#but fics where characters implicitly putting down platonic intimacy are treated not as insecure | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

anistarrose · 8 months ago

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We've all heard of mischaracterization of characters in a ship to further that ship, but also... what about mischaracterization of their wingperson? There are too many examples to list, but for one thing...

What about when fics keep making the wingperson, being treated as the "voice of reason," tell their best friend or family member "obviously your crush reciprocates romantic love for you, or they would never have done (insert act of intimacy or devotion) for you" — but the act of intimacy or devotion is literally just something the wingperson themselves would absolutely do for a friend or family in canon? Something that the wingperson, and the character being told this is proof of romance, would themselves do out of platonic love for each other in a heartbeat?

You ruined a perfectly good mutual pining fic is what you did. Look at it. It's got unexamined amatonormativity.

#that's not to say you can't write good fics on characters feeling insecure-#-about platonic/familial bonds in comparison to romantic ones!#i enjoy those! there are some really good fics based on that concept!#but fics where characters implicitly putting down platonic intimacy are treated not as insecure #but instead as the only one with a *brain* for seeing the “obvious romantic truth”... those get on my nerves so much #i don't need to say the characters/ship i'm talking about. it's obvious #but i assure you i only complain because i love said characters/ship and think they deserve so much better

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