On Pairing Names
I was just talking to random people about pairing names. told me about how she always gets a twitch when she sees M/L or Michael/Lincoln because she's used to the anime fandom where you always put the character who is topping first. So Michael/Lincoln gives her a fundamentally different mental image than Lincoln/Michael.
( Musing on pairing names in the Prison Break fandom + a poll. )
( Musing on pairing names in the Prison Break fandom + a poll. )
Or the only other way Linc would top is after an established relationship (and they would *never* have a established, functioning relationship) because 1)they would need to mix it up and 2) if they had a level of comfort, Linc's natural top side would come out. In the vain of number 2, if Linc were to have sex with other men (ie not Michael) he would *totally* be top, for he is a top. Just in relation to his baby brother, he couldn't without taking on the full guilt and responsibility.
Okay, I know originally I said I only had one reason why Linc would ever top, but here's reason number 3) they had a pre-prison relationship. And not just pre-prison, but probably pre-Michael of age. I don't want to say sexual abuse, but probably not far from it.
I this ladies, is why Michael tops (unless he's with Kellerman--then he totally spreads his legs).
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Oh, yeeeeeah... *lost in pretty, pretty image*
Thus, the only way, in my mind, of them having sex is if Michael tops, because then Linc can tell himself that he is passive, that he isn't fucking his brother, that he is not making the choice to do it.
You must love "All The Pieces" then ;D
You know, I actually use that argument a lot. (I actually totally see Sucre that way) It's something hard to tell if that is any sort of realistic interpretation or just something that makes sense to women rather than men.
Then again, with Lincoln it wouldn't necessarily be a gay/bi kind of thing that is causing the obstacle, it's the brother/protector aspect.
Or the only other way Linc would top is after an established relationship (and they would *never* have a established, functioning relationship) because 1)they would need to mix it up and 2) if they had a level of comfort, Linc's natural top side would come out. In the vain of number 2, if Linc were to have sex with other men (ie not Michael) he would *totally* be top, for he is a top. Just in relation to his baby brother, he couldn't without taking on the full guilt and responsibility.
Lost in the pretty, pretty images. Errr, yeah, I do share your point to some extent. But I guess the impossibility of everything is kind of part of the appeal for me (*puts on Said/Adebisi shipper hat*).
I this ladies, is why Michael tops (unless he's with Kellerman--then he totally spreads his legs).
Mmm, how about Abruzzi?
I totally see Michael as having control freak issues, which is why I see him as always pushing for the top, whether actually sexually or as topping from the bottom.
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Either way, really. I could totally get into some good top!Michael "who's the mob boss now, bitch" fics and still hold top!Abruzzi fics in the same esteem.
I totally see Michael as having control freak issue
Yes, but hte beauty of the control freak is that sometimes they exhaust so much energy being in control in every facet of their life, that they *need* to be the bottom--they must be told what to do in order to get some release. :D ::is big fan of the pyschological phenomenon::
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I tend to think that bottom!Michael and top!Linc comes a lot from the fact that canon!Michael shows his most weakness in connection with his brother, for obvious reasons. And he doesn't show his top tendencies around Lincoln as frequently (though he still does at times, like in the scene where he stopped Lincoln from running off, or when he was very "whatever" about Lincoln's worries about LJ). There are a lot of times where he could just have been "Do as I say" and he instead approached Lincoln with a "What do you think?", something he doesn't really do with the other characters. Though I kinda write that off to old seated older/younger power structures.
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Oh god, no--never!
more the kind who would have a certain moment and then try to recover quickly, put the mask back on.
::taps nose:: That's it, right there. You hit the nail on the head. Michael may want to be fucked, but as soon as it was finished, he'd be a total alpha-male again (or the entire time). I think when control freaks give up control, it's a resignation. Not weepy, not even necessarily enjoyable--just resignation. You have to unwind somehow.
I think precisely because of the brother dynamics, Michael would not be the bottom (again, unless it's a continuing pattern from child abuse). Michael was the baby all his life, Linc is a fuck-up, he's not just going to bend over and take it. Mike may have more "What do you think?" moments than "Do as I say" moments with Linc, but that's only because it's in a brotherly context, he's conscious of his traditional role. There's nothing traditional about fucking your brother, so I think Mike's dominant side would totally own.
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I totally think that Michael would have his share "Do as I say"/losing his temper moments in their relationship (especially in a non 'cesty way). Then again, I think that prison!Lincoln is probably a lot more subdued than pre-prison Lincoln probably was, so I tend to think that their pre-prison relationship could easily have been much more confrontative.
Michael was the baby all his life, Linc is a fuck-up, he's not just going to bend over and take it.
But see, if that was the core motivation in their relationship in general, why would Michael come to save Lincoln? Or wouldn't he at least be more pushy about it? What motivates him then?
Again it goes into neediness. Currently Lincoln is more needy, because he needs Michael to save him. But on the whole I think Lincoln is a lot less emotionally needy for Michael than the other way around. Which goes to the theory whether somebody who is more needy (like Dean) wouldn't be more willing to make concessions, if for example both are tops. Then again, as you pointed out, Lincoln just might not have the preference of topping Michael, because it is creepy to him to fuck his brother.
Granted, I can picture Michael being relatively nonchalant about giving up his life "I gave up my normal life for you? Bah, don't mention it. I do crazy stuff like that all the time.", but still...
Then again, simply because of the age factor their relationship covers a lot of time, so whatever their dynamic is, it would be totally different if you wrote about something starting when Michael was young, when he was in college, in prison or only after the break out.
(again, unless it's a continuing pattern from child abuse)
I dunno, we do have Veronica's comment about Lincoln hitting Michael at least once. Maybe I could picture something happening relatively early (like 16-18 year old Michael) and it never being repeated, but echoes of carrying into the power balance of their relationship when they are adults (then again, if there was an isolated incident when Michael was younger, it would probably make Michael want to top even more. Like, to make up for what happened then.)
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