
I think for most readers who are not fujos do see the "ships" as mere male friendships. That's why they're always emphasized in any shounen story, to the point where het relationships/romances feel tacked on as an afterthought.
It's just that in this website, many readers here are inclined to be fujos, and they're particularly loud about it.

Yeah that's true XD
Their more than friends to us fujodans tho XD
Well as for me I still like romance stories tho XD
Cause like Yaoi genre can't have many plots a romance can have... XD
I know right? XD
As a fujodan I'll say this XD
The Yaoi community is hella toxic XD
It's really freaking crazy XD
That it just turns out funny XD
i also is a bl manhwa enthusiast but why can't a male friendship be normalised? i mean if y'all want to ship, ship em' but elijah is still a minor tho. whatever, do what suits u. ╮( ̄▽ ̄)╭