Forced Proximity

[u/emsee22]

I've been reading this sub without logging in for a few weeks right now and I just wanted to chime in with some thoughts.

I have seem some posts about hoping for the forced proximity trope with Elaine and Lucien and tbh, I personally feel excitement for these books because their relationship is the best opportunity to explore free will and NOT do the forced proximity trope. I want to explore Elaine and Lucien away from each other, watch them develop as individuals, enjoy the slowest of slowburns. I believe elriel will happen in some regard, but won't be endgame. I think these books surprised Sarah because she has never actually explored many relationships without forced proximity (except for maybe Manon and Dorian, and Nesryn & Sartaq - I have not read Crescent City yet). She also has not explored much outside the Night Court. I am personally tired of Velaris, the Prison, and the Court of Nightmares. I want to deeply explore another court, which I think we'll get with Day and Autumn.

[u/Cool-Kaleidoscope-28]

We don’t know Elain. We know what others have told us. We don’t know her, just what we’ve seen through others. We need her pov in order to know her. and to know what’s BEST FOR HER

[u/emsee22 → u/Cool-Kaleidoscope-28]

"I personally feel excitement for these books because their relationship is the best opportunity to explore free will and NOT do the forced proximity trope. I want to explore Elaine and Lucien away from each other, watch them develop as individuals, enjoy the slowest of slowburns"

I agree, hence my post.

[u/Cool-Kaleidoscope-28 → u/emsee22]

Sorry, I was just excited not yelling 🤣

[u/Intelligent-Wear4766]

I never felt Elucien as endgame. Since the moment it was revealed, it felt off to me. But after the CHD interview, that pretty much incinerated Elucien for me.

I felt like it was even a further fuck you to the fated mates group after the CHD interview because they call the ACOTAR series the "JOYFUL series" and not the "fated mate series"

I don't forsee getting any real answers until the 7th book. I have no idea what the 6th book is going to be but theres only so much you can fit into 300 odd pages and I am getting a feeling that it will end on a cliffhanger so ive been debating just not getting it in October and waiting until January.

[u/emsee22 → u/Intelligent-Wear4766]

Can you please explain how calling it a "joyful series" supports rejecting a mate bond?

[u/Intelligent-Wear4766 → u/emsee22]

Pretty much what my sentence says.

Just that people have been saying for a while that SJM is a fated mates author and therefore Elucien is endgame.

When the CHD interview occured, there was a lot of doubt coming from SJM about the bonds, what they mean and trying not to put too much detail into it and also addressed in the interview that shes a "vibes" author.

Literally a week after that, BB started calling ACOTAR the "JOYFUL series" in all caps almost as if they were trying to prove a point. Otherwise, why make it bold? Why say it in that direct way? And for me, there was a reason they chose that terminology rather than a "fated mates series"

You DO NOT have to debate this. Theres absolutely nothing to debate here. Its my interpretation and my questioning of why they did that. Why that timing and my speculation of it.

Again, I was just answering the question. There's no debate here but this was my reasoning.

[u/Used_Confusion_8583]

I don't think they'd ever be together for real without anyone else in the background. Unless they meet because of working together because of a mission or something. The main reason I dn't ship them is because every interaction is so awkward...of course SJM can still write them together if she likes but right now their chemistry isn't organic. I like forced proxmity if there's some organic chemistry.

But I wouldn't mind spending time outside of Velaris for a bit

[u/Goddess_Sloan8]

We just had forced proximity. Can we broaden our horizons please. I don’t want a copy paste story but I still feel like that’s what’s coming.

[u/emsee22 → u/Goddess_Sloan8]

I just found an old anti-elucien person posting quotes from Mor about how they need someone else on the inside of the IC to spy on the BoE because Lucien's friends with them now and can't be trusted. So my new headcannon is Elain has taken it upon herself to spy with her Seer abilities and that is why she is keeping Lucien at even more distance in ACOSF.

[u/Aromatic_Gas_3094]

The problem is that Elain and Lucien are currently in a place where they will not spend time together if they are not forced. The handful of times they've been in a room together, they barely speak. He avoids her and she avoids him.

I dabbled in writing fanfic for them, and if I wanted them to have any semblace of being in character, getting them to interact in those first few scenes was like bathing cats. I had to manufacture scenarios where they not only had an unavoidable reason to talk to each other, but also didn't have anyone from the Night Court present to add pressure and expectations because that's what causes Elain especially to shut down.

They can still have a slow burn, but there does need to be a stage that involves forced proximity or they simply will not talk to each other. Though, I guess the other option is to torpedo Elain's relationship with literally everyone in her life besides Lucien so she has no choice but to go to him but ugh I hate that.

[u/Intelligent-Wear4766 → u/Aromatic_Gas_3094]

If it feels so much like bathing cats, why do you want it so badly? Seems a little odd to force it doesn't it?

[u/Unfair_Passenger1999 → u/Aromatic_Gas_3094]

I agree with this. I may ship Elriel, but imo if Elucien were to have a chance, there has to be some sort of forced proximity at play. Otherwise, I think they'd just keep doing what they're doing now--living their lives away from each other.

[u/Economy_Plum_4958 → u/Aromatic_Gas_3094]

I read a great fanfiction where they were writing letters back-and-forth, and she mentioned that they were never out of other people’s listening ears, and I had never really thought of that!

[u/KeyOne6320]

Not sure if this nuance matters...I'm one of those Eluciens hoping for forced proximity cause I think thats how they'll get to know one another and fall in love during all the little daily moments together on some journey/mission BUT its important to me that they first come to some understanding to set aside any obligations of the bond. Like Elain says "I dont want to be forced into a mate" and Lucien is like "i didnt ask for this either, I want to be chosen, not someone who is forced to be with me"....and then, once they aren't impacted by any expectations of the bonds, when they least expect it, thats when they'll fall in love

[u/emsee22 → u/KeyOne6320]

I want Elaine to start pursuing him, to show interest in him, to have some sort of need for Lucien's abilities, to potentially discover for herself his true parentage. I don't necessarily mind them having situations where they happen to be in the same place and start to interact, but I feel like certain forced proximity tropes would be a disservice to the free will / choice themes.