noblealice | YULETIDE LETTER - AS GOOD AS IT'S GONNA GET

Dear Yuletide Writer,

HELLO! I already love you because you like at least one of the things I like! I hope you have fun writing and my request doesn't keep you up at night, pulling out your hair. Trust me, it's a pretty good guarantee that I'll like whatever you write simply because the fandom is so rare and it's a joy to read ANYTHING more in these universes with these characters.

General Likes and Dislikes
I love when people clearly adore one another and recognize how awesome their partner is (while not letting them get away with their flaws or get complacent - a true relationship would challenge the people in it to be the best versions of themselves). I love consensual established relationships (consent is important!). But I also like that flirty phase when two people clearly have crushes and all this sexual tension between them but are too awkward to act on it. I love when people subvert gender stereotypes and women in stockings/with guns/in suits. I enjoy female-driven narratives about ladies with agency (no mangst please or any type of victimization/shaming of the lady). Dub-con and non-con are not wanted. I dislike grand speeches of love (sometimes the constant 'I love you's pull me out of a story) and prefer when it's shown through a gesture or inside-joke that is unique to the couple. KISSING IS AWESOME. In case you want, I made a yuletide 2012 tag on tumblr for a sorta catch-all, multi-fandom visual collage of things I like. (Also, it's the popular thing to do now?)

1. spiritwalker trilogy (catherine/vai)
my tag on tumblr
my review of cold fire

I'd love something post-Cold Fire with Cat looking for Vai (maybe finding him/fighting for him in the Spirit World?). But if you want to write a missing scene set during either of the books I would enjoy that as well.

I quite enjoy Cat/Vai's relationship (omg, their chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS, they need to have all the married sex!). I would love to see them learning together what each other likes and since there seems to be a disproportionate amount of fellatio to cunnilingus in smut fics across ALL fandoms, it would please me to no end if Vai were to go down on Cat! CAT LEARNING SEX IS FUN! SEX POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP!

I also realize that Cat and Bee's relationship is just as integral to Cat's character and I don't want it ignored. I imagine Cat would have trouble leaving her cousin behind if she's not sure of Bee's safety. (One thing I've always loved about the books was that for the longest time Cat's most important relationship, and the driving force of her narrative, is her cousin. She's constantly trying to protect Bee, first from the Cold Mages and then from the Wild Hunt. It was only after Cat could see for herself that Bee was safe, that she could really open up to Andevai and reveal more things from her past to him - which is SUPER IMPORTANT to her and I loved how they stressed that in the books. Cat's been raised to be a spy; to steal, keep and safeguard secrets and NEVER TELL ANYONE. So I think that Cat telling the truth or revealing new things about herself/her past can be seen like a declaration of love to Vai.)

2. hart of dixie (zoe/wade)
my tag on tumblr
(Please no George drama or love-triangle shenanigans.) I am so enamoured with how the relationship is being played out on the show so far, so if canon takes an unexpected angsty turn, feel free to ignore it and make your fic AU, or set it during the currently airing timeframe (up to episode 2x04).

I like how Wade doesn't worship Zoe to the point where he won't tell her what he thinks. She's not on a pedestal - BUT, as season one has shown, he's pretty head over heels for her and is just playing it cool because he knows she's not there yet. He was obviously super pleased that she wanted to be monogamous, AND that it was her suggestion (plus he'd already been operating under that assumption). I love how they make each other HAPPY and have FUN and LAUGH and ROLEPLAY!

Okay, so this request is a shallow request for pretty people kissing. I want all the sneaking-around-and-getting-off-on-it sex. I want them to continue this relationship, thinking that no-one knows, but really the whole town knows and is letting them think they're getting away with it. I want Zoe to wake up one morning and realise that it's been months and they've settled into a routine and that this is the best non-relationship she's ever had, even the nights where they mean to have sex but fall asleep watching TV on the couch instead. So she's kinda startled to find that OH SHIT! she DOES have feelings for Wade and doesn't want to lose him. I don't want her to think 'well, this is comfortable, I'll settle for my hot neighbor', but seriously realize how Wade is good for her. I can't imagine them moving in together or getting serious or anything for years, but I can see them comfortably bickering like snarky old marrieds but being really sweet behind closed doors and finishing each other's sentences. BASICALLY, ROM COM CLICHES ARE ACCEPTED HERE!

(While I have been known to write/read baby!fic and have a bit of a pregnancy!kink, I don't want any type of baby!fic for these two...unless it's VERY far in the future because I just can't picture them as parents yet. Maybe later when things are more stable for them and it focuses more on how Zoe's pregnancy hormones make her want Wade ALL THE TIME and maybe how she hates him for making her waddle, but Wade just gives her a foot-rub while making soothing noises (by now he's learnt how to deal with a grumpy Zoe) and is more than willing to oblige her desires.

3. hark a vagrant (mystery solving teens)
my tag on tumblr
a consolidation of all the posted comics in one easy reference place

More focus on Joan and Vanessa if possible, please! They seem to have actual lives/interests and I'd love to see them explored.

I love that Vanessa runs The Shit Talker as a totally independent newspaper that she makes on the school's copier. I'm betting that she once tried to write for the official school newspaper but had to quit because they were a bunch of suck-ups who were afraid to print the ~TRUTH. I love that Joan likes nerdy fantasy books and has a cat named Dave and persists with her guitar playing/practicing, even if she's not particularly talented.

If possible, please find a way to leave the male teens unnamed since they don't have names in canon and I'm not big on fanon names. I've always loved how authentic the teen's apathetic character voices are, Kate Beaton's got a good grasp on what teens care about (not a lot).

If you wanted to pair up Blonde Teen/Joan (she totes has a crush on him) and Vanessa/Brunette Teen (he totes has a crush on her) I would not object! ...so long as it's not angsty.

Kate Beaton's hinted that brunette!male may have a one-sided crush on Vanessa but doesn't know how to deal with that since she probably scares him and he's really afraid of rejection (as most teen boys are when confronted with a strong-willed and openly vocal woman like Vanessa). He probably puts his foot in his mouth a lot around her.

I think that blonde!male is oblivious and has no idea that he's intrigued Joan. He seems to be more of a dick than brunette!teen, and so I think he's earned Vanessa's ire. I also think that Joan wouldn't put up with any of his crap. BUT! Romance is not necessary at all; any hijinks with these teens will make me happy.

4. in time (will/slyvia)
my tag in tumblr
my review for the bechdel_test community (feel free to write Sylvia gen or fic with Sylvia talking with her mother before/after the events of the film)

Action-adventure bank heists in high heels! I loved the futuristic Bonnie & Clyde feeling of the movie but would also like to read a character study about Sylvia and her thoughts regarding her complete life change and how she's re-evaluating how she lived before and what she can do to help people now. Post-movie, please.

I REALLY enjoyed this movie as it had things that I love: chase scenes, pretty people kissing, sequin dresses, girls with guns and Amanda Seyfried with a wicked short, auburn bob, dark eyeliner and ridiculous high heels. (I am biased and have probably seen most movies she's ever been in)

It also has one of my favourite ship tropes: Thief/Princess!! (see: Robin Hood/Lady Marian; Dimitri/Anastasia; Han/Leia) Sylvia is clearly from the privileged upper class and has to adjust to living life not just day-by-day, but also as outlaws. I imagine the bond you'd form would be very strong and they trust each other with their lives. I'd love to see that bond showcased in their sex life (smut is very welcome!).