Reviewer: Toto_too514 Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 16, 2018 1:01 am Title: Chapter 5 - Snake Charmer

by making me feel cherished and valued beyond anything I’ve experienced before.

That's something that everyone deserves in their relationships. Justin shouldn't feel bad about desiring it. 

I've had many a discussion with other fans about that infamous scene at the loft. Most tell me their sympathies lie with Brian, that he's the one who's been hurt. And I don't doubt that he is feeling hurt and abandoned. But much like you describe here, I feel it's Justin who's suffering the most. He literally has no place to go. Nowhere that's truly his. He's forced to live off the good natures of friends and family. That's a lot for a young college student. I think sometimes we forget just how young Justin is.

Author's Response:

BINGO! You put your finger right on it - we forget how truly young Justin was in that scene. Granted, they were both at fault for the breakup, mostly because they we stupid and refuse to talk about why they were so upset with each other, but Brian, being the more mature partner, controlled all the cards financially and even emotionally, so he always had the advantage. That's why I saw it as Justin not having any choice. It really was a cruel thing to do on Brian's part too. But, in my story, all of those factors are exacerbated by Ethan's manipulations of the situation. If Ethan hadn't been meddling, I really do think Brian and Justin would have eventually worked things out... TAG

Reviewer: The SNO Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 15, 2018 7:13 am Title: Chapter 4 - Things Fall Apart

Great filling: this last scene was a major key point and you described it beautifully.

Reviewer: mamab Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 14, 2018 4:16 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Things Fall Apart

Great chapter.  Reliving that entire scene was really hard and I am sure you felt the same writing it.  But, they each had so much still to learn at that point in their lives.  They wanted it all, but didn't know how to go about getting it.  You have to admit it did keep the story going.

Reviewer: Toto_too514 Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 14, 2018 2:43 am Title: Chapter 4 - Things Fall Apart

I had always wondered WHY Justin would come home without showering and had always felt that he subconsciously wanted to get caught. And I am probably one of the staunchest Justin defenders there is, but THAT scene - he deserved that. I can still hear the sound of their kissing, and their breathing and the squeak of skin rubbing against that wooden floor. In my opinion, that was one of the most perfectly intense scenes in the show.  

Author's Response:

There's that scene in season 3 with Justin and Ethan in a bathtub set up in the middle of the room, so I just always assumed that Ethan didn't have a shower... At least that's what I'm going with in this story. I agree that was a really INTENSE scene. TAG

Reviewer: mamab Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 12, 2018 2:09 am Title: Chapter 3 - Falling

I love it as it is and will love it with changes.  I happen to enjoy reliving the scenes from the series (watching it over and over does that) LOL.  You are setting it up perfectly and I cannot wait to see where you go with you.  Great writing as usual.

Reviewer: Lisajean Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 09, 2018 8:19 pm Title: Chapter 3 - Falling

I cannot wait to see what you do with this. I love all kind of fics, but Dark angsty ones are my fave.  From your perspective, I can really see Ethan being like that.

 

Lisa

Reviewer: Toto_too514 Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 09, 2018 3:06 am Title: Chapter 3 - Falling

I can definitely see where you are going with this regards to Justin's "condition," I guess you'd call it. The opening paragraphs of each installment are intense.

And the part where Justin actually recognizes that his good-natured personality has left him vulnerable to manipulation shows that at least on some level, he knows it really isn't ALL his fault.

I felt like I was being forced to choose which man I would hurt the most. And, soft-hearted me, I was absolutely unable to make that choice. 

But that shower scene... every time I watched that scene I begged, yes, BEGGED, Justin (both mentally and verbally at the screen, LOL!) to just tell him! But he never does... ;-)

Reviewer: Jazzepoet Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 09, 2018 12:18 am Title: Chapter 3 - Falling

Tag you just hurt my heart....Ethan topping???? I officially need to go drown myself in beer while slipping under a rock to hide.

Author's Response:

IKR! It’s really bad. I can barely stand to write it... Justin needs to hurry up and realize that Ethan’s horrible for him. Right? TAG

Reviewer: Toto_too514 Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 07, 2018 1:27 am Title: Chapter 2 - Contagion

So, I decided this couldn't wait to be read. It's... interesting.

I'm VERY curious as to what exactly has happened to Justin. But I have a really hard time with him seemingly taking ALL of the blame for the entire Ethan fiasco. Maybe that's part of whatever it is that's gotten him to this point, where he describes himself as a shell and no longer capable of emotion. Because personally? I lay a lot of the blame at Brian's feet. Especially regarding the Vermont trip... yeah, it's his job. He's the adult, the money-maker. But throwing it in Justin's face like that? That was juvenile. And then to be disappointed when Justin wasn't the compliant little boy sitting at home and waiting for him to celebrate? Nope. No sympathy from me buster!

Now I realize in the world of TV Drama, this conflict was needed... otherwise, there would be no drama, right? So, I get it.  And I am still in this for the long haul. Your writing, as always, is wonderful! And I am a sucker for a good "Justin down a well," Fic, LOL! But I have to be honest, Justin's constant self-flagellation does make me a teensy bit uncomfortable.

 

Author's Response:

Your review is impressive and quite insightful. In a round about way, this gets to the very core of the story I’m trying to write. So, at the risk of giving too much away, I’d like to expound upon this comment a bit. 

I agree with you completely that the breakup between Brian and Justin wasn’t solely either’s fault. They both acted like idiots and their lack of communication was completely immature. The whole fiasco could have been easily resolved if they’d just talked to each other. But, of course, that would have been utterly OOC for Brian and Justin wasn’t mature enough to understand that. What you said about the nature of TV dramas, though, is very true - it was a complex situation and were very clearly BOTH at fault for the break up.

But what if Ethan wasn’t just some boy that Justin had a fling with? What if Ethan had intentionally gone after Justin, meaning to steal him away from Brian, and then fostered Justin’s guilt about cheating on Brian to make him feel like he was wholly responsible? A malignant narcissist, like the Ethan in my story, would likely use that guilt to manipulate and control his victim. Eventually Justin might come to believe that everything was all his fault and that he deserved everything that has happened to him. Which is precisely where Justin is st the start of this story. 

Totally evil, huh? *Bwahahaha* 

TAG

Reviewer: mamab Signed [Report This]
Date: Jul 06, 2018 12:59 am Title: Chapter 1 - Unfamiliar Images

Great start to what I can tell will be a terrific story (happy endings, make my happy).  I love all your stories and if writing from the heart is what is best at the time so be it.  Maybe once this one over your mood will shift.

Author's Response:

 I promise the HEA, but it might take a long time to get there. LOL.  Thanks for reading. TAG