Dear Chocolatier,
Hello and thank you so much for writing for me!! ♥ You're a gem, and I'm so excited to read what you end up writing.
My AO3 is
brampersandon, where you can see what I've written/received in past exchanges or peruse my bookmarks for more of an idea of what I read on the regular.
In general, I'm not picky at all and am super easy to please, so no need to stress over anything. I do have my general likes/dislikes which are applicable across the board, and I've included potential prompts for each pairing, but please don't feel like you need to adhere to those prompts if they don't spark anything for you. I'm much happier reading a story that
you wanted to write and enjoyed writing. If you're having fun, I'm having fun!
Things I Love- Found families and team dynamics — especially in a group of unlikely characters who may not always get along but absolutely do love each other
- Intense relationships — you and me against the world (even in small, mundane ways — two characters finding an understanding in each other that they can't find in anyone else), mentor/mentee relationships (platonic or shippy), codependency/loyalty kink, the friends to lovers trope, pining (seemingly unrequited or actually unrequited)
- Character studies — whether it's introspection or a study of how the character relates to their world/the other characters around them, anything that delves deeper into what makes a character tick is my jam
- Reunions — possibly my biggest weakness in any narrative, I love characters coming back together, realizing what they missed (or didn't) about one another, distance being forced between them OR deliberately chosen by one or both, reunions that don’t go well, everything about it really
- AUs of almost all kinds (exceptions below) — I have a special fondness for anything involving robots, ghosts, reincarnation, soulmates (including identifying marks/soulbonds/etc.), telepathy (touch or otherwise), space, theatre/film, mundane professions, etc.
- Banter/lots of dialogue, 5 things fics, non-linear narratives, starting fic in medias res, exposition and world-building
- Domesticity — more in terms of the concept of home than in the minutiae of actual home-making, I love characters working to settle in and feel at home in unfamiliar environments, missing home, finding homes in unconventional places (or people!), etc.
- Porn with plot — some things I enjoy reading are age difference, breathplay, dubcon, edging, over-stimulation, begging, praise kink, lots of talking, frottage, size difference, voyeurism, role reversals, rough sex, light (not overly-negotiated) bondage, characters discovering things they didn't know they were into
Do Not Wants- Kidfic — characters being aged down into children or adult characters somehow acquiring children
- Issuefic
- Scenes of rape or self-harm
- A/B/O, hard kink (lifestyle BDSM/scat/guro/watersports/etc.)
- PWP — I love porn, but I prefer for it to be part of the bigger picture rather than the sole focus
- Some AUs — genderswap, werewolves/vampires/other mythical creatures, royalty/regency
Club de Cuervos
Fanfiction General likes for this fandom: The team dynamics of the Cuervos, how everyone deals with the tense and unstable situation at the club, tie-ins to the real life football world, team bonding, Walter Bazar quotes, Chava being the worst. (Club de Cuervos is an exception to the yes gimme all the AUs rule. I'm so enamored with the universe of the show, I would prefer no AU fic for these characters. I just really like them as footballers in Nuevo Toledo!)Aitor Cardoné/Salvador "Chava" Iglesias Jr.Why I love them: Because they're both horrible and they bring out the worst in each other. I love both of them for their myriad flaws, not despite them, so feel free to make them as obnoxious as you want, I'm all about it! Chava's obsession with what Aitor represents vs. how he has to actually deal with him once he's in Nuevo Toledo is wonderful. Aitor making his life hell is fantastic, but so are the rare moments of genuine friendship between them — from their goodbye at the end of season one to the season two moment that killed me entirely, I just love everything about their awful relationship.
Prompt ideas: Anything that josses season two and has Chava joining Aitor in the U.S. would make my day! Or going by canon, anything that can get Aitor into season three somehow — what if he visits the club once they're in Puebla? Aitor seducing Chava, Chava putting a caveat on the "zero dicks" rule he gave Aitor so they can bone down, Chava having to pull ridiculous stunts to keep Aitor happy in Nuevo Toledo — really, anything about how they continue to ruin each other's lives just by being their annoying selves, and if you allow them to have real, genuine feelings for each other beneath it all, all the better! (I have also previously rambled in depth about them in this Yuletide letter if you would like more ideas!)
Julito Cervera/Benito "Zombie" Guerrero
Why I love them: Look... I have no excuse here beyond "Julito is so small and bitey, Zombie is so tall and serene, what if they made out about it?" I love all of the new Cuervos together, but the way Julito and Zombie's dynamics bounce off one another is my favorite part.
Prompt ideas: The two of them settling into the team together! Zombie trying to help Julito manage his temper! Both of them being clumsy as hell about their feelings and all the mishaps before they figure it out. Honestly, I'm weak for any kind of hurt/comfort after Zombie's heart attack — Julito dropping in to check on him or getting super jumpy about his health after that (DOES HE NEED CPR? IS THAT A GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE TO BITE HIS FACE?) would make me so happy. Alternately, what if Zombie is actually a zombie? I WOULD TAKE THAT AU HAPPILY :>
Julito Cervera & Benito "Zombie" Guerrero & Axel Carmenara & Pepe "El Pepenador" Morales
Why I love them: THE NEW CUERVOS ARE ALL SO GOOD. I love this ragtag band of leftovers that season three gave us! They're all such distinct, hilarious personalities — and then when they all finally come together at the end of the season, that's just my kryptonite. They're a cohesive group, despite what a bunch of misfits they are.
Prompt ideas: Anything about all about the lot of them settling into the team and getting to know each other. Do they all go back to group therapy after that one awful time with Isabel? Does everyone get to join Pepenador in Disneyland? Do they go on adventures when they're traveling for away games? Any team bonding would be excellent, really. I just love these fools.
Moisés Suárez/Potro
Why I love them: Best friends/codependent co-captains who have gone through hell together and been cruelly separated is e v e r y t h i n g to me. Despite the fact that they haven't been on the show at the same time since season one, I'm still totally enamored with their relationship. I love how level-headed Moi is versus the chaotic passionate artist that is Potro. How they bounce off each other but ultimately understand one another and are super close is my jam.
Prompt ideas: Alllll the separation/reunion what with Moi going to Greece and returning to the Cuervos only for Potro to go to Pachuca. Joss the end of season two and have Moi come back early to take care of Potro when he's laid up with his injury! Any exploration of their years with the Cuervos pre-show and how they initially became friends — who caught feelings first? (I have also previously rambled in depth about them in this Yuletide letter if you would like more ideas!)
Dead Poets Society
Fanfiction
General likes for this fandom: Boarding school shenanigans, lots of poetry, what happens when characters are on break/peeks into their home lives, both fix-it fic and fic that leans into the unhappy ending of the movie, future fic, ~passionate experimentation~, schoolboy pining, emotional clumsiness.
Charlie Dalton/Neil Perry
Why I love them: "How was your summer, slick?" / "Keen." ruined me the very first time I saw this movie as a wee one, and so many years later they are still my DPS OTP. The Dead Poets spirit of passionate experimentation is strongest in them, I think — in good ways and in bad. Neil and Charlie are both such fiery, driven characters, and both so self-destructive in their own ways. How Neil folds under pressure and doesn't allow himself to keep fighting for what he wants vs. how Charlie fights too hard and ends up screwing himself over has always fascinated me. I love that they have just as much potential to drive each other to bright and brilliant things as they to do to be a huge goddamn mess together.
Prompt ideas: How they originally became friends (and more) at Welton has always intrigued me. Did they room together at some point? Who brought the petty teenage rebellion out of the other one first? I love any illicit school shenanigans here — from smoking in secret to making out in secret, I'm all about it! And of course, fic set within the timeline of the movie would be incredible. I love anything involving the boys bonding over poetry, so any secret cave excursions that end up getting too heated is my jaaaam. I've always dug that Charlie pushes and pushes and pushes, and up until Mr. Keating entered their lives Neil wasn't great about letting himself want anything — so fic about Charlie being the one to get Neil to acknowledge his feelings is my kryptonite. Does it have to end well? Not necessarily! There's a lot of 1950s baggage there. Of course I love if everyone is queer and happy about it, but you can feel free to lean into the time period if you want. Plus, all that pushing Charlie does has to backfire on him at some point. If you want to go with fix-it fic for the end of the movie, I'd super enjoy anything about Charlie and Neil in the future. Do they fall into lives of drudgery or do they manage to keep their spirits alive?
Football RPF
Fanfiction
General likes for this fandom: Feelings about football and its effects on and off the pitch, loyalty kink (to other players, to clubs, or lack thereof), long-suffering captains, exploring the narratives of a certain game/season/number/player/team/whatever!, AU elements/magical realism in the football world, S O U L B O N D S, AUs in general really, players finding home in a city/team they didn't expect to. (Please no WAG vilification or focus on infidelity.)
Alessandro Del Piero/Paulo Dybala
Why I love them: THE #10 NARRATIVE! Everything about Paulo finally inheriting the #10 from Alessandro (...by way of Tevez and Pogba but like, honestly who cares) speaks to me. I dig the heir apparent vibe they've got going on. I also dig how ridiculously fond they are of each other and all of Paulo's hero worship. Plus they've got way more in common personality-wise than one would think at first! I just want to see the bridging of the Juve generation gap via them basically.
Prompt ideas: Aaaanything about Paulo attempting to follow in Alessandro's footsteps while also being painfully aware that he will never be the icon Alessandro was. Time travel where Paulo gets to meet young hotshot ADP and learn from him (and bang him senseless)? Do they finally have their free kick contest? What happened when Alessandro visited Paulo in Moscow on his own goddamn birthday? WHY ARE THEY LIKE THIS.
Andrea Barzagli & Leonardo Bonucci & Giorgio Chiellini & Claudio Marchisio
Why I love them: So hey, they're best friends. Obviously the BBC are were (cool cool cool) the backbone of Juve/Azzurri defense, but Claudio somehow slotted himself in there too and the four of them are just inseparable? I LOVE IT. They're all so different — brash hothead Leo and reserved gentle giant Barza and literal genius Chiello and unrepentant goofball Claudio — but they come together seamlessly. I miss the four of them being together and the only thing that can heal my heart is foursome fic.
Prompt ideas: OKAY SO I USED THE GEN TAG FOR THIS because at the end of the day, I mostly want an exploration of how the four of them forged such a strong friendship — but if it happens to get shippy (in any and all combinations) I am 100% okay with that. Anything about how they bonded at Juve or Azzurri! Anything about their wild parties! Bonus, if you want to break my heart, how the four of them still keep their friendship up after Leo left for Milan (BECAUSE THEY HAVE AND IT WOUNDS ME DAILY) — the ways in which it's easy and the ways in which it really, really isn't. Feel free to lean into that Leo transfer angst as much as you want, god knows I do.
Darijo Srna/Niko Kovač
Why I love them: This is my oldest footie ship — like, it predates me even knowing football fandom existed by a good 5+ years. They suffered so much together and neither of them got the happy ending they deserved — in fact, Niko got burned twice over as both captain and coach. Fun! Ugh but really I just love how woefully unhappy both of their international careers were and how obsessively they still loved Vatreni despite it all. I would love fic that delves into that dichotomy between their unfortunate circumstances and their unwavering loyalty and love for the team.
Prompt ideas: Throw back to the 2006 World Cup and/or Euro 2008 where everything went horribly wrong. Hurt/comfort and/or commiseration banging!! Niko trying to retire after Euro 2008 and not being able to, him passing on captaincy to Darijo. Captain kink galore, either with Niko as Darijo's captain or Niko as the coach to Darijo's captain! Future fic once Darijo is retired — or when he takes over as Vatreni coach with Niko's guidance because we all know it's coming. :>
Gianluigi Buffon/Iker Casillas
Why I love them: Look, we're nearing the end of the Buffon-Casillas years of goalkeeping. We need to celebrate it while we still can. It's always baffled me that there are so few works for Gigi/Iker because their relationship is so unique. The two most capped players for their national teams, captains who've met each other head-on time and time again and built up such a mutual admiration society, immortal heroes of club and country who just get each other. I have a soft spot in my heart for relationships like that — two characters who largely weather their circumstances alone but come to find a rare confidante in someone going through the exact same thing.
Prompt ideas: RETIREMENT FIC!! They had a retirement pact which was supposed to go into effect after WC18 but... uh, Gigi isn't going to that, so. Anything about them being retired and free to hang out with each other whenever they want and figure out life outside of football would make my day. Alternately, turn back the clock and explore their long distance slow burn when they were both growing into being the best keepers in the world! (Or... time travel? :>)
Gianluigi Buffon/Paulo Dybala
Why I love them: SIXTEEN YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE, FIRST OF ALL! Paulo openly admits to being a huge fan of Gigi since he was a kid — he talks about how he used to choose him as his goalkeeper in video games, and when he was with Palermo he sought him out to get his jersey. Also, this interview snippet. And Gigi talks him up all the time, compliments him in interviews and talks about how important he is to Juventus. Their relationship is just open season on hero worship, captain kink, praise kink, all of it. IT'S A LOT.
Prompt ideas: Anything about Gigi helping Paulo settle into the club when he first came would be wonderful. Alternately, one helping the other through the myriad shitty transfers Juve has had — Paulo losing Álvaro and Pogba, Gigi losing Leo — as long as the focus is on how the two of them work through it and not necessarily on the particulars of the transfer sagas since I am still at bitter coffee bean. Orrrr lean heavy into the age difference — I love trope subversion when it comes to this! I love the Paulo being the pushy one and Gigi being baffled by it but not being able to talk himself out of it.
Gianluigi Buffon/Alessandro Del Piero
Why I love them: Captain..... kink...... CLENCHES FIST. There's so much narrative here, from the two of them staying after Juve went down to Serie B to Alessandro passing captaincy along to Gigi. They're both super intense people who have always gotten along famously — there's a lot of passion there. Also, shallowly, height difference!
Prompt ideas: I have a deep need for Calciopoli fic, honestly. Anything about how the two of them stayed with the club even when everything was going to shit would make my day. Alternately, if you don't want to time travel back to 2006, I'd also love an exploration of Alessandro's final days at Juve and beyond. Remember when he came back for a friendly with A-League All Stars and kept on crying at Gigi? I just have a lot of feelings about the inglorious way Alessandro left the club versus how Gigi has essentially been given a lifetime contract — anything about that messiness would be wonderful. Or go full future fic with it! Retirement fic is always welcome!
Leonardo Bonucci/Gianluigi Buffon
Why I love them: Uh I love pain I guess. No, Gigi and Leo are like, one of the ultimate keeper-defender codependencies for me — they're glued to each other on and off the pitch, they formed such a beautiful partnership when they played together, it was all just golden. IT WAS A LOT, OKAY. Also, I have never recovered from this Leo quote.
Prompt ideas: Just fuck me up. At one point I probably needed fix-it fic for them but that point was short-lived and now I just want all the transfer/moving on angst! How they handled Leo's last few months with the club, how they work it out with Leo being in Milan, aaaaanything about the failed World Cup qualification being their last time playing together! Alternately, if you don't feel like going full tilt transfer hell (I DO NOT BLAME YOU) then I am always always always happy with fic about their years together with Juve/Azzurri. SO MANY VICTORIES AND DEFEATS THEY COULD BANG ABOUT!
Luka Modrić/Sergio Ramos
Why I love them: Turns out Luka and Sergio are best friends. Like, playing basketball together after practice best friends, going on family vacations together best friends, sharing a helicopter ride best friends. There's an entire Marca article about their bizarre friendship that kinda says it all, but it's so intriguing that all I want is more exploration of it. And because I'm predictable, I love when the lines between best friendship and something more blur into real feelings, so I've ended up shipping it hard. Please send help.
Prompt ideas: Anything about the rocky beginnings of their friendship, because Luka really didn't like Sergio when he first got to Madrid and he wasn't shy about telling him so! They're vacation buddies, so any kind of traveling fic would be rad — Luka showing Sergio around Croatia, or both of them discovering new places together in that weird liminal space that travel can create. I also have a soft spot for the idea of Luka and Sergio being friends for years, but not getting super close until Iker leaves. It's not like Luka can fill that void for him, and Sergio carried on as best he could, but maybe he's the one who sees him hurting and decides to reach out. Anything about the two of them growing closer in the wake of Iker's departure would break my heart in the best way possible. (IT'S NOT LIKE LUKA KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A NT BESTIE/SOULMATE HE NEVER GETS TO SEE ANYMORE COUGH COUGH what anyway sorry my Vatreni agenda is showing)
Michael Ballack/Alexi Lalas
Why I love them: Have two men ever loved to hate each other so much? Despite how often they disagree (constantly) they still had such wonderful banter when they were working together at ESPN — and they really did love each other deep down. They just don't see eye to eye on... anything, ever. And I love that about them!! I love their snark, I love how Alexi can actually manage to rile Micha up, I love how both of them stand their ground and refuse to budge for each other. And mostly I just love old men in love.
Prompt ideas: God please just put them back together as a commentary duo. Either fic set during Euro 2012/World Cup 2014 where they were actually together, or fic set in the upcoming World Cup where they're back together — LITERALLY JUST ANYTHING WHERE THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AGAIN. Alternately, Alexi makes Micha come play a match for Hollywood United F.C. with him! Or he visits Micha in Germany and tries (and fails) to not get his obnoxious Americanness everywhere! Or some kind of old mens exhibition match where Alexi gets to play against Micha and his old GERNT buds! Or like, literally any AU, I just love and miss Ballalas so much.
Sami Khedira/Mario Mandžukić
Why I love them: They are my secret Juve OTP! Two players pushed out of their respective clubs who wound up at Juve together in the summer of 2015 and, despite everything, found a home there. Sami and Mandzo have both fucking flourished at Juve, far exceeding what anybody thought they still had left in as their careers wind down. I love both of them being rehabilitated at Juve, and I especially love the idea of the two of them finding companionship with each other. Also please just watch this video, they are painfully cute.
Prompt ideas: The newness of it all! Settling in at a club that actually works for them, for the first time in a long time, and how they navigate that separately and together. Just, seriously, anything about the two of them finding home at Juve and with each other would make my day a million times over. OH ALSO, MANDZO FORCED SAMI TO SUPPORT CROATIA IN HANDBALL, because that is SUCH a boyfriend move god dammit — what else do they end up sharing with each other? And did Mandzo ever crash Sami's vacation? :>
Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City RPF
Fanfiction
General likes for this fandom: The relaxed slice of life vibe, exploring Tokyo, settling into the home together and how awkward it can be, how they still go about their lives outside the house, getting to know minute depths of the characters, quiet moments that seem mundane but reveal a lot, AU elements/magical realism within the house.
Arman Bitaraf/Hikaru Ota
Why I love them: They're so different (terminally chill to the point of being aimless Arman vs. spark plug Hikaru who's so young and already done so much) and yet they immediately got on like fire as soon as Hikaru joined the house. How close did they get? Well, when Hikaru left the show, this happened. Aside from Hansan's departure (which wrecked everyone, including me) this was by far the most emotional goodbye in the show, all because Arman and Hikaru had grown so close in such a short amount of time. And, like— Arman was there for the lion's share of the show, he watched so many people come and go! Hikaru was the only one who wrenched this reaction out of him!! I came out of it shipping this HARD, but also so inordinately charmed by Terrace House that I was desperate for any kind of fic at all. So here we are!
Prompt ideas: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, literally anything about the separation/reunion aspect of their relationship — because even after Hikaru left Terrace House, they continued to hang out after the show, even when Arman moved back to Hawaii! Here are some of my favorite photos from their reunions: boys being ridiculous, partying way too hard, posing like dingdongs, and their most recent reunion guest starring HANSAN!! I just love that they've kept up their friendship despite the distance (and despite Hikaru's new trashboy aesthetic). Anything about Hikaru visiting him in Hawaii or Arman visiting him in Japan (or wherever Hikaru's modeling escapades are taking him this week) would be amazing. But also, long distance pining! Dumb adventures together when they're reunited! Hikaru holding Arman to his word on there's so much more I wanted to do with you! (I have also previously rambled in depth about them in this Yuletide letter if you would like more ideas!)
And that about wraps it up! Again, thank you so much. I can't wait to read what you write and inevitably gush all over it.
♥ Caitlin
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