#heartstopper show of all time ok

[shimmerluna]

Isaac needs new friends after s2 honestly

[snallavanta]

hi friends. it's only been one day since i finished young royals and life feels so meh already. what even is the meaning of life. seems stupid that i have to work everyday for the rest of my life until i die. where are the joys of life. i need to feel something. let me feel anything

[space-prophet]

Rant in tags do not clown

[sokkabackbender2021]

honestly i think it’s so gross how many adults i have seen on this app upset that heartstopper is a show rather mild in its sexual content. it’s a show that’s target audience is young queer people….about young queer people……played by young queer people. the show is not “anti-sex” at all, if you actually watched the show charlie and nick discuss that they WANT to do more, that they want to “go further” some day. charlie has a boat load of trauma (including trauma about having his physical boundaries ignored) however and nick is still processing his sexuality, so why are you pushing for them to be intimate?? i’ve known people who have dated for years and didn’t actually have sex until they were adults and mature enough to do so.

viewing this show as a adult woman i find it honestly disturbing that there is this fixation on the necessity of sexual content including children. because that is who these characters are. children.

the show does not bash sex (uhh the teachers very clearly banged??), it merely advises against forcing yourself to be sexual before you are ready. the queer community has always been demonized as a “hypersexual” group of people, but that is merely a label forced upon us. heartstopper is the one of the only queer pieces of media that defies this expectation, and tells queer kids everywhere that it’s ok to take your time, and that sex is not the end all be all.

[edapparently]

James Somerton Sucks For Many Reasons. But Also His Opinion On Heartstopper...

Ok so I was watching Todd in the Shadows' video on fact-checking James Somerton's vids (of course after having watched Hbomberguy's video). And a clip played of James lying (again) about straight white women complaining about a gay show. Except he mentions at the end of the sentence that these supposed people were "exposed to gay content for the first time in their lives via Heartstopper".

19:18 - https://youtu.be/A6_LW1PkmnY?t=1158

Now idk if that was supposed to be a joke or if that reflects any of his actual opinions on it (it's not like he's known for telling the truth anyway now tho)

But I'd just like to say anyway [this ties back into James I swear just bear with me]

I'm 18 years old now and I'm still dealing with issues cause by the homophobia I experienced in high school. And one of the few things that got me through it was when I got the first volume of Hearstopper when I was 16. And that actually was MY first real exposer to properly gay content. ME. Another gay boy. Not a straight woman.

And not only that, but it was the first time that I took in a piece of media and could honestly say "I see myself in this"

It was the first time I felt really seen and felt like I had my issues understood. And even as I've gotten slightly older through the two years, they've still been able to help me.

My friends will know that I've been struggling a lot with certain mental health issues that affect my physical health too. And I only realised how bad my problem really is and how much its been affecting me when I read volumes 3 and 4 and saw Charlie dealing with almost the exact same problem. I had been in such denial about it and worrying that it wasn't even real that I hadn't even considered it. But reading about him suffering from and eventually admitting to his problem and trying to get help made me think about what I had been experiencing. And gave me some perspective as to what exactly was happening in head and to my body.

The reason I'm saying all this is because I'm trying to show that these books about gay teenagers are REALLY good at portraying the experiences of gay teenagers. (At least based on my own personal life, Ik it could be very different for others and that's still valid) and they made me understand that what I had been through and am still dealing with because of that; are not isolated incidents and that I am not alone.

And James... someone who tried to give off the impression that he knows a lot about queer culture. Used it as an example of mindless romance fluff...

Which I think shows:

His lack of understanding of what it is actually like growing up as a gay boy in our current time. (Again, not trying to speak for everyone but it's very accurate to my own life)

And

2. His unwillingness/disinterest to look into what the books actually contain and how readers may respond to it.

[Also I just realised after typing all this that he could have meant the Netflix show, which imo wasn't as good but I think my point still stands?]

[katelynnwrites]

Somewhere In The Haze (Got A Sense I’d Been Betrayed) | Ona Batlle

warnings: angst

word count: 2352

summary: your sweet dream with ona is over

chosen song: the great war by taylor swift

a/n: chapter 1/6 of you were bigger than the whole sky (you were more than just a short time)

It was the start of the end really, when you’d proposed to Ona only to have her turn you down and leave shortly after.

It had been a last ditch, desperate attempt to give the love of your life, someone you had once known like the words to a favourite song, the something she’d been searching for. Only it wasn’t what she was searching for and it brought about the loss of well, pretty much everything you had ever known.

Just like that the sweet dream (that you once thought would be your reality) was over.

******

You had just stepped into a cafe when your past makes the most heartstopping of moments, in the form of a rather clumsy woman who bumps into you.

It takes you less than a second to recognise her, all too familiar chocolate brown eyes meeting yours.

Ona was always a heartstopper for you but now when it was least likely that you would see her again? It nearly makes you fall over.

Luckily (or unluckily) for you, Ona is there to catch you.

‘You okay am-?’

It’s only because of your sheer embarrassment that your fellow Spaniard’s slip of tongue goes unnoticed.

‘Y-yeah I’m fine.’ You stammer, twisting out of her hold and stepping back rapidly.

Her hand on your back was bringing back too many memories so you cast a glance back at her and run.

******

Millie is the first person you call, shaky sobs punctuating your words as you tell her who you had run into.

The English woman comes over immediately, enveloping you in a tight hug and letting you cry.

She rocks you back and forth, murmuring soothing words until you exhaust yourself.

There’s no more tears from you, just a question that you voice fragilely, ‘Why is she back?’

******

That question is answered when you wake in the morning and find a text from the one person who used to be your everything (it hurt you endlessly that she still is despite all she had done).

(Ona) 08:17

‘Hola. Can we talk please?’

Sighing, you rub your temple before typing out an answer. This was going to backfire, you just knew it.

(You) 09:23

‘Ok.’

Ellipses appear immediately and you frown, wondering if she had been glued to her phone and waiting for your answer.

(Ona) 09.23

‘Gracias. Will that cafe at 11am today be alright?’

(You) 09.24

‘Sí.’

Once upon a time, you would have replied to her texts with a lot more words and a lot more enthusiasm.

******

It’s in the middle of summer that your fourteen year old self checks your phone to see a message from your girlfriend.

(Ona) 15.07

‘Mi vida do you want to come over? I miss you.’

(You) 15.08

‘Oni we just saw each other this morning.’

���But yes I miss you too.’

(Ona) 15.08

‘Yes!’

‘Does this mean you’re coming over now?’

(You) 15.09

‘Sí.’

‘Is the other reason you’re so excited for me to go over because you need help with your homework?’

(Ona) 15.09

‘No…’

(You) 15.09

‘You sure?’

(Ona) 15.10

‘Okay yes but it’s science and you know how much I don’t like it.’

‘I’ll bribe you with kisses?’

‘Please mi amor?’

(You) 15.11

‘I knew it. I’m already on my way :)’

(Ona) 15.11

‘Muchas gracias.’

******

Now thirteen years later, you don’t text Ona to let her know you’re on your way.

You simply show up at the Barcelona player’s requested timing and settle yourself at a small table in the corner. It would be a big lie on your part, if you were to say you weren’t nervous.

This cafe is around the corner from your place (the place that you and Ona used to share) and you have been a regular here for years.

It was purely an accident that you’d discovered the little cafe but the unassuming neutral decor, book shelves and square tables set with mismatched mason jars holding two or three wildflowers was an environment that you had felt at ease in immediately.

This was the place you and Ona used to eat brunch at, when you had the rare day off.

It pulls you out of your head, when you see her standing in front of you, an anxious smile on her face as she softly asks, ‘Is this seat taken?’

Ona’s face was once as familiar to you as your own. You had known every freckle, every dimple (had even pressed your lips onto each one of them, once upon a time) that she had called hers.

Now, you didn’t. You haven’t even properly seen her face in almost three years. It was part of your ‘No Ona’ rule.

The ‘No Ona’ rule had been brought into existence one night after you had broken down sobbing when an Instagram post featuring Ona from Barcelona had shown up on your feed.

In summary, the ‘No Ona’ rule meant that you unfollowed her, the Spanish national team and Barcelona on all your social medias to prevent more breakdowns on your part.

It included your teammates not mentioning Ona as long as you were within earshot. It had also resulted in you taking down every post that showed Ona from your social medias (there were a lot. and they now resided in your archive because deleting them was an unbearable idea).

This removal of photos was reflected in your apartment too (those photos were in a box hidden deep in your closet because like the digital photos, you could not bear to get rid of them permanently).

So having not seen Ona properly in years, it’s predictable that you stare speechless at her for a moment, a moment long enough that Ona begins to look unsure of herself.

Shaking your head quickly, you gesture for the fullback to take a seat, still not trusting yourself to form coherent sentences.

‘Thanks.’ Ona says.

It seems that Ona too, can’t look away, her brown eyes fixed on yours as she sits.

She fiddles with the strings of her cream hoodie until she awkwardly breaks the silence with a tiny, ‘Hi.’

If it were in the circumstances of before (there would only ever be one before for you), you would have laughed at her cuteness.

In the after, you respond in like, giving her a quiet, ‘Hola.’

The painful silence resumes and you silently thank the waiter that interrupts to take your coffee orders.

‘I’ll just take a hot chocolate please.’

Ona’s lips quirk up into a smile once the waiter leaves, ‘You still don’t drink coffee.’

You take her cue, smiling slightly as you answer, ‘I don’t.’

‘How are you?’

‘I’m good.’

‘How have you been?’

‘I’m good too.’

Ona’s smile falters and you know exactly what she’s thinking because you’re thinking it too.

Fuck this is painful.

******

Conversations with Ona are your favourite thing.

Sharing kisses with her is a close second and laying with your head in her lap as she plays with your hair is third.

At sixteen and having all three with her in this moment, you think you might just be about to float with happiness.

‘Mi amor did you know that raccoons have feet that can rotate 180°?’

‘No I didn’t, thank you for sharing that with me baby.’

Ona plants a little kiss on your lips and you grin.

No matter what either of you said, it was never awkward between both of you.

******

The former Manchester United player swallows hard. She reaches her hand across the table before remembering and stopping herself.

‘I’m sorry for bumping into you yesterday.’ She tries.

‘It’s fine.’ You answer but an emotion you can’t quite describe flashes across Ona’s face.

‘No. No it’s not.’

‘No?’

Ona shakes her head.

‘I’m sorry. I had this all rehearsed but it’s coming out all wrong.’

She looks close to tears and you reach out to grab her hand.

‘Take your time.’

The Spaniard flinches but quickly recovers, bringing her free hand up to cover yours.

‘Gracias.’ She whispers.

Withdrawing your hand, you wait patiently for her to compose herself.

‘It’s been a while.’ Ona starts.

You hum in acknowledgement. (a while was a gross understatement, it had been forever)

******

Being separated from Ona was something you hated.

From the moment you met, you had never once been separated for more than a day. Except for the time you went on a family holiday to Italy and after Ona suffered her ankle injury in the U20 World Cup.

For the first, you had called whenever you could and texted pretty much constantly, to the point where your parents had joked that they should have simply invited her along.

For the second, being separated from Ona for three weeks was agony. You missed her so badly that if it wasn’t for your dedication to your teammates and your determination to win it for your injured girlfriend, you would have gone home to her.

Those three weeks without her had been forever then.

If you’d told your nineteen year old self that you would have spent the last three years apart from Ona, she would have been absolutely sure you were crazy.

******

It’s your turn to almost cry, blinking at the table in an attempt to keep the tears at bay.

‘It’s been a while and I-I’ll be in England for a bit. More specifically, I’ll be in Manchester for a bit.’

‘Oh.’ You stare blankly at her, wondering what possible reason she could have to return. It certainly wasn’t for you because you weren’t enough for her all those years ago, so why would you be now?

‘Escúchame please. I won’t be in your way, I’ll make sure our paths never cross if you want so. If I meet up with your current teammates, my old United teammates, I’ll make sure it won’t concern you.’ Ona rushes out.

‘Ona-’

‘I promise.’ She swears, without waiting for you to finish.

‘Ona you don’t have to do that.’

‘My friends, they’re your friends too and it would be unfair of me to keep you from seeing them just because we broke up. I don’t want us to have to be the kind of exes that have to geographically divide the city.’

The woman sitting across from you stares in shock. She hadn’t expected you to be so nice to her. Then again Ona should never have doubted you, your kindness knew no limits, even when she knew she didn’t deserve it.

******

‘Want to share my granola bar? We can split it in half if you’re hungry?’

The offer startles the smaller girl sitting beside you (in the years to come, Ona shoots up to become taller than you).

She looks up, brown eyes wide as she questions, ‘Are you sure? I don’t want you to be hungry too.’

‘I’m sure. I won’t be, I promise.’ You nod at her rapidly, willing her to accept the snack. All your other new teammates were eating too and you didn’t want the pretty girl with freckles to feel left out (you might have been only twelve but she’s the prettiest girl you’ve ever seen).

‘Okay.’ She shyly agrees and you smile, breaking the granola bar in two so that she can have half.

‘Gracias.’ She smiles, gently taking it from you.

In between nibbles of the small snack, you get her to open up and learn that her name is Ona and that she loves cheetahs.

******

It’s that memory that has you shocking Ona further.

‘Can we go on a date?’

Your ex nearly spits out her mouthful of coffee.

‘W-What?’ She chokes out.

‘Friend dates Ona. You were my best friend before you were my girlfriend. I’ve missed that. I miss you and if you are going to be in Manchester…I’d like to get to know you again.’ You clarify.

This was definitely silly, reckless (and possibly astronomically stupid) of you but you needed to try. You needed to understand why she left you like she did.

Your heart rate increases as you wait for her to respond. Here you were, putting yourself out again, risking your already broken heart.

******

‘Ona? Please just come to bed.’ You beg.

Your twenty four year old girlfriend was curled on the couch, staring unblinkingly at the wall opposite.

It had been like this for weeks now. Ona had pulled away and stopped touching you. She stopped kissing you, stopped talking to you and now, wouldn’t share the same bed as you (in the days to come, she stops looking at you).

You couldn’t sleep without her but like with each previous development, you respected her space.

Despite how much pain you were in, you gave her what she wanted.

There was no warning, no indication that she would start pulling away. It was just one less thing every day. (until eventually there was nothing)

‘Mi amor please. Please.’

Your voice cracks on the last word. There are tears falling down your cheeks now but your girlfriend doesn’t respond. She doesn’t even look up.

As you let out a sob and walk back to your bedroom, you come to the heartbreaking realisation that you’d lost her.

That was the night you really knew you had lost her.

******

Ona scans your face, looking for any sign of the anger and resentment that should be there.

Instead, all she finds is resignation, sorrow and hurt, under the anxiety that you show as you wait for her answer.

Above all that though, she can see hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe you could get to know each other again.

In an instant, Ona’s mind is made up. She can’t find it in herself to inflict any more suffering on you and this olive branch that you were extending, it gave her the chance to attempt to make things up to you (she was determined to do everything she possibly could to try).

‘I’d like that.’

The soft words and the matching soft smile on her face makes that little glimmer of hope that you have, glow.

Spanish Translations:

amor - love

hola - hi/hello

gracias - thank you

sí - yes

mi vida - my life

muchas gracias - thank you so much

escúchame - listen to me

[silence-between-seconds]

Hey there, love

I'm Sirius and this is my attempt at an intro post. anyway, you can call me siri ;)

pick any pronouns from: he/she/they || I'm genderfluid || INFJ

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Sooooooo, if you wanna know, here it goes

Gonna tell you there's a part of me that shows, if we're close

Gonna let you see everything

But remember that you asked for it

I'll try to do my best to impress,

But it's easier to let you take a guess at the rest

But you wanna hear what lives in my brain and my heart

Well, you asked for it

For your perusin', at times confusin'

Hopefully amusin', introducing me<3

I've never

really been into cars,

I like really cool guitars and superheroes

And checks with lots of zeros on 'em

I love the sound of violins

And makin' someone smile

(yes I just inserted a disney song to introduce myself. go listen to it if you want it's called Introducing Me by nick jonas)

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my life motto is "do no harm but take no shit". That's right, I have my wise moments.

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I'd say this mood board just about sums up my personality, except, as all humans are, I'm obviously more complex than that.

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@her-midas-touch is a poet and wrote this for me hehe:

Run out of metaphors great enough, my fingers paint a wraith

To faint to capture essence, mere shimmery traces of feelings

Every cheshire cat smile, every whirlwind idea, every leap of faith for every apathetic eye, missing the moment, is a soul

that sings

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩💐

click here for the playlist on Spotify by my lovely siv @good-oldfashioned-lover about what my soul is supposedly made of.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩💐

this is my ao3 acc feel free to check it out

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩💐

feel free to interact<3 promise to advice/ listen if you wanna vent/ hyperfixations

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩💐

lovely mutuals:

@good-oldfashioned-lover @her-midas-touch@daydream-of-a-wallflower@hermioneswifeee@literallytoogaytofunction@lilbeanz@reisbackinblack@dementorfromazkaban@deprivedofbraincellsandsleep@starryrain@lizluvscupcakes@urbanflorals @accio-sriracha@siriusly-remu@werewolfenthusiast@none-of-it-was-accidental@feelin-sad-and-gay@jaylienpotter@illustratinglaura @nothingtoseeherebyeexx @silverscreenlipstick @moonysversion @mochami-mochi @sleepinginmygrave @icarus-last-fall @a-beautiful-fool @shuhuaspookie @xi-phos @here-for-a-good-time-hopefully @stars-over-ice-cream @kaaaaaaarf @re-is-back-in-black@rookofthekingom@toxik-angel@marylily-my-beloved@good-oldfashioned-lover-girl

(i hope i got everyone?)

mess with my friends and I will hurt you :)

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Things I love:

singing, marauders era, any and all kinds of art, poetry, books, fanfiction, the harry potter fandom (jkr can piss off tho), arctic monkeys, k-pop (bts, txt, svt, skz, treasure and a few more bands), renne rapp, taylor swift's music, conan gray, plushies, the moon, the stars, basically space, chai, biking, CHOCOLATE, nature, writing, badminton, musical instruments and a million little nothings

currently listening to: space girl by Frances Forever

fav authors/books: ruskin bond, the alchemist, ronald dahl, to kill a mockingbird, memoirs of sherlock holmes, and many more im too lazy to type out. ok look i love reading but the last thing i read was definitely on ao3

movies/shows: Heartstopper, Red white and royal blue, Loki, hazbin hotel, helluva boss, Night at the Museum, Marvel (not sucha fan of mcu), highschool musical (2 is my fav), Luca (2021) and most other pixar and disney movies, (i love animated movies so much)

bollywood has only managed to make a select few good movies out of which im absolutely crazy about like znmd, dangal and super 30

DNIs don't work so I guess I'll just say: fuck around and find out :)

this video made by the wonderful @urbanflorals is so me, i wanted to add it<3

alright ty for visiting my blog, you are welcome to stay

Toodles<3

[oatflatwhite]

very brief heartstopper s2 takeaways bc i watched it in one sitting and now it is my bedtime:

ACE by angela chen. I screamed when i first saw it in the shot of isaac and james putting together the display table and then when isaac picked it up finally my heart SOARED. I just read this book and wrote a whole ass essay about being aroace using it, so to see it there on my tv... just made me so beyond happy. And to just HEAR the words aromantic asexual spoken on mainstream tv... yeah 💜🤍🖤💚

On a lighter note, nick's "mon amour" took me OUT

EVERYTHING about mr ayaji and mr farouk was absolutely SPLENDID

I loved imogen's reaction to nick's coming out. It was so far from perfect but it was so real. I loved how she was included in their group as the show went on and i love! The idea of her and sahar! Hello!!!

The tori v. david smackdown on the staircase. Glorious no notes

THE SEVEN NEEDLEDROP. MY FAVOURITE TS TRACK OF ALL TIME. YES OK. OK OK OK. AND I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU I THINK YOUR HOUSE IS HAUNTED YOUR DAD IS ALWAYS MAD AND THAT MUST BE WHY I THINK YOU SHOULD COME LIVE WITH ME AND WE CAN BE PIRATES AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO HIDE.

Also circling back to isaac, him reading summer bird blue after the art exhibition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And him in shakespeare and co took me out i love that boy sm

just, like, things that jumped out to me RIGHT AWAY after that first watch. I did love the whole season so so so SO much. but had to note these first thoughts down!!!!!

[spicysix]

📖 robin's russian dictionary - send me this emoji + a word, song, prompt or scenario + a character or ship and i'll write you a ficlet!

I'd love to see what you'd do with eddie munson and soulmate au

ok this is like A BILLION YEARS LATE. i'm so sorry LSKDLAKSDSAK but it's finally here! thank you so much for the request and hope you'll like this 💖

word count: 2.9k

warnings: gn reader, college!AU, no backstories mentionings so you can imagine it whenever you'd like. other than that, all fluff, no warnings

author's note: title from 'Ready To Start' by Arcade Fire. scene inspired by Tara and Darcy's meeting in Heartstopper. not proofread, sorry if there's any mistakes!

soulmate prompt: identifying marks (first words said to each other)

Eddie hasn’t always hated his soulmark.

When little, he didn’t understand, of course. Didn’t understand why his dad would glare angrily at the two words, or why his mom would gaze at them sadly. It didn’t help that they weren’t soulmates, had never found their other halves and lived frustrated by it.

As he grew older and figured himself out, understood which clothes he felt comfortable wearing, which songs he liked listening to, which haircut fit him better — then he learned to dislike the soulmark.

As he grew older and people would call him that on the streets, tell him he’d be just like his father, words spat out in pure despise, as he learned to hate his dad and want nothing more than to be nothing like him — then he learned to hate the soulmark.

First of all, he liked metal, okay. He was a metalhead, his style was completely different from what they’d call him. He hated that all boys who didn’t wear polo shirts, all girls who didn’t twirl on long skirts — they were all tossed into the same little box. How choosing not to conform to the norm meant they’d all be tossed aside.

And he was nothing like his dad.

So, yeah, Eddie hasn’t always hated his soulmark, the faded words on his wrist waiting to be spoken out loud by that special someone to shine as gold as the sun. But, as he grew older, he learned to hate that “Hey punk” with all of his being.

*

You haven’t always resented your soulmark.

When little, you didn’t understand, of course. Didn’t understand why your parents shared a weird look when you showed the word to them for the first time. It didn’t help that they were soulmates themselves, and the look they’d give to their own golden soulmarks was much different and fond.

As you grew up and noticed how many times people said that, how many times you’d grow hopeful only to be turned down again, how many times you heard the word until it stopped sounding like a word at all — then you learned to resent the soulmark.

So, yeah, you haven’t always resented your soulmark, the faded word on your wrist waiting to be spoken out loud by that special someone to shine as gold as the sun. But, as you grew older, you learned to resent that “Sorry” with all of your being.

*

The first time Eddie sees you is in Introduction To Music Theory with professor Marsh, his first of many Tuesdays learning all the theory he doesn’t have — not when he learned to play guitar with nothing but his ears, his nights watching bands at The Hideout and an everlasting hyperfocus. Professor March introduces you as his PA. You have a huge cup of coffee in hands and you don’t spare a single word to the class, only nods and sits somewhere in the back. Not really approachable, Eddie thinks. You don’t see him.

The second time Eddie sees you is at the cafeteria nearest to the Music Building. It’s the very next day, Wednesday, and there you are buying a huge cup of coffee to handle the day. Still looking tired, and still looking a little grumpy. You don’t see him.

The third time Eddie sees you is later that week, Saturday, at his first official college party. It’s a welcome party of sorts, and Chrissy had befriended a few frat idiots who thought they had a chance with her — her, a raging homosexual — and invited her and whoever else she wanted to bring to their party. She invited Eddie, and Eddie wanted to know the local scene, so he goes. You are there, a few friends by your side, as you sway to the rhythm of the music playing, and you don’t look tired or grumpy. You have a huge smile on your face, and you throw your head back to laugh at something a dude by your side says, and the cup in your hand has a mix of vodka and some weird juice instead of coffee. You look beautiful. You don’t see him.

The fourth time Eddie sees you is next Monday. You see him then.

*

The first time you see him, a Tuesday, is in Introduction To Music Theory with professor Marsh, where you are the PA — out of obligation only, because you hate the man. Doesn’t help that you hadn’t rested all summer, having to work your ass off to pay the goddamn tuition that is still way too expensive even with your scholarship. The coffee you had bought isn’t doing the miracle you need to look alive. But he stood out, 8 AM in the late summer wearing a cropped Metallica tee and a heavy leather jacket on top. He has long, voluminous hair, curly in a cloud of frizz, and that is what you stare at for the whole class. Aside from the introduction made by professor Marsh, he doesn’t see you.

The second time you see him, the very next day on Wednesday, he is a few people behind you in line at the cafeteria closest to the Music Building. The wall behind the counter is a floor-to-ceiling mirror, and you notice that head of curls entering through the doors instantly after requesting your double espresso. He is reading something on a paper, head down. He doesn’t see you.

The third time you see him, that weekend on Saturday, is at a random frat party. You brother wants to join the frat, and so he dragged you — and you dragged your friends. It isn’t all bad. Especially not after you see him sharing a joint with a pretty blonde in the backyard. They are talking and he has a soft smile on his lips the whole time, black eyeliner and a different Metallica cropped tee, and the moon is out and bright and it shines in his eyes. He looks beautiful. He doesn’t see you.

The fourth time you see him is next Monday. He sees you then.

Third week of the semester, campus still bright and charged with all the energy from a brand new class and its cheerful freshmen. You’ve only been here for a year, but you miss the excitement of being new to College life, and so you bask in it as you walk past the groups of freshmen joyfully sharing their experiences.

The hallways of the Music building are filled with posters of people trying to find companions to form a band, or bands looking for new members; contests and competitions and shows and concerts. It’s all so very refreshing. Aside from that, though, it’s fairly empty of people. You like to go to the Music Room and practice at late nights, the last hour or two before the room is closed by the janitors.

You see, as you turn at the right hallway, that the light on the Music Room is on, so you figure you’ll have company. You don’t mind, not everyone goes there to practice on an instrument, and even if they do, you could easily practice together — you like to get to know new musicians from time to time.

But as you turn and walk through the door, you are almost tackled by whoever is leaving the room. You feel pain rushing through your shoulder and notice nothing but the little metal pointy pins on the person’s jeans vest that had almost pierced through your skin.

“Hey, punk!” you complain, taking account of the black combat boots and tight skinny jeans as well, fitting the whole menacing look.

You almost miss as the person says quietly, at the same time as you basically yell at them: “Sorry.”

Nobody told you how painful it was. You forget easily about the sting on your shoulder as your wrist starts to burn. In the very back of your mind, you find it funny how the huge romanticization of soulmarks made everyone market the first encounter as something warm and delicate. It isn’t, you notice. It burns like hell, and you want to rip your skin off.

In the whole fuss that happened — them stumbling into you, you stumbling into the room, them turning around to apologize, and the two of you thrown completely off your heads because of your soulmate encounter — they made a big mistake.

They stepped back in shock, and kicked the door weight that held the door open. Still a little hazed, you failed to notice that happening, and the click of the door closing and locking is what brings you back to reality.

“Shit!” you complain, looking through their shoulder to the now locked door. “Shit, shit, shit, shit!” you circle around yourself and hide your face under your hands. You want to scream.

“I know I’m no Jude Law, but am I that ugly?” you hear them joking, and only then do you actually look at their face.

It is him.

You feel your eyes widening and cheeks burning, because it is him and you’ve noticed him ever since you first saw him, you’ve been noticing him around all week, and he’s your soulmate.

His word is burned into your wrist. You words are burned into his.

“No! No, you’re not bad at all,” you say before your think, and the blush on his ears is adorable. “Is just- the door is faulty, if it closes it locks and only opens from the outside. And now we’re stuck here, probably for a couple of hours until the janitors come close the building, or maybe until the morning.”

He looks behind him to the door as you speak, taking in the information.

“Until morning?” he asks as he turns back to look at you, clearly alarmed.

“I can’t guarantee that the janitor will go through the hallway,” you point at the door. “Let’s hope he does.”

“Shit, shit, shit indeed,” he mutters and you bite back a smile.

Your wrist is still burning. Sorry. His probably is too. Hey, punk!

“Sorry for calling you a punk. Just felt the little pins and went with it,” you point again, now at the spiky pins on his jacket and he looks down to assess them. His ears are still pink.

“Oh. It’s… okay.”

He looks at you again, deeply into your eyes and you notice how big they are. So brown. Round. Like a little cow’s, very doe. You could get lost in them.

You do.

“Sorry, what?” you question after you notice he had asked you something as you stared at him.

He smirks, “I asked your name. I’m Eddie.”

Eddie. Eddie, your soulmate.

You give him your name too and his smirk turns to something softer, less teasing.

“Nice to finally meet you,” he says your name and there’s a chill that runs down your spine.

“Yeah,” you answer. “Been a couple of decades in the waiting.”

He chuckles and looks around.

The Music Room is wide and prepared to be used by the Music students. The walls are thick and covered in soundproof foam. It has a few chairs, a table near the door and the only instrument that stays there is a piano. That’s your instrument.

You look at Eddie then and sees that he’s holding a guitar case.

He notices you looking. He heads to the table and opens the case on top of it. It’s a beautiful B. C. Rich Warlock, and you come closer to see it better.

“Isn’t she amazing?” he asks and you nod. “The love of my life, really.” You both chuckle. “I reckon you play piano since you’re empty handed?”

You answer positively and he asks about it. So you tell him how your interest on pianos arose with your father, how you took classes all through school, how it felt like your fingers were made to play the keys. How the world dissipated when you played, how you felt like you could do it for hours, how you’d pour your entire soul out through music.

“That’s how I feel too,” he says, running his finger through the guitar strings. “We should jam it out!” He looks at you with those big brown eyes glimmering and you can’t say no.

It’s hard to find a song that matches both your musical tastes, but you’re able to settle on Bowie’s Space Oddity after a little back and forth. While you’re settling into the piano and Eddie is dragging one of the chairs to sit closer to you, you ask him about his own interest in guitar.

He tells you how he’s grown up to his mother playing acoustics, and how it was something that he cherished between him and her. The good memories about her that playing brought up. How, after she passed away and he went to live with her brother, Uncle Wayne, he taught Eddie how to play so he could still remember her and the music they loved together.

Looking at it from an outsider’s point of view, it might seem weird how you both so easily talked about yourselves to literal strangers. And, maybe it was the lingering burn in your wrist, but it felt right. Opening up to him made sense in a way that tingled your belly, and listening to him being vulnerable in return made your heart flutter.

Maybe fate knew what it was doing, after all.

It took you both a while to settle into the right tempo for the song, because you’re into the slow pace and Eddie’s as electric as his guitar. But, just as naturally as everything else so far, you fit into the same rhythm at a point, and the music you make together sounds like the most beautiful one your ears have ever heard. You smile your way through eight minutes and you can’t look at him without losing your cadence but somehow you feel that he’s just as radiant as you. The song builds, and your heartbeat accelerates with it, and it’s like a weight that’s been over your shoulder for so long suddenly drops.

When you finish playing, you’re both panting as if you just played an entire concert.

You look at him and the way his eyes shimmer just for you feels like a promise, and you want to take it, and you want to keep it.

You both get up from your seats at the same time and are instantly drawn to each other. Your wrist isn’t burning, not anymore, it’s just a tingling feeling and for the first time you acknowledge it.

You bring your arm up and you look at it. Sorry. It’s golden, and it’s beautiful, and you suddenly want to cry. You peek at Eddie and he’s also beaming at your soulmark. He also raises his arm, pushes his sleeve up and there it is. Hey punk. It’s golden, and it’s beautiful.

“This is funny. I used to hate it,” he whispers, and you’re standing so close together that you hear it just fine.

“So did I,” you trace your soulmark with the tip of your finger, and in an instant Eddie’s finger is tracing it with you. His touch is delicate through the roughness of the calluses and you want to feel it forever.

“I don’t hate it anymore. This is also funny, but it changed instantly. It’s like I never hated it in the first place.”

You look up at him again, and he’s already looking at you. You’re both smiling, and you can’t shake the feeling that this should be terrifying but it just isn’t. You get it, you understand what he’s saying. It does feel instant, immediate, and it should unsettle you. But it doesn’t. It just feels like a breath of fresh air. Meant to be.

You’re interrupted when the door opens.

You try to recall the janitor’s name, but your brain’s feeling fuzzy and surrounded by nothing but Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. Your soulmate.

“Got locked in?” the janitor asks once you and Eddie turn to face him. He’s got an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips and a knowing look in his eyes. “By accident or…”

“Accident. I’m a freshman, didn’t know about the door,” Eddie says. He takes the lead and walks back to the table, puts his guitar back on its case and closes it. Heads to the door and holds it open. The janitor is still smirking. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. Saw the light under the door and thought it was weird. Good that I came to check in, or you would’ve been stuck here all night.”

Wouldn’t have been that bad, you think. But you just smile as you gather your purse and walks until you’re standing beside Eddie. The janitor steps back and waits by the corridor for you two to leave so he can finally do his job and lock the building.

You look at your soulmate. He’s already looking at you.

“Are you ready?” Eddie asks, keeping the door open for you. His eyes are burning into yours and there’s a ghost of a smile on his lips. He looks hopeful. The hand not holding the door twitches and you wonder if he wants to offer it for you to hold. You’d accept it.

You know his question is about more than just leaving the room where you’ve been trapped for a while. It’s about meetings, and golden soulmarks, and fate, and new beginnings. It’s about the love of your life, the life you’ll live together, and if you’re willing to give that a chance.

You don’t have to think about it too much.

“Yes. I’m ready,” you answer and his smile widens. You reach out first, and his hand is warm when your fingers intertwine. You know it’s the first time of many that you’ll hold his hand.

You’re looking forward to the future.

[moonlitlex]

on one hand i'm very happy for the queer teens who have a cute fluffy romance show because i didn't as a kid but also something about heartstopper is just... off?

for the record i read and enjoyed the webcomic and i enjoyed s1 too but this season really just felt like it was a checklist of things that they need the characters to do.

like. honestly most of these ppl don't have any chemistry but they still get paired up anyway. SO many people get paired up that it kind of seems like everyone in the writers room was going ok fuck what do we do with this character. who do we pair them up with.

isaac doesnt and he's aro/ace and like that's great and all but like. don't you think it's kinda fucked up that literally the ONLY person in the main cast who isn't already in a relationship or an extremely homoerotic friendship is. the aro guy. like yeah aro rep but in the show about teens you'd think they'd show a teenager just being single and not being a bitter mess like ben or something.... why can't someone just be single??? why does everyone have to pair off?? they're kids???

ik the teachers were together in the comic or whatever too but like jeez when they kissed i was like oh my god EVERYONE. like seriously everyone. isn't there a single person in this show who is single. can't the teachers at least date some unrelated 3rd party. this density of couples is just unrealistic at this point

i genuinely feel like no one here has a distinct personality. they're mostly queer and they've all got this nervous energy which is fine for some characters but that's like everyone that we're spending time with. they're all just nervous about stuff. i know they're in high school but it's just so.... bland idk. i literally had an anxiety disorder in hs and even i would've been telling these ppl to relax and please do something else that's not you being romantic or you being nervous.... there needs to be more to the characters

and like idk. it doesn't feel very gay. ik thats a nebulous criticism but its kinda like love simon like yeah it was cute and i did eat that shit up at the time but it feels like... very much like a non queer persons take on queerness.

edit: also want to add i am aware that alice oseman is aroace and therefore very much not a non queer person. i also think that queer people are very capable of writing extremely bland and boring characters with nothing to them but their sexuality

[mylleactually]

i think one of the most important things about heartstopper is how people arent afraid to use the word lesbian. we have a lot of shows that simply change the word lesbian for gay, and isnt the same thing. first of all, lesbian couples are so much invalidated all the time, and use the word is very important to show that isnt a dirty word. its ok call yourself as a lesbian person if u are. shows like atypical, never have i ever and one million other works still use the word gay when referring to lesbians. im not saying these series are bad, but it sucks when u see situations like that.

[daisiesonafield-blog]

Adam Lambert would like everyone to tone down the hostility about a hundred notches, please.

The current Queen frontman addressed the “queerbaiting” accusations leveled against Harry Styles and other musicians, saying he doesn’t think they hold much water, in an interview with British outlet iNews this week. 

“I get the concern,” Lambert allowed. “But OK, so if you’re a gay man and you like Harry Styles, do you like him because he has a rainbow flag on stage or because you like his songs? Is the rainbow flag not just icing on the cake?”

Automatically labeling looks and performances that aren’t cisheteronormative as queerbait is “almost underestimating the intelligence of gay people,” Lambert went on.

“We’re not that gullible, are we?” Lambert asked rhetorically. “I think people just like to find things to bitch about.”

“Queerbaiting” is a term that usually describes films and shows that tease LGBTQ+ storylines, but back off at the last second — like, say, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done several times, see: Loki. It’s also been used to refer to acts like the infamous Russian pop duo t.A.T.u., where industry executives fabricated a lesbian couple out of two straight women to pander to straight men. But in recent years, some have also used the term to accuse celebrities who are not publicly LGBTQ+ of manipulating their fans and using queer aesthetics to boost sales.

That kind of argument is more cynical and can often turn into friendly fire for anyone who’s still closeted. After being relentlessly hounded on social media last year for being seen holding hands with a girl on set, Heartstopper’s Kit Connor announced he was bisexual and swiftly deleted his account. “congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself,” Connor wrote. “i think some of you missed the point of the show.” 

Styles himself remains unbothered, calling the discourse around him “outdated” in interviews last year. “I’ve been really open with it with my friends, but that’s my personal experience; it’s mine,” the “As It Was” singer explained. Everyone is, after all, allowed to tell everybody or nobody about who or how they love — and to make schlock like My Policeman.

-Full article. Link here.

[binnieceo]

One thing that i was thinking about is that someone once told me that they are against freedom of writing (especially in fanfics) and said "some things should be censored, but not all of them" but like... that is impossible and opens the gateway to so many bad things!

Like. Let's say that you have the power to censor whatever you want (books, fanfics tv shows, every type of media is included here, but i'll just say books for the sake of simplicity).

Ok, great! First thing we are going to censor is books with age gaps. Now ANY book with ANY type of age gap has been censored. This includes books with 2 year age gaps and even books like Lolita.

"But wait!" You say, "Lolita is a bad bok because it depicts pedophilia!"

Oh really? Then let's censor all books talking about pedophilia. It doesn't matter if it's a fictional story or educational, written solely to teach others about what it is and the harm it can do.

"But wait!" You cry, "scientific books that teach about this subject shouldn't be censored!"

Too late! The government has not only censored scientific books, it also censored books that teach sex ed. After all, anyone who tries to teach children about sex are pedophiles, right? And you wanted to censor books that talk about it!

So why don't we censor books that talk about sexuality next? Censor queer people. Why not just censor books that talk about gender identity too while we are at it?

"But wait!" You cry, louder this time, "cute stories like heartstopper shouldn't be censored and taken off the shelves!"

Too late! Anything that is remotely queer has been censored to protect the kids! Good job! Now we're left only with the most puritanist, 1800's, bible stuff to read!

And all because you were pro-just-a-little-bit-of-censorship. Isn't that amazing? 🥰 /sarcasm

And what's scary is that this is happening RIGHT NOW. There is a bill going out that will effectively change how we use the internet because they "want to make a safe place for children"

All of your fanfics, from the most fluffiest of fics to the most gruesome darkfics that have killed countless doves will be censored.

All because people don't know how to use the block button.

[sammythetrxnny]

I am going to write a whole thing about the Osemanverse. Read if you dare.

I was born for this is perfect because it shows how much shipping celebrities is NOT OK. the jowan fanfics are showing how terrible this is. Celebrities are people too. Human beings. They have emotions, they have needs, they have their own thoughts. They know what we talk about in the fandoms.

And for Angel's part. I love the Osemanverse just like she loves the Ark. It's crazy. An Osemanverse book describing my love for the Osemanverse. But how she thinks her friends are tired of her because she talks about it all the time. I do the same. And I also have an online bestie.

For Solitaire. I cannot express the emotions this book made me feel. I can relate to both Tori and michael. I am currently waiting 4 weeks for the audiobook to be available on my schools library website. I want to cry my eyes out for these characters again.

And Heartstopper my lovely. Pure perfection on every panel. The details, the story, the dialogue, the characters. Everything. In volume 1 Charlie tries to recover from bullying, not understanding that the trauma isn't going away. And Nick realizes he likes boys, but still has feelings for girls sometimes. He explores bisexuality and finds out he is in love.

Volume 4 is my favorite because I cry my eyes out every single time. If my lovely Charles Francis Spring experiences any discomfort I am in tears. Charlie finds out so much in volume 4 and Nick is trying to help but he doesn't understand that "love can't cure a mental illness".

And last but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST! Radio Silence!!! (My fav) so let's start with Aled. Aled Last is a quiet boy. He doesn't have many friends. He is very smart. He is cool, he is funny, he is more than he thinks he is. He just has an asshole mother. (Sorry for the language but you know it's true). I cannot emphasize the COOL part enough. Aled is the coolest character ever. This boy created a famous podcast and was able to keep it a secret (for a while but then... Yk).

And for Frances. She is so passionate about the things she loves. Universe City is her LIFE. Fanart, fanfics, and a part of every Tumblr tag. Look at my username for God's sake. (I know I spelled it wrong but I only ever listened to the audiobook). Frances is also so smart. I am so angry that this amazing girl didn't get into her university! I was so mad.

Here is a list of characters that can go f*ck themselves:

Carol Last.

Ben Hope(less)

Harry Greene.

Whoever declined Francis's college application.

Lucan Ryan.

David Nelson.

Feel free to add to this list.

(I HAVE NOT FINISHED LOVELESS YET!!)

[flying-elliska]

Why Nick Nelson in Heartstopper is groundbreaking bisexual representation :

I'm sure most of this has been said by now but I was in the mood for fluff so I did a re-watch and like, bi rep is A BIG THING i want to talk about on this blog so I felt I had to lift this draft out of my graveyard of unfinished meta essays and finally finish it :

Very basic but a male bi character who explicitly calls himself bi and not as a stepping stone to another label ? Still unfortunately too rare

It's an old cliché but for a very long time, bisexual characters were presented as manipulative, mentally unstable, unreliable, two faced, flaky, cagey, hiding something, etc ; often con-artists, addicts, liars, cheaters, if not outright psychopaths. Even the positive characters tend to have a ton of secrets, chameleon abilities, hidden pasts, etc. Nick Nelson, meanwhile, is a human golden retriever. Yes he's a bit confused and he makes mistakes, but it's never not obvious that he's a sweetheart who means well and is trying his best to be a good person. He's so protective and gentle towards Charlie, and you can tell that once he figures his shit out he's going to be a dream boyfriend. Also he's kind of basic and a bit of a dumbass at times ? In the most positive, endearing way possible. He's honest and straightforward and reliable, he's not crafty or tricky or slick, and that's just great.

At it's core it's a story about the butterflies in your stomach feeling of first love, a cute and endearing romance - not a genre you often see bi characters in, who used to be confined to stories about raunchy sexual experimentation, threesomes, etc (As a bi teen it's all I got and honestly it contributed to me not taking my own sexuality seriously for so long) Here there's none of that shock/scandal factor - Nick gets to be a little romantic hero that stands in the rain getting drenched because he is so overcome with feelings, like he's replaying Pride and Prejudice. It's adorable and it's humanizing, like good romance is, flaws seen with empathy, characters allowed to be vulnerable and complex and not some spicy episode of the week.

It's not prudish either like the chemistry between the actors is super believable and also - it's so obvious that they are absolutely delighted to be in each other's presence !!! And honestly more romances, queer or straight, should be like this. Like it should be obvious that the characters are just this absolutely giddy at seeing each other and being close - and that's too rare.

Linked to this, having a bi character in a story aimed at younger teen audiences, that is sweet and non explicit - ofc we still need portrayals of queer sexuality, but unfortunately that's all bi people used to get for the longest time, as something considered intrinsically 'more adult' - and that's bullshit ! there are bi kids who need stories like this !!!! And being bi is about love just as much !!! I'm so glad this show exists !!!! Showing that it's okay to take your time with these things and that even holding hands can be a big deal and that's wonderful !

Also related to this - a lot of the more positive bi representation tends to also sort of become this cliché where they're all these flirty, confident, seductive super badasses, often adventurers or superheroes. (Ok I like those characters and the idea that being bi automatically makes you cool tbh). But it's a lot of pressure. Normal regular boring bis also need representation. Nick's not boring, he's a little star athlete, he's probably the coolest character in the show lmao but he's still a regular kid and that's nice.

Which little baby bi hasn't had those feelings about Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom in PotC, huh ? Most relatable moment of the show for me lmfao brilliant - that sense of overwhelming 'oh no they're all hot' is bi culture!!!!! yes!!!

His process of figuring out his sexuality is taken seriously !!!! Man this made me cry a little because - yeah, again, most bi characters nowadays, even when they're good rep, they generally have everything figured out because their sexuality is seen as them being more liberated and enlightened and honestly I think that's kind of problematic, even if well meaning ? It trivializes the particular struggles of being bi, like it's just 'gay-lite' and they end up being mentors of gay characters and side characters whose individual stories are easier, more simple/less interesting and honestly I feel like in reality that's anything but true. Nick gets an episode to confirm that yes, he's still into girls and his feelings for girls earlier are not erased by his attraction to Charlie. Bisexual identity doesn't change or disappear depending on who you are with.

that part with the youtuber explaining that bisexuality at first is often an experience of constantly second guessing yourself !! yeah !! that was so real ! I was in that phase for such a long time, and seeing Nick attain a stage of certainty rather quickly was so nice to see - important also to see that his mother has a sort of reflex to tell him he 'doesn't have to say he's into girls' because bisexuality is generally conceptualized as a stepping stone and he explicitly corrects her. It's a big deal ! And that's important because I feel a lot of bi people feel less valid than gay people and that they have to minimize their own experiences/not make a fuss so as not to appropriate/take attention away from 'real queerness' or something. And that has real consequences in terms of self-image and mental health and community support. So yeah, the narrative giving it weight and time is really groundbreaking. It's just treated with such nuance and respect. It's wonderful.

Honestly in general it's very common for bi people to figure out their sexuality at a later age than their gay peers, because having crushes on the opposite gender means you are less likely to question yourself. Nick needing time to figure things out isn't presented as a bad thing, it's Charlie's specific history of being hurt by this before that makes the situation difficult for him. And the fact that it ties into him also realizing he was just going with the flow not really being true to himself - questioning your sexuality can also have a ricochet effect on how you stand in the world and - yeah I just thought the whole thing was so realistic and true to lived experience.

The reason Nick agrees to go on a date with a girl is not because he's two-timing Charlie but simply because he cares too much about her feelings to let her down in front of everyone or because her dog died (and he brings his dog to console her when he goes to let her down !). His main character flaw is that, by virtue of being a popular, athletic jock, he's oblivious to the shittiness of his friends - you get the feeling that he's a sunny, happy guy used to breezing through life, who probably prefers to get along with everyone, and that might have insulated him from certain realities, but he's still a very caring person. And he tells the truth to Charlie and makes it right pretty quickly. It's a very good send off of the trope of the untrustworthy bisexual who was secretly dating a girl the whole time. Meanwhile Ben, one of the bad guys of the story, who was dating a girl and treating Charlie like shit because he hates himself, and could be a bad bi cliché, isn't given a label, which I think was a smart writing choice.

It's just great queer rep in general because it centers queer joy so powerfully, it's sweet without being saccharine - difficult topics are talked about with nuance, it doesn't hide or minimize real hurt and prejudice, but it gives more time and importance to its characters being happy and giddy and in love and having fun, which makes it feel so safe and soothing to watch. Elle's story is another example of this - her specific experiences as a trans girl who recently changed schools are central to her story, but she also gets to be a regular teen girl who has a complicated crush on her best friend and stresses out about making friends at her new school and gets milkshakes and arcade games with her squad. It's great.

And yeah this general celebration of queer friendship and mutual support is super important to a good bisexual representation too - Nick's amazement and relief at seeing Tara and Darcy kissing publicly - like !!! which closeted baby queer hasn't felt that exhilarating sense of possibility and belonging and yearning and awe at seeing other people being gay and in love in public ! That was so wholesome and beautiful - and him being so eager to talk to them afterwards, adorable. Because being openly yourself often has that sort of domino effect on others. Seeing other people doing it, makes it become real for you, too. I think this is also especially important for bi people, because they tend to be more alienated from the queer community as a whole.

So yeah so much love for this show - I've followed the comics for a long time and they are also wonderful, but the show added its own brand of charm and heart, and I'm so happy it exists. It makes me a bit sad too, nostalgic for an experience I never had, because my own experiences were so different, the reality I grew up in as a bi teen was so much meaner and more bigoted and violent and vulgar and lonely, but even if this show is probably not the reality for a lot of baby bis still, it gives me hope we are moving in the right direction. <3