Dear NOFM writer/artist...
Hi there, thank you for coming to read this letter! This is my first time taking part in this particular exchange, so I'm really excited! I can't wait to see what you create - please just try to enjoy yourself, and I'm sure to love the end result :)
In terms of fic, I love first-time/getting-together stories most of all. Especially if coupled with UST, mutual pining, and so on, but that's absolutely not a must!
I'm all for sex scenes, if that's where the story leads you, but I won't be disappointed if the characters end up taking things slow (and stick with just kissing or ambiguous fade-to-black scenes). Whatever you think works best is cool with me.
For art, I'm open to just about anything! I have no real preference when it comes to styles or color schemes, so feel free to go wild :D I like both stand-alone art pieces as well as comics, if you should feel like telling a little short story.
I love seeing the characters being happy together - perhaps doing something silly and laughing about it, or just playing around with each other. This can be as domestic and mundane as doing the dishes together and splashing water on each other, to dancing and stepping on the other's toes. Or maybe doing some princess-carrying/bridal-style carrying! Sweet and tender moments, like embracing while sleeping, are great too.
I also really love hurt/comfort, both emotional and physical. Like one character holding the other while they cry, or protectively clutching their wounded lover while glaring daggers at the assailant(s).
In more general terms, anything that takes place in rain is gold to me. Desperate kissing, fights, staring at someone's back with all the yearning that's normally kept hidden, etc. I can't explain it, but yeah, I'm just a sucker for that.
I also love animals of all kinds, so seeing the characters I requested interacting with one (or more) would be awesome!
Oh, and the one thing I'm not all that into when it comes to art, is super-graphic sex (like where a dripping dick is the main focus).
Aside from that, the things I like are all over the place - so I'll list a few for you below. Keep in mind that there's no reason for you to worry if the stuff I mention aren't what you had planned! I'm only writing this to give you a general idea of what I'm into, so please don't feel like you must include any of these.
♥ Characters who are unflinchingly loyal, including betrayals that are actually secretly done for the sake of the other.
♥ Protectiveness - especially if the one being protected is quite capable of taking care of themselves, and/or isn't used to someone caring like that.
♥ Stoic characters opening up and revealing feelings they normally wouldn't; the strong-and-silent type showing unexpected vulnerability.
♥ Unrequited love and longing that ends up not being that unrequited after all. UST is great as well, especially if finally resolved.
♥ Moments where one character is completely out of it (due to sleepiness or being wounded or whatever), but is still aware of the other just being there; a comforting and safe presence.
♥ Characters who share a "I understand what you need without having to be told" bond.
♥ Lonely characters finding companionship.
♥ Casual or unconscious displays of power, skill, or strength.
♥ Differences between lovers - height, age, etc.
♥ Indirect kissing, especially if coupled with pining. Like one character lighting a cigarette for the other, or drinking from the same glass.
♥ Playful sex. That's not to say I don't enjoy tender or passionate sex (I do!), but there's just something about two characters being so at ease and comfortable around each other that they're able to joke and laugh while making love.
♥ Rescues, whether it's a matter of life and death or simply being woken from a nightmare.
♥ Rivalries, both of the friendly sort and the more antagonistic kind.
♥ Princess-carrying! (Or bridal-style carrying, whatever you want to call it.)
♥ Desperate kissing in the rain. Showing up drenched and shivering at the door of a lover-to-be after angsting in the rain is also great. DON'T JUDGE MEEE~
And on the flip side, things I don't want:
♦ Sad stuff involving animals - death, cruelty, etc.
♦ Killing off the characters I've requested, or giving them a serious illness they didn't have in canon (by serious I mean things like cancer and dementia).
♦ Focus on social, religious, or political issues.
♦ Crossovers.
♦ Crack.
♦ Meta.
♦ Alternate Universe. I like AUs sometimes, but these fandoms are all rare so I'd like to get art/fic of them as they are (but what-if/fix-it/canon-divergence is perfectly fine).
Now then, here are my actual requests:
Flight Of The Intruder
Jake Grafton/Virgil Cole: As much as I love this movie, the end is just... Y'know, I won't beat around the bush here: I desperately, desperately want Virgil to survive! I don't care how you do it - change the whole ending around or just a few details, have him be badly wounded or not hurt at all, borrow a page from the original book (where he doesn't die) or have something entirely different happen - absolutely anything is good with me, just as long as he gets to live.
I love how important they both become to each other, and how close they grow in such a short time. Jake is still reeling from the loss of Morg, and so badly wants to do something that matters. Virgil not only grounds him, but also gives him the chance to make a difference, sticking by his side every step of the way. And Jake becomes just as important to Virgil, who's actually really lonely - isolated, even. Everyone thinks the worst of him, that he's a horrible and disloyal person, which is as far from the truth as it gets. But he doesn't speak up for himself; like when Camparelli is giving him a hard time, he doesn't say a word in his own defense. But he opens up to Jake, because he feels that Jake deserves to know everything. And maybe Virgil hopes someone will finally believe in him, too. And Jake doesn't disappoint. The way he responds, utterly steadfast and supporting, is just beautiful - and it's obvious that it means the world to Virgil.
So, with that in mind, in terms of fic I'd love to see a moment where somebody brings it up and accuses Virgil of abandoning his old partner. I doubt Virgil would respond, and I'd love to see Jake stepping in. Just being protective of Virgil, telling the accuser a thing or two, and then trying to make him feel better. That protectiveness swings both ways (as we clearly see in the end when Virgil keeps Jake from coming to save him ;_;), so if you'd like to flip the roles or write something else centered around that, that'd be just as great! I'd also love to see the loyalty and protectiveness between them explored in art, in any way you can think of! Maybe combined with fix-it for the ending, like with Jake carrying Virgil to safety?
I love how loyal Jake is, and how deeply he cares. The way he acts after Morg's death, slipping up by still talking to him and calling other people by his name, always breaks my heart. (That's why the final scene just doesn't work for me - it feels completely OOC for him to be upbeat like that, and the whole thing just seems tacked on and forced.)
The scene after their preliminary court-martial is lovely. The way Virgil, once again, opens up to Jake. He looks so heartbreakingly sad when he says he's never trusted or counted on anyone but himself. Then he lifts his gaze to Jake, bright eyes and wide smile lighting up his whole face when he says he's glad it's the two of them against the world - "If we hang or go to jail, we do it together." *clutches heart* And the way Jake gives him this soft, tender smile in return...!
And I love how damn adorable they are together! Like them bursting into song after their solo mission, so happy and perfectly in sync. Or all the pet names they use - honey, baby, amigo, buddy, I love them all to bits. So if a fix-it fic isn't what you'd like to write, something sweet and happy like that would be really nice as well. For art, that goes double! I'd love to see them being happy together - playing around, taking it easy and relaxing, smiling at each other... whatever!
Gik Zin | Unbeatable
Lin Si Qi/Ching Fai: This is one of my favorite movies ever, I love it so much. Everything about it, from the theme of second chances to the training montages, but above all else I love the relationship between these two. I like mentor/student stuff in general, and when it's coupled with accidental kisses (and not-so-accidental kisses)? Yeeeah, I didn't have a prayer. They're adorable and super-sexy together, and I just love them like crazy.
I love how kind Fai is, and how he instantly took a shine to Qi even though he tried to deny it. Like coming to Qi's rescue when his father was being abusive, patching him up afterwards, and so on. And Qi, trusting Fai so wholeheartedly, both in terms of his training and things like fixing his broken nose. I love how important they become to each other - not to mention the way they can both joke and play around together, as well as open up to reveal things they wouldn't say to anyone else.
Obviously I love the kisses, so a focus on that would be fantastic. I think it's interesting to see how open Qi is with it - I mean, he goes for a kiss on the lips after his first win, despite all the people around and the cameras and the fact that it's being televised. So he clearly doesn't seem to have an issue with showing his affection for Fai in public. And for all his grumbling Fai doesn't really seem to mind all that much, I don't think. Does he believe Qi isn't serious about it, or does he perhaps secretly enjoy it? If it's the former, how would he react if Qi made it clear that he wasn't kidding around? Does Qi ever try to push the issue, or woo Fai in some other way? Maybe Fai is the one who tries to do some wooing? Or perhaps there's just silent pining and angsting about it, until one day the dam breaks for either one of them?
If you'd like to write/draw a sex scene, I admit that I have this mental notion of Qi being the most gentle and considerate top. But you absolutely don't have to adhere to that if you don't want to! In general I'm very easygoing when it comes to sexual positions, and I actually love switching - so whatever you want to go with will be just great.
Psychometry
Yang Chun-dong/Kim Jun: I love this movie to bits, and the relationship between these two really made it special. I just want more of them - angsty or happy, solving another crime together or just hanging out, whatever, I want it all! The ending left things open for them to reunite, and I'd love for that to happen. Even without Chun-dong discovering the graffiti I like to think he would've tried to track Jun down. I believe he took his promise to not leave Jun hanging ever again very, very seriously. And hey, Chun-dong never did get to take Jun out for dinner ;)
Both of these characters are very much alone. Jun has isolated himself on purpose, and with Chun-dong it probably happened automatically (we're not told whether or not his parents are still alive, but even if they are I got the distinct impression that they'd be blaming him for Gi-dong's death). So I believe they become really important to each other; both bringing a sense of companionship into the other's lonely life - just look at how happy Chun-dong gets when Jun cooks for him! Maybe they could spend some special, but typically lonely, day together (like a holiday or a birthday)? Anyway, I definitely think it's a friendship that could easily develop into something more. This pairing is basically made for hurt/comfort and touch starvation, both of which I'd be hugely into.
They're both shown to have nightmares, if you wanted to go with something based on that. Or maybe deal with Chun-dong's past a bit? He did his best to jolt Jun out of his standstill, and to get it across that the death of his mother wasn't his fault - so I'd really like to see Jun try to do the same. Chun-dong really needs to hear it, in my opinion. I mean, take the way he breaks down when Gi-dong is brought up; literally running away, getting himself drunk in his lonely apartment, then puking his guts out and crying in the bathroom. I'd love it if Jun walked in on him during a moment like that, NGL.
But I'd also love something happy and humorous! Maybe Jun could try to teach Chun-dong how to train pigeons? He was quite impressed with that, after all. The pigeons could perhaps bring little notes back and forth between them, that'd be so cute XD
Three Fugitives
Daniel Lucas/Ned Perry: As far as I'm concerned, these two and Meg made for the cutest family ever. I just want to see them stick together - not because of more bank-robbery shenanigans, but simply because they want to. I'd love it if Lucas and Ned came to realize that it isn't all about Meg; that they actually care about each other as well. I think this pairing is basically made for slow burn, UST, and he-could-never-feel-the-same-way-about-me mutual pining - but don't feel like you have to stick to that. I'll honestly love anything, however you see their relationship! I adore their bickering and the overall humor of the movie, so if you'd like to go with a more light-hearted route - perhaps with clumsy seduction attempts? - that'd be just as awesome.
It's pretty obvious that Lucas has lived a lonely life - he mentions growing up in an orphanage, and his "there's no such thing as friends" comment pretty much says it all. I'd love to see him getting used to having a family for the first time in his life; to be able to let his guard down, because someone actually cares about him and has his back. He was very sweet and supportive when Ned broke down, and I'd love to see a reversal of roles, with Ned getting a chance to return the favor. With the life Lucas has led, I can't imagine him ever willingly crying in front of anyone - I'd love to see that explored. It would also be fun to see Ned getting to rescue Lucas, for once! Well, okay, he does bring Lucas to Dr. Horvath, but that doesn't really count since Ned was the one who shot him in the first place ^_^;
This is a rather specific prompt, but how a celebration of some sort? Birthday, a holiday, whatever! Maybe the guys try to bake a cake for Meg (which I can only imagine would turn out to be a total disaster)? Or maybe Ned and Meg get a gift or something for Lucas? Again, in the case of the latter, I think that might be a first for him - or at least the first in a very long time, as I doubt anyone has cared enough to remember his birthday since who knows when.
----
Aaand that's it! I really hope you're not feeling disheartened or disappointed by my requests. If anything is unclear or you have something you'd like to ask, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions via the moderators.
Once again, thank you so much for creating a gift for me! ♥
In terms of fic, I love first-time/getting-together stories most of all. Especially if coupled with UST, mutual pining, and so on, but that's absolutely not a must!
I'm all for sex scenes, if that's where the story leads you, but I won't be disappointed if the characters end up taking things slow (and stick with just kissing or ambiguous fade-to-black scenes). Whatever you think works best is cool with me.
For art, I'm open to just about anything! I have no real preference when it comes to styles or color schemes, so feel free to go wild :D I like both stand-alone art pieces as well as comics, if you should feel like telling a little short story.
I love seeing the characters being happy together - perhaps doing something silly and laughing about it, or just playing around with each other. This can be as domestic and mundane as doing the dishes together and splashing water on each other, to dancing and stepping on the other's toes. Or maybe doing some princess-carrying/bridal-style carrying! Sweet and tender moments, like embracing while sleeping, are great too.
I also really love hurt/comfort, both emotional and physical. Like one character holding the other while they cry, or protectively clutching their wounded lover while glaring daggers at the assailant(s).
In more general terms, anything that takes place in rain is gold to me. Desperate kissing, fights, staring at someone's back with all the yearning that's normally kept hidden, etc. I can't explain it, but yeah, I'm just a sucker for that.
I also love animals of all kinds, so seeing the characters I requested interacting with one (or more) would be awesome!
Oh, and the one thing I'm not all that into when it comes to art, is super-graphic sex (like where a dripping dick is the main focus).
Aside from that, the things I like are all over the place - so I'll list a few for you below. Keep in mind that there's no reason for you to worry if the stuff I mention aren't what you had planned! I'm only writing this to give you a general idea of what I'm into, so please don't feel like you must include any of these.
♥ Characters who are unflinchingly loyal, including betrayals that are actually secretly done for the sake of the other.
♥ Protectiveness - especially if the one being protected is quite capable of taking care of themselves, and/or isn't used to someone caring like that.
♥ Stoic characters opening up and revealing feelings they normally wouldn't; the strong-and-silent type showing unexpected vulnerability.
♥ Unrequited love and longing that ends up not being that unrequited after all. UST is great as well, especially if finally resolved.
♥ Moments where one character is completely out of it (due to sleepiness or being wounded or whatever), but is still aware of the other just being there; a comforting and safe presence.
♥ Characters who share a "I understand what you need without having to be told" bond.
♥ Lonely characters finding companionship.
♥ Casual or unconscious displays of power, skill, or strength.
♥ Differences between lovers - height, age, etc.
♥ Indirect kissing, especially if coupled with pining. Like one character lighting a cigarette for the other, or drinking from the same glass.
♥ Playful sex. That's not to say I don't enjoy tender or passionate sex (I do!), but there's just something about two characters being so at ease and comfortable around each other that they're able to joke and laugh while making love.
♥ Rescues, whether it's a matter of life and death or simply being woken from a nightmare.
♥ Rivalries, both of the friendly sort and the more antagonistic kind.
♥ Princess-carrying! (Or bridal-style carrying, whatever you want to call it.)
♥ Desperate kissing in the rain. Showing up drenched and shivering at the door of a lover-to-be after angsting in the rain is also great. DON'T JUDGE MEEE~
And on the flip side, things I don't want:
♦ Sad stuff involving animals - death, cruelty, etc.
♦ Killing off the characters I've requested, or giving them a serious illness they didn't have in canon (by serious I mean things like cancer and dementia).
♦ Focus on social, religious, or political issues.
♦ Crossovers.
♦ Crack.
♦ Meta.
♦ Alternate Universe. I like AUs sometimes, but these fandoms are all rare so I'd like to get art/fic of them as they are (but what-if/fix-it/canon-divergence is perfectly fine).
Now then, here are my actual requests:
Flight Of The Intruder
Jake Grafton/Virgil Cole: As much as I love this movie, the end is just... Y'know, I won't beat around the bush here: I desperately, desperately want Virgil to survive! I don't care how you do it - change the whole ending around or just a few details, have him be badly wounded or not hurt at all, borrow a page from the original book (where he doesn't die) or have something entirely different happen - absolutely anything is good with me, just as long as he gets to live.
I love how important they both become to each other, and how close they grow in such a short time. Jake is still reeling from the loss of Morg, and so badly wants to do something that matters. Virgil not only grounds him, but also gives him the chance to make a difference, sticking by his side every step of the way. And Jake becomes just as important to Virgil, who's actually really lonely - isolated, even. Everyone thinks the worst of him, that he's a horrible and disloyal person, which is as far from the truth as it gets. But he doesn't speak up for himself; like when Camparelli is giving him a hard time, he doesn't say a word in his own defense. But he opens up to Jake, because he feels that Jake deserves to know everything. And maybe Virgil hopes someone will finally believe in him, too. And Jake doesn't disappoint. The way he responds, utterly steadfast and supporting, is just beautiful - and it's obvious that it means the world to Virgil.
So, with that in mind, in terms of fic I'd love to see a moment where somebody brings it up and accuses Virgil of abandoning his old partner. I doubt Virgil would respond, and I'd love to see Jake stepping in. Just being protective of Virgil, telling the accuser a thing or two, and then trying to make him feel better. That protectiveness swings both ways (as we clearly see in the end when Virgil keeps Jake from coming to save him ;_;), so if you'd like to flip the roles or write something else centered around that, that'd be just as great! I'd also love to see the loyalty and protectiveness between them explored in art, in any way you can think of! Maybe combined with fix-it for the ending, like with Jake carrying Virgil to safety?
I love how loyal Jake is, and how deeply he cares. The way he acts after Morg's death, slipping up by still talking to him and calling other people by his name, always breaks my heart. (That's why the final scene just doesn't work for me - it feels completely OOC for him to be upbeat like that, and the whole thing just seems tacked on and forced.)
The scene after their preliminary court-martial is lovely. The way Virgil, once again, opens up to Jake. He looks so heartbreakingly sad when he says he's never trusted or counted on anyone but himself. Then he lifts his gaze to Jake, bright eyes and wide smile lighting up his whole face when he says he's glad it's the two of them against the world - "If we hang or go to jail, we do it together." *clutches heart* And the way Jake gives him this soft, tender smile in return...!
And I love how damn adorable they are together! Like them bursting into song after their solo mission, so happy and perfectly in sync. Or all the pet names they use - honey, baby, amigo, buddy, I love them all to bits. So if a fix-it fic isn't what you'd like to write, something sweet and happy like that would be really nice as well. For art, that goes double! I'd love to see them being happy together - playing around, taking it easy and relaxing, smiling at each other... whatever!
Gik Zin | Unbeatable
Lin Si Qi/Ching Fai: This is one of my favorite movies ever, I love it so much. Everything about it, from the theme of second chances to the training montages, but above all else I love the relationship between these two. I like mentor/student stuff in general, and when it's coupled with accidental kisses (and not-so-accidental kisses)? Yeeeah, I didn't have a prayer. They're adorable and super-sexy together, and I just love them like crazy.
I love how kind Fai is, and how he instantly took a shine to Qi even though he tried to deny it. Like coming to Qi's rescue when his father was being abusive, patching him up afterwards, and so on. And Qi, trusting Fai so wholeheartedly, both in terms of his training and things like fixing his broken nose. I love how important they become to each other - not to mention the way they can both joke and play around together, as well as open up to reveal things they wouldn't say to anyone else.
Obviously I love the kisses, so a focus on that would be fantastic. I think it's interesting to see how open Qi is with it - I mean, he goes for a kiss on the lips after his first win, despite all the people around and the cameras and the fact that it's being televised. So he clearly doesn't seem to have an issue with showing his affection for Fai in public. And for all his grumbling Fai doesn't really seem to mind all that much, I don't think. Does he believe Qi isn't serious about it, or does he perhaps secretly enjoy it? If it's the former, how would he react if Qi made it clear that he wasn't kidding around? Does Qi ever try to push the issue, or woo Fai in some other way? Maybe Fai is the one who tries to do some wooing? Or perhaps there's just silent pining and angsting about it, until one day the dam breaks for either one of them?
If you'd like to write/draw a sex scene, I admit that I have this mental notion of Qi being the most gentle and considerate top. But you absolutely don't have to adhere to that if you don't want to! In general I'm very easygoing when it comes to sexual positions, and I actually love switching - so whatever you want to go with will be just great.
Psychometry
Yang Chun-dong/Kim Jun: I love this movie to bits, and the relationship between these two really made it special. I just want more of them - angsty or happy, solving another crime together or just hanging out, whatever, I want it all! The ending left things open for them to reunite, and I'd love for that to happen. Even without Chun-dong discovering the graffiti I like to think he would've tried to track Jun down. I believe he took his promise to not leave Jun hanging ever again very, very seriously. And hey, Chun-dong never did get to take Jun out for dinner ;)
Both of these characters are very much alone. Jun has isolated himself on purpose, and with Chun-dong it probably happened automatically (we're not told whether or not his parents are still alive, but even if they are I got the distinct impression that they'd be blaming him for Gi-dong's death). So I believe they become really important to each other; both bringing a sense of companionship into the other's lonely life - just look at how happy Chun-dong gets when Jun cooks for him! Maybe they could spend some special, but typically lonely, day together (like a holiday or a birthday)? Anyway, I definitely think it's a friendship that could easily develop into something more. This pairing is basically made for hurt/comfort and touch starvation, both of which I'd be hugely into.
They're both shown to have nightmares, if you wanted to go with something based on that. Or maybe deal with Chun-dong's past a bit? He did his best to jolt Jun out of his standstill, and to get it across that the death of his mother wasn't his fault - so I'd really like to see Jun try to do the same. Chun-dong really needs to hear it, in my opinion. I mean, take the way he breaks down when Gi-dong is brought up; literally running away, getting himself drunk in his lonely apartment, then puking his guts out and crying in the bathroom. I'd love it if Jun walked in on him during a moment like that, NGL.
But I'd also love something happy and humorous! Maybe Jun could try to teach Chun-dong how to train pigeons? He was quite impressed with that, after all. The pigeons could perhaps bring little notes back and forth between them, that'd be so cute XD
Three Fugitives
Daniel Lucas/Ned Perry: As far as I'm concerned, these two and Meg made for the cutest family ever. I just want to see them stick together - not because of more bank-robbery shenanigans, but simply because they want to. I'd love it if Lucas and Ned came to realize that it isn't all about Meg; that they actually care about each other as well. I think this pairing is basically made for slow burn, UST, and he-could-never-feel-the-same-way-about-me mutual pining - but don't feel like you have to stick to that. I'll honestly love anything, however you see their relationship! I adore their bickering and the overall humor of the movie, so if you'd like to go with a more light-hearted route - perhaps with clumsy seduction attempts? - that'd be just as awesome.
It's pretty obvious that Lucas has lived a lonely life - he mentions growing up in an orphanage, and his "there's no such thing as friends" comment pretty much says it all. I'd love to see him getting used to having a family for the first time in his life; to be able to let his guard down, because someone actually cares about him and has his back. He was very sweet and supportive when Ned broke down, and I'd love to see a reversal of roles, with Ned getting a chance to return the favor. With the life Lucas has led, I can't imagine him ever willingly crying in front of anyone - I'd love to see that explored. It would also be fun to see Ned getting to rescue Lucas, for once! Well, okay, he does bring Lucas to Dr. Horvath, but that doesn't really count since Ned was the one who shot him in the first place ^_^;
This is a rather specific prompt, but how a celebration of some sort? Birthday, a holiday, whatever! Maybe the guys try to bake a cake for Meg (which I can only imagine would turn out to be a total disaster)? Or maybe Ned and Meg get a gift or something for Lucas? Again, in the case of the latter, I think that might be a first for him - or at least the first in a very long time, as I doubt anyone has cared enough to remember his birthday since who knows when.
----
Aaand that's it! I really hope you're not feeling disheartened or disappointed by my requests. If anything is unclear or you have something you'd like to ask, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions via the moderators.
Once again, thank you so much for creating a gift for me! ♥