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#I hate that time travelling is canon in our campaign
lassair-crackle · 2 years
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I have spent a lot of time working on myself. I would like to think I am a better person than I was a “decade” ago. 
I have learnt to be considerate. 
I have a handle on my temper, so I only unleashed it on people that deserve it. 
I have learned to forgive, others and myself.
But when my gut tells me a party member seems to only bring more hurt into the world…
She literally incited a wizard to get lost in the sauce. She knew that would only lead to madness; she knew that path would only leave to a lich that kills hundreds of people.
She has been isolated from society, so I get she doesn’t think/ have the same priorities as everyone else. I know she doesn’t mean harm, that she just wishes to understand our fucked up universe. I know we need all the allies we can get. I promised her father to take care of her. 
But we already tried talking sense into her. 
We have tried that so many times…
I am not sure how many more times I can bear to try diplomacy.
I wish I knew how to open her eyes to all the suffering she is bringing.
We don’t have the luxury to be defending or enabling this. There is a line, and she is crossing it.
I have already given up so much to fix everything, I won't let a selfish brat ruin our chances. 
I just hope I am not making old mistakes again.
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critter-genfic-events · 7 months
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This week, we have seven clothing fics recced! Some are perfectly light and fluffy, and some are heart wrenching in all the best ways. Check them out under the cut, and as ever, comment or kudos if you like them!
Ornaments by Crykea (1002,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:
Mollymauk Tealeaf does not know who he was, and frankly, he doesn't care. Along with his family at the Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, Mollymauk discovers who he is.
Reccer says: A cute pre-campaign story about Molly finding himself through clothing and accessories
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What You Have And What You Hate by sheerdelight (1683,General) Warnings: Canonical Major Character Death Pairings: Beauregard Lionett & Mollymauk Tealeaf
Beau dons Molly's coat.
Reccer says: A loving look at Beau's grief after Molly's death, shown through her taking his coat
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The Tale Of The Amazing Technicolor Gravecoat by Angel Ascending (angel_in_ink) (2380,General) Warnings: None Pairings:
A bard tells a tale in a crowded tavern, not knowing that a group of renowned adventurers are listening....
Reccer says: A great outsider point of view and an original idea!
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As Though It Were Made for Me by remi_wolf (3345,General) Warnings: Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Caleb Widogast
Jester might have meant the offer to Caleb of one of her dresses as a teasing joke to lighten the mood, but Caleb never actually said that he was opposed to the idea. Even if she had forgotten in the madness that was the rest of the day, Caleb certainly hadn't, and now that they were resting for the evening at the Xhorhaus, he could finally see if Jester could make good on the offer outside the gates of Zadash.
Reccer says: Some thoughtful genderfuckery involving Caleb, extremely fluffy
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the brightest shade of sun (when i saw you) by genesis_frog (496,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Caleb WIdogast & Nott the Brave
Her clothing is rags, purposefully inconspicuous and purposefully plain, as if she were trying not to think of her body at all. She buys a yellow dress in Xhorhas
Reccer says: It's absolutely sweet and heartbreaking
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Ribbons and Poison Blossom by Beauteousmajesty (1008,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Orym & Fearne
On the skyship over to Jrusar, Fearne injures her arm. In helping her out, Orym gets the delight of figuring out how her clothes go together.
Reccer says: I love Orym and Fearne's friendship but also how Fearne's dress stays up is a mystery for the ages
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The Titan's New Clothes by MasterQwertster (440,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:
Ashton gets their new clothes and does some reflecting on their personal growth.
Reccer says: Just a fun little introspection on the Lvl10 outfit upgrade
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This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3
And hey, anyone includes you!
Next week, we'll be featuring time skip/future fics!
Then, it'll be pranks, Ashton focused, and game nights!
Any fics coming to mind?  Well, then use this form to submit!
If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!
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astraldrake · 4 months
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tfs thoughts beneath the readmore note: contains spoilers for the entire campaign
the opening vision we get when we enter the traveler... i ended up watching it multiple times (computer issues ;-;) but MAN was it cool the inside of the traveler in general looks super funky, im going to have to do a no hud run at some point just for screenshots. shoutout to bungie for giving us a sparkly pink rainbow subclass, just in time for pride month lol weapon unsunsetting means i get to pull all sorts of old friends out of the vault. (python, the vow, steelfeather repeater, perfect paradox, etc...) i'm pretty ambivalent abt cayde generally but they did a good job w/ his characterization. i was worried he'd end up being kind of grating but so far he's been okay i was (initially) delighted to see targe. i was not anticipating that they were introducing him just so they could kill him off 5 minutes later. i have mixed feelings on zavala's characterization but it's been a minute since i buried my face into the ishtar collective lore vault so maybe it's just my memory being unreliable. for him to just lose it and start acting irrationally like that felt odd. maybe it's bcs we havent seen him in a while? idk it just felt off. (tbf you could point out that it's probably a byproduct of being forced to relive one of the most unpleasant moments of his entire life so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ fear and desperation can make people do strange things) ikora was cool, idk she didn't read as ooc or anything to me, her reunion with cayde was very sweet, though in hindsight i wish they'd given her a little more to do. seasonal stuff has struggled to give consistency to crow but i appreciate this expansion's efforts to tie up some of those threads more neatly. (i lost it when he pulled out an iron battleaxe, i did not expect that plot point to get touched on!! also it was cool!) i am still irritated that they fridged amanda ( i ignored that part of canon so hard it kinda smacked me in the face when they mentioned her.) i love luzaku, and i would kill for luzaku. ( finally! friendly hive!) i did like the emphasis on ghost and guardian relationships throughout the expansion's story. (also ghost as the location vendor!!!! having regular chats with him while we go through the story!!! the fact he becomes increasingly damaged and wounded throughout the campaign giving me the distinct dread that he might die!!!)
the fact the traveler is letting out intermittent shrieks of pain... MAN... the return of the glowing bird as our guide! (also the fact that the grenade projectile for song of flame looks like a bird... i dont think they're actually connected but it is giving me Ideas.) speaking of song of flame, i kind of expected it to be more underwhelming than it is?? it's actually pretty fun! prismatic is a lot of fun to mess around with! nothing like throwing a storm grenade at an enemy to simultaneously proc devour and amplify. the speaker mask exotic is also giving me Ideas >:) i lost my shit when they mentioned Micah-10. she's one of the last lore characters i expected them to pull out of the hat but i am delighted to see her in game, and seemingly as more than just a cameo too, as far as i can tell. pretty ambivalent abt the whole "player character is the most powertful being in the universe and the chosen one" thing. it's kinda where i figured they'd take it and i dont hate the trope so eh whatever. im glad they actually gave me cover for some of these story missions. i did not super enjoy lightfall's strategy of throwing me in a room with one million guys and a few tiny scraps of cover. ( the radial mast double tank fight... *shudders* ) difficulty wise legendary wasn't all that painful, there were a few fights i struggled with, but a change of loadout, or a little trial and error was pretty much all i needed. i def understand why they've saved the witness fight for the raid, but if my raiding history is anything to got by im certainly not doing day one, but that doesn't mean ill never touch it. (ive missed most of the newer raids, im just not that much of a people person.) ill try and take some day 1 screenshots of the opening area at least. also wrt post campaign!! i loved playing projectile tennis with savathun. all the two queens stuff was great tbh sav is such a fun villian. like yes!! you do owe us nothing and are only going to swoop in to help us bcs we have a bigger threat to deal with!! we can go back to trying to outscheme eachother once this is over!! ( also hey, they brought back adventures! i thought they'd never do that!) also what ive played of the crode camping trip (i forgot the mission name) has been fun. just me and the bois, out exploding screebs. ( then the game crashed so i guess i gotta go play that again lmao) overall i think this expansion is pretty good! i havent even gotten to the seasonal stuff yet, much less some of the regular patrol stuff for the pale heart.
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wangxianficfinder · 2 years
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In the mood for a Fic...
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1. Itmf, any fics with similar vibes to "Would You Come Home?" by s6115? Esp any hurt comfort fics where wwx's innocence is discovered before he gets brought back to life?
hey, don’t you wanna go? down this road and never come back? Series by comforting_monachopsis (M/T, 25k, WangXian, Diary/Journal, Golden Core Reveal, Canonical Child Abuse, Canonical Character Death, YL WWX, Grief/Mourning, Dysfunctional Family, Angst and Tragedy, Canon Divergence, Fluff and Crack, Yúnmèng Siblings Feels, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Dynamics, Good Sibling JC, Good Sibling WWX, Yunmeng Bros Reconciliation, Good Kid LSZ, Misunderstandings, Idiots in Love, Good Uncle WWX, Good Uncle JC) Ok, so Comforting_Manochopsis' "Hey, don't you wanna go down that road?" series technically counts for 1, but only if you read BOTH stories, as the first story is technically a stand alone tragedy since it ends without wwx's resurrection.
In Exchange by FlautistsandPeonies (M, 8k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Implied WangXian Ending, The Power of Yiling Laozu Sexy, WWX Canon Memory Loss, WWX gets his original body back, Crack Treated Seriously, not for jc fans, Attractive WWX, WangXian Get a Happy Ending)
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2. So yall know how there's varying degrees of gray area/open for interpretation of evil-ness referring to jgy? (Was it all planned or just slippery slope/slow corruption? Evil from beginning or tragic fall? How much was jgy vs jgs? Esp with so much evidence learned 2nd hand in a work that thematically repeatedly throws doubt on rumors etc.?) So, I keep going back and forth on how evil to make jgy in my fic, so curious, what r ur fav good, evil, redeemed, or misunderstood and/or tragic jgy fics?
somewhere to belong by KouriArashi (T, 62k, 3Zun, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Friendship, Developing Relationship, Families of Choice, Class Issues, Bullying, Light Angst, Politics, Eventual Plot, Happy Ending)
The Lost Cause by KouriArashi (T, 18k, JGY & NHS, canon divergence, fix-it, murder bros, everyone lives (except those who suck))
Unexpected Salvation series by clipper782 (M, 162k, NHS/JGY, time travel fix-it of sorts, past incest, murder, psychology, love/hate, friends to enemies to friends to lovers, crack treated seriously, demonic cultivator NHS)
What Could Have Been by tucuxi (G, 27k, LXC & JGY & NMJ, fix-it of sorts, everyone lives au, kid fic, fluff & angst, family feels, dysfunctional family, scheming)
Nevermore To Leave by magicites (T, 17k, JGY/NMJ, NHS & NMJ, past abuse, hurt/comfort, family, fluff)
Last of Our Kind by Shiome (E, 103k, LXC/JGY, post-canon fix-it, temporary amnesia, slow burn, hurt/comfort, identity issues, angst w/ happy ending, case fic, pining, Japanese mythology & folklore)
Obligation by ilgaksu (M, 54k, 3zun, canon compliant, character study, power dynamics, politics, sunshot campaign, accountant JGY, courtship, gift giving, WIP)
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3. Ooo fics where A) nhs was on wwx's side during the whole wen remnants debacle. Even if he doesn't have the political power/resources to help (whether officially or personally). Esp if nhs pov. Also! B) Nhs finding and taking in baby ayuan.
3A)
Come From My Inkstone by magicgenetek (M, 150k, WIP, WangXianSangNing, Crack treated seriously, Canon Divergence, Slow burn, Polyamory) starts after they’re all installed in the Burial Mounds.
while covered in mud by merthurlin (T, 12k, NHS & WWX, NHS & NMJ, NHS & Wen remnants, canon divergence, fix-it)
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4. For the next 'itmf' I'm in desperate need for fanfics where lwj gets heavily injured trying to save wwx, it can be on any arc, modern aus work too, preferably happy endings! [ injuries that are not the 33 whip lashes tho ]
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5. This might be a bit of a challenge, but for an IITMF, can I get some fics that give some attention to Wei Changze?? We all know Cangse Sanren is the more famous of the two, but come on!! Give Papa Wei some love!!!
It's A Crazy World We Live In by pupeez4eva (Not Rated, 8k, CSSR/WCZ, WangXian, ZhuiYi, Humor, Light Angst, Canon Divergence, Reincarnation, burial mounds family, Protective Parents, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies)
The Wei of family by HikariNoHimeWriter (E, 46k, CSSR/WCZ, WangXian, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, CSSR and WCZ Live, Rogue Cultivator WWX, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Male omega with vagina, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Vaginal Sex, Genius WWX, WWX Has ADHD, CSSR Has ADHD, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Eventual Smut, Love Confessions, Mating Bond, WangXian Elope, Kinda, Not JC Friendly, not yzy friendly, Mpreg)
Wei Changze's weird day by Weiyingbestboy (Not Rated, 1k, WangXian, Time Travel, Canon Divergence, WangXian babies)
some of @soursoppi ‘s Tumblr comics feature WCZ (they tend to ship Changmian); An example: bunny for dinner LangZe and FoxXian meet Bunji; joking threat of predation not carried out
Wei's Spice Bowl by Aki_no_hikari (G, 2k, CSSR/WCZ, Meet-Cute, Romance, Flirting, Modern with Magic) Modern Cultivation AU; meet-cute between diner owner/chef WCZ and freelance cultivator CSSR
Anchors in the dark by Immortal_love (M, 2k, WIP, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Genius WWX, BAMF WWX, BAMF CSSR, BAMF WCZ, CSSR and WCZ Live, Family Bonding, some hurt/comfort too, Mild Gore, Mild Horror) WWX meets the spirits of his parents during his ordeal in the Burial Mounds
Two Dads, One Box by soursoppi (E, 14k, Chengmian, Modern AU, Established Relationship, Top!WCZ, Bottom!JFM, PWP, Fluff and Smut, Teasing, Overstimulation, Foot licking, Blow Jobs, Rimming, Anal Sex, Nipple Play)
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6. hi lovely people! may ask for.. fics where madam lan's situation makes lwj goes the opposite way of 'perfect disciple' and into 'rebel' or 'maliciously compliant' territory (even if only low-key like So He Thinks He's Straight (A Memoir By Lan Zhan) ? bc in another world, using scarce visits to her as blackmail for good behaviour might backfire actually, both if she dies when he's little or in a madam-lan-lives au. thank you!
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7. Hello! Sorry for bothering, since its my first time asking something and Idk if im doing it right-- I wanted to read something about wei ying being in a band, preferable in a rock/metal band, and lan zhan being just a normal person. I really loved forever & whatever, but it's unfinished. The longer the better, and if it's novel/canon dynamics even better! Many thanks! @cosmic-latteh
B-Side by Suspicious_Popsicle (M, 47k, WangXian, Modern AU, metalhead x classical music teacher AU)
Melodies series by sassybluee (T, 241k, WangXian, Rapper WWX, Classical musician LWJ, Modern AU, Slow burn, Fluff, Hurt/comfort, Light angst, Knee surgery) WWX is a rapper and former idol in a group
Pop and Prejudice by flowerofgusu (E, 25k, WangXian, Modern AU, Popstar, Pining, Misunderstandings, popstar wwx and music critic lwj, Falling In Love, Pride and Prejudice References, Eventual Smut, Slow Burn, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, POV LWJ, LWJ Has Feelings, Pining LWJ, Famous WWX and Non-Famous LWJ, First Time, Light Angst, Soft WangXian)
Talisman by Witch_Nova221 (M, 192k, WangXian, Modern AU, Eventual Romance, Theatre, Rock Band, Childhood Friends, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Spousal Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Stalking, Minor Character Death, Friends to Lovers, Orphans, Mutual Pining)
(we've got) time for one more by impossibletruths (E, 71k, WangXian, Modern AU, Rock Band, Siblings, What It Means To Be Lonely, Late Night Conversations, Mentions Of WWX's Subpar Mental Health, The Terror Of Admitting What You Want, Weddings, Fatherhood, Music)
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8. Hello! You guys are amazing!! Thank you for all that you do <3 For whichever ITMF post this fits on next, I’m hoping to get recs for Wangxian fics in which one of them gets injured protecting the other, preferably in view for maximum angst. I prefer happy endings, but I’m open to whatever. Violent protective rages are a plus! Thank you so much!! <3 @deathdefyinglifeleaps
golden as they come (but he's bleeding out) by Shializaro (T, 14k, WIP, WangXian, Poisoning, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt WWX, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Pre-Phoenix Mountain Hunt, references to canibalism, POV LWJ)
the field meets the wood by astronicht (T, 7k, WangXian, BAMF WWX, slight whump, Ritualistic Self Harm, Canon Era, Tang Dynasty style, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, salt economics, Post-Canon, [Podfic] the field meets the wood by semperfiona_podfic (semperfiona), [podfic] the field meets the wood by jellyfishfire) Are you up for cold meticulous slow-build protective rage? This spooky atmospheric campfire story is a perfect storm of Damsel! LWJ, Hurt! LWJ, Hurt! WWX, Protective! WWX, BAMF! WWX, Genius! WWX, YLLZ! WWX, and cosmic horror informed by geeky cultural research.
Family and forgiveness and everything in between by rinsled05 (T, 19k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, canon compliant, fluff, angst, family, romance, feels, pining, WIP) Chapter 27.
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9. Hellloo!! I was hoping if you could recommend some 'Characters watching/reading the series' trope fics, I have already read almost all of your collection but I'm still craving for more. If possible please recommend me some more which are worth reading. Thanks! @iwhateveryou2331
Disclaimer! I haven't read these ones yet! ~Mod L
hindsight by wenkexing (M, 8k, WIP, wangxian, post-canon, Fix-it, chief cultivator NHS, JC & WWX reconciliation, characters watching the series, humor, fluff, angst)
The Other Worldly Encounters? by York_Bronte (T, 22k, WYB/XZ (rpf), wangxian, modern, characters watching the series, behind the scenes, humor)
A Change in Fate by Vaeryn3947 (Not rated, 19k, WIP, wangxian, characters watching the series, abuse, neglect, PTSD, nightmares, hurt/comfort)
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10. Heyyy for the ITMF, please recommend some fics where wwx's parents are alive (Canon Divergence or Modern Au) and he grows up with love and affection (please if possible his parents do not die in the fic). @iwhateveryou2331
tall as the mountains that sheltered us by thelastdboy (M, 4k, CSSR/WCZ, WangXian, Canon Divergence, CSSR and WCZ Live, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Crack Treated Seriously, Hurt/Comfort, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Background Character Death, Happy Ending, The Wèi Family are all very tall, POV WCZ)
Words from the heart by MusicMe_tc (G, 6k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Secret Identity, Love Letters, Epistolary (kind of), Fluff, First Love, First Kiss, Asexual WWX, Demisexual LWJ, Love Confessions, Getting Together, Happy Ending)
I've been thinking 'bout you lately by MountainRain898 (T, 19k, wangxian, modern, high school au, getting together, first love, fluff)
The Wei of family by HikariNoHimeWriter (E, 46k, CSSR/WCZ, WangXian, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, CSSR and WCZ Live, Rogue Cultivator WWX, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Male omega with vagina, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Vaginal Sex, Genius WWX, WWX Has ADHD, CSSR Has ADHD, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Eventual Smut, Love Confessions, Mating Bond, WangXian Elope, Kinda, Not JC Friendly, not yzy friendly, Mpreg) (link in #5)
Aki_no_hikari’s Future Cultivation AU series; Wei's Spice Bowl by Aki_no_hikari (G, 2k, CSSR/WCZ, Meet-Cute, Romance, Flirting, Modern with Magic) (link in #5) is the story of their first meeting, and the author assures us that they’re still alive by the time of the main storyline.
The Way We Are by Imer_Jun (M, 12k, WangXian, Modern AU, High School, Superpowers, Fantasy, Teen Romance, Getting Together, Some Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Feels, friendships, Happy Ending)
Bunny Love by Naeme (G, 8k, wangxian, modern, slice of life, family fluff, children, childhood friends, WIP)
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11. um.. i dont have anything to say for myself.. but are there fics like this post where nmj's hotness affects ppl majorly lmao :'D i would just like any enemies to lovers nmj x any wen, where he on the one hand lets go of his somewhat black and white morality, and on the other hand, the other person is like 'i love u daddy mingjue lemme just secure peace between our sects real quick so we can marry' ty!!
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12. I'm (always) in the mood for fics where the Jiangs are bad parents to wwx. Not necessarily violent or abusive, but where JFM and/or YZY don't totally bring him into the family. Where they're a bit neglectful or don't give wwx his due, if that makes sense? Especially when wwx just Accepts it. I love the angst of him being left out, or struggling if the jiangs cut him off easily/disown him, etc. Bonus for an outsider being mad on wwx's behalf. Thank you! @math-is-magic​
Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 394k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement)
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13. hi! i'm wondering if we have any fics where wwx is/gets pregnant in the burial mounds? it suddenly crossed my mind. thank you so much! ♥️
Until The End by abCEE (M, 365k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, war changes people, resulting to OOC, no pinning, Established Relationship, Mpreg, Good Uncle LQR, a little grey LWJ, a bit of JC bashing from LWJ, BAMF JYL, 16 years of yearning, mainly CQL verse but has scenes from the novel as well, LSZ is LWJ and WWX's Child, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts)
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14. Hello it's me again!
So these requests are for IITMF : A) are there any fics where WWX is a genius (like ONE IN A MILLION GENIUS ) and/or is powerful af and is actually appreciated and loved as he is?
Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 394k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement) (link in #12)
B) are there any WangXian fics with the vibe of Chinese drama You Are My Glory ?
* really appreciate this page nd u guys ; cuz you guys are lifesavers as well as timesavers * <3
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15. hi!! for the next im in the mood for, are there any fics that have wcz/jfm/cssr together?? or just follow that theory that jfm was in love with both of them? i feel like this ship is so underappreciated. thank you! <3
you taught me the courage of stars by ravenditefairylights (G, 7k, WangXian, Modern AU, CSSR/JFM/WCZ, Single Parent WWX, Sickfic, Past Character Death, inaccurate legal advice, Child LSZ, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Pre-Relationship, questionable jiang parents) background but there
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16. For an upcoming in the mood for post, could I have recommendations for fics where wangxian help each other with their hair? Can be a minor scene rather than the focus of the fic, just love to see it
The Yiling Wei Clan by scifigeek14 (G, 45k, wangxian, LWJ & LSZ & WWX, canon divergence, Yiling Wei sect au, happy ending, families of choice, epistolary, everyone lives au, politics, weddings) I have some hair-doing scenes in my yiling wei sect series and in my two weddings and family reunion home series (scifigeek14)
Two Weddings and a Family Reunion by scifigeek14 (T, 36k, wangxian, canon divergence, shotgun wedding, politics, everyone lives au, fix-it, feelings realization, family feels, marriage proposal, marriage of convenience)
你的阳光下; wanna hide in your light by yiqie (T, 2k, wangxian, modern, domesticity, marriage proposal)
hello my old heart, how have you been? by ravenditefairylights (M, 10k, wangxian, post-canon, temporary amnesia, hurt/comfort, fluff, trauma, pining, hair washing & brushing)
Yiling Salon: Hair, Nails and Piercing by TriviasFolly (T, 22k, wangxian, modern, hairstylist au, 5+1, fluff)
contractual obligations by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 4k, wangxian, modern, friends to lovers, sex god LWJ, sharing a bath, bathing/washing, hair washing)
like real people do by daltoneering (G, 5k, wangxian, modern, sick fic, hurt/comfort, fluff, hair washing, pre-relationship, getting together)
you lucky querent! Mojo-furen has an entire post/compilation on the subject
💖 Minding series by WithBroomBefore (G, 85k, wangxian, canon divergence, what if WWX got therapy and recovery post-sunshot, trans LWJ)
❤️ Dream a little dream of me by Moominmammashandbag (M, 60k, wangxian, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, mentions of torture, Mention of dismemberment, Coming Out, Plotting and scheming, animate body parts, goose, and supporting avian cast, Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Attacks, goose!NMJ Reincarnation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Incest, Do not fuck with NHS, Dreamwalking, Angst with a Happy Ending, JZX Lives) WWX is rescued after many years of torture and captivity, and tenderly cared for by LWJ; his hair has grown so filthy and matted that it needs to be cut short
🧡 rain falls and soaks into the earth series by RoseThorne (T, 40k, WangXian, WIP, Near Death Experience, Attempt Drowning, Madam Yu Bashing, Recovery, No war AU)
the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break by RoseThorne (E, 77k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Self-Esteem Issues, Fix-It, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, PTSD, Handfasting, Panic Attacks, Getting Together, First Time, Aftercare, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, /Referenced Torture, Scars, Chronic Pain, Golden Core Reveal, First Time, Switching, sex-related injury, LWJ Stays at the Burial Mounds, LSZ is a Wèi, Good Sibling JC, Dissociation, Burial Mounds Settlement Days)
Family and forgiveness and everything in between by rinsled05 (T, 19k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, canon compliant, fluff, angst, family, romance, feels, pining, WIP) Chapters 2 and 31. (link in #8)
DanTian Series by ArchiveWriter (E, 150k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Happy WangXian, Slice of Life, Established Relationship, Fluff, Domestic bliss, Family fluff, Tags Vary per story) Dan Tian / Heaven Chapters 28, 42, 43, and perhaps elsewhere—ArchiveWriter likes to dwell upon the physicality of their relationship.
A Cyborg's Three Laws by FairyGardenCorgis, @joshua-beeking (M, 194k, WangXian, Future, Cyborgs, Science Fiction, Science Boyfriends, Romance, Slow Burn, Medical Procedures, Surgery, Angst, Fluff, Humor, Eventual Smut, Hurt/Comfort, LWJ has RA, Idiot Friends to Idiot Lovers, Medical Assault, Dehumanization, obscene amounts of cuddling, Versatile wangxian) see Chapter 15 specifically, although a lot of affectionate hair-stroking in general takes place.
hellinglaozu has returned to Tumblr with this beautiful fanart, from an unorthodox camera angle
shake the heavy by fruitys (T, 6k, wangxian, LSZ & WWX, post-canon, established relationship, hurt/comfort, character study, fluff & angst)
~*~
17. hi hello!! thanks for your amazing work <33 for the next itmf could you recommend some wangxian fics where they fall in love and confess when they're still studying in gusu? can be fix it au but anything other than that is fine too ^ ty
Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 394k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement) (link in #12)
Just Say Yes Series by edenwolfie (T/M, 338k, WangXian, Matchmaking, Pining, Getting Together, Canon Divergence, POV Alternating, Fluff, First Kiss, Declarations Of Love, Humor, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Good Uncle LQR, Engagement, Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It)
joined delight by RoseThorne (M, 1k, WangXian, fast burn, Making Out, Marking, Frottage, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, Gūsū Lán Forehead Ribbon, Marathon Sex, Implied Sexual Content, Love at First Sight, Swords, Horniness, POV Third Person, POV LWJ, Canon Divergence, Cloud Recesses Study Arc)
~*~
If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***
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championofravens · 4 months
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I'm all caught up looking at TFS cutscenes and spoilers.
Uneducated thoughts from someone not playing it:
This was the wrong expansion to end on a loss. I felt similarly after Lightfall but it's really stunning and egregious that the campaign ends on our Guardian and the Vanguard fleeing and Mara consoling us that the raid is soon and we can kill the Witness then. I really think Bungie needed to end on a big fat W of some kind to give satisfaction to all the casuals who are buying this game, playing it, and then putting it down. As is, the climax just delivers "that's it?" and a timer. Bungie's decision to simplify story and lore for the casual bulk of the player base, but still putting in time gates and forcing everyone to log on again to get a happy ending is bad.
The casual Crow/Holliday canonizing. Lol. Lmao. Etc.
I think the entering the Traveller cutscene was silly, hamfisted, boring iconography that didn't do anything. And I think we didn't need a Cayde stuck in purgatory cutscene either
The Zavala turn is very boring. Not giving Targe his own goddamn voice actor is INSULTING. They picked Zavala for the evil turn entirely because they knew he was the least likely. Really pisses me off that Ikora has been the one more in conflict with her faith and more itching to abandon her role for YEARS and she can't have the edgy arc
Targe how did you even get past the barrier unseen- whatever. Bye Targe. Sorry
Crow pulling out his stupid Iron Lord axe from Season of the Sending Saladin to Prison. Yes it was cool. Yes I hated it. Both can be true
God I hope this shit resolves good in the raid.
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pagerunner-j · 2 years
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Some TLOVM new-episode notes, under a cut 'cause there's some great stuff here and I, uh, went on for a bit:
Not gonna lie, I was halfway expecting the theme to The Neverending Story after that Falcor-looking fucker flew by.
Watching an animated version of something I watched happen in person in a live episode is a damn trip. I feel like I should be sitting in a movie theater on Pico all over again...
Grog all torn up over hurting Pike: *tinysob*
Put...the sword...down....Grog...
Okay, putting it down in a rock will do. More dramatic than a pocket dimension, anyway.
Percy, stop trying to sound like an expert and get on with flirting with grass.
Hey! Laura found her best friend from the next campaign! Convenient!
Honestly, I'm kinda liking how they're shifting things around with Grog. Having this fit in with his whole "where do you get your strength?" theme works.
Hi there, Billy! Nice to hear you here!
Arta -- ahem -- Garmelie drawing dicks? Fancy that.
Vax, you're cruising for a bruising here, and by that I mean my palm across your face. Chill.
Ashley and Sam going full country twang: bwahahaohdearhelpme.
(it works, though)
Pikey made the Scan-man bluuuuuush...
PokéTrinket!
...I think I read this in a fanfic once.
(istg it's fucking pollen they knew what they were doing)
Diplomacy in action! About time.
Well, the boys are talking again. That's good.
"We are all just prisoners of our own anxieties...." Keyleth wasn't wrong about that part, at least, before the rainbow vomiting started.
Sylens, stop being an arrogant jackass and start being useful--oh wait. Wrong narrative.
Ripley consorting with dragons: *chef's kiss*
Twin angst incoming!
--
Syngorn is indeed pretty AF.
You don't want to tango with pixies, indeed. You might, on the other hand, want to steal their furniture for your dollhouse. *side-eyes Percy*
(yes, that was an actual thing that actually canonically happened in the campaign)
(I will love it forever)
Heh, I've heard THOSE lines before. Wink wink nudge nudge. Little sudden in this context, but I certainly can't complain that they're here.
can't complain at all
nope not me
VELORAAAA
Velora's owlbeaaaaar
Velora so cute
Troy sure does do a good job at playing a pretentious ass.
(cough)
Wilhand!!
And there we go with the namedrop. This time it pretty much worked.
stop giving Vex's character moments to Vax challenge 2k23
We're about a handsbreadth here from Miracle Max and honestly I can't really be mad about that part.
"You'll need to amend one name, though."
Watching that happen in person was so fucking satisfying, I'm not going to lie.
All right, I have notes here and there about how they're adapting this, mostly just because it's having to happen too quickly for all of it to land (the eps are short, what are you gonna do), but I love this conversation between Percy and Vex. They finally got to work in Percy making things for her, too!
"I gotta stimulate myself? Okay..." "Back it up." Sporfle.
Nice frog-to-not-quite-a-frog transition there. (Ribbit.)
Saundor, you creepy fuck. HANDS OFF OUR GIRL.
"Sweet, broken Vex'ahlia." I love that line and hate it in equal measure, and I want her to shoot him in the fucking faaaaaaaaace.
Hey, THERE'S that line I wanted her to yell at her father! Slightly different context here, but hey, I'll take it.
"My heart is someone else's." <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
"How do you fight a tree?" With FIRE. Seriously, this was one of Keyleth's coolest moments and best strategic decisions in the campaign, and I love that they're going for it.
"Twig dick." I say again: sporfle.
Okay, they're making this fight look absolutely badass.
SHE'S USING
PERCY'S
ARROWHEAD
see, this is how you do it
Stubby
Garmelie Artie, you little fuck.
(The traveler, hmmmm?)
(And thank god that was Matt. I mean, who ELSE could you cast?)
KILL BOX INCOMING
--
So the herd is fucking terrifying. Appropriately. But dang, this got grim in a HURRY.
Mythcarver has been so much more useful in this show than in the campaign that it's kind of hilarious.
One thing I love about this episode: Grog has, legendarily, an intelligence of six, but it's easy for the animated version of him to slip into all-doofus-all-the-time mode in the way the campaign never did -- in part because Travis is clearly so damn smart and you have him out of character as part of the picture. So it's nice giving Grog more depth here to do its part in balancing things out.
Pikelan cuteness: <3
Grog backstory! Grog and the gnomes! <3
KAYLIE
I wouldn't flirt if I were you, Scanlan
I mean: I really, really wouldn't
for reasons
Grog saving Wilhand is everything I hoped for.
In a word: ouch.
Dark-haired Pike! <3
I want to hug them both, okay? They deserve hugs.
....Scanlan, please, hit the brakes before you hurt yourself.
Good to see some tabaxi out and about in the world! Now please save the wee one.
"I swear, I know that voice!" Iiiiindeed.
Kevdak, you're an asshole, and you'd be nothing without your magic toys, and you know it.
"Your armor's not exactly the quietest." Oh, Pikey. Never the stealthiest, are we.
Scanlan, I'm not gonna say this again. COOL YOUR JETS.
Nice magic tricks, though.
saaaave the kiiiitttyyyyyyy
you're not doing this on your own and we all know it so listen to Pike okay
...all right, save the KILL BOX INCOMING for next week, but we're well on our way!
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luciferloveschloe · 3 years
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goodbye, lucifer (but not really!)
I cannot BELIEVE that I just watched the last episode of my favourite show.
I usually cram everything I have to in tags under gifsets I reblog, but for this final season I'll go through the pain of actually writing shit down. I'll try to keep it short, and I'll try not to ramble. (Edit: Did not accomplish that.)
what i loved
SCREAMS
God, soooooooo much!!
Deckerstar baby
Okay, so when Rory showed up in the trailer I was like "Ugh, another annoying angel? Meh." FORGIVE ME, my sweet murder child! Of all the things I thought they might do, a Deckerstar baby was DEAD LAST on my list. And a daughter no less, I just... When she says she's Lucifer's daughter, I was like *SCREAMS*, but when we learn she's Lucifer AND Chloe's daughter, I completely lost it. My boyfriend's on a trip with his friends this week and I'm sooo grateful for that, I made the weirdest, loudest, ugliest noises while watching this season, I ran around our apartment like a maniac, I squealed and laughed and cried and just generally lost my mind. But when she says that?? Oh my God. Also the way Lucifer reacted when Chloe shows him the pregnancy test? Straight outta fanfic.
Lucifer being a father
Oh my God?? I've always said he'd be the BEST father, and actually seeing it on screen... I love the parallel of him being ridiculously over the top with Rory at first, just like God and Lucifer in S5. The way he looks at her when he sees her playing the guitar? Their duet?? Instantly one of my favourite scenes. Them driving in the Corvette, their last day together, how he keeps her from killing Le Mec? Just murder me.
Established Deckerstar
All the hugs and kisses?? The declarations of love, the besotted looks, the absolute power couple we got? Their look from Maze and Eve's wedding, OH MY GOD???? Just, these two are so pretty and we got SO MUCH. Also, their scenes with Rory?? I just love them so much...
(More under the cut!)
Ella's storyline
I wanted a reveal for her so badly, and the way it turned out was brilliant! I loved her figuring it out for herself and calling everyone out lmao. I especially loved poor Carol returning to that room full of shocked people. They had some GREAT punchlines and gags this season, absolutely hilarious! I also love Lucifer's parting gift for her and that she finally found a good one with Carol.
Hugs, so many hugs!
That's it, that's the paragraph.
The Police storyline
As a white person who has literally never once had a problem with the police, I know this is not my place to say, but I think they did a good job? Not giving into the "a few bad apples" excuse but acknowledging that the whole system needs to change? I also really enjoyed the scenes with Amenadiel and Officer Harris, showing what policework could and should look like.
Maze and Eve's happily ever after
I'm so glad auntie Maze and auntie Eve got their happy ending! And that wedding was a bomb. Also, "You're my hell!", lmao.
Dan's ascend to heaven
First of, great to know his only torture was Belios' lack of table tennis skills. Secondly, how very fitting for the show that they didn't hand Dan his happy ending easily, that he fought and won it for himself. Him as a ghost and him as Le Mec was equally funny, and his talk with Trixie was just perfect, literally tears you guys.
Amenadiel becoming God
I mean, dude's perfect for the job! From the loyal, distant, obeying servant to a God who wants to work as a team with his siblings, who wants the Celestials to experience the human world, who hates injustice and loves fiercely? In this universe, I couldn't imagine anyone better suited to be God.
Nobody misses the case of the week
At least I don't! God, I wish they'd tried this out sooner.
The bittersweet ending
Let's preface this by saying I HATE bittersweet endings. Give me a happily ever after or else. And yet, and yet!! I think the ending they settled on is perfect. Would I have loved it if Lucifer had a life on earth with Chloe, Trixie and Rory? God, yes. Do I get emotional over him being alone in hell, again? Goddd, yes. But still. I so love that he found his calling in the end, that they reunited, and that he actually makes good on his promise from S5 to change the system. Also, I don't care if this is canon or fanon for now, but they totally spend time in heaven with Rory and visit earth whenever they like. And this would have been my ideal ending - them being free to go where they like, and I don't see why they shoudn't. It's definitely more satisfying than just traipsing off to heaven indefinitely, so I really, really loved that.
what i didn't (do feel free to skip this!)
Lucifer missing out on Chloe's life on earth and being alone in hell again. Chloe being left again.
Time travel shenanigans. I just finished Dark and that was enough of a mindfuck. Do not want to think about loops for this show, thank you very much.
Chloe felt a little too housewifey in the first episodes, but it thankfully didn't stay that way for long.
Lucifer and Chloe talking about keeping secrets for a whole episode, and then NOBODY TALKING ABOUT URIEL AND CANDY. I mean, ahhhhhhh! If you don't want to talk about it, then don't, but don't remind people of it constantly and then NOT discuss it. It drives me mad, honestly, how many times they referenced these storylines only to completely ignore them when there were opportunities to resolve them. Ahhh. That's what fic is for, I guess.
Adam. Like, why? Bye, dude.
what i'll keep with me
When someone I'd just met at my boyfriend's cousin's wedding in 2019 recommended this "funny, little show" to me that intrigued them because they were interested in finding their faith, I really didn't think I'd write all this three years later.
Lucifer is my third fandom, and it won't be my last, but it sure as hell - ha - will stay with me. I resonate so deeply with Lucifer as a character because he fights with the idea of God, fights with this concept of a benevolent father that everyone seems to believe in but never fit his experience. I come from a Christian family and studied theology, but somewhere along the lines I had to come to terms with the fact that the faith I had as a child and teenager didn't fit me anymore. I want to believe again, and maybe someday I will, but right now I don't know that. So Lucifer's journey with that meant a lot to me. I'd like to find what Ella did, I guess.
Although I never really thought Lucifer needed redemption, I loved the whole "anybody can be redeemed" message as well. And hell reform! Hell is such a weird, awful construct - speaking as the theology expert - bringing a bit of purgatory in in this universe is really fucking cool.
Also, I binged Lucifer when I was alone in hospital late at night. That experience alone I'll never forget.
So, I guess - thank you!! Thank you to the cast and crew, to the fans who campaigned for season four, to Ildy and Joe, to the writers and the directors and the people who brought lunch: Thank you so much for this incredible show. I'm not ready to say goodbye, not by a long shot, and I hope this fandom feels the same.
Yabba dabba do me, I love my stupid little show!!!
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gusu-emilu · 3 years
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miscellaneous MDZS/CQL fic recs (AO3)
broken into sections: Character Study (-esque), Wangxian, Jiang Cheng ships, Yi City (or Yi City-adjacent), Humor/Crack, and Other
Character Study (-esque)
Wei Wuxian
my eyes got used to the darkness by @curiosity-killed (M, Sunshot Campaign era, 4.4k): The funny thing, the thing that makes his lips curl in a grin and his hands shake with laughter, is that all these cultivators with their lofty principles and noble ambitions can’t even notice the ghost among them. Sure, they shiver at his presence and flinch from his cold hands, but not one of them puts it together. Lan Wangji chases him with healing music and Nie Mingjue frowns solemnly at his dancing corpses—and he laughs and laughs and laughs because they just don’t get it. Emilu's commentary: CW for mild body horror.
Jiang Cheng
in our respective ways by @veliseraptor (T, Sunshot Campaign era, 5.7k): Jiang Cheng has his golden core back. But he seems to have lost Wei Wuxian.
You Know I've Fallen, but I Know How High by villainais (M, Post-WWX's death, 2.7k): Jiang Cheng loses both of his siblings in Nightless City. Minutes apart. He trudges home to Yunmeng with one body, holds a private funeral with a single coffin, and allows himself to wear his mourning robes for ten days—permits himself not a single day more. He is still too young and inexperienced, an unfledged boy to the cultivation world, and he is rebuilding Lotus Pier on his own. He will not gift the other sect leaders the satisfaction of seeing him vulnerable. Propriety be damned. Hanguang-jun emerges from his seclusion wearing white. He does not stop.
Nie Huaisang
it deepens like a coastal shelf by @wolffyluna (M, Post-WWX's death, 21.6k): When Nie Huaisang meets Mo Xuanyu, he realises two things quickly. One, this kid is so doomed. Two, this kid would be a great unwitting spy in his plans to bring down Jin Guangyao. It would be so easy to get into Mo Xuanyu's confidences, and so easy to get him to tell him anything he needs. ...only thing is, that wouldn't be very good for Mo Xuanyu's life expectancy. But he'll do it anyway, if it helps him avenge his brother. A fic about man handing on misery to man, the parallels and cycles in the relationships between Jin Guangyao and Nie Huaisang and Mo Xuanyu, and the lengths these characters will go to meet their goals and if there are lines they won't cross.
Lan Xichen
an old man in dried mouths by @tenacious-minds (T, Post-Canon, 3.3k): Xichen thinks. The tea had always stained the crockery red. Emilu's commentary: Lan Xichen and Jin Ling talk about Jin Guangyao.
can you be a quiet man? by @basket-of-loquats (Unrated, Post-Canon, 70.7k+) But something inside him snapped at Guanyin Temple-- and Lan Wangji watched it happen, saw the exact moment that Lan Xichen went from broken to shattered, when he buried his sword into Jin Guangyao’s chest, when his sworn brother stared up at him with wide eyes, blood dripping from his mouth, when he pulled himself closer and closer and closer-- When he whispered "Why don’t you die with me?", and Lan Xichen hadn’t argued. Emilu's commentary: Lan Xichen / therapy with a side of Wangxian.
Wen Ning
breathless (but i'll pretend to breathe for you) by swordsainted (T, Burial Mounds Settlement era, 4.1k): Wei Wuxian is silent for a long minute, and then he looks at Wen Ning, something raw and open and hurting behind his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he says again, softer this time, and Wen Ning shakes his head, still smiling. “You’ve protected everyone. How could I hate you for that?”
Mo Xuanyu
stand at the pit's mouth by @eldritch-elrics (M, MXY's death, 9.3k): The dreams and regrets of a man on the edge of oblivion. Emilu's commentary: Surrealist/absurdist screenplay.
Wangxian
I would wait for a thousand years by bleuett (T, Immortality Post-Canon, 10.4k): During the worst of winter, a traveler comes to stay at Lan Wangji's inn. He wears a red ribbon in his hair. “Do you see the rabbit?” Wei Ying asks and points at the moon. “That’s the moon rabbit, he helps make Chang’e more immortality elixir. He keeps Chang’e company.” “I do not wish the rabbit for company,” Lan Wangji says tightly. “You are the one I want by my side.” “And I’m here, Lan Zhan. If you go to the moon, I’ll follow you, I’ll always be here now.” Emilu's commentary: Lan Wangji meets Wei Wuxian centuries later and does not remember the past. There is also an excellent podfic by @forgotten-envies
Look Not With The Eyes by Spodumene (G, Post-Canon, 28.1k): Wei Wuxian returns from his travels to join Lan Wangji on a routine night hunt, but when things take an unexpected turn, Wei Wuxian will have to fight for what he's really looking for. Emilu's commentary: Case fic.
All In A Good Time by bigboobedcanuck (E, Post-Canon, 8k): Lan Zhan is struck by a curse that brings him intense physical pain unless he's being touched. He is stoic and tries to hide his suffering. Wei Wuxian is worried and protective. Perhaps they will finally admit their feelings?
Across a Lake of Glass by Zizzani (E, Figure Skating AU, 92.2k+): Each year, Gusu Skating Club runs a camp for only the most elite athletes of each region. This year brings a new skater from the Yunmeng Club who wears skates lined with red and a smile made for war. He skates like a demon. Figure skating au featuring lots of healthy rivalry, pre and post-competition bonding, and an inexplicable fall from grace through the eyes of the media.
Jiang Cheng Ships
Chengqing
display my heart for you to see by @souridealist (M, Post-Canon Wen Qing Lives AU, 5.5k): Jiang Cheng has his own secrets. Some of them are part of the unburied past; some of them are about how long it's been since anyone has touched him.
while I'm in this body by @souridealist (E, Post-Lotus Pier Massacre, 3.9k): For just a few minutes, alone in her office, Wen Qing allows her self-control to slip enough to cry. It's just her luck that that's when Jiang Cheng comes looking for her. Emilu's commentary: Femdom.
Chengning
it may be that it doesn't matter by @wildehacked (T, Post-Canon, 6.6k) “Are you crying?” Jiang Wanyin asks him, and Wen Ning frowns. Pats his cheek with one hand. “No.” Emilu's commentary: Holy Grail of Chengning.
Whatever It Is by morau (E, Post-Canon, 20.5k): It starts, as with a lot of things, with a very poorly thought out prank, courtesy of Wei Wuxian. Emilu's commentary: A LOT of sex and even more emotions lol
won't run away (we're here to stay) by @qi-ling (T, Post-Canon, 3.5k): "Please don't feel any pressure to accept this, and you can take as much time as you need to think about it." It's a set of robes, in shades of deep purple, complete with leather bracers. Cut in a different style than that of the disciples or household staff, closer to the understated robes Wen Ning typically wears. He reaches out to feel the fabric. His deadened nerves can't sense delicate textures well, but even he can tell it's of a quality on par to Wanyin's own wardrobe. This is startling enough coming from Jiang Wanyin, but then Wen Ning notices the belt. In particular, the silver bell in the shape of a lotus affixed to it. Only recognized members of the Jiang sect may wear the clarity bell. Or, Jiang Cheng has an invitation for Wen Ning.
Zhancheng
By Proxy by @veliseraptor (E, Post-WWX's death, 12k): Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, looking for comfort in all the wrong places. Emilu's commentary: Hate sex that made me cry
Yi City (or Yi City-adjacent)
Songxuexiao
Heaven Has A Road But No One Walks It by @silvysartfulness (M, Post-Yi City arc Canon Divergence, 123k+): One of the most complex spells of demonic cultivation the world has seen is brought to fruition, and Xiao Xingchen draws his first shaking breaths in over seven years. This, it turns out, is only the start of his problems. Emilu's commentary: Pretty sure everyone already knows about Silvy's happy songxuexiao road trip fic but it has to be here.
Xue Yang & Lan Xichen
Hours On Empty series by @lady-of-the-lotus (M to E, Post-Canon, 57.8k+): AU where Wei Wuxian never came to Yi City and Xue Yang is still running around post-canon disguised as Xiao Xingchen. "Fractured Ice" - Xue Yang whisks a nihilistic Lan Xichen off on a murder roadtrip to raise Xiao Xingchen and Meng Yao from the grave. Because that will solve all of their problems, right? "Control" - "Fractured Ice" retold from Xue Yang's pov. "A Thousand Miles In Its Light" - Alternate ending to "Fractured Ice" and "Control"
Songxiao with Xuexiao Flashbacks
Nothing Beside Remains by @eldritch-elrics (T, Post-Yi City arc Canon Divergence, 21.9k): And Xiao Xingchen is dressed in dark clothing that is not his, and his sight is all of a sudden sharp in a way that it has never been before, and Xue Yang is not here. “He wouldn’t,” he breathes. “No, he wouldn’t do that. He’s too—” “He’s too what?” Wei Wuxian steps a foot closer, face hard-set. “Too cruel? Or too kind?” Or: Xue Yang uses the Sacrifice Summon on Xiao Xingchen. Xiao Xingchen lives with the consequences.
Humor/Crack
The Hangover: A pre-wedding Dramedy series by natcat5 (M, Modern AU, 51.6k): It is not a bachelor party. That was made clear on all the invitations. It is a congratulatory get together for Jin Zixuan, attended by his family, the family of the bride, and the young masters of the other two families in their circle. The gathering is not to go later than midnight, everyone must drink in moderation, and no one is allowed to be hungover tomorrow. Wei Wuxian had promised Yanli, three fingers in the air. Jiang Cheng had rolled his eyes, but promised as well. Saturday morning, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng wake up alone in a hotel room, missing shoes, phones, and almost all their memories of what in the world happened last night. Also missing: Wei Wuxian, brother of the bride, Lan Wangji, esteemed guest, Lan Xichen, esteemed guest, Jin Zixun, cousin of the groom, Jin Guangyao, brother and best-man, Jin Zixuan, THE GROOM, who is due at his bride-to-be's house in six hours. That's plenty of time to find everyone...right?
Jiang Cheng Loves Jar Jar Bombad Mui by @lady-of-the-lotus (G, Post-Canon, 1.7k) Jar Jar Binks washes up on the shores of Lotus Pier. Can he win the lonely Jiang Cheng's proud heart? Neb neb answer is yesa. Emilu's commentary: There's also a podfic by @aowyn. Yes, with a Jar Jar voice.
Other
Nie Huaisang & Wen Ning
By Name by nirejseki (G, Post-Canon, 1.3k): After the traumatic events in the now-collapsed temple, Wen Ning lingered behind and unexpectedly saw Nie Huaisang, the undisputed victor of an all-around terrible evening, sitting on the steps of the temple, looking exhausted and miserable, as if he’d won nothing at all. Wen Ning found himself drifting over to him.
Jiang Yanli & Nie Mingjue
utility by magicites (G, Arranged Marriage AU, 2.3k): Jiang Yanli and Nie Mingjue's wedding is a political one — a gesture of unity between their Sects. A way for her parents to finally get some use out of the plain-faced sham of a cultivator they call a daughter. “Jiang-guniang,” Nie Mingjue says, and the formality in such a setting as intimate as their wedding chambers startles her, “I don’t wish to bed you. Or any other woman, for that matter. It isn’t fair for you to live alone because of my own preferences.” She rests her hand on his arm, cool relief flooding her body like water on a summer afternoon. “If it helps, I don’t feel desire for men,” she whispers.
Jin Guangyao / Nie Huaisang
Pulling Strings by @eldritch-elrics (E, Post-WWX's death, 5k): Nie Huaisang, quite drunk, turns up at Jin Guangyao’s door one night with an unexpected request. Emilu's commentary: Nie Huaisang knows Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue. This interaction is more symbolic than anything else...
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msfbgraves · 3 years
Text
Potterverse - when God is an idiot
Crimes of Grindelwald was clearly a mess of a film. I didn’t expect much, after the Graves reveal of film 1, but one can hope, right? What makes this mess feel very modern, however, is that so much of it is due to Rowling’s inability to shut up on social media.
Take, for instance, the clusterfuck of Percival Graves and the Dumbledore family.
“Where is Percival Graves?” could have been part of the marketing campaign of the next film, even if Jo had had absolutely no use for the character. Since Grindelwald is revealed to reside in a big ass castle in film 2, it is quite plausible that this is in fact where Percival Graves has been all along. They could have killed him off screen - wasted away in the Nurmengard dungeon during Grindelwald’s own imprisonment in the US. It’s gruesome, but hardly implausible and the mystery is solved - Graves is in a shallow grave, having died of starvation 17 hours after the end of the first film. Grindelwald hadn’t exactly anticipated his own imprisonment in America, after all. Suck it up, fandom!
Why not make him an accomplice, though? He would have been as relevant to the plot a Vinda is right now, but you would have had some very happy fans, and it would fit, thematically - a bit like Hydra infiltrating SHIELD in Marvel. Of course, this being Colin, he would probably upstage Depp’s Grindelwald, so best ‘put him on a bus’ so to speak - off screen, but ready to be used at your earliest convenience. He could still give us beautiful infodump scenes, say as a messenger from Grindelwald to Dumbledore.
Too complicated? Colin too distracting? You hate the man for being a clearly better person/superior creator? Fine. Pull a Moody. Save Graves, send him back to MACUSA off screen. You need only show him coordinating Grindelwald’s transport at the beginning of film 2 to show us where he is at. Would give the audience some idea of the dangers of this Grindelwald man, to see Graves all worse for wear, plus it would make for some beautifully repressed anger between them. Ah, you don’t want to upstage the bleached pineapple Colin is unavailable?  Have Seraphina merely mention him: “Do not underestimate Grindelwald. Our head Auror is still in a coma, and he’d never lost a duel in his life.” 
The one thing they should not have done is spout Word of God contradictory nonsense about Graves never existing. Honestly. Simply gauge the audience reaction, write in a single line of exposition and in the meantime, tell the audience to wait and see. Whatever it turned out to be, fans might have clamoured it was a massive letdown given this buildup, but not a gigantic plot hole. The reason it is, is largely due to Rowling’’s desire to feel clever. Her Word of God making the film worse than it, taken at face value, needs to be.
Same with the Crendence-is-a Dumbledore storyline. It simply can’t be true. Dumbledore’s father was in prison, Dumbledore’s mother died without having any further children. No Aurelius was mentioned by anyone in Harry’s time. Moreover, there is a Quill of Acceptance in Hogwarts, writing down the name of every magical child born in the UK and Ireland in the Book of Admittance.
If there had been an Aurelius Dumbledore, might Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and thereby in possession of that book, not have been made aware of that fact? True, this being Dumbledore, he could have ignored it, but really, to what end? All tormented about Ariana, would he really have been like: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ to learn he has a magical brother in the USA? When there’s all kind of Obscurial disturbances in the US at the latest, wouldn’t he have been like... “Best look into that?” And yeah, he sent Newt, but whatever Newt was doing - he wasn’t actively looking for Credence. He only learnt about Credence from Tina.
Also, in the first film, Grindelwald himself had no idea who Credence even was. He’d seen him in a vision, and thought the Obscurial was much younger. Even if you have never read the books, people who have watched the first film would remember that. So why would he now know exactly who Credence is? He’s been detained for months, who told him - Abernathy?!
And yet, the one who canonically doesn’t know any of this? Credence. He has no idea who Dumbledore is. He doesn’t know he’s met Grindelwald before. What we, the audience, do know, and Credence can only suspect - Grindelwald is a manipulative liar. Grindelwald knows about Ariana Dumbledore, another Obscurial, and would be able to describe her to Credence, making a familial connection sound plausible to him. Again, the boy has nothing else to go on. What he does have is a need for a provider, a burning desire to be part of a family and probably a tremendous rage directed at the people who he feels have rejected him. He would be very willing to unleash all that rage on Grindelwald’s ex and nemesis. This, for an audience member who has more information than Credence (even if you’ve only seen the first film), is actually quite riveting. It is a trainwreck waiting to happen, and, unlike Queenie’s ‘conversion’, it is psychologically plausible.
So of course, instead of trusting the audience’s intelligence - which she once did when it came to Snape’s loyalties, she goes blabbering about Credence really being a Dumbledore before the third film is even out. Honestly, with these pandemic delays, she would have time to revise her whole timeline, but noooo - logic be damned, prior information in her own canon be damned, human psychology be damned - Credence has to be a Dumbledore because I Can Do What I Want, Now Pay Up!
Sure, there might be something poetic about Grindelwald using Dumbledore’s own brother against him, but given that Rowling doesn’t care about the structure and rules of her own story or how humans actually tick (looking at Queenie) I do not trust her to actually dive into that. And  Credence as a willing, terribly misguided, and deadly instrument of a lying Grindelwald is a strong enough setup for conflict for film three without all this Dumbledore nonsense. If they’d just have not commented, the ending would have actually been quite strong. Now, rather than a cliffhanger, it is an even bigger plot hole than in film 1.
I mean, maybe that is the point, and we learn in film 3 that Dumbledore indeed is a time travelling Harry. Otherwise, I just can’t see why JKR keeps ruining her own endings on social media. “Where is Percival Graves” is a fantastic cliffhanger. “OMG, poor Credence has no idea how badly he is being manipulated into becoming a weapon of mass destruction” is psychologically very suspenseful, and maybe a few people will even fall for the Dumbledore red herring. That is totally OK too.
But for the love of storytelling: can someone shut this woman up already?
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rosethornewrites · 3 years
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Fics I read this week
Some of these may have been read earlier than a week ago, but I tried to keep it contained. Not sure I’ll keep this up, but I’ll try.
Finished:
Rated E:
the origin of change, by kissteethstainred, rated E
Lan Xichen said, “Time for regrowth and mourning is, of course, the most important. But there has also been a—frequent—discussion of marriage.” He paused to drink more tea. He almost seemed apologetic when he added, “Your name has been brought up often.”
“For marriage,” Lan Wangji repeated.
Except with Wei Ying in the picture, nothing goes exactly as planned.
Opportunity, by brooklinegirl, rated E
Lan Zhan is jostled slightly and he turns in his seat to see a harried-looking man squeezing in next to him. There isn't an empty seat there, and the bar is quite crowded. "Sorry," the man says, sounding out of breath. "I know I'm all up in your business, I'll move, I promise, I just—" He blows his breath out. "I'm going to lose this seat next to you, that dude over there has been eyeing it, and it's mine as soon as this guy leaves.”
Rated M:
Oxymoron, by feline_somnambulist, rated M
Jiang Yanli was in the kitchen. She hummed softly along to music being played somewhere else in the house, as she shuffled carefully back and forth from the prep table to the giant vat of soup. The house smelled like pork rib and savory broth. As always, she was beautiful in her element, a goddess of her domain despite the limp and the leg brace.
Her phone rang just as Jiang Cheng entered the kitchen. She saw him and smiled as she made her careful way to the phone on the wall-mounted charging station.
Jiang Cheng put the stack of paperwork down on a counter. He got to the phone first, picked it up. It was Lan Wangji’s number. He rejected the call and put the phone in his pocket.
“A-Cheng? Is everything okay?” Jiang Yanli asked, a frown creasing her brow. “Who was that?”
It Ends With the Beginning, by feline_somnambulist, rated M
They fight. They part. Jiang Cheng is hurt. Wei Wuxian comes to help. Wei Wuxian runs. Jiang Cheng is tired of chasing. They fight.
Until The End, by abCEE, rated M
"When I -- when I tied my ribbon around our wrists, I knew what I was doing and I privately honored it." Wei Wuxian's brows continued to meet as he tried to understand where the conversation was going until realization dawned on him. "Wa -- wait! Lan Zhan, is it what I think it is?!!" "It is usually done at the end of a wedding ceremony --" "What-" "But it could have been acknowledged as an engagement." "Lan Zhan!" He cannot believe what he is hearing now. "But my ancestor revealed herself --" "And we bowed… three times. We bowed, Lan Zhan!"
In which wangxian are married since the Cold Pond Cave incident, knows how proper communication works, and had confessed in the middle of the Sunshot Campaign. Things went spiraling up and down from there.
Rated T:
as it should be, by Sienne, rated T
Post-canon Lan Qiren time travels to before the Cloud Recesses lectures. The Cloud Recesses are quiet and peaceful, something his home hasn't been in years. ...In fact, it is too quiet and peaceful.
Judgment Day, by Grace_Logan, rated T
Cornered Wei Wuxian sees only one way out after cluing in on the Jin's plan.
Welcome To Gusu, by perkynurples, rated T
Deep in the lush forests of Gusu hides an aging resort that hosts dozens of children every summer for an unforgettable couple of weeks. It’s where Lan Wangji grew up alongside Wei Wuxian, and when his childhood friend (for the lack of a better term) surprisingly returns years later in the position of Senior Counsellor, seemingly hell bent on causing the same kind of mischief that got him kicked out of Gusu in the first place, but also taller, broader and tanner than ever before, Lan Wangji knows he’s In Trouble. Or, this fic has it all: longing looks over campfires, found family dynamics, ill-timed skinny dipping, teenagers inappropriately shipping their counsellors, camp weddings...
Therapy is a Performative Act, by cinder1013, rated T
“What does your dad think of your comedy?”
“Oh, he hates it, but it pays the bills and I need it to pay for my goddamn fuckin’ therapy.”
Jiang Cheng stumbles into being a stand-up comic and his favorite topic is dear ol’ dad.
sorry, i love you, by moon_thief, rated T
lan wangji was practically seething as he watched it happen. what kind of person could be so careless, unruly, undisciplined-
and then their eyes met.
oh. oh.
Tremble a Prayer, by cqlorphan, rated T
They kiss, and Lan Wangji regulates himself. There are no tears pricking at his eyes. There is no lump in his throat. His hands are undressing Wei Ying, and then Wei Ying’s hands are on his hands.
“What is it?” Wei Ying says, between kisses.
Even with Wei Ying back, Lan Wangji's sadness overwhelms him at times. He tries, and fails, to keep it from him.
The Quiet Work, by ShipsAreLaunching, rated T
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian get a summons for help from a minor clan in Gusu. When they go to investigate they find a horrible truth, and do what they do best.
Rated G:
Ink Stains Not So Ignored, by Preludian_Staves, rated G
Qiren found something that he still couldn't bring himself to ignore about his youngest nephew's husband.
I’d buy a big house where we both could live, by failed2be_chill, rated G
“Ah, so you want to play with the rabbits and enjoy their soft fur and silly little nose twitches while your poor husband toils in the heat of the day with hammer and nail doing exhausting manual labour. I see how it is. It’s a good job I love you, huh?” Wei Wuxian kisses his husband’s soft cheek.
“Mn, very good.”
---
Or, married WangXian embrace the practical and symbolic joys of home ownership. Domestic bliss.
Family, by Speechless_since_1998, rated G
Jiang Cheng blinked as his brother while he played with the baby he was holding.
He hoped he had misunderstood, but he had proof that it was true right in front of him.
So he did the only sensible thing that came to mind, "Wei Ying, what the fuck ?! '
"A-Cheng, language!" Shijie scolded him with a stern look.
"A-Jie, you can't really accept such a thing!"
"Why not? He is so cute!" she said, making funny faces at the child, totally in love with him.
Was it possible that he was the only one with a bit of mental sanity left?
A Lonely Guqin (No More), by Asphodel_Meadow, rated G
Wei Wuxian is the first person who makes Lan Wangji want to have a duet.
piercing, by escapingaugust, rated G (read the tags)
Stolen Midnights, by hinotoriii, rated G
There are nights where sleep eludes Wei Wuxian. Where the demons of his past are too loud in his mind, reminding him of that which he could never forget, second life or not.
Unfinished:
Not Rated:
Disclosed Regrets, by zLanWuxian, Not Rated
The majority of the cultivation world are pulled into a room that suspiciously resembled the burial mounds. (Their golden cores were sealed too. As to why, nobody knew.)
They are invited to watch Wei Wuxian's life.
What will they do when they find out everything they believed was a lie?
(Or: The characters of Mo Dao Zu Shi watch Mo Dao Zu Shi)
Rated E:
Where You Fell, by Sweet_William, rated E
Years ago, Lan Wangji was a Senior in high school, readying himself for graduation and the coming years studying at the Gusu Lan Institute of Music. Everything in his life made sense, from his role in his family, to a future as a classical musician. The only thing that didn’t fit was the sudden epiphanies he had about himself brought on by his bothersome and flirtatious classmate, Wei Wuxian. When the growing attraction and friendship was cut short by the other boy’s disappearance, he mourned what could have been, but ultimately had to move on. What he didn’t know was that fate would bring them back together again one day, or the reality of how far apart two lives can diverge, how some can find peace and prosperity, while others can fall farther than he ever imagined.
A Narrow Bridge, by FrameofMind and Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle), rated E
Once, Lan Wangji made a choice to step aside. Ten years after Wei Ying’s death, he finds a way back to choose again.
Setting fire to our insides, by StarsAlignNomore, rated E
Lan Wangji dies after the thirty-third strike. Lan Xichen does not handle it well.
*fleabag voice* This is a fix it.
Rated M:
Live Again, Love Anew, by kkanime5555, rated M
“Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian finally speaks up.
“Mn.” Lan Zhan hums to show he’s listening.
“I think we traveled back in time.”
...
“I’ll go, Lan Zhan. I’ll come to Gusu with you.”
-----
Or,
Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are soulmates and, upon Wei Ying's death, they are sent back to when they first met as kids on the streets of Yiling. From there, they both are taken to Gusu, where they are raised together, gradually learning of their shared feelings and finding out the mystery of who sent them back in time and why, all while planning how to save the world, preferably with all their loved ones left alive.
A Torn Red Ribbon, by shiroakuma, rated M
The night before they marched into the Nightless City, Lan Wangji was invited to join Wei Wuxian in his tent.
Unbeknownst to him at that time, it became their last real conversation.
In which, a resounding victory against the QishanWen Sect is won seemingly at the cost of Wei Wuxian's life. Lan Wangji still spends some time being heavily injured. Lan Xichen tries to pick the pieces left behind by the war. The Jiang Sect is renowned thanks to the revered Wei Wuxian and the cultivation world is plagued by unknown forces while Lan Wangji meets with Wei Wuxian in his dreams.
Sacrifices Made with Blood, by NocturnalFriend, rated M
Lan Wangji knew it was too late, there was too much blood on Wei Ying's hands already. Still, if he asked his brother for help, surely. There was a way to rescue the man who held his heart?
Or: Trust is not easily given and all to easily shattered. Lan Wangji learns this in the worst way, when Lan Xichen gives into the demands of the cultivation world. Although nobody could have predicted the whims of fate, giving them another chance at righting things.
What makes you sing?, by Fictio, rated M
Madam Yu was never known for her matchmaking skills but she was known for her inherent meddling. Though it still came as a surprise, when on one fine Saturday afternoon, she called Wei Ying and set him up for a blind date.
There She Rose, by Aiiiru, rated M
Many years had passed yet whispers and gossips about YiLing Matriarch still stayed alive like unruly weeds refusing to die.
"That damn Wei Wuxian must have cursed this year's harvest with 'unkillable' locusts" "But Wei Wuxian had died right?" "Didn't you know that her body wasn't found?" "I heard some cultivators saying that during the chaos, some people saw her leaving in a sword, flying away with someone else." "That must be the demon with whom she signed a contract, a female challenging three thousand or was it five thousand cultivators by herself? Hah!! She definitely has ties with evil creatures and ghosts." "I heard from my cousin in Yunmeng that YiLing Matriarch was born shameless." "Some say she was a male but took female form to seduce the ghosts of burial mounds and gain power by starting demonic cultivation" "Shhh! Don't talk so loudly! My cousin knew a man who loudly gossiped about Yilling Matriarch only to be cursed to death the next day"
Visitations, by Vir_Abelasan, rated M
"Wei Ying-" Lan Zhan says, stutters, "I'm sorry."
And now Wei Wuxian sees it, the red rimming Lan Zhan's eyes, the rumpled edges of his blazer. There is an old, familiar urge for him to reach over, to hold Lan Zhan's hand and smooth his hair, to tell him that everything will be fine.
"We're all a bit sorry about this, I think," he says instead, and finds that he means it. For Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji and everyone else in that Guanyin temple, the pain must be unbearably fresh, like skin just flayed open. But Wei Wuxian's chest had been cracked open a long time ago, his wounds licked and cauterized and sewn shut over five long years - Ever hurting, but a dull, constant ache, "It's really alright, Lan Zhan."
Five years after being accused of corporate espionage and losing everything, the Guanyin Scandal breaks open and Wei Wuxian finds a familiar face at his door.
Kiss My Wounds, Bless My Scars, by Pegunicent, rated M
When he is sixteen, Lan Wangji makes a choice. He becomes Wei Ying's bride.
Rated T:
the one where Jiang Yanli visits (and she's a fucking goddess), by ShippersList, rated T (part 4 of a series)
Wei Wuxian’s sister was a fucking goddess so it was a travesty she wasn’t being fucked like a goddess deserved.
Luo Qingyang decided to do something about it.
(Also, family feels and some plotting but that's beside the point.)
obscured in the shade of the willow, bathed in the light of the moon, by cloud_wanderer, rated T
Wei Wuxian leaves the Burial Mounds for the first time to attend his martial brother's wedding, and everything changes from there. (a.k.a. a universe in which Nie Huaisang schemes to thwart Jin Guangshan's plans and ends up saving Wei Wuxian and the Wens in the process)
Wei Wuxian meets Xiao Xingchen and helps found a sect in Yiling.
Inchoate, by Marinelifeclub, rated T
“Where would you even go once you left? Wait a few more years before leaving." persuaded Jiang Fengmian,
“Will I live to see that long?” Wei Wuxian whispered under his breath.
Jiang Fengmian felt cold at those words. He always thought his children would be the ones to heal the scars left by their mother on Wei Wuxian, but just the concise way he spoke about them, he knows that wasn’t true. Now his best friend’s son sat in front of him, confessing to not thinking he will live to see himself become a man. Cangse and Changze must be furious in their graves as the sweet smiling son they raised endured pain because of a jealous woman and a cowardly man. Sighing, he did the only thing he could to make things right and accepted the boy’s wishes.
At age 14, Wei Wuxian left Lotus Pier and never looked back.
Wei Wuxian leaves Lotus Pier and while things change something’s are just set in fate.
Here We Go Again, by Alliandra, rated T
He looked over to where the swordswoman was still fighting, but her focus seemed entirely locked onto that fight so it was unlikely that she could have had anything to do with the energy drain. He was still wracking his brain for something else to do to assist, so this thing didn’t kill them both, but now he was feeling weak, dizzy and currently not far from helpless.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has been several months since the events at the Guanyin temple and Wei Wuxian is wandering around on his own. After he helps a stranger kill a very dangerous beast he uncovers what seems to be a conspiracy aimed at ending his life. He heads back to Cloud Recesses with his new companion in tow, looking to get Lan Wanji's help in working out what is involved.
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling made a surprising discovery under Koi Tower that may well be linked to the threat against Wei Wuxian's life.
Can they all work together to find out what is going on and put a stop to it, before something disastrous occurs?
Nie Huaisang's Ten Steps to Fix The Fucked Up Reality, by cosmic_zephyr (ProudHaikyuuTrash)
1. Find the time travel array in the Nie library 2. Convince (manipulate) Wei Wuxian to use demonic cultivation to activate the array. 3. Transmigrate to the body of your 15-year-old selves with Wei Wuxian and Survive his wrath. 4. Come up with yet another exaggerated, slightly concerning, plan to save Lotus Pier, Dafan Wens and your brother. 5. Use Empathy to make the Wen siblings side with you in the mess that is soon to come. 6. Kill the main Wen family and make Wen Qing the new leader of Qishan Wen so innocent people are not killed. 7. Annoy the hell out of Lanling Jin just for funsies and also a political statement because Jin Guangshan can suck it. 8 Preferably, just for your own sanity, find a way to kill Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao. 9. Work with Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing to solve the sabre problem of the Nie clan. 10. Live a happy life with your brother alive and the cultivation world not being the huge fucked up mess in your own time-line. P.S. Matchmake the pining pile of disaster and gay aka Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.
Aka canon divergence where Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian (and Lan Wangji) travel back in time and save the cultivation world.
Deal, by Rahar_Moonfire, rated T
Nie Huaisang wants revenge for his brother. He also wants his friend Wei Wuxian back. Lan Wangji left the Cultivation World after Wei Wuxian's death and hasn't been heard from since. It's a good thing Nie Huaisang has spies everywhere. He has everything he needs to put his plan into motion: the notes, the instructions, the "willing body," and the patience to pull it all off.
Now he just needs to be sure Wei Wuxian survives long enough to pick up Nie Huaisang's bread crumbs, solve the puzzle, and shatter the Cultivation World again. The only person suitable for that job is Black Jade of Yiling, the husband of the infamous Yiling Patriarch, Lan Wangji.
Rated G:
Hadn't gone as I planned, by hamlets_ghost, rated G (part of a series)
Lan Xichen leaves the Cloud Recesses with Wei Wuxian and Wangji to meet his mother.
He cannot stay.
[continuation of 'Hold on to your heart']
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sanchoyo · 3 years
Text
danny phantom season 2, ep 12-16 thoughts! these episodes, in comparison to the first 10 or so, felt way more laid back and low-stakes, which I appreciate sometimes. I didn't appreciate how lazy jack's halfa design was in masters of time, it made me so annoyed I redesigned it. 👎🏻 u_u
see prev episode thoughts in this tag <3
-'picking a fight with me and my upgraded form!' 'you upgraded to a mullet?' DANNNNY. YOU CANT SAY THAT TO TECHNUS. YOUVE HAD A MULLET TWICE NOW ('fun' split danny, and evil future danny BOTH HAD THEM). I HAVE THE RECEIPTS.
-danny seeing technus hurting valerie and yelling I AM GOING TO BREAK YOU IN HALF. SAMEEEE <3
-axion labs is now a part of vladco. FUCK YOU VLAD. hes not even really IN this episode, but just thought I'd throw out a nice fuck you anyway.
-'capable of blasting a single person into space in (2) minutes!' tucker. that would kill someone. i mean yeah they might get to space, but theres NO WAY THEY WOULDNT CATCH FIRE, OR THEIR ORGANS WOULDNT LIQUIFY BECAUSE OF THE STRAIN. THEY'D PROBABLY PASS OUT BEFORE THEN, BUT. ...no, okay, I get why vlad bought this company. this is RIGHT up his alley.
-danny KNOWS VAL DIDNT DO THIS, THAT SOMEONE STOLE THE SUIT. AND SPENDING ALL NIGHT CHATTING WITH HER. <3 and val is a 9TH DEGREE BLACKBELT?? danny's mom is, too!! omg and she hunts ghosts, his parents would love her. and her fav fruit is kumquat bc its a funny word. im so with danny val is amazing. I love her and I Do Not Want To Hear It From Sam.
-I knew danny wanted to be an astronaut, but the bowling tidbit is like. yes give me more useless info abt these characters, I love tiny details that make them feel more human, and im glad hes got hobbies aside from ghost stuff, we dont really see a lot of that!!! (I mean, we knew 'fun' danny from when he split himself in half liked bowling, so obv it makes sense he LIKES it, but hes very GOOD at it. so proud of him, bowling king) val calling him neil armstrong and them teasing each other. LOVE THAT.
-technus you are my favorite grandpa for setting this up. SAM WHY ARE YOU BEING SO CREEPY BE HAPPY FOR YOUR FRIEND!!! STOP SPYING ON THEM!!! who actually cares if technus did 'set them up' together, theyre having fun and enjoy each others company!!! 'you think the universe wants you two to be together?' 'i dunno, but maybe /I/ do!' EXACTLY DANNY!!! SOO TRUE.
-and valerie being happy sam said she wants to try and be happy for them and make room at the lunch table for them. and hugging sam over it. VAL NEEDS MORE FRIENDS.
-VAL GOING AFTER TECHNUS IN HER SUIT WITH (1) MILK, AND (1) TREE BRANCH AND KEYS!!!. I LOVE YOUUUU BEST GIRL. her new suit kicks ass
-dannys like 'HEY IM AN ASTRONAUT :D' AW. ...HES IN SPACE... the fact he's actually intending to give her the ring. with SAMS NAME ON IT?? IM CRINGING DANNY NO. YOU CANT DO THAT...thank god he didnt. thank god valerie cut it off and said they can just stay friends for now. tbh, they both have a lot on their plates!! they obv both still like each other...it can be a future thing!! when she knows about phantom! youre 14 theres no need to rush. I just want her to have friends and be happy :(
-...danny struggles to do (1) pull up. SAME. but all the ghost fighting in phantom form REALLY doesnt carry over at ALL? that sucks
-sam being as fit as she is, is not just a goth. shes a goth jock.
-honey I Shrank Our Kid, One of his Enemies, and his Bully: the episode
-dash's crush on phantom is So Obvious. fitness buddies :) watching them interact always makes me laugh. also, phantom, with PANTS. 'how many costume changes you gonna go through, what is this, vegas??' DASSH DJKSFHASKDF
-MADDIE GOING AFTER THE MOUSE WITH A BROOM, WHAT THE FUCK. AAAH. JUST BUY SOME KIND OF MOUSE TRAP.
-danny likes lime and vinegar chips. which sound very good.
-'our boy finally has the physical prowess of a 60 year old president!' ...poor danny LMAO
-'what's wrong with beauty pageants' oh tucker you sweet naïve child. what ISNT wrong with them. who approved this for a high school?? (I mean, yes. unfortunately child pageants exist, but...) also danny and tucker once again treating the pretty girls like objects. I need to meet the grown man who wrote this, I just want to talk...
-prince aragon's dragon form reminds me of maleficent (color scheme wise) which is always a bonus. considering the episode is called beauty marked, I feel like the sleeping beauty references are deliberate
-sam with the fake fangs. once again her accessories never miss. hate the 'not like other girls, girls who get sucked into this kind of thing are all shallow and all want to be carbon copies' bs tho.
-sam trying to be the Worst Bride, being rude as shit. DORA IS GOING TO GET KILLED. DID YOU MISS THE PART WHERE SHE SAID THE PRINCE WILL HAVE HER HEAD IF YOU ARENT THE IDEAL BRIDE. YOU /KNOW/ DANNY WILL COME SAVE YOU. JUST ACT CHILL UNTIL THEN. even if you were doing fine to get him to take off the crown, consider maybe not letting his poor sister get punished also?? sure, she could also take off the crown and has dragon powers, but did you know that for sure?? dora didnt even really realize it until you guys talked!! (or at least, she was scared to stand up to him. you had no guarantee she would...) but. good for dora. ANOTHER friendly ghost to add to the List :)
-tucker is so under appreciated in his time. if he was doing a tech-based campaign today he'd have a better shot. people in 2004 had NO IDEA how much tech would be a part of our day-to-day lives...altho. tbh if you're going to be running for student council president, maybe you should..focus on things to actually improve the school? since he's going for a tech angle, he could say like, he would be running fundraisers for the schools computers to be upgraded, etc? we've already SEEN he can be good at money-making entrepreneur type stuff!!
-oh my god wait. this episode is JUST YUGIOH?????! A REBORN PHAROH USING A TEENAGER AS A VESSEL?? YESSSSSS
-tucker using his new minion to feed him grapes and carry him. AND LOCUSTS ONTO THE BULLIES. I love how when he's possessed, he gains winged eyeliner.
-this episode is giving me big 'plankton makes everyone in bikini bottom his slaves and build monuments of him from the spongebob movie' vibes. and the pharaoh has a traitor who works for him? VERY big yugioh vibes. aknadin confirmed
-I like that danny is still completely exhausted after using ghostly wail. (still patiently waiting on him to get duplication)
-LOVE the fenton's 80s outfits. I get hes 14 and embarrassed by everything they do because theyre his parents, but. cmon, this is one objectively cool thing theyve done. love 80s fashion.
-...was vlad just standing on that streetlight waiting for danny to come out? how'd he know they'd be coming out the back? how long has he been up there???
-oh, wait, his ecto-acne has flareups? that SUCKS. danny was...well I dont want to say he was LUCKY HE HALF-DIED, but he was lucky his was pretty instant (I'm assuming that had to do with the power/scale of the portals being different?) I remember in the ep we met him, vlad made a point of saying he was stuck in a hospital for a long time, so. that really actually sucks and I feel bad. not that it excuses anything he's done...but like. it does suck.
-vlad being so sure danny wouldnt help him he made it somehow contagious to his friends to make sure he'd get help? danny is a nice boy, he wouldve helped if it was anyone else. the only reason he wouldn't have is because of the shit vlad did to him, on purpose. vlad 100% dug his own grave by being the biggest asshole, so it is very hard to feel bad for him.
-clockwork is back!!! and making danny learn lessons The Hard Way. Uhhh, okay. I kind of get Danny’s logic, that time traveling this far back would prevent vlad from becoming a halfa also, ergo no arch nemesis or ectoacne to worry about. But the fact that was basically the first solution Danny came up with to solve this problem is actually so funny. It’s so extreme
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-APPRICIATION FOR THESE 80S LESBIAN BG CHARACTERS.
-vlad telling maddie in the lab (in the 80s) he has something he's wanted to tell her 'for a long time'...how long have they known each other? I assumed they met in college, since jack always calls vlad his college buddy/roommate, so jack and vlad for sure met in college, but did vlad know maddie longer? thats surprising if so. Tho we don’t know what year of college they’re in so they could mean they met as freshmen and a few years have past…speaking of maddie shes crushing the 80s look.
-vlad blames jack, but. maybe dont stick your face 2 inches from the portal??! THIS FEELS LIKE LAB SAFETY BASICS. IF SOMETHING HAS POTENTIAL TO BE DANGEROUS, DONT GET NEAR IT. WITH YOUR FACE UNPROTECTED IN ANY WAY. (altho jack didnt really give a Big Warning besides screaming BONZAI. so. also that, but cmon.) also, they need gloves, goggles, and to pull all of their hair back tbh. but fuck lab safety, I guess!
-cryyyyinnng at how lazy they were with jack's ghost form design, its just plasmius' design on jack!!! you couldve given him his own design!!
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-there. I did that in about 10 minutes and its somehow less lazy than what made it into the show. embarrassing! better yet, I think the episode would've been better if maddie would've gotten the ectoacne. or maybe its just me, wanting to see her design! anyway. I'm sure people have already done redesigns of them both as halfas. I have to go look after I finish this watch through. Also mildly frustrated jacks resentment and bitterness is basically also a copy paste of vlads backstory. They’re different characters, I really don’t think jack would stew in bitterness and jealousy the same way vlad would!! I also don’t think he’d give up after one time of trying to hunt ghosts and getting laughed at. Our canon timeline says different…I dunno, I get it was for laughs, but I’m annoyed because the POTENTIAL this plot has…
-did vlad really wear a stupid cheese hat to his wedding. ok actually that kinda rules. and the cheese door knocker. the dairy-only buffet table. vlad still got rich, just on being the New Dairy King. (Assuming that means he owns a lot of dairy businesses?) ok! this actually is great. hope maddie isn't lactose intolerant!
-'no matter how hard I tried, I could never get rid of my ghost half, the half I knew Maddie could never accept' ohh, ouch, what a horrible thing to say to her HALF GHOST SON. 'YOUR MOM WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU' BASICALLY.
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-maddie strapping danny to the table with a lazer pointed at him in a secret lab she keeps from vlad that she makes a point of saying is sound proof so he can scream all he wants...CHRIST. DANNYS POOR PYSCHE.
-also, not to feel bad for alternate vlad (because, he did lie to maddie saying jack blames her and never wants to see her again...) but. being married to a woman 20+ years and she immediately goes back to jack? if she didnt love vlad and feels like she had to hide shit from him, and says she wasted her best years with him, WHY MARRY HIM. it feels like leading him on!!! cannot believe im feeling bad for vlad, but. this alternate timeline vlad is significantly Less Horrible than Our Vlad. did she not think she'd get funding for her ghost stuff? (which, fair assumption since they're considered 'ghost fanatics/nuts in canon...but...) why did she think jack or vlad would be her ONLY OPTIONS? be like your sister. be single. Actually, this au could’ve been really interesting if after the accident, vlad lied to her and said jack never wanted to see her again, but she stays single. Imagine how much that would bug vlad… like, in her mind, it was never a competition it was jack or no one type situation…
-danny being like 'leave him ALONE' this jack is a HOMEWRECKER, DANNY. let them go to court and settle this at the least. ...or just throw vlad into the portal. (100% human, defenseless vlad) CHRIST, MADDIE THATS BRUTAL. THATS MURDER.
-danny seeing his mom immediately accepting him and his dad being half ghosts in this universe, if I was him this would be a great sign that his universe's maddie would also.
-*maddie voice* "clockwork will help!" *2 seconds later, with clockwork* "I will Not Help." TOUGH LOVE KING. YES LET DANNY SEE THE SODA HIMSELF AND DEVOLP BETTER OBSERVATION SKILLS.
-when clockwork ""reset time to the way it was"" just before danny "meddled"" ...did he really erase a whole alternate timeline? ...damn. because maddie and danny both called it an alternate timeline by name, it splitting when the college incident went different, so it wouldnt have really mattered if he reset it, right. like because danny's timeline is on a different stream? why didnt clockwork just. show danny a replay and not Reset That Timeline. wh...I wonder how many people that Erased From Existence. Anyway! once again stating clockwork is casually terrifying!
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v-poreons · 3 years
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kova's backstory is so sad, like I knew it was sad but reading that still :((( anyways more kova lore bc I'm invested
I can talk about the campaign he was in then! :))
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I'm so mad Tumblr deleted everything I wrote hold on while I try to fix this
Basically what I said before was so fucking long I simply can't rewrite it in as comprehensive a way i did before so this is gonna be a lot shorter I'm PISSED.
I don't remember everything that happened in the campaign because it was four years ago but the party was me as Kova, Asher (Wood Elf Ranger), Lan (Changeling ((in the form of a High Elf)) Fighter), Mislia (Tiefling Sorcerer), and Savory (Tiefling Monk, we had an inside joke that Kova spells her name Savoury).
We were on a job delivering some stuff from one town to another I believe when we were attacked by some goblins who we beat the absolute shit out of. Lan was checking one of the goblins when she found a ring with an eye symbol engraved on it. She put it on and it latched itself to her finger and shot a beam of light into the woods, presumably for us to follow. We hid our wagon and set up camp in a cave for the night. I don't remember who was on watch but we were ambushed by some Dark Elves who took us to the Underdark to their queen who welcomed us and decided to throw a party in our honor.
We were all varying degrees of intoxicated but Kova, who was nursing his first cup of ale since he hates drinking since it inhibits his reasoning skills and he was a little wary of the whole thing. Lan also was suspicious so the two chatted for a bit and planned to do some investigating together later. When we had been escorted to our rooms we found out that we had been magically locked in so we found a way to bypass the spell and sneaked out with the rest of the party, but we were caught and taken into the throne room where the queen revealed she had led us here for a reason. She activated a big rune on the floor and we all blacked out. Then when we woke up our skin was translucent and you could see our skeletons under our skin because plot twist we were dead and had been sent to the underworld (the reveal slapped so hard david if ur seeing this u popped off so hard)
We ended up having to do like a gladiator type match where Kova and Lan created the legendary knife cube combo (Kova casts cloud of daggers Lan throws enemies into the cube and theyre promptly turned into bad guy soup). We won and were brought before Hades and Persephone (Kova and Savory charmed her because they're both nice :) ) and then we were thrown in prison because Hades had a stick up his ass.
We met Brutus and Milquetoast in jail and decided to do a prison break I'm not sure exactly how it went but it involved the warden and a prison riot and Lan killed the warden and was inexplicably drawn to this dark spooky hallway which supposedly held Thanatos but when she reached the end of the corridor all that was there were empty chains.
We had a sick ass chariot race with Hades and Lan flipped him the bird as we escaped down a big cavernous hole in the ground. We woke up at the bottom and learned if we wanted out we each had to go through trials to judge our characters.
I don't remember the exact order we went in but Mislia's was a fight with their ex wife and ended with them choosing Savory's life over the ex, Savory's took place in her old monastery which she had been banned from, Asher's was a puzzle that ended in a fight with his former friend and leader (who happened to be his player's other character from a different campaign remember this it's important), and Lan's (which was the last trial and also the last session since we unfortunately didn't finish the campaign) took place in her childhood hometown but everyone but her had lost their memories and she had to convince us all to come with her and get our memories back.
Kova's was a quiz show type trial during which we would gain or lose things (body parts, knowledge/memories, items, etc.) The trouble with playing a character who's smarter than you is when ur DM asks you what the components are to an X level Wizard spell (something Kova would probably know but I sure as hell didn't) you end up spinning the bad wheel (a la taz suffering game) and losing Kova's harmonica which was a gift from his dead friends dead daughter. Also it got turned to ash :)
The game show host ended up being Medusa and we killed the hell out of her and Lan and Kova struck the final blows.
I ended up asking the DM what the campaign would have gone like from the last session and he said the twist would have been that Brutus was Thanatos and I don't remember how but he could not longer continue being Thanatos so Lan, who had the ring, would be given the choice to become the new god of death or not.
From there we have two endings:
The 'canon' ending, in which Lan accepts her role and remains in the underworld while the rest of the living party members return to their lives. Kova is alone and lonely returning to his travels but has healed somewhat and learns to accept people into his heart again.
In the ending where Lan refuses, the party returns to the living world and parts ways. Lan and Kova reluctantly separate since Kova wishes to keep traveling and seeing the world but Lan is exhausted by everything that has happened in her life up until this point and just wants to settle down. The two visit from time to time but reminisce on their past and wonder how they could have remained close and developed their relationship (art in the video is drawn by Lan's player lil.bunny.prince on Instagram)
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In both endings (and here's where you remember that importance regarding Asher's trial), because the story has established that it takes place in the same world as another campaign, Kova meets
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Gwyn, and becomes a father figure to her and essentially adopts her. They're perfect for each other. Gwyn was cast from her clan and disowned by her family, and now she finally has a solid adult figure in her life who loves and accepts her and helps her overcome her fears of rejection and accidentally hurting the people she cares about. Kova has lost so much and with Gwyn he is able to raise her like he would have helped raise Iris and learns to overcome his survivors guilt and both of their scars and trauma heal together I love them so much.
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Kova does outlive Gwyn by a couple hundred years (damn dnd lifespans) and whichever direction his life goes his endings are always bittersweet but he is able to heal despite always feeling a little sad and when he gets older he settles in a nice town and owns a library. And obviously his canon storyline isn't sad enough so I have aus for that (villain au my beloved). ❤
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askmalal · 3 years
Text
More 11th Legion Head Canon.
Some of you seem to dig this. So, more of my notes. Feel free to use any of this. Just, maybe credit me if you do, in some way?:)
The Blind King, his relationships with the other Primarchs
1. Lion El’Johnson
Typical sibling rivalry here. Mutual respect, but some genuine dislike. The Lion felt that Aenon was too rash, too aggressive, at times; Aenon thought that the Lion was “far too sensible a man and far too good a knight to behave like a foppish nobleman, and yet he often does.”
2. Attali, the Grey Lady
He regarded her as his “little sister” and he was one of the few she allowed to use such a nickname. They saw each other as two sides of the same coin, and corresponded frequently. At the time of Rangdan, a company of the 2nd Legion were attached to the Eleventh. These comprised most of 2nd Legion’s survivors after the death of Attalli and the core of her Legion’s successors. The Second and Eleventh were closely linked throughout their service.
3. Fulgrim
The two shared a love of the study of antiquities. Aenon saw Fulgrim as a deeply troubled soul, and believed he deliberately swallowed away the severe trauma that his duties inflicted on him. The Emperor’s Children served alongside the Eleventh during the campaign against abhuman-witch cults of the Carcosa system, and treated the Eleventh as battle brothers.
4. Perturarbo
Aenon was present at Perturarbo’s discovery and initially enjoyed talking with his brother. They might have grown closer, but the Blind King soon learned of Perturarbo’s early decimation of the Fourth Legion. He came to hate him for it. Perturarbo did not approve of the Eleventh’s style of warfare.
5. The Khan
As Jaghatai and the Eleventh often traveled far from the rest of the Imperium, they only served together once (against the Nephilim), but they did speak to each other whenever possible and a legionary exchange program sometimes saw elements of “the lonely legions” operating alongside each other. There was a genuine brotherly bond here.
6. Leman Russ
According to the official sources, Russ was second of the primarchs to be found and was present at discovery of both lost legions - one being the fourth Primarch discovered, the other much later. I have always liked that idea.
The Russ was present at Aenon’s discovery and the two came like each other quite a lot, being from similar cultures and with equally difficult burdens. The Russ rarely worked alongside others, but he did regard the Eleventh and their Primarch quite fondly. Russ was one of Aenon’s closest siblings and allies, in part because Aenon regarded him as the man he was, rather than the barbarian image he cultivated. It was Leman Russ who delivered The Blind King’s instructions, directly from Terra, to censure the Second Legion.
7. Rogal Dorn
The two had a fair rapport, but were not particularly close. Dorn respected the Eleventh Legion and their primarch, but felt uneasy regarding their unorthodox methodologies and gene-seed. “He is a good man” Aenon once said of Dorn, “but he laughs too little.”
8. Konrad Curze
The Blind King had deep sympathy for Curze and understood the dark necessity of his mission. He disapproved of the methods used by the Night Lords, but could not help but sympathize with them. At Ullanor, Aenon even saw Curze laugh. Once, when Curze confided in him, Aenon promised that “despite our differences, you will always be my brother. You will always have a home with us.” Curze never forgot it.
9. Sanguinius
A generally warm rapport. Very few disliked Sanguinius, and the Blind King was no exception. The two corresponded, and the Eleventh served alongside the Ninth more than once.
10. Ferrus Manus
A rather cold relationship. The philosophy of weakness in the flesh repelled Aenon, who had come to believe that all beings had potential worth.
12. Angron
Rare interactions.”He could have been the best of us. A tragedy.” Shabran Darr and a small contingent of World Eaters fought alongside the Eleventh during their campaign against one of many Aeldari Witch Cults. The Eleventh Primarch came to like them, but never understood Angron.
13. Roboute Gulliman
Friendly. Both regretted not coming to know each other better. They shared a passion for games of strategy, and ancient philosophy. In one of the few prolonged periods of time they spent together, the two spent several hours playing Regicide and an ancient Terran game taught to Aenon by the Khan - Shatar (Mongolian Chess.) Gulliman took in several Eleventh Legion survivors after Rangdan.
14. Mortarion
Cold civility, The two disliked each other, and rarely interacted. Aenon regarded Mortarion as an arrogant man “who knows he knows better than you and will not desist in saying it.” Mortarion called him a “warrior poet” - this was not a compliment when it came from the Reaper.
15. Magnus the Red
Complex. The two got on fine, and shared interests, but often disagreed on matters of philosophy (albeit very civilly.) Aenon quietly respected Magnus, in part because of his kindness toward Attali. “He is often wrong. But so am I. I think we can say that with a smile on both our faces.”
16. Horus
Neutrality. While the Blind King and his legion held the Luna Wolves in high regard, Aenon had little taste for politics and felt that Horus was often too eager to accept power, a trait he, the Russ, and the Khan found off-putting.
17. Lorgar
Neutrality. The Blind King’s legion worked closely with the Imperial Heralds before the coming of Lorgar. He was unsettled by what they became after. Unlike Attali, who had a warm spot for Lorgar, Aenon was uncomfortable with overt displays of religious belief (despite himself having his own, private beliefs.)
18. Vulkan
The third of Aenon’s truly good friends amongst the remaining primarchs. The two had much in common spiritually and philosophically. The Lord of Drakes was a standard to aspire to by Aenon’s reckoning. The Eleventh Legion regarded the Salamanders as Sworn Brothers. “He (Vulkan) is one of the few of our kind who truly understands and shares my belief that we are ultimately the sons of humanity and, ultimately, meant to befriend and protect them.”
As the Horus Heresy canon seems to be, at present, opposed to the idea that the lost primarchs knew Alpharius or Corax (and I suppose nobody knew Omegon) I haven’t got anything formal. I’d like to think that Corax would have been a friend, and Alpharius a man “too enamored of secrets to see the truth.”
Like the Khan, Russ, and Vulkan I suspect the Blind King would have been less than enamored of Malcador. The Khan calls the Imperial Truth “a great injustice” in one of his books, and I suspect Aenon would agree.
Hope this is interesting to some of you!:)
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watch-grok-brainrot · 4 years
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For the minific ask meme: Jiang Yanli and U. coming home.
So… I LOVE this prompt. Thank you !!! What i wanted to do with this took a few brain jumps. First, i wanted a story about soup and about Yanli feeling like her role is to use soup to stabilize everything and heal. Then, i thought about writing a dark Yanli that haunts JC -- but that’s so OOC I decided not to go there. Finally I settled on this. It has been in my head for over a month, trying to figure out how I want to write this. Thank you for your patience!
Earth Offical’s Pardoning
Rated G
Word Count: 1213 (+/- 5 because I never let things be)
Content: cql compliant not other adaptations/novel compliant, canonical characters being dead, family feels, sad JC, baby!jin ling, mention of food because when do i not mention food?, holidays, visiting people, watching her child growing up, childhood development milestones
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Zhongyuan Festival. Earth Offical’s Pardoning. The fifteenth day of the seventh month. On this day, the doors of the underworld opened and Jiang Yanli found herself walking hand-in-hand with her husband towards the world of the living. 
They traveled first to Carp Tower. Zixuan wanted to unite with their son and his family before seeing A-Cheng. Their gossamer forms breezed over the tower stairs and into the main complex. The small lotus pond Zixuan had built for her was abandoned -- brown lotus stems and dried lily pads stuck out of drier ground. 
Zixuan squeezed her hand and they headed towards his family’s Ancestral Hall. Jin Guangyao was in the midst of orchestrating a grand ceremony to honor the ancestral spirits. Jin Ling could not be found. Zixuan stepped before his still grieving mother, knelt, kowtowed thrice with tears in his eyes. He then stood up and tried to comfort her with intangible hands; they trailed over her shoulders and cupped around her face. Jiang Yanli bit her lip and looked away. 
After half a shichen of listening to insufferable ceremonies, Jiang Yanli grew impatient. Zixuan noticed her anxious hands and returned by her side. Jiang Yanli took her husband’s hand, “Let’s go see A-Cheng and Ling’er.” 
Together they folded the fabric of existence and stepped over to Lotus Pier. Crossing the threshold, they flew over the familiar lotus motif of the training grounds, straightened and then landed before the sword practice hall. Walking down the wooden corridors, Jiang Yanli traced her fingers through the hated cracks and scorch marks left from the Sunshot Campaign. A-Cheng kept them intentionally, persevering their appearance. They served to motivate the new disciples, to guide people in righteousness, and to remind everyone what the sect had once lost.
She glided along the familiar winding paths, missing the way wood once felt beneath her feet. She loved the twists and turns, like life, like rivers, like fate. There was something comforting to the seemingly inefficient corridors of her childhood home. Zixuan trailed behind, commenting occasionally on the beauty of said home. 
A few lotus species remained in bloom in the late summer. Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan stopped to admire the multi-layered ombre hues; their bodies hovering over the flowers, their hands failing to make the flowers waver at their touch. 
When they finally stepped into the Jiang Sect Ancestral Hall, Jiang Yanli realized Lotus Pier had been strangely devoid of people this entire time. Had A-Cheng sent everyone else away?
A pot of Lotus root and pork rib soup, plates of sweet and fragrant pastries, fresh fruit, and fresh lotus pods were set out as offerings for Jiang Yanli, for her parents, and for the other ancestors. A-Cheng sat at the edge of the lotus altar, as she often did after their parents’ death. Ling’er squirmed in A-Cheng’s left arm as his left hand held a wooden tablet. His right hand was pointing at the text on the tablet -- the tablet with her name. 
“A-Ling, this is my Jiejie, your mother. She was the most amazing person. I hope you grow up to be strong, kind, and intelligent, just like her,” A-Cheng said as he bounced Ling’er on one knee, his voice cracking as he spoke. 
Zixuan let go of her hand and she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her little brother and her child. Shortly after, Zixuan sat down next to her and held his hand out to caress their toddler son. They had missed so many months of his infancy. 
“Ling-er is so big now. He has gotten half again as big as he was when I last saw him,” Zixuan said.
Jiang Yanli hovered her hand over her child’s head, “He babbles now. I wonder who he talks to. Is the wetnurse good for him? Does he have friends? Is he lonely? Is there someone to respond to his babbling?” Her vision blurred as she blinked back tears. 
The two of them sat by A-Cheng and Ling’er, watching A-Cheng play with the boy and teach the boy. Who would bet someone with as deadly a title as Sandu Shengshou would be so gentle with a child? 
Ling’er became fussy and A-Cheng set him down. The baby pulled himself up by A-Cheng’s robes and reached up to ask for A-Cheng’s hand. 
“You can do this yourself,” A-Cheng responded gently and shooed Ling’er away from him. 
Ling’er’s bottom lip quivered. 
“I know you can walk if you try. Look, I’ll catch you if you fall, ok? But at least try. Maybe your parents are here. It would be nice if they were around to see you take your first steps.”
A-Cheng picked up Ling’er, stood up, and set Ling’er next to the altar for stability. Then he took 3 large steps back, squatted down, and motioned for the baby. 
Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan watched, captivated by the two of them. Would they really be so lucky to witness their child’s first steps today?
Ling’er reached for his uncle. He took a few steps balanced against the altar and then pushed off. A step, two steps, and then teetered forward. Zidian flew out and caught the child. “A-Ling, good job! If only your mother were here, she would be so proud of your first steps!”
Jin Zixuan yelled, “Zidian! A vicious spiritual weapon was just used on our baby! What is your brother thinking? That’s dangerous!”
Jiang Yanli smiled, “A-niang taught us how to walk like this. Zixian knows bloodlines and the owner’s intent. It can be as steady as a banister while feeling more gentle than a dandelion puff.”
They spent the rest of their day with A-Cheng. They watched Ling’er be fed, be held, be coddled. They watched A-Cheng patiently teaching, softly holding, and playfully carrying the boy. Ling’er clung to A-Cheng and A-Cheng to Ling’er. Afterall, they were the closest blood relatives each other had. 
Time flew and night fell. A-Cheng took Ling’er to the market on the docks. Jiang Yanli knew the day was ending; her time here was ending. A-Cheng purchased a violet and gold lotus with nine intricate petals and a candle shaped like a lotus pod. He set Ling’er down and handed the lantern to the boy. 
“Hold.”
Ling’er took the lantern by a corner, waved it, and dropped it to play with the lotus pod candle that fell out. Jiang Yanli felt Zixuan’s arm around her waist squeeze her close. If they were still part of the living, watching her brother and her child bond like this would be bliss. 
A-Cheng picked up the lantern, took Ling’er’s hands and set the candle inside. He then lit the wick with his spiritual energy. The light from the flame flickered, casting violet and gold shadows over the uncle and nephew duo who belonged to the sects of violet and gold.
A-Cheng swooped Ling’er into an arm and gently set the lantern in the water with his free hand. Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan felt themselves drawn towards the lotus lantern. They held each other close and watched A-Cheng walk away with Ling’er towards Lotus Pier. They stood in place but the pull of the lantern carried them away. Lotus Pier slowly faded as they returned to the Earth Offical’s realm. 
Notes: 
So… there are 3 [something]-yuan festivals. Shang means upper. Zhong means middle. Xia means bottom. They all have an associated saying: for Shangyuan Festival, Heaven Offical’s Blessing (yes, like the title of the novel); for Zhongyuan Festival, Earth Offical’s Pardoning; for Xiayuan Festival, Water Offical’s Salvation. (uh… I chose salvation here because the chinese means relieving/saving from distress/suffering).
I don’t like the sound of A-Ling, so i went with Ling’er. I think JC would try to keep his sister’s naming convention and stick with A-Ling… but I also think Yanli might call Jin Ling Ling’er, especially since er can mean child. E.g. Ying’er LITERALLY means infant so uh… WWX probably didn’t get that name for a reason. XD Though i can see gremlin CSSR calling him that… 
Yes, Jin Ling is too young to walk. Maybe JC feeds him spiritual energy when he plays with the baby and so Jing Ling developed a bit faster? IDK. I wanted the story to be set on the Zhongyuan Festival so I fudged childhood development a little. I can also see Jiang Cheng intentionally trying to make Jin Ling do things younger so he can be “better than” or “beat” WWX at things… :/
I think this is only a little sad? Or it starts off sad and ends on an ok note? I’m curious to see what people think
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moskaisley · 4 years
Text
ransom
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pairing: fennec shand x female!reader oneshot
rating: NC-17!!! 18+ it ain’t a suggestion
word count: 2.3k
warnings: SMUT SMUT SMUT!!! graphic depictions of oral sex and a lil bit of bondage, canon typical violence, fluff n the smallest bit of angst
a/n:
the lack of fennec shand content is SAD so here i am indulging in a character we knew for like 5 minutes. id go to war for ming na wen and i can’t wait to see her again in s2 🥺🥺
also yes fennekin is a pokemon, yes i want that to be her nickname, i will NOT be taking questions.
summary:
“You had a bad habit of sneaking away from your family’s dull estate whenever unsupervised, and a corrupted senator’s daughter is always an easy target with a high price.”
in which you fall for your bodyguard and get kidnapped to get her attention.
ao3 link
“You guys haven’t done this before, have you?”
“Be quiet!”
You roll your eyes and lean back into your chair, wrists tied to the armrests. Crossing your legs, you lazily watch your captors pace around the room with a bored expression on your face. This wasn’t the first time you’d been snatched away and put up for ransom. You had a bad habit of sneaking away from your family’s dull estate whenever unsupervised, and a corrupted senator’s daughter is always an easy target with a high price. In the beginning, there was only a mild concern for your life, but your lust for life outside of your grand home kept you slipping away. When your father realized how expensive it was to keep paying for your ransom, he hired all kinds of professionally trained security guards to accompany you at all times. It didn’t work. Each time, they’d grow sick of your antics and quit. Every guard that left your father’s employment fueled your ego and there was a strange power trip in seeing hardened men and women bested by an impulsive, slippery little girl. It wasn’t until your father completely lost it and hired the best money could buy, delving deep into his connections to the criminal underbelly.
She was good, too–impervious to your little games and annoying prodding. It was the first time you’d been so safe in months. If you were being completely honest, you only got yourself kidnapped nowadays to spice up the routine.
Speaking of kidnapping, these guys were total amateurs; they didn’t even have proper binders so they bound your wrists with rope instead. They didn’t bother bagging you when they tossed you into their speeder, giving you plenty of time to memorize their faces(not that you even needed to, they’d be dead by the time you were saved.) Their holovid to be sent to your family was the same tired spiel of  “give us the money or the girl gets it.” Not compelling in the slightest. You were slightly impressed by their asking price, however; it was higher than most. None of it mattered, though. You won’t be here much longer.
After all, your security detail was impeccable.
“Do you plan on taking me to a second location at all?” you ask.
The pantoran shoots you a quizzical look with his golden eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
You roll your eyes again, letting out an exasperated, dramatic sigh.
“Normally, you take the hostage to a second location to keep people off your scent.”
The group looks at you, wildly confused as to why their prisoner is so nonchalant to give them a critique on their kidnapping skills. They then look at each other as if to say, “should we be doing that?”
A devaronian, probably the leader of this ragtag group, quickly stands up to stand before you.
“I thought I told you to be quiet, little girl.”
“I will hand it to you, though. It’s good that you chose a place with no windows,” You continue, completely ignoring his orders, “My security guard is an incredible shot.”
Slap!
Your cheek stings in pain from his strike.
Finally, something interesting.
“No one’s coming for you. You’re stuck with us until your bastard father coughs up our money,” he growls.
You only laugh, enraging him further, “It’s true that my father’s a bastard, but you’re not getting out of here with any money. And it seems–”
The sounds of struggling and shots echo from behind the door, interrupting you. You smirk.
“You’re not getting out of here with your life either.”
As if she was waiting for your cue, your savior bursts through the door, blasters at attention at the group encircling the room. You perk up in your seat.
“Fennekin! You made it!” you cheerily greet, cutting through the tense standoff before you.
She chides you for the nickname.
“Not while I’m working, sweetheart.”
She fires with deadly precision and blaster shots go off chaotically around the room. In a matter of minutes, all five of your captors are splayed knocked out on the ground, and your bodyguard is kneeling in front of you to meet your eyes. She pulls off her helmet, braid falling to her shoulders. Her gloved hand gently nursing your irritated cheek.
“You didn’t kill them?” You ask her, confused.
“Your father would rather have them arrested. Better poll ratings,” she answers, “He’ll be angry with you again, you know.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“Must you always cause so much trouble?”
You pout your lips, “If I don’t, then you won’t pay attention to me.”
Your savior laughs lightly and stands to her full height. She bends over, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. You’re giddy at the feeling of her lips, and your body suddenly goes warm in adoration.
At first, Fennec Shand was just another bodyguard to irritate until she got sick of your tricks and quit. But her patience knew no bounds. You’d be bold enough to say that it amused her, as if watching a child play soldier. And it infuriated you. She never raised her voice with you, even if she’d rescued you from danger or caught you sneaking out countless times. You saw it all as a challenge, a little game to get her to snap, to rile her up, anything . Soon enough, you were desperate for her attention in any form, pressing her with question upon question and learning about the life of a galaxy-class assassin. Each time, she’d answer with the same cool and collected tone she’d reserved only for you.
“Fennekin.”
You couldn’t tell if she hated the nickname. If she did, she never said so.
“Hm?”
“How many planets have you been to?” You ask her one night. During one of your father’s campaign galas, you’d taken the chance to slip onto the balcony, feeling the cool breeze graze your shoulders.
“I don’t know,” she replies politely, “I’ve lost track.”
Naturally, your incessant prodding led Fennec to ask questions of her own, a far cry from your previous bodyguards who only regarded you as a spoiled rich girl with daddy issues. (You were, but that wasn’t the point.) It was comforting to have someone to confide in, to express your frustration at the fact that Fennec had been to countless planets while you’d lived your entire life on a single one. There was so much more that you could be doing with your life than playing the proper, dutiful daughter to a government official. You were grateful that she’d listened to you at all.
It was only a matter of time before you started falling in love with the smoothness of her voice and the relaxed half-smile that graced her lips whenever she was around. And so, you began to flirt with her, cooing praises and taking every opportunity to brush against her and feel her touch. But Fennec still maintained her composure, politely declining your advances in the interest of professionalism. Until one day, you caught her fervent gaze as she watched you float around the halls of your estate in one of your expensive silk dresses and a mischievous glint in your eye. It set your pride on fire to know that she wanted you too.
“Fennec,” you breathed. In your boldness, you’d pressed yourself against her and cupped the sides of her face. Her hands caressed your wrists, rubbing her thumbs against her palms.
You’re obsessed with the way she says your name.
“We shouldn’t do this. Your father will have my head.”
“Who said we have to tell him?”
You met her lips gently, testing the waters and half-expecting her to pull away. But to your absolute delight, Fennec’s hands quickly met your waist, pulling you closer and deeper. Your relationship now consisted of secret kisses in empty hallways, late night escapades in your bedroom, knowing glances from across the room during audiences with your father.
Some things never changed, though.
“We should get going,” she says, going into unbind your wrists.
A delicious idea pops into your head seeing Fennec before you. You gently kick your foot into her knee, effectively stopping her in her tracks.
“Wait.”
Fennec stills and a languid smile spreads along your pretty lips as you uncross your legs, crudely spreading them apart so she stands in between you. Her eyes darken, and she regards you with a piercing stare.
“No. Not here.”
You look up at her with pleading eyes.
“You’ve been so busy. We’re never alone anymore.”
She says your name in warning.
“Fennec, please. I’ve missed you.”
She tilts her head at you and sighs, dropping to her knees. She all but rips off her gloves, throwing them to the floor with an unceremonious flop. Your heart quickens in pace as her hands travel up your legs. She pushes the hem of your dress past your knees and high up your thighs, revealing your soaking underwear. You gasp as a finger traces up your slip, hooking at your waistband.
“ So needy … Is this what you wanted?”
“Yes. Please,” you beg. You’re burning up, desperate to feel her. She pulls at your panties, sliding them down your legs and slipping them into her pocket. Your cunt is dripping in arousal, and you shudder at the sudden exposure to the cold. She grasps at your hips, and presses a kiss to your inner thighs. Your heart races at the fact that you’re bound to your seat and completely at her mercy, unable to pull her closer.
“Did you miss me, princess?”
Warmth blooms at your core at the feeling of her hot breath between your legs. You’re dizzy, all rational thought escaping you. She bites down at the soft skin.
“Answer me.”
“Yes! Fennec, I missed you so much,” you whimpered, “Need your mouth on me.”
She hums in pleasure, and presses soft pecks against your thighs until her lips finally meet your pussy. Her tongue travels up your folds and you nearly scream in bliss. Fennec’s hands grip and grab at your soft skin, lifting to take hold of your breasts. Her thumbs run themselves over your nipples, already pebbling through the thin silk of your dress.
You whine as she pulls away, straightening up on her knees and tracing the contours of your neck and jaw with deft fingers. Her thumb stops over the center of your lips.
“Suck.”
You obey and take it into your wet mouth, savouring the taste of leather and blaster powder. When she removes her finger, Fennec immediately presses it against your clit. You throw your head back in delight, pushing your ass out in your seat to get a better angle. Fennec’s lips find their way back to your pussy, expertly kissing and sucking at your folds.
Your body tenses. The knot in your stomach coils and winds so tight you feel like you’re going to burst. Fennec only continues rubbing circles into your clit.
“You gonna cum for me, my girl?”
“M-Maker, Fennec, I’m so close” you sob.
You feel her smile against your pussy, “Cum for me, sweetheart. Cum all over my mouth.” She sucks at your folds again and you completely lose it. The feeling of relief washes over you in waves, drowning you in ecstasy and warmth. You’re electric under her; she’s the only one to ever make you feel this way. The only one who could make you beg. You’d bleed for her. It was then, in that dingy musty basement with no windows, you realized–
“Shit, I think I’m in love with you.”
It comes out as barely a whisper, spoken into the void in between your laboured breathing. But she hears you because she always hears you, hangs onto your every word uttered through your lips. Her stare freezes on you for a moment in shock, but then she smiles fully, beaming at you from her place on the floor. Taking your face into her hands, she kisses you harder than she ever has before.
“I love you, too.”
--
“I’ve had it up to here with your attitude, young lady!”
Your father drones on angrily, but you’re not even listening. A stupid, lovesick smile has been planted on your face ever since the basement. Your gaze darts over to your bodyguard leaning against the wall directly behind him. She meets your eyes and chuckles under her breath, shaking her head.
Your father barks at you, “Do you realize our reputa– Are you even listening? Pay atten–”
“Daddy, can we talk about this tomorrow?” you ask, lazily pressing the back of your hand to feign fatigue, “I’m so tired. Being kidnapped takes a lot out of you, y’know?”
He huffs through his nose, tapping his foot against the pristine marble floor.
“Fine,” he relents, pointing up, “Fennec, see to it that actually makes it to her room. We need to make sure she’s not slipping away before your departure.”
“Right away, sir.”
Departure? She pushes off the wall and stands at attention. As your father turns his back, you shoot her a look of confusion. Her eyes nod upwards, and you both ascend the grand staircase in silence. In your room, you stand in front of the open doors to your balcony, curtains swaying softly under the blue moonlight.
“How long will you be gone?”
“A month, at most,” she replies, “I’m off to Tatooine on some business.”
You turn to face her, snaking your arms around her neck and hands softly tracing over her braid.
“Do you need to leave right away?”
Her lips curl into a loving smile.
“No, I don’t.”
“Stay with me tonight?”
“Of course.”
The two of you laid together in your large, fluffy bed, curled up into the curves of each other’s bodies and basking in their warmth. Fennec pressed kisses into your temple while you were encircled around her waist.
“Fennekin?”
“Hm?”
“Come back to me, okay?”
Come back to me and steal me away.
--
thanks for reading! see u space cowboys <3
taglist
@tiffdawg​ , @bella-ciaao​ , @thesefleshfailures​
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yilingradishfairy · 4 years
Text
Dying Leaf
Link to AO3 (1770 words)
Written for Day 17 of Untamed Fall Fest 2020 - Falling.
Summary: Wei Wuxian had thought he would have hit rock bottom by now. How much further can he fall? He has long since fallen from the high branch he had flourished on before. But he cannot seem to touch the ground yet, floundering desperately in the wind. His deeds during the war are like the final spectacular colors on dead leaves: impressive, yet they are only the vibrant marks of dying. His soul has surely withered away by now. He is tethered here by only a spare few. Though he cannot be the brother they want, he will watch over them as the protector they need. He will keep going until his body collapses.
Content warnings: Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Whump, Emotional Whump, Canon-Typical Violence, Dark, Body Horror, Cannibalism, but like, Canon Compliant, Still, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Canonical Character Death
I have some feelings™ about that little ghost boy, so I covered the supervisory office scene in some detail. I actually pared it down quite a bit, and I don't think it's much more gruesome than EXR's translation. Still, please make sure you read the content warnings. We’re all responsible for what we consume on the internet.
He stands at the top of a mountain. He's almost surprised that he can stand at all. Wen Qing and Wen Ning left long ago, though Wen Ning wanted to wait with him. Wei Wuxian insisted that they had done enough.
It was enough.
He looks over to where his brother, his shidi, his sect leader lies. He kneels down to hover an unsteady hand over Jiang Cheng's lower dantian, reassuring himself for the twentieth time that it worked. The sacrifice was worth it. It was enough.
He stands again and notes the position of the sun in the sky. Jiang Cheng’s sedative will be wearing off soon. He stubbornly ignores the chill in the air, the one he would never have noticed a week ago, and sets off down the mountain. It feels like he left a part of himself behind.
He did.
Maybe this is for the best, he tells himself as he taunts the Wen soldiers. This way, Jiang Cheng will never find out. He forces himself to laugh in their faces. He dares them to kill him. And maybe I will come back to enact revenge. One vengeful spirit taking down this entire regiment. He spits onto their robes. What a perfect plan.
He's almost convinced them to do it. Instead, they haul him up, up, up into the sky. Higher even than the mountain he had just descended.
Then they drop him into the abyss. Into the mountain of forgotten corpses. Into the dreaded Burial Mounds.
He falls down, down, down.
Then resentful energy reaches up like a black fog, enveloping him completely, slowing his fall. The haze clogs the air so thickly, Wei Wuxian can hardly breathe. He chokes and gags on the thick hatred blanketing the entire area. It rushes into his lungs, crawls along his skin, and batters against his body. He reaches for his own spiritual energy to counteract it. To protect him. To keep it out. But there is nothing inside him but an empty hole.
The resentful energy rushes to fill it.
It's crawling into his nose, through his veins like liquid fire. It's oozing black hate into every pore. He hears whispers, feels hands, breathes smoke. The voices rise in volume until he can hear that it is his name. They continue to rise until they are shouts.
“What do you want?” he asks hoarsely.
The voices coalesce into one. “You.”
And he falls, even further.
Even once he lands on the ground, his descent doesn't stop. Piece by piece, every part of him falls away. Sloughs off like an old skin. He steeps himself in the thick, heavy miasma of the Burial Mounds.
All the souls left to rot here, all the stories with no conclusion, clamoring for a person to pour into. The general of that infamous war that led to the formation of the burial mounds. The countless soldiers slaughtered here. The untold multitudes carelessly dumped here in years since by the self-important Wens.
Wei Wuxian learns so many stories that he can hardly remember his own. The spirits feed him, protect him, gift him a dizi, promise him power. In return for being their instrument. Destroy the Wens, they whisper. Make them pay, they demand.
He travels up to the highest peak in the Burial Mounds. He shrouds himself in resentful energy, like armor. Then he marches down to the living world to begin his task.
He comes back to enact revenge, as he promised the Wens. But instead of one, he is many vengeful spirits, hunting down the regiment, one by one. The fierce corpses, though under his command, retain their individuality. Each Wen soldier is killed however their slayer deems fit. They fight over the ones that wronged them the most and mindlessly annihilate the rest.
Wei Wuxian brings a few select corpses with him to face Wen Chao.
The woman he had scorned and the little boy he had drowned.
"He starved you, boy?" Wei Wuxian asks. The boy nods his head jerkily, eyes fixed hungrily on Wen Chao's whimpering form. "We'll fix that," Wei Wuxian assures him with a pat on his ghostly shoulder.
Wei Wuxian lifts his dizi to his lips, but keeps his eyes open. He won't miss one second of his deserved revenge. He allows the woman and boy to do as they will, watches them hack Wen Chao into slices.
The boy tries to choke down the raw flesh but cannot. He chomps bitterly, stubbornly, until finally spitting it out in frustration. He beats his frustration on Wen Chao’s mauled, bloody leg, and the man’s mouth opens in an anguished scream. The boy freezes, and he looks up, into that gaping maw. He scrambles to tear off more of Wen Chao’s leg, and he shoves the meat into his open mouth. Wen Chao gags through it, but the boy claws his mouth open and forces more in.
Wei Wuxian thinks that he should feel disgusted. Or that he should feel victorious. Instead, he feels nothing. But it worked. The victory was worth it. It was enough.
Afterwards, he formally joins the Sunshot Campaign. It is strange to dine with the living. To converse with his brother and sister. To remember that he has not always been this empty husk, filled with the wishes of a thousand others and one shared goal. He had been Wei Wuxian. He had a place with these people who called him brother.
They try to draw him back in. To recreate the family they had been. But they cannot. He has been cut off from them too long, shriveling like a stale leaf, dead on the branch. The cultivation that they’re so worried about has been the only thing that kept him alive. This is what brought him back to them, though warped and deformed. It was his salvation on the Burial Mounds, and it will be their salvation from the Wens. He knows they don’t understand. He makes sure they won’t, that they will never understand the choices he made and the circumstances he endured. He knows that it was worth it. It was enough.
He has accepted that it will never be just the three of them, ever again. For he is no longer one, but many. And he keeps losing the thread of his identity. Wielding all those energies and stories and hate has a cost. He can’t sleep anymore. He lies down, but he doesn’t dream. Instead, he closes his eyes, and all he sees is them. He lives their stories every night. He feels their pain, their anguish, their rage. All of this borrowed energy swirling inside of him, clamoring for their vengeful conclusion.
So he stops lying down to sleep. Instead, Wei Wuxian steals off into the night, searching for Wen burial grounds. He marches down into countless graveyards, digging down and down to raise up a new horde.
He listens to every single corpse’s accounts. He internalizes all of their stories and uses them to his advantage. "They wronged you," he whispered. "You want to fight on our side." Some of them are persuaded. Some are so resentful, they don't care who they kill. Some rebel, and he simply drains their resentful energy into himself and leaves the husk of the corpse behind.
Before every battle, he amasses a great army with a single purpose. Annihilate the Wen. And annihilate they do.
He had thought he would have hit rock bottom by now. How much further can he fall? He has long since fallen from the high branch he had flourished on before. But he cannot seem to touch the ground yet, floundering desperately in the wind.
His deeds during the war are like the final spectacular colors on dead leaves: impressive, yet they are only the vibrant marks of dying. His soul has surely withered away by now. He is tethered here by only a spare few. Though he cannot be the brother they want, he will watch over them as the protector they need. He will keep going until his body collapses.
Though stated as a hyperbole, Wei Wuxian now knows his claim to be true. Falling to the ground in the midst of battle is far too dangerous to do more than twice, however. He wonders if there was a way to channel his resentful energy through a receptive object, to lessen the strain on his weakened body. He experiments for a few weeks before finding the answer.
The answer is yes.
But now he wishes he hadn’t asked the question.
He tells himself that it worked. The experiment was worth it. It was enough.
At least, the war is now over, and their vengeful goal is achieved. He releases his hold on the satisfied souls, now accompanied only by the stalwart. He continues to masquerade as himself, but he knows it won’t last long. He cannot stay. The living fear him too much now. He hopes that he can pass as Wei Wuxian long enough to see Jiang Cheng well established, and then maybe he can ascend to find peace.
It is not to be. 
He must again cut himself off from the people he loves most. He is grateful to have had them as long as he has. But he has a new cause to champion. One that no one else is both able and willing to take up. He now wields his corpse army, not to destroy Wens, but to protect Wens. A branch of the Wen Sect guilty of nothing more than their name. He leads them up to the Burial Mounds, the only place he can protect them. He brings his corpse army home.
And he clings to that dead branch for two years. A dying leaf balancing on a condemned branch, bracing for the inevitable. He weaves winding tracks into the slumbering Burial Mounds, laying protections, buying supplies, and selling food. But he doesn’t realize. He is just one brutal mistake away from falling again. From falling and taking the whole tree down with him.
He stands there, at the end. He has already destroyed one half of his accursed seal; let them have the other. He backs up to the edge of the cliff. The bottomless pit yawns wide beneath him, beckoning darkly. The esteemed Hanguang-jun tries to save him, another bond he has severed. It’s not enough. Wei Wuxian has been falling and falling for so many years now. He wrenches his hand away, he loosens his grip on the branch, and he falls again. Finally, finally, he hits the bottom.
I love magic systems, and MDZS and CQL leave lots of space for headcanons. I've been trying to develop my own sense of how Wei Wuxian's demonic cultivation might work ever since I started working on a continuation of my You Ignite Me fic. I’m enchanted by the idea of a semi-sentient Burial Mounds. The tortured souls festering within, waiting for their chance for vengeance. Staking it all on one broken cultivator, keeping him alive, grooming him to be their instrument of revenge. 
Credits to @words-writ-in-starlight (link) and @hunxi-guilai (link, link 2, and link 3) for the Burial Mounds feels and headcanon inspiration.
I hope you enjoyed this! Please let me know what you thought! Come yell with me about angsty necromancers ^_^
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