daggerrose

Yeah when I did my second watch, I knew what was coming and it just gives you this nervous feeling.

I never saw the bloody shoe!!

That sucks, Daggi, I'd have been so mad!!

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

The day after I watched the bombing episode last time, I got in my car and that "Shine" song came on my CD and I started tearing up instantly....gahhh. This show just gets me right in my

I had a new inquiry for this season, too. I'm sure it's been discussed plenty before, but do you guys think Justin actually made his own decision to go to NY? A fanfic I've been reading made me think about this more. He's kind of pushed by Lindsay and then Brian later on, but Justin had been arguing through most of it that he wanted to stay and be with Brian. Brian was finally about to give him what he wants, and then Brian starts to act different to push him away to go to NY. But would Justin have gone if Brian hadn't done this? Would he have even wanted to, if Brian had just married him?

And if it had happened that way, couldn't that have been perfectly valid? Some people do want to get married over chasing their career. Brian's obviously a career man, so is he imposing his own values onto Justin, here? What do you guys think?

(I know this is a more sensitive topic in the QAF fandom so I'm hoping we can discuss without it being too emotional. )

SojournHeart11

Shine gives me the most deepest, most pleasant feels a song possibly could. I remember watching the bombing scenes for the first time and crying ( because it was so powerful ). But of course, I'll always associate that song with QAF, because it's so beautiful, despite what happened with the bombing.

daggerrose

Hmm all right well....

I feel like Justin knew, deep down, what he wanted and what he needed to do. And even though staying there and painting would have been fine, NYC is obviously a better option career-wise. So, I think he wanted to go there. But also, Brian was finally giving him the one thing he wanted after all these years. And I do think Brian wanted to marry him. But I think he also knew that if he was selfish and kept Justin from making moves in his career at that time, it'd come back to bite them later. Justin was stubborn and didn't want to let go of finally getting what he wanted from Brian so he needed to be pushed. The fact that he agreed and did it only proves that he knew it was the right decision for him in the end.

Although, I mean, they could have gotten married and like split their time but hey

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

I agree, I do think Brian wanted to marry him. He was all about it until Lindsay started in with her guilt trip. *calms self* I'm okay...

I feel like the main point is that "Justin wouldn't have known what could happen", if he didn't give NY a try. And true, no one needs to make moves like that anymore to succeed. And maybe that would've been proven to him, over time at least, that he could be successful anywhere. Or that he could get his start in NY and then move back after he already had a reputation? Also, WTF would he actually be doing in NY? Like opening a gallery or something? Painting murals on the side of buildings? I always wonder about that.

I'm still not convinced he actually wanted to go for himself. I'll have to reevaluate in a few days when I rewatch that episode. And true, why couldn't they have still gotten married and then Justin went off and tried it, anyway? I've said before that I do love how season 5 ended, and I still do, I'm just exploring some options here.

But above all, I think the fact that Brian didn't return the rings is pretty much all that needs to be said.

Yes, I love that song and its message so much. But the bombing is extra heartbreaking because it's paired to that song, about expressing yourself and who you are and then these people who are doing just that are victims of a terrible hate crime. So though I love that song, it's got a twinge of pain to it for me now, because of when it's played in the episode.

And I still think they make it look like Cindy Lauper died...

daggerrose

That's true. I mean, we'll never know. And I think it's because NYC is the place, you know? Like, that's where one goes to "make it." So they were just going off of that I guess? I wonder what he did there too. Made friends in the art scene lol? Started painting? Became a go-go dancer?

Oh the rings

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

True. I just felt like they just kept saying he had to go there to make it, but he didn't have a solid plan of how he'd do that. Maybe I'm just nit-picking cause it felt a little silly. Haha, maybe he did finally pursue that dream of becoming a go-go boy.

Ahhh I just have to give a shoutout to 5x02, the first time Justin and Brian hook up after he gets back from Hollywood, and WOW, what a change we see in Brian. Justin tickles Brian and Brian GIGGLES...Brian!!!! When have we ever heard him giggle (and not just sarcastically scoff/laugh?)?! I think I caught it cause I was watching with headphones on and it matched the sound of Gale's giggle from this interview I listened to and then it hit me that it was BRIAN and I just like . And for Brian to let Justin tickle him!? And then the way he props himself up on his elbow after and looks at Justin and says, "It was great." OMG...one of those moments I had to keep rewinding cause he's just too beautiful when/how he says it.

THEN Brian's -smile- after Justin says "There's still one thing that Pittsburgh has that Hollywood doesn't." OMGGGG. Ahhh. OK, there's my fangirling for this morning.

daggerrose

Oh my God

Just reading that has me melting into a puddle on the floor!! I need to see that scene immediately. It really does show the change in them, with each other. Of course we know what happens after that but ehh. It was still sweet!!

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

Lil Brian's in lurrrrve. Sooooo cute. Did you watch?!

And what happens later...yes...Brian doesn't return the rings.

daggerrose

Not yet but I will. It's not technically cheating if it's one scene is it?

That's right.

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

Nope, go for it!

daggerrose

I did and--- They are so cute and his giggle and them being adorable ahhhh

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

So glad you did. Ahhh... the whole thing...I can't... Especially Brian's face when he says, "It was great."

Dlyn

You guys are right~ that whole scene was so great! They were so relaxed with each other, the laughing and tickling!! Loved it! And the scene in 501 where Michael is talking about how Brian is going to fly out to the coast to surprise Justin and if I remember right, Michael says something about how Brian has missed J so much and loves him and Brian does t even protest much~ swoon

Thought of one more thing~ I love how Justin first says everything is fine and Brian just looks at him and then Justin opens up about how disappointed he feels that the movie didn’t work. They know each other so well at this point.

I'm Brian Kinney, FFS!

It's so beautiful. True love. Just too bad the mega happiness doesn't last very long at all. And I love that whole Brian/Michael scene in 5x01. The part when Brian's talking about how he doesn't expect Justin to come back because if roles were reversed he wouldn't want to leave Hollywood to come back, and Michael's actually being really reassuring and trying to make him feel better and says, "He's not you." Michael finally came around to supporting Britin, and that warms my heart as much as Brian being all lovey.

Yes!! OMG. I'm like swooning thinking about it. They really do know each other intimately. Brian's communication style overall just becomes so much more open and human by this point in the series. He does less of the looking out into space and making sarcastic remarks and scoffing, and he connects with his friends (and Justin) so much more deeply. It's so beautiful OMG I can't...