out_there: A very excited Aziraphale pulling a rabbit out of a hat in his magic show (GO: Magician Aziraphale)
One of my Yuletide prompts was for Don't Worry Darling and what happens after the movie. (The movie itself is great but I always wished it went longer. It ends at such an exciting point.) But, oh, my Yuletide gift story is AMAZING. I love it to pieces.

Looking Glass Girl (14611 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Alice Chambers, Bunny (Don't Worry Darling), Shelley (Don't Worry Darling)
Additional Tags: Post-Movie, Recovery, Self-Discovery, Past Alice Champers/Jack Chambers, Canonical Character Death
Summary:

Alice and everything after.

out_there: B-Day Present '05 (MCU: Loki Shush!)
Fic recs, because mentioning what you've enjoyed reading leads to more happy reading for everyone.

Firstly, a gen Firefly story that captures how incredibly creepifying the Reavers can be and how strong the crew can be for each other. I love the pacing of this and the growing dread (do not read last thing at night), and a hopeful ending with the crew together. (Halfway through I was worried it wouldn't end well, so I wanted to flag that upfront.)

Utopia (7619 words) by MSSalieri
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Firefly (TV 2002)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Jayne Cobb, Serenity Crew (Firefly TV 2002)
Additional Tags: Reavers (Firefly TV 2002), Canon-Typical Violence, Torture
Summary:

Jayne leaned over Mal in the pilot’s chair, one hand gripping the frame of the cockpit windows as he craned his neck up to get a good look at the underbelly of the ship. In barely legible lettering on the side was the ship’s name: Utopia. Jayne appreciated the irony of that, proving that he wasn’t as stupid as he liked to pretend.



===

On the other end of the scale, I watched Drive Angry on the weekend. If you haven't seen it, Drive Angry features Nicholas Cage as John Milton, a dead man who's escaped from Hell to save his baby granddaughter, and William Fitchner as The Accountant, the agent of Hell sent to retreive him. The film feels like a nod to 70s B-movies: the cars, the exaggerated violence, the female nudity, the Satanic cults, and there's something about the cuts and the speed of filming that feels 70s to me. It is not a good movie and I can't recommend it in good conscience, but it is enjoyable enough if you turn your brain off and enjoy watching Nicholas Cage and William Fitchner do what they do.

Now, having said that, this fic is an absolute gem that captures the vibe of the film and the voices of the characters, and is ridiculously fun.

five times milton escaped from hell (and one time he didn’t) (23652 words) by Dien
Chapters: 6/6
Fandom: Drive Angry (2011)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: John Milton/The Accountant
Characters: John Milton, The Accountant (Drive Angry)
Additional Tags: Frenemies, Dubious Consent, Canon-Typical Violence, Prostitution, Drug Use, Hatesex, your life choices milton, smarm as foreplay, bonding over cars and murder, violence as foreplay

Xiyao rec

May. 28th, 2023 11:12 pm
out_there: I *heart* El! (WC: El by  btfl_decadence)
I'm reccing this because I read it and loved it. Xiyao genderswap, lesbian BDSM, and yes, the sex is hot but what's really stuck with me the world building between the porn -- the ways that JGY's and LXC's lives would have been different if they'd been female; the different social expectations and definitions of success. I love that even though NMJ isn't there, there's so much in their relationship that acknowledges him and his important role in both their lives. It's a fascinating glimpse into different lives (and the smut is hot).

Light a lamp inviting me (5807 words) by Just1nian
Chapters: 1/1
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
Characters: Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Niè Míngjué
Additional Tags: dom!jgy, Sub!LXC, Minor Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo/Niè Míngjué, Minor Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Niè Míngjué, Dildos, Impact Play, Top Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Bottom Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Butt Plugs, Hair Braiding, BDSM, Aftercare, inappropriate use of a Nie saber, Canonical Character Death - Niè Míngjué, (not onscreen but very Present), facesitting, Oral Sex, Dom/sub, this isn't technically 3zun in acts but it is EXTREMELY 3zun in vibes, Sexual Roleplay, canon typical JGY behavior, Name-Calling, Light Humiliation, Genderswap, Female Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Female Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Canon Era, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes
Summary:

Zewu-jun pays her dear friend Nie Furen a visit.

out_there: Steve, Robyn, Dustin and ERica looking around in concern (ST: Uh-oh! Steve Robin and the kids)
I was up until 4am reading this story -- and while I sort of regret that today, it was so good that I can't honestly regret the reading time. This story was so good, with so much love and family and history tied between all of these characters. This is a story based on the first half of S4, set sixteen years in the future, and it feels mature and grounded and emotionally satisfying.

In the best of ways, it kept making me think of Rageprufrock's Asunder, an SPN AU that has been a favourite fic of mine for years because it has this same sense of maturity, of years passing, of being in love and missing your chance only to find things happen when they need to, that sometimes it takes time for that chance and opportunity to be right. And how much family and friends can anchor us and define us, and how the good moments come hand in hand with the painful ones and how that joy is worth the heartbreak.

I love Steve in this, who is flawed and human. Who is devoted and earnest, great in a crisis even if he can't be quite as brave when it comes to emotional vulnerability. I love how much older he feels in this, settled and accepting of himself, finding a life that satisfies him and also finding the courage to be honest and reach for more.

I loved the structure -- the story interspersed with snippets of interviews with rockstar Eddie, and how much insight we get into a non-POV character, how Eddie is still outgoing and dramatic but he's found a way to be accepted and loved for it. (And the idea of Eddie being early grunge music is something I didn't know I always wanted. It's so perfect for him, and I can just imagine my teenage self loving his albums.)


the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you (34990 words) by greatunironic
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson
Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Dustin Henderson, Robin Buckley, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Joyce Byers, Jim "Chief" Hopper
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, the mortifying ordeal of being known or whatever, Cancer
Summary:

Sixteen years after the world didn't end for the last time, Max Mayfield showed up on Steve’s doorstep and said, “You gonna walk me down the aisle in May or what?” Or, it’s 2002 and Steve Harrington attends a wedding, a funeral, and a birth.

Insta-rec

Aug. 14th, 2022 01:35 am
out_there: B-Day Present '05 (: Out_There box by Delurker)
I live Much Ado About Nothing and I love Benedick/Beatrice, but this story convinced me I would love Don Pedro/Benedick/Beatrice even more. It's a story that keeps the feel of the characters and their speech patterns while being remarkably easy to read prose, and honestly works so well. There's such affection for all of the characters and I live this happy ending for them.

Another for Working Days (13172 words) by SassySnowperson
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Beatrice/Benedick/Don Pedro (Much Ado About Nothing)
Characters: Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing), Don Pedro (Much Ado About Nothing)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beatrice Marries Don Pedro, Benedick Realizes His Feelings Too Late, Pining, Polyamory Negotiations, Politics, court intrigue
Summary:

Don Pedro proposes, Beatrice accepts, and Benedick never saw it coming.

out_there: A present for my 25th birthday (SGA: Reading Rodney by Celli)
We have two recs that are completely different. The first is sparse and short (5k) and packs so much into those moments. It's The Untamed, a post-canon look at xiyao and a heartbroken Lan Xichen, but it captures how opaque and complicated Jin Guangyao can be. (And I also love LWJ and WWX here, right on the edge of being more to each other, caught in that uncertainty of the end of the show).

I'm maybe not doing it justice, but I really enjoyed it and it's short enough to be worth a read:


Nothing Left to Leave Behind (5361 words) by jjtaylor
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Grief/Mourning
Summary:

There is yin energy, much of it Jin Guangyao’s. There is pain here, and much of is Lan Xichen’s. There is the energy of Nie Mingjue, like the echo of sad laughter about to turn to sobs.


But nothing here appears to have clawed its way up from the stone.


“I don’t think that’s what happened,” he tells Lan Zhan. They are both still not speaking their fear: that in an attempt to confront his past, Zewu-Jun has raised it from the dead.




---


The second rec is the absolutely opposite of that. It's a HP story where Draco goes back in time to first year, and how that future knowledge changes his choices which then changes his friendships which then changes who he is. It's a little slow to start but I really got into it, not realising that it's not one longish story, but a series that covers all seven years at Hogwarts. I'm currently up to year 4, and every spare online minute is being absorbed reading this story.

I will say there are a few phrases and word choices that feel a bit too modern to me for Draco's POV, but that's a very minor niggle in a series that's kept me reading every night for a week. (Reading to a reasonable bedtime, yes, but I usually lose focus and patience with longer stories -- so I really am enjoying this.)

This is the link to the first story, the whole series is 7 works and 1M words.


Draco Malfoy and the Mirror of Ecidyrue (90081 words) by starbrigid
Chapters: 18/18
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy & Severus Snape, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy
Characters: Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Dobby (Harry Potter)
Additional Tags: Time Travel, Slow Burn, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy Friendship, Fluff and Angst, Snarky Draco Malfoy, Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slightly unreliable narrator, Character Study
Series: Part 1 of The Mirror of Ecidyrue
Summary:

All it takes is one look in a mirror and an ill-advised attempt to shatter it, before an embittered Draco Malfoy fresh out of Azkaban is sent back into his body on the day he gets his Hogwarts letter.

Suddenly, Draco has an unwanted second chance, with a Sorting Hat that doesn't know what to do with him, a certain Muggleborn who won't leave his study table alone, and green eyes he just can't get out of his head. And then there's his new wand, whose choice of him could just mark him as every bit as dark a wizard as his name means he should be.

out_there: A present for my 25th birthday (SGA: Reading Rodney by Celli)
Because I love stories where Meng Yao and Wei Ying meet each other young and how a little shift in JGY's motivation can make a big difference to the world.

take care to tell it just as it was (5653 words) by ilgaksu
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Characters: Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo
Additional Tags: Non-Canon Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Sunshot Campaign (Módào Zǔshī), Non-Explicit Torture
Summary:

Nobody has ever gone to war for Meng Yao before.

out_there: Diva-Blaine having a hissy fit (Glee: Diva-Blaine)
Okay, two ensemble vid recs that I've been enjoying, even though their vibes are massively different.

Runs in the Family - I just came across this on YouTube and wow does this vid pack a punch. So much family trauma and love, and all twisted together. The editing is fantastic but it takes a few watches to realize how well those shots go with the lyrics.

I love the Lan brothers and their desperate devotion ("to anyone who'll have me"), and the match of Zidian to "we're wonderful folks" for the Jiangs. I love the running section: JGY running for office, LWJ running for a cause, NHS running from responsibility, and JC running into debt with his new golden core. It's great editing but it takes a few watches to appreciate it.





Riot - This is a totally different vibe, but let's be honest: sometimes it's just fun to recognise that most of the Untamed characters are badasses in their own way. (It's a song that makes everyone feel like the cool villain.) I love the match of the pretty dancing girls to the bass beat, and I love how literally some of the lyrics are matched to visuals.

out_there: Phil Coulson! (MCU: Coulson)
In case you haven't seen Canary3D's Restless Rewatch of The Untamed, she's now posting it to AO3:

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed (12520 words) by Canary3d
Chapters: 7/95
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Characters: Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī
Additional Tags: Meta, Nonfiction, Restless Rewatch, Recap, Snark, woe, Angst, Crack, trying to find the perfect balance between ha ha ha and boo hoo hoo, Animated GIFs, Images, so many images, expect about 30 images per chapter as things get rolling, just a heads up for those with slower connections
Summary:

A close rewatching/analysis of all 50 episodes of The Untamed, with heaps of images and around a 50-50 mix of angst and laughs.

As of February 2022, I've posted rewatches up through Episode 30 over on Tumblr, so now I'm working on crossposting all of that here while I continue making new posts every couple of weeks. Once I've got all the crossposting caught up, I'll put up the new posts in both places as I write them.





It's a detailed review of each episode with gifs and images, and it's both humourous and insightful. I've been really enjoying it on tumblr, but tumblr is terrible for finding old posts -- so I'm really pleased it's being crossposted to AO3.

If you like the Untamed and would like to revisit the show without sitting down to watch all 50 episodes, enjoy!
out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Default)
This song choice is absolutely perfect for Harry and I love the build of it. Honestly, this makes me want to go watch the movie again.

[Vid] Here's To You (19 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Harmony Lane/Harry Lockhart/Perry van Shrike
Characters: Harry Lockhart, Perry van Shrike, Harmony Lane
Additional Tags: Fanvids, vid, Character Study, Hurt/Comfort, Humor
Summary:

Harry deserves a cheering section.

Good thing he has Perry and Harmony.

out_there: A present for my 25th birthday (SGA: Reading Rodney by Celli)
Full disclosure: this isn't my fandom. I've enjoyed Wentworth Miller and Grant Gustin in other roles, I've seen gifs on Tumblr, and I've occasionally seen bits of snark on YouTube, but I've never actually watched an episode of the Flash or Legends of Tomorrow. And yet, someone on my Reading List recommended this story and I bookmarked it to read later and a couple of days ago I gave it a shot.

And I really loved it.

Possibly, I'd enjoy more things if I knew s1 of the Flash (I strongly suspect this is a bit of an AU retelling of those events) but it's well explained enough that you don't need canon knowledge. It helps that I vaguely remembered who Kara Danvers is (well, okay, for the first three chapters I was thinking of Carol Danvers, but then I realised that was the wrong comic universe). But mostly, the characterisation is great, the pacing is good and I even enjoyed the switching POVs each chapter.

(My generally firm stance against switching POV still stands. But this story is a great example of it done well. Where the plot continues, the POVs are used to give us different information, and not once did I feel that trap of reading the same scene just through a different set of eyes.)


Apart from the puns and fun characterisation, this story had two other things that I adore in stories. First, a hero who is good and ethical, but isn't nice or popular. I love a hero who can be sharp and angry, even occasionally mean, and still be someone doing the right thing for generally good reasons. I love the idea of Len being so angry at cops and using that frustration to improve the situation. Secondly, the world-building is fantastic. The legality of being a cop, the temptation to do the wrong thing, how people can be generally good and still make bad decisions, how difficult it can be to try to fix culturally accepted mispractice -- all of that is wonderful. It makes these characters feel real and complex.



An Internal Affair (133686 words) by nirejseki, robininthelabyrinth
Chapters: 23/23
Fandom: The Flash (TV 2014)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart
Characters: Leonard Snart, Barry Allen, David Singh, Joe West, Kara Danvers, Eobard Thawne | Harrison Wells, Iris West, Eddie Thawne, Wally West, Mick Rory, Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Ralph Dibny
Additional Tags: Coldflash Weeks 2018, Role Reversal, Cop!Leonard Snart, Identity Reveal, Disabled Character
Series: Part 1 of Coldflash Week 2018
Summary:

Leonard Snart, the CCPD Captain of Internal Affairs, is known as Captain Cold for a very good reason: He hates corrupt cops with a merciless vengeance, and once you're on his list, you're in serious trouble.

His next target?

A CCPD lab tech named Barry Allen who's developed a suspicious habit of disappearing at random intervals.

out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Default)
Real life success: going to bed at 11pm the last two nights! \o/!

Yes, part of being an adult is taking pride in the mundane little victories, but the difference of how clearly I'm thinking at 9.30am? It really is worth it. (Plus, I finally sent off a Big Task that has been hanging over my head for weeks now and there's a definite relief to getting back to jobs that take time, but I know how to do.)

We've also hit that point in spring where there's more daylight and the weather is warmer. Even though I still have the heater on, I also have external blinds open to work in daylight. (I keep thinking I should be doing more after work in the garden, etc, but at the end of the day, I'm tired and happy to go watch Netflix -- Young Sheldon, at the moment -- and read fic.)

In lieu of anything more useful, how about some Untamed recs of various lengths?

Short but it packs a punch, and sometimes it's just wonderful reading possible fix-its for canon:

Blood is compulsory (3515 words) by april_rainer
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo
Characters: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo
Additional Tags: jin guangshan is the major character death, no other main characters are harmed, although a lot of background people die, meng yao and lan xichen both have various levels of feelings about killing lots of people, TW:, Suicidal Thoughts, (minor but there)
Series: Part 1 of The Many Deaths of Jin Guangshan
Summary:

Later they will joke about the laundry, the handling of money, the lighter things that Lan Xichen didn’t know. But the first skill Lan Xichen learns from Meng Yao is how to kill a man with a kitchen knife before he has time to scream.




Modern AU where Wei Ying and Lan Zhan know each other as children. It's adorable, yes, but what I love most of all is the Lan Qiren POV, the way that he is settled and single and the adjustment of trying to look after children -- and how he truly grows to love his nephews and future-nephew-in-law.

When we were small (7588 words) by deliciousblizzardshark
Chapters: 1/1
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: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Lán Qǐrén & Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Lán Qǐrén & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, (Implied) Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Fēngmián & Lán Qǐrén
Characters: Lán Qǐrén, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Fēngmián, Jiāng Yànlí
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Kid Fic, Good Uncle Lán Qǐrén, Neurodivergent Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Baby Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Baby Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Parenthood, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, POV Lán Qǐrén, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Summary:

The best things that ever happened to Lan Qiren were brought to him in the middle of the night by women with perms. First, his nephews, stricken with grief at the death of their parents, then Wei Ying, brought by a harried babysitter when his parents disappeared.

or

There’s no time or space for grief or anything. He takes the children to buy black suits, he leaves them behind in the apartment, twelve-year-old A-Huan assuring him he’s old enough to be left alone with his brother, to go to their house and oversee it being packed up, the furniture sold, the personal effects of his brother and his wife put in storage.

There’s no room for decisions or education. Only him sitting at his table with two children, eating in silence, only hearing A-Huan whispering to his brother in the middle of the night, only the three of them all tangled up together with grief and confusion and pain.

And the certainty that he isn’t… that he won’t be a good parent.




Modern AU 3zun, where Jiang Yanli can simultaneously be the best sister-in-law and totally evil (setting Meng Yao up with the perfect guy, who happens to already be married). Everyone is so very fond of each other in this, I really love it. (I also love Meng Yao and Jin Zixuan being good brothers. Kind of awkward and a little embarrassing, but brothers who genuinely care.)

Want the Lights On (18685 words) by Pip
Chapters: 4/4
Fandom: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo/Niè Míngjué, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Niè Míngjué
Characters: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Niè Míngjué, Jīn Zǐxuān, Jiāng Yànlí
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, background Jiāng Yànlí/Jīn Zixuān, Established Relationship, Polyamory, Meet-Cute, Fluff and Smut, Ballet, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Spitroasting, Anal Fingering, jin zixuan is a good brother, Double Penetration, Double Penetration in One Hole, Creampie, Size Difference, Happy Ending
Summary:

Meng Yao's sister-in-law is following the Jiang tradition of being evil. Why else would she try to set him up with a married man?


“I’m pretty sure my sister-in-law is trying to ruin my life.” 


Lan Huan’s tone is one of genuine curiosity when he asks, “Why would she do that?” 


“I don’t know yet,” Meng Yao untangles himself from the barre and crosses his arms across his chest, looking up (and up, and up, curse Jiang Yanli for her knowledge of his tastes) at Lan Huan’s very handsome jawline. “But I need you to make less vigorous eye-contact until you bring me a notarized waiver saying your spouse doesn’t care about you hitting on me.”  




College AU Wangxian. Most college AUs don't feel anything like my uni experience -- here, most people live at home or flatshare while at uni (on campus living is only for regional/international students) and the sorority system doesn't exist, and college-AUs feel like watching American college movies -- an accepted fictional setting, like the Manhattan of Friends and Seinfeld. But this story actually felt familiar -- that hanging out with other kids at the queer space or the womyn's groups, the overlap of kids who politically care about something and how small that social group ends up being. The heady rush of feeling like you can make a difference and discovering other young people care about this stuff too.

like, comment, share & subscribe (22003 words) by detectorist
Chapters: 3/3
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: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Niè Míngjué, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Niè Huáisāng, (if you squint. wei ying does not want to squint)
Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Niè Huáisāng, Wēn Qíng (Módào Zǔshī), Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Luó "Mián Mián" Qīngyáng, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Niè Míngjué, Jiāng Yànlí, Sòng Lán | Sòng Zǐchēn, Xiǎo Xīngchén, Jīn Guāngshàn
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, YouTube, Social Media, Flirting, Humour, Banter, Getting Together, First Kiss, Texting, so much texting, Youtubers For Social Justice, The Gang Gets Political, Competitive Flirting Via The Medium Of Youtube, it's about the yearning, YouTube Rivals To Lovers, Wei Ying Contains Multitudes, nie huaisang is an enabler and jiang cheng hates his life, i just think mianmian should be given a loudspeaker to yell into. as a treat
Summary:

“Come on, A-Cheng!” Wei Ying says. “Think of all the hapless youths who are watching hanguang_jun’s channel and being duped into thinking that’s what university is like! It’s not fair on the kids!”

Jiang Cheng appears to be entirely unmoved by this highly logical argument.

Lan Zhan runs a popular studytuber YouTube channel. Wei Ying decides to parody his videos. Things escalate from there.




And the last modern AU... I've been following this one as a wip and reading weekly, but I really enjoyed it. I'm usually not a fan of switching POVs but I did enjoy getting to follow multiple relationships (wangxian, wen quin/jiang cheng, married jiang yanli/jin xizuan, and a little background 3zun) and this really close group of people that's basically a found family. It's genuinely funny at points and the pacing worked for me, and it's one of those AUs that's set in a really specific setting (a ren faire) and does a great job of building that setting and let you imagine living there.



Faire thee well (77622 words) by Scrippio
Chapters: 8/8
Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Wēn Qíng, Jiāng Yànlí/Jīn Zǐxuān, Nie Mingjue/Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao
Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Wēn Qíng (Módào Zǔshī), Jiāng Yànlí, Jīn Zǐxuān, Niè Huáisāng, Niè Míngjué, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Xiǎo Xīngchén, Sòng Lán | Sòng Zǐchēn, Ā-Qìng, Luó "Mián Mián" Qīngyáng, Lán Qǐrén, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Renaissance Faire, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, No beta we die like wwx, Slow Burn
Summary:

In which Wei Ying does magic tricks, Lan Zhan sells flower crowns, and Mingjue is a blacksmith, because the whole gang works at the Renaissance Faire and no one quite knows how to function.

out_there: Even John has trouble believing you (Sherlock: Sceptical John by Misbegotten)
This is only relatively short, but it was genuinely creepy. I recommend reading late at night in a dark room. It's xiyao, set after canon, and does a wonderful job capturing how creepy undead characters should be.

:: someone at the door, someone who was not there before :: (6894 words) by dragonofeternal
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo
Characters: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo
Additional Tags: Nightmares, Major Character Undeath, Post-Canon, Trick or Treat: Trick, Horror, Happy Ending
Summary:

Nightmares have become a distressingly common part of Lan Xichen’s life, slowly pressing in on his day to day existence until he has no choice but to wonder... is something reaching out to him?

out_there: Loki and Mobius (MCU: Loki and Mobius)
Sometimes, what you really want in a modern no-powers AU is some heartfelt smut. This is just lovely. Great characterisations, great dynamic, and very hot:

Stress Relief (3591 words) by spqr
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Loki (TV 2021)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Loki/Mobius M. Mobius
Characters: Mobius M. Mobius, Loki (Marvel)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Academia, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Latin, Teacher/Student Roleplay, but like not really, Established Relationship
Summary:

“Let me read you something,” Loki says. He rifles through the pages, clears his throat, and Mobius puts a hand over his eyes because he knows what’s coming before Loki even reads the first word—“Pēdīcābō ego vōs et irrumābō—“

“You used to read me love poetry, you know,” Mobius says tiredly. “You remember that?”

out_there: A very excited Aziraphale pulling a rabbit out of a hat in his magic show (GO: Magician Aziraphale)
A collection of vids featuring Jiang Cheng that I have watched many times:

Hard to Love - Because one of my favourite things about JC is that he is such a great uncle to Jin Ling. Not the always nice and pleasant uncle (that's probably JGY and LXC), or the fun uncle (probably WWX) or the most likely to spoil with extravagant gifts (NHS) -- but the one that he emotionally relies upon. The one who shows up when JL is in trouble. The one who might scoff or shout or tell you off for being an idiot, but there is no doubt that JL knows he's loved and protected by JC.

So a vid about JL appreciating that JC loves him, no matter how imperfect they both are? Of course that melts my heart.




So What - It's undeniable that JC has a lot of attitude and cuts an impressive figure, and sometimes you just want to watch him being the scary and impressive sect leader that he is. I love the match of attitude in the song and the clips. I also love that there's so much eye-rolling in this, and that the "I'm just fine" lyrics are always moments when JC is losing it.




Wait for It - A Hamilton song used really well for Jiang Cheng. It's a nice look at the family JC's lost, the difference of his position compared to WWX (that yes, WWX chose a right action but JC thinks of whole sect instead) and maybe... the strength that it takes to keep going, to keep building the sect during those years without WWX.




Say Something - Done well, a vid has a magic ability to rewrite canon and tell a different story. This is one of those, where the clips chosen do a really good job of framing a one-sided JC/LXC against LXC/JGY. It's heartbreaking in the best of ways. (Best if followed with a good Xicheng post-canon fic that can fix it.)

out_there: I *heart* El! (WC: El by  btfl_decadence)
A lot of smut fics are very hot, but sometimes you read something that absolutely works for you in a way that you are not going to examine in any depth. It's just hot. In this case, genderswapped stone butch Jiang Cheng? Hot beyond words.

never knew i was a dancer (6614 words) by isozyme
Chapters: 1/1
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: Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang
Characters: Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang, Wei Ying, Lan Zhan
Additional Tags: Rule 63, Modern AU, mild exhibitionism, Stone top Jiang Cheng, pillow Princess Nie Huaisang, Lesbian sexual politics, Jiang Cheng has a surprisingly filthy mind, Huaisang's is exactly as filthy as one would expect, fingerbanging
Summary:

“What’s a stone butch and why aren’t they real?” Jiang Cheng asks, too buzzed to care too much about not being up on lesbian culture.

Huaisang pats Jiang Cheng on the no-man’s-land between her boobs and her shoulder. “You’re so useless, Jiang Cheng. A stone butch is a fictional hottie who doesn’t make you do any work at all, just wants to give head and fuck you stupid on her strap.”

“Fictional?” Jiang Cheng echoes, having - not a moment, per se, but sort of a problem where her thoughts are going too fast for her poor drunken brain to keep up with.

“Nobody actually wants to fuck a chick who’s too lazy to eat you out after,” Huaisang mumbles.



After leaving Wei Ying and Lan Zhan’s bachelorette party, Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang decide to experiment with some outdated stereotypical lesbian sex roles.

out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Default)
The Untamed fic recs

This morning, I posted some fic recs to Tumblr. Because I am too lazy to do that copying and pasting again (Tumblr posting gives me such a flashback to WYSIWYG editing in MSWord -- like, Geocities days of highlihgting things and trying to get them to look right. I much prefer my very basic html tags, thanks), I'm going to try the DW Rich Text editor. Let's see how badly this fails.

In very rough themes.

 

Post-canon stories

With Absolute Splendor (43533 words) by Lise
Or: the one with sibling reconciliation, brother-in-laws from hell, and Jiang Cheng trying to sort through his feelings while acknowledging them as little as possible.
JC insisting that if WWX is going to get married, then he’s going to do it right – even if that means JC has to organise it himself. (Honestly, all the Yunmeng Bro feels, and I take a weird joy from JC and LWJ absolutely not getting on.)

but love is impossible & it goes on despite the impossible (25413 words) by gaystcr

Jiang Cheng is planning on avoiding Wei Wuxian after things blow over, but life has a way of fucking plans up, and so Wei Wuxian comes to tell him that he’s getting married to Lan Wangji. By throwing himself into half-planning a wedding and having conversations with his nephew(s) and other members of Wei Wuxian’s found family, Jiang Cheng navigates through his complicated feelings and realises that something new can be built with his brother, and that he is far less alone than he had thought.
(Because the only thing better than one JC-plans-WWX’s-wedding story is two!)

Five Dogs, One Cat (13443 words) by ryfkah
People start gifting JC with puppies. This is as adorable and hilarious as it sounds. It captures so many characters so well.

everyone else is spring bound (18353 words) Lise
This is a gorgeous post-canon look at JC and finding a way to repair his relationship with WWX. Just… oh, I can never get enough of post-canon Yunmeng Bros.

some good mistakes (18348 words) Lise
Wei Wuxian has been wandering alone for six months when he suddenly stops writing. This is deeply concerning to at least a few people. Jiang Cheng is not among them. No, really, he’s not.
WWX stops writing, so LWJ and JC go out to save him. So much bro-in-law squabbling and JC being my favourite crankypants.

little a-ying (16556 words) by byeollie
A night hunt goes awry and WWX gets turned into a four year old. An adorable four year old. Basically, this story is an excuse for the juniors and LWJ to be utterly charmed by little WWX.

hunters seeking solid ground (23633 words) by Attila
“Hanguang-jun,” Wei Wuxian repeats. His heart clenches. He wants—but he’d really meant to have this nightmare stuff down before they met again, so he wouldn’t find himself relying on Lan Wangji’s nearness. He’s not supposed to go back yet. But he’s so tired, and his will crumbles. “Yeah,” he says. “All right. Take me back to Gusu with you.”

Linger by the Door (I’ve Always Been Yours) (78447 words) by piecrust
Wei Wuxian travels the world alone, finding homes in unexpected places, and loving Lan Zhan one letter at a time.
There’s a lovely slow pace to this one. I do love getting to see WWX figure out his own feelings and then return to LWJ.

your words upon my lips (17831 words) by uchiuchi
(In which Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji investigate a curse and get cursed instead. Everything they try to say comes out of the other person’s mouth. It can only go downhill from there.)
I love the viewpoint in this, how WWX may play at being shameless but he takes his responsibilities to the juniors very seriously, how much he adores LWJ and also recognises how much more there is to LWJ than the reserved, graceful surface that the juniors see.

 

Arranged Marriage AUs
Because this is a canon where marriages are arranged for political reasons, but that doesn’t actually make it easier for people to figure out they’re in love.

seldom all they seem (24930 words) by Fahye
He bows to Wei Wuxian, sword in hand, sleeves falling properly. Wei Wuxian bows in return, and the sect leaders begin the opening courtesies, and for all of ten minutes Lan Wangji is under the impression that he is betrothed to a boy who is perfectly normal and acceptable apart from an unfortunate tendency to fidget with his clothes.That impression does not last.
Even knowing you’re betrothed to someone doesn’t make it easier to get through everything. It does make WWX leaving with the Wens even more heartbreaking, though.

a stone to break your soul, a song to save it (180247 words) by rikke
When the entire cultivation world turns against Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng comes up with a plan to save him and arranges a marriage between his brother and the Second Jade of Lan, Lan Wangji.
Long and involved and surprisingly plot-focused, this starts as JC arranging a marriage to save WWX reputation and the Wens at the Burial Mounds. Honestly, these two are champions at managing to marry someone and then yearn for them.


Canon-divergent AUs / Fixits
This is a canon where there are so many spots where someone could have done something differently and everything would have worked out? (Or would have hurt in different ways, sometimes.)

The Fire Lapping Up the Creek (66299 words) by notevenyou
Wei Wuxian travels to Lanling for his nephew’s one-month celebration alone, without Wen Ning. Lan Wangji lives with the consequences.
The idea of LWJ joining WWX inthe Burial Mounds and helping with the Wens makes me so happy, and this story does a lovely job of exploring that.

And Time Is But a Paper Moon (139032 words) by sami
Time-travel fic. Or more accurately, WWX finds a way to travel back into his own past and tries to fix events. (My favourite part of this is how much earlier LWJ/WWX would have happened if WWX didn’t spend their teen years laughing all the flirting off as a joke. A little bit more courage and steadiness, and they would have come to an understanding much earlier.)

 

Vaguely Fairytale Yiling Patriach stories
Look, I love a good fairytale, and it turns out that there’s a few set in the Burial Mounds/Yiling Patriach setting that I find lovely. I say fairytale, but these are set within the cql/untamed universe. They just… follow familiar patterns of stories.

what else is there? (12917 words) by mme_anxious
Jin Guangyao transforms Lan Wangji into a swan. Only an act of love will break the curse.
This is really good. And while it’s an old Swan Princess retelling, I completely believe that there probably are curses that can transform people and this is exactly how LWJ would react – determined and annoyed.

the shadow of a name in skin (8995 words) by iliacquer
Wei Wuxian doesn’t let the Wen Remnants hand themselves over after Jin Zixuan’s death. Instead he makes one last sacrifice to ensure they survive. Months later, a Lan cultivator kneels at the edge of the Burial Mounds, ready to offer himself to the feared Yiling Patriarch.
Or: Sacrifice is an old magic, but love is even older.

the stars in the hazy heaven tremble above you (64362 words) by cicer
In which Wei Ying, a fugitive from justice, sneaks into the palace, steals from the imperial family, and eats his words.
Cinderella AU, where WWX sneaks into the palace to steal (so the Wens can survive the coming winter) and unintentionally falls for the Second Prince. Honestly, it’s delightful.

 

And this last one is a cheat. It’s not set around the Yiling Patriach time, but who can really resist LWJ as Cinderella, sneaking out of Cloud Recesses to see WWX before he marries someone else?
all your life you’ll dream of this (22668 words) by Attila
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.


out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Kingsman: Eggsy with puppy-dog eyes)
[personal profile] templemarker gave me a great list of bookmarks for Alec/Magnus Shadowhunter fics, so I thought I should return the favour and share this one.

I love a good time travelling story. I really, really do. The chance to see the characters before / after the characters we meet on the show -- there's something so satisfying about getting to see our favourites in different circumstances.

That's why this was absolutely wonderful. I'm used to Magnus as the more experienced, as worldly and patient and kind, but it was wonderful to see him at lower moments, younger and lost and yearning. And wonderful to see the man Alec's become, to see him through fresh eyes -- still straightforward and earnest, but happier and settled in his life.

Your Name for a Capital (22606 words) by theprophetlemonade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Characters: Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, Catarina Loss, mentions of Camille Belcourt
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Time Travel, 5+1 Things, First Meetings, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Multiverse, canonverse, Canon Compliant, Historical References, Historical Inaccuracy, Canon Typical Discussions of Suicide, Soulmates, Explorations of Loneliness, Mild Angst, Romance, Character Study, Gift Fic, Malec Secret Santa 2019, author takes the laws of time travel very seriously
Summary:


[ “I can’t wait another hundred years to see you again, Alexander.”


He hates it, he does. He hates the way Alec looks at him with a history they haven’t yet shared.


Alec’s fingers dig into his ribs. A moment of hesitation. “You won’t have to wait that long,” he murmurs, quiet enough to be a secret. “I promise.”


“You don’t know that.”


Alec stops, forcing Magnus to stop too. Magnus squints at him, seeing double, but Alec shakes his head. “Magnus, I do.”


“How?”


“Because,” says Alec, and once again, Magnus feels the tug of magic kneading at his skin, a string of fate that wraps around his bottom rib and leads beyond his chest and enters Alec’s in exactly the same place. “You and me, we always find our way back to each other. Whatever happens.” ]


Magnus Bane meets a man from his future, interwoven throughout moments in his past.
out_there: B-Day Present '05 (GO: Crowley & Aziraphale)
I've had this bookmarked to read forever and finally did and loved it.

You, Soft and Only (9400 words) by thehoyden
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Undercover as a Couple, more traipsing through history, Possessive Behavior, not a single degree of chill from either of them
Summary:

He hadn’t expected a sudden lapful of angel.


“Very sorry about this,” Aziraphale said, and kissed him.

out_there: A very excited Aziraphale pulling a rabbit out of a hat in his magic show (GO: Magician Aziraphale)
I'm back home. Holiday was good but more importantly, here's a rec for a Crowley/Aziraphale femslash story that I loved. (Also, note to self, I should read more femslash. I woyld if I could work out why I adored this when some other stories leave me 'eh'.)

Soft (A Love Story in Three Bites) (18340 words) by mia_ugly
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Ineffable Wives, Genderswap, Angst, Pining obviously, Gratuitous abuse of brackets, Gratuitous abuse of pears
Summary:

Crowley was an angel, once. Before she fell.

Aziraphale was a warrior (she fell too. It just took a little longer.)

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out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Default)
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