OT - "implied" pairing

[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

What, exactly, does this mean?

for example, if my story is about one couple, and all the sex in the story is between that couple, they get the pairing. But if one of them has a crush on someone else and thinks/fantasizes about sex with that other person & discusses how best to hook up with this other person, is this an "implied" pairing? Should it be noted in the header?

or is "implied" just about other couples who are mentioned and aren't really part of the main storyline?

Comments

[azewewish.livejournal.com]

Implied means just that. Implied. If Orli's thinking about Elijah, but still fucking Viggo madly, but Orli & Lij haven't hooked up by the end, then it's not an implied pairing. It's not anything. The story you're telling isn't Orli/Lij, it's Orli/Viggo. Lij just happens to be a topic of conversation.

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[thisside.livejournal.com]

I see "implied" meaning that you could see a pairing in it if you wanted, or if you didn't want to. If I write a fic about Elijah helping Dom with his eyeliner and thinking how beautiful his eyes are and waxing poetic while Dom admires how Elijah's tongue sticks out as he works, etc., I could possibly say "implied Dom/Elijah" because you could read romantic/shippy overtones into that, or you could simply read it as two buddies interacting. That's my take anyhow.

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[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

That's what I started out thinking, but everyone who's beta'd it has said I need to put OB/EW on there too. *confused*

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[rynalwyn.livejournal.com]

If they aren't actually together at some point in the story, even if in a past-tense context, then it's not a pairing of any kind. You'd have to indirectly suggest that they are or were together for it to be an implied pairing.

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[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

Maybe I should do "OB/VM, pre-OB/EW," hehehe. It's a prequel to an OB/EW that I posted in Aug. 2002.

Seriously - every answer I'm getting is different. It's still in beta so I have some time to decide...

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[azewewish.livejournal.com]

Is the fic about Orlando & Viggo or about Orlando & Elijah? Did you put a Viggo/Orlando ship in your headers for Golden Road?

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[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

O/V were referred to in one line and got a brief phone conversation in GR, but there's more O/E in this one than that. Sort of. *bangs head on desk*

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[azewewish.livejournal.com]

It's your fic, babe. Include what you want.

*mwah*

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

I hope you can work this one out as I have a similar problem with a nearly finished fic. I'd almost decided just not to bother posting it.

[airgiodslv.livejournal.com]

*protests*

[v-greyson.livejournal.com]

Implied and pre-slash and post-slash are often the same thing, if that helps any. Implied means that the reader can reasonably assume a) the two characters in question were screwing, (ie, post-breakup) b) they are going to screw (ie, courtship) or c) they're madly in love but it's doomed, so they'll never screw, but they DO stare longingly at each other 23.999/7 (ie, Elijah/tragically!married Astin). In the alternative, if there's a pairing that a) is NOT the main pairing and b) is talked about, but the reader never really "sees" any action, that's "implied" as well.

Really, it's author's call, and no one's going to flame you for putting "implied" for a pair that isn't or leaving it out on something that is. Anyone can read an implication into something; so a lot of times it's up to the reader anyway. And besides, most people don't read the whole header. :)

[airgiodslv.livejournal.com]

Listen to other people. Not me. Ignore me.

*waves hands in air and flails*

Seriously, I don't know!!

*frets*

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[impasto.livejournal.com]

Shhh, pet. *calms you*

It really could go either way, especially considering the sequel. I can see both sides, but minimalism might be a good route.

*hugs*

[impasto.livejournal.com]

Just to toss my two cents in, I'd say leave it out. Within reason, the simpler the heading, the better...put enough in to draw your target audience, but anybody who reads this for the "implied" pairing isn't going to get much out of it.

I've done a couple of preliminary go-rounds, and I should have it back to you tomorrow evening. Is that okay with you?

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[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

should be - I really want to get it posted Saturday or so, before it will get lost in all the pre-Oscar/LA trip confusion.

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[impasto.livejournal.com]

Am working on it at the moment. *g*

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[pippinspeach.livejournal.com]

cool! :) Hehe, I have worked on it so much that I'm not sure airgiodslv will recognize it. ;)

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[impasto.livejournal.com]

Ha ha! I know she'll enjoy it anyway, probably even more since there'll be lots of new stuff :)