It’s been almost a decade but I still love the unexpected bountiful treat that is Adoribull a whole damn lot. I love Dorian’s prickliness, not-so-hidden vulnerability, and nerd side. And the Bull is a fascinating onion of trauma, puns, and manipulation.
I’m endlessly fascinated by the way their relationship evolves and how they’re foils of each other to such an extent. They’re both in conflict with their societies — and it’s conflict, not just wholesale rejection of their cultures. They’re stranded in a place where their cultures are feared and not well-known.
But it takes them a long time to recognize each other as kindred spirits and, well, of course their cultures clash first and foremost with each other’s. They end up fucking their culture’s bogeyman, their worst fears made (hot, attractive) flesh. Add to that the progression from casual sexual to not-so-casual sex to sappy committed long-distance couple and there’s nothing this ship doesn’t give me.
The BDSM and the size kink (both in the size difference and the huge cock senses) are something I ADORE about these two. I prefer Bull to remain the Dom and the top. Another trope I like for them is kink that’s not exactly negotiated — it just happens and it’s a bit of a bad idea, but it works. I also like the idea of Dorian bringing magic into it which both terrifies and arouses Bull.
So all of this leads to PINING, the stupidest pining you can get. I love it when their understanding of love is influenced by their cultures and this leads to misunderstandings and to mismatched expectations — mismatched to reality!