D'AAWWWWW!
As a series devoted entirely to four boys loving each other, there's moments to spare.
open/close all folders
In General
- The boys' interactions with one another always consist of flirting, doting, kissing, or communicating about problems. It's clear as day that they all love each other and there's never any concern they'll break up for the drama.
- Despite assertions, gay, bisexual, and trans characters in the comic are treated with dignity and respect by everyone around them without even having to deal with the occasional bigoted Jerkass in passing.
- Likewise, poly relationships are given a very wholesome portrayal as the Boyfriends and Girlfriends are loving towards each other both on an individual level and as a unit.
Season 1
- In chapter 7, Goth discourages Nerd from smoking to look cool in front of him. He wanted to spend time with him because he likes him as he is.
- Chapter 28
has Nerd and Prep get in a ferris wheel together and the latter is being his typical shy self. When Nerd worries that he's the cause, Prep overcomes his embarrassment to tell him honestly that he does like spending time with him. - When Jock develops a fever, Prep immediately orders him to rest and moves to nurse him back to health. His proactiveness and concern is utterly sweet, even if he's so bad at taking care of him he sets the kitchen ablaze trying to boil water.
- A small example, but Jock's mother jokes that she wants him and his boyfriends to get married. While Jock is embarrassed, Goth, Prep and Nerd all immediately have an Imagine Spot of getting married and all seem very entranced by the idea.
- During Christmas time, Prep tries to one up Prep GF by kissing all of his boyfriends after her and the girlfriends execute a perfect four way kiss. Given just how awkward Prep usually is at showing affection, this doubles as Character Development.
Season 2
- Prep and Nerd have another moment in episode 108 where Nerd is worried about falling behind in his classes and not getting high enough grades. Prep of course, relates to his struggles and tells him he should give himself more credit.
- Prep worries about being unable to properly comfort Goth when his depression gets the better of him, since he's always pampered him when he's needy or sad. Jock tells him to speak his heart and Goth will speak his back.
- The above advice pays off 2 chapters later since Goth tells him he has his own way of showing affection and he'll try to be more receptive of it from now on.
- In the arc starting from Episode 183, Nerd begins questioning his gender, so in Episode 185, he asks Goth for advice, clarifying that he does still like being a boy, but he's also fine with being "a not-boy". Goth gently assures him that however he ends up deciding to identify, he and the others will support him and love him. Additionally, Goth provides a bit of advice that's a bit rare these days: when exploring your identity and trying out new ways to identify, it is perfectly okay to be wrong. That's why you explore these things, after all — to see which identities work for you and which ones don't.
- When Nerd comes out to Jock and Prep, both of them are perfectly accepting. Was there ever any doubt?
- Called back to in a later installment, wherein both Prep and Goth refer to Nerd as "she".
- From the arc that immediately followed that, we have two of these for Jock, though they both also count as TearJerkers:
- After Jock overhears two prospective coaches comparing him unfavorably to his sister, his insecurities bubble back to the surface. Said insecurities are further exacerbated by an Innocently Insensitive comment Goth makes when he gets home and after calling him out on it, Jock runs out and meets up with the Girlfriends. This leads to him finally managing to talk things out and reconcile with his sister.
- Then we have Jock reuniting with Goth and the latter apologizing for his comment and confessing his own feelings of inadequacy, noting how jealous he is of Jock's kindness, strength and the fact that he doesn't have to prove his masculinity to anyone, traits that he feels he lacks, and how much he hates that he feels this way towards his own partner. Jock comforts him, assures him that he doesn't need to feel that way and the two return home together. Refrainbow stated in a comment that this was a very personal comic for him as well, as it relates his own struggles as a trans man.
