Dear Id Pro Quo Writer 2020 -

[justmcshane]

...hello, and thank you for writing for me for Id Pro Quo!

 

As you can probably tell re: fandom and character choices, I'm less into romantic iddy stuff, and more of a very very strong friendship kind of person. Hopefully this doesn't turn you away.

Likes: Hurt/comfort, fluff, angst, cuddling, whump, mind control, found family, teamwork, body horror.I really like interesting imagery and descriptions! (more in my letter) I also do like happy/hopeful endings a lot more than depressing ones.

DNW: Basically anything to do with sex - vanilla, kinky, or otherwise. I am very sex-repulsed - sorry! Ditto for romance. Vomit, urine, shit, and all other bodily fluids/wastes (sexually and non sexually, including any kinks relating to it as well as toilet humor).

I've listed some specific iddy stuff under each relationship in my original request, but if you want to take some tags from one category and apply them to another because you like the sound of it, go ahead!

My sincere apologies for not giving enough detailed information or specific prompts here. It's been a long, long year already, and we've barely finished a single month.

Doctor Who (1963) -- Seventh Doctor & Ace McShane

There's just something about this particular Doctor-companion relationship that's always drawn me to it - maybe it's how much fun they always seemed to be having on adventures together? Although probably it was the mentor-mentee dynamic with high-powered explosives thrown in for good measure. I really have no clue. Either way, feel free to make them hurt as much as you want.

In addition - if queer themes appeal to you and you feel like writing them, I've always been a big fan of nonbinary!Doctor and bisexual!Ace. No pressure to include this.

In general, I prefer for Ace to be the one in need of saving/comfort/etc. If you want to flip this around a bit, that's fine too.

Based on the tags I gave:

• Aftermath Of One Character Finding Out Other Character Wouldn't Sacrifice Them For The Greater Good - for Seven and Ace, this kind of writes itself, and you probably already know what I want.
• Body Horror - the Cheetah Virus definitely falls under this. Anything else is good too - no specific thoughts, I'm afraid. More body horror thoughts below.
• Forehead Kisses - especially in the aftermath of bad/traumatic stuff happening.
• Hurt/Comfort - A finds out that B is/was suicidal - the thought of Ace having been suicidal in some manner was always at the back of my mind when I was a bit younger. Possibly because of me projecting. Nobody plays around with high-powered explosives if they actually value their life all that much, right?
• Hurt/Comfort - Character is weak and fatigued but doesn't slow down because they're "just tired" - this trope just kind of has Ace written all over. However, it kind of does lend itself to the Doctor as well. They're both stubborn morons like that.
• Hurt/Comfort - rescued from imprisonment - see next dot point.
• Rescues - Character seeks revenge for dead loved one; only to find them alive and in need of rescue - this team has a penchant for getting locked up due to getting into trouble - sometimes together, occasionally apart. I would adore if the latter occurred, with a the Doctor receiving some Irrefutable Evidence that Ace is dead, getting really mad, and having to switch abruptly from that into rescue mode - with any of these other tags as bonuses.
• Aftermath of Torture - I love me some good post-torture hurt/comfort - either at the location of the torture taking place, or back at the TARDIS with several blankets and a good hot cup of tea. If hugs are involved, that is excellent.
• Platonic Cuddling - as part of the torture aftermath, perhaps?
• Protectiveness - see the dot point below. But also Ace getting very very angry on the Doctor's behalf is very good stuff.
• Dangerous Character Willing to Destroy World to Save and Protect One Person - I'm a VERY big fan of when The Doctor Gets Real. And also when The Doctor Gets Scary. And equally when the Doctor Is Getting Real And Scary But Ace Knows That He'd Never Hurt Her.
• Body Horror - (Flowers growing from under character's skin), (Flowers growing from character's empty eye socket), (detailed description of transformation or its aftermath) - no specific thoughts for how/where/why for all of these - just that I like these tropes a lot!

Doctor Who: Virgin New Adventures - Various Authors -- Seventh Doctor & Bernice Summerfield

I've read all the VNAs (and listened to all the Big Finish audios featuring the two of them together), so go wild as far as canon is concerned.

There's a particular part from SLEEPY by Kate Orman where Seven's watching Benny sleep, and is thinking about how 'she'd make a fabulous old lady, full of stories and laughter. Maybe with some grandchildren. Maybe he'd visit, teach them origami and stargazing' - and that is a) absolutely adorable and b) just really sums up how fond he is of her.

In general, I prefer for Benny to be the one in need of saving/comfort/etc. If you want to flip this around a bit, that's fine too, and that goes even more so for this particular pairing, since they work so well as equal partners.

Based on the tags I gave:

• Hurt/Comfort - rescued from imprisonment - a prison (or another place that you get locked up in) break would be amazing, especially with one or both of them injured and obviously struggling to keep going.
• Literary References & Allusions - I am... a bit pretentious. Well, I’m very pretentious, actually, and I love it when stories try to be as well. If you end up alluding to something that I’m not already aware of, I’ll love it all the same, so don’t worry about that – and even more if you include a bibliography/explanation of the allusions or references at the end! For specific ideas – I like Dante’s Divine Comedy, Gilbert & Sullivan, fairy tales of all sorts and types, the Child ballads (with a particular love for Tam Lin). Benny and the Doctor are very clever people who are both well-versed in academic bullshittery. It's glorious and I love them, and I think they'd lean into this.
• Aftermath of Torture - I love me some good post-torture hurt/comfort - either at the location of the torture taking place, or back at the TARDIS with several blankets and a good hot cup of tea. If hugs are involved, that is excellent.
• Mind Control - Recovery while in high pressure circumstances - Time Lords are touch-telepaths - that's bound to be helpful with potential mind control recovery, right?
• Platonic Cuddling - because they deserve it.
• Whump - Character hiding illness/injury collapses - it could be Benny, who's aware that they have a job to do and knows that they can't afford to stop and rest because the fate of the city/planet/galaxy hangs in the balance. Or it could be the Doctor, overworking himself yet again. Cue panic and horror from the other person.
• Dangerous Character Willing to Destroy World to Save and Protect One Person - as with Seven & Ace (as noted above), I really do love the Doctor Getting Very Scary For Benny's Sake.
• Platonic Soulmates - because they kind of really are. Their friendship clicks so well upon them meeting for the first time in Love and War, and Benny's always ready to call the Doctor on his bullshit if need be - and he always tries to look out for her.
• Protectiveness - yep. See most of these other dot points.
• Body Horror - (Flowers growing from under character's skin), (Flowers growing from character's empty eye socket), (detailed description of transformation or its aftermath) - no specific thoughts for how/where/why for all of these - just that I like these tropes a lot!

Back to the Future (Movies) -- Emmett "Doc" Brown & Marty McFly

The Partners In Time! The dynamic of 'slightly mad scientist that most of the town hates/is afraid of' and 'the brave kid who somehow managed to befriend him' is so good. Especially since their intergenerational friendship is never really explained or questioned - it just is.

Feel free to set the fic at any point before, during, or after the movies - or even slightly altered timelines, where one or more of the movies didn't happen. It's all good! I'm also fond of post-third movie stories where Doc and Clara move back into town, and Marty stops by a lot and they go on time travelling trips together.

In general, I prefer for Marty to be the one in need of saving/comfort/etc. If you want to flip this around a bit, that's fine too.

Also, if you want to throw Einstein in there too, I'd love you. Because I love Einie - he's the best boy.

Based on the tags I gave:

• Character Losing Grip on Reality - having so many alternate timelines to keep straight in your head can't be fun! How's Marty doing with that, post third movie - especially since Doc is no longer around? Hopefully Doc can turn up to help fix with that loss of reality grippage
• Families - Found Family - because when you've fixed the past so that your family doesn't suck anymore, it must feel super weird and kind of unnerving. Sometimes your biological family's affections don't feel as real as that of the cool old scientist who lives in his garage and teaches you things about sound waves and blowing things up.
• Hurt/Comfort - Character doesn't care about own well-being - oh, Marty. He's reckless and brave and stubborn and... Would benefit a lot more from taking care of himself, probably. And a hug. A hug would be good.
• Protectiveness - these guys rescue each other all the time and it's just wonderful. I always loved that moment from the third movie where Doc shows up just in the nick of time (and looking cool as hell) to perform an awesome trick shot to save Marty's life. Zeroing in on that would be awesome.
• Time Loop - because it's a series about time travel and time loops are very, very cool. Who it's centred on and who can remember it happening is up to you - as is the cause, the trigger, the solution, everything else! There's some pretty good stories of this genre that involve the character dying at the end of every day, or someone else dying - that's an excellent setup to some good character drama.
• Dimension travel to a significantly diverged timeline - Hell yeah! This could be anything to another mixup with altering the past or present, to a genuine accident that's somehow not their fault at all. How messed up is it - and how do they end up getting back? And do they get hurt? (I hope so. Sorry, guys.)

Knives Out (2019) -- Benoit Blanc & Marta Cabrera

Ever since watching the movie I've wanted some post-canon content with these two becoming proper friends. Blanc's unwavering faith and kindness towards Marta kind of made my heart melt. 'You are a good nurse,' indeed. And I really love the concept of 'quirky southern gentleman detective and his recently-extremely-rich best friend who isn't medically able to lie go off on adventures and solve crime together', as improbable as that may be.

In general, I prefer for Marta to be the one in need of saving/comfort/etc. If you want to flip this around a bit, that's fine too.

Based off the tags I gave:

• Case Fic - because OBVIOUSLY casefic, considering the source canon, right? I love murder mysteries, especially ones with clever conclusions that are foreshadowed all throughout. Maybe there's a new mystery occurring in town, and Blanc asks Marta to be the Watson again - or maybe they're already working together for whatever reason. If you want to make the stakes higher (somebody's stalking/hunting down Marta or Blanc and they need to figure out who before it's too late) or lower (someone's stolen Marta's birthday cake, the fiends!) feel free.
• Literary References & Allusions -I am... a bit pretentious. Well, I’m very pretentious, actually, and I love it when stories try to be as well. If you end up alluding to something that I’m not already aware of, I’ll love it all the same, so don’t worry about that – and even more if you include a bibliography/explanation of the allusions or references at the end! For specific ideas – I like Dante’s Divine Comedy, Gilbert & Sullivan, fairy tales of all sorts and types, the Child ballads (with a particular love for Tam Lin). Blanc absolutely makes literary references to many pretentious things. Marta was best friends with a murder mystery writer. The Sherlock Holmes/Christie/etc references almost write themselves.
• Friendship - Extremely close with those you've gone through hell with - a very good way for the friendship to occur in the first place!
• Character Losing Grip on Reality - some supernatural elements in a mystery/adventure/any sort of story, where it's unclear if these supernatural elements are actually real or not - maybe due to drugs, maybe something else.
• Dreams - Dream imagery and symbolism - as part of the above dot point!
• Protectiveness - Because it's just a very good trope, and I adored the scene in the movie where Blanc swept into the room in Full Rage Mode to chew out the Thrombey family for Marta's sake, if that helps illustrate my likes any. Any further stuff along those lines would be welcomed and treasured, and if you want to flip it around a bit and have Marta doing the same for Blanc, feel free!
• Protectiveness - Character being protected isn't used to being cared about - the Thrombey family did a lot of saccharine-sweet 'we'll take care of you' sort of protectiveness that was very obviously non-genuine. Harlan was probably the only one who cared about Marta in a full and genuine capacity until Blanc.
• Forehead Kisses - because Blanc is a gentleman. And a forehead kiss from Marta seems like it would be very sweet and soft indeed.
• Body Horror - (Flowers growing from under character's skin), (Flowers growing from character's empty eye socket), (detailed description of transformation or its aftermath) - maybe as part of that aforementioned Losing Grip On Reality/DreamImagery thing? I'm aware that it's a bit of a strange one to put in this particular fandom, but I do love plant-based and transformative body horror.

Thank you so much for writing for me! Hopefully you end up getting some delicious, wonderful iddy content in return. And please do remember to have fun with writing this, if you can!