The L Word

[the_moonmoth]

OK, some research in the name of fic. Or rather, a question: do you like to see the characters in m/m slash fiction using the L word towards each other? Specifically, do you like to see them saying "I love you?" I'm thinking mostly about Merlin and Arthur here, but if you want to chip in for other m/m pairings feel free

Comments

[allothi]

Hm. I have a personal twitch about it that has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with having been put under an awful lot of pressure irl, in a few different times and places, to say more than I wanted to. So it can make me jumpy sometimes.

But I don't dislike seeing characters say it -- and possibly, in fact, the main issue is that it's harder for me personally to identify with characters who aren't cautious around this sort of thing. Which is not really something any author should feel the need to consider!

[the_moonmoth]

That's a very interesting personal take. I'm one of those people who's said it too early and too easily in the past, and got myself into trouble over it. For that reason I like to "see" first that it actually means what I now understand it to mean, and not just as a shorthand for "I'm somewhat partial to you and we have hot sex" which is, uh, kind of what I used think!

[allothi]

Yes, everyone else has such thoughtful ideas, but I can't separate my personal experiences! *headdesk*

[the_moonmoth]

Well, we all read and write and perceive the characters through the filter of our personal experiences, so.

Out of curiosity, have you ever written a characters that says "I love you"?

[nannon_yay]

I really like when characters say it to each other in completely random moments. Like if they're in the middle of messing about and one of them suddenly says; "I love you." leaving the other knocked off-guard. I just find it adorably cute.

But I do like when they just say it in the middle of an intimate scene. It just seems to make it more...well, intimate. So yeah. I don't mind if they say it in fic. Just as long as it's a time that doesn't kill the fic.

[the_moonmoth]

I like the knocked off-guard approach, too, or like, dropped casually into a sentence, so the other one kind of goes "Hang on, wtf did you just say?"

[taste_is_sweet]

Totally use it, though if I'm writing a series it might take a story or two (or several) before the guys (and of course I'm talking John/Rodney of SGA here) might actually say it.

In general, I think that men would. Hell, they do, especially the men who are younger than I am. You also have to take the culture into account, of course, but I think that, for example, Merlin would say 'I love you!' to Author. Probably long before Author said it back to him.... :)

[the_moonmoth]

Yes, I think the build-up is important, and the words can make a nice climax to that... along with the other kind, of course... heh...

Does this mean you're watching Merlin now, then? Or is it just a case of f-list osmosis? ;)

I'm not sure that I agree that Merlin would say it a long time before Arthur, but I do think he would say it more easily. Arthur I see as the kind to agonise over it.

[taste_is_sweet]

I'm afraid I'm not watching Merlin--I've just read enough about it from my FList to feel I could make an educated guess. :)

How did your fanfic story go, by the way?

[the_moonmoth]

My story got up to 10,000 words and then I had to step back for a bit and do my job and whatnot - how boring! I think it has the potential to be rather a lot longer than I'm used to, though, so I'm just trying to think through the plot a bit more carefully than I had before. Still going to get my declaration in, though :)

[archaeologist_d]

I'm not one for "I love you" to be in Merlin/Arthur fic. I can't really see Arthur saying it to a guy since it would be considered too girly. He might say it to a girl but another guy, no.

Merlin would say it, though. And Arthur would be like - whatever.

I guess I just think Arthur wants to be this macho guy and they just don't say it much. He's more of an action speaks louder than words kind of person. A look, a touch, an action that speaks of his love for another, sure but the words, no.

[the_moonmoth]

I disagree - I think Arthur is capable of being both sensitive enough and passionate enough to say "I love you" in the right context. He's not someone who would use it every day, imo, but when he says it I see him really meaning it.

[archaeologist_d]

Shrugs. I just can't see it but that's okay. Opinions differ on a lot of things. I do think he'd say 'Idiot' and mean 'I love you.'

[the_moonmoth]

I do think he'd say 'Idiot' and mean 'I love you.'

Me too :) It's the "As you wish" of Merlin.

One of the reasons I can see him saying it to Merlin is that Merlin isn't one of his manly-men knights, and I've often thought about whether Arthur would even see him as a "man" in the same way. I can see that he would feel the need to keep up appearances in front of his knights, but in front of Merlin? *shrugs*

[stealingpennies]

It's like everything - context is all. I quite like an 'I love you.' where it's dragged out unwillingly or said really quietly so the other person isn't 100 per cent sure they heard right. I also like it when there's a sekrit code where completely different word means I love you. In Merlin, I guess that would be 'Idiot!'

Darn, now I want to see fic where Arthur hires a light aircraft or an airship and writes I love you,Merlin in like 100ft letters and trails it across Camelot. (Modern AU). Is obviously closet-romantic.

[the_moonmoth]

I'm also a fan of unwilling "I love you" :) An admission force out of someone always makes me happy!