Rare Pair Exchange 2023 Letter

[flirtygaybrit]

Dear Rare Pair Exchange creator, 

I’m so very excited to participate in this event this year, and in this letter you will find a few more details regarding my SFW and NSFW likes for art and fic, my DNWs, and some prompts and suggestions for each fandom/ship/etc. to help you get started. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification, and if ever you’re in doubt, I trust your instincts—I’m very easy to please, and I’m incredibly grateful that you are taking the time to create something for me. <3

—  AFO

 

General Navigation

Likes & Preferences

Art Likes

NSFW Likes

Do Not Wants

Requested Fandoms, Pairings, and Characters

1899

Maura Franklin/Eyk Larsen

Maura Franklin/Daniel Solace

Maura Franklin/Eyk Larsen/Daniel Solace

Ángel/Ramiro

Krester/Ramiro

Ángel/Krester/Ramiro

DARK

Jonas Kahnwald/Jonas Kahnwald
Noah | Hanno Tauber/Noah | Hanno Tauber

Jonas Kahnwald (or Stranger!Jonas Kahnwald, or Adam)/Noah | Hanno Tauber
Elisabeth Doppler/Jonas Kahnwald (or Stranger!Jonas Kahnwald)/Noah | Hanno Tauber

Noah | Hanno Tauber/Bartosz Tiedemann

The Quarry

Travis Hackett/Laura Kearney

Ryan Erzahler/Kaitlyn Ka/Dylan Lenivy

Likes & Preferences

I’m interested in all manner of canon-compliant settings, as well as canon divergence/rewrites; there are all sorts of tropes and plots and genres that interest me, far more than I could think to list here, but among them are tropes such as:

• identity porn; casefic or detective stories, including murder or medical mystery; whodunnits; heists; time loops; simulations

• any and every part of ‘enemies to friends to lovers’; slow-burn (whether emotionally or physically) and/or UST; getting-together or first-time stories; established relationship; doomed relationships; getting back together after divorce/breakup; one-sided or mutual pining; characters trying to connect without knowing how;

• canon divergence; missing scenes; rewrites of scenes, plots, or other canon sequences of events;

• introspective character or ship-related pieces; character studies and relationship explorations; non-sexual intimacy; sexual intimacy (see section below); characters or ships in extremis; characters pushed to their limits and/or forced to survive beyond them;

• internal turmoil as a barrier to friendship/intimacy, such as characters who deal with insecurities, resentfulness toward the self, or feelings of self-loathing; characters trauma-bonding;

• plans that fall apart or succeed in spectacular fashion; plans that succeed or fail in unexpected ways; 

• use of relevant game mechanics; implementing game logic in non-game canons and scenarios, such as presenting dialogue options, QTEs, repetitive NPC dialogue, quest-giving, etc.);

• epistolary formatting and storytelling; world-building delivered via in-universe documents (such as journal, magazine or newspaper articles, etc.); 

• playful and competent couple or team dynamics; competence kink; characters sparring; action sequences; depictions of battles or battle poses; unlikely duos/trios/ensembles;

• unequal power dynamics (and the exploitation of them, intentional or unintentional);

• existential, cosmic, body, psychological, or other forms of horror; action-adventure & thriller genres; sci-fi or futuristic or alien settings and environments; playing into classic genre tropes (or subverting them);

• detailed depictions (visual in art, descriptions in fic) of environments & landscapes (fantasy, ordinary, etc); room interiors; set details and design;

• dwarfed figures in comparison to landmarks/geography or gargantuan creatures/technology/etc.; depictions of unusual or impossible structures, creatures, technologies & landscapes (i.e. fantasy, sci-fi, alien);

• for superhuman/supernatural/other fantasy medias: exploration of powers, physiology and anatomy, xenoscience (including extraterrestrial technology); interactions between non-powered beings and powered beings; characters taking interest in a different character’s abilities and learning them inside out; characters using their abilities to their full potential; characters discovering the limitations of their abilities;

• world-building; exploration of the rules of the chosen canon; expansion of any given canon into the past, present, or future; speculation on pre- or post-canon (for 1899 especially, later-season speculation is very welcome);

• allegory & symbolism; religious imagery; tarot imagery; pieces inspired by or reimagined in the style of classic works and styles (or prose, poetry, etc.); myth, legend, or fable retellings;

Art Likes

I really enjoy all sorts of art styles and mediums! This is by no means a comprehensive list—truly, I’m happy with anything you’re willing to make for me, and I’m excited to see your personal take on certain characters and locations! Some places you could start might include:

• monochromatic, experimental, or limited colour palettes; colour palettes that clash horribly; colour palette swaps for characters;

• character portraits (solo, ship art, ensemble casts);

• scene or screenshot redraws; meme redraws using canon characters and ships;

• art that differs from the given/canon art style (if applicable); art that adheres to the canon art style;

• scenes reimagined as game mechanics (QTEs, dialogue options, etc.); game mechanics or poses being recreated;

• comic-style artwork made of a single panel (or multiple panels);

• character art from sequential pieces that switches styles and becomes simplified (or highly complex/stylized/etc.) for comedic effect;

• emoji/emotes; avatars/profile photos;

• logos; movie posters; book/vinyl/CD/VHS/etc. covers and sleeves; magazine spreads; newspaper and/or journal articles;

• creative lighting sources and techniques; rim lighting; heavy shadow; lighting using experimental or unconventional techniques; lighting designed to intentionally highlight or conceal certain details; tasteful lens flares; gratuitous and non-tasteful lens flares

• visible brush strokes; different textures, brushes, and/or techniques used to imply detail; experimental or unusual use of textures;

• bold outlines and silhouettes; characters who blend into shadow or the background; characters that are in sharp focus against blurred backgrounds, or vice-versa; objects that are in focus, leaving the rest of the scene in the background;

• nudity of all sorts (such as non-sexual, anatomy studies, implied nudity,or  explicit sexual nudity)

• porn (just go wild!)

• as in the general likes category, allegory & symbolism; religious imagery; tarot imagery; pieces inspired by or reimagined as classic artworks; characters, locations, set design, props, etc. drawn in historical styles of art;

• also as above: detailed depictions of environments & landscapes (fantasy, ordinary, etc); room interiors; set details and design; characters using props, or props pictured alone; blueprints of props, rooms/buildings, etc.;

• clothing and wardrobe detail; wardrobe swaps for characters; fabrics and upholstery;

• also-also as above: dwarfed figures in comparison to landmarks/geography or gargantuan creatures/technology/etc.; depictions of unusual or impossible structures, creatures, technologies landscapes (i.e. fantasy, alien);

• sci-fi, horror, film noir, western, mystery, or other distinctive genre aesthetics;

• genre-swaps (such as cartoonish artwork made for horror medias, or horrific and unsettling styles for bright and cheerful characters);

NSFW Likes

I don’t believe that porn-based fic and art necessarily need to be graphic or explicit to be sexy, and in fact sometimes it’s more fun to read between the lines… but I sure don’t mind when things get a little hot and heavy and explicit. If you’re looking for inspiration, I’m going to list a number of my NSFW preferences. For the most part I prefer many kinks to be under-negotiated, but if there is a buildup to a particular taboo act, or if it fits a character to desire a specific act of intimacy that you think should be explored in detail, then feel free to run with it!

First, an umbrella category for xenophilia, including superhero, metahuman, and/or extraterrestrial-related kinks. Feel free to explore all things related to powers and abilities, anatomy, and physiology, including but not limited to: 

• classic superhuman powers, including innate superhero abilities, superhero abilities gained as a result of an incident, and/or abilities gained from being altered by parasitic aliens;

• non-human genitals (or non-human anything!); multiple dicks/orifices; abnormal number of fingers or toes; abnormal appearance of hands/feet/claws; creative use of claws, tails, or other appendages;

• different refractory periods; unusual ejaculate volume, consistency, or appearance; non-human sexual behaviours or expectations;

• xenophilic breeding kink (without actual pregnancy, unless character is pregnant in canon);

• essentially, any non-human physiological or anatomical differences used for creative and/or sexual purposes are welcome.

Some of my other NSFW preferences include but are not limited to:

• penetrative acts (assplay of any sort, oral sex, fingering, rimming/felching, fisting, mouth & throat fucking, multiple penetration, use of fuckable or insertable toys, etc);

• masturbation and/or assisted masturbation (clothed or unclothed); intercrural & chest-fucking; characters using another character’s other body parts to get themselves off; characters orgasming on other characters;

• breathplay/asphyxiation; sensory/temperature play OR deprivation (including pain and blood play); restraints and suspension; biting; begging (either to continue or to stop);

• barebacking; cumdump/gangbang; multiple partners; anonymous, unsafe, and/or public sex; voyeurism and exhibitionism;

• gun/sword/other weapon kink (including object insertion, even with the threat of physical harm/damage)

• fealty/loyalty kink; acts of faith, devotion, or adoration;

• praise kink or dirty talk;

• rough, desperate, filthy sex; sweet, slow, and heart-meltingly intimate sex; porn with feelings; porn without feelings; adrenaline-fueled sex; marathon sex/edging; characters trying new things and having fun together; awkward/imperfect/realistic sex; dominant bottoms;

• clothed/semi-clothed sex, including frottage/masturbation/penetration;

• body worship; size difference; appreciation of or fixation on certain body parts; characters discovering new appreciation for certain erogenous zones (or surprising themselves with unexpected ones); hand/glove kink;

• dubcon (due to identity shenanigans, general mistrust/lack of interest, or due to other reasons which are yours to decide); characters who are resistant to or coerced into intimate acts and are surprised when they enjoy it; characters becoming aroused and/or getting off reluctantly, or who are aroused only by their partner’s arousal;

• internal turmoil over and/or reluctant enjoyment of taboo or inappropriate situations, gestures, or acts (such as sexual attraction to a family member, teenager attracted to an adult in a position of power, mutually aroused by infidelity, etc.);

Do Not Wants

• Omegaverse; MPREG or other pregnancy (unless character is already pregnant in canon); de-aging, infantilization, and diaper or baby-related kinks;

• sex between characters younger than 16 (for ships/canons where applicable, sexual situations combining teenagers with adult characters are very welcome);

• non-canon major character death (for medias where character death is not fixed, i.e. The Quarry or 1899 simulations, you’re welcome to speculate on and explore various combinations of outcomes);

• unhappy/unrequited/entirely bleak endings (canonically doomed relationships are great, however);

• internalized or externalized bigotry such as homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, or racism as a major theme—i.e. bigoted views of a character’s home country, race, culture, etc.

• top/bottom roles as character traits (such as hyperfeminization of male characters); non-canon gender identities;

• detailed kink/safe word negotiation; emphasis on or fetishizing of virginity (situations where A is instructing or guiding B is acceptable)

• excessive epithets/nicknames (unless supported by canon);

• no powers AUs; unrequested crossovers;

• 1st/2nd person POV (aside from epistolary, which is very welcome);

• non-canon trope, lifestyle, or profession AUs (such as high school/university, professor/student, coffee/flower/tattoo shop, etc.).

Requested Pairings and Characters

1899

If you know me, or have read about my affinity for Dark (2017), then you may be able to guess that I am in love with this series from the same creators. I love mystery, I love sci-fi, I love period pieces, and I love a good bit of human nature-based introspection with a healthy dose of reality-breaking. I adore that this is a multinational cast, and I would love to see works which capture the aesthetic of the show (in both its time periods, with glitchy breaks in reality, impossible set pieces, period-appropriate technology and decor, etc.), and its themes of connection and communication, dishonesty and mask-wearing, the human mind and the effect of perspective. I’d love to see dialogue in multiple languages, different environments (Kerberos, Prometheus in 1899 and/or 2099, the dream/memory chambers), costuming laden with symbolism… seriously, anything you want to do, I’m happy to fawn over!

And since the second and third seasons have been canceled, please feel free to get as speculatory as you’d like, if you’re interested in moving beyond the events of the first season—incorporate your favourite conspiracy theories about the show into your work! Make up your own story about how things might go in future seasons, or show me new environments and outfits for the characters we know and love. If you want to create something which takes place in a different simulation/time cycle, please do! This canon is made for just that—anything and everything could have happened in previous simulations, and since we don’t have all the answers yet, it means we get to make them up ourselves. ;)

For any of the ships listed below—most of which I’ve requested in my signup as being X/Y romantic ships—you’re also very welcome to write them simply as friendships, if you’d like, or let them be filled with as much Victorian-era and/or futuristic yearning as they can possibly generate.

Maura Franklin/Eyk Larsen

What can I say about Maura and Eyk that the fandom hasn’t already delved into? The yearning, the unspoken protectiveness, the inexplicable sense of familiarity that potentially takes on a very different meaning as Maura wakes up in 2099, focusing on both her wedding ring and Eyk… I am not immune to these two, unfortunately, and I’d love to see different interpretations of their relationship and how it changes from start of journey to end of journey, from simulation to simulation, from 1899 to 2099. I adore that they are not afraid to push one another emotionally, and in some cases physically, but the unconscious displays of physical trust between them! Even when Eyk grabs her, even when she shoves him away, they gravitate toward one another, and when they meet, oh man. Oh, man. I love the role that physical touch and sense memory plays in this series, and the things that are implied by the familiarity and desperation with which they seek out and hold one another. 

But there’s so much to speculate on, and I really enjoy seeing those possibilities explored. Are they married in the real world? Having an affair? Have they broken up long before this story ever takes place? Is there a brand-new romance budding as a result of the simulations, even? I’d like to see different versions of their meeting in the sim, and the different ways they express trust and desire and faith and despair as the world of the simulation begins to crumble. Or! If you’d like, this can be a sexy story as well; I’m also not immune to heavy pining and getting-together stories, or stories where lovers are awoken from their (metaphorical or literal) slumber and reunited at long last; break-up sex, reunion sex, first time sex, ‘this is a highly inappropriate thing to be doing right now but fuck it’ sex, or even just a single kiss filled with Immense Victorian Restraint and Desire. Hit me with absolutely anything at all.

Maura Franklin/Daniel Solace

And on the other hand, we have the ship of a lifetime with Maura and Daniel; in a fairly straightforward and honest story about a man who loves his wife so much that he’s willing to dive into a recursive hell time and time again in order to save her—willing, potentially, to risk even his son to rescue the love of his life—this is the ship of a lifetime! Daniel is the sort of enigmatic and sympathetic character that I absolutely adore, and with Maura, a brilliant scientist and/or doctor (we assume?), I think that their ingenuity and passion could collapse an entire simulation. Or pilot a spacecraft. Or something. Assuming that everything is as Daniel says it is in the real world, I would love to see a take on their relationship prior to entering the simulation, or perhaps a view into Daniel’s successes and failures in previous simulations. What must it be like for him to plead with her time and time again, to fail to gain her trust, to fail to keep his wife safe? And for Maura, what must it be like to be blindsided time and time again with the information that Daniel shares? Does this make them want to trust one another more—does Maura think Daniel more or less trustworthy for not sharing his information from the beginning, does Daniel believe that he’s this close to breaking through that shell—or does it push them further away from one another in the end? This has a doomed relationship feeling to it, so I’d love to see a version of events where Daniel becomes suspicious of Maura, or where Maura continues to place her trust elsewhere and becomes actively hostile toward Daniel; such delicious suffering would be fantastic! And if you prefer to lean into the other side, into the relearning to trust one another, into the hesitant team-up and the competent couple dynamics, that would be really cool, too.

However, the fact remains that Daniel may not be who he appears to be; you’re also welcome to explore any scenarios where Daniel is either Not Maura’s Husband, or otherwise lying in some way; maybe he IS an AI after all, or maybe they are estranged, or separated either romantically or by time and space; I love speculation on how their relationship is created/maintained, and on whether or not Daniel is even a living, breathing person at all, so if you think that he shouldn’t be—if he’s part of the Prometheus in 2099, or dead in the real world, or secretly Ciaran, and so on—please feel free to dig into that!

And just as above, you’re welcome to make ‘em bang. You choose how, when, where, why. :’D

Maura Franklin/Eyk Larsen/Daniel Solace

I want Daniel to go into Project Kerberos attempting to wake up his wife, and I want him to end up with a boyfriend, too. Maura has two hands, goddamnit, and I think it’s only natural that she should get to have two absolutely pathetic doe-eyed men to do with as she pleases. Eyk and Daniel both deserve to have a wife and a husband, and since at least two of these people are maybe, possibly already married, what better way to introduce a third? This can be platonic or romantic, in whatever way suits you best, or even a mix of both if you prefer!

Generally, I absolutely love the aesthetics of things like clothing swaps and battle couples/throuples, so it would be super cool to see the three of them at their best and most powerful—Maura running around in Eyk or Daniel’s coat, for example, or Daniel in some of Eyk’s best naval outfits for some reason; and since everyone sort of spends most of 1899 suffering, it would be really nice to see a take on events (pre, post, or mid-canon, during a previous failed sim, whenever!) where they actually manage to figure things out and get shit done together. I’d love to see lots of different interactions between them, anywhere from g-rated SFW to full threesome NSFW in any way you’d prefer; maybe there is more dialogue (confrontational? confused? hesitantly trusting?) to explore between Daniel and Eyk in the dining room or after Daniel teleports him into the woods, or maybe Maura and Daniel actually find time to have a conversation about their feelings for each other (and for the dear captain as well). Is there a real-world possibility for the three of them to get together? Is this something that might have happened prior to the simulation? Daniel isn’t immediately present in the chamber with Maura when she wakes up, so is it possible that Eyk and Maura have both lost him? Any speculation on their relationships with one another in the real world, their roles on the Prometheus, etc. would also be very fun.

And maybe this is a story where they are all able to enjoy an intimate connection, in 1899 or 2099 or whenever it may be, and it is highly emotionally fulfilling and pleasurable for all parties involved, and there is no plot whatsoever! I would love any and all levels of attraction and emotional and physical connection between them—any way you see this relationship happening, whatever it looks like or means to you, just go for it! I’d love to see these three together in any scenario you’d like to create. <3

Ángel/Ramiro

Now, this ship excites me for very different reasons; there is clearly a very distressing shared past here, and I absolutely must know how Ramiro has come to murder and impersonate a priest, and what his connection to Ángel and his family is (was he their servant? was he already on the run when he met Ángel and his family? what or who exactly are they running from?). There seems to be a very strange power struggle happening between these two, if you can even call it a struggle; Ramiro’s romantic devotion to Ángel (despite how he’s treated) is so fascinating to see, especially since Ángel clearly has different ideas about compromising one’s identity and values, but in the end they always seem to wind up together regardless of what happens. For all the betrayal and despair and fear, they always have each other in the end, and I love that.

Naturally, I’d love to see anything you’re willing to make with these two—more wolf and sheep imagery, or other predator/prey symbolism? Has Ángel ever found the priest facade alluring, and how does he feel about needing to maintain such a cover among so many other people (if he cares about discretion at all)? Does Ramiro find it difficult to balance this religious act with his own sense of self and his own values, and is he just as terrified as Ángel seems to think, or is there more to Ramiro than we see at first glance? I love the idea of Ángel’s sketchbook serving as a safe of sorts, filled with secrets and beautiful, valuable things, and records of the past, and so I’d love to know: is the sketchbook also filled with images of Ramiro, or sketches of places they have been, or are its pages filled with small love letters and notes that he has kept? In versions where Ángel does not die, or perhaps in simulation where Ramiro dies instead, what does their relationship look like in the end? Are they devoted to one another through thick and thin, regardless of their traumas and pasts? Do they ever break up, or at least experience more dramatic falling-outs? I’d love to see more of Ángel’s scars—write about them, show me flashbacks of how he received them (whether the memory is real or not), let Ramiro caress them lovingly, etc.

And honestly, feel free to play up Ángel’s infidelity; how does Ramiro take that knowledge? Does it ever bother Ángel, does Ramiro call him out on it, does it matter in the end that he does these things? And I'd love to see different takes on their sexual encounters, too; Ángel takes a very dominant and possessive role in their intimate scenes, but is he always like that? Does Ramiro enjoy a rougher encounter, or is Ángel capable of being soft and sweet during sex? I'd love to see Ramiro take charge, or to see him being thoroughly worshipped (or doing his own worshipping at his own pace).

Krester/Ramiro

…and maybe this is not Ramiro’s first rodeo, after all. ;) Maybe this fling of Ángel’s is something that he is familiar with, after their adventures and time spent together; maybe he wants to see what all the fuss is about Krester himself, or maybe he is simply very supportive of Ángel following his heart, even if it means his attentions are split; maybe this is just a dynamic that worked once, or a few times, or every time before now. If Krester survives until later, does he appreciate the consolation that Ramiro provides for Anker? If Ángel jumps overboard instead of Krester, do Ramiro and Krester mourn him together? I think there are lots of opportunities for showing what happens in alternate simulations, hehe.

I’d also really love to see Krester and Ramiro engage in a conversation where their language barrier prevents them from clearly communicating, but there is something comforting for Krester in discovering a “priest” who is much like himself, and unashamed of it; for him, what must it be like to encounter somebody who seems to be outwardly faith-driven, or at least wears the costume of one, yet is so accepting and gentle and kind in ways that Krester’s faith may not allow? Would Ramiro wish to take Krester under his wing and protect him from his family’s righteous fury, or might Krester seek Ramiro out on his own, and find a closer connection than he bargained for? 

Ángel/Krester/Ramiro

I also feel like a meeting between them would be weirdly religion-kink-heavy for Ángel, being in the middle of two Men Of God and all. Any kind of religious imagery is very much welcome here, visual or otherwise—and if the fancy suits you, I’d also be happy to see Krester, Ramiro, and Ángel engaging as a group! If you know of any Bible verses that speak of a threesome between a fake priest, the son of a fake priest, and The Most Pretentious Guy Around, please feel free to incorporate that in there, too. ;) What can Ramiro and Ángel teach Krester about themselves? What can Krester bring to the table as someone who can't speak their languages, and what does it look like for him to navigate this relationship solely based on what he reads from their body language? Is he excited by the idea of watching Ángel and Ramiro fucking, or hesitant to join in when someone reaches for him and pulls him in close? Does Ramiro walk in on them and decide to humour his fake brother, and it becomes an exhibitionistic act between Krester and Ramiro?

Dark

I have a huge amount of love for this series, as most people who know me can confirm; I love the cyclical nature of it, the way time travel is depicted, the philosophizing on destiny, free will, the inevitability of The End, and the way everyone speaks in riddles all of the time, unable to confirm or deny anything because of Paradox Reasons. I just find the writing so fascinating, and there’s so much opportunity to explore the space between certain periods of time as the characters grow older and wiser (and sometimes more jaded and murderous). The aesthetic of the show is absolutely wonderful—there are so many moody, sweeping landscape shots, and some really excellent sci-fi imagery and technology, and every time period has such a distinctive feel to it—and of course, everyone is related in really fucking strange ways, so all of the ships have the potential to get a little weird. ;)

Jonas Kahnwald/Jonas Kahnwald

I will first begin by stating that by requesting Jonas Kahnwald in any of these ships, I am absolutely requesting any version of Jonas that you're willing to explore. Teenage Jonas? Stranger Jonas? Adam? Alt-timeline Jonas? You can write any of them, or multiple versions of them, or all of them all at once. I love pieces that are strictly about character exploration, and this particular media even allows for character studies to happen as other versions of the characters are interacting with one another at different points in their lives, so please feel free to get as weird as you’d like with the timeline! I feel like there is a great opportunity for highly upsetting and/or cathartic conversations. I really just want a good reason for the Jonases to interact, argue, and gaze tearfully at one another and/or maybe bang. Teen Jonas has had, like, the most sex out of anybody on the show, and I feel like Stranger Jonas is somebody who has deep emotional scarring and, I dunno, just really needs to be held for a long time. There are many years of untreated depression and existential crises and predeterminism-based anxiety and incestuous attachment issues and all sorts of other things to work with and explore here, along with Jonas's utter inability to recognize himself as he is staring himself in the face (and this happens MULTIPLE TIMES. JONAS PLEASE).

Generally, please take this opportunity to dig into the psyche of Jonas, the Stranger, and/or Adam in whatever way feels right to you! Make Jonas masturbate during the apocalypse, or fantasize intentionally about banging his family members (while still acknowledging how wild it is that everyone he could possibly want to bang is related to him, like, three different ways). Riddle him with guilt, make him hopeful and crush him and make him hopeful again, let him ride a wave of determination, let him become a villain consumed by time; I’m happy to have any of it!

And here is where I get to add: feel free to create some weird Jonas-on-Jonas sex if you'd like! I'd love to see Jonas/Stranger Jonas, or Stranger Jonas/Adam. Or, because why the fuck not, show me what happens when vulnerable teen Jonas winds up in 1921 with Adam, seeking guidance and not yet understanding the man who stands before him. I fucking love old men, okay, and they should be able to bang young men as a treat. Especially their younger and less experienced selves. Maybe Adam has a moment of regret after being such a goddamn shithead to Jonas in 1921, and attempts to console his teenaged self with a handjob; maybe Stranger Jonas meets Jonas a few other times in 2019, and engages in some contact with him that is not a predeterminism lecture, but, I dunno, a highly emotional blowjob after Michael's death. I'm not kidding, I will gladly take the weirdest thing you can come up with. <3

Noah | Hanno Tauber/Noah | Hanno Tauber

Just like with Jonas, I am 100% down for any version of Noah that you'd like to dig into and create for in the ships that follow, and you can absolutely follow the same requests I listed above. Any combination of Noahs from any universe, any time, solo or together. I'm not going to add much else, because I just want a good excuse for someone to give me some Noah content, and you get to choose what kind! I’d love to see the headstrong teen who grew up in a time-travel cult just as much as I’d love to see the sad old dude from the future who just shows up at random intervals and threateningly consumes apples. For added fun, feel free to explore the relationship he has with himself, because their interactions in the early 1920s has an effect on young Hanno for the rest of his life, and I think that's positively delicious! Though since young Hanno would not know the things that Priest Noah has experienced, I’d love to see his curiosity and his reaction to some of the things he’s told. I'd also love to see Priest Noah's feelings on the things he has to say and do (to himself, to his father, etc.) in the name of upholding the cycle and seeking out Charlotte.

You can absolutely include Charlotte and Elisabeth in this, too; show me Noah's love for his family, take me through his anguish at losing his daughter and finding her again; feel free to explore his relationship with Helge (is it weird, recruiting him like this from such a young age, and seeing him through life until his death? is it just a part of doing business?) and/or all of the other strange relationships Noah has in his life. What's it like for him, growing up in a different century after the fall of modern civilization, born to parents who are also out of their own time? Does he take joy in his work? Do his priorities change over time? What are his final thoughts as everything comes crashing down around him? Please feel free to make whatever you're creating as tragic as possible, because he absolutely deserves it. <3

And if you’re so inclined, you can also take any Noah-on-Noah interactions in an explicitly shippy direction (whether Hanno knows who his older self is or not). Maybe Noah from the future requires some consoling, and young Hanno believes he's the perfect person to help this handsome stranger out. Maybe Noah in his priest garb just kind of does it for Hanno, in the most taboo 'oh no, horny man in position of power' way. Maybe Noah remembers a long-forgotten moment from his past in which the man claiming to be his older self gave him some much-needed support and reassurance about his place in everything, but also, like, a handjob or something. Maybe it's just a gentle and supportive interaction; maybe it's mindless porn! The sky's the limit.

Bonus points if Priest Noah just blathers on about some cryptic bullshit, or looms menacingly in a dark forest, or stares at people from afar. We know from his conversation with Helge that he did a little bit of that in the 1900s, and we saw him tell Hanno that there is SO MUCH HE CANNOT SAY, and can infer that he is full of REGRETS. I hope he's just bursting with really vague wisdoms and wants to share everything with everyone, yet has no idea how to clearly and concisely state his intentions. <3

Jonas Kahnwald/Noah | Hanno Tauber

This ship offers a lot of really fun potential, because they have a number of first meetings: young Hanno meeting Jonas in 1921, Jonas meeting Noah in 1986, the pair of them discovering one another rather dramatically in 2023; I'm here for any of those moments in between, or anything that we haven't seen before in canon. They've got a relationship that spans a hundred years, kind of? Or, like, 66 years. Who knows. TIME'S WEIRD AND THEY KNOW IT. But Noah’s devotion to Jonas/Adam is such a delicious thing to play with (because his devotion to all things, including Being Really Strange, is just so strong), and his belief in the prophesied Paradise is ultimately what kills him—not to mention his absolute heartbreak at discovering that Adam is his betrayer, and not Jonas as he knows him during the apocalypse. Their stories are so closely intertwined, and Adam and Noah are the only two who take or are given their (Bible-inspired) names with purpose. Think of the symbolism! Think of the adoration and hero worship!

I am here for absolutely anything that happens in the apocalypse, either when they are in their twenties or older. First time and/or breakup sex! Weird, risky escapades in the forest! Intimacy (whether sexual or not) in unexpected places! Finding places with running water and bathing, and admiring the first semi-nude or entirely-nude clean body they've seen in a little while! Cracking open the God Particle and hanging out in the nuclear power plant! Maybe this is a story about how they first meet and get to know one another in 2023, or maybe they meet in a different manner before Jonas attempts to hang himself; perhaps they take solace in being complete outcasts together, or maybe they clash a few times before becoming a little more comfortable with one another. I think it’d be cool to see them in their protective gear in the power plant, or scavenging for supplies in the apocalypse, or sharing meaningful glances as they depart to their separate sleeping places.

Or Jonas/Noah, but instead of it being a Same Age Ship, it emphasizes the age gap—like teen Jonas with Priest Noah, or young Hanno with Stranger Jonas. Adult Noah has already spent his adult years learning everything about Jonas, sex preferences included, and how mind-blowing would it be to encounter a man who already knows everything you like (and possibly gives you your own kinks, WHAT A PARADOX). Likewise, Stranger Jonas already knows precisely how smug, yet uncertain Hanno is, and he just might answer all of Hanno's 'I already know everything, yet I know so very little' questions about the future - like 'why does my older self speak about you like a scorned lover', or 'what is the nature of our eventual relationship, and why will it hurt me so badly when you betray me'? There are lots of moments in the series where they might interact and have meaningful conversations, even. And if you like, Adam mentoring young Hanno could be exciting, too—what the hell does their relationship look like when Hanno is that young and impressionable, anyway? Are there times where Adam tries to take advantage of him while he’s young, or might that happen only when Noah returns as an adult in 1920?

You can also just use any old excuse to create a Jonas/Noah/Jonas or Noah/Jonas/Noah threesome, in any combination, anywhere between the ages of 16 to 50ish. If you can make this entirely feasible within the canon timeline (for example, the scene where Teen Jonas meets both Noahs at the same time in 1921), I will kiss you on the mouth. But feel free to get creative! I’d love to see them all together in any scenario that you see fit. I’m willing to accept anything at all.

Elisabeth Doppler/Jonas Kahnwald/Noah | Hanno Tauber

This is one of the relationships that I mourn the most from season three, and the more I think about it, the sadder I am that the apocalypse trio does not get any screen time in the show. We all know how Elisabeth feels about Jonas by 2053, and clearly we see how Noah’s feelings toward Jonas evolve over time, and how Adam’s feelings toward Elisabeth and Noah (and his manipulation of them) also evolves through his life; he spends at least a decade and a half with them in the apocalypse, and I feel like they would all grow to be very close friends in that time. :’)

There are lots of opportunities for bonding here; we know Noah and Charlotte eventually have a home, but where does Jonas live/sleep? Would they invite him in, or does he help build the house in the first place? What does it look like when Jonas realizes Elisabeth is in the apocalypse hanging out with Noah, and how much does Noah tell Jonas of his mission to protect her? I think the early days of their relationship, whether it’s platonic or romantic, would be very enjoyable to see. For Jonas, it might be nice to have a familiar face around, despite the age gap, and it might be nice for Noah and Jonas to be guys around the same age, with a little more wisdom and knowledge, just. you know. being bros. And maybe Noah unwittingly takes on the role that Bartosz left behind, and it feels perfectly natural, and nobody knows what that really means!

I’d also love to see scenes where Jonas learns sign language from the two of them, or scenes where they are Doing Things in the name of Getting Out of the Apocalypse—working at the AKW with Claudia, for example, or going on supply missions to retrieve necessary equipment, or spending many nights falling asleep on one another with physics books opened across their laps. At what point do Noah and Elisabeth start building the Paradise/Sic Mundus following in the apocalypse? How does his relationship with Elisabeth change after Noah accuses him of stealing Charlotte, and what sort of terrible stuff happens to Elisabeth to put her in the state that we see in 2053?

I think they’re just neat together, and there’s so much ground to cover that we don’t even get hints of in the show. Things like Noah asking Jonas and Elisabeth (and/or Claudia!) about General Future Things, and learning the ways of the modern world. He's a kid from the early 1900s with a father from the early 2000s - he must know SOME things about the twenty-first century, but probably in the way that any kid knows Some Things About Their Parents' Youth. He also gets tossed into the modern day very promptly, so I think he deserves to learn about things like the internet, memes, pop culture, movies, etc. in the age in which they were most prominent. Teach him about TikTok, or about Netflix And Chill! Show him what songs were popular on a cracked phone screen, or a laptop hooked up to a shitty, barely-usable internet connection. I'm sure he'd love to know about all of the things that happened between 1920 and 2020, and is probably delighted by Gen Z humour, since he was raised by Gen Z kids. I’m sure it would make him feel right at home. ;) For Elisabeth, I imagine she and Jonas talk about Franziska and the others—it might be a good opportunity for Jonas to become a little emotional about the unknown fate of his friends, and for Elisabeth to mourn the loss of her family. Jonas had a direct connection to Peter, too, and I’m sure it would help Elisabeth to have Jonas comfort her and remind her of him on occasion.

As always, feel free to experiment with different ages; if the trio suits you better while they’re younger, go for it! If Stranger Jonas and adult Noah and Elisabeth are more your thing, I love that also! I’m excited to see any take on them at whatever point you’d like to explore. <3

Noah | Hanno Tauber/Bartosz Tiedemann

Firstly: this can be a platonic familial ship, or it can be a fully romantic or sexual ship. Do whatever you'd like. Season two started off on the worst possible foot for these two, and it certainly can't get any wilder than that. ;)

That said, please explore any variation of this relationship that you'd like in whatever universe pleases you; Bartosz and Noah in Adam's universe seem to have a very different role than the Bartosz and Noah in Eva's universe, and I'd love to see that explored. In Adam's universe, young Bartosz first meets Noah as a priest before we know their relationship, and we see young Noah kill Bartosz before we ever know who that man is to him; they have a matching tattoo (which Noah clearly obtains later in life, very obviously modeled after his father's), and from the moment Hanno is born Bartosz seems to have a pretty darn good understanding of what the future has in store for his son (and thus for himself). I'd love to see how young Bartosz feels about Noah with his enigmatic presence, texting him and meeting him alone to share information about time travel and the future; I'd love to see what young Hanno thinks of his father (does he idolize Bartosz at any point in the same way that he idolizes Adam? does he always suspect that his father is losing faith, and believe himself to be the stronger of the two?); I'd love to see what Bartosz thinks of his son once Adam names him Noah, too. Does it sadden him knowing what his son will one day become? Does he try to raise him better, hoping to negate or lessen Adam's influence? Bartosz saw Hannah arrive with young Silja, so does he grow to fully understand his relation to Jonas/Adam, and does he ever think of Hannah when he thinks of his son? Every single bit of strange family tree shenanigans you can come up with, I would absolutely love to see.

...including the banging. Go for it. Does young Bartosz get down and dirty with adult Noah in the car during one of their meetings, before he ever understands who Noah is? (And if they do, Noah already knows Bartosz's identity, so how does he feel about it?) Does Bartosz go out of his way to see Noah as an adult when Noah travels back to 1920, or does he avoid him entirely? If they reunite for the first (last?) time before Noah is sent off on his journey to build the bunker time machine, is Noah emotional over seeing his father again all those years later, filled with the memory of his death? Does he seek to make amends in his own way without revealing to Bartosz what will happen to him in 1921? Or does he tell him in a moment of overwhelming heartache, and finds himself consoled by a father who now knows that his son will grow up without him, guided by Adam and the principle of Sic Mundus instead of his father's love and good intentions? Would they seek solace in one another? Would it help if they had highly emotional intercourse to overcome the tragedy of knowing how they have shaped one another in a never-ending cycle? I mean, maybe. You tell me.

The Quarry (Video Game 2022)

If there’s one thing I love in my video games, it’s campy horror. And consequences. And people who have no choice but to band together under unusual circumstances to face an unknown threat. This will probably start to sound familiar to you as you read through my requests.

For this fandom, feel free to lean into the genre—this game knows it’s a semi-comedic middle-of-nowhere creature feature, and it knows it’s a campy teen scream-fest that could end in utter devastation, a classic last man standing/final girl scenario, or might even go fairly well for all involved. Feel free to take any or all of these tropes into account and lean into the one(s) that you enjoy the most! And while creating your story, art, or other medium of choice, please feel free to make creative use of the game mechanics—if you can fail a QTE in the game and change the course of things (for better or worse), what form might such an outcome take in a story, or in artwork? I’d love to see multiple possible versions of certain scenarios in whatever way you’d like to display it, or those god-awful slow-motion close-ups you see in decision screens, or visualizations of branching story paths! 

Travis Hackett/Laura Kearney

I don’t need to tell anyone that these two clearly have the most complicated and well-written (and arguably the most pivotal) relationship of the game—the decisions they make affect the final outcome of the story, for better or worse, and together they are able to turn a dire situation into a new dawn. Whether you see this as a tense rivalry, a blooming romance, a werewolf-hunting-buddy-cop adventure, or however else you choose to view it, Travis and Laura are destined for one another.

Due to the branching nature of this story, I’d love to see your take on what happens after this fateful night; after successfully killing Silas, do they go their separate ways, or keep in contact? If Silas never showed up that night, would Travis and Laura have formed a pact to hunt him down for the rest of their days? Would Travis chain Laura (and/or Max) up, just like Chris, every full moon? Does anyone know who sent that box to Bizarre Yet Bonafide, and would Travis have strong feelings about it, or be relieved to hear that Laura and co. were acquitted because of it? I want to know how their story ends, and where they go after that. Or maybe it would be cool to explore their story in the middle—Laura and Max spend two months in the Northkill jail, chipping away Travis’s stoic exterior piece by piece; do they offer to play games with him? Does Laura try to share stories, or request that he stay a little later when he comes down to feed them? Maybe he agrees to bring in a DVD player for a movie night, or maybe Laura spends a lot of time thinking about little details—his badge, his name, the blood on his neck that first night. And seriously, what does Travis do when he’s in the police station? Does he ever sit at his desk and think about his prisoners? Maybe he toys with the idea of being nice, and lets guilt overcome him on occasion. Fill in the blanks for me! Maybe Laura will try anything to get out of her cell—we don’t know where Travis leads her for her shower, so maybe she takes that opportunity to catch his attention; maybe he lingers near the bars of her cell some nights and watches her, and tries to allow himself to become a little more vulnerable; maybe when she makes her big break, the great distraction is in the form of a kiss. Anything can happen! 

And this wasn’t strictly in my sign-up, and is definitely not necessary to include if it isn’t your jam, but Laura also has two hands, and I will always welcome any combination of the three in whatever capacity you’d like. Tell me what happens when Laura and Max make secret plans to seduce him one-on-one, or when, after the events of the game, they reunite and start an unusual friendship off on a less creepy and kidnappy foot. 

Kaitlyn Ka/Ryan Erzahler/Dylan Lenivy

And the girls in bunk seven spake thus: ranked by Hotness, first is Ryan, then Kaitlyn, then Dylan. Ordinarily this would make for a deliciously sexy love triangle, and sure, the game wants Ryan to choose between Dylan and Kaitlyn, but here’s the thing: Ryan has two hands, and they are both made for holding. These three are badass, confident (or compensating for their insecurities, at least!), and delightfully entertaining in a group setting. I need less romantic competition and more romantic collaboration. Or something like that. 

Post-canon shenanigans would be a great place to start! Just like the above prompts, tell me what happens to these three once the game concludes. Do we lose any of them along the way and mourn the dead later on? Are any still bitten and cursed, or do they escape with their lives? Would they attempt to remain in contact with one another through the trial, and how would their relationship change afterward? Do Dylan and Ryan go off to school and live with Kaitlyn in a cozy apartment, or do they get together every year to commemorate the worst year of Hackett’s Quarry Summer Camp ever?

Maybe instead you just want to make some porn about camp counsellors, to which I say: I sure don’t mind that! Maybe nobody was as secretive with their desires as they thought, or maybe certain sparks fly through the night in unexpected ways. I’m down for this to be as romantic and polyamorous and horny (or none of the above!) as you’d like it to be. Dealer’s choice. Is this something that happens at the beginning of the summer? Is it an endgame scenario? I’d love to see what the other counsellors think of this unexpected occurrence, too. I love it when other characters talk about each other, and these guys all seem to love snarky banter and gossip, so I am very into that. <3