Rare Pair Exchange 2023 Letter

[echoslam]

Dear Rare Pair Creator,

Thanks for checking out this letter! I'm echoslam on AO3, and I'm so excited to be playing rare pair roulette this year!

General notes:

-I enjoy all kinds of fanwork moods, from fun and lighthearted to grim and angsty. Please go with whatever works best for you.

-Any level of shippiness is cool, from pre-relationship flirting to heavy smut.

-Prompts are all completely optional and are just here in case you want some ideas.

General Likes:

-Any kind of AU
-Character studies
-Domesticity
-Adventures together as friends or a couple
-Introspection
-Missing scenes
-Requested characters showing off their talents
-Unusual formats and POVs
-Works inspired by songs, poems, quotes, etc
-Worldbuilding
-Humor and silly stuff
-Angst and melodramatic stuff
-Smut/PWP

AU ideas:
Coffeeshop
Cyberpunk (2077 or your own invention)
Different careers
University
Wuxia
Xianxia
Historical
Fantasy
Canon remixed as a different genre
Star Wars

Shippy likes:

-Curtain fic/art
-Battle couple having an adventure and hurt/comfort during or after
-Epistolary, chatfic, or diary entries
-Food themes, cooking or dining together
-Meeting via isekai, transmigration, or portal fantasy
-Drabble series or "X times" setup
-Smut/PWP is very welcome

Art likes (all styles welcome):

-Kissing, cuddling, holding each other (or manhandling if you see it as an antagonistic ship :D)
-Any kind of gesture that results in a character blushing
-Dancing together
-Fighting/sparring, either together or against each other
-Any kind of silly meme pose
-Symbology or signature colors
-Wedding portrait

Do Not Wants:

-Body waste kinks
-Futanari
-Poly involving requested characters
-Sex scenes featuring characters younger than 15
-Use of the words “cunt”, "twat", or "simp"

I have some prompts, but please feel free to go with your own ideas:

Assassin's Creed

Evie Frye/Lucy Thorne (Assassin's Creed)

I'm so happy I saw this ship in the AC section! I wished Lucy had stayed around much longer than she did, if for no better reason than to antagonize Evie. Feel free to involve Jacob and other Assassins/Templars as you see fit.

-I'll happily take any "Lucy survives/gets resurrected" AUs

-Evie is haunted by Lucy's ghost, maybe in her bed?

-Something pre-game where they develop an interest in each other based on reputation.

-Just...hatesex. Violence, blood, and weapon/clothes kinks are all welcome. The Shroud getting used for sexy purposes?



QZGS/The King's Avatar

Chén Guŏ/Sū Mùchéng (QZGS)
Chu Yunxiu/Dai Yanqi (QZGS)
Qiáo Yīfān/Yè Xiū (QZGS)

So many fun ships in the tagset! I couldn't help requesting my faves, and I will love just about anything you'd like to do with them!

General prompts:

-In-game anything

-The team is shocked to find out the captain has a love life and now they can't stop teasing them

-The more skilled partner has fun teaching their love interest all the cool things they know about Glory

-Slow, sensual kissing or smut to help destress


Soul Calibur


Hwang Seong-gyeong/Seong Mi-na (Soul Calibur)

I just like the idea of long term pining and emotional repression, and imo Hwang really fits the bill for that re: his feelings for Mi-na. I loved their SC VI soul chronicles, so any characters and plot elements from those would be welcome. Love polygons and jealousy over other suitors for Mi-na would also be of interest.


Isabella "Ivy" Valentine/Seong Mi-na (Soul Calibur)

This ship sounds so hot??? Smut and dubcon could be very nice with dominant Ivy and defiant Mi-na? Using Valentine for sexy purposes? Or maybe an exploration of how they develop a romantic relationship, maybe after Mi-na seeks out Ivy for her academic knowledge...or maybe just for a spar.


Voltron: Lion Force

Lance/Allura

80s sci-fi vibes, team banter, and robot stuff are all welcome!


-Summer/warm weather date on Arus or a date in space

-Lance somehow gets notified of King Alfor's approval of their relationship - appearances by ghosts or some kind of space magic might be involved

-Established relationship slice of life, married life or raising children

-One of the villain dudes tries to seduce Allura again but in the process they only manage to discover that she has feelings for a certain someone

-AU with their roles reversed - what if Allura was the one who landed on Earth? Maybe with worldbuilding about what Earth life and technology looks like in the Voltron timeline?

Crossover Fandom

Jun/Allura

I loved rooting for them both in their respective series and would love anything where they get to share their experiences. Appearances/support from their respective teammates would be more than welcome.

-Jun goes on a mission to infiltrate Galactor but ends up on Arus instead (solo or with the team), or alternatively Allura ends up on Earth

-Romantic ride on Jun's motorcycle or hanging out at her snack bar

-Anything with a focus on the giant robot, spacecraft, and science ninja stuff


Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Ashe/Male Byleth

I love the mentor/student dynamic, whether it's sweet and heartwarming or more angsty with lots of pining and emotional messiness. Both pre and post timeskip are equally fine by me.

-Ashe has a crush on Byleth that's he's surprised to find is not unrequited

-Inappropriate behavior in the church

-Dubcon takes on this ship would be welcome (preference for aggresor Byleth)


Lost Ark

This game is a FOMO machine but it's just so fun and pretty, augh. I found myself getting way more invested in the story than I thought I would.

Nineveh/Vykas

That seraph/succubus energy! No Vykas run is complete without at least a couple of appearances by Nineveh taking shots at her, so why not?

-Nineveh getting trapped by Vykas in the Garden of Crimson Delight

-Vykas tormenting Nineveh in her dreams during her 500-year sleep

-Reinventing their dynamic as being romantic/consensual would also be intriguing

Elgacia comes out on Global next week, so feel free to include any lore that gets introduced!

Levi/Jederico

I loved the Feiton storyline and the fact that these two become your bros despite being on polar opposite sides. Levi surely doesn't trust Jederico right off the bat but might open when he realizes his intentions were good.

-Something involving the drama of Jederico realizing how fucked up Sacria is

-Jederico's secret fan club from his rapport questline changes their focus to helping him get together with Levi

-Hooking up after the battle of South Vern


Thank you so much for your time! If any clarification is needed, please let me know.