Rare Male Slash Exchange 2021 letter
May. 20th, 2021 11:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verecunda[Updated 29/05 to add in an Original Work prompt I'd been swithering over.]
Dear RMSE writer,
Hello! Thank you so much for writing for me. I’m looking forward to see what you come up with! This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts. If you find something here to inspire you, great! But please don’t feel restricted to what’s here, either. If you have ideas of your own, I’d love to see them too. The main thing is you have fun with it!
I can be found on AO3 as![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Verecunda.
If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to get in touch through the mod.
Likes
Smutty likes:
DNW:
Historical Royal Navy RPF
Pairing: Horatio Nelson/Thomas Hardy
Augh. These two. THESE TWO. Is it even possible to read a book on naval history and not fall a little bit in love with their relationship? They’re what every odd couple us-against-the-world buddy pairing wishes they were. On the one hand there’s Nelson: inspirational leader, small, skinny, sickly, charismatic, vain, mercurial, quixotic, melodramatic. Then on the other hand there’s Hardy: loyal right-hand man (pun unintended), huge, solid, stoic, quiet, modest, steady, practical, unshowy, thoroughly professional. Polar opposites in just about every way, they complemented each other perfectly, and their profound friendship still tugs on the heartstrings two hundred years later. Hardy was Nelson’s flag-captain almost continuously for seven years, and their relationship saw campaigns, battles, blockades, daring rescues, Nelson’s scandalous love-life… and all that before we get to “Kiss me, Hardy”!
So, yeah. I ship it like a first rate. I adore the wholehearted, unabashed love and respect for Hardy that comes through in Nelson’s letters and various anecdotes from their contemporaries. (One of my favourite things is that when Hardy was overlooked for a medal after the Battle of the Nile, Nelson presented with him with his own). And I love Hardy’s clear-sighted, warts-and-all perception of Nelson. His biographers recorded: “Sir Thomas’s opinion of Lord Nelson was that to most people he was not easy to live with or attractive in his manners, being fidgety to the greatest degree, vain and proud.” To me, that kind of perspective makes his profound loyalty all the more moving.
I love shipboard settings, and I’m always here for some nautical slice-of-life. Domesticity in the great cabin? Standing watch on deck together, with Hardy trying to shelter Nelson from the elements? How would you go about keeping an affair secret aboard a ship? I’ve visited the Victory, and I absolutely love her, so I would be thrilled with anything set aboard her. But if you’d prefer to do something set on land, that’s also great. Shore leave? Hardy visiting Nelson at Merton?
The h/c potential between these two is also off the charts. I’m always here for Hardy being this absolute rock for Nelson, offering support while he’s feeling depressed, or looking after him while he’s suffering from seasickness/wounds/old fevers. I’d also love Nelson looking after Hardy for a change: for instance, we know that in 1805, just before Trafalgar, Hardy was ill enough to be granted a period of shore leave. Something about that, maybe?
Was there any tension between their close friendship and their professional roles as commander/subordinate? I’d certainly be here for either or both of them angsting heavily about the disparity between their ranks before inevitably getting together.
Other things that are great about these two: the fact that they were the very definition of tol and smol - Nelson being about 5’6 and built like a toothpick, Hardy being 6’4 with the physique of an especially sturdy brick shithouse! Uniform porn - those gorgeous naval uniforms! Cheek and forehead kisses - especially since they’re a matter of historical record!
I’m also cool with some Trafalgar tragedy, if you want to go there.
O’Brianish levels of nautical detail are certainly not required! As long as it involves these two being awesome and adorable and supporting each other through thick and thin, I’m all for it! All I would ask, however, is for no bashing of Emma Hamilton or Fanny Nelson.
The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Pairing: Bilbo Baggins/Bofur
I fell rather hard for this pairing on my most recent watch of the films. Bofur’s just so fond of Bilbo and protective of him I just asdfghjkls. That scene in the cave in AUJ — need I say more?? Or Bofur’s huge smiling sigh of relief when he sees that Bilbo has escaped from the goblin tunnels and rejoined the Company after all? Or at the rampart in BOFA when he rushes Bilbo away from the enraged Thorin and encourages him to get away for his own safety? Or… *draws hearts all over the place*
This ship strikes me as having all sorts of potential for fun and flirty, sweet and fluffy, sexy, or even angsty. Any missing scenes set during the quest would be great: bonding on the road, perhaps: sharing pipeweed? More relaxed moments in Rivendell, Beorn’s home, or Lake-town? Or first impressions: what does Bilbo make of the cheerful Dwarf with the silly hat and dubious line in double entendres? What does Bofur make of their tetchy wee burglar? Did he wager for or against Bilbo coming after them? Does he try to make it up to him for making him faint? Or if you want to go for something angstier, what about something set during BOFA, while they’re trapped in the Mountain? I love that Extended Edition scene where Bofur thinks Bilbo’s trying to escape over the rampart and says goodbye, while making it very clear that he’s willing to turn a blind eye. What was his reaction the next morning when he realised that Bilbo was very much still with them?
I’m all for a post-canon setting too. Does Bofur come back to the Shire to take Bilbo up on his standing invitation to tea (don’t bother knocking)? In the book of LOTR, some of the older hobbits grumble about dwarves visiting Mr. Bilbo at night - is Bofur one of them? This could either be a great excuse for some cute hobbity domesticity, or for Bofur whisking Bilbo away on another trip - to the Blue Mountains, maybe? Or even further afield? If you do write post-canon, it’s entirely up to you if you want to take in the canon leading up to LOTR - perhaps with Bofur learning about the Ring and seeing the change in Bilbo over the years. Or if you want to go AU and pretend the Ring really is just some funky wee magic doo-da with absolutely no connections at all to ancient dark lords, go for it!
Something I like about this pairing is the contrast between genteel and (initially) settled Bilbo, and more rough-and-ready, wandering Bofur, so anything exploring that would be fun, as well as the fact that they’re both relative outsiders in this Company mostly made up of Durin kinsmen. Equally, anything exploring hobbit customs and mores vs. Dwarvish ones would be great - generally, but also when it comes to relationships! (I can take or leave the popular fanons like Dwarves having a One True Love, or courting braids/beads, etc. If you like them, go for it; but equally, if you want to break from the orthodoxy, I’m always here for that. Whatever’s fun for you, basically.)
I love outsider POVs, and this seems like a good pairing for that, what with them being surrounded by twelve other Dwarves (+ one meddling wizard). Specifically, what do Bifur and Bombur make of their relationship? Is Bofur’s crush ridiculously obvious, or do they assume it’s just fun flirting, joking around as usual? Are we in for some Dwarf matchmaking?
Incidentally, I do enjoy stories about people learning to love again, so I’m very much here for fics where Bilbo finds happiness again after losing Thorin. Obviously, by itself Bilbo/Thorin falls outside the scope of RMSE, but I think having it as a background pairing would still be okay? As long as the focus of the story is the relationship between Bilbo and Bofur. Whether that means there was previous Bagginshield, fulfilled or not, unrequited feelings from either Bilbo or Thorin’s side, or whether Bofur is just worried that he has competition, I’m all for it. Equally, if Bagginshield does nothing for you, feel free to ignore this paragraph entirely!
Bonus points for Bilbo wearing Bofur’s hat!Or Bofur keeping his hat on during sex. ;)
Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pairing: David Balfour/Alan Breck Stewart
The novel was published in 1886, so various ebook options are available for free on Gutenberg.
This is one of my all-time favourite books, and Davie and Alan are one of my all-time favourite literary double acts. I love their back-and-forth, and their strong mutual loyalty and respect, despite the vast cultural and political differences between them, David’s stark Lowland Protestant Hanoverianism vs. Alan’s flamboyant Highland Catholic Jacobitism. Also the shippy potential is incredible: They both sleep under Alan’s coat!! Also: “Whereupon he gave me both of his [hands], saying surely I had cast a spell upon him, for he could forgive me anything.” I mean!!!
Any missing scenes from their trek across the Highlands would be fab: battling midges, dodging redcoats, and snarking at each other all the way. Perhaps some snuggling for warmth during a particularly dreich night in the heather turns into something else entirely? Or something with Alan fussing over David while he’s ill in Balquhidder. Their making-up after the quarrel is so hilarious and sweet at the same time, and I’d love to know what sort of heart-to-heart talks they had as soon as Davie was feeling up to it again. On a similar note, are they able to take a more private leave-taking of each other at the House of Shaws, the night before they part at Corstorphine Hill?
One post-canon scenario I’d love to see is Alan sneaking back to Scotland to visit David at the House of Shaws, with Davie being like “YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT” while being secretly pretty touched. Maybe Alan meets Mr. Campbell, the minister, and has to grit his teeth and be polite to him for Davie’s sake! Maybe David goes across to visit Alan in France? Or even an AU where they both have to escape to France after all? The sequel, Catriona, also has Alan coming to stay with Davie in his student digs in Leyden - a situation that seems rife with possibilities! (Oh no, the poky lodgings have only one bed, what do??)
Speaking of Catriona, I like it fine, but if you’re not fond of it, or haven’t read it, feel free to ignore its existence completely.
David in particular is a very religious character, so if you want to delve into historical/religious attitudes towards sexuality, that’s great, but you can also handwave that if it doesn’t appeal to you. (RLS never felt himself especially bound by historical accuracy either!)
Original Work
Pairing: Newly Crowned King/His Cruel Brother's Widowed Husband
This is my first time requesting original work, but I’ve seen this prompt requested in several exchanges now, and I find it absolutely fascinating! The implied angst and uncertainty, the potential for emotional hurt/comfort, tenative slow-burn, hesitantly developing feelings, pining, growing trust, and eventual healing…
Or you could give me the world’s most fraught wedding night!
There are so many possibilities for this, I’m overwhelmed! How do these two end up thrown together? Is the new king expected to marry his brother’s former husband for the sake of political stability? Or is the husband just another member of the royal household now - kept on as an advisor, maybe? Did the two of them know each other before the cruel brother’s death - maybe there was even an attraction growing between them right under his nose - or has the new king been away for a long time on diplomatic travels/military campaigns?
And how do these two come together? Do they find themselves embroiled in high politics and intrigue together, increasingly drawn together as allies in the court? Or is it something quieter and more domestic, with the two of them spending leisure time together, discovering they have things in common outside the dead brother’s shadow, growing closer out of the public eye? Does the husband try to resist falling in love with his husband’s brother, fearing the cycle will just repeat itself? Does the new king worry that he’s taking advantage of one of his brother’s victims?
What happened to the cruel king? Was he a notorious tyrant, or was his cruelty known only to a select few? Did he die of natural causes, or was he overthrown by his brother? Or was he even killed by his husband - perhaps as an act of self-defence or desperation - and is this something the new king knows or finds out over the course of the story? Or did they plot together to overthrow/assassinate the cruel king? I think for this prompt I’d prefer it if the protagonists were essentially good guys, but I don’t mind a bit of moral ambiguity in there!
It’s up to you how much you want to dwell on the relationship between the husband and the cruel brother, and what the nature of his cruelty was. In this case, I’m willing to waive my DNW for rape/sexual abuse as backstory, if that’s what you feel the story requires, but I’d prefer that rape trauma not be the main conflict between the protagonists.
I would prefer a happy, or at least hopeful ending.
Entirely up to you what sort of setting you’d like to write. I love fantasy and sci-fi, and I adore historical fiction. If you want to do something set in/based on a historical setting, my favourite periods are the Roman Empire, early medieval Europe (c.450-1066-ish), and 18th century Europe. But equally, if you want to write something based on, oh I don’t know, Tang Dynasty China, the apogee of the Mali Empire, or whatever your own favourite period is, please believe that I’ll love it! Honestly, anything at all. :D
Rome (TV, 2005)
Pairing: Marcus Junius Brutus/Gaius Cassius Longinus
I’ve been fascinated by the Brutus/Cassius dynamic ever since reading Julius Caesar in high school, and their Rome incarnations are my favourite after the Shakespearean ones. There’s a strange, twisted kind of intimacy in being bound together by something like conspiracy and murder, and their relationship involves the tension between idealism and the murkier side of high politics. Plus, the way Cassius looks at Brutus…!!!
There are quite a few ways I can see this ship going. One is that Cassius starts off intending simply to convince/manipulate Brutus into joining the conspiracy, but ends up catching feelings along the way. On the other hand, his first line when he appears - “Lovely to see you again, it’s been too long” - could suggest that they already have a History, which is gradually rekindled as they’re thrown together. Perhaps Servilia even knows that Cassius has feelings for her son, and uses that to recruit him into her revenge plot. Given that Cassius is so often portrayed as the great manipulator, it could be quite fun to have him being manipulated for a change!
But for all the shady goings-on, I love the genuine affection between them, and the banter when they’re getting on well together. We didn’t get to see nearly enough of them in series 2, but what we did see was wonderful. I’d adore absolutely anything about Cassius trying to take care of Brutus during his downward spiral of despair (that scene in the tent gets me every time). Or anything later on, when Brutus is back on form. How does Cassius react to his spiritual rebirth? They seem to get on much better after that, and are working well together, so it could be interesting to follow the development of their relationship once Brutus is more emotionally equipped to handle it. I also like the dynamic we see at the start of “Philippi”, with Brutus as the idealistic one, and Cassius the grumpy, practical one. Also: Cassius’ armour kink. “You look magnificent,” indeed!
The “No more running” scene just before the Battle of Philippi breaks my heart in about a hundred ways. Brutus is so ready to face his fate, and there’s such a sense of deep understanding between him and Cassius. The looks and the sad little smiles that pass between them… it’s just beautiful, and I’d love anything that built on it. An emotional last night together, perhaps?
Historically, Cassius was married to Brutus’ sister Junia Tertia, while Brutus was married to his cousin Porcia, but since both are Lady-Not-Appearing-In-This-Series, I’ll leave it up to you if you want to sneak them in somehow, or just stick to the characters in the show. And don’t be afraid about including character death if you have to. I don’t mind a bit of tragedy!
Dear RMSE writer,
Hello! Thank you so much for writing for me. I’m looking forward to see what you come up with! This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts. If you find something here to inspire you, great! But please don’t feel restricted to what’s here, either. If you have ideas of your own, I’d love to see them too. The main thing is you have fun with it!
I can be found on AO3 as
If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to get in touch through the mod.
Likes
- Fic of all ratings.
- I enjoy most genres: humour, angst, fluff, darkfic, hurt/comfort, slice-of-life, character pieces, plotty pieces. I like happy endings as well as a good tragedy, or even bittersweet endings.
- I’ve got a special fondness for fics that fill in characters’ backstories, “missing scenes” from canon, and alternate POVs on canon events. Post-canon settings are always good, of course, as are canon divergence AUs.
- 5+1 fics are always fun.
- Worldbuilding detail. I always want to know more about whatever world these characters inhabit. Most of my fandoms are in historical settings, and I love history, so if you want to nerd out on the background details, awesome!! But this is definitely not obligatory. First and foremost, I’m here for the characters.
- Intelligent, competent characters being intelligent and competent.
- Characters with tough/stoic/snarky exteriors having to confront and/or show their vulnerabilities.
- Odd couples. I love opposites that attract: characters who seem completely different but who end up complementing each other perfectly.
- Banter! I love characters who have a good back-and-forth.
- The ones in love always being the last to know.
- Learning to love again.
- Pining!! I live for good old-fashioned, hopeless pining, especially if it’s mutual and all parties are in silent agonies, equally convinced it can never be. UST and unrequited love also hurt so good.
- Outsider POVs. What do the friends, families, or even enemies think of these two idiots?
Pairings that cross cultural/class/professional lines, and how they navigate the conflicts that arise. - Power dynamics in general are just great, whether they’re being managed in a healthy way, or just completely fucked up.
- First times: first kiss, first confession of love, first time having sex, etc.
- Smut is great, but by no means obligatory. (Smutty likes are below!)
- Getting together and established relationship fic are equally good.
- Quiet moments of intimacy: characters having heart-to-heart talks; kisses on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc.; hand-holding; face-stroking; hair-stroking; cuddles; resting heads on shoulders or chests; forehead-touching, etc.
- Apart from my requested characters, I'm quite happy with other characters making an appearance in the fic.
Smutty likes:
- Penetrative sex.
- Non-penetrative sex, especially frottage and intercrural.
- Clothed or partially-clothed sex.
- Body worship.
- One character unable to see the other (whether facing away, blindfolded, etc.) and having to rely on their other senses.
- Voyeurism/exhibitionism.
- Mutual masturbation.
- Restraints, bondage.
- Nipple play.
- Riding, whether the rider is setting the pace or just - ahem - along for the ride.
- Sweet, slow, romantic cuddle-sex.
- Equally: rough, desperate, oh-god-must-have-you-now fucking.
- Older/more experiences characters guiding their younger/less experienced partners.
- Power dynamics explored, reflected, or even dismantled through sex. Whether it’s a character in a generally subordinate position who takes charge in the bedroom, or whether one half of the ship holds all the cards, up to and including dub-con/non-con scenarios. I’m also entirely weak for the trope where the character who seems to have the most power in the relationship being so totally loopy for the other that they’ll give them anything they want.
- For dub-con/non-con especially, the “iron fist in a velvet glove” sort of force, subtle - even psychological - force over physical.
- I have no preferences when it comes to who tops or bottoms in my ships, and very often enjoy seeing characters who usually get put on the bottom get to be on top for a change. So if you’d like to switch things up a bit, be my guest!
DNW:
- First or second POV (unless that's the POV of the original canon).
- Modern/mundane/coffee-shop AUs.
- Soulmate AUs.
- A/B/O.
- Unrequested non-canon ships. (Appearances by/references to canon pairings are fine.)
- Unrequested trans headcanons.
- Watersports.
- Scat.
- Rimming.
- Mpreg.
- Tentacles.
- Most of my fandoms have historical settings, and historical mores being what they were, I’m fine with references to characters being married or having sex in their early teens, but would prefer no explicit sexual content involving any characters under 16.
- I don’t mind dub-con/non-con in a kink context, but I don’t want rape/sexual abuse/prostitution as plot devices for tragic character backstory, unless it’s already canon. Even then, I’d prefer not to dwell on it.
Historical Royal Navy RPF
Pairing: Horatio Nelson/Thomas Hardy
Augh. These two. THESE TWO. Is it even possible to read a book on naval history and not fall a little bit in love with their relationship? They’re what every odd couple us-against-the-world buddy pairing wishes they were. On the one hand there’s Nelson: inspirational leader, small, skinny, sickly, charismatic, vain, mercurial, quixotic, melodramatic. Then on the other hand there’s Hardy: loyal right-hand man (pun unintended), huge, solid, stoic, quiet, modest, steady, practical, unshowy, thoroughly professional. Polar opposites in just about every way, they complemented each other perfectly, and their profound friendship still tugs on the heartstrings two hundred years later. Hardy was Nelson’s flag-captain almost continuously for seven years, and their relationship saw campaigns, battles, blockades, daring rescues, Nelson’s scandalous love-life… and all that before we get to “Kiss me, Hardy”!
So, yeah. I ship it like a first rate. I adore the wholehearted, unabashed love and respect for Hardy that comes through in Nelson’s letters and various anecdotes from their contemporaries. (One of my favourite things is that when Hardy was overlooked for a medal after the Battle of the Nile, Nelson presented with him with his own). And I love Hardy’s clear-sighted, warts-and-all perception of Nelson. His biographers recorded: “Sir Thomas’s opinion of Lord Nelson was that to most people he was not easy to live with or attractive in his manners, being fidgety to the greatest degree, vain and proud.” To me, that kind of perspective makes his profound loyalty all the more moving.
I love shipboard settings, and I’m always here for some nautical slice-of-life. Domesticity in the great cabin? Standing watch on deck together, with Hardy trying to shelter Nelson from the elements? How would you go about keeping an affair secret aboard a ship? I’ve visited the Victory, and I absolutely love her, so I would be thrilled with anything set aboard her. But if you’d prefer to do something set on land, that’s also great. Shore leave? Hardy visiting Nelson at Merton?
The h/c potential between these two is also off the charts. I’m always here for Hardy being this absolute rock for Nelson, offering support while he’s feeling depressed, or looking after him while he’s suffering from seasickness/wounds/old fevers. I’d also love Nelson looking after Hardy for a change: for instance, we know that in 1805, just before Trafalgar, Hardy was ill enough to be granted a period of shore leave. Something about that, maybe?
Was there any tension between their close friendship and their professional roles as commander/subordinate? I’d certainly be here for either or both of them angsting heavily about the disparity between their ranks before inevitably getting together.
Other things that are great about these two: the fact that they were the very definition of tol and smol - Nelson being about 5’6 and built like a toothpick, Hardy being 6’4 with the physique of an especially sturdy brick shithouse! Uniform porn - those gorgeous naval uniforms! Cheek and forehead kisses - especially since they’re a matter of historical record!
I’m also cool with some Trafalgar tragedy, if you want to go there.
O’Brianish levels of nautical detail are certainly not required! As long as it involves these two being awesome and adorable and supporting each other through thick and thin, I’m all for it! All I would ask, however, is for no bashing of Emma Hamilton or Fanny Nelson.
The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Pairing: Bilbo Baggins/Bofur
I fell rather hard for this pairing on my most recent watch of the films. Bofur’s just so fond of Bilbo and protective of him I just asdfghjkls. That scene in the cave in AUJ — need I say more?? Or Bofur’s huge smiling sigh of relief when he sees that Bilbo has escaped from the goblin tunnels and rejoined the Company after all? Or at the rampart in BOFA when he rushes Bilbo away from the enraged Thorin and encourages him to get away for his own safety? Or… *draws hearts all over the place*
This ship strikes me as having all sorts of potential for fun and flirty, sweet and fluffy, sexy, or even angsty. Any missing scenes set during the quest would be great: bonding on the road, perhaps: sharing pipeweed? More relaxed moments in Rivendell, Beorn’s home, or Lake-town? Or first impressions: what does Bilbo make of the cheerful Dwarf with the silly hat and dubious line in double entendres? What does Bofur make of their tetchy wee burglar? Did he wager for or against Bilbo coming after them? Does he try to make it up to him for making him faint? Or if you want to go for something angstier, what about something set during BOFA, while they’re trapped in the Mountain? I love that Extended Edition scene where Bofur thinks Bilbo’s trying to escape over the rampart and says goodbye, while making it very clear that he’s willing to turn a blind eye. What was his reaction the next morning when he realised that Bilbo was very much still with them?
I’m all for a post-canon setting too. Does Bofur come back to the Shire to take Bilbo up on his standing invitation to tea (don’t bother knocking)? In the book of LOTR, some of the older hobbits grumble about dwarves visiting Mr. Bilbo at night - is Bofur one of them? This could either be a great excuse for some cute hobbity domesticity, or for Bofur whisking Bilbo away on another trip - to the Blue Mountains, maybe? Or even further afield? If you do write post-canon, it’s entirely up to you if you want to take in the canon leading up to LOTR - perhaps with Bofur learning about the Ring and seeing the change in Bilbo over the years. Or if you want to go AU and pretend the Ring really is just some funky wee magic doo-da with absolutely no connections at all to ancient dark lords, go for it!
Something I like about this pairing is the contrast between genteel and (initially) settled Bilbo, and more rough-and-ready, wandering Bofur, so anything exploring that would be fun, as well as the fact that they’re both relative outsiders in this Company mostly made up of Durin kinsmen. Equally, anything exploring hobbit customs and mores vs. Dwarvish ones would be great - generally, but also when it comes to relationships! (I can take or leave the popular fanons like Dwarves having a One True Love, or courting braids/beads, etc. If you like them, go for it; but equally, if you want to break from the orthodoxy, I’m always here for that. Whatever’s fun for you, basically.)
I love outsider POVs, and this seems like a good pairing for that, what with them being surrounded by twelve other Dwarves (+ one meddling wizard). Specifically, what do Bifur and Bombur make of their relationship? Is Bofur’s crush ridiculously obvious, or do they assume it’s just fun flirting, joking around as usual? Are we in for some Dwarf matchmaking?
Incidentally, I do enjoy stories about people learning to love again, so I’m very much here for fics where Bilbo finds happiness again after losing Thorin. Obviously, by itself Bilbo/Thorin falls outside the scope of RMSE, but I think having it as a background pairing would still be okay? As long as the focus of the story is the relationship between Bilbo and Bofur. Whether that means there was previous Bagginshield, fulfilled or not, unrequited feelings from either Bilbo or Thorin’s side, or whether Bofur is just worried that he has competition, I’m all for it. Equally, if Bagginshield does nothing for you, feel free to ignore this paragraph entirely!
Bonus points for Bilbo wearing Bofur’s hat!
Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson
Pairing: David Balfour/Alan Breck Stewart
The novel was published in 1886, so various ebook options are available for free on Gutenberg.
This is one of my all-time favourite books, and Davie and Alan are one of my all-time favourite literary double acts. I love their back-and-forth, and their strong mutual loyalty and respect, despite the vast cultural and political differences between them, David’s stark Lowland Protestant Hanoverianism vs. Alan’s flamboyant Highland Catholic Jacobitism. Also the shippy potential is incredible: They both sleep under Alan’s coat!! Also: “Whereupon he gave me both of his [hands], saying surely I had cast a spell upon him, for he could forgive me anything.” I mean!!!
Any missing scenes from their trek across the Highlands would be fab: battling midges, dodging redcoats, and snarking at each other all the way. Perhaps some snuggling for warmth during a particularly dreich night in the heather turns into something else entirely? Or something with Alan fussing over David while he’s ill in Balquhidder. Their making-up after the quarrel is so hilarious and sweet at the same time, and I’d love to know what sort of heart-to-heart talks they had as soon as Davie was feeling up to it again. On a similar note, are they able to take a more private leave-taking of each other at the House of Shaws, the night before they part at Corstorphine Hill?
One post-canon scenario I’d love to see is Alan sneaking back to Scotland to visit David at the House of Shaws, with Davie being like “YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT” while being secretly pretty touched. Maybe Alan meets Mr. Campbell, the minister, and has to grit his teeth and be polite to him for Davie’s sake! Maybe David goes across to visit Alan in France? Or even an AU where they both have to escape to France after all? The sequel, Catriona, also has Alan coming to stay with Davie in his student digs in Leyden - a situation that seems rife with possibilities! (Oh no, the poky lodgings have only one bed, what do??)
Speaking of Catriona, I like it fine, but if you’re not fond of it, or haven’t read it, feel free to ignore its existence completely.
David in particular is a very religious character, so if you want to delve into historical/religious attitudes towards sexuality, that’s great, but you can also handwave that if it doesn’t appeal to you. (RLS never felt himself especially bound by historical accuracy either!)
Original Work
Pairing: Newly Crowned King/His Cruel Brother's Widowed Husband
This is my first time requesting original work, but I’ve seen this prompt requested in several exchanges now, and I find it absolutely fascinating! The implied angst and uncertainty, the potential for emotional hurt/comfort, tenative slow-burn, hesitantly developing feelings, pining, growing trust, and eventual healing…
Or you could give me the world’s most fraught wedding night!
There are so many possibilities for this, I’m overwhelmed! How do these two end up thrown together? Is the new king expected to marry his brother’s former husband for the sake of political stability? Or is the husband just another member of the royal household now - kept on as an advisor, maybe? Did the two of them know each other before the cruel brother’s death - maybe there was even an attraction growing between them right under his nose - or has the new king been away for a long time on diplomatic travels/military campaigns?
And how do these two come together? Do they find themselves embroiled in high politics and intrigue together, increasingly drawn together as allies in the court? Or is it something quieter and more domestic, with the two of them spending leisure time together, discovering they have things in common outside the dead brother’s shadow, growing closer out of the public eye? Does the husband try to resist falling in love with his husband’s brother, fearing the cycle will just repeat itself? Does the new king worry that he’s taking advantage of one of his brother’s victims?
What happened to the cruel king? Was he a notorious tyrant, or was his cruelty known only to a select few? Did he die of natural causes, or was he overthrown by his brother? Or was he even killed by his husband - perhaps as an act of self-defence or desperation - and is this something the new king knows or finds out over the course of the story? Or did they plot together to overthrow/assassinate the cruel king? I think for this prompt I’d prefer it if the protagonists were essentially good guys, but I don’t mind a bit of moral ambiguity in there!
It’s up to you how much you want to dwell on the relationship between the husband and the cruel brother, and what the nature of his cruelty was. In this case, I’m willing to waive my DNW for rape/sexual abuse as backstory, if that’s what you feel the story requires, but I’d prefer that rape trauma not be the main conflict between the protagonists.
I would prefer a happy, or at least hopeful ending.
Entirely up to you what sort of setting you’d like to write. I love fantasy and sci-fi, and I adore historical fiction. If you want to do something set in/based on a historical setting, my favourite periods are the Roman Empire, early medieval Europe (c.450-1066-ish), and 18th century Europe. But equally, if you want to write something based on, oh I don’t know, Tang Dynasty China, the apogee of the Mali Empire, or whatever your own favourite period is, please believe that I’ll love it! Honestly, anything at all. :D
Rome (TV, 2005)
Pairing: Marcus Junius Brutus/Gaius Cassius Longinus
I’ve been fascinated by the Brutus/Cassius dynamic ever since reading Julius Caesar in high school, and their Rome incarnations are my favourite after the Shakespearean ones. There’s a strange, twisted kind of intimacy in being bound together by something like conspiracy and murder, and their relationship involves the tension between idealism and the murkier side of high politics. Plus, the way Cassius looks at Brutus…!!!
There are quite a few ways I can see this ship going. One is that Cassius starts off intending simply to convince/manipulate Brutus into joining the conspiracy, but ends up catching feelings along the way. On the other hand, his first line when he appears - “Lovely to see you again, it’s been too long” - could suggest that they already have a History, which is gradually rekindled as they’re thrown together. Perhaps Servilia even knows that Cassius has feelings for her son, and uses that to recruit him into her revenge plot. Given that Cassius is so often portrayed as the great manipulator, it could be quite fun to have him being manipulated for a change!
But for all the shady goings-on, I love the genuine affection between them, and the banter when they’re getting on well together. We didn’t get to see nearly enough of them in series 2, but what we did see was wonderful. I’d adore absolutely anything about Cassius trying to take care of Brutus during his downward spiral of despair (that scene in the tent gets me every time). Or anything later on, when Brutus is back on form. How does Cassius react to his spiritual rebirth? They seem to get on much better after that, and are working well together, so it could be interesting to follow the development of their relationship once Brutus is more emotionally equipped to handle it. I also like the dynamic we see at the start of “Philippi”, with Brutus as the idealistic one, and Cassius the grumpy, practical one. Also: Cassius’ armour kink. “You look magnificent,” indeed!
The “No more running” scene just before the Battle of Philippi breaks my heart in about a hundred ways. Brutus is so ready to face his fate, and there’s such a sense of deep understanding between him and Cassius. The looks and the sad little smiles that pass between them… it’s just beautiful, and I’d love anything that built on it. An emotional last night together, perhaps?
Historically, Cassius was married to Brutus’ sister Junia Tertia, while Brutus was married to his cousin Porcia, but since both are Lady-Not-Appearing-In-This-Series, I’ll leave it up to you if you want to sneak them in somehow, or just stick to the characters in the show. And don’t be afraid about including character death if you have to. I don’t mind a bit of tragedy!
