#which mew has a version of in only friends)

[dribs-and-drabbles]

Hey! So I take a lot of screenshots when I watch shows, mostly for fun Idk. But I have obviously seen and loved your communal wardrobe posts and I Thiiiink I might have 1 or 2 overlaps you don't have. I've only kind of just realised that you seem to be like intentionally tracking these not just yelling about a couple of the most popular ones 😅. Also you could already have them but like for example I completely freaked out when I realised Mew was wearing the same shirt as Techno in tharntype did... Do you have that one?

Hi Roc!

I had been just highlighting the popular ones but for some reason I've decided to document all the ones that have spotted so far (I'm on 30...which felt like A LOT when I started a few weeks ago but now feels like it's not so many 😂).

Anyway, I'm ALWAYS happy to hear of clothes that reappear in different series. I have Mew in Only Friends and Not in Be My Favourite wearing the same shirt but not one from Tharntype yet (although I'd love it to be the same one but it probably won't be!). If you don't mind, then send them all my way 💖

[respectthepetty]

I think Mark is like… a vampire or something, does he ever sleep?

He is on every GMMTV SHOW!! I just keep thinking of that clip of him in school president when am he says “ I’m playing the vicar, the father and every other character” (or something like that! I forget!

so……. Would you like to Rate the shows Mark has been in? 👀

Anon, I cannot rate the shows Mark has been in because if Mark is in them, they have to be good, but I will rank them based on how much I loved Mark in them because I think he is beautiful AND talented (which is why this badminton world champion is on my list of GMMTV's best actors).

Ranked - Mark Pakin's Series

Honorable Mention - Cooking Crush - Dynamite

I think Aungpao is doing a great job as Dynamite in Cooking Crush, but I can't help but think what it would have been to see Mark in that role as originally intended. It sucks that Mark is overbooked, which I'm assuming was the reason he couldn't commit to Cooking Crush since he was filming Last Twilight, but it's a good problem to have for such a talented man, so I hope he continues to stay booked and blessing me with his face on my screen each and every year.

#8 - High School Frenemy - Chatjen

This show was barely announced, so it's possible it might not even make it to air, but that's not why it's last. The show is a remake of a Korean series, and word on the street is the original was not gay, like at all, which is wild since the entire pilot trailer for the Thai version seemed very homosexual to me! There was a rooftop and everything! But it also looks like our boy is about to be bullied, and I'm not here for it. Therefore, LAST!

#7 - Bad Buddy - Chang

Mark played in Bad Buddy? Notice that is a question and not a statement because, although I don't remember a lot of Bad Buddy because we have beef, I truly only remember Drake and Jimmy as friends since I wanted them to be a couple (Korn x Wai ghost ship!). I wasn't aware of either Marc or Mark playing Pat and Pran's friends. Mark was there when Pat got shot. Mark was there when they told Pran that Pat got shot. He is in the photo outside of the hospital room because Pat got shot, and I still am like, "Was Mark really in the show?"! I even had to look up what his character's name was on MDL. I still don't believe he was in it. I don't care what Our Skyy said. This is the Mandela Effect.

#6 - I Promised You the Moon - Mek

I do remember Mark in I Promised You the Moon, so this ranking is purely because I'm petty and got beef with this series, specifically Teh, which means Mark has to suffer too. Mark played Mek who was Teh's roommate. After Teh FUCKED UP, Mek was nice to him when he really didn't have to be because Teh was being an ASSHOLE to him, but that's why I loved Mek. He could've thrown hands with Teh in that room, but instead gave Teh some tough love by telling him his crying was annoying, and he needed to get it together. Then, he invited Teh to go eat with him. He still could've smacked Teh though and cemented this as Mark's number one role.

#5 - Last Twilight - Night

The only reason this is ranked this low is because I haven't had enough of him in the show. He is not the lead. He is a supporting character (AS USUAL, GMMTV!), so I can't expect him on my screen every single second, but I need far more of him in the last quarter of this series. Also, the show is setting up Night to be the cause of Day's accident, but it's too late for me to feel bad about any of this. I needed to know that information by episode three. Now we are over halfway done, Mork and Day are fulfilling the gay agenda, Phojai is about to get a rich husband, and Night is going to inherit a beautiful family, so let bygones be bygones, and GIVE MARK A LEADING ROLE ALREADY!

#4 - Only Friends - Nick

If I was really petty, this wouldn't have even been on the list because Nick should have been so much worse. He recorded Boston and Top having sex. He told Mew about Boston's non-consensual sex tape. He lied to Boston. And yet . . . I wanted him to do more! Nick could have blackmailed Top. Nick could've ruined Mew's life. Nick could've hurt Ray via Sand! Nick could've been a baddie, but instead he was a saddie. Mark finally got to kiss a homie, but at what cost? I feel Mark could've done so much more in this role. Honestly, all the actors could have, but they were held back, so here Nick sits in the middle. Not good. Not bad. Just average.

#3 - My School President - Thiu

This 'fit alone deserves our recognition because Mark was playing a high schooler yet looking too fine in this top. He needed to put that hotness away around those children. But in regards to his character, as you mentioned in the ask, he was EVERYTHING! He was trying to keep the student council solid since Tinn was too busy crushing on Gun. He was playing matchmaker. He was dating Por all season, and this is not up for debate. He was a director for the band's music video and was basically their manager. Homie was doing it all and still had time to look fine. What a guy!

#2 - Moonlight Chicken - Saleng

I wrote an ode to Saleng being my Thai primo. He lived for the chisme and was the biggest shit starter in the family, yet Li Meng called him first after the accident, and he was right there when their community mother passed away. Aof, who is behind Moonlight Chicken and Last Twilight, really let all the characters shine in this series, but Mark did amazing with the little amount of screen time he had, which gives me hope that his Last Twilight character will rise in the rankings as that series comes to a close. This role was so good that I was torn between this and the one I ultimately selected as number one, but honestly, both roles could be number one depending on my mood. Do I want family-oriented fun times Saleng or do I want . . .

#1 - The Warp Effect - Jedi

The entire cast of The Warp Effect was elite status. Every character was great. Every storyline was good. Every discussion about sex was outstanding. But Mark as Jedi lives rent free in my head, specifically the scene where after working out, he fucks his girlfriend from behind over the kitchen counter! Then, he experiences pain because he has a STI! This leads to an entire education about open relationships, sexual health, communication, and trans healthcare since his girlfriend is trans. Jojo was the screenwriter and director for both Only Friends and The Warp Effect, so I like that both of Mark's sexier roles are due to Jojo's vision, and I hope Mark gets to work again with either Aof or Jojo because Mark is at his best when he is allowed to play an adult man who knows what he wants and how to get it.

And believe me, he could get it.

[bird-inacage]

Only Friends: Ray x Sand Character & Relationship Theories

So a fun game I like to play before a series airs, is to speculate on the characters and the possible direction or conflicts that may arise (based only on what we've seen so far). An initial delve into Ray and Sand as individuals and as a couple.

RAY

"Ray is quite spoiled. He wants to be pampered by everyone." Being spoilt often means getting your way, and hence unable to compromise or settle for less. Ray loves attention, which can lead to an inflated sense of self-importance or narcissism. The issue with this is your identity becomes so easily informed by those around you. Without attention to thrive on, Ray may feel invisible or inadequate. And when feeling insecure, they may feel driven to do things to purposely draw attention to themselves (exhibitionist-like behaviour or throwing tantrums/sulking). Attention only supplies a fleeting sense of validation. It's nowhere close to true fulfilment.

A spoilt nature can also manifest as clinginess or possessiveness. ‘This is mine', 'this belongs to me and only me.' As Khaotung puts it, Ray likes being 'pampered' aka doted on by those around him. So when Mew is swiped away by Top from under his nose, Ray is clearly annoyed. This is partly due to Top being his love rival, but I believe it's more simple than that. Mew is his friend. Once Top comes into the picture, Mew naturally spends much less time with him. Possessiveness is the close relative of (petty) jealousy. You don't want 'your people' spending time with anyone else. You ideally want them revolving their time around you, because they validate your existence.

"Be patient with his hot temper, because Ray is easily frustrated." Confrontational, brash, and a loose cannon when angry. Ray seems to react on emotion rather than rationale. If things aren't to his liking, his immediate knee jerk reaction is to act out. Essentially, he's a bit of a brat. "He's going to be straightforward. His words might not be appropriate. Ray might just say what he wants honestly." Ray isn't deterred by formalities or niceties. You’ll get the truth whether you like it or not.

"Deep down, I think he's someone who needs love." "So if you're his friend, he might fall for you too." These points Khaotung shared are the most intriguing in my opinion. It implies that it's not Mew exclusively that Ray could have developed a crush on. It could have easily been another close friend in an alternative version of events. Ray may latch onto others far too easily (especially towards those who give him positive attention and reinforcement, possibly).

SAND

First emphasises that Sand's financial situation has a huge bearing on his character. "He works to earn his living, thus he must be patient when doing things to ensure his survival... he has to work many jobs to earn money". Sand appears to be a musician who side hustles as a sex worker (which is at least two jobs). He has to be resourceful and pragmatic, especially in how to set his priorities in order.

"Sand doesn't have time. He's someone you must approach first." If they say my treat, they suddenly become more interesting to him." It requires more effort for someone to get to know Sand. I speculate that Ray might begin by 'hiring' Sand under the pretence of work. If Sand doesn't have much free time to spare, this would allow Ray to see him if he offers to 'pay for it'. Even though it's in Sand's best interests to pursue connections that will benefit him, he makes exceptions for those he considers his friends. This tells me that Sand has a strong righteous and moral compass. No matter how tough his own circumstances may be, he'll prioritise those he cares about.

"You will see his patience." Patience nurtures a willingness to listen and a willingness to compromise. Patience suggests registered and thoughtful decision-making rather than haste. Unfortunately it can cause others to push your boundaries, under the assumption you'll be more forgiving. In the trailer, he's frequently on the receiving end of Ray's wrath. Everyone has a limit, and it's likely that Ray will test Sand's patience to the point he snaps.

"People around him might sense tension and pressure from him sometimes." It's no surprise that when you live on the edge, you can be highly strung. His circumstances would understandably make him less tolerant to 'first world problems' or unnecessary shenanigans. Sand seems like the type to have a no nonsense policy for mind games. He could be a voice of reason in the series, as we see him trying to talk sense into Nick regarding Boston’s treatment of him. I have a hunch Sand will act out of genuine concern for Ray in a lot of instances, which gets rebuffed or misunderstood as being overly nosy or preachy.

RAY x SAND: Potential Conflicts

Sand's Financial Status

Mew, Ray, Boston and Top all seem to move in the same circles - appearing fairly wealthy. Often seen in homes with huge pools, driving nice cars and dress fairly dapper too. Ray has a ridiculously lavish bedroom (I mean fur pillows??) Whereas I think Sand and Nick may live together, and are on the other end of the spectrum. Sand works multiple jobs and Nick works in a phone shop.

When there is a wealth imbalance, it's common for those lesser off to have a complex around this (being in a position of disadvantage and seen as inferior). "Do I need to pamper you and call you Sugar Daddy? I don't know how to do that." By definition, 'Sugar Daddy' is usually someone older/richer who lavishes gifts on their 'partner' in exchange for sexual favours. Sand's cynic quip is a little dig at their dynamic, alluding to the fact that he doesn't know how to play to those in richer circles.

"It's clear that you just can't take care of what you have." Top mocks Sand in a way that could support this theory. That he can't take care of Ray and support his lifestyle. Ray also says, "You think my life will be better with you?" Which could be interpreted as: 'What value do you bring to my life (when I already have everything)?' It also has an air of 'Who are you to comment on my life when we come from different worlds entirely?'

Ray is High Maintenance or 'Troubled'

"I'll never take someone like you as my boyfriend." Which is Sand declaring: 'You/Your type are way too much trouble for me'. (Famous last words). He also says, "You should save your money for a shrink." Ray likely comes with baggage, bad habits or more serious issues. Whatever this may be, it's very clear to Sand that Ray would be too challenging a prospect as a boyfriend. Though there is undoubtedly attraction between them, Sand's wariness about these issues are strong enough for him to be hesitant about going further.

Another curious detail is in one scene Ray's arm is in a sling, and another he appears to have a bruised lip and cheek. Ray clearly has a volatile temper, which is a probable cause for trouble. But something tells me that Ray may have a far more underlying problem that would warrant Sand suggesting he see a shrink. Anger management issues feels too on the nose.

More Than Just Bed Friends

At the start of the series, Ray is pining over Mew. Somewhere along the line he starts to pursue Sand more seriously instead, though Sand doesn't consider Ray as boyfriend material. "Can you make an exception for me?"

"Can you stop thinking about something else for just one second? Focus on me for once, will you?" Sand seems frustrated that Ray blows hot and cold, which means he doesn't really know where he stands. Ray has either given very mixed signals from the get go or majorly yo-yos after Mew is definitely taken. "Stop poking your nose into my business. What are we to each other?" "Now that you already stepped into my life, I won't let you walk away." One minute he's telling Sand to piss off, and the next he's vowing not to let Sand out of his sights.

The ultimate conflict being 'so, what are we'?

Ray and Sand are referred to as 'Bed Friends' but Boston and Nick are referred to as 'Friends with Benefits'. (I thought this meant the same thing, but is there a distinction? Someone enlighten me if so). In the context of this series, it seems 'Bed Friends' refers to sex that leads to friendship. Whereas 'Friends with Benefits' are two friends that have sex regularly but don't share a romantic relationship.

-----

There will be plenty to analyse as soon as the first episode airs this week. Super interested to hear what others have been speculating is in store for us. We will not be prepared.

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Explosions

EPISODE 6 OF ONLY FRIENDS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD! Seriously it was just fight after fight after fight, every relationship being shifted, undermined, or blown up in minutes and it was glorious. I think a good summary for this episode is “It’s always the quiet ones” 

If you want the TL;DR version of any of these, you can check out @lurkingshan’s much more cohesive, succinct description of each fight, and the winner. 

Sand v. Top 

Something that I truly and deeply appreciate about Only Friends is how much they are really committing to letting these boys act their motherfucking ages. We would think that Sand is a more responsible, independent person out of necessity, that he has his life together more, that he is more mature. After all, like we said last week, Boston came in to his home, smoked his weed, and fucked with his relationship and Sand took the high road (so we thought) of shutting his goddamn mouth and not airing Boston and Top’s dirty laundry. 

But damn if this boy ain’t twenty, petty, and fueled by rage at even the smallest sight of Top’s face. 

Sand goes to the Coffee House and orders a Pink Milk (now, pink milk/pink drink is a pretty old BL trope if I understand correctly, and so imo it is a testament to Sand’s character and his expectations of romance that he would order such a drink, and a statement on Jojo and Ninew’s part that the coffee house does not have milk and therefore cannot deliver the drink of BL romance everywhere.) Top appears, ordering his drinks, and we get a blessed side eye from Sand full of incredulity, barely contained disdain, and annoyance.

GOD I WANT THEM TO BE HALF-BROTHERS SO BAD! Anyway…

Top does give a rather amicable hello, and initiates a casual, emotionless conversation. But of course, Sand hates this motherfuckers’ guts for stealing his ex, and Sand knows exactly what and how Top thinks of him, so that protective snark we saw when Sand initially started engaging with Rich-Boy-Ray, returns. 

Top, on the other hand, thinks nothing of Sand, not that he hates him, not that he likes him, but fully that Sand is nothing. Sand is poor, Sand is struggling, Sand is nowhere close to competition for him. Top is precisely the kind of asshole that uses subtle jibes and jabs to chip away at people who understand what he is doing. Sand fucking hates this guy, so it is easy beyond measure to get Sand going. 

Especially because, we know that Sand knows about Top and Boston, and we know that Boston poked the bear the other night and fucked with Sand’s feelings about Ray. Top needles, and Sand inches closer to showing his hand ‘Mew seems nice. How unlucky of him to have you as his boyfriend’ 

And the perfect boyfriend mask that Top has been so successfully adorning drops “I can have anyone I want…I got mine now. I hope you get yours” 

(I am putting this screenshot in here because I find it really interesting from a visual storytelling/cinematography perspective that Sand is cast in Top’s shadow.)

And get his Sand will, because the first thing Sand does when he gets home is break the shit out of his phone so hard that Nick asks if he went to war. He “borrows” Nick’s phone to “call his Mom” promptly sending himself the audio file of Boston and Top having sex. (Pro Tip: If you are going to audio record two guys having sex, maybe don’t tell a goddamn soul you have it unless you are ready for that information to come to light.) 

Some questions I have here: why did Sand ask about if Nick was still seeing Boston? Why does Sand seem chill with Nick and Boston still hanging out together after Boston just went full douchebag all over his apartment. 

(My assumption/my theory here, which I am not really thinking has any basis in reality is that Sand is looking to see if Nick is still hanging out with Boston after Boston blew up the fantasy relationship he had with Ray. As if he was figuring out if it was worth it to throw Nick in to the mix when he is making the decision to ignite the stick of dynamite that is everyone’s relationships to one another.)

Then he meets with Ray at the bar. 

“Are you mad at me for that night?”

“Why would I be mad? Who you like is your business” Sand says, like a liar, and I am almost entirely certain that Ray knows this is a lie. Because he was with Sand the night Boston went off and he heard those crack’s in Sand’s voice. 

Something that I absolutely love about Ray as a character is that he is so completely unable to control his facial expressions. Whatever he is thinking or feeling is on his face the second that the emotion enters his body. You can see it in the fight scene with Boston in episode 5, how quickly Ray’s face shifts from crossfaded, relaxed, and smiley to focused, tense, and angry. So his reaction to Sand’s response is no surprise. Ray smirks, and looks away from Sand. 

“You called me here to play pool?”

“No, I wanted to talk to you…about Mew,” Sand is looking straight at Ray at this point, and I don’t know about y’all but it feels to me like Sand is assessing Ray’s reaction.  There is a MASSIVE pause from Ray at this point, a large bout of silence, and VERY slow, calculated motion as he brings himself to a (drunken) upright position. 

“What? Are you not okay that I like him?”

A deep inhale from Sand, and then a smile “I am okay. I even get why you like him. He is nice. People around can’t help falling for him.” Sand is priming his trap, weaponizing Ray’s feelings for Mew.

So here is the thing with Ray. Ray is both an open book and a man of direct action, part of this may just be his personality, but part of this is that Ray is constantly under the influence, and with altered mental status, it is going to both be harder to control your outward emotional expression and you are going to get escalated more quickly. Ray has an extremely low tolerance for bullshit, and in some capacities that is a negative thing (ex: 80% of the actions Ray does after his conversation with Sand in the pool hall), but it can sometimes be a positive thing, because it allows Ray to cut to the chase. To try to skirt around whatever mind games Sand is trying to play: “Just say what you mean”. 

Sand sends Ray the audio recording, “I didn’t know who to tell, so I told you” Sand says, turning his attention to the pool table.

This is a crucial move, because Sand is not making eye contact with Ray. Sand is toying with Ray, he is trying to seem disinterested in Ray, in their conversation, unaffected by the other night, casual in his relationship to Ray, casual in the massive invasion of privacy that he just handed to Ray, unphased by the ammunition he has just loaded in to the loose cannon. 

“I just don’t want a good guy like Mew to get fooled by Top. Mew is lucky though…

“To have you by his side”

Sand knows exactly what he is doing. He knows Ray likes Mew, and he knows Ray has a tendency to get riled up. Sand may not fully anticipate just how much he is setting Ray up to get hurt here, but he for fucking sure knows he is priming a weapon. If you ask me, Sand is placing the idea in Ray’s head to bring this information to Mew, to reveal the truth and break Mew and Top up so that Top loses the relationship that he just rubbed in Sand’s face, with minimal effort and suspicion that Sand was behind any of it. Which is why Sand looks up from the pool table as he says this line, because he’s studying Ray to see if Ray is picking up what Sand is putting down, and as we will see later, Sand has successfully planted the seed.

Ray is easy, Ray takes the bait, Ray immediately goes firing off in every direction he can. That boy waits, what? Probably one day before he runs straight to Boston to give him a piece of his mind. 

Ray v. Boston

There are too many phenomenal scenes in Episode 6 to pick a favorite, but I do think this is one of the best scenes that we’ve seen for Boston so far. By which I mean that we get a lot of information about Boston’s character from the way he navigates this conversation with Ray. We saw his proclivity for douchebaggery in Episode 5, and we’ve seen his propensity for fear when he is almost caught by Mew in the showers with Top. But we haven’t really seen these two aspects of Boston’s character interacting with each other, or at least not as strongly. 

Ray comes storming in to Boston’s home immediately riled up and cussing him out, calling him all sorts of names asking if he is going to do nasty shit to all of his friends, and of course, Boston at this point has no idea that the recording exists (and he is just a major asshole) so he is legitimately very confused about what Ray could possibly be talking about. 

“You hooked up with Top!” Ray shouts, and there is a look of genuine fear in Boston’s eyes. No one was around that he knew about or saw when he hooked up with Top that night, no one should have known that happened. Boston already has one recorded gay sex event hanging over his head as potential blackmail (thanks Gap), and now he is faced with the realization that there may be evidence of a second gay sex event.

Boston cares about his father’s reputation. Boston is not out to his father. Boston is probably far less discrete and careful than he should be, but I do think it is fair for him to assume that people aren’t going to record his sexual encounters with them without his consent. (I want to take a pause here just to say that I think I guessed right about some of the reasoning for Boston’s behavior especially in the earlier episodes has to do with his inability to be out.) This scene is where we get the longest continuous exposure to Boston’s fear. He is scared when Ray says he knows about him and Top, he is scared when he asks who told Ray, at this point you would think Ray would be the victor of this fight, but the second that Ray brings Mew in to the conversation?

Boston puts a mask on, and he smiles, because he has found a way to protect himself, and that is to use Ray’s weak spot (his crush on Mew) against him. To turn the tides in his favor, to manipulate Ray’s feelings, Ray’s attachment to Mew, Ray’s love of Mew in to staying quiet about his hook up with Top. 

“So? Top and I screwed even before they started dating. Is it so weird to screw again? I just wanted more. Then I let them love each other all they want. Everyone has a happy ending. Everyone is filled.” 

I am fascinated here by Boston’s comment “I let them love each other all they want”. As if he personally has control over Top and Mew’s feelings for each other, as if he didn’t violate Mew’s ability to trust Top whenever, if ever that information comes to light. (Secondarily, Boston chooses some truly masterful double entendres here “happy ending”, “everyone filled”). 

Ray continues on his shouting spree, asking Boston how he could do that to a friend, and we see the aloof and unbothered mask slip off once again, in favor of an actual plea to be listened to. “Hear me out, okay? I don’t hate Mew at all. I was just needy. The timing was just wrong” Now, while I don’t believe Boston about Mew and about the timing because we know he only started going after Top when Top started showing greater interest in Mew, and didn’t just nail and bail. But, I don’t think Boston is entirely lying to Ray here about being needy. One thing I do wish this show had more time for is establishing the past relationship between Boston and Ray before they get to this point. When Ray says later on in the episode that Boston tells him all about his sexual conquests, is that just something he says to Ray or is that something he tells the whole group when he is recounting his previous nights? This matters only in the sense of me feeling more secure in how much, if any, of what Boston is saying to Ray is true. 

“Timing, my ass. The point is your slutty ass just sleeps with anyone.” Ray says, and Boston looks down at the ground, draws in a breath, and then meets Ray with this cocky, teasing smirk and the line “Not just anyone. I picked him.” 

Ray wants to see Boston as a villain, so Boston will be one. Boston is generally a contradictory asshole, but in my opinion if he wasn’t faking some of this confidence and prodding at Ray, he would not have needed prep time, we would have seen that sincerity drop, the way we saw Top’s sincerity drop in his conversation with Sand. Instead, Boston has to prepare himself to act this way, though he is able to slip in to this part of himself with ease. Also, I have no deep insights in to this, because I am simply just obsessed with the little shoulder shrug Boston gives Ray. Spitting in his face would have been less disrespectful than the way Boston shrugs off Ray’s comment about him being a slut. (Once again I say Neo Trai is absolutely crushing this role).

Boston asks how Ray is involved (a great question, because it is literally none of Ray’s business) and then goes in for the kill with his acknowledgement of Ray’s crush, and the underlying dickishness Boston knows (or thinks he knows) is there. “You’re playing a good friend who is always so protective of Mew. Honestly, I think you are glad that it happened. You’ve always waited for your chance. This is in your favor. You’re waiting for them to break up and be his rebound when he is weak.” 

I don’t know that it really needs to be called out directly, but I am going to do it anyway. What Boston just said to Ray’s face is exactly what Sand was thinking, and alluding to when he gave Ray that recording. You cannot convince me otherwise. But Sand was subtle in how he put those thoughts in Ray’s head, so he is successful in getting Ray appropriately riled up. Boston too, is successful in riling up Ray by being direct with him, but Boston gets punched in the face and makes Ray even angrier at him than he was before. 

“If you tell him, then you’re as evil as me. Don’t act like you mean well when deep down you hope they will break up. It’s disgusting!” He stands up, and stalks right up to Ray’s face.

“You should even thank me big time for getting you out of the friendzone.” 

Regardless of the fact that Boston is not yet aware of the recording of him and Top, he is acutely aware that he needs to protect himself from this information getting out. So again, he hones in on Ray’s weakness. Boston compares Ray to himself, to the person that Ray is absolutely furious with. He plays to Ray’s own insecurities and to Ray’s need to be seen as a good person and viable partner for Mew. Ray loves his friends, Ray loves Mew, Ray does not want to hurt Mew, if Ray tells Mew about Top cheating on him Mew will be hurt, if Mew rebounds with Ray after he and Top break up that makes Boston right about Ray’s intentions, that makes Ray evil. That is the implication here. And, just in case trying to convince Ray that if he tells Mew about the cheating then he is just as evil as the person who literally got fucked by Top, Boston throws in a little bit extra.  Ray should be grateful. Ray should thank Boston. Boston’s shitty actions here, Boston’s betrayal of his friendship with Mew, have cleared the way for Ray to play the hero. Ray shouldn’t tell Mew any of this because he owes Boston. Ray came charging in to Boston’s own home, with a leg up in the conversation, and showed his hand, allowing Boston to exploit Ray’s feelings and gain the upper hand. In one expert fell swoop, Boston has upset Ray enough for him to storm off and is feeling pretty confident and secure in the knowledge that Ray will not say anything to Mew.

Ray v. Everyone

By the time Ray gets to Mew’s birthday party he has been ignored, insulted, manipulated, and belittled constantly by almost every single person that says they care about him. Cheum has laughed at his love life, Sand used Ray to further his own agenda, Boston has thoroughly fucked with Ray’s life in a number of ways, and even Mew is harsher than usual to Ray when they run in to eachother in the bathroom and Mew tells Ray to stop doing drugs or he’ll be dead by 30. 

Ray loves Mew, Ray has been told over and over again by Mew that he only sees Ray as a friend, and there in the bathroom, Mew once again says “let’s be friends forever”. At this point, Mew has made it pretty fucking clear that he is never going to date Ray, and all of Ray’s friends have been shitty to him, and he is also drunk AND high, so for me it would track that Ray has literally nothing to lose by being honest. Every relationship Ray has, someone has fucked with. Top tries to get Mew on his side in his hatred of Ray, Sand put his barriers back up to protect his own feelings when Boston mentioned Ray’s crush on Mew, Ray fucked himself over with Mew by kissing him when he was asleep, Cheum points out Ray’s lack of love life and otherwise pretty much ignores Ray. So it also tracks for me that Ray would try to get back at everyone by fucking with their relationships.

Ray pulls a Top and gets up on stage to steal Sand’s microphone and make a public declaration, something that we as the audience should already know Mew does not like, because he said as much to Top after Top publicly asked Mew to be his boyfriend. Sand, bless him, tries to put a stop to this immediately by asking Ray what he is doing, but not to be deterred, and using the guise of Mew’s birthday he takes control of the microphone and the entire bar’s attention.  Before I go too much in to the actual roast session, I would recommend everyone who has seen Episode 6 go back to this scene and watch how Book plays Mew in this scene. Every single moment (until Mew gets mad that is) that Mew is on screen, he looks forlorn. But in the chaos of the bar scene, the quick cuts to all the couples dancing it can be hard to notice, especially if we weren’t looking out for it. This whole scene is set up spectacularly as foreshadowing for Mew’s revenge at the end of the episode, and if you pay close enough attention highlights the huge problems in Mew and Top’s relationship. Mew is upset, Mew is visibly upset, and Top is standing right there next to Mew the entire time. Top is dancing with Mew, Top is putting himself between Mew and Ray. Mew and Top are inches from each other during this entire scene and Top does not notice or ask about Mew’s mood shift once. Because Top has never truly been attentive to Mew’s feelings.

Anyway, Mew lays waste to Cheum, Boston, and Nick before Sand recognizes this is going nowhere good fast, and once again tries to put a stop to it. 

Ray has been ignored by too many people, Ray has been fucked with for too long for him to just let everything go and leave. And remember, he is drunk and high on cocaine so he is not de-escalating any time soon, and no one in that bar is at all equipped to change his focus and calm him down. Sand gets involved, but Sand is the cause of all of this mess because he gave Ray the information, and Ray will not be silenced, so he tries to insult Sand. “You don’t even want to be a singer, you just want to make money. If you want it so much, why don’t you sleep with me?” 

AND SORRY, I KNOW THAT I SHOULD REALLY BE TALKING ABOUT THE TOP, BOSTON, MEW OF IT ALL BUT I FUCKING LOVE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS LINE.

Because we know that Ray has offered to pay Sand for sex before, and we know that Ray has asked Sand how much he owed for their “one night stand”, only to have Sand on every occasion, reject the money. Sand has said that if he wants sex, he does it for free. Literally from the moment that Sand realized that he had some sort of positive feelings for Ray, and agreed to be his friend, he has not accepted a single bhat from Ray. But in front of all of these people, Ray is implying that Sand is a sex worker. In front of Boston, who has walked in on Ray and Sand making out, and in front of Nick who has interrupted Ray and Sand in the middle of something physically intimate on more than one occasion, Ray has just made it seem to them like Sand has been paid to cater to Ray’s every whim, in front of people that know Sand well. 

We love and respect sex workers in this house, but Ray? Ray is not saying this because he thinks sex work is okay. Ray is saying this because he thinks calling someone a prostitute (in a sense) is insulting, and that is not helped by the fact that they are in public and therefore Ray is subjecting Sand to public scrutiny over him potentially being a sex worker.  And in associating Sand with sex work, in associating sex with Ray as sex work, Ray is undermining the validity of any and all time that Sand and Ray have hung out together, and is highlighting his status as a higher class than Sand. 

Ray turns to Mew, showering praise and gratitude and well wishes upon him, and telling Mew “though that happiness doesn’t include me, I’m okay,” and Mew does not react in any way that is comforting, he doesn’t smile, he doesn’t nod. He just stands there, staring at Ray, and by my impression trying not to cry. And God, what I wouldn’t give to see Boston’s reaction to this moment, because we do not get to see him at all during this moment, and I want to know how confident Boston was feeling that Ray wouldn’t say anything about his affair with Top when Ray is acknowledging that he knows that Mew will never return his feelings.

I don’t know about you all, but personally, I believe Ray here. I think Ray has been rejected enough by Mew, and fucked up his relationship enough with Mew that he does just need to affirm to Mew that he understands what he has done, and that he understands that Mew will only ever think about him as a friend, and that Ray is there to support Mew in whatever he decides to do with the information, we as the audience do not know Mew already has. 

Ray turns his ire on Top, shouting at the top of his lungs, insulting Top, shoving Top, generally causing a scene and we finally get a glimpse of Boston, but he’s blurred out in the background, so while his face is unreadable, we get some indication of Boston’s emotional state by that fact that he is tuned the fuck in to everything going on, because the only thing we can read from Boston is that he is staring directly at Top. Ray continues to escalate, and Yo finally steps in, but she allows Ray to continue after a moment, which is like…girl, come on, where is the responsible bar owner? 

Ray starts shoving Top, Mew tries to step in, Top grabs Mew around the shoulder and jerks him back like he owns Mew. And because there are very few people in this world that take Ray seriously at all, Cheum tries to get involved. Reminding Ray that Mew is not gonna fuck him (I mean, that’s not exactly what she said but same shit) which Ray knows. I think, personally, that Ray is fully aware that there is a chance that he has completely ruined his relationship with Mew by valuing Mew enough to tell him the truth. That he has made himself as evil as Boston by telling Mew anything at all. 

I’ve said it before, I will say it again, Ray is one of the biggest open books in this show because of his substance use. We saw very early in the episode when the hotel management group was talking with their professor every single emotion, every single thought that Ray was

experiencing. From nearly the beginning of the show, we have seen Ray ignored or belittled by most of his friends, as someone who loves and has worked with drug users, I have to say that Jojo and co are doing an incredible job at demonstrating all the little ways that people discount, discredit, and dehumanize drug users. All of his friends, Boston, Cheum, and especially Mew think they are better than Ray because he uses drugs. We see it in the bathroom, right before the Ray-mpage, Mew realizing Ray has just done drugs, and then telling his suicidal friend that he would be dead before 30 if he keeps this behavior up. 

So of course Ray wants all these truths to come to light. Of course Ray has to be the one to do it. Because how dare all of these people stand around, pretending to be friendly to one another, pretending to care about one another, acting like they are all good people, when they are all manipulating, and controlling, and lying to each other. No one in this bar is better than Ray, even though they think they are. 

“No one has said a damn thing, which is why I need to” Ray shouts and then immediately turns to Boston. And as he continues to get riled up, as he gets closer to publicly revealing Top’s infidelity, Mew steps in, and it takes Mew punching Ray in the face to get him to shut the fuck up and preserve the image of clueless Mew.

Ray storms off and Sand goes running after him because he is the only person with some goddamn sense, realizing that Ray is going to endanger himself and others. They have their fight, which for the sake of space and time I am not going to talk about.

Mew v. Top

We reach a decompression point (so we think) after this fight, Sand quietly driving off after Ray, Nick reaching out to and having his comforting touch be rejected by Boston, Mew and Top walking back in to Mew’s apartment, with Mew only speaking when he is spoken to. 

Now, this cannot be convey through photographs alone, but I JUST NEED TO SHOUT TO THE HIGH HEAVENS ABOUT HOW FUCKING OBSESSED AND IN LOVE I AM WITH THE BACKGROUND MUSIC IN THIS SCENE. 

Besties, the vibes are RANCID. The music does not match the romantic scene we see Mew setting up, the lit candles, the supposed playlist he is putting on, the cuddling up to Top. The music we get underneath belongs in a horror movie. It’s suspenseful, it’s disconcerting. It is perfect. 

As soon as humanly possible Mew walks away from Top, enters a completely different room, and begins to lay his trap.

(Let it be stated for the record it was at this point where I started to think something might be up)

Top comes in to check on Mew and make sure he is alright, and as Book and Force have said, Top and Mew are competitive and poisonous for one another, and we are about to witness the perfect example of what happens with both of their propensities for control and manipulation come to a head.  Mew starts the game, initiating physical contact with Top, hugging him tight, rocking them back and forth. It is familiar, and comfortable, and there is absolutely no indication whatsoever from Mew’s body language that anything is wrong. (If you have not already, go back and watch the bar fight scene, and you will be presented with a drastically different Mew, because he is just gotten the news and he is processing his feeling and plotting his revenge, so he is a lot less capable of controlling the emotions on his face, and thus reads as detached and forlorn).

“Are you okay, Mew?” Top asks because he is at this point playing the role of devoted and concerned boyfriend extremely well (again a massive contrast to how he behaved at the bar, where he was possessive, reactive, and did not notice that anything was wrong with Mew despite being mere inches away from him). 

“I just wonder when Ray will be okay with you,” Mew responds, pulling away from Top to look him in the eyes. “I don’t want to choose.”

And what a great buy-in. Top hates Ray, Ray hates Top. Mew is perceptive and has been in the room on multiple occasions to see Top and Ray butting heads. Beyond the fact Ray went off on everyone at the bar, and it’s a relevant topic of conversation, Mew knows what he is doing bringing Ray in to his conversation with Top. 

Because Ray could have said “I’m okay”, he could have brushed the evening off, or said he wasn’t good, or bitched about Ray’s tendencies to ruin an evening with too much drinking. But he doesn’t mention any of that. He doesn’t attack Ray’s character, he doesn’t gripe about Ray’s actions. Mew explicitly brings up Ray’s feelings about Top. 

Giving Top a very good jumping off point for his own attempts at manipulation. 

“Why are you still friends with him?” Top asks. Undermining Mew’s previous line “I don’t want to choose.” Mew has literally just said that he wants to maintain his friendship with Ray and his relationship with Top, and implied that it is troubling him that the two of them cannot get along. That Ray cannot get along with Top. 

And instead of Top being sympathetic to that desire for Mew to get to keep two people he cares about in his life. Top tries to convince Mew to dump Ray altogether (which would further isolate Mew from his friends since Cheum really only seems to care about Mew’s sex life and Boston has intentionally been undermining Mew and Top’s relationship since it’s start).

This is not the first time that Top has tried to get what he wanted with just a question or suggestion. We can say all we want that LASIK was Mew’s idea, but Top suggested it first before he said something akin to “you know what, nevermind, you look cute in your nerd glasses”. He may have walked back his suggestion but it cannot be denied that he planted that seed. 

And planting a seed of doubt, of insecurity, of impatience with Ray’s behavior in to Mew’s mind is what I think Top is trying to do here. But Mew knows something Top doesn’t and where Mew may have started contemplating whether or not he actually does want to maintain a friendship with Ray, he is immune from that doubt seeping in in this case because he knows that Top is a dirty rotten liar. 

“I want to repay you,” Mew says a little bit further along in their conversation. “I don’t want you to forget about tonight.” (lmfao Mew, he definitely will not)

“It’s the birthday that I feel the most special.” and by God is Mew really laying it on thick. 

“Even though Ray ruined your night” Top can’t help but get a dig in, to remind Mew that Ray was a shitty friend on Mew’s birthday, to casually drop more evidence that Mew should pull away from his friendship with Ray. 

“Screw him. I have you by my side, there’s nothing to be afraid of” Mew is stoking Top’s ego, he’s lulling Top in to a false sense of security. Top has no idea what he is in for, he has no idea that Mew is playing games. Mew is doing such a thoroughly expert job with his performance he may even be annoying the audience, making them think that he didn’t connect the dots between Ray yelling at Top and Boston, and think that something might be wrong.

Top thanks Mew for making him like this version of himself, and to me this does make sense. There is this hollowness in the way I read Top and Mew’s entire relationship throughout the series. But I don’t doubt that some part of Top is interested in Mew. I have typically understood Mew and Top’s relationship to be an experiment from Top’s end to see what it would feel like to stop sleeping around.I think Top does genuinely enjoy at least part of his relationship with Mew, likes playing this role of doting boyfriend, but he is just playing. It is a performance. A skin he can shed the second he is out of Mew’s view.  

“Can I ask you one more gift?” Mew says, turning to face Top and without another word starts undressing him. Mew shoves Top on to the bed and starts kissing up his body (I shit you not I was shocked and literally said out loud, alone in my apartment “Damn, Book!”). This is not the first time that we have seen Mew raise the stakes of a physical encounter. From the beginning of their relationship, Mew has been entirely in control of if and when he and Top have sex. He holds on to that power, to his virginity for quite some time, but waffles in his confidence and power within the relationship by engaging in penetrative sex with Top because he is worried Top will be bored. 

This is the most intense, down and dirty level of physical intimacy we have ever seen from Top and Mew (and the same goes for Force and Book finally getting to step away from the slow and gentle sex scenes of shows past). Mew gets Top going, Mew gets Top in the zone, in the mood. Mew gets Top feeling good, moaning, before he drops the bomb. 

“I love the sound you make when you have sex” and this is where the tide begins to turn, where the audience may well and truly begin to pick up what Mew is putting down. But Top just thinks it’s hot. Top is playing along. Top wants to know what sounds he makes that Mew enjoys. This is a much different physical encounter than anything he has had from Mew before, and while Mew is once again leveraging physical intimacy to control Top, something he has been doing since their first sexual encounter. Though there is an intensity and surety to Mew’s actions here that feels markedly different than his other sexual interactions with Top where his movements were slower and less certain.  

“What sound?” Top asks, and oh boy has he just fucked himself over with this question. It is exactly the question Mew is hoping Top will ask. The perfect question for Mew’s pissed off, hurt, and dramatic ass to play the audio recording. 

And GOD DAMN TOP’S FUCKING REACTION? The fear and panic that enters his eyes, the speed and intentionality in the way Mew pushes himself off of Top.

Top’s fear and shock and awe lasts for mere seconds as he pulls himself upright at which point Force delivers one of my favorite lines in the entire exchange, “how did you get it?” 

Why is it one of my favorite? Because it acknowledges that Top knows that this audio recording exists. But it is said in passing, and asked as a question in such a way that Mew, who is about to actually let his emotions loose, might not actually realize the implications of the question. 

Because this is not Top asking “what is this?”, “where did this come from?”, “did you record me?” you know, the type of standard questions someone faced with an audio recording of them having sex might ask if they had never heard the audio recording before. But no, Top isn’t surprised to find out that he has been recorded. He is only scared and concerned about the fact that Mew got the recording from someone.

“How long ago was it?” Mew asks, and Top tries to equivocate “Mew, it was a long time ago,” as if Top thinks that he can what, brush off this audio recording? Dude. If Mew wasn’t busy trying not to slap you in the face, he would have noticed the practical admission of guilt you gave by nature of asking how he got the audio recording, you know he knows, why bother trying to lie? Mew does not let himself get convinced otherwise, and continues to press Top about whether or not he and Boston had fucked after he and Mew started dating and Top cannot look Mew in the eye until the very end of Mew’s line of questioning. And Top stays dead silent until Mew has asked him where and when he and Boston fucked, at which point he knows there is no getting out of this and he admits the truth. 

I don’t have much to say as of yet about the line Mew says “why did I have to know about this shit the day I’ve already loved you and given you everything?” mostly because I actually have a whole essay floating around in my brain that I am desperate to write for this show, but I do not have enough evidence to justify it yet, so I am waiting patiently for if the opportunity presents itself. But irrespective of that, there is an implication here that Mew held some level of possessiveness over his virginity and in having sex with Top committed to his relationship with Top. Mew is the kind of person that seems to think virginity has weight to it, and it is something to lose, something that can be lost.

Now. If Mew had stopped here and just broken up with Top, he would have won the day. But unfortunately, Mew is a human character with thoughts, feelings, and imperfections that are going to undermine his best efforts to be a diabolical schemer. (Something that I very much appreciate about this show is that every single person in the show has moments of utter genius that grant them the upper hand and a brief win. But no one is so impressive as to pull off a flawless victory or maintain their champion status for long). 

So unfortunately, we start getting insight in to Mew that we have not really had before, when he starts spiraling over Top and Boston hooking up. Mew, who has up until this point felt very secure in his inexperience with sex. And there have been signs of deeper insecurities popping up, namely that Mew had penetrative sex with Top to keep him interested in their relationship. “Why did it have to be Boston?” (who Mew called to ask for sex advice), “Couldn’t it have been anyone else?” Top looks guilty when Mew asks these questions, but that quickly changes as Mew’s spiral worsens “You guys planned this together?” Top’s head whips up to meet Mew’s eyes, he postures, he shifts his weight, he inhales a breath as if he is preparing to speak, and his face changes to a perfect picture of disagreement at the accusation. “You just wanted to mess with a virgin idiot like me?” Top actually tries to interrupt Mew’s spiral here, to calm Mew’s suspicions of malice against him. 

It is at this point Mew has his Boss Ass Bitch card revoked on the grounds of undermining the absolutely devastating and badass power play he just flawlessly pulled off by creating this fantasy in his head about big bad evil Top and Boston laughing at his inexperience. Especially because (and this is not to blame Mew at all) part of what drove Top to fuck Boston was Mew’s competitive nature and his desire to prove Top really wanted a relationship with him by withholding sex for an extremely long time. It was not Mew’s inexperience, but rather his virtue signaling and tight hold on having his first time that resulted in Boston’s successful attempt at convincing Top that Mew was lying to him about being a virgin. 

“Mew, you made that all up in your head, it’s nothing like that,”

“Well, what am I supposed to think when I can’t trust any word you say?” Mew turns away, only to be quickly embraced by Top. Both of them quiet, upset, and the episode ends with the future of their relationship uncertain.

[jinitak]

I really wish they translate the Only Friends novel

FYI: This has spoilers for the novel

So, some context, the novel was written after the script was finished and the author said that they rewrote part of the story to fix holes and issues, so the novel may give out a different subtext to the series.

For example, Top was portrayed more as a player in the early parts of his relationship with Mew, Boston's dad is portrayed as a progressive politician standing up for the common people, the Boston's scandal was more a "this country is stupid that having a son that has a gay sex life is wrong" rather than what's presented in the series.

Okay, so what I'm getting at here is that the novel ending is different, Boston is not just thrown away, he reconciled with the group, he gets an ending that is more deserving than in the series.

I think this is because the author had time to rethink parts through and correct any issues which makes the novel a better version of the story in my opinion. And I want non Thais to be able to experience this as well, which is why I want them to translate the novel.

Also side note; Mew's insecurity in dating in the novel also stemmed from his mother, one is a comparative literature professor and the other a SEA Write award (an important prize of literature here) writer, so his insecurity comes from people recognising him as the son of the SEA Write writer rather than someone he truly is, which makes my heart warms a bit, I don't know why

But yeah, I want them to translate the novel so bad

[shortpplfedup]

Only Friends Character Rankings Episode 10

We're in the final act now, as Jojo n'em focus on 'Redemption'. Last week y'all tapped Nick as the most honest in reckoning with himself, and now it's everybody else's turn for a reckoning.

🔺1. Boeing (2)

You're totally his type. Like an upgraded version of me.

Walk in, fuck shit up, that's the Boeing way, and I am GAGGING for it. I don't have a clue who the target is or what his game is or exactly but he is playing it EXPERTLY. Is he trying to get Top back? Is he trying to get back at Top? Where does next week's Sand diversion fit in? DID HE AND MEW REVENGE FUCK I NEED TO KNOW?! (I ALSO NEED TO SEE!).

🔻2. Nick (1)

Don't we deserve each other?

Nikolai my stalker baby, why did my heart swell three sizes when you got your man? Honesty remains the best policy, and owning your own shit is a fast track to understanding and accepting others. Nick tried, he genuinely gave Daddy Dan an honest and fair chance, and it COULD have been something, but the heart wants what it wants and Nick's heart wants Boston. The look on his face when he saw his photo as Boston's lockscreen, the way he BAWLED when Boston admitted he missed him...peak romance I tell you.

🔺3. Boston (4)

I don't usually take good care of what I own.

I'm not really meta-ing about this show, but the PRECISION with which Jojo n'em sliced and diced the audience's slut-shaming ways via this character got me. I am INCANDESCENT on Boston's behalf that his so-called friends were so willing to believe Atom's nasty little lies. Because Boston might be a slut, and he might have gone a little Top crazy, and he might stir up some drama when he's feeling some typa way, but he's not a sexual predator, and HE DOESN'T LIE. And despite it all people who call themselves friends to him SHOULD know that. He shouldn't have fucked Atom yes, but Atom straight up asked to get fucked. Boston DOES have lessons to learn about controlling his impulses and filtering the things that come out of his mouth, but these hypocrites ain't the ones to teach him. I'm glad that Nick got over himself last week just in time to be there when Boston truly needed him, and I hope that if they decide to try a relationship that Nick keeps the letting-Boston-be-Boston energy he's discovered.

⭐4. Ray's Dad

Ray's Dad in his one prior appearance seemed like a man at the end of his rope, and I'm glad my thinking was borne out. This story keeps telling us that nobody is a monster, nobody is a villain, everybody is just a person, and Ray's dad is a person like all the rest of them: he cared about his wife, he's watched helplessly and increasingly angrily as his son went down the same path, but he didn't know how to get through to him because he's limited, as we all are, so he did a lot of the wrong thing. I don't think paying Sand to get Ray into rehab was the wrong thing though, that was the act of a desperate man. Him giving Ray the straight dope about how to treat people was a long overdue fatherly lesson. Has he been neglectful? Indubitably. But I'm rooting for him.

🔻5. Sand (3)

Do you think I’m a man with no dignity?

Sand is the beneficiary of me being salty about Mew and Ray joining the 'I saw Goodie Proctor with the devil' mini-mob, but I could have TOLD him that a man who continuously and repeatedly calls you a whore is going to believe the absolute worst about you when the chips are down. I'm lowkey mad he gave back the money, because Ray is gonna call him a whore whether or not he's getting paid. I know Sand lives for the drama sparkle Ray brings to his otherwise dull life, but come ON dude.

🔺6. Mew (7)

If you blow it again this time, I'll blame myself for being dumb enough to trust you.

Mew joining in the fun with Boeing is probably gonna bite him somehow but right now I am LIVINGGGGG. Mew keeping Top up at night staring at the ceiling on a regular basis is the only way I'm gonna truly enjoy them being together, because game recognising game is my favourite brand of toxic relationship. If these two spend the next 50 years trying to get one over on each other I will be so satisfied.

🔻7. Ray (5)

I'm not addicted to alcohol. I can stop whenever I want.

Ray spending the entire episode in various stages of denial, his irritation with the idea of rehab and refusal to take it seriously, that explosion that was ALWAYS coming at Sand, and his final, quiet realisation that he has a fucking problem and he needs to fix it to stop hurting the people around him was phenomenal television, anchored by a bravura performance by Khaotung. Ray is gonna have a lot of amends to make once he starts drying out, including saying everything he said to his therapist directly to Sand. Can he truly change? Let's see.

🔻8. Top (6)

I'm sure if he stops being mad at me, we can make it long-term.

I finally figured out why no matter what I'll NEVER like Top and he doesn't pass the vibe check: his instincts and reactions are to lie, hide and cheat when he doesn't feel on top of things. He and Boeing may not be fuckin', but whatever is going on there smells like deceit and mendacity, and he is DESPERATE to hide it from Mew. The look on his face when Boeing is around is exactly how he looked around Boston after that car. Give me an honest slut over whatever this is any day of the week and twice on Sundays. I keep saying that Mew is part of Top's self-actualization, and the way he talks about him with Boeing in this ep just adds fuel to my fire. Is that enough to sustain a long-lasting and successful relationship, absolutely, so many couples are JUST like this.

🔺9. Cheum (12)

Find your own way to graduate. And we will forget we were once friends with you.

OOH this girl pisses me off. Having finally decided to mind the business that pays her, mostly because she's annoyed Atom seems to prefer talking to Boston than talking to her, she's all too willing to believe Atom's lies about Boston and run up pointing her j'accuse finger. I genuinely can't get over how UGLY that scene at Boston's was, how Cheum pulled out some of the same shit that gets levelled at queer men, promiscuous or not, and threw it all at Boston. When she said she didn't believe that Atom was the aggressor because he likes girls, that hit me in the fucking chest. Boston must have done something to Atom. He must have coerced him, blackmailed him, forced him, right? It's so grotesque.

🔻10. Atom (9)

Getting my heart broken by a girl won't kill me.

Speaking of grotesque, what a nasty bit of business this was. Hurt people hurt people, that's kind of the whole ethos of this show, and the lies Atom told were designed to ruin Boston's life like he feels Boston ruined his by GIVING HIM EXACTLY WHAT HE ASKED FOR. I very much doubt Atom is gonna stop at Cheum too, he's out to destroy, and spreading around this kind of shit about somebody who's already judged for being 1) queer and 2) promiscuous is absolutely destructive. This shit was the vilest thing anybody has done on this show by a country mile.

[starcrossed591]

I’m finally caught up on Till the End of the Moon (up to ep 24), and before everything goes to hell--something both that I’m looking forward to and that fills me with dread --I have some Susu thoughts. Yes, she’s done some dumb things to put herself in the situation in which she now finds herself (I haven’t read the novel, though it sounds like that’s in part an adaptation issue), but also, her situation was already fully impossible. A big part of that is because of how many versions of Tantai Jin she holds inside her head and her conflicting relationships with all of those different versions that this scene so beautifully invoked:

Anyway, I’m kind of obsessed with Susu, so here’s a character analysis that literally no one asked for. 

The first version of Tantai Jin Susu knows is the Devil God that not only essentially ended the world (stakes almost too big to wrap your brain around) but also killed all of her family and friends in front of her (more personal stakes). He also nearly killed her--she viscerally remembers both the feeling of his hand around her throat and the look in his eyes when he did. No matter what the past version of Tantai Jin does, that version came first and can pop up in her brain at literally any moment, especially as he gains power and becomes more of a potential threat. That leads to the first version of Susu that has to exist: the version that needs to prevent his rise as the Devil God at any cost. Her sect died to send her back in time and give her that chance. She cannot afford to forget her mission.

The second version of Tantai Jin Susu knows is Tantai Jin as how he is when she arrives in the past. He starts out as a poor, abused little mew mew, and Susu pretty quickly finds herself unable to punish Tantai Jin for his future crimes. She’s not even very good at being mean to him. At the same time, she needs to stop him from dying before she figures out how to deal with the whole evil bone situation. This Tantai Jin leads to the next layer of Susu’s relationship with Tantai Jin: she needs to keep him alive and, on the off chance that it’ll prevent him from becoming the Devil God, be nice to him, too. Since no one has cared whether Tantai Jin lives or dies before, or if they did probably preferred him dead, that little bit of kindness and care fully knock Tantai Jin off balance. And that leads to the first time Susu lies to Tantai Jin that she wants to protect him because she loves him, which is where their relationship starts to get messy. 

Then, plot things happens, Susu disappears for a few months, and when gets back, she meets essentially the third version of Tantai Jin: Tantai Jin has somehow become king of a whole ass country while she was gone, is fighting a war against her new “home” country, and has started using his demonic powers in a pretty big way. Yes, Tantai Jin is actually a pretty good ruler, but Susu remembers a version of him that’s capable of wiping out the entire world. His newfound access to power puts her on edge. She’s constantly afraid he’ll misuse it.

She also knows now what she needs to do in order to get rid of his evil bone: she has to make him fall in love with her in order to get the weapon that she needs to kill him (at least I think it’ll kill him, I’m a little unclear there--stabbing him in the heart with nine nails seems at least fairly unpleasant). So she embarks on the third and fourth versions of her relationship with Tantai Jin simultaneously: a growing loving, romantic relationship that she has to do a good enough job developing to get what she needs to utterly betray him. 

The thing is, Susu isn’t that good of an actress. As she does all the things she thinks she needs to do to get Tantai Jin to fall in love with her (shout out to our romance advice queen Pian Ran), she also falls for him. She also knows that Tantai Jin’s love for her is entirely real because every time his love for her grows, she gets another nail. He’s not faking it. He’s telling her the truth. To keep going, she has to lie to herself convincingly enough to imagine a future with him in which he’s a good person and they love each other, and do all the things she needs to do to bring that future into being. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to manage it. But she also has to be ready to destroy that imaginary future that feels more and more real to her as her relationship to Tantai Jin grows in order to prevent the worse future, the end-of-the-world future, from happening (or so she thinks). To do that, she has to be prepared to break his heart. And if she admits to herself that she loves him and she’s not just pretending for the mission, then she has to be prepared to break her own heart as well to do it. 

So, as things stand now: Susu hates, loves, fears, wants to protect, and has to kill Tantai Jin, all at the same time. It’s a wonder she’s not more of a mess. 

Also, I haven’t read the novel, but if/when Susu betrays Tantai Jin, not only will he have to deal with the immediate betrayal of the stabbing, if he ever finds out that she came back in time *solely* to stop him and that her love was all a ruse from the very beginning, it really is going to be the betrayal to end all betrayals. Should be fun. 

[thescrumptiousstuffs]

Only Friends Episode 10 - Redemption

In which we see more character growth (especially Ray), Atom and Boeing are manipulators with a massive grudge and Mew needs to get over his bitterness if he ever wants to make his second chance work

Top & Mew (featuring Boeing)

We start with the most awkward lunch/dinner scene ever. Top being hopeful Mew is there for reconciliation but with Boeing in the picture (and giving sly quip about how Mew is the better version of himself), I can see why Mew is having trouble trusting himself (or Top) ever again.

And we see Boeing capitalising on this matter - he clocks on it and oh boy, he pounces! I must salute Boeing here (and Mond playing him is amazing to see...😚!). We are alluded to Boeing coming every night when Top can't sleep, allowing himself to be essentially an emotional teddy-bear for Top but inside, he is seething with fury. This is the man he dumped Sand for, only for the relationship to implode because Top break it off at the 3 months mark (or less).

And then we have Top basically thinking Boeing is his friendly ex, where he poured his feelings and anguish over his broken relationship with Mew - even admitting to Boeing that for Mew, he can see himself in a long-term relationship.

Mix all of the above with Mew who still feels insecure about himself - and at the back of his mind, I'm sure he is wondering whether he can ever trust Top to not cheat on him again (we see Boeing shrewdly mention this when he met up with Mew to seduce kiss him in the latter's apartment). [Also, what's with the men in this show using plants as a pick up line?]

I'll give it to Top though, he is working hard to prove himself trustworthy for Mew. But it seems Mew is playing a game (with Boeing an eager participant - and I don't think its so much Boeing likes Mew, even though he said he does to Top, but more so he wants revenge on Top for dumping him those many months ago).

I think we can safely say for TopMew to have a fighting chance to salvage their relationship, Mew will need to find somehow to not only forgive Top but also trust in himself.

(Kudos to Book as Mew in this series, I thought his acting has improved significantly compared to his last series; you can see a change in how he behaves as the series progresses, from sweet and openly trusting to somehow close off and almost bitter after the whole Top/Ton revelation).

Nick and Boston (featuring Atom)

If you ask me a few episodes ago whether I thought Boston was redeemable, I will have say no. But after this episode, urghhh.. my 💔 breaks for him.

For all his callousness and arrogance, Boston is honest and holds true to his own code of conducts. He has always been upfront with all his bed partners what they are getting into, which is to never expect a relationship with him. Plus he makes sure all his partners consent before having any sexual encounters. And so, for Atom to manipulate the whole situation and tells his sister the opposite happen - wow that just leads to the group of friends ganging up on Boston. I think we can safely say, the one mistake Boston did was to sleep with his friend's younger brother (and Ray summed it well - "Atom is your friend's brother!")

But the damage is done, and it's easy for Cheum to rally Ray and Mew on her crusade to destroy Boston because they already have past grievances with Ton. Especially Mew, who looks exceptionally smug and satisfied when Cheum slapped Ton and expelled the latter from their friendship group.

Some folks are angry Cheum behaved that way - I will say Cheum is behaving as any older siblings should be. I too will be angry (and ready to commit murder) if my younger sibling insinuate he/she is being sexually blackmail by a close friend.

You can tell, Boston is at his lowest point by now. And we now know he definitely has feelings for Nick (but with an emotional range of a teaspoon, Boston, like most of the boys in this group of friends are terrible at expressing them). So, I think him meeting up with Nick in the store was the former trying to make a connection with the only person in his life right now who doesn't loath him. And wow - the whole subtext conversation between Boston and Nick regarding Boston's screen protector before Boston just casually handing his phone for repair with Nick's photograph as his screensaver 🥹!!!!!

Their heartfelt reunion on the rooftop was raw and emotional to see. It's probably the first time Boston really open up to someone and I'm glad it's with Nick - they are both a bit "loony" with weird/creepy habits, but they both accept their craziness and fell for each other despite them.

(But poor Daddy Dan - I fear he will now be in the sideline with Boston back in the game! Although, that scene in the meeting room between Dan/Nick.....🫠🫣)

Ray and Sand (featuring their respective fathers)

We see the most character growth in Ray this week. It starts with Ray yet again denying he has alcohol dependence, arguing with Sand about going to rehab. However, I think we can safely say Sand is Ray's moral compass and his comfort/safe space. It's only when Sand insinuates he does not want Ray to die that he reluctantly agree to go for rehabilitation/counselling sessions. Even then, he only agreed with a condition - Sand telling his birth father about himself. I suspect Ray wanted Sand to refuse so that he in turn don’t have to go for those sessions. Needless to say, he underestimates how much Sand is willing to go an extra mile for Ray (as viewers, we already know this, Sand is so gone for Ray), where we sees Sand taking the brave step in confessing to his dad (and how poetic it is the dad is called Sun with him having his own Ray of sunshine next to him?). I'm glad Ray stopped Sand from confessing though, instead stating it's enough to show Sand is brave to do it, which in turn makes him brave enough to take the first step (character growth!!!!! we love it!).

So, it must have hurt Ray so deeply when he thought Sand was in cahoots with his own father for money. As we learn by now, Ray loathes himself, and has unfortunately defines himself by how much he is worth to other people. It doesn't help his first encounter with Sand was transactional (with Ray hiring Sand as a drinking buddy). As an outsider looking into at their journey, it's easy for all of us to see how quickly Sand values Ray when he refuses all payments after that once off incident. Ray in his rage and volatile state cannot see pass this.

The whole conversation in Sand's living room was raw and intense - both sides are hurting with jab after jab from Ray insinuating Sand duped him. And with Ray being so angry, it's hard for Sand to get any words in. However, Ray is correct in one aspect - when he angrily pointed out "You want me to stop drinking, but here you are making and selling liquor. You think my life will be better with you, it's just going to hell!." - because it's true, if Sand wants to be the support person for Ray, he will have to make the communal effort to also make Ray's environment as alcohol-free as possible. And I think it dawns on Sand (who despite his maturity is only 22 yrs old himself) when he let out the most heartbreaking scream (who else cried bucket in this scene, cause I did) before breaking the wine jar (I love the symbolism here - Sand is again ready to give up his source of income for Ray)

We ended episode 10 with Ray fully accepting he has major alcohol issue (especially after his own dad finally lifting the lid on what Sand has done for Ray - I can't believe Sand researched all those rehab centres and present his findings to Ray's dad!!! ). I think most of us will agree - that last scene of Ray breaking down, apologising and sobbing to imaginary Sand, knowing he may have lost the one person who believed in him and loves him unconditionally - was as Oscar worthy performance by Khaotung (and all of our collective heart breaks for him 😭😭😭😭).

I have high hopes we will see Sand/Ray reuniting, although with Boeing popping up, it's definitely going to be interesting!

As usual, it's a roller coaster ride from start to finish. I'm impressed with all the actors, but this episode goes to Khaotung who played Ray so masterfully, First who plays Sand with quiet dignity and Neo showing cracks of vulnerability as Ton.

So, is it Saturday yet? (I can't wait to see what shenanigan Boeing is going to stir next)

[mirror-ralsei]

THEORY: Before The Story

This theory was inspired by TheQueen0fNowhere's incredible Noelle theory series! Please check them out before reading this one!

---

The Roaring. It's set up as the penultimate event of Deltarune, a cataclysmic doomsday that will end the worlds.

But not all is as it seems. Those of us deep in the Deltarune theory trenches may even be familiar with the idea that a Roaring may have already happened, wiping the environs of Castle Town off the map.

But what if that wasn't the only apocalypse?

And what if they've both happened before?

---

A RELENTLESS FUTURE

Gaster wants us to create "A NEW FUTURE," implying there was an undesirable "old" future.

Reaper Bird's check text reads "This relentless future finally looks brighter and brighter."

Reaper Bird is a character heavily tied to Deltarune through Everyman, reflections, and arguably the CORE mercenaries, which were recruited by a shadowy shapechanger who we didn't meet in Undertale so could be a Deltarune character.

Through the lens of Mew Mew reviews, Alphys foreshadows Deltarune may be "darker" than Undertale was.

Mew Mew 1 and 2 have been used across Undertale and Deltarune as allegory for Undertale and Deltarune, respectively.

Kris seems to have been possessed before.

"Oh, Kris, er... does this sometimes."

"Looks like [the birdcage has] seen quite a few crashes."

Seam seems resigned to the world being doomed.

"After all, it's not as if whatever happens, will matter in the end."

"You, too, will begin to realize the futility of your actions. Ha ha ha... At that time, feel free to come back here. I'll make you tea. And we can toast...to the end of the world!"

The track playing over the Delta Warriors standing at Worlds' Edge, an event that has not happened yet, is titled "Before the Story."

This melody first appeared in "Premonition," an Undertale track that appears when Sans asks about a talking flower, and in the secret room containing "redacted."

"Premonition" is defined as "an intuition of a future, usually unwelcome, occurence; foreboding"

The track that plays during the Weird Route hospital scene is called "flashback_excerpt," even though it is happening in the present.

In an unused alternate scene, Susie desperately begs Kris to wake up, even though they haven't become friends yet.

Deltarune has very little truly unused content compared to Undertale, and much of it seems plot relevant, such as the dummy text strings

The southern bunker is internally described as a shelter: "obj_town_shelter_event"

The existence of such an old and overgrown shelter in a peaceful town may imply disaster has occurred before, or at least reason to suspect it was coming

In conclusion, it seems possible that Deltarune has ended badly before, or at least that bad things are expected to come.

The reason I believe it's the former is because there are two types of calamities that may be foreshadowed, and certain characters seem to have very detailed knowledge of this.

--

THE ROARING

Ralsei seems strangely haunted by the Roaring, as if it's happened before

The closet Dark World ("???") contains oozing darkness and Titan-like eye shapes, similar to Ralsei's depiction of a Roaring

The neighboring Castle Town was empty

THE FREEZING

Sans has "only seen it snow as bad as this once," when "you could barely see your bones in front of your face." Noelle after Snowgrave states "There was so much snow, I couldn't see anything..."

Charles the mole and Spamton both mention preparing for "winter," and Charles mentioning "getting stronger," a phrase associated with Weird Route Noelle

Spamton knows what will happen on a Weird Route, and may have already experienced being frozen (in the FreezeRing? Ice Palace?)

Also there's this quote from Flowey?

---

THE ROARING WINTER...?

The Roaring is associated with darkness, and a hypothetical "Winter" with cold/snow. There are a couple of instances describing both.

Gaster approaches us from somwhere "cold" AND "black."

An Echo Flower version of a killed Toriel mentions being somewhere both "cold" AND "dark"

In summary, it's possible that not only either one of these calamities could have already occurred, but perhaps even both.

---

FURTHER SPECULATION

Ralsei seems to be associated with the dark Roaring, and Noelle with the snowy Weird Route. It is notable that both of these characters seem mutually exclusive and symbolically opposed in many ways.

Ralsei looks haunted by the Roaring, as though he's seen it before. Similarly, TheQueen0fNowhere points out that it looks like Noelle may have used Snowgrave before.

If these assumptions turn out correct, then in some way, the world may have already been destroyed by the Roaring and the "Winter," resulting in a "dark, cold" state.

This would explain a lot: why Kris is allowing themself to be repeatedly possessed, for instance, or why Gaster wants us players to make a "new future."

Unfortunately, if my assumption that Ralsei is associated with the Roaring and Noelle with the "Winter" is true, and if the popular and heavily foreshadowed theory that the characters will be mutually exclusive is true, that could mean we can only stop one of these calamities...on each file, at least.

Then again, there is also Susie - representative of neither railroading nor sequence breaking, but a secret third thing... Is she the key to truly saving the future?

[blue-grama]

A teeny Boston fix-it fic

Had some feelings about Boston's ending (like everyone on this website), decided to channel them into fix-it fic (like half the people on this website). Please enjoy this missing scene that would have fixed everything for me had they shot it (or something like it). [Edit: A slightly amended version now lives on AO3.] New York, February 2024

The text comes while Boston is enjoying a post-fuck joint at the window of his shitty shoebox apartment in Washington Heights.

“Huh,” he says, passing the joint to the boy next to him and unlocking his phone. The guy takes a hit and blows the smoke out the window, elbows propped on the windowsill. He leans over Boston’s shoulder.

“That’s fucking cool,” he says, and it takes Boston a second to realize he means the Thai alphabet, not the fact that Boston has just received a cordial text from that shithead Mew, of all people.

“Mmm,” he says, trying to process the text. He’s high enough that he feels less relaxed and more stupid, like he’s got to parse each word individually. Mew is thanking him for the photograph he’d sent for the hostel. It looks good on the wall, he’s written.

“Anything important?” the boy next to him asks. He’s blonde, with shaggy, tousled hair, now all the more so for the way Boston had pulled it while he had him bent over his bed. They’d met at a bar not long after Boston had arrived, and now they have a nice little booty-call thing going on. The guy is a graduate student in something Boston doesn’t give a fuck about – biochemistry? bioengineering? – and he probably couldn’t find Thailand on a map, which is fine by Boston because he couldn’t find wherever this guy grew up in on a map, either. He has the vague impression of the middle of the country, something something deserts and corn. They know no one in common and have nothing in common, which is also fine by Boston. He’s learned now not to fuck anyone he might end up liking.

The only problem is that the guy’s name is Nicholas, of all things. “Nicholas or Nick,” he’d said to Boston, when he’d first sidled up to him with the promise of sex in his eyes. “I don’t care which.” Boston has never once shortened it, even though he knows his accent renders the syllables just a little bit off.

“Important?” Nicholas repeats, and Boston realizes he’s been staring at his phone screen for too long. Six weeks ago, even a month ago, when he was lonely and exhausted from operating in English all day, he would have said yes, and maybe could you get out of here, I’ve got to make a call. But now that he’s found his feet and daily life comes a bit more automatically, he’s not so sure. Mew and his sanctimony and Nick and all of Boston’s mistakes are so far away.

“Nicholas,” he says, instead of answering. “You wouldn’t catch feelings for me, would you?”

Nicholas looks alarmed. “Uhh. Look, no offense, because you seem like a cool dude, but I’m super not looking for anything serious right now. I’ve got so much work with school, and I just thought we were blowing off steam—”

Boston can’t help but laugh at his own panic reflected in someone else. “It’s good, it’s good,” he says. “Relax. That’s what I want, too.”

Nicholas takes another hit. “So what, ex-hookup texting you?”

“Ex-friend,” Boston says. “Long story.”

“Oh,” Nicholas says, nodding with the wisdom only half a joint of primo cannabis can confer. “I lost friends when I came out, too.”

Boston snorts. “It’s not that. I fucked his situationship.” He’d learned that word from another hookup a couple weeks back, and he loves it. Excellent fucking idiom. “He got a recording of it and threatened me that he’d play it for my dad –”

“The fuck?” Nicholas says. “Jesus. Dude.”

“What?” Boston says.

“That’s like, deeply fucked up.”

Boston shrugs, feeling half a step behind. “It was my fault,” he says.

“Bro,” Nicholas says. “I think that’s like, a crime.”

Boston can’t quite figure out what to say to that. He’d thought Mew was taking it too far that day, but no one else has ever suggested that Boston deserved any less.

But then, Americans are quick to tell people to fuck off. And Nicholas doesn’t have the whole story.

“He’s talking to me again,” Boston says, showing Nicholas the phone, which he can’t read so why did he just do that? “I tried to say sorry before, but he didn’t forgive me.”

“Do you forgive him?” Nicholas says. “I mean, is that ‘I’m sorry I tried to revenge porn you’ in Thai?”

“Um,” Boston says. “No?”

“Well then,” Nicholas says. “You didn’t ask me, but I’d leave that shit on read.”

Boston blinks at Mew’s text a couple of times. His head is clearing a bit. Maybe he doesn’t need, like, closure or anything. Maybe he’s a dick, but maybe his old friends are dicks, too, and maybe he can just … try not to fuck anyone’s situationship in the future. To the best of his ability.

“Yeah,” he says, putting the phone down. “Yeah, okay.”

[respectthepetty]

Yooooooooo, your theory of Playboyy as an Only Friends AU is absolutely brilliant!

Your brain just, holy fuck, wow!

If you're hitching a ride, can I hop on this theory train with you?

Because if so, I'm dropping the following baggage:

First and Soong as Ray and Sand

I mean... let's take a look at the list...

- rich kid thinking money can buy anything and everything, check

- rich kid finds a partner he pays first and then starts a fwb, check

- first there is the issue of mutual exploitation before it becomes more; we can't quite say yet, so we'll leave that open, but the signs are pointing to check.

- then the issue with addiction (with Ray alcohol and drugs, with First sex)... yep. Check.

I am not connecting anything rn because we also just had an EP Playboyy, but holy CRAP... there really could be something to your theory.

(Yes, we have more couples than in OF but seriously, if the writers had crammed all the stuff that's supposed to happen into 8 characters... Good night, I think the thing would have exploded0.0)

Anon, it's not my brain. @lukaherehelp has been hyping up this show since Earth was created, and the writer, Den, stated in a few tweets that Only Friends and Playboyy were basically the radio edit versus the album version but as television shows. One was Disney channel and the other was Cinemax.

Between the two, I already like that unlike Mew, who was shown to view his virginity as a prize to be won, Zouey seems more touch averse, which could also connect with a desire to remain in control. As a self-identified slut, it makes sense to me that he would be more open to giving than receiving, so he could remain in control of the situation. But I really don't want to compare hotdogs to hamburgers.

However, know that I also see Ray and Sand in First and Soong, and I also wanted Sand to be a sex worker in Only Friends much like I wanted Top to be.

I had theories for days for Only Friends! I wanted sex workers. I wanted a dead body. I wanted police involvement. I wanted the poor stealing from the rich.

I WANTED IT ALL!

And I just might get it in Playboyy.

First calls Soong a "whore" when?

[bird-inacage]

Only Friends: Episode 8 Preview (Ray & Mew's Villain Uprising?)

So I think we can all safely say that last week was Mew's villain origin story and he makes it pretty crystal clear this episode that he intends to embrace this new era.

Now I've also heard (as may some of you) in interviews with the cast that Ray is supposedly the worst. That's quite the claim based on what has happened thus far. But I did get a sense of foreboding at the end of this episode, along with next week's preview that this may be where Ray's character begins to cause some fallout.

I guess Boston and Top have 'had their turn' being the leading villains, and now it's time for those roles to shift.

Ray's 'Bad Influence' & Mew's Enabling

Top comments on the fact that Mew is allowing Ray's bad habits to lead him astray. This isn't really surprising as Mew is hell bent on a self-destructive rebrand at the moment. Due to the betrayal of both his friend and boyfriend, he's sick of being the innocent, pure, and sensible one. It's his 'virginity' that he believes made him the target of this sick joke. So now he's taking a page from Ray's book and embracing his wild child.

The problem is Mew used to be the defacto caretaker for Ray in their group, (and was doing a half-committal job but at least someone was). Now that we have Mew going off the rails too, Ray is far from the right person to keep Mew in check (as well as himself). One, because he's worse at controlling himself, and second, he's willing to do anything that he thinks will make Mew happy. Ray just doesn't have it in him to do what's right or best for Mew if that requires being a voice of tough love.

So now these two are seemingly dating, they're going to exacerbate each other's worst qualities. This is why some couplings just don't work. Friendship fine, but romantically this sounds like a mess.

Ray's Desire for Ownership

Ray finally has what he wants - something he's wanted for so long, and it seems to have all gone to his head. The thrill of it.

After witnessing Ray and Mew getting very close and personal at the end of Episode 7, Sand is understandably tired of being 'used'. He made it very clear previously that he wants Ray to consider his feelings by not treating him as expendable and throwing him aside whenever a shinier toy takes his fancy.

So at the beginning of the preview, Sand behaves coldly towards Ray, perhaps in an attempt to start establishing distance. 'This is the end of whatever 'will-we-won't-we' nonsense we were skirting around with. You're now taken. There's no need for us to continue as we were'.

But lo and behold, when Sand tries to hook up with someone else, Ray's not having it. This is just a tame version of Ray's jealousy response. Even though Ray doesn't want Sand right now, he doesn't want anyone else to have him either. Which is ridiculously selfish and unreasonable.

This is why I'm even more keen on the idea of Sand's ex returning now. Ray needs a very healthy dose of reality when it comes to taking Sand for granted. He's not going to realise that until it comes into serious threat. The following line from this episode alluded that for me. Ray's going to regret this later on.

[lizardboyscalesmcstuffins]

I decided to make dndads pokemon team headcanons

Each character will be limited to 3 max (exceptions pending)

Daryll:

Greedent - Looks just like him, Matt said so himself. Calls it Grant. It gets confusing.

Meowth (Galar) - Scruffy just like Daryll. Evolves into Perrserker, fitting Daryll's barbarian class. Named it Aragorn on a whim and wouldn't change it even when people told him it doesn't fit.

Kangaskhan - Loving, protective parent. Inherited from Frank as the baby of his own Kangaskhan now grown up. Named it after his grandmother, Sally.

Henry:

Cradily - No brainer. Best of both interests (nature and geology). Named it Lily. Simple, sweet.

Carnivine - Thorn Whip/Entangle/Grasping Vine! Also representative of his more aggressive nature that he pushes down until he snaps. Named it simply Flower cause he wanted to associate it with nice and gentle imagery.

Trevenant - Had it since he was a boy and both lost their memories when they were transported to earth. Gifted to him by Beary to help attune him to the Doodler's eldritch nature within him by interacting with the ghost type. Made of the husk of an oak tree. Perhaps possessed by the lost soul of an Oakvale child. Can learn Will-O-Wisp, which is a good enough justification for Wall of Fire for me. He never named it.

Glenn:

Beeheeyem - Had it since it was an Elgyem, but doesn't remember catching it. He remembers getting high in the desert one night, then waking up with a new friend. He doesn't even know the species name, he just calls it Star Wars.

Rotom - Let's it chill in his amps or guitars when at home and in his vape pen when on the go. When it possesses his electric guitars it can play loud even without an amp. Calls it Lil' Dude/Lil' Man/Lil' Guy/Lil' Buddy. It responds to all.

Pikachu - of all the characters, he feels the most right to have a Pikachu. What's it's name? Nick Jr.

Glenn hasn't technically captured any of his pokemon.

Ron:

Herdier - His first pokemon that he had to give up long ago. Named Rogue.

Greavard - It found him one day.

Paeden:

Tyrogue - It's the same size as him and he found it after joining the dads. He fought it himself. Calls it his Rival.

Walter the Immoral:

Honedge - The sword that gave him his name. He never wanted a pokemon, but when the sword he crafted broke and killed that hero, it became possessed and returned to him. Has no name, and he barely refers to it. Good friends with Paeden.

Scam Likely/Well Actually/Scam Actually:

He has no set team. Every time he crosses paths with the daddies he has a different pokemon accompanying him, even if they were only separated for an hour.

Some examples of pokemon he's been seen with -

Purrloin

Sneasel (both versions)

Mew

Igglybuff

Each of the daddies' pokemon (at different occasions)

Spinarak

Murkrow

Meowth (Kanto)

Seviper

Zorua (most commonly seen)

Arin O'Neal:

Trevenant - (Lots)

Torterra - (Lots)

Willy:

Dusknoir - Uses it as a tool and nothing else. Doesn't refer to it at all, conditioned it to respond to orders only.

Darkrai - Keeps it contained and under wraps. Never tries to use it for battle or utility. He doesn't want to risk losing control, even in his dreams. He would have to be desperate to resort to using it.

Beary:

Liligant (Hisui) - Uses it as a partner for light aerobics and yoga. Calls it Lily.

Golurk - Created it himself. He considers it something of a magnum opus. Refers to it by its species name.

Dragonite - His ace up his sleeve. He lets it guard the O-Dads compounds and bases. Calls it Raymond Dio Labot.

Bill:

Slaking - His oldest pokemon. Extraordinarily powerful, but just as lazy as he is. Calls it Brother.

Exploud - He likes it loud. Taught it to beatbox and Willy fucking hates it. Calls it Rock and/or Roll.

Rotom - Glenn's Rotom. He bequeathed it to him some time before he "died". He's the one that started calling it any variation of "Lil'" that Glenn caught on to.

The Doodler:

Unown Unknown

[emotionallychargedtowel]

The idea of figuring out what the Only Friends characters smell like came up in a discussion I was having and it made me want to assign everyone a fragrance--like, the perfume/cologne kind, not just some kind of smell. What follows is not based on any close reading of the show and is full of stuff I made up but it's made-up stuff that is consistent with how I'm currently thinking about the characters (without having had the repeated viewings or having engaged in the detailed analysis some have with this show). So, you know, nothing serious. But I enjoyed writing it.

Top: Cuir Oud Padishah (Auphorie)

Top prides himself on knowing about niche things that are considered high-quality by discriminating people so of course he likes Auphorie. The fact that the label is from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, specifically) appeals to him as well. This fragrance is heavy on animalic, musky notes which I think Top would think makes him some kind of sexy badass (it doesn't), and it has a prominent oud note, and the rare and fancy aspect of oud is something that would appeal to his snobby side. Whenever someone compliments Top on this fragrance he launches into a whole spiel about Auphorie and small-batch natural perfumery that comes off as pedantic to anyone who isn't already convinced he's the second coming.

Mew: En Passant (Frederic Malle)

Mew likes that this is from a fancy, niche label that isn't that well-known, and he likes that it's a unisex scent because he likes being a little hard to pin down in that department, but his favorite thing about this fragrance is that the combination of lilac, cucumber, and springy green notes reads as really innocent while actually being low-key alluring. The sweet drydown is another aspect that is like the version of himself that Mew presents to the world. Someone on Fragrantica pointed out that "en passant" is, among other things, the name of a chess move in which a player captures an opponent's pawn while passing by them during an opening move and I think that is just so Mew.

Sand: L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme (Issey Miyake)

This is a pretty affordable fragrance but definitely an interesting enough composition to interest a guy like Sand who is a little particular when it comes to his aesthetic preferences. It's also from the 90s, like some other things Sand likes, and I can totally see him checking ebay to get a vintage bottle. In theory it hasn't been reformulated but he'd be convinced that older was better. This would also be a likely crowd pleaser across genders which is something Sand would be into. L'Eau d'Issey (the fragrance for women, which came first) was kind of an un-perfume perfume, fresh and translucent but practically nonexistent. The Pour Homme variant is more balanced thanks to some low end from woody, aromatic, and spicy notes. It's still on the subtler side, though, so he wouldn't have to worry about seeming like he's trying too hard even if he oversprayed, and you know Sand has a horror of seeming like he's trying too hard. My choice of this fragrance for Sand may be influenced by a certain singer/guitar player/songwriter person I dated in the early 2000s who was very popular with his gender of choice, had a whole collection of different-colored Converse low-tops with contrasting shoelaces, and used to spray a puff of L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme into the air in front of him then step into the cloud because a girl taught him to do that once.

Ray: Philosykos (Diptyque)

This was Ray's mom's signature perfume. It's distinctive and sophisticated but easy to like, exactly how she wanted people to see her. She's kind of like Ray in that way--like him, she was high-maintenance but always wanted to seem just the opposite. The shift from mother to son worked out well because it's a very gender-neutral fragrance. At first Ray wore it in remembrance of his mom and then he just stopped thinking about it and just kept wearing it out of habit. He can hardly perceive it anymore after all these years but every so often he gets complimented by a stranger and it makes him get a little bit full of himself. Philosykos often gets described as the photorealistic scent of a fig tree--not the fruit, but the whole tree--and Ray likes to imagine that it's the smell of a particular tree someone would remember fondly from their family home even though he has never felt that rooted in any place ever.

Boston: Sauvage (Dior)

Boston's taste in fragrances is basic as fuck but that works really well for him, because what he needs is something that appeals to the lowest common denominator of dudes. He secretly wishes this was more overpriced because while he doesn't like to admit he's a rich kid, he has a secret love of pointlessly exclusive things. But he gets more attention with this one than he did when he wore Gucci Guilty so he keeps wearing it. He originally tried it because he saw a review by some straight guy complaining that he didn't get compliments from women on this scent, only other dudes, and he's had the same experience, but doesn't see it as a problem for obvious reasons. Boston has become inured to the smell of this stuff and barely notices it anymore, but then he barely noticed it in the first place. It was and is only a means to an end for him.

Nick: Bleu de Chanel (Chanel)

Nick's last job was at a kiosk in a mall and he used to visit the perfume section of this one department store on breaks because a hot guy worked there. The hot guy recommended this stuff, and when Nick smelled it he thought it smelled like something an extremely cool and attractive person would wear. After that he was determined to get it somehow despite its ridiculous price tag. He never got the hot guy's number but he did convince him to sell him a half-empty tester of this under the table for (relatively) cheap. He uses it sparingly to try to make it last but sometimes he sprays it on his sheets and pretends the hot guy from the perfume counter stayed over.

If you like this, you might be interested in my post on osmanthus fragrans, a.k.a. tea olive, and its significance to Utsukushii Kare.

[twig-tea]

Quick Only Friends ep2 first thoughts

A lot of really interesting parallels this ep. Thinking about the Ray/Sand conversation vs the Top/Mew conversation around losing parents and how it affects you. I appreciate how much was not said because these 20somethings have not yet had enough therapy (if any) or time to process it nevermind speak to it, but the show is giving us as viewers a lot to work with. The mechanism of the characters talking directly to the audience is so great for that too.

I also really appreciated the parallels in how each of these new relationships are negotiating their boundaries and the differences in honesty, manipulation, and transparency. The following is my read based on what we've been shown so far:

Boston is honest about what he wants but he's not against doing more than he should/using Nick's obvious feelings (which Nick is lying about) to get what he wants (i.e. continuation of their existing arrangement).

Ray is honest about what he thinks he wants but he seems to be lying to himself about what he wants but especially about what he can handle. [Was it just me or did Ray look slightly disappointed he wasn't going to be Sand's bi/pansexual awakening? This is also very relatable so I might just be projecting lolol]

Sand is the most self-aware and is more honest to Ray and the audience about the risks of the situation, the jokes about paying for sex were just jokes but honestly the show could have gone that way and it's interesting that it didn't -- it shows us how much Sand values things staying uncomplicated and not messy (he's got strict rules that Ray is about to tread all over).

Mew is both honest and manipulative about what he wants, he knows if he is going to get an actual relationship out of Top he needs to get him invested, and he's not sure he wants a relationship with Top until he proves himself anyway (I think this part is true?).

Top seems to be more honest than I everyone originally thought though he's definitely portraying a version of himself that will get him laid.

Chueam's relationship has so far not gotten much air time but I think April's absence overall is telling and reminding me of how Moonlight Chicken told us everything we needed to know about Wen and Alan's relationship before we saw them together. The bit we did see of Chueam and April together gives me hope that they're going to get drama too (because I want everyone to have drama pls and thank you).

So far the trailer misled about drug dealing and sex work, really excited to see where and how else it intentionally set up false preconceptions in the audience to be blown apart by the series!

[jenyifer]

Top and Boston’s over lap is quite interesting. I don’t blame Boston for trying to be Top’s friend since they both fucked up in Boston’s car. But I think their similarities extend further. So let’s have some TopBoston brain soup.

The thing is both Boston and Top are often perceived as pretty rich fuck boys and that’s all they are valued for. I’d highly suggest listening to their first song together in the bathroom “Hate Me” by Blood Red Sun. The song talks about being self assured but also having relationships based on their shallow self. This ultimately make Boston and Top cut from the same cloth. They are competitive for what they want because it’s a want that’s all theirs. They will do anything to achieve their goals. Like showing a jealous competitive man that his lover has kissed his bestie or calling the police to break up a party then giving the cop a bag of drugs to pay them off and look like the hero.

I find their diverging opinions on love fascinating.

At the beginning of the series Boston is motivated by his friendships with Mew and Ray because they are the people who know him best. He keeps their photos at the end of his bed he appreciates them so much. Not that he is 100% himself with them but it’s the most real relationships he has. What Boston misses about Nick is that over time Nick was slowly getting to see the real Boston and wasn’t afraid. Nick wanted Boston’s ugly side. I think this was addictive to Boston but Boston’s worst fears were confirmed when Nick betrays him. No one can ever truly care for Boston. He’s just a piece of flesh to tempt other men.

Meanwhile Top is fixated on becoming a person for Mew. It’s unclear how much of the real top is in their relationship. We don’t see Top with any other friends the closest thing he has besides Mew is Sand which he is insanely competitive with…. Even when his relationship with Mew falls apart he clings to this new version of Top. Because even if it’s not who he truly is it’s the only way to get Mew close again.

I think Boston and Top would make a pair of frightening friends. I kind of want a heist fic of them just aggressively trying to put power over the other… idk how to end this soup.. but I keep thinking about them.