Fic Recs!
Metagaming by esama - WIP, SVSSS, 30k, M
[Self-Saving System Activated! You will be now returned to your original starting position.]
Shen Qingqiu dies and gets a second chance and decides to try a different approach.
some perfectly crafted and in-character alternative character dynamics with sqq actually dealing with some of the shit he goes through! latest chapter is binghe pov and the way esama tracks the ripple effect from just one person's change in behavior is super fun to read.
The Bird Under the Water by vibishan - oneshot, MDZS, 914 words, NR
He knows Jin Guangyao thinks he keeps Chenqing in the vault.
Jiang Cheng has kept Wei Wuxian’s awful relative-murdering flute on his person for ten years, and if the lingering air of resentment is having detrimental effects on his personality, it’s not like anyone would be able to tell.
No, the relic of Wei Wuxian in the deepest Jiang vault is far more precious, and far more vile.
A daemon AU that's so short and yet it rips out so much of my heart. I love daemon AUs of all kinds but i think this is one of the few where the daemons aren't just a fun addition, they're integral parts of plot and character dynamics that add depth and complexity to an already fraught relationship. This is part of a series of MDZS daemon fics and there's a sequel in the same continuity, but I'm not sure if they all will be.
the bite that binds the gift that gives by sixthmoon - series, SVSSS, 9k total, T & E installments
PIDW AU, where OG Shang Qinghua decides the best way to avoid his impending death is to force Mobei-jun to marry him...or die.
Joke's on him, OG Mobei-jun is into that shit.
Speaking of amazing character dynamics, sixthmoon has a few OG SQH fics that boil my brain in a wonderful way. it's surprisingly sweet for the amount of viciousness OG SQH is packing in that devious brain. It's an ongoing series but each oneshot is wonderful on its own. The latest installment has a confrontation with OG Luo Binghe (Bingge?) that's just *chef's kiss* for the sheer amount of interpersonal dysfunction.
pride is not the word I'm looking for by Tossawary - completed longfic (400K DUDE IT'S LONG), SVSSS, M
Shang Qinghua goes to take a self-indulgent peek at his baby protagonist son and gets a kick to the shrivelled heart for his troubles. He gave up on changing the story years ago! Yet he finds himself helping his protagonist son's adoptive mother anyway. Just this one change won't matter too much, right?
One little change leads to more. Shang Qinghua never meant to care, but he becomes invested in making sure that his new family survives the looming plot. With the changes to the world cascading around him, with his position as a traitor pulling him between his sect and a certain ice demon, and with the protagonist growing up so quickly, how is one displaced author meant to ensure that everything turns out all right?
I would have to break this fic into chunks to actually comment on a fraction of what I love about it, but a few of my top favorite things:
Absolutely delicious character development of the type you only get in longfic. There are time skips, but given this starts pre-canon and runs up to just after the Immortal Alliance Conference, we get a look at a SQH who actually feels like he's growing into his years. There's an age to him that's refreshing amongst the "eternally 20" vibes in a lot of fic. There are seasons of family dynamics and odd friendships that grow across years, really allowing time to dig into difficult characters and let them develop in a natural time frame.
Incredible description absolutely peaking in combat and a series of dungeons where poor SQH has to go fetch miracle cures and things. There's a chapter that introduces multiple powerful demons and the DESCRIPTIONS. IT WAS CINEMATIC. i could picture it SO CLEARLY and it gave me CHILLS before they even did anything. The dungeons are described in such luscious detail that it feels like stepping into some really cool videogame locations. If I could do art i would do an art series for these dungeons and then plaster them all over my walls.
It's cute. like that doesn't sound like a big thing but SQH building (or being built into lol) a family that keeps growing and loving is the glue that holds all the intrigue and drama together. The amount of found family warm fuzzies (sometimes with some gentle angst to make it even better) cannot be overstated. People like each other and encourage people to be the best versions of themselves here.
I know it's intimidatingly long, but at the end of every arc (ranges from about 60k at the beginning to 100k at the end) Tossawary wraps up the most immediate plot points and makes a note that it's a good place to stop and rest. They also warn for cliffhangers, so if you want to treat this like a series it's easy to break up the reading experience.
