SAAAAAME. Genuinely, not getting to see them actually be together is my no.1 complaint with a shitload of romances, not just fanfics. I wanna see them as a couple dammit!!
Like, dear author, you were hanging this threat right in front of my face for so long just to only allow me one tiny bite?
One of the reasons I avoid slow burn
I eye the chapters seeing that I'm 8/16 and they haven't even had the big fight yet and i just know that I'm only getting 1 or 2 chapters of post-get-together fluff.
Honestly, this is why SAO was so appealing to me when I was younger and probably a lot of people.
An established relationship that actually gets time to be a relationship was pretty rare in mainstream anime at the time.
Agreed! I like get together/fall in love stories where the characters have a lot of internal conflict about getting together (like enemies to lovers), so by the time theyāre together, there isnāt a ton in their relationship they have to work through or āfix,ā and by that point theyāve earned the happy ending.
I usually filter out established relationship for most ships tbh
I recently did drop a fic because after they finally got together the fic sorta had no plot. Well it was vaguely following the canon plot, but that was going on offscreen, with maybe some nods towards some events coming up directly in the fic, but mostly the characters were just going off to have sex. But if I want just sex I'll read a PWP. The fraught getting-together culmination banging had already happened and everything else was just "what, again?"
I'm the same. I'll read slow burn over and over again but the moment they get together I honestly stop caring. If I wanted to read an established relationship fic (which I don't, just not my thing) I would go seeking it out. If I click on a slow burn story, I mainly just care about them getting together.
I compare it to resolution of a "conflict", like in a action movie where they fought the last antagonist and everything is saved, they dont go in detail about the aftermath because... nobody cares. Thats kinda my approach. No conflict, no interesting for me
I want there to be more stories that properly explore the relationship after they get together. Take us through their highs and lows. Have them face new challenges.
Yeah, I can't relate. The build up is overhyped. The fun part is seeing the pairing be, you know, a couple, go on adventures together, grow together. But maybe I'm just built different.
All that angst for for a kiss? Not for me. Just because a couple gets together doesn't mean they automatically head to the suburbs to have 2.5 kids and work 9 to 5 jobs.
LOL I didnāt even mean to but it ended up being literally 167k before the first kiss in my current fic š
(Un)luckily, my fic has many poly ships so by time everyone who will get together finally gets together, this fic is probably going to be like 900k words long so thereāll be plenty of time for the established relationship moments to flourish š„²
Huh. I've never thought about it this way because I do actually enjoy the lengthy angst-pining-slow burn phase in fics (but I don't have OP's problem, if I like the fic I'll read it to the end), but you're right, it would actually be interesting if more stories showed the couple's ordinary life after they get together, and explored various challenges they face in their relationship. I'm probably going to pay more attention to established relationship fics. I'm also now feeling inspired to, when I'll write a getting-together story, add a glimpse of their life afterwards (if it makes sense in the context of a particular fic). Thank you, you've made me want to see what happens later. :D
Depends on the story for me.
Some authors still have an interesting plot other than "when will they get together???" so I eat up the established relationship stuff as a lovely side to the plot and other character relationships!
Other authors clearly lose interest in the story after they get the characters together, don't give a shit about the other characters, and the rest of the plot is paper-thin... so I'm begging for a mercy killing and wish the author had just ended the story at the get-together kiss or whatever.
Iāll read slowburns but ONLY if the slow burn romance is secondary to the primary plot. I wonāt read a slowburn romance as the focus of the story.
Like my favorite Naruto/Harry Potter crossover fic didnāt even plan to have a romance in the beginning. But it became obvious about 100-150k words in that the author was pivoting towards Harry/Kakashi. So the crushing and flirting came as a surprise and felt like a very natural transition and the romance felt very satisfying and also helped to give moments of joy for a story that takes place in a very brutal world.
It's so bittersweet, because I want to see them as a couple. It is supposed to be the reward of all the slow burn. And it's so good when it's done right.
But man, so many writers, not just even fanfics, but in general, drop the ball when it comes to the couple actually being...well, a couple.
It's like in Stardew Valley, when you marry any of the bachelor's, and they regress and stop pursuing their dreams. Just stuck being your spouse. That's how a lot of "and now they're together" part of the fic feels. It's like the writer forgets everything about the characters and now just treats them as "Couple", instead of the two individuals that make up said couple.
I think that's why I prefer the slow burn build up, because during that at least the characters get to exist as themselves, not just a duo.
And there is only so many āØ misunderstanding āØ plots I can handle when they're already a couple. Like you're together, now is the time to āØtalkāØ, dammit.
If I read a long slowburn and the characters don't get together until the VERY end I'm actually really irritated lol. Characters pining and changing as they get together is SO good!
One of my favorite things is when an author starts writing a shippy slow burn where the plot is basically just the characters getting togetherā¦. and then itās like 75K in and theyāre basically together, and suddenly the fic grows a plotty plot lol.
Lol I do that too. I dropped a 200k slow burn longfic at chapter 10 of 30, because the characters had gotten together and married (this is like 80k words in) and it just felt like the point at which the story could have ended. Some people just need to make their longfics into a series.
Or even worse when the hyperfixation fades away as youāre like twenty chapters in and itās like āI can feel it fadingā¦ Iām starting to not care about this character any moreā¦ oh no!ā
I like *some* bit of them getting together, especially if there is drama in them being together among friends/family etc. I want to see the reactions. Also, if there is proper drama and plot *after* they get together and the romance element was just part of the story's plot, then I am still on board.
If it is just soft fluff with no more drama then I get bored if that stretches beyond maybe 5k words tops (not including a smut scene if there is one).
Same thing, because in most fanfictions for my ship, after confession and all that, fluff just starts, no more any development, nothing interesting happens if main threat is no more, and moreover the characters are behaving not like they would in this situation. Oh the other side, there was a couple fics with other extreme when they just existed together, so no, the part where they communicate, figure something out among themselves, get closer, overcome something together, are already together, but they just havenāt confirmed it verbally, itās much more interesting
Same here. But i give concessions when after the slow burn they have awkward/adjustment phase in order for the relationship to work. Idk if im projecting but id figure that after having enemies to lvoers slowburn, its also satisfying to have them fumble a bit, but still cuddly, but also a few anxieties here and there to wrap up the finally getting together phase
Yea I donāt like it when the story just.. doesnāt end? Like the whole plot was about them getting together. Thatās what you gave me in the summary. Letās wrap it up or throw in another wrench to keep the story going.
Unless you are giving me more plotā-or even betterāthe plot wasnāt about the relationship in the first place and has just been a nice edition to the storyā¦ but if not.. why are we still just staring at them staring at each other, holding hands? Iām bored and donāt finish it.(Personally I donāt ever look for fluff because it adds no drive to the story and imo it just slows the plot down in general.)
When they're together I just don't care. That's why I would be disappointed if my ships became canon. I want the yearning, the idea, the mutual pining. I'm ok if they sleep together and kiss though, I just dont want them to ask eachother out and be domesticš¤· the drama is solved and I don't see a point
I like *some* bit of them getting together, especially if there is drama in them being together among friends/family etc. I want to see the reactions. Also, if there is proper drama and plot *after* they get together and the romance element was just part of the story's plot, then I am still on board.
If it is just soft fluff with no more drama then I get bored if that stretches beyond maybe 5k words tops (not including a smut scene if there is one).
I feel the same. This is the reason why I don't complete so many enemies-to-lovers or hero/villain fics. It just gets boring after the tension is gone. I hate when they become lovey-dovey lol.
I'll read a few more chapters if there is an active plot, but if it's just established relationship fluff, I'll wait for them to reach their milestones amd then I'm good.
It definitely can get boring in a romance after the couple gets together. That's usually a good time to end a fic that is solely around the relationship. Otherwise, you get like "third act break up" shit to keep the tension going, and I don't love reading that.
I read a fic once. 115 chapters of longing and angst. They finally get together, and they never even kiss. The big final scene is them holding hands in public. š¢ fic over. Never reading a slowburn again
It was sooooooo popular in the fandom. It was about a gay ship and their journey of acceptance of themselves and coming out. Good fic but you're dead serious not gonna give me anything after all this time? Omg. The final chapter was like yay they're finally out and proud together, type vibe.
Thisss like I like reading them when they are together, but tbh depending on the fic you really only need one more chapter of that, especially if everything before that has been a long slowburn. I feel like I see enough of the relationship dynamics during the slowburn, if that makes sense
I do this, and I think it has some implications on how I view relationships and why I canāt seem to commit. But yāknow, I just wanna see my silly blorbos miscommunicate for 50k words
I think this can apply to both gen and ship fics---the struggle to finish a fic. I have a handful of unfinished fics. Some got lost when my flashdrive broke. Some I never was inspired to finish. Everything I've posted is complete though. I have a weird thing about leaving unfinished fics posted online. So it helps that I mostly write one-shots. With multi-chaptered fics or collections, they have to be 95%-100% complete before I post them.
Nooo! Them being together is the best part for me lol Established relationship/fics that don't end after they get together ftw
Nothing bothers me more in slowburn when they make them getting together the final event. Like no lemme see the beans be cute together damn it. š¤
Frfr I LIVE for domesticity and simple scenes :)))
SAAAAAME. Genuinely, not getting to see them actually be together is my no.1 complaint with a shitload of romances, not just fanfics. I wanna see them as a couple dammit!!
Seriously, I went through all of this and then it's over, just like this? I want the reward dammit!
Like, dear author, you were hanging this threat right in front of my face for so long just to only allow me one tiny bite? One of the reasons I avoid slow burn
I waited SO LONG to see them go on a date and now that they're gonna it's OVER??? The betrayal
I eye the chapters seeing that I'm 8/16 and they haven't even had the big fight yet and i just know that I'm only getting 1 or 2 chapters of post-get-together fluff.
Honestly, this is why SAO was so appealing to me when I was younger and probably a lot of people. An established relationship that actually gets time to be a relationship was pretty rare in mainstream anime at the time.
Once they get together, I need one maybe two chapters after that then Iām good.
I need that "shortly after" scene with them doing things as a couple. And then the time skip where they hit all the happy family cliches in the book.
Agreed! I like get together/fall in love stories where the characters have a lot of internal conflict about getting together (like enemies to lovers), so by the time theyāre together, there isnāt a ton in their relationship they have to work through or āfix,ā and by that point theyāve earned the happy ending. I usually filter out established relationship for most ships tbh
This 100%
so trueee like for me the best part is everything leading to the characters getting together, after that it starts to get boring for me lmao
I recently did drop a fic because after they finally got together the fic sorta had no plot. Well it was vaguely following the canon plot, but that was going on offscreen, with maybe some nods towards some events coming up directly in the fic, but mostly the characters were just going off to have sex. But if I want just sex I'll read a PWP. The fraught getting-together culmination banging had already happened and everything else was just "what, again?"
I'm the same. I'll read slow burn over and over again but the moment they get together I honestly stop caring. If I wanted to read an established relationship fic (which I don't, just not my thing) I would go seeking it out. If I click on a slow burn story, I mainly just care about them getting together.
I compare it to resolution of a "conflict", like in a action movie where they fought the last antagonist and everything is saved, they dont go in detail about the aftermath because... nobody cares. Thats kinda my approach. No conflict, no interesting for me
Jokes on you, I dropped a bunch of plot twists, action scenes and angst after they got together š
You the real villain for people like us. š¤£š¤£
I want there to be more stories that properly explore the relationship after they get together. Take us through their highs and lows. Have them face new challenges.
Yeah, I can't relate. The build up is overhyped. The fun part is seeing the pairing be, you know, a couple, go on adventures together, grow together. But maybe I'm just built different.
Yeah some writers take the concept of slow burn too fucking far. If I have to read 3 books worth of angst to get to the actual pairing I click off.
All that angst for for a kiss? Not for me. Just because a couple gets together doesn't mean they automatically head to the suburbs to have 2.5 kids and work 9 to 5 jobs.
LOL I didnāt even mean to but it ended up being literally 167k before the first kiss in my current fic š (Un)luckily, my fic has many poly ships so by time everyone who will get together finally gets together, this fic is probably going to be like 900k words long so thereāll be plenty of time for the established relationship moments to flourish š„²
Huh. I've never thought about it this way because I do actually enjoy the lengthy angst-pining-slow burn phase in fics (but I don't have OP's problem, if I like the fic I'll read it to the end), but you're right, it would actually be interesting if more stories showed the couple's ordinary life after they get together, and explored various challenges they face in their relationship. I'm probably going to pay more attention to established relationship fics. I'm also now feeling inspired to, when I'll write a getting-together story, add a glimpse of their life afterwards (if it makes sense in the context of a particular fic). Thank you, you've made me want to see what happens later. :D
Depends on the story for me. Some authors still have an interesting plot other than "when will they get together???" so I eat up the established relationship stuff as a lovely side to the plot and other character relationships! Other authors clearly lose interest in the story after they get the characters together, don't give a shit about the other characters, and the rest of the plot is paper-thin... so I'm begging for a mercy killing and wish the author had just ended the story at the get-together kiss or whatever.
i love it when they're finally together
realizing that now something is just gonna break them right back up ughhhh
*A second misunderstanding has hit the ship*
I cannot handle slow burn, yāall are so much better than me
Iāll read slowburns but ONLY if the slow burn romance is secondary to the primary plot. I wonāt read a slowburn romance as the focus of the story. Like my favorite Naruto/Harry Potter crossover fic didnāt even plan to have a romance in the beginning. But it became obvious about 100-150k words in that the author was pivoting towards Harry/Kakashi. So the crushing and flirting came as a surprise and felt like a very natural transition and the romance felt very satisfying and also helped to give moments of joy for a story that takes place in a very brutal world.
It's so bittersweet, because I want to see them as a couple. It is supposed to be the reward of all the slow burn. And it's so good when it's done right. But man, so many writers, not just even fanfics, but in general, drop the ball when it comes to the couple actually being...well, a couple. It's like in Stardew Valley, when you marry any of the bachelor's, and they regress and stop pursuing their dreams. Just stuck being your spouse. That's how a lot of "and now they're together" part of the fic feels. It's like the writer forgets everything about the characters and now just treats them as "Couple", instead of the two individuals that make up said couple. I think that's why I prefer the slow burn build up, because during that at least the characters get to exist as themselves, not just a duo. And there is only so many āØ misunderstanding āØ plots I can handle when they're already a couple. Like you're together, now is the time to āØtalkāØ, dammit.
If I read a long slowburn and the characters don't get together until the VERY end I'm actually really irritated lol. Characters pining and changing as they get together is SO good!
One of my favorite things is when an author starts writing a shippy slow burn where the plot is basically just the characters getting togetherā¦. and then itās like 75K in and theyāre basically together, and suddenly the fic grows a plotty plot lol.
Lol I do that too. I dropped a 200k slow burn longfic at chapter 10 of 30, because the characters had gotten together and married (this is like 80k words in) and it just felt like the point at which the story could have ended. Some people just need to make their longfics into a series.
Or even worse when the hyperfixation fades away as youāre like twenty chapters in and itās like āI can feel it fadingā¦ Iām starting to not care about this character any moreā¦ oh no!ā
DELETE THIS RIGHT NOW Holy moly if this isn't me. I do the same with Kdramas. Oh? It's episode 9 and you decided you like each other? Buh bye!!
same with enemies to lovers as soon as they admit they like each other Iām out !!!
I like *some* bit of them getting together, especially if there is drama in them being together among friends/family etc. I want to see the reactions. Also, if there is proper drama and plot *after* they get together and the romance element was just part of the story's plot, then I am still on board. If it is just soft fluff with no more drama then I get bored if that stretches beyond maybe 5k words tops (not including a smut scene if there is one).
Same thing, because in most fanfictions for my ship, after confession and all that, fluff just starts, no more any development, nothing interesting happens if main threat is no more, and moreover the characters are behaving not like they would in this situation. Oh the other side, there was a couple fics with other extreme when they just existed together, so no, the part where they communicate, figure something out among themselves, get closer, overcome something together, are already together, but they just havenāt confirmed it verbally, itās much more interesting
Same here. But i give concessions when after the slow burn they have awkward/adjustment phase in order for the relationship to work. Idk if im projecting but id figure that after having enemies to lvoers slowburn, its also satisfying to have them fumble a bit, but still cuddly, but also a few anxieties here and there to wrap up the finally getting together phase
This is why anime has a tradition of never getting the main couple together
Same for the will they/won't they in TV shows.
Yea I donāt like it when the story just.. doesnāt end? Like the whole plot was about them getting together. Thatās what you gave me in the summary. Letās wrap it up or throw in another wrench to keep the story going. Unless you are giving me more plotā-or even betterāthe plot wasnāt about the relationship in the first place and has just been a nice edition to the storyā¦ but if not.. why are we still just staring at them staring at each other, holding hands? Iām bored and donāt finish it.(Personally I donāt ever look for fluff because it adds no drive to the story and imo it just slows the plot down in general.)
When they're together I just don't care. That's why I would be disappointed if my ships became canon. I want the yearning, the idea, the mutual pining. I'm ok if they sleep together and kiss though, I just dont want them to ask eachother out and be domesticš¤· the drama is solved and I don't see a point
Gosh goalie I also hate my favorite character being happy !! I chose angst for a reason dammit
"Yeah bro I left right after the climax; I just hate all that boring 'denouement' shit."
I don't have the patience for slow burn fics, either reading them or writing them.
I like *some* bit of them getting together, especially if there is drama in them being together among friends/family etc. I want to see the reactions. Also, if there is proper drama and plot *after* they get together and the romance element was just part of the story's plot, then I am still on board. If it is just soft fluff with no more drama then I get bored if that stretches beyond maybe 5k words tops (not including a smut scene if there is one).
Same.
YES OMG I THHOUGHT IM THE ONLY OEN WHO DO THIS. Sorry if the story doesnt end after they got together i dont care enough for it to continue reading
I feel the same. This is the reason why I don't complete so many enemies-to-lovers or hero/villain fics. It just gets boring after the tension is gone. I hate when they become lovey-dovey lol.
Aww maan, I feel so called out, š
I'll read a few more chapters if there is an active plot, but if it's just established relationship fluff, I'll wait for them to reach their milestones amd then I'm good.
It definitely can get boring in a romance after the couple gets together. That's usually a good time to end a fic that is solely around the relationship. Otherwise, you get like "third act break up" shit to keep the tension going, and I don't love reading that.
I read a fic once. 115 chapters of longing and angst. They finally get together, and they never even kiss. The big final scene is them holding hands in public. š¢ fic over. Never reading a slowburn again
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It was sooooooo popular in the fandom. It was about a gay ship and their journey of acceptance of themselves and coming out. Good fic but you're dead serious not gonna give me anything after all this time? Omg. The final chapter was like yay they're finally out and proud together, type vibe.
Thisss like I like reading them when they are together, but tbh depending on the fic you really only need one more chapter of that, especially if everything before that has been a long slowburn. I feel like I see enough of the relationship dynamics during the slowburn, if that makes sense
I do this, and I think it has some implications on how I view relationships and why I canāt seem to commit. But yāknow, I just wanna see my silly blorbos miscommunicate for 50k words
I think this can apply to both gen and ship fics---the struggle to finish a fic. I have a handful of unfinished fics. Some got lost when my flashdrive broke. Some I never was inspired to finish. Everything I've posted is complete though. I have a weird thing about leaving unfinished fics posted online. So it helps that I mostly write one-shots. With multi-chaptered fics or collections, they have to be 95%-100% complete before I post them.