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Since I spent so much time sorting my reasoning for being a believer in Lucas and Hope for TSIME, I figured I might as well barf it up here. But first, remember, these are just pixels and it's all for funsies. If you don't agree with me, that's fine. But let's keep it chill.

Here's why I think they work as a couple. Strap in, this is a long one.

It starts with what didn't work with Hope and Noah. There are many things at play but I always thought the main issue between them was Noah's dad energy. He treated her in a paternal way that seemed to grate on her nerves (like cutting up her toastie). Even the way he talked about her accomplishments had a "proud dad" vibe. But Hope didn't seem to want a dad, she wanted a partner. Which is why she freaked about the sweatshirt. She didn't want him to buy her a new one, she wanted him to help her fix it. Partner. Not daddy. And Noah has a version of Hope in his head that doesn't really gel with who she was. When he said Hope would never dance on tables because she's a LADY, it was like... um she absolutely would. She likes to take charge but she also has a wild, adventurous side that she revels in. She's a rebel to some extent. Also, at her core, it's clear that she's very insecure in some way and it always struck me that maybe Noah's stoicism was at odds with her insecurity. When she had to go on a date with someone (Jakub?), she had a moment of panic when she was picked but Noah didn't seem bothered at all. Which one could interpret as him being trusting and secure, but I think for someone more insecure and brittle like Hope, that chillness can feel like rejection. Which is also why (in my head) she was so clingy. She didn't feel secure. With any couple, IRL or pixel, there's no such thing as a personality in isolation. You respond to the person you're around and your behavior will begin to reflect that to a certain extent. So just because she's clingy with Noah isn't necessarily a reflection she'll be exactly like that with someone else. As @kikithegr8 said, she needs to feel safe enough to relinquish control. As for the money issue, money is important to her and so is ambition, something that Noah doesn't really seem to have. He has a job he likes and that's... it. I don't recall much in the way of conversation with him indicating he'd like to do more. Which is perfectly fine. He can be happy with what he has, but that was never going to work for her long term. She wanted him to be someone he couldn't be and he wanted her to be someone she never was.

So going off of that, you have Lucas. Yes, he's posh and he's uncomfortable with it to some extent. And he's not actually a rich guy based on his job (I always assumed his money came from family because everything about him screams TRUST FUND to me). But at his core, he's territorial, he doesn't believe in fate rather he believes in ambition and taking control of your own destiny, he's adventurous, and he doesn't live a life of regret. He also comes across as someone who likes to be in control but if you've ever played his route and behaved like a "bad girl" with him, you'll quickly find that he LOVES when his partner takes control. It gets him all hot and bothered when she orders him to stop talking during sex. Also he likes when his partner gets jealous. When he goes on the date with Elisa if you're jealous he gets kind of chuffed.

So now you've got two people (Lucas and Hope) who are both fun-loving, adventurous, rebellious, independent, ambitious, yet territorial. Both a little classy and a little wild. I think Lucas's jealousy would make Hope feel wanted and loved. Not saying that it's the most healthy, but I do see that working for her and allowing her to feel more secure. And if that works to make her more secure, I don't think she'd be as clingy as she was with Noah. They'd have a lot of fun together and it's possible that there's no big money differential between them (if I'm right about the trust fund thing) so her money would be hers and his would be his and he'd have no reason to feel any type of way about it. That's why I think she was stuck on him being minted. To her that's a sign that he wouldn't be freaked about her bank account. Also Lucas likes big showy romantic gestures, like sweeping you into his arms and dipping you for a kiss, and I can see that being really appealing to Hope.

The fact that they both don't want kids isn't really the main thing to me, it's more of a microcosm of the way both of them aren't really into nurturing or being nurtured. That's not how they receive love.

The reality is that no relationship is 100% perfect. Not even fictional ones. Do I think they'd fight a lot? Absolutely. And some people just do that. Whether that's healthy or not is irrelevant. I still maintain that they fundamentally work as a couple, even if they're a messy, argumentative couple. But I can see Lucas being able to navigate Hope much better than Noah could. Noah is kind of intractable. And while Lucas is is temperamental, he's also pretty self-aware. At one point in the game, he apologizes to MC for being unbearable because he knew he was being a prick. It's one of the things I like about him. So I can see him better able to handle the arguing and the control scuffles they're likely to have. Also I think they'd fight and have lots of wild makeup sex.

Wow that is a lot of words about some fictional people. Then again, I wrote three novels worth of words about these characters and their friends, so this is just how I roll 😆

Even if you don't go for Noah, Hope is extremely clingy and shows no encouragement for him to explore options. It's kind of a known fact that she "did bits" with him so Priya can't turn his head.

It's like Lottie and her "Girl Code" but is a hypocrite, Marisol saying she goes after what she wants, but is bitter if MC does it and Hope saying she won't mind if Priya gets to know Noah, but literally does everything to stop you and anyone else from getting to know him and him getting to know anyone. Which I could never see that flying with Lucas who would straight up say he wants to get to know other people and I can see the first clash.

I mean- she stops him from playing truth or dare barely a few hours in and he listens? You think Lucas would care or let that stop him? Boom. Another fight again.

Also. I don't see a double standard. She is in fact a little materialistic and money hungry. She makes multiple comments about Lucas being rich and posh, which he always shows discomfort over, and even gets embarrassed when he thinks he's "too posh". And the first thing she throws in Noah's face is that she's the one who makes money and is always talking about how much money she makes. I mean...even if I were frustrated and arguing over something sentimental why would "I make more money than you" come up in conversation?

Also Lucas is a Physiotherapist. It's kind of known that they don't make money like that. I'm sure if he's money hungry he could have just done what his parents wanted.

I'm not trying to be rude. I've just never really seen the appeal in that pairing and most of the reasons people point out are always superficial but there's not really any depth or balance beyond "They're both flashy and don't want kids"....I mean yeah, he's a whole commitmentphobe and clearly has issues with his own family.

First Hope was clingy no argument. I honestly think Lucas would have a charming way of reasoning with her as opposed to letting her get what she wants. The way you throw around the term “fact” so loosely I’m not sure how serious you actually are. This is fake. I don’t recall her doing bits to keep Priya away so I’m thinking that’s head canon at best. I just want to make sure we are on the same page there.

I agree with Lottie being hypocritical. Marisol not so much. When Marisol and Hannah made Gary breakfast and I ended up eating it with Gary Marisol basically said “well played” and gave us privacy.

I think Hope could use someone with a little more backbone than Noah, but not too much. I think she low key wants to be more submissive but it has to be the right guy. He can’t do it in an aggressive way, and has to make her feel safe enough to relinquish control and have her feel like she’s taken care of, not because she can’t take care of herself, but because she doesn’t always have to. I think she thought it was foolish for Noah to think she couldn’t buy her own sweatshirt and was triggered by past relationships where men we insecure about her financial independence. The only thing appealing about Lucas being a doctor is that hopefully he wouldn’t be insecure about her financial status.

I totally get the superficial pairing thing though. I think most people don’t analyze things that deep because it’s fake but I will say I’m similar to Hope in the financially independent sense without being clingy and I want kids though. I was interested in Lucas initially too just like she was but idk I was turned off because some things came off snobby to me.

Also physiotherapist > librarian which does not equal money hungry.

Oh for sure, and I'm not saying that I'm right either. It's just how I've interpreted it. It's always interesting because we're all filtering the game and characters through our own personal lens so there are bound to be different takes. I just spent a lot of time on that one so it was fun to dig it back out from the back of my brain 😆 But I'm def open to other views. There's a reason why Suresh intrigued you and INFURIATED me. Different lenses, baby!

Yeah, we're essentially saying the same thing. I was sort of more responding to the anon. I think Hope and Lucas would be better than Hope and Noah but I can see them as being more than better, but properly great together if they put in some work to learn how to fight. Because that would be their sticking point. Can they learn to handle inevitable conflict constructively? Which I suppose is the question for all of us who engage in relationships.

Sorry for using initials! I was being lazy. TSIME is The Sun in My Eyes. It's a forever long Bobby fic I wrote that still isn't done (fml). Hope and Lucas are a sort-of important side characters and that's why I spent a lot of time thinking about them and if I thought they could go the distance.

Even if you don't go for Noah, Hope is extremely clingy and shows no encouragement for him to explore options. It's kind of a known fact that she "did bits" with him so Priya can't turn his head.

It's like Lottie and her "Girl Code" but is a hypocrite, Marisol saying she goes after what she wants, but is bitter if MC does it and Hope saying she won't mind if Priya gets to know Noah, but literally does everything to stop you and anyone else from getting to know him and him getting to know anyone. Which I could never see that flying with Lucas who would straight up say he wants to get to know other people and I can see the first clash.

I mean- she stops him from playing truth or dare barely a few hours in and he listens? You think Lucas would care or let that stop him? Boom. Another fight again.

Also. I don't see a double standard. She is in fact a little materialistic and money hungry. She makes multiple comments about Lucas being rich and posh, which he always shows discomfort over, and even gets embarrassed when he thinks he's "too posh". And the first thing she throws in Noah's face is that she's the one who makes money and is always talking about how much money she makes. I mean...even if I were frustrated and arguing over something sentimental why would "I make more money than you" come up in conversation?

Also Lucas is a Physiotherapist. It's kind of known that they don't make money like that. I'm sure if he's money hungry he could have just done what his parents wanted.

I'm not trying to be rude. I've just never really seen the appeal in that pairing and most of the reasons people point out are always superficial but there's not really any depth or balance beyond "They're both flashy and don't want kids"....I mean yeah, he's a whole commitmentphobe and clearly has issues with his own family.

First Hope was clingy no argument. I honestly think Lucas would have a charming way of reasoning with her as opposed to letting her get what she wants. The way you throw around the term “fact” so loosely I’m not sure how serious you actually are. This is fake. I don’t recall her doing bits to keep Priya away so I’m thinking that’s head canon at best. I just want to make sure we are on the same page there.

I agree with Lottie being hypocritical. Marisol not so much. When Marisol and Hannah made Gary breakfast and I ended up eating it with Gary Marisol basically said “well played” and gave us privacy.

I think Hope could use someone with a little more backbone than Noah, but not too much. I think she low key wants to be more submissive but it has to be the right guy. He can’t do it in an aggressive way, and has to make her feel safe enough to relinquish control and have her feel like she’s taken care of, not because she can’t take care of herself, but because she doesn’t always have to. I think she thought it was foolish for Noah to think she couldn’t buy her own sweatshirt and was triggered by past relationships where men we insecure about her financial independence. The only thing appealing about Lucas being a doctor is that hopefully he wouldn’t be insecure about her financial status.

I totally get the superficial pairing thing though. I think most people don’t analyze things that deep because it’s fake but I will say I’m similar to Hope in the financially independent sense without being clingy and I want kids though. I was interested in Lucas initially too just like she was but idk I was turned off because some things came off snobby to me.

Also physiotherapist > librarian which does not equal money hungry.