"tj and Ian developing as people and getting over their past guilt. Work through the trauma individually and together"
That's what readers can't fathom, two adults working on a relationship, fixing the problems they have as individually and together. Sometimes a relationship is worth saving, sometimes it's not but it all comes down to trying.
Yaoi heavily focuses on romance but it isn't neccessary for a relationship.
Tj and Ian development their current relationship through shared trauma. If they no longer want to be intimate after resolving that, that's fine.
They could be friends or just move on separately.
I've been reading yaoi/BL for over a decade at this point. I crave more stories where the characters are allowed to resolve deep rooted issues.
They get thrown into deeply traumatic situations but at best simply accept.
Acceptance is just the first step to processing trauma and other issues. I'd love to see more authors not just traumatise their characters for the hell of it.
I'd love to see more characters accept, process and push through their past/traumas.
I think a happy ending is tj and Ian developing as people and getting over their past guilt. Work through the trauma individually and together.
If they decide to stay single, great. If they end up together,, also great.
I can't ship Jo with Ian long term tho. Ian is damaged and Jo is a people pleaser. Jo will put himself last in everything. Ian is too in his own world and emotionally stunted to be a good partner to someone like Jo.
If everyone ends up single but better people, I'll be happy. But we know that's not happening.
I'd rather ship tj and Ian together because they have more raw chemistry and it's more balanced.
IanxJo would just make me sad for Jo.
Maybe the author will do something to change them each as people. We'll see.
Love alone doesn't justify a relationship from my pov.