msermesth

Hi mystery writer! I’m a drama addict who’s recently gotten in Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty.

I have a lot of interests and enjoy a very large range of tropes. The only thing I’m not here for is pure fluff, but this is a h/c exchange so I think I’ll be good. I adore both romantic and gen stories, especially with an emphasis on found family. I enjoy big dramatic confessions and when characters step in front of the other to protect them and when they hide injuries to not worry the other. I also love small acts of caring like cooking for each other or that thing when character A falls asleep while reading and character B picks up the book and bookmarks it to make sure character A doesn’t lose their place. Stuff like that. 

My tolerance for angst is very high, feel free to take any prompts and go ‘all hurt, no comfort’ on them. All types of endings (happy, unhappy, bittersweet, etc.) are welcome. If it’s not in my DNWs, feel free and, if you’re into it, encouraged to include it. This includes things like infidelity, addiction, break ups, divorce, homophobia, self-harm, and suicide. 

Do Not Wants
1. Drowning
2. Bathroom kinks
3. Incest 
4. Non-con and torture as the main hurt (as part of a larger series of hurts is ok, as well as general references to those things).
5. Snakes
6. AUs that aren't canon-divergence 

General Fandom Likes

As I said, my tastes are pretty varied. I especially love tropes like ‘there was only one bed’, huddling for warmth, and fake dating/married. None of these things have to be romantic! I like it when characters are protective of the other. Found family. Found family. Found family. I love reading dialogue where the characters bounce off the other, whether it’s flirting, bantering, or arguing. I like it when characters are good at things and when they mess up despite being good at things. I can’t write comedy so I’m in awe of all who do. I’m a bit of a drama queen so I adore it when characters fight with each other and then make up. Or maybe they don’t make up and the resentment simmers under everything. I like when fics reference canonical events a lot or seem to really exist in canon. Also porn. I really love porn.

Hurt/Comfort Likes

I like it when the hurt character gets hurt because they were trying to protect others. I like it when they put themselves in danger because they have low self worth and they believe they deserve to shoulder the hurt more than others should. I don’t mind reading graphic depictions of violence and injuries but also I have a soft spot for mental health problems and the other characters struggling to help them. I think it’s neat when the character tries to hide their suffering or seem healthier than they are. 

I like it when the comforter is awkward or not great at comforting, but the fact that they’re trying helps. It’s also great when they’re protective of the hurt character now that they’re hurt or when they’re angry that the other one got hurt, especially if the reason seemed unnecessary or self sacrificing. And when the comforter gains a new understanding of the hurt character, *chefs kiss*.

I have a tiny preference for when the ‘stronger’ and more stoic character gets hurt. But it’s not a hard rule! All dynamics that are in my requests are valid.

Porn Likes

If it’s not in my DNWs, it’s fine by me. I adore the ‘pining while fucking’ trope, it may be my favorite trope in existence. I love it when there’s a lot of feelings going around. I also enjoy stories where one character has a kink and the other isn’t really into it but they do it because they love them. Service topping/bottom-ing. Sexual dysfunction stuff.

Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty Likes

The thing that draws me to Sleuth is that it’s about a competent and passionate group of public servants full of conviction coming together to solve crimes and save people. I adore the found family element. It’s my favorite part. I know it seems like there’s a lot in this letter that feels romance-y, but I’d be so, so happy to read something where characters just interact, no romance needed. Every character is wonderful and integral.

One thing that gets me about the show is that all three leads have different beliefs in what the right thing is and how to go about that. I love that. I absolutely love the tension that it creates and how it makes the three of them stronger and more effective. They all have different responsibilities due to their job titles, family, and social-economic status. All of them mess up in different ways, and I appreciate how the show depicts that, too. 

I would be so remiss if I forgot to say that the focus on food is one of the first things I bring up when I’m trying to sell someone else on this show. All the cooking montages are so much fun to watch, and then getting that sense of comfort from seeing the characters eat together is just the icing on the cake. Food references would be very welcome!

So about Sui Zhou…

You might have noticed Sui Zhou comes up a lot in my requests. I just think he’s a swell guy! And maybe he was engineered in a lab to appeal to all character likes. He’s a strong, quiet dude with low self-worth who is great at fighting but also smart enough to keep up with Tang Fan and Wang Zhi most of the time. I like how the show doesn’t shy away from showing his flaws. It doesn’t romanticize his mental illness and makes it clear that it has an impact on those around him. I also like that a lot of his recovery during the divorce arc isn’t about Tang Fan. Sure he’s happier when he has his friend back, but that’s not what helps him get a grip on himself. Also he complicates all “there was only one bed” scenarios, romantic and platonic.

(Plus he gets hurt all the time trying to protect people and I'm into that sort of thing.)

Ship Likes
(None of this is comprehensive)

Sui Zhou/Tang Fan or Sui Zhou & Tang Fan

I’m really driven by this relationship, both the romantic and platonic versions. I like how they play off each other and how they disagree. Tang Fan has no problems asking for things, and Sui Zhou has no problem giving them. Their relationship could easily swerve into dangerously codependent territory, but by the end of the series it’s not that. They don’t need each other as much as appreciate the other’s strengths and weaknesses. 

Also they have a giant fight in the middle of the show and I could eat that drama for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I like the moments when Sui Zhou gets hurt and you can see on Tang Fan’s face that he’s comprehending all the pain Sui Zhou’s in. Or then there’s the moments when Tang Fan gets hurt and Sui Zhou is crazy competent at saving him. 

Jia Kui/Sui Zhou or Jia Kui & Sui Zhou

Jia Kui and Sui Zhou are an example of “behind every strong, competent man there is a much stronger, even more competent man.” Jia Kui is always coming out of the woodwork to save Sui Zhou when he's in over his head. Let strong, fighter characters be saved! Their relationship is based on mutual respect. Even in the first episode they gain a good understanding of each other and this keeps coming up over and over again. I’m also interested in the contrast between Jia Kui having to leave his family and Sui Zhou building his.

Tang Fan/Wang Zhi or Tang Fan&Wang Zhi

Tang Fan and Wang Zhi have this whole hot flirting thing that I can watch/read for hours. If one of the satisfying things about this show is watching hyper-competent people work together, then seeing Tang Fan and Wang Zhi interact is the best. I’d like to see them having to let down their guards around each other and be feral about protecting the other. I would also enjoy some banter of the ‘I’m saying I’m fine but I’m really not’ variety.

Sui Zhou & Tang Fan & Wang Zhi

My first thought is 'teamwork makes the dream work'. 

But seriously, I’d like to see them work together to protect each other. I like the way they bounce off each other and use their specific skills. I like that they can also disagree about things, even have serious arguments, but they then work it out. I’d like to just see their dynamic in action, being all protective and caring and guarded in their own ways.

Xue Ling & Sui Zhou

I don’t think Xue Ling gets enough love for being a steady presence in Sui Zhou’s life as well as just generally being a great guy. I’d like to see more of their friendship pre-canon and during canon as Sui Zhou opens up as well as get to know more about Xue Ling.