Chocolate Box Letter 2020
Dec. 27th, 2019 10:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
convenientaliasHey Chocolatier! I'm very excited to see what you write for me. This year I'm really only requesting ships that I'm very into right now, so I'll be delighted by basically anything you come up with. Some ships might have less prompts than others, but that's more an indication of how many ideas I had about them than how much I want them. I'm currently very into all these fandoms <3
General Likes:
General Likes:
Identity porn
Nirvana in Fire
Ships requested:
Mei Changsu/Mu Nihuang
Mei Changsu/Xiao Jinghuan
I ship so many things in this fandom! I think these are my current two favorite ships, though. Things I like in general for this fandom include: Political scheming! Nonpolitical scheming! Arranged marriages or fake relationships. Secret identities or other kinds of secrets. MAGIC. Modern AUs where the stakes remain high (e.g. MCS is now trying to overthrow a modern government or bring down the mafia or reveal some powerful corporation's corruption--this doesn't necessarily need to be front and center, I just prefer there to still be scheming going on rather than a highschool or coffeeshop AU or what have you). Hurt/comfort, fix-it fics for the tragedy. Canon divergence. You know. Stuff.
For the specific ships:
Mei Changsu/Mu Nihuang
For this ship, I really love the long-standing engagement arranged by the family (it's a trope I'm very fond of) but also, just, the dynamic. The friendship and respect they have for each other--as friends, as tactical genius and brilliant general, as people who know each other very, very well. I really love the vibe of Nihuang being a ridiculously strong warrior and leader--a strong fighter personally, but also the general of an army so big it makes the Emperor a little bit worried. Meanwhile Mei Changsu's strength is more of the networking and planning kind, while physically he's weak and his forces can't operate in the open. I feel like usually it would be more likely for the reverse to be the case in a het ship. Other good things: Nihuang being ready to start a rebellion the instant MCS is summoned to the palace by the emperor! Mu Qing being able to tell his sister likes MCS from the beginning (any background Mu Qing is strongly encouraged). Sending letters, and tea, and other things. Quiet emotional (and sometimes political) support.
Some prompty things:
-Nihuang somehow meeting Mei Changsu pre-canon and possibly discovering his identity as Lin Shu. Cue marriage? Maybe? Idk, I like to picture the two of them rolling up to the capital as a couple and everyone being like "We want the Qilin Talent to work with us so we have to be nice to Princess Nihuang" while Jingrui is really baffled bc he knows Mei Changsu and he knows Nihuang but how do they know each other?? what happened here??
-Nihuang decides that the Spring Hunt was too close a call so she wants to marry Mei Changsu right now. Mei Changsu per force goes along with it.
-Nihuang as a werewolf?? I guess this is a crack prompt but imagine it. Nihuang maybe becoming a werewolf as a teenager and Lin Shu helps her with learning control while trying to avoid her biting him! Or, the Mu family always having been a clan of werewolves and the Yunnan army is kind of like their pack. Or, Nihuang has been bitten by a vampire in the 12 years since the Chiyan massacre and this is a whole new thing to Mei Changsu but he thinks it's really hot. Or, Nihuang recognizing Mei Changsu bc faces change but smells don't and/or she claimed him as her mate years ago and that's not the kind of thing one can disguise.
-Mei Changsu joins the tournament to marry Nihuang but instead of fighting he just blackmails or bribes all the opponents he's matched against before the matches so they just lose on purpose within seconds. Nihuang is somewhere between outraged and intrigued; Mu Qing is also both of these things except even more so.
-Nihuang being incredibly unsubtle about her interest in Mei Changsu so that all of Jinling is gossiping about them. Mei Changsu may or may not be trying to mitigate the damage (e.g. I can picture him being like "Nihuang stop propositioning me in front of Prince Yu. Nihuang STOP STROKING MY HAIR IN FRONT OF THE EMPEROR" but I can also picture him just going along with it bc he is also In Love).
Mei Changsu/Xiao Jinghuan
I'm not quite sure how to explain what I like about these two. Part of it's the fact that Prince Yu's ending just makes me sad, and his arc was really intriguing. Part of it is how much Yu respects what Mei Changsu has to say to him, and how much he wants Mei Changsu to like him and be on his side--giving tons of presents to sort of try to buy him, always praising Mei Changsu's (sometimes not that good) counsel after receiving it. Then there's the fact that Yu thinks Mei Changsu is like him, ruthless and ambitious, so that he barely seems to feel betrayed when Mei Changsu's loyalty to Jingyan becomes apparent (though it certainly depresses him, he doesn't seem exactly shocked)--but he doesn't seem to see that Mei Changsu's morals actually play a large role in his motivations, or why Mei Changsu does what he does in general.
It's also just that I like both of them and want them to hang out and maybe be into each other. Unrequited love and/or manipulation and/or general awfulness are also welcome.
Some vague prompty things:
-At one point Prince Yu says about Mei Changsu that without Jingyan, or without a prince to back, Mei Changsu will be like "a stray dog." I have a lot of feelings about this, ranging from "Does Yu hope that in that case, with Jingyan gotten rid of, Mei Changsu will come back to him?" to "Did Yu think of Mei Changsu as his pet when he thought Mei Changsu was working for him?" to "What if Yu gave Mei Changsu a collar? Wouldn't that be wild?"
-What if Mei Changsu actually did work for Prince Yu? How would that come about? What would the effects be?
-Prince Yu pining for Lin Shu pre-Chiyan case and being sure that Lin Shu is into either Jingyan or Nihuang (which may or may not be the case).
-Prince Yu not pulling a Spring Hunt Rebellion for some reason and therefore surviving (maybe to learn Mei Changsu's real identity and be Shocked). Alternatively, Mei Changsu saving Prince Yu from the dungeons.
-Or, Prince Yu's rebellion is a success and he captures Mei Changsu.
-Mei Changsu seducing Prince Yu for political reasons but accidentally acquiring feelings for him.
Psychopath Diary
Ships requested:
Yook Dong Sik/Seo In Woo
As this is a fandom I only discovered in the past couple weeks, my feelings on it are a bit less coherent. But basically I love the way this ship is somehow both Serial Killer/Innocent Civilian AND Serial Killer/Serial Killer at the same time--it's a little hilarious. The way that Seo In Woo has so much respect for Yook Dong Sik as a fellow predator early in the series is especially great., and the way Yook Dong Sik, meanwhile, doesn't seem to pick up on his "we're both serial killers" vibes at all--and instead is constantly rejecting and avoiding him lols. Then, as the series goes on, I'm also into how that dynamic changes as Seo In Woo begins to figure out more of what's actually going on, and how the game between the two of them progresses.
Some vague prompty things:
-What if In Woo made it a little clearer at that bar date exactly what he meant by "we're similar people", and got the whole "we're both serial killers" thing across? I dream of him trying to court Yook Dong Sik into serial killing with him--meanwhile Yook Dong Sik basically just decided to retire from killing the weak, which would make the situation a little complicated.
-On that note, what if instead, during the bar date Yook Dong Sik decided his boss was clearly into him, and thought, "what the heck, might as well go for it"? Cue In Woo and Yook Dong Sik either hooking up or becoming actual Boyfriends while In Woo is still desperately trying to figure out what the fuck is Yook Dong Sik's deal (and maybe falling for him).
-Soulmark AU: Seo In Woo knows Yook Dong Sik must be a serial killer or at least something different from the apparent innocent civilian because Yook Dong Sik has his soulmark and there's no way In Woo's soulmate could be a normal person. This belief may or may not be vindicated.
-One of these two tries to murder the other but ends up not being able to follow through on it <3
-Yook Dong Sik knows his boss is crushing on him and figures it must be his psychopath serial killer charisma. But hey, In Woo is good looking, so he decides to give the guy what he wants. So Yook Dong Sik goes alpha-male mode and pins In Woo against a wall (maybe in an elevator?) and makes out with him. In Woo isn't sure whether to feel outraged or just really really intrigued.
-Any kind of kidnapping fic would basically be lovely.
White Christmas
Ships requested:
Park Mooyul/Choi Chihoon
Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu
Park Mooyuk/Kang Mireu/Choi Chihoon
Park Mooyul/Jo Youngjae
Park Mooyul/Yang Kangmo/Yu Eunsung
For this fandom, I kind of ended up shipping Park Mooyul with everyone, so I guess I'll start with some general thoughts on Park Mooyul. A while ago I was rewatching this show with a friend and on the first episode the friend said that she didn't like how Park Mooyul seemed kind of wary and hesitant. I thought this was hilarious because Park Mooyul strikes me the exact opposite way--he's the guy who decides it's his mission, specifically, to find out who sent the letters; he loves throwing himself at people and/or in front of guns, and he would like to save people--whether from killers or from sickness or from depression--but it's often not really within his abilities. I also love his guilt complex/sense of responsibility, sometimes justified (guilt over chasing Kangmo with a stick) and sometimes not (the whole thing with his mother, his guilt towards Eunsung in general, etc). It's also interesting how Park Mooyul is in theory some kind of goody two-shoes (Eunsung even calls him "the most obedient boy"), but... doesn't really act like it at all? Besides his not telling the teacher about the letters at first, there's the brawling, the lack of hesitancy in keeping Kang Mireu's presence on campus secret, the fact that he had a secret relationship with Yu Eunsung despite it being against school policy apparently, the... everything, frankly. And yet the teacher says when he sees the boys fighting, "Eh, it'll be fine, Park Mooyul's there." Why the fuck does everyone think he's such a respectable dude?? I honestly dk.
Anyways, as I said, I shipped him with nearly everyone.
-Park Mooyul/Choi Chihoon
This ship is probably the most obvious. I love the one-sided rivalry going on here, and the fact that despite this the two basically seem to respect each other from the beginning. Then Park Mooyul pushed Chihoon off a cliff, omg! Then he saved Chihoon's life! I really loved Chihoon and Mooyul's brief attempt to take down Oh Junghye and Kim Yohan before they were recaptured, too, especially the standoff with Chihoon and the empty gun. ("Does an empty gun make you feel safe?" Chihoon asked. Little did he know he would soon find out the answer to this question.) In general when they're scheming together, things are very fun. I also loved the scene when Chihoon thought everyone should run away during the search for Yoonsu and tried to communicate this solely by looking at Mooyul intensely. Poor Mooyul's not telepathic, Chihoon! (Also, the fact that Chihoon was staring at Mooyul specifically in his telepathy attempt, even though he was partnered with Jaekyu because he trusted Mooyul to get it... which did not work out lols.) Also, Mooyul doing his doctor thing with Chihoon's broken leg! Just, there's a lot of good content.
Chihoon in general is an interesting character to me bc despite the fact that he has low empathy (and little emotion in general, though not quite none), he still has a strong grasp of morality and does his best to help the team. Being logical doesn't make him selfish or a jerk, though it does occasionally make him insensitive. Also, his great plans! Also, his smirks. These are all good things.
Some vague prompts:
-Kim Yohan playing Chihoon and Mooyul against each other. Maybe some dub-con along these lines? Or just Kim Yohan putting the two in a situation where they'd be at odds--e.g. manipulating Chihoon into making a choice that makes him seem heartless, or making Mooyul feel inferior to him in that way that activates his jealousy thing.
-Mooyul being protective of Chihoon, or Chihoon being protective of Mooyul. Or the two taking care of each other in some way. (This can range from studying together to sick fic to "I need your help hiding a body" lols.)
-Mooyul's mixed feelings for Chihoon not being solely rivalry but also angsty pining that eventually erupts into him frustratedly grabbing Chihoon and making out with him! Possibly this somehow occurs instead of the fight on the snowy cliff? Or maybe after Mooyul discovers that Chihoon isn't fucking dead.
-Chihoon realizes that people touching Mooyul makes him calm down, and so starts touching him when he gets angry or scared or sad. This slowly escalates; he also eventually realizes that actually, most people touching Mooyul does not calm him down, and it might just be that Mooyul likes him.
-Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu
This ship is kind of a "ship my two faves bc I like them so much" kind of ship for me. But, I also think these two have some fun moments. Kang Mireu stops attacking both Youngjae and Yoonsu when Park Mooyul basically full body blocks him with a little help from Jaekyu, this despite the fact that Youngjae claims a truly angry Mireu can take down like ten men at once. So why does that work? Is it because Mireu doesn't want to attack Mooyul because he thinks he's cute or a good guy or something? Is it because Mooyul's actually just a really good fighter and Mireu's like "...I don't want to get into this right now"? Either option is fine with me. I also love how Mireu teases Mooyul in that one scene in his bedroom--"how can you be sleeping late when the writer of the letters is out there trying so hard to scare you?? isn't that offensive? omg", and actually just the fact that he busts into Mooyul's room in general. And his line about how Mooyul turned out to be not such a good boy after all; I feel like when he learned Mooyul was keeping the letters secret, he was like, "ah, I see. Unexpectedly, this boy is a fellow delinquent." Then of course they also share their mixed feelings on Choi Chihoon... but more on that later.
Some prompty thoughts:
-What if Kang Mireu didn't just break into Mooyul's room in the early morning but came up with some bullshit reason to stay with him overnight? "The motion sensor cameras will notice I'm in my room!" "Park Mooyul, if no one's with you in your room, what if the letter writer comes and kills you in the middle of the night??" Some kind of reason like this and for some reason Mooyul goes along with it and oops there is only one bed.
-What if Mireu is jealous of Mooyul being currently the second ranked student in the school? He's no Chihoon but still... and so he pins him against the wall in frustration, and things develop.
-Mireu realizing Mooyul is not actually a Good Boy and deciding to take full advantage of this, possibly involving him in some dumb shenanigans, possibly just being like "in that case let's break some more rules and make out with each other."
-When Mireu is locked up in the detention room and Mooyul comes upon him, instead of Mooyul being all business ("where's the teacher?"), he teases Mireu, asking what Mireu will do for him if he lets him out. Mireu gets imaginative. Alternatively, Mireu imaginatively describes how he'll punish Mooyul if Mooyul doesn't let him out. Either way, does he make good on his promises?
-Pre-canon, Mooyul intervenes with one of Mireu's misdeeds (beating someone up? Stealing something? Some outlandish stunt? you decide) and Mireu is outraged. This may end in him deciding Mooyul's nerve is kind of hot or it might end in him trying to teach Mooyul a lesson.
-Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu/Choi Chihoon
So you take the two sections above, and then you SMASH THEM TOGETHER AT HIGH VELOCITY.
Lols, but more seriously. I love these three geniuses and I hate that we never really see all three of them working in tandem. I mean, Chihoon wasn't even aware Mireu was on campus until Mooyul came to ask him what to do about Mireu being in the detention room (...which was an interesting choice btw). I think it's cool that you have three different kinds of genius: Chihoon, unemotional but very logical and good at science, Kang Mireu, quite emotional but also very easy to calm down and oddly practical and not prone to panic, and Mooyul, an emotional mess (but able to hide it sometimes) who is more a leader than the other two and perhaps works better with people. And they all respect and even trust each other, but there's always that tension.... and maybe that tension is actually romantic?
Some vague prompty things:
-Kang Mireu proposes that the night before he heads off campus, he and Mooyul and Chihoon have a kissing contest to see who's better at kissing. For rivalry, and science.
-Mireu and Mooyul making out when they think Chihoon is dead, partly to deal with their conflicted emotions and distract themselves... and then immediately jumping Chihoon when they find out he's alive.
-After learning that the gun he has did not kill Chihoon, Mireu starts to play around with it. Chihoon is nonplussed; Mooyul is both outraged and turned on. Things devolve.
-Mooyul and Chihoon start going out pre-canon and Mireu is insanely jealous. Does he start a sabotage campaign on all their dates? Who does he tell himself is too good for who in this scenario? I feel like Chihoon would be the one to say "Just kiss us and get over it then" but maybe I'm wrong! How does Mireu eventually end up getting squished into the relationship?
-If one of the trio gets hurt or in trouble (or even insulted), how do the other two react? Who's the one trying to immediately start a brawl, and who tries to hold him back or feed the flame? Or do they come up with practical solutions to their problems? (Let's be real, Mooyul won't, but maybe the other two can?)
-Park Mooyul/Jo Youngjae
I didn't consider this ship all that seriously so I didn't think to nominate it, but when I do think about it, it's really cool! Youngjae's feelings towards Mooyul seem kind of mixed in the show--he listens to Mooyul's plans and seems to respect him, but Mooyul is also the first person he names when he's telling the doctor how everyone acts like they're better than him. It's also really interesting to track Mooyul and Youngjae's interactions in relation to violence. In the first three episodes, Mooyul is constantly stopping Youngjae's fights. He stops Youngjae from beating Kangmo up, pulls Youngjae off Yoonsu at one point, and even rescues Youngjae from Kang Mireu's righteous wrath. But in the second half of the show, it's quite the opposite: Mooyul seems to be the one who thought of confronting Kangmo with sticks (though it's unclear), and barely holds Youngjae back during that pursuit, and eventually Mooyul and Chihoon are the ones who incite the group to murder Kim Yohan. Mooyul goes from holding Youngjae back to pushing him forward. I find both dynamics interesting, and they make me wonder how Mooyul might have related to Youngjae in the past, and how he might relate to him in the future.
But also, Youngjae is a very sad boy and Mooyul is kind of a reassuring person, so maybe h/c? Hm.
Some vague prompty things:
-Hurt/comfort: Youngjae gets hurt and future-doctor!Mooyul helps him. Youngjae talks to Mooyul about his insecurities, how he thinks he's the worst, and Mooyul may or may not be reassuring. Mooyul gets hurt or in danger and Youngjae finds the strength to help him. Post-canon recovery fics.
-Youngjae says to Eunsung at one point, "I hated you for dating Mooyul; I hated you for breaking up with him." Uh, there's definitely more than one way to interpret that statement! Maybe some Youngjae pining for Mooyul (possibly pre-canon) and thinking he's out of his reach bc he's dating Eunsung? Then seeing how he's hurt when Eunsung breaks up with him? Or... something along those lines?
-We don't see whether Mooyul ever found out Youngjae almost got Kim Yohan to kill Eunsung. How would he react if he did find that out? Would he feel betrayed? What if Youngjae tells him he wanted Eunsung dead bc then maybe Mooyul would like him? What if Mooyul erupts into sexy rage? Basically any way this scene would go would be interesting to me.
-Youngjae just forcing Mooyul to make out with him bc he's in delinquent mode, he likes Mooyul, and he kind of wants Mooyul to hate him.
-Post-canon, if these two associated, would they discourage or encourage each other's violent impulses? What would the others think of their relationship?
-Park Mooyul/Yang Kangmo/Yu Eunsung
When I initially found out Kangmo was stalking Eunsung I was like "ugh, my least favorite m/f dynamic" but then when he said that whole "The Eunsung I love is the one who's with you" to Mooyul, I was like "!!! My favorite creepy m/m/f dynamic!" For some reason when it becomes an OT3 I'm really into it.
So, for this ship, I would like either some creepiness on Kangmo's part (more stalking, maybe? But of Mooyul as well as Eunsung?) or something nicer with Kangmo being incorporated into Eunsung and Mooyul's relationship so he can be less lonely. On the Mooyul/Eunsung side of things, I love Eunsung's bitter sarcasm and how much of an asshole she can be sometimes, but seeing a brither, happier Eunsung is also good, especially since she says that seeing Kangmo's photographs reminds her of happier times.
Some vague prompty things:
-Does Kangmo have another album which is pictures of Mooyul? How did things go when he was stalking them as a couple? How does he come to realize that he's just as into Mooyul as Eunsung, and does this make him feel more or less creepy about the whole thing?
-What if Kim Jinsu, who thought he was Kangmo's friend, told Kangmo about his attempts to court Eunsung? How would Kangmo, the #1 Mooyul/Eunsung shipper (at a time when the pair had just gotten together) react to this? Does joint stalking ensue? Does Kangmo get mad at Jinsu? Does he spur Jinsu on bc he can tell Jinsu's stalking is actually just pushing Eunsung and Mooyul closer together?
-What if, when Mooyul and Eunsung broke up, Kangmo decided it was his mission to get them back together--but then they both seem to be falling for him instead? (This could happen pre-canon, but it would also be kind of fun if this was Kangmo's actual agenda for staying behind during Christmas break.)
Zenda Novels
Ships requested:
Rudolf Rassendyll/Rupert of Hentzau
Kidnapping or captivity
Crack written seriously
Dysfunctional relationships
Obsession
Hurt/comfort
Soulmarks
Magic AUs (vampires, animal transformations, spells backfiring, etc.
Angst
Getting together
Pre-slash or UST
Fix-it fic
5+1 fic
Alternate first meetings or relationship dynamics
Canon divergence
Fighting--swords, fists, guns, etc. Any level of seriousness.
Complicated power dynamics.
Bondage.
Trapped in an elevator/landslide/snowstorm together.
Dub-con/non-con except in het.
Dub-con/non-con except in het.
General DNW:
Main character death as the focus of the fic.
Watersports or scat
Pregnancy or kid fic
Modern/mundane AU (with the exception of Nirvana in Fire)
PWP
Eye horror, or finger or toe horror
Extreme ageplay
Underage sex
Suicide or a focus on suicidal ideation. (Note: Two of these fandoms have canonical suicide attempts, and one has successful suicide. You don't need to pretend these didn't happen, just please don't make them the focus of the fic.)
Nirvana in Fire
Ships requested:
Mei Changsu/Mu Nihuang
Mei Changsu/Xiao Jinghuan
I ship so many things in this fandom! I think these are my current two favorite ships, though. Things I like in general for this fandom include: Political scheming! Nonpolitical scheming! Arranged marriages or fake relationships. Secret identities or other kinds of secrets. MAGIC. Modern AUs where the stakes remain high (e.g. MCS is now trying to overthrow a modern government or bring down the mafia or reveal some powerful corporation's corruption--this doesn't necessarily need to be front and center, I just prefer there to still be scheming going on rather than a highschool or coffeeshop AU or what have you). Hurt/comfort, fix-it fics for the tragedy. Canon divergence. You know. Stuff.
For the specific ships:
Mei Changsu/Mu Nihuang
For this ship, I really love the long-standing engagement arranged by the family (it's a trope I'm very fond of) but also, just, the dynamic. The friendship and respect they have for each other--as friends, as tactical genius and brilliant general, as people who know each other very, very well. I really love the vibe of Nihuang being a ridiculously strong warrior and leader--a strong fighter personally, but also the general of an army so big it makes the Emperor a little bit worried. Meanwhile Mei Changsu's strength is more of the networking and planning kind, while physically he's weak and his forces can't operate in the open. I feel like usually it would be more likely for the reverse to be the case in a het ship. Other good things: Nihuang being ready to start a rebellion the instant MCS is summoned to the palace by the emperor! Mu Qing being able to tell his sister likes MCS from the beginning (any background Mu Qing is strongly encouraged). Sending letters, and tea, and other things. Quiet emotional (and sometimes political) support.
Some prompty things:
-Nihuang somehow meeting Mei Changsu pre-canon and possibly discovering his identity as Lin Shu. Cue marriage? Maybe? Idk, I like to picture the two of them rolling up to the capital as a couple and everyone being like "We want the Qilin Talent to work with us so we have to be nice to Princess Nihuang" while Jingrui is really baffled bc he knows Mei Changsu and he knows Nihuang but how do they know each other?? what happened here??
-Nihuang decides that the Spring Hunt was too close a call so she wants to marry Mei Changsu right now. Mei Changsu per force goes along with it.
-Nihuang as a werewolf?? I guess this is a crack prompt but imagine it. Nihuang maybe becoming a werewolf as a teenager and Lin Shu helps her with learning control while trying to avoid her biting him! Or, the Mu family always having been a clan of werewolves and the Yunnan army is kind of like their pack. Or, Nihuang has been bitten by a vampire in the 12 years since the Chiyan massacre and this is a whole new thing to Mei Changsu but he thinks it's really hot. Or, Nihuang recognizing Mei Changsu bc faces change but smells don't and/or she claimed him as her mate years ago and that's not the kind of thing one can disguise.
-Mei Changsu joins the tournament to marry Nihuang but instead of fighting he just blackmails or bribes all the opponents he's matched against before the matches so they just lose on purpose within seconds. Nihuang is somewhere between outraged and intrigued; Mu Qing is also both of these things except even more so.
-Nihuang being incredibly unsubtle about her interest in Mei Changsu so that all of Jinling is gossiping about them. Mei Changsu may or may not be trying to mitigate the damage (e.g. I can picture him being like "Nihuang stop propositioning me in front of Prince Yu. Nihuang STOP STROKING MY HAIR IN FRONT OF THE EMPEROR" but I can also picture him just going along with it bc he is also In Love).
Mei Changsu/Xiao Jinghuan
I'm not quite sure how to explain what I like about these two. Part of it's the fact that Prince Yu's ending just makes me sad, and his arc was really intriguing. Part of it is how much Yu respects what Mei Changsu has to say to him, and how much he wants Mei Changsu to like him and be on his side--giving tons of presents to sort of try to buy him, always praising Mei Changsu's (sometimes not that good) counsel after receiving it. Then there's the fact that Yu thinks Mei Changsu is like him, ruthless and ambitious, so that he barely seems to feel betrayed when Mei Changsu's loyalty to Jingyan becomes apparent (though it certainly depresses him, he doesn't seem exactly shocked)--but he doesn't seem to see that Mei Changsu's morals actually play a large role in his motivations, or why Mei Changsu does what he does in general.
It's also just that I like both of them and want them to hang out and maybe be into each other. Unrequited love and/or manipulation and/or general awfulness are also welcome.
Some vague prompty things:
-At one point Prince Yu says about Mei Changsu that without Jingyan, or without a prince to back, Mei Changsu will be like "a stray dog." I have a lot of feelings about this, ranging from "Does Yu hope that in that case, with Jingyan gotten rid of, Mei Changsu will come back to him?" to "Did Yu think of Mei Changsu as his pet when he thought Mei Changsu was working for him?" to "What if Yu gave Mei Changsu a collar? Wouldn't that be wild?"
-What if Mei Changsu actually did work for Prince Yu? How would that come about? What would the effects be?
-Prince Yu pining for Lin Shu pre-Chiyan case and being sure that Lin Shu is into either Jingyan or Nihuang (which may or may not be the case).
-Prince Yu not pulling a Spring Hunt Rebellion for some reason and therefore surviving (maybe to learn Mei Changsu's real identity and be Shocked). Alternatively, Mei Changsu saving Prince Yu from the dungeons.
-Or, Prince Yu's rebellion is a success and he captures Mei Changsu.
-Mei Changsu seducing Prince Yu for political reasons but accidentally acquiring feelings for him.
Psychopath Diary
Ships requested:
Yook Dong Sik/Seo In Woo
As this is a fandom I only discovered in the past couple weeks, my feelings on it are a bit less coherent. But basically I love the way this ship is somehow both Serial Killer/Innocent Civilian AND Serial Killer/Serial Killer at the same time--it's a little hilarious. The way that Seo In Woo has so much respect for Yook Dong Sik as a fellow predator early in the series is especially great., and the way Yook Dong Sik, meanwhile, doesn't seem to pick up on his "we're both serial killers" vibes at all--and instead is constantly rejecting and avoiding him lols. Then, as the series goes on, I'm also into how that dynamic changes as Seo In Woo begins to figure out more of what's actually going on, and how the game between the two of them progresses.
Some vague prompty things:
-What if In Woo made it a little clearer at that bar date exactly what he meant by "we're similar people", and got the whole "we're both serial killers" thing across? I dream of him trying to court Yook Dong Sik into serial killing with him--meanwhile Yook Dong Sik basically just decided to retire from killing the weak, which would make the situation a little complicated.
-On that note, what if instead, during the bar date Yook Dong Sik decided his boss was clearly into him, and thought, "what the heck, might as well go for it"? Cue In Woo and Yook Dong Sik either hooking up or becoming actual Boyfriends while In Woo is still desperately trying to figure out what the fuck is Yook Dong Sik's deal (and maybe falling for him).
-Soulmark AU: Seo In Woo knows Yook Dong Sik must be a serial killer or at least something different from the apparent innocent civilian because Yook Dong Sik has his soulmark and there's no way In Woo's soulmate could be a normal person. This belief may or may not be vindicated.
-One of these two tries to murder the other but ends up not being able to follow through on it <3
-Yook Dong Sik knows his boss is crushing on him and figures it must be his psychopath serial killer charisma. But hey, In Woo is good looking, so he decides to give the guy what he wants. So Yook Dong Sik goes alpha-male mode and pins In Woo against a wall (maybe in an elevator?) and makes out with him. In Woo isn't sure whether to feel outraged or just really really intrigued.
-Any kind of kidnapping fic would basically be lovely.
White Christmas
Ships requested:
Park Mooyul/Choi Chihoon
Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu
Park Mooyuk/Kang Mireu/Choi Chihoon
Park Mooyul/Jo Youngjae
Park Mooyul/Yang Kangmo/Yu Eunsung
For this fandom, I kind of ended up shipping Park Mooyul with everyone, so I guess I'll start with some general thoughts on Park Mooyul. A while ago I was rewatching this show with a friend and on the first episode the friend said that she didn't like how Park Mooyul seemed kind of wary and hesitant. I thought this was hilarious because Park Mooyul strikes me the exact opposite way--he's the guy who decides it's his mission, specifically, to find out who sent the letters; he loves throwing himself at people and/or in front of guns, and he would like to save people--whether from killers or from sickness or from depression--but it's often not really within his abilities. I also love his guilt complex/sense of responsibility, sometimes justified (guilt over chasing Kangmo with a stick) and sometimes not (the whole thing with his mother, his guilt towards Eunsung in general, etc). It's also interesting how Park Mooyul is in theory some kind of goody two-shoes (Eunsung even calls him "the most obedient boy"), but... doesn't really act like it at all? Besides his not telling the teacher about the letters at first, there's the brawling, the lack of hesitancy in keeping Kang Mireu's presence on campus secret, the fact that he had a secret relationship with Yu Eunsung despite it being against school policy apparently, the... everything, frankly. And yet the teacher says when he sees the boys fighting, "Eh, it'll be fine, Park Mooyul's there." Why the fuck does everyone think he's such a respectable dude?? I honestly dk.
Anyways, as I said, I shipped him with nearly everyone.
-Park Mooyul/Choi Chihoon
This ship is probably the most obvious. I love the one-sided rivalry going on here, and the fact that despite this the two basically seem to respect each other from the beginning. Then Park Mooyul pushed Chihoon off a cliff, omg! Then he saved Chihoon's life! I really loved Chihoon and Mooyul's brief attempt to take down Oh Junghye and Kim Yohan before they were recaptured, too, especially the standoff with Chihoon and the empty gun. ("Does an empty gun make you feel safe?" Chihoon asked. Little did he know he would soon find out the answer to this question.) In general when they're scheming together, things are very fun. I also loved the scene when Chihoon thought everyone should run away during the search for Yoonsu and tried to communicate this solely by looking at Mooyul intensely. Poor Mooyul's not telepathic, Chihoon! (Also, the fact that Chihoon was staring at Mooyul specifically in his telepathy attempt, even though he was partnered with Jaekyu because he trusted Mooyul to get it... which did not work out lols.) Also, Mooyul doing his doctor thing with Chihoon's broken leg! Just, there's a lot of good content.
Chihoon in general is an interesting character to me bc despite the fact that he has low empathy (and little emotion in general, though not quite none), he still has a strong grasp of morality and does his best to help the team. Being logical doesn't make him selfish or a jerk, though it does occasionally make him insensitive. Also, his great plans! Also, his smirks. These are all good things.
Some vague prompts:
-Kim Yohan playing Chihoon and Mooyul against each other. Maybe some dub-con along these lines? Or just Kim Yohan putting the two in a situation where they'd be at odds--e.g. manipulating Chihoon into making a choice that makes him seem heartless, or making Mooyul feel inferior to him in that way that activates his jealousy thing.
-Mooyul being protective of Chihoon, or Chihoon being protective of Mooyul. Or the two taking care of each other in some way. (This can range from studying together to sick fic to "I need your help hiding a body" lols.)
-Mooyul's mixed feelings for Chihoon not being solely rivalry but also angsty pining that eventually erupts into him frustratedly grabbing Chihoon and making out with him! Possibly this somehow occurs instead of the fight on the snowy cliff? Or maybe after Mooyul discovers that Chihoon isn't fucking dead.
-Chihoon realizes that people touching Mooyul makes him calm down, and so starts touching him when he gets angry or scared or sad. This slowly escalates; he also eventually realizes that actually, most people touching Mooyul does not calm him down, and it might just be that Mooyul likes him.
-Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu
This ship is kind of a "ship my two faves bc I like them so much" kind of ship for me. But, I also think these two have some fun moments. Kang Mireu stops attacking both Youngjae and Yoonsu when Park Mooyul basically full body blocks him with a little help from Jaekyu, this despite the fact that Youngjae claims a truly angry Mireu can take down like ten men at once. So why does that work? Is it because Mireu doesn't want to attack Mooyul because he thinks he's cute or a good guy or something? Is it because Mooyul's actually just a really good fighter and Mireu's like "...I don't want to get into this right now"? Either option is fine with me. I also love how Mireu teases Mooyul in that one scene in his bedroom--"how can you be sleeping late when the writer of the letters is out there trying so hard to scare you?? isn't that offensive? omg", and actually just the fact that he busts into Mooyul's room in general. And his line about how Mooyul turned out to be not such a good boy after all; I feel like when he learned Mooyul was keeping the letters secret, he was like, "ah, I see. Unexpectedly, this boy is a fellow delinquent." Then of course they also share their mixed feelings on Choi Chihoon... but more on that later.
Some prompty thoughts:
-What if Kang Mireu didn't just break into Mooyul's room in the early morning but came up with some bullshit reason to stay with him overnight? "The motion sensor cameras will notice I'm in my room!" "Park Mooyul, if no one's with you in your room, what if the letter writer comes and kills you in the middle of the night??" Some kind of reason like this and for some reason Mooyul goes along with it and oops there is only one bed.
-What if Mireu is jealous of Mooyul being currently the second ranked student in the school? He's no Chihoon but still... and so he pins him against the wall in frustration, and things develop.
-Mireu realizing Mooyul is not actually a Good Boy and deciding to take full advantage of this, possibly involving him in some dumb shenanigans, possibly just being like "in that case let's break some more rules and make out with each other."
-When Mireu is locked up in the detention room and Mooyul comes upon him, instead of Mooyul being all business ("where's the teacher?"), he teases Mireu, asking what Mireu will do for him if he lets him out. Mireu gets imaginative. Alternatively, Mireu imaginatively describes how he'll punish Mooyul if Mooyul doesn't let him out. Either way, does he make good on his promises?
-Pre-canon, Mooyul intervenes with one of Mireu's misdeeds (beating someone up? Stealing something? Some outlandish stunt? you decide) and Mireu is outraged. This may end in him deciding Mooyul's nerve is kind of hot or it might end in him trying to teach Mooyul a lesson.
-Park Mooyul/Kang Mireu/Choi Chihoon
So you take the two sections above, and then you SMASH THEM TOGETHER AT HIGH VELOCITY.
Lols, but more seriously. I love these three geniuses and I hate that we never really see all three of them working in tandem. I mean, Chihoon wasn't even aware Mireu was on campus until Mooyul came to ask him what to do about Mireu being in the detention room (...which was an interesting choice btw). I think it's cool that you have three different kinds of genius: Chihoon, unemotional but very logical and good at science, Kang Mireu, quite emotional but also very easy to calm down and oddly practical and not prone to panic, and Mooyul, an emotional mess (but able to hide it sometimes) who is more a leader than the other two and perhaps works better with people. And they all respect and even trust each other, but there's always that tension.... and maybe that tension is actually romantic?
Some vague prompty things:
-Kang Mireu proposes that the night before he heads off campus, he and Mooyul and Chihoon have a kissing contest to see who's better at kissing. For rivalry, and science.
-Mireu and Mooyul making out when they think Chihoon is dead, partly to deal with their conflicted emotions and distract themselves... and then immediately jumping Chihoon when they find out he's alive.
-After learning that the gun he has did not kill Chihoon, Mireu starts to play around with it. Chihoon is nonplussed; Mooyul is both outraged and turned on. Things devolve.
-Mooyul and Chihoon start going out pre-canon and Mireu is insanely jealous. Does he start a sabotage campaign on all their dates? Who does he tell himself is too good for who in this scenario? I feel like Chihoon would be the one to say "Just kiss us and get over it then" but maybe I'm wrong! How does Mireu eventually end up getting squished into the relationship?
-If one of the trio gets hurt or in trouble (or even insulted), how do the other two react? Who's the one trying to immediately start a brawl, and who tries to hold him back or feed the flame? Or do they come up with practical solutions to their problems? (Let's be real, Mooyul won't, but maybe the other two can?)
-Park Mooyul/Jo Youngjae
I didn't consider this ship all that seriously so I didn't think to nominate it, but when I do think about it, it's really cool! Youngjae's feelings towards Mooyul seem kind of mixed in the show--he listens to Mooyul's plans and seems to respect him, but Mooyul is also the first person he names when he's telling the doctor how everyone acts like they're better than him. It's also really interesting to track Mooyul and Youngjae's interactions in relation to violence. In the first three episodes, Mooyul is constantly stopping Youngjae's fights. He stops Youngjae from beating Kangmo up, pulls Youngjae off Yoonsu at one point, and even rescues Youngjae from Kang Mireu's righteous wrath. But in the second half of the show, it's quite the opposite: Mooyul seems to be the one who thought of confronting Kangmo with sticks (though it's unclear), and barely holds Youngjae back during that pursuit, and eventually Mooyul and Chihoon are the ones who incite the group to murder Kim Yohan. Mooyul goes from holding Youngjae back to pushing him forward. I find both dynamics interesting, and they make me wonder how Mooyul might have related to Youngjae in the past, and how he might relate to him in the future.
But also, Youngjae is a very sad boy and Mooyul is kind of a reassuring person, so maybe h/c? Hm.
Some vague prompty things:
-Hurt/comfort: Youngjae gets hurt and future-doctor!Mooyul helps him. Youngjae talks to Mooyul about his insecurities, how he thinks he's the worst, and Mooyul may or may not be reassuring. Mooyul gets hurt or in danger and Youngjae finds the strength to help him. Post-canon recovery fics.
-Youngjae says to Eunsung at one point, "I hated you for dating Mooyul; I hated you for breaking up with him." Uh, there's definitely more than one way to interpret that statement! Maybe some Youngjae pining for Mooyul (possibly pre-canon) and thinking he's out of his reach bc he's dating Eunsung? Then seeing how he's hurt when Eunsung breaks up with him? Or... something along those lines?
-We don't see whether Mooyul ever found out Youngjae almost got Kim Yohan to kill Eunsung. How would he react if he did find that out? Would he feel betrayed? What if Youngjae tells him he wanted Eunsung dead bc then maybe Mooyul would like him? What if Mooyul erupts into sexy rage? Basically any way this scene would go would be interesting to me.
-Youngjae just forcing Mooyul to make out with him bc he's in delinquent mode, he likes Mooyul, and he kind of wants Mooyul to hate him.
-Post-canon, if these two associated, would they discourage or encourage each other's violent impulses? What would the others think of their relationship?
-Park Mooyul/Yang Kangmo/Yu Eunsung
When I initially found out Kangmo was stalking Eunsung I was like "ugh, my least favorite m/f dynamic" but then when he said that whole "The Eunsung I love is the one who's with you" to Mooyul, I was like "!!! My favorite creepy m/m/f dynamic!" For some reason when it becomes an OT3 I'm really into it.
So, for this ship, I would like either some creepiness on Kangmo's part (more stalking, maybe? But of Mooyul as well as Eunsung?) or something nicer with Kangmo being incorporated into Eunsung and Mooyul's relationship so he can be less lonely. On the Mooyul/Eunsung side of things, I love Eunsung's bitter sarcasm and how much of an asshole she can be sometimes, but seeing a brither, happier Eunsung is also good, especially since she says that seeing Kangmo's photographs reminds her of happier times.
Some vague prompty things:
-Does Kangmo have another album which is pictures of Mooyul? How did things go when he was stalking them as a couple? How does he come to realize that he's just as into Mooyul as Eunsung, and does this make him feel more or less creepy about the whole thing?
-What if Kim Jinsu, who thought he was Kangmo's friend, told Kangmo about his attempts to court Eunsung? How would Kangmo, the #1 Mooyul/Eunsung shipper (at a time when the pair had just gotten together) react to this? Does joint stalking ensue? Does Kangmo get mad at Jinsu? Does he spur Jinsu on bc he can tell Jinsu's stalking is actually just pushing Eunsung and Mooyul closer together?
-What if, when Mooyul and Eunsung broke up, Kangmo decided it was his mission to get them back together--but then they both seem to be falling for him instead? (This could happen pre-canon, but it would also be kind of fun if this was Kangmo's actual agenda for staying behind during Christmas break.)
Zenda Novels
Ships requested:
Rudolf Rassendyll/Rupert of Hentzau
I'm gonna use mostly my prompts from past letters bc I've requested this ship a lot so... there's a lot. Anyways, I love this book! Especially Rassendyll and Rupert! That said, I have to admit I've never actually read Rupert of Hentzau bc I read like three pages and got too depressed over Flavia's depressing marriage and gave up. So, I'd prefer if you stuck to the canon of the first novel? I don't mind if you give spoilers for the second novel, just, if you focus on it, I might end up a little lost.
So... Rupert's a real scoundrel, and Rassendyll, equally, is one clever hoe. The difference between them seems to be mostly morals, and it's one I'd rather not see really erased; I think Rassendyll is chill with bending the rules but it's hard to imagine him going so far as to kill the king to keep the throne etc etc. Similarly, I can't see Rupert ever being really good, like a really decent guy... even if he had a conscience for a moment or two, I think he'd remain a rascal.
Anyways, I don't mind if in fic you soften Rupert's edges or make Rassendyll a little more amoral, but I'd still prefer Rupert to remain mostly a scoundrel, and Rassendyll generally a well-meaning guy. On the other side of things, this is a ship where I'm fine with dub-con or even non-con, but I'm equally fine with mostly innocuous banter or flirting and such.
Some prompty things:
-Rupert's just super taken with Rassendyll and for some reason he's decided to monologue about his clever nemesis to the king, a good captive audience. At first the king is like...typical Rupert rants, good to hear Rassendyll's doing an okay job with his trickery, I'm rooting for him... but then Rupert's monologue goes in some weird directions (like, idk, "you can just tell that play actor is good in bed and it's really frustrating" or "when we had this confrontation the other day he was wearing a really fetching pair of pants") and the king is like...what??
-The above but instead of Rupert monologuing at the king it's Rassendyll monologuing to Sapt or Fritz or even Flavia. I feel like the most sympathetic party here would probably be Fritz, but even there, there's def some skepticism. "Rassendyll...weren't we discussing plans? Aren't we getting a little off topic?"
-Either Rupert or Rassendyll is scoping out enemy territory and has infiltrated the other's bedroom when the other comes back. Do they get caught? Do they have to hide in a closet? what do they do
-The Rassendyll squad has captured Rupert and has not decided what to do with him--Black Michael doesn't know he's been taken yet, and they can't decide whether to try to get information out of him, try to use him as a hostage, kill him, keep him prisoner and out of the way... meanwhile Rassendyll is just intensely turned on by the sight of Rupert tied up. Does Rupert use this fact to his advantage? Is he enjoying his captivity with the flair of a villain who's sure he hasn't really lost, or is he seething, and humiliated by Rassendyll's amusement? What happens if he gets loose?
-Or, on the other side, Rupert and a couple henchmen capture Rassendyll... but when Rupert realizes that if he takes Rassendyll back to Michael, Michael will kill him, he can't bring himself to do it. Or he does bring Rassendyll back, but he talks Michael into just killing the king bc "it's safe now" and letting Rupert keep Rassendyll for himself ;)
-The king dies before Rassendyll can rescue him, either during the attempted rescue or before Rassendyll can even try. This leaves Rassendyll as king, and though he feels guilty, he doesn't entirely mind, especially with Flavia as his betrothed. But Rupert won't leave him alone. Maybe he's trying to set up blackmail. Maybe he's just really into a guy with a crown. One way or another, he keeps on harassing Rassendyll and Rassendyll is like... I should not be into this. I really should not be into this.
-Weird hurt/comfort fic. Rassendyll gets sick or injured and Rupert comes to visit and doesn't actually try to murder him? Rupert is sick/injured and for some reason Rassendyll sees him and feels unexpectedly sympathetic rather than amused? Maybe still a little amused...
-Soulmarks. Rupert's like, "Michael we can't kill this Rassendyll guy he's my actual soulmate." Rassendyll's like "WHY DID MY SOULMATE HAVE TO BE THIS DUDE." Probably not name soulmarks, bc you know Rupert would have looked Rassendyll up years ago or vice versa, noble families aren't hard to find.
