Dear Yuletide Author
Oct. 19th, 2014 07:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eirenicalLast year I got caught unawares by sign-ups, so I wrote as much of this ahead of time as I could in the hopes of organizing my thoughts better. Belated apologies to whoever read through the sprawling mess that was my letter last year. O_o;;; I think I've done better this year, but there's still a lot of babble. Sorry about that!
And without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for writing 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 trying not to be too greedy or selfish in my requests.
AO3: eirenical (chibi1723)
tumblr: eirenical
A note on rating and kink:
Any rating can fly. Really. Any rating. My general reading preferences tend towards slash or femslash, but there is always the odd exception and I'll specify if that's the case. ^_^
If NC-17 is your writing drink of choice, that is more than cool with me! ;D I'll specify within fandoms if there are any kinks I might be interested in for those pairings. (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, or leave an anonymous comment here. I'm pretty approachable and I really won't mind being spoiled with something like that. If anything, it will only heighten my gleeful anticipation. ^_^)
(It just occurred to me that I should clarify something as regards a specific kink. In one or two places in this letter I refer to one half of the pairing being possessive or making use of their physical strength to manhandle their partner during sex. I just thought I should make it clear that I'm not looking for noncon in these pairings. I'm also not looking for over possessive behavior like stalking or other emotionally abusive/controlling behavior. I don't need explicit, lovingly detailed negotiations of consent and scenarios, but if you're going to play with that kink, I just want it clear from the storytelling that both parties are consenting and equally into it/understanding. I like to save my dub/noncon kink adventures for outside of Yuletide and for pairings other than ones I've listed here. ^_^ Thanks!)
A note on general likes and dislikes:
I like fluff. I like angst and hurt/comfort (emotional or otherwise) and sickfic. I like ship-fic. I like plotty fic. I like long fic. I like short fic. I like character studies. I like AUs of the "What if?" variety (i.e. what if character A had made a different decision here; what if character B hadn't died). I like explorations of things beyond canon which still adhere to canon (i.e. continuations, deeper explorations of things only mentioned in passing in canon, expanding on the stories of minor characters, backstory).
I like a whole lot more than that, but in the interest of not writing a 20,000 word letter, here's the punch line to all of this babbling: I'm in fandom for the character development and relationships (romantic and otherwise), so if you keep the story focused on the characters and how they feel and interact, I'll generally be happy with whatever else falls around them.
The one things I ask (unless otherwise specified) are this:
1) I prefer to keep other kinds of AUs (i.e. coffeehouse, high school, gender swaps, etc.) to my larger fandom explorations. For Yuletide, I prefer to stay closer to actual canon, because there is usually so little canon based fic for these tiny fandoms.
2) As noted elsewhere, I have a huge fealty/loyalty kink, and discussions of infidelity/cheating/going being someone's back/etc., make me very sad and highly uncomfortable. So, if you could avoid that kind of thing, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
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. Dark Visions - L. J. Smith
Characters: Gabriel Wolfe, Rob Kessler
Link to Canon: Don't know of any, save bookstores and libraries. Sorry. :(
(I'm going to cut this down from last year -- because YIKES sprawling babble O_o;;; -- but if you'd like to read last year's letter, it all still applies, so feel free.)
I am absolutely fascinated by the dynamic between Gabriel and Rob. They're opposites in every way and start out hating each other, yet by the end of the story they're the closest of friends. And that enemies-to-friends trope is one of my favorites. (And between Rob's altruistic caretaker mentality and Gabriel's surly angst and self-loathing, they're an emotional hurt/comfort lover's dream come true. ^_~ I could make a good case for sickfic here, too -- maybe the web occasionally causes psychic overload? Maybe it's just a plain old stress-induced illness situation and Rob ends up having to take care of Gabriel?)
I'd love an exploration of that relationship at any point along the transformation. What was their shared past like? What was it like for the two of them as they slowly worked their way towards becoming friends? What is it like for them to learn the ins-and-outs of being in that five-way pyschic matrimony, so to speak? Does Rob ever win Gabriel over completely to trusting that their 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… but I not-so-secretly ship Rob and Gabriel like mad. So, if you are also slash-minded and want to take it in that direction, I would not object in the slightest. ^_^ 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, even though I didn't specifically request Kaitlyn.) Does it end amicably with Kaitlyn finding love elsewhere? Or maybe you don't want to deal with any of that plotty/emotional stuff at all and the boys just have really hot, telepathy-ridden sex while trying (and/or failing) to not include everyone else in the web. After all… what's a little accidental voyeurism between webmates, right? ^_~ It's all good. ^_^ My only request is please don't bash Kaitlyn on the way to getting them together if you go that route, because I love her too and the only reason I didn't request her is that she and Gabriel already have several amazing stories and the boys have well… one. Granted, it's an amazing one, but still… one.)
Another thing I would love to see if shipping is not your cuppa is a more in-depth look at Gabriel's telepathy. 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 has to be 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 everyone to read. Does he even try to understand Gabriel's point of view? Does he try to change him or does he respect that Gabriel is a different person than he is and find a way to work with that? (Because the books certainly suggest the former… and that it doesn't go well.)
So… yeah. I think that's enough about that. Moving on. ^_^
2. Island City (1994)
Characters: Greg 23, Michael Mindy, Connie Sealle, Andy Sealle
Link to Canon: Youtube or watch embedded video below
(Last year, I worked under the assumption that I had to convince people to write for this fandom and oh gosh, did I ramble. Again, feel free to read it if you like, but for the purposes of this year, I'm going to assume that if you're reading this, you already know the canon and I'll try to cut it down accordingly… but I still have a lot of babble. Sorry. -.-;;;)
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. ^_^ (This is probably a good time to mention that length of babble is not necessarily indicative of how much I want fic for a given request. In the case of Island City, for example, I've been bottling up my desire to write fic for it since before I even knew that fanfiction was a thing people wrote. And I've had almost no one to talk about it with in all that time, so… yeah. Babble city. O_o;;; Anyway. Carrying on! ^_^)
I'm going to talk about this fandom in character sets, because that makes it easier to keep things straight. If one set calls to you more than the other, that's A-OK with me. You don't have to include all four of them if you come up with something more suited to one set.
Greg 23 and Michael Mindy
Oh, hey look! It's another enemies-to-friends situation. ^_~
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. It doesn't help that Michael is half-recessive. Throw in how 23's technical know-how and faith in computers clashes 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. 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 23 and Michael bond over the fact that they've had to struggle not to be seen as 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 their relationship.
(And if you're as slash happy as I am and want to take it in this direction, I would note that Michael's black implant only means he can't have sex with someone with whom he can produce children. He interprets that as that he can never have sex, but as 23 says… "You can never… with a woman?" Which sort of implies that he could… with a man. ^_~ And I ship these two like crazy. 23 he is overly curious/concerned about the fact that Michael can't have sex with a woman, even in their first ever real conversation. Maybe there is a discussion between them about alternatives to women, and that gets 23 thinking. Maybe they have post-mission, stress relief sex with Michael taking advantage of that superhuman strength and pinning 23 somewhere (against a wall, a bed, a desk, I'm not picky ^_~) and driving him mindless with lust to help shut that giant brain of his down and give it a rest. Maybe as that friendship blossoms and finds common ground, they find themselves liking each other far more than they anticipated… and that takes their burgeoning friendship in an unexpected direction. Also, both 23 and Michael had to be ordered to take R&R time at one point, so we know that 23 has a tendency to work himself into the ground. We also know that he's a major klutz. Maybe he gets hurt? Or overworks himself into getting sick? And Michael ends up tricked into taking care of him (and maybe that prompts certain tender feelings and confessions ^_~)?
Other things to consider: since there are such strict societal controls and the "normal" population of the planet is dwindling, are there proscriptions against homosexuality? Or is this an open-minded, futuristic, "find love where you will because life is dangerously short" kind of situation? Maybe because of the rigid controls on mating, if there is no one of your color around, the only accepted alternatives ARE homosexuality? All those possibilities are intriguing to me. ^_^)
Andy and Connie Sealle
(Are threesomes your thing? Because I sure wouldn't mind seeing one between Andy, Connie, and 23 -- even if it's unrequited. 23's body language around Connie and the way he talks about Andy when he's missing and how desperate 23 is to find him… Well. There's a fertile ground for a pining story if you ever wanted one. And 23 pining after both Andy AND Connie would be lovely. ^_^ Of course, if you're going to go the requited route, there's the added dynamic that 23 and Connie can't risk reproducing. So… *coughs* …if pegging or toys are your thing, those are also kinks I enjoy and would be a neat way for a threesome to happen with no risk of a 23/Connie pregnancy. Just saying. ^_~)
While fic exploring the relationship between the Sealles and 23 would be wonderful, 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?
And, on a more general note, if you wanted to do some world building, they gave us so little of the world outside of the rescue units and a bit of the social scene and medbays. What's the government like? Do they have a President? A council? Is their society even a democracy? If that's you're kind of thing, I've always wanted to know more about their world. What part of the world even is this? Are there other cities tucked away around the world or is Island City really it? For that matter, did this really affect everyone? Or is this happening say… in the US and all of Europe is totally unaffected? So, if you wanted to play a little with world-building aspects, that would be cool with me, too. ^_^
3. Jeremiah (TV)
Characters: Markus Alexander, Jeremiah (Jeremiah), Erin (Jeremiah), Theo Coleridge
Link to Canon: Hulu
First, here is the section of my DYA letter for Jeremiah from YT 2012. Again, I'm trying to prune this letter down (though I'm not sure I'm succeeding -.-;;;) and there are more pictures and favorite quotes and such in the older letter. ^_^
Oh... Jeremiah. ^_^ Your dystopian, disaster-ridden, well-intentioned, mommy/daddy-issued, f'ed up plottiness gets me every time. The idea of an entire world full of people who grew up from childhood with no guiding parental force is not entirely original (Peter Pan, Star Trek TOS's "Miri", the list goes on), but how they handled it in this show, I thought, was particularly brilliant. I love how you have a range in attitude from those old enough to remember the days before the Big Death and thus endlessly angst and wish after those lost technologies and the easy lives they had and those who were so young at the time that this screwed up remnant of a world is all they know and they embrace it. I love how there are pockets of people trying to reclaim civilization and others that embrace the utter lawlessness of a world with no rules. Most of all I love how every single person in this world has a touch of the sulky and rebellious teenager in them and how, ironically, it's the oldest ones who cling to each other most desperately to assuage their fears of abandonment.
I'm going to discuss these characters in sets the same way I did for Island City. If you'd like to include all four characters, that's great; if one set calls to you more than the other, I'm perfectly OK with that, too. ^_^
1) Jeremiah/Markus
I do not know what it is about those two that I love so. By all rights a relationship between them should not work, hell, even a friendship between them shouldn't work, but somehow it does. There are moments between them when you see that Jeremiah is the only one that Markus lets his guard down around -- the time he gets drunk and Jeremiah is the one to find and take care of him, the way that Jeremiah is the only one he's comfortable enough around to show his rage and frustration, the way that Jeremiah doesn't believe in anyone… yet he believes in Markus. I love that. Everything about it.
The truth is, I have a bit of a fealty/loyalty kink, NGL, and Jeremiah and Markus exemplify that trope in a very unique way. Jeremiah is loyal to Markus and, more importantly, to the ideals that Markus is almost too afraid to have in the beginning, but wants to have. And Markus recognizes early on that the only way to keep Jeremiah's loyalty is to give him complete freedom and autonomy, to deny him even the trappings of that fealty. It's the epitome of "if you love something let it free," and it's fascinating watching that play out and watching Jeremiah slowly but surely accept a more traditional form of loyalty -- even when that means protecting Markus from himself.
I'd love to see something exploring that relationship and how it changes, even just looking at a snapshot of it along the way. Markus carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and has always acted far older than his age. Jeremiah is the only one who consistently gets him to drop that, even if only for a moment, and act like he's no older than the rest of them. Markus accepts things from Jeremiah in a way he doesn't from anyone else -- if he's not Jeremiah's leader, he doesn't have to stay strong, after all -- and maybe that allows him to accept comfort from Jeremiah after Meghan's death. What was going through Jeremiah's head when Markus got shot? Maybe you want to look at what happens after the finale. Does Markus stay in charge? What does he do if he doesn't? Maybe you just want to look at a slice of life at Thunder Mountain.
Again, I'd love it if this went in a slashy direction with these ideas, but if that's not your thing, I'd be perfectly happy with an exploration of those ideas with a friendship bend in mind.
2) Erin/Theo
Season 2, Episode 5:
If women/femslash is more your cup of tea, then I love these two just as much as Jeremiah and Markus. There's something about a pair of women who are each practically competence porn incarnate, yet straddle opposite sides of the good/evil line… oh-my-gawd, that's hot. ^_^ I love how Theo is so evil and just revels in it, yet when she decides to stand up and put her foot down for what's right… holy hot damn does everyone sit up and listen and follow. And yet… at the same time, because of her season 2 situation, she ends up vulnerable. And then you have Erin -- the warrior woman, standing for all that is good and right… but not afraid to get her hands dirty to accomplish it. And after all the men in the series prove that they are woefully inadequate at dealing with Theo… Erin just walks right up and slams all of her shit right back into her teeth. And Theo takes it. And they recognize that kindred spirit in each other and become fast, though uneasy, friends… and every male in Thunder Mountain probably dove for cover when those two joined forces. ^_^ So. Yeah. Love.
I'd love to see a snapshot of future life for them -- what are their new roles in the government once it's in place? Is Theo's baby a boy, a girl, or the feared twins? Do they grow closer? Does Erin do as offered in 2.05 and help Theo raise her child? Do they ever become more than friends? Or maybe the future domestic bliss scene isn't your cup of tea? I'd also love to see something looking at their shared traits and how they present so differently in each woman. They are both warriors. They are both leaders. They are both fiercely protective individuals. At the core, they have so much in common, but they couldn't be more different. I'd love to see how that dichotomy plays out in their friendship/relationship. We know that Theo has been brought into Erin's world during the series. Does Theo ever bring Erin into hers? There is so much potential to explore between the two of them, either as friends or as lovers, and so little fic devoted to them and I'd love to see more!
4. Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Characters: Conner McKnight, Derrick (Power Rangers), Eric McKnight
Link to Canon: Netflix, SeekCartoon
This was the season that got me back into Power Rangers after I'd left it post-Power Rangers in Space. And it wasn't Tommy that pulled me back in, though I'd thought it would be. It was Conner. They drop so many interesting tidbits about him in the series and still he often gets brushed aside as the token dumb jock. This is a problem that PR has had in the past -- pigeon-holing characters into their stereotypes -- but if you look behind the surface of what's there, there is a lot to see.
Let's take Conner's case. He's a soccer player. He's no great shakes in school. He often jumps to conclusions before examining the evidence. But during the episode Leader of the Whack (episode 15), a meteor reveals hidden aspects to the Rangers' personalities. Conner is revealed to be highly intelligent and sensitive and (oddly) to wear glasses. O_o;;; (I have a theory there, too -- because revealing a hidden part to your personality won't suddenly make you need glasses, and becoming highly intelligent and sensitive likely wouldn't make you want to wear fake ones as an affectation, either. So I think Conner usually wears contact lenses and when this part of his personality comes out, he opts for his glasses instead. Just a minor personal headcanon. ^_~)
What else do we know about Conner? He plays on the school soccer team, which I believe is intramural? He's friends with Derrick and, presumably, everyone else on the team. He's popular. Yet, somehow he manages to hang out with Kira and Ethan, two people on the "fringe" of high school society, without putting a dent in his own popularity. In "A Bully For Ethan" (#18; the ep. the above capture is from), he's clearly torn between wanting to help Ethan and wanting to maintain his friendship with Derrick.
The point is, he has a life outside of the Rangers. He has a twin. He plays soccer. He has an entire set of friends that don't involve Ranger business. And he gets torn in every which way all over the place throughout the series between those opposing responsibilities. How does he deal with that? What is his life like outside of Ranger business? Do Derrick and the others on the team ever suspect something unusual is going on? Are they supportive? Do they help cover for him when he has to duck out of practice? And what about Eric, his twin brother? Does he suspect anything? How does he react? Given that Conner knew about his "super secret ninja academy" training, does Eric know that Conner is a Ranger? Do they have any of the stereotypical twin behaviors and connections? Does Eric know when Conner is hurt?
I guess, basically what I'm getting at is that I'm fascinated with Conner's character and how he presents this front of being a dumb jock when that clearly isn't all there is to him. He's the most sensitive and easily hurt of the entire group and for some reason, he never lets that show and I'm dying to know why he feels like he has to hide it. So, any exploration of that would be awesome. ^_^
(And if you want to go at this from the Eric side and not the Derrick side, or vice versa, I'd be OK with that. And if you're slash minded, twincest is definitely a kink I enjoy and there are SO many fun twin tropes to explore down that road. ^_^ I could also make a case for something going on between Conner and Derrick. After all, Derrick's body language is oddly possessive of Conner when it looks like Conner may choose Ethan over him, even though Conner is clearly the one leading that situation. So, I certainly wouldn't object to you looking at these things from either of those angles. ;D)
*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 writing something for me is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY YULETIDE! :D
A grateful recipient
And without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for writing 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 trying not to be too greedy or selfish in my requests.
AO3: eirenical (chibi1723)
tumblr: eirenical
A note on rating and kink:
If NC-17 is your writing drink of choice, that is more than cool with me! ;D I'll specify within fandoms if there are any kinks I might be interested in for those pairings. (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, or leave an anonymous comment here. I'm pretty approachable and I really won't mind being spoiled with something like that. If anything, it will only heighten my gleeful anticipation. ^_^)
(It just occurred to me that I should clarify something as regards a specific kink. In one or two places in this letter I refer to one half of the pairing being possessive or making use of their physical strength to manhandle their partner during sex. I just thought I should make it clear that I'm not looking for noncon in these pairings. I'm also not looking for over possessive behavior like stalking or other emotionally abusive/controlling behavior. I don't need explicit, lovingly detailed negotiations of consent and scenarios, but if you're going to play with that kink, I just want it clear from the storytelling that both parties are consenting and equally into it/understanding. I like to save my dub/noncon kink adventures for outside of Yuletide and for pairings other than ones I've listed here. ^_^ Thanks!)
A note on general likes and dislikes:
I like a whole lot more than that, but in the interest of not writing a 20,000 word letter, here's the punch line to all of this babbling: I'm in fandom for the character development and relationships (romantic and otherwise), so if you keep the story focused on the characters and how they feel and interact, I'll generally be happy with whatever else falls around them.
The one things I ask (unless otherwise specified) are this:
1) I prefer to keep other kinds of AUs (i.e. coffeehouse, high school, gender swaps, etc.) to my larger fandom explorations. For Yuletide, I prefer to stay closer to actual canon, because there is usually so little canon based fic for these tiny fandoms.
2) As noted elsewhere, I have a huge fealty/loyalty kink, and discussions of infidelity/cheating/going being someone's back/etc., make me very sad and highly uncomfortable. So, if you could avoid that kind of thing, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
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. Dark Visions - L. J. Smith
Characters: Gabriel Wolfe, Rob Kessler
Link to Canon: Don't know of any, save bookstores and libraries. Sorry. :(
I am absolutely fascinated by the dynamic between Gabriel and Rob. They're opposites in every way and start out hating each other, yet by the end of the story they're the closest of friends. And that enemies-to-friends trope is one of my favorites. (And between Rob's altruistic caretaker mentality and Gabriel's surly angst and self-loathing, they're an emotional hurt/comfort lover's dream come true. ^_~ I could make a good case for sickfic here, too -- maybe the web occasionally causes psychic overload? Maybe it's just a plain old stress-induced illness situation and Rob ends up having to take care of Gabriel?)
I'd love an exploration of that relationship at any point along the transformation. What was their shared past like? What was it like for the two of them as they slowly worked their way towards becoming friends? What is it like for them to learn the ins-and-outs of being in that five-way pyschic matrimony, so to speak? Does Rob ever win Gabriel over completely to trusting that their 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… but I not-so-secretly ship Rob and Gabriel like mad. So, if you are also slash-minded and want to take it in that direction, I would not object in the slightest. ^_^ 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, even though I didn't specifically request Kaitlyn.) Does it end amicably with Kaitlyn finding love elsewhere? Or maybe you don't want to deal with any of that plotty/emotional stuff at all and the boys just have really hot, telepathy-ridden sex while trying (and/or failing) to not include everyone else in the web. After all… what's a little accidental voyeurism between webmates, right? ^_~ It's all good. ^_^ My only request is please don't bash Kaitlyn on the way to getting them together if you go that route, because I love her too and the only reason I didn't request her is that she and Gabriel already have several amazing stories and the boys have well… one. Granted, it's an amazing one, but still… one.)
Another thing I would love to see if shipping is not your cuppa is a more in-depth look at Gabriel's telepathy. 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 has to be 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 everyone to read. Does he even try to understand Gabriel's point of view? Does he try to change him or does he respect that Gabriel is a different person than he is and find a way to work with that? (Because the books certainly suggest the former… and that it doesn't go well.)
So… yeah. I think that's enough about that. Moving on. ^_^
2. Island City (1994)
Characters: Greg 23, Michael Mindy, Connie Sealle, Andy Sealle
Link to Canon: Youtube or watch embedded video below
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. ^_^ (This is probably a good time to mention that length of babble is not necessarily indicative of how much I want fic for a given request. In the case of Island City, for example, I've been bottling up my desire to write fic for it since before I even knew that fanfiction was a thing people wrote. And I've had almost no one to talk about it with in all that time, so… yeah. Babble city. O_o;;; Anyway. Carrying on! ^_^)
I'm going to talk about this fandom in character sets, because that makes it easier to keep things straight. If one set calls to you more than the other, that's A-OK with me. You don't have to include all four of them if you come up with something more suited to one set.
Greg 23 and Michael Mindy
Oh, hey look! It's another enemies-to-friends situation. ^_~
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. It doesn't help that Michael is half-recessive. Throw in how 23's technical know-how and faith in computers clashes 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. 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 23 and Michael bond over the fact that they've had to struggle not to be seen as 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 their relationship.
(And if you're as slash happy as I am and want to take it in this direction, I would note that Michael's black implant only means he can't have sex with someone with whom he can produce children. He interprets that as that he can never have sex, but as 23 says… "You can never… with a woman?" Which sort of implies that he could… with a man. ^_~ And I ship these two like crazy. 23 he is overly curious/concerned about the fact that Michael can't have sex with a woman, even in their first ever real conversation. Maybe there is a discussion between them about alternatives to women, and that gets 23 thinking. Maybe they have post-mission, stress relief sex with Michael taking advantage of that superhuman strength and pinning 23 somewhere (against a wall, a bed, a desk, I'm not picky ^_~) and driving him mindless with lust to help shut that giant brain of his down and give it a rest. Maybe as that friendship blossoms and finds common ground, they find themselves liking each other far more than they anticipated… and that takes their burgeoning friendship in an unexpected direction. Also, both 23 and Michael had to be ordered to take R&R time at one point, so we know that 23 has a tendency to work himself into the ground. We also know that he's a major klutz. Maybe he gets hurt? Or overworks himself into getting sick? And Michael ends up tricked into taking care of him (and maybe that prompts certain tender feelings and confessions ^_~)?
Other things to consider: since there are such strict societal controls and the "normal" population of the planet is dwindling, are there proscriptions against homosexuality? Or is this an open-minded, futuristic, "find love where you will because life is dangerously short" kind of situation? Maybe because of the rigid controls on mating, if there is no one of your color around, the only accepted alternatives ARE homosexuality? All those possibilities are intriguing to me. ^_^)
Andy and Connie Sealle
(Are threesomes your thing? Because I sure wouldn't mind seeing one between Andy, Connie, and 23 -- even if it's unrequited. 23's body language around Connie and the way he talks about Andy when he's missing and how desperate 23 is to find him… Well. There's a fertile ground for a pining story if you ever wanted one. And 23 pining after both Andy AND Connie would be lovely. ^_^ Of course, if you're going to go the requited route, there's the added dynamic that 23 and Connie can't risk reproducing. So… *coughs* …if pegging or toys are your thing, those are also kinks I enjoy and would be a neat way for a threesome to happen with no risk of a 23/Connie pregnancy. Just saying. ^_~)
While fic exploring the relationship between the Sealles and 23 would be wonderful, 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?
And, on a more general note, if you wanted to do some world building, they gave us so little of the world outside of the rescue units and a bit of the social scene and medbays. What's the government like? Do they have a President? A council? Is their society even a democracy? If that's you're kind of thing, I've always wanted to know more about their world. What part of the world even is this? Are there other cities tucked away around the world or is Island City really it? For that matter, did this really affect everyone? Or is this happening say… in the US and all of Europe is totally unaffected? So, if you wanted to play a little with world-building aspects, that would be cool with me, too. ^_^
3. Jeremiah (TV)
Characters: Markus Alexander, Jeremiah (Jeremiah), Erin (Jeremiah), Theo Coleridge
Link to Canon: Hulu
Oh... Jeremiah. ^_^ Your dystopian, disaster-ridden, well-intentioned, mommy/daddy-issued, f'ed up plottiness gets me every time. The idea of an entire world full of people who grew up from childhood with no guiding parental force is not entirely original (Peter Pan, Star Trek TOS's "Miri", the list goes on), but how they handled it in this show, I thought, was particularly brilliant. I love how you have a range in attitude from those old enough to remember the days before the Big Death and thus endlessly angst and wish after those lost technologies and the easy lives they had and those who were so young at the time that this screwed up remnant of a world is all they know and they embrace it. I love how there are pockets of people trying to reclaim civilization and others that embrace the utter lawlessness of a world with no rules. Most of all I love how every single person in this world has a touch of the sulky and rebellious teenager in them and how, ironically, it's the oldest ones who cling to each other most desperately to assuage their fears of abandonment.
I'm going to discuss these characters in sets the same way I did for Island City. If you'd like to include all four characters, that's great; if one set calls to you more than the other, I'm perfectly OK with that, too. ^_^
1) Jeremiah/Markus
 Uh... this actually isn't what it looks like... but I wish it were. ^_~ Season 1, Episode 18 ~29 minutes in -- the episode this scene comes from (on Hulu) |
I do not know what it is about those two that I love so. By all rights a relationship between them should not work, hell, even a friendship between them shouldn't work, but somehow it does. There are moments between them when you see that Jeremiah is the only one that Markus lets his guard down around -- the time he gets drunk and Jeremiah is the one to find and take care of him, the way that Jeremiah is the only one he's comfortable enough around to show his rage and frustration, the way that Jeremiah doesn't believe in anyone… yet he believes in Markus. I love that. Everything about it.
The truth is, I have a bit of a fealty/loyalty kink, NGL, and Jeremiah and Markus exemplify that trope in a very unique way. Jeremiah is loyal to Markus and, more importantly, to the ideals that Markus is almost too afraid to have in the beginning, but wants to have. And Markus recognizes early on that the only way to keep Jeremiah's loyalty is to give him complete freedom and autonomy, to deny him even the trappings of that fealty. It's the epitome of "if you love something let it free," and it's fascinating watching that play out and watching Jeremiah slowly but surely accept a more traditional form of loyalty -- even when that means protecting Markus from himself.
I'd love to see something exploring that relationship and how it changes, even just looking at a snapshot of it along the way. Markus carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and has always acted far older than his age. Jeremiah is the only one who consistently gets him to drop that, even if only for a moment, and act like he's no older than the rest of them. Markus accepts things from Jeremiah in a way he doesn't from anyone else -- if he's not Jeremiah's leader, he doesn't have to stay strong, after all -- and maybe that allows him to accept comfort from Jeremiah after Meghan's death. What was going through Jeremiah's head when Markus got shot? Maybe you want to look at what happens after the finale. Does Markus stay in charge? What does he do if he doesn't? Maybe you just want to look at a slice of life at Thunder Mountain.
Again, I'd love it if this went in a slashy direction with these ideas, but if that's not your thing, I'd be perfectly happy with an exploration of those ideas with a friendship bend in mind.
2) Erin/Theo
If women/femslash is more your cup of tea, then I love these two just as much as Jeremiah and Markus. There's something about a pair of women who are each practically competence porn incarnate, yet straddle opposite sides of the good/evil line… oh-my-gawd, that's hot. ^_^ I love how Theo is so evil and just revels in it, yet when she decides to stand up and put her foot down for what's right… holy hot damn does everyone sit up and listen and follow. And yet… at the same time, because of her season 2 situation, she ends up vulnerable. And then you have Erin -- the warrior woman, standing for all that is good and right… but not afraid to get her hands dirty to accomplish it. And after all the men in the series prove that they are woefully inadequate at dealing with Theo… Erin just walks right up and slams all of her shit right back into her teeth. And Theo takes it. And they recognize that kindred spirit in each other and become fast, though uneasy, friends… and every male in Thunder Mountain probably dove for cover when those two joined forces. ^_^ So. Yeah. Love.
I'd love to see a snapshot of future life for them -- what are their new roles in the government once it's in place? Is Theo's baby a boy, a girl, or the feared twins? Do they grow closer? Does Erin do as offered in 2.05 and help Theo raise her child? Do they ever become more than friends? Or maybe the future domestic bliss scene isn't your cup of tea? I'd also love to see something looking at their shared traits and how they present so differently in each woman. They are both warriors. They are both leaders. They are both fiercely protective individuals. At the core, they have so much in common, but they couldn't be more different. I'd love to see how that dichotomy plays out in their friendship/relationship. We know that Theo has been brought into Erin's world during the series. Does Theo ever bring Erin into hers? There is so much potential to explore between the two of them, either as friends or as lovers, and so little fic devoted to them and I'd love to see more!
4. Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Characters: Conner McKnight, Derrick (Power Rangers), Eric McKnight
Link to Canon: Netflix, SeekCartoon
Let's take Conner's case. He's a soccer player. He's no great shakes in school. He often jumps to conclusions before examining the evidence. But during the episode Leader of the Whack (episode 15), a meteor reveals hidden aspects to the Rangers' personalities. Conner is revealed to be highly intelligent and sensitive and (oddly) to wear glasses. O_o;;; (I have a theory there, too -- because revealing a hidden part to your personality won't suddenly make you need glasses, and becoming highly intelligent and sensitive likely wouldn't make you want to wear fake ones as an affectation, either. So I think Conner usually wears contact lenses and when this part of his personality comes out, he opts for his glasses instead. Just a minor personal headcanon. ^_~)
What else do we know about Conner? He plays on the school soccer team, which I believe is intramural? He's friends with Derrick and, presumably, everyone else on the team. He's popular. Yet, somehow he manages to hang out with Kira and Ethan, two people on the "fringe" of high school society, without putting a dent in his own popularity. In "A Bully For Ethan" (#18; the ep. the above capture is from), he's clearly torn between wanting to help Ethan and wanting to maintain his friendship with Derrick.
The point is, he has a life outside of the Rangers. He has a twin. He plays soccer. He has an entire set of friends that don't involve Ranger business. And he gets torn in every which way all over the place throughout the series between those opposing responsibilities. How does he deal with that? What is his life like outside of Ranger business? Do Derrick and the others on the team ever suspect something unusual is going on? Are they supportive? Do they help cover for him when he has to duck out of practice? And what about Eric, his twin brother? Does he suspect anything? How does he react? Given that Conner knew about his "super secret ninja academy" training, does Eric know that Conner is a Ranger? Do they have any of the stereotypical twin behaviors and connections? Does Eric know when Conner is hurt?
I guess, basically what I'm getting at is that I'm fascinated with Conner's character and how he presents this front of being a dumb jock when that clearly isn't all there is to him. He's the most sensitive and easily hurt of the entire group and for some reason, he never lets that show and I'm dying to know why he feels like he has to hide it. So, any exploration of that would be awesome. ^_^
(And if you want to go at this from the Eric side and not the Derrick side, or vice versa, I'd be OK with that. And if you're slash minded, twincest is definitely a kink I enjoy and there are SO many fun twin tropes to explore down that road. ^_^ I could also make a case for something going on between Conner and Derrick. After all, Derrick's body language is oddly possessive of Conner when it looks like Conner may choose Ethan over him, even though Conner is clearly the one leading that situation. So, I certainly wouldn't object to you looking at these things from either of those angles. ;D)
*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 writing something for me is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY YULETIDE! :D
A grateful recipient
