#like Team and Pharm

[bl-bam-beyond2-sidecoupleblog]

BL FANDOM BLOG: A LOVE FOR BOYS' LOVE

SIDE DISH EDITION (aka: SIDE COUPLE)

Series: BETWEEN US From: THAILAND

Year: 2023

Never one of my favorite couples, I still really like Dean (THITIWAT RITPRASERT aka OHM) and Pharm (NATOUCH SIRIPONGTHON aka FLUKE). The main couple in UWMA (UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN) they take a back seat to my faves Win & Team.

That said I'm happy Dean and Pharm have settled into their love as they both say those three little words. I LOVE YOU.

It's a Beautiful Thing.

[iguessitsjustme]

OKAY lets play “husband, one night stand, best friend” send me people to my ask box <3

Since @pose4photoml already successfully “tortured” you, let me ask: Pharm, Team, Tul? 😉

You guys are sending me impossible ones! I love it though. My main problem is I want to be all of their best friend. But I'm sure I'll make a decision.

Pharm: Best friend. Would I be able to help him through his past life trauma? Probably not. But I could definitely just be there for him. Also just imagine the snacks he would make me.

Team: One night stand. Before Win of course. Also I'm gonna cheat and say we stay friends after because we bond over our favorite snacks.

Tul: Husband. This man respects boundaries so hard and he's also an excellent listener. Love that.

Please keep torturing me with this game

[sollucets]

snip snip snip (since akkayan got done im working on my 5+1 again for the first time in a while)

im having fun making teampharm bother each other :) i am also having fun describing dessert-making, which as i have said before is extremely in the spirit of canon so im spending a lot of effort on hopefully making you want to eat thai desserts

[binary5tar1117]

I dunno what the general consensus is but imo

Between Us >>> Until We Meet Again

[pose4photoml]

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Love this video- Bl friendships

[calc1fers]

marauders at university part 1

james - business

u cannot tell me james isn't a finance bro who exclusively wears collared ralph lauren shirts and sambas/clogs

probably president of the business society, too. he's known for organising the most chaotic parties/pub crawls

plays rugby for the university team

sirius - quantum engineering/music composition

overachieving little fucker just had to do a double degree with the least compatible degrees ever

i can imagine sirius, sat at the potters' kitchen table with his hair in a messy bun and drinking straight from a bottle of red wine while working through a coding task

always hands all his assignments in seconds before the due date (which gives remus a heart attack)

remus - history/english

he gives ancient history professor so of course he'd have to study something to do with history

ended up writing his doctoral dissertation on old welsh civilisation

has a crazy arsenal of historical facts that he'll share if one (1) drop of alcohol enters his system

peter - education/arts

does NOT gaf about becoming a teacher but chose it to 'keep his options open'

majors in polish

probably a part of the riot gaming society icl 😭

lily - pharmacology

i feel like muggle lily would do med/pharm bc witch lily did healing/alchemy

tortured academic who does all the extra reading. she brought a sleeping bag to the library during exam season

mentors younger students in biology and anatomy

mary - fashion design and textiles

for mary, university is a Very Serious outfit competition and she must look hot Always (except there are people like peter rocking up in their pjs)

lugs her portfolios around in her shoulder bag bc she refuses to wear a backpack (it would kill her swag)

marlene - media/film studies

either this or zoology 🤔🤔

part of the theatre society and acts in their plays/skits

also leaves all her assignments to the last minute and pulls all nighters with sirius

most of which just consist of gossiping and making faces at each other then yelling at the other to lock in (they're both living off 4 coffees and an iget bar)

[xthelastknownsurvivorx]

the funniest part about between us is learning about the very different university experiences pharm and team are having. like pharm is out there fighting for his life with all the visions from the past in until we meet again while team is in his (somewhat unintentional) slut era hooking up with his club vice president all over campus

[mistydeyes]

fake hypochondriac

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hypochondria

hy·​po·​chon·​dria noun

excessive concern about one's health especially when accompanied by imagined physical ailments

summary: If an apple a day, keeps the doctor away then what keeps a pharmacist away? Whatever it is, Ghost wants to eradicate it. This man's small crush will send him to extremes. A sequel to "a panacea"

pairing: Ghost x pharmacist!Reader

warnings: medical/pharmacy terminology, medical inaccuracies, swearing, depiction of wounds, fluff, and flirting

a/n: by popular vote, ghost's sequel won! don't worry though, price's will be coming real soon ;)

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The unit had been a buzz about your work as a pharmacist officer. From clearing Gaz’s congestion to the ridiculous bandage you gave to Ghost, they simply would not stop talking about you. Soap even tried to convince the doctor that he needed to visit you for a malady of reasons but your colleagues were smarter than that. You had to give it to him, the fake food coloring blood applied to his stitches was a nice touch. It became a running joke in the medical wing. Some of your closest work friends even gushed about how the men would talk about you as if you had discovered the secrets to eternal life.

All joking aside, in all your years here, people had called you pet names and made small attempts at flirting but you always had your main goal on your mind: provide the best care so they can stop bothering me. However, one man caught your eye. No one would ever know that the masked man who wore a star bandaid was the one who stole your heart.

Of course, you’d never want anyone to have to constantly come visit you on the pretense of needing medication but you valued the time spent with him. Somehow he ended up needing every single vaccination. From pneumococcal to typhoid, you wondered if you should tell him that these were all voluntary.

Little did you know, he made every effort to miss the optional clinics and went straight to you upon his return. Your soft touch and even softer laugh were like music to his ears. He didn’t know how many people were graced by your presence like this but he tried to make himself the most memorable one.

His younger self would have laughed at his antics. His mother used to say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Even though you weren’t a doctor, he would cut down every apple tree and burn every pie if it meant seeing you daily.

One day, Soap gave him an idea. The team was ending another debriefing with Laswell and making conversation as they left the room. “I wish I could visit the lass but all she does is either give me my meds or gives her whatever you call recommendations” Soap groaned as he lugged the large number of building layouts and files in his arms.

“Pharmacological and non-pharm recommendations, Sergeant” Price corrected. “You better learn their terminology, they didn’t go to school and experience those muppets at the local chemist’s for nothing.”

That was it, Ghost would ask you for some silly non-pharm recommendation like Gaz had and keep coming up with new ailments to keep visiting you.

The plan was in place, following the lunch rush he walked to the medical wing and made his way to the pharmacy.

You stood in the back, answering yet another phone call from a doctor. “As I said before, you need to find out what their reaction is to penicillin and other beta-lactams. I don’t care if they say they have a true allergy, you know anaphylaxis is the only indicator. And no, I’m not ordering something off the formulary just because your patient says they were sneezing after a bout of amoxicillin. Just call me back after you spoke to them and if you really need it, then you know where to reach me.” With that, you slammed the phone down and let out a groan. You knew pharmacology was no doctor's favorite subject but this was antibiotics 101.

Your technician came around the corner, “Captain L/N, is everything alright?”

“You know we’ve been working together for what 2 years now? I’m just Y/N especially back here in this phone call hell.” you laughed as you sat down in your chair. “I’m alright, just another medic trying to get me to order something off the formulary for kicks”

“Well Y/N, there is someone here to see you. Just a soldier complaining of a sore throat. He says the doctors won’t prescribe anything because they haven’t observed anything wrong.” Your tech responded before disappearing amongst the shelves to fill some incoming scripts.

You made your way to the front where you were surprised to see Lt. Riley wearing a face mask (although still with the ghost print). Even though he had been coming for months now, live vaccines had to be spaced out by 28 days, you had not seen his face fully. His eyes were trained down and you noted his surprisingly light eyelashes. He still had the ever-present eye black and you wondered how he kept his lashes so pristine. If it was a mascara or a brand of makeup remover you needed to know!

“Simon,” you spoke in a cheerful voice. By now, you were on a first-name basis. It only took one tuberculosis skin test for him to encourage you to call him by his name. To be fair, when you held his arm gently to measure the area he would’ve told you anything.

“You aren’t due for any vaccinations you know. You’ve cleared me out! I’m sure the doctors would think I’m sticking you for my pleasure and your pain.” you joked. You were teasing but you knew there was no way he was here for yet another immunization.

“Not this time, love. I’ve got this tickle in my throat. It hurts when I swallow and I swear Soap saw my tonsils angry and inflamed,” he replied.

“And the doctor didn’t diagnose you with bronchitis or call for your tonsils to be removed?” you questioned. It wasn’t unusual for them to miss anything but you were realistically unable to prescribe anything to him.

“Well let me take a look. If you want to head over to the vaccination area then you can take your mask off. I’m sure you are familiar with where it is.” With that, he nodded and walked toward the designated area. He appreciated your kindness and that you valued his privacy.

You let your technician know where you’d be and they waved you off saying they could handle the onslaught of soldiers if it came to it.

As you entered the corned-off area, you saw Simon there, fiddling with his mask. You didn’t understand why he was so nervous, how could someone so well acquainted with violence be nervous of a flashlight and quick examination?

“Don’t worry, I’ll sure to be quick. I just need you to remove your mask and open up wide,” you explained and fished in your pocket for your pen light. To any recruit, they would’ve made a cheeky comment to your command but Simon obliged to your ask.

As he lowered your mask, you couldn’t help but admire the man in front of you. He was gorgeous. He looked like he was carved from a model like some Greek deity. His face was adorned by various silvery scars that looked painted on a portrait with metallic paint. His jawline was sharp and his lips were blush pink with an even sharper cupid’s bow. You made sure not to ogle for too long and began your assessment.

As you pointed your flashlight, you examined his throat and tonsils, trying to find if the doctor had missed anything. But when you saw no redness and his lymph nodes weren’t swollen, you didn’t know what to say.

“Hm, well good news and I guess bad news but I’m not seeing anything here. I’m not sure what to tell you but I wish I could help” you said in a defeated tone. You looked saddened by your lack of discovery and this made Simon want to scratch his whole plan.

“But,” you began, as he put on his mask, “my grandparents would always say ‘Y/N, all you need is to get some good rest and have a cup of tea with lemon’” you explained, trying your best to impersonate your best old person voice. Simon chuckled at your attempt. God, you really knew how to brighten someone’s day, and who could not love your sweet, grave voice?

“Sorry to take your time, love, but I’ll be sure to let you know,” he said and stood up before giving you a thankful look.

“The pleasure is all mine, Simon. I try to do what I can for one of my favorite patients,” you replied. You were laying on the flirting hard, something you would lie in bed cringing about later.

With that, he walked out of your little bubble and went about his day. You watched his muscular ass figure exit as you too returned to your day.

Although you thought you had cured him with some good advice, you were visited every other day for the next few weeks as he still had the same complaint. You had recommended everything following each checkup. From spoonfuls of honey and thyme lollies to encouraging hot showers and steam therapy, you were out of options. By what seemed like his 10th visit, you were prepared to march him down to radiology and make sure that this wasn’t some terrible looming illness.

“Still having that sore throat, huh?” you questioned as he walked through your doorway. He nodded in agreement and you picked up the landline. “I’m making a quick call, we’ll get this sorted out.”

“Hi, this is Captain. L/N. I have Lt. Riley here and he has been complaining of a sore throat for weeks. Is there any way the lab could run a throat culture as well as some blood work for me?”

And that’s how Simon ended up in the doctor’s office with a cotton swab down his throat and multiple needle pricks to his veins. He should’ve picked something more benign like reoccurring IBS but then again he might have ended up with a finger up his ass instead of the swab.

Two days later, you received a notification that the results were in. To your dismay, the results showed nothing. The swab was negative for every infection and his blood cell counts were all within normal range.

Frustrated, you told your tech you’d be back and walked your way to Cpt. Price’s office.

You knocked on the closed door hoping not to disturb the man. His baritone voice echoed into the hallway as he told you to enter.

“Hi Captain, sorry to bother you,” you said noting the mountain of paperwork on his desk as well as his extinguished pile of cigars. “But I was wondering if you had noticed anyone else in your unit with a sore throat. Lt. Riley has been coming to the pharmacy for a few weeks now and no one can figure it out.”

“Not that I know of. We haven’t run drills either so I know our quiet Ghost isn’t necessarily screaming at the recruits. He hasn’t come to me either with any complaints,” he explained and leaned back in his chair. He knew that Ghost was wasting your resources so he decided to let you in on a secret.

“As their commanding officer, you know I highly value the word of my men. But I do remember during my school days, that boys would tend to lie about an illness just to get sent to the infirmary and eventually home,” he explained. “It’s no secret that some soldiers, even Ghost, show a fondness for you.”

You blushed at his response, you couldn’t imagine that of all people, the stoic Ghost had a schoolboy crush on you. Hell, you hated your school nurse and always dreaded going to the doctor. You went days before telling your mom that you might have broken your finger during recess (you can still remember her rushing to the emergency room the minute she saw your bruised and puffy finger).

“I’ll talk to him the next time he comes in, which I hope he doesn’t,” you said, “thanks for the advice. And don’t forget, I always have a pack of nicotine gum for you if you ever decide to quit.” He chuckled and politely shooed you away. As you shut the door, you shook your head as you heard a lighter flick and smelled the familiar scent of a cigar.

Right on schedule, Simon came strolling into the pharmacy. You had just finished chatting with Soap and chastised him for yet another antibiotic prescription. This time it was for an infected foot wound after forgetting to change his socks and wading in still, grimy water during a mission.

As Soap gave you a cheeky smile saying he’d be back, Ghost tried to suppress his jealousy. Why did Soap have to be blessed with a purulent foot wound instead of him? Maybe he’ll try that one next.

“Ah Simon, I’m heading out to lunch if you’d like to join. I’m presuming it’s still the throat issue so I can check it out after.” You said and reached into the fridge under the counter to grab your food.

You made sure to lock up the pharmacy and lower the protective barriers, you couldn’t let anyone access the “good stuff.” Your tech said their goodbyes as they went to the mess hall for some warm food.

It was the dead of summer but today was surprisingly balmy. You knew there were some tables outside so you pushed the exit door and sat down on one side. He sat opposite you as you opened up your salad and half sandwich.

“So, can I tell your story?” you said before taking a bite. He nodded watching you intently.

“There was a time I broke my finger during recess and didn’t tell my mom for the next 3 days. You should’ve seen her face when I revealed my oozing, bruised ring finger. The thought of missing school and recess was devastating so I hid it like a child.” you explained and held up your left hand showing how your ring finger was slightly askew compared to the others. He laughed heartily, which made you also laugh in return.

After wiping some tears from your eyes you went on, “And that’s why my mom was so shocked when I got my MPharm. She always tells my dad that she doesn’t understand how someone so adverse to doctors went into healthcare.”

“We all have our weird obsessions, plus you are a natural,” he said and was almost at a loss for words as you smiled back at him, the sun hitting perfectly on your face and dancing in your hair.

“Anyways, I told Captain Price that story and he had such a different experience. He said that as a young lad, he and his mates would do anything it would take to get into the infirmary and home. I couldn't believe kids were so smart and had the forethought to plan something like that!”

Ghost knew where this was going. He also received notification that the tests came back clear of any illness. He knew the jig was up but couldn’t run away from the confrontation.

“Now, I’m not debunking your mystery illness, Simon. But I just wanted to talk to you privately and ask if there was anything else that you haven’t told me?” You asked and knew you had got him hook, line, and sinker. His eyes glancing around and his sweaty palms were confirmation of your theory.

He took a few moments to answer and you both sat in silence. You finished the remainder of your food and wiped your hands neatly as he stroke the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“I guess I was just finding an excuse to talk to you,” he began to explain and you could see his extremities begin to grow flush. “I, uh, didn’t know how to so once I ran out of excuses with the shots, I decided to fake a sore throat,” he sheepishly replied.

With his confession, you couldn’t help but laugh. And laugh you did. Hard. It took you a minute before returning your composure.

“You know that the other soldiers can just have a regular conversation with me. I don’t bite and I swear I’ve talked Gaz’s ears off about pollen and flowers. I just feel bad now for making you undergo all those tests,” you said gently placing your hand on top of his.

“I do see what you mean though. If I had a doctor as handsome as you, I would have every illness, injury, and question under the sun.” You couldn’t leave him thinking you didn’t reciprocate your feelings. With that, it was your turn to blush.

“It’s rather childish isn’t it?” He said as he gently caressed your other free hand. “Sorry for wasting your time.”

“How about you make it up to me with dinner? I can show you that there’s more than just textbook knowledge to me” you offered, “I know a surprising amount about languages, I can flirt with you in 10 different ones.”

“It’s a date, gorgeous. I’m all ears for anything you have to say,” he said and you both looked like lovesick teens, “As long as you keep this a secret. You know the doctors would never believe me if I actually got sick.”

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After months of dating, you revealed a secret. “After I spoke to Price, I had a suspicion to check your medical record. You know I could see you never went to the doctor right? You never logged any visits for your alleged sore throat.” You said jokingly and lightly punched his shoulder. “I just can’t believe you roped everyone into it. I can have a normal conversation, babe.”

He laughed at your reveal and kissed the top of your forehead. “I just wanted to make sure your university course load prepared you for anything.”

[thebroccolination]

In their first year!

In their first year!

On their first day!

Do you ever think of how weird this must have been for the rest of the school? Like, it’s wild enough that Pharm, Manaow, and Team all met their future partners on their first day, but Win and Dean are third years! Pruk’s a fourth year. And like, I have no idea about Pruk, but Win’s probably only had superficial relationships—if that—and as far as we know, Dean’s never dated anyone ever.

And then in one day, all three of the swim club seniors are infatuated/in love/and intrigued by the same fucking friend group.

The most iconic social phenomenon of the century.

Monuments should be built.

[nthngtoseehere-blog]

15 Day BL Challenge

Original post

#15: 5 bestest besties

I choose to interpret this as "5 besties - individual or group."

Kieta Hatsukoi/My Love Mix-up! (JP) - Aoki & Hashimoto

Once they realized they were crushing on different people they became each other's biggest supporters.

Gif by @aylinaliens

Until We Meet Again - Pharm, Team, & Manow

They met at orientation and never left each other. BABIES. ❤️

Gif by @seatawinan

The Sign - Tharn, Yai, and Sand

Yai and his smiles, pep talks, and teasing, and Sand with all of the brain cells.

Gif by @khaopybara

Laws of Attraction - Rose, Maya, & Charn

The way Rose was always ready to help Charn with his bullshit, and Maya was like "are we fucking with people for Charn? Fun!"

Gif by @maxescheibechlinichacheli

We Are - all of them

If you want a show about a bunch of guy friends sitting around talking about their feelings, this is the show for you!

(I didn't even try to find a gif that showed all of them. Even odds it doesn't exist.)

[summerofofelia]

15 day BL challenge time, last day!

OG here 💙

Day 15 - Bestest Besties

As someone who is chronically single and has relied on a support network of friends to get through the past, like, forever, I really love it when friendships are given intentional and equal treatment. In life, we find soulmates, yes, in romance. But platonic soulmates are equally as meaningful and seeing that depicted onscreen with warmth and affection is a beautiful thing. So for this final day, I can’t just choose one bestest bestie.

One of my favourite friendship group dynamics is the “collective braincell”

Jin Xiao Bao, Su Yun & Jin Bao (Meet You At The Blossom)

Mum says it’s my turn to have the braincell

GMMTV may be lacking in some ways, but one thing they do so well is friendship groups. Individually these guys are smart, competent humans. Together they have one braincell that rattles around their heads like a tumbleweed.

Literally all the characters (We Are)

Man & Boss (2gether)

I’m not kidding when I say my favourite part of 2gether was Mike and Gunsmile. I genuinely just want them to be in every GMMTV BL, just in the background, don’t even give them a script, just let them improvise.

The other friendship dynamic I love is chaotic + calm, aka disaster + disaster interpreter.

Tiwson (My School President)

Katori (Takara-kun to Amagi-kun)

JJ (This love doesn’t haven’t long beans)

But honestly, if we’re talking about the bestest besties, the ones that bring me so much joy, the mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day, it’s these guys…

Team, Pharm & Manow (Until We Meet Again & Between Us)

[fadelikeclouds]

So now I finally understand why this show is called hemp rope.

Win is afraid of losing Team. He doesn’t believe a red thread is strong enough to keep them together. After all the story of the red thread is a fairy tale (you know since they’re not Pharm and Dean who are reincarnated lovers meant to work through their past life trauma). Team thinks the story is fun, but he doesn’t believe that he and Win are “fated to be together”.

Both Win and Team want something stronger to rely on than the mythical red thread. They both hesitate to reach out to the other because they are afraid of what they will lose if they do so. People change, they fall out of love, and what is left is heartbreak. This episode shows that Win mourns the loss of his happy family. We know that Team lost his close childhood friend. To these two, love and loss seem to go hand in hand, so it’s no wonder they want some assurance that this time it’s going to be different. Hence the hemp rope. It’s thicker and stronger than a thread, and it’s something right in front of them. Rather than rely on superstitions, they’d rather act like dorks playing with a hemp rope, making light of their fears and waiting for the other person to give them confirmation that their love is real.

[chibipandaao3]

I saw someone say Between Us is not a plot based show - it’s character based. And yes, 1000%

But more than that, it’s not a plot based show it’s a character driven behind the scenes look at Win and Team from UWMA. These two stories are interconnected (obviously) in a way that makes the plot exist heavily in UWMA and (for WinTeam) the character driven story and growth occur in Between Us.

UWMA is happening in the background, but Win and Team exist outside of that story and Between Us is that existence; that secondary space.

Their love story is (in some ways) messier than Pharm and Dean because fate isn’t involved - Win and Team have no deep previous connection. They hooked up on a swim trip and the next thing they knew Team had a safe place and Win had found the first person who was reluctant to take what he’d give AND willing to give in return.

Between Us is like the best of the fanfic world. It’s taking two beloved characters and giving them life behind the camera, in the spaces we haven’t really seen before. It doesn’t need the corny troupes or the redundant plot points that always exist in dramas (though it has some) because the world these characters live in has already done that.

[laesas]

Hiiiii anon <3

I think Boun and Prem are doing a stellar job with what theyve been given, and they do manage to create some moments of decent chemistry, but between the masses of filler plot, the character choices and the objectively awful editing, the show feels like it’s limping along.

I’m also just getting more and more upset with how inconsistent Team’s characterisation is. One minute he’s pinning Win to a locker, or doing bits in a restroom at a bar and at least reciprocating somewhat, and the next he’s cringing and blushing and whining whenever Win flirts with him in the typical seme-uke dynamic that WinTeam were meant to break. The show started so strong with the longing looks and Team’s cheeky dismissals of Win’s flirting and now that’s all gone and we’re left with “P’Deaaaan” 2.0: “Hiiaaaaaaaaa”.

I’m gonna finish it. For BounPrem. But unless it picks up in the final stretch (🤞) I have a feeling I’ll partly be relieved that it’s over.

your post about between us Saaaaame. the way I enjoy bounprem/winteam as actors and characters so much and their chemistry but everytime I watch an ep I'm just like 'I should drop this' I HATE IT

i think this was meant for my wife @aikinn ! i haven't posted about between us today (though i agree with her post, and this lol)

[littleragondin]

15 Day BL Challenge

The full challenge can be found here!

☆*:.｡. Day 15: 5 Bestest besties .｡.:*☆

Oh yes, let’s give it up for friendship! I do love a good friendship, nearly as much as siblings (but just nearly). Thailand I'd say is especially good at that game I feel like. Alright, here's my list!

- Pharm, Team, and Manaow in Until We Meet Again. They are so sweet the three of them, they love and care for each other, and their friendship while new-ish feels so solid and serene, I love them.

- Yamada Koharu from Kabe Koji. I honestly don’t think he could make it without her, she’s always here for him even when he can’t realize it properly. She is a fantastic friend to him all along. Also she is brilliant and hilarious and I love her.

- The two friend groups in Secret Crush on You, really. Especially our group of creative little weirdos, but I love how the two groups have each other’s back, and how they merge too. They’re really sweet and they all love each other which makes me weak in the knee.

- My boy Katori from Takara kun to Amagi kun. He didn’t make it in the Best Boy list (a shame), but he is definitely deserving of a place in this list! He’s always there to help those two (and heavens know they do need a nudge), he always look out for Amagi, and he is just so funny. (my boy is suffering)

- And because we started this game with some OG, I will end it with some OG and go with Yiwha from Together With Me! (the whole group gets it, but I'll put the focus on her). She is just that great, she was probably my favorite character of the show actually. She's just a bestest bestie TM.

And with that we finish the whole challenge! Thank you @negrowhat it was such a fun one =3 (I saw you mention you were planning a GL/QL one, I can't wait ^^)

[waitmyturtles]

Turtles Finds a Coping Mechanism: The Until We Meet Again Rewatches

I've been so committed to crushing through the Old GMMTV Challenge that I kind of didn't allow myself to think that life's blips and bloops would shake me from my pace.

Well, real life has SLAYED ME as of late, SLAYED ME, and as @lurkingshan has noted to me -- yes, there's a CERTAIN amount of dissonance for my watching UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, OF ALL SHOWS, as a coping mechanism, but here we are. I wanted to copy @bengiyo and rewatch UWMA anyway as a means of preparing for New Siwaj's Absolute Zero, which will be premiering at the end of September -- a time when my life will be calm-ish (???) again -- so I decided to take the plunge to see if UWMA would be a salve to my frayed nerves. It is, it totally is.

So here's some stream of consciousness notes, quite unlike my usual comparative/analytical style, just to honor what a ridiculously fabulous show UWMA is. (In my OGMMTVC analyses, I don't always get to gush over the cute stuff anyway because my posts get so long, so I'm doing a little of that here, too, ha.)

I knew that as soon as I watched it the first time for the OGMMTVC that I desperately wanted to rewatch it, so I just gave myself the go-ahead to eat the leum kleun candy. I've already completed one rewatch and am well into a second rewatch -- this show is so damn good, and now that I know the beats much better, I'm just having a lot of fun seeing in-depth the little nuances I missed the first time.

1) On my first watch, I did not appreciate how clearly Pharm was into Dean from the very start. The way Pharm flips through the photos of Dean that Team sends him from the first beach trip; the photo of Dean eating Del's breakfast; the way Pharm looks at the Facebook photo of Dean holding up the leum kleun. And how Pharm reacts when he saves Dean's phone number in his phone -- that ENORMOUS grin. I knew a lot going in the first time about Pharm's blushing maiden approach and how he was gunshy with intimacy for so much of the show. But I forgot in those early episodes -- homeboy was really into his crush! Taking that secret photo in the library, etc. He acknowledged it pretty immediately -- especially in that whispered conversation Pharm has with Team and Manaow in their English class. I had also forgotten that the show began with Pharm possibly questioning his sexuality, but being solidly knowledgable that it was Dean that was causing him to catch feelings.

2) Speaking of that fleeting moment in the library: after having watched the entire series the first time around, and remembering that Dean had saved that very first Post-It that Pharm had used to write a quick note on the papers that Pharm gave back to Dean in the library in... episode 2? Pharm had originally erased his name on that Post-It. It didn't click with me until this rewatch that Dean was able to make out Pharm's erased name from that Post-It -- which caused Dean to save the note, and use it as reference in the very last scene of the series. So cute.

3) I finally took the time to read about Phra Aphai Mani, the prince of the legend that Dean and Pharm talk about in the aquarium. Remember how Pharm says to Dean that Pharm doesn't like players?

DUDES. HAVE YOU READ ABOUT PHRA APHAI MANI? I guess, like, yes, if you're gonna have a super-long epic poem, a lot of shit needs to happen, but Aphai just kept marrying WIFE AFTER WIFE! FOUR WIVES TOTAL! One ogress, one mermaid, and two maybe humans? A half-ogress son here, a half-mer/son THERE, prince of THIS, king of THAT. Homeboy's life was COMPLICATED! I'm all EXTREMELY SYMPATHETIC to chaos, but this takes the damn cake. (And maybe gives me a touch more context into what's happening with that second marriage in I Feel You Linger In the Air, without the actual monsters/mermaids.) (Oh man -- imagine the Only Friends version of Phra Aphai Mani.) (NO.)

4) The first time around, I kind of though that the bits about Alex hitting on Pharm were a little extraneous and maybe a touch unnecessary, à la New Siwaj's style. But after my first rewatch, I stopped thinking so, and I actually began to enjoy them -- not only for how ridiculous they are, but I also recognized that that was the first time in the show that we see Pharm establishing boundaries. Of course, we see Pharm in his blushing maiden era forming boundaries with his P'Deeeean. But the way he's very clear with Alex, putting up as many walls as necessarily, and being exact in his communication that he likes someone else and is VERY not into dating Alex -- Pharm showed clarity and strength there. While Dean clearly liked to care for Pharm and treat Pharm as his younger companion -- Pharm also had agency, and knew he owned his agency, and I liked how that agency was first demonstrated vis à vis Alex.

5) I totally forgot about this, but -- I think it was the second time they had breakfast together in Pharm's condo? the third? that scene where Pharm's wearing the yellow shirt and he drops the bowl -- remember when Pharm asks Dean if he's mixed-race? I don't think I still understand the meaning of that. I'm guessing Pharm is asking if Dean is Thai-Chinese? I want to think on this more, because -- in episode 16, when Pharm goes to his uncle's/grandpa's house, it is clear that the house is a Thai-Chinese household. There are banners with Chinese script on the walls. I wonder if that was meant to indicate that Pharm was under the impression that he himself (Pharm) was fully ethnic Thai -- but with his relationship to his dad's side of the family being more revealed, it would turn out that Pharm himself was also "mixed." I did think it was cute that Pharm said, "I like it" to Dean after Dean's answer -- another instance where Pharm was being clearly flirty, despite the whole blushing maiden thing.

6) I did not appreciate the first time around, how good Ohm Thitiwat's acting was in the car scene when he's processing Korn's suicide. At the end of the series, I was so taken by the condo scene that I failed to give props to other intense moments, and that car scene was one of them. When Dean arrives at the building where Pharm and Sin lived next to each other -- a part of me wondered if he had originally intended to visit Sin, before hesitating to knock on Pharm's door. I'm not sure, and I wasn't sure after this rewatch. But that was a hell of a recognition moment on the part of Ohm's acting, and it was really damn good. (In fact -- it was my thinking about that car scene, and my wanting to watch it again, that prompted these rewatches in the first place.)

7) It may have been a little confusing, but: I really liked that the Korn x Intouch flashbacks were never presented in chronological order. I liked that the show had Dean and Pharm piece together their dreams and nightmares to come to a collective understanding about the trajectory of Korn and Intouch's relationship, even before Dean receives the background information from Sin. I know I was always a little confused during my first watch as to what moment in time I was watching with Korn and Intouch, but I recognize now that that was a reflection simply of when Pharm and Dean were receiving the same information themselves -- and I liked that the viewer was going through the same process that Dean and Pharm were going through.

8) At the way beginning of the series -- episode 2, maybe? episode 3? -- I like that Dean slyly figures out where to park himself on campus to see Pharm coming out of class. This is before the electric transformer explosion. Dean already was so swayed by Pharm. So cute.

9) I think it first struck me as a touch weird that Manaow and Del (Dean's sister!) were the admins of the DeanPharm chat group. But now that I can think more about it -- I wonder if they were doing that maybe as a way to help Pharm through his hesitancy and protect him from the fans. That being said: one of my absolute favorite moments was when Del first leans about Dean's first sleepover at Pharm's condo -- the way she jumps up and down and tries to calm her smile down. I was CRAAACKING up.

10) Maybe it's because I'm Indian, and used to very large and complicated families, that the relationship between Dean being a part of Intouch's family and having Korn's spirit, and vice versa with Pharm, wasn't confusing to me. But what really got me during my first rewatch was: Fluke Natouch's just INCREDIBLE acting when Pharm first meets Intouch's sister/Dean's grandmother, and Intouch's niece/Dean's mother. When I first watched the scene of Pharm meeting Dean's grandmother, a number of friends commented on loving that scene as well. GOD. It struck me as hard the second time around as the first time. And I think I was even MORE moved the second time around to see Pharm meeting Dean's mother.

Dean's mother had to process a LOT in the moment that she met Pharm. She had to process that her son had a boyfriend, that that boyfriend was there in her house in the first place, and that she'd have to tell her husband (Dean's dad) that their son's boyfriend was sleeping over. AND, that was all BEFORE Pharm had his reaction to Dean's mom once he was finally awake and processing things again. And THEN, she knew that Dean HIMSELF would have to tell his dad the next day and ask for his blessing. Moms have to go through a lot (do I ever know that life), but that was a LOT for Dean's mom, and god, I just gained a new appreciation for those scenes and how Dean and Pharm managed the whole damn thing together. (Also, now that I've seen The Love of Siam, as well as, of course, KinnPorsche -- and, OH, Be My Favorite, too! Kob Songsit. LEGENDARY BL DAD!)

11) My initial flip-out on the condo scene still stands. During my rewatch, I rewound it, like... three times? Fuck, man. One of the BEST BL scenes, ever, ever.

12) I loved taking my time to watch the very final scene, when Dean and Pharm have had the same dream of Korn and Intouch thanking them, and they get back together. I really loved paying attention to how all the Post-Its came back, the meaning of Never Forget, all the little notes and memories of when they had first met. Intouch's ring, the very first note Pharm wrote to Dean, all of it. Dean was such a sentimental simp from the start.

(Because I'm on such a DeanPharm kick -- and I know this is against better advice, but -- I'm considering a fast watch of Between Us just to see DeanPharm's conclusion. I know! The side couples are supposed to be chaotic, but, but. Once I get more time.)

13) Last note. Again, when I have time again, I'm wanting to write a Big Meta on separation. I've noted in some of the most important GMMTV BLs, that separation is often a key theme. But I think Pharm asking for a break was also incredibly key, and keyed into his continued commitment to setting boundaries. I think I probably fell most for Pharm as a character with him doing this -- strange, I know, since I love DeanPharm incessantly, but his standing up for clarity for his feelings meant so much for the internal strength he had gained by surviving the ordeal they had gone through. He was going to stick to his guns to make sure the relationship was authentic FOR HIM, and he did just that.

GOD, THIS WAS CATHARTIC! If you read this, thanks for going through this with me! I'm addicted to writing and this was a fun break in the midst of life chaos. I promise the OGMMTVC will hopefully continue without interruption, but that being said -- I'm watching Not Me, slowly, and having a great time with it. But UWMA is my woobie at the moment, and I just love having fallen in love with this show.