Fucking....
The story of a young man who comes to terms with the love he feels for a close supperior, through the painful situation he simply can't escape from. A supperior who is willing to do anything to lift this burden off his subbordinate's shoulders while finally reliving and forcing himself to struggle through the traumas he sustained from his own guilt at a failed relationship...
The painful past of the subbordinate pushing him to keep striving forward, with personal reasons.
And the regret housed in the supperior, as he does all he can to help his subordinate keep moving forward, even as he squints at him through a red rain of tears.
They finally confess.
They both see this happen after living through _seperate stories_ of _their own_ pain.
The start is just with the powers our white-haired character has.
Next is how the supperior acts and treats him, trying to keep in mind how to be kind.
It's amazing. Beautiful. Fantastic.
But they stopped right after they reunited and rushed through the understanding they both came to. They didn't pull enough on those strings the characters had.
But that's okay.
That wouldn't have fit with the vibe...
They could have just made the characters think on their emotions more. Slowly understand them with some slow reasoning through them and feeling them out. Wondering about them more. Maybe questioning them a little bit. Really thinking them through and experimenting in that deep, deep place of personal reflection in their hearts, where no one else is privy to.
Or they could have been put under more and more pressure together, forcing them closer, to rely on one another more. To hold one another's hand to support the other, slowly understanding they will be perfectly supported back with a steel grip of compassionate care. Come to feel what it's like to be two who mostly rely on one another, because they know the other is who they can rely on most easily in this situation. That there's something like that binding them.
Something should have been done with the flower. They should have placed it in a vase whenever they got home, or something. Like a light in the darkness kind of ritual, helping them hold on. Or as a happy moment in this situation which was shit and dark for them both, to smile at one another about. Again, something personal to them both.
Or made them sepperate and force them to go MORE on their own journeys, before they reunite and continue to confessing. Or that could happen after they confess.... There was a beautiful strength to how these characters both could have taken their own stories, which they didn't, and it should have been explored.
And, of course, as with all stories that end JUST after the couple get together, show some fucking life they lead together. Are they even REMOTELY compatible? Why the fuck should I take your word for it? I love these boys, but are they perfect? NO! Now... show me some of how they grow together and work together... Because these both look not only like they're good as a couple.... But, as a rarity, like they can be powerful when apart, too. And that was wasted.
Boo. Fucking. Hoo.
10/10
Stigmata - Aikon