...I actually wrote something! Wow.

Gift-givers (2151 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng/Ye Huo, Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Ye Huo (Guardian), Guo Changcheng
Additional Tags: Made Up Dixing Customs, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Summary:

Chu Shuzhi tries to re-visit a custom from his past.

It's a gift for amedia for her Guardian wishlist. ♥ I hadn't been able to write for quite a while now, but my mood and morale have been improving, and I got a craving to make up some kind of Dixing custom.

I really like the many things Chu Shuzhi and Ye Huo have in common, but I was wondering--Chu Shuzhi was in prison for so long, what if it turns out that there's some aspect of Dixing life and customs that they actually don't have in common, without them knowing? So, you know...make up some emotionally-important Dixing festival and then make it painful! :D

I'm glad I gave it a try; hopefully this will help get me warmed up for Yuletide. (And I'm glad to be able to give amedia a little something, after the things she's kindly written for me.)

I never did mention what I received for Chocolate Box! I got two stories, sweet and warm and caring, both of which do that thing I love, of implying context and worldbuilding without having to use many words. Both Guardian, both by theleakypen--one Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, one Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo (possibly also including Changcheng). I love these little glimpses of post-series life, and how these characters are looking after each other:

We'll Hold Each Other (1369 words) by theleakypen
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Guo Changcheng's Canonical Powers, (and the death that implies), this isn't a case fic but there is a case, mutual care, Kissing, They're both having a lot of feelings
Series: Part 1 of Rebuilding in Dragon City
Summary:

"What did you see, Guo-qianbei?" the new SID hire ventured, darting concerned looks between them and the body.

"Give him a minute," Chu Shuzhi snapped. "He's just had to live this man's entire life."

A Dixingren dies in Chu Shuzhi's arms. Guo Changcheng has to use his powers. They both have a lot of feelings about it.


melt into a new life (617 words) by theleakypen
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Ye Huo (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Martial Arts Gym, Kissing, mentioned Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, or possibly Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng/Ye Huo, you could read it multiple ways
Series: Part 2 of Rebuilding in Dragon City
Summary:

"How does it feel to be a legitimate business owner?" Chu Shuzhi asked.

"Odd," Ye Huo admitted. "Not having to hide is going to be strange."

Chu Shuzhi nodded. That he could understand. The SID now operated in the public eye; regular civilians knew about Dixingren. It was a different world.

Chu Shuzhi visits Ye Huo at his new gym.

For raremaleslashex this year, I got to write two stories, in two different fandoms! One Marcus/Tomas for The Exorcist (TV), and one Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng for Guardian.

I hadn't yet tried to write Exorcist, and it was for destina, so I was excited and nervous! Soooo niiiice to revisit this show, sigh. ♥ It's set during that perfect playground of time between seasons 1 and 2, when they're on the road being itinerant exorcists; I was interested in looking at how the demons try to use secrets, and how that might be a catalyst for Tomas and Marcus:

My secrets are all that I own (9540 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Exorcist (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega
Additional Tags: Secrets, Hurt/Comfort, Touching, First Time
Summary:

Marcus shouted something—Tomas had no idea what language it was in. Not Spanish, not Latin, not Greek or Aramaic. It was bold and ringing, delivered along a strong pointing arm.

The demon gave a gurgling laugh and a line or two in the same tongue. Marcus's arm lowered, his hand clenched, but he didn't reply. Still holding Marcus's gaze, the demon said, "Poor Tomas. Poor little sheep with wolves all around."

And as for Guardian, I got to write for amedia again! I wanted to look at a potential aftermath of Guo Changcheng's power, and the effects on Chu Shuzhi:

The white heap of black words (6007 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Caretaking, Panic Attacks, First Time, Crime Scenes
Summary:

His heart sped up, and that was perfectly normal. Normal enough. He was ready to help Changcheng, to catch him if he fell, to lift him and steady him. Although...the heavy, rising thump he felt inside kept going this time, faster and faster, pressure and flutter. He started to sweat. Changcheng's head tipped backward, eyes clenched as if in pain, and as he opened his mouth to speak Chu Shuzhi felt a wave of sheer dread.

It hadn't been like this, before. Not at first. Not until lately, all these calls mounting up— all these words finding their way in.

Hello, Raremaleslash creator!

Thanks for signing up to make me something! I know my letter explanations often sound pretty ficcish, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

(Also, let me say: you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for the same fandoms a lot. If you've been assigned to me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! It's just that these pairings are so small and I love them so much--I crave another cake, to go with my previous delicious cakes. In my cake hoard. :9 )

( Some of my general preferences: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

( Aubrey/Maturin series - Patrick O'Brian: Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin )

( 镇魂 Guardian (TV): Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng or Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo )

( Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World: Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin )

( Rejseholdet | Unit One: Allan Fischer/Thomas La Cour )

( Shetland (TV): Duncan Hunter/Jimmy Perez )

Thanks again! *\o/*

I received three stories for the sundial_exchange Guardian and Guardian-related Lunar New Year fanworks exchange! Three! I am so delighted--they're all completely relevant to my interests, but all coming at it from different angles. ♥____♥

My gift is a cozy, domestic Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng pre-relationship story, with an interesting worldbuilding premise and a Lao Chu POV voice that is coming to appreciate and care about (and even need) Changcheng without consciously realizing it (unreliable narrator ftw):

You Can't Escape the Light (3424 words) by MonroeKnox
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng
Additional Tags: Sickfic, Pre-Relationship, Character Study, Introspection, Fluff and Angst, Spoilers for Chu Shuzhi's past
Summary:

Living in a world that isn't made for you has some drawbacks. Chu Shuzhi, big strong healthy man that he is, passes out suddenly at work. Guo Changcheng is tasked with watching over him. A job he takes very seriously.

While under his care, Chu Shuzhi tries to forget the past, deal with the present, and consider an impossible future.

-----
One of my treats, a surprise from my pal amedia, is a fun ensemble case story, ending with Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng hurt/comfort & rescue (Changcheng getting to help Chu-ge for a change), and a lovely little coda between Chu Shuzhi & Shen Wei:

The Netwielder (4960 words) by Amedia
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán (background)
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng, Zhù Hóng, Lín Jìng, Dà Qìng, Shěn Wēi, Zhao Yunlan, Special Investigation Division | SID Ensemble (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty, Self-Sacrifice, Case Fic, Snake Tribe Awesome Tribe, Competent!Lin Jing, Da Qing curled up with his paw over his nose
Summary:

The SID race to stop a renegade Dixingren.

-----
And my second treat (!!), a surprise from the devilish and wily marycrawford, is an intense and intensely-satisfying moment between Chu Shuzhi and Shen Wei in full Black-Cloaked Envoy form, stranded in Dixing during a killer storm, with Chu Shuzhi injured and Shen Wei's powers depleted--a vignette of devotion and care:

like thunder under earth (1726 words) by marycrawford
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi & Shen Wei
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Chu Shuzhi
Additional Tags: Bandaging, Hurt/Comfort, Shelter, Loyalty, Injury
Summary:

Chu Shuzhi is wounded and his Lordship can’t help him, but that’s all right. He doesn’t deserve the help, anyway.

Dear Sundial Exchange creator:

Thanks for making something for me! I know my ideas might sound a little ficcish sometimes, but they're just inspiration for content and tone--I'll enjoy whatever medium you choose to make.

My requests:

1) Guardian Drama: Chu Shuzhi

Feel free to ship him with Guo Changcheng, but if you do, I prefer later-series Guo Changcheng, when he has a spine and his own power. You could also ship CSZ more casually/non-canonically if you want, like with Ye Huo (Wildfire) in a Dixingren-battle-comrade style.

I love CSZ being competent and badass, but along with that I like to see what happens if there's a sudden crack in the shell--he obviously has A Lot Of Feelings roiling around in there, and does not have great coping skills! I'd love to see what happens if he's the one who gets hurt, has to be rescued, etc... how does someone previously so isolated, defined as the strong one, deal with being saved, looked after, cared about?

As I mentioned in my signup, I also loooove the loyalty and devotion Chu Shuzhi has for Shen Wei, and how Shen Wei is worth that devotion. I don't ship them, but I would adore seeing the fealty dynamic turned up to 11--maybe one rescues the other, maybe they're stuck in a bad place, maybe they're cooperating to rescue the other one's beloved (or both beloveds, even). Maybe Chu Shuzhi tries to carry through his offer to die for Shen Wei, even though we know Shen Wei does not ask that of him. Chu Shuzhi would certainly not allow Shen Wei to sacrifice himself for CSZ--but how would he stop him?

Also as I mentioned in my signup, feel free to put Chu Shuzhi in Ye Olde Haixing Era if you want. (How? Who knows--could be explained or not, I'm not picky.) I think a strong and faithful right-hand-man like him would fit right in. Is it also that I'd like to imagine or see him in the clothes? Hmmmm! (...sigh...his shoulders...) :D


2) Guardian Drama: Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan

Ship them please! But feel free to have plenty of difficulties along the way. These two guys live so dramatically, they're tailor-made for big things--Worry! Rescues! Traumas! The smallest gesture that means the absolute most! But also, I find such intensity in their very small things--little touches, caretaking, food, drink, warmth, one watching the other sleep. Zhao Yunlan so often plays the hedonistic recipient of caretaking, which both of them enjoy--but what if he foists some of this caretaking onto Shen Wei for a change? (And how hard would ZYL have to try, to make Shen Wei be the cared-for one?)

These two are perfect for heroic, self-sacrificial tropes like (as marycrawford aptly calls it) "leave me and go", aka "go on without me", or the h/c trope where one gets hurt to protect the other one (and I bet the other one is mad and worried about it!). Also the trope "character being protected isn't used to being cared about", yum. Each of them cares so intensely about the other, that I think it drives him batty when the other isn't kind to himself and doesn't expect or think he deserves kindness/care.

Feel free to put them in Ye Old Haixing Era if you want--a wilder time, which suits the intensity of their powers, their natures, and their bond. Plus the hair and the clothes, A++++. :D

Hello, Raremaleslasher!

Thanks for signing up to make me something! I know my letter explanations are often phrased in fic-centric ways, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

(Also, let me say: you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for the same fandoms a lot. If you've been assigned to me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! It's just that these pairings are so small and I love them so much--I crave another cake, to go with my previous delicious cakes. In my cake hoard. :9 )

( Some of my general preferences: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

( The Exorcist (TV): Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega or Marcus Keane/Peter Osborne )

( 镇魂 Guardian (TV): Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng )

( Shetland (TV): Jimmy Perez/Duncan Hunter )

( The Sting (1973): Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker )

Thanks again, and please enjoy whatever you create!

I got two treats and a Madness story this year, as well as my main gift, and I am extreeeeeeemely happy and thrilled!

1) A treat for Guardian, Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng. Chu Shuzhi rescues Guo Changcheng, in a sweet and warm little tale:

The Light (1012 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chǔ Shùzhī/Guō Chángchéng
Characters: Chǔ Shùzhī, Guō Chángchéng
Additional Tags: Devotion, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

I’m coming! I’m coming for you! He cried, he screamed, he willed his words to find Xiao-Guo, to give him strength.

2) A Madness story for Exorcist, Marcus/Tomas. Tomas is having nightmares from the events of s1, and this has comfort and bedsharing as Marcus looks after him (and of course Marcus has Stealth Feelings ♥):

Pray for Us Sinners (1285 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Exorcist (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega
Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Neck Kissing, Holding Hands, Pre-Slash
Summary:

Three months after the exorcism of Casey Rance, Tomas still has nightmares.

3) A treat for The Sting, which EVERYONE SHOULD GO READ RIGHT NOW. I cannot rec this story highly enough--I am utterly thrilled. It has a new con in a very well-realized Philly, with wonderful OCs, and a subtle, nuanced, satisfying love story between Johnny and Henry:

smiles were made, dear, for people like us (18856 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Johnny Hooker, Henry Gondorff, Kid Twist, Floyd (The Sting), Original Characters
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Con Artists, 1930s, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, Love Letters, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Johnny and Henry run a new twist on a pair of old scams. Along the way, they share a bed, write love letters, consider marriage, and pretend to be deposed Russian aristocrats. Anything for the con, right?

(seriously, it is so good, go read it! Download it onto your phone to keep you company on train rides or in line at the DMV! I'd pay cash on the barrelhead for a book-length version. ♥________♥ )

As the worst of the heat wave finally eases its grip and I can think again (seriously, sometimes I wonder if I have that reverse-Seasonal Affective Disorder, the way these swampy summers take it out of me), here is some stuff I have been enjoying lately. No real spoilers behind the cuts.

( Chernobyl )

( Shetland series 5 )

( Good Omens )

( Guardian )

Speaking of which, here's a reminder in case you need it that Yuletide nominations are open until around Oct. 10! (Officially October 11, 9am UTC, but for me that means like 5 in the morning, so technically it's bedtime on Oct. 10.)