AU Ex Letter 2023

[majorr]

Dear Author,

Thank you so much for writing something for me! I love surprises, so don’t worry if you get an idea that deviates from some of the thoughts I throw out. I’m excited to see what you come up with! I’ve requested a bunch of spooky tags, so I’ve included a list of my horror likes as well in case we matched on one of those.

AO3: Major

Treats are welcome!

General Likes: Family, Loyalty, Protectiveness, Banter, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Slow Build, UST, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings, Jealousy, Vulnerability, Possessiveness, Codependency, Established Relationship, 5 + 1, Storms, Canon Divergence, Stranded, Adventure, Wilderness Survival, Camping, Bed Sharing, Murder Mystery, Twenty-Four Hours to Live, Horror, Humor, Fluff, Hand Holding, Flirting, Trains, Bonding

Do Not Want: PWP, Mpreg, Incest, Babies/Pregnancies, Genderswap, Non-Con, Unrequited Love, Animal Harm/Death, Fishing/Hunting, Second Person POV

Horror Likes:

• The emotional side of dealing with something horrific: panic, fear, desperation, freezing up, hyper protectiveness, self-sacrifice to protect a loved one, having to compartmentalize grief, fighting through pain/injuries, determination, resolve, pushing through and finding the strength to survive.


• Isolation, abandoned places, deserted island, caves, no way to call for help


• A cabin in the woods


• The Final Girl (or for the purposes of this exchange, The Final OTP or OT…F? One True Family? Idk, lol) is fun too


• Violence, Graphic Violence, Injuries


• Hiding from danger/killer/monster, those tense moments of terror at the threat of getting found


• Parking lots/garages at night


• Moving through a tight space: cave, tunnel, vent, etc. With or without throwing in time sensitivity: filling up with water, hunted by animal/killer/creature, running out of air/light


• Heavy storms


• A weapon is just out of reach


• Getting followed on foot or in a car


• Home alone


• Plane/Train/Ship/Bus/Car Crash with or without injuries/casualties, unable to find someone in the wreck or they’re unresponsive


• Electricity goes out, lights flickering, flashlights, candles


• Everybody lives, a body count with survivors


• Happy Endings, Ambiguous Endings, Bittersweet Endings


• Giant Monsters like in Cloverfield and the absolute disbelief, chaos, and destruction that comes with trying to survive that


• Serial Killers


• Stalkers


• Cults


• Camping Gone Wrong (Killer, Monster, Wildlife, Witch, Getting Lost), Tents, Sleeping Bags, Campfires, Nature Sounds


• Home Invasions


• Clowns


• Knives, Chainsaws, Machetes, Unnatural Strength, Improvised or Creative Weapons


• Drowning, Burning, Hanging


• Attacked by a lion, tiger, bear (oh my), shark, or alligator. I really enjoy movies like Backcountry, Burning Bright, Black Water, Jaws, etc. I love the terror of trying to survive something that you can’t if it gets to you and that sick horror of characters seeing their loved ones attacked or eaten. Don’t kill the animals, though. They can just get away to terrorize people another day like Michael Myers. With full bellies.

Criminal Minds
JJ/Will

These two have such a sweet and enduring relationship, and I absolutely loved how their love was a constant thread throughout the series. I was always happy to see Will and know that whatever dark stuff JJ had to deal with, she had a loving partner at home and a family that gave her joy and strength. I adore Will and his accent and charm and “darling”s, all of their gentle and casual touching. Give me their sweet bond and/or emotionally torture me, threaten their lives, let them have moments of peace, throw a bad guy/alien/monster at them: whichever way you want to go, I’m here for it. One or both of them threatened/hurt/in danger or in need of emotional support/comfort is also good. I am totally fine with injuries and character death(s) of anyone and everyone, extras and the cast, except for JJ, Will, and their kids. Injuries, close calls, and thinking they’re dead when they’re not for JJ/Will/the kids is totally fine and welcome, though! I also love the team’s family dynamic and friendships, so including any of the others in the BAU is definitely okay.

Note: The ‘babies’ DNW does not apply here. If you want to mention or include their children at any age, that’s totally fine!

Prompts:

• A Quiet Place Fusion - I LOVED the opening of part two, so if you wanted to write the start of the invasion from their perspective, I’d love that as much as throwing them in the thick of it, whichever is your preference, start of the attacks or the emotional toll and survival horror of living in the established apocalypse. Does the BAU go somewhere to try to survive together? Maybe everyone makes it on the jet but crash somewhere and have to try to survive. Or do JJ and Will take the kids somewhere on their own to try to make it? Maybe they’re at a party at Rossi’s house when it all starts, and the music draws the aliens?


• Alien Invasion AU - Original alien concepts are 100% welcome, but if you’re searching for inspiration, anything that channels any of these movies would also be cool: Signs, Independence Day, The Vast of Night, or Cloverfield. I was also obsessed with the alien design in The Tomorrow War. Those things were awesome! I love both action/adventure scenes, horror scenes, and that confused/afraid/panic when invasions first start and everyone is trying to figure out what’s going on and what to do. News coverage, debate about evacuation/where to go, minds blown that what’s happening is even happening at all: all of that is great.


• Apocalypse AU - Do they try to find some way to protect their family even if it looks inevitable? I’m very fond of natural disaster end of the world type movies like: Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012. Anything in that vein would be cool. I’m particularly interested in both the emotional toll it would take, the responsibility and loyalty to family, and survival scenarios.


• Jurassic Park AU - JJ and Will (and the kids or the BAU team?) visiting the park when it goes haywire! I’ve been obsessed with these movies my whole life, so absolutely anything that plays into the survival mode they have to enter to get through the chaos would be amazing. Injuries, close calls, chases, getting hunted, someone getting dragged off, getting dragged off themselves: all good. Raptors are a particular nightmare of mine. Any inclusion of them would be fantastic.


• Moving into a Haunted House - Who notices something is off first? Does the other one take some convincing?


• non-LOST character experiences time-traveling consciousness requiring Constant - I love this episode and was excited to see this as a tag! I would love it if JJ was the one slipping and she needed Will.


• The Purge AU - I am so in love with this as a concept for non-horror canons. The absolute fear that must take over the characters in the day(s) before, trying to get ready, find somewhere safe to hole up, the nerves and anxiety and disgust toward the entire event. I find it psychologically very interesting. If you want to write them getting caught out in the Purge and having to survive something/someone, I’m totally on board. If you want to get them somewhere safe and have them cope with the stress of getting through the night knowing what’s going on out there, I’d also love something more contained that focuses on their gratitude for each other’s own safety while struggling with the horror of the Purge.

DCEU
Clark Kent/Lois Lane

The way Clark looks at Lois is almost too much for me. They’re so sweet! The loyalty and trust between them. I never doubt that these two love each other. I adore Clark’s relationship with his mother and the connection Lois has with Martha too, Smallville as a setting as well as the city, and the sense that these are two people who genuinely want to do good in the world. Clark’s kindness and heart above all of his strength and abilities is endlessly endearing to me. There’s something special about how incorruptible he is, and it complements the determination and devotion to the truth that guides Lois very well. Their relationship feels very solid to me, and I like that a lot.

Prompts:

• A Quiet Place Fusion - I LOVED the opening of part two, so if you wanted to write the start of the invasion from their perspective, I’d love that as much as throwing them in the thick of it, whichever is your preference, start of the attacks or the emotional toll and survival horror of living in the established apocalypse. Do they hunker down with Martha in Smallville? I feel like Clark would be fine, but Lois and Martha would certainly be in danger. If Clark went off to try and hunt them down, they’d be particularly vulnerable, so how often does he do that, if ever? Is it too much of a risk to leave them alone?


• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind AU - What would possess Lois to try this? I feel like she’s clever enough to figure out how to stop it once regret set in maybe? I love the panic and frustration in these AUs of trying to stop the memory deletion. Could she successfully save Clark in her memory? That would be a happy ending. If not, I also enjoy when these AUs end with either the implication that the memories will return or meeting the person again and the implication being that they’ll fall in love all over again anyway.


• Fugitive AU - I feel like Clark’s the kind of person who believes in the system and would support Lois trying to clear her name if she was framed for murder/terrorism/whatever… BUT if the system was corrupt and she was found guilty/sentenced to death or something, maybe Superman would launch a prison break or fly her out of the court room. Lois and Clark on the run is so much fun!


• Horror AU - See my general horror likes up top. I’d also love any scenario where investigating a case leads to a fusion with: Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, Scream, Escape Room, The Collector, Fresh, or The Blair Witch Project.


• Jurassic Park AU - Superman vs. Dinosaurs: Why have I never thought of this before? Lol I’m having so many flashes for fun scenes if Lois and Clark were at the park when it went haywire? Clark saving Lois from a T-Rex? Pteranodon carrying Lois away but, hey, Clark can fly too. I’ve been obsessed with these movies my whole life, so absolutely anything that plays into the survival mode they have to enter to get through the chaos would be amazing. Injuries, close calls, chases, getting hunted, someone getting dragged off, getting dragged off themselves: all good. Raptors are a particular nightmare of mine. Any inclusion of them would be fantastic.


• non-LOST character experiences time-traveling consciousness requiring Constant - I love this episode and was excited to see this as a tag! I would love to see Clark needing Lois in this way.


• Small Town Crime AU & Small Town Horror - Anything taking place in Smallville would be awesome. Maybe they stay with Ma for the summer or buy their own farmhouse for when they’re visiting and get involved in something sinister going on.

Forever (TV 2014)
Henry & Abe

I rewatched the show for the first time since it aired and, man, I love Henry and Abe as much as ever. Their bond is so endearing. I’m obsessed with the visually confusing age gap between them, considering their actual ages. It’s such an interesting position for Henry to be in as a parent with his immortality, and it’s definitely a unique and often quite funny position for Abe on the other end of it. I chose a lot of these tags with an interest in Abe’s unique vulnerability compared to Henry, and how Abe’s safety would concern Henry in those situations because there wouldn’t be any regeneration if things went sideways for Abe. Fear and paternal love and protectiveness from Henry for Abe is adorable. The genuine humor, loyalty and care between them is endlessly sweet. I love it when Abe calls him Pops, haha. I also found Henry’s love for Abigail and their family trio with Abe to be very sweet as well, so any reference to her or the familial love that binds them all together would be more than welcome.

Note: The ‘babies’ DNW does not apply here. If you want to mention or include Abe as a baby, that’s totally fine!

Prompts:

• With the right postage, you can send letters anywhere anywhen - I love this for Forever! What if Abe realized before and after Abigail that a lot of Henry’s life was lonely, so he took to using this special postage to send his dad letters in the time before he was born and (thinking ahead) to a time when he knew he must have died of old age? Does he start as a child so the letters change in style/maturity or does he send them all as an adult? Do any of the letters reach him while he’s trapped in the asylum/jail? How do the letters impact/improve Henry’s life? Does receiving the letters before Abe comes into his life make him excited to meet his future son? Or maybe he sends the letters to Henry at a time when Abe’s a baby if Henry ever mentioned that he was worried at first that he wouldn’t be able to raise him well/had doubts.


• A Quiet Place Fusion - I LOVED the opening of part two, so if you wanted to write the start of the invasion from their perspective, I’d love that as much as throwing them in the thick of it, whichever is your preference, start of the attacks or the emotional toll and survival horror of living in the established apocalypse.


• Alien Invasion AU - Original alien concepts are 100% welcome, but if you’re searching for inspiration, anything that channels any of these movies would also be cool: Signs, Independence Day, The Vast of Night, or Cloverfield. I was also obsessed with the alien design in The Tomorrow War. Those things were awesome! I love both action/adventure scenes, horror scenes, and that confused/afraid/panic when invasions first start and everyone is trying to figure out what’s going on and what to do. News coverage, debate about evacuation/where to go, minds blown that what’s happening is even happening at all: all of that is great.


• Apocalypse AU - This is particularly interesting for Henry because, depending on what kind of apocalypse it is, does it actually mean the end for Henry finally? Is he afraid to be totally alone on Earth (if it’s not one of those planet swallowing apocalypses)? Does he become hyper protective of Abe because it looks like no one can escape what’s coming? How does he grapple with the danger to his son and how does it compare to the maybe-danger to himself? As for Abe, does he gear up/make a plan/get ready, or does he try to find some sort of peace about the impending doom? I’m very fond of natural disaster end of the world type movies like: Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012. Anything in that vein would be cool. I’m particularly interested in both the emotional toll it would take, the responsibility and loyalty to family, and survival scenarios.


• Hanahaki with a secret instead of love; stops when character confesses the secret - I’ve never heard of this version of the trope or thought about it in a gen way before, but now I’m thinking, what if Henry were desperate the sicker Abe got and Abe’s secret was that he figured out how Henry could die but doesn’t want to tell him because, well, he doesn’t want him to die? The family angst! Worrying Henry! Even at Abe’s age, being afraid to be an orphan. It doesn’t have to be compatible with canon; any explanation is fine!


• Held Hostage - Henry could get pretty reckless here with his condition, acting in ways that could threaten its exposure if it meant protecting Abe from harm/death. How deeply does paternal instinct override everything else when Abe’s in danger? Is Jo there? What does she think of how unhesitatingly protective he is? Does Abe warn him that if he gets himself killed, he’ll be worse off because he’ll disappear and regenerate somewhere else while Abe’s still stuck in there? What if it was Adam holding them hostage? Henry would be able to speak freely/appeal to him for mercy directly about Abe being his son.


• Jurassic Park AU - Henry and Abe visiting the park when it goes haywire! Does Lucas show up uninvited and get carried off by a pterodactyl? (lol) I’ve been obsessed with these movies my whole life, so absolutely anything that plays into the survival mode they have to enter to get through the chaos would be amazing. Injuries, close calls, chases, getting hunted, someone getting dragged off, getting dragged off themselves: all good. I’m totally fine with the character death(s) of anyone and everyone, extras and the cast, except for Henry and Abe.


• The Purge AU - I am so in love with this as a concept for non-horror canons. The absolute fear that must take over the characters in the day(s) before, trying to get ready, find somewhere safe to hole up, the nerves and anxiety and disgust toward the entire event. I find it psychologically very interesting. If you want to write them getting caught out in the Purge and having to survive something/someone, I’m totally on board. If you want to get them somewhere safe and have them cope with the stress of getting through the night knowing what’s going on out there, I’d also love something more contained that focuses on their gratitude for each other’s own safety while struggling with the horror of the Purge.

Numb3rs (TV)
Don Eppes

Don has such a good heart. I love his competence as a leader, how well he leads his team and utilizes everyone’s strengths. He takes personal responsibility for his choices, is receptive to help, and is genuinely good at what he does. I like that he wasn’t overambitious but did what he did to the best of his ability, without ego, being assertive but not cruel, firm but not a bully. There’s a natural strength to him that he didn’t have to overdo to get respect from his peers. I adore his relationship with his father and brother, how close they are, the genuine love and loyalty and protectiveness between them and how kind he was to Amita as well. His offbeat talks with Larry were always hilarious, and I liked his compassion for the victims in cases he worked. He tries to be the best leader, brother, and son that he can be, and I think he generally succeeds across the board.

Prompts:

• A Quiet Place Fusion - I LOVED the opening of part two, so if you wanted to write the start of the invasion from Don’s perspective, I’d love that as much as throwing him in the thick of it, whichever is your preference, start of the attacks or the emotional toll and survival horror of living in the established apocalypse. Does he become hyper protective of his family? I am totally okay with character death(s) in order to emotionally torture him as long as he has at least Charlie and/or his dad left. What if Amita died and he had to get to Charlie to make him shut up before he died too? There are so many approaches to this AU that I would love.


• Alien Invasion AU - Original alien concepts are 100% welcome, but if you’re searching for inspiration, anything that channels any of these movies would also be cool: Signs, Independence Day, The Vast of Night, or Cloverfield. I was also obsessed with the alien design in The Tomorrow War. Those things were awesome! I love both action/adventure scenes, horror scenes, and that confused/afraid/panic when invasions first start and everyone is trying to figure out what’s going on and what to do. News coverage, debate about evacuation/where to go, minds blown that what’s happening is even happening at all; all of that is great.


• Apocalypse AU - How would Don feel and act if something was happening or fixing to happen that he was utterly powerless to stop? I’m sure Larry would have some long cosmic thoughts on it all, lol, but how would Don navigate it? He started to rely more on his faith in the later seasons, does that help? Does he try to find some way to protect his family even if it looks inevitable? I’m very fond of natural disaster end of the world type movies like: Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012. Anything in that vein would be cool. I’m particularly interested in both the emotional toll it would take, the responsibility and loyalty to family, and survival scenarios.


• Character Is Haunted AU - What or who is following Don around? He’s rational and levelheaded, I wonder how he’d behave if there was a legitimate spirit haunting him. Is he hesitant to tell anyone what’s going on? Does he think he’s going crazy? Who would he turn to? Can a psychic help even if he thinks it’s all a scam at first?


• Die Hard AU - YES!


• Humans are not the dominant species - This is so interesting to me. So what is the dominant species? Is it alien or animal? How does the societal danger it presents influence Don’s sense of responsibility and protectiveness for his family? What would he/they do when faced with an attack?


• Horror AU - See my general horror likes up top. I’d also love any scenario where investigating a case leads to a fusion with: Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, Scream, Escape Room, The Collector, Fresh, or The Blair Witch Project.


• Jurassic Park AU - Is the whole gang at the park investigating something when things go haywire, or did Don just agree to go with his dad and Charlie (and Amita and Larry?) on his day off when everything goes bonkers with loose dinosaurs everywhere? I’ve been obsessed with these movies my whole life, so absolutely anything that plays into the survival mode he has to enter to get through the chaos would be amazing. If he’s there with Charlie and his dad, I would love to see a super protective/focused side to him where he slips into natural leader mode, depends on other’s input, and leads them competently. Injuries, close calls, chases, getting hunted, someone getting dragged off, getting dragged off himself: all good. I’m totally fine with the character death(s) of anyone and everyone, extras and the cast, as long as he at least has Charlie and/or his dad left.


• The Purge AU - I am so in love with this as a concept for non-horror canons. The absolute fear that must take over the characters in the day(s) before, trying to get ready, find somewhere safe to hole up, the nerves and anxiety and disgust toward the entire event. I find it psychologically very interesting. If you want to write him getting caught out in the Purge and having to survive something/someone, I’m totally on board. If you want to get him somewhere safe (with Charlie and his dad? Amita? the team?) and have them cope with the stress of getting through the night knowing what’s going on out there, I’d also love something more contained that focuses on their gratitude for each other’s own safety while struggling with the horror of the Purge.