hey! i'm just curious why is it that most of your shikatema fics are the "the-one-that-got-away"-ish kind of story? PS: i love everyone of them! i am not complaining 😘
So i’ve been thinking a lot about this ask since you sent it in. I definitely recognize my pretty consistent theme. There are definitely a few things that attract me to it, though i think the most consistent is the idea that the dynamic of these two characters are very different. they both want very different things and, in some ways, have almost opposing approaches to things, but in another way, everything they do is very similar. they’re both driven and intelligent and witty, but they tend to express that as though they are different when they are sort of the same. and they fit each other almost perfectly, but not necessarily easily. i think their respective stubborn personalities and views on what life is about can drive them apart and i’m generally interested in exploring that. like, how two people can really love each other but also struggle in their own selfishness at the same time. does that make sense?
i like writing about them following their own paths and in general (in canon, i mean) they meet so young and influence each other at such a young age, but i feel like they need the opportunity to find themselves in their own lives. but even then, like he becomes a jonin for her (but for himself too) and i’m sure when he is passing the exam he’s not actively thinking on her, but in the back of his head knows that she told him to do this. so they separate and find themselves (or whatever) and they manage to come back because in a lot of ways, it’s always been about the other
so i enjoy writing when they meet and then separate and then come back together. i’m also always interested in how love isn’t always the most important thing for everyone in this world and media often portrays it as surpassing everything, (which it might, idk yet) but i am interested in pursuing other ways of living.
now, someone pointed out recently and i think it is correct, i’m really interested in studying atonement. i know that a lot of that comes from my own personal life, but in my last two big one shots (and currently favorite pieces, wmtc and paper moon) they both committed real wrongs against each other and had real hatred for the other and themselves for still loving the other despite that. idk. it is definitely a recurring thing in a large amount of my stories (esp. the ‘one that got away’ stories), but is most explicit in those two. i think the exploration on forgiveness and atonement is my current interest.
(except for the final tsaf v2 chapters which are currently (currently!!!) planned as follows: a canon-divergent piece post-war that actually may have some hints of this one that got away trope, a accidental pregnancy fic, and a shikamaru POV of hunger pains, so…. hopefully i’ll move away from atoning and angst soon)
thanks for the message and apologies for this long ass response which i’m sure isn’t what you wanted