Oskar had kissed someone before Eli?

[metoo]

We have no indication that all of Eli's 'protectors' were bad guys. At some point, some may have been lonely or childless women, whom Eli might easily have kissed. The first time it happened, accompanied by the telepathy, it would have been a surprise; the later ones, utilitarian.

Well, some of the protectors might also have been good men, whom Eli kissed. He actually kissed Håkan twice, voluntarily. (Albeit not on the mouth).

But there is another scenario. Imagine a helper who gets his/her kicks from killing people. What better and more easy way for Eli to keep such a person's interest than sharing a memory or two now and then?

[metoo]

I don't think Eli was any shrinking violet in the kissing department. Eli initiated every kiss between them, and Eli even suggests kissing to cheer Oskar up - "Are you sad? We can kiss, if you like."
Perhaps a bit more intimacy went on between them than revealed in the novel. None of our business anyway. "They had .. . kissed and slept in the same bed and . . ."

I agree to your violet thoughts, Ash. However, the Swedish original uses pussats for kissed in this passage. This makes the Swedish text noticeably more innocent than the English one, and excludes what I think you allude to. So that last ellipsis just refers to innocent stuff like hugging, and maybe being more or less naked when in bed together.

Whatever that ellipsis means, the last time in the novel they spent time in bed, in Eli's apartment, both of them apparently were naked. The novel says: At dusk they finally got out of bed, dressed. Remember that Oskar had wet himself out of fear when Jonny and Tomas held his head out in the path of the underground train. I would think that he would have wanted to get his wet and uncomfortable trousers and underpants off soon after Eli appeared after having killed Lacke, and thus was as naked as Eli was. All of which shows that Oskar had by then lost all shyness in relation to Eli, which contradicts a fan fiction story I once wrote.

[ElisLove]

I don't think Eli was any shrinking violet in the kissing department. Eli initiated every kiss between them, and Eli even suggests kissing to cheer Oskar up - "Are you sad? We can kiss, if you like."
Perhaps a bit more intimacy went on between them than revealed in the novel. None of our business anyway. "They had .. . kissed and slept in the same bed and . . ."

Maye you are right. I re-read the book, had forgotten this scene.
In first that Eli went to Oskar's bed he imagined stamps of wallpaper curious spying Eli... naked. He was not that innocent. Maybe in the second day that Eli went to Oskar's bedroom they have toyed something.
Also has the scene that Oskar picked up the Tommy magazine. He was curious.

[Ash]

This makes the Swedish text noticeably more innocent than the English one, and excludes what I think you allude to...

I'm really suggesting no more than kissing and hugging. Which in itself would be enough for Oskar to worry about the "fag" connotations that follows this quote.
I actually don't think either of them considered the nakedness and kissing as anything sexual, but more a desire to express the friendship and bond that had developed between them.

[intrige]

being naked with someone you care about, with or without sex, is cery nice. If only being naked and cuddling, it has a level of marm intimacy which is not sexual. The sexual part is genetals, nippels, plesure. None of that is ever mentioned in either thoughts or actions when Oskar and Eli were naked together. It seems as though they only kissed when dressed, once with the "new bond" twise in the memory sharing( Eli's casteration), and last, under the balcony in the dark, Eli showing Oskar what he really looked like. Other than that they hugged, cuddled, played word games and talked. Many times there have been mention of them embracing rach other "while falling asleep in Oskar's case" and after Eli killed Lacke they ley on Håkan's bedroom on his madrass/bed naked and talks. That is when Eli asks Oskar if he would like to become a vampire and Oskar says no.

Curiosity is very very common. Children have a sexuality. But it works different than for adults. Some are late bloomers, some are not and sexual sthoughts/urges might start normally from around 11 and up. But most at least 13 and up. The rest is pure curiouslty. Ever played the game: I'll show you mine if you show me yours? That is the perfect example of how child sexuality works. They can be very curious about their own bodies aswell, and even try to masturbate. And sure there can some some sort of plesure/calmness from it. But not in the same sense as with grown ups. They are plain simple not as sensetive or not sensetive at all. Little boys tend to play with their penis, but not as in, masturbation. More like holding it, pretending it being a guitar string or what not. Not holding it. That is mostly what it is, exploring, curiosity, but almost never plesure. Human intimacy even in small children brings a great amount of confort and the feeling of being safe. And Oskar and Eli also clearnly had romantical feelinsg for each other. Not forget that they morning after Eli had fist come to him at night, he ley himself on the bed to feel if it really had happened, touched across the sheets. The hairs on his arms raised themselves, strong romantical feelings. Two people who likes each other just cuddling with clothes on can be very rewardning then. But I would not say it was sexual. In fact, JAL intended Eli of being an asexual nongendered child. The whole point was that Eli was nor sexual at all. He have had a great interest in asexuals on more than one book, Little star to name one and is a big fan of morrissy from when they became popular in the mid 80's. Morrissey was and still is an outed asexual. JAL had a big fasination about this and surely Eli was not ment to be a sexual being at all. Merly a child. Oskar was curious bit not quite there yet. When he watched those magazines, he didn't touch himself, he just questioned and wonderes how the hell sex worked. Curiosity. So no I do not thing Oskar nor Eli were sexual, or experementing with anything regarding their genetalia. It is not outrages, it is not illegal, it is not bad if they did so. But I really do think JAL wanted to protrail an innocent and strong relationship amongst all the chaos of pedofilia, killing, violence. A light to the dark, a yin to the yang. The balance.

[ElisLove]

being naked with someone you care about, with or without sex, is cery nice. If only being naked and cuddling, it has a level of marm intimacy which is not sexual. The sexual part is genetals, nippels, plesure. None of that is ever mentioned in either thoughts or actions when Oskar and Eli were naked together. It seems as though they only kissed when dressed, once with the "new bond" twise in the memory sharing( Eli's casteration), and last, under the balcony in the dark, Eli showing Oskar what he really looked like. Other than that they hugged, cuddled, played word games and talked. Many times there have been mention of them embracing rach other "while falling asleep in Oskar's case" and after Eli killed Lacke they ley on Håkan's bedroom on his madrass/bed naked and talks. That is when Eli asks Oskar if he would like to become a vampire and Oskar says no.

Curiosity is very very common. Children have a sexuality. But it works different than for adults. Some are late bloomers, some are not and sexual sthoughts/urges might start normally from around 11 and up. But most at least 13 and up. The rest is pure curiouslty. Ever played the game: I'll show you mine if you show me yours? That is the perfect example of how child sexuality works. They can be very curious about their own bodies aswell, and even try to masturbate. And sure there can some some sort of plesure/calmness from it. But not in the same sense as with grown ups. They are plain simple not as sensetive or not sensetive at all. Little boys tend to play with their penis, but not as in, masturbation. More like holding it, pretending it being a guitar string or what not. Not holding it. That is mostly what it is, exploring, curiosity, but almost never plesure. Human intimacy even in small children brings a great amount of confort and the feeling of being safe. And Oskar and Eli also clearnly had romantical feelinsg for each other. Not forget that they morning after Eli had fist come to him at night, he ley himself on the bed to feel if it really had happened, touched across the sheets. The hairs on his arms raised themselves, strong romantical feelings. Two people who likes each other just cuddling with clothes on can be very rewardning then. But I would not say it was sexual. In fact, JAL intended Eli of being an asexual nongendered child. The whole point was that Eli was nor sexual at all. He have had a great interest in asexuals on more than one book, Little star to name one and is a big fan of morrissy from when they became popular in the mid 80's. Morrissey was and still is an outed asexual. JAL had a big fasination about this and surely Eli was not ment to be a sexual being at all. Merly a child. Oskar was curious bit not quite there yet. When he watched those magazines, he didn't touch himself, he just questioned and wonderes how the hell sex worked. Curiosity. So no I do not thing Oskar nor Eli were sexual, or experementing with anything regarding their genetalia. It is not outrages, it is not illegal, it is not bad if they did so. But I really do think JAL wanted to protrail an innocent and strong relationship amongst all the chaos of pedofilia, killing, violence. A light to the dark, a yin to the yang. The balance.

Nice. Just that. I agree fully with you.

[BravoHotel]

and after Eli killed Lacke they ley on Håkan's bedroom on his madrass/bed naked and talks

They were naked for this part? Is this a translation difference or my memory?
Edit: actually it's both I forgot about the part where they get dressed but I skipped over it as them simply getting dressed as in ready to go out in the cold.

[ElisLove]

and after Eli killed Lacke they ley on Håkan's bedroom on his madrass/bed naked and talks

They were naked for this part? Is this a translation difference or my memory?
Edit: actually it's both I forgot about the part where they get dressed but I skipped over it as them simply getting dressed as in ready to go out in the cold.

they dressed after rose up the bed