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adore-laur · 2 months

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DEVOTION

— please enjoy harry & sawyer getting freaky in miami (inspired by this ask)💃

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MIAMI, 1993

People are packed into the arena like sardines. August humidity suffuses the air, a cacophony of chatter overlaps, and an infectious energy pulses in the room as everyone waits for Sade to hit the stage in all their sensational glory.

In the general admission area, Harry stands behind Sawyer with his arms protectively draped over her shoulders. Her footing shifts occasionally as she fiddles with his rings. He can sense her anticipation—she's been looking forward to this concert for months. When he gifted her the tickets on her birthday, she wept and kissed him with a hunger he had never experienced from her before. As much as he spoils her, she goes the extra mile to show him her appreciation.

Once the lights go out, Harry can't wait to see her vivacious eyes and dazzling smile.

Sawyer looks ravishing tonight. Her black cropped tank top has a variety of enticing little cutouts—no bra underneath, he might add—and she's wearing low-waisted denim shorts which hug her ass most temptingly. There's a reason he opted to stand behind her—two, actually. One, he doesn't want any dudes getting a sneak peek of his girl. And two, he doesn't need anyone seeing his hardness through his leather pants.

She curled her hair with natural-looking spirals and teased it with spray. Her long, wavy mane has always been a hassle to manage in the summertime, so she cut it collarbone-length. Her front bangs are tightly clipped back, and she wears gold hoop earrings. She’s truly a stunner.

Prior to leaving, Harry watched her as she got ready for the concert. They live together in a swanky Orlando penthouse, where the simple things like her clothes hanging in the closet and makeup supplies cluttering the bathroom sink make him unbelievably happy. While he gently reminded Sawyer that they needed to leave soon for the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Miami, she applied her mascara and teased him by showing her cleavage while bent over the vanity. Despite his provocative urges, he managed to resist giving in.

When Sawyer turns to look at him now, the room reduces to just her. Lucious lips stained with pomegranate-red gloss. Skin glowing with moisture. Dark eyes filled with warmth. It’s breathtaking to behold the sheer beauty of her features. Time and time again, she hypnotizes him. He's beginning to think she can cast spells on his lovesick soul.

Sawyer taps his bicep before standing on her tiptoes to reach his ear. In an instinctive move, Harry touches her hip and leans down to better hear her.

Fanning herself, she says, "It's muggy in here. I'm going to buy a water bottle and braid my hair in the bathroom."

"I'll go with you."

"But you have to save our spot," she reminds him.

Though he nearly protests, he reluctantly nods and caresses the slick skin of her bare middle back. "Fine. You have your phone?"

"In my purse. I'll be fast."

Harry kisses the spot between her eyebrows before letting her go, keeping her locked in his gaze until she disappears past the lower seating sections. In crowds, regardless of size, he doesn’t like losing her. During baseball games, it’s less worrying since she always sits in the same section in her reserved seat, but in Miami, he's extra cautious because it's an unfamiliar city. Sawyer can stand up for herself since sass and stubbornness are intertwined in her Aries DNA, but Harry remains fiercely protective of her. She's a certified sweetheart, conspicuously beautiful, and also quite gullible to a fault—if anyone attempts to take advantage of that, they'll have to answer to him.

While she's gone, Harry observes the venue. There are people from all walks of life surrounding him. The staggered seating sections flanking the floor are filling quickly, and it's reminiscent of playing at Tinker Field, where he would watch fans fill the bleachers from the dugout.

In a few weeks, the minor league season will conclude, and Harry is looking forward to taking a much-needed break from pitching and traveling. He's thankful he didn’t have a game scheduled today, which gave him and Sawyer the chance to step out for a date. It aches to know she's missed him a little more after such a long season. Due to her full-time job, she can’t always travel across America with him or attend home games, but they’re able to make it work by cherishing their time together. Next month, they plan to celebrate their second anniversary in Seville, Spain. They'll sunbathe on the scenic beaches, relish a couples massage, and take romantic strolls through the city's idyllic parks.

And, if Harry doesn't chicken out, he'll ask her to marry him.

Fondly smiling at the thought, he watches two girls strut toward him, parting the crowd like the Red Sea. They're wearing variations of the same outfit—metallic miniskirts, frilly halter tops, and chunky heels. Based on their strikingly similar features, they must be twins. Twin One holds a Canon camera, while Twin Two laughs into her hands.

Harry waves politely before shoving his hands in his pockets. The moment a fan recognizes him, he knows it. There’s a strange shift in the atmosphere when he temporarily loses his shield of privacy. It's unavoidable when fifteen thousand people are gathered in a Miami venue. It comes with the territory of being a famous Florida sports figure.

"Are you Harry Styles?"

Here we go.

Feeling abnormal but pushing past it, he says, "In the flesh. How's it going, ladies?"

"Oh my gosh, we love you," Twin One gushes. "You're hella cute. You play for the Sun Rays, right?"

"Sort of. Our team name got changed recently. We're now the Orlando Cubs."

"Oh, cool," she says distractedly. "Anyway, we want a picture with you."

With a sharp inhale, Harry nods once. “Sure, no problem."

It doesn't bother him to take pictures or sign autographs. Most people are respectful and genuinely honored to meet him. Rarely, however, do people demand things from him, like right now. Then he feels prickles of discomfort. It makes him feel as though he's being exploited. It makes him feel fictitious.

As the girls swarm around him and touch him like he's a wax figure with no boundaries, Sawyer nudges her way through the crowd, water bottle in hand. As she processes the situation, her movements slow and her shoulders drop slightly. She has her hair in two messy braids, with the shorter layers springing loose. She looks effortless and... annoyed. Yeah, Harry is all too familiar with that look. He has been on the receiving end of those slanted eyebrows, those gritted teeth, and those assessing eyes. How will this play out?

When she sees Sawyer, Twin Two strokes his arm suggestively. Thankfully, they see her as a mere stranger rather than his girlfriend. His mind flashes back to past discussions about keeping their relationship as private as possible, and he decides not to sacrifice that for such a measly moment. No chance.

"Can you take a photo of us?" It was wise of her to ask, rather than demand. Otherwise, Harry's friendly mask would have definitely slipped.

Sawyer purses her lips as she meets Harry's gaze. "Do you mind?" he asks, his expression hinting at a secret message.

By taking Twin One's camera, she recognizes his unspoken signal and cleverly leaps into her role. God, he's thankful for her. He knows it's challenging to deal with these bizarre occurrences that pop their bubble, but she handles them all so gracefully. When they get home, he’ll shower her with affection.

Sawyer raises the camera to her eye and says, "I'll take a few."

Harry straightens his posture and awkwardly places his hands on both girls' upper arms. His muscles tense uncomfortably as their hands slither around his waist and linger near his stomach. Amid three flashes, he’s suffocated by the pungent smell of perfume and spearmint gum.

“There you go,” Sawyer says, giving the camera back and forcing a smile.

They browse the pictures before staring at Harry with a sickening amount of adoration. "It was awesome meeting you," Twin Two says, biting her lip. "We'll see you around at the next Sun Rays game."

"Cubs," Sawyer mumbles around a fake cough. Only Harry catches it, and he restrains himself from grinning proudly and kissing her senselessly.

"Nice to meet you both," he says, briefly touching his heart. "Enjoy the concert, yeah?"

They nod, blush, and giggle simultaneously before walking off, staring back at him a couple of times before fading into the sea of strangers. Harry releases a breath he didn't know he was holding and concentrates on Sawyer drinking from her water bottle. He's about to apologize for the unnatural situation, but the venue goes dark, and the audience erupts with deafening cheers.

The joy he expected to see in Sawyer's eyes isn't there. Silently, she crosses her arms and faces the stage with a blank expression. Harry curses at himself—he knows it isn't his fault and that it's just how Sawyer is. She takes things to heart and lets them stew until her skeptical thoughts overflow without a lid. The fact that she didn’t witness the entire interaction has made her understandably upset. Harry regrets not saying no to the fans.

First on the setlist is "The Sweetest Taboo"—sonically sensual, intoxicatingly groovy, and a fantastic way to open their show. Everybody dances to the exquisite beat and sings along to the lyrics. The energy in the room soars to an unimaginable level. It's contagious.

Harry grips Sawyer's hand so the crowd doesn't swallow her whole. She turns and smiles softly, finally bobbing her head to the music. Slowly, she loosens up, unfurling the passionate girl he knows lives within her. The one who loves to dance.

She looks resplendent as indigo lights glide across her face. Her body begins to move—the shape of her swaying hips and the pinch of her waist are irresistible. Harry settles behind her and follows her smooth movements, grinding against her backside. The warmth of his hands rests on her ribcage, and they dance, getting lost in the ecstasy of experiencing live music.

With each song, they forget about the world outside and fall more in love with each other.

——

Harry and Sawyer leave the arena on a high after being captivated by Sade's sultry voice and entrancing stage presence for over an hour. The parking lots are already congested with people trying to beat traffic, so they decide to wait until it calms down.

As soon as they get into the car, Harry starts the engine and turns on the air conditioning before reclining the driver's seat. With exhaustion swimming through his bones, he sighs contently. It was a magical concert, but he's not looking forward to driving back to Orlando. He'll need to stop by 7/11 for an energy drink and some snacks. Fortunately, tomorrow is Sunday, so they can both sleep in and laze around the whole day.

Sawyer unbraids her hair and removes the clips, then shakes her head cutely to let her wild curls loose. She looks tired as well. They danced the night away together, not caring who saw them. He told her to climb on his back a few times so she could get a better view of the stage. During the romantic slow-tempo songs, she hugged and kissed him sweetly, and he swears he almost got down on one knee right then and there.

"I love you, baby," Harry says, watching her take off her Doc Martens. "Tonight was divine."

A smile spreads across Sawyer's face. "I love you too. Hey, listen..." She reaches over to caress his cheek and thumb the corner of his mouth. "I'm sorry about my buzzkill attitude at the beginning."

Shaking his head, he kisses her palm. “You don't have to apologize. I appreciate how you handled those girls."

He hopes to forget about what happened. Honestly, as soon as the concert started, he forgot all about them. There was only one thing on his mind: Sawyer and the mesmerizing way she moved.

"I just... I got jealous," Sawyer confesses sheepishly.

Harry frowns in astonishment. Jealousy is a rare emotion for Sawyer. They’ve been dating for almost two years, and he can count on one hand the number of times she has been outwardly jealous. Since he only has eyes for her, there's no rhyme or reason for her to feel this way.

What a new and fun development, Harry thinks to himself. He loves how their relationship continues to surprise him.

Harry, however, has been caught having jealous fits many times before. Like that instance when Sawyer was invited to lunch by her so-called "cubicle neighbor." Harry is her forever lunch date, not anyone else. Even when he can't be there in person, he'll call her office fax number and keep her company while she munches her cucumber salad. Harry's jealousy grew when he discovered some guy was trying to steal that from him, so he ordered an impressive bouquet to be delivered to her desk the following day. It didn't take long for everyone to get the hint. Then there was that time when they were watching The Bodyguard, and Sawyer kept squealing girlishly over Kevin Costner's character. Okay, so he literally took a bullet for the woman he loved. Big deal! Harry smothered his jealousy by obnoxiously pretending to be Sawyer's bodyguard while exiting the movie theater and then proceeding to sing "I Have Nothing" off-key the entire way home. She just laughed, which was his goal in the first place.

"Why'd you get jealous?" Harry asks.

Sawyer's brow quirks. "Well, when I'm subjected to taking pictures of two pretty girls who are all over my boyfriend, it doesn't necessarily feel good."

"I know," he says, frustrated with himself. "I should've refused them. They kind of trapped me."

She pouts sympathetically before climbing over the console and straddling his thighs. "My sweet sunray. You're too nice."

Harry pulls her closer by hooking his fingers through her belt loops and tugging. "I'm sorry you were jealous."

"I shouldn't have been. You know why?"

"Tell me." Reaching around her, he turns up the volume of the radio to drown out the sounds of cars honking at each other. The cassette tape they listened to on the drive to Miami is still playing on loop. "Paradise" by Sade sets the mood.

"Because you're mine," Sawyer says with conviction.

Spreading his legs on the seat, he smirks. "Say that again, angel."

"You're mine. No one else's."

"Ditto," he replies, rubbing his palms along her suntanned thighs. "You've got my devotion."

His bodacious girl bites his bottom lip until it stings, then says, "Prove it."

"Good fuckin' lord," Harry murmurs against her mouth before diving in. He kisses her ravenously while fumbling to unbutton her shorts, eventually helping her shimmy out of them. Sawyer shoves her hand down his pants and grasps his bulge, stroking it purposefully. He gasps and slides his pants down halfway, revealing his tented boxers.

"Are you mine?" she asks, sitting right on his cock and sending shockwaves of sex drive down his spine. Her body heat is addictive.

"Yes," he says breathlessly, kissing along her flushed neck. "I'm your man."

"Then act like it. Show me who you belong to."

A shocked laugh escapes as he greedily grabs a handful of her ass. "Sawyer Alejandra, what has Miami done to you? Ay, Dios mío!"

She smiles seductively. "It's Sade's fault."

"Is that right?" Harry cranks the volume up even more before allusively sliding his hand under her top and cupping the swell of her breast. It fits perfectly, and when he teases her peaked nipple with his thumb, Sawyer's palm slaps against the window as she grinds against him. The glass is fogging with the A/C running, sweat drips down his back, and the song's driving bass line pulsates loudly through the speakers. It's filthy what they're doing, considering potential onlookers surround them. It's a good thing the car has tinted windows.

The thrill of their sexual escapade pulses through Harry's body. As he kisses Sawyer's heaving breasts through her top's cutouts, the pleasure becomes borderline intolerable. His lips search for any sliver of skin, and in response, she tugs his hair and whimpers softly. Her skimpy lace underwear is damp, and he switches his attention to her clit. He rubs it with his knuckle, causing Sawyer's hips to momentarily stutter before she leans into the movement and stamps sloppy kisses all over his face, her cherry-flavored lip gloss transferring to his cheeks, nose, and jaw. They're as sweet as sugar.

"Almost there," Sawyer whispers, running her hand across his broad chest. Her fingers grip the material of his bejeweled sleeveless top to keep herself balanced, and Harry would let her rip it apart if he hadn't spent several hours meticulously hot gluing rhinestones onto it.

After kissing down her stomach and blowing air onto her belly button ring, he teases two fingers past her wet entrance, and it's all she needs to unravel completely. As she orgasms, she leaves love bites on his neck and moans. Her body language is desperate, the arch of her back and the tightening of her thighs against his own helping her through her release.

"Nice and easy, baby," Harry murmurs, squeezing her waist. "Take your time."

From the gratifying pain she inflicts on the tender flesh of his neck, Harry comes in his boxers, his pelvis jerking as goosebumps rise over his skin in transient tidal waves. It feels equally divine and unholy what they just did. Tiredness kicks in as they both breathe heavily. Gradually, the condensation on the windows disappears. Sawyer's handprint is the last thing to vanish, and the sight will undeniably haunt his memory in the most marvelous way.

Harry opens the glovebox and finds the stash of napkins. After cleaning Sawyer and himself, he pulls his pants back up, shuts the radio off, and says, "I've made up my mind."

"About what?" Sawyer asks, sitting sideways on his lap so she can stretch her legs. In just her cropped top, underwear, and adorable ruffle socks, she's a masterpiece. And all his.

"I'm gonna marry you one day," he says. It's something he's known for a long time. He hopes that easing her into the topic will make him more confident about proposing next month.

Sawyer pinches his earlobe. "Don't say dreamy things like that."

"Oh, that’s bogus," he retorts. "You say heart-stopping things to me all the time without even realizing. Especially after sex."

"Not marriage-related things!"

"Does that mean you don't want to marry me?" he asks, fishing for a reaction.

When she goes quiet and stares contemplatively at him, Harry's stomach swoops. He knows her exceptionally well, which means he knows she tends to shy away from substantial conversations regarding their future when they're sprung upon her by his spontaneous nature. Perhaps it's too early to propose a lifelong commitment, but hasn't she imagined sharing a life with him before? The moment he kissed her for the first time, he fantasized about settling down, buying a house away from the city, tying the knot, and having curly-haired babies.

Eventually, Sawyer says, "I would marry you in this parking lot right now if you asked me to."

Harry feels an internal splash of relief and plays it cool by saying, "Please raise your standards."

"Are you saying you wouldn't want to marry me in a parking lot, lover boy?" She tosses her version of his question back to him with a frisky smile.

"I'd find you and marry you in every lifetime. How's that for an answer?"

She’s speechless for five full seconds before lurching forward to hug him, her heart hammering. "You're crazy. I love you so, so much."

"I adore you," Harry whispers. He reaches for the 'S' pendant hiding under his top's neckline and pulls it out. "I'm forever yours."

Sawyer kisses him repeatedly and says, "Forever."

During the journey home, she falls asleep with her head in his lap, holding his hand while he drives. His thumb absentmindedly strokes her ring finger, and he feels a surge of emotion and excitement knowing he will get to spend the years to come by her side.

Years filled with being deeply devoted to her.

——

#harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfic #harry styles x oc #harry styles au #harry styles smut #harry styles fluff #harry styles #adore-laur #harry and sawyer #southpaw series

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she-karev · 4 months

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First Date Part 1

Age Rating: 12+

Fandom: Grey's Anatomy

AN: Thanks for helping me reach 100 likes guys. I couldn't have done it without you, keep liking and following. I hope you guys are enjoying the chapters so far, I've been working hard to make them as entertaining and real as I can. This is the first of a four-part chapter and I'm gonna post the next chapter by tonight. I'm trying to keep these posts short since the text limit finally caught up to me.

Summary: Amber and Deluca talk at work and set their first date.

Words: 1538

I stand in the supply closet getting gauze for the pit when I hear someone coming in. I turn to find that it was Andrew DeLuca who walked in and grins at the sight of me. I try to keep a professional manner around him at work because I don’t want my peers to know I had a date with a senior resident. After we got over most of the shock that came from our entangled web we decided to grab food last night at Joe’s Bar.

At first things were a little awkward and we had a few silent minutes between us but once I asked him about the story of his first day at work we hit it off. We talked all night about everything from our jobs to our favorite songs to our favorite movies. The one setback was that he never heard of In This Moment before I told him about despite claiming he liked good music but there’s always an ick. Besides there’s enough time to get him into it.

I keep my voice even despite my attraction towards him, “Dr. DeLuca is there anything I can help you with?”

He chuckles lightly and decides to tease me, “There is actually. I have a date with this girl tonight and I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with a way to impress her after she told me off for not knowing a favorite band of hers.”

I chuckle at him and turn to face him fully, “I wouldn’t say she told you off more…tried to educate you and broaden your horizons beyond pop culture garbage.”

“Well her attempts were a bit brazen but I listened to that band she defended last night so I could see what the big deal is.”

I look at him touched by his attempts to listen to them before I even try to indoctrinate him, “Really and what did you think?”

He looks uncertain for a moment, “It’s a little hardcore for me but I think I can get past the bleeding ears and appreciate the vulgar lyrics like ‘I can be your whore’.”

I smile at him, “Well I didn’t ask you to do that for me. I was going to but the fact that you did before speaks volumes. So, what idea did you have for a first date?”

“Well I remembered you telling me the night we met that you used to play baseball as a kid. Do you like to watch games?”

“Yeah I catch it during the World Series it’s when I can take a break and unwind with a beer and empty recliner just for me. If you saw me in that state you wouldn’t want to go out again. I am talking a lot of stuff thrown at the walls and cursing words you’ve never even heard of.”

Andrew chuckles, “Well I got us tickets to tonight’s game, it’s the Mariners vs Yankee’s and tickets were actually pretty cheap you wouldn’t think so with two major leagues competing.”

“It’s the playoffs their usually slow, you don’t know much about baseball do you?” I ask because his comment makes it clear we have another issue to tackle here.

Andrew looks at me sheepishly, “I’m Italian if you want to root for soccer then I’m your guy but otherwise I’m a dunce in most of the other sports.” I chuckle at him; his naivety is adorable.

“Well don’t worry I’ll protect you from the other angry baseball fans because they’ll beat you unlike me.”

Andrew looks pleased, “So that’s yes to tonight?”

“Normally it wouldn’t be because a game on a first date is you begging to see me at my worst. But since it’s the playoffs we’re good your just gonna get me bored.” Andrew grins at me before walking towards me in a seductive manner causing my stomach to knot in a good way. He puts his hand against the shelf behind me as if he’s trying to cage me.

“Well maybe I can make it less boring after and…pitch a goal.” I laugh at his bad baseball innuendo and he closes his eyes in despair and shakes his head, “You were right to want to protect me because I’m probably gonna get killed out there.”

I laugh at him again and calm down, “Don’t worry I’ll just keep you busy so you don’t run your mouth in that stadium. I’d like to do…other things with that mouth.” I say it with a breathy tone and he grins at me before leaning in to kiss me. I grab his shoulder to guide him. We were a few inches away from making contact until the door opens and Dr. Webber sees us in this intimate position to my horror.

“Oh um…” Webber sees Andrew with his hands on the wall right beside my head and my hand on his shoulder and immediately goes beet red, “S-Sorry I um I needed-”

I need to rectify this if at all possible and quickly say, “Yeah, me too.” I duck under Andrew’s arm and move to the shelf a few feet away to make it seem like I’m looking for something. I grab a random object and say to DeLuca in a professional tone like he’s a resident and I’m an intern, “Uh I found the hydrogels thank you for showing me how to navigate this closet, Dr. DeLuca.”

Andrew clears his throat and tries to play along as well, “Yes, I thought I saw it at this shelf but uh I was wrong. I’m glad I could help Dr. Karev.” Webber doesn’t buy it as he still looks awkward around us.

“Right.” He clearly doesn’t believe it and I sigh at his face and remember he’s my brother’s friend so he knows the situation and will probably feel conflicted in catching us. I groan as I decide to tell him so he doesn’t spill to Alex and someone overhears and spreads this like wildfire.

“Alex knows but nobody else does so I would appreciate it if-”

Webber nods looking slightly relieved, “Don’t worry Karev I am already trying to wipe this from my memory.”

I look and see Andrew looking pained by this encounter, “Perfect thank you sir.”

Webber shakes his head at us before saying under his breath, “Lord.” He leaves us in the room where we stand there for an awkward silent moment until he laughs and I hit his arm with the hydrogel in response.

“It is not funny!” He continues laughing even when I glare at him.

He calms down after a few seconds, “I’m sorry I’ll stop, ‘Alex knows’?” He looks at me amused by my reaction to being walked in on by my boss.

I look at him in frustration that causes him to shut up, “I panicked! And now my residency director saw me about to kiss a senior resident. It’s my third day and I am already the intern slut I am so getting fired.”

Andrew tries to soothe me, “No you’re not trust me I mean this hospital is practically built on workplace relationships. Alex and Jo, Kepner and Avery, me and Pierce-”

“You slept with the chief of cardio?” I stop freaking out and look at him in shock over this new information. He stops in place and realizes what he said, “When was this?”

He takes a moment “…My intern year.” I chuckle at him relieved I’m not the only one with the scarlet A on my chest. It’s one thing to sleep with a resident before your even hired but sleeping with an attending when you’re an intern is a whole new level of inappropriate, “Yeah not the best way to start my intern year and if it makes you feel better Webber also found out.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, “Oh yeah? Did he walk in on you guys in a supply closet your first week here?”

“I mean…no.” I rub my eyes as I process what just happened and come to a decision.

“Okay from now on this.” I motion to the two of us, “happens in the privacy of our homes or rooms with locks at this place got it?”

He nods full heartedly, “I completely agree with that rule.” I put the hydrogel back and walk away from him as he yells out, “I’ll meet you at the stadium at 7?”

I don’t stop as I yell out on my way, “6:30 I want to get there before the crowd piles up.” I open and close the door as I exit the closet with some of my dignity intact.

#greys anatomy #andrew deluca #amber karev #elizabeth gillies #liz gillies #headcanon

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strangertheories · 2 years

Note

💚 Will or Eleven or Max

Will Byers analysis

I've already done Max and I'll make Eleven next, but for now I'm going to analyse Will. I'm going to break him down season by season and speak about some key moments and his character arc. This is kind of in companion with my Mike analysis but you don't have to read it to understand, just to get more of the full picture.

Season 1

Right off the bat we see a lot of Will's personality from his technique playing D&D. Will is not making choices for himself and seems a lot more quiet than his friends. He's pressured by Dustin and Lucas to make a decision so we don't know if he actually believes what he's picking. However, Will clearly will try and be honest and do the right thing over the easier option. Dustin and Lucas told Will not to say to Mike that the demogorgon got him, but Will doesn't care as he thinks it's the moral option to tell Mike. We also see that he has a much closer relationship with Mike than the rest of his friends. He's also quite nerdy (in an affectionate way) and we see his excitement over getting Dustin's X-Man comic.

Unfortunately, we find out Will has been bullied his whole life. His father believed him to be gay and would refer to a young Will with homophobic slurs. Will similarly faced this bullying at school, with people making rude comments about his sexuality based on his clothes and soft spoken nature. By the start of S1, Will has started to realize that he's not 'normal' as evidenced by the show's pitch bible.

Will Byers, twelve, is a sweet, sensitive kid with sexual identity issues. He only recently came to the realization that he does not fit into the 1980s definition of “normal.” His innocent choices, such as colorful clothes, prove a constant source of bullying. Like Mike, Will escapes through fantasy gaming, where he can be himself, uninhibited. He has a close relationship with his mother, Joyce. His brother, Jonathan, helps raise him in lieu of their father, who abandoned them four years ago

This description also draws similarities between Will and Mike. As I've said, they have a closer relationship than he and his other friends and we see these platonic feelings develop into more romantic ones as the show goes on. Like the pitch says, Will is close with his mother and brother and they have had a lot of moments together. This is how we find out about his character

Will has a highly creative mind. He has a passion for creating art as we see through flashbacks with Joyce. He also makes stories just like his best friend, Mike. Will likes horror movies and the arcade as well. As we can see, Will is highly passionate about his interests. However, we can also see as a result of his father and bullying, Will pretends to be interested in things he's not. This conversation with Johnathan is significant because whilst it's talking about sports, it's very easy to interpret as a metaphor for his sexuality.

Johnathan tells Will he shouldn't be upset his father did not come because Will is not a fan of sports and baseball. However, Will is trying to force himself to like sport because he knows his dad and people in general want Will to like things he does not. However, Johnathan tells him he shouldn't force himself to like things he doesn't like just because he feels like he should, especially if his homophobic father tells him so. Combine this with his character description and it's clear Johnathan is talking about more than sports, even if they don't realise it. The writers must have known what they were doing. As well as this, there is a lot of talk of Will being good at hiding which I think means that he's hiding more than physically but also he's hiding his sexuality. Hiding in a closet per se.

As a result of his bullying, Will is a people pleaser who will make decisions not for himself but for other people. This is even the case with friends, like in the opening scene where Will is choosing based on the pressure he feels from Dustin and Lucas. Mike, Joyce and Johnathan are the only people he is truly comfortable to be himself around. I also wonder if Will wasn't initially shy but became withdrawn to protect himself from bullying.

Will returns from the Upside Down and tries to make himself seem happy and fine so Joyce doesn't worry about him. But we see him flashing between our world and the Upside Down so we know something is wrong. It was amazing Will survived and he's clearly much more smart and resourceful than we thought, but that doesn't mean the experience didn't affect him. That leads us on to...

Season 2

At the start of S2, we see Will recovering from the events of S1. He's going through a lot and most people don't seem to notice. We see him going to therapy with people staring at him, with Mike noticing that he seems quiet although Lucas said he's always quiet. Will has always had a closer relationship with Mike so it makes complete sense that Mike would notice this when others wouldn't.

After a heart to heart with Johnathan, we learn Will believes everyone pities him and treats him like he's fragile. If they don't, then they call him a freak or zombie boy. Will and Johnathan have another talk about how it's ok to be different, comparing Will to David Bowie (who was queer). This again can be taken as an allegory for Will feeling alienated because of bullying and his sexuality and having to learn to accept that with the support of Johnathan.

Another person who isn't treating Will weirdly is Mike. In the crazy together scene, Will is finally able to open up and admit how he feels with Mike saying he relates. Will clearly doesn't want to be pitied or infantalised because of his past trauma. As I said, Will is smart and resourceful and he's also grown and changed so it makes sense that he dislikes this. I also think people mistake his shyness for weakness. He's strong. He lived in the Upside Down for a week. And yet people even with good intentions treat him like he's going to break. I think this is why he took Bob's advice to stand up to the mind flayer; because he's actually quite brave.

Post flaying, Will breaks down to Joyce which makes sense as I've established that's one of the people he's comfortable speaking to. We see a lot of stuff going on in this period that is not fully Will, although some things are him. Will trying to find Hopper in the tunnels wasn't the mind flayer. Nor was his guilt over leading the soldiers away or him sending a message in Morse code. As we've seen, Will always tries to do the right thing and this means that even whilst flayed we still get a sense of his strong morality.

Before I wrap up my discussion of S2, I'll break down the memories mentioned about him. Joyce says Will gave a girl his toy truck despite the fact they couldn't afford another one, which shows how Will despite his shyness is very kind hearted and unselfish. Johnathan spoke about him and Will working on Castle Byers together which demonstrates their closeness and affection for each other.

Finally, Mike told us his memory. Will was lonely on the swings by himself. He didn't initiate the conversation with Mike, probably due to his shyness. However, he made the decision to be friends with Mike, telling him yes, which shows that he definitely can and does make decisions for himself. Often his decisions are pressured by his father or more accidentally by Bob, Lucas and Dustin. Because of his quietness, he gets pushed around. But he's always cared for Mike and he's always stayed true to himself. It also demonstrates how they've always had a special connection and closeness unlike anyone else which continued as they grew up (Hawkins isn't the same without you, best thing I ever did, etc). Now onto...

Season 3

In S3, the arc about Will's (homo)sexuality begins. At the start of the season, Will is less mature than his counterparts. He wants to play D&D and never grow up. According to some, his dress style doesn't seem to mature like the rest of his friends. Will had a lot of his childhood stolen from him by his trauma from the UD and the mind flayer. This means he's overcompensating and has stunted development. He makes silly comments about girls not liking science which his friends might have said in earlier seasons but now just feels immature. I'd like to clarify though; Will's lack of interest in girls is not immature, it's gay.

At the start of the season, we see Will tired by his friends' obsession with relationships. Mike and Eleven are constantly off smooching each other so Will no longer sees his closest friend. His friends never play D&D and they forgot about Dustin too, showing how they only seem to care about girls. Will calls Mike out on this, with Mike saying the famous line 'it's not my fault you don't like girls'.

By this point in the series, I think Will knows he's gay deep down but hasn't really tried to think about it. Him saying he's never going to fall in love reminds me a lot of myself believing that because I didn't like the opposite sex I was incapable of love (if you're not interested in relationships or love that's fine too, I'm just personally not aro or ace).

Will could kind of ignore being called gay by bullies as he could dismiss it as unnecessary cruelty and not personal. But Mike is different. Will has feelings for Mike. And now Mike has exposed him and insulted him for it. You can see the panic setting in on Will's face and it just hurts you to watch it. Will destroys Castle Byers and his photos of Mike lamenting about his stupidity for even thinking he could get around liking Mike and girls in a standout performance by Noah Schnapp. It's the beginning of his sexuality arc which appears more in S4.

Unfortunately, we don't see much more of Will's arc in S3 as it's dropped for more supernatural things. We see his intelligence in investigating and how he's able to tell Mike things. We also see that he's got a good relationship with Mike by the end of the series as they have a very smiley convo in which Will says he's not going to join another party. Apart from that, there's not much that stands out to me until...

Season 4

At the start of S4, Will is aware that he is gay and has feelings for Mike. He does his hero project on Alan Turing, who was gay. I don't think that would be common knowledge or that Alan Turing was as well known as he is now (especially in America) which makes me think Will did research into queer history. He pretty clearly rejects a girl in his class showing how hes aware he's not into girls. He also makes a painting for Mike which is definitely somewhat romantic as Eleven said so and also he crushed it when they had a romantic moment together.

Will at school is more of the same. Will is incredibly shy and doesn't want to make himself a target of the school's vicious bullies. He can empathize with Eleven and gets upset on her behalf whilst helping her clean up after her diorama is destroyed. Whilst is would've been better if he helped her whilst she was getting bullied due to his history I get why he did nothing. Also despite the lack of screentime their relationship gets, it is nice to see Will being a caring brother for Eleven.

Will gets frustrated with Eleven lying to Mike saying he deserves better. This is probably a bit of jealousy, especially considering that he is established to be honest to Mike. However, I still think that Mike was in the wrong in their argument where he tried to blame Will for Eleven lying and refused to take accountability for third wheeling Will for a girl for the millionth time. I can only imagine this hurt more now Will is aware of his feelings.

As the season goes on, we can see Will is wanting to tell Mike how he feels. He's always confided in Mike and is very honest so it must be hard for him to not have Mike know about his feelings. This is why he took the painting and had that talk about being scared people won't like his truth. I think there will be a confession to someone (probably Mike or Johnathan) about his feelings in Volume 2.

In conclusion

Will is a smart, shy and kind hearted person who is struggling with growing up and his feelings due to past trauma and internalised homophobia.

I've got Robin analysis up next and then Eleven. Thanks for anyone who read this way too long post, I appreciate it. And thanks for the ask, anon (:

#stranger things #stranger things four #byler #st4 #stranger things analysis #will byers #mike wheeler #byeler

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kingofrandomthoughts · 2 years

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DON'T LIKE HISTORY

People keep telling me they're not into history. If they're thinking about high school, textbooks, or documentaries on the history channel, then I understand completely. Forced learning stinks for sure. Especially when it's about something long ago or in a faraway land.

I see it differently. I would argue that most love history. Their formal K-12 school education setting and style aren't the first thing I see. Like the title character in the August Rush movie, history "is all around us."

We think of famous architecture and landmarks.

It almost doesn't matter what you do enjoy. Most likely, you do enjoy history. Let me prove it to you.

Sports is the number one pastime in America. Can a football fan tell you the famous players and games by their team? If I say, Walter Payton or Joe Montana, do they know who I'm talking about? Of course, they do. Just like Wayne Gretzky or Bobby Orr in hockey,

Mickey Mantle and Ozzie Smith in baseball,

or Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain in basketball. They know about the Ice Bowl, the Miracle on Ice, the 1989 Bay Area World Series, and recognize the Triple Crown Award (more than one sport).

How about Heisman Winners in the past? How many great college players can you name that were terrible in the pros? I can name several and I am no expert. Who were the best college players ever?

Has anyone ever moved through a defensive line like Barry Sanders or will anyone ever again? I miss watching that guy play!

Car buffs love their cars. Some love the Shelby Cobra and others go back to the Duesenberg and Vauxhall's.

Cars have become a part of Hollywood lore as well, with Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, the Batmobile, the Ghostbusters ambulance, and Jurassic Park jeeps.

I love movies and thought about going to USC for film school. If I spoke about Steven Spielberg affecting people with his movies, would it make sense? Jaws made people afraid to go into the water. Indiana Jones made people want to explore. His movies moved the public's perception from fear of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds

to his own tale of wonder in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and then to an awkward loveable buddy E.T.

Schindler's List broke the world's heart with portrayals of the holocaust. Jurassic Park brought dinosaurs back to life.

Do you realize that Jurassic Park was released in June of 1993? I graduated high school months before. Now I feel old.

Even in television shows, what was your favorite? Was it Mash? It was a rare combination of heart-clutching realities, tender moments, and needed comic relief. I watched the final episode.

Maybe it was Seinfeld or Friends.

Or Alex Trebek who's no longer with us, just like Robin Williams. Such great entertainment history.

I love music and its history.

Most who love cooking have heard the name Julia Child. I know people that were friends. She was a legend.

Collect shoes? Here's a picture of Chuck Taylor sneakers from their first go-round.

I love business history and remember this well.

Fashion is an obsession in America. Even I know about Oscar de la Renta, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, and Versace.

I love the scene in the movie The Devil Wears Prada, with Meryl Streep explaining to Anne Hathaway where her careless fashion choices were decided by the people in the room.

"This… “stuff”? Oh, okay. I see you think this has nothing to do with you.

You… go to your closet, and you select… I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back, but what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean.

You’re also blithely unaware of the fact that, in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns, and then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent, wasn’t it?… who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here.

And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic casual corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.

However, that blue represents millions of dollars of countless jobs, and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry, when in fact, you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room… from a pile of “stuff.”

youtube

Undoubtedly, Hatheway's character was unaware and probably didn't care, but everyone in the room did. It is the world they love and they know the history very well.

One more for the crowd. Who remembers playing these?

I wish we'd talk about the history of our loves that way. History still evokes emotion and memories, even just seeing pictures.

Don't you love sports history, cinema history, art history, fashion history, business history, and automobile history?

Maybe it's just me and my random thought for today.

#Youtube

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pick-em-pool · 8 months

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WEEK 4

HELLO again my football fanatics, and welcome back to WEEK FOUR of the pick-em pool competition 🏈🏉 Where 11 contestants battle 🤺 for cash prizes 💲💲💲 It's been an exciting week so far with some bright spots and surprise flops 🥴 Let's get into it!

LISA - 15 POINTS

Ladies and gentlemen, she is 5-Feet-Negative-1-Inches of pure football expertise 🧠 and she has scored FIFTEEN points to rebound back to her original lead 🏆 can the rest of the field catch her before the end of the season? It will be tough - those short little leprechauns are shifty and can fit into small hiding spots 🍀 Peyton hasn't been under 5 feet since he was 2 1/2 months old 👶

VAL - 13 POINTS

Not to be outdone, Val consolidates her grip on second place with a stellar 13 point week ✊✊✊ She's trying to keep her opponents' window of opportunity smaller than the amount of closet space she gives Peyton ✊ I guess you need all that clothing when you're a human water park 💦💧💧 It is said that Val once even sweat through a backpack 🤷‍♂️

JULIETTE - 13 POINTS

Taylor Swift shows up to one football game and all of the sudden Juliette's calling winners like Josh Allen calls audibles ▶▶▶ (Juliette for reference just think of him as "Halie Steinfeld's boyfriend" 🎶) If I spent all this time doing research just to be beaten by a squishmallow that would certainly be a "Cruel Summer" 🎤

GABBY - 13 POINTS

Even though she crushed it this week and remains in 3rd place, our defending champion 🏆🏆🏆 is REALLY a baseball fan now that the Phillies are in the playoffs ⚾🧢 Before their game last night she said, and I quote, "I had to look up the roster because baseball players are hot" 🔥 - I certainly chose the wrong sport. Peyton - can I borrow some of your old baseball pants? 🤔

This is an actual photo of me wearing Peyton's pants:

PEYTON - 12 POINTS

Our new Pittsburgher is also our top-scoring man of the week once again 👨 keeping the honor alive for football men everywhere 🎖 Now that the ladies have been dominating the top 3, will Peyton be the first guy to challenge them?! 🥊 Help us Peyton-Wan-Kenobi, you're our only hope! 🌑🚀

JJ - 12 POINTS

A solid 12 points keeps our resident hockey star right in the thick of it 🥇🥈🥉 Although I have to admit I'm not really sure I want him to win it all this year 😲 After seeing him getting ready for the Pink concert, I think we ALL need to avoid any celebration dances from JJ 🕺🕺🕺

JANIE - 12 POINTS

A much-improved 12 point week is enough to keep Janie out of last place, though she's not far from it 😱 We'll have to keep a watch out to see how she performs this Sunday 👓 I have a feeling if she stays stuck in seventh place we'll all get to learn some new French swear words!

ABBY - 11 POINTS

A so-so week for Abby with 11 points 😐 but still enough to hang on to THIRD place for the time being 3️⃣ Abby has been on top of her football picks this season, as I have threatened her with a lecture on space from JP for every time she is late ⌚ we all may love football (and money) here, but NO ONE loves anything as much as JP loves space 🌌🌌🌌

RUSTY - 7 POINTS

My mother always told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say then I should just be quiet 🤐 She also told me that bacon is terrible for you and I shouldn't eat it. What do these two sayings have in common? They are both true, and I don't do either of them. RUSTY YOU STINK 🤢🤢🤢

Another great week everyone 😁 and despite some early leaders NO ONE is out of the running for that cash PRIZE 💹💹💹 So keep on that grind and keep the money on your mind! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK

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alirhi · 3 years

Text

10 Sebastian roles as boyfriends

Because... I'm bored and I feel like it. 😂 Probably some spoilers for, like... everything? So yeah... That.

Putting it under here for easy scrolling:

10: Chase Collins

Who doesn't love a goofball? In the first half of the movie, Chase is basically perfect. He's sweet, funny, not all caught up in his ego, and actually pays attention to what the girls around him are saying, not just to what he wants to hear. If not for the whole... it was all an act to get close to Caleb and try to steal his magic thing, Chase would actually be a damn good high school boyfriend. He's adorable and would be a fun date, but he's also only 18 so best not to start making long-term plans lol. Also, y'know... the whole psycho revenge/power grab thing.

9 Jack Benjamin

Y'all. Y'all. Words cannot describe how much I love Jack. Pretty sure I've made this clear. As a person/character in general, he's absolutely in my Top 3 - not just of Sebastian's characters, but any character ever. ❤ But as a boyfriend? Boy's got baggage. It's what makes me so protective of him, but seeing as how he's trapped in the closet thanks to his overbearing homophobic family and the insane expectations heaped on him, as the show left him, he can't handle an honest relationship. He's too easily influenced by all the wrong people, poor babe.

8 Chris (Destroyer)

On paper, undercover cop sounds cool and exciting, but even if you ignore the fact that he, y'know, dies... Chris got in too deep and kinda lost the mission, so to speak. Best case scenario, you're his sexy partner and in on it all with him and end up on the lam for the rest of your lives. Worst case, this man lies for a living, so can you even trust him? And... yeah. The whole dead thing. Chris is hot af but getting involved with him is a recipe for disaster.

7 Ben

Min and Hathor have mercy, I love Ben! He's smart, he's snarky, he's caring and loyal... he's an absolute disaster. He's another one who seems allergic to honesty, until his lying and avoiding nearly kill his girlfriend. Not exactly relationship goals lol. Everything before totally was, though! Ben's adorable, and I love how he stayed up all night to protect his girlfriend (from a ghost/demon thing... with a baseball bat. I said he was smart, not perfect, okay? XD points for effort lol)

6 Mickey Henry

I. LOVE. MICKEY. Oml I love Mickey. He's a spazz and - even more so than Ben - an absolute disaster of a human being, but I love him. Pros for dating Mickey Henry: he's fun, he's carefree, he'll cook for you even though he's kinda bad at it lol, he loves his son and wants to be a good dad, he wants his partner to be happy and to love life as much as he does. Cons, and the reason he's not higher on the list: He's a pushover; easily influenced by the toxic people in his life, and it gets him into a lot of trouble. Being easily influenced by toxic dumpster fire of a human being Chloe almost lost him the partial custody of his son that he barely even had. He's an absolute sweetheart, but he's a complete man-child, and dating him would often feel more like raising him.

5 Frank "Suffer Buddy"

Come on! You know he and Mickey had to be back-to-back - they're practically the same character! 😂 Frank is Mickey... slightly more grown up. He's still a disaster, but he's respectful of boundaries, he's caring, he's funny in a dry, witty way that I just adore, and hoo lordy that man is a giver! 🥴🥵 Honestly, if he didn't smoke and didn't ditch Daphne in the middle of a party hours away from everything familiar to her surrounded by strangers to go do drugs, I'd call Frank perfect. He listened, he respected her wishes, he tried to keep some distance between them when he found out she'd gone on a date with his best friend (it failed utterly and brought us to the "damn that man's good with his mouth" portion of the movie lmao but still)... I don't have a whole lot of experience with men who actually give a shit, okay? So Frank is like a goddamn unicorn to me lmao. But that drug thing... That keeps him at the bottom of the Top 5 for me. Sorry, bb

4 Bucky

I can already hear everyone on here raging at me for placing Bucky so low on this list, but hear me out: I love this man. I love all four iterations of this man. Flirty 40s Bucky was a doll (fun date, not commitment material). Post-POW camp 40s Bucky had a fire to him that set me on fire. The Winter Soldier can choke me any damn day. Unf. And TFATWS Bucky... Oh, lady above, 2023 Bucky is a gem! He's sweet, snarky, and broken. He feels utterly, wretchedly alone in the world, and everyone around him, including his only friend, is telling him to "man up" and "make amends" for shit that was never his fault to begin with, rather than helping him come to terms with all that he's suffered and all that he's survived. Bucky needs and deserves love. A relationship with him would be so solid, if he found the right person... But it would take a fuck ton of work. He needs someone strong, patient, and more stubborn than he is to prod him until he finds a better therapist and actually opens up, and to keep him on track because even good therapy comes with homework. He does have to "do the work," Sam was right about that much, but he was way off base with what that "work" is. Bucky needs help and understanding, and he would be an amazing boyfriend... if he found someone with the strength to help him weather his nightmares and flashbacks, and help pull him out of this PTSD pit he's been in since 1943.

3 Chris Beck

Big brains turn me on, okay? 😂This man is an astronaut and a surgeon! Yes, please! Come here, you sexy genius! He's smart, he's funny - pretty sure Sebastian is incapable of playing anyone who's not delightfully snarky lol. He's pragmatic when he needs to be but there's also nothing he wouldn't do or risk for the ones he loves. This man is husband material and I cannot be convinced otherwise! So why isn't he #1? Cuz of the whole... spending years in space, thing. Super cool job and I'd be his biggest fan on the ground, but god damn, I would miss him while he's away!

2 TJ Hammond

Look, I'm gender fluid and he's a little bit bi 😂😂😂 Let me have my fantasy, okay? TJ's definitely got a lot of shit to work through, but love brings out the best in him. Before that fucking closeted shitbag broke his heart and stomped on it for good measure, TJ was clean and sober for months, he was happy, he was playing piano again, he was pulling himself together. Not only would he be an amazing boyfriend, but his partner would get the extra joy of getting to watch their love and devotion to him be the thing that saves this beautiful man's life. It's not healthy overall to tie your self worth and will to live to a relationship, but if he found the right person who would be there for him through all of life's shit and stick it out, I think he'd be okay. Even after his lowest point and without the support of his family, TJ still had a dream and he still chased it. He's not just the sweetest person to ever grace our screens, but he's ambitious and business-savvy, too. Keep him off drugs and watch this man take over the world, I'm telling you!

So why is TJ only #2? Well, besides the fact that he's like 99% gay and I have no bits he'd be interested in lmao, there's also the fact that this guy owns my heart:

1 Will Franklyn

And not just because we get to see him wet and mostly naked lol. Will is fucking perfect. I would die for this man... because he's already shown that he would die for his love. He almost fucking did, and they weren't even together yet! He's smart and very aware, he's a writer so we'd get to bond/geek out over books together, he's not all full of himself (self-deprecating humor ftw!) and he's willing to help a total stranger despite actual mortal peril, just because it's the right thing to do. Fierce, intelligent, sassy, strong-willed, and a flawless moral compass? YESYESYESYESYES! Forget boyfriend - let me MARRY this man! 😍🥰

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icykalisartblog · 4 years

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hi, I've been reading some of your fic and I really enjoy it! one thing that interests me is you seem to see Julian as gay, whereas most of the fandom reads him as bi or pan, and I don't think I've seen a post by you but I'm wondering why that is? (I really like that interpretation myself as I'm a lesbian who sees a lot of myself and my journey out of the closet in Julian, but I am curious what your thoughts are on this.) Thanks!

Thank you for asking me about this! I was considering making some kind of post about it earlier, but felt too shy to at first! Explanation below the cut:

First of all, I give most credit for characterization in DS9 to the actors. I mean, they’re the ones who had to take charge and seemed to have the best vision (thank you, Nana Visitor, for refusing to let Kira have a romance with Dukat), so I think it’s pretty telling that day one, Siddig read the script and immediately thought Bashir and Garak were going to be “Star Trek’s first gay couple.” Plus, whenever he’s asked about Bashir’s romances, Siddig seems to always say they “never worked” and that Garak fulfilled the role of love interest for Bashir instead. Also, I’ve noticed Siddig talks in interviews about how young gay men were the ones sending him the most fanmail back when Bashir was an extremely unpopular character. And while it’s generally not a good idea to assume a character’s sexuality based on stereotypes, my goodness is Bashir coded gay for half of the show. Like, what about that time in “Past Tense” where some conventionally masculine men were talking about baseball, and then they’re stunned when Bashir says he prefers tennis? Or look at his campy exercise routine and outfit in “Rivals” contrasted with O’Brien’s drab outfit! Or how he acts so much like the gay best friend trope in episodes like “Rejoined” for Dax, or in “The House of Quark” for O’Brien.

This is all in addition to his relationship with Garak, too. In fact, I suspect that the reason Bashir was so disliked by many fans while DS9 was airing and characters like O’Brien were liked wasn’t because of his occasional obnoxious moments or bad attempts at flirting, but because in the majority of episodes he comes across as gay. Note that many cis straight guy critics think Bashir “grew” so much in the later seasons when he 1) gets even worse with women, 2) ends up with a girlfriend, 3) stops being shown with Garak, 4) loses all his campy mannerisms and acts deadened constantly, and 5) starts behaving actually arrogantly and callously when he was very sensitive and not anywhere near as arrogant as people claimed in the early seasons. So, all this is part of why most fans who are open to a queer reading see Bashir as bi or pan, often with a preference for women. But I’m pan with a preference for women and Bashir doesn’t read that way to me whatsoever! As Siddig said, whenever I see Bashir’s romances with women on the show, they feel forced and utterly devoid of chemistry. His initial stuttering overtures toward Dax felt genuine... but she’s been a man several times, points out to Sisko that Bashir finds that interesting, and then the relationship feels so much more natural as a sibling-like one around season 3! And I guess you could say, “Well, if the writing had been of a higher quality/If Siddig had been willing to follow direction more, these relationships would have felt more romantic,” but it’s a lot simpler to conclude that Bashir is gay and just didn’t start acting on it until he came aboard the station. In my own fic, the concept I go with is that after “Melora,” Bashir never pursues Dax or dates women again and is an adult gay afterward (so no dating Leeta, for instance). As for the engagement with Palis... Bashir already gives so many misleading explanations for why he became a doctor when we learn in “Distant Voices” that the true reason was “because his parents wanted him to,” so I imagine it was more of an arranged marriage that Bashir ran away from. Yes, that would mean he lied to O’Brien, but I’m pretty sure that’s what he would have done. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Palis was also an augment.

#garashir #Doctor Julian Bashir #I need an analysis/meta tag

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