My Fair Shassie

[allikitty699]

(I didn't really know where to post this, but I figured this would be the best place.)

Everyone has their favorite Shassie.

It doesn't matter how true you try to stick to canon, or how far you delve into fanon - everyone has their own favorite versions of Lassiter and Shawn. Even watching the show, everyone has their own feelings on the characters: some people see Shawn as having an inner dark side, and others see him just as immature. Some people see Lassiter as aloof, while others see him as vulnerable. Everyone also has their own ideas of their backgrounds, and the way their relationship works.

So, I'm curious: what is your favorite version of Shassie? Do you stick to canon, or no? How do you see Shawn and Lassie as individuals, and how do you think of them working as a couple? And what do you think their lives were like before the show? (We've gotten a lot of interesting details, but we still don't know a lot about Lassiter's childhood.) And another thing to think about - what's your LEAST favorite Shassie?

[Riddles of the Werewolf]

I don't like the goofy Lassiter they sometimes portray in the show. I like Lassiter as a good detective. I love him grumpy, sarcastic, quick-witted. I love how he gets flustered when he fights with Shawn. I like him tough, liking all his canon hobbies, but I can see him liking anything really. I especially like stories where Shawn gets him to like the things that Shawn likes.

Shawn I try to keep in canon, or at least what I see in canon. In the show, Shawn is amazing with his silliness and jokes and references and flirting, but we do see him with some serious emotions. I like the serious side of Shawn when it does come out, but I hate him serious all the time, because that just isn't Shawn. But overall, I like people to remember this character is smart - I think that too many times on the show he's taken for granted because people don't think he's right or intelligent. Sometimes his dad supports him (like letting Shawn shoot at the end of the episode Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark) and Gus often supports him, but there are still too many times where people (Henry and Gus included) think he's just to immature to handle situations.

As a couple, their personalities work wonderfully. They fight sometimes, but that's healthy for any relationship. They both learn sides of the others they never knew before, they both try to get the other to do fun things. I love protective Lassie, I love either one of the jealous.

[Antivertigo]

Honestly, I've come to find that my interpretation of their characters is a bit far from the show or any canon. But I think it's because Psych doesn't take itself too seriously, which is awesome for a comedy show, but when you're trying to write romance, there are things that need to be taken seriously.

I don't think Shawn really has a dark side, but I can very easily see him having nightmares and all too real flashbacks of things he's seen. And in my experience with people, the ones who laugh and joke the most are usually the ones that are hiding the most about themselves. So, to me, Shawn deflects constantly just so people won't really know serious things about him. But at the same time, I entirely understand being ridiculously childish when you're supposed to be grown up, because otherwise, how're you supposed to have any real fun? And I also like to remember that Shawn is actually a genius, something else he tries to hide from people. Oh, and he's a brooder, definitely. But that all plays into the deflection too, like I think he has that multi-tasker thing where he can watch TV and think about something unrelated at the same time. Have you ever noticed before how he'll sit and think when he watches a movie or when he's on his laptop, actually quiet for once? Unless I'm just picking up on Roday himself, that's Shawn to me, stalker tendencies and pineapple obsession and all.

Lassiter on the other hand I would call a classic hopeless romantic, but also extremely bitter about his experiences with life. I remember something about his dad leaving his mother when he was young, and I know what that kind of thing does to a person. When you take into account Old Sonora, you can easily infer that his parents weren't really his parent figures, but the 'Sheriff' at Sonora was at least one of them. I think that right there is the whole reason he wanted to be a cop in the first place, to take after his dad in a way. With nothing else to really guide him, why wouldn't he turn to law enforcement and almost turn it into a religion? But I think that we can't forget that Lassie can be a bit clueless sometimes, a bit oblivious to his own social awkwardness and self-deprecation. I mean seriously, I don't think he was ever as dissatisfied with himself as he is currently, but that's why he has Shassie, right?

I guess I'm still feeling out how they work as a couple in my world, but I don't think that their personalities are as opposite as most of us like to think. They do work wondrously together, but they're not totally, completely on opposite ends of the spectrum. I think they would fight, but over ridiculous things like favorite MASH character or the uses of soap in the world. They would have a couple major conflicts, like Lassiter worrying about Shawn possibly getting stabbed, shot, or anything else that could get him hurt or killed; and of course the truth about Shawn's abilities. Also, I approach it all with the idea that Shawn is tired of the whole dating game and would like to (of all things, I know) settle down. At the very least, settle down somewhat. But that part is kinda canon, isn't it? 'Cause that's pretty much what he told Jules.

What kind of Shassie do I hate? The ones where Shawn is some kind of damsel in distress (ie: a girl) and Lassiter is some kind of overly overbearing, controlling jerk. That's just not in character, whatsoever. I could go on and on for exactly why it makes me angry, but part of it is the whole top/bottom argument. I mean really, just because you think that Shawn should be the bottom does not mean that he's a girl nor should he be portrayed as such. I'm not saying that any of you do, that's just part of a much larger rant I've had about this. Back on the original point, it's also part of why I like to be ambiguous on who exactly is top or bottom because, honestly, there's a lot more to it than that.

Well, uh, sorry to write so much and considering I could keep going, I'll stop there. I've just thought really long and hard about this, long before I started writing fanfiction for Psych, so my thoughts on it are pretty detailed. ^.^;;

[Riddles of the Werewolf]

@Antivertigo

I completely agree with your "Lassiter is a hopeless romantic" statement. I can still see the season one episodes where Lassie trys to win Victoria back. I remember him giving her the figurines and the note "Ex is the loneliest letter in the alphabet." And even though it was Victoria he was trying to win back, I couldn't help but love Carlton Lassiter so much at that moment. He was being so adorable! So romantic, so cute. And his smile when he was explaining what he wanted the card to say to the guy over the phone - he looked so proud of himself! And I was proud of him too - that card was awesome.

But yes, Lassie is so a hopeless romantic.

[Antivertigo]

I know, right? Haha, well I was grinning later when he shot those figurines. ^.^;

I don't think I ever loved him more as a character than in the episode where he finally signed the divorce papers, and what he said afterward actually made me cry for the first time watching Psych.

Did you disagree with anything I've said?

[Riddles of the Werewolf]

No I agree. I really hate Victoria. I loved the letter he sent because my love for Lassie being cute outweighs my hatred towards his ex-wife.

But I cheered when I heard he was going to sign the divorce papers. It sucked seeing him so miserable, but signing those divorce papers was the step in the right direction towards being happy. (Also a step towards Shawn...)

[Antivertigo]

Well, I meant with my interpretation, but exactly. Happiness is a good thing. XD

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