#i love talking britin

[jacnaylor]

we don't talk about that brian x justin spanking scene enough as a society

[wellcomeoneileen]

As much as I get on my soapbox about Queer as Folk season 4 and 5, season 3 is just sooo good.

Like there’s the individual bits, such as Britin honeymoon period, everyone having their best hair season lolol, the incredible finale scene and wizard-of-ozness, Justin having a well done non-Brian related scenes, the whole noir bits, HUNTER!!

But also just the narrative structure was so good - The first half being all these interpersonal issues that keep our characters in their little groups/couples, and bickering within those pairings, then those “small” issues gradually resolving so the second half is them as a (mostly) united whole facing the external, looming, issues of addiction and institutionalized homophobia.

The entire Ted and Emmett arc where you can’t (and aren’t supposed to) get on board but they’re semi-happy and making it work just for all of Ted’s seasons long issues to catch up to him to create this deeply darkly ironic self-fulfilling prophecy, as everything he said in seasons 1 and 2 about addicts happens to him now (I actually tracked and he “predicted” all the terrible things he did and had done to him :/)

And last, but probably first in all our hearts:

The exquisite characterization written for Brian throughout - we start by really understanding his rationale and drive for working with Stockwell, and it’s this beautiful inner conflict that just reveals so much of his backstory, values, fears, and thought process without ever infodumping on us. Then we move towards his resistance, in character over his stated debonair desire to just be able to fuck, but also showing so much realistic and still in-character growth as he is genuinely resisting by partnering with Justin (lot of layers to that!!) and letting go of his literal and symbolic assets because Brian Kinney decided to actually give a shit, at great cost to his sense of self and his goal of getting tf outta Pitts.

I just think S3 has a lot of payoff from seeds planted in S1 and 2, and structured itself really well :) Plus every character got to shine! (Even the lesbians in QaF's own little way lol)

[livethrushit]

man got hurt so bad he swore off a whole instrument

[briansjustin]

i'm so determined to get through my brian kinney in every episode series of gifsets, so i am sorry in advance if i post several of them in one day!

but also lmk if you have any requests!

[sophsun1]

Do you think Brian ever told Justin that he sat outside his hospital room? Or that he figured or out of he realized Brian had been wearing the scarf the whole time?

Hey!

A britin question it's been a while since I've had one I love talking about them so thanks!

In my own post show canon for me personally I go with the theory that Jennifer will have told Justin at some point because she's seen how much Brian truly loves Justin and she loves Brian too in her own way and was really happy when they got engaged so I can see her telling him. Even though Brian has come a long way emotionally since they first met I still think some things he would keep to himself because he does still find being vulnerable hard sometimes that's just my own opinion. I have read fics where people have had Brian tell him so it's up to your own interpretation I guess.

But to the second part they did address that in the show in 2x02 when Brian takes Justin in to live with him and Justin's still traumatised about being intimate with him post the bashing. We get the scene of Justin finding the scarf under Brian's shirt and the script directions (I made a gifset of them) does address it by referencing "The white scarf stained with blood. Justin looks at it with curiosity than horror. Looks at Brian's face knowing why he's been wearing it."

It kinda goes to the unspoken telepathic connection they have that they can read each other like a book especially Justin with Brian. So even though they might not have voiced it out loud, that scene with Justin finding the scarf and you see Brian look down and away which is to convey that he feels so emotionally exposed that Justin knows he's been wearing it and that it's because of the guilt he feels.

[impala124]

Thanks to the lovely @wellcomeoneileen , Britin is back on the forefront of my obsessive brain.

I know that some people find the age gap between Brian and Justin to be icky and honestly, I get it. I was very sceptical in the beginning and here we are🤷. I've heard people complain that if Justin had been 18 and not 17 when they first met, they would've been okay with it. As if something magically changes in a person once the clock strikes 12 on their 18th birthday 🙄.

This is NOT me adovacating for age-gap relationships or romanticizing them, you do you. But, they do potray an interesting dynamic which is fascinating for me to explore. People are entitled to their own feelings, but I would urge one to dig deeper to understand the nuances being potrayed here.

Let us talk about this scene, Justin was invited to Daphne's birthday party and he refuses to go

Brian : Why? Do you have something better to do?

Justin : Be with you.

Brian : You can always be with me. You practically are.

Justin tries to get a rise out of Brian but fails. Hence, the disappointed face.

Brian : I just want you to enjoy your youth. I know I have.

This conveys to the audience that Brian is very much aware of their age difference and wants Justin to have his own experiences that doesn't include him.Brian Kinney, for all his faults as a partner, is not a hypocrite.

Justin is looking for assurance from Brian that even though they are in an open relationship, he wants to know that what they have is special and different from any sexual encounters they have with others, he wants to feel significant. Brian is trying to offer his own brand of assurance, which flies off Justin's head.

Justin wants words and Brian is showing him actions. Hence, the disconnect and the eventual breakup💔.

Season 3 is a fan favourite, which I get because of the reunion and Stockwell arc, but Season 2 is very underrated. We see Brian and Justin dealing with the aftermath of the bashing in their own ways. It offers a very interesting character study about how they deal with trauma. The season 1 finale was traumatic for Justin, for obvious reasons but not many people talk about Brian's trauma. As I said, very fascinating.

[winderlylandchime]

If you had to sum up QAF in a single paragraph for someone who has been interested in the show, but still hasn't taken the plunge, how would you do it?

I've followed you for months for unrelated reasons, but I'd lie if I said I wasn't curious by seeing so many GIFs of it, and seeing that one anon's brother react to it last year.

Hello dear sweet anon! Wow. I’m so glad my other anon and her brother has piqued your curiosity. And of course @sophsun1 incredible gifs with her wonderful insights.

QAF in one paragraph. This is a challenge.

QAF US 2000 centers on Brian Kinney and his group of friends - gay men (and one lesbian couple) in their late 20s/early 30s. Brian has this godlike persona and is the most desirable gay man in all of Pittsburgh. The show begins on the night that Brian meets Justin - a 17 year old kid who comes to the gay neighborhood in Pittsburgh to explore. That same night, Brian’s son is born (see aforementioned lesbian couple). The show follows the development of Brian and Justin’s relationship as well as their character development through 5 years. The characters are all very human which means you both have affection for them and hate them at different points and sometimes at the same time.

“It’s the greatest love story ever but also most of the characters suck” @kiranerysed

Warnings: the show is very much set in the early 2000s when it aired. The racism, misogyny, bi-erasure, and transphobia is incredibly shocking and would not air today. The binary understanding of gender norms and top/bottom sexual positions is certainly telling of the show’s creators’ beliefs.

Do not watch it streaming on showtime. The show aired well before streaming was a thing and therefore the rights to the music were not secured in perpetuity, or whatever they do now. So the original soundtrack is replaced in some parts. It is a crime. Find it illegally or borrow DVDs or send me a DM.

“Prepare to have Britin (Brian + Justin) take over your goddamn life but also hate half the show’s creative decisions” @kiranerysed

If you do watch it, please feel free to return with your reactions! I love that new folks are still discovering the wonder (and horror) that is QAF. (Honestly if it was perfect would we be so obsessed? No. There would be nothing to talk about!)

[slayerchick303]

I had a vivid QAF dream last night. My brain is so weird.

In the dream, I know instinctually that my best friend is Justin's roommate in New York. I am Brian's coworker and neighbor in Pittsburgh. A movie adapting my best friend's novel is being made in NY. She is going to the mayor to ask for a favor. I warned her that in my experience, politicians would want a favor in return (I've spent literally my entire life around politicians, and this is true, just FYI).

The first thing I see in the dream is Brian and I working on an ad in Brian's loft at night. I get an e-mail from my bestie with a video file, saying I was right about the mayor wanting a favor. I start to play the clip and see Justin in the background. They're in Justin/my friend's apartment with 2 kids talking about some charity work where the kids come visit them after school. At the end of the video, the 2 kids run over to a man on a nearby couch. Justin follows them and kisses the guy sitting on the couch.

Brian is watching the video with me and becomes Mr. Broody McMopey. He won't talk, but I know that he didn't know Justin was seeing anyone, never mind living with a guy as it appeared in the video.

I'm all of a sudden at my friend/Justin's place in New York with Brian. We're celebrating the premiere of my bestie's movie. I know we've all been talking and that Brian, Justin, and Justin's boyfriend have been getting along, even though I haven't seen it in the dream. I can tell that Brian is not handling Justin being in a serious relationship emotionally, though. I can see Brian is absolutely drunk off his ass, but he is hiding it from everyone else well. A guy is really hitting on him, but he's ignoring him.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the room, Justin, his boyfriend, and 2 other guys start making out. At this point in the dream, I'm not really there anymore. It's more like I'm an invisible person watching Brian. Brian is angry as hell. Justin was all dead set on monogamy with him, and here it looks like Justin and his live-in boyfriend are about to start an orgy. Brian tells the guy hanging off him to go join the group about to have sex because he's uninterested. The guy does so, and Justin doesn't even glance in Brian's direction. I didn't actually see what Justin and the guys were doing in my dream after that, I just saw Brian fuming watching them and knew the group was having sex.

Suddenly, Brian and I are outside and it's morning. I know instinctively that we went back to our hotel rooms sometime that night. I tell Brian he looks like shit and he says I do too, but that I always look like shit and I don't even have the excuse of partying. I asked if he was up moping about Justin all night in his room. He says he doesn't mope. I call bullshit and assure him that Justin's relationship won't last with that guy. I promise Brian that I could tell, and that my friend said it was only a matter of time before they broke up.

Brian started to get this smirk on his face, so I cut him off before he could say anything. I told him not to get his hopes up, that as long as Justin wanted what he did and Brian didn't want those things, they were never going to work as a couple. Brian agreed, saying they'd been ridiculous to even try. I got mad, saying I might not understand the whole love thing, but it was never stupid to try.

I don't remember what happened next, but the next thing I know, I'm yelling at Brian on the sidewalk (I'm pretty sure we were still in New York). I'm angry at him that he had promised to tell Justin that his cancer had returned when he was in New York and didn't. I know Brian said something back, but I can't remember what it was because I woke up a second later.

I know a reason for that dream was me writing a Britin fan-fiction before bed. Another was me worrying that my cancer might be out of remission, and I need to be screened again. I'm also in the process of moving. Last night, I saw mugs with my family's political offices they held bullshit on them.

I wouldn't be surprised if my friend's book was made into a movie because it is that good. It's weird that she was in the dream, though, because she is straight and has never seen a single episode of the show. LOL

My brain is a weird, weird, weird place.

[chenfordsrollisi]

Slash Fic Roundup Pt. 2

Note: This is a roundup of all the slash fic I’ve written. Some pairings are canon, some aren’t. The tags on this post will just contain the fandoms. 43 Slash fics. Enjoy, loves. Fandom: Instant Star Pairing: Tommy Quincy/Jamie Andrews Fic: I'm With You

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: Addicted 

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: All I See Is You 

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: Bad Habit

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: It Must Be Love 

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: Into The Unknown

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: No More Waiting

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: Our Own Personal Magic 

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: Talking Is The Hard Part 

Fandom: The Magicians Pairing: Queliot (Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh) Fic: You're My Home

Fandom: The Night Shift Pairing: Drewick (Drew Alister/Rick Lincoln) Fic: Deep Down Inside

Fandom: The Night Shift Pairing: Drewick (Drew Alister/Rick Lincoln) Fic: Never Too Late 

Fandom: The Night Shift Pairing: Drewick (Drew Alister/Rick Lincoln) Fic: Take My Hand

Fandom: The Night Shift Pairing: Drewick (Drew Alister/Rick Lincoln) Fic: Too Good to Be True

Fandom: Noah's Arc Pairing: Wade Robinson/Noah Nicholson Fic: Labels

Fandom: Noah's Arc Pairing: Ricky Davis/Junito Vargas Fic: Once Is Not Enough 

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Brikey (Brian Kinney/Michael Novotny) Fic: A Dream Come True

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: A Last Goodbye

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: Invested

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: It Wasn't You

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: Only This

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: Positive

Fandom: Queer as Folk Pairing: Britin (Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor) Fic: With Eyes Wide Open 

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Kangs (Kevin Keller/Fangs Fogarty) Fic: All of My Tomorrows

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Kangs (Kevin Keller/Fangs Fogarty) Fic: All Wrapped Up In You 

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Kangs (Kevin Keller/Fangs Fogarty) Fic: Hope For Us

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Kangs (Kevin Keller/Fangs Fogarty) Fic: In the Moment

Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico Pairing: Malex (Michael Guerin/Alex Manes) Fic: A Kiss Goodbye

Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico Pairing: Malex (Michael Guerin/Alex Manes) Fic: Feel Anything at All 

Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico Pairing: Malex (Michael Guerin/Alex Manes) Fic: Never Let This Go

Fandom: Roswell, New Mexico Pairing: Malex (Michael Guerin/Alex Manes) Fic: These Little Moments

Fandom: S.W.A.T. Pairing: Dominic Luca/Jim Street Fic: Acceptable Losses

Fandom: Supernatural Pairing: Sassy (Sam Winchester/Castiel) Fic: Release

Fandom: Supernatural Pairing: Sassy (Sam Winchester/Castiel) Fic: Temptation

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Jay/Pride Fic: Breaking the Rules

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Bray/Lex Fic: Don't Go Knocking On My Door

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Slade/Bray Fic: Don't Turn Around

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Jack/Ved Fic: My Favorite Kind of Distraction

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Jack/K.C. Fic: Over

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Bray/Jay Fic: Surprising Love 

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Slade/Lex Fic: Sweetest Goodbye 

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Lex/Jay Fic: Tangled 

Fandom: The Tribe Pairing: Ved/Darryl Fic: Whatever You Want 

[hamliet]

Loved all of your britin answers. I don't have a proper question. Can you talk about Justin's love for Brian?

Haha well, I love talking about QaF, so any and all asks are welcome about it. Good writing, y'all: it gives me life.

I've talked at length about why I think the text indicates Justin fell for Brian here, and what falling for Justin did for Brian in terms of healing here and here.

I'll say a little more on the latter, which is that Brian believing love didn't exist was actually a protective mechanism. If love doesn't exist, then it doesn't matter that his parents never loved him or wanted him. But it becomes a maladaptive coping mechanism when he grows up, because instead of enabling him to survive like it did as a kid, it cripples him into refusing to take responsibility for whether or not he can love and in terms of him never really going after what he wants (because he does, in fact, want love).

But along comes Justin, who loves him no matter what. Even when he knows Brian doesn't want him. Even when Brian behaves like his worst self. Even when Brian's broke and poor. Even when Brian sells out by helping Stockwell at first. Even when Brian's physically sick and loses a ball. Even when Brian can't "perform." Even when Brian's stupid and pushes himself to complete a race his doctor definitely didn't sign off on as a matter of pride.

Even when he knows Brian doesn't want him at first is kind of key here, too. Therein Justin directly subverts the horrific, nightmarish reality of Brian's childhood, in which Brian's parents didn't want him. By loving Brian anyways, Justin shows Brian that just because he wasn't loved by people, it doesn't mean Brian's incapable of love. It also means Brian can be wrong, and still deserve love. It gives Brian the humanity his parents (and society) deny to him.

Love is as much a choice as it is a feeling, maybe more so. And even if Brian can't voice it until almost the very end, he shows Justin he loves him, as Justin calls out in season 3:

What you gave me was worth ... A million times more than anything he had to offer. You would've told me that you loved me. That you would go on loving me, even after I was gone.

Notably, after this moment Justin never directly questions whether or not Brian loves him ever again. Because he knew, as he'd known for years at that point, that Brian did, even if Brian never said it. (Fortunately, he did. Eventually.)

Loving Justin helped Brian love Justin at his worst self (like when he leaves Brian for Ethan), too. Brian not only experiences unconditional love, he gives it. That type of agape love that is so unconditional is life-giving, it's powerful, it's God (to quote Ted, who is quoting the Bible lol). It's the best of humanity and transcends the weaknesses of human mortality and time. It's somewhat of a metaphysical idea that QaF actually explores, which someday I will write about more. Someday.

Also, you know what might symbolize their love in the show? Colors.

You know how in Season 3 episode 8--that episode--Justin tells Brian "orange is the new blue?" Did you notice that the colors associated with probably about 3/4 of their scenes together are orange or blue or both? From the moment they meet in the very first episode (Justin under a yellow-orange streetlight, dressed in blue)..

to the outfit Justin's wearing when Brian shows up at Debbie's house for him...

to the orange light of the office when they get back together...

to how Brian changes his bed light from blue to orange after Justin says this (as noticed by @sophsun1).

It's literally a motif throughout the entire show. According to basic color symbolism theory :

Blue... is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, expansiveness, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue also represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith, heaven, and intelligence.

Orange, the blend of red and yellow, is a mixture of the energy associated with red and the happiness associated with yellow. Orange is associated with meanings of joy, warmth, heat, sunshine, enthusiasm, creativity, success, encouragement, change, determination, health, stimulation, happiness, fun, enjoyment, balance, sexuality, freedom, expression, and fascination.

To an extent color theory can be vague and mean a lot of things you want it to, but clearly the color scheme was deliberate, presumably for a reason. These basic associations are pretty broad and widely understood, too, so seems like a pretty good match for what their love is like: trusting, sincere, heavenly, free, inspiring, sunshine, sexual, success, etc.

[atlasshrugd]

I've got a question for you, if you could've had one storyline for britin that you got to choose what would it have been ?

hello again fav! thank you for this ask.

oh my god. there's so many. how do i narrow it down?

from the top of my head, I would have loved to see more daily, domestic moments between brian and justin when they were in a relationship first and foremost. I know there are a few, but honestly things are more implied than shown. I would have loved to see them having more casual talks, discussions - stupid shit, serious shit, about brian's work, about justin's art, etc. It would have been nice to show them connecting in that 'partner' way in the simple moments. we have seen a lot of big moments between them, and a lot of hot moments, but man does my heart crave to see them going through their morning routine, or their little talks after they come home from work.

(ppl can say that it would have been too boring for such a fast-paced show, but MAN did we get an overabundance of babylon shots!!)

another thing I wished we could have seen more of (kind of a storyline??) is brian and justin BROKEN UP FOR LONGER. hear me out:

you can NOT tell me that you wouldn't love to see justin tormenting brian at work for longer. even though i LOVE their reunification, it seemed pretty fast. I would have loved to see an agitated brian at work with a flirty justin. just think about it: he would pretend not to know justin, but everyone would suspect something going on between them because of the aggressive stares they give each other in the halls and in meetings. justin would know things about brian that all the other partners and interns have never heard of, like "He has milk in his tea," or "Switch it to decaf he won't know the difference." And people would just be wondering HOW the hell the new kid knows these things.

brian would check on the art department WAY more than usual, and justin would "accidentally" stick his ass out when he knows the big bad mr. kinney is paying a visit. people would wonder why brian is harder on the new intern than anyone else, and why justin never gets upset like the others. but at the end of the day, brian would be pleased with justin's work because he is smart and talented and understands brian's mind like no one else.

it would be a BALL and it would end in an explosion.

the sexual tension would be PALPITATING, and tbh I just want to see more of a single justin taylor. for the majority of the show, he is in a relationship of some sort. but justin taylor on his own is a GOD. he gets what he wants. i would have loved to see him thrive on his own, while trying to get brian back, but brian being too stubborn and prideful resisting with all he can, until - obviously - he can't anymore.

(no one can resist justin taylor for long)

anyway, the whole drawn out 'lovers to enemies to colleagues to friends to lovers' would have been a GLORIOUS sequence of events. it would have shown another side of both brian and justin:

- brian being the one that is preyed on, him denying temptation for once (also reminiscent of s1 except with feelings)

- justin being the dominant one in that he goes for what he wants, developing professionally and impressing brian, having to actually flirt with brian instead of just hopping into his bed, foreplay

and it would have also been beautiful to see their rivalry become a friendship. they would still be recovering from hurts they both inflicted on each other, and brian would be in denial, but they would have eventually worked together for long enough to re-establish why they worked so well together in the first place: they understand each other without words. they would definitely talk during breaks (after the heat simmered down a little) and sometimes brian would drive justin back home when they stayed overtime. it would be a tiny, comforting slice of what was, but without the sex. and this would open so many new perspectives in brian's mind, and deepen their love.

also. uh. THE PINING.

[queerascait]

QaF Rant #1 - The Britin Romance Arc

So I've got a lot of thoughts in my head about QaF... which kind of makes sense, considering I started a whole ass new Tumblr for it.

So, I figure I'll start from the beginning.

I started a series rewatch a few weeks ago as a comfort thing, and after I finished Season 1 I realized that I was delaying the other seasons because I knew what happened, and it's not comfort media if you're too irritated about the plot arc to care.

See, here's the thing, and I'm sure it's been pointed out before, but I'd personally never thought that deeply into it, and that is that the Season 1 Britin arc is structured like an actual romance novel (except that the grand gesture here comes before the black moment, with the prom scenes). So if that's what you're into - and I am, it's literally my career - you keep watching the later seasons expecting them to fully deliver on the romance novel promise that they set up in Season 1.

And then they don't.

But let's break this down a little bit. Britin is hardly the first television couple who doesn't get their happy ending all wrapped up in a bow, but it's one of the few where they hit the romance structure so hard in a single season, within a sexual and romantic context right from the start.

(For context, I'll be talking about romance plot beats as articulated by Gwen Hayes in Romancing the Beat, specifically, but she's not the only romance author to talk about story beats. I'll try to keep it short, but uh..)

Gwen divides the romance arc into four stages: Set Up, Falling in Love, Retreating from Love, and Fighting for Love, with five beats in each stage.

And this is exactly how things go for Brian and Justin. They have their Set Up - they're introduced individually, they have their meet cute under the streetlight, they fuck, Brian establishes that he doesn't do love and relationships even though Justin keeps popping up around him - and then we hit Adhesion when Justin steals Brian's tricks in Episode 3 and Brian gets jealous. They're in it now; Brian's internal self has shifted.

Then, we Fall in Love, roughly episodes 4-9. This is where the characters are still thinking - wait, I can't do this love thing, buuuut... they're starting to really get to know each other, giving into temptation, and it's starting to feel like everything relationship-wise is really within reach. In the show, this is where Brian starts to choose Justin of his own accord, scenes like going to the art showing, the easy way they are with each other in front of the gang, Brian letting Justin stay with him and standing up for Justin in front of his parents. We get a 'false high' here during the very domestic shaving/studying scene in Episode 9. We're a little early for the midpoint, but this is a show not a book, so I'd put the romance midpoint around here.

Next, we're Retreating from Love. I'd argue that this is the biggest phase in the show, from episodes 10 to 21 or so; Gwen makes the point that intimacy can continue or even grow in this phase, but that at least one character's emotional wound is starting to really get in the way. For Brian and Justin, we're getting a literal retreat - Brian throws Justin out after the break in, and he goes to live with Debbie. Yet, we're still feeling intimacy between them - they're still getting closer emotionally (and physically, ha!). I'd think that this stage lasts until Brian is approached about moving to New York. This becomes the metaphorical break up moment.

The last stage is a bit jumbled and truncated, which makes sense, because they're setting up for a second season. But basically, in the Fighting for Love stage, the character emerges from a dark night of the soul to choose love, making a grand gesture and putting it all on the line. (Then, we'd often see the kissing and making up and an epilogue to round it all off.)

And, that's what happens. Brian has his emotional black moment/dark night moment with the scarfing incident. He actively chooses to move forward, he puts it on the line by going to Justin's prom and dancing with him - one hell of a grand gesture.

But we need a cliffhanger to move the show forward, so the season itself ends on the bashing - a very black moment indeed.

(I could break all of this down into the 20 individual beats that Gwen describes, but uh... this is already long af.)

Anywho, the whole damn concept has been sticking in my mind and won't let go. It's not that I think that S1 should be the one and done and fully in their happy ending moment. There's plenty of emotional growth left to explore for both of them, not even including the bashing! But it's... they lured me in with the romance, and then shifted genres for this relationship into love story. And that's fine, I mean, there's plenty of people who love a good love story, me included, but I wanted the romance and instead of exploring that, we've got the cheating and the breakups/makeups and then they don't even end the series as fully committed, present partners who have fully embraced their emotional growth. It's frustrating as hell because I can see the potential.

Anyway, that's where my mind's been at. I've been toying with the idea of doing a season/series rewrite to explore all the thoughts that are clanging around in my head - based on the show and the brilliant set up in the first season, how would I write this relationship if I were doing it for work? But I mean, I guess we'll see.

What do you guys think about it? Has anyone else written romance vs love story Britin analyses that I can peek at?

[wellcomeoneileen]

A queer as folk season 3 what-if I like to imagine is what if the season hasn’t started with Justin off with Ethan (just ignore the S2 implications for a second) and Brian is still working for Stockwell.

I think Brian would have still done it, because of his pre-series priorities that he’s battling the whole show, of getting the hell out of Pittsburg, being financially successful, and crafting top-tier campaigns.

He would just be fighting with Justin about it, who I think in this version of Ethan-less events would have not only his personal political beliefs as anti-Stockwell but also his PIFA friends would be appalled by the whole situation (not to mention Daphne!) so he’d also have some discomfort and embarrassment about his two worlds clashing. (Ironically, I see him repeatedly being a bit hands off when “the family” is haranguing Brian for his choices, so I think his in-group peer pressure would be a new and disquieting experience for him.)

To be clear, Justin very obviously accepts Brian, with just momentary and plot-needed lapses of trust. The way he handled this situation in canon S3 was great. This "what-if" is very focused on this conflict not as Justin wanting Brian to change, but as a means for Justin to explore what he really thinks about himself.

And this conflict would be a wonderful place to highlight Britin's class and political divide - Justin grew up wealthy and is benefitting now from his wealthy boyfriend, his liberal beliefs are somewhat protected. Meanwhile, Brian has this innate competitive drive from his own upbringing that lends itself to an Ayn Rand sort of philosophy, which is also at conflict with how he wants to live his personal life.

Them learning from each other that they are both holding convictions that don’t really account for the nuanced life they lead and that of their friends, would have been a really cool relationship conflict whilst also pushing the maturation of their individual characters.

And, it gets at the heart of their eternal issue: two people who are growing up throughout the series figuring out what they want out of life and believe.

Like the Ethan plot DID address “what do you want/how do you see yourself” but I like this thought experiment since it gets to their individual core characteristics instead of purely relationship philosophies, and then puts those core characteristics into a relationship conflict so we can have both!

Plus! This also leads into my dream S5 where instead of Justin wanting babies at 22 years old he's having to process the incessant artistic disappointments he faced throughout the show, and struggled with the universal crisis of do I have to sellout to be an adult or can I realistically pursue my dreams.

[ohkate]

20 Britin moments we missed out on

I get so annoyed that we missed out on certain britin moments that would have been really nice to see.

1. Brian giving Justin a key/alarm code to the loft. 2. B/J's first public sex at the bathhouse (I would have thought it was at Babylon but...okay) 3. Justin finding out Brian glued the judge to the toilet. 4. Justin (and everyone) finding out Brian visted him in the hospital every night (I kind of find it hard to believe Jennifer never told him). 5. Brian finding out Justin was the reason Kip dropped the suit. 6. Brian finding out about Sap's party. 7. Justin finding out Brian was originally going to surprise him in LA. 8. I wish Justin knew Brian came thisclose to buying him roses for his birthday. 9. I wish Justin knew Brian had talked to a psychiatrist about how to help him. 10. I wish Justin found out about the hooker Brian hired who looked like him. 11. I wish Brian knew about Justin pulling a gun on Chris Hobbs so he'd understand better that this isn't something Justin had 'moved past.' And that it will be with him for a really long time. 12. I know this is a weird one, but it always bothered me that Justin never had a scar from his bashing. It would have been kind of awesome if when he'd shaved his hair off, we saw that. Kind of as a reminder of how and why this is still affecting him and of why he's behaving the way he is. 13. I wish we'd seen more of Brian being sick from the cancer and Justin helping. He mentioned throwing up but unfortunately Gale was the picture of health and looked fantastic that season, so it was kind of funny. The cancer was just kind of over once he got hard again. 14. I kind of wish we'd seen some basic things, like B/J going shopping together, going for breakfast together or just their time off together. I mean, they weren't at Babylon all day, so I'd have liked to see them just hanging out together on weekends. 15. I wish we'd seen Justin coming home with Brian the first time after getting back together in s3. 16. I wish Debbie had told Justin that Brian had all but admitted he loved him. Why does no one tell Justin of these amazing things? 17. It's still not clear if Justin knew why Brian had punched Michael. But I'd like him to know. 18. Justin finding out that Brian bought his drawing in season 1. 19. I wish Justin had seen Brian's face when he saw him and Michael in bed together. 20. I wish Justin realized how bummed out Brian was when he went to Vermont without him.

[sophsun1]

do you think that brian and justin end up together after the finale? whether it be years later or months later, do you think they find their way back? i just finished a rewatch and i want to believe that they find their way back. also i don't have any friends who watched this show so i have no one to talk about this with lol

Hey anon!

Of course, 100% unequivocally I believe that to be true. "It's only time" remember? A love like theirs can survive and transcend anything, a mere aeroplane ride back and forth is nothing.

Do I believe it was smooth sailing? No. Did they split up a few times and dramatically end the relationship? Yes, it's Britin after all and I wouldn't have them any other way. But they stuck it out, kicking and screaming as they are won't to do and came out the other end stronger than ever.

Not to give too much credit to Dan and Ron ahem, but they also said at the ATX reunion panel that the ending was never meant to symbolise Brian and Justin never seeing each other again, it was just the right decision for Justin at that time. They literally looked up flight durations between NY and Pittsburgh lmao, so it's canon!

You're always welcome here to come scream about the boys to me and the other few wonderful people still active in this tiny fandom. I too have no one else to hyper fixate with which is why I'm here nearly 25 years on, talking of which I'm still high off Gale making an appearance in the wild after Randy abandoned us, god's strongest soldier's are we qaf fans who survive on these few crumbs x

[surrealsunday]

Not early season 2 Britin they make me weak! The way Brian so obviously loved Justin but was so emotionally constipated that he couldn’t show it but at the same time he also couldn’t NOT show it. How kind and sweet he was helping Justin through his trauma and not realizing that they were supporting each other through their own shared trauma. (Also I skip the evil Ethan part because THAT NEVER HAPPENED! It was the first and almost only time I was on Michaels side, until S5. Ethan was so annoying.) Jamie I do not have the time for a 5 season QaF rewatch! I still have all of KP to rewatch! STOP POSTING GIFS OF MY FAV SHOWS!

No but actually never stop because why do we have so much in common???? QaF, Buffy, KP, Skam and their remakes… the list goes on.

- crazy theory anon 👋🏻

Omg. You see how I told you we're the same person?! I am laughing 😂.

For real, early s2 Brian... there are so many moments I love. The way he was absolutely destroyed over what happened to Justin. Justin really had no idea. There are two scenes that stand out in memory to me. 1. The scene I reblogged when Justin is about to freak out walking through the crowds, and then you see Brian standing there with his arms extended out to him encouraging him to keep going. I s2g every time Brian did something just truly loving it hit so much harder 😭. And 2. When Justin is trying to remember what happened to him and he has no idea of the way Brian is reliving the trauma of it, even as he tries to help. (Bonus scene is when Brian punches Michael but I think that was start of s3... the way I loved that tho... like Brian couldn't even handle his best friend saying a bad word about Justin).

Also I know this will sound crazy because you're right and Ethan was the actual worst, but I like that storyline. It just gave me the most delicious angst and the best Britin moments. Plus I loved the way it made Justin recognize what he had with Brian (the way he screams ‘Brian NEVER cheated on me’ at Ethan? *chefs kiss*). And I agree, it helped make Michael something other than the Most Annoying Character Ever (tm) - side note: it’s crazy how Michael and Ben and Hunter made me love his character by the end of the show considering how I hated him at the start.

I gotta stop talking about this too tho because I am also making myself want to do a rewatch and I do not have time for that!

And what can I say... we have taste 😌. And we're clearly meant to be friends 😊❤️.