AGAINST THE ROPES

DEBUT: Seo Min-Joon is the most promising boxer of 'The Pit', he is practical, reserved, and fiercely independent, a quick-witted sports scholarship student, his unlikely frenemy, Adrian Laurent, is the strikingly charismatic, empathetic, and driven academic golden-boy of Harrowgate University. Their worlds couldn't be more different, yet they find themselves drawn into each other's lives. With a national boxing tournament approaching, Seo must navigate the pressures of representing 'The Pit' while Adrian juggles his perfect image and the weight of his own ambitions including his growing infatuation and want of Seo. As tensions arise, their friendship is tested, revealing secrets neither of them expected. ----------- Vibes & Tropes: - Tough guy outside / cold and begrudgingly submissive underneath (Seo) - Charming, empathetic, dazzling, but manipulative top (Adrian) - spicy and slightly wholesome - Toxic flirtation with the potential for caretaking - Frenemies to Friends to Lovers - Mutual pining (Seo eventually) Trigger / Content Warnings: - Homophobia !!! - Social prejudice - Language / mild swearing - Social alienation, elitism, classism, and judgment from peers - Internalized fear of not fitting in or being accepted - Toxic rivalry / manipulation - Boxing / combat training with graphic description of injuries - Physical aggression and tense confrontations