Candy Hearts Exchange Letter 2023

[firebatvillain]

Dear Candy Hearts Exchange Creator,

Thanks for writing - I’m really excited for this exchange. I hope you’re excited as well! I’m FireBatVillain on Ao3 and Tumblr.

The stuff I’m including in this letter is optional, but I hope you consider them as you work. Whatever you make, I’ll appreciate it regardless, and I look forward to whatever comes. Prompts are just suggestions.

Things I like:

Happy stories, bittersweet stories, and stories that end with a spark of hope even if they are angry or sad. I like good communication, wordplay, honor, pointless heroism or love even if it won’t succeed. Probably one of my favorite ideas in fiction is the idea of heroism in the face of hopelessness, and love even if things seem sad.

I'm a fan of explorations of fandom meta, and I've often enjoyed canon-compliant off-screen fics that explore things are great! Some of my favorite stories of all time fit into the category of "AU - Canon Divergence" and I would say I am a common fan of "what if things were different in X way" type AUs. I do not usually enjoy modern or mundane AUs that much, but I've liked a few.

I like fics that have a lot of frantic energy about them, or with a focus on change. I am a fan of fics that are about characters being ruthless in pursuit of an ideal, and giving something up or even becoming worse as a result, because of how much they value their goal.

Things I don’t like / DNWs:

My DNWs in writing are mpreg, authorial monarchist apologia, vivid descriptions of needles, and extreme underage.

My DNWs in art are mpreg, needles, and underage.

Regarding the monarchism thing: I’m okay with characters in a feudal or monarchist setting, and even protags who are monarchs, and even these characters triumphing as monarchs as long as the story itself isn’t apologia for monarchism. Characters who like monarchism, who think of themselves as good kings, who want to restore the throne, etc - all good by me. Saber or Iskandar in Fate/Zero, Reinhard von Lohengramm from LoGH, etc is excellent. I just would prefer not to read a work where the final moral of the story is that democracy is bad and we should all be ruled by a single person with absolute unchecked power, as presented by the author.

Some other notes:

Unrequested characters, ships, and ideas are A-OK with me, as is explicit content. Please feel free to use whatever prompts you like and don’t feel constrained by my suggestions here. I do not mind darkfic.

Requested Fandoms:

Chainsaw Man (Anime & Manga) - Denji & Power

I love these two! There's so much... gremlin energy! They are so awful and also are so there for each other in their immature ways. They're a ton of fun and I always enjoy reading about them. I know some people ship it and I don't mind that, but for me the way their personalities bounce off of each other and the way they get into shenanigans (and serious things) together, and the small moments where they're even there for each other is excellent. Oxford's 2022 word of the year was "Goblin Mode" so feel free to let that guide the energy of these two,

Here's a few prompts if you're looking for something to inspire you.

• Denji and Power find themselves saddled with a serious responsibility - looking after a team member's young child for the day.
• Denji has a date coming up! He needs advice and a makeover, and to his dismay he is relying on Power for that.
• Nyako has gone missing, and Power is looking for her! Denji is doing his best to help and they get into all kinds of hijinks as a result. 

 

Request 2: Fate/Zero - Irisviel/Saber

These two really deserved a chance, didn't they? I think of all the various tragedies of Fate/Zero, the fact that the best couple never got together and only really had that one date on the first day in Japan makes me sad. I'd like to see them happy! I'm sure you've got ideas if you've offered this, but if you'd like some inspiration, here are a few prompts. 

• They get another date! Fuyuki city is a big town and they go to some interesting places, like the not-yet-destroyed bridge or the totally innocent temple. 
• Somehow, it's after the war, and they're both around. Maybe reconstituted by cursed mud, or maybe things go wrong and Irisviel transforms back into her body and they're just waiting for the next war somehow. With each other!
• A "pre-canon" type scene (or missing scene before Ep 2 would be a better way to put it) of them having a nice time together on the Einzbern estate before travelling to Japan.

Request 3: The Masquerade Series - Seth Dickinson - Xate Yawa & Xate Olake 

A lot of what happens between these two twins happens off screen, so to speak. An entire adult lifetime under Masquerade rule, plotting and planning, one visible, the other like a ghost, trying to push their plans forward, for themselves and for Aurdwynn. I think you could go for anything here and I'd enjoy it, and if you offered this you probably have some ideas in mind. Here are a few prompts if you'd like:

• Xate Yawa hears of Baru's betrayal at Sieroch, and fears for her brother's life. She tries to save him, and her own position. Once she's a Cryptarch, everything can be repaid.
• A scene from the Fools' Rebellion - Xata Yawa and Xate Olake consider the Traitor's Qualm and make their own moves to survive, and for Aurdwynn to survive.
• Soon after Baru arrives in Aurdwynn for the first time, and Xate Olake has taken her measure, he meets with his sister to discuss their plans.

–

Thanks for reading this!

Hopefully this gives you some ideas. Aside from the DNWs, these are all just suggestions that will hopefully inspire you. I am sure I will like whatever you write. 

Thank you.