#koimiki

Twilight syndrome galentines! it's a bit late for v-day but love is a year round activity

Looking back, Mikan is a surprising prevalent character in Mahiru's key moments (even more than Hiyoko to extent). Which makes sense, Mahiru pretty much took the unofficial role of look out for the girls and Mikan was probably the number target of both sexes. From trying to get everyone to stop being gross about Mikan at the party to picking a fight with Fuyuhiko when he threatens to buy and then sell her as a whore, the first two chapters, whenever Mikan got picked on, Mahiru was there to help. Except when the game needs Hiyoko to get away with bullying Mikan, but I feel like that's much more criticism of how Kodaka and SDR2 handles its characters whenever it wants to silly.

And considering the 2x2 timeline is 100% gonna mess with some of the main game's well established relationships, I would love to see a world where Mikan is the one obsessed with "big sis" Mahiru and Hiyoko is their anti-cheerleader. We can probably even get to see Mahiru and Hiyoko actually clash with each other over how the two of treat Mikan so differently. (Please 2x2, let the girls fight and get divorced.) We also know Mikan is so imagining "big strong knight Mahiru" in her head.

retrograde brain (why is boredom your fate?) by Firedawn (Serpyre): kyouko/ryouko & super interesting! I really liked their relationship in it, though I will admit it's not the only focus; Junko's sister-relationship with Mukuro gets some focus too. Mukuro might actually be one of my favorite parts aside from the relationship in this one, too; I think the ending is PERFECT as well. Definitely more on the heavy side of things, but a very good read.

I Can't Fix It (is this where i give in?) by TheImmortalFlame: this one features a trans girl!Ouma named Keiko, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I definitely liked. It's a lot of AUs in a trench coat, too; most notably despair!Ouma. The ships are Maki/Keiko & Junko/Keiko and is pretty dark/sad but has a happy ending in the end. Love wins!

The Threshold by tsurugikinjo: a Junkan first meeting reimagining (not compliant with DR3), and one of my favorite versions of it. Warning for contemplation of suicide though, nothing happens but there are thoughts.

Mission: Inshoppable by Ripley Scrolls: more Mukuro focused than romance focused, but Komaru goes shopping with Mukuro to try and find something for Syo for her birthday, very cute! Definitely one of the more fluffy ones on this list.

Hopeless Devotion by Snarky_Sociopath: another Junkan reimagining (not complaint with DR3). I would warn that there's background incest between Mukuro and Junko, but the author has said that's only because they are like that in the DR3 canon, and that they aren't trying to romanticize it. It's also not the focus. I definitely understand if anyone wants to skip it because of that, however, as the topic makes me uncomfortable, too. It also focuses on some of the twilight syndrome girls relationships to Mikan in a very enjoyable way, too!

Chiaki Nanami Doesn't Smile by Oceantoast: Enonami with despair!Chiaki; I'm so starved of enonami content that I eat all of these sort of fics up.

Absolutely, Unnaturally, Picture-Perfect by lonely_lowri: a Mahiru character study!!! Less romance focused, but it definitely has Sato/Mahiru & Hiyoko/Mahiru in it.

Her Smile is the Sun by Midnightdemonht: This one is a Junko character study through the eyes of the remnants (not DR3 complaint), so it's not exactly focused on the romances? But they are definitely there.

Everything You've Ever Dreamed by VanadisValentine: NON DESPAIR JUNKAN... it's very sweet. They do a lot of non despair/non abusive Junkan so if that's someone's vibe, I definitely recommend their works!

Write Your Name In Secrets by PekoIsBaby: one of my favorite Celestia/Kyouko fics ever!!! It's plot is pretty darn good, too—I definitely recommend it for anyone who even has a passing interest in these two, it's really good!

Remember by PekoIsBaby: Sakura/Aoi, and my favorite of the pairing I've read. I wasn't immediately sold on the premise of mythical creature au but this one is really, really good. Even if you too aren't immediately sold on the premise, I do recommend reading it anyways because it may just surprise you!

Red Fingernails by PekoIsBaby: Mikan recovering from Junko fic with a bunch of Mikan/girls pairings, aha, though a lot of them are only implied. Ibuki/Mikan is the main ship, if I remember correctly, but there's minor Akane/Mikan & Mahiru/Mikan too. Mikan recovery fic wooo let's go!!!

Sound Bites by starrylitme: Ibuki/Sayaka focus with some Ibuki/Junko, set in the IF-verse. I don't even ship Ibuki/Sayaka but this really made me a lot more interested in them! The way they both relate to music in different ways... very interesting.

Phantasmal Voices by Kayleen756894: ghost!Junko non despair Junkan AU... warning for suicide, but very very good so far! It hasn't updated in a few years, but I'm hoping it will eventually because it's super good.

Pink Heart Flutter by GalaxyAqua: VERY FLUFFY AND CUTE... miu/kaede, just pure fluff.

To Destinations Unknown by GalaxyAqua: a very good NWP post-V3 Miu/Angie AU. Probably my favorite Miu/Angie work out there, tbh.

Burning Your Eyes In The Sun by Jacynon: TENKO/ANGIE MY BELOVED... post-V3 NWP AU, and my favorite Tenko/Angie work I've read. I love Tenko/Angie & I think this work really incapsulates why.

like an island, just me and you by criminalheart: Mikan/Tenko in UTDP & really, really good!!! I loved how it explored Mikan & didn't shy away from her sometimes darker tendencies while still having Tenko be a light in the darkness for her... and it was very sweet, the whole thing.

you and god both got the guns by Jacynon: Tsumugi/Angie & a GREAT exploration of it. Tsumugi-focused.

Better Brighter by starrylitme: NANAMIKI PRE-DESPAIR... I love this one because Mikan is a bit unhinged in it. We need more toxic doomed Yuri nanamiki & I stick by that. This isn't exactly that, but it does scratch the itch somewhat. My favorite Nanamiki story out there!!

a series in poor focus by revolutionator: SATO/MAHIRU MY BELOVED.... probably my favorite Sato/Mahiru works!

Patient Logs by shsldespair: a Mikan-focused recovery fic, with past Junkan. She talks a lot about their relationship & some of the things she says are permanently ingraved in my head... this was written before DR3, I'm pretty sure, so it's not complaint with that.

stillness in woe by sonia (orphan_account): RYOUKO/MIKAN MY BELOVED... plus it's a goddess au which is so cool!!!

Incomplete by GalaxyAqua: Akane/Mikan, and probably the best of the ship I've read! Very good. A little on the sad side, but ultimately hopeful - it's set in a non despair AU.

Liar by monsterkiss: Sayaka/Junko & one of my favorites of the ship! It's from Junko's POV which is cool to see, & canon compliant.

Soft (But Only For Her) by Kayleen756894: a collection of nine abusive Junkan fics, very sweet!!

Those are just some of my favorites! I also didn't include any that I wrote (though you can go looking for them; my account is Buttercup_ghost and I do have a fair amount of them), just ones others wrote. Happy reading!!

mahiru/hiyoko - borderline Canon. mahiru is the first time hiyoko shows anything but disdain for another person, and that love motivates all of her character development. mean character who's only soft for One Person

mahiru/peko - peko tries to learn how to smile entirely because mahiru likes taking pictures of smiling people. bonus double angst when peko has to put her duty to protect fuyuhiko over her budding relationship w mahiru. the Tragedy TM of it all

mahiru/ibuki - performer and photographer....artists who pull away from the more superficial versions of their craft to commit to what they really love....living in the moment....My GF Is All My Impulse Control

mahiru/sonia - OH TO BE A SIMPLE PHOTOGRAPHER CHARGED TO WORK WITH A GORGEOUS ARISTOCRATIC WOMAN WHO SEEMS ABOVE IT ALL ONLY TO REALIZE THAT SHE SECRETLY YEARNS TO DO NORMAL PERSON THINGS WHICH I, A COMMON PHOTOGRAPHER, CAN TAKE HER TO AS MY HEART CURIOUSLY FLUTTERS WATCHING HER DELIGHT IN IT FOR COMPLETELY HETEROSEXUAL REASONS

mahiru/mikan - mahiru is the only one who consistently helps mikan up when she's fallen or hurt!! they hung out in a little club of friends where mahiru told everyone else to back off!! bonding over being bullied!!

mahiru/chiaki - tech adjacent gfs!! two people who by nature tend to care for others teaching each other to care for themselves! tomboys! chiaki has a thing for ties!

mahiru/akane - akanes a gymnast and mahirus a redhead they can spiderman kiss so much. hear me ou

mahiru/sato - bro is it gay to commit murder for ur bff. bro is it gay to cover up that ur bff commit murder on ur behalf. bro