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schadenfreudere) wrote2025-01-01 07:54 am
schadenfreudere) wrote2025-01-01 07:54 am
Candy Hearts 2025
Dear Author:
It's 2025? Already? I'm not ready.
Thank you for participating this year. I've done Chocolate Box in the past, but this is the first time I've signed up for Candy Hearts.
Not all of these have prompts, because sometimes I just think they're nice. Please know that the prompts that are there are just suggestions: self-indulgence is self-care and if you're passionate about something, I always believe that passion is infectious. We already share a ship interest, so I'll trust in your taste.
I am always open to treats!
YES:
DO NOT WANT:
I am a million percent trash and will always love smut of any kind, including PWP. For your comfort, NSFW LIKES AND DNWs are separate.
Aventurine/Ratio/Topaz (IP3)
Aventurine has two hands and needs a lot of affection and care to even begin to makeup for his tragic backstory. Ratio and Topaz have the ample bosoms and plush thighs for the job, and while Aventurine is the vertex of this trio, they have similar interests and complementary personalities that make them potentially compatible with each other. At the very least, I could see them asfellow nerds good friends who happen to share a lover.
Ratio can appreciate Topaz's pursuit of knowledge for her own self. For example, while she has a synesthesia beacon, which transmits and receives thoughts/intent without having to learn a language, Topaz is canonly shown to speak at least four.
Topaz believes science and math are what pave the way to the future, is knowledgeable in both and likes being quizzed when she's feeling bored. Ratio can provide additional teaching and enrichment in that sense.
In their own ways, none of them really got to be kids. Whether it's struggling for survival or focusing solely on studies, so there's lots of room for all three of them to rediscover all the things they missed out on together.
The differences in their personalities also balance each other nicely.
Suggested Ideas:
Honkai Star Rail: Aventurine/Topaz
It's possible I'm preaching to the choir but the English script and voice direction are so different from the other languages, that I feel like I have to constantly defend that there is rapport between them. Topaz doesn't disagree with Aventurine as a person, they just have different approaches to work. Even then both of the acknowledge that the others' method works, it just doesn't work for them.
Even if you don't see them as a ship, Aventurine and Topaz's dynamic has a foundation of mutual trust that goes beyond just coworkers. Cornerstones are more valuable than a Stoneheart's life, and we're shown the consequences of damaging one are serious. As risk-averse as Topaz is, handing that over is a testament to the trust she puts in Aventurine and the faith she has in his ability to succeed. He feels guilty for having to put her in that position, and after losing so many people, I think it's fair to assume he's worried Topaz will also meet an unfortunate fate because of him.
They're comfortable enough to bicker with each other: while they speak formally to superiors, they speak very casually with each other (at least in the Japanese version).
Suggested Ideas:
Blue Lock: Hiori You/Karasu Tabito
Note: I'm not fully caught up, but I also like spoilers, if it helps with characterization and highlighting the characters' dynamic.
I think contrast between the two of them is interesting: Karasu was always passionate about football/soccer and Hiori's natural talent was shoved into that box to the point where he resented it. I like that Karasu could sense it, just through the way he played. So now that Hiori is finding his niche and actually enjoying the sport as Karasu had pushed for all along, how does that change things?
Hiori You & Karasu Tabito & Otoya Eita
Mostly this is my bias for Kansai-region characters showing. Karasu and Otoya are already basically a comedy duo, so throwing Hiori in there would make things more fun. Hiori is also in need of fun.
Suggested ideas:
Blue Period: Hashida Haruka/Takahashi Yotasuke/Yaguchi Yatora
Blue Period is an interesting series because it doesn't need an antagonist to have conflict. Who needs a villain when crippling self-doubt, depression and impostor syndrome exist?
Yaguchi Yatora
Yatora is wonderfully complex. He's definitely not perfect and learning on all fronts; his relationship with Yuka, struggles with Yotasuke and school all point to this, but he is improving. His opinion of himself and of his art is low, but his work strikes an emotional chord. The arc that helps Yatora see beyond Yotasuke's talent to his flaws and worries was much needed and well-executed, but after their trip around Shibuya together this relationship was set aside.
Takahashi Yotasuke
Yotasuke sometimes feels like a cat in human form and that is a charm point, to me. Converse to Yatora, he's confident in is technical art skills, but struggles to create emotional connections both in art and with people. Despite initially being cold to Yatora and generally avoidant of both him and Hashida, he's shown internally worrying over Yatora when they start college together. I feel like less is known about Yotasuke's relationship with Hashida, so exploring that either as friends(???) might be interesting.
Hashida Haruka
Hashida bridges the gap between the world as Yatora knows it and the Art World. He's knowledgeable without being condescending, insightful, and supportive on both the art and interpersonal fronts. I enjoy the guidance he provides to Yatora and how they worked together at the children's art school. Unlike Yatora and Yotasuke, Haruka has little interest in his own self-expression. However, he is pretty much aroused by the art of others (and I love that for him). I also find the bits where he reaches out to Yotasuke and gets shut down very funny.
Possible Suggestions:
Link Click: Cheng Xiaoshi/Lu Guang/Qiao Ling
Possible Suggestions:
Link Click: Lu Guang/Qiao Ling
Honestly for this, I just thought the tag was interesting and wanted to see what an author would do with it. Undeniably, they're linked to each other because of Cheng Xiaoshi, so it'd be interesting to see how they come together.
Ensemble Stars: Anzu/Sakasaki Natsume
Anzu's backstory from Ensemble Girls has some parallels to Natsume's (ie. Trying to rebel against an oppressive student council, having that affect her relationship with friends and classmates and ultimately failing and having to leave the school). They also have this energy of awkward cats that I enjoy. He's one of the few who understands what drives her. While he's capable of using that knowledge against her for his own mischief, at heart, he wants to connect with her and help her forgive herself.
Ensemble Stars: Anzu/Tomoe Hiyori
I don't really have deep thoughts, I just think it's interesting. In their earlier interactions, Hiyori is bratty, and now... he's still bratty but he also appreciates Anzu's hard work. I also like the contrast of Hiyori, who has no trouble loving himself and Anzu, who drives herself to work hard for others because she doesn't see any other value in herself. He could teach her a lot about self-care, and she could teach him how much one banana costs.
Twisted Wonderland: Che'nya/Riddle/Trey
I love trios and I enjoy the dynamic of the very stiff and regimented Riddle, with the caring Trey, motivated at least a little by guilt, and Che'nya who does what he wants, because he's a cat. Che'nya shaking things up with pranks and being where he shouldn't be is fun. It's good that school can be a little bit of an escape for Riddle, since his mother isn't there, giving the three of them the opportunity to make up for the time they weren't able to spend together when they were younger.
Natsume's Book of Friends: Natori Shuuichi/Natsume Takashi or Matoba Kuroba/Natori Shuuichi/Natsume Takashi
I love, love, love, love Natori. How he empathizes with Natsume, providing support and encouraging Natsume's connections with other people. Every time Natsume laughs or gets annoyed with his sparkly celeb persona, it gives me life.
Possible Suggestions:
It's 2025? Already? I'm not ready.
Thank you for participating this year. I've done Chocolate Box in the past, but this is the first time I've signed up for Candy Hearts.
Not all of these have prompts, because sometimes I just think they're nice. Please know that the prompts that are there are just suggestions: self-indulgence is self-care and if you're passionate about something, I always believe that passion is infectious. We already share a ship interest, so I'll trust in your taste.
I am always open to treats!
YES:
- Character studies
- Ship fic
- Internal conflict
- Meta/Deconstruction
- Trolling/Teasing shenanigans
- Toxic relationships
- Friends to lovers
- Enemies to lovers
- Exes who can't quit each other
- Gap moe (Dissonance between appearance and actions)
- Relationships where partners balance each other out/make up for what the other(s) lack
- Humor
- Happy endings
- Spoilers
- Casefic
- Cultural/World Building Details that are consistent with the setting of the story
DO NOT WANT:
- Culture depicted through a lens that is inconsistent with the original story setting (ex. a story about characters going to Prom where that convention does not exist)
- Western High School/College AUs
- Second Person POV (epistolary is the exception)
- RP/Script format fic
- First person POV
- Chat room format fic
- Angst without in-story resolution (angst as a catalyst for action is fine)
- Permanent death of requested characters (time loops are okay!)
- Crossovers
- Crack (humor that makes sense in canon context is perfectly fine)
- A/B/O AU
- Songfic
- Unrequested gender identity headcanons, neurodivergent headcanons, raceswaps or genderswaps
I am a million percent trash and will always love smut of any kind, including PWP. For your comfort, NSFW LIKES AND DNWs are separate.
Aventurine/Ratio/Topaz (IP3)
Aventurine has two hands and needs a lot of affection and care to even begin to makeup for his tragic backstory. Ratio and Topaz have the ample bosoms and plush thighs for the job, and while Aventurine is the vertex of this trio, they have similar interests and complementary personalities that make them potentially compatible with each other. At the very least, I could see them as
Ratio can appreciate Topaz's pursuit of knowledge for her own self. For example, while she has a synesthesia beacon, which transmits and receives thoughts/intent without having to learn a language, Topaz is canonly shown to speak at least four.
Topaz believes science and math are what pave the way to the future, is knowledgeable in both and likes being quizzed when she's feeling bored. Ratio can provide additional teaching and enrichment in that sense.
In their own ways, none of them really got to be kids. Whether it's struggling for survival or focusing solely on studies, so there's lots of room for all three of them to rediscover all the things they missed out on together.
The differences in their personalities also balance each other nicely.
Suggested Ideas:
- Ratio takes Aventurine and Topaz to the beach/some other place neither of them could have enjoyed as children (and Ratio may not have appreciated himself as a child)
- Topaz teaches Aventurine and Ratio
PokemonAetherium Wars (or some other video game) and they play together. - Ratio learns about Topaz's 4.5 hours of sleep and Aventurine's nightmares and makes the three of them stay in bed for a full 8 hours
- A rare day off where they run errands or go shopping
- Aventurine's cat cakes, Topaz's critters and the trio hang out together.
- Cooking together
Honkai Star Rail: Aventurine/Topaz
It's possible I'm preaching to the choir but the English script and voice direction are so different from the other languages, that I feel like I have to constantly defend that there is rapport between them. Topaz doesn't disagree with Aventurine as a person, they just have different approaches to work. Even then both of the acknowledge that the others' method works, it just doesn't work for them.
Even if you don't see them as a ship, Aventurine and Topaz's dynamic has a foundation of mutual trust that goes beyond just coworkers. Cornerstones are more valuable than a Stoneheart's life, and we're shown the consequences of damaging one are serious. As risk-averse as Topaz is, handing that over is a testament to the trust she puts in Aventurine and the faith she has in his ability to succeed. He feels guilty for having to put her in that position, and after losing so many people, I think it's fair to assume he's worried Topaz will also meet an unfortunate fate because of him.
They're comfortable enough to bicker with each other: while they speak formally to superiors, they speak very casually with each other (at least in the Japanese version).
Suggested Ideas:
- Topaz asking Aventurine to teach her Avgin because she doesn't want the language to die (I know it's been done before, but I'm such a sucker for it)
- Aventurine treating Topaz on a shopping date
- Aventurine and Topaz hanging out on a rainy day
- Learning each other's birth names/using them for the first time
- Going on a vacation (or resting at home)
- Aventurine painting Topaz's nails/doing skincare regimes together, since Topaz doesn't know/doesn't care enough about that stuff on her own.
Blue Lock: Hiori You/Karasu Tabito
Note: I'm not fully caught up, but I also like spoilers, if it helps with characterization and highlighting the characters' dynamic.
I think contrast between the two of them is interesting: Karasu was always passionate about football/soccer and Hiori's natural talent was shoved into that box to the point where he resented it. I like that Karasu could sense it, just through the way he played. So now that Hiori is finding his niche and actually enjoying the sport as Karasu had pushed for all along, how does that change things?
Hiori You & Karasu Tabito & Otoya Eita
Mostly this is my bias for Kansai-region characters showing. Karasu and Otoya are already basically a comedy duo, so throwing Hiori in there would make things more fun. Hiori is also in need of fun.
Suggested ideas:
- Karasu and Otoya dragging Hiori around Osaka so he doesn't have to be around his parents
- Playing video games together
- Going around Kyoto together.
- Hiori and Karasu watching Otoya's skirt-chasing in action or just him giving flirting advice
Blue Period: Hashida Haruka/Takahashi Yotasuke/Yaguchi Yatora
Blue Period is an interesting series because it doesn't need an antagonist to have conflict. Who needs a villain when crippling self-doubt, depression and impostor syndrome exist?
Yaguchi Yatora
Yatora is wonderfully complex. He's definitely not perfect and learning on all fronts; his relationship with Yuka, struggles with Yotasuke and school all point to this, but he is improving. His opinion of himself and of his art is low, but his work strikes an emotional chord. The arc that helps Yatora see beyond Yotasuke's talent to his flaws and worries was much needed and well-executed, but after their trip around Shibuya together this relationship was set aside.
Takahashi Yotasuke
Yotasuke sometimes feels like a cat in human form and that is a charm point, to me. Converse to Yatora, he's confident in is technical art skills, but struggles to create emotional connections both in art and with people. Despite initially being cold to Yatora and generally avoidant of both him and Hashida, he's shown internally worrying over Yatora when they start college together. I feel like less is known about Yotasuke's relationship with Hashida, so exploring that either as friends(???) might be interesting.
Hashida Haruka
Hashida bridges the gap between the world as Yatora knows it and the Art World. He's knowledgeable without being condescending, insightful, and supportive on both the art and interpersonal fronts. I enjoy the guidance he provides to Yatora and how they worked together at the children's art school. Unlike Yatora and Yotasuke, Haruka has little interest in his own self-expression. However, he is pretty much aroused by the art of others (and I love that for him). I also find the bits where he reaches out to Yotasuke and gets shut down very funny.
Possible Suggestions:
- Museum Date
- A tour of Shibuya, Round 2
- Haruka decides to spoil Yotasuke and Yatora before running off to Europe to go to art festivals
- Dragging Yotasuke and Yatora to Europe for the art festivals
- Hanging Out (or drawing/painting) in Ueno Park
- Yatora and Yotasuke helping Haruka find a feeling actually wants to express through art
Link Click: Cheng Xiaoshi/Lu Guang/Qiao Ling
Possible Suggestions:
- Lu Guang, Cheng Xiaoshi and Qiao Ling inexplicably have their respective, cat, dog and bunny ears. How did this happen? Is it just a dream? Is someone altering reality by doodling on photographs?
- A box of kittens is found outside the photo studio.
- Lu Guang, Cheng Xiaoshi and Xiao Ling have a party.
- Qiao Ling's perspective on watching Cheng Xiaoshi grow up, or her increasing proximity to danger Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi face.
- One of the bits that always made me crack up was Qiao Ling specifically using the possessed!Lu Guang thirst trap photo as her go-to Lu Guang visual aid, so a piece that explores why she chose that one and showing it to other people could be fun.
- The trio taking photos together, whether it's for commemorative or strategic reasons
- Band AU stuff
- Werewolf Cheng Xiaoshi, Vampire Lu Guang and Witch Qiao Ling AU
Link Click: Lu Guang/Qiao Ling
Honestly for this, I just thought the tag was interesting and wanted to see what an author would do with it. Undeniably, they're linked to each other because of Cheng Xiaoshi, so it'd be interesting to see how they come together.
Ensemble Stars: Anzu/Sakasaki Natsume
Anzu's backstory from Ensemble Girls has some parallels to Natsume's (ie. Trying to rebel against an oppressive student council, having that affect her relationship with friends and classmates and ultimately failing and having to leave the school). They also have this energy of awkward cats that I enjoy. He's one of the few who understands what drives her. While he's capable of using that knowledge against her for his own mischief, at heart, he wants to connect with her and help her forgive herself.
Ensemble Stars: Anzu/Tomoe Hiyori
I don't really have deep thoughts, I just think it's interesting. In their earlier interactions, Hiyori is bratty, and now... he's still bratty but he also appreciates Anzu's hard work. I also like the contrast of Hiyori, who has no trouble loving himself and Anzu, who drives herself to work hard for others because she doesn't see any other value in herself. He could teach her a lot about self-care, and she could teach him how much one banana costs.
Twisted Wonderland: Che'nya/Riddle/Trey
I love trios and I enjoy the dynamic of the very stiff and regimented Riddle, with the caring Trey, motivated at least a little by guilt, and Che'nya who does what he wants, because he's a cat. Che'nya shaking things up with pranks and being where he shouldn't be is fun. It's good that school can be a little bit of an escape for Riddle, since his mother isn't there, giving the three of them the opportunity to make up for the time they weren't able to spend together when they were younger.
Natsume's Book of Friends: Natori Shuuichi/Natsume Takashi or Matoba Kuroba/Natori Shuuichi/Natsume Takashi
I love, love, love, love Natori. How he empathizes with Natsume, providing support and encouraging Natsume's connections with other people. Every time Natsume laughs or gets annoyed with his sparkly celeb persona, it gives me life.
Possible Suggestions:
- I will NEVER tire of Natsume Getting Kidnapped and Dressed Up Pretty to help youkai, then running into an exorcist. Either Natori or Matoba will work, if all three were investigating the same incident from different angles and their paths cross, even better.
- AU where Natsume chooses to become Natori's partner. How does that change their relationship and their differing perspectives on youkai over time?
- Natsume marries into either the Natori or Matoba clans. The marriage can be fake, strategic (to protect youkai), or serious.
- Natori whisks Natsume away on Yet Another Job disguised as a vacation that typically has Romantic Implications (an onsen, the beach, a riverside inn in a forest).
- Matoba sees Natsume poking fun at Natori's playboy persona and joins the attack.
- An ordinary day in the life of top celebrity, Natori Shuuichi.