Yeah, I feel a little fortunate that I didn't discover this game until like 4 weeks ago, right before Act 2 released because I didn't have to wait very long to think about things.
I think there are some literary reasons for the kiss, but I still wish that the kiss itself was optional like the rest of it.
From dialogue, it seems like MC is more jealous over the kiss than the sex itself (imo). Lacey also doesn't seem to enjoy kissing other people with the "Why did you ask me to do that?" and "...I absolutely want that erased from my mind". Sure, Lacey is so turned on from her jealousy kink that she'll do anything for MC, including kissing someone. However, I think the kiss damages both of them, and I think that it's them sort of discovering a limit for NTS scenarios where I believe that future instances of MC making her kiss someone will result in loss of good guy points
As usual, I agree.
So the literary reason is that the author wanted "emotional growth".
I challenged that concept and said what Dianne said lliterally 5 minutes after finishing the game.
It was manipulatory and abusive plus Lacey didn't care about what MC felt at that time.
Yes, she said she would do whatever he wanted, but she should have had a limit as well and vut that right off.
If you go ahead and complete the whole scenario a lot is discussed.
But the main point that is discussed in all of them is: She didn't particularly care about being his acress, what she liked the most is that he was willing to force himself to be jealous and toy with that emotion with her.
Which makes me shiver if I think about it, together with the concept: I need to show you that I can fuck whoever I want but I will always come back to you / be yours, to try and cancel her past.
She enjoys kissing whoever and whomever, her oral fixatioin is pretty strong, just put a cock in front of her when she is in that state and she would absolutely enjoy it.
Look at how little remorse or problem she had with Damian.
If I have to be honest, the whole 3 stages, narratively speaking, are mostly tied to covering the cuck fetish.
The problem I have is that I think that the stage 2 is the canon.
To reprise, I didn't see any emotional growth, I have seen a victim thanking his abuser (the thanks for everything at the end of the act kills me, in my version Lacey thanks MC, as it should be after he did something like that for her) and a lot of mental gymnastics.
I say this with absolutely no snark, malice, or sarcasm whatsoever ... but truthfully, this thread is every bit as entertaining as the game itself, and I really wish I had more time to participate beyond reading.
I appreciate everybody (okay, maybe not *everybody* lol) in here for their contributions to what has been a deeply engaging and largely civil conversation.
Great to have you here and to be able to provide entertainment.
But now you need to spill the names, the good and the bad alike
