Ho Yay / Dead West

• It is pretty obvious that Gervas has the hots for the Porcelain Doctor. Even when supposedly courting Carolina, he spends more time with him, "protects" him etc. They even sleep together (perfectly innocently, of course; Gervas acts as a human restraint). This is frequently lampshaded, even by the good doctor.
• This is practically text with all those touches and two The Big Damn Kiss. At least Gervas is pretty much in love with his friend, always gushing about how beautiful and graceful he is, and degrading Carolina to a Designated Love Interest. He also cannot take his hands off the pretty doctor, not that Niall objects.
• Well, there must be something in this, but take into account that the Porcelain Doctor is stated to hate when males approach him with sexual intent, given his past abuses by several men. He still doesn't kill Gervas, even though he read his mind more than once. Maybe its more platonic that outright Ho Yay.
• Our narrator also states he speculated how Niall might taste even before the first The Big Damn Kiss. His suspicion is confirmed. (Like apples and summer, if you wonder, same as his Healing Hands.)
• There are plenty of sentences that are practically begging to be taken out of context. See the lance removal, or the parts when Gervas describes a Mind Probe (from Niall, no less) quite ambigiously.
• Even Arabell takes shots at the Ho Yay, after she gets through her Murder the Hypotenuse phase, maybe with a side helping of Yaoi Fan Girl. After Gervas jokes that he really wants to kiss Niall (as he did something brilliant), she just calmly asks "And this is different from any other day why?". Made funnier with when Gervas answers that today he might actually do it, she orders our narrator do exactly this, French style, in front of her and Gervas' wife (who also agrees). Cue first The Big Damn Kiss.
  • For that matter, there is a pretty thick Les Yay between Arabell and Alexandra. They kiss more than once, and Arabell explicitly says that for every night Gervas spends with his husband, she is going to take his wife (no objection from either parties). They are constantly around each other, and frequently sleeping together. Whether it is Pseudo-Romantic Friendship or something else it is up to debate, but apparently neither the Porcelain Doctor nor the Steel Knight has any complaints.
• Brian seems to be attracted to The Porcelain Doctor, too. Dick also says he might kiss Niall. Charles only hints towards this, mostly for a joke. The only one from the Merry Company who doesn't have this towards the good doctor is Louis, but he acts like a Papa Wolf instead.
• Cherryworth, the Queen's Sleuth also displays attraction towards the doctor, he even steals a few kisses from him, against his will. Cherryworth proves that he is not a total bastard by also trying to ensure Niall's safety and encouraging everyone to keep Gervas close to him.
• The twin French aristocrats in Steel are not even trying to keep it subtext, they outright invite the Porcelain Doctor to their bed (to "rule" them). Both of them are also very interested in Gervas, too, sometimes Eating the Eye Candy. Gervas refuses them, of course, but he never states that it is because he is straight.
  • The twins hook up with Brian for a while, at least until the Merry Company misunderstands something and they have a skirmish. After that, they keep to themselves.