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langst

Langst is a term used in fan fiction and fan art communities to describe works that center on longing, yearning, and unfulfilled or unattainable romantic desire. A portmanteau of longing and angst, langst focuses on the emotional experience of desire rather than explicit plot action, though it may include obstacles, distance, or missed opportunities that keep the relationship out of reach. The term is primarily used in English-language online fandom spaces and has circulated on platforms such as Archive of Our Own, Tumblr, and related communities since the early 2010s.

Langst works typically emphasize interiority: the thoughts, feelings, and sensory details of a character who longs

Langst is applied across a wide range of fandoms and ship dynamics, including canonical ships, non-canon pairings,

Within fan communities, langst is a niche descriptor used to signal a focus on tender, often painful

for
another
or
for
a
lost
relationship.
Tropes
commonly
associated
with
langst
include
relentless
pining,
near-misses,
miscommunications,
memory-driven
reverie,
and
a
melancholic
mood.
The
tone
can
range
from
bittersweet
to
contemplative,
and
Langst
may
be
non-graphic
or
contain
mature
themes
depending
on
the
audience
and
pairing.
and
LGBTQ+
pairings;
it
is
not
restricted
to
any
single
genre.
It
is
distinguished
from
broader
angst
by
placing
the
central
emotional
engine
on
longing
rather
than
external
conflict
alone.
emotional
longing.
While
widely
recognized
in
fandom
circles,
it
may
be
unfamiliar
outside
those
communities.