LINKDING

<blockquote>In his defense—not that he needs one, of course, because he’s done nothing wrong, technically, for the most part, but if he did he’d have this one ready, just in case—Jingyi started it. Jin Ling comes up with a foolproof plan to repair his uncles' relationship. Unfortunately, his uncles can be very, very stupid.</blockquote>

➤ Series starts from the premise of Wen Qing living, and then wanders through a whole bunch of different characters. I forgot to note down anything of note about this series when I read it, but I enjoyed it. ➤ Series consists of: cranes flying west amidst the storms emerging with an unbridled heart their eyes remain clear when autumn leaves fall teach these young ones life and death's joy and grief

<blockquote>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. (Or, the one where Wei Wuxian vanishes and Lan Wangji, reluctantly, asks for Jiang Cheng's help tracking him down.)</blockquote>

<blockquote>Jiang Cheng takes a few deep breaths and tries to put his life back together. This is easier said than done. Notes: As I said recently on my blog: get into a show for the gay angst, come out of it with the sibling angst, aka this is kind of the fic I came out of the series most wanting to write. Because I have, wouldn't you know it, a lot of feelings. Specifically about complicated sibling relationships and trying to fix the things you kinda broke and don't really know how to put back together, especially when you're not always sure what you even want, really, and also everyone is traumatized. So this is what happened when I took a swan dive into that.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The first time Lan Yuan hears a story about the Wen remnants, he is seven years old. The second time Lan Sizhui hears a story about his family, he is seventeen years old. / Or, the things the cultivation world says about the Wens in the Burial Mounds and the things Lan Sizhui learns much later</blockquote> ➤ About sizhui's understanding of his Wen identity as he grows up

<blockquote>Wei Wuxian prompted him as gently as possible. Really, he was dying to know. “Who, exactly, did the juniors think I had some fantastical romance with while out fighting a war?” Lan Sizhui opened his mouth, and then closed it. Wei Wuxian smiled at him encouragingly, ignoring the growing concern and trepidation in his ribcage. The resentful energy there didn’t ignore it, snapping at it in a way that didn’t make him calmer. Sizhui looked at the ground. “Hanguang-Jun,” he mumbled. Wei Wuxian choked. (OR: Wei Wuxian runs into his son, who has questions about romance that lead him to a realisation, and then, somehow, they end up back at Gusu)</blockquote>

<blockquote>One day in Lanling, a little blind beggar picks Nie Huaisang’s pocket, which is the most interesting thing to happen to him in months. (AKA the one where Nie Huaisang adopts A-Qing.)</blockquote>

<blockquote>A subset of the letters Jiang Cheng never sent to Wei Wuxian.</blockquote>

<blockquote> December 2, 1962 Dear Calvin, Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! I hope that you and <del>Michelle</del></blockquote> ➤ told through a series of unsent letters, as the title implies. Between the unsent letters you can tell that there are sent ones, and phone calls, and in-person visits, and through what is and isn't said in these unsent fragments you can piece together what's going on in between, and it's lovely.

<blockquote>With Moff Gideon defeated and the Darksaber reclaimed, the rumours of newly named Mand'alor Din Djarin spread through the galaxy... along with the stories of the Child he carries with him. Determined to meet him, Luke Skywalker arrives on Mandalore -- but before he can get any closer, he has to prove himself worthy of Mandalorian standards.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Crumpled at the base of Koi Tower’s long stairs for the second time, Jin Guangyao presses his face into the stone, takes a deep breath despite re-broken ribs, and arranges his features as carefully as he knows how. Then he stands, moving carefully around the pain, and bows deep, arms held straight and true. The walk back up the steps to his father's side is painful enough to wipe the smile from his face; it is not painful enough to prevent him re-taking his place as seneschal, bowing again at the top of the steps. As he straightens, he prioritizes his plans for his father’s demise over all else.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Jin Ling had begun to suspect years ago that there were parts of his family history that had been crossed out; long streaks of black where Wei Wuxian had been. The truth is more like whole books being brought up from their hiding places again. Or: Jin Ling tries to figure out what family means, now.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Later, when he’s older, it’s this that A-Yuan will remember most: the stretch of silence, the two of them both dirty and shaking with fever, as he looked at Brother Rich, and Brother Rich looked back at him.</blockquote> ➤ does an incredible job of evoking a tone and mood, and the quiet delicate complexities of emotions

<blockquote>Xiao Hong travels to her mother’s homeland in pursuit of Rosa in the sequel to Hunting Monsters</blockquote>

<blockquote>It is said that Archimedes was asked by the King of Syracuse to authenticate a manuscript. King Hiero had received what purported to be Alexander of Macedon’s own copy of the Iliad, brought out from the Library at Alexandria itself. He sent envoys to Egypt to ask whether Alexander’s Iliad had indeed ever been housed there, and whether it was now gone missing. In the meanwhile, he hoped that Archimedes could shorten the task by assessing the provenance of the scrolls by inspection.</blockquote> ➤ the one about a world where things written down begin to transmute into saying other things if they aren't looked at often enough

<blockquote>After three years of planning, the young Lan brothers play Inquiry for their mother. Unfortunately Inquiry compels answers and prohibits lying, and Madam Lan had plenty of secrets.</blockquote>

<blockquote>“You’ve got a fever,” Wei Wuxian says soothingly. “You just keep still as well as you can. We’ll have you fixed up soon.” Lan Sizhui recognizes his tone—this is the voice that Wei Wuxian uses on hurt people and young children, a very calm and no-nonsense voice that has none of the mischief and cheer of the way he sounds the rest of the time. Lan Sizhui looks up and meets his eyes, and they are dark, stormy gray, muddled and concerned. “I’m all right,” he croaks. “Hush,” Wei Wuxian says, in a low croon, like someone quieting a baby. Then he blinks, and looks away, awkward. “I mean—you shouldn’t speak. You’re tired. Rest if you need to.” or: lan sizhui gets sick on a night hunt. wei wuxian comforts him. they both have a lot of feelings about it.</blockquote>

<blockquote>As always, he arrives with no forewarning. One second, Lan Sizhui and the others are struggling against the hordes of resentful spirits created by some villagers’ accidental disruption of an ancient burial ground—far more spirits than had been initially reported, far more than they had been prepared for—and the next, he’s there, striding fearlessly into the mix, the sound of Chenqing piercing the air. / Or: A meditation on family and the merits of communication, courtesy of Lan Sizhui.</blockquote> ➤ mostly gen about sizhui and jin ling and wwx being faaaaaamily

<blockquote>“If you’re going to get married,” Jiang Cheng ground out, “then you’re going to damn well get married at Lotus Pier.” Wei Wuxian blinked once. Again. Then: “what?” 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.</blockquote>

<blockquote>“Just do what you can, Senior Wei!” Sizhui whispers. “We’ll be right here!” “Yeah!” Jingyi says. “And just remember: it’s going to be a disaster either way, so it’s not like there’s much you can do about it!” (Or: Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng plan a discussion conference together. It goes about as well as Wei Wuxian expects.)</blockquote>

<blockquote>This was a bit strange to write; I wrote In for a Penny more than ten years ago. In fact, Fl-ASH-fiction Wednesday was to celebrate its 10-year publication anniversary! I remember when I wanted to touch up the paint on my old car, I looked up the color in my documentation and bought the exactly correct shade from the dealership. But when I put it on, it didn't match at all! Then I realized--the paint on the car isn't the same color it was when it was new! It's been out in the world all this time, metamorphosing. This was a bit like that. I've been growing up all this time, and Nev and Penny and their friends haven't, so nothing I write about them now will quite match. In some ways, this story is maybe a self-indulgent exercise in letting them grow up too, just a little. But I did find it deeply satisfying to write. As Penny learned, there's nothing wrong with indulging yourself now and then! Hopefully I'm indulging you, too. </blockquote> ➤ a short story set after In For A Penny. Honestly it's been enough time since I read the book that I don't recall all the deeply personal emotional underpinnings behind the stuff going on in this story but it really worked for me nonetheless, I love the way this story is like...an exploration of how to do the work of building up positive relationships despite complexities

<blockquote>Kareen protects her children.</blockquote> ➤ the one where Gregor and Ivan are secretly twins, raised separately. ➤ Series consists of: The Emperor's Brother The Spare's Mother Secret Twin Not!Fic

<blockquote>Genly and Estraven have long talks on the way to Osborth.</blockquote> ➤ (on the meaning of fatherhood)

<blockquote>In the wake of the events of Dr. Christian’s Office, thirteen-year-old Nikki Malone has dodged reform school, found a place to call home, and turned over a new leaf. But some habits are hard to break, even in squeaky-clean River’s End. Five times Nikki told a lie (and one time he told the truth without knowing it).</blockquote> ➤ don't need to know canon

<blockquote>“Your father wishes to see you, Jingyan,” murmurs Consort Jing at the end of Jingyan’s visit. Jingyan freezes.</blockquote>

<blockquote>We first noticed something was off one April afternoon when Jessica and I came home from school and Mom had lopped her hair off. Though we probably should’ve known something was going on a week or two before that when Cecilia Ivers’ mom started baking cakes full of Tabasco sauce and pickles (bizarre but good). But anyway, we walked in the front door, and Mom came out of the living room to greet us. Her hair looked cool, and cool was just about the last word I ever would’ve used to describe her. It looked weird, and that was cool. Jessica let out a whistle of startled appreciation. She wanted to cut her hair short and dye it purple, but she knew our dad would freak. </blockquote>

<blockquote>They say that done properly, parenting is a heroic act. (Or: Jefferson finds out. It doesn't go well, until it does.)</blockquote>

<blockquote>To spend a season in a place is not enough to turn it into a home. Some seasons last longer than others, but do not be deceived. Remember that, daughter-mine, when you level the lintels of whatever house you build someday, when you set a boat with sails or lay soft furs in the bottom of a deep dugout. You were still a secret moon riding high in my belly when we came to Ksmal. The People of the Butterfly had lived in the valleygreen a hundred years before the war drove us out and into Ksmala arms, but a hundred years was not enough to make that place ours. Before that, our greatmothers and greatfathers sailed the broad seas for many years, when the land they once loved sank beneath the waves. Ksmal is not my home either, and it is not yours.</blockquote>

<blockquote>His father in white plays the song late into the night, and when A-Yuan wakes up confused and afraid, the guqin lulls him back to sleep. Lan Sizhui hears his father play the same song every night for his whole life, and never, ever get an answer.</blockquote> ➤ this is incredible, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did but I really did!

<blockquote>Lando and Jannah have a good meal, at the end of a good day.</blockquote> ➤ found familyyyyyyy!