Dear Creator - Trauma Ex 2023
Aug. 7th, 2023 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
simplecoffeeHi, I'm Cain and hurt/comfort is my lifeblood. You can find me at ![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
simplecoffee and ![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
academicgangster!
All my requests are for fic this round, but I'm always open to treats in any medium!
(Letter is complete!)
Navigation:
> Likes and DNWs
> NCIS
> The Man from UNCLE
> Knight and Day
> Minority Report
I love h/c with all my soul, so all my prompts are heavy on the h/c. That said - plot or no plot, casefic, fluff fic, smut or no smut - wherever you'd like to take things, I'm game! If you feel inclined toward higher ratings, I adore heavy petting and smut with feelings - when it comes to sensuality, I love emphasis on sensation and emotion.
I'm also very open to unconventional narrative styles or framing devices, such as outsider POV, outsider POV contrasted with canon characters' POV, epistolary fic, framing devices such as mission reports, medical reports, audio transcripts/debrief transcripts, text messages or post-its between characters, news articles, official documentation, and similar!
General likes:
General likes:
• Character studies, exploration of canon character dynamics, fallout of canon trauma
• Missing scenes, slice-of-life, etc - exploring canon character dynamics/canon traits of known characters
• Touch starvation
• Deep friendships, friends-to-lovers, earned trust between characters who know each other closely and fondly, casual intimacy and caretaking, clothes sharing
• Bonding over shared trauma
• PTSD, illness messing with a character's grip on reality, combat/mission injuries, scars, old injuries acting up, touch starvation, sensory deprivation / sensory overload, characters not believing they deserve comfort or being surprised to receive comfort
• Eventually requited pining
• Worldbuilding and atmosphere
• Outsider POV, especially when contrasted with our characters' POV
• Mission aftermaths
• Cars or planes, cars or planes as refuge or comfort spaces, h/c and caretaking in cars, intimacy and/or making out in cars
• Smut with Feelings (I don't really need to know what body parts are going where, I just love to know how it feels, in the sensory way especially but also the emotional way)
• Pain, bittersweetness, sadness, exploring the darker side and implications of canon is great, but I really need some happiness/comfort and hope along with it!
Smut likes:
D/s overtones (wherever mentioned; I generally give an indication of what direction). Femdom. Service subs. Subs With Issues. Doms who are all about looking after their subs and being gentle with them. Praise kink. Hands, fingers, touch; touch starvation. Finger-sucking. Aftercare. Tenderness, especially if the person receiving it isn't expecting it, isn't used to it, and it breaks them just a little.
Marking, intentional or no - bruising with lips or teeth; hiding the bruises under clothing. Suit kink. Fabric kink in general (denim, silk, cotton, plush, what have you - give me all the pleasant textures!). Wrists bound or held down. Honour bondage. Careful sex / making out when one partner is hurt or ill and feverish (fever sex is, uh, a Thing of mine). Or rough, desperate, life-affirming sex / making out.
General DNWs:
• Mundane/depowered/setting change AUs
• Bleak, hopeless endings (as long as there's hope, bittersweet endings are fine!)
• Unrequested crossovers and fusions
• Any mention of coronavirus or quarantine/lockdown situations (trapped together is fine and encouraged though!)
• Death of requested characters (even if they died in canon)
• Non-canonical death of non-requested characters
• Terminal illness
• Permanent injury (exceptions: Gibbs' chronic knee issue after his injury in Kuwait, John Anderton being permanently fucked up in some way after Minority Report canon)
• Gastrointestinal illness (nausea/vomiting is okay but not as a focus of the work, and not as a result of GI discomfort - so character getting nauseous or throwing up from a migraine or just severe pain in general, yes; character getting nauseous or throwing up as a result of a severe anxiety attack or PTSD episode, yes; character suffering anything related to food poisoning or GI bugs or overeating and similar, no)
• Marijuana use or mention of it in any capacity (other intoxicants a-okay)
• Infidelity (for Lamar/John in Minority Report, I'd like Mrs Burgess to know about them and be fine with it, but assume it's consensual and be Perhaps Willfully blind to the manipulation and weirdness going on)
• For NCIS, Gibbs disliking Ducky's rambling stories (I'd like him to enjoy them, just have to stop Ducky on occasion because of the case they're working on being urgent)
• Also for NCIS, positive portrayals of Mike Franks
• For The Man from UNCLE, Napoleon calling Illya 'tovarisch' or any variation of 'comrade' as a nickname
Smut DNWs:
• Noncon or dubcon, except where noted
• humiliation as a kink, except where noted
• pain play, except where noted
• gags of any kind (exception: hand over mouth is okay for Minority Report, but I'd like it to trigger/generally upset John and be traumatic for him rather than hot, and dealt with as trauma)
• anal, dirty talk, spanking, ageplay, scat, watersports, rimming, emeto, A/B/O, d/s-verse, mommy/daddy kink, maledom/femsub
NCIS
Gibbs/Ducky, Gibbs/Fornell, Gibbs/Ducky/Fornell, Gibbs/Vance
I prefer fic set before S11 of the show. I read Gibbs/Ducky as super dom4dom, Tobias as subby as hell, and Leon as an intense vanilla, meat and potatoes kinda guy.
DNW Gibbs disliking Ducky's rambles, please. I read him as enjoying Ducky's endless tangents, and only ever stopping him when there's time pressure because of a case. I'd love to see him happily listening to Ducky's stories when they're on their own time, maybe while doing woodwork or gardening or something else he also enjoys.
Thoughts About My Requested Pairings
Gibbs/Ducky: I read these two as effectively married since before the show began. They have massive established couple energy, trusting each other in ways they would never dream of trusting anyone else, touching each other in ways that suggest they've known and loved each other for years. They both date other people on occasion and it never seems to affect how intimate they are with each other (unless you want to talk to me about Gibbs' Fourth Abusive Ex,Fuckhands McMike Franks) - so my reading of them is 'established open relationship of exquisite tenderness, each one secure in the certainty that he's the other one's main man'. I also read them as very dom4dom (which is only really relevant when Tobias comes into the picture lol)
Gibbs/Fornell: they love each other too, but Feisty! Snarling at each other in public and then flicking a switch in the elevator like 'hi Jethro :)' 'hi Tobias :)' (and later, completely dropping the snarly act and just being feistily affectionate even in front of the kids). These two have made out so often over the years, and it always either starts or ends with them snapping, biting and slamming each other into walls. I read them as liking it all kinds of rough, and very willing to give it to each other rough (usually with Gibbs being the one more in control of things), grinning in mutual delight for every second of it. Outside of making out, they're snarky with each other but super affectionate and impish, and it's great.
Gibbs/Ducky/Fornell: both dynamics at once! Ducky is Gibbs' main man, but over the years he finds Tobias is getting closer and closer to Also Main Man status. Tobias has met Ducky onscreen a couple of times, and I read him as being very aware of Gibbs and Ducky's existing open relationship, so the increasing friendship between Ducky and Tobias from like S6 onwards is delightful to behold, and I imagine Gibbs finds it delightful as well. I love the thought of Ducky and Tobias becoming friendlier with each other, starting to show each other affection, and eventually starting to make out as well, completing the triad. I also love the thought of the two of them being brought together by their mutual concern and worry for Gibbs - especially if Gibbs is already trying to matchmake them a bit, knowing they get along great but haven't found the romantic spark just yet, and is so annoyed when he realizes all it really took to get them together was for him to get hurt/sick enough that they worried themselves into Also Kissing.
Gibbs/Vance, Gibbs/Vance/Ducky, Gibbs/Vance/Ducky/Fornell: Gibbs and Vance didn't hit it off great at first, presumably because they'd only met once and Vance only knew Gibbs by reputation and what Jen told him, and Jen's not a reliable narrator of anything at the best of times. They start to trust each other pretty soon, though, with Vance clearly getting rid of some misconceptions and just plain starting to like Gibbs in other ways, and Gibbs for his part having to learn to trust a boss again almost from scratch. (Presumably Leon also figures out pretty damn quick what Gibbs has going on with Ducky and Tobias, because none of them are subtle about it, especially Tobias.) By late s6-early s7 Gibbs and Leon are getting pretty close (especially through Jackie deciding she likes and trusts Gibbs), and clearly have some serious sexual tension going on from if not their very first encounter in Internal Affairs, certainly by Knockout. I really love Jackie and I love how much Leon adores her, how much they're clearly each other's rock, and how much her inviting Gibbs to dinner was clearly a tipping point for Leon to start trusting his motives fully. I think that by the time of Enemies Domestic, which is most certainly a romantic beginning of some sort for Gibbs and Leon, Jackie has fully figured out that Leon has something special with Gibbs, and because she's confident in Leon's love for her and because Gibbs just saved his life, she might encourage him to act on it. Maybe it remains a one-time thing, or an occasional thing, until her death when Leon finds he has to lean into Gibbs completely; maybe it's a regular thing with her complete consent. Either way, Gibbs and Leon certainly grow closer and more affectionate over the years, with Leon finding Gibbs a calming presence whenever he's near, and Gibbs deeply trusting and grateful for Leon's support against outside forces (and willing to offer so much overwhelming love and support constantly). I love how Gibbs is basically like 'I will hold you in my arms forever if you need it, and also I'll kill for you if you need it.Please ask me to kill for you, Leon.' I also ADORE Ducky's dynamic with Leon - the soft mutual trust and Leon going to Ducky for medical advice, even independent of Gibbs, and Ducky reassuring him exactly as warmly as Gibbs does; easily readable as romantic, and as Gibbs and Ducky having very much discussed Leon becoming a part of their whole poly situation. I especially love both Ducky and Gibbs showing up to the hospital to support and look after Leon in s12e2, since they're both great at looking after people, especially people they love. We don't see Leon and Tobias interact much, but the times they do are super entertaining, and Leon's clearly grown fond of Tobias over the years too; I'm delighted with the thought of them all developing romantic feelings for one another at various times by like s10. I'd love to see Leon looking after Gibbs, and I'd also love to see what Leon teaming up with Ducky and/or Tobias to take care of Gibbs might look like.
(A note: I am super open to adding CGIS Agent Abigail Borin to this polycule if you like! Love her to pieces.)
Thoughts About Trauma And Comfort
Gibbs, Ducky and Vance have been through a lot, both in canon and offscreen. We hear a lot in-show about one major traumatic time in Gibbs' life (the tragic deaths of Shannon and Kelly), but I feel like the rest of his pretty extensive trauma doesn't get explored nearly enough. So I'm here for explorations of the Gibbs Trauma that doesn't get mentioned as much in canon, if at all - ie the military service, the day-to-day trauma of cases and field work, the weird manipulation and borderline abuse from Franks, and especially the abusive exes (one of whom was also married to Tobias, and clearly fucked him up too, in comparable but different ways). Super here for exploring Ducky's trauma during his various tours of service as well, and Leon's from All The Bullshit wrt Sharp and Riley and then from Jackie's traumatic death. I'm also extremely here for exploring the occasional traumatic fallout of their job, especially when one of them comes to harm on a case and/or they nearly lose each other.
I love that Gibbs often offers comfort; he seems to be a very physical person with the people he loves most. He doesn't seek it often onscreen, but I think he wants it desperately. We only really see him explicitly seeking comfort from Ducky, who's glad to offer it, but we see a lot more of Ducky verbally comforting him than physically so. I'd love to see more of that physical side of comfort, since they're clearly intimate and affectionate with each other both onscreen and off, and Ducky is good at knowing when Gibbs needs sleep, warmth or softness, and especially good at knowing (and helping) when Gibbs is impatient with his own limitations, and likely to push himself too far without gentle intervention on Ducky's part. I'd also love to see Gibbs comforting Ducky when he needs it, since Gibbs clearly knows exactly how to hold Ducky, calm him down and keep him warm (and sometimes, in lower-stakes situations, offer kisses and makeouts as suitable distraction).
Gibbs and Tobias have a more playful dynamic of shoving each other around, pretending to be antagonistic with each other, but clearly like and respect each other and care for each other when they're suffering; I'd love to see what circumstances make them drop the games and just go all in on the comfort. Gibbs and Leon, in a similar vein, started out with slight antagonism then moved on to quiet respect, then all the way to romantic love by Enemies Domestic, and while we've seen Gibbs look after Leon and how exquisitely gentle he is, I'd love to see how Leon looks after Gibbs if the occasion arises. (I'd like for Jackie to realize that while she's Leon's forever love, Leon and Gibbs have something real and important, and give Leon permission to kiss him and look after him when needed.)
When it comes to comforting Gibbs, I'd love to see something where it's evident that Ducky knows best - both in that he recognizes quickest when Gibbs is hurting or something's tripped his trauma wires, and in that he knows best how to help. (Also in that when Gibbs is hurting or triggered and can afford the time to acknowledge it and try to deal with it, Ducky is the person he goes to, whether just to sleep on a table next to him in autopsy or to get held or petted or stitched up or an aspirin or whatever medical help he needs.) The other husbands both acknowledge Gibbs and Ducky's intense devotion to each other, so I feel like they'd pay attention and learn from each of them how to look after the other. Very here for Tobias and Leon getting tips from Ducky about how to make Gibbs feel loved in general, especially when he's not feeling great - one or all of them spending time with him in silence, or talking to him while not expecting him to talk in return, or wrapping him in blankets and offering coffee or whiskey or bringing him nice food, would be lovely. Physical affection, hugs and kisses and back rubs and gentle touches, would be especially lovely. Maybe them standing by with supplies while Ducky stitches Gibbs up or gives him whatever other medical attention he needs, or helping sneak him away from EMTs when he's not hurt badly enough for EMTs to be necessary (and driving him home to Ducky to get looked after). Or if the EMTs are necessary, interpreting for him when he's barely coherent, or staying by his side for reassurance until Ducky arrives to accompany him and talk to the medical folks. I'd also love to see this from the opposite direction, like when things aren't very bad yet but they're getting bad, and Ducky recognizes the signs before the other husbands do, and starts to make a bit of a fuss of Gibbs before possibly even Gibbs realizes he needs it. (Gibbs not letting himself want affection until he receives it, at which point he melts, is one of the most painful things about him and one of the cornerstones of his character to me.)
I would also love to see the kinds of comfort that even after all these years, only Ducky is allowed to provide. Where can Tobias and Leon not tread? Where do they know they have to not just defer to Ducky, but let Ducky completely take over? Maybe Gibbs will let Tobias or Leon look after him if his knee gives out or cradle his head on their chest if he has a cold or can feel a migraine coming on, but if he's really out of it sick or hurting badly enough to be disoriented or shaken, he won't let anyone but Ducky touch him. Maybe Ducky's the only one allowed to clean blood off his face or wash it out of his hair after a case that hit him particularly close to home. Maybe Ducky's the only one he'll talk to after a case goes particularly bad, and Ducky has to take him aside away from everyone else so they can have a conversation while he offers Gibbs some comfort and reassurance. How do Tobias and Leon know when they need to give Gibbs and Ducky some space to be alone together, and how do they know when it's okay to approach again? How do they deal with it when they're in a situation like this? How do they find ways to support them both even when Gibbs is doing that badly? How do they make extra sure Gibbs feels loved once he's feeling a little less overwhelmed and is okay to accept affection/caretaking from them again?
Super mega here for how nonverbal Gibbs gets sometimes, whether in happy times or traumatic ones. I love that the husbands and the kids can all understand him fine and communicate with him fine even when he doesn't talk, and I'd love to see that portrayed. Notably, all of his awful exes love to complain and yell at him for not talking, which is drastically different from the characters who actually care about him (and therefore know he isn't doing it on purpose, he's just Like That), which brings me to my next thought:
Gibbs' Abusive Exes vs Ducky, Tobias and Vance who genuinely love him; long-term recovery from years of intimate partner abuse
Gibbs has been through Some Shit in his love life - Stephanie and Rebecca canonically physically assaulted him, while Diane, Jen and Hollis were manipulative and emotionally abusive - and we get comparatively little exploration of it. Ducky clearly knows a little about what they did to him, since he stitched him up after Stephanie hit him in the head with a baseball bat, but clearly even Ducky didn't always know everything - Gibbs is quiet when he's suffering, especially when he's reexperiencing trauma for whatever reason, and it's not always easy to figure out what's wrong. (Not to mention that Gibbs clearly still has a ton of lingering guilt from all those relationships, and perhaps even thinks he is at fault for a lot of what they put him through. He clearly sees Stephanie, for instance, with a lot more sympathy than Ducky does.) I'd love to see something exploring Ducky figuring out Gibbs' triggers or finding out something one of the exes did to him (a long-healed scar or fracture, a trigger he forgot existed...) and being utterly furious with said ex and making sure to look after Gibbs and let him know he's loved, and Gibbs having to get used to actually being cared for in a relationship and not having to walk on eggshells all the time - or having already mostly got used to being happy and loved, and having to suddenly deal with the shock of a trigger he completely forgot about. I'd also be super here for Tobias or Leon finding out something one of the exes did, and asking Ducky about it to figure out how angry they should be (the answer is very). Like I said above, I'm very here for Tobias and Leon getting tips from Ducky about how to make Gibbs feel loved in general, especially when he's not feeling great - one or all of them spending time with him in silence, or talking to him while not expecting him to talk in return, or wrapping him in blankets and offering coffee or whiskey or bringing him nice food, would be great. Them cradling him close and providing physical closeness would be especially great, whether or not it leads to kissing and making out or even further.
I kind of count Mike Franks among the abusive exes, even though there seemed to be no sexual component to whatever there was between him and Gibbs - there's certainly some kind of twisted codependency there, and by all appearances it's something Franks deliberately created by isolating and taking advantage of Gibbs when he was vulnerable (in the immediate aftermath of losing his wife and daughter). When he shows up at the end of s3, he immediately goes right back to the same tactics - classic 'you and me against the world' abuser talk, shoving Gibbs without warning into the knowledge of 9/11 and proceeding to straight up blame him for it, and then continuing to manipulate him with the constant blow-hot-blow-cold while he's staying with him in Mexico (don't you have a boat to build? why don't you go build a cabin of your own and stop bothering me? no no I'm kidding, stay and build a hot tub for me). We see the scales fall from Gibbs' eyes a bit regarding Franks when he frames the innocent Homeland Security guy and hurts Tony in 4x04, but clearly the effects of everything he did take a lot of breaking free from.
Tags as prompts wrt Gibbs' abusive partners:
Abuse - A thinks abuse is normal; shocks B by using it as funny anecdote,
Abuse - Abusive ex shows up and tries to rekindle relationship (by doing the same abusive things) (hi Jen, hi Fuckhands McMike)
Abuse - Character ignored by partner and refused comfort while ill/injured,
Abuse - Character is tormented via sensory overstimulation,
Abuse - Character refuses to acknowledge they're being abused because they're "strong"/"can take it",
Abuse - Manipulated and abused by mentor,
BDSM - Trauma triggered by nonconsensual bondage,
Cycles of Violence - Character is abused by multiple successive intimate partners,
Dub/Noncon - Agreed upon kink limits disregarded,
Dub/Noncon - Coerced into sex while feeling too unwell to participate,
Dub/Noncon - Coerced into sex while in an altered state and unable to consent,
Dub/noncon - repeated violation by intimate partner,
Dub/Noncon - The sex was consensual but physically hurting them during it was not
Day-to-day trauma from cases/field work; cases hitting close to home and causing past trauma to resurface; hurt/comfort and caretaking in actively traumatizing situations
The team goes through a lot in the day to day, and Gibbs is especially quiet about it, only ever seeking comfort from Ducky. There are often cases with a lot of resonance for Gibbs (the colonel haunted by the corporal who died saving Gibbs' life, the shell-shocked kids who show up hurting and not knowing what to do, the traumatized gunnery sergeant who couldn't save his squadmates, the other traumatized gunnery sergeant whose husband repeatedly physically assaulted her...) and even more cases that don't carry personal significance for Gibbs but actively traumatize him during them (the man who got shot as Gibbs was trying to talk him off a ledge, Gibbs' old friend from the corps turning out to be a killer, the end of the s3 finale, the rescuing Ziva arc...) and in such a hazardous job, there's a lot of opportunity for further cases of both kinds, and/or for entirely new traumatic situations or further traumatic injuries.
Gibbs is often focused on looking after everyone else, even when he's suffering, so I would love to see what happens after the kids are safe and comforted, when Gibbs can either go quietly looking for some comfort or Ducky, Tobias and/or Vance can offer it unasked. I'd love to see him still trying to look after them even when he's sick or hurt or falling apart, and them taking it upon themselves to make sure he knows he can Fucking Stop for a while - or him just crashing underneath his boat and them making sure he knows he gets to be warm and taken care of and doesn't have to suffer alone. I would be especially down for explorations of how he's usually great at not showing signs of his previous trauma, but when he's feeling less than 100% (like in Sharif Returns), said signs of previous trauma sometimes start to show through. Maybe he's running himself ragged on a case and flinches when someone tries to touch him, realizing it's a friendly touch too late to hide the trigger response. Maybe one of the husbands touches him where one of his exes hurt him, and he can't hide the momentary fear. Maybe a suspect or interviewee jokes about some experience they had in combat or with a partner, and he's less able to laugh it off than he would be if he were well. Maybe at some point it gets so much that even the kids start to suspect, or one of them gets suspicious and tells the others, who start to watch the boss for signs they should maybe call one of their other dads to help him out.
Alternatively, I'd be very down to see what happens if things on a case get so bad that Gibbs has no choice but to be vulnerable even when the kids are around. Torture? Reinjury of his bad knee or shoulder by someone trying to hurt the kids or the husbands? Illness or injury while undercover leaving him barely conscious and barely able to maintain said cover? Maybe Ducky has to get to MTAC and remotely walk the kids or Leon through looking after Gibbs, or maybe Ducky's the one undercover with him and the kids get to see what their deep intimacy and love is really like all the time. Maybe they get to see Tobias drop his usual cheerful 'yeah we shove each other against the wall and make out in the elevator constantly, what about it' vibe when Gibbs is badly hurt, and show the genuine concern and gentleness that lies behind it. Maybe they get to see Gibbs drop the invulnerable act and actually admit what's wrong to Ducky, Tobias or Leon, actually hold their hand or turn into them to seek comfort as he does when they're not around, or maybe he's not all there and they hear him say things or describe trauma that he never would have if he were conscious. Maybe the setting isn't during an undercover op, but back at the office after one, when the bad guys are arrested and the survivors comforted and Gibbs can't hold it together any more, or maybe didn't even realize he was so badly injured (or ill or poisoned or hypothermic or...) until he was on the verge of collapse. Maybe, in a role reversal from the usual situation on the show, Gibbs is the one who gets captured and hurt alone on a case and one or more of the husbands go absolutely feral, leading the kids to rescue him and looking after him once they get him back.
More h/c prompts here if you'd like some extra inspiration to mix and match with!
The Man from UNCLE (TV)
Napoleon Solo/Illya Kuryakin
DNW Napoleon calling Illya 'tovarisch' or any variation of 'comrade' as a nickname, please!
I like to read Napoleon/Illya as an established open relationship during all of canon - perhaps beginning as an occasional fuckbuddy thing and then progressing pretty quickly to them realizing they mean more to each other than everyone else, and will look after each other above everyone else, even though they continue to be dtf anyone they like.
Napoleon is the more protective of the two, the more likely to downplay any trauma or injury/illness he's going through, and certainly prioritizes looking after Illya over himself, even if he needs it more. I'd love to see Illya being very aware of this and finding ways to look after Napoleon when he needs it, because no one knows Napoleon better than Illya does. I'd love to see some caretaking between assignments, or during an assignment where Napoleon had to push through already being ill or injured to get it done, followed by getting fussed over (for Illya's definition of fussing over) in the downtime after. I'd LOVE to see the times when Illya gets protective and makes sure Napoleon doesn't do too much, or gently chastising him when he does push himself too hard and end up feeling worse - just generally convincing Napoleon it's okay to be looked after.
They also get put in traumatic life-threatening situations on the regular, so I'd love to see more of those and how it affects them. Illya rescuing Napoleon from captivity and torture, or Napoleon rescuing himself and showing up at Illya's door. Illya knowing exactly how Napoleon likes to be looked after versus what puts his back up and what he might see as condescension or a violation of his privacy; knowing exactly when he's playing his injuries up for extra sympathy versus when he's really shaken and traumatized and asks for nothing. Illya being a little injured too, and having to shut down Napoleon's attempts to look after him despite being the one worse off, so Illya can look after him. Waverly sending them off together because he knows Napoleon will keep trying to work unless Illya makes him rest.
I'd also be down for explorations of Napoleon's trauma from having served in the Korean War (under a guy who turned out to be terrible; the betrayal ofThe Secret Sceptre Affair looked like it cut him deep.) Illya has clearly been through some awful things growing up in the Soviet Union, too, so there are perhaps things they can stoically bond over, not talking about it much (unless their lips are loosened by illness, injury or delirium) but still offering each other quiet support, maybe in the form of blankets, food or gentle kisses.
Characterization note: I love a bit of humour, but I prefer them to be competent spies and not hold the idiot ball too often (s3 I'm looking at you ^^')
Knight and Day
Roy/June, Roy/June/Naomi
Roy's been completely fucked over by the system he gave his life to for over a decade, probably closer to two. He's been living his life knowing there's no one in his corner, that no one will ever see him as anything other than an 'asset' to the CIA, that no one will ever care for him beyond his skills and abilities, and then he meets June and dares to dream of a life where he gets to love and be loved, know and be known, all while knowing he has to send her back home and cut all ties with her for her own safety. All that, and he's just starting to recover from a bullet wound to the chest, when June sneaks in and breaks him out of hospital. He's going to have a lot of unpacking and healing to do, both from this specific mission and from the years upon years of conditioning, while his body heals from the bullet. I am here to see any and everything from that rescue road trip, June stepping up to look after Roy and let him heal up, taking over the duties of creating cover identities for them, getting them hotels and beach umbrellas and playing the ditzy blonde with a very polite boyfriend/husband in fragile health, both of them making so many friends and spreading so much sunshine wherever they go. I'm SUPER here for anything and everything car related - handholding, making out, caretaking on the hood or in the back seat, June fixing other people's cars while Roy pays rapt attention and understands absolutely nothing, everything's game. Also super here for June gently domming Roy and Roy being so, so eager to please her all the time. Dommes making accommodations for subs who can't presently handle much, but still making sure they feel good, is such a weakness of mine.
We don't know much about Naomi, but we do know she worked for Tony the mafia boss, which I'm betting comes with its own set of traumas. I'd be super willing to have her join Roy and June and do some healing of her own, and I'd also be down for that to involve joining June in domming Roy.
Minority Report
Lamar/John (abusive toward John), John/Danny
Medical and psychological aftermath of halo incarceration
Post-canon, I'm really interested in how John deals and how he recovers. I'm here for John suffering through aftereffects of the halo (neurological symptoms, maybe migraines, auras, nightmares, flashbacks, days when he's trapped back in that world of torment and can't make it out, not knowing what's real) and dealing with suddenly being blind in one eye, as well as the loss of everything (job, structure, emotional support system) that's helped him survive the past six years. I'm very here for medical fallout of literally everything he's just been through, including the traumatic eye surgery - vision issues, light sensitivity, lingering pain, having to get used to new levels of vision and associated adjustment issues, anything in that vein. I'm also very here for him having to suffer through getting clean, withdrawal symptoms and all.
I would also love to read about how other people who've been haloed recover from it all and try to pick up their lives afterwards. Maybe through John's eyes realizing the horrors he's been inflicting on people as a Precrime officer (as he also experiences and processes those horrors himself firsthand), or maybe through the eyes of another halo survivor watching the trials post-film and hearing John's evidence, learning he was haloed too and went through what they did as well. I'm very down for them thinking it serves him right. Maybe they arrive at some kind of sympathy for him after hearing his life laid bare during his statements; maybe they don't.
I would definitely be up for reading, say, John's medical report post-film detailing his symptoms and recovery, or something along those lines! I am also very here for John keeping in touch with Agatha and the twins, for all of them to still be friends and stay supportive of each other while they're all healing and finding ways to go on living.
Rebuilding and recovery post film
It annoys me deeply that John's addiction was brushed away and ~magically cured~ at the end of the film for the sake of a pasted-on babies ever after ending. I don't read the happiness of that ending as in any way real or lasting. I am here for exploration of John's addiction, relapse, recovery, and how hard his journey is, as long as there's some comfort and at least the chance of happiness at the end. I'm especially down for him trying to process all the trauma from the events of the film, and deciding to get clean because his symptoms are now so bad that even the neuroin doesn't help any more (and he realizes the neuroin might actually be making them worse).
John and Lara's relationship doesn't have to end happily. In fact, I'd prefer their happy ending to be breaking up and slowly learning to live better lives while not tied to each other. They're both very heavy on denial as a coping mechanism, so I could see John doing his best to hide how badly he's relapsing from her, and Lara in turn trying to pretend that everything's okay, both steadfastly ignoring how very much John's mental health is not okay. (I could see Lara being deep enough in that denial to pressure John into things he doesn't want to do, sexually or otherwise, and John for his part also being deep enough in denial to go along with what she wants and acquiesce, even if it just makes him feel worse.) Maybe it takes a particularly severe relapse or PTSD episode, or even a severe self-harm incident, for John to realize he can't stay with her any more, that he can't subject her or himself to the life they're currently leading. I would like to see him have that revelation, and leave so that they both can heal.
Consent issues or no, I could see John kind of running away from Lara - not leaving her in the lurch, but certainly having a deeply stressful conversation telling her he can't do this any more, and then getting as far away from her and the MPD as he can. Does he hole up in his apartment hoping he'll eventually feel better? Does he go to Agatha and the twins if he realizes he's possibly too sick to be alone? Does he just go somewhere offbeat and cut off contact with everyone until somebody starts to worry (is that somebody Danny Witwer - assuming this is a universe in which Danny Witwer Didn't Die)? Does he go through withdrawal alone and eventually come out okay, or does Witwer find him during and hold him through the shakes? Do things get bad enough that Witwer has to drag him to hospital despite his protests and newfound distrust of the system? Does he even get good treatment if they do, or are the medics in this universe just as cruel and uncaring as the police?
Speaking of which, I'm super here for John quitting the MPD and finding something else to do. He's probably had a revelation about the system he used to trust, and he's probably disqualified anyway now because of the blindness in that eye and his other symptoms post-halo. I'd love to see him reconstruct his life when he gets better, adjust to a new normal with essentially a chronic illness if the effects of the halo get better but never fully leave. I'd certainly be down to see him do it with Danny at his side, and both of them learning not just how to be with each other and look after each other but also how to be people, not just bland colourless law-enforcement officers in their bland colourless law-enforcement world.
Police brutality/abuse of authority before/during/post Precrime
As I mentioned above, John has clearly had a revelation about the system he was part of - not only that it was based on a heinous crime in the first place, but that it's wrong to arrest someone and essentially put them in stasis for their entire life, for something they didn't do. There wasn't much compassion to Precrime's arrests, either; the weapons they used to catch and subdue their would-be perpetrators were pretty brutal, and there is that line about how everybody runs.
This universe is clearly an authoritarian, cynical one. Even when John is chief of Precrime, he's implied to be very much a cog in a machine, following procedure to the letter and never thinking about it, never quite having the ability to think about it. It's implied he was just a low-level cop before, with not much power, and even now that he has some social standing he's still kind of small-time, not really respected by the Feds or the non-Precrime police or anyone from Lamar's fancy high-class social circle. He doesn't have much of a life, and nearly all the social privilege he has is because he's a cop. So what happens after the film, when he is no longer one? When he's the one to bring Precrime tumbling down, going from its poster boy to acknowledging all the horrors of it, all the horrors he was complicit in? How does the world react? How does his former team react (do they agree with him or disagree? do some of them see him as a traitor to them?) How do the former haloed react? Does he appear to give evidence at the hearings to shut Precrime down, while still processing everything that's happened, still battling addiction and suffering the aftereffects of the halo? How does he process all the awful things he's done, up to and including killing Leo Crow? How does he deal with hearing the testimony of, or meeting, those he harmed? Does he apologize? Does he listen to their pain and do his best to help? Does he feel he has to atone in some way?
I would also be very here for exploration of systemic apathy/cruelty in the specific light of John having lost whatever little social power he had as a cop, and now being just an ordinary guy...who has an addiction and at least one disability. How do the cops treat neuroin addicts if they're found out? How do the cops treat a random guy who's half blind and suffering PTSD flashbacks or blackouts post-halo? How do the cops treat this guy when they specifically know he's not only the once Precrime Golden Boy they were all jealous of, but also the reason Precrime was dissolved, leaving its officers either out of a job or having to be absorbed into other departments?
Relatedly, how does the healthcare system in this world deal with someone of John's social status who presents with neuroin addiction/overdose/withdrawal and/or mental health symptoms? Is the healthcare system as cruel and uncaring as the cops? Does John have to go through withdrawal or PTSD or general halo aftereffects on his own, fearing that if a health official figures out what he's dealing with it'll go on his record and he might be committed against his will? Is he treated grudgingly, as though if he weren't a public name by now because of Precrime and the trials he would have just been left to die?
Manipulation of John & other Precrime officers by Lamar Burgess
The dynamic John has with Lamar Burgess seems to indicate that he trusts him deeply as a mentor figure, but also that that trust is based on Burgess having been the only person he could lean on when he was torn apart and suffering after the death of his son. Burgess knows John intimately well, says he chose him specially to be Precrime's chief/general poster boy, knows about his neuroin addiction, and seems to have been pretty entwined with him and his mental health struggles for the past six years. John, still deeply unstable and miserable, invariably turns to him in times of trouble, and then we find out Burgess has been lying and manipulating his trust the whole time. It's not a stretch to think Burgess may have been manipulative and string-pulling in general as a boss, and specifically toward his Precrime officers: the sales pitch John gives Danny while introducing the department is just that, a sales pitch, and it sounds a lot like he was sold it six years ago using the same talking points, and was vulnerable to those talking points because he lost his son in a way that Precrime could have prevented. Lamar uses John's grief to sway him, frame him, hurt him and make him hurt others, multiple times in the film; it's not too far of a leap to think he saw an opportunity when Sean was taken, took advantage of John's overwhelming grief to manipulate him and has been intentionally feeding that grief, enabling his drug habit, and keeping him emotionally unstable ever since.
I'm here for any and all exploration of how truly awful Lamar was to John, all while keeping both Lara and John himself convinced that he only had John's best interests in mind. I'm especially interested in this turning sexual, with fucked up, manipulative Lamar/John at any time from six years before the film to during - either implicit with Lamar offering John emotional support and implying romance, offering intimate touch but it never reaching the level of kissing or sex, or full-blown Lamar taking advantage of John when he's vulnerable with grief, making him dependent on him emotionally and for dope, thoroughly messing him up. I could see John having a massive praise kink, and Lamar taking full advantage of that to get him to do more and more work for Precrime as well as sexual favours for him. Maybe Lamar starts him off slow, asking for small favours that gradually turn more and more sexual, and John, adrift and lost and overwhelmed with grief for his dead son with no chance to heal, believes Lamar is his only friend and feels like he can't refuse him anything for fear of losing his support. Maybe Lamar offers romance, starts off kissing John tenderly, and then pushes him away, only touching him when he wants to get off, and leaves John desperately wondering what he did wrong, how he can get his affection back. He might pretend to help John with his grief, but really says 'well-meaning' things that keep him deliberately in pain and unable to heal. Maybe he even enables John's addiction by pretending to help, but really sending him to dealers who give him stronger stuff to keep him hooked. Possibly whenever he notices John's doing better, whether with regard to addiction or to mental health, he makes sure to very gently say things that sound concerned and well-meaning, but really deliberately reopen so many wounds that he knows John will be using that night. Maybe he even convinces himself he's doing it for the good of humanity, keeping John able to do his important work as a Precrime officer so potential killers can get caught.
I'd like any kissing or sex to happen after John and Lara separate, but for the Burgesses this particular scenario would stand as an exception to my infidelity DNW as well - Mrs Burgess can know and not mind, or not know, as you see fit. If she does, I'd like John to be conflicted; if she doesn't I'd like him to be absolutely destroyed by it but still helpless to stop or resist Lamar's advances.
I'm very here for John having to process all of this after the film, and heal from it just as much as he's healing from everything else. I'm also very here for him discovering he's not the only one Lamar manipulated - maybe Jad and Fletch and the other Precrime officers all had similar traumas or fears that Lamar could take advantage of to run a tight ship in the department. Maybe they all form a support group and work toward healing in their own ways.
Thank you for creating for me! I hope you have a great time. 💛
All my requests are for fic this round, but I'm always open to treats in any medium!
(Letter is complete!)
Navigation:
> Likes and DNWs
> NCIS
> The Man from UNCLE
> Knight and Day
> Minority Report
I love h/c with all my soul, so all my prompts are heavy on the h/c. That said - plot or no plot, casefic, fluff fic, smut or no smut - wherever you'd like to take things, I'm game! If you feel inclined toward higher ratings, I adore heavy petting and smut with feelings - when it comes to sensuality, I love emphasis on sensation and emotion.
I'm also very open to unconventional narrative styles or framing devices, such as outsider POV, outsider POV contrasted with canon characters' POV, epistolary fic, framing devices such as mission reports, medical reports, audio transcripts/debrief transcripts, text messages or post-its between characters, news articles, official documentation, and similar!
General likes:
General likes:
• Character studies, exploration of canon character dynamics, fallout of canon trauma
• Missing scenes, slice-of-life, etc - exploring canon character dynamics/canon traits of known characters
• Touch starvation
• Deep friendships, friends-to-lovers, earned trust between characters who know each other closely and fondly, casual intimacy and caretaking, clothes sharing
• Bonding over shared trauma
• PTSD, illness messing with a character's grip on reality, combat/mission injuries, scars, old injuries acting up, touch starvation, sensory deprivation / sensory overload, characters not believing they deserve comfort or being surprised to receive comfort
• Eventually requited pining
• Worldbuilding and atmosphere
• Outsider POV, especially when contrasted with our characters' POV
• Mission aftermaths
• Cars or planes, cars or planes as refuge or comfort spaces, h/c and caretaking in cars, intimacy and/or making out in cars
• Smut with Feelings (I don't really need to know what body parts are going where, I just love to know how it feels, in the sensory way especially but also the emotional way)
• Pain, bittersweetness, sadness, exploring the darker side and implications of canon is great, but I really need some happiness/comfort and hope along with it!
Smut likes:
D/s overtones (wherever mentioned; I generally give an indication of what direction). Femdom. Service subs. Subs With Issues. Doms who are all about looking after their subs and being gentle with them. Praise kink. Hands, fingers, touch; touch starvation. Finger-sucking. Aftercare. Tenderness, especially if the person receiving it isn't expecting it, isn't used to it, and it breaks them just a little.
Marking, intentional or no - bruising with lips or teeth; hiding the bruises under clothing. Suit kink. Fabric kink in general (denim, silk, cotton, plush, what have you - give me all the pleasant textures!). Wrists bound or held down. Honour bondage. Careful sex / making out when one partner is hurt or ill and feverish (fever sex is, uh, a Thing of mine). Or rough, desperate, life-affirming sex / making out.
General DNWs:
• Mundane/depowered/setting change AUs
• Bleak, hopeless endings (as long as there's hope, bittersweet endings are fine!)
• Unrequested crossovers and fusions
• Any mention of coronavirus or quarantine/lockdown situations (trapped together is fine and encouraged though!)
• Death of requested characters (even if they died in canon)
• Non-canonical death of non-requested characters
• Terminal illness
• Permanent injury (exceptions: Gibbs' chronic knee issue after his injury in Kuwait, John Anderton being permanently fucked up in some way after Minority Report canon)
• Gastrointestinal illness (nausea/vomiting is okay but not as a focus of the work, and not as a result of GI discomfort - so character getting nauseous or throwing up from a migraine or just severe pain in general, yes; character getting nauseous or throwing up as a result of a severe anxiety attack or PTSD episode, yes; character suffering anything related to food poisoning or GI bugs or overeating and similar, no)
• Marijuana use or mention of it in any capacity (other intoxicants a-okay)
• Infidelity (for Lamar/John in Minority Report, I'd like Mrs Burgess to know about them and be fine with it, but assume it's consensual and be Perhaps Willfully blind to the manipulation and weirdness going on)
• For NCIS, Gibbs disliking Ducky's rambling stories (I'd like him to enjoy them, just have to stop Ducky on occasion because of the case they're working on being urgent)
• Also for NCIS, positive portrayals of Mike Franks
• For The Man from UNCLE, Napoleon calling Illya 'tovarisch' or any variation of 'comrade' as a nickname
Smut DNWs:
• Noncon or dubcon, except where noted
• humiliation as a kink, except where noted
• pain play, except where noted
• gags of any kind (exception: hand over mouth is okay for Minority Report, but I'd like it to trigger/generally upset John and be traumatic for him rather than hot, and dealt with as trauma)
• anal, dirty talk, spanking, ageplay, scat, watersports, rimming, emeto, A/B/O, d/s-verse, mommy/daddy kink, maledom/femsub
NCIS
Gibbs/Ducky, Gibbs/Fornell, Gibbs/Ducky/Fornell, Gibbs/Vance
I prefer fic set before S11 of the show. I read Gibbs/Ducky as super dom4dom, Tobias as subby as hell, and Leon as an intense vanilla, meat and potatoes kinda guy.
DNW Gibbs disliking Ducky's rambles, please. I read him as enjoying Ducky's endless tangents, and only ever stopping him when there's time pressure because of a case. I'd love to see him happily listening to Ducky's stories when they're on their own time, maybe while doing woodwork or gardening or something else he also enjoys.
Thoughts About My Requested Pairings
Gibbs/Ducky: I read these two as effectively married since before the show began. They have massive established couple energy, trusting each other in ways they would never dream of trusting anyone else, touching each other in ways that suggest they've known and loved each other for years. They both date other people on occasion and it never seems to affect how intimate they are with each other (unless you want to talk to me about Gibbs' Fourth Abusive Ex,
Gibbs/Fornell: they love each other too, but Feisty! Snarling at each other in public and then flicking a switch in the elevator like 'hi Jethro :)' 'hi Tobias :)' (and later, completely dropping the snarly act and just being feistily affectionate even in front of the kids). These two have made out so often over the years, and it always either starts or ends with them snapping, biting and slamming each other into walls. I read them as liking it all kinds of rough, and very willing to give it to each other rough (usually with Gibbs being the one more in control of things), grinning in mutual delight for every second of it. Outside of making out, they're snarky with each other but super affectionate and impish, and it's great.
Gibbs/Ducky/Fornell: both dynamics at once! Ducky is Gibbs' main man, but over the years he finds Tobias is getting closer and closer to Also Main Man status. Tobias has met Ducky onscreen a couple of times, and I read him as being very aware of Gibbs and Ducky's existing open relationship, so the increasing friendship between Ducky and Tobias from like S6 onwards is delightful to behold, and I imagine Gibbs finds it delightful as well. I love the thought of Ducky and Tobias becoming friendlier with each other, starting to show each other affection, and eventually starting to make out as well, completing the triad. I also love the thought of the two of them being brought together by their mutual concern and worry for Gibbs - especially if Gibbs is already trying to matchmake them a bit, knowing they get along great but haven't found the romantic spark just yet, and is so annoyed when he realizes all it really took to get them together was for him to get hurt/sick enough that they worried themselves into Also Kissing.
Gibbs/Vance, Gibbs/Vance/Ducky, Gibbs/Vance/Ducky/Fornell: Gibbs and Vance didn't hit it off great at first, presumably because they'd only met once and Vance only knew Gibbs by reputation and what Jen told him, and Jen's not a reliable narrator of anything at the best of times. They start to trust each other pretty soon, though, with Vance clearly getting rid of some misconceptions and just plain starting to like Gibbs in other ways, and Gibbs for his part having to learn to trust a boss again almost from scratch. (Presumably Leon also figures out pretty damn quick what Gibbs has going on with Ducky and Tobias, because none of them are subtle about it, especially Tobias.) By late s6-early s7 Gibbs and Leon are getting pretty close (especially through Jackie deciding she likes and trusts Gibbs), and clearly have some serious sexual tension going on from if not their very first encounter in Internal Affairs, certainly by Knockout. I really love Jackie and I love how much Leon adores her, how much they're clearly each other's rock, and how much her inviting Gibbs to dinner was clearly a tipping point for Leon to start trusting his motives fully. I think that by the time of Enemies Domestic, which is most certainly a romantic beginning of some sort for Gibbs and Leon, Jackie has fully figured out that Leon has something special with Gibbs, and because she's confident in Leon's love for her and because Gibbs just saved his life, she might encourage him to act on it. Maybe it remains a one-time thing, or an occasional thing, until her death when Leon finds he has to lean into Gibbs completely; maybe it's a regular thing with her complete consent. Either way, Gibbs and Leon certainly grow closer and more affectionate over the years, with Leon finding Gibbs a calming presence whenever he's near, and Gibbs deeply trusting and grateful for Leon's support against outside forces (and willing to offer so much overwhelming love and support constantly). I love how Gibbs is basically like 'I will hold you in my arms forever if you need it, and also I'll kill for you if you need it.
(A note: I am super open to adding CGIS Agent Abigail Borin to this polycule if you like! Love her to pieces.)
Thoughts About Trauma And Comfort
Gibbs, Ducky and Vance have been through a lot, both in canon and offscreen. We hear a lot in-show about one major traumatic time in Gibbs' life (the tragic deaths of Shannon and Kelly), but I feel like the rest of his pretty extensive trauma doesn't get explored nearly enough. So I'm here for explorations of the Gibbs Trauma that doesn't get mentioned as much in canon, if at all - ie the military service, the day-to-day trauma of cases and field work, the weird manipulation and borderline abuse from Franks, and especially the abusive exes (one of whom was also married to Tobias, and clearly fucked him up too, in comparable but different ways). Super here for exploring Ducky's trauma during his various tours of service as well, and Leon's from All The Bullshit wrt Sharp and Riley and then from Jackie's traumatic death. I'm also extremely here for exploring the occasional traumatic fallout of their job, especially when one of them comes to harm on a case and/or they nearly lose each other.
I love that Gibbs often offers comfort; he seems to be a very physical person with the people he loves most. He doesn't seek it often onscreen, but I think he wants it desperately. We only really see him explicitly seeking comfort from Ducky, who's glad to offer it, but we see a lot more of Ducky verbally comforting him than physically so. I'd love to see more of that physical side of comfort, since they're clearly intimate and affectionate with each other both onscreen and off, and Ducky is good at knowing when Gibbs needs sleep, warmth or softness, and especially good at knowing (and helping) when Gibbs is impatient with his own limitations, and likely to push himself too far without gentle intervention on Ducky's part. I'd also love to see Gibbs comforting Ducky when he needs it, since Gibbs clearly knows exactly how to hold Ducky, calm him down and keep him warm (and sometimes, in lower-stakes situations, offer kisses and makeouts as suitable distraction).
Gibbs and Tobias have a more playful dynamic of shoving each other around, pretending to be antagonistic with each other, but clearly like and respect each other and care for each other when they're suffering; I'd love to see what circumstances make them drop the games and just go all in on the comfort. Gibbs and Leon, in a similar vein, started out with slight antagonism then moved on to quiet respect, then all the way to romantic love by Enemies Domestic, and while we've seen Gibbs look after Leon and how exquisitely gentle he is, I'd love to see how Leon looks after Gibbs if the occasion arises. (I'd like for Jackie to realize that while she's Leon's forever love, Leon and Gibbs have something real and important, and give Leon permission to kiss him and look after him when needed.)
When it comes to comforting Gibbs, I'd love to see something where it's evident that Ducky knows best - both in that he recognizes quickest when Gibbs is hurting or something's tripped his trauma wires, and in that he knows best how to help. (Also in that when Gibbs is hurting or triggered and can afford the time to acknowledge it and try to deal with it, Ducky is the person he goes to, whether just to sleep on a table next to him in autopsy or to get held or petted or stitched up or an aspirin or whatever medical help he needs.) The other husbands both acknowledge Gibbs and Ducky's intense devotion to each other, so I feel like they'd pay attention and learn from each of them how to look after the other. Very here for Tobias and Leon getting tips from Ducky about how to make Gibbs feel loved in general, especially when he's not feeling great - one or all of them spending time with him in silence, or talking to him while not expecting him to talk in return, or wrapping him in blankets and offering coffee or whiskey or bringing him nice food, would be lovely. Physical affection, hugs and kisses and back rubs and gentle touches, would be especially lovely. Maybe them standing by with supplies while Ducky stitches Gibbs up or gives him whatever other medical attention he needs, or helping sneak him away from EMTs when he's not hurt badly enough for EMTs to be necessary (and driving him home to Ducky to get looked after). Or if the EMTs are necessary, interpreting for him when he's barely coherent, or staying by his side for reassurance until Ducky arrives to accompany him and talk to the medical folks. I'd also love to see this from the opposite direction, like when things aren't very bad yet but they're getting bad, and Ducky recognizes the signs before the other husbands do, and starts to make a bit of a fuss of Gibbs before possibly even Gibbs realizes he needs it. (Gibbs not letting himself want affection until he receives it, at which point he melts, is one of the most painful things about him and one of the cornerstones of his character to me.)
I would also love to see the kinds of comfort that even after all these years, only Ducky is allowed to provide. Where can Tobias and Leon not tread? Where do they know they have to not just defer to Ducky, but let Ducky completely take over? Maybe Gibbs will let Tobias or Leon look after him if his knee gives out or cradle his head on their chest if he has a cold or can feel a migraine coming on, but if he's really out of it sick or hurting badly enough to be disoriented or shaken, he won't let anyone but Ducky touch him. Maybe Ducky's the only one allowed to clean blood off his face or wash it out of his hair after a case that hit him particularly close to home. Maybe Ducky's the only one he'll talk to after a case goes particularly bad, and Ducky has to take him aside away from everyone else so they can have a conversation while he offers Gibbs some comfort and reassurance. How do Tobias and Leon know when they need to give Gibbs and Ducky some space to be alone together, and how do they know when it's okay to approach again? How do they deal with it when they're in a situation like this? How do they find ways to support them both even when Gibbs is doing that badly? How do they make extra sure Gibbs feels loved once he's feeling a little less overwhelmed and is okay to accept affection/caretaking from them again?
Super mega here for how nonverbal Gibbs gets sometimes, whether in happy times or traumatic ones. I love that the husbands and the kids can all understand him fine and communicate with him fine even when he doesn't talk, and I'd love to see that portrayed. Notably, all of his awful exes love to complain and yell at him for not talking, which is drastically different from the characters who actually care about him (and therefore know he isn't doing it on purpose, he's just Like That), which brings me to my next thought:
Gibbs' Abusive Exes vs Ducky, Tobias and Vance who genuinely love him; long-term recovery from years of intimate partner abuse
Gibbs has been through Some Shit in his love life - Stephanie and Rebecca canonically physically assaulted him, while Diane, Jen and Hollis were manipulative and emotionally abusive - and we get comparatively little exploration of it. Ducky clearly knows a little about what they did to him, since he stitched him up after Stephanie hit him in the head with a baseball bat, but clearly even Ducky didn't always know everything - Gibbs is quiet when he's suffering, especially when he's reexperiencing trauma for whatever reason, and it's not always easy to figure out what's wrong. (Not to mention that Gibbs clearly still has a ton of lingering guilt from all those relationships, and perhaps even thinks he is at fault for a lot of what they put him through. He clearly sees Stephanie, for instance, with a lot more sympathy than Ducky does.) I'd love to see something exploring Ducky figuring out Gibbs' triggers or finding out something one of the exes did to him (a long-healed scar or fracture, a trigger he forgot existed...) and being utterly furious with said ex and making sure to look after Gibbs and let him know he's loved, and Gibbs having to get used to actually being cared for in a relationship and not having to walk on eggshells all the time - or having already mostly got used to being happy and loved, and having to suddenly deal with the shock of a trigger he completely forgot about. I'd also be super here for Tobias or Leon finding out something one of the exes did, and asking Ducky about it to figure out how angry they should be (the answer is very). Like I said above, I'm very here for Tobias and Leon getting tips from Ducky about how to make Gibbs feel loved in general, especially when he's not feeling great - one or all of them spending time with him in silence, or talking to him while not expecting him to talk in return, or wrapping him in blankets and offering coffee or whiskey or bringing him nice food, would be great. Them cradling him close and providing physical closeness would be especially great, whether or not it leads to kissing and making out or even further.
I kind of count Mike Franks among the abusive exes, even though there seemed to be no sexual component to whatever there was between him and Gibbs - there's certainly some kind of twisted codependency there, and by all appearances it's something Franks deliberately created by isolating and taking advantage of Gibbs when he was vulnerable (in the immediate aftermath of losing his wife and daughter). When he shows up at the end of s3, he immediately goes right back to the same tactics - classic 'you and me against the world' abuser talk, shoving Gibbs without warning into the knowledge of 9/11 and proceeding to straight up blame him for it, and then continuing to manipulate him with the constant blow-hot-blow-cold while he's staying with him in Mexico (don't you have a boat to build? why don't you go build a cabin of your own and stop bothering me? no no I'm kidding, stay and build a hot tub for me). We see the scales fall from Gibbs' eyes a bit regarding Franks when he frames the innocent Homeland Security guy and hurts Tony in 4x04, but clearly the effects of everything he did take a lot of breaking free from.
Tags as prompts wrt Gibbs' abusive partners:
Abuse - A thinks abuse is normal; shocks B by using it as funny anecdote,
Abuse - Abusive ex shows up and tries to rekindle relationship (by doing the same abusive things) (hi Jen, hi Fuckhands McMike)
Abuse - Character ignored by partner and refused comfort while ill/injured,
Abuse - Character is tormented via sensory overstimulation,
Abuse - Character refuses to acknowledge they're being abused because they're "strong"/"can take it",
Abuse - Manipulated and abused by mentor,
BDSM - Trauma triggered by nonconsensual bondage,
Cycles of Violence - Character is abused by multiple successive intimate partners,
Dub/Noncon - Agreed upon kink limits disregarded,
Dub/Noncon - Coerced into sex while feeling too unwell to participate,
Dub/Noncon - Coerced into sex while in an altered state and unable to consent,
Dub/noncon - repeated violation by intimate partner,
Dub/Noncon - The sex was consensual but physically hurting them during it was not
Day-to-day trauma from cases/field work; cases hitting close to home and causing past trauma to resurface; hurt/comfort and caretaking in actively traumatizing situations
The team goes through a lot in the day to day, and Gibbs is especially quiet about it, only ever seeking comfort from Ducky. There are often cases with a lot of resonance for Gibbs (the colonel haunted by the corporal who died saving Gibbs' life, the shell-shocked kids who show up hurting and not knowing what to do, the traumatized gunnery sergeant who couldn't save his squadmates, the other traumatized gunnery sergeant whose husband repeatedly physically assaulted her...) and even more cases that don't carry personal significance for Gibbs but actively traumatize him during them (the man who got shot as Gibbs was trying to talk him off a ledge, Gibbs' old friend from the corps turning out to be a killer, the end of the s3 finale, the rescuing Ziva arc...) and in such a hazardous job, there's a lot of opportunity for further cases of both kinds, and/or for entirely new traumatic situations or further traumatic injuries.
Gibbs is often focused on looking after everyone else, even when he's suffering, so I would love to see what happens after the kids are safe and comforted, when Gibbs can either go quietly looking for some comfort or Ducky, Tobias and/or Vance can offer it unasked. I'd love to see him still trying to look after them even when he's sick or hurt or falling apart, and them taking it upon themselves to make sure he knows he can Fucking Stop for a while - or him just crashing underneath his boat and them making sure he knows he gets to be warm and taken care of and doesn't have to suffer alone. I would be especially down for explorations of how he's usually great at not showing signs of his previous trauma, but when he's feeling less than 100% (like in Sharif Returns), said signs of previous trauma sometimes start to show through. Maybe he's running himself ragged on a case and flinches when someone tries to touch him, realizing it's a friendly touch too late to hide the trigger response. Maybe one of the husbands touches him where one of his exes hurt him, and he can't hide the momentary fear. Maybe a suspect or interviewee jokes about some experience they had in combat or with a partner, and he's less able to laugh it off than he would be if he were well. Maybe at some point it gets so much that even the kids start to suspect, or one of them gets suspicious and tells the others, who start to watch the boss for signs they should maybe call one of their other dads to help him out.
Alternatively, I'd be very down to see what happens if things on a case get so bad that Gibbs has no choice but to be vulnerable even when the kids are around. Torture? Reinjury of his bad knee or shoulder by someone trying to hurt the kids or the husbands? Illness or injury while undercover leaving him barely conscious and barely able to maintain said cover? Maybe Ducky has to get to MTAC and remotely walk the kids or Leon through looking after Gibbs, or maybe Ducky's the one undercover with him and the kids get to see what their deep intimacy and love is really like all the time. Maybe they get to see Tobias drop his usual cheerful 'yeah we shove each other against the wall and make out in the elevator constantly, what about it' vibe when Gibbs is badly hurt, and show the genuine concern and gentleness that lies behind it. Maybe they get to see Gibbs drop the invulnerable act and actually admit what's wrong to Ducky, Tobias or Leon, actually hold their hand or turn into them to seek comfort as he does when they're not around, or maybe he's not all there and they hear him say things or describe trauma that he never would have if he were conscious. Maybe the setting isn't during an undercover op, but back at the office after one, when the bad guys are arrested and the survivors comforted and Gibbs can't hold it together any more, or maybe didn't even realize he was so badly injured (or ill or poisoned or hypothermic or...) until he was on the verge of collapse. Maybe, in a role reversal from the usual situation on the show, Gibbs is the one who gets captured and hurt alone on a case and one or more of the husbands go absolutely feral, leading the kids to rescue him and looking after him once they get him back.
More h/c prompts here if you'd like some extra inspiration to mix and match with!
The Man from UNCLE (TV)
Napoleon Solo/Illya Kuryakin
DNW Napoleon calling Illya 'tovarisch' or any variation of 'comrade' as a nickname, please!
I like to read Napoleon/Illya as an established open relationship during all of canon - perhaps beginning as an occasional fuckbuddy thing and then progressing pretty quickly to them realizing they mean more to each other than everyone else, and will look after each other above everyone else, even though they continue to be dtf anyone they like.
Napoleon is the more protective of the two, the more likely to downplay any trauma or injury/illness he's going through, and certainly prioritizes looking after Illya over himself, even if he needs it more. I'd love to see Illya being very aware of this and finding ways to look after Napoleon when he needs it, because no one knows Napoleon better than Illya does. I'd love to see some caretaking between assignments, or during an assignment where Napoleon had to push through already being ill or injured to get it done, followed by getting fussed over (for Illya's definition of fussing over) in the downtime after. I'd LOVE to see the times when Illya gets protective and makes sure Napoleon doesn't do too much, or gently chastising him when he does push himself too hard and end up feeling worse - just generally convincing Napoleon it's okay to be looked after.
They also get put in traumatic life-threatening situations on the regular, so I'd love to see more of those and how it affects them. Illya rescuing Napoleon from captivity and torture, or Napoleon rescuing himself and showing up at Illya's door. Illya knowing exactly how Napoleon likes to be looked after versus what puts his back up and what he might see as condescension or a violation of his privacy; knowing exactly when he's playing his injuries up for extra sympathy versus when he's really shaken and traumatized and asks for nothing. Illya being a little injured too, and having to shut down Napoleon's attempts to look after him despite being the one worse off, so Illya can look after him. Waverly sending them off together because he knows Napoleon will keep trying to work unless Illya makes him rest.
I'd also be down for explorations of Napoleon's trauma from having served in the Korean War (under a guy who turned out to be terrible; the betrayal ofThe Secret Sceptre Affair looked like it cut him deep.) Illya has clearly been through some awful things growing up in the Soviet Union, too, so there are perhaps things they can stoically bond over, not talking about it much (unless their lips are loosened by illness, injury or delirium) but still offering each other quiet support, maybe in the form of blankets, food or gentle kisses.
Characterization note: I love a bit of humour, but I prefer them to be competent spies and not hold the idiot ball too often (s3 I'm looking at you ^^')
Knight and Day
Roy/June, Roy/June/Naomi
Roy's been completely fucked over by the system he gave his life to for over a decade, probably closer to two. He's been living his life knowing there's no one in his corner, that no one will ever see him as anything other than an 'asset' to the CIA, that no one will ever care for him beyond his skills and abilities, and then he meets June and dares to dream of a life where he gets to love and be loved, know and be known, all while knowing he has to send her back home and cut all ties with her for her own safety. All that, and he's just starting to recover from a bullet wound to the chest, when June sneaks in and breaks him out of hospital. He's going to have a lot of unpacking and healing to do, both from this specific mission and from the years upon years of conditioning, while his body heals from the bullet. I am here to see any and everything from that rescue road trip, June stepping up to look after Roy and let him heal up, taking over the duties of creating cover identities for them, getting them hotels and beach umbrellas and playing the ditzy blonde with a very polite boyfriend/husband in fragile health, both of them making so many friends and spreading so much sunshine wherever they go. I'm SUPER here for anything and everything car related - handholding, making out, caretaking on the hood or in the back seat, June fixing other people's cars while Roy pays rapt attention and understands absolutely nothing, everything's game. Also super here for June gently domming Roy and Roy being so, so eager to please her all the time. Dommes making accommodations for subs who can't presently handle much, but still making sure they feel good, is such a weakness of mine.
We don't know much about Naomi, but we do know she worked for Tony the mafia boss, which I'm betting comes with its own set of traumas. I'd be super willing to have her join Roy and June and do some healing of her own, and I'd also be down for that to involve joining June in domming Roy.
Minority Report
Lamar/John (abusive toward John), John/Danny
Medical and psychological aftermath of halo incarceration
Post-canon, I'm really interested in how John deals and how he recovers. I'm here for John suffering through aftereffects of the halo (neurological symptoms, maybe migraines, auras, nightmares, flashbacks, days when he's trapped back in that world of torment and can't make it out, not knowing what's real) and dealing with suddenly being blind in one eye, as well as the loss of everything (job, structure, emotional support system) that's helped him survive the past six years. I'm very here for medical fallout of literally everything he's just been through, including the traumatic eye surgery - vision issues, light sensitivity, lingering pain, having to get used to new levels of vision and associated adjustment issues, anything in that vein. I'm also very here for him having to suffer through getting clean, withdrawal symptoms and all.
I would also love to read about how other people who've been haloed recover from it all and try to pick up their lives afterwards. Maybe through John's eyes realizing the horrors he's been inflicting on people as a Precrime officer (as he also experiences and processes those horrors himself firsthand), or maybe through the eyes of another halo survivor watching the trials post-film and hearing John's evidence, learning he was haloed too and went through what they did as well. I'm very down for them thinking it serves him right. Maybe they arrive at some kind of sympathy for him after hearing his life laid bare during his statements; maybe they don't.
I would definitely be up for reading, say, John's medical report post-film detailing his symptoms and recovery, or something along those lines! I am also very here for John keeping in touch with Agatha and the twins, for all of them to still be friends and stay supportive of each other while they're all healing and finding ways to go on living.
Rebuilding and recovery post film
It annoys me deeply that John's addiction was brushed away and ~magically cured~ at the end of the film for the sake of a pasted-on babies ever after ending. I don't read the happiness of that ending as in any way real or lasting. I am here for exploration of John's addiction, relapse, recovery, and how hard his journey is, as long as there's some comfort and at least the chance of happiness at the end. I'm especially down for him trying to process all the trauma from the events of the film, and deciding to get clean because his symptoms are now so bad that even the neuroin doesn't help any more (and he realizes the neuroin might actually be making them worse).
John and Lara's relationship doesn't have to end happily. In fact, I'd prefer their happy ending to be breaking up and slowly learning to live better lives while not tied to each other. They're both very heavy on denial as a coping mechanism, so I could see John doing his best to hide how badly he's relapsing from her, and Lara in turn trying to pretend that everything's okay, both steadfastly ignoring how very much John's mental health is not okay. (I could see Lara being deep enough in that denial to pressure John into things he doesn't want to do, sexually or otherwise, and John for his part also being deep enough in denial to go along with what she wants and acquiesce, even if it just makes him feel worse.) Maybe it takes a particularly severe relapse or PTSD episode, or even a severe self-harm incident, for John to realize he can't stay with her any more, that he can't subject her or himself to the life they're currently leading. I would like to see him have that revelation, and leave so that they both can heal.
Consent issues or no, I could see John kind of running away from Lara - not leaving her in the lurch, but certainly having a deeply stressful conversation telling her he can't do this any more, and then getting as far away from her and the MPD as he can. Does he hole up in his apartment hoping he'll eventually feel better? Does he go to Agatha and the twins if he realizes he's possibly too sick to be alone? Does he just go somewhere offbeat and cut off contact with everyone until somebody starts to worry (is that somebody Danny Witwer - assuming this is a universe in which Danny Witwer Didn't Die)? Does he go through withdrawal alone and eventually come out okay, or does Witwer find him during and hold him through the shakes? Do things get bad enough that Witwer has to drag him to hospital despite his protests and newfound distrust of the system? Does he even get good treatment if they do, or are the medics in this universe just as cruel and uncaring as the police?
Speaking of which, I'm super here for John quitting the MPD and finding something else to do. He's probably had a revelation about the system he used to trust, and he's probably disqualified anyway now because of the blindness in that eye and his other symptoms post-halo. I'd love to see him reconstruct his life when he gets better, adjust to a new normal with essentially a chronic illness if the effects of the halo get better but never fully leave. I'd certainly be down to see him do it with Danny at his side, and both of them learning not just how to be with each other and look after each other but also how to be people, not just bland colourless law-enforcement officers in their bland colourless law-enforcement world.
Police brutality/abuse of authority before/during/post Precrime
As I mentioned above, John has clearly had a revelation about the system he was part of - not only that it was based on a heinous crime in the first place, but that it's wrong to arrest someone and essentially put them in stasis for their entire life, for something they didn't do. There wasn't much compassion to Precrime's arrests, either; the weapons they used to catch and subdue their would-be perpetrators were pretty brutal, and there is that line about how everybody runs.
This universe is clearly an authoritarian, cynical one. Even when John is chief of Precrime, he's implied to be very much a cog in a machine, following procedure to the letter and never thinking about it, never quite having the ability to think about it. It's implied he was just a low-level cop before, with not much power, and even now that he has some social standing he's still kind of small-time, not really respected by the Feds or the non-Precrime police or anyone from Lamar's fancy high-class social circle. He doesn't have much of a life, and nearly all the social privilege he has is because he's a cop. So what happens after the film, when he is no longer one? When he's the one to bring Precrime tumbling down, going from its poster boy to acknowledging all the horrors of it, all the horrors he was complicit in? How does the world react? How does his former team react (do they agree with him or disagree? do some of them see him as a traitor to them?) How do the former haloed react? Does he appear to give evidence at the hearings to shut Precrime down, while still processing everything that's happened, still battling addiction and suffering the aftereffects of the halo? How does he process all the awful things he's done, up to and including killing Leo Crow? How does he deal with hearing the testimony of, or meeting, those he harmed? Does he apologize? Does he listen to their pain and do his best to help? Does he feel he has to atone in some way?
I would also be very here for exploration of systemic apathy/cruelty in the specific light of John having lost whatever little social power he had as a cop, and now being just an ordinary guy...who has an addiction and at least one disability. How do the cops treat neuroin addicts if they're found out? How do the cops treat a random guy who's half blind and suffering PTSD flashbacks or blackouts post-halo? How do the cops treat this guy when they specifically know he's not only the once Precrime Golden Boy they were all jealous of, but also the reason Precrime was dissolved, leaving its officers either out of a job or having to be absorbed into other departments?
Relatedly, how does the healthcare system in this world deal with someone of John's social status who presents with neuroin addiction/overdose/withdrawal and/or mental health symptoms? Is the healthcare system as cruel and uncaring as the cops? Does John have to go through withdrawal or PTSD or general halo aftereffects on his own, fearing that if a health official figures out what he's dealing with it'll go on his record and he might be committed against his will? Is he treated grudgingly, as though if he weren't a public name by now because of Precrime and the trials he would have just been left to die?
Manipulation of John & other Precrime officers by Lamar Burgess
The dynamic John has with Lamar Burgess seems to indicate that he trusts him deeply as a mentor figure, but also that that trust is based on Burgess having been the only person he could lean on when he was torn apart and suffering after the death of his son. Burgess knows John intimately well, says he chose him specially to be Precrime's chief/general poster boy, knows about his neuroin addiction, and seems to have been pretty entwined with him and his mental health struggles for the past six years. John, still deeply unstable and miserable, invariably turns to him in times of trouble, and then we find out Burgess has been lying and manipulating his trust the whole time. It's not a stretch to think Burgess may have been manipulative and string-pulling in general as a boss, and specifically toward his Precrime officers: the sales pitch John gives Danny while introducing the department is just that, a sales pitch, and it sounds a lot like he was sold it six years ago using the same talking points, and was vulnerable to those talking points because he lost his son in a way that Precrime could have prevented. Lamar uses John's grief to sway him, frame him, hurt him and make him hurt others, multiple times in the film; it's not too far of a leap to think he saw an opportunity when Sean was taken, took advantage of John's overwhelming grief to manipulate him and has been intentionally feeding that grief, enabling his drug habit, and keeping him emotionally unstable ever since.
I'm here for any and all exploration of how truly awful Lamar was to John, all while keeping both Lara and John himself convinced that he only had John's best interests in mind. I'm especially interested in this turning sexual, with fucked up, manipulative Lamar/John at any time from six years before the film to during - either implicit with Lamar offering John emotional support and implying romance, offering intimate touch but it never reaching the level of kissing or sex, or full-blown Lamar taking advantage of John when he's vulnerable with grief, making him dependent on him emotionally and for dope, thoroughly messing him up. I could see John having a massive praise kink, and Lamar taking full advantage of that to get him to do more and more work for Precrime as well as sexual favours for him. Maybe Lamar starts him off slow, asking for small favours that gradually turn more and more sexual, and John, adrift and lost and overwhelmed with grief for his dead son with no chance to heal, believes Lamar is his only friend and feels like he can't refuse him anything for fear of losing his support. Maybe Lamar offers romance, starts off kissing John tenderly, and then pushes him away, only touching him when he wants to get off, and leaves John desperately wondering what he did wrong, how he can get his affection back. He might pretend to help John with his grief, but really says 'well-meaning' things that keep him deliberately in pain and unable to heal. Maybe he even enables John's addiction by pretending to help, but really sending him to dealers who give him stronger stuff to keep him hooked. Possibly whenever he notices John's doing better, whether with regard to addiction or to mental health, he makes sure to very gently say things that sound concerned and well-meaning, but really deliberately reopen so many wounds that he knows John will be using that night. Maybe he even convinces himself he's doing it for the good of humanity, keeping John able to do his important work as a Precrime officer so potential killers can get caught.
I'd like any kissing or sex to happen after John and Lara separate, but for the Burgesses this particular scenario would stand as an exception to my infidelity DNW as well - Mrs Burgess can know and not mind, or not know, as you see fit. If she does, I'd like John to be conflicted; if she doesn't I'd like him to be absolutely destroyed by it but still helpless to stop or resist Lamar's advances.
I'm very here for John having to process all of this after the film, and heal from it just as much as he's healing from everything else. I'm also very here for him discovering he's not the only one Lamar manipulated - maybe Jad and Fletch and the other Precrime officers all had similar traumas or fears that Lamar could take advantage of to run a tight ship in the department. Maybe they all form a support group and work toward healing in their own ways.
Thank you for creating for me! I hope you have a great time. 💛
