Dear AU5K Creator,

[chronicbookworm]

Thanks for creating things for me! Should you so want, I can be found at both Tumblr and AO3 also as ChronicBookworm, for any stalking purposes.
In general, I like most things. I’m a multishipper, and I read slash, het, femslash, and gen. I also like most genres: fluff, angst, adventure, case fic, humour, get-together, established relationship, character study, slice of life/domestic, you name it – or a mix of them all! I’m very fond of long, plotty fic, but I’m equally happy with something short and sweet!
The prompts below are there to help, not box you in, so please feel free to write/make something different if none of my prompts below grab your imagination or inspiration strikes you in a different direction. I’m not very used to prompting for non-fic things, so if anything seems unclear or you want more information about the art likes, just reach out via the mods and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have.
I’m very fond of deep platonic relationships that are the most important to the characters and relationships that straddle the line between platonic and romantic. I also love relationships where there are lots of emotions and where there is lots of history messing things up and making things complicated. I love canon divergences of all forms – consider the Canon Divergence AU tag as your carte blanche to pick a point during or before the canon events, make a change or two, and see how things develop differently from there! I’m also up for you combining my freeform tags in interesting ways, or to combine unexpected character/ship tags and freeforms—some freeforms seem like they would lend themselves to a particular pairing or ship, but if you get an idea for another combination, run with it! I left them in the same request for a reason.
The length of the sections has nothing to do with how much I want the request, only with how many different prompts I have for each. I want to read them all very badly, so I’m sure I’ll love whatever you write!
This got quite long – feel free to just read the parts that are relevant to you. There’s also quite a lot of repetition between the sections, if things apply to several sections, to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for in the place you’re looking for it, but that means the letter seems to be a bit longer than it actually is.


General likes
DNWs

Bridgerton
Crossover Fandom, Agent Carter and Narnia
Crossover fandom, Emelan and Tortall
Crossover Fandom, Game of Thrones and Narnia
Crossover Fandom, Game of Thrones and House of The Dragon
Crossover Fandom: Mansfield Park and Master and Commander 2003/Pride and Prejudice
Game of Thrones
The Goblin Emperor
House of the Dragon
Leverage



General likes

• found families
• loyalty and devotion, both strong, reciprocated loyalty, and more complicated forms such as conflicting loyalties, unreciprocated loyalty, loyalty to the undeserving, etc.
• ride or die friendships
• co-dependency (in the watered-down fandom sense, not in the clinical sense)
• “us against the world” plots and relationships (whether it’s true or just what the characters imagine)
• friends to lovers
• chivalry and courtly love
• arranged marriages (that can either lead to love or strong friendship)
• marriages of convenience (that can either lead to love or strong friendship)
• fake relationships (especially if they don’t end up in romance)
• lavender marriages and bearding (in the queer sense)
• pining
• hurt/comfort
• trauma recovery
• characters with low self-worth being loved and accepted
• characters being shown warmth and kindness when they’re expecting or used to being belittled or abused
• characters uniting forces against a common enemy
• complicated politics and shifting alliances
• characters navigating power differentials and power dynamics
• partisan and resistance movements, small groups of people going up against or being pursued by large, powerful governments or organisations
• complicated and messy relationships (can be platonic, romantic or familial)
• conflicts between characters based on differences in opinions, wants, and needs rather than misunderstandings or erroneous assumptions, conflicts between characters without easy solutions, conflicts between characters where neither side is completely right or completely wrong
• secrets (both kept and revealed)
• characters working with limited knowledge
• competent characters, characters being recognised for their competence
• women supporting other women
• time travel (both Peggy Sue style and physical time travel)
• worldbuilding
• canon divergence
• outsider POV
• case fic/mission fic
• canon-typical plot or themes
• longfic

DNWs
• explicit sex (fade to black or references to sex are fine)
• changes to human anatomy or physiology (such as mpreg, omegaverse, soulmarks, etc.)
• teacher/student (if it’s relevant, please set any romance sometime after they've stopped being teacher/student)
• non-canonical incest (including between adopted or foster family members and biological family members who don’t know they’re related. Cousin incest and canon-typical Targaryen incest are OK)
• infidelity or jealousy within relationships (real or imagined. Open relationships and jealousy as a path to feelings discovery are OK)
• more than 3-year age gaps for any ships involving characters 16 years or younger
• sex involving characters under 15, setting a date when the character is considered "old enough"/"legal" for sex and fixating on that date
• modern-day terminology for sexual and gender identities in historical or fantasy canons
• characters being ostracised by their friends and loved ones
• public embarrassment, humiliation
• character or ship bashing
• hopeless endings, grimdark tone
• unrequested setting change AUs (merging crossover universes into one or having characters from one universe dimension travel to the other by either hand-wavey or explained means are all fine)

Fandom-specific DNWs:
• ASoIaF/GoT: requited Petyr/Sansa (his canonical desire for her is fine)
• House of the Dragon: Aemond/Lucerys
• Bridgerton: people being forced into an engagement/marriage due to being ~compromised (I would much rather see people choosing to get together for either love or practical reasons)
• Narnia: The rift between Susan and her family

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Bridgerton
Characters/ships
• Alfred Debling/Penelope Featherington
• Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
• Benedict Bridgerton/Edwina Sharma
• Benedict Bridgerton/Cressida Cowper
• Colin Bridgerton/Marina Thompson
• Cressida Cowper/Alfred Debling
• Daphne Bridgerton/Prince Friedrich
• Prince Friedrich/Edwina Sharma
• Simon Basset/Marina Thompson

• Freeform tags
• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• ALL: Character A Marries Pregnant B to Protect Both Parent and Baby
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• All: character marries a different person
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• ALL: characters meet earlier than in canon
• ALL: Different First Meeting AU
• All: Historical Fantasy AU
• ALL: Marriage of Convenience AU
• ALL: Platonic Marriage
• ALL: Political Marriage AU
• ALL: Regency-Inspired Fantasy AU
• ALL: Take a bad thing that happened to a character in canon and make it better
• ALL: Take a bad thing that happened to a character in canon and make it even worse
• Bridgerton: It’s Marina whom Simon makes a deal with instead of Daphne
• Bridgerton: Marina Thompson's Abortion Attempt Succeeds
• Bridgerton: The Sharma family arrives during Daphne's season

General Thoughts
What I like about this show is the characters, and the conflicts between them, the different points of view that are explored as they try to find love. Most of the freeform tags I’ve requested are about characters finding different partners than in canon, and the steps that might lead up to that, such as arranged marriages, marriages of convenience, or simply falling in love with a different person!
I am fully aware that historical realism has been thrown out of the window, and it’s essentially Regency fairyland. If you want to write something more historically accurate (for instance, a world in which the Napoleonic wars are a thing), by all means, go ahead—but I’m also quite fond of the ridiculousness of the show and would be equally delighted by something that adheres to the same level of fantasy as the show itself (or even adding overtly fantastical elements in a regency fantasy AU). I love arranged marriages and marriages of convenience, especially if they don’t lead to all-out passionate love but more solid companionship and friendship. It might be particularly interesting to explore how that would play out during this time, since society was transitioning towards marriages for love and they were held up as the ideal, but it was still the main way for women to gain security and a meaningful occupation, which of course impacts how they choose partners and make decisions about love and romance. If there is a canonical couple that’s in the way of the requested relationship, feel free to have them never get together, break things off before the wedding, or kill off any character to make the requested ship work.

Alfred Debling/Penelope Featherington
I have to admit, this almost-romance really charmed me! They were so wonderful together, and I really liked the connection between them! I like how they were open to each other’s eccentricities and how they are both considered odd by society, yet have found a niche of their own. Given Debling isn’t interested in society, Penelope being Lady Whistledown would be much less of an issue! What would have happened if Colin hadn’t shown up to ruin Debling’s plan to propose? How does Penelope settle in as the mistress of Debling’s estate, and how does she get on with managing it throughout his absence? What sorts of challenges does she face, and what sorts of tales does he have to tell on his return?
It might be interesting to explore how they reconcile Penelope’s romanticism with Debling’s pragmatism, and how Penelope’s wish to be placed first conflicts with Debling putting his work ahead of his family?

Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
I think they’d do really well together! Benedict is easy-going and would probably take Penelope being Lady Featherington a lot better than Colin did! He might be more inclined to help and support her, rather than want her to quit: he doesn’t have much patience for the ton, and might see a kindred spirit in her. She might also encourage him to keep up with his art even when he’s discouraged. They’re both kind, quite sensitive people, even if they express it differently, and I think Benedict could help Penelope out of her shell, and Penelope could help Benedict find some direction with his life!

Benedict Bridgerton/Edwina Sharma
I just want poor Edwina to have a happy ending! Perhaps she and Benedict bond over their ridiculous siblings? Perhaps Benedict gets her attention first, before Anthony? How would he go about courting her? How would that change things for Anthony and Kate, if there was no Edwina to throw them together and keep them apart? Or maybe Benedict consoles her after everything goes wrong, and gives her an outlet for her anger, frustration, and sorrow? I don’t really have that many prompts for this pairing, but I’d love to see whatever you come up with!

Benedict Bridgerton/Cressida Cowper
This is a bit of an odd-ball pairing, but it would be very fun to explore! Does Benedict see a different side to Cressida when she becomes friends with Eloise? Or do the Benedict and Cressida become friends first—and if so, how—and love grows from there? Or is it a marriage of convenience, and if so, does it turn into anything more?
It might be fun to explore how she has to find her place with all of her in-laws, who are all sceptical of her, and how she makes a place for herself as Cressida Bridgerton. I would be very interested to see who she is when out from under her parents’ thumbs, and I think Benedict could coax a more carefree, kinder Cressida out of her shell!

Cressida Cowper/Alfred Debling
I love Cressida in all her petty, spiteful, insecure, lonely glory! I love how complicated she is, how she is what her parents made her be, how she becomes a better person when exposed to better influences but can’t quite shake herself free from her parents’ hold over her. She made bad decisions, but so understandable ones, scrabbling for whatever power she could get. I would love to see her gain happiness and independence, and be valued for who and what she is—maybe some of her rough edges are sanded off if she no longer feels under threat.
I also love Alfred Debling’s openness and frankness—he’s a man who knows who he is and what he wants, and doesn’t let anyone make him ashamed of that. I love his practicality and pragmatism, his kind-heartedness and willingness to accept people as they are, not trying to please him!
I can see this as a marriage of convenience: Debling get his wife who can manage his estate and be someone to come back to after his travels, and Cressida gains the freedom she’s been looking for! Maybe they grow to find that they have more in common than they thought, or that even if they are very different, they complement each other well? Maybe love grows slowly after marriage, as they navigate society and their duties on the estate as a couple?
I would also be happy with this as a lavender marriage, with either or both of them being gay or ace, and them just growing into good friends who support each other and are happy to cover for each other!

Colin Bridgerton/Marina Thompson
I feel so bad for Marina, trapped by circumstances and trying to make the best of the hand she’s been dealt! I have a great deal of sympathy for her actions in trying to save herself a horrible future. I would love to see her gain a better end than she got in the show, and a chance at real happiness, real love to grow from her marriage!
Maybe she confesses to Colin and he decides to go through with it regardless, out of love for her and compassion at her circumstances? How do they navigate that imbalance of feelings?
Or maybe Penelope doesn’t write her exposé, and he finds out after the marriage? How does Colin react, and how do they navigate that, very different relationship than the one described above? How do they reach an equilibrium and reconciliation under those more difficult circumstances?
I would also be interested in seeing Colin deal with Marina’s children. Does he ever grapple with the fact that they aren’t his, or does he simply step into the father role without any second thoughts?

Daphne Bridgerton/Prince Friedrich
Prince Friedrich was such a sweetheart! I loved the care with which he courted Daphne, and how gallant he was! I loved how kind, understanding and non-possessive he was, and how considerate he was of Daphne and her wants and wishes.
I would love to see a story in which his courtship of Daphne was successful. Does she accept out of obligation (one doesn’t simply turn down royalty, no matter how kind) and love grows afterwards, or does she fall in love with Friedrich over the course of the courtship? How does she adjust to being Princess—even though she’s the daughter of a Viscountess, that’s still a massive step up in the social hierarchy! Everyone who sees Friedrich and her together agree that she’d make a very good Princess—are they right, or does she struggle getting her feet under her in her new role, like she did as Duchess? How does Friedrich adapt to living in England? Does he miss Prussia, and how does he deal with that? What’s their family like—both the one they make on their own, and their relationships with their new in-laws and extended family?

Prince Friedrich and Edwina
What I like about Edwina is her sweet temperament, her shyness, her charm, her willingness to please, and her ability to get on with a range of different people, coupled with an integrity that makes her take a stand when it’s something she feels strongly about! I like how she clearly cared for both Kate and Anthony, and how she was willing to forgive and move on after they both hurt her deeply and caused a scandal for both families. I would love to see her find love and happiness and a suitable match with someone who can give her what she wants! As I said in the above request for Friedrich/Daphne, I love Friedrich’s openness, chivalry, and kindness.
The season 2 ending implied that the Queen would introduce her to Friedrich—what does that look like? How does their courtship proceed? Maybe he arrives a season later, and is charmed by Edwina, sponsored by his aunt’s dear friend, thus avoiding heartbreak for them both? While they might get on personally, there is still the vast class difference to contend with—how do they overcome that? How does Edwina face being thrust into the spotlight as a Princess of one of the major powers of Europe? Do they get involved in the Prussian court, or do they live a quieter life in England, such as Friedrich was willing to for Daphne? Or do they go to India, and what do they do there? I imagine that wherever they go, there would still be some amount of politics that they would need to play, just by virtue of Friedrich’s connections to several royal houses of Europe!

Simon Basset and Marina Thompson
As I said in my above request for Colin/Marina, I feel so bad for Marina, trapped by circumstances and trying to make the best of the hand she’s been dealt! I have a great deal of sympathy for her actions in trying to save herself a horrible future. I would love to see her gain a better end than she got in the show, and a chance at real happiness, real love to grow from her marriage!
Maybe Simon decides the best way to spite his father is to have the Hastings name continue through children with none of his blood? How does Simon find out—before or after the wedding? How does he react if it’s after the wedding? How do they deal with rumours and the threat of scandal if it’s before, given that they would have to have a very quick wedding and the children would still be quite premature yet healthy!
How does Marina cope with being Duchess, and how do her Featherington relations react? Is there any jealousy? Does her relationship with Penelope remain intact if Penelope isn’t put in a position to choose between her and Simon, or does Penelope still choose to disclose her pregnancy to everyone?

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Crossover fandom: Agent Carter and Narnia
Characters/ships
• Peggy Carter & Edwin Jarvis & Creator’s Choice of Pevensie sibling

Freeform tags
• Crossover: Characters from one canon have always been in the other canon's setting (like a fusion)
• Crossover: Characters turn out to be highly compatible
• Crossover: Shared Universe AU

General thoughts
I’d love to see something with the Pevensies interacting with the Agent Carter crew! Maybe the Pevensies are also agents of the SSR after the War? Or maybe they are civilians who help the SSR agents just because they’re in a place to do so and it’s the Right Thing to Do?
Maybe their time in Narnia marked the Pevensies in some way, and either SSR or Leviathan/Hydra or some other sinister organisation is after them? Maybe they don’t quite trust that the Agent Carter crew have their best interests at heart? Maybe the Agent Carter crew don’t quite trust that the Pevensies aren’t hiding more sinister secrets? Maybe they don’t understand how these on the surface normal, middle-class British schoolchildren/young adults (depending on when you set the story and whether you fuff the timelines) can be so competent, and think they’ve been trained as spies?
I like reading about Pevensies who are somehow Different due to their time in Narnia, for instance unexpectedly mature and competent for their ages, or having skills you wouldn’t normally expect from children or young adults in the mid-20th century, but might expect monarchs from a fantasy medieval kingdom to have. I would prefer all the Friends of Narnia to be alive and well in the story – either they survived the train crash, or it never happened. I’m also less fond of the part where Susan turned her back on Narnia and separated herself from her family, or the judgemental tone they use when they talk about how she cares for nothing but “nylons and lipstick and invitations” – feel free to leave that part out entirely and make up your own headcanon on what the Pevensies would be like when they’re older, regardless of what the later books in the series say, or make it clear that Susan can like nylons and lipstick and invitations and also be clever and insightful and retain her belief in Narnia and her siblings’ respect.
Perhaps the Pevensies are in the US for some reason (holiday? Moved there after the War? Working for the British arm/equivalent of the SSR?), or perhaps the story’s set in England (I’m sure there are reasons why Peggy and Jarvis might go to England – family reasons? Sent there by the SSR because they blend in? There on their own investigations, posing as a Lady and her butler?). Do they come across the Pevensies in their investigations? Are they perhaps even investigating the Pevensies?
Maybe it’s even set during the War – maybe Jarvis meets the Pevensies after he has rescued Ana and been discharged? Maybe they live nearby and help Jarvis and Ana find their feet after what they’ve been through? Or maybe Stark is interested in recruiting them/they get involved with his wartime activities and meet Jarvis that way?
Maybe Peggy meets them during leave in London? Perhaps Peter is a new recruit who ends up where the Howling Commandoes are (he’d be just old enough to sign up by the last year of the War, if he was born in the early months of the year), or maybe even Edmund (if he lied about his age/the timeline is fuffed a bit)?
There are plenty of opportunities for polite manners hiding unexpected competence and BAMF-itude on both sides. Plus, the understated snarking would be through the roof!

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Crossover Fandom: Tortall and Emelan
Characters/Ships
• Briar & Daja & Sandry & Tris & Creator's Choice of Character(s) from Tortall

Freeform Tags
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• ALL: Character makes politically smarter choices than in canon
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• ALL: Different First Meeting AU
• ALL: Fantasy/Magic Royalty and Palace Intrigue AU
• ALL: On the Run
• ALL: Political Marriage AU
• ALL: The bad guys win/The good guys fail
• ALL: Underground Resistance
• Crossover: Author's unrelated works now take place in a shared universe
• Crossover: character crosses into different canon
• Crossover: Character is isekai'd into another canon
• Crossover: Characters from one canon have always been in the other canon's setting (like a fusion)
• Crossover: Characters turn out to be highly compatible
• Crossover: Shared Universe AU
• Crossover: Villain from one fandom causing trouble in another
• Tortall: Kel isn't allowed to try for Knighthood
• Tortall: Kel joins the Queen's Ladies
• Tortall: Neal stays at the university

General Thoughts
The Tortall books are an old childhood favourite of mine, and I really like the worldbuilding, the strong heroines, and the politics (that Pierce often glosses over as her stories are more focused on protagonists who aren’t very interested in politics, but the bits we do get fascinate me). I like how the universe gets more and more complex as the series go on, how what starts as fairly straightforward good vs. evil becomes more complicated, and the characters become more complex in later stories, but they don’t lose their hope and their belief in the goodness of humankind! While some parts of it haven’t quite stood the test of time, they still have a special place in my heart!
Similarly, the Emelan books were very important to me growing up—I actually discovered them before Tortall! I loved the worldbuilding, and the idea of magic working through everyday objects, as well as the found family among the Circle and their tight bonds! I loved how competent they all were in their own fields, and how their competence was acknowledged and nurtured by their mentors.
I would be delighted by something that combines these two series! I really don’t mind if it’s a crossover in the sense that one set of characters suddenly find themselves in a different world, or in the sense that they’ve always been part of the same world. It would be very interesting to explore differences between the Gift, Wild Magic, academic magic, and ambient magic, and to delve into the differences between the worldbuilding in general! Obviously there are some similarities, but Emelan on the whole seems like a more progressive place than Tortall, even Tortall under Jonathan and Thayet, even though they’re both vaguely feudal: but the overall social hierarchy is less well defined in Emelan, and there isn’t the emphasis on knighthood and chivalry that there is in Tortall. I also get the impression that learning is valued higher in Emelan than Tortall, but that could be simply due to the different settings that the main characters mostly move in (Knight training and battle/war, versus a temple and various natural disasters, with only the occasional battle/war). How do the characters react and view these differences?
I have no preference for what era of the Tortall series the character(s) from Tortall are drawn from—are the Circle there during Alanna’s years, do they help out against Roger? Do they help in the Immortals War with Daine? Are they there during Kel’s training and the Progress, or perhaps even after the ents of Lady Knight? Perhaps Sandry makes a state visit to Tortall and brings her siblings with her? Perhaps they’re in exile after one of her cousins makes a bid for the throne? Perhaps there’s a marriage alliance brokered between Sandry and one of Jonathan’s sons—or even Jonathan himself?
I know the tag says “creator’s choice of character from Tortall”—but I would also be just as happy to see them interact with someone from somewhere else: perhaps in Carthak while Numair is there: is there an exchange between Carthak University and the Living Circle as centres for learning? Or do they help Thayet during the Saren civil war, and does that change the outcome of events in canon: perhaps they help her take the throne?
I would be equally happy to see any character(s) from the Tortall series in Emelan—as visitors, refugees, cross-dimensional refugees, or whatever you can think of!

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Crossover fandom: Game of Thrones and Narnia
Characters/ships
• Peter Pevensie/Brienne of Tarth
• Susan Pevensie/Brienne of Tarth
• Edmund Pevensie/Brienne of Tarth
• Lucy Pevensie/Brienne of Tarth
• Sansa Stark/Edmund Pevensie
• Sansa Stark/Peter Pevensie
• Sansa Stark/Susan Pevensie
• Sansa Stark/Lucy Pevensie

Freeform tags
• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• ALL: Character makes politically smarter choices than in canon
• All: character marries a different person
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• ALL: characters meet earlier than in canon
• ALL: Different First Meeting AU
• All: Historical Fantasy AU
• ALL: Marriage of Convenience AU
• ALL: Platonic Marriage
• ALL: Political Marriage AU
• Crossover: Canonical time/dimension travel sends character to other canon's universe instead
• Crossover: character crosses into different canon
• Crossover: Character is isekai'd into another canon
• Crossover: Characters from one canon have always been in the other canon's setting (like a fusion)
• Crossover: Characters turn out to be highly compatible
• Crossover: Shared Universe AU

General thoughts
I'd just like anything that crosses these two worlds – both fairly similar in that they borrow from mediaeval Europe to create a fantasy world, but so very different in tone and content. Use Narnia to fix things for our heroine(s) or throw the Pevensies into Westeros and see how they cope, either way, I just love the thought of the potential of these groups of people with such different experiences and expectations meeting and interacting!

Brienne and the Pevensies
I’d love to read about their adventures, maybe in Westeros trying to find the Stark sisters to fulfil Brienne’s vow – maybe they even manage to find them (one or both) and get to Winterfell. Maybe they get involved in the politics of Westeros, or maybe they stay out of them and just focus on completing their own tasks and surviving.
Or maybe they’re in Narnia playing politics or fighting against threats to Narnia during the Golden Age. Maybe Brienne is a hero summoned by Susan’s horn in an hour of need? How would Brienne react to Talking Animals and the fairy-tale creatures in Narnia? Narnia is a much more friendly and permissive place, so she’d probably fit in much better at Cair Paravel than she did in Westeros.

Brienne/Peter
With Peter, there are some interesting parallels and contrasts. Both are loyal, moral protectors and knights – however, Peter came to it almost reluctantly, whereas Brienne trained all her life to be a knight. Peter never had to prove himself the way Brienne did – after his first battle against the wolf, he as accepted and hailed, and he’s a King, to boot! Maybe she becomes his bodyguard or a general in his army in Narnia, or maybe he joins her in Westeros, looking for and protecting the Stark sisters. How would she react to another golden hero helping her on her quest – would she think him genuine, or would she be as suspicious of him as she was of Jaime to start, despite that she and Peter would meet under very different circumstances?

Brienne/Susan
Susan would absolutely respect Brienne as a warrior, and she would be very impressed by Susan’s grace and poise, while still managing to be a fine marksman. I’d love to read about their adventures, trying to find the Stark sisters for Brienne – maybe they even manage to get to Winterfell and find them: Susan with her experience of managing a castle and running a kingdom would probably feel right at home in Winterfell. Or maybe Brienne is Susan’s bodyguard in Narnia, protecting her from threats. Would she go with Susan to Calormen, and would that change anything? Or does she arrive after Susan’s trip, and is that why Susan prefers female bodyguards?

Brienne/Edmund
I feel like these two would have a very fun dynamic – Edmund’s sarcasm and Brienne’s sincerity. They’ve also both thought very hard about their moral codes and made them deliberate – Edmund after the White Witch debacle and to earn his epithet of the Just, and Brienne to determine what chivalry means for her. Where do they clash and where do they align? How have they adapted to the very different worlds they come from, and how do they meet the other and how the other has adapted to their world and their circumstances?

Brienne/Lucy
This would also be a really fun dynamic to explore – instead of contrasting Brienne’s sincerity with Edmund’s sarcasm, it’s paired with Lucy’s boundless faith and joy! I think Lucy would just accept Brienne completely as she is, no questions asked, and that would be such a breath of fresh air for Brienne who’s always had to justify herself and her choices! Lucy is also not as ladylike and dignified as Susan, so she might not be as intimidating to Brienne, and I’d love to read about their adventures together!


Sansa and the Pevensies
Maybe the Pevensies (one or more) get transported to Westeros and find Sansa in the Eyrie, helping her escape Petyr Baelish’s creepiness? Or the story could be set afterwards, when she’s returned to Winterfell, preparing for the winter and the war against the Others? The Pevensies have experience fighting against a very long winter, after all. Maybe Sansa somehow ends up in Golden Age Narnia, a magical land of summer with good and just rulers where she can heal from her past? Or maybe she ends up in Narnia during their long winter, and has to use the skills she learned from Westeros to survive and help the Pevensies defeat the White Witch?

Sansa/Peter
Peter is the shining noble knight she always dreamed of, both without and within, in a way that no one in Westeros seems to match: he’s handsome, noble, chivalrous, dependable, and kind. He’s also a very good monarch, and Sansa hasn’t had much experience with those. He might restore her faith in songs, stories, and knights, and she would help him be the best High King he could possibly be.

Sansa/Susan
Sansa and Susan have a lot in common: they’re both noble ladies, used to being coveted for their looks and having their intelligence overlooked. They’re also both good leaders, diplomatic, and practical. Together they would be nigh unstoppable. They also have similar experiences of being wanted not for who they are but for what they represent. Would they bond over Sansa’s experiences in the Vale, King’s Landing, and, if you go with show canon, with Ramsay, and Susan’s experiences in Calormen? Or is the story set before the trip to Calormen, and Susan hasn’t quite experienced the downsides of being a beautiful woman with political connections yet? How does Sansa relate to a more open and unaware Susan, and is that the balm she needs?

Sansa/Edmund
Sansa and Edmund also have a lot in common, but differently than Sansa and Susan. They both have experience of being slightly resentful of their circumstances and family, being charmed beguiled by a beautiful but terrible Queen and trusting the wrong person, and suffering vastly disproportionate consequences from it. Both Edmund and Sansa value justice very highly, partly due to what happened to them. They would understand each other in a different way than the other Pevensies would understand Sansa, and might even be able to share some of the darker aspects of their pasts with each other.

Sansa/Lucy
In contrast to Susan and Edmund sharing some of the darker parts of Sansa’s past. Lucy is light and faith and innocence, and maybe that’s what Sansa needs from Narnia! Maybe Lucy shows her to have fun again and just delight in life, and not worry about the past or the future? Maybe Sansa and Lucy go on adventures in Narnia together? Maybe she helps Sansa in Winterfell, keeping everyone’s spirits us during the Long Night? Lucy is a healer, so maybe she teaches Sansa valuable skills? Maybe

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Crossover fandom: Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon
Characters/ships
• Sansa Stark/Jacaerys Velaryon
• Aegon II Targaryen/Margaery Tyrell
• Alicent Hightower & Sansa Stark
• Margaery Tyrell/Viserys I Targaryen
• Sansa Stark & Rhaena Targaryen
• Sansa Stark/Viserys I Targaryen

Freeform tags
• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Character makes politically smarter choices than in canon
• All: character marries a different person
• ALL: Fix-it
• ALL: Marriage of Convenience AU
• ALL: Multiple Characters Travel Back in Time
• All: Peggy Sue AU
• ALL: Platonic Marriage
• ALL: Political Marriage AU
• ALL: Time Travel
• All: Time Travel - To Meet People Currently Dead
• All: Time Travel Fix-It
• ASOIAF: Sansa becomes Queen of the Seven Kingdoms
• Crossover: Characters turn out to be highly compatible
• Crossover: Shared Universe AU
• F&B: Greens win the Dance of the Dragons
• GoT: Sansa is a Warg
• HotD: The Dance of the Dragons Happens Between Different Factions
• HotD: The Dance of the Dragons Never Happens

General thoughts
I love both shows (the quality of the latter half of GoT notwithstanding) and I would love to see them crossed over! I love the politics, the intrigue, the characters all having their own motivations, goals and desires that sometimes align and sometimes conflict, and the way even good characters make bad choices! I have also read both ASOIAF and Fire & Blood, so if you want to sue the book versions of any characters, feel free!
Time travel would be a lot of fun! It could be the characters from the War of Five Kings era going back to the time of the Dance, and having to make their way while knowing there is a civil war coming: how much do they try to change, how much can they change, is it intentional or accidental? How much do they know of actual events, and how much has been forgotten or distorted in the historical accounts?
On the other hand, it could also be the Dance characters coming to the later era: how does the arrival of a historical figure with potentially a dragon upset the War of the Five Kings, or the lead-up to it, or the War for the Living, or any other point of the show?
Or maybe the characters have always been there, with the Mace Tyrell and his family ruling the Reach during the Dance or the time period leading up to the Dance, and the Starks being related to either Rickard or Cregan somehow, or with the Targaryens of the HotD show being lost Targaryens that survived Robert’s Rebellion somehow? Either way, it would be fun to see how the addition of new characters changes the political dynamics and outcomes of the show(s)!

Aegon/Margaery
I think this pairing would be really intriguing! Margaery has a talent manipulating recalcitrant kings, as evidenced by her relationship with Joffrey, and unlike Joffrey, Aegon in some way does care about smallfolk and does want to be loved, not just feared. I think she could be a fantastic addition to the Green Council—would that change things? Would having Aegon married to Margaery leave space for Helaena to be married to Jace, thereby avoiding the Dance, or would the battle lines still be drawn? Would having Margaery by his side make Aegon want to do better, and does that change how he’s seen by the smallfolk, and the course of the war. Can she avoid Aegon being injured, or does he still insist on riding to battle, and how does she manage when Aemond takes over as regent? Does Margaery ever chafe against the role assigned to her as a woman, and how does she manage that?

Alicent & Sansa
Alicent and Sansa are very similar in some ways, and different in others—it would be really fascinating to explore their parallels and contrasts! Both are young women caught in the schemes of older, manipulative men around them, grabbing for whatever power they can and using their soft power to the best of their ability, both eventually become Queen, but what they do with the power they have is so very different, and so is how they approach their powerlessness. Maybe Sansa counsels a younger Alicent before her wedding to Viserys? Maybe Alicent is there in the Red Keep when Sansa’s a prisoner of the Lannisters? Maybe Sansa is a hostage of the Hightowers to make Cregan join the Greens? Whatever way you think of bringing these two together, I would love to see them exchange ideas and perspectives!

Jacaerys/Sansa
These two would be so sweet together! They’re both kind, considerate people who care about the others around them, and they both have a skill with politics and getting people to want to follow them. Maybe they get engaged before the Dance, or maybe it’s part of the negotiations for Northern support? Maybe Sansa is at Dragonstone as part of Team Black, and counsels Jacaerys through his impatience? Maybe she’s able to use either her cunning, or her knowledge of the future, to help the Blacks to victory and allow Jace to survive the Dance? How would they do, ruling a war-torn kingdom? How would they ensure peace in the Seven Kingdoms? I would also be really interested in seeing Sansa interact with Vermax, and how she as a non-Targaryen deals with the dragons—maybe she even has Lady, still, and Lady and Vermax have to reach an equilibrium?

Margaery/Viserys
Margaery as Viserys’ Queen would be so fascinating! She would know how to play politics, and would manage him to be better—but what would “be better” mean for her? Would she manage where Alicent failed, and get her sons put before Rhaenyra in the succession? Would she see that it’s hopeless, and work on cultivating Rhaenyra instead, and betroth their children? Would she cultivate allies for the inevitable war, like the Hightowers did, and not be blindsided like Alicent wat? How would her relationship with Viserys be? Would it be fond but platonic, or would they grow to love each other? Or would it be one-sided, with Viserys in love, and Margaery appreciating him for what he can give her, but ultimately not interested in him herself? So many different possibilities to explore!

Rhaena & Sansa
There are quite a lot of parallels and differences between these two characters as well, and I think they’d get on well! Both are more political and calmer people in a family that’s more boisterous. Maybe they bond over Sansa being the only Stark without a Direwolf and Rhaena as the only Targaryen without a Dragon? Maybe they meet in the Vale, and learn to play politics during wartime together? Or maybe they go further afield—to Pentos, to the North? Maybe Rhaenyra sends her younger children North, placing them well out of the way for the Greens?

Sansa/Viserys
What if Sansa was in Alicent’s position as Viserys’ second wife? No idea how she got there—perhaps Baelish was pushing for her, or it was a political choice to bind the North closer to the Iron Throne, or perhaps when Otto pushed for Alicent, Viserys took it as encouragement to go after Sansa, or perhaps it was actually love? How would Rhaenyra react, and how would Viserys not choosing Alicent change the relationship between Viserys and Rhaenyra? What would Sansa be like as Viserys’ Queen, both in his prime and as his health started to fail him? How would she navigate the time leading up to the Dance? Would she bind Rhaenyra closer, and cultivate a relationship between her children and Rhaenyra’s, or would she, like Alicent, try to shore up their position? How would that change the alliances and factions during the Dance? Would having someone who also knows about the threat from beyond the Wall and the Song of Ice and Fire, but from a Northern perspective, mean they were more likely to be working towards the same goal? Would that even come out, given it’s a secret they were both keeping, or would they keep their motivations hidden and marvel that the other part was being so cooperative in avoiding bloodshed—or maybe they wouldn’t even reflect on it, as avoiding bloodshed is generally seen as a good thing, even when you’re not trying to prevent a calamity that will have repercussions generations down the line?

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Crossover fandom: Mansfield Park and Master and Commander 2003/Pride and Prejudice
Characters/ships
• Fanny Price/Tom Pullings
• Fanny Price/Charles Bingley

Freeform tags
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Character A Marries Pregnant B to Protect Both Parent and Baby
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• ALL: Character has a chronic illness
• All: character marries a different person
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• All: Historical Fantasy AU
• ALL: Marriage of Convenience AU
• ALL: Platonic Marriage
• ALL: Regency-Inspired Fantasy AU
• ALL: Take a bad thing that happened to a character in canon and make it better
• ALL: Take a bad thing that happened to a character in canon and make it even worse
• Crossover: Characters from one canon have always been in the other canon's setting (like a fusion)
• Crossover: Characters turn out to be highly compatible
• Crossover: Shared Universe AU

General thoughts
I just want Fanny to marry a dashing man who will respect her thoughts and opinions and treat her right! This request is mainly due to my desire to see a better outcome for Fanny than she got in canon – she deserves someone who will respect her and listen to her, which neither of her canonical suitors did (they both came close, but they also both put their own desires and wants above hers).
I’m very fond of the Regency period, and would be delighted with something that leaned into the aesthetics and trappings of the time era, and the ritualised etiquette of courtship and marriage. Adding a magic/fantasy element is highly optional, but would be fun!

Fanny/Bingley
This is such an intriguing pairing! We know that Bingley has a fondness for reserved ladies with great moral character, which Fanny definitely is, and Bingley is a very good man who would be a great match for Fanny—outgoing enough to bring her out of her shell, but still amiable enough not to overwhelm her! How do they meet? How does her family react, when she’s courted by someone as wealthy as Bingley—do they claim the credit for her upbringing that allowed her to catch his attention, or do they begrudge her it, especially Mrs Norris, Maria and Julia? How do Bingley’s sisters and Darcy react to Fanny—do they try to separate them the same way they did Bingley and Jane, given Fanny’s low connections and lack of dowry, and is Bingley receptable? What other obstacles lie in their path towards happiness?

Fanny/Pullings
I must admit, this is about 40% because of how handsome James D’Arcy looks with the ponytail, scar, and the naval uniform! The other 60% are because I think they would work quite well together. Pullings is easy-going and cheerful enough to balance out Fanny’s more serious side, but he’s also hard-working, loyal, and dutiful enough that she’d still be able to admire and respect him, unlike Henry Crawford. Like in the above request, Fanny has a naval connection through William, perhaps they serve together when William’s made lieutenant and he introduces them to each other? Or perhaps they meet in Portsmouth when she’s banished from Mansfield? Perhaps he sees her being relentlessly pursued by a man she doesn’t want and steps in to rescue her? Or maybe he can offer her an escape from her family’s poverty and dysfunction? Although, as is pointed out with William, it’s hard to have a successful career when you lack connections in the navy, so they might have to deal with that as well during their married life.
Or, again, just as in the above request, perhaps she even marries Crawford or Edmund, and her husband turns out to be controlling and emotionally abusive. Maybe Pullings meets her while she’s in the abusive marriage (cue pining), or maybe he only meets her when she’s already widowed and is taken by her endurance and fortitude.
It might be fun to contrast the quiet stability and elegance of life at home with the dangerous and rough life of a sailor, even an officer. Historical accuracy very optional - as long as there's a general sense of the Regency period, I'll be happy (of course, I won't say no if you do want to painstakingly research how much a naval officer would make and what that meant for the kind of household his wife would be expected to manage, but that part is definitely not required)!
I haven’t read the Aubrey/Maturin books, but I am more than happy for you to use material from them, as long as it can be understood by someone who just knows the film!

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Game of Thrones
Characters/Ships
• Doran Martell/Sansa Stark
• Sansa Stark & Loras Tyrell
• Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell
• Sansa Stark/Brienne of Tarth
• Sansa Stark/Gendry Waters
• Podrick Payne/Sansa Stark
• Theon Greyjoy/Sansa Stark

Freeform tags:
• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• ALL: Fix-it
• All: Peggy Sue AU
• ALL: Political Marriage AU
• ALL: Time Travel
• ALL: Time Travel - Characters Travel Backward in Time and Meet Past Selves
• ASOIAF: King Ned Stark
• ASOIAF: Sansa becomes Queen of the Seven Kingdoms
• GOT: Arya and Sansa flee King's Landing Together
• GOT: Jaime returns Sansa to Catelyn & the Hound succeeds in ransoming Arya back as well
• GOT: Robb and/or Catelyn didn't die at the Red Wedding
• GOT: Role Reversal - Sansa is the one who escapes King's Landing & Arya is held hostage
• GoT: Sansa flees Kings Landing with Tyrion
• GoT: Sansa Flees to Dorne
• GOT: Sansa goes with Brienne in the Vale
• GoT: Sansa is a Warg

General thoughts
I’m really not fussed about book or show canon – if I want something for one canon, I’ll be equally happy to see it using the other canon.
I prefer only fake sex (if any) to occur if any parties in the relationship are below 15 – I am, however, very fond of the trope where one part (usually the man) cuts themself to fake the bedding sheets.
Sansa is one of my favourite characters in ASOIAF/GoT – I’d love to see a story that doesn’t gloss over the horrors she’s suffered, but also doesn’t reduce her to them. She’s clever and cunning, and she’s learnt to play the game, but she’s still managed to keep her kindness and compassion, despite everything she’s suffered. I like stories where she’s able to heal and move on from the traumas she’s suffered and reclaim her agency.
I also like stories that deal with politics and playing the game of thrones, especially ones that allow Sansa to demonstrate that she actually knows how to play – ones where she demonstrates her cunning and agency earlier in Kings Landing, and somehow manages to save her family, or stories where she’s older and has come into her own in a position of power, maybe as Lady of Winterfell or some other castle, or as a member of the Small Council to Robb, Daenerys, Jon, Stannis, Tommen or whoever you choose to give a crown to, maybe as Queen in the North, or maybe even Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
I love how marriage is political, and how dynasties can rise or fall by marriages: I’m really into arranged marriages and marriages of convenience where it’s not the traditional passionate love between spouses, but either friendship or something that straddles friendship and romantic love, or slow-blooming romantic love: people who find themselves married and decide to make the best of the situation and find something to love in their spouse!

Sansa/Doran
I think Doran and Sansa would make an excellent power couple! Doran would be patient and kind as she healed and moved on from her traumas in King’s Landing, and she would be compassionate and helpful when he suffered from his gout. They’re both clever, political people, who are capable of reading others and making long-term plans. Sansa would probably do very well in Dorne, where women have more agency, and she would also be an asset, with her connections and her cleverness.
Perhaps Dorne and the North make an alliance for independence from the Seven Kingdoms? Or maybe the point of divergence is later, and she claims her brother’s crown? How does that work, with their two power bases being so geographically far?
Dorne is a complicated place – how does Sansa navigate the Dornish court? Perhaps she manages to make peace between Ellaria and the Sand Snakes and Doran? Does she manage to convince them that killing Myrcella is not in their best interests and that there are better paths to revenge? Or perhaps she manages to discover their treachery in advance, and she and Doran can outmanoeuvre them without it leading to Doran’s death?
I don’t mind how you deal with Doran's wife – maybe they were never married and his children are legitimised bastards (since Dorne is more accepting of such things), or maybe she’s dead, or they’re legally divorced, or any other way you can think of.

Sansa & Loras
What if the Tyrells had managed to marry Sansa and Loras? Sansa gets her handsome gallant knight, and Loras gets to save a pretty damsel! They’re both Romantics, in that they believe in songs and the ideals of chivalry, which might lead to a strong friendship and companionship, but there is still the barrier that Loras can’t love her the way she’s dreamed of. I don’t mind if this goes slightly bittersweet, given their respective situations, dreams, and hopes, but I do have a fondness for arranged marriages that end not in love, but with deep, enduring friendships, and relationships that straddle the line between romantic and platonic love.
Would they go to reclaim Winterfell? Would they go to Highgarden for Loras to rule while Mace is in King’s Landing? Or would they stay in King’s Landing? How would Tywin react to being outmanoeuvred – and would he try to retaliate? How does Cersei react to having her hostage ripped away from her control? How would Sansa’s marriage to Loras change the position she played the game of thrones from? Would she learn from Olenna and Margaery, and would they be able to outplay the Lannisters together? Would having Sansa in the family change how they killed Joffrey, as they’d want no risk of suspicion to fall on anyone close to them? Would Cersei still suspect Tyrion, or would she blame Sansa, and how would they deal with that?
Perhaps Sansa might have been able to save Loras at his trial by the Faith (maybe she would point out that a squire having seen his knight master undressed is not incriminating in the slightest)? Or maybe there wouldn’t have been a trial if they managed to convincingly fake a romantic relationship?

Sansa/Margaery
This can work well with the prompt above, where Loras marries Sansa. That would be the best outcome for everyone involved, really (all that would be needed was a love interest for Loras who wouldn’t sell him out to the Faith) – it would give Sansa the romantic love she’s dreamed of, while still ensuring her safety and a good marriage, and give Sansa and Margaery and excuse to be close and spend a lot of time together, since they’d be good-sisters. How would they manage Tommen, Cersei, and the Faith while hiding both Sansa’s and Margaery’s relationship, as well as Loras’ relationship with his squire?
Maybe the Tyrells succeed with their plot to marry Sansa and Loras, and Sansa finds she prefers the company of her husband’s sister? Or maybe they marry earlier, to create an alliance between Renly and Robb? Maybe the Tyrells kill Stannis and take King’s Landing, making Renly the King, rather than ally with the Lannisters after his death, and rescue Sansa? Sansa, Margaery, Renly and Loras would be such a good power quartet!
Or what if Sansa was married to Joffrey when the Tyrells came to King’s Landing? How wouls the dynamics play out then, with Sansa having ostensibly more power in canon as the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, but possibly being in a worse position given she has more direct contact with Joffrey and doesn’t have even the nominal protection of a marriage to Tyrion? How does Sansa being married to Joffrey interfere with the Tyrells’ plan to make Margaery Queen, and how do they deal with the political situation they’re in?
Alternatively, if you keep Sansa’s canonical marriage to Tyrion, she and Margaery could get together while they’re still in King’s Landing, behind the backs of their husbands and betrothed: Sansa dealing with her unwanted marriage by seeking out Margaery’s company, and Margaery confiding in Sansa, who knows what Joffrey’s like and what it’s like to have to pretend to love him. Margaery is skilled at manipulation, and Sansa learns quickly (even though she thinks she doesn’t), so before too long, they could well be the soft power behind the throne in King’s Landing – I’d love to see the pair of them match wits against Cersei! They’d be even more powerful if Margaery marries Tommen, who’s more biddable than Joffrey, and would probably also get on with Sansa. Would he know about Sansa’s and Margaery’s relationship, or would they hide it from him as well as everyone else? How would Margaery manage to save Sansa’s life if she stayed in King’s Landing after the Purple Wedding? Would Sansa and Margaery working together manage to prevent Cersei’s blunder in giving the Faith more power? Or would they have to deal with it, knowing that they are as much at risk as Loras, if their relationship was discovered? How would they deal with his imprisonment, and would they manage to avert Cersei blowing up the Sept? Or would it still happen, and they somehow survive? I felt like the fall-out from that act was a bit glossed over in the show, so feel free to expand on that, in this request or any other!

Sansa/Brienne
Sansa gets her dashing and gallant knight after all – even if she happens to be female and not knighted! I’m very fond of loyalty, and if there’s one word to describe Brienne of Tarth, it’s loyal. She would do anything for Sansa, and in return Sansa trusts her, values her, and treats her with respect.
Maybe Brienne manages to save Sansa from King’s Landing and deliver her to Robb and Catelyn? What adventures do they have on the road together? Does Sansa trust her from the start, or does she just go with her for lack of other appealing options? Do they somehow prevent the Red Wedding – maybe they overhear something on the road and can warn the Stark army in time? Or do they arrive when it’s too late, and how do they deal with that, where do they go from there?
Maybe Sansa does go with Brienne when they meet in the Vale – how does that change things when Petyr can’t marry her off to Ramsay and they arrive at Castle Black before Jon’s death? Maybe something set after they’ve retaken Winterfell, maybe Sansa’s Queen in the North and Brienne the Lady Commander of her Queensguard rather than Bran’s Kingsguard, as they rebuild the North after all it’s been through? How does Brienne help and support Sansa when they crown rests heavy on her head? How do they deal with the demands that Sansa marry and beget an heir?

Sansa/Podrick
Podrick is so dependable and loyal, he would be a great match for Sansa! Maybe Tyrion/Shae and Podrick/Sansa come to an arrangement in King’s Landing? How does that change Sansa’s experience of King’s Landing? Does she still escape at the Purple Wedding, does Podrick come with her, and how does that change Petyr’s plans? Or does she stay in King’s Landing – and how does she fare after Tyrion is jailed? Is she also accused, and how does she get out of it?
Or maybe they meet instead when Podrick is with Brienne? Does Sansa go with them when they meet in the Vale – how does that change things when that means Petyr can’t marry her off to Ramsay and they arrive at Castle Black before Jon’s death? Or does love only grow between them after Brienne and Podrick have saved her from Ramsay and they’ve retaken Winterfell? Or even after the series, when Sansa’s Queen in the North and Podrick’s in the Kingsguard – perhaps he leaves the Seven Kingdoms to join Sansa’s Queensguard instead?

Sansa/Theon
So, the Theon/Sansa ship surprised me – I didn’t ship it in the early seasons, but seasons 6-8 convinced me. They’re the only ones who truly know what the other suffered at the hands of Ramsay, and I’d like to see them supporting each other as they reclaim their agency. They’d know to be careful of each other, know the traumas they’ve both suffered, and so don’t need to explain it or hide from the other, and they’ve both seen the other at their lowest point. This ship offers plenty of opportunities to explore themes of loyalty, forgiveness, healing, and moving on.
Perhaps Theon stays with Sansa when they go to Castle Black – how does that change her reunion with Jon? And how does that affect his and Jon’s reunion? Does he still go to save Yara, or does he stay with Sansa in Winterfell?
Or maybe they go somewhere else, together, and escape Westeros and all the conflicts – Braavos, perhaps? How to they make a living? Does Winter spread even to Braavos, and do they keep up with what’s happening in Westeros? Do they feel guilty for abandoning their homeland, or do they feel well rid of the place that brought them only suffering? Are they recognised at all, or do they manage to fade into obscurity? Some slight jiggling of the timelines could even have them there at the same time as Arya – how does that reunion go down under those circumstances?
Or maybe love blossoms when Sansa's retaken Winterfell and Theon’s returned to fight for Winterfell in season 8? Does he feel torn between his oath to Daenerys and his love for Sansa? Or is this a non-issue for him: Sansa held his loyalty first? Perhaps he manages to survive the defence of Bran against the Night King – does he feel he’s atoned sufficiently for what he did, or will he always feel guilty about it? Do the other Starks forgive him completely, or are they still wary of him?

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The Goblin Emperor
Characters/ships
• Chenelo & Vedero
• Chenelo & Arbelan
• Chenelo & Csethiro
• Chenelo & Vedero
• Csethiro/Maia
• Maia & Chenelo
• Maia & Nemolis

Freeform tags
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• ALL: Character makes politically smarter choices than in canon
• Goblin Emperor: Chenelo Still Alive When Maia Becomes Emperor
• Goblin Emperor: Maia is made The Great Avar's heir before Varenechibel dies
• Goblin Emperor: Nemolis survives
• Goblin Emperor: One of Maia's brothers brings him to court
• Goblin Emperor: Varenechibel Dies Another Way & Nemolis Becomes Emperor

General thoughts
This is such a nice comfort read book! I loved Maia finding his feet in court, how he started to flourish and come into his own, and how he, through his kindness and consideration, managed to win people over and start making changes for the better! I also love the politics, how people use subtle cues to signal favour or disfavour, the thought that goes into appearances, and back-room deals where people trade favours with each other!
I’d also be incredibly interested in seeing how the women’s court functions, politics among the ladies—both their own politics, but also how they move things in the national politics that’s usually seen as the men’s domain, how they wield influence over other ladies and over men, what Csethiro is like as and Empress, Vedero’s circle and who is included in it, and how it interacts with other factions in the women’s court, or what role Chenelo would have in Maia’s court if she survived.
I am also interested in Maia getting to bond with his family, in an AU where Nemolis (and possibly more of his brothers) survived, and he was brought to court (read more about that in the section Maia & Nemolis).
Or what if Maia was appointed as the Gear Avar’s heir? How does he fit in at the court in Barizhan? Would he feel as out of place there? Would he seem overly formal, given how Setheris raised him, or would his early childhood with Chenelo make him fit in more easily? What are goblin politics like? Does he face opposition from the court there as much as in canon? Are there more open challenges and less covert coup attempts? Or does having the obvious favour of the Great Avar shield him?

Maia & Chenelo
I would love to see an Au where Chenelo came to court with Maia, and helped him settle in, could give him the guidance and support he needed when he was floundering in the beginning! What would Maia be like raised by his mother? Would his resentment of his father be as deep, given they were still relegated, or would he be more understanding given he hadn’t spent eight years being abused by a bitter relative who cared nothing for him, but instead with his mother? What would Chenelo’s feelings about her ex-husband and her relegation be? How would she cope with being back at court? Would she feel out of place, due to the changes or due to being a goblin in an elf court, or would she find that without Varenechibel there, she was free to make court her own and set up her own power faction at court? She would be in a completely different position, as the Emperor’s beloved mother, as opposed to the unwanted fourth wife in a political marriage that the Emperor didn’t want and had in fact been manipulated into! How would that influence how she dealt with the court when she came back—those who had shunned her before who now want to be in her good graces (or would they still shun her due to being a goblin?)—did she have any allies then, and would they still be around to welcome her back, or would they have run afoul of Varenechibels’ temper and court politics? What would she have made of Sheveän—would she have handled the situation differently? Perhaps Stano would have joined her household instead, or she might have nurtured that contact in a way Maia couldn’t and found out about Sheveän’s plans that way?
What would the relationship between Chenelo and Maia as an adult be like? What sort of difficulties would they face? Would they have arguments, what about, and how would they play out and be resolved?
Or what about an AU where Chenelo reconciles with her father, and he names Maia his heir? How would she fit in back in Barizhan? How would Maia adapt? How would she get on with her sisters? Would the Great Avar recognize them in these circumstances? How would her relationship with her father be—would all be forgiven, or would she still feel some resentment over being traded away to Varenechibel and left in relegation for however many years?

Chenelo & Vedero
I would be very interested in seeing the relationship between these two women! Would they be cordial allies, or friends? They’re basically the same age (I think Chenelo is six years older than Vedero, if I’ve got my maths right?), but their positions would be very different, with Chenelo counted to the matrons, the widowed Empress, and Vedero an unmarried lady: how would that play into their dynamics? Presumably their interests would align, in giving women more freedom to determine their own lives, but they might have different ways of going about it, different networks they are tied to: it might even benefit them to not to be seen to be too close to each other? Or maybe they want to present a united front? Whatever their relationship is, both of them would probably be savvy enough to know that they would have to consider the political implications and how to present it to the public! And they would have very different experiences of Varenechibel, as well as very different experiences of the court and court politics.

Chenelo & Arbelan
The two Drazharan who were relegated by Varenechibel should definitely get to meet and bitch about him, and get their vengeance by basically ruling the ladies’ side of the court and being trusted and valued advisors to Edrehasivar the Emperor as well as beloved mentors to Maia the person. What would their relationship be like, how well would they get on, would there be anything that separated them: their experiences of both the Court, Varenechibel, and their respective relegation, is likely to be quite different? Besides, Arbelan would be old enough to be Chenelo’s mother, so while they’re equals socially (more or less, officially, at least), the age might play a role in how they relate to each other?
Or, what if it’s not due to Maia’s ascendancy to Emperor that they’re both recalled to court, but due to Nemolis’, or one of his other brothers? How would they get on with Empress Sheveän? Would there be a battle of wills between them, or would they have to be more subtle about their alliance-building and influence? Or Empress Stano, if Ciris was the sole survivor? I imagine she would be more easily led by the two older women, but if Sheveän was still around, she might make life difficult for them!

Chenelo & Csethiro
Like many of the above requests, I think the relationship between Chenelo and Csethiro would be really fascinating to explore—how each of them relate to their role in court, the different ways they take to fulfil it, and how they work together to further their agenda and Maia’s agenda! Csethiro as someone who is unconventional but still knows and is comfortable in court settings would be very interesting to contrast with Chenelo, who is marked as an outsider by her appearance, and whose previous time at court, one can infer, was miserable. How active would Chenelo be in Maia’s choice of wife, and what would her take on Csethiro be (whether or not she was actively involved)? What does Csethiro think of her mother-in-law? How do they balance their own agendas, their shared agendas, and what Maia wants? Do they move in different circles, and how do they combine their social lives, and how much do they keep them separate? What kinds of causes do they champion, either together or apart?

Csethiro/Maia
Arranged marriage my beloved! I love their initial misunderstandings, their hesitant first steps to getting to know each other, and eventual reveal of who they truly are to each other! I would be very interested to see how this relationship plays out in an AU where Maia isn’t Emperor, and comes to court at the behest of one of his brothers (or even while Varenechibel is alive, for whatever reason)—what leads to the marriage being arranged in those circumstances? Do they know each other more before a marriage is brokered, or is it thrust upon them as hurriedly as in canon? What sort of life do they make in this AU—what occupies them during the days? Do they stay as courtiers, or do they go travelling as ambassadors somewhere, or even leave court life to join the urban intelligentsia, or find some other pursuit worthy of them?
Or if Maia was the heir of the Great Avar instead? Maybe it’s a political marriage to foster better relations between the nations, after the first disastrous attempt? What made them settle on Csethiro? How does she feel about moving to Barizhan? What sort of reception does she face there, and how does she settle in and make a place for herself? How does her relationship play out when she is the foreigner out of place, and he is the one who more visibly and culturally belongs? Depending on how long he has been there, he may have been more or less assimilated—perhaps they’re both out of place, people raised in the Ethuveraz having to adapt to the customs of Barizhan? In this situation, how do the courtiers of the Corat' Dav Arhos react to them in this situation?


Maia & Nemolis
So we know that Nemolis wanted to bring Maia to court: what if he had survived to become Emperor and actually did? How would Maia adapt when he wasn’t being thrust into the role of Emperor? What would his duties and his life be like? How would he navigate people wanting to use him to get close to his brother? How would he handle the prejudices against him when he didn’t have the protection of the title of Emperor, or being thrust in the limelight? And how would Nemolis deal with knowing what Maia’s life had been and the role his father played in it? How much does Nemolis agree with his father’s politics, and how much with Maia’s much more radical outlook? Do they ever clash over politics? How does Sheveän react to Maia in a situation where Nemolis survives and he’s only indirectly a threat on her and her son’s position? And, in a situation where Maia’s other brothers are around, how do they relate to Maia and Nemolis?

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House of the Dragon
Characters/ships
• Alicent Hightower/Criston Cole
• Alicent Hightower & Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Alicent Hightower/Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Alicent Hightower/Viserys Targaryen
• Baela Targaryen & Rhaena Targaryen & Jacaerys Velaryon & Lucerys Velaryon
• Corlys Velaryon/Rhaenys Targaryen
• Criston Cole & Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Rhaena Targaryen
• Rhaenys Targaryen

Freeform tags
• All: Arranged Marriage AU
• All: Arranged Marriage-previous marriage was traumatic
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• All: Character deals with a canonical difficult situation better than in canon
• ALL: Character makes politically smarter choices than in canon
• ALL: Characters in arranged marriage AU catch feelings
• ALL: characters in arranged marriage AU remain platonic
• ALL: Fix-it
• All: Peggy Sue AU
• ALL: Time Travel
• F&B: Greens win the Dance of the Dragons
• HotD: Aemma lives
• HotD: Alicent accepts Rhaenyra's offer of Jace marrying Helaena to make peace within the family
• HotD: All Rhaenya’s children are trueborn
• HotD: Baelon (son of Viserys) lives
• HotD: Rhaenyra is fostered and mentored in politics by Rhaenys
• HotD: Rhaenys is Queen
• HotD: The Dance of the Dragons Happens Between Different Factions
• HotD: The Dance of the Dragons Never Happens
• HotD: Viserys Dies Earlier

General thoughts
I love the complicated and messy politics and family relations, the betrayals and loyalty, how there are multiple points where the characters can choose to be better people and don’t, how both the Greens and the Blacks have legitimate reasons to be upset with each other and how there are no easy answers! I would love to see an exploration of the dynamics, or an alternate universe where things end up better for the characters and they make better choices, or an alternate universe where they make different choices and everything still ends on literal or metaphorical fire! Maybe one in which the coalitions are different? What would it take for the Velaryons to support Aegon at the outbreak of the war? Or for the Lannisters to support Rhaenyra? Or what if the Greens and the Blacks came to an arrangement, and instead the Velaryons rebelled against the Crown? Or some other shift in circumstances that leads the alliances to turn out differently? One or more of the characters makes different (better or worse) political choices and it changes the political landscape? Maybe Rhaenyra and her faction does more to gather allies before the war breaks out, or maybe the Greens court different nobles than they do in canon? Maybe different marriages are arranged: maybe Aegon and Helaena instead marry into other houses for allies, or maybe Jace, Luke, Rhaena and Baela do?
I love how marriage is political, and how dynasties can rise or fall by marriages: I’m really into arranged marriages and marriages of convenience where it’s not the traditional passionate love between spouses, but either friendship or something that straddles friendship and romantic love, or slow-blooming romantic love: people who find themselves married and decide to make the best of the situation and find something to love in their spouse!
Or what about an AU in which different characters die or survive, and how would that change either the lead-up to or the outcome of the Dance? What if Aemma survived: who would Alicent marry then? And how would that shape Rhaenyra’s future? Or what if Baelon survived? How would that affect Alicent’s role, if there already was a first-born son who’d be the unquestioned heir? Would she still feel the need to push for her own children, and how would Rhaenyra’s life turn out since she would never expect to be Queen in this AU?
Or what if Viserys dies earlier, before the situation becomes unsalvageable? Maybe when Alicent’s children are still too young to press their claim? Or while Rhaenyra is still at court? Or even before he can remarry? How would that change the political landscape in Westeros?
Or a time travel AU? All of these characters have many regrets and choices they would do differently: would they get a chance to, or would they still be trapped by circumstances, knowing the terrible war looming yet being powerless to avert it, and all they can do is mitigate the consequences?
I have read Fire and Blood, and would be happy to see something drawing from that canon rather than the show canon, or that mixes both.

Alicent Hightower/Criston Cole
I really like both Alicent and Criston, and I’m fascinated by them both in isolation and their relationship. I would very much like an exploration of the line between courtly love and romantic love, pining for someone when honour won’t allow you to give in – for Alicent because of her faith, and for Criston because he’s been burned once by that, and both of them because of the grave consequences of discovery. I’m also interested in exploring other ways to express love than just via sex and traditional romance, hence the inclusion of them as a platonic relationship in the request, based on strong loyalty and dedication to each other within the roles set out for them as Queen and Kingsguard.
Or, if you do want to include a sexual component to their relationship, season 2 has them actively having sex—how did they get to that point? How soon after Viserys’ death did it start? For both of them, there are very good reasons they would feel conflicted about it, and how do they deal with that? How do they balance their duties and their feelings? How do they deal with the guilt of the consequences of their actions, do they reconcile, or does that tear them apart?
What if he hadn’t picked Aemond over Alicent as Aegon’s regent? Would the Council still have gone for the male heir over the experienced woman? How would their relationship have changed if she felt like she could truly count on his support? Would that have changed any of their actions during the second season, or would it still have played out the same?

Alicent & Rhaenyra, Alicent/Rhaenyra
I love both these women, and the relationship between them! I love how complicated they both are, and how complicated their relationship is. One of the main tragedies of the show to me is how their friendship fell apart and all the moments they had to mend it but didn’t. I’m really interested in how they relate to each other, and that they’re both complicated women constrained by their stations and the circumstances around them, and how they react and act differently to exercise their agency within those structures.
What if Alicent hadn’t heard and misunderstood Viserys last words? Would she have acted differently in the coup? Tried to send a message to Rhaenyra or even go herself with Rhaenys? Or would she still have fallen into line with her father, and what would she have thought and felt about that, torn between all her various loyalties and duties?
Or what if they had betrothed Jaecerys and Helaena, as per Rhaenyra’s suggestion? Could the two branches of the family have reconciled that way, or would Alicent and Rhaenyra still have clashed, given their different attitudes and ways of approaching the world? How would they have handled their sons, who at that point had a very inflamed relation?
What if Alicent hadn’t found out that Rhaenyra lied about the night with Daemon and Ser Criston? Would she still have been so averse to Rhaenyra’s sons with Harwin Strong, because it means she was unfaithful to her husband and exposed the crown to gossip, or was it the fact that Rhaenyra lied that really hurt her?
Or what if the point of divergence was earlier? What if Rhaenyra married Gwayne Hightower, and the way for Otto to get his grandchild on the Iron Throne went through Rhaenyra? Would the Dance of the Dragons be averted if he didn’t push for Aegon over Rhaenyra and her children, or would there have been a different Dance with whichever family Viserys’ second wife was from (would he have married Laena if Otto wasn’t pushing Alicent at him, or would he still have balked at marrying a twelve-year-old and married someone else?)? Or would Otto still have hedged his bets and pushed for Alicent as Viserys’ second wife as well, and would Rhaenyra’s marriage to Gwayne change anything about how she reacted to that?
What about a time travel fix-it? Either Alicent or Rhaenyra would be interesting to see time travel, given they have different possibilities to act and different constraints on their actions. They also have different things they would want to change! What can they change, and what happens without them being able to avert it? Or what unexpected consequences are there of their actions? Or what about both? How do they react to each other back in their early days with all the weight of their history behind them? Do they work together to ensure a better future, or do their future conflicts spill over into their old relationship? Do they even know the other also has travelled in time, or do the ascribe all changes to their own actions? How long does it take them to realise, who realises first, and how does she act in response to that?
For the shipfic request, how did they get together? As teenagers, when they were still friends, and if so, how did that change how they reacted to future events? Or as adults, when they have to get over all the betrayals and bitterness that sprung up between them? How do they handle that they’re both highborn women with obligations to marry and bear children? For Rhaenyra, that might be easier, given her personality and her arrangement with Leonor, but how does Alicent reconcile her sense of duty and sacrifice with her love for Rhaenyra?

Alicent and Viserys
This was such a complex, compelling relationship, with power dynamics and uneven feelings galore! I am really compelled by Alicent’s reticence and her powerlessness compared to her husband, yet she does grow fond of him in her own way (as a coping strategy? Genuine fondness? Up to you!), and as he grows weaker, the power dynamics start shifting in the other way, and she takes the position she has and makes something more of it (but still, she’s the one looking after him, his needs and wants are centred, not hers, and her value always lies in what she can provide for him and never the other way round). There is plenty of opportunity to explore what a messy relationship this is, with Alicent’s resentment of her powerlessness, and Viserys’ resentment that she isn’t Aemma—but I would also be interested in a fix-it! Perhaps something where Viserys supports Alicent more unequivocally in her new role as Queen, and she grows to not just tolerate but love him? Perhaps Viserys takes a more active role in mending the fences between Rhaenyra and Alicent, and finds a compromise between their respective factions? Perhaps he doesn’t neglect his children by Alicent to such a degree that she fears for their lives when he dies, but instead ensures that their futures are safe even when Rhaenyra inherits?

Criston Cole & Rhaenyra
I like how intense Criston is, and how he desperately wants something or someone he can devote himself to, and how Rhaenyra needs someone who is unquestioningly hers after Alicent marries Viserys, souring her relationships with both her closest friend and father in one swoop: in that way, their needs at that particular time matched, but then they had very different ideas of how they saw their future and their relationship. But what if she hadn’t tried to seduce him or if he hadn’t given in and he still remained her loyal knight, and nothing more – would he have resented Laenor, or would he be content being her guard? Would he have remained her confidant? How might the Dance have changed if Criston Kingmaker was on the side of the Blacks? I requested the & version of this relationship, since I’m mostly interested in this being a courtly love and chivalric protector kind of relationship (albeit feel free to get very intense about it), but I would also quire happily read the / version of it!

Baela & Rhaena & Jacaerys & Lucerys
I really like the strong friendship between these four step-siblings/third cousins/first cousins once removed/(kind of) first cousins (the family relationships get really messy when you’re as interbred as the Targaryens)!
I would be really interested in the future in a canon divergence where they all survive and win the war! How do they relate to each other as King and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Lord and Lady of Driftmark? Does Luke take to the sea in the same way Corlys did? Is it a case where Luke is Lord in name, but Rhaena is the power behind the throne, or are they more equal. How about Jace and Baela as King and Queen? How do they navigate politics in King’s Landing? How do they deal with the surviving Greens and their supporters? Are there any surviving Greens?
Or what about an AU where they are betrothed to different people (maybe Jace was betrothed to Helaena, and Luke was free to accept one of the Baratheon daughters: maybe either Baela or Rhaena is betrothed to Oscar Tully or Cregan Stark—just throwing ideas out there, feel free to pick any character, show or book-verse, to pair any of them with instead)? How do their bonds grow and change as they move to different positions and different keeps? Does that change the alliances, course, and outcome of the war? Do any of them fight for the Greens in this AU, and do they overcome being on different sides of the war once it’s over? Or do their different alliances put Rhaenyra in a better position, allowing the war to end with all of their survival?

Rhaena
I felt really bad for Rhaena, ignored by her father for not being a dragonrider, sent off to look after the children—an important job, which she realizes, but it’s not what she wants! I was really intrigued by her relationship with Lady Arryn—so tense, with disappointment on both sides, yet so polite and cordial. I would be as interested in a story where Rhaena doesn’t tame the Vale dragon—maybe she stays in the Vale with Lady Arryn gaining skill and experience at politics rather than battles, or maybe she goes with Rhaenyra’s sons to Essos (as she does in the book: feel free to borrow or discard as much or as little of the books as you please if you go this route)? Or what about and AU where she does manage to hatch a dragon before the War, or maybe she manages to bond with one of the other unclaimed dragons: Silverwing, or Vermithor, or any of the others? Or maybe she was successful in claiming Vhagar at her mother’s funeral? What repercussions does that have, on her relationship with her father, Rhaenyra, her siblings and cousins? How is her plotline changed by having a hatchling rather than a full-grown dragon, or by being as much of a dragonrider as her sister? And how does that change dynamics of the war, with Rhaenyra having yet another dragon on her side?

Rhaenys, Rhaenys/Corlys
I love Rhaenys! I would love to see a story in which she got to shine! What would things have been like if she got to be Queen, and Viserys was passed over at the Great Council? How would she have dealt with the issues we saw Viserys fumble (the succession, the Stepstones, etc.)? How would her relationship with Corlys have been affected? How would she have managed the scheming nobles in King’s Landing, and the demands of her various bannermen? Would she have been able to navigate court life and keep balance between the various factions in a way Viserys utterly failed to do, or would she have to compromise and found she compromised too much one way? Would there still have been a Dance—Laenor’s inability to father children might have been more or an issue when he was the Crown Prince, rather than just the Crown Princess’ consort: we saw how much of an issue their potential bastardy was when Rhaenyra’s children’s claim to the throne went through her, not through Laenor, how much worse would it be when their claim (whoever his wife is) runs through him? Who would the challengers be? Laena’s in-laws/children? Daemon’s? Rhaenyra’s? Viserys’ surviving sons, assuming he has any in this AU? Someone else?
I love the relationship between Corlys and Rhaenys, and would love to see more of it! Their relationship is so full of love, and they challenge each other and have different views, but they always come together in the end! I like how his ambition meets it match in her more measured approach, and it’s him who carries a grudge over the Council passing over her, while she’s more bitterly resigned. What would their relationship be like if she actually was the Queen? Would he have resented his place as her consort, and wanted to rule in his place: or would they have found a way to work together as equals? Or maybe he would have been happy propping her up, instead, and letting her take the lead?
Or maybe a story in which she survives, or at least survives longer—how would that have changed the events of the war? What would she have counselled Rhaenyra to do, and how would she have dealt with Rhaenyra’s Council?
Alternatively, I would love to see something with her relationship and interactions with any of her grandchildren (trueborn or claimed bastards)—what was she like as a grandmother? How much influence did she have over their rearing? Would that have been different if Rhaenyra’s sons actually were Laenor’s, as well?
Or something with her and Corlys’ bastards—how did she find out about them? How did she react? How did it affect her relationship with Corlys? Does she ever warm up to them (perhaps in an AU where Corlys dies while she survives), or does she always view them as a threat to her grandchildren, which isn’t entirely unfair, given Corlys in the books at least ended up naming Alyn his heir rather than Baela or Rhaena? In the show, we see Baela reject the Driftmark Throne, but maybe Rhaenys thinks it ought to go to Rhaena instead? Does that cause friction in their relationship in an AU where Rhaenys survives?

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Leverage
Characters/Ships
• James Sterling
• Maggie Collins
• Todd McSweeten
• Todd McSweeten/Parker

Freeform Tags
• ALL: Canon Divergence AU
• ALL: Casefic
• ALL: Different First Meeting AU
• ALL: On the Run
• ALL: Underground Resistance
• Leverage: Jim Sterling is Team Leverage's inside man at IYS or Interpol
• Leverage: Jim Sterling is the Mastermind instead of Nate
• Leverage: Maggie Collins is the Mastermind instead of Nate
• Leverage: McSweeten finds out they’re criminals

General thoughts
I love this show so much – the competence kink, the found family aspects, the trust and loyalty between the characters, the character growth, the in-jokes/catchphrases (“let’s go steal a …”, “it’s a very distinctive …”, “age of the geek, baby”, and more), the general optimism and light-heartedness even as they’re dealing with some complex and terrible people. This canon lends itself especially well to case-fic, and I’d love to read about some kind of heist or con, but if you want to go in a more slice of life or friendship/romantic direction, that would also make me happy.

Maggie
I love Maggie – how quick she is on the uptake, how she can outsmart Nate, but how she generally keeps it under wraps. I love how she’s not jealous of Sophie, but friends with her, and how she genuinely cares for Nate and worries about him even though they’re separated and takes true joy in his moving on.
I would be really interested to see Maggie working with the Leverage team more. Maybe she is their Mastermind approached by Dubenich instead of Nate? She found out that IYS had denied Sam’s treatment and wanted revenge, gathering famous criminals around her? Or maybe Sophie is her way in, since they both move in the fine art circles, and they start with maybe a case like the Two Live Crew Job, helping steal art back for the original owners, and decide to branch out into helping people generally?
Or maybe she works with Parker, Hardison and Eliot after the end of the series when they need an extra person on the con? Maggie is very charming and unassuming, and we’ve seen that she has the makings of a fine grifter – and they all love her and work well with her, so I’m sure they’d be delighted to have her! Maybe she takes over as Mastermind after Nate and Sophie leave—or maybe she has her own crew within Leverage International?

Sterling
What if it was Sterling in Nate’s place as the Leverage team Mastermind? How different would things be? What if Sterling was the one who lost a child (Olivia? An OC?) and blames IYS? Or maybe he has some other reason for wanting to double cross his employers? He’s equally clever and ruthless as Nate, if not more so, but he’s also less prone to grandstanding. And his moral compass is slightly askew compared to Nate’s (not that Nate’s is entirely straight). Would the team be more prone to go for vengeance on their marks rather than justice for the victims? Or would their goals be the same, just their methods different? Sneakier?
And where is Nate in this? Is he the IYS agent chasing them? Or perhaps they lead Leverage together, like they worked together for IYS? How would their dynamic be as co-criminal masterminds? Would they still have the push and pull that they had in canon, or would they be more egalitarian?
I love the way Sterling and the team occasionally team up against a bigger threat, but there’s a deep personal dislike there based on their history and always a sense that he will double cross the team at the first opportunity so they can’t trust him. Does there ever come a point where he doesn’t double cross them (other than the Long Goodbye Job, that is)? Do they reach the point where the antagonism between them is mostly toothless and they mostly get on, or does he remain a slimy bastard?
What would Sterling’s relationship to the team be, if Maggie was Mastermind in Nate’s place? The history they share is different, but still weighty. Would that make him more of an unquestioned ally, in deference to Nate’s memory (assuming Nate is dead, in this AU), or more of an outright antagonist, without the collegiality between Nate and Sterling?

McSweeten, Parker/McSweeten
McSweeten is such a sweetheart! I love his optimism, his faith in people, his kindness! I would love to spend more time with him – as an FBI agent, as a son, as a person. I’d also love more interactions between him and the team. Does the team run across the FBI on another job and have to slip into pretending to be Hagen and Thomas again? Does he ask for their help on another case in the guises they adopted for the D.B. Cooper job? Does he find out who they actually are, and how does he react to that? Does he become someone like Bonnano, a law enforcement officer they can trust to look the other way as long as they’re doing good, and what does it take to get him to that point? Do McSweeten and Bonnano ever work together? Or McSweeten and Sterling? Maybe that’s how he finds out? Or does the team have to tell him for some reason? Or does he find out on his own during an investigation?
I also really like how gone he is on Parker as Hagen and how he sweet is about trying to woo her, even when she’s oblivious. I’d love to see something that brings them together – her being on the other side of the law might be even more of a problem in this case than in the gen version of this request, since it’s more personal when it’s someone he’s romantically interested in or involved with. How do they bridge that difference? Does he end up as an associate member of Leverage International, or even an actual member? Or does he stick with the FBI, and they have to navigate the conflict of interest between his career and hers? Or does he act as their inside man in the FBI?

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