Bad hair day and fic

[louiselux]

Weiss Kreuz fic: Fire, Schuldig/Aya, R

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Does anyone else ever feel the lack of a bad hair day icon? Today is one of those days where you feel greasy all over, as though someone's covered you in a fine layer of lard. Anyway.

There's a very interesting discussion over in hp_fictalk about the way writers symbolise increasing intimacy between their characters by using stages of sexual intimacy. You start with hostility/no interest, move to kissing, handjobs, oral sex then finally penetrative sex. alchemia's main point is that this is rather a tired plot device, ie, once anal sex is achieved then conflict between the characters is resolved and the characters are bound to each other far more deeply than if they only stuck to blowjobs. It's a cliché, but it's mixed up with compelling romance tropes that still work for me. I like to read about building intimacy between characters, especially characters that put up strong barriers between themselves and others. The breaking down of these doesn't necessarily for me have to be symbolised by increasing sexual intimacy, but I can see why they are used so often as a device for this particular type of romance plot. Perhaps it reflects the accepted notion that penetrative sex is 'real' sex, or the most intimate part of sex. It can be, but it isn't necessarily so. I'm really bit too lard-covered and grotty to talk about this properly now, but I do recommend the discussion- it's excellent.

Comments

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

it's not real slash unless there's penetrative sex involved'

Not Mag7 by any chance? (Yes, I read your rant about AUs earlier!)

I think that any sex act can be as intimate as you want it to be, and, as someone in the discusion brought up, intimacy between characters can be just as well indicated by something other than sex, some telling detail of everday life, like Watson knowing exactly where Holmes keeps his cocaine syringe. I can read those 'soul-bonding through anal sex' type stories and will enjoy the emotional high they give me, but I know that it's like eating cheap biscuits, the equivalent of a sugar rush when you're really hungry. Instead you should really sit down and eat a proper meal.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

ps, love the icon!

[graculus.livejournal.com]

No, I was actually thinking of Man from UNCLE, wherein there's a small clique who're also into the whole 'if it has more plot than sex then it's not real slash' thing either - now since I like plot and angst as much, if not more at times, than sex scenes, you can imagine what they think of me!

P.S. the icon is all cycnus39's fault. :)

[enigel]

Heh, you're right and the post is thoughtful and thorough, but my shallow brain has jumped at "soul-bonding through anal sex" and is cackling maniacally :D

This will be one more expression for me to repeat to myself when annoyed, to make everything better (and start giggling at inappropriate moments...)

I think it comes down (again) to good/inspired writing versus cliche - some people can make the "classic" scheme work, while in other fics it feels repetitive. I prefer it when intimacy is expressed through details, small things specific to the characters rather than a general idea of what intimacy means. But oh, how difficult it is to write it sometimes :D