If Magnus is going to love Alexander (which of course he is) then he’s going to have to understand his parabatai and their bond, at least a little bit better than he does now. But he’s not entirely sure how or where to start…
Becoming parabatai takes practice. Training before the ceremony itself, physical and mental, meditation and sparring, how to move together, think together, read each other’s cues even before you can feel them.
How to live together, because if you can’t even handle being classmates, roommates, compatriots, partners, you’ll never survive being soulmates.
You have to prove you’re practically soulmates on your own before they’ll let you take the rune and make it real.
Magnus wants to know all of Alec. Even the parts that are Jace. This is stunning, a gorgeous exploration of the parabatai bond. With a helping of Michael Wayland that makes me heart hurt.
“Why can’t you ever just obey?” Shen Wei says, more fierce than frustrated, hands fisted at his sides, and Zhao Yunlan’s mouth goes perfectly dry.
Adult, D/s, established relationship. Okay, so apparently Zhao Yunlan absolutely craving to submit to Shen Wei is my kink, because wow, this pushes all my buttons. 😉
It takes…time. A substantial amount of time, and an even more substantial amount of effort on the part of Zhao Yunlan, that yet succeeds but rarely.
That he takes that effort, that his willingness is so proven—not just willingness, but eagerness; persistence bordering on the obsessive, which is one of Zhao Yunlan’s hallmarks and virtues, but to have it applied to this—that he would apply it to this—that is what finally convinces Shen Wei.
Shen Wei still doesn’t understand it, though. Not really.
Mature, dark-ish. This is a fascinating look at a darker side of their relationship, at the fact that Shen Wei always, always has to hold back part of himself. Zhao Yunlan just wants him to let go sometimes, no matter the cost. This is the aftermath, loving and just a little bit melancholy.
“By the way,” came Zhao Yunlan’s voice from the couch, casual as anything, “if you can learn every power you see, do you happen to have Ding Dun’s talent too?”
Adult, first time. Shen Wei learns how Yunlan feels about him. Delicious, delicious smut ensues.
“So what I’d like to know, I guess,” said Zhao Yunlan, tender and merciless, “is whether you ever had the slightest intention of telling me you had returned my sight at the cost of your life?”
Shen Wei felt like a butterfly, pinned to a corkboard by the careful, loving hands of its collector. He opened his mouth to lie, and he was so bad at lying to Zhao Yunlan, and hated it so, and yet.
And yet, it seems, he was caught. And Zhao Yunlan was expecting an answer.
Post-episode 23. Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get trapped, forcing them to talk. I’m not even that far in the show yet, but this fic owns my heart.
Shen Wei’s eyelid twitch as Yunlan unwraps another lollipop, closes his spit-shiny lips around the spherical head while looking at Shen Wei under dark eyes and thick lashes. Fists clenched on his pant leg, Shen Wei swallows and tamps down the urge to grab Yunlan across the table.
Adult, missing scene between ep 14/15. Oh wow, this fic is perfection – hot and sweet and full of feels, it’s the perfect Shen Wei POV of their first time.
Zhao Yunlan gets up to greet this man, his destiny – who is currently scowling behind his fancy embroidered mask – and smiles as filthily as he can make it. Whatever else they might be to each other, Shen Wei has been taunting him for weeks. Zhao Yunlan is going to take him home and fuck him until he cries and he wants Shen Wei to know that.
“Long time, no see,” he says.
The Black Cloaked Envoy blanches.
Adult, missing scene. I am 100% convinced that Zhao and Shen do have sex for the first time after the tea scene, and this is a deliciously believable scenario (with some shades of novel!characterization).
It’s the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else, it’s someone who makes you a better person.
Actually, they don’t make you a better person, you do that yourself. Because they inspire you.
A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever.
It’s the one person who knew you and accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else did. And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them.
Nothing can ever change that.”
Every fandom needs one of these. Fuck me, but this one’s gorgeous! Also, there is no heterosexual explanation for this epic love story. None.
