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Mutual Pining
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| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Related tropes/genres | Pining, Friends to Lovers, Misunderstanding, Slow burn |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Mutual Pining is a very popular fandom trope. It is a variation of the pining trope which addresses the fact that both/all characters in the future relationship are pining for each other, but may not initially be aware that their feelings are shared.
Using this term gets in front of the potential for unresolved angst if the attraction were unrequited, and usually guarantees a happy resolution for the characters. Thus, some fan creators see it as a fix-it to the eternal tension of the pining trope as inevitably one of the parties will notice the other's interest, fall into the same pattern as my love is not reciprocated until something or someone, maybe a matchmaker - it reads friends tired of the drama - resolves the shipping situation.
Mutual pining often appears in stories where the members of the pairing interact closely (by choice or not), such as Roommates AUs, arranged marriage AUs, etc.
Examples
Fire Emblem series:
- Every Second Counts by dorkpatroller. E-rated Zerodin college AU that also includes Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, and Soulmates.
- Hal-an-Tow by halsinator, Childermass/Segundus: sex pollen results in mutual pining.
- I die of love for you, but keep this secret by wordslinging (podfic by greedydancer)
- The Other Matter by Survivah
- Lie Perdu by Sihaya Black. (Jim/Blair, contains mild BDSM)
- A Bargain at Any Price and Balance Due: mutual pining and misunderstandings
Archives & Resources
- Mutual Pining tag on the Ao3
- Recs tagged Mutual Pining at Fancake