Terms of endearment

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

In the first RD book, it's noted at one point that Lister has myriad pet names for Kochanski - "babe" "ange" "Krissie" "K.K." and many others. This isn't too uncommon between men and women, obviously.

For me, one of the most difficult things about writing m/m slash is figuring out what the characters might call each other. This is especially difficult in this fandom, at least for me. I really have a hard time envisioning many "sweethearts" "babys" "darlings" or "cuddlebugs" flying among the Dwarfers.

So far all I've really been able to come up with is the very occasional "babe" or "darlin'" out of Lister that I can justify to myself. I tend to have them stick with what they already use, but in an affectionate fashion - "smeghead" and "Listy" and "goit." Have any of you had a problem with terms of endearment for one character toward another, when writing (or reading)? Do you have your own mental list of acceptable, in-character pet names?

(I'm not limiting this to just Lister and Rimmer, since there are several male characters in the series, but that's clearly the two I'M thinking of at least. I suppose this could apply for f/f slash, too, but for some reason I don't have nearly as hard a time seeing, say, Kochanski and Nirvanah calling each other "honey" or whatever. Maybe it's a sexist double standard; I don't know.)

Comments

[sunny-bexster.livejournal.com]

I've always felt uncomfortable putting pet-names into RD fics. I have a hard time believing that either Rimmer or Lister would call each other 'hun' or 'darling'. Rimmer especially. Lister might throw the occasional 'man' or 'mate' in as an affectionate reference, or even 'love' or 'sweet-cheeks' if he was being sarcastic and toying with Rimmer.

There's not many Scouse terms of affection I can see him using on Rimmer. Point of interest - the term 'cock' is actually an affectionate term in Liverpool, and elsewhere in the North of England but it needs a good context. :)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Hmm, location-specific nicknames; interesting! I hadn't thought of those (mostly because I'm no Anglophile and wouldn't know them). It's good to see that brought up as something to consider ...

[dauphkantus.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* I've been vaguely aware of that, because of my Sherlock-fic readings. "Old cock" is one of the odd endearments, that I can't help but smile at. 8D