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we heard crimes often and softly ([personal profile] badritual) wrote2023-10-21 01:34 am
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🎄🎁 Dear Yulegoat 🎁🎄

Very sorry for the delay!

Dear Yulegoat,

Welcome! I'm [archiveofourown.org profile] badritual and I can also be found at [tumblr.com profile] badrituals and [personal profile] badritual. I'm super excited we matched up for this challenge! I'm sure I'll be thrilled with whatever you decide to write, and I hope something here pings your interest! Gifts are enabled if anyone wishes to leave extra treats.

I like gen, het, slash, femslash, poly-ships (poly-v too), etc. You're welcome to interpret my character noms as any, rather than all, though you're free to include all characters in a fic if you want! I'm also okay with not including all of the nominated characters. Also, if you want to include unnominated characters, I'm absolutely okay with that too! I selected "My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)" but I am pretty flexible.

I have used parts of previous letters to compose the body of this letter. If anything is confusing, or you have any questions or need clarification, you can reach me through the mods or you can anonymously message me via tumblr!

Table of Contents


  1. What I Love
  2. DNWs
  3. Stuff I Like
  4. The Bear (TV 2022)
  5. Dogfight (1991)
  6. The Little Mermaid (2023)
  7. The Little Mermaid (2023) RPF
  8. Monstress (Comics)
  9. World on Fire (TV 2019)
  10. Mini Challenges


What I Love:

I'm really, really into gothic romance/gothic horror/horror of any stripe. I also love ambiguous/happy for now/sad endings. I love things that are not necessarily tied up with a neat pretty bow. That's not to say I don't enjoy a happy ending, though! This is mostly just to reassure you, the author, that if a happy ending doesn't seem to fit the story, or isn't coming, don't stress about it. I love endings that fit the story being told, regardless of whether or not they're happy. Aside from horror, I like romcoms, romcoms/comedies of errors, found family/families of choice, strong platonic friendships, broad comedy, understated/subtle comedy, cats (characters adopting/owning cats, turning into cats, caring for cats, cat familiars, werecats, etc.), religious and philosophical themes, postmodernism, and pastiche/epistolary to name just a few.

My main DNWs are listed below. Exceptions will be noted within the body of the letter:

DNWs:
• domestic violence/abuse
• violence against animals/animal death
• A/B/O, BDSM, and kneeling 'verses (fine with these tropes appearing as "one offs", not interested in universes structured around them)
• mpreg
• watersports/omorashi/scat
• mundane AUs (i.e. coffee shop, flower shop, cafe, high school/college, etc)
• vampire/werewolf AUs for non-supernatural fandoms/fandoms where they don't appear or exist (canon vampires/werewolves in supernatural-based fandoms are fine!)
• horror that centers on mental institutions/hospitals/etc.
• inclusion of current real world events (i.e. war in Ukraine, US politics/Trump, SCOTUS decisions, covid, etc.)

Some Stuff I Like:
• gothic/gothic romance/horror/ghost stories!!!
• southern gothic/midwestern gothic/suburban gothic/urban gothic/regional gothic in general
• space gothic (think Event Horizon and the Alien series)
• cosmic horror
• body horror
• monsters!!! sentient monsters!!! monsters that just wanna eat things!!!
• eldritch architecture/houses/houses that want to eat you
• eldritch nature/nature that wants to eat you
• eldritch spaceships/planets/etc. (that want to eat you)
• bodyswap
• gray morality/shady ethics/etc.
• forced/close proximity
• time travel/time loops/time fuckery
• pining
• ghosts/hauntings/etc.
• miscommunication (within reason)
• poly/poly-v relationships
• enemies to lovers
• friends to lovers to enemies to lovers
• friends to enemies to lovers
• unhealthy/codependent relationships
• obsession/obsessive relationships
• relationships with a power imbalance (i.e. mentor/pupil, priest/parishioner, older partner/younger partner, queen/subject, etc.)
• power imbalances/power dynamics inverted (i.e. the student in the professor/student relationship has/gains the power, parishioner has/gains power over the priest, subject controls the queen, etc.)
• manipulation/mindgames (especially mutual manipulation/mindgames)
• characters facing/dealing with mortality (of their lives, their livelihoods, careers, etc.)
• age gap
• platonic soulmates
• amnesiafic
• epistolary/social media pastiche
• future fic
• casefic
• ensemble fic
• found family/families of choice
• complicated relationships
• professional/career-related jealousy
• ritual sex/resurrection rituals
• public consummation of marriage
• witchcraft/witches
• scary/creepy/spooky interpretations of fairytales/mythology/folklore/etc.
• deals gone wrong (supernatural demon deals/deals with the devil literally or figuratively... not talking like business deals that fall through, although if that was a metaphor for something...)
• small town AUs (small town in the suburban gothic sense rather than cute, quaint villages and whatnot)

The following prompts are meant as suggestions. I'll be perfectly happy with any combination of Stuff I Like, if none of the ideas I've offered grab your attention. I also probably won't have prompts/ideas for every iteration of the characters I've nominated, but if you would prefer to focus on an individual character rather than a friendship or romantic pairing that's fine too!

Holiday themed fics are totally awesome (and some of my prompts may involve holiday themes) but you don't have to write one centered around the holidays if you don't want to! If you do, I celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah.

The Bear (TV 2022)

Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto
Sydney Adamu
Richard "Richie" Jerimovich
1I haven't seen season 2 yet so no Claire please!
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairs/groups:
Carmy/Sydney
Carmy & Sydney
Richie/Sydney
Richie & Sydney
Carmy & Richie & Sydney
Carmy/Richie/Sydney

Prompts/ideas:
I just started watching this show but I'm already on the last ep and I adore it! I love how chaotic and messy they all are, and how they inhabit each other's worlds. I'd really really love something that finds the three of these characters having to put their egos aside to work together to solve a problem, or just being weird and goofy together. I also like the grittier emotional stuff, and would love to see something that touches on themes of grief, ambition/aspiration, and broken dreams. Or, y'know, Carmy and Syd working their issues out through sex.

I also find Richie kind of awful but in a really compelling way. I would love to see more of him and Syd learning how to work together, or even finding common ground through Carmy. Or, like I stated above, them fucking their issues out.

I'm also a fan of character studies too!

I said above I'm not a big fan of mundane AUs but I do like throwing shows based firmly in the real world into weird AUs/scenarios, and will make exceptions for some AUs, so... the characters of The Bear in a Hannibal AU? Carmy, Syd, and Richie are vampires who are also chefs?

I really just enjoy these messy, chaotic people and I'll love anything you come up with!

Dogfight (1991)

Rose Fenny
Eddie Birdlace
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairs/groups: Rose/Eddie / Rose & Eddie

Ideas/prompts:
Love love loved this movie. I would really love something post-canon that explores their lives after the events of the movie: do they keep in touch? Do they start a relationship, get married, start a family, get divorced, etc.? What happens to Rose and Eddie in 10, 20, 30 years after they reunite?

I'm also open to epistolary fiction, so snippets of their letters together would really whet my whistle too.

And of course you can't go wrong with a good character study. I'd really love to know more about Rose, actually, if you want to go that route. What's her life like while Eddie's gone? Does she get really involved in the anti-war movement? Does she make friends, date, and so on?


The Little Mermaid (2023)

I'm making an exception to my "no mundane AU" DNWs for this fandom!

Ariel
Eric
Vanessa
1I specifically chose Vanessa over Ursula because I wanted the character as played by Jessica Alexander! Obviously in the movie she's not a different person but they feel very distinct to me. Also, of course, for AUs Vanessa can be a separate character from Ursula.
2Not super interested in pregnancy/baby fic but toddler/child Melody (or some other Eriel kid) is okay!
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairs/groups:
Eric/Ariel / Eric & Ariel
Ariel & Vanessa
Eric & Vanessa
Eric & Ariel & Vanessa
 
Ideas/prompts:
I loved this movie so much! Halle and Jonah really infused Ariel and Eric with so much personality and chemistry, and I fell in love with the progression of their relationship.

I'd love anything with Ariel and Eric, but especially deleted/missing scenes that take place during the few days Ariel and Eric are separated after their final battle with Ursula. Does Eric think Ariel's truly dead? What is it like for him after believing he lost the love of his life and the hope of a future with her to the sea (the sea he's always been called to)?

I'm also a sucker for prequels and sequels, so if you can come up with a way Ariel and Eric could have met pre-canon I'm all for it! Or give me a sequel where they go traveling the seven seas and visit Ariel's sisters! Put them in the midst of an adventure! How does their honeymoon go? If you want to give them a kid that's fine but please set it a couple years post-canon!

As for solo character ideas, feel free to dive into either or both of their thoughts during the events of the movie! What did Eric think when he first met Ariel, or when he followed her around the marketplace? What was he thinking during "Eric's Decision"? What was Ariel really thinking about during all the moments she was unable to use her voice?

Or, how about an AU? I'd love an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind AU with Ariel and Eric as the main couple and Vanessa as the Elijah Wood character. I wouldn't be opposed to a groundhog's day type AU where they're trapped in a time loop and/or dealing with amnesia or some other impediment. As long as they get a happy ending together!

I'm also super into gothic, horror, and noir AUs, as well as romantic/erotic thrillers, so I will never say no to anything a little darker than family-friendly Disney. Mermaid lore is pretty dark so I'll even take fusions of dark mermaid folklore/fairytales with the Disney story.

Also I'm fine with all ratings here as everyone are adults in the live-action canon.

The Little Mermaid (2023) RPF

A twitter user put together a masterpost of interviews here and here

I'm making an exception to my "no mundane AU" DNWs for this fandom!

Halle Bailey
Jonah Hauer-King
1I'd prefer no mentions or references to past or present RL partners! Particularly the non-famous ones! If you want to include other relationships as background/seasoning, I'm perfectly fine with OCs!
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairs/groups:
Halle/Jonah / Halle & Jonah

Prompts/ideas:
They had really great chemistry in the movie and seemed to genuinely get along and like each other off-screen! They talked a lot about how close they got during filming and how they bonded, and you could definitely see that closeness even a couple years later during the press tour. I'd also be very happy with something set in the future, maybe reuniting them after the movie (Oscars hookup/meeting? Meeting up for another project? etc). I'd love literally anything set during the TLM filming era or press tour era. Obviously I loved their friendship but I definitely ship them romantically too, so I'll be very happy with either/or or both!

Jonah used to be in a band and Halle obviously is a musician; they said they played music together but did they write songs together? What if they wrote and performed a musical... how would that go? Maybe a musician AU where Jonah stayed with his band and they meet anyway?

Trope-wise, I love fake dating, accidental dating, FWBs that become more, relationships of convenience that turn inconvenient, and so forth! I'm also okay with infidelity (emotional and physical) for this pair so if you want to write them in a romantic relationship but feel deterred, just know I'm fine with just about whatever.

Also, I'll make an exception for AUs here too! I'd love any of the AUs I mentioned for my TLM request. Still not really into mundane AUs but I'll take them for this pair/group.

Monstress (Comics)

Maika Halfwolf
Kippa
Corvin D'Oro
Zinn
1Master Ren wasn't nominated but I'd love if he was included somehow too! Please feel free to mention Tuya, Warlord, Yvette, Sophia, and Moriko as well if you wish!
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairs/groups:
Maika & Kippa
Maika & Kippa & Zinn
Maika & Corvin / Maika/Corvin
Maika & Zinn / Maika/Zinn

Prompts/ideas:
I'd really loooove found family anything with Maika, Kippa, Corvin, Zinn and Master Ren! I'll also take AUs for this fandom (though no real world/mundane AUs please). A look at their day-to-day lives, between battles and death, would be lovely. Show a moment of genuine family/friendship or bonding amidst the horror and you'll have me eating out of the palm of your hand.

I love (and prefer) the platonic relationships but I also wouldn't be opposed to Maika/Corvin or Maika/Zinn (Tuya wasn't nominated but you can include her in a background Maika/Tuya relationship too).

Also I can't say no to tentacles so if you can figure out a way to work that out, more power to you.

World on Fire (TV 2019)

Lois Bennett
Harry Chase
Robina Chase
Kasia Tomaszeski
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)


Pairings/groups:
Harry/Lois / Harry & Lois
Harry/Kasia / Harry & Kasia
Harry & Robina
Lois & Kasia
Lois & Robina
Kasia & Robina
Kasia & Lois & Robina
You're welcome to include or mention any background/side characters, particularly Vera, Jan, Tomasz, Connie, and the Bennetts

Ideas/prompts:
I've just about finished season one and I watched the first ep of season two on Masterpiece, but I have gotten spoiled for most of S2 so I'm fine if you want to incorporate material from that season!

Anyway, I'm actually surprised to find myself enjoying this show because I don't often gravitate toward WWII-based shows or films. I think it's the characters that drew me in and captivated me though, particularly the ladies! Kasia, Lois and Robina are all fascinating characters and I would love if you dove into their mindsets during S1 and/or S2. I also wouldn't mind something that focused on the three of them in relation to Harry; Lois was his first love (and represents, I think, familiarity and safety), Kasia was his second love (and was exciting and new), while Robina is the one who you could argue formed him and gave him the tools (or withheld those tools) to love Lois and Kasia.

I will be upfront though and admit I don't see either Harry/Lois or Harry/Kasia ending happily. I am completely fine with HFN or sad endings where they don't stay together. I'm also completely happy to receive Harry/OC fic! A post-canon story with Harry and an OC love interest that focuses on healing and rebuilding their lives would also be lovely and quite welcome.

As for solo character pieces, I'm really interested in how Kasia would deal with Vera if she stayed with Robina and Jan. Would Kasia ever be able to look past Harry's infidelity? Would she ever be able to accept Vera as family?

Actually, would Kasia ever be able to accept being Harry's wife? They married impulsively, to get her out of Poland, but it seems like neither really considered what married life would be like for Kasia in a foreign country. I think Harry has these ideas about Kasia and their relationship that are a bit too rose-tinted; can Harry ever accept that the girl he fell for has been changed in ways he can't even imagine? Or will he keep clinging onto the memory and ignore the actual woman he shares a bed with? I could see so many ways in which they don't make it as a couple because Harry keeps retreating to what's safe and familiar, as he tried with Lois. Can Harry and Kasia help each other heal or will they keep talking at cross-purposes? Kasia is convinced the girl Harry loved is gone, while Harry is convinced she still is that girl and that's why I'm not convinced they'll be able to work as a couple; what needs to happen for them to be able to work?

How does Lois deal with being a single mother? Harry said he wanted to be "pals" again, but is that even possible with the history between them? It seems Lois has moved on from Harry, but would them remaining in each other's life complicate things? Does Lois relent and allow Harry to be in Vera's life after saying she'd tell the baby he died to explain why he wasn't around? I also wouldn't be opposed to a post-canon story where Harry and Lois manage to get together and have a healthy relationship. (I must say, though, I got a bit frustrated with Harry mid-S1 as he was chasing after Lois and acting offended and hurt when she was angry with him and rebuffing him. Kind of want Lois to get a good clapback or two in.)

If you're here because of Crueltide, I would love a look at the characters and their lives, feelings, and the world they inhabit through the lens of horror. Particularly through ghosts/hauntings, monsters... eldritch architecture perhaps. What if Robina's house is hungry; are Kasia and Jan safe within its walls? What if Harry's feelings of guilt manifests itself in the real world as something horrific...?

Also, I believe all three actors (Jonah, Julia, and Zofia) said their characters deal with suicidal feelings in S2; if you want to address the characters' mental health I am 100% okay with that. I just prefer that if suicidal thoughts/ideation are approached that none of them actually go through with the act. I'd prefer the focus be on their healing and recovering if it is addressed!

Mini Challenges
Crueltide 2023

Once again, I'd like to emphasize that these prompts/ideas are only suggestions! Please don't feel constrained by them! Mix and match as you please, or come up with something completely on your own. Optional details are optional!

If you have any questions don't be afraid to contact the mods! Thank you and happy writing!