Yuletide Letter 2022

[learnedfoot]

Dear Yuletide Creator,

Hello! I’m LearnedFoot on A03! You’ve matched (or, if you’re a pinch hitter, chosen) on one of these pairs, which already means we have thing sin comment. Excellent! I am very excited 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.

I am open to treats (including art treats)!

Here is what this letter contains:

General Likes
Art Likes [opting into the wrapping paper challenge]
DNWs
BoJack Horseman: Sarah Lynn
Hacks: Ava Daniels, Deborah Vance
Severance: Worldbuilding
Superstore: Garrett McNeil, Jonah Simms
The Bear: Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto

General Likes
Big Picture Points

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 generally good by me.

I want to be clear that I did not request any character/character combos unless I am happy to get gen for them. That said, if you do want to write ship fic or the ships I mention liking, I define that broadly — everything from pining/flirting/other pre-relationship up through established relationship can make me happy. If you want to write smut I’ve included information on my likes, but I’d be just as happy with something lower rated.

A note about links to past letters: In some cases, I’ve included links to past letters where I have requested these ships before. I in no way expect you to go reading past letters—those are only there if you WANT extra inspiration.

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 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

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

Romance tropes! Some things that never go wrong for me:

• Fake dating, where the stakes are commensurate with medium-to-high stakes for the canon (so, for something like the MCU, probably something mission related; for a slice of life canon, needing a date to a wedding so people will stop asking about your ex is fine)
  
• Forced to share a bed, huddle for warmth, hide in a tight space, anything along those lines

Small romantic gestures:

• Carried to Bed
  
• Character A drapes their jacket over B's shoulders
  
• Finding Someone Sleeping and Putting a Blanket or Coat Over Them
  
• Finger kisses in a scene that wasn't sexual up to that point
  
• Forehead Kisses
  
• Helping Someone Undress for Practicality's Sake (Mostly)
  
• Holding Hands
  
• Sharing clothing

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: Consensual

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 unless requested), 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

Exploring new sex acts/kinks/etc.

• I’m happy to see the exploration go really well, or for someone to discover nah, they don’t like the thing. Or for them to like it but not be good at it at first, etc.
  
• In general, awkward, realistic sex is just as loved as perfect, mind-blowing sex

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

Smut Likes: Non-con and Dub-Con

“Soft” dub-con likes (e.g., sex pollen and the like — though feel free to draw from the hard dubcon likes for that too, if you want):

• Mutual pining
  
• Guilt (because they think they are the only one who wants it)
  
• Feelings reveals (during or after)
  
• Oversensitivity, heightened pleasure
  
• Having to go for a long time, or come multiple times, or etc. And if only one side is pollened, that being hard for the non-pollened party
  
• Mix of pleasure and pain (pollen makes them go too hard/fast/long, etc.)
  
• Pollen makes them do it at an inconvenient time or in an inconvenient place (including public)

”Hard” dub-con and non-con likes (e.g., for villain doing them or bad guy made them do it):

• Manipulation and confused emotions on the victim’s part
  
• Victim gets in over their head
  
• Victim is drugged, drunk, or otherwise not all there
  
• Forced pleasure (including multiple orgasms)
  
• Forced to give blow jobs
  
• Rough sex
  
• Verbal humiliation (calling them a slut/whore, talking up how much they really wanted this, etc.)
  
• Sex that keeps going until victim is too limp and tired to do anything but lie there and take it
  
• Victim crying
  
• Victim feelings shame (about the forced pleasure, about what they’ve agreed to do, etc.)
  
• Use by multiple people
  
• Public sex (including super public for non-con; pressure into going further in public than really wanted for dub con)

For more details on non-con and dub-con likes, check out my Consent Issues letter.

[back]

Art Likes
Opting into art for any request these for the wrapping paper challenge!

Colors

• Black and white + one color (esp. red, but really any)
  
• Black and white, grayscale, etc.
  
• Rich colors, colors that glow
  
• Blue is my single favorite color, generally

Styles

• Some styles I’ve noticed I like: pop, graffiti, realism, watercolor, cute & cartoon-y.
  
• I don't like porny or super romantic chibis, but I like it for gen or shippy stuff that’s leaning into the cute
  
• I’ve enjoyed both sketchier line art type things and more solid filled in things (<--I really don’t know how to use art terminology, sorry!)

Content

• Emphasis on touch between two characters. E.g:
  
  • hugging
    
  • carrying
    
  • hand-holding
    
  • cuddling
    
  • one arm thrown over the other
    
  • Kissing for ships, whether that be on the mouth or hand/head/face, etc.
• Emphasis on facial expressions
  
• Emphasis on pretty/unusual clothing
  
  • For ships: one character wearing the other's clothing, esp. smaller character in bigger character's oversized t-shirt, hoodie, button up, etc.
• Funny/cute reactions and scenes
  
• For smutty art: really anything from my general smut likes list applies, but if you want specific ideas:
  
  • clothing being ripped off or pushed aside or general clothed sex/partially clothed/clothing in disarray
    
  • biting/marks
    
  • tender touch
    
  • one hand around a neck (choking or simply resting there, depending on the vibe)
    
  • cocks being held
    
  • one character bent over and being fucked
    
  • Semi-public sex (hiding in a coat closet? Under the table? Etc.)
    
  • Victim looking really whumped in non-con scenarios

[back]

DNWs
General DNWs

Unhappy endings

• Things don't have to be perfect or anything, I just want at least a general sense that things are gonna work out for the characters (and for the ship if it's a ship request)

First or second person (except for epistolary, social media, etc. type requests)

Unrequested identity headcanons (trans, race, other)

• However, I'm always fine with assuming a character’s sexuality is more fluid than canon may let on)

Infidelity involving the requested characters (unless okayed in the fandom specific section)

Killing off canon love interests to make room for a ship

• Breakups, AUing relationships away, etc. are all fine

Permanent, non-canon death of the requested characters

Poly or otherwise open relationship involving the requested characters (unless okayed in the fandom specific section)

• I'm fine with the characters seeing other people while also seeing each other in the context of "we're just FWB/dating casually/no commitments" (particularly if that is used to cause pining or jealousy between the ship). But once the character define the relationship/have the "we are committed to each other" talk/are in an established relationship/etc., I want the relationship structure to be monogamous unless otherwise requested

Focus on pregnancy

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

Sex Related DNWs

Any character portrayed “on screen” in sexual situations under the age of 15 (backstory references okay in fic).

• For art, this DNW includes even suggestions of a sexual situation for characters under the age of 15 -- or characters who are drawn to look pre-pubescent regardless of stated age -- even if the characters are still clothed (i.e., kissing/groping/sexual menacing, etc.)

Breeding kink, lactation kink

Body modifications, including forced feminization

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

Insertion of large objects, anal tearing, extreme 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

Sex rough enough to permanently injure or leave severe scars

• E.g., spanking someone until their skin feels raw = fine; literally skinning them = please no. Choking someone = go for it; crushing windpipes = please no. If you’re not sure, feel free to ask through the mods!

Unrequested non-con

• Non-con requests from any of the other letters I link for inspiration are considered requested

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 passed out drunk. But, for example, I am totally fine with two characters getting high together and having sex (in fact, I love it!)
  
• Dub-con requests from any of the other letters I link for inspiration are considered requested

Completely physically pleasureless sex for the victim even in a dubcon/noncon scenario

• Forced orgasm, being ashamed of their body responding positively, etc. is all great

AU DNWs

I like canon divergence 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. So those are fine across the board, whether or not they relate to a specific prompt. But I DNW the following types of AUs:

• 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 for non-high school canon, coffee shop AU, etc.).
  
  
• AUs that drastically change the structure of character relationships or fundamentals of their identity (making people related who are not, erasing characters from existence, etc.)

[back]

BoJack HorsemanSarah Lynn

What is this canon and why did I request it? Affectionately referred to as the “sad horse show,” BoJack Horseman is a six-season animated show set in a world where animals walk and talk like people, and despite bright animation and tons of fun animal puns, everyone is just as fucked up and sad as they are in the real world. It’s about fame, addiction, depression, friendship, and occasionally saving an underwater city from a giant pasta barge collision with a fleet of stripper orcas with spaghetti strainers. You know, the usual. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the best shows of all time, and I always want more of it.

Where to watch: Netflix

Why I picked this character/what I’m hoping for with this request: I love many characters on BoJack (all of them, really), but Sarah Lynn is my very fave. In some ways her story is predictably tragic (she literally jokes about how she’s going to die young in the first episode she appears in), and yet she’s also such a distinct character, with specific hopes and goals and dreams thwarted. I just adore her, and would be happy with any range of stories about her. I’m not super interested in Sarah Lynn as a child/on Horsing Around (I don’t mind that backstory being included, but I would prefer it’s not the entire fic), but beyond that, I’m open to anything: backstory from when she was a pop superstar on, missing moments from the show, AU where she lives and what happens next, etc. Happy, sad, funny, angsty, bittersweet: it’s all good with me.

Some prompts:

• How did Sarah Lynn go from top-of-the-charts to semi-has been?
  
  
• I’m really interested in the loneliness she expressed feeling as a superstar. How did she deal with that?
  
  
• More of her lost drug binge time with BoJack
  
  
• Sarah Lynn ends up spending time with any of the other characters, sober or not. Like, how would it go if she ended up on a road trip with Dianne? Did she and Mr. PB ever meet at a party? Did she hear Sextina Aquafina call her a has-been on TV and have a reaction the next time they crossed paths? Anything you can think of!
  
  
• AU where she lives and gets sober. Can she stay sober? Does she actually become an architect? What would future interactions with BoJack be like? Feel free to go happy or sad here.
  
  
• AU where she lives and doesn’t get sober. How does that impact the other events of the show going forward? Was she at the campaign event where Mr. PB’s house sunk into the ground? Did she meet Hollyhock?
  
  
• Outsider POVs on Sarah Lynn (fans, co-stars, family, other characters, the media, etc.). I’m really interested in the tension between her image as a celebrity and the reality of her life, and this would be a cool way to explore that.
  
  
• Want to tell the story through an experimental format like social media posts, text chains, newspaper/gossip articles, etc? I’m all for it! I think this is a great canon and character for that.
  
  
• I’m more than down with gen: my biggest interest here is exploring Sarah Lynn as a character. That said, if you are interested in incorporating ships, I’m open to just about anything. Want to tell me about her relationship with Andrew Garefield? I’m here for it. More fucked up, destructive Sarah Lynn/BoJack? Yep! Want to ship her with other characters from the show, other BoJack versions of celebs, or OCs? Totally.
  
  
• Totally optional crossover idea: she ends up as The Doctor’s companion (any New Who Doctor is good by me!). If you like this idea, I have more prompts around it here.

A note on other characters and ships: Any and all other characters are welcome. I’m fine with infidelity, open relationships/poly, etc. in this fandom. I also ship PC/BoJack, Diane/BoJack, and PC/Judah, and while I don’t exactly ship Diane/Mr. Peanutbutter, I find their relationship fascinating and like seeing it explored.

Fandom specific DNWs and DNW exceptions:

• Fic that revolves 100% around Sarah Lynn as a child/her time on Horsing Around.
  
  
• Smut (you don’t need to stress about this. You can definitely reference sex and I’m not going to be fussed about the line between T and M or anything, but for this canon I'm just not interested in something focused on the act itself).
  
  
• In terms of my hopeless endings DNW, it’s fine to have canon-based fics that are bittersweet because of the reader’s knowledge of her impending death, or things along those lines. I would just prefer the death not be the focus of the fic itself. If you choose to write ship fic, the relationship definitely does not have to end well.
  
  
• I wave my poly and open relationship DNW here if you happen to want to include that. I could see Sarah Lynn trying all sorts of relationship structures. (Would she handle it well? That’s a different question!)
  
  
• If PC/Judah are featured in a fic, I DNW them breaking up (but fine to have a fic set at a period of canon or an AU where they aren't together)

[back]

HacksAva Daniels, Deborah Vance

What is this canon and why did I request it? A (so far) two-season half-hour dramedy about an aging comedy icon whose star is fading and the young comedy writer who reluctantly becomes her writing partner when her own career hits a speedbump. The development of their complex, thorny mentor/mentee relationship alone makes it worth watching, and then on top of that you have a wonderful cast of side characters, and biting commentary about fame, aging, being a woman in a male-dominated industry and the intersect of art and commerce. (Plus, it features a great portrait of Las Vegas)

Where to watch: HBOMax

Why I picked these characters/what I’m hoping for with this request: I would be very happy with either ship or gen here. I just adore Ava and Deborah’s relationship. It feeds both my love of mentor/mentee relationships and my love of enemies (or at least annoyed-at-each-other-ies)-to-friends or lovers. I love how prickly and complicated their relationship is from the start, and that it continues to be that way even as they get to know/like/respect each other. I mean, is there anything more perfect than the fact that Deborah sued Ava while continuing to work with her? I love Ava slowly unpeeling the layers of *The* Deborah Vance and getting to really know her (and maybe helping Deborah know herself better); I love that ultimately Deborah respects Ava’s talent, even if it takes a while for her to acknowledge it. And most of all, I love that Deborah and Ava are both deeply flawed and allowed to be that way, but we still root for them.

If you go with ship, I would be down for everything from ONS to fuckbuddies to a serious relationship. I’m fine if they don’t end up together romantically even in ship fic (though a HEA is certainly welcome!), but I’d prefer that however things end in terms of a romantic/sexual relationship, they are still friends in the end.

Some prompts:

• Post Season 2 finale. I really love where the show left them, with Deborah forcibly pushing Ava out of the nest against her will (and then dropping the lawsuit—who knew that could be so heartbreaking?). So anything exploring the fallout from that would be great. What happens when the next see each other? When does that happen? Is it not that much later, or do they spend years apart? Do they accidently run into each other, see each other at a party (maybe something for Jimmy’s new agency?), or does one reach out to the other?
  
  
• Post Season 2 finale, they finally work together again. Maybe Ava asks Deborah to come guest star on her new show? Or Ava gets successful enough to be making her own show or movie, and wants Deborah to star? Or Deborah gets a new project and decides to reach out?
  
  
• As I said, I really loved where the Season 2 finale left them, but also feel free to set this fic at an earlier point in canon, or an AU where Deborah DOESN’T fire Ava. I’d definitely be interested in a story that explores how Ava would navigate the tension between building her own career and working for Deborah if she stuck around.
  
  
• Fake dating or marriage! Whether this ends in them ending up together or just brings them close as people, I think it would be entertaining to watch them pretend to date. Maybe for a PR stunt?
  
  
• Deborah and Ava as accidental informal co-parents. I love the idea of them having to deal with a baby or young child. Maybe Ava gets pregnant from a ONS and decides to keep it? Or one of them somehow gets saddled with a relative’s child? Or a temporary situation where one of the crew gets sick and they have to deal with taking care of their kid?
  
  
• Love anything about the media and their relationship to it. Reacting to reviews or social media posts. Maybe some paparazzo got a picture of Ava crying while Deborah fired her and thinks it's a different kind of break up. Maybe Ava makes it big enough in her own right that people pay attention to her standup/Tik Tocs/interviews/whatever. Which is why when she makes an offhand joke about the time she had a sex dream about her old boss, people put two and two together, and suddenly the story is viral...
  
  
• Any of the above could be ship or gen, but here are some ship specific prompts, if that’s your bag:
  
  
  • Ava got in Deborah’s head with her talk about queerness on the lesbian cruise. Now she can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to be with a woman. Maybe she tries it out with a different woman, and Ava has some surprising Feelings about that. Or maybe she (drunkenly?) decides that the easiest and safest person to experiment with would be Ava…
    
    
  • They start casually or sporadically sleeping together. They don’t talk about what it means much, so it comes as a surprise when one of them drunkenly/impulsively/etc. declares love, proposes, or makes some other big gesture.
    
    
  • After a drunk night in Vegas, they end up in bed together (maybe wearing rings?) and not entirely remembering what happened
    
    
  • Outside POV with one of the other cast members finding out or realizing they're together. Or like, five times with different cast members? In general would love other characters’ reactions to this relationship!
    
    
  • For more shippy marriage related ideas, check out my Just Married letter!
  
  
• In general, want to tell the story through an experimental format like social media posts, text chains, newspaper/gossip articles, etc? I’m all for it! I think this is a great canon for that.

A note on other characters and ships: Feel fee to pull in any other characters you want, and any ships between those characters. Also fine with Deborah and Ava shipped with others if the relationship between them is gen (or FWB/anything else casual).

Fandom specific DNWs and DNW exceptions:

• My infidelity DNW is waived

[back]

SeveranceWorldbuilding

What is this canon and why did I request it? A fascinating one season (so far) sci-fi drama, Severance is about a company where some people voluntarily get “severed,” so that when they’re at work, they don’t remember their outside life, and outside they don’t remember their work life. It’s got thriller elements and a compelling mystery at the core, but my very favorite things about it are the characters and its amazing sense of aesthetics. I was compelled from the opening shot, and it only got better from there.

Where to watch: AppleTV

Why I picked worldbuilding/what I’m hoping for with this request: I’m just really interested in anything involving the worldbuilding in this show, from the mysteries to the complicated identity stuff. I’m happy to have this worldbuilding done in conjunction with a story about any of the canon characters, or completely separate from the canon characters we know. If you’re so inspired, I’d be interested in unusual formats like in-universe essays, articles, textbooks, historical documents, social media and other internet posts—anything along those lines.

Some prompts:

• What is Lumon's actual history? Anything about the founders, the people who came next, how it managed to get the severance procedure approved, etc.
  
  
• What’s the real point of severance, what’s the company’s actual goals? What’s the actual deal with the numbers? What goes on on other floors? What are they doing with Ms. Casey? Are there others like her? Why does outie Irving have the memories he seems to? Have any of the other characters worked elsewhere within Lumon?
  
  
• What is Lumon's fake internal history? Any sort of internal Lumon propaganda (written, art, etc.) is super interesting to me. Or what about a true believer like Irving slowly realizing how fake it all is? And what about the non-severed managers or other workers? Do they all also buy the propaganda? If not, why do they work there? Do any of them have doubts?
  
  
• What about the Eagans? How does the family see itself? Do they all buy in, or are they just in it for the money? Do any Eagans rebel? What was Helena’s life like growing up in this family?
  
  
• Anything about the anti-Severance movement. How did it get started? How did it spread? What does it get right, what does it get wrong? Craziest conspiracies? Mark getting in deeper with them? Are any of the other outside characters secretly involved with them?
  
  
• In general, what’s up with the town they live in? It seems off. Is everyone there somehow involved with Lumon? Or more people than we think?
  
  
• Exploration of innie/outie dynamics. Do memories ever slip through? What happens when someone is reset inside (as it seems Irving might have been)—does their innie ever have a sense they’ve actually been here before? What is reintegration like for the person it happens to (we got a bit of this, but would love to see more)? What happens if reintegration goes wrong? More on innie and outies trying to communicate with each other, whether the relationship is cooperative, hostile (esp. thinking Helena v. Helly for this), or simply confused.

A note on characters and ships: I love all the characters, especially from the Microdata Refinement Team, so feel free to include any of them. In terms of ships, I adore Burt/Irving, and I also really like Mark S./Helly R. And feel free to incorporate other ships as you feel fit. Burt's relationship with his husband? Mark's realtionship with Gemma/Ms. Casey? It's all welcome!

Fandom specific DNWs and DNW exceptions:

• My poly/open relationship and infidelity DNWs are waived, particularly if you want to explore the grey areas of what these things even mean in a world where not everyone has all their own memories, or how people try to navigate their multiple relationships once they reintegrate, anything like that!
  
  
• Although none of my prompts are specifically about it, feel free to lean into dark, weird dubconny identity porn stuff, or Helly v. Helena using sex to fight each other, things along those lines.

[back]

SuperstoreGarrett McNeil, Jonah Simms

What is this canon and why did I request it?A six season sitcom about a big box store, Superstore is your standard workplace comedy, with a cast of loveably wacky characters and many shenanigans. It’s a warm comfort show for me; amusing and sweet and it makes me laugh. It also happens to get bitingly political for a US network sitcom (there’s a whole plotline about unionization!), which I quite enjoy.

Where to watch: Hulu (at least in the US)

Why I picked these characters/what I’m hoping for with this request: These two are my fave pair in the whole show. I do ship it and would be thrilled to get ship fic, but I’d also be thrilled to get gen! I love how Jonah's so earnest and just completely desperate for any sign of approval or affection from Garrett, and how much Garrett totally knows that, and messes with him all the time (I find Garrett’s dry humor hilarious. And everything about him. I adore Garrett). But I think it’s clear that under that all, Garrett really cares about Jonah too, it’s just hard for him to express that.

In general, I love the upbeat tone and humor of the show, and I’m looking for a fic that matches that general feel. Feel free to let the fic get serious if/when it needs to—the show does!—but I am hoping for an overall vibe that’s more fun and hijinks than dark and painful.

Some prompts:

• Roommate shenanigans: Growing closer while living together. Pranks they pull on each other. Ways they irritate each other, but also the things they love about living together. For ship, there's Only One Bed because in one of their rooms the AC is broken or the landlord has to do repairs or something?
  
  
• Reality-show related: I love the idea of these two being on a reality show together. Maybe they decide to do something like The Amazing Race together. Or maybe they accidently end up on the same show? Maybe their co-workers submit them both for a dating show and they both get on… Feel free to use real reality shows, or make one up.
  
  
• Fake/accidental/of convenience dating or marriage: I’m down for everything from waking up married in Vegas to deciding to get married for health insurance purposes to fake dating as a prank on their co-workers. I just think this is a super fun pair to shove into these tropes. Does one of both of them go into it pining? Or do they develop feelings over the course of the marriage/relationship? Do they confess once they realize? Or do they go through a divorce/annulment/revealing it was fake only to discover they both liked it better when they were together?
  
  Or is this in fact all totally gen, and the fake relationship/accidental marriage leads to funny awkward moments and friendship bonding? How does the rest of the cast react? If this is, say, a fake marriage for benefits, do either Amy or Dina have something to say about that? (For more thoughts on these kinds of prompts check out my Just Married letter!)
  
  
• Accidental Child Acquisition: I love the idea of one of them having to suddenly deal with a kid they did not expect, and the other helping out. Maybe one of them finds out an old one-night stand had a baby? Or a relative drops a kid at their door? Maybe this is when they’re roommates so the other is forced to help out? If it’s Garrett’s kid, I imagine Jonah would be all in on helping right away and it might take Garrett a little while to accept the help. If it’s Jonah’s kid, how long does it take for Garrett to step up?
  
  
• Apocalypse: Zombie apocalypse! Aliens invade! If throwing these characters into that kind of scenario sounds fun, please feel free. For more AU thoughts, check out my AU ex letter!
  
  
• Time loop: The two of them stuck in a time loop together sounds hilarious.

A note on other characters and ships: Any and all other characters are welcome. If the fic is gen between Garrett and Jonah, then I am very happy to have any of their canon romances included—I like both Jonah/Amy and Garrett/Dina, too.

Fandom specific DNWs and DNW exceptions: None.

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The BearCarmen “Carmy” Berzatto

What is this canon and why did I request it? A (so far) one season half-hour dramedy about a Michelin level chef who returns to his home city of Chicago to take over his family’s sandwich shop after his older brother dies. I didn’t expect to be gripped by it the way I was, but I haven’t been able to get it out of my brain since I watched it this summer. It’s intense and stressful and painful and deals a lot with grief, but it’s also joyful and overflowing with complicated, beautiful characters. It’s just…so, so good, and I want more in this world.

Where to watch: Wherever you watch FX shows!

Why I picked these characters/what I’m hoping for with this request: I really loved Carmy; his intensity, the way his self-destructiveness is channeled into his greatness. His passion and his dreams. The way he interacts with all of his employees. His arc of coming to terms (to some extent) with his grief over his brother. I’ve watched his 7 minutes monologue an untold number of times. I’m obsessed, and would just love anything that explores him more—by himself, with other characters, in a relationship, whatever.

Some prompts:

• Anything with Carmen and any of the other Original Beef employees. What was Carmy’s relationship like with the longterm staff when he was younger, when Mikey was in charge, etc.? How do they react to his new restaurant idea?
  
  
• Five times/5+1 fic. Five times the employee didn’t listen to Carmy, and the one time they did (or five times Carmy didn't listen...). Five times the kitchen melted down, and one time they all came together. Etc, etc.
  
  
• Carmy &/ Sydney: I absolutely adore this relationship. The way they butt heads, and also the way they share a vision. Would love to see it explored more, platonically or not. Would love to see them working together to try to realize the vision of their new restaurant. What hurdles to they face? How do they celebrate success?
  
  Or: Sharing cooking school/fancy restaurant war stories or favorite recipes. Friends with benefits that really is just FWB and deepens the friendship. Friends with benefits that leads to something more. A one night stand leads to a mess of emotions that rocks the kitchen; how do they finally sort it out? (Happy for the answer to be romantic or platonic)
  
  
• Carmy & Mikey. We got so many tantalizing hints about what this relationship was like, and I would love to learn more. What was their childhood like? Carmy clearly worshiped Mikey, but what did Mikey think of him? When and why did Mikey get into drugs? How did he hide it from Carmy? Were there close calls? What finally prompted him to push Carmy away for good? What did he think of Carmy’s career? How closely did he follow it?
  
  
• I would also be down with Carmy/Mikey if you want to go there. Maybe teenaged experimentation?
  
  
• I like the idea of Mikey/Richie, and Carmy reacting to that. Maybe they hooked up as teens, and Carmy kept it a secret for them? Or maybe he had no idea and only finds out now, after the fact? Maybe from Richie drunkenly confessing, or someone else telling him because they thought he must know? How does he react?
  
  
• In general, grief and mourning about Mikey. Moments of solace and missing Mikey. Celebrating his memory as a team or one-on-one with someone else who knew then. Carmy learning more about his brother’s darker sides from the people who were working with him when things were bad. Carmy sharing stories about him with Sydney.
  
  
• If you’re into it, I am very into the idea of Carmy being in some sort of abusive dubcony thing with Joel McHale’s NY chef character, whether that’s an actual relationship, coerced sex, or Joel McHale’s character simply using sexual harassment as one more tool in his douchebag boss toolbar. Why? Because Carmy whump, that’s why. You know he would repress the shit out of that experience, and I want that angst. Whether it’s set during New York and him trying to deal with it while (seemingly) all alone, or him opening up to someone about it now, bring on the pain for Carmy (sorry Carmy)

A note on other characters and ships: Any and all characters are welcome, and I’m down for any ships you want to include (including any Carmy ships you find interesting, even if not specifically requested here!). But also very down for gen only—I actually really appreciated that the show didn’t focus on romance.

Fandom specific DNWs and DNW exceptions:

• My poly/open relationship and infidelity DNWs are waived
  

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