The Bowers Gang: How the Guys Would React to Their S/O Saying "I Love You" for the First Time
Belch:
- Didnât really hear his partner the first time, because he was noshing on a giant bite of cafeteria burger (*cue one full-mouthed Huggins ââŚmm?â by way of response #1)âŚ
- ⌠but processes their words immediately afterwards, and low-key wants to cry because that shit is just too emotional for himÂ
- Looks over at his partner in obvious surprise (eyes wide, mouth slightly parted - the whole shebang)
- Then lets his being fill with/radiate pure joy as his face lights up, and he returns his s/oâs declaration with a (somewhat shaky), âI love you too, baby.â
- âŚDonât look now, but I guarantee you the dudeâs eyes were watering a little; heâs just that thrown by someone loving him
- Aka: Huggins is a man so used to abuse that genuine affection makes him cry, and weâre all gonna circle up and give him one big bear hug over that heartbreaking fact
- Anyways, though - eventually goes in for one of those âenvelope your shoulders in both of my strong armsâ man hugs, and makes out with his partner like thereâs no tomorrow
- Anybody order a true loveâs kiss?
- Well, sucks, because there one was.
- Squeezes his s/o tight and smothers them with butterfly kisses for a heart-warming finishÂ
- âBeautiful Momentâ rating: 9.5/10
Henry:Â
- Visibly tenses as soon as the words leave his partnerâs mouth
- Tries to play it off like it didnât affect him, but spends a few seconds very obviously recovering from the initial surpriseÂ
- Once he gets himself together (i.e. returns to standard Bowers form), just deadens his expression and comes out with an excruciatingly cold:Â âOkay.â
- Thatâs it.Â
- No eye contact, no humanity, nothing.Â
- Not because he doesnât care (dude would actually be relieved his partner had confirmed their feelings for him, if nothing else), just because he isnât emotionally fluent enough to process too much mushy shit at onceÂ
- And âloveâ is a lot of mushy shit as far as Bowers is concerned - romantic, or otherwiseÂ
- Regardless though, will probably take a few weeks before he starts saying âI love youâ back to his s/o
- Mainly because 1.) Bowers isnât about that vulnerable life, and 2.) hearing his partner say it to him over and over again without reciprocation strengthens his confidence in their feelings for him, and the guy needs that sense of control to feel comfortableÂ
- ⌠and/or toxic relationship practices, party of one.
- May use the fact that he knows his partner loves him against them in the few instances where they fight, and he hasnât said it back yetÂ
- I.e. Really drives home how little he cares for them, how theyâve never really mattered to him, how interchangeable they are with other people, etc.
- Basically just uses their love for him as a weapon against them when he feels itâs necessary, and likes knowing they donât have the power to do the same in return
- Yes - Henry Bowers sees saying âI love youâ as giving you a way to hurt him. Thatâs basically it.
- Nothinâ to say, folks - all we can do is blame the Father on that one
- âBeautiful Momentâ rating: 2/10
Patrick:
- Oh, geezâŚ
- ⌠alright. Fuck it. Here we go.
- Possible Outcome #1: Hockstetter pauses the second he processes what his s/o saidâŚ
- âŚ. turns to them slowly (dramatic tendencies blazing)âŚ
- ⌠maintains eye contact with them for a few secondsâŚ
- ⌠then breaks into one of the most searing, shit-eating grins known to man, and starts laughing uncontrollablyÂ
- Did he seriously create a fake meaningful atmosphere just to watch his partnerâs face fall as he tore that shit apart?
- Yes, indeed, he did.
- Possible Outcome #2 (may also happen in addition to Possible Outcome #1): You guessed, it folks.
- ⌠Itâs shitty one-liner time.
- Partner: *Says those 3 magic words* Patrick: â⌠Well, can I buy yaâ a drink first, or do you prefer cash?â *Incredibly hurtful Hockstetter laugh*
- ⌠Iâm sorry.
- The dude literally has a track record of saying âI get that a lot,â âyou better,â and (in one particularly predatory instance concerning a more inexperienced partner) âthatâs so fuckinâ adorableâÂ
- Iâm just tellinâ the truth - bro hasnât had the best responses to serious emotional declarations in the past, and it seems theyâre only getting worse (and/or more creative)
- All in all, not the worst reactor in the group (*cough* Henry *cough*) but a good ten miles off from being the best one
- âBeautiful Momentâ rating: 3/10
Victor:
- Is genuinely happy to hear his s/o say those three words (probably more so than anyone else in the group)âŚ
- ⌠but decides to be a mischievous asshole the first time around, because Criss is all about âharmless pranksâÂ
- So the first time his s/o says it, just keeps his face serious, his jaw tight, and says, âI know.â
- Channels Henry, does the tough guy, âI have no feelingsâ eye contact and everything - for five good seconds, Victor Criss has no soulÂ
- ⌠But immediately starts smiling after making eye contact with his s/o a few seconds too long, and drops the tough guy act like a hot potatoÂ
- Breaks out into laughter, grabs his s/o into a hug, and âI love youâsâ the shit out of them as they try to push away from him (because cute, semi-angry girl reactions)Â
- Eventually feels his partner stop resisting, and moves his head back for a kissÂ
- Finally, looks into his s/oâs eyes and says âSeriously⌠I love you,â one more solid timeÂ
- No laughter, no jokes, no smiles - just Victor Crissâs dead-serious eyes declaring their dead-serious feelingsÂ
- The perfect mix of playfulness and seriousness, you say?
- Uh.. yeah. Iâve known that since day one, thanks.
- âBeautiful Momentâ rating: 9/10




