Happy Guardianversary To Me!

[frith_in_thorns]

It's a year since I started watching Guardian! I was given the files at VidUKon last year along with an extremely strong and targeted sales pitch from raven and soupytwist, started watching it on the train home, and fell headfirst into OBSESSION. Which I do not regret at all.

Since then I have written over 250k of fic, the vast majority of which is Weilan, stunning my almost-entirely-gen heart. And I have made SUCH good friends, both people I didn't know at all before and also getting to know people like naye and xparrot whom I'd seen around DW for years but never much interacted with. Also co-ran a fest and actually did Yuletide for the first time ever.

It's been a great Guardian year! Long may it continue :D

Relatedly, it is currently sign-up time for hc_bingo! This is my FAVOURITE yearly challenge and I was very excited to get my card.

skeletons in the closet	abandonment issues	depression	taking care of somebody	broken bones
lacerations / knife wounds	hypothermia	buried alive	suicide attempt	atonement
hospital stay	electrocution	WILD CARD	hypoglycemia / low blood sugar	interrogation
post-traumatic stress disorder	shipwrecked	loss of home / shelter	archaic medical treatment	resurrection
bites	caught in a robbery	backrubs / massages	estrangement	bodyguards

I have quite a few squares which are going to be more of a challenge to write, which probably isn't a bad thing since I'm a bit lazy and default to the same kind of tropes over and over!

Leaving me prompts in the comments is extremely welcome, I love writing for people! Tell me which square you're excited about, for which character. And feel free to give more detailed prompts if you like! (I'm not always fast about filling prompts, but I really do keep coming back and checking, and I think I ended up writing most of the ones people left me last year eventually. Usual no-sex caveat.) I am most likely to continue writing Guardian but you are welcome to try persuading me to write for a fandom you know I've written for in the past as well :D

Comments

[laireshi]

Happy Guardianversary again!

I'm gonna steal the prompts idea from you, I think :D I also like writing for people.

Also wow you have a KNIFE WOUNDS square! And depression and taking care of someone! I like your card more than mine in general, haha, but maybe that's the grass always greener on the other side. I hope you'll have lots of fun with it :D

[frith_in_thorns]

I do write knife wounds and taking care of someone so often that they rather feel like cheating XD I might have to think of a new way of approaching them...

It's funny because my main fandom genre of interest for reading and writing is h/c, but I feel kind of self-conscious just sitting down and writing the billion stories of Shen-Wei-getting-hurt without an "excuse" like a bingo card or people prompting me specifically!

[laireshi]

I do write knife wounds and taking care of someone so often that they rather feel like cheating
But it's what you said later xD An excuse to do more! Though new approaches are always fun.

It's funny because my main fandom genre of interest for reading and writing is h/c, but I feel kind of self-conscious just sitting down and writing the billion stories of Shen-Wei-getting-hurt without an "excuse" like a bingo card or people prompting me specifically!
I feel you so much. I mean before Guardian I'd write more general angst than actual h/c, and now a few fics in Guardian where my interests all run to "Shen Wei getting hurt and hugged" I'm like "is this one Shen Wei h/c fic too many?!" every time I consider it.

[jb_slasher]

There was a vidshow called Ancient Chinese Boyfriends in VidUKon this year and I gotta say that the Guardian vids really called out my id to the forefront. (Nirvana in Fire also looked interesting.) Maybe I will get swooped up by it one day... :D

[frith_in_thorns]

I extremely recommend! And if you're into hurt/comfort, it's not only a great show but a very satisfying fandom!

[jb_slasher]

How did you read my mind...! :D

[no_detective]

happy guardianversary!!! this fandom is so very lucky to have you ♥

[frith_in_thorns]

Thank you so much ♥ I love being in it!

[nnozomi]

You write the gold standard hurt!Shen Wei, so I look forward to more of it to come. (Sorry, Shen Wei...)

[frith_in_thorns]

Awww, thank you so much! ♥ I'm so glad you're enjoying it, there will DEFINITELY be more to come!

[goss]

Hee. Happy Guardianversary! \o/

[frith_in_thorns]

Thank you very much! :D

[clevermanka]

Happy Anniversary!

The suicide attempt one is yikes, but... I kinda feel like SW's canon ~"death"~ could qualify. I'm dealing with my own take on that (along with, uh, several other from this card, actually) in my current longfic WIP, but I love hearing how others have him and ZYL deal with that. When they come back to life. Which they OBVIOUSLY do.

[frith_in_thorns]

Hmmm... since I just wrote 47k dealing with that I will probably steer clear of writing more fixits for a bit! XD I'm interested to see what you do with yours :)

[yue_ix]

Happy fannish anniversary!! 250k of fic is amazing, congrats!

Everything h/c works really easily with Guardian, given how half of any prompts are canon, and your fics are pure pleasure. Can't wait to see how you'll interpret and incorporate these!

Some ideas...
I hear above that you've already done knife wounds several times - have you done "wounds on knives"? Such as taking care of Shen Wei's (or Zhao Yunlan's) weapons, or Shen Wei's blade being linked to his body in some way or the Lantern Hollow (everyone-s-okay AU) physical object linked to Zhao Yunlan's body? Perhaps Shen Wei dissociating in a way that he considers himself 'only' a weapon and accepting care when it's pointed out people need to take care of their tools, too, beyond cleaning and repair. Decorating, respecting, sheathing (holding/hugging), thanking - weapons need these too, so why won't Shen Wei accept that at the very least?

For archaic medical treatment, what if Zhao Yunlan comes back from the past with an Old Haixing type of cold or sickness? Given everything going on, perhaps he doesn't even notice it creeping up on him, and no modern medicine works. Must be nothing, it'll probably go away on its own, right? ;)

For backrubs/massages: what if wings? *eyes emoji*

Also, are you looking to write with focus on other characters? I think that Guo Changcheng caught in a robbery could be fascinating, or his feelings re: estrangement due to not being part of any given world now but having this odd-shaped found-family. Samewise, hypothermia would have a very different look for Zhu Hong, and anyone as gen bodyguard for anyone else has very strong appeal. Da Qing bodyguarding JiaJia on a field trip (in cat form?); Chu Shuzhi bodyguarding Zhu Hong on diplomatic mission; Ya Qing's PoV about crows bodyguarding the cemetery during a burial, visit or anniversary...

For other fandoms, I mean, Korra&Asami's take on hypothermia would have a lot of new layers! And Korra's canon PSTD was awesome and she could learn to rely on on-going support from her tall girlfriend after events of public speeches cut a bit too close. The in-world media has weaponised her experiences and finding a place to just be herself that acknowledges all parts of her as valid must be hard.

This is a great card for you; I look forward to what you do with it, no matter the timeframe. All cakes are delicious cakes!

[frith_in_thorns]

Oooh, interesting prompts! I particularly like the one about Zhao Yunlan contracting an illness from the past, that could be fun to play with :D And also Da Qing with Jiajia -- I really need to write some more fics in that series! Thank you very much for these ♥

[wrote_and_writ]

Happy Guardianversary! I wish I’d paid more attention to when I started (it was in April 2019). But I am super happy this show made its way around the world because like you said, so many new friends! And holy moly that is a lot of writing! I feel so lucky to benefit from your inspiration. ❤️❤️❤️

[frith_in_thorns]

It is a great show and fandom! And I am REALLY enjoying writing for it, I'm so happy that you're enjoying reading :)

[schneefink]

That is a lot of words! I'm glad you're enjoying your fandom so much :D

[frith_in_thorns]

Thank you! I am still hugely enjoying it :D

[sheron]

250! wowwwww :)
So great when a fandom captures you like that.

[frith_in_thorns]

It really is like it infected me with a brainworm or something XD

[xparrot]

Happy Guardianiversary! I'm so very glad you got into the fandom, both because I get your fic for it, and more important I've gotten to know you! <3

and eeeee that card is delightful. I mean terrible? Both? ^^;

...low blood sugar makes me think of more of a lightweight scenario that Shen Wei is wobbly and Zhao Yunlan fears his dark energy is decreased again but no, it's just that they've been really busy with Dixing restoration efforts and Shen Wei forgot that he actually does have to eat once in a while...!

[frith_in_thorns]

Mmmmm, that's very nice as a scenario, I really like it :) And it's a great card in general. I could use "shipwrecked" for a sky-ship sequel? :D

I'm so glad to have got to know you through the fandom too! <33

[xparrot]

I could use "shipwrecked" for a sky-ship sequel?

--I just realized I hadn't responded to this comment, but: OOOOH (you could squeeze in a couple more of these into that story, too...broken bones, archaic medical treatment -- and depending on what happened it could be loss of home/shelter too...)

[frith_in_thorns]

I only get credit for one square per story, though! Oneshots are the way to go for card efficiency :P (...not that I'm trying to get a blackout again. I'm NOT.)

(Linked oneshots in a series totally count as a square each, though -- I got a lot of mileage out of the Jiajia ones last year!)

[umadoshi]

Happy Guardianversary! *^^*

[frith_in_thorns]

Thank you! It's lovely to share a fandom :D

[sholio]

Happy Guardianversary!! That is a lovely card. <3

[frith_in_thorns]

Thank you! I am actually more pleased with this card than my one last year because last year I did have so many squares which were extremely easy to fill, and I think I'll have to work a bit harder with this one. (Not that I'm aiming for another blackout....) It will be good for me!

[marycrawford]

Happy anniversary! \o/

And ooh, a bingo card. Well you know I am HERE for the Guardian h/c, always...

"Buried alive" -- ooh, considering that Shen Wei was buried alive once already - what if for some reason (concussion? head trauma?) he finds himself in this same predicament again and thinks he's back in the dirt with his brother, so he will just have to endure it? (While Zhao Yunlan is going absolutely nuts trying to find him and get him out...)

"bites" -- a Yashou snakebite is absolutely lethal to Haixingren, so obviously Shen Wei should throw himself in between the Yashou and Zhao Yunlan. That would be teh sensible course of action. XD And then quite possibly, some difficult to obtain 'archaic medical treatment' might be the only thing that could save him?

[frith_in_thorns]

Oooh, I especially love the buried alive prompt, thank you! And the other one too, although I did write Shen Wei being bitten by a snake for a Yuletide treat (I think possibly for the same square on my last card...) so I might try and find a different direction for that one :)

I love these bingo cards, they're so inspiring. You should get one too! :D

[sgatazmy]

I am intrigued. I will have to check this show out.

[frith_in_thorns]

I recommend it highly! It's... not the most well-written, but elevated by the really, really good actors who are the two mains (not unlike SGA in many ways). And it is FULL of h/c tropes. (See icon for an example.) The official subs are fairly bad but there are fansubs and downloadable files available: https://sid-guardian.dreamwidth.org/165242.html

[sgatazmy]

Awesome! I will definitely check it out. :)