Ancient China. Two boys, one love, too many rules.

Butterfly Lovers au with Xiumin as Liang Shan Bo and Luhan as Zhu Ying Tai

no genderbending!

“No one will ever be able to separate us. I won't let them.”

“Well, that's one promise I didn't keep,” Luhan mutters bitterly to himself as he lies in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

He remembers how Xiumin used to wake him with gentle butterfly kisses and quiet whispers in his ear. Now, he wakes to the sunlight burning into his dark dreams. He remembers the warmth of the other boy as they lay, tangled in each other. Now it's spring, but he's still cold. The bed is too empty, even with the pillows that he surrounded himself with.

He remembers when the consequences were far enough away that they could joke about it.

“Maybe we can castrate you so you can pretend to be a girl if needed,” Xiumin says one night.

“What?” Luhan yelps, sitting up immediately. “You don't need to turn me into a eunuch for that!”

The other laughs and pulls him back down. “I'll still love you no matter what.”

“B