#and the narrative doesn’t acknowledge that

[theunsinkableship1]

DENIAL IS NOT A RIVER IN LUKOLALAND

⚠️DISCLAIMER: This is Lukolaland only. Skip if you don't believe.

Denial is a river in LUKOLALAND?

This has to be a joke, right? Some responses that I have received on my latest posts on TT and Tumblr leave me perplexed. Let me make something clear: I’m not here to convince anyone of anything. You have the right to believe whatever you want, that’s your prerogative. However, this is a Lukola space. It’s a space that exists to celebrate their connection, to nurture it from afar, because it shines brightly and is uniquely beautiful.

I don’t know them personally. I can only judge from what I’ve seen and heard, and I fully acknowledge that my perception is biased. My interpretations come from the way I read into their actions, their words, and their patterns. What I share here isn’t fact, it’s speculation based on observation. The only thing I know for sure is that I don’t know what’s really going on.

First and foremost, they are colleagues and FRIENDS. They’ve said that multiple times, and I believe them. For those who doubt their friendship, I don’t know what to tell you. That’s the foundation here. If you don’t even believe in their bond as friends, this probably isn’t the space for you.

But here’s where it gets complicated: they’re not just platonic friends. You may have missed it, but the signs are there, publicly available. You just need to pay attention. I’m not talking about outlandish theories; I’m talking about what’s right there if you’re willing to see it.

I believe they’re in love with each other. As for their current situation? I’m not certain. But the level of plausible deniability in their story doesn’t make sense to me. Maybe it does to you, but for someone who thinks in layers, patterns, double entendres, and undertones, someone who loves words and has studied communication and PR, this whole narrative is anything but straightforward.

Leaving this much space for misinterpretation is a choice. If they wanted to shut this down entirely, they could’ve done so with clarity and finality. It’s not that they can’t make themselves understood without being misconstrued, they absolutely can. But they haven’t.

It’s wise to keep a level of doubt, it maintains objectivity and prevents overreach. However, when coincidences stack up and patterns emerge, it becomes increasingly unlikely that they’re all mere misunderstandings or products of plausible deniability.

The more coincidences there are, the less likely they are to be unrelated.

On their own, one or two could easily be explained away, “just friends,” “PR,” or “fans reading too much into it.”

When similar themes arise repeatedly over months or years (e.g., their timing, shared themes, subtle nods to one another), the likelihood of them being mere coincidence diminishes.

The concept of plausible deniability hinges on actions that could be explained in multiple ways. However, the more layers of ambiguity and deniability built into their interactions, the more intentional it feels.

The subtleties of their public dynamic suggest a shared awareness of fan interpretations. They know how their actions are perceived. To repeatedly engage in behaviors that could be "misunderstood" suggests either: a) Intentional messaging within safe boundaries. b) A significant lack of care, which doesn’t align with how thoughtful and calculated they seem to be.

Take Nicola’s recent Times interview as an example. She could have ended all speculation right there,

“A lot of people really want me to marry Luke,” she says with a laugh. “We have this gorgeous friendship. We have such a love for one another and this experience that I’ll never have with someone else again. Isn’t it gorgeous that a man and woman can have that sort of relationship with one another?”

but she didn’t. Why? There must be a reason. And no, it’s not just PR. PR campaigns don’t operate on layers of plausible deniability that stretch across years, interweave with personal moments, and rely on such specific timing.

Isn’t it strange that for two people who have been so close, their social interactions have significantly decreased compared to before? Over the past two years, especially after the world tour, they appeared to have solidified a deep friendship. If the intent is to disengage fans from the idea that they might be secretly in love, wouldn’t it be wiser to interact more naturally and perhaps even acknowledge each other’s perceived partners?

From a strategic perspective, a like, a follow, or a simple interaction on social media could have gone a long way in dismantling the Lukola narrative. Such actions would feel natural for close friends, especially ones under public scrutiny. Their reluctance to adopt this approach only adds to the curiosity. Why not lean into a strategy that would be less detrimental and more effective at quelling speculation?

Perhaps they are more active on private social media accounts, but publicly, the absence of these gestures stands out. If the goal truly is to clarify their relationship and put fan theories to rest, this perceived distance feels counterproductive. The choice to refrain from such actions, at least for now, is, at the very least, curious. Could it be that there’s a reason they haven’t done so yet?

Both Luke and Nicola have had ample opportunities to firmly address and deny the Lukola narrative. While they’ve made passing comments about being friends, these have lacked the clarity and directness that would fully quash the speculation. Why leave the door ajar if they truly wanted to shut it?

Their reduced interactions seem to have coincided with the conclusion of the promotional period for Bridgerton. During promotions, they were actively engaging with each other and the fandom, fostering the image of a close bond. The sudden change afterward could indicate a deliberate decision to recalibrate public perceptions of their relationship.

The decrease in public interactions after the “papgate” could be their way of managing fallout from the incident, yet it raises questions: Why would two close friends need to distance themselves so noticeably? It suggests a calculated retreat to reduce speculation. However, this strategy seems counterproductive, as the abruptness of the change has drawn more attention. A gradual shift, paired with natural acknowledgments of their respective supposed personal lives, might have been more effective.

It’s possible they’re still VERY close privately but have chosen to limit their public interactions to avoid misinterpretation, or for privacy reasons. If so, this deliberate choice to create distance publicly could point to a deeper connection they’re trying to shield.

This brings us back to patterns. If you observe their public interactions, their timing, their word choices, the double meanings, they’re not random. These coincidences pile up to the point where it’s hard to believe they’re all meaningless. Their bond transcends the boundaries of PR, platonic friendship, or even ordinary relationships.

If you reason in layers, you’ll see it too. The amount of room they leave for interpretation is extraordinary. It’s not just about what they say, it’s about what they don’t say. It’s about the undertones, the pauses, the way they navigate questions, and even the things they choose to share (or not share) on social media. All of this seems to be deliberate. The picture is larger and more intricate than it seems on the surface.

For example: Am I truly supposed to believe that Nicola, who has a higher degree in English and a major grasp of language, would post a Scrabble board with so many elements that could be interpreted through a Lukola lens purely by coincidence? Yes, she’s an avid player of word games, but let’s examine the board itself. It reflects competent but not advanced gameplay, logical and adhering to Scrabble rules, yes, but lacking the level of complexity, strategy, and nuanced word choice you’d expect from someone of her linguistic caliber or from a player displaying their skill.

For me, this was never just about showing off her love of Scrabble. It felt intentional, like an intended message rather than a casual post. If the goal was simply to share her hobbies or an aesthetic moment, she could’ve easily posted a picture of herself playing Scrabble, perhaps with a pint of Guinness in hand. Or she could’ve showcased a more advanced board to reflect her skills or creativity. Instead, she chose this specific board with these specific words, words that align so conveniently with a narrative many of us have come to associate with Lukola.

And let’s not forget her self-awareness. Why would someone who knows how deeply her posts are analyzed by fans continue to share things that are repeatedly misconstrued? If she didn’t want the association, why add layers of ambiguity, such as the now infamous “the very demure, very mindful” quote? What was the reason?

Just two days ago, she posted a photo in her best of 2024 the phrase "if you know, you know." Let’s be honest, how many Lukola edits have we seen that riff of "when you know, you know"? If this wasn’t related to that, what exactly was the point of the “random” quote?  Is it public knowledge or is it something only some know? Nicola is anything but random on social media. She’s chronically online, she’s clever, and she’s incredibly aware of the narratives circulating around her.

These patterns, Scrabble boards, cryptic quotes, wordplay, and selective ambiguity, don’t feel accidental. They feel curated. For someone so skilled with words and communication, there’s intention behind these choices. If it were just for fun, she could have chosen countless other ways to express herself that wouldn’t leave so much room for interpretation. But she didn’t. And for me, that’s speaks volumes.

I’m mainly talking about Nicola here because there’s simply more material to analyze, her posts, interviews, and public interactions offer more clues and layers to unpack. However, Luke’s activity, or rather, his noticeable lack of activity, is equally intriguing and worth examining.

Luke has always been more reserved on social media compared to Nicola, but his recent silence or carefully curated posts stand out. He’s not just absent; he’s selectively absent. There’s a difference between being inactive and deliberately staying under the radar. For someone who previously shared glimpses of his personal life and participated more openly in fandom engagement, his current approach feels intentional.

When he does post, the content often seems neutral, leaning into professional promotion or generic life updates. Yet, the timing or lack of acknowledgment of certain things, whether related to Nicola or even his supposed personal relationships, leaves room for speculation. It’s almost as if he’s consciously avoiding feeding into narratives while simultaneously not shutting them down.

For instance, why hasn’t he addressed certain rumors head-on, as he has done in the past with other relationships? Luke has historically been upfront about his. It’s a choice.

Considering that Luke has been involved in other projects and worked with other co-stars since the end of the Bridgerton world tour, the ratio of content related to Nicola remains strikingly high. Among the limited glimpses he does share, Nicola accounts for the largest percentage of reposts and interactions. What’s even more telling is that the majority of this content is Lukola-focused, centered on his dynamic with Nicola as individuals, rather than strictly Polin-related, which would be tied to their characters and professional pairing. Yes, she is his MAIN co-star within the Bridgerton universe, but this level of engagement is noteworthy.

This isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate or acknowledge his other co-stars; it’s just that the weight of attention, however subtle, consistently gravitates toward Nicola. Whether it’s the choice of what he reposts or the absence of comparable attention toward other colleagues, the pattern emerges loud and clear.

If we analyze this through a lens of probability and statistics, the numbers paint an even more intriguing picture. Let’s say Luke has worked with five to seven notable co-stars in other projects and in Bridgerton, if he has been tagged in or had the opportunity to engage with 100 pieces of social media content since the world tour. If Nicola accounts for, say, 60% of the interactions and reposts, despite being one of many co-stars, it defies the expectation of a more even distribution.

For context, if he were equally invested in all professional relationships, the engagement with Nicola might hover closer to 15-20%, proportional to the size of his broader network. The fact that this number is so much higher, let’s conservatively estimate at least three to four times greater raises questions. Is this simply because of their shared Bridgerton fame? Perhaps. But then why focus on individual Lukola moments, bypassing more neutral or inclusive Polin or broader cast content?

From a mathematical standpoint, the odds of this being purely coincidental diminish significantly when you layer in the context:

Nicola has the highest percentage of reposts across Luke's social media activity.

The type of content intimate, personal, or Lukola-specific reflects a curated choice, not random selection.

Even in a professional context, where Polin content would be the obvious promotional focus, the Lukola-centric moments shine through.

Given the numbers and probabilities, it seems less likely that this pattern is accidental or merely reflective of professional obligations. Instead, it suggests an intentionality that aligns with the depth and uniqueness of their connection.

Promotion for Bridgerton Season 3 has come to a halt, creating a quiet period where we can observe and compare how Luke approaches the promotion of his other projects.it could highlight how unique his dynamic with Nicola truly is.

The nature of the content he shares for other projects will be equally telling

By comparing these promotional efforts both in terms of frequency and tone to the patterns established during the Bridgerton promotional cycle, we could gain insight into whether his approach to Nicola was truly unique or simply part of his broader professional routine.

When coincidences pile up, their probability of being just coincidences shrinks dramatically. A single instance might be random, but repeated instances with similar themes, timing, and emotional undertones suggest a deeper meaning. While maintaining doubt is reasonable, the sheer volume of these moments suggests that there’s more at play than mere misunderstanding. It’s not about overreaching, it’s about acknowledging that where there’s consistent smoke, there’s likely some fire. What type of fire is there currently? I’m not sure. Are you? Probably an Eternal flame.

[starspangledbatter]

THIS! It’s kind of disappointing that they even consisted of the line “Cheating isn’t so bad” to begin with. I feel like cheating should only be justified when the partner is abusive towards you and that’s it. I completely understand why Stolas did do it and I feel bad for him being stuck with someone like Stella but yet again, he still committed actions that aren’t excusable (ex: breaking your child’s promises, coercing someone beneath you, etc). Sometimes it feels like the narrative acknowledges he did something wrong but somehow still finds ways to work around it? It just seems to drain out all nuance by excusing what Stolas does, y’know? It fails to make Stolas completely rounded, real, and accountable. Doesn’t matter how much he fucks up, at least he “tried”. Like Todd Chavez says “You can’t keep doing shitty things and feel bad about yourself like that makes it okay!” It’s nice that Stolas does regret his actions but you can’t also have the narrative award him for it at the same time.

It’s strange how HB seems to award cheaters, too. I’m genuinely wondering if Viv or someone on the team cheated on their ex-partner and excused it because they were actually gay. Just think about it.

Martha cheats on her husband with a married man and kills people? Well, that’s okay because she’s awarded with Mrs. Mayberry while her family is nowhere in sight and that’s cool because she’s most likely a misunderstood sapphic anyways.

That unnamed man possibly cheated on his wife because he was gay? Well, that’s okay because he’s happy and that she’s just a homophobic bitch who doesn’t understand her kids. She’s the only one in the wrong for this.

Stolas cheats on Stella and unintentionally ruins his family life and image? Well, that’s okay because Stella was always a bitch, Octavia is a naive clingy brat who the writers dislike, and Stolas never even liked her and was fixated on his childhood crush that he coerces 25 years later, anyways. But that’s also okay because their love is written in the stars and Blitz is the big jerk who keeps on pushing him away.

“Grace and Frankie” does none of that. It has characters acknowledge that cheating is wrong but it also doesn’t vilify the gay men either. Same goes with the wives. There’s a lot of nuance provided between the two, which makes both sides interesting and reasonable to sympathize with. Grace and Frankie aren’t bad women because they were rightfully upset and saddened with finding out they were cheated on. At the same time, Sol and Robert aren’t bad men for coming to terms with their sexuality and fearing that they would hurt their wives feelings by doing so. Sure they were still in the wrong for cheating, but that never meant they did so to intentionally hurt Grace and Frankie. Helluva Boss seems like it’s lacking an open-minded view like this. They just make the wives homophobic bitches and call it a day.

ACTUALLY YOU KNOW WHAT???

IF YOU WANT A SHOW THAT PORTRAYS BOTH REALISTICALLY AND WITH NUANCE THE FALLOUT OF TWO QUEER MEN CHEATING ON THEIR WIVES THAT DOESNT VILIFY THE WIVES OR THE QUEER MEN WHILE STILL HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS GO WATCH “GRACE AND FRANKIE”

FIRST SEASON IS A LITTLE SLOW THEYRE GETTING THEIR FOOTING BUT THE SHOW IS SO GOOD SO ANTI-AGEIST IT HAS OLD MAN QUEER RELATIONSHIPS AND OLD WOMAN FRIENDSHIPS AND IT STARS THE IMPECCABLE JANE FONDA AND LILY TOMLIN.

[sunnysideaeggs]

We spent 8 seasons watching how everybody south and north of the wall scorned Jon for being a bastard and how even the doubt of the future king being illegitimate (while having the very plausible excuse of looking like his mother) burst a giant war where almost everybody dies and now we are supposed to believe Rhaenyra putting bastards (that don’t even look like her) on the throne has no political repercussions whatsoever?

[lotus-pear]

rewatched madoka magica again today bc i fucking hate myself and to absolutely no one’s surprise i went through all five stages of grief in a single evening

[fellhellion]

genuinely p4 fandom outside of tumblr makes u feel like ur living in an alternate reality. You say hey I think u can easily read trans subtext and text in Naoto’s story because the game quite literally talks about transition surgery, and people act like you’re the insane one.

[kacievvbbbb]

I think it’s interesting characters like Big Mom and slightly even gear five luffy or even Homelander or just generally any superhero from the boys. Who are insanely powerful but find fights difficult or hard against weaker opponents because they lack battle I.q and are easily distractable.

Very might doesn’t always make right.

[sammygender]

i do genuinely think s7 is decent but even if it wasn’t it’d be like crack to me considering it’s an entire season essentially centred around sam’s trauma. it’s the closest we ever get to the show properly genuinely acknowledging the things it puts him through. which is ironic considering it’s also before many many other things he goes through!

[endawn]

how could you say that about your son, varric …

[venusintheblindspots-blog]

“And by the way, I have a question and don’t fight me because I know how you girls like to tussle” -Khaenotbae on TikTok

The people who blame Sansa for Ned Stark’s death and criticize her for romanticizing Joffrey, do y’all have that same attitude towards Lyanna?

[fvckroach]

Okay @ the bright session fandom

Please tell me most of us grew up and realized that the narrative‘s treatment of Damien was just cluster b hatred masked as morals?

[hella1975]

has that other anon ever met an upper class brit because i guarantee they wouldn't feel the same after encountering All That

literally 😭 like comparing classism is so dumb when it’s very much a subjective, varied conversation WITHIN a country let alone amongst different countries but that sentiment can and should coexist with the acknowledgement that british classism Does Not Fuck About

[daydreamerdrew]

Daredevil (1964) #163

[vulturetime]

hold on, are people making ‘doomed by the narrative’ posts about stories that don’t even actively acknowledge the narrative as a force affecting the characters?

[fellhellion]

been chewing on my Yukiko SLink thoughts for literal weeks and while I’m torn on a lot of elements, I think my biggest Thing about its central conflict is the way Yukiko is never actually afforded an opportunity open up about and to work through her feelings about taking over the inn with said community.

[pidgecv]

musings because i can’t stop developing cleo

cannot believe i’ve never contemplated how cleo feels about death as a concept. loss is such an important part of her character and yet i’ve never thought about her own relationship with death. i know what i’m pondering tonight boys

i think she’d be scared of dying. really scared. she’s seen it happen to so many people. never once has she wanted to die, but given the opportunity she would’ve taken her sister’s place in a heartbeat. i think that makes her mindset more impactful. she’s been doing everything in her power to survive despite everything.

and she’s so vulnerable compared to her companions. she has to be more careful than them in terms of monitoring her exposure to the infection. because she isn’t like them. if she breathes too much rot she’ll actually fully turn.

blah blah v and jo are physically marked by the infection and serve as persistent terrible reminders that break the veil of normalcy in domestic moments or something like that

cleo has never once wanted to die. she has never stopped trying to survive, and i think that’s why she’s made it so long. she’s gotten lucky sure, but she’s also made decisions in the past that put aside her comfort for her own survival. once the cult wasn’t safe anymore, she fled. she joined v and jo because she felt threatened and because it was objectively safer with them. she has fought, ran, bargained, pleaded, lied, and confessed in situations where it would’ve been easiest and least painful to just gice up and hide away until she starved to death. all to live.

she’s so persistent. that’s one of her best qualities. no matter what happens to her or the world around her she keep going. she will do whatever it takes to keep living.

but god does she need combat training. last time jo tried to rope her into training they ended up playing just dance for 3 hours. they both sucked.

someday i’ll stop needlessly fleshing out this character more. i mean cmon i have her parents professions figured out this is getting ridiculous. she does not have an age tho i didn’t even realize that. because like. when we first made the guys we had like general ages. not like V would like remember and i fully believe that jo would just forget normally. never picked a number. never really settled right. i’d say cleo is no older than 20, since she was in her first year of college at the time of the outbreak iirc. i don’t remember if she ever took a gap year or whatever.

man please know that she will still try to talk her way out of everything ever (learned skill from cas) despite the first meeting writing done by the lad she was so out of it at that time she was like peak pathetic.

i think she steals normal shit around the base. she deffo stashes food when she first moves in w undeadduo. imagine going to take a shower and u open the towel cabinet and 3 cans of pineapple fall onto your foot in rapid succession.

zero idea how i missed this. she’s like 18-19 at the start of the apox then. the age i’ll be my first year of college just so i can keep it straight in my head.

picks her up by the back of her cloak like one would scruff a cat. she yells “WOAH WHATS OVER THERE” and you do not fall for it but she kicks you in the balls and hides under the couch.

a lot of these rant posts r me trying to get my character consistent because she changes so much in my brain. i am going to chalk it up to emotional versatility that stems from emotional guy has to oppress emotions for survival

the second she has any space to breathe she’s going to actually lose it

but also like a side effect of developing the fuck out of her is that i feel like i keep front and centering her. but she’s the only character that’s mine so tf else am i supposed to do other than front and center her. i just post a lot sharing pretty much every step of her development and story in these exposition dumps that’s the only difference really.

it’s collaborative so i can’t go and change the world every time i want. but i can think about and develop her because she’s the more independent aspect of the project. i do what i want ig fiwb

[seddair]

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