[ SECRET POST #5286 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #5286 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 30 secrets from Secret Submission Post #756.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

04. https://i.imgur.com/c8igWK8.png

[(Anonymous)]

I've been noticing that this is my flavor, too. I love the tension of slow burn, but at some point, I want them to upgrade and just get together already! Then I want to see stories of the couple doing couple-y things. So same!

[(Anonymous)]

Yup, with you on this one.

That's not to say I discard all slow-burns because some have worked for me, but I absolutely prefer the couple I'm into actually getting together during the canon. There's a little leeway with this for me: TV vs movie being a good example as it's hard to do a full relationship progression in 2 hours, so I'm likely to be okay with the couple getting together in the last few moments in those. But for a TV show I'm going to want that to happen at least by the half-way point if not sooner, my patience only holds out so much and too much will-they-won't-they will frustrate me to the point of getting bored and fucking off to find something else. Like I have actually dropped shows fully because the constant ship-teasing with the leads pissed me off.

If you're going to do a romance: commit or don't bother imo.

[(Anonymous)]

Tbf, I really love slow burns, but mostly in fic. In published fic, movies, shows, I think I'm a bit similar to you -- yes pine, get to know each other some, have your reservations, etc. But live! Take the risk! Let's not have the seven year engagement situation.

As long as the drawn outness of the slow burn is <50% caused by miscommunication, I'm good to go on it.

[philstar22]

Yup. I don't want instant romance. I want the romance to develop in a believable way, which takes time. I don't believe in instant love. Getting to know each other is a process. But I also want the romance to happen in a believable amount of time. When a piece of media keeps throwing unbelievable obstacles in the way over and over again, I get frustrated. And to me, I don't need "will they, won't they." A romance on the show or book or movie can totally work and still keep things interesting.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah I agree. I've developed a big mistrust for slow burn fics because of the 'getting together at the very last minute' endings. One fic I had read had loads of cliffhangers at the end of every other chapter that was driving me up the wall between updates - and when the pair finally got together 40 chapters later, they just held hands and the fic ended right there with a filmsy 'who knows what tomorrow brings!'
I have always promised myself to never flame fics like preteen me did in the early 2000s on ffnet - but my god I was so very close to writing the rant of a lifetime at the end of that one.

[tabaqui]

Omg, that is maddening.

[(Anonymous)]

Yep. I don't like it when the romance is drawn out over several seasons for nonsensical reasons when it's clear from the get-go that the ship is going to be endgame anyway.

For all its flaws, I really liked how Shadowhunters did the Malec relationship, for example. There was the will they/won't they in the first season and afterwards they got together and the relationship was even largely bullshit free (for Shadowhunters).

[tabaqui]

Slow burns are only good if you get lots of interesting characters stuff and believable reasons why the burn is so slow.

The 'omg, they can't possibly like me so I can't say anything!!!' or the 'completely broken communication skills as if everyone is a potted plant' kind of slow burn is not only horrifically frustrating, but also just sucks to read.

I'll take a medium burn and then a few chapters of *after*, please! No they kiss and fade to black, story is over stuff, that's just crazy-making.

[meadowphoenix]

Yes precisely! If there's a compelling reason and enough of their relationship has been explored then I'm mostly find with 50 chapter slow-burns and even very last chapter get togethers (if the get together is more of a formality imo). But when it's just navel-gazing or very frustrating obstacles....no.

[tabaqui]

YUP

[sparklywalls]

I don't mind slow-burn but am wary of getting involved in fic along those lines as I wonder if my expectations/tolerance is different to everyone else. If I see a fic that's in-progress with lots of chapters I confess to skimming the latest entry and if it's chapter "37/??" and it becomes evident the couple isn't even close to getting together the first time (I expect separation drama in fic at times...) then I realise "this is going to be one of those 100+ chapter fics and clearly isn't for me" and that's ok.

At the same time, authors tagging something slow burn who then have characters basically dry-humping by chapter four make me wonder if I'm misunderstanding the words "slow burn" too.

[(Anonymous)]

Tbh I generally won't even read a romance fic that's over 50 chapters unless there's clearly a lot more going on than romance (like if there's a big complicated overarching plot involving multiple characters and things going on where the romance is only one of those things). I've found that for most authors the longer the fic gets the worse the slow burn becomes and the more it becomes clear the author has no plan and is just dragging things out for reviews.

[(Anonymous)]

I feel like at some point slow burn inevitably goes from 'slow' to 'spinning in circles in order to prolong things as much as possible' and that's where it loses me. Shows that go on for a million seasons always seem to reach a point where there is no earthly reason for the couple not to get together at this point and the constant back and forth and quickly pulling back on any progress gets frustrating rather than enjoyable. Fics tend to be similar, while I've read good long slow burns a lot of the really giant fics I feel reach a point where it ceases to be slow burn and becomes pointless dragging out. I feel like pretty much all romances reach a point where you need to have them hook up.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes this! Slow burns are great if it's done in an organic way. If you get past that point then it's just stupid.

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, this is why I was never into slow burns. I like build up of pining, but I want to see the couple get together and actually see and enjoy them doing couple things. Mid-burns are awesome. I also like instant romances where it's like "BAM we meet and it's a whirlwind romance". Guess I'm impatient. Don't get me wrong, there are some great slow burns but I'm not that into it.

[(Anonymous)]

I am 3000% ride-or-die for slow burns, both in fic and in canon. There is no such thing as a burn too slow for me, and I am constantly being disappointed that the slow burn wasn't slow enough. That said, every slow-burn is unique (which I love), and, in my opinion, some are considerably better than others. My favorite are the kind where there's a really strong (or at least really authentic) reason for them to not have gotten together sooner. If it makes emotional/psychological sense to me, than I am so, so down for it. But if it feels like the drama is manufactured and it's only being drawn out purely as an audience tease and/or because the writers have no idea what to do once it happens, then that's less awesome.

On a slightly different note, something I've fallen in love with in recent years is ships that aren't remotely on my radar (or canon's radar) for a long time, and then several years in they sneak up from behind and blossom into a possibility in my mind and change my perspective on the whole story in a way that makes me love the story even more. It's different from a slow burn, in that the characters aren't burning for each other for the first [X] years (though I still need to to be a medium burn once they do start pining for each other), but it's similar to a slow burn in that the groundwork is there. The relationship doesn't feel sudden and rootless, because the characters and the context are both really well fleshed out already.

[(Anonymous)]

Same. All they prove to me is that the couple can actually "live without each other", so don't try to convince me that they finally realized that they can't when the show is trying to boost failing ratings..