Holly Poly 2024: Dear Author Letter
Nov. 28th, 2024 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aunt_zeldaPlease don't worry about following any particular prompt I have here. I know how anxiety-inducing it can be to get an assignment and have no prompts or idea of what the person likes at all, so I wanted to provide some. If you get a completely different idea, go right ahead, I look forward to whatever you write for this.
My DNWs for this exchange are: suicide/self harm, major character death, major character illness, brutal unhappy endings with no hope in sight, oviposition, rimming, mindbreak, corrective rape (sexuality or gender), character or ship bashing, spelling it "cum," characters under the age of 16 engaging in explicit sex (references to it are ok), fingernail/toenail trauma/injuries, kidfic/de-aging, trypophobia content, teeth damage/trauma, explicit urine/feces/vomit, detailed insects/bugs, first or second person POV, cancer, institutionalization, needles used for torture, eye torture/trauma, breast mutilation (biting or scratching is ok but not more extreme than that), fridging female characters (removing them from the narrative to focus on a male character’s trauma), suicide or assisted suicide as the end of a character/used or framed as a “mercy,” pregnancy, miscarriage, pets being endangered or harmed or killed, unrequested crossovers/fusions with other fandoms, explicit child abuse (references to it are ok), petplay, sexual ageplay, bimboification, calling anyone "daddy" in a sexual context.
General things I like: character A teaching character B to defend themselves, bandaging wounds, navigating polyamory, asexual characters in romantic relationships, mad scientists, lore & legends, symbolic dreams, powerplays and power reversals, coping with long-term injuries and/or scars, roadtrips, pirate AUs, space pirate AUs, vampire AUs, werewolf AUs, nonsexual BDSM, traditions and loyalty rituals, gothic horror, gothic romance, horror in the vein of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, survival challenges, being trapped by storms/weather, monster and human friendships/alliances, holidays (real or invented), worldbuilding, platonic sleeping together for comfort, making/sharing food together, found family, character focus/exploration, asexual and/or trans headcanons, role reversal AU.
Smutty stuff I like: Oh No There Is Only One Bed, sexual BDSM, tentacles, xenokink/monsterfucking, hypnotism, aftercare, bratty bottoms getting taught manners, service kink, orgasm denial (that eventually ends, not unending torture), multiple orgasms, two dominants double-teaming a sub, dubious consent acknowledged as such, bdsm session where a character calls their safeword and they have to stop the scene, threesomes, kink negotiation, polyamory, first time sex, consensual voyeurism, masturbation, bondage, wax play/other sensation play, spanking with hands, flogging/whipping, D/s roleplay, sex toys, choking/breathplay.
Darker stuff I like: whump, hurt/comfort, trauma recovery, retribution (disproportionate or not) for a transgression/trespass of some kind, revenge, characters trauma-bonding, characters getting drenched in blood, messy and unhealthy relationships, nonconsensual hypnotism, sex pollen, Something Made Them Do It (aliens, magic, curses, artifacts, etc), virginity fetishizing, ravishment fantasy, consensual nonconsent/rape roleplay where it's clear it's a negotiated roleplay, knifeplay, gunkink, partners killing someone together, lovers killing someone together, monster/human partnerships where the human has allied with the monster against humanity, victims turning the tables on their attackers/rapists/abusers, villains in love and doing horrible things to other people together, possessiveness/protectiveness with couples, extreme loyalty as with a knight/sovereign or sailor/captain, submission to punishment/rape/execution on behalf of another, unconsciousness, begging for mercy, men crying, strangulation, gangbangs where the victim is overwhelmed by sensation.
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Requests
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Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested pairings. Unhappy endings.
Otto von Chriek/Sacharissa Cripslock/William de Worde. One of my favorite OT3s. Please, literally anything, I will read it. I'd love to know how they get together, who hits on whom first, is a third approaching a couple, do they all fall together after a late night on a breaking story? I love how the book shows us all of them paired off and then together, the dynamics at play that differentiate. I love how Otto and Sacharissa keep William grounded when he gets too bigheaded, how William and Sacharissa defend Otto, and how Otto and William deal with his father. I want to know about how the paper progresses and how their careers and relationships evolve along with it. What new sections get added, what future scandals and events do they cover, when do they realize they're spending far more time with each other than anyone else in their lives?
If you're up for smut, I'm not at all opposed to Black Ribboners being allowed to nibble their partners in bed. In fact I think that would be really lovely to explore the trust involved in that.
I'm up for a mundane AU where they're in our world, in any era. I'm also up for role reversal AUs (William the aristocratic vampire? Sacharissa the scrappy founder of the press?)
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Band Sinister - KJ Charles
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested characters. Unhappy endings.
Lord Corvin/Amanda Frisby/David Martelo
I've been re-listening to the audiobook lately. Amanda's writings about maidens ravished by wicked lords who resemble Lord Corvin, and Lord Corvin's past where he (consensually) ruined a lady to get her out of a bad marriage ... gosh. Perhaps Amanda needs a more overt scandal to get out from her nasty aunt's thumb entirely? Or perhaps after she and David are married they indulge in a little fantasy of Amanda's? Maybe discussions of her next book require some hands-on experience. Would love for there to be discussions between the three of them about boundaries and what is permitted or not. David's experience as a doctor could add some really fun stuff to this, maybe he's got some new electrostim devices Amanda is keen to try out? David and Corvin don't have a ton of interactions in the book, with David so busy, what's their prior relationship like and how does it shift (or not) after David's marriage?
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Six of Crows / Shadow & Bone
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested characters. Unhappy endings. Kaz "getting over" his touch aversion via healing sex/magic cock/etc.
Kaz/Inej/Jesper
Kaz/Inej/Nina
Kaz/Inej/Jesper/Matthias/Wylan/Nina
Kaz/Inej/Matthias/Nina
Kaz/Inej/Tolya Yul-Bataar
Grouping these together because while the books and show are very different, the reasons I love the characters and love them together are the same. I adore
I am so very taken by the Crows core trio. I love rogues, I love heists, I love deeply traumatized characters working through their issues together and clinging to one another, finding love in strange circumstances. My top favorites are Kaz and Inej, because of their struggles with physical intimacy but undeniable feelings for each other. I love them all so much though!
Feel free to play with show and book canon and timelines. I'm also open to a no-powers Victorian Earth AU, pirate AU, wild west AU, vampire AU, D&D fantasy AU, sci-fi AU, roleswap AU (Crime Boss Inej? Musician Jesper? Zealot Nina? Demoman Kaz?) or whatever setting you desire.
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Alex Rider (TV)
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested pairings.
Yassen Gregorovich/Alex Rider/Kyra Vashenko-Chao. This is me trying to have my cake and eat it too basically. I actually really liked the canon ship of Alex/Kyra on the show, to my surprise and delight. But my love of Yassen/Alex runs deep. I have some vague ideas of them negotiating together, coming to an agreement with or without Alex's input at first. I think Kyra would be very guarded at first, and Yassen might have to show some vulnerability to her before she'd even consider this arrangement. I think Alex should balance trying to keep everyone happy with his own romantic notions and some dazed horniness thrown in for good measure. I think Yassen could be very practical about this and basically be waiting for Alex to catch up.
Yassen Gregorovich/Helen Rider/John Rider. John and rookie Yassen, saving each other's lives, intensely devoted, secret goals and identities, betrayal, what's not to love?
Please don't forget Helen in the mix here. This woman was treating a man for repeated intense injuries and decided to marry him, have a baby with him, fake his disgrace and live in a sketchy place with a newborn, and was prepared to flee the country and go into hiding under a new identity with him. Why was Helen ready to leave her former life behind? What does she think of Yassen? What does Yassen think of her?
Open to an AU where they all live and do go into hiding together, where Helen and John's deaths are faked and even MI6 doesn't know, or whatever you fancy.
Tom Harris/Alex Rider/Kyra Vashenko-Chao. These three are just so cute together. I can see this taking place during their travels and hunt for Scorpia, or post-show canon finally working through the tension and navigating into polyamory together. I love how blunt Kyra is and the rare moments of vulnerability. I love Tom's almost naive attitude to relationships and extreme loyalty to Alex. And Alex well, he deserves a bit of comfort and love after all he goes through.
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Critical Role
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested pairings. Unhappy endings.
Optional Fusions/Crossovers/AUs: I love a role reversal, different classes/backgrounds for the D&D characters, What Ifs where a character made a different choice, Vampire AUs, Pirate AUs, wild/weird west AUs, Regency Era AU.
Cassandra de Rolo/Percy de Rolo/Vex'ahlia. For this I'm cool with anything, ranging from an arrangement between Percy and Cassandra where Vex is the V in the triad, to a full on all in bed together kind of deal, or whatever strikes your fancy. I feel like it's a post campaign thing. Maybe Cassandra is envious, or just attracted to Vex. Maybe Vex misses her brother in a particular way and Cassandra's rogue traits call out to her. Maybe the de Rolos were one of Those aristocratic families who were very Close in particular ways and they're carrying on the tradition.
Percy de Rolo III/Keyleth/Vax'ildan/Vex'ahlia
Percy de Rolo III/Vax'ildan/Vex'ahlia
Twin sandwich! Feel free to keep them separate or play up the incest. Those two are so codependent, I'm not opposed to them getting way too close in a fic.
Controversial I know, but I think Percy should be in a twin sandwich. Fluster that boy. Maybe it's his introduction to Vox Machina. Maybe it's comfort after a big fight. Maybe it's flirtation escalating one night to their mutual surprise and delight. Maybe it's a happily ever after AU to the campaign. Maybe it's a fun AU where Percy is kidnapped by hot highway robbers. Feel free to lean into the codependent closeness of the twins or not, up to you.
Shaun Gilmore/Keyleth/Vax'ildan. Vax please, you have so much love in your heart, you can love two people at once I promise. Keyleth and Gilmore figure it out and make it work and Vax is the happiest bird ever and they live happily ever after, canon CR1 ending be damned. Or a Modern AU where these three make it work. Brunch dates. Testing out some of Gilmore's new toys from the back of the shop. Dressing each other up and going clubbing together. Going to a bar and pretending they don't know each other and getting flirty.
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The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Cheating/adultery (meaning, if Maia is married, please at minimum include a nod or reference that Csethiro knows about his affairs if she isn't participating.) Rape/non-con between any requested pairings. Unhappy endings.
Optional Fusions/Crossovers/AUs: I have this weird feeling that a Discworld fusion of some kind would be wild, I have no idea how you'd do it, but I would applaud the result. I'm down for a mundane AU where they're in our world in an era where emperors and intricate court rituals are part of daily life. I'm also open to a sci-fi setting where Maia is a galactic emperor. Love pirate AUs, either in-world or more realistic and in our world in the Golden Age of Piracy. Love vampire AUs. Love role reversal AUs (Empress in her own right Csethiro, reluctant Emperor Csevet, Maia the disgraced priest, Maia the former courier.)
Cala Athmaza/Deret Beshelar/Maia Drazhar, Cala Athmaza/Csevet Aisava/Deret Beshelar/Maia Drazhar. Look they've all had a stressful time of things. Let them all love their Emperor. This could be smutty or just, the many gentle ways they care for him individually and together. Maia's had a difficult life, let him have all the boyfriends if he wants. I'd love to know how they all get together, if some of them had relationships before of Maia is the catalyst for feelings that have simmered for years among the others.
Csethiro Ceredin/Csevet Aisava/Maia Drazhar. No reason the Emperor and Empress can't share, right? A lot of fun potential dynamics here, Maia and Csethiro rewarding Csevet for his loyalty and hard work, Csethiro and Csevet helping Maia to relax/lavishing him with attention, Maia and Csevet worshipping Csethiro, Csevet helping the young couple through their early sexual experiences. Or honestly, vacation where they all get to relax away from court for a while. I'm a big fan of pining that ultimately is rewarded with fulfillment, be that from any participant in this dynamic.
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The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Fandom-specific DNWs: Unhappy endings or permanent character deaths for any of the requested characters. Kamet being convinced throughout he has no choice in being in a relationship.
Attolia | Irene/Eddis | Helen/Eugenides. I really like this ship and I feel like I'm the only one in the universe who does. If you write this I would be so touched. Irene and Helen's dynamics in particular really intrigue me, two powerful women in very different circumstances, holding onto power in different ways, I wish there were more scenes between them in the books frankly. Bringing Eugenides into it all ... what if that rumor about him and Helen was true after all? What if the three of them came to an arrangement, official or otherwise?
Attolia | Irene/Eugenides/Relius
Attolia | Irene/Eugenides/Teleus
Attolia | Irene/Eugenides/Costis Ormentiedes
Attolia | Irene/Eugenides/Costis Ormentiedes/Teleus
Grouping these together because I love the idea of Irene and Eugenides sharing someone(s) between them. I've said in the past I have an honor kink and that's pretty accurate.
Loyal sworn guards of a royal just, make me go weak. Kneeling, oaths, tests of loyalty, and rewards for honorable service, that's all great here. Also love the idea of Teleus or Relius getting to put Eugenides on his knees for once, with the approval of their Queen of course.
If you want to be mean, tangling Costis up between the royal couple during the events of The King of Attolia would be absolutely delicious I think.
On a recent re-listen of the audiobook I was really struck by how deeply Relius is loyal to Irene, and how he really would do anything for her. Perhaps a reconciliation after the events of The King of Attolia? His relationship with Gen is particularly fraught and I think could benefit from digging into via fic.
Attolia | Irene/Eugenides/Kamet/Costis Ormentiedes
Soooooo ... sure was some time where Kamet was at the palace dealing with the whole big lie and his entire life changing radically. Give him something nice? Or perhaps not so nice but definitely distracting? I'd love this as a first time thing with Costis or a pre-established thing resuming upon his return, this time with Kamet along for the ride. Would also love some explorations of potentially very dubious consent here, with Kamet having grown used to be unable to refuse, and being a kind of honored guest/prisoner all at once.
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Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested characters. Unhappy endings.
Optional Fusions/Crossovers/AUs: Open to a pirate AU, sci-fi AU, or modern setting.
Aniki Forfrysning/Kora Ingensra/Rosto the Piper. We only ever get glimpses and hints at their dynamic, and I really badly craved more. How did they end up together? What are some jobs they did together? What if they'd picked another city, another goal in life?
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A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR Martin
Fandom-specific DNWs: Permanent death for any of the requested characters. Rape/non-con between any requested characters.
Optional Fusions/Crossovers/AUs: Open to a vampire AU, pirate AU, or a sci-fi AU.
Oberyn Martell/Ellaria Sand/Willas Tyrell
This is one of those ships that holds a special place in my heart and alas, has very little fic on AO3. I love that Oberyn and Willas are penpals and write to each other so much, despite Willas' father's fury. I love how devoted Oberyn is to Ellaria. I particularly like the idea of Willas somehow making the journey to Dorne and becoming entangled with Oberyn and Ellaria. Totally fine with an AU where Oberyn doesn't die, or this all taking place before that trial by combat.
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