I'm reading Left Hand of Darkness, and there's this theme of Ai being unable to understand Estraven's ways because Estraven is an upper-crust member of an alien culture. And I've been wondering what it reminds me of and it suddenly hit me that it's the thing between Boq and Avaric in the Wicked novel. There's a part where Avaric gives Boq a kiss on the forehead and Boq is like "I will never understand this rich man and his elegant manners."

I read that book when I was way too young for it, so a lot of it flew over my head and I don't remember very much. Apparently there was actual gay shit going on in those books but I did not pick up on ANY of it.

And yet I've been profoundly but unknowingly shipping Boq and Avaric this entire time, to the point where they're THE standard I measure against all other fictional class-divided gay couples. Like somehow these minor straight characters from a book I barely remember imprinted on my baby gay brain and I am stuck with them forever.

I do remember being disappointed that Avaric isn't in the musical and they essentially gave his personality to Fiyero. Now that I realize I was shipping him I'm like, they stole from my boy! My gay boy! They stole from the gays and gave to the straights😭 (he's literally not even gay)