Trippin Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 30 minutes ago, Ozymandias said: Gabriel is grade A toxic. It’s not that he doesn’t care, but the emotional dependence leading to emotional blackmail of Auggie is pure toxicity. Simple. And it’s destroying Auggie’s life. Get outta there! I'm really on the fence with this issue. One one hand I totally agree with you, at best they both live a lie, or at least dishonest life. One the other hand - ugh, Gabriel is really trying! He wants it so bad. And if someone is really trying, isn't that loveable, too? Geez, I probably couldn't decided myself if I was Auggie. I'd most likely stay because I'm such a sucker for muscles. But would it make happy on the long run (see above)? Probably not. Boy, this is gripping! ^^ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploder4 Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I hate to use the word "disability" but I can't put another word to it at this time. Although Gabriel is clearly not disabled in the traditional sense, there are people who live happily married lives with others with physical disabilities including sexual ones (loss of extremities, trauma, etc.) Maybe Gabriel should look at it as such. It feels like that mixed with a sort of "Sheldonish (Big Bang Theory)" approach on social cues. Gabriel is obviously not well versed on sexual encounters. Maybe deep down he's just extremely anxious about it all and just needs to get over some trauma in his past that has affected him? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayoayoayos Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Another edge of the seat chapter. Their story is riddled with doubt and misery. Very unlike the usual story, but it's so addicting! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwood Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Welp, maybe Gabriel will get so big that his brain gets rewired into enjoying pleasure from the sensory overload of bench pressing a literal ton or Auggie worshiping his muscles or being able to orally service himself... twists and turns, for sure! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrestlejock646 Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I think Gabriel is the one of most unique, quirky, endearing and sympathetic (and not in a pitiful way) characters ever created on this site. Auggie too. I have empathy for both of them and love the dynamic of the story. I honestly don't see toxicity attributed to Gabriel because I don't see the slightest intent in Gabriel to deceive or harm anyone. He's "flawed" and Auggie knows everything about Gabriel's struggles and attempts to find his own truth. Gabriel has been entirely upfront with Auggie and everyone else. He's authentic. He does the best he can and Auggie is the only true friend Gabriel has ever had who hasn't left him behind. Way more marriages have been based on far less than the sort of love Gabriel is able to express. Countless people spend their lives in miserable marriages with trophy wives and trophy husbands for appearances sake, vanity, greed or any number of other less than "pure" motivations. A healthy sex life can be fulfilling like nothing else that intimate, but how many times have men and women, with far less in common than Auggie and Gabriel, entered into ultimately unhappy, miserable marriages because the sex was great but nothing else was? Is one worse than another--having a sex filled marriage with an abusive, destructive couple or having everything except a sex filled marriage with two respectful, affectionate (in their own way) individuals who care deeply about the other. If these two end up getting married, as unconventional as theirs may be, if it's based on love and respect or friendship that's mutual and beyond deep, who is anybody to judge what makes them happy enough to be together and in what capacity that takes? If Auggie's values place companionship, honesty, trustworthiness, affection, dorky adoration or any of Gabriel's myriad positive virtues above or at a level of equal importance to a traditional sexual relationship, I say go forth and find your happiness with each other. Many marriages (some successfully) are based on far less. If Auggie decides otherwise, I hope they both find happiness apart, but I'm still pulling for a sappy, happy ending with them together. 9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwood Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Yeah, and on a more serious note, I don't think I've ever identified more with a character than Gabriel (minus the growing muscles, of course). If I were to categorize myself, I would definitely say I'm asexual. There have been countless time where I've felt there was something wrong with me, like I'm not a whole person, and I can never be in a relationship with someone because I do not have any desire for sex. I mean, it's not really the kind of thing you would talk about to make a good impression on a first date, right? (People still go on dates, right?) That's why it kinda sucks to see comments saying Gabriel is toxic or he needs therapy. I know they're not intentionally caustic, but neither are the characters who think they can "fix" Gabriel. They're entrenched in the societal beliefs of whatever "100% pure love" is and that, at some point, a loving relationship has to involve penetrative sex. I know it doesn't have to, but that's easier said than done. And, because societal beliefs still weigh on my mind, I still think it's better for me to be alone than to pursue a relationship because if I am ever lucky enough to find someone, I would act just like Gabriel. I would want to do everything to keep the relationship from ending because the "worthless" thoughts would return if it ended, and the relationship would probably end because of me being "too tired" to finish or doing the same thing over and over. I don't know where this is going, but I don't know where the story is going, either. It's interesting and thought-provoking, so I will certainly keep reading! Didn't mean for this to be a downer, as I am happy being single (and having a stable income, mostly), but, yeah, I really feel for Gabriel and for anyone else in this situation. 11 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardmuscl4life Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 To both wrestlejock646 and -jwood…. well said, both of you. Just as there are many types of families, there are also many types of marriages…perhaps as many as there are people. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IJrges Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 If this was real life, I'd say they ought to couch the marriage idea and test just being a couple for a while. Being housemates is not the same thing as being a couple. There's a huge difference between sharing costs and responsibilities with someone and being deeply emotionally intertwined with someone. It changes the way you perceive a person's actions, and not necessarily for the better. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 I think some comments here ask too much realism from this masterfully relaxing escapist story. This is meant to relieve our fantasies, and the paining periods of the story are almost always building up to that. And I love every minute of it. It's like being a kid again and watching your favorite cartoon. Not only does it take the tension off you, it also gives you a journey to escape to for the time being and enjoy your time there. I love it. Note: That's how I see things at least :), although i disagree to those comments, I still appreciate reading them and value the opinions.And thanks for sharing them with people like me, who does not know much stuff about anything really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peptippacid Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Totally agree 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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