#please let this make sense. so tired | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kanonavi · 4 months

Text

2023 XVX Fic Recs!

Hi, all, I hope you're having a lovely holiday season! Around the beginning of this year, just for fun, I decided that I would record all of the fanfics that I read this year, and during the summer I had the idea to take some of the best fics I read in 2023 and compile them at the end of the year into a rec list. Since xiaoven was the ship I read the most fics for, I've decided to just do a rec list for them this year, but maybe in the future I'll branch out more!

As with any rec list, please take note of the ratings and the tags for any given fic! Just because something suited my taste doesn't necessarily mean it will suit yours, please take care of yourselves. Now, here are 10* fics that I read this year and think that other xiaoven fans should read too! (Also uh. Sorry for how much I'm about to talk in the reviews lol)

*Keep an eye out for a few bonuses that I've peppered in ;)

We Creatures of Fate, by Wackachu

[Ongoing, Teen, 57.9k, 7/?]

Xiao is a weapon forged from red, carved from the hearts of weeping souls and etched into the memories of grieving mothers. While free under the care of a new God, he finds salvation, yet feels as trapped as the day the chains first clamped down onto his wrists. Venti is a God, one born from the wishes of others as opposed to his own. After losing his loved ones, he can't help but feel lost, high on a throne all alone, built upon all things he despised. The two find each other by chance, yet the rest can only be described as fate. ---------- A telling of Xiao and Venti's story with a hefty load of lore

If there is any fic on this list that should be read, it’s this one. I am an absolute sucker for speculative lore when it comes to Genshin, and the picture that the author has assembled of Archon War-era Liyue is absolutely masterful. Within the threads of that beautiful tapestry, they’ve also been interweaving Xiao and Venti’s developing relationship all the way from when they were a newly-freed Adeptus and young Archon respectively. They have a long journey ahead of them (the burn is slow, folks), and I think that said journey is an absolute must-read.

Extra Recs: Wackachu has also written two other xiaoven one-shots, which I highly recommend for more bite-size pieces of their excellent taste!

the holy light of your single lantern, by boxofcrows (@miralia)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 6/6]

“Long divided by river and sea, For years we two have failed to meet – And suddenly to find you seems like a dream.” Thousands of years of silence, broken by a single visit.

This fic wrapped up recently, so it’s a great time to go and show it some love! One of my biggest sorrows is that xiaoven is rather lacking in really good canon universe fics compared to other Genshin ships, but this fic managed to fill that hole in my heart. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the way that Xiao and Venti’s conflicting natures and ideals can cause friction between them, all while maintaining the undeniable magnetism that they feel towards each other.

Relax In My Arms, by alphaparrot (@aparrotandaqrow)

[Queerplatonic XiaoVen, General Audiences, 5.9k, One-Shot]

As Lantern Rite arrives, Xiao is found exhausted and spent by Qiqi of Bubu Pharmacy, who brings him back to Liyue. Upon awaking, Xiao quickly makes his exit and returns to Wangshu Inn, where Venti is waiting for him on the balcony. Xiao isn't in the mood to party, but maybe a chill hang-out would help him relax. Venti knows just the thing to help Xiao relax and recuperate, and as they both get comfortable, they begin to reflect....

Author's Original Promo Post!

Queerplatonic xiaoven was a flavor of their relationship that I hadn’t tried before this fic, but it really sold me on it. What I’ve always loved about xiaoven so much is the inherent intimacy that can be achieved between them once all of the emotional barriers between them have been stripped away, and I think that those ideas are explored very beautifully here. Xiao and Venti trust and love each other so deeply here, and it shows in every word and touch that they exchange, and I think that it’s a must-read for anyone whose brain chemistry was altered by the ‘Endless Suffering’ trailer (so basically, every xiaoven fan ever lol)

i can not save us (but you can), by anemowisp (@sillygirl19)

[Teen, 19.4k, One-Shot]

two boys figure out what the hell they're doing

In the midst of one of the most turbulent times in my life, one particular line in this fic really hit me where it hurt, and it’s one of the few times that I’ve actually cried reading a fic. In my xiaoven-enjoying friend groups, we sometimes call Xiao and Venti old men with teenager problems, which means they don't always work when turned into actual teenagers/young adults with those problems, but I think this fic pulls it off really well.

what queer sins stain thy soul, by Anonymous (@sincerelyandyourstruly)

[Mature, 3.2k, One-Shot]

In which Xiao, long-established asexual, learns that identity is not as stable as he’d like to believe.

As an ace person myself, I feel it’s so rare to find a really good asexual character study where the asexuality is actually one of the central focuses of the intimacy taking place (if anyone has any recs of that variety please hit me up!), but I think that this fic pulled that off really well. It also delves into that particular vibe of when one’s identity might be shifting, which can be a really scary thing, but Xiao in this fic is lucky enough to have someone he loves and trusts to support him as he explores his new desires, which was really comforting to read about.

Where Words Fail, by kavvueh (@kavvueh)

[Complete, Teen, 34k, 12/12]

Author's Original Promo Post!

"You're Barbatos," Xiao repeats breathlessly. The young man in front of him nods. "Yep." "But..." Xiao cuts himself off and tries again. "You're the God of songs and poetry." The Anemo Archon nods his head sagely. "More or less." Xiao fixes Lord Barbatos with the most incredulous look he can manage. "... You're failing Music Theory."

As someone who was also suffering through music theory alongside Venti as this fic was publishing, all of the attention to detail in the musical aspects of this fic absolutely tickled me. But all of that was merely a foundation for a lovely story about a pair of souls finding their partner in a new life. The musical connection that xiaoven have is one of the essential tenets of the ship, and this fic did a beautiful job of using that idea to its fullest potential.

Extra Rec: kavvueh has recently started publishing a new xiaoven fic with a similar setting, so if you enjoy these kinds of fluffy modern aus, give that one some love as well!

The Stars in Teyvat are a Lie, and So Is the Sky, by yueyunn

[Complete, Teen, 148.2k, 13/13]

There were several issues that Xiao immediately took with Ningguang’s proposition for him to produce for Barbatos: his other artists had upcoming comebacks and year-end stages that required his attention, he was overworked enough as it were already, and Ningguang was not exactly someone he was looking to do any favors for. While her persistence to overlook all this was one matter, nothing aggravated him more than Ningguang completely ignoring the obstinate fact that he. doesn’t. work. with. idols.

Perhaps I was a bit like Xiao in this fic at the beginning of this year, because I approached the two idol/celebrity aus on my to-read list with open skepticism, and then ended up absolutely adoring them both. What I loved about this fic the most was how much care was put into actually translating the character’s canon backstories into the modern idol au setting. The author clearly has so much love for the characters, and it really shows through in the way that everyone has their chance to shine, even the side characters. This fic also updated recently with 15k words of extras, so it’s a great time to visit or revisit it!

Extra Rec: gold rush, by underthethousandstars was the other idol/celebrity au I read this year and really enjoyed, so if those aus are up your alley, I highly recommend it!

low-key (no pressure!), by windrise (Twitter - @/wyndrise)

[Ongoing, Teen, 75.7k, 11/?]

Following his friend’s questionable suggestion, Venti partners with Xiao—the resident grouch of his early morning stats class—for his music project.

If you want to sit down with a fic that will give you the warm fuzzies, this is definitely the one to pick. As alluded to previously, I don’t really go for modern aus as much, but this fic absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. I was getting the ‘squee’s as I read about Xiao and Venti growing closer over the course of working on Venti’s project, as the author has an excellent grasp of the deep inner kindness that the two of them hold, and how that kindness would naturally draw them together.

bouquet of lies, by underthethousandstars (Twitter - @/zhongliorder)

[Complete, Mature, 85.9k, 12/12]

In a world where humans can use elemental magic, Xiao uses his to move through the shadows becoming Liyue’s phantom killer. Known to the public as Alatus, he is their most notorious assassin. One day Xiao secures his biggest job yet: kill the Crown Prince of Mondstadt, Venti. Harbouring no love towards any royal family Xiao pulls off his mission with success. Or so he thought.

This fic falls solidly on the darker end of xiaoven stories (the ‘Dark Fantasy’ tag is there for a reason!), so if you happen to like your ships with an enemies to lovers flare, this is definitely one to check out. This is one of those stories that really managed to pull me into the world of assassins and political intrigue that the author has crafted, and on top of that it puts a fun spin on exploring Xiao and Venti’s individual guilt and the way that it affects them as people. The first fic in the series is finished, but the second installment is currently in progress, so I highly recommend checking that one out as well!

every morning in the dark, by magicites (Twitter - @/bribird_wings)

[Complete, Mature, 77.1k, 34/34]

Stuck in a time loop where he succumbs to his karmic debt, Xiao struggles to see the point in moving forward. Venti struggles to save him.

While by far the heaviest of any of the fics I’ve recommended so far (mind the warnings and the tags!!), if you can stomach the subject matter, this is one of those fics that I would refer to as XiaoVen Essential Reading. The author has a pitch-perfect grasp of what makes xiaoven, qualities which are pushed to their limits as the two of them struggle to break free of the loop that they’re trapped in. I took severe emotional damage while reading it, but my only regret was that I hadn’t read it sooner. It’s definitely A Lot, but it’s so, so worth it for anyone who really enjoys this pairing.

And with that, we reach the end of the list! If you've made it this far, thank you so much, and I hope I've given you some fics to add to your to-read list for the coming year! I tried to incorporate some newer fics with some classics, so hopefully there's something here you haven't heard from before.

With that said, I'll hopefully be back next year with some more xiaoven or other Genshin fic recs! <3

#genshin impact #xiaoven #venti #xiao #venti genshin impact #xiao genshin impact #fic recs #fic rec list #hey listen!#Maybe I should make my own rec tag so I stop losing fics I reblog but uhhhh tired :)#I technically cheated with bouquet of lies because I only read the sequel this year #But I feel like it made more sense to rec the first fic in the series instead of the second #Also if anyone I tagged in this doesn't want to be please just let me know and I'll remove you #I don't want to offend anyone's privacy

31 notes · View notes

alexvacice · 8 months

Text

having 1 am merlin thoughts while reading fanfic and ughhhh

I was thinking about Arthur's bane and how someone on here mentioned that it would make more sense for it to be Merlin, not Arthur himself and all the angst possibilities that could come from that. If it really played out I imagine they'd say Emrys was Arthur's bane, so the writers would have to have him figure out that Emrys is Merlin, basically a magic reveal, at basically the start of season 5. They could have a falling out, where Gwen would have the opportunity to be a person and not just wife(tm), yknow help Merlin out, reason with Arthur and whatnot. Then they'd band together again and we'd have time for a Merthur adventure with magic revealed and the ending could still play out the same (I will not be taking any fixings for that, I love how it ended, you can't change the most important part of the legends).

I know Emrys is already Morgana's bane but honestly if you changed it to Arthur not much would change storywise, she'd just have a better reason for turning on Arthur.

And I have a fix for Mordred's arc as well. Instead of Kara, who's addition really bring the emotional impact the writers were going for, we'd built it on a misunderstanding. Merlin can't be with Arthur for a few days because he's helping Gaius gather rare herbs (wowee love that excuse) so Arthur's standing on his own. Some random guy, who's staying with the druids, tries to assassinate Arthur. He takes it surprisingly well and tries to visit the druid camp to discuss it (cause he's being a proper progressive king, can you tell I am not a writer?) but he brings a legion of knights with him just in case. Shit goes nut nut, because druids think they're under attack. Some of them have survived Arthur's last raid and they're terrified of him now so they immediately go into defense. Arthur fights back and because he's a killing machine it quickly truns into an actual raid unintentionally which destroys the entire camp. Mordred, back in Camelot hears about this, and thinks to himself that Arthur isn't reformed at all, that he will still kill innocent people only for having magic, so he realises Morgana was right and goes to her. It's a mmmmm yummy scrummy cycle of terrible decisions and inascapable horrible events, just how I like all my shows.

#I'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense #I'm just tired of thinking these thoughts and not letting the world see them or have a record of them for that matter #Please somebody agree with me #And feel free to add on to this #I haven't seen season 5 in ages so I'm likely missing stuff I'd love to improve #And I give permission to anybody willing to write this as a fanfic that's basically 12 episode scripts just like this #merlin #merthur #merlin bbc #arthur pendragon #the adventures of merlin #late night thoughts #I need to discuss this with someone #I'd do anything for Gwen to get a nice character arc #Or I'd even prefer no arc if it means we didn't get a shit one #Love my one note queen

15 notes · View notes

zevarcollan · 9 months

Text

I'm reading about the "Heroine's journey" as opposed to the hero's journey

Can't believe a woman came up with this shit. why is it that when the protagonist is a woman, suddenly the plot must revolve around her gender?

#make it make sense #I'm so tired of gender centered books please let me live #enby #women written by men #writing

9 notes · View notes

the-casbah-way · 2 months

Text

places my hands either side of your face and holds you there fucking listen to me. maybe you're just fifteen. maybe the world's not ending. maybe you are just fifteen

#PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD #your feelings are valid being a teenager fucking sucks but GOD #do not give up you are JUST FUCKING FIFTEEN THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE #i know it's not fair i know it sucks i KNOW it feels completely fucking endless but IT'S NOT #this is NOTHING. not even a drop in the ocean that will be your life #do not contemplate suicide over a school exam #do not torture yourself over the opinions of people who are only in your life because you happen to be stuck in the same class together #do not hate yourself or hurt yourself just because stuff doesn't make sense yet and you're tired of waiting for it to #just be fifteen and if you have to let it suck then let it suck but just be fifteen so that you can come out the other side of it #as a great man once said. the years start coming and they don't stop coming #the world is so much wider than high school #everything keeps on keeping on and so do you #THIS TOO WILL END.

4 notes · View notes

bidaryl · 8 months

Text

the thing about twd fic dying off around s6/s7 is that plot lines and characters beyond that are barely incorporated and included so now we're forever stuck reading about fucking negan being the biggest baddest killer to ever walk the earth and the whisperers and reapers and governors are left in the dust. for once i just wanna read about negan being the Alexandria Outcast: Hated By Most, Needed By Some, and let alpha or the fucking commonwealth be the monster at the end of the story. please

#like don't get me wrong he truly was that bitch for a hot season or two there but please.#im too tired to word any of this right i just think that having negan as the only villain in fics is boring #and i would instead like to read about #the trials and tribulations of him trying to co-raise a child with a guy that thinks showering is Optional #and would also like to go into the whole negan and judith being friends and daryl raising judith and daryl and negan #having grief with each other over shit that genuinely fucking matters and is impossible to sweep under the rug but also the fact that theyre #both trying so fucking hard to do right by the kids #that doesnt make sense. Whatever #IN THE HOT TIME TRAVEL FIX IT AU that lives in my head #where everything from the start til the finale happens #with some extra bits and pieces too #where everyone that survived til the end wakes up at the start again and Remembers #but everyone thats dead forgets #negan rocks up at the prison gates with actual lucille by his side #laura and franklin behind him #knocks on the gate all little pig little pig let me in. cos he thinks hes funny. and its a prison #and daryl. whos on watch. is like. No. Fuck this guy. Fuck no #and maggie's like. Absolutely not. Fuck no x2 #and negans like. I had a choice. And I Made it. and now I'm here.#i told you what i'd do if i could do it all over again. turns out; i can't.#if you wont take me i get it. But you gotta accept lucille. brought her all the way here cos i knew if she fucking stood a chance;#it'd be with you lot.#OKAY WELL shit it more complex than that but this is tumblr tags and also im tired. but u get the jist #anyway. fic where negans with team family from earlier on the road and then they all have to sort out their Feelings and shit

6 notes · View notes

lgbtlunaverse · 7 months

Text

Permanent exclude settings and "primary vs secondary ship" tag systems sound really good but the feature I REALLY want ao3 to implement is to be able to change the order of my tags. Please, OTW, I dont want to discover a typo in one of my custom tags and have to retype 70% of the entire tag list again in order to replace it.

#ao3 #archive of our own #tagging is a form of storytelling too and the order MATTERS #i want the order readers are gonna see these tags in to make sense please archive just let me fix it #i think i redo my tag list at least 3 times for ever single one of my fics #and i am so tired

6 notes · View notes

wow-its-me · 9 months

Text

I WAS TEAM CASEY AND APRIL

Then I realized she was too good for him and they broke up and she moved on to better things and stressful jobs and protecting her friends and family or whatever.

And her got worse before he got better but now he’s making an effort to protect the people he loves and the people of nyc even if it’s through some,,,, eh,,, means.

AND THEN I WAS TEAM CASEY AND JENNY

But then I realized that she’s too good for him. She was really experiencing life for the first time and going through a whole coming of age figuring out who she really is thing, which was expanded on through her mutation and loosing a large side of herself, now that she’s a mutant Casey can’t be there for her in all the ways he was before, she needs to continue to learn who she is away from Casey, and away from the foot.

Casey needs to continue to work on himself before he can have a steady relationship. His connection to his father and his connection to the EPF, the purple dragons, the foot, the Hamato clan, and the ways and means he uses to try and protect his city. Similar to Jenny he needs to be solid in his his own identity, beliefs, and morals. Where does he truly stand in the war? Where do his followers and friends? He can’t be there for Jenny the way he was before her Mutation, but is that really his fault? And more important, does he believe that it’s his fault? She thought it was hers, what would he say to that? Can he mend their relationship? Should he try?

Doesn’t she deserve someone close to rely on while going through such a big life change? Is he mentally able to be that for her? Is that his fault? What about the way he goes about it?

Is she better off doing this herself?

With only the only help being from her former mentors estranged sons (who some of which consider her a sister, while others consider her barley a friend)

…………

Do the Mutanimals have an opening

#I’m so freaking tired and literally just rambling #I’m on issue 98 no spoilers please #I heard Jenny gets a girlfriend eventually though #let’s just hope that things do t end terrible with Casey #tmnt idw spoilers #idw spoilers #tmnt #TMNT idw #idw Casey #idw jennika #Jennika #this post actually doesn’t mean anything #I’m just saying words and hoping they make sense #goodnight

5 notes · View notes

shywhumpauthor · 10 months

Note

Does Declan ever become a carewhumper? Or is he pretty much a whumper only

Hmmm good question. Guess it depends on your definition of “carewhumper”.

Agh I can’t typeee. Usually the words just appear when I’m talking about Noah but rn I’m so tiredddd and I actually have to thinkkkk

After the flip, Noah has nothing left to stand for, Declan’s gonna make sure he knows it. Torture torture pain humiliation blah blah until there’s nothing left in Noah for him to resist. Until he just kinda gives up.

Then Declan’s gonna become a *tiny* bit nicer, maybe a bit more over time. Not really a caretaker, just less of a Whumper as he like slowly reintroduces Noah to work, just this time he’s gonna be fully loyal. He’s still going to like hurt and threaten Noah if he screws up, but that’s just so he learns.

I hate the way that’s worded so much but I do not have the energy to rewrite it.

There also might—might—be a few instances where Noah gets hurt too much by someone who’s not him and Declan will deny it until his last breath but he is actually a little protective of Noah. Mainly he doesn’t want other people hurting him cause “they won’t do it right” (sure, buddy)

That doesn’t really answer your question though. I don’t think he’ll ever come close to being a caretaker. If Noah needs any sort of medical attention, they have doctors for a reason. There will be times where he’s gentle, like after the branding when he helps Noah drink some water and lets him be on the couch, but I wouldn’t go as far to classify that as carewhumper.

Edit: I have been thinking a bit about this and I kinda do want to give Noah somewhat of a caretaker. Maybe a nicer guard or an infirmary worker who he gets a bit close with after Declan almost kills him (again). Someone to make things just a tiny bit easier, give him enough hope not to completely give up. Cause with the plot I have planned now, he’s gonna need something to keep him going. Poor Noah’s got it rough

#I should write an actual carewhumper piece #where Noah gets so fed up with everything he just breaks down #and declan decides by some random stroke of compassion that he’s not going to manipulate that #maybe #I need to finish yesterdays twow #but I’m tired and still in bed so later #but noahhhhh #he needs to be hurt #edit: still trying to think through his rescue #if anyone’s willing to help talk things out with me (read: if anyone’s willing to let me into their messages so I can spam write #as I try to work this out and be there to just like. give input on things that don’t make sense)#please reach out??#surveillance series #Surveillance asks #tag for noah

4 notes · View notes