Tag: omgcheckplease

An alternative to Bitty being completely oblivious to Jack’s feelings

ronanlynchisneversleepingagain:

Bitty is a gay man in a collegiate sport who grew up in the Deep South. He is Aware™ of himself at all times, even if he doesn’t talk about it on his vlog. He probably knows that although he is accepted now, if he crosses an invisible line of physical/emotional affection with some of the guys that acceptance can disappear in an instant. We can speculate on the sexuality of the other guys, but none of them are open in the way Bitty is, so he has to operate on different rules than the other guys.

We know, canonically, that he is mostly exempt from rough-housing. This isn’t because he’s smaller, it’s because he’s gay. Rough-housing is toeing that line and Bitty would probably be careful to exclude himself whenever possible. The other guys probably exclude him with the excuse that he’s small, but there’s a layer underneath that they would never acknowledge. This is the sort of thing that even really supportive straight friends do, often unconsciously. It’s part of the “unwritten rules”.

So, back to Jack. We’re shown the two of them getting increasingly touchy in the background of several panels Year 2. We’re shown through Bitty’s twitter that Jack seeks him out, incessantly chirps him (which by Bitty’s own admission, is a variation on flirting), and starts to include Bitty in the rough-housing. Bitty overheard the conversation with Parse and heard Parse interrupt Jack with what was probably a kiss. Bitty can connect those dots – he’s not dumb. The thing is – he’s also never going to bring it up, because Bitty understands living in the closet and how scary it is. He also understands that Jack’s future is on the line. Jack already has so much stacked against him – the overdose, the crazy expectations, his own crippling anxiety – and Bitty surmises that Jack can’t also live with his sexuality out in the open too. So, he lets Jack get closer, orbiting him, but never, ever pushes him or even hints that he knows. It’s a secret and Bitty isn’t going to violate that.

Instead, he just cherishes the moments he gets. He catalogs them carefully, even though it probably really hurts. The guy he has an outsize crush on keeps seeking him out and sitting too close to him and giving him piggyback rides and lending him his jacket. Bitty knows that this is outside the bounds of his other friendships. He knows that Jack is crossing the line and he lets him, instead of closing himself off and not allowing it like he might have with the other boys. He just shakes his head and says this boy.

What I’m getting at here is that Bitty might have known, or at least strongly suspected, that Jack had non-friend feelings for him. However, he also probably thought that Jack didn’t think they were important or big enough feelings to actually act on. That’s why we find Bitty literally sobbing in Jack’s room after graduation because Bitty thinks that it’s the absolute end of the road for them and even the casual flirtation will be gone as soon as he boards that plane to Georgia in a few hours. Jack is moving on to Providence and the NHL and Jack isn’t going to take the risk on his future. Bitty wasn’t expecting Jack to kiss him, but not because Bitty was oblivious to Jack’s feelings. He doesn’t expect the kiss because he has convinced himself that Jack does feel something for him, but not strongly enough to actually pursue it.

chirpingbitty:

The SMH team have a Harry Potter party and everyone has to go as a character, no excuses.

  • Jack is forced to be Harry, even though he’s way too tall, but everyone wanted to see him in glasses and to loudly proclaim he looks just like his father, but has his mother’s eyes.
    Holster and Ransom wanted to find him a real owl but Bitty said no.
  • Ransom goes as Lee Jordan and spends the entire night commentating on the events of the party at great volume.
  • Dex is a Weasley. Which Weasley, you ask.  All of them.
    (no, he was not given a choice).
  • Bitty was given suggestions such as Professor Flitwick and Professor Umbridge because of his height. He ignores both and goes as Dobby instead. People throw clothes at him all night.
  • Shitty goes as Dumbledore and spends half the evening dispensing Sherbet Lemons and wise advice. The other half is taken up by muttering cryptic warnings to Jack, who doesn’t understand most of them.
  • Holster agonises for eight days over his decision, before finally choosing Professor McGonagall, who is in his top 5 favourite characters of all time. He spends most of the evening chasing after Ransom, telling him to watch what he’s saying in a high-pitched voice and a passable Scottish accent.
  • Lardo goes as Sirius Black, and is undoubtedly the coolest person in the room. She shows up on a motorcycle. No one knew she could even drive one. Her moustache and flow rival Shitty’s.
  • Chowder goes as Hagrid, who was always one of his favourite characters. His costume is so good that it takes the team half the night to realise exactly who it is, and that’s only because he brings out his largest stuffed toy shark as a “pet”.
  • Nursey goes as Gilderoy Lockheart because they’re both extremely good-looking and has everyone around him laughing all night at his perfect blend of self-absorption and complete incompetence. He composes poems about himself on the spot.
  • Parson crashes the party halfway through the night, loudly announcing his displeasure at not being invited, and that “My father will hear about this”.