gekigengar gargant III!!! (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aestivalis) wrote2021-11-10 07:50 pm
aestivalis) wrote2021-11-10 07:50 pm
heartattackexchange 2021 letter!
Greetings, ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
highadrenalineexchange participant! My online handle is Gargant, and my AO3 account can be found under the same name (![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Gargant). I'm an irregular exchange participant myself, but doing Heart Attack Exchange last year was a major highlight for me and I'm really excited to be returning for another round. I hope you're excited too!
I'll clarify right away that I am just as happy to receive artwork as I am written fiction. If you want to take any of these prompts and go the comic route, please feel free! I can't wait to see what you'll come up with c:
I've only requested for three different categories this year: Tales of Symphonia, Final Fantasy XV, and the ever-popular Original Works. If any of the sections of this letter seem particularly weighted in favour of one of those groups, I promise that it isn't intentional. I limited my requests to these three options precisely because they were by far the options that most excited me, and I'll be thrilled with anything these categories inspire from you. Follow your heart!
I have one real DNW, which I have outlined in every subsequent section of this letter and I'm going to mention here as well. The one and only thing I would like to avoid in anything created for me are detailed renditions of modern medical procedures, particularly things like cannula insertion and the administration of intravenous treatments. Thank you for understanding.
With this all being said, here's a list of things I generally vibe with. Use this information however you see fit!
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General Likes:
✤ enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-enemies-to lovers, friends-to-enemies-but-still-lovers
✤ "can't live with you, can't live without you", relationships where the two characters have something in common that no one else can ever truly understand (emotional, magical, a shared experience, etc.)
✤ "never known/met anyone else like you", characters who turn each other's worlds upside-down
✤ messy/complicated long-term relationships (romantic, familial, pre-destined, etc.)
✤ fantasy or historical fantasy settings, magic entirely optional!
✤ worldbuilding, especially focused on exploring the political/religious/societal quirks of a setting
✤ canon divergence/"what if" scenarios/exploring the consequences of a significant choice or moment. Would they make the same choices again?
✤ "everyone is bisexual"/bisexual characters (entirely your choice on how society does/doesn't acknowledge this. bisexual utopias are extremely welcome, but explorations of societal repression are very interesting and welcome as well.)
Danger Likes: (aka, the darker stuff)
✣ age gaps of any size (note: if one character is particularly young (younger than 13), please acknowledge the abuse of power involved. go as dark and nasty as you like, though!)
✣ characters lying to themselves and/or refusing to learn from their mistakes, characters devoted to something that doesn't deserve them
✣ dubious consent, lack of consent, characters fooling themselves into believing they've given meaningful consent, characters acting against their own better judgment/morality
✣ blood, bloodplay, scarification, any of the aforementioned as part of a ritual or other binding belief (consented to or otherwise!)
✣ homophobia and/or misogyny incorporated into worldbuilding, internalised homophobia/misogyny (note: if lead characters display these attitudes, I would prefer they are challenged in their beliefs or else begin to evolve beyond them by the conclusion of the story!)
No Preference:
❋ Any tense is fine!
❋ Smut is welcome, but I am equally happy to receive something completely smut-free. Fade-to-black or stay in the moment! I am more invested in the emotional grip of any given scene than the physical, but ain't never gonna say no to a good smut scene, hahaha!
❋ Any amount of violent or graphic content is fine.
❋ Character death is fine.
❋ Unhappy endings are fine, if that's where the story takes you!
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TALES OF SYMPHONIA
If these requests seem to skew in favour of Zelos, don't be completely fooled. I do love him, but what I love most of all is exploring what it means to be the Chosen in the worlds of Symphonia.
Because yeah, being the Chosen is terrible. Regardless of whether you live in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla, it's just terrible. Raised as an eventual sacrifice and forever surrounded by people who can't be completely honest with you, it's hard to imagine an existence that so coddled and yet so isolated at the same time.
For Zelos, it was politics and persuasion and constant mistrust. For Colette it was a more immediate sense of impending doom combined with the strange rumours about being the child of an angel. It led both of them to exist in a bubble, never truly able to connect honestly with their peers. They're so similar and yet so different, and I love them both so much.
I love Mylene as well! She's paired alongside Zelos here, but I truly and completely love her in her own right. She's just as much a victim of the Chosen system as anyone else within that lineage, and I adore fiction that remembers to view her with sympathy. That doesn't mean glossing over the cold way she treated her child—more like exploring how and why it ended up that way, and perhaps wondering if things could have ever been different.
For some more specific hints for each listed pairing:
Lloyd/Zelos
I love this because.... Someone who Zelos learns to trust, even against his own better judgement. Angst, fluff, bittersweet, all rolled up into one wonderful ship. Lloyd is unlike anyone else Zelos has ever dealt with, and it's so good watching him try to figure that out and eventually falling face first right into it.
○ AU versions of canon events are always welcome with Symphonia. What might happen if Zelos fully betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation but survives the subsequent fight? What kind of hope or reconcilation can exist between him and Lloyd? And the rest of the party, for that matter! Can Zelos be persuaded to keep on living, or does he intend to slink off and die somewhere? Happy ending or bitter disaster entirely up to you!
○ For another AU entirely, always feel free to mess around with which characters were born were or serve which roles. You want Lloyd to be a Chosen? Go for it! Or maybe Lloyd grew up in Tethe'alla and met Zelos much much earlier than in canon? Sure thing! Hell, have Zelos in Iselia for some reason if you like! Anything like this is always gonna excite me.
○ ANY OTHER IN-UNIVERSE AU/CANON DIVERGENCE YOU CAN THINK OF, seriously, I live for these.
○ Post-game Exsphere journey adventures! What sort of trials and tribulations might these two come up against? Are people happy to see them, or are there still people who resent them? How is the population adjusting to the combined worlds? Does Lloyd ever get frustrated by all the resistance to his collecting the Exspheres, and can Zelos make any of it better? Does Zelos ever become disillusioned and need a Lloyd-style pep talk to get him back on track? Make this a fun and plotty little casefic, or focus on the two of them supporting each others emotional needs—it all sounds good to me!
Kratos/Zelos
I love this because.... MESSY. They both harbour a lot of self-loathing and guilt, and I love seeing the different ways they reflect each other. Not a fluffy pairing, though I'm open to being convinced if you think you can get them there?! Zelos hurting Kratos as a way of hurting himself, but also wanting Kratos to somehow make things better because then maybe there's some hope for him after all (oof).
○ I'll always enjoy stories where Kratos has to train Zelos—it's that common headcanon explanation for their similar battle styles, and something I really love seeing different takes on. It's reasonable to assume that Kratos would have recently lost Lloyd and Anna, and would likely be even more dead inside than usual. Doubtless he'd be keeping everyone at a distance. How does teenage Zelos react to that? Does it just affirm his own worthlessness? (yes). Does it make him want to act out to try and force this Cruxis bastard to respond to him, damn it? (also yes).
○ AU where Zelos betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation, but survives because of Kratos's intervention. Why does Kratos do it? What guilt or obligation does he feel toward Zelos, yet another Chosen torn apart by the system he has helped enforce in Yggdrasill's name? Why does Zelos go along with it? Does he feel like he even has much of a choice? When/if Kratos leaves, does Zelos go with him? Does Kratos even extend the offer, or does he simply attempt to leave without saying so—and how does Zelos respond to that? m e s s y
○ If you want to try and convince me these two can have some sort of fluffy happiness, then I happily look forward to seeing what you can come up with! Can these two crazy kids somehow figure things out? If they can somehow figure out how to have a better relationship with each other, might it eventually lead them to have better relationships within themselves? WHO CAN SAY. It's a nice dream at least.
Mylene & Zelos
I love them because.... Their relationship is just so ugly and tragic. Ruminate on the good times as well as the bad. The bad times as well as the worst. What might they have to say to each other if they could meet again? What might either of them want to do differently? Can Zelos forgive her—hell, does he even think she needs forgiving? Can someone else convince him he has a right to be angry at her? Feel free to work any of these elements into other Zelos stories!
○ A story that explores the short and wretched time these two characters had together, taken from either or both perspectives. Was there ever any love between them? What did that love mean, when it was wrapped up in so much struggle and lack of agency? To me, Mylene's "you should never have been born" always read as more of an indictment of the Chosen system than any particular commentary on Zelos himself—though of course young Zelos wouldn't hear it that way. If you can stand the heartbreak, a story exploring such elements would be wonderful.
○ Alternatively, it's AU time again! What happens if Mylene survives the attack? What happens if she says that awful line and then survives the attack? What kind of relationship can she and her son possibly have with something so terrible now hanging between them? Are they ever able to reach any sort of understanding, or does the wedge between them only ever widen after that? Does she regret what she said, or stand by her truth? Would they be allies in the Tethe'allan court, or would they end up using politics as another corrupted way of communicating with one another?
○ JUST GIVE ME THE MESS, MAN. They're both dreadful people in their own victimised ways, and I love seeing all that mess out in full display. Especially if the rest of the world has no idea just how bad things really are beneath the surface. But if they ever can find reconciliation and middle-ground between them, I'd love to see it. Even if it's only a single moment of understanding.
Colette/Seles
I love them because.... Both have been horribly affected by the Chosen lineage. Does Seles wish she could have been the Chosen instead of her brother, and how does meeting Colette make her feel about that? AU where Seles *is* the Chosen instead, and travelled with Colette and company? Sugar and spice personalities, but neither of them ever very honest with their true feelings. Do they recognise that in each other?
○ AU once again. An adventure where Seles accompanies the party. Is she the Chosen in Zelos's place? Does she succeed in convincing them to let her join their adventure after battling the party in the Coliseum? Regardless of how you want to make it happen, how do Seles and Colette interact on the road together. Do they get along well from the outset, or does it take time for them (or Seles, let's be honest) to warm up to one another. Does Seles see Colette as a bother, or a rival? Or someone who needs protecting? And do the major events of the story change in any significant way thanks to Seles's presence?
○ When the party plan to face Yggdrasill toward the end of the game, Lloyd suggests that Colette should stay away. Colette resists, and the rest is history. But what if it played out another way? What if they decided the safest place to hide Colette would be at the Abbey, with Seles? Ignoring the fact that this completely screws up Zelos's grand master plan (it's what he deserves), how does this turn out? Is Seles annoyed or suspicious about this? Does Colette end up deciding to follow anyway, and she and Seles go on a grand Tower of Salvation infiltration mission to protect Lloyd, Zelos and the others (and maybe save the day along the way)? Or do Cruxis angels descend on the Abbey to take Colette away, and the two are forced to defend themselves right there and then? It's an adventure story all the way, and I'd love to see how it unfolds!
○ For something completely different, how about a story set after the events of the game. Seles is living in Meltokio, perhaps, and ends up looking after Colette when the former Chosen comes to visit as an ambassador of Sylvarant's people. Or the opposite, with Seles wanting to see somewhere new for once in her life and ending up under Colette's guidance in Iselia. How would they get along as they grow familiar with one another? Would they realise the similarities they have, and who would recognise it first? Would they maybe do... a little kiss????
Worldbuilding & None
OTHERWISE... THE CHOSEN SYSTEM. If you want to write something that just delves all the way into this mess, please be my guest! Feel free to create Chosen & Entourage OCs and just tell me a story set in Tethe'alla or Sylvarant—if you want to pursue this all the way to a Bad End/bittersweet conclusion then please feel free! Alternatively, if you just want to dive into the POV of various different canon characters as they ruminate on their world and their experiences, that's totally fine with me! I love this game and this setting so much, and I'm always ready to spend more time within it. And to spend more time with the characters! If you want to use characters who weren't nominated as a means to engage in worldbuilding, please go ahead. NPCs are fine too!
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding! (Unlikely to come up with this fandom, but hey!)
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FINAL FANTASY XV
(Note regarding canon materials: I have played all the DLCs. I have not read the novelisation. I have not watched Brotherhood, and I actually haven't watched Kingsglaive yet, oops. Reference any sources you'd like to for your story, but I may not catch certain references for material I haven't yet experienced!)
I came out of Final Fantasy XV with a pretty undeniable bias toward Ardyn, and now everyone else must suffer the consequences.
Ardyn, Noctis, and Lunafreya
I've requested both romantic and platonic relationships between Ardyn, Noctis and Lunafreya, and I guess that's just because I'm so delighted with and fascinated by the dynamics that exist between them. I haven't really delved into the FFXV fandom and don't know too much about how other people write/perceive them, but the shifting balances of power between these three really appeals to me. Ardyn is viciously motivated to destroy them, and arguably succeeds? But equally well, Luna and Noct both demonstrate willingness to save Ardyn, and they... ALSO arguably succeed! And that's just so interesting and delicious.
I didn't request Noctis/Lunafreya specifically because I really do want Ardyn involved in any FFXV story I receive, but I *do* ship Noct and Luna together and have no issues with Ardyn as the interloper into their dynamic (although do feel very free to explore the weird and messy elements of their relationship as well, i.e. both fated to die in service, very little actual face-to-face interaction, etc.).
Feel free to go full AU with this and keep certain parties alive beyond their canon death dates. If you want Lunafreya to join the party and be present throughout the later part of FFXV's story, go ahead! If you want Ardyn to somehow remain alive (but no longer immortal?) after the end of the game, and end up hanging aimlessly around Insomnia while also somehow alive Noctis and Lunafreya wonder what they should do about him, that sounds great!
Alternatively, any kind of afterlife you want. Let them exist in some sort of post-mortality bubble if that works for the story you want to tell. Noct and Luna have their moment together in the credits, but maybe Ardyn isn't all that far away. Maybe they all share their place of repose, and begin to truly know one another now that the weights of destiny have been shed.
Although the above descriptions focus on the dynamics between all three characters, I should clarify that I'm perfectly happy if you only matched on Noctis and Ardyn / Lunafreya and Ardyn. Include the other characters precisely as much or as little as you need for the story you'd like to tell. And use any other FFXV characters as needed as well! I like them all just fine, and have no issues with them being used as secondary characters c:
Verstael and Ardyn
BUT HEY, WILDLY UNRELATED TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, IT'S VERSTAEL TIME.
I was pretty lukewarm on many aspects of the Ardyn DLC, but I absolutely loved Verstael and everything he brought. His manic energy is wonderful, and that campy ~evil scientist~ vibe is just delightful. His dynamic with Ardyn is fantastic. I loved the initial disharmony of confused and emotionally defeated Ardyn being relentlessly admired and delighted in by this lunatic scientist. I love Verstael trying to bring Ardyn over to the Empire's cause and eventually succeeding. I love him asking Ardyn "Do you think you can turn him?" re: Ifrit because I'm a stupid gay little child and that shit is hysterical.
And I love the dynamic we see later as well, during the invasion of Insomnia. Verstael as the commander that's supposed to be keeping the mad dog Ardyn in check, and Ardyn's belligerent compliance that eventually shifts to him following his own plan and expecting Verstael to cover his back. There's this wild swing in power between them, where Ardyn has all the *literal* power but Verstael has all the knowledge and leverage in this modern Eos, and it's just such amazing fun.
Any story with these guys would be delightful. Explore how their relationship developed over time, or really hone in on one particular moment. How did Verstael react the next time he saw Ardyn after the conclusion of the DLC? What was Ardyn's inauguration as Chancellor like, and how smug was Verstael about the whole thing? When Ardyn daemonifies someone, he takes their memories into himself—explore that from Verstael's POV, perhaps. Does Ardyn's personality change obviously, or is it more of a creeping subtle shift over time? Does Ardyn ever get confused after "absorbing" a particularly powerful memory/influence into himself? Does Verstael ever experiment with that for scientific interests sake? Do they totally fuck, like, all the time? GO WILD.
Please have fun writing, whatever direction you go with!!
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that*
*Mad scientists gonna do mad science—you can ignore this DNW for the sake of writing Verstael, if needed, but please tag your fic accordingly. Thank you!
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Original Works
Lots of pairings! There are a few themes that crop up throughout a lot of these suggested pairs, and I'll include some more specifics toward the bottom of this letter.
For some general pointers, though, read on!
I love speculative fictions, particular with faux-historical or fantastical settings! Science-fiction is absolutely fine too, although I prefer the focus remain on character and planet-side worldbuilding rather than anything too rooted in the technical/interstellar aspects.
Fictional politics are always delightful! If you want to write a story that's basically 10k of worldbuilding with some characters tying it all together, that's absolutely fine with me. Who is in what position, and how did they come to be there? Which families are the ruling class, and why? What dangers exist, and has it always been that way? Is humanity its own great enemy, or is there something else within the setting that occupies the struggle to survive/thrive?
Several of these pairings involve characters meeting for the first time, i.e. arranged marriages, characters newly risen to power, et cetera. Those initial efforts to get to know one another can be so wonderful to read and experience! Feel free to steep it all in tradition and custom and expectation, with dozens of eyes watching their every move with anticipation. Or alternatively, have something go immediately and drastically wrong! Force the characters into a baptism by fire and *make* them learn how to work with each other or perish in the attempt!
All of these pairings are listed as either M/M or F/F—for those that don't specify any gender configurations, I prefer stories that fall on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Go any way you want with that, though!
Regarding -isms: If it's part of the setting you wish to explore, I have no problems with the presence of such topics. Please just tag accordingly!
These stories can end happily or unhappily, depending on the prompt you decide to write for and the direction your story takes you. Go as fluffy or as grim as you see fit! I do not have any problem with tagged characters dying or being otherwise seriously injured, and I don't mind if these pairings ultimately end up being toxic in some form or another. That being said, I'll also seeing two like-minded individuals find each other under unusual circumstances, or characters who are fascinated to meet someone very different to everything they've ever known before.
I honestly think the pairing prompts themselves are quite a good source of inspiration, and if any of these spark something within you then I really do encourage you to follow that idea and write whatever speaks to you! That being said, if you were looking for more specific promptings, and in no particular order...
General Pulled Out Of Retirement By Chosen One/Long-Suffering Significant Other & Chosen One
○ I'd really love to see how the General/Significant Other interact with the Chosen One. Is there resentment here, or do they understand why things have to be this way? Does the Chosen One feel entitled to the General's assistance, or do they harbour guilt over dragging the General out of retirement? What sort of mission or quest has called on the Chosen One in the first place, and how is the General supposed to assist?
○ What sort of relationship does the General have with their Significant Other? Was the SO ever involved in General's work, or do they come from completely different walks of life? Were they ever enemies? If so, does Chosen One perhaps have a mission that goes against SO's former allies/home? Does that create tension between the three characters? Or perhaps SO holds resentment toward their former home, and actually is pleased that Chosen One opposes them—they just really wish General didn't have to be involved.
○ Do they all become friends in the end? Do they become... more than friends, even?! Or do they actually end up against one another in the end, with the General and/or SO ultimately opposing the Chosen One. Do they all make it out alive? Happy endings, tragic endings, bittersweet endings, any option is fine! And do whatever you like with the ages of the characters as well. Is the Chosen One young and resolute compared to the older couple? Or did the General actually retire young—a reward for good service, perhaps, or because they had become too embittered or too scarred by their experiences.
Jaded Lowborn Mercenary/Friendly Nobleman He Didn't Mean To Fall In Love With (M/M)
○ How did these two characters come to meet one another? Is the Mercenary employed by the Nobleman? Or perhaps employed against the Nobleman? Or have they met in circumstances completely unrelated to their individual jobs/duties, and those aspects are just a coincidence? What has caused the Mercenary to become so jaded—is he jaded toward aristocracy specifically, or something else? And does the Nobleman agree at all? Just because he's friendly doesn't mean he isn't aware of the problems in the world! ... Unless of course he is oblivious to hardships outside of his own experience, which only makes Mercenary all the more frustrated that he's fallen in love with this man.
○ If you want to tell the story of how they met, feel free! If you'd rather start the story with them already acquainted, feel free! You can even have them already as lovers if you'd like! I'm excited to see what works for you.
○ Does Mercenary have work that's set to take him away from Nobleman? If so, do either of them have the emotional fortitude to confess how much they don't want to be separated? Or do they both hold their tongue, wrongly assuming that the other doesn't feel so deeply as they do? Would the Noble try to employ the Mercenary specifically so they can remain together? If so, does the Mercenary seize on that opportunity and take it as a token of love, or is he insulted to have that disparity of their situations thrown back at him?
○ This is a story that could be 10k of fluff and sweetness and adorably petulant "Why did I have to fall in love with you", or it could be 10k of bitterness and conflict and furious up-against-the-wall "Why did I have to fall in love with you", and both sound absolutely delicious. Hell, make it a mixture of both if that's what works best for you!
King Who Fought in the War/Prince of Enemy Country He's Marrying as Part of the Peace Treaty
○ Which country is suing for peace? Is this something that has been mutually agreed upon to the benefit of both nations, or is this actually a surrender wrapped up in a pretty bow? Is the King from the victorious nation, or is it actually the family of the Prince who most benefits from this arrangement? How do the King and the Prince feel about this situation, both politically and as individuals being betrothed to one another?
○ The King actually fought in the war. What have those experiences done to him? Was he mostly sheltered and held back from the worst of the fighting, or was he directly involved? Was he injured at any point, and did that have any bearing on the decision to pursue peace? Has he recovered mentally from the things he witnessed, or perhaps even the things he did? OR HEY, maybe he enjoyed the fighting. Maybe he would have gladly continued, and he resents that peace is on the table. Maybe he fully intends to take those frustrations/traumas out on the incumbent Prince. (Does he change his mind once the Prince arrives? Or do things only get worse?)
○ The Prince presumably did not fight in the war, but that doesn't mean he wasn't affected. What did he see, hear, or otherwise witness? Was he kept coddled and away from the horrors and hardships, or was he forced to endure famine, siege warfare, or any other influence of the war? Does he resent this marriage, or see it as his duty if it means putting an end to that suffering? Perhaps he doesn't care about the suffering of those beneath him and thinks it's ridiculous that he should have to be carted off like cattle for the sake of his lowly subjects. Perhaps he loves his country and his people more than anything else, and believes his love for them can become love for the man he's being sent to marry.
○ As with so many of these, you can make this bleak, make this sweet, make this raunchy, make it tragic, make it dubious, make it beautiful. Perhaps these two can heal each others wounds. Perhaps these two will inflict new wounds upon each other. Either way I'm ready to see it!
King/Sacrifice due to die in his place (M/M) OW
○ Who does and doesn't consent to this? Is the King satisfied with the idea that someone else is going to die in his place? Does he consider that his right as sovereign? Or does the thought disgust him? Was it a decision made against his own personal wishes? Or is he perfectly fine with someone being sacrificed in his name, but he really wishes it wasn't this guy? And how does the Sacrifice feel about the situation. Was he given a choice, or was this all decided for him? Has he been the designated Sacrifice since his birth, or was the decision made at a later point? Is he a condemned man, deserving of having his life taken on account of his (perceived?) crime? Or is he a true believer, absolutely willing to lie down his life to protect his King?
○ How long have they known one another? Are they long-time friends, or have they only recently come into contact? Have they been King and Sacrifice for their entire acquaintance, or has the Sacrifice role only recently been assigned?
○ What does being sacrificed mean in this context? Is this someone serving as a body double for the King? Is this a ritual that requires royal blood, and our Sacrifice is a bastard son able to take the King's place? Does an unfriendly neighbourhood Evil demand tribute? Go as literal or as crazy as you like!
○ Happy endings welcome, but if you want to actually kill the Sacrifice (or the King) (OR BOTH?!) that's totally fine as well! Tell the story in whatever way works with your inspiration!
Magic Apprentice/Their Talking Animal Familiar Who's Secretly A Human Under A Curse (M/M) (OW)
○ This idea is so cute and it's something I don't think I'd ever be confident in writing myself, so I'd love to see what someone else might do with the idea!
○ How on earth did Familiar end up being cursed and transformed into an animal? What's the backstory behind that? Was it a magical misfire, or something that was done intentionally by someone else? If it was inflicted by someone, are they still around? Is Familiar hoping to get revenge, or at least confront the person who did this to them? Is it someone Apprentice knows? Did they perhaps choose to be the Familiar of this particular Apprentice because Apprentice is close to the person who cursed Familiar?
○ What's it like being an Apprentice? How does Apprentice make use of their Familiar? Do they test spells on their poor animal friend? Send them out on errands? Use them to spy on other people or get hold of information they shouldn't have access to? Does Familiar enjoy doing these things, or does he resent it? Does he want to resent it but oops, he's actually become fond of Apprentice and somehow things aren't quite so bad after all?
○ Why is Familiar keeping his human identity a secret? Is he cursed in such a way that he can't ask for help or explain that he's secretly a human person? Or is he trying to stay hidden from someone or something? If Apprentice does learn or figure out who/what Familiar is, do they undertake a quest to turn him back? Or does Apprentice just feel flustered or angry about the whole situation? He totally wouldn't have said those things he said if he's known Familiar was actually a human, darn it!!!
Ne'er-do-well Who's Secretly a Deadly Assassin/General Who Disparages Their Lifestyle (OW)
○ There are so many ways you could go with this! Does Assassin find General's disdain amusing? Are they deliberately flamboyant or belligerent in General's presence precisely because of how General always takes the bait and reacts? Assassin knows how capable they really are—does that internal confidence make it easy to shrug off General's scorn? Or does General's disregard actually bother them more than they'd like it to, even though they feign otherwise? Do they secretly yearn for General's approval, but know they can't reveal how capable they truly are because it will compromise their secret assassination work?
○ Why is General so bothered by Assassin? Does General struggle to understand why Assassin has access to places within higher society when they're clearly such a good-for-nothing? Does General react this strongly toward every nuisance ne'er-do-well, or is there something about This One In Particular that really grinds their gears? (Is it a gay reason? Is Assassin so damn cute and that's so damn frustrating???) Is General actually extremely sincere in their frustration because they can tell there is a spark of greatness inside Assassin that they feel is being ignored? Are they always pestering Assassin to just apply themselves and do better, little knowing that Assassin is already extremely capable and very much in control?
○ Does the truth come out? If so, is it before or after the two have grown at all closer to one another? Does Assassin end up saving General? Does General end up saving Assassin?! Perhaps they end up fighting back-to-back in an unexpected dire situation, leaving poor Assassin to awkwardly try to say it was just an adrenaline rush, honest, totally couldn't ever do any of those fancy moves again! Do these crazy kids figure things out and end up together, or does Assassin end up... doing an assassination on General themselves? Or maybe even refusing to follow that order, and paying the penalty...
New Ruler & Their Supposed Harem That Secretly Functions As Trusted Advisors (OW)
New Ruler/Their Harem That Secretly Doubles As Trusted Advisors (OW)
○ You can do this as romantic or platonic, I'm very happy either way! Does Ruler expect intimacy and immediately find themselves confronted with an elite group of Very Excellent People who sadly are not here for sexy purposes at all? Or does Ruler know the true purpose of the harem and so assumes nothing sexy will ever happen, and is thus surprised them the Advisors are also totally willing and interested in pursuing other pleasures?
○ As a new Ruler, it sounds as though they have probably just inherited this Harem of Advisors. Is that the case? How do all the involved parties feel about that situation? Does Ruler feels self-conscious or inadequate compared to their predecessor? If so, inadequate as a ruler, as a lover, or both? Do the members of the Harem agree with one another about their change in situation? Was the previous Ruler a good person, a wretched tyrant, or something in between? What happened to the previous ruler, anyway?
○ Alternatively, did new Ruler bring this Harem of Advisors with them from the very beginning! Perhaps Ruler is entering an unfamiliar court where they know they will have many enemies, and so they've brought this ~sexy Harem~ with them to deflect suspicion. Feel free to give the Advisors a wide range of skills in that case. Finance? Local History? Languages? Murder? All will have their uses!
○ If you want a male ruler with an all-male harem, go for it! If you want it to be F/F all the way down, be my guest! If you want a mixed bag, that totally works for me too! Do whatever best suits your story, I'll be excited to see it no matter what!
Newly-Crowned Empress/Foreign Princess She's Marrying But Has Never Met (F/F) (OW)
○ What do the two of them know about each other in advance, and how did they come by that information? Official channels, or the rumour mill? Spies, or gossipers? Perhaps they corresponded privately before meeting, or perhaps they "corresponded" only in the sense of their various family members/advisors communicating on their behalf. Regardless of how they came by their information, how accurate is it? Do their preconceptions end up having any basis in reality?
○ How do they each feel about the situation? Are they excited by the thrilling adventure of it all? Terrified of devotion to a literal stranger? Willing participants, doing what they must for the sake of their countries? Or are they resentful at having this huge decision taken away from them? It could be that they end up with conflicting stances, and it creates a rift between them. Can that rift be healed? Or heck, maybe they're surprised to find themselves in agreement almost immediately. What if they agree that they hate this and vow to only keep up appearances for the sake of their respective kingdoms, and then end up catching the dreaded feels despite it all?
Overworked General/Charming Courtier Who Is Good In Bed (M/M) (OW)
○ Overworked in what way? Is the country currently at war? Has war recently ended? Or does General find other ways to keep themselves busy, staying involved with military management or something similar? Perhaps General is personally invested in the wellbeing of his troops, even to his own detriment? If there is war ongoing, does General spend all his time at the warfront or does he ever return home? If he's at the warfront often, where does that leave Courtier?
○ How does Courtier feel about General's workload? If there's war, how does Courtier feel about that? Does he support General's efforts but just wishes he'd take it a little easier? Does he support General's efforts and is confident in his own ability to make General's limited relaxation time very worthwhile? Or does he disapprove, on a personal level or maybe even a moral one? Hell, maybe Courtier is from an enemy nation! Perhaps he's defected, or exiled, or just happened to be on the wrong side of the border when war broke out and has turned into a bit of a gently-handled political hostage? Maybe all of these things are irrelevant, because all Courtier cares about is getting betwixt the sheets with anyone willing and able?!
○ How do these two interact with each other? Does General find Courtier frustrating and frivolous, or does he appreciate and admire him for the person he is? Does Courtier ever wish he could be more like General, or wish he could fight alongside him? Do they love each other, or do they just love what they do together? Feel free to write 10k of cute saucy fun, or 10k of deep character-driven introspection. I feel like this pairing in particular could really go either way!
Prince of Conquered Country/Invading Warlord (M/M) (OW)
○ Uh oh.
○ Who instigates this? Does Warlord intend to claim Prince as a way of solidifying his command over the newly conquered nation? Or is Prince looking to ingratiate himself with the Warlord as a way to retain some small degree of power/as a means of protecting his people? Does Prince want to take revenge on Warlord, perhaps even assassinate him? If so, do his plans end up changing as they become entwined in one another? Feel free to go dark with this prompt if that works for you—character death is fine if that's the story you wanna tell!
○ But perhaps Warlord is actually... lovely? Is Prince a bit astonished to discover that the man who led the invasion of his country is actually a remarkable and fascinating man? Does Prince fall in love despite himself—can he forgive himself for doing so? Is Warlord actually struggling with similar feelings, surprised to find a conquered Prince so able to lay claim to his heart?
○ Who actually ruled Prince's country when the invasion began? Does Prince have a mother and/or father currently sitting the throne? What becomes of them during the invasion and subsequent conquering? Does Warlord agree to let the ruling family retain some degree of power in exchange for the Prince? Or are Prince's relatives appalled that Prince seems drawn to Warlord despite what has happened?
○ Alternatively, maybe Warlord doesn't even know the Prince is the Prince. Perhaps Prince escaped the castle prior to it being seized, and now he's approaching Warlord in some other guise—a soldier, a concubine, a willing informant? What does Prince intend to do, and how does Warlord learn the truth?
Scarred Warrior Working As Bodyguard/Sarcastic Noble They're Assigned To Protect (OW)
○ How did Warrior earn their scars, and why are they now working as a bodyguard? Are the scars physical, emotional, or a bit of both? Is Warrior proud of their history, or is it something they want to forget? Are their scars a badge of honour, or a constant reminder of something awful? Did they get any choice when they were assigned to protect Noble, or was it completely out of their control? Who does Warrior answer to, and why does that person want Noble protected?
○ Who wants to harm Noble, and why? Has Noble's sarcastic personality gotten them into the kind of trouble that requires protection from a bodyguard? Or is this something to do with Noble's lineage? Is there a task that Noble has been charged with completing, and they'll need Warrior to keep them safe until it's done?
○ How do the two of them interact with one another? Does Noble treat Warrior the same way they treat everyone else, or is Warrior mercifully spared the brunt of their sarcastic personality? Does Warrior find Noble tiresome, or do they enjoy that sarcastic sense of humour? Does Noble's sarcastic personality come from a bitter or jaded place? Are the two of them actually more similar than they would initially realise, despite their very different backgrounds?
○ Does Warrior succeed as a Bodyguard? What happens when the contract comes to an end?
Straightforward Warrior Queen/Politically Astute Princess Sent to Her as Tribute (F/F) (OW)
○ Did Queen actually ask for tribute, or was Princess just sent to her unprompted? How does Queen actually feel about this? Does she want Princess around, or would she be happier just sending her back where she came from? If she did request tribute, did she expect to receive Princess? Or if she specifically requested Princess, why her? Has she heard rumours of Princess's intellect and wants to make use of her? Has she heard rumours of Princess's intellect and wants to make sure others can't make use of her?
○ Did Princess have any choice in this? Does she embrace what's happening, or resent it? Was it actually her own idea? What does she think she might be able to achieve as tribute? Is she being naïve with those hopes, or is her planning going to pay off? Is Princess actually just one of several different tributes sent from several different places, and how does she go about distinguishing herself from the crowd in that situation?
○ Queen is straightforward—does that mean she's emotionally honest? If she starts to care about Princess, will she just come right out and say so? Or is that straightforwardness more about her style of leadership and less about the way she expresses her heart? Does her behaviour contrast with Princess, who perhaps keeps her feelings more closely concealed? Do they trust one another? If not, does that situation change over time, and what causes it to happen?
Winning General/Respected Opposing General Who Is His Postwar Arranged Marriage Spouse (M/M) (OW)
○ Did these two characters come into contact during the war? Was it on a battlefield? More than once? Has one of them ever had the opportunity to kill the other one and failed to? Or deliberately spared him out of respect? Are their leadership styles similar, or are they actually different from one another? We know that one of the General's is Respected, but the other one is the Winner—what does that mean? Is Winning General actually more ruthless, more willing to do whatever it takes to succeed? Are these two Beloved Foes from the outset, or is there lingering resentment or animosity between them? Or perhaps one of them thinks they are Beloved Foes, while the other still carries a lot of anger inside them.
○ Who arranged the marriage? Was it a strange little coincidence that brings them together like this, or has it been arranged by someone in a position of authority over them? Is Opposing General supposed to be a reward for Winning General? Did Winning General choose Opposing General, and Opposing General had to accept the arrangements being made for him? Are there political ramifications to their union?
○ Have they retired now that the war is over? Or does Winning General need to go and fight the next war? If so, is Opposing General supposed to go with him? Is he supposed to help him? Alternatively, what does retired life look like for them? Regardless of anything else, those two are both veterans of war—what effect has that had on them? Do they find common ground, or have they dealt with their experiences in different ways? Did they always see something of themselves in one another, back when they used to encounter each other across the negotiation table or upon the battlefield? Are they able to help one another heal from their experiences? Or do they only serve to remind one another of the things they've seen and survived?
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding!
Whichever pairing you end up writing/drawing for, I really hope you have a lot of fun with this. My letter is here to help guide you or perhaps inspire ideas, but please don't feel obligated to stick super close to anything said here! 10k is a lot to write in such a short time, and comics are always hard work, so please go with whatever gets you excited to hit the keyboard! Just so long as that oft-stated DNW is respected, I honestly don't mind what you decide to create. Just have fun out there, guys! C:
highadrenalineexchange participant! My online handle is Gargant, and my AO3 account can be found under the same name (I'll clarify right away that I am just as happy to receive artwork as I am written fiction. If you want to take any of these prompts and go the comic route, please feel free! I can't wait to see what you'll come up with c:
I've only requested for three different categories this year: Tales of Symphonia, Final Fantasy XV, and the ever-popular Original Works. If any of the sections of this letter seem particularly weighted in favour of one of those groups, I promise that it isn't intentional. I limited my requests to these three options precisely because they were by far the options that most excited me, and I'll be thrilled with anything these categories inspire from you. Follow your heart!
I have one real DNW, which I have outlined in every subsequent section of this letter and I'm going to mention here as well. The one and only thing I would like to avoid in anything created for me are detailed renditions of modern medical procedures, particularly things like cannula insertion and the administration of intravenous treatments. Thank you for understanding.
With this all being said, here's a list of things I generally vibe with. Use this information however you see fit!
General Likes:
✤ enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-enemies-to lovers, friends-to-enemies-but-still-lovers
✤ "can't live with you, can't live without you", relationships where the two characters have something in common that no one else can ever truly understand (emotional, magical, a shared experience, etc.)
✤ "never known/met anyone else like you", characters who turn each other's worlds upside-down
✤ messy/complicated long-term relationships (romantic, familial, pre-destined, etc.)
✤ fantasy or historical fantasy settings, magic entirely optional!
✤ worldbuilding, especially focused on exploring the political/religious/societal quirks of a setting
✤ canon divergence/"what if" scenarios/exploring the consequences of a significant choice or moment. Would they make the same choices again?
✤ "everyone is bisexual"/bisexual characters (entirely your choice on how society does/doesn't acknowledge this. bisexual utopias are extremely welcome, but explorations of societal repression are very interesting and welcome as well.)
Danger Likes: (aka, the darker stuff)
✣ age gaps of any size (note: if one character is particularly young (younger than 13), please acknowledge the abuse of power involved. go as dark and nasty as you like, though!)
✣ characters lying to themselves and/or refusing to learn from their mistakes, characters devoted to something that doesn't deserve them
✣ dubious consent, lack of consent, characters fooling themselves into believing they've given meaningful consent, characters acting against their own better judgment/morality
✣ blood, bloodplay, scarification, any of the aforementioned as part of a ritual or other binding belief (consented to or otherwise!)
✣ homophobia and/or misogyny incorporated into worldbuilding, internalised homophobia/misogyny (note: if lead characters display these attitudes, I would prefer they are challenged in their beliefs or else begin to evolve beyond them by the conclusion of the story!)
No Preference:
❋ Any tense is fine!
❋ Smut is welcome, but I am equally happy to receive something completely smut-free. Fade-to-black or stay in the moment! I am more invested in the emotional grip of any given scene than the physical, but ain't never gonna say no to a good smut scene, hahaha!
❋ Any amount of violent or graphic content is fine.
❋ Character death is fine.
❋ Unhappy endings are fine, if that's where the story takes you!
If these requests seem to skew in favour of Zelos, don't be completely fooled. I do love him, but what I love most of all is exploring what it means to be the Chosen in the worlds of Symphonia.
Because yeah, being the Chosen is terrible. Regardless of whether you live in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla, it's just terrible. Raised as an eventual sacrifice and forever surrounded by people who can't be completely honest with you, it's hard to imagine an existence that so coddled and yet so isolated at the same time.
For Zelos, it was politics and persuasion and constant mistrust. For Colette it was a more immediate sense of impending doom combined with the strange rumours about being the child of an angel. It led both of them to exist in a bubble, never truly able to connect honestly with their peers. They're so similar and yet so different, and I love them both so much.
I love Mylene as well! She's paired alongside Zelos here, but I truly and completely love her in her own right. She's just as much a victim of the Chosen system as anyone else within that lineage, and I adore fiction that remembers to view her with sympathy. That doesn't mean glossing over the cold way she treated her child—more like exploring how and why it ended up that way, and perhaps wondering if things could have ever been different.
For some more specific hints for each listed pairing:
Lloyd/Zelos
I love this because.... Someone who Zelos learns to trust, even against his own better judgement. Angst, fluff, bittersweet, all rolled up into one wonderful ship. Lloyd is unlike anyone else Zelos has ever dealt with, and it's so good watching him try to figure that out and eventually falling face first right into it.
○ AU versions of canon events are always welcome with Symphonia. What might happen if Zelos fully betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation but survives the subsequent fight? What kind of hope or reconcilation can exist between him and Lloyd? And the rest of the party, for that matter! Can Zelos be persuaded to keep on living, or does he intend to slink off and die somewhere? Happy ending or bitter disaster entirely up to you!
○ For another AU entirely, always feel free to mess around with which characters were born were or serve which roles. You want Lloyd to be a Chosen? Go for it! Or maybe Lloyd grew up in Tethe'alla and met Zelos much much earlier than in canon? Sure thing! Hell, have Zelos in Iselia for some reason if you like! Anything like this is always gonna excite me.
○ ANY OTHER IN-UNIVERSE AU/CANON DIVERGENCE YOU CAN THINK OF, seriously, I live for these.
○ Post-game Exsphere journey adventures! What sort of trials and tribulations might these two come up against? Are people happy to see them, or are there still people who resent them? How is the population adjusting to the combined worlds? Does Lloyd ever get frustrated by all the resistance to his collecting the Exspheres, and can Zelos make any of it better? Does Zelos ever become disillusioned and need a Lloyd-style pep talk to get him back on track? Make this a fun and plotty little casefic, or focus on the two of them supporting each others emotional needs—it all sounds good to me!
Kratos/Zelos
I love this because.... MESSY. They both harbour a lot of self-loathing and guilt, and I love seeing the different ways they reflect each other. Not a fluffy pairing, though I'm open to being convinced if you think you can get them there?! Zelos hurting Kratos as a way of hurting himself, but also wanting Kratos to somehow make things better because then maybe there's some hope for him after all (oof).
○ I'll always enjoy stories where Kratos has to train Zelos—it's that common headcanon explanation for their similar battle styles, and something I really love seeing different takes on. It's reasonable to assume that Kratos would have recently lost Lloyd and Anna, and would likely be even more dead inside than usual. Doubtless he'd be keeping everyone at a distance. How does teenage Zelos react to that? Does it just affirm his own worthlessness? (yes). Does it make him want to act out to try and force this Cruxis bastard to respond to him, damn it? (also yes).
○ AU where Zelos betrays the party at the Tower of Salvation, but survives because of Kratos's intervention. Why does Kratos do it? What guilt or obligation does he feel toward Zelos, yet another Chosen torn apart by the system he has helped enforce in Yggdrasill's name? Why does Zelos go along with it? Does he feel like he even has much of a choice? When/if Kratos leaves, does Zelos go with him? Does Kratos even extend the offer, or does he simply attempt to leave without saying so—and how does Zelos respond to that? m e s s y
○ If you want to try and convince me these two can have some sort of fluffy happiness, then I happily look forward to seeing what you can come up with! Can these two crazy kids somehow figure things out? If they can somehow figure out how to have a better relationship with each other, might it eventually lead them to have better relationships within themselves? WHO CAN SAY. It's a nice dream at least.
Mylene & Zelos
I love them because.... Their relationship is just so ugly and tragic. Ruminate on the good times as well as the bad. The bad times as well as the worst. What might they have to say to each other if they could meet again? What might either of them want to do differently? Can Zelos forgive her—hell, does he even think she needs forgiving? Can someone else convince him he has a right to be angry at her? Feel free to work any of these elements into other Zelos stories!
○ A story that explores the short and wretched time these two characters had together, taken from either or both perspectives. Was there ever any love between them? What did that love mean, when it was wrapped up in so much struggle and lack of agency? To me, Mylene's "you should never have been born" always read as more of an indictment of the Chosen system than any particular commentary on Zelos himself—though of course young Zelos wouldn't hear it that way. If you can stand the heartbreak, a story exploring such elements would be wonderful.
○ Alternatively, it's AU time again! What happens if Mylene survives the attack? What happens if she says that awful line and then survives the attack? What kind of relationship can she and her son possibly have with something so terrible now hanging between them? Are they ever able to reach any sort of understanding, or does the wedge between them only ever widen after that? Does she regret what she said, or stand by her truth? Would they be allies in the Tethe'allan court, or would they end up using politics as another corrupted way of communicating with one another?
○ JUST GIVE ME THE MESS, MAN. They're both dreadful people in their own victimised ways, and I love seeing all that mess out in full display. Especially if the rest of the world has no idea just how bad things really are beneath the surface. But if they ever can find reconciliation and middle-ground between them, I'd love to see it. Even if it's only a single moment of understanding.
Colette/Seles
I love them because.... Both have been horribly affected by the Chosen lineage. Does Seles wish she could have been the Chosen instead of her brother, and how does meeting Colette make her feel about that? AU where Seles *is* the Chosen instead, and travelled with Colette and company? Sugar and spice personalities, but neither of them ever very honest with their true feelings. Do they recognise that in each other?
○ AU once again. An adventure where Seles accompanies the party. Is she the Chosen in Zelos's place? Does she succeed in convincing them to let her join their adventure after battling the party in the Coliseum? Regardless of how you want to make it happen, how do Seles and Colette interact on the road together. Do they get along well from the outset, or does it take time for them (or Seles, let's be honest) to warm up to one another. Does Seles see Colette as a bother, or a rival? Or someone who needs protecting? And do the major events of the story change in any significant way thanks to Seles's presence?
○ When the party plan to face Yggdrasill toward the end of the game, Lloyd suggests that Colette should stay away. Colette resists, and the rest is history. But what if it played out another way? What if they decided the safest place to hide Colette would be at the Abbey, with Seles? Ignoring the fact that this completely screws up Zelos's grand master plan (it's what he deserves), how does this turn out? Is Seles annoyed or suspicious about this? Does Colette end up deciding to follow anyway, and she and Seles go on a grand Tower of Salvation infiltration mission to protect Lloyd, Zelos and the others (and maybe save the day along the way)? Or do Cruxis angels descend on the Abbey to take Colette away, and the two are forced to defend themselves right there and then? It's an adventure story all the way, and I'd love to see how it unfolds!
○ For something completely different, how about a story set after the events of the game. Seles is living in Meltokio, perhaps, and ends up looking after Colette when the former Chosen comes to visit as an ambassador of Sylvarant's people. Or the opposite, with Seles wanting to see somewhere new for once in her life and ending up under Colette's guidance in Iselia. How would they get along as they grow familiar with one another? Would they realise the similarities they have, and who would recognise it first? Would they maybe do... a little kiss????
Worldbuilding & None
OTHERWISE... THE CHOSEN SYSTEM. If you want to write something that just delves all the way into this mess, please be my guest! Feel free to create Chosen & Entourage OCs and just tell me a story set in Tethe'alla or Sylvarant—if you want to pursue this all the way to a Bad End/bittersweet conclusion then please feel free! Alternatively, if you just want to dive into the POV of various different canon characters as they ruminate on their world and their experiences, that's totally fine with me! I love this game and this setting so much, and I'm always ready to spend more time within it. And to spend more time with the characters! If you want to use characters who weren't nominated as a means to engage in worldbuilding, please go ahead. NPCs are fine too!
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding! (Unlikely to come up with this fandom, but hey!)
(Note regarding canon materials: I have played all the DLCs. I have not read the novelisation. I have not watched Brotherhood, and I actually haven't watched Kingsglaive yet, oops. Reference any sources you'd like to for your story, but I may not catch certain references for material I haven't yet experienced!)
I came out of Final Fantasy XV with a pretty undeniable bias toward Ardyn, and now everyone else must suffer the consequences.
Ardyn, Noctis, and Lunafreya
I've requested both romantic and platonic relationships between Ardyn, Noctis and Lunafreya, and I guess that's just because I'm so delighted with and fascinated by the dynamics that exist between them. I haven't really delved into the FFXV fandom and don't know too much about how other people write/perceive them, but the shifting balances of power between these three really appeals to me. Ardyn is viciously motivated to destroy them, and arguably succeeds? But equally well, Luna and Noct both demonstrate willingness to save Ardyn, and they... ALSO arguably succeed! And that's just so interesting and delicious.
I didn't request Noctis/Lunafreya specifically because I really do want Ardyn involved in any FFXV story I receive, but I *do* ship Noct and Luna together and have no issues with Ardyn as the interloper into their dynamic (although do feel very free to explore the weird and messy elements of their relationship as well, i.e. both fated to die in service, very little actual face-to-face interaction, etc.).
Feel free to go full AU with this and keep certain parties alive beyond their canon death dates. If you want Lunafreya to join the party and be present throughout the later part of FFXV's story, go ahead! If you want Ardyn to somehow remain alive (but no longer immortal?) after the end of the game, and end up hanging aimlessly around Insomnia while also somehow alive Noctis and Lunafreya wonder what they should do about him, that sounds great!
Alternatively, any kind of afterlife you want. Let them exist in some sort of post-mortality bubble if that works for the story you want to tell. Noct and Luna have their moment together in the credits, but maybe Ardyn isn't all that far away. Maybe they all share their place of repose, and begin to truly know one another now that the weights of destiny have been shed.
Although the above descriptions focus on the dynamics between all three characters, I should clarify that I'm perfectly happy if you only matched on Noctis and Ardyn / Lunafreya and Ardyn. Include the other characters precisely as much or as little as you need for the story you'd like to tell. And use any other FFXV characters as needed as well! I like them all just fine, and have no issues with them being used as secondary characters c:
Verstael and Ardyn
BUT HEY, WILDLY UNRELATED TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, IT'S VERSTAEL TIME.
I was pretty lukewarm on many aspects of the Ardyn DLC, but I absolutely loved Verstael and everything he brought. His manic energy is wonderful, and that campy ~evil scientist~ vibe is just delightful. His dynamic with Ardyn is fantastic. I loved the initial disharmony of confused and emotionally defeated Ardyn being relentlessly admired and delighted in by this lunatic scientist. I love Verstael trying to bring Ardyn over to the Empire's cause and eventually succeeding. I love him asking Ardyn "Do you think you can turn him?" re: Ifrit because I'm a stupid gay little child and that shit is hysterical.
And I love the dynamic we see later as well, during the invasion of Insomnia. Verstael as the commander that's supposed to be keeping the mad dog Ardyn in check, and Ardyn's belligerent compliance that eventually shifts to him following his own plan and expecting Verstael to cover his back. There's this wild swing in power between them, where Ardyn has all the *literal* power but Verstael has all the knowledge and leverage in this modern Eos, and it's just such amazing fun.
Any story with these guys would be delightful. Explore how their relationship developed over time, or really hone in on one particular moment. How did Verstael react the next time he saw Ardyn after the conclusion of the DLC? What was Ardyn's inauguration as Chancellor like, and how smug was Verstael about the whole thing? When Ardyn daemonifies someone, he takes their memories into himself—explore that from Verstael's POV, perhaps. Does Ardyn's personality change obviously, or is it more of a creeping subtle shift over time? Does Ardyn ever get confused after "absorbing" a particularly powerful memory/influence into himself? Does Verstael ever experiment with that for scientific interests sake? Do they totally fuck, like, all the time? GO WILD.
Please have fun writing, whatever direction you go with!!
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that*
*Mad scientists gonna do mad science—you can ignore this DNW for the sake of writing Verstael, if needed, but please tag your fic accordingly. Thank you!
Lots of pairings! There are a few themes that crop up throughout a lot of these suggested pairs, and I'll include some more specifics toward the bottom of this letter.
For some general pointers, though, read on!
I love speculative fictions, particular with faux-historical or fantastical settings! Science-fiction is absolutely fine too, although I prefer the focus remain on character and planet-side worldbuilding rather than anything too rooted in the technical/interstellar aspects.
Fictional politics are always delightful! If you want to write a story that's basically 10k of worldbuilding with some characters tying it all together, that's absolutely fine with me. Who is in what position, and how did they come to be there? Which families are the ruling class, and why? What dangers exist, and has it always been that way? Is humanity its own great enemy, or is there something else within the setting that occupies the struggle to survive/thrive?
Several of these pairings involve characters meeting for the first time, i.e. arranged marriages, characters newly risen to power, et cetera. Those initial efforts to get to know one another can be so wonderful to read and experience! Feel free to steep it all in tradition and custom and expectation, with dozens of eyes watching their every move with anticipation. Or alternatively, have something go immediately and drastically wrong! Force the characters into a baptism by fire and *make* them learn how to work with each other or perish in the attempt!
All of these pairings are listed as either M/M or F/F—for those that don't specify any gender configurations, I prefer stories that fall on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Go any way you want with that, though!
Regarding -isms: If it's part of the setting you wish to explore, I have no problems with the presence of such topics. Please just tag accordingly!
These stories can end happily or unhappily, depending on the prompt you decide to write for and the direction your story takes you. Go as fluffy or as grim as you see fit! I do not have any problem with tagged characters dying or being otherwise seriously injured, and I don't mind if these pairings ultimately end up being toxic in some form or another. That being said, I'll also seeing two like-minded individuals find each other under unusual circumstances, or characters who are fascinated to meet someone very different to everything they've ever known before.
I honestly think the pairing prompts themselves are quite a good source of inspiration, and if any of these spark something within you then I really do encourage you to follow that idea and write whatever speaks to you! That being said, if you were looking for more specific promptings, and in no particular order...
General Pulled Out Of Retirement By Chosen One/Long-Suffering Significant Other & Chosen One
○ I'd really love to see how the General/Significant Other interact with the Chosen One. Is there resentment here, or do they understand why things have to be this way? Does the Chosen One feel entitled to the General's assistance, or do they harbour guilt over dragging the General out of retirement? What sort of mission or quest has called on the Chosen One in the first place, and how is the General supposed to assist?
○ What sort of relationship does the General have with their Significant Other? Was the SO ever involved in General's work, or do they come from completely different walks of life? Were they ever enemies? If so, does Chosen One perhaps have a mission that goes against SO's former allies/home? Does that create tension between the three characters? Or perhaps SO holds resentment toward their former home, and actually is pleased that Chosen One opposes them—they just really wish General didn't have to be involved.
○ Do they all become friends in the end? Do they become... more than friends, even?! Or do they actually end up against one another in the end, with the General and/or SO ultimately opposing the Chosen One. Do they all make it out alive? Happy endings, tragic endings, bittersweet endings, any option is fine! And do whatever you like with the ages of the characters as well. Is the Chosen One young and resolute compared to the older couple? Or did the General actually retire young—a reward for good service, perhaps, or because they had become too embittered or too scarred by their experiences.
Jaded Lowborn Mercenary/Friendly Nobleman He Didn't Mean To Fall In Love With (M/M)
○ How did these two characters come to meet one another? Is the Mercenary employed by the Nobleman? Or perhaps employed against the Nobleman? Or have they met in circumstances completely unrelated to their individual jobs/duties, and those aspects are just a coincidence? What has caused the Mercenary to become so jaded—is he jaded toward aristocracy specifically, or something else? And does the Nobleman agree at all? Just because he's friendly doesn't mean he isn't aware of the problems in the world! ... Unless of course he is oblivious to hardships outside of his own experience, which only makes Mercenary all the more frustrated that he's fallen in love with this man.
○ If you want to tell the story of how they met, feel free! If you'd rather start the story with them already acquainted, feel free! You can even have them already as lovers if you'd like! I'm excited to see what works for you.
○ Does Mercenary have work that's set to take him away from Nobleman? If so, do either of them have the emotional fortitude to confess how much they don't want to be separated? Or do they both hold their tongue, wrongly assuming that the other doesn't feel so deeply as they do? Would the Noble try to employ the Mercenary specifically so they can remain together? If so, does the Mercenary seize on that opportunity and take it as a token of love, or is he insulted to have that disparity of their situations thrown back at him?
○ This is a story that could be 10k of fluff and sweetness and adorably petulant "Why did I have to fall in love with you", or it could be 10k of bitterness and conflict and furious up-against-the-wall "Why did I have to fall in love with you", and both sound absolutely delicious. Hell, make it a mixture of both if that's what works best for you!
King Who Fought in the War/Prince of Enemy Country He's Marrying as Part of the Peace Treaty
○ Which country is suing for peace? Is this something that has been mutually agreed upon to the benefit of both nations, or is this actually a surrender wrapped up in a pretty bow? Is the King from the victorious nation, or is it actually the family of the Prince who most benefits from this arrangement? How do the King and the Prince feel about this situation, both politically and as individuals being betrothed to one another?
○ The King actually fought in the war. What have those experiences done to him? Was he mostly sheltered and held back from the worst of the fighting, or was he directly involved? Was he injured at any point, and did that have any bearing on the decision to pursue peace? Has he recovered mentally from the things he witnessed, or perhaps even the things he did? OR HEY, maybe he enjoyed the fighting. Maybe he would have gladly continued, and he resents that peace is on the table. Maybe he fully intends to take those frustrations/traumas out on the incumbent Prince. (Does he change his mind once the Prince arrives? Or do things only get worse?)
○ The Prince presumably did not fight in the war, but that doesn't mean he wasn't affected. What did he see, hear, or otherwise witness? Was he kept coddled and away from the horrors and hardships, or was he forced to endure famine, siege warfare, or any other influence of the war? Does he resent this marriage, or see it as his duty if it means putting an end to that suffering? Perhaps he doesn't care about the suffering of those beneath him and thinks it's ridiculous that he should have to be carted off like cattle for the sake of his lowly subjects. Perhaps he loves his country and his people more than anything else, and believes his love for them can become love for the man he's being sent to marry.
○ As with so many of these, you can make this bleak, make this sweet, make this raunchy, make it tragic, make it dubious, make it beautiful. Perhaps these two can heal each others wounds. Perhaps these two will inflict new wounds upon each other. Either way I'm ready to see it!
King/Sacrifice due to die in his place (M/M) OW
○ Who does and doesn't consent to this? Is the King satisfied with the idea that someone else is going to die in his place? Does he consider that his right as sovereign? Or does the thought disgust him? Was it a decision made against his own personal wishes? Or is he perfectly fine with someone being sacrificed in his name, but he really wishes it wasn't this guy? And how does the Sacrifice feel about the situation. Was he given a choice, or was this all decided for him? Has he been the designated Sacrifice since his birth, or was the decision made at a later point? Is he a condemned man, deserving of having his life taken on account of his (perceived?) crime? Or is he a true believer, absolutely willing to lie down his life to protect his King?
○ How long have they known one another? Are they long-time friends, or have they only recently come into contact? Have they been King and Sacrifice for their entire acquaintance, or has the Sacrifice role only recently been assigned?
○ What does being sacrificed mean in this context? Is this someone serving as a body double for the King? Is this a ritual that requires royal blood, and our Sacrifice is a bastard son able to take the King's place? Does an unfriendly neighbourhood Evil demand tribute? Go as literal or as crazy as you like!
○ Happy endings welcome, but if you want to actually kill the Sacrifice (or the King) (OR BOTH?!) that's totally fine as well! Tell the story in whatever way works with your inspiration!
Magic Apprentice/Their Talking Animal Familiar Who's Secretly A Human Under A Curse (M/M) (OW)
○ This idea is so cute and it's something I don't think I'd ever be confident in writing myself, so I'd love to see what someone else might do with the idea!
○ How on earth did Familiar end up being cursed and transformed into an animal? What's the backstory behind that? Was it a magical misfire, or something that was done intentionally by someone else? If it was inflicted by someone, are they still around? Is Familiar hoping to get revenge, or at least confront the person who did this to them? Is it someone Apprentice knows? Did they perhaps choose to be the Familiar of this particular Apprentice because Apprentice is close to the person who cursed Familiar?
○ What's it like being an Apprentice? How does Apprentice make use of their Familiar? Do they test spells on their poor animal friend? Send them out on errands? Use them to spy on other people or get hold of information they shouldn't have access to? Does Familiar enjoy doing these things, or does he resent it? Does he want to resent it but oops, he's actually become fond of Apprentice and somehow things aren't quite so bad after all?
○ Why is Familiar keeping his human identity a secret? Is he cursed in such a way that he can't ask for help or explain that he's secretly a human person? Or is he trying to stay hidden from someone or something? If Apprentice does learn or figure out who/what Familiar is, do they undertake a quest to turn him back? Or does Apprentice just feel flustered or angry about the whole situation? He totally wouldn't have said those things he said if he's known Familiar was actually a human, darn it!!!
Ne'er-do-well Who's Secretly a Deadly Assassin/General Who Disparages Their Lifestyle (OW)
○ There are so many ways you could go with this! Does Assassin find General's disdain amusing? Are they deliberately flamboyant or belligerent in General's presence precisely because of how General always takes the bait and reacts? Assassin knows how capable they really are—does that internal confidence make it easy to shrug off General's scorn? Or does General's disregard actually bother them more than they'd like it to, even though they feign otherwise? Do they secretly yearn for General's approval, but know they can't reveal how capable they truly are because it will compromise their secret assassination work?
○ Why is General so bothered by Assassin? Does General struggle to understand why Assassin has access to places within higher society when they're clearly such a good-for-nothing? Does General react this strongly toward every nuisance ne'er-do-well, or is there something about This One In Particular that really grinds their gears? (Is it a gay reason? Is Assassin so damn cute and that's so damn frustrating???) Is General actually extremely sincere in their frustration because they can tell there is a spark of greatness inside Assassin that they feel is being ignored? Are they always pestering Assassin to just apply themselves and do better, little knowing that Assassin is already extremely capable and very much in control?
○ Does the truth come out? If so, is it before or after the two have grown at all closer to one another? Does Assassin end up saving General? Does General end up saving Assassin?! Perhaps they end up fighting back-to-back in an unexpected dire situation, leaving poor Assassin to awkwardly try to say it was just an adrenaline rush, honest, totally couldn't ever do any of those fancy moves again! Do these crazy kids figure things out and end up together, or does Assassin end up... doing an assassination on General themselves? Or maybe even refusing to follow that order, and paying the penalty...
New Ruler & Their Supposed Harem That Secretly Functions As Trusted Advisors (OW)
New Ruler/Their Harem That Secretly Doubles As Trusted Advisors (OW)
○ You can do this as romantic or platonic, I'm very happy either way! Does Ruler expect intimacy and immediately find themselves confronted with an elite group of Very Excellent People who sadly are not here for sexy purposes at all? Or does Ruler know the true purpose of the harem and so assumes nothing sexy will ever happen, and is thus surprised them the Advisors are also totally willing and interested in pursuing other pleasures?
○ As a new Ruler, it sounds as though they have probably just inherited this Harem of Advisors. Is that the case? How do all the involved parties feel about that situation? Does Ruler feels self-conscious or inadequate compared to their predecessor? If so, inadequate as a ruler, as a lover, or both? Do the members of the Harem agree with one another about their change in situation? Was the previous Ruler a good person, a wretched tyrant, or something in between? What happened to the previous ruler, anyway?
○ Alternatively, did new Ruler bring this Harem of Advisors with them from the very beginning! Perhaps Ruler is entering an unfamiliar court where they know they will have many enemies, and so they've brought this ~sexy Harem~ with them to deflect suspicion. Feel free to give the Advisors a wide range of skills in that case. Finance? Local History? Languages? Murder? All will have their uses!
○ If you want a male ruler with an all-male harem, go for it! If you want it to be F/F all the way down, be my guest! If you want a mixed bag, that totally works for me too! Do whatever best suits your story, I'll be excited to see it no matter what!
Newly-Crowned Empress/Foreign Princess She's Marrying But Has Never Met (F/F) (OW)
○ What do the two of them know about each other in advance, and how did they come by that information? Official channels, or the rumour mill? Spies, or gossipers? Perhaps they corresponded privately before meeting, or perhaps they "corresponded" only in the sense of their various family members/advisors communicating on their behalf. Regardless of how they came by their information, how accurate is it? Do their preconceptions end up having any basis in reality?
○ How do they each feel about the situation? Are they excited by the thrilling adventure of it all? Terrified of devotion to a literal stranger? Willing participants, doing what they must for the sake of their countries? Or are they resentful at having this huge decision taken away from them? It could be that they end up with conflicting stances, and it creates a rift between them. Can that rift be healed? Or heck, maybe they're surprised to find themselves in agreement almost immediately. What if they agree that they hate this and vow to only keep up appearances for the sake of their respective kingdoms, and then end up catching the dreaded feels despite it all?
Overworked General/Charming Courtier Who Is Good In Bed (M/M) (OW)
○ Overworked in what way? Is the country currently at war? Has war recently ended? Or does General find other ways to keep themselves busy, staying involved with military management or something similar? Perhaps General is personally invested in the wellbeing of his troops, even to his own detriment? If there is war ongoing, does General spend all his time at the warfront or does he ever return home? If he's at the warfront often, where does that leave Courtier?
○ How does Courtier feel about General's workload? If there's war, how does Courtier feel about that? Does he support General's efforts but just wishes he'd take it a little easier? Does he support General's efforts and is confident in his own ability to make General's limited relaxation time very worthwhile? Or does he disapprove, on a personal level or maybe even a moral one? Hell, maybe Courtier is from an enemy nation! Perhaps he's defected, or exiled, or just happened to be on the wrong side of the border when war broke out and has turned into a bit of a gently-handled political hostage? Maybe all of these things are irrelevant, because all Courtier cares about is getting betwixt the sheets with anyone willing and able?!
○ How do these two interact with each other? Does General find Courtier frustrating and frivolous, or does he appreciate and admire him for the person he is? Does Courtier ever wish he could be more like General, or wish he could fight alongside him? Do they love each other, or do they just love what they do together? Feel free to write 10k of cute saucy fun, or 10k of deep character-driven introspection. I feel like this pairing in particular could really go either way!
Prince of Conquered Country/Invading Warlord (M/M) (OW)
○ Uh oh.
○ Who instigates this? Does Warlord intend to claim Prince as a way of solidifying his command over the newly conquered nation? Or is Prince looking to ingratiate himself with the Warlord as a way to retain some small degree of power/as a means of protecting his people? Does Prince want to take revenge on Warlord, perhaps even assassinate him? If so, do his plans end up changing as they become entwined in one another? Feel free to go dark with this prompt if that works for you—character death is fine if that's the story you wanna tell!
○ But perhaps Warlord is actually... lovely? Is Prince a bit astonished to discover that the man who led the invasion of his country is actually a remarkable and fascinating man? Does Prince fall in love despite himself—can he forgive himself for doing so? Is Warlord actually struggling with similar feelings, surprised to find a conquered Prince so able to lay claim to his heart?
○ Who actually ruled Prince's country when the invasion began? Does Prince have a mother and/or father currently sitting the throne? What becomes of them during the invasion and subsequent conquering? Does Warlord agree to let the ruling family retain some degree of power in exchange for the Prince? Or are Prince's relatives appalled that Prince seems drawn to Warlord despite what has happened?
○ Alternatively, maybe Warlord doesn't even know the Prince is the Prince. Perhaps Prince escaped the castle prior to it being seized, and now he's approaching Warlord in some other guise—a soldier, a concubine, a willing informant? What does Prince intend to do, and how does Warlord learn the truth?
Scarred Warrior Working As Bodyguard/Sarcastic Noble They're Assigned To Protect (OW)
○ How did Warrior earn their scars, and why are they now working as a bodyguard? Are the scars physical, emotional, or a bit of both? Is Warrior proud of their history, or is it something they want to forget? Are their scars a badge of honour, or a constant reminder of something awful? Did they get any choice when they were assigned to protect Noble, or was it completely out of their control? Who does Warrior answer to, and why does that person want Noble protected?
○ Who wants to harm Noble, and why? Has Noble's sarcastic personality gotten them into the kind of trouble that requires protection from a bodyguard? Or is this something to do with Noble's lineage? Is there a task that Noble has been charged with completing, and they'll need Warrior to keep them safe until it's done?
○ How do the two of them interact with one another? Does Noble treat Warrior the same way they treat everyone else, or is Warrior mercifully spared the brunt of their sarcastic personality? Does Warrior find Noble tiresome, or do they enjoy that sarcastic sense of humour? Does Noble's sarcastic personality come from a bitter or jaded place? Are the two of them actually more similar than they would initially realise, despite their very different backgrounds?
○ Does Warrior succeed as a Bodyguard? What happens when the contract comes to an end?
Straightforward Warrior Queen/Politically Astute Princess Sent to Her as Tribute (F/F) (OW)
○ Did Queen actually ask for tribute, or was Princess just sent to her unprompted? How does Queen actually feel about this? Does she want Princess around, or would she be happier just sending her back where she came from? If she did request tribute, did she expect to receive Princess? Or if she specifically requested Princess, why her? Has she heard rumours of Princess's intellect and wants to make use of her? Has she heard rumours of Princess's intellect and wants to make sure others can't make use of her?
○ Did Princess have any choice in this? Does she embrace what's happening, or resent it? Was it actually her own idea? What does she think she might be able to achieve as tribute? Is she being naïve with those hopes, or is her planning going to pay off? Is Princess actually just one of several different tributes sent from several different places, and how does she go about distinguishing herself from the crowd in that situation?
○ Queen is straightforward—does that mean she's emotionally honest? If she starts to care about Princess, will she just come right out and say so? Or is that straightforwardness more about her style of leadership and less about the way she expresses her heart? Does her behaviour contrast with Princess, who perhaps keeps her feelings more closely concealed? Do they trust one another? If not, does that situation change over time, and what causes it to happen?
Winning General/Respected Opposing General Who Is His Postwar Arranged Marriage Spouse (M/M) (OW)
○ Did these two characters come into contact during the war? Was it on a battlefield? More than once? Has one of them ever had the opportunity to kill the other one and failed to? Or deliberately spared him out of respect? Are their leadership styles similar, or are they actually different from one another? We know that one of the General's is Respected, but the other one is the Winner—what does that mean? Is Winning General actually more ruthless, more willing to do whatever it takes to succeed? Are these two Beloved Foes from the outset, or is there lingering resentment or animosity between them? Or perhaps one of them thinks they are Beloved Foes, while the other still carries a lot of anger inside them.
○ Who arranged the marriage? Was it a strange little coincidence that brings them together like this, or has it been arranged by someone in a position of authority over them? Is Opposing General supposed to be a reward for Winning General? Did Winning General choose Opposing General, and Opposing General had to accept the arrangements being made for him? Are there political ramifications to their union?
○ Have they retired now that the war is over? Or does Winning General need to go and fight the next war? If so, is Opposing General supposed to go with him? Is he supposed to help him? Alternatively, what does retired life look like for them? Regardless of anything else, those two are both veterans of war—what effect has that had on them? Do they find common ground, or have they dealt with their experiences in different ways? Did they always see something of themselves in one another, back when they used to encounter each other across the negotiation table or upon the battlefield? Are they able to help one another heal from their experiences? Or do they only serve to remind one another of the things they've seen and survived?
SINGLE SOUL DNW: Please avoid modern medical procedures in any detail! Injuries are fine, description of gore/violence/pain are fine, field medicine is fine, fantastical/historical wound treatment is fine. Quick references to needles/injections are fine! But please don't linger on descriptions of surgery, insertion of IV fluids, or anything like that. Thank you for understanding!
Whichever pairing you end up writing/drawing for, I really hope you have a lot of fun with this. My letter is here to help guide you or perhaps inspire ideas, but please don't feel obligated to stick super close to anything said here! 10k is a lot to write in such a short time, and comics are always hard work, so please go with whatever gets you excited to hit the keyboard! Just so long as that oft-stated DNW is respected, I honestly don't mind what you decide to create. Just have fun out there, guys! C: