Dear Yuletide Author!

Dear Yuletide author,

 

Thank you so much for offering to write :D I am pretty easy to please, but here are some themes or prompts and general blabbing about things that are hopefully helpful to you! I have written a few things on my current AO3 account (Silverweed), but they're a mismash and probably not great for indication of what I actually like best.

YES PLEASE
Okay! Generally, the things I love most are the iddy whump, angst, casefic, and h/c tropes. The darker and/or more gory, the better, though a happy ending of some description would be my preference! However I also have a particular liking of slice of life, fluff, falling in love plots, first time fic and similar, so please write any of this if you don't want to do anything more dark. Although I'd rather not fic that's focused entirely on shipping, I am a sucker for characters being deeply in requited love or strong friendships, very competent couples (or poly groups) that are absolutely happy with each other, with problems coming from the outside that they both/all work to overcome. Though initial getting-together angst would not be amiss either! Gen is also as loved as slash/het. I am good with most AUs, mundane or extreme!

NO THANKS
My DNWs are reasonably limited: Please no PWP or explicit sex involving female characters, character bashing, pair-the-spares or death/infidelity in main characters. I'd say anything else is cool. Underage slave!fic AU with non-con scat, bestiality and body-modifications? Yes please! Not that I'm actually asking for this, haha, but I certainly wouldn't dislike it if it were to come up.

I am up to date with all canons requested, so please don't worry about spoilers.

 

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The Goblin Emperor

Characters: Maia Drazhar, Csevet Aisava

Honestly, I mostly want to see Maia and/or Csevet hurt, potentially very badly, then comforted by the people who love and respect them. Because part of the reason I loved the book so much was the fact that yes, Maia had to fight tooth and nail to become half of what everyone expected him to be, and yes, there was a lot of opposition from people who clearly didn't like him or even want to like him. But there was still those who, through various routes, looked past his inadequacies and decided that he was a good person, with the potential to be an excellent emperor, and that he did deserve their loyalty and support. Which they then gave by the spadeful. And Csevet (and Cala, Beshelar, Kiru, Telimezh and Csethiro) has a whole lot of competence to lend, and is never unappreciated or not cared for by Maia.

For shipping, Maia/Csevet is my absolute favourite, but frankly I'd be very happy with any combination of Maia, Csevet, Cala and Beshelar! If Csethiro is involved, I'd prefer her in either a couple with Maia or a Csethiro/Maia/other(s) relationship with little to no sexual Csethiro/other(s). Gen is equally good. But really, I'm easy. With regards to infidelity, I'd prefer Csethiro to be entirely aware of and happy with any relationship Maia has beyond herself.

Prompts

• Perhaps either the coup or the assassination attempt went further than it did in the book? Or there's another attempt further down the line?

• I would eat up by the spoonful any scenario where Csevet gets hurt because of Maia. Perhaps someone finds out they're a couple, or even that Maia really depends on Csevet's political advice, and kidnaps or otherwise tries to hurt or bump off Csevet? Or someone tries to twist Csevet's arm to make him advise Maia to do what they want? Hurting Csevet as a warning after Maia does something politically controversial?

• Anything with Csevet and non-con in the courier industry would be like crack to me. Perhaps a what-if scenario where he didn't escape Tethimar in Eshoravee, or during book canon, Tethimar recognises him as the courier who gave him that scar and made him look like a fool in front of his men, and decides to take revenge?

• Or on the fluff side of things, maybe the beginning of a new relationship? Maia goes on holiday to and sees all this amazing stuff (emperors totally go on holiday). Stunning nature, amazing bridge building, cool new science, art or music.

 

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Stand Still Stay Silent

Characters: Emil Västerström, Lalli Hotakainen

What don't I love about this canon? I love the world-building, and the plot, and the characters and how they do/don't interact and work together. It's a world with a lot of potential and a team that is at least somewhat prepared to take it on! I would absolutely love any sort of fic about the things the team get up to in their adventures, plot or character based, or what happens to the team on their downtime if perhaps they couldn't leave the tank for a couple of days. Full-on body-horror of the beast/troll/giant variety would make my day. I only ship Emil/Lalli, but gen and friendships would be absolutely perfect if that's not your cup of tea!



Prompts

• Emil panics in a troll attack and runs the wrong way. Now he's stuck out in a very dangerous situation, possibly wounded, and has to wait for help, with only his wits and some explosives to keep him alive. Or perhaps Lalli, being a poor team player or having his arrogance win out over his professionalism, gets Emil into trouble, and surprises anyone, including himself, at his emotional response to this.

• Maybe the whole team gets stranded somewhere. Maybe it's terribly dangerous. Does Reynir's knowledge of sheep somehow, miraculously, save the day (a sheep beast??)? Maybe it's terribly boring. In their boredom does Emil try and learn Finnish from Lalli? Or try and teach Sigrun about exploding things?

• Sigrun being competent. There's a troll attack, or survival situation, and she knows exactly what to do.

 

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The Left Hand of Darkness

Characters: Genly Ai, Therem Harth rem ir Estraven

Oh, my heart. I'll be honest and say that I preferred the second half of the book to the first – that intimacy of living together as if they're the only ones in existence. Utter co-dependence: Estraven pulled more weight (figuratively) but neither could have survived without the other. When they are together, just the two of them, they are equally alien. But they're also the same – they might be two different types of human, but they're still both human where there are no other humans, in a world that is cruel and unforgiving. There is the growing of understanding and familiarity, and also friendship. It's also terribly sad, because they know that this time with just them on the ice cannot last – if it does, they will literally die – but once it's over, they can never return to this unique, uncomplicated time and emotion.

I ship Genly/Estraven like nobody's business, and I'm in the market for fix-it fic. Kindness and softness, depth of feeling, understanding. Obviously gen with deep friendship is equally good! But please nothing with a sad ending. With Estraven, if it would be possible to use they/them pronouns, please.

Prompts

• Estraven is hurt in their last bid for freedom, but not mortally. Genly follows and patches them up.

• Some conversations and interactions between the pair a while on down the line. Perhaps Estraven went back to Estre, and a few years post-canon, after sorting out as much as he can, Genly comes down to see them again.

• Or if you can't change the ending, their time on the ice? Conversations in the tent, perhaps, or some basic first aid as they're recovering from a long day.