Man I love taking.

I love this. I know it looks like a common lack of communication troupe but it's actually so raw and real. These characters are growing with the story so they aren't gonna be perfect at being in a relationship. We as people are always more aware when we distance ourselves from the situation. That's why it looks so easy to have an answer at their issue. But that lacks the nuance of the characters.

Luke: He wants to be open about their relationship BUT he too is struggling with being completely open about it.

Andrew: Misinterprets Luke's hesitation as not wanting to reveal it at all and also views their relationship as a burden on Luke's career.

As a result Luke interprets Andrew's actions as him not wanting to reveal their relationship because of his own anxiety and feelings of ostratization not realizing that he has his career in mind.

It seems as easy as talk about it. But it isn't bc the reality is Luke isn't ready to be open about it no matter how much he wants to. He says he doesn't mind and it's clear he is trying to follow through. I mean he told his best friend and wouldn't have minded holding hands in public or even kiss outdoors. But the truth is in his face when he meets someone of his past. In that moment he hesitates just enough for Andrew to interfere and plant a seed of "he doesn't want to be in an open relationship". Now even if Luke wants to back out and say "Hey he's my boyfriend" he can't because as far as he knows Andrew doesn't want that. At the same time even though that asshole was from his past he still had a certain hold on him. He still held him as important enough that his negative opinion of him could emotional hurt him. In front of strangers he's fine and in front of people he is certain are trustworthy and kind. But in front of uncertainty he hesitates. Even if they talked about, it's not like Andrew misinterpretation is completely wrong.

On the other hand, Andrew is scared too. And just like most of us overthinks. Luke decides that he wants to do as much as Andrew is comfortable with which in a way is comforting to him as well bc he can put a pin on his own fears. This action causes Andrew to think that Luke might have started to get tired of him. Yes he knows Luke loves him, but just how much? "Actions speak louder than words" but words have importance as well. Luke shows his love for Andrew in every way he knows. He stopped placing too much importance in Andrew befriending his friends bc he knows it makes Andrew uncomfortable. He lessened their time together in public bc as far as he know Andrew doesn't want to be public, he isn't like him. As a result he stopped trying to get over his own fears bc that isn't Andrew's priority. But when he can be, he completely prioritizes Andrew. When they're alone he shows Andrew as much love as he wishes he could broadcast his eyes could truly say I love you in every language. All of these are proof of devotion and adoration. But he is missing one things, words. Think about it, we as humans try to justify everything to stop ourselves from getting hurt. When someone that we like happens to like us back, we will often try not to get our hopes up. Yes they can act like they like us but how are we sure if they don't say the magic words. Andrew isn't stupid he knows Luke loves him. He knows Luke does not view their relationship as fwb and that he has feelings for him. But he doesn't know just how much. And in his perspective Luke's actions of love seem like attempts at pushing him away. He just isn't taking Luke's actions as comforting but as isolating.

Communication is 100% what they need but it won't solve all their issues and based on their personalities and reasons for how they act I don't see them actually thinking they need a conversation. Not because they are oblivious but because they genuinely think they have the other figured out and think that what they are doing is a good reaction to it. Why would we as people want to talk about something obvious that we already have a solution for. It seems stupid from our perspective but from an outsiders perspective that knows everything it seems counterintuitive.

To end on something that's been weighing on my mind. We as readers have an omniscient viewpoint and that should add to the nuance. For example, when we read of a MC who is in love with the LI and that they love them back we scream at our screens "confess already". But when he read of a similar situation but instead the LI is uninterested but just an awful person who loves to play with the MC feelings we say "no don't confess". In both situations the MC only knows what they have gathered from the context. Yet we as readers act like they know as much as we do and I feel like that usually leads to us dismissing work as overdramatic and dragged on. (Although it sometimes do be like that) But sometimes we just refuse to see it from their perspective.