#when they are in the sauna and fadel says that it's just a trial and style gets this glint back and lifts his brows the tiniest bit

[styling-fadel]

One thing I absolutely love about this series is how good the main cast is acting with their eyes and their subtle microexpressions.

You can see the shifts and different emotions so clearly!!

For example:

Joong's eyes (and eyebrows) making the grumpy and passive faces, but also the soft and a bit curious looks with Style only (can't wait to see more of his smitten look that he excels at).

Khaotung's innocent, cute and observing faces, but also the truly scary and insane look in his eyes when Bison gets angry.

Dunk's flirty and provoking eyes, but also the fear, guilt and genuineness we saw in episodes 4 and 5.

First's flirty heart eyes, but also the panicked smiles, his guilty face and the terrified look when Kant realizes how dangerous Bison actually is. (Poor guy looked like he's going to cry when his mouth was covered.)

[clemelntine]

More sex (and also emotions ofc)

ep 2+3, ep 4

We got three scenes in episode 5: flirting in the sauna, flirting and foreplay in the garage, and the scene at Styles place (it felt like more than foreplay but its not quite sex)

So there are two main themes/concepts i look at here. I was gonna do these separately in two posts, but they connect too much, so this was more convenient

Style and his observance

Fadels trust issues and the giving/taking of vulnerability and trust.

In the sauna, Fadel approaches Style, but as soon as he gets a little push back, he feels the need to push back even harder. He was willing to date Style partially because Style had convinced him he is serious about their relationship. He made it seem like he is obsessed with Fadel (which he is). This is the type of reassurance Fadel needs after his last lover left him (or died or something. He has trust issues now, tho). When he saw fear and hesitance on Style's face, he started doubting the devotion that Style had previously shown and decided within a second to put his wall back up. He deflected saying he didn't even like Style that much [liar], and when Style shows interest again (by pulling him back when he tried to leave), he says they're still on trial. Showing a bit more interest but still being very weary.

Styles' reaction to this is somehow perfectly what Fadel needed/wanted. He immediately sees them being on trial as a challenge and takes this gladly. We see his demeanor shift from uncertain to a little cocky because this isn't just a normal competition; it's one he is certain he'll win. He knows Fadel by now and is slowly climbing his way into Fadel's life, all he has to do is to keep on climbing. So he does. He immediately gets closer to Fadel and starts touching him. He rubs his hand over Fadel's stomach, an imitation/mirror/parallel of their first time together in the sauna. Which evidently was Style's first foot in the door to Fadel's heart. And it once again works as Fadel wants to go to Styles place.

But Style is unsure, maybe because he is scared of a serial killer being brought into his home. He suggests they opt for a quicky in the sauna instead. Fadel didn't specify that he wanted to have sex at Style's place, but Style knows him well enough by now what Fadel means. I mentioned in my previous post about the scenes in episode 4 that Style always watches for Fadel's reaction, both during sex and when he teases Fadel. He's learned that Fadel playing along with him isn't as obvious as his own teasing (for example: Fadel silently chopping the meat while Style narrates/commentates dramatically). So although Fadel's comment is small and seems innocent Style quickly reads it as a reaction to his flirting and (correctly) assumes Fadel wants more.

After Fadel gives some arguments and Style can no longer find another reason to refuse they do go to his place, but Style still seems quite scared. @airenyah made a good post about Style and his progress of trusting Fadel this episode.

When they get back to the garage, Style talks about his dad trying to set him up with a mechanic and how he wants to find and choose his own man. This statement is another assurance to Fadel that Style really does want him. He was able to get a boyfriend relatively easily but instead decided to go through all the effort to pursue Fadel.

When this causes Fadel to hug Style from behind and ask "And you chose me?" Style changes the subject to sex. Once again makes what would seem like an innocent comment into flirting. He is also, once again, right though. He read Fadels body language and the room and came to the conclusion that Fadel would want to finish what they started in the sauna. Fadel continues this flirting, proving Styles suspicion was correct.

When Fadel kisses Style, he doesn't reciprocate for a bit. He just stands there in an almost teasing manner at first. It's not quite the pacifism he showed during their first time (discussed in this post) or the time in the kitchen (in this post). But he does still want Fadel to work for it.

It is once again Fadel who takes of Styles shirt. In this post I mentioned @respectthepetty s post where they talk about how Styles eagerness to show his skin (clothing choices) is a direct contrast with Fadels secrecy. And I feel we've seen enough scenes of shirts being taken of for me to conclude that they use it to show a need of finding out someones secrets. Laying them bare to find out more about them and to show a demand of vulnerability.

In my episode 4 post I said that Fadel ripping open Styles shirt is a response (like a counter attack) to Style making a comment about how he knows that Fadel missed him. Style revealed something Fadel hoped to keep a secret and in response/revenge, Fadel layed Style bare (this time physically).

This whole time Fadel had been distrusting of Style and trying to find out what his motivation was. So him repeatedly taking of Styles shirt is just a continuation of this search.

Fadel jokes around the idea of garage sex and roleplays being a customer whose car needs fixing but who doesn't have any money. @secriden points out in this post that this is very much something that fits Styles teasing flirting. Although it is very cute to see Fadel adjust to and play around with Style, the roleplay has a slight bittersweet feeling to it. It's all in a joking manner and plays into the pornografic vibe that sex in a garage had, but also shows us an alternate tiemline (be it very over dramatized and sexualized). Both Fadel and Style want to date each other but have something they are hiding from the other, thinking that revealing the secret will break them apart. They both wish it they didn't have this secret, that they might have met under normal circumstances. And had they both lived normal lives, then Style crashing into Fadel could have been the beginning of a normal relationship. The roleplay of customer and mechanic is them taking on easier roles and indulging into the idea of a relationship without the guilt of secrets and conflict.

After the cut-off, we see them again, and they both have their sock and shoes of. I have nothing to say about this, honestly. Just they did that. Right.

Both of their shirt us slightly open (Fadels showing more skin). This is another example of the visibility of skin being used as being emotionally open and vulnerable. In this scene, they both share quite some things about themselves. But it is most noticeable for Fadel, who stumbles his way through Styles questions and reveals more about himself than he probably wanted to. We start this scene already prophecizing this. At first, he is okay with his shirt exposing some skin, but as soon as Style acknowledges that skin and the scar on it, he tries to cover himself up. Scars are also a literal look at skin exposing secrets.

At Styles place, while Fadel is lying on the bed looking like he is watching a show, Style takes off his shirt. This is the first time he has taken off his own shirt. After the double date where Fadel said he doesn't trust Style 100% percent and doesn't think he ever will, Style has found a new challenge. Even though he can't tell Fadel everything, he is desperate to share as much as he can. That's why this time, he doesn't wait for Fadel to take off his clothes but takes the initiative himself. He shows that he isn't waiting for Fadel to ask for it he'll lay himself bare because he wants it. He wants to be open with Fadel.

Style continues strongly with his agenda of always watching Fadel and looking for his reaction to the things he does. I will never let go of the theory (/fact) that Styles number one mission it so make Fadel feel good and he so carefully watches Fadel so that he can better read him and adjust to his wishes.

This is also our first time seeing Style undress Fadel. He doesn't take off Fadels shirt necessarily but pushes it up far enough to still expose his stomach and chest. Following the theme of exposing skin to expose secrets, it is also in this scene that Style adamantly claims that he'll be Fadels 100%, and they will trust each other. It is not a direct demand for Fadel to be open, but it's a start on Style wanting answers. Previously he had been rather passive/teasing when asking Fadel to tell things about himself (or carefully around the topic, to assure he doesn't go to far), but in this episode Style fully goes for jt. He really does want to know Fadel and wants him to feel like he can tell Style he is a hitman.