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blindmadness) wrote2018-10-20 09:01 am
blindmadness) wrote2018-10-20 09:01 am
Dear Yuletide Author,
HI THERE. ♥ First and foremost, I am SO SORRY this took so long-- Yuletide really caught me by surprise this year, so I hope this delay hasn't been too detrimental! I'll take this opportunity to thank you so much for writing for me-- Yuletide is one of my happiest (if, clearly, busiest!) times of year, and I'm always delighted by whatever fic I receive, so I truly can't wait to see what you come up with! I know I enjoy my Yuletide most when I'm working on a story that really calls to me, so that's what I'd really love for you, too-- to write something that you're genuinely excited about. I hope that my prompts will inspire you, but even if they don't, I'm totally on board for you going off-road to write the fic of your heart. I promise I'm going to love whatever you provide and I'm so eager to see whatever that might be! ♥
Broadly speaking, the things usually I want out of Yuletide are character- rather than plot-driven stories (not that the two can't happily coexist, of course, but my favorite stories tend to follow an emotional arc or a relationship development rather than characters dealing with an external conflict or a really intricate plot) with happy or at least hopeful endings (I'm fine with a more bittersweet light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel type ambiguity, but would strongly prefer more overt happiness, and I really and truly do not want any serious or lasting tragedy involved).
My major DNWs are needles (I have a huge phobia and would deeply rather no mention of them at all, but if it does come up, please please please keep it brief and be sure to clearly warn for me!) and serious issues beyond those explored in canon (e.g., racism, homophobia, character death, serious assault/injury, etc. etc.). I don't really think I've requested canons that contain a lot of serious issues this year (apart from things like colonialism in Parasolverse and... you know, everything that Venom is), so we shouldn't have a problem there, but homophobia in general (internalized or otherwise) especially a significant DNW for me, in an effort to keep Yuletide my happy place!
More specifically, here are some overall likes and dislikes:
Likes: banter, UST/pining/slow burn, first kisses/makeouts that don't immediately lead to sex (either by design or by accidental interruption), gross fluffy ridiculous romcom-y tropes, people being very competent at what they do (and other people, ahem, enjoying it), little canon easter eggs, found families, cute animals, puns, and the general concept of hope and humanity's essential goodness triumphing over darkness and existential despair!
Dislikes: misogyny in m/m relationships/demonization of female characters for the sake of m/m, misogynistic dirty talk (e.g., "slut"/"whore"), noncon/dubcon, infidelity, excessive jealousy/possessiveness, excessive kinky elements, A/B/O, mpreg, daddy kink, first- or second-person POV, and contrived miscommunication conflicts that could be resolved with a single, simple statement of clarification! (All of these should be taken as blanket dislikes except when otherwise noted for each individual fandom; Venom in particular can, uh, be taken to a much kinkier place than I usually prefer my fic to go.)
Some additional resources in terms of things I like: my trope and kink sorters (feel free not to take the rankings on those too seriously; the first seven or so on both lists are pretty solidly interchangeable as Favorite Things To Read), and a non-comprehensive fandom list in case of crossover or AU possibilities (don't feel the need to force it, but if something seems like it lends itself to the option, I'm certainly open to it!). I... basically have no public fannish presence anymore and I'm so sorry about that, but here's my AO3 and my liveblog Twitter, which will almost certainly be of no use to you, ha, but if you want to see me yell about stuff as I read/watch it--! :")
SO now that we've got that taken care of, let's talk fandoms! (Should probably go without saying, but SPOILER WARNING for every fandom below! Please don't go in unless you're familiar with them, and if you aren't, PLEASE GO CONSUME THEM RIGHT NOW.)
Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger
• Biffy, Professor Randolph Lyall
I love these two so, so much, and I really just want to read more about them! Any stage of their relationship is such fabulous fic fodder: did they ever interact prior to what we see in canon? More detail on the early days of their interactions and relationship? (We see most of it, but there have to be some missing moments, right?) Thoughts about one another during their very long separation (letters they never wrote each other, maybe)? More about their eventual reunion? (I've read Romancing the Werewolf, so feel free to either expand on that or reimagine an alternate version of said reunion!) Anything about the future of their relationship, given that they have so much time together! (Modern-day ancient werewolves in love? !!)
I'm also comfortable with any kind of AU for these two, though I would prefer no mundane AUs-- modern-day urban fantasy? Daemon or Harry Potter AU? Canon divergence with a role reversal (Lyall is the quietly competent drone, Biffy is the deceptive dandy werewolf pack beta who Gets Shit Done) or Biffy becoming a vampire after all (how does this affect their interaction and their relationship)? Or what if they didn't get together when they did, and either ride the tension or only notice one another during Romancing the Werewolf-era or beyond? Honestly, as long as the two of them are together and happy at the end, there's so much that can be done!
I first came across this series a few years ago, and from the start, Lyall was my favorite character; when he was revealed as bisexual, I was absolutely delighted (I CAN ALWAYS SENSE A BI), and when he developed this beautiful, achingly tender relationship with Biffy, my heart was so ridiculously full. I've been so, so excited with every new book in the series I've read to track them through the years, and when I found out a reunion novella was coming, I couldn't contain myself-- it's absolutely everything I wanted it to be (except for being, like, 500,000 words long, but hey, you win some, you lose some!).
I'm fond of this ship primarily just because I love Lyall so much, and I want him to be happy, especially after how much awful shit he's been through, but the more I read and reread these books, the fonder I become of Biffy. He didn't ask for any of this, and it's so antithetical to what he always wanted, but he makes the best of it in such wonderful style! He's a very different kind of alpha, who rises to the occasion in such dramatic and fabulous fashion (pun not intended) (or is it??), and of course, he deserves to have the best beta in the business by his side. The two of them work so, so well together, both of them seeming so soft yet so strong, so deceptively powerful beneath their mild-mannered surfaces-- Lyall so desperate for someone to lean on, and Biffy proving more than equal to the task, while simultaneously needing the unending support that Lyall provides in the world that's still relatively new to him. They fit together SO PERFECTLY, and I adore them both so much!!
So-- honestly, every single stage of their relationship is prime for fic to explore. Even the very beginning, what little we see of it-- moments of potential attraction before it's first realized? An extended PWP of their first night together? The time between the resolution of their plot in Timeless and Lyall leaving? And then, of course, we have SO MUCH SPACE to fill in between Timeless and Romancing the Werewolf. We learn in the latter that they were pretty much saving themselves for one another (MY BABIES), but what was that like-- do they try to move on and fail miserably? How do they think of one another? Do they try to write one another letters that never get sent? Or an AU where they DO get sent, and they keep up that fragile thread of communication through all those years? (I'm so, so here for epistolary fic!) And, of course, their reunion in canon is so wonderful; I'm very, very much here for any fic that explores Romancing the Werewolf or goes beyond it (canon soulbond!! Pack dynamics!! Kidfic potential!!), but I'm also willing to see pretty much any other take on them coming back to one another, especially one in which they get their shit together sooner, JEEZ, Y'ALL. How do they rebuild the fragile but real connection they made all those years ago? How does their daily life look after they've come back together? Any cameos from the rest of the pack are also very, very welcome.
I'm also very much here for AUs, since what I love most about them is their personalities and relationship dynamic, and I'd love to see that transferred into some other setting! I'd prefer no mundane AUs, though, since I like the additional element of the supernatural of some kind with them, so-- modern-day urban fantasy? Daemon AU? Harry Potter AU, or any AU which introduces a different kind of werewolf mythos? Canon-divergent AUs are welcome, too-- I love role reversal AUs, so ever since I pictured Lyall as the quietly competent, well-dressed drone and Biffy the beta who Gets Shit Done under cover of his deceptive dandy wardrobe, I've been obsessed with the idea. Or what if Biffy DID become a vampire after all-- how does that change the arc of the story, in addition to his relationship with Lyall? (In any of these scenarios, by the way, I'm very welcome to exploring Biffy/Akeldama in addition to Biffy/Lyall, or a threesome situation with them. Very optional, of course, but in case any ideas come your way!) Or how the story would progress if a romantic element entered their relationship much later in the game-- after Lyall comes back to England to serve as Biffy's beta, or even later than that? Honestly, I feel like there's SO much room for fun twists on their dynamic, and I'M VERY HERE FOR ALL OF THEM.
If you'd prefer to focus on either Lyall or Biffy on their own, I'm also down for that-- there's so, so much Lyall backstory to fill in, and we know so little about Biffy pre-canon! There's also, again, those long years in which they're apart, where Lyall is trying to serve as a beta to a whole other pack and Biffy is trying to prepare to be alpha of his; I'm happy with either introspective or shenanigans-themed fic for their efforts, as long as they come out on top in the end (again, pun not intended) (or is it???). Clearly we know they both survive to the canon's present day, so! As long as you're giving me more of these two wonderful smart kind strong men that we see in canon, I'm going to be very, very happy with whatever you come up with.
The Custard Protocol Series - Gail Carriger
• any character (Anitra, Prudence, Quesnel, Rodrigo, Percival, Primrose, Tasherit)
I've requested "any" here because my dream fics all involve more exploration of this beautiful found family (who's about to have a baby!!), the whole crew just floating together, their wonderful gamut of relationships and personalities in this weird, unconventional home they've found themselves. I'd absolutely adore some degree of a poly tangle between the seven of them (especially Percy/Rodrigo or Percy/Rodrigo/Anitra), because the only thing I love more than found families is poly found families. If that's not your jam, though, I'm totally cool with just canon ships as well, or really ANY combination of ships among this group, canon or otherwise.
Failing that, any focus on any character here or combination thereof here is also totally good; I love all my Custard crewmembers equally! Backstory on Rodrigo, Anitra, or Tasherit! More about Rue, Prim, Percy, and Quesnel growing up! Shipfic for Rue/Quesnel or Prim/Tasherit, or any non-canon ship! AUs that preserve their found-family dynamic and explore their relationships (both romantic and platonic) further! (I'd prefer magical over mundane AUs, but honestly, if you're feeling a high school/college/coffee shop/etc. dynamic with this group, PLEASE bring it on, there's not nearly enough fic!)
I think these are my favorite of Gail Carriger's books (though it's a REALLY close call); I deeply adore next-gen stories, and this one delivers on so many other things I adore. Found families (among my absolute favorite things!!), people who want to live outside of society in some way banding together and finding a place for themselves, so, SO much queerness, tons of casual rep, traveling the world, friendship, progressive values in a historical setting... Competence only added to my love of the series by contributing heartily to pretty much all of these tropes, giving POVs to two of my favorite characters and introducing two new characters that I absolutely adore. (Every Tarabotti is bisexual!! My heart is so full!!)
As I said in my sign-up, I requested "any" because what I want most is to see more of all of these characters together (as well as, honestly, anyone else from the crew-- these seven are just my favorites!), this beautiful family that they've made for themselves in such a unique location, exploring and having adventures and forming this incredible bond. I'm just so fond of everyone, and I want to read about the complex and beautiful tangle of relationships between the seven of them. I very much ship everyone in whatever combination, so my ideal would be an OT6 or OT7 (depending on how comfortable with siblingcest you are-- I don't mind it, but I also certainly don't object if you'd rather not!), and I'd especially be interested in exploring Percy/Rodrigo or Percy/Rodrigo/Anitra (seriously, I was deeply incredulous that Percy self-identified as straight in Competence, YEAH RIGHT, PERCY). If you just want to write canon ships and everyone else as platonic, I'm also very down for that, I love them a lot too! Or... hell, honestly, any combination of ships floats my boat (you see what I did there?), so feel free to shake things up, as long as there's plenty of love to go around. And speaking of love, this found family is about to have a baby!! !!! I totally want to see this child growing up with such a large family, what are essentially multiple sets of parents and aunts and uncles and cousins galore. What an unconventional and lovely life that kid is going to have!! I want to hear all about it!!
If you're only feeling a focus on a small subset of characters or even just one, that's completely fine with me-- as I said, I love all my crewmembers equally! I love the canon ships, and I'd love to see any non-canon ships happen; I'd love to see stories from Rue, Prim, Percy, and Quesnel's childhood, or further backstory on Rodrigo, Anitra, or Tasherit, given how relatively little we know about all of them. I'm also very, very much down for almost any kind of AU setting-- magical over mundane would be preferred, but like I said, there's next to no fic for this fandom as is, so like... what WOULD a coffee shop or high school/college AU for a group like this look like?? Bring it on, honestly-- as long as it's relatively lighthearted, or at least happily resolved, pretty much anything is going to make me super happy.
The Darkest Part of the Forest - Holly Black
• Ben Evans, Severin
I want so, so much more of these two together! I'm aching for some Severin POV of the events of the book-- him hearing Ben talking to him over the years and how it made his feelings start to shift, or what it was like to finally meet Ben after all this time (does he live up to the hype? is he even better than Severin imagined?), or just any of the scenes of them together retold from Severin's POV (that kiss!! that declaration of love!!). Or future fic! What's it like for Ben living among the faeries? What's it like for Severin being back home after so long? How do the two of them navigate their relationship? How do the other fae feel about them? Just... more of them, in any capacity, period!
I'm also completely down for any kind of backstory from either or both of them -- we see some of Ben's early life, and we hear about Severin's, but seeing any part of it in more detail is extremely welcome -- and I also love Hazel and Jack and would be so happy to see more of them, too. And I'm extremely down for any kind of AU, as long as it preserves the human/fae nature of their relationship (or some element of human/non-human). (Or a role reversal AU-- fae Ben and human Severin??)
I read this book a few months ago after the cameo of Ben and Severin in The Cruel Prince, and I was absolutely enchanted; it hits so many of my buttons so perfectly! Strong sibling bonds, urban fantasy, a great fae mythos, exactly the kind of soft, tender, artistic hero I adore, and a beautiful, unexpected gay love story! I nominated just Ben and Severin because they're the ones for whom I most want to see fic, and the ones I want to focus on, but I do want it noted that I absolutely adore Hazel (and Jack!), and I welcome any emphasis on how important her and Ben's relationship is, and any cameos from Jack/checking in on how he and Hazel are doing. (I truly hope those crazy kids can manage to make it work, too!)
My main complaint about this book -- and it's the sort of complaint you really WANT to have, honestly -- was that I didn't feel like there was nearly enough! Ben and Severin's relationship was one of the most compelling plot arcs, and I didn't feel like there was nearly enough of it-- so that's where my request comes in! I feel like there are so many gaps we can fill in, even within canon, especially from Severin's POV; we know that Ben talked to Severin for years and Severin listened, so what was that like for him? The process of someone talking to him like he's a real person, the process of falling in love with Ben from a distance? (Or did it not truly happen for him until he actually got to properly meet Ben?) What were their interactions (and kiss!) like from his POV? I just love the entire concept of ancient, deeply powerful creatures falling in love with humans in large part because of their humanity, and while I really get that vibe between the two of them, we don't see it nearly as much in canon as I'd like, so please expand on that for me!!
And there's so much room for future fic with these two, too! How does Ben adjust to being among the faeries? (I'd be super interested in seeing the development of his musical gift and his shifting relationship with it.) How does Severin adjust to being back home? How do the two of them settle into being together? Are there ups and downs in their relationship? Is there ever a time one of them think it won't work out? How do the other fae feel about them? (Porn is definitely welcome here, too; I'd love to see their first time-- how long does it take? Are they nervous about it?) How do their fae and human natures clash? Do they go on a break when Ben goes to college or does he keep getting visited by his hot horned boyfriend that totally freaks everyone out? What about kids?? Really, as long as they're together, I'm happy to see absolutely anything involving their potential future.
If you'd rather just focus on one of them, I'm completely fine with getting backstory on either Ben or Severin-- we know a little about their early lives, but I'd love to see more, because I'm so fond of them both! If you're inspired to focus on Hazel and/or Jack instead, I would definitely prefer Ben and Severin to be involved, but if that's where the story takes you, I'm down to read about them, too! I'm also happy with any sort of magical/non-mundane AUs for Ben/Severin, as long as the human/non-human element of their relationship is preserved. (Any other kind of magical setting? Any other kind of fae mythos? Role reversal AU with fae Ben and human Severin??) I feel like there's a lot of potential here, so please run with whatever comes to you!
The Martian (2015)
• Mark Watney, Melissa Lewis
I love these two so much, so pretty much anything that explores their relationship, either canon platonic or turning it romantic, is so very welcome. What were their initial interactions like? How about some idle moments on the way to Mars, or while they were there? Bonding again after Mark gets rescued? (If shippy: at what point in their working relationship do they sleep together? Are they already together when the movie happens, and so it adds a new tension to Lewis thinking he's dead and then realizing he isn't? Are they both pining unresolvedly until Mark gets rescued? That degree of "thank god you're alive" sex must be truly epic!) How about an AU in which Lewis gets left on Mars alongside Mark, and the two of them have to survive together? (Arguing about disco! Huddling for warmth! Lots of pining and UST potential!) Or if Lewis gets left there instead of Mark-- how would the crew deal? Or-- really, anything else that focuses on their lives before the mission or what happens to them after!
I do extremely love the rest of the crew, so I very much encourage them being present here, too. Extremely optional additional prompt: I very much ship everyone in some happy communal poly tangle, so if you wanted to write Ares Crew OT6, I'd be absolutely thrilled. No pressure if not, of course, but if inspiration strikes! (And if not, I'm comfortable with any combination of ships, canon or otherwise, monogamous or otherwise. I love everyone's relationships, be they platonic or romantic, so anything that highlights how much everyone loves each other -- even if the focus is Mark and Melissa! -- would delight me immensely.)
I first saw this movie while it was in theaters, courtesy of my dad, who loved the book and was really excited about the adaptation. I, meanwhile, was not super enthused; I'm not generally into survival stories, and space doesn't hold special interest for me, so I figured I'd just tag along without really expecting to enjoy it much. And, uh... boy, was I wrong! I didn't expect the story to be so much less about survival and so much more about the endurance of the human spirit and the way that humanity comes together when called to lend a hand to others-- a theme I very, very much do enjoy! I didn't expect to fall so in love with the humor and personality of the characters, and I'm thrilled I saw it in theaters for the ridiculous scenery porn of Mars. I've watched it probably a dozen times since then at least (and don't think for a second I don't still get teary-eyed at the Starman montage), and now consider it to be one of my favorite movies. I finally got around to reading the book a couple months ago, so my love for this story and these characters is very fresh in my mind for Yuletide!
Mark and Melissa are my two favorite characters (though I adore the entire crew-- the only reason I didn't request "all" here is because these two are the only ones I'd be okay with a fic focusing on exclusively); I feel like it's impossible not to either read the book or watch the movie and not want Mark to be your best friend, and Lewis just hits so many tropes that I love in leader figures, especially female ones. There's so much emotion there-- easy teasing in the beginning, Lewis's guilt over leaving Mark behind, Mark asking her to be the one to tell his parents if he dies, and the obvious overflow of affection at the end when she's the one to rescue him. (And in the book, he names a geographical feature of Mars after her!!) I ship it, but mostly because I ship pretty much every permutation of Ares Crew OT6; if you'd prefer keeping it platonic, I'm equally invested in their relationship either way, so I'll provide both gen and shippy prompts and will be happy with either! (If you do go a shippy route, please, as requested earlier, either handwave away Lewis's husband, split them up, or have them be in an open relationship.)
There's a lot that's implicit in the relationship Mark and Melissa have in the movie, so many moments of bonding that we don't get to see but that we understand must have happened. So-- how did they first meet? Did they get along right away or did it take a while? Some idle moments in their downtime on the way to Mars or while they were there? Bonding again on their way back home, after Mark gets rescued? Scenes from long after Mars? I welcome either humor or softer moments, since it's obvious there's a lot of affection and trust among the crew. (If shippy, I'm extremely here for either getting-together or established-relationship fic. At what point do they first sleep together? I can see fun options both ways-- how much more guilt Lewis would feel if they were already together when Mark gets left on Mars, or how intense the pining would be if she thought he was dead and he thought he might die. Either way, it sets up some TRULY fabulous "thank god you're alive" sex!) I've also recently been totally enraptured by the idea of an AU in which Lewis, as threatened, does end up stranded on Mars alongside Mark; how does that change things? Does the story arc end up altered in any way because of it? Does Mark feel better getting to yell at Lewis's face about her terrible taste in music? (There's so much hurt/comfort and UST potential if this goes a shippy route, too!) As you might have seen in prior prompts, I'm very into role reversal AUs, too, so-- Lewis gets left on Mars on her own instead of Mark! How does that go? How does she cope, and how does the crew cope without her? (That's about the extent of AUs I'd like for this fandom; their scenario is SO SPECIFIC, I can't imagine reading about them in any other context! Though of course if you come up with some other canon-divergent AU, feel free to run with that, too.)
Now, if you'll indulge me, I'd like to dip briefly into the Extremely Optional portion of this prompt, because the genuine desire of my heart for this fandom (even in a fic that focuses primarily on Mark and Melissa) is, as I said earlier, Ares Crew OT6. And as I said, I requested these two characters because they're the only characters I'd be just as happy seeing on their own-- but I love the entire crew so, so much, and I love them all together, so if you do want to write them in some glorious poly tangle, I'd be absolutely over the moon (pun not intended) (OR IS IT??). I feel like adding a romantic element makes the emotional tension of the movie all the higher-- are they all together when Mark gets stranded, and what does that mean for them? Do the five of them get together while mourning Mark, and how does he fit back into that? Has there ever been a human being more deserving of a gentle, loving gangbang by his entire crew than Mark Watney after his rescue, I ask you?? These are, again, just some 100% optional extras floating around my mind; as is, I'm perfectly fine with whatever romantic configuration, canon or otherwise, takes place among these characters. Either way, though, I absolutely encourage cameos from everyone else in the crew, even if Mark&Melissa are primarily centered.
Venom (Movie 2018)
• Eddie Brock, Venom Symbiote
I want to read a million words about the dynamic between Eddie and Venom-- the emotional bond, the complications of cohabitating in a single body, pretty much ANYTHING sexy since there are so many possibilities (yes, I so very, very ship it)! I would love to read Venom POV of any scene during the movie; we know that it took less than two days of being in Eddie's head for Venom to do a complete 180 on everything it believes, so what did that look like? How does it feel to be with such a perfect host? How does Venom get back to Eddie, after the explosion? Where do they go from there-- what's their future like? When does their relationship become explicitly romantic/sexy (or AU where it was that way from the beginning)? How do they negotiate the boundaries of living in the same body and sharing thoughts? Do they go the full vigilante route? How long does it take Venom to adjust to Earth?
I am so, so comfortable with porn of any kind here, as long as it's consensual-- there's so many fun and kinky tropes that can be explored with these two, and I'm VERY HERE FOR PRETTY MUCH ANY OF THEM. (Bondage! D/s elements! Overstimulation! Mental feedback loops!) Please feel free to incorporate any of the comics storylines, too, and I'd prefer no AUs, unless they're just canon-divergent from the movie in some way. (What if there's a sexual element involved in the symbiotic bond? What if Eddie seduces Venom into wanting to protect Earth rather than destroy it? What if Venom's telepathically connected to the other symbiotes and has to convince them how great Eddie is [and, by extension, Earth is]? What if SOULMATE AU? [Isn't that just the movie, really??])
Full disclosure: up until very recently, I had absolutely no interest in any aspect of Venom. (Definitely a theme for the movies I'm requesting this year, ha!) I've never been super into either body horror or the fucky nature of aliens/monsters-- I had no reason to believe this movie would be any different. And then I saw a trailer, and... suffice it to say something was awakened in me, something I had reason to hope would slumber forever? And then I actually saw it, and I was just dumbstruck by how romantic the relationship between Eddie and Venom was?? How ridiculously sweet?? I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS! I WAS RELUCTANTLY HERE FOR FUCKY ALIENS! But all of a sudden, I am WILDLY INVESTED in these two codependent loser disasters finding one another, bonding in ways neither expected, learning how to coexist in one body and mind, and... well, thank goodness it was nominated!
I am kind of assuming that if you offered this fandom, you're on board for wherever I'm going to go, so uh, LET'S GO THERE, FRIEND. I am definitely, definitely invested in Eddie and Venom's relationship as explicitly romantic/sexual/generally all-consuming (pun not intended) (why do I keep doing this??). After all, how much more intimate can you get than living in the same body and being inside one another's minds? There's so much to explore with that dynamic! I love that there's room to walk the line between creepy and romantic with the two of them; the movie clearly portrays genuine affection between them, as well as a weirdly open communication style (negotiating who Venom is allowed to kill! ~boundaries!)... but at the same time, they're an alien who requires a human in order to survive and lives inside his body and mind and will eat his organs if it's not kept adequately fed. There's definitely room for both aspects of that dynamic to be explored! Basically I'd love a relationship that at least touches on the implications of how fucked up the whole thing is (whether that it's a philosophical or sexy way), but also embraces the fact that both of them are really, really into it.
One of the things I'm most interested in seeing is Venom POV-- we know very little about what it might be thinking throughout the events of the movie, and I very much want to know! We know it was kind of a loser on its home planet-- what's the backstory there? What was it thinking while traveling to and being on Earth, before it bonded with Eddie? What's the initial experience of symbiosis like for it-- finding a host as perfect as Eddie, getting used to being in his body, being able to do all that cool shit? (Do symbiotes hear stories, growing up, of the one day they'll meet their perfect host, and symbiosis will be better than anything they ever imagined??) When does the shift occur for it, from using Eddie to help take over the world to starting to like him to literally changing its entire motive for him? (It happens in like two days! What did it see in Eddie's head, to make it fall for him so quickly?) How does it feel for it to be separated from Eddie after achieving such perfect symbiosis-- what about its time in Anne's head? What new things did it learn there? (And THAT KISS, AAAAAA.) What happened at the end, between Eddie thinking Venom had died and them reuniting? (I'm totally down for Eddie's POV on this, too.)
Any kind of post-movie fic is totally fine with me, too-- how do Eddie and Venom negotiate boundaries? Do they become a vigilante, and how does that go? (Casefic is welcome here, as long as there's plenty of relationship stuff too!) Does it take Venom a while to get used to the ins and outs of what it means to be human (I feel like there's so much potential for wacky, bittersweet, and heartwarming types of fic in this regard!)? How does their RELATIONSHIP go, both emotionally and sexually (I'm very much here for porn, and down for taking the kinky stuff with them to more extreme places-- tentacles are a given, of course, their dynamic screams D/s elements, Eddie is clearly at least a little masochistic, there's so much room for telepathic sensation feedback loops/edging/overstimulation...)? I've also skimmed through a lot of the modern comics storylines, so any nods to that, or full transplants of any of the storylines into movieverse, are extremely welcome.
Because the particular dynamic of human-and-symbiote going on here is so specific to canon, I'd prefer no AUs unless they're canon-divergent in some way. (Like, what if Venom was telepathically connected to the other symbiotes throughout the movie and has to convince Riot to change its mind about Earth as it's bonding with Eddie? What if Eddie and Venom were still together when Carlton kidnapped him and DID get Venom back, and Eddie has to come to the rescue? What if the bond was explicitly sexual from the start and Venom has to seduce Eddie into symbiosis-- or Eddie seduces Venom into wanting to save Earth rather than take it over? Groundhog Day AU in which Eddie keeps going back to try to save Venom from sacrificing itself or Venom keeps going back to keep itself with Eddie/convince Eddie to accept their symbiosis! GO WILD HERE.) There's also room to go off the wall with so many romantic tropes here-- soulbonding! Weird alien marriage rituals! Sex pollen/fuck or die (and how does it work when you're sharing a body??)! Hurt/comfort! I know this is A LOT of potential angles I'm throwing out, ha, but as long as the two of them are together, figuring their way through a complicated and fucked up but ultimately unbreakable dynamic, I'll be extremely happy about it.
(NB: I'm using "it" pronouns for Venom just because... it seems simplest? But Eddie and others refer to it as "he" in the movie, and I know some fic has gone with "they," so honestly, whatever non-"she" pronouns you want to use for Venom are totally cool with me.) (Also, very ridiculous additional note: it has really been throwing me off when people just use normal quotation marks for Venom dialogue in fic, so I'd deeply appreciate using some additional distinguishing note, be it italics/bold/all caps or some combination of those, with or without quotation marks!)
Broadly speaking, the things usually I want out of Yuletide are character- rather than plot-driven stories (not that the two can't happily coexist, of course, but my favorite stories tend to follow an emotional arc or a relationship development rather than characters dealing with an external conflict or a really intricate plot) with happy or at least hopeful endings (I'm fine with a more bittersweet light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel type ambiguity, but would strongly prefer more overt happiness, and I really and truly do not want any serious or lasting tragedy involved).
My major DNWs are needles (I have a huge phobia and would deeply rather no mention of them at all, but if it does come up, please please please keep it brief and be sure to clearly warn for me!) and serious issues beyond those explored in canon (e.g., racism, homophobia, character death, serious assault/injury, etc. etc.). I don't really think I've requested canons that contain a lot of serious issues this year (apart from things like colonialism in Parasolverse and... you know, everything that Venom is), so we shouldn't have a problem there, but homophobia in general (internalized or otherwise) especially a significant DNW for me, in an effort to keep Yuletide my happy place!
More specifically, here are some overall likes and dislikes:
Likes: banter, UST/pining/slow burn, first kisses/makeouts that don't immediately lead to sex (either by design or by accidental interruption), gross fluffy ridiculous romcom-y tropes, people being very competent at what they do (and other people, ahem, enjoying it), little canon easter eggs, found families, cute animals, puns, and the general concept of hope and humanity's essential goodness triumphing over darkness and existential despair!
Dislikes: misogyny in m/m relationships/demonization of female characters for the sake of m/m, misogynistic dirty talk (e.g., "slut"/"whore"), noncon/dubcon, infidelity, excessive jealousy/possessiveness, excessive kinky elements, A/B/O, mpreg, daddy kink, first- or second-person POV, and contrived miscommunication conflicts that could be resolved with a single, simple statement of clarification! (All of these should be taken as blanket dislikes except when otherwise noted for each individual fandom; Venom in particular can, uh, be taken to a much kinkier place than I usually prefer my fic to go.)
Some additional resources in terms of things I like: my trope and kink sorters (feel free not to take the rankings on those too seriously; the first seven or so on both lists are pretty solidly interchangeable as Favorite Things To Read), and a non-comprehensive fandom list in case of crossover or AU possibilities (don't feel the need to force it, but if something seems like it lends itself to the option, I'm certainly open to it!). I... basically have no public fannish presence anymore and I'm so sorry about that, but here's my AO3 and my liveblog Twitter, which will almost certainly be of no use to you, ha, but if you want to see me yell about stuff as I read/watch it--! :")
SO now that we've got that taken care of, let's talk fandoms! (Should probably go without saying, but SPOILER WARNING for every fandom below! Please don't go in unless you're familiar with them, and if you aren't, PLEASE GO CONSUME THEM RIGHT NOW.)
Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger
• Biffy, Professor Randolph Lyall
I love these two so, so much, and I really just want to read more about them! Any stage of their relationship is such fabulous fic fodder: did they ever interact prior to what we see in canon? More detail on the early days of their interactions and relationship? (We see most of it, but there have to be some missing moments, right?) Thoughts about one another during their very long separation (letters they never wrote each other, maybe)? More about their eventual reunion? (I've read Romancing the Werewolf, so feel free to either expand on that or reimagine an alternate version of said reunion!) Anything about the future of their relationship, given that they have so much time together! (Modern-day ancient werewolves in love? !!)
I'm also comfortable with any kind of AU for these two, though I would prefer no mundane AUs-- modern-day urban fantasy? Daemon or Harry Potter AU? Canon divergence with a role reversal (Lyall is the quietly competent drone, Biffy is the deceptive dandy werewolf pack beta who Gets Shit Done) or Biffy becoming a vampire after all (how does this affect their interaction and their relationship)? Or what if they didn't get together when they did, and either ride the tension or only notice one another during Romancing the Werewolf-era or beyond? Honestly, as long as the two of them are together and happy at the end, there's so much that can be done!
I first came across this series a few years ago, and from the start, Lyall was my favorite character; when he was revealed as bisexual, I was absolutely delighted (I CAN ALWAYS SENSE A BI), and when he developed this beautiful, achingly tender relationship with Biffy, my heart was so ridiculously full. I've been so, so excited with every new book in the series I've read to track them through the years, and when I found out a reunion novella was coming, I couldn't contain myself-- it's absolutely everything I wanted it to be (except for being, like, 500,000 words long, but hey, you win some, you lose some!).
I'm fond of this ship primarily just because I love Lyall so much, and I want him to be happy, especially after how much awful shit he's been through, but the more I read and reread these books, the fonder I become of Biffy. He didn't ask for any of this, and it's so antithetical to what he always wanted, but he makes the best of it in such wonderful style! He's a very different kind of alpha, who rises to the occasion in such dramatic and fabulous fashion (pun not intended) (or is it??), and of course, he deserves to have the best beta in the business by his side. The two of them work so, so well together, both of them seeming so soft yet so strong, so deceptively powerful beneath their mild-mannered surfaces-- Lyall so desperate for someone to lean on, and Biffy proving more than equal to the task, while simultaneously needing the unending support that Lyall provides in the world that's still relatively new to him. They fit together SO PERFECTLY, and I adore them both so much!!
So-- honestly, every single stage of their relationship is prime for fic to explore. Even the very beginning, what little we see of it-- moments of potential attraction before it's first realized? An extended PWP of their first night together? The time between the resolution of their plot in Timeless and Lyall leaving? And then, of course, we have SO MUCH SPACE to fill in between Timeless and Romancing the Werewolf. We learn in the latter that they were pretty much saving themselves for one another (MY BABIES), but what was that like-- do they try to move on and fail miserably? How do they think of one another? Do they try to write one another letters that never get sent? Or an AU where they DO get sent, and they keep up that fragile thread of communication through all those years? (I'm so, so here for epistolary fic!) And, of course, their reunion in canon is so wonderful; I'm very, very much here for any fic that explores Romancing the Werewolf or goes beyond it (canon soulbond!! Pack dynamics!! Kidfic potential!!), but I'm also willing to see pretty much any other take on them coming back to one another, especially one in which they get their shit together sooner, JEEZ, Y'ALL. How do they rebuild the fragile but real connection they made all those years ago? How does their daily life look after they've come back together? Any cameos from the rest of the pack are also very, very welcome.
I'm also very much here for AUs, since what I love most about them is their personalities and relationship dynamic, and I'd love to see that transferred into some other setting! I'd prefer no mundane AUs, though, since I like the additional element of the supernatural of some kind with them, so-- modern-day urban fantasy? Daemon AU? Harry Potter AU, or any AU which introduces a different kind of werewolf mythos? Canon-divergent AUs are welcome, too-- I love role reversal AUs, so ever since I pictured Lyall as the quietly competent, well-dressed drone and Biffy the beta who Gets Shit Done under cover of his deceptive dandy wardrobe, I've been obsessed with the idea. Or what if Biffy DID become a vampire after all-- how does that change the arc of the story, in addition to his relationship with Lyall? (In any of these scenarios, by the way, I'm very welcome to exploring Biffy/Akeldama in addition to Biffy/Lyall, or a threesome situation with them. Very optional, of course, but in case any ideas come your way!) Or how the story would progress if a romantic element entered their relationship much later in the game-- after Lyall comes back to England to serve as Biffy's beta, or even later than that? Honestly, I feel like there's SO much room for fun twists on their dynamic, and I'M VERY HERE FOR ALL OF THEM.
If you'd prefer to focus on either Lyall or Biffy on their own, I'm also down for that-- there's so, so much Lyall backstory to fill in, and we know so little about Biffy pre-canon! There's also, again, those long years in which they're apart, where Lyall is trying to serve as a beta to a whole other pack and Biffy is trying to prepare to be alpha of his; I'm happy with either introspective or shenanigans-themed fic for their efforts, as long as they come out on top in the end (again, pun not intended) (or is it???). Clearly we know they both survive to the canon's present day, so! As long as you're giving me more of these two wonderful smart kind strong men that we see in canon, I'm going to be very, very happy with whatever you come up with.
The Custard Protocol Series - Gail Carriger
• any character (Anitra, Prudence, Quesnel, Rodrigo, Percival, Primrose, Tasherit)
I've requested "any" here because my dream fics all involve more exploration of this beautiful found family (who's about to have a baby!!), the whole crew just floating together, their wonderful gamut of relationships and personalities in this weird, unconventional home they've found themselves. I'd absolutely adore some degree of a poly tangle between the seven of them (especially Percy/Rodrigo or Percy/Rodrigo/Anitra), because the only thing I love more than found families is poly found families. If that's not your jam, though, I'm totally cool with just canon ships as well, or really ANY combination of ships among this group, canon or otherwise.
Failing that, any focus on any character here or combination thereof here is also totally good; I love all my Custard crewmembers equally! Backstory on Rodrigo, Anitra, or Tasherit! More about Rue, Prim, Percy, and Quesnel growing up! Shipfic for Rue/Quesnel or Prim/Tasherit, or any non-canon ship! AUs that preserve their found-family dynamic and explore their relationships (both romantic and platonic) further! (I'd prefer magical over mundane AUs, but honestly, if you're feeling a high school/college/coffee shop/etc. dynamic with this group, PLEASE bring it on, there's not nearly enough fic!)
I think these are my favorite of Gail Carriger's books (though it's a REALLY close call); I deeply adore next-gen stories, and this one delivers on so many other things I adore. Found families (among my absolute favorite things!!), people who want to live outside of society in some way banding together and finding a place for themselves, so, SO much queerness, tons of casual rep, traveling the world, friendship, progressive values in a historical setting... Competence only added to my love of the series by contributing heartily to pretty much all of these tropes, giving POVs to two of my favorite characters and introducing two new characters that I absolutely adore. (Every Tarabotti is bisexual!! My heart is so full!!)
As I said in my sign-up, I requested "any" because what I want most is to see more of all of these characters together (as well as, honestly, anyone else from the crew-- these seven are just my favorites!), this beautiful family that they've made for themselves in such a unique location, exploring and having adventures and forming this incredible bond. I'm just so fond of everyone, and I want to read about the complex and beautiful tangle of relationships between the seven of them. I very much ship everyone in whatever combination, so my ideal would be an OT6 or OT7 (depending on how comfortable with siblingcest you are-- I don't mind it, but I also certainly don't object if you'd rather not!), and I'd especially be interested in exploring Percy/Rodrigo or Percy/Rodrigo/Anitra (seriously, I was deeply incredulous that Percy self-identified as straight in Competence, YEAH RIGHT, PERCY). If you just want to write canon ships and everyone else as platonic, I'm also very down for that, I love them a lot too! Or... hell, honestly, any combination of ships floats my boat (you see what I did there?), so feel free to shake things up, as long as there's plenty of love to go around. And speaking of love, this found family is about to have a baby!! !!! I totally want to see this child growing up with such a large family, what are essentially multiple sets of parents and aunts and uncles and cousins galore. What an unconventional and lovely life that kid is going to have!! I want to hear all about it!!
If you're only feeling a focus on a small subset of characters or even just one, that's completely fine with me-- as I said, I love all my crewmembers equally! I love the canon ships, and I'd love to see any non-canon ships happen; I'd love to see stories from Rue, Prim, Percy, and Quesnel's childhood, or further backstory on Rodrigo, Anitra, or Tasherit, given how relatively little we know about all of them. I'm also very, very much down for almost any kind of AU setting-- magical over mundane would be preferred, but like I said, there's next to no fic for this fandom as is, so like... what WOULD a coffee shop or high school/college AU for a group like this look like?? Bring it on, honestly-- as long as it's relatively lighthearted, or at least happily resolved, pretty much anything is going to make me super happy.
The Darkest Part of the Forest - Holly Black
• Ben Evans, Severin
I want so, so much more of these two together! I'm aching for some Severin POV of the events of the book-- him hearing Ben talking to him over the years and how it made his feelings start to shift, or what it was like to finally meet Ben after all this time (does he live up to the hype? is he even better than Severin imagined?), or just any of the scenes of them together retold from Severin's POV (that kiss!! that declaration of love!!). Or future fic! What's it like for Ben living among the faeries? What's it like for Severin being back home after so long? How do the two of them navigate their relationship? How do the other fae feel about them? Just... more of them, in any capacity, period!
I'm also completely down for any kind of backstory from either or both of them -- we see some of Ben's early life, and we hear about Severin's, but seeing any part of it in more detail is extremely welcome -- and I also love Hazel and Jack and would be so happy to see more of them, too. And I'm extremely down for any kind of AU, as long as it preserves the human/fae nature of their relationship (or some element of human/non-human). (Or a role reversal AU-- fae Ben and human Severin??)
I read this book a few months ago after the cameo of Ben and Severin in The Cruel Prince, and I was absolutely enchanted; it hits so many of my buttons so perfectly! Strong sibling bonds, urban fantasy, a great fae mythos, exactly the kind of soft, tender, artistic hero I adore, and a beautiful, unexpected gay love story! I nominated just Ben and Severin because they're the ones for whom I most want to see fic, and the ones I want to focus on, but I do want it noted that I absolutely adore Hazel (and Jack!), and I welcome any emphasis on how important her and Ben's relationship is, and any cameos from Jack/checking in on how he and Hazel are doing. (I truly hope those crazy kids can manage to make it work, too!)
My main complaint about this book -- and it's the sort of complaint you really WANT to have, honestly -- was that I didn't feel like there was nearly enough! Ben and Severin's relationship was one of the most compelling plot arcs, and I didn't feel like there was nearly enough of it-- so that's where my request comes in! I feel like there are so many gaps we can fill in, even within canon, especially from Severin's POV; we know that Ben talked to Severin for years and Severin listened, so what was that like for him? The process of someone talking to him like he's a real person, the process of falling in love with Ben from a distance? (Or did it not truly happen for him until he actually got to properly meet Ben?) What were their interactions (and kiss!) like from his POV? I just love the entire concept of ancient, deeply powerful creatures falling in love with humans in large part because of their humanity, and while I really get that vibe between the two of them, we don't see it nearly as much in canon as I'd like, so please expand on that for me!!
And there's so much room for future fic with these two, too! How does Ben adjust to being among the faeries? (I'd be super interested in seeing the development of his musical gift and his shifting relationship with it.) How does Severin adjust to being back home? How do the two of them settle into being together? Are there ups and downs in their relationship? Is there ever a time one of them think it won't work out? How do the other fae feel about them? (Porn is definitely welcome here, too; I'd love to see their first time-- how long does it take? Are they nervous about it?) How do their fae and human natures clash? Do they go on a break when Ben goes to college or does he keep getting visited by his hot horned boyfriend that totally freaks everyone out? What about kids?? Really, as long as they're together, I'm happy to see absolutely anything involving their potential future.
If you'd rather just focus on one of them, I'm completely fine with getting backstory on either Ben or Severin-- we know a little about their early lives, but I'd love to see more, because I'm so fond of them both! If you're inspired to focus on Hazel and/or Jack instead, I would definitely prefer Ben and Severin to be involved, but if that's where the story takes you, I'm down to read about them, too! I'm also happy with any sort of magical/non-mundane AUs for Ben/Severin, as long as the human/non-human element of their relationship is preserved. (Any other kind of magical setting? Any other kind of fae mythos? Role reversal AU with fae Ben and human Severin??) I feel like there's a lot of potential here, so please run with whatever comes to you!
The Martian (2015)
• Mark Watney, Melissa Lewis
I love these two so much, so pretty much anything that explores their relationship, either canon platonic or turning it romantic, is so very welcome. What were their initial interactions like? How about some idle moments on the way to Mars, or while they were there? Bonding again after Mark gets rescued? (If shippy: at what point in their working relationship do they sleep together? Are they already together when the movie happens, and so it adds a new tension to Lewis thinking he's dead and then realizing he isn't? Are they both pining unresolvedly until Mark gets rescued? That degree of "thank god you're alive" sex must be truly epic!) How about an AU in which Lewis gets left on Mars alongside Mark, and the two of them have to survive together? (Arguing about disco! Huddling for warmth! Lots of pining and UST potential!) Or if Lewis gets left there instead of Mark-- how would the crew deal? Or-- really, anything else that focuses on their lives before the mission or what happens to them after!
I do extremely love the rest of the crew, so I very much encourage them being present here, too. Extremely optional additional prompt: I very much ship everyone in some happy communal poly tangle, so if you wanted to write Ares Crew OT6, I'd be absolutely thrilled. No pressure if not, of course, but if inspiration strikes! (And if not, I'm comfortable with any combination of ships, canon or otherwise, monogamous or otherwise. I love everyone's relationships, be they platonic or romantic, so anything that highlights how much everyone loves each other -- even if the focus is Mark and Melissa! -- would delight me immensely.)
I first saw this movie while it was in theaters, courtesy of my dad, who loved the book and was really excited about the adaptation. I, meanwhile, was not super enthused; I'm not generally into survival stories, and space doesn't hold special interest for me, so I figured I'd just tag along without really expecting to enjoy it much. And, uh... boy, was I wrong! I didn't expect the story to be so much less about survival and so much more about the endurance of the human spirit and the way that humanity comes together when called to lend a hand to others-- a theme I very, very much do enjoy! I didn't expect to fall so in love with the humor and personality of the characters, and I'm thrilled I saw it in theaters for the ridiculous scenery porn of Mars. I've watched it probably a dozen times since then at least (and don't think for a second I don't still get teary-eyed at the Starman montage), and now consider it to be one of my favorite movies. I finally got around to reading the book a couple months ago, so my love for this story and these characters is very fresh in my mind for Yuletide!
Mark and Melissa are my two favorite characters (though I adore the entire crew-- the only reason I didn't request "all" here is because these two are the only ones I'd be okay with a fic focusing on exclusively); I feel like it's impossible not to either read the book or watch the movie and not want Mark to be your best friend, and Lewis just hits so many tropes that I love in leader figures, especially female ones. There's so much emotion there-- easy teasing in the beginning, Lewis's guilt over leaving Mark behind, Mark asking her to be the one to tell his parents if he dies, and the obvious overflow of affection at the end when she's the one to rescue him. (And in the book, he names a geographical feature of Mars after her!!) I ship it, but mostly because I ship pretty much every permutation of Ares Crew OT6; if you'd prefer keeping it platonic, I'm equally invested in their relationship either way, so I'll provide both gen and shippy prompts and will be happy with either! (If you do go a shippy route, please, as requested earlier, either handwave away Lewis's husband, split them up, or have them be in an open relationship.)
There's a lot that's implicit in the relationship Mark and Melissa have in the movie, so many moments of bonding that we don't get to see but that we understand must have happened. So-- how did they first meet? Did they get along right away or did it take a while? Some idle moments in their downtime on the way to Mars or while they were there? Bonding again on their way back home, after Mark gets rescued? Scenes from long after Mars? I welcome either humor or softer moments, since it's obvious there's a lot of affection and trust among the crew. (If shippy, I'm extremely here for either getting-together or established-relationship fic. At what point do they first sleep together? I can see fun options both ways-- how much more guilt Lewis would feel if they were already together when Mark gets left on Mars, or how intense the pining would be if she thought he was dead and he thought he might die. Either way, it sets up some TRULY fabulous "thank god you're alive" sex!) I've also recently been totally enraptured by the idea of an AU in which Lewis, as threatened, does end up stranded on Mars alongside Mark; how does that change things? Does the story arc end up altered in any way because of it? Does Mark feel better getting to yell at Lewis's face about her terrible taste in music? (There's so much hurt/comfort and UST potential if this goes a shippy route, too!) As you might have seen in prior prompts, I'm very into role reversal AUs, too, so-- Lewis gets left on Mars on her own instead of Mark! How does that go? How does she cope, and how does the crew cope without her? (That's about the extent of AUs I'd like for this fandom; their scenario is SO SPECIFIC, I can't imagine reading about them in any other context! Though of course if you come up with some other canon-divergent AU, feel free to run with that, too.)
Now, if you'll indulge me, I'd like to dip briefly into the Extremely Optional portion of this prompt, because the genuine desire of my heart for this fandom (even in a fic that focuses primarily on Mark and Melissa) is, as I said earlier, Ares Crew OT6. And as I said, I requested these two characters because they're the only characters I'd be just as happy seeing on their own-- but I love the entire crew so, so much, and I love them all together, so if you do want to write them in some glorious poly tangle, I'd be absolutely over the moon (pun not intended) (OR IS IT??). I feel like adding a romantic element makes the emotional tension of the movie all the higher-- are they all together when Mark gets stranded, and what does that mean for them? Do the five of them get together while mourning Mark, and how does he fit back into that? Has there ever been a human being more deserving of a gentle, loving gangbang by his entire crew than Mark Watney after his rescue, I ask you?? These are, again, just some 100% optional extras floating around my mind; as is, I'm perfectly fine with whatever romantic configuration, canon or otherwise, takes place among these characters. Either way, though, I absolutely encourage cameos from everyone else in the crew, even if Mark&Melissa are primarily centered.
Venom (Movie 2018)
• Eddie Brock, Venom Symbiote
I want to read a million words about the dynamic between Eddie and Venom-- the emotional bond, the complications of cohabitating in a single body, pretty much ANYTHING sexy since there are so many possibilities (yes, I so very, very ship it)! I would love to read Venom POV of any scene during the movie; we know that it took less than two days of being in Eddie's head for Venom to do a complete 180 on everything it believes, so what did that look like? How does it feel to be with such a perfect host? How does Venom get back to Eddie, after the explosion? Where do they go from there-- what's their future like? When does their relationship become explicitly romantic/sexy (or AU where it was that way from the beginning)? How do they negotiate the boundaries of living in the same body and sharing thoughts? Do they go the full vigilante route? How long does it take Venom to adjust to Earth?
I am so, so comfortable with porn of any kind here, as long as it's consensual-- there's so many fun and kinky tropes that can be explored with these two, and I'm VERY HERE FOR PRETTY MUCH ANY OF THEM. (Bondage! D/s elements! Overstimulation! Mental feedback loops!) Please feel free to incorporate any of the comics storylines, too, and I'd prefer no AUs, unless they're just canon-divergent from the movie in some way. (What if there's a sexual element involved in the symbiotic bond? What if Eddie seduces Venom into wanting to protect Earth rather than destroy it? What if Venom's telepathically connected to the other symbiotes and has to convince them how great Eddie is [and, by extension, Earth is]? What if SOULMATE AU? [Isn't that just the movie, really??])
Full disclosure: up until very recently, I had absolutely no interest in any aspect of Venom. (Definitely a theme for the movies I'm requesting this year, ha!) I've never been super into either body horror or the fucky nature of aliens/monsters-- I had no reason to believe this movie would be any different. And then I saw a trailer, and... suffice it to say something was awakened in me, something I had reason to hope would slumber forever? And then I actually saw it, and I was just dumbstruck by how romantic the relationship between Eddie and Venom was?? How ridiculously sweet?? I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS! I WAS RELUCTANTLY HERE FOR FUCKY ALIENS! But all of a sudden, I am WILDLY INVESTED in these two codependent loser disasters finding one another, bonding in ways neither expected, learning how to coexist in one body and mind, and... well, thank goodness it was nominated!
I am kind of assuming that if you offered this fandom, you're on board for wherever I'm going to go, so uh, LET'S GO THERE, FRIEND. I am definitely, definitely invested in Eddie and Venom's relationship as explicitly romantic/sexual/generally all-consuming (pun not intended) (why do I keep doing this??). After all, how much more intimate can you get than living in the same body and being inside one another's minds? There's so much to explore with that dynamic! I love that there's room to walk the line between creepy and romantic with the two of them; the movie clearly portrays genuine affection between them, as well as a weirdly open communication style (negotiating who Venom is allowed to kill! ~boundaries!)... but at the same time, they're an alien who requires a human in order to survive and lives inside his body and mind and will eat his organs if it's not kept adequately fed. There's definitely room for both aspects of that dynamic to be explored! Basically I'd love a relationship that at least touches on the implications of how fucked up the whole thing is (whether that it's a philosophical or sexy way), but also embraces the fact that both of them are really, really into it.
One of the things I'm most interested in seeing is Venom POV-- we know very little about what it might be thinking throughout the events of the movie, and I very much want to know! We know it was kind of a loser on its home planet-- what's the backstory there? What was it thinking while traveling to and being on Earth, before it bonded with Eddie? What's the initial experience of symbiosis like for it-- finding a host as perfect as Eddie, getting used to being in his body, being able to do all that cool shit? (Do symbiotes hear stories, growing up, of the one day they'll meet their perfect host, and symbiosis will be better than anything they ever imagined??) When does the shift occur for it, from using Eddie to help take over the world to starting to like him to literally changing its entire motive for him? (It happens in like two days! What did it see in Eddie's head, to make it fall for him so quickly?) How does it feel for it to be separated from Eddie after achieving such perfect symbiosis-- what about its time in Anne's head? What new things did it learn there? (And THAT KISS, AAAAAA.) What happened at the end, between Eddie thinking Venom had died and them reuniting? (I'm totally down for Eddie's POV on this, too.)
Any kind of post-movie fic is totally fine with me, too-- how do Eddie and Venom negotiate boundaries? Do they become a vigilante, and how does that go? (Casefic is welcome here, as long as there's plenty of relationship stuff too!) Does it take Venom a while to get used to the ins and outs of what it means to be human (I feel like there's so much potential for wacky, bittersweet, and heartwarming types of fic in this regard!)? How does their RELATIONSHIP go, both emotionally and sexually (I'm very much here for porn, and down for taking the kinky stuff with them to more extreme places-- tentacles are a given, of course, their dynamic screams D/s elements, Eddie is clearly at least a little masochistic, there's so much room for telepathic sensation feedback loops/edging/overstimulation...)? I've also skimmed through a lot of the modern comics storylines, so any nods to that, or full transplants of any of the storylines into movieverse, are extremely welcome.
Because the particular dynamic of human-and-symbiote going on here is so specific to canon, I'd prefer no AUs unless they're canon-divergent in some way. (Like, what if Venom was telepathically connected to the other symbiotes throughout the movie and has to convince Riot to change its mind about Earth as it's bonding with Eddie? What if Eddie and Venom were still together when Carlton kidnapped him and DID get Venom back, and Eddie has to come to the rescue? What if the bond was explicitly sexual from the start and Venom has to seduce Eddie into symbiosis-- or Eddie seduces Venom into wanting to save Earth rather than take it over? Groundhog Day AU in which Eddie keeps going back to try to save Venom from sacrificing itself or Venom keeps going back to keep itself with Eddie/convince Eddie to accept their symbiosis! GO WILD HERE.) There's also room to go off the wall with so many romantic tropes here-- soulbonding! Weird alien marriage rituals! Sex pollen/fuck or die (and how does it work when you're sharing a body??)! Hurt/comfort! I know this is A LOT of potential angles I'm throwing out, ha, but as long as the two of them are together, figuring their way through a complicated and fucked up but ultimately unbreakable dynamic, I'll be extremely happy about it.
(NB: I'm using "it" pronouns for Venom just because... it seems simplest? But Eddie and others refer to it as "he" in the movie, and I know some fic has gone with "they," so honestly, whatever non-"she" pronouns you want to use for Venom are totally cool with me.) (Also, very ridiculous additional note: it has really been throwing me off when people just use normal quotation marks for Venom dialogue in fic, so I'd deeply appreciate using some additional distinguishing note, be it italics/bold/all caps or some combination of those, with or without quotation marks!)