D/s preferences in fic...?

[kat_lair]

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So here's a question to those of you who read fic with a d/s slant. Whether it's full on BDSM world AUs (like candy to me), formalised d/s relationships, or just characters being a bit toppy/subby in the bedroom (or out of it):

Do you have a really firm preference for a given pairing who is dominant, who submissive? Because boy howdy, I really do. There are certain pairings where I can. not. read. d/s flavoured fic if the dynamic written is opposite to my head canon. Like, I can see that the writing is great and the plot brilliant, whatever, but I just. can. not. And then. Some other pairings I don't mind at all which way the power pendulum swings.

To give you some examples, here's pairings where I cannot read (or have no interest in writing) fic with d/s dynamic unless it's in the specific direction as indicated below. Pairings listed in the dominant/submissive order

Hawaii Five-0: Danny/Steve
Person of Interest: Finch/Reese
Marvel: Bruce/Tony, Pepper/Tony, Steve/Bucky, Coulson/Clint
Bandom: Patrick/Pete, Gerard/Frank, Bob/Frank, Gerard/Mikey, Patrick/Gerard (look, Patrick tops everyone, okay?
Being Human: George/Mitchell
Stargate Atlantis: Rodney/John, Carson/Rodney, Radek/Rodney
Good Omens: Aziraphale/Crowley
Supernatural: Sam/Dean
Star Trek: McCoy/Kirk
Sherlock: John/Sherlock
Harry Potter: Remus/Sirius, Harry/Draco
NCIS: Tim/Tony
Grimm: Monroe/Nick
X-Men: Charles/Erik
Daredevil: Foggy/Matt

Common thread: it's the quiet, unassuming ones who bring it... I have a lot of head canon and feelings about this re the above pairings, ask me if you want to know more! Or get my thoughts on pairings not listed!

Furthermore, in the rare occasion I read het fic, I cannot stomach anything but femdom if power dynamics are introduced. Any hint of female submission in a het fic makes me extremely uncomfortable and I'll be hitting the back key no matter how good the writing, how healty/ssc the relationship portrayal etc.

Then again, there are tons of pairings where I don't mind switching it up (pun entirely intended). Mainly e.g. Panic boys from bandom (although I read Spencer as a top most of the time, I can be convinced otherwise), Hobbit/LOTR and, well probably some others.   


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Comments

[moth2fic]

Absolutely no head canon.... is that really weird? I can (and do) read any pairing/dynamic provided the writing is good.

[kat_lair]

That's interesting. Like I can appreciate that something is well written etc but when I've tried it I've just ended up backing away and shaking my head frantically. Depends on how overt it is. If it's just someone getting momentarily pinned to the bed in the heat of things, fine. But if it tips over to description to how much the character enjoys being helpless like that etc... Nope.

[pushkin666]

It's interesting that you have Rodney dominant to John but submissive to Carson and Radek, or is that more John being submissive?

And Patrick totally tops everybody :D

[kat_lair]

It's more John being subby. With Rodney/Carson and Rodney/Radek I'm actually not that keen on ds, I enjoy the equal from friends to lovers dynamic and science geekery there.

Patrick is like the grand Dom of bandom.

[tjs_whatnot]

Hmmm, interesting. I totally like your idea of the quiet, unassuming one being the dom. For me, I'll read most anything, but to write, there are not pairings per se, but characters I can only write one way--the only example I can think of is Harry... he's always the sub for me. There are others I'm sure.

[kat_lair]

I could probably write these the opposite way if I had to but... Have no desire to. A lot of the times, like with Harry, I can see where the reading opposite to mine comes from but despite rationally seeing it I just can't get on board.

[apiphile]

Do you have a really firm preference for a given pairing who is dominant, who submissive?

I AM LIKE HITLER ON D/S PAIRINGS.

Bruce and Steve are doms. Okay. They just are. Tony is the kind of man who will fight someone SO THAT HE CAN BE THEIR SUB. Thor is a soppy, happy, caretaking dom. Loki is a very angry-about-it sub. Lady Loki is a dom. I could go on about this all day but basically I can't read fics where the wrong person is dom. I just cannot.

Supernatural: Sam/Dean

Literally what lunatic would look at Dean Winchester and think he's a dom my God

[dariaw]

lol this is so accurate even in canon: Loki is a very angry-about-it sub

[apiphile]

HE REALLY HATES WHAT HE GETS OFF ON BUT HE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DENY THAT HE GETS OFF ON IT

[dariaw]

LOLOL

[kat_lair]

Nod, nod, nod and also nod. I'm so very with you about Tony and Dean. I might just about buy Dean as a service top but that's about it.

Bruce is quiet and mild until the exact point he isn't. Well he'll still be very quiet and calm about it but in a way that a steel wall standing your way is. No need to get worked up about things but you just ain't getting through or past it either.

[apiphile]

Thank you for introducing me to the phrase "service top", that's exactly what Yashim in the books by Jason Goodwin is in my head and now there is a word for it! (He is literally a eunuch).

[kat_lair]

Haha, you're most welcome :D

[dariaw]

Like you, for some pairings I have a definite preference and for others I could go either way.

I agree so much on Danny/Steve. Danny is clearly the dom, and most fic seems to think the opposite.

I don't see how anyone could watch XMFC and not see that Charles is Erik's dom. Like the scene with the submarine, and the scene with Charles not thinking gunplay is the right play, and how open Erik is to Charles going into his mind.

Pepper/Tony, McCoy/Kirk, and John/Sherlock are also pairing where I agree that it's clear who's on top lol.

Also, I'm so with you on the quiet thoughtful ones being the doms, in most cases.

There are some pairings where I can see it either way. A lot of femslash I can see this way - Emma/Regina in OUaT, Sara Lance/anyone in Arrowverse, Lena/Kara on Supergirl. Mack/Fitz in AoS is another switchy pair to me because they're both dominant in a very gentle careful thoughtful way. I see Oliver in Arrow as a dom to Barry or Ray or Roy but as a sub to Diggle, Slade, Shado, and switchy with Felicity. In White Collar, I definitely see it as Peter/Neal. For Leverage, I tend to think of Eliot as the dom to Hardison and Parker, but can see them switching.

For MCU, I can see Steve/Bucky either way, but I think Steve tops Sam, and Peggy tops Steve. Natasha I can see as a sub or dom to almost everyone I ship her with.

[kat_lair]

It's been really interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on this, thank you for sharing yours.

I have a real thing for the seemingly 'weaker' or somehow more obviously vulnerable of the two being the top. It all plays strongly to my 'hidden competency' kink as well.

I'm with you on femslash pairings. I don't read/write a lot of f/f but when I do, I could be convinced d/s either way if it's involved.

[margaret_r]

I'm not fussed really and cope with any way a really good fic is written, although in my own head some characters are more dominant than others, if that makes sense!

[kat_lair]

It makes sense absolutely. But the thing in my head just cringes and experiences a very visceral NOPE when I encounter things that are blatanty in conflict.