Hi yes I’m still here collecting crumbs from BounPrem's cameo on Cutie Pie the Series welcome to the party.
I posted a version of this on a Twitter thread a couple of days ago, but Twitter swallows posts so quickly, I wanted to clean it up and add it here too in case anyone else wants to join me in making fanworks about them. 😌 (Especially fic, please, I'm on my knees in a $900 suit.)
Now! Celebrate with me the six-minute appearance of my new hyperfixation comfort couple:
Age-wise, Top and Lian seem to be the same age. I've seen varying information on how old Lian is, but I saw twenty-seven mentioned most recently. Top's cheerleading story and the reactions it gets from Yi and Black seem to imply that all of Lian's friends went to university together and were likely in the same year. So let's say Lian, Top, Yi, and Black are all about twenty-seven.
We hear Win use the "phi" honorific with Top, Lian, and Yi, so he's definitely younger than them. But Win also tells Kuea he has photos and videos of the cheerleading story on his own Facebook page, so he probably went to university with them as well, just in a lower year. I'd say that means he's only a year or two younger, about twenty-five or twenty-six.
And even though Win's younger than his friends, he's not especially deferential to any of them.
He freely teases Lian and Yi, confidently calls out Black on his "love is enough" nonsense, and he's comfortable with openly scowling at Top when Top calls Kuea cute. (Of Note: Top seems to enjoy Win's insouciant personality and even actively joins in with his recreational disrespect. I'm going to assume that's part of why they make a good match for each other. Associates in chaos. <3)
While getting to know Kuea, Win asks if Kuea wants to try dating someone other than Lian since he's still so young. Win, as the only other person there younger than the others, might want to know because he and Top have both dated others before they decided on each other, therefore Win can't imagine marrying your first boyfriend.
(I'd say there's a possibility that Win's asking for himself because he's only ever dated Top and he's curious what it'd be like to date other people, but I think if that were the case, Top's expression would be more concerned. As it is, Top seems just as curious as Win.)
Win's obviously annoyed when Top calls Kuea cute, which implies some level of jealousy. But I wonder if Win's particularly annoyed because this is his older boyfriend complimenting 1) a younger guy, and 2) a guy even younger than Win.
From Win's glare and Top's sheepish grin, flirtatiousness might be an established subject of discussion—or at least tension—between them.
That said, I'd also guess that Win and Top are the most settled couple in their friend group since Black uses them as an example by default to contrast Lian keeping Kuea away from them for so many years.
I love that neither Win nor Top objects to the "inseparable" comment. Top seems pleased by it, Win vaguely smug. I think that says a lot about them right there.
During the Never Have I Ever game, we learn that they've both kissed strangers, but interestingly, apparently neither of them knew before the game, and they do NOT seem to appreciate the history lesson. Top insists to Win that he was drunk and single at the time, but Win still looks annoyed, so this'll probably be revisited later.
Personally, I don't think either of them cheated, but given the "inseparable" thing, it's interesting that this is new information for them. I'd guess it happened years ago, probably in university before they started dating.
(Top's devastated little <:O face is super endearing.)
When Black makes a casual suggestion that marriage isn't necessary and love on its own is enough, Win is quick to present his perspective on the lack of queer rights in their country and the necessity of marriage equality. Given the probability that he and Top have been together for years by this point, marriage might be something Win wants, and he might be especially touchy about anyone casually dismissing how important it is.
(Before we move on, please note Top's proud smile, for I may never recover. This man doesn't just love his boyfriend, he admires him.)
(Also, Black's casual dismissal of same-sex relationships while surrounded by five queer men makes his presence there a little strange, so I'm assuming he's known them since they were in university together and he has some additional familial or business connection that explains why he's still hanging out with them. I would be willing to bet one of the things Top complained about to Win on the way home was, "Who keeps inviting Black?")
The way they touch also implies that they've been together for a long time. It's not clingy and passionate like a new couple might be; it's much more casually affectionate. At twenty-seven and twenty-five/six, it's very possible they've been dating for up to five years or even longer.
We also find out during the game that their first date was apparently somewhere in Africa. The fact that Top forgot that first date was on another continent could mean a lot of things: general forgetfulness, they were only there for a short while, he travels a lot, etc. (Just imagine where their other dates have been. Lots of potential for fanwork there. Y'know. Just saying.)
When they all drink for Who Has a Superbike, Top seems a little cagey and glances at Win before he sips. I'm not as sure what this was supposed to mean, but I read it as Top knowing about Lian's gift for Kuea and seeing if Win's picked up on it. I can't think of another reason why he'd hide having one from Win, unless he's not supposed to have one for some reason. (Broke one once? Almost crashed one? Etc.?)
Later, when Lian says Kuea wants to break their engagement, Top's quick to ask Kuea if Lian's not good enough for him. I thought this was sweet because if Top's been friends with Lian since at least university, he's probably seen evidence of Lian trying to lead a double life in the hope of being good enough for Kuea's family name.
Top asking Kuea if Lian's not good enough for him is sweetly loyal to Lian; maybe even protective of him.
Win's solemn, supportive silence was also sweet to me because it implied that while he'll tease Lian and be cheeky to his seniors in general, he won't allow any real cruelty to them, especially from people he perceives to be outsiders.
Ultimately, the impression I got from their six minutes of screentime is that Top and Win have a comfortable and fond relationship with some spice. They're also visibly and publicly proud to be with each other, which seems important for both of them. And based on Win's speech, it's probably not wild to assume that they'd want more if it were legal for them. 🏳️🌈
I enthusiastically encourage everyone to join me in making many fanworks featuring TopWin. Include them in LianKuea fic! YiDiao fic! Win has an archive of photos and videos of both of them, I'm sure. ;D
[The original thread is here. Tumblr limits photos to 10 per post, but the Twitter thread has a lot more.]
