sunrises | Yuletide Letter 2024

Hey awesome writer,

I'm Zi! My AO3 username is atonalremix, and I'm super excited that you're participating in Yuletide this year!

In general, I prefer lighthearted, cozy/comfortable and/or comedic stories about love (platonic, romantic, unconditional, unrequited, etc.) to heavy angst or melodrama; however, I absolutely love stories about rebuilding after tragedy and picking yourself back up once all the dust has settled. That said! If angst or drama moves your spirit, slam it my way anyways. I would never say no to something you worked so hard to create.

I also love narrative devices including but nowhere limited to:

enemies to lovers or friends to lovers (so enemies to friends to lovers is especially delightful),
road trips or travel stories,
food/cooking or food as a metaphor for love,
sibling bonding / found family / family relationships,
magic realism,
and pretty much anything you'd find in otome games and sitcoms.

Regarding AUs, I adore them if they make sense for the characters involved! For example, a "high school AU" for Archie is literally canon, and "rival gangs" doesn't mesh with the cheerful tone of the original canon, so I'd rather stick to "rival sports teams" or "rival chefs," if you focus on a culinary-obsessed guy like Jughead. If you think you have an alternate world you want me to explore, go for it!

I'll also be honest: I've participated in Yuletide a few years now and still have no idea how treats work, but I am absolutely open to receiving them (and hopefully giving some in return this year, should I be willing and able)!

My specific fandom requests are below:

1. Tales of Legendia

Everyone has that niche video game that defined their personality in middle school. For me, that game was Legendia. Senel was one of my favorite protagonists of all time, and I would be delighted to receive a fic starring him in any way, shape or form.

Beyond his presence, I have no specific desires. I love stories that explore his baking hobby, just as I love stories that explore what happens to him post-canon. My favorite ships for Senel are Senel/Chloe and Senel/Shirley, but I'm equally weak for friendship stories between him and the other members of the party.

If you want to go the AU route, I'm especially fond of modern AUs or crossover AUs (like the canonical Tales of Radiant Mythology, though I'm only familiar with the first two games).

My only DNW's involve alcohol abuse/substance addiction (and I can't really imagine how a Legendia fic would go down that route, so I hope it'll be easy to avoid).

2. Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World was a hugely formative show for me, not just because of Shawn Hunter but also because of the deep, lifelong friendship he had with Cory Matthews. As I wrote in 2018, I also loved the friendships between Shawn and Topanga, as well as Shawn/Angela. (I still lament how GMW broke up Shawn/Angela, even to this day - not necessarily that they broke up, but how.)

I would love any story that focuses on Shawn and/or Cory, with three possible paths:
The boys' lives in NYC after college. How did Shawn get into travel photography? What kinds of places did he travel to? If you're a crossover fan, what kinds of people did he meet (and what kinds of adventures did he get up to when he was say, accidentally meeting the cast of Brooklyn Nine Nine or Parks and Rec)? Alternatively, how did Cory adjust to NYC, especially as a new teacher?
Any Shawn + Cory friendship story, or if you so choose, an OT3 (with Topanga, naturally). How did they make time for each other in college and potentially beyond, if you're thinking of setting the story past BMW? What sorts of college clubs did these two join, and did it pan out at all? Wacky hijinx are more than acceptable here.
Any story focusing on the bond between Shawn and Jack Hunter – we got so little of it in canon that I'd love any sort of elaboration. Any fun sibling traditions they created? Did they still have roommate squabbles (as I'm belatedly remembering pig-Cory)? What about after Shawn moved out - did they have anything unique to them, like brothers brunch?

As Shawn is canonically an alcoholic, and I'm not much for ones with stories mentioning alcohol, my major dnw is substance abuse, alcohol use, and/or underage drinking. Beyond that, anything else is perfectly fine.

3. Collar x Malice

Writer, I'm going to be frank: Takeru was my favorite of the boys. I'm not sure if it's his weakness for doughnuts or his American upbringing that never really got explored in canon, but I would love a story that explores his inner world. Maybe he takes Ichika with him to visit relatives in the US? Or maybe they're bar crawling in one of the American villages and Takeru gets dragged along because everyone knows he's American? I'm throwing out suggestions but the sky's truly the limit here.

Now if you aren't feeling Ichika / Takeru (and I don't blame you in the slightest), I'd really love a story focusing on Ichika finding work success or an AU where she somehow managed to stay single despite her dating sim origins.

OR!! If you're okay with this, I am weak for anything involving Ichika and Saeki. Sure, they're drinking buddies, but when that collar was around her neck, Ichika chose strangers over her longtime cop friend? What would've happened if she chose him instead (despite the collar telling her to choose the detective agency), and how would Saeki have handled the duality of being both her friend and her worst enemy?

Alternatively, what if Zero didn't collar her? What if Zero's plans never quite came to fruition because - like in Enomoto's route - something happened to him? Like, I don't know, Ichika preventing his plans by accidentally introducing him to couple life and becoming 'we people'?

Regarding do not wants, I'd like to avoid alcohol abuse/addiction and substance use/addiction. The same amount we saw in canon was fine– and as long as it's played for comedic effect, I'm especially delighted. I'm fine with anything else!

tl;dr
Fics that explore Takeru being American (and/or raised in the US)
Takeru/Ichika fics are always welcome! zero suggestions; i just love their dynamic
Fics about Ichika being a Girlboss (TM) or finding joy in her career, if you're not interested in a Takeru/Ichika story
If all else fails– I'd love a Ichika/Saeki fic (either an AU where he had a route, an AU where Collar x Malice never happens because Ichika confesses to Saeki first, or an AU of your choice)

4. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

Nozaki-kun is one of my comfort mangas; I reread it every time I need something fun and familiar. I love this canon so much I'd honestly be thrilled with anything you'll write. Nice shippy fluff would be great!!

Some ideas as starting off points:
Nozaki and Chiyo finally go on their first date! Will it be an actual date or just more reference material for Let's Love!?

ANYTHING involving Mikoshiba and Mayu. In my heart, they are Mikorin's endgame, especially with how he can't seem to talk to girls

A role reversal AU, where Chiyo is the mangaka and Nozaki is her biggest fan (though I wonder if the crush scenario would remain the same? If so, would her Suzuki-kun look identical to Nozaki?)

Regarding do not wants, I'd like to avoid alcohol abuse/addiction and substance use/addiction. Canonical levels of alcohol use (like what we see in canon) are totally fine, so don't sweat it if you add a drinking scene and/or bits where sober characters take care of drunken characters. I'm more concerned about a story that would go down the addiction route than anything else.