This Is Not an Adam/Rahim Ship Manifesto
Mainly because I refuse to acknowledge I’m that far gone. So this is simply a list of moments between them I think were neat for one reason or another.
1. The “Adam doesn’t write you poetry?” scene. The more I look at it, the more convinced I become that was a genuine question. Look at his confused little headshake at Eric’s reaction!
He honestly doesn’t get why Eric’s laughing like that. And this is way before Rahim realizes Adam isn’t just the unremarkable boring horse who “stole” his boyfriend. I really like that he doesn’t have these rigid preconceived notions about what Adam might be capable of. (Which, to be fair to Eric, he’s known Adam much longer, and seen him at his worst for most of that time. But the fact that he can’t seem to really look past that even now, when they’re dating, and Adam is actively working on himself is just one more reason they don’t really work together).
2. The “You have confiture on your tie.” scene. Here’s the thing. I don’t actually particularly like the whole “Adam is a messy eater, ends up looking like an uncouth idiot with food all down his front” running theme this season was rocking. But I do appreciate that, unlike everyone else, Rahim actually told him he got food on himself. I don’t think he did it out of the goodness of his heart or anything, it’s clearly a dig, but I still like that he told him. Actually, it’s kind of similar to Rahim telling Adam that no, Eric and he weren’t talking about magic, they were talking about poetry. He clearly thinks Adam’s a bit of an idiot in that instance—and probably isn’t unhappy about the chance to show him he and Eric still have something Adam isn’t part of—but he still tells him what’s going on.
Considering how often Adam seems confused by things and left floundering while the people around him expect him to figure shit out on his own, I like this pattern of behaviour where, even when he’s at his most antagonistic towards Adam, and his motives aren’t exactly pure, he’s still the guy who tells Adam what’s going on. I mean, I doubt that’s what I was supposed to take from those interactions, but it’s what I got—and it works for my shipping purposes, so I’m embracing it.
3. Adam taking the blame for the poo incident when he sees Rahim is freaking out about it. And Rahim immediately owning up to it as soon as Adam takes the blame.
And related to that, while Rahim is clearly uncomfortable by the public shaming from start, it’s when Hope starts in on Adam that he jumps up and says something. And sure, it’s probably in large part due to Adam being shamed for something Rahim did, but that instinctual, angry defence, telling Hope to stop, is still nice to see. Also, I’m very into how Cal, Lily and Adam get called up, and Jackson, Ola and Rahim are the three whose reactions we cut to first.
4. The “Poetry’s dumb. It’s just long words that don’t make any sense.” scene. I love everything about Rahim’s “Maybe you’re not listening.” response. I love that he doesn’t mock Adam for not understanding poetry, but instead reads him his own, easy to understand poem*, and tells Adam he was wrong about him.
*Sidenote, I like the way Adam tries to read Pablo Neruda because Eric likes poetry, and clearly doesn’t get it at all, and then gets read a poem he does understand by Rahim.
5. “I think I was wrong though. You’re not as unremarkable as I thought.” 🥰🥰🥰
6. The moment when the lights go off on the bus and everyone’s winding down, and we see Ms Sands and Mr Hendricks being all in love, Ola and Lily, Jackson and Cal, and Aimee and Steve’s relationships all in various states of trouble, the happy resolution of Viv’s sexting issues with Eugene, and Maeve and Eric smiling about their kiss… in the middle of all that, we have Rahim looking at Adam and smiling.
7. Rahim’s wry amusement when Adam asks for his help in writing a poem for Eric, and the fact that that’s immediately followed by easy agreement. And I really like that the feedback he gives Adam is honest but not cruel or mocking, and that he gives him good advice for future attempts. Even when he touches on the subject of whether or not Adam should keep writing, it about how he shouldn’t feel the need to do it just because Rahim does, not because Rahim doesn’t think he can do it.
8. That dog person vs. cat person moment was just cute.
9. The fact that Rahim isn’t glad when Adam tells him Eric kissed someone else. But even more than that, I love the fact that, in that scene, it’s Rahim who approaches Adam and starts walking with him. And I love that Rahim asks about the dog show flyer, and that, as shown by the “That’s really stupid, man / Charming.” exchange, they’ve come to the point where they can tease each other.
9. They sit together during the “we’re selling the school” announcement assembly!
10. Adam feels comfortable to ask Rahim to read The Poem for him, before he gives it to Eric.
11. Rahim keeping the dog show flyer on his bedside table! And he asks if Adam’s little dog won.
12. Every single thing about Rahim reading Adam’s poem.
That is the face of a dude who just got hit by an emotional two-by-four. Made even better by the fact that he then totally tries to play it cool when texting Adam about it. Not great but not bad? Dude, you literally had to lie down, that’s how shook you were by it!
13. The fact that Adam just got his heart broken by Eric, but when Rahim texts him, mainly about the poem Adam wrote for Eric, Adam is still all relaxed and smiley reading those texts.
In conclusion, I just really like them and I think they could be good together and I hope the show goes there. And even if it doesn’t, I sure hope fandom writes lots of fic.
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