Fic in a Box 2023 letter
Aug. 29th, 2023 08:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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izayoi_no_mikoto
Hello, Creator In A Box, and thank you for making something for me!
This letter has been cannibalized from previous exchange letters; feel free to take a gander at those if you want more insight into the sorts of things I like (the masterlist is here, organized by exchange and fandom). The structure of this letter is as follows:
General:
··Shipping & Relationships | General Likes | A Note on AUs | DNWs | General Opt-ins | Medium Opt-Ins & Notes
Fandoms (with pan-fandom notes):
··Hanakisou | Hikaru no Go | Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID- | Shirogane no Ou | Shuuten Unknown | Silver Diamond | Tennis no Oujisama (Prince of Tennis) | Togainu no Chi | Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's | Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
I hope you use this letter in the spirit it is intended: I don't want to be pushy or demanding, I just hope to give you some idea of the sorts of things I like and hopefully spark some inspiration. If it doesn't work for you, remember that optional details are optional. The prompts are ideas, not demands! Please feel free to take what works for you, discard the rest, and make something that you have fun with. The best gift is one that the creator enjoyed making!
I do have gifts enabled. Treats are never expected but always welcome!
And just to alleviate any potential future concerns: Be warned that I am not a particularly fast commenter even under the best of circumstances. 10K+ is a lot for me, especially if I happen to get multiple gifts, so please do not panic if it takes me a while! I will get there eventually!
I hope you have a good exchange, and again, thanks for making something for me!
And second, I'm not much interested in sexual content. I have zero problems with sex being referenced or discussed, but I usually skip over smut, and even when it's not explicit, I typically hold to a less-is-more policy--if they're gazing meaningfully at each other from across the room, that's genuinely enough to get me all twitterpated. Relatedly, I don't need "traditional" signifiers of love or romance--I love it when characters think about love in ways and terms that don't use the word "love," or speak or show their love without using the words "I love you." In other words, don't worry about "is this enough shippiness?" or "do I need to make this more obviously romantic and/or sexual?" Yes, it's enough! No, you don't! You're good!
In-universe documents that fit the canon setting (all fandoms)
I am widely interested in all types of documents that can conceivably fit the canon setting. Letters, book excerpts, government documents or paperwork, articles, propaganda posters, emails, meeting minutes, speech transcripts, religious texts, museum pamphlets, event rosters... if's possible in the canon universe, I want it. (And if I haven't mentioned it, it's only because I haven't thought of it!)
Audio - Remixes (Hanakisou, Lamento)
I love the Hanakisou and Lamento OSTs and I'm interested in remixes of any songs from them! My tastes in music are quite broad, but anything orchestral or acoustic would be loved, rock of all stripes runs in my veins, and I do have a fondness for dubstep and technopop. Mashups would also be cool! Don't feel constrained by any of this, though--as I said, my musical tastes are very broad. Fiddle it up, sample it house style, yodel it, whatever! The only exception is that anything that's extremely jazzy or bluesy is probably not my thing.
Art - Fanart Cover/Illustration/Fancomic of Recipient's Fic (Hanakisou, Hikaru no Go, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond, Togainu no Chi)
Broadly speaking, I like art that resembles the canon style and look. Chibis also welcome! Photorealism and other styles that look completely different from canon are probably not the best for me. I like expressive faces and lots of attention to detail in the hair; I dislike cheeks/noses/other body parts being red by default (as opposed to blushing). If you're using color, I appreciate strong use of theme/character color(s) (also good for stark black & white + color pop). But mostly, I'm just thrilled by the prospect of seeing any sort of fanart for my fic! And I am defining "art" broadly. I like all sorts of artistic media--digital painting, colored pencil, charcoal, crayon, watercolor, collage, needlepoint, origami?! Go for it!
Interactive Fiction (all fandoms)
I am interested in all sorts of IF. All of my likes and prompts apply, of course, but if you feel like going for more of a worldbuilding/exploration/atmospheric type of deal, I'm also very open to that (no need to worry about requested characters/ships in that case! just don't add any unrequested ships involving requested characters and we're golden). One route or multiple routes both welcome!
Maps (Hanakisou, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond)
I grew up on high fantasy novels, and I've always loved seeing maps of the worlds where the stories are set. These canons don't provide much in that regard, so I would love to see the setting fully fleshed out, whether it's a single area or the entire world. The maps provided by canon range from "vague sketches" to "nonexistent," so let your creative license have free rein!
Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music From Canon (Hanakisou, Lamento)
I am specifically looking for piano arrangements. I've linked my favorite songs from these OSTs, but to be honest, any of them would be pretty awesome. Medleys also welcome!
Sequel To Previous Gift To Me By The Same Author (Hanakisou, Hikaru no Go, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond, Tenipuri, Togainu no Chi, 5D's, GX)
If this applies to you, you clearly know what I like, I trust you ^^
Writing - Non-Linear Narrative, Rashomon-Style Conflicting Narratives (all fandoms)
I have a great appreciation for dramatic irony and stories where there's a gap between what the reader knows and what the characters know, whether it's the reader having knowledge the characters don't or the characters withholding information. I am also totally here for fic where questions are deliberately left unanswered--I don't need everything to have a pat, straightforward answer.
WB: other Savior/Kuroto cycles, miniature gardens and other research, Any
Opt-Ins:
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Audio - Remixes
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Map: City/Country/World
··Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music from Canon
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Okay, yes, I love the sad, beautiful winter and the awful crapsack of a world with its cruel worldbuilding and the lovely soundtrack and the plethora of tragic endings etc., but my heart belongs to these characters and all their fraught, tenuous, heartfelt, heartbreaking relationships. Kuroto has so much goodness and gentleness and desire to protect a world that has never cared one whit for him. Hanashiro is in some ways so young and so lost, and yet he's also ruthless when it comes to protecting what he cares about and accomplishing what he's set his mind to (I wonder where he learned that?). Kurotaka is so much mask and shield, playing at flippancy and casually teasing when in reality there's a storm underneath. Shirofukurou's single-mindedness is misguided and damaging and distancing at best, and yet it comes, I think, from a place that is half desire to do what is right and half fear.
And, of course, these damaged characters have relationships that are, uh, complicated. Hanashiro and Kuroto caring deeply about each other but trapped by their roles, forced by circumstance to hurt each other and themselves and those around them. Kurotaka raising Kuroto to look unflinchingly at a world that will kill him. Hanashiro and the love/hate he bears for Shirofukurou, who raised him with such care and such cruelty. Kurotaka and Shirofukurou being counterparts separated by a huge gulf, ostensibly the same in so many ways but vastly different in origin and purpose and outlook and mindset and character. There are just so many conflicting priorities, so many ways of understanding and viewing the world and their place in it, so many ways of caring that can't always be understood or aren't always accepted. No wonder so many things fall apart in so many ways. But all of them are trying in their own ways.
I'd also be interested in basically anything to do with worldbuilding! Give me Chihaya & Sai, or Kokuro & Kohana, or the Savior & Kuroto a hundred cycles laterwhen the birds have well and truly lost their sanity. Give me the birds in the lab, or the Researcher's previous experiments, or how the birds were created. Give me the common mythology revolving around the wicked Kuroto, or tales about the Prophet White Feather, or festivals to celebrate the end of winter. There's so much to explore and dig into in the world of Hanakisou, and I would like any and all of it.
Some prompts:
··any and all post-bad end sorrow/guilt/pining/anger/etc. on anyone's part.
··pre-canon, Hanashiro and Kuroto spending time together like "let's just pretend this is normal and it isn't going to blow up in our faces someday, yep, no problem here"
··even when they both live, that's still a lot of trauma to work through and adjusting to the new world to do; a.k.a. "we got our happy ending, now what"
··Kurotaka vs. Shirofukurou: Round Three, or Twenty, or One Hundred
··time loop! Hanashiro loops because it's better than losing Kuroto. The birds go to war via time loops. All the time loops.
··where it goes (or doesn't go) from "hey there, beautiful, nice to meet you"; or, Kurotaka's life is divided into Before Shirofukurou and After Shirofukurou
··what if Kuroto had decided to go to war against the Savior?
··research notes, lab reports, an academic article about the Researchers latest experiment?
For music-related media opt-ins, some of my favorite tracks include Hanakisou, Kuroto, Kurotaka, Shiroku Furitsuzuku Mono, Rovina, Kenkyuusha, le lacrime. I'm also quite fond of the orchestral version.
I have both played the game and read the manga, so feel free to use either one. For the game, I'm happy with any route, including bad ends. Or feel free to diverge from canon into new endings, if that's your bag! All other characters also welcome.
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Hikaru no Go is, in my opinion, quite possibly the pinnacle of sports/gaming animanga. I'm so impressed by the character growth we see over the course of the series for both Hikaru and Akira. Hikaru starts as such a brat, and okay, in some ways he still is kind of a punk, but he learns such dedication and determination and appreciation through Sai, through Go, and through his rivalry with Akira. And Akira, too, learns so much through their rivalry--dedication and determination, yes, but also connection, and vulnerability, and, I think, how to make Go meaningful on his own terms. I love how their rivalry develops from intrigue to fixation to something akin to friendship. Their push-pull of trying to prove themselves worthy as each other's rival, the hot-headed intensity as they chase desperately after each other, and the connection and understanding they develop for each other--there's a reason that Sai thought they'd basically been made for each other.
Some prompts:
··Go as a method of communicationand also of love confessions
··does Hikaru ever tell Akira about Sai?
··what they do on May 5th one, five, ten, twenty years down the line
··what is it like juggling being both romantic partners and Go professional-rivals?
··views of their relationship from the outside (Sai, parental units, fellow Go pros, the Go world at large?)
··their first time meeting in a title match
··realizing, "Oh, all these intense Go rivalry feelings are not just Go rivalry feelings"
··finding the Hand of God in each other
··they meet in the Hon'inbou/Meijin/tournament of your choice, as covered by Go Monthly
··the internet has Theories about their relationship
I've both read the manga and watched the anime, so feel free to go to Hokuto Cup etc. if you'd like. I also love Sai and his enormous impact on Hikaru's (and Akira's) life, so I'd love anything you want to do with him!
Konoe/Asato
Solo: Konoe
Solo: Shaman Cat
WB: Any
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Audio - Remixes
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music from Canon
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
Lamento is one of my favorite VNs. It's the type of save-the-world fantasy plot I grew up on, with really creative, sometimes unsettling worldbuilding, a colorful cast of characters (with love interests I universally like!), and a soundtrack to die for. And Konoe is so great, you guys. He develops from a scared, desperate country boy fleeing for his life to a brave, forthright cat who faces down enormous threats and basically helps save the world. He's definitely young and ignorant of the wider world, and he's vulnerable in some ways, but he has a steely determination, he won't take BS and he won't break, and he has a great dry streak. I love seeing his interactions with all the other cats and the devils alike.
Asato is a supremely awkward but genuinely good-hearted guy, with a naïveté that's simultaneously kind of charming and kind of sad, and I love how fond and protective he is of Konoe. I like how both of them are too sheltered and too alone and kind of lost in the world but find their footing together. I am always happy to see Asato's puppy-dog loyalty and Konoe's fond exasperation.
Rai is no-nonsense and confident and harsh and kind of seriously damaged, and I like how his icy personality doesn't stop him from having a core of pure fire; his moments of gentleness hit all the harder because he rarely allows it of himself. I like how his brusqueness can be a sign of (and a cover for) fondness and how Konoe can hold his own in the relationship; Rai is an intimidating figure, but Konoe isn't intimidated, and I think Rai respects that.
The Shaman Cat is an intriguing figure, and I wish we could have seen more of him. He obviously knows far more than he should, and that knowledge (and the abilities that grant him that knowledge) sets him apart from the other cats. He feels like a presence who seems to exist in the world on a slightly different plane, slightly skewed from the rest of the cats--mostly in this world, but a tiny bit otherworldly. I love the air of haughty amusement he has sometimes, and how can be flippant one moment and dead serious the next. I am insatiably curious about his powers, his past, and what his true purpose is.
As for worldbuilding, all the worldbuilding options are good! Ribika history and culture, devils, the rise of music-based magic, the development of mythology and lore about the void, historical documents about Sisa or the two-canes, anythiiing.
Some prompts:
··Konoe returns to see (what's left of) Karou post-canon; or, maybe Karou is coming back to life?
··Konoe honing his abilities as a Sanga, with some help from his Touga
··both Rai or Asato are dangerous and could definitely hurt Konoe, cue angst about I AM SO DANGEROUS (Konoe: "give me some credit here")
··people who don't know them think Rai acting gruff and aloof means he doesn't really care about Konoe, little do they know that is a DANGEROUS MISTAKE TO MAKE
··Rai spends a lot of time trying to convince himself that Konoe is just a valuable Sanga, that's all, there's no other reason he cares so much, nope
··remember that time that Rai let Konoe clutch his tail? more of that plz
··Asato's flowers are actually hanahaki flowers
··Asato and Konoe return to Kira; has Kira changed at all?
··Kaltz watches Asato/Konoe from afar
··what is the Shaman up to when he's not feeding Konoe cryptic clues?
··the Shaman wielding his magic for other cats--Leaks, Shui, one of the devils, someone's mother, a Kira cat?
··Konoe backstory--his relationship with his mother, how his friendship with Tokino developed, were any other cats in Karou ever kind to him?
For music-related media opt-ins, some of my favorite tracks are Utautai no Neko, Denshou no Shi ~Vox / Verum / Nervus, Nostalgia, When the End/Gyoukou. But I genuinely love basically every track, so feel free to take your pick--the full OST is here.
While I ship both Konoe/Asato and Konoe/Rai, I like them separately--I'd rather not see a fic containing both ships, a love triangle, or Konoe/Asato/Rai. (Canon levels of Asato affection are okay even with Konoe/Rai!)
I have both played the game and read the manga, so feel free to use either one. Also feel free to include other characters as well (I'm particularly fond of Kaltz and Shui).
WB: history/politics of Quatredina
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Map: City/Country/World
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
I high-key love all the gen combinations, I low-key ship King/Right-Eye, and I would love to see any of these characters individually (e.g. backstory). I love the main trio so, so much. I love King's crass, arrogant exterior and his equally crass, arrogant but intensely caring interior (buried deep down), and how he doesn't act like a king "should" but still takes his position seriously in his own way. I love how Right-Eye started out being kind of brusque and not particularly polite to King, but the moment he becomes Right-Eye he's 150% gung-ho loyal and dedicated. I cannot get enough of their relationship--how they constantly try to protect each other from other people and also from themselves, how they'll do basically anything for each other, how they are unwavering and unyielding in their loyalty to each other, and also how utterly fail they are at communication. I love King and Right-Eye as gen, ship, and literally everything in between.
I abso-freaking-lutely adore Shirogane, too. I love his ability to be snarky or silly one moment and dead serious the next, and how he's willing to knock King down a peg and how he so very obviously has a soft spot for Right-Eye. I also like the contrast between "immensely destructive weapon capabilities, sole prerogative over who sits on the throne, holds all the real power in the country" and "a floppy wolf pelt who could be stolen away by a pelt-snatcher at any given point in time."
tl;dr: I love all three of them so, so much, you guys.
I'm also very interested in all three of them solo or their interactions with other characters. Where did Shirogane even come from, how did the whole "Shirogane Fenrir chooses the ruler of the country" thing even arise, who was his first monarch, on what criteria does he choose his rulers? How did King end up in Zoe's orbit to begin with, what was his relationship with other bodyguards, what was his first meeting with Isel or Wolfgang? What was Right-Eye's life like as a mercenary before he became Right-Eye, did he have any culture shock when he first came to Quatredina, did he have any special memories as a kid with Balford?
There's also tons of space for worldbuilding here. The manga leaves a lot of things about Quatredina and the wider world unexplained. Where did Shirogane even come from, and how did the whole "Shirogane Fenrir chooses the ruler of the country" thing even arise? Who was his first monarch? On what criteria does he choose his rulers? What's the broader international political landscape, especially with countries caught between Quatredina and Zephil? What is Iselphia's origin story? Quatredina is clearly an outlier in how its political system works and must have a fascinating history, and I want to know all about it. It could also be fun to see some worldbuilding on Zephil's side--the history of those royal tattoos, or the history of Racehound and other royal weaponry, what happened in Zephil after Dieck made his move?
Some prompts:
··someone gets abducted, someone else mounts a roaring rampage of rescue
··I will take a zillion versions of "Zoe returns and reclaims his crown, now what," literally a zillion ··Shirogane's origin story, or monarchs he's chosen in the past
··King arguing with his aides and advisorsabout Right-Eye
··political shenanigans--a spy in the palace, a brewing coup, Zephil declares war?
··how did Right-Eye get from Zephil to Quatredina in the first place?
··aaaaall the loyalty kink, literally all of it
··Right-Eye's identity is leaked; how do he and King handle the new upswell in suspicion?
··Shirogane and King trying to keep Right-Eye out of trouble; Shirogane and Right-Eye trying to keep King out of trouble; why does Shirogane have to deal with these idiots?!
WB: Any
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Map: City/Country/World
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
I love Yoruma's slick-talking ways and how his charisma and charm are basically a defensive shield against a world he doesn't trust. I love Sayatoki's angst and self-recrimination about his past and also how he absolutely has no idea how to deal with people in general. I love how they both have slightly twisted views of morality and people and the world (they're doing their best, okay). But mostly, I love the slow burn of their relationship from "I do not trust this guy, I need to use him and then get rid of him" to "I literally cannot imagine living the rest of my life without him." Oh, man. The way they're thrown into their us-against-the-world circumstances, the way they discover there's so much out there in the world than they ever really knew, the way they unwittingly and unwillingly find themselves starting to care about each other until, at the end, their entire world views have shifted. I kind of love the awkwardness of their relationship, how they have no idea how to communicate or interact with people or even really cope with the fact that there's someone they genuinely care about in a meaningful way. They never wanted to get stuck together, but they go through so much with each other (and for each other) that when it's all over, they've changed each other for good, and for the better.
Some prompts:
··sleeping together used to be weird; now not sleeping together is weird
··Yoruma finally realizes that the Air Old Man voice in his head actually has a point
··they go out shopping or something stupidly domestic like that and don't realize how stupidly domestic they're being
··everyone realizes they're dating except for them. Actually everyone. Granny Medora et al. Their landlord. The butcher. The random person walking down the street. Everyone.
··awkward communication fails when trying to confess
··"I finally have someone I care about in my life, I can't risk that because of stupid emotions"
··how many years can you live together before finally admitting that you're not just roommates? (answer: a lot)
··a detailed history of Magic Enforced Proximity Armlets
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Silver Diamond is awesome on basically every metric. The fantasy worldbuilding is so creative, the art is gorgeous, the plot is a perfect save-the-world fantasy story, the wordplay is so clever and fascinating and plot-relevant holy cow. But mostly, I love the characters. Rakan and Chigusa are both just so fantastic. They're both so complex and multi-faceted? Rakan is sensible and clear-headed and down-to-earth, with a blazing determination and bravery that can border on reckless--when he's in, he's all in. I love the moment where he recognizes and acknowledges the fire he has inside him. And I adore Chigusa to an unspeakable degree. I love his growth from someone who sees things only in terms of threat/harmless/useful, to learning how to human, to the way he learns to care about Rakan and then, by extension, others. He charms me with his sincerity, and he is hilarious with his sometimes cluelessness and his sometimes obfuscating stupidity. And these two together, their relationship is so perfect. The ends they'll go to for each other, the way they trust each other and fight for each other--they've basically agreed to spend the rest of their lives together, come on.
Not actually requesting WB:, because I love Rakan and Chigusa too much to leave them out entirely. But I am very much interested in Amato worldbuilding, and if Rakan and/or Chigusa are even remotely relevant, I am all in. Scary bedtime stories about the Senrou monsters! Future stories about the Sanome Prince! Rakan learning more about [insert interesting thing about Amato here]!
Some prompts:
··Post-canon, Chigusa and Rakan go back to visit their friends in Amato, or friends come to visit them
··Rakan's high school friends: "You say he's your cousin? Okay, uh-huh, yeah, sure, we'll go with that"
··adventures in moving to the city for Rakan to go to university
··there's no need for love confessions when you're TELEPATHICALLY CONNECTED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES
··domestic fluff and everyday adventures--this world is nothing but new experiences for Chigusa, and seeing it all through Chigusa's eyes is like a rediscovery for Rakan
··the Prince and Kinrei have some disturbing news: we've noticed something, the glowing sand, the plants are dying--
··Chigusa shamelessly wooing Rakan with a completely straight face all day, every day
··missing scenes on their journey through Amato! Discovering some strange new plant. Telling stories from their childhoods turns weird because... yeah, Rakan's the only one with a normal childhood. Rakan could totally just grow a plant to get them across this ravine/down this cliff/over this river, but Chigusa is sure it would be Perfectly Rational and Reasonable for him to just carry Rakan, right? right? right?
I've read the whole series and the gaiden, so go crazy. Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like (I love Narushige (and Kou!) and Touji, too!).
Yagyuu Hiroshi/Niou Masaharu
Atobe Keigo/Sanada Gen'ichirou
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Tenipuri was one of my first fandoms, and I still have an enormous fondness for it. The Silver Pair just stole my heart. I love Shishido's brashness and stubbornness and dedication and determination, and I love Choutarou's gentleness and politeness and how it hides an incredible power and a spine of steel. And mostly I love them together--Choutarou's loyalty, and Shishido having a soft spot for him that's so big it can be seen from space, and how much they pour into tennis and into each other in order to forge one of the greatest doubles pairs in the incredibly competitive world of Japanese middle school tennis.
The Platinum Pair appeals to my wicked side!petenshi daa I like the contrasts between Yagyuu's apparent stuck-up personality, proper demeanor and polite language and Niou's lackadaisical, laid-back insolence, but I am all here for Yagyuu being just as sharp and clever and wicked on the inside as Niou is on the outside. I'm not all about "the Switch defines their life," but I do love what the Switch shows about their relationship--the incredible amount of understanding they have for each other, their willingness to wield their Rikkai ruthlessness in the psychological realm, their mutual dedication and determination, and how similar they despite being so different in other ways.
As for the Tango Pair, I'm sorry, I know it's anime filler and whatnot, but you cannot tell me that two people share tango soul music and expect me not to ship it. They're very different in a lot of ways--Atobe flashy where Sanada is staid, Atobe eloquent and self-aggrandizing where Sanada is taciturn and prone to proving his superiority by action--but they're also very similar in other ways--proud, determined, confident, ruthless, but also caring about those they let into their inner circle. Both of these guys are very difficult people to be around, and I think they would absolutely get on each other's nerves, but I also think they get each other in a way that not many people do. Talk about a power couple.
Some prompts:
··ALL THE TENNIS--a regular middle school tennis practice, or working out over the weekend just the two of them, or when they've gone pro, or just casual rallies after they've retired, or--
··playing singles will never feel quite right again
··it's only when they finally arrive at Life After Tennis that they realize just how important they are to each other
··hanahaki on the tennis court, SURPRISE
··they drifted apart after school, because middle school tennis teammates aren't forever, but then they meet again at a school reunion or some tennis event or just randomly on the street and....
··angst about the future, SHISHIDO'S GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'LL NEVER PLAY TOGETHER AGAIN, THIS IS THE END, or Shishido wants to go pro and Choutarou doesn't, is this where their paths diverge, ANGST
··how did Shishido and Choutarou even start training together? And whose idea was the whole doubles thing, anyway?
··the Switch was supposed to be a fun one-off trick, why can't he stop thinking about it
··some people think that Yagyuu is a well-mannered young man and a good role model and Niou will listen to him, ahahahahahaha; or, some people are terrified that Niou is a bad influence who will corrupt good boy Yagyuu, ahahahahahaha
··if you want to go with actual soul music means they're soulmates, I am all here for that
··okay, if Sanada/Atobe actually became a thing, both of their teams would absolutely flip
··every time Atobe and Sanada meet on the pro circuit, it becomes A Thing
··or maybe start playing doubles together for real, this is ridiculous, we all know their tennis and how they play, there's no way this can work, how are they making this work
··any sort of sports news coverage! Or wild internet speculation! Or an excerpt from a tell-all biography!
I've read a chunk of Shin Tenipuri, but I'm definitely not up to date. I'm not particularly fussed about spoilers, but something that requires Shin Tenipuri knowledge might be lost of me. I can do the original series in manga, anime, or musical form. Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like, including those on other teams! On Hyoutei, I'm also particularly fond of Hiyoshi; on Rikkai, I'm also particularly fond of the rest of the Troika and Akaya.
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative ··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Oh, man, this ship. They are the backbone of Togainu no Chi to me--Keisuke's decision to follow Akira to Toshima sets into motion so many pieces of the story and influences Akira's decisions, for good and for bad. Akira is my favorite character in the game--I love his stoicism, his determination, and also his ignorance/obliviousness about human relations and interactions. He holds himself aloof from others--not out of any ill will, per se, but he is not the most people-savvy person and he doesn't really know how to connect or interact or understand, and I like that about him, even when it does eventually become a proximate cause to the rupturing of his relationship with Keisuke. And Keisuke is a very close second favorite--his all-encompassing pining for Akira is delicious, and his devotion (obsession) and his inferiority complex (self-loathing) hurt in all the right ways. I love the arc of their relationship, from unequal terrible-at-communication friends to falling apart to destructive to (in some ends) rebuilt with greater understanding. Their friendship was genuine, but it was also extremely flawed, with failures to communicate and lies of omission and a lack of understanding and an unhealthy avoidance of conflict, and I think it was inevitable that they would splinter in some way. The messiness is part of the appeal, and I like it both when they work things out (with difficulties) and when it ends in tragedy.
Some prompts:
··once upon a time, Keisuke told himself that being Akira's friend was enough (spoiler: he was wrong)
··Keisuke detoxes after a bad ending and realizes oh no what have I done
··Keisuke dies, and too late Akira understands and has to somehow come to terms with everything (optional realization that he was in love, too)
··what was life at the orphanage like?
··they both get out alive, but that's just the beginning and even though they love each other things are such a mess (and is love alone even enough? "no" is an acceptable answer)
··or, yes, love is enough to make it work, but that doesn't stop the PTSD and the ghosts and the memories
··Keisuke time loops trying to save Akira, but there's only one way to do it (a.k.a. the True Ending)
··one-sided soulmates. last words soulmarks. soulmates mean one is destined to kill the other. all the tragic soulmates plz
··records from the orphanage? experiment lab reports? refugee intake forms?
Feel free to go for whatever ending you want (with references to other ships excluded). Discussion of/reference to sexual content is just fine, but please nothing explicit on the page. I'm not particularly interested in Vischio characters, although I don't mind them as background/plot movers.
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
In some ways, 5D's is kind of a mess, but in some ways, it's my favorite YGO series.
My heart was stolen by Yuusei/Bruno. I love both of these guys. Yuusei is just a genuinely good guy, stoic about his own weaknesses in a lot of ways but incredibly caring and strong and with an unwavering faith in the potential of people and the possibility of a better future and the determination to pursue it no matter what. And Bruno is a fascinating figure--Bruno the lovable dork, sweet and funny; Dark Glass the mysterious mentor, dedicated to Yuusei and his potential; Antinomy the single-minded determinator who had once given up on the future, but finds through Yuusei the ability to believe in tomorrow and in humanity. And I'm a sucker for characters who are instantly great friends, so I was charmed by their relationship from the very beginning--I love that Yuusei and the gang take Bruno in and accept him as one of their own, and that Bruno slides into Team 5D's so seamlessly (Jack's punching notwithstanding). I love how Yuusei and Bruno click and just *get* each other, I could watch them geek out together over D-Wheels all day every day. I love that even after the Antinomy reveal, Yuusei refuses to believe that their friendship was a lie; I love that his faith was rewarded in Bruno's final moments. And that tragic ending hurts soooo good. (On that note, I love the tragedy of their relationship, so I'm not particularly interested in fix-it fic where Bruno survives--unless you can turn it angsty or tragic in another way!)
Some prompts:
··Yuusei only realizes too late his own feelings; or, Yuusei isn't sure of his own feelings, but being denied the possibility of ever finding out where it might have gone is painful in its own right
··that thing where you realize that's your soulmate right before he dies, or after he dies
··for many reasons, amnesia means falling in love is a bad idea (spoiler: attempts to not fall in love ultimately fail)
··speaking of which, did Bruno actually only get his memory back at Arc Cradle? ··After losing Bruno, Yuusei truly did intend to die stopping Arc Cradle; what is he supposed to do now that he's survived?
··or a quiet (or not-so-quiet) moment together before it all goes down; geeking out in the garage, hanging with the rest of Team 5D's, talking about what happens after the WRGP
··if you want to get into the messiness of Antinomy first meeting Z-ONE playing the role of Yuusei and then meeting the real Yuusei, that's also good
··okay, I don't actually want a totally happy ending, but: What if Bruno did jump on the back of Yuusei's bike back there in super lightspeed? (result: Arc Cradle Bad End)
··Yuusei goes down in history; what books and articles does Johnny read about him?
··Yuusei writes letters he can never send ;-;
I appreciate Bruno in all his iterations, including Antinomy, Johnny, Dark Glass, notactuallyamnesiac!Bruno, etc. Feel free to include other characters as you'd like (I particularly like Jack and Carly!), but please keep Crow to small doses. I don't mind him appearing along with the rest of Team 5D's, but please don't make him the focus or main POV character of the fic.
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Juudai is quite possibly my favorite shounen protagonist of all time. I love his optimistic, genki, hot-blooded gung-ho attitude at the beginning of the series; I love his descent into darkness; I love how he claws his way out of the darkness and fights to come to terms with what he's done, and I love how, by the end of the series, he's matured and become jaded and lost some of his blind idealism, but is ultimately still a good person who still believes in goodness and who tries to do good. I also adore Johan, for a lot of the same reasons that I love Juudai--he's positive, bright, brave, determined and true. He throws himself in whole-heartedly and without reservation. And I love their relationship most of all. They believe in each other, they understand each other, they go above and beyond for each other--the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other, the absolute trust they have in each other--they're kindred spirits, like they were meant to find each other.
Some prompts:
··their first reunion post-canon, accompanied by an emotional wave of oh no I'm so in love
··or, the gradual slide from friendship to more
··duels are a completely valid method of communication and also of expressing love
··Juudai's relationship with Yubel is something completely different, but that doesn't stop Johan from feeling like he's second-best ;-;
··Johan wants to be the one Juudai comes home to; or, Juudai wants Johan to be the one he can come home to; or both, both is good
··are we not going to have a conversation about how Yubel basically accused them of being in love? (answer: no, because it's unrequited and what's the point; or, no, because if it is unrequited, not knowing is better than knowing; or, no, because they can't go back to the way they were before; or... maybe even... yes?)
··long-distance relationships (are lonely? are easier when you have confidence in your feelings for each other?)
··they drift apart over time, even though they meant so much to each other back then ;-; (and then maybe drift back together <3)
··Johan understands why Juudai needs to roam the world, but that doesn't mean he likes it
··if we could just go back in time and avoid all the alternate dimension/Haou/Yubel stuff, that would be great (spoiler: it doesn't quite work according to plan)
··is there anything they would not do for each other? The next crisis proves: no, no there is not
··how do they keep in contact while Juudai is off roaming the globe?
··what about that time when Juudai retrieves Rainbow Dragon from Paradox?
Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like (especially Winged Kuriboh and the Gem Beasts!). If relevant, I would rather see Yubel's existence/presence acknowledged than ignored. I watched the anime in the original Japanese, and so I'd prefer to see fic about Juudai and Johan, not Jaden and Jesse.
Hello, Creator In A Box, and thank you for making something for me!
This letter has been cannibalized from previous exchange letters; feel free to take a gander at those if you want more insight into the sorts of things I like (the masterlist is here, organized by exchange and fandom). The structure of this letter is as follows:
General:
··Shipping & Relationships | General Likes | A Note on AUs | DNWs | General Opt-ins | Medium Opt-Ins & Notes
Fandoms (with pan-fandom notes):
··Hanakisou | Hikaru no Go | Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID- | Shirogane no Ou | Shuuten Unknown | Silver Diamond | Tennis no Oujisama (Prince of Tennis) | Togainu no Chi | Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's | Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
I hope you use this letter in the spirit it is intended: I don't want to be pushy or demanding, I just hope to give you some idea of the sorts of things I like and hopefully spark some inspiration. If it doesn't work for you, remember that optional details are optional. The prompts are ideas, not demands! Please feel free to take what works for you, discard the rest, and make something that you have fun with. The best gift is one that the creator enjoyed making!
I do have gifts enabled. Treats are never expected but always welcome!
And just to alleviate any potential future concerns: Be warned that I am not a particularly fast commenter even under the best of circumstances. 10K+ is a lot for me, especially if I happen to get multiple gifts, so please do not panic if it takes me a while! I will get there eventually!
I hope you have a good exchange, and again, thanks for making something for me!
SHIPPING AND RELATIONSHIPS
I love my ships! But generally speaking, I care more about the characters and their having an important relationship and less about what the precise nature of that relationship is. This means:- I LOVE gen. If, for whatever reason, shipfic is not working for you, please rest assured that I would be 100% happy to receive gen of those same characters.
- Vague ambiguous relationships that muddy the waters and toe the line between romantic and platonic are awesome. If you agonize over whether to tag it A/B or A&B, no worries, that is excellent, I eat that stuff up with a spoon.
- My ship doesn't actually have to be together! I also love one-sided relationships--unrequited pining is my jam. I will also quite happily take pre-shippiness, where they just aren't together yet, or that thing where they're in love but they don't or can't get together because Reasons.
- And of course, more straightforward romance is great too! I ship them because I love them together.
And second, I'm not much interested in sexual content. I have zero problems with sex being referenced or discussed, but I usually skip over smut, and even when it's not explicit, I typically hold to a less-is-more policy--if they're gazing meaningfully at each other from across the room, that's genuinely enough to get me all twitterpated. Relatedly, I don't need "traditional" signifiers of love or romance--I love it when characters think about love in ways and terms that don't use the word "love," or speak or show their love without using the words "I love you." In other words, don't worry about "is this enough shippiness?" or "do I need to make this more obviously romantic and/or sexual?" Yes, it's enough! No, you don't! You're good!
GENERAL LIKES
Some of my likes include:- super-intense relationships (obsession/fixation, you are my most important person, you changed my entire world(view), I would do anything for you)
- characters feeling a sense of connection (kindred spirits, no one else understands us like we do, I would recognize you anywhere)
- pining (mutual or unrequited), the more intense the better; Sehnsucht; that sense of wanting
- the entire spectrum of sadness (anything from a touch of bittersweetness to angst to outright tragedy)
- understated/low-key signs of affection
- little things causing big feelings
- non-sexual physical intimacy (hugging, holding hands, bumping foreheads, leaning on each other, etc.)
- sudden realization of feelings (one's own or someone else's)
- reunions/coming home (to someone)
- loyalty/self-sacrifice (for someone else, for a greater cause)
- between the scenes/missing scenes
- outsider POV
- wordplay, double meanings
- things understood only in retrospect, dramatic irony
- motifs, bookends, and other "theme" structures (5+1 times, etc.)
A NOTE ON AUS
While I tend to like fic that's more or less canon-compliant, I also very much enjoy the following types of AUs/fusions:- canon divergence/for want of a nail
- time loops and Peggy Sue time travel
- Loveless AUs
- daemon/His Dark Materials AUs
- hanahaki
- soulmate AUs (of any variety!)
DNWs
I would rather not see any of the following:- AUs/crossovers/fusions, including mundane, genderswap, ageswap, gender- and identity-related headcanons, etc., EXCEPT those mentioned above
- explicit sexual content
- unrequested ships involving requested characters, including infidelity, threesomes/moresomes, and open or poly relationships
- anything involving pregnancy, childbirth, or non-canon young children
- non-canonical nicknames or pet names/terms of endearment
- first-person POV (epistolary is OK!)
- crackfic
GENERAL OPT-INS
I wholeheartedly welcome the following:- character death
- bad/tragic/downer endings
- horror
- violence/gore
- references to/discussion of sexual content
- references to/discussion of canon prior relationships
- requested characters not actually appearing in the fic (they can be out of the room/missing/dead/whatever, as long as they're still important to the story in some way)
- second-person POV
- epistolary (broadly defined--any type of in-universe document--letters, emails, newspaper articles, social media, etc.)
- interactive fiction
MEDIUM OPT-INS AND NOTES
I've opted in to a variety of extra media!In-universe documents that fit the canon setting (all fandoms)
I am widely interested in all types of documents that can conceivably fit the canon setting. Letters, book excerpts, government documents or paperwork, articles, propaganda posters, emails, meeting minutes, speech transcripts, religious texts, museum pamphlets, event rosters... if's possible in the canon universe, I want it. (And if I haven't mentioned it, it's only because I haven't thought of it!)
Audio - Remixes (Hanakisou, Lamento)
I love the Hanakisou and Lamento OSTs and I'm interested in remixes of any songs from them! My tastes in music are quite broad, but anything orchestral or acoustic would be loved, rock of all stripes runs in my veins, and I do have a fondness for dubstep and technopop. Mashups would also be cool! Don't feel constrained by any of this, though--as I said, my musical tastes are very broad. Fiddle it up, sample it house style, yodel it, whatever! The only exception is that anything that's extremely jazzy or bluesy is probably not my thing.
Art - Fanart Cover/Illustration/Fancomic of Recipient's Fic (Hanakisou, Hikaru no Go, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond, Togainu no Chi)
Broadly speaking, I like art that resembles the canon style and look. Chibis also welcome! Photorealism and other styles that look completely different from canon are probably not the best for me. I like expressive faces and lots of attention to detail in the hair; I dislike cheeks/noses/other body parts being red by default (as opposed to blushing). If you're using color, I appreciate strong use of theme/character color(s) (also good for stark black & white + color pop). But mostly, I'm just thrilled by the prospect of seeing any sort of fanart for my fic! And I am defining "art" broadly. I like all sorts of artistic media--digital painting, colored pencil, charcoal, crayon, watercolor, collage, needlepoint, origami?! Go for it!
Interactive Fiction (all fandoms)
I am interested in all sorts of IF. All of my likes and prompts apply, of course, but if you feel like going for more of a worldbuilding/exploration/atmospheric type of deal, I'm also very open to that (no need to worry about requested characters/ships in that case! just don't add any unrequested ships involving requested characters and we're golden). One route or multiple routes both welcome!
Maps (Hanakisou, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond)
I grew up on high fantasy novels, and I've always loved seeing maps of the worlds where the stories are set. These canons don't provide much in that regard, so I would love to see the setting fully fleshed out, whether it's a single area or the entire world. The maps provided by canon range from "vague sketches" to "nonexistent," so let your creative license have free rein!
Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music From Canon (Hanakisou, Lamento)
I am specifically looking for piano arrangements. I've linked my favorite songs from these OSTs, but to be honest, any of them would be pretty awesome. Medleys also welcome!
Sequel To Previous Gift To Me By The Same Author (Hanakisou, Hikaru no Go, Shirogane no Ou, Shuuten Unknown, Silver Diamond, Tenipuri, Togainu no Chi, 5D's, GX)
If this applies to you, you clearly know what I like, I trust you ^^
Writing - Non-Linear Narrative, Rashomon-Style Conflicting Narratives (all fandoms)
I have a great appreciation for dramatic irony and stories where there's a gap between what the reader knows and what the characters know, whether it's the reader having knowledge the characters don't or the characters withholding information. I am also totally here for fic where questions are deliberately left unanswered--I don't need everything to have a pat, straightforward answer.
FANDOMS
A few pan-fandom notes:- Prompts are just possible jumping-off points; I am not particularly wed to any of them. If you've got another idea, absolutely go for it!
- I've written different amounts for different fandoms and relationships, but please do not think that if I've written more, it must mean I want it more. If I've requested it, that's because I really want to see it.
- Generally speaking, I consume my media in Japanese, and a lot of the time, I don't even know how various names and terms have been romanized/translated into English. I encourage you to use whatever English versions you want.
Hanakisou
Solo: Kuroto, Hanashiro, Kurotaka, ShirofukurouWB: other Savior/Kuroto cycles, miniature gardens and other research, Any
Opt-Ins:
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Audio - Remixes
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Map: City/Country/World
··Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music from Canon
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Okay, yes, I love the sad, beautiful winter and the awful crapsack of a world with its cruel worldbuilding and the lovely soundtrack and the plethora of tragic endings etc., but my heart belongs to these characters and all their fraught, tenuous, heartfelt, heartbreaking relationships. Kuroto has so much goodness and gentleness and desire to protect a world that has never cared one whit for him. Hanashiro is in some ways so young and so lost, and yet he's also ruthless when it comes to protecting what he cares about and accomplishing what he's set his mind to (I wonder where he learned that?). Kurotaka is so much mask and shield, playing at flippancy and casually teasing when in reality there's a storm underneath. Shirofukurou's single-mindedness is misguided and damaging and distancing at best, and yet it comes, I think, from a place that is half desire to do what is right and half fear.
And, of course, these damaged characters have relationships that are, uh, complicated. Hanashiro and Kuroto caring deeply about each other but trapped by their roles, forced by circumstance to hurt each other and themselves and those around them. Kurotaka raising Kuroto to look unflinchingly at a world that will kill him. Hanashiro and the love/hate he bears for Shirofukurou, who raised him with such care and such cruelty. Kurotaka and Shirofukurou being counterparts separated by a huge gulf, ostensibly the same in so many ways but vastly different in origin and purpose and outlook and mindset and character. There are just so many conflicting priorities, so many ways of understanding and viewing the world and their place in it, so many ways of caring that can't always be understood or aren't always accepted. No wonder so many things fall apart in so many ways. But all of them are trying in their own ways.
I'd also be interested in basically anything to do with worldbuilding! Give me Chihaya & Sai, or Kokuro & Kohana, or the Savior & Kuroto a hundred cycles later
Some prompts:
··any and all post-bad end sorrow/guilt/pining/anger/etc. on anyone's part.
··pre-canon, Hanashiro and Kuroto spending time together like "let's just pretend this is normal and it isn't going to blow up in our faces someday, yep, no problem here"
··even when they both live, that's still a lot of trauma to work through and adjusting to the new world to do; a.k.a. "we got our happy ending, now what"
··Kurotaka vs. Shirofukurou: Round Three, or Twenty, or One Hundred
··time loop! Hanashiro loops because it's better than losing Kuroto. The birds go to war via time loops. All the time loops.
··where it goes (or doesn't go) from "hey there, beautiful, nice to meet you"; or, Kurotaka's life is divided into Before Shirofukurou and After Shirofukurou
··what if Kuroto had decided to go to war against the Savior?
··research notes, lab reports, an academic article about the Researchers latest experiment?
For music-related media opt-ins, some of my favorite tracks include Hanakisou, Kuroto, Kurotaka, Shiroku Furitsuzuku Mono, Rovina, Kenkyuusha, le lacrime. I'm also quite fond of the orchestral version.
I have both played the game and read the manga, so feel free to use either one. For the game, I'm happy with any route, including bad ends. Or feel free to diverge from canon into new endings, if that's your bag! All other characters also welcome.
Hikaru no Go
Shindou Hikaru/Touya AkiraOpt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Art - Fancomic/Fanart Cover/Illustration of Recipient's Fic
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
··Writing - Sequel to Previous Gift to Me by Same Author
Hikaru no Go is, in my opinion, quite possibly the pinnacle of sports/gaming animanga. I'm so impressed by the character growth we see over the course of the series for both Hikaru and Akira. Hikaru starts as such a brat, and okay, in some ways he still is kind of a punk, but he learns such dedication and determination and appreciation through Sai, through Go, and through his rivalry with Akira. And Akira, too, learns so much through their rivalry--dedication and determination, yes, but also connection, and vulnerability, and, I think, how to make Go meaningful on his own terms. I love how their rivalry develops from intrigue to fixation to something akin to friendship. Their push-pull of trying to prove themselves worthy as each other's rival, the hot-headed intensity as they chase desperately after each other, and the connection and understanding they develop for each other--there's a reason that Sai thought they'd basically been made for each other.
Some prompts:
··Go as a method of communication
··does Hikaru ever tell Akira about Sai?
··what they do on May 5th one, five, ten, twenty years down the line
··what is it like juggling being both romantic partners and Go professional-rivals?
··views of their relationship from the outside (Sai, parental units, fellow Go pros, the Go world at large?)
··their first time meeting in a title match
··realizing, "Oh, all these intense Go rivalry feelings are not just Go rivalry feelings"
··finding the Hand of God in each other
··they meet in the Hon'inbou/Meijin/tournament of your choice, as covered by Go Monthly
··the internet has Theories about their relationship
I've both read the manga and watched the anime, so feel free to go to Hokuto Cup etc. if you'd like. I also love Sai and his enormous impact on Hikaru's (and Akira's) life, so I'd love anything you want to do with him!
Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Konoe/RaiKonoe/Asato
Solo: Konoe
Solo: Shaman Cat
WB: Any
Opt-Ins
··Any In-Universe Documents That Fit the Canon Setting
··Audio - Remixes
··Interactive Fiction (Ink, Twine, Web-based choice-based not hosted on AO3, AO3 style Choose Your Own Adventure)
··Sheet Music - Arrangement of Music from Canon
··Writing - Non-Linear Narrative
··Writing - Rashomon (1950)-style Conflicting Narrative
Lamento is one of my favorite VNs. It's the type of save-the-world fantasy plot I grew up on, with really creative, sometimes unsettling worldbuilding, a colorful cast of characters (with love interests I universally like!), and a soundtrack to die for. And Konoe is so great, you guys. He develops from a scared, desperate country boy fleeing for his life to a brave, forthright cat who faces down enormous threats and basically helps save the world. He's definitely young and ignorant of the wider world, and he's vulnerable in some ways, but he has a steely determination, he won't take BS and he won't break, and he has a great dry streak. I love seeing his interactions with all the other cats and the devils alike.
Asato is a supremely awkward but genuinely good-hearted guy, with a naïveté that's simultaneously kind of charming and kind of sad, and I love how fond and protective he is of Konoe. I like how both of them are too sheltered and too alone and kind of lost in the world but find their footing together. I am always happy to see Asato's puppy-dog loyalty and Konoe's fond exasperation.
Rai is no-nonsense and confident and harsh and kind of seriously damaged, and I like how his icy personality doesn't stop him from having a core of pure fire; his moments of gentleness hit all the harder because he rarely allows it of himself. I like how his brusqueness can be a sign of (and a cover for) fondness and how Konoe can hold his own in the relationship; Rai is an intimidating figure, but Konoe isn't intimidated, and I think Rai respects that.
The Shaman Cat is an intriguing figure, and I wish we could have seen more of him. He obviously knows far more than he should, and that knowledge (and the abilities that grant him that knowledge) sets him apart from the other cats. He feels like a presence who seems to exist in the world on a slightly different plane, slightly skewed from the rest of the cats--mostly in this world, but a tiny bit otherworldly. I love the air of haughty amusement he has sometimes, and how can be flippant one moment and dead serious the next. I am insatiably curious about his powers, his past, and what his true purpose is.
As for worldbuilding, all the worldbuilding options are good! Ribika history and culture, devils, the rise of music-based magic, the development of mythology and lore about the void, historical documents about Sisa or the two-canes, anythiiing.
Some prompts:
··Konoe returns to see (what's left of) Karou post-canon; or, maybe Karou is coming back to life?
··Konoe honing his abilities as a Sanga, with some help from his Touga
··both Rai or Asato are dangerous and could definitely hurt Konoe, cue angst about I AM SO DANGEROUS (Konoe: "give me some credit here")
··people who don't know them think Rai acting gruff and aloof means he doesn't really care about Konoe, little do they know that is a DANGEROUS MISTAKE TO MAKE
··Rai spends a lot of time trying to convince himself that Konoe is just a valuable Sanga, that's all, there's no other reason he cares so much, nope
··remember that time that Rai let Konoe clutch his tail? more of that plz
··Asato's flowers are actually hanahaki flowers
··Asato and Konoe return to Kira; has Kira changed at all?
··Kaltz watches Asato/Konoe from afar
··what is the Shaman up to when he's not feeding Konoe cryptic clues?
··the Shaman wielding his magic for other cats--Leaks, Shui, one of the devils, someone's mother, a Kira cat?
··Konoe backstory--his relationship with his mother, how his friendship with Tokino developed, were any other cats in Karou ever kind to him?
For music-related media opt-ins, some of my favorite tracks are Utautai no Neko, Denshou no Shi ~Vox / Verum / Nervus, Nostalgia, When the End/Gyoukou. But I genuinely love basically every track, so feel free to take your pick--the full OST is here.
While I ship both Konoe/Asato and Konoe/Rai, I like them separately--I'd rather not see a fic containing both ships, a love triangle, or Konoe/Asato/Rai. (Canon levels of Asato affection are okay even with Konoe/Rai!)
I have both played the game and read the manga, so feel free to use either one. Also feel free to include other characters as well (I'm particularly fond of Kaltz and Shui).
Shirogane no Ou
Solo: King, Right-Eye, ShiroganeWB: history/politics of Quatredina
Opt-Ins
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I high-key love all the gen combinations, I low-key ship King/Right-Eye, and I would love to see any of these characters individually (e.g. backstory). I love the main trio so, so much. I love King's crass, arrogant exterior and his equally crass, arrogant but intensely caring interior (buried deep down), and how he doesn't act like a king "should" but still takes his position seriously in his own way. I love how Right-Eye started out being kind of brusque and not particularly polite to King, but the moment he becomes Right-Eye he's 150% gung-ho loyal and dedicated. I cannot get enough of their relationship--how they constantly try to protect each other from other people and also from themselves, how they'll do basically anything for each other, how they are unwavering and unyielding in their loyalty to each other, and also how utterly fail they are at communication. I love King and Right-Eye as gen, ship, and literally everything in between.
I abso-freaking-lutely adore Shirogane, too. I love his ability to be snarky or silly one moment and dead serious the next, and how he's willing to knock King down a peg and how he so very obviously has a soft spot for Right-Eye. I also like the contrast between "immensely destructive weapon capabilities, sole prerogative over who sits on the throne, holds all the real power in the country" and "a floppy wolf pelt who could be stolen away by a pelt-snatcher at any given point in time."
tl;dr: I love all three of them so, so much, you guys.
I'm also very interested in all three of them solo or their interactions with other characters. Where did Shirogane even come from, how did the whole "Shirogane Fenrir chooses the ruler of the country" thing even arise, who was his first monarch, on what criteria does he choose his rulers? How did King end up in Zoe's orbit to begin with, what was his relationship with other bodyguards, what was his first meeting with Isel or Wolfgang? What was Right-Eye's life like as a mercenary before he became Right-Eye, did he have any culture shock when he first came to Quatredina, did he have any special memories as a kid with Balford?
There's also tons of space for worldbuilding here. The manga leaves a lot of things about Quatredina and the wider world unexplained. Where did Shirogane even come from, and how did the whole "Shirogane Fenrir chooses the ruler of the country" thing even arise? Who was his first monarch? On what criteria does he choose his rulers? What's the broader international political landscape, especially with countries caught between Quatredina and Zephil? What is Iselphia's origin story? Quatredina is clearly an outlier in how its political system works and must have a fascinating history, and I want to know all about it. It could also be fun to see some worldbuilding on Zephil's side--the history of those royal tattoos, or the history of Racehound and other royal weaponry, what happened in Zephil after Dieck made his move?
Some prompts:
··someone gets abducted, someone else mounts a roaring rampage of rescue
··I will take a zillion versions of "Zoe returns and reclaims his crown, now what," literally a zillion ··Shirogane's origin story, or monarchs he's chosen in the past
··King arguing with his aides and advisors
··political shenanigans--a spy in the palace, a brewing coup, Zephil declares war?
··how did Right-Eye get from Zephil to Quatredina in the first place?
··aaaaall the loyalty kink, literally all of it
··Right-Eye's identity is leaked; how do he and King handle the new upswell in suspicion?
··Shirogane and King trying to keep Right-Eye out of trouble; Shirogane and Right-Eye trying to keep King out of trouble; why does Shirogane have to deal with these idiots?!
Shuuten Unknown
Yoruma/SayatokiWB: Any
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I love Yoruma's slick-talking ways and how his charisma and charm are basically a defensive shield against a world he doesn't trust. I love Sayatoki's angst and self-recrimination about his past and also how he absolutely has no idea how to deal with people in general. I love how they both have slightly twisted views of morality and people and the world (they're doing their best, okay). But mostly, I love the slow burn of their relationship from "I do not trust this guy, I need to use him and then get rid of him" to "I literally cannot imagine living the rest of my life without him." Oh, man. The way they're thrown into their us-against-the-world circumstances, the way they discover there's so much out there in the world than they ever really knew, the way they unwittingly and unwillingly find themselves starting to care about each other until, at the end, their entire world views have shifted. I kind of love the awkwardness of their relationship, how they have no idea how to communicate or interact with people or even really cope with the fact that there's someone they genuinely care about in a meaningful way. They never wanted to get stuck together, but they go through so much with each other (and for each other) that when it's all over, they've changed each other for good, and for the better.
Some prompts:
··sleeping together used to be weird; now not sleeping together is weird
··Yoruma finally realizes that the Air Old Man voice in his head actually has a point
··they go out shopping or something stupidly domestic like that and don't realize how stupidly domestic they're being
··everyone realizes they're dating except for them. Actually everyone. Granny Medora et al. Their landlord. The butcher. The random person walking down the street. Everyone.
··awkward communication fails when trying to confess
··"I finally have someone I care about in my life, I can't risk that because of stupid emotions"
··how many years can you live together before finally admitting that you're not just roommates? (answer: a lot)
··a detailed history of Magic Enforced Proximity Armlets
Silver Diamond
Rakan/ChigusaOpt-Ins
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Silver Diamond is awesome on basically every metric. The fantasy worldbuilding is so creative, the art is gorgeous, the plot is a perfect save-the-world fantasy story, the wordplay is so clever and fascinating and plot-relevant holy cow. But mostly, I love the characters. Rakan and Chigusa are both just so fantastic. They're both so complex and multi-faceted? Rakan is sensible and clear-headed and down-to-earth, with a blazing determination and bravery that can border on reckless--when he's in, he's all in. I love the moment where he recognizes and acknowledges the fire he has inside him. And I adore Chigusa to an unspeakable degree. I love his growth from someone who sees things only in terms of threat/harmless/useful, to learning how to human, to the way he learns to care about Rakan and then, by extension, others. He charms me with his sincerity, and he is hilarious with his sometimes cluelessness and his sometimes obfuscating stupidity. And these two together, their relationship is so perfect. The ends they'll go to for each other, the way they trust each other and fight for each other--they've basically agreed to spend the rest of their lives together, come on.
Not actually requesting WB:, because I love Rakan and Chigusa too much to leave them out entirely. But I am very much interested in Amato worldbuilding, and if Rakan and/or Chigusa are even remotely relevant, I am all in. Scary bedtime stories about the Senrou monsters! Future stories about the Sanome Prince! Rakan learning more about [insert interesting thing about Amato here]!
Some prompts:
··Post-canon, Chigusa and Rakan go back to visit their friends in Amato, or friends come to visit them
··Rakan's high school friends: "You say he's your cousin? Okay, uh-huh, yeah, sure, we'll go with that"
··adventures in moving to the city for Rakan to go to university
··there's no need for love confessions when you're TELEPATHICALLY CONNECTED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES
··domestic fluff and everyday adventures--this world is nothing but new experiences for Chigusa, and seeing it all through Chigusa's eyes is like a rediscovery for Rakan
··the Prince and Kinrei have some disturbing news: we've noticed something, the glowing sand, the plants are dying--
··Chigusa shamelessly wooing Rakan with a completely straight face all day, every day
··missing scenes on their journey through Amato! Discovering some strange new plant. Telling stories from their childhoods turns weird because... yeah, Rakan's the only one with a normal childhood. Rakan could totally just grow a plant to get them across this ravine/down this cliff/over this river, but Chigusa is sure it would be Perfectly Rational and Reasonable for him to just carry Rakan, right? right? right?
I've read the whole series and the gaiden, so go crazy. Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like (I love Narushige (and Kou!) and Touji, too!).
Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Shishido Ryou/Ootori ChoutarouYagyuu Hiroshi/Niou Masaharu
Atobe Keigo/Sanada Gen'ichirou
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Tenipuri was one of my first fandoms, and I still have an enormous fondness for it. The Silver Pair just stole my heart. I love Shishido's brashness and stubbornness and dedication and determination, and I love Choutarou's gentleness and politeness and how it hides an incredible power and a spine of steel. And mostly I love them together--Choutarou's loyalty, and Shishido having a soft spot for him that's so big it can be seen from space, and how much they pour into tennis and into each other in order to forge one of the greatest doubles pairs in the incredibly competitive world of Japanese middle school tennis.
The Platinum Pair appeals to my wicked side!
As for the Tango Pair, I'm sorry, I know it's anime filler and whatnot, but you cannot tell me that two people share tango soul music and expect me not to ship it. They're very different in a lot of ways--Atobe flashy where Sanada is staid, Atobe eloquent and self-aggrandizing where Sanada is taciturn and prone to proving his superiority by action--but they're also very similar in other ways--proud, determined, confident, ruthless, but also caring about those they let into their inner circle. Both of these guys are very difficult people to be around, and I think they would absolutely get on each other's nerves, but I also think they get each other in a way that not many people do. Talk about a power couple.
Some prompts:
··ALL THE TENNIS--a regular middle school tennis practice, or working out over the weekend just the two of them, or when they've gone pro, or just casual rallies after they've retired, or--
··playing singles will never feel quite right again
··it's only when they finally arrive at Life After Tennis that they realize just how important they are to each other
··hanahaki on the tennis court, SURPRISE
··they drifted apart after school, because middle school tennis teammates aren't forever, but then they meet again at a school reunion or some tennis event or just randomly on the street and....
··angst about the future, SHISHIDO'S GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'LL NEVER PLAY TOGETHER AGAIN, THIS IS THE END, or Shishido wants to go pro and Choutarou doesn't, is this where their paths diverge, ANGST
··how did Shishido and Choutarou even start training together? And whose idea was the whole doubles thing, anyway?
··the Switch was supposed to be a fun one-off trick, why can't he stop thinking about it
··some people think that Yagyuu is a well-mannered young man and a good role model and Niou will listen to him, ahahahahahaha; or, some people are terrified that Niou is a bad influence who will corrupt good boy Yagyuu, ahahahahahaha
··if you want to go with actual soul music means they're soulmates, I am all here for that
··okay, if Sanada/Atobe actually became a thing, both of their teams would absolutely flip
··every time Atobe and Sanada meet on the pro circuit, it becomes A Thing
··or maybe start playing doubles together for real, this is ridiculous, we all know their tennis and how they play, there's no way this can work, how are they making this work
··any sort of sports news coverage! Or wild internet speculation! Or an excerpt from a tell-all biography!
I've read a chunk of Shin Tenipuri, but I'm definitely not up to date. I'm not particularly fussed about spoilers, but something that requires Shin Tenipuri knowledge might be lost of me. I can do the original series in manga, anime, or musical form. Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like, including those on other teams! On Hyoutei, I'm also particularly fond of Hiyoshi; on Rikkai, I'm also particularly fond of the rest of the Troika and Akaya.
Togainu no Chi
Akira/KeisukeOpt-Ins
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Oh, man, this ship. They are the backbone of Togainu no Chi to me--Keisuke's decision to follow Akira to Toshima sets into motion so many pieces of the story and influences Akira's decisions, for good and for bad. Akira is my favorite character in the game--I love his stoicism, his determination, and also his ignorance/obliviousness about human relations and interactions. He holds himself aloof from others--not out of any ill will, per se, but he is not the most people-savvy person and he doesn't really know how to connect or interact or understand, and I like that about him, even when it does eventually become a proximate cause to the rupturing of his relationship with Keisuke. And Keisuke is a very close second favorite--his all-encompassing pining for Akira is delicious, and his devotion (obsession) and his inferiority complex (self-loathing) hurt in all the right ways. I love the arc of their relationship, from unequal terrible-at-communication friends to falling apart to destructive to (in some ends) rebuilt with greater understanding. Their friendship was genuine, but it was also extremely flawed, with failures to communicate and lies of omission and a lack of understanding and an unhealthy avoidance of conflict, and I think it was inevitable that they would splinter in some way. The messiness is part of the appeal, and I like it both when they work things out (with difficulties) and when it ends in tragedy.
Some prompts:
··once upon a time, Keisuke told himself that being Akira's friend was enough (spoiler: he was wrong)
··Keisuke detoxes after a bad ending and realizes oh no what have I done
··Keisuke dies, and too late Akira understands and has to somehow come to terms with everything (optional realization that he was in love, too)
··what was life at the orphanage like?
··they both get out alive, but that's just the beginning and even though they love each other things are such a mess (and is love alone even enough? "no" is an acceptable answer)
··or, yes, love is enough to make it work, but that doesn't stop the PTSD and the ghosts and the memories
··Keisuke time loops trying to save Akira, but there's only one way to do it (a.k.a. the True Ending)
··one-sided soulmates. last words soulmarks. soulmates mean one is destined to kill the other. all the tragic soulmates plz
··records from the orphanage? experiment lab reports? refugee intake forms?
Feel free to go for whatever ending you want (with references to other ships excluded). Discussion of/reference to sexual content is just fine, but please nothing explicit on the page. I'm not particularly interested in Vischio characters, although I don't mind them as background/plot movers.
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Bruno/Fudou YuuseiOpt-Ins
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In some ways, 5D's is kind of a mess, but in some ways, it's my favorite YGO series.
My heart was stolen by Yuusei/Bruno. I love both of these guys. Yuusei is just a genuinely good guy, stoic about his own weaknesses in a lot of ways but incredibly caring and strong and with an unwavering faith in the potential of people and the possibility of a better future and the determination to pursue it no matter what. And Bruno is a fascinating figure--Bruno the lovable dork, sweet and funny; Dark Glass the mysterious mentor, dedicated to Yuusei and his potential; Antinomy the single-minded determinator who had once given up on the future, but finds through Yuusei the ability to believe in tomorrow and in humanity. And I'm a sucker for characters who are instantly great friends, so I was charmed by their relationship from the very beginning--I love that Yuusei and the gang take Bruno in and accept him as one of their own, and that Bruno slides into Team 5D's so seamlessly (Jack's punching notwithstanding). I love how Yuusei and Bruno click and just *get* each other, I could watch them geek out together over D-Wheels all day every day. I love that even after the Antinomy reveal, Yuusei refuses to believe that their friendship was a lie; I love that his faith was rewarded in Bruno's final moments. And that tragic ending hurts soooo good. (On that note, I love the tragedy of their relationship, so I'm not particularly interested in fix-it fic where Bruno survives--unless you can turn it angsty or tragic in another way!)
Some prompts:
··Yuusei only realizes too late his own feelings; or, Yuusei isn't sure of his own feelings, but being denied the possibility of ever finding out where it might have gone is painful in its own right
··that thing where you realize that's your soulmate right before he dies, or after he dies
··for many reasons, amnesia means falling in love is a bad idea (spoiler: attempts to not fall in love ultimately fail)
··speaking of which, did Bruno actually only get his memory back at Arc Cradle? ··After losing Bruno, Yuusei truly did intend to die stopping Arc Cradle; what is he supposed to do now that he's survived?
··or a quiet (or not-so-quiet) moment together before it all goes down; geeking out in the garage, hanging with the rest of Team 5D's, talking about what happens after the WRGP
··if you want to get into the messiness of Antinomy first meeting Z-ONE playing the role of Yuusei and then meeting the real Yuusei, that's also good
··okay, I don't actually want a totally happy ending, but: What if Bruno did jump on the back of Yuusei's bike back there in super lightspeed? (result: Arc Cradle Bad End)
··Yuusei goes down in history; what books and articles does Johnny read about him?
··Yuusei writes letters he can never send ;-;
I appreciate Bruno in all his iterations, including Antinomy, Johnny, Dark Glass, notactuallyamnesiac!Bruno, etc. Feel free to include other characters as you'd like (I particularly like Jack and Carly!), but please keep Crow to small doses. I don't mind him appearing along with the rest of Team 5D's, but please don't make him the focus or main POV character of the fic.
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Yuuki Juudai/Johan AndersenOpt-Ins
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Juudai is quite possibly my favorite shounen protagonist of all time. I love his optimistic, genki, hot-blooded gung-ho attitude at the beginning of the series; I love his descent into darkness; I love how he claws his way out of the darkness and fights to come to terms with what he's done, and I love how, by the end of the series, he's matured and become jaded and lost some of his blind idealism, but is ultimately still a good person who still believes in goodness and who tries to do good. I also adore Johan, for a lot of the same reasons that I love Juudai--he's positive, bright, brave, determined and true. He throws himself in whole-heartedly and without reservation. And I love their relationship most of all. They believe in each other, they understand each other, they go above and beyond for each other--the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other, the absolute trust they have in each other--they're kindred spirits, like they were meant to find each other.
Some prompts:
··their first reunion post-canon, accompanied by an emotional wave of oh no I'm so in love
··or, the gradual slide from friendship to more
··duels are a completely valid method of communication and also of expressing love
··Juudai's relationship with Yubel is something completely different, but that doesn't stop Johan from feeling like he's second-best ;-;
··Johan wants to be the one Juudai comes home to; or, Juudai wants Johan to be the one he can come home to; or both, both is good
··are we not going to have a conversation about how Yubel basically accused them of being in love? (answer: no, because it's unrequited and what's the point; or, no, because if it is unrequited, not knowing is better than knowing; or, no, because they can't go back to the way they were before; or... maybe even... yes?)
··long-distance relationships (are lonely? are easier when you have confidence in your feelings for each other?)
··they drift apart over time, even though they meant so much to each other back then ;-; (and then maybe drift back together <3)
··Johan understands why Juudai needs to roam the world, but that doesn't mean he likes it
··if we could just go back in time and avoid all the alternate dimension/Haou/Yubel stuff, that would be great (spoiler: it doesn't quite work according to plan)
··is there anything they would not do for each other? The next crisis proves: no, no there is not
··how do they keep in contact while Juudai is off roaming the globe?
··what about that time when Juudai retrieves Rainbow Dragon from Paradox?
Feel free to include whatever other characters you'd like (especially Winged Kuriboh and the Gem Beasts!). If relevant, I would rather see Yubel's existence/presence acknowledged than ignored. I watched the anime in the original Japanese, and so I'd prefer to see fic about Juudai and Johan, not Jaden and Jesse.
