Wayback Exchange letter 2020
Dear Author,
Cheers for dropping by, and thank you for considering writing for me/writing for me! I had a lovely time with Wayback last year and I’m excited for this year. I have very few DNWs and lots of likes; if nothing in my fandom specifics strike you, then feel free to cobble something together from my likes list. I’m always always here for things I didn’t know I wanted. I'm asuralucier on Ao3.
This year, I'm requesting the following fandoms: Law and Order; History Boys; 44-Inch Chest (2009); Mean Streets (1973); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl.
My DNWs are:
-Non-con, anything sexual involving animals, the toilet, tentacles, non-human biology, underage (for this exchange 18+)
-Second person POV
-Non-canonical kid characters. A note on canonical kids - I’m happy for them to turn up, but I’d rather them not take over the plot. The only exception to this is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for obvious reasons. But if you end up going to shipfic route, I would like the kids to be at least 18. Thanks!
-Character bashing by narrative. Piss-taking fine and encouraged!
-Modern/Mundane AUs or AUs involving space, zombies, werecreatures, or a/b/o dynamics. If you wanted to have the characters still meet cute in a cafe in-universe or everything is the same except one character is a vampire, then please do! As long as I can recognise the world as canon I will be happy.
General Likes:
+Unresolved Sexual Tension - Happy for it to be angsty, cracky, perennially unresolved, or resolved with gusto! Just make me squirm while I totally want the characters to bang.
+Literary/Philosophical Allusions, extended metaphors, color theory, wordplay/banter, absurdity - the more obscure the better! I also love characters who read and/or have weird jobs. Pack in a strange little detail somewhere and I’m sure I’ll love it.
+___!Porn: Identity porn, suit porn, food porn, drinks porn, locations porn? Is that a thing? I just like lush descriptions of things.
+Angst. I love love angst. Give me all the angst. Reasons for angst can include: moral ambiguity, guilt, failed ambitions, thoughtful portrayals of grief, depression, PTSD, lost loves and all the rest. I also don't mind character death, but please please don't let it be a cheap plot point for angst.
+Other things that I like that are hard to categorise: loyalty/friendship/ride or die, mindgames, locked room scenario, non-linear narrative, epistolary, crack treated seriously, character study, genfic, in universe meta, crapsack worlds, worldbuilding, for want a nail
+Smut Likes: teasing, helping each other undress/ruined clothing/frottage, blow jobs, tattoo licking, sex in semi public places, voyeurism, phone sex, fluid sexual dynamics, edging, pain kink/painplay, rimming (for m/m ships only), fingering, cunnilingus, awkward sex, overstimulation, dubious consent (defined as the character being dub-conned still having some form of agency, even if s/he doesn’t have all the information to hand.)
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***FANDOMS***
Law & Order: Jack McCoy/Claire Kincaid; Jack McCoy/Mike Cutter; Mike Cutter/Connie Rubirosa; Mike Cutter/Cyrus Lupo
I grew up with this show, and although I have a lot of problems with some of the thin storytelling of the later seasons, I loved the new cast they brought in for the final seasons. I would adore anything character focused, slice of life, episode tags, and post-canon shenanigans.
Jack/Claire: I shipped them when I was twelve and wanted to be Claire when I grew up. I always found it very interesting how the show managed to imply their affair. I mean, they’re always going out to fancy restaurants while she almost never did that with Ben Stone. So give me a Jack/Claire get together with food and the best pasta in New York at the center, I’d be a happy camper. Or really, any sort of get together, leaning into the age difference, the hardships of maintaining a work-life balance? Did Adam know? Bonus if he finds out. Here’s a great opportunity to mention that I adore outsider POV nudge nudge.
Re: Claire’s death - I don’t mind if you keep it and write me Jack spiralling after her death. Who does he talk to if anyone? Does he have some kind of break down and hallucinate her? Or...does she live but it’s a long road to recovery and Jack blames himself and ergo stays away while trying to be helpful?
I rarely ask for fluff, but I’d to see them getting married if that’s what you’re feeling.
Jack/Mike: There’s a lot of parallels between Mike and early seasons zealous Jack. Lean into that! Or maybe when Mike shows up as Jack’s EADA in season 18, one thing they forgot to tell people is that they used to sleep together. Oops. What’s the story there?
They both have Daddy issues up the wazoo. I don’t want Daddykink, but i’m happy for their relationship to be unhealthy due to their lacking relationships with their fathers because I think that would be super interesting. (By Daddykink I mean please don't have Mike call Jack "Daddy" in any circumstance. Everything else in the realm of unhealthy is fair game.)
My kingdom for a Jack/Mike take where Jack (accidentally) comes out to New York while he’s running for New York DA and Mike is like wtf. How does their relationship change now that everyone knows about it? (Prompt specific DNW: please please no gaynst, I’m more interested in the logistics of things. For example, Mike can’t take public transport without getting mobbed by gossip rags or something.)
Mike/Connie: Anything! I love that Mike pines for Connie and I would love for more of that in fic. I love the fact that Jack supports the relationship and I would like an outsider POV take. Maybe after Mike almost gets shot, Connie insists that he sleep on her couch for a while.
I would also love a post-canon thing where Connie moves to LA for a job and they try to do long distance. Or realize their feelings for each other while she’s away.
Fake dating? Undercover? Something tropey would make my heart sing.
Anything following ‘For the Defense.’ Because wheee.
Mike/Lupo: THEY SHARED A HOTEL ROOM. Do something with that, please. I also adore that Mike takes such an interest in Lupo’s burgeoning legal career. So uh, sexy legal studying session? I have no clue how this would work but if you pull it off, I salute you.
I like the idea that they seem to be both fairly closed off types who actually have a lot in common (especially when it comes to things they don’t talk about) so...maybe Lupo finds Mike after a case gone wrong and they commiserate together? Bonus for an awkward morning after or something.
Fake dating? Undercover? Something tropey would make my heart sing.
Lupo is Mike’s security detail during a very high profile case. They get to know each other a lot better.
Lupo saves Mike’s life in that toilet in that one episode. Feelings realization?
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History Boys: Dakin/Scripps; Dakin/Irwin
Gay schoolboys and an ill-advised teacher/student crush that was never really consummated despite they agreed to push the boat out? (Because of very conveniently selective amnesia, yes please.) Also 80s music! Literary everything. Basically, there is nothing I don’t love about this canon and if we match on this, the world is your oyster. I also love all of the other characters in this so if people want to pop up, that’s fine by me. I’ve read the play and seen the film and love both equally.
Dakin/Scripps: Despite the fact that Lockwood was probably a better fit for Dakin’s laddish friend, I liked their friendship and how barbed it was. Anything post-canon with them at Oxford would do me. Or maybe Scripps is at Cambridge and every time Dakin shows up to visit, he’s APPALLED by the idea that Scripps doesn’t have a social life.
Dakin worships Scripps on Sundays and makes him late for Mass is all I want in my life.
I find it very interesting that Scripps is the only boy we don’t see in the Study montage and for Dakin we only see him with Fiona. Why is this?
Although Scripps doesn’t like to admit it to himself, Dakin’s crush on Irwin is...one way he gets to live vicariously? I’m happy for this to get weird and complicated. Bonus if you parallel this with Posner’s crush on Dakin.
Dakin/Irwin: GLASSES KINK GLASSES KINK. No but more seriously, please give me the blow job of the century. I am so sad it never happens. I’m...assuming that Irwin forgot about Sunday but not the fact that he’s hot for Dakin? I don’t know, the ending just never really worked for me. Please help me.
Irwin goes back to school for real to Oxford this time. Dakin is amused/turned on/confused.
Recycling from Yuletide because I still really want it. I kind of want Dakin to become a lawyer consultant for the Beeb’s new show and Irwin still works there. Or Dakin has become an actor in something that Irwin consults on. Because why wouldn’t he?
Good ol’ English road trip. Bonus points for visiting obscure places. The car breaks down and they have to snuggle to keep warm in the backseat. I am a simple soul. And then they get arrested for public indecency or something and Scripps has to bail them out. (This is seriously all optional, I’m just thinking aloud.)
44-Inch Chest (2009):
Oh my goodness, is is a terrible movie that would have been a fantastic play; it is full of zingers and probably with a bit more fisticuffs would have been a great movie. But basically, if you like a bunch of not very good past-their-prime gangsters watching their friend break down during a kidnapping, this is the movie for you. It’s a very niche thing but so worth it.
Meredith/Peanut: At one point, resident gayngster Meredith played by the venerable Ian McShane says to John Hurt’s Peanut: “What I do with my nine-and-a-half has fuck all to do with you.” BUT LIKE WHAT IF IT DOES? I love how despite their antagonism and Peanut’s deep-seated bigotry, Peanut still agrees to go to a gay bar with Meredith because he wants something to eat. I don’t understand. So clearly there must be creaky old man porn. (Also maybe Peanut and Meredith accidentally banged in the 80s.) I just love crotchety friends okay (with emphasis on crotch).
Meredith/ or & Colin: I adored the scene with Meredith trying to calm Colin down. All the voice kink yes please? Has this happened before? Perhaps post-film Colin accidentally moves in with Meredith and is annoyed at all the sex he has. Or maybe Colin endeavours to help Meredith feel things and this may or may not lead to porn.
Colin/ or & Loverboy: Colin and Loverboy keep running into each other after the film. Loverboy does work in a restaurant so maybe Colin just likes the restaurant? Or maybe Loverboy gets a new job at Colin’s favourite pizza place. I don’t know. Or maybe in a pre-canon move, Colin pays Loverboy to keep his wife company and then things get complicated leading up to the events of the movie.
Meredith/Loverboy: Meredith dubcons Loverboy after the film for the lols. Colin finds out. Or maybe Meredith and Loverboy are a special kind of ‘friends’ by the time the movie happens and he’s weirded out that Colin’s kidnapped him. (This squares because in the film Loverboy doesn’t have a name.) Does Meredith help? Hinder? Something in the middle?
Mean Streets (1973): Charlie Cappa/Johnny Boy Civello
Uh, Baby Harvey Keitel. That’s all. But seriously, this movie has a heavy dose of everything I could ever want, Charlie’s very Catholic guilt and how that extends vis-a-vis Johnny Boy. Them sharing a bed is CANON. I would love to see anything, from the start of their friendship - what exactly does Johnny Boy do to endear himself to Charlie? Because honestly, Charlie goes through quite a lot of trouble for Johnny and he doesn’t see any return on it.
I could see them getting very slap slap kiss kiss if Johnny were to find out about Theresa.
Instead of bailing him out every damn time, Charlie decides to teach Johnny a lesson, and then it gets sexy.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl: Charlie Bucket & WIlly Wonka; Charlie Bucket & the Bucket Family; Charlie Bucket/Mike Teavee; Veruca Salt/Violet Beauregarde
I would vastly prefer book canon as opposed to drawing too heavily on the 2005 adaptation or the 1971 movie please! I just love the tone of the Dahl’s prose and I’m not asking for an imitation, but I would appreciate that you keep to the same zaniness and not it in a too serious direction like the 2005 movie tried to do. But I do like some of the visuals from the Burton take so feel free to mention them if that strikes your fancy.
Charlie Bucket & Willy Wonka: Please please do not ship or preslash them! But I would love their day to day together, and Charlie maybe struggling a little bit to be up to the challenge. What kind of candy do they invent together? Maybe they start up a Wonka amusement park and then it’s too much work?
Charlie Bucket & the Bucket Family: I just want a heartwarming family dinner please. Maybe Charlie’s family sees that he’s getting stressed and decide to do something nice for him? Maybe Charlie does something nice for his family?
Charlie Bucket/Mike Teavee: Post-canon, where they are at least both 18. Maybe Charlie is looking for a new social media person and Mike’s the man? Maybe they find a way to get Mike back to his normal height? Maybe Mike wants to sue the factory and Charlie goes to talk some sense into him?
Veruca Salt/Violet Beauregarde: Maybe they decide to sue the Factory together? I don’t know, I just feel like Veruca’s haughtiness and Violet’s competitive streak means they’ll get on like a house on fire. Maybe Veruca tries to find a way to make Violet less blue? I mean, she is very very rich. There must be a way!
Cheers for dropping by, and thank you for considering writing for me/writing for me! I had a lovely time with Wayback last year and I’m excited for this year. I have very few DNWs and lots of likes; if nothing in my fandom specifics strike you, then feel free to cobble something together from my likes list. I’m always always here for things I didn’t know I wanted. I'm asuralucier on Ao3.
This year, I'm requesting the following fandoms: Law and Order; History Boys; 44-Inch Chest (2009); Mean Streets (1973); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl.
My DNWs are:
-Non-con, anything sexual involving animals, the toilet, tentacles, non-human biology, underage (for this exchange 18+)
-Second person POV
-Non-canonical kid characters. A note on canonical kids - I’m happy for them to turn up, but I’d rather them not take over the plot. The only exception to this is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for obvious reasons. But if you end up going to shipfic route, I would like the kids to be at least 18. Thanks!
-Character bashing by narrative. Piss-taking fine and encouraged!
-Modern/Mundane AUs or AUs involving space, zombies, werecreatures, or a/b/o dynamics. If you wanted to have the characters still meet cute in a cafe in-universe or everything is the same except one character is a vampire, then please do! As long as I can recognise the world as canon I will be happy.
General Likes:
+Unresolved Sexual Tension - Happy for it to be angsty, cracky, perennially unresolved, or resolved with gusto! Just make me squirm while I totally want the characters to bang.
+Literary/Philosophical Allusions, extended metaphors, color theory, wordplay/banter, absurdity - the more obscure the better! I also love characters who read and/or have weird jobs. Pack in a strange little detail somewhere and I’m sure I’ll love it.
+___!Porn: Identity porn, suit porn, food porn, drinks porn, locations porn? Is that a thing? I just like lush descriptions of things.
+Angst. I love love angst. Give me all the angst. Reasons for angst can include: moral ambiguity, guilt, failed ambitions, thoughtful portrayals of grief, depression, PTSD, lost loves and all the rest. I also don't mind character death, but please please don't let it be a cheap plot point for angst.
+Other things that I like that are hard to categorise: loyalty/friendship/ride or die, mindgames, locked room scenario, non-linear narrative, epistolary, crack treated seriously, character study, genfic, in universe meta, crapsack worlds, worldbuilding, for want a nail
+Smut Likes: teasing, helping each other undress/ruined clothing/frottage, blow jobs, tattoo licking, sex in semi public places, voyeurism, phone sex, fluid sexual dynamics, edging, pain kink/painplay, rimming (for m/m ships only), fingering, cunnilingus, awkward sex, overstimulation, dubious consent (defined as the character being dub-conned still having some form of agency, even if s/he doesn’t have all the information to hand.)
--
***FANDOMS***
Law & Order: Jack McCoy/Claire Kincaid; Jack McCoy/Mike Cutter; Mike Cutter/Connie Rubirosa; Mike Cutter/Cyrus Lupo
I grew up with this show, and although I have a lot of problems with some of the thin storytelling of the later seasons, I loved the new cast they brought in for the final seasons. I would adore anything character focused, slice of life, episode tags, and post-canon shenanigans.
Jack/Claire: I shipped them when I was twelve and wanted to be Claire when I grew up. I always found it very interesting how the show managed to imply their affair. I mean, they’re always going out to fancy restaurants while she almost never did that with Ben Stone. So give me a Jack/Claire get together with food and the best pasta in New York at the center, I’d be a happy camper. Or really, any sort of get together, leaning into the age difference, the hardships of maintaining a work-life balance? Did Adam know? Bonus if he finds out. Here’s a great opportunity to mention that I adore outsider POV nudge nudge.
Re: Claire’s death - I don’t mind if you keep it and write me Jack spiralling after her death. Who does he talk to if anyone? Does he have some kind of break down and hallucinate her? Or...does she live but it’s a long road to recovery and Jack blames himself and ergo stays away while trying to be helpful?
I rarely ask for fluff, but I’d to see them getting married if that’s what you’re feeling.
Jack/Mike: There’s a lot of parallels between Mike and early seasons zealous Jack. Lean into that! Or maybe when Mike shows up as Jack’s EADA in season 18, one thing they forgot to tell people is that they used to sleep together. Oops. What’s the story there?
They both have Daddy issues up the wazoo. I don’t want Daddykink, but i’m happy for their relationship to be unhealthy due to their lacking relationships with their fathers because I think that would be super interesting. (By Daddykink I mean please don't have Mike call Jack "Daddy" in any circumstance. Everything else in the realm of unhealthy is fair game.)
My kingdom for a Jack/Mike take where Jack (accidentally) comes out to New York while he’s running for New York DA and Mike is like wtf. How does their relationship change now that everyone knows about it? (Prompt specific DNW: please please no gaynst, I’m more interested in the logistics of things. For example, Mike can’t take public transport without getting mobbed by gossip rags or something.)
Mike/Connie: Anything! I love that Mike pines for Connie and I would love for more of that in fic. I love the fact that Jack supports the relationship and I would like an outsider POV take. Maybe after Mike almost gets shot, Connie insists that he sleep on her couch for a while.
I would also love a post-canon thing where Connie moves to LA for a job and they try to do long distance. Or realize their feelings for each other while she’s away.
Fake dating? Undercover? Something tropey would make my heart sing.
Anything following ‘For the Defense.’ Because wheee.
Mike/Lupo: THEY SHARED A HOTEL ROOM. Do something with that, please. I also adore that Mike takes such an interest in Lupo’s burgeoning legal career. So uh, sexy legal studying session? I have no clue how this would work but if you pull it off, I salute you.
I like the idea that they seem to be both fairly closed off types who actually have a lot in common (especially when it comes to things they don’t talk about) so...maybe Lupo finds Mike after a case gone wrong and they commiserate together? Bonus for an awkward morning after or something.
Fake dating? Undercover? Something tropey would make my heart sing.
Lupo is Mike’s security detail during a very high profile case. They get to know each other a lot better.
Lupo saves Mike’s life in that toilet in that one episode. Feelings realization?
-
History Boys: Dakin/Scripps; Dakin/Irwin
Gay schoolboys and an ill-advised teacher/student crush that was never really consummated despite they agreed to push the boat out? (Because of very conveniently selective amnesia, yes please.) Also 80s music! Literary everything. Basically, there is nothing I don’t love about this canon and if we match on this, the world is your oyster. I also love all of the other characters in this so if people want to pop up, that’s fine by me. I’ve read the play and seen the film and love both equally.
Dakin/Scripps: Despite the fact that Lockwood was probably a better fit for Dakin’s laddish friend, I liked their friendship and how barbed it was. Anything post-canon with them at Oxford would do me. Or maybe Scripps is at Cambridge and every time Dakin shows up to visit, he’s APPALLED by the idea that Scripps doesn’t have a social life.
Dakin worships Scripps on Sundays and makes him late for Mass is all I want in my life.
I find it very interesting that Scripps is the only boy we don’t see in the Study montage and for Dakin we only see him with Fiona. Why is this?
Although Scripps doesn’t like to admit it to himself, Dakin’s crush on Irwin is...one way he gets to live vicariously? I’m happy for this to get weird and complicated. Bonus if you parallel this with Posner’s crush on Dakin.
Dakin/Irwin: GLASSES KINK GLASSES KINK. No but more seriously, please give me the blow job of the century. I am so sad it never happens. I’m...assuming that Irwin forgot about Sunday but not the fact that he’s hot for Dakin? I don’t know, the ending just never really worked for me. Please help me.
Irwin goes back to school for real to Oxford this time. Dakin is amused/turned on/confused.
Recycling from Yuletide because I still really want it. I kind of want Dakin to become a lawyer consultant for the Beeb’s new show and Irwin still works there. Or Dakin has become an actor in something that Irwin consults on. Because why wouldn’t he?
Good ol’ English road trip. Bonus points for visiting obscure places. The car breaks down and they have to snuggle to keep warm in the backseat. I am a simple soul. And then they get arrested for public indecency or something and Scripps has to bail them out. (This is seriously all optional, I’m just thinking aloud.)
44-Inch Chest (2009):
Oh my goodness, is is a terrible movie that would have been a fantastic play; it is full of zingers and probably with a bit more fisticuffs would have been a great movie. But basically, if you like a bunch of not very good past-their-prime gangsters watching their friend break down during a kidnapping, this is the movie for you. It’s a very niche thing but so worth it.
Meredith/Peanut: At one point, resident gayngster Meredith played by the venerable Ian McShane says to John Hurt’s Peanut: “What I do with my nine-and-a-half has fuck all to do with you.” BUT LIKE WHAT IF IT DOES? I love how despite their antagonism and Peanut’s deep-seated bigotry, Peanut still agrees to go to a gay bar with Meredith because he wants something to eat. I don’t understand. So clearly there must be creaky old man porn. (Also maybe Peanut and Meredith accidentally banged in the 80s.) I just love crotchety friends okay (with emphasis on crotch).
Meredith/ or & Colin: I adored the scene with Meredith trying to calm Colin down. All the voice kink yes please? Has this happened before? Perhaps post-film Colin accidentally moves in with Meredith and is annoyed at all the sex he has. Or maybe Colin endeavours to help Meredith feel things and this may or may not lead to porn.
Colin/ or & Loverboy: Colin and Loverboy keep running into each other after the film. Loverboy does work in a restaurant so maybe Colin just likes the restaurant? Or maybe Loverboy gets a new job at Colin’s favourite pizza place. I don’t know. Or maybe in a pre-canon move, Colin pays Loverboy to keep his wife company and then things get complicated leading up to the events of the movie.
Meredith/Loverboy: Meredith dubcons Loverboy after the film for the lols. Colin finds out. Or maybe Meredith and Loverboy are a special kind of ‘friends’ by the time the movie happens and he’s weirded out that Colin’s kidnapped him. (This squares because in the film Loverboy doesn’t have a name.) Does Meredith help? Hinder? Something in the middle?
Mean Streets (1973): Charlie Cappa/Johnny Boy Civello
Uh, Baby Harvey Keitel. That’s all. But seriously, this movie has a heavy dose of everything I could ever want, Charlie’s very Catholic guilt and how that extends vis-a-vis Johnny Boy. Them sharing a bed is CANON. I would love to see anything, from the start of their friendship - what exactly does Johnny Boy do to endear himself to Charlie? Because honestly, Charlie goes through quite a lot of trouble for Johnny and he doesn’t see any return on it.
I could see them getting very slap slap kiss kiss if Johnny were to find out about Theresa.
Instead of bailing him out every damn time, Charlie decides to teach Johnny a lesson, and then it gets sexy.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl: Charlie Bucket & WIlly Wonka; Charlie Bucket & the Bucket Family; Charlie Bucket/Mike Teavee; Veruca Salt/Violet Beauregarde
I would vastly prefer book canon as opposed to drawing too heavily on the 2005 adaptation or the 1971 movie please! I just love the tone of the Dahl’s prose and I’m not asking for an imitation, but I would appreciate that you keep to the same zaniness and not it in a too serious direction like the 2005 movie tried to do. But I do like some of the visuals from the Burton take so feel free to mention them if that strikes your fancy.
Charlie Bucket & Willy Wonka: Please please do not ship or preslash them! But I would love their day to day together, and Charlie maybe struggling a little bit to be up to the challenge. What kind of candy do they invent together? Maybe they start up a Wonka amusement park and then it’s too much work?
Charlie Bucket & the Bucket Family: I just want a heartwarming family dinner please. Maybe Charlie’s family sees that he’s getting stressed and decide to do something nice for him? Maybe Charlie does something nice for his family?
Charlie Bucket/Mike Teavee: Post-canon, where they are at least both 18. Maybe Charlie is looking for a new social media person and Mike’s the man? Maybe they find a way to get Mike back to his normal height? Maybe Mike wants to sue the factory and Charlie goes to talk some sense into him?
Veruca Salt/Violet Beauregarde: Maybe they decide to sue the Factory together? I don’t know, I just feel like Veruca’s haughtiness and Violet’s competitive streak means they’ll get on like a house on fire. Maybe Veruca tries to find a way to make Violet less blue? I mean, she is very very rich. There must be a way!