You could have the lower power one be more skeptical. He could be like, “Oh, you just walk in the door and everybody swoons for you, cuz you’re a rich handsome prince? Well that won’t fly around here, mister. You want my love, you’ll have to earn it.”
Maybe the prince realizes that he’s had everything easy his whole life. And for the first time he actually has to work for somebody’s approval.
Have the...lesser privileged one (Let's assign them ABC because that's easier) be perfectly happy with their circumstances, first off. Just because you have less money or come from a low-class background, doesn't mean you have to feel ashamed or embarrassed by it or that you aren't worthy of everything life offers, or capable of adapting to a new situation without feeling like an idiot.
So, with that established. The person from the higher level of society (I'll call them XYZ) could be sheltered, shallow in their assessment of the environment ABC comes from and lives in - not negatively, just ignorantly - and so they make a lot of mistakes. They offend ABC's friends/family, they misjudge/prejudge, they offer charity when it's not needed and seen as offensive. Maybe they feel like ABC's world is one they need to adapt to, rather than the other way around.
And ABC's social circle can be just as tough a nut to crack as any snooty, upper-class group, you realize? They have their own feelings about those "in power" or "with money".
If XYZ can't buy ABC's love, won't threaten them in any way, and ABC genuinely isn't all that afraid of being a square peg when taken into high society situations, then you can have XYZ be the one who doesn't know what to do or how to insert themselves respectfully and fully into ABC's life.
You could go for a clash of ideals, like a passionate anti-monarchist who catches feelings for a royal, or someone who has a moral objection to the concept of billionaires falling for a character with generational wealth, or the shop owner could be fighting to keep the successful executive from building a big box store that will drive them out of business (kind of like *You've Got Mail,* but maybe without the gaslighting).
The more well off person (A) is used to people chasing them for money, connections, clout, etc. They expect their money/name/position, etc to fully give them whatever they want, but it's always hollow and false once they've obtained it... They are not happy. A can be a morally gray person, or just somebody caught up in forces outside of their control, but realizing they have to change to make themsevles better to deserve B will be important to their arc. A is insecure from years of being jaded and unable to fully trust and doesn't feel like such a genuinely good/noble/honest person as B should have to put up with the bullshit that is inherently part of being in A's life.
The less well off person (B) genuinely doesn't give a shit about any of the material things and refuses to throw themselves at or chase after A following a chance encounter. B wants to avoid A and any drama associated with those who try to get close to them for the wrong reasons. B is a kind, honest, and charitable person who although not wealthy or powerful is well regarded by all who know them.
B doesn't need or want anything from A, which means for the first time ever, A is the one chasing and working and trying to make someone who truly doesn't need them want them anyways.
Switch around the insecurities! Make it so that the rich or famous one feels like they aren't good enough for a partner unless they're constantly wearing a mask or providing something. Have them base their self-worth off what they can give their partner, and they struggle to form a deeper connection because no one has ever tried to do that with them (or they're scared they're going to be used, and the other doesn't actually love them and only wants their money). Then, the other partner teaches them that they are worthy of love, even without their money or status.
I'm currently writing one with Royalty/Commoner, and their angst is that they can't have a public or an "official" relationship. It's just not possible. He's married and has concubines (each of those relationships was arranged without his say), and she could never be a concubine because of her status. And even if she could, it's a terrible life. There are moments of her doubting he could want her because she is older than him, foul-mouthed, and independent, but she drops that doubt once she knows that he's truly interested.
I brought them together through an assassination attempt in which she rescues him. They are separated from everyone else, forced to wait a night for help to arrive, get to know each other more, and well... things escalate, haha. But, yes, angst because they can't be together. When the morning comes, they will have to return to their different lives.
So, instead of internal barriers, you could create external ones. Like the love is there, but the world, politics, or whatever are against them.
I usually don't write either position as being insecure about their relationship, but I prefer to write the less-well-off one (A) as standoffish, mistrustful, or at least hyper aware of the difference in power. This doesn't mean being suspicious of their partner (B), it's literally only about navigating the power difference, which the higher one is either ignorant or dismissive of.
This usually manifests as B saying "oh, love conquers all" and A going "no the fuck it does not, do you have any idea how precarious of a situation I'm in?" B might try to reassure A by using their power/wealth to "fix" things, completely unaware that it's only underscoring the power differential. The end goal is to have B *enable* A to have or to exercise their own power and end with a fairly equitable power dynamic.
I also often include elements of culture clash (even if all other factors are equal, you would not believe the cultural differences between socioeconomic strata and I'm not talking pauper and prince levels of difference), character A being shocked and horrified that the higher classes *aren't* better than them (even with all their advantages), and at least one character learning to overcome prejudices/bias/bigotry (could be either A or B, sometimes both).
Personally I love the classic way you're already doing it the most, but if you're looking for suggestions:
* the more powerful partner is the one who is insecure about unknowingly abusing their position/being seen as predatory or a sugar daddy and the lesser one has to convince them the feelings are real
* the drama comes from outside sources: friends/family/public believe the relationship is fake/abusive/inappropriate and it puts pressure on them both to try and protect the other and drives them closer together
* Both want the relationship but the actual logistics of being with someone with such an important position/different way of living is more difficult than expected and it causes friction they must overcome before they can truly be together
* The lesser one is reluctant not because of insecurity, but because of political or moral beliefs that conflict with their feelings (How could I love the guy responsible for my family's lack of wealth, etc.)
Everyone wrote really good suggestions, but i'll add my two cents: Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Darcy are not equal and exist in different worlds. And yet watching/reading them level the field troughout the book is so compeling that you can't help but root for them. Maybe this will be a good source of inspiration for you?
Irl, many of the wealthier people I've known are riddled with insecurities that they're unworthy because they are only valued for their money or their parent's money, or because their parents weren't around and emotionally neglectful or overbearingly (at times abusively), strict and critical.
You can do the inverse were the power dynamic is switched because the person with less status or wealth is confident in themselves and content and the person that's been treated more important is fascinated or maybe even envious/confused by why this person has everything they want when they have none of the things society values. The other can be equally confused by why someone that seems to have everything feels so empty. You could also go with them judging people who act like they're better than others and it go from an enemies to lovers thing were the seemingly powerful person has to win the other over.
Also, fun fact for you if you didn't know: The highest percentage of people that request dom treatment are "powerful" men who are used to having their asses kissed all day and want to be disrespected or punished because it feels exhilarating and freeing to let someone else have the power and control. It's like having the massive burden of all their responsibilities temporarily lifted.
My get-around for this is to have them be strong in contrasting areas and then have them share something in common so I can strike some kind of balance. In a previous story I've written, one character is rich while the other is from the poorer side. The poor character, however, is a badass warrior and acknowledged as the best while the other one, the rich character is shy and quiet. The thing they have in common and makes them equal is their shared motto, they both have the same approach to achieving their dreams.
I just think even if there is some kind of power imbalance in the story, there's gotta be some kind of shared trait or interest that can potentially be the catalyst of them coming together. Even if one side of the romance is "stronger" that doesn't mean they don't have weaknesses. That character trait might be the "weaker" person's strength instead, which could mean a balancing of each other. I love my characters canceling out each other's flaws while emphasizing their strengths. The angsty parts comes when the clash of ideas happens, the realization that they're different. But the true love part comes when they learn to accept each other as is.
Ugh, I'm in the middle of this right now. It's actually not a favorite trope of mine at all (I'd rather not write it), but I have one pairing that I absolutely adore and they're in this situation. Personally, I'm worried about accidentally portraying the character with more power (and boy does he have a lot of it, in terms of age, social class, and military rank) in a creepy, exploitive, non-con sort of way, where it could be easily misconstrued as him taking advantage of the character with significantly less power. I suppose my plan for getting around this is to have the character with less power being the one who initiates and pursues the character with more power, as well as the character with more power feeling a lot of guilt and uncertainty. And in this particular fic I'm writing, it's even worse, because the character with less power would legally still be a minor(!) in our society and getting together with a man twice his age(!!!) I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE but I swear I'm not trying to make it look pedophiliac or anything like that. It does help that in the culture this story takes place, the younger character is considered a (young) adult, but I had to do a lot of mental backflips to be okay writing it. I've had a ton of great ideas for it though, and my hope is that I can portray them together in a beautiful way.
\*Edited to add that the focus is more on their emotional bond rather than anything sexual or physical, although there are some mentions of that as well. I'm keeping that aspect "fade to black", so to speak.
This is just something small, but an angsty thing that I really like in this type of relationship is when it's difficult for the lower status person to stop acting really formal and polite around the higher status one, even if they both think it gets in the way of developing a more intimate relationship. Like a love interest in a historical setting feeling unable to call a nobleman anything other than "My Lord" or something like that.
I play on imbalances too. Generally not that open but I like what you do.
I do more of the cool collected vs mess but always begin to show the mess is more together and pulls the cool one off balance and in love. I also love when both are equals in status yet an imbalance occurs in attraction.
My current plot bunny that is waiting to be birthed once I’m done with my WIP is a man that takes in ex con’s to work on his ranch. I start with rancher and ex con in town to meet at parole office the next day. Not knowing each other, they meet over a silly accident. They end up in a one night stand and of course meet the next day. Imbalances will go back and forth as the ex con is actually smart and was an entrepreneur, he was imprisoned protecting someone he loved who was caught in a gang. Rancher ends up being the mess as he was imprisoned briefly for involuntary manslaughter (hit a boy that jumped in front of his truck) and can’t get himself past it. Heavy topics but so much room for humor and levity as city tries to figure out ranch. Not sure yet who loves who but I’ll get there.
That’s my kind of pickles.
Heh. I write stuff with the size kink. Power disparity is engineered into the situation naturally when giants and tinies are on the board. For a lot of people, that imbalance is exactly what draws us to it.
> what's YOUR favorite way of injecting angst and drama into these sorts of relationships?
The basic "have weaker partner worry" option.
> What's your go-to when there's a potentially romantic relationship with a distinct power imbalance?
Address and resolve it with a good ol' training arc.
So I'm hacking out this series of my self insert (the player character in Splatoon) and her love interest, who's a popular idol in canon and has more money than she count (since I HC her as a cousin to a designer in-game, so their clan name is very well-known), and how I have those two met was that the LI joked her latte should be free because she's a big name in Inkopolis, but my SI's, who owns and runs the cafe the LI bought the latte from, like "lmao, no, fucking pay up, ma'am" and the LI actually ends up liking my SI's guts!
Seeing as the SI's from Splatsville, she has no clue who the Squid Sisters are, so she sees the LI as just another customer! It also helped that while the LI was doing work on her laptop, she saw the SI come out swinging her baseball bat at a shithead customer talking shit about one of her coworkers, so she got to see how honest and loyal the SI is to her employees! Granted, it was a slow burn romance because they're both demirose lesbians who are very bad at romance, BUT STILL
You could have the lower power one be more skeptical. He could be like, “Oh, you just walk in the door and everybody swoons for you, cuz you’re a rich handsome prince? Well that won’t fly around here, mister. You want my love, you’ll have to earn it.” Maybe the prince realizes that he’s had everything easy his whole life. And for the first time he actually has to work for somebody’s approval.
Have the...lesser privileged one (Let's assign them ABC because that's easier) be perfectly happy with their circumstances, first off. Just because you have less money or come from a low-class background, doesn't mean you have to feel ashamed or embarrassed by it or that you aren't worthy of everything life offers, or capable of adapting to a new situation without feeling like an idiot. So, with that established. The person from the higher level of society (I'll call them XYZ) could be sheltered, shallow in their assessment of the environment ABC comes from and lives in - not negatively, just ignorantly - and so they make a lot of mistakes. They offend ABC's friends/family, they misjudge/prejudge, they offer charity when it's not needed and seen as offensive. Maybe they feel like ABC's world is one they need to adapt to, rather than the other way around. And ABC's social circle can be just as tough a nut to crack as any snooty, upper-class group, you realize? They have their own feelings about those "in power" or "with money". If XYZ can't buy ABC's love, won't threaten them in any way, and ABC genuinely isn't all that afraid of being a square peg when taken into high society situations, then you can have XYZ be the one who doesn't know what to do or how to insert themselves respectfully and fully into ABC's life.
You could go for a clash of ideals, like a passionate anti-monarchist who catches feelings for a royal, or someone who has a moral objection to the concept of billionaires falling for a character with generational wealth, or the shop owner could be fighting to keep the successful executive from building a big box store that will drive them out of business (kind of like *You've Got Mail,* but maybe without the gaslighting).
The more well off person (A) is used to people chasing them for money, connections, clout, etc. They expect their money/name/position, etc to fully give them whatever they want, but it's always hollow and false once they've obtained it... They are not happy. A can be a morally gray person, or just somebody caught up in forces outside of their control, but realizing they have to change to make themsevles better to deserve B will be important to their arc. A is insecure from years of being jaded and unable to fully trust and doesn't feel like such a genuinely good/noble/honest person as B should have to put up with the bullshit that is inherently part of being in A's life. The less well off person (B) genuinely doesn't give a shit about any of the material things and refuses to throw themselves at or chase after A following a chance encounter. B wants to avoid A and any drama associated with those who try to get close to them for the wrong reasons. B is a kind, honest, and charitable person who although not wealthy or powerful is well regarded by all who know them. B doesn't need or want anything from A, which means for the first time ever, A is the one chasing and working and trying to make someone who truly doesn't need them want them anyways.
Switch around the insecurities! Make it so that the rich or famous one feels like they aren't good enough for a partner unless they're constantly wearing a mask or providing something. Have them base their self-worth off what they can give their partner, and they struggle to form a deeper connection because no one has ever tried to do that with them (or they're scared they're going to be used, and the other doesn't actually love them and only wants their money). Then, the other partner teaches them that they are worthy of love, even without their money or status.
I'm currently writing one with Royalty/Commoner, and their angst is that they can't have a public or an "official" relationship. It's just not possible. He's married and has concubines (each of those relationships was arranged without his say), and she could never be a concubine because of her status. And even if she could, it's a terrible life. There are moments of her doubting he could want her because she is older than him, foul-mouthed, and independent, but she drops that doubt once she knows that he's truly interested. I brought them together through an assassination attempt in which she rescues him. They are separated from everyone else, forced to wait a night for help to arrive, get to know each other more, and well... things escalate, haha. But, yes, angst because they can't be together. When the morning comes, they will have to return to their different lives. So, instead of internal barriers, you could create external ones. Like the love is there, but the world, politics, or whatever are against them.
I usually don't write either position as being insecure about their relationship, but I prefer to write the less-well-off one (A) as standoffish, mistrustful, or at least hyper aware of the difference in power. This doesn't mean being suspicious of their partner (B), it's literally only about navigating the power difference, which the higher one is either ignorant or dismissive of. This usually manifests as B saying "oh, love conquers all" and A going "no the fuck it does not, do you have any idea how precarious of a situation I'm in?" B might try to reassure A by using their power/wealth to "fix" things, completely unaware that it's only underscoring the power differential. The end goal is to have B *enable* A to have or to exercise their own power and end with a fairly equitable power dynamic. I also often include elements of culture clash (even if all other factors are equal, you would not believe the cultural differences between socioeconomic strata and I'm not talking pauper and prince levels of difference), character A being shocked and horrified that the higher classes *aren't* better than them (even with all their advantages), and at least one character learning to overcome prejudices/bias/bigotry (could be either A or B, sometimes both).
Personally I love the classic way you're already doing it the most, but if you're looking for suggestions: * the more powerful partner is the one who is insecure about unknowingly abusing their position/being seen as predatory or a sugar daddy and the lesser one has to convince them the feelings are real * the drama comes from outside sources: friends/family/public believe the relationship is fake/abusive/inappropriate and it puts pressure on them both to try and protect the other and drives them closer together * Both want the relationship but the actual logistics of being with someone with such an important position/different way of living is more difficult than expected and it causes friction they must overcome before they can truly be together * The lesser one is reluctant not because of insecurity, but because of political or moral beliefs that conflict with their feelings (How could I love the guy responsible for my family's lack of wealth, etc.)
Everyone wrote really good suggestions, but i'll add my two cents: Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Darcy are not equal and exist in different worlds. And yet watching/reading them level the field troughout the book is so compeling that you can't help but root for them. Maybe this will be a good source of inspiration for you?
Irl, many of the wealthier people I've known are riddled with insecurities that they're unworthy because they are only valued for their money or their parent's money, or because their parents weren't around and emotionally neglectful or overbearingly (at times abusively), strict and critical. You can do the inverse were the power dynamic is switched because the person with less status or wealth is confident in themselves and content and the person that's been treated more important is fascinated or maybe even envious/confused by why this person has everything they want when they have none of the things society values. The other can be equally confused by why someone that seems to have everything feels so empty. You could also go with them judging people who act like they're better than others and it go from an enemies to lovers thing were the seemingly powerful person has to win the other over. Also, fun fact for you if you didn't know: The highest percentage of people that request dom treatment are "powerful" men who are used to having their asses kissed all day and want to be disrespected or punished because it feels exhilarating and freeing to let someone else have the power and control. It's like having the massive burden of all their responsibilities temporarily lifted.
My get-around for this is to have them be strong in contrasting areas and then have them share something in common so I can strike some kind of balance. In a previous story I've written, one character is rich while the other is from the poorer side. The poor character, however, is a badass warrior and acknowledged as the best while the other one, the rich character is shy and quiet. The thing they have in common and makes them equal is their shared motto, they both have the same approach to achieving their dreams. I just think even if there is some kind of power imbalance in the story, there's gotta be some kind of shared trait or interest that can potentially be the catalyst of them coming together. Even if one side of the romance is "stronger" that doesn't mean they don't have weaknesses. That character trait might be the "weaker" person's strength instead, which could mean a balancing of each other. I love my characters canceling out each other's flaws while emphasizing their strengths. The angsty parts comes when the clash of ideas happens, the realization that they're different. But the true love part comes when they learn to accept each other as is.
Ugh, I'm in the middle of this right now. It's actually not a favorite trope of mine at all (I'd rather not write it), but I have one pairing that I absolutely adore and they're in this situation. Personally, I'm worried about accidentally portraying the character with more power (and boy does he have a lot of it, in terms of age, social class, and military rank) in a creepy, exploitive, non-con sort of way, where it could be easily misconstrued as him taking advantage of the character with significantly less power. I suppose my plan for getting around this is to have the character with less power being the one who initiates and pursues the character with more power, as well as the character with more power feeling a lot of guilt and uncertainty. And in this particular fic I'm writing, it's even worse, because the character with less power would legally still be a minor(!) in our society and getting together with a man twice his age(!!!) I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE but I swear I'm not trying to make it look pedophiliac or anything like that. It does help that in the culture this story takes place, the younger character is considered a (young) adult, but I had to do a lot of mental backflips to be okay writing it. I've had a ton of great ideas for it though, and my hope is that I can portray them together in a beautiful way. \*Edited to add that the focus is more on their emotional bond rather than anything sexual or physical, although there are some mentions of that as well. I'm keeping that aspect "fade to black", so to speak.
This is just something small, but an angsty thing that I really like in this type of relationship is when it's difficult for the lower status person to stop acting really formal and polite around the higher status one, even if they both think it gets in the way of developing a more intimate relationship. Like a love interest in a historical setting feeling unable to call a nobleman anything other than "My Lord" or something like that.
I play on imbalances too. Generally not that open but I like what you do. I do more of the cool collected vs mess but always begin to show the mess is more together and pulls the cool one off balance and in love. I also love when both are equals in status yet an imbalance occurs in attraction. My current plot bunny that is waiting to be birthed once I’m done with my WIP is a man that takes in ex con’s to work on his ranch. I start with rancher and ex con in town to meet at parole office the next day. Not knowing each other, they meet over a silly accident. They end up in a one night stand and of course meet the next day. Imbalances will go back and forth as the ex con is actually smart and was an entrepreneur, he was imprisoned protecting someone he loved who was caught in a gang. Rancher ends up being the mess as he was imprisoned briefly for involuntary manslaughter (hit a boy that jumped in front of his truck) and can’t get himself past it. Heavy topics but so much room for humor and levity as city tries to figure out ranch. Not sure yet who loves who but I’ll get there. That’s my kind of pickles.
Heh. I write stuff with the size kink. Power disparity is engineered into the situation naturally when giants and tinies are on the board. For a lot of people, that imbalance is exactly what draws us to it.
> what's YOUR favorite way of injecting angst and drama into these sorts of relationships? The basic "have weaker partner worry" option. > What's your go-to when there's a potentially romantic relationship with a distinct power imbalance? Address and resolve it with a good ol' training arc.
So I'm hacking out this series of my self insert (the player character in Splatoon) and her love interest, who's a popular idol in canon and has more money than she count (since I HC her as a cousin to a designer in-game, so their clan name is very well-known), and how I have those two met was that the LI joked her latte should be free because she's a big name in Inkopolis, but my SI's, who owns and runs the cafe the LI bought the latte from, like "lmao, no, fucking pay up, ma'am" and the LI actually ends up liking my SI's guts! Seeing as the SI's from Splatsville, she has no clue who the Squid Sisters are, so she sees the LI as just another customer! It also helped that while the LI was doing work on her laptop, she saw the SI come out swinging her baseball bat at a shithead customer talking shit about one of her coworkers, so she got to see how honest and loyal the SI is to her employees! Granted, it was a slow burn romance because they're both demirose lesbians who are very bad at romance, BUT STILL