The sum of the parts.

God look at these cute dorks. The inspiration this evening.

I've realised something. Maybe it's because it's past 2am and I always get so weird in these hours. Maybe it's because I'm seeing Moony in tomorrow/today, and maybe it's because Alex Bertie just got gay at me on Facebook. 

I met Jake last year at my first group session, the first time I met a group of trans* people and the first time I felt actually accepted. We got on instantly and I've considered myself lucky to know him and get to be such good friends ever since. 

Then he met this cute YouTuber, Alex. They're sweet together and all but this isn't a proper promo, god knows they get enough attention already.

The thing is, I was incredibly nervous about meeting Alex. We were suppose to all hang out for a few hours until he had to go to the dentist, and Alex kept commenting on how me and Jake had this 'weird connection', a habit of sharing glances and understanding each other. Admittedly most of them were Jake looking at me to say 'look at this cutie do you understand' and me nodding. I think at some point I helped manhandle Alex into a jumper. That was fun.

We ended up holding hands (all of us in a queer little line but 'the hetero way' with me because interlocking fingers is too intimate) on the way to Alex's bus stop, we barely spoke unless it was through Jake, who was totally useless at talking about me beyond "he's cool, he wore that Star Wars shirt literally to appeal to you but he actually really likes Spock's dad", or something close. All accurate.

Me, Jake, Alex. Actual dorks.

So yeah, I was a little concerned that Alex was uncomfortable with me around for this reason, but it seems to have settled down. Despite being mostly iffy about contact, he'll hug me, and I feel like we've managed to get on pretty well, probably much to Jake's delight. 

Today, Alex just went to sleep after some sweet messages where we basically discussed our affections for Jake, I realised something. I've been worried this whole time that I was screwing up the situation between those two, but I've actually somehow helped. 

What I'm getting at here is a massive Star Trek analogy. It was going to happen, you know it.

Jake is Kirk, enthusiastic, full of ideas and an intense desire not to owe anyone anything, to just help where he can and get nothing in return. Alex is Spock, hardworking, more relaxed around Jake than anywhere, and passionate about his subjects. This leaves me as Bones, Kirk's  best bro and reliable source of personality boosts while patiently sitting through Kirk talking about his relationship and how great it is. Totally ready to help or tell him he sucks. Bones and Spock only interact because of Kirk, and while they're different (I can't work nearly as much as you, Alex and I could not make videos I just type things), they get on. 

I did it guys. I'm Leonard McCoy. I'm Karl Urban. I'm finally there.

My best friends are idiots.

Beyond that, most shows have this Triumvrate dynamic. Three main personalities that work together despite differences and create a stronger, triple the awesome version. Like the combo moves in Power Rangers. Scott, Stiles and Derek in Teen Wolf. Cas, Dean and Sam in Supernatural. It's a tried and tested method.

But more than the two cute homos pictured above, I've come to the realisation that I often set myself into triumvirates. 

When I was a kid, I always had two friends that I kept close, we worked together best. Then, as I grew up it became a rotation of my best friend and whoever else fitted at the time. Now, it's two really awesome guys that I consider close, and I appreciate the heck out of them. 

It's Emily and Kati on Skype/Tumblr keeping me going in the Dredd fandom and bouncing ideas off each other, letting me talk about my godawful AU and slowly wrecking this once hardcore Lawman when we're not having identity crises together or lamenting our lives. 

It's my partner and Erika, friends since Sixth Form and now considered a good friend of mine. Alternatively, my partner and Aniz, brother pictured below.

The strongest Triumvirate. Moony and my Swedish brother.
(Singing 1D, which explains the bottles).

I'm almost always Spock or Bones. I never fit Jim, which I'm fine with. I'm not good at direct sunlight. I work best when I'm reflecting the glow of others back at them so they'll understand what I see in them. 

Moony is the Kirk to my Spock, and I'll always cherish that most of all. I'm like a young Spock that hasn't learnt to turn off the human emotions yet, but the ideals remain the same. 

Basically we surround ourselves in triumvirates because they make everyone stronger. And it's a really interesting concept. Everyone builds on each other's weaknesses and they're practically unstoppable. I want that. I have that, everywhere.