June recs

Top five recs above the cut, with lots more Word of Honor after, plus one rec each for The Untamed, Nirvana in Fire, and The Old Guard.

A Good Bargain by Neery (Word of Honor, Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu)

The Window of Heaven captures the Ghost Valley's master. Zhou Zishu is put in charge of interrogating him.

But Wen Kexing has a plan of his own…

Full disclosure, I finished the series and then immediately beta’d this for @this-is-neery, and it was an absolutely amazing experience, A+++ would read five more times again! Both of them are trapped in their roles and meeting in the worst way, yet there’s still that bright spark of connection and understanding, and a hopeful ending.

you're the trouble that i always find by sundiscus (WOH, Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu)

“Do you know him?” Jin Wang asks.

The ringing in Zhou Zishu's ears gets louder. “No, Wangye,” he says.

At Zhou Zishu’s voice, the prisoner freezes.

Or: Jin Wang tries another way to get Zhou Zishu back.

Yesssss, magical dreamsharing with serious feels. (Or more precisely, how to fall in love with your zhiji all over again while killing him repeatedly in your involuntarily drugged dreams.)

A More Dangerous Unknown by ivyspinners (WOH, Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu)

Zhou Zishu hid on rooftops like someone with a great deal of practice. Wen Kexing sympathized. He also had experience in this, for what were probably equally murderous reasons.

Four things that are best done on rooftops, with beautiful company. (And one that isn't.)

Lush and sharply perceptive series of moments set during the early part of their courtship.

替我踏遍天涯; walk the edge of the sky for me by yiqie (WOH, Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu)

“We’re going home,” Zhou Zishu huffs when he pulls Wen Kexing’s arms over his shoulders, then hitches his legs around his waist. He hops in place to get a good grip under the bends of his knees, then makes sure his robe is covering as much of Wen Kexing as it can. “If you die before we get there, the first thing Shixiong will do when we see each other on Naihe Bridge is hit you.”

Gorgeous post-canon story.

Oh No!!! by findmeinthealps (Nirvana in Fire, fanvid, gen)

Old man trouble back again / Fuckin’ up my plans, like oh no, oh no
I’m back to the black again / Gettin' fucked up again, oh no, oh no

Fantastic Prince Yu character study vid, featuring Mei Changsu fucking up his plans repeatedly. I just really admire how this vid takes on his perspective on the events of canon, and that way he’s allllmost sympathetic, except in all the ways he’s a terrible person. Great editing.
 

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