James/Thomas Appreciation Week
Since the show only gave us two (boo!) I’m going to cheat and talk about them both before declaring a favorite. *G*
The first one is gentle and sweet but also a bit hesitant.
You can see Flint’s uncertainty in this moment. I think these doubts remained in Flint for years to come A struggle to accept himself and that what he had with Thomas was good and pure, not the “profane” relationship that England tried to turn it into.
There is no hesitancy in Flint here. Just pure joy and happiness. He has completely accepted himself by the end of the series. Not just his sexuality and love for Thomas but he has accepted the two warring factions within himself – Flint and McGraw – and integrated them to find peace.
The kisses are both framed similarly:
But the difference comes in the journey we’ve had. “Know no shame”. “There is freedom in the dark once someone has illuminated it”. The first kiss was in a darkly lit room with only Miranda – someone they both trusted and loved – to witness it and even then Flint was unsure. The second is in daylight, surrounded by total strangers, and Flint could care less. The dark has been illuminated for him, by Thomas, and he has no shame anymore.
So I’m going with the Reunion Kiss as my favorite. The first kiss was beautiful and surprising to fans but ultimately bittersweet because Thomas was “dead” and Flint was consumed by that loss. The second kiss is happy and hopeful. He has Thomas back, he’s found peace within himself, and they have a future. Together. Damn, but I love this show.
Their song for this entry would sum up Flint’s feelings from here on, I believe.
(If you made it to the end, thank you for indulging my ramblings.)