Dear Rare Pair Author
WHEW! I finally finished. Sorry that took so long! Clearly I had a lot of thoughts. *sheepish grin* This first part I borrowed pretty much verbatim from my Yuletide letter, but everything in it still holds true.
First off, and more importantly than anything else, EEEEEEEEEEEEE, you're going to write a story for me! You have no idea how happy you have already made me just by virtue of this fact alone. *g* Please keep that in mind.
Secondly, there is A LOT of stuff I like. I multiship, I rarely have unbreakable OTPs, and I like just about every type of pairing genre (gen, het, slash, femslash, poly, etc.) and pretty much any rating. Which basically means if there is a story you feel inspired to write in whatever our matched fandom is, chances are--as long as you avoid the things on my dislikes list--I'll love it.
That said, I've always been firmly in the "too much detail is better than not enough" camp when it comes to fanfic exchanges, so there is a lot of information under the cuts. In fact, I swear it gets longer every year. *blush* But please don't be intimidated by that! The detail I provide is intended for your benefit. If you don't need it, please feel free to disregard at least 90% of it. ;-)
Anyway, without further ado...
Fic Likes
- time travel
- telepathy/soulbonds* (*accidental or by choice in the case of the latter, NOT fated)
- crossovers
- fusions
- most other types of AUs not listed under dislikes
- gen, het, femslash, slash, poly, friendship fic, whatever
- holiday fic (as long as it's appropriate to the characters)
- women being awesome
- best friends become lovers
- committed, equilateral poly relationships
- love as a choice made anew every day
- worldbuilding
- three-dimensional original characters
Fic Dislikes
- incest
- rape/non-con/dub-con
- torture
- character bashing (even of characters I don't like)
- adultery/cheating
- underage sex
- power imbalances in relationships (teacher/student, chain of command, etc.)
- love triangles
- atypical use or graphic depiction of bodily excretions
- destined relationships (this includes soulmate AUs unless the trope is subverted somehow)
- A/B/O AUs
- betrayal of trust or a third party using the trust between characters against them
Fanart
- Nothing too graphically NSFW (a little bit is okay), otherwise, pretty much anything goes :-)
Sense8
Favorite things about the show in general - Multicultural representation. As others have pointed out, it's not perfect--most of the cultural touchstones for characters even outside the US are still American--but it's better than probably 90% of shows out there right now. LGBTA representation - Ditto. Complex relationships between characters who have very REAL struggles even as they're experiencing this very unreal sort of connection. Pretty much all the characters (especially Amanita and Capheus) except Wolfgang. His struggle just doesn't interest me as much as the others, and I have absolutely no interest in his dick. ;-) TELEPATHY. Seriously, this series hits one of my major narrative kinks SO HARD, so even though most of the 'ships I like are not inside the cluster, any way you can figure out to work in the cluster is OK by me. *g*
Nomi/Amanita - Okay, so I *might've* been a little predisposed to love these two simply by virtue of the fact that one of them is played by Freema Agyeman...but even so, I did not expect to fall so hard! Cutest. Couple. Ever! I love how absolutely devoted they are, how protective of each other, and I can't believe there is virtually no fanfic for them. WTF, people? As for what I want: Backstory. We know Amanita said there was a time before she met Nomi when she couldn't imagine falling in love with someone like her. I would love to see that process of falling. How did they meet? Who asked the other out first? What was their first date? Or were they friends for years who gradually fell in love? Or, alternately, show me how they get their life back and get out from under the threat of Whispers? Do they get married so Amanita can never again be kept out of decisions about Nomi's health? How long are they able to stay at home while Nomi is supposedly in Australia? And when they do have to flee, where do they go? Any of these options would be amazing, I just REALLY want to see more of these two beautiful ladies in love. Also, Amanita is my favorite, so if you COULD write the story from her POV that would be amazing, but I love Nomi too so if you feel more comfortable with her, that's no biggie. :-) The one thing I *don't* want to see is them being broken up for any reason (consensual poly, however--physical or psychic--is more than OK *g*).
Hernando/Lito Rodriguez/Daniela Velasquez - I would be happy with either of two options with these three: either a) just like it in on the show, Lito and Hernando together with Daniela as their mutual platonic life partner, or b) eventually developing into full-on poly. I just love the dynamic between all three of them and how much they all genuinely grow to love and value each other. The show basically left that storyline when they were all back together, but I want to know what happens next. Are there long-term consequences of Lito's initial cowardice, or his later courage? What about Daniela's fetishization that started all the trouble in the first place? How and at what point does she go from seeing them as her own personal gay porno to two men she genuinely loves and doesn't want to hurt. If you want to, work in Mexico's legalization of same-sex marriage and/or how that conflicts with the culture of machismo. And whatever you do, if you can manage the show's trick of making it feel like an actual telenovela, all the better. *g* I would also love to see Lito tell his partners the truth about being a sensate, and see how they handle it. I have a feeling Daniela's attitude would be, the more sex partners, the better. ;-)
Kala Dandekar/Rajan Rasal - I know and utterly respect that Kala is not in love with Rajan in the show, and I don't think she should suddenly fall in love with him just because he's an adorable sweetheart because that would be denying her agency. BUT what if she WERE in love with him? I would love to see an AU where their relationship really is a love match on both sides. How would that change things? What would it *not* change? And to dig a little deeper, how does Rajan feel about his father's position on religion? Does he share it? Would it cause conflict in their relationship? Would he stand up to his father for Kala? I like to believe Rajan would be more respectful of her faith, even if he doesn't share it, than his father was of his mother's, because he seems very respectful of her in general. I definitely don't want to see him forbidding her to worship Ganesh or in any way behaving abusively because I don't believe that's in character. If that's not something you can write, I will be MORE than happy with one or both of the other 'ships I listed instead. :-)
Babylon 5
Favorite things about the series in general - Pretty much everything about the Minbari culture, especially Valen and the Rangers. I also love the way the show handles religion in general: every character has their own faith or their own personal reason for rejecting it, and each and every one of them is treated with equal respect and understanding, even when those beliefs face hard challenges. Favorite characters are Delenn, Sinclair, Marcus, G'Kar, and Vir. I find the Psi Corps deeply creepy but utterly believable: of COURSE that's what humans would do if faced with telepaths among us.
Michael Garibaldi/Jeffrey Sinclair - Yeah, you know how above I mentioned that one of my favorite tropes is best friends become lovers? This one hits that SO hard for me. I firmly believe that Garibaldi would've followed Sinclair to Minbar in the past if Jeff had only LET him, and I love stories where he manages somehow. I also love Jeff coming back after his life as Valen is done, but in the case of this particular pairing, since I don't do adultery, please set it in an AU where Garibaldi/Lise never happened. Ditto if you wanted to write something set while Jeff was still on the station and/or in an AU where he never left the station: have his relationship with Catherine be already over or never have started when he and Michael start theirs. If you can't write AU, though, I would be okay with a character exploration of how the separation affects one or both of them. How much of a role did Jeff's absence play in Michael's downward spiral in S4-5? How often did Valen wish he still had Michael by his side? Since Minbari believe in reincarnation, I'd even take something where Valen gets involved with someone whose soul he believes will someday be reborn as Michael Garibaldi. *g*
Marcus Cole/Stephen Franklin - This is another best-friends-become-lovers one for me. Richard Biggs and Jason Carter were BFFs in real life and it shows in their on-screen relationship even though they didn't actually share that much screentime. *g* Obviously the ideal scenario would involve Marcus surviving somehow, but as I said above, if you aren't an AU person, I would also accept post-Marcus'-death Franklin angst. If you address Marcus' canon feelings for Ivanova, please do so gently and with equal consideration for all characters involved. I love her too (as later requests will show *g*) and don't want to see her made into the bad guy just to make the 'ship happen. (I figure if there's ever a female character where that isn't a danger, it's Ivanova, but just in case. :-) )
Lyta Alexander/Talia Winters - I know I can't be the only one who thinks there was an undercurrent of something more than just an acquaintance between these two in Talia's revelation that they knew each other. Not to mention Lyta's reaction when the sleeper turned out to be Talia. *g* I would love to see that backstory explored. When and where did they meet? What kind of a relationship did they have, and how/why did it end? I suspect the Corps isn't big on same-sex relationships due to its emphasis on breeding more powerful telepaths--were they separated deliberately? Or, alternately, someone once suggested that a surviving Talia would've made a MUCH more interesting leader for the telepath resistance than Byron. Give me that AU scenario.
Delenn/John Sheridan/Jeffrey Sinclair - These three are canonically One. It seems only natural they'd be my OT3. Only problem is the timeline factor. So, any way you can find to get around that would make me ecstatic. Maybe they share one night en route to Babylon 4 because Jeff and Delenn know what's coming and can't pass up this one chance. Maybe (like I suggested with Sinclair/Garibaldi) Jeff is somehow returned to the present after his mission as Valen is completed, and is reunited with them on Minbar. Give me an AU where, somehow, the course of the war DOESN'T depend on Jeff going back in time to become Valen. Whatever you can make work, I just love the dynamic between these three. :-)
Delenn/Marcus Cole - Okay, so I got the idea for this one after seeing "Gray 17 is Missing" for the first time. Marcus takes his oath to live/die for the One very seriously: what if that were because Delenn, rather than Ivanova, was the one he had feelings for? We already know he has a tendency to make rash sacrifices for the people he loves. I don't think there's really a way to do this one without veering from canon, but in the unlikely event this is the pairing we were matched on, hopefully that won't be a problem. *g*
Michael Garibaldi/Susan Ivanova/Talia Winters - Okay, so there were some pretty blatant hints in the first season that Garibaldi was interested in Talia. It was portrayed as pretty one-sided, but what if it weren't? Put that together with the canonical Susan/Talia relationship and with the fact that I think Susan and Garibaldi had some pretty impressive chemistry of their own, and it seems like a natural OT3. *g* I would love to see how these three characters being in a relationship would change things. Show me Garibaldi and Susan working together and stopping at nothing to get the real Talia back. Give me Susan and Talia figuring out really quickly what's going on with Garibaldi in S4. Most importantly, I think, just give me these three characters getting a chance to actually be HAPPY. They all had it pretty rough in canon. :-(
Susan Ivanova/Talia Winters/Marcus Cole - This is another logical (to me anyway *g*) OT3. What if Talia was still alive and Susan/Talia still together when Marcus came aboard the station? I can see him still developing a crush on Susan (on both of them, really) and Talia being the one to maybe convince Susan to give him a chance because she can sense how they both feel about each other and her. I've seen scenarios where Susan and Talia left the station to become Rangers to protect Talia from the Corps and I would love that. Or maybe Talia instead of Lyta could become Kosh's assistant. Again, I mainly just want these characters to get the happy ending they didn't get in canon. Or at least the complicated-but-I-love-you-so-it's-okay ending. *g*
Susan Ivanova/Marcus Cole/Stephen Franklin - I've kind of come to the conclusion that the reason I 'ship Ivanova almost exclusively in threesomes is because she had such bad luck in love on the show that she needs two loving partners to make up for it. *g* You've read all my reasons for Marcus/Franklin above, but I also REALLY love the chemistry between Ivanova and Franklin. I especially love the "expanding Russian frontier" "very nice borders" exchange, but also some of the conversations between them around the Voice of the Resistance arc just make me smile so much. *g* How is that NOT flirting, I ask you? (And the fact that they both said Marcus' name at the same time in the last episode???) I would love to--again--see a scenario where Marcus survives and the three of them live happily ever after, but if you're an angst person, I would also happily accept Franklin and Ivanova coming together over their mutual loss and Marcus being part of the relationship in spirit. Or being later revived from cryo and being invited to join in. *g*
Doctor Who
Favorite Things About the Series in General - TIME TRAVEL. Seriously, that is probably my number one narrative kink of all time, and I love the fact that Doctor Who can go anywhere you can imagine. Even, if you felt like it, into the universe of any of my other requests. *g* I love the TARDIS. I love how each Companion has different strengths and weaknesses that they bring to the table, all of which are basically essential to the version of the Doctor that they're traveling with. I especially love characters from different eras meeting and interacting. Favorite Doctors are Eight, Five, Three, Eleven and Nine. Favorite companions is too long a list, but the VERY top ones are Martha, Charley, Sarah Jane, and Nyssa. I love UNIT, especially the Brig, Kate, or Osgood. Only companions I don't really care for are Rose and Turlough; feel free to throw in anyone else if the mood strikes. :-)
The Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith - I 'ship the Doctor and Sarah Jane in pretty much every incarnation, but especially the Third Doctor, the Eighth, and the Tenth. The moment where Ten sees Sarah again for the first time in "School Reunion" is one of my favorite moments in all of New Who. You can stick to strictly canon--ie: bringing any past Doctors back into her life after her reunion with Ten--or go completely AU, I don't care. I just love these two together so much. I love the fact that she never treats him any differently no matter what face he's wearing, and I love the fact that in any incarnation, seeing her makes him light up like nothing else. Oh, and if you want to break my heart, write me something where the Doctor (incarnation up to you) knows Sarah Jane is going to die before Luke and Sky are completely grown up, so he takes her forward in time to see all the major milestones in their lives before the end.
Jack Harkness/Martha Jones - I LOVED the relationship between Jack and Martha at the end of S3, and the one thing I didn't like about her Torchwood episodes was I felt they went out of the way to try to make it as nonsexual as possible. (I don't have any problem with Jack having nonsexual relationships with people, but did they have to try to kill my 'ship with that awkward kiss? Ugh. ;-) ) It meant so much to me that Jack saw her and appreciated her for who she was. THAT was what Martha deserved out of life/love, not the way the Doctor treated her. I would love to see any sort of AU where they wind up together instead of (or along with, for that matter) their canon love interests. *g* Jack/Martha/Mickey would be of particular interest, but obviously that's up to you.
River Song/Bernice Summerfield - Okay, so here's the thing. I'm not actually a very big River fan. :-/ If I had to choose between her and Benny, Benny would win every time. But I just cannot shake the idea of the two of them together. They would hit it off SO well and it would be SO much fun to watch. Give me them working together on a dig, swapping Doctor stories in bed, ganging up on one (or more) incarnations of the Doctor, getting into and out of trouble, terrorizing the universe together, whatever. I just want something light-hearted and fun with lots of shenanigans and witty banter. :-) Because I honestly can't imagine anything else happening if these two were in the same place at the same time. (Throw in Jack too--platonically or sexually--and I'll be even happier. ;-) )
Martha Jones/Charley Pollard - I love the idea of these two for a couple of reasons. First, because they're my two absolute favorite companions. Second, because they come from such different times, even though they're less than a century apart. Charley is a girl ahead of her time even before she meets the Doctor, and traveling with him broadens her mind quite a bit, but she is still from the 1930s, and from a very sheltered, upper-class lifestyle. I would love to see the slow burn of the two of them finding a middle ground, of Charley struggling to overcome her prejudices and privilege for Martha's sake--but without putting the burden of educating her on Martha. I want to see both of them making mistakes and assumptions, but then working through them because they really do love each other. The actual scenario of how they wind up knowing each other in the first place I leave entirely to you. :-) (Well, it's ALL up to you, really, but I don't even have any ideas to guide you on that front. Sorry!)
due South
Favorite things about the series in general - Its silliness. The way it plays with both Canadian and American stereotypes. The strong emphasis on friendship breaking down barriers between people from different worlds. DIEF. VECCHIO. The little hints of magic that make this not quite the real world. Like the ghosts and the talking (sic) wolf-dog. *g* Or Fraser's supernatural ability to never get any dirt on his uniform.
Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio - I just can't do the series' ending the way it was written. It hurt way too much to watch Fraser and Kowalski ride off into the sunset without Vecchio because Vecchio needs to be loved too, dang it. I don't care whether they wind up together in the Great White North or in Chicago, but I need Benny's happy ending to include BOTH his Rays. Either post-canon (ie: RayV/Stella doesn't work out and Ray comes home...although if you go this route, please be kind to Stella--I LOVE her, just not the 'ship) or completely AU, I don't care. I prefer for the relationship to kind of happen all at the same time, not Vecchio joining an already established F/K relationship, but if that's the way it comes to you, it's okay. :-) As long as Ray is, in the end, an equally important member of the relationship, I don't care as much how they get there.
Leverage
Favorite things about the series in general - This is my go-to show for when life sucks and I need to feel better about myself. I WISH there were people like this team in real life. Love how everyone is the best at what they do. Love the found family. Love the canon OT3 and I love beyond words the fact that the biggest 'ship in the fandom IS an OT3, so I would be totally okay with that in the background if you wanted. ;-) Favorite characters are Sophie and Hardison, but that's by a VERY narrow margin over the others. Oh, and I like Tara, in case you couldn't guess. *g*
Sophie Devereaux/Eliot Spencer - I 'ship both of the mainstream 'ships for these two as well, so if you wanted to write this one as a brief fling between seasons, I would be okay with that. As much as I love the idea, I'm not sure if I even think it would work long term: I think Sophie's inability to stop manipulating people, even people she loves, would get to Eliot eventually. But DANG would they be hot together. And if you can find an AU scenario where they would work out long term, I would absolutely be willing to read it. *g* I think they definitely have at least an understanding between them that the others don't necessarily share. What the nature of that understanding is, well. Whatever you want it to be. :-) There is a fantastic headcanon floating around Tumblr that has them becoming confidantes after the team splits up--both happy where they are, but occasionally needing to talk to someone who GETS it--and if you could incorporate that into the story, I would love you forever. (Of course, I'll love you forever regardless, but that would be bonus! *g*)
Tara Cole/Sophie Devereaux - Speaking of understandings...*g* I love the dynamic between these two and I wish we could've gotten to see more of it on screen. I love how different they are, despite sharing the same vocation. I love how close they are and how much they trust each other despite that vocation being on that doesn't exactly engender trust. (Sophie trusted Tara with her family--that's HUGE.) And I don't believe for a second that neither one of them considered tapping that where the other was concerned. ;-) Again, I don't see anything long term because Tara doesn't strike me as the long term type, but I would love to see the brief, hot fling they had. ;-) Any backstory between them, really. Or even just Sophie going to visit Tara for the weekend (before she and Nate become exclusive...or afterwards only if it's with his knowledge and blessing) because she needs to de-stress and Tara always knows just how to work the kinks out. *g*
Maggie Collins/Sophie Devereaux - So, apparently Word of God is that Sophie and Maggie had a thing sometime after they met and before Sophie and Nate started officially dating. *g* I want to see how that happened. Also how they went from Sophie being jealous to being such good friends in S4 that Maggie knew about and fully supported Sophie's relationship with Nate. That Maggie was the first person Sophie thought of when she needed backup. If nothing else, I would love to see them commiserating about how frustrating a man Nate Ford is to love, even though neither one of them regret it. *g* Heck, if you wanted to write an AU where Maggie and Sophie are the ones running the team together and having UST instead of Sophie and Nate, I would LOVE that.
Sophie Devereaux/Maggie Collins/Nate Ford - Jumping off that point...*g* I also love the idea of Sophie, Nate, and Maggie as a threesome/triad. You can set it in an AU where three-person relationships are the norm if you want (with background H/P/E *g*), but you don't have to. We know Nate knew Sophie for YEARS before his marriage to Maggie broke up, and we know he never actually cheated during that time. (Thank heaven, or I wouldn't be able to love Nate/Sophie the way I do.) But I'd love something exploring the possibility of a three-way relationship with them during this time, as long as Maggie was aware and a part of it from the beginning. Maybe Sophie's presence in the relationship helped keep Nate from going quite so far off the deep end after Sam's death, since Maggie had someone to help her get through to him. Alternately, it was also made fairly clear that there was no real chance of a Nate/Maggie reunion during the series' run, but what if they did get back together, only with Sophie in the mix too? Either option would be equally awesome. :-)
MCU
Favorite things about the franchise in general - Superheroes. *g* I grew up on my uncle's old Silver Age comics, and while I didn't discover Marvel pretty much UNTIL the movies, I still love the general idea of superpowers. Or, even more, of non-superpowered people holding their own in a universe that has superheroes in it. (Lois Lane is my all-time favorite comic book character.) I love how interconnected everything is, and that consequences in one branch of the franchise (ie: movies) can spill over into others (ie: TV). Favorite characters are Natasha, Peggy, Steve, Sam, Sif, and Maria.
Phil Coulson/Maria Hill - I saw an interview with Craig and Cobie before the first Avengers film came out and just loved the way they bounced off each other. Needless to say, it absolutely thrilled me when Maria became a recurring character on AoS (even though I'm about a half season behind due to lingering bitterness over Trip :-( ). That said, there were plenty of potential story avenues from S1 and the movie that were never really addressed. How does Coulson feel about the fact that Maria knew what had really happened to him before he did and kept it from him? How did she handle the roller coaster of losing him and then getting him back? And what would they be like as a couple? I also like the idea of them laughing together (because Cobie and Craig make each other laugh so well *g*), so maybe they use humor to heal and overcome their differences?
Sif/Thor - Okay, so I have this weird thing about sometimes not liking to pair immortal characters with mortals. I also have a habit of sympathizing with the rejected woman in f/m/f love triangles. BUT I also just love the Thor/Sif chemistry and I ADORE Sif. I don't dislike Jane, though, and I would want any story to treat her and her relationship with Thor respectfully. As a result, my favorite scenario for this one is Sif and Thor being reunited after Jane is gone and the relationship blossoming from there. I especially don't want Sif to be jealous because she has to know that in terms of Thor's lifespan, Jane's is a drop in the bucket but she'll still be there. If that doesn't work, I'd also happily accept backstory. How and why did Sif fall in love with Thor to begin with? Especially considering he was a bit of a jerk at the beginning of the film? (But, granted, a jerk who was apparently always supportive of her and her dreams.)
Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov - I love the idea of pairing Maria, who distrusts the idea of superheroes so much at the beginning of The Avengers, with a superhero. There are several members of the team that I pair her with at various times, but Natasha is one of my favorites because she's NOT superhuman and she doesn't have all of Tony or Sam's cool toys, but she still holds her own. Which gives her a sort of middle ground between Maria and the rest of the team. Plus, yes, a part of it is two of my favorite ladies in the MCU being gorgeous and competent and kickass together. ;-)
Maria Hill/Sam Wilson - Ditto on the "pairing Maria with superheroes" thing. *g* Plus, well, isn't "Who's this guy?" the best way to introduce yourself to the future love of your life? ;-) Sam is very down to earth (no pun intended), which I think Maria would appreciate. But he's also got a sense of humor and could probably make her laugh, which I think she needs. Which is not to say Maria doesn't have a sense of humor--she's played by Cobie Smulders in the MCU, eventually she had to develop one *g*--but she takes her job and her responsibilities very seriously, and I like the idea of pairing her with someone (or someones) who could get her to relax and laugh at herself a little.
Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson - I absolutely love trios that work as such a fluid team that they're practically in each other's heads, and these guys were a fantastic example of that. Plus, SAM. I love Sam so much that clearly everyone else needs to love him too. ;-) I love how quickly Steve trusts him, and how quickly Sam proves worthy of that trust even to Natasha's satisfaction. And I totally want to see that deleted scene of the three of them stealing the wingpack! Road trip shenanigans from the search for Bucky would also be awesome. Maybe Steve and Sam traveling together, and Nat dropping in on them randomly when they least expect her. Like when they thought she was in Paraguay or something. ;-) But yeah, trust is really the keyword here.
James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers - I can't 'ship Steve/Bucky alone in the past because I just love Peggy so much that there is no way the boys are leaving her out. But Steve/Bucky/Peggy? HECK YEAH. I prefer stories where all three of them are in love with each other to ones where it's just that Peggy and Bucky are both in love with Steve, but I am *totally* okay with Peggy/Bucky falling for each other because the other is important to Steve and when they're trying to see what he sees in them, they succeed a little too well. ;-) Also, nothing in this grouping makes me happier than stories where Peggy is somehow sent to the future too and reunited with her boys. I love old!Peggy, but I want her to be able to have all those years with them that she was denied and remember them. But Steve and Bucky lovingly caring for old!Peggy for the last few years of her life is also beautiful if done right.
Peggy Carter/Natasha Romanov - This is partly another "two of my favorite MCU ladies as a team" thing. But you have to admit, they would make a heck of a team. The MCU is still a big vague on how closely it follows Natasha's comics origin (which I know only by osmosis), so while it's suggested she's younger in the movies, I still think there's leeway to argue that the data SHIELD and HYDRA have on her is false or incomplete and she could've been around since the forties. So, spy vs. spy shenanigans would be more than welcome. Maybe have Natasha instead of Dottie be the Red Room agent sent to infiltrate the Griffith. Or maybe she and Peggy meet on opposite sides of a mission and Peggy recognizes her training. I'm not really into hate!sex, so I'd like them to make some sort of an emotional connection, but maybe one that acknowledges that at least for right now, neither one of them is willing to cross that line and switch sides. Oh, and I 'ship them both with Steve, so if you wanted to bring him into it somehow I would not say no. ;-)
James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson - Most of my notes on this one are under the Steve/Nat/Sam header above. The only thing I really need to add is Bucky. His history with Steve is kind of a given. I know OF Bucky's comics history with Natasha, and I'm intrigued by it. And I'll admit, I could definitely 'ship just the three of them--Steve/Nat/Bucky--if I wanted to. BUT I like the thought of Sam's influence on integrating Bucky back into the world. He understands PTSD in a way that even the other two don't, because while they've all experienced it, he's looked at it from both the inside and outside. I think Sam would be the one to see the boundaries the other three all need and make everyone respect them. BUT I want him to get something out of it too. I don't just want him in the relationship to play nursemaid. He's far too awesome and I love him far too much for that. I just don't have a strictly defined idea of what I want that to be.
Okay, that's it! Sorry for the length and rambling, but please remember one important thing above all: I love ALL of these options and will be happy with pretty much whatever you write for me. The information I've provided is all intended to help you, and if it doesn't, ignore it. :-) (Well, maybe except the dislikes. ;-) )
Thank you again SO much for taking this on, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Azar
This entry was originally posted at http://azarsuerte.dreamwidth.org/503184.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
First off, and more importantly than anything else, EEEEEEEEEEEEE, you're going to write a story for me! You have no idea how happy you have already made me just by virtue of this fact alone. *g* Please keep that in mind.
Secondly, there is A LOT of stuff I like. I multiship, I rarely have unbreakable OTPs, and I like just about every type of pairing genre (gen, het, slash, femslash, poly, etc.) and pretty much any rating. Which basically means if there is a story you feel inspired to write in whatever our matched fandom is, chances are--as long as you avoid the things on my dislikes list--I'll love it.
That said, I've always been firmly in the "too much detail is better than not enough" camp when it comes to fanfic exchanges, so there is a lot of information under the cuts. In fact, I swear it gets longer every year. *blush* But please don't be intimidated by that! The detail I provide is intended for your benefit. If you don't need it, please feel free to disregard at least 90% of it. ;-)
Anyway, without further ado...
Fic Likes
- time travel
- telepathy/soulbonds* (*accidental or by choice in the case of the latter, NOT fated)
- crossovers
- fusions
- most other types of AUs not listed under dislikes
- gen, het, femslash, slash, poly, friendship fic, whatever
- holiday fic (as long as it's appropriate to the characters)
- women being awesome
- best friends become lovers
- committed, equilateral poly relationships
- love as a choice made anew every day
- worldbuilding
- three-dimensional original characters
Fic Dislikes
- incest
- rape/non-con/dub-con
- torture
- character bashing (even of characters I don't like)
- adultery/cheating
- underage sex
- power imbalances in relationships (teacher/student, chain of command, etc.)
- love triangles
- atypical use or graphic depiction of bodily excretions
- destined relationships (this includes soulmate AUs unless the trope is subverted somehow)
- A/B/O AUs
- betrayal of trust or a third party using the trust between characters against them
Fanart
- Nothing too graphically NSFW (a little bit is okay), otherwise, pretty much anything goes :-)
Sense8
Favorite things about the show in general - Multicultural representation. As others have pointed out, it's not perfect--most of the cultural touchstones for characters even outside the US are still American--but it's better than probably 90% of shows out there right now. LGBTA representation - Ditto. Complex relationships between characters who have very REAL struggles even as they're experiencing this very unreal sort of connection. Pretty much all the characters (especially Amanita and Capheus) except Wolfgang. His struggle just doesn't interest me as much as the others, and I have absolutely no interest in his dick. ;-) TELEPATHY. Seriously, this series hits one of my major narrative kinks SO HARD, so even though most of the 'ships I like are not inside the cluster, any way you can figure out to work in the cluster is OK by me. *g*
Nomi/Amanita - Okay, so I *might've* been a little predisposed to love these two simply by virtue of the fact that one of them is played by Freema Agyeman...but even so, I did not expect to fall so hard! Cutest. Couple. Ever! I love how absolutely devoted they are, how protective of each other, and I can't believe there is virtually no fanfic for them. WTF, people? As for what I want: Backstory. We know Amanita said there was a time before she met Nomi when she couldn't imagine falling in love with someone like her. I would love to see that process of falling. How did they meet? Who asked the other out first? What was their first date? Or were they friends for years who gradually fell in love? Or, alternately, show me how they get their life back and get out from under the threat of Whispers? Do they get married so Amanita can never again be kept out of decisions about Nomi's health? How long are they able to stay at home while Nomi is supposedly in Australia? And when they do have to flee, where do they go? Any of these options would be amazing, I just REALLY want to see more of these two beautiful ladies in love. Also, Amanita is my favorite, so if you COULD write the story from her POV that would be amazing, but I love Nomi too so if you feel more comfortable with her, that's no biggie. :-) The one thing I *don't* want to see is them being broken up for any reason (consensual poly, however--physical or psychic--is more than OK *g*).
Hernando/Lito Rodriguez/Daniela Velasquez - I would be happy with either of two options with these three: either a) just like it in on the show, Lito and Hernando together with Daniela as their mutual platonic life partner, or b) eventually developing into full-on poly. I just love the dynamic between all three of them and how much they all genuinely grow to love and value each other. The show basically left that storyline when they were all back together, but I want to know what happens next. Are there long-term consequences of Lito's initial cowardice, or his later courage? What about Daniela's fetishization that started all the trouble in the first place? How and at what point does she go from seeing them as her own personal gay porno to two men she genuinely loves and doesn't want to hurt. If you want to, work in Mexico's legalization of same-sex marriage and/or how that conflicts with the culture of machismo. And whatever you do, if you can manage the show's trick of making it feel like an actual telenovela, all the better. *g* I would also love to see Lito tell his partners the truth about being a sensate, and see how they handle it. I have a feeling Daniela's attitude would be, the more sex partners, the better. ;-)
Kala Dandekar/Rajan Rasal - I know and utterly respect that Kala is not in love with Rajan in the show, and I don't think she should suddenly fall in love with him just because he's an adorable sweetheart because that would be denying her agency. BUT what if she WERE in love with him? I would love to see an AU where their relationship really is a love match on both sides. How would that change things? What would it *not* change? And to dig a little deeper, how does Rajan feel about his father's position on religion? Does he share it? Would it cause conflict in their relationship? Would he stand up to his father for Kala? I like to believe Rajan would be more respectful of her faith, even if he doesn't share it, than his father was of his mother's, because he seems very respectful of her in general. I definitely don't want to see him forbidding her to worship Ganesh or in any way behaving abusively because I don't believe that's in character. If that's not something you can write, I will be MORE than happy with one or both of the other 'ships I listed instead. :-)
Babylon 5
Favorite things about the series in general - Pretty much everything about the Minbari culture, especially Valen and the Rangers. I also love the way the show handles religion in general: every character has their own faith or their own personal reason for rejecting it, and each and every one of them is treated with equal respect and understanding, even when those beliefs face hard challenges. Favorite characters are Delenn, Sinclair, Marcus, G'Kar, and Vir. I find the Psi Corps deeply creepy but utterly believable: of COURSE that's what humans would do if faced with telepaths among us.
Michael Garibaldi/Jeffrey Sinclair - Yeah, you know how above I mentioned that one of my favorite tropes is best friends become lovers? This one hits that SO hard for me. I firmly believe that Garibaldi would've followed Sinclair to Minbar in the past if Jeff had only LET him, and I love stories where he manages somehow. I also love Jeff coming back after his life as Valen is done, but in the case of this particular pairing, since I don't do adultery, please set it in an AU where Garibaldi/Lise never happened. Ditto if you wanted to write something set while Jeff was still on the station and/or in an AU where he never left the station: have his relationship with Catherine be already over or never have started when he and Michael start theirs. If you can't write AU, though, I would be okay with a character exploration of how the separation affects one or both of them. How much of a role did Jeff's absence play in Michael's downward spiral in S4-5? How often did Valen wish he still had Michael by his side? Since Minbari believe in reincarnation, I'd even take something where Valen gets involved with someone whose soul he believes will someday be reborn as Michael Garibaldi. *g*
Marcus Cole/Stephen Franklin - This is another best-friends-become-lovers one for me. Richard Biggs and Jason Carter were BFFs in real life and it shows in their on-screen relationship even though they didn't actually share that much screentime. *g* Obviously the ideal scenario would involve Marcus surviving somehow, but as I said above, if you aren't an AU person, I would also accept post-Marcus'-death Franklin angst. If you address Marcus' canon feelings for Ivanova, please do so gently and with equal consideration for all characters involved. I love her too (as later requests will show *g*) and don't want to see her made into the bad guy just to make the 'ship happen. (I figure if there's ever a female character where that isn't a danger, it's Ivanova, but just in case. :-) )
Lyta Alexander/Talia Winters - I know I can't be the only one who thinks there was an undercurrent of something more than just an acquaintance between these two in Talia's revelation that they knew each other. Not to mention Lyta's reaction when the sleeper turned out to be Talia. *g* I would love to see that backstory explored. When and where did they meet? What kind of a relationship did they have, and how/why did it end? I suspect the Corps isn't big on same-sex relationships due to its emphasis on breeding more powerful telepaths--were they separated deliberately? Or, alternately, someone once suggested that a surviving Talia would've made a MUCH more interesting leader for the telepath resistance than Byron. Give me that AU scenario.
Delenn/John Sheridan/Jeffrey Sinclair - These three are canonically One. It seems only natural they'd be my OT3. Only problem is the timeline factor. So, any way you can find to get around that would make me ecstatic. Maybe they share one night en route to Babylon 4 because Jeff and Delenn know what's coming and can't pass up this one chance. Maybe (like I suggested with Sinclair/Garibaldi) Jeff is somehow returned to the present after his mission as Valen is completed, and is reunited with them on Minbar. Give me an AU where, somehow, the course of the war DOESN'T depend on Jeff going back in time to become Valen. Whatever you can make work, I just love the dynamic between these three. :-)
Delenn/Marcus Cole - Okay, so I got the idea for this one after seeing "Gray 17 is Missing" for the first time. Marcus takes his oath to live/die for the One very seriously: what if that were because Delenn, rather than Ivanova, was the one he had feelings for? We already know he has a tendency to make rash sacrifices for the people he loves. I don't think there's really a way to do this one without veering from canon, but in the unlikely event this is the pairing we were matched on, hopefully that won't be a problem. *g*
Michael Garibaldi/Susan Ivanova/Talia Winters - Okay, so there were some pretty blatant hints in the first season that Garibaldi was interested in Talia. It was portrayed as pretty one-sided, but what if it weren't? Put that together with the canonical Susan/Talia relationship and with the fact that I think Susan and Garibaldi had some pretty impressive chemistry of their own, and it seems like a natural OT3. *g* I would love to see how these three characters being in a relationship would change things. Show me Garibaldi and Susan working together and stopping at nothing to get the real Talia back. Give me Susan and Talia figuring out really quickly what's going on with Garibaldi in S4. Most importantly, I think, just give me these three characters getting a chance to actually be HAPPY. They all had it pretty rough in canon. :-(
Susan Ivanova/Talia Winters/Marcus Cole - This is another logical (to me anyway *g*) OT3. What if Talia was still alive and Susan/Talia still together when Marcus came aboard the station? I can see him still developing a crush on Susan (on both of them, really) and Talia being the one to maybe convince Susan to give him a chance because she can sense how they both feel about each other and her. I've seen scenarios where Susan and Talia left the station to become Rangers to protect Talia from the Corps and I would love that. Or maybe Talia instead of Lyta could become Kosh's assistant. Again, I mainly just want these characters to get the happy ending they didn't get in canon. Or at least the complicated-but-I-love-you-so-it's-okay ending. *g*
Susan Ivanova/Marcus Cole/Stephen Franklin - I've kind of come to the conclusion that the reason I 'ship Ivanova almost exclusively in threesomes is because she had such bad luck in love on the show that she needs two loving partners to make up for it. *g* You've read all my reasons for Marcus/Franklin above, but I also REALLY love the chemistry between Ivanova and Franklin. I especially love the "expanding Russian frontier" "very nice borders" exchange, but also some of the conversations between them around the Voice of the Resistance arc just make me smile so much. *g* How is that NOT flirting, I ask you? (And the fact that they both said Marcus' name at the same time in the last episode???) I would love to--again--see a scenario where Marcus survives and the three of them live happily ever after, but if you're an angst person, I would also happily accept Franklin and Ivanova coming together over their mutual loss and Marcus being part of the relationship in spirit. Or being later revived from cryo and being invited to join in. *g*
Doctor Who
Favorite Things About the Series in General - TIME TRAVEL. Seriously, that is probably my number one narrative kink of all time, and I love the fact that Doctor Who can go anywhere you can imagine. Even, if you felt like it, into the universe of any of my other requests. *g* I love the TARDIS. I love how each Companion has different strengths and weaknesses that they bring to the table, all of which are basically essential to the version of the Doctor that they're traveling with. I especially love characters from different eras meeting and interacting. Favorite Doctors are Eight, Five, Three, Eleven and Nine. Favorite companions is too long a list, but the VERY top ones are Martha, Charley, Sarah Jane, and Nyssa. I love UNIT, especially the Brig, Kate, or Osgood. Only companions I don't really care for are Rose and Turlough; feel free to throw in anyone else if the mood strikes. :-)
The Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith - I 'ship the Doctor and Sarah Jane in pretty much every incarnation, but especially the Third Doctor, the Eighth, and the Tenth. The moment where Ten sees Sarah again for the first time in "School Reunion" is one of my favorite moments in all of New Who. You can stick to strictly canon--ie: bringing any past Doctors back into her life after her reunion with Ten--or go completely AU, I don't care. I just love these two together so much. I love the fact that she never treats him any differently no matter what face he's wearing, and I love the fact that in any incarnation, seeing her makes him light up like nothing else. Oh, and if you want to break my heart, write me something where the Doctor (incarnation up to you) knows Sarah Jane is going to die before Luke and Sky are completely grown up, so he takes her forward in time to see all the major milestones in their lives before the end.
Jack Harkness/Martha Jones - I LOVED the relationship between Jack and Martha at the end of S3, and the one thing I didn't like about her Torchwood episodes was I felt they went out of the way to try to make it as nonsexual as possible. (I don't have any problem with Jack having nonsexual relationships with people, but did they have to try to kill my 'ship with that awkward kiss? Ugh. ;-) ) It meant so much to me that Jack saw her and appreciated her for who she was. THAT was what Martha deserved out of life/love, not the way the Doctor treated her. I would love to see any sort of AU where they wind up together instead of (or along with, for that matter) their canon love interests. *g* Jack/Martha/Mickey would be of particular interest, but obviously that's up to you.
River Song/Bernice Summerfield - Okay, so here's the thing. I'm not actually a very big River fan. :-/ If I had to choose between her and Benny, Benny would win every time. But I just cannot shake the idea of the two of them together. They would hit it off SO well and it would be SO much fun to watch. Give me them working together on a dig, swapping Doctor stories in bed, ganging up on one (or more) incarnations of the Doctor, getting into and out of trouble, terrorizing the universe together, whatever. I just want something light-hearted and fun with lots of shenanigans and witty banter. :-) Because I honestly can't imagine anything else happening if these two were in the same place at the same time. (Throw in Jack too--platonically or sexually--and I'll be even happier. ;-) )
Martha Jones/Charley Pollard - I love the idea of these two for a couple of reasons. First, because they're my two absolute favorite companions. Second, because they come from such different times, even though they're less than a century apart. Charley is a girl ahead of her time even before she meets the Doctor, and traveling with him broadens her mind quite a bit, but she is still from the 1930s, and from a very sheltered, upper-class lifestyle. I would love to see the slow burn of the two of them finding a middle ground, of Charley struggling to overcome her prejudices and privilege for Martha's sake--but without putting the burden of educating her on Martha. I want to see both of them making mistakes and assumptions, but then working through them because they really do love each other. The actual scenario of how they wind up knowing each other in the first place I leave entirely to you. :-) (Well, it's ALL up to you, really, but I don't even have any ideas to guide you on that front. Sorry!)
due South
Favorite things about the series in general - Its silliness. The way it plays with both Canadian and American stereotypes. The strong emphasis on friendship breaking down barriers between people from different worlds. DIEF. VECCHIO. The little hints of magic that make this not quite the real world. Like the ghosts and the talking (sic) wolf-dog. *g* Or Fraser's supernatural ability to never get any dirt on his uniform.
Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio - I just can't do the series' ending the way it was written. It hurt way too much to watch Fraser and Kowalski ride off into the sunset without Vecchio because Vecchio needs to be loved too, dang it. I don't care whether they wind up together in the Great White North or in Chicago, but I need Benny's happy ending to include BOTH his Rays. Either post-canon (ie: RayV/Stella doesn't work out and Ray comes home...although if you go this route, please be kind to Stella--I LOVE her, just not the 'ship) or completely AU, I don't care. I prefer for the relationship to kind of happen all at the same time, not Vecchio joining an already established F/K relationship, but if that's the way it comes to you, it's okay. :-) As long as Ray is, in the end, an equally important member of the relationship, I don't care as much how they get there.
Leverage
Favorite things about the series in general - This is my go-to show for when life sucks and I need to feel better about myself. I WISH there were people like this team in real life. Love how everyone is the best at what they do. Love the found family. Love the canon OT3 and I love beyond words the fact that the biggest 'ship in the fandom IS an OT3, so I would be totally okay with that in the background if you wanted. ;-) Favorite characters are Sophie and Hardison, but that's by a VERY narrow margin over the others. Oh, and I like Tara, in case you couldn't guess. *g*
Sophie Devereaux/Eliot Spencer - I 'ship both of the mainstream 'ships for these two as well, so if you wanted to write this one as a brief fling between seasons, I would be okay with that. As much as I love the idea, I'm not sure if I even think it would work long term: I think Sophie's inability to stop manipulating people, even people she loves, would get to Eliot eventually. But DANG would they be hot together. And if you can find an AU scenario where they would work out long term, I would absolutely be willing to read it. *g* I think they definitely have at least an understanding between them that the others don't necessarily share. What the nature of that understanding is, well. Whatever you want it to be. :-) There is a fantastic headcanon floating around Tumblr that has them becoming confidantes after the team splits up--both happy where they are, but occasionally needing to talk to someone who GETS it--and if you could incorporate that into the story, I would love you forever. (Of course, I'll love you forever regardless, but that would be bonus! *g*)
Tara Cole/Sophie Devereaux - Speaking of understandings...*g* I love the dynamic between these two and I wish we could've gotten to see more of it on screen. I love how different they are, despite sharing the same vocation. I love how close they are and how much they trust each other despite that vocation being on that doesn't exactly engender trust. (Sophie trusted Tara with her family--that's HUGE.) And I don't believe for a second that neither one of them considered tapping that where the other was concerned. ;-) Again, I don't see anything long term because Tara doesn't strike me as the long term type, but I would love to see the brief, hot fling they had. ;-) Any backstory between them, really. Or even just Sophie going to visit Tara for the weekend (before she and Nate become exclusive...or afterwards only if it's with his knowledge and blessing) because she needs to de-stress and Tara always knows just how to work the kinks out. *g*
Maggie Collins/Sophie Devereaux - So, apparently Word of God is that Sophie and Maggie had a thing sometime after they met and before Sophie and Nate started officially dating. *g* I want to see how that happened. Also how they went from Sophie being jealous to being such good friends in S4 that Maggie knew about and fully supported Sophie's relationship with Nate. That Maggie was the first person Sophie thought of when she needed backup. If nothing else, I would love to see them commiserating about how frustrating a man Nate Ford is to love, even though neither one of them regret it. *g* Heck, if you wanted to write an AU where Maggie and Sophie are the ones running the team together and having UST instead of Sophie and Nate, I would LOVE that.
Sophie Devereaux/Maggie Collins/Nate Ford - Jumping off that point...*g* I also love the idea of Sophie, Nate, and Maggie as a threesome/triad. You can set it in an AU where three-person relationships are the norm if you want (with background H/P/E *g*), but you don't have to. We know Nate knew Sophie for YEARS before his marriage to Maggie broke up, and we know he never actually cheated during that time. (Thank heaven, or I wouldn't be able to love Nate/Sophie the way I do.) But I'd love something exploring the possibility of a three-way relationship with them during this time, as long as Maggie was aware and a part of it from the beginning. Maybe Sophie's presence in the relationship helped keep Nate from going quite so far off the deep end after Sam's death, since Maggie had someone to help her get through to him. Alternately, it was also made fairly clear that there was no real chance of a Nate/Maggie reunion during the series' run, but what if they did get back together, only with Sophie in the mix too? Either option would be equally awesome. :-)
MCU
Favorite things about the franchise in general - Superheroes. *g* I grew up on my uncle's old Silver Age comics, and while I didn't discover Marvel pretty much UNTIL the movies, I still love the general idea of superpowers. Or, even more, of non-superpowered people holding their own in a universe that has superheroes in it. (Lois Lane is my all-time favorite comic book character.) I love how interconnected everything is, and that consequences in one branch of the franchise (ie: movies) can spill over into others (ie: TV). Favorite characters are Natasha, Peggy, Steve, Sam, Sif, and Maria.
Phil Coulson/Maria Hill - I saw an interview with Craig and Cobie before the first Avengers film came out and just loved the way they bounced off each other. Needless to say, it absolutely thrilled me when Maria became a recurring character on AoS (even though I'm about a half season behind due to lingering bitterness over Trip :-( ). That said, there were plenty of potential story avenues from S1 and the movie that were never really addressed. How does Coulson feel about the fact that Maria knew what had really happened to him before he did and kept it from him? How did she handle the roller coaster of losing him and then getting him back? And what would they be like as a couple? I also like the idea of them laughing together (because Cobie and Craig make each other laugh so well *g*), so maybe they use humor to heal and overcome their differences?
Sif/Thor - Okay, so I have this weird thing about sometimes not liking to pair immortal characters with mortals. I also have a habit of sympathizing with the rejected woman in f/m/f love triangles. BUT I also just love the Thor/Sif chemistry and I ADORE Sif. I don't dislike Jane, though, and I would want any story to treat her and her relationship with Thor respectfully. As a result, my favorite scenario for this one is Sif and Thor being reunited after Jane is gone and the relationship blossoming from there. I especially don't want Sif to be jealous because she has to know that in terms of Thor's lifespan, Jane's is a drop in the bucket but she'll still be there. If that doesn't work, I'd also happily accept backstory. How and why did Sif fall in love with Thor to begin with? Especially considering he was a bit of a jerk at the beginning of the film? (But, granted, a jerk who was apparently always supportive of her and her dreams.)
Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov - I love the idea of pairing Maria, who distrusts the idea of superheroes so much at the beginning of The Avengers, with a superhero. There are several members of the team that I pair her with at various times, but Natasha is one of my favorites because she's NOT superhuman and she doesn't have all of Tony or Sam's cool toys, but she still holds her own. Which gives her a sort of middle ground between Maria and the rest of the team. Plus, yes, a part of it is two of my favorite ladies in the MCU being gorgeous and competent and kickass together. ;-)
Maria Hill/Sam Wilson - Ditto on the "pairing Maria with superheroes" thing. *g* Plus, well, isn't "Who's this guy?" the best way to introduce yourself to the future love of your life? ;-) Sam is very down to earth (no pun intended), which I think Maria would appreciate. But he's also got a sense of humor and could probably make her laugh, which I think she needs. Which is not to say Maria doesn't have a sense of humor--she's played by Cobie Smulders in the MCU, eventually she had to develop one *g*--but she takes her job and her responsibilities very seriously, and I like the idea of pairing her with someone (or someones) who could get her to relax and laugh at herself a little.
Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson - I absolutely love trios that work as such a fluid team that they're practically in each other's heads, and these guys were a fantastic example of that. Plus, SAM. I love Sam so much that clearly everyone else needs to love him too. ;-) I love how quickly Steve trusts him, and how quickly Sam proves worthy of that trust even to Natasha's satisfaction. And I totally want to see that deleted scene of the three of them stealing the wingpack! Road trip shenanigans from the search for Bucky would also be awesome. Maybe Steve and Sam traveling together, and Nat dropping in on them randomly when they least expect her. Like when they thought she was in Paraguay or something. ;-) But yeah, trust is really the keyword here.
James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers - I can't 'ship Steve/Bucky alone in the past because I just love Peggy so much that there is no way the boys are leaving her out. But Steve/Bucky/Peggy? HECK YEAH. I prefer stories where all three of them are in love with each other to ones where it's just that Peggy and Bucky are both in love with Steve, but I am *totally* okay with Peggy/Bucky falling for each other because the other is important to Steve and when they're trying to see what he sees in them, they succeed a little too well. ;-) Also, nothing in this grouping makes me happier than stories where Peggy is somehow sent to the future too and reunited with her boys. I love old!Peggy, but I want her to be able to have all those years with them that she was denied and remember them. But Steve and Bucky lovingly caring for old!Peggy for the last few years of her life is also beautiful if done right.
Peggy Carter/Natasha Romanov - This is partly another "two of my favorite MCU ladies as a team" thing. But you have to admit, they would make a heck of a team. The MCU is still a big vague on how closely it follows Natasha's comics origin (which I know only by osmosis), so while it's suggested she's younger in the movies, I still think there's leeway to argue that the data SHIELD and HYDRA have on her is false or incomplete and she could've been around since the forties. So, spy vs. spy shenanigans would be more than welcome. Maybe have Natasha instead of Dottie be the Red Room agent sent to infiltrate the Griffith. Or maybe she and Peggy meet on opposite sides of a mission and Peggy recognizes her training. I'm not really into hate!sex, so I'd like them to make some sort of an emotional connection, but maybe one that acknowledges that at least for right now, neither one of them is willing to cross that line and switch sides. Oh, and I 'ship them both with Steve, so if you wanted to bring him into it somehow I would not say no. ;-)
James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Sam Wilson - Most of my notes on this one are under the Steve/Nat/Sam header above. The only thing I really need to add is Bucky. His history with Steve is kind of a given. I know OF Bucky's comics history with Natasha, and I'm intrigued by it. And I'll admit, I could definitely 'ship just the three of them--Steve/Nat/Bucky--if I wanted to. BUT I like the thought of Sam's influence on integrating Bucky back into the world. He understands PTSD in a way that even the other two don't, because while they've all experienced it, he's looked at it from both the inside and outside. I think Sam would be the one to see the boundaries the other three all need and make everyone respect them. BUT I want him to get something out of it too. I don't just want him in the relationship to play nursemaid. He's far too awesome and I love him far too much for that. I just don't have a strictly defined idea of what I want that to be.
Okay, that's it! Sorry for the length and rambling, but please remember one important thing above all: I love ALL of these options and will be happy with pretty much whatever you write for me. The information I've provided is all intended to help you, and if it doesn't, ignore it. :-) (Well, maybe except the dislikes. ;-) )
Thank you again SO much for taking this on, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Azar
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