Dear Yuletide Author Letter

[coprime]

Hi, Yuletide Author!

I'm coprime over on AO3. (I'm also happy to receive treats and have my settings on AO3 set so I can receive them, if that's a question anyone had.)

Thank you so much for writing for me! I'm so excited to see your story and I'm already sure I'll love it because it'll be a story in one of my beloved, tiny fandoms. I say every year that the best story is a story the writer is excited to write, so if you already have an idea you want to write, go for it! This letter is just for if you'd like a but more information.

General Likes/Dislikes

Likes:

het

slash (m/m/ and f/f)

gen

romance

friendship

family

fluff

angst

humor

adventures big and small

hurt/comfort

post-canon/future fic

day-in-the-life/slice of life

fix-it

casefic

domesticity

banter

pining

celebrations and holidays

teamwork

capers & shenanigans

time loop/groundhog day plots

body swap

science! & exploration

sea creatures

role reversals

friends to lovers

slow burn

awkward dorks in love

bad jokes/puns

characters laughing/having fun together

pretend couple/arranged marriage

characters trying their best (whether they succeed or fail is less important than the journey)

competent characters being competent

getting together/first times

established relationships

characters working together

characters caring for each other

characters learning and growing together

small gestures of caring and affection

large gestures of caring and affection

happy endings

hopeful endings

really, any ending where things are at least marginally better for the characters than they were at the beginning

Dislikes:

major character death

rape/noncon

infidelity

references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years

drug use excepting casual alcohol use or canonical levels of cigarettes/cigars

AUs that set the characters in a setting that is completely different from the canon setting (e.g., a coffee shop AU or a medieval AU)

soulmate AUs

omegaverse AUs

With regards to sex, it's not something I mind reading but it's also not something I seek out to read. So sex as a part of a larger story is fine, but I'd prefer not to get something that's pure PWP.

Postcards in Braille

Requested Characters: Sigma, Xi

Sigma and Xi are so adorable together! I love how happy they make each other, and I think their tandem bike dates are the cutest. I'd love basically anything with them together: meeting Xi's parents, celebrating a holiday together, the first time they have a day of errands together now that Xi's moved in, working together on an interdepartment project. Really, anything, I just want more Sigma and Xi.

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon, infidelity, references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

I made a Fandom Promo for Postcards in Braille, which links to some of my favorite strips starring Sigma and Xi. I love Sigma's sense of humor and how he's gradually built a life he loves with Xi and his friends over the course of the comic. I love how Xi can get things done when things need getting done but is can be a little bit silly with Sigma. I think Xi is a bit more adventurous than Sigma, so a reversal with a situation where Sigma is the one showing Xi something new could be fun.

I think there's also a lot of potential for something set after they've moved in together. What's it like to live together and work in the same place? Xi moves into Sigma's apartment, so how does combining her stuff into Sigma's go? Sigma lived with Rho before, but I don't know if Xi has lived with anyone besides her parents as a child. Is there an adjustment period as Xi gets used to living with someone for the first time and Sigma gets used to living with someone not Rho? I'm always a fan of domestic fic, so what does grocery shopping or cooking or meal planning look like for them? Do they need to buy new furniture and then assemble it? Do they decide to host for their families for some major holiday? (Is that the first time Sigma meets Xi's parents in person?)

I love their tandem bike and picnic dates in canon, and another date of some sort would be great. Does Sigma go on more runs with Xi? Is there a new restaurant in town they want to try out? Do they try to have a romantic night in now that Rho can't interrupt them? Maybe they can join a book club together. Really, anything with Sigma and Xi would be great.

Hackers

Requested Characters: Dade "Zero Cool | Crash Override" Murphy, Kate "Acid Burn" Libby

Dade and Kate are so cool, and their competitive, flirty relationship is so much fun. They're both highly skilled and they both don't like to lose, so I think anything about how their relationship works once they're together would be great. Do they keep making bets with each other? Do they ever team up for a common cause? I can't imagine that Kate is much of a roses and chocolate sort of person, so what sort of gifts would they get each other? What's it like the first time Dade brings Kate home to his mom as his girlfriend?

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon, infidelity, references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use and canon-typical levels of cigarettes, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

Hackers is one of my favorite movies. I love everything about it: the hacker subculture, the attitude, the fashions, the flirty/antagonistic relationship between Dade and Kate, the passion for computers all the characters have, just—everything. How Did This Get Made: Hackers (An Oral History) is, I think, a really fascinating look at hacking and the culture at the time Hackers was made and what they were trying to do in the movie.

I've requested Dade and Kate because I've always been curious about what the future holds for them, either the immediate future as they navigate a new relationship or the near future of what they'll do after graduating from high school or the far future as technology has evolved. Do they stay rebellious pranksters and troublemakers against an unjust system? Do they mentor other hackers or get cranky about kids these days? How does Dade meeting Kate's mom or Kate meeting Dade's mom go? How many hours do they spend trying to beat each other's scores at that racing game in the club they go to?

The Turner Series - Cat Sebastian

Requested Characters: Jack Turner, Oliver Rivington

Jack and Oliver! I love everyone in this series, but I love Jack and Oliver best. I love the genuine affection they have for each other, even when didn't think there was a way for them to be together, so I'd love anything about them and their life together. Maybe working on a case together or figuring out holiday plans together or shopping in town together or spending time with their niblings together—truly, anything with them together.

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon, infidelity, references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

The whole Turner series is lovely and made Cat Sebastian one of my new favorite authors this year. All her characters have such depth and caring (in every book of hers I've read, not just this series), but The Soldier's Scoundrel was the first novel of hers I read and therefore Jack and Oliver will always be my favorites, I think. I liked how the issues they faced felt very realistic and the ending as well while still being happy and optimistic for the future for Jack and Oliver.

One specific detail that I really liked from the book was Oliver's curricle and how much he enjoyed driving it and how much Jack did not enjoy riding in it while still liking how much Oliver enjoyed it. For one, people deriving enjoyment from other people's enjoyment is one of the joys of life. For another, it's a nice little encapsulation on how Jack and Oliver are two different people with different backgrounds and expectations but they still like each other and want to spend time together and will work to find a solution that works for both of them. And also I am not above finding humor in the juxtaposition of Jack hanging on for dear life while Oliver is just like, "This is so much fun!"

Nero Wolfe - Rex Stout

Requested Characters: Fritz Brenner, Saul Panzer

Saul and Fritz are so great! Both being incredibly competent at their chosen professions while being overshadowed by the larger-than-life personalities of Archie and Nero. I feel like they could have a lot in common and could commiserate over since they've both been watching/involved in Wolfe's cases for years. Have they ever solved a minor mystery under the noses of Archie and Wolfe, who were too caught up in some bigger mystery to notice? Does Fritz know any of Saul's favorite dishes and, if so, how did he learn them? How many times has Saul ended up in Fritz's kitchen waiting for instructions with Fritz?

I admit that I ship them and would adore something shippy, but I also adore the thought of them as friends. They must surely have at least some sort of casually friendly relationship given how much time Saul spends at the brownstone, we just never see it because Wolfe and Archie are too caught up in all their everything for anything about Saul-&-Fritz to make it to the page.

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon of canon characters (original characters for the sake of a plot is fine), infidelity involving canon characters (original characters for the sake of a plot is fine), references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use and canon-typical levels of cigarettes/cigars, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

I am apparently the only person who ships Fritz/Saul because the only fic in existence for this pairing (New Cuisine by Parhelion) was written for me in the very first Yuletide I ever signed up for. And it's a great fic, I recommend it! But I rewatched some of the A&E TV series and reread some of the books this year, so I thought I'd try requesting these characters again.

I love the style and wit and humor of the series, and I'd love something that let the spotlight shine on Saul and Fritz (instead of Archie and Nero), whether that's a shippy spotlight or not. They must have their own lives and interests that we don't get to see because they're not the focus of the series, so really anything with Saul and Fritz would be great. Do Saul and Fritz ever share an eyeroll at whatever antics are happening in the brownstone now? Has Fritz ever gone to Saul asking for help when his preferred butcher disappears? Has Saul ever seen some high quality ingredient while following a mark and bought it for Fritz?

TOEM (Video Game)

Requested Characters: Player Character

This is such a fun game to explore, so I'd love further adventures with the Player Character! Do they join the photography guild and scope out new challenges for the guild to give other adventurers? Do they decide to make a book of their photos? Do they decide to stay at home after the game or move to one of the cities they visited on their adventure? Do they open a camera store somewhere? Do they find another place to explore? What if they went to space or found Atlantis or went deep sea diving or some other fantastical place and took photos there?

As far as I can tell, the Player Character has no canonical name or gender. I used they for the Player Character in the above paragraph, but I am fine with any name or gender or pronouns for them! Choose whatever you think fits best, I'll go with it and don't need any sort of in-story explanation.

Also, for an additional and totally optional prompt that I think could be neat, what about a crossover with A Short Hike? They're both chill games about exploring your environment, and I think they'd mesh well. What if TOEM's Player Character wants to see the aurora from Hawk Peak? What if May and Claire's Mom from A Short Hike decided to go on their own photography adventure and then the Player Character helped them?

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon, infidelity, references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

I'm not sure I have much to say about TOEM that I haven't already said in my sign-up, but I really do love this little game. I enjoyed the sense of exploration and wonder as I wandered around trying to solve all my tasks. I gasped when I got to the end of the game and got to experience TOEM. I was delighted by the Hikelady as a reference to a Walkman. Feel free to bring back any of the characters that the Player Character met during their adventure if there are any you particularly like! They're all great.

A Short Hike

Requested Characters: Aunt May, Claire's Mom

I would love some adventures with May and Claire's Mom! Either pre-canon, did they get up to any shenanigans as kids? Who was the troublemaker and who was the voice of reason, or did they trade those roles back and forth between them? Did May try hard to be a "cool aunt" when Claire was little? Or post-canon, does Claire's Mom visit May at the park to recuperate in nature a bit? Does May visit Claire's Mom and try to bring a bit of Hawk's Peak to her?

As far as I can tell, Claire's Mom does not have a name in canon. Feel free to pick whatever name you'd like for her! I have no preference, and referring to her as "Claire's Mom" for an entire fic would probably be awkward. (I'm finding it awkward just in this sign-up....)

Also, for an additional and totally optional prompt that I think could be neat, what about a crossover with TOEM? They're both chill games about exploring your environment, and I think they'd mesh well. What if TOEM's Player Character wants to see the aurora from Hawk Peak? What if May and Claire's Mom from A Short Hike decided to go on their own photography adventure and then the Player Character helped them?

DNW: major character death, rape/noncon, infidelity, references to world/political/pandemic situations of the past two years, drug use excepting casual alcohol use, AUs that use a completely different setting from canon, soulmate AUs, omegaverse AUs

A Short Hike was all about Claire's adventure getting to the top of Hawk's Peak, so I think it'd be fun to see what sort of adventures Claire's family members could have. I love the vibe of the game and think its depiction of nature is beautiful. When you get far enough into the game and have lots of feathers, it's so fun to fly up as high Claire can and soar around the park, enjoying all the views. Surely May and Claire's Mom have done similarly at some point? Did they ever help any of the parents of the characters Claire helped while getting to the top of Hawk's Peak? Were May and Claire's Mom the ones who left the feathers around the park for other people to find?