I sometimes wonder about love and how it's portrayed in popular culture and in slash. We've mostly been fed the story that perfect love exists, and that it lasts for ever and never grows stale or becomes boring or dies a sad death. Love, falling-in-love type love, isn't like that, basically because it appears to rely on a steady stream of the right hormones. But it's an idea you can lose yourself in willingly- that it will last forever, possibly because it's so uncomplicated and removes the need for any doubt about yourself or your significant (or not) other. I wonder if this is reflected in the popularity of first time stories-- they reflect the first thrill of being in love, when it feels like it will last forever and nothing will ever change. We don't (or I don't) want to think of my golden, perfect pairing going out for 3.7 years then splitting up because the sex got dull. Being in love that intensely stops you worrying about the future- it's immediate and intense and now. I don't mean to say that love can't last, because it clearly can, but it changes and becomes something that you have to chivvy along and kick in the pants and keep alive, sometimes with an effort of will. Often you know it's worth it, but sometimes you don't.
Veering slightly, but only a bit, I've just read vol 1 of the new Eroica translation and it's very slashy indeed. The banter is surprisingly fresh and funny. Klaus is noticeably sweeter in this first one and Dorian is rather more fiery and willful. Of course, they are in love, it's just that no one's bothered to tell Klaus yet.
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ellen_fremedon! Here's a special banner for you. I think that camel might see more action now that Yuletide is here again: