#separate but syncopated

[geisterzeit-art]

Maybe someday he’ll feel comfortable living for himself, but right now the thought of doing so is too sickeningly selfish to bear. For them, though... he can do that. He can’t live for himself, but he can live for his soulmate, and his friends, and the memory of Benten.

I've been re-reading Separate but Syncopated by @prydon, one of my favorite Penumbra fics from one of my favorite authors on here. There's nothing quite like diving back into a story you hold dear... So here's a little piece for the last scene of the first chapter!

[one-joe-spoopy]

So I'm rereading Separate But Syncopated (as I do when I want to feel sad) and there's the bit where James-Elizabeth gives Juno a shovel talk which Juno appreciates because there's never really been anyone who knows Peter enough to want to protect him, and I started thinking. Shovel talks are usually given for characters who've been hurt in the past and all the people around them would never like to see that happen again, and it makes me sad that in nearly a decade and a half there hasn't been a single person who knows Peter (Juno only knows bits and pieces) and his hurts to warn potential partners from hurting him more. That there hasn't really been anyone in his corner aside from Juno and Rita and getting the cold shoulder from your idols has to be worst feeling in the world.

So the fact that someone from the past was still there, wanting to make sure that he wouldn't get hurt again? Tears my heart into shreds.

[prydon]

Hi! Is the title of Separate But Syncopated an rks reference or is it like a common turn of phrase? (Or both?) English's not my first language so at first i assumed it was just an idiom, but then i saw you post about rks a lot so it might've been a quote. (I absolutely adore your fics btw, you're one of those authors I'll read anything by bc your style is phenomenal and you always do so much justice to the subject matter ♡)

oh it's absolutely a reference!! i don't think that's a normal thing people say in english haha, tbh i'd only ever heard the word "syncopate" used once or twice before i listened to rks (who use it in two different songs, funnily enough). in fact if you look closely, all of the chapter titles in separate but syncopated are from cold love, as well! it's one of my favorite songs.

and wow thank you so much for reading and enjoying my work <3 it always makes me smile when i see you in my notifications because of your url!! :D

[staticspeak]

tagging system ━━ pope silas callaway

[cobwebafternoons-archived]

tagging system ━━ pope silas callaway

[hardlygclden]

tagging system ━━ nathaniel von

[feignedhues]

tagging system ━━ pope silas callaway

[novlr]

Hi, can you write a paragraph about rain? Can you also give tips on describing nature? Thank you.

Rain can evoke a range of emotions and associations, from the childlike joy of splashing in puddles to the melancholy of grey skies mirroring a character’s mood. But while we’ve all experienced stormy weather, capturing its essence on the page can be surprisingly tricky. Here are some tips to help you write about rain in a way that will make a splash with your readers. (You can also adapt this advice to almost any nature description, but we will try to put out a separate post on more general nature advice at a later date.)

How does it look?

Use vivid adjectives to describe how the rain looks at different times of day and in different conditions.

Mention the angle the rain is falling at. Is it falling straight down? Angled? or even sideways?

Describe the size and shape of the raindrops – are they small and needle-like or large and heavy?

Note if the rain is clear or if it’s tinged grey or yellow from pollution.

Does the rain form puddles, streams, or mini-rivers as it flows?

Describe any ripples, splashes, or concentric circles the rain makes when hitting surfaces.

How does it sound?

Use onomatopoeia like “pitter-patter,” “tapping,” “drumming,” “plinking,” or “hissing” to mimic the sound.

Show the surfaces the rain hits and how that changes the noise — a “clattering” on windows, a “thumping” on the roof, a “plopping” in puddles

Describe the overall volume, from a soft “murmuring” or “whispering” to a loud “pounding” or “roaring”.

Note any variations or patterns in the sound, like a steady drone vs. syncopated rhythms.

How does the sound fill a space? Does it echo? Reverberate? Or is it dampened and muffled?

Describe how the noise of the rain interacts with other ambient sounds in the scene.

How does it feel and smell?

Describe the temperature of the rain and how it feels on the skin. Is it cool and refreshing or shockingly cold?

Describe the tactile sensations, like wetness, dripping, soaking, or chilly dampness.

Note how the rain changes the air, making it humid, misty, or heavy and saturated.

Describe the smell of the rain, which can be clean and fresh, dusty, earthy, or laden with ozone.

Describe how it feels to be out in the rain — are characters getting drenched to the bone or finding shelter?

Use metaphors to compare the feeling to other sensations, like tears on the face or a massage.

What mood and atmosphere does it evoke?

Use the rain to set the overall tone and mood you want to evoke, from gloomy and sad to peaceful and cleansing.

Show how the rain affects the setting, like making colours more vivid or obscuring things with mist.

Describe how the lighting changes, with skies darkening or a glistening sheen over everything.

Describe how the rain makes characters feel emotionally as well as physically.

Use the rain as a symbol or metaphor to mirror the characters’ mental states or the themes of the story.

Show how the rain transforms the world, slowing things down or washing things away, and how characters react to that.

Positive story descriptions

Rain can bring a sense of renewal, growth, and life to the world.

There is a cosy feeling of being inside looking out at the rain, safe and warm.

Rain can make everything glisten and gleam in the light, looking fresh and new.

Show the soothing, hypnotic quality of the rhythmic patter of raindrops.

Rain can be invigorating, energising, and joyful.

Rain can symbolise a fresh start, washing away the old to begin a new chapter.

Negative story descriptions

Rain can create a sense of melancholy, isolation, or loneliness

Rain can be an obstacle or hindrance, slowing characters down or forcing them to change plans.

There is a chilling, bone-deep cold that comes from being soaked in the rain.

Describe the bleak, colourless world that seems to exist when the sky is endlessly grey and stormy.

Show how the rain can feel oppressive, like a heavy weight pushing down on everything.

Describe how the rain can make the world feel dreary, soggy, and depressing, sapping energy and vitality.

Helpful vocabulary

Use words like deluge, downpour, torrent, cloudburst, hammering, lashing, pelting, battering, or thrumming to describe heavy, intense rain.

Try terms like drizzle, mist, sprinkle, shower for lighter rain.

Describe rain-soaked things as drenched, saturated, sodden, waterlogged.

Describe how rain dimples or stipples surfaces.

Gutters may babble, gush, trickle or overflow with rain.

Puddles can slosh, ripple, or reflect like mirrors.

Raindrops may bead up, roll, or slide down windows, leaves and other surfaces.

Adjectives like windswept, blustery, driving, relentless, or unceasing can evoke a storm.

The air may feel close, clammy, sticky, or muggy from humidity.

Petrichor is the earthy scent released when rain falls on dry soil.

Slickers, macs, wellies, brollies, and goloshes are rain gear that can add character details.

After a storm, the world may seem scoured, quenched, drenched, or newly baptised.

[monthofsick]

Nov(emeto)ber Rescheduled Prompt List (February 2024)

Daily prompts typed out below for February, 2024!  You can also find them on the Prompt Page.  If anyone has trouble with visibility please let me know! You can find the Rules Page here.

I highly encourage everyone to check out the linked posts for additional inspiration! However, please also note that you are more than welcome to interpret the prompt separate from the inspiration post.

Sharing a receptacle (submission by @nerdlycharming)

Can’t stop puking

Bad news = bad stomach @angstyaches

Messy @jurassicsickfics

Undesirable caretaker (submission by @danafeelingsick): the sickie dislikes or has a grudge against their caretaker, but needs their help anyway.

Post-adrenaline puking @someonesgrossblog

Too feverish to think

Choose: Loud or silent

Persistent sickness

Ill with an audience @darthhopereblogs

Totally drained/exhausted

Group sickfic

Professionalism failure @fevers-and-emeto-oh-my and @sickficideas

Can’t keep anything down

Free day!

Waking up puking

Sick for the first time

Unfamiliar surroundings

Sick in more ways than one

Late caretaker @feelingpoorly

Sleepy sickie @fluffyllamas-23

Out of character / Visibly Ill @feelingpoorly

Subtle support @emphasis-on-the-comfort

Panic @danafeelingsick

Cranky sickie @angstyaches

Nonverbal illness indicators @emphasis-on-the-comfort and @jurassicsickfics

Head pain/injury/ache @syncope-syndrome

Chaotic body temperature

Fake “Faking it:" Sickie is playing up their illness at first, or faking it all together, until suddenly they're not. Optional "I told you I didn't feel good" dialogue.

Alternative Prompts

If any of the assigned daily prompts don’t work for you, feel free to substitute with the following:

Motion sick

Sick during transit

Unconventional receptacle

Torture (literal or figurative)

Shaky/shivery

Note: If I’ve tagged you here, it’s because I think you’re brilliant and used your content as inspiration, so I wanted to give you credit. If you’d rather I don’t include your @, a link to your post, or the associated prompt altogether, please do let me know and I will remove it no questions asked! And if I missed anyone, please let me know as well so I can fix that.

[ceaseless-watchers-special-girl]

you guys. you guys you guys. i think i know what i want from the final season of the penumbra podcast. i have spent the past ten minutes pacing around my room. yesterday i read up to chapter 17 of prydon's fic separate but syncopated (https://archiveofourown.org/works/30943430/chapters/76417991) which let's be honest, you've probably read already. it's phenomenal. if you haven't, you should.

so i've been thinking. i just really want to go back to brahma. i want to go back to brahma and take down the guardian angel system.

the thing is, the junoverse is a very character driven storyline, and i love that about it. the second citadel is more event driven i think, and it was more difficult for me to get into that storyline and stick with it (i'm weak i'm sorry). for example, although the first season focuses a lot on juno solving the whole martian artefact doodah, back then the penumbra crew were still finding their feet.

then junoverse season 2 happened, and the entire point of that season was basically "get juno over his trauma" (that's why it was so long oh my god). sure, there was a whole plot with ramses and the theia souls, but i think we can all agree that was secondary to juno's character development.

next, season 3. season 3 is definitely character driven, you literally can't deny it. it focuses on each member of the carte blanche in turn, and it uses the plot, finding the curemother prime, as a secondary tool to further the true point of the season: getting to know the characters.

season 4 i'm a little less certain about because i'm typing this post straight into tumblr fresh out of my brain (if anyone wants to help out with the analysis i'd love that). but i think the point of season 4 is to test and showcase the bonds of the carte blanche with each other, and juno rescuing them all is not only a good story, but also a good way to show off the relationships they built in season 3. his relationship with nureyev is shown through periodic reading of the journal, and juno's copious inner monologues (i say like i'm one to talk when all of these thoughts are swirling around in my own head).

then, season 5. the point of this season mirrors that of season 2, but this time, we need to get nureyev over his trauma. this is way trickier, because we're not inside nureyev's head, we're still in juno's. it's still character driven because the aim is to help nureyev, but the plot is given by juno having to chase him across the galaxy. hence, juno's hesitation when he finally finds nureyev.

well, steel, you've caught him. now what the hell are you going to do with him?

there is no plot to drive the character study anymore. our goal was to help nureyev, and juno (poor juno) has done all he can. the ball falls squarely into nureyev's court now, and juno has no say in the plot of the rest of the story. this is why i have been chewing myself alive since the last episode — we know what's next for the characters emotionally, but we have absolutely zero idea what's happening next plot-wise. it's killing me.

(what was the point of this post again?)

OH WAIT I'VE GOT IT. so. since our whole thing for this season is helping nureyev, and we all want him to go batshit fucking insane, i really want nureyev to go back to brahma, and finish what he started two decades ago. i think it's the perfect circular story arc to keep them occupied while nureyev heals emotionally from the fallout from everything going on with slip.

also, sorry to get real for a second, but i've just been tearing myself apart being morally outraged at the world we live in, and the fact that i'm barely able to do anything about it. maybe one day i could, but until then, it would be nice to see my favourite space gays set an example.

now, i know there's complications with this. nureyev refused to take the guardian angel system down in the first place because of the damage it would cause, and i'm willing to bet he hasn't excised that moral core just yet, no matter how hard he's trying. but i'm sure they can find a way to make it work. they have rita, after all!!

they're definitely hinting at a homecoming arc for juno. i think nureyev needs one too, is all.

[influenzalake]

'Hold on, I got this' - Chronically Ill Reader x Damian and Jon

Summary: reader is no stranger to sickness, they are chronically Ill and a little on the fragile side. There is an emergency across town in Metropolis, but Jonathan and Damian are stuck in school. They need a distraction before the school goes into lockdown, this time reader comes to the rescue

Y/N knows about the boys' heroism and the boys' know about Y/N medical history

TW: illnesses, syncope / fainting, mentions of food and eating schedules

gender neutral reader

- - - 

Metropolis is under attack, yet again. 

West-Reeve School is going into lockdown, yet again. 

At West-Reeve, safety is a top priority and each threat is given the same amount of response and attention as the next. Security is deployed, faculty are delegated, and students are confined. *ahem*  Directed toward the safety-bunkers for their protection. 

For their residents Robin and Superboy, all this organization and control is a problem. Their school takes names AND witnesses. Their alarms are buzzing in their pockets and brains about how many civilians are in the red zone, how little time left there is, and how they are not responding. They need OUT. 

Jon and Damian meet up for roll call and are visibly worked up. This is nothing strange considering the circumstances, but their anxieties are for completely different reasons than their peers.

"What are we going to DO? I can hear all the screaming!", Jon says. 

"I'm not sure yet, I am devising a plan to escape through the school vents and make an excuse we went with the wrong class group.", Damian answers. 

"I thought we did that last time! Our escapades are starting to add up, we need something fast."

Y/N finds them in their group as every student from each grade level is corralled in the gym before being separated one by one for roll call. After roll call, they go under. If they can't get out before then, more lives are at stake. 

"Hey guys- ohh...   Is it that bad?", Y/N quickly notices their expressions.

"YES it is that bad. We need to get out of this damn school. I'll give it 2 more minutes before I conclude we must fake our deaths."

"Damian, do we have to go that far? I have a baseball game this Friday! I can't miss that!!"

"Wait, you two need an escape plan? For superhero business?", Y/N questions.

"Yes Y/N, yes we do. Such excellent detective work.", Damian states dryly while rolling his eyes. 

Y/N takes a few seconds, then looks at their watch. Heart Rate is in the 60s, but they haven't checked or reported their blood pressure in a while... when was the last time they had a snack? 

Y/N makes their decision before Jon or Damian.

They get their attention and go,

"Hold up, I got this."

Y/N begins hyperventilating, taking huge breaths with no time in between then starts going faster and faster. They start turning red in the face and a familiar kind of tingling starts at the end of their fingertips. Their vision becomes clouded with dark and light spots and right before they lose sight, they hold their breath with everything they can and hinge forward. 

Damian understands the assignment and immediately goes into character. Jon follows suit and starts screaming at the top of his lungs to make way. They both start holding up Y/N by the shoulders dragging them across the gymnasium floor. They make a beeline to the Nurse's Office, silently thanking Y/N for their ticket out. They make the excuse that all the chaos and stress got to Y/N before they passed out. They tell the nurse they will stay with Y/N for support and the school nurse reports their attendance to the administrators.  

~

Hours later, Y/N is still at the school nurse's office, waiting to be signed out for the day. This time though, Y/N doesn't hold their breath. It takes forever for students to get home post-lockdown due to the strict sign in-sign out policy. There is a line wrapping around the building of parents and guardians waiting to be scanned and checked to take their child home.  

They're watching a news report on channel 3 about how Intergang was taken down by the heroic efforts of the Justice League. As the footage rolls, Y/N sees Robin and Superboy in the frame and smiles softly. 

At knock at the door snaps them out of focus,

"Y/N, your mom is here!"

"Thank you Miss Robinson!"

Y/N puts down their fruit cup and disconnects the monitors. They carefully stand up and starts cleaning their area before their phone lights up.

"Thank you, Y/N. Wishing you the best recovery." 

"Thanks for the distraction Y/N! Hope you're doing okay :)"

Two texts from two friends. 

"No problem"

And Y/N goes home.

- - - 

* inspired by my many Stood Up Too Fast and Almost Met Jesus moments 

* do not try this at home

*do not try this at home, please- do NOT try this at home

- - -

@jejji45

[heliza24]

Let's talk about the music in Young Royals! (Part 2)

This is the second part of a two part analysis. You can read part 1, which focuses on needle drops in the show, here.

I absolutely love Matti Bye's original Young Royals score. It is beautiful and immersive. It makes Hillerska feel like some place special. It shimmers and sparkles and draws us in to the emotions of the characters.

I've already talked about how effective the score can be at elevating certain scenes and creating intimacy in my posts analyzing the sex scenes in the show, which you can read here and here. But today I want to focus on another purpose of the music: the way that it emphasizes themes. Much like the needle drops in the show, the score helps emphasize the difference between public performance and genuine emotion. The conflict between the characters' assumed roles and their actual feelings is one of the biggest themes of the show, and the score helps establish this.

In order to examine how the score reinforces this theme, I want to break down the music in one small section of the show. The music that underscores Wilhelm's speech at the end of 2.6 tells us so much about what Wilhelm is going through in that moment, and it's the culmination of several musical motifs that we've heard earlier in the show.

In order to really be able to listen to the score, I ran this little clip through the program that I use for video edits, that separates vocals from background music. It is admittedly better at isolating words than it is music, so the audio here isn't perfect. But I think having the dialogue muted helps when you're trying to concentrate on the music and pick out melodies. I'm going to use time stamps based on this video for the rest of this post.

At the beginning of this clip, the score feels almost... familiar. There's a shimmery opening sound, and then a sequence of falling notes. It sounds so familiar, in fact, because it's a version of "Recomposed", one of the two tracks (along with "Harmony Theme") that are played most frequently throughout the show, and that together make up a kind of unofficial "theme song" for the show.

However, these two themes are used in very specific ways. You never hear them used in intimate scenes between two characters, or when a character is talking about their true feelings. Instead, they're used over montages of the students at Hillerska, when the class system of the school is on full display, or in moments of stress for our main characters. The best example is probably their wide use in 1.3 during parent's day. "Recomposed" plays when August is making a stink about letting Sara, Simon, and Linda eat with the boarders, and when August makes Wilhelm pose for photos with him. "Recomposed" is beautiful but it's also stressful, and it's used here to underline how arbitrary and discriminatory the Hillerska traditions are, and how uncomfortable Wilhelm feels adhering to them.

So, the first 55 seconds or so of the speech the scoring sounds like "Recomposed". But not exactly like "Recomposed". It's a little slower. The notes are more syncopated. It almost feels like the melody is breaking down. Just like Wilhelm's ability to maintain his facade and play his role is also breaking down. If you were to listen to this section of the speech with the words unmuted, you would hear Wilhelm struggle through and then abandon the scripted speech he's been instructed to give. So the idea of this oft-repeated musical motif also being slowly discarded is just perfect.

The next section of the clip, from around :55 - 2:05, is characterized by a series of ominous sounding chords and the lack of a clear melody, which reflects Wilhelm's anguish as he decides whether or not to tell the truth about him and Simon. I think this is a good reflection of the way the score in general shifts between seasons 1 and 2. Season 1 has a lot of complete, distinctive melodies. By comparison the season 2 score feels muddy. There aren't as many distinctive melodies, and the emphasis is on highlighting the stress and confusion that characters are feeling rather than creating a pretty song. This makes the season 2 soundtrack album less satisfying to listen to on its own, but works really well in context. Season 2 is full of amplified emotions and the score really captures that.

Ok, now we're on the last part of the clip, from 2:05 to the end. This is my favorite discovery that I made while working on these posts. For a long time I could not figure out where I had heard this melody before. The piano notes sounded so familiar. It made me think of Simon and Wilhelm in happier times. And then I remembered: the fish scene. This clip once again has (most) of the vocal track taken out. Can you hear how it's the same melody as the end of the speech clip?

So, we have a musical motif that is closely associated with Wilhelm and Simon's love that plays while Wilhelm is admitting to being in a relationship with Simon publicly for the first time. Makes sense, right? (Also thank you to @books-books-smolderinglooks for pointing out that this is on the soundtrack for season 1 as the track named "Dad"!)

Well I got curious, and did a full series rewatch, looking for this musical motif. And I found it in two more places besides the fish scene and the final speech. It also plays during Wilhelm's first two sessions with Boris the counselor. These sessions are so significant for Wilhelm. They allow him to actually feel his emotions in a safe place and realize that he does actually have agency over how he chooses to live. So while I was originally thinking about this as the "Wilmon Musical Theme", I had to revise my thesis about it a bit. Now I would describe it as the "Wilhelm Living In His Truth Theme", which of course includes Simon.

It's so meaningful that this music plays while Wilhelm is admitting that it was him in the video. He's doing what he should have done at the end of season 1, telling the truth and being honest about his and Simon's connection. And he's reclaiming agency over his life by refusing to continue to lie. The music subtly enforces this, without us even realizing, by using a motif that we have already associated with those themes.

I cut off the clip of the speech right before it transitions into "The Most Beautiful Boy" by The Irrepressibles, but I think the juxtaposition of that needle drop with this musical motif is so beautiful.

Those are all my thoughts on the score, and this particular musical moment in the show, for now. Do you have a scene where you think the score is particularly effective? Do you have more scenes that you want me to analyze? My ask box is open and I would love to hear your thoughts!

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

~*~

1. hi, in the mood for wangxian university au that contains homophobia ^^ in the mood for those realistic pain that i can relate to as someone who lives in a conservative asian country :') thank u!!

Syncopation by Nyatci (E, 13k, WIP, WangXian, WWX/WX, College/University, Singer WWX, Friends With Benefits WWX/WX, Good Guy WX, Exes Wangxian, Exes to Lovers, WangXian Endgame, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, lots of flashbacks, Non-Linear Narrative) might be a good fic - for now it's only 1 chapter, so it's hard to say, but still.

(I should’ve known) I always knew by ilip13 (E, 58k, WIP, WangXian, Modern AU, Misunderstandings, Unreliable Narrator, Sexuality Crisis, Friends to Lovers, First Time, Developing Relationship, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, POV WWX, Please read the author's note for more info, Eventual Happy Ending, Gray-Asexuality, Demisexuality, Masturbation, Dom/sub Undertones, Rape Fantasy, Anal Fingering, Barebacking) and its companion fic

Pan - We're queer here! Series by IBurbick (E, 158k, WangXian, NieLan, 3Zun, Coffee Shops & Cafés, Modern AU, Everyone lives, Everyone Is Gay, Because it's a queer café, cooking magic, Homophobia, Food Porn, Eventual Smut, Mental Breakdown, Dissociative Episode, POV Alternating, POV Multiple, Panic Attacks, Slow Burn, Music Theory, Verbal Fight, Fist Fight, supportive friends, Bullying, Madam Yu's A+ Parenting, Adoptions, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Hand Jobs, Mutual Pining) is a Modern Coffee Shops & Cafés AU that might contain some of what you want; LXC’s vegan café is a beloved neighborhood hub for the queer community, but also a target for homophobes.

~*~

2. Hello! Could you please help me find fics where WWX and LWJ receive each other's injuries and killing one would kill the other, ala Love Between Fairy And Devil? I know this is sometimes a soulmate au trope so I looked through your Soulmate comp and I did find one that I loved: Nothing You Confess by Porcupine Girl (LWJ feels it when WWX loses his golden core). Can you think of any others where they share/feel injuries? Thank you so much!!

Side By Side Suicide by scifigeek14 (T, 2k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Character Death, Major Character Injury, Blood and Injury, Non-Graphic Violence, Angst, Not A Fix-It, Unhappy Ending) I have one of my fics for number 2. but warning cus its NOT happy. They dead.

🧡 Talking is Better than Silence by blackcatkuroi, KuroiWrites (blackcatkuroi) (T, 227k, WIP, WangXian, XiChengQing, Communication, Fluff and Angst, What-If, Canon Divergence, Resentful Energy is a Thing, Musical Cultivation gets Center Stage, Honesty, Myth Making in Action, Soulmates, Cultivation Healing is Expanded, Lore Creation Story, Completed and Regular Updates, Any Rated E for Extra Sexy scenes posted as separate CODA chapters)

Lovescars by ardenrabbit (M, 62k, WangXian, JC & WWX, demi lwj, Bi WWX, aroace jc, Self-Harm, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, POV Multiple, Blood and Injury, PTSD, roughly follows the nove, lAngst with a Happy Ending, Canon Parallel)

The Price of Forever by Witch_Nova221 (T, 22k, WangXian, NieLan, XuanLi, Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Magic, references to still birth, References to Child Loss, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied/Referenced Murder, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Happy Ending, Found Family, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers)

Sunder by naqaashi (E, 32k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, Mutual Pining, Emotional Sex, Porn with Feelings, PWP, Light BDSM, Fix-It, POV LWJ, YLLZ WWX, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Light Dom/sub, Explicit Sexual Content, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Grief/Mourning, Five Stages of Grief, Suicidal Thoughts) it is super angsty, but I promise it has a happy ending!

~*~

3. I'm in a mood for ace spectrum wangxian, either one or both! I'd like them to be sex positive or neutral but won't mind sex repulsed either.

#1 in this post has some ace spectrum fics you might like ^^

💖Let Them Eat Cake by Vamillepudding (G, 7k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Romantic Comedy, Light Angst, Asexual Relationship, Getting Together)

you've ruined my life (by not being mine) by cicer (E, 132k, WangXian, Developing Relationship, Modern AU, Idiots in Love, Awkward Flirting, teenage romance, Shameless WWX, slowburn, Demisexuality, references to lqr's a+ parenting, references to jfm's a+ parenting, references to yzy's a+ parenting, bottom LWJ in chapter 15)

your touch in the dark (your voice in the silence) by beesinspades (M, 13k, WangXian, Modern AU, Friends With Benefits, Busker!WWX, Musician!LWJ, Mutual Pining, Pining while fucking, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Strangers to Friends With Benefits to Lovers, Happy Ending, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Asexual WWX, Demisexual LWJ)

~*~

4. hello <3 for in the mood for, may i ask for fics like in stunted, starving juvinility, in that Lan Qiren actually develops a bias TOWARDS wwx, maybe even dotes on him a little? that would be amazing askdjkfd

Accidental Uncle Acquisition Series by deliciousblizzardshark (G/T, 13k, WangXian, LQR & WWX, Modern AU, Single Parent WWX, Good Uncle LQR, Accidental Uncle Acquisition, Found Family, Kid Fic, Soft WangXian, Matchmaking, Fluff and Humor)

The Untamed: For the Love of Two Boys by YenGirl (Not Rated, 181k, WangXian, XuanLi, ChengQing, 3Zun, LQR/SiSi, Single minded LZ, Caring WY, Supportive lxc, Supportive LQR, Prickly JC, Sweet JYL, Good JZX (Peacock), Badass WQ, Cinnamon roll WN, adorable a-yuan, Supportive NMJ, Redeemed JGY, Evil JGS, Supportive Madam Jin, Evil XY, Rescued SS, Supportive Lan Healer OC, Accupuncture, Golden Core Reveal, Yunmeng sibs reconciliation, Implied mpreg jokes) I think he gains a bias in this one it's been a while since I read it

藍色的花，紅色的蘭 {Lan se de hua, hongse de lan} by Admiranda, AshayaTReldai (M, 45k, WIP, WangXian, Orphan WWX, Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, softer lqr, Good Uncle LQR, Good lan clan, Good Older Sibling LXC) Lan Qiren adopts WWX as a child in Yiling initially out of need to repay a life debt, but comes to love him in his own right over time.

Just Say Yes series by edenwolfie (M, 338k, wangxian, canon divergence, matchmaking, pining, cloud recesses study arc, getting together, fluff, humor, hurt/comfort, everyone lives au)

🧡 All will be well when the day is done by abCEE (T, 76k, wangxian, time travel, canon divergence, fix it, not YZY friendly, not Jiang friendly, butterfly effect, no sunshot, madam lan lives, lan WWX) WWX gets kind of adopted by LQR

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5. Dear mods, I hope all of you are doing fine these days. Also, I have come again with an interesting request. For the next ITMF, are there any fic with playboy LWJ. And with that, this humble thank you

the earthquake in the room by phnelt (E, 39k, WangXian, College/University, Modern: No Powers, Canada, Getting Together, Mentions of lwj/others, inter-faculty romance, strangers to lovers to frenemies to lovers, mostly book characterisation)

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6. For the next ITMF post: We are deliberately told next to nothing about Mo Xuanyu in canon. I’d like to read some good fics that flesh out his life in the period before the Sacrifice Summon—growing up in Mo Manor, adjusting to the Jin Sect (and his father), returning to Mo Manor, etc. and so forth. Can be any sort of POV or characterization of him, just interested to see what people have come up with.

Too gone to stay by Aenya (T, 31k, WangXian, WWX-centric, Canonical Character Death, in non-canonical ways, Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death REVERSAL, Canon-Typical Violence, novel canon, Pre-Relationship, Happy Ending) has some backstory for mxy, although it’s set in an AU

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7. Hey! This is an IITMF request.

Fics where so many people have crush on / like WWX. (Bonus if the fic is from their pov)

- LWJ being a vinegar jug. @utxqia

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8. Hi!!! I read most of the fics of xuexiao on ao3 and now I want to ask if anyone knows any good fics that aren't on ao3? Prefer it to be a happy ending for xuexiao and not have xuexiaosong or songxiao. I don't mind it to be a little dark or manipulative but I don't want their relationship to be completely toxic / one-sided or forced in anyway. Thank you~~

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9. hiii i’ve never done this before so forgive my mistakes… i think this is how this is done… for the next ‘in the mood for’ post, could you guys find fics where the Lans are protective of WWX? Either post-resurrection or a canon divergence where wwx comes to the Lan sect early pre-sunshot, im not picky… thanks in advance!!

Life Series by scifigeek14 (T, 65k, WangXian, Weddings, Shotgun Wedding, (But not cus of a baby because of politics), Canon Divergence, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fix-It, POV Alternating, POV Third Person Limited, Devotion, Feelings Realization, Family Feels, Politics, Golden Core Reveal, Marriage Proposal, Marriage of Convenience)

What Becomes of the Melting Snow? Series by Admiranda (T, 7k, Post-Canon, Canon Compliant, Supportive LXC, lxc putting in his character development, Supportive Sibling LXC) is a work in progress series where post canon Lan Xichen puts in a lot of character development and drags his clan along the way to become good to WWX.

one of our own by glitteringmoonlight (G, 7k, WangXian, Post-Canon, POV Outsider, 5+1 Things) also 9 is a fic about many members of the Lan Clan protecting WWX

🧡 rain falls and soaks into the earth series by RoseThorne (T, 43k, WangXian, WIP, Near Death Experience, Attempt Drowning, Madam Yu Bashing, Recovery, No war AU) (link in #16)

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10. This might be a weird ask, but I want a Wangxian fic that also has Jiang Cheng getting some sort of happiness or a Yunmeng sibling reconciliation

there's the Yunmeng Bros reconciliation comp

some good mistakes by Lise (T, 18k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Post-Canon, Road trips, rescue Missions, Hurt/Comfort, Awkward Conversations, Yunmeng Bros Reconciliation, [Podfic] some good mistakes by kisahawklin)

Rotten Work by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 63k, WangXian, WWX & JL, Post-Canon, Protective WWX, Protective JL, Yunmeng Bros Reconciliation, Reluctant Matchmaker JL, [PODFIC] Rotten Work by sakizar)

Living by WithBroomBefore (G, 15k, WangXian, JC & JYL & WWX, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, POV LWJ, WWX Lives, JYL Lives, Family Feels, Crying, Suicide Attempt, just the one though, Healing, Sad with a Happy Ending, Minor Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort)

Regrets by antebunny (G, 37k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Time Travel, Fix-It, Temporary Character Death, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Descriptions of Love, and other squishy feeling, Angst with a Happy Ending)

Grave dirt by esama (T, 92k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Found Family, Pre-Slash, canon-typical corpse desecration, Questionable approach to cutivation, Cultivation Sect Politics, Fix-It of Sorts, canon typical genocide mention, Yílíng Wèi Sect)

maybe you'll take the long way home by surething (T, 25k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Getting Together, Tenderness, Yearning, Character Study, Introspection, fun uncle wwx, bitch boy lwj, Found Family)

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11. For the next itmf I was wondering if you had any 3zun fics where JGY gets severely injured when NMJ kicks him down the stairs? I would prefer novel canon over CQL canon but I’m okay with anything. Thanks!

Different Paths to the Same Route by JustAWanderingBabbit (T, 184k, jjin guangyao & lan xichen & nie mingjue, 3zun, lan wangji & wei wuxian, canon divergence: AQ becomes XXC and SL’s first disciple)

Dream of the Gold Chamber by JustAWanderingBabbit (T, 8k, Implied 3Zun, Referenced canonical incest, canon violence, Canon Divergence, Crack Treated Seriously, Dream a Little Dream, XY is a turd, He might still be redeemable, JGS is not redeemable.)

Jin Guangyao + Chronic Pain Series by crypticidentity (Varied, 15k, XiYao, HuaiYao, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Chronic pain, Hurt no Comfort, Fluff, POV JGY, JGY-Centric)

angstymdzsthoughts post may yield further fics

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12. Wei ying gets 33 lashes

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13. I can't remember if this has been asked before, but I love a good time loop/Groundhog Day fic. I remember one with LWJ stuck in a loop where WWX always ends up dead, and I feel like I read one once where JC was the one stuck in a loop, but there have to be more than that, right? Any from WWX's point of view? Someone else? Thanks for your help!

Wearing Down Every Bone by CSHfic, VSfic (E, 30k, WangXian, Groundhog Day, Time Loop, Temporary Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Case Fic, Curses, Pining, Getting Together, Time Travel, Night Hunts, Hurt wwx, Mystery, Angst with a Happy Ending, Use Your Words, Mutual Pining, Depression and Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, gratuitous use of empathy)

see you yesterday by glyphic (M, 138k, WIP, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Ghost Hunters, Time Loop, Case Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn)

the cycle of regret by KouriArashi (T, 14k, WangXian, Groundhog Day, Fix-It, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Alternate Canon)

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14 Hi! For the next in the mood for post, do you have some fics where wwx has a complete meltdown that everybody wants him for something or blames him for smg and he's just like fuck you all, screams it out and leave the sects to be? Thank you so much, you guys are awesome!

Fuck This Shit, I'm Out!!!!! by WiFi_Stalker (Not Rated, 6k, WIP, WangXian, XianQing (platonic), Canon Divergence, A-Yuan time travels, Oblivious WWX, pining LWJ, BAMF WWX, not for jc fans)

Enough! by Jeeny271196 (Not Rated, 5k, WIP, WangXian, Gūsū Lán Sect Bashing, Jiāng Family Bashing, JC Bashing, LXC Bashing, BAMF WWX, Cultivation Sect Politics)

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15. ITMF Lan Wangji wielding Suibian or WWX wielding Bichen in battle (or walking around a conference or something), and them shocking the polite cultivation world for it. Thank you for any suggestions you can give!

when you're doing all the leaving (then it's never your love lost) by tardigradeschool (T, 26k, wangxian, canon divergence, hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, sharing clothes, sharing a bed, fix-it, golden core transfer) sadly i barely have anything to contribute to the latest itmf except for one (questionable?) rec for 15. Has one (cool) scene of wwx wielding bichen.

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16. ah hello wonderful mods!! I am interested in any and all fics that have a scene of wangxian running into each other's arms (kind of like the canon scene of wwx jumping from the tree into lwj's arms). thank you for your hard work!! @yourancestorsarefrowning

🧡 rain falls and soaks into the earth series by RoseThorne (T, 43k, WangXian, WIP, Near Death Experience, Attempt Drowning, Madam Yu Bashing, Recovery, No war AU)

❤️ The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli (T, 20k, wangxian, In-Universe RPF, Romance Novel, Post-Canon Fix-It, primarily drama-canon with cameos from novel-canon, The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli [Podfic] by Rhea314 (Rhea))

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17. i'm curious if there are any fics where nobody (or mostly nobdy) knows the yiling patriarch and wei wuxian are the same person? thank you

only the dead (have seen the end of war) by comforting_monachopsis (T, 42k, WangXian, Temporary Amnesia, BAMF WWX, Sad LWJ, Grief/Mourning, Mild Gore, Medical Inaccuracies, Secret Identity, Loss of Identity, Identity Porn, The Science of Cultivation, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Angst and Humor, Crossdressing, WWX is Bad at Feelings) is a great fic where even wei ying himself forgets who he is after coming out of the burial mounds, and wears a mask so no one recognizes him.

my life's journey is far from over by thelastdboy (E, 148k, WangXian, Modern AU, Canon Divergence, Madam Lán Lives, JYL Lives, WQ Lives, Post-Sunshot Campaign, POV WWX, Slow Burn, YLLZ WWX, Hurt/Comfort, Modern AU but not too modern™, mlm/wlw solidarity, Kink Negotiation, Kink Exploration, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, WWX Lives, Mental Health Issues, References to Depression, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Burial Mounds Ensemble as Family, Single Parent WWX, Selectively Mute LWJ, Eventual Smut, Light Dom/sub) It's the second fic in a series but can be read alone (totally recommend both, though!) And it's more the aftermath of the war. WWX struggles sometimes with being alive, so proceed with caution if necessary.

Imperfect Memory by xantissa (E, 61k, WangXian, dub con, Dark FantasyAU, double identity porn, sub!LWJ, Drama, Forced Orgasm, tiny bit of blood play, Prostate Massage, D/s themes, Falling In Love, mature LWJ, Magic, multiple OC characters, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Porn, Identity Porn, Dubious Consent, Happy Ending, Falling In Love Again, Angst and Hurt/Comfort)

If You Love Someone by CoatWrites (T, 28k, WangXian, Rule 63, Fem!LWJ, Fem!WWX, Perceived Major Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Misunderstandings, Light Angst, Happy Ending, Inspired by Princess Bride, Mistaken Identity, mention of past mercy killing, mention of past cannibalism, mention of past torture by a main character, Mention of food insecurity, Attempted Arranged Marriage)

🧡#WarPrizeJiSeason by PorcupineGirl (T, 15k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, YL WWX, Warprize LWJ, Yiling Wei Sect, Mistaken Identity, Identity reveal)

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what  you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack,  whatever - it’s all good!***

[pxppet]

Not whole; not wholly separate, but syncopated

‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿

A piece that took forever to do because I had to basically teach myself to colour a traditional piece digitally, with a mouse. Tedious, but I enjoy the result.

Showing off Jameson and Henrik's puppet marks, left over from Anti. Neither of them ever bothered to get them removed, maybe they'll cover them some day with new tattoos... They're kind of focused on other things right now (each other).

[john-marshall]

staying safe and healthy in the heat starter pack

from a heat intolerant guy with POTS

sorry that they’re all amazon links, but you can take the idea of the product and go elsewhere if you prefer

instant cold packs - apply these to the back of your neck, your forehead, and your wrists to cool down quickly

insulated water bottle - get what you like as far as looks go. shoot for at least a liter (33.8oz) capacity. fill this up with ice water.

electrolyte powder - you can get any brand you like. gatorade, propel, powerade, and similar are going to have fewer electrolytes than pedialyte, liquidiv, lmnt, and similar, but some is better than none. if you can’t afford the latter brands, but you can get and like the former brands, get the former brands. if you do decide to get a brand with lower electrolyte content, consider a higher capacity water bottle to keep your hydration up. you can get these with or without sugar. you can add these to your water or to a separate water bottle, whichever is your preference.

portable fan - they make these in a lot of different styles, some you can wear so you get air on your neck, some that have a string to go around your neck and you can hold it where you want, and some that can wrap around something.

BYO shade - this can be a hat, this can be an umbrella. if you are going somewhere where shade won’t be consistently readily available, something like this is important for protection from the sun

portable chair - this is useful if you begin feeling dizzy due to heat or dehydration. if that’s been known to happen to you, consider this. if not and you don’t want to get it, sit or lay on the ground if you start feeling dizzy or lightheaded or if you experience vertigo, tinnitus, or black out vision. That is called pre-syncope, so you will likely faint, especially if you continue to stand.

heat is dangerous and you could die. take any symptoms of heat stroke or exhaustion seriously.

[jamiesfootball]

🌹

Only if you want!

A cousin bit to another thing I posted tonight (despite being from a separate fic entirely):

Dani laughed when Jamie asked him if he missed Guatemala. He said he wasn't from Guatemala; he was from some other place in Mexico with a lot of vowels that sounded the exact fucking same to Jamie’s ringing ears. Even after he asked him to repeat it twice, the sounds tap danced out in a syncopated beat that sieved out of his brain the second he heard it. If he’d had his wits about him, he would have done what he usually did and typed it into his phone to remind himself to look it up later. Made more sense when it was the Google lady reading the words out and he could follow along on the page. But his phone was all the way in his pocket, and his hands were still shaking, and if he moved his arm Rojas might think he was shoving him off, and then what price would his poor damn boots have paid?