[Report This]Date: Dec 04, 2016 5:31 pm Title: Footnote
This story really struck a chord with me, I felt like I was immersed in the series again. I only wish you would continue it and rewrite some of the wrongs that disappointed us all as our beloved tv series continued. I really like the path Brian and Justin are on in this, and their evolving relationships with the "family".
Author's Response:
Thank you.
I think that there were so many opportunities that the writers/ producers ignored in favor of a sort of points scoring. This chapter was an early attempt to explore some of the options.
Date: Oct 30, 2016 4:48 pm Title: Footnote
Wonderful story. Thank you so much for writing it.
Author's Response:
Thank you. It's much appreciated.
Date: Oct 30, 2016 12:31 pm Title: Results and Conclusions
I'm glad everything is working out for the two of them. I'd say it's Karma.
Author's Response:
Could be. I do think that some relationships are meant to happen. And after the sacrifices they both made to "fight for justice", maybe they've earned some good karma.
Date: Oct 29, 2016 5:20 pm Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
A month? I wonder if Brian can do it and how long it will take for the others to catch on.
Author's Response:
Interesting isn't it how one of the things that comes into consideration is what "the gang" will think? Because, really, why is it their business? But somehow it's a real factor.
[Report This]Date: Oct 17, 2016 1:14 pm Title: Footnote
I love this fic! I loved it the first time I read it years ago, and I still love it!
And I'd love a new chapter of Homework...
Hugs Darling ~ Kathleen
Author's Response:
Thanks, Kathleen
One of the things I'm really looking forward to with the changes that will be coming up for me soon is the opportunity to spend more time writing. Especially Homework.
Date: Oct 16, 2016 3:55 pm Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
Just found this on KD, love the experiment...Brian is doing quite well. A month?! We shall see lol
Author's Response:
We shall indeed. Mind you, Brian doesn't often fail at what he puts his mind to (well, except when what he thinks he wants runs up against what Justin really wants of course LOL).
Date: May 30, 2016 7:57 pm Title: Footnote
What a stupendous footnote conlusion! Both Justin and Brian are such strong men, standing up proudly for themselves.
Brian's response to Todd surprised me yet again, but it shows that Todd's initial reaction to Brian and Justin could be altered, that he wasn't a complete homophobe.
And the notion of influencing Senator Baxter to introduce legistation against hate crimes...perfect.
Author's Response:
Thank you. At one of the conventions Peter said that the way to improve things for the gay community was to create spaces where gays and lesbians could tell their stories so that the straight world could learn to see who they really are.
That was actually a while after I wrote this but I think this is exactly the sort of dynamic he meant.
Date: May 30, 2016 7:43 pm Title: Results and Conclusions
This canon divergence is sooo satisfying. 😊
I like the way you handle things with Michael, that he blurts out his feelings about Justin at a family dinner. (Along with most other viewers, I really wished Mikey's diatribe that caused Brian to punch him in 3.1 had been overheard. I'd have liked that to follow on Mikey's hateful comments to Justin which caused him to temporarily stop work at the diner. His method of 'defending' Brian was completely shitty and disregarded Brian's feelings.)
So much healthier for both Michael and Brian for Michael and Ben to relocate. I don't have a problem with Michael and Brian being friends as long as their friendship changes to a more normal friendship, sans codependency. Physical distance would make growth easier. (That was a downside of Brian not getting the job in NYC in season one. It prevented separation between him and Michael. I don't see that Brain and Justin would have stayed separated; one or the other would have taken action to change that. If Michael had had a stronger relationship with Dr. Dave and had stayed in Portland, that too would have allowed the codpendency to ease and true friendship to emerge.)
Brian partnering with Vance and co-owing the advertising firm is an interesting alteration. That doesn't prevent the firm from perhaps one day becoming Kinnetik.
It's great to have Mel and Brian interacting positively, with Mel helping to ensure that Brian gets exactly what he wants from Vance, including drawing up an ironclad contract.
Love seeing how much Gus adores both his daddies; there's no way Justin won't eventually be acknowledged as his other dad.
Justin and Brian's playtime: Scorching hot! I'm still trying to recover. I swoon for toppy Justin.
Author's Response:
Thank you. I so agree with you about the 3.1 comment. But I've wanted Mikey to get called on his bullshit since the first ep where he lied to Emmett about Brian "begging" him to go with him to the hospital when Brian had, in fact, told him to stay and get laid. Because it made me wonder how often he'd lied about stuff like that, and how that might have affected how everyone around them viewed Brian.
There were times in the first couple of seasons when I really liked Mel and I guess I wanted to explore how she and Brian might actually move past their antagonism to a more healthy relationship.
I'm not sure about the Michael relationship thing but that's just because I dislike Michael so much. I think he's a really bad friend to all of his friends. He doesn't seem to care at all about what Emmett is going through during the druggie!Ted arc. He's not really supportive to Ted when he comes out of rehab (not to mention how he behaves over that stupid wedding gift). He's awful to Tracey. He's awful to both Linds and Mel during the custody arc. He's disrespectful of all of them while he's with David. I just think he's essentially self-centered to the nth degree and they'd all do better without him.
As for toppy!Justin ... I think Brian appreciates a good cock as much as the next gay man. And when he has a partner with such a nice one, I can't see him not taking advantage of that from time to time at least.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 5:02 pm Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
Hope to see all of your stories here. They are truly works of art.
Author's Response:
Thank you, honey. I appreciate the compliment. It's nice to see some familiar names among all the new ones.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 5:01 pm Title: Footnote
Wonderful chapter. Like how the breeder changed his tune. That Brian got the TV and player for Justin and Justin was smart enough to realize that. Did not like how Justin was beat up, but it made the story.
Author's Response:
Thank you.
The minor bashing is so typical of the incidents that nearly all of my gay friends went through at one point or another. I hope it's different now, at least in some places. But I don't doubt at all that it's still happening in way too many places.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 4:37 pm Title: Results and Conclusions
Damn, I kept waiting for Brian to answer Mikey with a "Justin hasn't said shit about you, while I can't say the same for you." But I loved what Ben said so it evens out. I did not believe Mikey's apology when he just burst into the loft without waiting for someone to answer his knock. Mikey still doesn't get it.
Then your story shifted to AU. No Kinnitik. But it works. Excellent chapter!
Author's Response:
Thank you.
Brian is still trying to deal with the issues with Michael. He'll get there.
This fic was actually written in the gap between S3 and S4 so Kinnetik wasn't yet part of canon.
And I have to admit, I kind of liked Gardner Vance at times. I wanted to keep him around - at least for a while.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 3:12 pm Title: Newsflash
I'm so glad that everyone set Mikey straight on his complaints. Can you imagine, he actually called back expecting Brian to apologies! Not cool. So Stockwell is out of office. Wonder how the wifey will take that. Glad to see that Brian prizes Justin, even over his lack of a job.
Author's Response:
Yes. I mean there were so many times that he just got away with stuff that they would have crucified Brian for - Tracey for one. How he behaved with Debbie over Carl. So damned many of them. Erk!
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 2:50 pm Title: Offers and Offences
Yes, yes, yes! Brian finally told Mikey off. Jumping up and down for joy! And he's not running away. Big step. Now to find out what your cliffy is all about.
Author's Response:
Thank you. Yes, I so wanted someone to challenge Mikey's behavior in canon and no one ever did.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 1:49 pm Title: The Experiment Continues
Love this chapter. It's nice to see them talking and Brian not reverting to his past behavior. In this respect alone the experiment could be termed a success. Let's hope Mikey doesn't do something to fuck it up. Like the financial adviser, he's good. Bringing Adam into it with a job offer puts the icing on the cake.
Author's Response:
Thank you. I guess if Mikey can find a way to fuck it up he will. But of course you know I'm biased. *g*
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 11:50 am Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
This is a lovely look at Brian and Justin's relationship during this time. It's nice to see that Justin is coming first over tricks. For Brian a week is a long time. Thanks for giving me a chance to reread this story.
Author's Response:
Thank you. Hope it stands up to the re-reading.
Date: May 30, 2016 4:31 am Title: Newsflash
Brian reaizing what is truly essential--Justin--makes me feel so good! â¤ï¸ It makes so much sense that he'd reach that point in the wake of Stockwell's defeat.
That Stockwell has been ousted as police chief is certainly an accomplishement, even if it's not everything they might have hoped for.
Author's Response:
Thank you. Yes. I think realistically getting Jim out of office was the best they could hope for in the wake of Reikhert's suicide. But I did feel that somehow all the progress that Brian and Justin had made to get them to the point they were at the end of S3 was somehow lost by the time S4 started. It was terribly disheartening.
Date: May 30, 2016 4:17 am Title: Offers and Offences
Love how Brian and Justin choose to be together--and show that through their actions and by communicating with one another, verbally and physically. <3
The men in the back room will never see anything hotter than Justin and Brian in action, especially now that they're committing ever more to each other. Take notes, lol.
Senator Baxter is a very smart woman. She would be bound to succeed with Brian as the driving force behind her campaign.
What a relief to have Brian tell Michael off after he rags on Justin one too many times. I so wish that had happened in the show. Justin always put Brian first, knowing he needed Mikey. I figured that although Brian and Mikey might stay friends, they should evolve past their unhealthy codependency.
Author's Response:
Glad you're enjoying. I found it interesting to explore how Brian especially might grow up and learn to deal with situations in more healthy ways. He's a smart man. And I think he has a wise heart. I kind of wanted to bring the two together.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 3:14 am Title: Footnote
Awwwwww,,Brian soooooo loves his Sunshine 😠Is there going to be another one? I hope so. Loved all of them â¤ï¸
Author's Response:
Thank you. This really was intended to be absolutely the last chapter. But somehow the ideas just kept coming. Personally, I've always thought that my muse just tricked me into writing my first long story knowing I never would have started it if I'd realized that's what I was taking on.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 3:09 am Title: Results and Conclusions
Poor Ben 😢 Michael is such an arse 😡 Loving the fact Brian and Mel are "getting on"
Author's Response:
Thank you. Could not agree more. *g*
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 2:47 am Title: Newsflash
I love the way Brian is so open about his feelings, even if it is only to himself.
Author's Response:
Yes. Brian owning his feelings is kind of where I thought he was at the end of S3. The fact that he could queen out over his "possession withdrawal" in front of Justin. And more or less tell him that he'd done the whole ad thing because of Justin. And his acceptance of the implication of the "not everything" comment ... those were huge. Really. Huge. And then in S4, it all kind of disappeared again. Luckily, I'd written this stuff before S4 came along to mess things up in my head.
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 2:43 am Title: Offers and Offences
I love a bit of anti Michael, I always want to slap him lol 😂
Author's Response:
Thank you. Me too. He rubbed me the wrong way from the very first scene. I nearly turned off. Fortunately I made it to the "unless you're Brian Kinney" line. *g*
[Report This]Date: May 30, 2016 2:39 am Title: The Experiment Continues
Loving this Brian.
Author's Response:
Thank you. This is really how I would have liked to see canon develop. Especially in S5 - the whole 'boys to men' theme didn't really work very well if you ask me. Both Brian and I think Justin reverted rather than progressed.
Date: May 30, 2016 2:35 am Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
I've read this before, still love it â¤ï¸
Author's Response:
Thank you so much. Sorry I'm so late responding. I wasn't getting notifications about reviews.
Date: May 30, 2016 12:20 am Title: The Experiment Continues
Hallelujah! Brian's sticking to his experiment and the boys are communicating. It's so good to see them bounce ideas off each other; they really are equals in terms of intelligence.
The way Brian is changing is believable enough to be canon. His slowly improving financial situation is also quite plausible.
Now to find out Senator Baxter's agenda. I am glad you've made her part of this story; I always thought she could have been utilized more. I constantly wished Justin had contacted her after the bashing to get her advice about bringing a civil suit against Hobbs, something I really wanted him to do. (As long as the statute of limitations hadn't expired, I would have liked him to provide an example to Darren after Darren was attacked.)
Author's Response:
Thank you. There was so much wrong with the way that a number of issues were dealt with in canon. For instance why wasn't Justin involved in Hobbs' trial? He wasn't in a coma by then. Justin would have made an incredible witness - his sweet blond thing would have been the strongest indictment of Hobbs. The only way he wouldn't have been put on the stand is if the whole thing had been settled in a plea bargain and never came to court (highly probable, in fact, given the police chief) but we saw them in court so that didn't happen.
And yes, I agree about the example to Darren thing too.
Sorry it's taken me ages to respond. I wasn't getting notifications and didn't realize there were any reviews posted.
Date: May 29, 2016 10:05 pm Title: The Alternative Lifestyle Experiment
Hi! I'm so happy to read you here. It's been a long time since I didn't read one of your story. Actually I begin to read again "Homecoming" and I check regularly for the sequel "Homework". I really love your fics. You're a great writer and I'm SO HAPPY to read another one. Thank you!!!
Author's Response:
Thank you so much. Sorry I'm so late resonding. I wasn't getting notifications about reviews. I'm very glad you enjoyed re-reading. And I'm hoping to get a chance to do a lot more writing after the next couple of months so I'll be able to get on with Homework.