Prefacing this by saying 100% yes on Jasmin and Yoon no matter what else happens, I am a sucker for that old "platonic friends to lovers" teen movie trope born anew in lesbian romance.
I get that--some of my best relationships started off as friendship first.
I know I am a bit in the minority it seems on Team Zoe here, but given that I have been the dominant partner in a happy and healthy poly relationship with multiple people for 4 US Presidents now, i admit my perspective is very divergent from the average player, perhaps I'm feeling a kinship with her that others are not. Ill try to explain what I see and think
After Choices is angling for (they can correct me if they wish) based on the scenes we have so far.
You and me both. Congratulations on the 4 Presidents' worth of stability. I've only become active in the kink community over the last few years, so none of my relationships fit formally into the D/s dynamic. At one point, I had a submissive GF, but I was still too new to the dynamic to really engage it fully.
What Zoe is, is a dominant lesbian. Young or not, age doesn't really factor into that "awakening" or level of experience (some people take to it really quick, others not so much). She is probably used to people assuming she is "too young" to have serious feelings about others, and possibly she doesn't always take her relationships seriously as a defense mechanism.
There are some who seem to take the old "Gor-esque" model that all men should be dominant, all women should be submissive. As such, lesbians have often had to deal with ignorant question, "Who's 'the man' in the relationship?" Not every lesbian relationship needs to be "Butch/Fem," no matter what the popular media wanted us to believe. There is a certain freedom in already being on the fringe of what societal norms are to explore with those dynamics. Butch/Butch and Fem/Fem works just as well. I feel it might be why we have so many Pagan Poly Pansexuals in the community.
That said, I remember how one of my V relationships had my partner coming to me to vent, because her relationship with her other partner was a struggle for taking on the dominant role. Dom/Dom didn't work quite as well.
But with Yoon there is more too it, you can see it when she is confronted in the laundromat. the body language screams it. But she's not dominant in the "dominatrix" tv trope sense, she is in charge of her "queendom" and anyone in her orbit accepts that, she's not a bitch about it, but she is the dominant partner in her relationships. She's not running around cracking whips or putting people in handcuffs (yet) she's acting more like a dominant actually does irl (vs tv tropes and bad Twilight Fanfic turned movie).
...yet...
Related to the other paragraph, but probably better shared here, those "old timers" in the community quite often see young men who have been inspired by reading or seeing a few fantasy BDSM materials and come into the community assuming that they're uber-doms by virtue of their gender and presentation (I had to work on the best word for that). I've heard the term "Dommie McDomdom" used for such young guys.
She's pushing Yoon just enough to push her out of her comfort zone, a comfort zone which is clearly making her unhappy, but not enough to push her too hard or too fast so she breaks. she's expecting Yoon to be honest with herself plain and simple, and she's not going to let her lie about her feelings. Zoe is doing what Zoe does, taking charge and guiding Yoon to where she needs to be.
Our mentors do not to be older than us. We have much to learn from the experience of those younger than us.
In Yoon's case, Yoon is wildly submissive, there is not a dominant bone in her body up to this point and that calls to Zoe, but not in a caveman sex brain way. Its hard to explain if you haven't experienced it.
I understand. Often there is an "energy" that comes into play that identifies those dynamics. One of my friends was considering me for a partner of some sort, but she needed a certain level of domination energy, and I don't have enough of it for her needs. On the other hand, I knew one woman who told me that she knew within minutes whether or not she would go to bed with a man. I feel it was based upon that dynamic, and unfortunately, when I was in close contact with her, she tended to respond to men who did NOT respect her boundaries. Not just nudging them to help her explore, but actually crossing the boundaries and engaging her submissive side without negotiation or explicit consent.
I've replayed the scenes with her and Yoon in the Laundromat and at her apartment a couple times and there is more there than just sex, Zoe is frustrated with Yoon, she knows what she wants, she knows Yoon wants it too but she wants Yoon to admit it. Yes she clearly wants sex with Yoon but the way she acts is telegraphing her intentions.
Zoe has no doubt Yoon is into her but she is afraid to express it, that frustrates Zoe because she is way into Yoon as well and just want's Yoon to admit it to herself finally. Clearly when she asks Yoon "I am asking... What... do.... you want?" she is frustrated because she has romantic feelings for Yoon and wants to take care of her, to take over and keep her safe and happy because Yoon is making a mess of things (In Zoe's mind). But Yoon keeps hesitating to let go of the things that make her miserable (a sexless marriage for example). That makes Zoe frustrated because its Yoon sending mixed signals, one minute the "good wife" the next she is hunting Zoe down and asking why she wont talk to her when Zoe tries to leave her alone.
The way you present it reminds me a lot of "Childhood friend"/sister dynamics in some games (Like Sunshine Love). The dynamic is there, but upbringing and social norms can get in the way. That partner I spoke of earlier. She came to me for advice at one point as their relationship was developing because she suffered from, what she called "Lesbian Sheep Syndrome," where they both grew up with expectations that the man was to take the first step, and both were waiting for the other to make that first step.
She even went so far as to get a Yoon stand in as a roommate/plaything. If Yoon was just sex to her Zoe would not act the way she did. she had a Yoon style sexdoll already, Yoon would have been a distant memory. not someone who has the ability to force her to close down to protect herself. Even once they are in the bedroom, she doesn't force Yoon but she pushes her comfort zone. Lets not forget Yoon is clearly into it, she kisses Zoe back eagerly once they start making out
As for What she can offer. she can offer the dominance that Yoon is craving, even though Jasmine can also be dominant, I don't see her as being very strict with Yoon long term. it seems more of a "session" based dominance where as Zoe is more of a lifestyler.
For a moment though, with my editor underscoring "lifestyler" for spelling, I originally thought "The Lifestyle," swinging. Yes, I see your point. I have met many in the kink community who just do scenes, but largely leave it on the shelf between those sessions. I know one Master/slave-slave household in Scotland. I only see them on Zoom, but it feels like they are 24/7.
As for Michelle, I see an "enhanced" mother daughter relationship with benefits since Michelle's mother situation is totally messed up (unless the birth mothers get redemption and a chance to atone). Despite her reluctance in the beginning Michelle has really warmed up and opened up to Yoon and I think finally realizes that Yoon loves her like a daughter, more than her own mothers anyway. She has been the only mother Michelle has known for most of her life.
As a poly person, I can't help but think that if Michelle had been younger when Yoon entered her life, she would have had no problem having another mom. My own son saw my wife's boyfriend as a second father (I was not absent, unlike Michelle's mom). My two youngest grandchildren were birthed by my daughter's wife at the time. They grew up knowing they had two mothers (one mom, the other mommy, if memory serves), they were able to realize that their birth mother had problems and have treated my daughter's now husband as a father.
Since Michelle was already disappointed with her biological mother, she wanted her biological mother to atone, not have her father bring in another mother for her. "Not the Momma!"
This is your story to tell, dont let me or anyone else tell you how to write it.
You wont please everyone, some people will accept that the story you tell isnt for them, some will decide to be shitty about it and bully you and some will love it.
The solution is to just do you, write the story you want, its ok to listen to people and take their suggestions if you like them, but this is your creative process and you decide how the story goes.
Anyone who wants to tell a different story can do what you did, learn Ren'py and Daz and create their own.
Keep your chin up and keep telling the story. Clean up bits here and there when you feel the need. rewrite stuff if you feel like it, but dont stop telling the story you want to tell because some people are not enjoying it as much as others.
Hear! Hear!
I want to see the Free Pass that After Choices wants to tell, not a game written by committee.
It reminds me of both the Justice League and Star Wars sequels, where "higher ups" undermined the writers and directors, resulting a weaker story that made almost no one actually happy.
I'm also learning Ren'py and Daz to tell my own story, but rather than in reaction to After Choices, it's more like inspired by them (as well as a few others). I was also inspired/motivated by developers who have tried to construct a harmonious poly-esque harem household, to my mind, "almost there."
