#pen pals au

[lord-squiggletits]

What do you think Pharma's relationship with flight/his alt-form is?

He's pretty divorced from his flying alt-mode, mainly for internalized Functionism reasons imo. It's not that Pharma has any aspersions towards or fear of flying, but I think because of his alt-mode exemption-- the fact that he literally had to be an exception,that he became a doctor despite being a jet rather than simply being a doctor and a jet-- he distanced himself from his alt-mode at least on a subconscious level because, politically/socially, maintaining his safety and position in society meant that he was forced to play up his "forged medic" half and downplay his "jet" half. It's honestly the only plausible explanation I can come up with to explain Tyrest's "famous for being forged" line bc that's literally the only thing I can think of that would make Pharma famous for being forged and not just for being a doctor.

I'm struggling to find a good, non-offensive allegory, but I'd imagine it's a similar struggle to someone who's biracial, multicultural, multinational, etc: there's always a struggle where people whose existence/identity straddles multiple boundaries always get forced into only being one of those things, not allowed to be multilayered and complex. For Functionist reasons, Pharma can't just be a doctor who turns into a jet, he has to be a Doctor TM and be really good at being a Doctor TM because that's the role/half of himself that society has decided is the most important part. Not only as a matter of prejudice, but that he was literally told "you exist to be a Doctor TM (but actually we could take away your ability to be a doctor at any time)."

So as a result of all that, I actually take Pharma's lack of transforming on-screen in canon and extrapolate that into the headcanon that Pharma rarely transforms/flies in general. For one, it's just because he physically needs to be in root mode to do his job, and his job is basically the only thing he does, ergo he's in root mode basically all the time. And for two, bc of internalized Functionism, Pharma basically distanced himself from his alt-mode and neglected flying as part of his lifestyle. Sort of a defense mechanism of "If I fly too much or enjoy flying recreationally/as a sport, what if someone Notices and decides I make a better jet than doctor."

I actually headcanon that Pharma is shit at flying and very noticeably so, like to the point that other jet alt-modes are like "Dude wtf how can you be forged as a jet and fly this badly." It sucks really badly for Pharma bc it basically then puts him in a position where in the world of the intellectual class, he's otherized as Alt-Mode Exempt TM, but in the world of other jets, he's otherized because he's not freight/military and doesn't have the same lived experiences, skills, culture, etc that other jets do. So unfortunately, Pharma basically lives that mixed kid life of "No matter where I go, I'm always the odd one out because people always notice how I'm Not Fully One Of Them."

[kelpiekidd]

Silly AU idea I'm calling the pen pals AU.

Basically, The Narrator is the deity of stories/storytelling. He has long since been forgotten by the mortals, no longer worshipped by anyone. Stanley accidentally starts writing him letters. This happens because Stanley starts journaling, tucking away what he wrote in an envelope, and burning it. The wires get crossed somehow and the letters start arriving in The Narrator's domain.

The Narrator thinks this is intentional and that these are letters written to him, and is overjoyed he is not completely forgotten. He starts affecting Stanley's daily life in little ways, sometimes big things. Complains about his coworker in a journal entry? Misfortune befalls him. Stanley is clueless to this. Eventually The Narrator starts infiltrating his dreams and speaking to him, and writing stories for him to play out in his dreams. Hijinks and whatnot.

TL;DR Stanley suddenly falls into the odd company of eldritch deities beyond his understanding by accident.

[middlingmay]

Pen pals AU and Oblivious John in the club

Hello :)

The Pen Pals AU is brand spanky new and only really has a premise right now:

Gale never enlisted. Perhaps because of a medical issue or a legal one (both related to his dad), he's ineligible for the armed forces. But at home he works maybe in a munitions factory, or in some other role related to the war effort.

He reads an ad one day about a writing programme looking for volunteers to write letters to servicemen and women overseas who don't have anyone else to write to them. He sees it as another way to help, and signs up.

Bucky meanwhile, hates mail days. He's just reminded that no one at home wants to write to him. Harding tells him about the programme and wants Bucky to sign up to it 'as an example to the boys', and he's reluctant but agrees.

Everyone else who's signed up is excited to get a letter from a pretty girl back home, and John kinda assumes that's who's going to be writing to him: a woman. When he gets a letter from someone called Gale, he's surprised by how much he enjoys reading it, enjoys writing letters back, and anticipates the letters coming in.

A Clegan fall in love over letters AU, essentially!

Oblivious John

Again this is more a premise atm with a few notes scribbled down.

Ever since they became best friends during training, Gale trusted John with his secret - that he's gay. John vowed to keep that secret and Gale safe. He's never bothered too much about who people take to bed, and he's not about to start now.

On some down time (during or after war, can't decide), John agrees to go to a queer club with Gale. Gale sees how much other people can't take their eyes off John, and for someone who was such a hit with the Red Cross girls and women in the dance halls they usually frequent, John just does not realise how much attention he's getting.

Cue Gale having to explain to John when someone's flirting with him and why. AKA: is it gay to admit to your friend that's he's so very hot by explaining that half the room wants to fuck him?

[violet-foxe]

I figured I might as well post some of this here so that I don't have to scroll through a bunch of reading to see them. This is for the penpal au because Alex is adorable.

Link to the penpal au

[ghostlyfleur]

today’s daydream:

signing up for a pen-pal and meeting steve through it. you become best friends, share secrets and dreams and everything about yourselves. a few months in, you exchange pictures. a month later, numbers. he starts asking to facetime. you’re anxious and shy, but for your stevie you’ll try your best. he’s so in love with you, but scared to say it. through your letters and the little gifts you send each other inside the envelopes and the nightly facetime calls, you two confess your love.

just extremely fluffy long distance friends to lovers, you start dating before ever meeting in person. one day, stevie comes to visit you for a week. that’s when you have your first kiss with your stevie. he goes back home and it’s heartbreaking and excruciating, but what you have is worth it.

in the end, you move close to him and live happily ever after.

previously posted on my old acc: june 27, 2023.

[amyisherenowitsokay]

Can we plsplspls get a LITTLE sneaky peaky at the pen pals AU

Just a little tiny weeny peak please 🥺

For you anon, of course <3

I'm copying and pasting instead of my usual method of curated screenshots because I'm being lazy. Here ya go.

Pen Pals AU (Spoilers, obviously) ft. my OC for this fic, Amagda

Word Count: 600ish

“Rumor is it got nastyyyy,” she hummed, pointing his utensil Zim’s way. “I’ve got people who would pay a lot of money to find out how you managed to get a prisoner out from right under the nose of the Massive.”

Zim’s smirk was thin, though no less smug. “You’ll have to offer them some other incentive to spend their monies.”

She deflated. “Aw, come on, Zim. I could send you a percentage. I can be reasonable! How’s 40% sound to you?”

Zim scoffed. That was a laughable deal, and they both knew it. “Terrible,” he replied. “Besides, any creature stupid enough to attempt infiltration without a plan of their own would only end up caught. And when they’re interrogated, who do you think they will point appendages at, hmm?”

Across from him, Amagda paled. “Mm,” she hummed. “Fair enough.”

“You’d do well to keep far from the Armada in the coming rotations,” he warned, idly. A glance her way showed he suddenly had her full attention, even if both of them were feigning a casual disinterest. 

“Noted,” she said simply. Her facade of professionalism didn’t last long. She couldn’t resist shooting him a grin. “For Armada-level trouble, you’re going to need Armada-level weapons.”

He held up a hand, stopping her salesman's pitch in its tracks. As much as he appreciated her company, he was in a rush today. A meal could not be avoided without risking offense, but small talk would need to be kept to a minimum.

“I’m more interested in supplies more suitable for a lengthy journey,” he insisted.

Amagda’s face smoothed. Business was the only thing she took seriously. “We’re talking fuel, medical supplies, refurbishments, rations, the works?”

He nodded. “Among other things. What do you have in way of comforts?”

Her brow rose slowly. “Comforts.”

Zim only offered a nod, doing his best to keep a straight face. He already dreaded the oncoming reaction. It was best to suffer through it with as little of a reaction on his end as possible. With any luck, she’d run out of steam quicker that way.

“Uh,” she frowned, mulling the request over. “In a ship like yours? Assuming you didn’t want to waste time with more extensive upgrades?” He nodded. After a lengthy pause that clearly indicated she was waiting for him to elaborate, her expression began to sour. “I’m going to need more direction here, Zim.”

He steepled his fingers, drumming the pads of his fingers against one another. “Hypothetically speaking,” he began. 

Across from him, Amagda visibly perked. Hypotheticals was a favorite game of theirs. Admitting to something without ever admitting you knew. Pointless, but it often managed to get him what he needed without excessive prying. 

“Hypothetically speaking,” he repeated. “Let’s say I have a guest.”

“A guest,” she said slowly, but her eyes were bright with interest. “Hypothetically speaking, this guest might be . . .?”

“Someone of significance,” he supplied. “Fragiler than most bipedal creatures, and ill used to space travel.”

Amagda’s grin began to stretch wide. “Hypothetically speaking,” she nearly purred. “Would you also be interested in materials that might aid in a . . . personal acquaintanceship with one another?”

Zim pointedly kept his mouth shut, only offering a smile.

Her palms smacked together gleefully. “And here I was, worrying a psychopath like you would stay on the market forever. What a dunce I am!”

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

i still think the funniest and most mortifying thing that can happen in any sort of bantr/"oops we started talking online not knowing we knew each other irl" scenario for tedependent is trent admitting he has a crush on ted in any capacity. this goes both ways but it's funnier for trent especially if it's like "hm, name a celebrity crush". you're talking to some stranger online and you're really vibing with them, they're really nice and smart and they make you laugh and listen to you and you like them a lot and then you ask them a silly get to know you question like "what's your celebrity crush" and they say Your Fucking Name. what is ted even supposed to do with that. is it unethical to not say anything? but also saying something would be the most awkward possible thing you could do, especially if they think you're messing with them. and then they follow it up with a defensive "i have actually met him! he really is that nice and handsome in person!" and ted's just putting his head in his hands. on one hand this is incredibly flattering and kind of sweet? on the other hand oh what the fuck

[impyssadobsessions]

DPxDC idea/prompt Pen Pals

(Probably more idea but you can run with the concept... im so srry XD) Basically Danny and Damian are pen pals- until Damian receives a letter with Lazarus Water and Blood smeared on the page.

WHAT IF Danny and Damian were pen pals before Danny's accident. A school project for 8th grade. Damian was reluctant to participate but due to it being a grade and being pestered by his siblings that he would just scare the kid off anyways, he deciding to partake in this pen pal. Danny whose not suffering at school, just living a normal life at the moment, is being teased by Dash saying his pen pal could smell loser before even opening the letter. Asking Danny if his parents even let him open the letter or blast it thinking its a ghost. Which makes Danny who wasn't into this idea of writing a stranger more determined to do it. Besides they might only get one letter and teachers drop the subject. They might not even get it. So what the heck. Turns out they become the only ones that constantly wrote each other- even mailing it in person once the school ended the program. (Damian having a post box set up for letters)

At first it was awkward. Danny commented/asking if Damian really was their age or some teacher pretending to write back instead of sending out the letters. If so. He sucks at it because what kid writes perfectly grammar letters and big words to convey something is cool. Guess its better than pretending he knows slang. Damian furious writes back, offended! Also asks if he isn't younger, because everyone with basic english should know to capitalize their letters! This goes back and fourth. Danny writing back every chance he got, and Damian doing the same, even being told not to at the dinner table. It goes from offended at each other to being curious. Danny asking Damian more advice on english because it isn't his favorite subject. Damian asking more about how to sound like his age. Then it devolves to animals. Danny wishing he had one, but his parents didn't want one getting into the lab. Damian happily sending picture of his animals. Danny talking more about the stars.. etc. Until Accident happens- Danny starts having trouble writing the letters. His pen with phase through his hand and replies between them got longer. Danny justifying this by saying he's having trouble with schooling this year. Damian also been unable to send as many replies because he's been busy with teen titans and other heroics. Though he's encouraging Danny saying Danny is far smarter than that school even is aware of. Until one day, after months of not being able to reply. He finds Damian's letter again. It makes him feel better. Even if Damian didn't know him... this person still believes in Danny... Though Danny feels guilty about it- it compels him to write him again. He was about to finish the letter when he gets blasted by a ghost. He returns from the fight, beaten and bloody. He picks up the letter and sighs at the green stain left on it. Folding it up he stuffs it into his bag. Next day after hurrying off to school, his mother finds the letter after it had fallen on the floor. She read a little bit of it and immediately recognize it was to Danny's penpal. She takes the opportunity to try her knew anti-ecto spray and mails it for Danny. "Boy just like his father. So messy. I'll have to give him a lecture about ecto-contamination again." Damian just returned from a mission from Teen Titans, been gone for three months. Alfred informs Damian he had received a letter from his anonymous pen pal in his absence. Damian had almost forgotten about the pen pal- thinking his pal just didn't want to answer anymore. So eagerly he goes to his room to open the letter, but immediately blood drain from his face as his eyes zoomed back the feathery ink to the green blotch of lazurus water.. having almost evaporated.. leaving a water stain that glowed... and more importantly.. the human specks of blood that was revealed with the driest parts of the stain. Damian immediately rushes to the cave.. only to find out his paranoia was right.... and was it his fault his friend was harmed? Also the idea of Damian talking to Phantom in his robin suit. Asking how Daniel Fenton was.. and Phantom surprised and slips out a "Alive as much as he's dead." Damian glaring and Phantom corrects, "He's fine. He has parents that are ghost hunters is all." Stressing his situation complicated. Phantom just so shocked his pen pal is a hero- annnnd also cursing his mom for sending a letter like that. HE KNEW IT WOULD SEND IMPLICATIONS!

but idk if I figured out a good way for Damian to see the smeared letter. I just think it be fun. Also Damian thinking he's to blame for league going after the fentons when he wasn't. At least not as early as he thought. He's very focused on saving/protecting Danny Fenton.. which makes Phantom's job harder.

[lord-squiggletits]

For all my Pay Unto Evil readers who also like Tarnma/are interested in reading Tarnma, regular IDW universe Roaders is actually going to make a cameo in the Pen Pals AU fic when I actually write it

[violet-foxe]

Oo! Oo!

And Gerald is a lawyer, so he knows the law well enough to fight for Phantom's custody!

There is two ways this can go. Either, they don't know about Danny's human half, and he gets adopted by this lovely little family anyway, with little shenanigans in covering up his secrets,

Or they figure out that Phantom is Fenton! And they fight Jack and Maddie for custody over child neglect, child endangerment (for multiple reasons), child murder, child abuse, and much more. They ain't getting out of this one.

But for both:

Gerald, when he realizes that the Fenton's and the GIW are such a big problem because of the Anti-Ecto acts, tries to appeal to the court that it is unconstitutional because ghosts are mislabeled as non sentient, and even if they weren't sentient, they should still be protected by animal acts at the very least. Because if ghosts are considered animals, what the GIW and the Fenton's are doing is animal cruelty.

Also, since many ghosts are sentient, and can be proven sentient or at least intelligent with turing tests, and other sentience tests.

And just for funsies, their last name is nightingale because they are long loss many times removed cousins of Danny related all the way back to John Fenton-Nightingale or whatever his name is. That's just so cute to me

Evelyn, Gerald, and Alex Nightingale

Real quick, I just want to say that Danny Phantom only being seen during ghost fights is a little funny because imagine there being this ghost kid in your town defending everyone and himself from other ghosts who are almost always bigger than him, but as soon as he notices someone nearby or someone tries to talk to him, he vanishes and runs away. A lot of people think he had social anxiety or something when he was alive, or maybe he’s scared of humans because of ghost hunters, so most people don’t go looking for him.

One day a kid decides to leave a note at a park. The note was for Phantom, thanking him for saving a relative of the kid’s. To everyone’s surprise, Phantom leaves a reply for the next day. Here’s an example.

To Phantom,

Thank you so so so so so much for saving my dad today!!! I was so scared that he was going to get really really hurt, but you saved him!!! Mom and dad both say you don’t like talking to people because there are bad people who want to hurt you, so I’m leaving you this note! I hope you see it! Oh, and my mom and dad say thanks too!! I hope you have an amazing day and stay safe from the bad people!!

From Alex

To Alex,

Your very welcome! Honestly, I was scared your dad was going to get hurt too, but I’m glad to hear he’s doing well now. It’s true, there are bad people, but I’m happy that there are also good people who appreciate me trying to help. Thank you for not trying to find me and instead leaving the note. I appreciate it! Hope you have a great day too!

P.S. Would you mind keeping this letter between you and your parents please? Reading this really warmed my heart core, but I really don’t want to suddenly have a ton of notes all over the park. I might be so busy trying to reply, I probably won’t get any sleep. And yes, some ghosts do need sleep.

From Phantom

[minty364]

DPXDC Prompt #88

Danny and Damian are twins but they get separated at age 7, years later when they’re both 14 they both are going to high school and their schools decide to create a program where they wind up as pen pals to each other unknowing that they’re talking too each other as it’s been set up to be anonymous. Danny decides to take a leap of faith and encrypts a message about the media blackout around his town and how they’re overrun with ghosts and could use the Justice Leagues help through out all of his letters knowing that very few could actually understand it but he just felt so tired and this was the only way he could think to get any help for his town.

Damian just wonders who exactly his pen pal is to encrypt these letters like this.

[pinksiames]

We the best🔥‼️ me and @clevenhq doing another one

But this time prison pen pals!!

Gale who saw an ad in the paper about writing to inmates at the local prison, giving reasons on why it helps them rehabilitate by talking to people that aren’t family, how it helps them still feel connected to the outside world. With nothing better to do Gale does down the list of names, skimming past a few until reaching John “Bucky” Egan - incarcerated for aggravated assault and Manslaughter.

It immediately peaks gales interest, so he writes out his letter, listing his name, hobbies, what he enjoyed doing day to day, and small pieces of information about himself such as his eye color and hair color. He sends it off the same day and gets one back addressed to Buck a few days later, confused at the name and thinking it was mail for someone else until he opened it up, realizing that it was his pen pal Bucky who had given him his own name as a nickname.

He tells Gale how it’s been hard not having someone to write back to, how lonely it gets in his cell when mail call comes. He’s light on the details on why he got locked up but from what Gale gathered the dude he accidentally killed deserved it. So they keep writing, week after week telling each other news, stories, bits and pieces of information, and at about the 5 month mark of them talking Bucky asks Gale to come down and visit him, putting his name down as a visitor. So Gale goes and visits.

Practically shaking the whole way there because he’s about to meet a man who killed another because he laid his hands on his little sister. Once inside and led back to the visitation room he sits down, leg bouncing anxiously since he’s never seen Bucky and buckys never seen him. Never felt comfortable sending a photo in with his letters, but his jaw is on the floor seeing this huge bear sized man come walking down, huge arms, broad shoulders, thick legs, just overall BIG, but then he looks up at his face and hes got the biggest puppy dog smile on his face before sitting down, shoulders almost touching both sides of the little box.

“Bucky?”

“Buck?”

“You know it’s Gale”

“Yea but what kind of name is Gale, so I just gave you mine since I can’t give you my last name yet”

And then it turns into Buck visiting every week, still sending letters to each other but it grows from friendship to relationship, flirting more and more, Gale slipping “special” photos in, and Bucky talks about Gale constantly to the point the other inmates know him, sneaking peaks during visiting hours. And the day finally comes and buckys let out on parole and the sex is ROUGH, on the counters, on the floor, bed, couch, patio, everywhere they can. They kiss and touch each other like it could be their last, Bucky practically manhandling the man every chance he gets, gales very happy he read the ad in the paper that day

[sev-on-kamino]

Why am I cracking up and crying?!

This is amazing!!!

Boil suggesting groin kicks immediately is a riot to me just 🤣🤣🤣

And her crying and breaking her bank? 😭 Omg this was just perfect in every way 🥺🥰

Star Wars AU where everything is the same, except the Jedi are worried that their men aren't making bonds with people who aren't Jedi or their brothers, so they create a pen-pal program.

And the senate is like "Ehh..."

And the Jedi are basically, "lol, who's gonna stop us?"

So the Clones start getting letters. And then videos. And then physical gifts. And the next thing you know the senate is getting inundated with furious letters about the mistreatment of the clones.

And then some enterprising young thing marries her clone pen pal, and demands rights and payment.

And Palpatine's response is a Galaxy wide announcement that he isn't going to change anything about the Clones status.

And the people who now consider the Clones friends and loved ones, just say, "I think the fuck not." They demand their senators oust him.

And if it doesn't work, they replace their senators.

Meanwhile, the Jedi are watching this with bemused expressions, while they prepare for the seven weddings that they have to attend in the next week.

[itsbasil]

"Joint Assignment"

Alphabet Team is used to hosting strange bedfellows. When one of your Spartans is pen pals with a Sangheili sellsword, things tend to work out like that.

[orion-kenobi]

I wish Daniel had gotten to interact with Teyla or Ronon the few times he went to Atlantis. He would’ve loved learning about their cultures. We were robbed 

[parvuls]

I know I keep dropping random au ideas everywhere like a trail of breadcrumbs, but listen, I just had this thought:

bitty is a single dad to a six-year-old kid. and this kid is, uh, bitty's kid? and therefore has big brown eyes and an adorable little nose and also killer adhd. it was honestly a constant battle to get them to work on their writing/reading skills through first grade.

but that summer the kid goes to summer camp for the first time, and comes back smiley and sun-burnt and telling bitty all about mr. z, who is apparently now one of their favorite people and also somehow got bitty's kid to sit down and read at camp. possibly by using magic, because bitty has certainly tried bribe before (to no avail).

so when bitty's kid begs him for help writing letters to mr. z over the school year... well. it's in bitty's best parenting interest to say yes, isn't it?