Yuletide Letter 2015

[flamebyrd]

Previous Yuletide Letters: 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009

Hello! Currently this letter is basically the same as my signup but I am hoping to change that before assignments go out. Assignments are out! And this letter is still basically the same as my signup. But I will note up here if I do change it.

The mini prompts I include with my request are just prompts. If you have a great idea in mind, go for it! I'm pretty easy to please.

My cup of tea:
- Character interaction and team dynamics. Snark, bonding over mutual interests, that sort of thing.
- "Downtime" fic, ie. where the characters do something fairly mundane, like go shopping.
- Case fic (for whatever passes as a case in that canon)
- Future fic, particularly where the characters haven't seen each other in a while and things between them are unresolved
- AUs, but if the canon is paranormal (eg. magic, psychic powers, non-humans) in any way, I strongly prefer its paranormal elements be preserved or transmuted into something setting-appropriate.
- Outsider perspectives, interactions with "normal" or "mundane" people
- Other tropes I am partial to: amnesia, road trips, family reunions / high school reunions.
- Slash, gen, het, poly, ace, aro...

Not my cup of tea:
- I have a fairly strong embarrassment/humiliation squick.
- Anything that would require an AO3 warning (canonical character death is okay as long as it's not the focus of the story)
- Torture, mutilation, injury to hands/feet/eyes
- Zombies, apocalypses, mafia AUs


Dreamships - Melissa Scott
Character: Reverdy Jian

I was really fascinated by the world building in this book, the stratified society and particularly the idea that if AIs were granted human rights now they would have more privilege than some actual humans. (I haven't managed to get my hands on a copy of Dreaming Metal yet, so don't feel you need to incorporate any details from that.)

Prompts:
- Do Jian and Chaandi ever resolve things between them?
- What kind of trouble do Jian and the team get up to on their next job? Or an earlier job?
- The book ended rather suddenly, so how about a straight continuation. How does Jian cope with the aftermath?


ヨコハマ買い出し紀行 | Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou | Record of a Yokohama Shopping Trip
Character: Hatsuseno Alpha

Cozy apocalyptic story of my heart. I'd love to see Alpha out on her own again - but I'd also love to see her in her cafe, serving customers.

Prompts:
- In contrast to most android stories, Alpha seems most comfortable around humans and finds other robots to be confusing, so that would be an interesting dynamic to explore.
- Something to resolve the situation with Alpha's owner. As far as I can tell they never appear again in canon, so it would be nice to see her deal with that. (I would also be happy for her Owner to make another appearance.)
- What else is nature trying to duplicate from the human world? (Beyond street lights etc.)

(I don't have any ships for this fandom, but if you do, go for it. :D)


11人いる! | They Were Eleven (Manga)
Character: Frolbericheri Frol, Tadatos Lane

This movie/manga had a lot of elements I love, all put together - strong characters, adorable romance, and a SF plot!

I would love to see Tada and Frol a few years down the line, exploring space and bickering the whole time. (Romance or gen are both fine.)

Prompts:
- Reuniting with one of the others of their "eleven" sometime in the future
- A Star Trek style space exploration mission
- Dealing with cultural differences: courting customs, foods, music, whatever you can think of

Note: I'm using "he" pronouns here to match canon, but this is a tricky situation so go with your heart. (Frol declares that he will become a woman for Tada, but I would rather he make that decision based on his own desires.)


Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Character: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch

So I really liked this book, in a way that makes me rather self-conscious because I'm not comfortable with feeling so transparent. But I REALLY liked this book. I loved how genre-aware it was, how familiar it felt as a reader of fanfic but also still something new and surprising.

Prompts:
- I loved how ashamed and self-conscious he is of his vampirism - but that doesn't mean I need it to stay that way. Something about him learning more about his condition and/or coming to accept it (or at least feel less shame).
- How does he interact with Normal people? His university classmates? Simon's classmates?
- The old classic, the high school reunion.
- What DID Baz say to stop the war?


My thoughts on the book are here.

I should disclaim at this point that I was never a Draco Malfoy fan. But something about Baz the reluctant vampire was right up my alley.