Dear Yuletide Writer,
Hi! Thank you for writing me a story! As I'm sure you already know, optional details are optional; I hope some of this is helpful to you - please disregard whatever isn't, I'd really rather you enjoyed yourself writing a story you like. And I really like getting stories I would never have thought of myself, so, seriously, if you have another idea, feel free to write that. I decided to just ask for the three fandoms I really, really want this year. I love them all and would be delighted with practically any kind of story in any of them.
If you are one of those people that researches their recipient, I'm afraid I rarely update this LJ. In fact, a post or so back is last year's Yuletide letter, (and a couple of posts back from that is the year before,) from which this has mostly been cribbed. I have a delicious account
here, of stories I like, if that helps, including a couple in these fandoms.
Some things I like: bantering and bickering and snark and snappy dialogue; sexual tension and stoic pining and desperate, breathless longing; first kisses; holding hands; wanting to touch but not touching; finally touching after omg so long; canon-derived aus; stories about rebuilding and restoration; stories about friendship and family; unconditional trust in the face of apparent betrayal; unconditional loyalty; common sense; adventures, capers, hijinx and derring do; secrets revealed and cats out of bags; political machinations and twistiness; ass kicking; smart people being smart; mysteries; actions having consequences; competent people being competent; love being shown through action; ethical dilemmas; did I mention my competence kink?; complicated people being complicated; rational behaviour in the face of the irrational; superpowers; tentacles; woke up a girl; body switching; psychic adventures; second chances; hopefulness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness; not making the same mistake twice; our heroes against the world; people who complete each other; people who are complete in themselves; fucked up people finding happiness despite themselves; well adjusted people arranging happiness for themselves and those around them.
Some things I do not like: meanspiritedness, sap, humiliation (I have such an embarrassment squick), character bashing, misogyny (including phrases like "don't be such a girl"), infidelity, introspective navel-gazing. I do not particularly want alternate reality AUs (dragon kings in space, etc) or crossovers for any of these fandoms (though I like them in general, so if you're really inspired go for it). I also would prefer not a Christmas or holiday related story.
I can take any amount of angst in the middle but very much prefer happy endings. I'm fine with any rating.
Sohryuden | Legend of the Dragon Kings (Tsuzuku/Hajime)
Tsuzuku/Hajime slash or brotherly gen would be fantastic, I just would really love to have a story about them. I would also be very happy with dirty wrong Lady L/Tsuzuku or Lady L/Hajime, or even Tsuzuku/Mizuichi or Hajime and Matsuri trying another date. The first six eps are my favourite if you want to write ep-related fic; I hate the stupid ending, so post-series AUs ftw. Seriously anything, *anything* in this fandom would make me so overjoyed.
If you didn't offer it (and you probably didn't offer it ;)) but you're stuck on the fandom you *did* sign up for, you can
download LDK here (change file extension to .avi) or I believe it's netflixable in the US, though difficult/impossible to find elsewhere (twelve 45 min episodes on six discs, which are inconveniently not numbered - the order is: Under Fire, Black Dragon, Red Dragon, Iron Dragon, White Dragon, Blue Dragon.) It is quite an old anime, and the animation is not great, but I love it anyway. Most of my favourite moments are in the first six episodes, and I must admit it gets a little slow thereafter - so if you want to watch half of it and go wildly AU, that would be fine with me ;).
Um, I have nothing more to say about Dragon Kings! I just love it because I do, but I love it a *lot*.
Sono Te wo Dokero | Hands Off! (Tatsuki/Kotarou)
Request: Tatsuki/Kotarou slash would be fantastic, but I would be just as happy with gen. Basically I'd love a story about their awkward, messed up love for each other, whatever kind of love you think that is. I'm fine with Kota/Mio if you write gen and want to include it, I love Yuuto, I love ensemble stories, and psychic adventures are always JUST FINE with me. I'd prefer fic set during or after the manga (rather than 'when they were little' fic), but I am still annoyed at the ending if you want to go AU there.
I didn't write much of a prompt because I really don't know what I want, just: more of that! Um, I guess my favourite thing about Hands Off! is even though it is angsty it is also really warm and affectionate.
If you don't know Hands Off!, it's a manga - eight volumes of AWESOME (plus a two volume prequel, "Don't Call Us Angels". I really like that too but it's about different characters who I forgot to nominate again). If you're curious about it, there's
a good fansite with a summary etc.
Honoo no Mirage | Mirage of Blaze (Naoe/Takaya)
Request: I know how the novels end and I want no part of it. It drives me crazy that after 400 years and AMNESIA they still can't get it right - some hope for Naoe and Takaya/Kagetora, please? Don't make it too easy, but there's got to be a way out of this miserable cycle somewhere. Otherwise, all the crack and melodrama you can bring probably still won't exceed canon, so do your worst. Yeah, that's right. I'm daring you. Wingfic, tentacle porn, genderfuck, amnesia (oh wait), accidentally-got-married - this pairing is crying out for emoporn and terrible, terrible cliches. Or not, I like serious stories too. Really, anything goes.
There are so many different stories I want in this fandom I couldn't tell you them all if I had a month. I *would* like something that focuses on their relationship, but that covers a *vast* amount of ground. Porn is fine, gen (well, as gen as these two ever get) is fine - follow your heart! This page has
a lot of useful reference links and
dark agenda has a
beta resource post if you're worried about getting cultural/historical details wrong.
If you haven't seen it, I do recommend it. It's 13 episodes on 4 DVDs (there are 3 OVAs as well, but I haven't seen them yet). It's got reincarnation and psychic adventures and totally fucked up people with superpowers!!
Good luck!