#mostly about sandray

[frostofafeather]

thoughts about only friends

NUMBER ONE THING.

I liked it!

Honestly, looking at the entirety of the series, I think it's a solid 10/10 show and I feel very attached to the characters and their world.

The writing and the OVERALL narrative direction of this series were actually pretty satisfying to me and ultimately I enjoy it as a whole.

However, I do want to talk about the good AND bad

I felt only friends suffered in a couple different ways:

the cutting or sliming of scenes due to audience response or air time problems

bad pacing especially in later episodes

the narrative treatment of some characters (mostly boston but we'll get into that.)

Number 1: Cutting scenes

We know that several scenes were cut out, some due to audience "feedback" after a couple episodes had aired, some due to simple air time cuts.

The biggest reason I (and I think most people) have a problem with this, is that this caused some characters and events to feel like they don't have meaning or motivation. Because we as the audience don't have the full picture that the writers originally intended to give us.

Do I think that this series would have been totally "perfect" or "fixed" if this hadn't happened? No really, it's just one part of the problem.

Number 2: Bad pacing

I already talked a little about this in this post, but let me just restate some things.

I don't really agree with ALL the stuff in that post anymore however the main point still stands. This series would have benefited if the narrative events were more spread out and the characters were given more time on screen to make decisions and choices.

Controversial opinion I think, but I would have actually loved it if it was 14 episodes.

Number 3: How the narrative treats characters

Now, the thing about this. I do UNDERSTAND what the intentions for all the characters were. I see the writers's/directors's intentions and I can appreciate that.

That doesn't mean I'm not going to criticize it though.

How the narrative treated boston in particular makes me just a little pissed off and probably IS the biggest critique I have for this show. Other people have talked about this numerous times but this last episode only proves that the narrative wants boston to be unredeemable, not necessarily a "villain" but as someone who doesn't deserve or need to be given an apology even though he's been treated badly by his friends just as he treated them.

Ok, you can look at this in the meta way of "Well all these characters are supposed to be bad people and it's an example of what NOT to do" I agree with this for the most part, but with this last episode and how botson's role in the story concluded, I don't really think that was the intention.

(A quick side note, I was initially upset at how bostonnick ended but I actually think it's ultimately for the best and something the writers did right. See, I would much rather them not end up together than push the narrative of boston has to change for nick, which is what I feared would happen.)

So. All these things combined made this wonderful series not able to reach its greatest potential. And I think that's why most people are critical about it. It didn't feel like what it could have been.

This series claimed to be "different" and it would change the BL world. And, in my opinion, it did! But it feels like a letdown in a lot of ways because it still fell victim to tropes and narratives that are perpetuated in this industry while also adding in unique problems that come with creating a series of this nature.

But anyway, loved it, 100%. Would rewatch it a million times. Definitely recommend!

[khaotunq]

you rescued me from reachin' for the bottom, and brought me back from being too far gone

[sherrymagic]

the fangirl urge to spend the morning reblogging your favorite scenes from the past episodes of your current comfort show 'cause you just know that the new episode coming out in the next few hours is going to emotionally destroy both you and your favorite characters so you need to soak up all the good that you can before the whole fandom turns into a collective emotional mess.

[wen-kexing-apologist]

What the Fuck Is Boeing Doing Here?

Listen. 

I know that I don’t have to write an essay at the end of every episode of Only Friends. But you see, I have decided I need to either hit or break the number of essays I wrote for Moonlight Chicken. 

So, I want to talk about Boeing and the narrative purpose he serves. Mostly because there seems to be some contention around whether Boeing was introduced too late in the plot. But he wasn’t. Why?

Photo from @chicademartinica

Because Boeing serves as external pressure, not internal.

The final relationship boss if you will

Only Friends appears to have a four act arc. 

Act 1: We meet the characters, the couples are introduced to one another, they fuck, they establish some modicum of a relationship, and we see the aspects of their characters that are going to cause the tension points. 

Act 2: The couples engage in Chronic 20-Year-Old behavior and fuck up their relationships internally by: cheating, secretly recording, blackmailing, commodifying, misunderstanding, etc etc. 

Act 3: Everyone does everything in their power to ruin their own relationships further by trying to set a record for Most Number of Impulsive Decisions Made in One Sitting, thoroughly fucks their life and relationships, stops, thinks, “hmmm, well, I’ve tried everything else, I wonder if talking might help?” and starts resolving their relationships. 

Act 4: With the internal tensions resolved, make up sex had, and tenuous peace beginning to be forged between all couples, it is time to put their ability to weather external pressures to the test. 

gif by @25shadesoffebruary

Which is why we meet Boeing for the first time with Mew and Top, because Top and Mew have not fully reached a resolution when he arrives. Mew has decided he wants to give Top another chance, but we know Mew is having difficulty moving past his anger at being cheated on. Boeing comes in, pokes at the potential weakness/fracture points of Top, and is denied. So he turns to Mew, whose cracks have not been healed enough. 

The external pressure seems to have taken a hold, and the beginning of TopMew Round 2 is under threat of not taking off, because Boeing as an outside player has found a wound he can press in to. In Episode 11, Mew is once again, set on a course, (whether or not it is the one he would have ultimately chosen for himself without added suggestion remains to be seen), acknowledges that he doesn’t think that he is going to be Top’s last boyfriend, and does decide to try to move past his hang ups and start over with Top. 

Top and Mew have passed the test of external pressure. Boeing has served his purpose, he has poked and prodded, manipulated and made out, and Top and eventually Mew saw through it. 

gif by @moonkhao

So Boeing goes wandering towards his next victims, Sand and Ray. And again, we have a situation where one person in the couple is more susceptible to Boeing’s manipulations. In this case, Sand is the one, unsurprisingly, who is more likely to fall for Boeing’s flirting, though Ray is far more volatile of a person than either Mew or Top is. Which means that Boeing is in for an external pressure application treat because the thicker he lays it on with Sand, the more reactive Ray is going to become. 

Ray has a lot of changes going on in his life right now, he’s making some breakthroughs in therapy, he’s starting rehab, he’s waking up more to the ways that Sand has twisted himself in knots to help him and all the ways he has failed Sand in return. And Sand, our favorite wet blanket, is physically incapable of maintaining a single boundary with anyone that gives him positive attention. Which includes Boeing, and we knew this was a potential outcome because of how pissed Sand continues to be about the fact that Boeing left him for Top. Sand has never gotten over Boeing, it’s part of why he cares so much that Top “stole” him. 

Say what you will about SandRay’s opening in Episode 11 feeling a bit rushed, we want, or at least I can assume Jojo and co wanted some moments of peace and happiness between Sand and Ray to give them just a moment of stability. Because, I don’t think they are ready for the test of external pressure. They got this brief moment where they are happy, sappy, and in love, planning for the future, yada yada, but the fundamental internal issues between Sand and Ray, namely Sand’s inability to maintain a boundary and Ray’s inability to tolerate a boundary have not been worked through. Ray’s jealousy and ownership of Sand have not been worked through, Ray’s alcoholism has not been worked through, Sand’s compulsive caregiving have not been worked through. 

gif of Ray saying he won't be jealous, you know, like a liar by @firstmix

And in comes Boeing, calling Ray Sand’s friend, trying to get Sand to take him home with him, trying to talk to Sand alone. Flirting with Sand, reminding him that Ray isn’t his type, being physically affectionate. Boeing, once again, is serving as the external pressure testing the weak points in SandRay’s relationship, in this case Sand’s simpdom and Ray’s possessiveness. 

Ray’s method of getting between Sand and any other potential romantic interests has always been to suggest a threesome. To throw out a claim on Sand’s body, and to get right with Sand exploring other sexual options while Ray is still there able to watch, participate, and/or control the sexual encounter. It serves as a great way for Ray to stake his claim, to make people who thought Sand was single (when he is) feel like they are invading a relationship, etc. and up until now it has worked. 

But Boeing is the external test of Sand and Ray’s relationship. And Boeing is a chameleon that can slide in to anyone’s personality. And Boeing has no issue with sex or intimacy with total strangers, especially if it brings him closer to what he wants, as we know from him making out with Mew. So Ray takes the bait, offers a hangout with the three of them, and takes Boeing and Sand back to his house. Ray is, however, extremely insecure about his relationship to Sand, as we can see from the preview that Ray is buying in to Boeing’s External Issues Test. He wants to know if Sand has gotten over Boeing, he wants Sand to kiss Boeing, I do not yet know how that whole thing is going to end (though I for one hope there is at least a threeway make out if they don’t end up with an actual threesome) but considering that Sand seems pretty pissed in the preview, I don’t think it is going to go over swimmingly (haha get it? swimmingly, cause they…nevermind).

gif of a truly pining Sand made by @sunsetandthemoon

What I personally think Boeing is going to do with Sand and Ray’s relationship is expose the part of their internal struggle that they have not addressed yet, and that is either going to tear Sand and Ray apart (for you know…the three hours Sand is able to stay mad at Ray before Ray makes puppy dog eyes and Sand succumbs to his masochism once more). Or potentially, highlight the issues and allow Sand and Ray to talk through where the rough points in their relationship are (haha, can you imagine?)

Regardless of whether or not Sand and Ray pass or fail Boeing’s external pressures test, Boeing will have done his job exploring the strength of Sand and Ray’s relationship and will move on to testing the fractures in Boston and Nick’s relationship. Which, honestly, I think Boston and Nick have the strongest chance of passing with flying colors because they have been working through their internal problems extremely, extremely well the last few episodes. But we shall see what actually happens in the finale. 

Anyway, all of this to say, that if you think Boeing should have come in to this story earlier, I personally think you have misunderstood the purpose Boeing serves to the plot. He should not have been introduced while the group was still intact, because there were too many other moving pieces of internal dynamics issues that needed to be worked out without a random stranger coming in and trying to fuck with it. As we head in to the finale, we need to understand how the characters get to the end point of the story.

And I think we can only really do that, when we see how every couple holds or crumbles under the pressure of the outside world, now that they have that talking things through like adults actually may be a valid method of getting what you want out of a relationship.

Who knew? 

gif by @sunsetandthemoon

[bird-inacage]

This is finally my review on GMMTV's wildly popular 'Only Friends' which saw out 2023 in style. I do realise this is almost a year since it's release, but I find that time often allows for more objectivity.

Let me start by saying that the buzz and anticipation for this show was immense. The raunchier offering was a departure from GMMTV's typical affair, paired with the understandable hype over a powerhouse of a cast. The excitement reflected an obvious appetite for messier queer relationships to be explored on screen.

I personally had a great time overall with this series, and was highly entertained throughout by the drama. The story isn't airtight, but the plot packs in plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes (and I was repeatedly caught off guard). I give kudos to any show that can keep me guessing. The pacing is mostly consistent, with a lot of story packed into 12 episodes. It allows for sufficient character trajectories to be explored and concluded. The final Boeing arc could have made a bigger impact if it had been signposted sooner.

The main couple here are Mew and Top, but both SandRay and BostonNick get a decent distribution of screen time. I've found the general consensus to be that Mew and Top's relationship is the least interesting of the three, and I would agree. You do get very different flavours and conflicts with each couple, as well as complex layers across this entangled web, so there's likely something for everyone.

The lessons learned by our characters is what I feel this show does really competently. We follow them as they royally fuck-up, they fail, learn and grow. The arcs depicted feel very relatable. How can you continue to love someone after they've hurt you? Should you allow your feelings for someone to determine your own self worth? Should you try to change yourself for love? What does it mean to love selflessly, or selfishly? Can friendship and love exist hand-in-hand?

Out of three main couples, two survived. I think Boston and Nick going their separate ways was the only satisfactory ending they could've gotten. Mew choosing to no longer stay friends with Boston was also incredibly valid. When people hurt us, sometimes they can be forgiven, but sometimes they cannot - and that's a valuable lesson in itself.

This is a very strong ensemble cast. The standouts for me are Khaotung and Neo. Khaotung's range is masterful to watch. Neo gave us one of the best villains I've seen in a while. Boston was an absolute joy to hate. What I loved about their performances is you could tell how much fun they were having. I also have to shout out Force, who did a brilliant job of making me utterly loathe Top. But I must stress that it's a real treat to have a cast where everyone pulls their weight.

The series also makes the effort to portray many side dynamics that I hugely appreciated. I thought Ray and Mew's friendship was told beautifully. I adored Nick and Sand's platonic affection for one another. I liked seeing the healthy parental dynamics Sand and Mew have with their respective mothers. Yo's friendship with the younger cast is lovely. The only player I think was glaringly under-utilised is Namcheum. Her character fell really flat in comparison, and didn't add much value to the friendship group. Considering she was one of our few female characters, her presence was rather forgettable.

I'll do a special mention on First and Khaotung, as they are my faves.

Acting Performance: What I commend First and Khaotung on is the ying/yang extremes of Sand and Ray. Sand is a role that requires a lot of restraint. First was told by P'Jojo on a number of occasions that he couldn't cry. To hold in and hold back, and still emote with range and nuance is super challenging. While Ray needs the opposite treatment; to be outwardly explosive across all his emotions. Khaotung put himself through the absolute wringer to bring Ray to life, and it shows. Their fight scene in Episode 10 still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. (Note: I can't get over how suitably giddy P'Jojo looks when watching them act).

Pairing Rating: [A FIERY ROLLERCOASTER] This pairing is all about peaks and troughs, ups and downs. But ultimately we see two people who truly complement each other and balance one another out.

P'Jojo has a very distinctive voice in terms of direction, which really permeates in every element of the show. He had a clear vision and that intent translates. Stylistically, this was right up my street, and is very palatable for today's audience. From the visually dynamic sets to character styling, there's individuality but also cohesion. The music choices are superb. The opening and end credits were striking.

Editing: This show does some playful things with the way it edits, especially when it comes to montages. The 'interview' shots at the beginning of the series offer us an efficient insight into Mew's POV, but is not utilised again. At times these choices can feel experimental.

Music: Khaotung's OST track 'Let's Try' is a bonafide banger. Khao really is out here to prove his astounding range, as I had no idea this was him when I first heard it.

>>>

FINAL THOUGHTS: This series isn't one I've rewatched from start to finish since it's release - though I have returned to Firstkhao's scenes again and again. Rewatch value is always an interesting factor I like to ponder - especially the why. I think this is one of those shows where it's impact hits most on first watch, but doesn't pack as much punch a second time round. Some people hope there will be a Season 2, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea, considering our characters have come to a comfortable conclusion in their arcs, and any further disturbance to their stories may feel unwarranted.

(Disclaimer: These are just my own opinions. It goes without saying that one still can enjoy a show for all its successes as well as recognising its shortcomings).

[lunabug2004]

I watched Only Friends... and It Was Definitely An Experience! **SPOILERS**

I knew going into it that SandRay was the most popular Only Friends couple, at least that's what it seems like based on how many posts/edits there are about them over all of the internet, but it's so rightfully deserved!!!

I couldn't care less about TopMew, they were just pretty boring to me and I did not like Top at all. Mew was alright, though I will say I loved his petty revenge arc. BostonNick I thought was doomed from the start so I kinda made myself not get too into them? Nick is a sweetheart while also being a conniving little spy so I thought he was pretty fun and liked him a lot but, like Top, I hated Boston (basic of me, I know). But SandRay??? Loved every second! I think Ray is such an interesting character with so many layers and it's so fun to explore his life, and I absolutely fell in love with Sand. I love everything about him and he deserves nothing but to be able to attend all the music festivals in the world. Also quick shout out to Sand & Nick's friendship, it's so refreshing in this messy tree of relationships lol.

It's crazy to me that some people didn't enjoy SandRay as much, but some complaints I've seen are pretty valid tbh. I've seen people complain that the only reason people loved them so much more than the other couples is because they had the most screentime, and that's fair, but they also had the most to cover with their stories: both individually and together. I know this is fully on the writers, I've also seen people complain about SandRay being way more developed than the other characters. These complaints are extremely valid I feel, and I honestly believe they would've been better off doing either a show made up of three short series focusing on one pairing at a time or a show focusing on SandRay as the main couple (they have enough to their stories/story that alone it could take up a whole 12 episodes easily) with BostonNick and TopMew as sides with the possibility of getting their own series after (kinda like UWMA with BU even tho I know it's a different company). Either way, we got what we got with SandRay, and I, for one, enjoyed it thoroughly! I personally don't really understand what's not to like about their relationship, I thought it was at least mostly realistic and they suit each other so well it's insane.

Back to my complaints, I really hated the pool scene with Sand, Ray, and Boeing. Like, really hated it. Also the fact that Ray tried to say Sand was still in love with Boeing after the huge difference b/t the two kisses... was insane. I also disliked the scene with Ray and the therapist because no matter how sweet and also heartbreaking it is the second-hand embarrassment is the actual worst.

Now onto what I enjoyed: obv SandRay and Sand & Nick's friendship since I already mentioned those. I also enjoyed the way all the characters were connected in different ways, it was so much fun to untangle all the relationships! I like the way the show tackled alcoholism and made it realistic, as well as the way it tackled betrayal within the friend group (looking at you, 'Ton) in a realistic way.

Now, I have to mention the acting and chemistry between the couples. ForceBook was meh to me. This is the first thing I've seen them in it and they didn't really blow me away with their chemistry but I did enjoy their acting! I do think this is because I didn't really like the couple, so I'm not really holding it against them and I do plan to watch A Boss and A Babe at some point. NeoMark was very good! Both the chemistry and the acting. Neo has never been my favorite actor, (sorry if this is controversial) I like him fine but he never really blew me out of the water, he's just always done good, but this series he was insane! He played Boston so well he made most people hate him and that's always impressive when it's done by such a well-liked actor. I knew Mark was gonna kill it and he did. I love Mark. The chemistry b/t these two was surprising but enjoyable (speaking purely on what I saw as someone who skips through most saucy scenes). Now... FirstKhao. I expected everything from them and I got everything. I 1000% know that they are joining OffGun and GemFourth as one of my favorite pairings ever (who am I kidding they did that after I watched The Eclipse). Just the pure talent these two have is unreal and the chemistry is off the charts. The fight scenes broke me and the bonding scenes made me feel butterflies, just everything about them is perfection. Also wanna make a special comment on First b/c he has climbed my ranks as one of my favorite actors ever extremely quickly but I mostly see people talk about Khao, (which is so valid; man is insane as well, I just prefer First for whatever reason), but the way First plays all of his characters is so hypnotizing to me. Like the emotions he portrays and the way he completely transforms into his characters with his body language just impresses me so much. I'm def rambling now so it's time to wrap this up!

Anyways, putting aside others' complaints over the best couple SandRay, as well as my own complaints and compliments, I think overall it's a really good show and the drama is fun! So so messy but since it's all fiction it's fun to get sucked into! I'd tell anyone to give it a try at least!

Also wanna end this by saying if you disagree with me on any of this that's totally okay! All opinions are valid! Plus, I went into this with extreme actor bias towards FirstKhao (esp First), so that definitely tied towards my instant love for SandRay.

[hotasfahrenheit]

Mew trying to become Ray let alone date him was not on my bingo card for this week but I'm no professional bingo card designer, let's talk about this anyway

We all went into this show knowing it was going to be messy, asking for it to be messy, we're all weak for SandRay so RayMew is upsetting because we want Ray with Sand, sure, but setting all of that aside, the thing that is really concerning to me about the fact that Mew is choosing to rebound with Ray is the fact that he is very creepily BECOMING RAY while doing it. He's putting on a persona to handle his life right now and it's really unhealthy and boy needs to cut it out and get some therapy. (they all need therapy.)

At the beginning of the episode, before the confrontation with Boston, Mew is dressed more or less as himself. He and Ray do dress similarly on a base level- they both wear a lot of patterned, unbuttoned shirts over a second shirt, but Mew normally wears stripes over tshirts, and mostly light colours with a lot of blues and greens. Ray wears a lot of darker colours and patterns with shapes and designs, with a lot of reds, tans, and oranges, over tanktops/vests/whatever you want to call them where you're from.

After blasting Boston into the pool and delivering one of the most satisfying kicks on television, before going for his confrontation with Nick, we get the creepy tub shot of Mew sinking into his misery and his upcoming revenge era-

To put on his Ray cosplay, he's gotta sink down into the deep. This isn't a rebirth or an emergence of a new, stronger version of himself; this is him descending, covering himself and his hurt with someone else's aura and attitude so that he can cope with the path he's decided he needs to go on to burn his enemies and get his revenge.

He tries it out when he goes to see Nick and it works for him-

This is his soft launch, where he's up against someone else who has, or feels he has, been done wrong by Boston and Top (and done wrong, obviously) but that Mew knows is vulnerable. Mew pushes on Nick to help him get his revenge on Boston, and Nick crumbles. Using this persona, this attitude, is working for him.

He uses it to hunt down Gap next, another trial run, that goes flawlessly for him as well.

He's got the black tank, the necklace, and a black, white, and grey shirt this time, another test of borrowed confidence. And he's successful: he pulls Gap with almost no effort, he gets the file, he's ready to go now. He's used the Ray based persona twice with people he doesn't know, his confidence is up, which means he's ready to use it on someone he does know.

So when he gets ready to confront Boston, we get a whole sequence of him preparing for the battle, and checking all the details. There's a lot of very close up shots of his face and eyes here that I left out of the gifs because this scene was already long, and a lot of focus on each detail.

The necklace like Ray wears, a tanktop like Ray wears (but black! because this is Mew in his angsty villain era!), a patterned button up shirt like Ray wears, check the hair and go. Armored with this other persona, he's ready to handle Boston, and he does. Much, much better than Ray himself, mind you, compared to when Ray went and confronted Boston in the last episode.

The next big outfit switch we get for Mew in this episode (I'm not counting the whole big Top punching Mew confrontation since Mew and Ray are both just wearing their school clothes there) is Top's daydream about dancing with Mew. This whole sequence is so soft focus and Top looks so sad and there's no one else there which implies to me he's imagining this and it's not an actual memory, but either way we're back to Mew in stripes, with Top in stripes as well.

What's different about Mew and Top matching versus Mew matching himself to Ray? Mew and Top don't really MATCH so much as coordinate. They're often in different colours, different styles, different material shirts, etc. Like here, Mew is wearing an unbuttoned dress shirt with vertical stripes over a tshirt, while Top is wearing a collared polo shirt with horizontal stripes, AND they're wearing different colours. They work together without fully matching, and they're distinct to the characters as well. Even when their styles get a little closer, like Top wearing some solid colour button up shirts in episode 6 instead of polo shirts, he styles them differently than Mew does and I at least can't really picture them switching clothes and having the outfits really look right.

Meanwhile, the last scene of the episode, with Mew dancing with Ray, we get this-

Mew is dressed as Ray again, even shifting into Ray's common colour schemes with the flowers on this one. His first outfit when he went to see Nick was a trial and the pattern still had a lot of blues in it, but he's been shifting into darker colours with the tans and oranges we see Ray in pretty often with this.

(Ray, meanwhile, is wearing a shirt that looks like something Sand would have chosen for him, of course.)

Ray is reckless, Ray is fearless, Ray is bold, Ray is confident, Ray is wild and sometimes unpredictable, or he at least seems to be to the much more conservative Mew, so slipping into Ray's clothes and taking on what he thinks is Ray's persona is a way for Mew to push himself in ways he hasn't before. There's no way Mew could have handled his whole spy mission to get the video file from Gap as himself the way he has been; that's not in his wheelhouse.

From the preview for next week it looks like Mew is sliding into more of Ray's persona with the partying behaviors, and I don't think it's going to end well for him. But being with Top has taught him that trying to get someone to change is useless because they're still the same mess on the inside, so his decision to slide down the same path as Ray and let go of his inhibitions instead of trying to fix Ray is as unsurprising as it is self-destructive.

Seeing Mew take some kind of power over his life should have been satisfying, and in some ways it definitely was, like watching him burn the notebook page and try to put his foot down with Top, but then seeing him do it while spiraling mentally and slowly covering himself with Ray's outward persona at the same time was incredibly unnerving. Adding in him deciding to get involved with Ray romantically and it just speed ratchets up the unhealthy factor by a million miles a minute.

It also shows how well Mew actually knows Ray now compared to how well he thinks he knows Ray and who and what he thinks Ray is, that he could send himself down this path without seeing the writing on the wall about who Ray is trying to be and what Ray is trying to deal with behind Ray's substance abuse problems and everything else, but I imagine that will be part of the inevitable explosion that THIS impending disaster will also turn into, potentially very soon.

You can't fix your problems by pretending to be someone that you're not, especially if who you're trying to be is someone you know who is incredibly problematic and unhealthy themselves. It's a whole toxic situation even BEFORE you start trying to DATE THEM AT THE SAME TIME.

We wanted a mess and boy are we getting it.

(ETA: Should have stuck a credit in here earlier oops, a post from @spokenfromtheheartandsoul got my brain going in this direction last night and this post is what happened after the gears turned on this for most of the day)

[thatgirl4815]

Only Friends Predictions

Purely for my own entertainment, I want to make Only Friends predictions now so that I can refer to them later and see how accurate they turn out to be (which I don’t have too high of hopes for, but I’m gonna go for it anyway). I’m gonna make these attempts based on what we know so far/what some members of the cast have said.

I would be really interested though to see other predictions? Who do you think will end up together? Speculating is the only way I know to pass the time before it airs, lol.

In short:

- Ray and Sand will end up together. 

- Boston and Nick will be split. Boston will still be alone, but Nick will have moved on to someone new. 

- Top will have cut ties with the group after Boston ruins his relationship with Mew. Mew and Ray will continue to be friends, but Mew will remain alone (but content). 

Of course, this could be totally off, but I’m going with it now based purely on ✨vibes✨

Getting into the details...

SandRay

First and Khaotung said that their storyline is emotional compared to the hotness of the other couples’ storylines. I also know that Jojo has a thing for mixing up established pairings. As we’ve seen, the messiness of SandRay’s relationship really revolves around Ray’s feelings for Mew. But if they keep Sand’s characterization from the trailer, he won’t stand for any of Ray’s crap (“I won’t be in anyone’s choices.”). Does this mean Sand will end things and leave Ray to grovel for his affections again? Will Ray confess to Mew, and come crawling back to Sand after being rejected? Will Sand keep standing up for himself, or will Ray make some grand gesture to win him back? Can he be won back?

Even though this series is being marketed as messy, toxic, and chaotic, I’m certain there will be some core thematic aspects at play in each characters’ relationships. For SandRay (and BostonNick, I’d argue), self-worth could be a fundamental aspect. How much do you value the relationship, versus how much do you value yourself? I also wonder to what extent there could be a privilege check for Ray’s character. We know he’s wealthy and a playboy, but will his wealth create a division between him and Sand? Will Ray change himself? Obviously I’m posing a lot of questions, but until we get more info, I’m going to predict that Ray and Sand will end up together in the end, mostly because I think Ray navigating his feelings for both Sand and Mew--and coming to terms with what these feelings say about himself--would find its natural conclusion in Sand. Given what FirstKhao have said about how emotional their storyline is, I think it’s clear the feelings run deep for both of them. Also, I’m getting the sense from the trailer that Ray’s crush on Mew is unrequited.

Finally, FirstKhao have made a comment about their characters ending up together. They did say this before filming I believe, so might take it with a grain of salt. 

BostonNick

My biggest dilemma at this point is figuring out how the SandRay plot will differ from the BostonNick one, because both Nick and Sand and Boston and Ray are in a similar position. Nick, to me, seems more likely to beg for Boston’s affection while Sand seems more ready to let all hell break loose and cut ties. In other words, Sand’s reaction in the trailer might indicate that he values himself too much to stand for Ray’s indecision from the get go. For Nick, this could be more of a slow-building awareness. By that I mean, I could see Nick coming to understand that Boston doesn’t deserve his affection if he’s going to disregard his feelings and treat him as a fwb when Nick keeps pushing for something more. I could see Nick making a stand, essentially telling Boston “him or me?” and Boston choosing Top...only for Top to cut ties with Boston after messing up his relationship with Mew. In short, I foresee Boston getting the worst outcome of everyone. But maybe this is just because he seems to be responsible for most of the chaos in the trailer.

TopMew

Top and Mew as an established couple in the trailer seems like the most likely endgame--and that’s exactly why I think they won’t end up together. I have a hard time believing Mew will just let Top off once he knows about his relationship with Boston. (I’m operating under the assumption here that Boston and Top resume their affair while Top and Mew are together...at least for a little while.) I could see Top keeping up his fwb relationship with Boston for a short time into his relationship with Mew, but as he gets more serious about Mew, he tries to cut things off with Boston. And that’s when the whole situation gets out of hand and Boston essentially confesses to Mew about their secret relationship. 

Mew is also presented as content with his solitude; he only pursues a relationship with Top when Boston pairs them up. If anything, this entire situation could serve as a lesson for him. And if I’m right in predicting (hoping) that Ray will undergo a big moral shift from beginning to end, then I could see their friendship being a core part of the series. (I think it would also be good representation to keep them together as healthy friends despite Ray’s previous crush.) 

...As for how Sea could factor into any of this (if he really is going to play some part in the series), I’ve seen speculation that he could be a possible love interest for Sand. I think it would depend on how big of a role he’s given. I’m sure it’ll be a cameo either way, but how much of one is questionable. He could be involved in an episode or two to stir up some drama and equal things out between Sand and Ray; I think that’s a strong possibility (and the drama would be oh so juicy). Or maybe he ends up with Nick, if Nick moves on from Boston? So many possibilities.

- X - 

OK, so that’s my thought process at this current moment, but tomorrow I could have a wildly different one. If anyone is thinking completely differently, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, I’m gonna go stew over this some more until we finally get a trailer (Jojo, I’m begging). 

[delululover]

I just love how the "Only Friends" team gave us so many spoilers but still managed to clown us and keep us in the dark.

I mean from the so many contents we got during the filming time we all had an idea in mind about each couple's dynamic

For instance I myself thought

TopMew are gonna be the sweet boyfriends going on dates, having fun, having healthy conversations when in reality they are barely talking, Top sees Mew mostly as a prize/challenge, Both are fighting for the power dominance in the relationship, they don't have any trust on eo, Mew is determined to do the "right thing" by offering his affection as a reward for quitting addiction which we all know never works. Their relationship in overall is a mess with just a "boyfriends" tag which is kind of blinding both them and the people around them from seeing how not good for eo they are

SandRay are gonna be the friends to lovera type of couples where one is totally sure about his feelings and the other ia clueless but refuses to let go of their "friendship" and acts like a possessive cat whenever someone tries to get with his "friend" (I may even be correct with this prediction)

BostonNick I thought will be the couple we will see the least of, won't have much plot to their relationship except sex and Boston will totally ignore Nick out of bed which (Idc if anyone disagrees) he is not, Boston is totally leading Nick on emotionally and we are seeing fair share of their scenes, infact if anything they are the creators of most of the drama in the series and their mess is probably gonna take the longest to solve. Definitely not a short running pair and has a lot of things going on in their "situationship" or whatever.

So as the episodes are coming out I am eventually realising that what we saw/the source of our assumptions were all based on the first few episodes. They gave nothing away and spoiled next to nothing. I am totally clueless about what is going to happen after episode 5.

And yeah don't say that "well your fault for thinking they will give everything away before the original episodes release" I am not saying that they will or they should. But the amount of "ongoing shoot" content we were getting I was a biiiit confident that I have figured out the show. Ik very arrogant of me but that's the thing the Western film industry is so secretive about their projects that it makes us think that getting some behind the scenes will be able to spoil the fun for us.

Anyways kudos to the team for this amazing marketing. They are literally keeping me on the edge of my seat.

Ps I am quite new in this bl fandom and ofts is the first show I have fully been invested in so that's why is amazes me. Most of you probably find this post stupid and old news. Please ignore if you do thanku.

[firstkanaphans]

i saw the post you reblogged about the OF scene that was deleted and you said you might have to write it yourself. any chance you would? please please please??? i know you mostly write sandray but i'm so sad they cut that scene and i love your writing! (feel free to ignore 🙏🏻)

I'm assuming this is about the TopMew deleted scene? My first TopMew request and it's super angsty 😂 How on brand. But ask and you shall receive! Rating/Warnings: Teen & Up; Sex used as a form of self-harm

Top had gotten used to falling asleep next to Mew, but now, in the aftermath, whenever he closed his eyes, all he saw was fire: the one that had chased him since childhood and the one Mew had used to break his heart.

He wasn’t sleeping and he thought about getting high more than he would like to admit, but he had made Mew a promise and he intended on keeping it. It didn’t matter that Mew’s attitude on drugs had seemingly changed. He wasn’t acting like himself right now. That was Top’s fault.

But he couldn’t do nothing—he had to sleep—and the pills weren’t working as well as they used to. He was taking them by the handful, but sleep still eluded him more often than not, and if he did finally fall, he would wake up feeling hungover. He was tired of all the chemicals he was using to poison his body, but most of all, he was tired of being alone.

So he went to a bar. 

He was surprised by how easily his old habits came back to him. Sit down. Make eye contact with a stranger. Accept a free drink. And when they offered to go down on you in a bathroom or an alley or a car, take them home instead. He used to find excitement in the thrill of the chase, but even before Mew he’d come to resent the string of nameless, faceless men capable of giving him the one thing his own mind couldn’t: peace. Now, he just felt numb.

The first man that approached him was young and thin and bespectacled and although he didn’t look a thing like Mew, Top worried that in the dark, his mind might play tricks on him. So he sent him on his way. He chose someone older instead, someone bigger, and by the time they reached his apartment, he had already forgotten his name—if he had ever known it in the first place. 

When they kissed, Top felt nothing, but that hardly mattered. He rarely did. Sex he barely wanted was the price he paid to have someone else in his bed. Mew had spoiled him by doing it for free. It was a kindness he no longer deserved.

So he kissed the man back, trying to rouse his uninterested body, just as he had done what felt like hundreds of times before, but nothing happened. It was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to be habit, but when the man touched him, it made his skin crawl, and when the man kissed him, he wanted to vomit. Because he wasn’t Mew.

Top knew now what he hadn’t known before: that sex didn’t have to be like this. It could be fun. It could be loving. It could be more. He closed his eyes and pictured Mew’s smile the first time they made love. There, for a moment, they had been happy. Although they were no longer together, his heart and his body still belonged to Mew and he didn’t want anyone else to touch him.

“Stop,” he said, pushing the stranger away. The man pulled back, startled, but Top was too shaken to provide an explanation. “Just go.”

“But—”

“I said go.”

The man left and Top collapsed down onto his couch and put his head in his hands. There was no reprieve for him now. Without Mew, the night would be endless. But without Mew, it always would have been anyway. So he poured himself a shot of whiskey, took a handful of pills, and cried.

Sleep evaded him.

[thetommoway-oioii]

it's my birthday this monday and i really need to stop procrastinating on my fics so send me asks about my WIPS and I'll write a paragraph for that fic! here's a list of my current WIPS:

⚡ - ADHD Buck! a domestic piece that shows buck and Eddie's life but we see a lot of Buck's adhd traits. this was actually an ask on one of my previous posts and I'm still working on it 😅

😼 - Buck and Eddie adopt a cat. cue domestic fluffy mornings with lots of family time.

🎀 - Girl Dad Buck! Accidental or more like Sudden Baby Acquisition AU. Basically Buck finds out he has a daughter + he's in love with his best friend and why does everything in his life has to happen all at once.

🦊 - Don't Look Into Her Eyes, She Might Steal Your Soul.

Sterek childhood idiots to friends to lovers AU. I beat canon with a stick and took what I wanted and left the rest on JDavis' doorstep 🧍. Stiles meets Derek on Halloween when he's 8 and dressed as a cop.

🐺 - Sterek Grim Reaper AU. Stiles is a Reaper and Derek is a cursed immortal. heavily inspired by a fanfic of Goblin and Grim Reaper from the K-Drama.

🩺 - Let Me Feed You Baby (More Than Food)

TanBun fuckfest 🫣. Tan and Bun from Manner of Death just having some yk.. spicy times 😉

💙 - The Quiet Kid Is Acting Sus

Larry Professor/Student AU. Louis and Harry from One Direction. they're both of age do not worry 🫡. basically harry is a lit major and Louis is a prof, they're married and one day Louis has to substitute for Harry's class and well.... fuck read around and find out

🎸 - SandRay's domestic, tooth-rottingly sweet fluffy life 🙄. it's basically an excuse for me to write about Sand and Ray from Only Friends in their Grossly In Love Era™.

❤️‍🩹 - Sometimes Wish I'd Never Been Born At All

Steddie hurt comfort fic! this one has been a Very Slow progress, mostly because I don't have it mapped out clearly in me head but basically it's Eddie grappling with all the shit and nightmares he is facing and finding comfort in Steve, someone who understands the things he's gone through.

.

wow I had no idea I had so many WIPs until I opened and looked through my docs. anyway please send an emoji of the fic you wanna read about. you can also send my prompts for new fics in any of the fandoms from this list or the one in my pinned post!

[tomystars]

raysand/sandray theories + analysis

(because im insane)

This is a little post where I'll be focusing on what's to come for raysand mostly based on the trailer (original trailer too) and what we already know from the episodes that have aired already. I'll be using pictures so the text doesn't feel too eavy.

Also want to mention I didn't think about all of this myself, it's mostly a compilation of me and my friend throwing ideas and thoughts at one another and I decided to make a post on this now because me and her predicted something that happened on yesterdays episode...

Before I begin, considering it's based on our thoughts, ideas and what we know of the trailer (which is often edited in a way where sometimes certain dialogue doesn't end up being the same one we see on the episodes) please take everything with a grain of salt. If you want to share your opinions, feel free to do so my inbox is open!

Let's begin!

Although this is mostly a theories focused posted, I do want to first talk a little bit about how Ray & Sand's relationship is at the moment.

We all know things are going to escalate more but for now both Ray and Sand consider each other as friends. I've mentioned this in another post before (that has recently been deleted because it wasn't very well written) but one of Sand's best qualities and what makes him, in my eyes, the best character in this series, is that out of everyone else he's KIND.

First episode we have him meeting Ray for the first time and the only reason he got mean was because Ray was being an asshole first. Yet, after all of that, he still understood Ray was drunk and he gave him a ride to his own home, let him puke on his toilet, gave him a place to sleep on... All of this to a complete stranger by the way! You can't with certainty tell me everyone would do something like this. In return, Ray acted like an asshole once again which lead him to being kicked out of Sand's place (later on I'll talk about why I think Ray reacted that way), and eventually Ray did end up apologising which I think was something Sand didn't expect.

Another thing that made it more easy for Sand to forgive Ray was when Ray said "Thanks for saving my life." which was a very honest thing to say and Sand realised that, he kind of got a little bit of an insight of what Ray truly is like. I often see people commenting about Ray being dramatic by saying that when he was not. He meant what he said and frankly Sand DID save his life. Had Sand left him alone, Ray would've driven while drunk which could've very well ended in an accident.

Fast forward, Ray keeps seeking him out (another thing that will come into play later on), hires him to be his drinking buddy, convinces him to leave a girl Sand was trying to take home to drive to drive him instead, they have a talk, seem to be on the same page, hook up and everything is fine. For now.

This is the first fight they have in the trailer. I think, at this point, they have already started to hang out more and being more close together, so Sand is starting to expect more from Ray, specially the way Ray acts around him, always being flirty, always saying certain things ("I care about your feelings. That's why I'm here." previews are always a bit deceitful so maybe Ray isn't even saying this to him but we move), always going after him, always wanting Sand to spend time with him, but at the same time saying they can never be more than what they already are, which will most likely give Sand a lot of mixed feelings.

Just like we saw on yesterday's episode, Ray will most likely keep leaving Sand for Mew, which I don't really mind considering that Ray is a girls girl and he will always put his friends above himself, but at a certain point I get why Sand would get upset considering they are friends too and it's just very horrible being the one left behind specially when you keep get mixed messages from this guy you're starting to like. He'll probably realise there's something between Mew and Ray too.

In this fight scene, Ray is probably once again leaving Sand for Mew which is why Sand says "Focus on me for once will you?". In return Ray says this:

"What are we to each other?" is a very key sentence in their relationship. The way I see it Ray will too start questioning their relationship, thinking "What are we?" because they'll both be floating around each other but no one will ever say anything. I'll get a little bit more into Ray's personality later on but Ray might be just as confused as Sand, he probably never had a relationship quite like what they both have and it's scary. At the same time, he could also just be saying that to be mean (I'm not trying to paint him as a villain, I love him and this all ties in with what I'll be saying later about his personality."

The second fight scene we see in the trailer. I don't know if any of you remember but in the original trailer there's a scene where they're both in the car and Sand says "I don't want to be in anyone's choices." (there's also a scene where Ray gets arrested but we won't talk about that), which could mean Sand doesn't want to be a choice, someone in a "competition" with someone else, but the one Ray would want to be with no matter what.

This scene we're seeing is most likely the equivalent of that scene in the old trailer. I think at this time in their relationship Sand has already confessed that he wants more from Ray, that he doesn't want to keep being a "choice" and that he wants them to be in a relationship which leads to them having a fight, and eventually to Ray saying this.

Now, I can finally get into Ray's personality and the reason why he acts defensively in both of these scenes with Sand. Ray is scared. I do think Ray has a crush in Mew but I don't think it has ever been more than a crush, Ray just hasn't let it go because it's safe and easy. He likes Mew, Mew doesn't like him back and that's it, he doesn't have to worry about complicated feelings. But then Sand comes along and he is unbelievable KIND and he treats Ray like a normal person, he's honest, he doesn't push back and even apologise for being nosy about Ray's mother, he worries about him when he's drunk, he talks back and he's FUN to be around, he never wanted anything from Ray even after taking him home when he was drunk, he refused to accept money from them hooking up, he gave up one of his nights to sing at Yo's bar just so he could sing at Ray's party...

I mean, since episode 1 we've been getting a look into Ray's self worth. He thinks he's worthless and a burden, probably because he's an alcoholic, and I'm sorry to say but his friends don't really help him when it comes to that. He doesn't want to keep burdening his friends with this so he turns towards Sand, hires him as his drinking buddy, to just listen to music with, have fun and relax, he even says "I just don't want to be alone." and even later on Sand sayshe can be his friend without having to hire him he even says "If you're my friend, you have to look after me in every way." and Sand does just that!

Ray is confused and he probably has never had someone to be this way towards him in his life, someone that wants to help him (with his alcoholism as well I'm fairly sure), someone that cares this much about him, but most importantly, confused as to why he's feeling this way thinking "Don't I like Mew? Why do I feel this way towards Sand?", so of course he's scared about what he's feeling and he's scared of being vulnerable and ending up being hurt, so he pushes Sand away by being mean. It's all too much for him.

What's worse is that Sand has been the only one setting up rules like the not sleeping with each other more than once, saying he'd never date someone like Ray and other less significant situations but Ray always convinces him to break those same rules (wonder why that is...) which Sand is at fault too like, my guy you need to be confident and just say no. Sand most likely set those same rules precisely because of an old relationship that started this way and ended up horribly so he's trying to not commit that same mistake again. This time I think Sand will fight back instead of just letting go like his old relationship, probably because he can tell Ray feels the same way as him.

Then we have this scene, It's a bit ambiguous because it's impossible to know exactly in what part of the timeline of this relationship this fits in but I personally like to think it's after all the fights Ray finally takes some time to think and get his feelings in order and realise what exactly Sand means to him and this is the scene where Ray goes and finds Sand to apologise and I guess 'confess'. It also fits really well with the last scene I'll talk about which is the bathtub scene.

In this scene we can clearly see Ray breaking down crying in a bathtub while Mew is hugging him from behind (in the old trailer Mew had clothes on so this doesn't really make me think much). Personally, this is probably a scene where Ray feels horrible for hurting Sand and might also be the moment he realises how he truly feels for him which of course has him feeling like this. Gut wrenching heartbreak. My friend thinks it might be a time where Sand has decided to stop talking to him, refusing to see him which could also make everything worse.

To end all of this I think it's very important to note that by no means do I think either of them are in love already but no one can deny they're clearly attracted to each other and that they have a connection, but most importantly they ARE friends and they consider themselves as such no matter what, they would do a lot of things for each other, Ray even as far as defending Sand's band to Top (it's Top we're talking about whom he hates, but nevertheless) so that's something to keep in mind.

[gunsatthaphan]

God, what are your thoughts on today's episode of Only Friends?? I'm a bit mad at Sand but I know his lack of reaction to Boeing was mostly because he's too nice, but it's IRKING ME to no ends. I think we're already beyond the line and we'll definitely get a SandRay endgame but this is making me nervous 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I know everyone has different opinions on this but I'm actually relieved about the BoeingSand situation because I really feared the absolute worst lmao. First's words about that love scene are still lingering in my head and I don't think we're out of the woods regarding that so no idea what we'll be in for next week. Based on the preview I don't think that threesome is actually gonna happen lmao but we shall see. But considering what I was expecting, I'm okay with the situation for now lol. And like you said this also solidifies the SandRay endgame prognosis, not because of a possible hookup but because I don't see Boeing as a threat anymore after this episode. He's a joke.

This was the first episode where I sympathized with TopMew lol, I liked what Top said about their respective paranoia making them go in circles because that's exactly what I've been saying lol and it's the reason why I was never a fan of their story. It seemed repetitive for the most part but I liked their reconciliation in this episode. I was buying his remorseful speech 100% lol.

I did not follow the logic of Boston and Nick's revenge plan on Atom lmao how do those pictures prove that Boston is innocent? idk. I wonder how the New York situation will play out eventually, also Chueam forgiving Atom for almost ruining Boston's life??,,,, like okay now apologize to Boston please.

that's all I have to say about this episode lol. can't believe it's ending next week 😭

xxx

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Only Friends Reflection

Okay, I have been thinking about what I want to write for the finale, and I have too many small threads of a couple different essays, so instead I will just write my own reflection. 

I did not want Top and Mew or Sand and Ray to end up together, but am not mad at Only Friends for ending with those couples in happy relationships specifically, and literally only because I was like 99% certain GMMTV would not allow ForceBook and FirstKhao to be separated. Those are couples that should not be together, but something has to get pulled out of someone’s ass because Jojo and co set out to write one show with non-branded actors, and while they absolutely are not blameless for the fumbles in the finale that undermined the rest of the show, I do think they probably got corralled in to certain themes and endings by the studio. I do not think they navigated the transition between the themes and endings super well. 

I thought about writing an essay on the trend I noticed around kissing. Namely that Nick and Boston have a conversation where we learn that Boston views sex and love as distinct, and that the emotional aspect of relationships is what should separate boyfriends from one sex partners. But that is not the case for Nick, and he has a difficult time conceptualizing this view of physical intimacy while in a relationship with someone. And how that conversation around kissing people who aren’t your boyfriend was sandwiched between a threeway kiss between boyfriends Sand and Ray with Boeing, and Mew daring Sand to kiss his boyfriend, Top. 

I thought about writing an essay about how NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN MORE RIGHT THAN ME, RE: COMMODIFICATION OF SAND. Ray and Boeing both referred to Sand as a dog, Sand literally referred to himself as being owned. Ray wants to go in to business with Sand. From beginning to end Ray has regarded Sand as an object that he owns, and this has been one of the more consistent threads throughout the show. At least Sand is aware of this. I will say one of the most egregious things for me in this entire episode was the literal “SandRay” conversation. Like???

And finally, I will not begrudge anyone, nor will I try to convince anyone to read the finale the way I am here, because every single take about the narrative punishing Boston is completely valid. I see it, I understand it, a lot of me feels it. And also, I think that what happened to Boston is unfair, and that if we are feeling like it is unfair that does a job of demonstrating that Boston’s friends are shitty and judgemental about his sex life and that we don’t treat sluts fairly. I also just like…have not at any point liked Mew, Top, or Cheum as people and as mad as I am that no one apologized to Boston for the sex tape bullshit they put him through? Am I surprised? No. I did not expect them to ever admit to being wrong, because I have seen how they have handled every other mess they have gotten themselves in to. The narrative is absolutely punishing Boston, and while I still have a hard time looking at the extensive history of Jojo and Ninew’s previous works, that they themselves would believe that sluts should be punished. But I understand how it reads, and will allow for both a criticism of their writing that if they didn’t want that to be a take away, they needed to be clearer, and also am not going to fight people saying that Jojo, Ninew, or Den think that way. I mostly just worry that if Jojo and co are seen as being anti-slut/sex-negative that people whose first exposure to their work is Only Friends will not watch their other work. 

Which is a damn shame, because The Warp Effect and 3 Will Be Free are very good pieces, and very important in terms of pushing GMMTV’s boundaries on including sex, having a polyamorous and open relationship, and including trans women who are allowed to be complex, and not just act as a minor character. It was also pointed out to me that TWE and 3WBF, which I hold are some of the queerer stories from GMMTV I’ve seen, are not listed as BLs and therefore may not be subject to some of the same expectations. Those also didn’t use branded pairs. 

Ultimately, to come at this from an assets based approach, regardless of the feelings around the end of the show, I do think that Only Friends served to push some of GMMTV’s boundaries, I want the branded pairs done away with, and I low key hope some of the negative reactions to the ending of this show where the branded pairs get their happy endings will serve to demonstrate to GMMTV that sometimes, maintaining their brands…is worse. 

But the pairs probably bring in too much money for them to care.

[monsamborabutterfly]

Mew: threatening to publish revenge porn of Boston and to show it to his father who maybe potentially doesn't even know his son is gay and only not doing it to show he's morally superior.

Top: starting to date someone but sleeping around and doing drugs behind his back just cause his ego is hurt about a thing that happened two years ago.

Ray: lashing out as soon as he's hurt by getting drunk calling sand who has been nothing but kind to him a literal whore, hating on everyone & trying to sabotage everyone's relationship, drunk driving and literally risking everyone's life, throwing sand away as soon as mew is doing as much as look at him.

Nick: literally doing his whole wiring thing without tops or Boston's consent

Sand: well he's mostly innocent although the way he used the audio was fucked up ngl.

Boston: he slept with his friends boyfriend (which is fucked up, and the fact that he used a picture and clip he has taken without consent is even more fucked up) and the SandRay thing was annoying cause it was literally none of his business but he wasn't necessarily wrong in what he said. Also as soon as top told him he actually left him alone, he was always kind of honest with Nick too. Is he an ass? Oh for sure! And he needs to grow tf up.

And none of them are irredeemably evil but I'm truly confused how so many people came to the conclusion that Boston is the uber villain when they're all so obviously fucked up. He's most definitely not worse than any of them and that's that.

[semantics-error]

Why RayMew is so satisfying to me

Look, I'm a SandRay fanatic. I love them. I want them to end up together. Their character arcs fit perfectly together and they will be each other's greatest pain and greatest comfort before this show is over. I have faith.

But I am watching this show from a writer's perspective of narrative. And that makes RayMew incredibly satisfying to me. I don't think Ray or Mew are doing this from a "manipulative" perspective. Are they messing up, making mistakes? Yes. But are they trying their best? Also, yes.

We have to remember that the second half of any story is when the protagonists shift from passive mode to active mode. In the first half of the series, everyone is busy ignoring their narrative wounds by any means necessary, chasing the external goals that they are using to paper over their internal needs.

In the second half, after the false defeat midpoint we experienced in Episode 6, the protagonists shift from ignoring their internal need in favor of the easier external goal, to attempting to address it. But critically they are going to do that in the wrong way. Right up until the end of the show probably.

What's Mew's internal need? To take off the blinders of the "fantasy relationship" he's been pursuing the entire first half. To see people clearly, without judgement, and meet them where they are. Eventually, he might apply this to Top, but he's making progress (in a convoluted way) by doing it with Ray first. He has always judged Ray, passed him over as a potential lover because Ray has never fit his fantasy of perfect.

And now he will try to do better for the first time, and in the process (hopefully) learn that there are other reasons why he and Ray don't fit. And other reasons why he and Top do fit, besides Top's external "perfection". (Assuming they are endgame).

What's Ray's internal need? To be more than a burden. In the first half he simply lets Sand take care of him, but this doesn't address his internal need at all. It just reinforces to him that no one finds his love worthy. Of course, as soon as Mew gives him a chance to take care of someone else he's going to jump at it. For once, he can be useful. For once, he can be Mew's emergency contact.

Even if/when they break up, Ray will finally be able to get over Mew never even seeing him as an option. Hopefully, he will learn that disappointing Mew isn't nearly as painful as disappointing Sand. Hopefully, he will see that despite Sand's protestations in Episodes 5 and 6, Sand is disappointed. And that means that Sand did value Ray's affection, somewhere along the way.

So if RayMew is fake from either side, then I will be disappointed. Not necessarily because it's less entertaining or worse writing. Just because to me that indicates neither of them is making progress toward their character arc, and that means that they (and by that I mean Ray because I mostly care about SandRay, sorry!) might not learn their lesson in time to have a happy ending.