You weren't exactly supposed to like VegasPete.

I want to start off by saying I loved this show—the acting, the cinematography, the music—everything was done so well, and the characters are incredibly lovable! They did a very good job adapting this from the book, and by "good job" I mean they took literal trash and turned it into gold, A.K.A. please by god do not touch the book with a 6-foot pole if you value your sanity.
There's a lot of things I could talk about with this BL that I absolutely loved, but I want to focus on one thing I don't see a lot of people understanding with this show: and that is the extremely toxic relationship that is VegasPete.

My biggest issue with most BL dramas is—and always will be—the romanticization of SA and/or abuse. There is nothing 'cute' about getting kissed under the influence when you did not consent, nor being held down and touched when you clearly do not want to be. Sometimes it's the dynamic, yes, but I'm not talking about that; I'm talking about the too-many instances where it crosses the line (coughtharntypecough).

There's a big difference between when BL's show these things happening and condemn it, and when they play it off as a joke or romanticize it. BIG. DIFFERENCE. This show somehow managed to do both!

Everything with Vegas and Pete made me extremely uncomfortable, and the "happy ending" they got felt... bittersweet. Pete fell in love, yes, but the mental trauma inflicted on him by Vegas is undeniable, and they both seriously need therapy if any form of a healthy relationship is to exist between the two of them. But that's just the thing, right? This was SUPPOSED to be a toxic relationship, that's what it was written to be. So why do I see so many people online romanticizing what happened to Pete?

It really gets under my skin, seeing fans look at these two and find them "cute"—you're allowed to like the actor (Bible and Build)'s dynamic cute, you're allowed to find VegasPete's story interesting, and you are allowed to favor it, but please stop looking at these toxic relationships and viewing it as "romantic" because it isn't, it's damaging to the queer community for you think like this.

Anyways, there's my two cents! Take from it what you will, but as someone who is gay, this particular thing just happen to be getting on my nerves. Again, I love this series, it's one the best to come out of the BL scene this year, but I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it if I didn't bring this up. :)

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