Pine-For-Pine Dear Writer Letter
A03 name: Alley_Skywalker
Dear Pine-for-Pine Exchange Writer,
First, I would like to say thank you for the time and effort that you are willing to put into creating for me! Length of fandom sections or the order the fandoms are in no way indication of how much I want fic for any given fandom; I would be absolutely delighted to receive fic in any of the fandoms I asked for. I've tried to provide some details on the sorts of things I like (and don't) and give prompts for each of my fandoms/ships.
Table of Contents:
General Likes/DNWs
Romeo and Juliet
Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice and Fire
GENERAL STUFF
Relationsihps/Sex/Ratings:
Likes:
Genres/Themes (and such):
Likes:
FANDOMS
Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Fandom DNWs: Benvolio/Mercutio; age difference within the Montacrew that's greater than 2 years between oldest and youngest.
I don't particularly care how you deal with Romeo/Juliet. They can break up or never meet or whatever really - whatever works best for the particular story. Feel free to handwave as needed. If you fee a prompt might include/rely on them having been together, that's fine. I would just prefer to not have more focus on their relationship than a story strictly requires.
Mercutio/Romeo Montague (Mercutio pining)- Feelings eventually requited
TAGS:A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being comforted by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), Hurt pining character turns up on pined-for character's doorstep (didn't know where else to go)
As you might be able to tell, I'm reallly into the pining + hurt/comfort combination. I'm also into the confesses-feelings-by-accident/under-stress scenarios. The most obvious scenario here is a Mercutio-survives-the-duel AU where he still ends up hurt, but it doesn't have to be that. Like for example, that last tag - Mercutio is a nuisance and probably gets into a lot of fights. And while they are obviously not always fetal, I imagine they would sometimes be taxing. So it could be basically Mercutio showing up at Romeo’s in the middle of the night because he doesn’t want to go home where his parents/uncle/whoever will see and scold him for fighting again and making a mess, and Romeo cleans him up and lets him stay the night. And it’s mostly just fluff. (But doesn’t have to be!) But definitely love the idea of him confessing his feelings "accidentally" and then later being like oh shit...what now.
TAGS: Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
I really enjoy those situations where characters feel like they must confess their feelings because they're dying/about to die, but then in this case oh! things work out and not they have to deal with that. Maybe even they both confess their feelings and then after Romeo is like "wait...did I mean that or was I just really emotional because we/Mercutio/I was dying?" (Or, if you'd like to interpret the tag loosely, an AU where directly post-duel Romeo tells Mercutio he loves him in an attempt to motivate him to live as well as out of just a drive to do it that he doesn't really analyze at the time only to then, after, question the sincerity of his confession.)
TAGS: Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died
Similar idea as the above - going through a near-death experience forcing confessions and all the consequences of that.
TAGS: Character A Pines For Character B Not Realizing It's Requited, A pining because they think B isn't attracted to their gender/sex, They Couldn't Possibly Be Ignorant Of How I Feel So I Assume They Must Not Be Interested
These tags are more general and can fit any number of scenarios, but would work especially well with a more light-hearted or flangsty tone where it's kind of a comedy of errors/misunderstandings and communication failures.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them, Pining Character Throws Themselves Between Crush and Lethal Danger
Can be the canon scenario of the duel or some AU situation. This reflects my love for loyalty kink and self-sacrifice within that context. Lots of fun angst!
TAGS: Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Another tag that can be used in any number of situations. Can be super fluffy and cute or hurt/comfort anywhere on the fluff-angst spectrum. Would really enjoy a younger-teens timeframe with Mercutio just starting to develop his crush on Romeo and part of what really gets him is how nice and thoughtful and stuff Romeo is and Mercutio coming from a setting where he's not really used to it (maybe he has an abusive family situation and/or he's had a hard time making friends as a child because he's considered "strange," etc.)
Game of Thrones
Fandom-specific DNWs: For Theon ships - fics set during the Ramsay/Reek period. Post-Ramsay (i.e. post escape with Sansa) is ok. Ramsay/Theon. Also, please no to the sort of Robb-survives-the-Red-Wedding AUs where everything in Theon’s storyline stays the same but Robb survives the Red Wedding and then they are brought back together when Robb takes back the North, etc along those lines. If he survives in some major AU where Theon doesn't defect/never goes to Pyke or Theon's storyline goes differently re: getting captured by Ramsay (e.g. he goes with Asha to Deepwood Motte or something) then that's fine. Also please no reunited-in-the-afterlife fics for Theon/Robb.
To clarify my general DNWs, I realize that there is a lot of torture/violence/gore in this fandom, and it’s fine to mention anything that happens in canon (e.g. Boltons flaying people, Stannis burning people) and non-graphic descriptions of canon-typical violence. I just don’t want graphic/prolonged descriptions/scenes. If it’s a fic that’s set post-Ramsay, I realize/expect that Theon’s trauma from that experience will feature in some way, but I’d rather not have very graphic flashbacks, etc, or for it to be the entire/overwhelming focus, and if that means setting the fic further in the future, that’s totally fine by me.
I feel like I should say a couple of words about Theon/Robb in general before I get into the tags because fngjsfkljfs I have so many feelings about this ship but also so many of them are really sad? (And this will mostly hold for the ASOIAF requests for this ship too.) Realistically, this relationship is kinda toxic. I’m not saying that in like a Purity Police way or anything, but just the power dynamics, and the fact that Robb is not above employing them when it suits him/when he’s ticked off, means that there is a lot of tension and angst and shit involved - it’s not just fluff and Cute ™. Also, Alfie certainly chose to play this a Certain Way where Theon is basically making heart eyes at Robb the whole time. And Robb….never really reciprocates and is kinda cold/distant a lot? Like he sort of is generally reserved here, but it’s kinda so jarring when Theon seems to desperately be giving his all - it reads a bit like unrequited love. BUT this does leave some nice/interesting potential for pining. Because I really like going with the idea that Robb is just kind of repressed/unable to deal with his feelings or whatever and never says the things he means/feels. Or maybe (if they’ve got a FWB type thing going) takes it for granted and just assumes that Theon knows his feelings, completely failing to understand that Theon does not actually expect for love and affection to be handed to him and does in fact need it spelled out. There's so much potential for misunderstanding and talking past each other and not being able to give each other what the other wants/needs. I rarely see Theon as being not interested in a relationship with Robb until he reaches his breaking point and walks away (in the show especially) but that doesn't necessarily mean that Robb always knows/realizes his feelings.
Also, even for the "both pining" requests, while I'd be perfectly happy with a switching POV, if there's only one POV, I'm more invested in exploring Robb's POV/his pining for Theon than the other way around (there's canon for that lol).
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being protected by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while tending someone's wounds, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
LOVE hurt/comfort; love the interplay of hurt/comfort and pining! Especially love this idea of the pining character receiving care and comfort from someone they’re in love with and both desperately wanting/needing that comfort and realizing how hard it is to keep their feelings under control (and maybe ultimately failing to) when they’re in a more vulnerable state. (But also, per the last two tags, the tenderness and stress of caring for the object of their affection and wanting to be even MOAR sweet but also feeling like they need to hide it. With someone who seems to have as difficult a time with communicating and processing feelings as Robb, this can all be extra fun!) Them going to war allows for plenty of situations for Robb (or Theon) to get hurt/get into trouble, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be pre-canon. I’m always up for a generic sickfic, tbh. For the last two tags - I’d love an AU where Theon decides to go back to Robb instead of defecting to his family, but he’s hurt in the “escape” from Pyke/on his way back and shows up in camp in pretty bad shape and Robb’s got to deal with both the practicality of the political situation this leaves them in while also providing comfort/care for Theon…and pining (maybe especially hard and guiltily as he realizes how much Theon’s decided to give up for him).
TAGS: A pines for B while being comforted by them
This is similar to the above ^ but more emotional hurt/comfort. I love scenarios where Theon comforts Robb the night when he finds out about Ned’s execution. Or maybe something after Bran’s fall when they don’t know if he’ll survive and Robb also has to deal with suddenly having a ton of responsibility thrust on him since his father is away and his mother is kinda mentally/emotionally out of commission.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Character A pines while watching Character B sleep, Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: A pines for B who they think is out of their league, Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Love the idea of Robb not showing his feelings for Theon because he’s really concerned that Theon just…wouldn’t like him back/can get someone more exciting or whatever. And maybe his feelings are revealed accidently in some way and then he’s like…oh shit. Whether that leads to…complications or immediate, terrified but heartfelt confessions is up to you.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them
I generally love themes of loyalty and self-sacrifice in many of my ships. You can interpret this tag more literally - them being in a life-threatening situation, maybe at some point during when they’re at war together - or more figuratively (along the lines of Robb needing to sacrifice his honor/interests/the way he thought his life would go, etc in order to protect/save Theon). I often see in Throbb fics the scenario where Theon has to make sacrifices for Robb/Robb’s cause/their relationship, but rarely if ever the other way around (not counting like…him having to deal with his bannermen/mom being mildly disapproving of them being together), so I’d love something where Robb is the one who has to make the hard choices/sacrifices for Theon (while pining :D).
TAGS: A pines for B while B swears fealty to A
I have…complicated feelings about the show’s addition of Theon explicitly swearing loyalty to Robb in the KitN scene. But since we’ve got it and it’s good shipbait, let’s roll with it. So ah…imagine Robb getting this Gift of the person he’s in love with swearing fealty to him when he really doesn’t have to and probably shouldn’t, and yet it’s just agonizing because…is it platonic? Are his feelings actually reciprocated? Is he ever gonna be able to work up the courage to find out?
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
So...you know those Balon-rebels-early AUs that explore the inevitable dark side of Theon's hostage situation? I want another one :) Usually, it's Ned who has to do it and Robb has to chose to get involved or not one way or another, but in this case, there would be some reason Robb would be expected to do it - maybe they're already at war/Ned has been executed or maybe Robb is acting Lord of Winterfell during the time that Ned is in King's Landing but before they go to war. And then Robb has to make a decision. While pining. (The most delicious angst!) How this ends is totally up to you. I think for the "feelings eventually requited" option as here, it makes sense if Robb decides the execution, but IDK maybe they have some (sad? angry? ???) love confessions but then Robb still goes through with it because something something honor? Up to you :)
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (both pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: Character A bathes Character B while pining, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), pining while tending someone's wounds, Pining while huddled together for warmth
More or less what I said above regarding the hurt/comfort + pining combination, just with more flexibility in POV and in who gets to be the hurt party.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
Same as above ^^^
TAGS: Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
Love the intensity and desperation of the after-deadly situation confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically...accidental/invulantary revalation of feelings leads to lots of angst and anxiety because the character is certain the other doesn't love them back, only to eventually be soothed and reassured that that is more certainly not the case. Stupidity, misunderstandings, etc may ensue as you see fit!
TAGS: Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, pining after years of friendship
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness and romantic tension.
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: Pining for someone on the other side of the war/conflict, A pines for former lover B who left them, Character A pines for their former lover, Everything reminds Character A of Character B, grudgingly pining for someone you should hate, A keeps an item of B's clothing, Pined After Character Left Piner And Piner Feels Betrayed, Pining for someone who turned to the enemy's side
All the sad post-break up tags! This ones for the Robb pining uselessly (and guiltily. angrily?) after Theon defects. What their relationship beforehand was is totally up to you! Maybe Robb was repressed and didn't fully realize his feelings until after Theon left. Maybe Robb was repressed but realized his feelings but knew fuck all what to do with them, not to mention how to express them. Maybe they were casual and never managed to have like A Conversation about their feelings/relationship. Maybe they were lovers and Robb is really confused/pissed at first but then slowly realizes that they hadn't been communicating well/things had been off for a while. (Maybe the fact that Robb never directly addressed the hostage issue after his father died and before sending Theon to Pyke put a strain on things?) However you want to run with it, I'm sure I'll love it.
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
The Balon-Rebels-early AU as described above ^ but this tag leaning more toward Robb going through with it. But! Maybe he doesn't but the fact that he even considers it completely fucks up his changes of making this into like...a relationship/Theon rejects him after.
TAGS: A isn't used to not getting things they want
Ahah, so love the idea that Robb, overprivileged, handsome, goldenboy that he is, is used to getting the shit he wants. If it's not handed to him, all he's gotta do is put in a bit of effort and there it is. So it's a real Shock when sudden Theon isn't falling into his arms. This can be more lighthearted - frustrated attempts at flirting and Theon clearly playing hard to get or (given the "never requited") heavier angst about having your first love, who isn't interested or even rejects you, and not knowing what the hell to do with yourself because it sucks, plus you're very unused to having to handle rejection.
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (both pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: Pining for someone on the other side of the war/conflict, A burns bridges with B thinking feelings aren't mutual - they are, Former lovers pine for each other, Pining after breaking up, pining between ex-lovers, Trying (and failing) to fall out of love with someone who doesn't love you back
This is basically me saying that I want to see these fools continuing to pine for each other even after Theon defects and decides to get over Robb and Robb has plenty reason to hate him but can't let go of his feelings and drowns in angst over what he could have/should have done differently. As for what their relationship was before the defection, I'm pretty open: they never confessed their feelings/one or both thought the other didn't love them back, friends with benefits but they were hiding more serious feelings, lovers/relationship but there were lots of communications (e.g. Theon not getting the openness/acknowledgement from Robb he wanted while Robb didn't fully understand wtf was needed of him, etc) - anything works!
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
The Balon-Rebels-early AU as described above ^ but this time potentially considered from both perspectives, maybe?
A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Fandom-specific DNWs: For Theon ships - fics set during the Ramsay/Reek period. Post-Ramsay (i.e. post escape with Jeyne) is ok. Ramsay/Theon. Also, please no to the sort of Robb-survives-the-Red-Wedding AUs where everything in Theon’s storyline stays the same but Robb survives the Red Wedding and then they are brought back together when Robb takes back the North, etc along those lines. If he survives in some major AU where Theon doesn't defect/never goes to Pyke or Theon's storyline goes differently re: getting captured by Ramsay (e.g. he goes with Asha to Deepwood Motte or something) then that's fine. Also please no reunited-in-the-afterlife fics for Theon/Robb.
To clarify my general DNWs, I realize that there is a lot of torture/violence/gore in this fandom, and it’s fine to mention anything that happens in canon (e.g. Boltons flaying people, Stannis burning people) and non-graphic descriptions of canon-typical violence. I just don’t want graphic/prolonged descriptions/scenes. If it’s a fic that’s set post-Ramsay, I realize/expect that Theon’s trauma from that experience will feature in some way, but I’d rather not have very graphic flashbacks, etc, or for it to be the entire/overwhelming focus, and if that means setting the fic further in the future, that’s totally fine by me.
Minors-under-16/adults DNW is waived for Robb/Theon, although I'd very much prefer that Robb is at least 15 when anything reciprocated happens/Theon develops romantic feelings for him. Robb can have a crush as early as seems reasonable, though :) . (Also, see above Game of Thrones section for general comments on Theon/Robb, as they mostly apply here too.)
Tristifer Botley/Theon Greyjoy (Tris pining) - Feelings eventually requited
The ship that seems to have come out of nowhere, but wouldn’t it be nice for Theon to have a happy ending with a nice ironborn boy? And you can't tell me Tris wasn't just made for some delicious pining. (But...he really does need to get over Asha for his own good, so here's his chance lol.) I’m totally down for post-canon, canon compliant stuff! What do they get up to in the WoW timeframe? How do they win the Iron Islands back from Euron? What happens during the war with the Others? But Also, farther-future fic - Asha ruling the Iron Islands and Theon being one of her top commanders/councilors while he and Tris fall in love seems like a great endgame to me :D
Some Theon/Tris AUs I love the idea of:
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Character A pines for B while swearing loyalty/fealty to B, Character will follow the object of their pining into danger or towards certain death
I love the interplay of loyalty kink and pining, and with this ship especially the interplay of rank difference and pining. (I def get off on Tris calling Theon “my prince” in fic. Shhh.) Tris is absolutely the sort of person who is just made for this stuff and in what situation the “certain death” situation happens and the tone of how Theon reacts to the loyalty demonstrations will depend on when in canon or in what AU this takes place and that’s entirely up to you!
TAGS: Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while huddled together for warmth, Pining while imprisoned, Pining while tending someone's wounds
The other intersection I love is that of hurt/comfort and pining! (I generally love hurt/comfort ngl.) Who’s the hurt party (or if they’re both suffering) and why is totally up to you and I love it both ways. For the “pining while imprisoned” tag - I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died, Pining Character Throws Themselves Between Crush and Lethal Danger, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc.
TAGS: Character A knows Character B was hurt in the past, Pining A thinks B is still hung up on past lover
The love triangle angst! I would especially love for Theon’s past lover to have been Robb and how much Theon actually is or isn’t hung up on him is up to you. Canon-compliant or AU is equally good!
TAGS: Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage
This is a good tag for post-canon/canon compliant stuff (but doesn’t have to be) where Theon is still in the process of sorting out his life post-Ramsay and getting the trauma under control and Tris has fallen hard but he doesn’t think now’s the time for a relationship. Maybe it’s made worse by Theon clearly reciprocating but Tris is worried that it’s just because he’s in a vulnerable place and really needs/wants the intense affection/support a romantic relationship seems to offer/Tris is one of the very few people he has left so he’s afraid he’d just be taking advantage of him.
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically…someone/something makes Tris’ feelings obvious and he completely expects to be rejected (and maybe does something reckless/dumb because of it) but then of course he’s wrong :D
Tristifer Botley/Theon Greyjoy (both pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while tending someone's wounds, Pining while huddled together for warmth, Pining while imprisoned
As above ^^^
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
As above ^^^
TAGS: Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
As above ^^^
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically…someone/something makes Tris’ or Theon's feelings obvious and he completely expects to be rejected (and maybe does something reckless/dumb because of it) but then of course he’s wrong :D If it's Theon, maybe he has a hard time believing that anyone would love him back (due to the various Ramsay-related trauma(s)), or maybe it's caution due to having been hurt before (by Robb?).
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being protected by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining while having wounds tended, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), Pining while tending someone's wounds
LOVE hurt/comfort; love the interplay of hurt/comfort and pining! Especially love this idea of the pining character receiving care and comfort from someone they’re in love with and both desperately wanting/needing that comfort and realizing how hard it is to keep their feelings under control (and maybe ultimately failing to) when they’re in a more vulnerable state. (But also, per the last two tags, the tenderness and stress of caring for the object of their affection and wanting to be even MOAR sweet but also feeling like they need to hide it.) Them going to war allows for plenty of situations for Robb (or Theon) to get hurt/get into trouble. It could be an AU too - like if Theon never goes to Pyke and is there when Robb is hurt at the Crag. For the last two tags - I’d love an AU where Theon decides to go back to Robb instead of defecting to his family, but he’s hurt in the “escape” from Pyke/on his way back and shows up in camp in pretty bad shape and Robb’s got to deal with both the practicality of the political situation this leaves them in while also providing comfort/care for Theon…and pining (maybe especially hard and guiltily as he realizes how much Theon’s decided to give up for him).
TAGS: A pines for B while being comforted by them
This is similar to the above ^ but more emotional hurt/comfort. I love scenarios where Theon comforts Robb the night when he finds out about Ned’s execution. Or maybe something after Bran’s fall when they don’t know if he’ll survive and Robb also has to deal with suddenly having a ton of responsibility thrust on him since his father is away and his mother is kinda mentally/emotionally out of commission.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward, Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: A pines for B who they think is out of their league, Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Love the idea of Robb not showing his feelings for Theon because he’s really concerned that Theon just…wouldn’t like him back/can get someone more exciting or whatever. And maybe his feelings are revealed accidently in some way and then he’s like…oh shit. Whether that leads to…complications or immediate, terrified but heartfelt confessions is up to you.
TAGS: Character A pines while watching Character B sleep, Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them
I generally love themes of loyalty and self-sacrifice in many of my ships. You can interpret this tag more literally - them being in a life-threatening situation, maybe at some point during when they’re at war together - or more figuratively (along the lines of Robb needing to sacrifice his honor/interests/the way he thought his life would go, etc in order to protect/save Theon). I often see in Throbb fics the scenario where Theon has to make sacrifices for Robb/Robb’s cause/their relationship, but rarely if ever the other way around (not counting like…him having to deal with his bannermen/mom being mildly disapproving of them being together), so I’d love something where Robb is the one who has to make the hard choices/sacrifices for Theon (while pining :D).
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
So...you know those Balon-rebels-early AUs that explore the inevitable dark side of Theon's hostage situation? I want another one :) Usually, it's Ned who has to do it and Robb has to chose to get involved or not one way or another, but in this case, there would be some reason Robb would be expected to do it - maybe they're already at war/Ned has been executed or maybe Robb is acting Lord of Winterfell during the time that Ned is in King's Landing but before they go to war. And then Robb has to make a decision. While pining. (The most delicious angst!) How this ends is totally up to you. I think for the "feelings eventually requited" option as here, it makes sense if Robb decides the execution, but IDK maybe they have some (sad? angry? ???) love confessions but then Robb still goes through with it because something something honor? Up to you :)
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining)/Theon Greyjoy & Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: A pines for former lover B who left them, Character A pines for their former lover, Everything reminds Character A of Character B, grudgingly pining for someone you should hate, A keeps an item of B's clothing, Pined After Character Left Piner And Piner Feels Betrayed, Pining for someone who turned to the enemy's side
All the sad post-break up tags! This ones for the Robb pining uselessly (and guiltily. angrily?) after Theon defects. Can be either in a gen/friendship or romantic sense. (With the age gap in the books, I do really enjoy an older-younger brother emotional slant to the gen version of the relationship.) If romantic, what their relationship beforehand was is totally up to you! Maybe Robb was repressed and didn't fully realize his feelings until after Theon left. Maybe Robb was repressed but realized his feelings but knew fuck all what to do with them, not to mention how to express them. Maybe they were casual and never managed to have like A Conversation about their feelings/relationship. Maybe they were lovers and Robb is really confused/pissed at first but then slowly realizes that they hadn't been communicating well/things had been off for a while. (Maybe the fact that Robb never directly addressed the hostage issue after his father died and before sending Theon to Pyke put a strain on things?) However you want to run with it, I'm sure I'll love it.
For a specific thing...I was thinking of that whole thing after Karstark's execution when Jeyene says Robb was writing a letter all morning which he then burned. And what if it was a letter to Theon (which he never intended to send but...a way to vent feeling) that started with telling him how much he hates him, only to then slowly slide into hysterical HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME I NEED YOU.
TAGS: A isn't used to not getting things they want
Ahah, so love the idea that Robb, overprivileged, handsome, goldenboy that he is, is used to getting the shit he wants. If it's not handed to him, all he's gotta do is put in a bit of effort and there it is. So it's a real Shock when sudden Theon isn't falling into his arms. This can be more lighthearted - frustrated attempts at flirting and Theon clearly playing hard to get or (given the "never requited") heavier angst about having your first love, who isn't interested or even rejects you, and not knowing what the hell to do with yourself because it sucks, plus you're very unused to having to handle rejection.
Dear Pine-for-Pine Exchange Writer,
First, I would like to say thank you for the time and effort that you are willing to put into creating for me! Length of fandom sections or the order the fandoms are in no way indication of how much I want fic for any given fandom; I would be absolutely delighted to receive fic in any of the fandoms I asked for. I've tried to provide some details on the sorts of things I like (and don't) and give prompts for each of my fandoms/ships.
Table of Contents:
General Likes/DNWs
Romeo and Juliet
Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice and Fire
GENERAL STUFF
Relationsihps/Sex/Ratings:
Likes:
- Outside of any ships I ask for specifically, I'm good with slash, het or fem for background ships!
- All ratings up to R.
- A focus on the romantic/emotional aspect of a relationship and some semblance of a plot/point rather than just sex.
- Mutual pining, especially if it's secretly requited pining and the parties think it's unrequited. (Unrequited pining is great too of course!.)
- Complicated relationship dynamics, love triangles, relationships that take some effort/time to work, loving each other but because [insert reasons here] not always being able to be together/communicate those feelings, etc in this vain.
- UST. Eventually resolved is probably better than not, however, not a must-have.
- Conversely from the above - romantic partners who just can’t help but adore each other.
- Kissing, hugging, holding hands, non-sexual physical contact in general.
- Praise kink (in the sense that there’s a lot of emotional investment in and getting-off on getting praised or otherwise acknowledged as worthwhile. Works especially well with characters who are deeply insecure. I’m generally fond of other related things, such as body worship, partners being encouraging during sex in a very sweet, reassuring way, etc).
- Threesomes/moresomes and polyamory, unless specifically requested/prompted.
- Incest (unless specifically requested or explicitly canon; this DNW does not include cousins).
- Parings with large age disparity (over 15 years) unless specifically requested.
- Minors under 16 in sexual/romantic relationships with adults; one-sided teenage crushes on adults are fine. I'd rather not read about teenagers under 16 having sex, even if both are 14/15, but romance/kissing and some groping and whatnot is fine; references to off-screen sexual experimentation/sex is fine if it's something that fits the characters/story.
- NC-17 and PWPs.
- Healing cock.
- BDSM, omegaverse, and most kink. (NOT included in this: foreplay; bantery/lighthearted roleplay for the purposes of foreplay; preferences for a certain sexual position, fascination with a partner’s physical trait, such as, e.g., preferring redheads or virgins or younger partners or being fascinated by someone’s shoulders; rough/aggressive/desperate sex or outside-of-bedroom inequalities that transfer into the bedroom, even though there may be pining down of wrists or some other element that could be considered a kink or part of BDSM; anything specifically listed as a “like”).
- Foot fetishes (I know I said liking specific body parts is fine, but this is the exception).
- Humiliation (both sexual and not).
- Non-con/rape (dub-con that leans toward/ends up as consensual is ok. I consider sex-under-the-influence given that both parties ).
- Mpreg.
Genres/Themes (and such):
Likes:
- Angst, drama. (Please don’t try to use this as a challenge to see how many angst/dark tropes you can fit into a single fic. I have no issue with dark themes, angst is my crack and things like character death don’t bother me, but if it feels like it’s just a marathon of horrible things happening…that’s a little too intense for me. Exceptions apply if a specific prompt calls for dark!fic or similar endless angst.)
- Humor is fun too, but I like it more as an element in the story rather than a story that sets out to be funny first and foremost.
- Hurt/comfort!!!
- LOYALTY KINK! Themes of loyalty and devotion in general. Protectiveness.
- Related to the above, I enjoy explorations of divided/conflicted loyalties in various contexts.
- Friendship, family (dynamics), platonic love.
- Backstories, especially childhood fics.
- Fluff, banter, cuddling/snuggling, kissing, general adorableness (and adoration!).
- Well-rounded characters, characters with emotions/sympathetic motives; the “other side of the story”.
- Politics, intrigue; plot (if you already happen to be that way inclined).
- Worldbuilding, especailly in fantasy and historical settings.
- Crack!fic, parody.
- AUs that subvert the universe or drastically change the setting (eg: setting a modern fandom as a fairytale, turning a historical fandom all Sci-Fi, Coffee Shop/College AUs, etc. This includes stuff like A/B/O and inserting magic/supernatural elements into a non-magic/supernatural universe).
- Crossovers
- Time travel.
- Apocalypse/post-apocalypse scenarios, regardless of whether done as an AU or some kind of post-canon possibility thing. (Exception for when this setting is explicitly canon.)
- Character bashing. (Especially with requested characters.)
- Horror; graphic gore.
- Torture. (Mentions are fine if torture is something that happens in canon. BUT no deaths/executions by torture - eg: drawing and quartering - whatsoever.)
- Humiliation; any sort of glorification of bullying.
- Ccross-dressing; genderbending/genderswap; non-canonical genders and gender headcanons in general.
- Narrative implications that “sex = love” or that romantic partners HAVE to have sex to have a “valid” relationship or to be “really” in love with each other.
FANDOMS
Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Fandom DNWs: Benvolio/Mercutio; age difference within the Montacrew that's greater than 2 years between oldest and youngest.
I don't particularly care how you deal with Romeo/Juliet. They can break up or never meet or whatever really - whatever works best for the particular story. Feel free to handwave as needed. If you fee a prompt might include/rely on them having been together, that's fine. I would just prefer to not have more focus on their relationship than a story strictly requires.
Mercutio/Romeo Montague (Mercutio pining)- Feelings eventually requited
TAGS:A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being comforted by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), Hurt pining character turns up on pined-for character's doorstep (didn't know where else to go)
As you might be able to tell, I'm reallly into the pining + hurt/comfort combination. I'm also into the confesses-feelings-by-accident/under-stress scenarios. The most obvious scenario here is a Mercutio-survives-the-duel AU where he still ends up hurt, but it doesn't have to be that. Like for example, that last tag - Mercutio is a nuisance and probably gets into a lot of fights. And while they are obviously not always fetal, I imagine they would sometimes be taxing. So it could be basically Mercutio showing up at Romeo’s in the middle of the night because he doesn’t want to go home where his parents/uncle/whoever will see and scold him for fighting again and making a mess, and Romeo cleans him up and lets him stay the night. And it’s mostly just fluff. (But doesn’t have to be!) But definitely love the idea of him confessing his feelings "accidentally" and then later being like oh shit...what now.
TAGS: Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
I really enjoy those situations where characters feel like they must confess their feelings because they're dying/about to die, but then in this case oh! things work out and not they have to deal with that. Maybe even they both confess their feelings and then after Romeo is like "wait...did I mean that or was I just really emotional because we/Mercutio/I was dying?" (Or, if you'd like to interpret the tag loosely, an AU where directly post-duel Romeo tells Mercutio he loves him in an attempt to motivate him to live as well as out of just a drive to do it that he doesn't really analyze at the time only to then, after, question the sincerity of his confession.)
TAGS: Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died
Similar idea as the above - going through a near-death experience forcing confessions and all the consequences of that.
TAGS: Character A Pines For Character B Not Realizing It's Requited, A pining because they think B isn't attracted to their gender/sex, They Couldn't Possibly Be Ignorant Of How I Feel So I Assume They Must Not Be Interested
These tags are more general and can fit any number of scenarios, but would work especially well with a more light-hearted or flangsty tone where it's kind of a comedy of errors/misunderstandings and communication failures.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them, Pining Character Throws Themselves Between Crush and Lethal Danger
Can be the canon scenario of the duel or some AU situation. This reflects my love for loyalty kink and self-sacrifice within that context. Lots of fun angst!
TAGS: Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Another tag that can be used in any number of situations. Can be super fluffy and cute or hurt/comfort anywhere on the fluff-angst spectrum. Would really enjoy a younger-teens timeframe with Mercutio just starting to develop his crush on Romeo and part of what really gets him is how nice and thoughtful and stuff Romeo is and Mercutio coming from a setting where he's not really used to it (maybe he has an abusive family situation and/or he's had a hard time making friends as a child because he's considered "strange," etc.)
Game of Thrones
Fandom-specific DNWs: For Theon ships - fics set during the Ramsay/Reek period. Post-Ramsay (i.e. post escape with Sansa) is ok. Ramsay/Theon. Also, please no to the sort of Robb-survives-the-Red-Wedding AUs where everything in Theon’s storyline stays the same but Robb survives the Red Wedding and then they are brought back together when Robb takes back the North, etc along those lines. If he survives in some major AU where Theon doesn't defect/never goes to Pyke or Theon's storyline goes differently re: getting captured by Ramsay (e.g. he goes with Asha to Deepwood Motte or something) then that's fine. Also please no reunited-in-the-afterlife fics for Theon/Robb.
To clarify my general DNWs, I realize that there is a lot of torture/violence/gore in this fandom, and it’s fine to mention anything that happens in canon (e.g. Boltons flaying people, Stannis burning people) and non-graphic descriptions of canon-typical violence. I just don’t want graphic/prolonged descriptions/scenes. If it’s a fic that’s set post-Ramsay, I realize/expect that Theon’s trauma from that experience will feature in some way, but I’d rather not have very graphic flashbacks, etc, or for it to be the entire/overwhelming focus, and if that means setting the fic further in the future, that’s totally fine by me.
I feel like I should say a couple of words about Theon/Robb in general before I get into the tags because fngjsfkljfs I have so many feelings about this ship but also so many of them are really sad? (And this will mostly hold for the ASOIAF requests for this ship too.) Realistically, this relationship is kinda toxic. I’m not saying that in like a Purity Police way or anything, but just the power dynamics, and the fact that Robb is not above employing them when it suits him/when he’s ticked off, means that there is a lot of tension and angst and shit involved - it’s not just fluff and Cute ™. Also, Alfie certainly chose to play this a Certain Way where Theon is basically making heart eyes at Robb the whole time. And Robb….never really reciprocates and is kinda cold/distant a lot? Like he sort of is generally reserved here, but it’s kinda so jarring when Theon seems to desperately be giving his all - it reads a bit like unrequited love. BUT this does leave some nice/interesting potential for pining. Because I really like going with the idea that Robb is just kind of repressed/unable to deal with his feelings or whatever and never says the things he means/feels. Or maybe (if they’ve got a FWB type thing going) takes it for granted and just assumes that Theon knows his feelings, completely failing to understand that Theon does not actually expect for love and affection to be handed to him and does in fact need it spelled out. There's so much potential for misunderstanding and talking past each other and not being able to give each other what the other wants/needs. I rarely see Theon as being not interested in a relationship with Robb until he reaches his breaking point and walks away (in the show especially) but that doesn't necessarily mean that Robb always knows/realizes his feelings.
Also, even for the "both pining" requests, while I'd be perfectly happy with a switching POV, if there's only one POV, I'm more invested in exploring Robb's POV/his pining for Theon than the other way around (there's canon for that lol).
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being protected by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while tending someone's wounds, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
LOVE hurt/comfort; love the interplay of hurt/comfort and pining! Especially love this idea of the pining character receiving care and comfort from someone they’re in love with and both desperately wanting/needing that comfort and realizing how hard it is to keep their feelings under control (and maybe ultimately failing to) when they’re in a more vulnerable state. (But also, per the last two tags, the tenderness and stress of caring for the object of their affection and wanting to be even MOAR sweet but also feeling like they need to hide it. With someone who seems to have as difficult a time with communicating and processing feelings as Robb, this can all be extra fun!) Them going to war allows for plenty of situations for Robb (or Theon) to get hurt/get into trouble, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be pre-canon. I’m always up for a generic sickfic, tbh. For the last two tags - I’d love an AU where Theon decides to go back to Robb instead of defecting to his family, but he’s hurt in the “escape” from Pyke/on his way back and shows up in camp in pretty bad shape and Robb’s got to deal with both the practicality of the political situation this leaves them in while also providing comfort/care for Theon…and pining (maybe especially hard and guiltily as he realizes how much Theon’s decided to give up for him).
TAGS: A pines for B while being comforted by them
This is similar to the above ^ but more emotional hurt/comfort. I love scenarios where Theon comforts Robb the night when he finds out about Ned’s execution. Or maybe something after Bran’s fall when they don’t know if he’ll survive and Robb also has to deal with suddenly having a ton of responsibility thrust on him since his father is away and his mother is kinda mentally/emotionally out of commission.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Character A pines while watching Character B sleep, Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: A pines for B who they think is out of their league, Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Love the idea of Robb not showing his feelings for Theon because he’s really concerned that Theon just…wouldn’t like him back/can get someone more exciting or whatever. And maybe his feelings are revealed accidently in some way and then he’s like…oh shit. Whether that leads to…complications or immediate, terrified but heartfelt confessions is up to you.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them
I generally love themes of loyalty and self-sacrifice in many of my ships. You can interpret this tag more literally - them being in a life-threatening situation, maybe at some point during when they’re at war together - or more figuratively (along the lines of Robb needing to sacrifice his honor/interests/the way he thought his life would go, etc in order to protect/save Theon). I often see in Throbb fics the scenario where Theon has to make sacrifices for Robb/Robb’s cause/their relationship, but rarely if ever the other way around (not counting like…him having to deal with his bannermen/mom being mildly disapproving of them being together), so I’d love something where Robb is the one who has to make the hard choices/sacrifices for Theon (while pining :D).
TAGS: A pines for B while B swears fealty to A
I have…complicated feelings about the show’s addition of Theon explicitly swearing loyalty to Robb in the KitN scene. But since we’ve got it and it’s good shipbait, let’s roll with it. So ah…imagine Robb getting this Gift of the person he’s in love with swearing fealty to him when he really doesn’t have to and probably shouldn’t, and yet it’s just agonizing because…is it platonic? Are his feelings actually reciprocated? Is he ever gonna be able to work up the courage to find out?
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
So...you know those Balon-rebels-early AUs that explore the inevitable dark side of Theon's hostage situation? I want another one :) Usually, it's Ned who has to do it and Robb has to chose to get involved or not one way or another, but in this case, there would be some reason Robb would be expected to do it - maybe they're already at war/Ned has been executed or maybe Robb is acting Lord of Winterfell during the time that Ned is in King's Landing but before they go to war. And then Robb has to make a decision. While pining. (The most delicious angst!) How this ends is totally up to you. I think for the "feelings eventually requited" option as here, it makes sense if Robb decides the execution, but IDK maybe they have some (sad? angry? ???) love confessions but then Robb still goes through with it because something something honor? Up to you :)
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (both pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: Character A bathes Character B while pining, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), pining while tending someone's wounds, Pining while huddled together for warmth
More or less what I said above regarding the hurt/comfort + pining combination, just with more flexibility in POV and in who gets to be the hurt party.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
Same as above ^^^
TAGS: Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
Love the intensity and desperation of the after-deadly situation confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically...accidental/invulantary revalation of feelings leads to lots of angst and anxiety because the character is certain the other doesn't love them back, only to eventually be soothed and reassured that that is more certainly not the case. Stupidity, misunderstandings, etc may ensue as you see fit!
TAGS: Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, pining after years of friendship
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness and romantic tension.
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: Pining for someone on the other side of the war/conflict, A pines for former lover B who left them, Character A pines for their former lover, Everything reminds Character A of Character B, grudgingly pining for someone you should hate, A keeps an item of B's clothing, Pined After Character Left Piner And Piner Feels Betrayed, Pining for someone who turned to the enemy's side
All the sad post-break up tags! This ones for the Robb pining uselessly (and guiltily. angrily?) after Theon defects. What their relationship beforehand was is totally up to you! Maybe Robb was repressed and didn't fully realize his feelings until after Theon left. Maybe Robb was repressed but realized his feelings but knew fuck all what to do with them, not to mention how to express them. Maybe they were casual and never managed to have like A Conversation about their feelings/relationship. Maybe they were lovers and Robb is really confused/pissed at first but then slowly realizes that they hadn't been communicating well/things had been off for a while. (Maybe the fact that Robb never directly addressed the hostage issue after his father died and before sending Theon to Pyke put a strain on things?) However you want to run with it, I'm sure I'll love it.
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
The Balon-Rebels-early AU as described above ^ but this tag leaning more toward Robb going through with it. But! Maybe he doesn't but the fact that he even considers it completely fucks up his changes of making this into like...a relationship/Theon rejects him after.
TAGS: A isn't used to not getting things they want
Ahah, so love the idea that Robb, overprivileged, handsome, goldenboy that he is, is used to getting the shit he wants. If it's not handed to him, all he's gotta do is put in a bit of effort and there it is. So it's a real Shock when sudden Theon isn't falling into his arms. This can be more lighthearted - frustrated attempts at flirting and Theon clearly playing hard to get or (given the "never requited") heavier angst about having your first love, who isn't interested or even rejects you, and not knowing what the hell to do with yourself because it sucks, plus you're very unused to having to handle rejection.
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (both pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: Pining for someone on the other side of the war/conflict, A burns bridges with B thinking feelings aren't mutual - they are, Former lovers pine for each other, Pining after breaking up, pining between ex-lovers, Trying (and failing) to fall out of love with someone who doesn't love you back
This is basically me saying that I want to see these fools continuing to pine for each other even after Theon defects and decides to get over Robb and Robb has plenty reason to hate him but can't let go of his feelings and drowns in angst over what he could have/should have done differently. As for what their relationship was before the defection, I'm pretty open: they never confessed their feelings/one or both thought the other didn't love them back, friends with benefits but they were hiding more serious feelings, lovers/relationship but there were lots of communications (e.g. Theon not getting the openness/acknowledgement from Robb he wanted while Robb didn't fully understand wtf was needed of him, etc) - anything works!
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
The Balon-Rebels-early AU as described above ^ but this time potentially considered from both perspectives, maybe?
A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Fandom-specific DNWs: For Theon ships - fics set during the Ramsay/Reek period. Post-Ramsay (i.e. post escape with Jeyne) is ok. Ramsay/Theon. Also, please no to the sort of Robb-survives-the-Red-Wedding AUs where everything in Theon’s storyline stays the same but Robb survives the Red Wedding and then they are brought back together when Robb takes back the North, etc along those lines. If he survives in some major AU where Theon doesn't defect/never goes to Pyke or Theon's storyline goes differently re: getting captured by Ramsay (e.g. he goes with Asha to Deepwood Motte or something) then that's fine. Also please no reunited-in-the-afterlife fics for Theon/Robb.
To clarify my general DNWs, I realize that there is a lot of torture/violence/gore in this fandom, and it’s fine to mention anything that happens in canon (e.g. Boltons flaying people, Stannis burning people) and non-graphic descriptions of canon-typical violence. I just don’t want graphic/prolonged descriptions/scenes. If it’s a fic that’s set post-Ramsay, I realize/expect that Theon’s trauma from that experience will feature in some way, but I’d rather not have very graphic flashbacks, etc, or for it to be the entire/overwhelming focus, and if that means setting the fic further in the future, that’s totally fine by me.
Minors-under-16/adults DNW is waived for Robb/Theon, although I'd very much prefer that Robb is at least 15 when anything reciprocated happens/Theon develops romantic feelings for him. Robb can have a crush as early as seems reasonable, though :) . (Also, see above Game of Thrones section for general comments on Theon/Robb, as they mostly apply here too.)
Tristifer Botley/Theon Greyjoy (Tris pining) - Feelings eventually requited
The ship that seems to have come out of nowhere, but wouldn’t it be nice for Theon to have a happy ending with a nice ironborn boy? And you can't tell me Tris wasn't just made for some delicious pining. (But...he really does need to get over Asha for his own good, so here's his chance lol.) I’m totally down for post-canon, canon compliant stuff! What do they get up to in the WoW timeframe? How do they win the Iron Islands back from Euron? What happens during the war with the Others? But Also, farther-future fic - Asha ruling the Iron Islands and Theon being one of her top commanders/councilors while he and Tris fall in love seems like a great endgame to me :D
Some Theon/Tris AUs I love the idea of:
- Theon makes somewhat better decisions after defecting from Robb to his family (a choice which, in and of itself I completely understand and support, let’s just say straight up) and either never takes Winterfell or takes Winterfell but leaves shortly after with Bran and Rickon as hostages… And then he has to deal with his internal conflicts and also earning his people’s/family’s trust even though he kind of resents having to, but Dagmer’s right that like…his ability to bond with them was disrupted by the time he was away. (Not that Balon is right or not a complete asshole. But also maybe if Theon brings some Stark kids as hostages, things will go at least a tiny bit better there - although, maybe on the other hand he kinda hates the idea of having to take these kids as hostages just to impress his dad, because he knows how much the hostage thing sucks). What does this have to do with Tris? I mean basically, whatever the plot backdrop is, part of Theon finding his place on the Iron Islands and in the ironborn war efforts would, in this case, also involve him and Tris falling in love. (Bonus points if they at some point bond over their first loves (Robb and Asha, respectively) being people who don’t love them back.)
- AU where Tris is one of the men of Theon’s crew when he goes raiding and takes Winterfell. (Do things still happen as in canon and they're doomed or is Tris able to counteract Ramsay's bad influence/keep Theon from spiraling so completely?)
- Balon dies unexpectedly (bc who cares about Balon lol) just prior to Theon’s arrival on Pyke and either Theon takes his place as heir (and does the alliance with Robb) or, hell, maybe Asha beats him in a Kingsmoot or whatever (although, I’m not sure how the kingsmoot would happen with a clear line of succession but whatever), but once she’s won, she’s less intent on alienating him than her father was, and decides to go along with the proposed alliance. (Or! Maybe they don’t do the alliance and go to war with he North anyway but things pan our differently with Theon’s decision-making.) So, Theon and Tris go to war together…and fall in love.
- AU where Theon is never taken hostage - because Balon wins the rebellion or because the rebellion never happens - and he and Tris get together. They both seem like people who aren’t perfect fits for the Ironborn culture and maybe this pulls them together. Maybe, if Theon had stuck around, Tris would fall in love with a different Greyjoy sibling ;) (Though, I’ll say that I don’t think Theon’s relationship with his father, or Asha, would have been so strained if the hostage thing didn’t happen. I’d imagine him and Asha growing up pretty close and then with Balon…it would likely be complicated, given what kind of person Balon is, but far more within reasonable bounds than what we get in ACOK.)
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Character A pines for B while swearing loyalty/fealty to B, Character will follow the object of their pining into danger or towards certain death
I love the interplay of loyalty kink and pining, and with this ship especially the interplay of rank difference and pining. (I def get off on Tris calling Theon “my prince” in fic. Shhh.) Tris is absolutely the sort of person who is just made for this stuff and in what situation the “certain death” situation happens and the tone of how Theon reacts to the loyalty demonstrations will depend on when in canon or in what AU this takes place and that’s entirely up to you!
TAGS: Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while huddled together for warmth, Pining while imprisoned, Pining while tending someone's wounds
The other intersection I love is that of hurt/comfort and pining! (I generally love hurt/comfort ngl.) Who’s the hurt party (or if they’re both suffering) and why is totally up to you and I love it both ways. For the “pining while imprisoned” tag - I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died, Pining Character Throws Themselves Between Crush and Lethal Danger, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc.
TAGS: Character A knows Character B was hurt in the past, Pining A thinks B is still hung up on past lover
The love triangle angst! I would especially love for Theon’s past lover to have been Robb and how much Theon actually is or isn’t hung up on him is up to you. Canon-compliant or AU is equally good!
TAGS: Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage
This is a good tag for post-canon/canon compliant stuff (but doesn’t have to be) where Theon is still in the process of sorting out his life post-Ramsay and getting the trauma under control and Tris has fallen hard but he doesn’t think now’s the time for a relationship. Maybe it’s made worse by Theon clearly reciprocating but Tris is worried that it’s just because he’s in a vulnerable place and really needs/wants the intense affection/support a romantic relationship seems to offer/Tris is one of the very few people he has left so he’s afraid he’d just be taking advantage of him.
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically…someone/something makes Tris’ feelings obvious and he completely expects to be rejected (and maybe does something reckless/dumb because of it) but then of course he’s wrong :D
Tristifer Botley/Theon Greyjoy (both pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, Pining while having wounds tended, Pining while tending someone's wounds, Pining while huddled together for warmth, Pining while imprisoned
As above ^^^
TAGS: Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, Pining character A finally makes a move after A almost died, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died, Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward
As above ^^^
TAGS: Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
As above ^^^
TAGS: Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Basically…someone/something makes Tris’ or Theon's feelings obvious and he completely expects to be rejected (and maybe does something reckless/dumb because of it) but then of course he’s wrong :D If it's Theon, maybe he has a hard time believing that anyone would love him back (due to the various Ramsay-related trauma(s)), or maybe it's caution due to having been hurt before (by Robb?).
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings eventually requited
TAGS: A being taken care of during illness/injury by B whom they're pining for, A pines for B while being protected by them, Pining character A confesses feelings while feverish/semi-conscious, Pining character is too sick/hurt to hide their pining any more, Pining while having wounds tended, Pined-for character reveals feelings to pining character while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.), Pining while tending someone's wounds
LOVE hurt/comfort; love the interplay of hurt/comfort and pining! Especially love this idea of the pining character receiving care and comfort from someone they’re in love with and both desperately wanting/needing that comfort and realizing how hard it is to keep their feelings under control (and maybe ultimately failing to) when they’re in a more vulnerable state. (But also, per the last two tags, the tenderness and stress of caring for the object of their affection and wanting to be even MOAR sweet but also feeling like they need to hide it.) Them going to war allows for plenty of situations for Robb (or Theon) to get hurt/get into trouble. It could be an AU too - like if Theon never goes to Pyke and is there when Robb is hurt at the Crag. For the last two tags - I’d love an AU where Theon decides to go back to Robb instead of defecting to his family, but he’s hurt in the “escape” from Pyke/on his way back and shows up in camp in pretty bad shape and Robb’s got to deal with both the practicality of the political situation this leaves them in while also providing comfort/care for Theon…and pining (maybe especially hard and guiltily as he realizes how much Theon’s decided to give up for him).
TAGS: A pines for B while being comforted by them
This is similar to the above ^ but more emotional hurt/comfort. I love scenarios where Theon comforts Robb the night when he finds out about Ned’s execution. Or maybe something after Bran’s fall when they don’t know if he’ll survive and Robb also has to deal with suddenly having a ton of responsibility thrust on him since his father is away and his mother is kinda mentally/emotionally out of commission.
TAGS: Pining while imprisoned
I love the idea of like…the ship having to provide care/comfort for each other after interrogation/torture or them being forced to watch each other’s interrogations or getting one of them to do/say something with the threat of hurting the other. (Per my DNWs I don’t want really extreme or gory torture, nothing Ramsay-esque, but like…characters getting generally beat up some is ok; being threatened with more extreme torture is also ok.) And then of course throw pining in the middle of it all to complicate things…
TAGS: Revealed Feelings While Mortally Injured/No Hope but Whoops! They Were Rescued Now It's Awkward, Life Threatening Situation Prompts Confession of Feelings, pining character A finally makes a move after B almost died
These kind of feel like prompts themselves. I love the dying/in mortal danger confession tropes as well as “last night on earth” confessions (and dealing with the awkwardness if/when they do survive if the idea was to confess and then die). But also the after-the-fact confessions - whether it’s immediately in the aftermath with the adrenaline still running high or with the character(s) really having considered the situation and deciding that life is too short/they can’t risk not saying anything and then a similar situation happening again but not going in their favor etc. Given that these boys go to war together, there’s plenty of opportunity - either canon-compliant or AU, where they could get themselves into trouble/be in high-stakes situations.
TAGS: A pines for B who they think is out of their league, Character expects to be hurt because their pining was revealed
Love the idea of Robb not showing his feelings for Theon because he’s really concerned that Theon just…wouldn’t like him back/can get someone more exciting or whatever. And maybe his feelings are revealed accidently in some way and then he’s like…oh shit. Whether that leads to…complications or immediate, terrified but heartfelt confessions is up to you.
TAGS: Character A pines while watching Character B sleep, Guilt over enjoying friendly hugs/physical closeness too much, Tiny Acts of Affection that Doom Pining Character to Ardent Love
Some generic tags of elements I love in pining fic. Can be either more full or more angst, depending on how you’re inclined. Can be a little single-scene or an element of a longer fic. I just love how these tags lean toward a certain tenderness.
TAGS: Character A sacrifices themself for Character B whilst pining for them
I generally love themes of loyalty and self-sacrifice in many of my ships. You can interpret this tag more literally - them being in a life-threatening situation, maybe at some point during when they’re at war together - or more figuratively (along the lines of Robb needing to sacrifice his honor/interests/the way he thought his life would go, etc in order to protect/save Theon). I often see in Throbb fics the scenario where Theon has to make sacrifices for Robb/Robb’s cause/their relationship, but rarely if ever the other way around (not counting like…him having to deal with his bannermen/mom being mildly disapproving of them being together), so I’d love something where Robb is the one who has to make the hard choices/sacrifices for Theon (while pining :D).
TAGS: Character is forced to kill the one they're pining for
So...you know those Balon-rebels-early AUs that explore the inevitable dark side of Theon's hostage situation? I want another one :) Usually, it's Ned who has to do it and Robb has to chose to get involved or not one way or another, but in this case, there would be some reason Robb would be expected to do it - maybe they're already at war/Ned has been executed or maybe Robb is acting Lord of Winterfell during the time that Ned is in King's Landing but before they go to war. And then Robb has to make a decision. While pining. (The most delicious angst!) How this ends is totally up to you. I think for the "feelings eventually requited" option as here, it makes sense if Robb decides the execution, but IDK maybe they have some (sad? angry? ???) love confessions but then Robb still goes through with it because something something honor? Up to you :)
Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark (Robb pining)/Theon Greyjoy & Robb Stark (Robb pining) - Feelings never requited
TAGS: A pines for former lover B who left them, Character A pines for their former lover, Everything reminds Character A of Character B, grudgingly pining for someone you should hate, A keeps an item of B's clothing, Pined After Character Left Piner And Piner Feels Betrayed, Pining for someone who turned to the enemy's side
All the sad post-break up tags! This ones for the Robb pining uselessly (and guiltily. angrily?) after Theon defects. Can be either in a gen/friendship or romantic sense. (With the age gap in the books, I do really enjoy an older-younger brother emotional slant to the gen version of the relationship.) If romantic, what their relationship beforehand was is totally up to you! Maybe Robb was repressed and didn't fully realize his feelings until after Theon left. Maybe Robb was repressed but realized his feelings but knew fuck all what to do with them, not to mention how to express them. Maybe they were casual and never managed to have like A Conversation about their feelings/relationship. Maybe they were lovers and Robb is really confused/pissed at first but then slowly realizes that they hadn't been communicating well/things had been off for a while. (Maybe the fact that Robb never directly addressed the hostage issue after his father died and before sending Theon to Pyke put a strain on things?) However you want to run with it, I'm sure I'll love it.
For a specific thing...I was thinking of that whole thing after Karstark's execution when Jeyene says Robb was writing a letter all morning which he then burned. And what if it was a letter to Theon (which he never intended to send but...a way to vent feeling) that started with telling him how much he hates him, only to then slowly slide into hysterical HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME I NEED YOU.
TAGS: A isn't used to not getting things they want
Ahah, so love the idea that Robb, overprivileged, handsome, goldenboy that he is, is used to getting the shit he wants. If it's not handed to him, all he's gotta do is put in a bit of effort and there it is. So it's a real Shock when sudden Theon isn't falling into his arms. This can be more lighthearted - frustrated attempts at flirting and Theon clearly playing hard to get or (given the "never requited") heavier angst about having your first love, who isn't interested or even rejects you, and not knowing what the hell to do with yourself because it sucks, plus you're very unused to having to handle rejection.