They’re close friends and friends with benefits (sexually). But nothing more so far. We have 2 more seasons after this and the endgame will be revealed halfway of season 3
honestly i wouldn't call them friends they're a lot more than that. tj and ian grew up together since they were teenagers, they've dealt with a lot of trauma together and went through gang life, addiction, and i think poverty together too.
at some point they loved each other but couldn't be together because (it still isn't clarified that much) but one reason is because tj chose the gang over ian when ian wanted to leave the gang.
right now, ian is really attached to tj and can't let go of him because they're stuck in a toxic cycle. i think ian still has some love for tj but not as much as he used to, but tj's love for ian is more of the obsessive and possessive type. they're just really attached and can't end this cycle, even when ian tried to cut things off with tj, ian immediately regretted it and ran out to fix things with tj again.
I couldn’t have worded it better. They are like family rather than just saying friends. It’s a special type of relationship but they also aren’t lovers since the circumstances don’t allow. And TJ being more involved in the gang world is what makes them incompatible I think. They prioritize different things. The right person but wrong timing.
Their codependency makes Ian attached to TJ and not just that but he cares for TJ. They grew up together and have spent decades together, it only makes sense.
Ian wants to let go but he’s stuck in this cycle holding them together. It’s sad
yesss they just both need to let go and go to therapy. that's the only way they'll both be able to be normal functioning people who don't hurt others like joe or each other.
so i’ve read like maybe the first 4, 5 chapters and was kind of set on Jo being the endgame. i dropped it when i learned it was gonna be a love triangle. can someone pls tell me the relationship between ian and tj?