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highadrenalineexchange 2021 - Exchange Letter
Nov. 6th, 2021 04:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yelpHello!
This letter is heavily copied from my FFFX and FIAB letters this year. If you've already read those, the only new things here are the Original Work and Project Hail Mary sections.
Here are some general ideas of plots I might like:
Crossover note: if you happen to know this and another of my requested fandoms, I'd be delighted to see those characters dropped in the Borderland, so they can alsoenjoy experience these games!
Chishiya Shuntarou & Kuzuryu Keiichi
What a pair, these two! Two genius intellects that surpass all those around them, yet they couldn't have turned out more different. Chishiya, who has zero care for the sanctity of human life (even his own??), while Kuzuryu turns out to care way too much. I love that Chishiya grasps exactly the question that Kuzuryu has been wondering for so long, and ends up being the one to give him the answer. And, I love that it seems the answer shocked even Chishiya, and seems to have changed him a bit too, given his selfless act in the end.
I think the age difference between them is neat, in that Kuzuryu might see Chishiya's thinking as immature, still under development, needing mentoring? They could have met back in the real world, maybe one of Kuzuryu's clients is in the hospital and Chishiya is part of their care team. Or maybe Chishiya gets into some kind of legal trouble and Kuzuryu ends up defending him?
In the Borderlands, it would be interesting to see some of their interactions at the Beach, maybe some of the previous games they played together. They both probably knew there was something more than met the eye about the other, both probably testing and probing at each other even as they pretended to cooperate for now...
Kuzuryu Keiichi & Mira
It tickled me that several of the face cards became friends, especially these two. Kuzuryu is so stone-faced, yet cares so much about human life. Mira is so sweet and cheerful, yet treats the Borderlands and the people trapped in them as a fascinating petri dish, a place to experience the extremes of human psychology. I'd love to see them get along in spite of (or because of?) their differences. In a way, Kuzuryu is also using the Borderlands and the players as an experiment, a way to observe how people will react to different situations, though the question he is trying to answer is more personal.
I'd really love to see the two of them work together in a game, using their differing personalities and strengths to come out victorious. It would also be interesting to learn more about what it's like to be face cards, the time spent waiting for new players to arrive, preparing their puzzles, maybe playtesting them on each other, though aware it's not their respective strength.
I could see Kuzuryu being conflicted about running these games and killing players, though he believes he can give them the fairest shot at survival. Does Mira play therapist for him, and help him come to terms with it? Or did she try to distract him by proposing going undercover at the Beach? My preference is that they are both genuinely friendly toward each other, and somehow good for each other, unlikely pair though they are.
In general, I'd love something plotty where these characters make use of their skills in a turbulent world, and are simultaneously trying to feel out whether they can trust each other, in abilities and intentions both. For some reason, I also feel like this canon would be great for a medieval setting AU, with warring knights and castles and trebuchets and such!
I'm caught up with the manga and plan to stay caught up throughout the entire exchange.
Asagiri Gen & Ishigami Senkuu
Gen and Senkuu are both so brilliant and so pragmatic, but in different ways. I love the contrast and complement of scientific genius vs insight into human psychology. I also love that smiley Gen is so crafty and cold-blooded, willing to defect to whichever side serves him better. Meanwhile, Senkuu's fanaticism for science turns out to be such a pure conviction in the ability of science to save humanity, that it manages to win over even Gen.
My personal take is that Gen is used to his relationships being only superficial, the kind he can create with social manipulation; those who know him better are likely wary of his abilities, and stay distant. In this era especially, he's established himself as someone looking out for his own hide, with no particular loyalty to any side, except the one that looks likely to win. That's why Senkuu bothering to keep his promise about the cola, when he in no way needed to, came as such a shock to him, when he himself was open to throwing the alliance away if it didn't look like it would serve him.
I'd love to see more scenes or alternate events during those early days, when Senkuu and Tsukasa are battling it out, and Gen is trying to decide which side to throw in his lot with. Maybe Gen thinking at first he'd be better off betraying Senkuu, or an AU where Tsukasa already has Senkuu captured? Or maybe the first crisis Senkuu and Taiju faced was accidentally making enemies of the locals, and so the first person they had to emergency wake was Gen instead, to help them broker peace? It would also be fun to see Senkuu and Gen as adversaries for whatever reason, how they might face off against each other, and eventually come to truce.
Ishigami Senkuu & Shishiou Tsukasa
Tsukasa is the first person Senkuu revives, and there is such an instant connection and wariness between them at the same time! Tsukasa declaring his loyalty and friendship (his first!!). Senkuu instantly understanding the danger he poses. It's such a shame how quickly Tsukasa proves him right, by turning on them, going instantly from protector to threat. It would be cool to see some fallout of this betrayal, especially when we learn of Tsukasa's one weak point, and how Senkuu holds the potential to save Mirai, or hold her hostage (or at least Tsukasa might expect as much, cf. betrayal and all).
One AU I'd really enjoy is the hypothetical one that Tsukasa spoke of, that they could have been friends (Tsukasa's first!!) if they had met back then. I'd love to see Senkuu patching Tsukasa up after fights, giving him science-y ideas for techniques. Or, maybe in an alternate future where they (and the rest of civilization) were allowed to get a little older, Senkuu is a renowned doctor/researcher, the best in his field, and Tsukasa is trying to save up enough for Dr. Senkuu's miracle treatment for Mirai. (But of course the price is astronomical and he thinks he'll never be able to save enoughand offers to make a deal in some other way but Senkuu waves it away! Who knows, maybe he was just needing someone of Tsukasa's talents after all...)
I want to point out that I don't know anything about football, so if you choose to include it, you can get away with any handwavy mechanics, at least on my account. No matter how many times I read this manga, my brain is literally incapable of holding football knowledge within it. Anyway, as usual, I am once again asking for Hiruma interacting with just about anyone else!! Most of the below is rambling about some aspect of their relationships. Feel free to combine multiple of these into one work, if you like! In terms of plot, I'm always happy with practice/tournament shenanigans, some kind of real life conflict for once, or even future fic, as adults!
Hiruma Youichi & Kobayakawa Sena
I love how unassuming Sena, who never really thought much of himself, actually develops such a remarkable role in the team and also in Hiruma's eyes. Hiruma learns to place his trust in someone else for a change - that moment when we find out he doesn't have any schemes or plays of his own, and is just going to hold on and wait for Sena to come through, is so uncharacteristic of him, and really shows how much he's changed. I'd love to see more about that bond between them. Hiruma is hardly the type to express it verbally, so how does it come through? Maybe Sena is in trouble with something completely unrelated to football, and is shocked when Hiruma helps him out! Maybe after the craziness of the tournament, Hiruma doesn't have to keep pushing Sena anymore, and they can just peacefully hang out... until, with a bang, Hiruma's next scheme sucks him right back in...
Hiruma Youichi & Mushanokoji "the Kid" Shien
Kid is brilliant, talented, and has zero self-confidence. Meanwhile Hiruma isn't particularly outstanding, but makes up for it by with iron determination and a willingness to go to extreme measures to get the win. They are such different people, and I could easily have seen Hiruma mocking Kid for giving up on his passions, but instead they just chill together and throw darts and chat calmly and dispassionately about the upcoming opponent that will probably kill them both. And Hiruma has zero qualms about tooting Kid's horn for him in front of Agon, when Kid can't conceive of doing it himself. Let me see more of Hiruma standing up for Kid! Let me see poor Kid, with his zero self esteem, get a boost from the very last person anyone would have expected... and finally unleash some of that ridiculous potential, with Hiruma cackling in the background!
Hiruma Youichi & Kongo Unsui
I feel like there's a lot of under-explored commonality between these two. Unsui is the hardworking, no-talent foil to Agon - and in a way, so is Hiruma. Unsui has a lot of unresolved issues about being seen as inferior to his brother. But... Hiruma probably is probably even less physically talented than Unsui, and still does well for himself. Maybe Unsui can learn from that, and step out from Agon's shadow? And maybe being someone's first choice instead of his brother for once could also be a welcome change for him. I would love to see these two band together and rub it in Agon's face! Or just live well as the best revenge and interact as adults, with professions, who have dealt with their pasts, and only care about football a normal amount.
Hiruma Youichi & Shin Seijuuro
They have a conversation in the manga, from when Hiruma first founded Deimon as a team and immediately challenged Oujou, only to immediately fall on their face. Undaunted, Hiruma promised that he'd find a light-speed runner for Shin, and Shin promised to beat that runner if so. Over the course of the manga, through competing with this runner Hiruma found, Shin discovered an actual love for football, as well as new motivation to improve his game. I love the idea that even back then, Hiruma noticed Shin's ennui and wasted potential, and decided right there to do something about it. Taken in that light, Sena's whole existence on the team is a tool for Shin's development, rather than the other way around. Alternatively, wouldn't it be fun if stoic Shin had to deal with insane Hiruma as his team captain for a while? How would he cope? Or would he appreciate being pushed even further to his limits?
Chongyun and the exorcists do a lot of the same stuff that Xiao does, except Xiao has been doing it longer, and seems to look down on them. I'm so curious how these two would interact. Maybe Chongyun wants to learn from the best, or from an alternative source, traditional methods having failed him, and seeks Xiao out. Maybe Chongyun's positive energy somehow dampens Xiao's constant karmic torment, and he reluctantly tolerates Chongyun's presence for that reason, though he curses himself for being weak. It would be fun to see them hunt down some dangerous demon together, one stronger than Xiao thought! Or strong enough to overwhelm Chongyun's positivity! That they have to work together to fight off! (And maybe have some injury tending aftermath??) I would love to see a Zhongli cameo too. Speaking of which...
Zhongli
During the Liyue archon quest, I loved the picture we got of Rex Lapis from interacting with his subjects. I came into the city of contracts expecting a cold, strict god, and was surprised by the number of folk sharing stories about how Rex Lapis had personally touched their lives for the better. By the end, we know Zhongli is exhausted from a reign that it's not clear he's particularly suited for, but I'm touched that somehow, still, he's left a positive impression on his people. I would love to see more of Zhongli being an imposing but ultimately benevolent deity, and the mortals and adepti that he wins over.
At the same time, I'd also love to see a more brutal Zhongli than we're used to, ruthless enough to come out victorious from the Archon wars. I honestly think the Archon that the other adepti know and remember is not the poised, polished gentleman that we meet in modern times.
Xiao/Zhongli
I am just so obsessed with stories about Zhongli saving Xiao from his old master. I love that Xiao was his enemy, "blood-drunk on agony", and Zhongli chose mercy over vengeance for whatever killings Xiao carried out at his former master's command. And I love that Xiao came from bondage, but chose to serve Zhongli over freedom, a loyalty and devotion that has remained for centuries.
Whichever language Xiao you play, edgy or reserved, his one exception seems to be Zhongli, that he'll go from speaking with derision about others to insisting on the proper reverence for his lord. I love the idea that Xiao admires Zhongli to the point of emulation, from fighting style to posture and mannerisms... perhaps a natural consequence of being the only master he's been able to look up to. I would enjoy works about Xiao going on missions on Zhongli's behalf, or jumping to his defense somehow, or just Zhongli using whatever excuse he can muster to convince Xiao to get some well-deserved rest for once...
My favorite things about this book are 1) science problem-solving! and 2) these two characters learning each others' language and culture! If you could give me more of either of those things, I'd be ecstatic! All these problems came up throughout the book, and I enjoyed watching Ryland and Rocky calmly assessing each situation and learning and experimenting on the fly.
I also loved watching them learn more about each other. I'd love to see more things about humans that surprise Rocky, and vice versa, whether biological, cultural, or psychological. As they understand each other better and become basically best friends, it's fun that they're also kind of observing each other at the same time, as a specimen of a new race, both joking around with each other one moment and (in my mind) rushing to take notes on each other the next.
The ending was so short and tantalizing - I really wanted to see more of how Ryland spends the rest of his life, and especially whether he ever returns to Earth! A canon divergence where they both go to Earth instead would also be very cool. Whether or not Ryland personally makes it there, it would be amazing to see how Earth received his findings, what their reaction was, and how rebuilding happened.
I love original work that is filled with rich, even mundane, details of the setting and the characters' lives. If the work makes me feel like I understand better the realities of being a [profession] or what steps and materials are involved in [activity], that really lights up some weird voyeuristic part of my brain!
On the other end of the spectrum, I also love wild, fantastical settings, like a space colony on a new planet, or a world imbued with magic and supernatural creatures and such.
And, of course, I'm very excited to see what kind of characters you come up with, and what interesting dynamics they have with each other, whether long, complex history, or how they abruptly fall into each others' lives when they need it (or hate it) most. Was this rambling blurb helpful? No, probably not. Will I love whatever you come up with? Absolutely! On to the pairings!
Stowaway expecting to pay with sex & Kind-hearted ship captain
I'm not sure what kind of ship captain is referred to here, but I'm happy with anything, whether on the ocean, in space, or something else entirely! I'm curious why Stowaway needed to hitch a ride, (running away from something? looking for an enclosed environment to nurse their wounds? accidentally brought on board with the cargo?), and what the ship's purpose is. Why does Stowaway choose to come out of hiding, or do they get found somehow? Does having another body onboard, perhaps one involved with an unsavory past, inconvenience Captain? Are they happy to help, or reluctant?
Kind sadist guilty about desires/Willing but inexperienced partner (M/M)
Ah, my favorite kind of dynamic. Sadist thinks he is a Bad Person for what he wants, and Partner willing to support him, but perhaps also kind of clueless. I think it would be especially interesting if Partner was actually the physically larger and stronger of the two, but Sadist is still nervous about hurting him! While I'm happy to receive smut, I'm equally happy for this to focus more on interpersonal dynamics, e.g. guilt and fear, hiding marks from friends and family, detailed negotiations and safety precautions, etc.
Ne'er-do-well Who's Secretly a Deadly Assassin/General Who Disparages Their Lifestyle
I love the idea of Assassin bearing the snide comments calmly, knowing they could silence General at any moment - and even might, if the contract comes in. How do things change between them? Does Assassin get hired to take the General out, or is that why they've been lurking around to begin with? I'd love to see a BAMF moment from Assassin where their identity is revealed! Maybe General is in danger, and Assassin comes to their rescue, despite receiving nothing but disparagement to this point? If a military general, perhaps a battle goes badly, and General is taken prisoner? Alternatively, perhaps General never finds out, and Assassin simply takes care of matters in the background, and chuckles over the secret for their entire acquaintance?
This letter is heavily copied from my FFFX and FIAB letters this year. If you've already read those, the only new things here are the Original Work and Project Hail Mary sections.
Here are some general ideas of plots I might like:
- Forced to work together, especially if the arrangement is initially uncomfortable.
- A has to seek out B for help/guidance; is both reluctant to do so and uncertain whether B will agree.
- A assumes B will want revenge for something in their shared history; B wants something! else!!
- That moment when A sees/learns/realizes something that entirely changes their initial impression of B!
- Canon divergence: how things might have happened differently with one small change!
- Alternate universe: demons! rock band on tour! cyberpunk hackers! oh my!
Alice in Borderland
If you're up for it, I'd absolutely love to see more games, whether canon games (besides the ones we already see these particular characters play), or fresh ones of your own devising! If you need some more players for a game, I also enjoy Arisu, Karube, Usagi, Aguni, Heiya, Doudou, (er... I probably would have been better off listing characters I don't like??), Kuina, Ann, Kyuuma... Original characters would be very welcome for this purpose as well!Crossover note: if you happen to know this and another of my requested fandoms, I'd be delighted to see those characters dropped in the Borderland, so they can also
Pairing specific prompts and ramblings (manga spoilers!)
Chishiya Shuntarou & Kuzuryu Keiichi
What a pair, these two! Two genius intellects that surpass all those around them, yet they couldn't have turned out more different. Chishiya, who has zero care for the sanctity of human life (even his own??), while Kuzuryu turns out to care way too much. I love that Chishiya grasps exactly the question that Kuzuryu has been wondering for so long, and ends up being the one to give him the answer. And, I love that it seems the answer shocked even Chishiya, and seems to have changed him a bit too, given his selfless act in the end.
I think the age difference between them is neat, in that Kuzuryu might see Chishiya's thinking as immature, still under development, needing mentoring? They could have met back in the real world, maybe one of Kuzuryu's clients is in the hospital and Chishiya is part of their care team. Or maybe Chishiya gets into some kind of legal trouble and Kuzuryu ends up defending him?
In the Borderlands, it would be interesting to see some of their interactions at the Beach, maybe some of the previous games they played together. They both probably knew there was something more than met the eye about the other, both probably testing and probing at each other even as they pretended to cooperate for now...
Kuzuryu Keiichi & Mira
It tickled me that several of the face cards became friends, especially these two. Kuzuryu is so stone-faced, yet cares so much about human life. Mira is so sweet and cheerful, yet treats the Borderlands and the people trapped in them as a fascinating petri dish, a place to experience the extremes of human psychology. I'd love to see them get along in spite of (or because of?) their differences. In a way, Kuzuryu is also using the Borderlands and the players as an experiment, a way to observe how people will react to different situations, though the question he is trying to answer is more personal.
I'd really love to see the two of them work together in a game, using their differing personalities and strengths to come out victorious. It would also be interesting to learn more about what it's like to be face cards, the time spent waiting for new players to arrive, preparing their puzzles, maybe playtesting them on each other, though aware it's not their respective strength.
I could see Kuzuryu being conflicted about running these games and killing players, though he believes he can give them the fairest shot at survival. Does Mira play therapist for him, and help him come to terms with it? Or did she try to distract him by proposing going undercover at the Beach? My preference is that they are both genuinely friendly toward each other, and somehow good for each other, unlikely pair though they are.
Dr. Stone
A lot of dark things happen in canon that are treated lightly: betrayal, imprisonment, forced marriage, power differentials, etc. I'd love to see a darker take on how the characters are affected by these events, or even an AU where things play out in a more grim/serious fashion.In general, I'd love something plotty where these characters make use of their skills in a turbulent world, and are simultaneously trying to feel out whether they can trust each other, in abilities and intentions both. For some reason, I also feel like this canon would be great for a medieval setting AU, with warring knights and castles and trebuchets and such!
I'm caught up with the manga and plan to stay caught up throughout the entire exchange.
Asagiri Gen & Ishigami Senkuu
Gen and Senkuu are both so brilliant and so pragmatic, but in different ways. I love the contrast and complement of scientific genius vs insight into human psychology. I also love that smiley Gen is so crafty and cold-blooded, willing to defect to whichever side serves him better. Meanwhile, Senkuu's fanaticism for science turns out to be such a pure conviction in the ability of science to save humanity, that it manages to win over even Gen.
My personal take is that Gen is used to his relationships being only superficial, the kind he can create with social manipulation; those who know him better are likely wary of his abilities, and stay distant. In this era especially, he's established himself as someone looking out for his own hide, with no particular loyalty to any side, except the one that looks likely to win. That's why Senkuu bothering to keep his promise about the cola, when he in no way needed to, came as such a shock to him, when he himself was open to throwing the alliance away if it didn't look like it would serve him.
I'd love to see more scenes or alternate events during those early days, when Senkuu and Tsukasa are battling it out, and Gen is trying to decide which side to throw in his lot with. Maybe Gen thinking at first he'd be better off betraying Senkuu, or an AU where Tsukasa already has Senkuu captured? Or maybe the first crisis Senkuu and Taiju faced was accidentally making enemies of the locals, and so the first person they had to emergency wake was Gen instead, to help them broker peace? It would also be fun to see Senkuu and Gen as adversaries for whatever reason, how they might face off against each other, and eventually come to truce.
Ishigami Senkuu & Shishiou Tsukasa
Tsukasa is the first person Senkuu revives, and there is such an instant connection and wariness between them at the same time! Tsukasa declaring his loyalty and friendship (his first!!). Senkuu instantly understanding the danger he poses. It's such a shame how quickly Tsukasa proves him right, by turning on them, going instantly from protector to threat. It would be cool to see some fallout of this betrayal, especially when we learn of Tsukasa's one weak point, and how Senkuu holds the potential to save Mirai, or hold her hostage (or at least Tsukasa might expect as much, cf. betrayal and all).
One AU I'd really enjoy is the hypothetical one that Tsukasa spoke of, that they could have been friends (Tsukasa's first!!) if they had met back then. I'd love to see Senkuu patching Tsukasa up after fights, giving him science-y ideas for techniques. Or, maybe in an alternate future where they (and the rest of civilization) were allowed to get a little older, Senkuu is a renowned doctor/researcher, the best in his field, and Tsukasa is trying to save up enough for Dr. Senkuu's miracle treatment for Mirai. (But of course the price is astronomical and he thinks he'll never be able to save enough
Eyeshied 21
I want to point out that I don't know anything about football, so if you choose to include it, you can get away with any handwavy mechanics, at least on my account. No matter how many times I read this manga, my brain is literally incapable of holding football knowledge within it. Anyway, as usual, I am once again asking for Hiruma interacting with just about anyone else!! Most of the below is rambling about some aspect of their relationships. Feel free to combine multiple of these into one work, if you like! In terms of plot, I'm always happy with practice/tournament shenanigans, some kind of real life conflict for once, or even future fic, as adults!
Hiruma Youichi & Kobayakawa Sena
I love how unassuming Sena, who never really thought much of himself, actually develops such a remarkable role in the team and also in Hiruma's eyes. Hiruma learns to place his trust in someone else for a change - that moment when we find out he doesn't have any schemes or plays of his own, and is just going to hold on and wait for Sena to come through, is so uncharacteristic of him, and really shows how much he's changed. I'd love to see more about that bond between them. Hiruma is hardly the type to express it verbally, so how does it come through? Maybe Sena is in trouble with something completely unrelated to football, and is shocked when Hiruma helps him out! Maybe after the craziness of the tournament, Hiruma doesn't have to keep pushing Sena anymore, and they can just peacefully hang out... until, with a bang, Hiruma's next scheme sucks him right back in...
Hiruma Youichi & Mushanokoji "the Kid" Shien
Kid is brilliant, talented, and has zero self-confidence. Meanwhile Hiruma isn't particularly outstanding, but makes up for it by with iron determination and a willingness to go to extreme measures to get the win. They are such different people, and I could easily have seen Hiruma mocking Kid for giving up on his passions, but instead they just chill together and throw darts and chat calmly and dispassionately about the upcoming opponent that will probably kill them both. And Hiruma has zero qualms about tooting Kid's horn for him in front of Agon, when Kid can't conceive of doing it himself. Let me see more of Hiruma standing up for Kid! Let me see poor Kid, with his zero self esteem, get a boost from the very last person anyone would have expected... and finally unleash some of that ridiculous potential, with Hiruma cackling in the background!
Hiruma Youichi & Kongo Unsui
I feel like there's a lot of under-explored commonality between these two. Unsui is the hardworking, no-talent foil to Agon - and in a way, so is Hiruma. Unsui has a lot of unresolved issues about being seen as inferior to his brother. But... Hiruma probably is probably even less physically talented than Unsui, and still does well for himself. Maybe Unsui can learn from that, and step out from Agon's shadow? And maybe being someone's first choice instead of his brother for once could also be a welcome change for him. I would love to see these two band together and rub it in Agon's face! Or just live well as the best revenge and interact as adults, with professions, who have dealt with their pasts, and only care about football a normal amount.
Hiruma Youichi & Shin Seijuuro
They have a conversation in the manga, from when Hiruma first founded Deimon as a team and immediately challenged Oujou, only to immediately fall on their face. Undaunted, Hiruma promised that he'd find a light-speed runner for Shin, and Shin promised to beat that runner if so. Over the course of the manga, through competing with this runner Hiruma found, Shin discovered an actual love for football, as well as new motivation to improve his game. I love the idea that even back then, Hiruma noticed Shin's ennui and wasted potential, and decided right there to do something about it. Taken in that light, Sena's whole existence on the team is a tool for Shin's development, rather than the other way around. Alternatively, wouldn't it be fun if stoic Shin had to deal with insane Hiruma as his team captain for a while? How would he cope? Or would he appreciate being pushed even further to his limits?
Genshin Impact
Chongyun & XiaoChongyun and the exorcists do a lot of the same stuff that Xiao does, except Xiao has been doing it longer, and seems to look down on them. I'm so curious how these two would interact. Maybe Chongyun wants to learn from the best, or from an alternative source, traditional methods having failed him, and seeks Xiao out. Maybe Chongyun's positive energy somehow dampens Xiao's constant karmic torment, and he reluctantly tolerates Chongyun's presence for that reason, though he curses himself for being weak. It would be fun to see them hunt down some dangerous demon together, one stronger than Xiao thought! Or strong enough to overwhelm Chongyun's positivity! That they have to work together to fight off! (And maybe have some injury tending aftermath??) I would love to see a Zhongli cameo too. Speaking of which...
Zhongli
During the Liyue archon quest, I loved the picture we got of Rex Lapis from interacting with his subjects. I came into the city of contracts expecting a cold, strict god, and was surprised by the number of folk sharing stories about how Rex Lapis had personally touched their lives for the better. By the end, we know Zhongli is exhausted from a reign that it's not clear he's particularly suited for, but I'm touched that somehow, still, he's left a positive impression on his people. I would love to see more of Zhongli being an imposing but ultimately benevolent deity, and the mortals and adepti that he wins over.
At the same time, I'd also love to see a more brutal Zhongli than we're used to, ruthless enough to come out victorious from the Archon wars. I honestly think the Archon that the other adepti know and remember is not the poised, polished gentleman that we meet in modern times.
Xiao/Zhongli
I am just so obsessed with stories about Zhongli saving Xiao from his old master. I love that Xiao was his enemy, "blood-drunk on agony", and Zhongli chose mercy over vengeance for whatever killings Xiao carried out at his former master's command. And I love that Xiao came from bondage, but chose to serve Zhongli over freedom, a loyalty and devotion that has remained for centuries.
Whichever language Xiao you play, edgy or reserved, his one exception seems to be Zhongli, that he'll go from speaking with derision about others to insisting on the proper reverence for his lord. I love the idea that Xiao admires Zhongli to the point of emulation, from fighting style to posture and mannerisms... perhaps a natural consequence of being the only master he's been able to look up to. I would enjoy works about Xiao going on missions on Zhongli's behalf, or jumping to his defense somehow, or just Zhongli using whatever excuse he can muster to convince Xiao to get some well-deserved rest for once...
Project Hail Mary
Pairings specific ramblings (book spoilers!)
Rocky & Ryland GraceMy favorite things about this book are 1) science problem-solving! and 2) these two characters learning each others' language and culture! If you could give me more of either of those things, I'd be ecstatic! All these problems came up throughout the book, and I enjoyed watching Ryland and Rocky calmly assessing each situation and learning and experimenting on the fly.
I also loved watching them learn more about each other. I'd love to see more things about humans that surprise Rocky, and vice versa, whether biological, cultural, or psychological. As they understand each other better and become basically best friends, it's fun that they're also kind of observing each other at the same time, as a specimen of a new race, both joking around with each other one moment and (in my mind) rushing to take notes on each other the next.
The ending was so short and tantalizing - I really wanted to see more of how Ryland spends the rest of his life, and especially whether he ever returns to Earth! A canon divergence where they both go to Earth instead would also be very cool. Whether or not Ryland personally makes it there, it would be amazing to see how Earth received his findings, what their reaction was, and how rebuilding happened.
Original Work
I love original work that is filled with rich, even mundane, details of the setting and the characters' lives. If the work makes me feel like I understand better the realities of being a [profession] or what steps and materials are involved in [activity], that really lights up some weird voyeuristic part of my brain!
On the other end of the spectrum, I also love wild, fantastical settings, like a space colony on a new planet, or a world imbued with magic and supernatural creatures and such.
And, of course, I'm very excited to see what kind of characters you come up with, and what interesting dynamics they have with each other, whether long, complex history, or how they abruptly fall into each others' lives when they need it (or hate it) most. Was this rambling blurb helpful? No, probably not. Will I love whatever you come up with? Absolutely! On to the pairings!
Stowaway expecting to pay with sex & Kind-hearted ship captain
I'm not sure what kind of ship captain is referred to here, but I'm happy with anything, whether on the ocean, in space, or something else entirely! I'm curious why Stowaway needed to hitch a ride, (running away from something? looking for an enclosed environment to nurse their wounds? accidentally brought on board with the cargo?), and what the ship's purpose is. Why does Stowaway choose to come out of hiding, or do they get found somehow? Does having another body onboard, perhaps one involved with an unsavory past, inconvenience Captain? Are they happy to help, or reluctant?
Kind sadist guilty about desires/Willing but inexperienced partner (M/M)
Ah, my favorite kind of dynamic. Sadist thinks he is a Bad Person for what he wants, and Partner willing to support him, but perhaps also kind of clueless. I think it would be especially interesting if Partner was actually the physically larger and stronger of the two, but Sadist is still nervous about hurting him! While I'm happy to receive smut, I'm equally happy for this to focus more on interpersonal dynamics, e.g. guilt and fear, hiding marks from friends and family, detailed negotiations and safety precautions, etc.
Ne'er-do-well Who's Secretly a Deadly Assassin/General Who Disparages Their Lifestyle
I love the idea of Assassin bearing the snide comments calmly, knowing they could silence General at any moment - and even might, if the contract comes in. How do things change between them? Does Assassin get hired to take the General out, or is that why they've been lurking around to begin with? I'd love to see a BAMF moment from Assassin where their identity is revealed! Maybe General is in danger, and Assassin comes to their rescue, despite receiving nothing but disparagement to this point? If a military general, perhaps a battle goes badly, and General is taken prisoner? Alternatively, perhaps General never finds out, and Assassin simply takes care of matters in the background, and chuckles over the secret for their entire acquaintance?
