My Most Reread Fics of 2021
Dec. 15th, 2021 09:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
forestsofpineI do a lot of re-reading, both of professionally published works and fanfic, and of the 12 million+ words of fanfic I recorded reading this year, over 1.4 million of it was from rereads. 'Tis the season for Best of the Year lists, so I thought it might be fun to share some of the fics I loved and reread the most this year as my personal Best of 2021 roundup. These fics weren't necessarily posted in 2021 (although some were) but are all fics I read in 2021.
MDZS Fanfic Recs
These are not in any particular order, but similar fics are (very) loosely grouped together.
Summary: A great calamity fell upon Qishan Wen. It's said that some of the Wens still live, surviving on turnips and raw hope, but Jiang Cheng has not thought of Qishan Wen in years. He has enough on his mind with securing a lecture for Yunmeng Jiang, and somehow, dealing with Wei Wuxian's nauseating affection for Lan Wangji.
Notes: This No Sunshot canon divergence AU where the Wens were destroyed by a natural disaster has become one of my favorite fics in the fandom and was probably the most re-read of the longer fics in this post. I enjoy outside POVs, and Jiang Cheng's prickly personality and complicated relationship with Wei Wuxian makes for one that is rich with humor, emotion, and character detail. Besides his exasperated perspective on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, I also really enjoyed the depiction of Jiang Cheng's reluctant but growing friendships with Lan Xichen and Jin Zixuan in this fic.
Standing Engagement, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 18k, mature
Summary: Lan Wangji believes he and Wei Wuxian are essentially engaged. While they search for his missing betrothed, he accidentally reveals as much to Jiang Wanyin. Now everyone in the cultivation world knows about the imminent marriage, except for Wei Wuxian himself.
Notes: This canon divergence fic has an excellent and often hilarious depiction of the alliance of expedience between Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji, and (in this AU) Wen Qing as they search for Wei Wuxian during the months he is missing after being thrown into the Burial Mounds, including another of my favorite Jiang Cheng POVs.
An Elegant Solution, Nie Mingjue/Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 205k, explicit
Summary: When Jiang Yanli joins Jiang Cheng in visiting Wei Wuxian at the Burial Grounds, the two brothers are on the verge of cutting ties forever — until Jiang Yanli has a better idea. Wei Wuxian doesn't need to leave the sect. He needs to get married, and she has the perfect Sect Leader in mind.
When Lan Wangji is invited to come along on Wei Wuxian's visit to the Unclean Realm to spend time with his new betrothed, Nie Mingjue, he agrees — even though his heart is breaking. How else is he ever going to see Wei Wuxian again?
When Nie Mingjue welcomes Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji into his home, he realizes two things very quickly: 1.) They clearly want each other so badly they can barely stand it, and 2.) Nie Mingjue is Into That.
(In which arranged marriage to Nie Mingjue solves just about everyone's problems)
Notes: As I mentioned in my AO3 Wrapped 2021 post, this is probably the fic I read this year that I've gushed about the most often to the most different people. I'm fairly OTP about Wangxian and don't often read fics pairing them with others, so when I first clicked on the fic I was a little skeptical of this triad from a romantic perspective, but the author successfully sold it to me and it's since become one of my favorite OT3s. I had no such doubts about the hotness, and the smut was indeed excellent. This fic is also a deeply satisfying ensemble fix-it fic, with great characterization and happier endings for nearly everyone, including one of my favorite redemption arcs for Jin Guangyao.
half cloak & half dagger, Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao, 13k, explicit
Notes: This fic is part 2 of the Marriage Principles series. I recommend both fics in the series, but this was the one I reread the most. I enjoy AUs where Jin Guangyao uses his clever and amoral mind for good. In this fic, the good (rehabilitating Wei Wuxian's reputation as a favor to Xichen and Yanli) was already achieved in part 1 of the series, so Guangyao is able to turn his considerable intelligence to the more personal problem of how to get Xichen to fuck him through the mattress. Funny and hot! I enjoyed the cameos by Nie Huaisang, Mianmian, Jiang Yanli, and Wei Wuxian as well.
Honorable mention to one more of my favorite scheming Guangyao fix-its, set that crown on the ground (Xiyao, 6k, teen), in which he plans out his maneuvering in characteristically exhaustive detail and pulls it off flawlessly... except for one important fact he fails to take into account.
hold your tongue and let me love, Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao, 2k, explicit
Summary: There are a lot of things people don’t know about Lan Xichen. At least half of them, in Jin Guangyao’s estimation, hide in plain sight. He, as the focus of Lan Xichen’s sole and long-standing regard, is one of them. Zewu-jun’s honest opinions of his fellow gentry are another.
Notes: This is one of those fics that sneaks up on you - I didn't include it in my monthly recs back when I first read it in January 2021, but it stuck with me enough that I kept revisiting it and now it's one of my most re-read Xiyao fics. It's set during the timeskip, but while it hints at the disasters of the past and future, it focuses on an intimate moment of the two of them relaxed and happy together, enjoying each others' company. Part of the tragedy of Xiyao is how little they ultimately understood each other, but this fic is both humorous and insightful in how it grasps the ways in which they DID recognize each other in themselves and understand each other as few others (arguably no others) did.
Happy Holidays, and here's to another great year of fic and fandom next year. 💚💚💚
MDZS Fanfic Recs
These are not in any particular order, but similar fics are (very) loosely grouped together.
A Life Without Sun, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 30k, teen
Summary: A great calamity fell upon Qishan Wen. It's said that some of the Wens still live, surviving on turnips and raw hope, but Jiang Cheng has not thought of Qishan Wen in years. He has enough on his mind with securing a lecture for Yunmeng Jiang, and somehow, dealing with Wei Wuxian's nauseating affection for Lan Wangji.
Notes: This No Sunshot canon divergence AU where the Wens were destroyed by a natural disaster has become one of my favorite fics in the fandom and was probably the most re-read of the longer fics in this post. I enjoy outside POVs, and Jiang Cheng's prickly personality and complicated relationship with Wei Wuxian makes for one that is rich with humor, emotion, and character detail. Besides his exasperated perspective on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, I also really enjoyed the depiction of Jiang Cheng's reluctant but growing friendships with Lan Xichen and Jin Zixuan in this fic.
Standing Engagement, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 18k, mature
Summary: Lan Wangji believes he and Wei Wuxian are essentially engaged. While they search for his missing betrothed, he accidentally reveals as much to Jiang Wanyin. Now everyone in the cultivation world knows about the imminent marriage, except for Wei Wuxian himself.
Notes: This canon divergence fic has an excellent and often hilarious depiction of the alliance of expedience between Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji, and (in this AU) Wen Qing as they search for Wei Wuxian during the months he is missing after being thrown into the Burial Mounds, including another of my favorite Jiang Cheng POVs.
An Elegant Solution, Nie Mingjue/Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 205k, explicit
Summary: When Jiang Yanli joins Jiang Cheng in visiting Wei Wuxian at the Burial Grounds, the two brothers are on the verge of cutting ties forever — until Jiang Yanli has a better idea. Wei Wuxian doesn't need to leave the sect. He needs to get married, and she has the perfect Sect Leader in mind.
When Lan Wangji is invited to come along on Wei Wuxian's visit to the Unclean Realm to spend time with his new betrothed, Nie Mingjue, he agrees — even though his heart is breaking. How else is he ever going to see Wei Wuxian again?
When Nie Mingjue welcomes Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji into his home, he realizes two things very quickly: 1.) They clearly want each other so badly they can barely stand it, and 2.) Nie Mingjue is Into That.
(In which arranged marriage to Nie Mingjue solves just about everyone's problems)
Notes: As I mentioned in my AO3 Wrapped 2021 post, this is probably the fic I read this year that I've gushed about the most often to the most different people. I'm fairly OTP about Wangxian and don't often read fics pairing them with others, so when I first clicked on the fic I was a little skeptical of this triad from a romantic perspective, but the author successfully sold it to me and it's since become one of my favorite OT3s. I had no such doubts about the hotness, and the smut was indeed excellent. This fic is also a deeply satisfying ensemble fix-it fic, with great characterization and happier endings for nearly everyone, including one of my favorite redemption arcs for Jin Guangyao.
half cloak & half dagger, Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao, 13k, explicit
Summary: Jin Guangyao lifts his head and smiles. "I'm considering a problem."
"Can I be of any assistance with it?"
He drops a kiss on Lan Xichen's chest. With the nail of one finger he lightly traces the characters for irony on Lan Xichen's side. "Not this one, er-ge."
"Can I be of any assistance with it?"
He drops a kiss on Lan Xichen's chest. With the nail of one finger he lightly traces the characters for irony on Lan Xichen's side. "Not this one, er-ge."
Notes: This fic is part 2 of the Marriage Principles series. I recommend both fics in the series, but this was the one I reread the most. I enjoy AUs where Jin Guangyao uses his clever and amoral mind for good. In this fic, the good (rehabilitating Wei Wuxian's reputation as a favor to Xichen and Yanli) was already achieved in part 1 of the series, so Guangyao is able to turn his considerable intelligence to the more personal problem of how to get Xichen to fuck him through the mattress. Funny and hot! I enjoyed the cameos by Nie Huaisang, Mianmian, Jiang Yanli, and Wei Wuxian as well.
Honorable mention to one more of my favorite scheming Guangyao fix-its, set that crown on the ground (Xiyao, 6k, teen), in which he plans out his maneuvering in characteristically exhaustive detail and pulls it off flawlessly... except for one important fact he fails to take into account.
hold your tongue and let me love, Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao, 2k, explicit
Summary: There are a lot of things people don’t know about Lan Xichen. At least half of them, in Jin Guangyao’s estimation, hide in plain sight. He, as the focus of Lan Xichen’s sole and long-standing regard, is one of them. Zewu-jun’s honest opinions of his fellow gentry are another.
Notes: This is one of those fics that sneaks up on you - I didn't include it in my monthly recs back when I first read it in January 2021, but it stuck with me enough that I kept revisiting it and now it's one of my most re-read Xiyao fics. It's set during the timeskip, but while it hints at the disasters of the past and future, it focuses on an intimate moment of the two of them relaxed and happy together, enjoying each others' company. Part of the tragedy of Xiyao is how little they ultimately understood each other, but this fic is both humorous and insightful in how it grasps the ways in which they DID recognize each other in themselves and understand each other as few others (arguably no others) did.
anyway, here's wuji, Lan Jingyi/Lan Sizhui, 18k, teen
Summary: The melody gets a little clearer when he breaks out of the trees, and Jingyi changes course with certainty, barreling down the back hill and through the Cloud Recesses, dodging scandalized disciples left and right. He throws open the doors to the Receiving Hall without announcement and bows nearly double, eyes on the floor instead of on the shocked faces of the Mei delegation and the impenetrable gaze of the Chief Cultivator.
"Forgive this disciple," Jingyi shouts, because he's going to get punished for rule breaking regardless. "From the back hill, Hanguang-jun, there is a song in the wind!"
Lan Jingyi comes of age.
Notes: I adore the Juniors and this post-canon Jingyi-centric fic is one of my favorite fics about them. It gives both a funny and a touching portrait of Jingyi coming of age and falling in love with his best friend, and I enjoyed the depiction of his relationships with Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian, and others as well.
best friends forever, Lan Jingyi/Jin Ling, 16k, teen
An honorable mention by the same author as the fic above: the final cut (Nie Huaisang/Mo Xuanyu, 19k, explicit) was too sad to make it onto my regular reread rotation, but it was so good that it influenced a lot of my headcanons about Mo Xuanyu and his relationship with Nie Huaisang.
smoke gets in my brain, Lan Xichen/Lan Wangji, 4k, explicit
liberties untaken, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, <1k, explicit
He thinks about that night. He thinks about it when things are bad.
-
OR: Things Wei Wuxian Never Did to Lan Wangji.
Notes: This short but atmospheric character study of Lan Wangji mourning Wei Wuxian is a sterling example of the underappreciated genre of Sad and Horny.
A Lifetime of Study, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, explicit
Summary: Wei Wuxian said, voice hushed, “Have you never been kissed?”
Lan Wangji didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t indicate that he even heard the question. He had only one memory of lips to his skin: his mother, before she’d died. It was a faint memory. The smell of jasmine, earrings like drops of blood. She’d kissed his forehead, called him her little rabbit. Told him to be good, to go back to the main house
“By a lover,” Wei Wuxian added, as though he’d followed the exact path of Lan Wangji’s thoughts. He said, “On the mouth.”
--
Or, wwx finds out lwj has never made out and is like "lol let me teach you tho WHAT COULD GO WRONG" & then like everything goes wrong
Notes: Another outstanding Sad and Horny fic full of gorgeous yearning. A minor canon divergence AU in which Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian start fucking much earlier than in canon, but it doesn't fix anything.
Nothing But Trouble, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 60k, explicit
through a window softly, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, teen
Only Fools Rush In, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 22k, mature
Summary: Wei Ying thinks he’s going to meet a younger version of Professor Lan, since they’re brothers- gently smiling, a little sad way back somewhere, smart as a whip and just a touch gullible, but instead he meets a drop dead gorgeous sonovabitch who refuses to make more than cursory eye contact and has about as much empathy in him as a brick fucking wall.
In which Wei Ying is forced to take AAS100: Intro to Asian American Studies to graduate. He has a cruelly strict grader, and his only hope of passing the class is attending extra credit movie nights in a ridiculous dorm with 3,000 rules.
Or: I watched a Chinese piece of media, promptly had a whole pile of feelings about being Chinese-American, and dumped them into a fanfiction.
Notes: One more college/university AU that I really enjoyed and reread multiple times. Both a cute enemies-to-lovers (at least in the single brain cell Wei Ying devotes to interpersonal relationships) romance and a sensitive exploration of complicated feelings about immigration and identity.
A couple honorable mentions in the category of cute and feel-good modern AUs are Pet Slut (Xiyao, 6k, mature) and i know who i want to take me home (Wangxian, 16k, explicit).
swear to be, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 5k, explicit
Summary: “Oh my god,” Wei Ying says, a sudden and potent realization hitting him. He puts his face wash back down. At least he brushed his teeth before calling Lan Zhan, right. “It’s a sex thing! Your text is a sex thing!”
“Will that be all for the order?”
“You texted on work time for a sex thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“All requested items and services will be available by the end of the week,” Lan Zhan says. “Pick up or delivery?”
Notes: Moving from cute and feel-good to cute and smutty, this modern AU does a great job of capturing the comfortable, lived-in feeling of a happy, long-term BDSM relationship. I especially enjoyed its depiction of Lan Zhan's subtle and often-neglected sense of humor.
Are you gonna be my girl, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, explicit
Late in the year, I read several more MDZS cisswap fics that I really enjoyed but haven't had time to reread enough to shake out which, exactly, are my absolute favorites. I think like a movie scene (Wangxian, 9k, explicit) is a good bet thanks to the always excellent combo of hot smut and fun worldbuilding (in this case, a modern with magic setting inspired by Elvira's career and real-life romance), and never knew I was a dancer (Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang, 6k, explicit) for sweet, smutty self-discovery. For more candidates, here's a link to my recent rec post for cisswap MDZS fics.
some things stick (series), Xiao Xingchen/Song Lan/Xue Yang, 18k, explicit
If you like the Yi City crowd, an honorable mention to the we waste the same day like nobody dies series (various ships, 57k, explicit), which successfully pulled off a twist that made me go "OH, SHIT!" out loud while reading.
start getting real, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 21k, teen
Summary: “Did you break the ward to come in?” Lan Wangji asks, point-blank. He has his sword out and pointed at Wei Wuxian, no bothering with niceties like hello I’m Lan Wangji, and you are?
Wei Wuxian eyes the sword, but doesn’t react. He keeps lazing back on the roof, casually drinking his wine, as if this is the usual way he meets new people. (And maybe it is! I don’t know your life, Wei Wuxian!)
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian meet on Season 8 of The Cultivation World. Ouyang Zizhen writes the recaps.
Notes: Last but certainly not least, this was a fun modern with magic AU set on a Real World-style reality TV show with a cultivation spin. Though Wangxian was the main event, I really enjoyed the ensemble cast and interactions among all the different characters.
Other Fandom Fic Recs
MDZS has been my main fannish passion this year and despite reading some truly outstanding fic in other fandoms, especially Word of Honor and Nirvana in Fire, I've done less rereading for them. Please don't take this as a knock against any of the non-MDZS fics I shared in my monthly recs! It's just how my fannish winds were blowing this year.
I did, however, want to highlight two short but hilarious exceptions, both from Nirvana in Fire, that were among my consistent go-tos when I was in the mood for a laugh this year:
Among Friends, gen, 1k, general audiences
And Ruin Your Sleep, gen, <1k, teen
Summary: The melody gets a little clearer when he breaks out of the trees, and Jingyi changes course with certainty, barreling down the back hill and through the Cloud Recesses, dodging scandalized disciples left and right. He throws open the doors to the Receiving Hall without announcement and bows nearly double, eyes on the floor instead of on the shocked faces of the Mei delegation and the impenetrable gaze of the Chief Cultivator.
"Forgive this disciple," Jingyi shouts, because he's going to get punished for rule breaking regardless. "From the back hill, Hanguang-jun, there is a song in the wind!"
Lan Jingyi comes of age.
Notes: I adore the Juniors and this post-canon Jingyi-centric fic is one of my favorite fics about them. It gives both a funny and a touching portrait of Jingyi coming of age and falling in love with his best friend, and I enjoyed the depiction of his relationships with Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian, and others as well.
best friends forever, Lan Jingyi/Jin Ling, 16k, teen
Summary: It happened like this: Jin Ling was a sect leader now, which was, and Jingyi really meant this, fucking hilarious. There were few things funnier, in his honest opinion.
Because he was young, and inexperienced, and also — it had to be said — a real shithead, there was apparently some belief amongst his advisors that the best way forward, to promote the picture of a stable, mature sect leader who absolutely did not cry at the drop of a hat, was for Jin Ling to get married.
-
OR: Jin Ling and Jingyi get engaged.
Things spiral from there.
Notes: Jingyi and Jin Ling are great personalities to bounce off each other, and this is another of my favorite Juniors fics, also funny and touching in equal measure.
Because he was young, and inexperienced, and also — it had to be said — a real shithead, there was apparently some belief amongst his advisors that the best way forward, to promote the picture of a stable, mature sect leader who absolutely did not cry at the drop of a hat, was for Jin Ling to get married.
-
OR: Jin Ling and Jingyi get engaged.
Things spiral from there.
Notes: Jingyi and Jin Ling are great personalities to bounce off each other, and this is another of my favorite Juniors fics, also funny and touching in equal measure.
it may be that it doesn't matter, Jiang Cheng/Wen Ning, 6k, teen
Summary: “Are you crying?” Jiang Wanyin asks him, and Wen Ning frowns. Pats his cheek with one hand.
“No.”
Notes: Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning drink half a wine cellar and work through some stuff. As the author describes it: "not actually very romantic but idk I think these kids are headed in a direction." Jiang Cheng/Wen Ning is a complicated rarepair that takes a lot of work to successfully sell in a post-canon setting, but this fic pulls it off. I always finish it feeling optimistic about both of them.
“No.”
Notes: Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning drink half a wine cellar and work through some stuff. As the author describes it: "not actually very romantic but idk I think these kids are headed in a direction." Jiang Cheng/Wen Ning is a complicated rarepair that takes a lot of work to successfully sell in a post-canon setting, but this fic pulls it off. I always finish it feeling optimistic about both of them.
An honorable mention by the same author as the fic above: the final cut (Nie Huaisang/Mo Xuanyu, 19k, explicit) was too sad to make it onto my regular reread rotation, but it was so good that it influenced a lot of my headcanons about Mo Xuanyu and his relationship with Nie Huaisang.
smoke gets in my brain, Lan Xichen/Lan Wangji, 4k, explicit
Summary: “I would still like to be kissed,” Wangji says, and his hand is very hot on Lan Xichen’s cheek. Perhaps one of them has a fever, or they both do.
He opens his mouth to ask if they should open the window for some cool air.
His brother kisses him as if that is what Lan Xichen had intended.
He will not be sure, later, whether it was.
Notes: *coughs* Okay, so Jadecest and LXC/LWJ/WWX are some of my guiltier pleasures in this fandom and among my only regular exceptions to being mostly OTP about Wangxian (the others being Lan Wangji/Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue/Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian).
This is my favorite Jadecest fic to date, a slight AU where Nie Huaisang and the Yunmeng boys are playing with aphrodisiac incense as well as illicit alcohol in their party at Cloud Recesses and the Twin Jades both get a lungful. This fic beautifully captures both the humid claustrophobia of the drug's effects, and the boundless love and trust between the brothers as they react to it.
He opens his mouth to ask if they should open the window for some cool air.
His brother kisses him as if that is what Lan Xichen had intended.
He will not be sure, later, whether it was.
Notes: *coughs* Okay, so Jadecest and LXC/LWJ/WWX are some of my guiltier pleasures in this fandom and among my only regular exceptions to being mostly OTP about Wangxian (the others being Lan Wangji/Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue/Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian).
This is my favorite Jadecest fic to date, a slight AU where Nie Huaisang and the Yunmeng boys are playing with aphrodisiac incense as well as illicit alcohol in their party at Cloud Recesses and the Twin Jades both get a lungful. This fic beautifully captures both the humid claustrophobia of the drug's effects, and the boundless love and trust between the brothers as they react to it.
liberties untaken, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, <1k, explicit
Summary: There are things that Lan Wangji remembers. The tap of a hand fastening a talisman to his anger-taut shoulder. The snap of fingers. The evening turning syrupy and amber, honey-drowned. The messy room, the fragrance of wine, a laughing mocking face. The slow-flowing stream of his thoughts. Fingers on his sleeve making a suggestive gesture. Fury. Longing.
He thinks about that night. He thinks about it when things are bad.
-
OR: Things Wei Wuxian Never Did to Lan Wangji.
Notes: This short but atmospheric character study of Lan Wangji mourning Wei Wuxian is a sterling example of the underappreciated genre of Sad and Horny.
A Lifetime of Study, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, explicit
Summary: Wei Wuxian said, voice hushed, “Have you never been kissed?”
Lan Wangji didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t indicate that he even heard the question. He had only one memory of lips to his skin: his mother, before she’d died. It was a faint memory. The smell of jasmine, earrings like drops of blood. She’d kissed his forehead, called him her little rabbit. Told him to be good, to go back to the main house
“By a lover,” Wei Wuxian added, as though he’d followed the exact path of Lan Wangji’s thoughts. He said, “On the mouth.”
--
Or, wwx finds out lwj has never made out and is like "lol let me teach you tho WHAT COULD GO WRONG" & then like everything goes wrong
Notes: Another outstanding Sad and Horny fic full of gorgeous yearning. A minor canon divergence AU in which Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian start fucking much earlier than in canon, but it doesn't fix anything.
Nothing But Trouble, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 60k, explicit
Summary "I don't want to really date anyone. It's so stupid, I just need to pretend date someone until Jiang Cheng gets his act together, then go back to my own life." He stares at his empty coffee cup.
"Date me," Lan Zhan says. Then he looks at Wei Ying's empty cup. "Would you like another cup of coffee?"
"Always," Wei Ying says automatically. "But wait, what."
"I'll get you another cup." Lan Zhan rises smoothly from the table.
"No, wait, hang on." Wei Ying grabs his wrist before he can take the cup and Lan Zhan freezes up, staring down at where Wei Ying is hanging on to him. "Fuck, sorry, I'll—" Wei Ying hastily lets go of his wrist. "Sorry, I—what did you mean?"
"I can pretend to date you," Lan Zhan says. "You take it with cream and sugar, correct?"
Notes: Let's follow up those two sad ones with a good comfort read. This college AU fic combines delightfully tropey mutual pining fake dating shenanigans with A+ UST and smut and bonus background Chengqing.
"Date me," Lan Zhan says. Then he looks at Wei Ying's empty cup. "Would you like another cup of coffee?"
"Always," Wei Ying says automatically. "But wait, what."
"I'll get you another cup." Lan Zhan rises smoothly from the table.
"No, wait, hang on." Wei Ying grabs his wrist before he can take the cup and Lan Zhan freezes up, staring down at where Wei Ying is hanging on to him. "Fuck, sorry, I'll—" Wei Ying hastily lets go of his wrist. "Sorry, I—what did you mean?"
"I can pretend to date you," Lan Zhan says. "You take it with cream and sugar, correct?"
Notes: Let's follow up those two sad ones with a good comfort read. This college AU fic combines delightfully tropey mutual pining fake dating shenanigans with A+ UST and smut and bonus background Chengqing.
through a window softly, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, teen
Summary: Wei Wuxian plays the flute. Someone in Wei Wuxian's apartment complex plays violin. Sometimes, they play the flute and the violin together, and it's... nice. It's really nice. It's sort of the nicest thing going on in his life right now, honestly.
Notes: Another great comfort read, this is an utterly charming musician AU in which they're graduate music students and secret duet partners. Lovely descriptions of their musical conversations, with a list of the songs described so you can explore them yourself if you're so inclined.
Notes: Another great comfort read, this is an utterly charming musician AU in which they're graduate music students and secret duet partners. Lovely descriptions of their musical conversations, with a list of the songs described so you can explore them yourself if you're so inclined.
Only Fools Rush In, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 22k, mature
Summary: Wei Ying thinks he’s going to meet a younger version of Professor Lan, since they’re brothers- gently smiling, a little sad way back somewhere, smart as a whip and just a touch gullible, but instead he meets a drop dead gorgeous sonovabitch who refuses to make more than cursory eye contact and has about as much empathy in him as a brick fucking wall.
In which Wei Ying is forced to take AAS100: Intro to Asian American Studies to graduate. He has a cruelly strict grader, and his only hope of passing the class is attending extra credit movie nights in a ridiculous dorm with 3,000 rules.
Or: I watched a Chinese piece of media, promptly had a whole pile of feelings about being Chinese-American, and dumped them into a fanfiction.
Notes: One more college/university AU that I really enjoyed and reread multiple times. Both a cute enemies-to-lovers (at least in the single brain cell Wei Ying devotes to interpersonal relationships) romance and a sensitive exploration of complicated feelings about immigration and identity.
A couple honorable mentions in the category of cute and feel-good modern AUs are Pet Slut (Xiyao, 6k, mature) and i know who i want to take me home (Wangxian, 16k, explicit).
swear to be, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 5k, explicit
Summary: “Oh my god,” Wei Ying says, a sudden and potent realization hitting him. He puts his face wash back down. At least he brushed his teeth before calling Lan Zhan, right. “It’s a sex thing! Your text is a sex thing!”
“Will that be all for the order?”
“You texted on work time for a sex thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“All requested items and services will be available by the end of the week,” Lan Zhan says. “Pick up or delivery?”
Notes: Moving from cute and feel-good to cute and smutty, this modern AU does a great job of capturing the comfortable, lived-in feeling of a happy, long-term BDSM relationship. I especially enjoyed its depiction of Lan Zhan's subtle and often-neglected sense of humor.
Are you gonna be my girl, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 14k, explicit
Summary: “I thought it would look nice on you,” Lan Zhan said. “Such a cute girl.”
“Lan-er-jiejie, please,” Wei Ying said. “I’m a dyke, don’t use such derogatory language.”
Notes: There's a lot of absolutely scorching hot cisswap fic in the MDZS fandom, and this was one of my favorites. An outstanding Mean Dom POV that, like swear to be, does a great job capturing the love and trust of a well-established BDSM relationship.
“Lan-er-jiejie, please,” Wei Ying said. “I’m a dyke, don’t use such derogatory language.”
Notes: There's a lot of absolutely scorching hot cisswap fic in the MDZS fandom, and this was one of my favorites. An outstanding Mean Dom POV that, like swear to be, does a great job capturing the love and trust of a well-established BDSM relationship.
Late in the year, I read several more MDZS cisswap fics that I really enjoyed but haven't had time to reread enough to shake out which, exactly, are my absolute favorites. I think like a movie scene (Wangxian, 9k, explicit) is a good bet thanks to the always excellent combo of hot smut and fun worldbuilding (in this case, a modern with magic setting inspired by Elvira's career and real-life romance), and never knew I was a dancer (Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang, 6k, explicit) for sweet, smutty self-discovery. For more candidates, here's a link to my recent rec post for cisswap MDZS fics.
some things stick (series), Xiao Xingchen/Song Lan/Xue Yang, 18k, explicit
Summary: Xue Yang's pretty sure that he could be a better girlfriend to Song Lan than whoever the fuck he's actually dating. Like, pretty sure. Almost certain.
(xue yang and song lan go to the same gym, and xue yang has never been good at resisting temptation)
Notes: One more for the BDSM smut category! I don't read a lot of Songxuexiao because I find the whole Yi City storyline too distressing, but this was a fun modern AU where nobody dies and semi-feral Xue Yang finds himself unexpectedly on the "sewer rat to house husband" pipeline after hitting on Song Lan at the gym. He is not entirely prepared for the consequences.
(xue yang and song lan go to the same gym, and xue yang has never been good at resisting temptation)
Notes: One more for the BDSM smut category! I don't read a lot of Songxuexiao because I find the whole Yi City storyline too distressing, but this was a fun modern AU where nobody dies and semi-feral Xue Yang finds himself unexpectedly on the "sewer rat to house husband" pipeline after hitting on Song Lan at the gym. He is not entirely prepared for the consequences.
If you like the Yi City crowd, an honorable mention to the we waste the same day like nobody dies series (various ships, 57k, explicit), which successfully pulled off a twist that made me go "OH, SHIT!" out loud while reading.
start getting real, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, 21k, teen
Summary: “Did you break the ward to come in?” Lan Wangji asks, point-blank. He has his sword out and pointed at Wei Wuxian, no bothering with niceties like hello I’m Lan Wangji, and you are?
Wei Wuxian eyes the sword, but doesn’t react. He keeps lazing back on the roof, casually drinking his wine, as if this is the usual way he meets new people. (And maybe it is! I don’t know your life, Wei Wuxian!)
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian meet on Season 8 of The Cultivation World. Ouyang Zizhen writes the recaps.
Notes: Last but certainly not least, this was a fun modern with magic AU set on a Real World-style reality TV show with a cultivation spin. Though Wangxian was the main event, I really enjoyed the ensemble cast and interactions among all the different characters.
Other Fandom Fic Recs
MDZS has been my main fannish passion this year and despite reading some truly outstanding fic in other fandoms, especially Word of Honor and Nirvana in Fire, I've done less rereading for them. Please don't take this as a knock against any of the non-MDZS fics I shared in my monthly recs! It's just how my fannish winds were blowing this year.
I did, however, want to highlight two short but hilarious exceptions, both from Nirvana in Fire, that were among my consistent go-tos when I was in the mood for a laugh this year:
Among Friends, gen, 1k, general audiences
Summary: Jingyan rolled his eyes a little. “I mean that there is no need to be secretive,” he said. He nodded at Meng, who was looking both confused and alarmed. “It is unkind of you, Sir Su, to force Commander Meng to tell lies; it makes him very uncomfortable.”
Notes: Lin Shu is a menace, and I always giggle my way through this fic in purest delight.
Notes: Lin Shu is a menace, and I always giggle my way through this fic in purest delight.
And Ruin Your Sleep, gen, <1k, teen
Summary: “I want to have sex,” said Changsu. He sounded very cross.
Notes: Lin Chen is also a menace, and this fic captures his personality perfectly.
Notes: Lin Chen is also a menace, and this fic captures his personality perfectly.
Happy Holidays, and here's to another great year of fic and fandom next year. 💚💚💚
