Dear Pining Exchange Author

[learnedfoot]

Dear Pining Exchange Writer,

Hello! You’ve matched (or, if you’re a pinch hitter, chosen) on one of these pairs and freeforms, which means we already have something in common. Excellent! I am so excited about this exchange (I am SUCH a sucker for pining), and thrilled to see what you come up with!

To start, even though I’ve written a fair amount here, I want to say I’m actually very easy to please. As long as you stick in the general area of my likes and respect my DNWs, I’m going to be delighted. Also, I’m equally excited about all of these options! Some sections are longer than others because I have more specific ideas about certain character combos, but I didn’t request anything I wouldn’t be over the moon to receive.

Here’s what this letter contains. All requests are for fic.:
General Likes, Dislikes, and DNWs
MCU: Peter Parker/Tony Stark [Warning: Contains Endgame spoilers!]
Russian Doll: Nadia/Alan
Star Wars: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
The Magicians: Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Midge Maisel/Lenny Bruce
The Wire: Stringer Bell/Avon Barksdale

General Likes
Big Picture Points

If it's helpful, you can find my A03 account here.

Characters are the most important thing for me in fic. I certainly appreciate a good plot, but seeing more of the characters I love is my number one priority.

I’m fairly open on tone and genre — fluff, angst, and basically everything in-between is good by me.

These are all requests for ship fic, but I define that broadly. Especially given the nature of the exchange, if this ends up being more focused on pining/UST/etc. and doesn’t get to the full blown romance, I’m totally fine with that. If you want to write smut I’ve included information on my likes, but I’d be just as happy with something lower rated.

For the fandoms where I’ve requested “eventually requited” only, I am also defining that pretty broadly. I actually don’t mind if the revelation of said requital to the pining character does not happen within the context of the fic, as long as it is clear to the reader that the feelings are requited and will eventually be revealed. Basically, for those requests I just want to ensure the fic does not end with the impression that the feelings are unrequited or that the pining character will never know.

I have requested some of these ships before and received awesome fic which I loved very much, including some based on similar prompts as what I have asked for here. If I requested something again, that just means I am happy to get ten million variations on the theme.

General Likes

Banter

Being taken off guard by small displays of affection, unexpected tenderness, etc. (platonic or otherwise)

Bonding over shared or similar trauma

Characters having conversations we don’t get to see in canon

Characters realizing what someone else means to them, especially when that realization comes as a surprise

Characters revealing what someone else means to them, especially if they are nervous about it but it turns out the feelings are reciprocated

Characters who keep getting back up no matter how many times they’re down in fights

Complex, long lasting relationships with a rich sense of history

Confessions of feelings when out of it (drunk, feverish, exhausted, etc.)

Hurt/comfort [if you want ridiculous amounts of specifics on my H/C likes, you can check out my H/C letter]

People who don’t like each other working together

Stoic and/or emotionally closed off character being forced to accept help (emotional or physical)

Strong character voices

Tentative beginnings (romantic or otherwise)

Time travel and time loops

Trapped in an isolated or otherwise dangerous location

Tropes! Especially:

• Fake dating, where the stakes are commensurate with medium-to-high stakes for the canon (so, for a canon with life-or-death stakes, probably something mission related or something like that; for a slice-of-life sitcom, trying to piss off an ex or not be nagged about being single at Thanksgiving is just fine)
  
• Forced to share a bed, huddle for warmth, hide in a tight space, anything along those lines
  
• Accidental soulbonds: This is a new like for me, but I have a need.
  
  • I like the idea of some combo of they can feel a sense of each others’ emotions, physical sensations, it hurts or is otherwise uncomfortable to be too far apart, that kind of thing.
    
  • I’m not so interested in actually being about to read each others’ thoughts.
    
  • I esp. like the idea of this being super uncommon/caused by some weird sort of spell or sci-fi whatever, so they have no idea what’s going on at first

Unlikely friendships

UST and mutual pining

Whump

Wounded people slowly opening up

Using (or even just mentioning) the fact that Peter Parker is suuuper strong.

Smut Likes

Emphasis on what the sex means to the characters/the emotion of the moment

“Come,” not “cum”

Drunk/high sex

Dom/sub dynamics that develop without the characters talking about it (but not negotiated BDSM relationships), and with particular emphasis on:

• the sub getting off on pleasing the dom
• the dom praising the sub (and the sub getting off on that)
• bondage and blindfolds
• hair pulling, scratching, manhandling, and generally rough sex
• choking (on cocks or otherwise)
• Face fucking
• pain, but nothing that would draw more than a little blood or lead to permanent damage (nipple clamps and spanking are great/the level I’m aiming at)

Sex in semi-public/public places

• Generally prefer it without getting caught, but close calls, or trying to hide what's going on while one person fingers the other under a table or the like is great)

Tender sex, including:

• Being generally amazed at the other person's everything
  
• hand holding
  
• hand/palm kissing
  
• forehead kisses
  
• neck kissing
  
• thigh kissing
  
• hair stroking
  
• face touching
  
• tender kissing
  
• expressions of affection and love, etc.

If you want more information on my smut likes, you can check out my smut swap letter

General Pining Likes:

Character keeps an item of clothing (or other significant object) belonging to the object of their pining

Conversations with double meanings (either fully understood, or one character thinking the other character totally gets their meaning when they, in fact, do not)

Pining while lending a coat (or other clothing)

Pining while watching someone else sleep, sharing a bed, etc.

Pining while the other character has fallen asleep on their shoulder, lap, etc.

Pining while bathing or being bathed

Pining while rescuing or being rescued

Pining while huddled together for warmth

Pining while trapped together, pining while stranded somewhere dangerous, etc.

Pining while tending wounds or having wounds tended to

Revelations of feelings while under the influence (of drugs/alcohol, of a spell or science whatever if canon appropriate) or otherwise not lucid (sick/injured esp.)

Small but meaningful gestures (including cooking) as an expression of affection, from either direction, whether or not they are understood as such

DNWs
General DNWs

First or second person

Identity headcanons (trans, race, other) (However, I'm fine with assuming a character’s sexuality is more fluid than canon may let on)

Infidelity, unless okayed in the fandom specific section

Kidfic involving non-canon children

Permanent death of the requested characters

Poly or otherwise open relationships (unless explicitly asked for in the prompts)

Pregnancy

There are also some fandom specific DNWs noted in the relevant sections

Sex Related DNWs

Cross-dressing kink

Daddy/mommy kink (in particular, use of the word “daddy” or “mommy”)

Enemas

Extended, on-screen consent negotiations

Feeding, weight gain, inflation, anything in that realm

Formalized BDSM

Insertion of large objects, stretching, sounding

Non-sexual body fluids in sex scenes (with the exception of a few drops of blood from scratching or because they were injured before sex)

Roleplay scenarios

Unrequested non-con

Unrequested dub-con

• However, I am fine with drunk!sex, or sex on drugs, as long as the characters are subjectively aware of what they're doing while they are having sex. So, not when one half of the pair is pass-out drunk. But, for example, I am totally fine with Rachel and Quinn getting smashed and having sex.
  
• I requested sex pollen and marriage consummation to maintain cover type requests. Those all count as requested dubcon. Basically: if you think the freeform has dubcon-y elements, I am sure I do too and am counting it as “requested” for the purposes of this DNW.
  
• Basically, I don't care what would hold up in a court of law, as long as the characters themselves would tell you they were consenting in the moment.

For my age-difference ships where one character is underaged: the older character kinking on the younger one's youth (I would prefer it to be a neutral fact or a point of concern, not an active turn-on. They can -- and preferable should -- find the person hot, but without emphasis on "they look so young" or the like)

AU DNWs
I like canon-divergent AUs where the fic is based in the canon setting but goes in a different direction after a certain installment, or changes the outcome of a certain event, but DNW other AU types. So please:

• No AUs that change the canon setting, era, or rules of the universe (e.g., mundane AUs, addition of fantastical elements in a non-fantastical canon, soul mark worlds, A/B/O, high school setting, different jobs, etc.).
  
  
• No AUs that drastically change the structure of character relationships or fundamentals of their identity (making people related who are not, erasing characters from existence, making major friendships or relationships never have happened, etc.) (though see the Peter/Tony section for exceptions re: various things about Tony).

A note about the structure of the fandom-specific sections: Since the freeforms work as prompts on their own, in the fandom-specific sections I mostly focused on general thoughts about the relationships, with some prompts that can be mixed with a number of the freeforms, and expanded thoughts on certain freeforms.

This is all just meant to be helpful. Do not feel obligated to use any of my prompts if you have your own idea of where to go with the freeforms, and definitely do not take any singling out of specific freeforms as a suggestion I want those more. That just meant I had an idea or thought the specific freeform needed more clarification than some of the others. Remember, this letter is meant to be helpful, not burdensome or stressful!

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MCU [Warning: Endgame Spoilers!]
Peter Parker/Tony Stark [Either or both pining]
Eventually Requited
• Accidental soulbond while pining
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them
• Character A pining silently so Character B won't feel guilty for not returning their affections
• Character A thinks B rejected advances
• Character A tries to convince themself that a platonic relationship is enough
• Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage
• Character keeps picking fights with object of their pining
• Character pines for the person they're rescuing
• Character pines for their rescuer
• Grief/Mourning
• Pining because they think they're just a fling
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Character thinks they aren't good enough for the object of their pining
• Pining while trapped together
• Pining while stranded in the wilderness
• A sleeps with people who look like B while pining for B
• Character A thinks B isn't serious about them despite B's heavy flirting and subsequently pines
• Pining character doused with truth serum

Why I requested it: This is my MCU OTP. There can never be enough fic of them for me, simple as that. Plus, they are perfect for pining.

What I like about the relationship: I really like to see this ship portrayed with: a) a strong sense of mutual affection, where they are both incredibly important to each other; b) a strong sense of mutual compatibility despite the age difference (I like them bonding over science and superheroing and the loses they've both suffered and how hard it is for other people to understand them); and most importantly, c) a strong sense that their relationship is ultimately a real positive for both of them. I really do not want any flavor of Tony manipulating Peter or Peter feeling used or put in a bad position by Tony — other characters can think that’s what’s going on, Tony can be really self-conscious and worried about making sure that’s not what’s happening, but I ultimately I want their internal dynamic to be a good one.

That said, I also like that this ship has a lot of potential for angst and pining, so feel free to lean into that if you want. I love Tony realizing he’s attracted to Peter and feeling tons of guilt about it and resisting acting on it for as long as possible; I love Peter realizing he has feelings for Tony but assuming he could never see him that way. I like either or both being super damaged by the events of IW and Endgame, especially if it results in overprotectiveness and intense focus on each other.

Why they might be pining: I could see this going in all sorts of directions. Obviously Peter could be pining after Tony’s death (or vica-verse if it’s set after IW). Or, either or both might be pining because: they think the other doesn’t return their feelings; they think the relationship is inappropriate or a bad idea; they think the other is totally out of their league; they are afraid of ruining the relationship they have/losing the person out of their life if they pursue something and mess it up or are rejected. Or some combination thereof!

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• Some general scenarios/likes that could mix with my selected freeforms:
  
  • Fake dating/married for a mission
    
  • Otherwise have to spend a lot of time in close proximity to each other for a mission, or because they are quarantined or on lockdown for safety reasons, etc.
    
  • Accidentally mistaken for dating
    
  • Stranded in a dangerous environment
    
  • Space adventures
    
  • Venom or another symbiote gets involved
    
  • Peter falls in with one or more of the Defenders and Tony has some feelings about that (I have a lot of Peter + Defenders feelings here)
    
  • All sorts of hurt/comfort scenario/options. I have a lot of h/c thoughts for them here, and you should feel free to draw from any of those prompts.
    
  • If you want to write smut for them, I have a lot of smut thoughts for them here
    
  • Both of the above include some ideas for sex pollen and bad guys made them do it while mutually pining scenarios, as well as one comforting the other while a bad guy rapes them. I am down for those here as well; if you want to draw from those prompts, consider them requested dubcon/noncom for the purposes of my DNWs
  
  
• Accidental soulbond while pining: As I said in the general likes section, I have a neeeed for accidental soulbonding. I would love it esp. if this is some sci-fi/fantasy thing gone wrong, where they have no idea what’s happening and have to work it out while dealing with the effects. Maybe it kind of reveals emotions, and one or both tries really hard to hide their feelings despite it? Maybe it makes it painful to be apart, and one or both has to deal with pining while being around the other constantly? Etc.
  
  
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people: I was mostly thinking this could be Tony trying to court Peter in a respectful way while Peter is like “well, I know what Tony Stark flirting looks like, and this is NOT it,” but if you have an idea about how to do it in the other direction, I’m here for it.
  
  
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them: Some ideas:
  
  • Tony turned Peter down because Peter tried to make a move when he was still very young and at the time Tony genuinely did not see him that way (but that’s not so true anymore now that he’s a bit older…)
    
  • Tony turned Peter down even though he was into him, because he thought it would be inappropriate or that he would ruin things or etc.
    
  • Peter turned Tony down because he didn’t think he was serious, or thought he just wanted sex and Peter wanted more, or etc.
  
  
• Character A thinks B rejected advances: The other didn’t realize advances were being made, or thought they weren’t seriously being made, or other fun miscommunications.
  
  
• Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage: I was thinking post-IW/Endgame would be particuarlly fitting here in either direction, but other traumatic situations also welcome!
  
  
• Character keeps picking fights with object of their pining: Listen, no one says either of these guys always handle their emotions WELL. I was particularly thinking of Peter as the one likely to pick fights, but I could also see Tony fighting with Peter over safety stuff as a way of channeling his pining feelings.
  
  
• Grief/Mourning: In particular, Tony post-IW, or Peter Post-Endgame. If you would like to do fic focused on Peter mourning Tony post-Endgame, I will wave my no unhappy endings/no permanent requested character death DNWs for that one specific thing. I would also, in that case, be okay with the feelings being not confirmed as requited. That said, mourning + fix it is also amazing, of course (but in that case, my normal requited + happy ending requirements apply).
  
  
• Pining because they think they're just a fling: I am the very most interested in Tony being the one thinking he’s a fling because I feel like that is the more unusual take, but if you are dying to do it in the other direction I will for sure love that as well. Or they can both have this same mistaken emotion!
  
  
• Pining while trapped together: Trapped in a small space/collapsed building/on a spaceship/whatever, or imprisoned by baddies both welcome.
  
  
• A sleeps with people who look like B while pining for B: Give me the ANGST. For this I am fine with you showing the sex with the other people, so in that manner I am waving my “don’t ship Peter or Tony with other people” DNW, but I still want the focus to be on the pining character’s feelings for the person they are pining for, not the people they are sleeping with.

A note on timelines: I’d prefer fic where the events of Civil War and Homecoming happened as in canon, but after that, it’s free rein. Post-Homecoming AU where Thanos never happened; AU from some point in IW or Endgame; post-Endgame: it’s all good! Though obviously for the death-based stuff I was really thinking of that as post-Endgame, and that is where I’d most like to see it.

A note on other characters and ships: Feel free to include whatever other characters you desire, and whatever ships between those other characters you may want. However, I DNW poly for Peter and Tony themselves.

When it comes to Tony and Pepper, I really like Pepper, and I DNW her dying or Tony cheating on her with Peter. I also DNW poly/open relationship for them. So I’d prefer a situation where they’ve broken up, or break up over the course of the fic, or, if this is post-Endgame, a situation where she’s moved on before Tony is somehow brought back and he has to accept that. Alternatively, while I don't want an AU where she and Tony were never together, I'm fine with an AU where they just never got back together post-Civil War, or where they broke up during the Endgame five years.

For Peter, I'm fine with mentions of his crush on Liz, MJ, or other high school/college romances, including romances that exist during the fic before he and Tony get together, but a DNW him cheating on anyone or poly.

Morgan: Morgan is adorable, and Tony is adorable with her, so I’m fine with her existing, and for this exchange I am fine with Peter confronting the question of how he’d fit into her life if he’s with Tony, if that’s something you want to handle. It’s also totally fine to have a P/T focus that barely mentions her. However, I like to think Tony is a good dad, so if you do have a world where she exists, please don’t make it impossible for Tony to be seeing her. Like, no, “and then they got married on an alien planet forever” or something. That said, also totally fine for you to AU her away if you don’t want to deal with her, even if you otherwise keep Endgame.

Fandom specific DNWs: Poly, cheating, Pepper dying, Tony manipulating or otherwise taking advantage of Peter, Tony kinking on Peter’s youth, Peter being under 15 or over 25, Peter and Tony having sex when they don’t both have feelings for each other. Unhappy ending unless it is specifically post-Endgame mourning fic, in which case, it’s fine to leave Tony dead (and I also would be okay without confirmation that the feelings were requited).

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Russian Doll
Nadia/Alan [Either or both pining]
Eventually Requited
• Accidental soulbond while pining
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them
• Character A pines while Character B Thinks They're Already Dating
• Character A pining silently so Character B won't feel guilty for not returning their affections
• Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B
• Character A thinks B rejected advances
• Character A tries to convince themself that a platonic relationship is enough
• Character keeps picking fights with object of their pining
• Character silently pines for someone due to fear of ruining their existing relationship
• Fake Dating - Mutual Pining
• Pining because they think they're just a fling
• Pining because they think they're just a rebound
• Pining Character A Settles For Meaningless Sex From Character B But Wants More
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Pining while in a Friends With Benefits arrangement
• A pines for their original B despite the presence of a B from an alternate universe
• Pining because they're stuck in difference universes
• A pining because B is in a relationship with someone else

Why I requested it: I, like so many other people, binged this show when it came out, and fell absolutely in love with it. I love time loops, deeply flawed characters, and shows with distinctive visual aesthetics, so this thing was basically crack to me. I especially loved the two leads. Nadia is the flawed female protagonist of my dreams: I love how sarcastic and biting she can be, but also how smart and determined to get things done, and of course, all those undercurrents of pain and caring hidden beneath it all. And Alan — such a total sweetheart, and yet so broken in his own way. I adore them both.

How I see the relationship: What I love about them is the dynamic of two such different people being forced together, and coming to understand and care about each other because of their shared circumstances. I also loved the balance the show struck between them helping each other, and yet each of them having to face their internal demons on their own in the penultimate episode. There’s this sense that they both need each other, but also a deep understanding that no one can fix you but yourself. I am really curious to see where their relationship might go now that they are out of the loop.

I liked that the show had a sense of humor and ended on a hopeful note, and I’d prefer fic to keep some sense of that, so not utter despair or a completely unhappy ending. But I’m totally open to it going really dark/angsty on the way there if you want — the show sure did. And bittersweet endings are totally fine.

A note on timelines: For this exchange, I’d prefer it be set post-Season 1. I know there’s some debate about whether their timelines merged at the end or not. I’m of the opinion that they did, but I’m interested in seeing either option explored in fic. Merged timeline and figuring out how to go from there; unmerged timelines and negotiating the new relationship(s) where only one half remembers the loops; unmerged timeline but trying to figure out how to merge them back because they each miss the version of each other they knew — it all sounds great to me!

Why they might be pining: Either or both: think they are a rebound or just a fling; is convinced the other is totally uninterested; thinks the other deserves better; is afraid of ruining what they have; thinks the other won’t want anything to do with them now that the loop is over. Or: they are stuck in separate timelines and miss the version of each other they knew.

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• In terms of where they start their relationship in the fic, I am happy to see a range of what might happen after the loop, depending on what works for your fic:
  
  • They become inseparably close friends
    
  • They don’t see each other that often, but feel very bonded/close
    
  • They immediately don’t want to see each other because it’s too weird (or maybe just one feels this way)
    
  • They drift apart
    
  • They fall into a sexual relationship of some sort right away, but don’t express feelings
    
  • They have an intense but brief fling that doesn’t last, and this fic is about the aftermath/them trying again when more stable or whatnot
    
  • Whatever else makes sense to you! These are just the options that occur to me
  
  
• Accidental soulbond while pining: I was thinking that a soulbond could be an after-effect of the loop.
  
  
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them: Maybe one makes a move right after the loop ends, and the other rejects it because they are not ready, or they think the other is just doing it because of the trauma/after effect, etc.? Or maybe the rejecter initially really wasn’t interested (or at least thought they were not), but eventually realizes they were wrong.
  
  
• Character A pines while Character B Thinks They're Already Dating: Sometimes, they need to communicate better. This could easily, to me, come from a miscommunication because they come from pretty different cultural backgrounds, and might have different takes on what spending a lot of time together, sleeping together, etc. means.
  
  
• Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B: Because they are afraid of rejection (specifically or generally), afraid of messing up their relationship, etc.
  
  
• Character keeps picking fights with object of their pining: This struck me as a particularly Nadia thing to do, but happy to see it either way!
  
  
• Fake Dating - Mutual Pining: They start to fake date/go on a fake date because Reasons (want to show up an ex? Quell parental/friend concern? Etc.), but there are feelings involved.
  
  
• Pining because they think they're just a fling/rebound: I was thinking this could fit really well with Nadia thinking she’s just a rebound for Alan after his big breakup, though I could also see it going the other way and Alan thinking she’s still hung up on the guy with the kid.
  
  
• A pines for their original B despite the presence of a B from an alternate universe/Pining because they're stuck in difference universe: I was thinking this would work great for a version where they did end up in different timelines at the end. Happy to see this resolve with either them finding their way back to each other, or with each of them moving on with the version of each other that exists in the universe they ended in.
  
  
• A pining because B is in a relationship with someone else: Either get back with their notable exes or move on with someone else, the other pines while trying to be a supportive friend.
  
  
• I LOVE hurt/comfort for them. If you want to incorporate that, I have further H/C thoughts and prompts for them here. Feel free to draw from those!

A note on other characters and ships: Feel free to include whoever. I especially loved Nadia’s relationship with Horse, and would be interested to see if she continues to check up on him. Other ships are fine: I don’t mind cheating, discussion of past relationships, etc. That said, if the fic gets to the point of Nadia/Alan working out what they want a relationship between each other to look like longterm, I’d prefer they end up monogamous (I just can’t see Alan being happy with being poly long-term). But an open relationship in the context of them being fuck buddies or still figuring a new relationship out is fine.

Fandom specific DNW: Unhappy ending (bittersweet is fine); poly endgame.

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Star Wars
Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren [Kylo pining, both pining]
Eventually Requited; Never Requited
• Accidental soulbond while pining
• Alliance is or might be temporary
• channelling pining into violence
• Character A bathes Character B while pining
• Character A is bathed by Character B while pining
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them
• Character A pines while watching Character B sleep
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them
• Character A pining because they think character B hates them
• Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B
• Character keeps picking fights with object of their pining
• forced to fuck or die with the object of their affections
• Hurt/Comfort
• Obsessive Love
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Pining for the enemy/rival
• Pining while imprisoned
• Pining while sharing a bed
• Telepathy
• Pining character doused with truth serum

Why I requested it: This ship just goes straight to my id, and I think there is a lot of fun stuff that could happen with them with these tropes.

What I like about the relationship: These two are just — their relationship is everything I’ve ever wanted in a hero/villain ship. The intensity of their connection, the literal force connection (I mean, what a gift), the way they are both so lonely, and find in each other some solace. The way the fight together. Rey’s attempts to get through Kylo’s self-loathing to the man inside. But all that contrasted with their deeply different views of the world. Kylo’s inability not to be his worst self contrasted with Rey’s heroism. They’re enemies who could be allies, friends, lovers, and the tragedy of not quite getting there, or the joy if they do, are both really appealing to me.

Why they might be pining: Mostly interested in post-TLJ fallout: pining because they are on opposite sides of the war, Kylo thinks (correctly or not) that Rey will never forgive him, etc. Happy to see this as one-sided Kylo --> Rey or reciprocated feelings (whether it works out or not).

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• Some general scenarios that could mix with my selected freeforms:
  
  • One or the other is captured by the other side
    
  • Stranded in a dangerous situation together
    
  • Forced together by the force
    
  • Forced to marry/sleep together/etc. by a returned Palpatine/some other Big Villain because they want special force babies. Doesn’t need a happy ending, but I want Rey to be attracted to Kylo if she is having sex with him.
    
  • All sorts of hurt/comfort scenario/options. I have a lot of h/c thoughts for them here, and you should feel free to draw from any of those prompts.
  
  
• Accidental soulbond while pining, telepathy: I was thinking the force bond gets amped up or less controllable or some such.
  
  
• Alliance is or might be temporary: They end up working together again for Reasons, but aren’t sure if it will or can last.
  
  
• channelling pining into violence: Listen, no one said Kylo was good at handling his emotions. Rey either, for that matter.
  
  
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them: Kylo thinks Rey must know how he feels, and is surprised that she did not; or visa versa (esp, if Kylo took Rey closing that door as meaning her heart has totally closed to him, but actually, not so much).
  
  
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them: This rejection can be Rey turning him down/closing the door in TLJ, or it could be another attempt to reach out/start something that is turned down.
  
  
• Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B: A this point, it’s easy for me to see why either or both would want to deny they have any feelings for the other, since they are supposed to be enemies, had their moment of trust broken, etc.
  
  
• forced to fuck or die with the object of their affections: Sex pollen/bad guys made them do it. I always love mutual pining for this. If you don’t want to do mutual pining, I would prefer that Rey at least still have some attraction to Kylo here, or that she get off because she feels his pleasure through the force, or because it’s sex pollen, or whatever. Basically, I don’t want this to be a totally pleasureless experience for either of them, though it can also be emotionally traumatizing, and too much/too rough/etc.

A note on timelines: I’m not interested in canon divergence for this canon. Post TLJ, please!

A note on other characters and ships: Feel free to include whoever. Please don’t ship either of them with other people. If it’s in some way relevant I also ship Finn/Poe, Leia/Han, and Leia/Holdo. Please don’t include ships not listed here.

Fandom specific DNW: Unrequested ships, any AUs including canon divergence, Sex that is completely pleasureless for one or both, even in dubcon scenarios.

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The Magicians
Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh [Either or both pining]
Eventually Requited
• Accidental soulbond while pining
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them
• Character A Pines For Character B Due To Past Experience - Not Actually Unrequited
• Character A Pines For Character B Not Realizing It's Requited
• Character A pines while watching Character B sleep
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them
• Character A pining silently so Character B won't feel guilty for not returning their affections
• Character A tries to convince themself that a platonic relationship is enough
• Character A's Pining For Character B Fuels Curse Placed On Character A By a Witch
• Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage
• Character silently pines for someone due to fear of ruining their existing relationship
• forced to fuck or die with the object of their affections
• Grief/Mourning
• Pining because they think they're just a fling
• Pining because they think they're just a rebound
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Pining while in a Friends With Benefits arrangement
• Pining character doused with truth serum
• Love spell/potion prompts feelings reveal

Why I requested it: I started this show after already knowing what goes down in the Season 4 finale, and I promised myself I wouldn’t fall for this ship. And then “Escape From the Happy Place” happened and I realized oh no, I had totally fallen for this ship. And now I desperately want it fixed (either through actually fix-it, or by AUing it away). Plus, they have such a great setup for pining.

What I like about the relationship: They are just so comfortable with each other. The depth of affection between them is incredible, and only got amped up to a million post-“A Life in the Day.” I mean, the way they look at each other. And god, the hope Q had when he asked Eliot to try a relationship, Eliot’s regret at turning him down…my heart. Proof of concept. That said, they also, I think, have a lot to work through given that backstory, and the rejection, and both of their various issues. So, lots of interesting dynamics to play with!

Why they might be pining: I could see this going in all sorts of directions, as suggested by my chosen Freeforms. Obviously Eliot could be pining after Q’s death. Or one or both could be pining post-Eliot’s rejection of Q, or while one or the other is in a different relationship, or because of bad communication, or because magical shenanigans are keeping them apart. Whatever you want!

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• Some general scenarios that could mix with my selected freeforms:
  
  • Stranded in a dangerous situation together, questing together, trapped together, stranded in another realm together, etc.
    
  • Stranded in separate realms, spell/curse forces them not to be within a certain distance of each other, spell prevents them from being together romantically/sexually, etc.
    
  • Interested in accidental/forced marriage? I have lots of prompts for that for them here, and would be happy to see those ideas mixed with some serious pining, as they fail to talk about their feelings despite the situation.
  
  
• Accidental soulbond while pining: A spell? The gods do it? Resurrecting Q leads to an unexpected soulbond?
  
  
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people: I was esp. thinking that maybe Eliot is more serious, less OTT flirty, and Q does not get it.
  
  
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them/ Character A Pines For Character B Due To Past Experience - Not Actually Unrequited: Q thinks it’s obvious that he still has feelings for Eliot despite his rejection. Or, Eliot thinks it’s obvious he has feelings for Q post-getting out of the monster, but now Q is with Alice or whatever else is keeping them apart.
  
  
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them: Literally canon, in the Eliot rejects Q direction, and more than happy to see that explored. Alternatively, maybe Q rejects Eliot, because Q was just resurrected and can’t deal, or because Q is still hurt from the initial rejection, or because he is trying to make it work with Alice, or etc.
  
  
• Character is just out of a traumatic situation and the other doesn't want to take advantage: Eliot post-being kept hostage by the monster; Q post death (and presumably for this, resurrection); some other trauma.
  
  
• Character A's Pining For Character B Fuels Curse Placed On Character A By a Witch: This can be as funny or as dark or as anything in-between as you want! Does the curse cause pain? Wacky side effects? Etc.
  
  
• forced to fuck or die with the object of their affections: Mutually pining only please! Or as a way for the one who was not pining to realize the feelings are requited.

A note on timelines: Obviously, for the death connected prompts, I was really looking at it as related to the Season 4 finale, but for everything else I’m happy to have you go AU if you want. “A Life in the Day” and the conversation we learned about in “Escape From the Happy Place” are key to my shipping, so I would like any canon divergence to happen after that point, but beyond that, totally free reign. Diverge at some point, just AU away Q’s death, have it set in some future point where they’ve figured out how to get him back after all: whatever you want!

A note on other characters and ships: Feel free to incorporate whatever other characters you want, and whatever non-Eliot and Q related ships you want. Also feel free to incorporate any other Eliot and Q related ships as backstories or obstacles, and I do not mind if they cheat with each other. I would however prefer Eliot/Q to be monogamous if they get to the point of being in a defined relationship together in this fic.

Ship specific DNWs: Unhappy ending unless it is specifically post-Season 4 mourning fic, in which case, it’s fine to leave Q dead. (I would also welcome a version that brought him back, of course! But if you want to sink into those feels for this exchange, I am fine with that.)

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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Midge Maisel/Lenny Bruce [Lenny pining]
Eventually Requited; Never Requited
• Character A pines for close friend who is aware
• Character A pines for close friend who is unaware
• Character B knows A is pining but pretends to be oblivious
• Character B Likes The Idea of Being Pined For By Character A But Is Not Interested In Character A
• Character silently pines for someone due to fear of ruining their existing relationship
• Conversations with double meanings
• Cooking as an expression of affection
• Fake Dating - one-sided pining
• Not so secret crush
• A pines while loaning B their coat
• Pining because they think they're just a fling
• Pining because they think they're just a rebound
• Pining Character A Settles For Meaningless Sex From Character B But Wants More
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Pining while in a Friends With Benefits arrangement
• Pining while sharing a bed
• Character A correctly assumes Character B knows that A is pining for them
• A pining because B is in a relationship with someone else

Why I requested it: I love their chemistry, and I love the idea of Lenny pining after the amazing and talented Midge Maisel.

How I see the relationships: I see Lenny as carrying a torch for Midge, for sure. As you can tell from my chosen Freeforms, I’m most interested in situations where there is some level of physical reciprocation (flirting, FWB, etc.), but I’m happy with a wide range of options re: how Midge feels: a) returns the feelings, b) doesn’t return the feelings, but realizes they’re there and likes the attention, c) doesn’t return the feelings and thinks they are both on the same page about just being casual FWBs/friend who flirt/etc. And even if she returns the feelings, I’m happy for a wide range of options of where that leads, from happy ending to bittersweet/sad deciding it won’t work anyway.

Reasons for pining: Midge is back with Joel (or with someone else); in a FWB or fling situation, Lenny realizes (or incorrectly assumes) that Midge does not return the feelings, but is willing to take what he can get; Lenny likes their flirtatious friendship and is afraid to jeopardize it.

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• Some general scenarios/likes that could mix with my selected freeforms:
  
  • If you want to write smut for these two, I have thoughts and prompts for them in my smut swap letter
    
  • Lenny does not like seeing Midge hit on by other guys at clubs. He claims he’s just being protective
    
  • Drunk nights out
    
  • Going dancing
    
  • Working on comedy together
    
  • Touring together
    
  • Midge uses Lenny and his feelings for her to fill her needs emotionally, sexually, or even for things as simple as needing someone to help her with favors
  
  
• Fake Dating: Mutual pining also welcome here if you prefer. Some ideas:
  
  • They start to fake date because it’ll be good for Midge’s career
    
  • Midge brings him home to either appease or shock her parents
    
  • Fake dating to make Joel jealous
    
  • Lenny pretends to be her boyfriend to get her out of a difficult situation where it helps because sexism
  
  
• I feel like the freeforms generally speak for themselves.

A note on timeline: I would generally prefer set after Season 2, but if you have an idea that goes AU from earlier that is calling to you, go for it.

A note on other characters/ships: Feel free to include whatever other characters you desire. I don’t really ship anything else with these two characters, but I find Midge and Joel’s relationship fascinating, so you don’t have to shy away from it if you want to include it. I’m fine with cheating, open relationships, whatever.

Ship specific DNWs: None.

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The Wire
Stringer Bell/Avon Barksdale [Either or both pining]
Eventually Requited; Never Requited
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people
• channelling pining into violence
• Character A incorrectly assumes that Character B knows that A is pining for them
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them
• Pining because a relationship would be socially unacceptable
• Character A pining silently so Character B won't feel guilty for not returning their affections
• Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B
• Character A thinks B rejected advances
• Character A tries to convince themself that a platonic relationship is enough
• Character B figures out that Character A has been pining for them for years
• Character B knows A is pining but pretends to be oblivious
• Character silently pines for someone due to fear of ruining their existing relationship
• Grief/Mourning
• Pining character reveals their feelings while not quite lucid (hurt/drunk/etc.)
• Pining while having wounds tended
• Pining while tending someone's wounds
• Pining while in a Friends With Benefits arrangement
• Pining because they're in a secret relationship
• Pining because one character is in prison
• A pining after betraying B

Why I requested it: This is one of my forever ships. The just have so much that appeals to me: childhood best friends, deep loyalty, clashing viewpoints, tragic betrayal. Their arc is one of my all-time favorite arcs in anything.

How I see the relationships: To me, the key to this relationship is the intensity. They are the most important people in each other’s lives, always. Even when they were turning on each other, they loved each other. That’s what makes them so beautifully tragic.

That said, I have absolutely no preferences about if/when they actually get together. I could see every possible scenario from “they’ve secretly been together since they were kids,” to “they were fuckbuddies on and off but never made a big thing of it,” to “they hooked up exactly one time and never spoke of it again,” to “they were secretly in love but neither ever said or did anything about it, and now Avon is forever sad.” And everything in-between! It all pleases me.

Reasons for pining: So many options!

• Unwilling to admit feelings because: internalized homophobia; they think the other won’t reciprocate; the other has rejected them at some point; the other is with someone else.
  
• Fuckbuddies or otherwise sometimes hooking up but afraid to admit their real feelings.
  
• In a full secret relationship, but feel like they can’t be open about it because it would ruin their rep, and pining for the relationship they really want
  
• Avon pining after Stringer is dead
  
• Any combination thereof.

Prompts/Freeforms, Thoughts:

• Some general scenarios/prompts that could mix with my selected freeforms:
  
  • Their rise through the ranks to become kingpins. What was their relationship like? Did they have hook up? Did they knowingly pine for each other, or did one? Or did one or both pine in secret?
    
  • Teenaged revelations of feelings
    
  • AU where Stringer survives somehow — what happens? Do they ever forgive each other?
    
  • Avon’s boxing days
    
  • AU where this fight turns into angry angsty sex
  
  
• B is courting A who doesn't realize because it's different from how B flirts with other people/ Character A thinks B rejected advances: Maybe one is trying to hit on the other, but is afraid to make it too obvious, but that ends up meaning the other doesn’t get it at all.
  
  
• channelling pining into violence: Against each other, or against others.
  
  
• Character A pining because Character B already rejected them: Maybe that rejection was because of genuine lack of interest, and that never changes. Maybe that rejection was because of genuine lack of interest, but things have changed (after all, they have a loooong relationship; what one said when they were 15 or 20 doesn’t necessarily hold forever). Maybe they were interested, but afraid to admit it or pursue anything.
  
  
• Pining because a relationship would be socially unacceptable / Character A Prefers Pining To Admitting Feelings For Character B: Because of period-typical homophobia, because they are afraid it would make people not respect them, etc.
  
  
• Pining while tending/having wounds tended: One gets shot/knifed/beat up in a fight? They fight each other? Stringer helping Avon after a boxing match?
  
  
• Character B figures out that Character A has been pining for them for years: If they return the feelings, do they finally get together? If they don’t, do they let them down easy, or freak out, or something else?

A note on timeline: Set whenever you want!

A note on other characters/ships: Feel free to include whatever other characters you desire, and whatever other ships you desire. Cheating, fuckbuddies while fucking other people, etc. is all fine.

Ship specific DNWs: None. Keeping Stringer's canon death is fine.

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