Dear Yuletide Author (updated: 10/31/12)
(Edited -- 10/31/12 -- added pictures and videos for a little more fun. Hey. I'm stuck in Sandy-land. Sitting at McDonald's and tweaking my DYA letter is one of the few pleasures still open to me. ^_~)
I'll warn you ahead of time… I'm a bit verbose. I usually don't know when to quit talking. So, uh… hope you're comfy?
So, without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for writing for me. I know how difficult it can be to put any part of your creative process into the hands of another individual, so I will treat that trust with the care and respect it deserves by not being too greedy or selfish. I am already happy that you are willing to write me a story in a fandom of my choosing and with characters of my choice. It would be the icing on the cake if you are willing to include my other requests, as well, but ultimately if they don't work for you, please feel free to ignore them. ^_^
A note on rating and kink:
Pretty much any rating can fly. I'm always up for a good PWP, but I love G-rated fluff just as much. My general reading preferences tend towards slash (or femslash), and unless it's a personal pet pairing (which I will list, if it applies), het doesn't do much for me. If NC-17 is your writing poison of choice, I'm certainly OK with that ^_~, but there aren't too many kinks that work for me. I usually like my fic sex fairly vanilla with the exception of this random dub-con/non-con/bondage/angry!sex kink I seem to have developed. A little power play between friends is all just good fun, though, right? And, apparently pegging or any other such thing which puts a woman in the dominant position over the man… pretty hot, too.
*coughs* Movingonnow.
A note on general fic likes and dislikes:
I love a good angst-fest. I really do. Hurt-comfort? Yes, please. Unrequited love? Oh, absolutely. Mental and emotional trauma? You had me at "Me--". Boys who can't seem to get a clue and when they do, have trouble holding on to it? My bread and butter. Thing is… I love my fluff just as hard. Cuddling in front of a fireplace? Oh, please, gimme. Romantic moonlit walks on the beach? No problems there. Domestic bliss of any kind? Oh, no question. ;) The punchline? I'm in most fanfiction for the character development and interaction. Fight/action scenes aren't really my thing. Give me a good navel-gazing, introspective character study with almost no dialogue and a boatload of self-analysis and I'm happy as a clam. Of course… I'm just as thrilled with interactive witty banter and shenanigans. ^_^ Ultimately, it's about the characters for me, though, so I prefer them in-character, even if the setting or situation isn't straight out of the original (though AUs like high school AUs aren't really my thing, either). Also, since it really is all about the characters for me… I'd prefer no original characters.
I like my stories to have at least the flavor of the original fandom setting/universe, but if you want to change it up within that or set it in the future of the universe, I'm OK with that, too. Excessive dialect use is a bit of a turn-off -- a touch for authenticity is OK, but once it crosses the line into making the dialogue difficult to understand, it's just irritating. Honestly… just about anything else can fly. Like I said, I'm not in this to be too greedy and even though I'm the one requesting this story, you're ultimately the one writing it. I'm not the only one who should be happy with how it turns out. ^_~
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
(Uh, one warning. For some of these, I don't have specific prompts in mind. Having done these challenges before, I realize that can be both a blessing and a curse. :-P So, for those for which I have no prompt, I'll try to tell you what I like about those fandoms and characters to at least give you a little guidance. Of course, as mentioned above, you're welcome to ignore everything I say if it doesn't work for you. ^_~ Onward!)
1. Foreverman -- Boles; William Timeson (Foreverman), Jack Mercer (Foreverman)
(I didn't specifically request Elizabeth Morgan or Jim Hawkins, but if you want to include either or both, I would be totally happy at the addition. I just didn't want to make the matching impossible. ^_~)
Click picture for video of the two lead actors singing "Sons of Adam" -- the song in which Will (right) convinces Jack (left) to drink the elixir and become immortal with him.
My "pimp post" for Foreverman because I realize that not everyone is familiar with random NYMF musicals that play for 2 weeks. ^_~ This gives some general background information for the show, as well as some of my thoughts on what I love about it.
Optional Details are optional: What I truly love about this show is the relationship between Will and Jack and how it changes through the years. Will is 10 when Jack follows him home, the orphaned lord of the manor taking in the desperate, starving street thief. They grow up like brothers but always with this sense that Jack owes Will for everything. They have a tremendous blow-out about a year after becoming immortal and go their separate ways for the next 200 years. In that time, they both live countless numbers of lives, but at the core, nothing really changes. Towards the end of the musical they have a reconciliation, each finally seeing the other for who they are now, not who they were in the beginning. Every stage of this development fascinates me and I would love to see a story explore this relationship in any of its nuanced shades. ^_^
Now, if you are the kind of person who likes a bit more guidance than that, I do have a few prompts to offer… oh boy, do I ever. ^_~ (If not, as always, feel free to ignore suggestions and write what feels right. ^_^):
1) Will and/or Jack's thoughts/activities during their time of separation: Will mentions having had countless other names and other lives and we know that Jack must have, as well, though he stayed closer to home. What were they doing? What were they thinking/feeling? Did they ever think about each other?
2) Their meeting after 200 years: Will was startled and upset to find Jack already installed at the Fairwright mansion while Jack clearly knew Will was coming and wanted a reconciliation. On stage we see Will's initial rejection of all of Jack's advances of friendship, but when Jack is kicked out of his cushy place with the Fairwrights, even with that initial frosty reception, he runs straight back to Will. Through the course of the tragic events that follow, they reach several understandings -- that they really only have each other in this world, that they each fear eternity and eternity alone, and that Jack really is a person in his own right, worthy of respect. Why the change of heart? How did it happen?
3) What happened after the musical? Will sings very eloquently about being afraid that he'll still be here when the end of all things comes around. That's a whole lot of time to play with. ^_^ (This is one of the few places when I wouldn't mind a little creative AU happening.) What are Will and Jack like in the early 1900s? How about the turn of the century/present day? What about 4000 years in the future? Have they become kings among men? Are they in hiding? Is this a utopian future or a dystopian one? What about that dreaded day when the Sun goes nova and the Earth is destroyed? You want to peek through my works completed lists ( Part I and Part II) or my LJ tags to find something else that interests me and might be fun to cross this over with? You know what? Go for it. ^_^ It's probably the one and only time I'll invite crossover/world-building ideas for Yuletide. There's so much room to explore… so have fun and play! ^_^
So… here's the other thing about Will and Jack. I read/see/watch just about everything with my slash goggles on. I would love to see actual slash/relationship fic for these two, but if that's not your cup of tea and you'd rather write them as close friends/brothers, I’m OK with that, too. Like I said, their entire relationship, no matter how you look at it, is fascinating to me and they've run the gamut from brothers to friends to enemies to friends to brothers (to lovers? ^_~) and back several times, I'm sure. Wherever you want to pause in that spectrum to look at their relationship is fine with me. ^_^
I also find that this is one of those rare instances that I might almost prefer an R-rated or below story. Don't get me wrong, though -- if you give me prOn for them, I will be MORE than happy, it's just not the driving force behind what I'm interested in about them. Thus why I'd be equally happy with not!slash. ^_^
Also, I realize that not many people will be familiar with this fandom. If you get here by matching with another fandom and want to give this one a go or if you're trolling for treat ideas and are intrigued, I do have a full audio of the show available (Act I & Act II) for your listening pleasure. ^_^ If you have questions about the musical feel free to comment anonymously or contact me through the mods and I'll be more than happy to babble endlessly at you about it. ^_~
2. Jeremiah -- TV, Jeremiah, Markus, Erin, Theo Coleridge
Again, my "pimp post" for this series.
Oh... Jeremiah. ^_^ Your dystopian, disaster-ridden, well-intentioned, mommy/daddy-issued, f'ed up plottiness gets me every time. The idea of an entire world full of people who grew up from childhood with no guiding parental force is not entirely original (Peter Pan, Star Trek TOS's "Miri", the list goes on), but how they handled it in this show, I thought, was particularly brilliant. I love how you have a range in attitude from those old enough to remember the days before the Big Death and thus endlessly angst and wish after those lost technologies and the easy lives they had and those who were so young at the time that this screwed up remnant of a world is all they know and they embrace it. I love how there are pockets of people trying to reclaim civilization and others that embrace the utter lawlessness of a world with no rules. Most of all I love how every single person in this world has a touch of the sulky and rebellious teenager in them and how, ironically, it's the oldest ones who cling to each other most desperately to assuage their fears of abandonment. LOVE IT.
So, this is a show where I'm definitely 'ship-happy and definitely slash-happy. And I will accept anything from the G-rated domesticity of someone finding a way to make chocolate chip cookies and making a mess in the kitchen all the way to an NC-17 "Oh, you're here? Let's have sex!" kind of story. I'd prefer the relationship be at the core of what is written, but if you're not comfortable with the idea of slash, I'd be perfectly happy with anything exploring the two relationships I’m interested in, even as enemies/wary friends/best buds. One last thing: if you're not comfortable writing these pairings as romantic relationships, I really have no problem with you writing them as gen/friendship and would prefer that to you pairing them up differently. Thank you!
Optional Details are optional: I don't have any specific plotty ideas for this request, so I'll just give you an idea about what I like about these pairings to give you a jumping off point. ^_^ (Also, if you want to include both relationships in your fic, that would be wonderful, but if only one of them strikes your writing fancy, I'm completely OK with you spotlighting one relationship and just mentioning the other characters/relationship in the background or ignoring them completely. I don't want to make this impossible, after all. ^_~)
1) Jeremiah/Markus
Uh... this actually isn't what it looks like... but I wish it were. ^_~ Season 1, Episode 18 ~29 minutes in -- the episode this scene comes from (on Hulu)
I do not know what it is about those two that I love so. By all rights a relationship between them should not work… but in my head, it does. There are moments between them when you see that Jeremiah is the only one that Markus lets his guard down around -- the time he gets drunk and Jermiah is the one to find and take care of him, the way that Jeremiah is the only one he's comfortable enough around to show his rage and frustration, the way that Jeremiah doesn't believe in anyone… yet he believes in Markus. I love that. Everything about it.
2) Erin/Theo -- If women/femslash is more your cup of tea, then I love these two just as much as Jeremiah and Markus. There's something about a pair of women who are each practically competence porn incarnate, yet straddle opposite sides of the good/evil line… oh-my-gawd, that's hot. ^_^ I love how Theo is so evil and just revels in it, yet when she decides to stand up and put her foot down for what's right… holy hot damn does everyone sit up and listen and follow. And yet… at the same time, because of her season 2 situation, she ends up vulnerable. And then you have Erin -- the warrior woman, standing for all that is good and right… but not afraid to get her hands dirty to accomplish it. And after all the men in the series prove that they are woefully inadequate at dealing with Theo… Erin just walks right up and slams all of her shit right back into her teeth. And Theo takes it. And they recognize that kindred spirit in each other and become fast, though uneasy, friends… and every male in Thunder Mountain probably dove for cover when those two joined forces. ^_^ So. Yeah. Love.
Season 2, Episode 5:
Theo and Erin had two conversations earlier in this episode, dealing with Theo's pregnancy, once where Theo admitted that she was considering not keeping the baby. Erin tells her some harsh truths and tells her to get over it and stop looking back, to start looking forward, instead. Theo comes after her later and finds her in the gym, working out....Theo: You owe me an apology.
Erin: For what?
T: Bein' a bitch.
E: Sorry, truth hurts.
*Theo starts to walk away, Erin gets off the treadmill and follows*
E: What are you afraid of?
T: I'm not afraid of anything, OK? *turns to glare at Erin* I'm not afraid of the world, I'm not afraid of the future.
E: Then what are you afraid of?
T: I'm afraid I might make a rotten mother! OK? Christ! I don't know how to be a mother. I"m a warrior. I was out there kicking ass and taking names and makin' a way for myself while you were sittin' in here sipping on tea for 16 years.
E: You're a fighter.
T: All the way. Because, I hate to fail.
E: *softly* And now you're afraid you're going to fail at this, is that it?
T: *starts to choke up* I don't want to raise somebody that's gonna come out as screwed up as I am, OK? And I don't know any other way to raise a kid, Erin. *pleading look* All I have to offer is what I am and what I got... and I just don't know if that's gonna be enough.
E: It is, Theo. Yes, you're afraid. It's... it's natural to be afraid. It just means you're going to try damned hard not to screw up.
T: *turns away* I'm a warrior.
E: So am I, and we're both survivors... but what are we surviving for? Can't you see? We're shaping a world for the future, but the future we're building is here. It's not behind the barrel of a gun. It's not the result of one man keeping another man down. *Theo turns back* It's not the politics. This... *Erin touches Theo's abdomen and Theo looks down at her hand* ...is the future. *Theo looks up and meets Erin's gaze* Whatever you decide to do, you don't have to do it alone.
OMG, YOU TWO. Erin… make an honest woman of her, already!! Then you can both go raise the baby together! ^_^
(I just want to say that I love both of these pairings equally, but I felt Erin/Theo has less cannon support and I went a little screencap-happy trying to highlight the few scenes that give it. ^_~ Also, I didn't want to imply that you need to write a story about them dealing with Theo's preganacy or raising Theo's baby (though that would be adorable, NGL ;D), I just felt that that episode/scene highlighted the give and take of strength, vulnerability and support that I love so much about them. ^_^)
3. Sono Te wo Dokero | Hands Off!: Oohira Tatsuki, Urushiyama Yuuto, Oohira Kotarou
You know the drill, by now, I guess. ^_^ My "pimp post" for Hands Off! And really… that actually just about covers it.
Optional Details are optional: *snipped from the above post with additions*
Personally, I love the codependent, bromancy, I love you/I love you issues between Tatsuki and Kotarou (Heh. See a pattern? ^_~), but ultimately, I really do like the canon het pairing of Kotarou and Mio -- they're just too adorable. What I will likely ask for in my requests is something exploring the relationship between Tatsuki and Yuuto... because, honestly, I ship them like mad. Something about they way they circle around each other, both too damaged, both too "cool" to really admit they rely on each other as much as they do on Kotarou... it sets off my slash sensors. ^_~
I would love to see something exploring how the two of them interact when Kotarou is not around, because Yuuto has this amazing way (mostly by cheating with his gift, but that's all right ^_~) of figuring Tatsuki out and using the information to get under his skin. And for a boy (Tatsuki) who has so much trouble expressing how he feels, having someone around who knows -- without having to be told, no less -- has to be a huge weight off his back. Again, I'd love some 'shippiness between them, but if you want to explore the relationship as a friendship, that's all right with me, too. Any rating can fly. ^_~
Of course, I would also never turn down the bromancy/f'ed up goodness which is Tatsuki and Kotarou. ^_^ They just… just… GEH. They're like brothers and they love each other and they hate each other and they need each other and they hurt each other while trying to protect each other and they're SO screwed up and I love it. ^_^
4. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles (Music Video): Brown Haired Girl, Red Headed Girl
OK, guys. I'm going for it. ^_^ I was debating whether or not to request a fourth fandom this year, because I was pretty satisfied with my three that I'd nominated, but then I came across this one and you know something…? It's adorable. And it's tiny. And if you've looked at my other three and none of what I've asked for seems even slightly appealing, this is a very quick fandom to get up to speed on. ^_^ I mean… it's a four minute music video. ^_^
Here, have an embedded video:
And some lyrics:
Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
This is my winter song to you
The storm is coming soon
It rolls in from the sea
My voice, a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
To carry you to me
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love...
They say that things just cannot grow
Beneath the winter snow
Or so I have been told
They say we're buried far
Just like a distant star
I simply cannot hold
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
This is my winter song
December never felt so wrong
'Cause you're not where you belong
Inside my arms
Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
I still believe in summer days
The seasons always change
And life will find a way
I'll be your harvester of light
And send it out tonight
So we can start again
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
This is my winter song
December never felt so wrong
'Cause you're not where you belong
Inside my arms
This is my winter song to you
The storm is coming soon
It rolls in from the sea
My love, a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
To carry you to me
(16x)
Is love alive?
For some reason, I watched that video and read the lyrics and I just fell in love with the two little stop motion people. They're so adorable together and I want to know more about them. I have this mental image of them cuddled up in front of a fireplace, snuggling in blankets and pillows and drinking hot apple cider. Maybe one of the girls is pining for a lost love and the other girl is pining for her. Maybe the pining girl one day realizes that what she's been looking for has been in her house and in her arms this whole time. Maybe once she has that realization, that's when the spring comes and the two live happily ever after. I don't know. But I think they're adorable and I'd love to see them snuggling. Bonus if a fireplace and cuddly winter traditions are involved. ^_^
*deep breath* And I think that's it. Like I said, if any of the details I provided don't work for you, feel free to toss them out the window and write what's most comfortable for you. If you are happy and excited about what you're writing, I'm sure I will love it. Passion comes across and I do not in any way want to dampen yours. ^_^ I certainly won't object if you want to accommodate me in my far-too-verbose additional requests, but as stated many times, totally not a requirement. ^_^ Go with your gut. The fact that you're writing in one of these fandoms for me, at all, is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY WRITING!
A grateful recipient
I'll warn you ahead of time… I'm a bit verbose. I usually don't know when to quit talking. So, uh… hope you're comfy?
So, without any further ado…
Dear Yuletide Author,
First and foremost I'd like to offer up a huge "Thank You!!" to you for writing for me. I know how difficult it can be to put any part of your creative process into the hands of another individual, so I will treat that trust with the care and respect it deserves by not being too greedy or selfish. I am already happy that you are willing to write me a story in a fandom of my choosing and with characters of my choice. It would be the icing on the cake if you are willing to include my other requests, as well, but ultimately if they don't work for you, please feel free to ignore them. ^_^
A note on rating and kink:
Pretty much any rating can fly. I'm always up for a good PWP, but I love G-rated fluff just as much. My general reading preferences tend towards slash (or femslash), and unless it's a personal pet pairing (which I will list, if it applies), het doesn't do much for me. If NC-17 is your writing poison of choice, I'm certainly OK with that ^_~, but there aren't too many kinks that work for me. I usually like my fic sex fairly vanilla with the exception of this random dub-con/non-con/bondage/angry!sex kink I seem to have developed. A little power play between friends is all just good fun, though, right? And, apparently pegging or any other such thing which puts a woman in the dominant position over the man… pretty hot, too.
*coughs* Movingonnow.
A note on general fic likes and dislikes:
I love a good angst-fest. I really do. Hurt-comfort? Yes, please. Unrequited love? Oh, absolutely. Mental and emotional trauma? You had me at "Me--". Boys who can't seem to get a clue and when they do, have trouble holding on to it? My bread and butter. Thing is… I love my fluff just as hard. Cuddling in front of a fireplace? Oh, please, gimme. Romantic moonlit walks on the beach? No problems there. Domestic bliss of any kind? Oh, no question. ;) The punchline? I'm in most fanfiction for the character development and interaction. Fight/action scenes aren't really my thing. Give me a good navel-gazing, introspective character study with almost no dialogue and a boatload of self-analysis and I'm happy as a clam. Of course… I'm just as thrilled with interactive witty banter and shenanigans. ^_^ Ultimately, it's about the characters for me, though, so I prefer them in-character, even if the setting or situation isn't straight out of the original (though AUs like high school AUs aren't really my thing, either). Also, since it really is all about the characters for me… I'd prefer no original characters.
I like my stories to have at least the flavor of the original fandom setting/universe, but if you want to change it up within that or set it in the future of the universe, I'm OK with that, too. Excessive dialect use is a bit of a turn-off -- a touch for authenticity is OK, but once it crosses the line into making the dialogue difficult to understand, it's just irritating. Honestly… just about anything else can fly. Like I said, I'm not in this to be too greedy and even though I'm the one requesting this story, you're ultimately the one writing it. I'm not the only one who should be happy with how it turns out. ^_~
Specific Requests (in no particular order):
(Uh, one warning. For some of these, I don't have specific prompts in mind. Having done these challenges before, I realize that can be both a blessing and a curse. :-P So, for those for which I have no prompt, I'll try to tell you what I like about those fandoms and characters to at least give you a little guidance. Of course, as mentioned above, you're welcome to ignore everything I say if it doesn't work for you. ^_~ Onward!)
1. Foreverman -- Boles; William Timeson (Foreverman), Jack Mercer (Foreverman)
(I didn't specifically request Elizabeth Morgan or Jim Hawkins, but if you want to include either or both, I would be totally happy at the addition. I just didn't want to make the matching impossible. ^_~)
Click picture for video of the two lead actors singing "Sons of Adam" -- the song in which Will (right) convinces Jack (left) to drink the elixir and become immortal with him.
My "pimp post" for Foreverman because I realize that not everyone is familiar with random NYMF musicals that play for 2 weeks. ^_~ This gives some general background information for the show, as well as some of my thoughts on what I love about it.
Optional Details are optional: What I truly love about this show is the relationship between Will and Jack and how it changes through the years. Will is 10 when Jack follows him home, the orphaned lord of the manor taking in the desperate, starving street thief. They grow up like brothers but always with this sense that Jack owes Will for everything. They have a tremendous blow-out about a year after becoming immortal and go their separate ways for the next 200 years. In that time, they both live countless numbers of lives, but at the core, nothing really changes. Towards the end of the musical they have a reconciliation, each finally seeing the other for who they are now, not who they were in the beginning. Every stage of this development fascinates me and I would love to see a story explore this relationship in any of its nuanced shades. ^_^
Now, if you are the kind of person who likes a bit more guidance than that, I do have a few prompts to offer… oh boy, do I ever. ^_~ (If not, as always, feel free to ignore suggestions and write what feels right. ^_^):
1) Will and/or Jack's thoughts/activities during their time of separation: Will mentions having had countless other names and other lives and we know that Jack must have, as well, though he stayed closer to home. What were they doing? What were they thinking/feeling? Did they ever think about each other?
2) Their meeting after 200 years: Will was startled and upset to find Jack already installed at the Fairwright mansion while Jack clearly knew Will was coming and wanted a reconciliation. On stage we see Will's initial rejection of all of Jack's advances of friendship, but when Jack is kicked out of his cushy place with the Fairwrights, even with that initial frosty reception, he runs straight back to Will. Through the course of the tragic events that follow, they reach several understandings -- that they really only have each other in this world, that they each fear eternity and eternity alone, and that Jack really is a person in his own right, worthy of respect. Why the change of heart? How did it happen?
3) What happened after the musical? Will sings very eloquently about being afraid that he'll still be here when the end of all things comes around. That's a whole lot of time to play with. ^_^ (This is one of the few places when I wouldn't mind a little creative AU happening.) What are Will and Jack like in the early 1900s? How about the turn of the century/present day? What about 4000 years in the future? Have they become kings among men? Are they in hiding? Is this a utopian future or a dystopian one? What about that dreaded day when the Sun goes nova and the Earth is destroyed? You want to peek through my works completed lists ( Part I and Part II) or my LJ tags to find something else that interests me and might be fun to cross this over with? You know what? Go for it. ^_^ It's probably the one and only time I'll invite crossover/world-building ideas for Yuletide. There's so much room to explore… so have fun and play! ^_^
So… here's the other thing about Will and Jack. I read/see/watch just about everything with my slash goggles on. I would love to see actual slash/relationship fic for these two, but if that's not your cup of tea and you'd rather write them as close friends/brothers, I’m OK with that, too. Like I said, their entire relationship, no matter how you look at it, is fascinating to me and they've run the gamut from brothers to friends to enemies to friends to brothers (to lovers? ^_~) and back several times, I'm sure. Wherever you want to pause in that spectrum to look at their relationship is fine with me. ^_^
I also find that this is one of those rare instances that I might almost prefer an R-rated or below story. Don't get me wrong, though -- if you give me prOn for them, I will be MORE than happy, it's just not the driving force behind what I'm interested in about them. Thus why I'd be equally happy with not!slash. ^_^
Also, I realize that not many people will be familiar with this fandom. If you get here by matching with another fandom and want to give this one a go or if you're trolling for treat ideas and are intrigued, I do have a full audio of the show available (Act I & Act II) for your listening pleasure. ^_^ If you have questions about the musical feel free to comment anonymously or contact me through the mods and I'll be more than happy to babble endlessly at you about it. ^_~
2. Jeremiah -- TV, Jeremiah, Markus, Erin, Theo Coleridge
Again, my "pimp post" for this series.
Oh... Jeremiah. ^_^ Your dystopian, disaster-ridden, well-intentioned, mommy/daddy-issued, f'ed up plottiness gets me every time. The idea of an entire world full of people who grew up from childhood with no guiding parental force is not entirely original (Peter Pan, Star Trek TOS's "Miri", the list goes on), but how they handled it in this show, I thought, was particularly brilliant. I love how you have a range in attitude from those old enough to remember the days before the Big Death and thus endlessly angst and wish after those lost technologies and the easy lives they had and those who were so young at the time that this screwed up remnant of a world is all they know and they embrace it. I love how there are pockets of people trying to reclaim civilization and others that embrace the utter lawlessness of a world with no rules. Most of all I love how every single person in this world has a touch of the sulky and rebellious teenager in them and how, ironically, it's the oldest ones who cling to each other most desperately to assuage their fears of abandonment. LOVE IT.
So, this is a show where I'm definitely 'ship-happy and definitely slash-happy. And I will accept anything from the G-rated domesticity of someone finding a way to make chocolate chip cookies and making a mess in the kitchen all the way to an NC-17 "Oh, you're here? Let's have sex!" kind of story. I'd prefer the relationship be at the core of what is written, but if you're not comfortable with the idea of slash, I'd be perfectly happy with anything exploring the two relationships I’m interested in, even as enemies/wary friends/best buds. One last thing: if you're not comfortable writing these pairings as romantic relationships, I really have no problem with you writing them as gen/friendship and would prefer that to you pairing them up differently. Thank you!
Optional Details are optional: I don't have any specific plotty ideas for this request, so I'll just give you an idea about what I like about these pairings to give you a jumping off point. ^_^ (Also, if you want to include both relationships in your fic, that would be wonderful, but if only one of them strikes your writing fancy, I'm completely OK with you spotlighting one relationship and just mentioning the other characters/relationship in the background or ignoring them completely. I don't want to make this impossible, after all. ^_~)
1) Jeremiah/Markus
Uh... this actually isn't what it looks like... but I wish it were. ^_~ Season 1, Episode 18 ~29 minutes in -- the episode this scene comes from (on Hulu)
I do not know what it is about those two that I love so. By all rights a relationship between them should not work… but in my head, it does. There are moments between them when you see that Jeremiah is the only one that Markus lets his guard down around -- the time he gets drunk and Jermiah is the one to find and take care of him, the way that Jeremiah is the only one he's comfortable enough around to show his rage and frustration, the way that Jeremiah doesn't believe in anyone… yet he believes in Markus. I love that. Everything about it.
2) Erin/Theo -- If women/femslash is more your cup of tea, then I love these two just as much as Jeremiah and Markus. There's something about a pair of women who are each practically competence porn incarnate, yet straddle opposite sides of the good/evil line… oh-my-gawd, that's hot. ^_^ I love how Theo is so evil and just revels in it, yet when she decides to stand up and put her foot down for what's right… holy hot damn does everyone sit up and listen and follow. And yet… at the same time, because of her season 2 situation, she ends up vulnerable. And then you have Erin -- the warrior woman, standing for all that is good and right… but not afraid to get her hands dirty to accomplish it. And after all the men in the series prove that they are woefully inadequate at dealing with Theo… Erin just walks right up and slams all of her shit right back into her teeth. And Theo takes it. And they recognize that kindred spirit in each other and become fast, though uneasy, friends… and every male in Thunder Mountain probably dove for cover when those two joined forces. ^_^ So. Yeah. Love.
Season 2, Episode 5:
Theo and Erin had two conversations earlier in this episode, dealing with Theo's pregnancy, once where Theo admitted that she was considering not keeping the baby. Erin tells her some harsh truths and tells her to get over it and stop looking back, to start looking forward, instead. Theo comes after her later and finds her in the gym, working out....Theo: You owe me an apology.
Erin: For what?
T: Bein' a bitch.
E: Sorry, truth hurts.
*Theo starts to walk away, Erin gets off the treadmill and follows*
E: What are you afraid of?
T: I'm not afraid of anything, OK? *turns to glare at Erin* I'm not afraid of the world, I'm not afraid of the future.
E: Then what are you afraid of?
T: I'm afraid I might make a rotten mother! OK? Christ! I don't know how to be a mother. I"m a warrior. I was out there kicking ass and taking names and makin' a way for myself while you were sittin' in here sipping on tea for 16 years.
E: You're a fighter.
T: All the way. Because, I hate to fail.
E: *softly* And now you're afraid you're going to fail at this, is that it?
T: *starts to choke up* I don't want to raise somebody that's gonna come out as screwed up as I am, OK? And I don't know any other way to raise a kid, Erin. *pleading look* All I have to offer is what I am and what I got... and I just don't know if that's gonna be enough.
E: It is, Theo. Yes, you're afraid. It's... it's natural to be afraid. It just means you're going to try damned hard not to screw up.
T: *turns away* I'm a warrior.
E: So am I, and we're both survivors... but what are we surviving for? Can't you see? We're shaping a world for the future, but the future we're building is here. It's not behind the barrel of a gun. It's not the result of one man keeping another man down. *Theo turns back* It's not the politics. This... *Erin touches Theo's abdomen and Theo looks down at her hand* ...is the future. *Theo looks up and meets Erin's gaze* Whatever you decide to do, you don't have to do it alone.
OMG, YOU TWO. Erin… make an honest woman of her, already!! Then you can both go raise the baby together! ^_^
(I just want to say that I love both of these pairings equally, but I felt Erin/Theo has less cannon support and I went a little screencap-happy trying to highlight the few scenes that give it. ^_~ Also, I didn't want to imply that you need to write a story about them dealing with Theo's preganacy or raising Theo's baby (though that would be adorable, NGL ;D), I just felt that that episode/scene highlighted the give and take of strength, vulnerability and support that I love so much about them. ^_^)
3. Sono Te wo Dokero | Hands Off!: Oohira Tatsuki, Urushiyama Yuuto, Oohira Kotarou
You know the drill, by now, I guess. ^_^ My "pimp post" for Hands Off! And really… that actually just about covers it.
Optional Details are optional: *snipped from the above post with additions*
Personally, I love the codependent, bromancy, I love you/I love you issues between Tatsuki and Kotarou (Heh. See a pattern? ^_~), but ultimately, I really do like the canon het pairing of Kotarou and Mio -- they're just too adorable. What I will likely ask for in my requests is something exploring the relationship between Tatsuki and Yuuto... because, honestly, I ship them like mad. Something about they way they circle around each other, both too damaged, both too "cool" to really admit they rely on each other as much as they do on Kotarou... it sets off my slash sensors. ^_~
I would love to see something exploring how the two of them interact when Kotarou is not around, because Yuuto has this amazing way (mostly by cheating with his gift, but that's all right ^_~) of figuring Tatsuki out and using the information to get under his skin. And for a boy (Tatsuki) who has so much trouble expressing how he feels, having someone around who knows -- without having to be told, no less -- has to be a huge weight off his back. Again, I'd love some 'shippiness between them, but if you want to explore the relationship as a friendship, that's all right with me, too. Any rating can fly. ^_~
Of course, I would also never turn down the bromancy/f'ed up goodness which is Tatsuki and Kotarou. ^_^ They just… just… GEH. They're like brothers and they love each other and they hate each other and they need each other and they hurt each other while trying to protect each other and they're SO screwed up and I love it. ^_^
4. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles (Music Video): Brown Haired Girl, Red Headed Girl
OK, guys. I'm going for it. ^_^ I was debating whether or not to request a fourth fandom this year, because I was pretty satisfied with my three that I'd nominated, but then I came across this one and you know something…? It's adorable. And it's tiny. And if you've looked at my other three and none of what I've asked for seems even slightly appealing, this is a very quick fandom to get up to speed on. ^_^ I mean… it's a four minute music video. ^_^
Here, have an embedded video:
Click to viewAnd some lyrics:
Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
This is my winter song to you
The storm is coming soon
It rolls in from the sea
My voice, a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
To carry you to me
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love...
They say that things just cannot grow
Beneath the winter snow
Or so I have been told
They say we're buried far
Just like a distant star
I simply cannot hold
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
This is my winter song
December never felt so wrong
'Cause you're not where you belong
Inside my arms
Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
I still believe in summer days
The seasons always change
And life will find a way
I'll be your harvester of light
And send it out tonight
So we can start again
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love alive?
This is my winter song
December never felt so wrong
'Cause you're not where you belong
Inside my arms
This is my winter song to you
The storm is coming soon
It rolls in from the sea
My love, a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
To carry you to me
(16x)
Is love alive?
For some reason, I watched that video and read the lyrics and I just fell in love with the two little stop motion people. They're so adorable together and I want to know more about them. I have this mental image of them cuddled up in front of a fireplace, snuggling in blankets and pillows and drinking hot apple cider. Maybe one of the girls is pining for a lost love and the other girl is pining for her. Maybe the pining girl one day realizes that what she's been looking for has been in her house and in her arms this whole time. Maybe once she has that realization, that's when the spring comes and the two live happily ever after. I don't know. But I think they're adorable and I'd love to see them snuggling. Bonus if a fireplace and cuddly winter traditions are involved. ^_^
*deep breath* And I think that's it. Like I said, if any of the details I provided don't work for you, feel free to toss them out the window and write what's most comfortable for you. If you are happy and excited about what you're writing, I'm sure I will love it. Passion comes across and I do not in any way want to dampen yours. ^_^ I certainly won't object if you want to accommodate me in my far-too-verbose additional requests, but as stated many times, totally not a requirement. ^_^ Go with your gut. The fact that you're writing in one of these fandoms for me, at all, is plenty enough to have me thrilled and excited and bouncing for joy. ^_^
Thank you, again, and HAPPY WRITING!
A grateful recipient