Tim awoken to the feeling something softly carding through his hair, gentle finger brushing back his long bangs. It was soothing and he almost closed his eyes again. But the familiar hum of the Batcomputer reminded him that he wasn't supposed to sleep. He has a case to work on.
He lifted his head from the pillow that was his arms and looked at the clock. He had fallen asleep for an hour. Great, an hour wasted.
"Thanks for waking me up, Bruce," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he looked around the table for his mug of coffee. It was gone. He was sure it was here a moment ago.
"Go back to sleep, Tim," Bruce said from behind him, his hand moving from Tim's head to rest on his shoulder.
Tim shook his head, abandoning his visual search for his coffee in favour of analyzing the data on the screen. His head feels heavy as does his eyes but he should be close to cracking this case and after that he needs to prepare a presentation for a WE meeting he would be attending by the end of the week. "I need to finish working on this."
He squawked when he was suddenly pulled to his feet, all traces of tiredness temporarily startled out of him. Bruce placed an arm around his shoulders, steering him away to the stairs and Tim's feet automatically followed.
Until his brain caught up with the fact that Bruce was bringing him to the Manor and away from the computer.
He tried to pull away. "Bruce, I have-"
Bruce pulled him closer and Tim couldn't resist from melting into his father's side. "You're not working on the case until you've rested."
"But I just did."
"I meant properly rested. At least a six hour sleep, one proper meal and a small break from coffee."
Tim pouted. He doesn't need to sleep for six hours. He doesn't have time for it. Besides, he once made a discovery that he works better with less sleep and more coffee.
But his brain apparently thought otherwise as he felt an unetheral weight draging his mind. He nearly tripped on his own feet and the stair steps, when he was suddenly hoisted into his father's arms. Part of him wanted to struggle. But another, bigger part of him really was tired. And Bruce was warm and comfortable. He snuggled as they exited out of Bruce's study.
The next time he blinked, Bruce was suddenly tucking him into bed, bringing up his blanket to his chin. Tim closed his eyes again as his father brushed his hair and a soft kiss was pressed onto his head.
"Goodnight, Tim."
"Night, Dad."
Okay so, one annoying trend I've noticed as an aroace Nuts and Dolts shipper, is that a lot of my fellow Nuts and Dolts shippers like to reduce Penny to "girl who is in love with Ruby".
To give you an idea of how annoying this is, in RWBY Chibi, a lighthearted, noncanon, comedy spin-off where everyone's basically a comically flanderized version of themself, Penny Polendina has many interests outside of her bond with Ruby.
She's fascinated by insects (especially fireflies and crickets).
She wants to be a DJ.
She has a love for sports.
Now, this might not seem like much, except for the fact that Penny and Ruby are, in several shorts, implied to be dating in the Chibiverse.
Yes, the plotless, humorous parody series featuring a flanderized and watered down Penny Polendina as a recurring side character puts more thought into who she is as a person than several fanfics that make her a main character.
NOTE: Before you do read this, please note that I am Native SouthEast Asian (SEAsian) so I'm viewing it wholly from the perspective of someone who is SEAsian and living in SEA. The Artist is also a SEAsian trans guy from Indonesia and the characters in the webcomic are either SEAsian or East Asian. So I think there are some things that would fly over westerners' head (and yes, even western-based POCs cuz while our cultures may overlap, there are still variances. It's not a bad thing tho. It's just some things are different but nothing to worry about. It doesn't mean you are less Asian, just mean you are Asian in a different way).
A short impression and Summary
As a short summary, Boyfriends Webtoon is a lighthearted romcom story featuring a polycule of four guys who are basically the archetypal jock, prep, nerd and goth but they remain nameless aside from their archetypes (unless you go to the artist's patreon apparently, where they do have names. Don't follow the artist's patreon tho so idk what they are). They all go to the same college and it's pretty much just soft and cute moments, nothing heavy. The later part of the story also feature a polycule of four women too who are also archetypal jock, prep, nerd and goth. The two polycules interact as friends but still focus mainly on the guys, hence the title "boyfriends."
It's very tropey especially in the first half and it features a lot of pop culture memes but it's expected since the characters are based on pop culture archetypes. For the first parts, it feels too plotless, too general and very light to read. I can't say for sure though if it's done to ponder to a wider audience or if it's because of the artist's lack of experience in writing. In the later portions though, I think he's started making some liberties as there's already an established audience. I'm seeing more and more SEAsian easter eggs and the main characters are interacting more with others. The characters are starting to feel more animated and there's definitely improvement in how the artist writes his story. All in all, it's a fun read. If you're looking for stories that dive deeply into being queer and queer relationships, this one just isn't it.
2. On the characters and their cultural background
The bf polycule are exactly what their archetypes are so expect the tropes (won't explain that either) but I love that the artist interweaved some very common SEAsian dynamics into some characters in a matter of fact kinda way, which is nice especially in the later parts. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Jock (bf) is Vietnamese and has a thing for cooking. He's been featured making ca phe trung (Vietnamese egg yolk coffee), bahn mhi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich tho the word itself can also just mean bread) and Banh Bao (steamed buns). His graduation pic also featured his mom in Ao Dai (Vietnam's national outfit). He mentioned getting hand-me-down clothes before (THIS MUNDANE ASIAN THING IS BIG OKAY?! I'VE NEVER FELT MORE REPRESENTED) and he has a high-functioning older sister (who is the jock in the gf polycule). One time he's asked why he is like "so good at everything" and his reply was something like "trying having an older sibling who is an achiever." Out of everyone, I think he's the one with the most SEAsian easter eggs. He's also bi and we see him flirting with women too (at least before they were in a closed polyam relationship).
Prep (bf) is Singaporean though haven't seen anything particular Singaporean about him (others might. I admit, don't know much on Singaporean culture). I feel tho, he is written as the SEAsian rich kid at your school who "has to be good" at both studies and extracurriculars cuz their parents are mega rich. It hasn't been touched but this could be a really good way to address the very real asian issue of Asian parents expecting too much outta their kids simply because they provide for them. It is reflected in his chara too. Like the whole "am I likable" drama at the start is less imma drama queen and screams "I'm an SEAsian kid and parents expected too much from me so now I've set unrealistic expectations for myself" energy. He uses the rainbow flag but idk if it's used to mean he's queer in some way go guess what or if he's like gay.
Goth (bf) is Chinese while Nerd (bf) is Japanese but I think they pander more to East Asian pop culture that's like prevalent in SEAsian rather than actual JPN/CHN culture but ngl, I get why the cultural portrayal is watered-down. Japan (contrary to how Japanese were treated poorly and unjustly so in the USA due to racism) invaded Southeast Asia first during WW2. This led to destruction of infrastructure, hunger, abuse and even death of countless Southeast Asians at the hands of the Japanese military. China, on the other hand, is one of the biggest imperialist/neo-colonialist powers in Southeast Asia, right next to the USA (not to mention Chinese mainlanders are one of the biggest gentrifiers of SEAsian neighborhoods in SEAsia). There's stigma that's hard to process outside of pop culture, as well as a lack of insight on how irl Native East Asians actually live their lives. Nerd (bf) is pan though and Goth (bf) is trans. I think his transness is handled pretty well but since the artist is also trans, it's right up his alley.
As for the gf polycule, there's not much cuz they are fairly new characters. Jock (gf) also Vietnamese. Prep (gf) is Korean and a transwoman. Goth (gf) is Indonesian and Nerd (gf) is Filipino and trans/non-binary. Nerd (gf) used "hay nako" which is a phrase often used by us Filipino when we are exasperated or in disbelief. It's kinda funny though cuz after saying it, they go on to do the task the the phrase was directed to. (If that ain't Filipino, idk what is).
3. On the setting
Boyfriends webtoon is set on a College but on exactly where, it is up for interpretation. Interestingly though, everyone has different nationalities (Artist used nationalities, not ethnicity or race) so makes me wonder if they're like in an international school or something. But like because the setting is a blank slate, it can be set anywhere. Not to say this is a bad thing because again, panders to a more general audience, but it can also be a weakness since it's gonna lack nuances that are pretty clear when the setting is established. It's lost in translation.
A prime example would be western people mistaking Prep (bf) as a white guy even though he's actually a SEAsian rich kid and only SEAsians can truly see this nuance either through shared experience or like knowing people like him. But if say, the setting was established as in South East Asia, it'll be easier to frame his character.
4. On the language
I think I'd give the artist pretty decent points on this one. While it is true that the writing in general feels limited (partly too cause the story is quite simple), y'all have to understand English is not the first language of South East Asians. One thing I've heard people note is that sometimes the conversations feel like they are in group chats/chatrooms rather than speaking in a conversational level and that's a valid point. These people are probably native English speakers who speak the language very casually and it's understandable why they'd feel a dissonance cuz it's not the type of English they are used to.
But let's try to meet half-way. SEAsians rarely use full English in conversational levels. For conversations, English is often mixed together with the local languages like Taglish, Singlish, Kapampanglish and Chinglish and it is forced to adapt to our intonations and language quirks, or we just don't use English at all. Full English is only often used in formal school/office settings or when, you guessed it, talking to people in chat groups where only English is the shared language. US/UK-based conversational English isn't something we can acquire without actively looking for it and even then, it would be a totally useless skill aside from making online content that panders specifically to US/UK-based casual English speakers. I think it is unreasonable to require this type of English mastery to SEAsian content creators. Add up the fact that US/UK are SEAsian colonizers and English remained popular as a language here due to US/UK imperialism. While it is constructive criticism and I do think there is also room for improvement, it translates to insensitivity to people already trying to speak another language to accommodate you, at least the way I see it.
5. On themes
The theme of the webcomic is very escapist. From the pastel design to the very simple cutesy storyline, it doesn't have like this ~realistic queer experience~ energy to it but I think that's the point. It assumes a world that's pretty much the same as ours but virtually without any transphobia, polyphobia, homophobia and just general queerphobia. This is why we get scenes of Jock's mom calling all his boyfriends her future son-in-laws (as Asian moms often do when they see their daughters bring home a good guy) or like scenes where they are very embarrassed about the PDA (like queer PDA is gonna legit get you expelled in a lot of SEA countries or worse, you can go to jail). It's written very simply but its has a queer escapism theme of like "would be nice if my life and future wouldn't be on the line just for being queer." And while I'm not often into overly fluffy media, that theme is one hell of a mood.
6. Final Note
Honestly, I think that the allegation against this webcomic are blown out of proportion. I don't think it's like groundbreaking queer media but there's nothing particularly fetishy about it. It definitely is tropey though but that's also kinda the point. The characters are, after all, pop culture archetypes. I also feel it is like written for a younger audience but there's nothing particularly wrong about that either. If you like very light reads and meme energy romcoms, I would recommend it. But if you don't or if you tried to read it but didn't like it, that's okay too. A content that's queer doesn't have to be liked by all queer people. I just hope that if you don't like it, you are at least civil with those who do and don't fall into hate/cringe culture hole.
On a personal note, I think I might read future chapters but what I like about it is the SEAsian tidbits I'm seeing in the later chapters. I don't wanna oversell that though lol (but considering how few SEA queer pop media we get, I'm taking it).
emile ... my sweet baby boy. he’s an extremely friendly muse all around, and while he seems like he’d crumple at the first sign of danger, emile has surprisingly good fight or flight instincts. there’s a part of him that can work well under pressure, so when the world literally is on fire, emile will unexpectedly take charge and call the shots. of course, that’s when the pressure is really on — for the most part, emile is extremely non-confrontational and is perpetually stuck in a loop of ‘what am i doing with my life?’ as he wakes up everyday to a job he doesn’t care for. he makes the best of things, however, and finds pleasure in the simple things. he especially loves being out in nature, so that’s where he’ll truly be himself. in terms of his love life, he’s trying — that’s all i can really say on the matter. he’d be a good boyfriend, though, once things get serious; my sources have confirmed this.
supernatural plots — boy howdy, does emile befriend supernatural beings easily! i’m not sure what it is, but he really has a history of forming meaningful relationships with those who aren’t human, and it might just stem from the fact he thinks they’re incredibly interesting so long as, you know, they aren’t trying to kill him. so throw your magical girls, your aliens, your monsters, your non-human muses at emile because boy howdy is he down for the shenanigans and the adventure that comes alone with befriending these muses. he will absolutely literally be so fascinated by them and not give them grief if they’re nice to him !!! if they try to kill him, boy howdy will he be ready to run for his life because emile is already scared of everything and now he gotta run to save his ass.
family friendly wholesome plots — emile + children is literally one of the best things on this blog. i say this for like two other muses on this blog too but c’mon, emile and kids literally get along so well, how could i not suggest this possibility too in an interaction guide for him? he’s one of best babysitters and would love to interact with young muses, even if they aren’t small children but still quite young. even tween/teenagers might get along with him ( though if they’re going through some angst, he’s gonna be ... a lil awkward )
nature/camping/plant plots — i mentioned that emile loves being out in nature, and this has long been the case since he was young. i make fun of him by saying he’s like an overgrown boy scout just because he has so much knowledge about the outdoors and camping from years of doing things like hiking. he also has a green thumb; really loves himself a nice plant. so here are some plots where your muse:
needs a camping/hiking buddy and invites emile ( pre-est relationship most likely )
meets emile at a campsite ( first meeting type of plot ! )
is a camp counselor at a summer camp and emile is your co-counselor/head counselor and yall gotta take care of all these fking kids together for a whole summer
works at a plant nursery/floral shop and they always see emile come in bc he hoards plants and loves to buy fresh cut flowers, either for himself or his sister, alison bc she loves flowers too
just ... talks to emile about his plants casually or asks him for advice on why their plant isn’t doing so well
needs a new trail mix/energy bar recipe and asks emile ( a neighbor? a friend? someone who is also looking at recipe books in a book store? ) if he has any
art/photography/music plots — like his sister, emile dabbles in a lot of hobbies too and he shares a lot of those with alison. the biggest differences lie in the fact that while alison favors watercolor painting or body art with acrylics, emile prefers sketching with paper/pen and paper. similarly, while alison mainly plays the piano, emile plays the violin. photography is something both siblings share, though emile likes to take pictures of landscaping in addition to portraits. here are some plots where your muse:
needs a photographer for their *insert special event here* and hires emile
needs a violinist for their *insert fancy event here that requires live music* and hire emile
asks emile for violin lessons
wants to play pictionary with emile and that’s how they learn that emile can draw really well
“what even is emile’s romantic life” plots — my boy really tries to fall in love, okay. he tries, but it’s not that easy for him when you take into account how he’s not really out of the closet to a lot of people in his life and how he generally just has terribly luck with romantic relationships in general. this started back in high school, and it really doesn’t do much for his self esteem when it come to dating. it kind of puts dating on the back burner for him, really, especially since he isn’t in the best place in his life at the moment to find a serious relationship, but he still likes to try and go on dates once in a while, and he’s trying to learn to embrace the fact he isn’t straight. so here are some plots where your muse:
bothers emile a lot about why he doesn’t have a girlfriend and plays matchmaker/tries to teach him how to talk to girls because that’s what you think the problem is
gets set up on a blind date with emile and it either goes really well, or it goes really badly. plot twist: you two used to know each other somehow ( high school, community college, work before one of yall left the office, camp a while back, ect ).
plays a supportive role in helping emile discover his sexuality ( can be in high school or afterwards ). your muse can either be super helpful or super intrusive and it makes emile suffer but, you know, your muse has good intentions. this “help” can be your muse sharing their experiences with emile, taking him out to lgtbq+ spaces to help him embrace this side of his identity, assuring emile that it’s not wrong to like the same sex, ect. they could also just take a balls to the wall crazy approach if that’s more their style, up to your tbh
miscellaneous plots — here are some more random ideas in case you’re feeling stuck still! i’d like to remind everyone that my wishlist tag is always a great place to look too if you aren’t feeling what’s in the guide. i hope that the guide gives you an idea at least as to how you might approach a muse and what plots work well for them!
your muse offers to find emile a better job because they can tell he’s not loving his current job, so they offer him a helping hand. similarly, your muse offers to help emile go back to school because they wants to see emile succeed and be happy doing something in a field he actually cares about.
office plots — your muse works at the same law firm as emile and shares an office space with him. please talk to him because emile needs a friend at work to make his job more enjoyable :’)
high school plots — emile does have a high school verse like most of my other muses do. the bulk of what happens in high school involves emile discovering he’s not straight and being bullied for it for nate and cedric. on top of that, he’s witnessing his sister go through a really bad relationship, but with how secretive she is with things, it’s hard for him to intervene. there’s a lot of avenue for serious plots in this verse, but as with alison, lighthearted high school plots can also happen with emile! teenagers aren’t just full of angst, after all. sometimes we just need some shenanigans.
community college plots — instead of university, emile attends community college for a couple years to obtain his associates so that he can work as a legal assistant. he works odd jobs to keep himself afloat, and for the most part, he’s just vibing.
werewolf verse plots —a post explaining the basics of this verse can be found here! in this verse, emile is considered a beta and spent his whole life practically raising his sister, alison. growing up, the siblings did not belong to a stable pack, and as such, they pretty much spent most of their life kind of living how they wanted. emile in this verse is just vibing, too. he’s not looking for a mate or for drama, he’s just trying to make sure his sister doesn’t get herself into trouble.
i’d like to re-emphasize that this is not a true omegaverse even though i do categorize muses as alphas, omegas, or betas, mention bonding between werewolves, nesting, heat/rut, and the use of suppressants to control the severity of heat. the description of these topics, however, are very tame as the focus of this verse is not unhealthy power imbalances or plotless smut. this verse exists bc werewolves are cool, and also because the idea of bonding between partners is where i find the most interest since true bonding really embodies the “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death” sentiment in marriage vows except even to a more serious degree. so yeah — werewolves. have your werewolf meet mine. it’ll be fun.
