merle_p | Dear Yuletide Writer

Happy Yuletide Season, dear writer!

Thank you so much for writing a story about my favorite characters in one of my favorite tiny fandoms. I'm very excited and hope you have fun writing for me as well!

I am invested in all the requested fandoms and characters equally. Please don’t read anything into the length of the passages, the order of the fandoms (alphabetic), the nature of the prompts – if there are differences, they are coincidental; it has nothing to do with how much I want the fandom or the characters. Treats are great too!

I'm merle_p on AO3 as well.

GENERAL LIKES:
Feel free to pick and choose. These are all things I reliably love in fic, so I’ll be thrilled to receive a story that includes any one or two things from the lists below. But don’t feel like you need to fit as many likes or prompts as possible into your work if it doesn’t happen organically. I also enjoy a ton of other stuff, so don’t worry about including other tropes or themes not listed in this letter as long as they are not DNWs.

Plot/Character-related:

Dialogue/banter; sarcasm, snark
Any kind of hurt/comfort or angst with a happy/hopeful ending
Canon divergence (AUs in the canon setting that diverge from canon in small but significant ways, or where the story takes a different turn somewhere)
Sidekick/underappreciated characters being appreciated
Competent people who are good at what they do; competence kink
Cynical and world-weary characters
Characters who drink too much coffee, drink too much alcohol, or smoke, also possibly too much
Era- or location-specific details
Trope subversion (e.g., "undercover as couple but not with the person they love" or "there's just one bed but they don't do it until they have a dorm room with ten beds to themselves" ...)

Ship/Friendship-related:

Getting together/first times
Friends-to-lovers, antagonists-to-lovers, reluctant-allies-to-lovers
Friendships of all kinds (with a soft spot for cross-gender friendships and for supportive friendships between siblings)
Pining, jealousy, misunderstandings (as long as they get resolved in the end!)
Loyalty that has been earned, mutual trust, the willingness to make sacrifices for each other
Deep emotions that are expressed in understated ways
People taking care of each other
People working well together as a team, team-bonding

Sex/Porn-related:

Spontaneous sex (i.e. out of desperation, after a declaration of feelings, due to intoxication, in an unusual location …)
Passionate/rough/frantic sex (not trying to hurt each other, but in the heat of the moment pushing someone against a wall, using teeth, pulling hair, etc.)
Porn with Feelings
Size difference/Size kink
Loyalty kink and Praise kink
Kissing, lots of kissing (on the mouth or any other body parts)
Hands (romantic hand-kissing, but also sucking on fingers, fingering ... or just hands being sexy doing normal ... hand stuff)
Leaving bruises or marks
Bodily fluids I’m explicitly good with in sexual contexts: Sweat, tears, sperm, vaginal fluids, saliva, blood

GENERAL DNWs:

Devastating endings or hopelessly unrequited affection
Permanent character death for requested characters (death of other characters is fine)
A/B/O-verse, Dom/Sub-verse, soulmate-verse
Mundane AUs (coffeeshop, highschool/college AUs, and similar scenarios)
Time travel and time loops
Genderswap, bodyswap, racebend, mpreg, non-canonical trans, ace, or neurodiverse headcanons for requested characters unless explicitly requested
Infantilism kink (including ageplay, diapers/pacifiers for adults, babytalk during sex)
Feederism/stuffing/weight gain kink (but things like food as love language, romantic dinners, feeding a sick person, etc. are all great)
Sex with or between characters under 14 (mentions of past CSA are fine if framed as negative)
Feces or vomit in sexual contexts (mention of these in non-sexual contexts is fine)
Use of formalized safewords (I prefer the characters to say simply “stop” or “no” if needed), or explicit extended verbal kink and consent negotiation (But casually checking in with each other along the lines of “Is this okay?” – “Yes!” etc. is great)

FANDOMS/CHARACTERS:

Afdeling Q/Department Q: Assad, Carl Mørck

The characters: The detectives of Department Q, I love them so. I love how Assad is so effortlessly kind and that he KNOWS EVERYONE BY NAME, and how fiercely protective he is when someone he cares about is in danger. I love how Carl cares too much about his cases but is absolutely hopeless at human interactions but oh, he tries for Assad, he tries so hard! I love how they both don’t give that much of a f*ck about what the rest of the precinct thinks of them as long they get to do their work in peace. I love that they drink coffee like water and smoke like chimneys (no really this is very important to me).
And of course I love how they both take one look and immediately imprint on one another, and then keep risking their lives for each other. The dynamic where Assad is so patient in trying to get Carl to open up a little, and Carl is an asshole about it until Assad has finally enough, and the moment he thinks he’s losing Assad, Carl just falls apart … yes that is all very lovely indeed.

Prompts: Please write these either way you feel comfortable: their canonical platonic codependency is absolutely delicious and I want more of it, but if you are feeling in a shippy mood, yes, I absolutely ship them too and will happily read about them pining pathetically or getting naked together. I think most of these prompts should work for both gen or ship fic, so don’t feel bound by one or the other!

Hurt/Comfort: One of them getting injured and the other one having to keep him alive until help arrives; one trying to sacrifice himself for the other; one of them having to confront a traumatic part of their past and the other one helping or providing support in some way … you name it. They just look so good when they are all tortured (whether physically or emotionally) and worried about each other.
Not in Denmark Anymore: I love the setting of Copenhagen in the movies, but I would also love to see them having to travel abroad for a case. Anywhere is fine, really; just take them out of their usual environment! Do they clash with local law enforcement in Italy? Do they go undercover at a techno club in Berlin? Does their dynamic shift in Tunisia, where Assad doesn’t just visually blend in more easily but also speaks French? Do they accidentally keep ending up in various cliché romantic spots in Paris?
Friends & Family: The films (understandably) focus on their shared work; but I’d love to see their social circles collide as well. Assad and Jesper bonding over music? Assad meeting Vigga and both of them trying to navigate their respective roles in Carl’s life? What about Assad – tell me more about his background, his time before or after his immigration to Denmark, the people he hangs out with! **(see fandom-specific notes/DNW for this). Does Nour’s family quasi-adopt him after Journal 64, and what happens when Assad introduces them to Carl?
Relationship Development: Of course the entire final sequence of Journal 64 is extremely pertinent to my interests but also they clearly have quite a way to go. Assad having to almost-die every time just for them to shake (okay, desperately clasp) hands doesn’t seem sustainable. So, where do they go from there? How do they let each other in? What are Carl’s ways of showing affection? Where does Assad draw his own lines for how far he’s willing to open up? And if they take their relationship further (to the, uhm, kissing and/or naked stage), how does that both enrich and upset the bond they’ve worked so hard on building?

Fandom-specific notes/DNW: My requested canon is the original film quadrilogy, and my requested characters are the movie versions depicted by Fares Fares and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. Let’s just say that I consider the novels a separate thing, so no need to take them into account. In fact, my explicit DNW is any characters or plot details from the novel Victim 2117. If you do need/want a backstory for Assad, you are welcome to make up your own instead (just please no storylines that portray Muslims or Arabs as "terrorists").

Apples Never Fall: Amy Delaney, Simon Barrington

The characters: I honestly didn't expect them to win me over this quickly, but I really loved how in the middle of this massive clusterfuck of a dysfunctional family, the plotline of Amy hooking up with her 15 years younger landlord (in what is initially probably not the healthiest coping mechanism) ends up easily being one of the sweetest parts of this series. It took about five minutes for me to be utterly charmed by the interactions between these two. I really enjoyed how the age difference between them was brought up but not made into a big deal in the end; and found it super refreshing how they just kind of stumbled into being with each other, like: "No we never went on a date! And we live together! It could get super messy! But also I really like you, so let's just roll with it and see what happens!"
I loved how how their seemingly contradictory ways of going through the world (Amy: chaos! Simon: structure!) were what made them clash initially but ultimately also gravitate towards each other. But! At the same time, as gratifying it was to see Simon take care of Amy in her distress, their current relationship status doesn’t seem entirely … sustainable? So where do they go from here?

Prompts: I'd say the majority of the prompts here imagine them as being an item as they are in canon, but there are other options here too that I'm equally interested in!

A Shifting Balance: I would love to see what happens when the balance between them shifts a little: Simon must have needs and worries beyond keeping his post-its properly color-coded! What happens when he has a personal crisis/job drama/a bad case of the flu? Is Amy ready to take care of him (and what does that look like?), or does the sudden responsibility make her panic and run (at least at first)?
Chaos and Order: Do they find some kind of harmonious equilibrium between chaos and stability that works for both of them, or do they keep clashing over Amy messing up Simon’s routine or Simon putting away Amy’s stuff? Does Simon ever actually get mad at her for crossing his boundaries, the way she was at him for cleaning up her room? (Is he physically capable of being mad?) Where do they both draw hard lines? Do they end up being a good influence on each other?
Family Drama: Since the TV show is, after all, a family drama, feel free to throw their families into the mix. How does it go when Amy introduces Simon properly to her family? At first glance it seems like he might have an easier time fitting in with the Delaneys than Amy herself; but maybe he’s also put off by their harshness and high-level egocentrism? What happens when Amy meets Simon’s mom? Does she worry at all about being just 6 or 7 years younger than Ms. Barrington? And who is this woman that raised a young man who is 24 going on 42?
Together/Not Together: I’m actually relatively open to where their journey takes them: I would love to see them grow as a couple, make it work despite their obvious differences, have a future together; but I’d also be open to a story where they ultimately end up deciding that they are better off as friends – does Amy help Simon find a girl/boy/enbyfriend who shares his love for colored markers and lists? Does Simon help Amy go house-hunting when she is ready for a place of her own? Do they come to each other for advice?

Fandom-specific notes: Keep in mind that I have only seen the show. I haven’t read the novel, so I would prefer for the story to be based on the TV versions of the characters.

Fandom-specific DNW: Please no pregnancy/baby plotline for these two. Other people’s babies or pregnancies are fine; general conversations about possibly wanting (or not wanting) kids in the future are also fine; I just do not want this story to be about Amy and Simon creating/having/raising one.

Dogs of Berlin: Erol Birkan, Kurt Grimmer

The characters: I am just so incredibly drawn to the complicated dynamic between these two, the way they can’t seem to stop taunting each other, the push-and-pull they are engaged in, the teammates/sort-of enemies/allies-but-not-friends relationship they have throughout most of the series. Considering their different backgrounds and priorities, it’s not surprising that they clash at first; and it's extremely rewarding to see them slowly and grudgingly warm up to each other. There’s just so much tension in the room with these two in every scene, always ready to erupt, you can basically hear the static crackling – however you want to define that tension. And the heavy baggage they both bring to the table makes for such delicious angst and hurt/comfort potential.

Prompts: I fell in love with their dynamic in canon, so I would love fic that further explores that relationship – antagonism giving way to mutual grudging respect to … friendship, maybe? That being said, I do also ship these two together, with all the baggage that entails, so if you want to have them suffer through some mutual UST or let them hook up/get together, I’m very much in favor of that. I think most of these prompts should work for both gen or ship fic, so don’t feel bound by one or the other!

Working together: I really want to see how their working relationship develops after their first case, when they have a chance to get used to each other and have to grudgingly realize what a great team they make. Erol’s upstanding attitude rubbing off on Kurt who is suddenly developing ambitions to be a “good cop” but feeling (slightly) resentful about it? Or vice versa, Erol finding himself crossing lines and being angry at himself but also at Kurt for “corrupting” him?
Hurt/Comfort: So many options! Saving each other’s lives on the job; one of them getting badly injured, the other one realizing how much they care; one of them having to confront a traumatic part of their past, or going through a crisis with their respective families, and the other one helping or providing support in some way. You are more than welcome to torture them a little, just maybe leave Erol’s poor nose alone, it has been through enough, lol!
Vice: Would love to see anything related to Kurt’s gambling addiction – for example, how does Erol react when he experiences it first-hand? Is he put in the position to cover Kurt’s debts to save him from physical violence? Is he able to help Kurt cope with it in some way? I will say that I am not really interested in therapy fic (or even necessarily recovery fic) here; but I would love them having an agreement where Kurt comes to Erol whenever he is itching to gamble and Erol distracts him with work/sex/etc. Or maybe Erol just chains him to a radiator, since turnabout is fair play, right?
Obsession: I feel like this is almost canon but why not take it further: The two of them developing an (unhealthy?) obsession with each other (in whatever way, whether it’s “love-to-hate”, or a platonic fixation on figuring out each other’s secrets, or an erotic/romantic obsession). Feel free to throw in pinches of jealousy, possessiveness, borderline stalking, staking their claim, marking each other’s bodies … again, I mean this platonically or sexually, or some weird in-between thing because, well, they are a little weird.

Fandom-specific note: If you are writing ship fic: for this particular fandom I’m explicitly okay with the requested characters cheating on their canon significant others with each other. But if you prefer, feel free to give Kurt and Paula a divorce and/or have Erol and Guido break up, or just ignore their canon partners entirely. I'm good either way.

Fandom-specific DNW: Please do not romanticize or excuse Kurt’s political past. Feel free to briefly mention it or make it part of the plot somehow, it's perfectly fine to include it in the story - I just don't want to see it downplayed or presented as positive.

KAOS: Dionysus

The character: Ah Dionysus, God of Baby Kittens, Lollipops, Barebacking, and Art Print Shirts! He’s such a fantastic character, both as an interpretation of the mythical figure and also as a character in his own right. I love that he’s a little bit clueless about a lot of things but that he also has an innate curiosity and goodness that make him want to learn and understand. I love that unlike the other Gods we get to know, he rarely uses his powers. Recover from getting shot? Absolutely. Stealing a watch? Yeah, alright. But it doesn’t even really seem to occur to him to use his power for anything more sinister than petty theft, because he is entirely devoid of the detached cruelty the rest of his family shares. His character development – from being just bored, to seeking purpose, to genuinely wanting to help, to being crushed by grief, and then to trying again – is tragicomically heart-wrenching and beautiful.

Prompts: Obviously this request is about Dionysus, so most of these prompts are meant to be character-centric, but the way he interacts with others is a big part of what makes him special, so many of these are also about his relationships, with other Gods or humans. And just in case you are in the mood to write something shippy or sexy: I mean, he’s the God of Pleasure, so I’m not picky about who you would like to pair him with. Honestly I’d be happy to read about him getting with pretty much any canon character, mythological character, or original character, so please go wild! (My only exception: Please no Dionysus/Hera, see also below under DNW)

Some are nice to be around: Okay look, tell me stories about Dionysus coming to love humanity. Of course, his mother was human. But I would love to read about some of the smaller interactions and connections he has that make him come to be in love with humans. Tell me about how his falafel guy became his de facto therapist. Or about his semi-regular hook-ups with Ambrose, the bartender at The Cave. Who does he spend the night with? Who is his weed dealer? Who does his hair? Does he have friends he hangs out with? How do the people he interacts with see him in return?
Mythology: Feel free to draw on Greek mythology for your story! Never mind about “accuracy” (the myths all have multiple versions anyway), but Dionysus does have some fascinating stories attached to his name, so if you want to work elements of those into your fic, please go ahead! Like, maybe something about Hermes as Dionysus’ big brother and reluctant babysitter? Or about Dionysus’ love affair with the satyr Ampelos? Or perhaps you would like to tackle the story of Dionysus giving the ability to speak to a donkey only for the donkey to enter a dick-measuring contest with Priapus?
Plus One: If you are interested in exploring Dionysus’ relationship with other canon main characters, that’s also something I would love to read. I loved his interactions with Orpheus on the show, so if you want to write more bonding moments (missing scenes, post-canon, etc), that’s fantastic. I’d also be really interested in an encounter between Dionysus and Theseus after everything is over: they both have suffered devastating loss, but maybe they can comfort each other a little, even if it’s just for a moment in time? Or Dionysus and Persephone: there is a version of the myth where Persephone is actually Dionysus’s "first" mother – whether you want to get into that or not, something about her being a mother or mentor figure for Dionysus would be great. Or for something darker, perhaps a story about how Poseidon definitely lied to Zeus about not wanting to fuck Dionysus …and maybe he already did?

Fandom-specific DNW:
1. Please no Dionysus/Hera.
2. There are some stories in mythology in which Dionysus is said to have drugged and raped women who rejected him – please ignore those! I just can’t imagine this particular version of the character using sexual violence, so please no noncon with Dionysus as the aggressor (mild dubcon, like attracting humans with his divine glamor, is fine). I’d be okay with dubcon/noncon if Dionysus is the one being coerced/forced though (see, for example, my prompt about Dionysus and Poseidon).