Tam

Reasons For Tiana

Disclaimer: EVEN IF YOU DON'T SHIP, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU READ!! If you're willing to be open-minded and have a friendly debate, feel free to read and know my message box thing is always open. Anyway, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!

So, this is obviously reasons why I ship Tiana. Feel free to let me know if you disagree. These are also not in order of importance, just whatever order they come into my head

1. Biana's feelings about being a Vacker.

Now, we all know what Tam thinks of himself. "I'm a twin. And a Shade. And a Wayward. And up until a couple of months ago, I was banished--sorta." (page 422 of Nightfall). So, we can all agree--not a very high opinion of himself. Which is sad, because he's absolutely amazing.

We also know the Biana's already questioning what it means to be a Vacker. Also in Nightfall (which I call the Bam Book), she confesses about feeling guilty because of the way Tam is treated, and says that her family probably had a lot to do with that. Tam tries to comfort her and tells her she can't choose her family, which is nice (pgs 451-452 of Nightfall). But comforting aside--it's an important scene. Though not technically a bad match, the elvin community probably wouldn't shower their relationship in confetti. Like Tam said, he's a Shade, a twin, a Wayward and half-ex-banished. If Biana's having doubts about her status as a Vacker and what that really means, that could be Step 1 in being comfortable with Tam. We also know that Fitz feels the opposite with Sophie, claiming that he couldn't handle being a bad match (some page in Flashback, I'm feeling lazy). This could cause problems between them, and if Biana is already doubting the importance of her status, it bodes well for a possible Tiana endgame.

2. Alone time.

Tam and Biana have been alone together a bunch. The Lodestar mirror, searching Candleshade and when she hung back while everybody went to visit Wylie (Lodestar) are the major ones. Having a lot of time to get to know each other is a big step towards a relationship. And who knows what they could be doing with that time (cough, dropping hints about how much they love each other, cough).

3. Biana's obsession.

Okay, it's not an obsession. I just couldn't come up with a title. But anyway, have you guys noticed how often Biana points out how attractive Tam is? In Lodestar, it's Biana who points out who Marella is staring at and presses him for more of a reaction. In Nightfall, it's Biana who turns the conversation to Tam when he previously had nothing to do with it, claiming that Linh must know how it feels to be used by girls to get close to him. It's Biana who points out the whole busload of schoolgirls staring at Tam at the efflorescence (a whole busload, guys. How many did Fitz get? One. I rest my case). My point is, she seems to notice these things a lot, and has no trouble pointing them out.

4. Mutual admiration.

Okay, one of the most obvious points about Tam's crush on Biana is in Neverseen, when they first meet. Tam assures Keefe that he has no romantic interest in Sophie and sneaks a glance at Biana. Guys. And even before that, Biana expresses awe at his ability as he reveals Linh from the shadows, saying it's almost like an anti-vanish. In Lodestar, when Biana and Tam figure out the secret to the mirror, Biana tells him to "show them how awesome [he is]". I know some people refer to this as a more brother-sister comment, but if I'm honest, that's how I view Sokeefe (sorry guys). A "brother-sister" relationship usually involves being comfortable around each other, teasing and stuff like that. Love isn't all about "electricity" and "sparks" and "shivers" and "fluttering hearts". It's about being comfortable around the other person, and being able to open up to them. If Biana is fine expressing her admiration of Tam (be it platonic or not), that's a good sign.

5. The sister.

And then, there's Linh. Good, sweet, devious twin sister Linh. The girl who gave us this quote:

"She's not his type," Linh jumped in. "He likes brunettes."

"Gross, why do you know that," Tam asked. (Note the "why")

Linh smirked. "Because you're not as sly as you think you are."

Sly? Interesting. Sophie constantly describes Tam's stares as "sneaking glances". That's considered trying to be sly. Could Tam have had another crush prior to being banished? Possibly. But Linh's quote is also in present tense. And unless Tam has a crush on Fitz (which I highly doubt), then all signs point to Biana.

Back to the comfort thing. Tam seems to have no problem comforting Biana when she's doubting herself, which I'll get to later. Biana seems perfectly fine telling Tam that she thinks he's awesome. She's defended him against his parents by painting the silver on his bangs in his mother's portrait, which are a key part in his identity. She was brave enough to do that, and Tam told her he loved it, again not being afraid to express how he feels.

Okay. Here's where it gets interesting. Time for the personality breakdown.

Biana:

We all know Biana's fierce. That needs no explanation. She's brave, she's protective, but she also values her freedom and doesn't like being tied down, as seen when she tells Sophie she'd rather beat the bad guys than keep everyone else in a bubble. She seems pretty self-confident as well, and she's able to understand and handle difficult situations.

But she's also sensitive. She implied that she's used to being used by her friends to get to Fitz, and that leaves her vulnerable. She doesn't trust others very easily in case this happens, especially if they show interest in her brother. She's also the youngest child. She prefers flashing colors and sparkling jewelry, which--though she truly loves it now--may have been a combination of her status expectations and her desire to get attention. She's someone who hates being overlooked and forgotten, like with Keefe. She's had a crush on him for a long time, and when Sophie came along, he left her in the dust. That might make her hesitant to get into a relationship, and she may not seem bitter about it, but it's possible those feeling are there, even if she chooses not to show it.

Tam:

Oh boy. Here we go.

Tam is a very complex character. He's what I like to call a Balancer--whatever you throw at him, he'll be the opposite (with the exception of Keefe, but I'll get to that). Take Sophie. When he first meets her, she's nervous. She doesn't quite know how to handle her new environment. He responds with confidence and reaches out to her, trying to help. With Biana, when she's feeling uncertain, he comforts her. When she's feeling herself, he's blushing and doesn't seem to want to draw attention. When Keefe throws blows at him, he respond with one of his own, but you have to look at what Tam does when he's not the center of Keefe's onslaught. He rolls his eyes when Keefe's joking, he smirks at Sokeefe and Fitzphie when Sophie's feeling uncomfortable, and when Keefe's doubting himself in Nightfall, he immediately comes to the rescue, despite their rivalry. Tam seems to have an instinctual need to help, possibly from taking care of Linh all those years, and when they're feeling better, he steps back.

This is where Tiana comes in. Biana doesn't seem to let him step back like that. She encourages him, she makes him feel comfortable and needed. She is constantly telling him how amazing he is, and after his parents, that's something he needs. In return, Tam is there when she needs him. Which isn't often, but when it happens, he's there to make her feel better. Tam's need to help and comfort is something Biana needs after being rejected by Keefe, and her confidence is a trait Tam needs more of in his life. For the longest time, he's had to be the older brother, the one helping and not showing any fear. Biana is someone who can take some of that burden. She's brave, she's fierce and demands respect, which Tam willingly gives anyway. They're comfortable alone or in a group, and they enjoy each other's company.

All in all, they balance each other out. I really hope this ship happens, because it would be amazing for both characters. And of course, no shortage of happiness for me!

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Wow. 1,429 words. That's a lot. Congrats if you made it this far, and let me know if you want to discuss anything. Phew! That was a lot of work. Hope I convinced some of you to join the Dark Side, or at least consider Bam Socker.