Shipping Dynamics - Blog Posts

TROPES/DYNAMICS I LIKE

as a com/darkshipper !

showed up one day x doesn't know where they came from

amnesia x someone they used to hate (bonus points if they find out and are afraid of them again)

brainwashed x the person trying to save them (bonus: they still betray them in the end)

hate each other but stuck together because of traumabonding

codependent addicts

father figure x traumatized boy (could be romantic or platonic)

dying x slowly killing them

catatonic x manic

on the run together

shy priest x depraved stalker

bully x bully (bonus if they're childhood friends) (bonus bonus for internalized homophobia)

the worst x hates them but feels obligated to stay because of an "i can fix them"

friends to lovers to enemies

trying to kill each other but they end up falling in love anyway (bonus if one of them is still forced to kill the other and it absolutely breaks them)

condescending x condescending-er

childhood friends but one forgot the other

C'mon guys, skeletondance can do better than this! It's the show's entire premise!

HATER REDEMPTION ARK!

SKELETONDANCE SWEEP!

You all say "Oh I love enemies to lovers" like which one?

Villian tries to play games but the hero cuts through it and makes them fall in love?

Villian is hurt and the hero heals them?

Hero is the first person to show them empathy and they fall slowly?

Hero is chaotic and hot-blooded and makes the villain's cold heart beat again?

The "I see good in you" trope?

Or do you mean 'rivals to lovers', where we have

"Don't touch me" one and the one who flirts despite the attitude?"

"Why can't we put our differences aside" and "I hate you"?

The 'stoic hunter' and the hunted who tries to make them laugh, with no sense of self-preservation?

Maybe where they ask "why do you hate me?" and the answer is "It's better than loving you"?

Or maybe you like one-sided pining?

The one who wants the hero but thinks they're too far gone to even try?

The hero who creates narratives of excuses that just aren't there to support their crush?

The soul-crushing of the hero watching the villain who once loved them consumed by apathy and hatred?

There are so many more, and you just say enemies to lovers?

I'm Not Done With Dynamics Yet Actually

1 - Knows exactly who they are and loves them anyways and the one who is desperately hiding their true self. Knows who they are starting out holding it over their head for leverage and ends up helping them hide.

2 - The one who knows all the books and movies and the one who knows no references, what's a reference? They fall for each other on A's quest to teach B.

3 - The quiet reader and the 'don't bother them or I'll fight you'

4 - The collector and the one who shyly goes this made me think of you

5 - The artist and their "muse" who, to everyone else, is just a normal person

6 - The idealist and the one who has made it their goal to help the idealist, even though they know how cruel the world is.

7 - The sports kid who's in denial and the "I'm punk, not emo" kid who doesn't want to deal with their crisis.

8 - The himbo, the himbecile, and the one who is teaching them things (bonus if "Im only teaching them because if I don't they'll be a problem")

9 - The one who gets way ahead of themselves and infodumps and their 'translator'

10 - The one who knows everything and the one who 'does it for the vine'. All-knowing WILL rearrange everything so their gremlin can do their goofy things safe from harm.

11 - The hated prophet and the one who shelters them. "They only said what they saw. It's not their fault you didn't like it/didn't listen"

12 - The one who tries to be smooth and the gremlin who ruins their one-liners.

Some strange and somewhat specific shipping dynamics because I have nothing useful on the brain

First up, polyamory - The one who insults important people chaotically, the one who insults important people in a refined way, and the one who apologizes for them both.

Next up! - A bisexual god/goddess and the pathetic skinny sweetheart of a husband/wife they picked (bonus points for more popular but less nice contenders. Bi Wife Energy from Cringe and the Lizards)

Third - The Chosen One who hates being the chosen one and the person who's the reason they're willing to put up with being a hero.

Number four - The one who's always annoyed at them for getting distracted and the distracted one who's actually acutely aware of the annoyed one. Ex. "You're so busy watching the cat chase a butterfly I could confess my love and you wouldn't notice" B, who knew exactly what they said: "What was that?" B is just waiting for the moment to reveal they know

5 - The wine aunt and the literal parent. Wine aunt typically has the basic "You all go play while I drink mimosas. The only rules are don't get yourselves killed, don't go to prison, and don't bother me." Parent is Actual Responsible Adult. Wine aunt will step in if the parent gets overwhelmed, but most of the time it's just their Very Different Styles of Parenting. (Bonus points if they get together parent trap style)

six - The burnt-out kid who doesn't see the point but gets As anyway and the class clown who is determined to get them to take a break. (Best done if burnt-out is tutoring class clown for Reasons, extra bonus if burnt-out seems like a teacher's pet at first glance)

Seventh, another poly - The one with chronic pain and their two 'nurses'. One is doing So Much Research and trying Their Best to help them deal but doesn't know anything and the other who's done this before is laid back and sorta goes 'yeah i know a guy and eventually I'll remember to tell you but until then try x". Person with chronic pain loves both them and their care styles deeply.

Number 8 - Content creator and the one who beats content out of them with a stick, but out of love.

9 - The one who has 50,000 unread messages from the chat(s) they are in and the one who's always on the chat that keeps them up-to-date so they never have to open their chat messages.

And the final dynamic - The immortal/god who's gotten tired of immortality and wants their immortality and the one who's reshowing them the wonders of the world. (This one can be very tragic. Bonus points if immortal is secretly like 'once they die I die. Until then, I'll hold on.' :,D)

I remade them Digitally!

Some Moedon I drew Yesterday

I really think they would be an Adorable Couple.

Some Moedon I drew Yesterday

I really think they would be an Adorable Couple.

shipping @kawaii-lavender 's character with mine LMAO

The only valid hetero dynamic

What are some of your favorite shipping dynamics?

Let's see if I can limit this to 2...

First involves a crafter + caregiver. For example, my couple Julius and Daisy. (Julius is crafter and Daisy is caregiver.)

So crafter has "Gift-Giving" as a love language, but he/she HAS to be the one Making the gifts. In this case, Julius is a smith and is spending his time crafting jewelry for his wife Daisy.

In comes caregiver Daisy with some food and water because you bet Julius skipped a meal to work on Daisy's present. And she stays, watching him. No, she is not watching what his hands are making, she is watching HIS HANDs, his determined face, how the sweat falls from his brow as he labors because this gift has to be perfect darn it! There are times that Daisy doesn't even realize that Julius is making her a present because she is too busy watching the man she loves.

And that is the shipping dynamic, the love eyes the two make. The caregiver just sitting there in love while the crafter labors in love. And Daisy still gets surprised with her presents because she might have been distracted by her husband's face. 🤣

Second shipping dynamic is when the butler ships it.

Okay, the butler is not in the ship, but the captain of the ship. This dynamic is so fun as it invites the readers into the story by having a character cheering with them for the main couple.

What I also noticed, when the butler ships it, is that the butler points out other details about the relationship that you might miss if you are surface level-reading. The butler often points out how the two are quite compatible or cover each other's flaws. (This really is delicious to read when the author already wrote this into the story, but the butler is highlighting it for you {basically gently nudging you to see the relationship instead of telling. I have read of a story where the butler told you to love the main couple, instead of revealing. Yeah, I don't trust the butler in that tale.} )

Also, the butler going out of his way to help out the main couple get together and/or build friendships with both members is so fun to read as the butler is thinking about the relationship long term, of the family and house that the couple will build. The butler isn't just thinking about securing his job but sustaining the life that the couple will have after marriage. Personally, I think this does the readers more good than the constant "Will they, won't they?"

Oh! This applies to the Head Stewardess as well! Though it has it's own flavor as the butler often gets a father/grandfather/uncle role to one of the characters while the Stewardess gets her motherly/grandmotherly/auntie role. Or best friend looking out for the other if the butler/stewardess grew up with the head of household.