Exes in Snupin

[bronze_ribbons]

At the moment, I'm more than a little addled from strep, sniffles, and cramps (fun times), so this will be sketchy. Please bear with me...

Over at "Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books," there's a discussion on sane exes in romance...

which got me thinking a bit about how Tonks, Sirius, Lucius, and others are dealt with in Snape/Lupin fic...

which in turn reminded me of the time pixychelle defined "Blackening": the process of turning a character into an abusive, cheating, evil monster in his/her actions toward and/or relationship with the character of your choice, paving the way for the other character of your choice to sweep in and save the other in a schmoopy explosion of H/C.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have a soft spot for fics that suggest (or outright show) Lupin connecting with Snape to a degree that no one else has managed, and vice versa. In my personal fanon, they both have exes, even if I don't always depict or refer to them. I'm trying to think if I gravitate towards one type more than the others...

Types. Hm. Lessee. There'll be some overlapping here:

Not Really An Ex, Because It Was a Sham Marriage
... because one of them was a decoy or impersonator
... because someone else got Tonks pregnant
... because Tonks wanted to become a mother, and Remus agreed to help
... because it was a way to confuse and distract everyone else from whatever they were really up to

Bad Exes
... abusive Lucius
... abusive Sirius
... immature Tonks or Sirius
... deranged Tonks or Sirius
... abusive, immature, or deranged OC

Dead Exes: Sirius, Lily, Tonks, Regulus, other Marauders, misc Slytherins ...

Exes That Don't Count
... because it wasn't about love, just sex and/or comfort
... because it wasn't really love, it was just a crush
... because they were one-night stands or non-con encounters

Exes That Do Count
... who are still somehow involved in S or L's lives
... ... because they share custody of Teddy
... ... or are inveterate matchmakers
... ... or because they're portraits that can't resist kibbitzing
... who have unfinished business with S or L
... ... because they have something to atone for (such as lying to one about the other)
... ... or because S or L must resolve something with them (such as why the past relationship failed)

Hm. There may be a story I need to write lurking somewhere in all that. Not tonight, though.

Your thoughts? Categories I've missed? exes you've written? types of ex-relationships you'd like to see?

Comments

[thesnapelyone.insanejournal.com]

*winces* I carry a long-harboured guilt over making Lucius into the abusive bad guy in my serial fic. I tell myself that somebody had to fill the role, but I still can't shake that guilty feeling over making it Lucius. Probably because Severus/Lucius is another pairing I love.

Lord, but I think I've written at least one in every one of these categories you've got here! Except for the 'exes that do count' category! That's probably bad, isn't it?

I suspect that the exes that do count are considered 'more realistic' or 'better' than demonizing other characters, but oh well? I can't say I care to write it. I think so much about what people write is influenced by who they are, and I've never wanted/needed an ex to still be involved in my life, so. Hard to be interested in it.

Mostly I stick exes in because I think it improbable that the character has never dated anyone - though sometimes I have moods where I think it works. Or I'll throw one in if I need a convenient plot device.

[bronze_ribbons.insanejournal.com]

I honestly don't think there's a "bad" or "better" in terms of what one chooses (not) to write (or draw, or perform) - it depends on the stories one wants to tell (which may or may not coincide with the stories other people want to read...). I know that every time I write a likable, non-psychotic Tonks as part of a Snupin story, I get compliments from readers who feel that's an all-too-rare take on the character, but I also have a history of snarky asides at the expense of Sirius/Remus, and I'm partial to post-DH fics that mock Snape/Lily.

Perhaps the question I should consider isn't which types I'm attracted to, but what I require in terms of characterization. Be it pro or fan fic, if a character strikes me as overly glib, I'm not going to care whether (s)he counts or not. (And even that is a matter of taste on my part - I tend to write/read characters who struggle like hell to say the things that matter to them, and in that, I'm definitely influenced by who I am, to borrow your words.)

[snegurochka_lee.insanejournal.com]

*nod* I like all of these categories! The only other one I can think of is the angsty/dark type of fic, probably in the "Exes that Do Count" category, because either S or L cannot forgive the other for ever being with that person. :(

I am pretty sure I've written more than my fair share of that type

[bronze_ribbons.insanejournal.com]

Ooooh, yes. And -- *smacks forehead at missing the obvious* -- there's the ex who remains the love of S or L's life, even as they move on...

Erk. I suppose another category would be When Snape or Lupin is the Ex, which would then include friendly past Snape/Lupin (such as in treacletart's "The Measure of a Man"), bitter past Snape/Lupin (relationship trashed by PoA, Dumbledore's death, and/or marriage to Tonks), dead Snape or Lupin (I've written this, heh)...

Hm. I feel like I'm about to be nagged stalked nudgled by some sort of Ex That Counts plotbunny. *looks around for crate*