Dear Author_Rare pairs 2024

[claire_cz]

Dear Author,

thank you so much for writing a fic for me. You can find me as Claire_cz on AO3.

I’ve requested the characters I love the most and the ones I find interesting or intriguing. For some I have only one partner, some are “universally shippable”. And I’ll just be so happy to meet these characters again, now with the added value of knowing they are in a relationship. Some relationships are canon, most of them not.

I love the atmosphere of the requested shows and want to have moooore of it so I usually prefer the canon-verse or some smaller (or bigger) canon divergence over alternate universe.

Another thing is, I don’t need romance and kisses in every paragraph of the fic. I’d love to know that my beloved characters are in a relationship or are trying to get together but feel free to mix it with my other general likes or even focus more on my other general likes and genres and tropes and just add this new layer of two characters being in a relationship in smaller measures. But if you want to write a whole fic about the partners panicking and preparing a wedding, I’m here for it too.

For every requested fandom I included some prompts or just questions. But I would be equally excited if you surprise me with a completely different idea along the lines of my general likes. Feel free to combine the prompts or prompts and general likes too.

General likes:

• missing scenes
• prequel/sequel of a canon scene
• canon verse
  
  
• 5 + 1
• case fics
• character studies
• domestic fics
• epistolary
• fluff
• friends to lovers
• friendship fics
• future fics (future of the respective show/book)
• gen fics
• humour
• hurt/comfort (mostly physical hurt - preferably from injuries)
• slowburn
  
  
• happy endings
• open endings
• second and third person POV
• unusual narrator
• lots of descriptions of the surroundings and atmosphere
• multiple timelines

DNWs:

• E rated fics;
• sexual scenes (I’m happy my fave characters are dating, I just don’t need to see “everything”; cuddling and kissing “on screen” is ok);
• repeatedly mentioning body parts typically involved in sexual activities, especially c**k (mentioning “butt” or “breasts” in non-sexual context is ok);
• excessive unnecessary violence (i.e. way over what is usual for a given show);
• kid fics (i.e. focus on an original or canon child character);
• omegaverse, mpreg and such;
• royal/coffeeshop/high school/historic/sci-fi AUs;
• Alzheimer’s, cancer and coronavirus related themes (in RPF requests passing references to the pandemic are ok, eg. the Olympics being rescheduled because of covid etc.);
• permanent brain damage;
• and downright unhappy endings;
• death of any requested character (even if it’s canon)

1) Agatha Christie’s Poirot (TV)

Arthur Hastings/Hercule Poirot

James Japp/Hercule Poirot

Hercule Poirot/Vera Rosakoff

Feel free to add any other canon characters or OCs or other Agatha’s characters.

Poirot is one of my favourite detectives. If I haven’t seen an episode I (almost certainly) have read the book and vice versa. So situating the plot into the setting of a particular case is very welcome, too (as are any crossovers with Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Inspector Battle or any other of Christie's "investigators"). I love everything about Poirot. Clever mysteries, mostly calm and thought through plot, Poirot’s little quirks, the nostalgy and elegance.

Prompts:

• Case-fic. I especially like the mysteries in “high places” revolving around diplomats, ambassadors, politicians and all stories with spies. Is there something Poirot and Hastings or Poirot and Japp bond over?
• Will the dating agenda be distracted by a case?
• What would be some small signs of affection they’d have for each other?
• A story told from Japp’s POV
• Poirot travelling in the Middle East. I love stories in these settings. Does Hastings or Poirot dare to make a move?
• What if Poirot visits Hastings in Argentina?
• Poirot/the other character hiding their relationship. Do the others find out? I bet Miss Lemon would notice.
• Vera Rosakoff was the only character in canon Poirot seemed to be interested in… Will they meet again? In the UK or somewhere on Poirot’s travels?

2) CSI: NY

Danny Messer/Lindsay Monroe

Feel free to include other characters: Don, Stella, Mac, Sid, Hawkes, Adam…

I’d prefer Lucy not to be featured much in the fic.

Fandom specific DNW: Ruben storyline

CSI: Los Angeles had the weirdest cases, CSI: Miami was sunny but maybe too much Hollywood-like-perfect, CSI: NY was the normal one. And I loved that. All the sneak peeks into the hectic life in such a big modern city, kinda typical - but not stereotypical - characters: former soldier, a local kid, skilled detective… Sometimes you don’t need dark and twisted plots all the time, I think there was a nice balance between the personal lives and “normal” cases. And then there’s Danny and his smile and his glasses.

I think Danny is so easy-going and friendly and kind and I really think he fits perfectly with Lindsay.

Prompts:

• I’d love to see Danny and Lindsay as the smart and capable detectives they are!
• Danny/Lindsay outside of work. We saw them almost exclusively at work. What are their hobbies? What do they like to do together?
• I love hurt/comfort. We haven’t seen that many injuries through the series so I think it’s the perfect opportunity for coming up with shiny new injuries ;) I’d prefer hurt!Danny. (Of course, there are also canon injuries!)
• Danny was seriously injured at the end of season 5 though just a few episodes later he was ok… I’d love to see more or the recovery to be longer and with more focus on the relationship.
• Danny said there was a 10%-chance he’d walk again. What if he didn’t recover? Would this influence/change his relationship with Lindsay, his job?

3) Grey’s Anatomy

Meredith Grey/Cristina Yang

Derek Shepherd/Mark Sloan

Addison Montgomery/Mark Sloan

I’m more familiar with the first nine seasons, feel free to add other canon characters like Alex, Bailey, Richard … or OCs.

Grey’s Anatomy has been running for so long and everything has already happened there. I just love medical TV shows, all the improbable cases, crazy diagnosis, competent doctors, watching the surgeries, the tense atmosphere in the OR when something goes wrong, injuries, healing, doctors explaining the procedures…

My OTP was Cristina/Burke and then Calzona... And over time I’ve begun exploring ships that weren’t canon, I love the idea of Meredith/Cristina. And I love all the various friendships. The canon friendships between Derek & Mark and Meredith & Cristina were just so deep and full of understanding that I can easily imagine them as couples.

The writers paired Mark with Lexie but in my opinion there was so much chemistry between him and Addison and I would love them to have a happy ending.

There’s been a lot of deaths and departures, up to you if you set the fic before that happens or if the time is not defined or if you do a canon divergence… (and the plane doesn’t crash, Derek doesn’t die etc.)

Prompts:

• Maybe we can get some more background here. How did Meredith/Cristina or Mark/Derek or Mark/Addison get together? Did Meredith and Derek even ever date each other? Was it just a one-night stand insignificant for this story?
• For Derek/Mark: What about Addison, did she come to the Seattle Grace to try to save her marriage or not at all in our new universe? What about Mark? Is he still sleeping with every nurse he meets, or is he just pretending it?
• Mark and Derek are just two very good looking, successful, quite rich gentlemen and I’d love to see them from an outsider’s point of view.
• When did Mark and Derek start dating? Already in NY and are an established couple or was it much later in Seattle when they realized?
• Cristina and Meredith being the badass surgeons they are; accepting awards.
• Meredith visiting Cristina in Switzerland; long-distance relationship.
• Cristina is a fascinating character, I’d love to read more about her career in Switzerland, about her being a famous surgeon and teacher; how is it compatible with her relationship with Meredith?
• I know that Mark was head over heels with Lexie but I always imagined/hoped for Mark/Addison endgame. I want to hear all their spicy arguments and see them stealing kisses almost directly in the OR ;)
• One of the nominated characters is preparing to do a difficult surgery, the other one is supporting them, calming down, offering ideas… I love OR scenes.
• How are they balancing their career and private life? (any pair)

4) House M.D.

Gregory House/Stacy Warner

Feel free to add other characters: Wilson, Cuddy, Cameron, Chase, Foreman, Kutner, Taub, Thirteen…

Fandom specific DNWs: focus on Tritter and/or Vogler, focus on Wilson's cancer

I love everything about House. An “unlikeable” main character, cynicism and irony, crime case-like approach to medicine...

In my opinion, the first three seasons were the best. When it comes to canon portrayal of House’s pain I also prefer the first three seasons. I'm much more familiar with the first five seasons… though I know all the important events that happened afterwards.

Prompts:

• I know it wasn’t very probable that House would stay with Stacy in season 2 but what if he did indeed?
• Maybe we could get some time jumps and comparison with their care-free time before House’s infarction happened.
• What if Stacy didn’t decide for House to do the middle-ground surgery after his infarction? Would he be better or worse? How would it influence their relationship?
• Missing scene, continuation, canon divergence based on the episode where they are trapped at the airport because of the snow storm.
• I’ve DNWed AUs (like sci-fi, coffee shop) but here I’d be curious about what House would do hadn’t he been a doctor. I can see a university professor in him. Or I would just like to see a totally different part of him: the musician, the lecturer, the polyglot, the motorcycle rider.. Can you find a way to combine it with his relationship with Stacy?

5) Mr. & Mrs. Smith (TV 2024)

Jane Smith/John Smith

Feel free to add other canon and/or original characters.

I love shows about spies! I love spies so much. I love the plotting and planning of the "missions", quick changes of the plans, thinking on the spot and outside the box... I love Jane and John and how different they are from each other. All the action, various locations, the mysterious organization, it's just amazing. And it has only eight episodes wink wink.

In case it works better for your plot that one of them dies then go for it and my DNW about death of canon characters doesn’t apply.

Prompts:

• Prequel: I'd love to know something about John's and/or Jane's past. Is there something they can bond over?
• Another mission (set somewhere in the first half of the series when they probably had more "routine" assignments) showing how they plan it, what the mission is about, how it's going… sprinkled with some more hints to their relationship.
• I really liked the episode about them going to couples therapy. I'd like to see another session or a mission set at this time.
• H/C, there have been so many opportunities for hurt/comfort. Who is hurt? Is the other character taking care of them? What do they feel?
• Future fic: I'd love to know how the story continues after the last episode ends. I'd love them both to survive! Can they? And what will they do then? What's your headcanon/speculation/wish? Could they manage to just step away from the organization and the organization letting them?

6) NCIS: Los Angeles

G Callen/Anna Kolcheck

G Callen/Sam Hanna

G Callen/Original Character(s)

Fandom specific DNWs: Mosley, Joelle, focus on Deeks/Kensi

Feel free to add Hetty, Vance, Nell, Eric, Michelle, Gibbs…

(For Callen/Sam I wouldn’t want Sam to be cheating on Michelle, she may simply be out of the picture altogether or they got together after she died or any other scenario you can imagine)

I love spies, I do love spies so much, I love undercover work, creating the backstories and agents slipping into “fake” characters. And Mr. Callen is the master of the game. I also love men with blue eyes and characters with tough childhood behind them and mysterious past. Basically, NCIS: LA is Mr. Callen for me.

Some of my favourite episodes are: Past Lives, Pusback, LD50, Callen G., Familia, Reznikov N., Matryoshka, The Chosen One, Purity

I’m more familiar with the earlier seasons.

Prompts:

• How did they start dating? What’s their relationship like? How do they balance work and private life? Is there a bit of fluff in their lives? What if Callen is injured, what is the partner doing?
• Case fic; I love all case fics, it’s a great bonus if they include Comescus or someone from the characters’ past. The more undercover work and spies the better ;) How is it to be investigating alongside your partner (Anna or Sam)?
• Mr. Callen undercover. Is his partner also undercover or providing support?
• H/C! Hurt!Callen. So, what happened to him this time? Is he in a hospital? I feel like even most of the canon injuries have been brushed upon, especially the ones after Mexico and the nearly fatal shooting in the NCIS LA spin-off Legend. Or you can come up with moooore original injuries. Who’s putting up with him? What are his partner’s thoughts? Are they worried?
• I just love the cagy, lone wolf Mr. Callen from the first few seasons and would like to read more about him. He trusted so few people but somehow Sam was among them.
• But I’d also love to see him be happy with Anna in their crazy ways. Arkady sprinkling the discussion with his opinions about Callen/Anna would be awesome.
• I also loved the earlier seasons’ dynamics between Hetty and Callen. They respect and understand each other, Callen is trying to find out about his past, Hetty is trying to protect him… What does she think about Callen’s partner?
• I’d be so curious to know all about the OC if you pair them with Callen. Male or female it doesn’t matter. Are they a federal agent, too? Or not? Do they know what Callen is doing? What if Callen’s partner is an interpreter or translator?
• I like to imagine Sam and Callen as a couple (up to you if you omit Michelle and canon or maybe they got together after her death?). How did they start dating? What’s their relationship like? How do they balance work and private life? Is there a bit of fluff in their lives? What if Callen is injured? What is Sam doing?

7) Olympics RPF

Armand “Mondo” Duplantis/Renaud Lavillenie

Feel free to add other pole vaulters – Axel Chapelle, Piotr Lisek, Pawel Wojciechowski, Manolo Karalis, Sam Kendricks, Chris Nielsen, KC Lightfoot, Valentine Lavillenie… or track&field athletes.

Pole vault is such an exciting and unique discipline. And all the athletes seem to get on very well and the Mondo & Sam and especially Mondo & Renaud friendship – in real life – is so heart-warming to see.

There are so few stories in this fandom so feel free to add what you want! Bonus points for mentioning Armand’s glasses! (nope, the laser surgery didn’t happen ;) )

Prompts:

• Mondo/Renaud: Maybe they are all training and just hanging around in Renaud’s garden in Clermont-Ferrand.
• Olympics 2020 (2021): there was all: the pressure and joy for Mondo, (the absolute joy for Manolo, the disappointment for Sam) and the drama and pain for Renaud. I’d love to read any fic based on these canon events with an established-relationship-spin on it.
• Olympics 2024 – is Renaud still competing? (I certainly hope he makes it on the team!) Will Mondo win? 
• Slowburn, friends to lovers… They see each other at so many events, are friends … and slowly their relationship develops.
• Hurt/comfort. Injury recovery. Lots of comfort. Here I don’t have any preferences for who the hurt one is.
• There’s a perfect opportunity for h/c: Mondo’s WR of 6.23 and Renaud’s leg surgery in the span of a week. I’d love any friendship or shippy take on it. Are they texting each other, is Renaud watching the World Championship in hospital? Does Mondo rush to France immediately afterwards?
• I just love Renaud’s mentorship and their mutual respect and admiration. (Renaud saying about Mondo’s 6.21 WR at the Worlds: “Mondo asked me to stay there for him. I can’t say no to him.” AWWWWWWW)
• All the fluff, they deserve it.
• I think it’s interesting how, from the outside perspective, they seem to be so different. It really fascinates me that Renaud loves motorcycling and horse races and on the other hand Mondo prefers golf. I’d expected it to be the other way round. So maybe they can show their hobbies to each other and share ;)

8) SEAL Team

Stella Baxter/Clay Spenser

Sonny Quinn/Clay Spenser

Jason Hayes/Clay Spenser

Fandom specific DNWs: Clay's death and any references to Clay's death; mentioning the vet center; focus on canon storylines about traumatic brain injury; focus on Full Metal, Vic, Rebecca; making Ash more of a negative character than in canon

Feel free to include other characters: Jason, Ray, Omar, Brock, Trent, Naima, Lisa, Blackburn…

(For Sonny/Clay and Jason/Clay I wouldn’t want Clay to be cheating on Stella. I’d prefer Stella just out of the picture altogether or Stella just being friends with Clay and never dating him or being a friendly ex-girlfriend).

I love the brotherhood, the absolute trust, the unbreakable bond between the SEALs. The way they are so dedicated to the job and can forget all the troubles and just get the things done. I love watching these confident men who can just do anything anywhere anytime they want. I like the way they face their problems.

I love Sonny & Clay’s friendship. They are so different and at the first sight, it’s an improbable friendship - and yet they are battle boos.

I love it when they plan the missions. Everyone weighs in their opinion, they quickly form plans, always have a plan B.

Season 6 episode 8 never happened. Please use canon up to S06E07. (In case you choose the tag Fix-it then references to 06x08 are ok).

Prompts:

• For Clay/Stella - their relationship has evolved so much, she has come to terms with Clay being a SEAL, I don’t want any drama here, just the normal, small things, Clay doing his job, Stella teaching, writing and being there for him, Clay surprising Stella at work, or just going on a weekend trip somewhere…
• For Clay/Sonny: They are so different and at the first sight, it’s an improbable friendship - and yet they became best friends. And I’d love to see the change into something else. Does it influence the team dynamics, too? Does the team (or some members of the team) know?
• For Clay/Jason: On top of the team dynamics (as with Sonny) there’s also this mentor/mentee vibe or even age gap if you squint. Lots to explore.

For all pairs:

• More fluffy and light-hearted vibes - cooking together, moving in together…
• And of course there are so many many hurt/comfort opportunities. What happened? Unsurprisingly, I’d prefer hurt!Clay and the partner taking care of him.
• Injuries from a mission are the most expected but I’d be interested also in other ways how the poor boys could get hurt. In training? Or a “normal” car crash?
• I loved everything about Manila and Clay’s injury. What if Bravo returned from the Philippines after the bombing and was there for Clay instead of Swanny? Could it lead to Sonny/Clay or Jason/Clay. Or what if Stella returned sooner and was there for Clay? How would that change their relationship?
• What if “the very real possibility that your operating days will be over” the doctors kept talking about in 2x18 did happen and Clay couldn’t return to the field?
• Or maybe the Manila injuries are acting up now, on top of everything else.

For Season 6:

• Clay/Stella, Clay/Sonny or Clay/Jason under these hard circumstances.
• There was a 3-month-jump in the events in episode 2 so what happened during this time?
• Could Clay be accompanying Bravo on some mission because of his unique language skills? What will this trip cause? Increase his (and Sonny’s or Jason’s) desire for him to return to Bravo? What is Stella’s opinion? What is Sonny thinking? (as a partner or as a friend in case you choose Clay/Stella or Clay/Jason.)
• Clay returning to Bravo.
• I have to admit that I have a pretty developed fix-it AU in my mind (and in a wip series) where Clay returns to Bravo even with a prosthetic leg. It’s the only way I’m able to deal with season 6… and I totally do get it that you might not share this view. Though if you do share this view that Clay returns, I need to know everything about how it goes! I’d LOVE to see Clay become Bravo 1 one day with Stella or Sonny or Jason at his side.

9) The Diplomat (US TV 2023)

Hal Wyler/Kate Wyler

Feel free to include Stuart, Eidra, Dennison, Trowbridge, Billie and any other canon or original character.

I’ve madly fallen in love with this series. I can’t describe it less dramatically. It’s really the best and biggest discovery among TV series for me in recent years. I love everything about it, Kerri Russell, my beloved, from The Americans; the dry humour, complicated storylines, sneak peeks into the work of intelligence services, the allusions to real life politics and events, the banter between Hal and Kate, the way how competent and professional and badass they can be.

In case it works better for your plot that Hal dies following the events in the last episode go for it and my DNW about canon death doesn’t apply.

Prompts:

• So…. the explosion. How are Stuart and Hal? I wouldn’t want both of them dying but I am not totally opposed to one of them dying. (Here my DNW about death of any requested character doesn’t apply) What is the aftermath of this event? Or do we get some h/c? Kate reconciling with Hal? Or Kate mourning Hal and remembering the happy times?
• Kate as the vice president. I’d love to see any of these scenarios: Kate as vice president with Hal at her side; divorced Kate as vice president or widowed Kate as vice president
• At the beginning, Kate was supposed to work in Afghanistan, hadn't the attack happened. I’d love to see her and Hal there.
• I’d love to see some hurt/comfort. Could be Hal after the explosion; Hal mentioned during the lecture that Kate was injured in Bosnia or you can imagine anything else.
• Fic set in the past when Hal was the ambassador and Kate was working tirelessly at his side.
• I’d also love to know who was behind the attack at the HMS ship. Trowbridge? Russia? Iran? These were the possibilities discussed in the series. I wouldn’t rule out eg. Saudi Arabia. Though I have no preference and am open to any idea.
• I’d love to get a closer look at Hal and Kate working with the intelligence services.
• I love all the intricate plans and surprising twists.

10) The Professionals (TV 1977)

William Bodie/George Cowley

Feel free to add Ray Doyle, other canon or original characters.

I like how this series focuses only on three main characters and yet so much mystery about them still remains. I like the clever plot, the banter between Doyle and Bodie and the action scenes; the often complicated investigation, spy games, sneak peeks into politics and diplomacy, and especially the cold-war atmosphere.

It is so interesting to watch how Cowley, Bodie and Doyle all have different backgrounds (albeit we don’t have that much info) and it serves as believable reasoning for the different motivation, decisions and behaviour of the characters. And all the action scenes also offer so many h/c possibilities ;)

Prompts:

• I just like this matter-of-fact, raw tone of the series and would love to see it in the fic too
• Classic case-fic with some sprinkles of Bodie/Cowley
• Who initiated the relationship? Are they hiding it? They probably have to… but does Doyle know?
• Is it the first m/m relationship for either of them? If not, is there any story they can tell about their past relationships? Was their partner also an agent, a soldier?
• I’d love to get to know more about Bodie’s mysterious past. Will we meet Krivas again??
• Age gap! Age gap! I don’t see it as a problem at all but maybe some of the characters have some thoughts about it or Cowley has his doubts.
• Can we catch some smallest details revealing they are in a relationship even when they are 100 % focused on a case?
• H/C, it seems that in the course of later seasons the writers forgot but there indeed is a bullet in Cowley’s leg! And the many times Bodie was kicked, hit, injured and even shot? So many h/c opportunities. Who is hurt? How did it happen? Is it serious?
• I love the episodes with politics, cold war, diplomats and agents playing mind games (and spy games)

Thank you for writing a fic for me.