Latest / Besties Do Verticals / Episode 22 - In His Cold Eyes

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Episode 22 - In His Cold Eyes · Besties Do Verticals

• Aleta: Hello and welcome to besties do verticals with your besties, Alita and Lucy. Hi, I'm Alita. Lucy: And I'm Lucy. Aleta: How are you doing this week, Lucy? Lucy: I'm doing really well, Alita. I am preparing for the school season, which is a whole situation in my life. Aleta: Ha ha. Lucy: And just trying to kinda get through everything and gearing up for lots of exciting new BLs we think we're gonna release and maybe some interviews. What about you? Aleta: I had a pretty quiet week, but I have the first half of this week off, so it's a stout holiday here on Monday, so I'm off. I took Tuesday and Wednesday as well, so it'll be a nice nice little break. Lucy: You lucky duck, I love it. Well, let's go ahead and get started, besties. This week we are recapping In His Cold Eyes. This was directed by Olesky Pashnick. I do apologize once again if I mispronounce the last name. It is likely. It was released on My Drama. The IMDB summary says Two hockey rivals enter the season determined to defeat each other. As anger turns into forbidden attraction, both men must hide a bond that could destroy their careers, families, reputations, and futures. Aleta: You can you can tell that Lucy wrote these notes. Let's just sta say that right up front. The vertical opens to Ian Grayson, played by Andrew Isaac, getting slammed into the wall of a boy aquarium. Lucy: You you you say boy aquarium. I did it for you. Aleta: I don't say that. Lucy: Yes you do, girl. Yes you do. Aleta: by Fletcher Young, played by Markin Carvalho. After Ian gets himself off the wall, the two men immediately press their foreheads together like male elk. Where did that come from? Haha. Lucy: They do! That's how male elk fight. They have their like, you know, what Aleta: Ha ha. Lucy: what they're what are those? What are those things on their antlers? Thank you. God, I can't talk. And they they cling and they get to each other over the female. That's not what's happening here, but that's exactly what it reminded me of. Anyway, I I do say that like, you know. Blah blah blah blah blah male Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: elk, but I actually really love it when this happens in the verticals. It's I don't know what it is. Like, okay, as a woman, this sounds so weird. I am obviously much happier with males taking out their aggression on each other and not on females. As bad as that sounds. So I'm like, let's go for it. Aleta: To psych Ian out, Fletcher plants Lucy: Maybe. Aleta: a kiss on him. Ian freaks and they both start fighting for real. Fletcher gets Ian on the ground and punches him over and over. We get some narration from Ian, and then the scene fades to two months later, with him standing alone in a locker room. It's a new season, and Ian is trying to give himself a pep talk, telling himself there will be no fights or screw ups and he will make his dad proud. He hears Hi baby. When he turns around there's none other than Fletcher Young standing before him in nothing but a towel. Ian asks what he's doing there, and in response, Fletcher straight up drops his towel. He Lucy: Mm-hmm. Aleta: tells him he just transferred to the team. Fletcher says, We're teammates now, Grayson. Try not to fall for me. tells him to go fuck himself, and the response is only with you watching. Ian pushes Fletcher and rushes out of the locker room. Outside the locker room, Ian is trying to call his girlfriend, Stella. He finds her having sex with one of his teammates on the bleachers of the hockey rink. She freaks out and starts trying to say it didn't mean anything. Lucy: Can you believe this was all only in episode one? Like all Aleta: Ha ha ha ha. Lucy: of this drama. Just episode one. Aleta: As Ian turns to leave, he bumps n into none other than Fletcher, Whose open container of some kind of white liquid spills all over Ian's bare chest. Lucy: So it's literally a liquid that looks like semen and we get a gratuitous close up shot of Andrew's chest and it's pouring down his chest. Okay. Aleta: Ian is furious and tells Fletcher, What the hell? Fletcher tells him to calm down, and very flirtatiously drags his finger through Ian's wet chest and puts it in his mouth to suck it off. Lucy: That's what happened, literally. This vertical's dirty. I'm here for it. Aleta: Fletcher tells him it's just a protein shake, but not the kind he wants though. my god, I hate you. Lucy: It's literally Aleta: No. Lucy: what the vertical said. I'm just writing out the words, but it's lovely to hear you say it. Aleta: I know, I know. I'm just I'm just joking. guys, she does it to me every time. Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: Marcus, the man Ian's girlfriend was cheating on him with, comes up and tells him it was nothing personal. Fletcher chimes in saying, Yeah, just a quick fuck. Ian gets pissed and punches both of the men. As they start to fight, it's interrupted by Ian Grayson's father, the owner of their hockey team, the Red Lynx. Ian's father tells him to come to his office, and when he tries to protest, his father hits him and tells him to leave his anger on the ice and drops the F slur. Yikes. Fletcher watches all of this happen. I really don't like how many times that comes up in this vertical. Lucy: Comes up a lot, many times, more than any other BL vertical, I think. Aleta: We are back at the boy aquarium. Fletcher and Ian are facing each other as they do their pelvic stretches. Lucy: Ha ha. Aleta: They are staring hard at each other as the coach tells them that whoever plays the best today gets to be the new captain. Ian is very upset by this as he is the current captain. His father is watching from the stands. As they play, Fletcher is dominating the rink as Ian gets more and more frustrated. Marcus comes up and rubs in how his girlfriend cheated on him. Ian loses it and starts beating on Marcus. The coach stops it and announces that Fletcher is the new captain. His dad is very disappointed. Fletcher blows him an amused kiss as he leaves the rink. In the next scene, Fletcher goes home to tell his parents the exciting news. His mum is seen laying sick on the sofa, hooked up to an IV. His dad is sitting in a lazy boy drinking. His dad is wasted and gets up and punches Fletcher, yelling at him that he's late. Fletcher tells him that he became captain today and that it's his ticket to the NHL. His dad says he doesn't care. That his mother relies on him to pay for her treatment, and he can't just disappear. Fletcher tries to tell them that he needs to lay off the alcohol, and his father kicks him out. Lucy: Random using so they filmed this in Poland and I was wondering why. So it's supposed to be based in America and you can kind of see the American flag outside of his house. I just assume it was cheaper. I think that's why or sometimes these companies are based in those countries. But it's interesting. Aleta: Yeah, probably cheaper to film there. Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: Ian finds Fletcher in the hockey rink later that evening as he practices hitting pucks into the goal. He asks what happened to Fletcher's face, who responds Ice. Clearly, Ian has never seen the other man this shaken before. He gets offended and tells the other man that he hates him, but they're on the same team and they need to trust each other. He then lays out a rule. If you score, you ask me anything, and vice versa. Fletcher agrees, and they play. Fletcher scores first and asks why Ian really wants to be captain. He tells him that it's because his father's never once said that he's proud of him. The next time it's Ian who scores and asks what happened to Fletcher's face. He replies, My dad happened. When he Ian scores again, he asks why Fletcher's dad kicked him out. He answers I told my dad the captain thing would take us out of poverty and he didn't see it that way. Ian is unhappy, stating that it was the one thing he needed, and Fletcher's dad still wasn't happy. Lucy: I wanted to say that I love this whole scene. I like the lighting of the rink, the music playing in the background. It feels really intimate and tense. So I feel like Markin is doing such a good job conveying Fletcher's frustration and you know what he was going through at home. I've been very impressed with Markin. He is obviously a new BL actor, but wow. I am actually gonna say this next part, Alita, because it looks like our notes messed up, but that's okay. so basically what happens after Ian says, my gosh, Fletcher's dad still wasn't happy. Fletcher gets upset and skates right up to Ian, and we get this really kind of sexy close up shot. They're like toe-to-toe. And I don't know. It's almost like Fletcher starts kind of baiting him a little bit, and they start stripping off their shirts and getting a little heated. And I don't know. I was super into that part. And as it was just kind of starting to get good, yes, a security guard comes in, freaks them out, I think right before they kissed. That's such a bummer my notes got messed up, but they skate off and go hide. And this is funny, because I couldn't tell where they were hiding. It honestly looked like they were just sitting in a corner of the rink somewhere, like where the flashlight could. Aleta: I think they were supposed to be on the other side of the boards, no? Like they went out of the ring. Lucy: They were, but but d I that did not look that way. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: But it made me laugh because I was like, they could easily be caught there. But can I just say that I thought Markin looks really fine here? Like damn. I noticed throughout this vertical he has this things with his eyes. He honestly might be able to give Declan a run for his money on puppy dog eyes. I think they need to do a face off. Yeah, he had a couple of scenes where He was kind of like looking up at Andrew and then he had these like crazy eyes like they weren't crazy, they were just intense and puppy dog like and I was like, Holy crap. Aleta: We get accidental touches and closeness during this scene, another almost kiss, and it's interrupted by the sound of the door slamming. Lucy: And I love this tension and this vertical. It's like the entire vertical for me. So I think one of the reasons this vertical is doing very well for my drama is because of the spice and the tension. I did say this earlier. Markin is a brand new BL actor. And honestly, there really is something special about him. And him and Andrew together, they just they had something that sucked a lot of us in. And I feel like the director really took care to use a lot of close ups with the camera. And honestly, personally, I'm so into that. It reminds me of Buffy. Yep. That was what Butthead that's what my notes say. That was what Butthead Wheedon did on Buffy and Angel. And yeah. Aleta: Ha was the butt head on purpose? huh. Lucy: Yeah, yeah, it's in red. I wrote it. He is a butthead. but we won't get into that. That's another podcast. Anyway. Aleta: They awkwardly part ways. We're now at the gym where the team is working out together. Lucy: I noticed throughout this vertical too, I I was wondering, do you think there was particular care on colors in this vertical? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but there's this really bright red in this gym, and I feel like it just contributes to the vibe of the vertical. Their jerseys are red, and then like later on there's some striking color in some of the scenes that just made me feel that way. I don't know what you thought. Aleta: the team's called the Red Lynx. I don't know. It's a little obvious. Lucy: Maybe, yeah. Yeah, there we go. Sure. Okay. Aleta: But yeah, I didn't particularly notice it, Marcus gets into Ian's face and starts talking smack again, trying to get a rise out of him. When Ian starts to break, ready to hit Marcus and get kicked off the team, Fletcher steps in and punches him instead. Marcus hits him back and then storms off. Fletcher goes into the locker room to check out the damage to his face. Ian comes storming in and starts arguing with him about stepping in for him. Fletcher reminds Ian that if he hadn't, he'd be off the team. realizes he's being ungrateful and tries to make up for it by using Fletcher's own jersey to wipe the blood off his face. When the other man isn't having it, Ian uses his finger instead and licks off the blood. This seems to get Fletcher's attention, and as he brings his finger back to his own mouth, frickin' Stella barges in. Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: Fletcher flees the locker room and Ian is left to listen to his ex girlfriend trying to get back together with him. When he doesn't give her a direct answer, she gets salty and leaves. Lucy: feel for Ian here, man. She gets Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: really pissy because she assumes he needs to forgive her because she's being so sweet. Aleta: Why should she? Lucy: Right. But yes, she's being so sweet and sexual to him. It's just bullshit. Total manipulation. And there really are women out there like that. It's frustrating. Aleta: There are people out there like that in general, I would say, but Lucy: There would say there are but like I'm usually pro woman, but this is pretty spot on with some women I know, sadly. And I hate it, but it's the truth. Yeah. Aleta: You cheated, girl. Lucy: Right. Aleta: No I can't say this seriously. Sure. Lucy: come on. Or do you want me to say this part? Alright. I'll say all right, all right. She was supposed to read this guy, so imagine Alita doing it. Maybe you could do it in French, okay? Can you do it in French? Alright, let's do this first in English and then she'll do it in French for everybody, okay guys? Okay. Here we go. hell yeah guys Episode 13 Episode 13 is one of the hottest scenes in this entire vertical and there are some really hot ones to come. Okay, Alita, your turn. French! Francois Come on, people want the French. Aleta: You're the only one who wants the French. Lucy: No, I no, I have heard from other people in the chats. They are all over French Alita. Aleta: Ian is back at home in his bedroom and he starts Lucy: He she's killing us. Aleta: fantasizing about Fletcher. He can't do it. Lucy: I have to give major kudos to Andrew for this scene. I don't know how he did this in a room full of crew, but to me he nailed it and it was hot and it was vulnerable. And you know what, Andrew? I'm just gonna give you a round of applause. Right now, man, because I mean, I feel like as if you were we felt vulnerable watching this. It's such a private thing. And I don't know, he killed it. And I loved like You know, when he's under the covers, we get like a red light and it's just very like intense. Like I feel like one of the reasons this vertical hit for me is the close up shots added to the intensity, added to just my gosh, like how do I what words do I want to use? But intense need and and sexual attention and this scene just encompassed that to me personally. Aleta: We get flashes of the two men on the rink making out and touching against a goalpost. The entire time Ian is taking care of business between flashes of the two of them with the jersey Lucy: I know I forgot about the jersey. Aleta: with Fletcher's jersey. Lucy: Did he take Fletcher's jersey? Was it Fletcher? my god, it was. Aleta: s Fletcher's jersey, yeah. Lucy: my gosh, that's extra dirty. I don't know how I missed that, but okay. Aleta: Did you bi how did you miss it? He like smells it and Lucy: Girl, I miss a lot of things sometimes and that's why I have you. You have a great attention Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: to detail, so yay. Aleta: If you miss anything dirty, I'll catch it. Lucy: That's right, that's right. Alita's got us covered, besties. She'll catch all the dirty Love it. Aleta: dear Okay There's great music overall it's sensual and naughty and we approve of this creative choice. The Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: next morning Ian finds Fletcher sleeping in the locker room. He reaches out to try and wake him up, but Fletcher grabs his hand and starts dragging it down his body in his sleep towards his pants. Lucy: Mm. Aleta: Right before we make a touchdown, wrong sport, Fletcher wakes Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: up panicking, asking what Ian is doing. Ian deflects and asks why is he sleeping there? The other man doesn't answer, and when Ian tries to leave he gets a cramp and can't walk. Fletcher ends up telling him to sit down so he can help. We are treated to a central scene with Fletcher massaging Ian. He gets closer and closer to his upper thigh, and as he does so he stands up, leans in close to Ian and kisses him. Very slow and tender. Lucy: Ooh, it's technically their second guess, sorta. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: a few Lucy comments here. The narration, let's talk about the narration. Okay. And I feel like the actors must know about this. It sounds different than other narration scenes I've heard. I was Aleta: Uh-huh. Lucy: honestly wondering if we think they used AI to assist in it. Or they just had really good equipment in post. I've heard from some fans they were actually thrown off by the narration, but I did I did actually really like it. I am curious what was done different for this vertical, and I think I comment on it later, but I am pretty sure that is not Markin's voice in the narration. Yeah, Aleta: It sounds really robotic. Yeah. Lucy: definitely more robotic. So I think Andrew's voice was used and they enhanced it. And then Marken, I feel like they didn't use him at all because that narration had no accent and Marken has an accent. So We were both really curious about that. That was interesting to us. I don't think they needed to do that. I think MyDrama Aleta: No. Lucy: is using a lot of AI assisted and like it looks really good in like the sins of Dorian Gray. But I just don't know if it was needed for this. And this might not be My Drama specifically. This is this could be a different production company that just Aleta: Mm. Lucy: sold to MyDrama. I'm not too sure, but I'm always curious about behind the scenes. So if anyone knows, I'd love to Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: know. Yeah. also I wanted to comment again on Markin's eyes here. The puppy dog looking up at Ian's eyes. yep. Declan two point is what I wrote. I think his eyes need to come with the damn warning label. And I did like the focus on the hand holding. That was kind of a nice touch, a little close up there. Aleta: Ian apparently comes to his senses and panics, pulling away and insisting he isn't gay. Where have we heard that before? He storms Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: out. In the next scene, the team just finished a semifinal game where they won. Ian and Fletcher brush hands, just as the coach calls him over. The coach tells Fletcher that he didn't play his best, and as long as he's playing for the team, he cannot have a personal life or worry about what's going on at home, warning him that this team is his only way out. Lucy: I just thought here, damn. Do we think that's how it really is? It might be, but damn. Aleta: I mean it is presumably Fletcher's only way out of Lucy: Well, I mean in terms of saying he can't have a personal life, he can't worry about what's going on at home with the dying mother, like that's crazy. Aleta: Yeah, that doesn't seem especially likely. mean it's one thing to s tell someone to focus, it's another thing to tell them to forget about their dying mother. Lucy: Yeah, I don't know, it's interesting. Aleta: In the locker room again, it clears out and only Ian is left alone. He starts thinking about Fletcher while looking in the mirror and tries to convince himself he doesn't like men. He gets so passionate he starts punching the wall, delivering a mantra that he isn't gay. He only stops when he finds Fletcher staring in the mirror behind him. Ian turns around and says, My father has made every decision for me my entire life. This is the first one that I'm making on my own. Lucy: I have to say this next part because it's one of my favorites in the entire vertical. So we get a slow mo. Ian rushes across the room. He fucking flips a table on the way, by the way, just saying. It's very dramatic. And he fucking grabs Fletcher and he kisses him passionately. And I just I love it. This is what I want to see. Please. Just get him. Aleta: Table was covered in water bottles too. Lucy: Yeah, he just flipped that motherfu and like his muscles are rippling. I was just like, Damn He wasn't fucking around. Aleta: Ha ha ha. This time it's Fletcher who pulls away, and, likely thinking about what the coach just told him, says there can be nothing between them. Lucy: And that part sucked because obviously Ian was risking so much to admit his feelings to himself and Fletcher. So he gets this, you know, wave of bravery and then Aleta: Mm. Lucy: his Fletcher's like, Yeah, denied. Tobal bummer. Aleta: Denied. But apparently Fletcher's memory is short lived because the next scene the team is working out in the gym. Ian is staring at Fletcher a mere few feet away from him very intensely. Fletcher notices and in a way starts peacocking like Brady did in Drive Him Wild, but a bit more essentially. The the rubbing the hockey stick was Lucy: I mean I don't know if it's like really peacocking. Aleta: Ha ha! Lucy: I mean that was like trying to turn him on, but this one with like staring at him and making sure he's watching him like lift and I don't know. It was like a more chill way of peacocking. It might not be peacocking, Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: but I just I just like saying peacocking and reminding Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: everyone about Brady. So we threw it in there. Aleta: Fletcher takes out a banana and takes a big bite in front of Ian Ian's voice over I can't take it anymore. I'm burning up. I want him to touch me. Kiss me. Fuck me. I want him to make me his To get away, Ian jumps and tells the other man he's going to the sauna. Lucy: Can you say his voice over in French? Aleta: No Lucy: Like for me I would love to hear that in French. Aleta: I can't just I can't just I can't just wing it. Lucy: Really? But you don't have to. You would just read the lines and say them in French. Aleta: No, because you'll put them in. Lucy: I of course everyone wants this, not just me. my god. Aleta: Okay, moving on Lucy: So let it be known, listeners, that I am trying for you, and she is denying. She gets mad about the dudes being denied, but I'm being denied, and so are all of you. So just make Aleta: my god. Lucy: her feel it when this episode is done. Let's encourage her. Okay? Okay. Aleta: And here we go, another amazing sexy scene of the vertical. Fletcher follows Ian inside the sauna and starts rubbing his own chest. Going lower, he asks Ian to lift his towel. Ian tells him no, he doesn't want the other man to see what he does to him. Fletcher tells him that he's testing his patience. Ian tries to leave, but the door is stuck. As Ian panics, Fletcher comes over and throws cool water on him. They start arguing as Ian asks Fletcher to stop playing with him. The towel, the banana. Lucy: I want to mention how this is how I prefer to see Andrew. I like to see emotion from him, passion, anger, frustration. He comes alive when he does this. So when he gets fired up and he does do that several times in this vertical, I love seeing it because I think him and Markin play pretty well off each other. Aleta: Ian tells Fletcher that he needs to say whatever he's trying to say to his face. Fletcher says, I want you, Grayson. pauses and then kisses the other man. Lucy: So here is another vertical where one man isn't more dominant than the other, and I am here for this. And don't get me wrong, one of my favorite verticals ever is How I Made the Alpha Mine, which Alita hasn't seen yet, and I'm excited for her to watch that and for us to recap it eventually. that has Aiden and Tregiv in it, and there is a very distinct, like there is a very distinct dominance and submissive difference between them. And I'm really into that. But I've honestly been so appreciative lately of these characters being like written as equals. I like seeing it. Aleta: I prefer that personally, but We have close-up shots of hair pulling as Ian begs Fletcher to touch him. Towels drop. More hot kissing and necking. When the scene shifts to Stella recording herself on her phone for social media, promising fans an exclusive behind the scenes. She just w She just walks into the sauna. Lucy: No no no no no no no no we are keeping she walks her happy butt that you already said. You can just start again at into the sauna, the men pull apart just in time. But absolutely you saying happy butt is staying. This is my reward for writing the notes. Is you reading them. It gives me so much joy. If I have to write notes, you are reading them. Ha Aleta: See guys, she likes to torture me. Lucy: No. Just makes me so happy to like listen to her say these great things. Aleta: Into the sauna and the men pull apart just in time. Lucy: Into the sauna Aleta: She tells them what she was doing, and Fletcher bounces, saying, That's enough for him. Stella immediately notices Ian's boner and asks if Young turns him on that much. And he basically panics. Tells her he was thinking about her. and proceeds to have sex with her in the sauna. Lucy: Straight sex. Let's just say straight sex. I had that in there. This i don't watch these Yeah, Aleta: I mean it's with Stella, do we have to specify? Lucy: yeah. There's straight sex and a queer vertical and I I'm feelings. Aleta: You're not here for it. Lucy: Not here for it, I'm here for the queer sex. Aleta: Ha ha ha. I am not here for it with Stella who is evil, but anyway. Fletcher comes back around the corner and sees this, and Ian continues while looking the other man in the eyes. Jesus. Lucy: Right. As a woman, this part honestly was rough. I guess this is why I'm not I just I was talking about it. I this is why I am not into straight sex in my queer verticals. Because I start seeing myself in the female character, and I don't like it. I felt bad for her. Yes, she cheated on him and isn't a very nice person, but women don't deserve to be treated like an object or trash. Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: Clearly she wanted it, but Honestly it hurt to see that it wasn't genuine and pretty much dirty, like just getting down to business. You know, she's bent over for God's sakes where he doesn't have to look at her. So I skip past this scene when I rewatch. I I don't I I get no joy from it. Aleta: Yeah, when when she turns around he pushes her face back down like Lucy: Yeah, it's it's Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: and and and it's hard to like then root for Ian, right? Like you get why he's doing it and and they're being so aggressive and it's like, yeah, because you want Ian and Fletcher together, but I don't know, we're older women and we have been spending I don't know how long Alita's been doing it, but I've definitely spent spending the last few years trying to understand the patriarchy we've all been living under. And so these scenes just I'm trying to dismantle the madness in my mind and my life. So Aleta: During this scene, Fletcher gets a phone call telling him to come home to his mom. When he gets home, the doctor tells him that his mother's condition has worsened and they need to operate on her immediately. And of course, in true vertical style, the doctor knows the exact cost of the surgery. And of course the hero doesn't have it. I mean three hundred thousand dollars, yeah, you wouldn't, but Lucy: Right. Know if the apps know this, but like, okay, guys, in America, which this is supposedly based in, people get saved. We do save them in America, we just screw them over later with giant medical bills, and then we can have a discussion. Were they really saved in the first place? Who knows? But everyone gets worked on and no one gets turned away in an emergency. Okay, Aleta: Mm. Lucy: seriously. But who knows? With the state of our world now, that could change. But right now. Right now Even if you can't afford it, you Right? Aleta: Don't give them any ideas. Lucy: You get the surgery. Aleta: Here you get the surgery and you don't get a bill, which is Lucy: That's amazing. I'd like to live there. Aleta: 'Cause with all the stuff I've had I would be bankrupt at this point. After this news we find Fletcher on a bridge drinking. Ian somehow knows where he is and runs towards him thinking he's going to jump. Fletcher is very upset and tells him to go back to Stella. Ian tells him no, that he needs Fletcher. He then tells him that he'd spoke to their coach and asks how much Fletcher needs for his mom's surgery. He tells him three hundred thousand dollars, and Ian immediately sends the hospital the money, and admits that it's from his trust fund. Fletcher gets upset and asks why he would do that, but then pretty quickly melts into the other man's arms and cries, thanking him. Lucy: I love this scene. It was beautiful. I think Markin is a really good actor. I love how he fell apart here. Fletcher goes from being such a cocky bastard to just fully letting all of his vulnerable emotions out and it was awesome. Aleta: Ian brings Fletcher back to his house, and he's clearly exhausted and drunk. He tucks Fletcher into his bed and chooses to watch over him in the chair next to the bed. Fletcher wakes up later to find Ian sleeping in the chair. He gets up and kisses the other man gently. This wakes Ian up, Fletcher says, Hi babe. Ian replies, Hi baby. This is like Where did they get to that point? They've skipped a few a few chapters here. Lucy: I don't know. Right, right. But I like it when they say babe and babies, so I just let it happen. Aleta: They start kissing and Ian tells him he's hard from just that. Fletcher tells Ian to touch himself, and we are then treated to a very sexy scene, where the men watch each other. Lucy: Honor. So I waiting for you to say. Aleta: In the next scene we get it it that's all it says is honor. Why would I say that? It does okay. Lucy: Everyone knows what that means. Aleta: That's n not what I would call it. But anyway Lucy: What would you call it, Alita? Can you tell us? Aleta: Never mind. Lucy: Tell us. And can you say it in French? I wanna hear you speak French. We make me so happy. why does she do this to me? Guys, please bug her when this episode drops. Just just be relentless. Aleta: I in the next scene we get an above shot of the men in bed cuddling together. Lucy: See, this is what I was saying. The colors in this vertical. I I do think someone was trying to be deliberate. We've got dark green sheets and this bold gold blanket and it just looks good. I've I've seen traditional filmmakers who are really artsy try to do things like this, right? Like bright colors and it's supposed to like invoke a mood, a response from the viewer. I've never felt that way watching a vertical before. It just made me wonder. Like, is the director attempting that? Is that a thing? I I don't know if I saw very distinct colors after this though, so it could have just been a thing. And I'm reading way too much into it. I just don't know. Aleta: looks kind of rich and luxurious, which fits with his status, I guess. Lucy: It does. True, yeah. Aleta: The men are woken up to Ian's dad shouting outside his bedroom door for him to get up. They panic, and Fletcher flees to the balcony back ass naked. Lucy: Did you see? They gave us like a full ashot. I've not seen that at a vertical yet. They're usually some like form of decency and modesty. But and I I've heard from the boys that you wear something usually to like cover the bits. But Aleta: Mm. Mm-hmm. Lucy: dude, Markin went out there just He was naked. Aleta: Well, he must have had a sock on, but yeah. What? That's That's how Hudson Williams described it. Lucy: I'm not I am not even gonna say Aleta: He must have had something Lucy: I Aleta: covering the essentials, let's put it that way. Haha. Lucy: Maybe, I mean should we have Markin on and ask? I don't know. I I was I was shocked. But yeah, I was I was not Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: displeased. I was just Yeah, Aleta: Well, that's what you're meant to think, anyway, yes. Lucy: right. They did a good job. Aleta: It turns out that Ian's father found out about the trust fund and the money going to a hospital. He is furious, telling Ian that it isn't his money, and when he is about to hit him, Stella suddenly shows up. This causes Ian's dad to back down, and he promises that they'll discuss this later. Apparently Stella came over to ask for a behind the scenes exclusive. Ian is very irritated and kicks her out, telling her they're not together. Back in the locker room, Ian is very frustrated. Fletcher comes in and demands answers, telling him that he'll pay him back, and it wasn't Ian's responsibility to tell him. Ian wants him to shut up, and Fletcher baits him, telling him Then shut me up yourself if you're man enough. Lucy: Alright, we're going deep here. Aleta: Eyebrow waggle. Lucy: Yeah, yeah. This line, okay. Ugh, I feel like we're getting all serious. So in my four decades of being alive guys and dating men, I have learned that this is actually a really awful thing to say to a man. So not in terms of being like like not in terms of like me being hurt if I said it to a man, right? I just recently realized how demeaning it is to Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: say this to a man. So it just feeds back into the patriarchy, right? We say things like, you run like a girl, you throw like a girl. There are all these things that women are not strong enough or good enough. And things like this, not man Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: enough, be a man, stop being a pussy. It's so hard to hear these things. And as someone who is trying to pull away from the patriarchy and learning about how much it hurts not only women, but men too, this is one of the ways I think Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: people try to hit a man in their ego. So men try to do it to other men. Women do this to men. And they do it to make them feel like they aren't man enough and it sucks. And I haven't heard this yet in a queer vertical, like just exactly like that, that I I don't think I have. And I I've watched them mostly all of them, but it triggered me a little, and I think just personally, because Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: I'm trying to understand you know, when you say you're not man enough, then yeah, you're saying you're insinuating insinuating. that men are super strong. You Aleta: Hm. Lucy: know what I mean? And they're not all super strong. And that's okay. You know what I mean? And and men need to learn that it's okay to not always feed into this Male side of themselves. You know, we all have a little butch. We all have a little fem, you know, so we all have some masculinity. We all have some femininity. And my favorite men out there embrace both. You know, and I think we even had this conversation a bit. Didn't we have this conversation a bit with Greg? You know, embracing this sides. But yeah, just embracing these different sides. Yeah, it was with perfume. Aleta: Well, I mean not this specific. Yeah, he d he was talking about it in terms of s perfumes and scents, not so much this sort of thing, but yeah. Yeah. Lucy: Yeah, like like he likes blending it, you know what I mean? And and that's naturally how I think people are. And we start people young with these very distinct gender roles. And so I think men specifically h don't get the same wiggle room that women do to explore these more masculine or feminine sides of themselves, right? I don't know. I know that was deep. I don't know what your thoughts are, but I just I just err when he said it I was like, you know, but I know that's common, right? Aleta: Yeah. Ian shuts Fletcher up by kissing him again. It's passionate and needy, and Fletcher starts lowering to his knees, only for Marcus to be standing right there. Ugh. Fletcher quickly recovers and throws the belt that was on the ground at Ian, yelling at him that his belt was right there. Ian leaves, and then Marcus asks Fletcher if the two of them are Lucy: Bad word. Aleta: slur Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: or something. Fletcher rightfully punches the other man. Marcus tells him that their friendship is over. Marcus comes out of the locker room to find Stella. She asks what happened, and Marcus ends up telling her about Ian and Fletcher. And the next scene Is the water fountain scene? Lucy: Yes, I will use the scene in every single in his cold eyes edit. I love it. Kudos to the director. Two thumbs up on creative choices. Aleta: Haha Ian sneaks up and licks Fletcher's mouth as he's drinking from the water fountain. Fletcher freaks out that they'll be seen, but Ian is perky and feeling f risky. He sneaks another kiss. He confesses to Fletcher that he wants him to be his first, that his family has a place in the woods that they can go to tomorrow. Fletcher agrees, and Stella peeks around the corner to find them kissing again. The cabin in the woods you look like you're falling asleep. Lucy: Just listenin' man. Just listenin'. I'm excited for to hear you talk about this next part. Aleta: my god! Okay. Lucy: Let's do it, girl. Aleta: The cabin in the woods scene. Immediately the men walk through a sliding door and start making out. Shirts come off. Fletcher starts to lower himself on his knees again when Ian stops him, asking what happens after this? Fletcher tells him on the ice they're a team, but here this is just between them. Ian begs him to go slow that he wants to enjoy every touch. Fletcher says like this? And gently rubs his thumb across his cheek, then says Or like this and wraps his hand around Ian's throat. Lucy: Fuck yes. Aleta: Ian nods that yes, that's what he wants. Fletcher presses him back against the sliding door. Get a condom. That's always good. Lucy: But but but but it's a see through door, just as an FYI. That we must note that it's a see through Aleta: Well, yeah it's a glass door, yeah. Lucy: sliding door. Aleta: Ian helps Fletcher put it on. Fletcher spins the other man around and Lucy: Do you wanna say the real word? Do you wanna say the real word? Or Aleta: I cannot say that. And they have sex. Lucy: no fine. Okay, she's the big girl word, but it wasn't as exciting. Fletcher spins the other man around and boom boom. That was my intention. That was for her to go dramatically. Boom boom. But whatever. Come on. Aleta: If you want boom boom you gotta say it. Lucy: Come on, it's like the easiest thing in the world to say. Anyway, I again obs obsessed with the close-up shots. They are awesome. The only thing I thought of for part of the scene was Andrew seemed really chill, like on his face for it being his first time. But you know, who am I to know? I'm not a guy, but I just have my own perspective and the perspective of like queer as folk, right? So like Justin and Brian, Justin's first Aleta: Mm. Lucy: time. I was expecting more of like an expression on his face during this intimate scene. Aleta: Mm. Lucy: Just because he had never done it before. So I was like, he's handling this really well. But anyhow Aleta: Yeah, you'd think there'd be some reaction. Lucy: reaction to some pain or discomfort or like, baby, you know, I don't know. Aleta: I mean anyone's first time, regardless of gender. It's not Lucy: Right. Aleta: Yeah. Anyway, that was a very Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: long time ago. Lucy: Do we want to talk about it? Aleta: No. Lucy: okay. Just asking. Aleta: No dear. And apparently this entire time Stella is filming them. In the next episode, Stella sends a video to Ian. Ian panics and passes out. Lucy: It does. Aleta: Fletcher happens to find him and starts doing CPR very badly. Ian is revived Lucy: Very bad. Aleta: when all of a sudden his father shows up and calls him a fragile little girl. Here we go again. Ian's Lucy: Mm. Aleta: dad invites Fletcher to dinner after singing his praises. Stella finds Ian sitting somewhere in the hockey rink alone. She shows him the video that she took and blackmails him for fifty thousand dollars. Later that evening we're back at Ian's house where Fletcher's there for dinner. mum, Bridget, is serving everyone while his dad keeps singing Fletcher's praises, telling him that he's proud of him. Bridget whispers to Ian that she's proud of him too. His dad hears and snaps his fingers telling her to go back to the kitchen. Lucy: Hell no. I would be dead or in jail. I don't play like that and never will. I could never go back to like a hundred years ago. I would be dead. Aleta: She was clearly very downtrodden. Yeah. Straight up. Yeah. Lucy: She was abused. That's the sign of full abuse. Like like watching her, very good actress, because I was like, girl, just one look at you and I know. Yeah. Aleta: Yeah, the flinch. Yeah. Lucy: Yep. Ugh. Aleta: Under the table, Fletcher places his hand on Ian's knee, trying to comfort him. His father keeps up a barrage of verbal abuse to Ian, which is really hard to listen to, and we can see that Fletcher is struggling with it. Eventually his father sends Ian to his room like a child, telling him that he needs to speak to the captain alone. uses the opportunity to break into his dad's safe and remove a very expensive diamond necklace. He brings the necklace to Stella, who seems happy, and he tells her to delete the video, which she supposedly does. Back in the team locker room, Ian is working on something for his uniform, and Fletcher stroll up, puts his hockey stick between his legs, and suggestively begins to stroke him. Lucy: Stroking the stick come on Suggestively beginning wait I fucked that up Sus suggestively begin stroking the stick I wrote beginning I wrote these notes fast Aleta: This is definitely turning Ian on. Marcus is watching from a bench and eventually calls them out. They are called the F word again. Ian is ready to swing, but the coach shows up and breaks it up. Ian's dad comes in after the coach and accuses Fletcher of stealing the diamond necklace from his house. Fletcher of course denies it because he didn't steal it, and the coach doesn't care and dismisses Fletcher from the team until they can look into it more. Ian starts to protest, but he is then told he gets his captain spot back, which stops him. His father tells him not to ruin this moment. In the next scene, Fletcher is upset in the shower. comes in and confesses that he took the necklace, that Stella was blackmailing him. He drags Fletcher to his father where he tries to confess that he was the one who took it. But Fletcher chimes in and says that it was him. And that he's very sorry and ashamed. father tells him he doesn't care and kicks them both out. When they leave the office, Ian pins Fletcher against the wall and asks why he did that. Fletcher tells him it's because Ian finally got what he wanted, and he didn't want him to lose it all now. They end up kissing. Lucy: And adorable Markin puppy eyes again. Aleta: Until Fletcher tells him he has to go see his mum and leaves. I would just like to say here if he really had thought was being accused of stealing a fifty thousand dollar necklace, he would be getting arrested. Not Lucy: Right? Aleta: just kicked off a team. Lucy: Right. Aleta: Stella shows up and tries again to get Ian to take her back. Lucy: Girl, just leave it. My God. Aleta: Have some self respect. Lucy: I know. Fuck, man. Aleta: He turns her down and walks off. Stella and Marcus then seek out Ian's father and tell him they have a video he needs to see. But Ian isn't fit to be captain. Fletcher is back at home to see his mother. Somehow Ian's father appears in the house and offers Fletcher enough money to cover his mother's treatment and a fresh start. He tells Fletcher to leave after the last game of the season and to never come near his son again. Then once Lucy: We can Aleta: again drops the F slur. Lucy: Yeah, this word sucks for sure. I hate it. It's used a lot in Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: this vertical more than any other. I had a fan reach out to me. I might have said this earlier, with how often it was said and it concerned her. We did have a conversation about how sadly this is a derogatory term that gets used in real life all the time. I would be curious, honestly, what the actors thought of this because it was so excessive. I don't know. As fans and people who watch these all the damn time, I've never heard it drop this much. So it Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: was crazy. Aleta: You know, I mean I hate hearing it and Lucy: Mm-hmm. Aleta: I I just I kind of feel like subjecting the actors to even though they know they're acting to being called that over and over again. I don't like that. Lucy: I know, and that's why was curious what their thoughts are, right? Is this something Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: that they're like, This is my story, you know what I mean? Like I live this, like that's their history of their life, or is it majorly triggering for them? I Aleta: Mm. Lucy: don't know. It's triggering for us as viewers. For Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: sure. So I remember I think it was dropped like one time in Waterboy, and I was like, my god. You know what I mean? Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: In the next episode, Ian is waiting to speak with his dad. It sounds like he was going to ask his dad to let Fletcher back on the team. His father tells him that he already took care of it, that Stella took the necklace, just wanting to borrow it. He tells him Fletcher has been reinstated. When Ian goes to hug him, his father doesn't let him and calls him names, that he will not have that in this house. He tells Ian that after the final game of the season he will marry Stella and never see Fletcher again. He threatens that if Ian tries anything, he'll end Fletcher's career. Bridget shows up with a birthday cake Read the Roomlady singing her Lucy: Right. Aleta: son singing happy birthday to her son and interrupting the heated conversation. There is a party scene next. I guess it's Ian's birthday party. Stella's all over him. Fletcher shows up with a present. Ian immediately goes over to greet him and Stella pulls him away, announcing to everyone at the party that they're engaged. Then in front of Fletcher, she forces a kiss on him. Fletcher gets so upset he leaves and drops the present. Ian chases after him, telling him that they can't ever be together and play hockey because it's a straight man's world. that the truth? Fletcher is crying and tells Ian he hates him. They kiss painfully and desperately. Eventually Fletcher pushes him away and runs off. Ian says, I did it for you. Lucy: I love this scene. my god. I feel like Marken, he to me, he can act. And I enjoyed getting to see Andrew show off this side of his acting too. I really think they both did a good job and they made me feel so much pain for them. I need Andrew to go this hard in his verticals moving forward. I I want him to give me emotion and desperation and happiness and sadness because when he does it, I just I love the outcome of it, you know, for the character and and and how good it translates. Aleta: The next day or possibly several days later, Stella is happily looking at her wedding announcement in the papers. Ian asks why she's doing this. Stella admits that it's because she wants a good life and status, even if Ian doesn't love her. Guys, I just looked up and Lucy: Did you look at me? Aleta: Lucy is laying back in her chair yawning. Lucy: It's late, it's almost midnight. I'm an old lady. Aleta: Just have a little nap over there while I read. It is eleven thirty Lucy's time, so Lucy: I'm sleepy. We're almost done. Aleta: Almost done. Ian leaves and goes to his room. He finds Fletcher's present that he never opened. Okay, so he dropped it in like the living room on the floor. Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: And then miraculously it's on the floor of his bedroom. But anyway. Vertical Lucy: Ha ha. Aleta: vertical logic. In it is the check that his father gave Fletcher and a note. In the note, Fletcher talks about the time they spent together, and that he's returning the money because he failed to buy off what I feel for you. He begs Ian not to look for him, because if he does, he won't be able to leave. In the next scene, Ian does find Fletcher, another slow mo scene, and an epic kiss. Marcus catches them again, and Ian continues to kiss his man, giving Marcus the middle finger. Apparently Fletcher transferred teams for Ian. Fletcher tells him he hopes he isn't invited to Ian's wedding. Ian says he is inviting him, and gets down on one knee and asks Fletcher to marry him. Fletcher tells him to fuck off and Lucy: Ha ha ha. Aleta: slaps the ring out of his hand, saying they have no future together. tells him they don't have to hide anymore, that after the game they should run off together with his dad's million dollars. They will go to Canada together. Fletcher then agrees to marry him and they seal it with a kiss. The national championship game has arrived and the Red Lynx team wins it. Lucy: You know what was weird? This mini scene where they won, did it look a little AI to you? Like I was wondering if the boys were run through AI or maybe just AI assisted. I don't know. It was just it was this scene and like one other. But I was like, Aleta: Mm. Lucy: they are extra shiny. And they look like extra I don't I don't know. I I I I like my drama and and and we can have a discussion on AI and assisted AI and its place and such, but I just wanted to point that out that I like, Wow, is that what they did? I it Aleta: Hm. Lucy: kinda looked like it because then when you go to the next scene, they look normal again. Like it yeah, I don't know. Aleta: Huh. Just have that kind of plasticky AI look that Lucy: A little bit, which I was like, I don't want to get into like then what that means, right? But like, Aleta: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Lucy: you know, where is it you know, were they like, yeah, go ahead and like this scene looked like crap, run us through AI you know. I think there's like I heard there's like a way that the assisted AI companies do it. Like I think they block out the actors' faces, but I don't know, their face looked shin I don't know. I don't know. I Aleta: Mm. Lucy: just I noticed it and I have not noticed that in other my drama verticals. Not yet, anyway. Aleta: have to go back and look at it. Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: Ian tells Fletcher that he'll meet him at the car. But Stella suddenly comes running out on the ice in a wedding dress, calling for Ian. This is so funny. With a priest in tow. Like come on. Lucy: Right. Right. I know. It's crazy. Aleta: Ian stands there in front of Stella as the priest just starts to marry them. When Lucy: Mm-hmm. Aleta: the priest asks who objects, Ian looks back at Fletcher and then grabs the mic and says that he objects. Good on him. Stella asks what he's doing, and he replies, The only honest thing I have left. As Fletcher goes to leave, Ian calls out to him. He skates over to him and announces that Fletcher is the only thing that has ever felt real in his entire life, and he's done pretending like he's not. Ian tells Fletcher that he loves him. Fletcher takes the mic and says, Fuck you, Ian Grayson, I love you too. And they kiss. Super HR style. Yeah, the heated rivalry of it all. Jeez. Lucy: Yeah. The verticals love doing this. I I I was thinking, I probably said this earlier, what would they be making? Like, would they be making any of this without heated rivalry? Like would we have anything? They're like, let's just let's just do it exactly like heated rivalry as much as possible too. And I'm like, look, can we just say to all the apps out there and and the production companies, we're good. We got our fill. Okay, we are done. We don't need all the honoring heated rivalry anymore. Maybe the first two or three verticals it was kinda cute. But we're good now. Let's get back to original content. You can do it. Aleta: Here's the thing, is like they could make a hockey story without it having to be totally heated rivalry. Lucy: yeah. Aleta: And yeah. I mean on the one hand it's good that it made them maybe make more, you know, BLs. That's great. But like have some originality, please. Lucy: Yes. Aleta: The scenes changed, the mothers watching their sons find love on the ice, and both women say I knew it. Also very heated rivalry. But still cute. The very last scene is Ian and Fletcher packing their car. Fletcher asks, What now? Ian says, Now we live. And kisses him. The trunk closes and the camera lands on a car sticker that says he said yes and And it's the end as the car drives away with tin cans, like, did they get married? I thought okay. Lucy: That's what I think. Yeah. They must have gotten married before they fled to Canada. Aleta: Mm, okay. Lucy: Yeah, I think overall this vertical has so much going for it that I was really excited to see. I really appreciated the spice. Markin really surprised me. I had never heard of him before and he came on the scene and I just think there's something really special about him. I did enjoy getting to see Andrew with Markin. I had seen him in Love in the Rock, and And that'll be something we do recap here soon. It actually might be our next recap. We will see. So there were some really harsh scenes, I think, in this one. the father was really rough. just wait until you meet the mother in Lovin' Rock girl. Like, you Aleta: god. Lucy: will struggle to figure out who you can handle better. I think there were some more triggering things in this one for women. I do think the slurs were really extra, but I could understand from a story perspective, you know. I don't know. I don't know if this is because it was done in port in what Poland? Yeah. I don't know if this is because it was done in Poland and is it more aggressively anti-gay out there? I don't know. I don't know. But it was definitely those slurs were more than Alita and I were used to. And again, like I said, I had a specific fan reach out and be like, this was crazy town. But there was so much that I really did love about it. And I mean, obviously it was like Mark and Andrew together. I do think the story was really good for me personally. it's one of the easiest verticals I've ever edited. So I actually haven't enjoyed editing a vertical this much since tutoring my rival boy. So I just have so much to work with. There is so many spicy scenes in here and and Markin just like, yeah. Aleta: True. Lucy: Markin just cries and gives us emotion and this intensity and like I love editing that. Like it's really good. Aleta: Mm. Lucy: But yeah, what about you? Aleta: For me, yeah, I don't like the slurs. There's too much of that. There's too much just I mean, here's the thing. There is fighting in hockey, but they do sh they do shut that down a lot faster nowadays, but I I don't know. I just didn't need to see the constant pounding each other. Lucy: I didn't mind that part. To be honest to be honest, like the punching Aleta: I mean punching. Lucy: what the pounding is is a good one too, but I was serious though. Like the punching actually doesn't bother me. I don't mind for s I don't know, it's just me personally. I don't get triggered by men. beating on each other and I guess I mean in the sense of like they're pissed so they punch. I don't know why. I don't know what that says about me, but maybe I haven't quite gotten to that point in my anti patriarchy world yet. I think for me, I'm just happy they're not hitting women, right? Because yeah, Aleta: Well true, yeah. Lucy: and and I've seen that in other verticals where men are hitting women. So I think at this point I'm just like, Thank you for not hitting the woman which is probably not okay. But you know. Aleta: Yeah. No. But you know, I mean, both of the fathers were so abusive to their sons and to Lucy: Right. Aleta: their wives, and I I just really hate that, obviously. so yeah, it was that was a lot a lot of it was hard for me, because of those those things. The love story itself was, you know, it was it was cute. I think they could have gone less heated rivalry, but that's Again, I know they're they're doing what they think sells, so but yeah. It was cute. you know, happy endings always nice. Lucy: Yes, we love a happy ending here at Besties. Ha ha ha ha. Yeah. You know what's so funny is I would have just let I would have just let that one go, but you just lost it. I love it. Aleta: Okay, yeah. Well, that about wraps it up for today, besties. It's always important to wrap it up. Lucy: Wraps it up Yep, wrap it up guys. Safety first Safe sex Aleta: my gosh. I apologize, besties. yeah, thank you for joining us. And I'm not sure what our next recap is gonna be, but apparently it may be love in the rocks. So we will see you on the next one. And thank you for joining us. Bye besties. Lucy: Bye besties