dear yuletide writer!
Thank you for writing a story for me! I am
Isis on AO3.
My prompts are spoilery, so I'll start with some spoiler-free information about each fandom, just in case you're not feeling inspired about your assignment and want to try something else. Links go to prompts and details.
Он - дракон | I Am Dragon (2015): this Russian movie is basically the Beauty and the Beast story (though my request is for a minor character). It somehow manages to be both pretentious and cheesy at the same time! It's free to watch if you have Amazon Prime, and I believe it's also on Netflix.
The Necessary Beggar - Susan Palwick: this is a novel published by Tor in 2005, but (distressingly) relevant today, given that it's about literal aliens (or rather, dark-skinned humans from another dimension/reality/world) in a US refugee border camp. It's a solid and engaging story as well as an indictment of the way the United States dehumanizes immigrants.
The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon: this recent and rather long novel is a fantasy set in a world with countries that vaguely resemble medieval England, the Netherlands, Arabia, and Japan. There is a canon f/f relationship, though my request is for a different character.
Tempur-Pedic "Agent of Sleep" Spec Commercial: this is a one-minute video available here on Youtube in which two hot guys pursue each other, fighting, crashing through some poor family's apartment, grappling with each other from room to room until they crash into the bedroom and fall onto the mattress...and fall asleep. Spooning.
Likes: I like historical (if appropriate) and worldbuildy detail, scenery porn, what-if AUs, original characters (along with, not instead of, any requested ones, unless otherwise specified), strong canonical feel, time travel, bodyswap, ghost/afterlife stories, mythological and supernatural elements, and magical realism. As you can probably tell from my specific fandom details, the setting and worldbuilding are as important to me as the characters, so I'm not a fan of AU that completely changes the setting, but if you have a brilliant idea, go for it; I would prefer "interesting" to "mundane" AUs, e.g., in SPAAAACE yes, coffeeshop no. (Coffeeshop in SPAAAACE, okay!). Except as noted, I would like happy endings and no major character death.
DNW: I do not want fic focusing on pregnancy or children (mentions of either are fine), A/B/O or BSDM dynamics, or major character death (other than canon deaths). I do not want anything that contradicts the characters being cisgender as presented in canon. I do not want fic that uses unconventional pronouns (e.g. 'xie'), or nonstandard capitalization or punctuation. I do not want any noncanon romantic/sexual relationships even in the background, other than those I explicitly request.
Sex and relationships: Please don't break up any specified relationships (if they're not canonical, please don't put the characters in relationships other than the ones I've mentioned I like) or add in any unrequested background non-canonical relationship. Canonical background relationships are fine. Explicit sex okay, non-explicit sex is okay, no sex is okay, but any sex should be in believable language for that era or fandom. UST, gen, het, slash, femslash, whatever. It's all good. I don't care for PWP, as I need at least a little context that establishes the world and those characters. I also prefer sex scenes that focus on emotions and perceptions rather than on the mechanics of what goes where, and I am rather vanilla in my preferences where kink is concerned: mouths, hands, genitals, toys, all are fine, but I'm not into BSDM or bloodplay or watersports or anything that you would specifically tag as a kink. I like kissing, touching, oral sex, penetrative sex, frottage, pegging, mutual masturbation, outdoor sex, indoor sex, and pretty much any position two bodies can contort themselves into. I am not interested in threesomes, moresomes, or poly fic in these fandoms.
Characters: The characters I've chosen are the ones I want the focus on, but the choice of what kind of story to write and who to include in it lies with you. Feel free to take things in whatever direction you like and/or include characters I haven't mentioned, including original characters (though please keep the focus on my requested characters).
Crossovers: I love crossovers, but if you choose to write one, please make sure (either through checking my fic, tags [reading will find books, viewing will find movies and TV shows, games will find games, and some fandoms have tags as well; also you can check my Goodreads 'read' shelf for books], asking my friends, or asking the mods to ask me) that I know the other source. I have a particular soft spot for crossovers with real historical characters.
Style: I generally prefer plot (as in, things happening; doesn't have to be elaborate or long - as contrasted with character studies), past tense (either first person or third person - I am less fond of second person), and lots of dialogue. But these are preferences, not hard DNWs, and if you have a brilliant idea that requires second person or present tense, go ahead. My only hard preferences are for conventional pronouns (he/she/they as appropriate), capitalization, and punctuation. I'm happy with epistolary fic, and if you want to create interactive fiction (second person is fine for this, or otherwise as you prefer), go for it! I have no preference on story length - make it as long (or as short) as it needs to be.
Wrapping paper challenge art treats: I would love art for any of these fandoms! I like both serious portraits and funny little cartoons. I have a soft spot for art in which one character is doing something typical-but-alarming, and the other is rolling his or her eyes, or reacting with horror, or getting ready to douse them with a bucket of water, or whatever. Stylistically, I love interesting and experimental compositions, unusual perspectives, emphasis on textures such as hair and clothing, and scenery porn (Mountains! Trees! Cliffs with water crashing on them! Brooding ruins of an ancient castle!) and I like line drawings as well as full color. If I receive any art treats, I will do my best to write a ficlet for the artist based on the art! (Though it may take a while; I'm in the middle of writing a fic for the lovely art I got two years ago, because it accidentally became longfic...)
And now on to the specific fandoms:
Он - дракон | I Am Dragon (2015) (Yaroslava)
While I enjoyed this movie in all its glorious cheesy fantasy, I couldn't help but feel that Miroslava's beautiful older sister Yaroslava was a bit of a mystery. Why is her younger sister marrying while she remains unmarried? Perhaps she is she expected to care for her father and his household, but secretly resents that this is her role. What does she think about Mira's match with Igor (who is good-looking but a boor, and possibly only wants to marry into the royal family so he can become the ruler in time)?
I'd love to see her meeting Mira and Arman in the future - and her new niece! Maybe Yaroslava (Yara?) originally pined for Igor, but then saw what a jerk he was, and now he pursues her but she is having none of it. (I would not object to her falling for his helmsman, who seemed uncommonly sensible and not unattractive!) Or perhaps she's avoided romantic entanglements because she's a lesbian, and her sister's bold choice gives her the push to strike off and find a lover of her own: an original character, or someone from another canon. (Elsa from Frozen would be an entertaining possibility! And I would totally adore Ciri from The Witcher! Or Arya Stark!)
I really like the costumes and scenery in this film (the glorious headdresses! the dragon island!) and would love anything that evokes the physical landscapes, the contrast between the lush beauty of the island and the stark frozen village, or the contrast between the formal clothing of the wedding and betrothal celebrations and the easy informality outside.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW Yaroslava/Igor as endgame (it's fine in the past, or on the way to an eventual other pairing).
The Necessary Beggar - Susan Palwick (Timbor, Zamatryna)
What I like about this book is its messiness and shades of gray, the fact that even in the relative Eden of Lémabantunk there was drunkenness and misunderstanding; nobody's perfectly good or perfectly bad. I also appreciate the theme that understanding and empathy and love are crucial for living in a society.
I have asked for both Timbor and Zamatryna, but I am fine with a story that focuses on just one of them, as long as the other's also present (which I can't imagine they wouldn't be). I would love to see a glimpse of their lives post-canon, either shortly after the book ends, or many years down the road.
Timbor: Does he continue to dream of Lémabantunk, and Darroti and Gallicina? Does he continue to drive a taxi, or does he end up in a different line of work that surprises him and his family? Does he remarry? (If so, I would like him to marry an original female character.) Does he remain friends with Stan? How does he see the changes in the members of his family, and how does he feel about America as it changes around him?
Zamatryna: What does she eventually become: a lawyer, as she decides for practical reasons, or a doctor as she also considers, or the social worker she thinks she'd like to be - or something else? Does she focus on the money to help her family, or does she throw herself into helping refugees? I am less interested in her relationship with Jerry, but if you'd like to write about it, I would enjoy seeing them negotiating the difficulties and complexities of their marriage and life together, which would fit the themes of the novel well. If they break up, I would like a friendly, non-acrimonious relationship to result.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW Timbor/Zamatryna and Timbor/any male, and my character death DNW does not apply to Timbor's death from old age if you choose to include that. As the book is set in the real world, I'm okay with incorporating actual American politics around immigration.
The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (Tané)
Multiple threads run through this novel, but I was most captivated by Tané's story: her ambition, her mistake, her success, her downfall; the revelation about her ancestry, and her redemption and reward. Please tell me what happens to Tané after the events of the novel!
I love her relationship with her dragon Nayimathun, and I would love seeing her holding to her vow and seeking out the Golden Empress to stop the trade in dragonflesh. (There is a serious potential for enemies-to-lovers here! Or not!) Perhaps you can expand on her role as "unofficial ambassador between Seiiki and the Empire of the Twelve Lakes". Maybe she reunites the Unceasing Emperor with his lost love, who surely must be the Golden Empress? Or perhaps she herself becomes the lover of the Emperor, or of Ghonra, the adopted daughter of the Golden Empress? Ooh, I think I really do ship Ghonra/Tané!
I admit that I think of Tané as being lesbian, partly due to her deep attachment to Susa. (Maybe Susa's ghost haunts her, and eventually they reconcile?) But I also would not mind seeing a rivals-to-lovers plot with Turosa. So really, if you want a shippy plot, I can be convinced of anything. But gen is totally fine, as well! Just write me Tané finding her way after the events of the book, and I will be happy.
I would also be interested in seeing Tané simply exploring the world. There's a lot of lovely scenery porn in the novel, and I would love to see her wonder in visiting places outside Seiiki.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW a sexual relationship between Tané and Nayimathun.
Tempur-Pedic "Agent of Sleep" Spec Commercial (Man in Hoodie, Man in Leather Jacket)
I watched this like six times in a row. It's adorable! And I want the whole story: why are these guys chasing each other? What is their relationship to each other? And, most importantly: what happens after they wake up?
Maybe Hoodie Guy is a wanted criminal, and Leather Jacket is the FBI or equivalent agent pursuing him. Maybe they work for rival firms, or are in rival gangs, or are rivals within the same organization. Maybe they're brothers! I'm happy with any shippy or non-shippy relationship between them. (I'm not particularly into incest, but if that's what you see here, that's fine with me.) Maybe they try to have an affair, after this, but keep falling asleep when they get together. Maybe they are embarrassed about having fallen asleep together and keep denying their relationship until they can't anymore. Maybe they discover they can only sleep when they're in each other's arms! Whatever you choose, I'd like the humor of the situation to be foregrounded.
My general likes and DNWs apply, except that I'm okay with relationships between either of these characters and original characters (m/m or m/f).
If none of my vague ideas appeal to you, I assure you that as long as you incorporate things I have said I like, and avoid things I have listed as dislikes, I will be happy with whatever you choose to create!
Crossposted from isis at Dreamwidth where there are
comments. | Comment at Dreamwidth
Isis on AO3.
My prompts are spoilery, so I'll start with some spoiler-free information about each fandom, just in case you're not feeling inspired about your assignment and want to try something else. Links go to prompts and details.
Он - дракон | I Am Dragon (2015): this Russian movie is basically the Beauty and the Beast story (though my request is for a minor character). It somehow manages to be both pretentious and cheesy at the same time! It's free to watch if you have Amazon Prime, and I believe it's also on Netflix.
The Necessary Beggar - Susan Palwick: this is a novel published by Tor in 2005, but (distressingly) relevant today, given that it's about literal aliens (or rather, dark-skinned humans from another dimension/reality/world) in a US refugee border camp. It's a solid and engaging story as well as an indictment of the way the United States dehumanizes immigrants.
The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon: this recent and rather long novel is a fantasy set in a world with countries that vaguely resemble medieval England, the Netherlands, Arabia, and Japan. There is a canon f/f relationship, though my request is for a different character.
Tempur-Pedic "Agent of Sleep" Spec Commercial: this is a one-minute video available here on Youtube in which two hot guys pursue each other, fighting, crashing through some poor family's apartment, grappling with each other from room to room until they crash into the bedroom and fall onto the mattress...and fall asleep. Spooning.
Likes: I like historical (if appropriate) and worldbuildy detail, scenery porn, what-if AUs, original characters (along with, not instead of, any requested ones, unless otherwise specified), strong canonical feel, time travel, bodyswap, ghost/afterlife stories, mythological and supernatural elements, and magical realism. As you can probably tell from my specific fandom details, the setting and worldbuilding are as important to me as the characters, so I'm not a fan of AU that completely changes the setting, but if you have a brilliant idea, go for it; I would prefer "interesting" to "mundane" AUs, e.g., in SPAAAACE yes, coffeeshop no. (Coffeeshop in SPAAAACE, okay!). Except as noted, I would like happy endings and no major character death.
DNW: I do not want fic focusing on pregnancy or children (mentions of either are fine), A/B/O or BSDM dynamics, or major character death (other than canon deaths). I do not want anything that contradicts the characters being cisgender as presented in canon. I do not want fic that uses unconventional pronouns (e.g. 'xie'), or nonstandard capitalization or punctuation. I do not want any noncanon romantic/sexual relationships even in the background, other than those I explicitly request.
Sex and relationships: Please don't break up any specified relationships (if they're not canonical, please don't put the characters in relationships other than the ones I've mentioned I like) or add in any unrequested background non-canonical relationship. Canonical background relationships are fine. Explicit sex okay, non-explicit sex is okay, no sex is okay, but any sex should be in believable language for that era or fandom. UST, gen, het, slash, femslash, whatever. It's all good. I don't care for PWP, as I need at least a little context that establishes the world and those characters. I also prefer sex scenes that focus on emotions and perceptions rather than on the mechanics of what goes where, and I am rather vanilla in my preferences where kink is concerned: mouths, hands, genitals, toys, all are fine, but I'm not into BSDM or bloodplay or watersports or anything that you would specifically tag as a kink. I like kissing, touching, oral sex, penetrative sex, frottage, pegging, mutual masturbation, outdoor sex, indoor sex, and pretty much any position two bodies can contort themselves into. I am not interested in threesomes, moresomes, or poly fic in these fandoms.
Characters: The characters I've chosen are the ones I want the focus on, but the choice of what kind of story to write and who to include in it lies with you. Feel free to take things in whatever direction you like and/or include characters I haven't mentioned, including original characters (though please keep the focus on my requested characters).
Crossovers: I love crossovers, but if you choose to write one, please make sure (either through checking my fic, tags [reading will find books, viewing will find movies and TV shows, games will find games, and some fandoms have tags as well; also you can check my Goodreads 'read' shelf for books], asking my friends, or asking the mods to ask me) that I know the other source. I have a particular soft spot for crossovers with real historical characters.
Style: I generally prefer plot (as in, things happening; doesn't have to be elaborate or long - as contrasted with character studies), past tense (either first person or third person - I am less fond of second person), and lots of dialogue. But these are preferences, not hard DNWs, and if you have a brilliant idea that requires second person or present tense, go ahead. My only hard preferences are for conventional pronouns (he/she/they as appropriate), capitalization, and punctuation. I'm happy with epistolary fic, and if you want to create interactive fiction (second person is fine for this, or otherwise as you prefer), go for it! I have no preference on story length - make it as long (or as short) as it needs to be.
Wrapping paper challenge art treats: I would love art for any of these fandoms! I like both serious portraits and funny little cartoons. I have a soft spot for art in which one character is doing something typical-but-alarming, and the other is rolling his or her eyes, or reacting with horror, or getting ready to douse them with a bucket of water, or whatever. Stylistically, I love interesting and experimental compositions, unusual perspectives, emphasis on textures such as hair and clothing, and scenery porn (Mountains! Trees! Cliffs with water crashing on them! Brooding ruins of an ancient castle!) and I like line drawings as well as full color. If I receive any art treats, I will do my best to write a ficlet for the artist based on the art! (Though it may take a while; I'm in the middle of writing a fic for the lovely art I got two years ago, because it accidentally became longfic...)
And now on to the specific fandoms:
Он - дракон | I Am Dragon (2015) (Yaroslava)
While I enjoyed this movie in all its glorious cheesy fantasy, I couldn't help but feel that Miroslava's beautiful older sister Yaroslava was a bit of a mystery. Why is her younger sister marrying while she remains unmarried? Perhaps she is she expected to care for her father and his household, but secretly resents that this is her role. What does she think about Mira's match with Igor (who is good-looking but a boor, and possibly only wants to marry into the royal family so he can become the ruler in time)?
I'd love to see her meeting Mira and Arman in the future - and her new niece! Maybe Yaroslava (Yara?) originally pined for Igor, but then saw what a jerk he was, and now he pursues her but she is having none of it. (I would not object to her falling for his helmsman, who seemed uncommonly sensible and not unattractive!) Or perhaps she's avoided romantic entanglements because she's a lesbian, and her sister's bold choice gives her the push to strike off and find a lover of her own: an original character, or someone from another canon. (Elsa from Frozen would be an entertaining possibility! And I would totally adore Ciri from The Witcher! Or Arya Stark!)
I really like the costumes and scenery in this film (the glorious headdresses! the dragon island!) and would love anything that evokes the physical landscapes, the contrast between the lush beauty of the island and the stark frozen village, or the contrast between the formal clothing of the wedding and betrothal celebrations and the easy informality outside.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW Yaroslava/Igor as endgame (it's fine in the past, or on the way to an eventual other pairing).
The Necessary Beggar - Susan Palwick (Timbor, Zamatryna)
What I like about this book is its messiness and shades of gray, the fact that even in the relative Eden of Lémabantunk there was drunkenness and misunderstanding; nobody's perfectly good or perfectly bad. I also appreciate the theme that understanding and empathy and love are crucial for living in a society.
I have asked for both Timbor and Zamatryna, but I am fine with a story that focuses on just one of them, as long as the other's also present (which I can't imagine they wouldn't be). I would love to see a glimpse of their lives post-canon, either shortly after the book ends, or many years down the road.
Timbor: Does he continue to dream of Lémabantunk, and Darroti and Gallicina? Does he continue to drive a taxi, or does he end up in a different line of work that surprises him and his family? Does he remarry? (If so, I would like him to marry an original female character.) Does he remain friends with Stan? How does he see the changes in the members of his family, and how does he feel about America as it changes around him?
Zamatryna: What does she eventually become: a lawyer, as she decides for practical reasons, or a doctor as she also considers, or the social worker she thinks she'd like to be - or something else? Does she focus on the money to help her family, or does she throw herself into helping refugees? I am less interested in her relationship with Jerry, but if you'd like to write about it, I would enjoy seeing them negotiating the difficulties and complexities of their marriage and life together, which would fit the themes of the novel well. If they break up, I would like a friendly, non-acrimonious relationship to result.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW Timbor/Zamatryna and Timbor/any male, and my character death DNW does not apply to Timbor's death from old age if you choose to include that. As the book is set in the real world, I'm okay with incorporating actual American politics around immigration.
The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (Tané)
Multiple threads run through this novel, but I was most captivated by Tané's story: her ambition, her mistake, her success, her downfall; the revelation about her ancestry, and her redemption and reward. Please tell me what happens to Tané after the events of the novel!
I love her relationship with her dragon Nayimathun, and I would love seeing her holding to her vow and seeking out the Golden Empress to stop the trade in dragonflesh. (There is a serious potential for enemies-to-lovers here! Or not!) Perhaps you can expand on her role as "unofficial ambassador between Seiiki and the Empire of the Twelve Lakes". Maybe she reunites the Unceasing Emperor with his lost love, who surely must be the Golden Empress? Or perhaps she herself becomes the lover of the Emperor, or of Ghonra, the adopted daughter of the Golden Empress? Ooh, I think I really do ship Ghonra/Tané!
I admit that I think of Tané as being lesbian, partly due to her deep attachment to Susa. (Maybe Susa's ghost haunts her, and eventually they reconcile?) But I also would not mind seeing a rivals-to-lovers plot with Turosa. So really, if you want a shippy plot, I can be convinced of anything. But gen is totally fine, as well! Just write me Tané finding her way after the events of the book, and I will be happy.
I would also be interested in seeing Tané simply exploring the world. There's a lot of lovely scenery porn in the novel, and I would love to see her wonder in visiting places outside Seiiki.
In addition to my general likes and DNWs, for this fandom I DNW a sexual relationship between Tané and Nayimathun.
Tempur-Pedic "Agent of Sleep" Spec Commercial (Man in Hoodie, Man in Leather Jacket)
I watched this like six times in a row. It's adorable! And I want the whole story: why are these guys chasing each other? What is their relationship to each other? And, most importantly: what happens after they wake up?
Maybe Hoodie Guy is a wanted criminal, and Leather Jacket is the FBI or equivalent agent pursuing him. Maybe they work for rival firms, or are in rival gangs, or are rivals within the same organization. Maybe they're brothers! I'm happy with any shippy or non-shippy relationship between them. (I'm not particularly into incest, but if that's what you see here, that's fine with me.) Maybe they try to have an affair, after this, but keep falling asleep when they get together. Maybe they are embarrassed about having fallen asleep together and keep denying their relationship until they can't anymore. Maybe they discover they can only sleep when they're in each other's arms! Whatever you choose, I'd like the humor of the situation to be foregrounded.
My general likes and DNWs apply, except that I'm okay with relationships between either of these characters and original characters (m/m or m/f).
If none of my vague ideas appeal to you, I assure you that as long as you incorporate things I have said I like, and avoid things I have listed as dislikes, I will be happy with whatever you choose to create!
Crossposted from isis at Dreamwidth where there are
comments. | Comment at Dreamwidth