DEAR YULETIDE WRITER
Hi there! Happy Holidays!
It's nice to cross paths with you - apparently we share a love of something small and ill-appreciated. This is my first year doing Yuletide, so please forgive me if I've done something wrong, and please don't feel unduly constrained. This is a wishlist, but I'm very excited indeed to be participating, and I'll be delighted by wherever the muse takes you.
General Comments
I seem to have asked for three comics fandoms, so I guess you're either pleased because you're a comics fan too, or cursing my name because they're ones you don't read. Sorry. ;-p Kings is the exception - I've only just watched it, and while I can see why it didn't survive, I'm left wanting more all the same. Hopefully something here tickles your fancy.
Apparently I'm in the mood for origin stories this year. This is a little bit odd, because my friends will vouch that I usually complain about them - "Oh, my God, why are they rebooting Spiderman?"; "I can't believe they're talking about rebooting Batman already!"; "A Superman origin movie? Again?" I've also been heard to curse long and loud about the DCNu relaunch. That said, I do love untold origin stories. I love revealed backstory, ie the stuff that slowly unfolds and makes you say, "Yes! Of course that's how and why it happened." So all three of my comics requests have an origin/backstory prompt, *g*.
As a lifelong comics fan I do love and appreciate the long and convoluted skein that is continuity *shakes fist at DCNu* but at the same time I'm not a slave to it. Don't hesitate for a second because you don't think you know sections well enough, or you want to tell a story that doesn't quite mesh. Some of my favourite stories have woven together canon from multiple incarnations, or multiple mediums, and the tapestry's been all the richer for it.
All three of my comics prompts revolve around slash pairings, but given that all three are canonical couples I'm assuming that's not a problem for you. I do read a lot of slash, of all ratings, and if the whim takes you I do enjoy reading explicit sex scenes, though I'm not much for kink. I also prefer my porn with a side of plot - it feels earned that way. Please, please, though, if you're uncomfortable with higher ratings, do not force yourself to do it!
As for Kings... I shipped biblical David and Jonathan something crazy, but the show didn't quite take me there. I'd prefer it if you didn't gloss over Jack and David's fraught relationship - if they're going to get together they should have to work for it. I'd appreciate a character study of Jack just as much here, too, I think.
From my AO3 sign up:
Young Avengers
I’ve always loved the way Billy and Teddy were together right from the start, and yet it leaves me curious all the same. Did Nate just luck out and find them already a couple, or did he track them down separately and then their eyes met across the room and it was love at first sight? I guess what I’m saying is I’d love an origin story for them as a couple. How did they meet? Was it a thunderbolt from the blue situation, or was there some awkwardness first? Did both of them already know they were gay, or did the attraction cause an epiphany?
Or if you want to flash forward instead of back, then I’d love to see them a couple of years in the future too. They got sort-of-engaged at the end of Children’s Crusade (though yikes, those babies!) so where to from there? Is it a smooth road to the altar or are there bumps in it? Feel free to write one of those bumps, or the whole journey, or the ending at the altar.
Or! One of the other things I’m intrigued by is the fact that Billy’s the one obsessed with finding family, despite the fact he already has a great one. What about poor Teddy, who actually has no living family? Does he ever get sick of Billy’s self-absorption on this one crucial front? Or do they just build the perfect family of two (or eventually more) for each other?
But please, ultimately, if none of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. (Please though, no infidelity or non-con. And I think I need these two to have a happy ending.)
The Authority
I’d really love a back-story/origin story for Apollo and Midnighter. Feel absolutely free to take whatever attitude you want to the way it’s playing out in the DCNu Stormwatch - use it, abuse it, change it, ignore it, pretend it never existed - I promise I’ll be just as happy any which way. Play fast and loose with how much they can/might remember too. Be as (in)consistent with previously established canon as you want. I’d love to see some kind of exploration of who they were/what kind of lives they led and how that might have led to them volunteering for the project, etc. Do they ever talk about it? Try to remember? Try to find out? Do they worry it might have any kind of impact on their feelings for each other? Would it? Does it?
Or! I have this sneaking sad fondness for Pluto and Daylighter from Apollo and Midnighter: Two Dangerous Ideas (Wildstorm Winter Special). [In a nutshell: the alt-versions of our heroes are both so snakey that Midnighter calls them for being homophobic, at which point Daylighter weepily admits Pluto dumped him. That’s really all there is to it.] What was so different in their universe that they couldn’t stay together? Or do they ultimately get back together? What made this particular universe diverge? Or, from our boys’ perspective, do they know and recognise the moment they almost broke/break up? Why/how did/do they manage to soldier through?
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity or non-con.)
X-Factor (Comics)
I’m going to admit off the bat here that this is a newish fandom for me, though I’ve dabbled on and off over the years. My knowledge of canon is weak, though I do know all the salient basics. Don’t give a moment’s thought to spoiling me though, I couldn’t care less. Hew as close to or as far from the canon line as you please. Also feel free to pick whichever time period you know or like best. Or veer off into the future. I promise I’ll be delighted whatever you choose.
I’d love to hear your take on just when the heck Rictor and Shatterstar actually got together, and how on earth they managed to sort it out. If I understand the status quo correctly, it’s been retconned such that they were already in a relationship way back when we were only speculating about it? But don’t feel constrained by that. You decide!
Or, jump ahead a few years and let me know if it all works out. Do they sort out their multifarious issues? (I hope so, *g*.)
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity [I’m aware there’s some negotiation to be had around settling down] or non-con.)
Kings
Up to you whether you go slashy (requited/unrequited/broken up) or pining or BFFs or sworn enemies here. Whatever moves you. Ultimately my chief interest is Jack though, who I think is a more realised/realistic character than David. Did Jack mean it at the end when he said to David he would be a friend and a brother from now on? Or is that just one more lie? What were his hopes, dreams, intentions at that moment? Where might they have gone from there (as friends, lovers, partners, brothers)?
Or. I think in a strange way my favourite scenes in the whole series are: 1) when Jack says to Silas, "I can't be what I am, and He won't let me be what I want." and 2) when Thomasina comes to Jack in his bedroom at the very end and reveals his ‘fate worse than death’. He tries for one second to be noble, to point out that his fiancée is blameless, and instead gets that awful revelation. Is there anywhere to go for him from there? You tell me!
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity [I’m aware there’s some navigation that needs to take place around Michelle] or non-con.)
It's nice to cross paths with you - apparently we share a love of something small and ill-appreciated. This is my first year doing Yuletide, so please forgive me if I've done something wrong, and please don't feel unduly constrained. This is a wishlist, but I'm very excited indeed to be participating, and I'll be delighted by wherever the muse takes you.
General Comments
I seem to have asked for three comics fandoms, so I guess you're either pleased because you're a comics fan too, or cursing my name because they're ones you don't read. Sorry. ;-p Kings is the exception - I've only just watched it, and while I can see why it didn't survive, I'm left wanting more all the same. Hopefully something here tickles your fancy.
Apparently I'm in the mood for origin stories this year. This is a little bit odd, because my friends will vouch that I usually complain about them - "Oh, my God, why are they rebooting Spiderman?"; "I can't believe they're talking about rebooting Batman already!"; "A Superman origin movie? Again?" I've also been heard to curse long and loud about the DCNu relaunch. That said, I do love untold origin stories. I love revealed backstory, ie the stuff that slowly unfolds and makes you say, "Yes! Of course that's how and why it happened." So all three of my comics requests have an origin/backstory prompt, *g*.
As a lifelong comics fan I do love and appreciate the long and convoluted skein that is continuity *shakes fist at DCNu* but at the same time I'm not a slave to it. Don't hesitate for a second because you don't think you know sections well enough, or you want to tell a story that doesn't quite mesh. Some of my favourite stories have woven together canon from multiple incarnations, or multiple mediums, and the tapestry's been all the richer for it.
All three of my comics prompts revolve around slash pairings, but given that all three are canonical couples I'm assuming that's not a problem for you. I do read a lot of slash, of all ratings, and if the whim takes you I do enjoy reading explicit sex scenes, though I'm not much for kink. I also prefer my porn with a side of plot - it feels earned that way. Please, please, though, if you're uncomfortable with higher ratings, do not force yourself to do it!
As for Kings... I shipped biblical David and Jonathan something crazy, but the show didn't quite take me there. I'd prefer it if you didn't gloss over Jack and David's fraught relationship - if they're going to get together they should have to work for it. I'd appreciate a character study of Jack just as much here, too, I think.
From my AO3 sign up:
Young Avengers
I’ve always loved the way Billy and Teddy were together right from the start, and yet it leaves me curious all the same. Did Nate just luck out and find them already a couple, or did he track them down separately and then their eyes met across the room and it was love at first sight? I guess what I’m saying is I’d love an origin story for them as a couple. How did they meet? Was it a thunderbolt from the blue situation, or was there some awkwardness first? Did both of them already know they were gay, or did the attraction cause an epiphany?
Or if you want to flash forward instead of back, then I’d love to see them a couple of years in the future too. They got sort-of-engaged at the end of Children’s Crusade (though yikes, those babies!) so where to from there? Is it a smooth road to the altar or are there bumps in it? Feel free to write one of those bumps, or the whole journey, or the ending at the altar.
Or! One of the other things I’m intrigued by is the fact that Billy’s the one obsessed with finding family, despite the fact he already has a great one. What about poor Teddy, who actually has no living family? Does he ever get sick of Billy’s self-absorption on this one crucial front? Or do they just build the perfect family of two (or eventually more) for each other?
But please, ultimately, if none of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. (Please though, no infidelity or non-con. And I think I need these two to have a happy ending.)
The Authority
I’d really love a back-story/origin story for Apollo and Midnighter. Feel absolutely free to take whatever attitude you want to the way it’s playing out in the DCNu Stormwatch - use it, abuse it, change it, ignore it, pretend it never existed - I promise I’ll be just as happy any which way. Play fast and loose with how much they can/might remember too. Be as (in)consistent with previously established canon as you want. I’d love to see some kind of exploration of who they were/what kind of lives they led and how that might have led to them volunteering for the project, etc. Do they ever talk about it? Try to remember? Try to find out? Do they worry it might have any kind of impact on their feelings for each other? Would it? Does it?
Or! I have this sneaking sad fondness for Pluto and Daylighter from Apollo and Midnighter: Two Dangerous Ideas (Wildstorm Winter Special). [In a nutshell: the alt-versions of our heroes are both so snakey that Midnighter calls them for being homophobic, at which point Daylighter weepily admits Pluto dumped him. That’s really all there is to it.] What was so different in their universe that they couldn’t stay together? Or do they ultimately get back together? What made this particular universe diverge? Or, from our boys’ perspective, do they know and recognise the moment they almost broke/break up? Why/how did/do they manage to soldier through?
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity or non-con.)
X-Factor (Comics)
I’m going to admit off the bat here that this is a newish fandom for me, though I’ve dabbled on and off over the years. My knowledge of canon is weak, though I do know all the salient basics. Don’t give a moment’s thought to spoiling me though, I couldn’t care less. Hew as close to or as far from the canon line as you please. Also feel free to pick whichever time period you know or like best. Or veer off into the future. I promise I’ll be delighted whatever you choose.
I’d love to hear your take on just when the heck Rictor and Shatterstar actually got together, and how on earth they managed to sort it out. If I understand the status quo correctly, it’s been retconned such that they were already in a relationship way back when we were only speculating about it? But don’t feel constrained by that. You decide!
Or, jump ahead a few years and let me know if it all works out. Do they sort out their multifarious issues? (I hope so, *g*.)
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity [I’m aware there’s some negotiation to be had around settling down] or non-con.)
Kings
Up to you whether you go slashy (requited/unrequited/broken up) or pining or BFFs or sworn enemies here. Whatever moves you. Ultimately my chief interest is Jack though, who I think is a more realised/realistic character than David. Did Jack mean it at the end when he said to David he would be a friend and a brother from now on? Or is that just one more lie? What were his hopes, dreams, intentions at that moment? Where might they have gone from there (as friends, lovers, partners, brothers)?
Or. I think in a strange way my favourite scenes in the whole series are: 1) when Jack says to Silas, "I can't be what I am, and He won't let me be what I want." and 2) when Thomasina comes to Jack in his bedroom at the very end and reveals his ‘fate worse than death’. He tries for one second to be noble, to point out that his fiancée is blameless, and instead gets that awful revelation. Is there anywhere to go for him from there? You tell me!
But please, ultimately, if neither of those work for you, then go where the spirit takes you. First times, last times, missing scenes, etc etc, any point in the timeline. (Please though, no infidelity [I’m aware there’s some navigation that needs to take place around Michelle] or non-con.)