it's ours this time and won't the children be suprised?

[daken]

dear yule-writer!

Thank you for offering any of these fandoms ♥

I'm so excited to see what you come up with! I tried to make this as skim-friendly as possible. The tl;dr of it all is that if you touch on anything I mention liking even slightly — and, as you'll come to see very soon, I have a lot of things that I like — I'll be elated.

I always have way too much fun when it comes to letter writing; below is a page jump so you can hop to whatever fandom we matched on quickly. Please take my note at the top seriously, pick whatever you like, and burn the rest of it, honestly.

(LIKES | DISLIKES)
THE ACCOUNTANT | DOMINION
MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT
NARCOS | REDWATER | TENNIS RPF

( quick note )

I’ve tried to break the prompts into a format that works for the less-is-more writer and the more-is-more writer. Feel free to pick and choose aspects of the prompts that you like, and disregard and-or change whatever doesn’t work for you.

If you come up with an idea that’s similar to a prompt I left below, but not quite on the nose, go for it! If ¾ of a prompt really works for you, but the final ¼ doesn’t, only work with the bit that does! Mixing and matching is also well and good.

⟿The top level prompt suggestions are generalized, complete ideas. Know what you want to write now? Great!

Not sure what to write? Mind swimming with too many possibilities? Not enough possibilities? The questions and ideas following the top-level are here for you, just in case you need more prompting!

likes!

⟿ I really like strong relationships. I am super into reading about how their relationships work: their unique dynamics, how they support one another, how they relate to each other, how they interact [pre-, post-, and during-canon when “offscreen”], where their wants and needs mesh up, where they differ; all it interests me immensely.

⟿ I love when people are equally invested in whatever they’re doing; completing a mission, building a relationship, putting together IKEA furniture! Them putting in the same amount of care and time into what they're doing and them respecting each other enough not to play games are all aspects that I like and usually what draws me to character(s) in the first place.

Rather than miscommunication causing drama, I love it when bluntness and frankness causes that tension instead! Characters saying what they want or what they've done, point blank, and then leaving it to the other character to decide if they can handle that; quiet characters taking their time and really mulling over their choices before telling the other person what they want: It’s all great.

⟿ Continuing off that, I love fucked-up, unhealthy relationships. Codependent relationships, dependent personality disorders being exploited by someone with a histrionic personality disorder, obsessive relationships: you can be giving it all to me. I love when a character is willing to literally let the world burn, should the world try to come between them and the person they love (romantically or platonically).

I love them doing questionable things or neglecting themselves in order to make their partner happy. I don't need it sugar coated or spun to make it seem healthy and alright, in fact I love it when the characters know — fully or merely suspecting — that what they're feeling, to the level they're feeling it at, isn't healthy, but they enjoy it so much they wouldn't even think of getting help or trying to back off. Them being equally, fuck-up-ed-ly invested in their relationship is what I live for.

⟿ I love codas, alternate canons, semi-alternate universes, and canon divergences, and/or slight changes to canon. I also love established relationships/friendships, and domesticity. If you want to write me slice-of-life that details their routine or daily life, I'll eat that shit up.

⟿ I actually really love stuff that starts in the "middle"/in medias res of a fic. I don't need a lot of world building, especially if that's not something you're super into doing. If you've decided to take up one of my AU or canon-divergence ideas, I already know the basic background of what's going on so you can go right on ahead with the action of the story instead of spending a lot of time and effort in explaining how the situation came to be. However, if half the fun of AUs/divergences for you involves really delving deep into the universe and making yourself at home there, go wild!

⟿ When it comes to ratings, anything from G-rated schmoop to NC-17 sex is alright in my book.

Should you write a sex scene, here’s a general list of kinks/scenarios that I'm cool with:

age regression, age differences, underage, made-them-do-it, a/b/o, water sports (for marking/scenting and/or intimacy; less about being super into pee or humiliation), conditioning, frottage, gentleness, identity porn/anonymous sex, rough sex, marking, switching/no set sexual “roles”, possessiveness, power issues, abuse of power, dubcon, semi-public sex, sensory overload, sex addiction/compulsion, silence, d/S that’s focused on taking care/being cared for more than pain/humiliation, size differences and power dynamics — feel free to have the "smaller”/younger/more docile dude be more "dominant”/aggressive member of the relationship—, touching, slavefic, delayed emotional intimacy, captivity.

⟿ Finally, a general list of tropes/scenarios that I never turn down:

stuck in isolation together, forced closeness, age gaps, amnesia, viking/tribe/barbarian/pre-history au, android aus, hooker aus, western/rancher/farmer aus, trope inversions & subversions, sex before feelings, d/s that’s focused on taking care/being cared for more than pain/humiliation, soul mates/soul bonds, fake relationships, forced/arranged marriages, bodyswaps, exploring physical disabilities (losing sight/hearing/the ability to a speak).

⟿ Crueltide- & Yuletide-centric tropes can be found in their respective comments!

If you want or need specific prompts for them then go ahead and comment here anonymously with the prompt you'd like plus two random ones without any indication of the fandom, please! I'll give you prompts for all the tropes with my pairings — eighteen total.

dislikes!

⟿ Deathfic wherein the character(s) I requested dies and then the story ends; if they’re brought back to life via something supernatural, are reborn, are turned into a cyborg, etc. or the story continues on in the ~afterlife~, then fine! As long as the story doesn't end with "[…] and they died, the end", it's perfect.

⟿ Excessive angst wherein the majority of the fic is sadness/miscommunications and a tiny section at the end is happy/resolution; if from the outside/as an observer, the events are sad but the character(s) living that reality as their everyday life are happy/content/blind to it, then that's fine! I just don't like it when 50% or more of the fic is focused on someone's sadness/angst and how they react or wallow in said angst.

⟿ Embarrassment/humiliation (kink or otherwise), painplay/torture kink, cheating/infidelity, high school/university au, yentas/matchmaking/meddling friends, epistolary fic, crossdressing, noncon, genderswap/always-a-[opposite gender].

⟿ No canon wives, girlfriends, children, or family, please! This goes twice as hard for the ones that aren't famous. 

⟿ Not a fan of crossovers, but fusions are always cool.

A Tennis RPF fusion with Man in an Orange Shirt where Rafa and Roger find one another as mid-century tennis players would be amazing. Redwater fused with The Accountant where Andy and Kieran are mercenaries who find their way back to one another is very much relevant to my interests. A Narcos fusion with Dominion where Pacho is an part of an archangel coven that runs the Earth now that God has abandoned them all is basically begging to be written, right?

⟿ If we don’t share any ships thats absolutely fine! All I ask is that you don’t pair them up with other people/have romance with them be a major plot point of the story.

⟿ No preference between past and present tense, although I prefer 3^rd-Person Narration well above all others.

THE ACCOUNTANT (2016)

BRAXTON & CHRISTIAN

Watch on HBO or here.

I saw this in theatres last year expecting a fun thriller without much else and came out obsessed. I love basically everything they didn’t explain almost as much as they stuff they did.

I was shocked (in a pleasant way, it’s not often that the whole gender-dictated-parental-roles get a trope inversion!) when their father was the one to stay, but by the end of the film I think a lot of his sense of duty showed up in Christian in Braxton in a way that explained why he was the one to stick out having a disabled kid in a not-so-friendly time. But I keep finding myself wondering, just why in the hell was he so hard on Braxton? Why didn’t the mom want to take Braxton with her when it was clear her main issue was that she didn’t want ‘non-normal’ children? 

The following is absolutely, 100% headcanon so feel free to ignore (doing so won’t break any potential fic for me!) but — I really feel as if Braxton was coded as gay throughout the film, and I’m utterly fascinated by that choice?

Was there something ‘wrong’ with Braxton, too, that made her give up on him and made their dad feel like he needed to train Braxton just as hard as he did with Christian, so that they would both be able to keep themselves safe from abuse in a world where they didn’t quite fit in? Given the type of msn their father seemed to be, there really didn’t seem to be a reason for him to be as hard on Braxton as he was unless he was “helping” Braxton too.

TL;DR Is Braxton gay? Beyond the weirdness of him being outwardly ’normal’ yet still taken to task by his father like he has something to prove, it came off to me like there were references to his being gay in nearly every scene that he was in. In a world where all of the characters dressed conservatively, Braxton is flamboyant and stylish, doing his own thing.

There’s a line when he talks Chilton into killing himself where he threatens to sexually assault his wife before instantly backing off. He says that “besides what it [sexually assaulting Mrs. Chilton] would say about me as a human being, physiologically it’s a nonstarter”, which seems like such a weird thing to say. Why would it be physiologically be impossible, specifically? Is it because he can’t/won’t get it up for women in general? 

Alright, that’s the cliffnotes version of my case! Subscribe to it if you feel so inclined; honestly, if you told me that Braxton’s sexuality was a subplot that got scrapped but they never bothered to go back and reshoot/edit out the artifacts of that plot from the film, I wouldn’t even blink.

Getting back to Christian, Braxton, and their relationship, I’m fascinated by the sacrifices Braxton has made for Christian, and how it seems like Braxton is the only living person — especially now that Francis is gone — Christian has the ability to really connect with and allows to bring out his emotions, especially positive ones. There isn’t a single scene besides their reunion where Christian seems so utterly himself than in the reunion with his brother, and I’d love to see that explored more. There wasn’t a point in any of the flashbacks where Christian ever seemed to feel less-than or unequal to his brother — why is that?

Braxton gave up an ‘easy’ life with his mom to stay his intense dad and autistic brother. Making a choice like that while being as young as he was says a lot about him and his character, and it says a lot about their relationship. I love how Braxton is a ruthless mercenary who seems to have reached a point in his career where he can pick and choose his clients based on his own moral compass, and so exploring that would also be great!

While I do ship them, I’d love Braxton/OMC, so if you wanted to through that in as a background to a Braxton & Christian story, I’d be in heaven.

PRE-CANON

⟿ Growing up without a 'home'.

Their dad was in secret military ops and we saw from their time together in Jakarta(?) that it seems like they spent a lot of time where they were the only Americans/only children. What was that like? How did it shape their relationship? Their dad already made them do everything together — how was that heightened by them literally only having one another to play with and talk to? To what degree were their lives entwined, and for how long?

⟿ Filling in the years before their estrangement.

Braxton clearly saw Christian going with/asking their dad to come with him to go to their mom’s funeral as a betrayal of their relationship, so what exactly was that relationship like? 

We saw their grade school years — what were their teen years like? 

What about Christian’s time in the military? Were they more than brothers then? Was it a long distance relationship? Was it platonic? When did that change? Was Braxton also in the military? What was he doing while Christian was off doing his thing?

⟿ How they got together.

Did Braxton have boyfriends before he and Christian got together? How did Christian take that? How did their dad take it? Did Braxton see it as a bonus act of rebellion against their father, or did he keep it secret and only tell Christian? Or has Braxton only ever been with Christian?

Has Christian ever had a boyfriend before? Dating doesn’t really seem to be his forte, but anonymous sex? The Batfleck connection is right there — maybe Christian isn’t the best at face to face, but he can pull a Bruce Wayne and do anonymous sex like a pro. How does Braxton feel about that? Is there first time because Braxton can’t stand the thought of someone only caring about his brother for his body? Does one of them (both of them?) realize that one of their anonymous hookups with a stranger didn’t happen to be with a stranger after all?

⟿ Was it Braxton who helped Christian learn his coping tactics (art, classical music, breakfast for dinner, etc)?

CANON

⟿ "I've been looking for you for ten years."

⟿ "[…] What, I think you're gonna be happy to see me, I guess?" "I am happy."

⟿ "You don't give a shit about me? You don't give a shit about me?!" And the way Christian just takes those punches, god.

⟿ Braxton killing one of his henchmen who refuses to stand down after Braxton orders him to. Christian killing Blackburn without blinking and then getting back to their conversation. Both of them looking proud yet unshocked (and in Braxton's case, turned on) at either of those things.

⟿ “I missed you, Braxton. ‘I missed you too, because I love you. You're my brother.’ ” is totally worthy of its own prompt? Give me Braxton voicing all the things Christian has a hard time saying, and Christian being all shy and happy every single time Braxton does it.

POST-CANON

⟿ Working together post-film.

Anything exploring how they had completely different reactions to the environments they grew up in (neurotypical-ness aside) and yet both ended up in the same ‘field’. How do their different-yet-the-same styles carry into their lives post-film?

After they reunite at the end of the film, could they team up together? How would that work: is Braxton doing more of the physical aspect while Christian handles the ‘books’ of their operation? Is Christian equally involved in the neck breaking? Do they work separately and then come home at night/on the weekends?

They both clearly care a lot about ‘fairness’ and don’t take an entirely devil-may-care mercenary approach since they’re both selective about the jobs they take. The Batfleck comparisons are obvious, but really I could see them as being a quasi-Batman & Robin duo. I can equally see them in a Superman & Batman situation where they do things independently.

⟿ Living together post-film.

Setting aside their jobs (i.e. if you aren’t looking to write some kind of action-thriller alongside the romance, please feel no obligation to do so), their little reunion scene made it pretty obvious that Braxton knows how to handle Christian like a pro. 

How will things be now that they’re back in one another’s lives? 

Is what we saw during their reunion — Braxton ‘helping’ Christian by voicing the things he forgets/doesn’t know how to say (“I missed you, Braxton. ‘I missed you too, because I love you. You're my brother.’ ”); Christian being awkward but clearly not in his usual way where he wants to get the fuck out of dodge — their usual dynamic? 

Is Christian awkward due to him being unused to being around someone who knows and accepts him? 

Is Braxton out of sorts too, and his openness was out of the norm, e.g. neither of them are really at their ‘best’? 

What does ‘their best’ look like, and how do they get back there? If their best if exactly what we saw in the film, why was it so easy to pick everything back up, and how do they feel about that?

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿ Less merc-for-hire, more vigilante.

The movie was billed as "Batman with Autism" so give me Batman with Autism. (Although, isn't Christian more like Clark? Superman: Always feeling like an alien no matter how hard he tries to fit in!)

Does Braxton become his Robin, or is it more of a World's Finest team-up where they're equally heroic? Does Braxton still like living more on the edge than Christian? Is he a Lex Luthor-esque anti-hero who looks to make good ends despite what questionable means get him there, and his relationship with Christian prevents the hero from ever taking him down for good?

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ Fusion with other action brother duos!

This canon is pretty heavy, so it would be interesting to see these two in a situation where they're no less codependent but had far less of a tragic life, and see all that ways that changes them, and in what way's they're still the same.

The main one that comes to mind are the Shaw Brothers from the Fast & Furious franchise. What if they came from a crazy but less abusive family where they still end up with military training and still end up on the wrong side of the law?

Or the Malloy twins from Ocean's (Movies), where they're conmen who have enough money to get as far away from one another as they could ever want, yet still live in eachother's pockets?

Or any other fandom of your choice!

DOMINION (TV)

GABRIEL & MICHAEL

Watch it here or here.

This show was so good to me, from the canonical codependecy and obsession between Gabriel and Michael to the major incest vibes that existed between them from the literal first moment they get to interact, made all the better by how they constantly wouldn’t stop really hammering home that not only are they brothers, but they are twins made in the exact same moment and had previously existed as the same person before God plucked them into existence — oh, has Gabriel mentioned that he knows everything that Michael thinks and feels yet this episode? I feel like we’re a little light on that ‘five times minimum quota. 

I feel as if the show did great job giving them such rich and complex backstories — shared and individual, for a given value of individual given that they’ve been together since before literal time was even a thing — that felt full and lived in before we even got to see flashbacks, but hoo boy! Those flashbacks. Here for it!

I loved the Legion film as well, so blending the canons together with a more heavy-handed touch than the show did is fine by me.

Season Two pretty much gave me everything I had been hoping for in terms of their backstory and their on-screen interactions in the present, so if you want to wallow in all of that then please and thank you. What I loved about it so much was that it was clearly them getting back to their default, though, and what it says about how they were for literal millennia before their brief disagreement that precluded the start of the show.

I’d love anything set in just about any period of their lives: right after their inception by God and what life was like in Heaven/the universe before God took up The Human Project; during the Torah/Quran/“Old Testament” part of their histories and how their dispositions from how we know them in canon were completely flipped; whatever life was like in modern times before God bailed; their lives when they’re on opposite sides in the post-God war, and how they couldn’t even manage to do that right with all their rendezvous; however you see S3 having gone; and beyond!

PRE-CANON

⟿ Michael/Gabriel&David: What it was like for Michael to be on the outside of Gabriel being in a two-person unit that didn't include him. 

We saw how badly Gabriel dealt with Michael's relationship with Alex on the show, but never really got to see how Michael dealt with Gabriel & David. Gabriel was absolutely besotted with David. (If you're familiar with futbol, their few scenes reminded me of a ye olde version of Cristiano & Cristianinho, seriously.)

I'd love to see how the bitter & jaded version of Michael that existed during that time felt towards David? Was it jealousy? Apathy? Something else? Were the only moments where Michael wasn't bloodthirsty and vengeful the times when he could visit Gabriel and David, even if only in Gabriel's head?

Michael was vengeful and standoffish with everyone besides his twin during his Flood era, while Gabriel was domestic and kind, with most of his attention trained on newfound son. Did Michael like this changed Gabriel? Did he hate it? Were the only glimmers of Michael's "humanity" to be found when he was spending time with Gabriel & David, or was the "loss" of his brother to some human one of the reasons Michael went so hard during his Flood?

⟿ Anything dealing with their antics throughout the Torah/Old Testament/Quran.

CANON

⟿ Exploring how Gabriel's mind and body is always connected to Michael's.

Take it any way you see it. Can be smutty; can be how even when they're at odds, they still checked in with one another and got feedback on their plans just like how they would have a "truce" when they would meet up in person; can be set during their Old Testament days or closer to modern canon-era.

⟿ Things that Gabriel has done for Michael that Michael has no idea about, and vice versa. 

⟿ All those secret rendezvous even though they were at at war with one another.

⟿ Michael needing Gabriel to speak for him. 

Just by wont of their respective roles, Gabriel is so much more articulate than Michael. 

How often was it that Michael let Gabriel do the talking? During his Flood/Sword days, were there ever times where Michael wouldn't talk at all and Gabriel had whole conversations by himself? They can communicate with their minds and their bodies are in tune with one another, but that hasn't ever seemed to stop Gabriel from needing to physically speak.

⟿ Michael struggling with his need to be God's Sword and the Flood throughout history even after Sodom & Gomorrah, especially during his Vega days and how Gabriel helps (or hurts) his efforts to deal with that.

⟿ When Michael asked to be punished and Gabriel refuses and says, "I'd sooner take my own life." And then they do that long hug before Michael finally replies,"Forgive me. I shamed you for your mercy, for the light inside you, a light I covet." I'm — emotionally compromised.

⟿ "All I did, I did for you. To keep our family whole. To keep you by my side."

POST-CANON

⟿ Lucifer’s return strokes their obsessive/possessive/codependency even higher that it was at S2’s peak

This is essentially my Tell Me What You Think Michael & Gabriel’s Throughline Arc for S3 Would Have Been, Except Actually Let Them Kiss and/or Bang, Please prompt. 

We all know that Lyrae did a great job of turning Gabriel's love/faith/obsession with Michael against him and making Gabriel find new depths when it came to his obsession with his twin, which I honestly hadn’t thought possible but was very glad to watch all the same. Michael's love managed to #save him at the end of S2 and it was amazing, but what if Lucifer coming back managed to trigger him into that desperate, obsessed mess who only wants Michael for himself again?

And, I mean, it’s not like Michael is all that great at sharing either. Gabriel and Lucifer are probably on a much more similar wavelength than they’d been before Lucifer’s fall. Would Lucifer and Gabriel have far more in common and start to strike up a bond over their now-shared views? Is Michael worried that Gabriel will leave him again? How does he feel about that, considering all he went through to get his twin back? Is he threatened by Lucifer? Is it a less serious, more harmless brotherly competition for Gabriel's affections? Is it a serious, Light vs. Dark situation?

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿ Canon divergence where, when threatened with the very real reality of Michael choosing the humans over him pre-S1, Gabriel folds and goes with Michael to set up Vega and protect the humans. 

What changes? What stays the same? Are things easier/safer with Gabriel not constantly trying to get Michael back and take out the city? Does a different villain reveal themselves? Do they catch wind of what Lucifer's up to sooner without the distraction of their rivalry? 

If you'd like: how does Alex come into play? If Gabriel's history can be taken into account, we've seen that he's very hands on when it comes to chosen boys. Does him being in Vega mean that he (& Michael?) play a larger role in Alex's upbringing? Does that change how he is seen by the other citizens of Vega? How he views himself? Does Gabriel's interest in him have Michael being more active just to try to counterbalance Gabriel's parental POV? Does Michael continue to be standoffish and so Alex becomes Gabriel's David 2.0? Does his/their constant meddling turn him into the same kind of apocalyptic, separate-from-thou prophet that Jesus was?

⟿ Canon divergence where Michael did "choose" Gabriel pre-S1 and was totally up for taking over the Earth from the humans and running shit until God came back. 

"Please, wait! Stay with me, where are you going? […] I cannot do this alone, don't leave me."

What changes? What stays the same? Is Vega absolutely toast without an Archangel on their side, or does someone else pick up the slack? Does Michael's tactician prowess have him convincing Gabriel to forget the humans so they can focus on readying the world for God's return? Does he set forth another Flood? 

If you'd like: how does Alex come into play? Is he turned into a slave? Do they raise him as a sort of David 2.0, the one good human amongst filth? Do they sorta brain-wash him into thinking that humanity deserves to be wiped out, so he turns into the same kind of apocalyptic, separate-from-thou prophet that Jesus was?

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ God doesn't leave.

What would things be like if God stayed and these two didn't need to have their dramas of the week?

⟿ God leaves sooner. What would canon have been like if it hadn't been 'now', but rather at some other point in history?

MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT (TV)

MICHAEL BERRYMAN & THOMAS MARCH

Watch on BBC, PBS, here .

I’ve been excited for this— and eagerly awaited its release — since the moment the BBC announced it last year and once it finally did come out, it gave me everything I wanted while simultaneously breaking my heart forever and ever. Fix-it! I need all the fix-it fic, so badly.

Just as with Redwater, the canon managed to avoid my cheating squick by having Thomas and Michael be together before he married his wife, but I'd still rather that any fic end Michael & Flora's relationship (as well as any that Thomas might be in), or honor that Flora and Michael decided to be in a platonic marriage not long after their son was born and so it wasn't actually cheating.

I love how easily Tom and Michael fit together, how natural and easy their relationship was when they were alone together. For all the angst that befell them, they always were completely themselves with one another.

That Michael went straight to Thomas after the war! How shy and excited Thomas was to see him. That Michael wrote to Thomas in his head every single day. That Thomas literally wrote letters and brought them with him to the cottage. How domestic they always seem to be. How they literally cannot keep their hands off one another and are constantly being frisky as all get out.

That Thomas still showed up to be his best man even though it was such a cruel thing of Michael to ask him to do. How utterly affected by that kiss in the bathroom Michael was, and how he practically begged Thomas to beard up to protect himself. That Thomas comforted him even though Thomas was the one with reason to be angry and upset. That love letter, god.

That they always kept finding a way back to one another, and that their love was so apparent and long-lasting that Adam was able to suss it all out two generations after it was over!! Also, I love Adam and Steve, so if you wanted to meddle with the timelines or have elder Thomas and Michael still alive so that Adam(/Steve) could be in their lives, I'd be full of the warm fuzzies.

PRE-CANON

⟿ Their time together at boarding school.

”Was I a beast to you? At school?” “Well actually, you were very kind.” “What a relief.”

What if Michael and Thomas had been more than passing acquaintances during their time at school? What if their relationship began there and carried into the war and beyond?

CANON

⟿ Their time together in the war at the recovery home.

Canon compliant or a bit of canon manipulation to draw out their time together at the convalescence home — perhaps moving the kiss up sooner so it wasn’t on their last day? — and explore all the ways that Thomas and Michael hid and nurtured their growing relationship behind the homosocial lad culture going on there.

⟿ Their time together at the cottage. Give me all the domestic day to day goings on for the happiest period of their lives.

Seriously, them doing it against every single surface they’re ever even slightly next too. Them cuddled up in bed in the cold autumn morning, Thomas having just brought tea. Their cheeky “Morning March.” “Captain.” banter. Going shopping at neighboring farms, washing dishes together, Michael modeling for Thomas without a single complaint.

Drag it all out and tell me about their little world!

⟿ How tactile they are with one another.

⟿ That Michael has no qualms about picking Thomas up and that Thomas is very happy to be man handled and to climb Michael like a tree.

⟿ First relationships?

It’s implied that Thomas has experience with men/dating, but it seems like Michael is new to both? Did he have any worthwhile relationships at school? Quick mutual masturbation sessions? Or was Thomas his first everything? Just how much did they teach and learn from one another?

POST-CANON

⟿ Flora urges Michael to visit Thomas in Cassis — or for Michael to get Thomas to stay in London.

During their department store run in, Flora seems keen on getting Michael to go to Thomas' art opening or at least speaking to him. We know later on that there was never any really love on her end for them, but maybe at that point in her life she was seeing it as a the devil you know situation? Perhaps her permission and urging would have allowed Michael to stop with the cottaging and be exclusive with Thomas again, making them all safer, in a way?

⟿ Rebirth/reincarnation? Michael and Thomas get a second chance at it all.

How do they meet? Are they still soldiers? Just one of them? Completely different careers? What path do their lives and relationship take?

Is it a clean thing where they're themselves or do they remember the past? Do they recognize one another instantly or is it just an Intense Feeling?

Maybe they move in together right away and get married ASAP and all their friends are shocked and think it's too soon, but they don't care? Or if they do remember, maybe they're so happy that they actually can be married this time; Thomas once said that he didn't wan't to be Michael's platonic!family, and now he doesn't have to be.

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿“My dear Thomas, I’m at work. Nobody knows I’m writing to you here. You refuse my visits, so you’re probably tearing up my letters too. But there’s nothing else I can do but keep trying. It’s beyond my control, do you see?

All those months ago when I had nothing to lose really I wrote to you in my head but was too cowardly to set more than lies upon paper. And now I find I no longer care. The love I feel for you runs through me like grain through wood. I love you Thomas. Your face, your voice, your touch enter my mind at the least opportune moments and I find I have no power to withstand them. No desire to. I want us to be together as we were at the cottage. Only forever not just a weekend. I want it to go on so long that it feels normal. I think of you constantly. Your face, your breath on my neck at night.

I want to do all the ordinary, un-bedroomy things we never got around to doing. Making toast. Raking leaves. Sitting in silence. 

I love you Thomas, I’ve always loved you. I see that now. Tell me I’m not too late.”

Thomas got the letter. They get to do all the things Michael’s fantasized over and more.

⟿ Michael saves both him and Flora grief by not marrying her.

Michael resolves himself to be a confirmed bachelor for the rest of his days — now what?

Do he and Thomas move in together? No? Do they relocate to the cottage for privacy? What sort of job does he take up? What about Thomas?

Is Thomas happy that they can be together, or are there hurt feelings that Michael almost went through with the marriage?

⟿ Michael is there for Thomas after he gets out of prison, and they start their lives together from that point going forward.

Do they take up Thomas' mother on her offer to give them her remote French cottage?

⟿ The meeting at the department store has Michael realizing that he’s making the biggest mistake of his life, and he decides to run off with Thomas.

I’d especially love if in this reality, Adam is out to his grandfathers and their existence in his life makes it so that he doesn’t have all his hangups with being gay, and they help his relationship with Steve go much more smoothly.

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ Soulmate/soulbond AU

⟿ Different first meetings!

Thomas’ parents died in the raid and so he’s a young man with no family/relations to tell him how to live his life. That leaves a lot of opportunities for him to do — whatever he wants, really.

What if he became a mountain man/lumberjack — that chest hair deserves to exist in all it’s glory amongst nature, okay! — who Thomas runs into while working on a series of nature paintings?

Michael needs a painting done and hires Thomas? Michael starts collecting Thomas’ work as a courting ritual?

They meet whist cottaging and anonymous sex turns into something far more?

“We’ve never met before, but I live in the apartment next door and I can’t go to work for the next week so could you buy me some groceries and medicine I promise I’ll pay you back”

“I see you jogging around my block every morning so I guess it’s my fault I accidentally left my curtains open when changing while you passed by”

“I’m a cab driver and you’re late to a business meeting and you are literally the most demanding pretentious piece of shit I’ve ever had the displeasure of driving but I also kind of want to fuck you in that suit”

Something else?!

⟿ Thomas as an artist and Michael as his muse?

⟿ Inspired by/fused with A Single Man?

After the war Thomas and Michael settle together — in London, Michael's cottage, the cottage in France, hell, in California — and make a life for themselves.

⟿ Inspired by/fused with Maurice?

Their class differences deserved to be explored! What if they took a page from Maurice’s book and did decide to run off to the cottage together with Michael forsaking his background so that they could work the land together — or really, Michael mostly works the land and Thomas faffs off making art — and live in their own little world, away from the raids and prying eyes?

Is it really easy for Michael to give up his status because Thomas is worth it? Or does he struggle? How does Thomas help him get accustomed to his new status and life?

⟿ Inspired by/fused with Brokeback Mountain/In God’s Country?

Another situation where they have a reason to run off together, hahaha.

What if their relationship began in their boarding schooling days and the war made them realize what was important?

What is their shared life together on the cottage/farm/et cetera really like? What are the risks? Even without neighbors and police, there is weather to contend with? What happens if their crops/animals don’t do as well as they’d like? When they’re snowed in for the winter? Sweated out in the summer?

⟿ Something Downton Abbey- or A Place To Call Home-esque?

Perhaps Michael is a bit richer than he is in canon, and he’s a young lord who has his estate used as a recovery house. Thomas is a patient staying there whom Michael never wants to leave? A doctor working there to support the war effort?

Maybe Thomas needs some extra cash to support his artist lifestyle and he picks up Michael’s ad in the paper to be a butler/footman/cook? A farmhand/builder that Michael keeps finding excuses to hire?

NARCOS (TV)

HÉLMER PACHO HERRERA

Watch on Netflix.

Pacho. Pacho. Pacho!

Pacho is my favorite — everything?

For the past two seasons I stanned him and enjoyed every scene he was in, short and long, because of how deliciously extra he is. Last season I was convinced that he and Lion had been hooking up during their brief allegiance in Miami — the little we saw of Lion in S1 had him hanging around with that biracial nazi who Pablo and Gustavo unequivocally said was gay, and they made ‘jokes’ about Lion being the same, so A + B is math that I’m sure you follow — and felt so robbed when they didn’t make out.

But this season. This season! This season was everything that I wanted for my random background fav and more. He has evolved into the main character that he always clearly deserved to be. Pablo who?? Hashtag Cali Cartel Forever. 

I love how unrepentantly gay he is. I love how utterly, unrepentantly and ruthlessly psychopathic he is.

I love that he “led a team of young psychopaths who would do anything he asked”; that he took his father kicking him out and telling him that he’d never make it in the cartel world as a challenge that led to him being one of the bosses in the most successful narco ‘company’ of all time; that Gilberto and Miguel are his surrogate dads with Chepe as a big brother-uncle hybrid that can’t stop kissing and hugging him (honestly every guy seems to love kissing and touching Pacho and I’m here for it); that his brother is fucking gorgeous and seems to have a brother complex.

I love that he made a room full of homophobes he could not stand watch him slow-dance and make out with his boyfriend just because he could, that he knew they wouldn’t dare do anything about it, all before ruthlessly murdering their leader via quartering by motorcycle. I love that he stacked his henchman crew with beautiful young things that all seem to be gay too — because why not?

I love how secure in his skin Pacho is. He’ll kill you without blinking but he has the nerdiest smile and laugh. He does double takes whenever he sees a cute boy — even when that cute boy is already his boyfriend.

He has no shame about what he likes at all, and he’s so out that everyone who has known him for more than a hot minute knows that he’s gay, yet he still sneaks glances over the rim of his glasses at the boys he likes.

I ship Pacho with just about every single man who has or will ever exist. Give me the big epic love story of Pacho and a) his main henchman boyfriend whose name I can’t seem to find (feel free to give him one if he really doesn’t have a canonical) b) the cute waiter who was taken from Pacho far too soon c) Alvaro (Pacho’s brother), d) Amado (Cali’s Mexican buyer and Pacho’s longtime friend), e) any of the other Cali bosses, f) Javier Peńa, g) Steve Murphy, h) Lion, i) any and all Original Male Character(s).

PRE-CANON

⟿ Pacho’s youth.

So we know that his dad found out about him being gay sometime in his teens by walking in on Pacho and a boy — take it from there.

Was that the first boy he’d been with? Was it a rando or was it Pacho’s boyfriend? Where did Pacho go after he was kicked out? It’s clear he’s close with his Alvaro, so did Pacho still get to see him or were they estranged for a bit? How long was it before Pacho got in on the ground floor with Gilberto and Miguel?

⟿ Initiation rites into Pacho’s special security wing of the cartel.

How does one get reffered? What’s the hiring process like?

CANON

⟿ Pacho and his tiny robe.

What does Pacho bring out the robe for? Now that we know that Pacho chills in his bathtub while his henchmen boyfriends bring him clothing options, I can’t stop thinking about his meeting with Javi (was it Steve? I can’t remember.) over the Los Pepes thing in a whole new light

⟿ Found family.

I really do love how affectionate the boss foursome is. Chepe cradling Pacho close and hugging and kissing him all the time. Gilberto always wanting to do what’s best for Pacho. The way that Miguel didn’t even think about turning on Pacho (or Chepe) when he found out they were still talking to Gilberto in jail — in fact, what I really loved about this season was how Cali had all their shit figured out in the way’s that Pablo never did. Yeah they ran everything like a business, but the “CEOs” were all a family and had genuine loyalty. They tried to make it seem like they might turn on one another for dramas sake, which I didn’t mind, but it was always really clear that there wasn’t any power grabbing (although Miguel did toe the line there for a while) or genuine betrayal in their hearts.

What was it like for Pacho to finally be accepted by the men in his life/people he cared about?

We got a few glimpses of what things were like when they were all together and it seemed like a great time. What was it like when they weren’t all spread out around the globe and avoiding the law? What are things like as they’re running prison?

Show me what Pacho’s relationship is with each of the guys — especially Chepe! Extra love for tossing in Alvaro.

⟿ Psycho-killer.

Pacho has no qualms about doing what needs to be done and he has a flare for the dramatic, as evidenced by the whole ‘the last thing you’re ever gonna see is me sucking face with my boyfriend while listening to a slowjam I picked’ thing. How did Pacho get his rep so well known and respected that he gets to live the life he lives?

POST-CANON

⟿ Pacho’s life in jail.

All season long I was making jokes about Pacho having a great time in jail because all he would need to do is import his henchmen boyfriends and install them in his cell and he’d be set. I gotta say, I was still a little surprised that he actually did it. What a boss.

What was life on the inside like while the getting was good?

⟿ Pacho making notches in his bedpost with the various cute men of the show.

Honestly do not need any sort of plausible set up for this; I’ll take a “5 times men randomly dropped trou when Pacho was around” fic.

Pacho and Steve and/or Javi because Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal are a one-two mustache punch that Pacho couldn’t resist. Pacho summons them, things get out of hand because Steve things he can pivot this into something they can use to get Pablo/Javi thinks with his dick and his dick is very focused on Pacho? Pacho gets what he wants and they leave with nothing because only one person in this paragraph has sense and it isn’t the DEA agents.

Pacho and Franklin because honestly how dare you have Miguel Ángel Silvestre on a show and not let him and Pacho do the deed! (Javi can come too, honestly.) There was a brief part of Franklin’s intro montage showed he and Pacho talking in what seemed like the beginning of his tenure with the cartel. What if Miguel and Gilberto caught on that Franklin kept sneaking glances at Pacho and gave Pacho the go-ahead to test him out to really ensure his loyalty/see what he was made of?

Pacho and Lion because I’m still not over their whirlwind romance that ended in Lion getting ganked while Pacho turned up the radio and continued packing without so much as a blink. They seemed to be living it up in Miami, so what was their time like? Their final conversation where Lion seemed to be angling for Pacho to leave his subpar hotel room for something nicer seems like it could be spun into a lot more! That sounded like a good ol’ move in with me invitation if I ever hear one.

Pacho and Alvaro because man does that kid love his brother and good lord is he beautiful. Alvaro looks at Pacho like he hung the moon. Pacho seems like he doesn’t like to deny Alvaro anything and clearly wants to show Pacho his world. Maybe he offers some of his henchmen boyfriends for Alvaro to spend the night with, but that isn’t who Alvaro wants at all? Cue Dos Gardenias in the background.

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿ Pacho’s life after jail.

In real life we know that Pacho died from his assassination, but Narcos loves its artistic liberties and we didn’t actually see him die die. What if Pacho survived the stabbing?

What would he have done after he got out of jail? Would he have sought revenge against Amado? Would he have let all the Cali bygones be bygones?

Would he still want to stay in the business and start again from scratch, or would his brother be able to talk him into taking his millions (billions?) and legitimate businesses and retire for good? What does retirement look like for Pacho? Does he stay in the bathtub all day surrounded by his dozens of boyfriends or is he using his skills to take over the legitimate (alright “legitimate”) world of Wall Street?

⟿ Javi or Murph need to infiltrate the Cali Cartel, and to do so they go into deep cover to join Pacho's security gang and try to worm their way into his life/bed to get Cali secrets.

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ Cali as royalty.

As the youngest of the four bosses, Pacho is essentially treated as a prince anyway, so why not extend the metaphor?

What kind of world would a Narcos royalty be and what kind of antics would Pacho get up to? Would it be more Captive Price? Versailles (2015)? Kings (2009)?

I'm especially interested in the idea of Cali ruling over Colombia in an official capacity on top of their canonical unofficial one, and how modern — well, 90's modern — royalty and society would deal with a gay 'Prince' in a royal family with only two members that are related by blood, a prince who has no scruples about his sexuality (and, if it's your ship, perhaps no shame about dating his brother?) and all the reactions to that. I could see Pacho as the commander in chief/head of the military, since it's essentially what his job was in the cartel, so that might be a fun aspect to explore as well.

REDWATER (TV 2017)

ANDREW KELLEY & KIERAN HARRINGTON

Watch on RTE, BBC, or Dailymotion.

♥ Canon Kissing Cousins ♥

This show was such a wild ride. I’ve been a on-again, off-again consumer of Eastenders for a good long while now — loved Christian & Syed no matter how messy they got; Ben and Paul were totally robbed and dear god how many times could they make Ben go back into that closet!?; still lowkey waiting for Johnny and Steve to have something happen — but I’ve always been super into soap spinoffs. Usually it’s Hollyoaks who gets the best after-hours content when it comes to side stories like this, but good lord did Redwater bring it this year.

As soon as the incest hints started peaking through with Kieran’s arrival, I thought for sure that Andy would be the stolen kid — but nope.Waiting for episodes every week was absolute torture because it was clear that this show had absolutely no chill and so you really couldn't predict what was going to happen next.

(I love but still cannot believe that Andy’s dad knew the! entire! time!?! and just rolled with it and never tried to stop it?!?!?!)

I really love that the show went for it, and that with literally everything up for grabs in the finale with seemingly no hopes of resolution (I know that it was only meant to be a single series but alksj;sdlkjdkj gimmie that second season, Beeb/RTC!) the show went out of their way to have the only thing that’s confirmed be that Kieran and Andy will continue their incestious affair. Bless.

Cheating is usually one of my major DNWs, but the show handled it in a way that I was able to kind of look past it — Andy and Kieran having been a couple before Andy got married and had a family is usually the kind of cheating I can deal with; if they had gotten together for the first time after the fact I wouldn’t have been able to really root for them to get together/be happy without some additional plot points — so I ask that the fic be set before either of them is with anyone or that either ignores or quickly concludes existing relationships, canonical or no. I say this just in case you want to give Kieran a boyfriend that he cheats on to be with Andy or something for plot reasons. As long as you see Andy/Kieran as being together as kids, then it won't squick me. If their relationship is a first-time then I would prefer if there were no boyfriends/girlfriends for either of them.

PRE-CANON

⟿ How it all started.

Were they starting to have feelings and fool around with one another before the tragic boat accident? Was that relationship something that helped Kieran get through the loss of his sister?

Or did the accident make them see that life was fleeting and ‘force’ them into one another’s arms?

How obvious were they about it all. Did more than Andy’s dad know about them? Or did Padraig do his best to protect his son and nephew? It took Adeen less than a minute to pick up on the weird vibes between her and her dad and that was them in their 30s, I can’t imagine that they were more subtle in their youth.

⟿ Andy’s visit.

Eileen said that Andy had visited them a while back and that he and Kieran had a great time — what was that visit like?

What did they do? Were the two of them able to act like a couple while they were away from Kieran’s mother? Why didn’t Andy just stay?

CANON

⟿ "You swan in here like something out of a J.D. Salinger novel and cause havoc — yeah, I know who J.D. Salinger is."

"So, what am I? One of those phonies? Well? What havoc have I caused?" "To me. You've caused havoc to me."

⟿ The way that they revert back to being (flirty) teenagers around one another and nobody blinks an eye, yet neither of them seem to have that 'problem' with Dermott.

⟿ All the background shots of Andy and Kieran being coupley and joined at the hip and generally very obvious, yet no one seems to care.

⟿ "We can't." "I know."

POST-CANON

⟿ Pick up from where the finale left off.

What would season/series two have in store for Andy and Kieran? Andy’s marriage seemed to be on its last leg before Kieran showed up so a divorce doesn’t seem far off.

What do they do? Do they remain in the village and continue to have a not-so-secret relationship? Do they return to the States so that Andy can restart his life and they can be a couple openly in a place where nobody knows their blood ties?

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿ Andy stays in the States.

Andy had always wanted to see the world, that we know. What if when he went to New York to visit his aunt and cousin, he found that he couldn’t be happy in a small town like Redwater and didn’t ever go back?

⟿ Andy becomes the Priest, not Dermott.

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ Eastenders.

The one exception to my crossover rule, since the canon itself is a crossover event with an original canon, haha.

If you wanted to do a total alternate canon where instead of a baby being snatched, there was a classic soap baby swap that had Andy being raised on the East End with Kat and Alfie, and one day his real family shows up looking for him, including a cousin that Andy can’t take his eyes off of??? Hello.

Or perhaps after it’s all said and done, the family can’t come back from Dermott’s sins? Andy and Kieran leave Redwater and settle on the East Side where they can begin again?!

If Redwater is your only knowledge of the Eastenders-verse, I’d be happy with any kind of soap fusion, rather than a ‘crossover’.

Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Pobol y Cwm, or Cornonation Street are all soaps I enjoy in the UK, but honestly there are few out there that I haven’t at least watched a few storylines for if they’re available on the internet, so give Andy and Kieran some more soap drama. Even if it isn’t a soap/stoyline I’ve seen, I’ll still love whatever fusion you come up with.

TENNIS RPF

ROGER FEDERER & RAFAEL NADAL

Watch some interviews of Rafa's, Roger's, them together, and read about their rivalry.

2017 truly was the blessed year for Federer/Nadal fandom — which, in a year where you can’t say that about practically anything, seems like a Sign™ that shouldn’t be ignored.

Rafa’s my favorite tennis player. I remember watching his first match in 2002 and being so impressed; you could instantly tell that he was going to become the next big thing — maybe even one of the greatest of all time. Fast forward two years and I was ready to fight people for his honor. But before Rafa, there was Roger. He’s still a player I love, and when Rafa beat him for the first time I got a taste of what would make me the happiest in the tennis realm for all the years follow: Rafa vs. Roger. I can’t lose when the two of them play. As long as the winner goes on to win in the finals I’m in heaven. 

I love how much they respect each other, particularly in Rafa’s case. He grew up loving Roger’s tennis and even now that Roger’s in the ‘downslope’ of his career — not that you can even tell it sometimes, jesus Roger — you couldn’t pay Rafa to say something negative about Roger or his game.

Even when Roger’s pissed off at Rafa beating him (or vice versa), he’s still the first to champion the other's career and accomplishments, even if that means talking about his own losses. There’s been so much boyfriends stuff lately and I’m living for it.

They aren’t typical opposites-attract, because neither of them are overly serious; they also aren’t more or less dedicated to the sport than the other.

Roger’s slightly more outgoing due to his stronger grasp of English and by way of just being older, but Rafa’s just as prone to smile as he is to buckling down and dedicating himself to his career. They’re complementary people that always seem to love being around one another and bring out the best in each other, even when their goal for particular day is to ruin the other guy’s whole fucking month by beating him.

They both went through some really rough patches these past few years, but you sure as hell couldn’t tell it from this past season. I’m so glad that they’re back as being the top two best male players in the world. Finally 2017 got something right!

CANON

⟿ The ‘Fedal’ partnership continues.

What Uncle Toni wants, Uncle Toni gets! Roger and Rafa start playing doubles competitively?

And because I can’t help myself, what if with some light handwaving with regards to rules, Rafa and Roger’s competitive sprit has them wanting to win Olympic gold in doubles together to really solidify their doubles legacy? Can you say “fake marriage to get dual citizenship and then they flip a coin to decide which of their nations they’ll play for”?

⟿ Rafa doesn’t want to be Roger’s boyfriend. He’s looking for something far more serious.

⟿ Anything based around this joint interview. They’re so flirty and chuckle-y. Rafa slipping into Spanish to complain, Roger acting like he’s the young one by cracking up every five fucking seconds, Rafa’s perfect poker face whenever he isn’t looking at Roger, Roger constantly fucking touching Rafa, “No, no, Rafa, you were perfect! It’s me!”, them both being so fucking sweaty, Rafa’s hair. Were they hanging out in the days/weeks before? Did they hang out after?

Highlight #1: ”Can you imagine if we had to make a film together? It would probably take like five years.”

Something where the ATP or some famous director decides to document Roger and Rafa’s rivalry for a year, maybe two? It takes upwards of five years to come out! Why is that? Is it because Rafa and Roger keep being silly, flirty bastards so they never have enough film to hype up an intense rivalry? Is it so bad that when the documentary eventually does come out, it comes across as a non-fiction romcom more than a sports documentary?

Highlight #2: ”It’s only on the tennis court that we can be serious! [laughs] Not even there!”

What kind of shenanigans do they get up to the court? Is it only during practice? Are always always on the verge of laughter, even when they’re playing in the finals against one another?

Highlight #3: [Roger does his solo in Spanish] “Oh, fantastic.” “I’m fluent in Spanish!”

Life ruiners!!! Rafa was so earnestly impressed and when the camera pans back to him, he looks so shy and embarrassed. Rafa coaching Roger on how to say his lines in Spanish! Language kink?

Highlight #4: The actual point of the ad.

Can’t go wrong with Canadian Swiss Shack trope! There is canon inspiration if you’d like some video of how it would go down. Maybe Rafa finally agrees to Roger’s charity tournament and the snow storm of the century means it’s cancelled and they’re stuck inside Roger’s house all day — and for the days/week after, because flights are cancelled? It’s not so bad.

⟿ Domestic fic where they’re hanging out during one of their joint injury periods, or one of them being injured and being coddled by the other. Them fighting during the Champion’s League or World Cup when their teams go head to head. (If you don’t follow futbol, Rafa supports Real Madrid and the Spanish NT, Roger goes for FC Basel and Switzerland NT.)

⟿ Bodyswap! With each other? With themselves in a different universe — did they wake up married?

What’s it like to wake up in the body of someone older/younger than you? Playing a different style of tennis? What is this upside down world where Roger Federer starts to fucking kill it on the clay and Rafael Nadal is the grass master?

Are they freaked out to wake up in a universe where everyone talks about them being the worlds greatest sports power couple? Do they roll with it like pros and joke behind the scenes until they get with the program and realize they actually do love each other? How fun are their cuddly, schmoopy couples interviews? How domestic are they on the court when they play doubles?

Or, are they that power couple and suddenly they wake up in our universe, where they’er friendly rivals? Do they try to play the part and act platonic? Do they not give a shit and so the whole tennis world scrambles to report on how Roger and Rafa are kissing in between sets and have been sighted going grocery shopping together?

⟿ “Congrats to Roger and all his team. Amazing how he is playing after being such a long time without being on the tour. It’s Difficult to make it happen and for sure you’ve been working a lot to make that happen. Well done, congrats. I feel very happy for you.”

“Here we stand in the finals. I’m happy for you. I would have been happy to lose too, to be honest. The comeback was perfect as it was. Tennis is a tough sport, there’s no draws, but if there was gonna be one, I would have been very happy to accept a draw tonight and share it with Rafa. I wish you continued success this year and for hopefully many more years to come. Stay on the tour, keep playing Rafa, please. Tennis needs you,. Thanks very much for everything you do.

Those were their speeches after the Australian Open this year and all I can think about is — when Roger retires, he’s totally gonna become Rafa’s coach. It would be amazing and I’d read all about it.

(My mind also jumped to Yuri!!! On Ice! and now I just…if you wanted to do it, author, do it.)

CANON-DIVERGENCE

⟿ Rafa and Roger started off their career as doubles.

How does that change the course of their careers?

⟿ Tomeu is the tennis player and Rafa is his older-brother coach, the same way Toni has always been involved in Rafa’s career?

Does Roger love to play the new kid because he likes to oggle his older brother in the stands? Does he try to poach Rafa away to be his coach instead? (Does it work?) Does Rafa try not to act like he likes Roger’s attentions? Does he flirt right back? Does the media catch on and start to speculate if the forever-bachelor Roger Federer has finally found his match and just might be willing to settle down?

ALTERNATE-CANON

⟿ I love arranged marriages!

Alternate canon where Rafa’s the prince of Spain, Roger’s the prince of Switzerland, and their familes marry them off to strengthen the ties between their kingdoms? Sons two traditional families who planned their marriage before Rafa was even born? One family fell on hard times and the other agreed to help them out, but at an arranged marriage cost?

Does the age gap makes Roger feel strange enough, but at least they have tennis to bond over?

⟿ One of them is still an athlete, the other isn’t.

Is the non-famous one still related to the sport? A yoga instructor that the athlete has to work with; a physical trainer added on to the athletes team; a ball boy; a sports journalist; an agent; PR lacky; translator? Do they meet by fate instead? Does the non-famous one happen to work out at the same gym as the athlete; is he a cashier at the local bodega at the end of the athlete’s block; do they ride the same train every day?

I love hooker/escort fic too, so if the athlete is too busy for a real boyfriend but wants someone to cuddle/release tension with? Yes please.

⟿ Tennis — or a complete alternate canon where the whole world is a d/s ‘verse — has some sort of formal d/s system thing going on?

If you’re going to be in the ATP you have to be tested/sorted and maybe they force you to play a set number of doubles games to make sure everyone’s [being doing alright and can get advice from older players/have their innate needs are met]? No one’s ever been at Roger’s level so he’s been alone this entire time, when suddenly Rafa shows up and turns everything upside down?

Rafa’s paired up to be with Roger to be his mentor, but they’re really bad at fitting into traditional d/s roles? Roger went his whole career being incompatible with any dom — and therefore was dom-less — until Rafa showed up; now at [21-23] he suddenly has this [15-17] year old bossing him around?

Rafa’s a sub eager to finally have a dom but Roger’s been sub-less for so long that he isn’t great at it? Rafa struggling with feeling like ‘the system’ failed him and Roger struggling with finally having a sub after thinking that it was never going to be something he had to deal with and suddenly needing to reopen that aspect of his life?

Something else?!

⟿ Same rivalry; different sport.

Futbol, swimming, hockey, snowboarding, rugby, track & field, speedskating, skiing, F1 racing, gynmastics, figure skating, diving, cycling, basketball, baseball: all sports I love and would love to see Rafa and Roger dominating.

Hell, give me professional gamers. There isn’t anything these two wouldn’t turn into a rivalry for the ages — all while flirting themselves to death the entire time.

⟿ One's a ball boy.

⟿ They’re both just so beautiful. Model AU? Model AU.

thanks for reading!
spock