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Summary: After learning that his roommate and BFF Wei Wuxian is gay, Lan Wangji vows to be a supportive ally. Then one day, Wei Wuxian brings home another man. [Inspired by that one AITA subreddit story.] Kay's comments: AH! This story really is the epitome of one of my favourite tropes: oblivious Lan Wangji! It's so well-written and I love the misunderstandings so much and Lan Wangji's unintentional dickishness, because he doesn't realize that he's crushing hard on Wei Wuxian. He gets sooo jealous of Wen Ning, it's such a joy to read. Excerpt: The first thing he sees is, thankfully, Wei Wuxian. He’s lying on the couch, flat on his stomach and moaning while another man massages his back. Lan Wangji doesn’t breathe. “Mn, Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian stirs, head turning slightly in the direction of the door, his eyes remaining closed. “That you?” Lan Wangji doesn’t answer. The other man—the one who is seated on top of Wei Wuxian, straddling his hips—withers under Lan Wangji’s glare, but he doesn’t stop massaging. “Oh, sorry.” Wei Wuxian laughs breezily. “This is, ah—Wen Qionglin. Wen Ning, this is Lan Wangji.” Wen Qionglin ducks his head. “P-pleased to meet you.” Lan Wangji refuses to look at him. “What are you doing?” he grits out, teeth clenched. “Night hunt,” Wei Wuxian grunts. “Threw out my back. Ugh, yeah, Wen Ning, right there . . .” Wen Qionglin digs his thumbs deeply into Wei Wuxian’s lower back, while Wei Wuxian makes some more lewd noises. Lan Wangji has the sudden impulse to grab them and throw them both off the couch. Instead he stomps off to his room, tosses his duffle bag on the bed and starts to unpack. Aggressively. Is this why Wei Wuxian didn’t text Lan Wangji, because he was busy fooling around with Wen Qionglin?

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Summary: Wei Ying thinks back on the last month, collecting all the clues that, really, should have tipped him off far sooner than he allowed them to that he was married to Lan Zhan. He has no one to blame but himself, but also? Maybe he's not so mad. Kay's comments: Oblivious Wei Ying but in the cutest way possible and honestly, Lan Zhan was being a little sneaky in this one. When the two decide to move in together, they get married for a rent discount, only Wei Ying doesn't realize the roommate agreement Lan Zhan made him sign was actually a marriage certificate. Cue: him slowly connecting the dots. A very amusing story and a podfic is available as well. Excerpt: When Wei Ying thinks back on this moment, this is when he should have been paying attention and listening instead of being so immersed in his own thoughts. He only picks up pieces of what Lan Zhan is saying: “…Assume the financial responsibility … open a joint bank account … grow savings and portfolio…” Wei Ying tunes back in, stitching the words together with the image of Lan Zhan presenting a document to him. “Oh,” he says, grabbing the document. But his thoughts are still jumbled and his eyes aren’t focusing. “Like a roommate agreement.” “…Something of that nature, I suppose.” Lan Zhan says it almost like a joke. At least in the way that Lan Zhan tells jokes; the way that makes Wei Ying smile and laugh every time because fuck you, Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan is hilarious. Lan Zhan continues, "If we provide proof, we receive a small discount on our rent." “Say less. Got a pen?”

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Summary: The bundle trembled, and it took some time for her to find a face among the fabric. It was a child, shivering, and occasionally coughing harsher than the thunders of the raging storm that put the little boy in such a position. He looks miserable. He looks alive. He looks familiar. Kay's comments: Despite the warnings and the tags and the major character death, this story was incredibly soft and I enjoyed it a lot. Like it destroyed me, but it was like being crushed to death in a comforting hug. We have some good Jiang parents caring for a chronically (and terminally) sick Wei Ying, who meets Lan Zhan as a child in the hospital. Their steady love for each other was so beautiful and if you want to nope out and pretend that Wei Ying got magically cured, you can stop reading after the first chapter. If you're up for maximum sadness, check out the second chapter too and don't worry! Wei Ying doesn't die young. Excerpt: It rings four times before Lan Zhan’s sleepy voice comes through, “Wei Ying?” he says. “Is it morning yet? Did I miss my class? Can I pick you up already?” Wei Ying almost laughs. “No, no, and no again,” he shakes his head even if Lan Zhan can’t see it. “Sorry I woke you up, I just have a really important question.” “What is it?” “I had an idea that I think is good, but you have to be on board for it to work out.” “Okay.” “Lan Zhan, I didn’t even say what it is yet!” “Tell me, then.” “Okay, okay,” Wei Ying bites his lip, takes a deep breath before he says, “Lan Zhan, will you marry me?”

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Summary: “Lan Luan-daifu says it looks like you’ve been undereating for months.” "I eat!” Wei Wuxian protests. “You watch me eat, Lan Zhan!” Why is he protesting? He knows exactly what he’s been fucking up, and Lan Zhan almost certainly has the shape of it if not the details. The words stick in his throat, fishbones to choke on, and he drinks more soup in a sullen attempt at washing them away. “Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan says, setting a hand on his too-wiry thigh. There’s a whole sentence in the name now, layers of meaning, and he says some of it out loud with, “What’s wrong?” The fight goes out of Wei Wuxian. It’s finally easy to surrender: Lan Zhan knows. It’s humiliating, but he knows. “Ah, Lan Zhan,” he says quietly. “It’s… complicated.” Lan Zhan nods, his hand petting over Wei Wuxian’s leg in comforting arcs. “Then we can work together to fix it,” he says earnestly. “Tell me?” Or: Recovery is complicated. Kay's comments: I have a soft spot for Wei Wuxian suffering from an eating disorder due to his many experiences with starvation. I really loved this story about him recovering post-canon and all the Lans caring so much for him. Even Lan Qiren shows up to show his concern at one point! Really loved and supportive and steady Lan Wangji is and it was just all-around such a soft story. There's also fanart and a podfic available! Excerpt: After three solid (ha!) weeks of the Liquid Supplementation Plan, Lan Zhan introduces what is either the next phase of Lan-daifu’s agenda or his own inability not to spoil Wei Wuxian at every opportunity: two bowls alongside the day’s allotment of bottles, one with dried fruit, the other with spicy mixed nuts. “You are not required to eat them,” he says in his low, serious voice, eyes downcast to hide his nervousness, “I simply recalled that you used to eat peanuts while drinking. I thought it might be...” Lan Zhan pauses to consider his words. “Low-effort.” He looks so awkward about it, so concerned about overstepping, so sweetly worried that there’s absolutely nothing Wei Wuxian can do in response except climb into his lap and kiss him until his ears and his mouth are the same shocked petal-pink. “They look delicious,” Wei Wuxian tells him. “Let’s see how it goes?” “Mn,” Lan Zhan says, a little glassy eyed, and Wei Wuxian kisses him again.

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Summary: When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian return to spend the first winter after their marriage in the Cloud Recesses, Wangji is forced to grapple with his uncle's resistance to accepting his new husband fully into the clan. At the heart of this conflict is Lan Qiren's rule forbidding talking to Wei Wuxian. How can Wangji make the Cloud Recesses a more welcoming place for his husband when what he fights now is his uncle's stubbornness? Kay's comments: As much as I love the ending of the novel with Wangxian having their happy ending, I always struggle a bit with picturing them living their best lives in Gusu, especially with Lan Qiren still around and Lan Xichen being in seclusion for some time. This story takes a good look at the "Talking to Wei Wuxian is Forbidden" rule of the Gusu Lan Sect and Lan Qiren's relationship with both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. He improving, but it's an uphill battle. Luckily, Lan Xichen is supportive. Really love this story, it feels true to the characters and optimistic in a realistic way. Excerpt: Stunned, Wangji could only stare at his uncle for a long moment. He had thought his uncle was resigned to Wei Ying's presence, especially after everything that was revealed during Jin Guangyao's downfall. He had not realized Lan Qiren was still angry at Wei Ying. A wave of reciprocal anger washed through Wangji, and he clenched his hands briefly on his thighs before he abruptly stood. "Then I will not trouble Shufu further," he said, hearing the tightness in his own voice. He bowed, as shortly as he could make himself, before he turned on his heel and left, feeling his uncle's stare against his back. He did not break the rule about running in the Cloud Recesses, but his stride was swift and his demeanor hard enough to cause more than one disciple to duck out of his way. His hands kept clenching until he forced his fingers loose and open. Out of habit, his feet turned towards the rabbit meadow. Before he took more than a few steps, though, he recalled that he had another option to help him let go of his anger. By the time he reached the Jingshi, his temper dissipated a little. He stopped in front of the door, taking several deep breaths to calm down further. He did not want to bring anger into the home he shared with Wei Ying.

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Summary: Lan Zhan is given a pen pal in school. For ten years, they write to one another, sharing their lives but never seeing each others' faces until, one day, Wei Ying comes home. Kay's comments: Really loved this idea of Wangxian being pen pals and Wei Wuxian traveling across the world as a diplomat's son. Very sweet and soft story, no angst at all. Excerpt: 'Wei Ying?' he said, the sound of his name coming out a little strange and he cursed that all the poise he had hoped to greet his friend with chose that moment to flee him at the sight of a face far more handsome than he had ever dared imagine it. 'It's me,' said Wei Ying, 'And you're you and I'm finally getting to meet you. Lan Zhan, can I hug you? I've wanted to hug you for years.' Lan Zhan didn't get a chance to answer as strong, warm arms came around him, hugging him tightly. Their friendship had been nothing but words, pages and pages of stories and feelings, but, in that moment, no words were needed. Lan Zhan didn't care how many people looked on as he stood embracing his friend, if anyone thought it strange just how long they stood still and silent, breathing in the reality of one another. All he cared about was that Wei Ying was real, solid and warm in his arms, years of ink made into a man who was everything Lan Zhan hoped he would be.

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Summary: There was a room in the Cloud Recesses. They called it the quiet room. They said it was meant for healing, a safe space where you could be untroubled by the world, but Nie Mingjue suspected it had actually been designed as a torture chamber and that the Lan sect, having exposed their children to it from an early age, had simply become inured to its evils. Kay's comments: I don't even go here, but this 3Zun story is just amazing. Had me hooked from the beginning to the end. The relationship between Nie Mingjue & Lan Xichen & Jin Guangyao in this story is so messed up and to see Lan Wangji unravel is slowly after he saved Nie Mingjue from the so-called Quiet Room, where he nearly qi-deviated to death after being left there by Lan Xichen for healing - Just wow. I loved the relationship between Nie Mingjue and Lan Wangji as well and of course, theres background Wangxian and Lan Wangji taking care not only of Lan Sizhui, but of Lan Jingyi as well. I tagged this as 3Zun, but the romantic relationships are Nielan and Xiyao and if you're a big fan of Lan Xichen having done no wrong, this story is not for you. Excerpt: He could hear Wen Ruohan laughing at him (Jin Guangyao mocking him); he could hear the screams of the battlefield, the roar of the dead; he could even hear his father’s voice, which he hadn’t heard in so long – He could hear Baxia, stronger than he’d ever heard her before, and she was frantic, too. They are trying to break you, she screamed in his mind, don’t let them break you! and he remembered that she’d also been there when his father’s saber had snapped into a thousand pieces. He didn’t understand why his lover would do this to him. (Jin Guangyao had suggested it, he thought, and there was some hint of an answer just outside his grasp, just eluding him, and maybe if he could get out of the fucking quiet so that he could think he might be able to seize onto the answer, but he wasn’t, he was trapped, he was breaking -) The door opened. “Xichen,” Nie Mingjue mouthed from where he was kneeling on the floor, no longer able to move, praying that his lover had seen sense, had decided for the first time in years to trust him instead of Jin Guangyao – Lan Wangji, still covered in bandages, stared at him in horror.

Summary: She tried to shake away any sad thought, this was supposed to be a merry reunion, after all. A-Xian had always been someone very especial to her. A solace of gentleness and kindness within a house so filled of grudges and hatred. She knew it was the same to him. Blood didn’t tie them, but they were undoubtedly family. Jiang Yanli pays a visit to her A-Xian to catch up with him. Kay's comments: Short and absolutely heart-breaking. A story in which post-canon, Jiang Yanli is given the chance to say goodbye to her A-Xian. It made me really sad, but it was also cathartic. These two should have been given the chance to have a final conversation. Definitely bittersweet though. I'm not really sure why this story is tagged as Yu Ziyuan bashing, because she's mentioned in like one line. Excerpt: “Is that lotus root and pork ribs soup?”, he asked with a hopeful expression. This stopped every unwelcomed thought of hers. His expression reminded her of the one he bore as a child. When he looked at her with shining eyes which believed she could easily hang the moon and the stars. He still looked at her like that. A-Xian had grown up and changed so much. Even so, he was still her dear little brother. A-Xian would never stop being her beloved little brother. “It is. Now that we don’t see each other that frequently I thought you would miss it.” Something flickered in A-Xian’s eyes. He seemed to be troubled about something. Jiang Yanli could see the hesitation and the struggle he was having. In the end, he smiled and said, “Of course I do, shijie, I miss it so much I even tried to replicate it. But it’s very difficult without the recipe.” Jiang Yanli didn’t fail to catch the rueful tone with which he pronounced those words. She thought about commenting on them. Instead, she accepted the offer to enter his room and sat with him on his bed. She looked around, everything was as she remembered. She looked fondly at the image of a couple carved in the headboard.

Summary: Lan Zhan broke up with her on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in their favorite coffee shop. Wei Ying was still reeling from the impact when Madam Yu brought forward a marriage offer with someone she had never met before. She accepted. After all, marrying Lan Zhan was no longer an option. There was no way she would come to regret it.

Summary: Maybe it was a whim. Maybe it was some old impulse heavy with nostalgia. Maybe it was something else entirely. But Wei Wuxian couldn't help but tease Lan Zhan once again as he walked through the streets of Yumeng. Wei Wuxian was disappointed but not surprised when Lan Zhan refused to sit down and did not approve of his choice in company or cultivation even though the ghost ladies are quite lovely. He did not expect that Lan Zhan would actually drink the offered wine. Or that he would be such a terrible drunk!

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Summary: The world is too bleak and too loud and too lonely. Lan Zhan, exhausted, sinks away from it. (In which Lan Zhan isn’t coping quite as well as he thinks, which becomes all too clear when Wei Ying returns from the dead.) Kay's comments: This story was a Follower Rec previously and immediately caught my attention, because it sounded right up my alley and I was right. It's such a great story, so well written and so real and I love how it explores Lan Zhan's grief. It's a modern au, where Wei Ying is thought to be dead after a plane crash, but surprisingly, he survived, only Lan Zhan didn't really cope in the meantime. When Wei Ying returns, the two of them misunderstand each other terribly, because Wei Ying thinks that Lan Zhan doesn't want him around, while Lan Zhan struggles to re-adjust to having Wei Ying back so suddenly. First chapter is hurt, second chapter is comfort and all the time, Lan Huan is being the best supportive brother. Excerpt: What if Wei Ying asks— “Never mind,” Wei Ying says hastily to whatever expression has crossed Lan Zhan’s face. “Don’t listen to me, of course, you’d hate that kind of thing. Besides, it’s not like I won’t see you soon. Right?” “Right,” Lan Zhan says, slightly light-headed again. He’s alive . . . I’ll see him soon . . . But Wei Ying’s smile is pained, fingers twitching fretfully at his sides. Lan Zhan knows this look. It says I want to believe you. I want to, but I don’t. Lan Zhan steps closer. “Wei Ying,” he says, more firmly. “You are always welcome here.” Wei Ying’s smile relaxes, then. Widens. Beautiful. He is still so, so beautiful. “Ah, Lan Zhan,” he says, before leaving. “You’re too good. I missed you so much.”