Rare Ships 2019 letter

[allekha]

Hello, creator! I'm sure I'll love whatever you create for me. Please don't feel too bound to the prompts and ideas in this letter if you have an idea that you like and think I would like also; they're just there for inspiration if you want it. I am allekha on AO3 as well.

General likes: Outsider POV. Canon divergence AUs. Slice of life. Spirits, gods, and ghosts. Character exploration, introspection, and backgrounds. Traditional or historical clothing. Clothing kink of almost any kind including crossdressing (the one exception is lingerie on people of any gender; it's not really my thing). Playing with gender/expression. Crack and crack taken seriously. Intense friendships, complicated relationships, and UST. Sharing beds or baths (platonic or otherwise). Adventures and apocalypses. Floriography. Hanahaki disease (yes on the beautiful body horror, no on the 'removal means never loving again' aspects). Sex pollen. Language barriers and cultural differences. Showing care without using words. Food or coffee/tea as affection. Playing with/doing up/brushing/washing hair, particularly long hair. Napes, necks, hands, wrists. Wingfic or wingart of any kind; it's basically my favorite trope ever - stick a pair of bird/butterfly/bat/abstract/whatever wings on a character or few and I'm good. 4 + 1 or 5 times or similar formats.

Some likes especially for this fandom: Dancing or skating together. Canon divergence or close-to-canon AUs like 'spirits exist'/'we skate to please the gods'/wing!AU, etc. Magical elements. Hurt/comfort. Crying. Time travel or time loops. Skating as seduction or to send a message. Use of social media. The balance between rivalry and friendly or intimate relationships. Interesting costume and makeup choices and flexibility.

DNW: A/B/O, unrequested non-canon AU, homophobia, pregnancy (except for a brief mention or something in the background), unrequested unrequited pining, requested ships breaking up (exception: Yakov and Lilia's divorce, if you want to include that), infidelity, rimming, daddy/mommy kink, character death, humiliation, surrealism in fic (it's okay in art)

I am fine with any rating. For fic, I don't have any preferences wrt tense, pov, etc. For ships that would break up Victor/Yuuri or other canon ships, I'm okay with pre-canon, open relationships, break-ups, AU, etc, if you want to explain it; I'm also okay with background Yuuri/Victor or canon marriages, but please no other background unrequested ships. For art, for this canon, I don't like very realistic art - more realistic than canon style is fine, but if it looks like a very realistic drawing of a person, it kind of hits uncanny valley for me. B/W art is great, and my favorite colored art for this fandom usually is 'soft' looking or has bright colors, if that helps? (Sorry, I'm not much of an artist myself.)

Relationship-specific ideas and prompts are here if you want them:
Gen relationships
Minako & Yuuri
Was there any particular reason why Minako suggested Yuuri try figure skating - just because she liked it and thought he would enjoy it, or because she saw it as a way to help him meet other kids and get out of his shell? I'd love anything about her supporting him at competitions, especially when he was younger. Surely as a performer herself, she would have had some thoughts on alleviating stage fright, right? (Whether or not it worked.) Did she have anything to do with helping to push his career forward, considering that Yuuri's parents don't know much about skating and probably wouldn't be able to help him e.g. decide when he needs a new coach or how to get one? Maybe she helped choreograph some programs when he was younger, or suggested music? I'd also enjoy anything about her teaching him ballet, or even an AU where Yuuri went into ballet instead.

Lilia & Victor
What's their history together? Yuri doesn't know Lilia, so presumably she hasn't taught him in the last few years, but given how she was married to Yakov at one point and that Victor should have had access to the best Yakov could find for him too, she might have taught him at some point when he was younger. What did they think of each other? Did she teach him anything besides ballet? Maybe she speaks French and she practices with or corrects him. On a slightly darker note, did he pick up anything less good from her (too much focus on image, disordered eating habits, etc)? In the present, maybe she's seen changes in his dancing (she's got those nice lines about love making people shine brighter and so on) or he needs her help with something. AU where Victor went into ballet instead of skating. Also, aesthetic or symbolic use of mirrors would be appreciated.

Yakov & Victor
How did they meet? What sort of questionable things has Victor done over the years that have taken time off Yakov's life (and what has he done that made Yakov go quietly fond?)? It seems to be common fanon that Victor moved in with Yakov for his training when he was younger... how did that go? How is that that Victor discovered that Yakov will help if he hugs him - did younger Victor have issues in other parts of his life and hug Yakov looking for comfort? What parts of Yakov does Victor try to emulate when coaching? Any memories he draws on? Post-canon, what changes does Yakov notice in Victor? Younger Victor showing off for Yakov, or arguing with him over some aspect of his programs. Yakov critiquing his coaching methods at the rink or over dinner.

Nikolai & Yuri
Yuri and his grandpa are some of my favorite scenes from this anime <3 How has Nikolai seen Yuri, and his skating, change over the years? How has he supported him? Does Yuri worry about supporting his grandpa financially? Do they ever cook together - or Yuri could make Japanese food in return for his grandpa's pirozhki. Maybe Yuri brings him exotic foods from his travels, or brings Grandpa on vacation to Hasetsu. Maybe something happens to his grandpa - is Yuri there with him or does he have to worry from afar until he can get there?

Shippy ships (non-selfcest)
Chris/Victor
Pre-canon, hooking up at competitions, Chris teaching Victor French, and maybe trying to find other ways to meet. I like the idea of them being each other's first times, or first good times, or just exploring how relationships and sex work together. Maybe Chris waited a little longer to congratulate Victor the first time they met, and got a kiss with his flower, or they met up later at the banquet. Or an AU where Victor ended up dating Chris for whatever reason instead of falling for Yuuri. What if Chris figured out there was something off with Victor, or a drunk Victor got to rambling too much in a way that made him concerned? Maybe bb!Chris comes to Russia and Victor falls for this cute little angel - or when he grows up. The first time Victor saw Chris doing a sexy program. Flirty messages on social media. Chris wins gold over Victor; Victor helps him celebrate.

Chris/Yuuri/Victor
Chris to me seemed to have elements of jealousy towards both Victor and Yuuri (man, that look he throws them in episode 12), and besides his history with Victor he seemed interested in Yuuri after the pole dancing, so I think that kind of mix of feelings could be interesting to see from his point of view. Maybe a threesome develops Feelings. Or established Chris and Victor pick Hasetsu for a vacation, or both show up when Victor wants to teach Yuuri, or both fall for Yuuri in Sochi. Could be interesting to see established Chris/Yuuri inviting Victor in, too - maybe Yuuri went to Switzerland, he and Chris got together, and lonely Victor comes to visit during the summer. Chris and Yuuri pole-dancing together for Victor. Kisses or more happening after the pool scene.

Christophe Giacometti/Stéphane Lambiel/Victor Nikiforov
Maybe Victor had a crush on Lambiel when he was younger and Chris managed to hook him up (and get in on it himself). Maybe they both did. Maybe they really, really hit it off at an ice show, or Chris and Victor were both trying to impress him. Maybe the Swiss skaters are great at spinning and also at being naturally sexy.

Lilia/Minako
Did they ever meet in the past as dancers? Or at a performance/ballet competition? Maybe they meet again in the present day at a skating competition - Barcelona, maybe, or a later one - and an old spark flares up again; Lilia's divorced and Minako's not attached.... Or Minako could come to visit Yuuri in Russia, and Lilia wants to talk to the person who taught Yuuri for so long. Maybe they have a competitive streak that they play out through their respective students. I could also 100% go for them dancing together for any reason – in private, at a ball, for a performance. Or an AU where both Lilia and Minako are teaching Yuuri, either in Japan or Russia. For a more magical AU, maybe they're both masters of ballet-fueled magic (like a grown up version of Princess Tutu) and they have to team up for Reasons to use it together.

Lilia/Yakov
How did they meet? Anything about them courting each other and what drew them together could be nice. Lilia must have had a bunch of other admirers, but Yakov seems to have been the one who won her heart. Maybe they mutually admired a favorite skater/dancer, or had some other shared interest, or maybe they were really compatible in bed. Or show me them when they were in love: doing work together, moving to Saint Petersburg together, traveling together, the good and perhaps bad points of living together. Their first time together or their last time. Maybe post-divorce, they have a hook-up at the GPF (or some other competition), whether or not that turns out to be a good idea. (Maybe it happens more than once.)

Sara/Georgi
I'm not sure this would actually work out long term, but I could see it being a fun short-term relationship, at the least! Sara wants to date the cute guy with emotional performances and romantic ideas, he falls in love easily and enjoys treating her like a proper lady? Maybe they sneak off to make out after sitting together at Rostelecom. Maybe it starts with an ice show where Sara wants to skate with someone other than her brother. Heck, maybe Mila is the one who hooks them up after hearing Georgi's pining and Sara's complaining about how she can't find a date. I'm here for something cute and happy or a disaster waiting to happen, either way!

Yuri/Yuuri
Yuri secretly learns how to cook Japanese food (from the internet, cookbooks, the Katsukis) to surprise Yuuri. Or maybe he demands Yuuri teach him after moving to St. Petersburg; is Yuuri a good enough cook or does Yuri have to teach him instead? Yuuri dresses Yuri up in a yukata for a festival. Yuri starts crushing on Yuuri (even if he doesn't quite realize it) the day Victor abandons them at the waterfall and they spend the rest of the day together. Yuuri helps Yuri with his ballet and stretching - perhaps in a very hands-on way. Victor decides to pair them up for a number in an ice show he's running.

Yakov/Victor
Pre-canon Victor is very lonely and thinks he has to rely only on himself for strength; Yakov is divorced, and maybe he's secretly lonely too, and they find some catharsis with each other. Even if Yakov knows it's not a good idea. Maybe alcohol leads to questionable decisions and an awkward morning afterward. Or, younger Victor has a crush on Yakov (maybe after seeing his old skating videos), whether or not he's obvious enough about it for Yakov to notice. AU where Victor doesn't get a way out of his funk with Yuuri (or anyone else), and latches on to Yakov instead as the person he trusts most. Victor appreciates Yakov's experience.

Lilia/Yakov/Victor
Younger Victor has a crush on both of them, whether or not he tries to act on it or just fantasizes about having their affection or about the two of them. Victor gets sex pollened by mold/flowers/a crazy fan while on vacation with them or at a competition, and they have to take care of him somehow. Maybe, in an AU where he didn't go to Japan, Victor ends up sleeping with both of them to try and assuage his depression/loneliness – perhaps without either of them realizing that he's sleeping with the other, at least at first.

Selfcest ships
Selfcest! I'll take any reason for having two of a character around - dreams, magical accidents, whoops someone from an alternate universe showed up, time travel, spirit shenanigans, wishes unexpectedly coming true, etc. I really like exploring the ways they're similar and yet different from each other, especially if the doubles are different ages. I also wouldn't mind if they're a bit different from 'our' versions of the characters - slightly AU, or fem!versions, for example. For the threesomes, please have the doubles attracted to each other as well as the third partner!

Chris/Chris
My first thought was 'how long does it take them to get into bed?' and you could do some fun stuff with that - maybe Chris gets to have a fun time breaking out the kinky stuff he likes best :D Or maybe he goes on a romantic date with himself - a long walk in the wilderness and a stay in a tent, a home-made dinner, pole dancing together, whatever is romantic for him! Or maybe a younger and canon-age version of Chris meet, and older Chris teaches his younger self about life and adult eros? Maybe Chris can just dimension hop or time travel and uses it to have a good time with himself on occasion.

Chris/Victor/Victor
A younger Victor wakes up in the universe next door and is very surprised to see what cute little Chris has grown into; Chris and Victor show him a very good time. Maybe another Victor shows up at Chris's place and they have to figure out what to do with him. A younger Chris goes to visit a younger Victor during the summer, only Victor never told him that another him had shown up (and is possibly sleeping with him already). Chris has always thought twin fantasies sounded kind of hot, but never tried it in real life, only to get his chance with two Victors. Victor accidentally time-travels right into the middle of younger Chris and Victor making out (or more).

Victor/Victor
For this ship, I'd love anything with Victor and his younger self, especially! Is this a '??? don't know why we're here together, but hey I'm hot, might as well make out' sort of situation, does it take a while to actually get there, or maybe Victor can time-travel/dimension hop and is seeking other hims out on purpose? (Hey, he was lonely pre-Yuuri, who better to understand than himself?) Maybe a younger Victor wants older Victor to help with his skating and older Victor sees all the points where he used to be not good and didn't realize it. Or, something based on that Midsummer's Night Dream image in some way - maybe the two Victors were split or cloned by a curse somehow? Or it could just be dressing up for an ice show. Victor being haunted by a kind of ghost of his past self.

Yuuri/Yuuri
I love every piece of fanart of eros!Yuuri/Yuuri in this fandom. Eros!Yuuri seduces himself, or gets Yuuri to pull out his inner eros himself. Younger Yuuri encounters post-canon Yuuri and is drawn to his confidence and his sexy, sexy skating. Maybe they get some dance practice in together. Older Yuuri ends up coaching his younger self, or trying to, at least. Yuuri practices things with his other self, because who better to know his boundaries and understand his weaknesses than himself? Pre-canon Yuuri wakes up with a magical double who's just as clueless about how he got there, and they end up bonding - possibly also drinking too much together.

Yuuri/Yuuri/Victor
Eros!Yuuri seduces himself, and then they both seduce Victor! Yuuri falls back in time and endeavors to give his younger self a confidence boost and hook him up with Victor, only they both want him, too. Yuuri fucks himself, and Victor is allowed to watch - maybe only allowed to watch? Victor gets exhausted trying to keep up with the both of them, and in the end they have to finish up with each other. Victor and Yuuri get dropped into an alternate universe and end up coaching another Yuuri together, before it becomes more than coaching.

Yuuri/Victor/Victor
When a younger Victor appears, Victor sees how Yuuri looks at him and how attractive his own younger self is, and decides that a threesome is a great idea. Or maybe younger Victor is the one who decides that he's super into both of them, first - even if Victor and Yuuri aren't together. Another Victor appears and hooks up with himself pre-canon, and two of them show up in Hasetsu; how can Yuuri resist? Or maybe another Victor appears in Hasetsu, first, and then Victor is super surprised to see another him there when he shows up to coach Yuuri? Victor is really into watching himself get exhausted by Yuuri.