Bright Love, Dark Heart is a 12-chapter, complete fanfiction for The Disastrous Life of Saiki K., written by Crazy_Pairing_Person on Archive of Our Own. It was first published on February 5th, 2020, and finished on February 7th, 2020.
The plot kicks off with Aiura showing off one of the powers she has - she can use her crystal ball to show how much one person likes another, symbolized by how much light or darkness appears within said ball. She ends up using the crystal ball to see how much Saiki likes Akechi, and the crystal ball lights up so much that it explodes. After this, Aiura wants to try and convince Saiki to confess, but Saiki has his own reasons for not wanting to do so...
It can be read here
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Bright Love, Dark Heart contains examples of:
- Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Although it's said that Saiki did change the timeline in the original manga, it's never said why beyond Asumi having blurted his secret to his bullies. This fic adds a bit more angst into this reasoning.
- The Big Damn Kiss: Downplayed, but Saiki and Akechi share a kiss in the last chapter after getting together.
- Brick Joke: In chapter 6, Saiki attempts to divert the conversation by asking Aiura if she managed to replace the crystal ball that exploded in the first chapter... See Funny Background Event for her response.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Akechi and Saiki are the main focus in this fic, and so this trope naturally applies.
- Contrived Coincidence: The day Aiura chooses to show off her crystal ball's "affection light" also happens to be a day when Akechi is absent due to being sick, allowing Saiki to confess on his own terms.
- Cooldown Hug: In chapter 6, when Saiki is crying, Aiura and Toritsuka both hug him in an attempt to calm him down.
- Easily Forgiven: Akechi has no problems forgiving Saiki for what happened in the original timeline. Justified since, as he points out, he didn't actually experience any of it, although the Asumi from the original timeline also has forgiven him when Saiki goes to check on him.
- Everyone Can See It: Aiura and Toritsuka point out that it's obvious that Akechi returns Saiki's feelings, not realizing that being rejected isn't Saiki's problem.
- First-Name Basis: Akechi asks Saiki to call him by his given name in chapter 3. He's deliriously sick at the time, but doesn't mind Saiki using it when he feels better.
- Foreshadowing: It's subtle, but there's a line in chapter 2 that at first appears to be Aiura thinking directly to Saiki. It's later revealed to be something Asumi asked Saiki in the original timeline.Original-Timeline Asumi: How long will you ignore me?
- Funny Background Event: Apparently, crystal balls are "cancelled" by the time chapter 6 rolls around, most likely because of something Saiki did. Whatever that means, Aiura can't replace her broken one now.
- Heartfelt Apology: Saiki gives one to Akechi in chapter 10, though Akechi points out he didn't experience the events Saiki is apologizing for and so can't really be mad at him for it.
- I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Saiki blames himself for Asumi's death in the original timeline. It's revealed in chapter 11 that Asumi actually survived, though, and Saiki just didn't realize due to changing the timeline so quickly.
- Insecure Love Interest: Saiki doesn't feel worthy of Akechi's love, due to how he thinks he let Akechi die in the original timeline.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: This happens in chapter 2, when the narrator states that Saiki refuses to admit that he's concerned for Akechi even in the narration. Justified considering what the source material for this fanfic is.
- Like Parent, Like Child: Chapter 3 reveals that Akechi gets his talkative nature from his mom.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Even Asumi's bullies felt bad for how far they went in the original timeline.
- My Greatest Failure: The reason Saiki won't ask Akechi out is that he thinks he let Asumi die in the original timeline, and even though he changed the timeline he considers the fact that it happened so horrible that he doesn't deserve Akechi's love.
- Not Quite Dead: Chapter 11 reveals this is the case for original-timeline Asumi.
- Not So Stoic: Chapter 6 has Saiki crying as Aiura and Toritsuka are pressuring him into a love confession (though he doesn't realize he is at first, and has to have it pointed out to him). The final chapter then has him smiling (again without realizing) because he's finally able to let go of his guilt and be with Akechi.
- Oblivious to Love: Averted - Saiki knows that Akechi feels the same way he does, and it's later revealed that Akechi also knows about Saiki's feelings. All of the angst in the story comes from Saiki not wanting to confess due to unrelated reasons.
- Implied with the background ship of Kaido and Nendo - but that too is soon averted. Nendo is well aware he's dating Kaido, he's just... Nendo.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Saiki doesn't want coffee jelly at dinner, his mom picks up that something is wrong. Aiura and Toritsuka also realize that things are more serious than expected when Saiki starts crying while they're trying to pressure him into confessing.
- Shipper on Deck: Aiura wants Saiki to confess to Akechi, and so does Toritsuka when she tells him about the situation. Nendo also offers to invite Akechi with them to get ramen.
- Sick Episode: Akechi is sick for the first four chapters, explaining why he's not at school.
- When She Smiles: In the last chapter, Akechi says that it's been a while since he's seen Saiki's smile, but that it's as beautiful as he remembers. Saiki didn't even realize he was smiling, because it'd been so long that he didn't know what it felt like.
