Rec List: Guardian Fanworks

[mumblemumble]

When I was still fairly new to Guardian fandom (May 2021), I participated in #GuardianRecBingo over on Twitter, in which you filled a bingo card by recommending fanworks to go with the prompts. It was super fun, and a nice thing to do during the fannish honeymoon phase. :-D My fanwork consumption has considerably slowed down since then, although I'm hoping to get a little more reading done this December.

The following is a record of my tweets, listing 25 Guardian fanworks of various kinds.

First row

[Different First Kisses] This gif set of (almost) all the Weilan scenes that could have been, should have been kiss scenes. 😩

[Fixing Dixing] All the Colours of the World by china_shop, in which SW and ZYL open a school together! A gentle look at the implications of light coming back to Dixing and a lovely Everybody Lives solution.

[Soulmates] This beautiful poetry photo set. ❤️💔

[First Time] End Up Like This by achray, in which Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan need a little nudge before their first kiss happens. Also, just the promise of a subsequent ~first time~ at the end is super hot.

[Hurt!Shen Wei] Healing by sakana17, in which Zhao Yunlan (as Kunlun) has to remind baby Shen Wei that he MATTERS and he's NOT ALONE and he shouldn't be BLEEDING OUT. Goddammit. Also, first kiss. <3

Second row

[CSZ/GCC] This beautiful gif set of Chuguo being soft boyfriends in canon (well, and the cannibal thing).

[Superpowered Sex] I'm so greedy, I want to give you everything by glymr, which is Weilanzun and so tender and hot and somehow the only work with the "kinky use of dark energy" tag. 😔

[Hypothermia] Beseeching fires all night long by yantantether, in which Shen Wei is very cold (from kneeling in the rain) and Zhao Yunlan warms him up and I cry.

[Domesticity] This wonderful gif set! Let's ignore all context and pretend they're married! \o/

[Cultural Misunderstandings] Unburied by elenothar, which is more about really lovely h/c than any misunderstandings, but it STARTS WITH ways to bring Haixing and Dixing closer together. So I'll say it counts.

Third row

[Altered Mental States] Lay to Rest by elenothar, in which Zhao Yunlan has a very bad reaction to The Kneeling In The Rain (once he learns about it), and Shen Wei is very soft and healing about it. ❤️

[Weilan Fanart] NECK KISS. 😍 The hint of light shining on them is so pretty.

[PICK A KINK] *bangs on table* Wings! Wings!! Wings!!! Anyway, Shrouded by the Sky by shadaras, which ticks every single wingfic box of mine. 🪶

[Darkfic] A burglar's guide to the city by distressednoise, which is YZ-as-SW/ZYL and comes with warnings for lack of consent, but also includes my favorite what's-the-opposite-of-foreshadowing of all time.

[Identity Porn] Under the Hood by aurum, in which Zhao Yunlan is very into Hei Pao Shi's powers, but also doesn't let Shen Wei keep any of his nice defenses. A menace!

Fourth row

[Chaptered Fic] If Life Was A Movie We'd Have A Better Soundtrack Than This by galaxysoup, which beautifully translates canon into a universe where no magical powers exist. I felt for this Shen Wei SO MUCH.

["Kunlun"] Interpreting the prompt somewhat liberally: This beautiful fanart of drama!Shen Wei as the Little Ghost King having Kunlun feelings.

[Humor] sugar sugar top by aurum, in which Zhao Yunlan does not possess a single ounce of shame and workplace conduct seminars don't seem to be a thing in Dragon City.

[Weddings] tailored to fit by phylocalist, which is technically about a wedding, but mostly about so much! mutual!! pining!!! Also, there's some proposal-appropriate kneeling involved. 👀

[Outsider POV] In Vino Veritas by galaxysoup, which shows us Zhao Yunlan's and the professor's relationship through Zhu Hong's eyes and also provides some much needed healing and gentleness for her.

Fifth row

[Closet Horndog Shen Wei] Any time, any place, any way by yantantether, which contains so many of my favorite things, including phone sex and bruises and softness. <3

[Unpowered AU] This tender (unconsummated) teacher/student Weilan AU vid with a hopeful flash-forward ending.

[Everybody Lives AU] What is absent by naye, in which everybody lives and then ALSO, as a team, brings back life from the dead. 🌱 The love in this one, gosh.

[Reincarnation] This absolutely astounding Weilan & derivatives vid, which I understand was reposted from bilibili (with permission), so I'm having some trouble crediting the creator. But oh my god it's incredible?

[Shen Wei's Rational Reactions] zhao yunlan, endurance: a case study by phylocalist, in which I'm not sure Shen Wei's strategy will ultimately dissuade Zhao Yunlan from getting in danger again, but it's. So hot. 🔥🔥🔥