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If you want to promote your fandom or the relationships you want to request/create for, this post is for you!
How you write your your recommendations, enthusiastic squeeing, or manifestos is up to you, but please put the name of your canon in the subject line of your comment. Here--with liberal borrowing from Yuletide's promo setup--are some other things you may want to include:
Please post a separate comment for each promo you do, so the canon title can always be highlighted in the subject line.
How you write your your recommendations, enthusiastic squeeing, or manifestos is up to you, but please put the name of your canon in the subject line of your comment. Here--with liberal borrowing from Yuletide's promo setup--are some other things you may want to include:
- Title
- Medium (e.g., Book Series, Podcast, TV Show, etc.)
- Approximate Length (e.g., page count, runtime, etc. This is also a good place to mention if only a specific installment of the canon is relevant to the relationship(s) you're requesting.)
- Where to (Legally) Find It
- Brief Description
- What You Love About the Canon
- What You Love About Your Ship(s)
- Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For
- Content Notes (e.g., incest, period-typical attitudes, noncon, torture, etc. These notes are optional and may not cover everything even if they're included.)
Please post a separate comment for each promo you do, so the canon title can always be highlighted in the subject line.
Tags:
From:
Solstice (MoaCube)
Title: Solstice
Medium: Visual novel (for PC)
Approximate length: 4½ hours for the main story according to How Long to Beat, 7½ hours for main + side stories.
This is the kind of visual novel that makes you want to try different routes; however, this is not necessary to write my ship (M/M between a main character and his canon love interest). It's fine if you only finish the main story once! Suggestion: after your first play, you can use CTRL to skip fast the dialogue you already saw; this way you'll be able to see different routes without replaying the entire game. If you have time and you like the story, I'd recommend to do it!
Where to find it: On Steam. There's also a shop on the official site.
A few Let's Plays are available on YouTube.
Brief Description. A mystery story in a dystopian/fantasy setting where a group of characters spend the entire winter in a city inside a dome in the middle of a frozen wasteland. There are two main characters and you play as both: Yani (the girl in the first picture) and Galen (the guy on the left in the second picture).
Each main character has their own optional love interest, and they're men in both cases, so F/M for Yani and M/M for Galen (the ship in the second picture that I'm going to request). They can also become friends with each other and work together.
There are a lot of choices that will unlock multiple endings. In the same ending, the fate of the characters can also be different depending on other minor choices (for example, a character can survive as single, with their love interest, etc.)
Every character is morally gray in some way. They also all have secrets that you have to find out.
What You Love About the Canon. First of all, the art is stunning! I also love the diverse group of characters and the way they feel real when it comes to their motivations and the way they act in general. They're also all adults with different ages and backgrounds, just the way I like. I love that Galen and Kasiya are gay no matter what you choose to do about their relationship. There are also great female characters and interesting platonic interactions.
What You Love About Your Ship. Well, first of all, I love that Galen/Kasiya is canon! I love that they can kiss on-screen and it's implied they have sex. Both characters have dark secrets and plot twists related to them, so their relationship has so much potential that can be explored in fics! They also have different origins and backstories; Galen is a doctor/magician and Kasiya is a guard/ex mercenary, and it's just good to imagine how they would be in a serious relationship. Also, sometimes they call each other "Doctor" and "Captain", and let's just say that I am very much into that :D
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For. Missing moments and post-canon! Honestly, this ship is so tiny that I'm not really picky, as long as they have a happy ending together. There are a lot of things we don't know about them, and I'd just love more! I'm fine with any rating, and smut is welcome!
Content Notes. Some general warnings about the canon: characters unsympathetic about mental health issues, hallucinations, self-harm, suicide, (optional) main character getting high on magical drugs.
From:
A Place Called Glory | The Hell of Manitoba
Title: A Place Called Glory | The Hell of Manitoba | Die Hölle von Manitoba
Medium: Movie
Approximate Length: 90 minutes
Where to Find It: It's currently on free Youtube in it's entirety.
Brief Description: THIS IS THE HOMOEROTIC COFEE SCENE MOVIE! Ahem. It's an old Eurowestern. Our two main characters, free-roaming spirits and excellent gunmen, get entangled in a local feud in a small town. Strangers at the beginning and not easily trusting, they still grow to like each other quickly — not knowing they will end up as opponents.
What You Love About the Canon: Honestly, the main draw of this movie are the two leads. The actors are obviously having a lot of fun with each other and their roles and are a joy to watch. The plot's main concern is setting up scenes for the characters and doesn't want you think too deeply about reasons, which makes the movie a pretty light watch in my opinion, and also gives you a lot of freedom in fic.
What You Love About Your Ship:
The two leads, Brenner and Reese, are so shippy! The movie's climax hinges on the two of them not knowing each other's names and on the audience rooting for their friendship while unsure whether they'd kill each other, so the movie tries to walk the fine line between "They are strangers!" — "Who instantly like each other!" — "But who might not be entirely trustworthy?", which makes for a fun dynamic where a gay explanation makes as much sense as anything else.
Their first meeting is already a very no-heterosexual-explanation moment, with Reese basically going "You make great coffe, btw the last time someone made me great coffee they slept with me, and before we lie down to sleep did I mention you make great coffee? :) :) :)" And the inuenndo-laden coffee compliment even makes just as homoerotic a reprise a bit later.
Brenner has a female love interest, Jade, and funnily enough, the one scene where they are flirting with each other, Reese is also present (of course he is) and the whole scene reads so much like a three-way-flirt. "Why don't you both tell me all about [fun]", really?!?
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For Shippy art and fic for both Brenner/Reese and Brenner/Jade/Reese. I'm not picky since the fandom is almost non-existent.
Content Notes Jade is trapped in a loveless marriage to the villain and there's one scene where he slaps her, but overall the movie is pretty light and ends happily. The whole plot is entirely about white guys in White Vaguewesternlandia, so zero diversity, but on the flipside also zero -isms.
Re: A Place Called Glory | The Hell of Manitoba
From:Re: A Place Called Glory | The Hell of Manitoba
From:From:
Dracula 2020
Medium TV miniseries (only one episode relevant to nominated character).
Approximate Length 3x 60-90 minute episodes, but as above the requested character only appears in episode 2, which can easily be watched as a standalone.
Where to (Legally) Find It Amazon Prime, and also appears to be on Netflix in some places. It has been taken off BBC iPlayer, unfortunately.
Brief Description
What You Love About the Canon
I'm going to be honest: the show as a whole is deeply uneven, full of fun ideas that don't really pan out. But episode 2, which can be watched entirely as a standalone, is a fantastically atmospheric horror set aboard the Demeter, taking Dracula to England. It plays out like a locked room mystery, with the crew and passengers becoming more and more afraid and paranoid as their fellows disappear and the darkness and fog closes in, and while the viewer knows about Dracula, the people in Dracula don't know that.
What You Love About Your Ship(s) Adisa is played by the (very handsome) Nathan Stewart Jarrett. He is playing the role of manservant to his male lover, who has just got married and is travelling with his new wife. Adisa is pining, repressed, angry, and bitter. His boyfriend seems like a bit of a prick, honestly, and Adisa deserves better. Because this is Dracula it doesn't seem like a spoiler to say that things go badly for everyone, but I think this character in particular deserved to survive, reach London, and fall in love with a man who would treat him better.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For
Fix-it fic, Victoriana, period-typical attitudes, first times, new relationship. Vampires optional.
Content Notes
Lots of character death. Violence, though not hugely graphic. Period-typical attitudes.
From:
CBS Radio Mystery Theater: The Deadly Hour
Medium: Radio show
Approximate Length: About 50 minutes
Where to (Legally) Find It: Many places, including CBS Radio Mystery Theater and YouTube
Brief Description: A psychiatrist's new patient, Martin Jerome, claims he hasn't spoken in 25 years... until now. You see, he has a story to tell, of a cheating wife, a cave by the sea, and an unsuspecting young couple that he traps into his own world of madness and “mutilation of the soul.”
What You Love About the Canon and What You Love About Your Ship(s):
First off, it's an old school radio drama, so you got all the superb voice acting and sound effects you'd expect, which work to great effect in telling this really disturbing story. Secondly... well, I'm just going to quote the TV Tropes page here because I don't think I could say it better myself:
“Sadist: Martin Jerome in "The Deadly Hour." Let's just say being cuckolded royally screwed him up. When he discovers that two young lovers are inside the remote cave he occupies during his "vacations," and finds himself repulsed as they express love for each other, he seals them inside with rocks and leaves them to die. After more than a week, he comes back just so he can hear them gradually go mad from hunger and desperation. Then he taunts them by leaving them a box of matches simply reading, "I am here." He only lets them out when the young man is on the verge eating his girlfriend. After being released from the hospital, the young man – now completely shattered from the ordeal – is taken in by Martin and enters what sounds like a bizarre co-dependent relationship with him. JEEZUS.”
So that's what I love. I love that they have this weird non-verbal communication where Martin just shows up at the hospital and George just shrugs and thinks, yep, living with this complete stranger now for the rest of my life and goes off with him without a word. I love that there's this weird fluctuating power dynamic between the two where Martin's the one that's looking to get help for George, while George seems perfectly content to just spend the rest of his life being a reminder to Martin of how genuinely fucked-up a person Martin is. I love the one random theory that some commenter I read had where George is the son that Martin's ex-wife, Helen, had and now you could probably just throw some incest into the obsessive horror that this show is.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Anything set after the ending of this show – George sleeps in Martin's bed, Martin cooks all of George's meals, and the two of them listen to music together before bed, so something exploring that weird domesticity would be great. Or, you know, fucked-up lovemaking in the cave with the two of them because everything is just terrible. And I did mention that theory, so if you really wanted to go for broke, I'd be fine with Martin being willing to do anything for his son. Anything.
Content Notes: I don't even know where to begin, but for a start: infidelity, attempted murder, starvation, mental health issues/trauma, attempted cannibalism, and possibly incest if you believe that theory.
From:
Full core state nihilist - Martin Luiga
Medium: short story
Approximate Length: 14min read on medium
Where to (Legally) Find It: kindly translated from Estonian by the author himself here!
Brief Description: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's a very cryptic first look at Elysium, first posted online in 2012, before Sacred and Terrible Air and long before Disco Elysium. It's... set in Mesque some time after the game, under Ambrosius' nihilistic rule, and that's about as much as I can say with certainty. It can be read with no knowledge of the rest of the setting. It might even make more sense that way. Hell if I know.
What You Love About the Canon: it's a feverish, evocative wild ride. An earlier, edgelordier work for sure, but it's got that Elysium flair and explores a different political landscape in vivid brushstrokes. I also do love Luiga's work in particular, so.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): Esteban and Hulio feel like the earlier, turbocharged version of the various political approaches to queerness we see in Disco Elysium and there's a lot to dig into there. The evolution of their roles throughout the story is also fascinating.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: any kind of expansion of Esteban and Hulio's... whole... thing. In any direction.
Content Notes: as the introduction says, "I also have to warn you for its content, which includes slurs and nihilism, it portrays some kinds of edge lords, and ZA/UM itself can also be said to have consisted of a variety of edge lords and ladies, which was in fact rather uncommon for that geographic region for this era."
From:
no subject
Medium: TV show
Length: 8 episodes (30-37 minutes per episode). The ship I'm interested in appears in eps 3, 6, and 8.
Where to Find It: Netflix
Brief Description:
A Polish mockumentary satirical comedy (I've seen people compare the format to What We Do In The Shadows).
The series follows the pursuits of Jan Paweł Adamczewski, the head of a noble family living in a village in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 17th century, who aims to become the most famous person in Poland.
What You Love About the Canon:
I never knew I needed a comedy set in this place and time period, but I did. I love the twinky priest who is a second son and treats the Church as a lucrative business career. I love the rivalry between Jan Paweł and the nobleman who owns the other half of the village (good potential for an M/M ship, too). I love that the peasants get to do murder when circumstances align. Most of all, I love the canon F/F ship that took me by surprise.
What You Love About Your Ships:
Don't you wanna see this stately woman have a whirlwind lesbian romance?
Their first meeting is so wild. Zofia's husband slices off Rozalia's finger, and Zofia secretly turns it into a keepsake.
I really dig the unlikely romance between a conservative, devout wife in a traditionally heteronormative marriage and a woman she meets while trying to marry off her son. They're quite different, which is apparent even in the way they dress, but it seems like Rozalia was able to give Zofia some gentleness and pleasure, which Zofia might never have thought to even want before. It's so cute to see Zofia start to smile and enjoy life.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For:
A fix-it for how the relationship ends in the canon/some post-canon reunion! Or just more of Zofia and Rozalia in the honeymoon phase of their romance. It's a subplot in the show, so we never see enough of them.
Content Notes: it's the 17th century, though the jokes are often about modern issues. I think the show's heart is in the right place, but you might not like its takes on Pride, antisemitism, climate change etc.
(no subject)
From:From:
Christmas at the Holly Day Inn (2023)
Medium: Film
Approximate Length: An hour and thirty minutes (1:30), but for what I'm asking for, many scenes can be skipped if you'd like
Where to (Legally) Find It: Tubi, Pluto TV. It is also on Plex and Fandango, and on Amazon Video/YT TV with subscription. I know it's also available to purchase/rent for those in the US and UK (maybe other places also).
Brief Description: This is your standard Hallmark-esque film, but Britishized. The female main character, Emma Holly, quits her job at the start of the holiday and decides to check up on her widowed dad, who owns a bed and breakfast in the country. To their disappointment, the inn is due to be sold from lack of customers and and (shocker!) the potential buyer (read: property shark) happens to be the company the male love interest is employed for!
Welcome to the Holly Day Inn! We have doggies.
But what I love about this film is that the romance isn’t exclusive to the young main characters. The dad, Ben Holly (played by Colin Baker), is smitten with one of the cafe owners in town, Molly Hennings (Anita Dobson), who has a long-standing crush with him, too. For anyone craving a love story about older people (70+), I think this film will scratch that itch!
Ben volunteers to help Molly in her cafe.
What You Love About the Canon/Ships: As I said above, what puts this film on top for me is the secondary love story between Ben and Molly. I love how, despite his being a widow, he was given a second chance at love with someone who’d adored him since they were young.
Sugar and spice and everything nice.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Post-canon Ben/Molly fluff!, but I wouldn’t mind having a peek into their first time being intimate together (I’m sure it was full of laughs and aching bones!)
From:
Lupin (TV, 2021)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 17 episodes, each about 50 minutes
Viewable on: Netflix
What I love about the canon: Lupin is a great blend of suspense, heart, and heist magic. It's the sort of show where you're left wondering "how on earth did he pull that off?" And then you get to see how he pulled it off, and it's fantastic. It's so very French; I can practically smell the fresh baguettes as people walk down the street, only to wrinkle my nose at the smell of urine as the street-smart characters duck under barbed wire to run through the seedy part of Paris. The evil, rich characters are so evil, and so rich, that stealing from them really is a form of justice!
What I love about the ships: Assane Diop, the gentleman thief, and his wife Claire have a deep understanding of each other that comes from being each other's ride-or-die for the past two decades or more. If only Assane would be more honest with her about what he's up to now -- but no, it would put her in danger! Meanwhile, I'm sure that Assane and his best friend Benjamin would quite literally die for each other.
Then there's Youssef Guedira, who is obsessed with the 19th century "gentleman detective" novels upon which Assane bases his showmanship. I love how fixated he is on Assane. I can see him trying to get closer to Assane by any means necessary. His captain at the precinct, Sofia Belkacem, is not at all sold on the connection between the old novels and the modern day thief.
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: Hurt/comfort, action/suspense, heists, banter, people in peril or saving each other from peril, people leaving and finding clues! Perhaps Benjamin or Guedira is hurt and the other one patches him up out of respect for his connection with Assane? Could Assane himself make an appearance? Could Captain Belkacem finally give Guedira an ultimatum that he must choose between his obsession with Lupin or his job? Could Guedira try to convince her that he's right... in an unconventional way? Is there a mystery or some dark plot being brewed up by an evil bad guy? How about fantastic jewels or other riches? Oooh, will someone have to infiltrate a super wealthy household or business, or crack a world class safe? Will the whole thing turn on a throwaway scene from a 19th century French novel? Could someone get captured / freed / tricked / hurt / comforted? Any of the above would be super great with me!
I do not want unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story (i.e., falls off the Eiffel Tower to his death).
Content notes: This is modern France, and there is still racism, classism, and anti-African-immigrant sentiment. All modern ills could come into the settings (drugs, prison, etc.). Is the Catholic Church a trigger warning? If not maybe it should be.
From:
Better Off Ted
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 13 episodes, each about 22 minutes
Viewable on: Amazon Prime Video
What I love about the canon: Fantastic science is being developed by a truly evil corporation, and it is rapidly hurtling everyone towards a dystopia, if they're not already there. Yet at the same time, the individual people within the evil corporation are just doing their best from one day to the next. I love the science-y hijinks and corporate backstabbing!
What I love about the ships: I mostly want to see my science bros, Lem and Phil. They are so deeply, DEEPLY weird. They fit into each other's lives so perfectly. How did they meet? What happens if they ever fight with each other? Why are they so extremely codependent? What is a day in their lives even like? How do they cope with basic human things like ordering at a drive-through without getting all mad-sciencey about it? (Or maybe they don't!)
I also added Veronica/Linda because I would love to see Veronica being her usual arrogant, demeaning self, and Linda not having it anymore. Could she somehow turn the tables?
I also added Veronica/Linda/Ted because I see Ted being completely out of his depth in this situation, and that makes me cackle.
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: Hijinks, humor, Mad Science!, corporate games, corporate ridiculousness (buzzwords like synergy!), corporate backstabbing (metaphorical), perhaps some sexual favors traded for job perks? Could there be sexual harassment training, only not the sort you thought??
I do not want unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs (for sexual purposes -- eggs for science purposes would be fine), pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals (for sexual purposes -- changing into animals for science purposes would be fine), bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story (i.e., racist is hit with a gun that turns him into a newt [see above note re changing into animals for science purposes]).
Content notes: This is a pretty lighthearted property, but they did get into some racist corporate practices in episode 4, and it was freaking hilarious. There are weird science things happening in this world, not all of which are 100% consensual. Also, Viridian Dynamics is the definition of an evil org.
From:
Andor (TV)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 12 episodes, each between 38 and 57 minutes
Viewable on: Disney Plus
What I love about the canon: I cannot stress enough how much I love this show. Among the many, many things I love about Andor are -- the tough moral choices, the overwhelming banality of evil under the Empire, the snazzy uniforms and intra-organization warfare of the ISB, the brutalist architecture found on any Empire-controlled planet, the raw hope of the Resistance... ohhh, I could go on and on, but I'll stop here.
What I love about the ships: I chose Cinta/Vel because they're clearly together and they clearly have some issues to work out. What happens when your dedication to the cause conflicts with your most important relationship? Which do you choose? Even if the other person understands -- could they forgive you?
I also chose Syril/Dedra because those two FASCINATE me. At this point, Dedra is too far gone to be redeemed as a character (in my opinion), due to her torture of Bix. However, Syril, to me, is not. He started his quest based on a sense of justice. Will he realize that the Empire is not the way to create a better tomorrow? I sincerely think he might. He's currently such a twisted, bitter man -- will his proximity to Dedra in the wake of her rescue change that or just exacerbate it? Can he actually help her with the petty turf wars within the ISB, or is he a liability to her? How does Dedra treat her liabilities?
I also chose Nemik/Syril because to me they are two opposites of the spectrum. Nemik is the sweet, passionate, tender cinnamon bun who must be protected at all costs. He is too good for this world, and his sense of justice and righteousness will burn on long after he's gone, as his passionate anti-Empire manifesto inspires a new generation. Meanwhile, Syril has been raised on the Empire, steeped in it, molded by it. He believes in it. (Or does he?) They are SO opposite that I really want to see what happens if they were to ever meet.
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: Tough decisions, spycraft, philosphy, maybe some action, maybe a heist or a battle or an operation. But I don't need action -- a story with just two people talking could have plenty of suspense all by itself.
I do not want unhappy endings -- ambiguous is fine!, major character death (yes I know someome dies in canon -- I'd prefer not to see them die again a different way), permanent physical or mental illness or injury (being the result of torture counts DEDRA I'M LOOKING AT YOU), permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: The Empire is bad and terrible things happen all the time. Many people's lives are hopelessly crushed, and all hope often seems lost. This show can be pretty heavy. I find that it makes the hope shine even brighter.
From:
The Nevers (TV 2021)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 12 episodes, each about an hour
Viewable on: This is a tough one -- I looked around and didn't find a lot. Check Roku's "WB Watchlist," Tubi and Stremio. There's also a Reddit community, r/TheNevers, where people discuss the show and how to watch it.
What I love about the canon: What's not to love about a ragtag band of Victorian women and social outcasts with weird superpowers granted them by an alien spaceship that almost no one can remember?
What I love about the ships: I chose several ships with Penance Adair in them, because to me she's the heart of the show. She's so sweet, calm, and wicked smart, and she has an enthusiasm for life and her inventions that carries everyone else along for the ride, even Amalia, who is so jaded.
I would love to see Penance and Amalia taking comfort in each other. I would also have loved to see Penance and Auggie develop their relationship, because things were CLEARLY going that way for awhile.
But then Hugo Swann comes in with his weird sex club. Will he corrupt poor Auggie? Or wait -- perhaps Augustus Bidlow is not as innocent and sweet as he seems? He can turn menacing pretty quickly; don't look too closely at all those crows...
I added a couple of ships involving Maladie. She has a grudge, and no wonder, considering all she's been through! Will she take it out on Penance? Will Amalia save her? Will Maladie get Amalia alone and finally bring about some sort of resolution?
For the bold of heart, I also added Amalia / Lord Gilbert Massen, because he is SUCH a tool, but I do believe that fundamentally he has order and justice at heart -- it's just that he firmly believes HIS KIND (rich noble cishet men) should be in charge of that order and justice. I think Amalia would be like "UH NO." Seems like there could be some good tension there, and hey, Amalia isn't above using whatever tool is at her disposal to achieve her goals, right?
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: For this prompt I'm mostly interested in sex, smut, or kink, but I could also go for something a bit less explicit as the characters get to know each other / fall in love / learn to respect each other's powers and needs.
I do not want unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: Victorian racism, sexism, classism, the hopelessness of the lower class London experience, rich people being assholes, street gangs / turf wars, a world without contraception = a world with plenty of child abuse, religion and class being weaponized, weird powers that can be disturbing, mental illness / people's very real mental issues not being taken seriously or being used to persecute them more.
From:
Sense8
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 24 episodes, each about an hour. I think there were also two Christmas specials that can be skipped
Viewable on: Netflix
What I love about the canon: I love the ensemble cast, the worldwide scope of the story, and how weird / amazing it must be to suddenly be irrevocably mentally linked to 7 total strangers. There are so many possibilities with this setup.
What I love about the ships: I chose Sun Bak and Detective Mun because Sun needs someone who will respect her strength and show her loyalty and tenderness, and I believe Detective Mun is that guy. Poor Sun has been through so much, and her only form of therapy has been punching people -- but maybe now that's all over she can pick up her dog and get a nice massage by a hot guy who's totally into her? She deserves it! (However I would also love to see her punching people if necessary) (also I chose this ship because of the symbolism of Sun and Moon!)
I added Wolfgang and Felix for similar reasons. Poor tormented Wolfgang. Felix is his special person, or at least he was, before Kala. I'd love to see that explored more.
I also added Wolfgang and Kala and Rajan, because I'm so curious how they're going to make their strange tripod-shaped relationship work. Kala will need to be a good "hinge," as we say in the poly community. Can she treat both her guys well and not allow toxic misunderstandings or inferiority complexes to arise? I'm especially interested in Rajan, because it must be REALLY TOUGH to have your gorgeous wife not only super in love/lust with someone, but to also have that person inside her head almost 24/7. As the non-powered husband, how do you even start to cope with that??
I also added Kala and Ajay, because that guy was awful and there was clearly a whole plot being set up with him being threatening towards her -- but that never came true. But if it did, I bet Wolfgang would come in and punch him a lot. ;
I also added Hernando and Lito, because I love them. And finally, I added Hernando and Lito and Daniela, because she loves them just as much as I do.
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: Sex / smut / kink, poly negotiations, learning to relax, learning to love, maybe some peril or punching?
I do not want unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: Hmm, I'm not sure what to warn for. I think having your thoughts bared to 7 other people at all times is pretty triggery, but maybe they've all learned to be polite and just not notice each other's embarrassing moments.
From:
Star Wars: Ahsoka
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: Eight episodes, each about 50 minutes
Viewable on: Disney Plus
What I love about the canon: It's Star Wars!
What I love about the ships: I'm mostly interested in Baylan Skoll. He's clearly been through some stuff in his life. Who was his Master? How did he survive Order 66? He's not Sith, but he's not Jedi, either -- I assume he was trained by one but then went rogue? What caused that, I wonder?
I see him as a good mentor and father figure for Shin Hati. I can imagine him picking her up off the street somewhere -- alone, starving, vulnerable, yet strong in rage and the Force -- and feeding her, taking care of her, and keeping her safe for the first time in her life.
I could see him having some tension or history with Ahsoka. What is he up to on Peridea after the season wraps?
I'm also interested in Ezra Bridger & Shin Hati as enemies, rivals, grudgingly respectful friends, or maybe even real friends someday -- if Shin can get over her rage issues! I *also* put in Ezra/Shin as a ship, just to see if anyone would actually do it. Not sure how that would work but maybe you have some good ideas?
I didn't add Sabine to either of those ships because there are already one million pieces of fiction that are Sabine/Shin (and I've written 2 of them).
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: Typical Star Wars stories -- training, quests, finding the magical doohicky that will enhance your Force powers, Force bonds, the relationships between powerful magic users, etc.
I do not want anything sexual between Baylan and Shin (ewwww), unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: It's Star Wars. Most difficult topics have been watered down for mainstream consumption, but if you dig, there are traumatized orphans not too far below the surface.
From:
Loki (TV 2021)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 12 episodes, each about 55 minutes
Viewable on: Disney Plus
What I love about the canon: I adore the TVA as a setting. The bureaucracy, the analog artifacts of a pre-digital age, the architecture, the tragedy of stealing people from their lives and forcing them to serve the TVA "for all time -- always"!
What I love about the ships: I love Mobius, so I put in several Mobius-centered ships just to see if anyone took me up on them.
I also added a ship for Ravonna Renslayer and Sylvie, because those two are both so much fun to watch. I can't tell what they would do together, but it would probably be extremely dangerous.
I also added a ship for General Dox and Hunter X-5 (aka Brad Wolfe), because I thought he treated her with a lot of deference -- right up until SPOILER SPOILER -- and I would have liked to see more of that. She obviously has some physical challenges, whereas he's this big huge handsome hunk of a man. But maybe he really respects and values her? Maybe he could give her a gentle backrub on one of her bad pain days? Not all love has to be sexual. Maybe there's something that he only trusts his General with. Which would make it even more poignant when SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER!
I do not want unhappy endings, non-canon major character death (the canon one is fine -- I'm used to the idea by now), new permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: The TVA is an inherently dystopian organization. Or is it??
From:
Cafe Minamdang (TV)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 18 episodes, each 61 - 69 minutes
Viewable on: Netflix
What I love about the canon: This is a wacky cross between a police procedural, "Psych" or "The Mentalist," comedy, horror, and drama! I adore how the main character plays up his "shaman" persona both to accrue wealth and status from believers, and to make some other people underestimate him. He's just really good at being a police profiler -- and he has his sister in his earbud feeding him intel about the people he's talking with -- so it's easy for him to pretend to hear the voices of the spirits! I liked the big overarching plot to find the serial killer!
What I love about the ships: I had to choose the main couple, Nam Han Joon and Han Jae Hui. In his role as a popular shaman, Han Joon is the seemingly flighty fashion plate with an endless wardrobe and a flair for showmanship. He's so handsome and he knows it! Meanwhile, Jae Hui is the hardworking, serious policewoman, eating ramen at her boring desk at 11 PM while trying to crack the case. Of course they're going to be attracted to each other, but both of them have to resist because "(s)he's everything I despise in a person and I can't stand to be around them!"
I added Nam Han Joon and the CEO lady who's obsessed with him and wants to marry him. She's just comic relief, but I think that could be really funny to explore!
I also added Cha Do Won and Nam Hye Jun, the sister / tech genius. If you're watched the whole show you'll know why this ship is PROBLEMATIC. Maybe someone needs to be saved??
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: This show can go so many directions. It can be horror, or comedy, or romance, or action, or all at once!
I do not want unhappy endings, major character death, permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: Any show with a creepy serial killer has a whole bunch of trigger warnings about that. Gore, violence, disturbing content.
From:
Hotel del Luna (TV)
TV Show
# and Length of Episodes: 16 episodes, each between 73 and 94 minutes
Viewable on: Netflix
What I love about the canon: I loved this show, with its rich atmospheric hotel for recently departed spirits. Every so often, Death, aka the Grim Reaper, shows up to take someone off to the afterlife, and he is just so interesting as a character! He looks *amazing*, and I just have so many questions about him and want to see him more!
What I love about the ships: I chose the two ships existing on AO3 that have the Grim Reaper in them, and then I added "Grim Reaper / Any character" to cover any sex or romance stuff, and "Grim Reaper & Any character" to cover the non-sex, non-romance stuff.
Kinds of things I'm hoping to ask for: I really just want to see the Grim Reaper more. He was barely on screen and I need more G.R. content!
I do not want unhappy endings, non-canon major character death (canon deaths are to be expected), new permanent physical or mental illness or injury, permanent body changes, incest, poop, anything underage, eggs, pregnancy, gender swapping / gender switching, fantastical elements such as changing into animals, bestiality, A/B/O, cutesy names for body parts, or racism UNLESS the racist is fully punished within the story.
Content notes: Lots of talk about death and plots about people coming to terms with their own deaths / the deaths of others. You will cry. There are also some horror-filled moments and at least one plot with suicide.
From:
Saltburn
Medium: Film
Length: 2 hours, 7 minutes
Where to (Legally) Find It: As of last week, Amazon prime!
Brief Description: Set in the mid-aughts, Oliver, an outcast scholarship student at Oxford, befriends the charming, widely beloved, and very rich/aristocratic Felix, who invites him to spend the summer at his family estate. An increasingly wild and (mostly but not exclusively homo)erotic series of events unfold from there.
To get a sense of if it’s for you, I honestly suggest just checking out the trailer. If the vibes there are appealing, then you’ll probably enjoy the film. Though I do think it’s overall more comedic than the trailer makes it appear (though it’s a very dark kind of comedy). And definitely weirder (sorry for being vague on what that means, but I think it’s more fun to go in unspoiled!).
What You Love About the Canon: When this movie ended, I said to the friend I was seeing it with, “I think that was my favorite movie ever.” That isn’t actually true, but it an honest expression of what a direct shot to the id this film was. The plot is fun and twisty, its aesthetics are wonderful, its love of men desiring men is suburb. It’s a wild ride in the best way.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): I’m going to be requesting every iteration of ships between Oliver, Felix, and a third character, Farleigh, who is Felix’s cousin and in many way’s Oliver’s rival for Felix’s affection in particular, and a place in the family generally. All of these relationships are fraught with complicated power dynamics, desires, longing, jealousy—all sorts of juicy fun stuff to play with. Plus, they all look amazing!
Felix
Oliver
Farleigh:
And some gifs and gif sets that give you a sense of the various dynamics, hopefully without being too spoiler-y: Oliver and Felix; Oliver and Farleigh; Farleigh and Felix; all three of them.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Missing scenes, canon divergence, setting AUs. Sexy power plays in any of those situations!
Content Notes: Character death, general weirdness.
From:
De Selby (pt 2) - Hozier (Music Video)
Title - De Selby (pt 2) Music Video by Hozier
What You Love About the Canon - It's beautifully shot and Domhnall Gleeson has a very good face, especially when it gets dirty. I love the way Domhnall Gleeson moves through the landscape. I love how the story is violent and surreal and confusing. I love Hozier's song itself.
Medium - YouTube Video
Approximate Length - 3min52sec
Where to (Legally) Find It - Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSRJCw4FyNI
Brief Description - Domhnall Gleeson plays "Man With The Shovel" who wakes up on a rocky outcropping over a body of water over and over, having a progressively bad time with each loop as he wanders the countryside, finds a grave, is murdered by and buried by himself, and in turn murders and buries himself. Sometimes he gets to have a beer in an otherwise empty pub.
What You Love About Your Ship(s) - I love that there is no answer to why this is happening. I want only answers that raise more questions about Man With The Shovel and his double, Other Man With The Shovel. I love that they are trapped in a narrative that they only barely seem to understand themselves. I love that they cannot help hating or fearing each other. It is the eternal struggle of man vs himself made perfectly manifest in a music video.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For - Backstory, explanation for what's happening, what MWTS & OTMWS say to each other as they relive these moments over and over, how they escape (if they escape), can they reconcile and move past this moment?
Content Notes - violence, blood, death, alcohol consumption
From:
Growing Up (Video Game)
Medium: Video Game
Approximate Length: One generation takes about 4.5 hours. The game decides which friends to give you on a near-random basis, so in order to ensure that you have the right friends to be able to fulfill my relationship requests, you may want to edit your save file to make the game give you certain friends. Here's a tutorial on how. If you want to create something for Nathan and Richard, you'll need to put Richard as your elementary school friend and Nathan as your middle school friend. If you want to create something for Jake and Buddy, you'll need to put Jake as your elementary school friend.
Where to (Legally) Find It: Steam, Google Play Store
Brief Description: Growing Up is a game that takes place in a US 1990's setting where you raise your character from baby to high school graduation, having to learn and master skills in preparation for the SAT exam and your future career while balancing your mental health with your parents' expectations. Along the way, you'll meet classmates who can become your friends or romantic interests, and adult career mentors who you help figure out what's important in life just as much as they help you.
What You Love About the Canon: The 90's setting and all the pop culture references and nostalgia that come with it. The sense of humor present in the writing and the little animations that play while you're practicing skills. The clear love for music within the game, from the soundtrack to several of your classmates' storylines. How all of the classmates feel very realistic, reminding me of many of the people I went to high school with. The jokes and references and themes that nod toward the fact that this game was released in 2021 while still staying grounded in the 90's setting.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): While Nathan and Richard don't interact at all in the game, they're both social outcasts with angsty plots that also have a love of music, and I think it would be interesting to see them interact.
Buddy and Jake become very loyal to each other after Jake defends Buddy from some bullies. Buddy also takes a lot of measures to try to impress Jake while being jealous of the player character's interactions with him, suggesting that there might be some one-sided feelings happening.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Missing scenes, any of these characters' POVs on events that occur in the game, or post-canon stuff when the characters are in college. Humor, angst, sadness, hurt/comfort, or something lighthearted. I'll be requesting both fic and art for this fandom.
Content Notes: Bad parenting (ranging from "questionable" to "abusive, but the characters don't realize it"), racism, bullying, self-harm, homophobia (including an instance directed toward the player character), underage drug and alcohol use, drug overdose, child death, suicide, eating disorders, fatphobia, ableism, gang violence, misogyny, military training accidents
All of these are textual depictions, not visual ones. Some of these only occur in certain characters' storylines or endings.
From:
Slay the Princess
Medium: Video Game (Visual Novel)
Approximate Length: According to HowLongToBeat.com, it takes 3 and a half hours to beat the main story of the game and 11 and a half hours for a completionist playthrough. Watching all of BAI GAMING's videos on YouTube (silent playthroughs/walkthroughs of all routes, most route variations, and all endings) would take 14 and a half hours.
For just the ship I'm asking for (Voice of the Cold/Voice of the Paranoid), to get pretty much all of their appearances (if not all of their dialogue) you would need to do two playthroughs and take six different paths. I have recommended playthrough choices here; there are minor (gameplay) spoilers but I try to avoid major (story) ones as much as possible.
Where to (Legally) Find It: The full game is on Steam! It's currently $16.19 for the Winter Sale.
Brief Description: You're on a path in the woods. And at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a princess.
You're here to slay her. If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
Get ready to hear those words a lot. That's the voice of your ever-present, unseen, questionably trustworthy Narrator, and Path in the Woods -> Cabin -> Basement -> Princess is going to be your reality for a while.
Slay the Princess is an intricate visual novel, fully voice acted by Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight and with a beautiful soundtrack by Brandon Boone. The protagonist, your PC, is a weird humanoid bird-person whose personality is quite variable and who has a bunch of voices in his head; one of them is the Narrator, and the rest of them are... him? Sort of. The Princess (usually capitalized) is, as promised, chained up in the basement of the cabin. She always starts off the same -- sort of -- but your choices deeply affect both her and yourself.
You can slay her, or be killed by her. You can free her, or you can at least try. You can even try to just walk (or run) away from the whole situation. You will almost certainly die. A lot. Painfully and horrifically.
This is a love story.
What You Love About the Canon: Practically everything, honestly! The writing, the art, the voice acting, the characterization, the horror and the humor both...
It's a horror story. It's often a funny story. It also is legitimately a love story. It's even, in some ways, a mystery: What is the Princess? What is the... other being? What are you? Where are you? Who is responsible for any of this? And even as it becomes more obvious that the Narrator is manipulating you, it's more and more called into question... what, if anything, is he actually lying about?
The various forms the Princess takes and the various things you can do or say to get to them are wonderful. I have my personal favorites, but even the ones I wasn't as keen on at first only benefit from further visitation, exploration, and thought. The way each path gives you different hints about the overall story and the underlying truth of things is fascinating. The Narrator is a blast, smug and blatantly manipulative and sometimes surprisingly honest and a funny little bastard, and He is himself fascinating the more you put the story together. The parts before you go back to Chapter I again are beautiful and fascinating, and I know I keep saying fascanating but another part of what I love about this game is that my brain just wants to keep chewing on it and that feels rewarding!
I also deeply, deeply love the voices. The various voices that show up in the protagonist's head in each chapter are the characters I'm most fannish about by far; they are often charming, usually hilarious, also a fascinating look into what's going on and how things work (even if that's not obvious at first), and their banter was a huge high point of the game for me. They are named after certain specific personality traits and in large part that is exactly what they are, but at the same time quite a few of them go far beyond that in ways that can be very unexpected and completely delightful.
What You Love About Your Ship: I am planning on asking for my OTP, or at least variations of my OTP occasionally with other characters.
I love Voice of the Cold/Voice of the Paranoid.
It's hard for me to explain exactly why. They are opposites, but in a way that I think they could catch each others' attention, and they have some interesting things in common; I feel like they could actually work very well together in a team-up sense and that seeing how they could possibly work their way into a relationship... Well, it could be really interesting and take a lot of different paths and forms.
Cold is cold-hearted and cold-blooded, a casual killer but also unbothered by whatever you choose to do, really. Paranoid is, well, paranoid, highly-strung and on edge and honestly usually right, disinclined to trust anyone but "ourselves." Cold constantly talks about not feeling anything, physical or emotional; he claims not to feel anything and advises that no one else should either, that it's easier and more useful that way. (He is either fooling himself or lying, at least in part.) Paranoid has probably never not felt anything in his life and uses that to guide his choices -- and uses it to his, and yours, and the other voices' advantage -- and despite expectations he has a will of steel. (He is very open about things, and considers lying and hidden truths as a lack of trust and, in return, an indication that the person not trusting cannot themself be trusted.) Cold, despite his talk and his apparent trope, is one of the most passive voices in the entire game, and Paranoid is one of the most powerful ones.
Cold and Paranoid are both, in their own ways, very group-oriented. They are both snarky. They both hate the Narrator and want Him taken care of. All but that last thing may be more obvious on Paranoid's part, but they're all true. And you can reach the same Chapter III with them via both of their main Chapter IIs; The Wraith is in fact the only Chapter III that the Spectre (the form Cold's Princess takes) can lead into. In both cases, you can get Cold in Paranoid's route and vice-versa. This is only true of four voice combinations total, so it's pretty rare!
...In the interests of not making this section of my promo too long, you can also see what I wrote about them in a different exchange's letter here. (Some details of my likes and things will definitely change, but this intro section is still applicable!) But also have this:
(Why does this sum up their dynamic to me so well? I have no idea but I love it.)
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: TONS OF THINGS. Romance and/or smut both! Intense and maybe even violent but not hate-sex? Attempts at something more tender? Unusual feelings? Awkward get-togethers, humor, flirting, first times, weird little bird-like courtship behaviors/mating rituals whether either of them realize they're doing it or not? Stuff set during the game or after any of the endings... Maybe even total AUs. I am going to be into a lot so long as they are into each other!
Content Notes: Check out the content warnings on Black Tabby Games's website here.
From:
琴師 - 音頻怪物 | A Stringed Instrument Player - Yīnpín Guàiwu (Music Video)
Medium: Music Video
Approximate Length: 5 minutes
Where to (Legally) Find It:
Link to the video with English subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M1mX3bOaTA
Brief Description:
The video tells the sad romance of a stringed instrument player taken as spoil of war to the enemy court and a kind palace guard. Unfortunately, they have to separate when the enemy release the player back to his homeland. The song ends on a bittersweet note as the player still misses the guard.
What You Love About the Canon:
It's a sad lovely song and I love the details: the unexpected mercy (the guard unshackling the player), the feeling left unsaid, the longing...
What You Love About Your Ship(s):
I ship the instrument player/the guard for the hurt/comfort, the tender feeling and how much they are in love. It breaks my heart that they have to part.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: hurt/comfort, angst, emotional reunion in the future
Content Notes: N/A
From: (Anonymous)
Crashing (UK TV)
Medium limited series TV show
Approximate Length: six 23 min episodes (2 hrs 19 min total runtime)
Where to (Legally) Find It: Netflix in most of the world. Originally ran on Channel 4 in the UK, unclear if it's still available to stream there
Brief Description: Seven people mostly in their 20s find themselves living together in an abandoned hospital in London as part of a guardianship program (I think it's to help prevent squatters). A lot of messy, (mostly) undiscussed feelings and repression ensue. Written by (and starring) Phoebe Waller-Bridge, although she is not one of the people in this ship.
Very mild spoilers below (like, *very* mild but putting this out of an abundance of caution, in case you're a "zero spoilers go in totally ignorant" kinda person)
What You Love About the Canon: Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a masterclass at writing relationships between two people who can't or won't, for whatever reason, let themselves be together. If you've seen Fleabag, you'll know what I mean. Crashing is no exception. I, who love pining and weird emotional repression in my media, found it a really fun, engaging story on my first watch as everyone reaches the tipping points in their various relationships. A pair of best friends with sexual tension, a Definitely Straight(TM) man incredibly jealous of his new friend's boyfriend, a Frenchwoman obsessed with a middle aged divorcee, a man and woman in an unhappy relationship, all condensed into six episodes. Plus, the premise itself is fun. Who didn't dream of living in a giant commune with their friends when they were younger? (No? Just me?)
What You Love About Your Ship(s): I am absolute trash for "queer repression and the ways it leaks out" and Sam is the gold standard for that. I love how they're attached at the hip as soon as they meet, and also how messy and complicated and a little toxic their friendship is. I love the physical intimacy moments, fleeting as they are. I want to know their lives outside the bounds of the show.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Exploration of what's going on in either of their heads during canon, "first time" fic, or post-canon fic exploring the implications of the finale.
Content Notes: homophobia (but the call is coming from inside the house, so to speak)
Re: Crashing (UK TV)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2024-01-04 11:08 pm (UTC) - ExpandFrom:
Ravenous (1999)
Medium:Movie, 1999, dir. Antonia Bird
Approximate Length:1hr 41m
Where to find it: I first used a free trial of the Criterion Channel to stream it on there, you can also buy or rent it on youtube or amazon, possibly elsewhere.
Brief description: A cult film that bombed when it was released but is now beloved, a dark comedy, a campy horror, a genre-defying not-NOT-a-western. It's got lovable characters who get viscerally murdered, it's got critique of American imperialism and the insatiable western expansion, it's got a dramatic intentionally gay-coded villain trying to seduce the main character into joining him in his Evil Ways (cannibalism for fun and profit.) It's set at and around a remote American military outpost in the Sierra Nevadas during the 1840s and features a beautiful war-traumatized captain being subjected to constant inescapable horrors.
What you love about canon: God, it's indescribable. I vibe with this movie so hard. The comedy is exactly my type of thing, the horror is so good, I love when the two are combined the way they are here and I feel like they add to one another's impact. The delightful band of misfits that is the cast of characters sent to this remote outpost for military failures disliked by their commanders. The intertwined themes of religion/imperialism as systems of violent power. The music! The general impossible to describe vibe of it all! The THEMES! The way it felt so realistic with how the characters behaved, not like heroes just like some tired guys trying to do the bare minimum at their jobs. All the small moments of friendship between characters. There's one kind of butch female character who's really cool.
What I love about my ships:
Boyd/Ives, the hero and villain, have an incredibly homoerotic relationship that just about everyone who's watched the movie has already commented on, so I'll stay my hand here and just say that I've nominated their tag should anyone else decide to request them and that I will happily write about them. That said, I'm a rarepair maniac for this one and am myself only (ha) requesting the nine other relationship tags! Here are a few:
Ives/Toffler: The cannibalistic maniac villain slash an adorably weird guy he's friendly with at first and later kills and eats. Incredible dark ship potential. Also both characters are deeply religious (yes, also the guy who eats people) and that's... interesting! Huh!?? (pointing at him) Explain!! Anyways we don't see the death on screen so it could have been anything. Cannibal guy has repeatedly implied that cannibalism makes him horny. How uh... how homoerotic WAS the homoerotic cannibalism?
Boyd/Hart: Boyd, the deeply traumatized main character who's sent to rot at Fort Spencer because the General hates him, and Colonel Hart, who meets him at the Fort, shows him the ropes and tries to help him settle into the place. Hart clearly likes Boyd (he says it out loud at one point!) and repeatedly tries and fails to get him chatting about his past, his hobbies etc., but despite Boyd's unwillingness/inability to chitchat about feelings they clearly enjoy hanging out together. They steal the major's alcohol while he's passed out and have a drink together, they share a pipe at one point, Boyd generally follows him around like a lost duckling. (There's also a lot going on with them later that would be bigger spoilers than I want to share here) I just love their relationship so much.
Kinds of things I'm asking for:
Depends ENTIRELY on the ship! Ives/Toffler: noncon/dubcon, violent cannibalism, nasty gore sex, undeath, nonconsensual cannibalistic resurrection as an undead cannibal AU, but also how they interacted before the cannibalism when Ives was friendly to him (or, were there dark undertones even then? Hmmmm!)
Hart/Boyd or Hart & Boyd: They're still in a horror setting but I see their relationship as very sweet. I want Boyd to be able to forget the PTSD nightmares for an evening and have a good time.
Boyd & Any: Friends with benefits? Just hanging out with the Fort Spencer crew? Various characters getting to know each other? Petting the fort dog and having snowball fights like they do in one of the deleted scenes maybe?
And multiple other ships! I think Ives/Toffler is the darkest, most of the others I see as... well, they don't eat each other, so there's that! But generally fluffier yeah!
Content Notes: A horror movie. Blood, death, gore, cannibalism, war. The horror of Manifest Destiny. Also, another instance of badly appropriated wendigo myth.
From:
Invisible Inc (Videogame)
Medium: Videogame
Approximate Length: 5-6 hours of playtime, much less for reading the lore
Where to (Legally) Find It: Steam, GOG, decent LP. However, for consuming it without playing it, please also see this post.
Brief Description: Cyberpunk spy-fi stealth/heist game by the same studio as Don't Starve, Griftlands, Mark of the Ninja.
What You Love About the Canon: Incredible emergent storytelling and DRAMA, tight escapes, agents saving each other's lives, premise and main story lend themselves extremely well to juicy fanon. The anticapitalist vibes are sedate but still a welcome change from many other works in the spy-fi genre. Also the art direction is so stylish and fantastic.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): All of them are weirdo disasters in some way who are from different walks of life but are held together through loyalty to a common cause (bringing down the megacorps).
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Shippy and platonic fic and art
Content Notes: Violence, referenced torture, general dystopia-ism
From:
Bionicle (Generation 1)
Media: Multimedia
In order of "amount of story conveyed": Books, comics, movies, Flash animations, Flash games.
While it was a toyline, the toys... did not really contain the story.
Approximate Length: Oh, god, how do I count this?
- 29 Scholastic chapter books
- 4 Young Readers books
- 17 online serials
- 8 online short stories
- 49 comics, approx. 15 pages each
- 4 animated movies, approx. 60 minutes each (72 with credits); come with novelizations, although those do differ in slight details
- 22 Flash animations, 2-5? minutes each, have been converted to videos
- 2 relevant Flash games, [wobbly hand gesture] several hours? each, come with novelizations/walkthroughs
Specific subsections:
- The '01-'03 arcs (first three years) are enough for some subsets of Hahli &/f Jaller and Pewku & Takua | Takanuva.
- The '09 arc was a soft reboot, but as I got into Bionicle well before that I have no damn clue if there's enough context to really appreciate Kiina &/ Mata Nui. Probably enough to draw me a man and his bug with Click & Mata Nui.
- If making fanart, the wiki is really quite a thorough source of references.
Where to (Legally) Find It:
Almost everything can be found on https://wallofhistory.com/ or https://biomediaproject.com/bmp/, and there's a fan wiki at https://biosector01.com/wiki/Main_Page. The things that weren't first posted online for free are out of print and have been for at least 12 years, so I'm assuming these are legal sources because Lego hasn't taken them down and Lego has explictly approved a free fan game that will be available on Steam. The Legend Reborn, the fourth movie, can be bought on Youtube.
BriefDescription:Magic robots, the hobbit-sized Matoran and their wise elders the Turaga, live on an island terrorized by a shadowy evil, the Makuta. The Toa, prophesized heroes with elemental powers, appear to defeat the evil and awaken the Matoran's god, Mata Nui or the Great Spirit. This seemingly simple task becomes much more complicated, and a world that began as "magic robots on an island in the middle of the ocean" unfolds into a world of massive underground domes, Matoran asked to become Toa, Matoran setting out to become heroes even without being Toa, and the eventual discovery that their world, and their god, are not as they thought they were.
(To quote a comedically abridged summary: "Whaaaaat? We live in a giant robot???")
What You Love About the Canon:
The characters, the broad strokes of the story and most of the details, and the worldbuilding, although often more its potential than its execution. Also, I was introduced to Bionicle when I was 7, and it had a formative and lasting impact on me.
I love how the characters we're supposed to root for are good, and yes it was a kid's toyline so it's not exactly going to have grey-and-grey or grey-and-black morality, but it does address nuanced and dark topics sometimes. Cowardice and courage and heroism and trying your best to be what's needed to save the world even when you don't think you're worthy, and failing and trying again and succeeding. Bionicle doesn't shy away from death, either; it's not gruesomely detailed, but people die, and people sacrifice themselves, and it's tragic and heroic or sometimes just tragic.
Also Bionicle God is voiced by Michael Dorn and I am weak for that voice.
What You Love About Your Ship(s):
I have a letter!
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For:
Mostly platonic ships, including three "a guy and his animal companion" ships. Also one-sided Kiina/Mata Nui because good god the ANGST potential (see my letter for details).
Content Notes:
Major character death. Also a really annoying 5:1 male:female ratio in the characters, if "token girl is practically a codified feature of teams" is a hard nope for you.
From:
ENNEAD 엔네아드
I love this fandom, and it's a pretty big fandom, but I seldom see it requested in AO3 events!
Approximate Length: 2 seasons of ~75 short chapters each (each chapter doesn't take more than a few minutes to read). It's on a break at the moment, so it's a great time to catch up!
Where to (Legally) Find It: The LEGAL English distribution is through tappytoon. There is a Mature (E-rated) version and a 16+ version; for any explicit scenes, there is a replacement scene in the 16+ version. The first four chapters are free to view on tappytoon; after that you need to purchase points to unlock the chapters.
Brief Description: It's an ongoing manhwa written (in Korean) and illustrated by Mojito. There's an official English translation that's about 5 chapters behind the original. Ennead draws on Egyptian mythology and centers on the relationship between Horus and Seth. Centuries ago, Seth, the god of war and sand, killed his brother Osiris and usurped the Egyptian throne, and he now rules tyrannically and bloodily. At the start of the comic, Horus, son of the god Isis (Seth's sister), but not yet a god himself, challenges Seth for the throne. Through the first season, past events are revealed to be not as they seemed, and the confrontation between Seth and Horus soon twists into obsession and desire. (Osiris, Seth, Horus, and Anubis pictured above.)
What You Love About the Canon: It's got an interesting setting and a plot full of mystery. There's a full cast of dynamic characters, not just the leads. Completely dysfunctional relationships and fucked up people, only they're GODS, so they can do a lot of damage. It's dark but also has moments of humor. Gorgeous art. (Seth pictured on the left.)
What You Love About Your Ship(s): Seth is one of those evil characters who turns out to be a traumatized asshole. He's provocative and flippant and kinda bitchy. Horus is earnest and dedicated and also really, really obsessed with his uncle. Through the first season, you're not sure if they want to kill or fuck each other more. They try a little of both. It's a great ship with a metric ton of amazing fanart (just a sample of stuff from the last month) and very little fic comparatively; about ~150 English works on AO3. (Other main ships in the canon include brother/brother incest, son/father incest, and a ship with Seth and a foreign god. There are some other background ships: Maat/Thoth is a het ship favorite of mine.)
Content Notes: sexual content, incest (they're Egyptian gods), violence, death, graphic rape, slavery, sex slavery, drug use. The main ships range from moderately unhealthy with poor consent to hideously abusive with no consent at all.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: I love modern AUs where they're still related (how do the relationships translate?) and I love smut where Seth gets to be assertive and enjoy himself. I'm planning to offer as well.
From:
Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Medium: TV series
Approximate Length: Four seasons, first two are 18 episodes long, second two are 13 episodes long.
Where to (Legally) Find It: According to Wikpedia, HBO Max and CBS All Access have it streaming. If you happen to be in Australia, Seasons 1 & 2 (more than enough to write my interests) are available on 9Now, Channel Nine's streaming service.
Brief Description: Nancy Drew puts college on hold after her mother's death and finds mysteries of the supernatural and non supernatural kind abound in her home town of Horseshoe Bay, Maine.
What You Love About the Canon: I've been a Nancy Drew fan since I read The Mystery Of The 99 Steps when I was about seven. This isn't the world of the books but it's a wonderful AU and I love everything about it, the characters and the atmosphere.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): I love the way Carson and Ryan get along and sometimes don't, whether in a gen or shippy way. Adding Nancy to the mix, whether in a gen or shippy way just makes it more fun, especially if Nancy has to be the grown up some of the time. Nancy's friends (George and Bess mostly), just make things more fun, especially if they are hiding things from Nancy or her dads. Bess/George/Nancy is just hot and the idea of Bess introducing her friends to the lady side of romance/sex is even hotter.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: I only nominated ships with Carson, Ryan, Nancy, George and Bess. I don't have anything against Ace or Ned (and my sign up will indicate preferences of how they are dealt with if applicable) but these are the characters I want to read about in a gen or shippy way. So it will be the combinations I nominated and there will be more in my sign up.
Content Notes: Nancy/Ryan is blood incest. Nancy/Carson is incest in the sense that Carson raised Nancy as his daughter.
From:
Where The Wild Things Are - Luke Combs (Song)
Medium: Song
Approximate Length: 4 minutes.
Where to (Legally) Find It:
Youtube (others available)
Lyrics
Brief Description: The story of two brothers, one moves to California, the other doesn't and tells the story.
What You Love About the Canon: I love the relationship between the brothers and how the song tells a wonderful story in such a short time.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): The brothers' relationship is wonderful, I like it as gen or incest and so much could be done. I also like the idea of the brother having a child out there he maybe doesn't know about or how much the brother liked kissing the pretty blonde (who could be of either gender) in the backyard pool or how the brother moved on with his life after the song ended.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Narrator & Brother would be more or exploring the idea of the brothers' relationship. Narrator/Brother would add incest, I have a few ideas but my main one would be them giving in to long term UST during the visit in the song. Narrator & OFC & Brother's child would preferably be about the mother bringing the child to meet his uncle and be a gen relationship, Narrator/OFC & Brother's Child would involved the mother and Narrator having a romantic/sexual relationship, Narrator & Brother & Mother might be backstory or maybe the mother visiting with the brother later, Narrator/OMC could be that he had a boyfriend he didn't want to leave or that he got together with a guy after the song events, Narrator/OMC & Brother's Child could be either that the OMC was with the brother or he could be the brother of the child's mother (who may have met the same fate as the brother) or another option, Narrator/Blonde (OFC or OMC) would be expanding on kissing that person in the song, Narrator & Brother's Child could be him raising the child. I think I covered the ships here.
Content Notes: Narrator/Brother is incest, the brother character dies at the end of the song.
From:
Fancy - Reba McEntire (Song)
Medium: Song
Approximate Length: 5 minutes (audio)/6 minutes (official video)
Where to (Legally) Find It:
Youtube Official Video
Youtube Official Audio
Lyrics
Brief Description: Young woman rises from poverty by prostitution
What You Love About the Canon: It's about getting where you want to be by any means necessary.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): I mostly love the character of Fancy and anything to do with her. The ships are great and I definitely see her mostly with women.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Fancy & Benevolent Man - keeping it gen, Benevolent Man is gay and hires her only as a companion, Fancy/Benevolent Man - either how things happened in that time or a future story in which they get together, Fancy/OFC - the sky's the limit but I do have a soft spot for a fellow working girl or a client getting together with Fancy, Fancy & The Baby - a gen ship with them finding each other later in life and having a sibling relationship, Fancy/OFC & The Baby - as with Fancy & The Baby but Fancy has a female partner.
Content Notes: Prostitution as a means to raise herself in society.
From:
Gargoyles (Cartoon)
Medium: Cartoon
Approximate Length: 3 seasons with 78 20-minute episodes. My pairing only appears together in a few episodes, however: S2E4 "A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time"; S2E10 "City of Stone, Part 2"; and S3E6 "The Dying of the Light".
Where to (Legally) Find It: Disney+, possibly other streaming sites depending on your location!
Brief Description: A cartoon from 1994 about a group of gargoyles who were cursed into endless sleep a thousand years ago and reawakened in 90s New York, and their relationships with a city they decide to protect and the humans who help and/or hunt them (some humans do both!).
What You Love About the Canon: It's one of my most beloved childhood shows that still (mostly) stands up as an adult. I love the way the show doesn't shy away from heavy themes and complicated characters and relationships, the epic and timeless nature of the gargoyles' fight to survive and find purpose in this new world blended with that nostalgic 90s aesthetic, and the mythological/poetic/literary roots of many of its plotlines. Plus, that iconic intro!
What You Love About Your Ship(s): Hudson is the oldest of the gargoyles, a gruff old warrior past his prime who was once his clan's leader but has passed the torch and now serves as an advisor to Goliath. Jeffrey Robbins is a human, a veteran soldier who was blinded by shrapnel 20 years ago and now writes mythological novels. They develop a friendship when Robbins finds Hudson hurt and takes him home and helps him recover, teaches him that there's nothing shameful about asking for help, and later on helps him when Hudson starts to go blind as well (and protects him when he's attacked while he's vulnerable!) Just two wise old warriors past their prime and a little bit lonely, finding companionship and common ground and fulfillment together, and I think they should kiss.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: I'd really love anything for this pairing because there is literally no fic out there and I think that's such a shame. Robbins teaching Hudson to read, or just reading to him, and stories being an important part of their relationship. Hudson taking Robbins flying and describing the world as he sees it from above. Sitting by the fire together or walking by the sea with their dogs. Robbins being drawn into another one of the gargoyles' adventures and getting to know the rest of the gang. Old guy smut, slow and tender as they learn how two such different species can come together by feel, or hot and heavy as they're both still vigorous and tough in their old age and maybe Robbins is super into rough monsterfucking. A magical spell that temporarily restores Robbins' vision and he can see Hudson for the first time. KISSING. All the kissing!
Content Notes: For these specific episodes: cartoon violence, discussion of war, injuries, disabilities (specifically blindness), probably some dated 90s attitudes although I'm not remembering anything specifically right now.
Re: Gargoyles (Cartoon)
From:Re: Gargoyles (Cartoon)
From:From:
Brides of Chance Creek Series - Cora Seton
Medium: Series of romance novels.
Approximate Length: 6 books -- my ship appears mostly in books 5 and 6, although there's a little bit of the General in every book and wherever he is, his faithful Emerson is right there at his side. If you want to read the books for this ship, I would recommend reading the prologue + chapter 1 of book 1 for an introduction to the scenario and characters, then book 6, and then go back to book 5 for additional flavor and background if you like. (I say this because I read book 6 first with only a vague idea of the premise of the books and certain things would have made sooo much more sense if I'd read the beginning of book 1 first.)
Alternately, I liveblogged my reactions to book 6 as I read along with relevant quotes and scene summaries a few months ago, so if you just want to read the good bits + my commentary and some spirited discussion from other nonnies on FFA-
Chapters 1-4
Chapters 5-7
Chapters 8-10
Chapters 11-Epilogue
Where to (Legally) Find It: Possibly at your local library (my library's Libby subscription had all of them readily available), or else wherever you normally get books!
Brief Description: The General, who hasn't been much of a father to his five daughters since the death of his wife years ago, sends a bunch of military men on 'missions' to his Montana ranch with orders to woo and marry his daughters on the promise that they'll all inherit part of the ranch one day; the daughters have issues with this but after some struggles everyone ends up in love and married with babies ever after. There's also the General's devoted young corporal/aide/right hand man/sad lonely orphan who just wants a family Emerson, who gets promoted and becomes the titular Sergeant of the final book when he's ordered to marry the General's daughter's best friend Wye in order to keep him on the ranch because of how strongly the General feels about him (and how strongly the daughter, Cass, feels about Wye). REALLY. Plus, there's magic of various kinds including a magical fortune-telling rock and the General's dead wife matchmaking from the great beyond, a gang of drug dealers who are trying to steal the ranch, and a bit of howling at the moon.
What You Love About the Canon: The shippiness! I also kind of despite my best intentions really enjoyed the unexpectedly-magical setting of the ranch and the bonds between the sisters and Wye, and between the military guys. There's also one really good fight scene in book 5 involving one of the sisters who can see the future sending psychic visions to everyone so they can see what's coming and not die that was amazing.
What You Love About Your Ship(s): My ship is General/Emerson, which was practically handmade specifically for my tastes. It has everything! Age difference, superior/subordinate with a pinch of father/son feels for extra spice, competence and loyalty like whoa, hurt/comfort with a lot of caretaking, amazing pining potential, there's a rumor at their old workplace that they were sleeping together so clearly people in-universe are seeing this too, there's an extremely good feelings confession, there's the potential for a grand public romantic gesture in the last chapter which isn't actually realized but COULD BE... basically, they're perfect.
For the femslashers, the other nominated ship is Cass/Wye, which is also fantastic and they say outright how much they love each other multiple times in the series. They think of each other as goddesses and angels, the dead mom tells them they're made for each other, everyone knows they're in love and soulmates and the most important people in each other's lives but somehow it's not an endgame romance...? I don't get it.
Kinds of Things You're Planning to Ask For: Any fic would be the first fic for this series on AO3, but no pressure, because I'm into anything and you really can't go wrong. Literally. Anything. I am so hungry for these guys.