Dear Yuletide writer,
Dear author,
First, thank you for writing for me! I hope you have fun with this :)
Again, my ao3 name is storiesfortravellers.
I'm not picky, and I'm open-minded about fic, and so if you enjoy writing it, I'm sure I'll enjoy reading it. That said, since "I love everything" is not considered helpful, here are my dislikes and likes, and some ideas I am throwing out just in case they give you ideas of something you want to write. I like giving prompts, and so I just gave lots in the hopes that some might strike your fancy - feel free to use any or none, and obviously I'm not expecting all.
Stuff I like in fic (again, not requesting any one of these specifically, just talking about things that I often enjoy):
-fic about complex relationships (not sexual relationships necessarily -- though that's great too -- but also psychological explorations of relationships between friends, family, enemies, etc.)
-character studies
-humorfic
-mild angst or angst with comfort
-Historical AUs -- pretty much any historical AU except war AUs based on US history (so I don't like Civil War AUs, etc.).
-Characters who know each other really well, including how the other characters think.
-Characters who are antagonists but who reach a mutual respect or care for each other. Similarly, characters who are in a close relationship but are willing to fight for what they believe in, even with the other person, or characters who argue because one wants to protect the other - some combination of either love or desire and antagonism.
-Characters who are very principled or caring but also sometimes have to struggle with things - either morally gray plots, or the difficulties in building relationships, or getting over their repressed stuff, or living with compromises, or what have you.
-Characters who have conflict in part because of how much they care about each other and their somewhat incompatible ways of expressing it through their actions
-Characters who long for each other, especially if they get together in the end.
-M/m mentor-relationships, especially if there is an age difference, with the older one being protective and wanting to help the younger one, being careful with the other person and really wanting to live up to the trust the younger one places in him, and the younger one completely looking up to the older one and wanting to please him and not disappoint him, but also caring about if the older one sees him and understands him and respects him on equal or somewhat equal terms. Some tensions or competitiveness is okay as long as their mutual affection comes first.
And if you want to write pairings:
-any rating is fine. Rated G is fine and NC17 is fine too.
-kink/bdsm or psychological explorations of kink/bdsm are great if you like writing that (but totally optional!). I'll be fine with anything except stuff with animals or kids or scat/vomit/watersports, but if you want specifics, I prefer most bdsm stuff (bondage, spanking, submission/obedience, roleplay, sensation play, possessiveness, etc.) but I don't prefer fisting or large objects (not squicked, just don't prefer).
-prefer noncanon pairings. Threesomes are fine too.
-obviously any sexual content at all is completely optional - again only if you like writing it
-For pairings, I prefer not to have pure domestic fluff, but a little is fine as long as it’s not the entire piece - I prefer a different genre for pairings, like smutfic or fics that explore the relationship and what they provide for each other or how the relationship changes over time or just anything about the psychology of the relationship or plotty fic, etc.
Stuff I don't usually prefer to receive for these fandoms:
-Character death (brief references to canon character death are okay, but not fics significantly about grieving or death)
-Serious illness or serious injury or imprisonment
Here is a little more about the specific requests - these details are not all the same length, not because I want some fandoms more than others, but just because I have more specific ideas for some, and some of these I wrote in previous years.
Tennis RPF: Andy Murray/Nick Kyrgios
So I really enjoy the idea that these two have lots of affection for each other. Friendship, flirtation, sexual relationship, longing -- all are cool, but I'd like the focus to be on their relationship. Nick has called it "love at first sight," for instance. These are some articles and videos that make smile at them/ship them (as friends or more):
Andy and Nick on the roller coaster: https://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/watch-andy-murray-and-nick-kyrgios-being-best-mates-on-a-roller-coaster-37208262.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3672746/Andy-Murray-Nick-Kyrgios-share-bromance-rivalry-ahead-crunch-Wimbledon-clash-Australian-jokes-love-sight.html
http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/17791662/andy-murray-says-nick-kyrgios-given-more-protection-amid-latest-court-controversy-shanghai-masters
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361811/Andy-Murray-laughs-hysterically-Nick-Kyrgios-interrupts-interview.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/12/nick-kyrgios-andy-murray-australian-open-tennis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVj8FxJeiU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rkooo6zLG8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjFWAux_b4Y
A snippet about Murray in this: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/07/10/nick-kyrgios-the-reluctant-rising-star-of-tennis
There’s also their interactions on social media, which are great :)
This is one where I do think Nick really looks up to Andy, and is happy that Andy seems to respect him and stick up for him to the press and doesn't judge him. I think a lot of the younger players who get criticized for things like inconsistency or being foul tempered on court or having mental blocks or taking a long time to live up to potential (all things Andy has been criticized for) seem to really like Andy - maybe because he's showed that it's possible to overcome a lot of that, but also since he seems to try to be respectful to everyone while off the court and seems non-judgmental since he has said that he doesn't really like to give unsolicited advice to people. So my headcanon, how I imagine them in terms of my shipping them as fictional characters (no claim that I know anything about their real lives of course), is that Nick really looks up to Andy is really happy at how much Andy likes and respects him back - Nick likely grew up looking up to Andy and is pretty excited to be friends with him and hang out with him. At Wimbledon a couple years ago for example, commentators noted that Nick was very subdued in his reactions, and maybe that's because he didn't want to act in a way that would make Andy think less of him -- like in one of the videos below, when he says he's being sincere with the press because Andy's there. I think Nick seems to get upset at what people say about him (I'm not saying he hasn't said things he shouldn't have and made some mistakes or is ideal by any means), so it would mean a lot that someone of Andy's stature in the game says to the press that they intentionally provoke Nick. This is another pairing where the mentor-y stuff and age difference would come into play.
Also Andy and Nick are opposites in terms of personality in some ways but also in tennis style. Andy has a really dry sense of humor and is known for not being very expressive in interviews, while Nick is known for kind of letting his emotions hang out there both on the court and off. So they're opposites but they get along really well. Until recently (when Andy was coming back from surgery), Nick was never able to beat Andy on the court, and a lot of commentators thought that it was psychological and related to Nick's feelings of friendship (not that Nick lost on purpose but that the complicated feelings made him more intimidated by Andy than he would be for Federer or Djokovic, even though Fed and Djokovic are, on paper, more intimidating players than Andy).
Possible ideas:
-Them hanging out and getting closer
-Anything kinky, especially with dominant!Andy
-Nick doesn't listen to anyone usually but he always shows respect to Andy. This translates to the bedroom with Nick liking it when Andy takes control, since Andy is always careful to be safe.
-How unresolved sexual tension become resolved sexual tension
-futurefic when Nick is in his early 30s and needs a new coach and so Andy coaches him (slash or gen)
-AU where team tennis is the majority of the season and Andy is the head of the team that Nick is on
-AU where they are in some other profession: soccer players, spies who have to be fake-married, anything
I also love side pairings, and am happy to see any of the following if you like (either as couples or friendships) (for sexual relationships, prefer no cheating, but open relationships are fine):
Fed/Nadal
Fed/Thiem
Andy/Nadal
Fed/either Zverev (but not both)
Kyrgios/Hewitt
Thiem/Sascha Zverev
I also like the pairings on the Incorrect Tennis twitter account (Rafa/Fed as dads to a lot of the younger generation)
(I recently emailed someone about rpf ships and so I happen to have a lot more info written out for Tennis RPF than for the others, but it's not because I have a particular preference for one fandom over another fyi. Honestly, I felt greedy asking for more Andy/Nick since I've gotten wonderful fic for them in the past, but they're a rare enough pairing that I would be delighted with any more that someone wants to write <3 )
Fandom: Dominique Fortier - The Island of Books
Roger/Eloi. I love the way that Robert is Eloi's protector, the way he sees through Eloi in ways that other people don't. I like how Robert is smart and calm and usually kind to all and brave and a badass at times, and I love that he's so interested in books that have the potential to change the world by undermining so much of what he is supposedly dedicated to. Protectiveness, knowing each other well, etc., are all great. I ship these two, but focusing on their really close platonic friendship is fine too; I do prefer a fic about their relationship. If you're into the history and the books and the other things, that's great, but don't worry if that's not what you're into.
For story ideas, any of the following would be really interesting:
The book says that Eloi was sent to live with his uncle, who was steward to Robert's father, and have been friends since. I would be interested in fic where they're both in their early 20s, at Robert's family estate, as one possibility. Riding horses, learning to fence, swimming in a river, wandering in the woods, sharing a bed, or whatever other French country estate tropes you like. Or, how Eloi first learns to paint, and Robertwanting to support him but also knowing it will bring Eloi to the city and away from him.
An AU where Robert is in the city where Eloi is a painter would be good too, or fic about them at the abbey is good as well.
Robert wanting to learn more about science and getting in trouble, with Eloi protecting him even though he thinks Robert shouldn't dabble in those things
Kinkfic with Robert as the most gentle and considerate dom
Kinkfic where they are in a discipline relationship (but again, Robert is trustworthy - and uses spankings or implements on his ass, or hot wax wherever, but not medieval tortures or anything)
Brother Clement is great, and I'm happy to have him as a friend to either or both. I could also go for Clement/Robert or Clement/Eloi if that's your interest.
Fix-it where Anna lives and it becomes Anna/Eloi/Robert
Fandom: The Good Place
Chidi/Jason:
It’s hard to explain the appeal of this, but it makes me curious that they seem to have such a genuine affection or even protectiveness of each other when they seem to be more opposite than anyone else on the show. I don’t think Jason is ‘stupid’ but he clearly underthinks things, which is quite different from Chidi’s problem. But they’re both very kind people, who tend to respect others as best as they’re able. Again, like with many other fandoms, I do ship this but am just as happy to get friendship fic.
On the other hand, if you also like canon ships, I would be fine with Jason/Chidi/Eleanor, Jason/Chidi/Eleanor/Janet(/Tahani), or Jason/Chidi/Janet. Open relationships are also fine, but I prefer no cheating or jealousy for this particular relationship. I would prefer no sexual relations with demons, and I would prefer that Derek is not present at all (sorry).
Possible prompts:
-The reboot (set post-S1) where Chidi and Jason are told that they are each other’s soulmates. At first Chidi thinks that this is a great idea since a monk who is silent will help him be more calm and simplify his life and not overthink things. How does Chidi react when he finds out that Jason is actually not a monk? I would love it if Chidi still believes Jason is his soulmate for some reason, and has to work out why. This could be serious (Chidi feels incredibly protective of Jason since Jason is in danger of getting kicked out), or a little on the lighter side (Chidi starts to wonder if he’s actually superficial because apparently his soul just wants the hottest dude in the neighborhood - FYI I think they’re equally hot but I think Chidi would think of Jason as hotter).
-S1 Chidi decides that Jason is not really acing ethics class and so he tries to really tutor him and foster his moral development
-At the end of S2, AU where the Judge gives them both a year to prepare for their tests and Jason and Chidi are tasked with helping each other prepare
-S3 Chidi and Jason in Australia going on a road trip to save someone
-S4 - the Judge says that Chidi and Jason can both be test subjects and so both have their memories wiped - but they gravitate to each other even though they don't remember each other - which they both find kind of surprising
-non-afterlife AU where they meet on Earth instead of dying (at a coffeeshop? at a bookstore?) and they become the unlikeliest of couples but somehow it works
-Kinkfic set in S1 where Jason - or all of the ‘students’ - decide they’ll learn better if Chidi spanks them or otherwise punishes them when they’re ‘bad’- their motivation is 100% because the spankees think it would be hot, but Chidi takes it seriously as part of his efforts to help them (could still end up with sex though).
-Kinkfic where Jason says that he can’t relax or feel calm and non-Molotov-y unless he has a session with a good dom, and he’s really upset about it, so Chidi reads everything he can on being a good ethical dom in a BDSM setting, and he does this for Jason. Over time, though, Chidi finds himself enjoying it more than he thought (he could have ethical qualms about how much he likes having power over Jason or making him cry, or he could just accept it as something that Jason really likes and benefits from - either way is great). Basically, Chidi and Jason kind of discover new things about themselves sexually through kink exploration.
Fandom: Chess (Anthropomorphic)
For chess, I love how evocative the chess board is, and how it tells a metaphorical and kind of romanticized story about power and royalty and relationships. I would love a story that goes more in depth on the relationships of the characters who are chess pieces. Specifically, it doesn’t have to relate that much to specific chess moves - it’s a game where royals and their loyal aides/knights/bishops/etc., are sometimes together and sometimes far apart, sometimes in danger and sometimes safe, and where all the pieces do what they can to protect the royals. (This is terrible in terms of political realities obviously, but I would really like a more romanticized version - that said, it’s fine if there is morally gray stuff, angsty guilt over affairs, or whatever else. I’m not looking for fluff, but not for total tragedy at the end either.) Basically, I would kind of prefer if it weren’t a story about a particular game of chess but rather a story inspired by the relationships suggested by the chess pieces and how they move and play and work together - I would love it if they were really anthropomorphized fully in that they are written like human beings with complex emotions.
I am not a chess strategist or expert by any means, so I probably won’t understand references to famous chess strategies unless there is a note to explain them - sorry about that! I do like the history of chess, though - how the queen used to be a non-powerful piece in some versions and that fact that this changed, etc.
I prefer the relationship between a royal (Queen or King) and a non-royal (Knight or Bishop or Rook) who are on the same side, but other than that, I don’t have particular characters in mind. I put Knight as the main character, but if you'd rather switch to a bishop, rook, etc., that's fine too! The knight or bishop or rook can be any gender., also.
I like the way that chess evokes a narrative of royals working with their immediate underlings and trusting them and really working together with them for the protection of the kingdom, and the other pieces are incredibly loyal and brave and devoted (or maybe they have mixed feelings but in the end they put the rulers first). I am very happy to have a sexual (requited or unrequited) or love relationship, but just as happy to explore a relationship that is full of platonic love and affection but has some complications (complexity of being extremely close friends when there’s a power imbalance and one is the subject of the other, not always agreeing with the moral decisions of your ruler or on matters of strategy, etc.).
I also like this map of words for the bishop piece in various European languages: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/at6nnq/the_bishop_in_european_languages/ So feel free to incorporate characters like the Hunter, Noble, or Messenger, etc.
These are just some examples of the kinds of things I would be interested in, in case it gives a sense of what I enjoy:
-Queen/Knight/King or Queen/Knight or Queen&Knight, with the Knight and Queen starting out being rivals to have the king’s ear on matters of strategy but then they realize that they’re both genius strategists who both just want to protect the king and they reach an arrangement
-Queen/Hunter (bishop) or Queen&Hunter: The queen’s hunter is officially supposed to hunt game in the royal forest to provide meat, but unofficially the hunter is the queen’s most trusted spy and messenger. (Hunter can be any gender). This could also work for King/Hunter or King&Hunter if you like.
-The queen favors a female knight or noblewoman or abbess because they are friends but also, secretly, because the queen knows that the other woman is stealthily her most valuable player in terms of being good politically, a charming entertainer and witty intellect that gets other kingdoms to be allies, a devious strategist, a superb assassin, a scholar or poisoner, or for some other reason. Others grumble that this other woman doesn’t deserve royal favor, but the queen has her back. This could be a sexual or love pairing or just a close friendship/allyship.
-King&Knight traveling on a mission - the knight is more capable in this landscape and so their power dynamics shift and the knight tries to be careful of the king's feelings even as he has to kind of be in charge when danger shows up; the king maybe is using this as a chance to suss out how loyal the knight really is since the king is secretly very fond of the knight, as another possibility.
Again, these are just examples to show the kinds of things I was imagining for this fandom. Have fun!
Fandom: Preacher
Cass/Jesse:
I love this relationship with all its fighting and making up. I love them as lovers but could equally go for a good Cas&Jesse friendship fic that really delves deeply into the ways they’ve hurt each other (which to me is more one-sided) and the ways they try to show each other what the other man means to them. I am also 100% on board with Cass/Jesse/Tulip if that’s what you prefer, as long as there is plenty of Jesse/Cass interaction.
For this particular fic, I prefer something not particularly plotty in relation to the main plots of the show. Specifically, I prefer that the main plot of the show about looking for God and fighting the evil society trying to end the world is not part of the story. I also prefer that for this particular story, the Saint of Killers, Eugene, and anyone in Herr Starr’s organization is not present except for being referred to. I like Eugene and some of the other characters, but I’d prefer something that focuses mainly on Jesse and Cassidy or Jesse and Cassidy and Tulip.
SPOILERS FOR PREACHER SERIES FINALE AHEAD
Some possible prompts (most could work for slash, ot3, or gen):
-I would love anything post-series that goes AU from the very last scene at the cemetery. Specifically, I would like to see Cassidy being part of their lives more, OR see how they come back together after being apart. Yes, I guess I’m asking for fix-it. Cassidy makes me sentimental, I guess.
-What if after some of their big fights/hostility, they had actually had time (and the capacity) to hash out and bring into the open the things they were angry and hurt and scared about? What if they made up by working through some things - how would those fights and that making up process work? Even if it’s just Cassidy getting the chance to talk about all the things he takes issue with, it’s okay. (They’re both flawed but a lot of the show was Cassidy feeling hurt by Jesse, so it’s not that I don’t like or care about Jesse - I just think that the show portrayed a lot of their angsty fighting as relating to Jesse crossing lines or Jesse not loving Cassidy as much as Cassidy loves him).
-Smutfic at any point is fine, too.
-Tulip/Jesse decide that they want to have a long-term committed triad with Cassidy and figure out the best way to make that happen
-Post-series, Tulip is sick of waiting for Cassidy to come around and be part of their family again, so she tells Jesse to go seduce Cassidy since Cassidy is obviously resistant or not over old hurts or not able to trust or otherwise not interested in being with them right now. Jesse wants Cass back too, so he tracks down Cass and engages in a sneaky plan to get Cass so hot and bothered that he wants to have sex with Jesse despite the fact that he’s still angry/hurt/whatever else. It’s a long-term plan to slowly draw Cass back in emotionally while also building Cassidy’s desire for Jesse up over a long time and basically just make Cassidy want him. (Not creepy or manipulative in a bad way). This could also work as a gen prompt where Jesse finds Cas with the long-term goal of bringing him home to be part of their family again, and Jesse gets Cassidy to go on a fun adventure with him so that they can have fun, learn to trust each other again, laugh, be silly, remember the good times, etc. - so more like a friendship ‘seduction’ to get him back).
First, thank you for writing for me! I hope you have fun with this :)
Again, my ao3 name is storiesfortravellers.
I'm not picky, and I'm open-minded about fic, and so if you enjoy writing it, I'm sure I'll enjoy reading it. That said, since "I love everything" is not considered helpful, here are my dislikes and likes, and some ideas I am throwing out just in case they give you ideas of something you want to write. I like giving prompts, and so I just gave lots in the hopes that some might strike your fancy - feel free to use any or none, and obviously I'm not expecting all.
Stuff I like in fic (again, not requesting any one of these specifically, just talking about things that I often enjoy):
-fic about complex relationships (not sexual relationships necessarily -- though that's great too -- but also psychological explorations of relationships between friends, family, enemies, etc.)
-character studies
-humorfic
-mild angst or angst with comfort
-Historical AUs -- pretty much any historical AU except war AUs based on US history (so I don't like Civil War AUs, etc.).
-Characters who know each other really well, including how the other characters think.
-Characters who are antagonists but who reach a mutual respect or care for each other. Similarly, characters who are in a close relationship but are willing to fight for what they believe in, even with the other person, or characters who argue because one wants to protect the other - some combination of either love or desire and antagonism.
-Characters who are very principled or caring but also sometimes have to struggle with things - either morally gray plots, or the difficulties in building relationships, or getting over their repressed stuff, or living with compromises, or what have you.
-Characters who have conflict in part because of how much they care about each other and their somewhat incompatible ways of expressing it through their actions
-Characters who long for each other, especially if they get together in the end.
-M/m mentor-relationships, especially if there is an age difference, with the older one being protective and wanting to help the younger one, being careful with the other person and really wanting to live up to the trust the younger one places in him, and the younger one completely looking up to the older one and wanting to please him and not disappoint him, but also caring about if the older one sees him and understands him and respects him on equal or somewhat equal terms. Some tensions or competitiveness is okay as long as their mutual affection comes first.
And if you want to write pairings:
-any rating is fine. Rated G is fine and NC17 is fine too.
-kink/bdsm or psychological explorations of kink/bdsm are great if you like writing that (but totally optional!). I'll be fine with anything except stuff with animals or kids or scat/vomit/watersports, but if you want specifics, I prefer most bdsm stuff (bondage, spanking, submission/obedience, roleplay, sensation play, possessiveness, etc.) but I don't prefer fisting or large objects (not squicked, just don't prefer).
-prefer noncanon pairings. Threesomes are fine too.
-obviously any sexual content at all is completely optional - again only if you like writing it
-For pairings, I prefer not to have pure domestic fluff, but a little is fine as long as it’s not the entire piece - I prefer a different genre for pairings, like smutfic or fics that explore the relationship and what they provide for each other or how the relationship changes over time or just anything about the psychology of the relationship or plotty fic, etc.
Stuff I don't usually prefer to receive for these fandoms:
-Character death (brief references to canon character death are okay, but not fics significantly about grieving or death)
-Serious illness or serious injury or imprisonment
Here is a little more about the specific requests - these details are not all the same length, not because I want some fandoms more than others, but just because I have more specific ideas for some, and some of these I wrote in previous years.
Tennis RPF: Andy Murray/Nick Kyrgios
So I really enjoy the idea that these two have lots of affection for each other. Friendship, flirtation, sexual relationship, longing -- all are cool, but I'd like the focus to be on their relationship. Nick has called it "love at first sight," for instance. These are some articles and videos that make smile at them/ship them (as friends or more):
Andy and Nick on the roller coaster: https://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/watch-andy-murray-and-nick-kyrgios-being-best-mates-on-a-roller-coaster-37208262.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3672746/Andy-Murray-Nick-Kyrgios-share-bromance-rivalry-ahead-crunch-Wimbledon-clash-Australian-jokes-love-sight.html
http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/17791662/andy-murray-says-nick-kyrgios-given-more-protection-amid-latest-court-controversy-shanghai-masters
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361811/Andy-Murray-laughs-hysterically-Nick-Kyrgios-interrupts-interview.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/12/nick-kyrgios-andy-murray-australian-open-tennis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVj8FxJeiU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rkooo6zLG8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjFWAux_b4Y
A snippet about Murray in this: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/07/10/nick-kyrgios-the-reluctant-rising-star-of-tennis
There’s also their interactions on social media, which are great :)
This is one where I do think Nick really looks up to Andy, and is happy that Andy seems to respect him and stick up for him to the press and doesn't judge him. I think a lot of the younger players who get criticized for things like inconsistency or being foul tempered on court or having mental blocks or taking a long time to live up to potential (all things Andy has been criticized for) seem to really like Andy - maybe because he's showed that it's possible to overcome a lot of that, but also since he seems to try to be respectful to everyone while off the court and seems non-judgmental since he has said that he doesn't really like to give unsolicited advice to people. So my headcanon, how I imagine them in terms of my shipping them as fictional characters (no claim that I know anything about their real lives of course), is that Nick really looks up to Andy is really happy at how much Andy likes and respects him back - Nick likely grew up looking up to Andy and is pretty excited to be friends with him and hang out with him. At Wimbledon a couple years ago for example, commentators noted that Nick was very subdued in his reactions, and maybe that's because he didn't want to act in a way that would make Andy think less of him -- like in one of the videos below, when he says he's being sincere with the press because Andy's there. I think Nick seems to get upset at what people say about him (I'm not saying he hasn't said things he shouldn't have and made some mistakes or is ideal by any means), so it would mean a lot that someone of Andy's stature in the game says to the press that they intentionally provoke Nick. This is another pairing where the mentor-y stuff and age difference would come into play.
Also Andy and Nick are opposites in terms of personality in some ways but also in tennis style. Andy has a really dry sense of humor and is known for not being very expressive in interviews, while Nick is known for kind of letting his emotions hang out there both on the court and off. So they're opposites but they get along really well. Until recently (when Andy was coming back from surgery), Nick was never able to beat Andy on the court, and a lot of commentators thought that it was psychological and related to Nick's feelings of friendship (not that Nick lost on purpose but that the complicated feelings made him more intimidated by Andy than he would be for Federer or Djokovic, even though Fed and Djokovic are, on paper, more intimidating players than Andy).
Possible ideas:
-Them hanging out and getting closer
-Anything kinky, especially with dominant!Andy
-Nick doesn't listen to anyone usually but he always shows respect to Andy. This translates to the bedroom with Nick liking it when Andy takes control, since Andy is always careful to be safe.
-How unresolved sexual tension become resolved sexual tension
-futurefic when Nick is in his early 30s and needs a new coach and so Andy coaches him (slash or gen)
-AU where team tennis is the majority of the season and Andy is the head of the team that Nick is on
-AU where they are in some other profession: soccer players, spies who have to be fake-married, anything
I also love side pairings, and am happy to see any of the following if you like (either as couples or friendships) (for sexual relationships, prefer no cheating, but open relationships are fine):
Fed/Nadal
Fed/Thiem
Andy/Nadal
Fed/either Zverev (but not both)
Kyrgios/Hewitt
Thiem/Sascha Zverev
I also like the pairings on the Incorrect Tennis twitter account (Rafa/Fed as dads to a lot of the younger generation)
(I recently emailed someone about rpf ships and so I happen to have a lot more info written out for Tennis RPF than for the others, but it's not because I have a particular preference for one fandom over another fyi. Honestly, I felt greedy asking for more Andy/Nick since I've gotten wonderful fic for them in the past, but they're a rare enough pairing that I would be delighted with any more that someone wants to write <3 )
Fandom: Dominique Fortier - The Island of Books
Roger/Eloi. I love the way that Robert is Eloi's protector, the way he sees through Eloi in ways that other people don't. I like how Robert is smart and calm and usually kind to all and brave and a badass at times, and I love that he's so interested in books that have the potential to change the world by undermining so much of what he is supposedly dedicated to. Protectiveness, knowing each other well, etc., are all great. I ship these two, but focusing on their really close platonic friendship is fine too; I do prefer a fic about their relationship. If you're into the history and the books and the other things, that's great, but don't worry if that's not what you're into.
For story ideas, any of the following would be really interesting:
The book says that Eloi was sent to live with his uncle, who was steward to Robert's father, and have been friends since. I would be interested in fic where they're both in their early 20s, at Robert's family estate, as one possibility. Riding horses, learning to fence, swimming in a river, wandering in the woods, sharing a bed, or whatever other French country estate tropes you like. Or, how Eloi first learns to paint, and Robertwanting to support him but also knowing it will bring Eloi to the city and away from him.
An AU where Robert is in the city where Eloi is a painter would be good too, or fic about them at the abbey is good as well.
Robert wanting to learn more about science and getting in trouble, with Eloi protecting him even though he thinks Robert shouldn't dabble in those things
Kinkfic with Robert as the most gentle and considerate dom
Kinkfic where they are in a discipline relationship (but again, Robert is trustworthy - and uses spankings or implements on his ass, or hot wax wherever, but not medieval tortures or anything)
Brother Clement is great, and I'm happy to have him as a friend to either or both. I could also go for Clement/Robert or Clement/Eloi if that's your interest.
Fix-it where Anna lives and it becomes Anna/Eloi/Robert
Fandom: The Good Place
Chidi/Jason:
It’s hard to explain the appeal of this, but it makes me curious that they seem to have such a genuine affection or even protectiveness of each other when they seem to be more opposite than anyone else on the show. I don’t think Jason is ‘stupid’ but he clearly underthinks things, which is quite different from Chidi’s problem. But they’re both very kind people, who tend to respect others as best as they’re able. Again, like with many other fandoms, I do ship this but am just as happy to get friendship fic.
On the other hand, if you also like canon ships, I would be fine with Jason/Chidi/Eleanor, Jason/Chidi/Eleanor/Janet(/Tahani), or Jason/Chidi/Janet. Open relationships are also fine, but I prefer no cheating or jealousy for this particular relationship. I would prefer no sexual relations with demons, and I would prefer that Derek is not present at all (sorry).
Possible prompts:
-The reboot (set post-S1) where Chidi and Jason are told that they are each other’s soulmates. At first Chidi thinks that this is a great idea since a monk who is silent will help him be more calm and simplify his life and not overthink things. How does Chidi react when he finds out that Jason is actually not a monk? I would love it if Chidi still believes Jason is his soulmate for some reason, and has to work out why. This could be serious (Chidi feels incredibly protective of Jason since Jason is in danger of getting kicked out), or a little on the lighter side (Chidi starts to wonder if he’s actually superficial because apparently his soul just wants the hottest dude in the neighborhood - FYI I think they’re equally hot but I think Chidi would think of Jason as hotter).
-S1 Chidi decides that Jason is not really acing ethics class and so he tries to really tutor him and foster his moral development
-At the end of S2, AU where the Judge gives them both a year to prepare for their tests and Jason and Chidi are tasked with helping each other prepare
-S3 Chidi and Jason in Australia going on a road trip to save someone
-S4 - the Judge says that Chidi and Jason can both be test subjects and so both have their memories wiped - but they gravitate to each other even though they don't remember each other - which they both find kind of surprising
-non-afterlife AU where they meet on Earth instead of dying (at a coffeeshop? at a bookstore?) and they become the unlikeliest of couples but somehow it works
-Kinkfic set in S1 where Jason - or all of the ‘students’ - decide they’ll learn better if Chidi spanks them or otherwise punishes them when they’re ‘bad’- their motivation is 100% because the spankees think it would be hot, but Chidi takes it seriously as part of his efforts to help them (could still end up with sex though).
-Kinkfic where Jason says that he can’t relax or feel calm and non-Molotov-y unless he has a session with a good dom, and he’s really upset about it, so Chidi reads everything he can on being a good ethical dom in a BDSM setting, and he does this for Jason. Over time, though, Chidi finds himself enjoying it more than he thought (he could have ethical qualms about how much he likes having power over Jason or making him cry, or he could just accept it as something that Jason really likes and benefits from - either way is great). Basically, Chidi and Jason kind of discover new things about themselves sexually through kink exploration.
Fandom: Chess (Anthropomorphic)
For chess, I love how evocative the chess board is, and how it tells a metaphorical and kind of romanticized story about power and royalty and relationships. I would love a story that goes more in depth on the relationships of the characters who are chess pieces. Specifically, it doesn’t have to relate that much to specific chess moves - it’s a game where royals and their loyal aides/knights/bishops/etc., are sometimes together and sometimes far apart, sometimes in danger and sometimes safe, and where all the pieces do what they can to protect the royals. (This is terrible in terms of political realities obviously, but I would really like a more romanticized version - that said, it’s fine if there is morally gray stuff, angsty guilt over affairs, or whatever else. I’m not looking for fluff, but not for total tragedy at the end either.) Basically, I would kind of prefer if it weren’t a story about a particular game of chess but rather a story inspired by the relationships suggested by the chess pieces and how they move and play and work together - I would love it if they were really anthropomorphized fully in that they are written like human beings with complex emotions.
I am not a chess strategist or expert by any means, so I probably won’t understand references to famous chess strategies unless there is a note to explain them - sorry about that! I do like the history of chess, though - how the queen used to be a non-powerful piece in some versions and that fact that this changed, etc.
I prefer the relationship between a royal (Queen or King) and a non-royal (Knight or Bishop or Rook) who are on the same side, but other than that, I don’t have particular characters in mind. I put Knight as the main character, but if you'd rather switch to a bishop, rook, etc., that's fine too! The knight or bishop or rook can be any gender., also.
I like the way that chess evokes a narrative of royals working with their immediate underlings and trusting them and really working together with them for the protection of the kingdom, and the other pieces are incredibly loyal and brave and devoted (or maybe they have mixed feelings but in the end they put the rulers first). I am very happy to have a sexual (requited or unrequited) or love relationship, but just as happy to explore a relationship that is full of platonic love and affection but has some complications (complexity of being extremely close friends when there’s a power imbalance and one is the subject of the other, not always agreeing with the moral decisions of your ruler or on matters of strategy, etc.).
I also like this map of words for the bishop piece in various European languages: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/at6nnq/the_bishop_in_european_languages/ So feel free to incorporate characters like the Hunter, Noble, or Messenger, etc.
These are just some examples of the kinds of things I would be interested in, in case it gives a sense of what I enjoy:
-Queen/Knight/King or Queen/Knight or Queen&Knight, with the Knight and Queen starting out being rivals to have the king’s ear on matters of strategy but then they realize that they’re both genius strategists who both just want to protect the king and they reach an arrangement
-Queen/Hunter (bishop) or Queen&Hunter: The queen’s hunter is officially supposed to hunt game in the royal forest to provide meat, but unofficially the hunter is the queen’s most trusted spy and messenger. (Hunter can be any gender). This could also work for King/Hunter or King&Hunter if you like.
-The queen favors a female knight or noblewoman or abbess because they are friends but also, secretly, because the queen knows that the other woman is stealthily her most valuable player in terms of being good politically, a charming entertainer and witty intellect that gets other kingdoms to be allies, a devious strategist, a superb assassin, a scholar or poisoner, or for some other reason. Others grumble that this other woman doesn’t deserve royal favor, but the queen has her back. This could be a sexual or love pairing or just a close friendship/allyship.
-King&Knight traveling on a mission - the knight is more capable in this landscape and so their power dynamics shift and the knight tries to be careful of the king's feelings even as he has to kind of be in charge when danger shows up; the king maybe is using this as a chance to suss out how loyal the knight really is since the king is secretly very fond of the knight, as another possibility.
Again, these are just examples to show the kinds of things I was imagining for this fandom. Have fun!
Fandom: Preacher
Cass/Jesse:
I love this relationship with all its fighting and making up. I love them as lovers but could equally go for a good Cas&Jesse friendship fic that really delves deeply into the ways they’ve hurt each other (which to me is more one-sided) and the ways they try to show each other what the other man means to them. I am also 100% on board with Cass/Jesse/Tulip if that’s what you prefer, as long as there is plenty of Jesse/Cass interaction.
For this particular fic, I prefer something not particularly plotty in relation to the main plots of the show. Specifically, I prefer that the main plot of the show about looking for God and fighting the evil society trying to end the world is not part of the story. I also prefer that for this particular story, the Saint of Killers, Eugene, and anyone in Herr Starr’s organization is not present except for being referred to. I like Eugene and some of the other characters, but I’d prefer something that focuses mainly on Jesse and Cassidy or Jesse and Cassidy and Tulip.
SPOILERS FOR PREACHER SERIES FINALE AHEAD
Some possible prompts (most could work for slash, ot3, or gen):
-I would love anything post-series that goes AU from the very last scene at the cemetery. Specifically, I would like to see Cassidy being part of their lives more, OR see how they come back together after being apart. Yes, I guess I’m asking for fix-it. Cassidy makes me sentimental, I guess.
-What if after some of their big fights/hostility, they had actually had time (and the capacity) to hash out and bring into the open the things they were angry and hurt and scared about? What if they made up by working through some things - how would those fights and that making up process work? Even if it’s just Cassidy getting the chance to talk about all the things he takes issue with, it’s okay. (They’re both flawed but a lot of the show was Cassidy feeling hurt by Jesse, so it’s not that I don’t like or care about Jesse - I just think that the show portrayed a lot of their angsty fighting as relating to Jesse crossing lines or Jesse not loving Cassidy as much as Cassidy loves him).
-Smutfic at any point is fine, too.
-Tulip/Jesse decide that they want to have a long-term committed triad with Cassidy and figure out the best way to make that happen
-Post-series, Tulip is sick of waiting for Cassidy to come around and be part of their family again, so she tells Jesse to go seduce Cassidy since Cassidy is obviously resistant or not over old hurts or not able to trust or otherwise not interested in being with them right now. Jesse wants Cass back too, so he tracks down Cass and engages in a sneaky plan to get Cass so hot and bothered that he wants to have sex with Jesse despite the fact that he’s still angry/hurt/whatever else. It’s a long-term plan to slowly draw Cass back in emotionally while also building Cassidy’s desire for Jesse up over a long time and basically just make Cassidy want him. (Not creepy or manipulative in a bad way). This could also work as a gen prompt where Jesse finds Cas with the long-term goal of bringing him home to be part of their family again, and Jesse gets Cassidy to go on a fun adventure with him so that they can have fun, learn to trust each other again, laugh, be silly, remember the good times, etc. - so more like a friendship ‘seduction’ to get him back).