Date: Jul 24, 2018 3:56 pm Title: Chapter 13
I’m going to be honest, I was curious about how the end of their conversation would lead them....suffice it to say that I do think Justin came off as a bit weak in my eyes. It is way too early for Justin to be so forgiving and to be the one once again compromising himself because he feels guilty about the situation. Brian isn’t really paying for anything that he has done while Justin is constantly paying an emotional price.
I know that you say that your intention is not to excuse Brian’s behavior, but in a way that’s exactly what you’re doing. He’s getting a friendship he doesn’t deserve, was allowed to be excused of a custody agreement, and was granted forgiveness when he hasn’t earned it yet. It just seems that things are moving too fast and that Justin is putting in the position of being a victim again.
Author's Response:
It probably won't come as much of a surprise, but unfortunately, I have to disagree with you.
As I have said before, it's absolutely fascinating to me how we're all reading the same story, but getting so many different vibes and ideas from it :) Makes me happy that people share their views with me even if they might differ from mine. This world would be a very boring place if everyone just agreed on everything.
So thanks for taking the time to share your opinion - I appreciate that a lot :)
As for why I have to disagree, to me Justin is very strong here and if he knows it or not, he's actually the one holding all the power at the moment and calling the shots. Whatever he would want/demand, Brian would most likely give to him, because of his guilt.
This was mentioned to Justin by Ted and Justin saw it himself in their meeting at Debbie's. Brian wanted to give Justin a fair (in his opinion, fair enough!) custody agreement to secure his access to Luke, but when Justin said he didn't want it (he was not forced to do that!), Brian went along. Brian told Justin he could take Luke to his place to get to know him, that he didn't have to come to Britin, but Justin wanted that and Brian agreed... Justin wants them to try and be friends, Brian didn't demand that friendship, didn't ask for it and said himself that he knows he doesn't deserve it.
And as for Justin forgiving: He is trying to move forward. He said himself it will still take him a long time to work through what Brian did and that Brian hurt him badly. It's not as if Justin has just flipped a switch and now he has forgiven Brian. It's not that easy :(
Brian has tried to apologize to Justin twice (at Debbie's and during their conversation), but both times Justin didn't want to hear it. It's not as if Brian didn't try at all and is pretending as if he had done nothing wrong. His guilt has been mentioned by several people several times. Is he feeling guilty for the right reasons? That will have to remain to be seen, but at least he is feeling guilty and knows he made a mistake. And right now he's trying to make up for it by going along with everything Justin wants to make this as easy as it can be for Justin and Luke. Is that enough? Maybe not... but it's a bad situation for everyone involved and Brian knows he's the one who caused that situation.
Does any of this excuse his behaviour of the last six years? No way! But lingering in a past that can't be changed anymore probably won't do any of them any good...
Anyway, sorry for the long reply *lol* Just wanted to explain my side, but like I said: I really do appreciate you taking the time to share your view :D
Date: Jul 24, 2018 4:27 am Title: Chapter 13
Heavy on emotion! They could start (resume) as friends; where is Justin going to live?
Author's Response:
For now Justin lives in his house. Where he has his studio, etc.
No need for them to be living together as just friends, right? Right?!? Hmm....
The living situation will definitely come up at one point in the future ;)
Date: Jul 23, 2018 3:39 pm Title: Chapter 13
Hi again! Thanks for the detailed answer to my review. Just two years ago I fell in love with them and their great but complicated relationship. There is so much to think about and to learn through them, so yeah, I was - like so many other - very very disappointed by the end of the show and I haven't really understood why the authors had done something like that. After all they went through with each other and after what they had already achieved, I still think they would have deserved a better ending. In my opinion, it remains completely open whether they will ever meet again. To see Brian dancing alone at Babylon in the last scene nearly broke my heart. For me it seems as we're back at the beginning of the show, Brian is still Brian, nothing had changed. It's pathetic and so depressing. Why could they let not also Justin turn up there. Seeing all the others except Justin made me feel as if everything goes on, as if he had never existed. They would have deserved better. I still think, they could have got married. Yet, Justin could have gone to New York. For these two, a marriage wouldn’t necessarily must have meant immediate monogamy. But they would have set a sign: We belong to each other no matter what. We continue our self-determined path, we have the relationship we want. Well, anyway, it seems you are right: the focus on the show was somewhere else.
Now, your new chapter. I love it. And I’m falling more and more in love with your Justin. He's so mature, so brave and so wise. That's sadly what happens so often when two people in a relationship split up. The children are suffering and the parents, who have allegedly loved each other once, often can’t find a way to continue to deal with each other in a respectful way. Of course, here are excluded relationships in which a form of abuse has taken place. I know, some other readers see it different, but in my opinion, it wasn't abuse what Brian has done. And still, I don't want to apologize his behavior. Justin once again proves his strength, he is growing beyond himself, trying to understand Brian and his behavior, to forgive him as much as possible and to start at a new point, he offers friendship to him, because they will always be connected through Luke and also through Gus. Through his behavior, he even supports Brian, so that he can find a way to deal with his guilt, to forgive himself. Amazing! And I still believe that this is also for Justin the only way to find his own peace. I wonder how they will handle it, whether it will work and how such a “family day” will be.
There's one thing I didn't quite understand. It seems - or am I wrong and he's just sarcastic - that he still believes in the old Brian but I get the feeling Brian has already changed a lot - Love is bullshit - I don't get the impression that this is still what Brian's thinking... Sorry’s bullshit - neither that. He already tried at Deb's to apologize, he feels guilt. Maybe it's not important, but I'm curious... I could imagine that there hasn’t been many tricks the last five years… maybe not one single one… But maybe I’m wrong…
I hope that this friendship will slowly become more. This way is at least the only way which could lead them in that direction and that's why I was a little bit surprised about Brian. After what he had done, did he really thought or even hoped that they could just go on where they left off five years ago? Reminds me a little bit of S5 - Brian's pathetic behavior regarding Brandon (it was in my opinion such a hurtful scene, when Brian went after Brandon in Babylon and left Justin standing there at the bar), then they split up, and then the bomb happened. And after that there was such a rush. There were no talks or discussions about any things, expectations of the two, wishes, perspectives. As so often, they didn’t talked enough. It is obvious that he loves Justin, but now he should first work on himself, on their friendship and above all on the fact that Justin can eventually trust him again. He has to learn, not to hide behind his masks, to fight his demons and his insecurities, learn to be honest, to show feelings and not to react in this cynical way he did even in this chapter.
So, thanks for sharing this exciting story! I’m looking forward to the next chapter and send you warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Have I told you how much I love your comments? They always raise such good points and give me so much food for thought! Thank you for taking the time to send these amazing, insightful reviews :)
I would have loved to see Justin appear at the door of Babylon, a gentle smile on his face as he watches Brian dance in "his kingdom"... To me there was just no way that Justin wouldn't be there for an event as big and important as the reopening of Babylon. That made no sense to me :/ And this ending almost made it seem as if nothing had changed at all over the course of the series: Five years later he is still dancing at Babylon, still hanging out with Mikey... no growth, no development. No impact left by Justin :(
I don't want to excuse Brian's behaviour in any way and I agree that what he did was despicable, but to me it's not abuse either and to me (as I've said before) Justin is the strongest character in this story.
I know that some readers see him as not having a backbone and giving in too easily, but that was never how I saw his character. To me he is showing an incredible strength and maturity and he's trying so hard to do the right thing by his son, a son that he knows loves Brian deeply and that he also knows Brian loves. Justin would never intentionally destroy that - no matter how much he might be hurt or angered by Brian. I just don't see him as that kind of person. In addition, I also think that Justin is a person that needs harmony and needs to get on with the people in his life. He needs to move on for himself as much as he needs to do it for his son.
Lets not forget that he came back to Pittsburgh with the intention of making Brian see that he still loved him and wanted him... Yes, Justin is hurt and there is a lot of pain, but he doesn't seem the kind of person who would turn spiteful just for the sake of revenge (at least I don't want him to be that person *lol*). I think he needs them to be friends for his own peace of mind as much as for Luke's and Gus'.
Yes, Brian has definitely changed and he's not the same Brian anymore that he used to be six years ago. Having a child, becoming a single father and what Lindsay and Michael have put him through, made him change. Only so far Justin hasn't spent enough time with Brian yet, to really acknowledge the changes... As for Brian: every once in a while the old Brian still makes an appearance. He is Brian after all ;)
I think deep down Brian knows that they won't be able to go on as they have before and Brian knows that everything would be doomed to fail. Yet he was still hoping because yes, he still loves Justin (will he ever admit it???) and always has... Despite everything...
I hated the lack of conversation on the show and hated how they went from: I can't be with you because we don't want the same things in life to Let's get married without any serious conversation at all. It's one of the reasons this Justin is pressing for answers and forcing Brian to listen to him - I want them to talk! I want them to figure out a common ground that they can both live with...be it as fathers to their son, as friends or maybe even as lovers one day.
Will it be easy? No... Will there be bumps? Most certainly... Will Brian have to face his demons and his guilt? Oh hell, yes...
So much more to come before this journey is over for them :)
I just love how people can read the story and then everyone can take something different away from it :) Makes me happy that so many people are invested in these characters - whether it be hating or loving them ;)
Thanks for your comment! More will be up soon :)
[Report This]Date: Jul 22, 2018 11:38 pm Title: Chapter 13
Justin really is trying to be adult about this but it is going to take more than this conversation and time spent together for Justin to firgive. (I don't know if I could even for my child???)
Brian keeps expecting Justin to act like Lindsay and Mel which is wrong and he should've known better than to think Justin would be anything like them, besides Justin was the one who tried to talk Brian out of signing away his rights to Gus (How Quickly He Forgets?!), Justin always believed Brian could be a Great Dad its just too bad Brian didn't allow Justin to see him that way with Luke.
Does Justin also plan on talking to Jennifer and Deb too?
And how does he plan on keeping Emmett and Daphne from ripping chunks out of them because they haven't had their say yet? (Brian and Ted have to deal with them too?)
Does Brian plan on telling Gus the truth about why Justin stopped coming to see him?
Author's Response:
Yes, it won't be easy to forgive what Brian did, but at least Justin is willing to try and is willing to try to move forward.
I think, no matter how much Justin might hate Brian for what he did, he would have never pulled a Lindsay/Melanie on Brian, just because he knows how much that would hurt Brian. Would Brian deserve it? Probably, but I am not sure Justin could be the one to hurt Brian like that, even after he has been hurt so badly... Justin doesn't seem to be the person that would willfully hurt Brian for revenge.
We will hear more from Jennifer and Debbie soon - will he also be that forgiving with them? We'll see!
Haha, yeah... Emmett and Daphne will also reappear and have their say ;)
As for Gus - that one will be answered in the next chapter! More will be up soon!
Date: Jul 22, 2018 10:28 pm Title: Chapter 13
Great chapter. A step forward. Can really understand why Brian did what he did, thinking he was taking care of Justin. But, it should have been Justin's choice. Can't wait to see where they head next.
Author's Response:
I am glad you liked the chapter :) And yes, in Brian's twisted mind he was only doing what he thought was right for Justin, wanting to make sure that Justin got everything in life he deserved, but that backfired sooo badly. Lets hope Brian won't mess up like that again!
More will be up soon!
Date: Jul 22, 2018 10:19 pm Title: Chapter 13
Justin always more mature, more adult of the two. Friends just might work, but it's a big might.
Author's Response:
Yes, a big might indeed and it definitely won't be easy :/ Lets hope for Justin and everyone else involved that he's doing the right thing and that Brian won't mess this up again :(
Date: Jul 22, 2018 9:36 pm Title: Chapter 13
Justin is amazing man to push down his anger and hurt and put his sons first. At least this time Brian is listening instead of just deciding what’s best
Author's Response:
We can only hope that Justin is doing the right thing for everyone involved and won't regret it later - poor guy has been through enough :(
As for Brian, lets all hope that he's learning his lesson and will do better from now on!
Date: Jul 22, 2018 9:24 pm Title: Chapter 13
Well, after this chapter, I think this is the end for me. Maybe once it's finished I'll try again. I just can't take Justin giving in for the sake of the child. It's a disaster waiting to happen and everyone is being let off the hook for all the horrible things they did to him.
Author's Response:
Fair enough - I know this story is not for everyone.
I guess we all just have very different outlooks on life and for me Justin is not giving in - he very clearly said that it's going to take him a long time to work through what Brian did to him.
He's just trying to establish a common ground where they can all co-exist together without their tensions impacting the children. I can't blame him for that ;)
Thanks for all your comments so far! I have really appreciated them :)
[Report This]Date: Jul 22, 2018 9:23 pm Title: Chapter 13
Call me vendictive, but I couldn't forgive that easily. I'm glad they are trying.
Author's Response:
Nah, I won't call you vindictive - I think it's normal that it might take us longer/forever to forgive Brian. We're not as connected to him as Justin is and can see his behaviour more clearly than Justin might be able to at this point ;)
The road won't be easy, but at least it's a start and they're trying!