#now on lxc in this snippet

[tavina-writes]

LXC would've gotten disbarred

After I kind of drifted away from the cnovel translation forum I used to be a part of, like, a decade ago, I thought to myself: my translator days are over! I will not translate stuff again! The post about if NMJ has hobbies (found here if you want to see it) was merely a blip on the radar of “not translating anything.” 

Alas, I appear to have descended into a new pit, and that is seeing things in the other translations of mdzs and going back to the Chinese to look at things, discussing with @autumnslantern and just, translating snippets of this book and then deciding to share the results. 

In this case, it’s a passage from Chapter 73, which is doing the rounds again, but I’ve most commonly seen as evidence for “LXC really wanted to say something about the treatment of the Wens but got steamrolled by NMJ’s objections” and I kind of just want to wave at the title of this post because if Chinese Novel!Xichen had been my defense lawyer, I would fire him. I would want him disbarred lol. I love him but this was not a shiny moment of Xichen getting steamrolled. 

Again, this appears like it will get long, so meta under the cut: 

The passage in question in this one, which is early on in Chapter 73: 

The fantranslation I have access to says this: 

Lan XiChen responded a moment later, “I have heard of Wen Qing’s name a few times. I do not remember her having participated in any of the Sunshot Campaign’s crimes.”

Nie MingJue, “But she’s never stopped them either.”

Lan XiChen, “Wen Qing was one of Wen RuoHan’s most trusted people. How could she have stopped them?”

Nie MingJue spoke coldly, “If she responded with only silence and not opposition when the Wen Sect was causing mayhem, it’s the same as indifference. She shouldn’t have been so disillusioned as to hope that she could be treated with respect when the Wen Sect was doing evil and be unwilling to suffer the consequences and pay the price when the Wen Sect was wiped out.”

Lan XiChen knew that because of what happened to his father, Nie MingJue abhorred Wen-dogs more than anything, especially with how intolerable he was toward evil. Lan XiChen didn’t say anything else.

One of the sect leaders spoke up, “What Sect Leader Nie said is quite right. Besides, Wen Qing is one of Wen RuoHan’s most trusted people. You’re telling me she never participated? Well I don’t buy it. Is there any Wen-dog without a single drop of blood on their hands? Maybe it’s just that we haven’t found out about it yet!”

The Chinese text that these passages correspond to is this: 

蓝曦臣沉吟道：“这位温情的大名我知晓几分，似乎没听说她参与过射日之征中任何一场凶案的。”

聂明玦道：“可她也没有阻拦过。”

蓝曦臣道：“温情是温若寒的亲信之一，如何能阻拦？”

聂明玦冷冷地道：“既然在温氏作恶时只是沉默而不反对，那就等同于袖手旁观。总不能妄想只在温氏兴风作浪时享受优待，温氏覆灭了就不肯承担苦果付出代价。”

蓝曦臣知道，因家仇之故，对温狗聂明玦是最为痛恨，他又是完全容不得沙子的性情，便不再言语。一名家主道：“聂宗主此言正是。况且温情既然是温若寒的亲信，说她没参与过？我是不信的。温狗哪个手上不沾几条人命？也许只是没被我们发现而已！”

Which I got from this source on the internet. At some point I should invest in buying an actual physical copy of this text, but I spent my discretionary Chinese book money on a great copy of Yanxi Palace so I’ll have to wait on my physical MDZS copy. 

Anyway, what follows are a bunch of screenshots of the translation process of this section and then some cleanup and a basic summary. 

Idk about you all, but I do not call someone a pejorative equivalent of WRH’s toady/crony/trusted ally, while saying “why would she stop his horrible crimes!” and then think that my good friend would have to “turn a blind eye” if we were to let her off when I’m trying very hard to defend her against the masses but am getting steamrolled into agreeing that she probably deserved it. 

Indeed, the two things that LXC says in this scene are: “I have heard briefly of Wen Qing’s reputation, it does not appear that she personally murdered anyone…” and “she’s a crony of WRH, how would she have stopped his atrocities?” 

Now, I actually like him more after realizing this fact, because he was being mildly bitchy about this! And honestly, given that the Wen burned down his house and killed his dad and killed a bunch of Lan cultivators and broke Wangji’s leg and kidnapped Wangji and nearly killed Xichen himself and he had to flee with a bunch of their sacred texts…I’d say he’s earned the right to be bitchy about them. 

But also if I were Wen Qing depending on Zewu-jun for his excellent defense lawyering skills at my criminal trial I would want him disbarred. And also fired. 

[evilhasnever]

@ghostysword

The title in itself is a little tarot inspired, yes! And also, the watchtowers have a bit of an important role in this story…

It’s your usual “a rando used the sacrifice ritual to bring JGY back” scenario, but it’s a little ambitious in scope so I haven’t written past chapter 2 (I need to wrap my head around postcanon politics and developments; also, I’m not sure how to keep it interesting if lxc and jgy do not meet for several chapters yet… you know?)

But here’s a snippet of resurrected jgy in damage control mode!

He’s killed another father, and he feels nothing. At least, nothing significant. Some bitterness seeps through, acrid in the back of his throat, like the poisons he’d dutifully taken every day in Qishan and then in Lanling to build up an immunity. It occurs to him that now he may have to start over from the beginning, if he can get his hands on some poison. Granted, the body he’s stolen may never have been in a position to fear being poisoned, but Jin Guangyao always is. It pays to be cautious. 

The first thing he does is upturn the water basin and scrub every last evidence of the bloody array from the ground. No matter what, he won’t leave such a conspicuous hint for anyone who might know what it means - such people are few, but they are exactly the last people on Earth he wants to alert to his presence.

[leahsfiction]

💯 @ your tags: you actually got three out of the FOUR characters i was specifically thinking about at the moment (wen ning, nie huaisang, lan xichen, and meng yao) (like centering around wn of course)

#also lxc gets shoehorned in here occasionally along w [literally any mdzs female character] #i simply dont think lxc is non-threatening. postcanon if he looks at you the weight of his grief and inability to forgive himself #would swallow you whole on the spot #now THAT'S scary.

SO true!!! my friend dm'ed me a little snippet of postcanon xichen/wen ning one time and it was sooo. incredible and MILES away from the boring fanon take

being obsessed with the character assigned "nice, shy, non-threatening best friend" by the narrative is such a hardship... you have to see so many bland fandom takes like "i think they and X would hang out and have a nice soothing time :)" while being like NO they could have insane beef for extremely in-character reasons!!! just because they wouldn't start a massacre over it doesn't mean you can assign them "sweet and boring" in all their interactions!!

[paradife-loft]

hmmmm (murdersibs!AU) Qin Su making JGY Sit Still for a hot second, and then. painting her husband up with her makeup 👀

just. a-Yao lipstick rights, yeah?

[asideoftrashplease]

xicheng marriage wip (i)

I hear JC antis are complaining that “JC stans from twitter” are posting canon-verse xicheng in the canon JC tag. I find this extremely puzzling because they seem to like their JC deranged, unhinged, and dealing badly with WWX’s death. I don’t understand why I should be excluded from this tag when I TOO like my JC deranged, unhinged, and dealing badly with WWX’s death. So have the opening snippet of my ✨xicheng marriage of convenience✨ WIP, where the Lan elders try to void the wangxian marriage on basis of an old Confucian rule, stating that younger brothers cannot marry before older brothers — so JC offers himself up for a loveless marriage with LXC, and LXC (who is depressed and disillusioned after Guanyin Temple) agrees. They do not initially get along. DRAMA ensues.

---

After two wars, Lan Xichen thinks he can speak authoritatively on the matter — the bulk of the work always comes after the war.

This argument between Lanling Jin and a coalition of smaller sects has raged on for hours now, late into the night. It is far past Gusu Lan's traditional bedtime, and Lan Xichen can feel tiredness slowly beginning to chip away at his patience.

"I would like to advocate again for the open dissemination of the Yiling Patriarch's research notes," he says tiredly, for what feels like the fourth or fifth time that night. "Parts of his research have the potential to be used for good. Everyone should be able to benefit from his inventions."

A minor sect leader shoots to his feet. Sect Leader Yao is his name, Lan Xichen remembers suddenly. He does not remember the name with much fondness.

“But what of the parts that could be used for harm?!” Sect Leader Yao cries, appalled. “The common people cannot be trusted with such evil techniques! Not to mention that there’s a high risk of things going wrong if they are practiced incorrectly. How can these notes just be distributed so carelessly?!”

“And that’s why Lanling Jin is best suited to safeguard these techniques,” Jin Guangyao interjects, smiling. “We have a guest disciple who has the knowledge to interpret these notes, safely testing out the techniques until we can figure out which ones are safe enough for public use.”

Nie Mingjue, a hitherto quiet figure, finally lets out a cold laugh.

“You’re talking about Xue Yang,” he says.

Lan Xichen winces, sensing an oncoming argument

“Da-ge—” he begins placatingly.

“Your entire Jin Sect is a pit of vipers,” Nie Mingjue spits, “and I wouldn’t trust you with a dagger, let alone an entire manual of dangerous cultivation techniques.” He chuckles humorlessly. “When are you going to hand Xue Yang over for trial?”

Even though he does not address the question to anyone specifically, his eyes are pinned on Jin Guangyao. The other man drops his eyes, avoiding his gaze.

“My, my, Sect Leader Nie,” Jin Guangshan begins silkily. “Such venomous accusations. Won’t you give your sworn brother some face?”

Jin Guangyao stiffens at those words. After a moment, however, Nie Mingjue just scoffs, turning to the man sitting silently at his side.

“And you, Jiang Wanyin?” he questions sharply. “Do you have nothing to say?”

Everyone startles at that, turning to the young sect leader, having all but forgotten about his presence. He had been so quiet, so still, just staring vacantly at the table for the whole discussion. Even now, he does not even twitch, sitting still as stone. 

“No,” he replies, monotone.

Nie Mingjue lets out a frustrated, disbelieving noise.

“You alone have veered the furthest from the demonic path,” he presses. “You alone have condemned it whole-heartedly, eliminated all that would misuse it. And now, you will not fight to safeguard these manuals from falling into the hands of unscrupulous others?”

When Jiang Wanyin still says nothing, Nie Mingjue leans in.

“Jiang Wanyin,” he hisses. “You have the strongest claim to his possessions. You will not fight?! He was your Da-shixiong! He was your brother! You have the right!”

There’s a crackle. 

The flickering purple of Jiang Cheng’s ring casts a conspicuous glow in the dim room, painting his still features in eerie shadow. 

“He was no brother of mine,” Jiang Wanyin says without inflection. “I lay no claim.”

Nie Mingjue sits back in his chair, seemingly backing down.

“Calm yourself, Jiang Wanyin,” he mutters. “You want no part in this? Fine. I’m not going to argue with you.”

At those words, the crackle dies, and the room eases a little. This, however, is apparently enough for Jin Guangshan to resume his machinations without fear.

“And yet,” he drawls, leaning back in his seat, “the young Sect Leader Jiang continues to hoard the most valuable piece of the puzzle. Is the ghost flute Chenqing not in your possession? Do you not guard it zealously at your Lotus Pier?” 

Jiang Wanyin does not speak, and after a moment, Jin Guangyao reaches out to grip discreetly at Jin Guangshan’s sleeve. 

“Father,” he murmurs worriedly. 

“Don’t call me that,” Jin Guangshan snarls, flicking Jin Guangyao’s touch off with a wave of his sleeve. He does not even look at Jin Guangyao, eyes fixed single-mindedly on the other sect leader. “Is it even in Lotus Pier, Jiang Wanyin, or have you hidden it elsewhere?"

Jiang Wanyin’s gaze, previously fixed unmovingly on the table, raises slowly to meet Jin Guangshan’s eyes. Lan Xichen can’t help but feel a strange sense of foreboding. The young man in front of him had once been so easy to cow, always wary of offending his elders, always keen not to draw anyone’s ire, but now, he meets Jin Guangshan’s gaze head-on, without any hint of an apology.

"You have evaded all attempts to inquire of its whereabouts, all attempts to hold you to accountability," Jin Guangshan continues. "Do you really think you are above questioning?! Do you really think we will allow you to hold Chenqing indefinitely, without explanation, without justification?!”

Outside, the trees rustle briefly, disturbed by a sudden breeze. The gust flutters at the edges of the papers on the desk, setting the candles on the table violently a-flicker. The dancing candlelight lights Jiang Wanyin's face from beneath, his eyes flashing dangerously in its glow, but still, Jin Guangshan doesn’t seem to notice.

“We will not have another person holding onto dark weapons without any means of accountability,” he concludes. “We will not have another Yiling Patriarch!"

Lan Xichen blinks, and when he next opens his eyes, the long discussion table has tipped over, hitting the floor with a loud, thunderous crash. The candles on the table fall to the ground, lighting the scattered maps and notes on fire. With that, the room is thrown into sudden darkness, shadows flickering and flashing dizzyingly against the walls as several others begin to stamp out the fire, shouting in alarm.

Jin Guangyao’s shrill voice cuts through the din like a knife.

“Jiang Wanyin!” he screams.

Lan Xichen looks up to see Jin Guanyao falling backwards, knocked away by a fierce sweep of Jiang Wanyin’s arm. With the other hand, Jiang Wanyin has reached across the toppled table, and is gripping Jin Guangshan by the collar, all but lifting him off his seat.

“You want accountability?!” he hisses. “You want justification?!”

“Jiang Wanyin, stop this!” Jin Guangyao shrieks. He grabs Jiang Wanyin’s elbow, pulling at him with his whole body, but still, Jiang Wanyin will not be moved.

“Then let me tell you!” Jiang Wanyin thunders. “Chenqing is on my person! It is on my person right now, as it has been since I gained possession of it, and as it will be until Wei Wuxian returns to claim it!” 

“You’re mad!” Jin Guangshan shrieks. “Claim it?! How?! He’s dead! Dead!” 

“How would you know?!” Jiang Wanyin  bellows, shaking Jin Guangshan violently by the neck. “Did you see him die?! Did you find a body?! There was no body! No bones! Nothing to claim— nothing to bury!” 

“Let go of him!” Jin Guangyao screams, still pulling desperately at Jiang Wanyin’s arm as Lan Xichen rushes around the smoldering wreck of the table.

“Jiang Wanyin!” Lan Xichen hollers, grabbing Jiang Wanyin’s other arm. “Control yourself!”

Nie Mingjue leaps across the table as well. But in Jiang Wanyin’s mad rage, not even the combined efforts of three prominent cultivators can restrain him. 

“He’ll be back!” he spits in Jin Guangshan’s face. “And when he finally comes for me, when he finally comes for his accursed flute— I’ll kill him, and kill him, and kill him dead!”

 ---

This memory is what plays in Lan Xichen’s mind, over and over, while Jiang Cheng bows his head, presenting a red letter in gold lettering. 

“For my brother’s happiness,” he says tonelessly, “please accept my marriage proposal.”

[ninjakk]

LWJs confession in the cave wasn't selfish, he was trying to save WWX!

Recently I've seen quite a few people talking about LWJs confessions after the Bloodbath of Nightless Sky. A lot of posts are claiming LWJ was being selfish, unburdening his feelings for WWX at such a moment. Personally, I just don't think people are fully appreciating the circumstances that led up to his confession.

Obviously the timeline is given to us somewhat fragmented. MXTX masterfully flips between the present and flashbacks in order to give the reader snippets of information here and there, for them read to piece together once everything has been revealed. WWX recalls what he thinks happened during the Bloodbath of Nightless Sky later in the novel. Looking at the conversation WWX has with LWJ before he confesses, we can see the motivation behind it all.

Chapter 78

Suddenly, the limpid notes of a zither interrupted Chenqing. Wei WuXian put down Chenqing and turned around to see a person sitting on another of the ridges, guqin laid across his lap. His snow-white robes seemed to burn the eye amid the dark of the night. Wei WuXian spoke in a cold voice, “Lan Zhan.” After he greeted him, he again placed his flute to his lips, “You should’ve known since long ago—Sound of Lucidity is useless to me!” Lan WangJi flipped the guqin onto his back. Instead, he pulled out Bichen and attacked straight at Chenqing, as if he wanted to sever the flute playing such wrongful notes. Wei WuXian spun around to dodge the attack and laughed, “Fine, fine. I knew since the start that we’d have to fight a real fight like this one sooner or later. You’ve always found me disagreeable no matter what. Come on!” Hearing this, Lan WangJi’s movements paused, “Wei Ying!” Although he shouted the words, any sane person would be able to tell that Lan WangJi’s voice was clearly shaking. However, right now, Wei WuXian had already lost his judgement. He was already half-mad, half-unconscious. All evil was being augmented by him. He felt that everyone loathed him and he loathed everyone as well. He wouldn't be scared no matter who came at him. It wouldn't matter no matter who came at him. It was all the same anyway.

At this point WWX feels like the whole world is against him. He feels so alone. When WWX sees LWJ trying to stop him, it just breaks him even more. He always wanted LWJ's attention because deep down he had romantic feelings towards him. But over the years, due to a lack of communication, constant misunderstandings and JCs relentless poisonous words seeding doubt in WWX's head and heart - he wrongfully concludes LWJ really does hate him. Unfortunately WWX was already losing control over himself, clouding his judgement and mind - so he doesn't notice how much his accusation has effected LWJ. LWJ is clearly in distress and extremely worried about WWX.

Because we aren't privy to the actual scene where he confesses, we only have LXCs account of that. But, it still gives us some understanding of what happened.

Chapter 99

“Young Master Wei, in that night, you took the two halves of the Stygian Tiger Seal and pieced them together. After you were satisfied with the killing, you were a spent arrow as well. WangJi was injured on your rampage. He was in no better shape than you, barely supporting himself by leaning on Bichen. In spite of this, as he saw you stumble away, he immediately followed. “Right then, not many people were still conscious. I, too, was almost unable to move, and I could only watch as WangJi, whose spiritual powers were clearly about to be drained, staggered towards you. He brought you onto Bichen as soon as he grabbed you, and you two left. “Four hours later, my spiritual powers, having finally been restored, I hurried back to the GusuLan Sect in search for assistance. I was worried that if those from another sect found you first, WangJi would be considered your accomplice. The best scenario was his name being forever tainted, and the worst his life being taken away right then. Thus, along with Uncle, we chose thirty-three seniors who had always thought highly of WangJi and searched for two days on our swords in secrecy. Only then did we find signs of you two within the Yiling region. WangJi hid you in a cave. When we arrived, you sat blankly on a rock within the cave. Holding your hand, WangJi was giving you spiritual energy. He kept on whispering to you. But throughout the whole time, you repeated the same two words at him. “ 'Get lost'! " Wei WuXian’s throat was dry. His eyes were red as well. He couldn’t say a single thing.

From what we know, we can surmise LWJ could see WWX was in utter turmoil, feeling totally alone in the world now he's lost everyone dear to him. Not long ago, he had shouted in distress that he always knew LWJ hated him. LWJ wanted to comfort him and make him understand he didn't hate him at all. He wanted him to know he wasn't alone and LWJ was by his side, because he loved him. He wanted him to understand he still had someone fighting in his corner. That is why he confessed his feelings for WWX - granted it wasn't the best of times and WWX was totally catatonic by this point, but it was all he could do to try and get through to him and comfort him.

Already seriously injured, with diminishing spiritual powers they were both incredibly worse for wear - it might have even crossed his mind that they both might die soon anyway. LWJ knew it wouldn't be long before someone found them and another fight would ensue - possibly costing their lives. He was fully prepared to risk everything to save WWX. So yes, a tiny part of him might have confessed because he needed to. But the fact that it was to try and help WWX is more than apparent. He didn't expect anything in return, he didn't expect WWX to confess his undying love, he just wanted WWX to know he wasn't alone. He was just desperately trying to save the man he loved, however he could. LWJ wanted to show WWX that he had, and always would be here for him.

[stiltonbasket]

I am enjoying all the snippets from the renouncement 'verse. I was just wondering how did the marriage negotiations between LXC and JC go?

After everything was said and done, and Lan Xichen retreated into seclusion, he sincerely expected to remain there for the better part of a year.

There was no need for him to leave the Cloud Recesses. Wangji had been crowned as Chief Cultivator, and he traveled frequently between the sects while carrying out his duties; so Lan Xichen sealed the doors of the Hanshi and settled down to reflect, hoping to remain undisturbed until he was ready to face the world.

In entering seclusion, he had failed to account for the fact that he was perhaps the most social creature the Lan sect had ever produced, and that he had five very devoted juniors who would--and did--set up a vigil in his garden in hopes of his return. The upshot of it all was that Sizhui and Jingyi dragged him out of seclusion by the third week and made him eat a twin hotpot down in Caiyi, after which they ushered him to a nearby inn to meet with a certain “mysterious guest.”

“That’s not a mysterious guest,” Lan Xichen said flatly, when he spotted Jiang Wanyin mowing through a dish of frozen strawberry cream in the dining room. “That’s just Sect Leader Jiang.”

Jiang-zongzhu looked up, spotted Lan Xichen, and immediately tried to drown himself in a cup of wine. It was an unconventional way to wipe iced cream off one’s face, in Xichen’s opinion; but it worked, so he hung back by the door until Jiang-zongzhu’s face was spotless before gliding over to meet him.

“What brings you here, Jiang-zongzhu?” he said, dropping into an empty chair so gracefully that he could hear the stars igniting in the children’s eyes. “I thought you had taken over as regent of Lanling.”

“I did,” Sect Leader Jiang nodded. “But I heard that Hanguang-jun has taken up residence at Lotus Pier with my shige, so I wanted to hear what Lan-zongzhu thought of the matter.”

Lan Xichen blinked.

“I have no say over Wangji’s comings and goings, Jiang-zongzhu,” he pointed out, deciding not to mention the smudge of cream under Sect Leader Jiang’s chin. “As long as he and Wei-gongzi are well, I will be happy for them both.”

Jiang Wanyin brought his hands down flat on the table. “So you know?” he demanded. “You knew that Hanguang-jun was courting my brother?”

“My brother has been in love with yours for over twenty years,” Lan Xichen sighed. “If he had started courting then, he would have saved himself and his chosen one a great deal of grief. And I approve of it wholeheartedly, regardless of the jianghu’s wishes on the matter. The two of them have earned their joy by now, don’t you think?”

“No! No, absolutely not,” hissed Jiang-zongzhu. “Hanguang-jun hasn’t so much as mentioned marriage to Wei Wuxian. He sleeps in Wei Wuxian’s bed, and he lets Xiao-Yu call him father, and he hasn’t given my shixiong any assurance of his protection! Now what do you think about that?”

Lan Xichen’s jaw dropped. He thought that Wangji would have proposed marriage immediately, and remained at Lotus Pier at his beloved’s side because doing so would allow them to court and care for their new baby son in relative comfort, but for Wangji to have failed to mention marriage in the first place...

“How do you know he hasn’t proposed marriage? Wei Wuxian might have decided to keep their engagement secret for the present.”

“Wei Wuxian can’t keep anything secret if it has to do with Lan Wangji,” Jiang Wanyin said, unimpressed. “You remember what they were like when we studied here, don’t you?”

“Even so, I cannot believe that Wangji has taken liberties with him. Perhaps he wants to wait until you return home to Yunmeng, so he can bring Wei Wuxian to Gusu the moment he asks for his hand.”

“But he can’t do that! It’s hardly proper. He’s the xiandu now, so even he can’t wriggle out of doing things decently.”

“I very much doubt that he would want to ‘wriggle out’ of anything, as you put it.”

“Maybe! But Wei Wuxian will try to elope with him, just wait and see,” Jiang-zongzhu lamented. “They’re not going to have a fit wedding unless someone makes them do it. What will people say?”

Xichen tilted his head. “Do you honestly think that either of them would care?”

Jiang-zongzhu stared at him, aghast.

“You mean you don’t?” he gasped. “No one will respect their marriage if they don’t keep the wedding traditions, and you know it as well as I do!”

“Regardless, I do not command Wangji in such things,” Lan Xichen said gently. “I can advise him, of course, but my sway in his private affairs ends there, as it should. Would you like me to write him a letter?”

Jiang Wanyin seemed to gather himself up, as if he were gathering his courage for something: a breath before the plunge, of sorts, though Lan Xichen could not imagine what the plunge might be.

“No, not yet. I want you to tell him that his closeness with Wei Wuxian is raising suspicions about the new xiandu favoring Yunmeng Jiang, and that we are in no position to bear such sentiments with A-Ling’s authority still unestablished at the Jinlintai,” he declared, after a beat of silence. “If he marries Wei Wuxian within the year, the jianghu will be more interested in the marriage than his supposed favoritism--and after the wedding, no one will be able to tell which of his reformations come from Wei Wuxian.”

Lan Xichen poured himself another cup of tea.

“Very well,” he said, before pouring it down his throat in one. “I’m listening.”

__

“And that was how it all happened,” Lan Xichen says guiltily, trying not to look at the floor. “Shufu, how should I tell Wangji?”

His uncle stares at him, completely blind to the bit of eggplant stuck in his mustache, and gurgles like a fish out of water before burying his face in a napkin.

“I will say nothing more on this,” he vows, fixing Lan Xichen with a beady glare. “You have made Wangji’s bed for him, and now he must lie in it. You’d better write as soon as you can.”

Lan Xichen nods disconsolately and drags himself back to the Hanshi, suddenly wanting nothing more than a bath and a good long sleep. But the juniors are waiting for him on the porch, twiddling their thumbs and sunning themselves like a quintet of blue and white lizards; and the moment Lan Xichen enters the courtyard, they spring to their feet and run towards him, clutching at his sleeves and hanging on for dear life while he tries to edge towards the door.

“Well?” Jin Ling demands. “Did you and Jiang-zongzhu finish the contract? Is the marriage going to go through?”

Suddenly, Lan Xichen is very much aware that while Sect Leader Jiang must think himself the mastermind behind Wangji’s possible wedding, several defter hands than his have been working behind the scenes: including his own sixteen-year-old nephew and Ouyang-zongzhu’s son, Zizhen.

He throws back his head and laughs, ruffling Jin Rulan’s hair on his way up the steps, and wishes--as he has seldom wished for anything before--that Mingjue were still here to savor the coming months beside him, and share in the preparations for his little brother’s wedding.

“It is,” he says, with a soft smile illuminating his face like a candle. “Good work, Jin Ling. They’re going to be happy, I’m sure of it.”

[missromantictragedy-art]

My two illustrations for the lovely MDZS fic Carry Me Anew written by @ashayatreldai for @pocketfulofrecs's MXTX Epic Journeys Big Bang Event 2022. Ashaya's prose is to die for—gorgeous writing through and through. I included snippets of the fic related to the art below!

(Cover art for the fic! Here's the summary:)

In softest air, a stutter Steers the heart away from the bane Leaves the lasting sorrow and carries me anew In the aftermath of what happened in the Guanyin Temple, Lan Xichen entered seclusion. Little did he know that playing through the Collection of Turmoil damaged his Core. To find the solution, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian undertake an epic journey to Lan An's temple - there to resolve an ancient dispute between the descendants of Baoshan Sanren and Lan An, to discover the cure for the Lan Clan Leader's trouble, and answers of hope for their own developing relationship and for Lan Xichen's own future. A story about love which waits centuries to be reunited with a beloved.

Xichen looked up after pegging an outer robe to a bush. Today A-Yao had foregone a hat, and his hair shone lustrous in the morning sun. His breath caught in his throat: A-Yao’s porcelain skin glowed, his delicate features cast in a moment of divinity. Feeling warmth bloom in his cheeks, Xichen swiftly bent down to retrieve the now empty basket, and followed A-Yao towards the cottage. A-Yao went to open the door. Xichen placed his hand over A-Yao’s to still him, and watched as he turned, intending to… intending to…

Read the fic on ao3: explicit | 69K | wangxian | LXC | ongoing

[darkandstormyart]

Xicheng fic recs

(figured i might make a list of my own)

(to be expanded as i dig out more treasure/remember stuff)

in no particular order:

Deep as the Yearning Night by FreckledStarKnight

“At first, it was pure chance. The second time was accidental. And the third time? Well, they say the third time’s the charm, after all. Lan Xichen discovers that Jiang Wanyin sings beautifully and is immediately enamored by it. His pursuit of Jiang Wanyin’s secret talent leads to a discovery and a series of events that he did not anticipate at all. Not that he’s complaining, of course. He got what he came for and more. Or, how two sect leaders get together through the song called love. CQL-verse.“

post-seclusion lxc

trying to get jc to sing

bonus lxc & jin ling feels i hadn’t considered before

cute

Always use protection by hesselives

“In which Lan Wangji attempts to hire a new bodyguard for his older brother, a well-known traveling exorcist. Jiang Wanyin doesn’t even make his carefully considered list of Top Ten Candidates, and yet here he is.

Lots of wandering in the countryside, distant yelling, and mildly inconvenient spirits.”

bodyguard au

honestly just really intersting worldbuilding

Rewrite the stars by Arashii

“Five great kingdoms have been fighting for years and when the kingdom of Yunmeng is destroyed, the Crown Prince Jiang Cheng vanishes.In Gusu, Lan Xichen makes an offer impossible for Jiang Cheng to refuse. His life or revenge? There’s only one option and Jiang Cheng swears loyalty to the man he hated the most his whole life, the Crown Prince of Gusu, Lan Xichen himself.Written for XiChengFest2020 - Day 4“

ROYALTY AU ROYALTY AU

enemies to lovers!

flashbacks! i love flashbacks so much ohmygod

No paths are bound by Arashii

“In seclusion, Lan Huan has the support of a ghost no one has seen since the massacre of Yunmeng Jiang. His feelings start changing with the often visits and conversations they share. Before Lan Huan can confess though, he ascends, leaving everything and everyone behind him.

Two hundred years later, back to the Human Realm and without powers, the Martial God Zewu-Jun has a mission to uphold. His Heavenly Calamity started. The clues are little and the support comes in the most unexpected form, the current Ghost King: Sandu Shengshou. Now they need to stick together to contain a menace that is slowly growing.“

TGCF AU TGCF AU

ghost king jiang cheng come on

doesn’t follow tgcf plot, just the setup so no spoilers

jiang cheng gets the dogs and the xichen he deserves

once upon a dream by cafedeolla

“Xicheng soulmate AU

An au where your dreams are small snippets of your soulmate’s day. They’d show small things like buying coffee, reading a book, or hanging out with people from their perspective.

The problem was that people always have expectations and Jiang Cheng knows he always falls short of them. Time and time again.“

soulmate au, but being soulmates is more a problem than a solution

misunderstandingssss all over the place

now with a squel (in progress?)

Lan Furen series by jagaimocchi

“Jiang Cheng leaves Lotus Pier before the Wen Internment Camp and before the destruction of his home. When he meets Lan Xichen on the run from the Wens after the burning of Cloud Recesses, his plan to live a peaceful life away from cultivation sects is quickly derailed. Now, free to make his own choices, he cannot find it in himself to leave the other man's side.

With love, patience and time, Jiang Cheng finds his own happiness and peace with his past.“

have you ever wanted a fic where jiang cheng peaces out from home in search for a better life, bc he’s Had Enough??? jags got you covered

adorable xicheng

good uncle-dad-figure Lan Qiren

ongoing <3

Just around the riverbend by JungleJelly

“One day.

Jiang Cheng just wanted one day of peace and quiet, away from home, away from his responsibilities, away from his idiot brother and his nutcases of a mother and father. Just a few hours alone — him and a boat and nothing else.

Clearly, that was too much to ask for.”

now with a new story in the series which is adorable too!!!

mermaid!lxc need i say more?

Bad ideas (where they lead) by JungleJelly

“Jiang Cheng is a busy man. Fortunately, he is also a huge pushover when it comes to his sister, so when she recommends that he start doing yoga, he agrees pretty easily.Featuring Lan Xichen in yoga pants, Jiang Cheng’s inability to handle a crush, and, perhaps most importantly, a big fluffy dog.“

done for 2020 MXTX MiniBang

yoga instructor Lan Xichen

Jiang Cheng is: struggling with a crush on the yoga guy from youtube & very angry about that

If there’s a price for rotten judgement by TheWanderingHeart

“All Jiang Cheng wants to do is, well... his job, really. Other than that? Keep the city safe, keep his nephew alive, keep his sanity intact (if possible).

So when his brother calls with unexpected news, he knows all of that is about to fly out of the window.

***

[Every instinct is telling him don’t ask, you don’t want to know. By this point, Nie HuaiSang has scooted closer to listen. Jiang Cheng takes a steadying breath and pulls out his antacids. “What did you do?”]”

superhero au, come on

jc just trying to do his job in peace

(he can’t)

i love it so much oh my god *sobs*

The Form of Boneless Ice by TheWanderingHeart

“Mythical beasts have long ago been driven to extinction by the gentry — hunted for sport, but more importantly for their magical cores. Since then, there remains only one creature that has never been caught. The Jiang’s retreated a long time ago. Abandoning land altogether, they sought safety where the humans could not reach.It all comes to a head though, purely by chance. (Or is it by fate that a spontaneous decision allows for them to meet? If fate were a rock!) Jiang Cheng suddenly finds his whole life balanced on the head of a pin — on the flimsy promise of a human boy. In his opinion, things cannot possibly get worse!(But then they do when the Wens decide it’s finally time to search for the elusive merpeople, and suddenly nowhere is safe.)“

there she goes again, with another beautiful xicheng story full of awwww and mythology

actually one of the first xicheng fics i read

i chose it because there were mermaids

painfully accurate takes on Jiang family dynamics

kids! lots of kids!

Let me Slytherin to Your Heart by TheWanderingHeart

“Jiang Cheng never thought he'd return to Hogwarts, but in hindsight, he probably should have known that someday he would.With his nephew about to start school, he reluctantly takes his good friend's bad parenting? career? advice and ends up tumbling head-first back into the madness that he hoped he'd left behind... and rediscovering some feelings he thought he'd left behind too.“

Harry Potter au!

just really fecking cute

lots of snakes

[I am not going to link all of Jo’s fics, though I probably could, just my 3 favourites. UOSB is there by default]

Talent Hunt Crew Finds Angry Guy Shouting On College Campus, Recruits Him For Vocal Projection Abilities by oh_fudgecakes

“Jiang Cheng, resident Angry Guy and heir to a conglomerate empire, has never been the apple of his father’s eye. Quashed under the shadow of his brilliant brother, the music prodigy Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng sees his chance to turn things around when he is recruited by the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt. One problem: he can’t sing to save his goddamn life.As he struggles to develop his nascent singing abilities, Jiang Cheng finds himself sucked into the whirlwind drama of reality TV, helped along by his adoring siblings, his irritable vocal coach Wen Qing, and strangely enough, the unfairly attractive host of the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt, Lan Xichen. Somewhere in the glare of the stage lights and an unexpected first love, Jiang Cheng stumbles upon the thing he was searching for all along: the courage to dream — and to attempt the impossible.“

done for 2019 MXTX Big Bang

uuuuuuuuuuh i might have cried maybe

heartwarming? painful at times? lots of family love?

slowburn xicheng being lovely

The Provenence of Hope series by velithya

“A chance meeting on a night hunt sets a course of events into motion that will change everything. Featuring Xicheng getting together, recovery for Lan Xichen, healing for Jiang Cheng, and always, always, hope.“

got everything. feels. hope. love. ~~healing~~

A Small Measure of Peace by Sandstone112

“With his brother in seclusion, Lan Xichen finds himself in temporary custody of his nephew with little to no expertise in the child-raising department. Uncertain and alone, Zewu-Jun is willing to do everything to be the person Yuan needs—even if it means inviting Sandu Shengshou to a playdate.“

a loooot of adorable family times with jc and lxc taking care of their nephews

good grandpa lqr!

canon but fixed and less painful

🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋if you wish to avoid scurvy:🍋🍋🍋🍋��

Some day I’m gonna make you mine series by locketofyourhair

xicheng getting together through the years

friends with benefits but the real benefits are the friends we made along the way

Take me over (take me tonight) by velithya

jiang cheng has a tattoo and lan xichen doesn’t stand a chance

i'd be the sweet feeling of release (mankind now dreams of) by piyo13

two bros, chilling in a cave, no feet apart because they don’t want to lose their cultivation powers what are you gonna do

haven’t read yet and shame on me, but AM GONNA:

Upon Our Silver Bridge by TheWanderingHeart obviously

““When the path ignites a soul, there's no remaining in place. The foot touches ground, but not for long.” ― Hakim Sanai

**

Lan Xichen's sorrows have caught the attention of something. Unlike the adventures and foes they have faced before, there is no obvious enemy here to defeat. If this is the same thing they thought had taken Nie Mingjue's life, then he believes it is fated for him to die as well. Nothing can stop the black fire when it wants to burn.Jiang Cheng is sure his part in this is over. Wei Wuxian is back, his grand adventure concluded, and he'd never been at the centre of it anyway. So what does it matter what happens to him in the end? Slowly, he will come to realise that there will always be a battle to fight, a story to tell, a choice to make, and there is no such thing as an end to anything.“

it was difficult to do things in 2020 and few i regret not doing more than not reading uosb yet :’(

i will tho

Emergency Help Wanted by piyo13

“EMERGENCY HELP WANTED I lied when I got my job. I told them I had a kid so I could leave early from work to pick him up from daycare, take him to doctor's appointments, and occasionally miss a day when he's sick. Long story short, I'm in too deep. I didn't think it through. Looking to rent a kid for bring your child to work day. Must be a boy ages four to six, longish dark hair, likes soccer. Must also be artistic as the macaroni noodle paintings I made seem a little advanced for his age. Also, I will pay extra for someone willing to play the role of husband when dropping him off. He's a prosecuting attorney who often brings his work home. Message me for further details. Serious inquiries only.“

Running Our Hands Through Embers by MarvelousMar

“If asked, Jiang Cheng would compare falling in love with Lan Xichen to a moth inevitably drawn to a flame.It burned.***In which Jiang Cheng discovers that even death can't help him escape from his trauma, so he embarks on a quest to save the people he loves, fix what he can, make the love of his life fall for him, and maybe, somewhere along the way, do a little bit of healing.”

The Beginner’s Guide to Moving On by InvincibleMel

gone from ao3, but i think there’s a link with a pdf going around

[drwcn]

i'm confused about the jin disciples thing in the girl!wwx update

midnight sun [snippet 6], following [x]

oh that, sorry i intentionally kept it vague. wwx was implying that she slept with disciples of the jin clan. 

here’s the deal: 

jgs wanted the stygian amulet and he thought he could get it if wwx also married into the jin clan, so various jin disciples definitely tried to chat up wwx.

everybody else has the same idea. they think just bc wwx is a woman that she would necessarily ... fall in line if the “right guy” comes along. in addition to jgs trying to renew the marriage between yanli and zixuan, he also brought up the fact that “ah, A-ying is at the right age to marry as well. A-cheng, you’re the head of the family now. Your sisters’ futures are your responsibility.” So like... various young masters and head disciples tried to court wwx in the intervening time between end of the war and the phoenix mountain hunt. 

in canon, wwx’s emotional spiral manifested in day-drinking and shirking off his responsibility and appearing like a delinquent. Self-sabotage is his signature move.

wwx in this au (which i have called ‘midnight sun’ lol cheesy I know but whatever) realizes that she can use this opportunity to help jiang cheng build connections and bring in resources. she entertains all of the young masters that come knocking, promising herself to no one and frustrating the jins to no end. it’s not exactly speaking respectable lady-like behaviour, but she doesn’t care. she goes out to drink with them, have walks with them, comes home late after a night out with them. and from these encounters she learns information about the other sects that she then casually tells jiang cheng. does she rack up a reputation as being kind of a whore? maybe, but the cultivators want the stygian amulet more than anything right now so they still keep trying to get with her. 

jgs was holding out hope that wwx would “fall in line” pretty much until the banquet scene when she confronted all of them and then walked out. of course when it became apparent that she cannot be tamed (lol pun intended), the jins quickly rallied the cultivators against her. then the word becomes: oh yiling laozu is an evil seductress who preys on innocent men. 

the only “innocent man” wwx had any kind of “contact’ with was lan wangji, and that entire encounter is... very muddled. it’s completely consensual, but they do get into a verbal and physical altercation first in the phoenix mountain forest (wwx being very verbally provocative, itching for a fight, and lwj not knowing how to communicate at all)

Example: WWX: 怎么啦���蓝湛，看着那些百家世子们眼红了？难道，不苟言笑若冰若霜的含光君也想做我夷陵老祖的裙下之臣？What’s wrong Lan Zhan, are you jealous of the young masters of these gentry families? Could it be that the cold, illustrious, taciturn Hanguang-jun also wants to be a subject beneath Yiling Laozu’s skirt?   LWJ: *frustrated* Wei Ying! *takes a step forward*  WWX *juts one end of chenqing into LWJ’s chest* If you want me, you’ll have to win me first.  

so the whole tryst becomes somewhat of a mess; as willy shakespeare would put it: these violent delights have violent ends. 

the irony is that wwx jumps out of the bushes after to yell at jin zixuan for bullying jiang yanli when she basically goaded lwj into deflowering her and plowing her into the ground five minutes ago. 

and before you ask yes, lxc was side-eyeing lwj very suspiciously after that. like lwj used 200% of his hold-it-togetherness in front of his brother but his whole vibe™ was off so lxc was extremely confused and concerned. 

[vermillioncrown]

look verm… all i wanna know is exactly how does lxc know univers-ity!zyx is a dancer and what kind of chaos he wakes into bc from what we know, she goes full thot while dancing… and if lxc spontaneously combusted when witnessing it

it's a long story, and you've uncovered a snippet! x10!

=

from the early, early stuff on oblivious university, it's noted that a source of conflict between lwj and zyx involves her dance group

the dance group isn't an official school dance team, so they don't have official practice space or schedules. the group was formed in this 'renegade' manner to specifically counter the competitive nature of university-level dance teams, or just dance teams following the popularization of competitive streetdance.

(while zyx loves doing it, the fact that the group isn't competitive puts a chip on her shoulder in that everything she does isn't 'good enough')

but back to the topic, the fact that the dance group (let's just name them 'the renegades') don't have a practice location means that they scout around campus or other places nearby that can: 1) hold a bunch of young people, 2) tolerate loud noises, 3) has smooth flooring, 4) has something reflective and large (mirror, windows, etc) nearby, 5) gives a modicum of privacy, be it due to the hours of practice (sometimes at 3am) or being out of the way

unfortunately, there was one month where the renegades picked a practice spot near the old music rooms. lwj enjoys the acoustics of the old music rooms compared to the uni's newer facilities. the renegades interrupted lwj's music practice (his 'late night' practice at 8pm to make his 10:30pm bedtime) (what fucking modern student sleeps at 9pm unless they don't have friends???) (oh no lwj :( ) so lwj was extra grumpy, came out to get rid of the noisemakers, realized too late he knew one of the people and could have talked it out more diplomatically

so on lwj's side he's also a bit embarrassed about his second impression on zyx as she is with him.

=

the whole time lwj is laying siege to zyx in the practice rooms, he thinks he's getting through to his (possible?) friend and has a chance to work things through

so he talks to lxc about her.

that's how lxc knows about her dancing.

=

to know is one thing, to witness is another.

=

this coincides with the first time lxc gives zyx a ride home. she's staying late on campus, crawling out from the crevices between the social sciences buildings that the renegades used for practice that night

lxc just finished up a late-night faculty meeting (he's a golden boy of his dept, so even as a younger grad student he gets to sit in on stuff)

sees her dragging her feet to take the bus home, no one's around, she looks exhausted and unalert

'i can't let my brother's friend find her own way like this'

(for as 'normal' as lxc seems compared to lwj, you bet your ass there's some weird standards of behavior for both brothers; being genuinely and overly concerned for your brother's friends is one)

lxc outmaneuvers her that night, and drives her home. bc zyx is tired, she ends up answering his questions with actual detail despite her vow to never let him learn anything about her

(set in-between these two blurbs)

=

once she finishes the current semester, lxc has offered to drive her home enough times that it's not too weird. (it's fucking weird but none of them are aware enough to notice)

he notices that she spends a lot more time on campus, and later at night. he catches her out at the drugstore near his apartment past midnight, and after his gentle but insistent pressing she admits that she was overdoing things a bit with practice ("it's not even a sprain, I was just looking for tape!") because the renegades expected her to choreograph something for them.

lxc is confused. "is no one helping you? why are you doing this after hours? how much are you expected to do?"

it's their first heart-to-heart on the curbside of the 24 hr coffeeshop.

zyx, for once, is honest and vulnerable. she owes lxc that much. and it's not like they haven't had conversations of substance before. and it has nothing to do with lxc, which in a way, is freeing.

"do you ever feel like a fraud?"

those words sucker-punched lxc.

"people think you're one thing, but you're not really that. you wish you were, though." zyx doesn't touch her drink at all, which is a first. "i like dancing, i really do. but i don't feel like a dancer like the rest of the renegades. a lot of them will probably join the uni team when they outgrow us. they actually watch dance videos, learn guest choreo, it's a thing. i don't do any of that."

"you feel like you're not a real dancer, because you're not doing things like them." lxc puts his drink down, and looks away. "i get it. and you feel pressure to at least pretend to be like them, that they can discover your... 'duplicitousness' at any time."

she gives a short laugh that's more like a scoff. "senior, how can someone like you know that feeling?"

he doesn't answer.

zyx sighs. she stirs the straw around, takes a sip, and mulls over his words. "well. yeah. so... it's not like i know how to come up with choreography. i also don't feel - i feel nervous if i have to come up with shit in front of other people. like, once i have something i'm fine with showing it, but i have to have something first. it needs to be worth looking at, first."

lxc knows. the perfect eldest son of the main lan family, there to right the wrongs of his wayward father. their family would have hidden away in shame for the rest of their lives if either him or wangji weren't worth watching.

"so... you need somewhere private to practice. easy to access, better hours."

"that's the dream, i guess."

here, at least he can do more to help. "my apartment complex - it has nice gym facilities, but no one uses it because they either go onto campus or go to private classes."

"not broke-ass undergrads, got it," zyx nods seriously.

lxc laughs. "well. yes, putting it unkindly, i suppose. but that means it has the space and privacy you need to... work things out." he thinks it's a great idea. they already carpool every week. eat lunch together. have overlapping gaps of free time. work adjacent to one another, even if they aren't studying at the same level or the same subject at all.

(lxc will pay her to come to tutoring if she takes art history again. never will he ever let her study like... that.)

zyx jumps up. paces around. looks at the storefront, does a weird... measurement of space with steady footsteps and arm span.

"... how big? does it have mirrors?"

=

eventually it becomes a regular enough thing. whenever zyx needs private time to dance, either to choreograph something new or practice something privately, she'll ask to come to lxc's apartment. he doesn't ask more than she offers to tell. he doesn't ask to watch.

the complex has a moderately sized yoga studio, as pristine as the day it was built because anyone into yoga that lives in the complex is rich enough to attend classes at the upscale boutique downtown.

and the borrowing of gym access turns into

"hey, you look tired; i have some tea brewing if you want to catch your breath before biking home"

to

"if you don't mind staying a bit longer, i can drive you back to campus" "... i can do some homework and wait. oh, let me tell you about that show you should watch -"

to

"hey, mind if i use your shower? i need to change into something for shop class that's not short-shorts" "sure, i have extra towels in the closet - yeah, that one -"

(there's even a day that she spends the night. not on purpose. but after a particularly grueling week, running back to back with things, dealing with both a lwj and wwx interaction, separately, that left her with hives but no one injured nor dead - it's no wonder she falls asleep at the couch in the minute it takes lxc to pack his oboe for orchestra.

from what zyx said about her midterms, she should have a break this weekend. so he leaves her on the couch w a blanket, and heads off to practice. if she wakes up when he returns, he'll drive her back to her apartment.

she's still asleep when he comes back, legs dangling and back contorted in an impossible position. lxc feels... off until he decides to move her onto his bed, and take the couch instead.)

=

the prelude to seeing something thotty was lxc catching the renegades during practice on campus. this week, they were in their rotation near his building.

=

He catches them at the tail end of everything, when members are lying around on the ground heedless of filth, some draped on the random assortment of chairs all over, and others were going through moves in a lackluster and joking manner.

"Yunxun, your ride's here!"

"Quick, speedrun any percent complete!"

Zhu Yunxun is one of the dancers still upright. She and her friend mirror each other, performing their choreography so quickly that it's more rambunctious arm waving and enthusiastic vibrations than any semblance of form.

"If you can do it slowly, you can do it quickly!" one of them yells, and Lan Xichen has to cough from a surprised laugh. The cough turns into a full-blown laugh when Zhu Yunxun and her partner grab one of the chairs for a part of the dance, and in their exhausted enthusiasm they end up falling over each other instead, and start kicking at one another.

"Is that how it goes?" he interrupts their 'practice'.

"You'll see at the festival," Zhu Yunxun groans, picking herself up. "Thanks for the ride, like always. I'll buy boba."

"Please come!" her partner calls out from the floor. "Tell your friends and family!"

"I will!" Lan Xichen promises. He's actually very excited for the fall festival - all his years attending this university, hearing of The Renegades but nothing in detail, this will be the first that he sees of their performances.

=

"Hey, I never noticed."

"Hm?" Lan Xichen looks up from the frying pan. Instead of sitting at the counter like she does after helping him prepare the mise-en-place, he sees Zhu Yunxun stalking around his modest dining table. Her eyes are narrowed at the furniture in a considering manner. "Noticed what?"

"These chairs are so... perfect."

What?

Lan Xichen turns back to the pan, noting that the mushrooms were done, and turns off the stove. They can wait a bit before serving.

"What does that even mean?" he prods her with a laugh. After these last few months, she has loosened up to speak her mind. Lan Xichen considers his life much poorer for the lack of her conversation before.

("'Why don't I like this?!' Limp noodle shit! Look at them! My grandma does taichi with more life than this!" she says with heated criticism. His TV is playing a dance that he caught her complaining about to her teammates, and he asked out of curiosity.

It's very much like martial arts, in a way. He doesn't understand it, but Zhu Yunxun is not the fraud she keeps labeling herself as. Not if she feels like this.

"Ugh, they're only getting away with this because they're hot and skinny," she scowls. "The Renegades have people three times that size with ten times more energy and appeal.")

Zhu Yunxun pulls out one of his chairs. "I keep telling Yan Xichao that we need to find better chairs for the choreo. The ones we're borrowing are 1) too flimsy, and 2) ugly as fuck."

"Sit down?"

Lan Xichen sees no reason to not listen.

"You got some real adult chairs, here, senior. Do you mind -" she kicks gently with her heel, demonstrating for him to push backwards, "- nice, padding the feet and all that, you must pay your taxes, too -"

"Would you like to borrow my chairs for your performance, Yunxun?" Lan Xichen stops her muttering; as entertaining as it is, dinner is getting cold and he'd rather cut to the chase.

"May I?" She starts doing the Nervous Fretting Thing, "I mean, you don't have to, I don't want us grimy goblins ruining your nice furniture, none of us have the money to pay you back - I can probably get Shen Yuan to pay, he owes me his life - but -"

"It's fine," he interrupts her with a chuckle. "I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sure."

"Okay, okay, okay," she accepts. "Um, just... can we check height?" Zhu Yunxun stands next to him, and squats to his seated depth. She frowns and does it again. "I don't wanna take your chairs if they're just gonna be too awkward."

He sits there as she moves around him, hovering over his thighs, reaching forward with her arms to occasionally check distance. It's rather awkward, with no discernable purpose to her motions.

"Wouldn't it be better to actually perform the moves?" Lan Xichen asks dryly.

"I just showered and borrowed clothes, don't wanna get sweaty," she complains, but still moves to start over.

Lan Xichen listens to her quickly explain his part - he doesn't have to do much but sit there, reclining leisurely, until she gives the cue for him to push back.

"I'll push, too, but you need to do the hard work." Zhu Yunxun steps away and puts on her earbuds. Once she fiddles with her phone and starts the song, the only cue Lan Xichen gets before she starts is a quiet "five, six, seven, eight -"

With the music in her ears and perfect execution on her mind, it's as if he becomes a prop for her performance. Not that she ignores him - she makes eye contact that sells the mood, she is unafraid to walk up to him directly, and she puts her hands solidly on his thighs.

It takes everything to not yelp when she makes contact, and even more of himself to keep steady when her sharp motions before are juxtaposed with the languid arch and drop Zhu Yunxun does in front of his seat. The pressure of her hands on his thighs change as her weight distribution shifts, he notes - she pushes his legs apart, a bounce on her heels, knees out then in, and another sinuous roll that ends with a toss of hair. That twists back into a standing position without any instability or effort, closing his legs along the way.

(For as clumsy as she is as her typically sleep-deprived self, her balance and physical control are quite apparent now.)

The next test of Lan Xichen's control over his reflexes is after a few more beats, and she seats herself on his lap with legs swept to the side. He hears her counting under her breath, "- lean in, six, seven, eight, then -" her left hand slides up, hovering over his chest.

"Loosen up my buttons, babe, uh huh -" she murmurs, as the hand then slides down and emphasizes the cadence of the lyrics with mock-pulling, as if she were ripping his shirt open.

When she pushes away, Lan Xichen has a not a moment of rest before she turns and swings her legs open, straddling his lap while facing away. Her thighs keep her from truly touching onto his legs like before - even as she does body rolls, arms and hands cutting through the arm in intricate poses ("It's called 'voguing'"), hair whipping close enough that the pink strands almost brush his nose with the scent of his own shampoo -

Then the arch of her back goes lax and she abruptly sits down onto his knees.

"Uh -" His face feels ice cold, but his ears feel like they were doused with gasoline and lit with a match.

"So tired," she complains, pulling the earbuds out and pocketing them. "I think that's most of the chairwork. If I have clearance, then so does everyone else. Or they can lean more, I don't care. I like these chairs."

Zhu Yunxun gets up, finally showing her fatigue in the slight sway of her posture. Lan Xichen reaches to steady her automatically, but flinches as he touches the exposed skin of her hip. The borrowed pants, his own sleepwear, started low and rode even lower over the course of the dance. Zhu Yunxun's own fitted t-shirt ("Always have freebies from school giveaways," she jokes) didn't cover that gap.

"If you like the chairs, just borrow them," Lan Xichen says, standing up quickly to get back behind the kitchen counter and plate their dinner. "Let's eat?" He glances over at her for a moment.

Zhu Yunxun is busy moving the chair back and setting the table. "Appreciate it - dinner and chairs," she says with cheer.

[qinghe-s]

rules: post the names of all the files in your wip folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have wips.   

i was tagged by my cutest little guy @pangzi and am going to tag @br-disaster ♥ idk anyone else who’s currently actively writing+hasn’t been tagged so no other tags sowwy

anyway, the list:

two cakes (nielan) (this one is ALMOST DONE!!)

DAMN APOCALYPSE (nie brothers! zombie apocalypse! thank you ana for giving me brainworms) (also the title is a reference to z nation, my favourite zombie apocalypse media ever)

mirf’s fake dating fic (nielan, modern au, surprisingly contains fake dating. mirf posted about how annoying they’d be if they ever fake dated and when i couldn’t stop thinking about that post i messaged them and now we’re FRIENDS yay ♥)

nielanweek day 2: teen/longing (clouds?) (nielan, duh. i got distracted by the two cakes fic but i’ll get back to this)

nielanweek day 3: war/cuddles

sqq vs. gender (sqq-centric, but very bingqiu.)

no good very bad ssc times (wangxian!)

yeah no this makes sense actually (bingqiu, modern au)

it’s about the ✨vengeance✨ (nhs-centric, character study of sorts, starts the day nmj dies and ends around guanyin temple. four chapters outlined + epilogue)

wife.............. (nielan, modern)

BINGGE BABYGIRL ♥ (bingqiu... ish)

blood-stained hands touching the divine (hualian!)

jc cat fic (jc-centric. there are cats living in lotus pier.)

only so many mornings 2 (the second chapter — no duh — of my nielan casefic... the prose keeps fighting me, it doesn’t want to be written, it’s really frustrating)

lwj grief fest (lwj-centric, second person, starting around nightless city and ending when he hears wwx play the flute at dafan mountain)

hehe sex pollen (nielan. i just think they deserve all the fandom tropes, plus it’s really tasty when a lan loses their shit)

your memory will always linger (lxc-centric)

also a bunch more nielan, wangxian, and bingqiu that are more vague concepts in my notes app than anything. and a smidge of quanyin bc i love them.

[tossawary]

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I was tagged by @alovelyocean. 

Some notes on this: you are only getting the SVSSS and MDZS fics because that's what this blog is about. Most of my fics have a minimum of 2-3 documents (first draft & notes document and final draft document, or else first draft, second draft, and notes document), so I have pruned some documents accordingly. I have also removed at least one WIP document with a title that is a straight-up spoiler for the twist of the fic.

This will probably not be too confuddling, as I have a system for naming fics, which is either "[FANDOM] - [TITLE or PREMISE]" or "[FANDOM] - [PAIRING or MAIN RELATIONSHIP] - [TITLE or PREMISE]". Because I know that if I do not do this, I will absolutely forget what this document is or how to find it again.

Also, I was going through this and realized, “Wait, I tell you about most of my fic ideas and WIP fics anyway, I might as well just link to the correct tags.” 

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Names of FINISHED FICS in my SVSSS folder:

Included because I thought people might get a kick out of how to-the-point some of these document titles were when these fics were WIPs. 

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SVSSS - Good Omens Fusion

->  Absolutely Ineffable

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-good-omens-fusion-au

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SVSSS - Horns

->  Horns

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/horns-fic

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SVSSS - Mingling - Melting Her Mascara

->  but that’s fine because I like a hot mess

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/a-guide-to-troubled-birds-prompts

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SVSSS - Moshang - Didi 1

->  Babe in the Woods

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/babe-in-the-woods

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SVSSS - Moshang - Energy Drinks

->  anxiety and caffeine are having a cockfight in my brain

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shang-qinghua%27s-transmigration-blues

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/a-guide-to-troubled-birds-prompts

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SVSSS - Moshang - Haircut

->  every haircut I've ever had has been a bad haircut

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shang-qinghua%27s-transmigration-blues

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/a-guide-to-troubled-birds-prompts

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SVSSS - Moshang - MBJ Time Travel

->  dreams that had never come true

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/dreams-that-had-never-come-true

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/mobei-jun-time-travel-fic

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SVSSS - Moshang - Role Reversal AU

->  it must follow, as the night the day

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/as-the-night-the-day

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SVSSS - MXTX Remix - Liushen SW AU

->  this point of pale light

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/this-point-of-pale-light

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SVSSS - Narnia Fusion

->  The Red Cabinet

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-narnia-fusion-au

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SVSSS - PINTW - SQH x2

->  ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/the-person-in-the-puddle

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SVSSS - Qijiu - Sober and Gracious

->  the ability to remain sober and gracious

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/a-guide-to-troubled-birds-prompts

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SVSSS - Uncle Shang - pride

->  pride is not the word I'm looking for

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/pride-is-not-the-word

(PINTWILF is still a WIP. It has at least 4 documents to its name. The above document is the one I write the next chapter in. The other 3 documents are notes documents for different arcs.) 

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And now on to the WIPs! 

Names of WIP FICS in my SVSSS folder:

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SVSSS - 1 Stardust ROUGH

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-stardust-fusion-au

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SVSSS - a thousand flowers

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SVSSS - Amnesiac MBJ

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/de-aging-mobei-jun-fic

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SVSSS - Baby Brother Liu Qingge

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/unrealistically-young-prodigy-liu-qingge-au

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SVSSS - Cucumberplane Identity Reveal

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-identity-reveal-fic

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/transmigrator-reveal-fic

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SVSSS - Demon Trio - A Very Pleasant Evening

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SVSSS - Demon/Human Swap

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/demon-human-swap-au

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SVSSS - Enchanted Forest - Moshang

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-enchanted-forest-fusion-au

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SVSSS - MBJ Mom Transmigrator

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/transmigrator-mobei-jun-mom

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SVSSS - MBJ/SQH/SJ - Calculated Risks

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshangjiu-fic

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SVSSS - Modern Cultivators

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/modern-cultivators-bleach-fusion-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Newborn God

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/mobei-jun-and-the-sun-god-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Arranged Marriage

(this is the same AU as "SVSSS - Moshang - Forced Marriage")

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshang-forced-marriage-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Baby

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshang-baby-fic

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SVSSS - Moshang - With Benefits

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshang-allies-with-benefits-fic

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/mobei-jun-can%27t-read-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Checklist / My Only Crime

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SVSSS - Moshang - Cinderella AU

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/Moshang-Cinderella-AU

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SVSSS - Moshang - Concussion

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshang-concussion-fic

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SVSSS - Moshang - Hobbit Fusion

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-hobbit-fusion-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Second Chances

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shang-qinghua-fakes-his-death-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Servant to a Different King

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/servant-to-a-different-king-au

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SVSSS - Shangjiu - A Friend Like Me

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shangjiu-benefits-fic

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shangjiu

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SVSSS - Shen Twins - MBJ Time Travel

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/dreams-that-had-never-come-true

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/mobei-jun-time-travel-fic

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SVSSS - SQH vs. Succubus

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/no-cat-anywhere

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SVSSS - The Princess Bride Fusion AU

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-the-princess-bride-fusion-au

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SVSSS - Tianxiyan - A Hell of a Time

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(Fics that I moved from my “#fic ideas” tag to my WIP folder while putting this list together:) 

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SVSSS - Shen Yuan as Linguang-Jun AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/shen-yuan-as-linguang-jun-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Shang Qinghua Plans Someone Else’s Wedding 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/wedding-planner-shang-qinghua-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Black Widow MBJ / Widowmaker Shang Qinghua

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/black-widow-mobei-jun-fic

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SVSSS - Moshang - Widower Mobei-Jun / Plant-Body SQH

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/widower-mobei-jun-au

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SVSSS - Moshang - Way of the Househusband AU

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/way-of-the-househusband-au

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SVSSS - Avatar The Last Airbender AU

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-avatar-au 

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SVSSS - Moshang - Soulwords AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/svsss-soulwords-au

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SVSSS - Transmigrator Liu Mingyan AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/transmigrator-liu-mingyan-au 

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SVSSS - LiuJiu - Liu Qingge Raises Liu Mingyan AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/liu-qingge-raises-liu-mingyan-au 

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SVSSS - Moshang - Mobei-Jun Mpreg Fic 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/moshang-mpreg-fic

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Names of WIP FICS in my MDZS folder:

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MDZS - Age Role Reversal

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/mdzs-age-reversal-au

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MDZS - JYL/JGY - the measuring snake and the lotus flower

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MDZS - JYL/LXC - lotus among the clouds

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MDZS - JYL/WN - the archer who shot down the sun

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MDZS - NMMY - present blessings

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MDZS - Transmigrator Lan Wangji

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/transmigrator-lan-wangji

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MDZS - Transmigrator Mme Yu - the imposter spider

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MDZS - WWX and LQR Bonding

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MDZS + SVSSS - Bingcheng

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/luo-binghe-in-lotus-pier-au

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(Fics that I moved from my “#fic ideas” tag to my WIP folder while putting this list together:)

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MDZS - Wei Wuxian as Madam Jin AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/wei-wuxian-as-madam-jin-au

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MDZS - Jin Zixuan Time Travel AU 

https://tossawary.tumblr.com/tagged/jin-zixuan-time-travel-fic

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I didn’t count how many WIPs this is. 

[fincalinde]

What's the fandom that would most interest you for a xiyao fusion? 👀

I can always rely on you to send me asks on request!

Honestly, Xiyao fused with ATLA is my favourite. I think they fit well into the setting and it's easy to take key elements of the ATLA plot and meld them with key elements of MDZS to come up with a hybrid. I have an entire timeline for that one and I know what part everyone plays, but it's more of a playground than something where it's going to end up as a longfic. I've shared some snippets on AO3 in the past.

At the end of the day my heart lies with canon and canon divergence, so nothing else leaps immediately to mind. I'm generally not interested in fusions/crossovers where characters are put into the plot of another canon and mirror those roles too closely, as I think it takes them too far from their origins. As above, hybridisation is my preferred approach.

Actually, now I've let this percolate for a bit, I've been thinking that a Sandman fusion might be interesting. Again, not copying the plot, but key elements. I know the Endless all have 'D' names, but LXC as Music getting imprisoned until JGY rescues him would be an interesting starting point. It would take a lot of work to keep them reasonably in line with their canon selves, but I think it could be done. Naturally at some point JGY would also ascend to being one of the Endless, replacing his father.

[robininthelabyrinth]

Question for birthday!

What is your writing process? Are you a pantser? Plotter? Editor? :o

Following up on my last reply, figured I'd tackle this one next XD I don't know if I know those categories precisely - I had to google "pantser" and luckily it matched what I figured it did based on the name, but I think I'm probably closest to that? somewhere in the middle between the first two?

Under the cut because long, self-involved, and contains past spoilers for the Quiet Room:

Basically, when I see a prompt, I usually have an idea or two pop into my head. Often a scene, maybe a bit of dialogue, a "hah it would be funny if..." (which is why you sometimes get fics that bear little resemblance to the original prompt, and also why sometimes the mood of the fic is very much the mood I was in when I saw the prompt rather than the actual mood of the prompt). I then write something that is designed to get me to the point where that scene/dialogue snippet/etc. makes sense...which can sometimes take a very long time.

Most of the time, this is then followed by completely seat-of-my-pants writing. I take the perspective of the POV character and sort of go from there: in this situation, what would this character do? okay, that happened, what effect does that have on the situation/how would other characters respond? okay, we're in a new situation - what would this character do NOW? And that takes me to all sorts of unexpected places - sometimes the conversation veers away from how I meant it to go, sometimes the character flat out wouldn't take the choice I would have intended them to (or it feels wrong to try to write a version where they do).

However, if the idea ends up taking longer than expected, or for my continuations especially, I'll usually start a running 'outline' at the bottom of the fic with whatever ideas I've come up with that might be good to throw in later. The more the continuation, the more built up that outline will be. To draw from a real-life example, one of the past chapters of the Quiet Room started life as an outline that looked like a more robust version of this:

LWJ with kids

JC shows up late with starbucks

Figure out Jin sect is arriving – JC goes to look?

Confrontation b/w NHS/LWJ & LXC/JGY

(yes, this is a snippet copy-pasted from the actual original outline. my brain works in mysterious ways...)

so, in short: there is AN outline, it's just normally a few bullet points long, but then after that it's also very subject to my particular views on the characters and rambling brain. and then at the end I let the fic sit in my queue for however long it takes, then re-read it and revise it a little in order to post it - mostly this is quick, sometimes the fic gets notably longer at that point.

...I have no idea if this is of interest to anyone, but you asked! XD

[asideoftrashplease]

snowfall over fresh blossoms

[In which LXC is obsessed with JC’s🌸 and is a bit of a disaster about it due to his embarrassment.]

---

Winter thaws gradually into spring, snow melting to dew on fresh blossoms. The glistening petals are quick to bruise, drawing his eyes down their delicate veins towards their dusky centers.

He tries not too walk outside too often.

After two weeks of this, he pens a letter to his lover, and if his calligraphy is a little shakier than usual, he hopes it will not be noticed. A few days later, he receives a reply, and takes off for Yunmeng that same day. He is in such a hurry that he alights right there in the main courtyard of the family residence, and only realizes what he's done when disciples come streaming hastily into the courtyard, swords drawn. They falter, eyes widening, as they recognize him.

A moment later, Jiang Wanyin comes bursting out of his study, Zidian out and sparking.

"Xichen?" he says, incredulously, before Zidian goes dim. "You're here? So quickly? Why— Why didn't you come in through the front gate? We thought we were under attack."

"I wanted to see you so badly," Lan Xichen says, helpless. "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

There's a moment of silence, before the disciples around them begin to snicker. The ones nearest to him are smiling, shooting Jiang Wanyin discreet looks. Flushing, Jiang Wanyin clears his throat, and snaps his whip sharply against the floor.

The snickering immediately stops.

"Shameless," Jiang Wanyin mutters, cheeks slightly pink, before he glares at his disciples. "Well?! What are you all standing around for?! Go back to your training! How long did you take to respond to this threat? If it weren't Zewu-jun but an enemy, he would have landed right here in the family residence! Is this the state of defense in Lotus Pier?!"

Lan Xichen winces at that, biting his lip. What had he been thinking, alighting in the family residence like that, knowing what he knows about what had once happened within these same walls?

Jiang Wanyin's deputy steps forward to appease him, dipping his head.

"Sect Leader, please be at ease," he murmurs. "If you hadn't… apparently given Zewu-jun permission to pass through our wards, I can guarantee that such a breach of security would not have been allowed to occur."

Jiang Wanyin flushes even deeper at that. It appears he had not disclosed that particular detail to even his deputy.

"Do I have to report to everyone who I give access to?!" he snaps, flustered.

"No, Sect Leader," the disciples chorus.

"We will return to our training now," one of the older disciples says.

The disciples begin to file out of the courtyard, but not without shooting little backwards looks as they do, smiling. Deputy Shi is the last to leave, clearing his throat, before he closes the doors of the family residence firmly behind him.

"They are getting too bold," Jiang Wanyin complains, the moment the doors close. "Laughing and snickering like children. What's so funny?! Maybe it's time for me to start sitting in on their training sessions again. It's time to teach them to show a little more respect."

"They adore you, Wanyin," Lan Xichen says, amused, before stepping closer. "Just as I adore you."

He pulls Jiang Wanyin in by the waist, tilting his head to kiss him under his right ear.

"I missed you," he whispers.

---

[This is a snippet from my canon-verse fic snowfall over fresh blossoms // fingers in fresh fruit which is a slowburn Xicheng PWP in which LXC is OBSESSED with JC’s🌸and they inch very, very slowly towards penetrative sex through the ripe lands of "okay you can look at it, but you can't touch it" to "you can touch it, but you can't put your fingers in" to "maybe you can put a finger in, but only the tip!" to "just the tip of your cock" to—

In the process, LXC learns to grapple with his lust, and the shame he feels at his own sexual desires. The fic is available here for those who are interested!]