#also sorry if this is full of typos i'm very sleepy and am just about to go to bed

[vanmarkus]

I may be biased but I would love to talk to whoever is in charge about how in fact sexy scenes (especially queer) can be important to the story if they're done well and I know they would be. But yeah this season is sadly too short, I'm holding out for s8 and again hoping for no big time jumps

I think in this case what we have to consider — aside from the pace and density of this season — is that what is important for representation isn't necessarily important for the story.

we got the first kiss because it was very important for the storyline of Buck's character and it set up a whole other row of happenings and directions the show is going into. similarly, we got the awkward first date that was cut short, because Tim needed Tommy out of the picture for most of the episode, so they could do the most important coming out scenes organically.

then we got 7x06, which was an episode largerly about madney, but we still got some of what was going on at the bachelor party so we could see how Buck and Eddie ended up the way they did — and also for comic relief.

then we got the quick convo about their dating status to let us know where they were at and then we got the second kiss — which was important to show that Buck enthusiastically and publicly initiated it and that Tommy showed up, coming straight from work, establishing that as a theme with the character and their relationship dynamic — they didn't have to give us the actual kiss, we would've been able to deduce what happened from the scene right after, but it was important for the story to see that Buck initiated it.

(it also indicated that he was waiting to do that probably all day and I'm pretty sure there were some texting/facetiming scenes ending up on the cutting board as well, since Buck seemed way too impatient; and because Tommy knew exactly where to show up)

these are bits that tell us where Buck is on his journey of self discovery and where the relationship currently stands. to let us know that they are already having sex, they can simply throw in half a sentence into a convo as they all sit in the truck on the way to a call.

for us fans and especially queer fans, it's major that we get to see these typically masculine guys have soft moments and casual intimacy, tentative gentle kisses and passionate ones as well. and I'm sure we'll get a bit more of that next season (ragardless of where bucktommy lands in the finale), but probably not before that.

all this to say, it doesn't stop me from wishing for a shirtless-in-bed scene or a having breakfast suspiciously-in-each-other's-clothes scene anyway 🫠