Some of the evidence supporting Mike not being in love with El is brutal. No, but seriously.
In s3, when El's leg is injured, instead of Mike putting his arm around her waist, allowing him to take some of the weight off her injured leg, he puts his arm around her shoulder, basically having the exact opposite affect of taking the weight off of her, instead just adding more weight for her to have to carry.
Now, I’m not coming at Mike here, I’m actually coming at the writers, because this choice here has everything to do with them using this gesture to signal Mike’s lack of feelings for El, even at the expense of realism.
I say this bc any person with common sense, including Finn and everyone around him and Millie filming these shots, would've known it looked unnatural for Mike to be adding more weight onto El as opposed to taking some off of her.
This means that what Mike did here, Finn was directed to do, and therefore it was for a specific reason.
And we know they could have easily made the opposite choice, because they show us Max AND Lucas doing it.
See how putting an arm around El's waist looks so much more natural? Because homegirl is injured and clearly needs help taking weight off her leg to qualm some of the pain she's experiencing there, which is why Max and Lucas are shown here doing it the correct way.
And so, why can't Mike do the same? Why are the writers making a point to show Mike being incapable of simply taking some weight off of El, instead doing the exact opposite?
I don't think it's as deep as Mike not being able to do something intimate, and that's bc, again we see Max and Lucas doing it.
I honestly think what they're trying to convey with this choice here, is that Mike thinks he's helping El, when he is in fact doing the opposite despite his best efforts. The implications of that and how that sort of aligns with their romantic relationship and what it leads to at the end of s3, going into s4, is pretty spot on.
I do think Mike thinks he's doing the right thing by being with El instead of voicing any doubts at the end of s3, because he is under the assumption that she is in love with him. I do think he believes he is indebted to her and that this is the least he can do after everything they've been through together, which has mostly been riddled with romantic pressures and so continuing that instead of disputing it seems like the only option anyways. Not to mention, he does care for her deeply, so it's not hard to imagine that he's a teenage boy confusing deep care for love (he literally tells us this is his problem when he can only say care and not love to El's face... but that's a whole other conversation).
Still, when it's all said and done, Mike's not actually doing El any favors by being with her romantically, if that is not what he truly wants.
Because that's the sad truth about all of this, which is that you would never want someone to be with you just because you want them. If you knew that they truly couldn't have those feelings for you, you'd want to know, right? You don't deserve someone just because you have deep feelings for them. And I think there's so many layers to this idea, bc many people are capable of not giving Byler a chance bc they truly believe Mike could never return Will's feelings. Will also feels this way atp, so though it hurts, he rips the band aid off, because he would never want Mike to be with him just out of pity or something. No one would want that. And so it all really comes down to who Mike truly loves romantically and wants to be with. And the right thing to do, even if it hurts someone, is to be honest, because being with them just bc you think that will make them happy is never going to be enough if you aren't truly feeling it, or worse, feel it for someone else.
We see how Mike's inability to be honest with El at the end of s3, leads to a season of Mike feeling deeply insecure and undeserving of the love El has to offer him, and even though he does try, he always comes up short. Despite Mike putting up this front that they are the perfect couple, the details are telling us something is off. And it gives him away.
Another example that I think is very similar to this loaded gesture from Mike to El in s3, is the scene in s4 when they hug in the airport.
Common sense ppl, picture this: You're reuniting with your long distance girlfriend. Then suddenly, she runs up to you, with her arms wide open, and instead of opening your arms wide to embrace her properly, you take the bouquet of flowers you brought her as a gift, and shove them against your chest just as she approaches to hug you, effectively squishing the present you got for her (a pretty delicate present at that) for no reason other than to... what exactly?
Like?? El isn't even squishing the present Mike, she's trying to hug you, dude! Your gf is trying to hug you properly and you threw the gift you got for her in between you so you could throw in a careful! x3??
Again, this has less to do with Mike's thoughts and reasoning behind this gesture in a literal sense, and more to do with the simple fact that this is a narrative choice! Mike is not a real person! There are real people sitting down and writing this and actors are having to do multiple takes to act it out. What feels natural for a situation is going to be what is often chosen 9 times out of 10, because of realism and wanting the audience to see stuff happening that is believable. That 1 time though, when it's not being done the way it would usually be, is usually because there's a specific reason for it.!
So the question really is, not why is Mike doing this, but why are the writers having Mike do this, and what message are they trying to convey about Mike's feelings based on his behavior, in these moments where he's just not capable of committing to El genuinely, one way or another?
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Here's some of my favorite things that happened in Chapter 204 of Undead Unluck:
[UNDEAD UNLUCK CH. 204 SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON, SO BE CAREFUL!]
Feng calling Ichico Hidey Eyes: 😂
That's such an adorable nickname, so the fact that Feng of all people came up with it and started calling her that, made me laugh out loud...!! 👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣
"You're the first person who has ever won my heart.": 💗😭💗
What Ichico says to Nico here was so sweet, it made my heart MELT!! 💗😭💗
"SORRY! I'M ALREADY TAKEN!!": 👏
YEAH NICO!! TELL HER!! 😆 This was such a sweet and badass line, I can't wait for UMA Language to get her ASS KICKED!! 👏👏👏
That's all for today!! I can't wait for next week's chapter...!! 👏😆
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hey everyone! i'm starting 2024 off strong. i recently hit 1k followers and i wanted to thank all of you for following me! i'm really glad to be surrounded by so many amazing people, and i'm glad that so many people like my content that they even decide to follow me ♡♡♡ also thank you all for putting up with me and my txf obsession lately where i spam with gifs of it all the time hhahah ♡♡♡
now onto the celebration! check out this page for all things i am willing/can gif! also no complicated rules, just that you follow me (since it is a follower celebration) and you can send as many as you want (only one per ask tho). i'm not sure when i'll close the requests but i will edit it into this post when i do. anywayssssssss, send me an emoji + one of the prompts below:
🎥 send me a show + an episode or a film for a timestamp roullette
🌗 send me two shows/films/characters/ships/seasons or episodes of a show to choose between
👽 send me character/ship/show etc. + song/lyrics/quote
🪐 send me character/ship/show/film + color(s).
tagging some beloved mutuals below! you should check them out as they're all amazingly talented people! ♡♡♡
extra special shoutout to loml @krystaljungs who puts up with my annoying ass every day, who's my go-to person for advice on my gifs, who listens to me talk about my numerous obsessions all the time, basically my ride or die! ilysm ♡♡♡
@antoniosvivaldi @ayo-edebiri @bellamysgriffin @bo-kryzze @chrrispine @clairesbeauchamp @craintheodora @crowley-anthony @crowleybrekkers @crushcrushcrushs @eddiediaaz @fawad-khan @jakeperalta @jakeyp @jamescarstairs @khaotunqs @laurabenanti @llokilaufeyson @margarethcarter @matlillard @mike-mills @mulderscully @neil-patrick @neo-trinity @robin-buckely @rosamndpike @samanthamulder @sansakenobi @scullyblr @sharpesjoy @singularities @thedoctorsdonnas @yennefer
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Comms are OPENED indefinitely. ♥️
No limit on photos, you can request as many as you'd like.
No NSFW please, light stuff is okay, just not the heavy stuff (nudity, sexual, etc).
Couple/Choom photos are $5 flat, meaning no matter how many people you want in a photo it's $5!
Cashapp is heavily preferred, PayPal is mainly for international babies.
Wait time is -5-7 days, two weeks tops.
Payment upfront.
Please DM me with presets, any mods you have/want and any ideas you may have for me please. Otherwise I will free-ball, my style.
On the sheet are just a couple examples of what I do, however here are some of my tags if you'd like to see more examples up close and better quality. ♥︎
oc: vaughn leblanc (my main baby boy)
otp: golden hues (my babies)
oc: maggie borden (my main baby girl)
Please feel free to reach out to me via tumblr or discord, same username. (Discord is recommended to preserve quality).
Update 03/31/2024: Comms open indefinitely. However I won't be reblogging this again unless something drastic changes, this post is pinned at the top of my page so if anyone is interested in the future it's there :] thank you to everyone who has came to me and has just been so lovely 🥰 I now also have a new pc so my VP is ever improving and the comms Ive done have helped motivate and inspire me ♥️
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Hi everyone!! As you may know, I am officially seventeen years old today!! 😁🩷
So to celebrate, I thought it might be fun to open a secret drawing box!! :D 💖
Please don't feel obligated to send me anything if you don't want, but if you'd like, you can anonymously send me a little drawing!! Anything is fair game, as long as it isn't inappropriate or disrespectful in any way, but I totally trust you guys to keep things mature and appropriate X3 💖
I can't wait to see what you guys send me!! :D 🩷
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Hi! would you by any chance have tips on how to get a binder when your parents refuse to buy you one? ☹️
That's definitely a sensitive and complex answer, and while I might not know of the best option for your unique situation, there are some ways you can go about this.
If it's a foregone conclusion that you cannot convince them of this, what I used to do is DIY my binder. The ways I primarily did this were:
Option One: Wearing a camisole that was one size smaller than I actually was (so, wearing a small instead of a medium, for instance), then folding it up over my chest. As a disclaimer, this may only work well if you are smaller in the chest
Option Two: Layering two sports bras in my size over each other. Some of the DIY tips I found before I got a traditional binder advised to wear one sports bra in your size, then wear another sports bra backwards in a size smaller. I would advise against this for potential safety reasons, but also because (at least personally), it can be ineffective and a waste of resources.
Some people have also had friends or other family members order their binder for them, but this can be risky, depending on your situation. While I don't know the ins and outs of your specific circumstances, risk management is important to me, so I would recommend this if it is a risk that is acceptable to make.
I understand what it's like to not have access to this resource, so what I will do is advise you against:
Binding with ace bandages (I did this before (multiple times, in fact, because of dysphoria), and believe me, not only did it hurt like hell, but it constricted my body so heavily that I may have done long-term harm)
Wearing a DIY binder (or any kind, for that matter) for longer than your body can handle
Doing DIY in such a way that even mimics binding with ace bandages. This means that your binder shouldn't constrict your ribs, breathing, or range of movement
Here are some general good practices that you should use to guide you for any type of binding, whether traditional or DIY:
When you start binding, only do so in very short sessions to begin with. While binding shouldn't outright hurt, it can be a weird transition while your body is getting used to that new sensation
Minimize heavy lifting or exercise while binding. If it is unavoidable, drink plenty of water and take plenty of breaks
Stretch after binding
Don't bind while sick or have inflammation in your lungs or chest
If you DIY, treat your binder like it is a traditional binder. Don't make the mistake of assuming you don't need to listen to your body because you aren't using a "traditional" binding method
Ultimately, listen to your body. If it is telling you that it needs a break, honour that. Your body isn't punishing you, it is trying to keep you (and it) safe, even if it doesn't feel like it
In the end, this isn't perfect. Sometimes, parents do come around, even in their own ways, even if little by little, they come around. When I first came out officially around 2016, I was convinced that my transition would be completely forbade by my family; I concealed a lot of it in the worst instances of this. However, now, I think most of my family has come through their own journey with the understanding of the reality of what and who I am. I tell you this, anon, because I want you to know that this, too , shall pass. You can make it. I know this might be devastating to you, and believe me, I know what that's like. But it won't be forever. These bridges aren't burnt forever, and I hope you can find your happiness and contentment wherever it may be.
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