my actual, serious thoughts are that this romcom setup where two love interests try to set up two other characters only to each fall in love with one of the people they’re trying to set up is absolutely perfect for an ironic double twist that would play out in a unpredictable, refreshing, and satisfying way. obviously it won’t happen, but let’s explore that route
first of all, it’s funny in a shenanigans way this series is already doing so well with, and second of all it wouldn’t occur to the audience before it actually starts to happen. I truly believe a relationship between former enemies who tried to kill each other and who meet again under different circumstances and become good friends and inspire openness and joy in each other is much more appealing than a relationship between a man who abuses, attacks, mocks, and assaults a woman while she desperately tries to 1. survive 2. keep him from destroying her home and 3. make it so that he can actually experience emotions. I deeply dislike straight couples where the woman goes to all this effort to ‘fix’ the horrible man who she’s going to end up with and endures suffering upon suffering to get to a place where he finally treats her well, while he faces no repercussions for his actions towards her besides...feeling bad, I guess. she’s like his guide to good behavior and acting normally, more like a therapist than a partner. I don’t think it’s fair and I don’t enjoy watching it and I don’t like the message it sends. it’s the reason I had to take such long breaks in watching this show. this is not a relationship I endorse despite the early-episode humor
so I would vastly prefer it if orchid and dfqc remained important people in each other’s lives, but strictly platonic friends. dfcq/changheng would take a lot of effort in reworking the plot, but I think it would be a fantastic choice. of course, the reveal about who dfqc is to ch has to come eventually, but I think the betrayal would just add some drama and depth that, in the...couple hours we’ve seen them together, it just doesn’t have. and after the betrayal is forgiven and dfcq shows he’s changed, their relationship would only then be that much stronger! right now changheng is SO happy to be with dfcq, and encouraging dfqc to come out of his shell and talk about his very painful experiences with his father and they genuinely have a great time together and I can see that turning so easily into something more romantic. imo they have more chemistry with each other than either has ever had with orchid
I also don’t want to ignore orchid or cut her off from the happiness she found in being the center of someone’s attention or the growth she’s undergone or the questions of her identity or her centrality in the plot - she’s the main character! to make the romcom switch work, she’d then be with the god of war, but I feel like they might be related maybe? so that’s off the table. but I really like the idea of orchid and danyin! they were also off to a rough start, but danyin now sincerely respects and admires orchid’s courage, and she defended orchid and stood up for her after the exam. and just like it would be good for orchid to stop mooning over changheng, I think it would be really good for danyin to move on from him as well. honestly, I think I could make a case for danyin as a lesbian who’s experiencing comphet and focusing on changheng as the ‘perfect’ man who’s also unattainable. she doesn’t seem to have much else going on in her life besides disobeying her father and being catty with other fairlies, but this loneliness and fixation on changheng feels characteristic of someone who’s unable to connect easily with others despite her ‘popular girl’ status - maybe because she’s not being authentic to herself and she’s clinging to the thing she hopes will make her ‘normal?’. this reading makes a lot of sense to me and I think danyin realizing she has feelings for orchid instead could be a really beautiful and liberating and affirming story...and I know this won’t happen but I’d like orchid to put her foot down and be able to walk out of this situation where she’s treated so shittily half the time and where dfqc always seeks to dominate and control her. I really love the idea of her and danyin finding freedom and peace with each other....that’s the dream for this show
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There's an incredibly pretty girl at the front desk in Family Video, and Steve—Eddie's boyfriend of eight months—is leaning over the counter with a sly smile and half-lidded eyes.
Eddie pauses in the doorway, struck dumb for a moment as he takes in the scene, and then gleefully ducks down behind the nearest shelf.
"So tell me," Steve says, all low and intimate. "What kind of movie were you looking for?"
"Um," the girl says. She doesn't sound very enthusiastic—barely indulgent at best. Eddie wishes he could see, but any sight of him will ruin Steve's chances right now. He's got a pretty good mental picture though. "I really like those old black and white movies, the really glamorous ones, you know?"
"Oh, totally," Steve sighs, like he's swooning. "Like Cary Grant, Clarke Gabel?" Eddie can practically hear his smirk. "Katharine Hepburn? Ginger Rogers?"
"Oh, I love Ginger Rogers!"
"Really?" Steve says matching her excitement. "Well, you're just in luck! Robin here knows all about those old black and white movies, don't you Robin?"
Eddie presses a hand to his mouth to hide his snickering. Robin had looked like a hooked fish when he'd walked in, she's gotta be gaping stupidly right now. "Uuuh," he hears her mumbling, and tries not to snort too loud. "Y-Yeah, uh, golden age of Hollywood stuff, absolutely. I could? Show you where they are?"
"Oh my gosh, that would be amazing!" the girl says, her interest in the conversation now warmed by several degrees. Eddie is still a little in awe of how well his boyfriend can sniff out gay girls.
"I got the front here, Robin," Steve cuts in smoothly. "You ladies take your time, make sure you pick out a good one!"
Eddie waits another beat, listening at their footsteps shuffle away, before he pops up from behind the shelf. Steve, lighting up like a Christmas tree, beams at him.
"Am I a genius or what?" he whispers, grinning ear to ear.
"Your lesbian powers know no equal," Eddie says just as quietly, taking the girl's spot at the counter, leaning into Steve's space. Steve happily mirrors him, until they're tucked together, the world narrowing down to the two of them. It's Eddie's favorite place to be. "All hail Steve Harrington, blessid he, lesbian whisper. Come to aid all useless queers in the fight against singledom."
"Thank you, thank you," Steve says with an air of novel benevolence. "I promise to only use my powers for good."
"Dingus. Doofus."
They jump away from each other as if shocked. Robin glowers at them both, but the pretty girl behind her is giggling and standing way too close for friendly, just at Robin's elbow.
"Move it, lovebirds," she hisses as she rounds the desk. "I need to check Claire out."
"I think you already have," Steve says. His smile this time is down right evil.
Robin actually hisses at him, and hip checks him away from the register. Eddie does a bow, sweeping his arm out to give Claire the prime spot in front of the desk, before he turns back to Steve.
"My dear, if you could please," he simpers, all posh and nasally. "Show me to your finest, grossest horror movie, thank you my good sir."
"Ugh," Steve groans already heading off into the shelves, not waiting for Eddie to follow. "You're lucky I love you, Ed. Shit gives me nightmares."
"I know," Eddie sings, chasing him. "I love you too."
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