cousinshelley | Yuletide 2019 Letter

Dear Mystery Author,

I'm CousinShelley on AO3 and most fandom spaces. I think I'm easy to please. Please have fun writing the story and that will shine through! Some fandoms have more prompts than others, but I love them all.

My fandoms, in no particular order:

The Tick (TV 2017)
Westworld (TV)
Strange Angel (TV)
The Exorcist (TV)
Wellington Paranormal (TV)
The Terror (TV 2018)

General likes: Friendship, found families, loyalty, love whether it's sexual or not, deep emotional connections and devotion, supernatural elements where appropriate, third person POV, humor, people figuring things out together, gray areas and difficult choices, displays of affection and respect, characters sacrificing their own comforts to help others, light dub-con in certain fandoms (I know IRL there's consent or there's not, but I do love a little coercion sometimes in fiction!), hurt/comfort, forced proximity, missing scenes and fix-its, first times, happy endings, unrequited love finally realized, fake couple/marriage to real romance, snark and banter.

General DNWs: AU (coffeeshop, school, etc.); First and second person POV; Christmas and holiday stories; Unrequested ships; Kidfic and pregnancy; Unrequested identity headcanons; Focus on gender identity or sexuality; Genderswapping; Character death; Cruelty to animals; Original major characters; Crossovers; Crack; Fluff; Surprise serious illness.

For instance, referencing the gray gums of lead poisoning or scurvy symptoms in The Terror fandom is fine; Marcus Keane having a stroke is not. Overall, if you stay pretty much within the bounds of the source material canon and in that spirit, it's hard to go wrong.

Sex-related DNWs: When sex is an option, I'd rather not have unrequested kinks or really anything kinkier than might be found within the canon if they had on-screen or on-page sex.

For instance, sex between Jack and Ernest might involve delayed gratification or bloodletting because of Thelema, and that works in the context of the show. Miss Lint giving Overkill a little zap during sex, can totally see it. Overkill inserting a butt plug before peeing on Dot, not so much. If it wouldn't fit into the spirit of the canon, unless specifically requested, please don't include it.

Westworld
Characters: Maeve Millay, Hector Escaton

I ship Maeve/Hector so hard and would absolutely love a shippy, smutty story. But as long as they're both in it and in each other's personal space in some way, I will be so happy. They can be kicking ass and taking names shoulder to shoulder, working out a mystery, flirting, fighting (as long as they're good by the end), damn near anything.

I love Maeve so much for all that she is and all she's becoming. She's the definition of bad-ass in the dictionary, and the ultimate bad boy Hector will do anything she wants of him, and my god that pushes every button I have. I really, really like Maeve being in charge and making the plans and Hector willing to do and give her anything and everything. And they're both so damn sexy. Put them together and I'm gone.

Specific prompts are harder for me with this fandom, because I just want more of the same, and it's been so long that many of the canon plotty details are fading:

Any situation where Hector rescues Maeve, or go bonus level and have Maeve rescue Hector
A reimagining of their first time in a different scenario, with or without park and host plot. Maeve can be a madam and Hector can be a bandit, set before she figured it all out.
If you're down to write smut, then more of what we saw already. Nape-grabbing, hanging-on-for-dear life need, and lots of Hector unable to resist her. Every scene where they came together was so good.
Maeve, as a madam, gets flirty with a customer, and Hector gets jealous. Can be before they're together or after.
An idea that appeals to me is some scenario where Hector starts to wonder if Maeve has changed him in any way, and she reveals she had to dial back his still-high desire for her because he was losing focus (or something like that). And then she restores it to the level it was before, and *chimes ring*

Fandom-specific DNWs: While noncon happens in Westworld, I don't want that in my gift story. And in an exception to my DNW for character death, I'm okay with one or both dying and being resurrected if it serves the story but please don't focus on the gruesomeness or pain of the death, and please end it with them alive, side by side and remembering each other.

Also, really don't worry if smut isn't for you. Just have them together doing things, and I'll enjoy reading it!

The Tick
Characters: Any (Tick, Arthur Everest, Dot Everest, Miss Lint, Overkill, Onward|Midnight)

Oh lord I loved this show. How dare they cancel it. I want more of the sheer goodness and delight of it. Overcoming adversity, friendship, loyalty, trying to do what's right. A story in the tone of the show would be grand with any character or combination of them.

If you want prompts:

Dot's no longer on the outside, and has come to see Arthur for what he really is all while discovering new and wonderful things about herself. How does this change their sibling dynamic? How does this change the way they both relate to Tick? (Anything with Tick, Dot and Arthur, adventure or conversation, would be great, but just the siblings alone would be, too.
I do ship Dot/Overkill, and if you want to get them together I am down for that, with or without sex. A first time between them would be a lot of fun. I love Overkill's awkwardness with her, though it's obvious they have strong feelings between them, and Dot's coming into her own with her powers would be an interesting thing to explore between them. She can save herself now, but I like that she can save him, too.
Overkill/Miss Lint is interesting. Was his thing with Miss Lint merely sexual and he's the way he is with Dot because he actually cares about her in a way that's new to him, or did Miss Lint break his heart? As I said, I ship Overkill/Dot, but if you wanted to write a story from the past with Overkill and Miss Lint, even a sexy one, that's a-ok!
Overkill's past and survivor's guilt is a little darker in tone, but exploring that would make a good story especially in the context of this new found family helping him recover. I'm also down for Dot specifically there for him helping him deal with PTSD, nightmares, anything.
What would happen if Midnight woke up in a dog pound? What if he had to go undercover for a case somehow as a regular dog owned by any of the other characters. I'm picturing Miss Lint walking him and the banter they might have, for instance. That scenario with The Tick would be fun, too. Miss Lint and Arthur posing as a couple walking their dog? Overkill and Dot? (Pretend couples for cases or any reason would be fun without the dog, too.)
Tick doing anything unpleasant with almost anybody and managing to find the bright side of it would be fun. Having to sort through trash for a clue, or anything that would be a grind with him constantly pointing out the good aspects of it. He's blue joy, and I love him.
If Tick and Overkill were trapped together for any length of time, would Tick's ability to find good in the simplest of things rub off on Overkill a tiny bit or make him even grumpier?
The idea of Tick and Miss Lint really becoming buddies appeals to me so much. And Miss Lint's redemption and growing humanity does, too. She pretended to kill Frank and her henchmen instead of actually doing it. There's a heart under all that static cling, so let her reluctantly show it, even if she acts horrified afterward.

Feel free to throw in unnommed characters like Tinfoil Kevin (love him!), Dangerboat (I'm fine with Arthur/Dangerboat dynamics), Arthur and Dot's mom and stepdad, Superian or other characters if you want to. I just love the whole show.

Strange Angel
Characters: Jack Parsons, Ernest Donovan

I ship Jack/Ernest. It's such a wonderful couple of characters and relationship in such an uneven but interesting show. I think it's only available on CBS All Access, where I watched it while I had the channel for Star Trek: Discovery, and probably through Amazon to stream, no free sources I know of. I wish more people watched it and shipped them!

I haven't watched the second season yet, but I really thought in the first season the relationship between these two might go a little differently. I don't think there's any doubt Ernest wants him with him surreptitiously watching Jack get a blowjob, his reaction when called on it, and of course the awesome scene of him following a Jack look-a-like into a gay bar are more than enough for me to feel like his desire for Jack is super clear. Add in his expressions, the touching...yup.

If you ship them too, I'd love a story set in the first season that gets them together, whether a new scene or changing an old one, whether in the context of Thelema sex magick or a spontaneous encounter while they're alone together. Go full Yuleporn or have one of their intimate friendship scenes or even when they're fighting lead to a kiss and some tension and no further, up to you.

If you don't ship them and/or don't want to write smut, I'd love a story that focuses on the friendship and Ernest's devotion to Jack, and Jack's belief that Ernest has helped him break through to another level. Ernest is so sure that Jack in his life is somehow going to reveal his own true purpose, and getting Jack's dreams to come true is going to help him is so damn endearing and incredibly intense. Each man is so incredibly important to the other, and they make no bones about it. Love that. More of that!

Ernest is so screwed up and lost (and I do have a thing for broken characters). The guy needs about a million hugs and to be needed and any story where Jack fills that emptiness for him, shippy, smutty or platonic, is good for me.

If you want prompts:

The scene where Jack found Ernest in the desert, Ernest's expression during the second hug, the way he sort of melted and looked so happy, that scene could use expanding. What was he thinking? What did they talk about afterward the hug? Ernest had to be so happy and feel so close to Jack then, and I'd love to see it. Here's the clip. One of the best moments between them, of many.
I love the scene where after they've fought Jack recruits him to help with his rocket project in the desert, even though Ernest is put out with him, and says love is the law no matter what form it takes, and of course Ernest is going to help him, that's great friendship stuff or shippy stuff, depending on how you see it. Ernest was so damn pleased to be included and felt so important to Jack then (and he was). Deep dive into it. That's the kind of thing I love.
Getting Jack to live as his true self is so important to Ernest, but he hides his feelings and who he is despite the fluid sexuality of many who practiced Thelema. And the fact that other people can see through him anyway. Let them both get so exhausted or so relaxed that truth comes out and Ernest has to face his fear of being that vulnerable to someone whose rejection could crush him. (I did DNW focus on sexuality and identity, but in a story where Ernest comes out to Jack, that would be perfectly fine.)
Hurt/comfort such as Jack being the one to bail him out and nurse his wounds after the fight and arrest at the gay bar, or Ernest helping Jack through a rocket-related injury.
Them alone in the desert, doing more than talking about Thelema and rockets (or doing just that, in their intense and interesting way). I would love to read a first-time story between them set somewhere during the first season. Or do your own take differently than S2 on what happened right after the end of S1 that gets them together.
At the lodge, when the ceremony has ended but people break off into couples and groups for sex, the two of them can pair off, maybe reluctantly at first, but whoo boy, I'm not ashamed to admit that them getting into it and being full of feelings and banging away in some kind of religious and sexual euphoria sounds pretty damned delicious. I can see Jack being the more reluctant and Ernest having to seduce him, but as long as Ernest doesn't force himself onto Jack and Jack does want him and comes around quickly, a-ok.

If you ship them but don't want to write sex, ship away without it. If you're not interested in shipping and/or smutting :) please just write something that showcases their unique and intimate friendship dynamics, and I'll be excited to read it!

Wellington Paranormal
Characters: Officer O'Leary, Officer Kyle Minogue

This show is so much fun. I think it's a wonderful spin-off of What We Do in the Shadows, which is one of my favorite movies.

Any kind of paranormal case or everyday interactions between Minogue and O'Leary (and Sergeant Maaka is fine as well, but I'd like the focus on the two mains) would be great. I love their friendship, and really how O'Leary seems to be the lead and Minogue defers to her a lot. And I love how hell can break free and their reaction is to explain the situation calmly and say "we'd better do something about that, hadn't we?"

Any casefic or just casual conversation about anything driving around in the car would work for me. I ship it, but friendship is fine, too!

Fandom specific DNWs: I'd rather not have PWP with this fandom, but if you ship 'em and want to write a funny romantic or sexual encounter between them in the spirit of the show--things going wrong and everything still turning out okay in the end--that would probably be awesome!

If you'd like prompts:

After exposure to some paranormal creature Minogue starts to grow a tail or horns some other bizarre thing. I can picture him trying to hide it at first and then revealing it, and O'Leary taking it in stride like, "Oh, well, that's not good, is it? No, it's not. Where will you find pants/a hat to fit? Tricky that," in the way they casually and hilariously deal with the most alarming things on the show. How do the solve the problem, or do they?
They have to use a ouija board or some other device to try to contact someone who's passed on for information about a case? How crazily wrong could that go if they lose track of the letters and decipher the message incorrectly?
One becomes psychic and drives the other crazy by constantly saying what will happen next, but only mundane things. Girl in the coffee shop's wearing purple today, before they get there, but not that someone naked is going to dash in front of their car, or something worth predicting.
One gets possessed and the entity has messages show up on their skin, and they both keep interpreting the meanings wrong, but somehow fix it anyway.
If you ship it, I do like truth spells and such in paranormal canons. O'Leary is cursed to say everything on her mind for a solid day, and can't avoid Minogue to keep from saying things that will obviously give her attraction up. Doesn't have to be "I love you" but odd things true to her character like things she appreciates about him that sound non-romantic but from her really are.

If you have fun with them, so will I!

The Exorcist
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega

I'm still salty this show was cancelled by Fox and not picked up anywhere else.

Ben Daniels broke my heart with Marcus Keane and made him one of my favorite fictional characters anywhere. Alfonso Herrera did such a good job of making Tomas flawed and vulnerable, but also incredibly strong. And they fit so well together, as friends and brothers in arms, and in my view the UST screams out of the TV with these two.

What I'd like most is to maintain that kind of thing that shows their friendship and devotion, and the more hand-clasping and nape-touching you can get in there, the better. And if you want to get them to sex, by all means, but I think there'd be a desperation to it, with each--Marcus particularly--knowing he's going to regret it later and/or guilt that he didn't resist.

Fandom-specific DNWs: My general request was that any sex should fit in with the tone of the show if it could be shown on-screen, but while noncon could happen (hell, it has happened) on the show, I don't want noncon in a gift story. I'd also prefer no PWP. However, we can pull out that magical thing that only really exists in fiction, dubcon, in a story with, say, one of them possessed and being seductive toward the other. There was a lot of Marcus up against Tomas whispering into his ear, and that kind of thing, my friend, that is my jam, but not possessed-Marcus throwing him down and fucking him.

I'd also really prefer if god or religion didn't end up some kind of hero or saving grace in the story, aka don't let a miracle save the day or anything.

If you'd like prompts:

Marcus doesn't leave Tomas but stays to help him through what will surely be some post-demon PTSD. The hurt/comfort is strong with these two.
If you want to go a little dark, possessed Tomas taunting Marcus before he manages to banish the demon. The old gray lion and the cub thing kind of does it for me, so the demon taunting him about losing his cub, or about denying himself, whatever. It can hurt, because that's par for the course on this show, as long as the demon's cast out in the end.
A dream where first-season dark Marcus is whispering things in Tomas' ear would be good, too. Or possessed-Marcus does it, and it can lead to some sort of seduction or not.
Post-show continuation. What's Marcus been doing all this time, and why does he tearfully whisper Tomas' name? Have him find Tomas (with or without Mouse still around) and help him.
If god could convince Marcus that loving someone and expressing that through sex wouldn't make him less an exorcist, that'd be really great. Tomas might point out that he'd know if that were evil with his newfound skills and all.
Just about anything--post-exorcism conversation and comfort (I loved the bar scene at the end of season 1), navigating each other's spaces, a story about something they did together between S1 and S2, investigating the church.

If you want to throw another character into some kind of exorcism or adventure, I do love Devon Bennett and his relationship to both of them. So if you'd like to write something where he could be there helping, feel free! (Maybe they save Bennett? I hate that he got integrated.) I also like Verity, and Kat and Casey Rance. Don't feel obligated of course, but if you want to write any of those too, feel free.

Just toss Marcus and Tomas in a scene together being who they are with each other and whee. :)

The Terror
Characters: Any (James Fitzjames, Francis Crozier, Harry Goodsir, Lady Silence | Silna, Thomas Blanky, Edward Little, Alexander McDonald, John Bridgens, Graham Gore, Harry Peglar, Koveyook, Henry Collins, Cornelius Hickey, John Irving, William Gibson, Thomas Jopson, Thomas Hartnell, Thomas Armitage, Solomon Tozer)

I loved so much about this exceptional and heartbreaking show. The acting was off the chain which made a gripping story even more powerful. I haven't read Dan Simmons' book yet, but it's on my long, long TBR list.

Loyal, loving friendships are my jam, and that's extra true if those relationships are between men, and sometimes more so when it goes beyond friendship (bonus points for that being in an era where this couldn't be done openly). I also love that almost every character is a good person who wants to be good and usually ends up pushed away from their moral center by desperate circumstances, and that many if not most redeem themselves in some way. Almost everybody at least flirts with gray at some point. Good, good stuff.

I do ship Bridgens/Peglar and Goodsir/Lady Silence, but if you want to write any of those characters without shipping them, I'll enjoy that, too! In general any of these characters interacting, a deep dive into a scene or scenes of the show, missing scenes, imagined conversations, backstories and pre-show friendships, letters or journal entries, or any expressions of friendship and loyalty are fine by me. I like the bonding opportunities inherent in two ships full of people stuck together for years.

Fandom-specific DNWs: No death-focused story. Yes, I know all die save one, but I don't want the story to be about anyone's death specifically or to focus on that. Referencing past deaths is okay. Francis thinking about what Sir John might have said about his latest decision and mournfully wishing he could discuss it with him for a moment in the context of a bigger story, for example, is fine. A thousand words about Bridgens mourning Peglar as he lay on the rocks, please no. This includes animal death.

I'd also prefer not to get a story that romanticizes Hickey/Gibson. Hickey being manipulative with Gibson is fine, even in a sexual context, but I definitely don't ship them or find them exciting or endearing together.

My general DNW was also no unrequested ships, and I know Little/Jopson and Crozier/Fitzjames are popular. I'll be honest, I don't ship them, but I'm not opposed to them. If your heart's set on writing either one, I'd rather not have just PWP, but first-time sex or intimate goings-on between them, how they got together and why, would be okay. Convince me and maybe I'll have a new ship.

Also, in an exception to the fact that I really don't like first-person fanfic, journal entries and letters are naturally in first, so if you're moved to write an epistolary story (I do like those!), that's fine.

If you'd like prompts, here are a ton of questions I have that I think could lead to interesting stories, and they involve all of the nominated characters. I've bolded the names when the prompt's about them for easy scanning in case you don't want to read it all (and I wouldn't blame you!). And even though I have my two ships and some characters might give me more ideas than others, I'll enjoy reading about any character(s) you choose:

John Bridgens loved words and books, and was such a gentle soul, helping Goodsir with the ill and dying, so it's easy to see him pouring things out in writing. Did he write as well as read? He told a dying Fitzjames that poems would be written about him, so I wonder if he thought maybe he might do that if he survived. (The real Fitzjames published a poem, so this was an interesting nod.)
What did Harry Peglar write in his journal? Thoughts about Bridgens or the books he gave him to read, or did he write things of his own, too? I absolutely ship Bridgens/Peglar, but they can have an intimate and loving relationship in the context of friendship or a father/son dynamic if you're not into them as being in love. What book or piece of writing did they bond over? Did Peglar or Bridgens show his affection first, or was it mutual? In any story with both of them, I don't need them to declare their love for one another out loud, but expressions of affection much like we saw on the show are fantastic.
Harry Goodsir is such an innocent and moral man who's shocked by the brutality of life and death despite his profession, and one of the most clever characters on the show. His protectiveness of Lady Silence and their growing friendship and intimacy are so endearing, that anything involving them would be great. I do ship Goodsir/Lady Silence, but friendship is perfectly fine. If Goodsir survived, would he want her to stay with him, or would he possibly stay with her? And in a mild exception to my death DNW, what was his thought process when he decided to poison himself to kill Hickey and the others? (Don't go as far as him writing the wrist-slitting, but how he came to the decision and justified it is fine.)
I like Goodsir's relationship with Alexander McDonald, who became a mentor and obviously held Goodsir in high regard, as well as they way they figured out the crew was suffering from lead poisoning together. He also talks to Lady Silence, and I feel like the language and the interest in medicine is something they could bond over.
What did McDonald go through having to amputate Thomas Blanky's leg or treat Hickey's wounds after the flogging?
I get the sense that despite James Fitzjames' loyalty to Sir John, he never revealed as much to him as he did to Francis Crozier. I loved how close they ended up, so any conversations or more between them would be great. Especially if it references things they used to do that annoyed each other.
Thomas Blanky and Francis broke my heart near the end. Francis' anguish when Blanky showed his gangrenous leg had me bursting into tears. They had such a friendship, not without its trials. Anything with these two interacting, even if it's bittersweet like conversation between the leg reveal and Blanky luring the Tuunbaq away from them, would be great. Earlier's good too, because they must have had plenty of conversations before and after Blanky lost his leg. (BTW, Blanky with the ropes and forks. I've rarely smiled that much during a death scene.)
Lady Silence | Silna not only has an endearing friendship with Goodsir, but the weight of the world on her shoulders after her father's death. Cutting your own tongue off takes an incredible amount of courage and belief. Any exploration or backstory about this is welcome. Did she witness her father doing the same years earlier? She knew Koveyook and his family. How did they know each other?
What did Koveyook think of the desperate and hungry John Irving and the spyglass he was given in exchange for the seal meat? How many white men had he encountered before?
Was Graham Gore relieved or disappointed to not be the one to put on the diving suit to free the propeller as he helped Henry Collins get into it? Did he and Collins discuss what Collins was about to do, and any misgivings either had about it?
Collins was deeply affected by Orrens' death. My prompts here are an exception to my no-death-focus DNW. I think he was haunted by it well after the experience of seeing Orrens' body floating when he dove. He told Franklin the dive was like a dream, so I wondered if he'd had nightmares about being unable to save Orren the night before. Anything between Orren's death and his dive, or his thoughts during the dive, interests me (that dive sequence was gripping), as well as what he was thinking and feeling as he became more paranoid and confused by his illness.
What would have happened if Francis had shown Cornelius Hickey some mercy and not made an example of him during the flogging?
What made Hickey who he is? Scenes from his life before the voyage.
When William Gibson told Irving that Hickey was a devious seducer, how much of that was true? Did he deep down feel he'd been forced or coerced into the relationship like he let on (which is my headcanon, but explore that as you will). Had Gibson been with any other men?
For Edward Little, leaving the ill behind had to be the most difficult decision he made and must have caused him great anguish. How did he justify it to himself? What's your theory on his last word to Francis and his facial piercings? In his madness, had he thrown off all the restrictions of his military beliefs and tried anything that might help, or was it something else?
Little seemed happy for Thomas Jopson on his promotion. Any scenes between them, bonding or Little helping him settle into his new responsibilities, would be great.
Jopson's devotion to Francis, particularly during his detox from alcohol, is wonderful. Anything during that time, or later when Jopson's the one who needs care from Francis, would be great. That's definitely one thing Little and Jopson had in common: their devotion to Francis Crozier.
Thomas Hartnell and Thomas Armitage were both involved in kidnapping Lady Silence and bringing her back to the ship with Hickey and Manson. Hartnell was lashed, but Armitage didn't come forward. Did the two Tom's ever discuss the lashing and Armitage's unwillingness to admit what he'd done and be punished? When Armitage sided with Hickey, did Hartnell think that if only he'd been honest and been flogged like the rest, maybe things would have turned out differently?
John Irving interests me because of how he dealt with catching Hickey and Gibson. He didn't turn them in, and seemed to react with great compassion to Gibson's confession, and wanted Hickey to find god to turn away from such things. Had he ever had feelings for another man and used god to turn away from that, or was he just a devout Christian? Did he feel uneasy at all scouting with Hickey?
Was Irving a marked man in Hickey's mind the first time Irving confronted him about his sexuality?
Irving intended to cure Manson of his fear of ghosts by locking him in with the dead, and Hickey showed compassion by jumping in and helping Manson. What were Hickey's reasons for that? Had he been locked in somewhere before and wanted to spare Manson that fear? He's not exactly altruistic, so this glimpse of kindness from him is interesting. What did Irving think of it?
Solomon Tozer is another character who went darkside eventually but started out so moral and upstanding, doing things like caring for Heather after his skull was ripped off and being concerned that the men weren't armed. As fellow marines, he and Heather must have a backstory. Glimpses of their friendship, one saving or helping the other, or anything.
After Hickey was flogged and Tozer seemed sympathetic, did they have any conversations or interactions that helped lead to Tozer eventually siding with him?

Whew. I hope those questions help spark an idea if you need one.

Thank you so much for writing a story in one of my fandoms. Don't stress about it; have fun! I can't wait to read what you come up with!