#hyperfixation is hyperfixating

75% — I LOVE EVA STRATT

20% — fanfiction

i've seen sir gideon glick talk about tobias and he's said a few times that tobias and his turning point when it comes to his feelings about gabin is the end of episode 4 (which does indeed make sense on rewatch). HOWEVER. i raise you that tobias, wrapped up in what he was doing, didn't quite realize that something shifted. even through The Rat, through Jail, through the events that occur in episodes 5-8 he had no idea his feelings really shifted. i honestly don't think he Knew until episode 8 when gabin was talking to the audience. when he was explaining that he let him down and that it was his responsibility to fix it and prove himself to him when he told the audience how to act (understanding what makes tobias and his autism and his creative process tick). it was in that moment that tobias saw him and understood what he felt. hence why he gave the speech, said that paris has a person, and that's why he kissed him. because he saw someone who understood him, Saw him, cared about dance as much as he did and he had to act on those feelings in that moment or he would lose the momentum. damn the fact that people are watching. damn the fact that they're on stage. the only thing that mattered to him was acting on what had been building inside of him, quietly, for weeks.

also. as a bonus! i think it's an interesting choice for us to see him break up with kevin. obviously it was to have gideon glick and jonathan groff in a scene together as a spring awakening reunion, but it also just showed how tobias is in relationships with someone who doesn't really understand him. showing us that kevin doesn't see or understand tobias and his lack of communication vs gabin showing up at his apartment because he knew tobias was going through a moment in time because of the poor reviews and reactions of the debut piece. the breakup could have easily not occurred (ie tobias just not having a boyfriend) or it could have been something that happened off screen. but it didn't, to show the difference in kevin and gabin and how they treat and understand tobias.