Dear Yuletide Letter 2023

[jaclynhyde]

Edit: treats are very welcome which I forgot to put in my signup!

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Thank you for writing for me! I've loved my past Yuletide fics and I can't wait for yours. A summary of this letter: I ship things and would like fic for those relationships, but I’d love gen of their relationships too. I include prompts if you want them, but I’d be just as happy to read your ideas. I will pretty much adore whatever you write. I am jaclynhyde on Tumblr and AO3 if you want to stalk. Thank you so much!

 

Stuff I love:

• Shipping! I am a ridiculous shipper at heart, so my favorite thing would be ship fic for the pairings I request, or gen fic focusing on their relationship that could be pre-ship; getting-together fic with a plot and eventually-resolved sexual tension is my absolute fave.  Porn or no porn are both great--it's the ship more than the smut I'm into. I love pining and hurt/comfort and cuddling to avoid hypothermia and all those wonderful fanfic tropes.
• Identity porn! As defined by Fanlore, it's focusing on people who have secret identities which focus on the consequences of using multiple personas". So Character A is in disguise, interacting with Character B, who may or may not know who Character A really is, and there may be kissing.
• Dramatic reunions! Considering how many of my requests over the years have included at least one character that canonically dies, well... I love seeing characters brought back from the dead (or not actually dead, or whatever plot device works) reunited with someone who's been mourning them. If shippy, I really love if the living person had feelings for the other and regrets never confessing them.
• Bad guys turning good! I love villains who discover that their worldview is wrong, especially by getting to know one of the good guys. I also love villains who aren't entirely bad, and good guys who can learn from them too.
• Lots of story types--adventure, what-ifs, canon continuations, everyone is mysteriously alive somehow, etc. Both happy and bittersweet/sad fics are great, as long as the angst isn't from the pairing's relationship not working out.
• Interactive fiction! I love both parser and choice or whatever weird mix you come up with. I only have a specific prompt for Nier IF, but would love it for any fandom--you can use my other prompts or go wild. If you're writing IF with multiple endings, feel free to ignore my major character death DNW for the bad ends. I secretly crave dating sims for every canon--if you do this, feel free to pair off requested characters with everyone (the weirder the better) as long as the couple I requested are at least one of the ends!

 

Stuff I don't want:

• Non-con; dub-con is great. The non-con line for me is one character forcing another into sex acts; dub-con examples I like are sex pollen, aliens make them do it, fighting turning into sex (even if they're still trying to kill each other), a villain sexually teasing a hero who is trying not to respond but is into it. Verbal consent is not needed. EDIT: Canon past noncon and repercussions are fine.
• Character bashing, including canon love interests.
• Non-canon permanent major character death (except that Starman prompt). 
• Unrequested crossovers and AUs of the setting instead of plot (mundane AUs, everyone is ponies, etc.). Other DC "crossovers" with Starman are fine.
• Unrequited love (one or both parties incorrectly thinking it's unrequited is fantastic!) and shooting down pairings I requested.
• Unrequested ships for my requested characters. Past relationships I didn't DNW are fine.
• Outsider POV.
• Established relationship fic. This isn't as a hard DNW like the others, but I prefer getting together, pre-relationship fic, or shippy gen for ships.

Requests:

"Stop that," said Broxholm. He shook his head. "You earthlings! You never know what you want. If you'd stop trying to hold on to everything, you'd be a lot happier."
It wasn't until he spoke that I realized I was crying. "Sorry," I whispered, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.
Broxholm touched my shoulder. "Don't look back," he said softly. "Look up!"

Fandom: My Teacher Is an Alien - Bruce Coville  
Characters I Requested: Broxholm, Peter Thompson
 

My Teacher Is an Alien likes: futurefic, older Peter/Broxholm, worldbuilding, all the other characters, Poot

My Teacher Is an Alien DNWs: requited Broxholm/Peter with Peter under 17, Broxholm as an overt father figure, specific current events/current problems

What I Want:

I absolutely adore this series; it's one of my childhood favorites and got me into sci-fi as a whole. I love how it goes from a fun kids vs. adults adventure in the first books to an exploration of humanity and how to find our better nature. I love Peter's love of science fiction and his desperation to escape, and how that turns into his willingness to stay behind and do the hard work to teach humanity how to be better. I love Broxholm and his bluntness and his pacifism and his deep caring for the species he watches over. I love the worldbuilding and the really alien aliens and the deep respect for teachers. I just want more of it! For Yuletide fic, I'd prefer not going in-depth into the problems of humanity part of the canon, cause hoo boy I don't want to be hideously depressed. If you write something like the missions in the fourth book, a generic setting would work; feel free to ask through the mods if you're worried about skirting the line. 

I also really want what I did not get from the series, which is Peter/Broxholm! I love their relationship; Peter running after the alien invader, begging him to take him with him, was absolutely formative for me. While the books framed Broxholm as a father figure, I love the idea of Peter growing up to realize his attachment to Broxholm is more than just wanting a replacement for his father (especially now that his relationship with his father's much better). And I love the idea that his fascination with aliens is, well, a fascination. I'd like adult Peter if shipping them; a childhood crush on Peter's side is great, but no pursuit or requited interest until he's at least 17. I'd prefer college-age or later. As for the other series characters, pair/multi/don't pair them up however you want! If you're not into shipping for this, just their canon friendship, especially how it changes as Peter grows older, would be lovely.

Prompts:

• Peter being an amazing teacher! How does he bring what he's learned back to humanity? I also love the idea of Broxholm staying behind to teach with him; maybe he comes back after Peter's been on his own for a while, when he's really missing the stars and his friends. Does he get Broxholm to loosen up a bit as a teacher? Do their colleagues notice their bond and get the wrong (right) idea?
• Peter is happy to be on Earth to help humanity grow, but he still misses the stars. Broxholm (with or without the others) spirits him away for a Very Important Meeting that turns out to be an excuse for summer vacation. Where do they go? Does Peter have some things on Earth to show him in return? Does Peter realize that a big part of his missing space is missing Broxholm?
• Look, the first book keeps going into how handsome Mr. Smith is, and Broxholm may not be able to use that particular face but I want Peter getting distracted by how handsome his human face is. Which he could just ignore because it's not real, except it's not just his human disguise he's interested in. If you can somehow get fake dating or having to kiss to not get caught out of this (especially since Broxholm almost certainly does not know how to kiss), yes please!
• Peter is surreptitiously very interested in what courtship looks like for Broxholm's species, for reasons he may or may not admit to himself. And with telepathic connections to his human friends (not to mention some pretty clever alien friends), this may not stay secret for long. And if Broxholm finds out, is dating something he's ever considered?

 

---

"Only you can see this battle to its conclusion. I wish you luck...my friend."<

"...You can't! I swore to fight by your side!"

"Bah! You are an exceedingly stubborn man. You know that, don't you? Perhaps that's why I've so enjoyed our time together. But I fear this is where our journey ends."

"Weiss!"

"Oh, and remember what I told you about using my full name?"

"Ergh..."

"Well, forget it. I've...grown rather fond of Weiss."

 

Fandom: NieR Gestalt | NieR Replicant | NieR (Video Games)

Characters requested: Grimoire Weiss, Nier

Nier Likes:  Kainé, Nier/Weiss/Kainé, Emil, Fyra, the King of Facade, sidequests

What I want:

Since I last requested this, an entire remake has come out and even more people have actually played this! I'm specifically requesting Papa Nier, meaning Nier Gestalt; you can add the new stuff from the remake, but adapt it to Papa Nier if you do.

 

My promotion post goes over much of what I love about Nier; I think my absolute favorite part is how much love drives everyone's actions. Together, both versions of Nier manage to fuck up the world badly enough that they ensure the destruction of all forms of humanity--and everything they do is for single-minded love of Yonah. And so many people fight and die for Nier, and in the end, it's all for love. I love how both great and terrible things come from good intentions, and how people can find each other even in a dying world.

 

And with two of Nier's party canonically being in love with him, of course it's Nier/Weiss I ship.  I really love their relationship and how important they become to each other so quickly. They dislike each other for about five minutes after Nier beats the magic out of Weiss, and then Weiss immediately starts showing concern for Yonah and Nier's situation. No matter how much Weiss falls back on his stuffiness and sense of superiority, he cares for his friends more than for his purpose. The developers joked about how "I've grown rather fond of Weiss" was Weiss' confession of love, and I can't help but see it that way--because Weiss is rejecting the very thing he was made for, all because he's come to care. Human Weiss would be great but I'd like him to have been a book during the canon events.

 

I really love everyone in this game and would love to see other characters if they fit, especially Kainé. The Kainé/Nier relationship in the game broke my heart, but I'd rather focus on Nier/Weiss for fic. That said, Kainé/Nier/Weiss would be amazing; just focus on the Nier/Weiss and Weiss/Kainé parts of it if you do so. If you're not tackling the OT3 you can handle Nier/Kainé by tweaking it to something just as strong but familial or platonic or just having Nier in a poly relationship with both separately. I also ship Kainé/Tyrann (in a weirdly sweet way) and I love Emil having a crush on Nier. Lastly, you can use the backstory/info in Grimoire Nier or not, whichever you prefer; I am fond of Weiss's backstory (And Then There Were None). 

 

 

Prompts:

• Nier/Weiss! There's so many ways this can be approached. What is it like for Weiss to rediscover parts of his humanity, from friendship to loyalty to love? Had he had the opportunity to connect with anyone at all before he was made a grimoire? Why does Weiss let Nier manhandle him and stick in tabs and pictures, anyway? Also, Walt Whitman's "Whoever You Are Holding Me Now In Hand" really strikes me as a Nier/Weiss poem if you want inspiration!
• What was the five-year timeskip like? Nier and Weiss have changed a great deal, and not for the better. Some things that jump out at me: Nier seems to have rubbed off on Weiss, because he's also a lot more bloodthirsty than he was. They're more domestic--Weiss has been living with him for five years straight, after all. How does Weiss keep him sane...ish?
• Fix-it fic, sweet Jesus. I'd also love fic as depressing or bittersweet as canon, but I would certainly not object to something fixing Ending D. Nier has sacrificed everything for Yonah, and then for Kainé--could he handle living after that, when there's nothing to fight? What would he say if he somehow saw Weiss after his sacrifice? What if Weiss didn't recognize him (and vice versa if Weiss is his human self), but felt he was someone very special? A version of the remake's Ending E that also saves Weiss would also be interesting!
• Nier Automata spoilers: The data of humanity is still stored on the moon--what would happen if Nier and Weiss (and Kainé and Emil) were able to meet again? Would they recognize each other? Are they just data chatting through networks, or do they get android bodies? Could they make a new start for humanity, or just live for what's left of it? (Bonus points for Weiss really disliking Pod 042 for no apparent reason...) I don't play FFXIV but if you can fit Papa Nier/Weiss into whatever the hell is going on in the raids, feel free! I don't mind FFXIV spoilers but please keep the focus on the Nier cast.
• If you're into writing interactive fiction or meta fic, another adventure in the Forest of Myth would fit in quite well! I was really amused by how little Weiss liked being in a world of words, and also by Nier's caliber of problem-solving skills. Any scenario where they revisit the Forest, or get to visit some more dreams, would be great. What if they visited each others' dreams/nightmares (and Nier realizes that Weiss has them at all)?

---

 

"Remember Opal is a city. Beautiful, but in the end just a city. San Francisco is just a city, too. You made Opal what it is to you. You can do the same in any place if you have love and happiness."
"I'm amazed to hear you say all this, Shade."
"Frankly, so am I. But in the end a rose is a rose is a rose."

Fandom: Starman (Comics)  
Characters I Requested: Richard Swift, Jack Knight
 

Starman Likes: Opal City, antiquing, painter Jack, gay/primarily into men Shade, Shade being in love with Jay Garrick, Shade being horny for superheroes, the whole supporting cast, the Shade's painted nails, the Shade's sexy shadow powers, Mikaal, Smudge

Starman DNWs: Hope/Shade

What I Want:

I wrote so many words about why I love Starman in my promo post, and that really covers why I love it so much! The Shade is my forever favorite DC character (along with Renee Montoya), and Jack is just such a fantastic character. I'm a big DC fan, especially of the JSA crew, but I absolutely don't expect background knowledge of anything outside of Starman; if you're already a fan, though, feel free to throw in whatever you want from the rest of the universe! Within Starman itself, I adore the other Starmen and Nash and the Dibneys and basically everyone.

 

I have a lot of favorite parts of Starman, but the one that snuck up on me was Jack and the Shade's relationship. From the first time the Shade showed up at Jack's place to annoy him, I was intrigued; upon rereading. I went from "they'd be fun together" to "oh I really ship them" to "they're so good for each other and also they're falling in love." I love these two and how their roles as protectors of Opal grew into a real friendship. I adore how the Shade just decides Jack is going to be his mentee and friend, and that he accomplishes it by dumping his life story onto Jack.  I love how much he professes to be uncaring and heartless while he very clearly holds his friendships dear. And the way he talks about Jack versus the other Starmen, like he's been waiting for someone who loves Opal like him all his life...and then how he tells Jack "a rose is a rose is a rose" when he leaves the city and doesn't hold it against him. I love their shared love for old things and Opal and being pretentious, and how Jack has no time for the Shade's bullshit (but secretly he does) and how the Shade just throws more bullshit at him in response.

For Jack/Sadie, I prefer it having not worked out or it just didn't happen. As for Shade, I'd prefer focus on past gay relationships over his het ones; mentions of past het is fine (outside of Shade/Hope, which I'd prefer didn't happen), but I'd like the focus on his relationships with men. If you want to make up any past queer ships or flirtations for him, go wild! 

 

 

Prompts:

• Jack and Shade stay in touch after Jack leaves for San Francisco through writing letters and Shade occasionally stopping by. Jack and Sadie don't work out, and then the Shade keeps dropping hints that Jack could return to Opal City and still stay retired. It takes a while for Jack to realize that the Shade just likes his company, and even longer to realize how much he likes the Shade's.
• After reading enough of the Shade's journals, Jack starts to suspect he had a Thing for Jay Garrick. Does he ask the Shade about it, and does the Shade admit it? Does the Shade still have some hangups about his attraction to men, especially admitting it? Does Mikaal have to teach Jack what bisexuality is? Does Jack subsequently realize some things about himself?
• The Shade is good with kids and dotes on Teddy and tells him stories of his father and grandfather and, well, Jack isn't made of stone. Extra points for Smudge (who is FINE) also doting and calling him Squire Teddy.
• Jack has to pretend to stop the Shade's villainy for whatever reason (for charity? drawing out some supervillain?) and the Shade is really into that.
• After Jack's death (at the end of a long and happy life), the Shade meets him on Jack's birthday, Talking With David style. The Shade didn't realize how much the loss would affect him, and he can finally tell him some things he never did in life. Or, long after Jack's death, he meets his reincarnation and old feelings/attraction that he never acted on flare up.