KyoKao 2026 Big Bang sign-ups NOW OPEN!

The official tumblr account for KyoKao Events! Current Event: KyoKao Big Bang! Sign-ups open until 5/4/26. Previous events: 2025 KyoKao Big Bang, KyoKao Gift Exchange 2024-2025

[kyokaoevents]

Sign ups are now OPEN for the second-ever KyoKao Big Bang!

Rules and Information | Schedule

Sign ups close Monday, 4th of May at 11:59pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Artists | Writers

Wait…what’s a Big Bang?

Big Bangs are fandom events inspired by early zine tradition where artists and writers would work together to create a piece of fanfiction and an accompanying piece of fanart for that fanfiction. The first official online Big Bang happened in 2005, 20 years ago! And now it is a staple event across many ships in many fandoms. 

The general premise is that writers will pitch a fanfiction premise and artists will select what fanfiction they would like to work with. We then pair writers and artists up based on their preferences and the writer will begin writing their fanfiction and sharing progress with the artist, who will complete their art piece alongside them. 

When both are finished, the final piece is published to AO3 with the art embedded into the fic. A beautiful, multimedia piece is formed!

We look forward to creating with all of you!

[kyokaoevents]

There's only ONE DAY LEFT to sign-up for the KyoKao Big Bang. Don't miss out on your chance to join!

Artists | Writers

Sign ups close TOMORROW, Monday, 4th of May at 11:59pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Rules and Information | Schedule

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, bsky, and twitter and join the official KyoKao Discord for the latest updates!

[kyokaoevents]

ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT! Don't forget to sign up for the KyoKao Big Bang~

Artists* | Writers

Sign ups close MONDAY, 4th of May at 11:59 pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Rules and Information | Schedule

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, bsky, and twitter and join the official KyoKao Discord for the latest updates!

* We need more ARTISTS to help make this event a success!! If you are an artist on the fence or hasn't signed up yet, now is your chance. We look forward to creating with you!

[kyokaoevents]

4 Days and Counting! Have you signed up yet for the KyoKao Big Bang?

Artists | Writers

Sign ups close MONDAY, 4th of May at 11:59 pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Rules and Information | Schedule

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, bsky, and twitter and join the official KyoKao Discord for the latest updates!

[kyokaoevents]

Get ready - you only have 7 days left to sign up for the KyoKao Big Bang!

Artists | Writers

Sign ups close NEXT Monday, 4th of May at 11:59pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Rules and Information | Schedule

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, bsky, and twitter and join the official KyoKao Discord for the latest updates!

[kyokaoevents]

Sign ups are now OPEN for the second-ever KyoKao Big Bang!

Rules and Information | Schedule

Sign ups close Monday, 4th of May at 11:59pm EST so be sure to fill out the form as soon as possible! (click here for your timezone).

Artists | Writers

Wait…what’s a Big Bang?

Big Bangs are fandom events inspired by early zine tradition where artists and writers would work together to create a piece of fanfiction and an accompanying piece of fanart for that fanfiction. The first official online Big Bang happened in 2005, 20 years ago! And now it is a staple event across many ships in many fandoms. 

The general premise is that writers will pitch a fanfiction premise and artists will select what fanfiction they would like to work with. We then pair writers and artists up based on their preferences and the writer will begin writing their fanfiction and sharing progress with the artist, who will complete their art piece alongside them. 

When both are finished, the final piece is published to AO3 with the art embedded into the fic. A beautiful, multimedia piece is formed!

We look forward to creating with all of you!

[pumpkinmetaphor]

Welcome KyoKao Nation to the KyoKao Discord Server!

Hang out and chat and generally get up to KyoKao related antics with your fellow kyokaolings here! We will also be advertising future events for @kyokaoevents there as well as on Tumblr.

JOIN HERE

[kyokaoevents]

Please join us in the NEW KyoKao discord

Get first notice of new KyoKao events, scheme with friends, and more!

[kyokaoevents]

IMPORTANT UPDATE

Hi All!

Many thanks to those who have already signed up for the 2026 KyoKao Gift Exchange!  It's so nice to see everyone's enthusiasm for this wonderful ship and we are so grateful to have you in our little community.

After some careful consideration, we have decided to push back the KyoKao Gift Exchange from February 14th to June 6th (Kaoru's birthday!)  We believe this will give folks plenty more time to sign up and complete their gifts, as well as give us mods a much needed break between the end of the Big Bang and the beginning of the Gift Exchange.

If you signed up already and are no longer available to take part in the 2026 gift exchange, please let us know and we will remove you from the sign up form.

Sign-ups will be temporarily closed and will re-open in March with updated deadlines.

From both us mods, we wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year~~!

[kyokaoevents]

You have 4 days left to sign up for the 2026 KyoKao Gift Exchange!

All forms of fanworks are welcome in the KyoKao Gift Exchange! Art, fic, AMVs...anything your scheming little heart desires. Then, come January 11th, you get to receive your own present and spend the day browsing the collection on AO3!

SIGN-UP FORM:

KyoKao Gift Exchange 2026

Do you like KyoKao? Do you like gifts? Do you like creating? Boy howdy, we have the gift giving extravaganza for you! Welcome to the KyoKao

Check the SIGN-UP COUNTDOWN CLOCK to see how much time you have left to join!

Deadlines:

Friday, 5th of December: Sign-Ups Open

Sunday, 21st of December at 11:59pm EST: Sign-ups close (click here for your timezone).

Monday- Wednesday, 22nd-24th of December: Invitations to the Discord server will be sent out via email. Make sure to save “[email protected]” to your address book! And check your spam folder!

Sunday, 28th of December: Gift matching will be sent to all participants.

Monday, 8th of February: All finished pieces must be uploaded to the AO3 collection.

All pieces must remain secret until the collection is revealed. Please do not post anywhere else until then!

We understand this is a tighter deadline than last year.  Please only sign up if you can commit to a full, finished piece by Valentine’s Day!

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, twitter, and bsky for the latest updates.

[kyokaoevents]

Sooo happy I made signups this time I'm super excited!!

YAY!! We're so excited to have you!

[kyokaoevents]

WHAT UP, SCHEMERS?

The KyoKao Gift Exchange 2026 is now open for applications!

All forms of fanworks are welcome in the KyoKao Gift Exchange! Art, fic, AMVs…anything your scheming little heart desires. Then, come February 14th, you get to receive your own Valentine's Day gift and spend the day browsing the collection on AO3!

Sign ups will close on Sunday, December 21st, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.

SIGN UP FORM:

KyoKao Gift Exchange 2026

Do you like KyoKao? Do you like gifts? Do you like creating? Boy howdy, we have the gift giving extravaganza for you! Welcome to the KyoKao

Check the SIGN-UP COUNTDOWN CLOCK to see how much time you have left to join!

Don’t forget to spread the word and follow us here on tumblr, twitter, and bsky for the latest updates.

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

and where each tear lands, a flower grows

Written by: @rocioandthatsall

Illustrated by: @ninanation

Rating: T

Word Count: 8k

Tags: Hanahaki Disease, Getting Together, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Light Angst

Summary: Love is like a plant. One has to nurture it to grow strong and healthy, true. But, like love, some plants can grow in inhospitable places without any attention or willing desire; it’s just that resilient, refuses to die a quiet death and sprouts, blooms, grows until it’s impossible to ignore it.

Some loves— some plants are so persistent that they grow in people’s lungs.

Kaoru isn’t really surprised when he starts to experience the first signs, a sore throat and sporadic cough are easy enough to hide and downplay as some unsavory but harmless cold. The first petals are disgusting though. He can’t say he’s ready; however, he’s expecting it. Is this how he hurts Hikaru irreparably, by letting the flowers of unrequited love bloom and kill him?

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

Change Curve

Written by: @pumpkinmetaphor

Illustrated by: @braincellwhatsthat

Rating: T

Word Count: 14k

Tags: Post-Canon, Boston Era, High School, Stages of Grief, Romantic Comedy, Angst

Summary:

To be in love in general is to accept that your sanity has betrayed you. You can lose a lot in life, after all. Your life, your mind, your– dubiously intact– innocence. The worst kind of loss though is the acceptance that you are not special. You, like everyone else in this terrible, mortifying love story, are a loser. Nothing more, nothing less.

Kaoru spends a year becoming something entirely beneath him: a teenager with a crush.

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

Maybe Tomorrow

Written by: @cinnamon-bunni

Illustrated by: @princessmoonart

Rating: T

Word Count: 7.4k

Tags: Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Comedy

Summary: All Kaoru really wants to do was be able to ask Kyoya out, before Kyoya had to go back stateside. But after learning that Kyoya planned on leaving sooner than intended, Kaoru realizes that he needed to have started his plan like, yesterday. But it's fine, because he's got Noir to help him out and keep him company. And Hikaru too, he supposed, but his help is really quite unwanted.

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

Double Take, Triple Take

Written by: @specialinterestoclock

Illustrated by: @suchaspookyginger

Rating: T

Word Count: 7.2k

Tags: Post Canon, College, Self Discovery, Getting Together, Romantic Comedy, Character Study, Pining

Summary: Sometimes, change can throw you off when you least expect it to. Other times, it happens right under your nose. Kyoya has spent his whole life being nothing but consistent, but after he notices Kaoru is growing his hair out, it piques his interest. As Kaoru’s appearance changes, spanning from his Ouran Academy graduation to his new university life, so does Kyoya’s approach towards consistency…and how he feels about Kaoru.

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

Only Ever Gently

Written by: @nyamnyamyourmam

Illustrated by: @crosswordist

Rating: T

Word Count: 7.2k

Tags: There Was Only One Bed, Post-Canon, British AU??? Getting Together, Kyoya is an idiot, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers

Summary: Kyoya had always hated being woken up. Everyone knows this. Kaoru knows this. But he is the only one who Kyoya seems to be ok with, whether he acknowledges it or not. A snapshot of a year they spend growing closer by being the only ones on the country.

[kyokaoevents]

KYOKAO 💥BIG BANG

Saturn's Dissipating Rings

Written by: @hattiecursedsigh

Illustrated by: @littlebrotherteam

Rating: T

Word Count: 6.1k

Tags: Angst, Post-canon, Hurt-Comfort

Summary: Kaoru loses his brother, then his sanity, then his lover.