Dear Yuletide Writer
Oct. 14th, 2013 05:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arduinnaThank you so much! The thought of a story in any of these fandoms is already making me happy.
I'd really like something that falls on the warm / happy / fluffy / vanilla end of the spectrum, if possible. If that isn't something you can do, I understand! Just please no deathfic or loss of a loved one, including pets; and no terminal illnesses of any kind as an h/c or angst trope. Thank you. <3
I love all six (!) of these fandoms unreservedly, so if you have a yen to explore the universe, or bring in additional characters I didn't list, it's all good.
If you want more information about my requests, read on - but please don't worry if your ideas go in a different direction. Optional details are optional! I would much rather read the story you wanted to write than the story you felt you were obligated to write because of something I said. As long as it's for one of these fandoms, and uses the characters, you totally win at Yuletide. \o/
My fic tastes
I'm mainly a m/m slash fan, with a strong leaning toward buddy pairs; where I’m not in it for the slash, I’m usually in it for the gen.
Slash for me covers the full spectrum from UST and preslash through totally committed/involved, and can be explicit or not depending on what suits the story. It's all about the characters and their relationship, whatever point it may be at.
But if you matched on one of my slash-potential requests and don't do slash, that's totally fine! "Relationship" also covers friendship, and gen about these characters will also make me really happy.
Some story elements and styles I like, in no particular order:
I like stories that weave into canon (missing scenes, episode tags), stories that expand on canon (backstory, futurefic), stories that deepen existing canon (case/adventure fic, slice of life, romances...).
Why I love these fandoms
(Alphabetical, not ranked by preference! I love them all. :)
Burn Notice (Michael Westen, Sam Axe)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! I love how competent they both are, and how they're such a well-oiled team, even though they couldn't be more different in a lot of ways. The affection between them is so strong, and so unwavering; there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. I'd love to see some light/warm moments about them and their strong connection to each other, anything from backstory to a slice of life to a case story.
Where to find it: This is ridiculously hard to find streaming online -- Hulu has one or two episodes at a time, and iTunes and Amazon have a lot available to buy in download, but that seems to be pretty much it. The first six seasons are out on DVD and/or Bluray; otherwise, the usual channels are probably the place to check.
Why I requested it: Michael's world is often pretty grim, angsty, and tense; Sam's is usually pretty cheerful, friendly, and laid-back. I love seeing how effortlessly those two worldviews fit together as they work together toward the same goal, or even just hanging out. I'm fascinated by how far back they clearly go, and how often their paths not only crossed (I loved Michael's casual cameo in The Fall of Sam Axe), but merged, so they wound up working together -- Michael doesn't seem to have any other Navy SEAL buddies, just Sam. And over the years, they've clearly developed brocooli. <3
They're each other's chosen family, and from what we've seen, that isn't usual for either of them. Michael especially doesn't choose family lightly, and doesn't make friends easily; Sam makes friends easily and is loyal to them, but it's all more casual buddy stuff -- Michael (and the rest of Michael's chosen family) is where he's put his heart. They'd do anything for each other, and not just because they owe each other their lives countless times over. They even sometimes manage to tell each other how they feel, in their own awkwardly sincere way, instead of coming at it sideways through teasing. And for all the darkness of the last couple of seasons, their relationship just got tighter and stronger, and Sam, more than anyone else, was the rock Michael could always depend on, no matter what – both to be there for him, and to call him on his bullshit when needed. It’s possible I melted into a puddle of goo during the end of s6, when Michael was just clutching at a dying Sam and freaking right the hell out.
I'd love to see slash or warm gen for them that goes into that connection. Backstory could be anything: how they first met; when they realized how much they trusted each other; a dangerous (or boring, or absurd...) mission; a quiet moment (of whatever length) in the middle of a dangerous mission (I love cavefic [where "cave" can mean any isolated place], huddling for warmth, snatched or planned idylls, "two men one bed", shared jokes that break tension – you name it); a boring mission where they keep each other awake/entertained/alert; a chance encounter as their paths cross, as they seem to have done over the years – show me some of how they go to that place of total trust and understanding with each other. Or during canon years, a missing scene or tag, a case we never saw, a quiet couple of beers watching the sunset to unwind. Or futurefic about when they meet up again and slide back into each other’s lives - or an AU where the ending didn't happen like that; either things stay in their general groove, or Mike managed to walk away without having to burn down everything around him, and the team is all about just helping people out together. I also like epistolary fic, although that's a hard one in this fandom of secrecy and not leaving a paper trail anywhere. *g* Still, it's an option if you like that kind of thing.
The Equalizer (Robert McCall, Control)
Request details: Slash or gen, any rating, please! Control and McCall's relationship fascinates me. I'd love to see some backstory on it from before Control became Control -- anything you want, from plotty mission stuff to them sitting around having a drink somewhere. Or if backstory isn't your thing, something set during canon or post-canon, also good! Robert helping Control on a mission or Control helping Robert on a case; chess games; scotch in front of the fire; snarking about Jason or other snotty whippersnappers; cave or cabin fic; feeding pigeons in the park... I just want more of them being them: competent, sharp, urbane deadliness, with a deep well of trust and affection and understanding between them.
Where you can find it: This isn’t available streaming anywhere that I could find. ...But oh my god, I love the internet. Someone has put up videos of all the scenes with Control on Youtube. Otherwise, season 1 is out on DVD in the US, and all four seasons are out on DVD in the UK.
Why I requested it: During the series, they're that cranky old married couple who bitch and moan and poke at each other, but they're always there for each other no matter what. A relationship that deep and strong and long-lasting isn't normal in their business, and nothing seems to be able to jeopardize it. I've always wanted to know how they got that way; it's been more than 25 years now since I've watched it (... wow), and it's still in my head. These two men just fascinate me.
I'm not looking for the whole decades-long story (although hey, if you want to write it, I won't complain *g*), but some point of connection between them before Control became Control (or maybe when Control did become Control?), anything from a mission to being snowed in somewhere to fudging their expense reports to a quiet moment over a shared whiskey. Or if backstory isn't your thing, the connection between them during or after canon would work just as well for me – again, anything from them working a case or mission together, to a quiet moment over a shared drink, to them being snow- or storm-bound somewhere together. Keep them in New York, send them around the world, stick them in some tiny town with one diner and a motel with only one room vacant, set them up undercover in the Ritz’s poshest suite with the world’s biggest per diem. Or if you like writing epistolary fic, show me some of their correspondence. Slash or gen, it's all good.
Forever Knight (Don Schanke)
Request details: Gen, any rating, please! I adore Schanke and his straightforward pragmatism, and I miss him, and I'd love to see basically anything with him in it. Off on a case, riding around in the caddy with Nick, chivvying Nick into going to see a play or recital Jenny is in, filling out reports or answering to Stonetree or Cohen, at the Raven either officially or not – just Schanke being Schanke. <3
ETA: I forgot to put this in my signup, but obviously, the only character I picked was Schanke, and a story just about him and no one else would be fab, or with anyone you wanted - the main characters weren't nominated and it's totally cool if you want to leave them out. I mention them out of habit, not demand! /ETA
Where to find it: Someone put up tons of episodes on Youtube recently. For paid streaming, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes have all three seasons. The first two seasons are available on DVD, which are the only seasons with Schanke.
Why I requested it: I have loved Schanke since I first saw the pilot and he reacted to the completely impossible sight of Nick holding a guy out a window with one hand with, "Don't do it, Nick! Think of the paperwork!" ♥ He's not stupid, but he's completely grounded in his own reality and pragmatism, which has no room for the supernatural parts of his partner's life. So he just... works around them, while staying completely loyal to Nick, and dealing with Nick's creepy/weird/scary friends, because that's what you do when your friend has weird friends. And hell, he does figure it out! Because even his pragmatism has to waver in the face of what he sees all the time. Even if it means going to the very scary Nightcrawler for help and information – I loved that so much. He's brave, Schanke is; he's aware enough to know in his bones that Lacroix could (and would) kill him where he stands without a blink, and he talks to him anyway, because Nick's his friend and he needs to understand this. He's brave enough, and loyal enough, that even Lacroix has respect it, and send him on his way a bit mind-wiped but otherwise intact.
So I love him, and I couldn't resist asking for him this year. I want something that puts him on the edges of the vampiric world somehow – not just him having breakfast with Myra, in other words, unless he's trying to figure out something to do with the weird nightlife in Toronto, or trying to immerse himself in normalcy after the weirdness that is his professional life. So maybe him at the Raven, having a drink and either aware or not of the little protective bubble of "Nick's friend, off limits" that surrounds him; or chatting with Janette (or LC); or driving around with Nick; or trying to figure out how to write up a report; or seeing something really off the wall; or bonding with Natalie over something weird. Just anything that has Schanke being Schanke, swimming along the surface of the Toronto night and not knowing, or wanting to know, just how deep and dark those waters go. Or maybe finding out how deep they go, and dealing with that.
If you want to go AU and have him survive past second season, I would not be at all averse to that. Future fic of any kind is welcome, with Schanke finding out the truth or not. I miss Schanke, man.
Haven (Duke Crocker, Nathan Wournos)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! The thing I love most about these two is their connection to each other; there’s clearly so much good history there, despite the rougher patches they’ve had. I’ve loved watching it all the way through the series, and the first few eps of s4 have my heart in my eyes over how tight they are. I’d love to see some warmer, happier moments for them, anything from backstory to a slice of life to a missing scene to a case or Trouble that they have to deal with. (Please no explicit slash if they’re under 16.)
Where to find it: This is ridiculously hard to find streaming online -- Hulu has a handful of episodes, and that’s kind of it other than buying the source. It’s available on DVD/Bluray, iTunes downloads, and Amazon downloads.
Why I requested it: Everything these two said, especially early on, was "I don’t like him, I don’t trust him, boo hiss" about each other; what they did was always be there for each other, always trust each other, always do what the other one needed (and little unconscious rituals like their double-beer-bottle tap, the sort of thing that has a lifetime of hanging around together knocking back a couple of brews like the best buds they secretly always have been). And by s4, all the blustery talk is gone and we’ve got the world’s greatest hello hug, Duke and Nathan working side by side without a blink, people assuming they’ll do anything for each other because they’re such close friends. ♥ The surface may wind up changing again as the season goes on, who knows, but when push comes to shove, this is who they are to each other down deep.
I’d love to see more of that. Backstory from any point in their lives (although again, please no explicit slash if they're under 16); s4 reunion missing scene(s); the two of them facing down a Trouble or something more mundane together; Nathan pitching in behind the bar at the Gull, or the two of them having one of their quiet moments over a beer; Duke dealing with being very comfortable indeed hanging out at – and helping out at – the police station, despite all his early protestations that he "doesn't talk to cops"; the two of them out alone on the water (or stuck on an island, or on a trip to Portland/Boston/wherever); a day at the beach for fun instead of murder and mayhem (or a day at the beach for murder and mayhem, because hey, Haven). I love epistolary fic, too, if you want to write correspondence.
I'm watching this live as it airs, so don't worry about spoilers if you start writing in December and are staring at that "the first few eps of s4" line. *g* I'll be caught up.
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (Kermit Griffin, Peter Caine)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! Peter and Kermit always felt more like partners to me than anyone else on the show, including Peter and his actual partners. I love that sense of connection and absolute trust, and would love anything that goes into that. Anything you want to write about them would be great: the early days of them getting to know each other, working a mundane case together, working a mystical "case" together, winding down with a couple of beers or a quiet pot of tea, missing scenes or episode tags, futurefic of Kermit being Peter's "liason" and protector, or wherever else you want to go with them -- it's all good.
Where to find it: Someone has put up a partial playlist of eps on Youtube, and here’s a list of all the eps Kermit was in. That's pretty much it, sadly.
Why I requested it: I have such a soft spot for this show; I started watching it because I loved the original, but fell for this one even harder. I love many things about it, but especially the (sort of unlikely) relationship between Peter and Kermit. They're not partners, but they feel like partners to me, from the sheer, unending trust between them. I love how Kermit so readily believes in the mystic aspects of Peter's life, how they're both so ready to back each other, how they watch out for each other. The finale, with Kermit promising to be Peter's "Shaolin Eyes" as he moved on from the police, sort of summed that all up for me -- not even separation can separate them. <3 Ahem.
So, anything you want to do with them would make me happy. Missing scenes or episode tags; Kermit's mercenary past coming back to haunt him some more, or Peter's old enemies from his childhood, and the two of them teaming up to deal with whatever it is; future fic about Peter's new life and Kermit's continued presence in it, whether on a case or just meeting up for a regular chess game, beer, or cup of tea; going to a hockey game together or solving the Mystery of the Rogue Zamboni; trapped in a storm or otherwise isolated; off on a road trip; fighting off evil or an IRS audit or whatever. I just want more of them together. <3
Valdemar Series – Mercedes Lackey (Kethry (Valdemar), Tarma shena Talesedrin)
Request details: Gen, any rating, please! Tarma and Kethry are my all-time favorite Lackey characters: smart, practical/pragmatic, competent and determined to keep training/learning to maintain and improve on that competence, utterly loyal to each other, wry, self-aware – I just love them. And I love their relationship, built on bedrock but one they know they need to pay attention to (like the way Tarma has to make sure she doesn't wrap fully capable Kethry in cotton wool, just because she's promised to be the mother of Tarma's renewed tribe). I'd love anything about them: the early days of their lives as she'enedran and each of them adapting to suddenly knowing they'll never be alone again; off on a job (either a regular for-hire job, or something Need drives them to); learning to be part of a bigger mercenary force; their lives as teachers and running a school; time among the Clans; hanging out at an inn or resupplying at a marketplace; dealing with a storm out in the open – whatever may strike your fancy, I'm all for it.
Where to find it: Anywhere books are sold! There are several books that involve Tarma and Kethry, all still in print and available all over the place. Their specific books are The Oathbound, Oathbreakers, and Oathblood; they also appear in By the Sword as supporting characters. Oathblood is a collection of short stories, including the first story written about them (how they met), but it ranges all over their partnership.
Why I requested it: Because Tarma and Kethry are awesome. <3 A sword & sorceress pair was unusual back when these were being written; this particular pair is still unusual in that Tarma, the "barbarian" warrior, is also chaste, asexual, and a priestess. More unusual still, she's asexual with a strong maternal instinct; she adores kids. Kethry's sorcery, meanwhile, isn't tied to her sexuality in any way, so she can and does sleep with whoever she wants. The two of them met by chance and formed a partnership strong enough that they deliberately chose blood-sisterhood for themselves, an unshakeable life bond. They go adventuring around the world together, gaining skills and reputation, so that they can rebuild Tarma's destroyed clan together.
There's nothing about these two I don't love. I'd be happy with any kind of a story, from their early days when they're still getting to know each other and learning each other's strength, weaknesses, sore points, senses of humor; a job that's not Need-driven where they're just being the mercenaries they are, working for a living; a job that is Need-driven, where they have to deal with a situation they weren't ready for; their early days with the Sunhawks when they're learning to be part of a group of mercs rather than working on their own; the early days of the refounding of Clan Talesedrin as they raised kids and brought other Shin'a'in in; working at their school to teach the next generation(s); or any smaller moments, like a shopping trip through any marketplace, playing a 'what's their story' game in an inn as they size up all the other customers, soaking in hot baths/pools after a rough week/month/year...
In short, yay, Yuletide!
I'd really like something that falls on the warm / happy / fluffy / vanilla end of the spectrum, if possible. If that isn't something you can do, I understand! Just please no deathfic or loss of a loved one, including pets; and no terminal illnesses of any kind as an h/c or angst trope. Thank you. <3
I love all six (!) of these fandoms unreservedly, so if you have a yen to explore the universe, or bring in additional characters I didn't list, it's all good.
If you want more information about my requests, read on - but please don't worry if your ideas go in a different direction. Optional details are optional! I would much rather read the story you wanted to write than the story you felt you were obligated to write because of something I said. As long as it's for one of these fandoms, and uses the characters, you totally win at Yuletide. \o/
My fic tastes
I'm mainly a m/m slash fan, with a strong leaning toward buddy pairs; where I’m not in it for the slash, I’m usually in it for the gen.
Slash for me covers the full spectrum from UST and preslash through totally committed/involved, and can be explicit or not depending on what suits the story. It's all about the characters and their relationship, whatever point it may be at.
But if you matched on one of my slash-potential requests and don't do slash, that's totally fine! "Relationship" also covers friendship, and gen about these characters will also make me really happy.
Some story elements and styles I like, in no particular order:
- competence
- affection
- first times
- hurt/comfort (physical or emotional)
- banter
- idylls
- trust (either already established, or growing)
- happy or hopeful endings
- longing/yearning
- wit
- romance (in terms of a building relationship, not so much the Harlequin/Mills&Boon sort of thing)
- the moment of discovery/realization
- epistolary fic
- adventure
- fluff
- casefic
- quiet moments
- slice of life
- cavefic
- huddling for warmth
- characters who have broccoli with each other.
I like stories that weave into canon (missing scenes, episode tags), stories that expand on canon (backstory, futurefic), stories that deepen existing canon (case/adventure fic, slice of life, romances...).
Why I love these fandoms
(Alphabetical, not ranked by preference! I love them all. :)
Burn Notice (Michael Westen, Sam Axe)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! I love how competent they both are, and how they're such a well-oiled team, even though they couldn't be more different in a lot of ways. The affection between them is so strong, and so unwavering; there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. I'd love to see some light/warm moments about them and their strong connection to each other, anything from backstory to a slice of life to a case story.
Where to find it: This is ridiculously hard to find streaming online -- Hulu has one or two episodes at a time, and iTunes and Amazon have a lot available to buy in download, but that seems to be pretty much it. The first six seasons are out on DVD and/or Bluray; otherwise, the usual channels are probably the place to check.
Why I requested it: Michael's world is often pretty grim, angsty, and tense; Sam's is usually pretty cheerful, friendly, and laid-back. I love seeing how effortlessly those two worldviews fit together as they work together toward the same goal, or even just hanging out. I'm fascinated by how far back they clearly go, and how often their paths not only crossed (I loved Michael's casual cameo in The Fall of Sam Axe), but merged, so they wound up working together -- Michael doesn't seem to have any other Navy SEAL buddies, just Sam. And over the years, they've clearly developed brocooli. <3
They're each other's chosen family, and from what we've seen, that isn't usual for either of them. Michael especially doesn't choose family lightly, and doesn't make friends easily; Sam makes friends easily and is loyal to them, but it's all more casual buddy stuff -- Michael (and the rest of Michael's chosen family) is where he's put his heart. They'd do anything for each other, and not just because they owe each other their lives countless times over. They even sometimes manage to tell each other how they feel, in their own awkwardly sincere way, instead of coming at it sideways through teasing. And for all the darkness of the last couple of seasons, their relationship just got tighter and stronger, and Sam, more than anyone else, was the rock Michael could always depend on, no matter what – both to be there for him, and to call him on his bullshit when needed. It’s possible I melted into a puddle of goo during the end of s6, when Michael was just clutching at a dying Sam and freaking right the hell out.
I'd love to see slash or warm gen for them that goes into that connection. Backstory could be anything: how they first met; when they realized how much they trusted each other; a dangerous (or boring, or absurd...) mission; a quiet moment (of whatever length) in the middle of a dangerous mission (I love cavefic [where "cave" can mean any isolated place], huddling for warmth, snatched or planned idylls, "two men one bed", shared jokes that break tension – you name it); a boring mission where they keep each other awake/entertained/alert; a chance encounter as their paths cross, as they seem to have done over the years – show me some of how they go to that place of total trust and understanding with each other. Or during canon years, a missing scene or tag, a case we never saw, a quiet couple of beers watching the sunset to unwind. Or futurefic about when they meet up again and slide back into each other’s lives - or an AU where the ending didn't happen like that; either things stay in their general groove, or Mike managed to walk away without having to burn down everything around him, and the team is all about just helping people out together. I also like epistolary fic, although that's a hard one in this fandom of secrecy and not leaving a paper trail anywhere. *g* Still, it's an option if you like that kind of thing.
The Equalizer (Robert McCall, Control)
Request details: Slash or gen, any rating, please! Control and McCall's relationship fascinates me. I'd love to see some backstory on it from before Control became Control -- anything you want, from plotty mission stuff to them sitting around having a drink somewhere. Or if backstory isn't your thing, something set during canon or post-canon, also good! Robert helping Control on a mission or Control helping Robert on a case; chess games; scotch in front of the fire; snarking about Jason or other snotty whippersnappers; cave or cabin fic; feeding pigeons in the park... I just want more of them being them: competent, sharp, urbane deadliness, with a deep well of trust and affection and understanding between them.
Where you can find it: This isn’t available streaming anywhere that I could find. ...But oh my god, I love the internet. Someone has put up videos of all the scenes with Control on Youtube. Otherwise, season 1 is out on DVD in the US, and all four seasons are out on DVD in the UK.
Why I requested it: During the series, they're that cranky old married couple who bitch and moan and poke at each other, but they're always there for each other no matter what. A relationship that deep and strong and long-lasting isn't normal in their business, and nothing seems to be able to jeopardize it. I've always wanted to know how they got that way; it's been more than 25 years now since I've watched it (... wow), and it's still in my head. These two men just fascinate me.
I'm not looking for the whole decades-long story (although hey, if you want to write it, I won't complain *g*), but some point of connection between them before Control became Control (or maybe when Control did become Control?), anything from a mission to being snowed in somewhere to fudging their expense reports to a quiet moment over a shared whiskey. Or if backstory isn't your thing, the connection between them during or after canon would work just as well for me – again, anything from them working a case or mission together, to a quiet moment over a shared drink, to them being snow- or storm-bound somewhere together. Keep them in New York, send them around the world, stick them in some tiny town with one diner and a motel with only one room vacant, set them up undercover in the Ritz’s poshest suite with the world’s biggest per diem. Or if you like writing epistolary fic, show me some of their correspondence. Slash or gen, it's all good.
Forever Knight (Don Schanke)
Request details: Gen, any rating, please! I adore Schanke and his straightforward pragmatism, and I miss him, and I'd love to see basically anything with him in it. Off on a case, riding around in the caddy with Nick, chivvying Nick into going to see a play or recital Jenny is in, filling out reports or answering to Stonetree or Cohen, at the Raven either officially or not – just Schanke being Schanke. <3
ETA: I forgot to put this in my signup, but obviously, the only character I picked was Schanke, and a story just about him and no one else would be fab, or with anyone you wanted - the main characters weren't nominated and it's totally cool if you want to leave them out. I mention them out of habit, not demand! /ETA
Where to find it: Someone put up tons of episodes on Youtube recently. For paid streaming, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes have all three seasons. The first two seasons are available on DVD, which are the only seasons with Schanke.
Why I requested it: I have loved Schanke since I first saw the pilot and he reacted to the completely impossible sight of Nick holding a guy out a window with one hand with, "Don't do it, Nick! Think of the paperwork!" ♥ He's not stupid, but he's completely grounded in his own reality and pragmatism, which has no room for the supernatural parts of his partner's life. So he just... works around them, while staying completely loyal to Nick, and dealing with Nick's creepy/weird/scary friends, because that's what you do when your friend has weird friends. And hell, he does figure it out! Because even his pragmatism has to waver in the face of what he sees all the time. Even if it means going to the very scary Nightcrawler for help and information – I loved that so much. He's brave, Schanke is; he's aware enough to know in his bones that Lacroix could (and would) kill him where he stands without a blink, and he talks to him anyway, because Nick's his friend and he needs to understand this. He's brave enough, and loyal enough, that even Lacroix has respect it, and send him on his way a bit mind-wiped but otherwise intact.
So I love him, and I couldn't resist asking for him this year. I want something that puts him on the edges of the vampiric world somehow – not just him having breakfast with Myra, in other words, unless he's trying to figure out something to do with the weird nightlife in Toronto, or trying to immerse himself in normalcy after the weirdness that is his professional life. So maybe him at the Raven, having a drink and either aware or not of the little protective bubble of "Nick's friend, off limits" that surrounds him; or chatting with Janette (or LC); or driving around with Nick; or trying to figure out how to write up a report; or seeing something really off the wall; or bonding with Natalie over something weird. Just anything that has Schanke being Schanke, swimming along the surface of the Toronto night and not knowing, or wanting to know, just how deep and dark those waters go. Or maybe finding out how deep they go, and dealing with that.
If you want to go AU and have him survive past second season, I would not be at all averse to that. Future fic of any kind is welcome, with Schanke finding out the truth or not. I miss Schanke, man.
Haven (Duke Crocker, Nathan Wournos)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! The thing I love most about these two is their connection to each other; there’s clearly so much good history there, despite the rougher patches they’ve had. I’ve loved watching it all the way through the series, and the first few eps of s4 have my heart in my eyes over how tight they are. I’d love to see some warmer, happier moments for them, anything from backstory to a slice of life to a missing scene to a case or Trouble that they have to deal with. (Please no explicit slash if they’re under 16.)
Where to find it: This is ridiculously hard to find streaming online -- Hulu has a handful of episodes, and that’s kind of it other than buying the source. It’s available on DVD/Bluray, iTunes downloads, and Amazon downloads.
Why I requested it: Everything these two said, especially early on, was "I don’t like him, I don’t trust him, boo hiss" about each other; what they did was always be there for each other, always trust each other, always do what the other one needed (and little unconscious rituals like their double-beer-bottle tap, the sort of thing that has a lifetime of hanging around together knocking back a couple of brews like the best buds they secretly always have been). And by s4, all the blustery talk is gone and we’ve got the world’s greatest hello hug, Duke and Nathan working side by side without a blink, people assuming they’ll do anything for each other because they’re such close friends. ♥ The surface may wind up changing again as the season goes on, who knows, but when push comes to shove, this is who they are to each other down deep.
I’d love to see more of that. Backstory from any point in their lives (although again, please no explicit slash if they're under 16); s4 reunion missing scene(s); the two of them facing down a Trouble or something more mundane together; Nathan pitching in behind the bar at the Gull, or the two of them having one of their quiet moments over a beer; Duke dealing with being very comfortable indeed hanging out at – and helping out at – the police station, despite all his early protestations that he "doesn't talk to cops"; the two of them out alone on the water (or stuck on an island, or on a trip to Portland/Boston/wherever); a day at the beach for fun instead of murder and mayhem (or a day at the beach for murder and mayhem, because hey, Haven). I love epistolary fic, too, if you want to write correspondence.
I'm watching this live as it airs, so don't worry about spoilers if you start writing in December and are staring at that "the first few eps of s4" line. *g* I'll be caught up.
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (Kermit Griffin, Peter Caine)
Request details: Slash or warm gen, any rating, please! Peter and Kermit always felt more like partners to me than anyone else on the show, including Peter and his actual partners. I love that sense of connection and absolute trust, and would love anything that goes into that. Anything you want to write about them would be great: the early days of them getting to know each other, working a mundane case together, working a mystical "case" together, winding down with a couple of beers or a quiet pot of tea, missing scenes or episode tags, futurefic of Kermit being Peter's "liason" and protector, or wherever else you want to go with them -- it's all good.
Where to find it: Someone has put up a partial playlist of eps on Youtube, and here’s a list of all the eps Kermit was in. That's pretty much it, sadly.
Why I requested it: I have such a soft spot for this show; I started watching it because I loved the original, but fell for this one even harder. I love many things about it, but especially the (sort of unlikely) relationship between Peter and Kermit. They're not partners, but they feel like partners to me, from the sheer, unending trust between them. I love how Kermit so readily believes in the mystic aspects of Peter's life, how they're both so ready to back each other, how they watch out for each other. The finale, with Kermit promising to be Peter's "Shaolin Eyes" as he moved on from the police, sort of summed that all up for me -- not even separation can separate them. <3 Ahem.
So, anything you want to do with them would make me happy. Missing scenes or episode tags; Kermit's mercenary past coming back to haunt him some more, or Peter's old enemies from his childhood, and the two of them teaming up to deal with whatever it is; future fic about Peter's new life and Kermit's continued presence in it, whether on a case or just meeting up for a regular chess game, beer, or cup of tea; going to a hockey game together or solving the Mystery of the Rogue Zamboni; trapped in a storm or otherwise isolated; off on a road trip; fighting off evil or an IRS audit or whatever. I just want more of them together. <3
Valdemar Series – Mercedes Lackey (Kethry (Valdemar), Tarma shena Talesedrin)
Request details: Gen, any rating, please! Tarma and Kethry are my all-time favorite Lackey characters: smart, practical/pragmatic, competent and determined to keep training/learning to maintain and improve on that competence, utterly loyal to each other, wry, self-aware – I just love them. And I love their relationship, built on bedrock but one they know they need to pay attention to (like the way Tarma has to make sure she doesn't wrap fully capable Kethry in cotton wool, just because she's promised to be the mother of Tarma's renewed tribe). I'd love anything about them: the early days of their lives as she'enedran and each of them adapting to suddenly knowing they'll never be alone again; off on a job (either a regular for-hire job, or something Need drives them to); learning to be part of a bigger mercenary force; their lives as teachers and running a school; time among the Clans; hanging out at an inn or resupplying at a marketplace; dealing with a storm out in the open – whatever may strike your fancy, I'm all for it.
Where to find it: Anywhere books are sold! There are several books that involve Tarma and Kethry, all still in print and available all over the place. Their specific books are The Oathbound, Oathbreakers, and Oathblood; they also appear in By the Sword as supporting characters. Oathblood is a collection of short stories, including the first story written about them (how they met), but it ranges all over their partnership.
Why I requested it: Because Tarma and Kethry are awesome. <3 A sword & sorceress pair was unusual back when these were being written; this particular pair is still unusual in that Tarma, the "barbarian" warrior, is also chaste, asexual, and a priestess. More unusual still, she's asexual with a strong maternal instinct; she adores kids. Kethry's sorcery, meanwhile, isn't tied to her sexuality in any way, so she can and does sleep with whoever she wants. The two of them met by chance and formed a partnership strong enough that they deliberately chose blood-sisterhood for themselves, an unshakeable life bond. They go adventuring around the world together, gaining skills and reputation, so that they can rebuild Tarma's destroyed clan together.
There's nothing about these two I don't love. I'd be happy with any kind of a story, from their early days when they're still getting to know each other and learning each other's strength, weaknesses, sore points, senses of humor; a job that's not Need-driven where they're just being the mercenaries they are, working for a living; a job that is Need-driven, where they have to deal with a situation they weren't ready for; their early days with the Sunhawks when they're learning to be part of a group of mercs rather than working on their own; the early days of the refounding of Clan Talesedrin as they raised kids and brought other Shin'a'in in; working at their school to teach the next generation(s); or any smaller moments, like a shopping trip through any marketplace, playing a 'what's their story' game in an inn as they size up all the other customers, soaking in hot baths/pools after a rough week/month/year...
In short, yay, Yuletide!
