skieswideopen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
skieswideopen) wrote2022-09-18 05:15 pm
skieswideopen) wrote2022-09-18 05:15 pm
Entry tags:
Dear Trick or Treat Author
Dear Trick or Treat Author,
Thank you so much for writing for me! I'm looking forward to whatever you come up with.
I've provided some general preferences below along with some prompts for each fandom. Hopefully something here will inspire you. However, optional details are optional, so go ahead and write the story you want to write. Or steal a prompt from one of my other requests, or from one of my previous sign-ups, or from my general likes—whatever works best for you.
I'm![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
skieswideopen at AO3 as well.
Requested Fandoms: Being Human (US/Canada) | Covert Affairs | The Mentalist | Star Trek: Discovery | The Sandman
General preferences:
Things I Like
For tricks, I'd enjoy a story featuring ghosts, either literal or figurative: literal ghosts in haunted houses (or haunted spaceships or other haunted places); figurative ghosts of the past, paying a visit courtesy of memory and introspection; scientifically explainable ghosts that aren't really ghosts at all, etc. Anything about honouring (or hating) the dead or reflecting on the past or recalling the people who shaped us would be great. So would a battle for survival against supernatural forces, or trying to free other people from whoever or whatever is haunting them.
I'm also fond of other minor supernatural elements, like an unexpected glimpse into the future or premonitions and omens or something eerie and unexplainable.
For treats, I love the coziness of autumn: fires, blankets, changing leaves, bracing winds, jackets pulled out once again, hot apple cider or tea, delicious feasts, pumpkins, cool afternoons spent curled up with a book, and generally preparing for winter. Anything that evokes that feeling would be lovely, even without those specifics: a cozy weekend at an inn, weathering a storm, spending time together on a rainy autumn afternoon, celebrating a fall holiday, etc.
More generally, I'm a huge fan of watching competent characters being competent. I love secrets coming out, by choice, chance, or necessity, and seeing the reactions to those secrets. I adore equal partnerships and mutual respect in romantic relationships. I like brief moments of emotional vulnerability from generally stoic or reserved characters, and I enjoy watching heroic characters being heroic: saving people, sacrificing themselves for others, etc. And I like outsider POVs, seeing how other people perceive the characters.
Some favourite tropes:
* Forced proximity (handcuffed together, snowed in, trapped together in an elevator, etc.).
* Truth serum/in vino veritas/truth or dare/midnight confessions. (See my above love of secrets coming out.)
* Undercover as a couple (or spontaneously posing as a couple to avoid detection).
* Post-apocalyptic, disaster, or trapped-in-the-wilderness survival scenarios.
* Time loops and dealing with the consequences when the loop ends.
* Road trips.
* Heading home for weddings, funerals, high school reunions, or holidays, or old friends and family showing up for a visit.
Things I Don't Want:
* AUs that alter the setting, premise, or character backgrounds, unless otherwise noted. (Hardboiled detective stories are an exception to this. I'm always up for a good hardboiled detective story. And canon divergence is absolutely fine.)
* A/B/O.
* Dom/sub dynamics, especially in a 24/7 context.
* Unrequested poly in requested relationships.
* Infidelity involving requested relationships, either them cheating on each other or them cheating on someone else to be together.
* Significant permanent mental or physical injuries to requested characters that don't occur in canon, especially any sort of amputation. (However, killing requested or major characters is fine unless otherwise noted.)
Other Things
I'm flexible on both genre and rating: plot-driven, character-driven, action, introspection, slice of life...it's all good. So is anything from G to NC-17—whatever the story calls for. I have squicks but no triggers. I'm fine with character death, including main characters, unless otherwise noted. Background non-con is fine if it's helpful for the story, but I'd rather it not be the primary focus. I dislike plots that revolve around misunderstandings that could be cleared up with a simple conversation. I also dislike competent characters being rendered temporarily incompetent for the purpose of driving the plot. I enjoy happy or hopeful or bittersweet endings, but I'm not a fan of utterly bleak endings.
As noted in my sign-up, I'm good with tricks and treats and fic that doesn't fall into either category. Also, given the minimum length in![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
trickortreatex, I'll certainly understand if you want to skip the set-up and move straight to the highlights. Want to just write a key scene and kind of vaguely handwave how we got there? Go for it.
Being Human (US/Canada)
Requested Characters: Aidan Waite
Aidan was my favourite character on BHUS. I love his courage. I love that he fights so hard to be good when it would be so much easier to go back to being a monster. I love the way he takes care of his roommates—not just protecting them, but making sure they're okay emotionally and comforting them when they're not. And I love that he uses brains as well as brawn to solve problems.
If you're into ship fic, my favourite pairing for Aidan was with Kat. They were never destined for a happy ending, and I think Kat was absolutely right to break up with Aidan as soon as she learned the truth, but I love them together anyway. I love watching them geek out together over history. I loved their willingness to open up and be vulnerable with each other. I love the moments when they try to protect each other. If you do bring in this ship, please don't have Kat die because of Aidan.
I love Nora, Josh, and Sally as well as Aidan, so feel free to bring them in. I also love Nora and Josh together. I never really got into Aidan/Sally, so while I don't mind it being mentioned, I'm not particularly interested in a story focusing on them as a couple, though I'm happy to read about them as friends. On the vampire side, I like Henry and I'd enjoy a story exploring his relationship with Aidan. I'm not particularly interested in reading about Aidan going around killing innocent people, though I'm happy to read a story set during that era that focuses on other things.
Additional Prompts:
* When and how did Aidan learn so much about how magic worked? (Did he date a witch? Befriend one? Find himself in a fight against a coven?)
* How did Aidan first meet Tony DePaulo, the ghost who helps out Sally in season 1?
* Aidan runs into Kat (or some other innocent) and they end up trapped in a dangerously haunted house.
* A human who knows the truth (Zoe Gonzales? Kat?) comes to Aidan for help when they or someone they love is cursed.
* Aidan stalks the footsteps of a killer, intent on showing him what a real monster is.
* Aidan, Josh, Nora, and Sally celebrate Halloween. (Aidan loves kids. I imagine Josh probably loves decorating and handing out candy. Sally would probably enjoy scaring anyone who she thinks deserves to be scared. Or maybe it's more of a Halloween party for their co-workers.)
* Aidan, Josh, Nora and Sally celebrate Thanksgiving or Rosh Hashanah.
Covert Affairs
Requested Ships: Eyal Lavin/Annie Walker
Annie and Eyal are both ridiculously competent, with their multiple languages, the ability to improvise a cover story at the drop of a hat, and generally being able to talk or fight their way out of every situation, and I love that about them. I enjoy the early tension, when there's attraction but also competition, and I love the deep friendship and absolute trust that develops between them later. I love that Annie's empathy and Eyal's ruthlessness create a stronger partnership, and I love that they each learn a little from the other. I'm particularly fond of the way Eyal habitually looks out for Annie without demanding that she never put herself in danger, and the way they both walk each other back from doing things they shouldn't.
There are obviously a few geopolitical obstacles to their being together as a couple as long as they work for their respective agencies, with formal rules against it and also the knowledge that a relationship could be used as leverage. Those obstacles can be addressed or ignored as you like. I'd just love to see them together, whether it's a story about how they get together, trying to maintain a relationship while keeping their careers, or something post-series where one or both of them has moved on from the spy business, allowing them to be openly together.
I'm a sucker for stories where Annie and Eyal get together, in whatever season. How does it happen? What finally makes Annie decide to say yes? Or maybe look at what their life might be like later on, if they managed to resolve all the geopolitical barriers to their relationship. Do they both retire and go private together? Does one of them retire and move to join the other? If they get married, do old enemies turn up at their wedding? Tropes are great too: Undercover as a couple. A shared time loop that ends when they get married. One taking desperate action to save the other.
If you want to go post-series, feel free to have Eyal's reconciliation with his ex-wife and Annie's relationship with Ryan McQuaid just not work out, or otherwise have them be out of the picture.
Additional Prompts
* A mission to retrieve something from a dead drop becomes unexpectedly dangerous when the location turns out to be haunted by some very angry ghosts.
* Annie and Eyal trying to prevent (or survive) a zombie apocalypse.
* Annie and Eyal undercover (as a couple?) at a Halloween party.
* A near-miss brings back memories and sparks a new relationship.
* A bottle of wine and remembering old ghosts.
* Celebrating Rosh Hashanah with Eyal's family or Thanksgiving with Annie's family.
* Eyal preparing dinner, and the conversation that goes with it.
* A cozy autumn vacation gets interrupted by trouble.
The Mentalist
Requested Characters: Patrick Jane
This is another show heavy on competence, which I greatly enjoy. Jane, of course, is particularly skilled, but the rest of the team—either team—are good too. I enjoy Jane's refusal to play by rules that he deems pointless, his various mind games, and his attempts to persuade people that there's no such thing as the supernatural. And as someone who has a lot of figurative ghosts, and who once made a living pretending to talk to real ghosts, he seems thematically appropriate. (I'm generally a fan of Jane's pursuit of rational explanations, though for this particular exchange, I'm good with the supernatural too.)
If you're in a shippy mood, I'm happy with stick to canon, with Jane and Lisbon as a couple. I'm also fond of Jane/Cho and Jane/Walter Mashburn, if you prefer something different. Lisbon has always been the one Jane tells his secrets to, and the one he'll sometimes bend for, in order to protect her career. Jane and Cho are both very good at what they do, and respect the other for their abilities. Cho seems a little less susceptible than some to Jane's manipulation, but he's also sympathetic enough to sometimes bend the rules to get Jane what he wants, and trusts Jane enough to frequently go along with his plans. Jane and Mashburn are both arrogant, easily bored, and a little heartbroken. Mashburn clearly finds Jane entertaining and Jane can't resist being the centre of attention.
If you decide to go with Cho or Mashburn, I'd rather Jane never have gotten together with Lisbon than to have them separate or have him cheat on her.
Additional Prompts
* Jane (or another team member) annoys a suspect/witness enough that they end up cursing him/them. Jane, of course, doesn't believe in curses.
* It looks an awful lot like vampire attacks. Jane doesn't believe in those either. (And maybe he's right.)
* Jane starts having prophetic dreams. He may not believe in them, but does he dare ignore them?
* While on a case, Jane encounters a child who claims to be an oracle—and who does know more than they should.
* A CBI (or FBI) Halloween party, complete with a mysterious fortune teller.
* An overnight stakeout in a haunted house. Jane ramps things up with ghost stories.
* A midnight confession, by or to Jane. Perhaps an old secret remembered. Perhaps an old ghost returned. Perhaps something they wished had turned out differently. Perhaps a wish or a feeling brought on by the events of the day.
* Hosting Thanksgiving.
Star Trek: Discovery
Requested Characters/Ships: Michael Burnham, Saru, Charles Vance, Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Discovery has been a bit hit and miss for me at times, but I really enjoyed the jump to the future and the opportunities that created to explore new aspects of the universe without retreading old ground or having to worry about continuity with other shows. I also appreciate the fact that they have tried their best in this era to hold on to the ideals of the Federation, even in the face of significant challenges.
For these specific characters, Burnham, of course, is the star of the show: brilliant, determined, trying to do what she believes is right even when it means taking a stand against absolutely everyone else. Saru is serene and skilled and incredibly courageous, willing to walk away from his entire world to join Starfleet, and then willing to lead his crew into the unknown future to follow Burnham. Vance I didn't pay a tremendous amount of attention to until his negotiations with Osyraa, and then I fell in love with his integrity and commitment to upholding the Federation's ideals. (I'm also a little curious about what it says about his upbringing and/or the future that he's never tasted a real apple.) And Culber and Stamets are a delightful couple, mutually supportive and doing their best to hold the ship together.
The specific theme of this exchange will probably be a little less relevant for people living in the future on a space ship and/or a space station. There won't be a lot of changing leaves and bonfires, and I'm not sure they still celebrate Halloween. But maybe go either into the coziness of the season, with warm drinks and good friends gathering, or reflections on endings and the dead, or get into something ghostly/supernatural (or seemingly supernatural but actually scientific)?
Additional Prompts
* A derelict ship/space station turns out to be haunted. Or maybe it just looks that way.
* Someone keeps having visions of another life (or another dimension).
* Midnight confessions: of secrets, of uncertainty, of past mistakes, of future hopes.
* Remembering autumn on the world they grew up on.
* Someone has a strong sense that something terrible is going to happen, but they don't know how they know. (Time loop? Something else?)
* Remembering old friends now lost. (The crew of Discovery would have an awful lot of these, and given how challenging life has been in the 32nd century, Vance probably does too.)
The Sandman (TV)
Requested Characters/Ships: Calliope, Dream of the Endless, Lucienne, Dream of the Endless & Hob Gadling, Calliope/Dream of the Endless, Gault/Lucienne
I love this show, but I only finished it a couple of days ago. I promise the relative brevity of my comments are this section are because I'm doing this so late, and not because I want it less than the others.
A warning that I haven't read the comics, so while you're welcome to draw on them for characterization and inspiration, please know that I won't understand references to them. I also apologize if any of the questions below were answered in the comics. But maybe you'll want to put a twist on it, consistent with the show?
ETA: A little elaboration, in case it's wanted. I love the inhumaness of Dream, his dedication to duty and to humanity, his courage, his ruthlessness in carrying out that duty, and his rare moments of tenderness. I don't have a lot of specific requests here, other than exploring more about Dream. A day in the world? Other dreams or nightmares he's created? People he's loved? People he's lost? A conversation with Unity? What made him decide to turn Lucienne into his librarian?
Dream's friendship with Hob was delightful, and I'd love to see more of it, especially after Dream finally admits that they are friends. Do they ever carry it beyond a simple drink at a pub? Does Dream ever tell Hob anything at all about who he is or why Hob doesn't die? Do they run into trouble in the future that gives Hob another hint about what Dream is?
Calliope's episode was truly creepy, but she was fantastic in her determination and endurance and resistance. I'd love to see more of her past with Dream, before things went wrong, or a glimpse of their future--as a couple renewed or as fond friends.
I love Lucienne, who stepped in and took over and remained faithful, and who persuaded Dream that even immortal creatures can change. I also love Gault, who was determined to become more than she'd been created to be, and I love that Lucienne supported that Dream. Alternately, Gault used to be a shapeshifter. (Or possibly still is?) How did that affect her self-image? How does it affect her in a relationship? Lucienne didn't trust her. How do they build that trust?
Additional Prompts
* What's Calliope's next conversation with any of her sisters like?
* Who does Calliope choose to inspire next? And what does praying to the muses look like in the modern age?
* How did Calliope and Dream's relationship begin? What did their marriage look like?
* Who does Dream tell his secrets to?
* A nightmare walks the earth on Halloween.
* Did Lucienne ever lose faith?
* Does Hob ever learn anything about Dream? Under what circumstances might Dream be forced to reveal some information to Hob?
* What's Hob and Dream's meeting like a century from now? Two centuries?
* Hob and Dream walk the streets of a US city on Halloween. Perhaps they encounter ghosts? Or discuss changing traditions?
* What are the characters thankful for?
* Visiting dreams of Halloween.
* Gault and Lucienne both grew beyond what they started as. Does this draw them together? Does Lucienne seek Gault out to support her transition, having gone through a transition of her own?
* The ghosts that haunt them.
Thank you so much for writing for me! I'm looking forward to whatever you come up with.
I've provided some general preferences below along with some prompts for each fandom. Hopefully something here will inspire you. However, optional details are optional, so go ahead and write the story you want to write. Or steal a prompt from one of my other requests, or from one of my previous sign-ups, or from my general likes—whatever works best for you.
I'm
Requested Fandoms: Being Human (US/Canada) | Covert Affairs | The Mentalist | Star Trek: Discovery | The Sandman
General preferences:
Things I Like
For tricks, I'd enjoy a story featuring ghosts, either literal or figurative: literal ghosts in haunted houses (or haunted spaceships or other haunted places); figurative ghosts of the past, paying a visit courtesy of memory and introspection; scientifically explainable ghosts that aren't really ghosts at all, etc. Anything about honouring (or hating) the dead or reflecting on the past or recalling the people who shaped us would be great. So would a battle for survival against supernatural forces, or trying to free other people from whoever or whatever is haunting them.
I'm also fond of other minor supernatural elements, like an unexpected glimpse into the future or premonitions and omens or something eerie and unexplainable.
For treats, I love the coziness of autumn: fires, blankets, changing leaves, bracing winds, jackets pulled out once again, hot apple cider or tea, delicious feasts, pumpkins, cool afternoons spent curled up with a book, and generally preparing for winter. Anything that evokes that feeling would be lovely, even without those specifics: a cozy weekend at an inn, weathering a storm, spending time together on a rainy autumn afternoon, celebrating a fall holiday, etc.
More generally, I'm a huge fan of watching competent characters being competent. I love secrets coming out, by choice, chance, or necessity, and seeing the reactions to those secrets. I adore equal partnerships and mutual respect in romantic relationships. I like brief moments of emotional vulnerability from generally stoic or reserved characters, and I enjoy watching heroic characters being heroic: saving people, sacrificing themselves for others, etc. And I like outsider POVs, seeing how other people perceive the characters.
Some favourite tropes:
* Forced proximity (handcuffed together, snowed in, trapped together in an elevator, etc.).
* Truth serum/in vino veritas/truth or dare/midnight confessions. (See my above love of secrets coming out.)
* Undercover as a couple (or spontaneously posing as a couple to avoid detection).
* Post-apocalyptic, disaster, or trapped-in-the-wilderness survival scenarios.
* Time loops and dealing with the consequences when the loop ends.
* Road trips.
* Heading home for weddings, funerals, high school reunions, or holidays, or old friends and family showing up for a visit.
Things I Don't Want:
* AUs that alter the setting, premise, or character backgrounds, unless otherwise noted. (Hardboiled detective stories are an exception to this. I'm always up for a good hardboiled detective story. And canon divergence is absolutely fine.)
* A/B/O.
* Dom/sub dynamics, especially in a 24/7 context.
* Unrequested poly in requested relationships.
* Infidelity involving requested relationships, either them cheating on each other or them cheating on someone else to be together.
* Significant permanent mental or physical injuries to requested characters that don't occur in canon, especially any sort of amputation. (However, killing requested or major characters is fine unless otherwise noted.)
Other Things
I'm flexible on both genre and rating: plot-driven, character-driven, action, introspection, slice of life...it's all good. So is anything from G to NC-17—whatever the story calls for. I have squicks but no triggers. I'm fine with character death, including main characters, unless otherwise noted. Background non-con is fine if it's helpful for the story, but I'd rather it not be the primary focus. I dislike plots that revolve around misunderstandings that could be cleared up with a simple conversation. I also dislike competent characters being rendered temporarily incompetent for the purpose of driving the plot. I enjoy happy or hopeful or bittersweet endings, but I'm not a fan of utterly bleak endings.
As noted in my sign-up, I'm good with tricks and treats and fic that doesn't fall into either category. Also, given the minimum length in
trickortreatex, I'll certainly understand if you want to skip the set-up and move straight to the highlights. Want to just write a key scene and kind of vaguely handwave how we got there? Go for it.Being Human (US/Canada)
Requested Characters: Aidan Waite
Aidan was my favourite character on BHUS. I love his courage. I love that he fights so hard to be good when it would be so much easier to go back to being a monster. I love the way he takes care of his roommates—not just protecting them, but making sure they're okay emotionally and comforting them when they're not. And I love that he uses brains as well as brawn to solve problems.
If you're into ship fic, my favourite pairing for Aidan was with Kat. They were never destined for a happy ending, and I think Kat was absolutely right to break up with Aidan as soon as she learned the truth, but I love them together anyway. I love watching them geek out together over history. I loved their willingness to open up and be vulnerable with each other. I love the moments when they try to protect each other. If you do bring in this ship, please don't have Kat die because of Aidan.
I love Nora, Josh, and Sally as well as Aidan, so feel free to bring them in. I also love Nora and Josh together. I never really got into Aidan/Sally, so while I don't mind it being mentioned, I'm not particularly interested in a story focusing on them as a couple, though I'm happy to read about them as friends. On the vampire side, I like Henry and I'd enjoy a story exploring his relationship with Aidan. I'm not particularly interested in reading about Aidan going around killing innocent people, though I'm happy to read a story set during that era that focuses on other things.
Additional Prompts:
* When and how did Aidan learn so much about how magic worked? (Did he date a witch? Befriend one? Find himself in a fight against a coven?)
* How did Aidan first meet Tony DePaulo, the ghost who helps out Sally in season 1?
* Aidan runs into Kat (or some other innocent) and they end up trapped in a dangerously haunted house.
* A human who knows the truth (Zoe Gonzales? Kat?) comes to Aidan for help when they or someone they love is cursed.
* Aidan stalks the footsteps of a killer, intent on showing him what a real monster is.
* Aidan, Josh, Nora, and Sally celebrate Halloween. (Aidan loves kids. I imagine Josh probably loves decorating and handing out candy. Sally would probably enjoy scaring anyone who she thinks deserves to be scared. Or maybe it's more of a Halloween party for their co-workers.)
* Aidan, Josh, Nora and Sally celebrate Thanksgiving or Rosh Hashanah.
Covert Affairs
Requested Ships: Eyal Lavin/Annie Walker
Annie and Eyal are both ridiculously competent, with their multiple languages, the ability to improvise a cover story at the drop of a hat, and generally being able to talk or fight their way out of every situation, and I love that about them. I enjoy the early tension, when there's attraction but also competition, and I love the deep friendship and absolute trust that develops between them later. I love that Annie's empathy and Eyal's ruthlessness create a stronger partnership, and I love that they each learn a little from the other. I'm particularly fond of the way Eyal habitually looks out for Annie without demanding that she never put herself in danger, and the way they both walk each other back from doing things they shouldn't.
There are obviously a few geopolitical obstacles to their being together as a couple as long as they work for their respective agencies, with formal rules against it and also the knowledge that a relationship could be used as leverage. Those obstacles can be addressed or ignored as you like. I'd just love to see them together, whether it's a story about how they get together, trying to maintain a relationship while keeping their careers, or something post-series where one or both of them has moved on from the spy business, allowing them to be openly together.
I'm a sucker for stories where Annie and Eyal get together, in whatever season. How does it happen? What finally makes Annie decide to say yes? Or maybe look at what their life might be like later on, if they managed to resolve all the geopolitical barriers to their relationship. Do they both retire and go private together? Does one of them retire and move to join the other? If they get married, do old enemies turn up at their wedding? Tropes are great too: Undercover as a couple. A shared time loop that ends when they get married. One taking desperate action to save the other.
If you want to go post-series, feel free to have Eyal's reconciliation with his ex-wife and Annie's relationship with Ryan McQuaid just not work out, or otherwise have them be out of the picture.
Additional Prompts
* A mission to retrieve something from a dead drop becomes unexpectedly dangerous when the location turns out to be haunted by some very angry ghosts.
* Annie and Eyal trying to prevent (or survive) a zombie apocalypse.
* Annie and Eyal undercover (as a couple?) at a Halloween party.
* A near-miss brings back memories and sparks a new relationship.
* A bottle of wine and remembering old ghosts.
* Celebrating Rosh Hashanah with Eyal's family or Thanksgiving with Annie's family.
* Eyal preparing dinner, and the conversation that goes with it.
* A cozy autumn vacation gets interrupted by trouble.
The Mentalist
Requested Characters: Patrick Jane
This is another show heavy on competence, which I greatly enjoy. Jane, of course, is particularly skilled, but the rest of the team—either team—are good too. I enjoy Jane's refusal to play by rules that he deems pointless, his various mind games, and his attempts to persuade people that there's no such thing as the supernatural. And as someone who has a lot of figurative ghosts, and who once made a living pretending to talk to real ghosts, he seems thematically appropriate. (I'm generally a fan of Jane's pursuit of rational explanations, though for this particular exchange, I'm good with the supernatural too.)
If you're in a shippy mood, I'm happy with stick to canon, with Jane and Lisbon as a couple. I'm also fond of Jane/Cho and Jane/Walter Mashburn, if you prefer something different. Lisbon has always been the one Jane tells his secrets to, and the one he'll sometimes bend for, in order to protect her career. Jane and Cho are both very good at what they do, and respect the other for their abilities. Cho seems a little less susceptible than some to Jane's manipulation, but he's also sympathetic enough to sometimes bend the rules to get Jane what he wants, and trusts Jane enough to frequently go along with his plans. Jane and Mashburn are both arrogant, easily bored, and a little heartbroken. Mashburn clearly finds Jane entertaining and Jane can't resist being the centre of attention.
If you decide to go with Cho or Mashburn, I'd rather Jane never have gotten together with Lisbon than to have them separate or have him cheat on her.
Additional Prompts
* Jane (or another team member) annoys a suspect/witness enough that they end up cursing him/them. Jane, of course, doesn't believe in curses.
* It looks an awful lot like vampire attacks. Jane doesn't believe in those either. (And maybe he's right.)
* Jane starts having prophetic dreams. He may not believe in them, but does he dare ignore them?
* While on a case, Jane encounters a child who claims to be an oracle—and who does know more than they should.
* A CBI (or FBI) Halloween party, complete with a mysterious fortune teller.
* An overnight stakeout in a haunted house. Jane ramps things up with ghost stories.
* A midnight confession, by or to Jane. Perhaps an old secret remembered. Perhaps an old ghost returned. Perhaps something they wished had turned out differently. Perhaps a wish or a feeling brought on by the events of the day.
* Hosting Thanksgiving.
Star Trek: Discovery
Requested Characters/Ships: Michael Burnham, Saru, Charles Vance, Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Discovery has been a bit hit and miss for me at times, but I really enjoyed the jump to the future and the opportunities that created to explore new aspects of the universe without retreading old ground or having to worry about continuity with other shows. I also appreciate the fact that they have tried their best in this era to hold on to the ideals of the Federation, even in the face of significant challenges.
For these specific characters, Burnham, of course, is the star of the show: brilliant, determined, trying to do what she believes is right even when it means taking a stand against absolutely everyone else. Saru is serene and skilled and incredibly courageous, willing to walk away from his entire world to join Starfleet, and then willing to lead his crew into the unknown future to follow Burnham. Vance I didn't pay a tremendous amount of attention to until his negotiations with Osyraa, and then I fell in love with his integrity and commitment to upholding the Federation's ideals. (I'm also a little curious about what it says about his upbringing and/or the future that he's never tasted a real apple.) And Culber and Stamets are a delightful couple, mutually supportive and doing their best to hold the ship together.
The specific theme of this exchange will probably be a little less relevant for people living in the future on a space ship and/or a space station. There won't be a lot of changing leaves and bonfires, and I'm not sure they still celebrate Halloween. But maybe go either into the coziness of the season, with warm drinks and good friends gathering, or reflections on endings and the dead, or get into something ghostly/supernatural (or seemingly supernatural but actually scientific)?
Additional Prompts
* A derelict ship/space station turns out to be haunted. Or maybe it just looks that way.
* Someone keeps having visions of another life (or another dimension).
* Midnight confessions: of secrets, of uncertainty, of past mistakes, of future hopes.
* Remembering autumn on the world they grew up on.
* Someone has a strong sense that something terrible is going to happen, but they don't know how they know. (Time loop? Something else?)
* Remembering old friends now lost. (The crew of Discovery would have an awful lot of these, and given how challenging life has been in the 32nd century, Vance probably does too.)
The Sandman (TV)
Requested Characters/Ships: Calliope, Dream of the Endless, Lucienne, Dream of the Endless & Hob Gadling, Calliope/Dream of the Endless, Gault/Lucienne
I love this show, but I only finished it a couple of days ago. I promise the relative brevity of my comments are this section are because I'm doing this so late, and not because I want it less than the others.
A warning that I haven't read the comics, so while you're welcome to draw on them for characterization and inspiration, please know that I won't understand references to them. I also apologize if any of the questions below were answered in the comics. But maybe you'll want to put a twist on it, consistent with the show?
ETA: A little elaboration, in case it's wanted. I love the inhumaness of Dream, his dedication to duty and to humanity, his courage, his ruthlessness in carrying out that duty, and his rare moments of tenderness. I don't have a lot of specific requests here, other than exploring more about Dream. A day in the world? Other dreams or nightmares he's created? People he's loved? People he's lost? A conversation with Unity? What made him decide to turn Lucienne into his librarian?
Dream's friendship with Hob was delightful, and I'd love to see more of it, especially after Dream finally admits that they are friends. Do they ever carry it beyond a simple drink at a pub? Does Dream ever tell Hob anything at all about who he is or why Hob doesn't die? Do they run into trouble in the future that gives Hob another hint about what Dream is?
Calliope's episode was truly creepy, but she was fantastic in her determination and endurance and resistance. I'd love to see more of her past with Dream, before things went wrong, or a glimpse of their future--as a couple renewed or as fond friends.
I love Lucienne, who stepped in and took over and remained faithful, and who persuaded Dream that even immortal creatures can change. I also love Gault, who was determined to become more than she'd been created to be, and I love that Lucienne supported that Dream. Alternately, Gault used to be a shapeshifter. (Or possibly still is?) How did that affect her self-image? How does it affect her in a relationship? Lucienne didn't trust her. How do they build that trust?
Additional Prompts
* What's Calliope's next conversation with any of her sisters like?
* Who does Calliope choose to inspire next? And what does praying to the muses look like in the modern age?
* How did Calliope and Dream's relationship begin? What did their marriage look like?
* Who does Dream tell his secrets to?
* A nightmare walks the earth on Halloween.
* Did Lucienne ever lose faith?
* Does Hob ever learn anything about Dream? Under what circumstances might Dream be forced to reveal some information to Hob?
* What's Hob and Dream's meeting like a century from now? Two centuries?
* Hob and Dream walk the streets of a US city on Halloween. Perhaps they encounter ghosts? Or discuss changing traditions?
* What are the characters thankful for?
* Visiting dreams of Halloween.
* Gault and Lucienne both grew beyond what they started as. Does this draw them together? Does Lucienne seek Gault out to support her transition, having gone through a transition of her own?
* The ghosts that haunt them.