Yuletide 2022 Letter

[pure_anon]

 

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Thank you so much for writing something for me! This is my second Yuletide, and last year was so fun, so I am very excited for this one! I cannot wait to see what you write!

Likes: I love stories with angst, yearning, unrequited pining, earned happy ending, unhealthy relationships (with or without growing into healthy ones), power imbalances, selfish and determined female characters, characters who are too selfless for their own well-being, enemies to lovers, character studies, 5 + 1, angsty smut along the lines of that one tumblr post that goes, “the plot of this smut fic is that character A believes himself abandoned by God,” fairy tale retellings, animal metaphors, soulmate aus, timeloop aus, historical accuracy, loss of innocence, tender face touches, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, unreliable narrators, people having to make hard choices, and any relationship that could be categorized as “fucked up tender.”

DNWs: Voluntary, self-inflicted amputation, miscarriages, anal sex, character bashing, non-con (I find dub-con to be a fascinating way to explore both characters, but non-con is too far for me) and modern aus.

Snow Queen (2002)

Characters: Kai (Snow Queen)

Fandom Promo Post for more info: https://yuletide.dreamwidth.org/281559.html?thread=3889879#cmt3889879

Prompts:

I want to explore how Kai is changed by his experiences. Gerda stays much the same--only a little more vibrant and more herself than before--but Kai had a very different experience than her. I want to see how he adjusts to normal life again, to a world that is ordinary and small, once he has tasted what the Snow Queen could have offered him. He's such a lovely character, and I just want to see how he could deal with that.

I want a fic that explores how Kai changes – and how his relationship with Gerda shifts after canon. Gerda stayed much the same, only more herself, but Kai went through hell and a lot of trauma. What do you do, when you’ve been brought back from fairyland?

I want to see him adjust to ordinary life again, to loving the ordinary things again. I want to see him build a future with Gerda. I want the road to be tough for them, but I want them to make it. I believe in these crazy kids.

Also, if you were so inclined to take this in a more smutty bent – exploring how Kai WAS sort of into how the Snow Queen dominated him, and the guilt and mixed feelings that come with that in relation to Gerda would be interesting. I think there’s potential for good character exploration in Gerda/Kai figuring out dom/sub. 

The Fantasticks - Schmidt/Jones

Characters: El Gallo

Fandom Promo Post for more info: https://yuletide.dreamwidth.org/281559.html?thread=4041175#cmt4041175

Prompts:

What I find most fascinating about the show is Luisa and El Gallo's relationship. El Gallo is both the narrator and the villain -- Luisa is young and "incurably insane," in the way young people are, and is fascinated by bandits and the romance that they present. And El Gallo's job is to be the villain that hurts her, and forces her to grow up -- only, only that becomes increasingly distasteful to him as he knows her. She breaks through the mask of the villain to what he is underneath. He is not bad, merely playing a role -- but that role begins to hurt him as well as her. And he kisses her upon the eyes, and tells her he will return, and the story must be played out, and the girl must be left, and the villain must hurt her, but that does not mean it does not hurt him too.

I want anything that involves them interacting more. I think their dynamic is just so utterly compelling, and anything that involves them will interest me.

Some vague ideas I have include El Gallo remembering Luisa as he wanders through other stories. Something about her spoke past the villain facade, past the narrator role, all the way through to the human heart of him. That would leave a mark. Especially since he has her mother’s necklace.

I also like the idea of El Gallo sticking around for a while, while Matt wanders, and he and Luisa striking up a romance/friendship. I’d love for the lines between the story and reality to blur a bit, as El Gallo puts the story on hold in order to be with Luisa longer. Much angst could be gleaned from this prompt, I suspect. XD

I’d also love to see them get to wander the world, have a “lovely, real romance,” as they say in Round and Round. Escape the narrative, together!

Also anything exploring the vibes of Round and Round could be so fun. The show really has big Labyrinth vibes there, and I think that’s horribly intriguing.

Galatea - Emily Short

Characters: Any

Fandom Promo Post for more info:  https://yuletide.dreamwidth.org/281559.html?thread=4076247#cmt4076247

Prompts: 

Most of my prompts stem from wanting to see what happens after different endings! I love how the Art Critic and Galatea interact, and I think building upon those endings could be so fun. I refer to the endings by the name given in Emily Short’s cheats and walkthroughs page, so I shall paste that link here for easy reference. https://web.archive.org/web/20180929015031/http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/cheats.htm

-Hug

It's a bit awkward at this angle -- the best you can manage is to put your arm around her at the waist. With a sigh, she steps off the pedestal entirely and into your arms.

No one has ever hugged her before. The certainty makes you want to weep for her. You hold her longer than you should; longer than is honest, considering the ambivalence of your feelings toward her.

"Come on." You disengage at last, but only enough to lead her. She comes with you, still leaning on your shoulder.

You may not be able to mend the world for her -- in fact, you may end by hurting her quite desperately, by failing to be what she needs. But you also can't leave her standing there forever.

Her gown hushes on the pale floor as you turn the corner, back to the main gallery. Sometimes there's no right way to do what needs to be done

I love the soft vibes of this ending. Anything building off this energy would be lovely!

- Exchange of Glances

"Galatea.  Look at me."

 

Her eyes flicker up and meet yours.  There's a strange blend of emotions in that look -- something akin to cruelty foremost, and under that a hint of fellow-feeling; and something else smoky and elusive, to which you'd be embarrassed to put a name.

 

With no particular warning, she dips her head and kisses you full on the mouth.

 

I love the whole weird sexual tension vibes of this route – the way the Art Critic clinically looks at her, like an art piece, until it is something else – something full of tension. I love the fact that there’s bits of uncanny valley to Galatea. I love how the balance shifts between them. I love the way that she initiates – and that it is distinctly not quite kind or human. Exploring this sort of energy between the Art Critic and Galatea, I think, could be quite interesting.

 - Stilton

"Wouldn't you like to try eating sometime?"

 

Her head lifts; her green gaze holds you half a moment.  You're surprised by the flicker of apprehension in her eyes.  (You'd think you were offering her the apple -- what does that make you, the vile seducer?  Silly thought.)  "I don't know," she says slowly.  "I'm afraid it would make me dependent; that if I began--"

 

"You'd be mortal like the rest of us," you finish. 

 

"That I'd feel pain more deeply," she corrects.  "That I wouldn't be able to escape; that it would all be more, and worse.  I saw how he suffered.  Who could blame me for not wanting the same?"

 

There’s something so very much about the Art Critic introducing Galatea to ordinary human processes – especially because he is a bit awkward and unused to humanity as well. I love the vibes of them trying out human things together – and of the themes of the statue choosing to eat, choosing humanity. I think exploring those themes could be fun!

 

• Curiosity

 

"There's a piece by Komininsky in the next room," you volunteer.  "Mingling with the guests.  He, ah, brought her as his date, actually."  You and Mike go way back: you've always been fascinated by his genius for subversion.

 

"Oh?"  She meets your eyes for a dark moment.  She glances at you and then looks away. 

 

"It means that he can mediate between her and anyone who tries to talk to her.  Being able to control the input gives him an unfair advantage.  Most of the fun is watching them interact with each other, in fact."

 

 "All right,"  she says.  "Enough of this.  I need to see these pieces myself.  I'm bored, and you've persuaded me."

 

Without waiting for an answer, she gathers her dress in one hand and jumps lightly off the pedestal.

 

At the corner she stops and looks back at you, tilting her head.  "Well?  Are you going to give me the tour?"

 

I think there’s something compelling about Galatea taking an interest in other art pieces. How does she react to the gallery? How does the Art Critic feel about this? Does she get an identity crisis? Perhaps, does she even build a life for herself as an Art Critic too?

 

If you’ve reached the end of my letter, thank you so much for reading! May your Yuletide be great!