#like not saying ling is completely more mature in every way but you get my point

[seilon]

greedling is such a fucking funny combo of characters. like. greed is a pathetic little meow meow trying really hard to look like a cool dude who knows what he’s doing. and ling is a cool dude who knows what he’s doing pretending to be a pathetic little meow meow and they’re both in the body of a fifteen year old

[darkherolovercroissant]

Burned

Library 📚

Simon Ghost Riley x Fem reader

Warnings: there’s smut, so if your age is on the clock, you’re too young for his cock….so get out. Mature themes and language.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They say when you play with fire, you get your fingers burnt. And by now, Simon was no stranger to being burnt. The streets weren’t the only place it was going down, oh hell no! The sheets were where he was going to town on the punishing.

Soap was completely oblivious to what was happening upstairs as he was laying down on a beaten up couch. All he knew was that Ghost was going to check up on you, and he was doing a very hands on check up.

Your gear completely littered the floor as your hands yank his off while his mouth starts leaving marks down your neck and across your collar bones. Your hands finally managed to get that vest and jacket of his off and started working down his broad chest and down to his pants as he continued to feast on your neck.

His hands yanked your pants off quickly before picking you up and slamming your back against the wall, knocking the wind out of you.

“You ok love?“ he says in that deep and husky voice of his.

You nod before lifting his mask up a little higher for better access, but he wasn’t having it. He just removes the whole thing, successfully capturing your attention more.

“Like what you see?” He huffs

“I’d be lying if I said no.” You gasp lightly before running your fingertips along his jawline.

“You weren’t lying when you were talking to Soap earlier.”

“I never lie. You should know that by now.” He growls as his lips go back to your neck as his hands go to unbuckling his pants and dropping them just low enough.

“Ready darling?”

“Always ready for you.” You moan

“That’s my girl.”

Feeling his fingers rubbing between your legs, you gasp as they applied more pressure and then one slipping in, followed by two more.

“I swear, you don’t fuck me now…I’ll kill you.” You moan

“Alright, don’t get your panties in a twist.” He chuckles before a bigger force of pressure found its way down there.

Feeling him slide into you, your head tilts back in pleasure and your eyes screw shut. God this man was not lacking in size in any department. The cold bricks against your back making sure you stay in some state of consciousness as Ghost slips all the way in.

“Oh fucking hell. It’s been too long since I was in this darling.” Ghost grunts as you adjust to him.

“Please. Just fuck me, Simon.”

He pulls out slowly, you feeling every inch as he taunts you with the greatest feeling. He smirks as he watches your eyes close before ramming into you, making them open wide as you release a gasp.

His hand clamps over your mouth as he glared at you before turning to look at the door.

“Don’t make too much noise, unless you want more company.” His low voices echoed in your ears.

Pushing your head to his shoulder, he snickers as your arms wrap around his neck and shoulder before moving once again.

“Make all the marks you want, I love them.” He groans as you contract around him

His pace starts out slow and rough but my god did he make up for all the time you spent with horrifying thoughts about what you wanted him to do to you.

His hands grabbing your waist as he started pounding deep inside. You biting down on his shoulder as you tried to keep quiet. He just groans as your whimpers and moans echo in his ear.

He’s been dreaming of absolutely ruining you since he noticed your behaviour earlier. It’s not the first time he’s taken you, you also know it won’t be the last.

The way you tighten your legs around his waist as he continues to pound up into your abused pussy, has him groaning and trying to speed up and make it more rough with every hit.

Your bare chest moving along with the thrusts has his attention. He was a sucker for the women and how genetics made their body the biggest weakness to the strongest of men.

He praised your body every time he took it. With wandering hands and with lingering lips that had left quite the marks on your small frame.

Your eyes were screwed shut as you continued to experience the highest levels of welcomed pain and pleasure. Your core was going to hurt in the morning, but to have this mountain of a man just drilling for the jackpot of the best kind of high was worth it.

His hands sneaking around to grab what he had been ogling earlier and squeezing it before one travelled upwards to around your throat to squeeze it and smirk.

“You’re doing well, darling.” He groans

You bite your lip as he continues to pump deeper inside you. Your eyes rolling back into your head as you could feel your brain rattling around in your skull.

He stopped momentarily only to slide down to the ground with you being placed on top.

“Take it darling. Show me what you can do.” Ghost moans

Taking a moment to circle your hips around, You leaned down to give him a big kiss before slowly adjusting to this position. Starting to pick up the pace, Ghost was in heaven watching his girl ride him.

His hands coming back to your waist to pull you back down all the way when you cheated him out of taking him all. Having your completely bare frame taking him as he was only in his tactical pants and boots was easily the best mental image he could have.

Your hands came down on his chest followed by your head as your whimpers and moans got louder. At this point, Ghost didn’t care if Soap heard you, he wanted you to moan his name. Bonus points if he could make you scream it. And now that he knew you were close, he was determined to have anyone listening hear who was making you this loud.

Arching his legs up, he started pounding up into you, causing your head to lift up and the most beautiful sounds to come out of your mouth.

“Fuck, Simon. Please make me cum.” You beg

“Oh don’t worry, love. You will.” He grunts as he adds more power to his thrusts.

The feeling of knots twisting in your gut got stronger before they snapped. Launching you into pure heaven as the best orgasm took over and your body shut down.

“YES! SIMON! YES!” Your mind has shut down as your head comes down to his shoulder as he won his little challenge.

His high washed over him as his deep voice captivated your ears as he finished. You could feel it as he came inside you, it felt good and he knew it.

—————

After you both came back from the high, Simon headed downstairs to see a grossed out Soap who looked like he had just been physically sick.

“You good Johnny?” Simon asks

“You’re a sick man L.T” Soap dismissed before going outside to take a breather.

His fingertips still felt hot from what just occurred upstairs, but he didn’t mind. He loved playing with fire. He loved being burned by you.

[typoqueeenie]

Let's take a moment to appreciate all those wholesome relationships that this show presented us with. They will be with me for years to come💜✨ [LONG READ]

1) One of the most underrated relationships of the show. The unconditional love that Qing had for her brother, was so wholesome! She would look at him & see the entire world tranform into one person. While for A-Ning, his sister WAS his world and beyond.

2) There are brothers, there are fathers & then there is Xichen to his Wangji. From reading his baby brother like a book to taking away his pains before they crossed his path - he was the family Wangji deserved.

As for LWJ, Xichen was embodiment of God.

3) Again such underrated relationship. People only saw the way NMJ was harsh towards NHS but what they failed to see was how he loved his him beyond words. He protected him like a delicate flower.

And for NHS, NMJ was his home, refuge & utmost safety.

4) Shows seldom portray such a pure, unconditional relationship in a completely platonic relationship. Were they friends? Were they like siblings? Were they acquaintances? I don't know. But whatever they were, they were eachother's familiarity, home.

5) What Ning felt for Yuan was so beautiful. Ning was always taken care of by others but it was only with Yuan, did he feel this fierce protectiveness for. Not only were they the last ones surviving from their family, they had a connection so intangible.

6) These 2 have my heart. There were times when I used to think Wen Ning was an alternate representation of WWX. They shared their traumas, homes, loyalties. Both were terribly misunderstood by the society so they chose to turn to eachother for comfort.

7) Not making excuses for XY or his toxic obsession for Xingchen. However XY is a WWX gone horribly wrong. He's never felt a shred of emotion in his life - & the first time he did? He didn't know what to do with it. And that was portrayed so beautifully!

8) It might've started on a wrong note, but the way their relationship progressed throughout the show was beautiful to watch. The understanding, the maturity and the utter devotion they showed for eachother was so pure. We all knew Yanli was in love the moment she laid eyes on him, but Jin Zixuan only had Yanli's name on his lips even on his last breath.

9) The subtlety in their relationship could've easily missed but it was there and it was glaring for me. The way they jumped in to take the hit for eachother throughout the show was beautiful! They were so different in their own ways but together, they were eachother's best confidants.

10) Again, there might be differences in opinion here but their relationship was an absolute treat for me to watch. I loved their back and forth banter and the humour but beneath all of that there was also this hidden unconditional love of two people who had lost their everything and only had eachother to survive. They were eachother's support and weakness. And probably only reason to be alive.

11) I loved the growth in their relationship over time. From despising WWX to understanding him as a person, starting become fond of him and then finally somehow acknowledging him as his uncle - the growth was beautiful to witness. And WWX's obvious fondness and protectiveness towards him was so warming. Everytime he looked at Jin Ling, it was like WWX got his Shijie back!

12) You can hate Meng Yao all you want to but one thing that you can't deny is the fact that he loved Lan Xichen beyond all his agenda, revenge and very reason of existence. If there was one person whom he had any unconditional feelings towards, it was him. And it broke him completely to see that distrust in LX's eyes. And for Lan Xichen, Meng Yao was that one person who could never do any wrong. What a sad parallel to WangXian indeed!

13) I really really liked their interactions right off the bat. But what I didn't realise was how I would grow so attached to the beautiful relationship they'd eventually develop. I'm again amazed at how they have paid minute attention to even the smallest things in a completely platonic relationship! What wwx felt for Mianmian was responsibility and respect for being the strong woman that she was. But what Mianmian felt for wwx was unwavering gratitude, awe and immense respect. Her taking a stand for him when everyone kept quiet and him still remembering her even with how poor his memory was, says a lot about their mutual respect.

14) Another so so underrated relationship of the show! One of the things that hurt me was how wwx got distanced from such a beautiful friend over time due to the unfortunate circumstances that he was in. Wwx found a brother in NHS whom he could be himself with unabashedly. And in wwx, NHS found a guide, a partner in crime and a person through whom he manifested all his desires and wishes. It was one of the purest relationships and a classic example of "Friends are families that you get to choose for yourself".

15) However short their time together onscreen was, they left an undeniable effect on me. The way they silently kept on giving for the other person without a moment of hesitation, was so beautiful to watch. Xingchen was not only ready to give away his eyes but even his life for him while Song Lan was ready to dedicate his entire life to Xingchen, his memories and the time they've spent together.

16) You don't need me to tell you Yanli & WWX loved e/o. What needs to be acknowledged is how he was her world. In her eyes the little kid on top of the tree could do nothing wrong. When every single person showed their doubt - Yanli was unmoved. And it's like all of wwx's worries would just fade into a mist when Yanli & her soup were around. I believe wwx was fond of the soup not only because of the taste, but he had associated it to his shijie's presence. Losing Yanli was an irreparable loss.

17) I know there are diff in opinions here but JC & WWX are one of my favourite relationships in the show. Yes there were flaws & misunderstandings there but at the end of the day, the fact doesn't change that they were ready to die for eachother. With JC's every longing glance masked by misplaced accusation & every sad smile of understanding & helplessness from WWX, you could see every fight, harsh words & shoves came from a place of intense love. More than brothers they were each other's confidants first.

18) RANT ALERT: There was never, there is none & there will never exist a love so epic in magnitude.

While WWX's fast paced world came to a screeching halt when he met lwj, LWJ's monotonous life gained pace when he got hit by this sudden tornado.

For LZ, he understood the meaning of life when he met wwx. He understood there was much more to it than simply doing what is told. His love was so intense, he didn't even need the other's acknowledgement. He felt it, wwx was safe - that was enough.

For WY, lwj was that rein that didn't suffocate him rather guide him. He showed him how to love & let go. He made him understand actions spoke louder than words. It was lwj staying beside him through the end, that spoke louder than any words ever could.

[life-rewritten]

THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF HUACHENG; TGCF SEASON 1

TGCF just ended, and I just wanted to cry because I'm going to miss this show for a while until we're ready for season 2. Good news Season 2 has been announced and is in production so maybe end of this year? Hopefully? One can hope. Anyways because we're saying goodbye for a while, I decided to focus my review on Hua  Cheng this time. The many ways he has shown up in Season 1, the many encounters he had with Xie Lian who doesn't even know how long he's been by his side, the many forms he used to stay and help Xie Lian. In TGCF, Hua Cheng's appearances in Xie Lian’s life is essential because of his constant devotion and ambition to ensure that Xie Lian is protected, safe and happy. Hua Cheng shows up each time to an oblivious Xie Lian who only has been introduced to the knowledge of one form of him, San Lang in season 1. But what about us the audience, we've seen Cheng as a child in the first episode, in the intro, we've seen him as San Lang, and we've also been introduced slightly to his natural form, the Hua Cheng Ghost King form. So let's look into it more, how has each state been connected to Xie Lian and what have we been shown or told so far about the building relationship between our ghost king and our god. 

The Different Versions of Hua Cheng

So the first thing we need to break down is the similarities of each of his forms and their different meanings to his character dynamic and arc concerning his and Xie Lian's love story. So as mentioned before there are three different versions of him we're introduced to:

The Child: We see him in a desolated state, with bandages surrounding his face, blood and he's in tears looking forlorn at Xie Lian who also has given up on something throwing away his umbrella and face darkened and walking away, probably to a small shack. We also see this child more importantly connected to our story because he's the first version of Hua Cheng in our origin of these two's meeting. He's saved by Xie Lian who completely stuns him and gives him the meaning to life again. We see snippets of this version of him in flashbacks and in the opening intro because TGCF is a story that is planning to unveil the years of Hua Cheng's devotion to  Xie Lian, the reasons, the actions made, and the consequences created from it in the past. 

San Lang: Number two we get to see San Lang, he's the version we spend the most time within season 1, knowing and having suspicions that he's Hua Cheng. San Lang is a mortal and meant to be a teen; he's wise for his age, aloof, and sly. And he's made it an aim to accompany  Xie Lian on his journey to getting followers again. There's more to San Lang that meets the eye, he has a convoluted back story (which is backshadowing the truth of his past) he tells Xie Lian, and he's very loyal and protective of Xie Lian. Xie Lian gets to become close to this version of Hua Cheng; this is the version he trusts the most and is the person who becomes someone he cares a lot about unconditionally.

Crimson Rain Sought Flower/ Ghost King the most dangerous and scariest and wealthy demon/devastation ghost in the story.  Xie Lian is first warned away from him because the gods are not on good terms with him. But  Xie Lian can't help but wonder if he's more than meets the eye because they meet under a blood rain as bride and groom. Hua Cheng shows up in his real form to guide  Xie Lian to safety. This version shows up again in the Sinner's pit in the Banyue arc in episode 9. After San Lang jumps in a sacrificial move, Hua Cheng eliminates everybody ruthlessly in the Sinner's pit and shows up again to fight Pei Xu to protect  Xie Lian in episode 11. This version is the real Hua Cheng, he has one eye, he is cold, ruthless, but also he's made it clear he wants to protect and is on the lookout for Xie Lian. By the end of season 1, Lian chooses to ignore the rumours and become close with him despite the warnings. 

Age, Status, and Love; The growth of Hua Cheng

The first thing to notice about these versions of Hua Cheng is that they all have a way of shadowing how he's grown and his journey to Xie Lian. From a child who's naive and innocent and is traumatised by events in the world, to a teen who is not taken as seriously, is wiser and mature and able to fend for himself, to the Ghost King who is who he is at present, his real self after many years, who is now powerful, in control and older but also not alive.

 And the second thing to notice is the difference of status and wealth depicted with his versions;  as a child even though we aren't shown the details, we can see that he's not rich, he's dressed in rags, and he's bandaged poorly and looks like he has nothing. As San Lang, he's able to fend for himself and Xie Lian by collecting scraps and rebuilding their first place together, and with Ghost King, you can tell he's wealthy, he's dressed in the finest of robes, silver dangling from everywhere you look, and we know from Ling Wen; he's affluent. So another observation to notice. 

The last thing to notice with these versions is the one common motif, Xie Lian. Xie Lian is also seen in different versions/ forms to us each time Hua Cheng shows up.

 We see  Xie Lian in the child's eyes as a prince; golden, lavish and beautiful, he's dressed in the finest attire but also we see that Lian is the person who flies to save this child from either falling or jumping to his end. (still, we can't be sure why he was falling), 

But then with San Lang, Xie Lian is undercover as a mortal (though it's pretty apparent to guess he's not) without power, followers or any self-esteem (from his comments) and wealth. But with San Lang, Xie Lian is vulnerable and shown to be more lonely and filled with self-deprecation but is determined to protect everyone he comes across, which makes him more self-sacrificial. 

As Ghost King, we see Xie Lian on a mission as a god, untrusting, capable, and very cunning and intuitive, he wears a mask (literally wearing a veil) of happiness, ease,  but he's alert and ready to defend and knows how to avoid being caught by his enemies. 

Unconditional Devotion; The Love of Hua Cheng

In all versions, Hua Cheng shows us that he has with Xie Lian some kind of devotion and love:

As a child: His eyes light up for the first time, he follows after him (inferred from the intro and episode 1) and watches helplessly as he can't do anything to protect him at that moment. You can feel the determination, the longing, and the urgency in each scene he's shown watching after  Xie Lian as Xie Lian gives up on himself. 

As San Lang: He guides and protects Xie Lian, he stays by his side loyally and prevents Xie Lian from getting into harm's way using information that he knows. You can feel that he knows how Xie Lian is self-sacrificial, and he's here to protect and keep Xie Lian from being puppeteered or played around by others.

 As Ghost King: He is deadly when it comes to Xie Lian, he kills and destroys and doesn't waste time with others, he's also protective of where Xie Lian touches, he doesn't want him soiled by blood or anything ( using either an umbrella to protect him when they first meet, or cradling him to ensure his foot doesn't meet the ground). He's determined to get rid of anything that could hurt Xie Lian or make him suffer, and he does it through violence. 

And even though Xie Lian doesn't have any recognition of who he is yet in his life, in every version Xie Lian has also shown protection and care for Hua Cheng unconditionally which is embedded in his personality.

 He saves his life as the child, (just like he positively affects other children like Banyue who look up to him), he is determined to protect and make sure San Lang is safe. It terrifies him to think otherwise, and he accepts Hua Cheng unconditionally after realising who he is. 

He also shows awe and intrigue with all things, Hua Cheng, whilst others call him terrifying  Xie Lian says his name suits him because it's pretty when he sees his butterflies he's in awe and automatically wants to follow them because they make him feel at ease despite the fact that those butterflies can probably without his knowledge kill and maim. When he notices others may notice who Cheng is at the pit, he's worried but at ease to see him hidden as San Lang again, and he finally tells him; he doesn't care who he is because he's a friend.

 Xie Lian; The Goal of Hua Cheng

For Xie Lian he's realised there's unconditional care and like and reliance for Hua Cheng, it's automatic and he can't stop feeling safe and at ease with him. Despite his first time meeting San Lang and being suspicious, it took him an ox ride to find out he liked and was intrigued by San Lang even if he was Hua Cheng. He liked how he spoke, he liked his wisdom, and he enjoyed spending time with him. It became natural to rely on his protection, his touch, and his information each journey they went on. 

 And with Hua Cheng in all his versions there's that unconditional need to protect, devotion and determination to stay by Xie Lian's side. After all, that's where this started, him being affected by Xie Lian saving his life. We can guess he took it literally and made it a reality, though now we wonder how he went from a human child to being dead yet a mighty ghost king. 

 In a way we see Hua Cheng show up and start making Xie Lian find reasons for living too. Not that it's apparent that he doesn't want to live; that he's full of self-loathing and self-sacrificial tendencies. Hua Cheng seemed to be as San Lang, one of the first people who showed Xie Lian unconditional loyalty and support despite not seeing himself as deserving of it. Hua Cheng may not be his reason for living, but Hua Cheng is his reason for why he gets to live; many times Hua Cheng's protection is to keep Xie Lian from being hurt; the snake scorpion venom, the Sinner's pit, the Pei Xu and snakes, the head on the ground filled with demonic energy and Xuan Ji. Hua Cheng shows up as groom the first time we see him, and he leads Xie Lian to protection to the place he needs to go to know what's going on with the brides. With his determination, experience (giving Xie Lian information) and power Hua Cheng protects and pushes Xie Lian to keep staying safe and alive knowing someone does not see him as worthless or a misfortune. 

Ghost vs Human: The Disguise of Hua Cheng

It makes you wonder this need of why Hua Cheng does hide in many forms; why does he not make Xie Lian know that they've known each other for so long? why does he hide as San Lang and not his true form since Xie Lian doesn't know who he is, and why does he keep his true form out of sight from Xie Lian. He's determined to hide his natural form because showing it would lead to opportunities of weakness.

 As we can see from just his child self Hua Cheng was determined to do something, to become more so he could be of help, payback Xie Lian for saving his life, and become his reason to live. So he probably can not let any weakness affect him; he probably has built up protection of himself so no one can reach him so that no one can reach Xie Lian. His aim is to be a safeguard for Xie Lian, an impenetrable, protective and robust protection. People seeing his real form is a lead way to vulnerability and weakness. Him protecting how he looks makes him even more of a scarier person to deal with because you don't know his real self or strength fully.

 It also gives him a way to be by  Xie Lian's side without anyone knowing his goals; he does this as San Lang, shows a different version of himself which is more acceptable and less conflicting to be by Xie Lian's side. A mortal can be seen as a worshiper, a friend and a helper. But a ghost king by a god side is more looked down upon. We see this when Fu Yao and Nan Feng try to uncover who he is. Xie Lian has been warned that he should stay away from Ghost King version, and maybe Hua Cheng also thinks that version should not be known, or seen or met. With how scary and dangerous he seems, (he's known for his harmful actions, he also took out his own eye as he puts it because of insanity, he has incredibly deadly weapons and he's someone heaven is terrified of). Hua Cheng may think Xie Lian won't give him a chance to know him. But of course, he discovers that  Xie Lian doesn't care about that. 

Ghost King: The Past of Hua Cheng

The different forms of Hua Cheng we see as the audience showcases other assets to his mindset, we've seen him weak, vulnerable, and lost without Xie Lian when he was a child, there was a time where he was the most scared of everything,  a time where he probably had no control over whatever he wanted, a time where he was filled with despair and obliqueness, but Xie Lian showed up as a light, the same way Hua Cheng shows up in Xie Lian's life in season 1 as a guide, they both shift their mindsets and determination to be better and succeed.  

That's why his growth to becoming Ghost King is fascinating; he's become the opposite of his childhood self, he's no longer mortal and human, ( as we see with his other two versions) he's seen as ruthless and cold to anyone who bothers him or Xie Lian. It's not an easy feat; it must have taken a lot of pain, and suffering to get to who he is, for him even to become a devastation he would have needed to be filled with resentful energy, this means that he also is someone full of grief and suffering as  Xie Lian who hides his behind his mask of an easygoing and cheerful nature. 

Hua Cheng hides his behind strength and power, they both have scars and secrets hidden needed to uncover to know why they have become this way, but one thing stays for sure, and that's that Xie Lian and Hua Cheng both become healing to each other from their past scars. Xie Lian becomes Hua Cheng's sole reason to live, devoting himself to Xie Lian is what's making him good and not broken. Xie Lian on the other hand, Cheng becomes someone who makes him want to accept himself, Hua Cheng is someone who becomes a healing presence to him, he's happier, comfortable and safer by his side, and he knows this. Hence, he lets himself be pulled to him, carried and protected by him, he's shocked by it, but you can see it affects him each time Hua Cheng does something to protect him as San Lang. 

In a world where we are focusing on gods and demons and ghosts, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng seem oddly incompatible; the gods look down on the ghost kings because of their actions and because they're closer to evil or immoral actions. Xie Lian as a god is meant to be moral, just and higher than others, including mortals, and so being with the most powerful ghost king and slowly falling for him probably isn't a great idea. What matters now is how long these two have been near each other, how has both the journey of them affected the other, Hua Cheng is entirely devoted to Xie Lian even after his passing and resurrection as a ghost king, and that's interesting, he has been watching and keeping an eye on Xie Lian who's oblivious and has more things to focus on than that, Xie Lian has a past which he feels guilt, self-hatred and fear from, it's slowly being revealed, and it's fascinating to watch it. 

Hua Cheng also has many interesting actions he's made that also need a reason or explanation, like why he has one eye, what made him become a ghost king, why he aimed for an attack at the gods, and his real purpose with Xie Lian? It's been an amazing time watching this season. I can't wait to find out more about these two's journey and love story. The undying loyalty and devotion to each other despite being so far apart for time is fascinating. I can't wait to see season 2. 

[tracer85s]

MDZS fics i treasure (2)

parts 1, 2, 3

The Simplest Way Forward by harriet_vane

[explicit, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 71k, complete]

one of the classics. this is also the fic that got me into the whole mdzs fandom. i literally just searched up kid fic on ao3 and this one seemed promising... so i read it without knowing who tf lan wangji or wei wuxian are... fast forward a few months later and all i can think about is “wangxian are married and have a son.” THEY’RE MARRIED AND HAVE A SON. now take that knowledge and add in modern wangxian as university music students who get married to take care of a-yuan and you’ve got yourselves this brilliant fic. also, i did not know you can endlessly pine for your own husband but with wangxian, anything’s possible

Neatly Arranged by thunderwear

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, jiang yanli/jin zixuan, 45k, complete]

yes. i love arranged marriage wangxian fics okay ! they’re my guilty pleasure. this one’s unique because lwj’s actually bethrothed to jiang yanli and jin zixuan’s bethrothed to wwx which is actually kind of funny especially when jzx asks lwj if he wants to switch. it does get angsty but there’s a happy ending !

Night of Sixth Magnitude Stars by Leffy

[mature, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 22k, complete]

modern au with student lwj and teacher wwx although it’s only for the first chapter. THIS FIC. OH MY GOD. i literally got tricked, i thought it would be lighthearted and fluffy but the angst (specifically for wwx’s character) broke my heart. THE PLOT IS AMAZING, PLEASE READ IT

one good thing by Yuu_chi

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 26k, complete]

this one’s a classic, one of the first few mdzs fics i read and i absolutely love it. modern au with ghost wwx and house owner lwj *squeals* IT’S SO FLUFFY... and then gets quite a bit angsty at the end, i swear your heart stops at that scene. anyway it’s such a good read sigh,,, might re-read

Pigtail Pulling by protos_metazu_ison

[general, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 3k, complete]

whenever i’m feeling down, this fic always manages to cheer me up. it’s very lighthearted, just fluffy wangxian in cloud recesses: wwx teasing lwj and lwj teases back and absolutely flusters wwx. it’s just SO CUTE

Rush Hour by Ulan

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 3k, completed]

basically modern wangxian in public transport, pressed up against each other, with a dash of protective lwj and damsel in distress wwx. warning, there is minor sexual assault but the rest is just fluffy wangxian <3

seldom all they seem by Fahye

[explicit, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 24k, complete]

yes... another arranged marriage fic... i have nothing to say for myself. but this one’s just the usual fic with lwj finding wwx annoying at first and then pining so hard afterwards once he realizes wwx is his entire world. the author also changed the wwx escaping with the wens scene and OH MY GOD THEIR VERSION *chef’s kiss*. READ IT !

silhouettes to steal this night by moonsteps

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 51k, complete]

MODERN WANGXIAN AS ASSASSINS/HITMEN AND ROOMMATES. WHAT MORE DO I NEED TO SAY. guys, they just flirt every time they’re assigned to the same hit i am literally crying. top tier fic as expected from moonsteps (read the rest of their works you won’t regret it at all).

so you’ve been robbed by a museum by yukla

[mature, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 5k, complete]

immortal cultivators wangxian in the modern world !! to summarize, wangxian somehow does *not* get their shit together in the ancient times and pine all the way into the 21st century until lwj sees an entire section of paintings of himself hanging in the museum... you can guess whose yearning-induced artistic creations those are ;)

soft-hearted by @sarah-yyy

[general, lan wanji/wei wuxian, 6k, complete]

are you wondering what happens if child lwj found child wwx in the streets and brought him back to gusu with him? this. this is what happens: SOFTNESS, FLUFF, AND WWX CALLING GEGE. i literally didn’t know how much i need childhood friends to lovers wangxian until i read this and every time wwx called lwj gege? hello? i was pretty sure i was going to burst into flames if i kept screaming. also, read the author’s wangxian rebuttable presumption verse on their page bc it’s absolutely genius oh my god i’m never going to shut up about the rp verse

take yourself home by ribena

[mature, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 26k, complete]

okay, this one is HEAVY. like you would seriously just want to wrap wwx in a blanket and feed him soup kind of heavy. to summarize, radio host lwj keeping plant dad wwx company with his voice and then himself once he moves into the same apartment as wwx. honestly, this one hits home for me, it will definitely make you sob but the ending is so hopeful and i need a sequel of just plant dads wangxian being domestic 

tame by rikke

[mature, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 11k, complete]

IMAGINE IF LWJ DID NOT LEAVE WWX AFTER THE XUANWU CAVE. just imagine oh my god, maybe they would’ve gotten their feelings resolved faster... or hatched a baby xuanwu, and wait what? yes, you read right. this fic is about xuanwu dads wangxian in yunmeng, it’s fluffy and funny and just a perfect lighthearted read if you’re having a bad day

The Fire Lapping Up the Creek by notevenyou

[explicit, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 66k, complete]

in which wwx travels to lanling alone for jin ling’s one month celebration and gets heavily injured, cue in very heavy hurt/comfort. warning, there’s major illness and surgery in this fic. so basically, lwj stays in the burial mounds to guard wwx and the wens while wwx recovers from his injury. LISTEN, burial mounds husbands wangxian and heavy hurt/comfort, what more do you need. go read it

The Lotus Defense Society by mondengel

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, jiang yanli/jin zixuan, 3k, complete, only available for registered users of ao3]

i have lost count of how many times i’ve read this one, i love it so much. lwj and jzx bond over their mutual pining for wwx and jyl and accidentally starts a cult with nhs to prevent unsuitable people from courting them. where do i even begin with this fic, it’s literally so amazing !! very crack-y, my favourite line is “Young Master Jin!  It’s Lan Wangji! He’s enacting Phoenix Mountain Part 2!” and then what happens after is my favourite scene

the secret ingredient by queen_gee

[teen and up, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 8k, complete]

WWX BAKING FOR LWJ WHO HAS A SWEET TOOTH OH MY GOD I AM SOBBING. modern college/university wangxian with lots of pining and baking, i am literally banging my head against a table this is the sweetest fic, but they’re also idiots in love so there’s some light angst but you’ll literally melt at the ending !!

The Trials and Tribulations of a Modern Father by Bgtea

[teen and up, lan xichen/jiang wanyin, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 24k, complete]

written in jiang fengmian’s pov where jfm realizes jiang cheng attracts a lot of attention from... old men. cue in lan xichen and his charming smile and this spells trouble to jfm so he enlists wwx’s help in operation protect jiang cheng. endgame xicheng with side pairing wangxian, this is absolutely cute and very humorous

with you, I am home by tellthemstories

[mature, lan wangji/wei wuxian, 47k, complete]

MODERN CULTIVATORS WANGXIAN DECIDE TO FAKE DATE *SCREAMS*. slow burn (but not if you read it fast enough), the way they are so domestic in this one oh my god, a LOT of oblivious wwx, and lwj meeting the family. i’m a sucker for fake dating fics and this one is just SO right. i’m urging everyone to read it for self-care

[untamedficrecs]

hello! do you know if there are any fic abt jin ling's one month birthday where wwx turns up in koi tower like a fairy godmother or smth instead of being stopped on the way? or any like... politics heavy fic? idk why but I have a craving lol thank you for the hard work!

Hi! Wanna say sorry this took me so long to get too, I was planning on answering this sooner but some things came up. I tried my best to find something close to what you were looking for but I apologize in advance if they are not exactly it! I haven’t read all of these fics personally, so some of them might not have personal comments (and they might not actually be what you’re looking for ;;~;;), but here we go!! (sorry for how long this is gonna be!) 

 cradle by dragonesque

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 32 | Word Count: 195979 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

☆ warning: graphic depictions of violence

Author’s Summary: After barely surviving the assassination attempt at QiongQi Path, Wei WuXian and the Wen Sect remnants are left to figure out how to protect themselves and their new lives. Meanwhile, the Jiang siblings and an unharmed Jin ZiXuan try to figure out who's bright idea was that stupid ambush. In Gusu, Lan Wangji panics at the idea of Wei WuXian's near death and tries to figure out whether to insist to stay by the Yiling Patriarch's side or hang back in the Cloud Recesses.

And Wei WuXian struggles with the idea of whether becoming a teacher, teaching demonic cultivation and setting up his own sect might not be a bad idea after all...

☆ personal comments: this is honestly one of my favorite fics...while it doesnt fit exactly the first thing you’re looking for (with him showing up/not being stopped...i mean he does show up...but he’s gotta plan some things out and recover before he shows up at koi tower); anyways there is definitely a lot of politics involved in this fic (from trying to form a new sect and an investigation going on with the wen remnants). i think you would enjoy it (or at least hope you will). I hope the author updates soon cause it has been a while, but its def long and will give you something to work through! 

birthday party by waffles_4_breakfast

Rating: Explicit | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 25857 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

☆ warning: graphic depictions of violence

Author’s Summary: What if Jin Zixun didn't attack Wei Wuxian at Qiongqi Path and waited until the party to attack?

A fix-it fic where Wei Wuxian gets to attend the party and an entirely different cascade of events follow.

☆ personal comments: I definitely think this fic has a lot of potential with how it’s going. It’s pretty good so far, not really heavy on politics...I would say just a lot of sect drama almost?? (maybe that could still count as politics...but ya know) anyways def would recommend! 

can you read the signs? by quiet_crash

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | One Shot | Status: Complete | Word Count: 5890 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

Author’s Summary: At Qiongqi Path, Wei Wuxian loses his patience. What he doesn't lose is Jin Ling's present. After all, he's going to meet his little nephew and no force in the world or beyond is going to stop him.

☆ personal comments: hmmm this one is probably the closest to the first part of your ask!! wwx does in fact show up to koi tower having not been attacked (or well he was attacked but it was de-escalated before bad things could happen!). its set up in kinda like little snapshots of his life almost so yeah, its pretty good! 

after a thousand crisis, you still remain innocent by lil_apple (sugafree_agustd)

Rating: General | Canon Divergence | Status: Complete | Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 10583 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: Every tale has a start. Whether it was for better or worse. 

Lan WangJi saved Wei WuXian from Qiongqi path, resulting Jin ZiXuan being alive and the cultivation world being aware of Jin Guangshan's lies. Wei WuXian witnessed Lan WangJi's punishment and went into seclusion with him.

This is the start of great redemption.

☆ personal comments: i really enjoy this fic...its more...hurt/comfort almost than anything else with sweet moments doused in there. politics are there but its not super heavy...but i figured i would recommend it just in case. 

confessions of a drunkard by wei_ying

Rating: General | Canon Divergence | One Shot | Status: Complete | Word Count: 736 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian   

Author’s Summary: the yiling laozu is very drunk at a-ling's one month celebration. hilarity ensues.

☆ personal comments: this is just a super short cracky fic i feel like...it’s not really what you’re looking for but I figured I would drop it in here just cause. c: 

twelve moons and a fortnight by stiltonbasket

Rating: General | Post Canon | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 40 | Word Count:  207079 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: "Let me get this straight. You really want me to stand in for you while you help Jin Ling settle in at Koi Tower?"

"Who else do I have?" Jiang Cheng snaps, ears turning scarlet as Jin Ling tries to pretend he isn't listening. "Father trained you to serve as my deputy, didn't he? And don't say you don't remember, or I'll break your legs."

"Well, yes," Wei Wuxian manages. "Uh. I'll just let Lan Zhan know I'll be at Lotus Pier until you're back at home, then."

In which Wei Wuxian spends the year before his wedding as Yunmeng Jiang's acting sect leader, and the cultivation world's greatest love story finds its happy ending with the help of three juniors, a teenage romance, and one very involved (and exasperated) younger brother.

☆ comments: i haven’t read this fic yet, but i’m recommending it due to the tags...it’s not going to fit into your first category but i feel like it should fit into the politics heavy category...maybe...anyways this is on my own list to read so yeah 

end of the bridge by shinocchi

Rating: Mature | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 22 | Word Count: 170542 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: Wei Wuxian was ready to walk his dark single-planked bridge all by himself until when that very resolution was shattered by Lan Wangji, who found out he'd lost his core, when they were in the midst of Sunshot Campaign.

☆ comments: ^^ same comments as the one above 

magical marriage ribbons by starandrea

Series: 8 works | Word Count: 293,578 | Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Description: Wei Ying and Lan Zhan somehow find time to be student sweethearts at Cloud Recesses, and it changes the course of the war. Mashup of novel, donghua, and drama, with a little manhua as a treat. Anything that wasn’t AU before Cloud Recesses is certainly AU after.

Happy fix-it with a little plot and a lot of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying being super cute together. Also some babies and animal transformation as the series goes on.

☆ personal comments: i haven’t read all of these works but there are some works in there that have a focus on politics (not heavily focused). they’re really fun to read so i figure i would recommend them anyways. 

aftermath by kouriarashi

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | Status: Complete | Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 57682 Pairing(s): Jiang Yanli x Jin Zixuan, Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen x Meng Yao

Author’s Summary: Jiang Yanli lifted her eyes up to Madam Jin and said, calmly, as if from a hundred miles away, “I am a daughter of the Yu sect. Did he think my mother only taught me how to pour tea?”

Or: the AU in which Jin Guangshan targets Jiang Yanli and she kills him before he can ruin everything.

☆ comments: sooo this is another fic on my list to read...i read the first chapter tho...and it looks pretty good...again like the other 2 fics that i haven’t read personally i’m recommending this purely on the tags and hoping that it will fit what you want! i figured i would throw in something that wasn’t just wangxian focused...i mean a yanli focused fic seems pretty interesting so i’m excited to read it! 

leave no hatred behind by joythea

Rating: Teen & up | Fix-it fic | Status: Complete | Chapters: 23 | Word Count: 121459

Author’s Summary: Jiang Yanli knows she was raised to be a wife and a good mother. But she knew she didn't need her cultivation to find and stop the man responsible for her precious disciple brother’s death and robbing her son of a father.

☆ comments: ^^ same comments as above

[bipirate]

About the thank you and sorry line, doesn't WWX also use it with JL in regards to JL and JC's relationship shortly after meeting him, saying smth like you really should say those words to people you care about or you'll end up saying them in tears later? MXTX clearly meant those words as a metaphor for the necessity of communicating your real feelings no matter how close you are, as JL and JC are family and not indebted to each other. Having LWJ and WWX not needing to say them, 2 people who1/6

the rest + my response under the cut bc it got kinda long!

in novel can’t communicate at all until LXC steps in, totally throws this off. Even WQ didn’t thank WWX out of debt but as a loving gesture to convey to WWX how much all he has done for them really meant to her before dying. No more than JC apologizing to WWX at the end is distancing himself or acknowledging a debt, but is instead taking the 1st step toward a relationship of equals with no more one-sided loyalty or hidden feelings, bringing them closer (though dropping the ball midway before saying thank you).

I get that some people may appreciate more the romanticized trope of the exceptionalism of true love conveyed by the “no need for thanks or apologies between us,” but imho it’s an ultimately vacuous trope bc it’s based on the premise that the moment of declaring your love is like a flash point after which you’ll just never have any conflicts and won’t need to do any work to maintain the relationship until you die, bc people in love just magically always get along and never hurt each other or, even worse, bc people having any boundaries is a proof of them not really being in true love.

But I truly loved the more mature and realistic message of the absolute necessity of those words in all your relationships no matter how close--and of honest communication more generally--not getting kneecapped later on in the narrative in CQL. And this trope pops up many times in the book, ironically undermining the intimacy that can be build in a real relationship with conflicts, thanks and apologies, as conflicts are also a form of communication, as frex when LWJ unflinchingly eats extremely spicy food along with WWX after he’s back, never revealing that he’s actually in pain and can’t taste any of his meals and when needlessly sacrificing his basic needs is presented as a proof of superior love and beautiful devotion, something desirable, even when WWX would not care either way, and even when LWJ’s willingness to indulge WWX’s love for chili could have been played out in so many other lovely or even funny ways with communication that would have actually brought them closer.

That’s why I thought the much hated ending scene of CQL actually works great bc you can see them going through and resolving the conflict of being true to each other but also true to themselves, wants and convictions. Bc getting together with someone you love is only the start of a life-long journey together, when in many romances, BL or not, it’s a final end point, which is boring.

before answering this i want to quickly link to the meta on this subject that the anon who pointed out that my reading of the 'sorry and thank you' line was more literal than it should be sent me. i agree with the anon that in my first post on this subject i DID take it quite literally without being aware of the cultural implications it has. however i also think my original point still stands. obviously i don't want to disregard the anon completely, however rude their tone was, because they have a better understanding of east asian culture than i will ever have and i think that counts for something. but i also think that even in the novel + cql the line was meant literally to some degree. when wwx says the line 'there are 2 things every person needs to say in their life: sorry and thank you' (paraphrased) he does mean it literally. wen qing said them to him, he said them to jin ling and lwj.

so i think ultimately i do agree with you. the declaration lwj makes in the mdzs novel, 'there is no need for sorry and thanks between us' (including the deeper meaning of indebtedness and lack thereof) seems like, super romantic on the surface, right? a relationship can't be equal if it exists on debts. but that's exactly where my problem with novel wangxian lies - it literally never feels equal. who is novel lwj to say 'we are not indebted to each other, we don't have to say sorry and thanks because of that' when he has literally sexually assaulted wwx and locked him up against his will? like, fine. the idea of not owing debts to each other and them choosing to stay with the other solely because they want to and because they love each other is beautiful and romantic. but novel wangxian have hurt each other so much, done so many shitty things, are so shit at communicating etc. that i think they do owe each other gratitude and apologies.

and idk i also keep thinking about how they changed it for cql, where they have that beautiful scene in the jingshi. wwx clearly struggles with saying the words to lwj, but eventually does so with a fond smile, and it almost has the emotional weight of a love confession. if i interpret the meta and the earlier anon correctly, in mdzs it appears that part of wwx's character arc is learning to stop viewing his relationships in terms of debt by not saying sorry/thank you to lwj (which is an interesting concept that i definitely didn't think about before and i probably will never fully understand for cultural reasons, i want to reiterate that!) however, in cql, it seems that he struggles with saying those words because they make him vulnerable, and when he says them to lwj, he finally seems to open up to him entirely, perhaps for the first time since they met. i just think that difference is interesting, and to me personally, cql is more compelling.

[shypotato-translations]

QTVW Chapter 20

Showbiz* Sexy Queen (VII)

----

Mei Mu Lan frowned after hearing the system beep, it seemed that she now had another hidden task to solve the travelers in addition to the main task of raiding the villain.

It's not clear exactly what the definition of 'resolution' is, but according to the novel's plot, everything should change soon after.

Because the beginning part of the novel was caused by the death of the original owner Mei Mu Lan in a car accident, the description of the female lead Bai Jieying at that time was still just an innocent-looking girl with an upright personality, and her clean temperament attracted the attention of the male lead Ling Tianye.

And the next step was to come and audition for the supporting female role in the cast of 《The Burial Man》, only to be eliminated by the director and others.

Three days later, when she agreed to become the male lead's mistress, she returned to the production with the help of the male lead, and her acting skills were suddenly recognized by everyone, and she played the role of the enchanting undercover female agent in 《The Burial Man》, thus starting her acting career as the "Queen of Variety".

So it seems that if this travelers really entered the novel, then the time she crossed over was within these two days.

Mei Mu Lan rubbed her brow, feeling troubled, if her task was to face a simple and proud Bai Jieying, it would not be difficult to deal with her.

But now it was obvious that she was about to face a traveler who had also entered the virtual world from the real world, and there was no way for Mei Mu Lan to treat such a woman as an NPC in the virtual world, and……

Even for travelers, there are different types, and she knew absolutely nothing about this travelers' situation. And this traveler, upon entering this world, immediately grasps the key character, Ling Tianye, and she picks a script and a cast of characters that are complex and widely loved.

It is clear from here that she is a book-traveler who also knows what is about to happen in this world.

Mei Mu Lan groaned and grumbled in anguish as she thought of this, the traveler she needed to solve for this hidden mission was someone who was an even match for her, and according to the system ranking, such a traveler at present was actually only her beginner mission target, so she dared not imagine what kind of difficult characters she would encounter in her next crossover missions.

She let out a long sigh and thought, "No matter what, she has to find a way to monitor Bai Jieying's every move, be the first to get a head start, wait for an opportunity, and then take her out.

After Mei Mu Lan made her plans, she hired a high priced private detective to investigate and film Bai Jieying's actions and compile them into a case to her newly built email address while she was 'obsessively showing love' to Ling Yi Yao.

Every day after she came home from studying on set, she would open her emails and browse through Bai Jieying's investigation routine.

On the first day, an email came in showing that Bai Jieying and a major shareholder of a giant entertainment company went to a hotel room together, entering at 10pm that night and leaving intimately at 6am the next morning, holding hands.

The next day's email showed that Bai Jieying and the major shareholder had gone to a lounge that only senior members of society could enter, and that in the evening Bai Jieying had left hand in hand with the director of another major film being shot.

On the third day, an email came in showing that Bai Jieying, drenched in rain, had bumped into Ling Tianye with a messy face and the two of them had gotten into Ling Tianye's car hand in hand.

When Mei Mu Lan saw this message, her heart thumped.

She moved her mouse and dragged the email down to see the photo of Bai Jieying, who, although wet from the rain, didn't look at all disheveled, but rather because her clothes were wet against her body, exposing her youthful yet mature figure, and her expression was so charming that one wanted to hold her in one's heart and love her as soon as one saw her.

But she looked at Ling Tianye with pride and stubbornness in her eyes, like a cheetah that is always full of life and vitality, making people want to trample on her stubbornness and squeeze her in their hands.

Mei Mu Lan drew a cold breath, from this photo alone, one could feel that this woman was not simple, she was too high up the ladder.

Mei Mu Lan frowned and muttered,

“Here we go, here we go, the travelers are coming.”

She clicked on the photo with her mouse and displayed it in full screen, then stared at the woman and after some careful analysis, she found that she could not see, at all, the true feelings of this woman, and if she had not been wary of this traveler, then she would probably have been upset at the moment she saw the photo.

And with the way things are going today, she's going to meet this traveler tomorrow on the set of the film.

That makes exactly three days.

So now, now that the target traveler has appeared, the next thing she has to do is to find this woman's weakness and finish her off.

As she expected, Ling Tianye once again appeared on the set with this woman, and just last night, the innocent girl who was originally playing another tomb raider family had a very serious car accident on her way home, her whole face was ruined, and she is now completely unable to play this role.

And Ling Tianye, now bringing Bai Jieying to the set, is to send this woman into this production in the name of the investor.

Director Wang Ye is in an unhappy mood, he can see from the events of the previous days that this woman, is definitely not as innocent as she appears, but his best friend Ling Tianye is totally the man who listens to the brain from the lower part of his waist.

This time Ling Tianye's expression was serious, and it was clear that unlike the playfulness of the previous days, he was serious.

Just when Wang Ye was in a depressed mood and about to go berserk, Bai Jieying spoke up, her voice cool and gentle, flowing like a spring breeze in the hearts of the crowd.

She said apologetically,

“I know I didn't perform well last time and made everyone very unhappy, and this time I've asked Chairman Ling to intercede for me, but……”

She bit her lip and smiled softly, looking pale and endearing as she said,

“I just really like the novel and the other day when I found out I had a chance to be in it, I was so excited I banged on the door and made my family laugh. I really want to achieve my ambition, so please give me another chance, just let me play one more part, I won't let you down.”

Her gaze is determined and she glows with confidence.

Mei Mu Lan pursed her lips and smiled lightly, thinking: This woman's acting skills are really good, it's really hard to deal with.

Bai Jieying's heartfelt confession touched most of the people present, and when the director saw her pleading gaze and Ling Tianye's heartbroken eyes, he nodded helplessly and said,

“All right then, as you say, I'll give you one more chance to do a scene from the script.”

Bai Jieying bowed gratefully with crystal tears in her eyes.

Then Bai Jieying looked at the crowd, and at the sight of a delicate cheongsam with Republican makeup, her pupils visibly zoomed in and out, a micro-expression of surprise that Mei Mu Lan noticed.

And Bai Jieying turned to smile happily, walked towards Mei Mu Lan, took her hand and said with surprise in her voice,

“Sister, are you in this film too? Dad is old and his heart is not good. Last time you suddenly left the family dinner and made him lose face, that's why he said he wanted to break off the relationship with you, but he has regretted it now, but he just can't face it, just forgive him and go home and live together, okay?”

Although these words were spoken in the interest of Mei Mu Lan, there were traps everywhere in these words, and Bai Jieying's words were spoken in public, so what would the onlookers think?

It must be Mei Mu Lan, who is ungrateful and reckless, and who is a wilful and an abominable person.

Mei Mu Lan also took her hand with a surprised look on her face, and her sharp nails pinched hard into her hand, saying,

“Sister, I…… I was just upset with my father. You didn't know that my father was going to marry you off to a business friend who was in his fifties, and I couldn't stand it so I confronted him, didn't you always teach me from a young age that I had to be on the same page with you, but now, you keep blaming me?”

As she said this, she unconsciously showed a stubborn and aggrieved expression, which, together with her dressing style, made people feel strange, but more than that, it made people think that she was a person of true character.

Bai Jieying's back was turned to the crowd, her expression cold, her eyes like ice frozen for a thousand years as she stared at her with a creepy gaze.

Then she took Mei Mu Lan in her arms, her lips close to Mei Mu Lan's earlobe, and she said in a light tone,

“I know your secret, we are both the same, how about working together? It is better than having two sisters struggling with each other. Hmm? What do you say?”

She nibbled lightly on Mei Mu Lan's earlobe and asked.

Ling Yi Yao, who had just come out of the dressing room to change into her ancient costume, was standing not far behind these two people. After taking a look at the quiet atmosphere in the set and seeing Ling Tianye and Bai Jieying, she remembered what happened a few days ago and with a cold look on her face, she slowly walked over to Ling Tianye.

As she passed Mei Mu Lan, she walked without a glance, completely ignoring the two who were hugging each other in an intimate relationship.

But Mei Mu Lan showed a surprised expression, pushed Bai Jieying away, then picked up the camera and walked over to Ling Yi Yao, taking pictures in all directions at 365 degrees, then drooling at Ling Yi Yao, with green wolf-like eyes flashing in her eyes.

She said,

“Ahhhhhhh!!! It's this look, the never seen Ling Yi Yao look, ah, must collect it, ah ah ah ah!!! And ah, and ah, there's nothing between me and this woman, don't get me wrong ah, my heart belongs to you!”

Ling Yiyao: "......" The sense of crisis has reared its ugly head.

Director Wang Ye: "......" Mei Mu Lan is having another brain fart.

The crew in the audience: "......" Mei Mu Lan is having another brain fart.

The shy Bai Jieying on the floor: "......" Shit, this person is definitely the original!

[sweetlittlevampire]

Rima’s Wangxian Fic Rec

So I’ve compiled these specifically for @inessencedevided , but hey, we’re all here to spread the love, so please, share and reshare to your heart’s content! :D

I’ll start with “Personal Favourites” - there are many more that I would consider a Personal Favourite, but I’ve picked those specifically because I thought you’d enjoy them. AU fics will also be included, because there are some real gems out there, and some still take place in canon universe, but with a twist, so...yeah.

Main pairing is Wangxian; I somehow don’t tend to read much else. ^^;

This thing is going to be loooong, so please find everything under the Read More. And feel free to let me know if a link doesn’t work so I can fix it.

Personal Favourites

爱不释手; never let me go by yiqie

Rating: Explicit

Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Length:  68713 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

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

A case fic! And one of my personal all-time favourites as well! It is so well-crafted, with an engaging and captivating plot, a TON of OCs who actually do contribute to the story, and a few scenes that are so beautiful I could weep. Got hyped up on twitter, and rightfully so. It’s a delight to read.

Rabbit Heart by  Suaine

Rating: Mature

Warning: N/A

Length:   56590 words in total

Chapters: 6

Status: Completed

Author’s summary: “ Wei Wuxian walks his lonely road, but he’s not going to leave Lan Wangji entirely alone. That would be boring. “

Another case fic! Set after the show’s ending, Wei Wuxian goes his way, but leaves the paper man behind to keep Lan Wangji company. I loved this one to pieces - it has intriguing subplots and will make your heart melt several times.

Those are actually thonly two case fics I’ve read so far, but for more, be sure to visit @wangxianfics ‘s Case Fic section. It has many more, and I am planning on reading several of them.

the earth remembered me by  remux

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:  30321  words so far

Chapters: 2 out of scheduled 4

Status: Ongoing

Author’s Summary: “All around him, summer throbs like a heartbeat, undeniably alive. Wounds begin to heal. And Wei Wuxian, with sweat on his brow, feels ripe. Wei Wuxian, with his hands deep in the soil and mud between his toes, remembers something simple and primitive and utterly transformative: It feels good to make things grow. OR: Wei Wuxian’s travel guide to finding your place in the world.”

This fic changed me. Like, literally. It’s still ongoing, but I don’t even care. It’s not a case fic, but I’m 100% sure you’ll love it. It’s pure poetry and catharsis, and it hurts so much, but it’s so necessary. I think I cried several times while reading each of the chapters, and I’m eagerly but patiently awaiting the next one. It follows Wei Wuxian’s journey after he leaves the Cloud Recesses in episode 50 and tells the story of what he does and experiences before he returns back to Lan Wangji. So it’s absically only Wei Wuxian, Lil’ Apple, and the people they meet along his way.

Begotten by  ecorie

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   37279  words

Chapters: 6

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “He’s mine.” He echoed what had once been teasingly said in jest, and added, “This is my son.” Against all odds and without a choice, Lan Zhan brings A-Yuan back to Cloud Recesses. Xichen keeps his brother’s secrets, and shields the child when Lan Zhan could not.“

Also known as: Filling in the blanks with everything that happened in those 13 years. I loved this one. Wangji = Best Dad, Sizhui = Best Son.

Canon Universe

(not necessarily canon compliant though)

the soft animal by  cafecliche

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   5046  words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “You don’t think that’s strange?” he says. His voice, his new voice, is familiar now. But sometimes it almost startles him, hearing it come from his mouth. “It’s been nine months. I’ve used them almost every day. I should know how long these legs are.” (Or: Wei Wuxian has a plan to train Mo Xuanyu’s body. The results aren’t quite what he expects.)“

A very interesting take on Wei Wuxian, and how he comes to terms with his new body. Something I had not seen previously explored, and I really loved how the author handled it.

Come let me love you (Come love me again) by  obsessivereader

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:  9105   words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “The notes from the dizi cut off as Wei Ying goes absolutely still. Over the quiet whisper of the wind through grass, Lan Wangji can hear the rapid beat of his own heart. Wei Ying's hands drop to his side slowly, so slowly, as though time has slowed down for both of them. He turns, a look almost of fear on his face. And then...And then, Wei Ying smiles—slow and beautiful and warm and relieved as though Lan Wangji standing before him is a treasured dream fulfilled. "Lan Zhan," he breathes.“

A “What happens after the end of the last episode?”-fic. I’m kind of a sucker for those. This one is very sweet and tender; I absolutely loved the interactions between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, and the gentleness of it all. I also adore the song it’s been titled after (”Annie’s Song” by John Denver, if you’re curious).

Death of a Ghost by  Gotcocomilk

Rating: Explicit

Warning: N/A

Length:   107397 words in total

Chapters: 30

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “There was a ghost that haunted the decks of Lotus Pier, it was said. If you stepped across the wooden planks at night, walked along the endless docks and flying purple banners, he would appear. He was always in darkest black, dressed as specter and shadow. In the emptiness where a face should be was a thick fog, features washed away and leaving behind only glimmering red eyes. He looked ferocious as a ghoul, it was said. Jin Ling thought he looked sad.“

Full disclosure - I am five chapters into this thing, and I am already recommending it, I am that intrigued. There is some serious Yunmeng Bros stuff in there which I think you are going to love, and the interactions between said ghost and Jin Ling are - aaaah! Cannot wait to continue!

wrap your name tight around my ribs by  sasukepositive

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   8728 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “ In true Wei Ying fashion, his return comes with a dose of mischief. “

Another “What happens after the end of the last episode?”-fic, with a good dose of Wangxian family feels. In fact. the whole thing is a huge chunk of feels. A very soft, delicate, and sweet fic, which will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

please linger by  sasukepositive

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   5636 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “ When A-Yuan begins crying, Lan Wangji knows it makes sense. He understands that crying will not harm him — he logically knows that. However, A-Yuan’s little face turns red so quickly that it leaves Lan Wangji a little panicked.“Ah,” he begins helplessly, stepping forward in an attempt at — something. He doesn’t know what. “It’s okay.” or: sometimes the man you love assures you that his mysteriously acquired child will nap until he gets back from shopping. for sure. “

If you liked the Dad Date Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had with A-Yuan in Yiling, then you’ll love this one. It’s a fill-the-gaps fic in which Lan Wangji returns to Yiling several times to see Wei Wuxian and A-Yuan. Still follows canon events though, hence the bittersweet ending, but it is still so so lovely.

I hope that you will come and meet me by  feyburner

Rating: Mature

Warning: N/A

Length:   28385 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “ The second time Lan Zhan said Wei Ying, come back, Wei Wuxian did. “

Another one of tehse post-show-canon fics. I love everything feyburner writes, and this was the first fic of theirs I came across. I love the feeloings described in it, and just how sweet it is. One of those fics in which the way the mature part is executed just makes the whole thing even sweeter.

Alternate Universe

(but sometimes within the canon universe?)

Merman Lan Wangji!AU by  FleetofShippyShips ( @fleetofshippyships here on tumblr)

- which is a series of connected fics, and not one long fic with chapters, hence why the formatting is different here. 5 entries so far; ungoing. Teen And Up Audiences

...which is definetely a personal favourite of mine, - you might have noticed, since I’ve been drawing a ton for this particular AU. But since I don’t know if yu’re into merfolk!AUs I didn’t list it up there with the personal favourites.

It is following canon so far, only that Lan Wangji is, as the title suggests, a merman - with secrets.

I adore the atmosphere of this series so much, and the way Zoe writes it is just so beautiful. It’s a story in which I could live, and if you’re in for the ride, I can assure you that there will be many surprises to come.

Welcome to Gusu  by  perkynurples ( @bilboo here on tumblr)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   30853 words so far

Chapters: 5 so far

Status: Ongoing

Author’s Summary: “ Deep in the lush forests of Gusu hides an aging resort that hosts dozens of children every summer for an unforgettable couple of weeks. It’s where Lan Wangji grew up alongside Wei Wuxian, and when his childhood friend (for the lack of a better term) surprisingly returns years later in the position of Senior Counsellor, seemingly hell bent on causing the same kind of mischief that got him kicked out of Gusu in the first place, but also taller, broader and tanner than ever before, Lan Wangji knows he’s In Trouble. Or, this fic has it all: longing looks over campfires, found family dynamics, ill-timed skinny dipping, teenagers inappropriately shipping their counsellors, LAKE MONSTERS “

Annie wasn’t lying when she said this fic has it all. What started as some kind of crack fic turned into something beautiful that completely owns my heart.  The interactions between the characters are so heartwarming, and while I sense that some major drama is going to occur soon, I also know that this will eventually have a happy ending. It’s delightful, and it does belong to my personal favourites as well.

Some of You by  tangerinechar

Rating: Mature

Warning: N/A

Length:   60640 words

Chapters: 7

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “Lan Wangji gets drunk and tweets a love confession, Wei Wuxian panics, and all of twitter decides to matchmake Lan Wangji and his mystery guy. “

A social media fic! And a hilarious one at that! If you’re in the mood for an extra panicky, extra obnoxious Wei Wuxian? This is the fic for you. It has one of the sweetest love confessions ever. There’s some background Xicheng too.

Window Shopping by  thunderwear

Rating: Explicit

Warning: N/A

Length:   18000 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “Lan Wangji didn't look out across the other apartment building often, but now, as he scooped up his escaped rabbit, he looked over only to see a piece of paper taped to the window of the apartment across from him. It was written on purple construction paper in big block letters, like a child had written it. WHAT'S YOUR BUNNY'S NAME???“

I did already rec this one to you, but WHO CARES? A Quarantine fic! The first one I came across, and I loved it! A friend of mine thought Wei Wuxian was OOC, but I disagree - he didn’t exactly grow up in the same circumstances as in canon, and his life situation isn’t 100% the same, so I still think it fits. A-Yuan makes an appearance, and the interactions between Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, and the boy are just so very cute!

Home is Where the Heart is by  Alipeeps ( @alipeeps here on tumblr)

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:  10036 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “Wei Ying’s expression is tight and unhappy, his entire body held rigidly away from Lan Zhan.He doesn’t look at Lan Zhan as he says, “You don’t have to worry, Lan Zhan, I’m never going to touch you.”The distaste in Wei Ying’s voice makes Lan Zhan’s blood run cold.“Just because our families have arranged this marriage, we don’t have to be together… like that…” Wei Ying’s mouth twists unpleasantly. “It can be a marriage in name only. A...” he swallows, looking like he might be sick, “...a business arrangement.”

Arranged Marriage AUs are also one of my weaknesses, especially if the two soon-to-be-married people are actually in love with each other but have yet to confess, This one does the trick. It’s modern era with no cultivation, and the mutual pining is REAL in this one.

what else is there? by  mme_anxious

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:   12917 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “Did you hear the terrible news? Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian has gone beyond the pale! He has murdered Hanguang-Jun!”This is the first thing the swan hears flying over Yiling, and it sets him to hissing. It’s the kind of sound he would never make as a human, but as a swan—a mute swan— hissing is the only form of communication available to Lan Wangji. So he hisses. -Jin Guangyao transforms Lan Wangji into a swan. Only an act of love will break the curse.”

A fairytale!AU based on Swan Lake. You might have seen my Swangji drawing; this is the fic it was drawn for. It takes place in canon universe and is super lovely and magical. I may have cried a bit.

all your life you’ll dream of this by  Attila ( @attilarrific here on tumblr)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warning: N/A

Length:  22668 words

Chapters: 1

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: “Lan Wangji should refuse. He should. He looks back down at the mask. Beneath it is the soft creamy paper of the invitation. He could present this at the door and slip into the palace and—“Go see him, Wangji,” Lan Xichen says quietly, and Lan Wangji feels his resolve crumble beneath him”

Another fairytale!AU - this time, it’s loosely based on Cinderella, with Lan Wangji as Cinderella and the forehead ribbon as glass slipper. Such a lovely lovely fic. May also have cried a bit; it’s heartfelt and magical and so warm and sweet.

Love wakes me by  dea_liberty

Rating: Explicit

Warning: N/A

Length:   42812 words in total

Chapters: 4

Status: Completed

Author’s Summary: "It starts with a bet. All mistakes, Wei Wuxian thinks, start with a bet. It’s starts with a bet and ends with Wei Wuxian losing everything. Nine years ago, Wei Wuxian made a bet with disastrous consequences. Now, he is part-owner of the popular and eclectic Yiling Cafe, years and miles away from his old life, making the best of things and trying to leave the past where it belongs. When Lan Wangji walks into his cafe by accident, Wei Wuxian finds himself doing what he thought he'd never do again; reclaiming some small part of his past, and hoping for a future he'd given up as lost.”

If someone had told me that I would fall head over heels in love with a Coffee Shop AU, of all things? I would have laughed...yet here we are. I’ve read this thing in one sitting and cannot stop thinking about it. I absolutely have to reread it; it’s slowly but surely becoming one of my personal favourites.

[curewhimsy]

Shiro-Sora masterpost

Here are plans for my Mega Project. It’s a visual novel concept.

But since I have no skill in making a VN, I’m just going to write a story. Like the anime that will be based off the VN. Like Clannad’s anime or something.

It’s going to be long since I have (ahem...) FOURTY-SIX (46) WHOLE CHARACTERS WITH ROUTES THAT I’M GOING TO INCORPORATE.

This is why I said I will never ever finish it, even if I devote my entire life to it.

But it won’t feel right without all these characters. I WANT to have all these characters. I’m a “go big or go home” person. I’m too ambitious and I know that.

Well, since it has 46 characters, I’m thinking of calling it “Shiro-Sora” meaning “White-Sky” since 46 can be pronounced as “shiro.”

In kanji: 「白空」

In hiragana: 「しろそら」 (This will be the “official” Japanese spelling btw)

Alternatively: 「46そら」

Anyway...

Here are the characters.

Haku, Neru, Miku, Luka, Teto, Gumi, Meiko, Lapis, Merli, Lily, IA, Yukari, Uta, Zatsune, Rin, Len, Kaito, Akaito, Dell, Gakupo, Yuuma, Piko, Mizuki, Nigaito, Dex, Daina, Ruby, Taya, Longya, Ling, Momo, SeeU, Ruko, Ritsu, Miki, Aku, Bruno, Clara, Iroha, Yuu, Wil, Kyo, Akari, Qingxian, Anon, Kanon

In the story adaption, Uta Utane (Defoko) will take the role as the player/main character, and learns everyone’s backstories. She will be the one with the (gigantic) “harem” around her. Think, Tomoya from Clannad. But IF there’s ever an actual game, I’ll plan on Uta being one of the date-able characters. She’ll be your childhood friend.

The characters are all college students here, attending a predominantly music-oriented community college called Sonare Community College. There is also an acting branch as well, but it’s less predominant. This is why there is an emphasis on music, instruments, composing, and singing.

The reason the characters are all between 18-24 is so they can mostly be in the same age range. Therefore I can ship quite a lot of pairs...

Here are descriptions I thought of already. For some of these Loids, this is my first time EVER writing or portraying them. Ever.

(Full names are listed in Western order. This is partly due to the story taking place in the USA, in a “Japantown” sort of place to explain the prominent Japanese population.)

——————————————————

Haku Yowane- Age: 22 A shy, gloomy girl who is looking to join in the school’s choir. However, she isn’t confident to work up the courage to audition. The choir has been moving down in popularity every year, with more and more students pursuing solo stardom. When she gets the news the choir may be disbanded, Haku feels she has to do something soon. Haku has only a small bit of experience in both singing and the piano, but she came to Sonare Community College because music is her dream. Haku seems to depend on Neru, her only friend, to comfort her when she gets down. Haku is the cousin of the popular Miku Hatsune, who is the most popular girl in the school and a very talented musician in many ways. Haku ends up a musician who sings and plays the piano. Neru Akita- Age: 22 A tomboy with a hot temper. But inside, she hides delicate feelings. She seems to always be with Haku, cheering her up when she gets down. The two seem to only have each other. Neru didn’t go to Sonare Community College to pursue music, however, she ends up joining the choir with Haku, despite her shabby voice. She also ends up falling in love with musical theatre! Miku Hatsune- Age: 20 A very popular girl and talented singer, dancer, and performer. A bubbly, cheerful sweetheart. Has lots of friends and is always smiling. Idealistic and doesn’t believe in impossible. Miku dreams big, but apparently she gets very depressed when her dreams are crushed. Luckily that never seems to happen… for now. Miku is an all-star musical performer. Luka Megurine- Age: 24 A polite and elegant woman. She can appear aloof and intimidating at first, but is actually just shy. She is half Japanese, a quarter French, and a quarter German. A talented vocalist who can also play quite a few instruments. Teto Kasane- Age: 20 A bubbly girl who can be childish. Is playful, weird, and a bit demanding. Very clumsy. More inclined in visual arts than music, but started a music hobby on a whim. Gumi- Age: 21 A girl who can be a bit shy, but once you get past that, Gumi is unique, free-spirited, and chill. She likes art and reading books. She keeps a sketchbook with her at all times. More inclined in visual arts than music, but likes musical theatre. Meiko Sakine- Age: 24 The confident, mature woman of the group. Energetic and loves to party. Still responsible. Like a mother or older sister. Has quite a temper, though she mostly uses it to defend others… Has a love of karaoke, and wishes to improve her singing. Lapis Aoki- Age: 20 Merli’s stepsister, who seems to be the opposite of her. Bubbly and playful, and quite childish. Quite friendly. However, she can be a bit selfish at times. Lapis is Japanese, though her adoptive sister Merli is Indian. Loves singing and theatre. Merli Aoki- Age: 24 Lapis’ stepsister, who seems to be the opposite of her. She can seem cold and distant, even a bit harsh at first. But inside, she is very thoughtful and willing to help those important to her. Merli is Indian, though she was adopted into Lapis’ Japanese family after the death of her parents. Is a singer with a dramatic vocal, and has a secret love of theatre. However, she is often chosen to be the villain due to her voice. She wishes her voice were less “intimidating” so she could be the heroine. Lily- Age: 23 The school’s toughest female delinquent. People often wonder why or how she’s still in school. She gets into a lot of fights. What people fail to notice is that she’s usually defending the weak, bu she sometimes just goes overboard. Lily has a punk-rock style and plays the electric guitar. IA- Age: 22 An idolized girl in the school for her good looks and singing skills, along with being a great songwriter and composer! However, she hides dark feelings? Yukari Yuzuki- Age: 21 Half sister to Akari Kizuna. Looks up to IA but also feels she will never be as good as her. Composes music as a hobby, and sings. She feels her singing is horrible. Uta Utane- Age: 21 A rather plain, bluntly-spoken person who doesn’t see much in life. Usually bored, silent, and rather deadpan. Once a bright girl with lots of dreams. Deep inside, she is passionate and caring, really… Can it be restored? She is non-binary, going mostly by she/her. Uta is rather bored with life, including music, and really only keeps playing the violin because she’s come so far and doesn’t want to quit. Miku Zatsune- Age: 21 Edgy and hates Miku (out of mostly jealousy.) She would rather be called Zatsune, because her first name happens to be Miku, like the person she despises so much… But could there be something deeper to her? Zatsune’s music style is heavy and gritty. She considers it “harsh reality,” unlike Miku’s “bubblegum fluff.” Rin Kagamine- Age: 18 Rin is a bit chaotic. She is bold, brash, athletic, and charming. She is also just plain nuts. She plays the saxophone. Len Kagamine- Age: 18 Len fries to be cool and hip, but he is just a big dork. He is quite the comedian however, sometimes unintentionally. He plays the drums and trumpet. Kaito Shion- Age: 22 Kaito is a silly boy. He loves ice cream, unicorns, rainbows, and anything fluffy. But he also has moments of seriousness where he says really deep, philosophical things. He is quite romantic. He plays the piano and sings. Akaito Shion- Age: 24 Akaito is a sarcastic and grumpy boy, but when it comes to romance, he gets quite passionate. He sometimes flirts around with girls, but when he finally finds a true love with a girl (or guy) who truly changes his life… well… it’s a bit different. Akaito is a choir singer and he also plays electric bass. Dell Honne- Age: 24 Dell is usually in a bad mood. He currently lives with a father who barely acknowledges him. He tends to keep it all inside, and he’s really just lonely and needs to find someone to vent to. He is Haku’s half-brother, but they didn’t grow up together. He enjoys computer programming and composing electronic music. Gakupo Kamui- Age: 24 Gakupo likes doing kendo and martial arts, and is generally athletic. He is a nice guy who also loves animals and history. He seems serious, but can be unexpectedly silly sometimes. He likes embracing his Japanese and Ainu heritage. He often plays the shamisen, and also drums. He likes rock music. Yuuma- Age: 23 Yuuma likes music and is quite popular. He may seem hard to approach, because sometimes he doesn’t know what to say. He is a little blunt at times, but has a good heart. He has a crush on Mizuki. He likes orchestral music and EDM. Piko Utatane- Age: 21 Piko is a genius who loves astronomy and excels in mathematics and physics. He is a shy and compassionate person, but whenever he opens his mouth, he sounds very strict. He is bad at socializing and making friends, which leaves him quite lonely. On top of that, he is sickly and absent from school often. Piko wishes to make a friend. His first friend in the school is Lapis Aoki, who pretends to be a fairy to grant his wish. After a while, Lapis declares that she wants to be Piko’s friend. Piko ended up at Sonare Community College despite excelling in other studies due to his missing many high school days. However, Piko likes EDM and is inspired to be a singer after spending days at his college. Mizuki- Age: 21 Mizuki is a singer who also plays the a Japanese harp (koto.) She is quite a charming person and seems to flirt with many people… even girls… but not Yuuma. Since Yuuma has a crush on Mizuki, this discourages him. Nigaito Shion- Age: 19 The youngest of the three Shion bothers. Nigaito’s nicknames are Nini and Nii. He is rather sickly, but remains to have a warm and pure heart. Nigaito plays the clarinet. Dex- Age: 22 Daina’s childhood friend. Best friends, even though they are of completely different genders, and with very different personalities. Some people wonder how it works. Dex is silly, fun, a bit of a party animal, but he is still very caring and compassionate. He just needs a bit of help devoting himself to his studies. But he is quite intelligent when he is focused. He is Black, Creole, and is learning French. Dex plays piano and sings. Daina- Age: 22 Dex’s childhood friend. Best friends, even though they are of completely different genders, and with very different personalities. Some people wonder how it works. Daina likes to study and learn, and doesn’t like atmospheres like parties so much. She prefers quiet, peaceful places. She may seem a bit distant on the outside, but she is just a little shy. She is White, with English and French heritage. Daina composes music on the computer and sings. Ruby- Age: 21 Ruby is rather confident, yet nice, and will always give people a helping hand. She is Black and Latina. Ruby likes EDM and sings and dances. Taya Soune- Age: 21 Taya is incredibly polite, bowing at many occasions and also offering to do favors a lot. He speaks very formally. Taya has anemia and sometimes needs blood transfusions. He is non-binary, but go mostly by he/him. Taya likes musical theatre. He also plays the cello. Longya Yuezheng- Age: 24 A quite serious man who is dutiful and studious. Protective over his younger sister, Ling, and monitors her safety constantly. This is due to Ling nearly getting into a tragic accident when they were younger, traumatizing Longya. He is Chinese. He plays piano and flute. Ling Yuezheng- Age: 20 Ling is a hardworking student, however she has a playful side and she feels lonely that she doesn’t have many friends and is devoting her life to studying. She sings and dances. Momo Momone- Age: 19 A peaceful, sleepy girl. Rather low-energy and tranquil. However, Momo has quite a temper when it comes to injustice. Momo is a singer and theatre performer. SeeU- Age: 20 A rather eccentric, bold and energetic girl with “the light of the stars in her eyes.” She is Korean. SeeU is a singer and dancer. Ruko Yokune- Age: 24 Ruko is one of the most mature characters, having a lot of wisdom about life and many experiences. However, they still have moments where they need a helping hand. Ruko is non-binary, mostly going by she/her or they/them. Ruko is a talented vocalist with incredible range. Ritsu Namine- Age: 22 Ritsu is rather brash, but means well. He is non-binary and mostly go by he/him. He is a talented singer with a powerful voice. Miki- Age: 18 Loves romance anime/manga and is obsessed with “cute couples.” A true fangirl. Acts cute and animated. Iroha’s best friend. She is a singer, who also wants to be a voice actress in anime. Aku Yamine- Age: 19 Hates her name, because it’s pronounced the same as the word for “evil” in Japanese. Prefers to be called Akurin. Aku is a very nice and naive, somewhat clumsy girl with big dreams. Is half Black and half Japanese. She is a piano player and a theatre performer. She struggles with singing. Bruno- Age: 22 Black Latino, lived in the Dominican Republic. Polite and soft-spoken, but a talented acoustic guitarist. Sometimes sings. Clara- Age: 23 From Colombia, and is Latina. A rather doting girl who somehow feels like both a mother and a little sister. A singer and dancer. Iroha Nekomura- Age: 18 Loves cute things and stuffed animals. Is kind of insecure and doesn’t find herself very cute, though her best friend Miki constantly reassures her. A singer and drummer. Yuu- Age: 20 A sweet, cheerful guy who is always filled with energy. Half English, half Japanese. He is in a boy-band with Wil and Kyo called ZOLA PROJECT. He sings and plays electric guitar. Wil- Age: 22 A sophisticated, fashionable guy who is quite outgoing. He is Black. He is in a boy-band with Yuu and Kyo called ZOLA PROJECT. He sings and plays electric bass. Kyo- Age: 21 A wild, energetic guy who is always raring to go. He is Japanese. He is in a boy-band with Yuu and Wil called ZOLA PROJECT. He sings and plays drums, and adds sounds to their songs via computer programs. Akari Kizuna- Age: 18 Yukari Yuzuki’s half-sister. Cheerful and sweet, and wants to make others smile… even though many heavy thoughts are hiding behind her own smile. A singer who is also an actress. Qingxian Mo- Age: 23 She seems very nice, but she’s actually a bit self-absorbed. Since her name is hard to pronounce for English-speakers, she insists on being called Qing (pronounced like Ching.) A model who also sings and plays clarinet. Anon- Age: 21 A somewhat reserved girl who likes to read and play video games. Very resilient and tough. Does martial arts. Has a very strong punch. Is often annoyed by her sister, Kanon. Sings, dances, and composes music. Kanon- Age: 21 A cheerful girl who likes to annoy her sister, Anon. But like her sister, she does sometimes get kind of scary. Does martial arts. Has a very strong kick. Sings, dances, and composes music.

——————————————————

Now, I made a list of couples... Who ends up with who by the end of the story? This is for the “novel adaption”, obviously.

Uta and whoever she ends up with might get a bit of an... “After Story” like CLANNAD After Story. And it might feature everyone else as a married couple too!

Spoilers below the cut.

——————————————————

Haku x Neru

Kaito x Dell

Miku x Gumi

IA x Yukari

Lapis x Piko

Teto x Luka

Meiko x Gakupo

Iroha x Miki

Ruko x Ritsu

Merli x Lily

Akaito x Yuuma

Bruno x Clara

Dex x Daina

Len x Nigaito

Rin x Akari

Ruby x SeeU

Anon x Mizuki

Zatsune x Aku

Wil x Longya

Yuu x Ling

Kyo x Qingxian

Kanon x Momo

Uta x Taya

Yes, the main couple by the end will be Uta and Taya. I think you MAY have seen it coming... considering I was all over Taya today. But also, as I was pairing up every Vocaloid, only a few remained, around six. Uta and Taya were two of the last ones, and I decided it worked. So yeah.

[demoiselledefortune]

You post and reblog a lot of MDZS, Heaven's Official Blessing and Scum Villain and they look interesting but also a little intimidating due to the length and large amounts of side material. Are they related in any way and is there a preferred reading order or does it not matter? If I like things like old-school CLAMP, Basara(manga), Akatsuki no Yona and BL would I like it? How interesting are the female characters or will I mostly just be enjoying it for the BL dynamics and plot?

The three of them, MDZS, Heaven’s Official Blessing and Scum Villain are completely separate work. You don’t need to read one to read the others, they just happen to be by the same author.

None of them actually have a lot of side material, it’s just different adaptations to different media.(some of the adaptations drop the canonical BL stuff because of Chinese censorship, especially the adaptations for TV).

Scum Villain is the shortest work, in novel form, but only accessible in novel format at this time (there’s an animated and a manhua version forthcoming but not out yet). It’s also the one with the worst translation. In tone it was the author’s first work and it shows, it’s got a few tone shift as the story progress and it feels more rough overall. It’s also the more comedy of the three, with a premise that’s a parody of power fantasy harem series (stallion novel) while still having some darker and dramatic aspects, especially as the story progresses. And if you like fanfics, it’s got the best fandom for them.

Mo Dao Zu Shi is the middle work. The novel has a good length but I don’t think it should be too intimidating. You can also get to the fandom via the donghua (two seasons of animated series, unfinished, about 30 episodes of 30 minutes each at this point in term of length), the manhua (i don’t think it’s finished but it’s very very close to the novel), the audio drama (also very close to the novel as adaptation, i think it might be finished? not sure), and of course the TV drama, the Untamed (which I haven’t seen, but is a nice number of episodes so probably would take some time to watch, and is a bit campy in look in the style of Chinese xianxia drama with no real budget). Mo Dao Zu Shi is a great story with good characters and should make a good starting point to see if you like that sort of works I think. It’s probably the darkest of the three, overall, but I wouldn’t call it altogether pessimistic even then. The writer is good at showing the humanity of all her characters which is one of the thing I like about her writing. The fandom is the biggest because all the adaptions have drawn in a lot of people, but it’s also the most wanky.You don’t have to check all the versions, just try the one that seems to appeal the most to your taste.

Heaven’s Official Blessing (or Tian Guan Ci Fu) is the last completed work of the writer and the longest. As a novel, it’s a genuinely long morsel! It’s also the most mature in term of theme and structural craft. I think it’s got a more optimistic tone… it’s still got some very dark and depressing moments; but the overall story is very much about striving to do good in the face of adversity, even in a complicated world where doing so is not easy and can drive you to despair. That’s one of the way in which I like to compare it to Revolutionary Girl Utena (it’s got a few similar motifs).

In term of adaptation, there’s a manhua that has only recently started for it (so is far from being complete) and a donghua forthcoming. They’re both going to be very pretty!! but if you want to check the work in full going with the novel is the best at this point lol

In term of whether you might like them; well, I do and I also love Akatsuki no Yona, CLAMP and Basara lol. I know the AkaYona fandom actually really plunged into MDZS the way fandom migration sometime happen (that’s kind of how I got to it too, even if once removed). I think in term of having a cool fantasy world with depth and breadth and epic drama and intrigue in it, Cnovel Xianxia cater well to that taste and I think it’s one of the reason I’ve been attracted to that genre. (I would say there’s a specific side pairing in MDZS that really reminds me of Seishirou and Subaru, too, since you mention CLAMP.)Unlike Basara and Akayona, they’re BL novels so they don’t have as many female characters and the female characters aren’t center piece, of course.

They *do* have female characters (so unlike most BL manga on that front), especially MDZS and TGCF, who have several meaningful female characters who are genuinely interesting and have depth and their own agency. They don’t necessarily *fare* well. At some point in MDZS you realize that every single female characters in the story except one of the most minor one *dies* at some point in the story. Most of them don’t even get to the present time (MDZS in structure alternates between present time and flashbacks to the past which take as must “screen time” as the present).

TGCF’s female characters aren’t necessarily better (in term of being better written, having more importance in the plot, having more agency) but they don’t end up quite as badly. Of my two favorite characters of TGCF, one is female, the other is genderqueer. That said the first story/part of TGCF is kind of bad on the female front, it takes a little while to get past that and to the cool ones. And I think in term of female characters who are given genuine depth, they’re actually fewer than in MDZS. But holy shit Ling Wen is

So if you want to check those works out mainly for female characters, I wouldn’t recommend them, but if you can get into it for the BL dynamics and plot, then you can also enjoy the female characters on the side. MXTX is really good at investing the full ensemble cast with interesting characterization and their own agency, and that includes female characters, which is one of the thing that makes it pop up as alive and intriguing for fanfic purpose.

I think as someone who enjoys Akayona and Basara, Cnovel xianxia in general could appeal to you, but the breadth of what you can try out is limited by what’s accessible in translation. MXTX has the advantage of being already very translated, something I wish we could say of, say, Priest’s work. If you want to look up some female centered het works, I think there’s also a lot of that on novel updates, including fully translated, which might be another entry point for you to xianxia.

Hope that was useful, anon!

[naysaltysalmon]

Shoutout to @tiburme for tagging me~!

Rules: Name 10 favorite characters from 10 different things and then tag 10 people.

Oh, massive spoilers below btw.

1. Gon Freecss from Hunter x Hunter: My favorite shounen protagonist by far. At first you think he’s your typical happy-go-lucky bouncy boye :D who definitely doesn’t have abandonment issues or self-destructive tendencies that literally actually almost kill him later on, and then, uwu... The amount of complexity that Gon has as a protagonist who hardly ever has stand-alone development is nothing short of astounding. How during the Chimera Ant Art his characterization totally dips off to the side to become an unknowable entity even to the audience, while still retaining amazing character development regardless -- not to mention how brilliantly daring his decision to threaten Komugi is that nearly every other author with such a happy-go-lucky protagonist would shy away from in cowardice -- is absolutely surreal to me. The more I think and write about Gon, the more I fall in love with him. If I ever meet his father, and by that I mean his real father, the creator, Togashi, I have nothing else to say but,,, well done, sir.

2. Tanjirou Kamado from Demon Slayer: I’m really hoping the Demon Slayer movie comes out soon because I absolutely love this boy and how charming he is. Unlike most protagonists, not just of shounen anime but of seemingly macho story lines that involve power-ups and training in general, Tanjirou never lets go of his kind heart. (Welp, except maybe in some cases when he’s facing the Upper Moons later on -- I haven’t caught up yet -- but WE’RE GONNA IGNORE THAT for now.) From the beginning, Tanjirou’s kindness isn’t an obstacle holding back his power, though other characters pose it that way, but rather he cultivates his empathy to grant peace to the demons he faces. He smiles in the face of anyone who treats him poorly because of his cluelessness, and that’s just so heartwarming to see, and dare I say subversive to the hardened, calculating, and cocky male protagonists we so often get. Good job, Gotouge.

3. Joseph Joestar from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Giorno Giovanna was a close second, but I gotta go with Joseph. He’s the one who made me fall in love with the series, and with the later parts too. Unlike Jonathan Joestar, who was chivalrous and manly, Joseph was a riot: colorful, arrogant, funny, but also extremely clever. I absolutely loved his, “Next you’ll say...!” because at first I expected it to just be him being an overconfident asshole and eventually he’d be proven wrong at the ~Dai Pinchi Moment~ (please excuse my weeb speech, I legit didn’t know what else to call it), but then he hit the mark every time and eventually I was just waiting for when he’d pull that out and it was so hype. Also I surely can’t forget his transformation as an old dude in Part 3 -- him screaming “OOHHHH MY GAAAWDDDA!” and “HOLY SHIIIT!” murdered me every time. And of course, last but not least, the raw fucking emotion when Caeser died -- the dude actually gave a shit and wasn’t made entirely of wit and absurdity, but heart too. Joseph set the tone for what JJBA was as a whole for me (fuck off with that “but Part 3/Part 4 is the best Part” bullshit, Part 2 will always be top tier for me because of Joseph Joestar’s brilliant, bright, and beautiful absurdity -- but Part 5 was really good too). Araki really is a genius.

4. Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: My love for this series is a bit older than the series I’ve already mentioned, and TLoZ: TP was actually probably the first time I got seriously obsessed with a fandom. I love all the Links in their own ways, but Twilight Princess really drove home the “lone wolf chosen by the gods, fighting against the world” narrative for me. It made me feel important and strong at a time when no one cared about me. Seeing Link struggle silently through his quest with villagers who meant well but did nothing for him, and Midna who started out as a reluctant acquaintance and eventually became so much more, meant so much to me at the time I played the game. I will always love Twilight Princess the most because of what it did for me at one of the darkest times in my life, and because I felt completely and utterly immersed in every part of the story and gameplay through Link’s character, who was, and in many ways, still is, so relatable to me: Silent courage really is what I use to get through every day.

5. Greedling from Fullmetal Alchemist (Brotherhood): For once I’m not naming the protagonist of a series! Lissen, I still smile whenever I see the slightest reference to Edward Elric, but now he’s more of my childhood love. He’s just a part of my personality already? LOL. Anyway, FMA(B) has so many good characters that choosing just one doesn’t feel right (I mean, same with HxH tho). I say Greedling because that encompasses both Ling and Greed though, two of my favorite characters from the series! Ling’s apparent childishness in constantly running away from fights, making other people pay for his food, and failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation (until Lan Fan’s arm gets cut off lol oops) is so adorable and entertaining. He’s the best kind of idiot asshole, and I especially love how he teases Ed. After him and Greed fuse, Ling’s stout heart becomes even more apparent, as he constantly eggs Greed on to remember his past life, his friends, and become someone outside of Father/the Dwarf in the Flask. Conversely, Greed’s nonchalance and (of course) avarice are nothing short of entertaining and heartbreaking. Greed’s realization at the end, when he finally admitted to himself that what he wanted all along were “friends like these,” completely crushed me the first few times I watched FMAB. And when he’s screaming in the tunnels under Central after having killed Bido, remembering his friends, and he doesn’t understand why, and later attacks Wrath/King Bradley... that shit was so entertaining and cathartic to watch. None of his development feels like forced redemption, nor like it was too little development, since it mostly happens in the background and away from the “validating eyes” of the protagonists other than Ling. And at the end, when Ling and Greed work together to take down Bradley and all the soldiers invading Central HQ... it’s so beautiful. Many have said this before but I’ll say it again: Hiromu Arakawa wrote the perfect series.

6. Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler: Another protagonist! And another older obsession of mine. Ciel remains in my mind to this day mainly for his heartlessness in relation to his age, and the fluidity with which Toboso tells his story. Normally when authors write younger characters into their serious stories, they make “child adults” of sorts, but Ciel feels totally realistic to the extent that he is both childish and adult to me. Obviously, Ciel is responsible and (normally) level-headed due to being the head of the Phantomhive household, but also from trauma. Yet, his cruelty at times is what sticks in my mind the most: You really feel that he’s someone who feels he’s been abandoned by the entire world, given his experiences, and that makes him disregard or use others sometimes in order to reach his own ends. Normally, authors would be too cowardly to let their protagonists, let alone child protagonists, go to such lengths to avenge their family, or carry out their duty as the dog of the military (looking at you, Arakawa -- she’s still a goddess tho). But Ciel is unforgiving. He lies to Snake and tells him his troupe is still alive. He murders the entire troupe because he’s triggered -- a childish decision, but driven with adult-like power due to trauma. It’s devastatingly riveting, and I cannot forget his unrelenting, contained rage to this day.

7. Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars: This one may come as a shock to most of you, because I hardly ever post Star Wars let alone Ahsoka content on here -- but it’s true. Other than the blatant, half-assedly inserted heteroromantic partner they gave Ahsoka in, like, idk season 3??, Ahsoka is a fucking goddess. From her origin as a wee baby in the earlier seasons who didn’t really know what she was doing and was a bit of a cocky brat, to how she matures and becomes wise, resourceful, and fierce in the later seasons, I just love Ahsoka’s design and character to this day. The episodes that stick in my mind aside from the obvious are when she’s possessed by the Dark Side of the Force on that Force balance planet and her arrogance becomes so exaggerated that she threatens and attacks Anakin, her teacher. It was so fucking cathartic. Normally female characters, let alone young protagonist female characters, are never allowed to show the ugly sides of themselves in fiction, since women are always portrayed as perfect beautiful majestic angels or some bullshit like that. (Or they’re cocky/sexy/slutty villain women. ‘Kay then.) Seeing Ahsoka devolve into her basal desires and come out of it like hardly anything happened and she’s still a perfectly valid character was so amazing to see on a meta level; it wasn’t about her learning a lesson or anything, it was a thing that happened like any other character and then they moved the fuck on. I also distinctly remember the episode where she was trapped on that island/planet and she had to take out the aliens that were after her all by herself. That was so fucking empowering to watch and god fucking dammit I need to rewatch this series now. And of course, let us not forget the fact that the entire time, we were all expecting Ahsoka to just be another domino in Anakin’s downfall -- and she was, but not through the refrigerator -- but through walking away from it all. That was so powerful and moving -- and heartbreaking. By the end of TCW, her character carried weight and agency in the narrative, and god, I only wish whoever wrote her could write more female characters in the future.

8. Tigress from Kung Fu Panda: Maybe another surprise, but I think she deserves this spot. Tigress is a female character who starts out as kind of an antagonist, given how she outright tells Po to leave the kung fu temple within the first day of him arriving. She’s even jealous of the fact that he’s chosen as the Dragon Warrior rather than her -- but that’s due to the backwash of years of trying to live up to the memory of Tai Lung in order to please Shifu (which means “master” in Chinese but ok I’ll shut up now), her master and mentor over the years. She never says this out loud in the movie, which is what makes her character more believable. Others even joke about how stoic she is (and not in bad taste). Her character development is definitely present for those who are looking -- but I put her on this list because I’m so happy the movie doesn’t make it some huge dramatic emotional thing, because so often in media women are depicted as being overly-emotional and here Tigress is just a hurt child trying to make her mentor happy. But, she gets over it, her and Po become allies, even friends to each other -- she and Po talk like equals in the second and third movies, and she even tells him to back out of the fight with Lord Shen and he listens (I mean he doesn’t stay put but he doesn’t undermine her opinion either lol, like most jokesy protagonists of Western media would -- looking at you, Marvel). I like Tigress because she’s an antagonist without being a bitch, she’s powerful without being overpowered, and she’s not sexualized despite being a well-trained, at times jealous, and even emotionally awkward kung fu master. And I almost forgot to mention the best part: There is never an indication of romance between her and Po, or any other character, for that matter. She’s perfectly capable, complex, and lovely on her own terms. And that’s that on THAT.

9. Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit: I wanted to include at least one character protagonist from a live-action movie/book, lol. I feel like Bilbo’s pretty self-explanatory. He doesn’t wanna go on an adventure because he likes his doilies and warm sheets, but then Gandalf seduces him with the call to the outside world and possible death (LOL), and he fucking goes for it, grumbling the entire time. Isn’t that what any of us would do if given such a proposition? I like to think so. Bilbo obviously has his own gradual, evil transformation with the One Ring, becomes murderous and uses it to disappear, and grows a strong bromance with the King Under the Mountain (which happens in both the movie and the book), but I think what I like about him is that he really feels... down-to-earth? Like even though the adventure changes him, it never feels like he’s been stretched in a way that makes his core character traits of grumbling and bluntness disappear. He gets better at the whole adventuring thing, for sure, but he remains Bilbo, at least, to me, throughout the journey. It was heartwrenching watching him try to save Thorin in The Battle of Five Armies, honestly, but Bilbo’s the kind of character that I feel like has his own story and mythology aside from The Hobbit, and maybe that’s just the result of J.R.R. Tolkien writing the lore for every aspect of his universe, but My Point Still Stands. He feels like his own man apart from the series he’s in, yet he’s still so much fun in his series.

10. Barley Lightfoot from Onward: And last, this one is because I saw Onward yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the characterization in it -- and anyone who thinks differently can kiss my *ss. :) I was not expecting the movie to take the twist of fleshing out the “annoying” (more like adorable) overconfident nerdy big brother. Normally those characters are swiped to the side because God Forbid The Comic Relief Have Any Sadness In Them. I was expecting the movie to focus on Ian’s journey to meet his fatha and that the movie would pull something stupid at the end like “oh actually there’s another phoenix gem underneath the school” or “actually since only his legs appeared then you still have 24 hours with him” or some shit like that, but I guess this isn’t an anime so those absurdist explanations wouldn’t hold water anyway. But still, for a kid’s movie, I was NOT expecting this movie to go so hard with the characterization. For once, the main character doesn’t get what he wants at the end, and instead realizes it’s his big brother, Barley, who’s been looking out for him his entire life. Meeting his dad would betray that reality. What happens instead is that the lovable big brother never actually said goodbye to their dad before he died, because when their dad got sick, said brother ran away from the hospital room in fear of all the life-sustaining equipment. (Is this some meta thing about Chris Pratt and Guardians of the Galaxy? Off topic and call me stupid, but I didn’t realize Chris Pratt plays him until I saw everyone freaking out about it afterward on Tumblr laksjdflak.) So instead, the lovable big brother talks to the dad at the end, and unconfident younger brother grows confidence and thanks big bro for being with him his entire life. It was so touching, dude. I cry. But the moment that sticks in my mind the most was when Ian was crossing the invisible bridge... Ian needed to have confidence in himself to be able to cross over a chasm in their path, and Barley knew that if Ian didn’t believe in himself, he would fall and die. They tie a rope around Ian for good measure, and Barley encourages him the entire way, but halfway over, the rope comes loose and slips off. Barley sees this and starts panicking, but of course continues to encourage Ian so that Ian will get to the other side. What got to me wasn’t the fact that he faked it for Ian, but that there are actual tears running down his face as he’s encouraging Ian to get to the other side, because he knows otherwise Ian wouldn’t have the confidence and would fall to his death. Like dude, that raw, complex emotion in a kid’s movie?! DUDE?! I was fucking surprised. The clear anxiety and grief in Barley’s face as Ian’s totally clueless and even dancing around in the air was just too much, omfg. Of course, then it’s played off for laughs, but... I guess that makes sense for the annoying overconfident nerdy big bro character. :’)

Okay these are way longer than I anticipated and I’m sorry, but also I’m really not. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on my favs!

Seems I don’t talk to that many people on here anymore: @stupidbluejay @mirycactusito @chronicstarlight

[local-void-creature-izzy]

Cloud Recess Wrath

Chapter 13: Jin Ling + Lan Sizhui

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-earlier the same day last chapter-

If you were to ask Shizui how his day was going, he would respond saying ‘not bad but not great either’. Since he woke up that morning, something felt off...like something was going to happen. But he brushed it off thinking it was nothing.

Then little things started happening throughout the day. When he arrived at school, alpha’s the normally would have avoided or ignored him were being nice and doing small gestures to be nice and helpful. Whether it was holding the door, getting something from a high shelf, or just something small. He didn’t mind and politely thanked them even if it was a bit strange.

Then at lunch, he couldn’t stomach the food. The cafeteria had a variety of options for their students but each one made him sick and practically hug the toilet in the nearest bathroom. In the end he stuck with water and some saltine crackers and toast to settle his stomach.

And then during his classes, the female students kept staring at him. To the point it made him uncomfortable. Some were trying not to be obvious and some were unfortunately. The male students were no better...

And he was clumsy today, while he wasn’t as graceful as his father he wasn’t nearly as clumsy has his Uncle Huaisang. But today he tripped, bumped, knocked his head, and hit every in animate object in the school.

The whole day Shizui could barely focus on his studies as he was trying to figure out what was up with him, it didn’t help it was one of his dad’s days off from teaching and no phones were allowed during class hours. He was so deep in thought he barely registered his surroundings until he felt a arm around his waist. “Wha-“

“God Shizui watch where your walking! You nearly took a fall down the stairs!” Yelled a worried Jin Ling after barely catching the shorter male. Shizui looking in the direction he had been walking in and saw he did nearly fall down 2 flights of stairs.

“Ah I’m sorry Jin Ling, I was so focused on my thoughts I barely registered where I was walking.” Shizui explained, all flustered. “But thank you for catching me.” He said, turning slightly red when he realized the taller alpha was still holding onto him.

And it seems Jin Ling also realized he was still holding onto him, in a flustered panic he pulled away. “D-Don’t mention it. Are you okay though? You have been really out of it today and I overheard from a student you were throwing up during lunch. Do I need to call Uncle?” Jin Ling, concern laced in his voice.

“No its fine Jin Ling. I’m fine it was just probably something...” Shizui trailed off, feeling very hot. Like boiling hot. “I...Is it hot in here Jin Ling? It feels like an oven in here...” Shizui panted. Jin Ling was confused because the AC was on full blast, so how could Shizui be hot-

And then Shizui’s scent hit him like a ton of bricks. Shizui was presenting, presenting as an omega no less. Jin Ling’s mind went into over drive. “Shit shit shit, Shizui? Hey, A-Yuan look at me. Look at me please.” Jin Ling said trying to stay calm.

Jin Ling took his jacket off and put it on Shizui who immediately tried to take it off because it was too hot. “No you need it, it’ll keep away the dick for brain alphas. We need to get you to Uncle Wuxian, he’ll know what to do.” Jin Ling said.

“Jin Ling...?” Shizui’s voice came out small. “I can’t feel my legs...” He said, feeling like his legs were complete jello. And almost on instinct, Jin Ling picked up Shizui bridal style with strength he didn’t know he had.

“Everything is going to fine, I promise. Just rest your head.” Jin Ling calmly said, which was enough for Shizui to rest his head in Jin Ling’s neck against his scent gland and fall asleep. The scent of oakwood and cinnamon putting him at ease.

As for Jin Ling, he was anything but at ease. His friend was presenting and he had no idea what to do. All rationality was out the window as he ran 5 blocks to his Uncle’s place of work. His legs were screaming for a break but it could wait, he’ll stop when he’s there and knows when Shizui is safe at home.

He ran into the front door, lungs screaming for oxygen. He went to the secretary. “Is my Uncle here?” He asked, the secretary nodding yes. “Please help me take Shizui to him. He’s presenting.”

The secretary didn’t need to hear anymore before taking Shizui to a room with a bed and then rushing to go get Wei Ying and Lan Wangji. Jin Ling collapsed into the chair that was beside Shizui’s temporary bed and his mind finally calmed down and asked the one question he was avoiding...

‘He’s presenting. He’s an Omega, he smells like roses and strawberries. But now...he’ll be able to find and know his mate just by making simple eye contact. He’ll feel that pull, that tug in his soul. And...what if it pulls him to someone else? What if fate gives him someone else...and I’m doomed to feel this tug in my soul for him until the day i die..?’ Jin Ling thought to himself, but he couldn’t linger much longer on the thought because the door slammed open. Both his Uncles a panicked worried mess.

“Shizui baby?!” Yelled a scared Wei Ying as he rushed to the bed, checking Shizui’s temperature and going into ‘Mama Bear’ mode as Jin Ling called it. As for Lan Wangji, he went to Jin Ling. “What happened A-Ling?” He asked.

“He started presenting at school. I panicked and brought him here because I thought you two would know what to do. I think he’s presenting as an Omega..” He explained. Seeing how both parents became even more worried and concerned. “You didn’t let him scent you, did you?” Wei Ying asked.

Jin Ling was confused once again. “I guess? He rested his head against my neck and scent gland when I brought him here. He couldn’t feel his legs so I carried him. Why do you ask?” He asked.

“Because A-Ling, a presenting omega scenting anyone is dangerous, especially an alpha or an alpha that’s their fated one. Its not as dangerous as a pre mature heat but its still bad. It could affect the way he regulates scent in general.”

And it was like someone threw ice water on Jin Ling’s head. While that didn’t seem like a big deal, it was. Because a omega unable to regulate scent was dangerous for them. It was dangerous because if they are unable to regulate scents then they will get overwhelmed by every new scent to the point of throwing up. Or worse...mistake someone deadly and dangerous for their mate.

And in his state of panic and instincts in control, Jin Ling let Shizui scent him. If Shizui woke up unable to regulate and register scents, he would never forgive himself.

To be continued...

[fma2003-fmab-stuff]

One aspect of sticking up for FMA03 (and believe me, I will put myself out on the front lines if need be) that never felt right was the whole "maturity" aspect. Specifically, how this term has become very nebulous when it comes to evaluating genre fiction as a whole and often gets used in a sort of "my tastes in fiction are far superior to your plebeian tastes." Yes, the Brotherhood side does it too but two wrongs do not make a right in this case especially. Sorry if I'm... unloading on you.

Before I say anything, I’ll just start off with this:

As far as “maturity” goes, there are honestly times I think Brotherhood is more so than 03 and equally vice versa, so I definitely don’t think it’s good argument to use to trash either series with myself. 

But I’m personally on the neutral side of this entire argument. I’m not going to claim Mangahood to be the ‘weaker’ one of the two simply because of what people label as “maturity”(which is a simple matter of what a specific individual themselves labels as such), and in my opinion, both series have equal strengths and weaknesses and what one series lacks the other makes up for and vice versa(at least in my opinion).

Lowart on Youtube has done a really good job at explaining the faults of both series in his FMA analysis videos, and he does a much better job at explaining it than I probably ever could, but I’ll give some of my own thoughts on the matter.

This is just me, not a direct attack on the series, nor is it a way of saying that one series is inherently “better” than the other because of it(because in the end opinion is opinion and everybody has different takes and feelings on things. But, sometimes, I do personally have minor issues with some of Mangahood’s Comedy. Of course, I also have issues with 03′s comedy sometimes too though, so I’m not claiming it to be innocent or anything, it’s just that 03 doesn’t have nearly as many comedic scenes as Brotherhood, so I tend to notice it more in Brotherhood. 

Don’t get me wrong. Brotherhood has some hilarious moments, and fantastic humor, when the time is right. 

Like just to name a few: 

- Bradley, of all people, trying to skip out on his work and catch a breather away from his bodyguards.

- Ling, just Li NG. His intro, and just every comedy scene with him is PERFECT.

- Scar wanting to pet Xiao Mei.

- Alphonse and Xiao Mei’s moments together - both adorable and Hilarious

- Alphonse saying they should feed Roy to Gluttony, and everybody calling Roy useless, and the interactions with Roy and Ed

- The humor in the Nina episode, which is honestly fantastically written, something I’ve actually discussed before in another post(heck, I even felt the comedy with Nina and the Elrics in Brotherhood was so good that the comedy in 03 for that specific scenario wasn’t as strong or satisfying, even though the 03 Nina event did better in other ways).

- Some of the scenes with Hughes and Roy

And there are others too but I won’t go on to list them all. 

So my issue doesn’t lie with the argument of “maturity” or comedy in the end, but more in terms of tonal consistency and the timing. 

For example, if there’s a particular incident I can think of that I personally preferred the way 03 handled it over all, it was the reveal about the philosopher’s stone and the ingredients to make one. I was going to bring up Yock Island and how 03 handled that far closer to the manga and just how it played out(with how Mason’s presence and purpose was next to completely erased in Brotherhood), but I feel like that would be a bit of an unfair comparison for this post, so I will go with the latter.

Take the Brother’s situation into consideration first. They lost their mother, and in trying to bring her back, Ed lost his leg and later his arm when Al lost his entire body. They’ve been through so many terrible things and faced so many misfortunes on their journey while searching through thick and thin for the past few years to correct the worst mistake they ever made in their life. Edward and Alphonse have been living with all that guilt for so long about this, so their losses shouldn’t just be treated of as if it’s not really that big of a thing, like their goal isn’t really that important to them(they literally burned down their house and left behind their home town for that goal after all). However, with that said, Ed and Al uncover the meaning behind Marco’s research notes, and yes at first they are horrified to find out that the thing they’ve been searching for since starting their journey can only be made by sacrificing human lives. 

So many people the Brothers knew up until then had already lost their lives. Trisha, Nina, Winry’s Parents… And even Alphonse nearly lost his own(;Ed almost lost his Brother). Needless to say, the brothers understand all too well the value of a human life and just how precious it is. To find out that numerous people had been killed for the creation of the very thing that they’ve been looking for all those years… It would have been revolting, horrifying. And their initial reaction in both 03 and Mangahood was just that. 

But the way the events play out is so different, mostly in tone and how the brothers come to terms with the matter. 

In 2003, we’re able to sit for a while and are able to look at things from Edward’s perspective and what he was feeling (Although I did personally have an issue with the way Alphonse tried to move on from it like it was next to nothing and encourage Edward to do the same, but he tends to do that in 03 a lot, just like he did back when Nina died, I guess it’s part of the compartmentalization thing I discussed before. Still, I can understand if somebody has issue with that.)

Ross is a major support in the whole situation and actively encourages him to continue his research despite knowing as much as she did at that point. She doesn’t start talking as though she got herself “into something dangerous”, even though she’s definitely unsettled by the matter. In front of Edward and Alphonse, she puts her own feelings aside putting on a strong face for the boys, giving Edward an inspirational speech that isn’t over exaggerated and just feels… natural and right to the tone and mood of the whole situation. Which manages to perk him up. Heck, she even offers to look into the matter herself. 

Meanwhile, in Brotherhood and the Manga, it’s Armstrong who does the perking up. Whereas in 03, Ross feels that it might be better to not get him involved on the matter, so she keeps him in the dark about it, in Mangahood, Armstrong overhears Ross and Denny talking about the matter right behind him(as if he wouldn’t hear them), Ross and Denny can’t keep a lid on it, and Alex then gives his stereotypical over-dramatic entry, bursting into the room and giving an exaggerated speech about the Brothers finding out about the truth of the Philsopher’s stone and how sad it was, which personally I didn’t care for, because the tonal change felt forced and out of place for me. Of course, for some this wasn’t a bad thing. For some, they actually preferred Brotherhood’s tension breaker, so it really just depends on the person and their preferences. 

And 03 has it’s own fair share of this kind of thing too so I’m not saying this is only Brotherhood that does it. Like when it came to Armor Barry’s intro. Barry, the serial killer who had, as a human, kidnapped Winry, and attempted to kill both her and Edward, leaving Edward in tears due to the trauma… Despite finding out that that was who it was… Alphonse’s reaction was pretty neutral on the whole thing and that’s one specific scenario of Al being calm through everything in 03 that just really bugs me. And for them to still have comedy with Barry on top of this… Idk. In Brotherhood, this wasn’t nearly as much of an issue, since Al even didn’t know Barry before that. 

There are times, that I just like a more solemn or at least sensitive take on things.  But it can’t always be said that what is more “serious” to me is always “serious” to you. It’s all a matter of the viewer’s taste 

And the most important thing that should be said:

These differences don’t inherently make either adaptation more ‘valid’ than the other.

Even Izumi’s blood vomiting… 

I definitely respect the tragic approach 03 takes with it, as there is a huge sense of urgency and severity about it. But Mangahood also had its own sense of seriousness (like in the flashback with Izumi transmuting her child) while still having a more comedic approach on it, which wasn’t always necessarily bad (minus the joke about her wiping her blood on somebody else which is honestly gross and I’m glad didn’t make it to Brotherhood).

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I feel like this humorous side in Mangahood helped give Izumi a sense of agency to say that she’s making the best of it, and remaining strong against the odds of her condition (kind of like All Might from MHA) It additionally reminds me of Toph from ATLA who is blind but can still joke and be jabbed at without it feeling too offensive. You feel bad for her, and you have a lot of respect for her, but you also can’t help but chuckle a little about her stubbornness.) In most cases, they’re both thought provoking takes on the matter, and neither is wrong.

 I just do personally have issue with sudden tonal changes at points (not chibi moments in battle, but in other scenes like I’ve discussed), but in the end that’s just me, because many others have claimed that they personally like Brotherhood better in its humor while others have said the exact opposite. Really, it just depends on the individual, and their interpretation.

All though I will be honest and say that I’m not a fan of slapstick. Winry hitting Ed with a wrench happens in Brotherhood a lot, while it happens in 2003 like two times(one of which Winry even apologizes). But honestly, in the end, I just ignore the comedy of both series that I don’t like because there’s plenty of stuff that I do like, and both tackle some very mature themes.

Anyway, sorry this got so long. It’s 4:50 AM, so my thoughts may seem a little jumbled and present the wrong message. Bottom line is I love both.

[heartfeltheart]

Alchemy: Tiny Steps

Chapters: 25/45 Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist/Harry Potter Rating: T Relationships: Edward/Winry, Lan Fan/Ling, and May/Alphonse. Primary Characters: Edward Elric, Severus Snape Additional Tags: Crossover, Teacher!Edward, BrOtp Edward/Severus. Sassy beyond measure. Pro!Snape Series: Part 2 of 9. Summary: Part two of the Alchemy Series.  Politics. Either you love it, hate it or you live it. For Alchemy Teacher Edward Elric, he lives it, hates it and loves it when he gets the upper hand. Here is to another year of hell… D/C: I do not own Harry Potter or Fullmetal Alchemist. Discord: La Red(Mesh Mash of… stuff.): https://discord.gg/KYjmVAb Alchemy Series: https://discord.gg/DejEYNJ

George Weasley: Shows a great aptitude in Alchemy along with his brother, Fred Weasley. Try to remember who is who. This one needs to develop his critical thinking skills, it is apparent that both brothers help each other with what the other slacks with. While George has a complete understanding of the laws but as stated before, critical thinking along with a clearer and advanced understanding of the laws. Warning: Chronic prankster.

Rachel McWilliams: If only I could get her a full evaluation, I could only do so much without fully knowing what more I could do for her. There is a difference between knowing something and remembering something. She remembers what she needs to remember and at her convivence, but does not fully understands what she is talking about. I have received several complaints of her constant chatter to the point it severely distracts everyone. There are times she will be quiet, but it is just as unnerving whenever she goes in those quiet tangents. Warning: If she does not follow our warnings, contact Filius.

Yaxley Prang: Has one of the biggest sweet tooth… Emphatic and cares for his housemates. Enjoys creating recipes and figuring out how cooking could be implemented into Alchemy. Makes one mean carrot and zucchini bread. Pomona mentioned to me he dropped an elective to continue studying Alchemy, ended up dropping divination and switched it with ancient ruins and added in muggle studies. Need to talk to him about adding extra classes, last thing we need is him running on caffeine. Warning: Lost his mother at a young age due to that moldy-mort, a very sore subject for him.

Emmeline Evan: Blunt, mature and very warm-hearted. One of the oldest students I have, shows some promise but not enough time to be taught fully. This was a clear example what I warned that cat woman about. Anyway, she has a tendency to be very oblivious to a lot of things and Alchemy cannot be one of them. Even if she see's facts, she does not see the full picture or ask the necessary questions to further her studies. Warning: Don't be surprised if students attempt to woo her and she has no clue what's happening. Very oblivious. (Don't you say anything, Al. )

Alphonse scanned through his brother's paperwork for Wednesday's class, Critical Thinking. Students that require a deeper understanding of the world around them, to think in and out of the box and so on. Important for them to understand that life is filled with color but behind the seams, it's black, white and grays of all shades.

So far, a lot of the students who just passed the entrance exam are skeptical of what was being said to them. A lot of them had an idea what they assumed to be Alchemy and what from what they were told. So far Alphonse kicked out one person just went on how Alchemy is supposed to be, to a wizard/witch point of view. One less student to teach. Let's see if he can bring down the numbers even more.

-.-

"My head..." Edward rasped out, wincing at how dry his throat felt. His arms felt like stone when he attempted to move them. The only thing he felt he could move is his automail foot. Vision blurry made it impossible to figure out where he was at that current moment. 'Where am I?'

Edward suddenly felt metal touch his lips and a cold liquid hitting his lips. The need of quench his thirst overtook his mind to question what he was being forced to drink but that was overthrown. His thirst won over and when the liquid touched his tongue, the eldest Elric Brother felt warmth filled his entire body. Feeling began to return and his vision becoming clearer. Once his sight returned fully to him, he saw that it was Severus holding a goblet up to his lips. The liquid in said goblet smelled like peppermint, rosemary, and… feverfew? Whatever it was, it was helping him get rid of the constant ache in his head. "Zank you."

Severus could only raise an eyebrow at hearing Edward's voice. Edward had started to lose his heavily accented voice, pronouncing English words easily and nearly fluently. Still had hints of Amestrian but nothing when he first met him. Now? It's like right back to the beginning for Edward. "How do you feel?"

"I feel like schit. Put vadeffer you kaffe me is making it ko avay." Edward slurred out, feeling sleep taking over him again. "Vat did you make drink…"

Severus watched Edward slurred out his words before returning to a magic induced sleep. This would be the last time the young man be forced to drink a sleeping drought. It was heavily diluted to help with the concussion Edward is suffering from. From what Poppy told him, that Edward is almost in the clear but needed one more potion and a long rest before going about his normal business. Well, normal business for Edward Elric.

"How is he?"

Severus turned around to see Alphonse entering the room from the second entrance of the room. "I gave him the last required potion. It would have been a fast process if he allowed Madam Pomfrey to use magic and fully utilizing my potions, but considering his stance towards that…"

"His stance against magic in or on his body…I know." Alphonse let out a despondent sigh. "He would rather suffer through the pain than make it go away quickly with magic. Don't use it against him, he already does that enough as it is."

"I know."

-.-

"The main colors of the wedding are red and gold?" Izumi attempted to describe the color of dress she needed to get for Edward and Winry's wedding. She was asked by Edward to stand in as the Mother of the Groom and right now, she is looking for a dress along with Gracia, Elicia and Riza. "I want something like this…"

Gracia could only chuckle and show complete apprehension at how Izumi described the dress she wanted. She turned her attention to another attendant of the bridal shop. She was asked to become the Mother of the Bride and wedding planner. Her daughter is to be the flower girl and have Black Hayate be the ring bearer. Riza is the Maid of Honor and is currently debating type of dress she wanted to wear for the wedding. Winry had gave free reign of her wedding. The only rules she did put in is that the colors are red and gold, no bachelorette or bachelor parties, and nothing to revealing. A simple country, fairy-tail inspired wedding. At least Pinako managed to convince her to not it all themed Automail and machines. That was a clear second. "For the bridesmaid's dresses, could we avoid lace, open-backs and something not to heavy? Color? Dark gold, of a dark enough yellow to pass it off…"

Gracia didn't need to look back to see how Riza let out a sigh of relief when she rejected a dress that would have been perfect, but the back had a see-through lace showing off the back. "Something like this back the back covered."

"Mommy, could my friend come to the wedding?"

"We'll have to ask Winry, dear. Which friend?"

"His name is…"

-.-

Alphonse slowly edged towards the trapdoor that was the only form of entrance and exit of the Divination Tower. The Divination Professor is freaking him out and is professing his future, past and present death. Now she is going on about how the color of his eyes only proceeds death of everyone that connects with him and his brother. "Truth… if this is your twisted away of punishing me… you've done it."

-.-

Terrence Higgs: One of my start students along with George and Fred. Despite coming from a Pure-Blood background, he does not see blood or house colors. See's the world as it is and from what he described, the Higgs are a Gray Family. Have him go over arrays and elemental alchemy. It may be too advanced for him, but I believe he could make it. Warning: He had to drop several classes to continue taking Alchemy and Quidditch. Keep in contact with Severus to see where he stands.

Edmond Mortin: I swear this kid's voice is so deep! Whenever he talks it's like a cross between Sid and Major Armstrong! The kid enjoys scaring the crap out of people and joins Fred and George in their pranks. Loves pranks. Very much… I might get this kid to transmutate something before he leaves the school. Warning: Only makes himself known when he wants to. Knows every rumor that goes around this school.

Wynne Rabnott: I swear she's like a mini Major General Armstrong in terms of being 'icy' towards everyone around her. Can't blame her, her family came from a primary non-magical background but quickly married into magic and allowed money to talk for them. She's with that boyfriend of hers due to the fact 'he's of good stock', I swear I never understand how their family make her face theses views. She is has a good balance but needs to have all aspects put together. Warning: She has that death like stare…be warned.

Nathaniel Praxley: May be Pure-Blood, but his family cares enough to suck in their pride to get help in a non-magical means. Found out he has a mild case of dyslexia, working with his parents, Filius and the doctor that diagnosed him. I believe I found a way to help him study. Now we have to find a way to raise up his self-esteem, the kid doesn't believe he's smart enough for Ravenclaw. If only he knew, the kid knows his stuff and doesn't even fully realize what he's truly capable of. Warning: I've heard many of his housemates are tormenting him, have to get one of my older students from the same house to watch over him.

Thursday Class.

Balance.

This day and the next, then hopefully Edward will be ready to get back to teaching. Alphonse could only wonder how his brother managed to get through teaching last year. To think that last year he would be teaching on his own. Oh truth… he takes back everything he ever told his brother about being a teacher. He'll be the one that would murder a student… or horribly maim them.

"Sir, isn't alchemy just a form of lost magical art form? Creating gold and such?"

"…Get out."

-.-

'I feel like I should start gloating…?'