Dear Yuletide...
This year I'm writing my letter to the general concept of Yuletide, so anyone that stumbles upon it can feel like part of the fun. But especially to you, Yuletide author, who I look forward to giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up to on New Year's Day. I hope my requests give you something reasonable to work with.
If you start digging around here, you'll encounter a series of Matrix works I'm working on, as well as an Animorphs piece I wrote last year. Over at AO3 (same username as here) you'll find a pair of Young Avengers fics. If you don't want my writing clouding your judgment, feel free to ignore these at your discretion. If you're interested in identifying some of my quirks, then go right ahead. Almost everything here is open for public consumption.
Overall, things I like are realistic worlds, even if it's just in the details of a restaurant; sworn enemies overcoming their differences temporarily to admit deep-seated sexual tension; man-on-man action; trickster spirits; close friends that just happen to be hooking up; movies with ensemble casts; and slightly awkward encounters.
There's actually very little I don't like. I tend to identify more with slash pairings than het, which guides my reading habits, and I haven't really encountered a lot in the way of kink in the fandoms I read. So I don't know how I'd respond to that. It'd probably be easier to play it safe, unless you have something already in mind. I think the main thing I tend to be less than enthused by is bigotry or harming to these characters - they're my favourites, and while I'd definitely get more invested with a fic in which they're in danger (the Runaways/Young Avengers crossover springs to mind), it needs to be justified if it happens. Even in that above example, many fans considered it as further proof that the world at large hated gay characters. I like you already, Yuletide author - I don't think you'd deliberately do anything horrible to these characters on my account.
On to the fandoms!
Fandom 1: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Characters: Marco, Tobias
Details: I'd like Marco/Tobias. Weird pairing, I know, but I think there's a really interesting dynamic that could be had between these two characters. Marco is the jokester, and Tobias is the opposite, totally withdrawn. In a way, they kind of complement each other, and I'd like to see that explored a bit more, preferably in a romantic or intimate way. I'm totally fine with any level of explicitness: if you want to keep it gen or have utterly slashy man-action, that works for me (I've always pictured these characters as being over the age of consent by the end of the series, so you needn't fear any squick that may happen on that level). The main thought I have about this is that Tobias says early on that he's forgetting what it's like to feel human, so perhaps there's an opening there for Marco to make a connection, particularly given the deaths that occur later in the series. Comfort sex?
If the idea of slashing these two worries you, I'd also enjoy reading about these two just hanging out, potentially with the other characters - at the food court, playing video games, doing something that isn't saving the world, even if it's just for an afternoon.
Fandom 2: Young Avengers
Characters: Billy Kaplan, Teddy Altman
Details: I think these guys are really cute together, and I'm wondering how their relationship matures. How does college interfere with being a superhero, or worse, being the boyfriend of a superhero? Would Billy and Teddy go to the same college, or would they try a long-distance thing?
If you do go explicit with this one, which is something I always enjoy reading, something I've noticed is that in most fics, Billy is the catcher and Teddy the pitcher. I'd be interested to see the opposite; I imagine that being Kree/Skrull has certain benefits in that situation. I hope I didn't break your brain.
An alternative is to explore what happens after the Kree/Skrull War. Teddy has to live somewhere, right? And Billy's parents are accepting, but...
The one thing I'd prefer not to see is one of them cheating on the other. The suspicion of it might be an element, but I can't see either of these two actually doing it. These guys have always been the embodiment of unadulterated fluff for me.
Fandom 3: The Matrix (1999 2003 2003)
Characters: Mouse
Details: As long as Mouse features reasonably prominently in this (my favourite film character of all time), I don't mind who else is included. I was going to request slash, but I can't imagine him with any of the crew members of the Nebuchadnezzar, so either it would be with Neo (hero worship gone hilariously awry?), or an original character. Which I would be fine with.
I've always wondered whether the nickname 'digital pimp' is a well-earned title, or a misrepresentation of why Mouse created the Woman in the Red Dress. Does he have a thing for her? Is it a way of combating loneliness? Is she actually someone that Mouse knew?
For someone who is so driven by his senses, his "impulses", as he says, I am also curious as to how Mouse would respond to one of the ridiculous Zion raves. In my head, it probably involves copious amounts of booze and the potential for waking up the next morning with a strange girl, or guy, or both.
Fandom 4: Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare
Characters: Puck, Demetrius, Lysander
Details: M/M, or even M/M/M, if you felt so inclined (as though I haven't been spoilt enough). In Act III, Scene II, there is the sequence where Puck leads Lysander and Demetrius through the woods, looking to fight one another. Puck is hardly the most noble of Shakespeare's characters - would he indulge some of his baser instincts? Or allow the two men to indulge theirs? A reappearance of the love herb that Puck is so fond of using, for a bit of harmless fun? I can't help but picture one outcome of this prompt being the scene from Rocky Horror in which Frank winds up in both Janet and Brad's beds, with eerily similar dialogue.
If you'd prefer not to go explicit with this one, I'd still like to see a part of that scene, in which Puck's words at least lead them to the very brink of hatesex. Keep me guessing as to whether or not they'll get it on. "Up and down, up and down, I will lead them up and down." Do that to me. I'll thank you for it.
In fact, I'll thank you now - you are truly excellent for willing to go into an unusual place and emerge back into the sunlight, with a rare and until now unseen piece of fic glittering in your outstretched hands. I hope you receive a piece that makes you as happy as I reckon you'll make me. Happy Yuletide.
If you start digging around here, you'll encounter a series of Matrix works I'm working on, as well as an Animorphs piece I wrote last year. Over at AO3 (same username as here) you'll find a pair of Young Avengers fics. If you don't want my writing clouding your judgment, feel free to ignore these at your discretion. If you're interested in identifying some of my quirks, then go right ahead. Almost everything here is open for public consumption.
Overall, things I like are realistic worlds, even if it's just in the details of a restaurant; sworn enemies overcoming their differences temporarily to admit deep-seated sexual tension; man-on-man action; trickster spirits; close friends that just happen to be hooking up; movies with ensemble casts; and slightly awkward encounters.
There's actually very little I don't like. I tend to identify more with slash pairings than het, which guides my reading habits, and I haven't really encountered a lot in the way of kink in the fandoms I read. So I don't know how I'd respond to that. It'd probably be easier to play it safe, unless you have something already in mind. I think the main thing I tend to be less than enthused by is bigotry or harming to these characters - they're my favourites, and while I'd definitely get more invested with a fic in which they're in danger (the Runaways/Young Avengers crossover springs to mind), it needs to be justified if it happens. Even in that above example, many fans considered it as further proof that the world at large hated gay characters. I like you already, Yuletide author - I don't think you'd deliberately do anything horrible to these characters on my account.
On to the fandoms!
Fandom 1: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Characters: Marco, Tobias
Details: I'd like Marco/Tobias. Weird pairing, I know, but I think there's a really interesting dynamic that could be had between these two characters. Marco is the jokester, and Tobias is the opposite, totally withdrawn. In a way, they kind of complement each other, and I'd like to see that explored a bit more, preferably in a romantic or intimate way. I'm totally fine with any level of explicitness: if you want to keep it gen or have utterly slashy man-action, that works for me (I've always pictured these characters as being over the age of consent by the end of the series, so you needn't fear any squick that may happen on that level). The main thought I have about this is that Tobias says early on that he's forgetting what it's like to feel human, so perhaps there's an opening there for Marco to make a connection, particularly given the deaths that occur later in the series. Comfort sex?
If the idea of slashing these two worries you, I'd also enjoy reading about these two just hanging out, potentially with the other characters - at the food court, playing video games, doing something that isn't saving the world, even if it's just for an afternoon.
Fandom 2: Young Avengers
Characters: Billy Kaplan, Teddy Altman
Details: I think these guys are really cute together, and I'm wondering how their relationship matures. How does college interfere with being a superhero, or worse, being the boyfriend of a superhero? Would Billy and Teddy go to the same college, or would they try a long-distance thing?
If you do go explicit with this one, which is something I always enjoy reading, something I've noticed is that in most fics, Billy is the catcher and Teddy the pitcher. I'd be interested to see the opposite; I imagine that being Kree/Skrull has certain benefits in that situation. I hope I didn't break your brain.
An alternative is to explore what happens after the Kree/Skrull War. Teddy has to live somewhere, right? And Billy's parents are accepting, but...
The one thing I'd prefer not to see is one of them cheating on the other. The suspicion of it might be an element, but I can't see either of these two actually doing it. These guys have always been the embodiment of unadulterated fluff for me.
Fandom 3: The Matrix (1999 2003 2003)
Characters: Mouse
Details: As long as Mouse features reasonably prominently in this (my favourite film character of all time), I don't mind who else is included. I was going to request slash, but I can't imagine him with any of the crew members of the Nebuchadnezzar, so either it would be with Neo (hero worship gone hilariously awry?), or an original character. Which I would be fine with.
I've always wondered whether the nickname 'digital pimp' is a well-earned title, or a misrepresentation of why Mouse created the Woman in the Red Dress. Does he have a thing for her? Is it a way of combating loneliness? Is she actually someone that Mouse knew?
For someone who is so driven by his senses, his "impulses", as he says, I am also curious as to how Mouse would respond to one of the ridiculous Zion raves. In my head, it probably involves copious amounts of booze and the potential for waking up the next morning with a strange girl, or guy, or both.
Fandom 4: Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare
Characters: Puck, Demetrius, Lysander
Details: M/M, or even M/M/M, if you felt so inclined (as though I haven't been spoilt enough). In Act III, Scene II, there is the sequence where Puck leads Lysander and Demetrius through the woods, looking to fight one another. Puck is hardly the most noble of Shakespeare's characters - would he indulge some of his baser instincts? Or allow the two men to indulge theirs? A reappearance of the love herb that Puck is so fond of using, for a bit of harmless fun? I can't help but picture one outcome of this prompt being the scene from Rocky Horror in which Frank winds up in both Janet and Brad's beds, with eerily similar dialogue.
If you'd prefer not to go explicit with this one, I'd still like to see a part of that scene, in which Puck's words at least lead them to the very brink of hatesex. Keep me guessing as to whether or not they'll get it on. "Up and down, up and down, I will lead them up and down." Do that to me. I'll thank you for it.
In fact, I'll thank you now - you are truly excellent for willing to go into an unusual place and emerge back into the sunlight, with a rare and until now unseen piece of fic glittering in your outstretched hands. I hope you receive a piece that makes you as happy as I reckon you'll make me. Happy Yuletide.