#figgy

[commission] Botanical Garden by Nnalyart

I've always really loved Tuca as a subversion of the party girl, since she's already sober when the show starts but she's no less impulsive, energetic, and fun. her past struggles with alcoholism are an underlying part of her, but it was never the root of all her problems - her problems in the show come from other places like her grief, her family troubles, her dating life, her irresponsibility, her selfish tendencies. those things didn't go away when she got sober, that's why sobriety was never her arc in the show. she already went through that, now she has to deal with the stuff underneath. that makes her a really great, interesting, and well-rounded character.

introducing a character like Figgy to pair her up with - who's much more mellow and controlled, but happens to be an alcoholic who regularly drinks himself into a stupor - was a stroke of GENIUS. and the great thing about his characterization is that alcoholism isn't his only problem either, the way it manifests is very clearly a byproduct of how he prioritizes the needs of other people over his own. he's very nurturing, he likes caring for other people, but he doesn't care for himself, and his regular binges are the only indulgence he allows himself.

it's such a good dynamic to put Tuca in, the contrast is excellent and it really highlights her growth around relationships. the fact that Figgy's binging was the dealbreaker for her, the fact that the thing that upsets her isn't that he drinks or that he's struggling, it's that he knowingly refuses to stop hurting himself, speaks volumes to her maturity and her intense level of love and care. it's not that she's unwilling to deal with this messy part of him. she wants to, she understands! she's more than willing and capable of supporting and caring for Figgy just like he cares for her. he just won't let her. that's the part she can't handle, and after her relationship with Kara she knows that she can't force it if he's not going to budge. she's able to set that healthy boundary and break it off with Figgy because of what she went through with Kara.

the way they reconnect when Figgy is forced to stop drinking temporarily for his health, when he has to let himself be helped and Tuca shows up for him, it's everything to me. the dynamic of trying to keep it platonic and professional so their feelings don't complicate things, but the fact they love each other so much is WHY Figgy is able to even consider starting himself on a path to full sobriety. Tuca was always willing to help him, and now he's seen her care in action, and he loves her enough that her light is brighter than the light of his addiction - he wants to care for himself for her, and it's probably the first time he's ever loved someone and been loved in return like that.