Man, I’ve stumbled through a lot of Loid x Becky tag fics over the years, and honestly? Most of it follows a pretty predictable pattern, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re into that comfort-food reading. The initial dynamic is always key—Becky’s unrequited, over-the-top crush on Loid in canon gets stretched out and explored. Authors love to mine the comedy of her trying to one-up Yor, with varying degrees of success.
But the popular fics usually take a left turn into 'what if' territory. A common thread is Loid eventually noticing her as an adult, often years later after some mission or life event forces a perspective shift. I’ve seen a ton of 'Time Skip' AUs where Becky becomes a successful businesswoman or even a fellow spy, and their paths cross professionally. That’s when the power dynamics get interesting; she’s no longer just the student, and he has to reconcile her competence with his old memories.
The relationship development itself is almost never a straightforward romance. It’s layered with guilt—on Loid’s part, for using her family’s connections, and on Becky’ danger, because of his deception. The good fics nail that bittersweet tension. They’ll have moments of genuine connection, maybe over shared stress or a mutual protectiveness toward Anya, before pulling back because of the arranged marriage facade. It’s a slow, angsty burn by design. I remember one fic where Becky figured out the truth about 'Operation Strix' before Yor did, and the emotional fallout from that secret became the entire engine for their fraught, complicated alliance. The appeal is less about fluff and more about navigating that ethical minefield.
Some readers hate it, call it creepy or a stretch, but I think the fascination lies in the challenge. Taking a one-sided comic relief crush and building a believable, mature rapport from its ashes is a tough writing puzzle. When it works, it’s less about the romance itself and more about two characters growing up and seeing each other—and themselves—differently.