MistyMountainHop

Here's a ficlet I wrote on tumblr that might satisfy some of your curiosity: "Eric and Jackie Become Friends".

CarouselUnique

Rereading the messages I missed while I forgot my password to this forum - (my new phone had it somehow thank you technology I both don’t and refuse to understand!) and yeah, that’s kinda how I write those two in their romantic relationship in my fic, at least in the more canon version - the whole reason they got together was that Eric found comforting Jackie easier than dealing with the more complicated issues he caused in his life with Donna and his lack of purpose and then they both had to stick with it because of Jessie. They did both improve though but not because of each other but because of their need to be good parents to their kids, I don’t think they would make a good match if they didn’t have something important enough to facilitate character growth because I don’t think their relationship is enough to do that on its own but I think if they had something else to focus that growth around they could then help each other do it. Idk if I’m making sense but when do I?

In the version where they stay together a big element of their story going forward would be actually working on their relationship completely independent of their three children, because the way their marriage ended up was that they both genuinely loved each other, but they were functioning more like coparents with benefits.

I think the reason I like the ship so much is just the fascinating way I have to work with these two characters to make them function together. I always do love a project. They totally don’t work romantically which is why I find it so much fun to make them work together. In theory I could do this with other ships, like Hyde/Donna or Jackie/Fez or Jackie/Kelso but the fun of Jackie/Eric is that in the group that change partners like square dancers they were never a possibility and my dumb little brain is like “Yes - that one. Do that one. Make them raise children together. It would be so fun.”

MistyMountainHop

Oh, you.

Thank the phone!

The Jessieverse adds an entirely new element (or several) to Jackie and Eric's dynamic, which changes them both.

You're making total sense.

They have organic development based o n their specific situation in your 'verse and their personalities.



And you like Eric's character, too, right? (I don't mean this in any romantic context.)

Oh, God.

Well, what you write and draw of he Jessieverse is fun for me and others, too.

stlavin95

Thanks for that

MistyMountainHop

You're welcome, Sam!

CarouselUnique

Realizing today that, at least for me, Jackie and Eric are both ADHD makes their coupling as I write it make a lot more sense and that them hooking up was inevitable when I add that context is quite a mental journey. I headcanon’d an ADHD Jackie for a while now even though she wouldn’t have been diagnosed as such and I do write a couple of the kids having some symptoms of it but it was only today I realized that Eric kinda reminds me of myself with becoming hyperfixated on his media interests and such, to an annoying degree, and his directionless aspects in later seasons and like. Yeah, no wonder they would end up together. Especially since ADHD makes you extra sensitive to rejection and more prone to things like anxiety and depression often times you kinda latch onto someone who seems to get it and basically I love them I cradle them. My ship. My ‘it’s not here for a long time just a good time’ ship.

stlavin95

Makes me wish we got to see that on screen now

MistyMountainHop

Aw!

We talked about this elsewhere, but exploring and depicting ADHD accurately through the T7S characters could be helpful to readers who have ADHD (or know people who do).

stlavin95

The show definitely would have been better if you were writing it

MistyMountainHop

Sam, you return with the sweetness!

stlavin95

I feel the same way about OTH sometimes