chocolate box 2021!

[kissoffools]

Dear Chocolatier...

Hi there! I am kissoffools, and I am so excited about Chocolate Box this year! I was out of the exchange scene for about a year and a half, but have been so happy to come back recently. Cannot wait to see what this year's Chocolate Box brings!

This year, I'm requesting fic from 7 different canons - some of which are new to me, and some that I've requested before but never received! Someday my fic will come, and all that! I'm excited about all of these canons and pairings, and can't wait to see what winds up in my inbox.

I've listed some prompts below for each canon, so go with whatever inspires you. I love angst, romance, drama, and smut fic. I love holidays, so if you'd like to involve Valentine's Day in any way, go for it! Also, I'm totally happy with fics rated G all the way up to E - do not feel you have to write anything explicit, but I'm on board if you decide you'd like to! Whatever strikes your fancy.

To help you out, here are some tropes and kinks that I like:

+ woke up married
+ secretly dating and hiding it from their friends/family
+ fake dating! especially when it becomes all complicated with real feelings they didn't know they had!
+ unrequited love and pining
+ hurt/comfort
+ soulbonding, with or without a/b/o, and lots of codependence
+ road trips, especially if bed sharing comes into play or being mistaken for a couple!
+ end of the world/apocalypse, with or without zombies (though staying away from anything pandemic-related, this year, would be appreciated!)
+ dirty talk
+ daddy kink, especially if it's combined with praise kink
+ phone sex or sexting
+ teasing and overstimulation
+ lactation kink and breeding (I'm cool with talk of breeding for m/m but would rather not focus on the pregnancy/assbabies part of mpreg!)
+ watersports and omaroshi

And, of course, my DNWs:

- noncon/rape
- vore
- bloodplay
- scat
- non-canon character death
- crossovers
- crackfic

Okay, here we go! I've written specific prompts for all my ships below. Feel free to either work with those or pull a trope/kink off my Likes list above and run with that - either would be lovely! I promise that I'd like all of my seven fandoms equally, no matter how many pairings I've asked for or how lengthy each fandom section is. :)

Warning - this will probably not be overly brief. Apologies in advance.

**

THE BOYS IN THE BAND (2020)
Hank/Larry
Donald/Michael
I think this film is so compelling - equal parts funny and heartbreaking. I love stories that balance humour and emotion and just make you feel everything for these people! There's an intensity to all of these characters and their relationships that I would love to see more of. I loved how clear it was that Hank and Larry really loved each other, even though they were working through trying to figure out how to actually be happy together. And I thought that Donald and Michael were such an interesting, codependent pair of friends who clearly had a history and probably a lot of unrequited, lingering feelings. I'd love to see either pairing - hell, or both! - explored more, either pre- or post-canon! (Also, infidelity and canon-appropriate homophobia are fine with me for this fandom!)

+ Hank/Larry - What is it like for the two of them, after the events of the movie? It felt so clear to me that Larry really loves Hank, and that scares the shit out of him. They've both promised to try harder for the other. What does that look like? Does Larry slip up sometimes? Does Hank invite another man into their bedroom and try and enjoy it for real? Do they settle into some kind of new normal that makes both of them happy? Or show me the night they met! I know canon said that it was at a party, and that Hank's wife was there. Did Hank realize his attraction right away? Did Larry pursue him and wear him down? (Dub-con is cool for me with this pairing, by the way!) And of course, the courtship and the build-up to Hank deciding to leave his wife for Larry is something I'd love to see - I have to imagine that was really intense. Just more of them, please!

+ Donald/Michael - It was so evident to me that these two need each other, but don't know how to handle the feelings that come with that. Plus I saw you eyeing up Donald when he was getting ready before the party, Michael! I'd love to see other moments with them. What other times has Michael come to the rescue for Donald? How does Donald help Michael feel a little bit better about who he is? What happened the first time they hooked up - was it just the ones? Did Michael feel like he couldn't measure up, given how attractive Donald is? What happens if they fall into bed again? Or maybe that's something they do regularly - hook up and not talk about it, and just act like friends the rest of the time. Does one of them start to feel more than just friendship and how do they wrestle with that?

+ I'd love to see a Valentine's Day for either of these pairings. How do they celebrate, given that they can't really be out publicly about it?

**

HAPPIEST SEASON (2020)
Abby Holland/Riley Johnson
Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza are just so adorable and beautiful together! I loved the dynamic that Abby and Riley had in the movie - how Riley understood what Abby was going through and was trying to be a person that she could lean on. Both of them seem really sure of themselves and who they are, and I just loved every scene they had together. And honestly, I just thought they were a much better, healthier fit for each other than Abby and Harper were! I just wanted them to run away together and be happy and in love!! (Also Dan Levy's character can be there because he is a delight.)

+ What if something happened between them when they were at the drag bar? Would Abby want to go back to Harper's crazy family once she'd been with Riley? Does she go back to them and then pine for what could have been with Riley? Does Harper find out that something happened between her ex and her girlfriend?

+ What if Abby actually did leave Harper for Riley? What would their relationship look like without the drama of everyone else? What's Riley's family like and do they like Abby?

+ What if the person who chases after Abby at the gas station after the disastrous Christmas party isn't Harper, but Riley?

+ What if Abby and Harper don't work out, and Abby goes back to the city alone? What if, later in the year (maybe on another holiday?), Abby runs into Riley? What is it like for Abby and Riley to get to know each other again outside of that small town? Does Abby show Riley around to her favourite spots? Do they still connect the way they did before? Who makes the first move?

**

JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS (TV)
Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters
Alex Mercer/Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters
Caleb Covington/Luke Patterson
I've said it before and I'll say it again - this show has no business being as adorable as it is! I really love everything about it - the characters, the music, the dynamics between everyone, the ghost club... all of it. I'm definitely a multi-shipper when it comes to these characters, and there are so many different things I'd like to see! For the most part, I'd love to read something that keeps the same tone as the show - the humour and heart are abundant with these characters and I love that. (The one exception is Caleb/Luke, which I talk about down below!) Also, if it strikes your fancy, I would love to see a story with any of the ghosts trying to figure out how to celebrate a Valentine's Day with the complications that come with them being ghosts. That would be too good! (Also, I realize that a lot of these characters are teenagers, so feel free to go with whatever rating of shippiness you feel comfortable with. Underage fiction of any rating is cool with me!)

+ Julie/Luke - I recently discovered that weirdly I'm very into romances where one of the characters is a ghost and the other is alive, and the drama that comes from them not being sure if they can ever really be together. So if you want to lean into that, I would be thrilled! I'd love to see them trying to navigate their dynamic and their feelings. What does it mean for them now that the boys might be somewhat corporeal now? Can Luke and Julie touch each other now, in certain circumstances? What's it like for them to navigate trying to date with one of them being dead? Does Luke take Julie on a date? What's it like for Julie to have a crush on someone others can't see? Does she try and introduce him to her dad? How do they navigate attempting to be intimate?

+ Luke/Reggie - That moment where Luke tries to have chemistry with Reggie when they're singing, and Reggie gets flustered? Yes please! I'm sure this is a very unoriginal prompt, but the heart wants what it wants. What if that moment planted some ideas in Reggie's mind? After all, the two of them are alone a lot while Alex is off with Willie. Does Reggie try and get them into more situations where Luke flirts with him, either intentionally or with a healthy dose of denial about what exactly he's doing? Or did Luke like the way Reggie got flustered and tries to make those reactions happen more often? Are either of them surprised about their feelings for each other, and do they try to suppress them/deny them? How well does that work out for them? (I hope it goes poorly!) Which one decides to go to Alex for advice about having a crush on a boy?!

+ Alex/Luke/Reggie - These three are such a perfect trio and I would be very happy to see that carried over into romance! They've been ghosts alone together for 25 years, after all, and it seems like they're bonded in such a way that they stay together. What if that bond starts to translate into more intimate or romantic feelings? How do they navigate that? What conflicts does that bring up? Does Julie notice and try and encourage them to go for it? Who's the one who finally breaks the ice and gets them all to talk about it? (And look if you want to write the three of them trying to be intimate together I would not say no! Luke is obviously the dominant one of the three!)

+ Caleb Covington/Luke Patterson - Caleb's hold over the boys is so iddy and interesting. I love the way he sort of lured them in with all these wonderful promises and this fantastic world before the other shoe dropped and his manipulative nature was revealed - and he definitely seems to have a particular eye for Luke. Why is he most interested in Luke out of all the boys? Was else might Caleb want from him, other than to have him play in his band? If they did join his band, what would Caleb ask of them next? Or how does Caleb punish Luke now that he's seemingly escaped his hold? What if Luke actually starts to like the way Caleb uses and manipulates him?? (Basically, if you would like to write dub-con dirtybadwrong Caleb/Luke, yes please.)

**

LITTLE WOMEN (2019)
Amy March/Theodore Laurence
Josephine March/Theodore Laurence
Amy March/Josephine March/Theodore Laurence
I really love this adaptation of Little Women - I think it's brilliantly written and acted, and the characters of Amy, Jo, and Laurie were all so complex and interesting! I can't help but be enamoured with the three of them and their various dynamics. I love how Jo is headstrong and determined but that she realizes that even she wants to be loved and spend her life with someone. I love that Laurie is made better by the presence of both of these women, with how they challenge him and push back against his flaws. And I love Amy's humour and dramatics and the way she grows into a woman who realizes the weight of her decisions and tries to balance all the desires and expectations in her life. Basically I want to see more of so many combinations of this trio!

+ Amy/Laurie - I would love to see missing scenes of the two of them in Paris, as they start to fall for one another. How does Laurie go about apologizing and gaining her forgiveness after his behaviour at the party? What other encounters do they have that build up to Laurie asking Amy not to marry Fred? Or I'd just love to see Laurie's internal monologue or thought process as he starts to fall for Amy and decides to ask her to be with him. What was it like for him to realize that someone else - Jo's sister, of all people? - could have his heart? Or show me their wedding! I gather that it was small and maybe even on the ship as they crossed back over from Europe. Does Amy feel like she missed out on having a larger ceremony with her family there? Is it tinged with sadness after Beth's death? Or is it one small moment of joy in an otherwise dark voyage?

+ Jo/Laurie - Jo coming around and realizing that she wants to be loved and that she wanted to give Laurie a second chance is heartbreaking, even though it's so misguided. (And Laurie's hillside love confession is such an intense, compelling moment!) I love the thought of some kind of a canon-divergent future AU for them - what happens if Laurie doesn't marry Amy, and he and Jo meet up again in the future? Maybe Jo finally does make her way to Europe and runs into him there. Or maybe Laurie goes to New York and finds her. I'm just so intrigued by the thought of them maybe ten years older, seeing each other again and what that would be like! Does Laurie still have feelings for her? Does Jo realize that she misses him in a romantic way? What if they fall into bed together and have to deal with the fallout in the morning? Or, honestly, just write me Laurie's perspective on their friendship during the movie and how much he loves her but can't tell her. He kept wearing her ring even when he was in Paris, after all! I will take all the pining and unrequited love for them!

+ Amy/Laurie/Jo - Listen, I will take any of this that you want to write for me!! Jo just looks so crushed when she finds out Laurie and Amy have gotten married, but is determined to soldier on and not ruin their happiness. What if Amy notices, over time, that her sister is so sad? What if Amy and Laurie decide that bringing Jo into their marriage, or their bed, is the way to help her? Or what if Laurie decides he can't let go of Jo and loves both of them too much to only be with one? I'm totally on board with either Amy sharing Laurie with Jo, or a true threesome situation - feel free to use that to help resolve Amy and Jo's complicated relationship as well! (Just please no infidelity - there doesn't need to be a huge consent talk or rules negotiation, but I'd just like everyone to be a willing participant and cool with it!)

**

SMASH (TV)
Sam Strickland/Tom Levitt
The fact that Smash didn't let Tom and Sam be happy together is one of that show's greatest tragedies!!! Tom had all kinds of issues with relationships and commitment, and Sam was so good for him, I thought. I loved the way that Sam helped make him more grounded and honest, and Sam just felt real in a world of very heightened theatre personalities. If you ask me, Tom needed someone like that! They were adorable together, even when it all got messed up. I would just really love to see fix-it for these two!

+ What if Sam's return from the Book of Mormon tour went a lot differently than it did in canon? What if Tom really did re-jig Bombshell to make room for him - how would that have gone? I envision them making out in dressing rooms during intermission!

+ What if Tom missed Sam while he was away on tour, and took a break from Bombshell to go out and visit him? Would Sam react warmly to seeing Tom, or would that be a big angst-fest? Would Sam decide to show Tom around whatever city the tour is in? Do things feel fresher for the two of them now that they aren't in New York?

+ What if they run into each other in New York, some time later, and their feelings are still there? Who are they both, years later? What are their lives like? Are they able to put things back together?

+ What if something happens with Ivy to force Tom and Sam to team up again to help her, and feelings blossom through that? Is Sam reluctant to work with Tom this time, or does it help them remember why they liked each other so much in the first place?

**

THE TRY GUYS (WEB SERIES)
Keith Habersberger/Zach Kornfeld
Look, I love these guys, and I absolutely love how they aren't shy to express how much they love each other, too. Best friends to lovers is one of my absolute favourite ship dynamics, and Keith and Zach have that written all over them!! I love that they're both goofy and yet genuine, and how everyone knows that of all the Try Guys, these two are the closest. I just love Keith's big-hearted and outgoing personality paired with Zach's sarcasm and silliness. (As for Becky and Maggie, both of whom I absolutely love - maybe let's just pretend they either don't exist for the purpose of this fic, or have them feel comfortable with their guys falling for each other. After all, Becky and Maggie are BFFs too!)

+ Literally any trope you can think of for these guys. What if, when they went to Vegas for Keith's bachelor party, they get drunk and wake up married the next morning? What if they fell in love and have been secretly dating this whole time? What if they have to pretend to be dating to land a particular sponsorship or have to do that for video purposes, and then their feelings get all tangled? What if they have to go on a road trip and share a bed?? Or it's a zombie apocalypse where they're the last two people in LA? What if the reason they're so close is that they've been soulbonded together?

+ AU! They've done so many crazy things in videos that I'd love to take one of those scenarios and see an AU of them in that world for real. AU where they're both on the same pro bowling team? AU where they're competing, rival professional golfers/chess masters/boxers? AU where they're competing on something like Project Runway or Masterchef against each other? Stripper AU? Anything you can think of that's sparked by their videos!

+ A good ol' unrequited love, pining, he-doesn't-know-how-I-feel fic. Which one is secretly in love with the other and hiding it from everyone? How hard is it to work with your best friend every day when all you want is to tell him how you feel? What if your best friend secretly feels the same way?!

**

YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998)
Joe Fox/Kathleen Kelly
I am a huge fan of this movie and everything about the "hating each other in real life while falling in love through another medium" trope!! Joe and Kathleen just have such amazing chemistry that it's easy to forgive the whole him-putting-her-out-of-business thing (I know, I know!). I just love their banter, their humour, and the way they care for each other. I would love to see more of them either after Joe realizes who she is, or after the end of the movie! (Also I'm obsessed with NYC, so anything that features them doing things out and about in New York would charm the hell out of me!) More than anything, this is the fandom where I most want a "happily ever after" kind of ending - or at least the promise of one. :)

+ More moments once Joe knows who Shopgirl is, and the ways he tries to impress her.

+ I absolutely love the opening of the movie, where you see the two of them crossing paths unknowingly on that one New York City morning. I would love to see more little moments where they were in each other's orbit without knowing it, or crossed paths before they realized they were rivals! Maybe they found each other attractive and charming (like at the bookstore during the whole F-O-X scene) without any of the competing-business baggage!

+ Their first proper date. What's the transition like for them, knowing that they have all this history? Is it weird realizing that they've had all these conversations online and shared so much? Does it go smoothly or are there stumbling blocks?

+ A look at them five, ten, twenty years down the road - anything with their future to see where they've ended up down the line. What's living together like? Do they get married? Do they have or adopt children? Do they wind up with grandchildren? What jobs do they have and how do they support each other's careers and dreams?

**
Well, I think that's it. Thank you so very much, Chocolatier! I hope my prompts and/or my likes are helpful. Seriously, if all else fails, write any of these characters kissing on Valentine's Day 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)