Just talking to myself some more.
I know that fanfiction/fandom has a very intense romance focus (and obviously I write it as well), but I do find that the way that this manifests as the tagged couple NEEDING to be together by the end, no matter what is happening plot-wise, very frustrating personally.
I know that this is likely influenced by the fact that I'm aroace.
This was more inspired by reading one more of those fics where there's serially one-sided pining + dramatic rejection followed by the pair getting together without properly addressing the hurt caused earlier in the story.
Let me elaborate. Apologies as this is somewhat trope-specific? Although I've seen versions of it play out in stories across multiple fandoms.
Character A and B are friends. B is pining for A. B confesses to A. A rejects B.
Now, it's not usually just "Oh, I'm sorry but I don't like you that way."
No, this is usually after A has been taking advantage of B's feelings in some way (sometimes unintentionally, but even in that case being willfully blind to B's feelings), or the rejection veers into deliberately hurting B (ex: "I can't believe you thought I could EVER love you!").
Relationship is utterly changed; B usually starts avoiding A and/or treating them much differently as a result. A suddenly starts remembering how much they like B, thinking about how pretty/handsome B is, how awful it is that B isn't treating them like before. Could this mean...that they actually liked B all along?!?
But oh, woe is them, they rejected B! They couldn't possibly love A now! They must suffer for their actions, oh! They are the lowest of creatures.
Cue some kind of opportunity for them to confess to B that "Surprise! I do like you actually! But 😔 I understand if you don't like me anymore."
Then B falls into their arms without even a second thought. Maybe with a little bit of lipservice to the idea that A hurt them, but! it's okay! A said they liked them now (after B had stopped doing stuff for them), so we don't need to talk about the hurt or the breach of trust or the exploitation or any possible implications of any insults A might've used towards them.
Now, I'm not against A and B getting together in theory! But I want things addressed. I want B to have doubts; I want A to prove themselves. I want them to take it slow; I want their relationship to have changed (for better or worse) because of the blow it took and, if it heals, to still hold that scar. Love the subtle angst of a good what-could-have-been, even if that what-we-have is still good on its own.
But I also would love it if A confesses, and B is like, "Well, when you ripped my heart out and stomped on it, I instantly fell out of love with you, so go kick rocks."
Or, "Actually I was really hurt, but after some time alone, I realized that you didn't appreciate me and I shouldn't have been doing all that stuff for you in the hope you'd one day notice me, so actually, I don't want you anymore."
Or even "I do still have feelings for you, but I don't trust you and it would be better for me to work past these feelings, so I'm going to turn you down."
Just...I dunno, any indication that B is another realized character in the story rather than just a prop for the REAL main character, A. A little backbone, some self-respect, a bit of healthy introspection and moving on.
I don't ship anything hard enough that I want to see them together no matter the circumstances I think is the thing. So, when the author is throwing all this stuff in that they want me to take in the drama angst "will they fix things??" way, I just am like "Why should I want them to? Give me a reason."
So, I want a reason. Or I want the catharsis of B telling A to pound sand.
One of the stories in my backlog does kinda fall into what I want in this arena, but I don't know if I could write any additional ones. Not just because I prefer writing my weird little stories where any problems are external to the relationship, but also because it would probably get too specific outside of the fandom I have that story in.
(These are my personal opinions, so if you disagree or anything, just ignore me. I'm just having fun ranting.)
