#sorry I'm so late responding! i don't have a good excuse i've just been... lurking

[kayura-sanada]

I hate relationship drama in books and shows. I don't know why its just my thing I can't stand. I guess im an old fashion romantic and I love couples who trust each other and don't cheate on each other or play games. Thpugh it depends on the story I guess.

For me, it depends on the drama. I love turbulence in a relationship, since that’s how you see it become stronger. The things you listed, however, are things I hate, as well. For me, relationships are pretty simple, at their heart - you hand over your trust, your secrets, and your loyalty. And if you’re in a relationship, then that’s it. You don’t turn to others. (Polyamory is the same - you’re with the ones you’re with. Polyamory =/= open relationship unless it’s previously agreed upon, just like with monogamy.)

Cheating? Love triangles? Games? Tricks? Hidden agendas? Yeah, no thanks. There’s no quicker way to make me think the relationship is shit and should be abolished.

Also, just throwing this one out there, but in a specific relationship in a specific fandom, there was an actual, canonical story arc in which the main characters in their main romance put the romance on hold because they thought they might, can’t make this up, be siblings. I. What. No. Just no.

Those such tropes to the side, however, I actually love friction between love interests. I love Gaara and Naruto having to overcome the burdens of their stations to find a happy medium to be together. I love Jack and Ianto having to struggle with Jack’s immortality. I love Fenris and my mage Hawke having to work through Fenris’ distrust of magic. I love Solas and my Lavellan struggling to deal with Solas’ sense of obligation and duty.

Basically, I love watching two characters change and reform each other. I love watching them shift around each other as if learning a sort of private dance, in which they have to figure out what step will compliment instead of conflict. Those romances are the ones that hit me the hardest, that make me invested and yearning and hopeful, cheering the two of them on. Instead of feeling like the two characters are waffling on who to dance with, they’re just learning how to dance together. How could I not love that?

But yeah, love triangles and cheating and ‘oh, I’m so sorry, I just made a horrible mistake’ moments are, uh, great ways to get me to nope right out of any investment I might have previously held.