ShipSwap Letter 2015
Dear ShipSwap Creator,
Hello and thank you for making something for me! :D There's not enough for any of these ships, so whichever one you do, I will be incredibly happy.
I ticked both fic and art for all fandoms, so I've tried to give a mix of prompts for each. Of course, if you feel inspired to illustrate a scene from one of the story-based prompts, or to write one of the more visual prompts, you can absolutely do that! Or if you're inspired by an idea I haven't mentioned, you can run with that - these are just suggestions in case you're stuck, you don't need to be bound by them at all.
Most of my fandoms are historical, so if you know historical detail and you want to include it, that would be awesome. But if you don't, don't worry! My focus is on the characters and how they interact. I also like AUs, so if you want to give them daemons, or send them into space, or have them be superheroes - I am so there. Canon divergence AUs could be a great way of exploring possibilities too.
Ratingwise, you can go as high or as low as you want. I love all these ships and will be equally happy to receive the most innocent fluff or the filthiest porn, or anything in between. For art, I like a wide range of styles, from realistic to minimalist, anime to ligne claire. For fic, I'm fine with both past and present tense; I like third person, and first person if it's epistolary fic.
Basically, there's a huge range of things I like, so if it's not on my list of DNWs I'll probably love it!
Likes: Loyalty, hurt/comfort, fluff, people being competent, people being derps, bedsharing, holding hands, cuddling, casual touching, caretaking, sharing food, pining, uniforms, friends-to-lovers, D/s, bondage, breathplay, first times, humour, crackfic, A/B/O, obedience curses.
DNWs: Underage sex, watersports, scat, gore, character death.
CLASSICAL GREECE AND ROME RPF
Mark Antony/Julius Caesar
These two got along incredibly well despite being very different on the surface. I think Antony's humour and relaxed attitude helped to balance Caesar's calculating and reserved nature; they brought out the best in each other, and they were both so competent and intelligent. They often had to spend long periods apart, furthering their military and political amibitions, which required a lot of trust on both parts. Alliances shifted often in Rome, yet Antony remained loyal to Caesar throughout. Together they made a formidable team, backed by genuine affection.
I've recently been converted to this ship, because they are the friendliest enemies I've ever heard of. I love how intense they are about each other, and how much their lives hinge on each other, without being codependent - but without it necessarily being comfortable either. They're both so incredibly competent, and that's a big thing for me. But their achievements are all strikes against each other. And yet, somehow, they give up their enmity to chat amicably.
DA VINCI'S DEMONS
Leonardo da Vinci/Zoroaster
I love how loyal Zo is to Leo - even when he doesn't deserve it. Leo can be an absolute asshole, but Zo will stick with him through anything, because they're in love they're best friends. They make a great team together. Leo is so incredibly competent at so many things! And Zo absolutely believes in Leo's abilities, but while he has his own skills I get the impression that he doesn't believe in himself so much. Their relationship is complicated and sometimes uncomfortable, but always intense.
HORRIBLE HISTORIES
Blenkinsop/Maltravers
I will never get over how adorable these two managed to be in less than three minutes of screen time. So silly! So protective! So completely unaware that best friends don't usually kiss! But there's also the looming threat of the First World War to give them an undercurrent of angst. I really don't want to see either of them killed off - but dealing with the conditions of the trenches, the experience of battle, and the physical or mental scars that result is absolutely fine. They're happy souls, but that doesn't mean their situation has to be.
So I'm pretty sure these two were a thing in real life, but HH somehow added a layer of adorable and ridic to them. I like Nelson's confidence and self-belief in his own genius, but I also like his deep insecurities and social awkwardness. Hardy, with all his protectiveness and caring, is just lovely. And his loyalty to Nelson, ahh, my heart. Together they're a perfectly balanced team of awesome who seem to really rely on each other.
PLEBS
Marcus/Stylax
I'm predisposed to ship best friends, but I'm pretty convinced that Stylax actually fancies Marcus and just hasn't realised it yet. All those cheerful speeches about how awesomely dateable Marcus is combined with invasions of personal space... Yeah. Both of them are pretty terrible people in various ways, but somehow they work together. In fact they're probably the only ones who'd work as a longterm partner for the other.
Historical inaccuracies and a canon-esque level of ridic are welcome here!
THE TEMPEST
Prospero/Ariel
So I don't think my English teacher would've approved of me shipping this but - "Do you love me, master? No?" "Dearly, my delicate Ariel." - how could I not? I'm intrigued by their master/servant relationship, and how it seems like it is or could be more. Prospero is quite controlling, but he's also prepared to give Ariel his freedom. Ariel is an oddity; I love non-human characters who act in unhuman ways as a result. Together, their relationship is dark and light, imbalanced and affectionate, weird and normal - all at once.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT
Anduin Wrynn/Wrathion
I find both of these two intriguing as individuals and I'm really interested in how their relationship could develop. Priestly and forgiving Anduin seems basically to be a Good Person and I love that about him. Wrathion, meanwhile... His upbringing, his place in the war, and the fact that he's a dragon all combine to make him very complicated. Depending on how things go he could develop in a lot of different ways... I like misguided, not-as-clever-as-he-thinks Wrathion; I like morally grey, ends-justifies-the-means Wrathion; I like power-hungry, unrepentently evil Wrathion. (Or even weirdly adorable little dragon Wrathion, if you want to go for humour.)
As a note, because dragon aging is weird: if Anduin's an adult, I won't consider Wrathion to be underage either.
My feelings about these two can basically be summed up as: THEY BREAK MY HEART. They don't have much canon, but what they do have I found really affecting. Mankrik's questline is one of the best/worst things about the Barrens, and his locket is still sitting in my bank because I couldn't bear to get rid of it. I just really want more of them. (Whether you set it during the original timeline or during the new one is up to you.)
Hello and thank you for making something for me! :D There's not enough for any of these ships, so whichever one you do, I will be incredibly happy.
I ticked both fic and art for all fandoms, so I've tried to give a mix of prompts for each. Of course, if you feel inspired to illustrate a scene from one of the story-based prompts, or to write one of the more visual prompts, you can absolutely do that! Or if you're inspired by an idea I haven't mentioned, you can run with that - these are just suggestions in case you're stuck, you don't need to be bound by them at all.
Most of my fandoms are historical, so if you know historical detail and you want to include it, that would be awesome. But if you don't, don't worry! My focus is on the characters and how they interact. I also like AUs, so if you want to give them daemons, or send them into space, or have them be superheroes - I am so there. Canon divergence AUs could be a great way of exploring possibilities too.
Ratingwise, you can go as high or as low as you want. I love all these ships and will be equally happy to receive the most innocent fluff or the filthiest porn, or anything in between. For art, I like a wide range of styles, from realistic to minimalist, anime to ligne claire. For fic, I'm fine with both past and present tense; I like third person, and first person if it's epistolary fic.
Basically, there's a huge range of things I like, so if it's not on my list of DNWs I'll probably love it!
Likes: Loyalty, hurt/comfort, fluff, people being competent, people being derps, bedsharing, holding hands, cuddling, casual touching, caretaking, sharing food, pining, uniforms, friends-to-lovers, D/s, bondage, breathplay, first times, humour, crackfic, A/B/O, obedience curses.
DNWs: Underage sex, watersports, scat, gore, character death.
CLASSICAL GREECE AND ROME RPF
Mark Antony/Julius Caesar
These two got along incredibly well despite being very different on the surface. I think Antony's humour and relaxed attitude helped to balance Caesar's calculating and reserved nature; they brought out the best in each other, and they were both so competent and intelligent. They often had to spend long periods apart, furthering their military and political amibitions, which required a lot of trust on both parts. Alliances shifted often in Rome, yet Antony remained loyal to Caesar throughout. Together they made a formidable team, backed by genuine affection.
- One of them is injured or unwell. Does the other have to hide their deep concern in public, or even help to keep the illness a secret? In private, do they eagerly give comfort, or do they struggle with their sense of manliness?
- Talking and laughing together over some wine.
- Caesar used a cipher to communicate with his generals. Perhaps there was a second cipher, which they used for more intimate correspondence. What would they confess, if they felt sure nobody else could read it? What would they still not dare to express?
- All dressed up in their armour, looking impressive. Maybe riding to battle, or celebrating afterwards.
- After a long time apart, the two are finally reunited.
I've recently been converted to this ship, because they are the friendliest enemies I've ever heard of. I love how intense they are about each other, and how much their lives hinge on each other, without being codependent - but without it necessarily being comfortable either. They're both so incredibly competent, and that's a big thing for me. But their achievements are all strikes against each other. And yet, somehow, they give up their enmity to chat amicably.
- One or both of them are haunted by dreams of their encounters, by what they did to each other - or by what they did not.
- Their meeting in Ephesus brings up feelings neither of them can possibly ignore.
- After all the scrutinising and the analysing on the battlefield, they turn their focus on each in the bedroom.
- They fake their own deaths to run off together. Because they totally did this for real.
- Tenderly investigating the scars each of them has from their experiences in battle.
DA VINCI'S DEMONS
Leonardo da Vinci/Zoroaster
I love how loyal Zo is to Leo - even when he doesn't deserve it. Leo can be an absolute asshole, but Zo will stick with him through anything, because they're in love they're best friends. They make a great team together. Leo is so incredibly competent at so many things! And Zo absolutely believes in Leo's abilities, but while he has his own skills I get the impression that he doesn't believe in himself so much. Their relationship is complicated and sometimes uncomfortable, but always intense.
- Leo drawing Zo. Or drawing on Zo.
- The two of them dancing around each other because admitting feelings means dealing with complicated emotions, and possibly screwing things up.
- A particularly heavy night of drinking results in confessions or making out.
- Leo realises he's gone too far and works to make it up to Zo.
HORRIBLE HISTORIES
Blenkinsop/Maltravers
I will never get over how adorable these two managed to be in less than three minutes of screen time. So silly! So protective! So completely unaware that best friends don't usually kiss! But there's also the looming threat of the First World War to give them an undercurrent of angst. I really don't want to see either of them killed off - but dealing with the conditions of the trenches, the experience of battle, and the physical or mental scars that result is absolutely fine. They're happy souls, but that doesn't mean their situation has to be.
- Pining for each other, because they're both oblivious to the other's feelings. (And quite possibly to their own feelings.)
- Trying to rebuild their lives after the war.
- Being adorable best friends at boarding school together! Building a blanketfort in their dorm room. Playing rugby and getting covered in mud. Sharing sweets from the tuck shop. Doing homework in the library. Basically any boarding school trope you can think of.
- A lazy Sunday morning in bed.
So I'm pretty sure these two were a thing in real life, but HH somehow added a layer of adorable and ridic to them. I like Nelson's confidence and self-belief in his own genius, but I also like his deep insecurities and social awkwardness. Hardy, with all his protectiveness and caring, is just lovely. And his loyalty to Nelson, ahh, my heart. Together they're a perfectly balanced team of awesome who seem to really rely on each other.
- How do they find time and space to be together - on a ship, during a war, without anybody finding out?
- Nelson kicking ass and taking names while Hardy assists and/or looks on approvingly.
- One or both of them pines over the other, believing their feelings aren't returned, or aren't appropriate.
- Hardy looking after a seasick Nelson.
- Undressing each other in their uniforms, with all their many many buttons.
PLEBS
Marcus/Stylax
I'm predisposed to ship best friends, but I'm pretty convinced that Stylax actually fancies Marcus and just hasn't realised it yet. All those cheerful speeches about how awesomely dateable Marcus is combined with invasions of personal space... Yeah. Both of them are pretty terrible people in various ways, but somehow they work together. In fact they're probably the only ones who'd work as a longterm partner for the other.
Historical inaccuracies and a canon-esque level of ridic are welcome here!
- Stylax enlists Grumio's help as a matchmaker. This goes as well as anything involving Grumio does.
- A drunken game of spin the amphora results in an awkward first kiss.
- Flavia locks them in their office and refuses to let them out until they admit their feelings.
- They have to pretend to be a couple because reasons.
THE TEMPEST
Prospero/Ariel
So I don't think my English teacher would've approved of me shipping this but - "Do you love me, master? No?" "Dearly, my delicate Ariel." - how could I not? I'm intrigued by their master/servant relationship, and how it seems like it is or could be more. Prospero is quite controlling, but he's also prepared to give Ariel his freedom. Ariel is an oddity; I love non-human characters who act in unhuman ways as a result. Together, their relationship is dark and light, imbalanced and affectionate, weird and normal - all at once.
- After the end of the play, Ariel starts to miss his old master and seeks Prospero out.
- So often, Ariel seems to need reminding of things that have happened. Perhaps he experiences time differently to us; perhaps he's so long-lived that it's difficult for him to remember recent events. Whatever the case, how is this going to affect a relationship? Would Prospero hide his feelings because he thinks Ariel will only forget him? Would Ariel be haunted by a sense that he's forgotten something important?
- Prospero and Ariel perform a ritual together.
- As an air spirit, there's no guarantee that Ariel has a penis, or a vagina either. Maybe he has both. Maybe neither. Maybe air spirits can mould their form as they choose. How do he and Prospero find pleasure together?
- Ariel tries to extract as many confessions of love as he can.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT
Anduin Wrynn/Wrathion
I find both of these two intriguing as individuals and I'm really interested in how their relationship could develop. Priestly and forgiving Anduin seems basically to be a Good Person and I love that about him. Wrathion, meanwhile... His upbringing, his place in the war, and the fact that he's a dragon all combine to make him very complicated. Depending on how things go he could develop in a lot of different ways... I like misguided, not-as-clever-as-he-thinks Wrathion; I like morally grey, ends-justifies-the-means Wrathion; I like power-hungry, unrepentently evil Wrathion. (Or even weirdly adorable little dragon Wrathion, if you want to go for humour.)
As a note, because dragon aging is weird: if Anduin's an adult, I won't consider Wrathion to be underage either.
- Nobody's ever really explained to Wrathion about romance. Or about sex. How does he deal with these weird new feelings? Is Anduin going to have to gently lead him towards information, or just straight up give him The Talk?
- When the Burning Legion comes, they fight them together.
- Anduin teaching Wrathion to dance.
- Wrathion in whelp form, behaving like a cat. Sitting on Anduin's shoulder! Playing with a ball of string! Trying to hunt a shadow! Or just generally dealing with being a tiny dragon: why won't Anduin stop laughing at his little wings? Or tickling that sensitive spot behind his ear? He is a fierce dragon prince!
- Wrathion does something even Anduin can't forgive.
My feelings about these two can basically be summed up as: THEY BREAK MY HEART. They don't have much canon, but what they do have I found really affecting. Mankrik's questline is one of the best/worst things about the Barrens, and his locket is still sitting in my bank because I couldn't bear to get rid of it. I just really want more of them. (Whether you set it during the original timeline or during the new one is up to you.)
- I'd love something fluffy to balance out the tragedy of canon. Maybe Mankrik giving Olgra a present. Maybe a domestic scene from their married life. Or them just cuddling up together by the fire.
- Their wedding! What is an orcish wedding like?
- Hunting the beasts of Nagrand together.
- Something from Olgra's point of view. What does their relationship mean to her? What are her interests outside of it? Anything that develops her as a person, whether the ship is in the foreground or background.