#crashorpie

[ckret2]

psychically beaming you cookies for updating the masterpost

hell yeah rewarded for my actions 🎉 🍪 🎉

[fincalinde]

I’ve been rereading it’s worth it every time and that + the post abt mxy reminded me of how much I like your take on what happened! the way that… it’s not malicious on mxy’s part and at first he doesn’t even seem to realize how obvious he’s being, but he does eventually escalate to actual, unwelcome, come-ons towards jgy (the first scene when he checks on him and gives him heart eyes vs the “I’m yours” scene, is what I’m thinking here)

Thanks so much! I put a lot of thought into making MXY canon consistent, and I really wanted to capture how desperately vulnerable he is without minimising his behaviour. And off the back of this I've written an entire post about JGY and MXY exploring how JGY chooses to handle the MXY issue in canon, so here goes.

The relationship between JGY and MXY is a complicated one. JGY is the victim of MXY's inappropriate behaviour, but this isn't what could be considered a traditional perpetrator-victim dynamic. MXY is younger, less experienced, less powerful, and has at least one unspecified mental health condition. Even before JGY becomes clan leader, he has authority over MXY even if simply by virtue of being MXY's elder and quasi-mentor—and once JGY actually is clan leader, he literally has the power of life and death over MXY.

Before JGY is clan leader, he's in a much more awkward position because any harassment he receives from MXY either isn't going to be believed or no one is going to do anything about it. JGS isn't going to step in to protect JGY from the brother who is at Golden Carp Tower literally to reinforce how easily he can be replaced. It makes sense if JGY is, if not necessarily fending off open advances at this stage, then at least navigating treacherous waters. MXY is in awe of him and can't physically overpower him, but JGY is still forced to live with him.

Once JGY is clan leader, he has far more options. It's telling that he doesn't quietly dispose of MXY—which he could easily do. I'm actually going to digress and talk about JGY's many other illegitimate siblings for a moment, because I never really see them brought up and we know they are plentiful and many of them have perfectly respectable mothers. Like MXY, the very fact of their existence is absolutely a threat.

We get one extremely unreliable indication in the text that JGY might have killed off some of his other half-siblings. During the scene in which everyone turns on him and starts shouting baseless slander, one of the claims thrown out is that before he had his father killed he spent a couple of years quietly eliminating his various illegitimate and unacknowledged half-siblings. I don't for a moment think this is true or that we are intended to think this is true, considering other claims include JGY, a prostitute's son, only rising to power by sucking up to NMJ and LXC; and JGY deliberately orchestrating XXC's death for having the temerity to politely reject an invitation to join the Jin at a time when it was led by JGS.

So obviously this is nonsense. But, OK, it's not as though it's completely implausible that JGY might have wanted his half-siblings out of the way. He didn't intend for JZX to die but he certainly didn't hesitate to put him in danger. Let's take the least generous read possible and imagine that this demonstrably false gossip has a seed of truth: once he comes to power, JGY begins to quietly eliminate his other half-siblings to ensure no rivals emerge. We know JGY is ruthless. It makes sense that he'd be taking precautions.

But we also know JGY is not solely ruthless, and that he is also generous and loyal and repays his debts in his own fashion. Maybe he did bump off half-siblings out of fear that his enemies could rally behind one of them. But he doesn't have QS quietly killed, even though it would solve his incest problem, because he is so profoundly grateful that she treats him with respect and love and makes nothing of his background. And, more interestingly, he doesn't have MXY quietly killed either.

JGY is an efficient and capable man, but he has a habit of putting people who know just a little too much in out of the way places where he doesn't necessarily have to think about them but they remain as loose ends. I'm not necessarily saying my read is that JGY was definitely systematically killing off his siblings over the years, but I do think it's something he is in theory capable of (I support him), so the fact that MXY is kicked out without subsequently having a terrible and terribly convenient accident is notable. It's also consistent with his habit of not following through completely on eliminating risk of exposure (however small) if he feels affection and/or gratitude towards someone. See: NMJ, XY, QS, Sisi, etc.

I think it shows almost supernatural forbearance that MXY is deposited back at Mo Manor. He really could so easily have been killed. He knows about the Jin's experimentations in demonic cultivation, which makes him a liability, and has even seen WWX's notes. If JGY were really as ruthlessly pragmatic as so many in fandom seem to think, MXY would have died in a convenient accident not long after arriving back at Mo Manor. The only explanation is that JGY is genuinely fond of MXY, and in classic JGY fashion this means putting MXY in a miserable situation that's out of sight and out of mind so JGY can continue to flatter himself that he didn't kill him.

[leatherbookmark]

"apparently the author takes commissions!" the first place my brain went when I read those tags was "how much of this market is nhs filling"

i don't want to like, start gossip that could harm the respectable qinghe nie sect's reputation, of course, BUT if porn novels aren't like, solid 50% of their income then... then I guess nhs is dead and someone else is leading the sect

[zlbridgez]

Got to do a sweet Vday/JGY day mini reverse-bang recently! 💖

and here's the accompanying bday fic by @crashorpie !! LXC is so smooth (poetry???) and also a silly smitten goose 😭

[calyxcurl]

Tagging game!

Tagged by @flamingwell ! TEAM DABCHICK LFGGGGGG

Last Song I listened to: Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae 😎

Currently Watching: The current season of Top Chef! AND Kiseki Dear To Me!!!! 🧑🏽‍🍳👯‍♂️

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy?: I like them all but to rank them - Savory, Spicy, and then Sweet! I tend to like sweet things if they're paired with salty things, or if they're meant to bring out the savory-ness of something (like like cranberry sauce pairs well with Turkey+stuffing, or teriyaki chicken, or honey glazed salmon)! 🥩🌶️🍯

Relationship Status: I got a spouse and a partner! we own one very insane dog! 🐕🏃🏻🏃🏼‍♂️🏃🏻‍♀️

Current Obsession: XiYao 👁️👄👁️ 💙💛 also podficcing?

Tagging: @aeoneris @crashorpie @evilhasnever @lansplaining @wishthefish @jgydidnothingwrong @feralcrybaby @nebulathunderwave @singersalvageshop @esmeraldablazingsky @crithir @cryptidafter @r95irth @galadhir aaaaaah and anyone else who wants to do this!!!??

[sleepdepravity]

I have subsequently discovered that they used section breaks in the middle of a paragraph to break them across pages, which 1. I have no idea why they would want to do that 2. Is going to mess up screen readers, which do not expect people to use section breaks in the middle of paragraphs and so will read them as different paragraphs no matter what I think.

I am losing my mind at work. Instead of using the normal underline function in word. Someone. Used the line tool. To underline certain words.

[ckret2]

does Bill ever get embarrassed that there’s a whole spell that identifies him as the silly title he had as a kid

No he's still arrogant as hell about the badass title he had as a kid. Damn right he's the master of minds. He probably wrote that spell himself.

Everything he thought was cool at like 14, he still thinks is cool.

[fincalinde]

lwj, for the meme?

Not the Lan bro I was expecting but here goes!

a song that reminds me of them

This doesn't remind me of him because I wouldn't want to ruin it for myself, but I can imagine a sad montage of interregnum LWJ set to I Am Stretched On Your Grave. Anyway, my proper answer is Frostrósir by Eivør. It's in Faroese, which I do not speak, but I pinched something from here:

Each sigh from a lonely soul Every word that was formed without sound Now seems like a frostbitten affair Dressed in the guise of lifeless flowers

what they smell like

We have an answer to this in canon and it's sandalwood, so I don't have much to add.

an otp

I mean, it is the central point of the novel. But even aside from that, LWJ is consistently only ever interested in WWX. I'm not saying he shouldn't be interpreted as gay, but I am saying that even if he is gay it's secondary to his actual sexual identity which is Weiyingsexual. I'm not treading any new ground here.

Personally I don't find Wangxian interesting, but I at least believe they love each other and are compatible in the sense that they are both selfish in slightly different ways that mesh well for their own private universe. Not so great for others in their orbit, but part of that is authorial fiat so I try to be fair about what I hold against them.

I don't think CQL successfully executed the changes it made to Wangxian in having them click and partner up from the beginning, but I do think it was necessary to at least attempt to rebalance the relationship. In MDZS, WWX genuinely does not reciprocate LWJ's feelings in his first life beyond a very deeply buried and not particularly inevitable spark. His first life is really centred on his relationships with JC and JYL and they are the tragic 'romance' (in the traditional sense). LWJ only gets upgraded during the second life. Kind of awkward to do your sweeping romance if it isn't a romance in the 35+ episodes of flashbacks, so I don't blame them for trying. And I do like the Colin Firth vibes WYB brought to his LWJ.

a notp

Aside from not finding the idea of LWJ with anyone else convincing, let me take the opportunity to pettily sideswipe at Chengxian and shoving LWJ in to make it what? Wangchengxian? Is that what it's called? Either way, nooooooo thank you. You can't get much more fraternal than WWX and JC's idiot bickering, and even if they weren't such classic stupid boys together, JC and LWJ loathe one another with the kind of loathing that does not give way to a rendition of I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face. (Incidentally, in the original stage version Eliza walks out on Higgins never to return, and it is awesome.)

favorite platonic/familial relationships

Obviously it's his relationship with LXC (and by extension LQR?). Just absolutely fascinating. Their rapport is very sweet, as is LXC's protectiveness and gentle trolling. LWJ is not a particularly good didi, but LXC both doesn't notice and doesn't mind.

Actually, someone once made a meme for me in relation to this, let me dust it off and drag it out:

More seriously, though he was also raised with harsh discipline, in comparative terms LWJ is the spoilt baby of the family. As is often the result when we encounter morally rigid characters in MDZS, he is also in many respects hypocritical. Clearly I have a lot of negative things to say about him as a brother to LXC, but I'm not interested in demonising him and what's really interesting about it is that by and large this uneven dynamic works for the Twin Jades. Right up until it doesn't.

When LXC really needs LWJ to come through for him, he just doesn't. I'm not even talking about LWJ's behaviour leading up to and during the Temple, which is objectionable in the sense that he refuses to give JGY the benefit of the doubt that LXC extends to WWX. No, I'm talking about the fact that he bods off for literal months after LXC has just been through the worst experience of his life and lost his closest friend and partner. And I don't want to hear it about LXC being the elder and having a responsibility to take care of LWJ. LWJ owes consideration to his big brother and clan leader, even if that consideration might take a different form.

Here's a thought experiment. After WWX's first death, when LWJ has been whipped 33 times by the discipline whip and dragged himself to rescue LSZ and branded himself in drunken grief, can you imagine LXC bodding off for three months without a word to have picnics with JGY? It's inconceivable isn't it.

I didn't intend for this section to become a hit piece on LWJ and he obviously does love his brother, but in terms of actions it is somewhat of a one way street. The fact that LXC has no other expectations doesn't protect LWJ from my croc-hatted judgement face.

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with

Righteous LWJ. Oh, please. In MDZS, righteousness goes hand in hand with hypocrisy, and though I doubt MXTX the human being intended LWJ to be read as thoroughly selfish, the (translation of) the text she wrote is a depiction of a profoundly selfish man. And that's not a bad thing, because his selfishness coupled with the occasions when he is genuinely altruistic makes him more interesting than if he really were a moralising ice cube with a ribbon tied around it.

the position they sleep in

Official Lan Position, and postcanon I probably don't want to know.

a crossover au i’d love to see them in

I'm going to be lazy and suggest X-Men AU again just because his secondary power would definitely be organic diamond form like Emma Frost. I don't think he'd also be a telepath, but the idea of that is funny because he could read WWX's mind and know for certain that WWX isn't (currently) into him. But as a serious answer, organic diamond form as a secondary power and then primary power the same as Alison Blaire. I see no reason why his mutant name wouldn't be Dazzler too.

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn

I think he only has like one outfit. I'm sorry, I'm not cool enough to be able to distinguish between different varieties of plain white robes. In CQL I prefer first life LWJ because they put that massive ornament on second life LWJ's head to make him look older and taller but actually they created an unfortunate perspective effect where he just looks even shorter.

[obstinaterixatrix]

the world is your oyster…

also I love public transportation. mom made us download a rideshare app and told us to use it if we weren’t comfortable taking the train and I was like weeeelllll maaaayyybeeee and then checked the prices and walked right to the station. I’m not spending $50 when I could spend less than $5 and maybe an extra 10 minutes of walking

[leatherbookmark]

I love all of wwx’s galaxybrained assumptions that the fandom treats as fact, like “jgy was only complaining to lxc about nmj mistreating him bc he knew nmj would overhear him and fly into a fatal rage about it”

huh, wwx really... thought that...? BIG SIGH........ honestly, i wouldn't be surprised, the guanyin temple has its own share of the "everything he does is 100% calculated for effect!" accusations. and to these, i ask again: if jgy is such a fine actor, if he's so great at manipulating people's reactions to his (shall we say) benefit, why is he dead? why hasn't he manipulated everyone into thinking he's the best thing in the world, absolutely untouchable, if you say one bad word about our beloved xiandu We All Hate You? why was everyone so eager to jump on the "jgy, the worst man ever" train?

on the other hand -- this scene kinda hurts me. i'm still not quite sure just how canon it is that the empathy is supposed to be subjective; after all, n "no ear for music" mj seemingly remembers the tune jgy played it well enough that wwx is able to play it and the lan brothers are able to tell what it is. maybe the flashback is out of context, or maybe xi/yao's reactions are blown out of proportion in nmj's memory. but if they're not -- dear god! jgy is almost crying, exhausted and anxious with nmj's murderous obsession with him, and lxc is like "well... yknow what da-ge's like... he said 'if you think about breaking the oath, you'll be eligible for an incredibly gruesome death'. if, a-yao! if you're not thinking, then you're not eligible! :)" and... zewu-jun. i know you're between a rock and a hard place. but :/

[takonxmz]

[PODFIC] the purpose of poetry is to express one's heart

written by @peridraws / @crashorpie art by @zlbridgez

📘MDZS 📘XiYao 📘POV Second Person 📘POV Lan Xichen 📘Requited Love

Lán Xīchén frequently travels to Lánlíng to assist Jīn Guāngyáo with various plans. Of course, their relationship has always been more than simply professional.

🎧 Listen on ao3 here 🔊

[pronoun-arc]

here's some pronoun set coinings that no one has archived yet. i wanted to tag you in this but i cant get your blog to come up?

/crashorpie/82164770968/in-the-team-bear-traps-skype-call-weve-been

Ty!!

[calyxcurl]

Current Tag Game

I have been tagged by @cryptidafter!

Current Time: 7:39 PM PDT

Current Activity: De-compressing on the couch

Currently thinking about: nothing, my brain is soup.

Current favourite song: Sinta by Rob Deniel

Currently reading: This wlw wangxian fic series

Currently watching: Heaven Official's Blessing (TGCF), Great British Baking Show season 14, and Scavenger's Reign.

Recently Watched: Young Frankenstein

Current WIP: uhhhh

Tags: If you want to do it, do it! No pressure tho @aeoneris @evilhasnever @lansplaining @r95irth @fox-fic-and-ink @crashorpie @amirdrassil sorry if you've already been tagged to do this 👁👄👁💦

easy copy pasta in the cut! ⤵️

Current Tag Game

Current Time: Current activity: Current favourite song: Currently reading: Currently watching: Recently Watched: Current WIP: Tags:

[ckret2]

the description of Bill in the Theraprism being an infinitesimal fragment of his full self subsisting on a shadow of his nutritional needs was so potent it leaked into my dreams last night

that was Bill himself trying to escape Theraprism

[sleepdepravity]

Same. I’ve never had any sort of dream where I was like “oh I’m dreaming.” This includes when I dream of a flash/one piece crossover and I will wake up and be absolutely convinced that this for real happened and exists in reality for about a minute.

Waking up to an alarm after dreaming the most mortifying social disaster of my life is just like “WOW IM SURE GLAD NONE OF THAT HAPPENED! PHEW!!!”

[fincalinde]

I’m so glad I got to read bring your flood to me right before leaving for work! in particular I really appreciated the bits where lxc was keenly aware of the injustice in how jgs treated jgy – particularly the part where jgy talks abt how he’s being allowed to plan the banquet and lxc thinks “has jzx ever planned any event in his entire life”

omg thank you! I love JZX, but the difference in how he and JGY are treated is stark. LXC really is the only one who treats JGY as an equal, not just in the sense of treating him like the war hero and deserving member of the gentry he actually is, but also in the sense of involving himself in aspects of JGY's life that are foisted on him by virtue of the prejudice against him. JGY is the one who plans the hunt at Phoenix Mountain and is both taken for granted and treated as an easy target by disgruntled attendees—and LXC doesn't hesitate to decline participation in the hunt in order to help JGY with event management duties that really should be beneath both of them. JZX might be too good to plan events, but Zewu-jun ain't and he is on the case. Plus it's a precursor to Xiyao Conferences Inc. once JGY is clan leader, so this is a thread that runs through the entire length of their relationship and it's a pleasure to see.