Same, prefer love triangles where MC is not jumping from one to another (mostly for smut content), but respect both parties and trying to sort the feelings first!
Here it's even more like a 'third wheel' story, as mostly ex is very persistent and jumping in messing in MC's head when MC is clearly drawing the line, maybe not the best story telling of course, but that was a nice read, happy for MC and ML
Yeah you can tell that he genuinely wants to end it and start with the ml but at the same time he's cautious to not jump into a rs while he has even the tiniest bit of lingering feelings...which is responsible n respectful towards his next potential partner aka ml. Coz that would be emotional cheating...so he clears it first. Also it wasn't back n forth...he clearly valued lei much more and didn't just keep it in...he expressed it...he communicated his efforts. So it gave me the impression that author isn't chasing sensationalism of a love triangle n smut but is depicting that the main characters here are the mc and lei....and the other guy is just a reality in MCs life who he genuinely intends to move on from and it succeeding step by step. All while taking ml with him along the journey and building their closeness principally (as a main guy) rather than using him as an option.
Exactly this, MC clearly wants to move on from the beginning, but he respects ML and as you said is not jumping right away into this new relationship, what I really liked here! That relationship with his ex was even more like an attachment after long years, and I like that it wasn't jumping from one to another, back and forward, but linear moving on towards ML, who was the most important to MC, even if love was not right away! At some point I was pissed at that ex, because those constant attempt of sexual assault were disturbing and irritating, at least author didn't move forward!
What frustrates me the most in love triangle series is pushing smut in each occasion, no matter the context, cheating, SA, sleeping with both parties to check 'who's the one', gosh! And in most cases the end game is the asshole one this is why I really appreciate type of 'love triangles' like in this seriss, because it's emotionally matured, where MC respects himself and others, even when path is not easy!
The most frustrating love triangle series for me now is I think Wet sand, seriously, from one to another, constantly, years of reading it and at this point I just want it to end, mark as read and never look at it again
Yeah I read that one a bit a while ago and I knew exactly where it was going to go....so I left. I really can't take those stories where either the mcs or the mls keep degrading themselves chasing after someone who doesn't value them that much or care for them enough to choose them even after so long. I don't wanna go through that wondering why someone would keep getting their feelings trampled upon for the nth time but keep staying....slowly becoming a doormat? I like angst but not that kind. That doesn't entertain me, only pains me . Lol I'm kinda sensitive to that. Cheating and/or jumping between 2 "options" I can't enjoy it. But Sometimes I hate read such stuff like an obsession and then regret coz I can't flush it out of my brain. Btw just give me a tiny spoiler - does wet sand have mc cheating now ?
Degrading themselves and treating like a damn doormat, exactly this! And everything to show more sex scenes and cheap angst! Seriously, what I hate the most is pushing smut into BL by force, any kind of SA, cheating, whoring around, running form one to another, like these are the only possible plot twist factors, gosh, no entertainment just irritation! I really miss good storytelling without those sick trops! Sex sells, but there are limits! Consent and respect are sexy! But BL is overloaded with toxic sex unfortunately...
About Wet Send... this dude is still jumping from one to another, sex obviously overloaded, I feel bad for Jo, whenever that asshole TJ shows up -> sex, chapter 95 and still not decided, but seriously, if he chooses TJ, I don't know what was the point of this story then, what's the message since he won't get out form that hell as he always wanted? Well, at this point I don't even care, even artstyle is not saving this one, looks like another story created to fit the 'sex sells' market, dragged story, it's just pathetic... probably will let it marinate till it's finished, hopefully soon!
And I bet he knows Joe's feelings but still does it anyway coz he clearly doesn't like him enough to choose him above selfishness... I hope he atleast stops leading him on then? He doesn't feel any guilt for playing with Joe's feelings after sleeping with TJ ? O
R maybe he's like so what we ain't together n do i won't give a damn if you get hurt, deal with it. God just tell joe to leave if you can't choose bit I bet he wants to have his cake and eat it too lol. Doormats need help!!
But it's nice to see people like you on the website. Most cheer for mc to just sleep with their fav ml or atleast "try" the other guy out atleast once wow . Just coz there's no rs... that's how those stories got popular. But to each their own. No intention of shaming anyone.. it's the author's story at the end of the day. But there's less material of my taste here..but still some a quite good. I wish we had some great BLS with tops as MCs
And while there's enough 2 tops 1 bottom love triangles..... there's hardly any.....none...2 bottoms fighting for 1 top lol.....we know why.... Maybe coz of the target demographic and projection.
At this moment, spoiler, Ian wanted TJ to leave the gang, he didn't wnat, Jo told Ian to meet with him at one place and they will move together, Ian is on the way to meet with Jo, but TJ showed up saying that he's ready to leave, gang showed up, wanted to kill TJ, but Ian protected him and here we are now... End of spoiler
And yes, Jo is clear with his feelings, wants to be with Ian but yeah....Ian is going back and forward, and there is not much of a guilt about sex itself, more like 'I'm not worthy', but either way, Ian is hella frustrating, and I really don't care at this point, and looks like people are mostly invested because of art and 'hot characters' which is irritating, because series are for plot at the first place
Omg, seriously, it's nice to talk with someone who is not fixated on such crazy content! People are usually so focused mostly on sex, treating series like porn, which is seriously disturbing! They see only act, not characters behind it! At this point people correlate BL with SA and cheating so much, that it became norm for them, and this is insane, because I really like psychological, toxic series, but well written ones, with a proper redemption and chasing arcs, not where whole angst and storytelling is based on SA, even worse, sexualized and normalized ones, and unfortunately this is the majority now! When we have 'psychological' BL series, we can be 95% sure it's based on rape or for sure there will be in the story, and later readers saying why I'm surprised since it's psychological/toxic/mafia series, of course there is rape.... I'm speechless! Such genres are do not equal SA! And the problem is that popular platforms are focused on quantity not quality, they promote series which will sell, so those with sex scenes and angst... obviously SA and cheating, and that drivers the system, this is why people connect now BL only with such content because this is what is promoted, especially in Asia! And this is tragic to be honest, because people became so insensitive at this point, that many times they cannot even distinguish consensual from SA and they are hyping rapists and cheaters! I'm reading BL for over 20 years now, but my moral standards didn't change, I can let slide a lot in fiction, but damn, there are limits!
It just looks like... it's just casual between joe n ian even at 80+ chaps tbh. And there's soooo much asymmetry....which joe being wayyy too much into him as opposed to ian only "having a thing" for him but that feeling hardly being above X number of other things haha. He's comparatively kinda lukewarm to joe in terms of "love" if it even exists. But I agree that he cares to protect him in his own way but that you'd probably do for a very dear friend too. Y know what i mean ? And yeah people cheer for indecisive characters because sex sell...... I like flaws too but it's way too long for it to stay (80 chapters) n not undergo development? So yeah ...I read those few last chapters after this convo but ..yup.. It's better to not read. ╮(￣▽￣)╭
Exactly my thoughts! I hate cheaters, SA being cheered n normalised as "everyday regular person" character flaws. Even some authors do that. One author at the end said - the couple was able to deepen their love BECAUSE they went through "those " situations " ,(it being -the uke cheated (or almost cheated depending on your boundaries) voluntarily coz he wanted to separate live n lust n fulfill lust with someone else ..... He wanted to try). Later he almost got SAd.........and the author also deadass said " we ultimately do such things BECAUSE we love each other...and in a relationship such things are INEVITABLE ". SO in my understanding, the author believes that if you get into a relation yourself ship then it's inevitable that you get yourself in a cheating situation......and you'd do that coz you love your partner? And cheating encounters make love groww?? Really this is the impression I got. It's love me more by "Ez" the author of edge of ambiguity. The last chapt...I used so much fluff to erase all that....
This series is just so dragged at this point, and barely any character development, seriously, 95 chapters for this? Ian behaves like a spoiled brat, focused only on sex, sort your feelings first! but no, sex sells, so like 70% of chapters are visual sex scenes, gosh, it's not a porn! It's just so irritating, and people defend this series because of artstyle and sexy characters mostly, that's what drawn them into that since the beginning! If you notice, all series which are 'popular' are focused on artstyle, hot characters and sex... plot and good storytelling? Barely ever, because majority is based on sexual toxicity, and this is so frustrating, when it's already on the level that it's normalized by authors and readers!
So yeah, this series is not worth my energy anymore, because fandom is also toxic because of that dragged sexual shit, I'm out!
Seriously, also I hate the trop where MC is in love with the other person, that person loves MC back, but of course MC is whoring around trying to 'forget', I'm like... dude, no! and I understand low self-esteem, but dragging it and making it an excuse is series only to give more smut is meh for me! And cheating and emotional cheating, for me, there is no option for a healthy good relationship after that. If you've made a commitment, then damn, stick to your word! Seriously! I understand when they are in open relationship, it's not cheating of course! I hate when people don't respect each other in such matter! I could never forgive betrayal, whoever betrays once and crosses that line can betray again, how to trust someone like that! And later in series you have them 'happy ever after'... yeah, for sure! Once a cheater, always a cheater.
I know it's fiction, but I hate how many things in series are added as 'just a moment angst', but majority of authors don't think about consequences and what is later as the effects of these events, no matter if it's SA, cheating, murder, whatever.... everything swept under the rug!
Honestly, it's frustrating that people connect BL only with smut and sex, once they have hot characters, good plot and chemistry between them, all they care about is 'when there will be next sex', another 'hot character' shows up, they want to see MC having sex with him, no matter if it makes sense in the plot and if it's SA or not, people are so sex concentrated that it makes me sick! Don't get me wrong, I like smut, but consensual only and when it's not out of nowhere or out of character, added just to be added! Gosh, BL readers are so sick mostly, they're focused seriously only on porn, no wonder we have so many sick toxic series focused on smut, it sells unfortunately!
Sex of course can be a driven, the main story plot, but to not push every possible SA combination there just for smut, how unfortunately it's usually done. I really like smut series too, especially when there is such a great level of artstyle and plot, perfect!! But now I'm rather scared to touch, especially ongoing ones, because when there is sex on the first plan, it's more likely to add SA or cheating there, because authors have no other ideas later on to add sex scenes, no matter if consensual or not... it's just sad, so just scrolling mostly to not get invested, because usually I get disappointed in the meantime.
And it's sickening me when I see readers 'defending' such behaviors, like dude, it's not normal, it's only author's sick idea! Betrayal or SA is not a way to 'develop' the relationship, and is not the normal way of behave in relationship!!! Love me more, omg, I think I know this one! one of these... let's push some angst out of nowhere! gosh! The same way as people think that once you are together with someone you can have sex whenever you want, no matter if partner says NO! seriously?! That is damn rape, no matter if you are together or not, you cannot force someone to have sex!!! You can withdraw the consent whenever you want, and the other party should respect that, otherwise it's a damn rape! But people are stupid, authors and readers! No wonder their vision and portraying SA and cheating is so deviated!
Also, I forgot, earlier you mentioned that there is not so many series were we have one top and 2 bottoms in love triangle, you know why? because majority of BL authors are women, and they identify with uke/bottom, so of course they make mostly them the center of attention, where each met guy wants to fuck the bottom, they add as many sex scenes as possible, because they treat it as a way of expressing their fantasies, because normally they see men as those who are 'whoring around'. I read from time to time some interviews and articles about manga/manhwa/webtoon authors and that whole environment and coworking for all these platforms/publishers are hella toxic! Many times they tell authors what to put into those series, how to add something to sell it, and as we know, sex sells the best, and as long as readers will buy all these sex toxic series (because many of them are focused on porn), we'll get more and more such angst sex focused stories, everything for money, no matter the later impact!
This kinda love triangle story works for me. Absolutely. Coz the uke didn't take the ml for granted at all despite not having closure with his ex and having lingering feelings. I never felt like he treated lei unfairly due to his unstable feelings for the ex even if he wasn't all in love with him right from the start which is obvious duh....he has an unresolved ex haha. He respected and valued lei even when they weren't in a rs. I just like like like it a lot.