#thinking about porsche wondering if kinn meant vegas or pete

[veliseraptor]

ok ok inspired by the recent success of the three sentence meme going to try my regular pre-flight 150 words meme. aka send me a number from the list of fics below and I will write 150 words in that fic

1. Pete sat down on the floor. Porsche, hovering, gave him a worried look. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Pete said, then adjusted, “sitting.” 

“I can see that,” Porsche said. “Are you okay?”

Pete laughed. “No,” he said. He didn’t know when he was going to be okay again.

“Um,” Porsche said. After a couple seconds he sat down on the floor with Pete and put an awkward hand on his shoulder. “Do you, uh, want to talk about it?”

“No,” Pete said again. He didn’t know what he would even say, if there was anything to say. He was so tired and it felt like any minute now Vegas was going to die again, and he was just waiting for it to happen. (reduce, reuse, recycle)

2. “Can I ask you something?” Xiao Xingchen asked. Xue Yang glanced in his direction, fingers pausing on his keyboard.

“Sure,” he said. “Sounds ominous. Hit me.”

“It’s nothing bad,” Xiao Xingchen said. “I was just wondering if you remember what you said when we first met.” Xue Yang had said no before, in the hospital, but it’d clearly been a lie then. He was hoping maybe the answer would be different now. Xue Yang made some kind of face, but it was hard to read. 

That, Xiao Xingchen thought absently, was one of the things he was going to miss most: the ability to see Xue Yang’s face and read his expressions. Not just because he liked looking at him, but because it was going to get even harder to tell what he was thinking. (Redux)

3. Which brought him here, in a room with a dirty, scruffy boy of indeterminate age (a skinny fifteen, maybe), his hands tied behind his back and an expression of casual unconcern on his face. Unconcern, except for the dangerous glint in his eyes that Jin Guangyao was going to be careful not to forget.

“I didn’t say to restrain him,” he said to the disciples who’d brought him back. He hadn’t, to be precise, told them to bring him at all, but there was no point in saying so now.

“He tried to attack me,” said one of them. 

“After you got in my face,” the boy said. “You deserved it.” (jgy teaches xy to read)

4. Oh, no, Pete thought again, but with a little more despair this time.

“Take Pete,” Khun Kinn said.

Vegas’s gaze swept to Pete, flicked slowly over him from head to toe. “Isn’t he one of Tankhun’s?” he said. “He won’t be thrilled that you’re loaning out his bodyguard to me.”

“That’s not your problem.”

“Considering Tankhun,” Vegas said, “it actually might end up being my problem.” (the devil drives)

5. That slight hitch. A correction. The muscles between Fenris’s shoulders tensed and he thought abruptly, disjointedly, of a red-haired woman sitting at a table in the Hanged Man, the sudden realization…

“Anders,” he said. The mage barely glanced at him, seeming distracted.

“That big thing in the sky is scarier,” said the young girl. She, unlike her father, was looking at Fenris. “I heard it’s full of demons that’re trying to come out. What’re those lines on your skin, mister?” 

“They’re tattoos,” Fenris said. His limbs felt heavy. He glanced toward his sword, three paces away. “Meant to imitate Dalish vallaslin.” He hadn’t meant to say that. Something was wrong. “Anders,” he said again.

Anders was looking at his hands and frowning. “Bloody hell,” he said. “Where did you find magebane?” (the best all lack conviction)

6. Malkar meant it when he’d said he was going to demand a lot of me. He said if I wanted to be a hocus - wizard - nobody could know where I came from. “Do you think the Mirador will welcome a whore from Pharoahlight?” he asked me. “No one must ever know where you came from. They’d throw you out on the streets. Now tell me about the Curia again, and for god’s sake, mind your vowels.” 

And when I didn’t do well enough, fast enough, there were always consequences.

“This is how you learn, Felix,” Malkar said while I was shaking on hands and knees at his feet. He bent down and took my chin and tilted my head back so I was looking up at him, but he was gentle about it now. “It is for your own good.” (Pygmalion)

7. “Why are you so eager,” Song Lan asked. Xue Yang laughed, his smile turning sharper, a little less pleased.

“Why wouldn’t I be? A chance to help these poor people. Wouldn’t miss it.” Song Lan waited silently, and Xue Yang’s eyes cut away. “I’m curious, Song-daozhang,” he said. “Is there something wrong with that? Walking around with you and your judgmental glare gets boring. Give me a problem to chew on, a mystery to figure out, something.” (Walking Far From Home)

8. “Tell me...tell me how we met,” Xiao Xingchen said.

A brief pause that made Xiao Xingchen’s stomach swoop with sudden unease. “What,” his friend said lightly, “did you forget that, too?” 

“I’m…” Xiao Xingchen wasn’t sure if he should apologize or not. He tried to remember, even if thinking made his head hurt, searching through his jumbled thoughts. Something about the smell of blood? A fragment of thought: at least I might be able to fix this.  “You were hurt,” he said, half a question.

“Uh huh,” his friend said. “That’s good.”

“And I found you,” Xiao Xingchen said, a little more confidently. “Helped you.” (xiao xingchen + concussion)

[i-sveikata]

Do you think Pete's loyalty was lowered after learning Korn faked his death? Not only was it very horrible for his sons to experience but also a very brutal tactic to lure Gun into a major family home. Gun knew he was capable of this but still decided to attack. Did he knew about Namphueng? In the series it was shown that he was pretty surprised seeing her alive, so I wonder if you made more changes here. Also I'm curious if you decided who killed Porsche's parents (dad) which was left open ended in the series (no need to answer if it's too much of a spoiler 😅).

About the rings.. Are there only two, rings for minor and major family? If so how did Vegas have it, wasn't he only an heir unlike Kinn? If there were more rings it would make sense but I'm not sure which path you took. I've read some fics where there are more than one for each family.

In terms of Pete's loyalty he must have some negative emotions towards Kinn and Korn. I think he was ready to kill Gun anyway.

In the series Porsche takes the ring because they took it from Gun's dead body (which btw ew 💀).

I wonder if in their universe having the ring is like having a holy stick to all the power or is it more like a formality. This is nice because I've never read this kind of thing happening. Mostly it stayed with Vegas. If he was ready to die did he think Pete would rule the minor family? Or maybe he knew he would survive anyway and it was the safest place to keep it. I mean, I really like how you made it because even if the rings are not holy sticks it still holds a lot of meaning for them all. Which is insane!!

Obviously I have my own ideal ending but it requires one more person dead 👀

Considering it will take months for Vegas to recover - do you plan on doing any time skips? Or just the usual day to day or week narrative?

Please don't feel pressured into answering all of these. It's just my mind keeps wondering while I wait for my bus home from work 😅

I'm still in awe of all planning and world building. How it all makes sense. Not that I'm looking for loop holes 😅 it just shows the awesome skill you have!

Take care and happy Halloween 🙏❤️

hey there!!! i actually don't think that necessarily??? in my mind, even though pete knows he's loyal to the main family i can see him actually applying that loyalty to the specific people he actually deals with instead i.e, kinn, tankhun, chan. i think with his upbringing he would find it difficult to blindly put his trust into korn, a man who hes barely spoken to and hardly interacts with at all. so while yes he was disgusted with what korn did in terms of hurting his own family it didnt necessarily lower his feelings of loyalty because they werent particularly directed at korn in the first place??? if that makes sense. i think his loyalty took a much worse hit when he returned from the safehouse and kinn treated him badly after everything hed sacrificed.

hmm i dont actually think he did know about namphueng being alive? he defs didnt trust korn though he wasnt necessarily certain that hed faked his death either. but the coup was absolutely motivated by namphueng and how that situation was handled- it was less about the minor family feeling slighted like hed told vegas and always drilled into him, and more about how his obsession with nampheung meant that he could never let his resentment go until korn was out of the picture and hed honoured her even in death. but we also know that he never takes responsibility for his actions so of course he would blame korn for everything regardless of who was actually responsible.

i dont particularly have any interest in which one of them actually killed her husband tbh? i find its a good summation of their characters in the fact that you couldnt really trust either at their word and wed never quite know for certain who did it regardless of what they say

in my head there are two family rings and vegas only had it because that was his father's reward for the coup, like his coming of age moment was his father finally acknowledging him as a successor (and it was the only way he could sweeten the deal when vegas started to show reluctance for the coup because of pete. so his father threw in the two things he desperately wants, ceremonial acknowledgement of his power and place in the family, and a guarantee that he wont get any resistance from his father about his relationship with pete) so although things are still going to follow the show i.e korn promoting porsche to the head of the family (as a punishment to vegas and a way to try and keep pete from gaining power and authority) porsche still aint getting that ring (sorry porsche!) not because pete wouldnt give it if porsche asked but because of the messiness of the situation, porsche doesn't ask. doesnt actually want it.

haha holy stick of power lol but yeah kinda?? i take it as whoever wears the ring is the head of that family or is set to be the successor/is temporarily acting as the head (in the event of someone else being ill like korn was at the beginning when kinn took over)

so yes vegas was showing how seriously he values pete and i think hes also aware that pete would still treat his men decently in spite of their history and get them out alive so when he knew there was a likelihood of his own death he was both passing it on to pete and also knowing hed keep it safe (and maybe trusting hed give it to the right person if pete didnt end up wanting the responsibility himself). but not only that the ring also holds a very significant power for vegas, its a symbol of everything that he wants in life so for him to give it to pete even when he still chose in that moment to abandon him that was his way of signaling to pete his importance even in spite of vegas' actions. it was a very definite way of say i love you and i value you and thats exactly what pete picked up on when he realised what vegas had given him. and thats why he was thinking 'of course vegas has to give two answers'

yeah lol i kinda want korn dead for real too but we shall see if that actually comes to fruition in the story! hmm not too sure about the time jumps as of yet but i am going to focus on the current events following the aftermath because those will be important to the story itself. there will be a time skip of sorts because we should be shifting over into vegas POV in the next chap ish and thats going to take some time because he'll be seriously out of it on pain medication so hes not going to be entirely lucid for a while. the rest i am making it up as i go along so i will predict there will likely be time skips? will just have to see how it all fits really

oh no not at all!! i do like answering these questions and having a think about it i dont feel pressured :) hahahahahh thank you so much that's really nice!

happy halloween to you too!!

[bitacrytic]

Overheat [36 & 37]

Read Previous Chapter Here

-

“I’m so sorry,” Pete repeated.

Vegas didn’t know what to do, so he pulled Pete into his arms, rocking him slowly as Kinn shrugged.

“It’s fine.” He scoffed. “When this is all over, I’ll get my lick back. Don’t worry about me.”

-

-

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

-

Someone was watching him.

Pete didn't know for sure. But ever since his meeting with Porsche, Vegas and Kinn, he got the sense that someone was following him, watching him, cataloging his every move. His mind kept going back to the day he was kidnapped. That was when it had all started.

With Wan and his video. It would have been so easy to draw a line from Tawan to Wan, seeing as their names sounded alike. Pete wanted this to be over so badly that he was slowly beginning to convince himself that that was enough proof. But then he'd remember that the man they'd let go of, had run to Tod. And then another voice in his head would remind him that both of them were probably in it together.

And if they were in it together, Tawan’s father had the resources to put a tail on Pete and Tod had the resources to hack into public cameras to spy on Pete. In which case, they must already have known that Pete had flipped and was feeding them fucked information. Which meant that, any day now, his video was going to be released.

He woke up every morning, checking social media for the video. And with each morning that he found nothing, the eye on his back seemed to grow stronger and stronger. A whole week after their meeting in Kinn’s hospital room, Pete hadn’t heard anything. He wondered if he should allow himself to breathe. If he should calm down and let Vegas and Kinn solve it, just Porsche had said.

Or if he ought to do something, himself. After all, he’d learned pretty quickly in life to depend on no one but himself. And Kinn. He’d grown to depend on Kinn. But Kinn was angry with him. There was a chance that Kinn wasn’t doing things in Pete’s best interest.

Not that Pete didn’t deserve it.

After dinner, that evening, as he was on his way back to his room, Vegas called.

“Are you busy?”

“No, not really.”

“I’m following a lead. Would you like to come?”

In twenty minutes, they were stationed outside an abandoned warehouse, perched on the roof, across the street from the main entrance. Vegas came, armed with a camera and a pair of binoculars.

“You take this,” he said, handing the binoculars to Pete. “If you see anything sketchy, let me know.”

While Vegas took pictures of cars that were coming and going, and also pictures of anyone entering or exiting the warehouse, Pete surveyed the area, extending the binoculars as far as it could go.

“What are we doing here?” Pete asked.

“Nop heard chatter from two different gangs that were meeting here. Which was strange, on its own. But the further he looked into it, it wasn’t really the whole gang. It was just one person or a couple of people from most gangs.” He sat up, dropping the camera for a moment. “Gambit is a new company. I’ve known from the beginning that we’re dealing with new people. But maybe I was half right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I monitored Tod this whole week and I’ve got nothing on him and Tawan. They’ve never met. They don’t do business together and Tawan doesn’t even fit Tod’s type.”

“Right,” Pete agreed. “Alpha business man. Which, Tawan is not.”

“Exactly.”

“But we saw the prisoner go straight to him.”

“Probably the same way the gang members from other gangs are meeting here.”

“You think someone is picking members that already belong to existing gangs?” Pete asked.

“Sounds like it to me,” Vegas replied, holding up his camera and taking more pictures as more people arrived. “With these pictures, we can know which gangs have been compromised.”

“Wait, so does that mean Tawan is doing this all alone?”

Vegas sighed. “Kinn seems to think Tawan has nothing to do with it. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe Kinn is right. But right now, I’m not trusting anybody. Even Tod, for all I know. I mean, he doesn’t have to meet his partner to get the job done.”

True, Pete thought. They could be following the right leads. Or they could have missed the real mastermind, just because they were following the obvious.

Beside him, Vegas pulled out a packet of suppressants, popped one tablet out and swallowed it. Pete cringed inwardly, wondering if he should shut the fuck up and mind his business. He knew he should. He really ought. But before he could get a proper hold on his tongue-

"You had one of those at breakfast," Pete said.

"Yeah, so?" Vegas asked, returning the packet to his pocket as he picked his camera again.

Pete reached over and pressed the camera back down. "You had one during break and one during lunch. It's barely past dinnertime and you're having another. That's four doses in less than fifteen hours, Vegas. What's going on?"

"It's nothing."

They'd only known each other for a few months, and in that time, they hadn't always shared the heaviest of secrets with each other. Pete had been careful not to ask for too much that would set off warning bells in Vegas' head. But the few times he'd asked, Vegas had been forthcoming. He'd spoken to Pete in honesty, opening up like he couldn't wait to share his world with Pete. Like he couldn't wait to have Pete understand whatever it was he was asking about.

"I know you have no reason to trust me-"

"It's not that."

"Then what's going on? Suppressants are three times a day. The rate at which you're taking them, you'll take at least two more doses before the day runs out."

Vegas' lips trembled as he bit them, a frown appearing on his face. He looked at Pete and for a second, Pete was sure he saw the same tenderness that used to be in Vegas' eyes when he looked at Pete, before.

"It's stupid. Ken thinks I'm stupid."

"What is it?"

Vegas sighed. "I was..." he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I was waiting for the cycle break that’s coming up soon."

"Why?" Pete asked. "You're not in the production. You can have your cycle whenever you want."

Vegas gave Pete a tired, exasperated look. “I was waiting for you, dumbass.”

The insult didn’t stick. If anything, it came out soft and indulgent, almost like a term of endearment, in the way his eyes lighted, looking right into Pete’s. Too many things were happening all at once. He was sure Vegas had just said he was postponing his rut, so it could coincide with Pete’s heat. He had just said… while looking at Pete like that. He’d just said…

Pete’s mouth went dry as his throat nearly clogged up from his heart shooting up from his chest. Considering what they’d just been through, the fact that Vegas wanted… Vegas was putting himself through the discomfort of extending his rut, just so they could spend their cycles together. Pete’s head swarmed with possibilities as they sat there, in the shadow of the boulder, staring into each other’s eyes.

He wanted to kiss Vegas, but he didn’t know how appropriate that would be. They were in a shaky place and Pete was being careful. But there Vegas was, offering a kind of permanence that Pete had never had in his life. He’d never even thought he’d want to mate with someone, let alone, do it with a member of the mafia. With a man he’d only known a few months.

And yet, here he was, contemplating spending the rest of his life with this man. Giving up all other possibilities for love by accepting and giving the bite. The bite, oh god, he thought, feeling giddy and confused at the idea of wanting it. It was such a silly idea. Pete was an omega and a career-driven actor with a bright future. He’d always shied away from shared cycles because people didn’t know he was an omega. That was a secret he was going to take to his grave.

He never imagined meeting someone who knew what he was, but wasn’t threatened by the fact that he was an omega who was also working. Someone who was romantically interested in Pete, but didn’t treat him as less. Because that was when they acted differently. Pete was a human being. Pete was a person. Until someone wanted to fuck him and suddenly, he had to know his place. Even when they thought he was a beta.

None of that had happened with Vegas. Pete couldn’t even look back on their interactions and pinpoint the moment when Vegas had found out that he was an omega. Because Vegas’ behavior never changed. Pete was Pete before Vegas knew. Pete was still Pete after.

“Say something,” Vegas said, as worry etched into his face.

“Oh,” Pete said, snapping out of it. “You wanted us to… to mate?”

“What?” Vegas asked, sounding confused. “No. No, we were going to use mouth guards. I just wanted us to spend the cycle together. Get to know each other and clear the air between us, you know?”

Mouth guards. Right, Pete thought. The things that alphas and omegas put in their mouths to keep from mistakenly biting each other. Pete nearly choked as his heart went tumbling down in his chest. How stupid was he to think that someone like Vegas would want to mate him? A lying, dishonest, untrustworthy piece of shit like Pete. Of course. He should have known. Vegas just wanted cycle sex. He wanted a wanton omega in heat who could give him unimaginable pleasure.

He didn’t want forever with Pete.

Pete shivered, feeling like someone had just doused him with cold water.

“You think I’m stupid, too,” Vegas said.

“What? No. Of course not.” He tried to laugh to dislodge the heaviness in his chest. He wished he could rewind the time to two minutes ago. Before he’d overestimated his value and started planning a life with a man who didn’t trust him. “You’re not stupid,” he said. “But, you should know though. I’m not having my cycle during the cycle break.”

“Why not?”

“I’m supposed to be a beta, Vegas. Remember?” he asked. “Wan may have forced me into a heat, two weeks before camp, but I was going to do it myself, regardless. I can’t have a cycle break while others are on break. I have to be visible. I have to go to meetings and show my face around other beta actors and employees. People have to see me moving around during the cycle break or else they’d start asking questions about me. I’ll get my next heat after the production is done.”

Vegas’ mouth fell open as he smacked his own forehead. “Ken was right. I am stupid. I should have known.”

“Hey,” Pete laughed, grabbing Vegas’ hands. “Don’t hit yourself.”

“I just thought-”

“I know what you thought. It’s okay.” And without meaning to, his treacherous mouth opened and said, “If you want, I can visit though. I can come see you during your rut.”

“Yeah,” Vegas said with a little nod. “I’d like that.”

Yeah, Pete thought, smiling even though dread filled his stomach. How could Vegas think himself to be stupid, when Pete had just committed himself to spending time with a rutting alpha? How couldn’t he see that Pete was the fool willing to put his life and career on the line for a man who didn’t trust him?

Spending time alone with Vegas in a rut? What on earth could go wrong?

-

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

-

They waited till the meeting was over and took more pictures. Vegas was sure he’d gotten everyone who entered the building through this entrance. He just wanted to be thorough. He hoped Kinn and Porsche were just as thorough, at the other entrance. Because they would be totally fucked if they missed even one person.

Two hours and almost a hundred pictures later, they packed up and started heading back to the hotel, where they met at Pete and Porsche’s room.

“Did you see any familiar faces?” Vegas asked as soon as they entered the room.

Kinn shook his head. “Maybe we’ll see better now we’re here. The screen was too tiny.”

“Tiny, how? Do you need glasses?”

“Memory card,” Kinn said, holding out his hand as Vegas gave it to him.

The room was dark and Porsche had already set up a projector on his bed that was screened against the wall. On Pete’s bed, Kinn’s laptop sat, waiting for Kinn to return.

“What…” Pete began. “What’s going on?”

“We’re making notes of the faces we recognize and cataloging the pictures as evidence for their gang leaders.”

“What makes you think the leaders didn’t send those people to represent them?” Porsche asked. “I mean, maybe they’re all planning to join up.”

“We’re not the only ones who’ve been hit in the past year. Nop said a lot of lower gangs have been losing territory, and a lot of the high prestige ones have been losing business deals. Leaders aren’t happy. They want to know where their leaks are.”

“Come. Sit,” Porsche offered Vegas.

Picture after picture, they marked the number, the face in the picture and the gang they belonged to. Seeing as Kinn had put in his card first, it was going to take a while to get to Vegas’ card. But that was okay. They had all night anyway. With Vegas offering commentary, while Porsche controlled the projector and Kinn took notes, Vegas couldn’t help wondering why Pete was so quiet.

Took him a moment to remember that Kinn and Pete were still in a weird place. And Kinn was sitting at the foot of Pete’s bed, while Pete had curled into himself at the head of the bed, placing his pillows between himself and Kinn like it was some worthy barrier. Wanting to comfort him, Vegas took off his shoes and slipped behind the barrier with Pete as Pete looked at him, startled.

“Shhh,” he said to Pete before turning back to the projector.

“Don’t do anything funky, over there,” Porsche said. “I know the room is dark and all, but we can still hear that shit.”

Vegas rolled his eyes as Kinn turned back to look at them with disgust in his face.

“Oh, for fuck sake,” Kinn said, grabbing his laptop and moving to Porsche’s bed. “Seriously, I’m in the room.”

“Don’t be weird. We’re not doing anything. Pete, were we doing anything?”

“No,” Pete answered, honestly.

“Yeah right,” Porsche said with a scoff.

“Can we get back to the business at hand?” Vegas asked, gesturing at the screen.

Porsche flicked to the next picture and Kinn sat up.

“Wait.”

“What?” Vegas asked.

“I can’t really see the face on that person, but I recognize that green and blue coat. Go back.”

Porsche went to the previous picture, but the person in the green and blue coat was still backing the camera. So Porsche went back about three more pictures before they found one where the man was facing the camera, but he wasn’t at the center of the picture.

“Can you zoom in?”

Porsche shifted the focus to the corner where the man was and zoomed in on the picture to reveal the face.

“Oh wow,” Vegas said, not even bothering to be surprised by what he was seeing.

“Who’s that?” Pete asked.

“It’s-” Vegas began to say as Kinn beat him to it.

“It’s Tawan. I recognized the coat because he was wearing it when I saw him a few hours ago.”

“You saw him today?” Porsche asked, a frown etched in his face.

“It-it wasn’t like that. I wanted to find out what he knows about his father’s activities.”

“I hope you didn’t tell him too much about what we know, given that he’s the fucking mastermind.”

“Porsche-”

“Please don’t defend him right now.”

“I’m not,” Kinn said, almost sounding like he was pleading. “We know who it is now. We have a face to put on the issue. I’m not going to defend him.”

“What did he tell you?” Porsche asked. “What did he want?”

“I don’t know. He’s never really asked me for anything.”

“Are you sure?” Vegas asked. “Because if he’s the mastermind, then I get why he sent Pete into my business.”

“You do?” Pete asked.

“He’s going after gangs. He didn’t need to send someone into the main family because he plans to marry into it. But he sent you to me.” Vegas turned to Kinn. “We’re family, but we don’t operate like it.”

“You’re right,” Kinn agreed. “Your father has been adamant about keeping the minor family’s accounts separate from the main family.”

“We run our own deals, our own territories. Even our allies aren’t always main family allies.”

“You’re like two different gangs with the same name,” Porsche said.

“Exactly. Even if Tawan knew he was going to become Kinn’s omega, there was no guarantee his power would extend to the minor family.”

“We know what he wanted me to do with you,” Pete said. “But what’s his plan with Kinn been? He’s been all over the place.”

“Kinn, please try to remember,” Porsche said. “What is the one thing he keeps talking about?”

Kinn shook his head, as his brows furrowed in concentration.

“He asked me to keep his father locked up.”

“What?” Vegas asked, sitting up.

“Yeah,” Kinn said with a shrug. “The councilman is in my basement.”

As Vegas laughed at the absurdity of it all, Pete said, “Is he going to try and frame you for kidnapping?”

“That won’t help him if he wants Kinn to marry him into the family,” Porsche offered.

“So what’s he been asking for?”

“I think…” he said, still looking unsure. “He’s mentioned my father a few times.”

“How?”

“When we were locked up, he pointed out that Papa knew where I was but did nothing about it. Then when we had drinks earlier today, he asked me to cut Papa off and take control of the entire family business.”

Vegas wasn’t sure whether to be pissed or impressed, so he settled on being both. Because Tawan was a fucking genius.

“He wanted you to cut out the most important person in your life,” Vegas said.

“What?” Kinn asked.

“Think about it. You don’t cough unless you discuss it with your father.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“He’s right,” Porsche said. “You’re an obedient son. You’ve always been an obedient son.”

“If I wanted to marry you and rule alongside you, I wouldn’t want your controlling father anywhere near our empire,” Vegas said.

“Wait,” Kinn said, turning from the projector to face all of them. “You’re saying he did all that… abducted me and kept me for a week, only to release me just because he wanted me to hate my father?”

“It worked, Kinn,” Porsche said. “That day I came to see you at the hospital, right after we got you back, I heard you speaking to your father in a way I’ve never heard you speaking to him before in my entire life.”

That was news to Vegas.

“You raised your voice at Uncle Korn?”

“It was a conversation.”

“Your father asked you to take an omega as a mate and you told him no.”

“Fuck, you heard that?” Kinn asked, looking distraught.

“You really told him no,” Vegas asked, wondering where the boldness had come from. Because it was an unspoken rule. Theerapanyakuls didn’t talk back to their fathers. Ever.

“He was being unreasonable.”

Vegas couldn’t stop his eyes from widening in shock because since when did Kinn talk about his father like that?

“See?” Porsche said. “Tawan already got what he wanted.”

“He made valid points.”

“I’m not disputing that,” Porsche said. “But if his goal was to sever ties between you and your father, he’s done well.”

“Why though?” Pete asked.

“Why what?” Vegas asked.

“He’s an omega,” Pete explained. “He had Phi-Kinn tied up and at his mercy. Why didn’t he just bite him instead of letting him go? Seems a bit convoluted for an omega who could control his alpha with a single bite.”

Once again, they were back at the same question that had plagued them since that first day at the hospital. Why hadn’t Tawan bitten Kinn?

Porsche smacked his bed as he sat up with a smile on his face.

“He’s not an omega.”

“What?” Vegas and Pete asked as Kinn looked at Porsche with worried confusion.

“That’s it,” Porsche said.

“That’s a pretty big leap.”

“It never made sense. He was in heat. He couldn’t control himself. Kinn, that’s what you said. If he had no control, then why didn’t he just bite you? At least, by mistake.”

“Why would he claim to be an omega and lose his job?”

“Because he was coming after you and we all know that Kinn only fucks with omegas.” Porsche jumped up from his bed. “I’m smart. Look at me,” he said, pointing at himself.

Considering the things they’d figured out about Tawan, it wasn’t so far-fetched to imagine that he’d hatched such a plan more than a year ago. Because Korn had started putting out feelers for Kinn’s mate, two years ago. The timeline matched up. He’d planned this whole thing and waited. If this went off without a hitch, Tawan Apinya would be the king of the Thailand underworld with a Theerapanyakul alpha on his arm.

“What about his pheromones?” Kinn asked. “He was feverish. He looked dead on his feet. He…” Kinn hesitated. “How come he was… open… down there? I never saw him prep himself. Not once.”

“Did he ever go out of sight?” Pete asked. “For more than a few minutes? Because you can prep yourself and use omega-treated lubricants to trigger an alpha, but also to keep it loose down there.”

Kinn sat, blinking steadily as a look of devastated horror crept into his face.

“What is it?”

“He locked himself in the bathroom for hours.” His voice trembled as he spoke. “He pretended that he was protecting himself from me and hid in there. The next time the door was opened, he was smelling like he was in heat, looking like he was in heat.” He looked at Porsche like he wanted to cry. “He… felt… like he was in heat.”

“Oh Kinn,” Porsche said, getting back on the bed and crawling to Kinn, just as Kinn got up from the bed.

“It’s not like I’m…” he rubbed his hand over his face. “I know where you’re about to go with this conversation, Porsche. Let’s not do that, right now. Please. I c-I can’t-”

“Okay,” Porsche agreed, nodding. “Alright. We don’t have to.”

Vegas could see that his cousin was a few seconds from breaking, but they had to push on. They’d made progress and none of them could leave that room without a proper plane, or else someone would go and do something to ruin everything.

“You have to play along, Phi-Kinn,” Vegas said.

“The fuck?” Porsche replied, eyes snapping to Vegas with anger. “He’s not going anywhere near that fucking snake.”

“I have to,” Kinn said, slowly sitting back on the bed.

“Listen to me-” Porsche said.

“He has Pete’s video,” Kinn said.

Porsche’s mouth shut, immediately.

“Phi-Kinn has to stay away from his father and meet with Tawan whenever he calls until we can find a way to get rid of that video and every single copy of it.”

“Until then, Kinn has to… he has to be around his… he has to talk to Tawan like nothing happened?” Porsche asked, horrified.

“It sounds bad, Porsche. But it’s what we’ve got.”

“I’m so sorry, Phi-Kinn,” Pete said, his eyes glistening with tears as he looked at Kinn. “Because of me-”

“Don’t even say that,” Kinn said. “You’re my prized jewel, remember?” Kinn tried to sound lighthearted, but it came out dry and pained.

“I’m so sorry,” Pete repeated.

Vegas didn’t know what to do, so he pulled Pete into his arms, rocking him slowly as Kinn shrugged.

“It’s fine.” He scoffed. “When this is all over, I’ll get my lick back. Don’t worry about me.”

Vegas was utterly relieved to hear that. Because if they were going into battle, he didn’t want a traumatized alpha at the helm. He wanted a pissed one that was out for vengeance. And judging by the look in Kinn’s eyes, Vegas was grateful that he was going to get the latter.

[agmapansa3008]

VegasPete: Thoughts on the Pool Scene™

@blues-tunes I hope you don’t mind that I’m doing a separate post, because I wouldn’t be able to fit anything into those tumblr comments xD

First up, thank you for not wanting to spoil, that’s very considerate! But also, the way my bestie and I were watching that show was essentially frothing at the mouth in wait for the next episode, so I definitely watched the finale the minute I was able to get my little hands on it in Germany.

And I’ll take any and all prompts to ramble about my obsessions, so thank you for that as well. Also I assume you meant episode 14? I apologize in advance for the rambling mess that this will be, but if you didn't mean that pool scene, please tell me!

But yes, omg the Pool Scene™. How do I even start, man, it killed me. Bible and Build just absolutely acted their little butts off and delivered.

The thing that struck me the most, I think, was the sheer desperation, not only from Vegas - who, let’s face it, lost everything he truly lived for, because being his father’s puppet was the only thing he was good for, in his own eyes - but Pete’s desperation, as well. I’m gonna need to branch out and go back a little for this. Let’s take it from Pete’s view for a moment. Escaping Vegas was a miserable affair, not because he wanted to stay, but because he hated himself for not wanting to leave. To go back to him hitting himself - something he specifically told Vegas not to do, because hurting himself was useless, just a few days prior -, punishing himself for enjoying his time with Vegas and then escaping while crying because he didn’t necessarily want to hurt Vegas, but Vegas was hurting him. Everything in him was a mess because he was craving something that logically should repulse him. I wonder how often young Pete had hurt himself like Vegas, while his father was abusing him. How often he felt that he wasn’t good enough because if he was, his father would love him right? Oh how I wonder, how long it took Pete to stop hurting himself and here he was, back at square one, because of an enemy.

(Vegas, meanwhile, in his own clumsy and absolutely emotionally fucked way, really thought that he was treating Pete the right way, really thought that he understood what they had. I’ve seen a ton of analyses of Vegas’ POV, how he thought that the humiliation, the riling each other up, the constant back and forth between them was their thing. He thought that was their relationship. He attacked, Pete fought back, the tension snapped and… well they fucked. Let’s face it here, what would Vegas understand of actual love and relationships? How fucking quickly did he imprint on Pete like a baby duckling? Pete was nice to him once and Vegas bloomed under that like a fucking dandelion in concrete. We only see two other instances of relationships in the show, Tawan and Porsche. Tawan was absolutely just a tool. There was absolutely zero emotion whatsoever in that relationship from Vegas’ side. Porsche, while maybe a little more sincere, was mainly a way to get under Kinn’s skin. I am still pondering to this day if Vegas would have shot Porsche in that last scene. I am honestly not sure. I think he liked Porsche well enough, but if it got him what he thought he wanted, what he thought he needed - namely his father’s approval and the victory over the major family - I think he would have shot him. But hah, guess who he couldn’t shoot just mere moments later? Pete. He couldn’t hurt Pete. He didn’t even fight back when Pete started beating him. What did he do? He kissed him to distract him, told him he loves him and then left after his father. Why? The novel told us. Vegas was absolutely 100% sure that Pete would never choose him over his duty to the main family. He was certain of that. So he left to fulfil what he believed was his own duty. Because what else would he do? There was nothing else without Pete. But speaking of, back to Pete:)

So Pete escaped and had barely any time to cope with everything that happened before he was confronted with Vegas again, with his own feelings for Vegas and Vegas’ feelings for him. You can see my thoughts on that apology scene here, it also absolutely killed me. And after that, the attack happens. He sees Vegas again, is reminded once more that they are supposed to be enemies, has a chance to get revenge, to hurt Vegas back and, man, he hates every second of it. He’s crying while he’s punching the man who tortured him for days. I can’t even begin to imagine the fucking turmoil he has to feel inside. And Vegas doesn’t fight back. He apologizes again, he quite literally puts his own life in Pete’s hands if things go south, he kisses him and then he leaves. What Pete sees next is Gun dead and Vegas unhinged. He’s scared that he will have to do what Vegas asked him to. Scared, because he doesn’t know if he would do it because it’s his duty as a bodyguard to the major family, or because Vegas asked him to. Scared, because he’s unsure if he’d be able to do it at all. But Vegas leaves and Pete does what Vegas thought was impossible. “No legacy is so rich as honesty”. The major family may be his legacy, but his honesty is Vegas. His honesty is his feelings for Vegas and he can no longer deny them because if he does it will destroy them both.

And it nearly does. In contrast to him shooting Porsche, I am, without a single doubt sure that Vegas would have shot himself if Pete hadn’t followed him. Because he keeps on saying it in the show. He has nothing left. No purpose of his own, the strings his father had on him have been cut and he is plummeting to the ground. He doesn’t know what to live for. He lived for his father, he might have lived for Pete, but again, Pete would never choose him right, Pete is better off without him, right? He could live for Macau, but Macau is young, Macau is probably better off without the influence their father and Vegas himself had over him, as well. Macau would be treated well by the major family, Macau would have a good life. So really, what is left? He would have taken the shot, I truly believe that. 

But Pete does follow him. Pete finds him just in time and in time Vegas will be relieved that he did, but first, he’s angry. Because finally, finally, this was something that he could choose for himself. Something that wasn’t decided for him, but someone intervenes again. He’s angry and terrified. I honestly don’t know if the English subs were correct, but I love that he says “There’s nothing left” instead of “There’s no one left”. Because while people can bring meaning into someone’s life, it’s much easier to live without people than to live without purpose in general. Vegas, in his own mind, has truly nothing left. For all he knows, Pete is just here to drag him back to face the justice of the major family.

So when Pete says “I’m here”, Vegas’ first instinct is to react with coldness, to react with icy anger. “Why did you follow me, we both know you would never choose me over them!” But when Pete hugs him, when Pete starts crying, the ice breaks. Vegas breaks, just how he broke when Pete touched him back when they held the funeral for the hedgehog (and boy am I not over that yet either) and the anger turns to desperation and grief. The accusation of “Why did you follow me, we both know you would never choose me over them” turns into “Why did you follow me, I AM NOT WORTH IT. Leave, get back to them, because I am nothing.”

And now it’s Pete’s turn to react in anger because “how dare you say you have nothing left, when you haunted me for months. Told me you loved me. I am right here, I chose you, can’t you see me?” But what they have is so incredibly fragile. What they have is so riddled with misunderstood gestures and reactions, with so many flaws. So Pete, who hates feeling used like a pet, hates feeling like he’s nothing more than a toy to Vegas, who hurt himself over enjoying what they had, what he thought they had, what he wished they had, fought to get out of it by hurting them both, reverts back into that position with barely any hesitation. That’s what I mean with Pete’s desperation. He’s so desperate to keep Vegas alive, to keep Vegas by his side, that he denies himself his own humanity. If what will keep Vegas from leaving, is Pete being his toy, then he will endure it. Really, that alone is way more important for me, than Pete resigning from his bodyguard duties. Yes, the major family is his family, he left his family for Vegas, that’s already a huge fucking deal. But he left his own integrity as well. Was willing to sacrifice his own humanity, again something he physically fought for, for Vegas to remain living and to remain by his side. That’s one hell of a fucking love confession if you ask me. (Now is that healthy? Hell no, but nothing about those two is healthy so shhhh, it’s a show, we know it’s toxic, bla bla bla. Do I still love it, hell yeah, I do)

And Vegas, our sweet idiotic Vegas, tries to push him away again. And here, right then, I believe it’s an attempt to save Pete from him. “Can’t someone else take you to eat?” You have other people, Pete, you don’t need me. So Pete hammers it home. Calls himself Vegas’ pet out loud this time, reminds him that Vegas told him he loves him, asked him to stay by his side, that Vegas wanted them to remain together. So why is he pushing him away now, when Pete is finally willing to give him what he wants (but really only what Pete believes Vegas wants). “If you won’t live for yourself, then at least have the decency to take responsibility and live for me!” And finally he sees Vegas hesitate, finally he sees him consider. So he softens his tone, asks Vegas to please look at him, to see his sincerity, to see that Pete means it. (To see the love in his eyes, not spoken verbally, but there without a doubt.)

And Vegas does and for a short moment, they are allowed to smile at each other. For a short moment, they are both allowed to feel relief, to let the tension, the fear, the desperation seep out of them. And then Vegas gets shot and Pete’s first instinct is raging revenge. Again, I’ve seen so many posts about Pete’s gut reaction being to kill a colleague without a single ounce of hesitation and that again is such an indicator for how deep his feelings are running. He had Vegas at gunpoint three times after he escaped and he was never able to take the shot. But there’s not a single second of hesitation now. Also Build just fucking killed that scene? The crying, the screaming? I had fucking chills. I was so so so glad, that I had spoilers for this one thing, that I knew that the show went the same route as the novel and that Vegas would survive because otherwise, I would have bawled my eyes out.

But yes, of course, Vegas survives and we get the hospital epilogue. And I know you only mentioned the pool scene, but really the epilogue ties in so well because it’s a continuation of their conversation by the pool in the best way possible. Because Vegas repeats that he has nothing left, but here, after a near-death experience with both Macau and Pete by his side, it sounds less sure. Sounds more like an “I have nothing left right now, but I might in the future if you teach me how.” And Pete, who hasn’t left his side at the hospital at all, if Vegas' confusion about his whereabouts at the beginning is anything to go by, assures him that he only followed his heart. That right there, by Vegas' side, is where he belongs. And Vegas finally admits that Pete should have never been just a pet to him. Hasn’t been just a pet to him for a long while and never will be again. Finally, finally, both Vegas and Pete are able to be honest and true to their feelings. Finally, they are able to heal together.

[mileapokp1677]

Three Steps to Win You (CH 11)

Title: Three Steps to Win You

Rating: M

Pairing: DaddyChan/Tankhun, Kinn/Porsche, Vegas/Pete

Category: M/M, AU Nerd-Jock

Summary: Accidentally, scientist Tankhun Theerapanyakul embarrassed footballer Captain Chan "Daddy" Knight in front of his coach, teammates and fans. He had to fulfill three tasks from the captain before his apology was accepted.

Chapter 11 

(Chan POV) 

The Next Day 

Chan got up from his bed slowly and in pain. It had been a long time since the last time he had had to compress his thighs and calves with ice like this, and it truly makes Chan feel his age, all 36 of it. But BSFC's victory over Bangkok United in yesterday's match was really sweet and Chan wouldn’t have it any other way. Moreover, not many professional athletes in his age could continue to compete at the top level like this, most of them had to give up their careers because their skills have drastically decreased, or some even had to retire early due to injuries. Chan realized he was one of the luckiest, and for that he was very grateful. So, no complaint whatsoever from him.

Chan was just about to consume a huge portion of vegetables-fruits-protein powder smoothie that had just been blended, when his cell phone rang. It was Don.

“Coach?”

“How are your thigh and calf muscles? I hope you've iced them.” 

“Already did, Coach,” answered Chan while shaking his head in wonder. “I guess, nothing escaped your scrutiny.” 

“Chan, I’ve been training you for almost 14 years, of course I’m aware of your condition. Just like I’m aware that you drained all your energy to guard that United midfielder, ” stated Don. "If it weren't for the fact that I knew yesterday's derby meant a lot to you, I would have stopped you.” 

“Thank you, Coach.”

“Overstraining your leg muscles at your age is not a wise choice, especially when you intend to play in all the games this season.” 

“Understood, Sir.”

“It's a good thing that next weekend there will be no match because of International Friendly, so you can rest more.” 

“Yes, Coach,” responded Chan. “What can I do for you, Sir?” 

“Ah yes. Saturday morning, people from management came to the training ground to give you a notice, but you weren't there yet, so they gave it to me. Since that day we were all so focused on the derby match, I forgot to pass on their message to you.” 

“Oh, what message?” 

“The National Football Federation has decided to give you a special award to honor your outstanding professional football career.” 

Chan was stunned for a moment, he knew he had a good career as a footballer, but never expected the National Federation would want to award him with such a high honor. He felt very flattered and grateful at the same time.

“Chan? Are you there?”

“I’m here, Coach. It’s just that… I don’t really know what to say…”

“You deserved it. When I told you, you’re my pride and glory, it wasn’t lip service, you know that, right?” Again, Chan was stunned. Don is more than just a coach for him, he’s like a father figure, a mentor.

“Coach, I…”

“I’m sure Mr. Krisda already told you about the BSFC offer.”

“Coach…”

“Wait, I'm not done talking... I’m also aware that you want a long break from football. The point is, once you're ready, BSFC is also ready to accept you as part of my coaching team. I'm waiting.”

“Hn,” responded Chan curtly because he knew if he spoke any more than this his voice would crack. Even now, he was having a hard time holding back his emotions.

“Okay, I better leave you and your super healthy smoothie.”

Chan chuckled.

“Coach, if I didn't know better, I'd think you had planted a secret camera here to spy on me.”

“What makes you sure I don't plant one? Good day, Chan!”

“Have a good Sunday, Coach.”

Chan was still filled with disbelief as he finished the smoothie. Usually after breakfast, he would do light exercise and cardio, but he decided to skip it today. He will allow his muscles to rest for the next 24 hours. As he was contemplating what he was going to do to spend his Sunday, the notification on his cellphone rang again. It was a message from the architect firm, asking his permission to call him. Chan decided to just give them a call right away. 

****** 

(Tankhun POV)  

Three Days Later

New Message from Caramello

Tankhun's eyebrows rose in response to seeing a new message notification from Chan, the first in eighteen days, but who's counting, right? Tankhun ignored the voice in his heart that suspiciously laughed at him just now and immediately opened the message from the footballer.

[Caramello]

Ready for ur second task?

Tankhun let out a grunt although inside he was very curious. Before he could reply though, a new message from Chan appeared again.

[Caramello]

Still giving me the silent treatment?

[Tankhun T]

Please ... you’re not that important for me to give you the silent treatment. I'm just busy.

[Caramello]

Ouch!

Tankhun smiled.

[Caramello]

I'll pick you up Saturday at 7.50 AM. Be ready!

7.50 AM!? Is he mad?

[Tankhun T]

Not so fast, mister. You'd better have a good reason for ruining my weekend, and you should tell me clearly what task I have to do. Do you even know my home address?

[Caramello]

I’m Chan “Daddy” Knight, the Captain of BSFC. I have my own way. 😉  

Did he seriously just throw my own words at me? Damn this man!  

Again, before Chan could type a reply, a new message from that... that old man appeared.

[Caramello]

There will be many activities that require physical exertion. So, I recommend wearing something that is comfortable and not designer clothes.

Tankhun gasped.

How dare he? Why, you…

Tankhun never typed as fast as he did at that moment.

[Tankhun T]

One, I never let anyone tell me how to dress myself. Two, I let you know that I can do anything in my designer clothes!!!  

[Caramello]

If you're not afraid they'll tear or dirty, be my guest, Pumpkin. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.  

[Tankhun T]

It’s Doctor! And what’s that supposed to mean!?  

No reply. 

[Tankhun T] 

CHAN! ANSWER ME!  

Still no reply.  

[Tankhun T]

I hate you!  

[Caramello]  

See U Saturday~ 😊 

UGH!

****** 

(Tankhun POV)

Next Saturday 07:30 AM  

As soon as Tankhun saw Kinn and Porsche having breakfast with Pa in the dining room, he's 100% sure that his suspicions last Wednesday – regarding who had informed Chan their home address, confirmed. 

Nosy bastards.

“Good morning… looks like someone still hasn't given up on meddling in my business,” jibed Tankhun, face full of accusation.  

“Good morning, son.” 

“Good morning, Tankhun.” 

“What do you mean, P'? We missed you, Pa, and Kim, so we decided to have breakfast here today,” Porsche replied, his face guilt-free, his lips curled into a wide beaming smile, his eyes as mischievous as an imp.

Ugh, this lil shit.

“Tankhun, come, Kinn and Porsche bring your favorite fried dough stick to eat with the porridge,” requested Pa, as he patted the seat on his right side. “Let’s eat while it’s still hot.”

“Yes, Pa,” answered Tankhun, obeying his Pa’s request. “Where’s Kim?”

“Still sleeping, I guess, but I’m about to wake him up now,” said Kinn. “We haven’t had breakfast together like this for a while.”

Kinn left the dining table to go upstairs to wake their youngest brother.

The mischievous look in Porsche's eyes grew even more intense, and suddenly Tankhun realized the real reason for his brother and brother-in-law's visit to the house early in the morning. Tankhun couldn't help himself not to feel amusement, his pouting had turned into a smile, while continuing to enjoy his favorite fried dough sticks.

"It's going to be spectacular, P'," promised Porsche. “You look great, by the way. Special occasion?”

“Shut up,” replied Tankhun, chuckling at the thought of what would happen soon. His brothers were his weakness, he could never be angry with them for long.

"It's the weekend, and I don't have practice today, why do I have to eat breakfast so early?" Kim grumbled as he entered the dining room and took a seat next to Tankhun. His fairly long hair was tangled, and Tankhun reflexively straightened and combed it with his fingers.

"You haven't washed your face, have you?" asked Tankhun.

"This is your punishment for waking me up so early, please enjoy my face that is still full of drool," replied Kim, still feeling annoyed. "Good morning, Pa." 

“Morning, Kim.” 

Kinn had just returned to his seat next to Porsche when the doorbell rang.

“Ah, right on time,” said Porsche, looking meaningfully at Tankhun.

"Kim, would you please be a sweetheart and open the door?" asked Tankhun sweetly.

“But whyyyy~ I haven’t even had a drop of water,” wailed the youngest Theerapanyakun boys.

“Pretty please?” pleaded Tankhun again, puppy eyes in full force.

“Sometimes I really hate being the youngest, you all take advantage of me,” Kim protested as he got up from his seat and walked towards the door.

Tankhun, Kinn, and Porsche were following Kim slowly, trying hard to keep him from noticing that they were trailing behind him.  

“Good morning, is this the Theerapanyakul residence?”

“Holy Shit!” Kim shouted as he slammed the door loudly.

“Umm, Kim… you do realize you just slammed the door in your favorite captain's face, right?” asked Porsche, desperately holding back his laughter seeing Kim's shocked face.  

“HOLY SHIT!!!”   

TBC

[thisisevenharderthannamingablog]

Liveblogging notes from ep. 5.

Regretting a few of our life choices this morning, are we Kinn? Good. (I'm enjoying him as a character, but dude, just because somebody is all but saying take me I'm yours doesn't mean you gotta.)

Porsche is not okay. :(

Kinn you really fucked up.

Kim wtf are you doing? Ah, digging for info, not getting much so Kim out. And Korn is under no illusion that his youngest was doing anything else. You did a great job on your kids.

The camera work on this show is an actual joy.

Porsche is giving him the cold shoulder and he's in trouble with dad, who knows everything. Short game. Kinn sucks at chess? He's not paying attention? He wants to get this over with? Oh wow he looks upset. Practically nothing has visibly fazed him up until now. I note that the game doesn't stop just because he loses in two minutes flat, either; it just resets.

So far this episode is hella somber, even given the Khun/Kim interaction. Change from the rather manic air we've had previously. Porsche is having the worst day, somebody rescue this guy, wtf? And right on cue is Pete, adorable and concerned and so, so oblivious about the real problem.

Kinn is back to day drinking and Porsche won't look at him and everyone is miserable (except Khun who has a whole new hobby -- at least it gets him out of the house) and they both try banging random people and can't stop thinking about each other.

I have to pause here and try to unpack some of this.

Porsche is going through it on so many levels. He's a fighter and has already been in one gunfight; getting hurt like that didn't affect him, but getting drugged and assaulted while virtually helpless is not something he's prepared for. He evidently doesn't remember that part of the night well enough to identify Vegas, but he might remember being scared. Likewise, that he might be personally targeted on the basis of who he works for clearly never occurred to him. (A little ironic given how many other characters are trying to figure him out.)

There's also the fact that he had sex with his boss, who is giving him almost no clue that it meant anything at all, leaving Porsche to wonder if this is some distressing requirement for working here that he didn't know about. The one thing the Mafia does not appear to have is an HR department. They'd started to interact kind of like normal people the other day, and now everything is weird and dangerous again. Is this like the Macau situation, where he's being shielded from something even worse? Or is this genuinely awful behavior on Kinn's part? How the hell would he know?

Then there's the sex itself, which between the whole question of his sexual identity, the uneven power dynamic, and Porsche's altered state of mind at the time, is complicated to say the least.

He's vulnerable, and he's isolated. His usual friends either aren't there or don't notice how much misery he's radiating. He's generally biased toward action as a character, but there is no action he can take, nothing he can do about any of this. It isn't much surprise that he's basically gone into shutdown.

Kinn is a bit more difficult since we still know less about him, but there's some parallels. There's a physical vulnerability component, very different from what Porsche is going through but no less complicated: it isn't just Kinn in danger. We got this much from the chess scene. The last time Kinn got involved with anyone, it ended in a disaster which did not affect just him. We are back, with some subtlety, to choice; it's not just a matter of which price does he want to pay, but who else is going to pay it. Porsche got targeted because Kinn likes him.

Then there's the emotional side of things. Kinn has been reminded that historically he is maybe not the best judge of who can be trusted, and the stakes are high. Sex is not allowed to have emotions tangled up with it. In fact, nothing is allowed to have emotions tangled up with it -- but we saw when he was talking to Korn how that runs against his instincts. He would like to prioritize Porsche right now, but a) doesn't appear to have the emotional toolkit and b) lacks confidence in his own judgement here, so he caves to his dad.

Kinn also has no one to turn to, unless you count his father, whose advice is clear but for some strange reason doesn't make anyone less unhappy. He has a lot more freedom to act than Porsche; there are lots of things he can do, it's just that all of them are making things worse, and so he's snappish and indecisive and defensive.

In case things aren't awful enough, look who rolls up while Khun and the gang are all leaving Yok's but the human red flag himself to take advantage of Porsche's state. Don't leave anybody alone with Vegas should be like, a standing order for these guys.

Oh wow, Kinn is drunk. Vegas is feeling like a winner.

Kinn, this is the opposite of a good way of dealing with any of this oh my god you actual disaster! Good, Porsche, call that bluff.

So. Much. Tension.

Bad decision again buddy! You are on one hell of a streak now. Ken is the one I can't pick out of the crowd ever. Give that man an accessory please, they all dress alike.

Thank god we are cutting to Chay, that was an exhausting half hour and unusually long tight focus for these episodes. Chay has just gotten off a better flirty line than every single one of the older characters together, well done.

Kim is still hunting for intel on Porsche. (New theory: Korn actually brought him in so the family would have something to do, like giving puzzles to your herding dogs so they don't rip up the furniture.) Kim's weakness is music I see, just has to play along. Given the established distance between Kim and his siblings, the contrast here is sad.

Korn has not caused enough trouble? Having your boss's boss ask how you're doing is awkward even at a normal job. Everyone makes mistakes literally none of this is Porsche's fault! Why does Korn look so satisfied with this development?

So Porsche gets a week vacation to hang with Chay and be reminded of why he agreed to do this in the first place? Hm.

Learn to knock FFS, Kinn. Oh, he did not know about this move from Korn? Why looking for Porsche dude? Finally sober up and realize how badly you fucked up? (We can hope.) I don't know if I would go with "heartbroken" so much as just plain "broken." Pete with some (badly needed) good advice.

Porsche's old friends can tell there's something going on with him. Porsche's new life keeps invading the settings of his old life.

Kinn you officially have less understanding of boundaries than my cat. Also, you have bodyguards for a reason. If you leave them behind so you can go argue with/apologize to Porsche, wtf did you think was going to happen?!

Chan with the red alert. Korn with an unreadable expression. It's been like a million years since we had an action scene. Big has the worst luck, damn.

[angsty-violet]

Reclaiming

“I think that’s everything you need. If you are missing anything, you can always send a bodyguard to get it.”

Pete turned to look at Vegas, who was watching Pete pack. Pete was packing two suitcases, one for himself and one for Vegas. Vegas pouted a little, and Pete pecked him on the lips.

“I’ll only be gone for a week.”

“Why do I have to stay with Kinn and Porsche?”

“Because it’s more than three days. You know the rules. You can’t be home alone for more than a few days.”

“But I’m not hurt anymore.”

Pete sighed silently. While it was true they had started this to ensure that Vegas was taken care of when Pete was away because he was hurt, they had kept going even after he was out of the woods medically. Pete didn’t want to say that it was because of Vegas’ tendency to backslide into self-destructive tendencies when he was alone, but that was the truth. The last time Pete had left him alone for only four days, Vegas had slapped himself so hard he had bruises on both cheeks and had skipped half of his meals.

This way, he would know that Vegas was being well cared for and not hurting himself.

“You love spending time with them. They dote on you, you get sex with them, and you take a break from your work. Why don’t you want to go now?”

Vegas hesitated, and Pete wondered if it was merely just a case of he had forgotten what going over there meant and didn’t want Pete to leave. It had been a while. Vegas licked his lips and seemed to consider for a moment.

“I do get to have sex with them.”

Pete grinned. “Yeah, baby, you do. You’ll have an absolutely amazing time over there.”

“Alright,” he agreed.

Pete kissed him firmly on the lips. “Alright then, let’s go.”

The kitchen was stocked with his favorite snacks, his favorite books had been gathered from the library and put within easy reach, and the sheets had been changed to a blood-red silk set. All they were missing was one beautiful cousin to use all those things.

Kinn was hyped about this week. It had been a while since he had spent any real time with Vegas. They all got busy, and the better Vegas got, the less minding he needed. However, he was absolutely ready to have him back in their home, and this time, Kinn had a special plan in mind.

Vegas hadn’t bottomed for them yet, and Kinn wanted him to. He wanted the beautiful look of ecstasy to cross his face as he took Kinn’s cock. Or maybe Porsche’s cock. He hadn’t made up his mind yet, but all he knew was that Vegas was likely going to need a little coaxing. However, Kinn believed that it was going to all be worth it in the end.

“Okay.”

Kinn was brought up short. “Sorry, what?”

“I said okay. Yeah, I’ll bottom for you. Pete doesn’t like to top. I don’t really get a chance to. So yeah, I’ll go ahead and bottom for you. Who gets to have me?”

Kinn hadn’t really made that decision yet. He hadn’t thought he’d make it this far. Or that if he was going to make it this far that it would require a serious fight.

“I guess that depends on who you want to take. Only seems fair that you get to choose. Who would you like to fuck you first?”

Vegas considered for a moment. He glanced between them. “Let’s start with you, Kinn. I’ve always wondered what your cock feels like. You really feel that big?”

Kinn bit his lip, and Porsche grinned.

“Oh, he’s absolutely massive. You’re going to need some serious prep to be able to take that monster cock. I think that I should get to prep you, though. Since he gets to do the fucking. Seems only fair to me.”

Vegas shrugged and drew Porsche close. They kissed for a few minutes, and Vegas let Porsche undress him. Porsche grinned and kissed down his chest, making sure to kiss each of the bullet holes that had nearly taken Vegas from them.

Once Vegas was naked, Porsche rolled him onto his stomach and paid attention to his beautiful ass. Kinn was in the background pouring himself a drink. Kinn loved to watch Porsche get prepared, so Porsche figured he’d probably love to see Vegas get stretched.

Porsche spread Vegas’ ass cheeks and pressed his thumb against the pucker. Vegas gave a soft sigh, and Porsche smiled. Vegas was distracted, so Porsche leaned in and licked along that warm furl. Vegas moaned and bucked.

Porsche used that opportunity to slide a finger into Vegas’ ass. Vegas moaned and pushed back at the feeling. It had been a long time since he had bottomed, and he had forgotten just how good it could feel.

Porsche worked him over a little at a time. Starting with one finger and working his way up to four. When Porsche glanced back, Kinn had stripped down to his shorts, leaving only his black silk boxers and his family ring on.

Vegas wasn’t quite begging yet, but Porsche could tell that he was beginning to get a little desperate. Normally on a new partner, Kinn could spend hours prepping. Porsche wasn’t exaggerating about the size of his cock. However, Porsche had the feeling that the two of them were both so desperate for it that waiting any longer wasn’t going to happen.

It figured, though. With Vegas’ psychosexual obsession with Kinn and Kinn’s jealousy. The two of them really should’ve fucked long ago, but usually, they just shared Porsche.

“Alright, I think he’s ready, but you’ll have to go slow.”

Kinn rolled his eyes and climbed on the bed. He had shed his boxers, and he crawled toward Vegas. “I know how to take care of a bottom, Porsche. I take good care of you.”

Porsche snorted. “You’re okay at taking care of me. I just know how to deal with greedy tops.”

“Excuse me, you two seemed to have forgotten something here. Are you going to fuck me, or do I need to go stand out on the street? At least then, I’d walk away with a little cash.”

Kinn growled and climbed on top of Vegas, kissing him harshly.

“Absolutely not. Now, don’t rush me. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Kinn slicked up his cock and positioned it at Vegas’ entrance. He gently pressed the tip in, watching Vegas’ face for any hint that he might be in pain. That’s why he knew the exact moment his face shifted into pure fear, and Vegas burst into tears.

Porsche leaped onto the bed and shoved Kinn back. Kinn fell toward the end of the bed and watched dumbfounded as his cousin curled into himself, and his body trembled as he cried silently. Porsche hovered anxiously.

“What did you do?” he hissed at Kinn.

Kinn shook his head. “I-I don’t know.”

“Vegas, honey, are you hurt? Tell us what’s wrong, and we’ll fix it. Come on, baby, we can’t make it better if we don’t know. Just tell us, and we’ll take care of you.”

Vegas reached out for Porsche, and Porsche pulled him into a tight hug. Porsche met Kinn’s terrified eyes, and Kinn looked as bewildered as he felt.

“Did he do something wrong? What is it?”

Vegas shook his head. “The-the ring. It, I know it isn’t the same one, but you’re wearing the ring, and I saw it, and then I was right back there. And you were….”

A pit formed in Kinn’s stomach. “Who was I? Tell me, Vegas. Who hurt you?”

Vegas’ voice cracked in shame. “My father.”

Kinn took the ring off and threw it across the room. Right now, it didn’t matter. Now he just needed to get Vegas calmed back down and out of the impending panic attack. His breaths were coming in short.

“Do you need me to leave the room to feel safe?” Kinn held eye contact with Vegas.

Vegas shook his head and just held out his arms. Kinn moved so he was against the headboard, took Vegas from Porsche and settled him on his lap. He stroked a hand through the silken hair and held Vegas close.

“I’m here. It’s just me.”

Porsche sat down next to them and ran a hand down along his back. Vegas continued to cry for several minutes, his sobs coming with short, quiet puffs of air.

They sat there without speaking for about fifteen minutes until Vegas calmed down enough to stop crying. He swiped at his wet cheeks, and Porsche got a tissue to gently clean his face. Vegas leaned into the gentle care.

“I’m sorry.”

Kinn shared an incredulous look with Porsche. “Are you actually apologizing for being a rape victim?”

Vegas looked at him through watery eyes. “Ruined our evening,” he said softly. “Should be over it by now.”

Kinn got a look from Porsche, and he got the feeling that Porsche still managed to blame him for this.

“You don’t need to apologize for not feeling safe. This is supposed to be a good time for you. Not something that you force yourself to do because we want you to. You don’t ever have to bottom if you don’t want to.” Porsche punctuated his words with a kiss on the head.

Vegas sniffled. “I do want to! I want to lay down and have Kinn take me. I was enjoying you preparing me, and I was excited to feel that big cock of his. I’ve bottomed before; it was just that damn ring. It’s not the same one, but I caught a glance of it out of the corner of my eye, and suddenly I was fourteen again.”

Fourteen?!

Porsche breathed deeply for a moment. Vegas still loved his father. He had mourned his death and still kept a small shrine for him. It wouldn’t be good to go on a rant about how he was the worst father on the planet. Even if that was starting to look true.

Kinn’s expression didn’t really change, but Porsche saw the tightening around his eyes that showed just how furious he was. Kinn hadn’t known, and that eased some of the worries in Porsche’s stomach. He hadn’t really believed that Kinn had known his uncle was raping Vegas, but there was a part of him that feared that anyway.

The three of them were caught like that for several minutes. While Porsche tried to come up with a way to say that Vegas was safe without implying that Korn shooting Gun was a good thing. Even though it clearly was. Kinn seemed to have a similar struggle.

“We can continue if you want.” Vegas’ voice was hoarse.

Revulsion climbed up Kinn’s throat. This wasn’t the first time he had seen Vegas treat himself so callously. The man had spent more than two decades listening to the bitter criticisms and brutal orders of his father, and he had internalized all of them.

Doesn’t matter if it hurts, keep going.

Your feelings don’t matter, keep working.

He’s important, spread your legs.

Vegas spent most of his time in a state of confusion. Not understanding that those rules weren’t in place anymore and they never should’ve been in the first place. Pete was doing his best to convince him that they didn’t operate like that anymore. However, it was going to take a long time to undo more than twenty years of conditioning.

They were doing things differently, but that didn’t mean that circumstances changed overnight. Every once in a while, a business contact would still offer a better deal in exchange for fucking Vegas. The one time Vegas had accepted one of these deals, Kinn had arrived at the meeting place to see that all of the walls were coated in blood, and they had a group of dead Italians. Pete had been holding Vegas’ waist and neck with an indescribable rage across his features.

Kinn hadn’t bothered to chastise Pete, and the rest of the members of the underworld had stopped, even suggesting that was something that could happen.

“No, baby, you’re hurting. We aren’t going to make you.”

Vegas huffed, annoyed. “That’s not…you’re not making me. He’s already taken so much from me. He took my childhood, and I loved him. Really, I did. Right now, I just need to reclaim something from him. I need something back that he took. So, please, let me continue. I want to do this with you.”

Kinn glanced at Porsche very out of his depth. Vegas was clearly hurting, and he insisted this would help it. Kinn just wasn’t sure he was right. Porsche and he looked at each other for a few minutes. Finally, Kinn sighed.

“Alright, if you’re absolutely certain. If you want to stop at any time for any reason, just tell me, and we’ll stop.”

Vegas nodded, and they moved around. Porsche insisted on Vegas lying against his chest.

“I’ll feel better if I can hold you during this. Make sure that you really are alright.”

Vegas let it happen, and to Kinn’s relief, his face was shifting from upset and scared to bemused and indulgent. Porsche slid a single finger into Vegas and checked to see if he was still stretched enough. He wasn’t. Unsurprisingly he had tightened back down some, and it would be better if he could be stretched again.

Kinn worked to get his cock hard again, and Porsche slid several fingers inside of Vegas, watching carefully to make sure that he wasn’t going to fall into panic again. That had been a truly awful thing to watch, and if he had his way, he wouldn’t have to go through it again.

However, his face showed nothing but relaxed pleasure. He let Porsche finger him, and his cock, which had also gone soft, hardened back up. Porsche pressed a kiss to his head and watched as Kinn approached them slowly, clearly giving Vegas plenty of time to back out. However, Vegas just tilted his neck alluringly and beckoned Kinn closer.

Kinn climbed onto the bed and kissed Vegas softly on the lips.

“We don’t have to.”

“I know, I want to.”

“If you’re certain.” Kinn pressed his cock to Vegas’ hole and watched carefully. However, the fear from last time had faded, and all he saw was hunger.

Vegas guided Kinn’s cock deep inside himself, sighing at the feeling of Kinn filling him up. This time he felt only warmth and the safety that Kinn and Porsche provided him. Surrounded by their warmth and strength, Vegas felt like he could take on anything, even the memory of his father.

Kinn stifled a moan when he finally bottomed out inside of his cousin. Vegas’ face was filled with the helpless pleasure that Kinn had wanted him to feel. The look that he desperately wanted to see on his face.

Vegas moaned lightly and encouraged Kinn to start thrusting. Kinn moved slowly, allowing Vegas to adjust to the feeling of being filled after so long of only topping. Vegas adjusted quickly and soon was using Porsche for leverage to thrust back against Kinn.

The tension had faded, and Kinn grinned down at his cousin, watching as his face contorted in pleasure, and he let out several small huffs of breath. Vegas was never loud in bed unless he was putting on an act. Kinn had seen the sex tapes Vegas had taken of him and all of Kinn’s exes. They were full of porn star moans and sounds of delighted appreciation. He had been surprised when he had finally spent some time with Vegas and realized that it was all just a show. Those moans were a put-on for the partners he didn’t really care about.

Kinn had been slightly disappointed when he had found out, but it had soon faded in the face of reality. None of Vegas’ fake moans could compare to his facial expressions and desperation when he truly enjoyed the experience.

Kinn picked up speed, and he knew the exact moment he hit Vegas’ prostate dead on. Kinn adjusted his angle so he could hit it dead on. It was awkward, but Kinn wanted to make sure that Vegas thought of this as a wonderful experience, not just something he forced himself to do because Kinn wanted him to.

Kinn was so focused on making this a pleasurable experience for Vegas that he didn’t even notice when his orgasm was building until he was in the middle of it. Kinn threw back his head and shouted Vegas’ name. Vegas thrust back, allowing Kinn to finish.

When his orgasm was over, Kinn pulled back carefully. Still watching Vegas. His face didn’t hold any of that terrible emotion, so clearly, something must have gone right. He tied off the condom and inspected Vegas’ body. He was still hard enough to cut diamonds, and Kinn was never one to leave a partner unsatisfied. Since Vegas had been so good about taking him, clearly, he deserved a reward.

“Come here, baby boy. Let me have your little cock.”

Vegas flushed. He was well above average but wasn’t impressive compared to the monstrosity Kinn carried around with him.

“Ah, Kinn!” He bucked into the feeling of Kinn’s mouth on his cock, delighting in the feeling. Porsche’s hands came up and tweaked his nipples, and Vegas was a little ashamed to admit he had forgotten about his human body pillow.

Porsche started kissing and biting his neck, still playing with his nipples. Vegas was caught between them, sandwiched between their mouths and helpless with everything they wanted to do to him. Vegas didn’t really think it was fair that he and Kinn had gotten to play, and Porsche hadn’t had anything. He reached over and slid his hand over Porsche’s cock.

One of Porsche’s hands covered Vegas’, and he guided Vegas through stroking him. It was undeniably hot. Porsche fell over the edge first, keeping Vegas’ small hand on his cock, reveling in the feeling of his gun callouses and beautiful fingers.

He only pulled Vegas’ hand away and watched as Kinn continued to suck him off. It took only a minute past, and Vegas was filling Kinn’s mouth. His head was thrown back, and he was satisfied at the feelings of contentment and warmth that came with being surrounded by these two men.

[ronanlvnchvevo]

thinking about how vegas got to the hospital after being shot like 5 times in the chest thinking about who was the one to find pete sobbing over a dead vegas thinking about pete going absolutely feral after being told he needed to let go of him so that they can get him to medical thinking about how many hours pete had to wait and how many ‘he’s still in critical condition’s he got before getting the all-clear thinking about how long it took before pete accepted that vegas was still alive

[iamafictionfreak]

We were duped! Scammed! Wilfully played with! We’ve been had.

It’s all good. No, seriously. It’s good. We made assumptions, but it doesn't mean good things aren’t coming.

Let’s not allow ourselves to fall into trap – we’ve watched the trailer and the music videos, and we think we know, but we’re clueless. We guessed incorrectly.

We all thought pool scene would feature episode 8 because Mile and Apo are evil gremlins. It didn’t. We all thought the ‘I’m on your side’ would directly precede the pool scene. It might not. We all thought Porsche was going to leave the compound in episode 11 because Porschay gave Porsche an ultimatum. We were wrong.

This freaking show, I swear. I love it. I’m going to be stuck after the 9th July.

We’ve been conditioned by years of BL, Kdramas, and Western shows to think that love – lasting love and happiness - can only be wrought following several intense periods of grief, angst, separation, sacrifice, duty, miscommunications etc.

Well, it isn’t as if that hasn’t happened with KinnPorsche. They’ve confused and hurt each other, there’s been more than one kidnapping, they’ve shown distrust of each other when they actually feel nothing but trust, ex’s and oh’s have slithered into their orbit, errors in communication etc. But they’ve pulled through.

Now… Korn dissolving Porsche’s role in the family from bodyguard to kept man sounding all wrapped up and pretty, but Porsche? A man of leisure???? I’m sure he’d love it at first – he does in the episode but watch his face when daddy Korn pulls the plug. Watch Kinn’s face, his eyes fly to Porsche in worry.

Sure, it settles them both that Korn assigns him the title boyfriend, but it won’t be long before Porsche gets bored, or something happens yada yada yada.

Mostly, this is the barrier between them that might screw things up again and give us a much yearned for scene.

I think we can all agree that Kinn’s grown, that together they’ve become this wonderful pair. But there was a very clear line between Kinn and Porsche in that meeting. Porsche CANNOT be both bodyguard and lover of the heir to the family business. According to Korn, those lines cannot be broken. We know Kinn’s broken rules that Korn has set and has bent others. Korn usually respond to this with either stern judgement or punishment for Porsche.

I also think the kidnap at the end of episode 5 was Korn’s doing. Meant for Porsche. But Kinn got in the way.

But let’s move forwards.

KP spent episode 11 in bliss – this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re headed towards darker times, because this show has done a great job in surprising the hell out of me there. According to BL guide 2022, we’re now due for a love triangle and a sins of the father trope. We know we’re not getting a love triangle, but sins of the father being reaped by the son? Possibly.

It’s very clear something’s going to happen to hurt them and us in turn, but we were convinced we knew why.

We’re getting the big shootout scene either episode 12 or 13. I’m guessing 13, and only because Pete’s back by then, but again, I’m guessing. We know how much can happen in a single episode. We know Kinn’s pissed or feeling betrayed at Porsche in the shootout scene – I don’t necessarily think they’re pointing their guns at each other, I think they’re watching each other’s 6.

I think the second family attacks the main family, I think Vegas is there shooting at KP, but his attention will change gear and he’ll go after Pete. I think Porsche is going to find out about this guy:

(no idea who screencapped these pics, sorry)

And it was either Korn who used him to push Porsche towards Kinn or it was Kinn who was following daddy’s orders.

If it’s the former, it’s a manipulation that would absolutely drive Porsche off for a little while – and I’m talking a LITTLE while. We have three episodes left. Episode 14 will be the wrap up, so we have, fortunately, one whole episode to withstand of possible angst before Porsche comes and saves Kinn.

If it’s the latter… it’s brutal. And we won’t be able to blame Kinn because he wasn’t emotionally invested at the time: they were both overly aggressive with each other because of their personalities and the physical attraction they were feeling. Kinn trusts his father: if his father ordered it, I could absolutely see Kinn using underhanded and SMART methods to pull Porsche under his employ. Part of me doesn’t see it happening because Kinn has honour – it’s fairly ambiguous though.

Kinn’s a man who’ll shoot someone in the head to prove a point, who’ll watch his men beat the shit out of someone to collect a debt and issue a warning. He’s also someone who’ll kidnap a bartender to coerce him into working for the family…

He is capable of manipulation – look at how he played Tawan.

Again, I wouldn’t be hurt by it because they were strangers at the time. But if it’s true, Porsche might take it the absolute worst way and he'd be entitled to.

I mean, not having Porsche next to Kinn during the shootout could literally just be just because he’s not Kinn’s bodyguard anymore. Or it could mean they’ve had a tiff. Or it could mean Porsche left him.

Korn clearly doesn’t want Porsche to leave but I don’t see the man physically preventing him from doing so. But there are other reasons Porsche might take a moment away:

Porsche might be manipulated or blackmailed into sodding off for a while: we know he’s open to manipulation because of his personality type and squishy heart.

Porsche might find out the above and feel betrayed, betraying Kinn right back by leaving.

Porsche might discover whatever connection Korn has to the death of his parents.

Kinn’s lied to.

Or… it’s something else, because we have no freaking clue!!

Luckily for us, whatever the possible heartache is, it won’t last long – the week wait between episode 12 and 13 however might be brutal.

Still, we’re getting this:

( gif by @longlist-of-fictional-lovers )

( gif by @r-4-nd-0-mn-3-ss )

Now, here’s why this beautiful shot is important.

I brought up a final barrier before. The relationship between KP is already so beautiful, but it’s not what it needs to be yet. There’s still a level of trust not breached, a place where Kinn holds back.

We’ve all ranted about how they both communicate: Porsche needs words, but Kinn needs actions.

Porsche coming for Kinn when he’s no longer his bodyguard, when he’s potentially left the main compound completely, coming for Kinn when he doesn’t have to-

Now. I’m just going to explain that last part before you all decide to have me swim with the fishes 😊

In Kinn’s head, love does not mean devotion – he’s never had someone be devoted to him, not in actions. I honestly don’t think that Kinn would expect Porsche to come for him, to protect and save him, simply because it’s no longer Porsche’s job role. Sure, Kinn knows Porsche loves him, but for Porsche to come get him when the result might lead to Porsche’s death, isn’t something Kinn can fathom. Especially if something’s gone on between them beforehand.

For Porsche to come in like Rambo, to save his ass, get him out of there and protect him, and to succeed, would be the ultimate act of love for Kinn.

It would destroy all barriers:

It’s why Kinn’s feeling him up. In the middle of a shootout.

In the past, Kinn ran from bullets, he even leaves bodyguards behind to save himself. There’s a clear line for him between duty and fun and it doesn’t exist in the field, so to speak. And yet he feels safe enough, secure enough, FINALLY, to just exist in the moment as bullets fly around them, to feel up the man he now knows IS actually his. No more wondering about betrayal, no more distrust about Porsche’s intentions. This is the ultimate act – Porsche couldn’t do any better to prove this point and it's leaving Kinn all horny and needy and lovey.

Whether the pool scene follows or not, Kinn HAS stated that he loves Porsche. We don’t necessarily need a big declaration scene now. But I do feel like one might be coming up – a reward from a very thankful, freed Kinn.

You know, before we find out how the family destroyed Porsche and Chay’s lives ten years ago. But that’s another story!

The shootout is my most anticipated scene for this reason though – and it’s why Kinn will ask Porsche to be his bodyguard again. Not his bodyguard INSTEAD of his boyfriend. Unlike his father, Kinn will let go of the imitations a title can give. Porsche will be his bodyguard because Kinn will trust no other like him, because Porsche will prove his dedication in a way that he hasn't so far. Porsche will have a purpose and Kinn will have constant access – Porsche will be both bodyguard and boyfriend and it will be glorious.

But Porsche coming for Kinn serves two purposes – Porsche told Chay that he wanted to take care of both Kinn and Chay, but he also said that nothing was going to happen to him. Him diving into the fray, into danger, is a sacrifice. One that Kinn will understand in its entirety. Knowing he might be killed but doing it anyway? It means he’s choosing Kinn. Not necessarily over Chay, but definitely against what Chay wants from him. Porsche going with his heart and letting it make him dangerous? YES PLEASE.

See, a lot of people have been irritated by Porsche’s behaviour in episode 11. A lot of people are easily annoyed I’ve found. But they seemed to translate his quietness for weakness.

I saw it as introspection. A time for Porsche to rest up and consider what he wants and how it should go. There have been crumbs left throughout the season that have admittedly, made us frustrated, but tell us that we might get to see a Porsche with his head on his shoulders and that’s because he makes a choice. A choice he’s never had to make.

And I think that’s perfect.

[tobeornottotc]

Hello! What is your theory about episode 7? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you :)

Hi!

So I had a whole different idea of how the episode would go (mainly about Kinn's guilt and pain of being a burden to others, me forgetting that he's actually made it pretty clear that his feelings are uncontrollable and he wants them), but then I also completed the book and didn't really see how it would fit in episode 7 apart from one certain scene. And then we have the side story which was meant to be a big part of episode 7's arc because it's from the book, and it foreshadows a lot of episode 7 in my opinion but still, that threw me off, because I wasn't expecting them to let down their boundaries so quickly and go back to forest KinnPorsche because of some the themes they've laid in subtext... So apart from one certain scene I'm a bit conflicted with you as well. But I like to make my theories based on foreshadowing, context and subtext so I will explain to you how episode 6 side story kind of foreshadowed episode 7 and some of the things that would be addressed. I'll also try and include context from the book and places that need improvement/don't fit with our tv characters.

The boss and the employee

First of all we have Porsche automatically losing his emotions (shouting at Thankun) and forgetting about the boundaries in the mafia environment. He's meant to be an employee, and Pete reminds him about this (I love that it's Pete that has to remind him about the powerless dynamic because that's hinting at Pete's arc too) . In the first scene he forgets to call Kinn master Kinn, and he is all over the place with his emotions that even Thankhun calls him out and wonders why he's acting so cut up more than him. I think this is important, obviously I was expecting Kinn to kind of regress and return to mafia boss Kinn, (we see a bit of it but it's different how he's doing that) because he would feel guilty Porsche returned and left his dream, so he'd try to put those boundaries again.

Instead because Kinn actually knows Porsche returned to him from his own will, it's not Kinn who's willing to do that, instead Kinn deals with his guilt by showing Porsche again his softer side, and asking him to be his bodyguard and stay by his side in subtext and gives him and opportunity to still speak to his brother and feel safe and free with him. But at the same time, the way he caused these romantic moments was each time reminding Vegas. or Porsche about Porsche being his bodyguard. So they still don't have a label (this is something that will bother Porsche in episode 7) and it's all blurry. Kinn acts possessive over Porsche in front of Vegas with the line on my bodyguard's skin (again there're layers to this statement, he's trying to again mention their boundaries/role but at the same time using it as an excuse for romance) and he also asks Porsche to sleep with him and not let his 'boss' be alone.

We also see Porsche struggle with this at first, when he wants to first leave after Kinn wakes up, it's because he is unsure about what Kinn is going to do, Kinn to Vegas has mentioned he's the bodyguard, and is back to being tough, stiff, strict Kinn, 'oppressive' Kinn, and so he wonders if nothing has changed, however Kinn then uses that role to let him know that Porsche is still special. Actually kind of doing what Porsche has been wanting and craving from him all along in their dynamic, he asks him to stay with him in the bed (special treatment), he breaks the rules for mafia (again special) and Porsche melts and realises that Kinn is doing what he wants and so he gives Kinn what he wants, which is being vulnerable and letting himself cross that boundary by laying on him. So episode 7 is probably going to be the same thing but exposing the issues about this dynamic. Being torn by the normal boundaries expected in the mafia world but using it as a way to hide and still be romantic to each other. However like mentioned it's not clear what they are, and that's where the issues lie. Because Porsche knows that Kinn and commitment isn't a thing, and that there's still pasts of Kinn's hook ups that surrounds them, so this is why I think Tawan or some hint towards Tawan will be mentioned in episode 7, to bring back up those doubts, Either Tawan or a booty call showing up unexpectedly, because the next obstacle for them is clarifying what they are and wanting to possess each other.

Obviously the next foreshadowing for episode 7 is connected to this if Kinn's flightiness is a source of doubt and jealousy to Porsche, then it also a reason due to trauma and triggers by one person who's involved in it. Vegas.

The role of Vegas

The side story foreshadows this so well, Vegas is still an issue, and this time around he's even more aggressive, and open about being an issue. He states feelings of unrequited love in front of Kinn, and he puts himself as a victim of Kinn's oppressiveness and coldness by doing this act. This is important, because Vegas is no longer hiding his 'romantic' intentions towards Porsche and Porsche is very uncomfortable with it, and is only thinking about Kinn, this is exactly what episode 7 will revolve around. Porsche trying to deal with the unclarity of the Kinn situation and returning to boundaries on the outside and being part of the mafia world by having a goal to protect Kinn but also finally being exposed to Vegas's real intentions and colours, and being scared or triggered by it.

One of the things people don't realise is that non consent in the book is dealt with also, there's many conversations about it, from Kinn in his own way apologising to also Porsche bringing it up again and getting closure about it. Obviously episode 6 uses that and makes Kinn show his guilt and apologise (also in the book) but episode 7 will bring back that need for closure, because Vegas is the person who caused episode 4 to happen and Porsche isn't really fond of forceful men trying to cross his line. So this will still crop up a little during the certain scene we're getting when Vegas tries once again to cross the line and Kinn walks in and misunderstands.

This is both a big part of growth for both of them because with Kinn, those issues and trauma from his past is not dealt with, his uncontrollable love for Porsche is there yes, but there's chains, and shackles and self loathing parts of him that are still stuck and stagnant and Vegas triggers that. While Vegas is triggering Porsche's vulnerability and fear of that night in episode 4, he's still wading through the trauma of being drugged and taken advantage of (that was his issue in episode 5 not Kinn's actions) and Vegas crossing the line will trigger that fear and worry. The difference is Kinn showing up again to the 'rescue' and Porsche having to explain to Kinn how insulting it is for him to think that Porsche struggling with this trauma would be open to anyone else, and Porsche also feeling frustrated that Kinn still doesn't fully understand the amount of uncontrollable desire and love he has for him. (Porsche believes it's KInn who's pulling away this is foreshadowed in the waterfall scene in episode 6 especially when it comes to their physical desires, and this is why he's still unsure about where they are at).

For me the way Kinn is using his role to have Porsche near him is great but Porsche doesn't know fully if it's because he's kind and sweet to his body guards (he cares for him only as a bodyguard not a romantic interest, because it's Porsche who's the one initiating since the forest, skin ship between them. It's Porsche in the hospital who holds his hand and lays on him, Kinn could just be being a good, playful, unserious boss that has a close relationship with his bodyguard, but that's not what Porsche wants. Porsche wants Kinn to see him as his, not just the role but like him as his person. So that's one of the things he's going to be mad about when Kinn misunderstands and think he would be close to Vegas in that way.

This is the boundaries and blurred lines are an issue to Porsche and the 'You don't trust me scene' which I'm 100% certain is happening in episode 7 is Porsche finally already being triggered, vulnerable and scared showing Kinn himself without the mask and actually speaking up about his worries about them which is what Kinn needs to see that this is not just a game between a boss and his employee, but it's between Porsche and Kinn as a man and romantic interest which is what he wants. So it's even more painful than Kinn fully like pulling those barriers back up because Kinin will be sweet and open to Porsche but just not clear the line and break that boundary. Kinn will use it as a way to be close and intimate but actually revert back to using it as well to hurt Porsche when he's triggered by Vegas. Because Vegas represents to Porsche from Kinn's perspective:

-Another boss trying to steal his employee: someone who is trying to poach Porsche and own him. This is insulting because the reason Porsche came back and gave up on his dream is just to save Kinn and to ensure that man smiles and is safe and not betrayed and also Porsche doesn't really want to be a bodyguard due to morality of it all, if it's not for Kinn because there's other things he could be doing as stated in episode 6

-A love interest, a man who could steal Porsche away from Kinn. And as mentioned this one is an issue because apart from how he's felt with Kinn, no man has ever crossed that romantic line with him and he doesn't want any one else but Kinn at that moment, and that's what's causing him frustration because he's not sure Kinn is the same with him and Kinn has a past of heartbreak and betrayal from love and Porsche is not that kind of person

-A mole for the minor family- Vegas will make Porsche a mole and betray the major family since they're meant to be untrustworthy. This is also insulting again because Porsche is here for Kinn, the only reason he's here is to ensure that Kinn stays protected and he's out for blood for who keeps trying to hurt Kinn. Kinn thinking that he would be a mole is an insult to him because again it shows that Kinn really isn't taking his feelings seriously and understanding Porsche's heart and emotions, and all he's going through by being with Kinn. ( a sign Kinn also might not be as serious to him or is not seeing what they have as sacred the way Porsche is)

So these three issues, the role of a bodyguard and employee, Kinn's romantic past and his noncommitment issues, and Kinn's trust issues with his people and his mask of cruelty and loyalty to his family's wishes and pressure (remember his father also doesn't want Kinn to be weak and mess up again) will be topics that show up in episode 7, that Porsche and Kinn will need to face before we get Kinn jealous, uncontrollable, and triggered no longer being able to keep the blurred line between them.

The theme of exposure

I also think we're going to get to know more about the chess game (lots of foreshadowing since the minor family represents the other side on the chess game Korn is playing)and power dynamics of the minor family. So it means because we're going to his inner sanctum, we will get to see Vegas more, so we'll get to know him, and see him in his surroundings. Episode 7 is really in my opinion focused on the word exposure, exposing Kinn's and Porsche's feelings to the surface and them actually speaking about it, exposing Pete as Vegas's love interest and second main character (I think we'll see something about this because he is playing a massive role this episode) and then exposing Vegas, both the masked Vegas and his intentions, but also Vegas, Vegas with Macau, Vegas with his father, Vegas with his power, Vegas with Porsche, Vegas with Kinn.

So this episode is going to definitely expose Vegas which is why he is already foreshadowed in the side story with his arc, it's also why Pete shows up in the side story, outside of the door where Vegas is giving and manipulating Porsche with the flowers. It's interesting Vegas views the flowers as a sign of romance when in reality their true meanings lie with greed, jealousy, power and friendship. It foreshadows his blurred mindset in episode 7 about what he thinks about Porsche but also how Pete is going to differ from that once that is dropped. So I'm really excited about episode 7 because in the subtext, everything with Vegas will have layers and it would be the first time, I think we will get full meta from the show about him and his story. So expect clues with Vegas and Pete, expect seeing all his layers maybe not his innermost one yet, but in the hospital scene we saw at least 3 layers:

The masked Vegas with Kinn, (the jealous and angry Vegas that hates being overpowered, the rival),

The second main love interest with Porsche (the one that wants Porsche romantically and is sad and pushed away, also the one that craves unconditional love (will talk about this more later, but yeah the friendship, care, love with no return is what Vegas wants someone to do for him as him)

The masked Vegas with Porsche (the one with the camera on him, the victim of Kinn oppression, the one sent by his father to keep an eye on Porsche and Kinn, the one who sees Porsche as a conquest like the diamonds in episode 4)

We saw three layers (corresponding to three flowers) and it's complicated but it's important. Because all of them are not the real Vegas. So going into his house is going to be a minefield of meta for Vegas and I can't wait.

The role of the chess game

Lastly I want to remind people that there's a very secret story thread that runs through each episode that is mentioned or foreshadowed, and it's to do with the chess game and how Porsche fits into this. So we will always be getting something, a hint, and more. I would say the dinner we see Porsche and Pete attend with Vegas and his family will be very vital to adding more information to this thread, and we should keep an eye on people mentioned or seen during that moment. (This might be a reach but I just wanted also to state that), we're going into the other side of the chess game, we're going to see their king, their pawns etc, we're going to be trying to uncover moles but we know that Korn has started planning because he's sent Pete to spy on Vegas and his family. So yes we're going to be also hinting and linking to many things.

KINNPORSCHE

But overall episode 7 is going to be heart-warming, one because Kinn isn't being angsty he's being unserious and jokey and not making a deal about the blurred lines, (he just wants to stay in their element he doesn't want to face the meaning or anything because it triggers him) ,Porsche may be a bit angsty but he'd be focused on saving Kinn, and we'll see them still in their element from the hospital scene but also we'll get them later screaming and shouting and finally fully crossing that line (which was how the side story ended) so I can't wait.

Thanks anon! Sorry this was such a long response, again I'm unsure about what the writers want to do now Kinn and Porsche are back to the things that bind them. Kinn really has no choice in the matter but it seems like he wants to be deluded for a bit longer, until Porsche can't deal with him just wanting it to be kept unserious, and Porsche well he's determined with a new focus and that's to save the man who he's fallen in love with, to be with him and stay seeing his smile and his cute self, but he's still afraid of being toyed with since he's becoming so vulnerable he's being exposed so much to Kinn, and Porsche likes control because being weak doesn't help him, he's normally the one who's okay with things being unserious but with Kinn it's his bane of existence because he wants Kinn to be just as unravelled by him. He wants Kinn's life to belong to him as much as his belongs to Kinn. That's what his whole thing is about. But I could be wrong the writers have their own plans and themes and so far, they're exposing Kinn more in the show more than he was in the book, but how they want him to deal with his guilt about bringing people to burden and tainting their love with his position/weight of his family I'm not sure, he could be serious and completely defensive (haven't seen that), he could block it from his memory and stay in his fantasy and happiness for now, he could be reminded about what he could lose if he stays weak or open (Tawann) etc... Lots of ways for him to deal with this, and we'll see what they choose to do.

-

[veliseraptor]

writing patterns tag game

tagged by @ameliarating and before that by @feralkwe like a week ago whoops

including a couple longer running wips on here even though it feels a little weird to do so...

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 posted fics and see if there’s a pattern.

Xiao Xingchen met his future boyfriend in an alley by a dumpster, semi-conscious and covered in blood. (from Redux)

Porsche called him late in the afternoon on Thursday when Vegas was reviewing some accounts and trying to figure out where he wanted to start carving out his niche. (from Undercut)

He meant to finish it. (from Walking Far From Home)

Song Lan was accustomed to isolation. (from the poison in your bones)

Xue Yang didn’t even start wondering if something was up until the daoshi were seven days gone. (from fierce spirits bite back)

Bad fucking luck. (from make this house a habit)

Kinn sort of liked having a baby cousin, even if Khun hated him. (from Tilted Axis)

So. He was back. (from jiggety-jig)

Vash is… (from that unknown orchard)

It wasn’t that Pete disliked Vegas’s college friends, exactly. He hadn’t even known Vegas had college friends until they’d rolled into Bangkok three days ago with very little warning. (from Drift)

based on these (and based on what I know about myself in general) I prefer short sentences, mostly with minimal context. I think I am generally a bit of a...not completely in media res person but at least a "drop in the middle of an emotion/texture rather than event" person, at least when it comes to fic. there's a few of these that establish more about plot, which actually surprised me a little.

I tag...hmm. @curiosity-killed, @highladyluck, @paradife-loft, @brawlite, and @maester-of-spreadsheets if they are so inclined, and beg your pardon if any of you have already been tagged.

[gaykey]

i don’t get if im not getting what happened in this episode or if all that has actually happened in the episode made exactly zero sense??? how the fuck is kinn going to say that he was going to porsche to talk about tawan working for vegas when they have a whole scene with them pointing guns at each other and then kinn doesn’t say shit to him and lets him go without any explanation whatsoever??? and how did a mess like tawan manage to escape the main house with the help of one person alone when the house is supposed to be packed with security (especially considering they are in fact checking if he’s working with vegas as they suspect, so it’s really fucking crucial to keep an eye on him)???? and what kind of stupid shit is kinn talking about with his “i feel like I’m forgetting something” like he didn’t considered out loud the risks pete was going to take infiltrating the minor family??? how are you going to forget the whole reason your half baked potato plan even worked??? AND WHY THE FUCK DID THEY NEED TO KIDNAP PORSCHAY, CONSIDERING PORSCHE WAS ALREADY WITH VEGAS SO IT’S NOT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO LURE HIM SOMEWHERE SOMEHOw?!?!?!?! Honestly im so baffled… nine almost perfect episodes and now im wondering what am I supposed to expect next…

Also:

1) not kinn actually demanding apologies after the whole shitshow was kinda his doing??? The lack of self awareness?????

2) bible’s acting was so fucking good… he manages to be so deranged but also so delicate??? I don’t know, it’s impressive to the point of being creepy

3) im sorry but I don’t get the vegaspete hype

idk, it all made sense to me? i loved this episode.

like, maybe because i am a self-proclaimed kinn girlie, but his choices, though not ideal, made sense for his character and situation.

heads up, my kinn defender cap is firmly ON.

he said he was on his way to talk to porsche, but, at that point, porsche had already been broken out of the cell by vegas, and had had a fight with pete.

what could kinn do at that point? he can't just lock porsche back up like he didn't just do all that and risk making tawan suspicious and fucking up the plan.

also, that again would make him look weak. porsche knowingly left with vegas and attacked his friend (pete) and kinn just what? overlooks that? he has appearances that he must maintain at all times and he's trying his hardest to balance that along with his relationship with porsche.

he's doing what he thinks is best for everyone.

the small thing kinn could do in that moment, before more guards arrive and all hell breaks loose, was lower his gun, showing porsche he trusts him.

and yeah OK, tawan escaping right under their nose was a bad move on their part - but like, there was a lot going on, to be fair, and this dude has cheated death numerous times. i'm sure he can give a few bodyguards the slip.

AGAIN HE'S HAD A BUSY DAY JFHFHDJSJS

yeah no, i did say, has no one remembered that pete had a whole secret mission that was crucial to the entire mission and had not been seen since?

he's not dumb though :( he's relieved to have his lover back with him safe, and mourning the loss of a loyal bodyguard - he's not functioning at full capacity atm.

ummm the kidnapping of chay was clearly all tawan? like vegas explicitly says that wasn't part of the plan. you can see he's pissed when they go to porchse and chay's house and realise he's not there.

tawan is not in his right mind, and he's making rash decisions out of? anger, fear, desperation? decisions vegas definitely NOT ok.

chay was never meant to be there.

1. was he demanding apologies though?? like, i saw that scene as kinn mainly trying to break the ice and get porsche talking to him again. i don't think he actually felt porsche needed to apologise. his tone is playful and his face has a softness to it. he's also trying to explain to porsche in that scene, why he did what he did.

this is just a teeny bit off topic but it's relevant - but kinn has a history and not being able to deal with certain emotions and shutting down. he's not good at saying what he means and feels outright - he needs time to work up to certain interactions. but he says and shows his feelings in other ways. you need to look underneath the surface a little to get his true meaning.

which makes it actually super intriguing that you interpreted that scene so negatively. like, the way some of y'all perceive kinn's actions and reactions is so off i feel.

2. yeah bible is amazing. the way he plays vegas is just, perfect. he's so good at making the way people fall for and trust him so believable whilst also maintaining that unsettling aura he has - so even though his actions seem pure, you just know somethings off with him - is mwah! superb.

like, it'd be so easy to go over the top with vegas, and head into campy comic book villain territory, but bible makes vegas seem like a realistic villain. someone tou could imagine yourself meeting and being drawn in by.

idk like, he's just captivating to watch tbh

3. hm. a controversial opinion.

ok, so i only know about the bare minimum when it comes to novel vegaspete, but what i have heard......i don't like it? or get it?

now, with show vegaspete, with what we have so far? i can see the hype. i can understand it.

that's probably mostly down to how amazing bible & build are (like, i'm honestly just looking forward to the both of them acting their fucking arses off in a scene together). i'm super super intrigued to see how they adapt it.

but, the way some people are like? going so hard for them based on the novel alone has me......just, kinda side eyeing a little ngl.

we'll see what happens with them though. i have a lot of faith in the show, and i think they'll do a really good job.

so yeah, in my opinion - absolutely stellar episode. one of my faves in fact. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[objectivelyimpermanent]

Episode 12

This was such a precarious episode. I had to pause so many times.

Vegaspete was a starring role. The relationship is progressing so fast that I am nervous. They're both clearly manipulating each other at least a little, but the power dynamic is unstable. I spent the first half of the episode semi-convinced that Vegas had killed his hedgehog. I absolutely did not believe his pouting: he fully turned up the miawfioso, even more so than in the episode 9 pool scene, and we know how that turned out. Pete was poking Vegas in the bloodtype personality profile scene. I wonder if he was trying to hurt Vegas' feelings? He was calling him sensitive and volatile, which I doubt he could have construed as something Vegas would appreciate. He was also refusing to give any information about himself. It could have been teasing, but I'm not sure. He did have that look at the end of the scene, as well. Pete didn't escape when given the chance, but also that scene mirrors the scene last episode when Vegas baited him with the belt, only this time it was the actual key. It seems like a test. Did Pete both sympathise with Vegas and also doubt the viability of his escape? Is that why he didn't try? The sex scene was also very tense (nevermind the unsafe BDSM practices), and it was meant to be, going by the music. The lighting also made it seem a bit hallucinatory? I wonder if this is Pete's play? However, it's simultaneously Vegas' play, who thinks that his miawfioso honey trap is working very well on Pete. I doubt that Vegas would be aware that Pete is manipulating him—Vegas needs to be surprised for this relationship to work out. Neither we nor Pete can trust any sincerity he may or may not be exhibiting before that, given his track record. Also, one dead pet does not foreshadow good tidings for the other, so-far living pet. The dialogue about the kiss scene does seem to validate that one meta I saw a few days ago about Pete being the sadist, with Pete liking Vegas' "moodiness", which by proximity seems to be Vegas' misery? I mean, they can both be the sadist and the masochist—there are no rules against that. There is such a thing as a sadomasochist and also switching. Maybe Pete likes it both ways, and maybe Vegas does too. And, condoms! At least we know that Vegaspete practice safe sex, and that seems to be one of Vegas' pickup lines, going by episode 6. Vegas is an ethical slut. I'll note that not once have we seen evidence of Kinnporsche using a condom. At least Kinn used them with his escorts. Fingers crossed for the healing patricide bonding moment next episode.

Kinnporsche had some significant plot developments. Obviously, this is the toned down version from the novel, where I hear that Kinn directly bought out Porsche's house to force him to work for him. However, that tactic was at least little more honest, since Porsche knew about that before sleeping with Kinn. Kinn immediately and repeatedly apologised here, so he's learning. He's really opening up emotionally. So, they move out. Bread, but no bread sex, but they were absolutely both thinking about bread sex. Kinn has absolutely no idea how the peasants live (by which I mean maybe the middle-class?), and you can see the sheer terror in his eyes. It's like a Stepford smiler before they learn to become competent, so they're just hoping that no one will notice that they have no idea what they're doing. It is very sweet, though. Kinn is being a very supportive boyfriend. "My dad covered up your parents' murder, baby, so I'll move out with you, and I'll cook for you, and I'll feed you bread sexily, and we can go kill the guy who hit them with my lucky gun, and I'll hold your hand the whole time, baby, I love you, do you want a hug?" Nonetheless, Kinn didn't take off his ring, and the secession (or abdication?) didn't last long. Porsche is far too forgiving—or, rather, far too aware of how little power he has and of how little his lack of forgiveness will matter to the people involved. Porsche is too practical. I really liked the scene near the end. Kinn: "You're pretty, too." And Porsche just winks: "You betcha." He's even pretty enough to make Kinn eat the bugs.

Korn is very shady and only getting shadier under the clouds of the oncoming storm. I did not believe him even in the beginning. First of all, his story didn't make sense—he didn't know that the couple had two small children, but he recognised the grown-up Porsche, and, by Porsche's report, Porsche was in the car when it crashed. The flashback was odd—they'd not used them before much. I think that there might have been some flashforwards in episode 7? I'm not sure. It was also without sound, so we didn't necessarily have any context from it that could prove or disprove Korn's story. Of course, the ending scene proved the lie. For Korn, just as important as the shady chess-playing is the shady clay-moulding; whilst the shady chess-playing is usually lazy cinematic short-hand for a smart and manipulative person, the inclusion also of the shady clay-moulding suggests something closer to being controlling and perhaps some type of narcissistic god complex (suitable for a patriarch). Korn also seems to spend his time watching exotic fish in tanks, which I'm sure is very calming and good for his blood pressure, but those tanks are proportionally tinier than Vegas' hedgehog birdcage, so either he's a cruel pet owner, or he has someone decant the fish into the tiny tanks whenever he wants to look at them. Both of these are weird behaviours, but I sort of hope it's the second because that would be funnier, and it gives off a lot of Tankhun energy. In any case, watching living animals move around the tiny, controlled environment you've built for them also suggests a heavy-handed, controlling personality. Tankhun named his fish Elizabeth and Sebastian, but I bet Korn named his fish Tankhun, Kinn, and Kim.

Porschay is making some poor choices. Go to university. You've prepared extensively for this, and you have no other plans, and you've sunk a shit-tonne of money into it. Go to university. Dying your hair spontaneously—I mean, okay. You do you. Just don't do it because of Kim, for fuck's sake. Drinking, well. I'm not going to declaim underage drinking. That would be hypocritical. Also, I think the Thai drinking age is a bit higher than over here, anyway. What I cannot forgive is the way he's dressing. It looks like he's trying to imitate Porsche, but for the first few seconds of the scene, when it was blurry, I thought that Tawan and his cut-off sleeves had risen from the ninth circle of hell. I was not happy. Go back to big brother Tankhun, baby, he'll sort you out fashion-wise, and he might even slap Kim for you. And then the drugs. Porschay. Use drugs responsibly. What even is that, cocaine? Ecstasy? Don't take a dubious white powder from a guy that you don't know at a place that you don't know during your first time drinking with only a really irresponsible and also very drunk friend as backup. Also, don't let him hand-feed it to you. That's just gross.

Kim is feeling the guilt. He's fucked up this kid's future as well as his feelings. But his angry face was very good. Before now, we've only really seen his muted guilty face, his muted worry face, his connecting-the-dots Kimlock euphoria face, and his Mr. Cool face. A little more honest. Nonetheless, he is blowing so hot and cold. It's really not fair to Porschay. Given the unravelling mystery, there's hope for a KinnKim scene next episode.

Time and Tae showing up was so fucking awkward: three little rich boys tottering about the Kittisiwat kitchen. Tae was being smart and providing the conversation only, although I bet Tae at least could make instant noodles. The entire cheating subplot that has been happening off-screen is pulling a bit forward. What a time to bring it up. "You're lucky to be dating Kinn, Porsche. Oh, me? Oh no, my boyfriend is trash. I know I've met you around three times, and one of those involved Kinn shooting an apple off of your head, and another one involved you being mostly naked and in bed, but my boyfriend is trash, and I'm deciding to tell this to you in your kitchen whilst our boyfriends attempt to make instant noodles." Way to escalate the small talk. I'm getting hives.

I like how Arm is now the designated wingman for Porsche. He'll hook up Porsche with all the spyware to check if Kinn's cheating on him. They even have codewords, which means at some point, there was an explicit conversation about the perhaps-Kinn-is-cheating procedure and operation. Also, the spy camera is on the button of the suit that Kinn happens to be wearing, which means that Porsche has to have bugged all of Kinn's suits. It's getting a little much now, Porsche, sweetheart. Also, what does the confrontation in Code Black involve? Arm leaping in with a gun and shouting: "Freeze! I can't believe you've done this! Love, Porsche"?

Arthee is scum. That is all.

[heretherebedork]

hiiii again francis i came to ask what you think about kinn/pete’s relationship…cause speaking of kinn and trust, the fact he sent pete to spy on vegas specifically because “i trust you the most” some say he said that to convince pete further to go but i think that it may have been said genuinely with some actual merit to it…wdyt❔

Kinn and Pete is an interesting one because, frankly, we haven't gotten a ton of time with them. I mean, kind of obviously. But there's a lot there that we're not being shown.

Kinn did specifically speak of trusting Pete, which is interesting, though I suspect he meant it more professionally than personally... which is more interesting because we've been given no reason to believe that Kinn would have any kind of strong opinion on Pete.

Now, Pete is obviously very loyal to Kinn and Tankhun and the other bodyguards. He's very friendly with everyone but is also obvious about how much he doesn't trust Vegas and he's spoken to Porsche about not trusting Vegas as well.

I also wonder how much of this is based on the Porsche and Pete friendship and Kinn's view of that friendship as well as how the show approaches that friendship. Since Kinn did get advice from Pete on how to approach Porsche, that might be strongly playing into this.

I also kind of think that Kinn suspects Pete knows something is up between him and Porsche and might be trying to show that he does 'trust' him with both this job and the secret in his own very subtle and little way. That's a super tangential thing and unlikely but I'm still standing by my 'Pete is smarter than he lets on' essays and will not be backing down.

As for how much merit it has... I just don't know. Kinn doesn't tend to be manipulative so most things he says have truth in them but this is also a very odd situation for him and he's doing things at least a bit of his normal style so... it's hard to totally pin down.

If Kinn wanted to just order Pete to go, he could have and Pete wouldn't ask question. He obviously wanted Pete to choose to go rather than just be ordered because a willing participant will almost always do better than an unwilling one.

Which is to say... I feel like it was put in entirely to make this Pete's 'choice' and to play off the 'I don't trust anyone' at the end with Porsche.

I think it's mostly true but only in a professional sense and not in a personal sense.

I'd also like to say that I feel like it could have been a much better moment if Pete hadn't spent so much of the show being the butt of the jokes because this show's tonal shifts have turned so many possible deep characters moments into laughs.

[tinysweetflour]

Analysing the heck out of Vegas EP 2- EP 9

Ep 2:

Vegas enters into the scene while looking at pete. He notices a new bodyguard aka. Porsche and immediately thinks of new ways to torture kinn and smirk.

When Macau gets hurt he first checks if Macau is ok then gets angry at Porsche. He doesn't care who this person is unlike his father who keeps blaming the main family his priority is Macau. So much so he leaves the important family meeting to take care of him which he easily could have lead a maid to do.

Ep 4:

The first thing he does is take Porsche side. That's where I already know he is bluffing cause he loves Macau and would never hit him. The whole episode he just does his evilness. When he goes to eat with the bodyguards pete tells him this is not his place to which he puts his hand on Pete's shoulder in a way saying ' I am one of you' and ' kinn will never treat you like this'.

He kidnaps Porsche with the intention of just giving him hickeys but when Porsche hits him he immediately turns him with clear intentions of SA. He isn't successful but he's happy cause playing with Porsche seems to be more fun than he thought.

My theory is after drugging Porsche and giving him hickeys he might have not looked at him again but since things didn't go his way he extended it more.

Ep 5:

He is genuinely interested in showing his bike Porsche and genuinely enjoys the bike ride with him. When he asks ' are you ok?' this was meant for last night's shenanigans. (This Vegas can show emotions). And then he tells Porsche can share his worries with him - now that's a lie. But then again the hug was real.

Ep 6:

It's not Vegas its Pete. That man's an amazingly bad spy. And when appears to big the bag he is angry. He put the condoms with multiple plans. Remember this man has multiple plans in the back of his head at all times and can make up lies on the spot. So when pete screamed he put one of his plans into motion. He comes back and openly asks pete to sleep with him. ' Would you like to share'? He doesn't even look at Pol. He only gives a momentary glance at Pol at the end.

Ep 7:

Ok. He enters like he commands the room and he IS happy that he is the one who caught the guy. And then it's the part - Vegas at his best. And he does notice pete looking at him and this definitely interests him. As I have said before the market scene is him showing how respected he is and all of it is true. He desperately tries to win Porsche but he slowly is giving attention to pete too. That is the reason why he chooses pete to go with him. (When pete tells him his house is big he takes a quick glance around him like ' is my house that big?')

And the him on top of Porsche shooting is Just him doing his job. This man is better at his job than kinn. And then the bathroom scene he clearly takes care of Porsche first not just goes directly into it but again failed.

Ep 9:

Ok Pete's like extremely bad at spying. But Vegas definitely has interests at him more than usual that he changed his schedule to keep pete close. Now I see a lot of people talking about his 'witch shirt' but the symbols on it are pegan and these have no meanings in Buddhism. The thing that I noticed is him wearing entire black. Black is not supposed to be worn in auspicious occasions. Now he is listening to the sermon. Sure he listens and then twists them to his own liking but he does listen. Which is why he touches pets a** there because according to him he isn't doing anything wrong. And then he tells pete to do merits together. Now this is a big thing and also a very private thing to be only done between family. No wonder pete is surprised and when he touches Pete's back pete is again surprised as this is again a very private thing to do in such a moment. Overall he is interested in the reactions pete shows but I don't think he took the making merits thing seriously. He was playing with pete and he was satisfied with the results.

In conclusion:

It's hard to study Vegas cause he doesn't lie or tell the truth entirely. With him it's 2 truths 1 lie that's why it's hard to figure out which ones lie or not.

Bible deserves all the compliments he gets!!!

[feuqueerfire]

Feu's July 2022 BL/GL Wrap-Up

A little monthly wrap-up of all the shows I’ve watched or am watching in July 2022, general thoughts, ranking of them all.

Ranking

KinnPorsche

Red Balloon = Our Skyy: SOTUS

DNA Says Love You  = Cupid’s Last Wish

Plus & Minus

Completely Watched

KinnPorsche

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Apr 2, 2022 - Jul 9, 2022

Dates Watched: Jun 27 - Jul 09, 2022

Rating: 7/10 [Oct 29, 2022 Update: Increased by 0.5 stars when rerating my top BLs] [Jan 24, 2023 Update: Decreased by 0.5 stars when rerating my top BLs]

Watched Via: iQiyi (paid), so free trial or kissasian

General Thoughts:

After a long while, I started watching a show early enough that I had to wait over 2 days for episode 14 to be released.

Extremely weak plot. Extremely weak character development for Kinn and Porsche. How did they manage to make me not at all care about, and sometimes even dislike, KP when I was literally so ready to love them? Many side characters are under developed and thus don't hold any emotional weight (ex. Ken and Big). Also, Kim's love life is a dead-end and also his investigation didn't turn up anything, so there was no progress for him lol. Korn's evil, the audience can tell but the characters cannot for some reason. Also, the weak writing meant the pacing was off and we spent a lot of time meandering or watching stuff I hardly cared about. Not to mention the plethora of plot holes or the many story threads they just dropped/forgot about. If there's a season 2, please get better writers my gosh.

Vegas and Pete were freaking great. Unexpectedly great considering how weak other aspects of writing were. I would've liked more of their storyline and a little more work before that fluffy ending but I'm just amazed they gave me nearly everything I wanted. Not to mention food as a love language! Great acting from the cast, very impressive considering it's the first acting job for several actors. Would be curious to see them in more. It looked sleek and like there was money put into the show, which there was. I think the rating is more like a 6.5 on the enjoyment scale but I'll give it a 7 because I'm reading so much fic, especially VegasPete, meaning the characters resonated with me enough to do so.

tags: kinnporsche, vegaspete

Also Appears In: KinnPorsche Ep 1 - 13, KinnPorsche Ep 14

DNA Says Love You

Country: Taiwan

Release Dates: Mar 14, 2022 - May 23, 2022

Dates Watched: Jul 13 - Jul 18, 2022

Rating: 5.5/10

Watched Via: iQiyi/Viki/GagaOolala (paid), so :>

General Thoughts: I don't know how they could've made the show less boring but it really was so boring, especially the first half with ghosthunting and side couple drama. I was wondering if I did it a disservice by speeding it up when watching but some episodes were just too boring to be watched at 1x speed. However, I still enjoyed all the friendships and familial relationships! I am truly a lover of such relationships and they showed complex friendships and wholesome families. Also, interesting gender stuff even though they didn't explain anything much.

tags: dna says love you

Also Appears In: DNA Says Love You Live Blogging

Red Balloon

Country: Taiwan

Release Dates: May 10, 2017 - Jun 28, 2017

Dates Watched: Jul 19 - Jul 20, 2022

Rating: 6/10

Watched Via: GagaOolala (paid), so :>

General Thoughts: It’s fine, wasn’t bad but also didn’t change my life and impact me as much as it could have. I think the fact that it was neither a longer series nor did it have the uninterrupted flow of a movie lessened its impact. The main characters were interesting enough, though I wish we got to see more of their 2017 current versions. I liked the side story fine. It was good enough, fairly typical LGBT youth exploration halted by society then finding each other again type of ordeal. I know Your Name Engraved Herein was released after this one but they're both similar in that sense.

Also Appears In: Red Balloon Live Blogging

Plus & Minus

Country: Taiwan

Release Dates: Apr 15, 2022 - Jun 24, 2022

Dates Watched: Jul 20 - 25, 2022

Rating: 5/10

Watched Via: Viki (paid), so :>

General Thoughts: There's nothing much to say about this story. I didn't care about the main characters or their story, so I almost all of it at 2x and after like ep 6 skipped everything where it was just the 2 main leads. The family and job dynamics/scenes were kinda interesting though.I liked the side couple better with the high-strung divorced father with a routine life being pursued by the handsome, younger bartender who takes everything casually. They were cute and grew with each other and I liked them with the daughter Ling Ling.

Also Appears In: Plus & Minus Live Blogging

Cupid's Last Wish

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Feb 21, 2022 - Mar 22, 2022

Dates Watched: Jul 26 - 29, 2020

Rating: 5.5/10

Watched Via: Youtube (free)

General Thoughts: I got the gender shenanigans (the fact that Win was a guy in Lin’s body and we got to see Win and so did his friends ahh so good), I got to see Jan, I got some Thai food, so in those aspects it's good. In terms of writing, characterization and character progression, this show leaves things to be desired. The only character in the show who changes at all in Win and he just... kinda changed and stopped being a dick but I would've liked more introspection and apology and actual progression for him in the last 2 episodes rather than pointless drama, much of which came out of the left field. 

tags: cupid’s last wish

Also Appears In: Cupid’s Last Wish Live Blogging

Our Skyy: SOTUS Continuation

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Dec 31, 2018

Dates Watched: Jul 31, 2022

Rating: 6/10

Watched Via: Youtube (free)

General Thoughts More like Live Blogging: lol the Arthit actively avoiding intimacy, including kisses, continues (as does my wish to have them explore it either in an internalized homophobia or ace way). Although it makes things like the hug seem more significant. Damn, Arthit really wants a preemptive breakup - he really is not one to fight for the relationship lol even in the previous installments. Seeing Kongpob cry noo T.T bro this compilation of their relationship moments as Kongpob waits for Arthit? Bro this airport interaction is killing meeee they’re sooo boyfriends. Rings?! So Arthit’s just dropping Kongpob off and coming back to Thailand after a few days right? Seems so. Okay I don’t know what to give it out of 5.5 or 6. Let’s just give it a 6 for the end of all SOTUS things and out of the original projects of the 3 GMMTV pairs, SOTUS is the one I liked most. I wonder if I would’ve liked the episode more/same/less if I watched it immediately after watching season 2. 

Random BL show that has been in my mind for the second half of July even though I’m not watching it:

Bro the random ass hold Love Mechanics has started having on me? I had 0 interest in the story when I got into BLs and learned about En of Love: Love Mechanics and that it’s getting a reboot because I don’t really fuck with cheating storylines. Then once it started being released, everybody started talking about how good the acting and story is, so I became a little curious. However, since mid-July (July 16?), I’ve been seeing clips of them on tiktok and truly obsessing because how does it make me so giddy? This is what people mean by sizzling chemistry I guess? From these short clips, they both portray giddiness of liking someone in a way most other actors don’t, so I’m really enjoying seeing them and can’t wait to watch. I think the fact that both of them seem to flirt and be really into it helps because more often than not, it’s one character pursuing the other, while the other might even be resistant; so the clear reciprocity in the giddiness heightens it for sure. Also, most of these clips have been cute and fun, with a sprinkling of a few painful clips. I think the actual show will make me more mad because of all the bad decisions but for now, I’m enjoying the giddiness and need to watch the show ASAP

Also like I’m not even watching the show yet so why is the “Yeah! You’re always easy for me!” in ep 6? by Vee and the “Oh you still love me?” *nod nod* “Then can you do me a last favour? Please get out of my life.” by Mark in ep 7 have me in agony alksjl;sakdfj

Summary and Upcoming Plans

I watched like 5 shows and an episode this month, which is the least BL I’ve watched in a month since I’ve begun lol. I think I’m entering the ‘slowing down’ phase of my fandom frenzy, so in the future I’ll try to be even more picky with shows I pick up OR start dropping shows. It took me forever to finish shows I wasn’t engaged in this month whereas I could still force myself to just finish them before on like 1.5x speed. 

I think I’m gonna start with Cause You’re My Boy and Love Mechanics next month, then go to Indian movies (Badhai Do, Jab We Met), then Thai shows again (probably some of the 2022 ones and some older ones). If the month isn’t over by then somehow, I’ll start Korean shows (BLs, GL shorts, but also maybe a het show)