Dear Yuletide Writer
AO3 name: Alley_Skywalker
Dear Yuletide 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/characters!
GENERAL STUFF'
Relationsihps/Sex/Ratings:
Likes:
Genres/Themes (and such):
Likes:
FANDOMS
Тайны дворцовых переворотов | Secrets of the Palace Revolutions
Requested Characters: Ivan Alekseyevich Dolgoruky, Pyotr II Alekseyevich | Peter II of Russia
This series of movies can be watched here on youtube. (Unfortunately, there aren't subs available.) For this request, movies 3-6 are primarily relevant.)
I just really love their relationship! It’s so cute, on one hand, but on the other kinda painful because they’re caught in on this intrigue. And Ivan’s family is out to gain power and Ivan certainly likes his position as favorite and is also being manipulated by his family but at the same time he’s not really fighting them on it either. I do think that Ivan genuinely cares about Peter, he’s just not…very mature emotionally (and in general…) or able/willing to say no to his family - only at the very end does he start trying to fight them when he can no longer take how horrifying the situation is. And you can often see Ivan’s better instincts fighting with all the cynicism he’s surely developed from being around court politics from a young age. Their age gap/how young Peter is throughout most of this means that I do see this as more of a friendship/brotherly relationship, but I really do love the idea of Peter developing a teenage crush on Ivan - he’s so, so clearly attached and enamored with him.
I do feel a little bad for not having particularly specific prompts but really I’d love anything with them. Fluffy antics - playing pranks on people, getting up to other mischief, hunting adventures, just being like they are in the movies. Angst - Peter’s teenage crush, him trying to vent his frustrations about everyone trying to use him and maybe Ivan having his own angst where he realizes he’s kinda complicit in that despite not wanting to be necessarily, any other scenario. Always, always love a good hurt/comfort, in either direction really.
Would also totally enjoy an AU where Peter survives his illness. Does he actually change his lifestyle? If he does, how does Ivan fit into/adjust to that? What kind of ruler does he become once he’s older? And, hey, if it’s an AU where Peter’s older…maybe they end up getting together? ;)
Fire & Blood - George R.R. Martin
Requested Characters: Daeron Targaryen (Son of Viserys I)
This fandom has always been contentious, as is the wider ASOIAF fandom in general, and now especially with the new adaptation/show coming out and causing renewed high tensions and Discourse. Thus, preliminary I’d like to say that first, I’m aware of the show canon but this is very genuinely a book canon request, although obviously the show has fleshed out a lot of the characters who feel flat in the books so I’m not going to mind if some of those characterizations bleed through/are borrowed or anything, as long as it doesn’t directly contradict book canon.
Second, I’m not about bashing any of the characters, but I have always been a Team Green person. Not out of any love for Aegon as a character necessarily, but more because Visery’s blatant parental favoritism seriously bothered me, and it was clear that he just wanted his favorite child to be the heir and not that he wanted to change the system or anything (and instead only destabilized it, traumatized his other children, and was a big, if not main, cause of the Dance, imo). For that matter, Rhaenyra showed multiple times that he had no such interest either. If anything, I think the Dance is fun and fascinating because everyone is kind of selfish and maybe a little power-hungry, everyone is various shades of grey, no one is completely right. There aren’t any obvious heroes or modern-day progressives/liberals - these are all characters that are very much working within their culture and system and playing the game of thrones. That said, Alicent made a lot of sense to me even as flat as she is in the book, and I always saw her primary motivation as her love for her children and her concern for their wellbeing and safety.
Third, I tend to consider Mushroom an extremely unreliable source and would rather his “versions” be ignored when there’s competing accounts, at least anything containing significant sexual violence (Aegon visiting a tween sex worker, brothel queens, etc).
So, Daeron! I love Daeron! He’s one of the very few characters that gets even close to the heroic-and-honorable side of the spectrum, though the war finally gets even to him (e.g. Bitterbridge). He’s someone who’s fundamentally an upstanding person, loyal and brave, values honor, but like everyone else is thrown into this devastating civil war and has to deal with all the suffering and moral ambiguity and tragedy that it brings. What’s all that like for him? What are his relationships like with his family - his mother, his brothers? (It seems to me like there was a lot of loyalty and maybe even affection between Aegon, Aemond and Daeron, but these were probably still very complicated and complex relationships.) What about Helaena? Was Maelor his favorite nephew and did his death send Daeron off that moral cliff? What brought him back after Bitterbridge, if anything?
I have a special fondness for a Daeron/Addam Velaryon AU idea. After Addam escapes KL to avoid arrest, he also hears about his grandfather’s imprisonment. Instead of deciding to try to prove himself to a queen who has so mistreated him and his family despite their loyalty and sacrifices, Addam goes to Tumbleton to find Prince Daeron. He means to secure his family’s safety, even if it means switching sides… (Which then leads to Daeron and Addam working together and falling in love. Ideally :D)
Another AU: what if Daeron doesn’t die so quickly at the second Tumbleton and manages to get up in the air on his dragon? He wins his fight against Addam, taking him prisoner and winning the battle (or at least saving the greater part of his host). This could also be a set-up for some kind of Daeron/Addam enemies-to-lovers but really doesn’t have to be. What does Daeron do next? Can the Greens end up winning the war in this scenario? How does this go work out for them? What is Daeron’s position in the new government or what do his reunions with what’s left of his family look like?
What if Aegon does die at some point but Daeron survives the second Tumbleton/the Greens win the war? What kind of king does Daeron make? Does he have survivor’s guilt of re: outliving all of his siblings?
Another idea: Viserys made Daeron and Jace milk brothers in the hope this would make them closer. This doesn’t seem to have worked much, but what if it had? Or what if Daeron hadn’t been away from court so much/had spent more time with Jace and the two became close(r)? How do they deal with the rising tensions on the even of the Dance? Is their friendship (or romance! Would love a Daeron/Jace!) doomed to fail? I love the angst of two people who care about each other being on opposite sides of a war.
18th Century CE Russian Nobility RPF
Requested Characters: Pyotr III Fyodorovich | Peter III of Russia, Christian August von Brockdorff, Andrey Vasilyevich Gudovich
I don't mind if the fic is more focused on one or two out of these three guys, or even if they don't all appear in the story if that would be difficult/not very appropriate (e.g. for something set in Peter's childhood - there's no reason for Andrey to be in that story.)
Fandom Specific DNWs: Peter/Catherine as a romantic relationship, other than them being married per history, or their relationship being a primary focus of the fic in general.
Peter was a fixation of mine for like four years straight and although I'm not as obsessed as I used to be, I still love him and his odd and at times random inner circle of people he just happened to think were cool. Peter is one of those historical figures where opinion will vary largely depending on who you ask/what book(s) you read. I am 100% of the more modern school of thought on Peter.
[A bit on sources/the literature...]More recently there's been something of a trend in scholarship which focuses on Peter specifically - as opposed to, say, Catherine - to debunk some of the most pervasive and uglier myths about him and bring to light a lot of things that don't usually get discussed by the traditionalists. Most of this scholarship is quite new, but not all - e.g. Robert Bain's book on Peter published in 1902. The spectrum of Peter-favorable analysis is fairly broad, from R. N. Bain, the compassionate traditionalist, on one end to E. Palmer (1, 2) who, at times, tries a little too hard to stan for Peter with mixed results, on the other. I would say Mylnikov's work (1, 2) is the best and most detailed. C.S. Leonard's work (scan of my copy; also on Amazon) is also excellent, though it's more of a politics/policy/government analysis of Peter's reign than a traditional biography. (And if you don't want to read an entire ass book on policy, Marc Raeff's article "The Domestic Policies of Peter III and His Overthrow" does some good overviews.) (Also, I haven't been so closely up to date on The Literature since maybe 2018-19 so if something interesting has come out since then, I'd love to know!)
That's not to say that all modern scholars have changed their tune. Many still insist that the traditional view is correct, if somewhat lacking in diversity of sources and analysis. Since Mylnikov's book came out, at two self-admitted rebuttals have been published (and I haven't checked again since maybe...2018?). The difference between modern traditionalists and those of the more Peter-favorable school of thought seems to be in 1) the interpretations assigned to facts and sources that are open to various interpretations (which are many) and 2) the weight given to different sources. For example, traditionalists insist that Catherine's memoirs and those of her co-conspirators as well as the notes of French and Austrian ambassadors, who were upset with Peter's foreign policy, are to be taken at practically face value, or without too much concern for their biases. On the other hand, those more favorable to Peter point out that those biases are considerable and that it's no surprise that the opinions of people who were involved in a conspiracy together and/or had deeply personal reasons for disliking someone would all echo each other. Leonard actually has a wonderful article that discusses the problems surrounding the various available sources from which information on Peter can be drawn. Personally, I find the newer perspective on Peter more convincing, in general. But also I find it fascinating how divisive Peter is as a figure. And the mystery, I suppose, because no one will ever really know the entire truth: who was lying, who was exaggerating, who wasn't, which interpretations and questionable "facts" are wrong and which are not.
So, what am I seeing in this guy?
[Peter squee and characterization notes!]Peter, the workaholic enthusiast who signed over 200 new edicts within his short six-month rule. Who got up early and attempted the overwhelming task to overseeing everything himself, and yet still had time to party in the evenings. Who upbraided his senators for not coming to work on time and was constantly shocked and upset by the lack of discipline in the guards regiments.
Peter, the liberal reformer and idealist who launched a series of very progressive reforms.[Here is a short list.]Here’s a short list: emancipated the nobility, abolished the secret chancellery/police (known for torture), required education for the children of nobles and provided for the establishment of technical schools for lower-class children in several cities, removed restrictions on various exports, secularized church lands and surfs, ended the persecution of Old Believers (and generally insisted that violence not be used against non-Christians, although from what I understand, this wasn’t formal legislation), recalled political exiles, made the murder of a surf by their master/a nobleman a severely punishable crime, got rid of the slovo i delo system of denunciation. He also began a codification of the laws, but this never went anywhere - not enough time - and had wanted/tried to end/reduce corruption in the bureaucracy. (Silly boy, no one’s been able to do this before or since.)Peter, who wanted to be remembered for the good things he did during his rule, who refused the golden statue of himself which the senate had offered to erect in gratitude for the edict emancipating the nobility, and said that the senators could put their money to better use. He wanted his monument to be “in the hearts of the people.” (Dear God, I could go on forever lol.)
Peter, the appreciator and supporter of music and theater. He played the violin with a fair amount of skill (at least by some accounts, Aunt Elizabeth didn’t approve so he had to keep a low profile about taking lessons) and established a court orchestra and music school at Oranienbaum. (Notably, the music school focused on accepting children of the lower classes, who typically wouldn't otherwise have these kind of opportunities.)
Peter, who had an at least reasonably good, if not particularly systematic, education and a massive library that he was highly invested in. Who had, according to his tutor in Russia, a superior memory and a love for fortification, an interest in mathematics and the sciences, but a lack of interest in the humanities.
Peter, who was never given a choice in which country he ended up ruling. Who was taken from his home and everything he knew at the age of (almost) 14 to go to a country completely foreign to him. Who was often homesick and torn in his loyalty and duty to Holstein and his duty to the Russian people. And yet, he tried to do right by both. (There was only so much he could do for Holstein while he was in Russia - Elizabeth denied her nephew permission to leave the country repeatedly despite his oral and written requests - but he did as much as he could through letters. And he was dead-set on winning Schleswig back from Denmark.)
Peter, who was generous and kind-hearted, amiable, if volatile, with an irreverent and ironic sense of humor (which inevitably offended some people). Straightforward and candid - tactless sometimes - stubborn and determined, sometimes over-confident, excitable and enthusiastic. Hot tempered. Not very brave. Childish and insecure in some ways. Peter, who cared little for ranks and distinctions, and cared far more for someone’s merit or personal amiability than the accident of their birth. (He liked to talk to and spend time with soldiers, servants, common people…which naturally scandalized the courtiers.)
Peter, who wrote heartbreaking notes to his wife. Who named the first “toy” fortress he had built at Oranienbaum (allegedly, he drafted the calculations and blueprints for it himself) Ekaterinburg, in honor of his wife. He tried to impress her with what he had: played the violin for her, tried to interest her in his military-themed games and projects. But they were vastly different people and absolutely incompatible, and she had nothing but contempt for him.
Peter, whose biggest sin was that he was absolutely rubbish at being a politician. He didn’t realize how dangerous alienating the church and the guards regiments could be. He insisted on giving Catherine the benefit of the doubt, even when he knew she was capable of seizing power. He didn’t know how to twist things and to be manipulative - it wasn’t in his nature at all. He didn't know how to properly hide his feelings - including those of admiration for Friedrich the Great and his divided patriotic loyalties. His strengths, in this sense, were also his weaknesses.
Ok, well, an Emperor of Russia is pretty easy to look up, all things considered. But who the hell are these other two guys?
[Who is Brockdorff?]
Brockdorff was the chamberlain of Peter III of Russia, from before he came to Russia, in his capacity as the Duke of Holstein. Brockdorff’s father and Peter’s father were friends (at the least, Brockdorff's father was in favor with Duke Karl Friedrich). A Lady Brockdorff was also prominent at the Kiel court at the time (though I’m not sure of her relation to Christian exactly). There are issues with establishing Brockdorff's age but for fanfic/RPF purposes I like to assume Brockdorff and Peter were about agemates. When Peter was taken to Russia at the age of 14, the man in charge of his education (something of a head tutor), Brümmer, came with him. Brümmer then advised Russian ministers that Brockdorff had such an influence on Peter that he should not be allowed into the country. (Brümmer considered it negative influence, but given the man’s tendency to be abusive and generally not give a damn about Peter’s best interests, his assessment is highly suspect. Catherine didn’t like Brockdorff either, but they had a personal rivalry going.) So when Brockdorff tried to follow Peter to Russia, he was turned away at the border. BUT finally (in about 1754-5) he found a way to get to the Petersburg court - he traveled incognito (allegedly as a glass merchant), and basically snuck into the country. In Petersburg, he got a warm reception from Peter and stayed in his existing position as chamberlain. He continued to have a lot of influence on Peter (which really irritated Catherine as they didn’t get along and Brockdorff constantly advised Peter to divorce her), and on Peter’s ascension to the throne, Brockdorff received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. His influence began to fade around...mmm I'd say the very start of the 1760s, shortly after the rise of Peter's other favorite, Andrey Gudovich. Most of our information about Brockdorff comes from Catherine II's memoires. She considered him sneaky, politically savvy at best and a coniving intrigue-weaver at worst. There's no argument that Brockdorff strove to gain favor from Peter, then a Grand Duke, and to please him (going as far as sneaking a regiment of Holstein soldiers into Russia for the garrison of Peter's "toy" fortress). But there's also no proof that he was anything but genuinely loyalt to Peter.
[Who is Gudovich?]
Andrey Vasilyevich Gudovich (b. 1731, the elder brother of Ivan Godovich) was Peter III’s chamberlain and then, later, adjutant. He was one of Peter’s closest confidants and he was the man Peter entrusted with bringing news to Friedrich the Great that Peter intended to sue for peace and end the 7 Years War. During the coup, Gudovich stayed with Peter until the very end. When Peter was brought to Peterhof after his initial abdication, the only two people who accompanied him there (other than the convoy, ofc) were Liza Vorontsova (his mistress) and Gudovich. They were both arrested at Peterhof on their arrival and briefly imprisoned. At one point, after his arrest, Peter asked Catherine for permission to leave the country. He also asked to be allowed to take Liza and Gudovich with him. After everything, Gudovich was released and Catherine asked him if he wanted to re-enter the service/stay at court. He, however, resigned promptly and went abroad where he stayed for several years. On his return to Russia he lived at his country estate and only returned to court upon a summons, via a very touching note, from Paul I, Peter’s son. Even may years later (~30), Andrey's letters to his friends spoke of Peter IIi in a manner that always struck me as somewhat...mmm...awestruck? If not romantic. (Albeit, this is an inference drawn from a couple of scant instances but still.)
I should point out at this point that I ship Peter with Brockdorff and Gudovich and I would love anything focusing on either relationship or both (love triangle! love triangle!).
So then, some stuff that could be fun!:
Childhood fics are a love of mine. Peter’s childhood in Holstein. The adults were always scheming and planning re: where he would be of greatest use - Sweden or Russia. Was he aware of this? Did he care? The terror that was Brummer and all the angst and potential hurt/comfort that comes out of it. His relationsihp with his father could be all kinds to interesting - potentially both sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Was it difficult to have his father depending on him so much to grow up into the duke who would ~bring Schleswig home? I'd say Peter's memories of his father couldn't have been all grim. He never spoke badly of him and he really internalized his father's ambitions re: Schleswig. I feel kind of like that...Karl Friedrich did love his son but didn't really know how to be a good father. (I mean, he did stuff like taking ~9 year old Peter with him on raids against the “transients” (many of whom where Romani) in Kiel in an attempt to get them to leave the city. These raids were often very violent and Peter was an impressionable and over-sensitive child. Such an experience could easily be traumatic and indeed seemed to have later evolved into a traumatic delusion about great triumphs over enemy forces.)
Cuteness and fluff - the childish antics and pranks he and Brockdorff got up to when the adults weren’t looking. (I have a headcanon pet theory that the reason Brummer didn’t like Brockdorff so much was because the latter constantly attempted to shield Peter from Brummer’s abuses and tried to convince the young Duke to exert some influence on his guardians and get Brummer removed.) Building pillow/blanket fortresses and then falling asleep in the same bed, even though they know they're not supposed to. Or, oh gosh...everyone and their grandmother seems to know about the hung rat incident. But animal trials were actually a thing in Europe and there were incidents/alleged incidents of this as late as the first half of the 1700s. So what if like Peter saw one of these ~trials~ in Holstein? Maybe his father took him? Maybe he and some friends snuck out to see one? Was it oddly fun? Kinda freaky? Just a normal part of life?
Peter and Brockdorff falling in love for the first time ever as teenagers in Holstein only for Peter to be taken away to Russia shortly thereafter. Writing to each other during their period of separation. Brockdorff desperately trying to get to Peter at all costs. Peter and Brockdorff's reunion in Petersburg. Hurt/comfort after one of Peter’s frequent illnesses or once another one of Catherine’s many affairs comes to light. Either Brockdorff of Gudovich being supportive (in platonic or romantic ways…) of Peter’s reform ideas; talking them through together. (On the other hand, disagreements and fights and angst because Brockdorff, being far more politically savvy would see that some of the things Peter was doing were bad for him politically and would try to stop him and well...that wouldn't go over well. I don't remember off the top of my head which ambassador this was, but there's a comment in some political correspondence circa 1760 that Brockdorff has lost a lot of influence with Peter at this point. What gives?)
Peter's first meeting with Gudovich. I always got this feeling off Gudovich that he was a bit of an over-sensitive idealist. Loyalty kink and maybe a bit of star-struck hero-worship wouldn't be amiss here. Gudovich was kind of a stand-out among the Russian crowd at court in that he supported Peter's foreign policy. (Maaaybe it had something to do with the fact that Gudovich went to university in Konigsberg.) So maybe them bonding over that?
You could honestly just write me Peter/Brockdorff or Gudovich fluff and I'd be happy: a holiday retreat, fireworks and stolen kisses far away from everyone. I love the idea of a Brockdorff/PeterGudovich triange wherein Gudovich is more of the "yes man" and Brockdorff is more the "I know you don't want to hear this but it's for your own good"-type who is, nonetheless, not above manipulative flattery now and then. Squabling over who is more of a favorite, (And, honestly as another exception to my general DNWs - I'd be up for the OT3 too...)
Peter became the director of the First Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg in 1759 and was quite dedicated to it's goings on and trying to make changes for the better (which often times meant asking for money from the senate...) (And, btw, sometimes he stood up for the Russian cadets moreso than even other Russians did.). So...dealing with push back from the senate? Relationship with staff/teachers there - perhaps some welcomed his involvment and tohers didn't. Did he build any mentorship relationships with the cadets? (Or...relatedly, did he build any mentorship relationships with the kids at his music school at Oranienbaum?)
All the angst surrounding the coup - from Peter and the people who cared about him. AU history! Peter’s friends/officers who remain loyal to him, somehow find a way to help him escape and go back home to Holstein. Or maybe he made better decisions earlier on the day of the coup (like…going to Kronstadt right away instead of waiting…) and never got arrested in the first place. What if Semyon Vorontsov had made it to those boats after all?
Or...you could give me some delicious enemies-to-lovers with Brockdorff/Gudovich. (*sigh* a friend of mine infected me with this pairing and then promptly jumped ship lmao, so here I am prompting it in exchanges years later.) I think what I love the most with these two together are the (potential) contrasts between them. Brockdorff the serious, manipulative, ruthless and political one vs. Gudovich, the youthful, earnest, idealistic one. They’re devoted to their Prince and both favorites of said prince, and probably in a constant struggle for priority, but also forced to work together and get along at least for long enough to get things done. I’d love all the jostling, seething banter, gloating and one-upmanship! But…also…really awkward and suppressed UST and almost-pining. Brockdorff would totally be one of those men who would, to use a quote from a tv show, "feel his desire as hatred,” at least in the case where he considers the target of said desire to be unworthy of it. And I definitely have a headcanon of Andrei kind of…admiring Brockdorff in a way and wanting to be friends on some level but every move he makes is rebuffed and they clash ALL the time.
I also could swear I read somewhere (though I can’t find it anymore D:) that Gudovich got his chamberlain appointment through Catherine or someone close to her so I could honestly see this devolving into a comedy of misunderstandings where Brockdorff has legitimate reasons to believe that Gudovich is a spy even though he really, REALLY isn’t. But also, also - all the post-coup angst. I think it’s the shared grief that would bring them together, would make them want to hold on to each other and maybe realize they didn’t really actually dislike each other THAT much. This ship is ripe for some classic enemies/rivals-to-lovers. Or frenemies to lovers, if you want to go for a softer take.
But really, I'd just love to see something with lots of tension and banter and snide remarks and power struggles and attraction that everyone chooses to ignore until they explode! Politics and intrigues and scandals. All the dumb shit Peter does and they have to deal with lol. I’m not married to any particular prompt or interpretation of this ship. I also ship them both pretty hard with Peter, as mentioned, so jealousy and love triangles are very welcome here!
Dear Yuletide 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/characters!
GENERAL STUFF'
Relationsihps/Sex/Ratings:
Likes:
- Outside of any ships I ask/prompt for specifically, I have a preference for slash and gen for main/focus relationships. I'm good with slash, het or fem for background ships!
- All ratings up to R/Mature.
- 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 can be nice too.)
- 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 10 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/Explicit 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).
- 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.
- Parental favoritism presented in a positive/non-negative light by the narrative.
- 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
Тайны дворцовых переворотов | Secrets of the Palace Revolutions
Requested Characters: Ivan Alekseyevich Dolgoruky, Pyotr II Alekseyevich | Peter II of Russia
This series of movies can be watched here on youtube. (Unfortunately, there aren't subs available.) For this request, movies 3-6 are primarily relevant.)
I just really love their relationship! It’s so cute, on one hand, but on the other kinda painful because they’re caught in on this intrigue. And Ivan’s family is out to gain power and Ivan certainly likes his position as favorite and is also being manipulated by his family but at the same time he’s not really fighting them on it either. I do think that Ivan genuinely cares about Peter, he’s just not…very mature emotionally (and in general…) or able/willing to say no to his family - only at the very end does he start trying to fight them when he can no longer take how horrifying the situation is. And you can often see Ivan’s better instincts fighting with all the cynicism he’s surely developed from being around court politics from a young age. Their age gap/how young Peter is throughout most of this means that I do see this as more of a friendship/brotherly relationship, but I really do love the idea of Peter developing a teenage crush on Ivan - he’s so, so clearly attached and enamored with him.
I do feel a little bad for not having particularly specific prompts but really I’d love anything with them. Fluffy antics - playing pranks on people, getting up to other mischief, hunting adventures, just being like they are in the movies. Angst - Peter’s teenage crush, him trying to vent his frustrations about everyone trying to use him and maybe Ivan having his own angst where he realizes he’s kinda complicit in that despite not wanting to be necessarily, any other scenario. Always, always love a good hurt/comfort, in either direction really.
Would also totally enjoy an AU where Peter survives his illness. Does he actually change his lifestyle? If he does, how does Ivan fit into/adjust to that? What kind of ruler does he become once he’s older? And, hey, if it’s an AU where Peter’s older…maybe they end up getting together? ;)
Fire & Blood - George R.R. Martin
Requested Characters: Daeron Targaryen (Son of Viserys I)
This fandom has always been contentious, as is the wider ASOIAF fandom in general, and now especially with the new adaptation/show coming out and causing renewed high tensions and Discourse. Thus, preliminary I’d like to say that first, I’m aware of the show canon but this is very genuinely a book canon request, although obviously the show has fleshed out a lot of the characters who feel flat in the books so I’m not going to mind if some of those characterizations bleed through/are borrowed or anything, as long as it doesn’t directly contradict book canon.
Second, I’m not about bashing any of the characters, but I have always been a Team Green person. Not out of any love for Aegon as a character necessarily, but more because Visery’s blatant parental favoritism seriously bothered me, and it was clear that he just wanted his favorite child to be the heir and not that he wanted to change the system or anything (and instead only destabilized it, traumatized his other children, and was a big, if not main, cause of the Dance, imo). For that matter, Rhaenyra showed multiple times that he had no such interest either. If anything, I think the Dance is fun and fascinating because everyone is kind of selfish and maybe a little power-hungry, everyone is various shades of grey, no one is completely right. There aren’t any obvious heroes or modern-day progressives/liberals - these are all characters that are very much working within their culture and system and playing the game of thrones. That said, Alicent made a lot of sense to me even as flat as she is in the book, and I always saw her primary motivation as her love for her children and her concern for their wellbeing and safety.
Third, I tend to consider Mushroom an extremely unreliable source and would rather his “versions” be ignored when there’s competing accounts, at least anything containing significant sexual violence (Aegon visiting a tween sex worker, brothel queens, etc).
So, Daeron! I love Daeron! He’s one of the very few characters that gets even close to the heroic-and-honorable side of the spectrum, though the war finally gets even to him (e.g. Bitterbridge). He’s someone who’s fundamentally an upstanding person, loyal and brave, values honor, but like everyone else is thrown into this devastating civil war and has to deal with all the suffering and moral ambiguity and tragedy that it brings. What’s all that like for him? What are his relationships like with his family - his mother, his brothers? (It seems to me like there was a lot of loyalty and maybe even affection between Aegon, Aemond and Daeron, but these were probably still very complicated and complex relationships.) What about Helaena? Was Maelor his favorite nephew and did his death send Daeron off that moral cliff? What brought him back after Bitterbridge, if anything?
I have a special fondness for a Daeron/Addam Velaryon AU idea. After Addam escapes KL to avoid arrest, he also hears about his grandfather’s imprisonment. Instead of deciding to try to prove himself to a queen who has so mistreated him and his family despite their loyalty and sacrifices, Addam goes to Tumbleton to find Prince Daeron. He means to secure his family’s safety, even if it means switching sides… (Which then leads to Daeron and Addam working together and falling in love. Ideally :D)
Another AU: what if Daeron doesn’t die so quickly at the second Tumbleton and manages to get up in the air on his dragon? He wins his fight against Addam, taking him prisoner and winning the battle (or at least saving the greater part of his host). This could also be a set-up for some kind of Daeron/Addam enemies-to-lovers but really doesn’t have to be. What does Daeron do next? Can the Greens end up winning the war in this scenario? How does this go work out for them? What is Daeron’s position in the new government or what do his reunions with what’s left of his family look like?
What if Aegon does die at some point but Daeron survives the second Tumbleton/the Greens win the war? What kind of king does Daeron make? Does he have survivor’s guilt of re: outliving all of his siblings?
Another idea: Viserys made Daeron and Jace milk brothers in the hope this would make them closer. This doesn’t seem to have worked much, but what if it had? Or what if Daeron hadn’t been away from court so much/had spent more time with Jace and the two became close(r)? How do they deal with the rising tensions on the even of the Dance? Is their friendship (or romance! Would love a Daeron/Jace!) doomed to fail? I love the angst of two people who care about each other being on opposite sides of a war.
18th Century CE Russian Nobility RPF
Requested Characters: Pyotr III Fyodorovich | Peter III of Russia, Christian August von Brockdorff, Andrey Vasilyevich Gudovich
I don't mind if the fic is more focused on one or two out of these three guys, or even if they don't all appear in the story if that would be difficult/not very appropriate (e.g. for something set in Peter's childhood - there's no reason for Andrey to be in that story.)
Fandom Specific DNWs: Peter/Catherine as a romantic relationship, other than them being married per history, or their relationship being a primary focus of the fic in general.
Peter was a fixation of mine for like four years straight and although I'm not as obsessed as I used to be, I still love him and his odd and at times random inner circle of people he just happened to think were cool. Peter is one of those historical figures where opinion will vary largely depending on who you ask/what book(s) you read. I am 100% of the more modern school of thought on Peter.
[A bit on sources/the literature...]More recently there's been something of a trend in scholarship which focuses on Peter specifically - as opposed to, say, Catherine - to debunk some of the most pervasive and uglier myths about him and bring to light a lot of things that don't usually get discussed by the traditionalists. Most of this scholarship is quite new, but not all - e.g. Robert Bain's book on Peter published in 1902. The spectrum of Peter-favorable analysis is fairly broad, from R. N. Bain, the compassionate traditionalist, on one end to E. Palmer (1, 2) who, at times, tries a little too hard to stan for Peter with mixed results, on the other. I would say Mylnikov's work (1, 2) is the best and most detailed. C.S. Leonard's work (scan of my copy; also on Amazon) is also excellent, though it's more of a politics/policy/government analysis of Peter's reign than a traditional biography. (And if you don't want to read an entire ass book on policy, Marc Raeff's article "The Domestic Policies of Peter III and His Overthrow" does some good overviews.) (Also, I haven't been so closely up to date on The Literature since maybe 2018-19 so if something interesting has come out since then, I'd love to know!)
That's not to say that all modern scholars have changed their tune. Many still insist that the traditional view is correct, if somewhat lacking in diversity of sources and analysis. Since Mylnikov's book came out, at two self-admitted rebuttals have been published (and I haven't checked again since maybe...2018?). The difference between modern traditionalists and those of the more Peter-favorable school of thought seems to be in 1) the interpretations assigned to facts and sources that are open to various interpretations (which are many) and 2) the weight given to different sources. For example, traditionalists insist that Catherine's memoirs and those of her co-conspirators as well as the notes of French and Austrian ambassadors, who were upset with Peter's foreign policy, are to be taken at practically face value, or without too much concern for their biases. On the other hand, those more favorable to Peter point out that those biases are considerable and that it's no surprise that the opinions of people who were involved in a conspiracy together and/or had deeply personal reasons for disliking someone would all echo each other. Leonard actually has a wonderful article that discusses the problems surrounding the various available sources from which information on Peter can be drawn. Personally, I find the newer perspective on Peter more convincing, in general. But also I find it fascinating how divisive Peter is as a figure. And the mystery, I suppose, because no one will ever really know the entire truth: who was lying, who was exaggerating, who wasn't, which interpretations and questionable "facts" are wrong and which are not.
So, what am I seeing in this guy?
[Peter squee and characterization notes!]Peter, the workaholic enthusiast who signed over 200 new edicts within his short six-month rule. Who got up early and attempted the overwhelming task to overseeing everything himself, and yet still had time to party in the evenings. Who upbraided his senators for not coming to work on time and was constantly shocked and upset by the lack of discipline in the guards regiments.
Peter, the liberal reformer and idealist who launched a series of very progressive reforms.[Here is a short list.]Here’s a short list: emancipated the nobility, abolished the secret chancellery/police (known for torture), required education for the children of nobles and provided for the establishment of technical schools for lower-class children in several cities, removed restrictions on various exports, secularized church lands and surfs, ended the persecution of Old Believers (and generally insisted that violence not be used against non-Christians, although from what I understand, this wasn’t formal legislation), recalled political exiles, made the murder of a surf by their master/a nobleman a severely punishable crime, got rid of the slovo i delo system of denunciation. He also began a codification of the laws, but this never went anywhere - not enough time - and had wanted/tried to end/reduce corruption in the bureaucracy. (Silly boy, no one’s been able to do this before or since.)Peter, who wanted to be remembered for the good things he did during his rule, who refused the golden statue of himself which the senate had offered to erect in gratitude for the edict emancipating the nobility, and said that the senators could put their money to better use. He wanted his monument to be “in the hearts of the people.” (Dear God, I could go on forever lol.)
Peter, the appreciator and supporter of music and theater. He played the violin with a fair amount of skill (at least by some accounts, Aunt Elizabeth didn’t approve so he had to keep a low profile about taking lessons) and established a court orchestra and music school at Oranienbaum. (Notably, the music school focused on accepting children of the lower classes, who typically wouldn't otherwise have these kind of opportunities.)
Peter, who had an at least reasonably good, if not particularly systematic, education and a massive library that he was highly invested in. Who had, according to his tutor in Russia, a superior memory and a love for fortification, an interest in mathematics and the sciences, but a lack of interest in the humanities.
Peter, who was never given a choice in which country he ended up ruling. Who was taken from his home and everything he knew at the age of (almost) 14 to go to a country completely foreign to him. Who was often homesick and torn in his loyalty and duty to Holstein and his duty to the Russian people. And yet, he tried to do right by both. (There was only so much he could do for Holstein while he was in Russia - Elizabeth denied her nephew permission to leave the country repeatedly despite his oral and written requests - but he did as much as he could through letters. And he was dead-set on winning Schleswig back from Denmark.)
Peter, who was generous and kind-hearted, amiable, if volatile, with an irreverent and ironic sense of humor (which inevitably offended some people). Straightforward and candid - tactless sometimes - stubborn and determined, sometimes over-confident, excitable and enthusiastic. Hot tempered. Not very brave. Childish and insecure in some ways. Peter, who cared little for ranks and distinctions, and cared far more for someone’s merit or personal amiability than the accident of their birth. (He liked to talk to and spend time with soldiers, servants, common people…which naturally scandalized the courtiers.)
Peter, who wrote heartbreaking notes to his wife. Who named the first “toy” fortress he had built at Oranienbaum (allegedly, he drafted the calculations and blueprints for it himself) Ekaterinburg, in honor of his wife. He tried to impress her with what he had: played the violin for her, tried to interest her in his military-themed games and projects. But they were vastly different people and absolutely incompatible, and she had nothing but contempt for him.
Peter, whose biggest sin was that he was absolutely rubbish at being a politician. He didn’t realize how dangerous alienating the church and the guards regiments could be. He insisted on giving Catherine the benefit of the doubt, even when he knew she was capable of seizing power. He didn’t know how to twist things and to be manipulative - it wasn’t in his nature at all. He didn't know how to properly hide his feelings - including those of admiration for Friedrich the Great and his divided patriotic loyalties. His strengths, in this sense, were also his weaknesses.
Ok, well, an Emperor of Russia is pretty easy to look up, all things considered. But who the hell are these other two guys?
[Who is Brockdorff?]
Brockdorff was the chamberlain of Peter III of Russia, from before he came to Russia, in his capacity as the Duke of Holstein. Brockdorff’s father and Peter’s father were friends (at the least, Brockdorff's father was in favor with Duke Karl Friedrich). A Lady Brockdorff was also prominent at the Kiel court at the time (though I’m not sure of her relation to Christian exactly). There are issues with establishing Brockdorff's age but for fanfic/RPF purposes I like to assume Brockdorff and Peter were about agemates. When Peter was taken to Russia at the age of 14, the man in charge of his education (something of a head tutor), Brümmer, came with him. Brümmer then advised Russian ministers that Brockdorff had such an influence on Peter that he should not be allowed into the country. (Brümmer considered it negative influence, but given the man’s tendency to be abusive and generally not give a damn about Peter’s best interests, his assessment is highly suspect. Catherine didn’t like Brockdorff either, but they had a personal rivalry going.) So when Brockdorff tried to follow Peter to Russia, he was turned away at the border. BUT finally (in about 1754-5) he found a way to get to the Petersburg court - he traveled incognito (allegedly as a glass merchant), and basically snuck into the country. In Petersburg, he got a warm reception from Peter and stayed in his existing position as chamberlain. He continued to have a lot of influence on Peter (which really irritated Catherine as they didn’t get along and Brockdorff constantly advised Peter to divorce her), and on Peter’s ascension to the throne, Brockdorff received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. His influence began to fade around...mmm I'd say the very start of the 1760s, shortly after the rise of Peter's other favorite, Andrey Gudovich. Most of our information about Brockdorff comes from Catherine II's memoires. She considered him sneaky, politically savvy at best and a coniving intrigue-weaver at worst. There's no argument that Brockdorff strove to gain favor from Peter, then a Grand Duke, and to please him (going as far as sneaking a regiment of Holstein soldiers into Russia for the garrison of Peter's "toy" fortress). But there's also no proof that he was anything but genuinely loyalt to Peter.
[Who is Gudovich?]
Andrey Vasilyevich Gudovich (b. 1731, the elder brother of Ivan Godovich) was Peter III’s chamberlain and then, later, adjutant. He was one of Peter’s closest confidants and he was the man Peter entrusted with bringing news to Friedrich the Great that Peter intended to sue for peace and end the 7 Years War. During the coup, Gudovich stayed with Peter until the very end. When Peter was brought to Peterhof after his initial abdication, the only two people who accompanied him there (other than the convoy, ofc) were Liza Vorontsova (his mistress) and Gudovich. They were both arrested at Peterhof on their arrival and briefly imprisoned. At one point, after his arrest, Peter asked Catherine for permission to leave the country. He also asked to be allowed to take Liza and Gudovich with him. After everything, Gudovich was released and Catherine asked him if he wanted to re-enter the service/stay at court. He, however, resigned promptly and went abroad where he stayed for several years. On his return to Russia he lived at his country estate and only returned to court upon a summons, via a very touching note, from Paul I, Peter’s son. Even may years later (~30), Andrey's letters to his friends spoke of Peter IIi in a manner that always struck me as somewhat...mmm...awestruck? If not romantic. (Albeit, this is an inference drawn from a couple of scant instances but still.)
I should point out at this point that I ship Peter with Brockdorff and Gudovich and I would love anything focusing on either relationship or both (love triangle! love triangle!).
So then, some stuff that could be fun!:
Childhood fics are a love of mine. Peter’s childhood in Holstein. The adults were always scheming and planning re: where he would be of greatest use - Sweden or Russia. Was he aware of this? Did he care? The terror that was Brummer and all the angst and potential hurt/comfort that comes out of it. His relationsihp with his father could be all kinds to interesting - potentially both sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Was it difficult to have his father depending on him so much to grow up into the duke who would ~bring Schleswig home? I'd say Peter's memories of his father couldn't have been all grim. He never spoke badly of him and he really internalized his father's ambitions re: Schleswig. I feel kind of like that...Karl Friedrich did love his son but didn't really know how to be a good father. (I mean, he did stuff like taking ~9 year old Peter with him on raids against the “transients” (many of whom where Romani) in Kiel in an attempt to get them to leave the city. These raids were often very violent and Peter was an impressionable and over-sensitive child. Such an experience could easily be traumatic and indeed seemed to have later evolved into a traumatic delusion about great triumphs over enemy forces.)
Cuteness and fluff - the childish antics and pranks he and Brockdorff got up to when the adults weren’t looking. (I have a headcanon pet theory that the reason Brummer didn’t like Brockdorff so much was because the latter constantly attempted to shield Peter from Brummer’s abuses and tried to convince the young Duke to exert some influence on his guardians and get Brummer removed.) Building pillow/blanket fortresses and then falling asleep in the same bed, even though they know they're not supposed to. Or, oh gosh...everyone and their grandmother seems to know about the hung rat incident. But animal trials were actually a thing in Europe and there were incidents/alleged incidents of this as late as the first half of the 1700s. So what if like Peter saw one of these ~trials~ in Holstein? Maybe his father took him? Maybe he and some friends snuck out to see one? Was it oddly fun? Kinda freaky? Just a normal part of life?
Peter and Brockdorff falling in love for the first time ever as teenagers in Holstein only for Peter to be taken away to Russia shortly thereafter. Writing to each other during their period of separation. Brockdorff desperately trying to get to Peter at all costs. Peter and Brockdorff's reunion in Petersburg. Hurt/comfort after one of Peter’s frequent illnesses or once another one of Catherine’s many affairs comes to light. Either Brockdorff of Gudovich being supportive (in platonic or romantic ways…) of Peter’s reform ideas; talking them through together. (On the other hand, disagreements and fights and angst because Brockdorff, being far more politically savvy would see that some of the things Peter was doing were bad for him politically and would try to stop him and well...that wouldn't go over well. I don't remember off the top of my head which ambassador this was, but there's a comment in some political correspondence circa 1760 that Brockdorff has lost a lot of influence with Peter at this point. What gives?)
Peter's first meeting with Gudovich. I always got this feeling off Gudovich that he was a bit of an over-sensitive idealist. Loyalty kink and maybe a bit of star-struck hero-worship wouldn't be amiss here. Gudovich was kind of a stand-out among the Russian crowd at court in that he supported Peter's foreign policy. (Maaaybe it had something to do with the fact that Gudovich went to university in Konigsberg.) So maybe them bonding over that?
You could honestly just write me Peter/Brockdorff or Gudovich fluff and I'd be happy: a holiday retreat, fireworks and stolen kisses far away from everyone. I love the idea of a Brockdorff/PeterGudovich triange wherein Gudovich is more of the "yes man" and Brockdorff is more the "I know you don't want to hear this but it's for your own good"-type who is, nonetheless, not above manipulative flattery now and then. Squabling over who is more of a favorite, (And, honestly as another exception to my general DNWs - I'd be up for the OT3 too...)
Peter became the director of the First Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg in 1759 and was quite dedicated to it's goings on and trying to make changes for the better (which often times meant asking for money from the senate...) (And, btw, sometimes he stood up for the Russian cadets moreso than even other Russians did.). So...dealing with push back from the senate? Relationship with staff/teachers there - perhaps some welcomed his involvment and tohers didn't. Did he build any mentorship relationships with the cadets? (Or...relatedly, did he build any mentorship relationships with the kids at his music school at Oranienbaum?)
All the angst surrounding the coup - from Peter and the people who cared about him. AU history! Peter’s friends/officers who remain loyal to him, somehow find a way to help him escape and go back home to Holstein. Or maybe he made better decisions earlier on the day of the coup (like…going to Kronstadt right away instead of waiting…) and never got arrested in the first place. What if Semyon Vorontsov had made it to those boats after all?
Or...you could give me some delicious enemies-to-lovers with Brockdorff/Gudovich. (*sigh* a friend of mine infected me with this pairing and then promptly jumped ship lmao, so here I am prompting it in exchanges years later.) I think what I love the most with these two together are the (potential) contrasts between them. Brockdorff the serious, manipulative, ruthless and political one vs. Gudovich, the youthful, earnest, idealistic one. They’re devoted to their Prince and both favorites of said prince, and probably in a constant struggle for priority, but also forced to work together and get along at least for long enough to get things done. I’d love all the jostling, seething banter, gloating and one-upmanship! But…also…really awkward and suppressed UST and almost-pining. Brockdorff would totally be one of those men who would, to use a quote from a tv show, "feel his desire as hatred,” at least in the case where he considers the target of said desire to be unworthy of it. And I definitely have a headcanon of Andrei kind of…admiring Brockdorff in a way and wanting to be friends on some level but every move he makes is rebuffed and they clash ALL the time.
I also could swear I read somewhere (though I can’t find it anymore D:) that Gudovich got his chamberlain appointment through Catherine or someone close to her so I could honestly see this devolving into a comedy of misunderstandings where Brockdorff has legitimate reasons to believe that Gudovich is a spy even though he really, REALLY isn’t. But also, also - all the post-coup angst. I think it’s the shared grief that would bring them together, would make them want to hold on to each other and maybe realize they didn’t really actually dislike each other THAT much. This ship is ripe for some classic enemies/rivals-to-lovers. Or frenemies to lovers, if you want to go for a softer take.
But really, I'd just love to see something with lots of tension and banter and snide remarks and power struggles and attraction that everyone chooses to ignore until they explode! Politics and intrigues and scandals. All the dumb shit Peter does and they have to deal with lol. I’m not married to any particular prompt or interpretation of this ship. I also ship them both pretty hard with Peter, as mentioned, so jealousy and love triangles are very welcome here!