I have noticed this, too. And I agree. Random!kink is random.
From a review by Mkitkat of a White Collar fic on FFN:
"But I really really hope that you do NOT put in spanking into this I’m finding it odd the amount of people tha want Neal spanked.
It’s kind of creepy, because you know he’s a grown man.
And I don’t think Peter would want to touch his butt.
I mean I would
But not Peter."
Okay, I totally get the “odd kinks” thing. I have a few myself. But this one just strikes me as BZUH?!tastic. It’s one of THE most consistent kinks I’ve seen in the fandom, but it’s not consistent within itself. I’ve seen it in summaries for slash fics (which is expected) and OT3 (still not unusual) and gen and/or BFF fics.
*screeching record sound effect*
… Wait, what were those last two?
Yes, there is apparently a LARGE chunk of the WC fandom that writes fic and believes that two adult men who are both in stable or semi-stable heterosexual relationships and who have a good friendship with each other and a close working partnership would engage in disciplinary spanking… and not think it’s a little weird.
I know I was in the Navy for a while and am now studying elementary education in college and so MAYBE my experience with regular adult types is a little lacking recently but… WHAT?
How could I have missed whatever popular trend or… whatever that this is a part of? I’m not *that* isolated from news and current events. am I?
Now, I’m not saying that writers can’t write it. Obviously they can and I can’t stop them and I wouldn’t anyway because writers gotta write and they’re not always in charge of what the Muse puts into their fingers. I respect that.
I just don’t *understand* it in this case.
So if anyone can explain to me where this came from, I’d be much obliged. Was it from an episode commentary? A panel at a convention? An interview with a cast or crew member? Or is it just one of those inexplicable things that comes from fandom?