Yuletide Letter 2020

[lincolnimp]

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Thank you for writing for me! I am excited for another round of Yuletide and to find out what you come up with in whatever fandom we matched on!
There are some ideas for each fandom further down in this letter, which you are obviously free to ignore or embrace. I'm always open to new ideas so don't feel constricted or bound by any of my suggestions.

Likes: UST, slow burn, fake/pretend relationships, people being enthusiastic about their specialist field/interests, case fic

DNWs: A/B/O, mpreg/pregnancy, genderswaps, polyamory, sex involving food, scat, tentacles, deaged and kid fic, anything related to COVID, mentions of respiratory problems, choking, people being described as/compared to animals (e.g.: "He stretched like a cat." It just really throws me out of stories for whatever reason.)

Other than that, I'm pretty much open to any genre and trope you think will work with the fandoms. AUs and crossovers with fandoms I'm familiar with are welcome as well as holiday (any kind) fic.
If you want to try and find out more about me or my fandoms and likes, my past Yuletide letters are under this tag, I am subito on A03 and this is my (inactive) tumblr.


Babylon Berlin (TV) | Foyle's War | Historical Farm (UK TV) | The Secret Circle (TV) | Taskmaster (UK TV) RPF


Babylon Berlin (TV)
Characters: August Benda, Gereon Rath


I would like to read about them together but am also happy to read about each of them alone.

Together:
They worked together rather well and I'm sad we won't be able to get more interactions between them.

• Benda's switch between being commanding at work and sweet-tempered at home is something that could be used here.


• Maybe he and Gereon have to work a case that forces them to get to know each other very well. Maybe they have to go undercover as a couple.


• Maybe they go about their normal routines but Benda notices something is off about Gereon, confronts and then helps him in one way or another?


• Maybe Gereon is the one more interested in Benda, maybe Benda is the one a bit obsessed with Gereon?

There are so many possibilities to play with in regard to their character backgrounds and the parts of the world they move in. I'd be happy with any fic that gives me more of these two together, gen or slash. If you want to go full smut, I think Gereon is the one in need of a firm hand and being allowed to just let go for a bit.


August Benda: 

• I am interested in his background, how he came to be so respectful and nice and how he sees himself and the world/people around him.


• He is clearly a sort of indulgent man when it comes to his children and there is a great warmth in his private interactions. Maybe give him a nice day with things he enjoys?


• I am also interested in anything that has to do with him being Jewish (like growing up, during the time of the series, raising their children, celebrating holidays, does it influence his outlook on life, etc.).


• I was really struck by his blooming relationship with Greta so if you want to explore this, I'm all for it!


• I am also interested in a canon divergence in which he survives. Maybe he can help with the happenings in season 3, maybe he does something completely different.

Gereon Rath:

• He is not a very nice man sometimes and I often ask myself if he realises this or if he thinks he is nice enough.


• There is so much guilt he carries around and I would like for him to just forget about things for a night. Not through drugs or alcohol, but he enjoys dancing, clearly, and maybe there are some other things he enjoys that we don't know about.


• If you want to bring Moritz into the mix, I'm interested in the two of them spending more time together.

Fandom-specific DNW: Alternative era settings or mundane AUs.

Foyle's War
Characters: Christopher Foyle, Sam Stewart


My newest fandom still and I was overjoyed to already get a story in it. Even so, I am always ready for more!
This will just be a copy & paste from my last letter.

I requested Christopher Foyle and Sam Stewart because I find them the most interesting. I don't mind any of the other characters making an appearance.
A case fic would be great! I like how all of their strengths and weaknesses play together when solving a case. It doesn't have to be set during WWII.

What I particularly like about each character:

Christopher Foyle
 

• What strikes me the most is how "straight" he is (for lack of a better word), in the sense that he has these strong morals and he actually checks others and himself against them. I also like how he doesn't think the war is an excuse for any sort of crime. Were there specific situations that helped form this moral compass

• He is surprisingly open-minded. The episode with the gay pilot broke my heart a bit and there was something in Foyle's voice I couldn't quite place, something that hints at some sort of history you are welcome to tell me about. Aside from that, he always manages to take a point of view that places a value on all life and I think that is part of why he appears so open. It doesn't matter if you are gay or an unborn baby, suicidal or a crook: Your life has value and in the capacity of his job he treats you no better or worse than he would a pilot or high-level official. He may have contempt for you because of your actions that brought harm to others, but he will give you a fair trial. Was there ever a time he has been tempted to bend the rules more than a little? What made him not do it?

• He always notices little details without giving anything away until the end and he has a vast knowledge about a variety of things. He just never feels he has to show off. Were there situations when he was a bit embarrassed by knowing too much or too little and was called out for it? Or did he always have this quiet confidence in his abilities?

• He may appear quite stoic, but then there are moments when his concern or love for someone shines through. Five times he expressed affection without someone noticing and the one time they did?

Sam Stewart

• I like her character a lot because she is strong-willed, has a sense of humour and a good portion of curiosity.

• All her uncles are vicars. I don't know if the show expands on that later. I would love to get some background on her and her family! I also enjoy religious themes a lot so you could play with that element if you like.

• The way she helps solve cases is something I value. She gets more sure of herself and doesn't let anyone tell her she shouldn't do something. She and a lot of other women we meet in the episodes know their worth and what they can contribute and I like that we see this without it having to be spellt out.

• She sometimes mentions how she misses food or is hungry and I was thinking it would be nice for her to receive a special treat. Or maybe Foyle teaches her how to fish.

I enjoy them as a team because I think they both see someone they come to respect a lot despite maybe their outward differences in status, experience, etc.

I sometimes view them as simply a good team and as Foyle taking a more paternal role. In other episodes, I think you can see that he wouldn't be too uninterested in her in other ways (if he would actually act on it is another question entirely). Which way you go on this is up to you, I don't have a preference. I will be happy with anything that has them solve a case and/or tells me more about their characters.

Historical Farm (UK TV)
Characters: Peter Ginn, Alex Langlands


Listen, I know I request this almost every year BUT this is absolutely a fandom and people I adore and there can never be enough fic. Also, this year has been absolute shit and this fandom comforts me like no other (I tried Bon Appetit last year but we all know how that turned out... and it couldn't measure up anyway).

I will mostly c&p from older letters because all of it is still valid, with one or two new things at the end.

Let me start by saying that although I prefer the focus to be on Peter and Alex' relationship (friendship or slash or whatever you see it as), you are very welcome to include Ruth (or any other characters from the different series really) as well.

Some more or less specific ideas:

• I love the physicality of the show, working the fields, preparing food, learning the crafts, etc. I also really enjoy learning about how things are made. Maybe one can teach the other a new skill? Maybe one of them has a hidden talent for something? Maybe they find something they are both absolutely rubbish at and then decide to just have fun with it and tease each other mercilessly about who is the most useless?

• In general, I'm very into how fond they are of each other (this also includes Ruth. I always got the sense they respect and care about each other a lot, it also feels a bit like family). A story about how their relationship(s) grew over the years? Or just look at Alex and Peter together. Whether you see them as friends or lovers, anything that has them fond of each other in some way or another is great! Being tactile with each other (e.g. i, ii) is a bonus.

• A story exploring their university days and/or when they first met!

• An AU in which they are actually stuck in a certain time for some reason and either find it harder than they thought or surprisingly easy? Maybe someone is impressed with some of the skills they picked up or they learn how they got it all wrong and a certain piece was used for something else entirely/ a certain thing was made with a technique that has since been forgotten, etc.

• Alex has written this really nice book called "Craeft". There are some inspiring things in there. Or maybe Peter showed up to dring one of his book tour events? Or what if, in an alternative timeline, this is how the two of them first meet?!?

• I feel like crafty things have never been more relevant than this year. (Without getting too specific about the whole virus thing) what projects have they embarked on that they maybe didn't have the time to do or learn before?

• Do they spend more time together virtually now? Book club or a game night or just having a pint over zoom? Getting into texting habits that weren't there before and rediscovering relationship dynamics?

• There is this picture of Peter in a christmas jumper and i feel like there is a story there. Who got him to model? Did he like it? Did he try and make his own jumper? Does Alex see him in the jumper and cannot stop touching it/Peter? 

• Peter does lectures and there is this picture that just screams Hogwarts AU to me. If Peter wouldn't be the animal caretaker I don't know what else. Actually, he could live with Alex in a house like Hagrid. Or Alex (and Ruth, Ruth definitely belongs there as well) is another teacher and they are just happy to teach and be there.

• Or, you know, some sort of Au in which they have to solve or help solve some sort of mystery and they can because of the sort of skills they have learnt over the years.

The Secret Circle (TV)
Characters: Cassie Blake, Ethan Conant


(I have only seen the show and not read the books.)


Sometimes I come back to this show and realise there are things that I wish had been explored more. One of those things is the relationship between Ethan and Cassie.


Gen:
What has struck me on their very first meeting was the way they talked so easily to each other. A more general fic could build on that, using the easy trust and feeling comfortable to have him talk more about Cassie's mum and dad or have Cassie seek out Ethan to talk about her mum. They could also be united in their feeling of loss and finally find someone who had a similar experience.
Another thing that could be explored is Ethan's drinking problem. It hasn't fully been tackled on the show and Cassie could play a part in how he deals with it.

Ship:
For a romantic relationship you could build on the "Our families were written in the stars" thing. Why should it be restricted to one generation? What else is known about this prophecy? Are there certain ways to trigger or mute it?  What does "Bad things happen when you mess with fate." actually mean for them? Does anyone start to notice the way they smile at each other, how Ethan visibly perks up?

Some ideas:

 

• The whole "written in the stars" thing is not just that, it is "our families are written in the stars". Ethan used to be into Cassie's mum, but maybe they all need to realise that it isn't bound to generations and the real pair of star-crossed lovers are Ethan and Cassie.

• In the first episode Ethan says “You don’t want to mess with fate. Bad things happen when you mess with fate.” What exactly does happen when people are trying to prevent fate (because of history or because they are making a big deal out of their age gap perhaps).

• Anything to do with the Fire and Ice dance and how it could have been the opportunity to somehow get them together.

• Ethan sometimes looks at Cassie with such wonder - people start to notice. Equally, Cassie seems pretty smitten and the people around her notice as well. Are they confronted about it or does Faye or someone/something bring them into a situation where it becomes obvious to themselves?

• Strong denial of feelings until they can't take it anymore.

• Magic! I'm sure Ethan has a thing or two he could teach Cassie. Or maybe Ethan has to relearn some things and Cassie is the one who teaches him. Or Cassie helps him to overcome his aversion to using magic somehow.

 

Taskmaster (UK TV) RPF
Characters: Greg Davies, Richard Herring


I am absolutely loving the new season of Taskmaster and I'm delighted by the dynamic between Greg and Richard.

Gen can be anything, truly. I'm sure all of it works and all of it would be fun.

• give them even weirder tasks
• put them in a different setting
• add magic
• make it even more whacky
• or something more mundane with the two of them going for a pint and then playing snooker or darts or something else in a competition that takes on a life if its own

Shippy: 

• How is Greg such a dom or why do some people make him turn into a dom. Like with Richard, it was just there and they both fell into their roles like it couldn't have been the other way around. Greg calling Richard a "good little boy" and himself "daddy" on top of that...

• I am not a fan of age play but I do like the aspect of Richard being desperate for Greg's approval and praise and Greg playing around with it a bit until they both cannot take it anymore.

• Or just Richard wanking at home thinking about Greg's words, maybe imagining what it would actually be like if Greg touched him, perhaps a hand on his head and pushing back his hair while saying how good he was?

• And Greg, does he like giving this praise in an actual non-sarcastic way because he can see how much Richard actually likes it and how desperate he is for it? When does he realise this and does he do anything about it? Does Greg try to praise Richard more but he doesn't pick up on it being genuine? (like Richard being all "Oh, piss off Greg, I know you only do it for the show." when they get a pint and then Greg doesn't know how to persuade him he means it? maybe).

• Greg did admit on Richard's podcast that he has a Fear Of Authority and just does as he is told. What if Richard remembers this and during the show plays along but afterwards finds Greg and turns the tables?!

• In the same podcast, at the very end, Richard says he likes Greg's belly, calls him sexy and wouldn't rule anything out. So if you want to go with belly!kink, go for it.