Yuletide Letter 2021

[scansionictus]

Dear Yuletide Writer,


It's that time again! I'm very excited for Yuletide this year, and am looking forward to receiving fic for some of my rarer canons. I'm ictus on AO3—thank you for considering writing for me!


General Likes: Missing scene fic, pre- or post-canon fic, canon-divergent AUs (especially for comic books where canon is a mess anyway), character studies, introspective fic—basically anything that gives more depth to these characters or expands on canon in a thoughtful way. I love exploring tension, conflict, and angsty interpersonal dynamics, and I'm fine with open endings or not having these conflicts completely resolved. I love femslash and slash, so feel free to explore shippy undertones if that speaks to you; I love UST and first time fic especially, and PWPs are welcome. I'm a fan of non-linear and non-conventional narrative styles so if you feel like getting experimental, I'm here for it!

Smut Likes: Orgasm denial/desperation, breathplay, blindfolds, toys, somnophilia/drugged sex, semi-public sex (alleys, rooftops), restraints, power dynamics, praise kink, biting/marking, exhibitionism/voyeurism, knifeplay, crying due to overstimulation, wax play, sex pollen, scar worship, hatesex, comfort sex, grooming (hair cuts, shaving) and bathing as a prelude to sex, massage turns sexual.

I'm also 100% down with straight-up vanilla sex, so don't feel that you have to include kink! I don't have top/bottom preferences and I like all kinds of sex acts, including non-penetrative sex (oral, fingering, hand jobs, rimming, frottage, intercrural, etc.).

Do Not Wants:

• scat, watersports, pregnancy, kidfic
• underage sexual content (under 17), noncon (dubcon is okay)
• AUs set outside of canon, 1st person POV (2nd person is okay)
• sexuality angst, internalised homophobia, unrequested identity headcanons
• requested characters in het, background M/F ships (references to canon M/F ships are okay)

Batwoman (Comics - Bennett)

Requested character: Kate Kane
Ships: Safiyah/Kate, Kate/Tahani, Kate/Renee, Kate/Julia
Promo post + where to find this canon: here

I love that Kate is incredibly sharp and self-assured, and while I love her for all of her strengths, I also love her for her vulnerabilities. Bennett's Batwoman captured this perfectly, showing us Kate at a low point in her life where she was lost and untethered. I'm likewise obsessed with all the other women in this series; Safiyah, Tahani, Renee and Julia (for more rambling, see here), and would love to have them included in either a shippy or gen capacity.

Possible prompts:

• Every Bat needs their Pennyworth, and Julia and Kate's relationship really intrigued me. I love their whip-sharp banter and the way they're obviously comfortable with each other. I would love a fic where Julia patches up Kate after a mission, or Julia has to go into the field to save Kate (let's not forget, Julia's no slouch herself).
• Any sort of love triangle scenario between Kate, Safiyah and Tahani; there is such a glorious push-pull between all three of them. Feel free to play into themes of jealousy, possessiveness and revenge. Any two characters from this triangle is great too if you'd rather not include all three!
• I loved the issues where Kate was tripping out on fear toxin. I'm into the idea of exploring Kate's trauma, fears and regrets through delusions and hallucinations, especially if she loses her tether to reality. Bonus points if you go canon divergent and she's rescued by one of our heroines instead of the Colony.
• Canon-divergent AU where Kate does go with Safiyah at the end of the series: "We could be happy, we could have a home."
• I love that Renee made an appearance at the end of this run, that old flame where the timing is never quite right. I'd love the story of what happens next for Kate and Renee, or alternatively I'm opting into a story based on any comic from any continuity for these two. I'm broadly familiar with Renee's arcs from pre-flashpoint to present so have at it!

Midnighter and Apollo (Comics)

Requested characters: Midnighter, Apollo
Ships: Midnighter/Apollo
Promo post + where to find this canon: here

I love how deeply these two care for each other, how they've been through so much together and know each other inside out. This title was the first time we got to see them together since Flashpoint, and while I love way their relationship was portrayed, I'm of course eager for more. This quote from Orlando sums it up: "I would say I feel pressure to showcase a realistic relationship, and that means neither an unattainable, idealized vision or an overly dysfunctional one. Real relationships are work, and I want to treat Midnighter and Apollo with the same respect, passion, and intricacy we all deal with in our own relationships on a daily basis."

Possible prompts:

• Any canon-typical hero story featuring these two, as small- or large-scale as you'd like. As much as I loved this title, we didn't see a lot of their partnership on the hero front, and I would love to see how Midnighter and Apollo work together in a "professional" setting. Bonus points for something a little outside their wheelhouse, like some sort of cat-and-mouse game or a crime that requires them to play detective, rather than a classic rampage. Extra bonus points for one of them saving the other.
• Contrary to the above, I'd love to get a glimpse into their domestic life—all those quiet moments in between saving the world. Their lives as superheroes are so extraordinary that I think I'd be just as captivated by something mundane, so domestic slice of life is more than welcome.
• The obligatory hurt/comfort prompt! I know that canonically, these guys don't get roughed up too easily, but we have seen in Midnighter that Midnighter's healing factors aren't always instantaneous, and we also know that Apollo is weakened if he's lacking solar power. Feel free to handwave the details as you please, but I'm really here for one of them tenderly patching up the other.
• Anything that springs off the Midnighter title surrounding their breakup and eventual reunion. I'm more than happy for you to explore the time where they were broken up, but please end the fic on a happy/hopeful ending.
• I'm also up for any references to The Authority; Midnighter and Apollo's pasts were only briefly touched on by Orlando, but if you'd like to delve deeper into their background then I'm here for it! I'm broadly familiar with their Wildstorm arcs, so continuity shouldn't be an issue here, however I'd prefer you lean more into Orlando's characterisation where possible.

Zone Blanche | Black Spot

Requested character: Martial "Nounours" Ferrandis
Ships: Nounours/Paul, Nounours/OMCs
Where to find this canon: Available on Netflix!
Fandom-specific DNW: Referring to Nounours as "Teddy Bear." Please use Martial, Nounours, or Agent Ferrandis as appropriate.
Fandom-specific opt-in: I would be happy to receive French fic for this fandom!

This show knocked my socks off! I adore everyone in this strange little town, but when it comes down to it, it was Nounours who stole my heart. Feel free to incorporate other characters as you'd like; I particularly enjoy how well Nounours and Laurène complement each other and how loyal they are to each other, but I also loved seeing Nounours knocking back a few beers with Leïla and would love to know more about their relationship. In terms of gen, I'd love a fic featuring Nounours with any cast member. Shipwise, I really like how Nounours and Paul play off each other, how they started off a little unsteady and then found their footing; a fic exploring that would be excellent.

Possible prompts:

• We never really get to know Nounours' backstory or a lot of insight to his thoughts on Villefrance. When he's stuck in the crevasse on his (apparent) deathbed, he talks about an orphanage, and I would love to know a bit more about how he came to Villefranche. Similarly, I'd love to see a bit more of his POV when he's doing crazy shit like delving into an obviously possessed forest.
• Nounours is on a good old-fashioned stakeout with Siriani or one of the other gendarmes. What do they talk about and how do they pass the time?
• How did Martial get the nickname Nounours?
• I loved Laurène waiting by Nounours' hospital bed after his fall, but I felt like we were robbed of the scene where Paul visits him in hospital after he woke up. Paul was obviously worried sick and was no doubt upset that Nounours disregarded his advice; but I don't doubt that all of that would melt away the moment he saw that Nounours was okay. I would love to see how that scene would have played out.
• On the subject of Paul, I also felt a bit robbed that we didn't get to see their first time together! It felt quite sudden, so a fic that explores a bit of the slowburn and perhaps UST leading up to their first time would be fantastic.
• Villefranche is a small town and I imagine that Nounours wouldn't have had a lot of opportunities to explore his sexuality in his late teens/early 20s. How and when did he realise his was gay, and what were his first experiences like? Were they with tourists, or did he have to travel out of town? Canon-typical homophobia is fine here, although I'd appreciate it if that weren't the focus. Feel free to ship Nounours with OMCs for this prompt, or maybe he and Paul had a history that dated back this far?

Thank you again for considering writing for me, and feel free to contact me through the mods if you have any questions!