I think the way to write really common tropes in a way so they don't feel tired is to treat them as a fan fiction AU. Yes, it's a coffee shop, everyone knows the coffee shop, but how does The Character operate in the coffee shop.
Let's take the common Person Falls, Is Caught in Arms, They Look at Each Other trope. The most memorable take I've seen on this one is Character A was carrying a musical instrument and Character B caught the instrument and let A fall (A's easier to repair). Is Character B too slow or weak to catch the other person (do they hate that about themselves)? Do they even care; do they watch them fall, bemused? Do they catch with reflexes, see the other person and then purposefully drop them? Then Character A, did they slip out of clumsiness, manipulation or because of a trap? Are they embarrassed to be in a vulnerable position? Do they act pitiful for more sympathy? What is the contrast? Would A catch a possible Character C differently?
So because I'm an Austen blog, for example!
Anne Elliot of Persuasion stumbles because she's tired from the long walk, Captain Wentworth catches her because even when he's pretending not to pay attention, he's really focused on her. He catches her, for one moment they are in the past again, and it's alright to hold her in his arms, but then he comes back to the present. His expression goes cold. He sets her upright and walks away without looking at her again. Anne is left there, feeling that though he still doesn't want her to be hurt, the past can never return.
Edward Ferrars of Sense & Sensibility catches Lucy Steele, but of course she fell into him on purpose. She smiles shyly at him while in his arms. He blushes. He helps her stand and then notices her clothes are askew, but clenches his hands awkwardly. It's not proper to touch her again. He can't figure out what to say. Then she tries to walk and cries out in pain. He quickly offers her his arm. She smiles slyly at the camera...
Caroline Bingley of Pride & Prejudice wants to be viewed as graceful, so no, the slip wasn't on purpose, but when it happened she tried to make the most of it. Unfortunately Darcy was surgical in his precision, he caught her and set her upright, no chance for gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. What a shame! When Elizabeth, flustered to be found at Pemberley and struggling to find a safe subject of conversation, tripped on a tree root, he somehow couldn't help himself from stealing a moment with her in his arms...
Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey would catch Catherine Moreland, be sure she wasn't sneaky enough to do it on purpose, and then make a quip about how cliche they were being. Catherine would be in awe.
I'm convinced that people don't actually hate tropes, what they hate is when the trope doesn't feel like The Character. When it feels like a trope was just thrown in because This is a RomanceTM, or whatever, instead of carefully considering how The Character would react. When used correctly, a trope can give a ton of characterization in a single moment. When used incorrectly, when The Character doesn't do it in their own unique way, it feels forced and tired.
izzy806
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines
gummygunk
turnnoffyourmind
gracieabrams
