#yuletide letter 2019

[liminal-zone]

DEAR YULETIDE WRITER LETTER 2023

IT’S A YULETIDE LETTER. IT’S YULETIDE 2023, BAYBEEE. LET’S FUCKING GO.

2008. 2009. 2010. 2011. 2012. 2013. 2014. 2015. 2016. 2017. 2018. 2019. 

HIIII. I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU. It’s yuletide; it’s the best time of the year. I’ve been gone for a minute but I’m back, baybeee, back with the matrix fandom amongst others. So let’s fucking go! Thank you thank you and thank you.

Likes (generally): I love kisses and angst and smut and darkfic and tension and hurt/comfort and a good adventure and heroism and sacrifice. I love every flavor of sexuality. I love women in dominant roles (including but not limited to domme). I prefer fics in canon or canon divergence. I enjoy the following kinks: enemies to lovers, sex pollen/fuck or die, Stockholm syndrome, voyeurism, fingering, conditioning. Dubcon and non-con and dead dove is always welcome (pls tag it).

Dislikes (generally): Watersports, scat; omegaverse; mpreg/pregnancy/breeding; submissive female characters; domestic fluff; kid fic and curtains; mundane AUs; super sugar ending; hurt no/comfort or utter hopelessness or despair as the final beat of the story (beloved in the opening or middle of a story!)

It’s Yuletide, baybeee, so if you want to write any of these prompts fully gen: I’m so happy to read it!!

THE PROMPTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Matrix (Movies)

Trinity 

If you could please write me a character study of Trinity; dig deep into the character and show me something vulnerable and new and wonderful about her. 

My favorite things about Trinity: she is powerful, vulnerable, steadfast, competent, anxious, loyal, brave, and a twinge of cunt. She’s my favorite character ever; a touchstone, a rock, an icon. Tell me a story about Trinity. 

If the muse strikes, feel free to ship her with Neo, Ghost, Switch, Bane, or Groff!Smith. 

Very emotional that The Matrix is a YT fandom for perhaps one reprise since ffn.net fics were thrown out re: eligibility. I’m a historied Matrix fandom old; this is bittersweet to be eligible again perhaps one last time. Hi, I love you, Matrix fandom <3

The Wheel of Time (TV)

Lanfear 

If you could please write me a character study of Lanfear; dig deep into the character and show me something vulnerable and new and wonderful about her. 

My favorite things about Lanfear: she is powerful, vulnerable, terrifying, terrible, cruel, full of desire, and that she’s a complete cunt. She makes my heart flutter. Tell me a story about Lanfear. 

If the muse strikes, feel free to ship her with Lews, Rand, Moiraine, Moggy, or Ishamael. I don’t mind book spoilers!

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV 2022)

Galadriel | Artanis 

If you could please write me a character study of Galadriel; dig deep into the character and show me something vulnerable and new and wonderful about her. 

My favorite things about Galadriel: she is powerful, vulnerable, terrifying, terrible, kind, and sometimes a bit cunt. She’s the dom femme of my life currently. Tell me a story about Galadriel. 

If the muse strikes, feel free to ship her with Sauron, Gandalf, or Celeborn. 

IDK how TROP was eligible this year, but LFG.

Chronicles of Narnia (Movies)

Edmund Pevensie

Lucy Pevensie

Bless my problematic heart but I really want an Edmund/Lucy fic, like. In that way. Any canon era (I am partial to HHB). 

If that’s too rich for your blood, forgive me, and write me a non ship duet about them. I WILL LOVE ANY FIC WITH THEM CODEPENDENT. 

My favorite things about them together is that they are complementary; he is tainted and a spymaster and Jadis marked him, she is blessed and valiant and Aslan marked her. Tell me a story about Edmund and Lucy Pevensie. 

If the muse strikes, and you need alt ships: throw in Caspian for either, and I have a soft spot for Lucy/Tumnus or Lucy/any woman. Edmund/Jadis is my true love.

A bit emotional that Narnia films are a YT fandom for perhaps one reprise since ffn.net fics were thrown out re: eligibility. LFG.

Willow (TV 2022) 

Elora Danan

Jade Claymore 

Kit Tanthalos

I am desperate to see Jade evolving into Elora’s General Kael; a glorious mirror of her father as a warrior, a leader, and an absolute terror. 

Background (or foreground) Jade/Kit is wonderful, and mixing Elora in there is great if you enjoy that too! My favorite thing about Jade Claymore is that she’s surprise the new General Kael and I’m so obsessed with that concept. 

Dune (2021)

Duncan Idaho 

Paul Atreides

Bless my problematic heart but I really want an Duncan/Paul fic, like. In that way. 

My preference is for the film character dynamic transposed into a book spoiler (so if you know it - that’s my dream; I’d love to see that), and I would also love something messy in current film canon.  

If that’s too rich for your blood, forgive me, and write me a non ship duet about them. I WILL LOVE ANY FIC WITH THEM CODEPENDENT. My favorite things about them together is that Duncan is so loyal (and for what?) and Paul is so needy for that loyalty (and soon, for what?). 

If the muse strikes, and you need alt ships: I also adore me some Duncan/Leto and Paul/Chani. 

//

Xoxoxo love you forever!

[brookston]

Holidays 12.17

Holidays

Accession Day (Bahrain)

Australian Christmas (in “Team Fortress 2”)

Clean Air Day

Cork Day (French Republic)

Day of Ancient Briton

Declaration of the Rights of Peasants Anniversary Day

Depp Movie Night

Druk Gyalpo National Day (Bhutan)

Flag Day (Kurdistan)

International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers

International Jewish Book Day [5th Day of Tevet]

International Talk with a Fake British Accent Day

John Greenleaf Whittier Day

Kurdish Flag Day

Loki’s Birthday

MegaMan Day

National Day (Bahrain, Bhutan, Qatar)

National Device Appreciation Day

National Heroes and Heroines Day (Anguilla)

National Pensioners Day (India)

Pan American Aviation Day

Revolution and Youth Day (Tunisia)

The Simpsons Day

Sow Day (Orkney Islands)

Take a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking

Wright Brothers Day

Yuletide Lad #6 arrives (Askasleikir or Bowl-Licker; Iceland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Cookie Cutter Day

National Growler Day [dates varies]

National Maple Syrup Day

3rd Sunday in December

Hammock Day (Australia) [3rd Sunday]

Hang the Mistletoe Day [3rd Sunday]

3rd Sunday in Advent [2nd Sunday before Xmas] (a.k.a. ... 

Advent Sunday

Detinjci (Serbia)

Gaudete Sunday

Joy Sunday

Rose Sunday

Zoology Day [3rd Sunday]

Independence Days

Altavia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

El Dorado (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Ellesmere (Declared; 2018) [unrecognized]

Zenrax (Declared; 1999) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Barbaras (Christian; Saint)

Begga (Christian; Saint)

Bergmann (Positivist; Saint)

Daniel the Prophet (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Babalu Aye (Healer of Deadly Diseases; Yoruba/Santeria)

Feast of the Fairy Godmothers

Hagoita Ichi (Sensoji Temple, Japan)

Josep Manyanet i Vives (Christian; Saint)

Lazarus of Bethany (Cuba; Christian; Saint)

Little Bird (Muppetism)

Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tag Bahadur Ji (Punjab, India)

Martyrdom of Hazrat Fatemeh (Iran)

Olympias the Deaconess (Christian; Saint)

O Sapientia (1st O Antiphon or Great Advent Antiphon; Christian) [O Wisdom; 1 of 7]

Paul Cadmus (Artology)

Paul César Helleu (Artology)

Procession of Agnios Dionysios (Greece)

Wivina (Christian; Saint)

Sacco & Vanzetti Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Saturnalia begins (Ancient Rome) [thru 12.23]

Saturnalia Day 1: Day of Saturn (Pagan)

Sloth Day (Pastafarian)

Sturm (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Friday the 17th (Unlucky Day; Italy) [Friday the 17th]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [32 of 32]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

All That Glitters or Baby, It’s Gold Outside (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 239; 1963)

An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser (Novel; 1925)

Behind the Green Door (Adult Film; 1972)

Boris Wheels and Deals or A Profit Without Honor (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 240; 1963)

Bosko’s Woodland Daze (WB LT Cartoon; 1932)

Chicken Little (Disney Cartoon; 1943)

Count Me Out (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

The Dark Crystal (Film; 1982)

Diamonds Are Forever (US Film; 1971) [James Bond #7]

The Front Page (Film; 1974)

Heart of a Dog, by Mikhail Bulgakov (Novel; 1925)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Film; 2014) [Hobbit #3]

Hunky Dory, by David Bowie (Album; 1971)

King Kong (Film; 1976)

Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight (Short Story; 1938)

Laughter in the Dark, by Vladimir Nabokov (Novel; 1932)

Life on Mars, by David Bowie (Song; 1971)

Lighter Than Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1960)

Magnolia (Film; 1999)

The Man Who Would Be King (Film; 1975)

Monster (Film; 2003)

Mother/Android (Film; 2021)

A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (TV Special; 2008)

Nightmare Alley (Film; 2021)

Pappy’s Puppy (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Porky the Gob (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

Rabid Rider (WB LT Cartoon; 2010)

Radio, Radio, by Elvis Costello, performed live on SNL instead of the approved Less Than Zero, getting himself banned (Song; 1977)

The Return of the King (Film; 2003) [Lord of the Rings #3]

The Simpsons (Animated TV Series; 1989)

Sleeper (Film; 1973)

Spanglish (Film; 2004)

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Film; 2021)

The Stand (TV Mini-Series; 2020)

Stuart Little (Film; 1999)

Symphony No. 8 (a.k.a. the Unfinished Symphony), by Franz Schubert (Symphony; 1865)

The Tender Bar (Film; 2021)

Tobacco Road, by Erskine Caldwell (Novel; 1932)

Tootsie (Film; 1982)

Trail of the Pink Panther (Film; 1982)

Iron: Legacy (Film; 2010)

The Wanting Seed, by Anthony Burgess (Novel; 1962)

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (Film; 1989)

Wind & Wuthering, by Genesis (Album; 1976)

Yes Man (Film; 2008)

Yogi Bear (Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Jolanda, Lazarus, Viviana (Austria)

Dana, Danail, Danaila, Daniela (Bulgaria)

Hijacint, Lazar, Modest (Croatia)

Daniel (Czech Republic)

Albina (Denmark)

Rahel, Raili (Estonia)

Raakel (Finland)

Adélaïde, Gaël, Judicaël, Olympe (France)

Jolanda, Lazarus, Viviana (Germany)

Daniel, Dionysis, Iakhos (Greece)

Lázár, Olimpia (Hungary)

Lazzaro (Italy)

Brunhilde, Hilda, Teiksma (Latvia)

Drovydė, Jolanta, Mantgailas, Olimpija (Lithuania)

Inga, Inge (Norway)

Florian, Jolanta, Łazarz, Olimpia, Warwara, Żyrosław (Poland)

Daniel (Romania)

Varvara (Russia)

Kornélia (Slovakia)

Lázaro, Yolanda (Spain)

Stig (Sweden)

Daniel (Ukraine)

Eleazar, Lazar, Lazaro, Lazarus, Olympia, Orval, Orville, Storm, Stormie, Stormy, Wilbert, Wilberta, Wilbur (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 351 of 2024; 14 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 50 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 20 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 5 (Ji-You)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 5 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 4 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 21 Zima; Sevenday [21 of 30]

Julian: 4 December 2023

Moon: 28%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 15 Bichat (13th Month) [Bergmann]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 7 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 85 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 26 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 12.17

Holidays

Accession Day (Bahrain)

Australian Christmas (in “Team Fortress 2”)

Clean Air Day

Cork Day (French Republic)

Day of Ancient Briton

Declaration of the Rights of Peasants Anniversary Day

Depp Movie Night

Druk Gyalpo National Day (Bhutan)

Flag Day (Kurdistan)

International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers

International Jewish Book Day [5th Day of Tevet]

International Talk with a Fake British Accent Day

John Greenleaf Whittier Day

Kurdish Flag Day

Loki’s Birthday

MegaMan Day

National Day (Bahrain, Bhutan, Qatar)

National Device Appreciation Day

National Heroes and Heroines Day (Anguilla)

National Pensioners Day (India)

Pan American Aviation Day

Revolution and Youth Day (Tunisia)

The Simpsons Day

Sow Day (Orkney Islands)

Take a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking

Wright Brothers Day

Yuletide Lad #6 arrives (Askasleikir or Bowl-Licker; Iceland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Cookie Cutter Day

National Growler Day [dates varies]

National Maple Syrup Day

3rd Sunday in December

Hammock Day (Australia) [3rd Sunday]

Hang the Mistletoe Day [3rd Sunday]

3rd Sunday in Advent [2nd Sunday before Xmas] (a.k.a. ... 

Advent Sunday

Detinjci (Serbia)

Gaudete Sunday

Joy Sunday

Rose Sunday

Zoology Day [3rd Sunday]

Independence Days

Altavia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

El Dorado (Declared; 2007) [unrecognized]

Ellesmere (Declared; 2018) [unrecognized]

Zenrax (Declared; 1999) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Barbaras (Christian; Saint)

Begga (Christian; Saint)

Bergmann (Positivist; Saint)

Daniel the Prophet (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Babalu Aye (Healer of Deadly Diseases; Yoruba/Santeria)

Feast of the Fairy Godmothers

Hagoita Ichi (Sensoji Temple, Japan)

Josep Manyanet i Vives (Christian; Saint)

Lazarus of Bethany (Cuba; Christian; Saint)

Little Bird (Muppetism)

Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tag Bahadur Ji (Punjab, India)

Martyrdom of Hazrat Fatemeh (Iran)

Olympias the Deaconess (Christian; Saint)

O Sapientia (1st O Antiphon or Great Advent Antiphon; Christian) [O Wisdom; 1 of 7]

Paul Cadmus (Artology)

Paul César Helleu (Artology)

Procession of Agnios Dionysios (Greece)

Wivina (Christian; Saint)

Sacco & Vanzetti Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Saturnalia begins (Ancient Rome) [thru 12.23]

Saturnalia Day 1: Day of Saturn (Pagan)

Sloth Day (Pastafarian)

Sturm (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Friday the 17th (Unlucky Day; Italy) [Friday the 17th]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [32 of 32]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

All That Glitters or Baby, It’s Gold Outside (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 239; 1963)

An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser (Novel; 1925)

Behind the Green Door (Adult Film; 1972)

Boris Wheels and Deals or A Profit Without Honor (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 240; 1963)

Bosko’s Woodland Daze (WB LT Cartoon; 1932)

Chicken Little (Disney Cartoon; 1943)

Count Me Out (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

The Dark Crystal (Film; 1982)

Diamonds Are Forever (US Film; 1971) [James Bond #7]

The Front Page (Film; 1974)

Heart of a Dog, by Mikhail Bulgakov (Novel; 1925)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Film; 2014) [Hobbit #3]

Hunky Dory, by David Bowie (Album; 1971)

King Kong (Film; 1976)

Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight (Short Story; 1938)

Laughter in the Dark, by Vladimir Nabokov (Novel; 1932)

Life on Mars, by David Bowie (Song; 1971)

Lighter Than Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1960)

Magnolia (Film; 1999)

The Man Who Would Be King (Film; 1975)

Monster (Film; 2003)

Mother/Android (Film; 2021)

A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (TV Special; 2008)

Nightmare Alley (Film; 2021)

Pappy’s Puppy (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Porky the Gob (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

Rabid Rider (WB LT Cartoon; 2010)

Radio, Radio, by Elvis Costello, performed live on SNL instead of the approved Less Than Zero, getting himself banned (Song; 1977)

The Return of the King (Film; 2003) [Lord of the Rings #3]

The Simpsons (Animated TV Series; 1989)

Sleeper (Film; 1973)

Spanglish (Film; 2004)

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Film; 2021)

The Stand (TV Mini-Series; 2020)

Stuart Little (Film; 1999)

Symphony No. 8 (a.k.a. the Unfinished Symphony), by Franz Schubert (Symphony; 1865)

The Tender Bar (Film; 2021)

Tobacco Road, by Erskine Caldwell (Novel; 1932)

Tootsie (Film; 1982)

Trail of the Pink Panther (Film; 1982)

Iron: Legacy (Film; 2010)

The Wanting Seed, by Anthony Burgess (Novel; 1962)

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (Film; 1989)

Wind & Wuthering, by Genesis (Album; 1976)

Yes Man (Film; 2008)

Yogi Bear (Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Jolanda, Lazarus, Viviana (Austria)

Dana, Danail, Danaila, Daniela (Bulgaria)

Hijacint, Lazar, Modest (Croatia)

Daniel (Czech Republic)

Albina (Denmark)

Rahel, Raili (Estonia)

Raakel (Finland)

Adélaïde, Gaël, Judicaël, Olympe (France)

Jolanda, Lazarus, Viviana (Germany)

Daniel, Dionysis, Iakhos (Greece)

Lázár, Olimpia (Hungary)

Lazzaro (Italy)

Brunhilde, Hilda, Teiksma (Latvia)

Drovydė, Jolanta, Mantgailas, Olimpija (Lithuania)

Inga, Inge (Norway)

Florian, Jolanta, Łazarz, Olimpia, Warwara, Żyrosław (Poland)

Daniel (Romania)

Varvara (Russia)

Kornélia (Slovakia)

Lázaro, Yolanda (Spain)

Stig (Sweden)

Daniel (Ukraine)

Eleazar, Lazar, Lazaro, Lazarus, Olympia, Orval, Orville, Storm, Stormie, Stormy, Wilbert, Wilberta, Wilbur (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 351 of 2024; 14 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 50 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 20 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 5 (Ji-You)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 5 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 4 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 21 Zima; Sevenday [21 of 30]

Julian: 4 December 2023

Moon: 28%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 15 Bichat (13th Month) [Bergmann]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 7 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 85 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 26 of 30)

[swimthroughthefires]

Yuletide Letter Placeholder

Yuletide requests + favorite tropes below

Werewolf By Night

Elsa x Jack

Werewolf x Werewolf hunter is a criminally underused trope IMHO.

I loved how much tropey deliciousness we got in just 60 minutes with werewolf by night - trapped together while the werewolf transformed, recognizing your love interest while transformed… A++

I'd love a post-movie fic with more of those vibes.

(And this is very optional but… I won't say no to some knotting…)

Wheel of Time (TV)

Lan Mandragoran x Nynaeve al'Meara

I found their relationship a lot of fun. I liked that Nyneave is clearly very smart and has a lot of experience… except with feelings (especially her own).

Also it was not lost on me that if Lan was ever restored… and married Nynaeve…. she would be a princess. Which I think Nynaeve would scoff at and then be really good at.

Normally I am not interested in kid!fic but after what Nynaeve went through in the arches I would love to see her and Lan have a daughter and live happily ever after.

Charlie's Angels (2019)

Jane, Sabina, Elena

I ship Sabina/Jane but wanted to add Elena in case you, Dear Author, are interested in writing a mission fic and/or something gen.

I really love Sabina/Jane. I think they have a very classic by-the-book serious person/much more creative, bohemian person (and it's super sexy when it's two lady spies).

Jane and Sabina getting together, them as an established couple going on missions, a lazy day off I'm interested in it all – whatever you like.

That said? Sabina smacking her own ass with that crop? Made me REALLY want a Jane/Sabina fic where Jane spanks/uses a crop on Sabina.

Scholomance - Naomi Novik

El, Orion, Gwen

I would love to see El and Orion post series hunting Maw-Mouths across the world together - I really enjoyed the stable but "the adventure continues" ending of the series.

I'd also be interested in an AU where they both make it out at graduation and Orion goes off to Wales to find El. When El and Orion were at the end of The Last Graduate I was really hoping for "Orion shows up at the commune, Gwen has to deal with the golden boy of New York City Enclave who is in love with her would-make-a-great-dark-sorcerous daughter."

Also please no pregnancy/kids.

Some of my favorite tropes in general if you're looking for additional inspiration:

drunk kissing they both enjoyed but neither admits because they don't think the other feels the same way"

the “this is your house I’m not making you sleep on the couch” “yeah but you’re the guest you take the bed” conversation between ur otp right before they share the bed reblog if u agree

Enemies to lovers

Praise kink

Clothes sharing

Helping someone dress or undress

Friends to Lovers

Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Fake Dating/Fake Marriage Accidentally Turns Into Feelings

Soulmate Identifying Marks (Tattoo, Red Thread of Fate, etc)

Seemingly Unrequited Pining

‘Falling For A Coworker/Teammate Is A Bad Idea’ Except This Is Fiction So It Works Out

And They Were Roommates!

Hurt/Comfort

Amnesia Fic

Accidentally Fell In Love With The Mission Target

Snowed-In Cabin/Isolated Together For Extended Period of Time

Found Families

Bed sharing

fuck to get over my (our?) feelings

PWP

Date to a wedding

Secret romance/sneaking around

shower/bath sex

naked cuddling for warmth

Sexy sparring

Greencard marriage

when a character gets wounded and they go to their love interest for help and while they’re getting their injuries cleaned and patched up they flinch from the sting of the antiseptic and their love interest says “hold still” in an exasperated but touchingly concerned tone of voice and then they accidentally make eye contact or brush hands and just freeze in that position until the tension in the room is nearly unberable before both looking away and pretending the unspoken thing that just passed between them never happened

Undercover as couple

Sex sparring

i just saw a thing on fb like ‘does somebody wanna be fake engaged to me for like 2 hours to try free wedding cake samples’ and im just…………………imagine ur otp 

Sex pollen

Trapped in an elevator/snowed in/mineshaft

witch/werewolf au

hurt/comfort

favorite mini trope is “oh no danger is coming we must press ourselves against each other in this confined space” followed by “the danger has passed yet we’re still like this (awkward silence)”

[mystarsandmyocean]

Yuletide letter 2019

yuletide letter 2019

Dearest author,

Thank you for writing a wonderful gift for me! I am so, so looking forward to this year’s Yuletide. It’s been a year of highs and lows and sheer ridiculousness, so I’m eager to end on a fandom-tastic note!

Regarding my letter, please feel free to view the following requests as more guidelines than demands (with the exception of my DNWs!). The best wishes are the ones for which you don’t even ask, so I am guaranteed to love whatever you write!

Likes:

Ladies! All the lady love. Female characters, female friendship, complicated female relationships, I love them all. I know my requested fandoms are more romance heavy, so I wanted to make clear that as much as I love the lovin’; the lady loves gotta come first.

Found Family! A common theme in my fandoms is the belief in family based on bonds, not blood, and any exploration of such relationships would absolutely thrill me! I am a big believer in making one’s own family, and I have a near and dear spot in my heart for seeing that philosophy play out amongst my favorite fandoms and characters.

Pining! More specifically male pining. Few tropes give me greater joy than boys who wax anguish over their lady loves. Give me ALL the pining pine tree boys is what I am saying.

Romance Tropes j'adore: Fake Dating! Marriages of Convenience! UST! Mistaken and/or Secret Identities (a la You’ve Got Mail and Cyrano de Bergerac)! Bets and Wagers (a la She’s All That & 10 Things I Hate About You)! Childhood Friends Reunited! Berserk Buttons in high danger situations! H/C brought on by high danger or hallucinations/nightmares situations! Groveling by the hero!

Smut Tropes j'adore: Sex pollen, love potions, and all other inhibition releasers—provided the pairing is a consenting one! Light, consensual bondage! 69ing and oral sex! Voyeurism! Overall however, while I do enjoy smut, PWP is not my preferred cup of tea. Please don’t feel pressured to write smut if it’s not your own preferred cup of comfort!

Plot Tropes j'adore: Heists! Spies and thieves and con artists! Fairytale Retellings (especially of the unusual and nostalgic kind a la Tam Lin, Anastasia, Swan Lake/Swan Princess, etc.)! Shakespeare & classic literature callbacks! Behind the Scenes shenanigans of TV/Reality TV! Magic-infused reality! Epistolary writing (both letters/emails and social media usage)! Time Travel! Paradoxes! Multiverse theory and Parallel Universes!

AUs! Including Alternate Reality, What Ifs, and Transplanted Characters/Fusions! I am a HUGE lover of the alternate universe lifestyle. My AU tastes lean towards alternative reality or transplanted character/fusion AUs, but I’m also partial to well-done What If AUs (some favorites have included regency AUs, spy AUs, living in NYC AUs, and transplanted character AUs of any of my old or new fandoms). Most important for me will always be the integration of the original canon into the world of the AU, taking into consideration how different choices, different lives, different plotlines would need to be adjusted for a different fandom’s characters’. My only request is no crossover fic (If you feel any of the below canons would work EXCEPTIONALLY WELL in a crossover, feel free to ask). In this case, my own fics and bookmarked fics on A03 would really be the best place to see my favorite takes on AUs.

In conclusion, I am generally drawn to stories driven by the characters, rather than the plot (though that is not to say I would not ADORE a well-executed and well-developed twisty-turny sort of plot-driven mystery or heist, for example). I really love stories that delve deep into characterization, whether as a behind/missing scene or more plot/trope-focused fic. I love watching a relationship/feelings develop, both in romance and friendship, and I am a huge shipper when it comes to the couples I love. At the end of the day, it’s the characters that are important to me. So long as they read true, I will undoubtedly be happy!

Dislikes/Do Not Wants:

Noncon, dubcon, rape threats, attempted sexual assault, etc. I will be triggered by this content and ask that it not be included at all.

Not Like the Other Girls! The inverse of my love for ladies. Sometimes, by writing or position or profession, female characters are inevitably a “woman in a man’s field” or friendships-wise “just one of the guys.” I’m fine if you leave out ladies you don’t love/don’t feel comfortable writing, but I do ask for no misogyny/hate between them (adding in or creating non-canonical friendships between women is always a plus!).

Romance Tropes je déteste: Beautiful All Along (a la Pygmalion and Taming of the Shrew)! Virgin Heroines in Non-Historical Settings! Sex with the Hero is Like Being Touched for the Very First Time! Unrequited Female Pining! Women as the Hero’s Light/Men Being “Saved” by the Purity of their Lady Loves! Nice Guys TM! Basically, if the story centers around a lady fighting to show a dude he “deserves” her & running ramshackle over her own issues and insecurities, chances are I will not enjoy. There are also very few circumstances in which I enjoy the heroine loving the hero first/from afar/unrequited, so this trope is one to avoid for me.

Plot Tropes je déteste: Misogyny! Racism! Anti-semitism! Homophobia! If a villain canonically does these things, I may have some wriggle room, but I have no need for Terrible People Identifiers being used for shock value instead of a valid plot device. I also really detest historical handwaving re: well-known facts, stories set in suburbia, and inaccurate city details (particularly NYC, since I live here).

Excessive character bashing and situations of extreme embarrassment/mortification. If there is a character I love (or even simply ask to see!) that you cannot stand, please just find an organic way to exclude them from the story. I also absolutely cannot stand anything that will give me extreme secondhand embarrassment, no matter my feelings on the character.

Christmas-themed stories. On the flip side, as a practicing Jew, if there is canonical Judaism in any of these stories, I would love for it to be included—but please only do so if it’s a topic you’re familiar with and/or comfortable researching. Thank you!

Major character deaths. Injury and angst are fine, but please stick to canon re: deaths of any core characters. The only exception would be a parallel universe/time loop situation, where revised timelines would “fix” the death. Please feel free to ask the mods or anonymously via Tumblr if you need clarification

For further insight into my tastes, my A03 page has all of written fic to date. My tumblr also provide pretty good insight into what I like to read and watch. And I am always happy to clarify via mods or anonymous Tumblr asks!

***

FANDOM #1: THE CARAVAL SERIES — STEPHANIE GARBER

Characters: Donatella Dragna, Dante Santos | Legend

Possible Prompts: Missing or Pre-book Scenes! Legend’s POV! What If’s!

This pairing—and series—had more than a few of my favorite things: star crossed romance, mystery & intrigue, gorgeous & magical settings. No pairing captured my attention more than Legend & Tella, and honestly, all I want of them is more.

There’s a wealth of backstory hinted at between the two—the years of Legend watching Tella before the first Caraval, Tella and Dante’s relationship while Tella was “captured” in the first game, Tella and Legend’s months of dreams together—and I’d love to see some of those times together in more detail. There’s also of course so many important moments between the two where we only have Tella’s thoughts—what, for example, was Legend thinking when Tella imprisoned herself in the cards? Put herself under Jacks’ power?

Last but not least there are so many excellent what if moments from the books—beginning with what if Paloma never stole the deck? Anywhere you want to explore, I’d love to see!

FANDOM #2: CONSORTIUM REBELLION SERIES — JESSE MIHALIK

Characters: Ian Bishop, Bianca von Hasenberg

Possible Prompts: Missing or Pre-book Scenes! Ian’s POV! AU it!

Well-written sci-fi romance is hard to find, but oh, did this hit the spot! Badass princesses, secret powers, pining bodyguards, government conspiracies—so many of my favorite things!

My first request for Ian and Bianca would be a dive into their delicious, tension-filled backstory—I’d love to see more of Bianca’s youth, falling in love with Ian, and the aftermath of Bianca’s marriage, with Ian realizing his mistake in pushing her away. Of course, given the book is in Bianca’s POV, seeing their sexual tension and escalating danger through Ian’s eyes would also be great—especially as he conducts his mental gymnastics to lie to Bianca in the name of “keeping her safe.”

Finally, this is a series rife with AU potential! I think Ian and Bianca would make a great spy vs spy (or even Mr. and Mrs. Smith-esque) AU, yes? A regency or modern royalty or celebrity/bodyguard AU could also be great fun. If any prompts strike your fancy, I would love to see where that goes!

FANDOM #3: THE HIDDEN LEGACY SERIES — ILONA ANDREWS

Characters: Catalina Baylor, Alessandro Sagredo

Possible Prompts: Missing or Pre-book Scenes! Alessandro’s POV! What’s Next?

You’ll see a running pattern by now—this series, again, had some of my favorite things: excellent & creative world building, steamy enemies to lovers, and an intriguing mystery plot driving the whole way through.

What I care about, of course, is my favorite couple at the moment: Catalina and Alessandro. I’d love to see more of the backstory between the two, particularly the infamous Prime testing, and insight into how they’ve kept tabs on each other over the years. I would also be very interested in seeing more of Catalina learning to control her powers—I’ll admit I felt a bit cheated we never saw that growth on her part.

Also, as the story is told solely through Catalina’s POV, I’d likewise love seeing some of the book—and Alessandro’s pivotal moments with Catalina—through his eyes.

Last but not least, the book does end on a cliffhanger—and what an ominous one! Should you be interested, I’d be thrilled to see any speculation on what’s next for these two lovebirds and what mysteries await.

FANDOM #4: WHISKEY CAVALIER

Characters: Frankie Trowbridge, Will Chase

Possible Prompts: Missing/Behind the Scenes! What’s Next?

Alas, this series was cut short too soon. In the meantime, however, I loved what it did give us—found family bonding, slow burn romance, and exciting spy missions!

Given the show’s early death and lack of resolution on the big plot items, I’d really just love to see more of Frankie and Will—the little moments as they continue to fall for each other, the big ones as they maybe admit their love!

What I don’t want from this fandom is two-fold: I really liked Emma as a character and was quite sad she was killed off—please be respectful of her and Will’s relationship when bringing Frankie and Will together. I also have no affection for Ray and Susan as a couple, so if you could leave that relationship out, I would much appreciate it (Susan however I adore!).

***

In conclusion, I hope my letter proved helpful rather than overwhelming, and I apologize for the verbosity! If there’s anything I missed or that you’d like clarification on, please don’t hesitate to ask, either via the mods or Tumblr!

Thank you so, so, so much for taking the time to write for me, my dearest author, and happiest of Yuletides to you! I look forward to reveal day!

All my best,

mystarsandmyocean (otherwise known as Sam)

[azurefishnets]

Yuletide Letter (2019)

Dear Author,

I’m so excited to have you join me in this exchange and I’m really excited for you to work with one of my prompts! All my prompts are listed in no particular order and I would love any of them, or, indeed, anything using these tags that doesn’t match my prompts. I just hope you find something that speaks to you! None of these have to include all the listed characters. Feel free to mix and match as necessary.

Yuletide’s all about light and warmth as far as I’m concerned, so exploring how and why any of these characters find that or give it even in dire circumstances will fill me up with the Yuletide spirit! It’s probably worth nothing that I am far, far more interested, in general, in Gen fills and missing moments than I am in ship dynamics. Exceptions will be noted in the prompts themselves, but otherwise, I prefer erring on the side of friendly.

LIKES: fluff of any sort, found family, regular family realizing they get along better than previously thought, friends-to-lovers, platonic or romantic relationships where the participants are each very different but appreciated anyway, AUs, fandom crossovers or fusions, bonding, taking a level in badass, slice of life, angst to happy end, hurt/comfort or plain comfort, missing in-canon moments, bonding and emotional support/intimacy, physical intimacy, lingering touches, loyalty, banter, worldbuilding, sensory details, unusual interactions, puns and wordplay, unusual interactions between characters that canonically are close but there’s not a lot of exploration of why, women being people not props OKAY WITH: any tense, any amount of plot or none, out-of-the-ordinary story structures, heavy dialogue, no dialogue, character explorations DNWS: non-con, dub-con, unrequested ships, angst without a happy ending or at least some kind of resolution, infidelity, gore, angst with no resolution, underage relationships, non-canon children

GHOST TRICK: PHANTOM DETECTIVE

I’ll be honest. I love this game; I love all the tags for this one and I love all the characters so anyone or anything you want to include (minus DNWs of course) is fine. Here are just a few specific prompts which can be combined in any configuration, in case you need a starter, but if you have your own thing in mind, as long as it follows the tags and my preferences, I’m OK with that too. I love surprises!  

Alma

Cabanela

Jowd

Kamila

Missile

Pigeon Man

Sissel

Yomiel

Preferred pairings, if necessary: Cabanela/Jowd (old timeline), Alma/Cabanela/Jowd or Alma/Jowd & Cabanela (new timeline)

Since this game is (very loosely) around a winter holiday, let’s talk holiday stories:

Alma, Cabanela, and Jowd’s first holiday together as a throuple.

Pigeon Man awkwardly trying to figure out apresent to give to Kamila

Kamila makes a present for her parents and Sissel decides he needs one for Jowd and Yomiel

Sissel and Missile hunt down the fabled Holiday Spirit, wanting to know if they too have a Ghost Trick.

Yomiel gets a visit from someone he didn’t expect on that Holiest of Nights.

LEGEND OF HEROES: TRAILS IN THE SKY, ZERO/AO NO KISEKI, TRAILS OF COLD STEEL

This is another one where all the tags except in Cold Steel are fair game, plus you can add most any of the characters from the games themselves if you’d like. Because of the way they are interlocked, I am prompting all three major arcs together and you can pull from any and every time and place within the canon. I especially like the NPCs so if you want to add in NPC interactions, super cool. I am playing Cold Steel III very slowly, so please, no spoilers beyond Chapter 1, but I have played all of the other games in the Trails series except Nayuta no Kiseki and Akatsuki no Kiseki. I am including some story starters from each major arc but if you have something else in mind, as long as it follows the tags and my preferences, I’m OK with it.

Tita Russell

Ries Argent

Renne Hayworth | Bright

Mueller Vander

Kloe | Klaudia van Auslese

Kevin Graham

Joshua Astray | Bright

Estelle Bright

Cassius Bright

Agate Crosner

Anelace Elfead

Olivier Lenheim | Olivert Reise Arnor

Lloyd Bannings

Elie MacDowell

Tio Plato

Randy Orlando

Altina Orion

Millium Orion

Gaius Worzel

Elliot Craig

Preferred pairings, if necessary: TRAILS IN THE SKY: Olivier/Mueller, Ries/Kevin, Estelle/Joshua is OK ZERO/AO NO KISEKI: None, please TRAILS OF COLD STEEL:  None, please

Tita wants to invite Agate and Mischa to a holiday feast

Renne’s first holiday with her new family

Anelace visits some old friends for the holidays

How do the Gralsritter celebrate holidays? With tons of food if Ries has anything to say about it.

Holidays at Mishelam! Who’s there, who’s not, who’s missing that SHOULD be there...

Olivert reads his correspondence, including letters from old friends and news from the front, and ponders those he’s no longer able to meet so freely but still keeps in his heart. Could also be done with Klaudia.

Gaius & Elliot’s first meeting after leaving Thors, either in person or via ARCUS

Altina and Millium’s relationship in the between-times of CSII and CSIII

PYRE

I would never have expected this game about eldritch basketball wizards, also known as sad blitzball in Hell, to grab and keep my interest as much as it has but I am absolutely weak for found family and this game has it out the ears. Kind moments and interactions, neat worldbuilding about either part of the world, and happy moments in amongst the sadness of losing each other: this is the quintessential Pyre experience for me and I want anything that gives me that feeling again. The Downside is especially dark and cold and the light is leaving, so symbolic light is even more important as far as I’m concerned. Feel free to lean into how nonhuman these characters are

Big Bertrude

Celeste the Gate Guardian

Hedwyn

Jodaariel

Oralech

Pamitha Theyn

The Reader

Sandra

Tariq the Lone Minstrel

Ti’Zo

Vagabond Girl

Volfred Sandalwood

Preferred pairings, if necessary: Tariq/Volfred, Oralech/Tariq/Volfred, Bertrude/Pamitha, The Reader/Sandra, Celeste/Jodariel

Volfred holds an impromptu reading class; The Reader “helps”

Any sweet or bonding moment between my preferred pairings

Compare and contrast those who’ve gone back and those who are left behind and what they’re doing at any given moment

Hedwyn makes a whole bunch of food and insists that everyone is welcome to the table, even irascible orb-ladies and/or unknowable Heralds

*ae wants to give everyone a gift approved by the Scribes

[mustlovemustypages]

Yuletide 2020 Letter

Dear potential writer,

I truly hope all is well with you and yours. No matter what state you find yourself in, my wish is that Yuletide boosts your spirits and gives you the extra jolt we all could use to usher in the new year. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and thank you in advance if you decide to write anything for me!

Below are my desired fandoms and pairings along with story ideas that I would love to see written. Please don’t feel stifled by my prompts; I’ve also listed my general likes and dislikes at the very bottom of this letter if you decide to go a different route.

Little Women (2019):

Characters: Amy March and Theodore “Laurie” Laurence”

The main reason I adore this adaptation is because it made me see why Amy and Laurie ended up together. They had very similar worldviews and fit so well what the other needed. Both deserved to be with someone that valued them for who they are. With Laurie, Amy was not just financially secure but with someone who encouraged her to express herself creatively, politically, or however she chose. With Amy, while she grounded Laurie in reality and challenged him to be the best version of himself, he didn't have to fundamentally change to make her happy.

Story ideas:

These quotes really show how Amy's perspective on life was different than her sister's: "You are your family's hope." (Aunt March) "I’ve always known I would marry rich." (Amy March) That's a lot of pressure on someone so young. We heard some of Laurie's thoughts, mostly that he didn't think Amy should feel ashamed for wanting that. How would some of that pressure continue even after she got married, and what would Laurie say to make her realize they were in life together as a team and she didn’t have to suffer the weight of the world alone?

The conversation between Amy and Laurie in the painting studio showed just how level-headed and intelligent she was. Laurie, while not wholly agreeing, was respectful and didn't discount her thoughts. It would be interesting to see the impact on their story if Vaughn hadn't arrived, and this had played out more. Would the proposal have happened earlier and/or how would later scenes be altered as a result of further conversation?

What did the other characters think of Amy and Laurie's relationship, and how did it change after seeing them interact more as a couple? It would be interesting to read about Meg, Marmee, John, or some of the other characters realizing they were genuinely a good match for each other.

Post-canon, I'd love to get a glimpse of what kinds of conversations they had. Did Amy encourage Laurie to pursue a career and find what he was passionate about (music perhaps as Laurie mentioned writing an opera)? And similarly, did Laurie encourage Amy to pursue her art? Did they continue to have in-depth conversations about societal pressures and expectations of gender in certain economic classes?

Tenet:

Characters: The Protagonist, Kat, and Neil

Tenet is the first movie I've seen in theaters since Star Wars IX. There have been some mixed reviews, but my love for Christopher Nolan sci-fi films combined with the experience of stepping foot in a theater again made it a wonderful experience for me. Sure, the plot could be confusing at times, but it was fun trying to fit certain puzzle pieces together and oh so thrilling when things just clicked into place in the most satisfying ways.

I adored the dynamic between Neil and the Protagonist. The easy friendship, the banter, the suits... everything. I also loved the relationship between the Protagonist and Kat. It started off as each using the other but transformed into one of genuine care on both sides. Ever the romantic, I definitely saw something more than just friendship between the two and was slightly disappointed the movie didn't explore that aspect more.  

For pairings, I’m interested in friendships between all of the characters. I’d be interested in seeing a romantic relationship between Kat and the Protagonist if you’re up for that, but not between Neil and Kat, nor Neil and the Protagonist. If you really want to give a romantic partner to Neil, I'd be fine with Laura (or an original female character if she’s not the focus of the story), but please, no slash. While I’d be ecstatic to see all three characters together, if you can only find a way to fit in two, that’s wonderful as well!

Story ideas:

Even though Andrei Sator is gone, there are still other players in the game, some like Priya, who want to eliminate Kat or even abduct her with the delusional idea she can continue her husband's work. The Protagonist (and Neil, if you so choose) ensures no harm comes to her, and he realizes that keeping her at a distance may not have been the best idea.

I personally don't buy into the fan theory that Neil is Kat's son Max; however, I do find the idea intriguing and would be up for reading about how that worked. The Protagonist breaks his rule and sees Kat, helping to raise her son Max/Neil and eventually teaching him about inversion.

The Protagonist doesn't have to wait quite as long as he'd thought to see Neil again. It can be the Neil who had already met him and knows about Tenet or the Neil who knows nothing about inversion.

What conversations did Neil and Kat have while the Protagonist was asleep after almost freezing to death? Maybe Neil explained the finer workings of Tenet and inversion more in-depth. Perhaps they discussed the Protagonist. 

Clueless:

Characters: Cher Horowitz and Josh Lucas

This movie set the bar high for teen romantic comedies. How can anyone ever beat 90s Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd? Plus, the relationship between their two characters is fantastic. Josh and Cher just bring out the best in each other. Cher shows Josh that he doesn't need to be so serious all of the time and that people are more than their outer appearances. Josh makes Cher want to be a better person, and he believes that she's not just a pretty face. Their banter and playful moments always make me smile.

Story ideas:

Knowing Josh and Cher end up together, this brings a heightened awareness to rewatches. They have so many casual touches and exchanged glances (when did Paul Rudd's eyes get so blue?) that it's hard to miss their natural chemistry. It may take quite some time for Cher's dad to notice anything has changed because they don't act all that different from before. Is there something that makes him finally take notice? How does he react?

Sort of related to the last prompt, there's a moment where Josh decides to go to the dance to keep an eye on Cher and Christian, and you can tell by Mel Horowitz’s smirk he realizes Josh has a crush on Cher. Does he do anything to push it along or play matchmaker just like his daughter?

I've always been curious about whether or not Josh believes Cher's story about being assaulted in the car by Elton and then held at gunpoint. We skip over Josh pulling up to the phone booth and go straight to Cher already being in the car. How did Josh react when she reiterated the story, and does he instantly believe her, or does it take some convincing? I'd like to see if he comforts her and if they both go together to tell Cher's dad what happened.

Cher is obviously very intelligent socially, if not always so much academically. When it comes time to apply for college, what does she major in? And how is Josh a positive influence in Cher's life, encouraging her to be ambitious and not letting negative comments from guidance counselors or teachers dissuade her?

Things I don’t like:

Alternate Universes – For the specific fandoms that I picked, I really like the universes as they are. I’m definitely okay with deviations from canon, but please don’t make Little Women into a supernatural werewolf story or have Tenet take place in a mundane coffee shop setting. (I don’t mind Soulmate AUs or something similar because those can be incorporated into canon with little change to worldbuilding).

Non-Con/Rape/BDSM/Sexual Violence/Graphic Sex – I like my characters to be happy and everything within ships to be 100% consensual, no question about it (mentions of non-con if it occurred in canon is fine). I also prefer plot over porn, especially with one-shots.

OT3s – Two people per romantic relationship, please. Any more than that makes me uncomfortable.

Character Bashing - Unless a character is a bad guy in canon, I don’t want to read hundreds of words about how awful they are, especially if they are one of the characters that I requested. Don’t take it out on the characters. If you hate my pairings, just write gen.

Things I love:

Hurt/Comfort – There is nothing I love more than one character comforting another. The hurt can be physical, psychological, or both.  

Happy Endings – I’m all for the realistic endings… but if they could be plausible AND at least happy-ish, that would be amazing.

Expanded Scenes/Contorting Canon – Feel free to expand scenes and change up the canon to your heart’s content as long as it makes logical sense.

Humor/Banter/Snark – I thrive on this stuff.

Bonding/Building Relationships – Whether it be a friendship or a romantic relationship, I adore reading about two people growing closer together. When characters know each other so well that they can have conversations with just their eyes or anticipate the person’s next move (especially if it’s to the surprise/confusion of everyone around them), my shipper heart is thrilled.

Dark to Light – Seeing a character come out of a bad mindset or situation and get better is so satisfying.

Happy writing and I hope you get the Yuletide gift of your dreams!

- Maddy @mustlovemustypages (on Tumblr, Ao3, and FF.net)

[unofficialyuletide]

Dear Yuletide Writer Letters

The letters post is here \o/

And the app makes a triumphant return *\o/*

[izumisays]

dear yuletide author

Thank you so much for reading this and taking part in this wonderful annual conspiracy!

First of all, I hope you have a lovely time! If any of the fandoms below pique your interest, I’m delighted already, and ready to hear all the stories you want to tell.

Fandoms: Nirvana in Fire, Spinning Silver, In Other Lands, Thunderbolt Fantasy, Grasshopper Jungle

As for reading preferences, I’m happy with a wide variety of tones and genres, of any rating, ranging anywhere from lighthearted antics to dramatic casefics. But the core of all the stories I love has always been character interaction and interplay of their competences. 

How the characters play off each other and bring out their best/worst, how they’d react to a divergence of events, how true they’d stay to themselves in a different setting -- I love fanfiction for allowing us to reconnect with our favourite stories time and again by asking these questions. And there are so many ways to do it! To name a few favourites, I’m always game for POV hijinks, a missing scene, a casefic, canon expansion, backstories and what-ifs.

You may notice that quite a few of my requests lean towards shipfic – those, too, are welcome in a variety of tones – but I also tried to include openings for gen ideas if that’s your jam. Additionally, while it is not usually my top interest, I don’t have anything against AUs if there is something that you are itching to explore: I tend to enjoy them for a new aesthetic that fleshes out the favoured character dynamics in a new light, or a fusion that redefines the playing ground to allow the characters to exhibit their core competences in new and exciting ways.

I would be very grateful if you could avoid a/b/o and similar kinktropes, played-straight soulmate fic, and character interpretation that runs contrary to their core values. If in doubt, please reach out to me on anon - the askbox is open!

NIRVANA IN FIRE: Mei Changsu, Xiao Jingyan

Is this a complex, narratively inevitable historic tapestry strangling people with its treads, full of delicious politicking and identity porn? Yes, it is.

Is my burning – nay, primal – desire so simple as to smoosh two faces together and watch them kiss? Yes, it is :’)

I mean, I will obviously not say no if the kissing is giftwrapped in the said tapestry of beautiful, politicky plot, but the fever I can’t get out of my system is this: LET THEM KISS, GODDAMMIT. LET THEM BE HAPPY. I welcome canon divergences, alternative endings, fix-its, insert eps and codas where it looks like they would have kissed (erm, or at least confronted each other in a way that would inevitably end with them making out) if only Mei Changsu wasn’t so caught up in self-loathing and fluffy foxfur coats, and Jingyan didn’t talk too loudly about his so dead, so very dead beautiful ex to hear Mei Changsu weep stoically into his beautiful white furs.

I adore Prince Jing. He is 90% cheekbones and 20% heartbroken pouting over his so very dead friends, and all of it noble and awkward and stubborn and deserving of happiness. Mei Changsu is ridiculous, and capable, and twisted into pretzels of his own creation: not above gloating over his enemies while daintily dipping cookies into his tea, he gets too caught up in weaving the tapestry to notice he is a part of it.  Pull him off his high horse, Jing! Render him helpless by being yourself! Do something about being hopelessly charmed with each other, through resentment, loss, bitter pining, and narrative inevitability! JUSTKISSALREADY.gif!!

 SPINNING SILVER: Mirnatius

Spinning Silver is a beautiful story, a polyphony of voices that echo the key themes with poignance in individual tales coming together into a bigger picture: admirable female characters, complicated families, bargains and stakes and wordless bonds, all spun and woven together with so much care and craft! While I really liked the whole journey, it’s two characters in particular at whom I’d like to get a closer look.

Irina and Mirnatius: both shipfic and/or gen. Irina the ruler, with an iron will and unwavering hand: I would absolutely like to explore the court life under her rule, after the events of the book. In between running a country and cleaning up a demonic mess, does she find a thought to spare about Mirnatius? Does she harbour any resentment or sense of obligation, or indulgently tolerates him as part of the ornamental royal regalia? Is there a role she envisages him playing? Does she box him into that role, or allow herself to be surprised?

MIRNATIUS, hands-down my favourite POV in the book. How does he get on after demon loses his hold on him? What kind of person he is on his own? I’d like to think he doesn’t lose all his edges, and perhaps gets high-headed and displaced now that his mind is vacated off its demonic freeloader, and there is a quest for find his own place in the new reality, before he can be that dramatic artistic bisexual with no interest in statecraft that Irina gleamed in him.

How do the power dynamics between them change, and how much of that stays the same? Is there any genuine love to be found between them, eventually? (The answer doesn’t have to be yes – for all that they are the same species, I tend to think their circumstances are more complicated than Miryem and the Staryk’s, and less forgiving.)

IN OTHER LANDS: Luke Sunborn

Elliot is a spectacular narrator. Novel-shaped case in point: In Other Lands.

Having said that, what I really, really want to see is a story that makes Luke a narrator, or otherwise puts him at the center. I have it on good authority that he makes one fucking adorable narrator (novella-shaped case in point: Wings in the Morning), but why stop there, right?

Luke/Elliot, either post-canon or slightly amending canon, is always a delight. Luke crushing on Elliot for years in a resigned, semi-unaware (or aware!) manner - he gives Elliot Dale’s name only as a distraction, to get Elliot off his back, and watches with horrified eyes how every member of his family is suddenly out there to set him up with the wrong boy! Luke handling the thought of Elliot the boyfriend with awkwardness unbefitting a Trigon champion (granted, Elliot is kinda more prickly than an average glass ball). Luke having 110% confidence in Elliot and admiring him sass people into submission from the sidelines.

A look at Luke’s friendship with Serene - completely compatible with Luke forever crushing on Elliot, just saying ^^. I suspect lack of Elliot’s Serene goggles could do marvels to building nuance to her character: a little less emphasis on gender-reversed dudebro comedy, a little more of someone who is clever enough to balance multiple things, connect the dots, and learn, and stand by what she believes is right.

Competence kinkkk. Forever admiring the bookish people, refusing to stop trying to catch up, and zero time spent being conceited about own achievements while fully embracing his role of a champion and defender - that’s the Luke I love <3 Luke’s brand of leadership & charisma - an introverted champion, well-loved by people and easily tired of company of not his people.

Figuring out life after graduation! Casefic of them solving a mystery and preventing a war breakout! Getting assignments and storming the castles! Building cross-cultural competence by throwing Elliot at new people and watching him sign up new pen friends and treaties!

Sunborn family fic! A holiday get together? Drunken exchange of family stories? Another terrible competition that Elliot boycotts? Rachel reading Luke’s letters from year one and with great amusement observing the progression of his “THAT ELLIOT” feelings. (I would so die to read an epistolary fic that documents Luke’s Elliot problems) God I love the Sunborns, especially Rachel <3

I’m not particularly fond of Dale, on understanding that he got enough screentime already, so I’d be grateful if you didn’t center the fic around him. Obviously no objections to him as part of class ensemble, whose names Luke continuously fails to remember.

If you are writing a Luke/Elliot shipfic (which is a prospect I would whole-heartedly welcome!), just a note to say that I don’t get particular kicks out of wingfic poetics. I mean, I’m alright with that as part of the “golden and beautiful” package and acknowledgement that Elliot sure gets his kick out of them, but I personally find wings-as-harpy legacy and associated emotional baggage/pragmatism mix Luke feels on the subject more interesting to investigate. All the rest of their ship chemistry is very much welcome, in whatever proportion you enjoy doing it most.

 THUNDERBOLT FANTASY: Rin Setsua; Sho Fukan

I LOVE THIS SELF INDULGENT WUXIA NONSENSE AND I CANNOT LIE! 

If you had told me a year ago that I would commit a definitely not-insignifiant amounts of emotional investment into a Taiwanese puppet show written by Urobutcher, I’d have laughed in your face. I am so glad my lovely friends know me better than I do, and tied me to a chair long enough to show me the first few episodes, and smugly watched me breeze through two seasons and a movie of this tropey goodness. 

Sanfan is a mixture UTTER GLEE and deep fondness for the genre staples, self-aware and masterful playthrough of all the wuxia tropes in the book, and one goddamn well-constructed story. It plays the tropes straight, calls them out with a knowing wink, walks the tightrope between the two with panache, and just as you are relaxed and enjoying this trapeze show, it grins cheekily at you, sets the discoball on fire and pulls a bunny out of a hat.  It’s DELIGHTFUL and fun and lovingly crafted, just like a good passion project should be.

I want anything that capitalizes on the absolutely hilarious dynamics between Rin Setsua and Sho Fukan (and while personally I end up using the Japanese versions of their names more often, please feel free to go with the Chinese names if you prefer). Sho Fukan does not want any of those heroic quests, he’s the human equivalent of been there, done that mood, and he just wants to REST and hopefully dump a bunch of magical murderswords someplace safe. Rin Setsua is a Totally Respectable and Non-Villainous Member of Society, of which he will inform you firsthand in the most high spoken and verbose way possible, and maybe even produce paperwork that has definitely not been tampered with. He harbours no ulterior motives, ever, and does not trail behind Sho Fukan for any reason beyond the pleasure of his company, and his mission to personally victimize and cockblock every morally derelict villain in two countries, by no-one’s request. 

Whether you go shipfic (yiss!) or canon levels teamup circus (also yiss!), don’t hold back your horses. Everything about this is Extra, and should continue to be so <3 

GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE: Robby Brees

Do you ever, like, read an insanely cyclical, epic zombie apocalypse book that is probably narrated from the rubbles of the fallen fourth wall, and walk away softly clutching at your heart, whispering “Oh Robby”?

I sure did.

I mean, I definitely loved all the obsessive, crazy, cyclical shit the book did. It’s a trip and a half! Austin is a hilarious guide to the crazyland of zombie apocalypse and multiple identity crises, and I enjoyed him tremendously. If you want to dabble in recreating that, I’ll happily read it! But my heart longs to answer some important questions like, Will Robby Ever Get Appreciation He Deserves, Do They Get Laid, and most importantly, What The Fuck Happened That Night When They Got Drunk and Shit Got Transcendental. (I feel it in my heart of hearts that their dicks must have, or at least should have, touched.)

Play however you like with it -- coda, AU, fixit, crack (oh god, if there was a canon that was borderline crack itself), futurefic -- I’m gonna look forward to any and all permutations.

A note to say that I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards Shann! My primary urge is to coddle and adore Robby, and I leave it up to you to negotiate the hows and whys :) 

FWIW, I have a copy of Exile from Eden on my hands, but haven’t cracked it open yet. It’s entirely up to you if you want to include whatever is in there: I’m going to be pleased with just GJ material as is! If I do read Exile anytime soon, and if it significantly changes my views on the subject, I’ll add a note to that effect.

[unbreakablejemmasimmons]

Dear Yuletide Writer

Thanks for signing up for this superfun exchange! This is the sixth year I’ve participated now, and I’ve always enjoyed it– I hope you do, too.

Below you’ll find the following:

General Likes/Kinks General DNWs Fandom Specifics/Prompts

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Rebecca Bunch, Greg Serrano

Legally Blonde (Movie) - Elle Woods

Mad Men - Peggy Olson, Stan Rizzo

Superstore - Jonah Simms, Amy Dubanowski

I’ve tried to list some varied prompts for each fandom, but please don’t feel like you have to stick to what I’ve come up with. If the rest of my letter gives you another idea you’d like to write, I’d love to read it!

a little about me to start:

My AO3 name is SuburbanSun; you can also check out my Tumblr if you’d like, and my tags for each of my requested fandoms here:

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Legally Blonde | Mad Men | Superstore

general likes/kinks:

I’m a big trope fan in general– faves include rivals/enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, bed-sharing, trapped in an enclosed space, mutual pining, secret dating/sneaking around, slow burn, FWBs that turns into something more. Subversions of tropes are also great, so don’t feel like you have to go the obvious route if you choose to write something tropey!

I have a great love for Secret Service/bodyguard/witness protection AUs and private eye AUs, and these days I’m (perhaps unhealthily) invested in US politics/news in my everyday life, so if you want to have any of my requested characters run for office, I’d never turn that down.

Epistolary fic, either as part of a story or as all of it, is always fun to me, if it’s up your alley. Phone calls! (Phone sex?) Emails! Letters! I love it all!

I love strong-but-flawed-and-realistic female characters in general. Ladies kicking ass through cleverness and wit and competence is the best, and I love it when they’re allowed to make mistakes and fuck up and dig themselves into a hole, too.

Smut is cool and fun and here are some kinks that I like to read: Teasing. Phone sex/sexting. Semi-public sex (not actually getting caught though). Workplace sex. Dirty talk. Oral sex. Playfulness/joking around during sex.

general dnws:

Superangst and sad endings. Babyfic/kidfic/pregnancy in general. Self-harm/abuse. Noncon/dubcon. A/B/O, mpreg, incest, bestiality, hard kink. Poly/threesomes/orgies. Members of my ships being paired romantically with other people (unless it’s just briefly, on the way to an OTP-happy ending). First person POV.

fandom specifics/prompts:

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Rebecca Bunch, Greg Serrano

I loved this show from beginning to end. It’s clever, it’s feminist, it’s funny, it’s real (even as it features elaborate musical sequences!), and the characters are so flawed but so great. 

I shipped Rebecca and Greg so hard in the early seasons, before he left. When I read that they were bringing the character back but recasting, I was naturally a bit suspicious-- how would that work? Would it diminish my love for the ship? Reader, it did not diminish anything, and in fact made me kind of love them even more. Skylar Astin’s performance of Greg, a little grown up and a little more put together, made me swoon. And I began to see how they could make an adult relationship work. Naturally, things went awry during the course of the final season, but I think the finale left us with so much hope that they would find their way back to each other.

I love all the other characters, so feel free to mix them in-- especially Paula!

Prompts:

Rebecca and Greg find their way back to each other! How does it happen? 

Rebecca/Greg + any number of tropes– stuck somewhere together; inconvenient bed-sharing; fake dating, the works.

Maybe West Covina has run its course for both of them, and they decide-- together or separately-- to move somewhere else. Maybe Rebecca decides it’s time for her to go back to New York to give her Broadway dreams a try? Maybe Greg tags along? Or maybe it’s fate, and just as she’s made the choice to head back East, he gets a job offer there, too, so they’re both moving to NYC but aren’t technically together, and how does that work?

It’s Christmas in West Covina, and Greg gets Rebecca’s name in Secret Santa. How does he find the perfect present that says both “I’m still kind of sort of in love with you” and also “I spent no time on this whatsoever because pssh who cares?”

Legally Blonde (Movie) Elle Woods

This movie is such a classic to me, one I can quote, and one I can’t help but watch when it’s on TV. I love Elle Woods’ determination and relentlessness, and how she’s a shining example of how prettiness and positivity doesn’t preclude smarts and success. I want more about the unstoppable Elle Woods, charging toward her ambitions with a designer handbag and the perfect pink lip.

(I generally dig Elle with Emmett in canon, but I don’t really care much about him, so if you’d rather write her solo or with someone new, go for it!)

Prompts:

Elle Woods for President! Tell me about Elle on the campaign trail. Tell me about the debate between Elle and her opponent. Tell me about how Elle interacts with her campaign staff, or her strategy to win Iowa. 

Elle Woods AS President! Tell me about her first night living in the White House after she wins, or her first big challenge, or what it feels like looking out on Washington and thinking about how far she’s come.

Elle heads back to Harvard– does she become a professor? Is it to mentor young law students? Is it for a case?

Elle the Vampire Slayer AU

Mad Men Peggy Olson, Stan Rizzo

I love and miss this show so much. It was so smart and made me feel so many things, and in truth, Peggy Olson is one of my favorite characters in all of fiction.

Peggy and Stan is such a great ship, to me, and one I was on board with from the very beginning. Omitting his boorish behavior early on, once they established a rapport, they were such equals, and he seemed to respect her so much, and vice versa. They got on each other’s nerves and knew how to push each other’s buttons, but that’s just because they connected so well and really got each other.

Prompts:

I absolutely adore the time period where they’re basically phone buddies. Maybe an AU where they get together earlier in the series, during that time? How their phone conversations evolve from discussing work to discussing everything to falling for each other (or realizing they already had)? Phone sex (or getting ever-so-close to it before realizing they’re in the office and it’s inappropriate) is a-okay here too.

In the same vein, epistolary fic could be really fun to play around with here. Maybe a story told through a series of interoffice memos, messages, notes in the margins of copy pitches and along the edges of spec art?

What are things like now that Peggy and Stan are working together and being together (and possibly living together)? It’s got to be frustrating at times but worth it in the end, right?

NASA/Space Race AU– Peggy’s a NASA scientist/engineer and Stan is an astronaut

Superstore Jonah Simms, Amy Dubanowski

This is such a fun and funny show, one that snuck up on me but that is reliably a show I look forward to every single week. Amy and Jonah’s slow burn was a delight to watch, and I love their occasionally contentious attraction to each other, and especially how supremely dorky, pretentious and pedantic Jonah can be.

I love all the other characters, so feel free to mix them in!

Prompts:

I’m really interested in exploring Jonah’s ambition or lack thereof. Does he have any, at this point? What if he decides to quit Cloud 9 to pursue a dream? Does he get an MBA or a creative writing degree? Does he decide to write a screenplay? Give me all the pretentious but well-intentioned Jonah.

A look at before Jonah and Amy got together, or if they’d gotten together earlier-- sneaking around the store, or UST in the break room.

AU where some kind of scary outbreak (zombies? werewolves? giant bats?) has hit the town and they’re trapped in Cloud 9 while they wait it out.

So, that’s that! I really hope you enjoy the whole process this Yuletide season, and thanks for participating! Happy writing!

[callunavulgari]

Dear Yuletide writer,

Thanks so much for participating with me! It’s my first year with Yuletide, though I’ve followed along pretty avidly over the years. I hope you have a fantastic time, and am looking forward to whatever story you decide to tell me.

First off - fandoms. 

Spinning Silver, Uprooted, Bartimaeus, Red White and Royal Blue, Wolf 359, and The Bright Sessions.

Over all, I’m pretty sure I’ll be pretty happy with whatever you decide to throw at me. I’m not particularly picky, and enjoy a variety of ratings, themes, and genres. I have a list of over 2000 bookmarks on Ao3, which I would like to say might help you find the things that I like, but odds are you’d just get stuck in it.

General flavors on things: I really love atmospheric settings, stories that you can really feel. A great example of this is A Cornstalk Fiddle. Or wild peaches. I like soulmate AU’s, daemon AU’s, slow burns, AU’s where a character (or several characters) are secretly monsters but it barely shifts canon at all. I’m super fond of the sun/moon trope, the enemies to lovers trope, and all things a little bit magical.

I do tend to prefer a fic to have some kind of ship to it, but I like gen as well. I am fully on board with explicit fics, but do ask that if there is smut, it’s not just smut. I like how introducing sex to a story changes various character dynamics, and I really, really like the sexually/emotionally charged lead up, but when it really comes down to it, I’m reading the story for the characters. The sex has to flow with the rest of the story.

I don’t have a lot of dislikes? I’d prefer that the fic doesn’t delve into any hard kinks if you do decide to make it explicit. I’m not a fan of non-con, but dubious consent is usually pretty okay, depending on the situation. I’m very okay with playing on power dynamics and the inherent rough-but-consensual that typically accompanies enemy to lover fics, but I’m going to turn my anon box on for the holiday season, so if there’s something you aren’t sure about? Just ask.

A little more specific info on each of the fandoms is under the cut.

Spinning Silver

My absolute favorite dynamic in Spinning Silver is Miryem and the Staryk Lord, which probably comes as no surprise considering the listing above of both sun/moon and enemy to lovers tropes. I would really love to see more of the aftermath of the book. How they come to handle themselves as friends and then lovers, how Miryem copes with ruling a kingdom, how the Staryk Lord goes soft for her. Which, another thing? Supernatural cold-as-ice types going soft for their human is another trope that makes me melt.

Uprooted

Shocker, another fantastic novel by Novak which is great at embracing my favorite type of character dynamic. Agnieszka and Sarkan are such a great backbone to the story, and I love how their relationship just kind of simmers quietly until you realize that it has 100% caught on fire. Things that I would love to have explored: again, what happened after the book. How do the two of them adjust to their new lives? Where do they settle down? Do they settle down, or do they just keep coming back to each other year after year? As far as non-shippy things go, I’d love to see something involving their relationship with Kasia. Whether that’s something that happens prior to/during the events after the book or afterwards is entirely up to you.

Bartimaeus

I’ve had a soft spot for this trilogy since I discovered it back in 2005. It has everything that I used to (and still sort of do) go ga-ga over. Sorcerers summoning demons, sorcerers going soft for their demons, demons going soft for their sorcerers, a generous helping of Egyptian backstory, pretty rebel girls not afraid to kick rich assholes in the teeth, and a tragic, but still somehow perfect ending. 

I would be completely down with whatever ship you want for this- Bartimaeus/Nathaniel, Ptolemy/Bartimaeus, Kitty/Nathaniel, Kitty/Bartimaeus, or my absolute favorite, Kitty/Bartimaeus/Nathaniel. Or if you decide to leave out the ships? That’s fine too. I really like fics that explore Bartimaeus and Kitty coming back together years after the book and hashing all their feelings out for Nathaniel. I also like the idea of exploring events between books two and three, where things were frosting up a bit between Bartimaeus and Nathaniel. And I would be 100% okay with an AU, as well. I just really like these characters.

Red, White, and Royal Blue

This book smacked me in the face with feelings a couple months ago. Rivals to lovers? Check. Modern day prince consorting with someone he shouldn’t? Check. A heady, emotionally packed dosing of politics that somehow manages to both uplift the story and make it significantly sexier? Check, check, check.

I have absolutely no idea what you might write me for this and don’t really have many suggestions, because the book was just that perfect. So I guess the most I can say is strive for that same feeling that this lovely book gave us.

Wolf 359

This podcast. Haunts me. It has basically ruined me for all other podcasts. I adore all of the characters, so you can feel free to write about whoever you want. Favorites are Eiffel, Jacobi, and Hera, so if you throw something at me that has the three of them interacting I could probably die happy. I’m good with gen fic, but I’m also a fan of Jacobi/Kepler, Eiffel/Jacobi, Hera/Eiffel, and would honestly probably fully embrace any other ship you could possibly throw at me. 

I like the idea of Hera getting a body afterwards. I like the idea of Eiffel finding himself again. I like the idea of Jacobi finding a new family. I like the idea of Jacobi and Hera becoming best buds. I like the idea of Jacobi working through his grief over Maxwell and Kepler. I like the idea of Hera learning how to be herself in a big wide world that isn’t entirely on her side. I like the idea of every single member of the crew who touches back down on earth learning how to be people afterwards. I like the idea of Minkowski and Lovelace getting closer, especially if Minkowski’s husband is a part of that dynamic. 

I just really like found family and people holding each other up when the going gets tough, and this podcast has that in spades. Also? Have you listened to Zero Hours? Because if you want to introduce some of that dynamic I would be forever in love.

The Bright Sessions

Okay, I’m going to be honest here. I like the garbage man stink monster. Damien is my actual favorite, and I love the thought of him becoming a more nuanced human being. Redeemable villains are my jam, and villains that realize they were fucking awful and make the attempt to turn themselves around (especially if it’s for both themselves and the soft person they’ve fallen hard for) will probably always be my happy place. 

I have a gigantic weak spot for the idea of Damien, Mark, and Sam working as a poly couple. This is a difficult thing, and it’s really hard to get that dynamic right, but gosh, when it’s done right it’s truly lovely. 

I like Mark/Damien on their own as well, especially if it’s with an added dose of bad wrong, that is edging into that ‘I can’t quit you’ place. If you don’t want to make it shippy? That’s okay, too. I still like the dynamic. Damien being a pretty focal point would be ideal, though.

[wingedflight]

Dear Yuletide Writer

Greetings! And thank you so much in advance for your gift, I am so excited to see what you come up with. Before I say anything else, please know I will adore anything you throw my way. So do not stress yourself out, just have fun! 

But if you do want some extra ideas, I’m here to help you out!! 

In no particular order, I am a huge fan of: 

Time travel and alternate worlds

Found families who know each other so well that they don’t have to say a word to know what the others are thinking

Mischief and thievery

Clever and competent characters!

Dark AUs (where like, the worst possible thing that could have happened did happen…)

Characters that are absolutely WREAKED finding the strength and/or hope to continue

Outside POV (especially when paired with SUPER COMPETENT characters)

The Reveal moment (which also goes well with outsider pov)

And I’m also always into a fun crossover if you know more than one of these fandoms and have an interesting idea for that! 

As for things I don’t like? 

As mentioned in my sign-up, I’d prefer a lower rating when it comes to sexytimes, please. I am super all for adult characters having rich and fulfilling (and fully consensual) sex lives, I just don’t want to actually read the act itself. Feel free to imply that characters are getting it on behind the scenes, or end a sequence of flirting/tension with a fade to black, but no actual on-screen sex please and thanks! 

Other than that? Avoid incest, non-con, under-age… if you’re questioning whether a particular type of sexual/romantic relationship might be weird, better to just avoid it. 

And that’s about it for me! If you need more ideas, you can browse through my tumblr or check out my pieces on A03 (although I pretty always forget to actually bookmark other fics I like so that won’t be much help, sorry). 

Again, go forth and have fun with this, I’m sure I’ll love whatever you do. <3 

Cheers,

Meagan

[laughingpinecone]

Yuletide letter!

I am laughingpineapple on AO3 

Likes: worldbuilding, slice of life (doubly so if the event the fic focuses on is made up but canon-specific), missing moments, 5+1 and similar formats, bonding and emotional support/intimacy, physical intimacy, lingering touches, loyalty, casefic, surrealism, magical realism, established relationships, future fic, hurt/comfort or just comfort from the ample canon hurt, throwing characters into non-canon environments, banter, functional relationships between dysfunctional individuals, unexplained mysteries, bittersweet moods, journal/epistolary fic, dreams and memories and identities, outsider POV, UST, exploration of secondary bits of canon, leaning on the uniqueness of the canon setting/mood, found families, characters reuniting after a long and/or harrowing time, friends-to-lovers, road trips, maps, mutual pining, cuddling, wintry moods, the feeling of flannel and other fabrics, ridiculous concepts played straight, sensory details, places being haunted, people being haunted, the mystery of the woods, small hopes in bleak worlds, electricity, places that don’t quite add up, mismatched memories, caves and deep places, distant city lights at night

Any tense, any pov, any rating, plotty, not plotty, IF, canon divergences, non-mundane AUs (space opera! high fantasy! new weird also), deep lore, unrequested characters popping up - please do go wild with the & combos!

Blanket crossover prompt with Untitled Goose Game: set that goose loose anywhere and ruin anyone’s day. Tariq and select Twin Peaks characters who are not Albert (Margaret, Laura...) may hope to tame and befriend the goose; anyone else better get wrecked. Capitalism may also get wrecked while Kentucky Route Zero characters popcorn.gif nearby

DNW: non-canonical rape, non-canonical children, canon retellings, unrequested ships (I listed all the ships I like for each fandom. Outside of those, I’d prefer if other canon characters weren’t shipped, unless they’re like, canon engaged/married)

Dark Souls 1: Solaire of Astora

I’m only familiar with the first game! It’s probably relevant to mention that I think that linking the fire is kind of a dumbass move, Gwyn is a jerk, Kaathe has his own agenda and there’s no winning move in this world, or at least no obvious one. And amidst all this nonsense, Solaire just shines, pure of heart and dumb of ass like the best of ‘em. I love his kindness in this cruelest of worlds and I love the sad edge he’s got even earlier on when he admits to being seen as weird.

I would enjoy a bittersweet ending for him but I realize both of his endings are deeply entrenched in his themes so it’s hard to make him steer clear of either of those. If you can figure out how to make him not link the Flame or survive the ordeal, I’m all ears! I like a sense of purpose being the thing that can stave off hollowing, and I like characters helping other characters finding that sense of purpose within themselves. Focus on scenery always welcome, and if you want to make up a location, that’s great too!

I’d be super happy with a story set during Solaire’s time in Lordran that simply doesn’t mention his endings, anyway. Maybe he’s the one who helps someone else while his own tragedy keeps looming on the horizon. Striking up friendships in the face of a crapsack world! Meeting people through Lordran’s temporal/dimensional fuckery, where it’s possible to cross the path of warriors who have been gone for ages… could Solaire meet either or both Catarina knights (there’s so much great art about sun bro and onion bro but where’s the fic?), or do the grumpy grump&ray of sunshine routine with Logan, or meet Artorias or even Gwyn before he linked the Flame - or himself? What if he met Kaathe?

Ships: none really? Solaire/Chosen Undead but I don’t really like to read about customizable protagonists in fic so I’d rather not get fic featuring the CU. I’m all about the & character combos here.

Ghost Trick: Cabanela, Jowd

I love Cabanela being fierce and dazzling bright and determined and loyal to the very end, dancing to his own rhythm, so sure of himself and of his ideas that he doesn’t even need to prove to anyone that he’s right. Too sure of the wrong idea, once, and everything crashed and burned. And I love Jowd being the immovable object to Cabanela’s unstoppable force, a suicidal trainwreck of guilt with the gallows humor to show for it, and also incredibly smart (both jerks figured out Sissel’s powers better than Sissel did, that’s... something) and athletic and with an unsuspected talent for stealth.

I am very interested in various characters finding about the erased timeline, but not getting their memories back, and having to live with being told about what they did but never remembering it. Touch-starved Jowd in the new timeline is a surefire hit (or maybe Cabanela if he’s the one who came back and kept the memories of the old timeline). Touchy-feely Cabanela as kind of his baseline with the people he likes.  All what-ifs welcome:what if they managed an acceptable happy ending but didn’t reset the timeline, what if Alma’s ghost stuck around… I’m also wondering about either of them ending up undead via Temsik shard - how would they take these developments (I’m assuming better than Yomiel did but the bar is admittedly low), did Cabanela do it on purpose for whatever sensible-if-you-are-Cabanela reason, what does it change in their relationship, what are the practical pros and cons of the situation here. UFO adventures with Pigeon Man! Lynne teaming up with either of them against the other! Sissel death-averting action if either/both of them die or just regular cat action! Spy stuff! Daring rescues! My forever prompt of Jowd being the one who gets a chance to prove his loyalty to Cabanela for once. Dancing.

Please no Yomiel. Nothing against the guy I’m just getting an overdose of him through RPing.

Ships: Alma/Cabanela/Jowd and all sides thereof, but when it splits the canon couple I only like it when the missing spouse is dead or otherwise unavailable, hopefully with a reset on the horizon. If you want to go for a Cabanela&Alma or Cabanela/Alma who are strongly motivated by a dead or jailed Jowd, I’m good with him not actively appearing in the fic. Alma/Jowd & Cabanela is excellent in all scenarios. I’m good with explicitly non-romantic takes on Jowd&Cabs but please keep their bond strong, and please no conflicting ship for Cabanela. Lynne/Memry!

Kentucky Route Zero: Any (Lula Chamberlain, Joseph Wheattree, Donald kentuckyroutezero, Weaver Màrquez)

(if enough of us request it, will some Murphy corollary guarantee that Act V will come out between now and reveals just to mess with the Yuletide schedule? If it does, I’ll be playing it immediately and probably add a few thoughts and prompts here for kicks, at the end of this section, after a spoiler warning. Obviously feel free to stick to canon up to Un Pueblo De Nada)

I’m all for exploration of any of the game’s themes and for including any staples from adjacent genres - wanna go full-on American Gothic? Dip into surrealism? Take a leaf from Twin Peaks with tulpa / split narratives to explore the characters’ issues? I can’t think of any specific AUs for the disaster trio + disaster soloist here, but I generally love AUs so if you want to sidestep the inconvenience of an incomplete canon that way, be my guest! Or of course there’s Xanadu at the height of its glory, an infinite what-ifs generator. Was Weaver ever part of it, what was this digital Weaver up to? A Xanadu narrative would be great! A good fit for IF, too? I’d love to hear about any new spot along the Zero or the Echo river, or an expansion of some place that’s only mentioned by Will in HATATE or only gets a few paragraphs of text. Lula getting ideas for a new installation, or an article talking about her work? Donald listening to Static between stations somehow (Donald being constantly high as a kite as per this)? Joseph who went back to the surface finds himself near an entrance to the Zero somewhere? A collection of Weaver-isms? Feel free to bring in anyone else from any part of canon.

Ships: “Flipping through the pages, Conway is able to gather that it's a story about three characters: Joseph, Donald, and Lula. It's something like a tragic love triangle, but much more complex. Some kind of tangled, painfully concave love polygon.” 😬 that one, as a full triad, regrettably since they don’t seem too inclined to get reunited and stay that way. If you can nudge them, good. But I’m very open to non-romantic resolutions as well, going past their messy feelings to find each other as friends after so many years maybe. For Weaver, I’m interested in all her & relationships (seriously. Weaver & Cate. Weaver & EmilyBen&Bob. Weaver & Slow Moe Crow.) but nothing shippy. Conway/Lysette, Junebug/Johnny(/Shannon?).

The Last Remnant: David Nassau, Pagus

I’m very interested in post-game exploration, and getting a clearer feeling of any of the cities and assorted places that populate this fascinating world. I like the whole party with their characterization based on battle quotes, red bubble dialogues, and even their unique stat (‘authority’ is a natural fit for David but ‘romance’ tells me something new about Sibal!) Character interaction. Bit of worldbuilding. What’s another festival they celebrate? Do they erect something else instead of the Valeria Heart? Any fun discoveries down in Siebenbur? Where the hell IS Veyriel, anyway, do they go look for it and if so what do they find out? End of an age. Old bonds.

I ache for David who fought so valiantly as a warrior and as a politician only to be slapped in the face with the unexpected loss Emma first and then Rush, right as they were ready to claim their victory and as he would have to start coming to terms with the idea that maybe without the Gae Bolg he wouldn’t die young. At least his Generals are still with him - out of them, all of whom I adore, I picked Pagus because Qsiti are cool. And Pagus in particular is the coolest (”I know that fine qsiti... That large, reticent mouth, the laugh lines around the eyes...“ he’s FINE it’s CANON!). So I’d like to see how David bounces off Pagus in particular, what their bond is like, what he thinks of whatever aspect of Qsiti culture.

Ships: postcanon David/Rush, possibly with an emphasis on Rush’s nature as a remnant? I am also fond of Pagus/Sibal/Maddox, there are more prompts for them in my #letters tag!

Pyre: Volfred Sandalwood, Tariq The Lone Minstrel

Oh the burning found family feelings, the revolutionary passion, the tension between topside social constraints (moreso for liberated exiles, thrust into heroic roles after the revolution) and the kind of freedom allowed by the Downside! I love all the themes, the solemnity, the heart of this game. I’ve been waiting for a character like Tariq all my life, a minstrel who’s otherworldly soft and just a lil bit eldritch. Volfred as well, he just hits my perfect ratio of “noble intentions” to “scheming to a fault”. Like, the percentages in his planner are pointless for gameplay since the ending just depends on the number of Nightwings sent topside at the end - so it’s just there for his characterization, he’s the sort of person who assigns percentages to people, nbd. ...for a good cause! That said, I would die for anyone in that Blackwagon+Dalbert+Celeste, so if you want to write in someone else as well, please do! (otoh if you maybe want to dunk on Brighton or Manley, I don’t like bashing but canon levels of love-to-hate-them would be fun)

Thoughts about finding oneself at the end of an age, as everything crumbles down to form something new. The titan stars. History nerd Volfred, “aye sir, I was there” Tariq. Conversations with Dalbert. Or with Sandra? Any postcanon very welcome with any combination of endings as long as the revolution was peaceful. Please do lean into the xeno headcanons if you enjoy them! Even for gen, I like to read what it’s like to be something other than human and these two are very much not human in different and intriguing ways. Or, Volfred’s zodiac sign is Cancer and Cancer is ruled by the Moon, so there’s that. I also love how they both hold the other in the highest esteem, especially on Tariq’s part since he’s the immortal Herald of the Scribes and Volfred is, all in all, a history teacher, but listen to him and you’d think the roles were inverted. I love my nonviolent canon but could anything happen to either of them that may require a rescue, and/or some good old-fashioned h/c? What’s something that could make Tariq of all people lose it? How’s life 100 years on?

For a funnier mood, picture Volfred trying to figure out how to flirt with Tariq with percentages, planners and all. He could just ask him but no, it’s convoluted plan or bust. Or, conversely, Tariq’s increasingly direct hints that he’s interested, but they’re still ‘increasingly direct’ for Tariq standards, so, not at all, undetectable even by Volfred who can get pretty damningly indirect himself.

Ships: Volfred/Tariq, Volfred/Oralech, some form of Oralech/Volfred/Tariq (more of a Volfred-centric V but I would like to be convinced of the Oralech/Tariq side of things), Celeste/Jodariel, Hedwyn/Fikani and Pamitha/Bertrude.

Twin Peaks: Albert Rosenfield

Case fic but they don’t find out jack shit, someone disappears, David Bowie was there, it’s complicated. Fragmented, shifted, mirrored identities. New Lodge spaces. The risks of staring into the void for too long. Gentle illusions. Transcendence. The moon. Static buzzing. Any title from the s3 ethereal whooshing compilation used as a prompt, actually. Twin Peaks is all about the mystery to me, the awe of mystery and unknowability and the human drive to look beyond and the risks of getting a peek, and about shared consciousness and trauma taking physical form and about the warmth of human connections in an uncaring world. Go wild with the ethereal whooshing!

I love Albert and he breaks my heart, a pacifist who ends his arc shooting his oldest remaining friend after life sucked all the passion and most of the idealism out of him. Is shooting Diane just to see Cooper come back, get her back and disappear with her again trauma enough to make him split? I’d be interested in reading about it, or any other take on his unwavering loyalty to Gordon which should maybe waver after Gordon’s admission that he’s lied to him for 25 years and the aforementioned unmitigated disaster of an ending. But I’m also very interested in his life apart from the disaster that is Blue Rose and his heartbreaking search for Cooper: did he keep in touch with Harry throughout the years, what did they talk about? Was he ever dragged along for a hike in the woods and did something weird happen there? We know he kept in touch with Diane, what did THEY talk about? Does he go on a journey of his own to find her after the ending? Does Tammy come along, do they see each other as friends other than mentor and protégé? What was Phil like as a co-boss back in the day? Did he get a small victory over Windom at some point (maybe even in the present day, given Kenneth Welsh’s recent wonderful interview where he’s adamant that Windom lives)? Does Laura ever visit him in some ghostly manner? He and Denise look like a great duo for a case and/or office shenanigans. We know from TFD that he’s a big jazz enthusiast, something about that? When does he cave in and just accept some aspects of Coop’s investigative method? Just set him loose on another unsuspecting character and I’ll be happy.

If Coop comes back (and I’d love for Coop to come back), I would like it if he came back on his own thanks to having sorted out his crap. After s3, I am not interested in stories about any other character saving Cooper. Albert’s got his wounds to lick dangit. And he’s got friends who can be by his side! ...I do love his dynamic with Coop so much, though. Sigh. I do miss that bastard. Anyway.

Ships: Albert/Coop/Harry and sides thereof, Tammy/Cynthia, Gordon/Phil, Diane/Constance, Lucy/Andy, Chet/Sam.

Canon-specific DNWs: any singular Dreamer being the ‘source’ of canon, BOB (let alone Judy) being forever defeated in the finale, Judy being an active malevolent presence in the characters’ lives, clear explanations for canonical ambiguities, ‘Odessaverse’ being the reality layer, the Fireman’s House by the Sea being the White Lodge, anything that 4 hours video says is the explanation of Twin Peaks

[ardentaislinn]

Yuletide Letter 2019

Hi! I am also ardentaislinn on AO3. Thank you so much for volunteering to write one of my chosen fandoms! I really can’t wait to see what you come up with. Most importantly, I hope you have fun writing whichever of my fandoms it is. Any suggestions I make here are optional.

Here you’ll find:

My general likes

My DNWs

And prompts for the following fandoms:

The Awakening (2011) - Florence Cathcart, Robert Mallory

Automatic (1995) - J269, Nora Rochester

Tomb Raider (2018) - Lara Croft, Lu Ren

My likes:

I love getting together fics most of all. I love almost every kind of trope (fake dating, slow burn, rivals-to-lovers, “unrequited” pining (that is really requited), found families, etc.) Also, casefic, epistolary fic, consent, forbidden pleasures, beta heroes, bed sharing, masquerades, military kink, physical imperfections, ladies being badass and female relationships (whether romantic or friendship), relationships that build tension before exploding, equal relationships, trapped together, competence, communication, U/RST, positive endings.

You may notice from the below that my ships mostly involve sweet and occasionally broken men being head over heels for awesome ladies. So that dynamic is strongly encouraged.

I also like smut, but it certainly isn’t a necessity. For smut, I’m (sadly) fairly vanilla. But I like light bondage, cunningulus, shower sex, and accidental/consensual voyeurism, (Particularly guys taking matters into their own hands when they think they can’t be with their lady, and the woman stumbling across him mid-act. Possibly my favourite kink ever? Writer’s choice whether the woman joins in or gets embarrassed)

Happy endings (or at least hopeful endings) are preferred. Like, super, super preferred. I don’t mind angst at all, but it kinda has to be on the way out of the darkness by the end.

Dislikes/DNWs:

Miserable endings. Major character death. Baby/Pregnancy/kidfic. Humiliation. Drugs use/drug mentions/addiction. Self harm/abuse. Non-con/rape. Heavy kink. A/B/O. M-Preg. Incest. Bestiality, animal harm etc. Nothing underage. Unbalanced power dynamics. 1st person POV (unless for epistolary). Not big on high school AUs or Rock band AUs.

I think that’s it?

And so, to the fandoms, in no particular order:

The Awakening

Florence Cathcart, Robert Mallory

So, I love this film, and I love these two characters. People have written them for me before but I can never get enough! I really dug the way their relationship developed through the film, right up until the slightly ambiguous ending.

This film hit a bunch of my favourite tropes, mostly in the character types it used for these two. Florence is a bit caustic in the beginning of the film, and I love that she slowly reveals her vulnerabilities. Robert, the broken former soldier, is the perfect match for her. And the slow-burn chemistry between them super worked for me.

So, basically, I just want more of them!

Florence is canon into voyeurism (both in that she liked watching Robert, and liked the idea of him watching her) - so what is the sex life with Robert like going forward? Does she like to watch and be watched? (Either way, I see her as liking to be in control of it, not so much the idea of strangers watching her, or it being done without her consent)

Post-movie, Florence and Robert are separated for a time - do they write each other letters?

Florence now believes in ghosts. Where does that leave her career? Does she still hunt down the fakes, as well as the real things? Does Robert come with her? Or do people come to her with their supernatural troubles?

Robert is nervous about proposing, but Florence is getting impatient.

On their honeymoon, they go to some of the oldest places in Europe. Surely there are ghosts lurking in every corner. What kind of trouble do they get into?

Florence Cathcart: Demon Hunter (Have fun with it! If ghosts exist, why not demons?)

A missing scene from the film with additional/bonus pining?

I do really want a happy ending here for Florence and Robert, but if you want to do something interesting with the hints that she might be a ghost herself at the end of the film, I’ll be interested if you can make it work.

Automatic (1995)

J269, Nora Rochester

I love cyborg movies. I love almost-innocent heroes that need to learn how to Person, and the heroines that see them as more human than they are. Despite the obviously low budget of this movie, it’s one of my absolute favourite versions of this trope.

I’m most interested in post-canon fic for this, but I’d really be so thrilled to read anything! I’m fairly certain there’s no fic at all for this movie.

Prompts

What happens after the movie ends? The two are now on the run. How do they survive? What do they learn about the world and each other? Are there other cyborgs out there? Are they being hunted? This is an opportunity to explore further world-building, too!

How does Nora deal with learning what she did about herself at the end of the movie? (Trying not to spoil it!) She’s probably pretty traumatised and maybe kind of angry about everything that happened.

Did they meet before the movie starts, but one or both had their memories wiped?

What’s their first time like?

J269 learning how to be a person and everything that entails. What kind of mistakes does he make that almost give the game away? What does he like and dislike about being “human”?

J269 dealing with Feelings for the first time and not knowing what to do with them. Nora wants him to make a move but he doesn’t quite Get It.

If they are on the run...bed sharing. Huddling for warmth. U/RST. Trope-y goodness.

Tomb Raider (2018)

Lara Croft, Lu Ren

I thought these two had great chemistry, and I’m bummed they didn’t get together in the film. (Hopefully they will in the sequel!) I love that he really digs the fact that she’s a badass, (“Some men like dangerous women”), but he can definitely hold his own against her. And they work really well together as a team.

I also wanted to see them go on all kinds of adventures together! I think they’d get themselves into a lot of trouble and have a lot of fun doing it.

Prompts:

What happens directly after the end of the film? Does he go with her to London? Or do they part ways?

How do they meet up again? Where do they meet up?

Lara finds herself in trouble, and calls her old friend for help. (Or, Lu Ren finds himself in trouble, and calls Lara)

They get shipwrecked together and have to survive

Lara asks for his help bringing down Trinity (Do they plot an elaborate plan to take them down? Do they go searching for a weapon/information/person that might help them defeat Trinity?)

Lu Ren comforts Lara after she finds a friend (Ana?) has betrayed her

On an adventure somewhere, Lara accidentally stumbles on Lu Ren naked.

Missing scene where they bang on the ship

All of the tropes. Bed sharing. Trapped together. Undercover as a couple. I never say no to a trope.

Thank you in advance for writing for me!

[sitp-recs]

Hey Liv,

Hope you’re having a wonderful 2021 so far. I wanted to ask you If you could recommend any good fake dating Drarry?

Thank you in advance ✨

Hello lovelies! It’s been a hot second since I last read this trope so these are not so recent, but I promise they’re all fabulous reads! Enjoy :)

Peace, Love, and Sunflowers, Motherf**kers by @peachpety (2020, M, 1.1k)

Harry enlists Draco to be his plus one to show-up his ex at a couples Halloween pub party.

Some Dance to Remember, Some Dance to Forget by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (2019, M, 5.5k)

Over time, fake turns real.

A Charitable Christmas by Alisanne (2017, E, 5.6k)

Hermione’s plans to raise money for war orphans do not meet with Harry’s approval. Fortunately, Draco steps in to help him come up with a much more enjoyable strategy.

tremble like a flower by @eleadore (E, 7.7k)

Harry needs a date. Draco loses a bet.

In Which Harry is Magnetic North and Draco Is An Idiot by @bryoneybrynn (2014, T, 13k)

For as long as he can remember, Draco’s been bringing fake dates to his family’s annual Yuletide celebration in order to evade his mother’s matchmaking. This year, Potter’s posing as his pretend boyfriend. But as the party gets underway, it gets unclear who’s playing who, who’s pretending what, who’s not pretending at all, and what the game really is. Confused? Yeah, so is Draco…

Reparatio by astolat (2016, E, 17k)

Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”

“You want the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said, flatly. He’d half expected as much; it was the only thing he had that Draco could want—

“Don’t be stupid, Potter,” Draco said. “I want my reputation back.”

The Frisky Furnishings of Malfoy Manor by @writcraft (2017, M, 19k)

The course of true love never did run smooth.

The One Where Draco Loses his Mind and Gains a Boyfriend by oldenuf2nb and sassy_cissa (2020, E, 19k)

“How is it Potter can manage to drive me crazy and yet make me want to help him? I have to have lost my mind to even consider this insanity."

The Venice Job by nishizono (2007, E, 25k)

Harry Potter was one of the youngest Aurors in history. He was the Boy Who Lived, and the Boy Who Lived Again. He loved Guinness and Quidditch, and hated pineapple. He wrote letters to Hagrid every Thursday, and on Sundays, he visited Hermione and Ron. Harry Potter was also not gay.

The Gentlewizard Club by Sophie_French (2014, E, 28k)

Draco wants what Draco wants. And if he has to snuggle up to Harry to get it, well, surely, Draco can handle that. Problem is, not sure Harry can.

A Convenient Impracticality by @firethesound (2015, E, 38k)

Somehow Harry ends up agreeing to a fake relationship with his ex-nemesis-turned-friendly-acquaintance-with-benefits, except for some reason it involves an awful lot of actual dating and, sadly, not much sex. Confused? Harry is too, but when has anything with Draco Malfoy ever been as straightforward as it seems?

dirtynumbangelboy by @magpiefngrl (2017, E, 39k)

After Harry’s unfortunate encounter with his ex, Draco Malfoy makes him a proposition. Draco wants his parents to stop matchmaking him and Harry wants to make his ex jealous. All they need to do is simply pretend they’re in love. Problem is… Draco already is.

Decoy Dilemma by dysonrules (2011, M, 39k) - Drarry, Scorbus

Auror Potter and Counsellor Malfoy return to Hogwarts in order to protect their children from a man who has vowed revenge. Of course, it's quite a lot more complicated than that.

Never Feel the Burning Light by @carpemermaidtales (2016, E, 48k)

When it falls to Draco to restore his family name to its former glory the road ahead of him is long, but with Harry Potter’s help and a plan that is just this side of ridiculous he just might succeed at accomplishing his goals and getting what he wants. What neither of them plan on is falling in love along the way.

Chocolate and Pastry by agentmoppet and anemonen (2018, E, 50k)

When Pansy bets Draco that there is no chance he and Harry could carry out a genuine romantic relationship, he and Harry form a plan. But as their fake relationship progresses, Draco sees a side of Harry he never expected. Harry is struggling with something, pushing it far down inside him where he doesn't have to acknowledge its existence. Draco starts to worry, and then he starts to care, and then... horribly... he starts to fall in love.

In the Shadow of Your Heart by @lqtraintracks (2017, E, 51k)

And thus began the very strange circumstance of their fake dating in public and real fucking in absolute secret. It was, with no comparison, the weirdest relationship Draco had ever been in – which was to say, it wasn't one.

Naked by @bixgirl1 (2017, E, 57k)

Harry and Draco are sent on an undercover assignment to catch a Dark wizard — which might not be so bad if it weren't at a Muggle nudist resort. Now Draco has to deal with a very interested Harry, temptation he's long-since learned to ignore, and threats around every corner — including the one to his heart.

When Times are Dire by @aibidil (2020, E, 130k)

Magical Britain is screwed, and it's once again up to Harry to save it. This time, by marrying Draco Malfoy.

There Is Always the Moon by @firethesound (2016, T, 159k)

Draco's life after the war is everything he wanted it to be: it's simple, and quiet, and predictable, and safe. But when a mysterious curse shatters the peace he'd worked so hard to build, there's only one person he can trust to help him. After all, Harry Potter has saved his life before. Now Draco has to believe that Potter will be able to do it one more time. (A remix of If the Sun Goes Black by pasdexcuses).

Left my Heart series by emmagrant01 (2004, E, 236k)

Auror Draco Malfoy has disappeared, and Harry Potter has been sent to San Francisco to find him. (Post-Hogwarts, set in February, 2004. Written before Half-Blood Prince was released.)

[nokomiss]

dear yuletide

Dear writer,

Thank you so much! I'm very excited to see what direction you go in. I'm someone who enjoys a wide variety of stories, and I've always been happiest when my writer writes something they're passionate about. We both already love the same shows, so I trust you to write something that I'll love. <3

The only major DNW I have is noncon, as you saw from my request.

Specific fandom wants:

Preacher:

Like I said, I love the interplay between these three, whether it's as an OT3 or gen. (I'm good with either!) I love roadtrip stories and plotty stories, supernatural elements, and people being idiots about emotions. I'm fine with horror and gore. Since there's a vampire involved I'm a sucker for reluctant bloodsharing that turns passionate. I love complicated feelings between them, and just have fun with it. I haven't finished the latest season as of writing the letter, but will be caught up by the time Yuletide is revealed, so have fun!

Justified:

I adore Tim as a character, and how complicated he is. I would love to see something letting him shine. Something plotty or a casefic is great, but I am truly happy with anything. For Justified I prefer it set in canon verse, not AU, but other than that it's fair game. I'm fine with any ship or gen, and bringing in other characters is more than fine! I love his interactions with Raylan and Rachel, or with someone unexpected.

I love the modern western vibe of the show, and would love if you embraced that. I have a deep, deep love of this show and I will be thrilled to get anything set in this world. <3 

Derry Girls:

I adore this show and it's humor and ridiculous situations, and Orla is always so fascinating. I'd love to see her perspective, or even just what she does all day. I'm good with gen or something shippy, and I adore all the characters so you're welcome to include anyone else you like.

I feel like Orla could have this rich life no one even knows about and would love to see more of it. I'm fine with darker topics as long as it retains the irreverence of the show.  

Thank you again for writing me a story. I’m sure I’m going to love it, and hopefully this is a good starting off point for you! Everything here is just a suggestion, so don’t feel any pressure. I’m really happy just to read about these characters, as I’m a character-focused reader.  

Have fun!