Dawson might have been the titular hero of Dawson's Creek, but we can all agree that he was the absolute worst — and Pacey was the true heart and soul of the story.
The biggest storyline of the show actually pit the two friends against each other in a bid for Joey's love, in what became one of the most defining love triangles in modern pop culture.
1. I'll start off with the obvious and fun: Pacey was the king of flirty banter and teasing.
2. The back-and-forth between Pacey and Joey started in Season 1 and built and built until Season 3 became an explosion of unresolved sexual tension that was finally, blissfully resolved.
3. The chemistry between Pacey and Joey was off the charts, and he brought out her playful and fun side in a way Dawson never could.
4. But it wasn't all jokes and teasing — Pacey was also there for Joey, a literal shoulder to cry on.
5. Pacey helped out her family, sat quietly by while she dated other guys, drove her around, taught her how to drive herself, listened to her, kept her secrets, and was there for her in pretty much every conceivable way.
6. Pacey was also completely supportive of Joey's dreams; encouraging her and believing in her.
7. In fact, Pacey went further than just supporting Joey — he actively challenged her, helping her to step out of her comfort zone and grow as an artist and a person.
8. Pacey also wasn't afraid to express his feelings and make himself vulnerable — while simultaneously being romantic as hell.
9. Pacey, in general, was romantic as hell, and proud of it.
10. Pacey never passed up an opportunity to talk about how beautiful Joey was.
11. And it wasn't just words — Pacey looked at Joey like she was his favorite person in the world, and the loveliest sight he'd ever seen.
12. In fact, Pacey was content just to sit and watch Joey sleep — which, thanks to Grams, we all know is a sure sign of true love.
13. We haven't even talked about kissing yet, so let's do that. Pacey was, by all appearances, a fantastic kisser.
14. Pacey's romantic and respectful heart shone through in many of the kisses between him and Joey — like the time he counted down to 10 to give her time and space to say no.
15. Pacey was a great communicator with exceptional emotional intelligence — he was clear and direct (and also very sweet) whenever he talked about his feelings.
16. Once again, Pacey never unloaded his feelings as a burden for Joey to carry — he offered them as a gift, free of strings, and explicitly let her know he didn't expect or need anything in return.
17. And finally, of course, he remembered everything.
In short: Team Pacey forever and end.
