Relationshipping Letter 2019
Jul. 24th, 2019 09:57 amHey there, writer! If you’re reading this, I’m so happy you’ve signed up to write for me and I’m psyched to see what you come up with. Here’s a little bit about what I like. There’s general notes at the beginning, and fandom-specific likes later on. I’m happy for anything on the likes lists, general or specific!
Thank you in advance for the gift— I hope you’ll enjoy writing it as much as I’ll enjoy reading it!
Basic info:
• AO3: Electra_XT
• Tumblr, although there’s not much there: electra-xt.tumblr.com
General likes:
• I love canons about team dynamics, as you’ll see, and the way relationships form between people who fight together.
• Powerful people being insecure and/or vulnerable. Most of these characters are superheroes in some way, and I’d love to see the way that affects their self-conceptions and how they interact with other people. In superhero/superhero ships, do the characters feel daunted by their partners’ powers? I have a soft spot for super-strong characters feeling super weak.
• Fashion and descriptions of clothes. If you’re the kind of person who likes to squee over fashion and makeup, so am I. If it’s not your thing don’t bend over backwards to include it, but if it is, go wild.
• Banter, humor, quippy dialogue.
• Infidelity. Affairs, secret trysts, “I really shouldn’t be doing this, but…”
• Shippy casefic. Characters bonding over a shared mission.
• Get-together fics. First times. Characters rebuilding their relationships after breakups.
• Internalized homophobia. Characters figuring out their sexualities.
• Angst with a happy ending.
• Superpowers used in unusual ways.
Smut likes:
• Dirty talk! The more the better. I love characters saying out loud what they want to do to the other person, or what they want the other person to do to them, or how they feel about what’s happening.
• Sexual fantasies
• Consensual humiliation
• Characters getting off on kinkshaming/being kinkshamed: “you’re into this thing and now I know you’re into it and you know I know that,” being into being called a pervert, etc.
• Exhibitionism/voyeurism/mirror sex. I love characters seeing and being seen.
• Lingerie
• Breast play
• Roleplay
• Sexual dysfunction, insecurity around sex, body image issues
DNW:
• Unhappy endings
• Major character death
• Underage sex (below 16)
• Rape/non-con
• Unrequested trans headcanons
• Unrequested ships
• Unrequested kinks
• Suicide/self-harm, gore
• Prominent OCs
• Non-traditional formats (e.g. poetry)
• 1st or 2nd person POV
MCU
Fandom-specific likes:
• 2012-style “they all live in the tower” fic.
• Fix-its— for Civil War, Endgame, etc.
• Steve and Tony having a long history with each other— maybe they used to be together and then broke up and then get together, or Tony grew up resenting Steve because of Howard’s obsession with him, or lots and lots of pining.
• Incorporated elements of 616 canon, if that’s your thing.
• Iron Man armor kink; Steve’s super-strength kink.
• Plots incorporating Tony’s alcoholism or wild playboy past.
2012!Steve Rogers/2023!Steve Rogers/2023!Tony Stark: I was crossing my fingers for selfcest opportunities when I first heard rumors of time travel in Endgame and damn, did that movie deliver. I’d love to see Steve and Steve bonding over anything, including over their mutual love of Tony, but it would also be hilarious for both of the Steves to individually set their sights on Tony and butt heads over him. Maybe Tony has to break up a fight between 2023 Steve and 2012 Steve about that or something else, and he acts as the mediator between two equally bullheaded, earnest super soldiers. In terms of porn, I’d be equally delighted to see Tony either getting double-teamed by two Steves or bossing them both around in bed. And I’m happy with one Steve and Tony in an established relationship, or a total get-together fic. Two Steves, one Tony! Go wild!
2012!Tony Stark/2023!Tony Stark: The inherent crackiness of fucking your past self is balanced here by the tremendous difference between 2012 Tony and 2023 Tony. (I’m equally happy with 2012 Tony pre- or post-Chitauri invasion.) I’d love to see battered 2023 Tony having to face his more flip, less traumatized past incarnation. I’d be fascinated to see a hurt/comfort angle on this: maybe 2012 Tony asks his future self if they defeat Thanos, and 2023 has to figure out how to answer him, or 2012 Tony reminds despondent 2023 Tony what he really values in life. Time travel fuckery is also more than welcome— does 2023 Tony say anything to 2012 Tony that creates a causality loop? I’m also very happy with a porn take on this, because, well, Tony Stark would totally fuck his alternate universe self. (And I’m always happy with background Steve/Tony if that’s your jam, but that is obviously optional!)
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The Umbrella Academy (comics)
Fandom-specific likes:
• Diego and Vanya’s punk band from their youth
• Hurt/comfort, especially if the grudges are still simmering
• The wackiness of the comics. Aliens? Robots? Alien robots?
• Diego’s hardboiled detective aesthetic. If you want to turn him into a stoic woobie, be my guest.
• Exploring the moral messiness of the characters. Vanya went feral and caused the apocalypse on purpose in this canon, and Diego has the capacity to be pretty ruthless too (although happy endings please!)
• Nostalgia for the bonds the siblings had when they were kids.
Diego Hargreeves/Vanya Hargreeves: Literally every interaction Diego and Vanya have in the comics is brimming with sexual tension. I’m not even lying. From the punk band they formed in their youth to their mutual hatred as adults, Diego and Vanya are important to each other, and always have been. I’d love to see enemies-to-lovers for these two, especially if it draws on the lingering sadness over their past closeness and it ends well. Hatesex in a seedy motel! Mutual pining! Brooding! There’s so much to love with this estranged brother-sister pair.
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The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Fandom-specific likes:
• Fics set in any period— when they’re all teenagers at the Academy, when they’re all scattered, when they all come together for the apocalypse, and beyond.
• Canon-divergence AUs where the apocalypse gets totally fixed.
• Diego’s stutter and any insecurities surrounding that.
• References to missions the siblings went on when they were in the Academy.
• If you’re familiar with Diego’s breath-holding power from the comics, feel free to bring that in!
• Klaus as more of a contrary, flawed asshole than a breathless, teary woobie. Everyone as flawed assholes trying to do their best. Repairing the family after years of fucked-up trauma and infighting.
Allison Hargreeves/Diego Hargreeves: Allison and Diego kick ass. I loved seeing Allison’s combat skills, and I’d imagine that that’s the kind of thing that would earn Diego’s respect/admiration. The competence kink is strong with these two. I love any configuration of dom/sub with them— I equally love Allison turning tough Diego into a stuttering mess, and Diego letting Allison surrender control for once in her life, and they both wear so much leather! I’m also interested in the idea of Diego having a childhood crush on Allison, just like Luther did.
Allison Hargreeves/Diego Hargreeves/Luther Hargreeves: The way these three work as a unit is golden— Allison tames and focuses the combustion engine of Diego and Luther, but she’s equally badass and can go toe-to-toe with them. I love how competitive they all are, and I’d love to see Diego and Luther fighting over Allison… or Allison and Diego fighting over Luther, or Allison and Luther fighting over Diego… but I also cherish the three of them on equal footing as a super competent team! I’d be super interested to see fic set when they’re all kids/teenagers living at the Academy, or as adults.
Allison Hargreeves/Vanya Hargreeves: Two words: yay sisters. Allison and Vanya have a tense and complex relationship in the show, and that translates beautifully to their romantic/sexual chemistry. I’m especially drawn to the ways that Allison gets whatever she wants all the time, and Vanya is always denied. How does Allison try to be a “good sister” to Vanya? How does she fail? Does she even need to be? I love mutual pining for these two, whether it starts when they’re children or when they’re adults. Other things I’m into: the contrast between unassuming Vanya and flashy Allison, internalized homophobia, sexual fantasies… honestly, I am down for pretty much anything with these two.
Diego Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves: Diego and Klaus are such a bulletproof pair of strong personalities who clash even as they care deeply for each other. I’m really interested in the dynamic of them both being so emotionally sensitive, but Diego pushes his feelings down while Klaus over-exaggerates them. I’d love to see Diego and Klaus struggling with these roles they put themselves in— maybe Diego refuses to ever admit weakness in front of Klaus, or Klaus assumes he’s not worth anything because he’s the teary family disappointment, and they both end up realizing that there’s more to themselves than their overblown personas. Hurt/comfort is always welcome. In terms of porn, I have no top/bottom preferences, and I love stuttering teary Diego and swaggering leather daddy Diego in equal measure.
Diego Hargreeves/Luther Hargreeves: On the surface, the outright animosity between Diego and Luther creates irresistible chemistry for an enemies-to-lovers ship, but I’m also incredibly drawn to the deep, underlying trust between them. Number One and Number Two need each other in equal measure, but it’s hard for them to admit it. I’d love mutual pining or slow burn with these two, especially if they’re in deep denial about their feelings for whatever reason. Maybe Luther feels guilty about tarnishing his Number One reputation by falling for his brother, or Diego won’t let himself acquiesce to his brother and feels like he needs to prove how macho he is at all times, or there’s some internalized homophobia in the air, or anything else. I love them struggling to be vulnerable around each other— maybe Diego stutters— and eventually learning to trust each other and give into their mutual attraction.