[TheZot] Yankee

[EleCivil]

Chapter 12 was great! The overall tone to this story is perfect.

[knotme]

After regrouping in 11 and broadening in 12, The Zot charged straight ahead again in 13. I love it! This is my favorite ongoing story, but I'm beginning to take it mainly for laughs. It's hard to relate to such weird characters. Bobby is salutatorian, tough enough to quarterback a football team, get cowardly and sniveling. All the other principals are way out there in one direction or another. Justin's recent explosions of competence, despite his handicap, seem a little over the top. But hey, some of the best fiction deals mainly with outliers. They're more fun! So The Zot is in good company.

[andy04]

Hi. If you haven't read Chapter 13, don't read any further, because this post refers to things that happen in that chapter. Since I don't know how to do spoiler tags, I'm just going to issue that disclaimer. So...another excellent chapter. Kudos to the Zot for NOT having Justin immediately fall in love with Rob. Too many stories give the reader what we expect, which in this case would be the "outcast" in love with the big, masculine, closeted hot jock. It's so refreshing to read a story where that's not the case. As socially inept as Justin may be, he is mature enough to know the difference between admiring someone's looks and admiring them. Remember the discussion about the difference between a crush and love? Justin had a crush on an entire country (Japan), or you could say he admired it from afar, but when he got to go there and know it, he realized he didn't much care for it, at all. In my opinion, that's a big parallel to Justin and Rob's situation. Rob has a crush on Justin, Justin admits he likes Rob, but neither of them know the other, and I guess the Zot, cruel bastard that we know and love, will have them eventually (sigh) get to know each other and discover whether they can fall in love. Oh well, I like long stories, anyway.

I know, I know, this is all pretty obvious, but I had to comment on it, because I really, really love this story. So atypical, and [Martha Stewart voice]that's a good thing.[/Martha Stewart voice]

[freakinrawr]

I can't believe it

this is a really good story

even tho there is no sex

haha

it is really good

keep up the good work

 

-Fayt

=]

Edited December 5, 2005 by Fayt1357

[Andronicus]

OK, I'm now officially in withdrawal. What's it going to take to get a new chapter?

 

I, too, am frustrated by Justin's attitude to Rob. I completely get his wanting Rob to come out before dating him, and it was good that he was clear about that to Rob. What gets me is his apparent indifference to Rob since then, even though I'm pretty sure Justin must be aware of the pain Rob is in. I don't want Justin to lower the bar re. dating Rob, but can't he show some understanding and reach out to him as a friend? Justin said that he was willing for a friendship, but he seems to be requiring that that be completely Rob's initiative, too. IMHO, prolonged indifference in this context amounts to cruelty. Is Justin cruel or oblivious?

 

This isn't criticism. Who Justin is and who I want him to be are likely very different, and he's your character, TZ. If you've created a character compelling enough to make a reader frustrated with him, then you've done your job!

 

This story is right up there with my all-time favourites. Thanks for it.

[Kel]

Zot-

 

Got caught up to-date with 11,12 & 13 today, nicely done!

 

Enjoyed the "Rabbit" humor and Justin's cluelessness. Go Trevor! LOL

 

Kel

[TheZot]

OK, I'm now officially in withdrawal. What's it going to take to get a new chapter?

Probably another week.

 

Sorry about the delay here. I've been sick -- I can say with some assurance now that shingles are best left on roofs.

IMHO, prolonged indifference in this context amounts to cruelty. Is Justin cruel or oblivious?

Justin's not cruel on purpose. That doesn't mean that what he's doing isn't cruel, because honestly it is. He's just not doing it on purpose, and as yet has no clue that he's doing it at all. (As Lurker's said earlier, Justin's playing Rob -- he is, though again unintentionally) Justin's problem, plus a profound lack of experience, has left him deeply oblivious.

 

Yes, Justin really needs a good smack in the head. That does come. Arguably Rob needs one too, since he's putting himself through this particular version of hell, but Rob's got his own problems to deal with. Justin's just making them worse.

This story is right up there with my all-time favourites. Thanks for it.

Umm... wow. You're very welcome.

[knotme]

If you've created a character compelling enough to make a reader frustrated with him, then you've done your job!

Yes! The characters are well drawn, and without the interminable internal dialogs some authors rely upon. The Zot's story moves right along without all that angst.

 

Justin is doesn't seem to have genuinely mean bone in his body, and he is trying to fit in. He might someday have to come to terms with his own brand of cowardice. The song "Have a Heart" contains the line "The big man who couldn't handle the little bit of love you took." Justin is tough and brave in some ways, but can he accept love?

 

Bobby/Rob frustrates me the most. How long can we hang onto the excuse of "The Bastard"? That was now a long time ago, and since then he has enjoyed a wonderful mother, a very comfortable existence, and an incredibly indulgent "girl friend". He is putting out academically, but socially he's still a disaster. Suck it up and deal with it, Rob!

 

I'm hope that wonderful things will happen at lunch in the next episode, but I wouldn't put a big disappointment past The Zot.

Edited December 13, 2005 by oahu

[knotme]

Go Justin! As of Chapter 14, I'm a total fan. Kinda worried about Rob though. Just how messed up is he?

[TheZot]

Go Justin! As of Chapter 14, I'm a total fan. Kinda worried about Rob though. Just how messed up is he?

That's a very good question. The answer, unfortunately, is very. But, then, who isn't?

 

The bigger question is can he get un-messed enough to deal with himself?

 

-TZ

[Andronicus]

Wow! That was worth waiting for. Satisfying, yet still leaving lots to resolve. Thanks, Dan.

 

I was a little irked at Justin for revealing so much personal stuff about Rob to people who knew him at the end of chapter 13, but events in this chapter make that redundant. Rob is out now, at least to a few trusted (if unlikely) people. May much good come of it.

 

Justin kissing Rob was a great moment, as much because Justin learned so much about himself in the process as anything. But I can't help but wonder, would Justin have done it if Rob's mother had stayed for dinner?

 

You've made me care about Rob so much. It's so good to see him being slowly integrated back where he belongs. I find the tentativeness with which he approaches his exchanges with Justin touching.

 

Sorry to hear about the shingles (ugh!). Hope you're completely over them now. (No, not just so we can get the next chapter sooner. Although seeing that you've posted another chapter is beginning to feel like getting a fix. )

[Conner]

Hey there Dan-dude,

 

Ok, I finally figured out what's been happening for me in relation to this story, which, I hasten to add, I've been following faithfully, albeit without posting of late. So here it is. I love the story. It's the author I don't like!

 

Why you ask? I'll tell you. :2hands: This story is a lot of work for a reader. You gave Justin this problem of having poor social or relationship skills. I believe that's a very challenging characteristic for any author to pull off and make it work - you know, without making Justin a total dweeb who should be institutionalized. Often, it's obvious, or at least seems to be, that Justin is lacking in social skills. Other times, it's not. That's when it's confusing and it makes my head spin. :wacko:

 

Take the kiss in the latest chapter for example. On the one hand, it was a totally inappropriate thing for Justin to do. On the other, it could be Rob's salvation and it was the best thing that Justin could have done for him at that point. It was sheer brillance on your part....but I still don't like you.

 

Another thing, (please take this as constructive beratement ) you've turned Bobby/Rob into a multiple personality - a Jeckyll/Hyde sort of character. Justin acts like he never knows which of the two is going to show up. I see it more as a transition - from the homophobic and, yes, cowardly jock to the senstive gay-boy artist who now accepts himself.

 

As a reader, I really would have appreciated being privy to the conversation between Rob and Trevor back in the last chater - especially since the fact of Rob being gay didn't come up. Trevor would have to be super human to not have reacted to Rob being gay - given what Bobby put him through. I had trouble with that. On the other hand, you've done an excellent job of having straight-boy Trevor deal effectively with others perception of him being gay. The fact that his parents believed he was gay was just a hoot!

 

Well, I am happy for both Rick and Trevor. Way to go guys! And who facilitayed all that? Yup, our man, Justin...that guy with no relationship skills.

 

Anyway, I hate being a motor-mouth; so I'm stopping now. Thanks for the story.

 

Hugs,

Conner

[Rabble_Rouser]

Hey TZ,

 

Fantastic chapter! I've actually gotten to the point where I think Rob is the most fascinating character and he is starting to ecilpse Justin as the most endearing character. It makes me feel like I'm watching a great hockey play in the making from the sidelines cheering on my favourite character. Rob's timid nature, especially in the restaurant when he was talking to Justin about getting help to create some Japanese banners and the "I wish I could do that" part in the coffee house really make me want to see Rob deal with his issues and eventually talk to Justin about being his bf.

 

As for the inconsistencies in Justin's relationship issues, I just assumed as I was reading that it is a result of the training/therapy he was (is?) taking to deal with his disability.

 

Vacation starts tomorrow morning!

 

Steve

[TheZot]

Ok, I finally figured out what's been happening for me in relation to this story, which, I hasten to add, I've been following faithfully, albeit without posting of late. So here it is. I love the story. It's the author I don't like!

Woohoo! Hate mail!

Why you ask? I'll tell you. :2hands: This story is a lot of work for a reader. You gave Justin this problem of having poor social or relationship skills. I believe that's a very challenging characteristic for any author to pull off and make it work - you know, without making Justin a total dweeb who should be institutionalized. Often, it's obvious, or at least seems to be, that Justin is lacking in social skills. Other times, it's not. That's when it's confusing and it makes my head spin.

Yeah, my bad here. This is one of the big problems with the story as I've written it -- Justin's AS comes and goes, and it shouldn't. While his behavior's not necessarily going to be what people expect (Some of the conversational sparring's reasonable, which surprises some people) it ought to be more consistent than it is. I'll chalk this one up to me being a novice author not being able to properly hold the characterization of his protagonist.

 

Aspergers, FWIW, isn't so much having poor social/relationship skills as having the parts of your brain that let you read and understand what other people think or feel not function too well. Relationship and social skills can be learned, you can't learn to have an instinctive understanding of other people. You can, to some extent, think of it as a sort of social color-blindness. If you're fully color blind no amount of work will let you see green -- the best you can do is learn to recognize the things that are probably green. (This isn't a perfect analogy, since having AS doesn't mean you don't feel things. It's sort of like knowing what green is in your head but not being able to see green. Or something like that)

 

But anyway, yes, there are definitely a number of big flaws in the story as it's presented that get in the way of it Just Working. When it's done I'm tempted to prod folks to do an end-of-story critique of it, to shake out the flaws. (I've a list of things so far which I've been trying to correct as I've been going on, but I don't think I've been entirely sucessful)

Take the kiss in the latest chapter for example. On the one hand, it was a totally inappropriate thing for Justin to do. On the other, it could be Rob's salvation and it was the best thing that Justin could have done for him at that point. It was sheer brillance on your part....but I still don't like you.

Hey, at least I haven't done any cliffhangers!

 

Another thing, (please take this as constructive beratement ) you've turned Bobby/Rob into a multiple personality - a Jeckyll/Hyde sort of character. Justin acts like he never knows which of the two is going to show up. I see it more as a transition - from the homophobic and, yes, cowardly jock to the senstive gay-boy artist who now accepts himself.

Oh, I definitely wouldn't say Rob's gotten anywhere near acceptance. Acknowledgement, maybe, but not acceptance. He's far from a happy camper. That'll be clear in the next chapter or two, then in the sequel when I start in on it. (And no, I'm not sure when. Or even 100% sure of if, though there's a darned good chance)

 

As a reader, I really would have appreciated being privy to the conversation between Rob and Trevor back in the last chater - especially since the fact of Rob being gay didn't come up. Trevor would have to be super human to not have reacted to Rob being gay - given what Bobby put him through. I had trouble with that. On the other hand, you've done an excellent job of having straight-boy Trevor deal effectively with others perception of him being gay. The fact that his parents believed he was gay was just a hoot!

Heck, as an author I'd love to be privy to the conversation -- I'm still not sure what they said to each other.

 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here when looking at Trevor's reactions.

 

First off, he really is one of the good guys. All of Justin's friends are. While it's not something that's been dealt with much in the story, Justin had a miserable childhood, a very lonely early adolescence, then a disastrously horrible year as an exchange student. He's still very hesitant with most people, and hasn't opened up to too many people. The people he has opened up to have either been actively compassionate (Rob's mom and Melanie) or have been in the same sort of situation and holding a lot of pain over the way they've been treated by the world (Rick, Trevor, and Rob). And no, I'm not sure about Paul, but he's a juggler, and who really understands them?

 

Second, the story's told from Justin's perspective. He knows his friends are good, honest, nice people, and that colors his perceptions. Remember, you're mostly (except when I slip) seeing things the way Justin sees them, and that doesn't necessarily mean you're seeing reality. Mostly, yes, but not entirely -- Trevor (or Rick, or Steph, or Melanie, or Paul) may well not be swell 100% of the time. They're probably not, since they are people, after all, and teenagers at that. Doesn't mean that Justin'll necessarily see that, though. Since he doesn't pick up on people's moods and subtle reactions at all well, he tends to have a fixed view of how a person is and sees them through that lens. Where normal folks may know you're a happy person generally but see that you're pensive right now, Justin'll know you're a happy person and see that you're happy now even though you're actually not. Because of that the other characters get shown to the reader in ways they may not actually be. I've tried in some spots to make it clear that Justin's missing things, but it's been tough and I'm not sure I got it right all the time.

 

Third, people do tend to live up to your expectations of them. Justin knows his friends are Good People -- knows it deep, and makes it clear to other folks, even if he's unaware of it. People do tend to live up to your expectations, and in this case his expectations are pretty high. He's yet to be disappointed for real by them. He probably ought to be, but I'm not sure I want to do that to Justin, though it's bound to happen sooner or later.

 

Well, I am happy for both Rick and Trevor. Way to go guys! And who facilitayed all that? Yup, our man, Justin...that guy with no relationship skills.

Yeah, well... when you drop the chunk of cesium into the bucket of water, things will happen. What Justin lacks in subtlety he makes up in cluelessness.

 

In this particular case, Justin (and Rob) is just very, very lucky he's got good friends, since what he did could potentially be disastrous for Rob -- even putting aside the melodramatic opportunity to have him dead (which, while unfortunately not impossible here in the real world, is very unlikely) if this got out his life would probably be a living hell. At least when he was having a good day. Rob is definitely not in a position to take charge of his life enough to deflect any of that right now, and it wouldn't be pretty.

 

That's sort of sad, but the story is something of a tragedy. Rob has the support he needs to survive this if he'd just recognize that fact. In his own way (and for very good reasons) he's as clueless as to what he really has as Justin is.

 

There's always the big question of whether Justin and Rob could survive as a couple, since they've got a good sized bag of trouble to deal with between themselves. That's a question for another story, though.

 

-Dan

[knotme]

You've made me care about Rob so much. It's so good to see him being slowly integrated back where he belongs.

You and me both, but I'm got a bad feeling that we're in for a tough ride. Taking TZ's most recent post into account, we're witnessing a "tragedy" about "fear and cowardice". Justin errs in judgement and misses opportunities, but I no longer doubt his courage. For instance, Justin's answer to Rob's question about the kiss could have included "and I enjoyed it, too". That could have helped Rob. But why couldn't Rob feel Justin's pleasure and see it on his face? Or can he feel and see it but remains paralyzed nonetheless?

 

Rob bears the biggest burdens of fear and cowardice. "Tragedy" implies that he will not shed these burdens in time for a happy ending. Perhaps luck will run out, and one of Justin's missteps will blow up. More likely, in my view, is a tragic series of missed opportunities, winding up with Rob realizing in the final chapter what he has let slip through his fingers. For instance, he and his mother could screw up their courage, face their demons, and reconcile with the long lost gay couple, just as Justin moves back "home" to Massachusetts, much improved overall, but sick with disappointment over Rob. Something like that. Painful to witness. I hope I'm wrong.

[Conner]

Hey there Dan dude,

 

Great job on chapter 15.

 

Ok, I'm getting that Justin is getting his act together a bit. I really liked the way he went out of his way to help Rob out with the Japanese writing...mind you, he apologized for being late which wasn't necessary. Now that was support in every way...too bad Rob doesn't seem supportable. He's crawling into a shell or something. When Justin mentioned the kiss, Rob totally fell on his face. I'm not sure what he wanted to say.

 

I'm also pleased that Justin didn't cave in on the terms he set with Rob around dating. Good for him.

 

Justin's right about there being few barriers for Rob to come out at this point in his life, yet he can't bring himself to do that. He needs to recognize the no pain, no gain rule to life. The only thing I can say in Rob's defence is that he must have been in serious denial around his orientation...doing the jock/bully thing for so long. I feel badly for Rob, I really do.

 

I'm glad you pointed out the juxtaposition of Justin's and Rob's lives. That was a great observation...if only Rob could see it. In spite of his challenges, Justin's right in there living his life 'out loud' and enjoying it. Hopefully, Rob will catch on...sooner rather than later.

 

Dating someone who can hold his breath for five minutes is an experience I can definitely recommend.

 

 

 

Hugs,

Conner

[TheZot]

Hey there Dan dude,

Ok, I'm getting that Justin is getting his act together a bit. I really liked the way he went out of his way to help Rob out with the Japanese writing...mind you, he apologized for being late which wasn't necessary.

The apology thing was an oblique reference to Japanese, which most people won't get, and Justin wouldn't have thought about enough to explain it, one of those downsides to a first person narrator. Anyway, Japanese the language is riddled with politeness and humility of a sort. English has singular and plural forms of nouns -- Japanese conjugates its verbs, in part, by social standing. (That is, you use one form for people who're socially superior, another for people who're socially inferior) There's a lot of apology built into the commonly used form of the language. (Or at least the form taught to folks outside the country. Past that I can't say)

 

Anyway, as Justin's gotten back into using the language more, he's gotten back into the idiom more, and it's spilled over into his English. And no, nobody's really supposed to know that unless they already know.

 

Justin's right about there being few barriers for Rob to come out at this point in his life, yet he can't bring himself to do that. He needs to recognize the no pain, no gain rule to life. The only thing I can say in Rob's defence is that he must have been in serious denial around his orientation...doing the jock/bully thing for so long. I feel badly for Rob, I really do.

As well you should. Rob's got some pretty massive issues, more than I thought he had when I started the story. He's grown on me, in different ways than Justin has, and I kinda feel sorry for all the crap I've heaped on the poor guy.

 

Dating someone who can hold his breath for five minutes is an experience I can definitely recommend.

And hot tubs -- don't forget the hot tubs. Those sentences were together for a reason. (Granted a deeply prurient reason, but... yay prurience!)

 

Anyway, Yankee's winding down, and the next chapter will be the last. Not that this should be much of a surprise -- it is a tragedy, after all, and, to quote someone who's a far, far better a writer than I, we know we're at the end because "Generally speaking, things have gone about as far as they can possibly go, when things have gotten about as bad as they can reasonably get"

 

There's going to be a sequel. Rob's got some issues to work out...

 

-Dan

[Former Member]

poor Rob. Justin's getting all the fun and he isn't getting any. I really didn't expect the story to take this way. I still thought Rob would come around and start somthing with Justin. But now I doubt that'll ever happen.

[knotme]

There's going to be a sequel. Rob's got some issues to work out...

I'm already looking forward to the sequel, and hope it's from Rob's point of view, or at least not Justin's. Justin cannot figure Rob at all--no surprise there. He also apparently has gotten little help from Melanie, which does surprise me. Some major loose ends will dangle from the end of this yarn!

[NateB]

OMg I've been waiting to hear that its not over for long

 

-Nate

[Conner]

Ok, I'll be blunt. That ending sucked. I even knew it was coming based on one of your last posts. The power of denial strikes again. Or is it a symtom of being hopelessly romantic?

 

I know real life sucks. That's doesn't mean I want to read about it. You're disturbing my karma!

 

You're going to fix everything in the sequel, right? Yes, I know, there'll be more angst. That's ok. Just remember my karma. So, tell me, does the cute dude who can hold his breath in a hot tub for 5 minutes make another cameo appearance???

 

I noticed this thread has something like 2500 views. Not bad for a rookie! Good work, my man!

 

Hugs,

Conner

[TheZot]

Heh. I'm sure your karma will ultimately survive.

 

I'd have loved to give a happy ending, but alas there just wasn't one there to be had. Hey, it could've been worse, there could've been a body count. Yankee just wasn't a romance. Neither is its sequel, but at least the sequel isn't a tragedy.

 

I did actually feel kinda weird with the story. I know that these things are traditionally romances, soap operas, or high-body-count tragedies (though the last are pretty rare) assuming the things are more than just a stroke piece. This wasn't that, really. (And I'm not entirely sure what it was, really. As much a coming of age piece as anything)

 

Neither was Ex marks the spot, thinking about it. I'm not sure if I'm bucking the trends, or just cheerfulyl oblivious to them.

[Conflagration]

Personally, I liked the ending. It made it seem more life-like. One of my biggest complaints of most of the stories, which I have read is that everything ends up so happy and so perfect...that it just isn't life.

Can't wait for the sequel,

Conflagration

[Lucy Kemnitzer]

Heh. I'm sure your karma will ultimately survive.

 

I'd have loved to give a happy ending, but alas there just wasn't one there to be had. Hey, it could've been worse, there could've been a body count. Yankee just wasn't a romance. Neither is its sequel, but at least the sequel isn't a tragedy.

 

I did actually feel kinda weird with the story. I know that these things are traditionally romances, soap operas, or high-body-count tragedies (though the last are pretty rare) assuming the things are more than just a stroke piece. This wasn't that, really. (And I'm not entirely sure what it was, really. As much a coming of age piece as anything)

 

Neither was Ex marks the spot, thinking about it. I'm not sure if I'm bucking the trends, or just cheerfulyl oblivious to them.

 

Hang on to your story sense. This worked well as a story. The genre you're writing in is really new -- I've been watching it develop and I think it's less than five years since it's really split off on its own. I think the genre is the child of the stroke story and the traditional coming of age romance, but there seems to have also been cross-pollination from elsewhere. Anyway, whatever you write now is on the ground floor of a developing genre. In other words, you're contributing to making the rules, setting the conventions, and building the expectations. Any genre worth reading is not monochrome: it has threads of other colors running through the weave.

 

It became pretty clear about half way through that there was a strong possibility that Rob was going to get more messed up rather than less. But, except for the warning at the beginning of each chapter, it did not look inevitable: right up to the end there was this feeling that maybe it would work out, maybe Rob would be okay, and maybe Rob and Justin would be together -- especially since Justin did mention in his first-person narration that he and Dan soon figured out they weren't suited as lovers. So seeing at the end that Rob is broken like that is hard. But the story has integrity this way.

 

I do have a quibble with some details at the end of the story. When Rob's mom says he's gone "away" -- I wanted her to say either "he's gone to live with relatives," or "he's gone to a boarding school for troubled teens," or "he's in a mental hospital." Or for Justin to at least ask and not be told, or to realize later that he didn't ask.

 

And I disagree with Conner about Justin as a point of view character -- I think his very cluelessness makes him an excellent point of view character, because (1) his cluelessness makes things happen and (2) his clelessness makes people explain thigns to him that might not otherwise be brought forward and (3) his cluelessness gives him something to learn. And I think the inconsistency of his cluelessness is consistent with what I've actually observed. The fact is that he can figure things out if he brings all his attention to bear on other people's behavior and analyses what he sees and hears step by step and point by point. If he tries to go on instinct he's unarmed.

 

I would actually like to see Justin and Rob meet again as fullgrown adults, and either get together or develop a friendship (possibly after failing in a relationship again). There's a lot of potential there, with such heavy and lumpy baggage to carry between them.

[TheZot]

Hang on to your story sense. This worked well as a story. The genre you're writing in is really new -- I've been watching it develop and I think it's less than five years since it's really split off on its own. I think the genre is the child of the stroke story and the traditional coming of age romance, but there seems to have also been cross-pollination from elsewhere.

Huh. I'd bet it's more the mainstreaming of being gay. It's not nearly so much a big deal, in a way not enough to actually warrant a genre as such -- the fact that the protagonist and his love interest are both guys isn't remarkable as such, and while it's necessary and drives the story, as the problems are partly unique, in a lot of ways they're not gay problems so much as just people problems or growing up problems. May just be the fact that the basic assumption is we're just people like everyone else.

 

Or, y'know, maybe not.

 

In other words, you're contributing to making the rules, setting the conventions, and building the expectations.

What? I am? Cool! Power, I have power! Bwahahahahahaha!

 

I do have a quibble with some details at the end of the story. When Rob's mom says he's gone "away" -- I wanted her to say either "he's gone to live with relatives," or "he's gone to a boarding school for troubled teens," or "he's in a mental hospital." Or for Justin to at least ask and not be told, or to realize later that he didn't ask.

Actually, he went to Martha's Vineyard. Justin, alas, hadn't thought to ask. He was shaken up enough that it hadn't occurred to him to ask, nor has he quite realized he hasn't asked yet. Justin's slow that way.

 

I would actually like to see Justin and Rob meet again as fullgrown adults, and either get together or develop a friendship (possibly after failing in a relationship again). There's a lot of potential there, with such heavy and lumpy baggage to carry between them.

Well, we won't have to wait until they hit adulthood, though I'm honestly not sure if, when Rob gets himself together, they can make it as a couple. (Or even if they could, if it'll happen, being a highschool romance and all) I can see it working, I can see Rob getting insanely frustrated with Justin, or Justin being confused as hell by Rob and not knowing what happens.

 

We'll burn that bridge when we come to it, though.

 

-Dan