Black Is Beautiful 2021!

[shinyfakehard]

Dear creator,

I’m super happy this exchange exists and even more excited to see what you come up with. Some of these ended up longer than others, but I promise I’m equally into every request, and despite my best efforts, this is far from an exhaustive list of everything I enjoy in fic.

- plastics

GENERAL

Likes

Scenery, tradition, communities

I absolutely love being transported to a specific time, place, and/or culture. All of them. I love seeing how characters interact with the places and things around them, and I love it as a form of intimacy.

This can also be within smaller groups of people, perhaps within a limited window! I love sports teams, boarding schools or summer camps or colleges, subcultures, intense careers, etc. I also love focusing on less glamorous positions—it’s a shitty job or a shitty town or a shitty situation, but goddamn it, it’s your shit.

Relationship messiness

People make the wrong choices for the right person (or the wrong person, but it feels so right) just works for me. This covers a lot of ground: codependent relationships, infidelity, power imbalances, working through internalized homophobia, assholes in love, etc. For this exchange, I’d greatly prefer something in a gray area over “A is abusing B.”

Casual sex (or is it (it is (unless…?))! Best friends (unless!?)! Taking time to figure out what the fuck your relationship is! Knowing what it is and loving and being dedicated to each other but still having to put in the work! Highs and lows within established relationships! The honeymoon period shining a little too bright!

Competency, loyalty, dedication

Really, I’m just very character-focused. I love seeing what people are good at and what (and who) they care about. They don’t need to be saintly about it, and it doesn’t need to come easy—making the choice is what really gets me.

I have also recently rediscovered my love for romance tropes, especially ones focused on how much the two characters just really, genuinely like each other. “As you wish”-ass levels of dedication. Pining because you don’t want to hurt what you’ve got already. Intimate little touches. Wooing your love interest with just, like, all the love languages. People committing to each other!!! (And I am also genuinely into platonic relationships, affection, and dedication between characters, too, although I know I’ve been speaking in very shippy terms.)

Smut

assplay • begging • bruising or biting • casual sex • come marking • dirty talk • drunk or high sex • edging • familiarity • finger sucking • first times • frottage • hands • informal D/s • manhandling • mouth kink • multiple orgasms • nipple play • oral sex • over the clothes • overstimulation • pining while fucking • playful sex • possessiveness • power imbalances • rough sex • size differences

Art

I’m not very good at art-specific prompts, but I’ve found it very soothing in recent months. Generally, I like oversaturation, contrast, color blocking; tender moments (fingers brushing, kissing, holding hands, intense eye contact), atmosphere and settings; details and clutter. Bright, warm colors make me really happy. I also like art that fleshes out the world—informational brochures, “photos,” postcards—and captures those quiet moments that are hard to capture with words.

A few examples, if you’d like: x | x | x | x | x

Do Not Want

apocalypse, devastating natural disasters, or complete dystopias; incest treated as normal or culturally accepted, intergeneral incest; major character death, graphic injury, gore, body horror, serious illness, injuries resulting from sex (bruising or soreness is fine); gender or sex swap, feminization, crossdressing; impact play; slavery; explicit underage sex (<16); hate crimes or other extreme instances of bigotry, abuse or fighting isms as the main plot; heavy focus on IRL religions; IRL partners in RPF; unrequited romantic or sexual interest that stays unrequited, unrequested poly

REQUESTS

American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story
Characters: Group: Narrator/Narrator’s Boyfriend

This section is going to be unfairly short but that is because the album is essentially perfect—and yet I want more! Or expansion, really. Listening felt a lot like peeping in someone’s diary as this relationship unfolded, and as hard as it hit, I’d love to see the scenes that are alluded to, how these two met and got closer Despite Their Differences, the more serious elements that make being two teens in an environment that doesn’t accept them and can’t give them what they need.

Are the barriers too much and they spiral apart? Do they run off into the sunset? What would getting through the teenage-honeymoon phase look like? Or if they broke up then ran into each other X years in the future?

Bridgerton TV
Characters: Group: Anthony Bridgerton/Simon Basset

Somehow I’d avoided the siren call of Regency romance ridiculousness, but now my head has been pulled fully underwater. I’d like to think this works in your favor—you could roll out the wheel and I’ll still be like “😲 what a brilliant invention!”

I’m cool with basically any AU that still maintains at least some of the dynamics in the show, I’m into the idea of A/B/O or D/s universes transporting some of the cultural tropiness female characters go through onto these ships, or maybe it’s a homophobia-is-out-purity-obsession-stays AU or… (and canonically or historically accurate is also welcome, of course).

I'm fine with the fake dating plot being maintained for its stated purpose, but I'd prefer that Daphne and Simon don't have romantic or sexual interest in each other for this pairing.

— We hear talk of these two being best friends but they sure don’t seem it within the show. I’d to see it! School days! Raising hell across Europe!
— Instead of calling for a duel when Simon and Daphne get caught in the garden, Anthony instead decides the proper thing to do to preserve Daphne's image is for him and Simon to get married.
— There was once a time when Anthony thought that he and Simon would be getting married. Then Simon got all Daddy Issues and disappeared, only to reappear in time to court Anthony’s sister? Rage. Raaaage. Then confessions and understanding and so on.
— Universe where mpreg is generally known, but of course the Bridgertons are of higher stock than that and it’s not like Anthony would put himself into a position to get knocked up in the first place—oh, wait, oops. Then angst (with even more intense daddy issues this time) and confessions and understanding and so on.

Fates and Furies — Lauren Groff
Characters: Group: Samuel Harris/Lotto Satterwhite, Samuel Harris

Samuel’s everything and Lotto’s fucking around with dudes are two things Groff sped right by in the book, and, like, I get it, but also I didn’t get anywhere near my fill.

I really appreciated the juxtaposition of Samuel’s family being an “unexpected” union but how completely and (seemingly?) comfortably he fits himself into being That Asshole Son of a Senator (R) at school and then in life. The following prompts are kinda ship-focused, but I would also be really into just spending more time with this character and what makes him tick.

I'd prefer any fic to be set either pre-Matilde or in an AU where she sticks to her no, and either pre-part two or a nonlethal AU.

— Ol’ coxswain Sammy! Rowing is admittedly a sport I know very little about, but I’d be extremely interested in exploring it more: what training and competition looks like, how he got into it, how well Lotto takes direction in his boat…
— So much of Lotto’s confidence and sexuality and life builds directly off of Samuel’s influence (in the Maine house alone!) and I for one am very into him taking ownership of that fact.
— Lotto’s Romantic Revisionism is instead about him and Samuel being high school sweethearts. It was never that easy.
— Two Bros Who Are Fucking And Also Mean The Entire World To Each Other And No They Will Not Be Thinking Any Deeper On This Matter

Goth Night — HamletMachine
Characters: Group: Leather Goth/Collared Goth

Here!

This pic is just a big ol’ 👀 for me. The sprawled open posture of Collard Goth! That chill gaze and possessive hand of Leather Goth! Piercings! GOTHS!!!

I don’t really have specific prompts, but I’m super into what else these two could have going on. Stealing from my Jump Scare freeforms last year: Vampire Sex, telling scary stories, The Worst (drug) trip ever, Traumatized Into Codependency, unhealthy relationship, Trapped in Funhouse, Sharing a bed because they're safer together than apart, The Setting Wants You to Stay; Slowly You Do Too, Seduction to the Dark Side, pleasure from pain, On the run while high, Leaning Into The Spooky/Creepy Aesthetic That You Accidentally Picked, Hand & Finger Kink, creepy lover, come on baby make it hurt so good, Drug Use

A lot of those are tilted toward dark on account of Jump Scare’s theme, but I’d also be thrilled with them just having a great time with each other.

Grand Theft Auto V
Characters: Franklin Clinton, Group: Franklin Clinton & Chop

I love this game. I love how over the top and balls to the wall it is in just about every direction. And I would love more canon typical heists and side missions where Franklin gets to be as competent and level-headed as he usually is. But I still felt like some of Franklin's story was a bit... you know.... and while "fix" probably isn't the right word for it, given the canon, I'd still love to see more of Franklin, having a good time, being successful.
— I'm not from South Central LA LS, fictional or otherwise, and I've definitely lived places that I've been in a rush to away from, but I also really believe in putting value in places even past their surface wounds. I'd love to see a good day pre-canon for Franklin. Maybe Davis High wins the state championship in Sport, maybe there's a damn good restaurant around the corner, maybe someone sets up a community garden and it isn't as corny as it sounds...
— It was so hard to find fashions for Franklin, even once I had money! At least part of it is because I played this game no less than five years late and development delay probably adds another five in the other direction, but I wanted this man in LUXURY and STYLE that I COULD NOT SATISFY. Put the man in some Savage X Fenty! (I don't actually know fashion that well, but I like looking at it, and I think it'd be cool to see Franklin in some black designers.)
— Chop! Dog Dad Franklin! Going to the beach to thrown a ball around!

Men’s Hockey RPF
Characters: Group: Jordan Greenway/Matt Dumba, Group: Wayne Simmonds/Chris Stewart, Quinton Byfield, Jordan Greenway

I think we probably all know hockey’s issues, and while it’d be a bit saccharine to try and make it sound like Love Of The Game makes up for it, I do really really love Being Out Here Anyway and not letting go.

Group: Jordan Greenway/Matt Dumba, Jordan Greenway

I’ve had a soft spot for Greenway for a long time, and his Olympic appearance gave me So Many Emotions, especially after this story. I’d love to hear more about his time with the development program, at BU, in Pyeongchang, or, obviously, in Minnesota.

Group: Wayne Simmonds/Chris Stewart

It just feels incredibly fake that there’s so little fic about these two. Childhood best friends! Handsome childhood best friends! Compelling handsome best friends who could probably understand each other’s lives better than most of the other people around them!

Quinton Byfield

I’m not as familiar with Byfield as I am with the other players, I was absolutely delighted by him reaching out to other LA sportsfolk—so many Rookies Adjusting To Their New Homes stories go bad for the obvious reasons, but I really love the idea of him exploring the city and building relationships in a positive way.

And, obviously, if you’re a more knowledgeable Kings/Sudbury/Him fan, please feel free to introduce me to more of his hockey life.

Music RPF
Characters: Group: Tyler the Creator/Frank Ocean, Group: Frank Ocean/Tyler the Creator, Group: Tyler the Creator/Original Male Character

Most of these are ripped from various music-based prompts I’ve requested in the past, so please don’t feel too beholden to sticking to what’s “real” about these folks!

Group: Frank Ocean/Travis Scott

Inspired by: CAROUSEL - Travis Scott

Frank in the third verse is what really caught my interest the first time I heard this song, and listening to it on repeat really just evoked the Frank classic of people spiraling with too many drugs and not enough rest in the worstbest time of their life. So, more of them not being able to trust anyone but their wallet and maybe each other on a good day?

Group: Tyler the Creator/Original Male Character

Inspired by: IGOR and assorted queer Tyler bops

Please use whatever characters make the most sense for you creatively: RL Tyler and the people he hangs out with, Fictionalized Tyler and Love Interest, Fictional IGOR and Love Interest, male characters within the Tylerverse, whatever.

— Thank You For the Love: This album painted such a beautiful picture of heartbreak and relationships that just don't work out, and I’d love to see that even more fleshed out. If you’re a new listener, Tyler’s last album, Flower Boy, could add more context to more hopeful days, but please be aware that the content warnings—just all the content warnings—increase the further you go back, especially after Flower Boy.

— Scary and Weird and Gay: In her video about Scary Movies to Tell in the Dark, Nyx Fears said, “When I was a kid, I cared very deeply about things that were scary and weird, because I was very scary and weird, and now I’m gay,” which, like, relatable. I’ve been listening to Tyler for a very long time, and I’d love to explore his earlier work viewed through that lense + the topics dealt with in IGOR.
—— Exploring queerness with horror and art

—— The cultures he surrounded himself with, especially skaters

—— Additional opt-outs: use of racial slurs, race kink, necrophilia, DID, the OTT violence against women of earlier albums actually happening in fic.

 

Group: Tyler the Creator/Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator & Frank Ocean

Inspired by: The “I’m not HOMOPHOBIC I’m BFFs with FRANK OCEAN” era.

Did they talk about it? Did they not-talk about it? Did they maybe hook up once or twice or three times but not like it’s an actual thing?

I talked a bit about it above, but Odd Future was a whole lot in its heyday, to say the least, and I’m even more interested in it now seeing how Tyler’s career and musical interests have developed past “totally not horrorcore how dare you,” and how Tyler and Frank’s relationship has grown with it. They have very different ways of keeping themselves unknowable—Frank by being as out of the public eye as possible, Tyler by just overwhelming you with bullshit—and I’d love to see what an honest moment looks like between them.

Bonus minorly She-inspired prompt: There’s a girl that younger, not quite ready to be honest Tyler/Frank are both just totally absolutely really truly in love with, and they bond over how they’d do anything to be with her, the agonies of unrequited love, what they’d do if they were with her, well, maybe they could practice with each other…

Red Dead Redemption
Characters: Charles Smith, Group: Arthur Morgan & Charles Smith, Group: Arthur Morgan/Charles Smith

Charles was one of my favorite gang members; I honestly started my most recent playthrough because I wanted to hang out with him more after blowing off most of the camp side missions the first time through.

I’d love seeing Charles’ first days with the gang up through the epilogue or after—I’m not super into straight domesticity stories, but I’d be into him and his future partner maybe causing a teeny tiny amount of good trouble up in Canada.

I’m also really into the idea of this canon with a supernatural bend:

— The Gang as Pack/Coven/Group of Supernatural Beings of Your Choice: I loved the codependent little circle the gang maintains, right up until things started to fall apart, and I think it’d work really well with
— Monster Hunting as Bounty Hunting: It’s an honest way to earn some money… or is it?
— — Someone gets changed, and it challenges some preconceived notions. Or maybe it doesn’t matter that they’re still them, and now they have to run.
— — No one gets changed, but the hunter’s conscious gets more and more unsure about what they’re doing.