I had a very different reading of Nicola and Kev's interactions from what we saw of them in his first stint. He was intrigued by her from their very first meeting at the cafe, so intrigued that instead of wanting alone time with Robert after all these months of not seeing him, he said, "Why don't we go over to that cafe? Blonde one, Nicola, is it? She seems like a bit of a live wire. Could be a laugh". I also don't think it's a coincidence that both his first and last lines in his last stint were to Nicola. I don't think Nicola will have to fight for control, except maybe on Lewis related issues. I see Kev being putty in her hands. She never feared him, she had no reason to. She was the only one Kev listened to and was fully open with, I'd even say Kev was more himself around Nicola than around anyone else, even Robert. With Robert, I feel he was being performative, like he still felt he had to play the role of protector, whatever he thought Robert needed him to be. With Nicola all that artifice was gone, even his voice and the way he spoke sounded more normal. He told Nicola about his dreams that he hadn't even told Robert - that he had always wanted a family, ways he had thought of bonding with Lewis, taking him fishing etc. Nicola scolded him, mocked him, gave him ultimatums and Kev took it all in stride. Never fought her, sometimes he even seemed to cower in front of her. His interaction with Nicola aside, the other thing that maybe was a sign that he may indeed be bi was his joke to Tracy in the shop when Tracy said the machine wanted him to put it in (his card). "Now, there's an offer," Kev had said. I have no idea why he didn't correct Robert when Robert said the Andersons would have no problem with him being gay since Ethan was gay too. Maybe it's one of those instances where people use bi and gay interchangeably, like when Robert was first outed in the pub, everyone said they never thought he was gay. "Gay" was their first thought, not bi.

25 days of robron

shane hollander appreciation week: day three favorite quotes: his multitudes ♥

HEATED RIVALRY (2025-) dir. Jacob Tierney