#ep. 12

So just a sidenote because I've been thinking about this a lot in the past few days-

I don't think Vegas was being decent on purpose when he wanted consent from Pete before they had sex. In fact, I don't even think he wanted consent for sex. He wanted something more. Overall, I think Vegas moves in a world where stuff like consent doesn't make sense because the only currency that exists is power and if you have power over something, it's yours to dispose of as you wish. It's how being Gun's son and being treated the way he is makes sense to Vegas and how he accepts and puts up with it. It's how he thinks he can do anything he wants to a roofied Porsche and how he thinks it's okay to grab Pete's ass while Pete is restrained in his basement.

At the safehouse, Pete's understanding of Vegas and no-frills acceptance have been eroding Vegas' armour of self-loathing. He is still trapped in the same old thought patterns, but he can now recognise they suck. And I think Vegas, at this point, is aware of the fact that he can't play the classics and expect them to work on Pete. So Vegas turning up the heat on Pete right after his "woe is me" monologue is a complete power move. It's still Vegas reassuring himself that he's still got it and he can see through people and what they want, but somewhere in the middle of it he realises a. Pete doesn't respond like other people and b. taking sex from Pete to comfort and reassure himself won't work or cut it. He needs Pete to consciously choose him, and not just let Vegas fuck him to appease or placate him. Pete saying "you're a psycho" is not actually meant for Vegas. It's Pete thinking out loud like we've seen him do previously too. It's Pete actually saying "MF you are full of issues but I'm still DTF, I mean I can't even with myself rn but this is where we are, besties." Vegas actually holds himself back, in the 4th gif he is acting like someone on a diet who's sniffing a hot, fresh pizza. He decided that with Pete, getting sex this one time and then being absolutely fucking despised after JUST. WON'T. CUT. IT. He's aware that from Pete he can get MORE. So when he says "but with a guy like you, it's no fun if you don't give in," he doesn't mean "Pete, just admit it, you want the D". He means "I think it would be really fucking neat if you still consciously chose me, even after seeing the flaming mess I am." The fact that he gasps and smiles in relief when Pete pulls him back and kisses him just shows Vegas doesn't really expect good things to happen for him. But he's SO happy when they do.

What a wonderful series. My non bl n.1 in 2022, maybe in years, and it's Korean.

NOT THEM PRETENDING THOSE THINGS

I ENDED UP CRYING FOR LIKE HOURS LAST WEEK

Xiao Bai - Reaction GIFs