Got it. The thought that was just out of my reach, I mean, not the only possible conclusion, of course. (Do check the notes, there are some awesome thoughts in there!)
In a well-written love story, of course love has to play an important role. It has to do something, it can't be just an afterthought. And I can point to many ways in which love is either useless or destructive in MDZS, but it felt like an oversimplification to stop there. Yes, love, like everything else, is tangled up in the worst aspects of the world the characters live in. But to say there's nothing uniquely good about love in this world feels disingenuous? I never get that sense, I do get the sense that people are right in loving, even if the results of that love can be disastrous sometimes. And then it hit me.
That's basically it. In a story where truth and lies are so central, love is about remembering. Grievances lead to grudges, thankfulness leads to debts - I'm sorry and thank you, right? Love leads to memories. You remember because you care, because you're paying attention enough to notice things in the first place. It's really that simple.
The sheer amount of mementos in this story should've clued me in tbh, but if it hadn't - I only had to think of how the story begins and ends. The antidote to narratives being spun about you is to have even a single person who will look at you, and see you, and remember you.
LWJ might be powerless to stop WWX's downward spiral, or to bring him back to life, but. He remembers his favorite wine and his sense of humor. He remembers him throwing flowers and playing with a child. On his body, LWJ has scars so he will never forget him. Oh, and he recognizes WWX because even in a new life, he still remembers their song.
vaporwave
blakekathryn
2087
dailybridgerton
stormborns
