Just Married 2023 Letter

[kay_obsessive]

Dear Just Married Creator,

First of all, thank you so much for making something for me! I love silly marriage tropes and I really love all of these ships I’m requesting, so I’m sure I’ll like anything you make for any of them!

My previous exchange letters can be found here, my AO3 account is here, and my tumblr is here.

General Likes/Dislikes

Likes: Characters who know each other better than anyone else, whether they are friends, lovers, colleagues, enemies, or any combination of the above. Trust and loyalty. Competence kink. Casually intimate body language. People who have no sense of personal space with each other. Outsider POVs. Interweaving plots. Slice of life. Weird domesticity. Roadtrips. Mission fic. Future fic. Canon divergence AUs. Supernatural/fantasy/______punk/in space! AUs. Interesting little worldbuilding details. Undercover as a couple. Sharing a bed. Culture clashes. People who are bad at communicating finally managing it. Drabbles and drabble sequences. Epistolary formats and in-universe documents. 5+1 things format.

DNWs: Non-canon permanent major character death. Explicit, onscreen non-con (but I am very okay with the dubcon inherent to certain unwanted marriage tropes). Underage sex under 15 or so. Unrequested parent-child incest. Unrequested crossovers. ‘Modern mundane’/high school/coffee shop-type AUs. Anything A/B/O, dom/sub world AU, soulmates, or soulbonds (canonical supernatural bonds and connections are fine).



Requests

Any elaborations on the freeform tags are just ideas and suggestions, and if you have your own super great idea for any of these you should totally go for it!

Also as a general note, I am okay with pretty much any way of dealing with canon relationships except for unrequested poly – breakups, handwaves, infidelity, died off-screen, completely unmentioned, all fine.

Dishonored

Daud/Billie Lurk

This is one of those relationships that was basically tailor-made for me. Mentor/student, leader and their close subordinate who can get away things others can’t, age gap, complicated issues of trust and loyalty and betrayal and forgiveness – these are a few of my favorite things. I love everything about these two and their messy, complex history with each other. I was doomed basically from Billie’s first line, and it only got better from there.

Freeforms:
Fake Marriage - As Part Of A Con
Fake Marriage - Get Married During The Mission To Not Break Their Cover But Then They Catch Feelings
Fake Marriage - Getting Married As Part Of A Long Con
Fake Marriage - Marriage Required To Carry Out Secret Mission
Fake Marriage - Married As Cover But Unexpectedly Have To Consummate It In Ritual
Fake Marriage - Mistaken For Married While Undercover
Fake Marriage - Pretending To Be Married To Access Information
Fake Marriage - Undercover As Married Leads To Unexpected Feelings
Wedding Ceremony - Blood-Splattered Wedding Dress

I love fake/undercover marriage stuff for any kind of professional partnerships, and scary assassins are no different. Whether it’s early years as part of a job, or later on in life when they’re trying to keep a low profile and move on from their old reputations, or anything else that might require pretending to be married for Reasons. And maybe sometimes it turns out less fake than intended.

Daud/Jessamine Kaldwin

So, this one is a little bit complicated, given that Daud’s hired killing of Jessamine is the inciting incident for the whole series, but I think there’s some interesting potential here. Daud has a clear respect for Jessamine, and her death affects him in a way none of his other victims has. And Jessamine gets the rare opportunity to assess her murderer after her death, and she finds herself a little conflicted about what he deserves, despite her justified anger. And before all of that, they were both prominent, powerful figures running different parts of the same city – who’s to say they never had any dealings with each other in all those years before the murder?

Freeforms:
Arranged Marriage - Arranged as a Means of Keeping Enemy Under Control
Arranged Marriage - Arranged as a Means of Keeping Reluctant Ally Under Control
Arranged Marriage - Between People Who Knew Each Other Under False Names as Children
Arranged Marriage - Spouse as Hostage for their Family/People's Good Behavior
Dimension Travel - Permanently Transported to AU; Married to Person Who's Dead In Theirs
Dimension Travel - Temporarily Transported to AU; Married to Person Whose Dead In Theirs
Established Marriage - Possessive Feelings Towards Spouse
Established Marriage - Suspects that Spouse is Trying to Kill Them
Forced Marriage - Marrying Someone You Don't Like To Save Them From A Worse Fate
Forced Marriage - Traitor Forced To Marry Spouse Who'll Monitor Them For Further Treachery
Historical - Court Reaction to Unexpected Marriage
Life-Debt Marriage - Life-Debt is Considered Marriage
Life-Debt Marriage - To Satisfy Life-Debt
Marriage - For The Purpose Of Assassination (But Falling In Love Instead)
Newlyweds - Friends/Family/Fans/Foes React To Unexpected Or Contentious Marriage
Political Marriage - To Keep Enemy Under Control
Political Marriage - To Keep Legal Custody Of Convict Out Of Hostile Hands
Wedding - Murder at the Wedding
Wedding Ceremony - Blood-Splattered Wedding Dress
Wedding Night - Planned Assassination Gone Wrong

Idk, I just like the idea of antagonistic, powerful people with grudging mutual respect entering into purely practical arrangements – willingly or unwillingly – that get messy with ulterior motives and emotions and stuff. And those ‘transported to alternate universe’ one were just too good to miss. Crank up that guilt. For the ‘knew each other as children one’, I just saw the tag and had the idea of Jessamine visiting Serkonos when she was younger and slipping her guards and pretending not to be the heir to the throne for a little while, or something like that.

Doctor Who

Seventh Doctor/Ace McShane

Seven/Ace hit all my mentor/student buttons from the start. I love how there’s a real apprentice-y vibe to their interactions that isn’t there for every Doctor and Companion. I love how that goes a bit dark sometimes, with the Doctor pushing Ace well outside her comfort zone and being willing to hurt her to help her, and with Ace lashing out in response and calling him on his more dickish behavior. On the lighter side, I also just love how comfortable they are with each other, lots of friendly teasing and casual contact.

Freeforms:
Accidental Engagement - Didn't Know Item Was Traditional Betrothal Gift
Accidental Marriage - Can't Annul without Ruining Spouse's Reputation
Accidental Marriage - Causes Scandal
Accidental Marriage - Due to Misunderstanding the Norms of Another Culture
Accidental Marriage - Series Of Mishaps Prevent Annulment Of Accidental Marriage
Aliens - Aliens Will Only Agree to Interplanetary Summit with Married Couples
Aliens - Artifact Creates Marriage
Aliens - Cultural or Biological Differences Result in Accidental Marriage
Aliens - Make Them Get Married
Aliens - Marriage to Avoid Interplanetary Conflict
Aliens - Strange and Elaborate Alien Courtship Rituals
Aliens - Think They're Married
Aliens - Xenobiology Requires Marriage To Protect Spouse From Death/Illness
Bachelor(ette) Party - Everyone gets Arrested during the Bachelor(ette) party
Marriage of Convenience - To Avoid Otherwise-Likely Marriage To Unbearable Third Party
Proposal - Accidental due to Not Knowing Item Was Traditional Betrothal Gift
Proposal - Accidental Proposal due to Cultural Differences
Wedding Ceremony - Alien Cultural Practicies

So, basically I’m here for all of the alien cultural misunderstandings and mishaps.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga

Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell

I really love these two and their relationship. It has such a nice, natural progression over the series, and it’s always clear how much they genuinely like and respect each other and enjoy each other’s company, even when bickering over silly things.

Freeforms
Established Marriage - Discovering Pregnancy
Established Marriage - Expectant Couple Prepares for Baby
Established Marriage - Happy and Domestic
Established Marriage - House Husband
Honeymoon - Hijinks & Shenanigans
Honeymoon - Road Trip
Marriage - Expectant Couple Prepares for Baby
Wedding - Backyard Wedding
Wedding - Outdoor Wedding
Wedding - Small and Simple
Wedding Planning - Practically Everyone In The City Wants To Get Them A Good Wedding Gift
Wedding Reception - Drunk While Being Happy
Wedding Reception - Friends Have To Make New Cake On the Fly When Disaster Befalls Original Cake

House Husband Ed has always been my assumed headcanon for their marriage, and I’d love seeing some cute domesticity around that, like Ed wrangling the kids while Winry works on automail orders. And just any other slice of domestic life moments or looks at their wedding with all the friends they’ve made helping to celebrate. This is basically my slot for all the nice, uncomplicated, wedded bliss prompts.The goofy proposal and cute family photo at the end of the series are just so sweet, and I want more.

Olivier Mira Armstrong/Miles

I’m a sucker for leaders and their close subordinates; I love that kind of loyalty and trust, especially if it goes both ways as is clearly the case for Olivier and Miles. We don’t get a ton on their relationship in the series, but I love the glimpses we do get: Olivier explaining to Miles why she needs someone like him at her side, Miles saying that Olivier was the one to convince him he could make a difference from within the military, Olivier releasing Miles to help with the Ishval restoration at the end.

Freeforms
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage For Protection
Marriage of Convenience - Marrying to protect someone from danger
Marriage of Convenience - To Extend Legal Rights/Protections To Partner
Secret Marriage - Becomes Public
Secret Marriage - Legally Married For Convenience
Secret Marriage - Marriage Must Remain A Secret
Secret Marriage - Marriage of Convenience Now Inconvenient in Public
Secret Marriage - marrying just for each other

There was a semi-joking theory that went around back in the day that the Amestrian wife Miles mentions is actually Olivier, and I’ve always thought that would be a fun idea to play with. I could see it being done as a purely practical thing (at least to start), maybe to try and provide some extra legal protection to Miles during the Ishval War or for some other reason, or I could see it being a secret, low-key, actual feelings thing.

Girl Genius

For this fandom, I am okay with the general background poly assumption of Agatha’s Future Harem being a thing, as long as the focus is on the requested ships. I’m also okay with it not being assumed.

Martellus von Blitzengaard/Agatha Heterodyne

I wound up really enjoying Martellus as a character after my latest reread, especially his later interactions with Agatha, where they’re generally on the same side of major conflicts and cooperating with each other while still never really becoming allies. (And I really enjoyed when he was dependent on her mercy and physical touch to not die.)

Freeforms

Accidental Marriage - Series Of Mishaps Prevent Annulment Of Accidental Marriage
Arranged Marriage - Arranged as a Means of Keeping Reluctant Ally Under Control
Arranged Marriage - I Hate You But You're Hot Let's Be Evil Together
Established Marriage - Dealing With In-Law(s)
Established Marriage - Pining For Spouse
Established Marriage - Possessive Feelings Towards Spouse
Established Marriage - Rescuing One's Spouse From Danger
Forced Marriage - Marrying Someone You Don't Like To Save Them From A Worse Fate
Magic - Bringing Someone Back To Life Constitutes Marriage
Marriage of Convenience - Getting Married was the More Complicated Solution to This Problem
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage For Protection
Marriage of Convenience - Married Spouse for the Power and Resources
Marriage of Convenience - Slowly Falling in Love with Spouse
Marriage of Convenience - Spouses Mutually Help Each Other Gain Status From The Marriage
Newlyweds - Friends/Family/Fans/Foes React To Unexpected Or Contentious Marriage
Newlyweds - Powerful Couple Can't Decide Whether to be Good or Evil
Political Marriage - Strengths Balance Each Other Unexpectedly Well
Time Travel - Consciousness Time Travels Into Future With Surprising Marriage Partner
Wedding - Fake Wedding To Bait Criminals and/or Enemies
Wedding Ceremony - Disastrous Wedding Ceremony Everyone Will Gossip About For Years

They’re both in highly political situations where they’re responsible for a lot of things and a lot of people, whether they like it or not, so I think a lot of practically-driven marriage tropes would be fun for them. Especially since they’re also both still sparks who don’t always make the most practical choices. Anyway, I love a classic “oops, caught feelings”, and I like the idea of Martellus continuing to try and do better with Agatha and winding up more genuinely on her side, and Agatha reluctantly becoming a bit fond of him. Or at least tolerating him in larger doses.

Agatha Heterodyne/Castle Heterodyne

I don’t know, the idea just came to me as I was typing in nominations, and now I’m attached. There’s definitely some kind of possessive loyalty and weird affection on both sides, at least.

Freeforms

Betrothal - Marriage Contract Between Ancestor And Long-Lived/Immortal Being Enforced On Descendant
Established Marriage - Possessive Feelings Towards Spouse
Established Marriage - The Couple That Kills Together Stays Together
Magic - Magical Artifact Considers Owner/User/Host Its Spouse
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage To Evoke Scandal
Ritualistic Marriage - Consummation on an Altar
Ritualistic Marriage - Dark
Science Fiction - Marriage To Cause Apocalypse
Science Fiction - Marriage To Prevent Apocalypse
Science Fiction - Married to an AI
Supernatural - Marriage To Stop Eldritch Forces From Re-Entering The World
Wedding Planning - Practically Everyone In The City Wants To Get Them A Good Wedding Gift

The Castle being violently protective of its mistress and Agatha becoming rather fond and possessive of her various inherited monsters and death traps - Castle included - has some potential, I think. And would anyone really be that surprised by a Heterodyne marrying their sentient evil house, whether for actual SCIENCE! reasons or just for funsies? Mechanicsburg natives would probably love it.

Lackadaisy

Mordecai Heller/Mitzi May

I’m really fascinated by the relationship these two have. They’re on opposing sides of the main conflict of the series and don’t really seem to particularly like each other, but there’s a weird understanding and some kind of trust between them. They seem to know each other really well and clearly know each other’s secrets, and they don’t quite seem to consider each other enemies on a personal level, despite the circumstances.

Freeforms:
Established Marriage - Possessive Feelings Towards Spouse
Established Marriage - Suspects that Spouse is Trying to Kill Them
Established Marriage - The Couple That Kills Together Stays Together
Fake Marriage - To Evoke Spousal Immunity In Court
Forced Marriage - Marrying Someone You Don't Like To Save Them From A Worse Fate
Forced Marriage - Traitor Forced To Marry Spouse Who'll Monitor Them For Further Treachery
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage For Protection
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage For Protection Does The Opposite Of Protect
Marriage of Convenience - Marriage For Protection From Criminal Organization
Marriage of Convenience - Marrying Pregnant Person So Child (Not Theirs) Will Be Born In Wedlock
Marriage of Convenience - So You Can't Testify Against Each Other In Court
Newlyweds - Friends/Family/Fans/Foes React To Unexpected Or Contentious Marriage

Some sort of semi-reluctant arrangement – legally binding or just a convincing façade – entered into for practical reasons or out of a sense of obligation to each other after the business with Atlas’s death? Maybe they both think they’re doing the other a favor or protecting them in some way, or maybe there are more sinister motivations.

Psychonauts

Sasha Nein/Milla Vodello

I love everything about these two. They’re psychic secret agent partners! They go on ridiculous missions together and fight crime - psychic crime! One of these missions involved being undercover in elaborate costumes at a fancy party! They have had at least one clichéd instance of falling down and landing on top of each other in a ~romantic~ pose! They reach for each other as their plane is going down! They’re always talking psychically! I eat this stuff up with a spoon.

Freeforms:
Accidental Marriage - Series Of Mishaps Prevent Annulment Of Accidental Marriage
Accidental Marriage - Trying To Keep Accidental Marriage Secret
Bachelor(ette) Party - Everyone gets Arrested during the Bachelor(ette) party
Bachelor(ette) Party – Hijinks & Shenanigans Endanger People’s Ability to Attend the Wedding
Celebrity Marriage - Epistolary media coverage/social media reaction/etc.
Fake Marriage - Made Legally Binding by Helpful Third Party
Fake Marriage - Marriage Required To Carry Out Secret Mission
Fake Marriage - Mistaken For Married While Undercover
Fake Marriage - Potential Ally Will Only Negotiate With a Married Couple
Fake Marriage - Pretending To Be Married To Access Information
Fake Marriage - Undercover As Married While Mutually Pining
Honeymoon - Villains Attack
Honeymoon - Working While on Honeymoon
Proposal - Attempts to Propose are Continuously Interrupted
Proposal - Proposing After a Near-Death Experience
Secret Marriage - Becomes Public
Wedding Ceremony - Disastrous Wedding Ceremony Everyone Will Gossip About For Years
Wedding Ceremony - Interrupted by Villains
Wedding Reception - Friends Have To Make New Cake On the Fly When Disaster Befalls Original Cake
Wedding Reception - Interrupted by Canon-Typical Shenanigans

Hey, they’ve canonically done full undercover with silly costumes for Psychonauts missions before. Undercover marriage is obviously the next logical step. And I can only imagine all the ways someone could accidentally wind up married in a world with psychic powers. And their coworkers already apparently gossip about their relationship, which is delightful, and I could easily see campers, interns, or True Psychic Tales fans doing the same or otherwise just making a nuisance of themselves during any romantic moments.



Well, that about sums it up, I think. Again, thank you so much for creating something for me! If you like prompts, I hope what I gave you is helpful. If you prefer to work without them, I look forward to seeing whatever you come up with. I’m sure whatever you make will be awesome!