#and they have a super awkward time with lwj

[icyolive]

Fairy tale-ish AU where the Cloud Recesses arc still happens, but LWJ is widely known to be suffering some kind of stone heart curse that prevents him from Feelings. The Lan have tried everything, but their precious second jade cannot be thawed. They can't even identify the curse. It's tragic. And very Lan. He's probably acquired some ridiculous honorific about it because *slaps LWJ* you can fit so many titles in this bad boy.

Then WWX shows up, runs into LWJ, and like... this guy... is hilarious?

Like, WWX is immediately Fascinated by this guy that everyone keeps saying is a tragically frigid perfect upright Lan. Because the guy is clearly full of quiet simmering rage (okay mostly just annoyance) and deeply, deeply bitchy. He's fun to provoke. He gets all of WWX's literary puns. He's got this hilarious deadpan humor that... like... how is no one else seeing this?

Novel WWX was hooked pretty early, but with the mystery of this curse that no one can explain, WWX fixates hard and picks up on a lot of what he otherwise would've missed.

He tries a million different curse breaking techniques. Works on it in class and has less time to bother LQR with shenanigans. Drags LWJ to the library to research, instead of being dragged there to copy lines.

He talks to LWJ instead of provoking him (he still provokes him). Notices LWJ is sad. awkward. speaks like his friends are all books. Gives him the benefit of the doubt, at first, because the poor guy's cursed.

WWX asks what kind of curse it is: no one knows. They can't even find a curse mark. No purification ritual has ever worked.

What do they think it is? For a long while, it was thought to be a curse from his mother, and that she hadn't wanted to deal with such a fussy child. When did they tell him that? Around the time when he was taken from her, just after uncle told him that his crying was unacceptably disruptive. Being disruptive meant he would miss his monthly visit. (LWJ has no idea why this is all spilling out of him. He says it all with what he thinks is a blank face, so it's not like he's making a scene. WWX hears the bitter humor in his phrasing, the sadness in his thousands-yard stare. He shares what he can remember about his own parents.)

The current theory is a love curse; they've been introducing him to eligible young women for the last few years, to see if they could break it. (Because he's Paying Attention and LWJ's face does a Thing, WWX adds super gay to his mental list of LWJ's attributes.)

"Lan Zhan... u know ur not cursed right."

Turns out, and no one's surprised here (somehow everyone but WWX is surprised here) this so-called curse is just the cumulative effect of the Lan repeatedly traumatizing and isolating this kid in various ways more or less since birth.

Maybe it's a complete surprise. Maybe LWJ had some inkling. Maybe he knew, but couldn't find the words to explain to anyone. Maybe he's like "yeah no shit but it made them leave me alone."

So yeah I've been having a lot of Feelings about how WWX is just utterly delighted by LWJ. Not despite his personality, not trying to fix him--he's just a dork who's head over heels for his gorgeous bitchy husband who talks like a book.

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

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1. Itmf the warmest, comfiest wangxian fics that feel like snuggling up next to the fire with a blanket and a cup of cocoa/tea. @vi-sky

🧡 paint smears on sunny days by SnowshadowAO3 (E, 53k, WangXian, Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Everyone Is Alive, Modern AU, Dadji, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending, Brief Alcohol Mention, Masturbation, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Accidentally co-parenting with your son's art teacher, Fatherhood)

The Art of Communication by mrcformoso (G, 4k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Meet-Cute, Engineering Student WWX, Music Student LWJ, Swimmer WWX, Martial Artist LWJ, POV Outsider, POV WWX, POV LWJ, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Communication Issues, But Wanxian Makes it Work, LWJ has limited words, WWX has too many words, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Love Languages, Requited Love)

box your errors by mellowflicker (T, 42k, WangXian, Modern AU, single dad lwj,   Domestic Fluff, Family Issues, Slow Burn, Kid Fic, let lwj have friends agenda, Hurt/Comfort, Pining)

Worship you till morning comes by feyburner (E, 6k, WangXian, Modern AU, Meet-Cute, First Dates, First Time, Fluff, Kissing, Hand Jobs, Falling In Love)

I know what my heart wants  by yakuso5u (Not Rated, 28k, WangXian, Modern AU, Single Father LWJ,   Fluff, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Accidental Child Acquisition, Domestic, Slice of Life, Christmas references)

Many happy returns. by orange_crushed (E, 25k, WangXian, Modern AU, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Grief/Mourning, Loss of Parent(s), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Past Suicide of a Parent, References to Depression, Anxiety, Therapy, References to Anti-Depressant Medications, Escort Service, Loneliness, Everybody’s Abandonment Issues, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Moving In Together, Oral Sex, Penetrative Sex, Hopeful Ending, Recovery, References to Escorting/Sex Work but No Actual Escorting/Sex Work)

can you feel it by lanzhancore (E, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Awkward Sexual Situations, Established Relationship, Hospitals, Slice of Life, Fluff and Humor, Idiot Lovers, Crack Treated Seriously)

I'll buy you the moon (I'll buy you two) by Thesaurus_with_no_words (E, 27k, WangXian, Science Fiction, Space, Rebels, Space Opera, On the Run, Promoted To Parent, Robots, Androids, Mechs, Battle Mechs, Hurt/Comfort, Technopathy, Willful and Deliberate Baby and Wife Acquisition, Porn With Plot, Mpreg)

~*~

2. Itmf wangxian fics where a) sizhui saves WWX b) best big brother nie mingjue and c) the lans take in WWX and are super supportive (similar to Where is home? and Stunted, Starving Juvenility)

2A)

Would You Come Home? by s6115 (Not Rated, 46k, WangXian, Family Feels, good uncle JC, Canon Divergence, Junior Quartet Dynamics, Junior Quartet, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It)

~*~

3. hello! i would like to know if there are new wangxian mpreg fics especially pregnant wwx, please!

The Legend of Moonflower by JJSIN2020 (E, 94k, wangxian, 3zun, A/B/O, Emperor LWJ, LWJ FUCKS, he has a whole harem of male omegas so of course he does, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Beta LXC, Omega JC, Omega XY, Omega XXC, omega SS, Omega OYZZ, Beta NHS, Mpreg, Wolves, Angst with a Happy Ending, Imperial China, Character Death, Fighting, Blood, WIP)

My Heart is a Cavern of Longing, Please come home? by LadyVamp (E, 50k, wangxian, rape/non-con, graphic depictions of violence, A/B/O, Non-Traditional A/B/O Dynamics, Omega WWX, Alpha LWJ, Bitch WWX, Forced Marriage, Accidental Baby Acquisition, YLLZ WWX, Oblivious WWX, wangxian Get a Happy Ending, Forced Bonding, Forced Pregnancy, Depressed WWX, Sex In A Cave, Uncontrolled heats, JZX Lives, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Pining, LSZ is a Ray of Sunshine, Child LJY, LJY is WangXian's son, alpha to omega, Unplanned Pregnancy, Pregnant WWX, Mpreg)

The best kept secrets (taste the sweetest) by h0peless_oblivion (T, 13k, wangxian, A/B/O, Canon Divergence, Mpreg, Unplanned Pregnancy, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Child LSZ, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Fluff, Angst, It's angsty for like 5 minutes then it's happy endings from here on out I swear, Secret Baby, Past pining while fucking, Happy Ending, WWX doesn’t lose his golden core, ossible SA (not between wangxian), Madam Lán Backstory, Good Uncle LQR, WIP)

there is a lantern shining dark (upon this winter's day) by AnnaAphrodite (T, 21k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, LSZ & LWJ, LWJ & OFCs, major character death, Not Everyone Dies AU, Mpreg, A/B/O, Omega LWJ, Alpha WWX, Omega WQ, Beta WN, Pregnant LWJ, Implied Bottom LWJ, Supportive LQR, Supportive LXC, Good Uncle LQR, Good Older Sibling LXC, Good Uncle LXC, LWJ & NHS Friendship, LWJ & WQ Friendship, Thirteen Years of WWX's Death, Bitching, Minor arranged marriage between LXC and a female oc, LXC does have a slightly morally grey moment, but he means well)

~*~

4. ITMF canon era fics where wwx is:

A) Artist

B) musician

C) dancer @constellationdks

I'm here for recently ITMF post #4: thnx for all the suggestions but they are not what I'm looking for. In my post I said Canon era, all the fics suggested are modern.

4A)

🔒 Away from Trouble by Ilona22 (M, 15k, WangXian, Not Jiang Family Friendly, WangXian gets a happy ending)

A Life Without Regrets by naqaashi (M, 74k, WIP, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Crack Treated Seriously, musical cultivation, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Murder Husbands, Happy Ending, PTSD, BAMF WWX, Cultivation Sect Politics, Worldbuilding, Módào Zǔshī & The Untamed Combination, No Yīn Iron, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Artist WWX, Musician WWX, Bad Parent JFM, Bad Parent YZY, Cultivation Theory, Sentient Burial Mounds, Dysfunctional Family, Grief/Mourning, Parent-Child Relationship, Angry WWX, Angst, No Golden Core Transfer, BAMF LWJ, Idiots in Love)

obscura: ink stain by AvoOwO (M, 20k, wangxian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Canon Divergence, Emotions, Heavy Angst, Painting, Temporary Amnesia, Drugs, Drug Use, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Drink Spiking, Victim Blaming, LWJ Has Feelings, LWJ Has a Crush, Soft wangxian, Holding Hands, Blood and Violence, Good Sibling JC, Protective JC, WWX is a Mess, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Politics, Protective LXC, Good Sibling LXC, Good Uncle LQR, LQR Tries, OCs, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, WWX Needs a Hug, someone gets punched a lot, LWJ contemplates murder for a moment, JC almost gets it done, not quite about romance, as much as romance elements there, more so about the small things, LWJ loves how WWX smells, some nasty things are said, WWX def needs a nap, he gets one dw, LQR Gets Shit Done, NHS Is A Little Shit, Scheming NHS)

( 不忘 | Don’t Forget by dragongirlG (E, 50k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel, Reincarnation, Fix-It of Sorts, Identity Porn, Social Media, Devotion, Reunions, Feelings, Family, Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Bondage, Names, References to Canon, Modern Era, Artist WWX, Sexual Content, Pining, POV Multiple, Additional Warnings In Author’s Note) is a canon/modern time travel fic with artist!wwx. )

the best of you by sysrae (E, 41k, WangXian, XuanLi, Modern AU, College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, slightly undernegotiated kink, but in a very soft and consensual way, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, JFM and Mdm yu's A+ parenting, Dysfunctional Family, Mental Health Issues, Reference to animal attacks/animal cruelty, descriptions of past violence)

For a Good Time, Call by ScarlettStorm (E, 170k, WangXian, Modern AU, Getting Together, Pining, Porn, like in the writing and also as a plot point, onlyfans au, repressed LWJ, sex worker WWX, Minor Angst, major shenanigans, Background ChengQing, background NieLan, background XuanLi, Nonbinary NHS) photographer and sex worker

To See You (Again) by FrameofMind, Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle) (E, 84k, WangXian, Modern AU, London, No Magic AU, lan zhan FUCKS, But Like Bottomji Fucks, Friends to Lovers, Self-Discovery, Pining, Grindr, Light Bondage, mild D/s themes, Experienced LWJ, Less Experienced WWX, straight boy wwx)

adoration by Lunarieen (T, 12k, WangXian, Modern AU, Artist/Model AU, Childhood Friends, Sensuality, Hurt/Comfort, Reconciliation, Art as Love Language, Character Study, Friends to Lovers, Gender Exploration, a little bit of dissociation)

4B)

Across the street to another life by danegen (M, 99k, WangXian, Modern AU, unleashed au, Family Fluff, Set in America, Hurt/Comfort, Past Child Abuse, Addiction, Crime, Amnesia, Ableist Language, another fridged mother, POV Alternating, past wwx/ofc, past wwx/omc, Medium parent YZY, A-Yuan is wwx's biological son, Musicians, Happy Ending)

When the Lights Come Up by brooklinegirl (E, 50k, WangXian, background 3Zun, Notting Hill AU, Modern AU, famous WWX/non famous LWJ, Break ups and make ups, Musician WWX, bookseller LWJ)

4C)

A Flower in Bloom (or Wei Wuxian Crashes a Party) by UmbrellaMartialGod (E, 30k, wangxian, Post-Canon, Crossdressing, Humor, Fluff and Smut, Established Relationship, Festivals, Dancer WWX, Insecurity, Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, Porn with Feelings, mild possessive behavior)

The Darkness Before Dawn by PsycheStellata707 (M, 113k, wangxian, Angst with a Happy Ending, Time Travel Fix-It, Canon Divergence, BAMF WWX, Attempt at Humor, PTSD, Oblivious WWX, WWX-centric, Blind WWX, Sentient Burial Mounds, Everyone Lives AU, Except Those Who Deserves to Die, Oblivious Pining, Not Canon Compliant, WIP)

4c dancer wwx fic: canon era wwx is raised by a group of traveling performers. I believe he was a fan dancer and possibly a musician as well

notes on a scene by wishingswell (M, 27k, WangXian, Modern AU, Ballet, Fluff)

space, skin, muscle, bone by tombenough_and_continent (T, 23k, WangXian, Modern AU, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Non-Linear Narrative, Dance, Background SongXiao, background NieLan, a surprising amount of texting, gratuitous use of ballet terminology)

Falling to the Rhythm by Selenay (E, 128k, WangXian, Modern: No Powers, Dance, Strictly Come Dancing Fusion, Ballroom Dancing, Dancer!WWX, Violinist LWJ, Pining While Dancing, Oblivious WWX, Gratuitous Costume Descriptions, Gratuitous dancing descriptions, Slow Burn, [Podfic] Falling to the Rhythm by semperfiona_podfic (semperfiona))

Unstrictly Ballroom by Ariaste (T, 47k, WangXian, SongXiao, Modern AU, Everyone's alive, the gang defeats systemic heteronormativity, Stripper AU, competitive ballroom dance AU, really stupid misunderstandings, Yearning, Mutual Pining, the wrist grab, lwj makes a friend (who isn't wwx!), modern au but it's still set in Fantasy China (Gusu/Yiling/Lanling) rather than Real China, LWJ's pov, Erotic Handholding)

~*~

5. Heyy ! I am in the mood for a fic where lan zhan is a therapist ! (wether wx is his patient or not isn’t relevant ) thank youuuu @sebyyw

Deep Dive by MimiSpearmint (E, 24k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Modern AU, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Feels, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng are Bad at Communicating, LWJ is a Panicked Gay, Therapy, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Angst with a Happy Ending, Career Ending Injuries, counsellor!lwj, background NieLan, Melbourne, Eventual Smut, Crack, Baby JL, domestic abuse is discussed but does not happen, Baby LSZ, Baby LJY, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Good Sex Practices, Implied Slight D/s, WangXian Have a Breeding Kink, Cameos by various minor characters)

~*~

6. hi! i would like to know if you know any fics where

A) someone goes off about how demonic cultivation is dangerous/immoral etc and gets their argument refuted

B) wwx teaching other people demonic cultivation

C) kind of an overlap between the two above, but any fic where wwx considers demonic cultivation worth pursuing even after the book's end/has some pride towards his accomplishments of creating it @chellsky

6A)

Cradle by Dragonesque (T, 196k, WIP, Canon Divergenc, Adopted children, Yiling Wei Sect, BAMF WWX) For #6 a & b, forgetting the name but it's super long ao3 qiongqi path au, for want of a nail, Jin zixuan lives and wwx gets hurt. Accidental yilingwei sect. Wwx gives a bunch of wen's the wei surname, it was inspired by a 2ch incomplete fic. Anyone know what I'm talking about? / I think 6A OP is talking about is Cradle by Dragonesque on AO3?

6B)

no one ever said the single-plank bridge had to be walked alone by rosemu (T, 124k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Yílíng Wèi Sect au, Fix-It, Not Everyone Dies, LWJ Stays at the Burial Mounds, Fluff, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Canon-Typical Violence, Found Family, Slow Burn, LWJ and WWX get to be Dads together, the healing power of homoerotic flute/guqin duets, Happy Ending) WWX takes on MXY & XY as disciples

Death of a Ghost by Gotcocomilk (E, 107k, WangXian, WWX & JL, Canon Divergence, Ghost WWX, Hurt/comfort, Family bonding, Fluff, Angst) if I remember correctly, has ghost!WWX teaching mxy demonic cultivation

~*~

7. I’m in the mood to read a great many things, but I’d really appreciate it if you could do a rec list of fics where wwx gets to flex being a talisman master/a badass with talismans(knowingly or not) or an updated list for Immortal Lan Wanji x either reincarnated wwx or also immortal wwx. I feel like generally the first just isn’t tagged and that I’ve already read all the good ones under the other.

Btw, I’m not asking for both unless you want to compile both. Just whichever list sounds more fun to make/ find fics for.

Help expanding my library would be very much appreciated.🙏 @omgnectarina

~*~

8. If you do find this fic, would you also recommend something in this similar theme? LWJ doing things for family and not being happy and LQR finds out and regrets his actions? @lailan-rosie (last part from a FF)

Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 107k, WangXian, Modern AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Romance, Persuasion au, Separations, Mutual Pining, Depression, Miscommunication, Emotional Roller Coaster, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Reconciliation, Eventual Smut, Jane Austen Fusion, Underage Kissing)

~*~

9. Hiiiiiiiiii, How are you guys?

Im in the mood for a modern au fic where lwj and wwx are in a committed relationship but break up due to wwx over-committment to the wens or jiangs. It can be because they dont get to spend enough time together or its taking a toll on wwx and they fight about it. Whatever it is - i want wwx to be the one who realises things and has to make amends. Happy endings ofcourse.

I have seen many fics along this plot line BUT lwj is always the one apologizing and putting in the extra effort to be accommodating. It might just be me but i dont think thats fair. So pleeeeeeease recommend some fics where wwx puts in the work to fix things

KILF (Knits I'd Like To Fuck in) by ScarlettStorm (E, 168k, wangxian, modern, sex work, fiber arts, 2nd in series) is a long fic but it has a fight at the end of chapter 17 which is related to WWX being overcommitted (partly to JWY, I guess), and he has to be the one to try and make that right. They don’t break up, but it is a significant fight.

~*~

10. Hey! I’ve never really done one of these but figured I might as well give it a shot. I recall in one of your posts you recommended Stunted, Starving Juvenility. Long story short, I took it and ran away with it. Now I’m pleading for any similar Fics like Stunted Starving Juvenility (Preferably no slow burns unless it’s really good) @neverforgetyou-1

Silenced With A Kiss by NinjaKK (E, 120k, WIP, WangXian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Flirting, Teen Romance, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Soft WangXian, WWX in WWX’s Body, Secret Relationship, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Dates, Inventor WWX, Genius WWX, Canon Divergence, Protective LWJ, Protective WWX, Ripple Effect, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Optional Smut, Supportive LWJ, BAMF WWX, Inappropriate Use of Gūsū Lán Forehead Ribbon, Has an Angry LWJ Kink)

~*~

11. heyyy sorry for bothering you guys. itmf for more fics like Concord by deastar (currently in the angsty mood, specifically wwx feeling sad) thank you for your hard work! @aquiver-heart

~*~

12. In the mood for fics where either lwj/ wwx is something akin to butler in A) canon era/ canonverse B) modern or 19XXs or future ✨

~*~

13. Hi! Any fanfic about junior shenanigans saw how scary wwx is? (Especially when they saw the Yiling Laozu Era)

Thank you so much! @just-for-browsing-stuffs

~*~

14. Itmf fics where person X is " as long as I'm here, no one can hurt you... " To person Y

A) X= lwj and Y= wwx

B) X= wwx and Y= jc and/or jyl

C) X is anyone, Y is wwx

Haha sorry for this format of asking, but I can't help it, I've been doing maths for hours now...

~*~

15. Hello! For the next itmf I was looking for a fic where NHS asks WWX for help with NMJ’s saber cultivation problem and WWX manages to save him and prevent him from dying. Ideally with 3zun too but it’s fine if not. Thanks!

The Core Issue by Hauntcats (T, 21k, WangXian, Angst with a Happy Ending, Not JC Friendly, Canon Divergence) It's WWX going to NHS asking for help, but otherwise fits the request

~*~

16. First part added to a Finder post ~Mod L // Also I would like more fics where wwx has a tiger/lion, i don't mind it being modern

~*~

17. I want to read Wangxian future series watching fanfiction. Can someone suggest me few fanfiction in these genre @abz18699-blog

Characters watching/reading their series fic comp

Reaction_fanfics collection Try Oracle of Pearl . It's Future Viewing series of Wangxian.

Wangxian: Oracle pearl by Abby18699 (G, 183k, WIP, Wang Xian, ChengQing, NieLan, XuanLi, Sunshot Campaign, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, Future, Time Travel Fix-It, Temporary Character Death, Güsü Lán Juniors Dynamics, JC Needs a Hug, Characters React to Fandom, Canon Divergence, Post-Canon, Pining LWJ, Soft LWJ, LWJ Needs a Hug, Inventor WWX, Chief Cultivator LWJ, Oblivious WWX, Characters watching future, Implied Mpreg)

~*~

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!***

[llycaons]

for lan wangji -- 2, 8, 12, 22! and for mtefil character of your choice, 1, 13, and 23!

hi vero!! and oh boy my prophet

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

I really like how he's simultaneously unyielding but undergoes so much change - he's capable of humility and self-reflection. there are lwj haters and they don't seem to realize this lol. I feel like it's really hard to balance a character who's so strong-willed and rock-certain in their beliefs, but is also capable of undergoing deep introspection and changing themselves drastically and independently completely out of internal motivation (his Mr. Darcy similarities). That's what seems challenging to capture in a fanfic too! His character arc is pretty straightforward but it does enchant me. And I of course also love what a sweet loving tender-hearted person he is underneath his appearance and reputation. He was made to love...he simply loves to cherish and take care of wwx so much...he's underdeveloped yes but genuinely classics are classics for a reason and he's such a good romance lead in so many ways. Remember when he said farewell to the bunnies 😭 his combination of formality and awkward sweetness can really knock you out if it's done right. And when he's rude to people he doesn't like in a highly formal and polite setting that is super funny. I also think it's funny when he's really bad at social interactions. been there <3 it just rules to have an awkward autistic lonely love interest but who is deeply beloved and fan-popular and fucks

8. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

I kind of get annoyed at the crass horny jokes about him because I'm like GUYS. that's not our business, he's a really private person! but he's a BL love interest so it's kind of our business and like. I read fic. flipside you don't see this very often anymore but you used to see a lot of ace lwj stuff and that would drive me up a WALL. oh my god the man loves to fuck. he's horny and gay and attracted to his love interest and he loves to fuck. just let it go. find another guy!!! you still see it in the tags and it annoys me a lot...if nothing else wangxian are having crazy sex all the time canonically you know oh and STOP! MAKING! HIM A! BUSINESSMAN!!! I know modern AUs can be hard but there's a way to preserve his social and financial standing AND his association with music AND his reputation for pro bono work. it doesn't even make sense with the themes because lwj is VERY close with his family and never truly rejects them or leaves them, he just rejects their interpretation of their principles and their authority. like he is a cultivator and a musician as is the rest of his family! lxc can schmooze because he was always more of a politician, and lwj's life DID change bc of wwxand having him in his life, but it's not like lwj would have entirely had a cold empty terrible life without wwx showing him the wonders of Other Career Opportunities. he would have always had music and he DID always care about the common people! there's a fic where's he's a lawyer representing trafficked and abused women like his mother...I loved that one. grave goods you will always be famous

12. What’s a headcanon you have for this character?

I'm always so bad at these...don't google 'lan wangji headcanons' btw you get CRAZY results. hmm he has really sensitive earlobes? he has a crazy skin care routine and honestly I think wwx does too bc wwx is also invested in his looks. people always act like wwx washes his face with hand soap but do you remember he was wearing lip gloss after being passed out that one time? he definitely carries eyeliner with him at least. anyway lwj is mildly allergic to several common lotion ingredients to he has to buy extremely expensive brands of toner which wwx makes fun of him for one day when he sees it because he thinks he's being bougie but it's all a misunderstanding bc lwj really is allergic to the cheaper stuff. except lwj doesn't actually need toner bc his face is naturally like that. he's just a rich teenager who's a little vain with too much pocket money <3

22. If you’re a fic reader, what’s something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don’t like?

ohh, I like when they nail the earnestness and intensity in his feelings! like he has this heart-wrenching deep passionate love for wwx and for his mother and he doesn't love many people but he cares so deeply and so thoughtfully and it's really special to read something that captures that and then captures the turmoil of what he DOES about it...like whether he fights the expectations he's grown up with (unstoppable force vs. immovable object) to stand behind wwx, or he defies his own impulses to make sure wwx doesn't even know his feelings and thus doesn't feel indebted to him....he's a delightfully introspective character. I love when they nail lwj pov, but I think I've read more wwx povs where I love having lwj there to Be The Love Interest, just bc it's hard to capture that in a fresh and interesting way, but wwx is much more dynamic and exciting so it's easier to have fun in his head. I think. you can't get too creative with lwj or it starts to feel ooc. I also like when they can work within the narrow field of what's in-character to feel fresh and original tho sometimes in fics lwj wil talk in that very formal, borderline possessive, weirdly disrespectful, I-know-I'm-more-powerful-than-you style that edward from twilight uses on his child bride and that always kills me. please...he is not a conservative immortal vampire he is a 36 year old gay man who loves someone else as an equal and is working to support him after failing him terribly...actually that too. sometimes fic authors pretend like lwj was always perfect and never put orthodoxy before wwx and was never cruel or judgey and that's not true!! the growth matters so much BECAUSE he wasn't perfect! wwx loved him even when he was failing him but he was never perfect!! he doesn't HAVE to have a whole arc about changing in every fic, but I read one that said he was completely normal about strippers as an 18 yr old and I simply do not think that's true I think he was a repressed gay teenager growing up in a conservative and sex-negative household and culture who hadn't unpacked any of that yet and his opinions probably would have reflected that at least a little

thank you vero! I miss him...

now for my blasphemous manga yayyy

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

going to go with priest! I think I'm really enjoying seeing the person priest is kind of...becoming. he went from a suicidally depressed child into a young teenager who's on a quest to save someone he deeply loves. not that he's not still traumatized - a scene in the sloth arc really hit me, and that was when he said you don't stop having those feelings no matter what your life turns into. and that can sound really bleak, but it was him saying, but you live anyway. and that's like, facing reality and living through it. it felt so hopeful to me. I really want to see what kind of person emerges from the wreckage of this arc, after being betrayed by the person he loves the most, after journeying with demons and witches, after learning the person who saved his life is dead by his own hand, after possibly confronting his father. or satan himself? we know he loves baking, that he's kind and self-sacrificial, that he cares about his friends (well, some of them, rip mikhail), but so much of him has been shaped and limited by abuse and violence that I really love seeing him develop his own likes and dislikes in his adolescent life and beyond. like the bunnies....I bet he likes other animals too...

13. What’s an emoji, an emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot?

omg yess this question. if verge had dante's number you know he'd be texting like 😋🤩🧨😜😈🧙🐖 abt him and his plans and maybe 🌈😬🎭 if he's feeling more passive-aggressive about Their Whole Deal. dante doesn't use emojis he would just try to call him and argue while quickly developing a life-threatening aneurysm but verge is on do not disturb (it's human sacrifice night) and tragically doesn't see his call but he DOES let dante track his IP address to an empty warehouse so in 18 hours they can have another fun little showdown that leaves dante near catatonic with grief

23. Favorite picture of this character?

leah and barbara for this one!

EFFERVESCENT. I wish the artist played around with everyone's outfits more! verge and dante wear basically the same thing every single appearance. but leah and barbara here look COOL

thanks vero!!!

[kavehsmommyissues]

i have a mdzs hs au kinda planned out but since i have school fucking my ass and i literally cannot write anything "normal"(i usually write pwp/angst), i'll just turn them into headcannons and i'll be spamming that shit(if i remember cus wtf is remembering)

mdzs hs headcannons

-wwx, nhs, and jc get sent to remedial classes for not paying attention in class but instead of learning, they watch hentai tgt during remedial

-jzx is in orchestra and plays first violin, i am not explaining that he just has the vibe

-wen qing has a kpop addiction and jgy knows abt it

-wen chao is a super senior (he's just gross, juvy's waiting for him)

-every parent-teacher conference is awkward asf because jin guangshan would be there with madam jin and he'd encounter second lady mo, madam qin, and meng shi. the worst part is, all the kids are there too

-the jins and the jiangs have tea parties/dinners tgt and one time jin zixun wanted to be the star so he decided to light fireworks in the jin living room and exploded everything

- lwj asked wwx to prom by blasting "Seven" by Jungkook

-jyl loves volunteer work and volunteers at soup kitchens only to find wwx and jc dragging jzx out of the lines cus they don't want him to see her, zixuan still comes by regardless

That's all for now lmao

[heavymetalchemist]

I agree w/ some points u made in ur meta abt jiang cheng, but wwx wasnt just a sworn brother. they literally grew up side by side and yet he was wilfully blind to wwx's nature that should have made jc trust him: wwx's goodness, his tenacity, his selflessness. jc knew him and yet in his grief and anger and haste to blame someone he pours it all on his brother who, as selfless and self-loathing as he is, accepts all the blame. It's not abt the lie, but that jc chose to believe the lie.

I’m guessing this is in response to this post and to clarify, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian ARE brothers, and I didn’t mean to diminish that by comparing the blind trust to Lan Xichen and the Venerated Triad.

However, here’s the thing, like, what lie are we talking about? Because the lie I’m referring to in that post is multifaceted:

Your golden core has been restored by Baoshan Sanren

I’m totally fine

I can absolutely control all this resentful energy and this new cultivation method isn’t hurting me at all

I don’t carry my sword any more because I don’t feel like it, even though it is very publicly rude of me not to

You cannot rely on me to help you run the sect because I am off in a tavern drinking all day, stumbling home drunk, but again, I’m totally fine and have nothing to discuss with you about my mental state at all, I swear I am just a fun-loving guy!

I have said before on my blog that I don’t like good person/bad person dichotomy, for a number of reasons, but primarily because it implies a static state of being and causes a willful blindness to harm people cause. People are complex, and while I do think intent matters, it’s not magic. Wei Wuxian gives up his golden core for Jiang Cheng, with all the good intentions in the world, but he does this without consulting Jiang Cheng, lying to him about it, drugging him to perform experimental surgery, dealing with the trauma of three months in the burial mounds and not having a core alone and absolutely refusing and rebuffing every overture Jiang Cheng makes trying to figure out what’s wrong with him, causing a lot of political problems with his behavior that Jiang Cheng then has to smooth over (and the Jiang sect is in a very fragile place, politically), then busting into a prison camp and killing ALL the guards with a fierce corpse and running off to the burial mounds with the last of the Wen cultivators.

And even with all of this, Jiang Cheng still defends and cares about him, they have that entire staged fight after Wei Wuxian insists on leaving the Jiang sect, which to Jiang Cheng is a betrayal of his promise to be with him in leading the sect, but Wei Wuxian does not tell Jiang Cheng about the whole surgery thing so he really doesn’t have a clue about how much Wen Qing and Wen Ning did for him (although, of course, if he had known about it he would never have let them do it, I’m sure).

From Jiang Cheng’s perspective, how is he supposed to trust in this goodness and selflessness? WWX is throwing the Jiang sect under the bus. WWX is not helping rebuild the sect, he’s drinking all day. (Of course he’s traumatized, they’re ALL traumatized, but he’s not talking about it so how can JC help?) WWX murders a bunch of Jin sect cultivators, running off with a bunch of prisoners of war, from the sect that attempted a full-scale genocide of the Jiang sect. (And to be clear I do not condemn this action and think that Blood Feuds Are Bad, however, in context this is a world where blood feuds are a very real thing. Personally I like the AU where they get Nie Mingjue on their side, as the Nie sect actually has a lot of power that the Jiang sect simply doesn’t, and therefore they can protect the Wen remnants that way. But I digress.)

Not to mention, WWX is using demonic cultivation, corpses are running around, he’s thrumming with resentful energy. Not a good look.

And then Jin Zixuan gets his heart punched out. In CQL there’s a second flautist, but in the book he simply loses control (the control he SWORE he had) and even in CQL it’s not like we find out about the second flautist until the end. How is JC supposed to trust in WWX’s goodness when he’s just murdered his brother-in-law? When he’s abandoned his family and sect for the people that murdered them? (YES I know the Dafan Wens weren’t involved in actively killing people but this is the whole blood-feud-thing, audience knowledge is not character knowledge, etc.)

And then at Nightless City, WWX loses control AGAIN (or at least appears to), three thousand people get murdered, Yanli dies, and JC STILL can’t actually stab him. JC was DESPERATE for any sort of explanation or reason of why this was all happening, but over and over WWX said it was fine, and the real takeaway for JC by the time Nightless City rolls around is - this man is not the boy I grew up with, this man is no longer my brother, my brother would NEVER do this would NEVER hurt Yanli, so it can’t be him any more.

It’s not unlike knowing someone who becomes addicted to drugs. Someone you knew and loved becomes an alcoholic and their whole life goes up in flames and then they’re drunk driving and then they kill someone doing it, and how long are you supposed to sit there while they destroy themselves, telling yourself that you know they’re a good person on the inside?

Now all that said, on the OTHER hand, if you’re talking about the lies that the other sect leaders were spouting, about how WWX was speaking against JC, about how he doesn’t respect him, etc?  You are SO right and it pains me so much that JC didn’t have the ability to stand up to those assholes and say “He’s my brother, shut the fuck up” a la Yanli to Zixun at Phoenix Mountain. Even with all the crap going on in the background, it was obvious to the other (older!) sect leaders that WWX was very powerful and very close to JC and they deliberately tried to undermine the Jiang sect and I hate them. That plays into a lot of the trauma that JC personally has but yes, I think that’s one of the failings that haunts him - how could I have listened to their poisoned words at all?

[vrishchikawrites]

Wangxian couldn’t happen before WWX’s reincarnation into MXY though. He didn’t love LWJ back then and had WWX found out about his feelings, it would have just made the situation super awkward. They would’ve probably just avoided each other until the Nightless City battle. Besides, MXTX tagged her novel unrequited crush while writing it, so there’s that. I think Wangxian was not intended to happen earlier than it did

No it wasn't intended to happen earlier but people don't seem to understand why that actually is. Love doesn't pop out of thin air without effort and nurturing. That's just attraction. WWX was intensely attracted to LWJ, he was from the very first time they met. It took a mere two months of LWJ showing his care for WWX to fully dive in.

If LWJ put the same effort back then, WWX would've fallen just as easily. WWX wasn't indifferent, he was merely not in a space to think about love. And while LWJ was smitten, he wasn't in the right mindspace to commit to love.

If WWX didn't have this intense connection and draw to LWJ, the post-ressurection storyline would be much much different. There's a formula there, preexisting connection and compatibility plus active care and concern equals full-fledged love.

And it could've happened even as far back as CR because the baseline was always there. But the time wasn't right for them. Timing also matters. With MDZS, love became a reward and that's what it was supposed to be. This is MXTX saying love needs time, space, freedom, and nurturing to flourish.

[ladyqueth]

I’ve noticed that many some fanfics paint LWJ as having trouble with words.  An unfortunate result of translation/language issues (I think?).  LWJ often chooses silence over speech, and he’s terse - in English, that can come across as someone who’s shy / awkward / bad with words, etc.  But LWJ is actually incredibly literary and articulate!  Because LWJ’s Chinese is short not in the “can’t find words” way but in the “it takes more intelligence to say things in fewer words” way.

[There’s lots of good reading on linguistic register in Chinese and MDZS specifically (here’s two), but I was chatting with @spicychickenyang about this and figured I’d post in case anyone needed the reminder or missed the memos.]

I’m super-interested to see if/how perceptions change with the official translation.  From what I’ve seen, they sacrificed LWJ’s brevity to preserve his formality and erudition, which is absolutely the right choice for localization (as opposed to straight translation) imho.  There, look, I made this post timely.

[littlesmartart]

Jin/Jiang/Lan/Nie modern AU family bbq! recreating very specific memories from my childhood of Mandatory Bank Holiday Sunday Bbq Family Gatherings

in this AU the older Jin siblings teamed up and got rid of JGS (JGY’s business skills and eidetic memory + Qin Su’s interpersonal skills and connections + JZX’s reputation and trust fund = Dream Team) and MXY has been in JZX and Yanli’s custody since he was about ten. 

notes on the AU under the cut!

Zixun isn’t there because he and his family took JGS’s side in the legal battle, so he’s now That Awkward Cousin We Don’t Invite To Things, and Mianmian is there because she and JZX grew up together so he considers her basically his sister 

Yanli and JGY have a very cheerful war of attrition over who does hosting duties at Jin Fam events, and the only reason JGY is currently winning is because Yanli’s pregnant so can’t really chase after him when he carries out all the plates 

(JGY’s always happy to rope one or more boyfriend in to handle the heavy lifting, though) 

90% of the time it’s WWX who runs around after the kids and he’s absolutely a-okay with that, just so long as LWJ holds his drink and feeds him when he takes a breather

this is WWX’s shirt

did JZX buy the obnoxious grill specifically for this bbq? yes. can he cook at all? absolutely not, he’s hopeless, but he does try, bless his heart. thankfully NMJ is actually a pretty good cook and has Yanli’s permission to step in if needs be

(JZX is pretty sure that Mianmian and Qin Su aren’t interested in each other, but he’s lowkey terrified at the possibility, because if they get together... which one of them does he give the shovel talk???)

there’s always one little prick who brings a fucking Super Soaker(TM) to a squirt gun fight, and this time it’s JC. originally I was imagining he would just use it to drench WWX and wouldn’t dare go after the kids, but @ellethinthewoods galaxy brained and pointed out: JC would get hyped up with competitive spirit, get Jin Ling right in the face, Jin Ling would burst into tears, and JC would spend the next half an hour trying desperately to convince Jin Ling not to tell Yanli.

MXY is only about 13/14 here, so there’s like a ten year age gap between him and NHS (and therefore no absolutely no romantic relationship!). NHS is sort of like his arts/theatre mentor. he’s probably showing him his photography blog.

MXY is emo. his siblings are... bemused, but supportive. MXY loves them a lot but can’t help being vaguely gutted that he got born into such a preppy family. he highkey thinks WWX is the coolest person ever, which literally no one else understands.

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 09 first part

(Masterpost) (More Canary Funsies)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

This episode features so many eternal minutes of zombie shambling that I thought I could fit everything into a single post. HA HA HA HA nope. 

Zombie Temple

The trio do their best to fend off the not-zombies in the temple. Lan Wangji tells Wei Wuxian that he can’t go carving them up because they’re not actually dead, and drops a callback to their very first meeting at the gate of Cloud Recesses, when Wei Wuxian caught his attention with his pillowy lips comment on the not-dead cultivator. 

Lan Wangji: You said it in that golden moment that will be seared into my memory for eternity, where I heard your voice and laid eyes on your angelic face and lost my heart forever, remember? Come on, babe, it was our very first zombie! How baked were you?

Wei Wuxian: I jerk off to the sword-fighting memory, not the zombie memory, you weirdo.

Nie Huaisang’s fear of the definitely not undead has apparently gotten him the rest of the way over his fear of Lan Wangji, because he’s now yelling “Lan-Xiong!” right along with “Wei-Xiong!” as he struggles. Note that although he later mentions that his fan is made of some fancy metal, we don’t see any evidence that he wants to fight with a fan any more than he does with a blade. I don’t hate anyone’s fan-fighting NHS headcanon, but my take is that he just isn’t a physical fighter, and that’s ok. 

This is a good time to remember that our entire experience of the Nie clan so far in this story is 1. Clever but hopelessly combat-unready tiny artiste Nie Huaisang 2. Quietly helpful, absurdly pretty sidekick Meng Yao. 

We don’t know yet that Nie Huasang’s gege and Meng Yao’s sugar daddy is literally the toughest motherfucker in the entire cultivation world. But his friends do! Which makes me love these dynamics even more, because not one of them criticizes Nie Huaisang for being the person he is. 

(more after the cut!)

Never Let Me Go

This scene is where Wei Wuxian gives his tacit consent to being used as the eventual agent of Nie Huaisang’s vengeance....ok not really.

But he does make it clear what Nie Huaisang should do when he’s in a pickle. And NHS doesn’t forget things.

Priorities 

Meanwhile, Lan Wangji isn’t nearly as patient as Wei Wuxian, and he drops a silence spell on Nie Huaisang basically out of annoyance. It’s not like they’re trying to be sneaky. 

Lan Wangji: How about you have an exquisitely crafted ceramic cup of shut the fuck up?

Flute Girl

Wen Qing comes to the rescue by summoning all of the not-zombies, who happen to be her extended family, to come toast some marshmallows. 

She’s another person who unwisely demonstrates, where Wei Wuxian can hear her, the power of flutes over zombies. 

This move doesn’t seem to do anything important but it looks cool. 

Brother Dynamic: Bad. Really Bad. 

Jiang Cheng shows up in the temple and trolls everyone, because this is a great time for childish antics. Wei Wuxian is super happy to see him and runs over to hug him, which earns him a shoulder slam. 

This is a regular part of their body language with each other. Wei Wuxian covers his hurt reaction very, very quickly, with a smile that doesn’t involve very much of his face. 

Ow

Wei Wuxian is so good at pretending his feelings aren’t hurt, he probably convinces himself. 

Then he gives a too-honest answer when Jiang Cheng accuses him of...daring to enjoy himself, basically.

That’s more truth than Jiang Cheng was looking for, and he raises a hand to Wei Wuxian, who hides behind Nie Huaisang. This move is interesting because on one level it’s just clowning; obviously Nie Huaisang can’t protect WWX from anything, and WWX doesn’t need protection from Jiang Cheng. 

WWX can easily beat JC in a fight, as he’s let us know before. On another level, this retreat signals WWX’s harmlessness, his childlike-ness, in a semiotic dance that has been playing out for over a decade between the brothers.  NHS is taking on Jiang Yanli’s role in the choreography, this time.   

All of this troubling hostility doesn’t make Jiang Cheng a bad person. He’s young and he’s still under his parents’ control and subject to their abuse at home. It takes time to develop mindfulness about this stuff and learn to treat people beneath you differently than the way you are treated. 

Jiang Cheng isn’t ready for that yet, any more than he is ready to say out loud that he cares about his brother. 

Leave My Boyfriend Out of It

This interaction is noteworthy for Wei Wuxian defending Lan Wangji to his brother, before Jiang Cheng even has a chance to blame Lan Wangji. 

Wei Wuxian says that following Lan Wangji was his own idea, and then gives LWJ the sweetest, warmest smile.

Lan Wangji also gets a pair of totally unearned, delighted smiles of thanks from his two besties when he lifts the silence spell on Nie Huaisang. 

Being mildly dickish all the time works out fine, I guess, if you only make friends with people whose brothers are legendary grouches.

Grilling Wen Qing

Wei Wuxian finally decides he’s had enough of Wen Qing’s crap, and gets slightly aggressive in questioning her.

He’s not actually roughing her up but he is approaching her as a near-enemy for the first time, rather than as someone who wants to be her friend. Once Wen Qing tells him what’s up and agrees to a sort of temporary alliance, he goes back to being his normal slightly awkward self with her. 

I don’t romance-ship WQ and WWX, except maybe as corpse-mountain era FWB, but I do like their chemistry. And their friendship is really refreshing and interesting, based on sharing goals and working together, not on emotional intimacy. It’s nice to see people with a lot of barriers around their hearts, building a strong, trusting bond without having to actually open up very much.

The idea of perfect sharing between people is a nice one, but it’s pretty alien to many of us who are recovering from trauma, or people who just aren’t wired that way, and it’s good to see other models of friendship and love. 

Wei Wuxian, at Lan Wangji’s direction, parts the Red Sea drops a cage on the other 3 cultivators before going to hunt the dire birdy.  

Jiang Chang is, predictably, pissed off about it, in spite of Wei Wuxian’s “you’re good at this” parting words, and says, according to the subtitles, “you bastard!”

“Bastard” is a pretty specific epithet, in English. In the current century, it’s generally used to mean “asshole,” more or less. But it still does carry the meaning “of illegitimate birth,” and since The Untamed is often concerned with legitimacy it seems pretty strong for JC to use with someone who is rumored to be his own Dad’s by-blow. 

Let’s have a look and see what he really is calling him... 你混蛋 =  Nǐ húndàn = “you bastard” per Google translate. Wow, Jiang Cheng, you really went there, huh. 

Wen Granny

Wen Qing and the others in the golden cage watch as the not-zombies try half-heartedly to get to them. Wen Qing is super sad about it, as opposed to the two guys who are just annoyed (Jiang Cheng) or scared (Nie Huaisang).

The first time I saw this, it was just - oh, Wen Qing sympathizes with this poor random woman, she feels bad about what's happening, this is to show us she has a heart.

Now though --  that's HER granny. Maybe not her bio-grandma but clearly a granny of her clan, who she knows well, who later cares for A-Yuan when he's a child, so may very well have cared for A-Qing and A-Ning when they were small, too. Owie.

Dire Bird Hunting

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian run off to hunt the smoke bird together. They are quickly trapped in cool-looking fog. Kudos to the Director of Photography.

They spend some time being confused and also being peak Wangxian 1.0 as they help each other out. 

Lost in the fog and unable to summon talismans, Wei Wuxian is mainly about checking on Lan Wangji, making sure he’s ok, making sure he’s near.  He doesn’t spare any worry for himself.

(We get a rare instance of seeing an actually glowing sword here, instead of just having a character say “I saw the beams of swords!” to save money on VFX.)

Lan Wangji, meanwhile, understands the mental attack they are under, explains it to Wei Wuxian with only a little snark about Wei Wuxian’s overly busy mind, and teaches him how to handle it.

Lan Wangji is super disciplined in mind, body, and sword - his fight moves don’t change, really, throughout his life, but he gets better and better at execution. Wei Wuxian isn’t exactly undisciplined, but he’s super creative and busts out a new skill in nearly every encounter. Lan Wangji sees this and is learning to make use of it.

After Lan Wangji helps Wei Wuxian overcome the confusion that is blocking his talisman use, he tells him which talisman to use. 

This isn’t a talisman that LWJ uses himself, it’s just that he’s paying very close attention to WWX’s battle moves, and has a great memory, so he knows which ones will work. In a pretty short timespan he’s moved from thinking like a solo swordsman to thinking as part of a team with a broad range of battle skills. Very soon, he’ll be starting to use Wei Wuxian’s talismans himself. 

WWX takes a hit from the flying death chain, but uses it to his advantage, as in so many encounters. He’s not just self-sacrificing--he is definitely that--but he’s also a chess player, knowing how to use a sacrifice or an injury to his advantage. Cue Lan Wangji being worried for the entire rest of his life.

Part Two is here!

[wangxianficrecs]

Okay, y’all.  This is the kind of question I am the worst at, so help me out.  I’ve put down my first thoughts, but do you have suggestions?

~*~

1.  Do you have any mdzsxtgcf crossover fics? - @mystic-wolf-bait​

❤️ Demonic Cultivator’s Blessing, or: Curse of the Bunny Gods by FayJay (E, 25k, wangxian, hualian, post here )

00:00 by uraa (G, 3k, wangxian, hualian, my bookmark)

even across a thousand miles by merryofsoul (T, 11k, wangxian, hualian, my bookmark)

A Chance Encounter in YiLing by museaway (M, 10k, wangxian, hualian, my bookmark)

I can smile at the old days by zacechild (T, 30k, WIP, wangxian, hualian, my bookmark)

Atlas by etymologyplayground (E, 12k, wangxian, hualian, my post here)

For Whom the Bell Rings by DawnCloud (T, 23k, wangxian, ghost jiang yanli)

let this soul be your whisper by merthurlin (T, 29k, hualian, wangxian)

Somewhere Sits an Empty Throne by Siamesa (E, 20k, wangxian)

~*~

2.  Thank you for all your awesome work in running this blog! [You’re welcome!]  Do you know any time travel fics where the people traveling don't know all the plot twists before traveling/have incomplete/biased information? (the longer the better but even short stuff is fine). - @winterschild

Here’s my time travel tag, but I can’t think of anything as specific as what you’re asking.

~*~

3.  Any fics where Lan Zhan sings To Wei Wuxian? 

~*~

4.  Forbidden Love?

~*~

5.  Can you recommend fics where one of the juniors got hurt/cursed during night hunt and wangxian take care of him? [These 4 all have wangxian caring for hurt juniors at some point, but it’s not the primary focus.]

❤️anyway, here's wuji by kakikaeru (T, 18k, zhuiyi, wangxian, my post here)

Still in the Water by airgeer (T, 45k, wangxian, my post here)

Heavy as the setting sun by snoozingkitten (E, 24k, wangxian, my post here)

Only If For A Night by greyskais (M, 19k, zhuiling, wangxian, my post here)

~*~

6.  Hey! do you think there is a fic in which when WWX asked LWJ in cave if he liked mianmian and LWJ actually replied yes? @threeyearoldweiying​

~*~

7.  Do you know of fics similar to "A Bell That Tells Us to Rise and Fight" by DeerstalkerDeathFrisbee? I like the idea of wwx coming back to life to a happier world then when he left it.

~*~

8.  Hey there! you do some pretty good recs, [😳] i was wondering if you can recommend me fics where lan zhan has a yiling patriarch kink (for example "devil from heaven" by incendir). thank you!

~*~

9.  Hi!! I'm suddenly overcome with an urge to read a post canon fluff fic with loads of cuddles??? I was wondering if you've read anything like that?? Thanks again for all the work you do, I've been able to discover more fic writers thanks to you! - @tardisfireworks​

❤️hunters seeking solid ground by Attila (E, 24k, wangxian, my post here)

❤️Senseless by carolyncaves (T, 7k, wangxian, my post here)

Twelve Moons and a Fortnight by stiltonbasket (G, 207k, wangxian, WIP... “has ALL the cuddles. separate beds who??????” says Nonny)

~*~

10.  Do you know of any fics that deal with Lan Zhan and Jiang Chang being petty as hell towards each other despite the fact Wangxian are either dating or married? I just need some fics with them being shitty in-laws and Wei Ying trying to mediate.

the only way out by cafecliche (T, 12k, wangxian, my post for the series here)

Where the Winds of Change Blow by merakily (G, 17k, wangxian)

some good mistakes by Lise (T, 18k, wangxian, @flamingwell  says:  Very Awkward Road Trip.   IT'S SO GOOD!! I've read it on my own multiple times, plus read it aloud to my household, twice. There's also a very excellent podfic version. Seriously, Lise (@veliseraptor) is just....top shelf Yunmeng bros feels author, and also loves the Super Awkward LWJ/JC in-law relationship and I Love It So Much.)

[jaimebluesq]

if you are still doing the Highly Specific Ship Ranking, how about NHS/JZX or NHS/LWJ? :)

Always happy to do an ask meme :D

I'm actually going to turn this into because a set of initials you gave me also applies to my super-secret evil little guilty pleasure ship.

Nie Huaisang/Jin Zixuan -

Squick / Just nope / A trainwreck you can’t look away from / Mehh but they are bloody everywhere / Not interested but no negative feelings / I need to see how I could make it work / BroTP / Cute / I love them / They rented a room in my mind and are here to stay

I can def. see them as a BroTP - I always imagine NHS asked Da-ge to tag along any time he went to Koi Tower because he loves pretty things and all the gold is pretty (even when it's tacky sometimes) and the gardens are pretty and the clothes, etc etc, and can see him making conversation with the awkward Jin sect heir, and NHS just loves talking so it's nice to talk to someone who'll just sit and listen. The thing is, there's this one scene in The Untamed/CQL which could be a good starting point to figuring them out as a friendship OR a romantic ship. The fight scene when WWX attacks JZX, NHS gets in the middle of it and from all appearances doesn't look like he's picking a side. In fact, when the fight ends and WWX & JC walk away with JYL, NHS is still behind with the crowd. So yeah, it gives food for thought. Don't know if I'd ever write a romantic ship, but am actually working on a BroTP friendship in a fic I hope to get working on... sometime in the next century.

Nie Huaisang/Jin ZiXUN -

Squick / Just nope / A trainwreck you can’t look away from / Mehh but they are bloody everywhere / Not interested but no negative feelings / I need to see how I could make it work / BroTP / Cute / I love them / They rented a room in my mind and are here to stay

NOW HEAR ME OUT - okay, I know Jin Zixun is an asshole, that is a part of his character, etc etc etc. But... I think they'd be hilarious together. Seriously. Or tragic. Either way, what bliss? I wrote them together in my Purple Peony fic as a "surprise, this is who the mystery guy is", was supposed to be a one-off joke... and they haven't left my brain!!! Like an enemies to lovers with them sniping and being really nasty and eventually falling into bed together because JZX saved NHS' life in the war or something, or a tragedy where JZX is inspired to not be so much of an asshole because he fell in love but then it all goes to hell because he won't give up his crusade against WWX and NHS refuses to be with someone who's after his bestie, or some sort of redemtion arc after WWX dies and JZX realizes he can't have been the one to cast the curse because wouldn't the holes have gone away when WWX died? Honestly, I just love the idea of them together, and if people can ship Xue Yang with whoever, then I want to ship with Jin Zixun, damn it!

Nie Huaisang/Lan Wangji -

Squick / Just nope / A trainwreck you can’t look away from / Mehh but they are bloody everywhere / Not interested but no negative feelings / I need to see how I could make it work / BroTP / Cute / I love them / They rented a room in my mind and are here to stay

I can see the potential, especially after WWX dies, but I just don't see the chemistry. Maybe for the same reason that I'm not much of a Xisang shipper either. My favs tend to be NHS with someone mean/sarcastic/can be nasty or nice, which is why I love him with JC, JGY, and the abovementioned Jin Zixun. LWJ, while he can be an ass sometimes, it's of the quiet glare at you, shut you up with a silenceing spell, or tattle on you variety, and there's little room for banter, which I love :( At least romantically. As friends, there's more potential there. Their brothers were besties, friends with WWX, they at least have connections, and potentially a shared enjoyment of music (NHS does play the flute in Fatal Journey after all).

Thank you so much for this! You accidentally gave me an excuse to talk about my guilty pleasure :D

[restingdomface]

Modern au where Wei Wuxian has a sweet little white rabbit who’s always super excited when he gets back from classes and puts his wittle paws up on WWX’s knee and wriggles his nose to scold him for being away so long and he sleeps in WWX’s arms every night and loves his human with all his heart- but. He’s a lonely lil snowball of a fluffer and WWX feels bad that he has to be alone all day while he’s in class, so he takes his baby down to the pet store, to see if they could find an animal (doesn’t have to be a bunny, they don’t always get along anyways) that can become a good little companion for his fussy grooming bun bun, and finds!!! Lan Wangji! A classmate who’s in a similar track to WWX and always looks so perfect and pristine and composed and WWX once caught him holding a baby (a lil cousin) and charming it to pieces with his stoic beauty and tummy tickles, and WWX is NOT in love with him, he just thinks the man could wreck him both physically and emotionally and WWX would thank him- anyways. Off track here.

LWJ!!! Turns out to be there. For the exact same reason as him. He’s got a hyperactive little bitch of a fluffer on a leash (Snowball doesn’t usually stay on his leash, since he refuses to let WWX out of his sight if he’s around, but WWX is starting to realize that this situation is sort of ‘dog in the water’ akin, and his baby boy should really be on a leash too, so he gets one while theyre there) and looking for a good companion for Inkblot, who likes to eat chili peppers, and sleeps on LWJ’s head, whether LWJ wants him up there or not. WWX is charmed by this angery lil thumper and joins LWJ in his search so they could both find a companion to take home.

The only issue is. Snowball and Inkblot. Seem to have decided. Their perfect companion. Is each other. Shit. Shit. Shit. We can’t just take home each other’s pets. Fuck. But now they’re refusing any and all other pets. Inkblot, who had previously been cowering from a teacup poodle (WWX doesn’t blame him, the puppy gave a bark and he got a frighten and WWX might have hidden behind LWJ’s back a little because the animals are Okay™️ if they don’t jump or bite or bark and he’s even given Jiang Cheng’s old lab a pet or two when he’s seen him but a few times he’s heard a bark from the big dog and suddenly he’s halfway up a tree and that one time the oversized bear of a neighbor’s dog was off his leash and the owner SAID he was just trying to get WWX to love him but WWX was crying and Jiang Yanli had to take a day off work and bring him to her house and WWX didn’t even freak out at that stupid peacock seeing him cry for once cause Jon Zixuan had been shockingly nice to his traumatized brother-in-law, plying him with cookies and spiked tea until WWX was finally calm. No no. WWX doesn’t blame the bunny for running from the poodle. Those things can turn so fast) is now all but refusing to even look at the kittens he’d previously been sniffing at, making pleased little nose wriggles and chewing sounds while Snowball grooms that mess that we call fur into a sort of almost normal looking bunny.

Anyways. So. Shit. We can’t just. Maybe we can... share custody? No no, Snowball would throw a fit (biting included) if he had to be separated from WWX for a full night, and Inkblot would probably get mad and make the biggest mess he could.

So. It starts off with play dates. See. This doesn’t really solve the issue of them being alone while the boys are in class, but play dates are a good way to start, instead of just throwing your fur baby into a new environment without any warning. So, WWX will bring little master Snowball over to Lan Wangji’s swanky apartment (listen, WWX has a whole room for his cranky baby’s toys and items but LWJ seems to have dedicated a pretty epic portion of his massive apartment to an appropriate rabbit run for his spoiled child, and Snowball seems a little jealous lol) and will watch their boys interact. It mostly involves grooming and playing and that one super awkward time when the boys decided they were grown up enough for Adult Fun Times and ruined both LWJ and WWX’s delicate sensibilities (catch me in the back rootin for 25+ year old virgins WangXian cause fuck that whole ‘no modern WangXian is gonna be virgins’ bullshit scenario okay even modern people can wait for sex wow) and then, when they’re sure the boys can handle being around each other for hours without fights, and also after LWJ has set up like five nanny cams to the apartment that’ll stream straight to their phones so they can watch their babies during the day, they start leaving their kiddos alone so they can go to class with a peace of mind knowing their boys aren’t lonely.

Which helps. A lot. Until one day. They’re sitting in the same class. Getting ready for class to start (I see a lot of Music Students WangXian, but what if they’re both medical area students? I want scientist WWX who works with dead bodies and pediatric doctor LWJ who loves babies, even the ones with sticky fingers) and WWX is just cooing at his phone. ‘Such a good boy you are, eating those greens, awww, you’re good for Diedie, huh sweetheart, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, look at them, arent they adorable? Look at his puffy fur. Do you think Snowball will ever realize his fur isn’t gonna lay flat?’ ‘I once got his fur to lay flat. While it was wet. It only lasted a moment.’ And they’re cooing over how cute their boys are.

And the students. Around them. Are all ‘oh shit you two are together and have bunnies?????’ So. That started the rumor that they’re all but married. Maybe even are married.

And it takes them. Months. Of people asking about their boys. Of people talking about them like they’re old friends or whatever. Of Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng starting rumors that they’ve been together for years and just didn’t wanna advertize. For them to realize. That people think they’re together.

Well. They realize. About two days late. Because they don’t realize till the lease on WWX’s apartment is up and LWJ offers for WWX to move in with him and he’s all moved in and settled and their boys are delighted to be together all the time (it’s still gonna be a few months before the boys convince their humans to sleep in the same bed so they can all cuddle all night long cause safer in packs, but for now, they’ve made their humans fall asleep together on the couch a few times) and. They mention. How annoying it is to move apartments. And someone mentions how rewarding it is to finally live with your BF tho. And that’s when it hits them.

Anyways. This is the story of how Snowball and Inkblot went down to the petshop to get their humans a companion.

[llycaons]

Section Five: Part XV

Shenanigans: COMEDY. boy do I love a laugh

*CEO Billionaire Lan Zhan* by detention_notes

summary: you all knew this was going to be on here. the greatest transformative work in existence. parody of lonely, stoic ceo lwj, impoverished hyperactive wwx, coffee shop meet-cutes, and the various absurdities of tropey wx fic. both canons are joked about work issues: none author issues: none! this author is great

*Marital Prospects* by Vamillepudding

summary: in an canonverse AU where the war never happened and everyone lived, now-sect leader jzx is increasingly annoyed by wwx’s refusal to leave koi tower after jl’s birth. in order to get him out of their hair, he attempts to match him up with nmj. it may be a cliche, but hilarity indeed ensues lwj is perfectly repressed and insane, jzx is smug and stupid, nhs is trying to stay out of it, nmj is slightly maniacal, and lxc has concerning standards for acceptable behavior from children. absolutely hysterical, especially the finale. wwx is oblivious-to-engaged in seconds flat, but the rest of it is so funny I don’t even mind work issues: none author issues: xiyao

*Fatherhood’s Calling by Fortune_Maiden

summary: burial-mounds-era jzx, realizing that jyl sees wwx as a sort of son, attempts to step up as a father and irritates literally everyone around him in the process. one of the funniest things I have ever read, flat out. either canon but feeling more novel-verse work issues: none author issues: has written lxc/nhs

*The Hangover: A pre-wedding Dramedy* by natcat5

summary: an absolute blast. many povs, many crimes, and many characters converge in the night before the xuanli wedding, ft. betrayal, car chases, petty vengeance, kidnapping, fistfights, manipulative crying, lost phones, getting blackout drunk, awkward getting-along prison time, and gay awakenings there are four works in this series, and I think they’re all great except the last one - it’s a bit generic, not a comedy, and not super in-character, but that’s okay since it’s fairly discrete anyway. highly recommend the first one - nhs is a treat. this is loosely based on the hangover, which I’ve never seen, the author has apparently never seen, and which you need no knowledge of. either canon, except for xy - see below work issues: none, but the way xy is treated requires a note. he’s closest to his novel self, but he’s also relatively harmless? like, he’s this weird destructive teenager apparently much younger than xxc and sl, who are like, babysitting him as his parole officers or something. certainly not the quasi-romantic manipulation that’s featured in cql author issues: none

*The Fault in Our Stars by Vamillepudding

summary: god, this one is so funny. modern AU wwx and lwj, both fabulously wealthy and famous, meet by chance without realizing who the other is. for various rather silly reasons, they both assume the other is barely scraping by and then independently commit to appearing poorer than they are to avoid embarrassing the other with their fabulous and unreasonable wealth. really funny. these guys are completely out of touch with reality work issues: none author issues: xiyao, or else their other one would be in this section too

*Making an Effort by bosgood

summary: wwx and jc are struggling to endure jzx’s terrible beercycle bachelor party until wwx sees someone he’d rather hang out with instead. short, really funny, and sweet, especially the author’s note work issues: none author issues: jl/lsz

*give it to me straight by JSM氏 (Senforza)

summary: modern au, a cracky teen comedy where jc melodramatically and self-righteously suffers in the dawning knowledge that he’s the token straight of the friend group. I laughed out loud the entire time reading this work issues: 3zun is mentioned but never actually shows up, nhs identifies as pan, and there’s a scene where jc talks about like, waking up and witnessing wwx and lwj having sex?? maybe?? honestly I just didn’t take any of it seriously, this is mostly teenage jc being a hot mess author issues: background 3zun in their other fic

stray cat strut by ScarlettStorm

summary: not technically a comedy, but quite lighthearted and silly nonetheless. while out nighthunting, canonverse lwj finds an exceptionally intelligent black spiritual cat in the forest who helps him defeat a yao, and adopts him. turns out that cat is a cursed wwx, and attempts to break the curse commence. it’s kind of hornier than interested in the tender romantic feelings, but the get-together was really nice and fun and I liked it all quite immensely. short and satisfying. lwj’s small but significant connections to his mom were very sweet. and they hang out with a some brothel workers in a really lovely chapter quite jiang-friendly, to the point where some of the author notes had me screaming bc no, myu would actually hate wwx whether jfm was dead or not?? anyway, a good time. and just to clarify no, it’s not bestiality. either canon but more towards cql bc of the jiang treatment imo work issues: none author issues: feminized wwx and nhs, pansexuality...just general annoying choices in their other fics

Happily single by moonwaif

summary: little apple pov! postcanon, wwx contemplates getting a husband for her so she won’t be lonely, but little does he know she’s got the best friend she could hope for. the characterization for her is appropriately sassy, and the ending is surprisingly sweet. novel canon work issues: none really, but the everyday thing is mentioned, so ugh author issues: xiyao and 3zun

you’re not hardcore unless you live hardcore by lesbianspirals

summary: it’s wwx starring in the school of rock, baby! this hilarious work is surprisingly faithful to canon themes and characterizations, though I think it gets a little corny by the end and the romance is not its strong suit. it’s still a super fun time. work issues: none author issues: none

*Hangin’ With The Raisin Girls by Dhillarearen

summary: postcanon oneshot on the epic romance of sect leader yao/sect leader ouyang. there are footnotes. I cackled work issues: none author issues: jl/lsz

The Ghost of Gusu Lan by twinky_dyke

summary: jgy is dead and he’s haunting cloud recesses. follow him as he makes a nuisance of himself, judges everyone he comes across, and ineffectually tries to ruins wangxian’s romantic moments. says cql canon but it reads more like novel to me work issues: none author issues: genderbends

*The Word of Your Body by Elcief

summary: HOUSE MD CROSSOVER BABY! I searched for this as a joke and then found it and immediately loved it. post-jinlintai stab wound, wwx and lwj stumble through a portal into new jersey, where wwx is immediately taken to the ER and lwj wanders around a comics convention looking for him not the most serious of fics but the characterization isn’t bad! charming and interesting and funny. no wilson or cameron, but house himself is enough of a delight to carry the world. won’t be as fun if you don’t know the show house, but worth reading for a little dimension-crossing goofs work issues: PM kiss mentioned :( author issues: none. mostly goofy crossovers and comedies

Best man for the job; a detailed treatise on Chief Cultivation by Aerlalaith

summary: postcanon lwj is dragged into reluctant respect for jgy’s sense of organization and competence as he takes on the mantle of chief cultivator. quite funny and in-character. either canon work issues: none author issues: dubcon

Forget Me Not by Vamillepudding

summary: postcanon wwx and lwj lose their memories at different parts of their lives and are told by other characters they’ve gotten married when in fact they haven’t actual gotten together yet at all. but it’s completely okay. some other characters have to babysit them and it’s kind of charming to see how they interact. it’s sweet, they make out a lot. cql canon work issues: none author issues: xiyao

thunder only happens when it’s raining by ScarlettStorm

summary: you know how rainstorms always accompany drama and tragedy in the show? what if the characters noticed that and panicked when it started to rain because they thought something terrible was happening? a goofy little meta fic. cql canon by design work issues: none author issues: they’ve done some really weird things with feminizing wwx

Twin Heroes of Tigers by FrostyAngst

summary: I found this silly little fic incredibly funny. does it make sense? no. what canon does it follow? no idea. is it in-character? kinda! check it out and have yourselves a chuckle work issues: none author issues: wwx/nmj

Back to Start

[ouyangzizhensdad]

Please please do write the post about wwx not being dumb/oblivious. Those posts were just funny at first but somehow it's now become accepted fact. Meanwhile whether cql or mdzs wwx is a very competent, savvy protagonist who's actually pretty observant! It's getting pretty tiring to see him reduced to genki oblivous magical girl (not that I don't like those, it's just wwx is not one).

Hey anon! 

I do plan on writing a more elaborate meta post exploring what arguments there are in the novel to support my wwx is not dumb/oblivious agenda.

But for now I just want to address one factor I think plays a big part in shaping the fandom’s perception of wwx as oblivious/dumb, regardless of how wwx was actually written in the novel. That is, the creative liberties taken by (or forced onto) the cql production team, which have had in my opinion two consequences: 1) cql does not manage to establish how quick-witted and savvy wwx is, which is compounded by the fact that it chose to play the troublemaker persona straight  2) the fact that wwx and lwj’s relationship is entirely subtext actually ends up making wwx look oblivious (at least to people applying a queer reading/bl-danmei reading to their interactions--people who are obvious to or choose to ignore the subtext certainly wouldn’t come to the same conclusions). 

So, the first issue. In the novel, wwx’s intelligence is more of a focal point in the narrative because it is a crucial part of the dramatic irony/tragedy of his death: as a result it cannot help being more important to the themes of the novel. After all, he is ultimately hunted down because of and killed by his inventions. The man created an entirely new field of cultivation! In cql, this is somewhat lost due to the fact that he does not invent modao nor does he create the yin hufu, and his death is more of a suicide than a sacrifice (i am still not over the fact that he throws the yin hufu at the crowd to let them wage war over it? that’s the complete thematic opposite of his death in the novel...). 

The novel, as well, is better at establishing that wwx’s antics are generally not because he’s just being a troublemaker, but that they are a way in which he garners information, gets people to act the way he needs them to or misdirect them. For instance, in cql, when lwj destroys wwx’s (well, nhs’s) spring book in the library, wwx looks genuinely pained and affronted--in the novel, it is clearly shown that, when wwx realized lwj intended to bring the spring book to lqr, he intentionally made him angry so that he would destroy the evidence himself. the point of the prank was also to not only get a reaction out of lwj, but also (reading btw the lines) wwx’s way of trying to leave a lasting impression on lwj now that his punishment was over. Differently put, while wwx can do directionless pranks,  more often than not, they have an underlying meaning/goal instead of just being for Attention(TM) in general. In contrast, the web series is full of missed opportunities in terms of characterisation, and is so from the very beginning (I find extremely disappointing how they decided to adapt the mo mansion and dafan mountain arcs because of how important they are to establishing wwx’s character for the readers/viewers. Through these arcs, we get acquainted with the way he thinks and deduces information, and how he uses people’s perceptions of him and others to his advantage. If you can only read English, @pumpkinpaix‘s translation of the first few chapters might help get a better sense of the nuances). 

I’m not saying that wwx is portrayed as dumb in cql: but that his characterization is a lot more fuzzy and inconsistent, and that his intelligence is utilized mostly when wwx goes into his detective mode. As a result, I do feel like it undermines how analytical wwx is in all aspects of his life, making it easy to see him as, you know, someone who’s, like, half-smart, half-super-dumb. 

As for issue #2, part of it boils down to the fact that most of the obstacles to wangxian’s relationship had to be erased due to censorship. There no longer is homophobia/internalized homophobia to motivate moments of denial or internal conflict; there is no longer the phoenix mountain kiss to explain lwj’s reluctance to respond to wwx’s flirting after his rebirth (as I explored in one of my other meta post); there is no longer lwj’s failed confession and lwj’s mistaken belief that wwx knows of his feelings, etc. These vectors of tension help contextualise and explain why it takes so long for wwx to realize lwj’s feelings towards him (but let’s not forget that he does: after jinlintai, he starts to realize that lwj treats him especially well, which becomes a certainty after the second siege). the cql production team had no choice but to take these elements away. 

that being said, by adding new or by changing moments to support the subtext and to please (bl-danmei) fans, the show actually takes away even more vectors of tension/misunderstanding between wwx and lwj, and makes wwx’s crush seem even more obvious and straight-forward. Take for instance the mo mansion arc. In the novel, wwx sees the Lan disciples’ white robes and has this moment of reflection that he recognizes the robes, and sees danger in the fact that the Lan sect is involved, thinking he should leave but knowing he can’t until he resolves the curse. in cql, we get a slow-pan flash-back of wwx’s first encounter with lwj, leaving him clearly emotional. The novel sets up the association as: white robes -> Lan Sect (subtext, Lan Zhan) -> orthodox/sticklers to rules/people i’ve met in my previous life who disapproved of modao -> danger! In cql, we have instead: whites robes -> Lan Zhan -> emotional reaction/I miss him. That fact is further driven home when wwx starts playing wuji on a blade of grass, ending with a soulfully whispered “lan zhan”. In terms of subtext, it sure lays it on thick: wwx does look like he has a big crush on lwj! But that destroys a big source of tension between them at the beginning: when wwx is summoned into mxy’s body, he thinks lwj hates him and disapproves of his methods and wants to bring him to gusu to punish him. That’s why he wants to run away at first, why he doesn’t disclose his identity to him and why it takes him a moment to understand lwj’s intentions. cql does not do a great job of setting that up. And the changes they make to the events of wwx’s first life, including changes to the timeline through which we are introduced to what happened in the past, makes it even more difficult to see how wwx could have misunderstood lwj’s intentions or his own feelings (again, in a queer or danmei-bl reading of the subtext). They go on a mission together! Spend a lot of time working together toward a similar goal!Lwj calls him his zhiji (”soulmate” as is often translated)! Lwj literally tries to save him from dying! The last thing wwx would remember when he wakes up in mxy’s body would be lwj holding onto his hand and screaming his name when he let go! Again, it does great for the subtext--but it makes it really difficult to understand why wwx would misunderstand lwj’s intentions and feelings, and it makes his own feelings toward lwj seem quite obvious. 

Overall, the changes in the themes, genre, events, narrative timeline, characterisation and much more in adapting mdzs into cql have been an important influence explaining why the fandom has this vision of wwx as dumb/oblivious. It reminds me of the way some people on tumblr like to talk about Mr. Darcy as “shy” and “awkward” based on the movie pride and prejudice 2005, which totally misses the point of Mr Darcy and his character as portrayed by Jane Austen--but, if people have only or mainly engaged with this specific adaptation, it is not necessarily surprising that they hold this frankly misguided interpretation due to the choices made by the film production team. 

In contrast, in the novel, we are shown a lot to help us understand why wwx comes to the wrong conclusions or might not understand his own feelings and reactions. But that’s for all for another post!

[crossdressingdeath]

Could you imagine if as LWJ was leaving BM the first time that A-Yuan looked really sad and started crying and begging LWJ to stay and he goes "but a-die you have to stay" and LWJ turns right back around is like "ok I live here now" and WWX goes "you can always leave later when he's asleep or tomorrow morning or something" but LWJ who very much knows what its like to feel abandoned by his parents and never get to see the parent he loved most is horrified and offended and he's like "NO I MUST STAY FOR A-YUAN AND BE THE A-DIE HE WANTS ME TO BE" and A-Yuan beams at him and the next day LWJ sends a letter to LXC telling him that WWX and him adopted a child and live together now in BM and LXC is just like "I knew something like this would happen but I didn't expect it to happen like this?!" So of course he has to go to BM to meet his nephew right? BUT LQR and NMJ refuse to let him go alone so they all roll up to BM ready for a fight and are greeted by the most adorable child who takes one look at them and goes "🤷🏻‍♂️ those are free uncles" and what are they all gonna do say no to A-Yuan?! Can anyone say no to him?! LQR may not be fond of WWX but now that he has a kid with LWJ that means they have to get married. Plus seeing that the people under his care are innocent he decides that he will accept the Wen remnants into his care as well as having all of WWX's be given merit to the Lan sect (but obviously stay under WWX's name they just get first dibs on them). WWX accepts the offer because the safety of the Wen is most important and he has a sense of duty right? So he tells himself he is only marry LWJ for the Wen and for A-Yuan (we all know the truth). Anyway they get married and WWX sees LWJ in wedding red and his heart is flying through his chest. Most of the cultivation world is like "ah Hanguang-jun truly is so honorable to do whats best for the cultivation world and take control of the evil Yiling Laozu" meanwhile WWX is like "ah yes 👍 👀🥵 LWJ has completely control of me". They are both so in love and happy. WWX gets to go to JL's ceremony and no one dies. He sees JYL again and she has a twinkle in her eyes cause she KNOWS. WQ and WN revolutionize medicine together. WWX invents all sorts of things. A-Yuan gains a bunch of siblings because WWX and LWJ see sad orphan kids and go "I guess we'll adopt them" and A-Yuan is like "free sibling". The junior quartet become bffs a lot sooner cause WWX and JYL are like "our kids will be together all the time." JZX and WWX surprisingly become good friends and they talk nerdy stuff all the time (look JZX may look like a prep but the dude is a total awkward nerd at heart). NMJ doesn't go I to qi deviation because WQ invents a way to reverse and prevent it. Eventually LXC marries NMJ and they are super happy. JGS dies under mysterious circumstances but no one is sad about it. With JZX as sect leader he promotes JGY to his right hand man because he thinks his brother has a good mind and good plans. The two of them bring the Jin sect into a new age. JGY doesn't have to worry about his place in the world or the sect because anyone that messes with him answers to JYL and really are you going to upset or disappoint her? (I sure as hell won't). Idk about JC maybe he dies of envy and jealousy? Maybe he is a whiney cry baby? Who cares he doesn't matter anyway.

Can’t believe that A-Yuan whining that he doesn’t want his new rich friend to leave unlocked the golden ending.

[scottspack]

SO YOU JUST FINISHED THE UNTAMED AND YOU WANT TO READ SOME FIC

Congratulations Jen @jlf23tumble on finishing The Untamed (tomorrow)! Now that you’re done with the show (tomorrow), you can finally dive into the wide and wonderful world of untamed fic!!! I’m ecstatic to be personally curating your reading experience! LET’S BEGIN!

I’ve started off with a list of 5 fics I think you should read in this specific order to 1. get some resolution from the end of the show and 2. get you acclimated to untamed fics! Then, I’ve listed a bunch of fics in different categories for your perusal to read at your leisure! This is an unbelievably long post holy shit brace yourself.

I’m like fairly certain that all of these follow the tv show canon BUT also its very typical for authors to combine many aspects of all of the different forms of canons to their liking. Therefore, I feel like I need to give a quick explanation of a couple things from the novel that show up frequently in fics that idk if you know already or not:

In the book, when Wei Wuxian is resurrected, he is brought back in Mo Xuanyu’s actual body and has his face and everything. Mo Xuanyu was pretty young when he died, I wanna say maybe 17 or 18??? and he was also short and pretty and flamboyantly gay. This is where the references to their crazy height difference come from, but again, I think I tried to include mostly fics that skew more heavily to the tv version where WWX keeps his same body and he and LWJ are more evenly matched physically.

Its novel canon that LWJ smells like sandalwood incense and has golden colored eyes. This is mentioned in like almost every single wangxian fic ive ever read, even if the author said they were strictly adhering to show canon lol

At the end of the novel wangxian run away together and elope! Obviously in the show that’s not how it goes down, but I think a couple of the fics I’ve recced might mention it in passing. (Oh also when they elope they make a pact to fuck “everyday,” a concept that might be mentioned as well.

Obviously, we have to kick it off with some fics that both reunite wangxian and give more resolution to the actual show. If you’re like me, it both took you a while to get all the way through the show AND took 100% of your brain power to remember all of the characters and plot lines. If that’s that case: these fics should be helpful in serving as a kind of emotional refresher for the show to wrap up some loose ends and to dive deeper into some of the things the show glosses over for one reason or another!

1. A Lot of Edges Called Perhaps by hansbekhart (Wangxian, E, 21k) 

The funny part is - and it is a little funny, even if Wei Wuxian has no one left to share the joke with - they never have. Not anything. He has never kissed any part of Lan Zhan besides his slim hands; never been even partially undressed with him anywhere besides a miserable, xuanwu-infested cave. It’s always been like this between them, this simmering need, this desperate understanding: a knowledge so deep that it lives somewhere in his bones, that if he wanted to have Lan Zhan he could have him, and if Lan Zhan wanted Wei Wuxian he could have that too. But they never have.

I found this fic on someone’s blog when they said that it was the definitive fic to read directly after finishing the series so i saved it, read it directly after finishing the series, and felt COMPLETE. Beautifully written, seamlessly fits with canon, and has a super fulfilling resolution. The perfect way to kick off reading untamed fic!

2. One Rogue Spark In My Direction by hansbekhart (Lan Wangji/Xiao Xingchen/Song Lan, E, 5k)

He’d thought, in Yueyang, that they’d seen something in each other, something familiar. That maybe they’d recognized something in him. But it’s been many years, and many things have happened since, and he’s guessed wrongly at other people’s hearts before. Lan Wangji looks back down at the table, at his steaming, bitter tea. He’ll beg if he has to.

In “A Lot Of Edges Called Perhaps” Wangji mentions that he has had sex before and this is the in-universe story of that time and WHEW BABY!!!! AHHHHHH!!! While this fic is like, almost pure smut, I think there is a ton of value to it in terms of emotional perspective on how fucked up LWJ was after WWX’s death. Also, it’s very hot.

3. Gathered Herbs & Sweet Grasses by hansbekhart (Laz Sizhui & Lan Wangji, G, 19k)

Later, when he’s older, it’s this that A-Yuan will remember most: the stretch of silence, the two of them both dirty and shaking with fever, as he looked at Brother Rich, and Brother Rich looked back at him.

This is a fic about Lan Wangji raising Sizhui from when he rescues Sizhui from the Burial Mounds until they bring WWX back to the Cloud Recesses after he’s resurrected. It made me cry about 18 times and I consider it fully canon in relation to the show. I think this gives a lot of emotional depth to the Wangji/Sizhui family relationship that is very important in most fics, so this acts as a good base since the show doesn’t really talk about it too much.

4. Your Name, Safe In Their Mouth by astrolesbian (Lan Sizhui & Wei Wuxian, G, 10k)

“You’ve got a fever,” Wei Wuxian says soothingly. “You just keep still as well as you can. We’ll have you fixed up soon.”

Lan Sizhui recognizes his tone—this is the voice that Wei Wuxian uses on hurt people and young children, a very calm and no-nonsense voice that has none of the mischief and cheer of the way he sounds the rest of the time. Lan Sizhui looks up and meets his eyes, and they are dark, stormy gray, muddled and concerned.

“I’m all right,” he croaks.

“Hush,” Wei Wuxian says, in a low croon, like someone quieting a baby. Then he blinks, and looks away, awkward. “I mean—you shouldn’t speak. You’re tired. Rest if you need to.”

or: lan sizhui gets sick on a night hunt. wei wuxian comforts him. they both have a lot of feelings about it.

The Wei Wuxian and Sizhui bonding fic that I so desperately desperately needed to read. Since we got the emotional depth to Wangji/Sizhui in the last fic, here’s some emotional resolution for Sizhui and his other dad!!!!!!!!!! Scratched the very particular itch of “but have they REALLY talked about what it means that they’re reunited after 16 years???”

5. climbing up that coastal shelf by Sour_Idealist (Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng, & Wei Wuxian, T, 15k)

Jin Ling had begun to suspect years ago that there were parts of his family history that had been crossed out; long streaks of black where Wei Wuxian had been. The truth is more like whole books being brought up from their hiding places again.

Or: Jin Ling tries to figure out what family means, now.

OKAY!!!! Last emotional resolution before I send you on your way to explore! This is the emotional resolution for the other half of WWX’s family. Featuring just a FUCK TON of family feels and a lot of TALKING that this fucked up family needs so damn bad. *chefs kiss* muy delicioso! ALSO i think this is a good introduction to a lot of the naming conventions that are used frequently in untamed fic that took me a while to pick up on!

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that you’ve gotten some post-show catharsis in the form of a few extremely well-written fics, it’s time for a full rec! I’ve divided it up into seven categories: long fics, smutty one-shots, 3zun (lan xichen/nie mingjue/meng yao) fics, fics about the juniors, family fun fics, some miscellaneous fics, and then some yizhan RPF! I wouldn’t have put any of these fics on here if I didn’t think they were worth reading, BUT! I did mark my particular favorites with asterisks to demark the crème de la crème of the bunch. SO! LET’S DIVE IN!

EPIC TALES (LONG AND/OR IMMERSIVE)

My Age Has Never Made Me Wise by idrilka (Wangxian, E, 63k) ***

“We hear that His Excellency might be married by summer’s end,” the merchant’s wife says and Wei Wuxian freezes, his heart in his throat. “The Gusu Lan sect has been buying enough red silk and brocade that the merchants in Caiyi can’t satisfy the demand.”

He feels himself grow brittle inside, like a flick of a finger to his temple might make him shatter. His ears are ringing.

“Who’s the lucky bride?” he asks despite himself. His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.

Or: The story of a marriage.

I LOVE THIS FIC. YOU MUST PROMISE ME YOU’LL READ THIS FIC. The absolute best kind of slow burn and I think such an extremely accurate representation of the canon material. I’m always surprised by the authors in this fandom’s ability to write shit that is so concretely grounded in the universe. This could and should be a real companion novel. Amazing. I love it. (Also I know you said you’re not into fics that are long just to be long and I think this fic is the exact opposite of that, it’s long but for good reason and has such an insanely satisfying payoff that it’s completely worth dedicating a few hours to!)

The Year of Drought by idrilka (Wangxian, E, 24k)

Wei Ying could not be contained by the walls of the Cloud Recesses, alive again and overflowing with it, bursting like a dam in spring with the force of two lives unspent. And so he had to go. Lan Wangji understands that—he understood it when Wei Ying told him of his plans, looking at Lan Wangji above the rim of his cup with an apologetic smile, like craving freedom was something to apologize for.

Wei Ying would go, and Lan Wangji would see him off; this has always been the only way it could be.

Or: In the absence of Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji waits.

The previous fic but from Wangji’s perspective. Absolutely required reading if you read the other one. Wangji baby.......i love you.....

further than the grave by idrilka (Wangxian, E, 32k)

There is something about grief that turns Lan Wangji numb. He cannot be certain if it is not some kind of defect inside him that makes him so. But just as he grieved his mother’s passing with dry eyes and a stone in his chest, so he grieves Wei Ying: quietly, frozen inside, without tears. Beyond the Jingshi window it might be spring, but Lan Wangji’s body and mind are still held within the winter’s grasp.

As the anniversary of his leaving seclusion approaches, Lan Wangji ponders the nature of grief and healing.

One last fic from the same verse as the previous two, this talks about Wangji post-WWX’s death and then them dealing with the past post-marriage. Its just as good and immersive and amazing as the previous two parts, but this is the only untamed fic that actually made me gasp out loud and if you read this and can guess what it was we will be best friends forever. (There are two other fics in this verse that are also good but these three in particular are god-tier in my eyes.)

Vagabond by xantissa (Wangxian, E, 66k)

Wei Wuxian comes back to Cloud Recesses after a year of wandering the world, hoping to start a relationship with Lan Zhan. He doesn’t expect to come into the middle of a case of sleeping sickness mysteriously killing people, nor does he expect what follows, putting everything he holds dear on the line once again.

OOOWEE CASE FIC! CASE FIC! This is truly the twisty turny intense and INTERESTING type of fic from this fandom that blows my mind. This could fully be a stand alone novel its that good and there’s that much to it. Another one that isn’t long just to be long, it has so much PLOT!!!!! REAL GOOD SHIT!

Seldom All They Seem by Fahye (Wangxian, E, 25k)

or, one hundred and thirty-three principles of the Gusu Lan, pertaining to the state of marriage

***

He bows to Wei Wuxian, sword in hand, sleeves falling properly. Wei Wuxian bows in return, and the sect leaders begin the opening courtesies, and for all of ten minutes Lan Wangji is under the impression that he is betrothed to a boy who is perfectly normal and acceptable apart from an unfortunate tendency to fidget with his clothes.

That impression does not last.

A canon-divergent fic exploring “what if Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were betrothed from when they were young like Yanli and Jin Zixuan?” It’s extremely good and very compelling and also made me cry multiple times. (The confrontation in the rain doesn’t get any easier even if they’re betrothed!)

Half Cloak & Half Dagger by Fahye (Lan Xichen/Meng Yao, E, 13k)

Jin Guangyao lifts his head and smiles. "I'm considering a problem."

"Can I be of any assistance with it?"

He drops a kiss on Lan Xichen's chest. With the nail of one finger he lightly traces the characters for irony on Lan Xichen's side. "Not this one, er-ge."

A follow-up fic set in the “Seldom All They Seem” universe but focused on xiyao. Has hands down the best written characterization of meng yao in any fic ive read so far. I continuously come back to this fic just to read the absolutely genius way this author writes the Head Bitch In Control of the cultivation world.

The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli (Wangxian, T, 20k)

Wei Wuxian’s hand jolts, spilling a drop of wine onto the tabletop. “Love?” he croaks, then clears his throat and tries again. “Lan Zh— uh, Hanguang-jun, in love?”

“Have you not heard the story?” the other young woman asks, looking pitying. “You must, it is a truly heartrending tale of star-crossed romance and mutual pining — go to any storyhouse in town, everyone has been requesting a reading of this book.”

“There’s a book?” Wei Wuxian says blankly.

In which the junior disciples (namely, Lan Jingyi, Ouyang Zizhen, and a reluctant Lan Sizhui) turn to RPF in an attempt to rehabilitate Wei Wuxian's reputation so that he and Hanguang-jun can get together and get married and live happily ever after. It's... surprisingly effective.

I kept avoiding this fic, even though it was really high up on the list of most popular fics in the fandom, bc the premise sounded pretty goofy BUT I finally bit the bullet one day and AHHHHHHHH!!!!! Very very very cute and fun, made me smile like an idiot throughout the entire thing. Heartwarming and very well written!!!

never let me go by yiqie (Wangxian, E, 69k)

Wei Wuxian has certainly hoped so ardently in his two lifetimes, for so many different things, in so many different ways, that he could have summoned the demon to his front door with his bare hands. His eyes wander to Lan Zhan, settle on the back of his head, the blue-black curtain of his hair. Oh, how he has hoped.

Another extremely good and super immersive case fic. If you ever just want to sink really deep into an untamed fic, this is a great one for it.

hunters seeking solid ground by Attila (Wangxian, E, 24k)

“Hanguang-jun,” Wei Wuxian repeats. His heart clenches. He wants—but he’d really meant to have this nightmare stuff down before they met again, so he wouldn’t find himself relying on Lan Wangji’s nearness. He’s not supposed to go back yet. But he’s so tired, and his will crumbles. “Yeah,” he says. “All right. Take me back to Gusu with you.”

You want hurt/comfort? I gotcha hurt/comfort RIGHT HERE!

shadows in the sun rise by Yuu_chi (Wangxian, E, 25k) ***

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says, voice slow and a pitch too quiet. A second later Wei Wuxian understands why. “I cannot hear.”

Or; Lan Wangji is cursed into internal isolation. Their ability to understand one another remains as unwavering as ever.

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD. I have been thinking about this fic nonstop since I read it. It is…..fucking incredible. One of the best qualities of wangxian is that they’re so in tune with each other and able to work so cohesively with little communication and this fic is like “what if we take that and DIAL IT UP TO ELEVEN” and i was like AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I hope that you will come and meet me by feyburner (Wangxian, M, 28k) ***

The second time Lan Zhan said Wei Ying, come back, Wei Wuxian did.

okay so this is literally getting added to the fic rec one day before i send it to you because i just finished it and WHEW BABY!!!!! YES it is just another wangxian post-canon reunion get-together fic, BUT 1. i cant get enough of that specific brand of fic and 2. ITS SO GOOD. ITS. SO. GOOD. achingly tender and incredibly soft but also funny and sweet and very in-character! i love it!

THE BONE ZONE (WANGXIAN SMUT)

Sweet Night by corteae (Wangxian, E, 10k)

It was like coming back to life again, like being restitched into existence, cell by cell, nerve by nerve. From the surface of his skin to the marrow of his bones, everything new and purposeful. Like being pulled back from oblivion into an embrace of pure light. A feeling of absolute asylum.

That’s what it felt like, to realize Lan Wangji was in love with him.

An in-show au of “what if they just admitted they’re in love and fucked during episode 43?” Soft and romantic and hot!

the crucial point by dissembler (Wangxian, E, 7k) ***

Months after parting on the mountain, Lan Wangji makes up his mind, plots his course on a map, and has faith.

I LOVE THIS FIC! Very realistic and sweet wangxian reunion fic from wangji’s perspective. Has so many good little details and is very true to their characters. Good shit. Great.

Stainless by Fahye (Wangxian, E, 6k)

"I'm starting to feel," says Lan Xichen, "that this was a counterproductive suggestion."

Wei Wuxian looks down onto the pristine, tranquil cold springs of the Cloud Recesses. Sitting in the water, their bare shoulders rising like dumplings carefully spaced in a steaming-basket, are a large number of Lan disciples.

"They seem to be doing better," he says, encouragingly. "If they--oh, no, I see what you mean."

At the near bank, someone has pressed someone else against the rocks and is kissing them frantically.

What is getting into a new pairing if not an excuse to read sex pollen in new and exciting ways!

To Recklessly Confess by la_dissonance (Wangxian, E, 8k)

Lan Wangji has a fantasy. Wei Wuxian gets several clues.

The “what if they just fucked in episode 43” au but from a different angle.

all the depths of me, real by northofallmusic (Wangxian, E, 15k)

Wei Wuxian is dealing with a curse a little worse than he'd like to let on, and Lan Zhan is a little less than willing to let it slide.

Another “what if they just fucked in the show” fic, this time set when WWX has the curse on his leg and Wangji has to carry him back to the inn. 

Every Day, Learning More by phnelt (Wangxian, E, 6k)

The pink was high on Wei Wuxian’s cheeks. “I mean I haven’t been able to… that I can’t. Not without you.”

Lan Wangji stared. “In this body, the whole time you’ve had it -- you’ve never…”

Wei Wuxian kicked his heels into Lan Wangji’s back. “I just said that!”

I knew at least one of these was more book verse than show! WWX hasn’t been able to jerk off in his new body, LWJ helps him out :-)

the meaning of the ritual by newamsterdam (Wangxian, E, 8k)

“Lan Zhan… wants to bed me?”

The hand on his chest is shaking, slightly. “Mn.”

“Oh,” Wei Wuxian breaths out.

There’s something— something powerful, about that. Lan Wangji wants to bed him. Lan Wangji wants to sleep with him. Lan Wangji wants to touch him, and kiss him. The immovable, implacable Second Master of Lan, with a face and principles both carved from jade, wants him.

“Is this a fantasy of yours?” Wei Wuxian asks. “Forcing all the demonic energy out of me with your—”

Lan Wangji claps a hand over his mouth. “Silence, now.”

When the entire cultivation world turns against the Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian makes a risky gamble— he'll agree to participate in an ancient ritual for cleansing the spirit, so that his character can no longer be called into question. The catch? He has no idea who his partner for the ritual will be.

This is also book-verse! As the tag says “Let Lan Wangji Fuck the Yiling Patriarch”!!!!!!!!!!!

Hurricane by gdgdbaby (Wangxian, E, 6k) ***

"Haven't you heard?" Nie Huaisang replied, clicking his tongue, though he was clearly pleased that he could be the one to break the news. He leaned in to announce with a dramatic flourish: "Lan Wangji just took emergency family leave this past weekend."

WANGXIAN AS SPIRK STAR TREK PON FAR AU!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEEWOO WEEWOO WEEWOO!!!!!!!! This was actually recced to ME by CHI and I have not stopped thinking about this fic for a full month. It’s like author gdgdbaby sat down one day and was like “Tumblr user Liv Scottspack deserves everything she wants in this life.” and then wrote this fic. Thank you author gdgdbaby, I love you.

WORLD’S WORST THROUPLE (3ZUN)

The body is a blade by rheawrites (3zun, E, 2k) ***

In which Lan Xichen is taken by surprise, Nie Mingjue takes what he can get, and Meng Yao gets what he wants.

This was the first 3zun fic I ever read and whew baby, got it in one! It’s actually a slight AU but it gets their characterization so right and is a very fun read. One of those fics I go back to frequently because it does so much with so few words.

shang tiantang by fuckwarlock (3zun, E, 4k)

They wanted so much, and with the way A-Yao gasps at the saber-calloused hand unfastening his belts, he does, too. The night air twirls with the scents of osmanthus and cinnamon and melon. Lan Xichen smiles, leans in, and ghosts his lips over the crook of A-Yao’s neck. What kind of brother would he be if he didn’t give A-Yao what he wanted? “I think it’s your turn to ascend, A-Yao.”

The Venerated Triad celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival the best way they know how.

Truly the only way the venerated triad works is if meng yao gets Destroyed :-)

Favour and Fate by soulgusttheguardian (3zun, E, 8k)

There have been times in Meng Yao’s life when he couldn’t help but wonder how he came to be in his current situation. Found himself reflecting on the choices leading up to whatever misfortune had befallen him that day, and pondering why fate hated him so.

Granted, there had also been times when he couldn't help but wonder just what he had done to earn the favour necessary to be rewarded with certain things...

The current situation he found himself to be in, however, was definitely the latter.

More of the same! Truly I personally can never get enough of the 3zun dynamic in smut fics its just too goddamn motherfucking GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

the stars do not take sides by everyearning (3zun, E, 4k)

Mingjue isn’t sure he’s ever seen Xichen do anything other than treat the boy like a porcelain doll and it’s laughable to him, to think of Meng Yao as something breakable, instead of the sharp, deadly object he is.

Okay one last “Destroy Meng Yao” 3zun fic! Enjoy!

never as alive as we are right now by ThirtySixSaveFiles (3zun, E, 12k)

Three perspectives on three sworn brothers, at three different times in their relationship.

(Or, three times 3zun got it on and some of the feelings they had along the way.)

Wait actually I want to end the 3zun fics on this one because it has true Emotional Resolution at the end and I think they deserve a little healing.

BABY BOYS. BABIES. (THE JUNIORS)

A Civil Combpaign by Ariaste (Jin Ling/Lan Sizhui, T, 20k) ***

“And,” said one of the pompous ministers, “there’s the matter of a marriage to consider as well!”

Jin Ling, who at the beginning of that sentence had expected to slam into the very last wall of his patience and lose his temper entirely, paused. “A what?”

Thing was… it wasn’t such a bad idea.

A MUST-FUCKING-READ!!! Jin Ling gets it in his head that as sect leader he should get married and sets his sights on Lan Sizhui. I cannot stress enough how FUCKING CUTE this fic is!!! Sizhui being the best boy! Jin Ling having more uncles than he knows what to do with! Jiang Cheng being the worst at relationship advice! It’s so fucking good it love it so much.

Anyway, Here’s Wuji by kakikaeru (Lan Jingyi/Lan Sizhui, T, 18k)

The melody gets a little clearer when he breaks out of the trees, and Jingyi changes course with certainty, barreling down the back hill and through the Cloud Recesses, dodging scandalized disciples left and right. He throws open the doors to the Receiving Hall without announcement and bows nearly double, eyes on the floor instead of on the shocked faces of the Mei delegation and the impenetrable gaze of the Chief Cultivator.

"Forgive this disciple," Jingyi shouts, because he's going to get punished for rule breaking regardless. "From the back hill, Hanguang-jun, there is a song in the wind!"

Lan Jingyi comes of age.

A Jingyi-central fic about Jingyi growing up and falling in love and being a hero and being the second best boy of my heart right after Sizhui. Not only is this fic sweet and romantic but it’s another one that explores a lot of interesting things within canon and all of the supporting characters are written very well and are just as interesting as second best boy Jingyi.

Ok, JiuJiu by kakikaeru (Jin Ling/Ouyang Zizhen, T, 16k)

Uncle's jaw works in the way that suggests he's about to say something irredeemable. Jin Ling, in a move of diplomacy he hopes the Chief Cultivator appreciates, distracts him with spicy food and his favourite subject: the incompetence of his own officials.

"I hear the lakes in the south east are having drainage problems?" he asks nonchalantly, sticking three big slices of braised pork belly into his Uncle's bowl.

Jin Ling just wants to get through the Discussion Conference with his Sect, his dignity, and his heart intact.

A follow up fic to “Anyways, Here’s Wuji.” I LOVE the Jin Ling/Ouyang Zizhen dynamic of Jin Ling having been raised by Jiang “I keep all my emotions right here and then one day I’ll die” Cheng AND being hopelessly charmed and smitten with Ouyang “President of the I Love Love Romance Novel Book Club” Zizhen! I LOVE IT! EXTREMELY CUTE!

Lan Sizhui's Guide to Courtship by Kimblydot (Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi, T, 23k)

In which Jingyi is a little oblivious, Sizhui is patient (and should have said something in the beginning), and everyone else is resigned to watching them dance around each other for far longer than necessary.

(Or: five things Sizhui tries to do in his courtship, and the one time Jingyi realizes there was one happening in the first place.)

I’ll stop describing fics about the juniors as being “cute” when they stop being SO FUCKING CUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

His Merit All My Fear by violettressed (Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi, G, 16k)

It’s too late for any of Hanguang-Jun’s rabbits to be awake -- one of the sundown chores for young disciples is to herd them back into their hutch -- but the rabbit field is as good a spot as any for quality sulking, so Lan Jingyi makes his way there.

Someone has beat him to it.

Lan Jingyi stares at Hanguang-Jun. Hanguang-Jun stares passively back.

When Lan Sizhui is swept away with the Ghost General, off on a new adventure, Lan Jingyi is the one who returns to Cloud Recesses alone.

Not only another extremely cute Sizhui/Jingyi fic BUT one that includes a Wangji/Jingyi friendship??? Incroyable! *chefs kiss*

spirit running wild by idrilka (Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi, E, 17k)

He doesn’t know, exactly, when the friendship he shared with Sizhui over the years has changed into something that’s made Jingyi finally understand why Hanguang-Jun always wears that expression whenever he looks at Senior Wei. There hasn’t been one single moment that he can point to and say, yes, this is where it started, because the thing about falling in love with your best friend is that it happens gradually, until it’s impossible to tell which step has been the deciding one.

Jingyi goes to Baling with a crush.

Written by the same genius that wrote the first three fics I made you read so you know it’s good. Its truly the childhood best friends to lovers of it all! Sizhui is adorable and Jingyi is a mess! *muah!*

FAMILY FUN TIME (NO ROMANCE, JUST FEELS)

Grow by cafecliche (Lan Sizhui & Wei Wuxian, T, 14k)

“Okay,” Jingyi says, as Sizhui puzzles this out aloud. “Okay! So the demon has been turning its victims into children.”

“I think so,” Sizhui says.

“To make them easier prey,” Jingyi says.

“Yes,” Sizhui says.

“So—” Jingyi’s voice cracks here, “this kid is Senior Wei.”

Wei Wuxian, still tangled in his own massive robes, blinks politely at them.

(Or: Wei Wuxian is cursed on a night-hunt, and the junior quartet rapidly finds themselves in over their heads.)

What I expected to be a goofy, silly fic turned out to be extremely emotional and made me FULLY CRY! It’s a very moving fic about Sizhui coming to understand himself and Wei Wuxian a lot better AND features all of the juniors arguing over who’s turn it is to hold 6 year old Wei Wuxian. A true win/win of a fic.

To The Act of Making Noise by words-writ-in-starlight (Lan Sizhui & Lan Wangji, G, 19k)

His father in white plays the song late into the night, and when A-Yuan wakes up confused and afraid, the guqin lulls him back to sleep.

Lan Sizhui hears his father play the same song every night for his whole life, and never, ever get an answer.

Another very moving and heartwarming fic about Lan Wangji raising Sizhui and Sizhui figuring out Wangji’s past and then eventually reconnecting with Wei Wuxian. It’s cute and soft and Sizhui is my best boy!

History (Proud To Call Your Own) by words-writ-in-starlight (Wen Ning, G, 5k)

“A-Yuan? Um—Lan-gongzi,” Wen Ning corrects, trying to set a good example. The children are young, seven and eight, exactly a dozen of them lined up in two crisp lines of tiny blue and white robes. Wen Ning can feel them staring at him, even though most of them have already mastered that Lan trick of neutrality. The smallest, a little girl with liquid dark eyes, is clinging to her nearest shijie’s sleeve and half-hiding. “Can I—what can I do for you?”

Wen Ning gets himself recruited for services, while he and Sizhui are visiting Cloud Recesses. Wei Wuxian gets a fan club.

Set in the same universe as “To The Act of Making Noise,” a very cute fic about Wen Ning finding his place in the post-canon world and being proud of Sizhui and being the world’s best substitute teacher. As the official Wen Ning Fan Club President, I had to include this.

the stone-filled sea by yukla (Lan Sizhui & Wei Wuxian, T, 9k) ***

He forgets how quickly Wei-qianbei changes faces, sometimes. Like pulling a theater mask over a bruise—color over color, a diversion with the swipe of his hand.

Lan Sizhui navigates a world that hates his father, one endless wave at a time.

Oh man oh man. I will never get enough of the fics where Sizhui (and the rest of the juniors) get ANGRY on Wei Wuxian’s behalf!! That’s their dad and their teacher and their friend and they will DEFEND HIM!!! YEAH BAYBEEEEEEEEEE!!!

PICK & MIX (MISCELLANEOUS)

This Side of Paradise by greenfionn (Wei Wuxian/Wen Qing, E, 3k)

Wei Wuxian does some very quick math in his head that goes something like this: He is pretty sure he’s in love with Lan Zhan - Lan Zhan is not here and likely never will be here - Wen Qing is here, not to mention very hot and let us not forget, actually interested in sex with him - there’s a solid chance he goes genuinely crazy or dies, or both, in the next few months and really, who wants to die a virgin?

Listen.......the fic premise is “Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing, noted bisexuals, figure life sucks enough at the Burial Mounds, they might as well have any fun they can before they die” and........I Am Looking Directly At It. It features Wen Qing bossing Wei Wuxian around and Wei Wuxian’s canon he-wants-to-be-pregnant kink. It’s........I liked it.

palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss by iodhadh (Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen, M, 15k) ***

The realization strikes Song Lan like a bolt of lightning: Xiao Xingchen laughs, and he wants with a sudden, stunning desperation to kiss the mirth from his beautiful mouth. How, precisely, he is meant to manage that—that, he has no idea at all.

Or: introspective meditations on touch, trust, and the problem of desire.

I Am Baby and for some reason cannot handle how sad the entire Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen storyline ended up so I rarely read songchen fics, and when I do they’re always soft pre-canon fics like this one. Luckily there are some very beautiful and moving pre-canon songchen fics!!! I love you fandom!!

purpose and ritual by iodhadh (Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen, E, 8k)

Song Zichen has beautiful hands. He's a powerful swordsman, strong and skilled, unfairly impressive and unreasonably handsome. He is devoted and self-disciplined and he takes direction like a dream. And he doesn't touch people—no one at all, if he can help it, except for Xiao Xingchen.

The poets might call him a saint, but Xiao Xingchen is so very, very human.

More of the same :-)

born to sweet delight by la_dissonance (Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen, E, 10k)

Xiao Xingchen lightly jumps into the center of the pool, the water a shock that cools his sticky, heated skin, and does nothing for the heat building inside him. When he surfaces, pushing the hair out of his face, he finds Song Lan's gaze and meets it. Between them, everything goes both ways. What Song Lan will offer, Xiao Xingchen will freely give too.

Or, Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan meet, pledge their lives to each other, and then fall in love.

This is about the angstiest I will go for songchen and its still absolutely Baby Soft lmfao!!!!!!

Pin it down by rheawrites (Jiang Yanli/Jin Zixuan, Jin Zixuan/Nie Mingjue, E, 2k)

“Yanli, I did not lie on our wedding night. You are the only woman I have gone to bed with. But… there was a man.”

“Oh?” Yanli blinks up at him. She does not appear horrified, or betrayed, which is surely a good sign.

Jin Zixuan swallows. “It was Sect Leader Nie,” he says quickly, as though that will make it easier.

“…Oh,” says Yanli, and her eyes are dark.

-

Jin Zixuan tells his wife a war story. Or, two thousand words of Jin Zixuan getting railed.

Have you ever looked at Jin Zixuan and been like “I bet that mf likes getting PEGGED!!!!!!!!” Well here’s the fic for you. 

*YIBO VOICE* DIDI LOVES YOU! (YIZHAN RPF)

never really over by gdgdbaby (Yizhan, E, 10k)

The thing is: it would be good to see Xiao Zhan again — if Yibo could just trust himself to be normal.

Author gdgdbaby is the yizhan master, so here are five of my personal favorites of their fics, starting with this post-filming reunion fic that was the first yizhan fic I ever read and HIT real good after having just finished the show myself.

pedagogy by gdgdbaby (Yizhan, E, 17k) ***

Yibo opens his mouth and says, "I want to learn," barreling past the rapid rise of Xiao Zhan's eyebrows. "To last longer. Will you teach me?"

Quick-fire Yibo comes too easily and Xiao Zhan helps train him to last longer :-)

you’re the reason that i just can’t concentrate by gdgdbaby (Yizhan, E, 10k)

Xiao Zhan hears about it from Yu Bin, which probably should've been the first warning sign.

Yibo was only 20 when they filmed the untamed, which lends itself perfectly to fics like this.

a truth so loud you can’t ignore by gdgdbaby (Yizhan, E, 5k)

It's their last day of filming in Hengdian when the secret comes out.

If yibo has to be a fictional virgin than SO DOES XIAO ZHAN!

if you would only let you by gdgdbaby (Yizhan, E, 32k) ***

"Well?" Yibo demands. Past the severe frown tugging at the corners of his mouth, a flicker of the old him slips through, the persistent boy who shoved his way into Xiao Zhan's space without a second thought and made a home for himself there. "Are you coming or not?"

Xiao Zhan's heart twists. He forcibly settles it back in his chest. He's only told Yibo no once in his entire life, and it was already the hardest thing he's ever had to do. "Okay," Xiao Zhan murmurs, quiet but decisive, and thumbs his phone off. "Let's go."

Like I said, all gdgdbaby fics are incredibly good, super well written, and very hot, but this one does stand out from the bunch for being a Full Epic Romance! This is one of Chi’s favorite fics so that should speak to it’s quality!

baby, who’s counting by nobirdstofly (Yizhan, E, 12k)

Xiao Zhan gasps, trying to rein in another peal of giggles. “What do I owe you anyway?”

Yibo shrugs one shoulder, and his smirk deepens. “Haven’t decided.”

Xiao Zhan’s still staring at him, laughter gone in his dry throat, when he hears someone yell for a reset. Yibo’s eyes are so, so dark, and he hasn’t stopped watching Xiao Zhan this whole time. Xiao Zhan swallows, nods, and pushes every dirty thought out of his head.

(Or: Yibo bets Xiao Zhan he'll break first during a take, Xiao Zhan loses, and it's all downhill from there.)

Ah sex bets, who doesn’t love sex bets!

Mystery Dance by mrsronweasley (Yizhan, E, 16k)

"That? That's your confession?" Yibo's toppled onto Xiao Zhan's side and is clutching his shoulder, trying not to fall over. "That's pathetic!"

"Oh, what, you can do better?" Zhuocheng is pretty flushed and there's a challenge in his voice that Yibo just can't walk away from.

"Hell yeah, I can. Hit me, Yu Bin." Yu Bin cheers and refills Yibo's shot glass. "All right!" Yibo downs the shot, gags only slightly, and says, "Everyone! I'm a fucking virgin!"

WHAT’S better than a Yibo virgin fic? A SECOND YIBO VIRGIN FIC!

This author also writes extremely good yizhan threesomes so here’s three of them!

Some Nights by mrsronweasley (Yizhan/Xuan Lu (Jiang Yanli), E, 2k)

Xuan Lu opened her legs to him and Xiao Zhan wasted no time diving in. He pressed his mouth against her pussy, licking her out steadily as her thighs trembled around him. She was nestled between Yibo's legs and if Xiao Zhan looked up, not only could he see the planes of her body, her small breasts going up and down with her breathing, ribs expanding, her tipped back head and open mouth, but Yibo, gaze boring into Xiao Zhan's as he ate Xuan Lu out.

The entire cast is hot and there is no reason they shouldn’t ALL fuck! Not one reason!!!!!!

gege loves you by mrsronweasley (Yizhan/Wang Zhuocheng (Jiang Cheng)), E, 7k)

"We are very sorry," Xiao Zhan murmured as he unbuttoned Zhuocheng's jeans while Yibo kissed his ear, "for how we've been acting."

"Is this how you apologize to everyone," Zhuocheng panted, hands already going for his zipper to help Xiao Zhan along, "or am I special?"

WHEW LORD!!!!!!!!! WHEW!!!!!!!

Talking in the Dark by mrsronweasley (Yizhan (Side Xiao Zhan/M/F), E, 14k)

Xiao Zhan has a light-hearted romp of a threeway with some friends, then makes the mistake of telling Yibo. It goes down.

A non-yizhan threesome BUT features jealous!yibo which is a ton of fun.

Finally, a couple AUs!

With Joy and Purpose by feenwitch (Yizhan, E, 30k) ***

Yibo has been alone for approximately five Earth years when Xiao Zhan crash lands on his planet.

YIZHAN ANDROID AU!!!!!!!! This is a very star trek-esque universe which is fun, but the fic itself is also CRAZY interesting and moving and beautiful!!!!!!!!! It’s A LOT! This was a rec from Nina, so thank you Nina!

Bound With a Same-Heart Knot by mrsronweasley (Yizhan, E, 59k)

London, 1892. Xiao Zhan, a promising young attache at the Chinese embassy is tasked with showing the new ambassador's son Wang Yibo around London. The inevitable happens.

Victorian AU! I actually think you already read this, but included for posterity.

AND SCENE! This is the result of two months of daily fic reading, having 50 tabs of fic open at any given time, reading truly anything and everything, and Loving The Untamed. I’m SO EXCITED you’re diving into fic for this show and I can’t wait to talk to you about all of them and to have someone to scream with! WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!