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dorinda: A color drawing of Henry and Johnny from "The Sting" (Henry_Johnny_art)
Happy New Year!

I wrote two stories for Yuletide this year: my assignment, and one treat.

The assignment was for what's probably my very favorite Mary Renault novel, "The Mask of Apollo", about an Athenian actor in the 4th century BC. He gets caught up in the events surrounding Dion of Syracuse and his attempt to liberate Sicily, but that's not the point, really. The things I thrive on in this book are the characters, the emotions, and how it's all so well grounded in the life of a working actor.

The story is set after the events of the novel but before the years-later epilogue, and is about Niko's recovery from the real-life tragedy he's just lived through, via his work on a new play, his realizations about his craft, and of course his (canon) beloved Thettalos, who's on his way to becoming the towering figure in the field that he is in real-life history.

I found it such a pleasure to write, even though I had never written fic in first-person before (the novel is first-person past-tense as well)...I had always wanted to tackle something about Niko facing the emotional aftermath plus his own middle-age all at once, and about him finding his way out (not solo by his bootstraps, but within his whole context of life and work and art and love and whatnot). But I hadn't yet been able to really think my way into it, until now. This assignment was perfect timing, and as Niko found answers for himself, I felt comforted too.

I made up almost all of the plays mentioned in the story, though the playwrights are real. I think it's possible to read the story without having read the novel, in the sense that most of the important context is embedded in it, but of course I'm so familiar with the book that it can be hard to tell...

The dance of nature forward far (8221 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Mask of Apollo - Mary Renault
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Nikeratos/Thettalos (Mask of Apollo)
Characters: Nikeratos (Mask of Apollo), Thettalos (Mask of Apollo)
Additional Tags: Ancient Greece, Theatre, Established Relationship, Catharsis, Acting, Gods
Summary: No one drew attention to my increasing efforts and difficulties—not at performing Aigeus or Athene, which weren't going badly, but in the role of Nikeratos, son of Artemidoros. Perhaps I had them all fooled...or perhaps they were kind.




The treat was for my eternal love "The Sting" (1973). [personal profile] simplecoffee had some really fun prompts, so I couldn't help myself... h/c with hurt Johnny? Trains?? YES PLEASE! She also mentioned Outsider POV, so I gave that a whirl as well, and ended up really enjoying the OCs whose lives are briefly visited by these two pining blue-eyed grifters. As prep, I read a couple of books by real-life Depression-era hobos, a man ("Beggars of Life: a Hobo Autobiography") and a woman ("Sister of The Road: The Autobiography of Boxcar Bertha").

As with the first-person POV for Mask of Apollo, I realized I had never written Outsider POV before, so this year was a year of learning and stretching for me for sure...

Slow Freight to Omaha (3704 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker, Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s)
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker (The Sting)
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, POV Outsider, 1930s, Hobos, Yuletide Treat
Summary: "I'm all right," one of them was saying, hoarse and breathless. "I'm okay. It's all right, it's nothing." He sat up, one arm held to his chest, yellow hair hanging in his eyes.




I hope everyone had as good a time as I did this year! ♥
dorinda: Vintage orange crate label, "Dorinda" brand (Dorinda_label)
Hello, Writer! However you ended up writing something for me, I thank you--I'm glad and grateful. ♥

A note about treats, in case it's relevant: yes, I am all for them!

(Also, let me say that you'll notice it's very common for me to ask for some of the same fandoms from year to year. If you've written for me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! I do--it's just that I am still-and-always in the mood for more of these characters and I love them so much. And I am greedy. :D)

If you already have something in mind you think I'll like, go ahead and write it! I want you to enjoy yourself.

If more information about my preferences would help and inspire you, then here's some:

Some of my preferences )

Here are my signups, in alphabetical order: KeixYaku (TV), Peacemakers (2003), Spy Game (2001), The Sting (1973)

KeixYaku (TV) )

Peacemakers (2003) )

Spy Game (2001) )

The Sting (1973) )

Thanks again for writing for me--I appreciate it! *\o/*
dorinda: A black and white puppy running on grass with a red ball in its mouth. (puppy_ball)
Oh man. I got FIVE YULETIDE STORIES this year, and they are all so wonderful and so lovingly tailored to me, I am overflowing with gratitude and joy. Which I first typed "overglowing", which I am ALSO doing. I recommend these stories!!

Two are for the Japanese BL "Old Fashion Cupcake", about a pair of salarymen who fall in love over desserts. Two are for "The Sting", about a pair of Depression-era grifters. And one is for the "Lord Peter Wimsey" mystery novels from the golden age (1920s-30s), focusing here on Peter's manservant Bunter as well as Peter himself.

First, the Old Fashion Cupcake stories--one of them is my official present, though I admit I wasn't a hundred percent sure which one. I think it's the first of these two:
Old Fashion Cupcake stories: 'Next to You' and 'Old Fashion Road Trip' )

Then there are two "The Sting" stories, coming from really interesting different angles:
The Sting stories: 'Timing and Lighting' and 'the last train to wherever you need to be' )

And then the Lord Peter Wimsey story!
Peter and Bunter: 'Lord of Misrule' )

I am awash in riches, and I deeply appreciate and savor every single one of them. ♥ !!!
dorinda: Snoopy, smiling and typing away on a laptop, with the word WRITE repeating in the background (snoopy_write)
Hello, Writer! However you ended up writing something for me, I thank you--I'm glad and grateful we share these little fandoms. ♥

A note about treats, in case it's relevant: yes, I am all for them!

(Also, let me say that you'll notice it's very common for me to ask for some of the same fandoms from year to year. If you've written for me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! I do--it's just that I am still-and-always in the mood for more of these characters and I love them so much. And I am greedy. :D)

If you already have something in mind you think I'll like, go ahead and write it! I want you to enjoy yourself.

If more information about my preferences would help and inspire you, then here's some:

Some of my preferences )

Here are my signups, in alphabetical order: Hot Fuzz (2007), Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers, Old Fashion Cupcake, The Sting (1973)

Hot Fuzz (2007) )

Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers )

Old Fashion Cupcake )

The Sting (1973) )


Thanks again for writing for me--I appreciate it! *\o/*
dorinda: Two hands, one dangling a silver Comedy mask and one dangling a gold Tragedy mask, under the words THE PLAYERS. (Sting_players)
It was an especially lovely surprise this year, since I had to default due to Emergency Family Circumstances, not only still to receive a Yuletide gift, but in fact to receive three!!! All different fandoms, and all so comforting to the soul during a difficult time.

The two stories in the main collection:

Five Times Meng Shao Fei and Tang Yi’s Life Was a Fanfic Cliché and One Time It Wasn’t (3007 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: HIStory3 - 圈套 | HIStory3: Trapped (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Meng Shaofei/Tang Yi, Jack | Fang Liangdian/Zhao Li'an | Zhao-zi
Summary: Tang Yi has never read fanfic, but his life bears a remarkable resemblance sometimes. It’s probably Meng Shao Fei’s fault, but here we are.


As I mentioned in my comment, after starting their relationship inside an Enemies-to-Lovers tale, of COURSE Tang Yi and Meng Shao Fei would end up inside five other classic tropes. :D This story gives snapshots of fake-dating (fake-real-fake-dating?), h/c wound-tending, One Bed, and more, and Tang Yi and Meng Shao Fei behave accordingly. I especially like the Tang Yi POV voice, it has a very nicely complex mixture of his many aspects, from competence to deep vulnerability to perfectionism to anger, all topped with sheer heart-eyes adoration of Shao Fei. ♥


Scene on a Balcony (1965 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sylvia Marriott/Eiluned Price, Harriet Vane/Peter Wimsey
Characters: Eiluned Price, Sylvia Marriott, Gerald Wimsey Viscount St George, Helen Duchess of Denver
Additional Tags: Smoking
Summary: 8th October 1935 and it's the wedding of the year - Lord Peter Wimsey and Miss Harriet Vane have finally tied the knot. But the wedding breakfast (served at the Dowager Duchess' London house) is getting a little heated. So the balcony is an excellent place to which to escape.


I had really been feeling a wish to be able to spend more time with minor Wimsey-canon characters Eiluned Price and Sylvia Marriott this year, the butch/femme-ish domestic couple who are Harriet's deeply protective friends. Here I got a very nice little moment out of time, during the (offscreen) festivities after Peter and Harriet's wedding, with Eiluned running into, of all people, Peter's scapegrace nephew Jerry. Two characters with very different approaches to life, and yet, given Jerry's canon weakness for strong older women, I should have seen it coming. :D


And the treat in the Madness collection!

together we lay down (4114 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, 5 Times, Sharing a Bed, Exhaustion, Hiding, Undercover as a Couple, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Communication Failure, Confessions, Undercover As Prostitute, Kissing, Yuletide Treat
Summary: Five times Henry and Johnny shared a bed, for good reasons, bad reasons, and then, at last, the best reason.

SIGH, so many of the tropes I absolutely love, knitted into a blanket of FEELINGS and wrapped around characters I adore. It's an Only One Bed + Five Things, and the bed is not the same bed, but the ongoing throughline is, winding Henry and Johnny tighter and tighter. I love this Pining Henry so much, and it's an extra joy to be able to see, through Henry's eyes clouded with longing and fear, little hints of Johnny figuring things out and coming up with his own return tactics. Also, seeing Johnny through Henry's loving eyes is sizzlin hot. :D
dorinda: Snoopy, smiling and typing away on a laptop, with the word WRITE repeating in the background (snoopy_write)
Hello, Writer! However you ended up writing something for me, I thank you--I'm glad and grateful we share these little fandoms. ♥

Edited To Add: The Yuletide admins have asked that we clarify whether we're open to receiving treats...Yes I certainly am!!!

(And let me just say that you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for many of the same fandoms from year to year. If you've written for me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! I do--it's just that these fandoms are so small and I love them so much. And I am greedy. :D)

If you already have something in mind you think I'll like, go ahead and write it! I want you to enjoy yourself.

If more information about my preferences would help and inspire you, then here's some:

Some of my preferences: )

Here are my signups, in alphabetical order: HIStory3: Trapped, Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers, Spy Game (2001), The Sting (1973).


HIStory3: Trapped )


Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers )


Spy Game (2001) )


The Sting (1973) )


Have fun writing, and thank you! *\o/*
dorinda: Fat Pony appears in a blaze of light! (Fat_Pony)
(Chocolate Box is a low-pressure multifandom gift exchange with small minimum wordcount/art size--signups are open until January 7! Check out [community profile] chocolateboxcomm )

Dear Chocolatier,

Thank you so much for making me something! I know my letter explanations can sound ficcish, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

Some of my general preferences: )

Some of the tropes and approaches I enjoy: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) (Edited to add one more ship!) )

Hap and Leonard (TV) )

Shetland (TV) )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun with it, and thanks again!
dorinda: Someone writing at a desk while wearing a large helmet with an oxygen tube attached (a device called "The Isolator"). (isolator)
Hello, Writer! However you ended up writing something for me, I thank you--I'm glad and grateful we share these little fandoms. ♥

(And let me just say that you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for many of the same fandoms from year to year. If you've written for me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! I do--it's just that these fandoms are so small and I love them so much. And I am greedy. :D)

If you already have something in mind you think I'll like, go ahead and write it! I want you to enjoy yourself.

If more information about my preferences would help and inspire you, then here's some:

Some of my general preferences: )

Here are my signups, in alphabetical order: The Exorcist (TV), HIStory3: Trapped, Shetland, The Sting (1973).

The Exorcist (TV) )

HIStory3: Trapped )

Shetland )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun writing, and thank you! *\o/*
dorinda: From "Person of Interest": Finch supports a wounded Reese. (POI-rescue)
I got all caught up in Virtual Escapade, and haven't even mentioned the delicious treats I received for [community profile] chocolateboxcomm!! Please have a bite for yourself, for they are both scrumptious.

My gift is a Person Of Interest story that contextualizes the rooftop-bomb vest scene (aka Dorinda's Eternal Birthday Present), with such an excellent and steely-sad John POV, and then continues it the way I would wish it to continue. (Is there kissing? Spoiler: YISSSSSS :D)

Broken Code (1007 words) by Corvidology
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Person of Interest (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese
Characters: Harold Finch, John Reese
Additional Tags: Pining, Extended scene from S02E13: Dead Reckoning, First Kiss, Chocolate Box Exchange 2021
Summary:

"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Finch had that exasperated look he saved only for John.


-----

And I also got a treat! The Sting, Henry/Johnny, a loaded moment after a con with Johnny self-critical and worried, and Henry reassuring him. It feels like an excerpt from a larger story right around the corner, I feel like I know exactly what happened, and Henry's POV is so observant and appreciative of Johnny. ♥____♥

The Save (570 words) by Keiko Kirin
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Treat
Summary:

Johnny's not happy with a decision he made during their latest con.

dorinda: Fat Pony appears in a blaze of light! (Fat_Pony)
(Chocolate Box is a low-pressure multifandom gift exchange with small minimum wordcount/art size, signups are open until January 7! Check out [community profile] chocolateboxcomm )

Dear Chocolatier,

Thank you so much for making me something! I know my letter explanations are ficcish sometimes, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

Some of my general preferences: )

Some of the tropes and approaches I enjoy: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

The Exorcist (TV) )

Hap and Leonard (TV) )

Person of Interest )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun with it, and thanks again!
dorinda: A color drawing of Henry and Johnny from "The Sting" (Henry_Johnny_art)
For Yuletide this year, I wrote a story for "The Sting" (1973):

Rest Cure (14557 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Con Artists, 1930s, Post-Canon, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue, Boats and Ships, Hubris, peacocking, Injury, Beating, Drowning/Near-Drowning, Bandaging, Caretaking, Kissing, First Time
Summary:

Johnny finds himself a new hobby, and it gets him in over his head. Literally.



--
One of [personal profile] llwyden's prompts was about Henry and Johnny going on vacation and failing miserably, and that made me think, what if it was a forced sort of vacation, because of a con that fell entirely apart?

Soooo, I threw Johnny off a boat. Sorry, kid. :D

Thanks to some great brainstorming help from friends, I ended up really enjoying writing it...I hadn't tried Johnny's POV in a while. And I also ended up getting very fond of a couple of my little one-scene OCs. It's a treat when that happens.
dorinda: Snoopy, smiling and typing away on a laptop, with the word WRITE repeating in the background (snoopy_write)
Hello, Writer, and thanks for being here! I appreciate your love for these little fandoms and characters I adore. ♥

If you already have something in mind you think I'll like, please go ahead and write it. If you have fun with it, I will too. Fly, be free!

But if you'd find details helpful, here are some thoughts:

Some of my general preferences: )

Here are my signups, in alphabetical order: The Exorcist (TV), Shetland, Sinbad (TV), The Sting (1973).

The Exorcist (TV) )

Shetland )

Sinbad (TV) )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun writing, and thank you! *\o/*
dorinda: Fat Pony appears in a blaze of light! (Fat_Pony)
I got two presents for the Rare Male Slash Exchange, and they are both delightful! I sincerely recommend them, they cheered me up immensely. Ahhhh. Morale can be hard to come by, but these gifts managed it.

I'm not sure which was my assigned author, maybe even both, but in any case, I appreciate my assigned author very much indeed, and also my kind treat author! You lightened a mood that really needed some lightening. ♥

In alphabetical order by title, the stories are:

1) All In (5522 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Undercover as Prostitute, Misunderstandings, Getting Together
Summary:

Henry runs his cons like a well-oiled machine: every part planned out and played just so. But when he unexpectedly crosses paths with Johnny again, he’s got no choice but to work on the fly.


A "The Sting" post-canon story for Henry and Johnny, in which they accidentally re-encounter each other after a traumatic break and things get revealed. It's angsty in such a good, building, well-characterized way, and both the reasons for the angst and the answer to the angst feel solid, the tone under the author's assured command. The POV, the visuals, the language, the building tension and the release, all so good!


2) That's How the Light Gets In (10153 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Exorcist (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega
Additional Tags: Trauma, Trust, Secrets, Alcohol, Confessions, Travel, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Drunkenness, Honesty, Intimacy, Comfort, Cooking, Comfort Food
Summary:

They’re deep in the throes of their latest exorcism when he hears that same voice again, a man’s voice, rough and cruel— “Whatcha gonna do, Marky boy? Shoot me? Shoot me?”

Tomas closes his eyes and exhales. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s time for him to know.

“Marcus,” he says. “I want to ask you about something.”


A "The Exorcist (TV)" story for Tomas and Marcus, set in that perfect niche between seasons one and two when they were vagabonding around America doing gray-market exorcisms. It FEEDS MY SOUL with that road-trip feeling! Slightly shabby extended-stay motel, life on the road, laundry, diner, groceries, cooking, the way that motel sheets can be so stiff and kind of rustly-loud. And the sensory details all feel just right, in tone but also in their emotional grounding--they don't exist just as window-dressing, they're real, and they have meaning and roles in the emotional build between the characters. Also, the Tomas POV of Marcus is so delicious I could lay around in it all day--Marcus's clothes, his body and body language, the way he puts a spin on his words and expressions, the ways he closes up tight sometimes. Phwoar!
dorinda: A vintage b&w shot in which one man whispers in the ear of another as he holds him. (whisper)
Hello, Raremaleslasher!

Thanks for signing up to make me something! I know my letter explanations are often phrased in fic-centric ways, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

(Also, let me say: you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for the same fandoms a lot. If you've been assigned to me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! It's just that these pairings are so small and I love them so much--I crave another cake, to go with my previous delicious cakes. In my cake hoard. :9 )

Some of my general preferences: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

The Exorcist (TV): Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega or Marcus Keane/Peter Osborne )

镇魂 Guardian (TV): Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng )

Shetland (TV): Jimmy Perez/Duncan Hunter )

The Sting (1973): Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker )

Thanks again, and please enjoy whatever you create!
dorinda: Snoopy, smiling and typing away on a laptop, with the word WRITE repeating in the background (snoopy_write)
I know it's been almost a week since official reveals, but I've been solidly down with a doozy of a cold. At last, I can concentrate and read and even think! Yay.

I wrote one assignment and one treat for Yuletide this year:

North of Everywhere (8316 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Shetland (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Duncan Hunter/Jimmy Perez
Characters: Duncan Hunter, Jimmy Perez
Additional Tags: Cooking, Pining, Post-Season/Series 05, Everyone Thinks They're Together, Feelings Realization, Getting Together, First Time
Summary:

There was a part of Jimmy—still too strong a part, the one who lived alone, stood alone, drew the firm line round himself—that kept wanting to say, Thanks but you didn't have to do that. Thanks but you're already welcome to stay. Thanks but I'm used to shifting for myself.

Thanks, but.

He shook it off as best he could. And instead, he walked behind Duncan as they both left the kitchen, and put his hands on Duncan's shoulders.



I love the crime show Shetland, which just ended its 5th season (and with a lovely present for the Jimmy/Duncan shippers)--it's beautiful, atmospheric, well-cast and acted, interesting dynamics among the characters. And I especially love the relationship between Jimmy Perez, the lead, a widower with one daughter, and Duncan Hunter, the ex-husband of Jimmy's late wife as well as the biological father of Jimmy's daughter. They're different in such interesting ways, but they work so hard at their co-parenting, and as Cassie grows up and leaves home, their de facto marriage still remains.

I had never tried writing Shetland before, but at last I felt brave enough to offer it, and I had a great time! I wanted something gradual and cozy, and I wanted Jimmy not to realize just quite how married he is (and how married he wants to be) until he's neck-deep in it.

I also wrote a treat:

The Breath at Your Shoulder (2705 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker, Alva Coleman
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat, Con Artists, 1930s, Dreams and Nightmares, Survivor Guilt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Found Family
Summary:

By the time he finally felt he might be sleepy, it was the truly wee hours. And over the quiet breathing of a dozen other people, he recognized Hooker's voice at once.

Too soft to be a shout, too thin and high to be a groan. It was as if Hooker was on a train heading the other way, and this quiet keening noise was all Henry had left as he faded into the distance.



I am no great shakes at coming up with prompts when I sign up for challenges, but I greatly admire those who are. And I found myself struck by [personal profile] nahnahnahnah 's prompt for The Sting (1973), reminding me that Johnny was so close to Luther's family. I had never considered the likelihood of his survivor's guilt before, and I enjoyed getting to do that.


Plus, the authors of the gift stories I received were:

* Exorcist story: every saint has a past (every sinner has a future) is by [archiveofourown.org profile] fabulous_but_evil

* Guardian treat: The Light is by [personal profile] trascendenza

* Exorcist treat in Madness: Pray For Us Sinners is by [archiveofourown.org profile] CousinShelley

* The Sting treat: smiles were made, dear, for people like us is by [archiveofourown.org profile] indigostohelit, and may I add here again that if you haven't read it yet--I get it, there's a lot to read, and it's almost 19K--I encourage you to download it and give it a whirl!
dorinda: Animated image of Henry Gondorff giving the office--the secret con-artist sign done by stroking the nose. (Henry_animated)
I got two treats and a Madness story this year, as well as my main gift, and I am extreeeeeeemely happy and thrilled!

1) A treat for Guardian, Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng. Chu Shuzhi rescues Guo Changcheng, in a sweet and warm little tale:

The Light (1012 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chǔ Shùzhī/Guō Chángchéng
Characters: Chǔ Shùzhī, Guō Chángchéng
Additional Tags: Devotion, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

I’m coming! I’m coming for you! He cried, he screamed, he willed his words to find Xiao-Guo, to give him strength.




2) A Madness story for Exorcist, Marcus/Tomas. Tomas is having nightmares from the events of s1, and this has comfort and bedsharing as Marcus looks after him (and of course Marcus has Stealth Feelings ♥):

Pray for Us Sinners (1285 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Exorcist (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Characters: Marcus Keane, Tomas Ortega
Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Neck Kissing, Holding Hands, Pre-Slash
Summary:

Three months after the exorcism of Casey Rance, Tomas still has nightmares.




3) A treat for The Sting, which EVERYONE SHOULD GO READ RIGHT NOW. I cannot rec this story highly enough--I am utterly thrilled. It has a new con in a very well-realized Philly, with wonderful OCs, and a subtle, nuanced, satisfying love story between Johnny and Henry:

smiles were made, dear, for people like us (18856 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Johnny Hooker, Henry Gondorff, Kid Twist, Floyd (The Sting), Original Characters
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Con Artists, 1930s, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, Love Letters, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Johnny and Henry run a new twist on a pair of old scams. Along the way, they share a bed, write love letters, consider marriage, and pretend to be deposed Russian aristocrats. Anything for the con, right?




(seriously, it is so good, go read it! Download it onto your phone to keep you company on train rides or in line at the DMV! I'd pay cash on the barrelhead for a book-length version. ♥________♥ )
dorinda: Snoopy, smiling and typing away on a laptop, with the word WRITE repeating in the background (snoopy_write)
Hello, Writer! We got matched, or you selected me as a pinch hit, or maybe you're writing a treat. In all cases, thank you for being willing to write for me! I'm happy you're here.

(Also, let me say: you'll notice it's not uncommon for me to ask for some of the same fandoms from year to year. If you've written for me previously, please do not ever think this is because I don't still love your gift! It's just that these fandoms are so small and I love them so much--I crave another cake, to go with my previous delicious cakes. In my cake hoard. :9 )

If you already have an idea, please feel free to write it. I want you to have a good time with the process and not stress out. Anything that you have fun with, I'll have fun with.

But if some more info about my preferences might help and inspire you, here's some!

Some of my general preferences: )

If you'd find it helpful to hear more about the fandoms I've asked for, here are some details about this year's, in alphabetical order: The Exorcist (TV), 镇魂 Guardian (TV), Shetland, Sinbad (TV), The Sting (1973).

The Exorcist (TV) )

镇魂 Guardian (TV) )

Shetland )

Sinbad (TV) )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun writing, and thank you! *\o/*
dorinda: A color drawing of Henry and Johnny from "The Sting" (Henry_Johnny_art)
The [community profile] hurtcomfortex collection has gone live: listed by fandom.

I received two gifts! One for The Sting, and one for the Aubrey/Maturin books, and they're both riiight up my alley, while both coming at said alley from different directions:

feel it in my bones (1676 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Sting (1973)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Henry Gondorff/Johnny Hooker
Characters: Henry Gondorff, Johnny Hooker
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Protectiveness, Minor Injuries, Caretaking, Extra Treat
Summary:

It was the closest place Henry might think of where they could go and not get found. It had been years since he'd come by, but the arrangements he'd made still seemed to be holding up: the key was hidden right where it ought to be, shoved into the finger-width gap on one side of the top step. Henry thought for a second it wasn't there, but then he caught something with the side of a knuckle that clinked, and the relief washed through him, cool shock of it like rain.

He didn't fumble too much, got the door open, and then turned and grabbed Johnny hard by the shoulder and hustled him in.



This one starts with a rough & angry Henry POV, but it's not as simple as it might seem--his anger unfolds until we can see that it's actually about care and protectiveness, where "you didn't do what I told you to do" = "you didn't protect yourself". And Johnny's answer in return is a delight, as is Henry's realization. I absolutely adore characters expressing their deep feelings in other words. ♥___♥


Calling out loud to the sky and the clouds and the sea (1359 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin
Additional Tags: Disabled Character, Nature, Alternate Universe, Sea imagery, Dreamscapes, Birds, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Tenderness, pinch hit
Summary:
There is nothing in the world but the two of them. Nothing but the blankets and the hope and the white bird.

The road back to happiness is paved with kindness and tenderness. And feathers.

(Or: An AU inspired by "The snow goose".)


Where the Sting story is grounded and zingy and physical, this Jack/Stephen AU is lyrical, dreamlike, mysterious. It's loving and tender to the characters, and wraps them up together in the power of the sea and the warmth of the feather. Ahhhh.
dorinda: A vintage b&w shot in which one man whispers in the ear of another as he holds him. (whisper)
Hello, hurtcomforter!

Thank you for writing for me or making me some art! If you already have a hurt/comforty idea in mind for a pairing I’ve selected, please go for it. My blanket Do Not Wants, as I mentioned in my signup, are 1) permanent character death, 2) all hurt no comfort.

If you’d find it helpful to know more about my preferences, read on!

Some of my general preferences: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian: Jack/Stephen )

The Exorcist (TV): Marcus/Tomas, Marcus/Peter )

Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World: Jack/Stephen )

Person of Interest: Harold/John )

Shetland: Jimmy/Duncan )

The Sting (1973): Henry/Johnny )

Have fun with it, and thanks again!
dorinda: From "Person of Interest": Reese gazes at an unseeing Finch, with a pink heart in the air between them. (POI-gazing)
Dear Chocolatier,

Thank you so much for writing or making art for me! \o/

Some of my general preferences: )

Some of the tropes and approaches I enjoy: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests--alphabetical, except ignoring the 'The', because that's how alphabetization should work! :D :

The Exorcist (TV) )

Person of Interest )

The Sting (1973) )

Have fun with it, and thanks again!

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