Dear Fandom 5K Author

[tielan]

Hi Dear Fandom 5K Author!

I love a good longfic! Action-adventure, character-driven, plotty AU, getting-together story - it's all wonderful and I love it.

The first thing to know is that although I've made at least one specific request in each of the fandoms that we've matched on, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WRITE THIS REQUEST. This is the request of my heart and if you have this story in you, or it speaks to you sufficient that you can get a story out of it, then go ahead and write it. If it doesn't strike a note in your writing repertoire, then find something that does and I will still be delighted with what you, in good faith, gift me.

My story preferences are for 'reverse gender hero narratives': or, where the hero of the story is female/femme-presenting and the choices, decisions, and key storypoints hinge on her. And (maybe) she gets the guy into the bargain. At the least, there is connection and friendship and warmth in her life, people she leans on, people who lean on her. She is not a lone wolf on the edge of the pack, but a community aunt in the midst of everything - and she's not the one creating drama, she's the one fixing it.

General DNWs:
- all smut stories
- too much exposition/telling (give me scenes of people talking, solving problems, interacting!)
- side pairings I haven't asked for or mentioned in the fandom notes
- cheating/infidelity plotlines

Pacific Rim: Humanity comes together to cancel the apocalypse through the power of friendship and love and sacrifice. Seriously, how can you not love this movie? (PR: Uprising does not exist in my world. They forgot they were making a movie about found family and love and connection and turned it into an action blockbuster.)

Mako/Raleigh
Mako & Stacker
Mako
Action/Adventure, Getting Together, AU - Canon Divergence, AU - Genre Shift, Established Relationship, Fix-it fic, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

I don't actually mind that Stacker and Chuck died at the end of the movie; "there can be no heroes where there is no sacrifice". But also, I really liked the familial relationship between Mako and Stacker (if you want to bring in John Boyega's character then you are more than welcome to do so), and formality and intimacy both of their relationship. What kind of experiences forged that bond between them over the years?

Mako/Raleigh is absolutely my adored pairing for this fandom. If you can't write them as lovers, then write them as Drift compatible and what that looks like after the movie, or in a canon divergence, or in a different universe entirely. One thing I particularly liked about the dynamic is, yes, Raleigh's 'golden retriever' energy around Mako - the focus on her and the protection of her once they meet. I'd love to see more of that.


MCU: There were so many good themes in these movies, at least the early ones. I started losing interest around Cap3: Civil War, and watched to the end of Endgame for completeness sake. The themes that the fandom offered were around things like 'innate power and the use and responsibility of it', 'humanity in the midst of superhumanity', and the idea of connection and friendship even in the midst of difference.

Maria/Steve
Maria & Pepper
Maria Hill
Action/Adventure, Getting Together, AU - Canon Divergence, AU - Genre Shift, Established Relationship, Fix-it fic, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

Civil War. Always Civil War. Pepper and Maria sorting out what happens in Civil War with all the political and practical and pragmatic sense that the two of them have. Or if you'd like to rewrite Endgame, I'm VERY good with that. I haven't watched Secret Invasion for obvious reasons - or any of the Disney+ shows, so you can presume I know nothing that happens after Endgame.

I like the female characters, yes, but my focus is always on Maria Hill and I'm deeply disappointed that the MCU didn't use her as thoroughly (or as logically) as they should have: someone who knows the ins and outs of world security, is friends with the Avengers, who can rescue Captain America, the Black Widow, and the Falcon from the clutches of HYDRA while her helmet is squeezing her brain? Should have been a 'series regular' instead of relegated to mere Refrigerator Girl.

Maria and Pepper are practical, pragmatic human women living in a complicated world. Both of them exist and work on the edges of the superhero situation - Pepper just outside of it, Maria just inside of it. I love that balance and the possibilities of it: friendship, respect, affection, etc.


Bridgerton: I enjoyed the books back when they came out, I enjoy the worldbuilding of the TV series, but mostly I love the possibilities of this 'Regency reimagined' in so many ways - women and people of colour being major characters in a fictional universe of romance and intrigue and pretty dresses.

Anthony/Kate
Kate
Action/Adventure, Getting Together, AU - Canon Divergence, AU - Genre Shift, Established Relationship, Fix-it fic, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

I love the characters of S2, but really disliked the plot - it was more drama than romance, and I was looking forward to the 'falling in love' part. If you want to rewrite S2 from the point where Edwina begs Kate to get Anthony to marry her (after the dinner with the Sheffields), I will have no objections.

Or more about Kate and the journey from India to England, what she experienced, the things she saw, the hopes she held, the (and perhaps the journey back to India, since there are hints that Anthony and Kate went to India for their honeymoon, never mind that it woud have taken nine months, not six).

DNW: unhappy endings, a story entirely of smut, unfaithfulness/cheating, breaking up the pairings I've listed.
Fandom specific DNW: Anthony/Edwina endgame.



Harry Potter: I loved the worldbuilding around this, incomplete and insufficient as it is. I enjoyed the relationships and the complexities of humanity, even in the midst of teenaged angst and hero complexes and magic.

Harry/Luna
Harry & Luna
Harry & Ron
Hermione/Draco
Hermione & Luna
Action/Adventure, Getting Together, AU - Canon Divergence, AU - Genre Shift, Established Relationship, Fix-it fic, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

I love Ginny and Ron, so don't badmouth them (or the other Weasleys). I'd have listed Hermione/Ron if it was in the options, so if we matched on anything that works with that you can go ahead with that pairing on the side if you want. I see Luna as an oddball, not 'blonde'.

So it's an oddball mix of characters that I've chosen for this. I love the Trio and would enjoy any story about them after school (or even within the period of their time at Hogwarts). I'm intrigued by Hermione/Draco and how it actually works - I would actually love you to sell me on The Redemption Of Draco Malfoy if that's within your bourne. But I'm also a Hermione/Ron fan from the books. Whatever you write, just make it work in-universe and I will be impressed!

DNW: unhappy endings, all smut, breaking up the pairings I've listed.
Fandom specific DNW: sexy!reformed!Draco.


X-Men: Original Timeline Movies:
Scott Summers
Scott & Logan
Scott & Ororo
Scott & Professor X
Action/Adventure, AU - Canon Divergence, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

Ever since I watched X2, I've wanted the Dark Phoenix storyline (with Jean and Madelyne). Obviously, a significant part of this would focus on Scott and his relationships with Logan and the others in the team. In such a story, I'd be endgame Scott/Jean, but wouldn't mind skirting the edges of Scott/Logan, Logan/Madelyne, or Logan/Jean (For the record, I've always thought the four would make a rather fascinating sedoretu.) If you can pull that off, I will praise your name throughout the fandom forever.

THAT SAID. I really really want a story about Scott - about having to be the controlled one, the leader, the, yes, stiff-stick asshole who keeps things on track and sometimes hates having to do it. But it goes with his nature, it goes with his power, and it helps the team.

I'm not an instinctive Scott/Logan shipper, so yes, you'll have to sell me on that pairing if you want to include it, but I haven't specified it, so I'd prefer not.

DNW: unhappy endings, all smut.
Fandom specific DNW: Logan-centric narrative.

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Star Wars: Original Trilogy:
Leia & Luke
Action/Adventure, AU - Canon Divergence, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding

I've always wanted the story of how Luke turns to the Dark Side at Endor, and Leia has to confront him and turn him back.

That said, any story about these two (and the cast of characters around them) however you want to sell it to me. Skywalkers AU? Go for it! Prince Luke Organa of Alderaan and Leia Skywalker of Tatooine? Sure! A between-the-trilogies story of working out their adult relationship in the midst of rebuiding the republic? Absolutely, I am there.



Ultimately, I want a longfic about these characters that are near and dear to my heart. I'm open to a range of stories, and have dumped a bunch of ideas in your lap in the hope that they might kickstart your imaginative juices. If not, then find something in the midst of all this that works for you, and I look forward to reading your story!

Thank you!