren't together though, and sometimes that makes things really awkward when they're all together. especially bc the two of them so naturally clash. lots of bickering and fighting for xl's attention!! although xl usually mediates before things can get *really* bad.

fengqing dont get together until after the war starts.

they dont actually tell xl when it happens, even though he'd made it clear prior that he wouldnt mind if they ever wanted to explore something together. they both feel horribly guilty about it, like they're betraying xl.

but hes under SO much pressure and they want to support him!! but at the same time they need someone to support THEM--and they feel like they dont want to burden him with taking care of their needs on top of everything else! so it just.. never comes up.

at first its just platonic relationship building, being there for each other as everything around them falls apart. and in the process they try to be there for xl. even as he starts pushing them away..

mq cries the first night fx kisses him, but he cant deny in his heart that he feels SO happy. he doesnt know what to do.

being a teenager is HARD. godly expectations or not.

of course everything falls apart with xianle.

the breakup is just as bad and hurtful as canon. although i will say feng xin doesn't get with jian lan until after he breaks up with xl and mq. their relationship may have been messy and at times unhealthy but he isnt a cheater! :((

then canon happens more or less as it was. fengqing continue to serve divorced couple energy, xl continues to just be happy to see them again, hc continues to pine endlessly until xl finally notices him.

(also YES the challenge of the 35 gods is even MORE personal this time--)

its painful for them to watch as hc woos the person that they both still have feelings for but neither are acknowledging, which much like their original relationship is kind of what pushes fq toward each other again--even if they wont admit they still want each other.

i do think it would take decades if not centuries for them all to come together again.

i think by end of canon fengqing will have tentatively started a relationship again, finally being able to *talk* and heal and move on. things that they never did during that 800 years.

hualian deserve their honeymoon period, which is suitably long after their 800 year separation. xl is finally unlearning a bunch of unhealthy communication behaviors and is happier for it, the two of them are very secure.

I DONT EVEN KNOW THE SHIP NAME BUT I THINK THAT FENG XIN/HUA CHENG (FENGCHENG?) IS NEXT!!!

i just think itd be funny. love a didi moment. especially w feng xin being the oldest of all four of them.

like once he fully embraces the fact that hc isnt just some demon trying to steal xl away?? hes just another kid from xianle??? oh its OVER. his dashing protective charm would leave hc FLOORED. he does NOT know what to do with him.

esp cause fx doesnt do it because he feels like u need protecting, what in the world could CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER need protecting from? he just does it because he cares. sorry hc but you are something precious worth protecting!!

i just think that hc has a persona a lot like lady danbury's quote in bridgerton and that he deserves to have people taking care of him as well and that he doesnt HAVE to be frightening. give him the freedom to choose!!

also i think it would be very sweet of hc who has spent so much of his existence hyper focused on dianxia to actually have to grapple with attraction to someone else and going through that period of self discovery

anxious hc confessing his feelings to xl and immediately promising that he would never act on them and apologizing just for xl to shush him and kiss him so sweetly and tell him "it's okay, san lang. you'll forever be my most devoted believer." and i think hc should CRY--

xl encouraging him to explore these new feelings and jUST all of them falling together over time and even though all of their relationships with each other are different everything just feels *right*!!

idk man xianle quartet genuinely makes my heart ache theres SO MUCH THERE!!!

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