That's a neat and comprehensive OTP definition you have there.
I think that you're right that most people "can read other pairings taht don't contain those two characters," but I'm not sure they'd "really rather not." (Ex: I love to read many other Firefly pairings, as well as gen -- slash, het whatever, I just love the fic!)
What I think is really interesting to think about is how different people deal with one half of their OTP paired with someone else. I mean, in my case, I can definately see the slashy potential of Jayne with Simon or Mal (you'd have to be pretty dense not to) -- but I just. can't. read it. And I can see where the Mal/River folks are coming from, but that freaks me out mightily, too.
I have no idea why I react that way ... I mean, I've read Hermione with every other living male in the HP verse, and a few who don't fit those criteria. And, like I said, if Jayne and River started any sort of relationship pre-Miranda, it would be just plain wrong (although I have read it.) After all, she's twenty years younger than him, seventeen, and insane. But after that -- I think I might just be in love with the way Rayne authors interpret the characters an their interactions, because all Rayne fics are pretty well based on the same set of character ideas.
Jayne and Rayne
I think that you're right that most people "can read other pairings taht don't contain those two characters," but I'm not sure they'd "really rather not." (Ex: I love to read many other Firefly pairings, as well as gen -- slash, het whatever, I just love the fic!)
What I think is really interesting to think about is how different people deal with one half of their OTP paired with someone else. I mean, in my case, I can definately see the slashy potential of Jayne with Simon or Mal (you'd have to be pretty dense not to) -- but I just. can't. read it. And I can see where the Mal/River folks are coming from, but that freaks me out mightily, too.
I have no idea why I react that way ... I mean, I've read Hermione with every other living male in the HP verse, and a few who don't fit those criteria. And, like I said, if Jayne and River started any sort of relationship pre-Miranda, it would be just plain wrong (although I have read it.) After all, she's twenty years younger than him, seventeen, and insane. But after that -- I think I might just be in love with the way Rayne authors interpret the characters an their interactions, because all Rayne fics are pretty well based on the same set of character ideas.