thank you so much @cuethetommo for starting our discussion. work kicked my butt today and Sus isn’t available so I very much appreciate you stepping in and starting us off!
I love the point @cuethetommo made about Captain Niall. He is definitely the right push the needed in all three stories.
@deadlylou I want to talk about this point in particular. In YLIB, I really really loved that the author showcased a point in a friendship transitioning to a relationship that we don’t often get to see in fic but that I absolutely adore. It’s the “I know I like you and I know you like me, and vice versa, but we’re both scared and nervous to take that first jump.” (wow that was shorter in my head, but you get my meaning). Essentially the characters are all fully aware of their feelings, but they’re just hesitating on the edge of the cliff. I find that so fascinating, especially in the beginning when Harry is feeling this situation so acutely that he literally avoids calling Louis. That’s how you know it’s serious, when you are literally torn between how much you want to be with someone and how terrifying it is to be with them.
I thought this contrasted beautifully with the trope that’s used in BMI: “we both really really like each other but we have no idea how each other feels but everyone around us knows and it’s both cute and adorably embarrassingly.” (never let me name tropes, I am obviously way too wordy).
and then we have TFH (literally one of my favorite fics ever, actually all three of these are high on the list for me, so when Sus suggested them it was an absolute no brainer), where they both acknowledge pretty much right away, at least after the twitter spats, that they like each other. It’s nice to see these three different plot tropes so beautifully written and executed.
