royal_musings | [MEME] The Trope Meme (open to all!)

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[MEME] The Trope Meme (open to all!)

[Shamelessly stolen from Bakerstreet's very own Trope Meme.]

The Trope Meme

Behind the cut is a list of common fanfiction and role playing tropes. What’s a trope? If we’re getting technical a literary trope is the use of figurative language. But in the case of this meme a trope is commonly recurring literary device or motif, a cliché. There’s a mix of fluffy, sexy, angsty and gen prompts in the list. Here’s how to play:

- Post with Your Character and any preferences from my character list (+

specification,

hotheaddick,

deceptiveparadox and others I might not have listed yet).
- List any preferences you have. Or list any tropes you absolutely refuse to play.
- Lets play out the tropes to our heart’s content!

Tropes

Accidental Baby Acquisition: One of the characters in your story, by means other than pregnancy or adoption, acquires a child. This could be because his or her parent was killed, or someone leaves the child on the doorstep, or any other plotline. The main idea is that the main characters have to band together to raise the child, even if it is only temporary.

Accidental Marriage: Two of the main characters, who may or may not already be in a romantic relationship, wake up and find that they are married. Often set in Las Vegas, and often there are mind-altering substances (alcohol, drugs) involved. The marriage may or may not be annulled by the end of the story.

Alpha/Beta/Omega: Alpha/Beta/Omega or Alpha/Omega (occasionally Alpha/Beta) is a kink trope where some or all people have defined biological roles based on a hierarchical system, with the terms originating from animal behaviour research. There may be werewolf, knotting, or other animalistic elements involved, or the characters may be otherwise purely human.

Amnesia: Giving a character amnesia is a popular fanfiction story trope. The amnesia is usually temporary with the cure and the aftermath as the climax of the story, but sometimes it is permanent.

Animal Transformation: Animal transformation is a fanfic trope in which one or more characters are transformed into an animal, or else an Alternate Universe story wherein the characters are cast as animals.

Bodyswap: Bodyswap is a plot device or story trope involving two (or more) characters switching their physical bodies by magical, scientific, mystical or unspecified means. The device is used in canon and fanfiction alike, and fanfic may expand upon canonical instances of bodyswap.

Celebratory Kiss: Two (or more) of the main characters kiss at the climax of some event. Often, the action is somewhat spontaneous, and the characters are not in a romantic relationship at the time. The kiss is often the impetuous for the characters to end up together.

Cross-dressing: Crossdressing refers to characters dressing as members of the "opposite" sex or gender. It is used comedically, as a plot device and as a kink, both sexualized and not, in fanworks and in canon.

Curtainfic/Domestic: Curtainfic is a term used to describe fan fiction that focuses on ordinary domestic situations (such as the characters in a romantic pairing shopping for curtains).

Day at the Beach: The main characters spend a day at the beach. This could be a vacation for one or two of them, or it could be a team-building exercise planned by a boss or administrator. Sometimes it is a planned excursion, other times, the characters decide to stay to soak up the sun after a mission or assignment that takes them to the beach.

De-aged: De-Aging is a story trope where adult characters are turned back into children or younger adults. The transformation can be fully physical and mental. It can also be a physical transformation that leaves the adult mind in a younger body; or the opposite, where the mind is reverted to a child-like state, but the body remains as is.

Fake Relationship: Pretend Couple is a trope found in all genres of fanworks. This trope includes all sorts of pretenses; marriages of convenience, undercover identities, investigations, financial schemes, immigration schemes, high school reunion dates, wedding dates, making someone jealous, and many others.

Fuck or Die: Fuck or Die is a fanfiction trope in which the author puts two or more characters into a situation that forces intimacy between them. Like many tropes it can be and often is combined with others such as sex pollen or Aliens Made Them Do It and Virginity Sacrifice. It can result in dub-con or non-con fanworks.

Handcuffed/Bound Together: Bound Together is a bonding trope in which two characters are chained together, psychically or physically, either through magical or technological means. The usual result (in ship fic) of all this one-on-one "bonding" time is that the characters either fall in love or realize they were in love all along.

Huddled for Warmth: Huddling for warmth or blanket fic is a trope that is generally found in both het and slash pairing-oriented fanfiction, and occasionally in some gen Hurt/Comfort. It is mainly used in order to maneuver two characters into a First Time. The advantages of putting your OTP into a "huddling for warmth" scenario are legion. The two characters are trapped in one place with no distractions, alone, and so their attention is focused entirely on each other. The tone of the story can range from fluffy to angsty.

In Vino Veritas: In Vino Veritas, or Confessions Under The Influence, is a trope in fic (which also occurs in canon), where under the influence of drink, drugs, truth serum, truth spell or the like, one character confesses to lust or love for another character. The character whom the confession is about is usually also present in the scene/being confessed to and is often less or not under the influence. A common trope is for the confessing character to forget their confession and the other character having to deal with this new knowledge without giving themselves away.

Kidfic: Kidfic is a sub-genre of fanfic that features children in some way. This may be as children of canon characters (whether they are a part of canon or original characters), sometimes known as next generation fic, the characters themselves as children, or the characters having been de-aged.

Kiss to Save the Day: For some reason, two (or more) of the main characters must kiss to save the day or one of their friends. The impetus could be a villain, or aliens, or some sort of illness to which the only cure is a kiss.

Mind Control: Mind control is a very popular trope in fanworks (and many canons).
In slash or ship fic that uses the trope, one part of the pairing is usually under the mental control of the other -- or is unable to resist orders from anyone, such as in Ella Enchanted AUs or fusions or "obedience curse" fics -- and the other part of the pairing figures this out and either helps the mindcontrolled character resist the urge to obey or takes advantage of them.

Poker/Strip Poker: The main characters play a card game, often poker, against one another. Sometimes it starts out at a friendly game, and eventually descends into a more competitive game of strip poker, sometimes it was originally about the nakedness. Often, mind-altering substances (alcohol and/or drugs) are involved.

Presumed Dead: A fanfiction trope in which a character appears to be dead, only to return later, alive and well. Comparable to a deathfic, only non-permanent, "presumed dead" stories often dwell on the emotional hurt/comfort, and sometimes the physical as well. Sometimes these are written as fix-it fics, resurrecting a character who dies in canon. In more reality-based fandoms, the character's death usually has been faked for various reasons, or otherwise mistaken; in fantasy and scifi fandoms sometimes the dead characters actually have expired, and are resurrected with magic or technology.

Rivals to Lovers: Two characters who were originally enemies or rivals fall in love. Their rivalry could have always been a cover for more tender feelings, or they could have been genuine enemies in which forced proximity showed them a better/softer side. There may or may not be a happy ending.

Road Trip: The characters must go on a long-distance trip in close proximity. There are any number of reasons for this, including a quest, mechanical failure of their original transport, or one of the characters (e.g. Tony Stark) thinks it will be a "good idea" or "fun." This then results in shenanigans or sex or both.

Secret Child: One of the characters is secretly a parent. They may or may not have custody of the child, especially if they have a dangerous job, and they may not have known about the child previous to the story. This includes stories where Character X is actually Character Y's son or daughter. Alternately, one of the characters may get pregnant and then disappear, thinking that her partner would not want the child, or fearful that some agency will kidnap the child once it's born. This trope is especially popular with brother/sister incest pairings, where it is called 'secret incest baby' (or sekrit incest baby).

Secret Relationship: Didn't know they were dating is a trope that shows up in ship-focused fanfiction. Often both parties are oblivious to the fact that everyone around them thinks they've been dating for some time. In other fics it may be that just one party is oblivious and the other party thinks they have been dating (just not putting out yet). In angstier versions of the trope, one party may be pining for the other, especially if they're having what one party (or both) thinks or pretends is casual, emotionally detached sex while the other party (or both) is secretly in love.

Sex Pollen: Sex Pollen is a common fanfiction trope used to bring two characters together in a sexual encounter. It involves one or several characters becoming infected with a pollen of some alien or magical plant, or they might be influenced in some other way (magic, alien technology, mind control, etc.) that causes them to lose inhibitions and/or revs up libido, usually resulting in non-con sex, which may lead to dramatic guilt and misunderstandings, or a resolution of UST.

Soul Bonding: In fanfiction and sometimes canon, a soulbond is a mystic or psychic bond between (usually) two people, who feel drawn to become devoted friends, or (more often) lovers. The bond may be something that brings them together, or something that results from their being together. It is usually portrayed as unbreakable and irresistible, a force that unites two people in a unique way. A soulbond can persist after the death of one or both partners, and through numerous reincarnations. It can be very similar to soulmates, which are two (or more) people who are always meant to be together.

Telepathy: A story in which one (or more) of the characters develops the ability to read thoughts. This ability could be limited to their love interest, or it could be more general. Mindmeld is a more specific form, in which both characters can read one another's thoughts. Depending on the needs of the story, it could require a physical link, and it could be temporary. It is named after the Vulcan Mind Meld in the Star Trek universe.

Truth or Dare: The main characters, often a whole team, play a game of truth or dare, or another game in which secrets are revealed, like "Never have I ever." Usually, mind altering substances (alcohol and/or drugs) are involved, and the situation is used to get two characters to admit romantic or sexual feelings for one another.

Wingfic: Wingfic is a fanfiction genre in which one or more human characters sprouts a pair of wings. Fanfic written for a fandom in which the character canonically has wings (e.g. Good Omens) is usually not considered wingfic. However, as a response to a surge of wingfic, a Good Omens writer came up with wingless fic, wherein canonically winged characters suddenly and inexplicably lose them. Wingfic can be whimsical, but it can also be much darker in tone.

[List taken from Trope Bingo, many definitions come from there as well.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It was a simple touch and yet it stopped Arthur in his tracks. He wasn't used to having anyone offering him comfort, to be there for him as more than a colleague and yet there was that touch that made him smile. Taking a breath and straightening his shoulders, he moved through the house, looking for anything that could be helpful for them.

He paused though, looking to Eames. "I can handle sunlight in small amounts, the muted the better. Tinted windows. Clouds. Anything of the sort. But it takes its toll on me and uses up my energy stores faster than if I stay out of it." Energy stores being a nice way of saying stolen blood.

With his back turned, he had missed that resulting smile but had he caught it, he might have been smug that he could make Arthur smile like that.

As Clarkie did with everything else (ie: a person's mannerisms, speech patterns, slang and posture), Clarkie filed that information away under the mental file dedicated solely to Arthur. Which was growing ever bigger, especially tonight.

He nodded. "That makes sense," he said after a moment of considering that. "We'll have to make sure we steal a car with tinted windows." Or hope that it's cloudy.

This was more than anyone living, and not living as a vampire, knew about Arthur. The last he'd trusted with all of this was gone, passed years before, and he felt like he was taking such a chance sharing this now with Eames.

He glanced at Clarkie, considering him for a long moment. "You're handling this much better than I might have thought you would."

"It's the exhaustion," Clarkie said, looking through empty drawers of one of the bedrooms. Though, that wasn't it, not really. Considering how much he hadn't slept and hadn't really eaten, aside from what Arthur had given him, he felt aware and sound of mind.

It was probably because, he understood having a life that he kept hidden from most of society. Even if his was not of the supernatural kind and the underground illegal kind.

It was possible (but probably a little unlikely) that by the time he had enough sleep, he wouldn't be taking it nearly as well. But even so, Arthur had saved his life and Clarkie didn't take something like that lightly.

"I know a little bit about having a more secret life outside of the dream community," he said, taking a moment to look at Arthur.

"Sure. I'm certain that is it," he said with a nod, turning to look at the other man. "I'm sure it's purely about exhaustion. What else could it be," he asked, as if he didn't know exactly what it could be and what it might be about. They both knew exactly what it was about. Arthur and his blood.

Yet even the honesty made things easier than he might have thought. He was being open about who and what he was. He was sharing this with another. Suddenly the world wasn't nearly as hollow, nearly as dark despite knowing it changed nothing of him living in shadows and darkness.

"Well, I'm willing to listen," he said, giving him a half smile. "But I won't ask. If and when you're willing to talk about it, you will. Or you'll be forced into it. That said, I feel almost glad I was forced into it," he admitted.

Clarkie's mouth quirked up at Arthur's dry response. There was no use in denying it. They both knew exactly what it was about and it was telling that neither of them were exactly denying it.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured me out yet, darling," he said, turning to look at the point man and studying him silently for a moment.

There would come a day where Clarkie would feel right enough to tell Arthur. It wasn't something life altering like knowing your co-worker was a vampire of course. But it was something that needed to be kept on the quiet side if only because of his sake. His lips curled up when Arthur admitted that he almost felt glad that he told him.

"I appreciate it, Arthur." And that was the truth of it. He did appreciate what Arthur had done for him.

"You appreciate I'm not pressuring you or that I shared," he asked, nearly smiling in that small, enigmatic way he had that really was a full smile for him. Yet he knew none of this was easy. That didn't make it worse though

Opening a drawer, he found a small envelope in the bottom drawer, tape sticking to it like it had fallen off the drawer bottom above it. "What is th..." The words failed as he dropped out the contents on top of the dresser. A handful of gold kugerrands fell out. "Oh. Well," he muttered, blinking at them.

"Can't it be both," he asked with an arched eyebrow. He liked that look on Arthur though, knowing it was as good as a full smile for the point man and glad he could put that look in his face.

He walked over, his eyebrows shooting up. "Well then - looks like we have ourselves a little getaway fund, doesn't it?" No one could ever accuse Clarkie being an upstanding man. When you were where they were, you took every opportunity you could get your hands onto. Even if that meant stealing some already more than likely stolen gold South African coins.

"The truth is, right now, it can be whatever you want it to be," he admitted, though his attention was still on the envelope, peering within to see if there was a hint or any trace of where it had come from. He couldn't help but wonder about their hosts and what this meant.

"Glad to know someone is looking out for us, though I think that definitely says we need to get out of here sooner than later," he said with a snort. "Given eventually whoever thinks they own these comes looking for them. I'm thinking we steal another car, get as far as we can and then get a flight out. Sound good?"

Clarkie took the envelope from him and slid the coins back inside before tucking it into his pocket. He wasn't going to question the coins or their hosts for that matter. Considering they both had left all their things back at the hotel they had been working out of for weeks, a bit of coin like this was helpful.

"Let's not waste any time then, yeah? There's a couple of good options just waiting outside - we can find clothing and food along the way out of the country."

Likewise, they could clean up in the bathroom of some place as well since the likely hood of this place having any running water was slim to none. "Either a flight out of the country or a train, either would work."

Between the two of them, they would definitely know others that would trade them cash for the coins, and it would mean plane tickets and all the items they might need to get home. Or, at the very least, out of the country.

"Sounds like a plan. Do you know someone that can change the coins to tickets, or should I make a call or two," he asked, knowing it wouldn't be easy but they could definitely make it happen. "Let's find a car and the nearest station," he said, knowing the longer they went, the weaker he would feel.

"I know a man in Casablanca who can change the coins for cash or tickets," Clarkie said after he considered it and who he knew in Morocco.

He nodded and left the room before walking quickly down the stairs again. "We'll need to find some place to wash up and make ourselves look presentable again." If they could find a car to hot wire around the area, it would at least be good enough to get them to the city, or if anything, another car they could boost.

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle, even if it was a mirthless sound. "Why doesn't it surprise me that between us we knew someone in the area?" And off the top of Eames' head. Arthur appreciated that. "We can make that happen. Tickets and some cash, enough for picking up another flight, and maybe a hotel or clothes on the way."

He was also thinking of a place where he could find someone to feed on, knowing sooner than later he would have to eat.

"Let's get a car, heading for Casablanca. Somewhere along the way we can find a stop to clean up."

Clarkie smirked in response and sent Arthur an amused look. "Because we are just that good?" Rather, it was more like, between the two of them, they just knew that many people in the underground.

"Then let's get out of here before our hosts return," he said and made sure Arthur was following him before he walked out of the house (through the back door).

He was very much looking forward to finding a place to stop and get cleaned up but for now, getting out of there and some place on more even ground was more important.

"If by connected you mean good, then yes. Yes we are," he allowed. Then his lips curled. It wasn't much of a smile but it was there. They were on the run, and their lives likely would be under threat from whomever owned the house and would come looking for their coins.

Which was Arthur's thoughts as well. "Go on. I'll take the rear." Because, even as weak as he was feeling, he wanted to protect Eames as much as he could.

"Go out the back and towards the next houses over. That way if anyone noticed us here, they won't be looking for us there."

"I think we're a bit of both," he said once they reached the back yard. "Good and connected." As it should be, if you asked him.

He nodded. It made sense - it potentially lead anyone who may have noticed them there away from where they would be in a matter of minutes. "Then we'll see about getting a car."

Clarkie walked toward the gate leading from the back yard to a small alleyway. "At least we won't have to hop any fences."

And Arthur couldn't argue that because he believed the same. They really were. It's why they were still alive, after all.

"Thank someone for small favors." He wasn't feeling that entirely weak but eventually it would start to take its toll, and the more he put himself out, the quicker it would happen. "I don't think I could haul you over the fence," he added, likely and most definitely making a joke.

Clarkie bit out a laugh and looked at him. "I think you mean that I couldn't haul you over any fence," he said, definitely making a joke in return. Though, by all appearances, Arthur looked skinny enough that if he didn't know any better, he could swear he could take him. What he did know, however, was that Arthur had much more strength underneath all those suits that anyone gave him credit for. Or he had originally given him credit for.

It wasn't long before they were down the length of the alley and emerged on another street. "So pick the poison..."

"I think you could haul me anywhere, and if we don't find the proper places within the next day, you might have to." He said it again like such a joke. Except there was no joke to it. He needed blood and he would need it within the day, especially if he ended up out in the sun anymore.

He paused, looking around. "That." It was an older model nondescript sedan, certainly not on the top of anyone's list for theft. "You want to get it, or should I?"

There was no joke to it and Clarkie recognized that for what it was, the truth. Arthur hadn't been prepared to give him any and now, with them on the run, Arthur would need to feed at some point, sooner rather than later.

"I've got it. I have done my fair share of hot-wiring," he admitted with a smirk thrown in Arthur's direction before he made his way up to the sedan. It hardly took much time before he had the door open, the car started and the passenger's side door opened for Arthur to get into.

"What kind of location are you looking for?" In other words, what kind of place would Arthur need to find what he needed so he could be on the lookout on the road.

Arthur nodded, glad that Eames had taken the call. Much as he wanted to pull his weight, the more he saved his energy, the longer they could go on. He wasn't sure how long it would last, but he was willing to conserve when he could. Not that it would stop him from doing what he had to.

He waited, smiling as the passenger door open. He crossed quickly and climbed in. The question made him stop, considering option.

"A bar actually. Anywhere off the beaten track, a place where someone might do a bit for a buck and not ask questions." He paused, staring out the windshield before he added, softly. "Prostitutes work well as well. I pay well," he muttered, suddenly uncomfortable to be talking about this with Eames.

Clarkie nodded and glanced over at him as he put the car in drive and set out back to a main road. The good thing about ditching the last car and waiting a bit before taking off again in a less flashier, just stolen kind of car was that those who were potentially looking for them wouldn't know where to look first. Therefore, they could take either main or less main roads toward Casablanca.

"No judgements here, darling, I assure you," he said, looking at the point man before turning his attention back to the road. Arthur had to do what he had to do.

Although he doubted there would be anyone following them, he was still ever paranoid and kept an eye out behind them just in case. "Be honest, I could use a drink or two myself." Among other things.

"Knowing you're not judging doesn't make this any easier," he admitted in a low voice. "Not just that I've never talked with anyone about this," he confessed. "But it's not exactly the acceptable answer. I am feeding off others, and no matter how I chose those people, it is likely to change how you see me to hear more of what I do," he admitted, truly feeling that way, worrying. "I like your company," he admitted. "I worry the truth is going to ruin that."

He nearly smiled. "I should be glad you believe me. I suspect there's many that wouldn't."

He tilted his head in understanding and when Arthur admitted to enjoying his company, Clarkie's mouth curled up. "I enjoy your company as well," he admitted, looking over at the point. "I doubt that's going to change any time soon regardless of where you get your food from."

"I'm not going to lie, it's still a bit of a shock but I do believe you and the truth isn't going to change my feelings where you're concerned." It helped that Arthur had also saved his life and made the truth a little...easier to swallow. Pun intended.

He looked to Clarkie, considering that. It was something he had never heard, never had anyone tell him that in all his years alive. Yet without thinking about it, it was something he'd want to hear. "You... You truly believe that, don't you?" Which was something else that left him shocked and confused.

"It should be a shock. If it wasn't, that would really confuse me,' he admitted, giving the tiniest hint of a smile.

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