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kissoffools) wrote2017-09-26 08:54 pm
kissoffools) wrote2017-09-26 08:54 pm
yuletide 2017!
Hello! I love Yuletide and have been eagerly anticipating the start of it all for a couple months now; I'm thrilled it's finally here! I'm so excited about being matched on one of the three canons below - I honestly really love all of them, and can't wait to see what winds up in my inbox come Yuletide morning. :)
Feel free to take the things I've written below and see where they take you! I want you to have fun writing for me, too, after all. Just please don't include my Do Not Wants, and it's all going to be golden. Also, my Tumblr is right here, just in case you want to take a look at my tags for any of my three canons below!
Also, I'm a rambler, clearly. I tried really hard to keep this concise and bearable, but I just get excited. Sorry in advance for all the text!
Likes & Dislikes
When it comes to types of fic I like, I tend to enjoy canon-set stories; AUs and crossovers aren't usually for me. I enjoy angst, fluff, humour, romance, and smut fic - whatever you're comfortable writing - and any rating, from G to E, is cool too. I also greatly prefer third-person POV! And I love the holidays, so if you want to set your fic with the backdrop of Christmas (or Hanukkah, for Falsettos), go for it!
As for tropes, I'm super into best friends to lovers (which is likely why my 4th Man Out and Legally Blonde: The Musical ships are so appealing to me). I also love "woke up married", secretly dating, fake dating, unrequited love, soulbonding, road trips, codependence, and end of the world. So if my prompts below don't do much for me, you can run with one of these tropes! If you're interested in writing smut with any kinks, I like daddy kink, frottage, watersports/omaroshi, pregnancy kink, cock worship, spanking, handcuffs, roleplaying, phone sex, and dirty talk. Both kink and smut are definitely not required, though! If they're not for you, then just run with the fandom prompts down below. Just trying to give you lots of options!
I do have a few Do Not Wants: pro-ana talk, rape/non-con, mpreg, scat, and bloodplay. I also don't enjoy reading about characters crying, unless they're known to do so in canon. And please, no character bashing, crack fic, issue fic, or non-canon character death.
Now let's get a little fandom-specific! (I suppose there are spoilers below, if you don't know these three stories. So keep that in mind!)
4th Man Out (2015)
Adam, Chris - I think this is such a delightful, fun movie! I love the four best friends and their dynamic, and I have to be honest: I fully thought Adam and Chris were going to get together at the end of the movie. And when they didn't, my brain exploded with ideas for how they could get together, after all! I love how loyal they are to each other and how insistent Chris was that their relationship won't change after Adam's coming out, even though he's a little unsure about it. These two feel like such real best friends, and one of my favourite things is watching best friends fall in love. So let them be in love!
Oh, man - I really didn't expect to love 4th Man Out as much as I did when I stumbled across it on Netflix one day! I think the movie is really funny, and I really like the friendship between the four main friends. I like that they're such dudes, but they've all got these little quirks in their personalities that make them different. And they have each other's backs! Which is I think what I liked most about the movie - that when Adam comes out to his best friends, they stand by him, even though the adjustment is strange for them. They want to help him find love and be there for him, in their own bro-tastic way. The friendship between the four of them feels very realistic, and I love that. And I especially love Adam and Chris's friendship! I love that Chris was the first one to get on board with Adam's sexuality - that even though he was a little unsure about things at first, he immediately insisted to Adam that things would never change between them now that he had come out to them. And then later, Chris realized that things did have to change, because Adam's interest in men had to be taken into account too and they had to make sure they were wingmanning for him just like they would for their straight friends! I love that Chris was the one that pushed Nick and Ortu to chill out and be cool, too - and I even love that Chris damaged Matt's car at the end so that he'd have to go back to the repair shop and see Adam again, to give the two of them more of a chance. I just love Adam and Chris's friendship - and I am so bummed that the movie didn't wind up with the two of them falling in love instead!! I genuinely thought it was going to go that way when I watched it. And since it didn't, I want to see those two crazy kids fall in love in fic form!
I'd really love to see some canon divergence for 4th Man Out. That moment with Adam and Chris at Adam's place, after they'd gone out drinking at the gay bar, when Adam thinks Chris is leaning in to kiss him... what if Adam actually does make their lips meet? How would Chris react? Would he do the same as in the movie - make an excuse and run the hell out of there? Or would he have enough booze in his system to go with it? Maybe something physical happens between the two of them that night, and then they're filled with confusion and regret in the morning. Or maybe nothing physical happens, and they both go home and wish that something had! I love Adam's relationship with his mother - does he confide in her and ask for her advice about Chris? There's also the kiss at Ortu's barbecue, later - the one where Adam says kissing Chris was like kissing his brother. Do you think he was being honest in that moment? What if he wasn't? What if he was just trying to save their friendship? What would happen further on down the line, if Adam's feelings weren't so easy to keep under wraps? Or maybe Chris is the one who starts to feel curious or look at Adam in a different way! You could also run with a trope for these two - what if they're on a road trip and stay at some sleazy motel, and are forced to share a bed because they're too cheap to get two rooms? Or what if they're trapped in an elevator for hours together, and wind up having some pretty real, serious talks? Or they keep running with the story about how they're fake engaged, to ward off Adam's creepy suitors, and things get a little too real or physical for them? Or what if the four guys go to Vegas for Ortu's bachelor party - what kind of crazy hijinks would they all get up to there? Would Nick marry a stripper? Would Chris and Adam wake up after a drunken night together and discover wedding rings on their fingers? Or what if Adam and Matt's relationship actually starts picking up and turning into something, and Chris winds up discovering that he's far more jealous about Adam's new happiness than he thought he'd be? You can play with angst or humour or sex or romance with these two and I'll love all of it. And definitely feel free to include Nick and Ortu - the four of them are always together, after all! And Rachel can be there, too - though I'd probably prefer no infidelity for them. Maybe Chris realizes what's going on and breaks off their romance before pursuing Adam - or maybe her and Chris's relationship never really gets off the ground and she hangs out with the group as a friend. It's up to you! Basically, I want to watch two best friends fall into confusing, scary, exciting, thrilling love with each other. I want these two to get the romantic happy ending that I think they deserve!
Prompts and Suggestions: What if Adam really did kiss Chris that night after they all went out to the gay bar? What if Adam was lying about how their kiss at the end of the movie felt? What if Chris starts realizing that his feelings for Adam aren't so platonic, after all? What if they're forced into some close proximity situation and new feelings and attraction starts growing from there?
Where to Find the Canon: It's on Netflix in my country (Canada) - hopefully it is in yours, too!
Falsettos - Lapine/Finn
Marvin, Whizzer Brown - I was introduced to Falsettos through last fall's Broadway revival, and I have just fallen head over heels for the whole thing. I love the music and the flawed yet likeable characters, and the very real way it shows relationships! I'm completely smitten with Marvin and Whizzer's story, with all of its ups and downs, and would love to see fic for the two of them once they get back together again in Act 2. Exes getting back together definitely doesn't usually go smoothly, but we do get to see these two happy for a brief period of time. I want to know what it was like for them to fall back in love!
Oh, god, how I love Falsettos. I think music is so catchy and so beautiful, and the show makes me laugh and cry. I just think it's a fantastic piece of theatre. And I love all seven characters - I love how all they're flawed and imperfect, but they're relatable, too. While I love everyone, the two I want explored this Yuletide are Marvin and Whizzer, and their relationship. I love the growth that Marvin and Whizzer show throughout the show - especially Marvin. I love that they're terrible for each other at first, and that they grow and learn how to have a healthy, loving relationship. I love the contrast between Marvin in Act 1 - "I want it all" - and Act 2 - "All I want is you". I love that in Act 1's chess game, Marvin can't stand losing to Whizzer, but in Act 2, he loses in racquetball and laughs good-naturedly. I love how his priorities have completely changed and how he's learned to take care of the man he loves in a way he was too selfish and egotistical to do when they were together the first time. And it makes my heart ache that he really was able to form the tight-knit family he wanted, in the end, and that because of that, Whizzer wasn't alone in the hospital. Whizzer died surrounded by people that loved him - all of them brought to him through Marvin. Oh, god, my heart.
SO! I want more of Marvin and Whizzer. I would especially love to read about their relationship between "The Baseball Game" and "More Racquetball" - that beautiful little period of time when things were good. I imagine that things weren't just perfect right off the bat - like with any set of exes getting back together, there had to be bad habits that they had to work to correct, and little backslides. I'd love to read about that! Does Marvin ever slip into treating Whizzer poorly again? Does Whizzer have the urge to stray again? How do they handle that? The moment during "What More Can I Say" is so loving and simple, and I want to watch them work to get to that point. I want to watch them fall in love for real, and all the ups and downs that entails! Does Whizzer move in right away? Does Jason get used to staying with them on his weekend visits? Do he and Whizzer play catch in the backyard and try and rope Marvin into it? Does Marvin take Whizzer on dates? Do they fight much anymore - and if they do, is it different this time around? Do they handle things with more love and care now? If you'd like to write this with a certain amount of bittersweetness - because of where it's all headed - please go for it! Maybe Marvin's reflecting back on it all after Whizzer is gone. I definitely don't need a Whizzer-Never-Dies fix-it, because one of the things I love about the show is how it deals with the real issues the gay community was dealing with at that time. So you can incorporate Whizzer's death or leave it alone and set the story before he starts to get sick - whichever appeals to you more! Another little idea I had is something for after Whizzer is gone, and Marvin is the one in the hospital bed. The show pretty much comes out and says as much with "Something Bad Is Happening (Reprise)" - I think we lose Marvin, too, after the show is over. What if Whizzer comes to Marvin while he's in his own hospital bed (either as an actual ghost or a figment of Marvin's imagination) to help him in his last days? To help him reminisce and reassure him that they're going to be together again soon? (Morbid and sad, I know! You definitely don't have to go anywhere near this idea if you don't like it!) Really, at the end of the day, I just want to see Marvin and Whizzer in love - learning from bad habits and trying to put each other first. You're totally welcome to include any of the other characters in the show - I love them all and I love the show's family themes, so if they fit your idea, bring 'em in. Just give me Marvin and Whizzer in imperfect, true love, and I'll be happy.
Prompts and Suggestions: What does rebuilding a relationship look like for Marvin and Whizzer? How are they different to each other two years later, when they're getting back together? What sweet little moments of their relationship didn't we get to see, before Whizzer gets sick? After the show ends, does Something Bad happen to Marvin, too?
Where to Find the Canon: The professionally-filmed revival can be rented on BroadwayHD!
Legally Blonde - Hach/O'Keefe/Benjamin
Elle Woods, Emmett Forrest - Legally Blonde has been a favourite of mine for years, and I'm so in love with Elle and Emmett's dynamic. I love that they've both had to prove themselves to people who have doubted them, and that they both helped each other to grow and become better people. I'm dying to see more of their relationship! I want to see the different milestones of them being together, how they continue to grow together, and what happens after Elle proposes. After all, there's a wedding on the horizon!
Oh, Legally Blonde. This musical has held a special place in my heart for years! I absolutely love how they adapted the movie into the show - Elle is still the girl with the wonderful heart and amazing character arc, and I love that they beefed up Emmett's role and made him more of a real character, too. And the music is catchy and the whole thing just makes me feel so wonderful. I am dying for fic with Elle and Emmett! Their relationship in the musical is one of my favourites - they feel like a pair of people who are really falling for each other, which you don't always get with canon romances. I love that their relationship was born out of friendship, first and foremost! That Emmett was the only person at Harvard to treat Elle kindly, even though she was unusual to him... ah, my heart. I love that they both come from a background where they had to prove their worth, and that the show gives us little moments where they bond and grow closer. "Chip On My Shoulder" is so good for this!! I love their little secret handshake and that they tease each other a bit, and the fact that they really do feel like friends who wound up falling in love. And the part in "Take It Like A Man", where Emmett puts a little bit of cologne on his neck and then is definitely intending to lean in and kiss her at the end, when she hugs him?? For me, that is romance done right! I love that he believes her instantly when she tells him what happened with Callahan - there's no doubt or questioning her story, and he immediately wants to jump into action to fight to keep her job. And the two of them on either side of the door, singing to each other in "Legally Blonde" is so beautiful. Most of all, I love that Emmett always lets Elle be her own person. He suggests things, or gives her ideas and nudges, but he never takes over and does things for her. And I love that Elle has things to teach him, too, and helps him change for the better as well. They're the best!
So please, show me more of Elle and Emmett together! The show skips forward two years during "Find My Way", and by the time Elle proposes to Emmett at graduation, they've obviously been dating for awhile. What happens between Elle rejecting Warner's proposal and Elle proposing to Emmett? Do they hit any snags as they transition from friendship to being a couple? What are the different milestones in their relationship like? Basically, I would love to see the rest of Elle's time at Harvard! Are there more instances where she teaches things to Emmett? Maybe there's some event or something that he needs to learn to dance for, and he's hopeless, so she teaches him? Or maybe she helps him navigate some social situations at his firm that he's previously been awkward in? I would love to watch her help him grow as a person, too. The show really portrays the two of them as being similar types of people, despite their different backgrounds and interests, and I just love the thought of them being able to navigate their relationship differences by having the same outlook on life. Also, hey, the show ends with a proposal! Which means there will be a WEDDING. Do I ever want to see Elle and Emmett planning their wedding! Is Elle all about the details, and Emmett has to keep reining her in because her ideas are too unrealistic? Or maybe Emmett gets so focused on every last little thing being perfect (so they get their money's worth?) and Elle has to get him to chill and not take things so seriously? Or, hell, just throw 'em in a group cake tasting and let me watch them be cute, eat cake, and quietly judge all the other couples around them. Because you know they'd be the best ones there! And of course, if you want to go back and show me more of the show's timeline from Emmett's perspective, I would love that! I'd love to watch more little moments of the two of them falling in love without realizing what's happening. Feel free to include other characters (Paulette, Kyle, Vivian, Enid) all you want! I just want to see these two wonderful characters in love, please.
Prompts and Suggestions: What happens to these two during the rest of Elle's time at Harvard? What happens between Elle rejecting Warner's proposal and Elle proposing to Emmett? What are the different milestones in their relationship like? How does their wedding planning process go?
Where to Find the Canon: MTV's filmed version of the show is on Youtube! (Oh, how I wish the video quality were better.)
And I think that's all I have to say! I sincerely hope you don't find this letter too confusing or restrictive - I wanted to give you as much to work with as possible without being a pain. Hopefully I've done that. Have fun with the prompts and enjoy seeing where they take you! I'm dying for fic in any of these fandoms, so in my eyes, you're already awesome.
Thank you so much in advance, Yuletide Writer! I'm really excited. Happy writing!
kissoffools(And I'm kissoffools on AO3 as well!)