Writers sometimes skirt these rules by employing euphemistic language, focusing on “emotional intimacy,” or setting the story in an ambiguous time period where the ages of characters are unclear. Moderators must make judgment calls: if a story clearly suggests a sexual relationship between a mother and a child, it is taken down; if the narrative stays within the realm of non‑sexual affection or explores the relationship from a purely psychological angle, it may be allowed.

by Emma Donoghue: Explores intense protective love in extreme circumstances. We Need to Talk About Kevin

For example, a popular archived series on the site follows a mother who sacrifices her dating life for her son, only to find that he sabotages every potential suitor. The "romantic storyline" emerges not from physical acts, but from the psychological merging of identities—where the son declares, "No one will ever love you like I do."