Like!!!
After much deliberation and rewatching, I've decided this is hands-down my favorite scene in the series. Tam's whole thing is that he's centered his entire self-worth around being useful in some way to Pathapi who didn't realize it until it was far, far too late.
He says this so contentedly and smiles so proudly up at Pathapi, and if this were their uni days, Pathapi would have believed in it wholeheartedly.
But now Pathapi knows Tam better, and he can actually read between the lines.
And Tam knows he's been Seen, but he doesn't shy away from it anymore.
He can finally admit aloud what he would have done quietly before:
Like, it's fascinating to see a character who begins the series appearing completely confident slowly revealed to be both devoted and profoundly insecure. I just really love Tam. I think the script needed space to breathe and really show his side of things, but as a fic writer, I don't mind doing it. :>
My favorite thing in the scene is Pathapi hugging him close and reacting like this. Quiet, pensive, sad. He's learning a whole deeper version of the man he's loved for years and becoming a stronger version of himself because he has to step up and be strong when Tam isn't.
I love them. :'(
They're both super stupid and I adore them to bits. <3
