Yuletide Letter
Dear Yuletide writer,
We matched on one of the following fandoms, so clearly, you are full of awesome. I've put together this letter in the hopes that it will be helpful, but I want to preface it with this: Despite rambling a bit, I'm easy. Anything you do about these fandoms/characters will make me incredibly happy. If you have your own idea, please, feel free to go off in whatever direction you want.
(Also, a lot of these are less prompts and more just thoughts I have about canon that might spark something. Hopefully you find that useful.)
Onwards to the requests!
Deadwood, Al Swearengen
"In life you have to do a lot of things you don’t fucking want to do. Many times, that’s what the fuck life is… one vile fucking task after another."
What it is: A bloody, profane, and brilliant three season HBO western that's often called one of the best TV shows ever for a reason.
What I like about the canon: I'd been told Deadwood is excellent many times, and it didn't disappoint when I finally got around to watching it. I love how it walks the line between realism and melodrama, using period detail and nuanced acting to ground what are often extreme and OTT plots. I love the dialogue that's half poetic, half profane. I like that despite the Wild West setting that's so familiar (at least to American viewers), the characters all feel specific, not archetypal. Above all, I LOVE that the show revolves around unusual partnership after unusual partnership, as the difficult circumstances bring together characters who, in a different situation, would never speak.
What I like about Al: While I enjoy most of the characters on this show, I've requested Al because I find him the most fascinating of all. Objectively, he's a pretty terrible person, and I know that. But at the same time, I find him likeable. He's a rare character type: a schemer who's straightforward. He tends to tell people the truth about what's going on - unless he's in the middle of lying to them for specific ends. I like that he's willing to work with almost anyone if it serves his interests, and I like that he's loyal to the few people who have earned it.
What I want to see in fic: Anything you want to do with Al goes! But here are some thoughts/prompts if you want some more detail.
-- Al and Seth Bullock's relationship rocks my world. I love that they dislike each other - both for fundamental reasons and just because they annoy each other - but are also willing to seek each other out and work together when needed (which is often). I'd love either ship or gen fic about them, and am especially curious about what happens between them after the series is over. Do they team up to keep Seth in power?
-- Another dynamic that really interests me, especially near the end of the series, is Al and Alma (or Al/Alma). I like Alma best when she's grabbing some agency for herself, and I'd love to see anything where she and Al work together, especially set post-series.
-- I ship Trixie/Sol like burning, and am intrigued by the way Al's shadow looms over their relationship. What's his perspective on it? How does his dynamic with either or both change if/when they start to really build a life together? I'm fascinated by Al's relationship with Trixie - the lengths he went to save her, the good she sees in him under everything - and love his bristly, bantering relationship with Sol. Hell, if you want to go OT3...
-- Love love love Al's henchmen, especially Dan and Adams and their rivalry for his affection. So anything with Al trying to deal with one or both having their feelings hurt, or something that's focused on them battling it out for his favor, would be great fun.
-- Joanie is one of my favorite characters. I'd love to see she and Al interacting. What circumstance might bring them together? Does she need his help? Maybe they team up vs. Cy? (I do ship Joanie/Jane if that's relevant.)
-- Al backstory! Any part of his life, but especially the early years in Deadwood would be great.
-- Other favorites I haven't mentioned yet include Doc Cochran (maybe backstory on his relationship w/Al?), Reverend Smith (love to see them talk religion), Merrick and Blazov (especially together as a bit of a comedy duo), Hearst (as an antagonist), and Charlie.
Final thoughts: Above all, I love seeing the weird ways Al ends up interacting with everyone in the camp, so if there's some other character you want to write bouncing off of him, please do. And although there are certain ships I singled out here, I'm happy to see Al paired with literally anyone except Jane and Joanie. (Though it's worth noting that I'm not that into Seth/Alma - I don't mind if it's there, but I don't ship it - and therefore don't actually like the idea of Seth/Al/Alma as much as Al/Seth or Al/Alma.)
Also, I want to emphasize that I understand who Al is. Don't feel a need to gloss over his bad points, and if you write ship fic, I'm certainly not expecting something fluffy, easy, or even functional.
TL;DR: I love anything with Al. Backstory, or post-canon fic, or ship fic (esp Al/Bullock or Al/Alma or Al/Sol/Trixie) or whatever else you want to do!
The Mindy Project, Mindy Lahiri and Danny Castellano
“If we’re still single in five years, and we haven’t found anybody, can we make a pact? ...That we kill each other.”
What it is: A delightful, quirky, hilarious sitcom that takes common romcom tropes and turns them on their heads while also having its own voice and a great workplace setting dynamic.
What I like about the canon: I just love the show’s sense of humor and vibe. The pop culture references, the way it plays with tropes, the melding of broad, slapstick comedy with subtle character moments, the sense of comradery amongst the employees at the practice, the fact that all the characters (esp. Mindy!) are flawed, but at their core decent people. It never fails to make me smile and feel good.
What I like about Mindy(/&) Danny: I love Mindy and Danny’s relationship. I do ship it and would adore ship fic, but I also love their friendship as is and would be perfectly happy with fic that explores where they are in canon right now. I love that they’re so different, but can connect and be there for each other when it really matters. I love the way they get under each others’ skin. I love how much he clearly cares for her, but isn’t really sure what to do with that. I love both of them with all their ridiculous flaws. I love their UST. Just...them.
What I want to see in fic: I’d prefer fic that keeps with the canon’s general tone and remains relatively upbeat, but other than that feel free to do whatever you want! I have some more thoughts and prompts if you want them.
-- I love the way this show plays with romcom tropes, and would adore fic that does the same. Some of my favorites are: being forced to share a room, faking being boyfriend/girlfriend, general jealousy tropes (esp. when played more comedic than angsty), realizing how much you care (or the other person cares for you) because of injury.
-- I adore the other characters and the dynamic in the office, so group fic is more than welcome. Maybe they all have to go off on another trip somewhere, and hilarity ensues? Or the rest of the office conspires to get Mindy and Danny together? Or to get Mindy or Danny together with someone else, prompting jealousy and/or disastrous first dates? Or medical shenanigans!
-- In terms of specifics of the other characters, I of course love Morgan, and esp. his interactions with Mindy and his friendship with Jeremy. In general I’m also a big Jeremy fan, and love seeing him stressed out this season. Beverly is another favorite.
-- I also think the DeLaurier brothers are awesome. I think Mindy actually has great chemistry with Brendan if you want to incorporate that somehow, and I also just enjoy them as antagonists (who are sometimes totally in the right).
-- I’m also a big fan of UST, and Mindy and Danny’s is delicious. The more, the better!
-- If you want to go way more gen, I’d also be down with some backstory. I would love to learn more about how Mindy and Danny interacted when they first met, or what they were each like in med school.
Final thoughts: For me, this canon is all about zany fun with flawed characters, so please, just have a blast writing something about these awesome characters!
TLDR: Mindy/Danny is love, but so is friendship fic. Tropes, group shenanigans, and general hilariousness is also great.
Skins, Any
“That's the great thing about the universe. It's unpredictable. That's why it's so much fun.”
What it is: A brilliant, sometime surreal, often bizarre, many times heartbreaking, utterly affecting take on teen life.
What I like about the canon: I was late to the whole Skins phenomena - I just got into it this year. It wound up being so much better than I ever imagined. I adore every character; I love that their interactions are raw and painful and full of love. Even though the show goes off the rails sometimes, plot wise, the characters always feel like realistic teenagers to me, with overblown emotions, deep confusion, inability to make up their minds, true kindness and real cruelty, etc. etc. etc. I love the friendships, new and old, I love the relationships, painful and uplifting. I can't quite put it into words but this show really, really got to me.
What I want from fic: I picked any and I mean it. I just adore these characters and want more with them, whether it's a look at where they are years down the line, missing scenes, or anything inbetween. I love both Gen 1 and Gen 2, so feel free to pick characters from either; or mix it up! I'd definitely be interested in seeing characters who never met in canon bump into each other. Also feel free to either use or completely ignore Series 7 as you desire.
I've bullet pointed some ideas and ship preferences based on the nominated characters, but please feel free to go in other directions, pull in any other Gen 1 or 2 characters who weren't nominated, etc.
-- My #1 Skins ship is Effy/Cook in all their self destructive, seize the day, broken, angry, desperate glory. I'd take anything from plain sex to a real love story with a happy ending, though I imagine with them things would always fall somewhere in between. I also actually like the love triangle angle with Freddie, as long as the Freddie-Cook (or Freddie/Cook) relationship is given as much weight as either romantic relationship with Effy (something I think the show did really well). Feel free to go AU from Freddie's death if that's interesting to you.
-- Speaking of Freddie's death, I'd love anything about how that impacted the group, or any of the characters (and/or Effy/Cook).
-- Other favorite ships include Chris/Jal (breaks. my. heart.), Tony/Maxxie, Thomas/Katie, and Emily/Naomi. And really, I enjoy all of the canon ships, so feel free to include them as appropriate.
-- I loved this show for the friendships even more than the relationships. I love all the big group dynamics and would adore fic that incorporated a lot of the characters, but if you want to focus down on particular pairs/groups, I really enjoy (in no particular order): Tony-Sid, Chris-Cassie, Tony-Maxxie (esp. during Tony's recovery), Effy-Panda, Thomas-Katie, Naomi-Cook (loooove this one), Emily-JJ, Chris-Anwar, and, of course, Cook-Freddie-JJ.
-- Effy and Tony. Oh my god their relationship fascinates and touches me. I'd love anything that explores the way their lives interweave and impact each other. I really, really want to know how Tony felt about Effy's depression. When did he hear? How did he react? Even though I understand, from a meta production standpoint, why he never showed up in Series 4, it bothered me. I'd love to see them address that part of her life. Or anything about them. What was the Stonem household like when they were younger? I also find the different, but equally powerful, effects they have on other people fascinating.
-- In general I think backstory on any of the characters would be great. I’d especially love an exploration of the earlier years of any of the friendships that started before the show (which is, like, all of Gen 1, and I guess mostly JJ-Freddie-Cook from Gen 2.)
-- I’d love to see post-canon fic of any sort. Specific ideas: Anwar and Maxxie’s adventures. Do Sid and Tony reconnect? How does the memory of Chris effect Jal going forward? What happened to Emily after the Series 4? Series 7?
Final Thoughts: I know I’ve focused on some characters more than others in the prompts here. That’s just because I personally have more ideas for some (Effy clearly gives me all the feels). But I really mean it when I saw I love, love, love ALL of them. There is not a single character on this show that doesn’t touch me in some way, so please feel free to write about whoever you have the most passion for. Tone wise, I’d be happy with anything other than pure crack (though this canon can get pretty wacky, and you should feel free to use that if you want). The show runs the gamut, so tell whatever kind of story, happy or sad, you want to!
TLDR: I just adore these shows and characters and want more! Specific favorites include Effy/Cook, Effy and Tony, or something focused on any of the amazing friendships.
Spirited, Suzy Darling and Henry Mallet
“I just, I can’t be with a ghost. How is that ever gonna work?”
What it is: A two season Australian romance about an uptight dentist who leaves a loveless marriage and her unexpected apartment guest, the ghost of an 80s punk rock star.
What I like about canon: I normally don't go for shows that are primarily about romance, but Spirited is the exception. I love the creativity of its premise. I love its wacky sense of humor. I love all of the characters, both living in dead. I like its semi-surreal, hand-wavey but often emotionally (if not logically) sound afterlife mythology. Above all, I love the way it handles Suzy and Henry's relationship.
What I like about Suzy/Henry: Too often, central romances are made out to be Big! Epic! World Shattering! True Love! which I don't care for. Despite having so much potential to be like that - and despite the fact that one of them is a ghost (and a rock star!) - Suzy and Henry remain grounded for me. Every step of their relationship is developed and explored. We see how and why they fall in love - why they are both individually so amazing and appealing, what each adds to the other's life, why their relationship is worth the ridiculous effort, why they are each willing to sacrifice for the other.
Above all, their relationship seems very adult. They have issues - often supernatural ones, but hey - and their response is to talk them through, like real partners (though I also love how damned awkward they are about expressing feelings). It's just lovely. They are both wonderful characters who are even more wonderful together.
What I want from fic: More than anything, I want to see them make things work, somehow. But barring that, anything that gives me more of these two characters will make me happy. Some prompts, if you want them:
-- What happens after the end of Season 2? What does Suzy do? Do they find a way to be together without destroying Suzy's life? (Please let the answer be yes!)
-- "What If" AU: What if they hadn't spirited in 2x10? Could they have figured out another way to work? What would Suzy's life look like if she was aware during that year?
-- "What if" AU: What if the building hadn't needed to be evacuated at all? Where might they have gone from there?
-- What happens when Suzy dies? Are they together forever in the afterlife?
-- It's pure wish fulfillment fix-it, but I would not say no to a story where Henry somehow figures out how to get a body and they can actually have a normal life and grow old together. (And by "not say no" I mean "would adore.")
-- Missing scenes, any missing scenes! I know I've been focusing on a happy ending, but their UST is also hella hot if you want to play with that.
-- You wanna give me smut? I'd be so down with smut in this fandom, either as part of a larger story or as the main event. Dream-sex or spiriting-sex or them figuring out how to make the most out of what they have in the real world (dirty talk and masturbation, anyone? Why did they not do that?) - I'd love any of it.
-- If you'd prefer to do something less shippy, I really like Henry's relationship to Suzy's kids, especially Elvis. I'd love to see something exploring that, either based on what we see in canon or what could happen down the line if he stays with her/them. I'd also be interested in backstory on either of them, esp. Suzy's relationship with Jonquil or Henry's time in Australia prior to death.
Final thoughts: I focused on Suzy/Henry here because let's be honest, isn't that the main appeal of the show for most people? But I also really enjoy all of the other characters, so if you want to incorporate them please do. (One note: If you set this post-Season 2, I'd prefer if Aaron isn't treated badly, since he seems like a perfectly nice guy. Just … not quite the right one.)
Also, as you can probably tell, I don't really want anything too sad in this fandom. Bittersweet is okay though, especially if it leans a little more sweet than bitter.
TL;DR: Suzie/Henry is love. Please nothing too sad!
Virtuality, Any
"I don't think it's real, and it's a game."
What it is: A Ronald D. Moore sci-fi pilot that was never made into a full series, which is a shame because contains an almost unfair number of interesting ideas, plus a pretty excellent cast. Available on Netflix.
What I like about canon: Unlike these other canons, I like Virtuality most for what it could have been. It's one of the most intriguing sci-fi pilots I've ever seen, and I'm so disappointed it never got made into a full series. I love sci-fi that plays with virtual reality, I love sci-fi that plays with the difficulty of space travel, and I love anything that plays with an absurd extension of reality TV. Virtuality does all three.
What I want to see in fic: More. Seriously. That is all. Anything that expands on the world or the characters we've met. Tell me what happens next! Explain what's going on with the man in the system! Give me backstory to the characters! Give me the POV of the people on Earth! Anything, anything, anything.
I've provided some prompts if you want them, but really, anything that expands on what we're shown will please me.
-- What was the recruitment process like? Why did the characters agree to do this mission/show?
-- How much of what they've been told is true? How much is being manipulated for drama? Or is it all a virtual reality?
-- Do the characters fight the man in the system? What's his deal?
-- How does the mission go? What kind of toll does it take on the characters? Do they succeed? Does it go horribly awry?
-- Explore Frank at the end. WTF is going on there?
-- What's going on with the producers on Earth? What does this show actually look like to the populace? Etc.
Final thoughts: Because there is so little canon and it's so open ended, I don't have strong feelings about the characters or ships. They all seem intriguing to me, so feel free to focus on whomever you like (nominated or not), or the group - I love the scenes of them arguing over what to do, where you really get an idea of where everyone is coming from - or OCs if appropriate. And feel free to go wherever with tone - I'd prefer not to get crack, but I'm happy for this to be action-y/plotty, or think-y sci-fi, or character-centric, etc. and I'm happy for you to go dark, hopeful/happy, or anywhere in between. For me, this canon is all about the possibilities, so I want you to have fun playing around with it!
TL;DR: Just take the ideas in canon and roll with them. I want to know more!
Some thoughts on general likes and dislikes:
-- Characters are the most important part of fan-fic for me. I love a good plot, don't get me wrong, but seeing more of the characters I love is the number one thing I'm here for. (Virtuality would be the one exception this year - in that case, I just want more of any element of the canon.)
-- I'm open to all kinds of tones and genres! Angst, humor, thrillers, character pieces - whatever works for the story you want to tell. (As I said, I’d prefer Mindy Project and Spirited not to get too angsty, but even there feel free to play around with whatever genre suits you.)
-- I don't like AUs of the "the characters are all in high school together" variety, but I am down with "What If" AUs that explore what would happen if one aspect of canon was different.
-- I'm not in anyway tied to the idea of explicit sex, but I'm open to it. Some more details on that:
+ I'm not into non-sex related body fluids
+ I'm not so interested in well-thought out, established and healthy BDSM relationships.
+ I AM interested in D/s dynamics in bed that just develop (esp for Deadwood).
Other Likes: Strong character voices, first times, characters realizing how much someone else means to them, H/C, morally ambiguous characters, small moments that have significance for the people involved, twisty plots, dysfunctional relationships that somehow work anyway, dysfunctional relationship that fall apart gloriously, UST, snark, banter, intense friendships, unexpected partnerships, characters who don’t like each other working together, tentative beginnings (romantic or otherwise).
Other dislikes: I'm not big on cracky fics (or at least, no more so than canon itself). I'm also not that into schmoop (sweet is good, but not so OTT sweet that my teeth rot and I need to see a dentist). I'm not big on fantasy added into non-fantastical worlds, mpreg, or anything else that diverges from canon TOO much in terms of tone.
We matched on one of the following fandoms, so clearly, you are full of awesome. I've put together this letter in the hopes that it will be helpful, but I want to preface it with this: Despite rambling a bit, I'm easy. Anything you do about these fandoms/characters will make me incredibly happy. If you have your own idea, please, feel free to go off in whatever direction you want.
(Also, a lot of these are less prompts and more just thoughts I have about canon that might spark something. Hopefully you find that useful.)
Onwards to the requests!
Deadwood, Al Swearengen
"In life you have to do a lot of things you don’t fucking want to do. Many times, that’s what the fuck life is… one vile fucking task after another."
What it is: A bloody, profane, and brilliant three season HBO western that's often called one of the best TV shows ever for a reason.
What I like about the canon: I'd been told Deadwood is excellent many times, and it didn't disappoint when I finally got around to watching it. I love how it walks the line between realism and melodrama, using period detail and nuanced acting to ground what are often extreme and OTT plots. I love the dialogue that's half poetic, half profane. I like that despite the Wild West setting that's so familiar (at least to American viewers), the characters all feel specific, not archetypal. Above all, I LOVE that the show revolves around unusual partnership after unusual partnership, as the difficult circumstances bring together characters who, in a different situation, would never speak.
What I like about Al: While I enjoy most of the characters on this show, I've requested Al because I find him the most fascinating of all. Objectively, he's a pretty terrible person, and I know that. But at the same time, I find him likeable. He's a rare character type: a schemer who's straightforward. He tends to tell people the truth about what's going on - unless he's in the middle of lying to them for specific ends. I like that he's willing to work with almost anyone if it serves his interests, and I like that he's loyal to the few people who have earned it.
What I want to see in fic: Anything you want to do with Al goes! But here are some thoughts/prompts if you want some more detail.
-- Al and Seth Bullock's relationship rocks my world. I love that they dislike each other - both for fundamental reasons and just because they annoy each other - but are also willing to seek each other out and work together when needed (which is often). I'd love either ship or gen fic about them, and am especially curious about what happens between them after the series is over. Do they team up to keep Seth in power?
-- Another dynamic that really interests me, especially near the end of the series, is Al and Alma (or Al/Alma). I like Alma best when she's grabbing some agency for herself, and I'd love to see anything where she and Al work together, especially set post-series.
-- I ship Trixie/Sol like burning, and am intrigued by the way Al's shadow looms over their relationship. What's his perspective on it? How does his dynamic with either or both change if/when they start to really build a life together? I'm fascinated by Al's relationship with Trixie - the lengths he went to save her, the good she sees in him under everything - and love his bristly, bantering relationship with Sol. Hell, if you want to go OT3...
-- Love love love Al's henchmen, especially Dan and Adams and their rivalry for his affection. So anything with Al trying to deal with one or both having their feelings hurt, or something that's focused on them battling it out for his favor, would be great fun.
-- Joanie is one of my favorite characters. I'd love to see she and Al interacting. What circumstance might bring them together? Does she need his help? Maybe they team up vs. Cy? (I do ship Joanie/Jane if that's relevant.)
-- Al backstory! Any part of his life, but especially the early years in Deadwood would be great.
-- Other favorites I haven't mentioned yet include Doc Cochran (maybe backstory on his relationship w/Al?), Reverend Smith (love to see them talk religion), Merrick and Blazov (especially together as a bit of a comedy duo), Hearst (as an antagonist), and Charlie.
Final thoughts: Above all, I love seeing the weird ways Al ends up interacting with everyone in the camp, so if there's some other character you want to write bouncing off of him, please do. And although there are certain ships I singled out here, I'm happy to see Al paired with literally anyone except Jane and Joanie. (Though it's worth noting that I'm not that into Seth/Alma - I don't mind if it's there, but I don't ship it - and therefore don't actually like the idea of Seth/Al/Alma as much as Al/Seth or Al/Alma.)
Also, I want to emphasize that I understand who Al is. Don't feel a need to gloss over his bad points, and if you write ship fic, I'm certainly not expecting something fluffy, easy, or even functional.
TL;DR: I love anything with Al. Backstory, or post-canon fic, or ship fic (esp Al/Bullock or Al/Alma or Al/Sol/Trixie) or whatever else you want to do!
The Mindy Project, Mindy Lahiri and Danny Castellano
“If we’re still single in five years, and we haven’t found anybody, can we make a pact? ...That we kill each other.”
What it is: A delightful, quirky, hilarious sitcom that takes common romcom tropes and turns them on their heads while also having its own voice and a great workplace setting dynamic.
What I like about the canon: I just love the show’s sense of humor and vibe. The pop culture references, the way it plays with tropes, the melding of broad, slapstick comedy with subtle character moments, the sense of comradery amongst the employees at the practice, the fact that all the characters (esp. Mindy!) are flawed, but at their core decent people. It never fails to make me smile and feel good.
What I like about Mindy(/&) Danny: I love Mindy and Danny’s relationship. I do ship it and would adore ship fic, but I also love their friendship as is and would be perfectly happy with fic that explores where they are in canon right now. I love that they’re so different, but can connect and be there for each other when it really matters. I love the way they get under each others’ skin. I love how much he clearly cares for her, but isn’t really sure what to do with that. I love both of them with all their ridiculous flaws. I love their UST. Just...them.
What I want to see in fic: I’d prefer fic that keeps with the canon’s general tone and remains relatively upbeat, but other than that feel free to do whatever you want! I have some more thoughts and prompts if you want them.
-- I love the way this show plays with romcom tropes, and would adore fic that does the same. Some of my favorites are: being forced to share a room, faking being boyfriend/girlfriend, general jealousy tropes (esp. when played more comedic than angsty), realizing how much you care (or the other person cares for you) because of injury.
-- I adore the other characters and the dynamic in the office, so group fic is more than welcome. Maybe they all have to go off on another trip somewhere, and hilarity ensues? Or the rest of the office conspires to get Mindy and Danny together? Or to get Mindy or Danny together with someone else, prompting jealousy and/or disastrous first dates? Or medical shenanigans!
-- In terms of specifics of the other characters, I of course love Morgan, and esp. his interactions with Mindy and his friendship with Jeremy. In general I’m also a big Jeremy fan, and love seeing him stressed out this season. Beverly is another favorite.
-- I also think the DeLaurier brothers are awesome. I think Mindy actually has great chemistry with Brendan if you want to incorporate that somehow, and I also just enjoy them as antagonists (who are sometimes totally in the right).
-- I’m also a big fan of UST, and Mindy and Danny’s is delicious. The more, the better!
-- If you want to go way more gen, I’d also be down with some backstory. I would love to learn more about how Mindy and Danny interacted when they first met, or what they were each like in med school.
Final thoughts: For me, this canon is all about zany fun with flawed characters, so please, just have a blast writing something about these awesome characters!
TLDR: Mindy/Danny is love, but so is friendship fic. Tropes, group shenanigans, and general hilariousness is also great.
Skins, Any
“That's the great thing about the universe. It's unpredictable. That's why it's so much fun.”
What it is: A brilliant, sometime surreal, often bizarre, many times heartbreaking, utterly affecting take on teen life.
What I like about the canon: I was late to the whole Skins phenomena - I just got into it this year. It wound up being so much better than I ever imagined. I adore every character; I love that their interactions are raw and painful and full of love. Even though the show goes off the rails sometimes, plot wise, the characters always feel like realistic teenagers to me, with overblown emotions, deep confusion, inability to make up their minds, true kindness and real cruelty, etc. etc. etc. I love the friendships, new and old, I love the relationships, painful and uplifting. I can't quite put it into words but this show really, really got to me.
What I want from fic: I picked any and I mean it. I just adore these characters and want more with them, whether it's a look at where they are years down the line, missing scenes, or anything inbetween. I love both Gen 1 and Gen 2, so feel free to pick characters from either; or mix it up! I'd definitely be interested in seeing characters who never met in canon bump into each other. Also feel free to either use or completely ignore Series 7 as you desire.
I've bullet pointed some ideas and ship preferences based on the nominated characters, but please feel free to go in other directions, pull in any other Gen 1 or 2 characters who weren't nominated, etc.
-- My #1 Skins ship is Effy/Cook in all their self destructive, seize the day, broken, angry, desperate glory. I'd take anything from plain sex to a real love story with a happy ending, though I imagine with them things would always fall somewhere in between. I also actually like the love triangle angle with Freddie, as long as the Freddie-Cook (or Freddie/Cook) relationship is given as much weight as either romantic relationship with Effy (something I think the show did really well). Feel free to go AU from Freddie's death if that's interesting to you.
-- Speaking of Freddie's death, I'd love anything about how that impacted the group, or any of the characters (and/or Effy/Cook).
-- Other favorite ships include Chris/Jal (breaks. my. heart.), Tony/Maxxie, Thomas/Katie, and Emily/Naomi. And really, I enjoy all of the canon ships, so feel free to include them as appropriate.
-- I loved this show for the friendships even more than the relationships. I love all the big group dynamics and would adore fic that incorporated a lot of the characters, but if you want to focus down on particular pairs/groups, I really enjoy (in no particular order): Tony-Sid, Chris-Cassie, Tony-Maxxie (esp. during Tony's recovery), Effy-Panda, Thomas-Katie, Naomi-Cook (loooove this one), Emily-JJ, Chris-Anwar, and, of course, Cook-Freddie-JJ.
-- Effy and Tony. Oh my god their relationship fascinates and touches me. I'd love anything that explores the way their lives interweave and impact each other. I really, really want to know how Tony felt about Effy's depression. When did he hear? How did he react? Even though I understand, from a meta production standpoint, why he never showed up in Series 4, it bothered me. I'd love to see them address that part of her life. Or anything about them. What was the Stonem household like when they were younger? I also find the different, but equally powerful, effects they have on other people fascinating.
-- In general I think backstory on any of the characters would be great. I’d especially love an exploration of the earlier years of any of the friendships that started before the show (which is, like, all of Gen 1, and I guess mostly JJ-Freddie-Cook from Gen 2.)
-- I’d love to see post-canon fic of any sort. Specific ideas: Anwar and Maxxie’s adventures. Do Sid and Tony reconnect? How does the memory of Chris effect Jal going forward? What happened to Emily after the Series 4? Series 7?
Final Thoughts: I know I’ve focused on some characters more than others in the prompts here. That’s just because I personally have more ideas for some (Effy clearly gives me all the feels). But I really mean it when I saw I love, love, love ALL of them. There is not a single character on this show that doesn’t touch me in some way, so please feel free to write about whoever you have the most passion for. Tone wise, I’d be happy with anything other than pure crack (though this canon can get pretty wacky, and you should feel free to use that if you want). The show runs the gamut, so tell whatever kind of story, happy or sad, you want to!
TLDR: I just adore these shows and characters and want more! Specific favorites include Effy/Cook, Effy and Tony, or something focused on any of the amazing friendships.
Spirited, Suzy Darling and Henry Mallet
“I just, I can’t be with a ghost. How is that ever gonna work?”
What it is: A two season Australian romance about an uptight dentist who leaves a loveless marriage and her unexpected apartment guest, the ghost of an 80s punk rock star.
What I like about canon: I normally don't go for shows that are primarily about romance, but Spirited is the exception. I love the creativity of its premise. I love its wacky sense of humor. I love all of the characters, both living in dead. I like its semi-surreal, hand-wavey but often emotionally (if not logically) sound afterlife mythology. Above all, I love the way it handles Suzy and Henry's relationship.
What I like about Suzy/Henry: Too often, central romances are made out to be Big! Epic! World Shattering! True Love! which I don't care for. Despite having so much potential to be like that - and despite the fact that one of them is a ghost (and a rock star!) - Suzy and Henry remain grounded for me. Every step of their relationship is developed and explored. We see how and why they fall in love - why they are both individually so amazing and appealing, what each adds to the other's life, why their relationship is worth the ridiculous effort, why they are each willing to sacrifice for the other.
Above all, their relationship seems very adult. They have issues - often supernatural ones, but hey - and their response is to talk them through, like real partners (though I also love how damned awkward they are about expressing feelings). It's just lovely. They are both wonderful characters who are even more wonderful together.
What I want from fic: More than anything, I want to see them make things work, somehow. But barring that, anything that gives me more of these two characters will make me happy. Some prompts, if you want them:
-- What happens after the end of Season 2? What does Suzy do? Do they find a way to be together without destroying Suzy's life? (Please let the answer be yes!)
-- "What If" AU: What if they hadn't spirited in 2x10? Could they have figured out another way to work? What would Suzy's life look like if she was aware during that year?
-- "What if" AU: What if the building hadn't needed to be evacuated at all? Where might they have gone from there?
-- What happens when Suzy dies? Are they together forever in the afterlife?
-- It's pure wish fulfillment fix-it, but I would not say no to a story where Henry somehow figures out how to get a body and they can actually have a normal life and grow old together. (And by "not say no" I mean "would adore.")
-- Missing scenes, any missing scenes! I know I've been focusing on a happy ending, but their UST is also hella hot if you want to play with that.
-- You wanna give me smut? I'd be so down with smut in this fandom, either as part of a larger story or as the main event. Dream-sex or spiriting-sex or them figuring out how to make the most out of what they have in the real world (dirty talk and masturbation, anyone? Why did they not do that?) - I'd love any of it.
-- If you'd prefer to do something less shippy, I really like Henry's relationship to Suzy's kids, especially Elvis. I'd love to see something exploring that, either based on what we see in canon or what could happen down the line if he stays with her/them. I'd also be interested in backstory on either of them, esp. Suzy's relationship with Jonquil or Henry's time in Australia prior to death.
Final thoughts: I focused on Suzy/Henry here because let's be honest, isn't that the main appeal of the show for most people? But I also really enjoy all of the other characters, so if you want to incorporate them please do. (One note: If you set this post-Season 2, I'd prefer if Aaron isn't treated badly, since he seems like a perfectly nice guy. Just … not quite the right one.)
Also, as you can probably tell, I don't really want anything too sad in this fandom. Bittersweet is okay though, especially if it leans a little more sweet than bitter.
TL;DR: Suzie/Henry is love. Please nothing too sad!
Virtuality, Any
"I don't think it's real, and it's a game."
What it is: A Ronald D. Moore sci-fi pilot that was never made into a full series, which is a shame because contains an almost unfair number of interesting ideas, plus a pretty excellent cast. Available on Netflix.
What I like about canon: Unlike these other canons, I like Virtuality most for what it could have been. It's one of the most intriguing sci-fi pilots I've ever seen, and I'm so disappointed it never got made into a full series. I love sci-fi that plays with virtual reality, I love sci-fi that plays with the difficulty of space travel, and I love anything that plays with an absurd extension of reality TV. Virtuality does all three.
What I want to see in fic: More. Seriously. That is all. Anything that expands on the world or the characters we've met. Tell me what happens next! Explain what's going on with the man in the system! Give me backstory to the characters! Give me the POV of the people on Earth! Anything, anything, anything.
I've provided some prompts if you want them, but really, anything that expands on what we're shown will please me.
-- What was the recruitment process like? Why did the characters agree to do this mission/show?
-- How much of what they've been told is true? How much is being manipulated for drama? Or is it all a virtual reality?
-- Do the characters fight the man in the system? What's his deal?
-- How does the mission go? What kind of toll does it take on the characters? Do they succeed? Does it go horribly awry?
-- Explore Frank at the end. WTF is going on there?
-- What's going on with the producers on Earth? What does this show actually look like to the populace? Etc.
Final thoughts: Because there is so little canon and it's so open ended, I don't have strong feelings about the characters or ships. They all seem intriguing to me, so feel free to focus on whomever you like (nominated or not), or the group - I love the scenes of them arguing over what to do, where you really get an idea of where everyone is coming from - or OCs if appropriate. And feel free to go wherever with tone - I'd prefer not to get crack, but I'm happy for this to be action-y/plotty, or think-y sci-fi, or character-centric, etc. and I'm happy for you to go dark, hopeful/happy, or anywhere in between. For me, this canon is all about the possibilities, so I want you to have fun playing around with it!
TL;DR: Just take the ideas in canon and roll with them. I want to know more!
Some thoughts on general likes and dislikes:
-- Characters are the most important part of fan-fic for me. I love a good plot, don't get me wrong, but seeing more of the characters I love is the number one thing I'm here for. (Virtuality would be the one exception this year - in that case, I just want more of any element of the canon.)
-- I'm open to all kinds of tones and genres! Angst, humor, thrillers, character pieces - whatever works for the story you want to tell. (As I said, I’d prefer Mindy Project and Spirited not to get too angsty, but even there feel free to play around with whatever genre suits you.)
-- I don't like AUs of the "the characters are all in high school together" variety, but I am down with "What If" AUs that explore what would happen if one aspect of canon was different.
-- I'm not in anyway tied to the idea of explicit sex, but I'm open to it. Some more details on that:
+ I'm not into non-sex related body fluids
+ I'm not so interested in well-thought out, established and healthy BDSM relationships.
+ I AM interested in D/s dynamics in bed that just develop (esp for Deadwood).
Other Likes: Strong character voices, first times, characters realizing how much someone else means to them, H/C, morally ambiguous characters, small moments that have significance for the people involved, twisty plots, dysfunctional relationships that somehow work anyway, dysfunctional relationship that fall apart gloriously, UST, snark, banter, intense friendships, unexpected partnerships, characters who don’t like each other working together, tentative beginnings (romantic or otherwise).
Other dislikes: I'm not big on cracky fics (or at least, no more so than canon itself). I'm also not that into schmoop (sweet is good, but not so OTT sweet that my teeth rot and I need to see a dentist). I'm not big on fantasy added into non-fantastical worlds, mpreg, or anything else that diverges from canon TOO much in terms of tone.