Dear Fiab Author

[sarunohadaki]

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FIAB 2025 Letter 

AO3: SarunoHadaki

Tumblr: SarunoH

Dear FIAB Author,

I am thrilled that you've been assigned to write for me and I look forward to reading what you have to write~

This letter has been cannibalized from ones past, but I tried my best to make sure all the info is readable and not too long but still with enough information to hopefully spark some ideas! Feel free to pick and choose whatever works best for you! There's a way to collapse different headers to make the letter more easy to navigate and I did my best to incorporate that here.

⭐ Recursive fic and fic inspired by my fic/its universe etc. are welcome! ⭐

♥️ Treats accepted! I also have treats turned on ♥️

Thank you again and happy writing!

Requesting:

Crossover Fandom (Our Dreams at Dusk/Boy Meets Maria)

Play It Cool, Guys

Honkai: Star Rail

Genshin Impact

Yes, No, or Maybe?

Dungeon Meshi

I Love

• M/M pairings
• Getting together fics
• AUs, especially modern
• Spouses/established relationships
• “Oh no they were both tops/bottoms” & switchy pairings
• Hurt/comfort, particularly emotional hurt and resulting in cuddles
• Character A catching injured B as they faint or lose balance
• Canon divergence, post-canon, and filling in missing/skipped scenes

DNWs

• Gunshots/shooting
• Pregnancy (the conceiving of a child part; unsuccessful attempt at impregnation for NSFW/breeding kink purposes is wholly welcome)
• De-aging/Age regression of characters
• Children
• All hurt, no comfort
• Whump
• Rape with onlookers watching
• Scat, vomit
• Misgendering characters
• Homophobia
• Sethos
• Yunli
• Mithrun running a noodle shop post-canon

General Likes/Prompts

• Worldbuilding
• Queer characters/headcanons (including gnc, polyamory, trans, nonbinary, demisexuality, aro, ace, etc.)
• Fluff, slice of life, curtain fics
• Angst
• Humor
• Drama
• Action
• Conflict
• Casefic
• Flashbacks
• Friendship
• Plot twists
• Miscommunication
• Misunderstandings
• Family/found family
• Subverting expectations
• Character studies/introspection
• Hurt/comfort
  • Broken leg which requires char to be bedridden while S/O treats them back to full recovery
  • Realizations of betrayal/things aren't how char thought and having to come to terms w truth
  • Rejected by family/loved one
  • Angry words spoken in the heat of the moment replay in char's head for days afterward
• Unusual formats (epistolary, first/second person POV, chatfic, etc.)
• Author writing something they know extremely well (bring me those random facts about frogs, any cool science, or the details of a job you worked).
• Creative/refreshing new takes on overdone tropes such as “there was only one bed,” coffeeshop AU, etc.
• A year or season in the life of the pairing, covering things like Japanese tradition and holidays (The first shrine visit of the year, Valentine's Day & White Day, Golden Week, celebrating the Autumn Equinox, Christmas, etc.) or personal celebrations/other activities (birthdays, camping, attending festivals in kimono (see clothing kink below), sleeping over at each other's places, school field trips, midterms/finals/cram school, clubs, visiting used-book fairs, etc.) Please also see this Ghibli prompts list I made on tumblr for more inspo on the sort of imagery I really love.

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Relationship/Romance Likes

• Rivals or enemies to lovers
• Childhood friends to lovers
• Power dynamics
• Soulmate AUs
  • One yearning for the other their whole life and the other trying their damndest to avoid them
  • Red string of fate that's just two characters circling the globe looking for each other
  • Tattoo/marking AU where messages appear on the other's body
  • Both are resistant to the idea but fall in love over time
  • Ability to share pain or sense each other's emotions
• Mutual pining resulting in a relationship
• The soft ray of sunshine is the actual boss/tops in the relationship
• Shy character struggling to confess their feelings to the clueless crush
• Two touch-starved characters trading increasingly intimate touches in private
• Spoiling the partner who has suffered past abuse/trauma/just had a bad day
• Age gaps (underage w someone older, 500-year-old with a 2k-year-old, etc.)
• Pair of characters who are functional alone but lose all their braincells when together <3
• Character who has had a rough go at life learning how to love/trust friends and/or significant other 

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NSFW Likes

• Praise kink
• Underage sex
• Switchy pairings
• Outercourse, anal sex, fingering, anal fisting
• Cockwarming
• Edging
• Size Kink - Top presses on bottom's stomach to find out how deep they've penetrated
• Dub-con, non-con
  • “Weird how it still feels good, even when you don't consent to it.” (Something one of my requested characters literally said once 👀)
• Make-up sex
• Free use in a monogamous relationship - partner's holes/mouth/cock are always available for use
• Pet names that are plays on the character's name or “darling,” “love,” “fucker,” “bastard,” “whore”
• Breeding kink - as dirty talk without risk
  • Creampie, they fucked all night, cockwarming, etc.
• Male trans for trans (T4T)
  • Post-op or not for either party
  • PIV sex or pegging is so hot
  • Bussy, clit, cock, pussy, boy pussy, hole, cunt, etc. are wonderful
  • Top surgery scars 👀
  • Gender euphoria moments
• Drunk sex
  • Buzzed one fucking the brains out of the drunker one enthusiastically encouraging them to continue
  • Sloppy kisses and both barely conscious enough to even get close to orgasming
  • Finally acting on long-harbored feelings in possibly the worst way by doing it when neither will remember in the morning
• Leather
  • Zippers, leashes/harnesses, straps, gloves, pants showing off asses/bulge, shiny curves, esp in bondage situations (hogtied, blindfolded, rope bondage or using an article of clothing)
• Semi-public/public sex
  • Cockwarming and sitting on other's lap at a dinner/party/etc.
  • Fingering under a table or standing close in a crowd/bent over something like a pool table/etc.
  • Having to stifle moans or thrusting motion, etc.
  • Getting caught (Shame or degradation kink? Voyeurism kink)
  • Fucking at home but it's on ground floor with the window open
  • Third party on Zoom/phone call/etc. overhearing or seeing something
  • Similarly: “Easy access”/free use (Aka a character who's down for whatever whenever)
  • Character skips underwear (+ is wearing a skirt) and goes to a public outing with partner
  • Flashing, suggestive gestures, hiked up clothing, etc.
  • Character who needs their partner yesterday
    • Pair this with breeding kink and my brain will explode
• Somnophilia
  • Between the thighs accidentally leads to penetration
  • Receiver wakes up in the middle; honestly ends up having a great time OR pretends they're still asleep so the other keeps going
  • Spontaneous or some agreed-upon procedure for when it's ok to fuck (whether that be a certain color underwear, explicit mention of it before going to bed, or just free range completely)
  • I like outercourse for this especially (thigh-fucking/humping, frottage, handjobs, blowjobs, etc.) and cockwarming
  • I'm fine with noncon and dubcon, so that element of it does not concern me terribly!
• Clothing kink
  • Sex with one partner fully clothed, the other naked
  • Character A is hot and they know it + find deliberate ways to drive B crazy about it
  • Wearing someone's clothes after them and the clothes are still warm
  • Waking up in the partner's oversized shirt after raucous sex the night prior
  • Sock garters, vests, suits, shorts, garter belts, panties, ties, lingerie
  • The more expensive the article of clothing, the better
  • Lots of touching/reverence for what exposed skin is available or even kissing the aforementioned article of clothing/outfit
  • I really love the idea of there being this super expensive article of clothing that Character A wears because they know B will be pissed that they can't tear it off without having to buy A a replacement
  • Keeping as much of the outfit on as possible OR a languid striptease until it's just the one article left
  • Blowjobs, dirty talk, kisses, hands traveling underneath and around silk and other expensive shit

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Crossover Fandom (Our Dreams at Dusk/Boy Meets Maria)

Requesting: Arima Yuu (Boy Meets Maria)/Kaname Tasuku (Shimanami Tasogare)

⭐ I do not mind having Hirosawa and Tsubaki included in the story and even having some romantic drama with them so long as anything sexual or established in terms of the relationship are kept to the requested ship.

In my letter, I refer to Kaname Tasuku as “Tasukun” since this is what they call him in the Eng translation I own. I also refer to Anonymous-san as “Someone-san.”

We are by no means bereft of gay media in the BL space. However, I still think both Our Dreams at Dusk and Boy Meets Maria approach gender, sex, and sexuality in a particular way that I want to see more of. When you get down to it, neither of them are stories whose main goal is romance. Both of them are stories about finding yourself, and community, in who—and how—you love. I read Our Dreams at Dusk first then moved onto Boy Meets Maria probably a year or so later but immediately saw a connection in theme between the two stories.

I'm a huge sucker for stories that touch upon the nuanced, deeply personal approaches people take to love, gender identity, etc. and Our Dreams at Dusk fully fed me on that front from the beginning. As an asexual, I loved Someone-san's character especially—the way she is unabashedly herself at the start of the story, with the truth being that certainly wasn't always the case. Our Dreams at Dusk is a story filled with community and diversity, so when I picked up Boy Meets Maria, the dearth initially took me a little aback. While it's probably narrated from Hirosawa's perspective partially to build mystery around Arima's character and his identity, it left me racing to any panel with even a little Arima rep!

Arima is an incredibly special character to me and I would love to read more about his journey from a setting with a little more queerness in it, like they have in Our Dreams at Dusk. I think Dusk also has a special tenderness to it and the mythical elements were one of my favorite parts of the story. I think it would also be very interesting if Arima and Tasukun met during or after the events of their respective canons. I think there's a lot of interesting potential there for a relationship to bud any number of ways.

While romance is certainly on the table, I think the most important thing for me with this pairing is companionship. I think it'd be really fun to see a pairing where they both strive so hard to be understood and find that, while stumbling a little along the way. And while it's not noted too much in my prompts (which are very much optional), I would love both of them to still approach meeting and friendship/love in their own unique ways, thorns attached!

Some ideas:

Arima in Our Dreams at Dusk. How would Someone-san deal with Arima if she encountered him? How would the people at the Drop-In Center learn of his complicated history with his gender? How could he begin to explore it with these other people? Would he go by different pronouns? (I would LOVE if Arima started going by they/them or he/she/they pronouns!!!!) I loved reading Boy Meets Maria but it left me absolutely aching for more time with Arima Yuu. I felt like a starved orphan when the experience was over simply begging for more food!

Exploring Arima's acting career. The setting as actors on a stage is particularly perfect for Arima given the many moments it either assists or interferes with his exploration of his gender identity. I would have loved to see more moments like that, more details about what it takes to act on stage or even aspects of the production I'd never considered before, like preparing props/the scene and casting actors. How long does it take? Since this is a high school operation, I am assuming the students have to prepare all of this themselves? If he begins visiting the Drop-In Center after classes, does anyone else begin wondering where he goes? Does he fall behind on his acting or is he able to strike a balance?

School transfer drama. Tasukun transfers to a new school (either moving to a new city altogether, or a school in the same district) after incidents with bullying and things growing awkward between him and Tsubaki. Depending on the point of Tasukun's move in relation to both respective canons, maybe he would recognize Arima as someone who is facing struggles similar to that of Misora-san. Maybe an unlikely friendship forms between Tasukun and Arima after they run into each other in an awkward position (like Arima in women's clothing or Tasukun out and about with friends who are openly gay and trans outside of school). It could be fun and interesting to see how there might be friction between them (especially considering how prickly Arima was initially, and likely still is, in some ways)—before melting into something a little more familiar and supportive!

Summertime friendship to…? Similar to previous idea, but Arima visits Onomichi over the summer. I have so many ideas for fun things he could do—go out on the water, hike, eat watermelon, watch fireworks, and attend festivals and used-book markets! What if he's there on a family trip and is looking for every opportunity to slip away from them, which may or may not include disguising himself as the opposite sex and sneaking off just to avoid them? It might also be neat if Arima finds a random opportunity to participate in a play. What if that is how Arima learns about the Drop-In Center and meets Tasukun for the first time? Or what if Tasukun makes friends with Arima's secret female identity first, and Arima eventually reveals his identity? Once again, I'm very interested in the potential for gender fluid/nonbinary Arima!!

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Play It Cool, Guys

Requesting:
Ichikura Hayate/Shiki Souma
Ichikura Hayate/Mima Takayuki

This manga is extremely near and dear to my heart. With a humorous air underlying every scene, the story is easily digestible and in some ways meticulous in the ways the author weaves the relationships together. It's extremely satisfying to be thinking how it would be neat if a certain character appeared at just the right time to complete an interaction, just for you to turn the corner and for them to be there, ready to be the plot's supporting beam! I'm also mildly jealous of how effortless the manga makes friendship and maintaining relationships to appear as an adult, although it also has its moments, especially with Mima, where they acknowledge those difficulties while working a 9 to 5.

The emphasis on platonic relationships is especially precious to me, and the way the characters interact with each other is so satisfying. If kismet could be platonic, I 100% think that's what they have. It's also super interesting how there's a bit of a multigenerational friendship between the four main characters and a difference in stages of life, from still being in high school to being in a mid-level role at a company. This is a story I really wish more people were interested in so I could talk to them about it and gush about how life can be so simple and satisfying when you have good relationships and goals to strive toward!

Hayate/Souma

 

I have to give huge props to the mangaka for making all the boys so cute for cute's sake without forcing anyone into a relationship, but that does mean I'm obligated to exploit it for ship potential! From the first meeting between Hayate and Souma especially, it's a fangirl's dream. Not Hayate focusing especially hard on Souma's tattoo, of all things! And Souma's adorable laugh at the end is so incredibly difficult not to swoon over. Every interaction between them is worse than biting into pure cotton candy! >

This ship appeals to me the most because I feel like they have a lot of compatibility, being around the same age and stage in their life. I'm really drawn to the idea that Souma would unwittingly capture Hayate's heart with his sweet personality and attractive looks! And Hayate, being his overly blushy self, would be extremely embarrassed in every interaction and struggling to admit his feelings! I genuinely think Souma is so handsome (piercings AND a tattoo, no matter how little it is!) And I would love emphasis/attention directed toward this fact. It's also so so cute that Souma's ability to giggle over his goofs gives Hayate the confidence to feel less bad about his own clumsiness!

Hayate/Mima

 

Googling images for this pairing came up with some tremendously cute results. The way Mima looks for comfort and finds that in Hayate... the author/book connection... the fact that their first meeting was basically literally a date, complete with buying each other gifts and everything!! ૮( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)ა Ahhh it's so wholesome!! I feel like they would both be very gentle with each other while Hayate would still be an absolute blush factory, but I'm in full support of it!!

In every interaction, they fit together so neatly, it's crazy. Like, there's zero discomfort there, and Hayate really admires Mima and vice versa. Considering Mima's the clueless sort, it would be really adorable if we get a “fell first, fell harder” situation where Hayate develops feelings for Mima first but Mima doesn't realize because he's so awful at recognizing when/why Hayate's embarrassed. And then one day the dam bursts open and someone (either Hayate himself or someone else, possibly Shun) spills the beans that Hayate's into him. And then he realizes that… yeah, they've kinda been acting like partners for a while. How embarrassing! But Mima is too unashamed to even be sorry! 😂

Plot ideas:

·      Friend get-together turns into something that feels scarily similar to a date when everyone but [ship] cancels. One or both sides of the ship are all too aware of this, which cranks the goof-per-second ratio way up. Will both of them survive the date without something going horribly wrong? (Premiere date locations: the carnival, a shopping district, aquarium, movies + dinner, etc.)

·      Friend group goes out camping, but no matter where A turns, B is there. Collecting firewood together, assigned to cook together, stargazing together, and naturally, having to share a tent at the end of the night! Could either be the catalyst of feelings realization or the final straw for characters who have already been aware of worsening mutual pining. >

·       Everyone but A/B is fully aware of the feelings between them, but for whatever reason, A & B have not confessed yet (probably due to a lethal mix of fear, shyness, and embarrassment). The rest of the friend group is determined to get the fools together, but it's an uphill battle when the friends themselves fail to have much tact, either.

·      Hayate agrees to help Motoharu out with his next novel by gathering some empirical dating data, either by dating outside the friend group or asking [Love Interest] for some help by agreeing to attend a fake date. It could be fun to see how the friend group/Love Interest would react if Hayate tried to date a stranger, but possibly even funnier to see feelings bloom between Hayate and Love Interest on what begins as a fake date for experiment's sake.

One side of the pairing has long accepted their feelings but the other is having a harder time accepting them, as even straight-out confessions don't seem to do the trick. Next comes a full campaign all to do with trying to woo the other over.
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Honkai: Star Rail

Requesting:

Jing Yuan/Yanqing

 

I'm in love with Yanqing's loyalty for Jing Yuan, going so far as to 1v2 Dan Heng and Blade because he believes in the law blah blah (I like to think the real reason is to prove himself to Jing Yuan)!! The way Jing Yuan cares for him, trains with him, even plays chess with him. How Jing Yuan knows that Yanqing is bound for greatness and is doing everything in his power to care for Yanqing and keep him safe despite knowing Yanqing's already such a talented swordsman. (And not letting Yanqing get too over his head about everything). Jing Yuan in that one cutscene at Tingyun's funeral ceremony with Yanqing supporting him because he was supposed to be recovering!!! HELLO? THE SOFTNESS! But also the thought that Yanqing probably didn't leave his side as soon as he'd heard that Jing Yuan had been injured!

I think there's a special eroticism in Jing Yuan or Yanqing loving the other platonically and realizing over time that the feeling has developed into romantic/sexual then going, Oh shit. As a couple, I enjoy there either being a real-world concern for what others will think and the societal acceptance of it (esp considering Yanqing's age), but it can also be handwaved away or Yanqing can be aged up to avoid that drama altogether if it doesn't suit your taste. I am not interested in hyperfocus on Yanqing's youth or him being a child, though I think Jing Yuan as daddy could be hot for kink purposes. I do love there being a huge relief once Yanqing's reached a certain age (or rank— *cough* Sword Champion— *cough*) and having sex about it. The relief of sex that has been long-awaited is so good and I want to read it!!

On the whole, I prefer sex that accentuates their differences— size difference, age difference, and power imbalance. I love when Yanqing is super prideful, loyal, and possessive. I think he'd certainly be understanding of the fact that Jing Yuan has had prior sexual experiences (because of course he has), but that doesn't mean it doesn't annoy Yanqing. I'd love to read a fic where Yanqing's jealous/very self-aware of his inexperience and wants to do something to change it. I think Jing Yuan would enjoy humoring him at first before realizing that Yanqing has a way higher sex drive than him and a nonexistent refractory period. Then the shoe could absolutely be on the other foot and he's left thinking, What have I gotten myself into?

Canon divergence of Scalegorge Waterscape after Jing Yuan intervened in the fight between Yanqing and Blade and Dan Heng. Jing Yuan orders him to leave with the other Cloud Knights while he handles the looming danger. But Yanqing wants to be involved, he doesn't want to leave, despite what injuries he might have. What would have happened had he stayed to fight? Would he have gotten in the way? What if, during the fight with Phantylia, Yanqing had been against Jing Yuan sacrificing himself and tossed himself into the middle of the danger instead, dramatically wounding Yanqing and putting everyone at more risk? Would Jing Yuan have been even more incensed, perhaps revealing a side of himself he shows to nobody else, or would he have kept his cool demeanor only to scold Yanqing behind closed doors later? What if Jing Yuan carried him back to the infirmary later and only then realized that the protection and fear Jing Yuan felt at losing Yanqing stretched beyond what he had first suspected and as it turns out it's love?

A story exploring Jing Yuan's and Yanqing's relationship as a general and student. “He broke the borisin's Devouring Wolf formation with Jing Yuan, beheading three Brood Lords. He also fought viciously against the wingweavers, ultimately sinking their almighty Cloudseizer Fleet.” What were these events like as they were happening? Did anyone sustain any injuries (sexily, with clothes that had to then be removed in order for bandages to be applied)? During their first war together, perhaps they started becoming more aware of the other's presence and the way he held himself. It could be Yanqing's first time not seeing Jing Yuan as his father but as a General or even simply a man (😳).

For years, Yanqing has stood by Jing Yuan's side with the assumption that things would always be that way. But when Jing Yuan leaves for a colloquy and doesn't return with orders from the Xianzhou Alliance not to search for him, Yanqing's fears are on high alert. Is the Alliance up to something? Is Jing Yuan in danger, or even worse, missing or dead? Yanqing only knows one thing— there's not a doubt in his mind that he'll search for Jing Yuan to the ends of the universe, even if it means disobeying the (possibly corrupted) Alliance and losing everything in the process, even the role of Sword Champion which he had sought for so long. If his General isn't there to witness it, does it even matter?

Jing Yuan has been at Yanqing's side from the beginning. He's been happy to fill the role of a surrogate father figure and teacher, but as years and people come and go from their lives, Yanqing is a constant presence in Jing Yuan's mind. The graceful curve of his back has become accentuated with muscles where it had not been prior; his voice has dipped just a little, into something creamier; even clothing rests differently on Yanqing's body, which both men have become more conscious of. Jing Yuan's carefully conscious of the attraction growing steadily in the pit of his stomach. The confusing thing is he's not sure whether it's his imagination or if Yanqing is reciprocating his attraction with subtle flirting and sitting just close enough for surreptitious hands on thighs and exchanged glances that suggest he desires something more.

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Genshin Impact

Requesting: Scaramouche/Xiao | Alatus

 

Please accept the above fanart I've made myself of my Genshin OTP!!!

Once I started learning more about Xiao, I started connecting dots between him and Scara and then found that I couldn't stop. Wouldn't it be interesting if the yaksha who thinks he doesn't feel anything and the amnesia-addled wanderer who feels too much taught each other some things about their emotions? What if Xiao fell in love with that puppet when he had no memories, then that puppet went off and got his memories back? Or what if Xiao met that puppet when he was a bloodthirsty harbinger, or waaay farther back, before Scara even had his first name? What if Scaramouche met Xiao before Xiao was enslaved by a certain god? There's so much potential for canon divergence!! There's no singular way to write their dynamic because it all depends on when they meet and that possibility is addicting to me, so I'm always returning to them and wanting to experiment with new scenarios.

I want to see them fall in love across universes. Or fight and bicker like oil and water before both softening up to each other when they realize just how much the other has gone through. It would be difficult, though, given how antisocial they both are, which is why I've definitely written their dynamic as amnesia-addled Wanderer/Xiao before or the bad boy (Xiao) falling for the badder boy (Scaramouche) who is on an assignment for the Harbingers at the time and Scara falls in love with Xiao because he's hot or some other surface-level thing before realizing the feelings run deeper than that XD (and Xiao, of course, just liking that he has some company and someone who doesn't care about his karmic debt).

Modern AUs would be so much fun, too. I'm at that point with this pairing where even the most banal coffeeship AU could be interesting because it's them. What is your Xiao like? How does he fall in love with Scaramouche or vice versa? I would be more than chuffed to see your answer.

Ideas because they make me unwell:

In general, I always go feral for a Xiao/Scaramouche dynamic where they give each other special treatment they don't extend to anyone else

Shogun!Scaramouche AU with royal vibes and lots of knives at people's throats 👀 Maybe Xiao makes an attempt at Scaramouche's life and he fails. I would love some hate sex thrown in somehwere. Underhanded dealings and secret trysts and fighting and all that! >

I have a lot of trouble realistically writing a pairing that is rude or mean to each other (particularly because I start feeling too bad for poor Xiao) but I would adore an enemies-to-lovers sort of situation where they're at each other's throats and making attempts on the other's life 😂 (see above lol).

o   I want to make it clear that even though writing Xiao all banged up is hard for me, that's why it's hurt/comfort and it makes the comfort 1,000 times even more thrilling and cute!! (And actually, while I'm thinking about it, dracyphilia with a sobbing Xiao OR Wanderer has a sort of appeal to it!)

The archon Morax is on an assignment to Inazuma and Xiao tags along for security. He intends to stick to Morax like glue and not go off, but one evening, Morax encourages him to take a tour of the islands while he's in some meetings and Xiao comes across Tatarasuna where a certain puppet awaits…

I have a few fics I've written of them (one, two, three) that I would love to have continuations of or be inspired for more fic. They're all long (the third is a longfic) but I think they all encapsulate the sort of dynamic I love most from them

I don't really have a preference for which Scaramouche is paired with Xiao though I have a slight preference toward Wanderer for canonverse fic. I like a boi who has gone through The Horrors™ and already come out the other side. But Xiao being all soft with Kabukimono is adorable and Xiao hating the trauma-riddled Scaramouche is 🔥spicy 🔥. I also rarely ever see fic of the puppet's transition from Kabukimono to Scaramouche (I just call that “Kunikuzushi”) or Kuronushi (of the Five Kasen from that poetry event/Irodori Festival that I missed) and would love to see more coverage of that time in Wanderer's life!

One day, a wanderer appears at Wangshu Inn declaring boldly that Xiao knows him. Xiao has never met the man before, but at the stranger's is determined to prove him wrong.

What if Xiao had an adeptal ability to travel back in time? Who would he meet? How could he change history?

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Yes, No, or Maybe?

In my letter, I write “Kunieda Kei” to refer to Kei's announcer/public persona and “Kei” for the private personality he only displays to Ushio.
 
I love, love, LOVE the dynamic between Ushio and Kei. I love the way they bicker with each other and yearn for each other and complement each other. I love everything about Ushio and how real he feels to me, like a person I'd actually meet out on the street. On the other hand, something about Kei's double-sided nature and how hard he works to succeed and be liked by others makes him almost cartoony to me. I adore the dichotomy of his character and all of the complexities that come with that— how Kunieda Kei handles a situation vs the real Kei. How he's so handsome and adored then turns around and bad-mouths people! 😂 I can relate to him in some ways, which makes me happy. I love situations where Kei or Ushio have to confront feelings or new situations the other is involved with. Where they learn things about each other. My favorite moments are those where Kei asks Ushio about his work and he opens up about it. I was reading one of the light novels recently (or an extra, actually,) and Ushio said there wasn't much point to telling Kei about his work because it would be hard to describe what goes on in his head. But I wanna know!! Kei rants about his job to Ushio all the time and Ushio loves to listen to it but I want there to be a day where it's about Ushio for once and he's the one monologuing XD (And while on the subject of jobs, I would love to know more about both of theirs, though absolutely Kei's in particular. I have some friends in TV and the whole process wows and amazes me!) I go feral over those rare, tender moments where Kei says how he's really feeling and Ushio accepts those feelings. Ushio knows deep down how Kei truly feels but I do enjoy those “all is lost” moments where Kei is forced to either be upfront and honest about something he's vulnerable about or he loses everything. And he always shows up at the final hour before it's too late to patch things up with Ushio.

Some ideas:

• Kei is confronted with a situation where he has to address his relationship with Ushio to other people or is caught with Ushio in public
• A date (and sex) with Ushio and Kunieda Kei where Kei is in his sweet character the whole time. Maybe Ushio asked him to do it and after enough puppy-dog eyes Kei caved and now he's regretting it when Ushio deliberately pushes his buttons or says things to try and provoke Kei into showing his true nature. Does Ushio find it weird? Maybe at the end of the night he feels bad for putting Kei through what he knows is an uncomfortable situation and Kei ends up getting him back somehow.
• In general I think it'd be fun to see more situations where Ushio helps Kunieda Kei stand up for himself when he has to be polite for his public image
• I love moments where Kei's and Ushio's work intersects or when one discovers the other's work around the city or at home (such as a project Ushio has been working on for the news station airs or Ushio sees Kei making a surprise appearance on a product at the grocery store or something).
• Literally any combination of the likes lists provided at the top but especially anything that puts Ushio in a position to tease Kei and bicker with him
🥺🥺
• Could you imagine getting dicked down in a studio after hours or Ushio indulging in humiliating Kei using one of Kei's fancy ties? 👀
• Kei wears suits all the time and I adore the thought of him wearing one mussed while Ushio does unspeakable things to him
• I would also love any NSFW content that puts Kei in less of a submissive/pillow princess sort of role and something more commanding. I ADORE it in the story, don't get me wrong, but there's very little focus on giving Ushio pleasure and he usually finds release in penetration but I think it'd be fun to see the roles reversed or the two competing more for roles in bed instead of Kei essentially laying back and letting it happen. And also, what is Ushio like in a submissive role? Is he shy or does he beg and cry? Would Kei lord it over his head?
• Ushio seems to run a bit of a jealous streak when it comes to Kunieda Kei and I would savor another situation like the one we got where Kei had lost his memory and the new sports announcer Tatsuki tried to make a pass at him. I like seeing Ushio fired up and protective of Kei. It would also be fun to see a situation where maybe Kunieda Kei encounters a classmate from his past who still harbors an old crush on him and Ushio has to be the one to tell them to back off since Kei is in his “public” persona and can't do it himself.
• In one of the shorts in “Off Air,” Kei and Ushio visited Kei's family for New Year's and I want more of that!! Kei told his parents they were dating and istg I almost fainted. But it was so short and I could definitely do with 10k more of Kei being Kei in front of not just Ushio but also his parents or Tatsuki! And also more of Ushio getting to know Kei's family
• USHIO AND KEI LIVING TOGETHER!! Hello??? The domesticity of it all!!! At the very end of volume 3, they mention how it'd be a good idea to put up a separating curtain between Kei and Ushio's apartments in the event that Ushio ever gets guests. Well, what happens when he gets guests? Does anyone question the fact that Kei lives next door? What if it's Shitara-san, who is familiar with both of them? Even just in general, what does Tatsuki think of the development? How much does he make fun of Kei for it at work?
• I adored all the drama that came with the 3 volumes but the Off Air stuff is also so addicting to read. I LOVE the fluff and the lower stakes. (And the more frequent sex scenes, lol!) The author writes a lot of tropes I adore, like seeing how Ushio and Kei care for the other when he's sick, the casualness of going home to Ushio's bed or texting him whenever. Tatsuki teasing them and the little things they do for each other like indulge in favorite foods or trying to ask more personal questions every once in a blue moon to establish that deeper connection with each other. Makes me absolutely feral. Oh, Kei's worried about Ushio and Ushio knows so he picks on Kei to show him he's actually totally fine and there's nothing to worry about? Oh, Ushio rents out a hotel room and takes Kei somewhere special because Ushio's answer to stress is to do something spontaneous while Kei's is to stick to routine? Oh, they casually tell each other “I love you?” You want my heart to melt!!!!!!! Just get married already, dammit!!

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Dungeon Mehsi

Requesting: Mithrun/Thistle

 

Please note: There are endgame spoilers ahead!

Does it get any hotter than this? I don't think so!

I was one of many people who first got interested in Dungeon Meshi after seeing pictures of Mithrun. When I actually read the story, though, I loved every bit of it. The mixture of serious and humorous, found family, the worldbuilding, the characters!! OH, the characters! Laios, Chilchuck, Marcille, Senshi!! I loved every one of them. Kabru, playing 4D chess with Laios as he eats the pieces. Mithrun, whose power only isn't OP because he's directionally challenged. If I had to say, I think my favorite moments in the story were Senshi's backstory (so heart-touching and features some of the storyteller's creative thinking!), Chilchuck realizing as he spoke with the Orc woman how much he cared for his team, and those beginning levels when Kabru's team kept dying and Laios et al. kept taking their food. Overall, it was very satisfying to see how the pieces slowly fell into place as more people became aware of Laios's position as next dungeon lord. Especially as events continued to prove those hypotheses to be true, too. For favorite Thistle moments, I think the (not- bondage, apparently,) scene with Laios and that time Laios's party found him standing on a table were pretty good. I love when he grimaces! Mithrun's must be that one time he smirked when revealing his teleportation ability. And time he's showing emotion, being a badass, or eating are great moments, no notes.

I'm incredibly interested in the dynamic between these characters. While they've both been dungeon lords, practically nothing else about them is alike—Mithrun comes from a noble family and grew up surrounded by other elves while Thistle was likely kidnapped or enslaved before being gifted to the king. Also, I'm deeply interested in Thistle's relationship to gender and class considering he is a brown elf who, while accepted by the rest of the castle, is in a position of subservience to the king (and tall-men, no less, whose relationship to gender isn't as liberal as it seems to be in the elven kingdom). I was reading some analysis about Thistle that really intrigued me. Things like how he stands his ground against authority, even if it's Delgal, but will bend when it's something he cares about. How he never fully trusted the Winged Lion but certainly used its power to grant Delgal's wishes. Delgal was the only one he had a close relationship with. In some ways, it's similar to Marcille's experience as she was aging—nobody else around Thistle compared to his age, and Delgal was the only one who comprehended his actual age.

On the Mithrun side, ugh, where do I even begin?! (His looks, obviously!) But seriously, again, I hadn't considered it too deeply before, but I read someone's post which mentioned the varied levels of care he's had since nearly dying to the demon. There was his older brother's caretakers who did a good enough job, but it wasn't until Milsiril visited him that he improved enough to return to service with the Canaries. It must have been incredibly difficult to be cared for by Cithis and the others who also tend to pick on him and infantilize him (a feeling I'm sure Thistle can relate to). When I considered that, I felt a little more bad for him. Kabru was probably the first time he'd been looked after properly without being treated childlishly in the same breath. I think his magical capabilities are hot, and even with the disability, he is still very handsome. (By elf standards, perhaps they're used to much prettier, but even so!!) I think it's not only his poor sense of direction but loss of depth perception that makes his teleportation ability so unpredictable.

Some ideas: (Surprise, they're all post-canon)

• Does Thistle ever figure out it's not Yaad? How? (I'd love some juicy drama to go along with the realization!)
• I think even if Thistle didn't get his desires back, he'd be a very animated person, as evidenced by his reaction to seeing Delgal when he woke back up from being defeated. I also think he would put up a fight and be a difficult person to work with. Even if he liked Mithrun, he'd probably still be a bit of a brat. That does make me wonder also if he would act like a tsundere if he had a crush?! In a post-canon world where Thistle doesn't get his desires back, it would be interesting if both he and Mithrun stayed in Melini (Laios's country). What if Mithrun wanted to help in his own little small way to make sure nobody ever suffered like he suffered by providing Yaad and the others some help in dealing with Thistle? How would Thistle react?
• Canon divergent fic where Laios doesn't eat the demon's desire but instead takes it to Mithrun, saying he thinks he needs it more. Now that the demon has been defeated and Mithrun doesn't want it to eat him anymore (as was revealed to be his true desire), Mithrun has begun to heal and decides to extend that gratitude further to Thistle. Do they split the desires? Does Thistle take it all? How does Thistle come to terms with the fact that someone acted out of the kindness of their heart to help him, and does he feel normal about it? (Considering how codependent his friendship with Delgal was in the past, I wouldn't mind if he was a little crazy about it!) Thistle wants to get to the bottom of Mithrun's reasoning behind helping him. Maybe feelings develop along the way. Maybe opportunities arise for Thistle to prove himself to Mithrun-- or maybe being a good guy isn't as easy as he expected.
• I'm interested by the idea of Thistle being imprisoned in the Central North Continent with the other Canaries now that their role is being dissolved along with the end of dungeons. Building upon the last idea where Mithrun feeds him some desire, it'd be fun if Thistle develops a deep desire to see Mithrun again and raises all kinds of hell only to return to Melini with no idea what he wants next. Or, even more interestingly, if Thistle's desire wasn't to see Mithrun but something else altogether. (Perhaps of a romantic or platonic flavor?) What if, instead, Mithrun comes to visit him in the elven kingdom, too? What would that look and feel like?
• Literally anything with them both being conscripted into the others' community, whether that's both being Canaries or living in Melini. I think it would be fun if Thistle gets assigned to Mithrun's unit (even though... Mithrun was saying he was going to retire. Maybe Laios helps pull some strings and Thistle ends up staying with him on the island post-canon as its own sort of punishment. Past demon lords gotta stick together, right?).

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