we wish you a merry yuletide and a happy new year
Hello again, Yuletide Writer.
At the risk of being cliché, you're the greatest! I love you lots right now. Not only did you enter this year's challenge as a fan of some of my television series, novels and miscellaneous fandoms, but you volunteered your time and creative energy to make sure someone you hardly even know (why yes, that would be me!) got a delicious helping of joy come Christmas Day. I thank you wholeheartedly. While I have participated in Yuletides past, I cannot say the excitement and enjoyment of the exchange has ever diminished. I mean:-I cannot imagine a reality where I wouldn't be a bundle of excitement, waiting for the notification email that tells me, "Salut, one of your dreams has been answered," and you. You are apart of the process that makes that happen. You, in fact, are the key component. Without your kindness, there would be no Yuletide. So, yes. There is a high likelihood we weren't formally acquainted until today, but I already feel we could become great friends;-you have already proven you've got flawless tastes.
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Generally speaking, I like happy and/or (very much so) hopeful endings. I like fluffy domestic fic where couples are hopelessly in love and making due with that they have or heist alternate realities that focus on characters becoming a ragtag family of criminals. I like road trips, slow builds, slice-of-life tales and anything that encourages a focus on emotion. I like things that make me feel warm inside and basically melt the worries away. I like feeling you get when you're sitting out rainy days with tea and a good book or the pleasure you get after biting into a freshly baked cookie. To simply put it: I like atmosphere and character pieces; I am that girl who enjoy stories where "nothing happens." Plot has always been considered a bit secondary.
I dislike baby/kid fic as a general rule, and I am not interested in any character bashing, incest, gratuitous violence or death fic. If you stray into smut, I cannot say I am a fan of either dub-con or non-con. Please keep everything fun and consensual and please tread very lightly (or, preferably, not at all) when it comes to any kinks. I simply lack an interest mostly, so it will be easier just to avoid it. I also dislike any type of agenda or issue fic;-and, beyond all reasonable doubt, I dislike overwrought angst that only services to make me hate everyone and show how Dark and Edgy™ the world is.
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Begin Again (Music Video)-Girl/Boy
I never thought I would be the type to request fic for a music video. However "Begin Again" was so effortlessly charming and romantic throughout that it would be criminal if I don't. I want to keep this short, though, since there is not much to request here. I simply would love to see a story about a girl coming out of a relationship, finding herself again and slowly opening her life up to a new, more agreeable love. Something as sweet (and twee-like idk I'm super twee if you can't already tell, sorry!) as the music video was, basically. There is very little room here for angst, so instead, embrace the love story that has already been mapped.
The Cavendish Home for Boys & Girls-Victoria Wright/Lawrence Prewitt
lol MY HEART HAS BELONGED TO THIS STORY SINCE I READ IT LAST YEAR; THIS BOOK HAS BEEN EVERYTHING AND MORE. Like:-I was so saddened I read this after Yuletide kicked into high gear last year that I have been low key waiting to nominate it for the past ten months, haha. I connected to this story way too easily. I loved Victoria. I loved Lawrence. I loved central mystery and all the lessons learnt and interactions shared. I inherently love tons of middle school literature, but this definitely has grabbed me the most.
Due to that, there are so many things I could be happy with, because they end up all fantastically! I mean. First and foremost (as this serves as Option A™), I definitely would want to see post-canon stories about Victoria and Lawrence's adventures in the city. It killed me with joy how he started attending music school, and I adored how Victoria planned knocking on his door, unannounced. The epilogue had made a point to show the ease and familiarity they continued grew into after everything, so it seems proper to convey that. I want see these kids young and in love! I want to see them studying together and making fun of each other's habits(, because they would never outgrow that). I want to see Lawrence talking Victoria down because her professor-her French professor, how dare he gave her B when she worked hard for that A. (She might have learnt the importance of friendship, but grades are still important, Lawrence.) Or-Victoria telling Lawrence to put her down, he's gonna ruin her dress if he continues to spin her around like that, y'know? All the silly absolutely romantic things they c/would get up to.
There's also always a post-canon Option B™ if writing a plotted adventure is something you like. The story's epilogue set up Mrs. Cavendish's return shortly after Victoria left town for university and Lawrence, so I have often wondered how Victoria and Lawrence would react upon finding out. I mean. There is not a piece of me that believes they never would;-they still clearly have friends in the area. But basically how would they handle it now that it has been reenforced that Mrs. Cavendish's presence is something their town can never be rid of slash do secretly want? Then there's this:-Victoria and Lawrence had fought off Mrs. Cavendish together when they were friends in an odd sort of way. What'll happens when they're totally dating in an equally odd sort of way and no longer young enough to be "corrected" in Mrs. Cavendish's eyes? Like. How would those things affect their involvement?
But, for an Option C™-if writing alternate universes is what you are more into, I think have some general ideas for you? I would not mind seeing a Hogwarts AU where Victoria is her uptight Ravenclaw (no shade, house pride, claws up!) self, navigating the magical world with her reluctant Hufflepuff friend-boy, Lawrence. (That would so end with adorable makeouts, I hope. Actually, I do prefer all these to end with. You can tell I am a shipper at heart.) Or maybe a Pushing Daisies fusion where Victoria stands in for our favorite pie-marker with Lawrence as our wonderful Chuck-added gender reversals, too!-or even a Teen Wolf AU where the freshly bitten Victoria discovers Lawrence is her anchor after she prevented a surprise transformation during gym (lbr English) class. While I do love all these canons, this is not an excuse to see Luna Lovegood or Scott McCall interact with our heroes. I simply want to see how their various traits and characterization would flow in a different universe.
Basically an apt one-sentence summary of this section would be PLS WRITE A HEADS-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE VICTORIA AND LAWRENCE WHO ARE ALWAYS SO AMAZED WITH THE OTHER'S STRENGTH AND TALENT. ♡♡♡
The Fairyland Series-September Morning Bell, Halloween
IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE I LOVE THIS SERIES TOO MUCH. Like. September has been my little darling since I picked up The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland two years ago, and oh! did my feelings continue to grown once I finally got a chance to read The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland a couple months ago. Just. She's amazing, curious and adorable to boot? Thing I love most about her is her bravery and willingness to grow and explore her surroundings, which is why I am excited to start reading the third book as soon as I possibly can. But anyway if you can, I would love to see a story that further develops the inner workings of September and her shadow, Halloween. There was one quote that struck me (if you don't mind reading a hunk of more text) that probably better summarizes my request.
September did not know what to think. A bashful Ell and a madcap Saturday-everything had turned upside down and slantwise. She did not know yet how sometimes people keep parts of themselves hidden and secret, sometimes wicked and unkind parts, but often brave or wild or colorful parts, cunning or powerful or even marvelous, beautiful parts, just locked up away at the bottom of their hearts. They do this because they are afraid of the world and of being stared at, or relied upon to do feats of bravery or boldness. And all of those brave and wild and cunning and marvelous and beautiful parts they hid away and left in the dark to grow strange mushrooms-and yes, sometimes those wicked and unkind pairs too-end up in their shadows.
I wanna see more ways in which that applies to September and Halloween, I guess! That would be super lovely. If not, I would love seeing a companion piece to the series on how Halloween ruled. I enjoyed the book vastly, but it was disappointing we didn't get loads more screen time with her.
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man-Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy¹, Mary Jane Watson
I think I ran out of your goodwill and patience hours ago, so I will try to keep this one short too. The one thing I wish the Ultimate Spider-Man gave me is even more scenes shared between Miles, Mary Jane and Gwen. I deeply understand the reservations Mary Jane continues to deal with, but the friendship the three have is quite refreshing! Mary Jane and Gwen are compassionate, helpful and supportive. They dealt with similar situations with Peter before his untimely death, so it is important they pull for Miles wholeheartedly. I mean. There has never any doubt they care about him as a person, and Miles. He cares so much about them too. He has gained and lost a lot ever since becoming Spider-Man that-that it super important he has these two in his life. Like I said earlier, they have first hand experience. When there's no one else, they can really bring the tough love-well, more in Gwen's case!-he needs.
But I think it would be cute to see them hanging out as simply friends? I just wonder how their dynamic would play out if they were just chilling and relaxing. Being Spider-Man means Miles never really gets a vacation from his duties. So how about instead Gwen and Mary Jane bring the vacation to him and show him out to have fun carelessly again. Or-even though Peter Parker was disqualified from Yuletide this year, if you happened to get inspired to write something on the same vein of Spider-Men, I would definitely not turn that down. Especially since I wish there was more interaction between 616 Peter, Miles, Mary Jane and Gwen. The banter could've gotten even more cute, bros. ahhh I HOPE I MAKE SENSE.
¹Although the tag set has her listed as "Clone Gwen Stacy," please feel free to tag her as simply "Gwen Stacy" bc lol come on.
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In the spirit of making your life easier this holiday season, I made sure to provide downloads to some of the canons I have requested. You can locate the directory here on Dropbox. (Ultimate Comics Spider-Man should be added by Monday night. Here you go!) You can also find these things at your local library(, I hope,) or Amazon. Taylor Swift's "Begin Again" can be viewed on YouTube.
I am also signed up for this exchange as obedeer on AO3. Which, haha, is currently a blank account. Earlier this year, I had orphaned all my stories for personal reasons, so if you were hoping AO3 would tell you a bit more about my taste and style, much apologies. ♡
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For more general information and idk insight on my tastes, have some links:
The Cavendish Home on Goodreads, The Fairyland Series on Goodreads
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Story Arcs on Wikipedia
Tumblr for imagery, Twitter for thoughts
Truth be told, I haven't got more to say. If I do, I will make sure to edit this entry before assignments go out, and I have anonymous turned on in case you have questions. Thank you again for making my year bright(est)!
