Name a fanfiction that changed your perspective on a ship
Name some fanfiction that changed your perspective on a particular ship. This could be a crackship now taken seriously, a rare pairing with unexpected chemistry, or even a ship popular in your fandom where a writer revealed a side of the ship you hadn't noticed before.
Two fics that come to mind for me are:
Mega Melons and Mini Tangerines
Fandom: Chainsaw Man
Ship: Denji X Power
I never fully agreed with turning Power Denji’s love interest into something more, because I really enjoyed their buddy-sibling relationship. Chainsaw Man, manga, and fiction in general often lack platonic relationships between opposite sexes. That said, this PowerDen fanfic is a brief, sweet example of how they could work well together. For a story that’s honestly about Denji and Power exploring each other’s bodies, I appreciate how it maintains the manga's heartfelt, pure energy and stays mostly true to their characters. It also effectively incorporates some of the manga's darker themes, while using the rest of the cast well.
She Loves Me Broken
Fandom: Dungeon Meshi/Delicious in Dungeon
Ship: Marcille X Izutsumi
Dungeon Meishi is one of those manga where almost everyone pairs up, so I didn't really have strong opinions about Marcille and Izutsumi ending up together. The most interesting part of this fanfic is that it takes place after the series ends, so, warning, it contains spoilers, but that also allows the story to explore new territory. The fanfic is quite angsty and lengthy, and a major focus is a character study of Izutsumi and Marcille as their relationship evolves from somewhat codependent and enabling to healthier and more enriching. Another highlight is Izutsumi’s strong voice, especially how the writing conveys her struggle as a cat-beastman hybrid.
You can search AO3 if either fanfiction sounds interesting to you.