Untamed Recs

I have been reading a lot of Untamed lately (there's just so much!) but here are three I especially enjoyed.

an act too often neglected (60699 words) by Ariaste
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo & Niè Huáisāng, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Characters: Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao, Nie Huaisang
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Happy Ending, Porn With Plot, The Porn Is the Plot, the Character Growth is also the plot, Light BDSM, Service Top Lan Xichen, Bossy Bottom Meng Yao, Size Kink, Falling In Love, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Phone Sex, Rimming, Anal Sex
Summary:

The single faceless, anonymous photograph on the profile that catches his eye is shot in elegant black-and-white, and there’s something about the crispness of the focus and the markedly off-center composition that says art, for once, rather than mugshot.

The caption below is equally sparse: “5’6. Demanding.”

(Or: Meng Yao gets wrecked by that Good Lan Dick. Lan Xichen gets wrecked by Meng Yao's Whole Deal.)

Thoughts: Modern AU but the characterisation is great. I love the vivid style of this story, the close LXC POV and the immediate chemistry between him and JGY. Also, NHS is the best and worst friend ever. (There is a lot of sex in this, and it worked for me.)


what builds a home (45953 words) by Stratisphyre
Chapters: 4/4
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Characters: Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Meng Shi (Módào Zǔshī), Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Mo Xuanyu, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Adopted Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, POV Multiple, warning for JGS behaving exactly as expected, child endangerment, Brother Feels, Minor Character Death
Summary:

Two children, Meng Shi decides, cannot possibly be that much more work than one.

On the run from the Jin, Meng Shi encounters another young boy in need of love, a family and a home.

Thoughts: There are so many different ways you could change canon and explore what that would mean, but this is a lovely take on that. Meng Shi adopts WWX, so WWX and JGY grow up as brothers and non-cultivators. (But still smart. Both terribly clever.) I love a believable way that JGY doesn't turn into Murder Dimples, and I also loved WWX and LWJ falling for each other.


A Bit of Ruthlessness (110111 words) by jirluvien
Chapters: 15/15
Fandom: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén
Characters: Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Jin Ling | Jin Rulan, Song Lan | Song Zichen, Ouyang Zizhen, Lan Qiren, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Epistolary, Angst, Slow Burn, Courtship, Asexuality, Asexual Jiang Cheng, canon mashup, Author Is Overly Fond of Italics, No beta we die like wwx, JC is a sarcastic bastard and we respect that, LXC is ice outside hot mess inside, in this house we acknowledge Lan Qiren's hardships, and the existence of fabled fourth junior Ouyang Zizhen, character study turned story about healing and growth turned romance, choice and (dis)honesty and family as recurring themes
Summary:

When Jiang Cheng hears that Lan Xichen went into seclusion following Jin Guangyao’s death, it’s almost as if he can see the grabby hands of a restless ghost, reaching out for something to keep him company. For something warm and living and devastated. And as history has proved time and time again, the Lans are perfect victims when it comes to giving in to ghosts.

Yeah, no. Not on Jiang Cheng’s fucking watch.

A story about grief, determination, unexpected friendships, abandoned watchtowers, and letters. So many letters.

Thoughts: Post-series this time. This story makes xicheng work very well, because it does the work to get there. It's a long story but the pacing is good and it doesn't feel long. It captures a lot of different characters (and the interactions between different characters) but what I love most of all is JC here. He's sarcastic, he's blunt, he's practical -- he's also determined and warm (and someone I could probably be friends with, honestly). Sometimes, in stories, JC gets reduced to anger and angst, but I loved the humour and willingness to work hard and impatience with the fripperies of life.