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Chapter 2 is up!

I wanted to fuss with this more and I could have, but I didn't. I figured it was better to post it a little bit rough than to obsess over it and keep people waiting. This might be progress! ao3 | wattpad Also, thanks to @operationnope for reading my yoga over and making it way more believable. Sorry I'm a neanderthal that hates both stretching and breathing with intention.

I just read you post about Alex and I agree!!!! I mean I’m on his route and I like him thus far but you’re right he’s just kinda…. Inconsistent??? Like in last week’s episodes he doesn’t want to kiss the first night your back in the villa to be respectful. Sure completely understandable. I get it. But what surprised me is that he’s will to sleep with mc the next night in the hideaway???? Tbh I clicked “go all the way” expecting him to say he wanted to wait and that it was too fast for him but he was absolutely down?? And I was so confused. I was like dude didn’t you say you take it slow and now you’re gonna sleep with someone you haven’t even known a week?? I liked him initially bc he was a guy who didn’t like to rush into things but I guess what he meant was wait 10 minutes then he’ll be down for anything lol

Haha, that's the reality of Alex. Much like midwestern US weather, if you wanna watch him change completely, just wait a few minutes 😆

I really liked how he wanted to be respectful of Estelle the first night, but you're right, he changes his tune fast. I was surprised that, at the challenge the next day, he gets so hot and bothered by MC's run that he'll make out with you, to the point of you wrapping a leg around him, and it seems like there's grinding, all while Estelle is basically standing beside you both.

I just think it would have been more interesting if 1) it turned out his "take it slow" stuff was just something he did to differentiate himself from the rest of the boys, but he got so caught up in MC and being horny for her that he lost track of that false persona or 2) if the writers really played up his distress with how much he wants MC and it being counter to his values about relationships. Like if he seemed a little torn about moving too fast, but being too drawn to her to slow down. And you could add in his worry about Evan making him territorial, so he moves faster because he's worried about losing MC if he keeps slowing them down. This could lead to a really nice arc of MC reassuring him that she's happy with the pace he's set (or that she's not and she dumps him). Either of those would be interesting and would use this singular trait of his that is beaten into us, to its fullest. But they'd both require writers who intentionally made him inconsistent so they could use it to drive the plot. And welllllll... let's just say I'm not giving Fusebox the benefit if the doubt when it comes to their writing.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Anon! I was kind of worried that no one was gonna agree with me 🥰

Spent the weekend having to talk to strangers and this is accurate

The Inscrutability of Alex

So I might be working on an S7 Alex fic. I mean, I'm probably not working that. But I could be. Maybe. Anyway, for mysterious reasons, I decided to replay the current episodes because I found myself confused by a couple things with Alex. And a second playthrough left me even more confused. I sent @mrsbsmooth a nearly three minute, babbling voice note, asking her if I was missing something, because I cannot figure out how to write him.

This character is described by multiple others as having "golden retriever" energy. Something he absolutely does not have. I'd say he's not even that playful. It's just bizarre for anyone to say that. Nothing about him is overly energetic. Both Raf and Bryson are much better described like that. Alex has the most whistle-whilst-mowing-the-lawn-in jorts-dad energy ever. Golden retriever he is not.

So okay, his energy doesn't match the description. That's not a huge issue on its own. But like...who is he? He says he's not cocky, just confident.

Hmmm. Never is a strong word, innit?

Now, a less cynical person might say that Fusebox is just writing a realistic depiction of someone who is unaware of his own cockiness, but since I am a cynical asshole, I'm saying that Fusebox is not in the business of nuance. They make the same amount of money whether they spend the extra energy to give it depth or not. So they're never gonna bother with that. This is just inconsistent writing. Now, we all know that Alex's most overtly acknowledged trait is his desire to "Take things slow." He says he's looking for the one, and he's not gonna rush that. He knows things move fast there, but he still wants to take his time. He didn't kiss Estelle on the first night. He was uncomfortable with Summer being so forward before he knew anything about her. So how does a guy who takes things slow answer a question from a virtual stranger about what he does for a living?

A dirty joke. Yes, very much setting the tone for his lack of cockiness and his desire to take things slow 🙄 Though I do enjoy MC responding with "Very presumptive, but good to know." 😆😆😆 Not to mention, when he finds out you can snog during the icebreaker, he's not like, "Um too soon." Instead his eyes light up like he can't wait. It's so baffling. So let's say maybe he's just a slow mover who is also really flirty by nature. That feels like he's sending mixed signals at best and manipulating you at the worst. Now this one really threw me for a loop. There's a gem scene where you can ask the boys to tell you something cute about themselves. Alex tells a story about having a crush on a gym bunny and how it led him to weightlifting in order to ask her out. But he kept putting it off and by the time he finally got the nerve, she was already dating someone. So he learned not to hesitate. He learned to just go for it.

Um... what? That's a strange perspective to have for someone whose entire ethos is "Take it slow." Now, I'm aware that he is very straight forward with MC about where his head is at, so perhaps he just meant that he doesn't waste time letting someone know he's interested, but he still wants to take the relationship slow? I don't know. Last, but not least, on night one, you couldn't even kiss Alex (unless I'm misremembering). You could only snuggle. But on night two, Alex says he still wants to take it slow, but he wants to a little something. So the game gives us some options. And the first choice was to do bits. Now, this might be my fault, but I assumed that "bits" in this case would be some kissing and making out. Heavy petting. Maybe some under the clothes touching. But, to my utter shock, no it's not just a heavy make out sesh. Nope. He finger blasts you. He straight up bypasses the face lips and tiddies, and goes straight to rubbing the bean and shoving a digit inside of your person. It's an awfully intimate act for someone like him who's only been alone with you three times, and beyond challenge smooches (if you chose to even take those), has still never really made out with, nor kissed you privately. I would like to clarify that I'm not judging how fast or slow anyone goes in their personal lives. But I am I'm judging this character's pace in relation to the things he's been saying about his pace.

I wrote most of this before the last batch of episodes so I'll only lightly touch on the fact that Alex seems nearly ready to ask you to marry him the day after bringing you to the villa. So "taking it slow" really went out the window altogether.

Long story long, there are aspects to Alex I like. I mean, I'm writing him right now (OR AM I?) so it's not all bad. But it's really hard to attempt any canon reinterpretation, when I can't even sort out what canon is.

It just doesn't make sense. Is he cocky or not? Is he a slow mover or does he believe in not wasting time? Is he an inner city gym rat bro, or is he a home-on-the-range papa who wants to build you a cottage, and make babies? Is his whole "slow burn" thing some kind of manipulation to hide that he's a fuckboy (which would be hilarious) or he's just very badly written?

I love a good, lively conversation, so go ahead and let me know your thoughts. But for those who are rather... overly invested in Alex, feel free to yell at me about his perfection and how wrong and dumb I am. I look forward to deleting your vitriol.

Wow I never knew how to articulate it. But this right here 😆

Oh my god, I'm in love. This is stunning. Make it a tiny cottage instead of a giant house and then move me in immediately.

kjp on ig 🍂