Mostly I write xReader/OC, but I am a multishipper so it depends what mood I'm in.
TW for repulsed: Before you click or subscribe to me on AO3, I write smut. If you don't want to see those stories, click the link below.
I made a Saiki K A-Spec collection. This doesn't include the safe works that aren't about being A-spec though.
The majority of my stuff IS Saiki exploring his ASpecness through a relationship. I also make stuff where he isn't ASpec.
Don't like, don't read.
Critisism is ok.
Meta Analysis:
#character analysis #character writing guide
A Guide to Writing Saiki Kusuo in a Relationship as an Aro/Ace Coded Character
Examples of Saiki's behavior before/during a relationship as an ASpec person
Write him however you want; this is just here if you want to write him Aro/Ace or ASpec. I know writing for someone that's ASpec is hard when you don't have resources or know where to start. Representation Matters
Using Existing Characters as Templates for Saiki x OCs and Reader (or better canon writing)
Saiki K Tropes
About Me
Hello ヽ(=^･ω･^=)丿
As you may have noticed, this is exclusively a TDLOSK blog. I am a multishipper, my favorites being SaiMiko and SaiKechi, but I ship a lot more than that. NenSai, SaiMera, KuboSai, YumeKuboKai, YumeArisu, NenHai, TeruImu. Haha, it's a lot.
I'm also a Saiki simp ˭̡̞(◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰
I love talking about Kusuo.
I really just want to share stuff and interact with the fandom because I love these characters.
I'm into personality typologies and I use that to write their personalities more accurately; I don't always agree with what everyone has typed a character. You're welcome to criticize how in character they are.
I'm sorry if I come across as blunt in any of my comments; I'm just being observational and I also can't tell when people are joking or using sarcasm a lot of the time.
Please don't dm me. I'm not going to respond, sorry. I get anxious when people want to talk with me in private, esp over the internet. If it's blog related, please use the ask box or drop a comment under the related post.
Long answer: I ship her with Rifuta Imu and Saiko Metori.
Here me out:
TeruImu is very cute and there's a lot of potential there for the both of them for self-development and how they feel about themselves. I like their dynamic, and Rifuta's struggles with comphet make me sad.
Teruhashi and Saiko (does this ship even exist 🥹) would work out, especially after his self development, and there should have been more interaction between them considering Saiko went out of way to join PK for her. There's a lot to see here too because I'd have liked to see how he'd treat her after realizing people can't be bought. And she said she'd have said yes, if she didn't have feelings for Saiki; but there's only but so long someone can wait for someone that doesn't show signs of reciprocation. And this would have been another point to show her growth, that she'd see him for the person he is and not his money.
I generally don't talk about Kokomi because criticism of her isn't allowed. She's the only character in the fandom that people have to walk on eggshells for if they want to point out any of her flaws (and no I don't mean bashing but actual analysis or criticism); tumblr hasn't been bad actually but on other sites. I think it's messed up; even in reality, the girl is held on a high pedestal above all the others. Not acknowledging that she has flaws is a kind of dehumanization. I love ENFJ characters, but the fandom has kind of ruined her for me.
Saiki, at some point in his life, is gonna get Anne Bunchoy'ed. I can feel it
The god of the Saikiverse (probably the ominous floating baby) wants to quit and is basically trying to get Saiki to take over their job. Of course, this is Saiki, so he's avoiding this kind of employment like the plague. He wants to be Generic Background Character, not LITERAL GOD OF THE UNIVERSE
The only thing that convinces him to kind of take it is the high chance that he's just gonna become a ghost when he dies. In that case, he either becomes a generic memory-less ghost or some kid's spirit guardian. He's practically the guardian of the entire Earth anyway
Of course, him actually dying will take a really long ass time, so he's basically god's intern for now (He already was, but now, it's official. Coffee jelly and various other treats serve as his compensation)
A Guide to Writing Saiki Kusuo in a Relationship as an Aro/Ace Coded Character
First, yes! It's possible!
Starting Point
Saiki's canonical defining trait is that he wants to be left alone; not because he hates people, but because connection and emotional exposure cost him something. Deep down, he's afraid of hurting people.
He is already aro/ace-coded: he is not interested in romance or sex, he finds the concept of love confusing rather than compelling, and his deepest attachments are expressed through protective, self-sacrificial action rather than words or touch.
The Spectrum Matters Here
Aromantic and asexual are their own thing but they are also umbrella terms. Consider where your Saiki sits before you write a single scene. You don't need to label it in the fic, but you should know.
A fully aro Saiki in a QPR (queerplatonic relationship) reads very differently from a demi Saiki who develops something romantic/sexual after bonding with someone.
There's so much more than this, here's some resources:
See Identities on the Aromantic Spectrum
See Identities on the Asexual Spectrum
If you want to keep him close to canon, I go into more detail of where he seems to fall in this post: Is Saiki really aroace?
It just explains that he's asexual, possibly aegoromantic, potentially demiromantic.
The Relationship Exists on His Terms
Saiki doesn't pursue. He tolerates, then allows, then quietly chooses. A relationship with him looks less like courtship and more like someone being gradually un-excluded from his personal space. He will not confess. He will not ask, but he stops pretending he doesn't care.
He'd stopped trying to lose them after the third time. Whether that counted as choosing them, he hadn't decided.
Love Through Action, not Words
Saiki's affection is expressed in what he does, never what he says. He memorizes schedules so he can intercept problems before they happen. He uses his powers on someone's behalf and tells them it was a coincidence. He shows up. These are his "I care about you."
Choosing to sit near someone even when he could sit alone.
Deflecting a bad situation before his partner notices.
Remembering small details (he'd learn everything without saying a word) and quietly adjusting the world around them.
Physical Intimacy
Asexual doesn't mean touch-averse, though Saiki specifically has reasons to be (his superstrength and psychometry).
This is where a lot of in-fighting happens (please don't invalidate anyone's experience), specifically the favorability.
There are asexuals that don't experience attraction, but feel fine performing the act, or don't care either way, or feel completely repulsed. Same with aromantics.
Write with his physical comfort in mind. He'd likely never kiss on the lips as a greeting. And there are ways around that. Kissing anywhere but the lips can also be very intimate. It doesn't even have to be a kiss; it can be touching foreheads or just hugging.
What He Gets from the Relationship
He needs to realize he doesn't have to be alone. A relationship isn't about romance or passion for him; it's about having someone who knows him, doesn't demand he perform "normalcy".
Avoid:
Having him suddenly "realize" he loves them in a rush of feeling
A partner "fixing" his disinterest in romance
Writing his aro/ace traits as coldness or damage
Grand confessions or jealousy
Sex/romance as a catalyst for his character growth
Sexual descriptions in HIS pov
Treating a QPR as lesser than a "real" relationship
Try:
Slow, quiet moments of acknowledgment
His partner learning to read his non-verbal language
Actual communication replacing assumed romance
His internal monologue being introspective, not tortured
The relationship having its own shape, not fitting a template
Describe him being flustered for being accepted the way he is
When something surprises him, he files it, examines it from a distance, and usually concludes it is "not worth addressing." His internal monologue around the relationship should feel the same.
Feelings, in the conventional sense, seemed like a tremendous waste of energy. Whatever this is, the specific irritation of missing their voice at lunch, as opposed to the general irritation of everything.
His voice is not cold. It is precise. There is a difference. He notices things with care; he simply doesn't emote about them.
Types of Attraction
Explore the other attractions. Saiki actually shows aesthetic attraction canonically. He has (nonsexually) said things like Teruhashi is pretty, Rifuta is cute, and commented on some men being handsome. He, for his own reasons, like average looking people.
*I want to add here that a squish is exactly what Saiki wants from Satou. He doesn't have a romantic crush on him or is sexually attracted to his average looks. He has the platonic equivalent of a romantic crush [squish] on Satou. He wants a deep friendship with him.
What makes a QPR distinct (if you go this route, aro/ace)
A queerplatonic relationship sits outside the romantic/friendship binary. It has the commitment of a romantic partnership without necessarily including romantic attraction, platonic. For Saiki, he might, after enough time, be unable to imagine his life without a specific person in it even if he doesn't want them that way.
QPRs often require more explicit conversation than romantic relationships because there's no script. His partner can't assume that a relationship means X. They have to talk terms. The negotiation looks different for each relationship. Cohabitating and not being alone could be the goal. Or going on "dates" without making it into something; best friends go out together, it's like that.
The partner's characterization is just as important as Saiki's. They need to:
Not need him to perform romance in order to feel loved
Understand that his care is real even when it's quiet
Have their own needs and communicate them; he can listen, even if he doesn't always respond as expected
Not "fix" him, but grow alongside him
The best personalities for this kind of fic are ones who are themselves a little unusual; someone who finds conventional romance overhyped, who values stability and presence over declaration, or who simply fell into caring about him before they understood how he works.
If you don't want to go the QPR route, my recommendation is the demi route because it works really well for slow-burn stories. The gray route can be interesting depending on what the condition is. But please understand, QPRs are just as interactively rich; just look at his friendship with Aiura, it's beautiful. Also, you guys are sleeping on Mera; Saiki has a good relationship with her because they are somewhat the same and she doesn't want anything from him.
And let's not forget, there's nothing wrong with exploring friendship.
Example Fics:
Ichigo Ichie (QPR) x fem OC
-> AO3 -> Wattpad
After college, an aro/ace Saiki unexpectedly finds out he's a father and has to decide what he wants to do with that information. It's not as crazy as it sounds.
Your Psychic Prince (ASpec variety) x genderneutral Reader
-> AO3 -> Wattpad
This is a variety of oneshots. He is a bit different in each one, but it's not outright stated what he is.
Color in the Noise (No Romance/ technically a squish) x genderneutral reader
-> AO3 -> Wattpad
Saiki takes interest in the mind of someone with synesthesia.
Crush Culture is Ψ Overrated (Aro/Ace, no relationship)
-> AO3
Saiki's complicated thoughts on romance and attraction and how the girls view him.
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Hopefully this was helpful. Anything I should add?
Edited to include types of attraction and example fics.
Reblogging because I've added so much, it's completely different from the original post, and this icon deserves his spotlight. It's also not just for him, it's a guide for a-spec characters in general.
Saiki without powers having severely bad habits from when he had to defend his secret with his life has a lot of potential. For example:
- he could be a compulsive liar, lying about his interests and keeping secrets to the point where he’ll deny little things that you both know you know about. Could come to head one day when he accidentally lies and says he doesn’t like sweets when ‘everyone knows you like sweets why would you even say that-‘
- we already know he has phobic vulnerability, so I don’t think it would be too out of the ballpark to say Saiki could gain a phobia of both the dark and the quiet. I mean he’s never felt alone before? But now he can’t hear anybody around and that would seriously fuck me up if I were him. Lots of sleepover potential.
- as a result of his powers, he never touches people skin-to-skin if ever at all so it’s basically canon that my boy would be touched starved right? So! HC that he would become extremely clingy and have a difficult time when his powers come back and he can no longer feel comfortable hugging his mother (or friends)
There’s more but I don’t wanna overwhelm y’all with this so,,,
