Man, everyone zeroes in on Eisuke and the MC, which sure, it's the central tension, but that’s exactly why I find it gets so repetitive in fan spaces. I keep hunting for fics where Soryu or Baba get the spotlight. Soryu’s whole mysterious, morally ambiguous vibe with the MC opens up such interesting power dynamics that aren’t just about wealth or possession. Baba’s intense, almost feral protectiveness offers a different flavor of obsession that’s way less polished and more raw. A lot of the Eisuke-centric stuff feels like it’s just rehashing the game’s own narrative beats, but shifting the focus to the other guys lets writers explore the darker, weirder corners of that world.
I stumbled on a fic last month that paired Ota with the MC, framing it as a quiet rebellion against the entire auction system, and it was such a breath of fresh air. It’s these side pairings that often have more thematic heft, questioning the premise itself instead of just leaning into it. I wish the fanfic hubs would tag those alternatives better, because digging through pages of 'Eisuke/MC' to find a single 'Baba/MC' story is its own kind of treasure hunt.