DEADLINE open thread. Have a party.

Okay, I missed the "not related" until it was pointed out that it says outright the age difference is way too small for that to be possible.

I totally missed that there was actual incest, even after reading Deadline (I'm slow that way), but it doesn't squick me.

To the degree anything about all of that annoys me, it's that Shaun has to feel like shit to be forgiven for being a person so damaged that he doesn't realize someone's interested in him and when, after a long day of new hell (until the next new hell) breaking loose, he lets someone who knows he's way damaged seduce him, and who lies (possibly to herself as well) about only wanting comfort sex, as he's falling asleep calling out George's name.

If he has to take responsibility for his actions under those circumstances, so does she. Reverse the genders and have a guy walking in on a woman coming our of the shower to make a play for her, and my squick button goes off.

The idea that this is the shittiest thing Shaun's done to date has me going, "Er, wait. So, it's shittier to call out the wrong woman's name when you're damaged goods giving way to a seduction after that kind of day than it is to slam your male colleagues against the wall, repeatedly, with both sides knowing that it won't be the last time? Really?"

Don't get me wrong -- apologizing is good, understanding he fucked up is good, even not arguing with everyone else is good. If there were no other reason it's good, there would be the need to keep the team functional. I get all that. But saying Becks is the helpless, utterly wronged party just says things about both genders I'm not prepared to accept. I know saying, "Hey, I'm interested in you, and I think you're just playing hard to get. Am I right?" is really hard, but you know? I'd have no sympathy for a guy failing to ask a woman that, and I think Becks is as capable as any guy. Is it understandable for her to misread, and then to leave without talking to Shaun the morning after (aka the reason he can't apologize as soon as he's conscious)? Sure. Absolutely. But, he gets to be human, too.

So, er, yeah, hot button there. An odd one, I guess, but it's definitely there.

(And there's the hot button of, "Dudes? You're telling Shaun he should go back in the field as an Irwin when one of that absolutely sanest things he's doing is realizing that this would be suicidal. What is the matter with you?")

But the incest itself? It actually makes more sense than what I thought was going on. After Feed, I'd assumed George had never had sex, and that Shaun might not have either. After Deadline, I'd assumed I was right about George, but Shaun clearly had at least enough experience that Becks wasn't his first. This makes a lot more sense.