This trope is one that drives me bonkers. Shane as a character is one who has been defined by his relationships with the people around him, and I can't imagine ever writing this way. There's nothing wrong with demonstrating mindsets, but make it matter.
@vliooc.bsky.social#4 Hallmark Smiling White People Picnic
(Yes I mixed two up)
RPing of any medium will have people ship their characters, sometimes with other players, sometimes NPCs. And in shipping, people tend to shy from conflict. This is escape, right?
The problem: conflict drives stories.