In romantic storylines, this manifests as the "vigil trope." The partner talks to the sleeping beloved, reads to them, plays their favorite music. They project their own desires onto a blank screen. The relationship becomes a one-woman play. For the audience, this is agonizingly beautiful—the ultimate performance of unconditional love.
This occurs when a partner’s "absent presence"—being physically there but mentally in a digital space—erodes intimacy. Authors use this to signify a breakdown in communication, where characters must "wake up" from their digital daze to save their relationship. The "Techno-interference" Conflict:
: Plots rely on "A-story" relationships where every scene is either a deep betrayal or a grand romantic gesture.
: Stories are designed to be consumed quickly, often with a major plot twist every few chapters or minutes. Repetitive Tropes
Ritter, S., & Liao, Q. (2017). Storytelling in mobile games: A study on the narrative structure and player engagement. Journal of Gaming and Virtual Worlds, 9(1), 5-20.