#if you didn't love mut before this scene

[laurenkmyers]

My dad cut ties with me a long time ago. My dad and I have never really seen eye to eye. He kicked me out of the house. So, I ran away and never returned...you can ask anyone on the island, everyone knows about it. I was around 15 back then...I went to live with my aunt, and did every odd job I could find. I bet you won't believe that I've done every job on this island. Whatever gets me paid, I've done it all.

Why won't you go back home?

My dad never takes back what he says. I suppose that's the only thing we have in common.

[babyangelsky]

Peat's acting is stupendous and it's hurting my feelings

I need to talk about the bedroom scene and the fight that preceded it because it felt like I was having a mirror held up to me and looking at my younger self and in doing, so I've come to love Tongrak as a character even more than I did before.

I talked about the expressions already but I just cannot get past this one. Rak's eyes are so dead and he looks so tired in a way that I understand so deeply. He knows what's about to happen. He screened Prin's call earlier precisely in hopes of avoiding it but she showed up anyway.

I do have to acknowledge that a lot of my interpretation and feelings about him and these scenes are very much a product of my own experiences, but believe me when I tell you that having a family as fucked as his and having to deal with relatives like this drains you. You fight back because you have to, not because you want to. You don't go seeking the bullshit but somehow it always seems to arrive at your door.

I know exactly how he must be feeling because I've felt it. Because I've fought back and made sure my mask was firmly in place for as long as I needed it to only to break the second I could turn my face away.

I'm impressed that Rak didn't run from Mut and that he didn't start crying on the way to his bedroom. That powerwalk he did instead though? I know it all too well.

To Rak's mind, Mut has already witnessed far more than Rak ever intended for him to. That fight was nasty. It poked at so many wounds, touched on so many painful, intimate things about Rak's family and about him. Prin wanted to hurt and humiliate him and she succeeded.

I can confidently say that if someone I cared about witnessed that happening to me, the last thing I would want is to break down in front of them on top of it, so I completely understand why Rak's first instinct was to put distance between him and Mut. You know the breakdown is coming and the only thing you want is to have it in private.

I know people feel some kind of way about Rak's refusal to let Mut into his bedroom and essentially shutting him out but Mook tells us in episode 4 that no one is allowed in Rak's bedroom. This isn't just about Mut. Everything we have learned and seen of Rak so far tells us that he's a person who needs a safe place to hide. A place where he can close the door and know he won't be intruded upon.

Sure, it's his house and ideally he would have the freedom to break down wherever he wants to inside of it but given that Mook comes and goes pretty freely, he doesn't really have that luxury by his standards. There's always a chance she'll walk in. And he certainly doesn't have it now that he's no longer living alone.

So he goes to hide in his bedroom so he can process and feel what he needs to.

And when Mut comes after him, this happens. Mut pushed at that boundary out of genuine care and concern and he's not wrong for that. I've been on his side of this equation too and the impulse to help in whatever way you can is impossible to resist, even if all you can offer is a meal.

But I also understand Rak. God do I understand him. That need to be alone, demanding to be left in peace, lashing out when someone won't despite it being with good intentions. When you've been pushed to your limit and you know a breakdown is coming and that there will be shrapnel when it does, the very last thing you want is for the people you care about to get hit with it.

Like @bird-inacage said in their post, Tongrak is a caged animal at this point. He's feeling vulnerable and defensive and he lashes out. He doesn't want to, he tries to stop it, but it ends up happening anyway.

And he regrets it. He does. The way I see it, he couldn't bring himself to knock on Mut's door both because he'd exhausted all his nerve in the fight with Prin and because a part of him was probably worried that he'd be rejected if he did. When you lash out, especially when you don't mean to, there's always a worry that you've done irreparable damage to your relationship with whoever was on the receiving end and that you won't ever be forgiven.

Sometimes it really is something as simple as a sticky note that brings you to tears and has you sobbing into your dinner in the middle of the night.

The note and the meal are proof that Tongrak hasn't been rejected, that he's still cared for despite the way he reacted after the fight and the things that he said. We know that Mut wasn't going to reject him but Rak needed to know that as well.

And now that they had their moment in the dressing room and the issue of the money has been talked about, we're paving a way forward for Rak to be able to express what he feels without using it as a defense mechanism. He still will, and he will hurt me many more times before we're done, but we're making progress.

[bird-inacage]

Love Sea Episode 5 | "Get out. Get out!"

Peat's performance in this entire sequence was superb. Probably some of his best work so far. This truly encapsulates the saying 'hurt people hurt others'.

Tongrak is so overcome by what he's feeling, he looks physically smothered, like a caged animal fighting against his own mind. He's trying so desperately not to be affected by the confrontation but it has inevitably gotten to him.

In the midst of this, he tells Mut very clearly to stay away. One, because he understandably wants to be alone. But two, he knows he can't control his emotions right now and so he's likely to lash out. And that's exactly what he ends up doing. So on top of everything else, he now feels immensely guilty and frustrated that Mut didn't heed his warning and leave him be. He just has to hurt one person here who cares about him.

The final scene at the dining table really hit me hard. Because I've been exactly there before and I'm sure others can relate too. When you feel so immensely helpless and alone, the silence of the four walls around you seems desperately cruel. At such a low point, even the tiniest gesture of kindness can threaten to break you down.

[shxxxbi]

EVERYTHING THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN LOVE SEA THE SERIES 🌊

Episode 3 (Chapters: 8 - 12)

<-prev next->

Writer's block

Tongrak is staring at his work, unable to write. The character in his novel is desperately in love with another man, willing to do anything to get that same love in return and yet Tongrak can't seem to proceed. The only thing he can think of are the words he had heard shortly before: "TongrakMahasamut". They had shaken him deeply and he couldn't help but consider the situation hilarious. Not only he thought the boy who had pronounced them was ridiculous, he also found himself ridiculous for writing a scene like that.

"Why would people be willing to do anything just to get love from one person?"

Vi's scandal

Vivie is a rising star, who has been the main actress of many successful dramas. Therefore, anything about her life is always gossiped about by the public, especially how she managed to act in so many works. For example, her first acting job was based on a story written by Tongrak, so the public wasted no time in speculating she had gotten the role thanks to their relationship. This time, the scandal is about her and her very famous co-star Frost.

Little trivia: Frost is Prapai's uncle, the actor Sky loves in "Love in the air". Also, he's the main character in the novel "Love Director", where he falls in love with an intern called Paint. Vi complains about the two men being head over heels in love, so much so they disappear every time they get a break on set.

Horny Mut🍆

In the novel, this scene takes place the night before, after Mahasamut warns Rak about the storm. He had just come home, wet from the rain after securing the equipment and the boats, when he gets this text. Mut is frustrated, constantly worried about the writer's feelings after their conversation on the boat, so he decides to take a shower to distract himself. As soon as cold water touches his body, however, all he can think of is Tongrak and realizes he is more affected by that man than he thought. He had slept with other guests in the past, but no one had left him with such a strong sexual desire. So much so that, over the past week since they met, Mut had to release himself several times because of the pretty man. He stroked himself harder and faster, as his mind got filled with images of soft cheeks he wanted to kiss again, a smooth neck he wanted to lick, and those sexy moans that still echoed in his ears.

"Mut, hurry up"

"Fuck me"

And he was done.

"He was addicted to Khun Tongrak"

I feel like giving someone a good smack to teach them a lesson

For three days Mahasamut had become addicted to his phone. Because for three days, the message he had received was always the same: "I'm busy, don't come". On the first day, he decided to let it slide. On the second day, he still somehow accepted that "his pretty one" could act this way. But on the third day he lost his patience. Because, contrary to the writer, he hadn't forgotten when Tongrak was scheduled to return to Bangkok. And he didn't like the thought of Tongrak going back home one bit.

A change of scenery

Mut lost his patience to the point he barged into Rak's room, saved his work, slammed his laptop shut and dragged him away like this. The two fight for a bit and, when Mahasamut finally convinces Tongrak to get on the bike, the older man can't resist giving him a whack on the back.

"Don't hit me, please"

"Why, does it hurt?"

"No, I'm worried you might hurt your hand"

Rak bites his lip so hard it hurt. He never thought Mahasamut would speak about him with so much concern.

The night sky🌌

Even though he liked watching the many stars scattered above, twinkling like diamonds, he liked the feeling of that warm body embracing him more. Specifically, he liked the scent that came from it: clean, mixed with the sea's fragrance. Rak loved perfumes and owned countless bottles of famous brands, but none of them made him feel as flushed or made his heart beat as fast as Mut's scent.

"It just so happens that I'm a lover boy"

(Let me start off by saying that this chapter is called Mr. Delulu. I wish I was joking)

Tongrak shivered at these words. He didn't like this feeling. It was something he had never known and never wanted to know. His instinct told him to flee. He'd never wanted love, never desired it. And yet a soft voice in his head asked "Really? Haven't you ever been envious of friends who were in love?"

He rejected this voice with a fact the brought him comfort. He had bought all of this with money. So he forced himself to believe that everything that had happened between them, everything that was happening right at that moment, was nothing more than a transaction between a seller and a buyer. No feelings involved. Nothing to expect at all.

"You want me to buy love?"

🌶️

"You can start working now"

They took a wild nc away from us, not gonna lie. One where Mut pushes Tongrak's shirt up to the writer's mouth and stuffes it with it to devour his chest. One where Rak begged to be licked, sucked and bitten hard. Where Tongrak gets fingered hard while he's on all fours on the sand, moaning heavily, and Mut kisses him hungrily after saying "I love hearing your voice, but not today". Tongrak panted heavily, rubbing the large bulge in the younger boy's pants, "Do it faster, take it out already". The two men crazy with desire for the other.

"If you fuck me well, next time I'll use my mouth"

"Even if I don't do well, you'd still want to give me head anyway"

They took away from us Mut fucking Rak while pressing down on the bulge of his dick on Rak's belly. Tongrak moaned so incessantly, Mahasamut had to push a finger in his mouth to shut him up. It sent the writer over the edge, collapsing on the sand as he released. But this didn't stop our island treasure, because he penetrated Rak deeply once more, confirming his belief: Tongrak liked to be filled continuously, even after climaxing. So they fucked for hours, Mut turning into a wild beast, to the point where Rak lost count of how many times he had been taken.

Sumchamgo love dive✨

Yes, they were actually naked here. Yes, they went to wash themselves from all the cum, the lube and the sand. It's not explicitly said, but I think the wording suggests they fucked again in the water🤸🏽‍♀️

A cuddly kitten

Tongrak invites Mut back to his room and then hides away in the bathroom. He blushes at the realization that, for the first time, he had invited a man to his room just to sleep. Better said, to cuddle. Something he only seeks from his close friends. But now he wanted it from Mut. As he walks out of the bathroom he meets the younger boy's eyes and notices he is staring at the multiple bites on his neck and chest.

"Does it hurt?"

"If I say it hurts, will you stop sucking and biting?"

"No, your skin is too soft. It makes me want to bite."

"Will you take me there?"

The real reason our pretty princess wants to go to Mut's house is pettiness. During his previous conversation with Palm, the little shit asked Rak "You've never been to his house? Oh, you two are so close. Thought you'd been there already". And that was it. Tongrak was dead set to go there. He tried to force himself not to care, but he couldn't fathom the thought they knew every mole on each other's bodies and yet he had never been to Mahasamut's house. He didn't understand the feeling of wanting to get to know someone better.

Little trivia pt.2: Mut's house is actually a two-storey house. On the ground floor there's the shop, where he offers diving tours to tourists. He co-owns it with his japanese friend Ken, who also regularly sends him big groups of clients. On the top floor there's his house. Tongrak describes it as "nothing he had ever seen before": it was a small room with a mattress, a tiny wardrobe, a bathroom, a broken fan and a storage cabinet.

🌶️🌶️🌶️

Let me tell you, this nc was WAY wilder in the novel. Even wilder than the one on the beach. Tongrak wants to "offer himself up to Mahasamut, and have the other man take even more". Even poor Mut was hesitant, worried his butt would still be sore and swollen from the night before, but the older man kept on insisting: "I'm ready. It'll be easy to enter". That poor storage cabinet got baptised. More than once. It saw Rak getting his ass licked, sucked and fingered. It saw Rak getting his front pushed against it and get fucked raw from behind, while crying from pleasure. And once he'd unleashed the wild beast, there was no stopping it. He climaxed so many times, he couldn't stand anymore, Mut had to scoop him up and cage him against the cabinet as he kept on fucking him. Thrust after thrust followed, Mut was so lost in his desire he couldn't stop. He kept on apologizing to Tongrak but the only thing the writer managed to say was "Kiss me, please give me a kiss".

Ask me if I can stay

His heart was beating so fast, he feared Mut might hear it. Yet, Tongrak didn't understand himself when he uttered that sentence. He should've been happy it was time to go back home, to see his friends again."So why? What was he hoping for?". Mut, on the other hand, felt disgusted at himself for even suggesting such a thing. No one had ever indulged him, not even his own parents, so why should Rak? But Tongrak did. He accepted. He even allowed himself to be embraced, despite the heat, the sweat and the one broken fan in the house. He layed there. Cuddled in Mut's arms.

I have a secret. Do you want to know what it is?

As they cuddled on the bed, the two men started sharing stories about their lives. Mut told Rak about his father, about how they fought and he had to leave home at barely 15 years old. His father never goes back on his word and his mother was never one to have a say, so his parents just acted as if they never had two sons. They focused all their love and attention on Mut's younger brother, who had always been very obedient to their father, and boasted to everyone about how he had gone to university on the mainland.

"Do you pity me?"

"What if I say I do?"

"It's good, pity me more. That way you'll grow fond of me".

In exchange, Rak confessed to Mut his biggest secret, the one only few people knew about: he couldn't write unless he had sex. Not just sex scenes, but sweet scenes and dating scenes in general. He had no concept of love, never experienced it and never understood it, so he considered sex the closest thing to it.

"That's also considered as love, isn't it?"

"So, does that mean you love me? Since you're making love to me"

"I don't know".

And Rak really didn't. He knew he had never submitted to anyone like this before. But was it love? He was definitely infatuated with Mut, that he knew. That was also the reason he wanted to stay on the island. He hoped that feeling would go away.

[bengiyo]

Love Sea Ep 2 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Tongrak, a successful romance author, was sent by his friends to an island to relax and work on his next novel. Unfortunately, Tongrak was a complete asshole about this, and took that out on his host, Mahasamut, who seems fully equipped to deal with a spoiled rich kid from Bangkok. Tongrak apparently needs to have sex to work through the scene he needs to write, and is also clearly interested in Mut. We left at Mut accidentally scaring Rak and trying to take care of him.

Lol, I love them opening up with voiceover reaffirming that Rak wants to fuck Mut. This is not one sided.

As charged as that was, sex on a beach is grimy!

Chapter 2: Echoes Across the Endless Blue

Oh right, Mook has to change a light bulb.

Rak is being so dramatic about a scratch.

"This isn't a bad," and, "Open your mouth," and, "Not your turn," are sending me.

Head on the beach in episode 2? Finally, adult gay representation in BL.

I'm with Mut! I would be annoyed as hell if my partner wanted to stop and immediately begin writing as things were getting good.

Man, this apartment gets used semi regularly now for the shows.

Wow, MAME is giving ass now.

Well, I'll give them points for mentioning the condoms, but docking several for using teeth.

Don't act like you ain't have a great time, Rak. I saw those expressions.

Rak is so consistently rude! He's even rude about the social politics of sex! Mut even offered to help with cleanup.

I wonder how long Vie has been crushing on Mook, because she's clearly enjoying having someone like Mook around.

They made this boy play the exposition gossip two shows in a row.

I do love the way Mut is rolling with Rak's aggressive behavior. If the rich guest is sprung and throwing money you already said he didn't need to throw at you, then by all means.

Well well well. Rak showed some consideration there about how public he's being with Mut. I like knowing that Mut is out and still carries so much respect in his community. But also, you gotta know how much you can get away with and where you can do it.

My man got locals jumping into conversations to gas him up. Respect. It's hard when tourism is a big part of your economy, because the finance class does not share.

A queer man kicked out of the home by his dad who has worked hard to build his place in his community? No choice but to stan.

Oh boy, when the writer is the executive producer and the director, they can include a romance author as a lead character to speak to their detractors.

Yes, please eat before more flies show up.

MAME characters are so interesting in that they'll go out of their way to set two people up, and then be damned sure they explain their baggage to each other.

Why would this man jump into the ocean on his own like that?

Whoa, what about this location triggered all this trauma? Seems like he has a friend who got abandoned with a pregnancy, and that connected to his mom's issues with his dad?

Are we gonna end every episode on the boat after a flash of trauma?

A romance novelist who doesn't believe in love. I am invested.

Those reveals came fast at the end, but at least we're seeing where the transactional presumptions around sexual loyalty may have come from with Rak. I like that Mut takes the money in stride, and was plain about how hard the hustle is for local businesses on this island. I'm also so relieved that we have adult, out characters discussing how public they can afford to be with their flirting. There's too much Thai BL in the bubble right now and failing at it. I'm really enjoying this.

[visualtaehyun]

My running commentary for ep. 6 of Love Sea spans six (!) entire pages in my notes compared to my usual 2-4 so imma toss em all up on here for a change, gonna get back to specific language things in a new post later but i'm too lazy rn to explain any thai in my comments lol (i'll just link y'all previous explanations if applicable 👍 here's to 'teaching' thai by straight-up pushing you into the water and hoping you'll start flapping your arms enough to qualify as swimming lmao)

Rak อ้อน's, smiles sweetly, asks to eat at home to honor mut's cooking

'or bc the feelings have changed already?' MUT'S IN LOVE 😭

Title: ตอนที่ หึงคืออาการของคนมีความรัก

why does rak อ้อน so much omg 😭

bro. when mut stops vi from telling him about prin, saying he'd prefer hearing it from rak once he opens up to him, and vi says: 'Don't let this end as just a transaction.' 🥹 พี่วีเอ็นดูหมุดไปแล้ว she loves her best friend and clearly thinks mut is so good for rak 🥺

soft tone, plink-plank music and a sweet smile but the line- "คุณเพิ่งด่าไอ้เด็กเหี้ยนั่นว่า เอาเวลาว่างไปหาอะไรใส่หัว ดีกว่าเ��ือกเรื่องของคนอื่น ผมไม่อยากเป็นคนเหี้ยครับ" ("You just told that bitch to invest her time in educating herself instead of being nosy. I don't want to be like her.") lmaooo

'usually everyone hears about me from someone else' :<

the word subbed as gigolo that rak uses to describe his father is แมงดา - can mean pimp or male prostitute or gigolo but certainly comes from how male horseshoe crabs will cling onto a female's back during mating season, taking advantage of its mate, and is thus used to disparage men who benefit off of women financially

that lil kiss on the top of rak's head? surely fort adding on haha

Vi all alone, looking kinda blue, while mook งอน's, keeps rejecting her calls, and tries to distract herself by going out with friends (one of which is clearly Som Supatsorn from Cosmos <3)

Mut's allowed in rak's room!!!

the way rak manhandles mut into exactly the position he wants to cuddle in 🥹

he really is so cat-like <3

oho. i can already see the commentary coming about how mut started touching rak without consent/while he's sleeping 🌚 don't listen to the haters, p'may, that entire scene was piping hot and this is fiction anyway

love that mut calls them คุณมุก and พี่วี :) really goes to show the difference in familiarity levels

fucking love how shocked both kom and mut are to see each other here 😂 and how dumb-struck and speechless mut is bc he doesn't know how to explain lmao

Mut: "อย่างที่มึงคิดนั้นแหละ กูโดนซื้อมา" - Kom: 🤦‍♂️

lmao rak looks so pouty-jealous AND TATTLES ON KOM TO CONNOR 🤣

so interesting to me that connor and rak use ฉัน/นาย with each other

Kom uses ผม/คอนเนอร์

I can't believe mut just found out that rak and connor used to sleep with each other and didn't connect the dots before djsjshdhw not true actually, I read too much into the dialogue and know now from reading even just the prologue of Love Sea that they're really just best friends

this fight is so funny55555

Ugh i love this. seeing the besties bitching to each other, how comfortable they feel in each other's homes, just everything about their behavior makes it so clear how close they are! (same for kom and mut too)

Vi: "1-10?" - Rak: "หงุดหงิดระดับ 8 อยากง้อแต่กลัวเสียฟอร์ม พอใจมึงยัง" I LOVE THIS

Vi is such a schemester 🤣

love that mut sits by the water as he's stressing about rak while on the phone with kom

I've only had meena for a minute and i already love the girl 🥺 loves mint-choc icecream, calls herself เค้า with ing-ing (and she does so too), the cutest haircut, walking holding hands with her friend, and she really is a clever girl

this actress is so talented for her age wow

Mut honey 🥺 the fact that he starts to ง้อ by disparaging himself like nooo rak would never think of you that way, he doesn't care about the money or contract at all!

nooo the way rak talks to his niece 😭❤️

Meena 😂 i love her

love how น้ารัก sounds so close to น่ารัก :)

she's 13, gotcha

Meena: "งั้น ให้พี่มุกมารับมีนาก็ได้ไง" Rak, smiling: "ไม่ได้ มุกมันตัวแค่นั้นนะ" :>

Meena's reactions are everything 🤣

immediately calls mut พี่

Mut: "ไม่สิ พี่จะทำให้เขา ต้องรัก พี่" ("No. I'm going to make him 'must love' me.") -> throwback to the scene where he said he couldn't possibly ask someone like khun tongrak to ต้องรักคนอย่างผม (or sth like that)

this kid55555 love that she just declares I'm gonna call you น้าหมุด and you've no choice in this lmao, also switching from หนู to มีนา

Mut: "วันนี้คุณว่าง่ายกว่าปกตินะ" ("You're surprisingly docile today.") ว่าง่าย = docile, obedient, submissive, compliant, to listen well!

me, this entire episode: peat's eyes are so gorgeous

"Go ahead and do it." 🙅‍♀️ "อยากทำก็ทำ" = wanna do it then do it/if you wanna do it then go ahead

omg 🥺 "ผมเป็นของคุณอยู่แล้ว" ("I'm all yours.")

🫢 the implication here that mut is fucking rak's mouth HOLY diddly dOO

not only do we get to see that of fucking course was vi fibbing up a storm about her grandma but we also get to hear chanya speak french 🥰

I. Love. This. Show!

[nozunhinged]

my love sea rollercoaster

Okay so I was at the forefront of the love sea haters (don't ask me about mame I don't know anything about that discoure you can read why I didn't like it here if you want) but as weak as I am I kept watching and ep 2 still didn't do it for me but ep 3 turned the boat around so fast that I feel absolutely sea sick (literally!!) right now -- and because the discourse and perspectives on tumblr made me try to keep watching unbiased, I'd like to share my five cents as to why the story suddenly works for me after I've spent the first two eps rolling my eyes so hard I got a migraine.

I think it comes down to three major moments, with their conflict as the turning point

When rak started spitting the most degrading speech going at mut for dragging him out of the house, literally blowing so fucking low the blowjob mut was wishing for in the end was sky high terrain, I went "ok that's it, I'm turning this off" -- rak said word for word "no means no" but mut still kept pulling him I was close to angry tears what a fucked up situation that is, I thought.

But just as mut made rak snap out of it with his unimpressed reaction, so did I.

It was like the first half of the episode flashed right in front of me within the second rak was speechless. He was so on edge from the many calls he had in the first part and before that the diving incident -- he was streched out so thin that of course he would fall back to his default mode which is insulting anyone who dares to get within a 10ft radius of him. And then a guy who even dares to break down his pretentious walls? Better double down! (I'm still mad about raks tirade though, I would've dumped him in the sea right then and there)

But here's the thing, mut isn't fazed at all. Like, at all at all. And that's exactly what rak needs in this moment. Someone to vent his anger at so he can collect himself. We know now that mut had it a million times worse than this and his reaction isn't just because he has the hots for rak, it's literally his character. They both would react the exact same way if it was any other person. The difference? They develop an emotional bond over it and that's how they move forward. CHEFS KISS!

You might think but noz, of course its his character, thats the whole point? Yeah but not to me.

In the last two episodes, it felt like everything that happened between them was excruciatingly forced by the narrative (see my yaoi-post why I despise that) -- that everything between them is only brought out because they met. I know that thai bl (no, lets say the romance genre in general) has a big issue writing and introducing characters in a manner that makes their romance believable, but most of the time I can overlook that because we're not here for deep literary masterpieces, we're here for the smooches and the fumbles. I get it.

But when it feels so forced like it did the last two eps to me, even I just check out. So I already shelved that series in my mind and it's the first time I get so damn humbled that I have to write down a million paragraphs to defend myself lol. I think my longing for watching a believable lovestory reached so deep that it contributed to my current brainrot.

Don't get me wrong -- I attest this shift 100% to fortpeats insanely stellar acting. They make the characters believable and they make me understand why rakmut are prefect for each other although I HATE their dynamic. But that's the beauty of a good story my friends, I get now why their pulling and pushing works for them and I'll gladly watch them do that! Because until now, no aspect of the show managed to do that, neither the narrative progression, nor the editing, writing or pacing. Nothing. It was all just a jumbled, annoying mess.

So what's different now? The story lets fortpeat finally shine! (Accidentally maybe?)

Someone already said that the scenes are stale and slow (cant find the post anymore sorry) due to the fact that nothing is happening other than the two of them talking in the same position behind a different background and I 100000% agree. And the only way this poor choice is saved by is fortpeat. I was hanging on their lips for every single word. Their dynamic was suddenly so clear and palpable to me, I struggled to breathe properly. Rakmut are fucking made for each other and I'm losing my shit over it.

I can't believe they managed to make ALL the flaws of this show just POOF -- go away??? And it just keeps going like that. I could write 10 more pages about the little details of their dialogues that cemented my impression but I'll try wrap this up first.

The two other pivotal moments (to me) were muts reaction to rak telling him about his name. Yes, you read that right. Now that I finally understood how these two are ticking, I absolutely 100% understand where mut was going with this objectively BONKERS suggestion. Rak drops this bombshell of a trauma on him and he offers to do exactly that too??? Well, in muts head this is the only way to make rak understand that the outcome can be different. So of course, this idea would only work on him. Made for each other, I'm telling you. Two pieces of a fucked up puzzle.

Now, that scene.

First, doubling down on how much worse mut had it. (I'm not talking about his house thats a topic for another post) I think this one little story was enough to land the punch, the talk last ep was too long and clunky. I wouldve loved to have a scene where the guy who was fired tells the story to someone and rak overhears it, not understanding a thing and then putting the pieces together when mut starts talking I-- oh I think i wouldnt have survived that, I cried then and there already.

Well yeah I was in tears when they started fucking that was awkward but again raks reaction just made sense. They don't know each other that well and rak only knows one way how to make mut feel good which is riding him to the moon and back. And as a little cherry on top he completely let loose without any restraints.

There's already this amazing post by @hanhonymous which explains perfectly why the pillow talk after works so well as it does, so I'm not gonna say anything more. Just know that I was full on bawling at this point. When rak said "try it" it lost it. How he encourages his island boy who said "someone like me" a million times in the last ten minutes was perfect. Beautiful. Absolutely wonderful. Even his false lead felt perfect for this moment because only this way mut would understand that rak is absolutely serious.

I don't know how the bangkok arc will play out, my hopes are not very high but I will forever have this lovely little episode. And their lovely little pillow talk. And when they confess and love each other for real I will once again cry like a loser because fortpeat are amazing. Please someone get them a high quality production they deserve it so much.

[halliescomut]

Love Sea Ep1 Watch Along

-Already need to know more about what Mut does....what is he making notes about.

-Conner/Love Sand mention already... interesting 🤔

-As someone raised in a rural area the 'I'm borrowing this' to a seemingly random person and them just nodding bc everyone knows you is relatable, even if it seems farfetched

-Cat sounds for Peat/Rak is sending me.

-Will we meet Connor I wonder?

-As someone from a family of beach/coastal ppl, totally understand the awe of the ocean, even if I'm dealing with mid Atlantic and not sub tropical. (Also, I really thought I was going to cross off one of my bingo squares with that one, but no😔)

-Okay I gotta be honest - the knocking on the glass door by Mut is just reminding me of when my dog scratches at our glass door to come back inside and it kinda just sounds like nails tapping the window. Cute

-If I call that number will Mut flirt with me?? 🥺

-Aya!!!! Khaimuk is me at work fr, but far more fashionable

-Test Love???? What is this???

-Ja already? Or is this the only ep we'll see him in?? I'm curious.

-I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love grumpy almost rude love interests. It's why I liked Sky so much and it's why I'm certain I'll enjoy Rak.

- Not a drinker, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to just drink a martini like a shot 😂😂

-Aww a little montage of Mut being thoughtful and sweet.

-Is the breaking and entering cool? Not really, but it is nice that he's straightening up.

-Rak all curled up like a kitty 🥺🥺

-Cat sounds effects...but not catlike reflexes

-Rak trying to seduce him and Mut being totally oblivious is hilarious 😂😂

-Is this mfer eating a dry salad? Man is clearly a psychopath.

-The close ups of Peat's face and his eyes in HD is so 😍😍😍😍 I kinda need them to switch seats so I can see Fort's eyes in the good lighting.

-The guilt tripping and puppy eyes are working!!!

-You ever just think about how pretty Fort's lips are???

-I guess Mook is Aya's character's nickname. Hopefully I can keep that in my head. I struggle so much remembering names.

{Okay I saved this as a draft because I had to go do something and then come back and finish the episode and it didn't save the second half. So I'm going to retype what I can remember but it's iffy}

-Interesting idea that he must be having sex to write about it. (And honestly a little fun considering how many Ace smutfic writers I know....including myself)

- The matching scenes of both of them late at night before bed is sweet.

-While I do understand how frustrating it is to have someone interrupting your work, Mut is so cute.

-Boat adventure!!! 🛥️

-Grouchy Rak after being told to sit still so he doesn't go overboard 😂😂

-"Get lost"....and go fucking where? We're on a boat!

(lemme know if you catch the reference)

-Oh no....Mut has accidentally traumatized him. ( Was that on my bingo card?? No...dang it)

-Aww😭😭 Rak does need a strong warm hug poor baby. 🫂🫂🫂

-"This is good stuff too" in reference to Mut's body is.....amazing. Simply a amazing.

-"Which do you want to eat?"...well you see I actually don't like clams so....👀👀

- A wet dream!! Or I guess maybe it would have been if Mut hadn't woken up. 😂

-Seems like we're gonna be moving at a good clip based on the preview for next week. Though I'm not surprised...Mame's never been one of the first kiss in episode 7 types. (& we love that about her)

-End credits is Rak(?) alone on the beach....I wonder if that will change as we go through the show?🤔

Well this was fun. I'm excited for next week. I have some critiques, but that's to be expected and honestly it was a nice distraction for an hour from the dumpster fire that is existence.

[boldaciousbeing-blog]

Writing Prompt 529:

Your task was simple: Kill the target and take care of the kid too.

It’s been ten years since then, and you’ve just realised you may have misunderstood ‘take care of the kid too.’

Story inspired by @writing-prompt-s

Destiny

Three….. Two …One…

Boom!!!!

The bomb went off in a lavish suburb in Calabasas, CA. Followed by the sounds of crackling fire and thick smoke that no one would ever see through. Sirens of the fire brigade could be heard in the far distance, making their way to the scene. Unfortunately, it would have been a waste of a trip. There was no way of saving the house and too late to save the family inside.

Neighbours were staring in shock and some of them were trying to put the fire out with hose pipes but to no avail.

Watching the scene from afar was Gina. A well known assassin who was good at making sure she gets the job done. She was busy smoking her cigarette before making a call. She leaned against her car and slid her phone out of her pocket and hit the dial button.

"Is it done?" the person asked her, getting straight to the point.

"It's done, just like you ordered," Gina said while walking towards her car door.

"Hehehe," a smirk laugh came from the other end, "Finally, my enemy is out of my way. Good job Gina, check your bank account," they commanded.

Gina looked at her messages, without dropping the call.

Invest Bank: Payment +R20 000 000.00 into SAVINGS ACCOUNT; Ref Unknown.

Gina smirked and said, "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Likewise, now do what you do best, disappear," the unknown voice instructed before ending the call.

Gina took a deep sigh and walked towards her car. She got into her driver's seat and then turned her attention to the little girl sleeping in the back seat. She was around ten years old, with beautiful blond hair and rosy cheeks.

"Sorry little one, it's nothing personal, just business," Gina mutted.

She put her head in her hands trying to figure out how the hell is she going to take care of a ten year old when she wass battling to sort herself out.

"Shit!!!"

Ten years later

Gina was in her kitchen making herself a cup of coffee. She was still trying to understand last night's announcement made by her daughter and her boyfriend, who is now her fiance. She was very happy for Tia and would love to see her get married to the man of her dreams. The problem is, the man of her dreams is the son of Isabella Montez aka Bella. The same woman who hired her to kill Tia's family and have her take care of her.

"Thankfully, she did not recognise her last night at dinner," she thought to herself.

Gina had concluded that Bella had not recognised Tia seeing as she embraced her with lots of love and admiration last night. She did not notice that Tia looked exactly like her biological mother. Gina sighed and picked up her cell and dialled her daughter's soon to be mom-in-law's number. The phone rang for 10 seconds until she picked up.

"Montez speaking," her voice bellowed on the other side.

"It's me, Gina. We need to talk before my daughter marries your son," she said.

There was silence on the other end for over 15 seconds, until a big sigh was heard.

"Ok, where do you want to meet," she asked.

"In my office, at La Rouge restaurant at 10:00am," Gina commanded.

"Alright, I'll see you then," Bella said in response and dropped the call.

Gina took a deep breath and sat down at the kitchen table. Her reason for meeting Bella was to ensure her daughter's safety, considering that Bella is a ruthless kingpin in the underworld.

Gina was so stuck in her thoughts that she didn't hear Tia walk into the kitchen. Tia noticed her mom was deep in thought and looking out of the window. She kissed her mom on the cheek and embraced her from behind.

"Good morning mom," she said with a smile, "l hope I'm not the one causing you to be zoned out."

Gina laughed and patted her daughter's arm that was still wrapped around her.

"Well my daughter is about to get married, so I have to put a plan in motion for the wedding," she responded with a giggle.

Tia sat across from her mom and squeezed her hand. She knew that this would be tough on her since she raised her like her own.

"I know it's unexpected and tough for you. But mom, I will never abandon you, ever. If it weren't for you taking me in after the death of my parents, I don't know where I would have ended up," she said, squeezing her mother's hand.

Gina smiled filled with tears and held onto her hand.

"I love you my angel and I hope you know that everything I do, is for your benefit as well as your brother's," she said with a teary smile.

"I know mom," Tia responded and wiping a tear away,"By the way have you told Zach about the engagement," she asked.

Zach was Gina's teenage son, who she had given birth to two years after she took in Tia. Zach was currently in boarding school and arriving at the end of the semester.

"Nope, I thought it would be best if you told him yourself. I do feel sorry for Miguel though," Gina teased.

"What do you mean?" Tia asked.

"Oh sweetheart, we both know he is gonna challenge Miguel to a duel considering he wants to marry his only sister. Remember how he scared three of your former boyfriends back in school. All of them weren't good enough for his Titi," Gina said with a giggled.

"Oh goodness, he better not even try it. I'm not losing Miguel because of him," she said sternly.

Gina could not stop laughing as her daughter turned tomato red when Zach and his pranks were mentioned. She knew that the road to the wedding was going to be a rollercoaster ride. Both her and her daughter continued to chat, catching up on old times over a cup of coffee.

Gina looked at the time and realised it was time for her to go to the restaurant and meet Bella. She excused herself and made her leave.

Later that morning:

A strong knock came from Gina's office door, a loud one too. Gina knew who it was and wasn't sure how this was going to go down.

"Come in!" she bellowed.

The door slowly opened and in came Bella followed by two of her henchmen. It was no surprise to Gina knowing full well the type of woman Bella is. However, Gina had her henchmen right beside her as she couldn't take any chances.

"Well, well, well. So this is what you did with my money. I thought you would have blown it all up within thee years," she said with a smirk.

Gina rolled her eyes at the insult and said, "I may be an assassin, but I'm not stupid. Just like you I'm very business minded. Take a seat please we have an important matter to discuss"

Bella gave her an annoyed look and sat across from her desk.

"If you recall ten years ago, you had hired me to get rid of Sonja Martinez," Gina said, trying to remind her.

Bella was silent and then said," Sonja, my biggest enemy. Yes I do recall. You did a great job in fact. Not many would kill a target as well as their husband and child."

Gina shifted in her seat and moved closer to Bella.

"What do you mean," Gina asked, full of confusion.

"Oh come on now Gina, the task was simple. Kill the target and take care of the kid too. That meant killing her and her entire family. What do you think I mean?" she asked, raising her voice.

Gina sat back on her chair and covered her face with her hand. "Oh shit," she thought to herself, "Tia was supposed to have died in that explosion."

"Gina! What's going on? Please tell me the child died too," Bella asked.

Gina sighed and said, "No, I never killed the girl. Instead I took her in and raised her as my own. Assuming that is what was meant when you gave me the task."

Bella's eyes went wide like a saucer, and she started to go blood red. She stood up and leaned forward towards Gina, looking at her with bloodshot rer eyes. Gina looked right back at her not feeling intimidated at all.

"You're telling me that my enemy's child still lives and is about to marry my son. The girl that I accepted and embraced is Sonja's spawn," she said, raising her voice.

"I understand your upset, but watch your mouth when you speak about my daughter. Sure she looks like Sonja but she is nothing like her. I don't see the problem here."

"The problem here is that I have to see my son marry the daughter of a woman I once despised. I have to accept her into my family and any grandkids she gives me are going to have the blood of my enemy in their veins," Bella said with disgust.

"Like I said Bella, Tia is not a threat to you, provided she does not find out the truth," Gina said, trying to reassure her.

"No! This marriage cannot happen. There is no way I'm going to allow my son to marry that girl," Bella said making her way towards the door.

"Bella, please reconsider. Can't you see that our kids are meant to be," Gina pleaded before she left.

"There would be nothing to reconsider if you had done your job properly in the first place," Bella said before leaving.

Gina sat down and hoped by some luck, Bella won't do anything stupid that would hurt her daughter.

That evening:

Gina had joined Bella, Miguel and Tia for supper. This was a way for them to bond and get to know each other. Gina was a ball of nerves the whole evening as she was not sure what Bella was thinking. She was quiet most of the time while the rest of them chatted and laughed. This worried Gina as she knew Bella can try one of he stunts at any time.

"I would like to make a toast," Bella said unexpectedly.

"Oh no," Gina thought to herself and quickly took her daughter's hand into hers. She was preparing herself for whatever was coming.

"Tia, at first I wasn't sure if you were the right woman for my son but of course you proved me wrong. I've never seen Miguel this happy in all the years I've known him. He seemingly lights up everytime he talks about you and you seem to have rubbed off on him because this boy was mischievous. So welcome to the family my dear. To Miguel and Tia," she said, raising her glass.

Everyone joined her in raising their glasses too. Gina let out a sigh of relief, she was sure Bella was going to mess things up for her daughter.

"Would like a dance, mi amore," Miguel asked.

"Of course," Tia responded with a smile.

Gina and Bella were left sitting on the table watching the beautiful couple dance.

"You were right, they are definitely destined to be together. Who am I to stand in the way of their happiness," Bella said, looking at Gina.

"I'm so glad you see it that way too," Gina said, full of relief.

"Sonja and I were good friends back when we were younger and I know she would have been proud of who her daughter is today. I'm glad you didn't kill her as instructed," Bella concluded.

"Bygones?" Gina asked, extending her hand to Bella.

Bella looked at her hand before shaking it.

"Bygones."

Both women smiled at each other and continued to watch their children dancing and laughing at whatever it is they were talking about.

Gina was proud of her daughter and proud of the woman she had become. All she wanted was for her to be happy, and she would kill to keep her little girl full of happiness.

The End

[flowerbloom-arts]

A 2434 word long fic about Fuddler talking to a maybe not actually real version of his father after trying to escape from a recent event in his life and failing. Now I would've written a 50s sitcom episode of Fuddler's family that would've lead up to this point if I had the motivation, but I didn't, so here you go. I hope you enjoy this!

---

The set of the show had become undone and the fourth wall was nothing but a non-existent window into the stage, the Muddler, tear stained and tired of his child's shenanigans, went up from the table he was crying at and walked to the empty director's chair with 'The Fuddler' embroidered on the back and sat on it. The Muddler grabbed the megaphone that sat on one of the armrests and spoke into it in a very clearly annoyed tone of voice: 'Cut. Take 2. Excuse me! That wasn't a bad first take but all of you really fell apart at scene 15.'

But the rest of the cast had been frozen in place, basically mannequins, all except Fuddler, who was in fact the mastermind behind this mess. The small and fuddly creature looked around in a slight bit of confusion and decided to walk up to his father on his director's chair, it did have his name on it afterall. 'Excuse me, aren't I supposed to be sitting there?' he asked rather sheepishly, there was a thought in the back of his head that knows exactly why but he's too afraid to make that thought even slightly tangible.

'Well, yes,' answered the Muddler matter-of-factly 'but due to poor management someone else had to take over.' he added, he spun the megaphone around and inspecting it in a rather disinterested manner. If it's anyone, it really didn't seem to be the father that Fuddler knew, even if he was stained with dark brown tears on his face and wore ragged feminine attire indicative of a mental breakdown, which was a sight that would only be familiar as the Muddler.

'Maybe. Though we should probably take a break, that breakdown didn't look all that... The breakdown seemed very exhausting to act out,' Said the Fuddler, trying to avoid going over this episode another time.

'Sure,' Muddler said, he didn't even care to glance at his child, he put down the megaphone on the floor and rested his face on his paw resting on the armrest, looking off to the black void beyond the set or nearby part of the studio.

Fuddler sighed with relief and a tinge of discomfort, he decided it was best to sit down next to his father and look back at the scene that was frozen in time. It was not even the slightest bit amusing to say the least, it's just everyone looking concerned over Muddler having a breakdown but Muddler isn't even there, you could see the Fuzzy, Fuddler's mother, placing a hand on what was Muddler's back, great uncle Hodgkins and Sniff are looking on confused and concerned, and Moomintroll had just walked in with not even the slightest idea of what's going on. The Fuddler stared at it for a few moments before saying what was on his mind while the scene was happening 'That... That breakdown... It wasn't in the script.'

'What script?' Muddler asked as if Fuddler was too dumb to even remember he didn't even make one. Of course there wasn't any script to speak of.

'I- I dunno!' Fuddler blurted out with the realization 'You guys were basically reading my mind anyway! I thought that was something like reading a script-!'

'Were we reading your mind or were you controlling us?' Muddler asked, almost cutting him off.

Fuddler was a bit surprised at the sudden interruption, it's really unlike his father to act anything close to this, is this even his father? Fuddler started to actually question everything about this, as if it wasn't a very obvious thing he should've questioned at the start. He looked down and curled up into a more fetus-like sitting position, kind of avoiding answering the question.

'Now tell me, child, why this?' Muddler gestures vaguely toward the set.

'What do you mean?' Fuddler looked up at Muddler and asked innocently.

'Why the television show?' he clarified, he lowered his resting paw and finally looked at Fuddler for once, though he did look very... unpleasant.

Fuddler felt very uncomfortable at the question and simply answered with an 'I dunno...' like a small child, he certainly looked and acted like one either way despite being an adult.

Muddler sighed disappointedly and went back to staring at the set 'Is this really how you're gonna deal with what happened? What even did happen, anyway?' he asked, even he was unsure of the origins of this.

'I... I actually don't remember... Excuse me, sorry, oh dear... What was I thinking?' Fuddler asked, he was mostly asking himself that.

'That's right, what were you thinking?' Muddler repeated Fuddler with annoyance 'Did you really think you could reduce your own family into cheap tropes and live like that?'

'I wasn't trying to do that!' Fuddler cried 'I just thought...! I thought if I could live just one happy day after 10 years of nonstop misery-!'

'And you did that by retreating into some ideal version of reality the city gave you through a light box?'

'Yes!' Fuddler blurted out, he realised what he said outloud and slowly went back into a balled up position on the floor 'Just... Atleast those people on TV seemed happier... Happier than we ever could've been when we moved to the city,' Fuddler argued with a quieter but ultimately defeated tone, this wasn't how things were supposed to go in his mind.

'Is that why you wanted to move away so badly?' Muddler asked in a more sincere and worried tone of voice, much more like his regular self and what Fuddler would be used to.

'Maybe,' Fuddler answered simply 'Or I guess there were other things too...' he added.

'Oh I could definitely list them off for you,' Muddler suddenly went back to a menacing tone.

Fuddler suddenly felt a great shock to his system and did not want anything Muddler could be implying 'Please don't-'

'Well first of all,' Muddler didn't let his child finish and he didn't seem to care in the slightest 'you didn't like other creatures shoehorning you into their ideas of what you should be, you didn't like the boring concrete buildings, you hated the constant noisiness of that wretched city, you couldn't bare the constant mockery from your own peers, they kept thinking you were a twelve year old - which you never grew out of being one after all these years by the way - and kept thinking you were lying when you said you weren't, you didn't like the lack of frogs or swamps or free things to collect off the street, you were being discriminated against for being a clumsy little mut, and most of all-'

'Please stop!' Fuddler cried.

'MOST OF ALL,' Muddler repeated louder to talk over Fuddler 'You hated me. Your own father. Simply because he couldn't land a simple job and was too feminine for anyone's liking!'

'NO!' Fuddler jumped up and tried to hold onto his dad's arm, but Muddler quickly got it away from him.

'YES! You kept having the same negative comments and jokes repeated to you over and over and you thought they were making fun of you by association! You don't want anything to do with the way I am and yet you keep chugging along the same way I did!' Muddler cried 'You were happy enough to tell my dear old friend mr. Moomin that people said you took after me and leave it at that! What if he asked you even further? Would you have talked about me in a good way!?'

'STOP! PLEASE!' Fuddler was almost in tears at this.

'Oh I see how it is! Just admit it! You hate me! Why else would you shove me in as the comic relief? Why else would I break out of character if you didn't know it'd be completely out of line for who I actually am!? I am anything BUT happy and you know this! No matter how hard you try I will cry eventually because I'm that dumb and sensitive about everything! The only things that you got right about me is that I'm clumsy and that I love you!' Muddler started tearing up through all the yelling 'You know deep down I love you... It's not your fault... right?'

Fuddler wanted to cover his face in his saucepan but unfortunately he was in his sitcom costume which lacked it completely, all he could really do was bury his face in his paws and try not to cry, muddler tears are much like that of a dog's, mixed in with blood waste and it stains your face, you'd need some cloth and water to clean it. Very inconvenient for a man, they aren't supposed to cry, and the stains make it very obvious you did.

'Fuddler... Did you really think this was going to solve anything?' Muddler got up from the director's chair to kneel down and lowered Fuddler's paws away from his face, Muddler's face was... trying to be comforting but that got ruined by the tear stains, which was being added onto by him crying at this very moment, he looked down at Fuddler's paws, looked back up at his face and added '... At all?'

Fuddler didn't make an attempt to make eye contact with his father, those strange 'u' shaped pupils were familiar but the idea of them not being normal at all still brought him some form of discomfort '... I just... Excuse me. I just thought that maybe... If I could feel better, somehow, maybe the problem would be less of a problem...'

'Fuddler, you don't even remember what the problem was,' Muddler said, he held his child's chin up to make him look at him directly 'You know this.'

'I know...' Fuddler admitted 'I think the cause is starting to come back to me... I think... It's still a little foggy...'

Muddler sighed 'How many times have you done something like this?'

'I...' Fuddler started thinking 'I don't know... I never bothered counting.'

'So this clearly isn't the first time.'

'It definitely doesn't feel like the first time... say for the addition of a few cast members,' Fuddler added the last part as a sly attempt at humor, he was referring to Moomintroll, Jumble and Sniff.

'Of course,' Muddler said with a touch of melancholy and sat on the floor beside Fuddler, Fuddler followed suit 'Do you think this is normal?'

'Dad, I moved to Moominvalley to get away from 'normal'!'

'You moved to Moominvalley to feel normal, there's a difference. And that's an important difference to realise,' said the Muddler, the black and white studio faded into a sepia tone as it seemed to transition into a lake sort of scene, almost unnoticeably to the Fuddler.

'Why's that?' Fuddler asked.

Muddler picked up a flower that happened to be next him, well- not actually, a sort of ethereal copy of the flower formed which left the real one untouched, Muddler looked thoughtfully at the flower in his hands 'If you know the difference, then maybe you can appreciate the specific thing that makes this place feel like you feel normal.'

Fuddler stared at the flower and glanced up at his father '... You're not really my dad, are you?'

'You think that now?' Muddler questioned with an amused undertone.

Fuddler felt almost silly about it, of course this Muddler isn't real, why would he think otherwise? 'I dunno... I guess I got cought up in the all the acting that... I forgot I'm just talking to myself...'

'Does it really matter, though?' Muddler raised an eyebrow with a slight smile on his face 'Atleast you got it out of your system, you twelve year old.'

'Don't call me a twelve year old!' Fuddler cried in defense.

'Then why do you act like one?'

'How can I not act like one if I look like one?' he said, slightly furious at the subject being brought up.

'People can turn invisible if they're abused enough, maybe this is something similar?' Muddler suggested.

'Tsch, magic, sure.' Fuddler waved off dismissively.

'You stayed as the same Fuddler that you were when we lost Sniff, excuse me but you really don't think there's something connected here?' Muddler asked rather rhetorically 'You graduated college with a degree in biology and live by yourself in the coffee tin you inherited from me and yet you still chase after a woman like you have a preteen crush on her with absolutely no clue as to how to talk to a girl.'

Fuddler cringed at the memory of his attempted courtship of the Mymble and recoiled back into a ball position.

'But atleast it seems like you learned from it, just... Don't let things paint your views so easily, sir,' Muddler placed the flower on Fuddler's head.

'Don't use 'sir' on me...' Fuddler muttered quietly.

'Well, what do you want me to refer to you as? Ma'am?'

'That's even worse!' Fuddler shut down the idea almost immediately, he grabbed the flower from his head and looked at it 'Neither of them feel all that right...'

'Right,' Muddler said 'It's fine if you don't want to be referred to as either of those.'

'It's not just that... I don't really feel like a... A man. Atleast not how the world seems to think of one.'

'You're a button collector, Fuddler. Maybe you should start calling yourself that instead.'

'You can do that?' Fuddler seems to be almost bewildered but not totally against the idea.

'Fuddler, I'm a half woman who calls itself a man, anyone can be anything, especially in places like this valley. You don't have to define yourself by those standards anymore.' Muddler explained.

Fuddler stared at his father with a thoughtful expression on his face 'Like I don't have to define my family by any of those standards...' he looks back down at the flower in his paw.

'That's the spirit!' Muddler punches his child lightly on the shoulder 'And whatever the problem was... I hope you can fix it, it's not easy but... It'll be better for the long run.'

'Right...' Fuddler flicked the flower into the lake, it simply dissolves in mid-air rather than land into the water or anything 'I'm sorry about... Everything. I'm still very, very dumb.'

The Muddler laughed ever so slightly 'You'll get it in time, I promise.'

'... Maybe.' Fuddler said rather hopefully. The Muddler seemed to dissolve away like the flower did and the world faded into full color. It looks like that episode was a wrap, one might say. Now it's time to figure out why it had to be made.

[babyangelsky]

My Favorite Expressions in Love Sea Ep. 10

I can't believe this is my last one of these 😭

I've loved watching and writing about this show so much. I was always going to enjoy it because of the FortPeat of it all but I never thought I'd have so much to say about it or that I'd end up writing about it weekly. The only other shows I've written about to such an extent are Two Worlds and Dead Friend Forever.

I've only had this blog for a little over a year and a half and it's only in the past six months that I've been actively talking on it and making friends on here. I really want to thank all of you who take the time to read my posts and indulge my clown behavior and leave your thoughts and kind words in the tags. It means a lot 💜

Okay let's talk about microexpressions before I start crying in the club. Again.

We start off with Tongrak about to go have lunch with his mama after not seeing her for years. Mahasamut is lovely and encouraging because of course he is, he's my Memo Ochoa, but this face when Rak mentions wanting him to come along next time...

It's not that Mut doesn't want to. He does. It's just that he's very aware that it's not up to him.

And Rak doesn't quite get what he means because he's been trying very hard this whole time to not see this situationship for what it is.

His smile doesn't quite fall but it does flicker for a second and there's the smallest tilt of his head. Didn't he just ask Mut to come along? Then why is Mut telling him that it's up to him whether that meal with mama ever happens?

You can't pretend that elephant ain't there forever, Khun Tongrak.

And Mahasamut can't either.

"See the missing heart?"

It was at that moment that Tongrak understood what Mut was doing in giving him that bracelet.

And there was no joy at the realization. Only fear, dread, and panic. He doesn't allow Mut to get out the 'I love you'. He begs him not to sat it because simply knowing that it's coming terrifies him.

Tongrak tries to run away and draw up another agreement in a useless last-ditch effort to avoid Mut's feelings, but Mut doesn't allow that. We're at the end of the rope. We're at the edge of the cliff. The camel's back is one straw away. He loves Rak and he wants and needs to tell Rak. And he does.

But Tongrak is afraid of that love. He doesn't want it, and it breaks Mut's heart.

So Mut makes one last effort to make Tongrak understand that what he wants isn't Rak's money, but him and that terrifies Rak MORE because that money was another brick in the wall he'd built to protect his heart and now Mut is giving it all back and the integrity of that wall is weakening.

He isn't prepared to be without the wall so he rejects Mut and in doing so, chooses to be without him instead.

And here is where I grumble again about wanting to talk about a scene more and having to cut myself off for photo limit reasons.

When Mahasamut goes to say goodbye to Vivi and Mook and ask them to take care of Tongrak, Mook is the only one who's surprised. Vivi isn't. Hell, she doesn't say a word the whole scene and she doesn't have to. Look at her face. She understands why things are happening this way because she understands Rak and was coming to understand Mut. She knew something had to give.

Mook asks Mut if he's sure and wants him to reconsider but Vivi knows that he's here because he is and he has. Mook wonders what will become of Rak without Mut but Vivi (and we) know what it isn't just about Rak. Mut deserves to be loved and cared for the same way he does for others and has emotional needs just like anyone else and that's why he has to go home.

Mahasamut made sure to keep his promise of sweets in exchange for a good report card to Meena before he left and he almost made it home without breaking down but hearing Meena and her mom talk about what the number 8 means to Tongrak and the dawning realization of why Tongrak gave him an 8 that random night in bed is just too much.

It's all too much because at its core the reason Mut and Rak can't be together at this moment isn't a lack of love. The love is there but it's being smothered beneath the weight of Rak's fear.

Oh and hearing Mut's hitched sob after Meena asks him if he's okay?That absolutely did me the fuck in I'm never recovering fuck you Fort and also well done go sit at Chris Chiu's table.

I'd like to take a break from all this pain to complain that Mook didn't get to wear glasses for the whole show because look how cute my girly looks in them.

And the two flavors of concern she and Vivi have for Tongrak who is doing about as well as expected.

Sidenote: Khun Tongrak I'm never going to get over you leaving Mut's bracelet in the trash can for a week.

Her mess of a love life aside, Vivi is such a good friend. If I hadn't been so busy being sad in the moment I would've caught this face and realized the bracelet was safe.

As devastating as it was to see both Mahasamut and Tongrak have their individual moments of realization followed by a public breakdown, they were both important. I daresay they needed to happen because THIS is the true root of the issue.

Tongrak isn't afraid of love and he doesn't actually think it doesn't exist. He knows that it does and he's afraid of what comes with it. He's afraid of what happens when it's gone and the way that it hurts people because that is all he knows, that's the sum total of what all his life experiences have taught him about love.

But because until meeting Mut he never experienced love himself, he never had to confront that fear or fight its hold on him. There was never a reason to. It just kept getting reinforced to him and he fell back on it when he couldn't hide from his or Mut's feelings anymore.

This is what "do it scared" looks like. I'm so proud of my fighter.

And I'm proud of my Memo too for standing on business and not folding the moment Rak appeared even though I know a part of him really wanted to.

Tongrak broke Mahasamut's heart and it's not enough for Rak to appear and ask Mut to put the bracelet on him. That's still him wanting Mut to take the first step and even though we know that it's because Rak doesn't know how to go about this and desperately wants an opening, the first step is one he has to take without any help or prompting. Coming to the island was only half the battle.

And it's BRUTAL to watch because we know that Rak isn't there to hurt Mut and that he wants to reconcile and apologize and tell Mut he loves him but he just CANNOT find the words no matter how hard he tries.

Tongrak is a writer, words are his whole life, but it's like he told Vivi: fiction isn't reality. It is so much harder to say what you want to say when you're doing it for yourself and not for a character on a page.

"Don't make me throw my own heart away."

The lighting and the photo limit are preventing more screenshots of this scene and that is a good thing because just rewatching and seeing the glint of tear tracks on Fort's face is making me cry.

DAMN RIGHT YOU'RE NOT GONNA QUIT THAT'S MY BOY

Tongrak found the words and he found a way to say them and he found a way to make Mahasamut hear them and they're looking at each other with hope and surprise and love and I'm a MESS.

*blubbering* Just look at this adorable little cross-eyed look that makes it seem like Rak is trying to make sure he's not imagining this and all he can say is Mahasamut's name with increasing desperation and and--

Fuck fuck fuck fuck

"Pom rak khun."

"Chan rak nai."

*CRYING IN THE CLUB*

There is not a single expression in this entire television program that means more to me than this one. Not a single fucking one.

This is the face Rak is going to wake up to for the rest of his life, soft sexy morning voice included.

I just want to state for the record that I knew this pouty kitten had bought them a house the second he rushed in all excited with his envelope. I understand this man too well to be surprised by the things he does.

I would also like to point out THAT HE IS IN A TEXTURED PATTERN AND THAT I WAS RIGHT!

There are so many more expressions that I would've loved to include but this was a long episode and the photo limit is a cruel mistress.

This show wasn't perfect but I loved it so much. It helped me process some things, it healed some things, and it gave me Tongrak and Mahasamut whom I love and will miss so dearly.

I had a great time watching with ya'll and writing about it 🥰

*manifests a special episode*

[bird-inacage]

Love Sea Episode 9: Lost at Sea before the Finale

Sigh. I had high hopes for this episode, which reached it's apex in the main conflict with Rak's dad (our honorary big bad). But yet again it's at a crucial juncture in the story, where writing and execution have fallen short when it really mattered.

Despite building tension for the past few weeks in service of this moment, it's swiftly deflated with little fuss. I thought the contract-tearing scene would provide a riveting layer of complexity for our characters to navigate. But it's barely a hiccup. The entire pay off we've been hurtling towards just unceremoniously fizzles out.

Here are my observations as to why this episode missed the mark (some of which I hope to dig into when I do a full review of the series).

The 'saviour' plot device. Where a character repeatedly saves the day in service of other characters (regardless of their credentials to do so). This is the role they've boxed Mut in. He swoops in - solves, fixes, pursues, soothes. He's faultless. He's unwavering. He's Rak's hero in shining armour. This isn't fundamentally bad except his capacity is reduced mainly to just that, and the cost is little to no development of his own. I take enormous issue with this because I dearly love Mut. He has great scope for a far more compelling trajectory. We had wonderful insights into his outlook on life in the earlier episodes, which have since taken a noticeable backseat. We are yet to see significant exploration of Mut's struggles, flaws or weaknesses. There appears to be some focus on this in episode 10, but why so little so late?

The women are rendered superfluous. Which isn't helped when we already have a lacklustre GL portrayal. As things go awry - Kwan, Vi and Mook are varying degrees of 'just there'. I would have loved to see the plot utilise the women who know Rak best, to contribute towards bringing Jak down. But the show's priority to aid Mut's heroic efforts, means the women are left with very little to do.

Mut VS Jak. If you compare the two men, Jak is taller and in fairly good shape. Physically, you'd expect more resistance in a fight. When Jak goes down, he barely tries to get up (even when Mut's back is turned). Thus, the outcome of the fight feels unearned, especially if we are to believe this man has violent tendencies that have traumatised his children. (He may not be murderously insane, but still volatile enough to maim his own son). By being so easily overpowered, the takeaway ends up being: 'oh, we needn't have worried'. And this exchange didn't have to be strictly physical either, it could have been psychological. Jak could have taunted Mut like he did in the café, and tried to chip at his resolve. Alternatively, if Rak were the one to overcome his father (in a bid to save Mut), it would show that Rak's love can power through his fear, and he'd gain that lesson through his own agency rather than Mut telling him he should no longer be afraid. (Another symptom of this series is subjugating Rak to a huge degree of passivity).

I'm not sold on Jak's character motivations, based on what we've seen. He's not quite smart or menacing enough to be a calculated sociopath, and he's a shade too conniving for an apathetic loser. If he's as lazy as we've been told, why would he go this far to secure Prin's money, when he's already syphoning finances from Rak and his mother? Couldn't he just sit back and continue to leech with no effort? If his desperation were a result of poor spending, it would at least ground his motive. Or if he's fuelled by the thrill of tormenting his family, we'd need to see mental depravity. Instead, much of Jak's actions feel - dare I say - 'because plot'? (Make your villains more formidable and their eventual downfall will pack more punch).

The few too many plot conveniences. The sillier one being how on earth Rak left the house without anyone noticing? The enormous glass staircase which sits front and centre in an open plan property makes it near impossible to go undetected. Unless he parkoured from his bedroom?

I'm gutted because the show veers towards the more questionable choices at their disposal. The set ups are there. The ideas are there. The parameters are there. It's what they decide to do with them that sadly misfires. This has caused my investment in the story to plummet towards the latter half.

I continue to watch for Fortpeat, and I feel for them because they've worked so hard. There's some lovely acting sprinkled throughout this episode but at this late stage in the series, the plot should be driving things home. Whereas the metaphorical tide keeps moving those goal posts in and out of sight. I hope they can at least round things off on a high note next week.