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Dear Yuletide letter (2013)
Dear Yuletide Writer,
Thank you so much for volunteering to write a fic for me! Please feel free to take a look around my journal if you want to see what kinds of stories I like. You can find my Fanfic Masterlist here, and the fics are also tagged by fandom and/or title in the sidebar. As you can see, I mostly read and write m/m slash, but if you don't feel comfortable writing that, I would be perfectly happy with a gen story, (or het or femslash for the fandoms that have female characters) too!
Likes: Love stories with happy endings. Romantic fluff is fine, but I also like angsty fics--as long as they eventually end happily For gen, I have a soft spot for stories about family or friendship. For both romance and gen: humor, drama, hurt/comfort--it's all good, as long as it ends happily, or at least hopefully. (Actually, I have a pretty big narrative kink for emotional hurt/comfort in particular.) If you decide to write romance, I'm fine with any rating--explicit, steamy sex scenes are great, but I'm happy even if it doesn't go beyond a kiss or fade-to-black. The emotions that the characters share are more important to me than the level of physical affection.
Dislikes/squicks: Character death, noncon, infidelity, mpreg (not really expecting that in these fandoms, but just to be on the safe side). And I generally don't read BDSM unless I'm familiar with the author and know how they'll handle it. Also, it's not a big squick, but I'm not really into threesomes--I'm more of a "two people find true love" kinda gal.
Listed below are some prompt ideas for my chosen fandoms in case you'd like some suggestions, but I want to stress that these are only suggestions and you should feel free to follow your muse, so please don't be intimidated by my very long comments! (I love character/meta discussion and tend to get carried away when talking about my favorite fandoms.) If you come up with an idea that's completely different, it will be all the more exciting for me because it's a surprise, and I'm sure I'll be thrilled with whatever you write! :D
Foreigner Series - C. J. Cherryh (Bren Cameron, Jago): I chose Bren and Jago because I'm most interested in the relationship between those two, but if you would like to include other characters, please feel free to do so as long as Bren and Jago have a major role in the story.
I'm fascinated by the complexities of Atevi society and all the fantastic worldbuilding that Cherryh put into it, including the differences in the way that humans and Atevi view emotions. While reading the first trilogy, I thought that Bren had much more chemistry with Jago than Barb, and I kept rooting for them to get together even though I knew, as Bren said, that such a relationship was almost certainly doomed to failure given the Atevi's view of love (that it's only for children). I was pleasantly surprised when they finally did get together, and moreover, the relationship seemed to work very well!
I got into a conversation here on the Yuletide comm, where I said, "They [the Atevi] aren't supposed to feel friendship or love, and yet Banichi and Jago have a camaraderie that I'd call friendship if they were human, and there's certainly a bond of affection between Jago and Bren, so I often wonder, I am just projecting human emotions onto an alien culture, or do they feel a kind of love even though they don't call it 'love' in the human sense of the word?" So this is something that I'd really like to see examined in fic: whether or not the Atevi feel love (even if they don't call it "love"), and more specifically, the bond between Bren and Jago. Does she love him, even if she wouldn't call it "love" in the Atevi sense, and will Brent continue to be content with that sort of love? Does he ever miss the human kind of romance, even if he is happy with Jago?
The other thing I find really fascinating is Bren's position as an outsider in both human and Atevi societies, and how he can never completely fit into either. Even before he chose to serve the Atevi over the humans, he seemed to have picked up too much of the Atevi mindset to fit easily into human society, and no matter how accepted he is by the Atevi, he can never truly become Atevi. A story examing Bren's feelings about this would also be welcome.
I apologize if those questions/issues are already dealt with in canon, since I'm way behind and have currently read only the first four books. I don't mind being spoiled if you want to refer to future events, but be aware that I might need a little exposition to figure out what's going on.
If you'd prefer to write something less meta and/or a little lighter-hearted, I'd also be delighted with a story about Bren and Jago carrying out a mission for Tabini (feel free to include Banichi if you wish). Or Bren and Jago just enjoying a little relaxation time alone together--maybe recovering after a tough mission, or having fun sexytimes, or both!
Really, anything exploring Atevi culture or just showing me a little more of my favorite characters will make me happy, so don't feel bound by my prompts, and feel free to write whatever you like!
Haru wo Daiteita | Embracing Love (Any): I nominated my favorite characters (Iwaki, Katou, Onozuka, and Kikuchi), but am requesting "0" characters in order to give potential writers the freedom to write about any character(s) they want. Onozuka doesn't appear until Book 8, and I know that people who have only read the BeBeautiful or Viz books might not be familiar with him. So if you write a story including Onozuka, that would be awesome, but if you would just like to write about Iwaki and/or Katou and/or Kikuchi, that would be awesome also! This is one fandom for which I can definitely say that I would be happy to get a story about any character, so feel free to write about whomever you want--I love absolutely every character in the series, even the minor supporting ones! That means if you have a burning desire to write about an unnominated character (Sawa, Yukihito, Asano, Shimizu, Kaneko, Miyasaka, Yoshizumi, Mochimune, or anybody else) feel free to have at it!
What I like most about Kikuchi and Onozuka are how devious and complex they are. Kikuchi is a jerk towards Iwaki and Katou, but at the same time, I can understand his bitterness and have some sympathy for the way his career was destroyed by the past gay scandal. As for Onozuka, he's a manipulative bastard, but he's also very loyal towards his friends. I ship the two of them together in my fics, so I would be thrilled if you wanted to write that pairing, but since it's purely fanon, please don't feel like you have to. It would be great if you wanted to include either or both of them as gen characters: perhaps Kikuchi is scheming to make trouble for Katou and Iwaki, and/or Onozuka schemes to help his friends; or Kikuchi and Onozuka team up to play a (mostly) harmless prank on Iwaki and Katou; or I'd be happy with a fic showing Iwaki and/or Katou working on a movie with Kikuchi and/or Onozuka.
If you do choose to write Kikuchi and Onozuka as a couple, I'd love to see them having lovers' quarrels for the pleasure of making up later--maybe one day it goes too far and a fake quarrel becomes real, or maybe their coworkers get fed up with all the drama and decide to teach them a lesson. Or show me how they got together in the first place! (Obviously, I have my own headcanon for that in my fics, but I'd love to see a different take on the pairing.)
If you prefer to concentrate on Iwaki and Katou, that's absolutely fine, too. Part of what I like about them is how different their personalities are: how open Katou is about his feelings, and in contrast, how Iwaki has difficulty expressing his feelings, and how that often leads to misunderstandings and conflicts between them. Iwaki seems to have some trust issues, and I love seeing how he slowly begins to trust and open up to Katou in the manga, so I would enjoy seeing that examined in a fic. Some prompt suggestions: the two of them fighting over a misunderstanding (such as the tabloid article about Katou's alleged infidelity in Book 2), or Katou wanting Iwaki to do something romantic (such as a public date or exchanging candy on Valentines Day) in order to be reassured that Iwaki loves him, but Iwaki is embarrassed by the idea and unintentionally hurts Katou's feelings by (initially) refusing to go along with it.
Since the fandom is a yaoi manga/anime, I'm assuming most people are interested in the slash pairings, but if you would like to write a story focusing mainly on a solo character, I'd find that really interesting, too! For Iwaki or Katou, maybe a story about their past career in the porn industry before they became a couple? For Kikuchi, I'd love to see a story taking a look at the scandal that forced him to leave Japan, and/or showing us what his life in America was like. For Onozuka, maybe something about how he got into show business or why he's so devious?
If you want to go for a more meta-type/worldbuilding fic, maybe you could show us how Iwaki and Katou's romance has changed the Japanese showbiz industry and/or society in general. Do they inspire other gay or bisexual celebrities to come out, and how are those celebs treated by the press and public? Kikuchi says in the manga that the public only likes them because they have a "pure" love and are not really gay, only gay for each other. OTOH, their public romance apparently made it acceptable for him to come back home and work on a movie in Japan again. Or maybe a young closeted gay fan finds the courage to come out, thanks to Iwaki and Katou's example--and his or her parents blame Iwaki and Katou for corrupting their child. Would this cause a public backlash against Iwaki and Katou, or would the public continue to support them?
Sorry that was so long, but I love rambling on about the Haru characters! Once again, these are only suggestions, and I would be thrilled with any type of Haru story, so if you have ideas of your own, please follow your muse!
Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms - Mercedes Lackey (Any): This is my favorite novel in the series, and I would be delighted with fic about any single character or any combination of characters. I love the friendship between Siegfried and Leopold, and I would enjoy some shippy fic about them: maybe they fall in love with each other instead of Rosamund (but still become friends with Rosa and help her find the solution to protect her Kingdom).
But I did enjoy the canon Siegfried/Rosamund romance, so if you want to stick with canon, I would also be happy to see fic about them: maybe future fic where we get to see them ruling the kingdom together, or maybe going on an adventure (with or without Leopold and/or Lily). I'd also enjoy gen friendship fic about Siegfried and Leopold: perhaps a side story that we didn't get to see in canon about the competition for Rosamund's hand, or the two of them having an adventure post-canon--maybe they go off on a fishing or hunting trip without their wives, and run into unexpected trouble.
I also love the friendship between Lily and Rosa, and I love "found families," so maybe even after Rosa is no longer in danger, Lily still takes a motherly interest in her and they still consider each other stepmother and daughter. I'd be happy to see slice-of-life fic where Lily stops by to visit Rosa and offer some motherly advice, or just to spend some with each other. Or maybe The Tradition causes some trouble in Eltara that Lily has to help Rosa solve? I'm happy with family or friendship fic, but if you see them as a couple and want to go the femslashy route, I'm fine with that, too (especially if you're shipping the guys together).
Solo character prompts: maybe a pre-canon look at the life of your chosen character? Or any of them having a solo adventure, pre or post-canon. (It might be fun to see Siegfried trying to deal with his family.) For Rosa, it's briefly mentioned in the book that one of the princes competing for her hand is disqualified because "he" is actually a princess--maybe Rosa decides to let the princess compete along with the princes and winds up falling for her, or for a gen prompt, they hit it off and become great (platonic) friends. For Lily, a story about her dealing with the problems of being a Godmother, and perhaps specifically, the problems that a mortal Godmother has, or maybe a story about how she acquired her magic mirror? Or if you'd like to write a worldbuilding story, have Lily do some research on the history of The Tradition and its origins, and possibly discover a way to negate it or least better control it--how would that alter life in the Five Hundred Kingdoms?
Troubleshooters Inc - Suzanne Brockmann (Jules Cassidy, Robin Chadwick Cassidy, Roger "Sam" Starrett): I'm choosing Robin, Jules, and Sam because I Iove the romance between Robin and Jules, and equally love the friendship between Jules and Sam. I really love the way Brockmann makes all her characters so complex and three-dimensional: the gay characters, like Robin and Jules, come across as real people, not tropes or stereotypes, and I also love how Sam likes to play to people's expectations of a bigoted redneck, but is actually much more sensitive and open-minded than he seems at first glance. (And I also love how he does overcome some of his real prejudices: Sam was a bit homophobic and very uncomfortable around Jules when they first met, but have since become very close friends.)
I'd love to see how Jules and Robin's relationship continues to develop. Maybe you could show them trying to juggle their careers and their relationship? Or the two of them having some alone time together, either at home or on a romantic getaway--things can be quiet and tender, or hot and steamy, depending on your preferences. Either is fine with me!
As for Sam, while he is supportive of Jules and Robin, he still worries that Jules has sacrificed his chances of advancement in the FBI in order to be with Robin, and that still causes some tension between Sam and Robin, even though Jules is perfectly content. Or maybe Sam is helping to bodyguard Robin during a movie shoot--maybe after a deranged fan has made some threats?
Or maybe Sam is working undercover on a Troubleshooters mission, and Robin can help somehow, by letting Sam pose as a movie producer or someone involved in the industry. I also remember there was one short story--I think it was included as an extra at the end of Into the Storm--where Sam is on a security assignment in Italy, and Jules poses as his boyfriend in order to help Sam ward off an amorous and very determined female admirer? I thought it was hilarious, and it made me want to see Jules and Sam go undercover as a gay couple--much to the amusement of Robin and Alyssa. (I think Robin would be more amused than jealous, but maybe there's a tiny bit of irrational jealousy even though he knows Sam is straight and happily married to Alyssa.)
I picked only those 3 characters in order to maximize the chances of matching with a writer, but once again, I love all the characters in this fandom, so feel free to include anyone else you would like--only if you want to, of course! Maybe all the nommed characters get together to celebrate a holiday, a successful mission, or one of Robin's movies. Or maybe Sam, Alyssa, Jules, and Robin all go out on a double date (feel free to make it a triple date with Jane and Cosmo if you want). Or maybe Sam and Alyssa go on a date, and Jules and Robin baby-sit for them (again, add Jane if you want). Or Jules's ex-boyfriend Adam shows up to either cause trouble or make amends. Or if you have any other ideas, just go for it! As I said, I love all the characters, so I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever you come up with!
Usagi Drop | Bunny Drop (Kaga Rin, Kawachi Daikichi, Nitani Kouki, Nitani-san): I just finished Book 9 with the controversial ending in which Daikichi and Rin decide to get married after she grows up. Even though I'd heard about it ahead of time, I was still kind of heartbroken because I'd been rooting for Daikichi and Kouki's mom to get together when I was still reading the earlier volumes when Rin was a little kid. I also don't care for the canon ending because I love the father/daughter bond between Daikichi and Rin, and how much they care about each other, and how earnestly Daikichi does his best to take care of Rin even though he has no experience looking after kids. I love Daikichi because even though he quickly realizes he's in over his head, he never once considers going back on his promise to become her guardian. For more on my thoughts about the series in general and Book 9 in particular, see my review here.
So what I'd really love is some fix-it fic where Daikichi and Nitani-san get together, preferably while Rin and Kouki are still little kids. It can be anything ranging from them getting married with Rin and Kouki becoming siblings to an awkward first date--or maybe it's a great first date where things are more casual and less pressured, like a picnic or a trip to the zoo with the kids.
However, I understand if you don't feel comfortable with altering canon, so I'd just be happy with a fic about some father/daughter bonding between Daikichi and Rin--like them cooking together, or going on an outing together, or Daikichi showing up for a school play or Sports Day. If you include Kouki and his mom, that would be great, but if you just want to focus on Daikichi and Rin, that's cool.
I'd prefer fic set during Books 1-4 (or during Season 1 of the anime) when Rin and Kouki are still about six, but if you want to write them older, I wouldn't mind seeing fic about the missing years between Books 4 and 5. You can even write about their teenage years if that's where your muse takes you, but I do ask that you keep Daikichi and Rin's relationship strictly father/daughter.
I do remember how Daikichi asked Rin early in the series if she wanted to call him "Dad," and she said no (because "Grandpa" is her dad). I understood why she felt that way, but I did kind of want Daikichi to become "Dad," so I would enjoy a fic where Rin changed her mind later on and wanted Daikichi to formally adopt her and/or call him "Dad," while still treasuring the memory of Grandpa. (Maybe Kouki and his mom could help her sort her feelings out?) Or maybe she continues to call Daikichi by name, but writes a Father's Day card or essay that Daikichi is moved to tears by.
If you want to focus more on Nitani-san and/or Kouki, I wouldn't mind learning more about Nitani-san--how she became a single mother and the challenges involved in raising a son alone. And even if you don't ship her with Daikichi, I'd enjoy seeing them be friends and giving each other support as fellow single parents.
If you want to ship Rin and Kouki together--puppy love as little kids, or a more serious relationship as teenagers--I'm fine with that, but please, no underage sex.
Aibou | Partners (TV) (Any):
See my promo post and and my Aibou squee post for more on my thoughts about the show and characters. I saved this one for last since it's a long entry, but please don't be scared off by the wall of text--I just wanted to give more info about it since it doesn't seem to have an existing fandom (at least in English).
I like mystery/detective shows in general--I watch every detective J-drama that I can, and I watch most of the crime procedurals (CSI, NCIS, Bones, etc.) on US TV. But what makes me love Aibou is the characters and the relationships between them.
Sugishita Ukyo: (Nitpicky detail: A03 has romanized his given name as "Ukyou," but it’s usually romanized as "Ukyo," although it does end in a long "o" sound--the same "kyo" that is used in "Tokyo" and "Kyoto". I’ll use "Ukyo" for convenience, but you can spell it whichever way you prefer.) He’s a brilliant detective along the lines of Sherlock Holmes, but unlike most incarnations of Holmes, he isn’t arrogant or rude, and I like the way he’s usually cheerfully polite in the face of insults. But what really makes him interesting to me are his weaknesses--he’s a bit aloof and sometimes has difficulty with emotionally relating to other people. Even though he and his ex-wife Tamaki obviously still care deeply about each other, they couldn’t make the marriage work, and I suspect it’s related to Ukyo’s emotional distance. He’s hurt Kaoru’s feelings in the past when he set Kaoru up to "discover" some planted evidence in order to catch a suspect, and was surprised when Kaoru felt foolish and betrayed when he learned the truth; Tamaki scolded him for not being more sensitive to other people’s feelings. Still, he and Kaoru develop a close friendship over the years, and Ukyo has difficulty expressing his feelings when Kaoru leaves the Special Mission team in Season 7--it’s obvious that he will miss Kaoru, although he can’t quite bring himself to come out and say so. It’s equally obvious that he resents his next partner, Kanbe, and it’s amusing to see him acting uncharacteristically petty with the way he constantly criticizes Kanbe, and often leaves Kanbe behind when he goes out on an investigation
Also, Ukyo’s dedication to pursuing the truth can be ruthless at times--there was an episode in Season 9 in which the higher-ups in the police department wanted to cover up the shooting of an undercover officer. Ukyo was determined to expose the truth, even though doing so would put the life of a confidential informant at risk; Kanbe ended up deleting the incriminating evidence to protect the C.I. And in another Season 9 episode, he and Kanbe argued over whether to comfort the dying mother of a suspect by telling her that her son was innocent--they believed that he wasn't really the killer, but Ukyo insisted that they couldn't say that he was innocent without any evidence, so the woman died believing that her son was a murderer, and Kanbe bitterly regretted not going against Ukyo's orders.
Kameyama Kaoru: In contrast, I like the way that Kaoru wears his heart on his sleeve and often acts without thinking. He rarely bothers to hide his feelings, and when he tries, he’s not much good at it. I like his cheerful good nature, and the way that he’s kind in spite of his brash hotheadedness. And I love the complete trust that he has in his partner: I particularly remember an episode from Season 7, in which he exposes himself to a potentially deadly virus because he trusts Ukyo’s belief that the virus is not contagious. Maybe it's his trusting nature that allows Ukyo to trust him in turn? That, and he shares Ukyo's unswerving dedication to exposing the truth and catching the criminal, even if it means going against orders and risking their careers.
Kanbe Takeru: In contrast to Kaoru, Kanbe is more reserved. He’s stylish and handsome, and has an air of practiced charm, but sometimes it’s hard to see past that outward charm and know what he’s really thinking. I liked how he and Ukyo started off with a rather prickly and adversarial relationship, but gradually learned to trust and respect each other over the course of Season 8. I like the moments when we see a little deeper into Kanbe, like in the incidents above where he clashes with Ukyo and shows that while he also cares about truth and justice, he sometimes values compassion more. And also in Season 8, Ep. 15 (狙われた刑事, or "Detective Targeted"), where he and Itami share a brief bonding moment (more on that below). I also like the comical moments in the show when we see Kanbe getting squeamish over dead bodies.
Itami Kenichi: I love Itami's ongoing feud with Special Mission, and I love the way his constant bickering with Kaoru seems to mask an underlying friendship between the two (though they would both deny it). And I love that beneath all the gruff rudeness and sneering insults, Itami is an honest and decent cop who has more in common with the Special Mission team than he'd like to admit--he also cares strongly about finding the truth and solving his cases, enough that he'll grudgingly set aside his differences with Special Mission if he needs them to help catch the culprit. And I love his occasional vulnerable moments, like when he shows compassion towards a murder victim's loved ones, or feels guilt over having failed to keep his promise to a witness, as he does in "Detective Targeted": in that episode, someone is trying to kill him, and the detectives believe that it's a former suspect that he arrested and/or interrogated, but he's struck with guilt when he realizes that the culprit is actually a witness that he failed to protect (he had promised that the young man wouldn't have to testify against his friends, but the prosecution made him testify, and his life went downhill after he was branded as a traitor). It's Kanbe and not Ukyo who figures out the truth this time--Kanbe tells Itami that he had accidentally injured a civilian in the line of duty in the past, and that what a police officer most regrets is hurting an innocent person. Although Itami often treats Kanbe rudely, for that brief moment there was a sense of understanding and connection, and ever since then, I've shipped the two of them together in my headcanon.
I'd love to see fic that explores any of these characters and/or the different ways that they relate to each other. Some suggested prompts:
-Any combination of characters working together on a case, or getting together for a drink after work. If you want to explore how the characters do or don't get along with each other, that's great, but feel free to keep it light if you prefer.
-Kaoru returning from abroad to visit Ukyo and meet Ukyo's new partner. Maybe there's a little conflict between him and Kanbe, and/or he helps them with a case.
-Itami seeking out Special Mission's help on a case, or Itami being temporarily demoted to Special Mission as punishment for talking back to Chief Uchimura or one of the other higher-ups in the MPD.
-Itami is gay, but is closeted for the sake of his career. One night he goes to a gay bar and is shocked to find Kanbe there, and somehow the two of them wind up going home together. (Kanbe has a canonical ex-girlfriend, so for the sake of fic, let's say he's bisexual.)
-For solo character prompts, I'd enjoy seeing a story about their past, before Ukyo, Kaoru, and/or Kanbe joined Special Mission: Ukyo's past work in the NPD or training at Scotland Yard as part of an exchange program; Kaoru's career in Division One of the MPD, with or without Itami; Kanbe's past work in the NPA in the Security division. For Itami, you could write a story where he solves a case without Special Mission's interference for once. Or tell me why any of them decided to become a police officer--have they always had a strong sense of justice, or is there a personal reason, such as the death of a loved one or some past injustice that they suffered?
I don't have any fanon ships other than Itami/Kanbe, but if you want to write shippy fic, go ahead! If you want canon ships, feel free to include Tamaki and Miwako. If you want to write slash, I'm fine with that, but I don't care for infidelity, so please set any slash fics with Kaoru during the period when he and Miwako broke up, or make it an AU in which he and Miwako had an amicable permanent breakup.
You can also feel free to write about about any other Aibou character that you want--I love them all, but didn't have enough slots to include more of them! I have seen Seasons 1-9 and the first movie and the Yonezawa movie; I have the second movie on dvd and haven't watched it yet but probably will before Yuletide opens. I don't mind being spoiled for later seasons or the X-Day movie, but I'll probably need some sort of exposition or recap to figure out what's going on. You don't need to use my prompts if you have other ideas, and I am sure that I will love anything you come up with--there is no Aibou fic out there that I can find, so I will be thrilled with any type of Aibou story!
The Chinese site Youku has episodes available for streaming online--with Chinese subtitles only, I'm afraid. Season One starts here if you're new to the series and would like to watch it from the beginning. You may be able to find videos at other sites if you search online.
Thank you so much for volunteering to write a fic for me! Please feel free to take a look around my journal if you want to see what kinds of stories I like. You can find my Fanfic Masterlist here, and the fics are also tagged by fandom and/or title in the sidebar. As you can see, I mostly read and write m/m slash, but if you don't feel comfortable writing that, I would be perfectly happy with a gen story, (or het or femslash for the fandoms that have female characters) too!
Likes: Love stories with happy endings. Romantic fluff is fine, but I also like angsty fics--as long as they eventually end happily For gen, I have a soft spot for stories about family or friendship. For both romance and gen: humor, drama, hurt/comfort--it's all good, as long as it ends happily, or at least hopefully. (Actually, I have a pretty big narrative kink for emotional hurt/comfort in particular.) If you decide to write romance, I'm fine with any rating--explicit, steamy sex scenes are great, but I'm happy even if it doesn't go beyond a kiss or fade-to-black. The emotions that the characters share are more important to me than the level of physical affection.
Dislikes/squicks: Character death, noncon, infidelity, mpreg (not really expecting that in these fandoms, but just to be on the safe side). And I generally don't read BDSM unless I'm familiar with the author and know how they'll handle it. Also, it's not a big squick, but I'm not really into threesomes--I'm more of a "two people find true love" kinda gal.
Listed below are some prompt ideas for my chosen fandoms in case you'd like some suggestions, but I want to stress that these are only suggestions and you should feel free to follow your muse, so please don't be intimidated by my very long comments! (I love character/meta discussion and tend to get carried away when talking about my favorite fandoms.) If you come up with an idea that's completely different, it will be all the more exciting for me because it's a surprise, and I'm sure I'll be thrilled with whatever you write! :D
Foreigner Series - C. J. Cherryh (Bren Cameron, Jago): I chose Bren and Jago because I'm most interested in the relationship between those two, but if you would like to include other characters, please feel free to do so as long as Bren and Jago have a major role in the story.
I'm fascinated by the complexities of Atevi society and all the fantastic worldbuilding that Cherryh put into it, including the differences in the way that humans and Atevi view emotions. While reading the first trilogy, I thought that Bren had much more chemistry with Jago than Barb, and I kept rooting for them to get together even though I knew, as Bren said, that such a relationship was almost certainly doomed to failure given the Atevi's view of love (that it's only for children). I was pleasantly surprised when they finally did get together, and moreover, the relationship seemed to work very well!
I got into a conversation here on the Yuletide comm, where I said, "They [the Atevi] aren't supposed to feel friendship or love, and yet Banichi and Jago have a camaraderie that I'd call friendship if they were human, and there's certainly a bond of affection between Jago and Bren, so I often wonder, I am just projecting human emotions onto an alien culture, or do they feel a kind of love even though they don't call it 'love' in the human sense of the word?" So this is something that I'd really like to see examined in fic: whether or not the Atevi feel love (even if they don't call it "love"), and more specifically, the bond between Bren and Jago. Does she love him, even if she wouldn't call it "love" in the Atevi sense, and will Brent continue to be content with that sort of love? Does he ever miss the human kind of romance, even if he is happy with Jago?
The other thing I find really fascinating is Bren's position as an outsider in both human and Atevi societies, and how he can never completely fit into either. Even before he chose to serve the Atevi over the humans, he seemed to have picked up too much of the Atevi mindset to fit easily into human society, and no matter how accepted he is by the Atevi, he can never truly become Atevi. A story examing Bren's feelings about this would also be welcome.
I apologize if those questions/issues are already dealt with in canon, since I'm way behind and have currently read only the first four books. I don't mind being spoiled if you want to refer to future events, but be aware that I might need a little exposition to figure out what's going on.
If you'd prefer to write something less meta and/or a little lighter-hearted, I'd also be delighted with a story about Bren and Jago carrying out a mission for Tabini (feel free to include Banichi if you wish). Or Bren and Jago just enjoying a little relaxation time alone together--maybe recovering after a tough mission, or having fun sexytimes, or both!
Really, anything exploring Atevi culture or just showing me a little more of my favorite characters will make me happy, so don't feel bound by my prompts, and feel free to write whatever you like!
Haru wo Daiteita | Embracing Love (Any): I nominated my favorite characters (Iwaki, Katou, Onozuka, and Kikuchi), but am requesting "0" characters in order to give potential writers the freedom to write about any character(s) they want. Onozuka doesn't appear until Book 8, and I know that people who have only read the BeBeautiful or Viz books might not be familiar with him. So if you write a story including Onozuka, that would be awesome, but if you would just like to write about Iwaki and/or Katou and/or Kikuchi, that would be awesome also! This is one fandom for which I can definitely say that I would be happy to get a story about any character, so feel free to write about whomever you want--I love absolutely every character in the series, even the minor supporting ones! That means if you have a burning desire to write about an unnominated character (Sawa, Yukihito, Asano, Shimizu, Kaneko, Miyasaka, Yoshizumi, Mochimune, or anybody else) feel free to have at it!
What I like most about Kikuchi and Onozuka are how devious and complex they are. Kikuchi is a jerk towards Iwaki and Katou, but at the same time, I can understand his bitterness and have some sympathy for the way his career was destroyed by the past gay scandal. As for Onozuka, he's a manipulative bastard, but he's also very loyal towards his friends. I ship the two of them together in my fics, so I would be thrilled if you wanted to write that pairing, but since it's purely fanon, please don't feel like you have to. It would be great if you wanted to include either or both of them as gen characters: perhaps Kikuchi is scheming to make trouble for Katou and Iwaki, and/or Onozuka schemes to help his friends; or Kikuchi and Onozuka team up to play a (mostly) harmless prank on Iwaki and Katou; or I'd be happy with a fic showing Iwaki and/or Katou working on a movie with Kikuchi and/or Onozuka.
If you do choose to write Kikuchi and Onozuka as a couple, I'd love to see them having lovers' quarrels for the pleasure of making up later--maybe one day it goes too far and a fake quarrel becomes real, or maybe their coworkers get fed up with all the drama and decide to teach them a lesson. Or show me how they got together in the first place! (Obviously, I have my own headcanon for that in my fics, but I'd love to see a different take on the pairing.)
If you prefer to concentrate on Iwaki and Katou, that's absolutely fine, too. Part of what I like about them is how different their personalities are: how open Katou is about his feelings, and in contrast, how Iwaki has difficulty expressing his feelings, and how that often leads to misunderstandings and conflicts between them. Iwaki seems to have some trust issues, and I love seeing how he slowly begins to trust and open up to Katou in the manga, so I would enjoy seeing that examined in a fic. Some prompt suggestions: the two of them fighting over a misunderstanding (such as the tabloid article about Katou's alleged infidelity in Book 2), or Katou wanting Iwaki to do something romantic (such as a public date or exchanging candy on Valentines Day) in order to be reassured that Iwaki loves him, but Iwaki is embarrassed by the idea and unintentionally hurts Katou's feelings by (initially) refusing to go along with it.
Since the fandom is a yaoi manga/anime, I'm assuming most people are interested in the slash pairings, but if you would like to write a story focusing mainly on a solo character, I'd find that really interesting, too! For Iwaki or Katou, maybe a story about their past career in the porn industry before they became a couple? For Kikuchi, I'd love to see a story taking a look at the scandal that forced him to leave Japan, and/or showing us what his life in America was like. For Onozuka, maybe something about how he got into show business or why he's so devious?
If you want to go for a more meta-type/worldbuilding fic, maybe you could show us how Iwaki and Katou's romance has changed the Japanese showbiz industry and/or society in general. Do they inspire other gay or bisexual celebrities to come out, and how are those celebs treated by the press and public? Kikuchi says in the manga that the public only likes them because they have a "pure" love and are not really gay, only gay for each other. OTOH, their public romance apparently made it acceptable for him to come back home and work on a movie in Japan again. Or maybe a young closeted gay fan finds the courage to come out, thanks to Iwaki and Katou's example--and his or her parents blame Iwaki and Katou for corrupting their child. Would this cause a public backlash against Iwaki and Katou, or would the public continue to support them?
Sorry that was so long, but I love rambling on about the Haru characters! Once again, these are only suggestions, and I would be thrilled with any type of Haru story, so if you have ideas of your own, please follow your muse!
Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms - Mercedes Lackey (Any): This is my favorite novel in the series, and I would be delighted with fic about any single character or any combination of characters. I love the friendship between Siegfried and Leopold, and I would enjoy some shippy fic about them: maybe they fall in love with each other instead of Rosamund (but still become friends with Rosa and help her find the solution to protect her Kingdom).
But I did enjoy the canon Siegfried/Rosamund romance, so if you want to stick with canon, I would also be happy to see fic about them: maybe future fic where we get to see them ruling the kingdom together, or maybe going on an adventure (with or without Leopold and/or Lily). I'd also enjoy gen friendship fic about Siegfried and Leopold: perhaps a side story that we didn't get to see in canon about the competition for Rosamund's hand, or the two of them having an adventure post-canon--maybe they go off on a fishing or hunting trip without their wives, and run into unexpected trouble.
I also love the friendship between Lily and Rosa, and I love "found families," so maybe even after Rosa is no longer in danger, Lily still takes a motherly interest in her and they still consider each other stepmother and daughter. I'd be happy to see slice-of-life fic where Lily stops by to visit Rosa and offer some motherly advice, or just to spend some with each other. Or maybe The Tradition causes some trouble in Eltara that Lily has to help Rosa solve? I'm happy with family or friendship fic, but if you see them as a couple and want to go the femslashy route, I'm fine with that, too (especially if you're shipping the guys together).
Solo character prompts: maybe a pre-canon look at the life of your chosen character? Or any of them having a solo adventure, pre or post-canon. (It might be fun to see Siegfried trying to deal with his family.) For Rosa, it's briefly mentioned in the book that one of the princes competing for her hand is disqualified because "he" is actually a princess--maybe Rosa decides to let the princess compete along with the princes and winds up falling for her, or for a gen prompt, they hit it off and become great (platonic) friends. For Lily, a story about her dealing with the problems of being a Godmother, and perhaps specifically, the problems that a mortal Godmother has, or maybe a story about how she acquired her magic mirror? Or if you'd like to write a worldbuilding story, have Lily do some research on the history of The Tradition and its origins, and possibly discover a way to negate it or least better control it--how would that alter life in the Five Hundred Kingdoms?
Troubleshooters Inc - Suzanne Brockmann (Jules Cassidy, Robin Chadwick Cassidy, Roger "Sam" Starrett): I'm choosing Robin, Jules, and Sam because I Iove the romance between Robin and Jules, and equally love the friendship between Jules and Sam. I really love the way Brockmann makes all her characters so complex and three-dimensional: the gay characters, like Robin and Jules, come across as real people, not tropes or stereotypes, and I also love how Sam likes to play to people's expectations of a bigoted redneck, but is actually much more sensitive and open-minded than he seems at first glance. (And I also love how he does overcome some of his real prejudices: Sam was a bit homophobic and very uncomfortable around Jules when they first met, but have since become very close friends.)
I'd love to see how Jules and Robin's relationship continues to develop. Maybe you could show them trying to juggle their careers and their relationship? Or the two of them having some alone time together, either at home or on a romantic getaway--things can be quiet and tender, or hot and steamy, depending on your preferences. Either is fine with me!
As for Sam, while he is supportive of Jules and Robin, he still worries that Jules has sacrificed his chances of advancement in the FBI in order to be with Robin, and that still causes some tension between Sam and Robin, even though Jules is perfectly content. Or maybe Sam is helping to bodyguard Robin during a movie shoot--maybe after a deranged fan has made some threats?
Or maybe Sam is working undercover on a Troubleshooters mission, and Robin can help somehow, by letting Sam pose as a movie producer or someone involved in the industry. I also remember there was one short story--I think it was included as an extra at the end of Into the Storm--where Sam is on a security assignment in Italy, and Jules poses as his boyfriend in order to help Sam ward off an amorous and very determined female admirer? I thought it was hilarious, and it made me want to see Jules and Sam go undercover as a gay couple--much to the amusement of Robin and Alyssa. (I think Robin would be more amused than jealous, but maybe there's a tiny bit of irrational jealousy even though he knows Sam is straight and happily married to Alyssa.)
I picked only those 3 characters in order to maximize the chances of matching with a writer, but once again, I love all the characters in this fandom, so feel free to include anyone else you would like--only if you want to, of course! Maybe all the nommed characters get together to celebrate a holiday, a successful mission, or one of Robin's movies. Or maybe Sam, Alyssa, Jules, and Robin all go out on a double date (feel free to make it a triple date with Jane and Cosmo if you want). Or maybe Sam and Alyssa go on a date, and Jules and Robin baby-sit for them (again, add Jane if you want). Or Jules's ex-boyfriend Adam shows up to either cause trouble or make amends. Or if you have any other ideas, just go for it! As I said, I love all the characters, so I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever you come up with!
Usagi Drop | Bunny Drop (Kaga Rin, Kawachi Daikichi, Nitani Kouki, Nitani-san): I just finished Book 9 with the controversial ending in which Daikichi and Rin decide to get married after she grows up. Even though I'd heard about it ahead of time, I was still kind of heartbroken because I'd been rooting for Daikichi and Kouki's mom to get together when I was still reading the earlier volumes when Rin was a little kid. I also don't care for the canon ending because I love the father/daughter bond between Daikichi and Rin, and how much they care about each other, and how earnestly Daikichi does his best to take care of Rin even though he has no experience looking after kids. I love Daikichi because even though he quickly realizes he's in over his head, he never once considers going back on his promise to become her guardian. For more on my thoughts about the series in general and Book 9 in particular, see my review here.
So what I'd really love is some fix-it fic where Daikichi and Nitani-san get together, preferably while Rin and Kouki are still little kids. It can be anything ranging from them getting married with Rin and Kouki becoming siblings to an awkward first date--or maybe it's a great first date where things are more casual and less pressured, like a picnic or a trip to the zoo with the kids.
However, I understand if you don't feel comfortable with altering canon, so I'd just be happy with a fic about some father/daughter bonding between Daikichi and Rin--like them cooking together, or going on an outing together, or Daikichi showing up for a school play or Sports Day. If you include Kouki and his mom, that would be great, but if you just want to focus on Daikichi and Rin, that's cool.
I'd prefer fic set during Books 1-4 (or during Season 1 of the anime) when Rin and Kouki are still about six, but if you want to write them older, I wouldn't mind seeing fic about the missing years between Books 4 and 5. You can even write about their teenage years if that's where your muse takes you, but I do ask that you keep Daikichi and Rin's relationship strictly father/daughter.
I do remember how Daikichi asked Rin early in the series if she wanted to call him "Dad," and she said no (because "Grandpa" is her dad). I understood why she felt that way, but I did kind of want Daikichi to become "Dad," so I would enjoy a fic where Rin changed her mind later on and wanted Daikichi to formally adopt her and/or call him "Dad," while still treasuring the memory of Grandpa. (Maybe Kouki and his mom could help her sort her feelings out?) Or maybe she continues to call Daikichi by name, but writes a Father's Day card or essay that Daikichi is moved to tears by.
If you want to focus more on Nitani-san and/or Kouki, I wouldn't mind learning more about Nitani-san--how she became a single mother and the challenges involved in raising a son alone. And even if you don't ship her with Daikichi, I'd enjoy seeing them be friends and giving each other support as fellow single parents.
If you want to ship Rin and Kouki together--puppy love as little kids, or a more serious relationship as teenagers--I'm fine with that, but please, no underage sex.
Aibou | Partners (TV) (Any):
See my promo post and and my Aibou squee post for more on my thoughts about the show and characters. I saved this one for last since it's a long entry, but please don't be scared off by the wall of text--I just wanted to give more info about it since it doesn't seem to have an existing fandom (at least in English).
I like mystery/detective shows in general--I watch every detective J-drama that I can, and I watch most of the crime procedurals (CSI, NCIS, Bones, etc.) on US TV. But what makes me love Aibou is the characters and the relationships between them.
Sugishita Ukyo: (Nitpicky detail: A03 has romanized his given name as "Ukyou," but it’s usually romanized as "Ukyo," although it does end in a long "o" sound--the same "kyo" that is used in "Tokyo" and "Kyoto". I’ll use "Ukyo" for convenience, but you can spell it whichever way you prefer.) He’s a brilliant detective along the lines of Sherlock Holmes, but unlike most incarnations of Holmes, he isn’t arrogant or rude, and I like the way he’s usually cheerfully polite in the face of insults. But what really makes him interesting to me are his weaknesses--he’s a bit aloof and sometimes has difficulty with emotionally relating to other people. Even though he and his ex-wife Tamaki obviously still care deeply about each other, they couldn’t make the marriage work, and I suspect it’s related to Ukyo’s emotional distance. He’s hurt Kaoru’s feelings in the past when he set Kaoru up to "discover" some planted evidence in order to catch a suspect, and was surprised when Kaoru felt foolish and betrayed when he learned the truth; Tamaki scolded him for not being more sensitive to other people’s feelings. Still, he and Kaoru develop a close friendship over the years, and Ukyo has difficulty expressing his feelings when Kaoru leaves the Special Mission team in Season 7--it’s obvious that he will miss Kaoru, although he can’t quite bring himself to come out and say so. It’s equally obvious that he resents his next partner, Kanbe, and it’s amusing to see him acting uncharacteristically petty with the way he constantly criticizes Kanbe, and often leaves Kanbe behind when he goes out on an investigation
Also, Ukyo’s dedication to pursuing the truth can be ruthless at times--there was an episode in Season 9 in which the higher-ups in the police department wanted to cover up the shooting of an undercover officer. Ukyo was determined to expose the truth, even though doing so would put the life of a confidential informant at risk; Kanbe ended up deleting the incriminating evidence to protect the C.I. And in another Season 9 episode, he and Kanbe argued over whether to comfort the dying mother of a suspect by telling her that her son was innocent--they believed that he wasn't really the killer, but Ukyo insisted that they couldn't say that he was innocent without any evidence, so the woman died believing that her son was a murderer, and Kanbe bitterly regretted not going against Ukyo's orders.
Kameyama Kaoru: In contrast, I like the way that Kaoru wears his heart on his sleeve and often acts without thinking. He rarely bothers to hide his feelings, and when he tries, he’s not much good at it. I like his cheerful good nature, and the way that he’s kind in spite of his brash hotheadedness. And I love the complete trust that he has in his partner: I particularly remember an episode from Season 7, in which he exposes himself to a potentially deadly virus because he trusts Ukyo’s belief that the virus is not contagious. Maybe it's his trusting nature that allows Ukyo to trust him in turn? That, and he shares Ukyo's unswerving dedication to exposing the truth and catching the criminal, even if it means going against orders and risking their careers.
Kanbe Takeru: In contrast to Kaoru, Kanbe is more reserved. He’s stylish and handsome, and has an air of practiced charm, but sometimes it’s hard to see past that outward charm and know what he’s really thinking. I liked how he and Ukyo started off with a rather prickly and adversarial relationship, but gradually learned to trust and respect each other over the course of Season 8. I like the moments when we see a little deeper into Kanbe, like in the incidents above where he clashes with Ukyo and shows that while he also cares about truth and justice, he sometimes values compassion more. And also in Season 8, Ep. 15 (狙われた刑事, or "Detective Targeted"), where he and Itami share a brief bonding moment (more on that below). I also like the comical moments in the show when we see Kanbe getting squeamish over dead bodies.
Itami Kenichi: I love Itami's ongoing feud with Special Mission, and I love the way his constant bickering with Kaoru seems to mask an underlying friendship between the two (though they would both deny it). And I love that beneath all the gruff rudeness and sneering insults, Itami is an honest and decent cop who has more in common with the Special Mission team than he'd like to admit--he also cares strongly about finding the truth and solving his cases, enough that he'll grudgingly set aside his differences with Special Mission if he needs them to help catch the culprit. And I love his occasional vulnerable moments, like when he shows compassion towards a murder victim's loved ones, or feels guilt over having failed to keep his promise to a witness, as he does in "Detective Targeted": in that episode, someone is trying to kill him, and the detectives believe that it's a former suspect that he arrested and/or interrogated, but he's struck with guilt when he realizes that the culprit is actually a witness that he failed to protect (he had promised that the young man wouldn't have to testify against his friends, but the prosecution made him testify, and his life went downhill after he was branded as a traitor). It's Kanbe and not Ukyo who figures out the truth this time--Kanbe tells Itami that he had accidentally injured a civilian in the line of duty in the past, and that what a police officer most regrets is hurting an innocent person. Although Itami often treats Kanbe rudely, for that brief moment there was a sense of understanding and connection, and ever since then, I've shipped the two of them together in my headcanon.
I'd love to see fic that explores any of these characters and/or the different ways that they relate to each other. Some suggested prompts:
-Any combination of characters working together on a case, or getting together for a drink after work. If you want to explore how the characters do or don't get along with each other, that's great, but feel free to keep it light if you prefer.
-Kaoru returning from abroad to visit Ukyo and meet Ukyo's new partner. Maybe there's a little conflict between him and Kanbe, and/or he helps them with a case.
-Itami seeking out Special Mission's help on a case, or Itami being temporarily demoted to Special Mission as punishment for talking back to Chief Uchimura or one of the other higher-ups in the MPD.
-Itami is gay, but is closeted for the sake of his career. One night he goes to a gay bar and is shocked to find Kanbe there, and somehow the two of them wind up going home together. (Kanbe has a canonical ex-girlfriend, so for the sake of fic, let's say he's bisexual.)
-For solo character prompts, I'd enjoy seeing a story about their past, before Ukyo, Kaoru, and/or Kanbe joined Special Mission: Ukyo's past work in the NPD or training at Scotland Yard as part of an exchange program; Kaoru's career in Division One of the MPD, with or without Itami; Kanbe's past work in the NPA in the Security division. For Itami, you could write a story where he solves a case without Special Mission's interference for once. Or tell me why any of them decided to become a police officer--have they always had a strong sense of justice, or is there a personal reason, such as the death of a loved one or some past injustice that they suffered?
I don't have any fanon ships other than Itami/Kanbe, but if you want to write shippy fic, go ahead! If you want canon ships, feel free to include Tamaki and Miwako. If you want to write slash, I'm fine with that, but I don't care for infidelity, so please set any slash fics with Kaoru during the period when he and Miwako broke up, or make it an AU in which he and Miwako had an amicable permanent breakup.
You can also feel free to write about about any other Aibou character that you want--I love them all, but didn't have enough slots to include more of them! I have seen Seasons 1-9 and the first movie and the Yonezawa movie; I have the second movie on dvd and haven't watched it yet but probably will before Yuletide opens. I don't mind being spoiled for later seasons or the X-Day movie, but I'll probably need some sort of exposition or recap to figure out what's going on. You don't need to use my prompts if you have other ideas, and I am sure that I will love anything you come up with--there is no Aibou fic out there that I can find, so I will be thrilled with any type of Aibou story!
The Chinese site Youku has episodes available for streaming online--with Chinese subtitles only, I'm afraid. Season One starts here if you're new to the series and would like to watch it from the beginning. You may be able to find videos at other sites if you search online.