Yuletide Letter 2020

[dye_ann]

Dear Yuletide Writer,

 

Welcome to my letter! This is my second Yuletide, last year was fabulous so I’m very pumped and I hope you are too: I wish all the Yuletide excitement to you! After all you deserve it for offering such excellent, excellent fandoms and characters.

This year I figured my requested fandoms had widely different atmospheres: 2 are full of mystery and potentially surreal (Twin Peaks and Young Woman With Unicorn), 2 are campy Mankiewicz movies with assorted mind games and queer potential (All About Eve and Sleuth), 1 is a historical failed romance (Remains of the Day), and 1 is a comforting bundle of fluff and joy (Bedknobs and Broomsticks). With such diversity, it’s hard for me to keep my “General Likes” section coherent, so. What you’ll get here is a list of things I enjoy at all time, in every context. Then I’ll specify the things I tend to like for each fandom, so you’ll have a wider variety of things you can pick up if they speak to you.

I love to prompt, as you’ll soon see, but please keep in mind that if you’re not feeling it, you can ignore that and use my Likes (most of those work as less-detailed prompts anyway). In any case, optional details are still optional, shockingly. I do enjoy a lot of things and I’m always awed by the idea of having someone writing specifically for me, so don’t sweat too much over it: I really want you to have fun and love what you’re writing.

Here’s my AO3 account, if you’d like to know me better: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatrice_Sank/works

General likes

Themes, atmosphere and tropes

Witty banter (you can never go wrong with that), sensory notations, future fics, fix-it, AU of the “what if” kind, backstory, plottiness, world-building, character study, competent female characters, experimental writing, alternative story-telling forms (letters, found manuscripts or records if it works with the fandom, outsider point of view…), found intimacy, intimate body language, found families, minority-related themes, conflicting world-views and people having their reasons, lush descriptions of things (also known as __!porn, e.g. architectural porn, landscape porn, whatever), literary allusions, elaboration on what the characters like to read/listen to/watch.

Ships-wise: romantic and sexual tension (resolved or unresolved), pining, slow burn, people falling in love While Trying Not To, things changing gradually so it’s hard to put it into words, friends/enemies to lovers, fake/pretend relationships, angst, accidental proximity, little touches and physical reactions, focusing on characters’ hands, sensual things going on at a slow pace, first kiss/getting together.
 

General DNW:

- E-rated stuff (except for All About Eve and Sleuth, where I’m super okay with it): by this I mean anything that would fall under the Explicit rating on AO3 (so mainly sex and/or violence that is described in graphic details).

- Major character death: here I mean that I don’t want any of the requested characters to die irremediably in the fic; resurrection plots (e.g. in the context of a time loop) are fine.

- Non-con: when one of the character isn’t described as wanting the sex to happen, explicitly says no and/or isn’t showing any sign of desire for the other character. By contrast, I’m fine with dubcon: i.e. when the characters are ambiguous about whether they want the sex to happen (for various reasons like internalized homophobia, or conflicted feelings) or the sex happens in the context of an imbalanced power dynamic, or when the characters are possibly roleplaying but it’s not explicitly said. To me dubcon implies at least physical signs of desire and no explicit absence of consent (otherwise it falls under non-con).

- Underage: I don’t want any character under 18 to have sexual interaction with an adult; and I don’t want children under 15 to have sexual interactions together. Non-genital sexual acts like kissing or touching (other parts than genitals) between characters in their teens (by which I mean from 15 to 18) is fine.

- Gore: detailed description of body harm and blood. Short mentions of blood, like characters cutting themselves superficially, or using blood to perform a ritual, is fine.

- Sickfic: I don’t want the plot of the fic to revolve around any character falling sick or suffering from any kind of disease.

- Established relationship when the relationship in question isn’t canon: some of my prompts are request for ships that are not canon. What I don’t want is those relationships being presented as already established in the fic without telling first how they got together.

- Non-canonical children and pregnancy: by that I mean I don’t want the characters to get pregnant or have children during the course of the fic. If they canonically have children it’s fine to mention them. It’s also fine to talk about the characters’ childhood.

- Watersports

- Unrequested crossovers

- A/B/O, soulmates and that brand of AU where you change the setting (coffee shop, space, vampires, etc.): canon divergences are fine.

FANDOMS

Young Woman with a Unicorn, (Young Lady ; Unicorn)

This painting is so striking and intriguing, and I did a promo post here that explains why it fascinates me.

Mostly I’m interested in two things: the mystery of it all (the atmosphere! the symbolism! the different layers and secrets of the painting! the setting of the whole thing, the fictitious history of why the painting was made!); and the contrast between the enigmatic, almost cold or determined expression of the young lady and the tender way she’s holding the unicorn (and how cute a unicorn that is!).

I can’t help but think this would make a tremendous starting point for historical fantasy, or secret history or something of the kind. I love the conjunction of Renaissance and magic here. I’d like to know more about the world this painting exists in, and what unites the young lady and the unicorn. But you don’t have to explain everything: I enjoy the mystery of this, as I’ve said, and it’s completely okay to leave some ambiguities there, suggest various trails, even contradictory ones.
 

Fandom likes:

Magical realism, symbolism, dreams, mysterious atmospheres, multiples universes, time-loops and timey wimmey shenanigans, historical RPF, alternate history.

Prompts

For this I have more questions that actual prompts, and I’m really interested in any idea you can come up with!

- The different layers of the paintings and their unknown history are almost a prompt in themselves: why? How? Who painted this (is it really Raphael?), and the other layers, why/how were the layers uncovered, to which effects, etc.

- Who was/is the young woman? I would like to get a sense of her life and experience, to understand a bit her determination. Is she a witch developing her powers, a young girl trapped in marriage plans, someone who yearns for knowledge, someone who’s already weighted the world and is looking beyond the veil, whatever that means? I feel like there is a sense of power around her, but at the same time she is so young. Unicorns are also often used to symbolize virginity: is there something there, too? (queer themes welcome).

-What about the unicorn: is it even real, a companion, a familiar, a daemon, a symbol, something else entirely, that only a few people could see?

- Of course this can be a perfect setting for world-building around the characters. I’d like the Renaissance aspect to be there if possible, but how much their world resemble ours is up to you.

Crossover suggestion: if you know these fandoms, I would be very, very happy with a crossover with the universe of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and The Ladies of Grace Adieu (aka the Susanna Clarke extended universe), because I feel like the atmosphere of the painting and the feeling of magic and mystery it evoke are very compatible with it.

Alternatively, this could also work very well as a Harry Potter crossover, because of the painting aspect, as worldbuilding for a Renaissance wizarding world or something like that.

The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (Mr Stevens ; Miss Kenton)

I think the honest reason it remains with me as much is the way the tragic and failed romance blends with social themes like service in England from the 30s to 60s, and the whole idea of sacrificing one’s autonomy in one way or another, be it to your job or your family (Miss Kenton’s marriage doesn’t seem to be a very happy one, and yet she cannot really brings herself to leave).

So while I’ll admit I’m primarily requesting this with something shippy in mind, if you’re here for Gen that’s fine, because the themes of the novel also interest me greatly.

I love how restrained the characters and the whole narrative is, even if it drives me completely mad with frustration. So yes, the Pining. Any resolution of that unresolved tension is fine by me.

Please note that I don’t tend to separate book canon and movie canon strictly. I nominated the book, but both tend to blend in most fics in the archive, so feel free to do the same, and use the movie’s imagery in any way you like.
 

Fandom likes: canon divergence, post-canon, nostalgia, tenderness, the Time that Remains, attention to the body (the pains of service/repressed desires), conflicting world views, social themes, feelings confession. I’m cool with sex if you feel like it, but I would appreciate if you keep it M-rated rather than E.

Prompts:

- What if she did come back after he offered her the job at the end of the book/movie? How does one go back to being a servant in the 60s after all this time and everything that happened? Could be Gen or romance. In the latter case: how do you rekindle an old romance, especially when both parts are aware that your return has something to do with it but no one dares mention it at first?

- For something set during canon: Miss Kenton has given up on Mr Stevens, and that’s when he suddenly decides to court her. Is she oblivious, or incredulous, or angry? This could also be rather light and fun, if you feel more like it.

- Any “fake/pretend relationship”/forced proximity scenario you can come up with (like their new employer only wants married staff, or they have to pretend for an event, or Reasons).

- For another Gen idea: character study centered on the way they see service, what they put into it (I would imagine they see it sort of differently).

 

Twin Peaks (Constance Talbot ; Diane Evans ; Lucy Moran ; Lil the Dancer)

Notes: 1) You don’t have to include all those characters for this fandom, I’ll be equally happy with literally any subset. 2) This show has a large cast to say the least: I’m fine if you want to include other characters, in the background, whoever you may want.

I love how beautifully strange the show is, comforting and traumatic, mysterious and absurdly funny sometimes, warm and surreal, sometimes merciful, most of the time heart-breaking. I’m also a huge fan of The Return, but I suppose it’s sort of obvious given my requested characters.
 

Fandom likes: bittersweet atmosphere and plots, mystery and magical realism, fragmented identities, absurd jokes, contrasts, liminal spaces, huddling together for existential warmth, comfort, recovering process, exploration of traumas.

Prompts (prompting for every combination is a bit of a mess, feel free to ignore me and go wild)

- Everyone: I mean, managing to get all those characters in one fic is a prompt in itself. And obviously they don’t have to find themselves all in the same place at the same time, or even at the same level of reality. I’m thinking phone calls, records, echoes between conversations across time and space, dreams and the likes. Though an actual reunion of any kind would sure be fun too! What interests me is that they all belong to different parts of the show’s universe. And also, I suppose, that they’re all women doing the dirty/menial work in some way, but not necessarily being involved or being given significant input in the larger scheme (so agency also interests me as a theme here). I imagine Lil can easily be seen as the one that can link those different places, in any way that seems fit to you (I suspect, from what we see of her in FWWM, that there’s a change she’s not a stranger to Lodge things, or anything Blue Rose by definition).

- Diane: I love how she became a full-fledged character in such a short amount of time (Tulpa or not, to me she's very much her own person). I love how angry she is, because she's right to be, and how thin-skinned in a way that still allows her to retain a tinge of the mysterious presence she had in the first seasons. I'm also fascinated by the concept of someone who's just supposed to be a professional listener. And I adore her style, both verbally and fashion-wise.

* With Constance: I think I’m here for any sort of real meeting, because they don’t get that in the show and I’d love to see them discover each other (Constance’s good-natured jokes vs. Diane deadpan is something I would love to read). I love the idea of Diane haunting Buckhorn post-canon, in any form (wonder if that police station has a secretary), or of Constance visiting her in some way (wherever she is). I also ship them, so if you want to go that way, I’m totally game.

* With Lucy: I’m here for the contrast, the potential comedy, and the echoes between their original jobs. I think Lucy understands a lot of things most people don’t get, and if someone can get Diane, it’s her. Not sure if Diane would be as tolerant with her, though (poor Lucy!). Did they communicate during the Laura Palmer investigation? Do they meet again post-canon? I feel like it’s important somehow Lucy was the one to take care of Naido, and that Diane ended up “reappearing” in her bathrobe. There’s a link here that is worth exploring.

* With Lil: it’s either “Diane and the supernatural”, which is forever interesting to me, or “Blue Rose dogsbodies bond over shared experience”. Since we don’t know if Lil can talk or not, you have a lot of leeway here.

- Lil: I like to think about it as a supernatural presence in some way, but she can also be a normal gal who got sucked into Blue Rose and has probably lost something to it, like all the agents. Also, I wonder where she’s been (I’m forever frustrated she wasn’t included in The Return. Or was she, secretly?). I really love the idea of someone who doesn’t communicate with direct language, but only code, or something like code, be it verbal or body language or anything else. I love the idea of Lil “dancing” with any of the other requested characters, since she is, after all, Lil the Dancer. You’re free to interpret that in any way you want. I think interactions with Lil are always a way to confront characters about what Blue Rose things mean to them.

*I think her trying to communicate with Lucy could be sweet and fun and intriguing, or reveal a deeper aspect of her personality ; with Constance, who apparently wants to know more about anything Blue Rose, it could be rather more Faustian, but also pretty sweet, because Constance is nice that way; and with Diane I feel it would be more intimate, more linked to traumas and not being able to express oneself.

- Lucy: Lucy is the best <3. I mean, the way she thinks, the way she talks, even the way she dresses is endlessly fascinating, and I love the fact she’s doing things at her own rhythm. To me she’s very wise in unseen ways, and I like that she is so nice and pays attention to little things most people find inconsequential.

* With Diane: I’ve got a sense she would be very curious about Diane, if they ever met. I like the idea of them having unexpected shared opinions or tastes. If you really feel like experimenting with plot and tone, what if they switched jobs? This could go multiple directions, my my.

* With Constance: I’ve always enjoyed the idea of Constance visiting Twin Peaks, looking for answers or as a coroner for the Palmer case. A scene where Lucy tries to explain the town’s whole deal to her or direct her to the major points of interest would certainly be charming.

* With Lil: I think Lucy is more equipped somehow to deal with the supernatural than most characters. She would probably tries to talk to Lil. Imagine for example that Gordon sent Lil to the Sheriff’s Station with any sort of message to deliver, but of course everyone is helpless about it, except perhaps for Lucy…

- Constance: Constance is brilliant, and we don’t see enough of her in The Return. That combination of sharp and nice is so charming, I love her so much. Give me more jokes and more quirks! Questionable stand-up about terrible autopsies and pre-recorded laughs!

*See other characters for prompts.

 

All About Eve: Margo Channing and Eve Harrington

My two main interests here are the twisted identity issues, and the theoretical queerness of it all. Because the potential confusion between “wanting to be someone” and “wanting someone” really fascinates me. I mean, what if Eve thinks she wants the first, but ends up realizing she’s been mistaken, or that her perception’s changed, especially now that she knows Margo more intimately and she’s potentially become more than an image to admire? And I think this somehow helps to nuance the perception that “Eve is all evil and manipulative”: I think she’s clever and hard and conniving, but I would love to see her being allowed a touch of scorched humanity here. I also don’t buy Margo’s “perfect housewife” act for a second: it really doesn’t feel true to who the character is, and I bet that facade only lasts a month. Bill cares for her, sure, but I’d like to see her gaining independence from the male gaze, as an actress and a person, even if she still has emotional and self-image issues.

I would love an exploration of how they could gradually figure out what they really want out of life – the result doesn’t have to be shippy if you’re not here for that.

Thematically, I love the idea of exploring that special bond between an actress and her most faithful spectator, the watcher and the person who’s being seen, and how one can grow to rely more and more on that look, to cherish it and be transformed by it in a strange way, if that makes sense. And being about to eventually watch back, maybe (does Margo goes to see Eve’s movies?). Anything about that, and self image, and would make me happy, Gen or F/F, any rating.
 

Fandom likes: F/F, mind games, no man in the picture, slap-slap-kiss, anger, positive attention to aging bodies, reference to movies (real and fakes), Hollywood and the theater world, conflicting world views, feelings confession.

If you go the shippy way, I think I would prefer the ending not to be totally and irremediably unhappy; bittersweet or “there is hope for the future” is fine.

If sex: praise, alternate power dynamics, teasing, sex in semi-public places, voyeurism and mirrors, overstimulation, phone sex, edging, intimacy issues, clothed sex. I’m fine with dubcon, but no non-con, please.

 

Prompts (I think most of them could have Gen or Slash interpretation, so do what you want with it):

- You know what, in Sleuth’s opening credits (that’s another Mankiewicz’s movie, see below), a character is fictitiously credited as being played by “Eve Channing”. And, you know, the mind reels… If that inspires you in any way, go for it. I’m sure Eve would certainly feel something over reading those words (I think this works in both Gen and F/F direction, depending on how you interpret it).

- Post-canon, they end up being cast in the same movie, Eve as the star and Margo as a deluxe cameo or something of the sort. A recipe for disaster, for sure, but what comes out of it? Do they finally manage to yell at each other and have it all out? Do they end up pinning each other against props in their dressing room? How does this affect the movie?

- So there is of course that scene when Margo asks to be tucked into bed, and says: “Eve would. Wouldn’t you, Eve?” and Eve answers “Would you like that?”. And then Margo goes “No” and flees, but I mean come on. So, any exploration of the idea that “Eve would” could be good, whether it’s Margo fantasizing about it, or Eve offering out of nowhere, or any situation where they discuss what is implied here (and when I say “discuss”, I don’t necessarily want it to be calm and rational ^^).

- Forced proximity of any sort, and the consequences.

- Identity issues and Eve trying to figure out where she stands regarding Margo, and the reverse. Eve watching Margo, Margo watching Eve, them being allowed to be both actresses and spectators. Can they coexist, or does one necessarily has to destroy and incorporate the other? I think it could be interesting to use the opposition that is outlined in the movie between the theater world and Hollywood, here whether you want to subvert it or run with it.

 

Sleuth (1972): Andrew Wyke and Milo Tindle

I haven’t fully recovered from how twisted, dark, fascinating (and weirdly erotic) that movie is (I’ve tried to promote it here).

On the one hand, there are concrete reasons for the animosity and resentment between the characters: sentimental rivalry, social contempt (it sure isn’t a “classless society”, to quote Andrew), money issues… But, on the other hand, why so deeply personal? Why brag about sexual feats, why the constant physical humiliation? Honestly, it feels like women end up being very incidental to their relationship. And in the end, wouldn’t they keep playing those games forever if they could?

So I’m here for even more mind games, but what interests me is that if they were stuck together in some way they also would be forced to talk or at least think a bit more about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. In other words I want more of that relationships because it seems so layered with possibilities and complex twists and we only get a glimpse of it during the movie. Elaborate on the hatred, tell me if and how they could see get to see each other as equals, what they get from torturing the other, what they understand of each other.

Also, boy do I need slash for this. If you’re into it, I feel it has spectacular potential. Eveything’s there, especially the costume scene where they flirt, but even the fact they stand in Marguerite’s room together, or when Milo pretends to have slept with Thea... There’s all this play around triangular desire and how the games seem to excite them in a much deeper way than when they talk their actual lovers. I’m not saying it could be this big, fluffy romance, oh no, but… it could be something. Hot and messy and angry, sure. But maybe they would be ‘happier’ in the end, if happier means truer to who they really are.

Side note but I adore the setting for this movie: that house is fabulous, and I’m sure it’s full of devices we haven’t seen yet. If you want to explore that aspect, be my guest.
 

Fandom likes: Angst, character study, puzzles and games, references to Andrew’s books, time loops and the likes, forced to cohabit, social themes, queer themes, identity issues, plot twists, forced collaboration, M/M, costumes and roleplay (sexual or not), restrained characters, slap-slap-kiss.

If sex: dirty talk, humiliation, shifting power dynamic, clothed sex, frottage, competing for sex, orgasm denial, light bondage, anything involving Margaret’s room. Dubcon is fine (no non-con please, see DNW).
 

Prompts:

- The costume scene, or a later occurrence of the costume scene, except the ambiguity escalates in some way.

- They get stuck together in the castle, no phone, no police. What happens when they repeatedly fail to kill each other/to beat the other in any significant way? It doesn’t have to be completely resolved, I’d just like them to achieve some state of balance. If you want to throw a time loop or something of the kind in there, I’m game too (I’d like to see them try to figure that one out, potentially after killing each other multiple times ^^).

- Andrew decides to “keep” Milo for his own enjoyment, and puts him through various puzzles and tests (much like a GlaDos with Chell in Portal, if that speaks to you ^^). And he watches him. A lot. It can be sort of a kidnapping plot, but I’m also curious about what could convince Milo to stay willingly.

-Any scenario in which they are forced to help each other for some reason, and they have to actually think about their relationship. 

 

Bedknobs and Broomsticks : Eglantine and Emelius

This is my comfort movie, and I love it so much in all its camp ridiculousness (psychedelic special effects! Super fake Nazis speaking gibberish German! “lovely bit of string!”, etc.). To me it’s like Mary Poppins but with working-class characters, a bit darker, the characters are rougher around the edges but also ultimately so earnest in their feelings and appreciation of each other, and it’s all so lovely.

What I’d love to see here is a more “serious” (or realistic) exploration of Emelius and Eglantine’s relationship, because (even in the way the movie sets it up) it’s Complicated between them. We don’t really see them get together (which will forever frustrate me), and there’s reluctance on both parts for different reasons. I just love this association of a crook who’s completely aware he’s one and gets both his self-esteem and lack thereof from that knowledge, and someone who’s so prim and proper and no nonsense but also quite eccentric in her own way. I adore how Emelius is completely awed by her ten minutes after meeting her, and immediately wants to put her in a fetching costume and sing her praises to an audience, constantly flirts and, while being sometimes an ass, also feels unworthy of her (and/or is terribly afraid to commit to something like this). And I think it’s interesting too that Eglantine’s always wanted to be a recluse and never risk her heart to anyone, even in a non-romantic way. The various cut songs and scenes are very helpful in developing their characters, see for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTeWW3X7gdQ for Eglantine The Loner (Lansbury is so touching in this, my heart), or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MqX8dtnQiQ for Emelius the Lovesick Coward. And of course I find it hilarious that the whole town and the children ship it very overtly.

So I’d be happy, for example, with anything that explores how it’s Complicated and why It’s Complicated between them, and any sort of character study. That being said, I’m also very happy with fluff of any kind, and you can go as troppy as you want.

Side note: As much as it is my comfort movie, I'd love to see those characters written as adults with desires and contradictions, a bit less "Disneyfied" version of them if you will. I'm not asking you to write porn at all, mind you, but I've always found that in the movie you could feel that underneath it all they had it bad for each other, and it's not really shown because it's a kid movie. So if you want to include a bit more romance and ST in this, I'll be very happy. 

Side note two: If you’ve got a great idea to include the War in this, go for it, but otherwise I would prefer it to remains a background. I’m not the greatest fan of “Mr Browne goes to war” as shown in the movie: it feels a tad chauvinist and pointless since, come on, they’ve got magic and a bed that can travel everywhere, don’t go get yourself killed when you have that. But on the other hand, I do like the idea of “it’s the war and it’s hard to ask someone to commit and share your life with so little to be sure of”. Anyway I’m very open to canon divergence on that point.

 

Fandom likes: Magic, 5 times + 1 and the likes, fluff or bittersweet fluff, restrained characters, playfulness, slice of life, missing scenes, canon divergence, them being not quite together yet but it’s There and they don’t know what to do about it. Any appearance by the children is fine if you want to include them.

Prompts:

- They go together on a magical adventure (on the bed? But not necessarily), maybe right after canon? And it’s somehow the occasion to discuss their relationship. The more ludicrous the adventure, the better ^^.

- I’ve always loved the jealous priest and how he could play a pivotal role in their relationship simply by being a nuisance and force them to come to terms with things.

- The letters they wrote to each other while Eglantine was taking the witchcraft correspondence class. I like to imagine they bond in some way while not really knowing each other yet.

- Any exploration of their relationship (could be Gen too) on the background of the found family they ended up with. How do you learn to live with other people after being loners for the most part of your life?

- Accidental magic that keeps happening between them, and how it says things about their relationship they can’t quite express with words.