Yes exactly. And for some reason it also splits a bit for me? I have written serial killer!Dean. His relationship with Cas is not by any means healthy. It’s manipulative and coercive. But I make it clear from the beginning that Dean doesn’t know better and can’t fully grasp that what he’s doing is wrong and he’s mentally ill. Of course that’s no excuse. It’s still a terribly unhealthy relationship especially when he stalks Cas. For some reason that for me is fine?
I wonder if it’s almost a context thing? Because like, Angel Lust is set in a ‘verse where Jimmy and Sam are both serial killers and they don’t really have any issue with actually murdering people. No one in that ‘verse is exactly stable, but I think b/c I’m writing it with the intent to shock, horrify, disgust, and explore these darker things that I’m able to do it. Is it like that with you? Like you mentioned serial killer!Dean and those kinds of AUs usually have certain reader expectations and conventions, so does that change the ability to write it?
I only wonder b/c if I were to try to present abuse in an AU that turned out happy I don’t think I could.Ah that makes perfect sense! With dark!fic, going in you know there won’t be a happy or even somewhat functional ending and what is a happy ending is still miserable. In my fic, it boils down to a few options and the best is that Cas leaves Dean, gets to safety, recovers, and Dean ends up in prison. They’re both hurt and have their lives destroyed.
I also think that not trying to validate it and trying to make it sympathetic in a dismissive way plays a part too. If the other person’s trauma is dismissed or the behavior is excused, that makes me squick away from it
Oh totally! If you’re reading dark!fic you should probably be aware that it’s not really going to be “happy”. And even “happy” endings are pretty twisted most of the time. (I actually don’t mind a twisted ending if it’s pulled off well. I read a fic a while back where one character was a siren and essentially forced the other into captivity by speaking. It left me with a sinking feeling in my gut and I really enjoyed that because it was horrifying It wasn’t supposed to be a “good” ending and I loved it.) But yeah, even the best option for your fic is devastating.
Also, I agree with you on the invalidation and excuse part. There’s a huge difference between an explanation for behavior and an excuse for behavior. Explanations can make a reader sympathetic towards a character, but it doesn’t make their actions okay. I would like to think most folks understand that, but I’m not sure. And I generally just don’t like when the trauma of one character is brushed off by another.
This is Not a Blog 