Id Pro Quo Letter

[darktidings]

Letter IN PROGRESS

Id Pro Quo Exchange 2023

I know as an exchange writer, I often take a wander through an assignee's own fanfiction to get a feel for what they vibe with (and gain a ton of good reading material), so if you're curious, my AO3 is DarkTidings (for The Walking Dead works; Mockingbird as a pseud for all other fandoms).

Thank you for taking on the challenge of writing for someone in an exchange! I hope it's as much fun for you as it is for me. Please consider all prompts as optional and something to stoke the writerly muse a bit if she's being stubborn.

I do not object to crossovers or fusions of my requested fandoms. One of my all-time-favorite gifts was where the author couldn't decide between my Leverage request and my Doctor Who one, and the end result was an amazing mashup.

As a whole, my likes and my DNWs are listed below, but don't feel you have to write sex scenes unless you as the author feel like they're needed for the story.

Likes:

• Pairings/Sexualty: all of them | no pairing at all | mix and match | polyamory | trans/queer/genderfluid | queerplatonic relationships | asexual, demisexual, or aromantic characters | platonic familial or friendship
• Genres: fluff | slice of life | AUs (coffee shop, florist shop, college AU, tattoo shop, apocalypse AU, modern AU, etc) | canon-divergent AUs (pick an episode and go offroading if you like) | hurt/comfort | sickfic | worldbuilding
• Tropes: overcoming personal hardships | established relationships | alternate first meetings | found family | pregnancy | kidfic | outsider POV | there was only one bed | accidental baby acquisition | fake relationships become real | marriage of convenience turns real | friends with benefits leads to more | partner teaching a skill (cooking, hunting, etc) | informal co-parenting leads to a relationship | slowburn/pining | touch-starved characters | platonic cuddling | everybody lives (or just that one special character) | friends with benefits | adaptation to permanent injury | age differences | established relationships
• Special Note: Neurodivergent characters cherished in all fics (even if not canonically seen as neurodivergent)

NSFW Likes: consent | praise kink | bath/shower/water sex | edging | consensual voyeurism | exhibitionism | mirrors | pegging/toys | ice play | licking/nipping | blindfolds | desk sex | clothed sex | kink negotiation | sensual use of food/drink | improvised restraints (not full BDSM, but tangled in clothing or using tie for mild bondage is good) | body worship | mutual masturbation | enthusiastic oral sex | masturbation fantasies

 

DNWs: first or second person POV | unhappy endings | mpreg | A/B/O | incest | polyamory presented as negative | hurt/no comfort | suicide | cannibalism | vore | slavery | heavy homophobia, transphobia, racism, or sexism | active substance abuse in story (past addiction is okay) | adult/underage relationships | underage characters with NSFW scenes | infidelity | cutesy shortened names (Derek "Der", Harry "Har")

NSFW DNWs: dubcon or rape play | noncon | knotting | dom/sub or BDSM | ageplay | painplay | petplay | bestiality/tentacles | scat or bodily functions in smut | mommy/daddy kink | fuck or die | somnophilia | top/bottom designation

The Walking Dead

DNWs

• Lori, Shane, Merle, Eugene, or Beth bashing.
• Lori is one of my favorite characters, so please keep it in mind. It's fine if you want a story where she isn't present because she dies in childbirth or by accident (or never met/married Rick in the first place), and portraying the Grimes' marriage as unhappy and failing is perfectly fine. People grow up and apart.
• Negan as a good guy in canon fics is a huge DNW. Leave him out if Negan is your yum, as canon Negan is definitely my yuck, although non-ZA AUs that don't have the murders and wives are fine. No Amber bashing. If you don't agree what he was doing to Amber was noncon, please don't use Negan in a story for me.
• Infidelity outside of the canon established Lori/Shane season 1/2 issues. I don't want to see it implied they've been having an affair for years. Feel free to reduce it to the comic-canon one-night stand if you like.
• Merle is his own warning, I know. Keep his issues within canon and don't make them worse. Expanding on the growth he showed in This Sorrowful Life is a plus, either as a friendship with Michonne or a pairing with her is always intriguing.
• While I'm a fan of Everybody!Lives, some stories require canon (or non-canon) deaths for emotional impact. As long as characters aren't killed off indiscriminately like in show canon, I'm not against major character death. The DNW is don't kill off any of the pairing (or triad) you choose for the story.

Exchange Specific Prompts:

Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes/Shane Walsh

• At the CDC, Shane doesn't make it to the library and doesn't confront Lori at all. Instead, he's distracted by Daryl, who is more than happy to corral all Shane's frustration into sexual relief for them both. Afterward, they can't seem to keep their hands off each other, and it derails some of Shane's unravelling psyche to change the events on the farm. How Rick is drawn in is dealer's choice.
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • "Casual" Sex Turning Tender
  • Voyeurism - One character masturbates knowing the other one is watching them
  • Character Realizes They’re Bisexual; Comes Out to Same-Gender Friend Who Immediately Jumps Them
  • Competence Kink - Character A Annoyed By How Hot They Find Character B’s Competence
  • Pining - C pines for A&B; doesn't know established A/B are pining for C too
  • First time blow job; giver swallows and enjoys it
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels
  • Complicated relationships of love and loyalty and hurt and resentment

Eugene Porter/Juanita "Princess" Sanchez

• These two are my favorite quirky lovelies. They're so unique (in skills and broken parts) that I feel like they'd fall together like a mosiac. I think Eugene would find Princess' ability to survive solo fascinating.
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • Voyeurism - One character masturbates knowing the other one is watching them
  • Accidental Baby Acquisition
  • Displays of Love/Affection That'd Probably Weird Out Anyone But Their Intended Recipient
  • Experienced partner lets inexperienced one explore them
  • First time blow job; giver swallows and enjoys it
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels

Daryl Dixon/Jesus

• Honestly, from the time Jesus "slept" on Daryl's shoulder after the chaotically hilarious chase through the field, I think they're a match made in heaven. Daryl's trust issues wouldn't work with someone completely roses and sunshine in personality, but Jesus proves time and time again that despite his optimism and hope, he's an absolute badass. He's a caretaker personality, so he can offset some of Daryl's feral nature. They are definitely a slow-burn, careful touch couple and I'd love to see that journey of Jesus slowly reeling Daryl in by sheer force of kindness.
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • Accidental Baby Acquisition
  • Captivity - Trapped with someone in need of medical attention
  • Character A falls asleep on B's shoulder; B gently moves A to rest on lap instead
  • Displays of Love/Affection That'd Probably Weird Out Anyone But Their Intended Recipient
  • Character Realizes They’re Bisexual; Comes Out to Same-Gender Friend Who Immediately Jumps Them
  • Competence Kink - Character A Annoyed By How Hot They Find Character B’s Competence
  • Experienced partner lets inexperienced one explore them
  • First time blow job; giver swallows and enjoys it
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels

Daryl Dixon & Rick Grimes & Carol Peletier

• The friendship dynamic between the three of them as they emerged as leaders fascinates me. They're rather dependent on each other, and any time one of the three is missing, the clockwork falls apart. Their physical interactions with each other are intense (hugs/platonic kisses/etc). I think it's a prime setting for a queerplatonic relationship and would love to see it explored at the exclusion of separate romantic relationships. Casual sexual partners outside the trio would create an even more interesting dynamic.
• Without a QPR, Carol's constant losses (Sophia, Lizzie, Mika, Beth) of children were shown to make her wary of other children later (Sam). I'd like to see her closer to Carl and Judith - and through them, Rick and Daryl. On the other side of the coin, I'd like to see Rick and Daryl's losses of their brothers make them cling to each other - and Carol as a sister - fiercely.
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • Voyeurism - One character masturbates knowing the other one is watching them
  • Captivity - Trapped with someone in need of medical attention
  • Accidental Baby Acquisition
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels
  • Complicated relationships of love and loyalty and hurt and resentment

Carol Peletier/Shane Walsh

• In Season Two, there's a scene where Shane very carefully and tenderly washes Carol's hands after Sophia was discovered in the barn and Carol destroyed the Cherokee rose. The potential for these very broken people to find salvation in each other would be amazing to explore. Shane doesn't hatch his plot against Rick, and he and Carol are separated from the others after the farm for months, only reuniting with the others later at the prison (before or after Judith's birth).
• Sophia surviving is also an option. Perhaps Daryl finds her. Maybe Shane feels guilty enough to search more seriously, especially if he feels it unblemishes his soul a bit after killing Otis. Or maybe she doesn't get lost at all, because Shane goes over the rail after her instead of Rick. If Shane saved her in the woods, I could see his attention turning to Carol and Sophia as needing a family in lieu of the one he's losing with Lori and Carl.
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • "Casual" Sex Turning Tender
  • Voyeurism - One character masturbates knowing the other one is watching them
  • Captivity - Trapped with someone in need of medical attention
  • Character A falls asleep on B's shoulder; B gently moves A to rest on lap instead
  • Character is in love with best friend (and the friend will never know)
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels
  • Hair Washing
  • Bathing/Washing

Rick Grimes/Shane Walsh

• Bless their hearts, these boys had more chemistry than either of them had with any of their canon pairings. Their friendship is intense, and it's fairly obvious to me that Rick may have been married to Lori all those years, but his true partner was his best friend. Flip one of their genders, and Lori never would have made it into the picture (or stayed there), so I think the hardcore homophobia in the Deep South (especially for law enforcement) put up a barrier neither could/would cross. I'd love to see that surmounted, either in a non-ZA AU or instead of the doomed love triangle, a come to reasoning that the Grimes' marriage was doomed long before Rick was shot. 
• Exchange Prompts to Pairing
  • Voyeurism - One character masturbates knowing the other one is watching them
  • Captivity - Trapped with someone in need of medical attention
  • Character Realizes They’re Bisexual; Comes Out to Same-Gender Friend Who Immediately Jumps Them
  • First time blow job; giver swallows and enjoys it
  • Scars Touching/Kissing
  • Complicated relationships of love and loyalty and hurt and resentment
  • Redemption - Trying to make amends for past mistakes

Canonically dead character comes back as annoying ghost

• Using any of the above pairings, you can resurrect Merle, Shane (in a non-Shane pairing), or even Lori. I think any of the three could pester the hell out of their living loved one into doing better by their intended partner.

9-1-1 (TV)

  

Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz (9-1-1 TV)

• Buck's easy acceptance of Christopher and enjoyment of being Christopher's best friend is a heart-warmer for me. Any buddy fic between them will be cherished.
• Buck as a second parent to Christopher (with or without a relationship with Eddie) is my favorite type of story for 9-1-1. Buck has had so many challenges and such a lonely childhood, but he steps into a parental role so easily it's like he has a rulebook in his head of "do the opposite that my parents did". I'd enjoy seeing scenes of Buck acting against his own childhood examples to parent Christopher (or perhaps drawing from what Maddie did right to raise him).

Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz

• The found family aspects of these three is endearing without ever considering the "Buddie" scenario. What could life be like for them as a family without the two dads ever having an actual romantic relationship?  Bonus points for confused people thinking they're amicably divorced.

Evan "Buck" Buckley & Henrietta "Hen" Wilson (9-1-1 TV)

• The sibling relationship between Hen and Buck throughout the show has been amazing, but especially in Season Six. I'd like to see more scenes of Hen and Buck as found family siblings, especially him spending time with Hen's entire family or taking Denny on adventures as Uncle Buck.

Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)

• I'm up for any variation of the boyos: fully romantic, both asexual, only one asexual, queerplatonic, etc.
• Younger siblings for Christopher (adopted or biological) appreciated.

Henrietta "Hen" Wilson/Karen Wilson (9-1-1 TV)

General prompts I'd like to see in a 9-1-1 fic:

• Coparenting Leads to Relationship
• Queerplatonic Relationships
• Daemon AU except your Daemon accompanies your Soulmate instead
• Fake/Pretend Relationship (Remains Platonic)
• Fake Dating Leads to Feelings Despite Characters' Best Attempts
• Accidental Marriage
• Touch-Starved Character Having Overwhelming Tender Long Foreplay
• First Time Sex
• Thank god you're alive/we're alive! sex
• Pining - Character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Accidental Voyeurism
• Platonic Cuddling
• Queer Characters Forming a Found Family

9-1-1 Specific Prompts:

• Although the lawsuit has been done seven ways from Sunday by now, I'd like to see a story where he didn't file the lawsuit and had to find another career path.
• Shannon as a Buddie shipper would be fun (as would her staying alive).
• Big Sister Hen is a major joy of mine, and her relationship with Buck in season 6 is my favorite part.
• Buddie is probably one of my favorite ships for QPR.
• Girl!Dad Buck is awesome. Mom can be Abby, Ali, random gal, you decide. Bonus points if the 118 isn't aware of baby girl's existence until one of the major events (Eddie arriving, truck bombing, tsunami, etc.)

 

Suits

Mike Ross/Harvey Specter

• I'll be honest, I am not a huge fan of the lie that gets Mike hired. Alternate first meetings or any other way Harvey could become Mike's mentor are much welcomed.

Louis Litt/Harvey Specter

• This intense rivalry turning into a romance is my all-time favorite for Suits fandom. All that fire and intelligence combined into one single relationship would be awe-inspiring.

Louis Litt (Suits)

• Louis is my favorite character. His growth as a character over the series and genuine assholery in the early days give so many ways to write for him. His rivalry with Harvey is far more interesting than the ongoing "will Mike get caught" plot. I adore Louis' friendship with Donna and would like to see it included in any story. Feel free to write Louis as a solo stor without any pairing.

General prompts I'd like to see in a Suits fic:

• Intimacy - casual touch with the one person who knows you better than anyone
• Harvey Specter Does Not Hire Mike Ross in the Pilot
• Rivals Play An Intensely Competitive Game of Strip Poker
• Soulbond - Accidental soulbond between enemies/rivals leads to feelings
• Age Gap - Older character knows they're soulmates but doesn't tell the younger leading to angst
• Marriage of Convenience - Character Claimed as Spouse in Attempt to Protect Them
• Forced Marriage - Blackmail/threats
• Friends With Benefits
• Pining - Mutual pining that both characters figure out is requited but that's terrifying
• Hurt/Comfort - sick/hurt character still has to get their job done
• Public Sex or Semi-Public Sex - Team/Coworkers/Friends/etc. Could Walk in at Any Moment
• Character A performing oral on Character B under a desk
• 'Platonic' porn-watching and mutual masturbation session leads to sex
• Increasingly transparent attempts to deny that platonic sex-tutoring is actually just sex
• Enemies to Lovers - Late Night Phone Calls Between Anatgonists

Teen Wolf

Derek Hale/Kira Yukimura

• Both of these characters really got the crappy end of the deal with relationships, and there's something about their personalities I think would mesh extremely well. Kira's soft sweetness and quirky nature would offset Derek's damaged introverted nature. Two out of the three sexual partners we know of Derek having were dub/non-con and he deserves some sunshine in his life after all that.
• I'd prefer a story set after Kira's time with the Skinwalkers; maybe meshing what she learned about control with Derek's own troubled journey.
• Kidfic/pregnancy fic a huge bonus.

Allison Argent/Kira Yukimura

• I think these two would hands down win the cutest couple award for Teen Wolf. Bump Scott to the curb and let the ladies have fun (besides, Isaac would be more than happy to console Scott, I'm sure).

Peter Hale/Sheriff Stilinski

• The Sheriff doesn't get a lot of romance stories written, and I like the balance of the Chronic Asshole personality with the Sheriff's more laid back one. As much as he's a man of the law, it's easy to forget that the Sheriff was a military man once, and that he spent years as a functioning alcoholic. He's got enough broken edges to fit against Peter's just fine. 
• Set it at any point in canon, but I'd prefer no Deadpool or Peter aligned with Kate. That entire storyline made entirely no sense at all.

Stiles Stilinski/Jackson Whittemore

• I'm up for any variation of the boyos: fully romantic, both asexual, only one asexual, queerplatonic, aromantic, etc.
• Rivals-to-lovers is always good, or set it after they're older and Jackson returns from London and Stiles from DC, or relocate one or the other.

Chris Argent/Melissa McCall

• Honestly, canon pairing these two off made me swoon. I'd love to see more of their romance and how it unfolds for a pair who both deserve far better than their first marriages gave them.
• Prefer Allison!Lives storylines.
• Baby siblings for Allison and Scott are a plus.

Allison Argent/Stiles Stilinski

• Honestly, Scott's Allison obsession to the point of disregarding his best friend is at the heart of me thinking, wow, I'd love to see them as a pair.
• Post-season one but before Grandpa sends Allison crazy preferred; or much later post-canon in an Allison!Lives AU.

Chris Argent/Derek Hale

• As sticky as it is to pair Derek with his abuser's sibling, I think Chris' down-to-earth nature and fierce protectiveness would be perfect for Derek.

Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski

• I'm up for any variation of the boyos: fully romantic, both asexual, only one asexual, queerplatonic, aromantic, etc.
• No underage or even hinting at it. Age Stiles up, age Peter down, or place the story as post-college Stiles, please.
• Our lovely snarky boys are always a favorite. I prefer a lesser age gap. Based on the scene of Peter visiting Derek at school, Peter is rather close to Derek in age. If you need to keep Malia, I'd say Peter is 30-31 when the show opens (to Stiles' 16).
  • The Teen Wolf creator fails at math on all the ages/grades/etc (the teens are all sophomores yet all drive, among other things). It's one of the things that makes me roll my eyes every single time a character's age is mentioned.

General prompts I'd like to see in a Teen Wolf fic:

• Accidental Baby Acquisition
• Soulmates - Both are resistant to the idea but fall in love over time
• Accidental Soulbond - Both are resistant to the idea but fall in love over time
• Soulbonds - Soulbonding is the only way for A to save severely injured B's life
• Ritual Sex - Consensual Joyful and Possibly Public
• Marriage of Convenience - Character Claimed as Spouse in Attempt to Protect Them
• Fake/Pretend Relationship (Remains Platonic)
• Fake Dating Leads to Feelings Despite Characters' Best Attempts
• Protectiveness - Character A verbally defends B when B doesn't stand up for themself
• Experienced partner lets inexperienced one explore themDisturbing from an outside perspective but sweet to the people within the relationship
• Established Marriage - Rescuing One's Spouse From Danger
• Rescue - Captive character surprised to learn their rescuer is motivated by genuine affection
• Character A abandons accidentally pregnant Character B Character C gladly steps in to fill the void
• Queerplatonic Relationships
• Characters Finally Commit to Each Other After Years of Casual Non-Exclusive Sex

Chicago Fire

Matthew Casey & Kelly Severide
Kelly Severide & Leslie Shay

• My adored prompt for this would be to have Matt & Kelly raising a Leslie/Kelly baby afer Leslie's death, either as a couple or as a platonic pairing, but a Matt/Kelly/Leslie QPR to raise the baby would be great as well

General prompts I'd like to see in a Chicago Fire fic:

• Fake/Pretend Relationship (Remains Platonic)
• Platonic CuddlingQueerplatonic Relationships
• Body worship of pregnant character to improve pregnant character's self-esteem
• pregnant belly kisses
• Accidental Baby Acquisition
• Soulmates can heal each other but only once in their lives
• Soulmates - B's death makes A feel they're missing part of themself
• Soulbonds - Soulbonding is the only way for A to save severely injured B's life
• Canonically Dead Female Character is Miraculously Alive
• Sex Ritual to Resurrect the Dead
• Canonically dead character comes back as annoying ghost

Chicago Fire Specific Issues:

• Exit Gabby however you like, without bashing
• I really like Sylvie, so anything sweet with her is appreciated

House, MD

Robert Chase/Greg House

• Although I've listed other pairings, this is my preferred and favorite. There's something about their relationship, especially after Chase leaves the team and becomes independent, that really makes me think they'd fit together well. 

Lisa Cuddy/Greg House
Lisa Cuddy/Greg House/James Wilson
Greg House/James Wilson

• Exploring the varieties of these three together could be intriguing, but I'd like to avoid the toxicity that lead to House crashing his car into Cuddy's house.

General prompts I'd like to see in a House MD fic:

• Soulmates - Soulmates Share Pain
• Character A is self-conscious about their scars; B touches them for comfort and affection
• Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels
• Polyamory - Character in v-shaped relationship gets their lovers together
• 'Dirty little secret' relationship leads to Too Many Feelings leads to unexpected marriage proposal
• Kisses pressed against the back of the neck and/or along bare/mostly-bare shoulders
• Characters Finally Commit to Each Other After Years of Casual Non-Exclusive Sex

Leverage

Parker & Eliot Spencer

• Big Brother Eliot to Kid Sister Parker - all time favorite. I think Eliot would burn the world to ash for Parker, and any scenarios where he proves as much are appreciated. 
• QPR with Eliot and Parker is great if you want to go less sibling, more platonic closer-than-friends.
• DNW - I know the OT3 of Eliot/Parker/Alec is the popular one, but it's a no-go for me.

Sophie Devereaux & Parker

• Big Sister Sophie to Parker is always a lovely read.

Sophie Devereaux/Eliot Spencer

• My alltime fave pairing for this is Eliot/Sophie.
• Any scenario where they have to come to terms with their attraction or feelings that they've ignored because of Sophie's past infatuation with Nate would be perfect.

Sophie Devereaux & Alec Hardison

• I feel like we see a lot more of Sophie developing friendships with Eliot and Parker, so I'm open to just how would they develop; less sibling-esque, more independent friends, I think.

Alec Hardison/Parker

• Alec's absolute acceptance of Parker for who she is, and how easily he waited for her to decide when they would take the next step made their relationship arc one of the best I've ever gotten to watch. Expanding into slice-of-life and future life with them would be perfect.

General prompts I'd like to see in a Leverage fic:

• Undercover - Catching Feelings While Undercover as a Married Couple
• Undercover - Forced to Have Sex to Keep CoverPlatonic Cuddling
• Forced Marriage - Blackmail/threatsFake Dating Leads to Feelings Despite Characters' Best Attempts
• Thank god you're alive/we're alive! kissing
• Unplanned pregnancy between mutually pining friends with benefits
• A Has Higher Libido When Pregnant; B is Obliging
• Character Continues Canon-Typical Perilous Activity While Pregnant
• Character A comes to B's rescue then passes out due to sustained injuries/exhaustion once B is safe
• Hurt/Comfort - A Blames Themself for Love Interest Getting Hurt to Protect A - Leads to Feelings
• Soulmates - Both are resistant to the idea but fall in love over time
• Sex Tropes - Taking advantage of masquerade ball to role-play sex with a stranger with love interest
• Brushing or combing hair gently and kindlyShirtsleeves rolled up to elbows
• Woke Up in Bed Together and Married
• Neurodivergence - Cuddling as Pressure Stimming
• Character hides the extent of their injury/illness (and gets found out)
• Hurt/Comfort - Undressing a hurt/sick character