[DomLuka] DD 24

[Bao]

I personally think Luke and Dave should get together and help each other build up their courage to do something about their respective situations. That

[rknapp]

-Everything seems natural with Luke- As in natural fit, ball and glove, perfect for each other!!!!!

 

The snow at Mountain Creek yesterday felt like glass as I boarded on it. It felt natural. Does that mean the lift attendants are going to find suspicious new holes in it? No.

 

The other guy on my floor who is straightedge, it feels natural to hang out with him. Am I going to make a move? No. But that has more to do with me sharing a few qualities with Rory than anything else (if someone, boy or girl, wants to get into my pants, then they have to take the initiative because I'm just that dense, in fact one girl and one guy have both made moves, but I'm not interested in either of them for various reasons).

 

I could see that Angela is the Lacy/Bree...but there isn't an evil B*tch...

 

Alice. Until she apologizes and gives me reason to like her (seeing her side of the story, just like we did with Seth), she is the evil bitch.

 

And Mar wasn't evil! I liked her actually, she seemed like the opposite of Janie. Until she read the journal I was afraid that Bree might go that route. In any case, there might not be any evil bitch in DD like there was in TLW, since I didn't see one in TOU.

[Tim1001]

DOM!!! another PERFECT chapter love

and o boy, Luke is jealous, he's gonna tell Rory how he feels and BAM they'll all live happily ever after, til the 'rents find out

[Alan]

The snow at Mountain Creek yesterday felt like glass as I boarded on it. It felt natural. Does that mean the lift attendants are going to find suspicious new holes in it? No.

 

It's natural for sharks to eat anything that moves, including the occasional surfer, but I'm fairly sure that when Rory says things feel natural with Luke he is not disclosing an intention to eat Luke with some fava beans and a light Chianti. What's natural to Rory is perhaps a tad more relevant than what's natural to snow, sharks or trips to the bathroom.

[sat8997]

Okay oh wise one....

Can you feel the love?

 

 

If Dom is following a similar formula, where's the Janie or Marissa?

 

Doesn't have to be one, but I'll go with Aaron.

 

Sharon (PSO-less)

[carmichael]

I really don't feel like Luke is as bad as Dave. I think we're being much too hard on Luke. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Luke is not perfect. If he was perfect, him and Rory would have lived happily ever after about 20 chapters ago. I don't remember a character ever coming right out and telling another character exactly how much they like them ever. Aiden didn't even do that. Jude didn't do that. Why are we expecting Luke to do that? ESPECIALLY when Rory's making his rounds with the neighborhood homos.

 

Luke's disappointed that Rory doesn't feel a connection with him, and maybe Rory will wake up and start to realize that. I'm not going to remain adamant that Rory and Luke should and will end up together -- Dom writes the stories; I read them. All I'm saying is we can't get upset with Luke because he's not "making a move." Dom's stories are realistic (if you call 4 hot gay guys that are trying to get into each other's pants realistic ... oh, how I wish I lived there) and there's no way Luke would do that to Rory anyways. Rory's to blame, for being completely ignorant and purblind. But then again, you almost can't even blame him for that ... it's just the way Dom portrays him (or Owen, or Quinn, or Adam, etc.)

[Bao]

i never said it was a bad thing. i think its kind of cute. and i think its only rory's pants that people are trying to get into. excluding aaron. he dosnt count

Edited January 4, 2006 by Bao

[FeverboyDrew]

This chapter put me in the worst g.d. mood!!!! WHY CAN'T SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO ME????? lol jk. Anyway, when Seth told Rory that he wrote his phone # in the dirt, I just about melted through the f-ing floor. And what made it worse (or better ) was the fact that Luke is obviously jealous. He knows that he's got some serious competition with Seth. Unlike Aaron who just took obvious advantage of Rory, Rory appears to be interested in Seth, and Luke will have to do a lot to compete against Seth for Rory.

[LittleBuddhaTW]

I think the moral of the story here (or one of them) is *communication*. None of these problems would be an issue if the characters had communicated with each other as they should have. Grandma Alice should have been forthright with what she new, Eddie should have been more forthcoming with Rory before Aaron and the letters, Seth should have told Rory exactly what was going on with Aaron instead of leading Rory to believe that he was just an asshole (pretty easy to infer from Seth's odd behavior at the time), Rory should have been more upfront about his relationship with Aaron (which I'm now thinking was to some degree a kind of subconscious rebellion, moreso than actually having "deep feelings" for Aaron), and Luke should have been upfront about his feelings, whoever he has them for. Everyone, to a degree, is to blame for a lack of good communication, but the more I think about it, Rory is the least at fault (although not totally), because he was put in a very new and complicated situation, confronted with a lot of life changes, as well as the death of his mother. In that state of mind, it's easy to see how/why Rory would behave the way he has. However, in the last few chapters especially, I've noticed that Rory has matured a lot in his relationships with people (especially Eddie and Seth). He's becoming a better judge of character and has started to lose the chip on his shoulder.

 

The story as a whole is a bit fanciful, but fiction is supposed to be. Even "realist" fiction is still "fiction." Of course, the entire situation is very unlikely to happen in the "real world," but the point is to get across a lesson/moral, and I see a recurring didactic element in Dom's writing. I hope in his future stories he'll continue portraying the "gay world" from different points of view. Quinn, Owen, and Rory have all been very different characters with different personalities (although quite a few similarities as well). One reason I like the story "My New Brother" by Graeme so much is because it is narrated from the point of view of a str8 teenager trying to deal with finding out that his friends are gay. This is very unique to the entire genre of gay fiction. There are so many repeated story lines, plots, and stereotypical situations/characters in internet gay fiction over the past few years. One of the reasons that I like Dom's writing is because it is different, and I hope it continues that way. Even though it is "fiction," it's realist elements are much better than other stories which are, in my opinion, just too fanciful to have any real "meaning" behind them other than entertainment value (which is one of the goals of literature, but not the only one). Anyway, literary criticism is what I'm trained in, so that's why I'm babbling on about all of this.

 

My only critique of "Desert Dropping" at this point (and I have to say that of the dozens and dozens of stories I've read, DD is one of the best), is that the plot is starting to drag just a bit. There's enough to keep the reader interested, but there needs to be some sort of semi-climax at some point soon, before the main climax of the story, otherwise readers may start to lose interest.

[NaperVic]

... and I see a recurring didactic element in Dom's writing.

 

*in a Scooby-Doo voice*

 

riractic?

 

 

Sorry. And Yes, I really am 37yo.

Edited January 4, 2006 by naper_vic

[redone]

I think that Rory is acting on the basis of what happened back in chapter ten. While his thoughts and eyes might somewhat stray to Luke, he has it in his mind that it won't happen...due to his thinking that Luke wouldn't go for him. So, why not let himself be interested in Seth? I don't think it would cross his mind that Luke would be jealous. Kind of like a.."well he can't be acting weird because he likes me, he told me earlier it would never happen"

[Lugh]

My only critique of "Desert Dropping" at this point (and I have to say that of the dozens and dozens of stories I've read, DD is one of the best), is that the plot is starting to drag just a bit. There's enough to keep the reader interested, but there needs to be some sort of semi-climax at some point soon, before the main climax of the story, otherwise readers may start to lose interest.

 

Hum, I thought we just had one of those at the party (or pair of parties) with the showdown at 'high noon' between all the boys involved (and not involved). I honestly don't think the story is dragging at all, infact I think it's beginning to pick up pace a bit with Rory breathing fresh air now.

 

But again, that is just my opinion, I could be wrong. Or not.

 

Lugh (who is blue)

[Rabble_Rouser]

Something that was mentioned early on in the story (and yes, I'm too lazy to try and find it to quote ) was something that Eddie aluded to in this chapter... the impending family vacation. This has the potential to change a whole wack of things in the storyline. We've been seeing a pretty drastic change in the way Rory is relating to Eddie simply from being forced to spend some time with him at the office. Imagine a couple of weeks! I think Rory is (or at least will shortly) beginning to realize that he doesn't want to go back to live with Evil Alice!

 

The family vacation will also give Luke a serious amount of time with just Rory without any other guys getting the chance to complicate things. Eddie said that he had to work overtime this week (and I think the storyline is in the middle of the week) so he could take time off for the trip (Hhhmmmm, camping & Luke and Rory sharing a tent brings some interesting possibilities to mind ) so I bet that we'll really see things pick up then.

 

As for Luke's role in this chapter, I agree that it's jealousy over Rory but I don't blame him (too much) for the situation he's in. Rory is the king of mixed signals as we've seen from the beginning. It hasn't even been a week since Rory dumped Aaron and I think Luke may have been waiting so he wasn't getting any rebound action... only to have Seth swooping in.

 

At this point I'm thinking about putting the crystal ball in the closet (Aaron, move over dammit!) and simply enjoying the ride!

 

Steve

[LittleBuddhaTW]

Hum, I thought we just had one of those at the party (or pair of parties) with the showdown at 'high noon' between all the boys involved (and not involved). I honestly don't think the story is dragging at all, infact I think it's beginning to pick up pace a bit with Rory breathing fresh air now.

 

But again, that is just my opinion, I could be wrong. Or not.

 

Lugh (who is blue)

 

I wouldn't call that a true semi-climax because nothing was really resolved there. We don't know what Aaron wanted to say to Rory, no answers were provided, and it sort of ended up as an anti-climax ... the situation with Aaron is not over yet. The confrontation didn't really resolve anything.

 

I'm not saying that the story is dragging *badly*, because obviously it's still keeping everyone (including myself) waiting with baited breath for the next chapter ... it's just a bit ... and that's just my opinion (could also be my insatiable curiosity! hehe), and it could be because the chapters are much shorter than we're used to. However, some of the greatest works of literature have points where the plot drags ... nothing can be "perfect" for every reader.

[OTRFK]

Ok as I have said before, I love Luke and it totaly broke my heart to see him Jelouse. I think that Luke really should tell Rory. Luke likes Rory, Rory likes Luke. but Rory also likes Seth ( you can tell) I like Seth and Luke but I have to stay stuborn and say that I want Luke to win.

I cant give Alice any abd words, because there really would not be a story if she werent as stubborn as she is. If she would have gave Rory the letter out right.Rory would have known that Eddie was gay, and the whole thinking Luke was his cousin would not have happened. Resulting in Luke and Rory being more honest about there attraction in the first place. And then we would not have all the Drama that we have now.

So my guess is that Rory will end up with Luke, If Alice would not have been the way she is Luke and Rory would most likely be a couple right now. That attraction doese not go away within a blink of an eye. So ultimatly wether there are relationships inbetween, I think it will be Luke and Rory.

But I would be happy with Luke or Seth, just Luke a little more.

 

Do you ever think that Dom sits there and laughs at all our thoughts and oppinions. ( In a nice way of course) Dom why must you confuse me so much

 

Oh and off subject, but say you know someone and you think they are Gay, and there not out because the family would most likely freak, How would you go about letting them know that it doese not bother you so they know if they ever want to talk about it they can come to you. Without making them feel uncomfterbal. Now I dont know for Sur that he is but I am pretty confident that he is.

[Adit]

Luke and Rory are my top pick.

 

But...

 

If Rory does happen to find someone else, I'll take Luke for myself!

[Chris Muldoon]

I really don't feel like Luke is as bad as Dave.

 

I completely agree with you. The situation is just aggravating because I want Luke to make a move even though I know where he's coming from. That's where I see most of the similarity between Luke's and Dave's situations. Everyone is sympathetic toward yet frustrated with Dave's inability to make a move on (hell, even talk to) Angela, and I'm sympathetic toward yet frustrated with Luke's not expressing an interest in Rory.

 

 

Rory's to blame, for being completely ignorant and purblind. But then again, you almost can't even blame him for that ... it's just the way Dom portrays him (or Owen, or Quinn, or Adam, etc.)

I don't think he's necessarily as ignorant and purblind as, say, Owen...who didn't even know he was out on a date until Aiden kissed him. I think redone put it quite nicely:

I think that Rory is acting on the basis of what happened back in chapter ten. While his thoughts and eyes might somewhat stray to Luke, he has it in his mind that it won't happen...due to his thinking that Luke wouldn't go for him. So, why not let himself be interested in Seth? I don't think it would cross his mind that Luke would be jealous. Kind of like a.."well he can't be acting weird because he likes me, he told me earlier it would never happen"

Edited January 4, 2006 by Chris Muldoon

[rknapp]

ESPECIALLY when Rory's making his rounds with the neighborhood homos.

 

ROFLMFAO

[TomE]

I also agree that Luke was jealous. But I think he was jealous not of Seth being with Rory, but of Rory being with Seth!

 

I know Luke stated to Rory a couple of chapters ago that he was not interested in Seth, but I think he may be. (remember Luke also told Rory in Chapter 10, I believe, that he was not interested in Rory also).

 

Two thing make me think Luke may like Seth is:

 

1) the comment Seth made to Rory when they were playing video games before going swimming. Seth was telling Rory about his life and school pre-Kesslin and after, and then about being out but not having it too bad because Luke suddenly came out at the same time, and that Lukes announcement surprised almost everyone and was the topic of conversation.

 

My understanding of Luke-Aaron is that they dated first and sometime AFTER their final break-up Aaron and Seth hooked up. Did Luke out himself to pull the pressure/attention away from what Seth was going through?

 

2) Luke states that the person he likes isn't interested

 

Some other reasons why it's possible Luke may like Seth is:

 

-Seth loses most of his friends, he tells Rory. when he started seeing Aaron (wonder if Aaron was telling Luke about Seth just like he was telling Seth about Rory?)

-Luke knows who Seth is, but his group of friends do not, they're just getting to know him

-Seth is the same age as Rory. This makes him younger than Luke and his crowd. This would also mean Seth is an "underclassmen" to Luke and his crowds being "upper classemen", no wonder Luke's friends do not know if Seth is gay or not as an underclassmen it wouldn't be in their realm other than possible harrassment, and also Luke came out at the same time, getting the attention because of the shock of his announcement. This also may be why Luke is sure the person is "not interested".

 

Anyway, another great chapter Dom in another great story you've written...Thank you!!!

 

Have a great day everyone!!

Tom

[carmichael]

I was just thinking about this a little while ago (I've been having trouble sleeping, and I guess I can cast the blame on my Domaholic status) -- about how this story has a long list of gay characters in it. Okay, I guess TLW did, too. Nothing out of the ordinary for Dom's stories, and I absolutely hate that I keep comparing them to each other. That being said ...

 

Rory doesn't really have that "straight best friend" character to confide in. Sure, Luke's a great guy, and he can really give you a shoulder to lean or cry on, but he's also gay, and from the sounds of this forum, he's in the lead for who we want Rory to actually end up with. The previous few chapters haven't really been going in that direction -- they've sort of been describing the blossoming (yet complex) relationship that Rory and Seth are developing. Seth's gay, too, and looks like he might be Rory's next love interest. Eddie and Jase are gay, too. And, well, so is Aaron (even though I feel like he'd take advantage of a cactus if it would cooperate a bit more -- what the hell do we call that type of sexual orientation?).

 

Rory doesn't really have that Brad, or Nicky, or Ryan to confide in (Eddie or Jase could totally get the job done, but it's weird talking to your psuedo-parents about things like this). There's really only G-ma Alice, Angela, and Dave (characters already of significant substance). I just recently started thinking about Angela, and I'm starting to wonder who else in this Goddamn town Angela would even find to date. Dave's just about the only heterosexual we've met. Poor girl. She's gotta be hella frustrated that these four attractive boys are all interested in each other, and only blabber-mouth, stuttering Dave is looking for her attention. Again, I say, "Poor girl."

[sat8997]

Two thing make me think Luke may like Seth is:

 

1) the comment Seth made to Rory when they were playing video games before going swimming. Seth was telling Rory about his life and school pre-Kesslin and after, and then about being out but not having it too bad because Luke suddenly came out at the same time, and that Lukes announcement surprised almost everyone and was the topic of conversation.

 

My understanding of Luke-Aaron is that they dated first and sometime AFTER their final break-up Aaron and Seth hooked up. Did Luke out himself to pull the pressure/attention away from what Seth was going through?

 

2) Luke states that the person he likes isn't interested

 

Some other reasons why it's possible Luke may like Seth is:

 

-Seth loses most of his friends, he tells Rory. when he started seeing Aaron (wonder if Aaron was telling Luke about Seth just like he was telling Seth about Rory?)

-Luke knows who Seth is, but his group of friends do not, they're just getting to know him

-Seth is the same age as Rory. This makes him younger than Luke and his crowd. This would also mean Seth is an "underclassmen" to Luke and his crowds being "upper classemen", no wonder Luke's friends do not know if Seth is gay or not as an underclassmen it wouldn't be in their realm other than possible harrassment, and also Luke came out at the same time, getting the attention because of the shock of his announcement. This also may be why Luke is sure the person is "not interested".

 

Mmmmm......this line of reasoning has possible merit. No matter how many of you keep insisting that Luke is interested in Rory, I just don't see it. There hasn't been anything I've read that leads me to think there is any romantical interest between the two. I felt that Luke's "I'm interested in someone else" comment was basically a red herring but TomE's points have got me thinking in a different direction. A Luke/Seth pairing at the story's end could work.

 

Sharon(PSO-less)

[LittleBuddhaTW]

I'm sorry, but this particular argument for Luke liking Seth isn't particularly cohesive ... after re-reading the post a few times, I'm not quite sure I follow the logic. I don't find it to be impossible that Luke *could* like Seth, but this particular line of rationale isn't that persuasive.

 

Sorry ...

[Bao]

AHA i found it

 

[BoyNeedsTherapy]

*in a Scooby-Doo voice*

 

riractic? blink.gif

 

 

Sorry. And Yes, I really am 37yo.

 

Umm hmm, yes, you're technically 37, but I really don't think you're mentally 37 (That's a good thing! lol)

 

 

Luke so wants Rory!! I wonder how long he was watching Seth and Rory in the pool....

Edited January 4, 2006 by BoyNeedsTherapy

[glomph]

There is no mystery guy for Luke. He threw out that 'I'm interested in someone else' comment just to show Rory he (Luke) had no interest in Seth.

 

Sharon (PSO-less)

 

That doesn't sound like Luke's style. He may not tell everything he ever thinks, but he usually pretty direct and honest when he does say something.