Dear Yuletide Author,
Oct. 13th, 2013 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eirenical((ETA 10/20/13 12:47 PM -- OMG, author, I’m so sorry. I finally sat down to read this whole thing through and it was LITTERED with SPaG errors and sentences that didn't make sense and prompts and ideas which could have been worded MUCH better. I think I've caught most of the trouble spots now, if you want to give it a reread. Sorry, again! OTZ))
So... a general ahead of time warning… I'm a bit verbose. I usually don't know when to quit talking. So, uh… hope you're comfy? ^_^
And without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for being willing to write a story for me. I know how difficult it can be to put any part of your creative process into the hands of another individual, so I will treat that trust with the care and respect it deserves by not being too greedy or selfish. I am already happy that you are willing to write a story for me in a fandom of my choosing and with characters of my choice. It would be the icing on the cake if you are willing to include my other requests, as well, but ultimately if they don't work for you, please feel free to ignore them. ^_^
A note on rating and kink:
Any rating can fly. I'm always up for a good PWP, but I love G-rated fluff and everything in between just as much. My general reading preferences tend towards slash or femslash, but that's certainly not all I read.
If NC-17 is your writing drink of choice (and I'm more than OK with that ^_~), just be aware that there aren't too many kinks that work for me. I like my fic sex fairly vanilla -- with the exception of this random dub-con/non-con/bondage/angry!sex kink I seem to have developed. To be on the safe side, if you'd like to include a kink and you aren't sure I'll be OK with it, please ask the mods to contact me and ask. I'm pretty approachable and I really won't mind. ^_^
A note on general likes and dislikes:
I love a good angst-fest. I really do. Hurt-comfort? Yes, please. Unrequited love? Oh, absolutely. Mental and emotional trauma? You had me at "Ment--". Characters who can't seem to get a clue and when they do, have trouble holding on to it? My bread and butter. And I love my fluff just as hard. Cuddling in front of a fireplace? Oh, please, gimme. Romantic moonlit walks on the beach? No problems there. The domestic bliss of growing old together? Oh, no question. ;)
The punchline? I'm in fandom for the character development and interaction, so if you keep it focused on them and how they interact, I'll be happy with whatever else falls around them.
Excessive dialect use is a turn-off -- a touch for authenticity is OK, but once it crosses the line into making the dialogue difficult to understand, it's not fun.
I'm not in this to be too greedy and even though I'm the one requesting this piece, you're ultimately the one creating it. I'm not the only one who should be happy with how it turns out. ^_~
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
(For some of these, I don't have specific prompts in mind. Having done these challenges before, I realize that can be both a blessing and a curse. :-P So, for those for which I have no prompt, I'll try to tell you what I like about those fandoms and characters to at least give you a little guidance. Of course, as mentioned above, you're welcome to ignore everything I say if it doesn't work for you. ^_~ Onward!)
Also… I want to add this as a disclaimer. The length of my babble for each fandom IN NO WAY indicates a preference level. For example, I'm going to be more verbose about Island City than the others, mostly because I'm assuming that no one else knows what it is… since no one offered it and no one else requested it. Other than that, length of verbosity has more to do with where I was when I wrote that segment of the letter and how many plotty thoughts I have on each show than on which one I like most. ^_^
You are free to utilize any prompt I toss out there or none of them. If reading what I like about the characters/worlds sparks a fic idea in your head, feel free to ignore the prompts and run with it. ^_^
1. Red 2 (2013)
Characters: Victoria Winslow (Red 2), Ivan Simanov (Red 2), Sarah Ross (Red 2)
I love the Red movies. They are so hysterical, so unashamedly willing to make fun of themselves and their genre, and yet they have such heart underneath all that that they've made me happy-sob more than once. ^_^
And HELEN MIRREN.
Helen… freaking… Mirren.
I love that woman, I really do. ^_^ I also love her character.
I love that Victoria is equally at home in an evening gown and in camouflage hunting gear. I love that she is equally at home assassinating someone in an evening gown and in camouflage gear. I love that whether she is in an evening gown or in camouflage gear she is the absolute epitome of grace and class. And the romance between Victoria and Ivan is one of the most adorable things I have ever seen.
I love that Ivan worships the ground that Victoria walks on. I love that though they are both cold-blooded assassins, they still enjoy all those stereotypical things that a teenaged couple in the first blush of love enjoy. The picnic-sniping scene? Possibly my favorite scene in the entire movie. You have Victoria sprawled out on a blanket -- barefoot -- curling her toes above her as she picks off enemies one by one, a picnic basket with champagne open behind her and Ivan sprawled beside her singing her praises, cooing over her curling toes and practically making love to her shoe. I mean… how does that even happen in the middle of a shoot-'em-up spy-adventure movie? ;D
Utlimately, what I love about these two is that as much as Ivan romances Victoria, as much as he adores her, as much as he wants to sweep her off her feet… he absolutely respects that she is as good a -- or really that she is a better -- spy/assassin than he is. He worships her as much for her skill and her abilities as he does for her beauty and grace. And I LOVE that that is true and I love that even though that is true, he still romances her and tries to sweep her off her feet.
I'd love anything involving Victoria and Ivan being their adorably romantic and gracefully classy selves or Ivan worshiping the ground Victoria walks on or the two of them working together as spies with all that overblown romance at play.
Maybe Ivan and Victoria romantic shenanigans aren't your cup of tea? No problem. ^_^ One of my other favorite things about these movies, and Red 2 in particular, is the friendship between Victoria and Sarah. I love how Victoria, on the one hand, has an almost grandmotherly, protective, coaching along interest in Sarah and, on the other hand, they're like sisters or best friends in how excited they are to see each other and how they immediately come together in giggly, cooing fashion when they run into each other in that ditch.
I would love to see something exploring that relationship from either or both angles. Maybe Victoria teaches Sarah some of what she knows about being the ultimate spy/assassin and still being the "ultimate woman"… and yet avoiding the trap of the femme fatale. Maybe Victoria takes Sarah out and gives her an elegant and graceful makeover. Maybe it's just them hanging out and being people together. I just love the many levels of that relationship and I find Victoria's interest in Sarah so sweet… and Sarah's treatment of Victoria to be so refreshing. She obviously respects her, but around Sarah, Victoria can just be herself -- she doesn't have to be "on" all the time, the way she always is around the boys' club in which she normally hangs out. Heck… maybe they just decide to have a sweats-popcorn-cocktails-and-movies night in! ^_^ That would be adorable, too.
2. Dark Visions - L. J. Smith
Characters: Gabriel Wolfe, Rob Kessler
I know that L.J. Smith's more commonly known series these days is the Vampire Diaries, but this series will always have a special place in my heart. I mean… I named my cat after Gabriel. ^_~
When I first read these books I was younger, but my preferences were fairly similar… and Gabriel manages to hit just about all of my favorite character tropes. He was the dark, brooding anti-hero with the tragic past and he had a foil in Rob's bright, shining golden hero. Obviously you were supposed to love Rob and disdain him. But… there was a twist. In the end, Gabriel is the one who saves the day and ends up with the girl. Hero-status is an ill-fitting coat on him. Friends are an ill-fitting coat on him. Being admired, being liked, being accepted for who he is… none of that sits well on him. And that's where the series leaves us with him.
He is still bound in psychic matrimony with all four of his friends -- friends he's not even sure he really wants -- and the unexpected hero of the piece. Rob, the man who was once his declared enemy is now his very good friend -- and that's one of the bits I find most interesting of all.
Of all the characters in the books, Rob is the only one who has a proven history with Gabriel. They knew each other before the books started and they hate each other with a passion. By the time we hit the end of the series, from Rob's point of view, everything has been forgiven, forgotten, water-under-the-bridge. Gabriel, however, is still uncertain about it, still doesn't trust it, doesn't believe that these friends of his won't up and leave him… and isn't even sure he doesn't want them to leave. I'd love an exploration along any point of that relationship. What was this shared past like? What was it like for the two of them as they slowly worked their way towards becoming friends? Does Rob ever win Gabriel over completely to trusting that this friendship is solid?
…does it ever become more than friendship?
(Disclaimer: I love Kaitlyn like mad, I really do. And I rooted for her and Gabriel to get together when I read the books and I'm still absolutely thrilled that they did end up together and I think Rob and Anna -- as hinted by the end of the series -- would make an adorable couple… but I not-so-secretly ship Rob and Gabriel. So, if you are of the slash-minded variety and want to take it in that direction, my little slasher heart would certainly not object. ^_^ You could look at all those above things from the point of view of a budding relationship in addition to a friendship. Who is attracted to who first? Who is the first to admit how they feel? How does that affect the already sordid triangle between Rob, Gabriel and Kaitlyn? Does it end in threesome land (I'd be totally OK if it did. ^_~) Does it end amicably with Kaitlyn finding love elsewhere? Or maybe you don't want to deal with that at all and the boys just have really hot, telepathy-ridden sex while trying not to include everyone else in the web. ^_~ It's all good. ^_^ My only request is please don't bash Kaitlyn on the way to getting them together if you go this route, because I love her too and the only reason I didn't request her is that she and Gabriel already have so many amazing stories and the boys have well… one. Granted, it's an amazing one, but still… one.)
Another thing I would love to see is just… this telepathic gift of Gabriel's. Considering how much he walls himself off to protect himself, considering how he's become almost phobic about relationships with other people and how he violently rejects overtures of friendship, having telepathy is a total nightmare for him. How does that affect his interactions with Rob? Rob is definitely the love-me-hug-me type. He doesn't understand the need to put walls between himself and other people because his entire life is an open book which he invites nearly everyone to read. Does he even try to understand Gabriel? Does he find ways to help?
Honestly, at the core, I just love how those two are total opposites of each other and yet they still manage to fight their way towards a promising, albeit shaky friendship. Any exploration of some part of that journey would be wonderful. You want to write the domestic-y, easy-going, let's hang out and get drunk/watching movies/order pizza to celebrate the holidays part of the friendship that comes out the other side of all that conflict? Be my guest -- I'd love it. ^_^
3. Next to Normal - Kitt/Yorkey
Characters: Gabe Goodman, Diana Goodman, Dan Goodman, Natalie Goodman
Next to Normal holds the distinction of being the first musical that I ever felt a desire to fic for. I didn't at the time because I thought… who does that, right? Then less than a year later, I discovered Hair, fell into the fandom and didn't emerge again until almost two years later. *chuckles* If I'd known then what I know, now… ^_~ …but I didn't, so I never wrote fic for N2N. Which is really a shame because there are so many deliciously messed up and complex relationships in that family and I love every one of them.
I love the entire idea of the character of Gabriel. Though I believe, in my heart of hearts, that he is basically an embodiment of grief and mental illness… let's face it, he's a lot of fun to write as a ghost, too. ^_~ I'm perfectly OK with either interpretation. Backstory for him would be lovely -- as dark and angsty as you want to drive it is fine by me -- either from the very short life he lived and his death or what it was like growing up invisible in the house with no one but your mother to actually talk to. Does he know he's a ghost? Does he think he's alive? How does he feel for his father, his sister? At the end of the show, it becomes clear that Dan can see him… could he before? Why not acknowledge him if he could? And the relationship between Gabe and Diana is so deliciously close and unhealthy -- we know Gabe likes to egg on bad decisions, what else has he had influence over? Did Diana jumping into the pool at Natalie's swim meet have anything to do with Gabriel? What is he off doing when his mother thinks he's out or at school?
Or maybe there were happy memories buried somewhere in all the messed up reality of their world. Maybe Gabe chased a bully away from Natalie when she was younger. Maybe he fixed an argument between Dan and Diana. There's so much potential to explore there.
I also love Dan and Natalie. He tried so desperately to give Natalie both his own and her mother's love and, though it's clear from the things Natalie says that he never quite managed it, it's also clear from the ending scene of the show that she loves him for trying. She must have been exhausted at the thought of now possibly having to look out for her father the way that she always had to look out for her mother, but that moment when she comes downstairs and tells him that he can't sit in the dark… OMG, I love that moment. You could explore that changing relationship -- how they always try to be strong for each other, to take care of each other. Alternately, how about a day that went perfectly right for the two of them? Maybe they went to a concert together or to the park. Just one day, one time when Diana's illness didn't interfere. ALL THE FLUFFY DADDY-DAUGHTER GOODNESS FOR DAN AND NATALIE.
Or how about the future? What does it hold in store for everyone? Does Diana ever reach a modicum of stability? Do Dan and Gabe ever find a way to live together? And does that bring Dan and Diana closer together? I just… I have a lot of feels about this show. I revel in its dark fucked-up-edness, but I also wouldn't mind seeing everyone in it happy for a change. ^_^
4. Eight Days of Luke - Diana Wynne Jones
Characters: David Allard, Luke (Eight Days of Luke)
Oh, Eight Days of Luke. I found this book back when I was in middle school and I loved it so much. I've always been obsessed with Loki from Norse mythology and the fact that his eternal suffering was so disproportionate to the crime he committed. (Yep, I'm a Prometheus fan, too. ^_~) It's entirely possible that this book was part of the reason why. It took that struggle and brought it down to a level and character age that I could directly relate to and I latched onto Luke and David SO tightly. ^_^
One of the things I love the most is how both boys are practically starved for friendship and how they both try so hard to be exactly the kind of friend the other needs when the truth of the matter is… neither really had to try anywhere near as hard as they did. I love how Luke obviously sees echoes of his own suffering and pain in David and how he projects that into a need to protect David the way no one ever did him.
I didn't list Astrid as a character and that was actually an oversight on my part, because I love her, too, so if you want to include her, be my guest. I love that she is fully well aware of how Luke manipulates her, but she lets him get away with it because secretly she wants to the do the right thing for David and she's as trapped by this whole mess as he is. I love how she overcomes everything that held her back and everything that prevented her from doing the right thing and eventually blazes on through like the heroine she is. (If you didn't sign on to write her and you aren't comfortable doing so, I’m completely OK with that. That was my oversight and I don't want to cause you a problem because of it. If you love her, too, however, go right on ahead and put her in there. I sure won't mind. ^_^)
As for specific prompts… dear author, I'm sorry, this is a bit where I'm going to fail you. (Or if you've read the rest of my letter and thought, "Oh good grief, please don't overload me with ideas," then maybe you're breathing a sigh of relief about now. Uh… sorry? I warned you I'm verbose, yes? -.-;;;) Anyway, I would love anything exploring that friendship either within the canon time of the book or looking at what happens afterwards. If you want to take it into slash territory that's also perfectly fine with me, but not required. If you want to bring in other elements of Norse mythology if you're comfortable with that (ie. Loki's children), that could also be fun. ^_^ Or if you just want to look at a slice of life, David and Luke having fun and being bestest of friends at the movies or introducing Luke to David's holiday traditions (maybe a Christmas dinner with Luke, David and Astrid?) since they undoubtedly differ from Luke's, that would be great, too. ^_^
5. Island City (1994)
Characters: Greg 23, Michael Mindy, Connie Sealle, Andy Sealle
Oh, Island City… where do I even begin? For those of you who are interested, the above embedded video is the full pilot -- and only -- episode of the series ever filmed. It's about an hour and a half long and if you can handle the 90's special effects, it's a really great watch. If you haven't seen it, even if you have no desire whatsoever to tackle this request, I'd still recommend it. Share it with your friends, even. ;D
ANYWAY.
This show was classic 90s dystopian sci-fi at its best. Genetic science created a fountain of youth drug. Those who took it had their youth (and thus their life) extended decades beyond what would have been the human norm, looking 20-30 years old long into their 60s and 70s. The one snag? A recessive gene which interacted poorly with the drug. If they had that recessive gene and took the drug, they still became enhanced, but instead of being forever young, they turned into bestial, feral super-beings, regressed to subhuman intelligence. The society which spawned from this schism was a classic dystopia -- humans lived in walled cities of the future, tagged and identified by implants to indicate with whom they could breed so as not to produce more recessives, and recessives lived in the wild wastelands, abandoned by most of humanity and forced to steal from and slaughter humans to survive.
This show had such promise and I’m sorry it never actually saw the light of day as a full series. The relationships set forth in the pilot alone are so rich and complex that it's a veritable breeding ground for plotty ideas. ^_^
For the sake of not driving you crazy, though, I'll stick to the four characters I nominated and tell you a little bit about why I nominated them.
Greg 23 and Michael Mindy
Greg 23 -- On the surface, 23 is another failure of genetic science. He and his 41 identical siblings -- all named Greg # -- were test tube babies, an attempt by "the old American Pentagon" to breed a race of superior soldiers. However, to quote one of his brothers, they all came out messed up in some different way. 23 is brilliant, a certified genius… but as uncoordinated as he is smart. He can't fight, sometimes he can barely walk straight.
Michael Mindy -- Michael is new to the team and half recessive. His mother (a "normal" human) was captured by a gang of recessives and though she got away… well. :( Michael has a black implant. By law, he is never allowed to have sex with a woman. He and 23 end up bonding during a forced R&R over their combined status as "freaks of genetic science."
These two are what first made me want fic for this series/movie. I love their relationship. They start out absolutely hating each other. Michael has a chip on his shoulder the size of Russia and is out to prove himself 7 ways to Sunday. 23 hates Michael on general principle because he's been put on the team to replace Andy -- 23's best friend -- who is missing in the Wastelands and… he's a half-recessive. Through in with that that 23's technical know-how and faith in computers clashes endlessly with Michael's enhanced recessive senses and his faith in his own intuition and it's a breeding ground for constant fighting. Yet, despite all that stands between them, by the end of the pilot they have made peace with each other by finding common ground in their own genetic freakishness and by finding that there is room for both science and intuition and that they can best serve their team by melding the two.
I would love to see something exploring that changing friendship… and if you want to take it in this direction, I would note that Michael's black implant only means he can't have sex with a female and I most definitely ship these two. ^_~ Maybe 23 offers to help Michael gain some relief just as a friend -- because he is overly curious/concerned about the fact that Michael can't have sex with a women, even in their first ever real conversation. (Way to jump right in the deep end of the pool, 23! O_o;;;) Maybe he means it as more than a friend? Who knows? Or maybe there is a discussion between them about alternatives and that gets 23 thinking? Since there are such strict societal controls and the "normal" population of the planet is dwindling, are there proscriptions against homosexuality? Are those implants a government run, not-so-subtle breeding program with the idea of homosexuality discouraged for fear it will prompt others to throw off the yoke and reds might mate with greens and chaos would ensue? Or is this an open-minded, futuristic, "find love where you will" kind of situation? Maybe because of the danger these people live under day by day, ESPECIALLY those who work in the exploration/recovery units there's less of a stigma because they all know how short and fleeting life can be? Or maybe BECAUSE of the rigid controls on mating, if there is no one of your color around, the only accepted form of alternative IS homosexuality and adoption? All those possibilities are intriguing to me. ^_^
If you are NOT of the slash-minded variety, however, I would also love to see background story for 23. He grew up the sole bookish and clumsy individual among 41 identical and mean superhuman brothers. He got bullied his entire life before joining the RCF. What was that like? How did it feel for him to get bullied right in front of Michael and have Michael have to step in when he couldn't defend himself? Maybe they bond over the fact that they've had to struggle for every step forward they ever made and to be seen as not anything like those with whom they share blood. Maybe they get drunk one night and have a science versus intuition debate which ends in tipsy, drunken treasure hunts around the base. ^_^ I just love these two and would love anything exploring them together.
Andy and Connie Sealle
They are married with a teenaged son (Ty, also pictured above, but no need to include him if you don't want to) and they love each other with such fierceness that it made me cry once or twice while rewatching the pilot.
We don't see Andy on screen much, because at the beginning of the pilot he's been lost in the Wastelands and the team spends the rest of the pilot trying to get him back. But, in spite of being so absent, his influence is felt everywhere. He and Connie are 23's best friends and 23 is like a second father to their son.
(Are threesomes your thing? Because I sure wouldn't mind seeing one here -- even if it's unrequited. ^_^ Of course, there's the added dynamic that 23 and Connie can't risk reproducing -- she and Andy are Reds and 23's a Green -- but certainly there are creative ways to get around that if you want to go that route. And 23's body language around Connie and the way he talks about Andy when he's missing and how desperate he is to find him… Well. There's a fertile ground for a pining story if you ever wanted one. ^_~)
Anyway, Andy's loss is the driving force behind the entire team's motivation through this pilot and when they get him back even Michael, who never met him, is moved by the reunion.
Moving on to Connie -- I ADORE HER. She is this tiny, spitfire of a woman who made a willing decision to step back from being on an active team when her son was born -- though she went through the same training as Andy -- because she felt that they shouldn't risk Ty losing both parents. She directed all of that fire and know-how into the Administrative Corps and is a force to be reckoned with… and during the first half of the pilot, she is frantic with the need to help her husband even while knowing that she can't from where she is. She is so determined to do it, however, that she hunts down the unit commander and browbeats him into letting her join the Unit as Andy's replacement… even though they already have a replacement for him. She uses the knowledge she's gained in the AC to manipulate the situation exactly how she wants it and never really gives Tom a chance to say no. And she's good. She's VERY good. She picks up her place on an active team -- as though she hadn't been away from it for 16 years -- without missing a beat. And she's a communications specialist AND a weapons specialist. Gotta love that. ^_^
Fic exploring the friendship between the Sealles and 23 would be wonderful, but, again, if that's not your cup of tea… JFC, I love Connie. She is the ultimate power in that family and she has this intuitive knowledge for when to chain that power up and when to unleash it that is amazing. How does someone with that much force of personality and passion of physicality willingly chain herself to a desk? What was her life like when she did? Did she resent it? Or did she channel all that force into her administrative tasks like some raging lion in the assembly to better their entire society? After the pilot does she stay with the unit, helping people one on one or does she return to the government, determined to end up in charge and improve things for everyone? I JUST LOVE CONNIE, OK? For that matter, what was her and Andy's courtship like? He's the passive, romantic one of the two. Did he approach her? Did she approach him? So many possibilities here. ^_^
And now… I'm going to shut up about Island City. Again, don't take this verbosity to mean that this is my preferred choice. I just haven't ever had an opportunity to babble about this show and I didn't want to miss my chance. ^_^ Carry on!
*deep breath* And I think that's it. Like I said, if any of the details I provided don't work for you, feel free to toss them out the window and write what's most comfortable for you. If you are happy and excited about what you're writing, I'm sure I will love it. Passion comes across and I do not in any way want to dampen yours. ^_^ I certainly won't object if you want to accommodate me in my far-too-verbose additional requests, but as stated many times, totally not a requirement. ^_^ Go with your gut. The fact that you're making something for me, at all, is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY YULETIDE! :D
A grateful recipient
So... a general ahead of time warning… I'm a bit verbose. I usually don't know when to quit talking. So, uh… hope you're comfy? ^_^
And without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for being willing to write a story for me. I know how difficult it can be to put any part of your creative process into the hands of another individual, so I will treat that trust with the care and respect it deserves by not being too greedy or selfish. I am already happy that you are willing to write a story for me in a fandom of my choosing and with characters of my choice. It would be the icing on the cake if you are willing to include my other requests, as well, but ultimately if they don't work for you, please feel free to ignore them. ^_^
A note on rating and kink:
If NC-17 is your writing drink of choice (and I'm more than OK with that ^_~), just be aware that there aren't too many kinks that work for me. I like my fic sex fairly vanilla -- with the exception of this random dub-con/non-con/bondage/angry!sex kink I seem to have developed. To be on the safe side, if you'd like to include a kink and you aren't sure I'll be OK with it, please ask the mods to contact me and ask. I'm pretty approachable and I really won't mind. ^_^
A note on general likes and dislikes:
The punchline? I'm in fandom for the character development and interaction, so if you keep it focused on them and how they interact, I'll be happy with whatever else falls around them.
Excessive dialect use is a turn-off -- a touch for authenticity is OK, but once it crosses the line into making the dialogue difficult to understand, it's not fun.
I'm not in this to be too greedy and even though I'm the one requesting this piece, you're ultimately the one creating it. I'm not the only one who should be happy with how it turns out. ^_~
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
(For some of these, I don't have specific prompts in mind. Having done these challenges before, I realize that can be both a blessing and a curse. :-P So, for those for which I have no prompt, I'll try to tell you what I like about those fandoms and characters to at least give you a little guidance. Of course, as mentioned above, you're welcome to ignore everything I say if it doesn't work for you. ^_~ Onward!)
Also… I want to add this as a disclaimer. The length of my babble for each fandom IN NO WAY indicates a preference level. For example, I'm going to be more verbose about Island City than the others, mostly because I'm assuming that no one else knows what it is… since no one offered it and no one else requested it. Other than that, length of verbosity has more to do with where I was when I wrote that segment of the letter and how many plotty thoughts I have on each show than on which one I like most. ^_^
You are free to utilize any prompt I toss out there or none of them. If reading what I like about the characters/worlds sparks a fic idea in your head, feel free to ignore the prompts and run with it. ^_^
1. Red 2 (2013)
Characters: Victoria Winslow (Red 2), Ivan Simanov (Red 2), Sarah Ross (Red 2)
And HELEN MIRREN.
Helen… freaking… Mirren.
I love that woman, I really do. ^_^ I also love her character.
I love that Victoria is equally at home in an evening gown and in camouflage hunting gear. I love that she is equally at home assassinating someone in an evening gown and in camouflage gear. I love that whether she is in an evening gown or in camouflage gear she is the absolute epitome of grace and class. And the romance between Victoria and Ivan is one of the most adorable things I have ever seen.
I love that Ivan worships the ground that Victoria walks on. I love that though they are both cold-blooded assassins, they still enjoy all those stereotypical things that a teenaged couple in the first blush of love enjoy. The picnic-sniping scene? Possibly my favorite scene in the entire movie. You have Victoria sprawled out on a blanket -- barefoot -- curling her toes above her as she picks off enemies one by one, a picnic basket with champagne open behind her and Ivan sprawled beside her singing her praises, cooing over her curling toes and practically making love to her shoe. I mean… how does that even happen in the middle of a shoot-'em-up spy-adventure movie? ;D
Utlimately, what I love about these two is that as much as Ivan romances Victoria, as much as he adores her, as much as he wants to sweep her off her feet… he absolutely respects that she is as good a -- or really that she is a better -- spy/assassin than he is. He worships her as much for her skill and her abilities as he does for her beauty and grace. And I LOVE that that is true and I love that even though that is true, he still romances her and tries to sweep her off her feet.
I'd love anything involving Victoria and Ivan being their adorably romantic and gracefully classy selves or Ivan worshiping the ground Victoria walks on or the two of them working together as spies with all that overblown romance at play.
Maybe Ivan and Victoria romantic shenanigans aren't your cup of tea? No problem. ^_^ One of my other favorite things about these movies, and Red 2 in particular, is the friendship between Victoria and Sarah. I love how Victoria, on the one hand, has an almost grandmotherly, protective, coaching along interest in Sarah and, on the other hand, they're like sisters or best friends in how excited they are to see each other and how they immediately come together in giggly, cooing fashion when they run into each other in that ditch.
I would love to see something exploring that relationship from either or both angles. Maybe Victoria teaches Sarah some of what she knows about being the ultimate spy/assassin and still being the "ultimate woman"… and yet avoiding the trap of the femme fatale. Maybe Victoria takes Sarah out and gives her an elegant and graceful makeover. Maybe it's just them hanging out and being people together. I just love the many levels of that relationship and I find Victoria's interest in Sarah so sweet… and Sarah's treatment of Victoria to be so refreshing. She obviously respects her, but around Sarah, Victoria can just be herself -- she doesn't have to be "on" all the time, the way she always is around the boys' club in which she normally hangs out. Heck… maybe they just decide to have a sweats-popcorn-cocktails-and-movies night in! ^_^ That would be adorable, too.
2. Dark Visions - L. J. Smith
Characters: Gabriel Wolfe, Rob Kessler
When I first read these books I was younger, but my preferences were fairly similar… and Gabriel manages to hit just about all of my favorite character tropes. He was the dark, brooding anti-hero with the tragic past and he had a foil in Rob's bright, shining golden hero. Obviously you were supposed to love Rob and disdain him. But… there was a twist. In the end, Gabriel is the one who saves the day and ends up with the girl. Hero-status is an ill-fitting coat on him. Friends are an ill-fitting coat on him. Being admired, being liked, being accepted for who he is… none of that sits well on him. And that's where the series leaves us with him.
He is still bound in psychic matrimony with all four of his friends -- friends he's not even sure he really wants -- and the unexpected hero of the piece. Rob, the man who was once his declared enemy is now his very good friend -- and that's one of the bits I find most interesting of all.
Of all the characters in the books, Rob is the only one who has a proven history with Gabriel. They knew each other before the books started and they hate each other with a passion. By the time we hit the end of the series, from Rob's point of view, everything has been forgiven, forgotten, water-under-the-bridge. Gabriel, however, is still uncertain about it, still doesn't trust it, doesn't believe that these friends of his won't up and leave him… and isn't even sure he doesn't want them to leave. I'd love an exploration along any point of that relationship. What was this shared past like? What was it like for the two of them as they slowly worked their way towards becoming friends? Does Rob ever win Gabriel over completely to trusting that this friendship is solid?
…does it ever become more than friendship?
(Disclaimer: I love Kaitlyn like mad, I really do. And I rooted for her and Gabriel to get together when I read the books and I'm still absolutely thrilled that they did end up together and I think Rob and Anna -- as hinted by the end of the series -- would make an adorable couple… but I not-so-secretly ship Rob and Gabriel. So, if you are of the slash-minded variety and want to take it in that direction, my little slasher heart would certainly not object. ^_^ You could look at all those above things from the point of view of a budding relationship in addition to a friendship. Who is attracted to who first? Who is the first to admit how they feel? How does that affect the already sordid triangle between Rob, Gabriel and Kaitlyn? Does it end in threesome land (I'd be totally OK if it did. ^_~) Does it end amicably with Kaitlyn finding love elsewhere? Or maybe you don't want to deal with that at all and the boys just have really hot, telepathy-ridden sex while trying not to include everyone else in the web. ^_~ It's all good. ^_^ My only request is please don't bash Kaitlyn on the way to getting them together if you go this route, because I love her too and the only reason I didn't request her is that she and Gabriel already have so many amazing stories and the boys have well… one. Granted, it's an amazing one, but still… one.)
Another thing I would love to see is just… this telepathic gift of Gabriel's. Considering how much he walls himself off to protect himself, considering how he's become almost phobic about relationships with other people and how he violently rejects overtures of friendship, having telepathy is a total nightmare for him. How does that affect his interactions with Rob? Rob is definitely the love-me-hug-me type. He doesn't understand the need to put walls between himself and other people because his entire life is an open book which he invites nearly everyone to read. Does he even try to understand Gabriel? Does he find ways to help?
Honestly, at the core, I just love how those two are total opposites of each other and yet they still manage to fight their way towards a promising, albeit shaky friendship. Any exploration of some part of that journey would be wonderful. You want to write the domestic-y, easy-going, let's hang out and get drunk/watching movies/order pizza to celebrate the holidays part of the friendship that comes out the other side of all that conflict? Be my guest -- I'd love it. ^_^
3. Next to Normal - Kitt/Yorkey
Characters: Gabe Goodman, Diana Goodman, Dan Goodman, Natalie Goodman
I love the entire idea of the character of Gabriel. Though I believe, in my heart of hearts, that he is basically an embodiment of grief and mental illness… let's face it, he's a lot of fun to write as a ghost, too. ^_~ I'm perfectly OK with either interpretation. Backstory for him would be lovely -- as dark and angsty as you want to drive it is fine by me -- either from the very short life he lived and his death or what it was like growing up invisible in the house with no one but your mother to actually talk to. Does he know he's a ghost? Does he think he's alive? How does he feel for his father, his sister? At the end of the show, it becomes clear that Dan can see him… could he before? Why not acknowledge him if he could? And the relationship between Gabe and Diana is so deliciously close and unhealthy -- we know Gabe likes to egg on bad decisions, what else has he had influence over? Did Diana jumping into the pool at Natalie's swim meet have anything to do with Gabriel? What is he off doing when his mother thinks he's out or at school?
Or maybe there were happy memories buried somewhere in all the messed up reality of their world. Maybe Gabe chased a bully away from Natalie when she was younger. Maybe he fixed an argument between Dan and Diana. There's so much potential to explore there.
I also love Dan and Natalie. He tried so desperately to give Natalie both his own and her mother's love and, though it's clear from the things Natalie says that he never quite managed it, it's also clear from the ending scene of the show that she loves him for trying. She must have been exhausted at the thought of now possibly having to look out for her father the way that she always had to look out for her mother, but that moment when she comes downstairs and tells him that he can't sit in the dark… OMG, I love that moment. You could explore that changing relationship -- how they always try to be strong for each other, to take care of each other. Alternately, how about a day that went perfectly right for the two of them? Maybe they went to a concert together or to the park. Just one day, one time when Diana's illness didn't interfere. ALL THE FLUFFY DADDY-DAUGHTER GOODNESS FOR DAN AND NATALIE.
Or how about the future? What does it hold in store for everyone? Does Diana ever reach a modicum of stability? Do Dan and Gabe ever find a way to live together? And does that bring Dan and Diana closer together? I just… I have a lot of feels about this show. I revel in its dark fucked-up-edness, but I also wouldn't mind seeing everyone in it happy for a change. ^_^
4. Eight Days of Luke - Diana Wynne Jones
Characters: David Allard, Luke (Eight Days of Luke)
One of the things I love the most is how both boys are practically starved for friendship and how they both try so hard to be exactly the kind of friend the other needs when the truth of the matter is… neither really had to try anywhere near as hard as they did. I love how Luke obviously sees echoes of his own suffering and pain in David and how he projects that into a need to protect David the way no one ever did him.
I didn't list Astrid as a character and that was actually an oversight on my part, because I love her, too, so if you want to include her, be my guest. I love that she is fully well aware of how Luke manipulates her, but she lets him get away with it because secretly she wants to the do the right thing for David and she's as trapped by this whole mess as he is. I love how she overcomes everything that held her back and everything that prevented her from doing the right thing and eventually blazes on through like the heroine she is. (If you didn't sign on to write her and you aren't comfortable doing so, I’m completely OK with that. That was my oversight and I don't want to cause you a problem because of it. If you love her, too, however, go right on ahead and put her in there. I sure won't mind. ^_^)
As for specific prompts… dear author, I'm sorry, this is a bit where I'm going to fail you. (Or if you've read the rest of my letter and thought, "Oh good grief, please don't overload me with ideas," then maybe you're breathing a sigh of relief about now. Uh… sorry? I warned you I'm verbose, yes? -.-;;;) Anyway, I would love anything exploring that friendship either within the canon time of the book or looking at what happens afterwards. If you want to take it into slash territory that's also perfectly fine with me, but not required. If you want to bring in other elements of Norse mythology if you're comfortable with that (ie. Loki's children), that could also be fun. ^_^ Or if you just want to look at a slice of life, David and Luke having fun and being bestest of friends at the movies or introducing Luke to David's holiday traditions (maybe a Christmas dinner with Luke, David and Astrid?) since they undoubtedly differ from Luke's, that would be great, too. ^_^
5. Island City (1994)
Characters: Greg 23, Michael Mindy, Connie Sealle, Andy Sealle
ANYWAY.
This show was classic 90s dystopian sci-fi at its best. Genetic science created a fountain of youth drug. Those who took it had their youth (and thus their life) extended decades beyond what would have been the human norm, looking 20-30 years old long into their 60s and 70s. The one snag? A recessive gene which interacted poorly with the drug. If they had that recessive gene and took the drug, they still became enhanced, but instead of being forever young, they turned into bestial, feral super-beings, regressed to subhuman intelligence. The society which spawned from this schism was a classic dystopia -- humans lived in walled cities of the future, tagged and identified by implants to indicate with whom they could breed so as not to produce more recessives, and recessives lived in the wild wastelands, abandoned by most of humanity and forced to steal from and slaughter humans to survive.
This show had such promise and I’m sorry it never actually saw the light of day as a full series. The relationships set forth in the pilot alone are so rich and complex that it's a veritable breeding ground for plotty ideas. ^_^
For the sake of not driving you crazy, though, I'll stick to the four characters I nominated and tell you a little bit about why I nominated them.
Greg 23 and Michael Mindy
Greg 23 -- On the surface, 23 is another failure of genetic science. He and his 41 identical siblings -- all named Greg # -- were test tube babies, an attempt by "the old American Pentagon" to breed a race of superior soldiers. However, to quote one of his brothers, they all came out messed up in some different way. 23 is brilliant, a certified genius… but as uncoordinated as he is smart. He can't fight, sometimes he can barely walk straight.
Michael Mindy -- Michael is new to the team and half recessive. His mother (a "normal" human) was captured by a gang of recessives and though she got away… well. :( Michael has a black implant. By law, he is never allowed to have sex with a woman. He and 23 end up bonding during a forced R&R over their combined status as "freaks of genetic science."
These two are what first made me want fic for this series/movie. I love their relationship. They start out absolutely hating each other. Michael has a chip on his shoulder the size of Russia and is out to prove himself 7 ways to Sunday. 23 hates Michael on general principle because he's been put on the team to replace Andy -- 23's best friend -- who is missing in the Wastelands and… he's a half-recessive. Through in with that that 23's technical know-how and faith in computers clashes endlessly with Michael's enhanced recessive senses and his faith in his own intuition and it's a breeding ground for constant fighting. Yet, despite all that stands between them, by the end of the pilot they have made peace with each other by finding common ground in their own genetic freakishness and by finding that there is room for both science and intuition and that they can best serve their team by melding the two.
I would love to see something exploring that changing friendship… and if you want to take it in this direction, I would note that Michael's black implant only means he can't have sex with a female and I most definitely ship these two. ^_~ Maybe 23 offers to help Michael gain some relief just as a friend -- because he is overly curious/concerned about the fact that Michael can't have sex with a women, even in their first ever real conversation. (Way to jump right in the deep end of the pool, 23! O_o;;;) Maybe he means it as more than a friend? Who knows? Or maybe there is a discussion between them about alternatives and that gets 23 thinking? Since there are such strict societal controls and the "normal" population of the planet is dwindling, are there proscriptions against homosexuality? Are those implants a government run, not-so-subtle breeding program with the idea of homosexuality discouraged for fear it will prompt others to throw off the yoke and reds might mate with greens and chaos would ensue? Or is this an open-minded, futuristic, "find love where you will" kind of situation? Maybe because of the danger these people live under day by day, ESPECIALLY those who work in the exploration/recovery units there's less of a stigma because they all know how short and fleeting life can be? Or maybe BECAUSE of the rigid controls on mating, if there is no one of your color around, the only accepted form of alternative IS homosexuality and adoption? All those possibilities are intriguing to me. ^_^
If you are NOT of the slash-minded variety, however, I would also love to see background story for 23. He grew up the sole bookish and clumsy individual among 41 identical and mean superhuman brothers. He got bullied his entire life before joining the RCF. What was that like? How did it feel for him to get bullied right in front of Michael and have Michael have to step in when he couldn't defend himself? Maybe they bond over the fact that they've had to struggle for every step forward they ever made and to be seen as not anything like those with whom they share blood. Maybe they get drunk one night and have a science versus intuition debate which ends in tipsy, drunken treasure hunts around the base. ^_^ I just love these two and would love anything exploring them together.
Andy and Connie Sealle
They are married with a teenaged son (Ty, also pictured above, but no need to include him if you don't want to) and they love each other with such fierceness that it made me cry once or twice while rewatching the pilot.
We don't see Andy on screen much, because at the beginning of the pilot he's been lost in the Wastelands and the team spends the rest of the pilot trying to get him back. But, in spite of being so absent, his influence is felt everywhere. He and Connie are 23's best friends and 23 is like a second father to their son.
(Are threesomes your thing? Because I sure wouldn't mind seeing one here -- even if it's unrequited. ^_^ Of course, there's the added dynamic that 23 and Connie can't risk reproducing -- she and Andy are Reds and 23's a Green -- but certainly there are creative ways to get around that if you want to go that route. And 23's body language around Connie and the way he talks about Andy when he's missing and how desperate he is to find him… Well. There's a fertile ground for a pining story if you ever wanted one. ^_~)
Anyway, Andy's loss is the driving force behind the entire team's motivation through this pilot and when they get him back even Michael, who never met him, is moved by the reunion.
Moving on to Connie -- I ADORE HER. She is this tiny, spitfire of a woman who made a willing decision to step back from being on an active team when her son was born -- though she went through the same training as Andy -- because she felt that they shouldn't risk Ty losing both parents. She directed all of that fire and know-how into the Administrative Corps and is a force to be reckoned with… and during the first half of the pilot, she is frantic with the need to help her husband even while knowing that she can't from where she is. She is so determined to do it, however, that she hunts down the unit commander and browbeats him into letting her join the Unit as Andy's replacement… even though they already have a replacement for him. She uses the knowledge she's gained in the AC to manipulate the situation exactly how she wants it and never really gives Tom a chance to say no. And she's good. She's VERY good. She picks up her place on an active team -- as though she hadn't been away from it for 16 years -- without missing a beat. And she's a communications specialist AND a weapons specialist. Gotta love that. ^_^
Fic exploring the friendship between the Sealles and 23 would be wonderful, but, again, if that's not your cup of tea… JFC, I love Connie. She is the ultimate power in that family and she has this intuitive knowledge for when to chain that power up and when to unleash it that is amazing. How does someone with that much force of personality and passion of physicality willingly chain herself to a desk? What was her life like when she did? Did she resent it? Or did she channel all that force into her administrative tasks like some raging lion in the assembly to better their entire society? After the pilot does she stay with the unit, helping people one on one or does she return to the government, determined to end up in charge and improve things for everyone? I JUST LOVE CONNIE, OK? For that matter, what was her and Andy's courtship like? He's the passive, romantic one of the two. Did he approach her? Did she approach him? So many possibilities here. ^_^
And now… I'm going to shut up about Island City. Again, don't take this verbosity to mean that this is my preferred choice. I just haven't ever had an opportunity to babble about this show and I didn't want to miss my chance. ^_^ Carry on!
*deep breath* And I think that's it. Like I said, if any of the details I provided don't work for you, feel free to toss them out the window and write what's most comfortable for you. If you are happy and excited about what you're writing, I'm sure I will love it. Passion comes across and I do not in any way want to dampen yours. ^_^ I certainly won't object if you want to accommodate me in my far-too-verbose additional requests, but as stated many times, totally not a requirement. ^_^ Go with your gut. The fact that you're making something for me, at all, is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY YULETIDE! :D
A grateful recipient
