trick or treat 2020!

[kissoffools]

Dear Trick or Treat Author...

Hi there! I am kissoffools, and I am so excited about Trick or Treat this year! I've been out of exchanges for the past year or so, but with 2020 being what it is, I'm so excited to come back to this fun little corner of the internet. I love fic exchanges and Halloween, so this is right up my alley.

This year, I'm requesting fic from 7 different canons. Somehow I wound up with all television canons this year! I never know how to prompt for art, so I haven't requested it, though I do love it and would love art treats if you happen to be so inclined! Any of the characters or ships I talk about below in some kind of fall or Halloween scene would make me so happy. I've tried to give prompts that are more general, and ones that work for shipping - I ship tons of things, so if any of my prompts lead you to shippiness, go for it! But honestly, if you write something that contains one of the characters I've asked for, I'm happy!

I've listed some prompts below for each canon, so go with whatever inspires you. Make them as trick-y or as treat-y as you like. In terms of tropes, if you wanted to go shippy, I'm really into "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 you, you can run with one of these. Also, I love Halloween and autumn. Feel free to go as autumn- or Halloween-centric as you'd like. I'll eat it up!

Also, I'm totally on board with fics rated G all the way up to E. Whatever strikes your fancy. If you feel like writing smut, anything with a little bit of teasing, dirty talk, praise kink, or overstimulation is right up my alley.

My DNWS: noncon/rape, vore, bloodplay, and scat. I'm also not into crossovers, crackfic, or non-canon character death (except in a couple specific instances, which I've mentioned below). Avoid those things, and I'll be thrilled with whatever you come up with!

Okay, here we go! This will probably not be overly brief. Apologies in advance.

**

HOLLYWOOD
Jack Castello, Rock Hudson, Archie Coleman
Tricks or Treats
I thought this show was so much fun! I love Old Hollywood, so I liked this sort of 2020-esque reimagining of that era was really enjoyable to watch. The fashion! The language! The secrets! Jack, Rock, and Archie were probably my three favourite characters of the bunch. I loved Jack even though he was flawed and made mistakes - he was just so damn likeable. And Rock and Archie were so sweet together! I loved how they chose to stand up and be together at the Oscars - total fantasy, but still a really great moment. I would love more from these characters! And feel free to include lots of the others, too. You're welcome to write Jack with Claire or still single, and Archie and Rock can be split up if you're pairing one of them with Jack but otherwise, please keep them together!

+ A big Halloween bash! Do Rock and Archie throw one? Or maybe Jack, Archie, and Rock attend a party held by Avis. What does everyone dress up as? What shenanigans happen at the party? Or, feel free to take this a darker route - what if it's a murder mystery party and someone actually gets murdered? (Non-canon character death is okay in that scenario, so long as it's not one of the three I requested!) Or you could even delve into some of the darker aspects that the show touched on - homophobia or racism. What if the party was ruined by something like that? How would the characters handle it and what would happen?

+ Archie and Rock. They were so sweet after coming out at the Oscars, even though they knew a lot of people would have a problem with it. So where does their story go after that? At the end of the film, we see that they're heading into production on Dreamland, about a gay couple. What is working on that like for Archie and Rock? Does Rock act in it and does he have to kiss another man? Does Archie find himself getting jealous? Or just show me a sweet morning in their household or a public date they decide to go on. I'd love that too.

+ What happens to Jack's career after the show? Does he play opposite Roy in Dreamland? He was so adamantly against being with a man when he was working for Ernie - does he get more on board with it in an acting sense? If you wanted to play up a love triangle between Jack, Roy, and Archie, I'd be all for it! Or, show me Jack and Claire's wedding. Is Avis a crazy wedding planner? What mishaps happen in the planning process? Who is Jack's best man and what's his bachelor party like?

+ Jack, Roy, and Archie. What if Jack did decide to service men when he was working for Ernie, and he became the one to take care of Roy? What if he took Archie up on his offer when they first met at the bar? Or what if Roy and Archie decide they're attracted to Jack and want him to join them in the bedroom? Feel free to go with any combination of Jack/Roy, Jack/Archie, Roy/Archie, and Jack/Roy/Archie - basically I would love to see them all kiss so if you want to make that happen, I am all for it!

**

LOVE, VICTOR
Victor Salazar
Treats
I devoured Love, Victor in a day when it came out back in June!! I really loved the characters and how it sat nicely in the Simonverse without you necessarily needing to have seen Love, Simon or relying on that movie too heavily. I loved the dynamics of Victor's family and how his struggles were similar to Simon's, but different, too. I thought Victor was flawed but really likeable, and I loved his whole group of friends. Honestly I'd love just about anything centred around Victor with any of the people in his life! And feel free to include any of his friends or his family in the fic. I love 'em all.

+ Victor celebrates Halloween! What kind of costume does he wear? Does he spend it in Atlanta with Felix and Benji and the gang? Or does he go to NYC to spend it with Simon and Bram and their friends? What would baby's first Halloween party at a gay club be like?

+ Victor and Benji. We saw how romantic Benji was in the series, when he was trying to plan a date with Derek. So what would a date for Victor and Benji look like? Would it go well or would it wind up being a disaster? What if Benji planned a date full of cute fall things (a trip to a pumpkin patch, a hay ride, drinking apple cider)? Or what if he wanted to take Victor through a haunted house but Victor hates haunted houses??

+ Victor and Felix. I'd be lying if I said one of my most favourite tropes wasn't best friends to lovers. I love that Felix was the first person Victor felt safe enough to come out to. What would happen if, after Victor's confession, Felix starts realizing things about himself too? What if Felix winds up having a crush on Victor? Would he tell him? How would Victor take it? What would them getting together or hooking up or falling in love look like?

+ Victor, Mia, and Benji. I know this request is a little unorthodox and I hope that's okay. But you know how, at the end of the first episode at the carnival, Victor was looking at both Benji and Mia and mentioned that his story was nothing like Simon's? So that moment made me think that the show was either going with a storyline where Victor was bi and truly interested in both of them, or we were going to get a true poly situation. And while they sort of toyed with that idea and then Victor figured himself out truly, I would still love to see bi!Victor truly torn between his feelings for Benji and Mia, or some sort of poly situation with the three of them! How would Victor navigate that? What would be the benefits and what would be the downsides? Or heck, just show me all three of them adorably in love and carving pumpkins or investigating a haunted house. I would be all in for any of that.

**

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Miriam "Midge" Maisel, Lenny Bruce
Tricks or Treats
I think this show is so, so great. I love the humour, the fashion, the dialogue, the era, the characters... honestly, I just love the way the show feels. Kind of homey but also fresh and new, too? Midge is my absolute favourite - watching her learn how to be independent and balance being her own woman starting a career with the traditional values she was raised with and the time period she's living in is so interesting to me. And I absolutely love her dynamic with Lenny! I think he was one of the first people not to underestimate her, and I love the way he pops up occasionally and their chemistry. Plus the fact that we know he passes away a few years past where canon is now adds a whole extra interesting layer to their interactions, I think. Also if you don't ship them that's totally okay, but I very much do!

+ What does Halloween look like for Midge? Does she get really into costumes? Does she take her kids out trick or treating, or does she leave them with her parents to go to a costume party with Imogene? Does Susie get roped into the Halloween shenanigans? What if it's Lenny's Halloween party that they go to?

+ What if Lenny somehow gets roped into watching Midge's kids? What kind of a babysitter is he and how much of a disaster does he cause? What do Ethan and Esther think of him and what kind of shenanigans do they all get up to?

+ What could have happened between Midge and Lenny when she ran into him in Miami in Season 3? I remember watching them by the pool at night and wanting so bad for something to happen between them! Would it have been a one-night thing, or would it have turned into more?

+ Other moments of Midge and Lenny over the next few years. More of them occasionally running into each other and their interactions. Do either of them ever realize they're attracted to the other? Do they ever hook up? Or, and a super morbid future fic option - how does Midge find out Lenny died?

**

ONE DAY AT A TIME
Penelope Alvarez, Schneider
Tricks or Treats
I love this show. I love how funny it is but also how honest and real it gets. And the Alvarez family is just so wonderful!! I love the way they're always there for each other, but also aren't afraid to totally roast each other, haha. The show really speaks to diversity and the issues in the world today, without being condescending. I love that. I'm requesting both Penelope and Schneider because I love them individually - I love how Penelope is very clearly not perfect but is always trying to do the right thing, and I love that Schneider is deeply out of touch with the real world but is trying to improve himself. And just how much Schneider wants to be a real Alvarez is my favourite! I'd love Tricks or Treats in this fandom, and absolutely the whole Alvarez clan (and Dr B, and Syd, and any other regulars!) can totally appear too. And also if you ship Penelope/Schneider, I am all in for it. I'd just prefer no infidelity? So maybe just handwaving Max and Avery out of existence if you're going to ship Penelope and Schneider together would be the way to go.

+ What was it like for Penelope to navigate raising her family immediately after she and Victor separated? The kids were teenagers, sure, but that had to have been a hard adjustment. Did Lydia already live with them or did she move in once that happened? How did the kids take it? What was Penelope's inner world like at that time?

+ I would love to see Schneider having to navigate something really mundane that most people are used to! Things like a trip to Ikea or a road trip stuck in traffic. I'd love to see him navigate something like that without just throwing his money at it!

+ Penelope and Schneider. What if they slowly started to realize that they had feelings for each other after all? How would Penelope handle what would surely be large heaps of denial over her feelings? How would Schneider try to woo her? Or what if there was some sort of secret identities, like a You've Got Mail situation or a Halloween costume party where they didn't realize who they were falling for? What would that be like for them?

+ Schneider and the Alvarezes get stuck in a haunted house. Everything about that sounds entertaining to me.

**

SANTA CLARITA DIET
Joel Hammond, Sheila Hammond
Tricks or Treats
This show was just the best and I am furious that they cancelled it! The balance of humour and drama, the way they work in horror movie tropes and upend them... it's just so good. And the fact that they cancelled the show after that cliffhanger is just the worst!! Arghhh. More than anything, though, the love that Joel and Sheila have for each other is one of my favourite parts of the whole thing. Joel as the long-suffering husband just trying to make his marriage work is everything to me! Honestly, I'd just love more of the show, period. What happens after the finale, their whole dynamic, and the whole town around them. Feel free to include Abby and Eric and anyone else, really, as much as you want! Tricks or treats here are all good with me. Just please don't kill off either of them or break them up!

+ JOEL AS A ZOMBIE. Oh my god, the fact that he spent three seasons pretty freaked out by Sheila's new form of life and then finally got bitten himself, only for the series to not show us Joel as a zombie is completely criminal. I need more!!! Please, show me Joel adjusting to zombie life. Is he upset that Sheila bit him? Grossed out about having to eat people? Or does he adjust super well and is shocked at how easy the transition was? Just... Joel as a zombie. Please. I need it.

+ Pre-bite - how does Joel handle Sheila's weird zombie tendencies in even more unusual situations? What if other horror creatures also turn out to be real (mummies? witches? vampires?) and Sheila starts interacting with them? How does Joel handle having a whole new supernatural crew?

+ This whole wife-being-a-zombie thing is pretty hard for Joel to take. Him cracking and carrying Gary The Zombie Head around to talk to all the time wouldn't be too far-fetched. How's that go for him?

+ Halloween at the Hammond household! Does Sheila lean into the zombie thing and go all out? Do they decide to use Halloween as an excuse for a bloodbath, and pass the mess off as Halloween decorations? Or what about Joel's first Halloween as a zombie? Does Sheila have to help rein him in?

**

SCHITT'S CREEK
David Rose
Tricks or Treats
I LOVE THE ROSES SO MUCH!!!! Hell, I love this entire show so much! I think it's clever and charming and brilliantly written, and these characters are just everything. So specific and so fun to watch. I love that Schitt's Creek gave us six excellent seasons and then went out on a high note. David is my favourite of the whole gang, just because he is always so fun to watch. And I love his relationship with Patrick - please either set this fic before Patrick and David met, or have them together!! I don't need a lot of focus on their relationship if you aren't into it, but I would just be so sad to have them broken up. (If you want to keep Ted & Alexis together too, I'd be happy with that!) Basically I just want more of these characters in this crazy little town. Feel free to throw in any of the other townspeople or regular characters - that would make me happy!

+ Halloween in Schitt's Creek! We never got a Halloween episode, which is a travesty, if you ask me. So show me what Halloween is like in that town! Do they get all decorated and have things like a haunted house and a pumpkin carving contest? Do David & Patrick throw a party? What kinds of costumes do the gang wear?

+ David throwing a murder mystery dinner party. I think he'd both find it incredibly cheesy and also take it super seriously. Plus Moira acting her role at that party would just be too amazing!

+ David and Patrick on a date. I could see Patrick thinking it would be really fun to take David apple picking, and David would just so not be into it. Or maybe David plans the date and everything goes wrong!

+ I also really love David's friendship with Stevie, and would love to see something around that too! Maybe Stevie has a bad breakup and David tries to go out of his way to cheer her up? Or maybe they go on a road trip and all sorts of disastrous things happen? Or they have to spend the night in a haunted house for some reason?

**

YOU
Joe Goldberg
Tricks
This show is so creepy, and I absolutely love it. I think the way it's told from Joe's perspective is so clever - how the more time you're in his head, the more you almost find yourself agreeing with some of the wild ways he justifies his terrible behaviour... before realizing hang on a second, this is awful! I just love that kind of unreliable narrator. I honestly just want more of Joe being the creep that he is. This is probably the only canon I'd be open to second person POV, just given how the show's narration is written - though I'd rather the "you" being addressed in the fic is still another character rather than the reader, if that makes sense and is the way you want to go about it. I liked both seasons of the show and am open to Tricks set before, during, or after the series! Just let Joe be creepy and fucked up like he is in canon, and I'm on board! This is also probably the one fandom that I'd be okay with non-canon character death, for the record!

+ I'd love to see more of Joe's childhood. It was clearly fucked up, based on everything we've seen from flashbacks. I'd love to see more of it. What was it like for him to spend long hours in that cage? Did he realize the way he looked at the world was shifting, or had he always been like that? What were some of his first creepy urges like?

+ What would have happened if Joe hadn't killed Beck? Would he have stayed in New York? What if she really did want to be on his side, like a fucked up Bonnie and Clyde type couple - like Love? Would Joe have reacted differently to Beck accepting him than he did with Love? Or what if Beck kept up the illusion while planning to escape Joe at a later date?

+ Anything that follows the end of Season 2! Who is Joe looking at through the fence at the very end? What's his new life like, with Love and the baby? Does he lie to her and continue his stalkery ways? Is he struggling to keep his urges under control as they slowly get the better of him?

+ What if Joe's obsession in Season 2 had been Forty, and not Love? Bisexual creepy stalker Joe is also something I'm totally up for reading. Would he handle things differently if he was stalking/falling for a man rather than a woman? How would that work out for him and Forty?

+ I also thought the dynamic between Joe and Delilah was really interesting. He seemed so upset when she was killed - but he had imprisoned her in the first place! What would have happened to her if Love hadn't killed her on Joe's behalf? Would he have let her go? Would he have eventually killed her anyway? Would that have been easy for him, or would he have struggled with that one more than Beck because he wasn't in love with Delilah?


**
Well, I think that's it. Thank you so very much, Trick or Treat Author! I know my prompts may not be easy - if you don't feel you can write what I've asked for, you're more than welcome to employ ODAO. Seriously, if all else fails, write any of these characters in some autumn or Halloween setting and I'm on board. I'm not very hard to please - I promise. Best of luck with your writing!!

Sincerely, kissoffools
(aka "kissoffools" on AO3)