#septiplier

I think for me, as someone who’s had previous obsessions with real celebrities romantic entanglements, I’ve adopted the opinion that speculation usually only ever harms the people involved. I grew up obsessed with Dan and Phil and their potential romantic relationship. It was blatantly obvious to me and to many other fans that they were in love. We posted evidence of it all over this website. We tried to prove it in every way you can think of. They’ve only recently, after 16 years, decided to be public about it. They’ve talked at length about how fan speculation before they were ready to disclose their relationship actually made them more uncomfortable being themselves on camera, more paranoid in every public setting, more mentally unwell and more tense in every way, leading to mental health crises. They talk about being nervous about their hands accidentally brushing on film because it would add to “The Evidence”. My role in this was small, but I was still a part of it, and I feel terrible.

This one wasn’t my cup of tea, but it is an example of the inverse: two guys are actually just friends but are being intensely shipped and people are looking for evidence or trying to prove they are together. Septiplier. Again, wasn’t my thing so I don’t have as much context. They tried to be cool about it, but it was eventually so intense that they couldn’t upkeep their friendship under the pressure. They are much, much more distant now.

Now, I see no issue with writing fanfic or daydreaming about a theoretical relationship involving these people. But analyzing every interaction they ever have looking for “evidence”, trying to figure out where they are and when they are together, looking for “heart eyes” or coded language or what is banter versus what is romantic… that can put so much pressure on the very people you want to support. Now, I think the world and modern celebrities are more prepared for this phenomenon than Dan and Phil or Mark & Sean were, and Connor and Hudson can definitely handle themselves and don’t need anybody policing for them… but I also feel it is respectful to allow them to keep their private lives private and not have their every recorded moment analyzed - ESPECIALLY when involving photos or videos of them taken without their consent while they are out in public. This includes Connor & Francois being shipped, of course.

At this point for me, they could have actual real sex on camera and say they were just friends and I would say “ok” and pretend I never saw it. Is the idea of them together hot? Obviously. Is it possible? Of course. Likely? I won’t speculate.

Never forget.

dude... fuck,yes