[Report This]Date: May 30, 2021 10:19 pm Title: Chapter 19
I like that everyone is putting Gus first.
Author's Response:
Finally! It's what should have been done from the beginning.
Date: May 20, 2021 8:50 am Title: Chapter 19
Hi! Actually, I don't want to mess around with it any longer, because it's your story and I really love it so far, but I think I have to make it clearer what I meant ... I just meant that in my opinion it would have been better if we had seen some of Justin's thoughts or doubts over that year, because we don't learn how he felt during that year. Yes, immediately upon Brian's return there was this kiss and Justin's talk to Daphne but then after the first sleepover and Brian's nightmare, we only found out that Justin had forbid further nights and had some arguments with Brian ... And I would have really found it unrealistic if he had dropped everything and gone back to Brian immediately, but in my opinion it would have been more convincing to also learn more about Justin ... was he happy, had there been moments of doubt, had he had arguments with Ethan...? That's why I wrote it seemed as if he did not think or care about Brian at all - for me as a reader it seemed that way. But now, I can also imagine that he tried to surpress his feelings. Anyway, we are where we are now - and that's good and I'm curious to find out more about Justin's insights even if it's through Brian's eyes!
So, this chapter! Things are moving fast now! But I think it's good that Justin talked to Ethan so quickly. I'm just so sorry for Gus, because it's actually he again who will initially suffer the most from the situation, right? He's now also losing Ethan, who has been a close reference person for the past three years. And of course he won't lose him, but in the current situation he has to go to three different places in order to be able to spend time with the people who mean something to him. At the point when Brian expressed these thoughts and made the decision to change something, I really hoped that he would deal with his nightmares and possible think about therapy. On the other hand, maybe to agree to the custody deal is a first step in the right direction and it's so good to see them talk without fighting, especially over Gus! Looking forward to Sunday! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I think what it really comes down to is the different way of reading this: I have never not read this story in one go, you know? Even when I was writing it, I already had the complete outline and knew what would be coming in later chapters, so I think maybe Justin's feelings were always more clear to me because of the way the whole story is structured and because I always knew how it would end and how they would get there.
I totally get though that it's a very different experience if you only get to read the story chapter by chapter, piece by piece and only get the information in bits and pieces.
That might be something to take into account for future stories: Writing it and my experience with it will be completely different from the reader's final experience as they are not reading the story in one go like a novel, but in weekly bits and pieces :/
Anway, I am still glad for you reading and sharing your thoughts :) It's really nice to be able to hear what other people think and how they experience what I wrote!
As for this chapter: Yes, Justin doesn't mess around. He knew it wouldn't have been fair to Ethan to keep him in a relationship any longer when he had finally made up his mind and knew that he loved Brian and that Brian was the man he wanted to be with and have a future with. So, I think this break-up needed to happen for Ethan's sake as much as it needed to happen for Brian's sake, to prove to Brian to a degree that he really meant what he had said about loving him.
Not that it will mean that Brian will get back to him anytime soon, but well...
I can promise that Gus will continue to see Ethan and there won't be any custody issues or fights. The worst will be over for Gus now.
Haha, Brian and therapy? I am not sure that's something that will happen in my lifetime, but yeah, I know what you mean. It would have been nice if he had come to the right conclusions and had made the right choices, but well, accepting to a custody agreement is a step in the right direction and going back to their old agreement will definitely be better for Gus than the current visitation rules.
Hopefully, Brian and Justin will be able to build from that and will be able to establish a relationship that involves less fighting, more talking and in the end also some loving again ;)
As always, thanks very much for your comment and for sharing your thoughts. Some exciting things will happen in the next couple of chapters and I am really curious to see what people will think about them :)
Stay safe (by the way, did you have your second shot by now? Everyone in my family who got a first AstraZeneca shot will now get their second one with BioNTech)! More will be up tomorrow :)