jaggedwolf | 2022 Fandom5k Letter

AO3 username: jaggedwolf

Thanks for reading my letter! I have a little about what I like about each requested group below, along with some prompts, but if you already have something in mind for the tags we matched on, feel free to go for it. My tumblr is also jaggedwolf

Critical Role

Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, AU-canon divergence, canon style plot, getting together, hurt/comfort, mystery/procedural

General likes: Competence, teamwork, combat, pining, whump, found family, attempts to hide physical/emotional hurts, unexpected kindness, friends-to-lovers

DNWs: Actually unrequited pining, infidelity, kidfic, requested characters permanently dying, unhappy endings (hopeful open endings in a dark context are fine), underage (<16), noncon

A bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors playing D&D.

I've watched all of Campaign 2 and TLOVM - I'd prefer no other spoilers for C1, don't care about spoilers for any other parts of the canon.

I enjoyed the Mighty Nein, and as my requested ships suggest, Beauregard is a particular favorite. She’s always ready to fight, incapable of leaving a question unanswered, so ready to risk herself for the Nein and so oddly fatalistic about her own joy coming to an end. An excellent whump candidate. I loved watching her journey from unconvincing loner to someone settled with friends and purpose, and fic with Beau from any point along that journey would make me happy.

Beauregard/Astrid

I found Astrid very compelling from that first conversation with Caleb, with her cynical resignation to Ikithon’s invincibility. That would be really interesting to bounce off Beau, who has never resigned herself to an authority figure in her life and I adored that small exchange of words those two had in the finale after Trent is captured. Where Astrid bitterly tells Beau “You don’t know what he’s put us through”, and Beau simply says “You’re right, I don’t. But I want to. Let me write down your story.”

Prompts:

Beau writing down Astrid’s story and working with her to trace how far Ikithon's corruption has spread through the Assembly and the Academy
Beau/Astrid hookup before they know who each other are or Trent acknowledges Caleb, they find out and so chaos ensues
Trent doesn't chase down the Nein, and Astrid ends up working with the Nein to take down Trent over a longer period of the time, working from the inside in a way that puts her in essentially constant danger

Beauregard/Jester

Jester’s flippancy and playfulness conceals very deep anger and sadness, and I liked seeing her conceptions of romance get deconstructed through the campaign. Beau’s crush on her was a pleasant surprise, and even before that I adored their interactions - their teamwork and Dimension Doors, how much they delight each other, Beau’s protectiveness of Jester’s physical safety and Jester’s protectiveness over Beau ever feeling bad.

Prompts:

Years post-canon after F/J and B/Y have ended amicably, the two of them meeting up again and having feelings spark once more
Fake-dating for a scheme or a plot. Maybe Beau needs to infiltrate somewhere for Cobalt Soul shit, or Jester wants to embarrass some nobility in Nicodranas.
Canon-era pining and misunderstanding, each of them obliviously assuming the other would never be interested.

Haikyuu!!

Genres: AU - Canon Divergence, Canon Style Plot, Getting Together, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Slice Of Life

General likes: Competence, teamwork, pining, friends-to-lovers, funny banter, casual touches,

DNWs: Actually unrequited pining, infidelity, kidfic, requested characters permanently dying, unhappy endings (hopeful open endings in a dark context are fine), underage (<16), noncon, m/f with any of the characters in the requested pairings

That volleyball manga/anime.

I finished the manga and am caught up on the anime, so any canon material is fair game. As you might suspect with my requested ships, I'm in the mood for romance and getting-togethers, ranging from the silly to the serious, though I wouldn’t mind these guys trying to make it work. I love this canon's focus on optimism and effort, and I adore the Karasuno team as a whole so please feel free to have those characters involved.

Yachi/Kiyoko

The best managers. Kiyoko is quietly but fiercely devoted to the team, and the little reveal of her being a hurdler in middle school made so much sense and was an utter joy to watch. Yachi using the assistant manager job as a way to claim being the protagonist of her own story was very endearing. Their dynamic is a delight, with Yachi accidentally saying yes to the job in the face of Kiyoko's...everything, and how Kiyoko too has gained something from Yachi's presence as well. Their bath scene in the anime/manga is really lovely and full of feels <3

Prompts:

Running into each other as adults! It killed me in the manga that Kiyoko remembered Yachi calling her hurdle scars “badges of honor”, and I’d love them seeing how much and how little the other has changed
Keeping in touch after Kiyoko’s graduation, perhaps more than either one expected?
Kiyoko coming back to visit when Yachi’s in third year and seeing third-year Yachi’s managing, and realizing her feelings then? Yachi also realising her feelings of admiration in first-year wasn’t just that?

Hinata/Kageyama

Freak-quick monsters who I could watch be idiots or be amazing at volleyball together all day. I love Hinata's never-ending energy and stubbornness to improve himself, from his pre-high school practicing to his post-graduation Brazil plan. I love that Kageyama is a genius at volleyball but the opposite at anything else, his brusque manner, and the awkward way he remakes himself at Karasuno. The two of them continually push each other to be better.

Third-years. The manga montage made me want to know so much about their final year at Karasuno. I'd love a story where they get together along the same timeline they make it the farthest in Nationals they ever have before, and all the triumphs and frustrations that go with that
Dating as (semi-functional) adults. How does it work when you're on opposite teams and you really want to defeat the other dumbass?? Or if you're both on the Olympic team together??
Other jobs. I wouldn't mind a canon-divergence AU where they meet up again as adults and either/neither is a professional volleyball player - maybe they got injured, or couldn't make the cut, or just found a different career as a passion. They probably still watch/coach somehow, but I'd like to see what brings them together in those lives.

Miss Sherlock

Genres: AU-Canon Divergence, Canon-Style Plot, Getting Together, Fix-It Fic, Mystery/Procedural

General likes: Competence, teamwork, combat, pining, found family, attempts to hide physical/emotional hurts, unexpected kindness, friends-to-lovers, banter, casefic

DNWs: Actually unrequited pining, infidelity, kidfic, requested characters permanently dying, unhappy endings (hopeful open endings in a dark context are fine), underage (<16), noncon

A Japanese HBO mini-series Sherlock Holmes adaptation, where Sherlock and Watson are both women.

This is one of my all-time favourite Sherlock adaptations. I adore the physicality of Sherlock in this adaptation with all her little twitches and ticks. She's brusque as hell and always thinking but weirdly joyful about her work and guided by her own morality. Wato is vulnerable in a number of ways, but it's lovely to see her core of stubbornness that translates both to sticking by Sherlock's cases and to committing to killing Sherlock when brainwashed.

Sherlock/Wato

Prompts:

The teased reunion in the finale! How angry at/relieved with Sherlock is Wato? Does it linger through the solving of a few cases?
Wato pulling the trigger, non-fatally injuring Sherlock, and that being the thing to knock her out of her brainwashing
Fake dating or mistaken for a couple! Maybe a case takes them to a gay bar in Tokyo and Sherlock sees no issue with picking the most expedient way to gather clues

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Genres: Action/Adventure, AU-Canon divergence, Canon-style plot, Character Development, Established Relationship, Fantasy, Getting Together, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Slice Of Life

General likes: Competence, teamwork, combat, pining, whump, found family, attempts to hide physical/emotional hurts, unexpected kindness, friends-to-lovers

DNWs: Actually unrequited pining, infidelity, kidfic, requested characters permanently dying, unhappy endings (hopeful open endings in a dark context are fine), underage (<16), noncon

That show with the cartoon ponies.

I've watched the entire show and the associated movies. Not caught up on comics but don't mind aspects from there being used in fic. I love the way the show encompasses both slice-of-life and world-ending situations, and the development of everypony’s friendships and long-term goals. To that end, any and all circumstances for these ships would thrill me, from months of regular life in Ponyville to an emergency journey across dangerous territory to anything else at all. I love all of the mane six, so please feel free to include as many of them as you want.

Twilight Sparkle/Rainbow Dash

Obviously these two bonded over Daring Do and the flying lessons, but there's an overlap there of their fears and dreams - that both of them were marked as special from very young and how they’re terrified of not living up to it, that they learn that they can reveal said fears to their friends, that they ultimately do have what it takes.

Prompts:

Established relationship pre-S3 finale. Any Twilight ship would be impacted by her ascending to princesshood and more, and both Twilight and Rainbow are uh, insecure in ways that might make it fraught.
The two of them going on a mission across Equestria! Opportunities abound for Twilight to do cool magic shit or Rainbow to do cool flying shit. (Or the flipside: Twilight messing up magic shit or Rainbow getting injured)
Post-canon slow-burn. Ruler of Equestria!Twilight/Wonderbolt!Rainbow trying to figure it out, between the busyness and being public figures

Rainbow Dash/Rarity/Applejack

I’m fond of all the pairwise ships in this group and thus this OT3 as well. They’re all so openly ambitious in their own ways, and I think they understand that about each other even if they don’t understand the specific domains each pony works in.

Prompts:

The finale clearly pointed at post-canon RD/AJ, and I could see Rarity trying to matchmake that happening and it all ending in the OT3
Funny misunderstandings in Ponyville, with chaotic confusion about who likes who, interference from their friends, probably another Twilight spell going bad, and who knows what else.
Mission fic! They cover a wide set of skills, I’d love to read about them doing something dangerous and important.

The Legend Of Vox Machina

Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, AU-Canon divergence, Canon-style plot, Character Development, Hurt/Comfort, Slice Of Life, Worldbuilding

General likes: Competence, teamwork, combat, whump, attempts to hide physical/emotional hurts, unexpected kindness, being good to each other in unfair circumstances

I’ve watched this season but am otherwise unspoiled for the remainder of Campaign 1, other than knowing Percy/Vex happens (which I’m fine with fic including), so I’d prefer to not get spoiled for future seasons of the cartoon. My only exception is backstory details for Percy and Cassandra, which I’m fine with learning.

Percy & Cassandra

Adore these guys and their Briarwoods angst - Percy’s desire for vengeance to the point of getting possessed and Cassandra’s anger at being under the Briarwoods’ power for so long. I love how happy Percy is about Cassandra’s survival, the way Cassandra throws his abandonment of her in his face, and how utterly unprepared either one is to have any living family.

Prompts:

The two of them ruling Whitestone together after S1, trying to put their city back together. (Maybe covering for each other’s post-Briarwood issues?)
Roleswap! What if Cassandra was the one to escape the Briarwoods and Percy the one left behind? It’d be cool to see what that’d be like, with Percy staying the tinkerer and Cassandra the swordswoman.
Alternatively, both of them escape the Briarwoods. How much does that change?

The Strange Case Of Starship Iris

Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, AU-Canon divergence, Canon-style plot, Darkfic, Established Relationship, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Science Fiction, Worldbuilding

General likes: Competence, teamwork, combat, pining, whump, attempts to hide physical/emotional hurts, unexpected kindness, being good to each other in unfair circumstances

DNWs: Actually unrequited pining, infidelity, kidfic, requested characters permanently dying, unhappy endings (hopeful open endings in a dark context are fine), underage (<16), use of actor names as aliases, Violet/Arkady permanently breaking up (they can have never been together)

Sci-fi podcast about a group of smugglers getting caught up in a government conspiracy.

I adore everyone on this show, and I especially adore these four characters. Arkady is clearly very good at the three things she mentions (hacking, fighting, lying), but kind of a disaster at regular human interaction, so protective of the crew under feigned irreverence and so fond of stories with happy endings. Violet presses through all this chaos that's upended her life, as anxious and snarky as she gets, and slowly comes to feel at home with the crew. Sana's a genuinely good and caring captain with a steel core to her, unwilling to risk her crew in a way that makes her a threat. Park is ordinarily complicit until Zone Z happens to him, and still manages to keep a dry sense of humor about it all.

Broad things I’m interested in:

Any of the IGR/random other criminals being very terrible to them, and then any of the crew being very nice to them.
Diving into the sci-fi or worldbuilding aspects of canon, like nanobots, the IGR’s history/structure, first contact, etc
The crew disagreeing on a major decision
Missions gone wrong, whump for any of these guys

Park

Boring agent man that I'm very attached to. I like how he suddenly becomes part of the story he's logging, and that even then, clearly knowledgeable about how the IGR works, he makes a point to protect McCabe. The way he leapt at even the smallest hint of Shelly reaching out to him, even as he pretends that isn’t it. :(

I'm most interested in his interactions with McCabe (they look to him as such an example!) or Sana (new style of leadership + he remembered her "Lenny" joke even after Zone Z), but honestly any of the crew bounced off him well. Ship-wise, I like the idea of Park/Sana.

Prompts:

Zone Z. Anything exploring his time there or the aftermath: getting interrogated, how he got his various injuries, him trying and failing to keep the aftereffects private.
A Rumor-crew style scheme! Something more light-hearted, where he gets to be very competent in some very illegal shenanigans while making dry remarks about the whole thing.
AU first meeting. The Rumor crew are exploring/taking down Zone Z, for whatever reason, and stumble across a very injured man, who none of them have met before...but he seems to recognize their voices and knows their name. Park wonders if he's hallucinating. Other AU-first-meeting scenarios are cool too.

Violet/Arkady

I enjoy how Violet's weird sincerity throws Arkady off-balance, how they clash with words in ways that bring them closer together, their shared morbid senses of humor, how impressed by each other's competencies they are, and them having to talk through things to get each other’s meaning.

Prompts:

One getting hurt to make the other talk. Loved that S1 finale scene, love the idea of either one trying to negotiate for them to be hurt instead, both trying think fast enough to get them out of the situation
Pretending to be enemies for a con, or even pretending to not-be-dating during the time of the nanobot eavesdropping
AU first meetings! Jaded IGR guard meets paramedic new to O-11, etc.

Arkady/Sana or Arkady & Sana

God, I love how much history there is between them, the openness with which Sana calls Arkady her best friend and depends on her even as she worries about having her do the dirty work, how clearly Arkady believes in what she says about taking a bullet for Sana being the best thing she could do with her life and the way she says "I knew her. She didn't know me" about their time in Cresswin. They both have such different takes on the world, but they get each other.

Prompts:

All the loyalty stuff here. Just, any plot that makes use of the instinctive trust there, the complicated feelings about whether each is worth it, or how it doesn’t preclude them still hiding things from each other
FWB to something serious, these two are a good pair for that
Early days on the Rumor, with a probably pricklier Arkady and newer-to-captaining-the-Rumor Sana.

Violet/Arkady/Sana

I've addressed the other ships above, but I'm also fascinated by the Violet/Sana angle. The quick "yes" of understanding from Sana when Violet asks if she's ever been able to taste the disrespect someone has for you, the crew jacket that does mean something to Violet, how even Sana manages to be out-earnested by Violet's job application speech.

As a trio, I love how obvious to Violet the Arkady-Sana connection is that she's unsurprised by the Cresswin story, and that Sana has her own sort of quiet glee at Violet/Arkady.

Prompts:

Pining + established relationship. Violet convinced there's no place for her in the shared history of Arkady/Sana, or Sana as captain being happy for Violet/Arkady and pushing her own inconvenient feelings aside. An excellent opportunity for fake dating with Violet/Sana, if your inclinations lay that way.
Violet is perceptive and interrogatory at times, and Sana is deft at deflecting from her personal feelings to crew feelings. I'd love to see that clash, and what Arkady's response to that might be.
Casefic making use of all their skills