[DomLuka] DD22

[Bao]

woah. i had a feeling it was going to be posted today. lol

[rknapp]

Was it?

[Bao]

yea it is, lol

[NickolasJames8]

Was it?

:ranger: Oh Yeah!!!!!!

[FeverboyDrew]

-K- I just read 22 and I think I'm going NUCKING FUTS!!!!!!!!!!! I need to know what happens!!! I am so digging on the idea that Seth and Rory are hitting it off. I'm really starting to prefer this to a Rory/Luke scenario. Seth is the only one who doesn't put up with Rory's shit. Everyone else caves in to Rory, but Seth stands his ground. I so love this!! LMAO For some reason, I just want Luke to get really jealous and hurt. Maybe its because he's so beautiful. And what do we think of Eddie? hmmmm.... He's really starting to show his authority with Rory. <<Letting out an exasperated sigh>> I think this story is gonna make me cry LOL

[Alan]

-K- I just read 22 and I think I'm going NUCKING FUTS!!!!!!!!!!! I need to know what happens!!! I am so digging on the idea that Seth and Rory are hitting it off. I'm really starting to prefer this to a Rory/Luke scenario. Seth is the only one who doesn't put up with Rory's shit. Everyone else caves in to Rory, but Seth stands his ground. I so love this!! LMAO For some reason, I just want Luke to get really jealous and hurt. Maybe its because he's so beautiful. And what do we think of Eddie? hmmmm.... He's really starting to show his authority with Rory. <<Letting out an exasperated sigh>> I think this story is gonna make me cry LOL

 

I really enjoyed the chapter, but I'm starting to get frustrated with Rory as a character. I don't mean that I dislike him, I'm just starting to find that he's getting less interesting. Sometime, and probably soon, he needs to start actually making decisions. Most of the Aaron arc consisted of Rory just going along and if we now get a Seth arc that consists mostly of Rory just going along, it will be frustrating.

 

Eddie's getting a little more engaged in the parenting thing, and that's good to see. A grounding is probably way overdue, although that shouldn't mean Rory sitting at the house waiting for the next resident sociopath to turn up and talk him into things.

[Bao]

this chapter just reinforces my idea that rory isant going to end up with any one. there are TOO MANY GUYS, that is after him.

Edited December 29, 2005 by Bao

[Tom]

Man, DD22 is good! I think we are finaly gonna start seeing the real Rory I still think it should be Rory and Luke, but at this point, I'm not sure it matters. If it does ture out to be Seth and Rory--at least we will find out what color hair is under Seth's hat!!

[rknapp]

Did Dom lose his apostrophe key?

 

Well well well, it seems as though Eddie is finally learning some parenting skills, I've been in Rory's situation many many times and I gotta say, while he appeared even intimidating to me (my parents never intentionally passed the house just to make sure I didn't get away, in fact one time they sent my sister to get me haha), he was still pretty lenient, though Rory definately had a good point about how pointless grounding him would have been.

 

This chapter definately showed that there are always two sides to a story told by a single person. Aaron played off Seth as an asshole, but in seeing Seths homelife and just seeing him doing whatever showed that he was very much human.... and I'm falling for him. Seth/Rory is a possibility, but were it not for the ice skating thing it would be entirely plausible that any positive relationship between the two would never go beyond a simple friendship, like with Dave and Rick and the others. OH and AHAHAHAHA Seth can't skate . I'm sorry I just find it incredibly entertaining watching people who can't skate, attempt it. But you know what that says about him? It says that he is entirely willing to try new things, and without request to boot. It seemed as though Seth was enjoying himself, spending time with Rory, and Rory only realized it when he was laughing at Seths ice skating predicament. Is it honestly that hard to stay balanced? Anyway even if no sexual or affectionate relationship blossoms it wouldn't be unreasonable that they could turn out to be friends by summers end. Hell it could be Dave's way in for Angela, seeing as how the guy hangs out with her a lot.

[Bender]

I want Seth and Rory to hook up more than I've ever wanted anything before in my life. I'm saving Luke for me. No, but seriously, I was reading the posts about previous chapters from when I had my head up my ass earlier today, and someone said something about Rory and Seth getting busy breaking the bedframe, and I realized that was exactly what I wanted to happen. And not just for the sex, because they'd be good for each other.

[jessehotty]

omg tho - cause like rory is teh dumbass cause luke totaly gaga for him duh!

[Joelstoi]

i loved this chapter, but did it seem short and go by too fast to ya'll?

Edited December 29, 2005 by Joelstoi

[FeverboyDrew]

-k- I just had the most horrifying thought... what if Seth is using Rory to make Aaron jealous cuz he wants him back or something? I swear to god... I love how we're all so obsessed with this story (or at least I am!). whaddya guys think? I hope Dom doesn't have the nerve to throw a curve ball like that....

[OTRFK]

OK So I think there is definatly a posibility for Rory and Luke and Rory and Seth.I know I would feel so sorry for Luke if Rory ended up with Seth and Rory doese turn out to be the one that Luke likes, because he is so patiant and I would be heart broken to see him heart broken. But I love Seth too. Dom is just trying to make me go crazy. but all good authors keep you wondering for a wile right.

Like the rest of you I am glad that Eddie is finally saying something, I am also glad that Rory has learned to keep his mouth shut sometimes when it comes to Eddie. Eddie is trying hard, and wether Rory sees it or not he gives Eddie alot of unessisary crap.

I think the Ice Skating was cute, I beleive in the future Rory and Seth are going to go back and Rory is goingto teach Seth how to Skatewhich can lead to something romantic. Im kinda sad to say butI think Rory might end up with Seth.

As far as Seth using Rory , I dont think thats whats happening. I do think that Aaron is not going any were soon though, due to I beleive that the whole thing with Rory was to get to Seth because he stilllikes Seth but that is my opinion. Have a Good Night Guys

 

Tiff

OTRFK_ Only The Ring Finger Knows

Edited December 29, 2005 by OTRFK

[rknapp]

Oh and I think I found a good PSO:

 

You boys?

 

Crap.

 

That or "Cheers"... decisions decisions.

 

Crap,

RK

[Caipirinha]

I guess I'm going to have to retract my statements and eat crow at the same time on this one. I'm still a teense distrustful of Seth, but I'm warming up to him and at an alarmingly quick rate. So maybe Seth isn't exactly Rosemary's baby after all...

 

Anyway, these last couple of chapters have been shaking up my views on just about every situation in the story itself. I was sure Luke and Rory were a lock to be a couple, and while I am definately still rooting for this pairing, I'm not so sure anymore. I mean it seems like Luke is making it obvious, could it be too obvious? And with this new side of Seth being exposed I doubt I would be overly opposed to a Seth/Rory pairing, but for some reason I still don't see it happening. I'm also starting to think that maybe Bao is on to something with his 'Rory ending up alone theory.'

 

I guess Dom wins. He's doing exactly what a good author should do; keep his readers clicking the refresh button and foaming at the mouth...err...rather...keep then guessing and on the edge of their seats.

[david]

Seth is trying real hard to show Rory that Seth isnt a bad guy. I think Rory is starting to see that.

And when Rory told Luke where he had been, Luke was surprsed but wasnt disappointed. I still say that Luke's secret interest is Dave. Great story Dom

[dkstories]

Hey Dom, we still going to use Seth in the next chapter of Service 2?

 

 

just kidding folks.

 

(Or am I?)

[Andronicus]

Holy Amazing Developments, Batman!

 

Rory and Eddie are both growing by leaps and bounds. Hooray!

 

Rory reveals himself to be surprisingly perceptive regarding Seth, Eddie and himself in this chapter, and the time span between realizing that he is being an ass and doing something about it is getting considerably shorter. For instance (italics mine):

I was having trouble when it came to being angry with Eddie. I think what I was angry about, was that he was right about a few things, and that was still a little hard to swallow.

And with Eddie... I think I was trying to figure out who he was to me. I'd always been under the distinct impression that I didn't need a dad. He could be my friend, but not my dad. Only today, it became clear that when it came to parents, Eddie wanted to fill the role, and the way he'd talked to me--well, he easily could fill it, that spot in my life being vacant and all. ... I spent the same kind of pointless time with Eddie, going to the park, or out to lunch, or running errands, but it wasn't the same. I wouldn't let it be the same.

Eddie is stepping up to the plate and being quite articulate about it. Almost instinctively he seems to be striking the delicate balance that is needed to penetrate Rory's extreme sensitivity about having a father.

(From DD21 topic.) So pretty much this whole chapter I just wanted someone to grab Rory and give him a hug while he cried. First I thought it was going to happen when Luke came and met him at the pool. Then I thought for sure it was going to happen when he and Eddie were in the attic and Eddie actually did give him a hug. Then I thought maybe when he went to see Seth he'd finally break down and start crying.......but no. The poor kid definitely needs to work on accepting support and comfort from people. ... Kevin

Kevin, I think that Rory is rapidly approaching the point where he can let out some of what even he doesn't realize he is holding in. And I think the person who is going to help him to do that is going to be Seth's mum.

 

Dom, did you mean to put something like the bracketed suggestion in the following passage?

"You know, you don't have to stay," Seth suddenly said, probably realizing that his dad had in one way or another, volunteered me to help. "I mean, you said you had to go, right?"

 

"Yeah," I said quickly, and headed towards the bike.

 

["See you around."]

 

I momentarily paused. I almost told Seth not to count on it. It's what I'd normally do.

It seems to need it, but it would also enhance the following, when Rory and Seth finally part:

"Maybe I'll see you later," Seth said quietly.

 

"Maybe," I responded noncommittally.

The poignancy of that last exchange really got to me. It would be even greater if it were an echo.

 

After this chapter, I am confirmed in thinking that Seth is nothing short of amazing:

 

He is bright; he certainly has Rory figured out:

"Because if I ask, you'll probably leave whether or not you really want to," Seth replied, matching my whispered tone in a mocking way. But, there wasn't really anything malicious in his voice.

 

"What do you mean?" I asked.

 

"Never mind," he said, shaking his head.

He is honest, even to the point of "defending" Aaron:

"So maybe he figured there was a reason Luke was calling you his cousin," Seth suggested. And, he had a point, I guess; and, he'd also managed to surprise me again, which explained the way that I was looking at him disbelievingly. He'd been pretty good at making Aaron sound like a lying asshole lately, so I hadn't been expecting him to say anything in Aaron's defense. And, even if it gave me hope that Aaron wasn't a complete bastard, I still had to wonder.

And he may be the only major character who hasn't lied to Rory, although Rory hasn't made that connection yet.

 

He is consistently and refreshingly straightforward, so that even Rory notices:

I almost laughed out loud because Seth was making this all so simple.

The corollary is that he doesn't play games, except monopoly and at the arcade.

 

He is (surprise) downright nice. That skating vignette was brilliant. Anyone who can laugh at themselves unselfconsciously like that can't be all that bad.

 

He gently gives Rory all kinds of space, without diminishing his own integrity and sense of who he is.

 

He has remarkable self-control, sticking to his resolve not to repeat the trash Aaron told him about Rory and also to his resolve not to let Rory see how much he likes him yet, even though Rory tries to force him to divulge the former and gives him clear invitations to reveal the latter.

 

He doesn't bear grudges against Aaron or Rory, although both have treated him badly. He even tries to understand why Luke's crowd don't like him, even though their reasons are unfounded.

 

Now that we know why Seth was at the first party, when he needed to rescue Rory, and why Seth continued to see Aaron after breaking up with him, the reasons do him credit. The more we learn about Seth, the more we see that he has been quite consistent from the start, only our perception of him has changed because we have been seeing him through Rory's eyes based largely on what Aaron told him. The more I get to know Seth, the more of Luke's good qualities he seems to share.

 

BTW, someone suggested that the hero's love interest always appears at the beginning of Dom's stories. We thought that that ruled Seth out, but we've been reminded twice now that Seth was in fact there at the beginning, when Rory first visited the park with Luke.

 

P.S. What on earth is a PSO?

Edited December 29, 2005 by Andronicus

[Danny]

Amazing chapter yet again...gosh dom, i was just wondering if-from now on-you could put two chapters into one? Because I get so angry/frustrated when i get to the end of one chapter...a chapter especially with a cliffhanger....

 

But anyway: I WANT LUKE AND RORY TOGETHER

 

Luke deserves a great guy..and some happiness...he has always been patient and supportive of Rory...understanding and accepting. he is seriously...the perfect man. if he were a real person...i would probably fall in love with him.

 

But the idea of Rory being alone seems like a real possibility now...I think that in the end, Rory ends up going back to live with Grandma Alice...whaddya guys think?

 

(I made my end-post greeting)

 

Tootles!

 

-Danny

Edited December 29, 2005 by Danny

[pep]

I found it a nice way to end, not a real cliffhanger but still leave you with wanting more.

 

I agree with some of you that Rory is maturing a bit in this chapter. He starts to think before he answers and listens to what people are saying.

 

Anyhow another great chapter and waiting impatiently for the next one.

 

Happy new year everyone, enjoy yourselves at the parties but don't go overboard.

 

 

Peter

[LittleBuddhaTW]

I think Dom has made it his mission in life to make us all go crazy with anticipation and to prevent me from being able to focus on finishing my M.A. thesis!!!

 

Anywho, a few thoughts on this chapter ...

 

I'm starting to see that Seth really is a good guy, and the *possibility* that he could end up with Rory (although I still MUCH prefer Luke). But, in the long run, if they don't end up becoming boyfriends, where is Seth gonna fit in in the bigger picture?

 

I think Rory, despite his still being dense when it comes to Luke's affections towards him, is coming along in the personal growth department ... even admitting to himself that he's not "the best judge of character."

 

Back to the Luke/Rory thing, I think Seth's comment/question about Rory trying to make sure that Seth doesn't get in the way of his next romantic relationship by asking if Seth was interested in Luke ... I think that is a very important and telling clue (at least I'm thinking so).

 

As for Luke's romantic interest being Dave, I think that is such a long shot that I wouldn't even consider it. Dave likes Angela, and I think that has been beaten into our heads plenty, and Luke (despite having dated Aaron) is not an idiot, he's not going to sit around and hope his str8 best friend is going to come around for him. I don't think there's any question that Luke likes Rory ... he's gone out of his way to be nice to Rory, dropping hints, parading around naked in front of him, etc. To me, that much is clear ... whether or not they actually end up together is another issue altogether.

 

And finally, Rory is just completely fooling himself if he still thinks he's going back with his grandmother in a month ... I don't know why he insists on repeating it, because I think in his mind (or would that be Dom's mind?), he's not going back ... that's been clear from the get-go.

 

ANYWAY ... DOM ... my M.A. thesis is in your hands ... so Ch. 23 had better answer some questions!!!!

[DavyReader]

To me it seems that Dom wants us to discern the TOU pattern re-emerging in this chapter:

• Mrs Fisher is having her fourth child, just like Brad's mother.
  
• The Fishers live next door.
  
• The Fishers are amiable.
  
• Rory is making friends with Seth (I might be mistaken, but in my eyes the text doesn't suggest physical attraction between the two of them).
  
• Eddy is overreacting and starting out to be the control freak parent.
  
• Rory has Luke as a supporting quasi-sibling, as Quinn has his sister Brianna.
  

Wouldn't this bring Aaron into play again - as an abject version of Jude? The more complicated scenario in DD might explain why Dom interrupted DD for TOU.

 

Besides: Eddy is actually dragging Rory to work - answered prayers.

[Philistine]

yay to the second power! i am in total domaholic bliss right now. mmm.

 

anyways, there were a lot of things i wanted to respond to. too many, actually. i'll just say my peace, and anyone reading can discern whether i'm responding to their thoughts. this is gonna sound really ADD.

 

all that talk about luke being great and deserving a great guy and how it would be sad if he were alone...yeah, this is why he shouldn't end up with rory. he's too good for him! rory has shown us over and over again that he has flaws and that his life is a work-in-progress. if anything happened between him and luke, i'm pretty sure he'd either end up resenting luke's total perfection, become a jealous basketcase (what with luke stripping for everyone), or he'd totally f**k it up. that said, it totally seems like luke likes him, huh? before it seemed reaching to me. now it's totally being suggested...i still don't think they should be together, though.

 

about the total shock about the various twists in the story line. um...why is that so shocking? i dunno. i look at each chapter and see it as a very logical progression for the story. i mean, i don't know what's going to happen next or something like that. i just expected stuff like real reasons for seth being places and stuff. i never bought that "he's shady and wears a hat all the time, so he must be a bad seed" stuff. btw, shame on all you people who were totally anti-seth just because rory didn't like him before. he didn't even know him, and his anger was based on totally circumstantial stuff laced (caked) in assumptions. which reminds me, assumptions are stupid.

 

and congratulations, eddie. he's really showing the parentalness now. it's about time. though i think after being exposed to seth's parents and seeing the whole family interaction at work, rory will start to fully appreciate that anything standing in the way of what could be a great parent-child relationship between himself and eddie is coming from him. his inner thoughts are starting to show that, anyway.

 

someone needs to smack some sense into dave. seriously, he just seems pathetic now. to me, at least.

 

i'd actually kind of like to be totally shocked (i am totally invoking dom's wrath now) and then be shown a really good reason for why this story doesn't turn out the way i expect. that would be really awesome and would force me to add dom to my personal pantheon. he's not actually there...yet.

[Danny]

I still want rory with luke....

 

 

anyways KEEP ON CHUCKING DOM!

 

Tootles!

 

Danny