Shipoween 2019
Sep. 14th, 2019 04:11 pmDear Shipoween Writer,
I'm
greygerbil on AO3, thank you for writing for me! Right from the start, I want to say you don’t have to do anything with my prompts, they’re just there in case you want some ideas. If it has my pairing and avoids my DNWs, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it! All ratings are great. I included a list of my general likes and smut likes which apply to all my requests. When it comes to kinks, you can include anything not listed under my DNWs; point to this part of the letter if someone asked if I opted in, I like a lot of stuff.
I didn’t want to prompt “insert fall aesthetic here” for every pairing, but just know that I love that sort of thing and am always open to couples walking over crunching leaves wrapped up in scarves or watching the rain coming against the window, etc. Some of my pairings live in different climates, of course, so I’m also totally happy for you to exchange that with whatever weather would be more appropriate there for this time of the year, though.
Feel free to entirely erase the existence of canon relationships or break them up if they get in the way of the pairings I requested, whichever works best with what you’re trying to do.
Fic where the couple is not yet together but clearly in love, or on the road to getting together, or having their first time kissing/in bed together are great. However, so are established relationship fics. Whatever suits your ideas!
Some prompts may read like ideas for longer fics, but if you’re interested in them, please just grab a scene with the general idea out of the middle of those hypothetical longfics and write me that! I love fic of all length and don’t want anyone to feel like they have to go above the minimum word count. I just get excited writing prompts sometimes, heh.
Considering the number of canons I have where you slaughter your way through untold heaps of NPCs, I should also point out I generally have no problem with gore, blood, and graphic violence.
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Assassin’s Creed
Dragon Age
Overwatch
Vampyr
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
A Song of Ice and Fire – G.R.R. Martin
Stanton & Barling – E. M. Powell
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Alexios/Stentor
Alexios and Stentor have such a deliciously complicated relationship. Stentor is obviously threatened by Alexios’ presence, and Alexios is probably jealous that Stentor got to have Nikolaos as a father whereas Alexios got to be shoved off a cliff. However, considering how attached Stentor is to Nikolaos, I doubt he has any birth family that cares about him, either. He and Alexios eventually might find themselves unexpectedly able to bond over some things. They also would make a great battle couple and their verbal and physical sparring is a lot of fun.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes, one with a kid fic focus, and one with AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Alexios/Brasidas/Stentor
Alexios needs all the sexy Spartan men, and why not at once? I feel like this could be either a hot threesome, or, if you’re so inclined, a really interesting triad relationship (which would likely take a lot of scenes to set up, so feel free to just jump into the middle of it, or insinnuate it might happen sometime in the future). Brasidas being a popular Spartan general would almost certainly have met the hand-picked adopted son of the Wolf before, after all, and they both have quite interesting relationships with Alexios. For smut, I prefer bottom Stentor and don't have a strong preference between the other two, but I imagine in this big Spartan pile-up, there'll be a lot of back and forth, anyway.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and one with AUs for this triad, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Nikolaos & Stentor
I love Stentor and want to know how he ended up with Nikolaos. Is he Spartan by birth or is a he a trophimos, an outsider’s child fostered in the Spartan agoge, who is adopted into Spartan citizenship, or a syntrophos, a helot child training with the boys of the agoge after being adopted by a Spartan, who has to prove his skill to gain Spartan citizenship? Either way, he never mentions any other family and seems desperately attached to Nikolaos, so my headcanon is that he either doesn’t know them well/at all, they died early, or they treated him badly. I’m always here for hurt/comfort, so that would of course play into that. However, I’d also be very interested in Nikolaos’ perspective. He let two children die in the name of Sparta, why does he adopt another one? What does it feel like to raise Stentor not being able to raise his other children? What is being a single parent like after he raised his former children with his wife? And how does their relationship develop after Nikolaos two-year absence and now that he has his family back?
Barnabas/Herodotos
Okay, I can’t help it, these two are just really cute together and I would seriously be happy for anything involving them. They keep by your side throughout the whole story and loud, exuberant Barnabas makes such a great contrast to quiet, more subdued Herodotos. They spend a lot of time together on Alexios’ ship and seem to get along pretty well, even though they obviously banter a bit and have different views on many things.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Ezio and Leonardo are such an amazing pairing. Whether you go with the timeline of the first game, when Ezio is still wilder, or the second game, when they’re both older and and perhaps even a tad wiser, I love the trust they place in each other and their banter and friendship.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Haytham Kenway/Charles Lee
I love Haytham and Charles, villains who really respect and like each other and stand behind their idea of a world of order being what is needed for humanity where they guide the rest of us stupid sheeple humans to a better future, lol. I immensely enjoy young Charles’ senpai-notice-me dynamic with Haytham and his adoration for him; but I also love that eventually it goes both ways, when Charles becomes Haytham’s trusted second-in-command.
(I also have an mpreg-focused letter, one dealing with marriage tropes, and one for AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Male Hawke/Varric Tethras
I love this pairing anywhere in the timeline – Dragon Age II, Inquisition, Post-Inquisition, it’s all great because the friendship between Varric and Hawke is always great. I was so sad Varric wasn’t ever a love interest, so if you’re so inclined, please fix it for me! For Hawke, I love all colours or colour combinations (Friendly in conversation but stern in actions? A joker who is just a little bit too chipper still while taking off heads? A grumpy ass with a heart of gold?). Sarcastic Hawke and Varric obviously get on like a house on fire, Varric is super fond of Friendly Hawke and his never-ending goodness, even if he does poke fun at him, and the tension between Aggressive Hawke and Varric is amazing (especially if over the years Varric learns that while Hawke may come off as a callous bastard, his actions don’t always match his words). I also enjoy all classes for Hawke.
(I also have an mpreg-focused letter and one dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Male Inquisitor/Varric Tethras
Varric has a very different relationship with the Inquisitor than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his element in Kirkwall (and the Inquisitor makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All species, personalities, and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and even custom backstories and personalities because due to the amount of choice in player creation, I felt that, for example, an Elfquisitor could often feel pretty much the same as a Humanquisitor except for a handful of special dialogue choices. So if you wanna bring in their heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. I do, of course, have my thing for size differences, so a qunari or human would be great for this pairing, but that’s just one suggestion, I love elves and dwarves, too.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Dorian Pavus/Felix Alexius
Dorian says it’s an odd question when you ask him if he was involved with Felix, but I don’t think it is at all. They seemed fond of each other and Dorian obviously had nothing but the highest regard for him. Besides, Felix did say he liked trouble! For smut, I prefer bottom Felix.
Since I’m not into character death, I’d prefer if the fic wasn’t all about the tragedy of Felix’s looming demise or about said death. It could be set before he was infected or in a Felix Lives AU. Oh, and if you do decide to save him somehow, feel free to include all the angst about his (soon to be averted) death, lol, I just don’t like it if the death actually follows. As for Dorian’s relationships with Iron Bull or The Inquisitor, should you chose to set the fic during/past DA:I, it’d be great if they were very clearly broken up by the time he gets to Felix, or he didn’t romance either of them. It would also be nice if Dorian isn’t in love with either of these dudes anymore (though him still being bitter or disillusioned about love or whatever if it ended badly, as well as Felix believing that Dorian is still in love or that he couldn’t give Dorian what he got from his former lovers, are totally fine).
Genji Shimada/Zenyatta Thekharta
This pairing is one of my constant favourites. Genji and Zenyatta just seem so familiar and comfortable with each other in the game, but there’s also this whole host of history that is only hinted at there with how Genji came to Zenyatta torn up about his past and not at peace with himself. I would love to read everything, from AUs, to their first canon meeting and early tentative crushes, to established relationship fic of them travelling the world.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and general tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Jonathan Reid/Sean Hampton
Sean is the love interest I wanted! I enjoy how gentle and meek he is, but also how he obviously has a lot of courage and a stubborn head of his own. Meanwhile, Jonathan cares about people, but is a very good protagonist in that he seems always ready to push his own will through. Plus, they are both caretakers (who are also people-eating monsters) in their own right. I can see everything from tooth-rotting fluff to the two of them solving crimes and helping people together to even them getting into an argument over something they are at odds about and having to resolve that somehow.
Geoffrey McCullum/Sean Hampton
These two don’t meet in-game, but I feel like it’d be really interesting if they did. Geoffrey has probably never met a Skal like Sean before and his new perspective (either because he is a vampire or because Jonathan spared him) might keep him from killing him outright, and Sean could be really good for him, since surely Geoffrey must be affected by what has happened to him recently one way or the other and could use someone kind who is generally ready to listen and help. Besides, someone’s gotta keep the city standing if Jonathan left to America/the castle, and Sean and Geoffrey are both involved in doing just that, in their own ways. That would give them many opportunities to interact.
Jonathan Reid/Geoffrey McCullum/Sean Hampton
This mess of a threesome is another favourite idea of mine. There’s just so much charge there: the anger Geoffrey must feel for Jonathan, particularly if he has made him an Ekon, his aggression towards vampires turning against Skal Sean, but his newfound knowledge also perhaps halting him and showing him that both Jonathan and Sean might be the kind of vampires who don’t deserve death and thus confusing him a lot in the process. Sean is likely still a bit resentful towards Jonathan, if his curt answer concerning an examination is anything to go by, and Geoffrey would probably scare or at least worry him, but I think Sean would also try to help Jonathan and Geoffrey both if he knew the extent of their tragedies. Finally, Jonathan sees the good in both these men, but also has to live with the things he’s done to them, and, considering how Geoffrey hunted him, is probably as angry at him as Geoffrey is at Jonathan.
Boromir (Son of Denethor II)/Aragorn | Estel
I love everything about this pairing. The tension that their positions and personalities create is just great. They are both warriors of much talent and good leaders, but in the end, Boromir is the one who has to live with his guilt of failing, since I guess Boromir Lives AUs really give the best opportunity for them to have longer plots together. But Aragorn’s return to Gondor and the ring quest didn’t exactly go without a hitch, either, and he still has to prove that old Strider can actually be a good king. Lots still to unpack there. Aragorn’s relationship with Arwen obviously stumbles into my infidelity DNW, so if they are broken up or never got together in the first place, that’d be great. For smut, I prefer bottom Aragorn.
Éomer Éadig/Faramir (Son of Denethor II)
I feel like these two have the potential to be quite an interesting pairing. They seem fairly different in temper, but not so much so that they would not get along at all, for they also share a lot of values. Whether they get together through an arranged marriage or because they just fell in love after the war, it would be fun to see more of them together.
Stannis Baratheon/Davos Seaworth
The stern, duty-bound lord, the knight with the undying loyalty who despite that does not fear to tell him the truth and is valued for this quality... what is there not to love about these two? I’ll never get tired of the fanfic and I’m always happy to have more. Feel free to tweak Westeros so that homosexuality is accepted and gay marriage allowed and/or mpreg possible if you want. But you can also stick much closer to canon. I know it’s pretty difficult to avoid my cheating DNW while staying in the canon timeline here, so feel free to handwave their marriages away (annulled? they were widowed? divorce is allowed in Westeros? the wives have their own lovers and/or they are separated, if still married in law?) or have them never happen.
Hugo Stanton/Aelred Barling
This (so-far) two-book series is in great parts so entertaining to me because of Stanton’s and Barling’s relationship. Even though Stanton rolls his eyes at Barling a lot and Barling likes to criticise Stanton’s behaviour, you can feel how comfortable they are with each other by the end of book two, how much they obviously care for each other and aren’t afraid to show it. It’s such a nice development and I would like to see it taken further.
I'm
I didn’t want to prompt “insert fall aesthetic here” for every pairing, but just know that I love that sort of thing and am always open to couples walking over crunching leaves wrapped up in scarves or watching the rain coming against the window, etc. Some of my pairings live in different climates, of course, so I’m also totally happy for you to exchange that with whatever weather would be more appropriate there for this time of the year, though.
Feel free to entirely erase the existence of canon relationships or break them up if they get in the way of the pairings I requested, whichever works best with what you’re trying to do.
Fic where the couple is not yet together but clearly in love, or on the road to getting together, or having their first time kissing/in bed together are great. However, so are established relationship fics. Whatever suits your ideas!
Some prompts may read like ideas for longer fics, but if you’re interested in them, please just grab a scene with the general idea out of the middle of those hypothetical longfics and write me that! I love fic of all length and don’t want anyone to feel like they have to go above the minimum word count. I just get excited writing prompts sometimes, heh.
Considering the number of canons I have where you slaughter your way through untold heaps of NPCs, I should also point out I generally have no problem with gore, blood, and graphic violence.
Table of Contents
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Assassin’s Creed
Dragon Age
Overwatch
Vampyr
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
A Song of Ice and Fire – G.R.R. Martin
Stanton & Barling – E. M. Powell
DNWs and Likes
DNWs
- permanent death of requested characters (they can die temporarily and come back to life, though)
- infidelity
- unrequested open relationships/poly (the requested threesomes can start out with less clear lines and emotional confusion and all, I just don’t want anybody deliberately cheating on anybody else, and I’d like for them to eventually become a closed triad)
- noncon, dubcon (canonical instances of sexual abuse can be included/described/discussed, though)
- completely unhappy endings (vaguely hopeful or bittersweet is fine, just not full dark)
- smut involving underage characters (under 18)
- cross-gen incest
- ageplay, diaper play, daddy or mommy kink
- scat, emetophilia
- necrophilia, cannibalism/debilitating mutilation of requested characters for sexual pleasure, vore
- crackfic (humour is totally good, just not complete randomness)
- high school/college AUs (other modern AUs are okay)
- 1st and 2nd person POV
Likes
- UST (and also eventual resolving of UST)
- friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, enemies to friends to lovers, friends with benefits to romance
- complicated people in love with each other, even if it’s not always easy
- battle couples fighting together
- loyalty kink
- admiring competence/skill
- sparring
- protectiveness
- possessiveness
- hurt/comfort
- fluff
- mpreg, kidfic
- angst
- arranged marriage turning into marriage of love, characters pretending to be in a relationship falling in love
- tough characters being driven to their breaking point
- character who is suffering trying to soldier through
- hurt character trying to comfort distressed person who is helping them
- one partner manhandling the other
- focus on height differences if applicable
- you can literally always write me PWP for my pairings or spice up my prompts with some smut, I’ll be glad for it
- Soulmate AUs, played straight or averted
- I also enjoy A/B/O AUs, so in case you’re inspired to write that, I placed the character I most enjoy as an omega behind the /. I also like things such as beta/omega or alpha/alpha, though! Mpreg is also always welcome. Again, the person I’d like to see pregnant more will be behind the /. For mpreg childbirth, feel free to give them new genitalia to manage it or just have an anal birth or a Caesarian. (I also have groups of three, in that case, the last person listed is the one I’d want to see pregnant and/or as an omega.)
Smut Likes
- rough sex
- slow, loving sex
- marking with biting and love bites, scratch marks, bruises
- overstimulation
- focus on hands, fingering, handjobs
- intercrural
- oral
- anal
- rimming
- body worship
- first times (in general, or with that partner, or with a partner of that gender)
- BDSM, D/s
- general playing around with dominance, one character calling the shots very clearly, or both challenging each other during sex, fighting for control
- however, I also love smut that is just really vanilla and fluffy and gentle
- for vampires (and humans who don’t do lasting damage to each other): bloodplay
Assassin’s Creed
Alexios/Stentor
Alexios and Stentor have such a deliciously complicated relationship. Stentor is obviously threatened by Alexios’ presence, and Alexios is probably jealous that Stentor got to have Nikolaos as a father whereas Alexios got to be shoved off a cliff. However, considering how attached Stentor is to Nikolaos, I doubt he has any birth family that cares about him, either. He and Alexios eventually might find themselves unexpectedly able to bond over some things. They also would make a great battle couple and their verbal and physical sparring is a lot of fun.
- I assume since Nikolaos was happy to have his family back and Stentor wants to please him in all things, he decides to grit his teeth and make nice with the new relatives. I really would like to see Stentor wondering where he still fits into this family dynamic now that Nikolaos has his ‘real’ children back, and they both happen to be unstoppable fighting machines with god-like powers that outclass Stentor dramatically (which to a Spartan must be quite important) and also one of them sort of saved Sparta from the Cult and won the Olympics. However, in his attempts to tolerate his new brother – whether he be Alexios or Deimos!Alexios –, the two end up developing quite a different relationship. The focus I want is on romantic developments, but I also wouldn’t say no at all to Kassandra/Deimos!Kassandra and Myrrine developing a family relationship with Stentor, too, and Nikolaos getting to know Alexios and Kassandra better, and/or reassuring Stentor. Family fluff is great, yo. Well, as fluffy as this family can get... does the five of them fighting through a bandit camp or something count?
- Speaking of stories with a family focus, you can recruit your whole family as lieutenants after the good ending. Alexios sailing around with his family on board, calling them into battle to help him, and their developing relationships would be great. Oh, and him and Stentor accidentally falling in love, of course.
- Stentor and Alexios tell the family about their relationship (or get caught red-handed). How does everyone deal with it?
- Alexios and Stentor have to work together to solve some new problem in Sparta – general politics or Cultist related. This forces them to come closer and look at the other one’s strengths and skills and they develop a grudging respect – and more. Bonus if they fight together at some point.
- If you wanna go the smut-heavy route, I have a preference for Alexios on top, but I also like Alexios and Stentor fighting for dominance. A scenario where Stentor is quite happy to often be the loser (and very, very ashamed about enjoying Alexios topping him) would be great, though. I could also see them using fighting, physical or otherwise, as an entrance into their little dalliances. Do they eventually get a point where they realise that they want to sleep with each other even without almost breaking their noses in a sparring match before? Where Stentor even admits to his preference for bottoming, if he has it in this fic? Enemies to People (hardly friends) With Benefits to Lovers certainly is a great trope for them. But really – these are just ideas, I am not picky, I would be happy for all manner of smut with them.
- For that matter, D/s with sub Stentor would also be fun. I could see Alexios as a gentle Dom who turns these situations to his favour so subtly and softly that Stentor barely realises what he’s agreeing to until it’s happening (and it’s really good), or the two of them going at it from a consensual but probably not very safe or sane angle, where they work out their frustrations with each other and secretly enjoy having really rough sex (Stentor could be the ultimate brat sub…).
- I also like the idea of the two of them sleeping together but never admitting their feelings until something bad happens to the other. The rest of the family/their friends is mighty confused when the dude they thought would have been relieved to see the other go, at the very least hardly bothered by it, flies completely off the handle and runs to go save their lover or has basically been welded to the bedside of the sick man.
- When they meet again in Boeotia, after the battle, perhaps Stentor gets almost assassinated or badly wounded by some Cultist (or other general traitor) in his ranks. Alexios stays around to help solve the problem and they grow closer over it and fall in love, perhaps even stay closer in the coming years?
- I also love the idea of them meeting before Megaris and having an affair and genuine connection, a crush, or at least some hot nights together before they know who the other is. That, or a scene after, when it all falls into place, would be great.
- For A/B/O, Stentor as the angriest omega in all of ancient Greece would be a lot of fun (however, him being somehow at peace with his nature would also be interesting, so whichever way you want to write it). I'd love anything about him with Alexios, seriously, so these really are just ideas. Perhaps a sudden unexpected heat can bring him and Alexios closer together? Literally and figuratively, ehm. Or maybe omegas get treated differently/better in warrior-ethos-focused Sparta than they do in the rest of Ancient Greece, so Stentor has quite a bit of independence there, but him and Alexios need to pretend to be bonded on some mission outside the city because Stentor would not be allowed to go certain places/do certain things otherwise (I love pretend relationship turns into real relationship)? Or the Spartan state decides that the alpha who obviously has shown himself worthy of getting a child on the very decorated omega Stentor is Alexios.
- Spartan marriage included a ritualistic kidnapping of the bride. This could be fun with Stentor reintroducing Alexios to some customs of his old and new home by "kidnapping" him, or Alexios deciding to woo Stentor in the traditional way by stealing him away. (Also, Deimos!Alexios doing the kidnapping could be interesting as well, though probably a good deal more frightening at first.)
- To everyone’s great surprise, probably Stentor’s included, Deimos!Alexios and Stentor are the ones who have the easiest time finding to each other because fighting is the primary language they both speak. I would really like it if the two of them managed to take out their aggressions on each other, which at first might be nothing but some channeling of their energy so they don’t actually kill each other (and Deimos doesn’t kill anyone else), but slowly turns into friendlier sparring as they grow closer.
- Alexios’ special bloodline needs to be continued. Either by way of an Isu artefact, mpreg just always being possible for (perhaps only some?) men, or A/B/O, Stentor could be the one to carry that kid. I’m also always here for unplanned pregnancies, too, though.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes, one with a kid fic focus, and one with AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Alexios/Brasidas/Stentor
Alexios needs all the sexy Spartan men, and why not at once? I feel like this could be either a hot threesome, or, if you’re so inclined, a really interesting triad relationship (which would likely take a lot of scenes to set up, so feel free to just jump into the middle of it, or insinnuate it might happen sometime in the future). Brasidas being a popular Spartan general would almost certainly have met the hand-picked adopted son of the Wolf before, after all, and they both have quite interesting relationships with Alexios. For smut, I prefer bottom Stentor and don't have a strong preference between the other two, but I imagine in this big Spartan pile-up, there'll be a lot of back and forth, anyway.
- Brasidas, time-line wise, should be some years older than Stentor and Alexios. Perhaps Stentor had a crush on him when he was a young man in the agoge or when he was a young soldier. Now Alexios is with Brasidas and Stentor is just so unbelievably annoyed that Alexios doesn’t just steal his father and his house, but also the man he used to want (or still wants). And it certainly doesn’t help he’s secretly a bit interested in Alexios, too… Do the other two notice and invite him into their bed/relationship?
- Alexios is with Stentor/Brasidas, and Stentor/Brasidas at some point mentions that he used to have an affair/friends-with-benefits thing with Brasidas/Stentor. Now Alexios can’t stop thinking about it because he does kind of want both men. Or hell, perhaps Brasidas/Stentor mentions that they slept with the respective other at some point, and his boyfriend Alexios is like “hey, I did, too”, and they invite the missing third back into their bed, and then perhaps he gets tangled in the relationship as well.
- Alexios notices that Brasidas and Stentor seem kind of interested in each other and are flirting, but never seem to make the next step. Because Brasidas is his friend and Stentor definitely needs someone to remove the stick up his ass, Alexios decides to play matchmaker. However, in the process, he gets dragged into the relationship, too.
- Brasidas wants to make sure Stentor and Alexios get along, since he knows and likes both of them, perhaps by inviting them to a shared mission. This ends in a threesome.
- Alexios and Stentor are sleeping together and somehow both confess to each other they used to like Brasidas (would also work with Alexios and Brasidas both being interested in Stentor). They decide to seduce him together.
- I could also see the three of them all getting closer on some mission simultaneously, though, with lots of three-way pining and crushing and guilty late-nigh fantasies.
- The three of them fighting together, hunting Cultists together, getting drunk at festivities, barely surviving a storm on the Adrestia or an attack on their lives (I figure each one of them has enough enemies at this point) – just everyday things that could happen to them being dealt with by this trio.
- Three-way sparring, whether it leads to smut or them just having fun together and getting to let go a bit with fighters of their own level without the threat of serious injury.
- The three of them defending a border or country/fighting a battle for Sparta together and all the planning and fighting together that comes with it.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and one with AUs for this triad, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Nikolaos & Stentor
I love Stentor and want to know how he ended up with Nikolaos. Is he Spartan by birth or is a he a trophimos, an outsider’s child fostered in the Spartan agoge, who is adopted into Spartan citizenship, or a syntrophos, a helot child training with the boys of the agoge after being adopted by a Spartan, who has to prove his skill to gain Spartan citizenship? Either way, he never mentions any other family and seems desperately attached to Nikolaos, so my headcanon is that he either doesn’t know them well/at all, they died early, or they treated him badly. I’m always here for hurt/comfort, so that would of course play into that. However, I’d also be very interested in Nikolaos’ perspective. He let two children die in the name of Sparta, why does he adopt another one? What does it feel like to raise Stentor not being able to raise his other children? What is being a single parent like after he raised his former children with his wife? And how does their relationship develop after Nikolaos two-year absence and now that he has his family back?
- Maybe Nikolaos told himself he would never have children again after what happened with his last family. How does Stentor get his attention? What convinces Nikolaos to adopt him?
- Nikolaos starts preferring Stentor not because he wants another child, but because he will do everything for Sparta and one thing Sparta demands of its men is that they raise strong sons. Since he doesn’t want to get married again, Nikolaos dutifully picks out a talented boy without a family to adopt, figuring he can shape him into a good soldier. However, as time goes by and he realises how attached and grateful Stentor is, it gets harder and harder not to like him.
- Stentor tells Alexios/Kassandra that while Nikolaos was a good father, he sometimes “got a faraway look in his eyes” and he sensed a sadness there, which he also connected with regrets, so it seems that even if Nikolaos did not speak about it, it was clear enough to Stentor he missed his former family. What was it like for little Stentor knowing that his father was still grieving his other children? Did he try to make up for their loss? Was he worried he would never live up to the family Nikolaos gave up?
- Stentor’s age is one of these things that gets especially lost to Odyssey’s nonsense timeline, but let’s say he was young when Alexios and Kassandra were “killed”, or as a helot or outsider just didn’t hear about it, and so Nikolaos has to tell him what happened to his family. How does Stentor take that? Is he frightened he’s going off the mountain, too, if he doesn’t behave? Does it convince him to prove himself?
- Stentor called Nikolaos “caring in his way”, and we saw he was strict in practice with Kassandra/Alexios, too. I would like to see a moment where Nikolaos, who comes off as stern and not very loving at first glance, shows Stentor that he can rely on him as a parent. Maybe Stentor gets hurt or sick or is afraid of something and worried to speak of it, as a Spartan boy should always be strong.
- I’d love any story about Stentor, at any age, trying his best to prove himself to Nikolaos and Nikolaos being proud of his talents and teaching him new skills and watching him succeed by putting them into practice. However, I’d also love a story where perhaps Stentor only makes second place or something in a contest and Nikolaos, though he is a strict parent, sees that maybe he has put a bit too much pressure on him and reassures him that although he does want Stentor to do well, he’s not going to kick him out over a lost wrestling contest or whatever.
- Stentor’s reaction to Nikolaos’ return in Boeotia would be great. Obviously he was very happy, but I can’t imagine he doesn’t have a few nagging questions. Why didn’t his fathe even tell him he wasn’t dead? Did he not think Stentor would understand? And why did Nikolaos not do it? Was he worried he was going to lose Stentor’s regard?
- Stentor thinks he’s perfectly superfluous now that Nikolaos has his real family back and his children happen to be unbeatable god creatures with superpowers that Stentor can’t hope to measure up to. When does Nikolaos realise?
Barnabas/Herodotos
Okay, I can’t help it, these two are just really cute together and I would seriously be happy for anything involving them. They keep by your side throughout the whole story and loud, exuberant Barnabas makes such a great contrast to quiet, more subdued Herodotos. They spend a lot of time together on Alexios’ ship and seem to get along pretty well, even though they obviously banter a bit and have different views on many things.
- Herodotos is a historian and Barnabas loves to tell stories. I would like it if Herodotos enjoyed listening to him, perhaps even writing some of it down (silently substracting what he’s pretty sure is exaggeration). Perhaps Barnabas even gets into telling of some of his conquests and that could be either sweet or steamy and give Herodotos quite a bit to chew on.
- Herodotos pointed out Barnabas’ positivity very quickly, which I found cute. Herodotos is usually surrounded by politicians and philosophers, but I can see him getting infatuated with someone who is as genuinely nice as Barnabas despite being very different from him. Pining would be cute! But also from the other direction, where Barnabas isn’t sure someone with his head in scrolls as much as Herodotos would really go for an old sailor. And either one of them might think they’re really a bit too far in years to start a romance now, and yet...
- One time when Alexios suggests that they could go hunting, Herodotos says “do I look like the kind who can defend himself?” Well, he’s certainly more of a scholar than a fighter. But Barnabas can still swing a sword, right? I’d love Herodotos and Barnabas stumbling into some trouble together and Barnabas getting to be heroic for once instead of leaving it all to Alexios. Maybe Herodotos also manages to help out in some way? Either with his words or by unexpectedly clocking someone with a vase or something.
- Barnabas was obviously super excited for the Olympics and Herodotos seemed pretty into it, too, fanboying over that fighter they had on board alongside Barnabas. I just want them having a good time there after all the poisoning and Cultist shenanigans that happen, enjoying the celebration, maybe being pulled into an adventure of their own, and then perhaps ending up together in bed, with or without the help of wine. Or Alkibiades tries his hand at matchmaking, noticing that these two have an unspoken attraction that they simply must act upon? But I’m sure they could figure it out themselves eventually, too.
- Barnabas and Herodotos briefly knew each other before the start of the game, I’m pretty sure, at least the wiki backs me up on this not just being an accidental invention of mine. I’d love a Canon Divergence AU in which Barnabas and Herodotos did not just get somewhat acquainted. Perhaps they had a stormy romance or a never-acted-upon crush, but circumstances tore them away from each other and they hadn’t found each other again; or it really was just a few nights of passion. I’d want to read about that past event just as much as about them being either a bit mortified at first when they run into each other again, or quietly hopeful. Would love it if they got back together, too. (You could also make it so that their meeting is a really long while into the past, like thirty, forty years, and it takes them a moment even to realise who they are again.)
- Because I am a weak person when it comes to family fluff, Barnabas and Herodotos raising a child together – on Alexios’ boat no less – would be really fun. Perhaps a young ship hand starts talking to both of them and eventually, at the latest over the first argument of how to educate the little boy/girl, they realise they have accidentally adopted a child.
- Adventures on a boat would be fun, too. Herodotos is used to travelling on them, I’m sure, but maybe he has to start putting his hands to the oars or the sails in an unexpected storm and Barnabas directs him. Maybe they even get lost together in a smaller boat and have to find their way back.
- As a friend of Perikles and Alexios both, Herodotos could definitely end up becoming a target for the Cult. Maybe Alexios is currently busy, so Herodotos and Barnabas have to make sure he doesn’t end up dead in a ditch somewhere together and plan/fight their own way out.
- Well, these two are a bit older, but I’d still love to read smut! They may not go at it quite like the young ones anymore, but with age comes experience... although Barnabas does keep very fit, working on a ship, so it might be really fun if he surprised Herodotos with some feat of strength or endurance. Herodotos, for his part, has probably learned a lot of clever tricks from the Athenians. I prefer top Barnabas, but let’s be real, I would take everything for these two.
- For A/B/O smut, maybe older omegas don’t usually have heats much anymore, but Herodotos is one of the ones who does still suffer them at times, much to his annoyance, because on a ship it’s just quite inconvenient. He talks to Barnabas about it to ask him if there’s a place on the ship where he could be locked away so he doesn’t distract the alpha sailors. Barnabas has a better idea of how he could help.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Ezio and Leonardo are such an amazing pairing. Whether you go with the timeline of the first game, when Ezio is still wilder, or the second game, when they’re both older and and perhaps even a tad wiser, I love the trust they place in each other and their banter and friendship.
- Ezio protecting Leonardo or Leonardo doing the same for him, physically (as much as he can, not being a fighter) or through a smart lie/invention and the fall-out of that would be great.
- Leonardo could also be dragged away and tortured to extract information from him about Ezio – which Leonardo would never give, of course. I would love a severely beaten-up Leonardo showing up in Monteriggioni asking for protection and Ezio caring about him before going out to bring hell to the people who mistreated Leonardo.
- Leonardo has a crush on Ezio, but considering what a lady’s man Ezio is, he has no hopes that anything will ever come of it and he’s quite sad about it. Perhaps Ezio finally realises what Leonardo meant in that scene in Brotherhood ("women provide little distraction") and does something about it (he can also get a clue earlier).
- Leonardo and Ezio having an adventure together! Escaping Templars, searching for Assassin scrolls and artifacts, just being a great team together.
- Ezio sets his mind to wooing Leonardo. Leonardo's probably never really had someone properly try to sweep him off his feet before, as most relationships with men would have been very clandestine and probably filled with shame, so this is a nice new experience.
- Ezio being forced to test some more inventions of Leonardo’s would be great, but I would also like a vignette about Ezio being more seriously charmed by Leonardo’s genius and enthusiasm. For that matter, Ezio getting in contact with any of the sketches/inventions/paintings of Leonardo’s that survived the ages and are still revered today. I love stories that incorporate real life stuff like that.
- Ezio finds the sketches Leonardo made of him - or of them (could be dirty or could be romantic, or both).
- Smut is great! Somewhat prefer bottom Leonardo. Does Ezio have any experience with men or does Leonardo have to teach him? Is he a much quicker student than Leonardo expected or perhaps even a bit reluctant because he worries about hurting Leonardo?
- Marriage is legally allowed for two men and brilliant and lively Leonardo, whose interest in men wouldn’t be criminal in that case, has quite a few suitors (but maybe already lost his heart to Ezio). Ezio picks up on Leonardo’s popularity and finds that he is jealous. He decides to win Leonardo before anyone else can.
- Shortly after his family is killed, Leonardo marries Ezio to give him some manner of legal protection, as above (perhaps they even pretend Ezio is Leonardo’s new husband from like, Sicily or something, giving him a new name). How many years does it take Ezio to figure out his husband is actually in love with him?
- Ezio’s family married him to the more mature Leonardo in hopes of tempering him, but before the wedding night, his family gets slaughtered. Leonardo offers to keep the marriage going so that Ezio at least has someone to call on when he gets thrown in jail or something and Mario is not in the city. However, in time more develops between them than a friendship…
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Haytham Kenway/Charles Lee
I love Haytham and Charles, villains who really respect and like each other and stand behind their idea of a world of order being what is needed for humanity where they guide the rest of us stupid sheeple humans to a better future, lol. I immensely enjoy young Charles’ senpai-notice-me dynamic with Haytham and his adoration for him; but I also love that eventually it goes both ways, when Charles becomes Haytham’s trusted second-in-command.
- I would love to see them both on a mission for the Templars, perhaps looking for a Piece of Eden, rooting out rogue assassins (OC ones would be great, I like all the named ones from the game so much, heh), kicking ass and swinging swords and kissing in between.
- I also like Modern AUs, provided they are still Templars, or Abstergo Industries employees, one should say. This could be just them in modern times and how that might have changed things; for example, they could openly have a relationship and even marry. I would gladly read about the Colonial Rite Templars preparing/celebrating a wedding, whether it’s just fluff or whether there’s an assassination attempt before they even get to the cake. But I also would love plottier stuff where they get involved in everything that’s going on with the current Abstergo search for Pieces of Eden.
- For Canon Divergence, what if Haytham did turn his back on being a Templar, perhaps after killing Reginald Birch? I’m sure he would not want to leave his favourite subordinate on the other side of the divide. Would love if he can somehow convince Charles, as I’d really be sad to see them ending up enemies. Or perhaps his change of mind came even earlier and he poaches the eager young accolyte for his own purposes instead of making him a Templar (perhaps by seducing him, combining business with pleasure, and/or by filling his head with new ideas)?
- Another idea I like is that Charles somehow knew who Haytham’s son is, or Haytham did, and, arriving just a few hours later than in game, either of them or both find little Connor in the burning wreckage of the village and take him home to raise him a Templar. Gimme all that found family fluff – Connor playing with Charles’ dogs! Haytham training little Connor by making him jump at Charles from every shadowy corner of the house! – with perhaps just that hint of a dark edge, knowing what Connor is being raised into. Relatedly, I’m also here for full-scale King Haytham AUs where he got the Piece of Eden and brought Connor to his side (or Connor never existed and thus didn’t become a problem for the Templars; I just don’t want dead Connor, basically) – or King Charles Lee, as he seemed to be the person they were setting up for the more public political leadership, but with Haytham pulling the strings.
- Charles has quite a temper and it’d be interesting if Haytham noticed this and decided to train him out of it as much as he can to mold him into a better Templar. Whether this veers into a smutty direction (D/s for the sake of self-control? I’d love Haytham as Charles’ Dom) or involves some real soul-searching and deep discussions or tests from Haytham, all is good. Or, if you want to go down a heavy route, a couple of modern historians have speculated that Charles Lee, the actual historical figure, who was also known for temper issues, had some serious mental health problems, possibly bipolar disorder. That could also be really interesting to explore and try to manage, especially in a time when mental health care was still very fledgling.
- Heap on the angst and hurt/comfort! One of them almost dying, getting gravely injured, deadly ill, almost frozen to death, tortured by rogue Templars or Assassins for fun or information... and then the other one bursting in to save them (if applicable) and drag them home and put them back together; or just holding bedside vigil and collecting all the physicians in the city.
- In general, getting together fic would be great. How do they go about it? In the 18th century, you couldn’t really walk up to someone of the same gender and just ask them out – although, Haytham has such big brass... ego, he really might. Is one of them more experienced with men than the other? Perhaps one has only had relationships/dalliances with women and is still somewhat grappling with this new aspect to their sexuality. Or the inexperienced one is very eager but not quite sure how to go about it. If it’s Haytham, does he maybe think he’ll just experiment with Charles for a bit, since he’s clearly willing, but it turns into more? If it’s Charles, is he growing steadily more confused about this feeling he thought to be admiration and is made to flounder constantly by Haytham, who knows exactly what’s going on and loves teasing?
- For smut, I prefer Haytham on top. I already mentioned above that I think a D/s relationship between them could be great fun, but I would also be here for Charles working very, very hard to impress Haytham in every aspect of their acquaintance, worshipping his body, doing all the work for him. Does Haytham like to lean back and enjoy it, or does he eventually flip the tables, or perhaps decide from the start that Charles should learn that as a lover, Haytham doesn’t need to be won over? But just... you know, anything would be amazing here, really.
(I also have an mpreg-focused letter, one dealing with marriage tropes, and one for AUs for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Dragon Age
Male Hawke/Varric Tethras
I love this pairing anywhere in the timeline – Dragon Age II, Inquisition, Post-Inquisition, it’s all great because the friendship between Varric and Hawke is always great. I was so sad Varric wasn’t ever a love interest, so if you’re so inclined, please fix it for me! For Hawke, I love all colours or colour combinations (Friendly in conversation but stern in actions? A joker who is just a little bit too chipper still while taking off heads? A grumpy ass with a heart of gold?). Sarcastic Hawke and Varric obviously get on like a house on fire, Varric is super fond of Friendly Hawke and his never-ending goodness, even if he does poke fun at him, and the tension between Aggressive Hawke and Varric is amazing (especially if over the years Varric learns that while Hawke may come off as a callous bastard, his actions don’t always match his words). I also enjoy all classes for Hawke.
- Generally, I’m open for any of their day-to-day crazyness, from fighting evil Templars and crazed blood mages and bandits to dealing with the Merchant’s Guild or the upper crust of Kirkwall in general. I just love reading about them having adventures together.
- I’m all for battle synergy expressing how great two characters fit, so fight scenes would be awesome. Two bowmen could probably get into fun competitions, whereas Varric long-range might distract the people two-handed rogue Hawke is stabbing sort-range (and what if Varric laid aside Bianca in Inquisition – since you can actually take it from him in that game – and went two-handed, how does their combat change? Does two-handed Hawke teach him some things?). How do Varric and mage Hawke make up for both being squishies? Maybe Hawke picks up some Arcane Warrior skills or Varric teaches him to evade? Or something macabre based on my gameplay experiences: blood mage Hawke syphoning blood from Varric, since he can afford not to be in top shape standing in the backline. Then there’s the obvious ways tanks and rogues work together, so a full-on warrior Hawke protecting Varric in battle (and having Varric keep his flank free with his crossbow) would be awesome, too. But really, go wild! There’s so many fun specialisations and attacks and strategies in this game.
- I have always wanted the scene that you get with the LI after Hawke’s mother dies with Varric, so that would be great.
- Generally, Hawke goes through a lot of shit in the game. He can be left without any of his family, or at least just one sibling (and depending on how that goes, they might feel quite distant from him/not be on super friendly terms). Perhaps Varric can pick him up in one of his worse moments.
- But the same is true for Varric. The whole Bartrand story obviously wears on him despite the fact they weren’t exactly super close. Hawke consoling him or trying to cheer him would be sweet.
- Speaking of families, I would love for Varric and Hawke to build one. Be it through mpreg (I’d prefer pregnant Varric – maybe because of dwarven biology, or magic, or some weird artifact Hawke picked up?) or because they end up adopting one of Varric’s informer urchins or stumble over an abandoned qunari baby during some quest, or Hawke gets handed a baby from a former fling who then walks out on them, or whatever else you can imagine. Hell, maybe they even start parenting together before they are a couple. But these two might also eventually go for having a family on purpose, post-Inquisition maybe?
- I could see them ending up as friends with benefits who both want to be more than friends with benefits but figure that it might ruin their friendship to ask, and that what they have right now is like, basically like a relationship already, so maybe they shouldn’t push their luck, leading to all the unnecessary pining and hopefully, eventually, a resolution.
- Hawke is left behind in the Fade. Months later, he is spat back out into the real world after fighting his way through, or being released by whatever kept him. Whether him and Varric were long in a relationship or just had unspoken feelings for each other (aside from being good friends, anyway, since that’s obviously also important), their reunion would be awesome.
- Smut is always welcome. I prefer bottom Varric. I would love to see their first time, whether it’s the culmination of a romantic confession or a drunken spur-of-the-moment thing or anything in between.
(I also have an mpreg-focused letter and one dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Male Inquisitor/Varric Tethras
Varric has a very different relationship with the Inquisitor than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his element in Kirkwall (and the Inquisitor makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All species, personalities, and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and even custom backstories and personalities because due to the amount of choice in player creation, I felt that, for example, an Elfquisitor could often feel pretty much the same as a Humanquisitor except for a handful of special dialogue choices. So if you wanna bring in their heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. I do, of course, have my thing for size differences, so a qunari or human would be great for this pairing, but that’s just one suggestion, I love elves and dwarves, too.
- Maybe Varric and the Inquisitor start out as a friends-with-benefits type of arrangement. Neither of them is in a great situation and it’s nice to just relax and have some fun. However, it doesn’t stay that simple.
- The Inquisitor and Varric get separated from the rest and have to fight their way back to the next Inquisition camp. Whether that’s almost kind of romantic (if it weren’t for all those bugs and nature in general, in Varric’s opinion) or they are a stuck in an absolute hellhole and bond over having to get out, both could be fun.
- The Inquisitor is a big fan of Varric’s books. He’s totally willing to trade kisses for sneak peeks, not just because of the stories, though. (But also, something sweet where Varric tells a tale to distract the Inquisitor from one of the multitude of bad experiences he can have in the game would be great, too.)
- The Inquisitor is a rogue who teaches Varric two-handed dagger combat (Varric can switch from Bianca to two-handed for the first time in this games). During the lessons, they start to get along.
- The Dwarfquisitor has Carta ties and Varric, as we know, does business with them. Maybe Varric knew him before the whole Inquisition business happened? But if you can think of a reason why he’d have met the other Inquisitors before, that would be fun, too. Maybe Varric and the Inquisitor even had a Thing (or just a one-nights-stand) at one point. How do they navigate that now?
- After three years of long-distance relationship, Varric and the Inquisitor are overjoyed when the Inquisitor can finally join Varric in Kirkwall.
- The Inquisitor was never really sure what to make of his feelings for Varric, but when Hawke or Bianca (either would work) shows up, the overwhelming jealousy suddenly becomes much less difficult to read. But Varric was only ever friends with Hawke and his romantic feelings aren’t for Bianca these days…
- For smut, I’d prefer bottom Varric. Varric seems like he has a lot of experience, is it the same for the Inquisitor? Does one of them maybe have less experience with men? Does a mage Inquisitor use his powers for good in the bedroom? Do a qunari Inquisitor and Varric have to figure out how to make the size difference work?
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Dorian Pavus/Felix Alexius
Dorian says it’s an odd question when you ask him if he was involved with Felix, but I don’t think it is at all. They seemed fond of each other and Dorian obviously had nothing but the highest regard for him. Besides, Felix did say he liked trouble! For smut, I prefer bottom Felix.
Since I’m not into character death, I’d prefer if the fic wasn’t all about the tragedy of Felix’s looming demise or about said death. It could be set before he was infected or in a Felix Lives AU. Oh, and if you do decide to save him somehow, feel free to include all the angst about his (soon to be averted) death, lol, I just don’t like it if the death actually follows. As for Dorian’s relationships with Iron Bull or The Inquisitor, should you chose to set the fic during/past DA:I, it’d be great if they were very clearly broken up by the time he gets to Felix, or he didn’t romance either of them. It would also be nice if Dorian isn’t in love with either of these dudes anymore (though him still being bitter or disillusioned about love or whatever if it ended badly, as well as Felix believing that Dorian is still in love or that he couldn’t give Dorian what he got from his former lovers, are totally fine).
- Felix survives is pretty much a background AU for most of these prompts, but totally also a prompt in itself. Whether Felix actually gets rescued on purpose (someone finds a cure) or it’s a magical accident or he’s made a Grey Warden… just let him live! And make out with Dorian!
- Perhaps they confess their love right after Felix barely survived his cure. Perhaps it’s in a battle Felix accidentally got pulled into as well. Maybe it’s even before the infection and the two of them somehow got into trouble in Tevinter (I’m sure Dorian can manage to find some and we know Felix enjoys it).
- Friends to lovers seems like a great trope for these two. I would love to see their friendship develop and then shift into something more, maybe after Felix is cured and they see each other again and all their old feelings suddenly resurface stronger (plus some little crushes they may already have had).
- Would also like a version were they already fell for each other and became lovers in Tevinter before Felix was infected. (If you want to write a dramatic story with that prompt: Perhaps Felix broke up with Dorian because of the taint and Dorian accepted it as the reasonable thing to do, but was secretly heart-broken? Can they pick it up again when Felix is cured and do the friends-to-lovers walk a second time? That’d be great.)
- I generally see them as about the same age, but I don’t think it ever actually says for Felix. Is he Dorian’s age or was there maybe a bit of an age difference and Felix had a puppy love crush on Dorian when he first came around the house and Felix was like sixteen, seventeen? Does Dorian now see him in a new light after they have been separated and Felix has gone through such harrowing experiences where before he perhaps always still had that image of the teenager in mind, even though Felix had long grown up?
- Well, considering Alexius picked Dorian up when they were both visitors to a brothel, I doubt Dorian had little experience with men, but for Felix I could see it! Does Dorian show him what he’s been missing?
- Maybe Felix was a bit of a late-bloomer, so he hadn’t slept with anyone yet before he was infected, man or woman, and afterwards he was worried he might be able to pass on the taint, so he remained a virgin despite being basically Dorian’s age or just a couple years younger. After Felix is cured and Dorian finds out, he decides to give Felix a few hands-on lessons. Are they already in a relationship or are they pretending just to have fun but actually pining?
- Dorian joins a cured Felix back in Tevinter after DA:I. Maybe they had a long-distance relationship so far and now finally get to be sweet with each other?
- Dorian decides to meet with his parents. He pretends like it doesn’t really shake him (as usual), but Felix welcomes him back in their shared home in the aftermath and reminds him he doesn’t need to conform to his family anymore.
- Dorian and Felix geeking out over filling the library in their new home.
- Felix spoke to the Inquisitor, asking about the Other Future, or questioned his father about his intentions. Dorian cheers him up afterwards, as Felix is shaken what was to be done in his name.
- Dorian always assumed Felix was straight (maybe Felix thought so, too, or maybe he just didn’t think he was Dorian’s type). Then, as Felix is cured and with the Inquisition, or maybe earlier when they’re still together in Tevinter, a man starts hitting on Felix and Felix seems mildly interested – though of course his true interests lie elsewhere… does Dorian intervene?
- Dorian is a flirt and very charming. Felix is very reasonable and understanding and usually not super bothered. Still, it can get a little much sometimes to see how many people are infatuated with Dorian and especially in Tevinter, Felix’s lack of magic talent makes him sort of second-class to most nobles, so he probably gets overlooked a lot on principle when people consider if Dorian is free. How does he try to recapture Dorian’s interest? (Not that he ever actually lost it in the first place.)
- Dorian’s ex is either the Iron Bull or the Inquisitor. Felix secretly wonders how he is ever going to stand up to either of them (he’s not a dom or generally as sexually experienced as the Bull, nor an amazing main character hero).
- Dorian said that in Tevinter, you don’t often get relationships with men. Maybe, out of habit, he tries to keep things light with Felix, more friends-with-benefits despite being desperately in love. Meanwhile, Felix doesn’t want to pressure Dorian and lose him, since he knows Dorian has a wild history and might still not be into commitment, but he wishes he could be his only partner. Do they eventually manage to figure out they want the same thing?
- Just generally Dorian and Felix hanging around Skyhold after Felix is cured, being in love and not quite daring to admit it since neither wants to ruin the friendship. What (or who) pushes them into it? Dorian’s meddling friends definitely welcome!
- Dorian thinks Felix is straight, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a bit in love. Felix took a considerable amount of time to admit to himself he really isn’t only interested in women. Can he now also admit to Dorian that he has a crush on him?
- Being tainted, Felix hasn’t really been touched in a long while except for by people trying to work magic or medicine on him and he’s only recently been cured. When Dorian starts being affectionate (whether in a relationship or casually), he’s very eager for it.
- Dorian has a lot of sex, but he didn’t get much physical attention divorced from that, Tevinter being as it is. Luckily, Felix is very happy to give it even when Dorian is not the type to directly ask for a hug.
- Dorian has to defend them and Felix isn’t much use in a fight (especially not if he’s still weak suffering/recovering from the blight), so it’s on Dorian to pull himself up again and again and he’s not going to fail. Would love Felix patching him up after!
- Felix is not much of a fighter, but somehow he ends up in a situation where he has to defend Dorian (who is maybe trying to open one of those magical barriers or already beaten on the ground or something) and he just won’t let himself be beaten, despite the fact that he’s neither a good mage nor all that great with a blade. He can still be a meat shield, after all.
- Felix got cured in Haven, but while he’s still recovering, Corypheus attacks. So he basically has no choice to drag himself, half-dead, through the snow to Skyhold with the others. Dorian is at his side, of course.
- One character falling ill (or suffering from an infected wound, or in Felix’s case maybe going through difficult blight treatment) and the other caring about them is already one of my favourite tropes, so that alone would make me happy. If you want to up the ante, maybe there is a feverish confession. What is it about? Is it a love confession or perhaps something more indiscreet, a smutty fantasy? Or maybe something innocent but with implications towards their feelings, like them wishing for the other person to embrace them or stay with them through the night?
- I would love for Dorian to reveal what happened between him and his father to Felix (I’m not super clear on the timeline, but it could maybe have happened after he left Alexius) and just generally get to vent his frustration with the Tevinter system in earnest for once, since he’s usually more of a hide-the-pain-with-jokes type of person.
- Felix is so serene about even his own death, but maybe he can have a moment as well. Does he still dream about the attack that killed his mother and left him infected? What about when his grandfather tried to have him assassinated? Did he ever suffer at the hands of other high-born family/acquaintances for his lack of magic, but didn’t tell people? (I’d also be fine with noncon for this specific prompt because it would be interesting to see how Felix handles it.) Him telling Dorian would be nice.
- Felix going through some sort of blight cure would need some seeing to. Dorian fussing with him (maybe while sort of still trying to keep up the irreverent attitude – does he manage?) would be fun.
- But maybe Dorian also goes down with a nasty flu or something at some point! Felix wants him to get better, of course, but maybe also enjoys he gets to repay Dorian a little bit for caring when he was sick.
- Pre-blight prompt here could be one of them falling ill and the other caring about them when they don’t know each other that well yet, which is a great chance for them to start falling in love.
- Dorian had the best intentions about not touching the son of the man who pulled him out of his life of chaotic squalor and actually put him on a good path. He didn’t expect Felix to be his soulmate.
- Dorian and Felix knew they were soulmates, but Felix told Dorian it would be fine if he left since he has to get used to living without him. When they meet again, Dorian realises he can’t leave him a second time. Then, when they’ve already resigned to imminent Felix’s death, a cure is found.
- Arranged marriages are always awesome. In a first step to reforming Tevinter, Dorian and Felix decide to get married (whether it’s wholly officially recognised or not) to bind their powerful families together and make a point that political alliances are still possible and valuable if they don’t result in biological babies. Is it a love marriage from the start or did they do it out of political cunning but now realise it means more?
- Felix, who is with the administrative Inquisition staff, is at some point handed some orphan baby to care for because everyone has too much to do. The kid has no other family and him and Dorian accidentally fall into the role of parents (and get together if they aren’t already).
- One/some of their relatives or friends get offed in some political plot. Dorian and Felix, currently back in Tevinter trying to reform it, are left caring for the remaining baby. Are they already together and realise they’re now basically starting a family or does this bring them closer?
- I would prefer pregnant Felix for all following mpreg prompts.
- So mpreg probably can’t be something that’s usually possible for human and other magically talented races, as otherwise Dorian’s whole backstory collapses in on itself. Or maybe there’s some sort of stigma against it in Tevinter as its traditionally thought to produce or for some reason actually does often produce less magically powerful children? But Dorian wants a child with his lover/husband Felix, anyway, and goes against all established norms and traditions.
- Dorian and Felix stumble over some ancient magic artefact that leaves Felix pregnant with Dorian’s baby. Do they consider reverse-engineering the magic? What does it feel like for Dorian that he may give his father exactly what he wants in the end, an heir? That must be a weird and not altogether positive feeling.
- The secret to mpreg/fpreg is discovered in Tevinter during the timelineof DA:I. Great, now it wouldn’t be a problem anymore to favour someone of the same gender and Dorian can marry some magically gifted dude he will never get along with and they can despise each other till they’re both old! Dorian, of course, promptly decides to scandalise everybody by marrying Felix, whose lack of magical talent basically makes him a no-go as a partner to the entirety of Tevinter’s upper crust, male or female.
Overwatch
Genji Shimada/Zenyatta Thekharta
This pairing is one of my constant favourites. Genji and Zenyatta just seem so familiar and comfortable with each other in the game, but there’s also this whole host of history that is only hinted at there with how Genji came to Zenyatta torn up about his past and not at peace with himself. I would love to read everything, from AUs, to their first canon meeting and early tentative crushes, to established relationship fic of them travelling the world.
- From what we’ve seen of Blackwatch Genji in the archive missions, I don’t see him bending his knee to monks too quickly. Perhaps he was streaking about the Shambali temple conflicted and Zenyatta was the only one reckless enough to approach him; or perhaps Zenyatta and him met when Zenyatta was travelling with some of his brothers and sisters. I would also love an AU where maybe they didn’t really start out as master and student at all. Perhaps Zenyatta was just curiously investigating a place he was visiting with his fellow monks and met Genji and befriended him without the thought of teaching him – or they even had a brief affair that then turned into something deeper. Or maybe Genji saved Zenyatta from some anti-omnic terrorists. Or whatever else you can come up with, I’m ready for all.
- As I said, I also would love to read something about their adventures travelling together, how they help people, fight together, live together, and perhaps even go to the Overwatch call together.
- There is a lot of focus on Genji’s inner conflict in Genyatta fic and I love that angst, but I’d like to read something that touches on Zenyatta, too, if you’re so inclined. I suppose Genji was still around when Zenyatta decided to turn his back on the Shambali, though he probably didn’t do it before he figured Genji didn’t need him anymore. What was it like for Zenyatta to make that decision? It couldn’t have been easy. If you track his history, he was never not either a service bot or with the Shambali, so he’s never been alone out there in the world. Is he scared, excited, conflicted? All of them, none of them? And what does Genji think of it? Does he feel abandoned? Is he worried that he won’t see Zenyatta again, or that he will be hurt out there in a world often hostile to omnics? Or does he support the decision, having seen Zenyatta was unhappy perhaps even before Zenyatta admitted it to himself (maybe he was even the one who, in conversation, steered Zenyatta to think of new paths)? A lot of ways this could go.
- Zenyatta is pretty young, all things considered; 20 by the time the game’s story starts, so maybe about 15 or 16 when he first met Genji? Omnics start as adults, of course, but experience must be gained by all living creatures. Perhaps there has just never been an opportunity for him to really fall in love before and Genji is the first person he crushes on. Is he excited and curious, or is he worried that his role as guide and master forbids this? Does Genji catch on? (I do hope he reciprocates, of course.) Similarly, Genji was kind of a playboy back in the day, so I doubt he had many meaningful romantic relationships, and he certainly wasn’t up for serious relationships in Blackwatch days. So despite the fact that he has a good few years on Zenyatta, he may also not be used to trying to build a real romantic connection – and that while being in this new robot body that he has a complicated relationship to.
- Genji and Zenyatta seem to have split for the time being, but a story of Genji racing back to Zenyatta after the attack on Mondatta and him comforting Zenyatta (and Zenyatta comforting Genji, who certainly also knew him) would be great. Perhaps this plus their separation is what finally pushes them to admit their feelings.
- For smut, I prefer Zenyatta on bottom, if they even do anything that requires top or bottom because I imagine robot/cyborg bodies may have entirely inhuman ways to connect (literally via USB port? In the Iris?). While I do like human-ish genitalia for Zenyatta (intersex, female or male, or something that has similar functions but looks a bit different, maybe like simple sex toys, considering his built is so basic), I also really enjoy that Zenyatta is such a standard model with wires showing and made of probably (or not?) unfeeling, scratched-up metal in many parts. So wire play and all that could be really fun! Or maybe he doesn’t even have any sexual organs or software capability to experience sexual pleasure and gets them installed for Genji? Or he has them and hasn’t used them much? But Genji used to be a player, I bet he has a few tricks up his sleeve... Also, using sex to make Genji feel good about his body is always great, too.
- Maybe you want to go for something more out there, so I should say, I always love AUs that somehow incorporate the alternate skins the characters have. Both Genji and Zenyatta have a number of skins that tell matching stories. The nomad Genji skins, for example, which seem to be decked out for desert exploration, pair well with the Egypt-themed divine bird skins. And wasn’t there even a little story about a wandering Genji finding the Eldritch Zenyatta? The Lunar skins pair off nicely, and demon Genji also works really well with the Sanzang one, since Sanzang actually was hunted by demons quite a bit in Journey To The West. Nvidia Zenyatta (which is what the black-green recolour is called in my mind) looks like he could have been part of Blackwatch, with such an edgy design. And so on. The mix and match potential for AUs is pretty much endless here.
(I also have a letter dealing with marriage tropes and general tropes for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Vampyr
Jonathan Reid/Sean Hampton
Sean is the love interest I wanted! I enjoy how gentle and meek he is, but also how he obviously has a lot of courage and a stubborn head of his own. Meanwhile, Jonathan cares about people, but is a very good protagonist in that he seems always ready to push his own will through. Plus, they are both caretakers (who are also people-eating monsters) in their own right. I can see everything from tooth-rotting fluff to the two of them solving crimes and helping people together to even them getting into an argument over something they are at odds about and having to resolve that somehow.
- I would still love a version of the game where Sean is the love interest instead of Elisabeth. I don’t mean repeating the whole game, of course, but changing/adding some scenes. Sean’s already Princess Peaching it in Bishop’s den where you valiantly save him, it’s the perfect set-up for a charged conversation or three back in the hospital. Perhaps Jonathan can get some comfort and guidance from Sean by half-alluding to the terrible situation he’s in (or Sean, having known vampires for a decade, surprises Jonathan eventually with the revelation that he knows very well what Jonathan is and is not afraid of it). I’d also enjoy scenes of Jonathan returning to him between missions and/or an adjusted ending where Jonathan goes to Sean afterwards. Maybe they help Old Bridget clean up the sewer hide-out, which could be a sombre scene, since Sean also considered the Skals his flock. Or, for something happier, they could simply celebrate the end of the epidemic and Jonathan’s survival.
- Jonathan is the fighter of the two, but I can see Sean throwing himself into an altercation to help a wounded Jonathan, too. Dude turns into a pretty high-level feral Skal with shadow clones when you leave him to the blood of hate, so he could probably at least hold his own for a bit, long enough for Jonathan to recover; but he’s also not someone used to fighting and might get pretty banged up. I just like them working together or saving each other and any situation where that happens would be great, plus them taking care of the problem for good once they have licked their wounds.
- Sean is worried about one of his flock who has been behaving very strangely, or something else that is fishy at the docks, and him and Jonathan solve the mystery and get closer again in the process.
- Or the other way around, Jonathan has a mysterious case at his clinic who also asks for spiritual guidance and so Jonathan goes to find Sean, who gets some strange half-confessions and pleas for help. Who is responsible? What is going on in Londontown this night? I don’t know, but Sean and Jonathan may end up kissing while they find out.
- They also generally have a lot of enemies: the Ascalon club could be going after Jonathan for not heeding their wishes or become too interested in what a weird Skal type Sean is, other elder vampires might come back from the continent and bring their own entourage, there’s the Guard of Priwen and certainly other hunter factions, too, some less respectful upstart gang or union member with his cronies around Sean’s territory could be trying to teach him a lesson... these two have their hands full.
- I’d also love a quieter fic about their relationship which just kind of tracks its development. Does Jonathan ever introduce Sean to... well, what’s left of his family, his mum and his butler? Probably not as his boyfriend, but maybe he wants to see Sean make a connection with them. What about sex? Sean is probably a virgin, apart from what happened to him. Does he ever say more about that to Jonathan when they get closer? Does Jonathan try to let it start slowly to get him used to it, or does something happen unplanned that perhaps surprises them both? I somewhat prefer bottom Sean, but both works.
- I’d also love them dealing with the actual fallout of the Spanish flu epidemic (that still happened, after all) and/or the returning soldiers. There’ll be a lot of work for a spiritual caretaker and a doctor to do.
- Also, Jonathan returning to London after the second-worst ending, when he failed to save Elisabeth and might just generally feel terrible about himself and Sean meeting him and the two of them attempting to put their lives back together while getting closer, that would be nice.
- I’m also a sucker for vampires feeding and hurt/comfort, so if Jonathan or Sean got hurt and the other offered them some blood, that would also be a great fic. Skals don’t seem to heal as well or quickly as Ekons, either, so maybe Jonathan can put some proper bandages on Sean, too, or Sean could allow him to do that examination he rejected at first (that part could probably veer into a smut prompt, heh).
- Jump forward in time! I’d love to see their established relationship thirty, fifty, a hundred years down the road. How do they live? Or, perhaps they haven’t always been together, but they meet again like eighty years later or something and fall in love.
- Finally, Jonathan went through seven kinds of hell in the span of like two weeks in the game (and for that matter, Sean wasn’t exactly having a great time, either). If at some point he runs out of energy, or just has a break-down as it all catches up with him, I would love for Sean to be around to pick him up and comfort him and commiserate (even if Jonathan might feel that the rather rough manner in which he saved Sean should preclude him from such sympathy).
Geoffrey McCullum/Sean Hampton
These two don’t meet in-game, but I feel like it’d be really interesting if they did. Geoffrey has probably never met a Skal like Sean before and his new perspective (either because he is a vampire or because Jonathan spared him) might keep him from killing him outright, and Sean could be really good for him, since surely Geoffrey must be affected by what has happened to him recently one way or the other and could use someone kind who is generally ready to listen and help. Besides, someone’s gotta keep the city standing if Jonathan left to America/the castle, and Sean and Geoffrey are both involved in doing just that, in their own ways. That would give them many opportunities to interact.
- What I would also find fascinating is that if Jonathan didn’t turn Geoffrey, Arthur’s blood might still have done it eventually, and perhaps Sean just happens upon Geoffrey when that occurs and helps him through it. That would also create an interesting connection for them.
- Hell, for all we know, Geoffrey and Sean could have met before the game. There’s a note from Geoffrey saying he knows they don’t have enough recruits at the East End docks, so it’s not impossible he would walk the perimeter there himself sometimes and eventually meet Sean and even befriend him, since Sean is just a human at that point. I would love a calm-before-the-storm kind of mutual crush or cute romance between them pre-game (which might already be tinged by Sean probably lying to Geoffrey about the undead part of his flock). Alternatively, how would poor Geoffrey react to his crush or even boyfriend turning into a Skal? Would he find it his responsibility to kill him but can’t bring himself to? And then he (potentially) changes himself...
- Jonathan could introduce Sean to Geoffrey before he leaves London with a footnote to Geoffrey to keep his hands off of Sean if he doesn’t want to get in trouble, but I’m sure Geoffrey would still want to keep an eye on this Skal positioned just at the right place where he could make people few would miss vanish. Sean working to get his trust and actually getting it and more would be fun.
- Geoffrey and Sean are both from Dublin and have both left terrible memories behind there. How interesting would it be if something necessitated that they have to go back, some case they both try to solve or some vampire/hunter threatening them? I would love to read them navigate the city and their own pasts together. Alternatively, I also like them speaking Irish together, talking about a street or something they both might have known; or perhaps Geoffrey used to be a proper Irish Catholic boy once upon a time, too? Just things like that which provide innitial connection points.
- They also generally have a lot of enemies: the Ascalon Club could be going after Geoffrey for being a hunter or become too interested in what a weird Skal type Sean is, other elder vampires might come back from the continent and bring their own entourage, there’s other hunter factions, too, some less respectful upstart gang or union member with his cronies around Sean’s territory could be trying to teach him a lesson... these two have their hands full.
- Perhaps Jonathan didn’t want to draw Geoffrey’s attention to Sean, so he didn’t tell him about Sean at all and they just run into each other. How does Sean manage to talk his way out of being immediately murdered (or has Geoffrey perhaps mellowed a little bit and now does give vampires who look reasonable a chance – but then again, Skals can’t be reasonable, right...)? How does Geoffrey come to tolerate and like this weird uncommon Skal? Does Sean think he’s a thug at first and later comes around, or does he see something else in him straight from the beginning?
- I’d also love a quieter fic about their relationship which just kind of tracks its development. Does Geoffrey tell him about his family or his adopted father, perhaps takes him to the graveyard? What about sex? Sean is probably a virgin, apart from what happened to him. Does he ever say something about that to Geoffrey when they get closer, does he tell him at all, or does Geoffrey learn it through gossip like Jonathan did? Does Geoffrey try to let it start slowly to get him used to things, or does something happen unplanned that perhaps surprises them both? I somewhat prefer bottom Sean, but both works.
- Sean is worried about one of his flock who has been behaving very strangely, or something else that is fishy at the docks, and him and Geoffrey solve the mystery and get closer in the process.
- Combatant or not, Geoffrey thinks Sean needs some self-defence lessons if he wants to stay alive and protect his immortal flock. They train vampire powers together and get closer over it.
- Jump forward in time! I’d love to see their established relationship thirty, fifty, a hundred years down the road. How do they live? Or, perhaps they haven’t always been together, but they meet again like eighty years later or something and fall in love.
- Both Sean and Geoffrey seemed to take this whole changing into monster thing kind of eerily well, but maybe they also just didn’t want to talk to Jonathan about it, especially in that very hectic situation with the epidemic. Sure, Sean knew Skals before, but you can’t tell me he has no reaction to wanting to eat corpses now (or that very weird slight personality shift he had when he was still controlled by the blood of hate, that’d scare him in retrospect, I imagine). Perhaps he does allow himself a minor breakdown and Geoffrey finds him, or they are already close and Sean talks to him. Or, on the other hand, Geoffrey reaches his breaking point and Sean comforts him and convinces him that he doesn’t need to stake himself.
Jonathan Reid/Geoffrey McCullum/Sean Hampton
This mess of a threesome is another favourite idea of mine. There’s just so much charge there: the anger Geoffrey must feel for Jonathan, particularly if he has made him an Ekon, his aggression towards vampires turning against Skal Sean, but his newfound knowledge also perhaps halting him and showing him that both Jonathan and Sean might be the kind of vampires who don’t deserve death and thus confusing him a lot in the process. Sean is likely still a bit resentful towards Jonathan, if his curt answer concerning an examination is anything to go by, and Geoffrey would probably scare or at least worry him, but I think Sean would also try to help Jonathan and Geoffrey both if he knew the extent of their tragedies. Finally, Jonathan sees the good in both these men, but also has to live with the things he’s done to them, and, considering how Geoffrey hunted him, is probably as angry at him as Geoffrey is at Jonathan.
- Jonathan is of course the logical connection point between them, so it might start out with him in a relationship/flirting with one of them first before the other joins. But perhaps Jonathan also takes a bit of a break from London after the game and finds his progeny have gotten to know each other in his absence.
- A story idea for established relationship could be the three of them getting locked in somewhere and fighting their way out – though Sean is not much of a fighter, but perhaps he can make a good blood bag for the other two to replenish after or during the battle? (Then again, we know he turns into a tough mini boss if you let him deteriorate, so perhaps there’s more to him in a fight than anyone expects.)
- Considering how long an examination of how they got together could go, I’d also be perfectly fine if you skipped to an established three-way relationship kind of deal, just showing how they deal with the world as a triad. How do they approach new threats in the city, how does Geoffrey keep his fellow guards from killing his boyfriends (and potentially himself), do Geoffrey and Sean help Jonathan at the hospital or with searching for a way to quell vampire hunger, and do Geoffrey and Jonathan make sure the shelter stays safe?
- I would also just like to see them hanging out, bickering, doing naughty things. These boys are busy, I’m sure they could all stand to relax together sometimes. Just one or all of them reflecting on the relationship would be really interesting, too.
- If Geoffrey was not turned by Jonathan but by Arthur’s blood, Arthur might come over to London to take a look at his newest progeny and in the process also meeting his younger brother Jonathan and Sean the weird Skal. Whether that is a good or bad thing remains to be seen, but it might bring the three closer together.
- Jump forward in time! I’d love to see their established relationship thirty, fifty, a hundred years down the road. How do they live? Or, perhaps they haven’t always been together, or maybe only two of them have been, but they meet again like eighty years later or something and all fall in love.
- Combatant or not, Geoffrey and Jonathan think Sean needs some self-defence lessons if he wants to stay alive and protect his immortal flock. They train vampire powers together and get closer over it. Also, Sean might be watching (perhaps with some trepidation – or even with some arousal, to his own surprise) how Geoffrey and Jonathan tear into each other training their powers together and provides them with blood to heal their wounds after.
- For smut, I would love to see them doing it in all sorts of constellations: in a pile all three on each other (all my brownie points of Sean being spitroasted), or with two of them performing for the third, or one of them performing for the two others while they touch each other. Perhaps Sean isn’t quite comfortable jumping right in with two men at first, so they ease him into it. Or Sean is a lot more ready to experiment than they exptected and they have fun with that. Perhaps a little later into their relationship, the two of them are so busy bickering that Sean somehow ends up taking control at some point and makes them do what he wants to get this show on the road. I somewhat prefer bottom Sean, but all is good. No preferences between the other two.
- They also generally have a lot of enemies: the Ascalon Club could be going after Geoffrey for being a hunter or for Jonathan for not heeding or become too interested in what a weird Skal type Sean is, other elder vampires might come back from the continent and bring their own entourage, there’s other hunter factions, too, some less respectful upstart gang or union member with his cronies around Sean’s territory could be trying to teach him a lesson... these three have their hands full.
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
Boromir (Son of Denethor II)/Aragorn | Estel
I love everything about this pairing. The tension that their positions and personalities create is just great. They are both warriors of much talent and good leaders, but in the end, Boromir is the one who has to live with his guilt of failing, since I guess Boromir Lives AUs really give the best opportunity for them to have longer plots together. But Aragorn’s return to Gondor and the ring quest didn’t exactly go without a hitch, either, and he still has to prove that old Strider can actually be a good king. Lots still to unpack there. Aragorn’s relationship with Arwen obviously stumbles into my infidelity DNW, so if they are broken up or never got together in the first place, that’d be great. For smut, I prefer bottom Aragorn.
- Now that they’ve finally arrived home – though Aragorn probably still has to get there to start seeing it that way –, I’d love to see them take to life in Minas Tirith together.
- Boromir, who knows the area better, takes Aragorn out of town for a couple days and shows him a place where they can wander the forest/mountains a bit and Aragorn can indulge in being Strider for a while.
- Boromir being happy to be back home and Aragorn finding it interesting and endearing to see him among his men and in his environment would be nice.
- A rare comfortable evening or slow morning in front of the fire or in bed for the two.
- If they have kids, I’m always here for family fluff.
- Boromir is respected and well-liked in Gondor. Aragorn doesn’t mind that some people might prefer Boromir as king, but he’s not really so happy about the ones who openly flirt with his lover… (Or has to stand by as they do so, since he hasn’t confessed his attraction and no claim on him.)
- Aragorn obviously has a great presence when he wants to and that draws attention of all kinds. Boromir kind of wishes it wouldn’t, sometimes, even though he’s just as bewitched.
- Boromir doubts Aragorn could ever trust him again after he tried to steal the ring. Aragorn thinks Boromir views him about as favourable as Denethor and hardly wants him as a king, much less a lover. Much unnecessary pining (and hopefully a resolution) ensues.
- Boromir was surprised to find someone claiming to be the king at the Council of Elrond, but the surprise grows even bigger as he realises it’s his soulmate.
- Aragorn is quite a bit older than Boromir. Is he excited to have finally met his soulmate after all these years or is it kind of strange for him since he got used to living alone?
- Aragorn and Boromir are nominally in the same culture group, but Aragorn also grew up among the elves and probably has the great majority of his influences from the Rangers. He has been in Gondor for some longer period of time before, but some stuff is probably still unknown to him, especially current everyday-life things. On the other hand, Boromir probably finds a lot of Aragorn’s customs and expectations a bit unusual, too.
- Healer king Aragorn manages to save Boromir. What is it like for Boromir after that, basically being a traitor now? How do him and Aragorn find to each other?
- Aragorn gets hurt towards the end of the last battle. Boromir could leave him for dead, the battle probably would still be won and he’d be king in all but name. However, he saves Aragorn instead.
- One character falling ill (or suffering from an infected wound) and the other caring about them is already one of my favourite tropes, so that would already be great. If you want to up the ante, maybe there can be a feverish confession. What is it about? Is it a love confession or perhaps something more indiscreet, a smutty fantasy? Or maybe something innocent but with implications towards their feelings, like them wishing for the other person to embrace them or stay with them through the night? Aragorn being a healer would also be very useful here! But perhaps it’s Boromir who curses that he has no such talents as he watches Aragorn suffer?
- Boromir is a warrior. He needs no one to hold his hand. Except now Aragorn is ready to help him out and it’s quite the strange new situation to be comforted and protected by someone.
- Aragorn has long fought for himself, wandering the wilderness, often to help and protect others. What’s it like for him to feel protected for once?
- Boromir is very warlike and Aragorn is quite a fighter himself. I’m sure tensions between them could discharge into an intense sparring match – maybe more intense than they planned.
- The steward is considered the traditional training partner of the king, as they’re the one most trusted not to hurt him. Aragorn and Boromir both enjoy that Boromir has this task perhaps a bit too much.
- The king marries the oldest son of the steward to reward them for their service – makes sense! Did Aragorn offer it or did Denethor push for it? Were Boromir and Aragorn already in love?
- As above, but Boromir isn’t sure if Aragorn really wants him after the ring fiasco (and potentially after what Denethor did, if he still reacted the same way – in any case he probably isn’t hospitable towards Aragorn) or if he just wanted to honour the job his family had done over the years. Likewise, Aragorn doesn’t know if Boromir holds a grudge towards him for taking the throne from him or if he thinks of him like Denethor does.
- As above but with mpreg! Would prefer pregnant Aragorn here. Obviously they need to get started on furthering Aragorn’s line. Do they fall in love while trying as it gives them a connection, or do they stop once they have done their duty and Aragorn is pregnant? Maybe because they think the other person didn’t want it for anything but that? How do they come together again?
- Would prefer Aragorn pregnant. Them conceiving a child after marrying for love would be great, but maybe it also happens accidentally on the road? Not easy riding against Mordor six months pregnant, but you do what you gotta do...
- Would love omega Aragorn basically being the same badass he always is. Maybe Boromir, coming from a society with a very stiff structure, is not used to (coincidentally very tall, very strong, very handsome, not that anyone’s noticing) omegas running around the muddy forest with sword and frayed cloak. He should disapprove, but...
- Aragorn kept his heats suppressed as long as he could with herbs, but eventually he runs out. Knowing they have no time to lose, he asks if Boromir would help him work through it while the others rest.
- Boromir goes into a rut and Aragorn decides to offer himself to fix it as fast as possible. Bonus if it’s after the ring incident and Boromir is very conflicted and guilty.
- Omegas are very rare, a sign of the old blood of Númenor, almost legend by this point. Boromir has a lot of fun figuring out Aragorn’s preculiar biology.
- If you’d like to go for a complete canon divergence, well, all my alive Boromir prompts are probably that. Still, perhaps the war of the ring doesn’t happen and there’s a different way Aragorn has to reveal himself as the king while coincidentally being in Gondor (perhaps by using his healing powers or something to save someone’s life)? That might be very interesting, too.
- So many opportunities here for smut. For smut, I prefer bottom Aragorn. He may be a fancy king now, but that dude was slumming it as Strider for a good long while. He might be up for some things that Boromir is not used to from the nobles of Gondor. On the other hand, when has high nobility not had some out-there tastes? Perhaps Boromir is also not without his kinks.
Éomer Éadig/Faramir (Son of Denethor II)
I feel like these two have the potential to be quite an interesting pairing. They seem fairly different in temper, but not so much so that they would not get along at all, for they also share a lot of values. Whether they get together through an arranged marriage or because they just fell in love after the war, it would be fun to see more of them together.
- Éomer and Faramir navigating the other’s culture and learning more about each other in the process is something I’d find a lot of fun. Perhaps they do it because they want their people to grow closer again, or it’s the result of the two of them ending up married.
- If this is an arranged marriage, I guess Faramir may have moved to Rohan, since Éomer will follow in his adopted father’s footsteps? How does he take to the life of the riders? How do the two of them take to each other in general? Did they want this or are they wary of each other at first?
- Since Faramir love scrolls and learning and the Rohirrim seem to be more leaning towards oral history and storytelling, I would find it nice if perhaps Éomer told him some of their legends and songs and Faramir did the same for him in turn.
- Faramir is a lot less warlike than many others, but he is still a skilled fighter. Éomer, of course, is a great warrior, too. The two of them fighting to protect their people, each other, or their loved ones would be great.
- Perhaps one of their cultures is fairly open to homosexuality, but the other is not, and that is something they have to navigate during their courtship. The person who is from the more restrictive society might feel ashamed while the other isn’t even quite clear on why they are acting so stand-offish when their attraction is obvious.
- Either the Rohirrim or the people of Gondor have the sort of magic that allows to make babies between two men. The person who is not from the culture this applies to is not really sure what they think of this and if they find this safe for themselves/their partner, but in the end they do want to have legitimate heirs with them. Would prefer pregnant Faramir, but both works.
- Feel free to also go completely AU and let them meet before the whole ring business. How do they run in to each other? Maybe one of them needs help and the other gives it. Do they even recognise each other at first – by name they would, I’m sure, but just looking at one another, maybe not? Perhaps they even have a quick, clandestine affair without really learning who the other is until they meet again during the events of the book?
- Give me all the smut for these two! I prefer bottom Faramir somewhat, but both is good. Now, how many riding jokes can I make about the Rohirrim in just one prompt? Okay, I will spare you. But seriously, anything about these two. Faramir seems like he may be less likely to go for hook-ups, so maybe he’s not that experienced? Or, if this is a situation where one is not used to relationships with men being looked well upon, they might not have had any chance yet to try that out and the other can teach them a bit.
A Song of Ice and Fire – G.R.R. Martin
Stannis Baratheon/Davos Seaworth
The stern, duty-bound lord, the knight with the undying loyalty who despite that does not fear to tell him the truth and is valued for this quality... what is there not to love about these two? I’ll never get tired of the fanfic and I’m always happy to have more. Feel free to tweak Westeros so that homosexuality is accepted and gay marriage allowed and/or mpreg possible if you want. But you can also stick much closer to canon. I know it’s pretty difficult to avoid my cheating DNW while staying in the canon timeline here, so feel free to handwave their marriages away (annulled? they were widowed? divorce is allowed in Westeros? the wives have their own lovers and/or they are separated, if still married in law?) or have them never happen.
- I generally like canon divergence AUs, like King Stannis AU. Maybe Renly decided to throw in with him and he got the throne after beating away the Lannisters (with Dany deciding to rule in Essos instead); maybe Stannis defeated the Others and also all the others who wanted the Iron Throne. Or the opposite – perhaps the rebellion failed and Stannis is now the captain of a mercenary band in Essos, where he meets smuggler Davos on the job, or he got sent to the Wall (Lord Commander Stannis AU would certainly also be interesting), where he gets close to Davos, who either smuggles close-by or is also convicted.
- For a Modern AU, I’d be interested in seeing how one could tell a story with them in the modern world (whether it’s our world or Westeros with equivalent modern levels of progress and industrialisation). Would Stannis and Selyse have split up if they could? (Would Robert and Cersei, thereby preventing the whole murder thing?) Would Stannis be a lonely single parent overworked trying to pick up his brother’s slack at the giant family business, and Davos co-parenting his boys with his divorced wife? That would open the door to a lot of family fluff I like. For example, Stannis comes too late from work to find that his daughter Shireen had to go home from kindergarten with her new friend Devon, since they couldn’t wait around. But what kind of ramshackle neighbourhood does this Devon kid live in, anyway, and isn’t his dad kind of shady, if nice? But that’s just one idea – run wild!
- For Modern AU, I’d also like to see if there was a way to make them as loyal to each other in the modern world as they are in canon. How did Davos gain Stannis’ trust here? Was there somehow another siege situation, young general Stannis and his troops locked down somewhere by enemy bombers and snipers with Davos sneaking in with a little boat? Or was it a totally different kind of situation where Davos’ criminal activities managed to help Stannis out of a serious, life-destroying bind? Or was it something completely different – maybe Davos saved Renly’s life or something? Also, is there any way Stannis could have still taken his fingers off without it turning into a major lawsuit (hell, maybe Davos would still have agreed to it; maybe it’s a honourable criminals AU and Stannis is high up in a sort of mafia-esque organisation)? Or has Davos maybe lost them doing something for Stannis? But it doesn’t have to be that complicated; I’d also love stuff like Stannis maybe learning about the fact that his new employee/long-time employee and confidant can’t actually read, which in modern times may be something Davos is ashamed to mention, and Stannis maybe helping him with that. Or some family time with Stannis’ brothers. Just how annoying can Renly be, trying to hook Stannis up with Davos, Stannis’ personal assistant at Stannis’ branch of the family business? (Or whatever other set-up you prefer, heh.)
- Now that I got all the AUs out of my system, obviously I’m totally here for canon compliant or canon adjacent stories, too. I’d love to get a glimpse into life at court while Stannis was master of ships under Robert, or a reunion up in the North between these two. Shireen and Davos’ sons making appearances is also great.
- Whether AU or not, I’m always here for these two being badass together. We don’t really ever see them fight together in canon and Davos is not one for all-out combat on the battlefield, as he said. But whether they get attacked by pirates, win a sea battle for Robert, fight off assassins, or get captured and then free themselves/each other or something, I want it.
- Stannis is supposed to marry someone he finds completely unbearable; or Davos is being strong-armed into a marriage with a lord or lady who has taken a fancy to him and Davos doesn’t have the clout to actually say no. Stannis saves Davos or Davos saves Stannis by marrying him, blocking him for other connections. But of course, this is not the simple deal it seemed to be at first, since they both have feelings for each other.
- It’s decided Stannis is better taken off the marriage market, so he is married to Davos, who has little and means nothing and won’t disturb anyone’s political games. How do they make their arranged marriage work? Were they already in love with each other, or at least one of them, or is it a slow process during the marriage?
- For an AU, let’s say Davos’ sons were born of him, not of his wife (or at least however many of them would already exist at whatever time you want to set this). Stannis’ marriage got annulled because he and his wife didn’t have any children. Solution: Stannis is made to marry Davos, who has already proven fertile. He may not be a great choice status-wise, but hey, at least he’ll probably give heirs if Stannis can manage it this time.
- Perhaps Stannis and Davos fell into bed together and the next time they meet, Davos is visibly pregnant. Once Davos tells him that yes, it is his child, Stannis decides he will marry him, come what may. Of course, it helps that he really loves Davos; but Davos may be worried he is just doing it because he’s so honourable.
- Davos is a selkie shapeshifter. Stannis accidentally acquires his pelt, so now Davos is bound to marry him. Stannis finds out in the wedding night or shortly after they are wedded and of course now believes his husband was basically forced into the marriage. However, Davos really does love him. However, if you can think of a reason for Stannis to steal the skin deliberately (without this going into noncon), that would also be interesting! Or maybe he grabs the skin and now Davos considers himself married to him (while being aware Stannis probably doesn't think that way) and Stannis eventually finds out - about Davos being a selkie, or what him having the skin means (maybe if he already knew about Davos' nature), or both. Also, feel free to change all of these prompts around for Davos finding shapeshifter Stannis' stag skin.
- Smut is always fun for these two. I prefer bottom Davos. I could see Stannis having a lot of hang-ups around sex, and if he hasn’t been married before, he might even still be a virgin. Perhaps Davos can help him with that. I would also love to see Davos introduce Stannis to some kinks that he may not even have been aware existed. Or perhaps Stannis is into some more out-there things and ashamed of it (or perhaps he just thinks they are out there because of his lacking experience and it’s actually super vanilla like… he wants to have sex but his partner wears a blindfold!!!!, and when he confesses, Davos is trying not to laugh while being reassuring)?
Stanton & Barling – E. M. Powell
Hugo Stanton/Aelred Barling
This (so-far) two-book series is in great parts so entertaining to me because of Stanton’s and Barling’s relationship. Even though Stanton rolls his eyes at Barling a lot and Barling likes to criticise Stanton’s behaviour, you can feel how comfortable they are with each other by the end of book two, how much they obviously care for each other and aren’t afraid to show it. It’s such a nice development and I would like to see it taken further.
- I’d seriously be happy for any sort of story with these two. Them solving a case (a gruesome murder like in the books, or perhaps even something that turns out to be a less serious issue in the end) would be super, and if they managed to pine and kiss somewhere in there I’d be ecstatic. But I would also like to see more of their lives in London!
- Maybe they have a fling before Stanton even learns that Barling is gay. Barling hasn’t had alcohol in more than a decade, I assume he’s probably a lightweight, so if somehow he was convinced to drink, another squabble between him and Stanton might accidentally turn more physical in a good way; or perhaps they get to drunkenly discussing sexual things and one of them decides they have to do a hands-on demonstration. The morning after would of course also be priceless, especially if both of them really enjoyed it and/or even had a crush before.
- Poor Barling thinks he’s going to the deepest pits of hell for being into men, but once upon a time he used to think that the love he felt for Richard exempted him from this being a sin. Perhaps, if there was a kiss or something between him and Stanton, he might even worry he’s predatory and seduced Stanton to sin. I would love it if Stanton could give him that security again, or at least a little bit of it, that what he feels is not actually sinful and that being in love is not something the devil caused, nor even are his sexual desires. It doesn’t have to be a total turnaround, but I’d love to see Barling start to heal from this unnecessary guilt he suffered from for so long.
- Apparently Barling had such a great voice you could even make money off of it, even before he’d really practiced. I’d love it if Barling perhaps felt comfortable enough again to sing for Stanton, or Stanton eventually managed to beg long enough that Barling relents, lol. They could even have some bet running between them that Stanton wins, claiming a song as a price! Or Stanton overheard him while lying in bed one morning while Barling is already up and singing quietly to himself.
- Relatedly, maybe Barling has written a love song about Stanton, as he did for Richard once. Does he sing it too Stanton? Is he too shy or too afraid after what happened last time, but maybe Stanton finds the scroll, or overhears Barling trying some of it out?
- Stanton opening up about his own trauma with Rosamund would be great. I’d also love some possessiveness/protectiveness from his side because of that. After all, he’s come dangerously close to losing Barling, too, I’m sure that left some marks on him.
- The two of them falling into each other’s arms after the monastery murder stuff is over with and then having to deal with their reaction after the high of emotions is over would also be great.
- Barling isn’t used to romance, I assume, and Stanton hasn’t had a long-term lover since Rosamund; but both of them seem like they really do wish for someone they can love with all their heart and not just have in bed. The two of them just enjoying their time as a committed couple or the beginnings of their relationship would be great, realising that this is something that they can hold on to.
- I prefer bottom Barling for smut. Stanton obviously has a lot of experience with women, but he hadn’t thought about sleeping with men before, and Barling had that one time with the prostitute that barely worked out and the, what, couple dozen times that Richard deigned to show him a good time? He did say it wasn’t as often as he’d wanted. They both have a lot left to learn, it seems, and I’d love for them to get to experimenting. Also, Richard doesn’t seem like the most selfless guy, so I doubt Barling knows what it is like when someone really sets their mind to making him feel good. Perhaps Stanton could show him! I’d also be here for Barling being quite desperate to impress Stanton, thinking he can’t measure up to his former conquests in looks or experience, and Stanton reassuring him (once he realises) that he doesn’t need to try so hard because Stanton already likes him.