[DomLuka] DD 25

[Jesper]

Okay, thanks for this. I actually made a break to go off and get some CDs just in the middle so that it would last a little longer.

 

The way I see it, Rory and Seth are not going to end up together. There are way to many references to Rory feeling like Aaron must have felt for it to end up somewhere good. I think Rory just has to figure out that for himself, too. Probably will end up in a long conversation with Seth somewhere a long the way, telling him he's sorry for leading him on, etc etc.

 

And also, how obvious is it that it's Rory that Luke likes?

First: being in a crappy mood after seeing Seth and Rory flirting wildly.

 

Second: the comment about the same crappy mood: "There's some stuff I haven't really been dealing with and it sort of crept up and bit me in the ass today." The bad mood came after seeing Rory and Seth in the pool, so that's probably what's biting him in the ass.

 

Third: The "there's a lot to like about you" comment

 

Fourth: The disappointment in his voice when Rory was going to go bowling

 

Fifth: The "third wheel" comment. Okay, I admit this could mean nothing, but then again, it could mean something. Aw, crap, never mind this one.

 

And ultimately: When Rory says he wanted Seth to kiss him so that he could say that he kissed someone else than Aaron, Luke kissed Rory, thus eliminating THAT reason to kiss Seth. Would he have done that if he didn't mind Rory being with Seth? Top that up with the comment "In my experience, when someone wants to kiss you, they usually kiss you", followed a while later by Luke kissing Rory.

 

Well, waddaya say to that?

Edited January 7, 2006 by Jesper

[carmichael]

I'm glad Rory invited Luke to come. Like always, I really don't know with whom Rory will end up. I sort of don't even know with whom I want him to end up. But it was definitely the right move for Rory to bring Luke along, and when he was accomodating for Luke when he wanted to leave early.

 

I'm at the point where I think Rory is one hell of a lucky stiff. Yeah, he ran into some trouble with Aaron, but that's over, and now he's got two gorgeous studs fawning over him.

 

I'm at the point where I feel pretty sorry for Luke. It's at the point where he can't even be in a bad mood without it being completely unusual. Luke's entitled to be upset every now and then, and it's completely reasonable for him to be "jealous" and disappointed with the idea of Rory and Seth flirting in the pool and whatever. Whomever Rory ends up with, someone is going to have their heartbroken (at least if we can all agree that both Seth and Luke have really strong crushes on Rory) and because of that fact alone, I find myself thinking that Seth and Luke can do no wrong. I just feel bad for both of them, because they both have the potential to be heartbroken.

 

Also, there have been a few cases where I think there is some hostility between Seth and Luke. Nothing big, but the fact that Rory brought Luke with him when he went bowling definitely could have rubbed Seth the wrong way. I can't help but think that there's a part of this story that we haven't heard yet -- maybe something about Luke/Aaron/Seth that happened before Rory came, and we just haven't heard the whole truth. I guess we'll just have to wait.

 

 

Finally -- I'm sorry to say it, but I sort of feel like the Kiss at the end was Dom's way of saying, "This is what you've been waiting for, everyone. But, this is all you're going to get in the Rory/Luke department. Rory's going to end up with Seth. Sorry!" It was a pretty momentous part in the plot, and but I think it was just an appeasment to the reader (not neccesarily all of us on this forum that are hellbent on colonizing our jargon about an inevitibale Rory/Luke hook-up), because we can't deny the fact that the Rory/Luke possibility has been a strong one, and certainly an attractive one.

 

Ironically, I feel Their First Kiss was just the way to close the door to that possibilty. I pray I'm wrong, but from this point on, in my mind, I won't be silently rooting for Rory and end up with Luke. It was a cute way of saying -- "We're just going to be friends, and that's okay."

 

Now I just have to accept that.

Edited January 7, 2006 by carmichael

[JotaJota31]

I think it's a red herring by Luke. While he is 'annoyed' by Dave, the real 'issue' that was bumming him out his is his attraction to Rory and what appears to him as a budding relationship between Rory/Seth.

First: being in a crappy mood after seeing Seth and Rory flirting wildly.

 

Second: the comment about the same crappy mood: "There's some stuff I haven't really been dealing with and it sort of crept up and bit me in the ass today." The bad mood came after seeing Rory and Seth in the pool, so that's probably what's biting him in the ass.

 

Third: The "there's a lot to like about you" comment

 

Fourth: The disappointment in his voice when Rory was going to go bowling

 

Fifth: The "third wheel" comment. Okay, I admit this could mean nothing, but then again, it could mean something. Aw, crap, never mind this one.

 

And ultimately: When Rory says he wanted Seth to kiss him so that he could say that he kissed someone else than Aaron, Luke kissed Rory, thus eliminating THAT reason to kiss Seth. Would he have done that if he didn't mind Rory being with Seth? Top that up with the comment "In my experience, when someone wants to kiss you, they usually kiss you", followed a while later by Luke kissing Rory.

 

I agree, but besides all of this "evidence", I just have a pretty strong feeling that it is Rory that Luke pines for. It is some kind of deep intuition that is causing me to reject all other possibilities. But regardless of who he ends up with in the end, that was a really good chapter, especially all of the Seth/Rory interaction.

[Philistine]

Ironically, I feel Their First Kiss was just the way to close the door to that possibilty. I pray I'm wrong, but from this point on, in my mind, I won't be silently rooting for Rory and end up with Luke. It was a cute way of saying -- "We're just going to be friends, and that's okay."

 

Now I just have to accept that.

 

that was actually the exact same conclusion i came to. not the appeasement, but that it was like a way of closing the possibility of a relationship. it was sweet, like something a friend would do, but it didn't feel romantic in the least. *shrug*

[Caipirinha]

If ever there was an award for not only twisting a plot but turning it into like spin art, Dom Luka you just won it.

 

Absolutely great chapter, but hot damn if I can't tell my ass from my elbow anymore about who I think will eventually end up with whom.

[BoyNeedsTherapy]

Loved it!

[Rabble_Rouser]

If ever there was an award for not only twisting a plot but turning it into like spin art, Dom Luka you just won it.

 

Absolutely great chapter, but hot damn if I can't tell my ass from my elbow anymore about who I think will eventually end up with whom.

 

Aaahhh.... Ditto! I just took a couple of extra-strength doses of "denial" because I really want the pairing to Luke & Rory and I want to ignore all the evidence that suggests this isn't going to happen.

 

Another great chapter but I still don't have any clue where this is going... the only opinion that I further cemented was that Rory will decide to stay with Eddie.

 

Dazed and Confused :wacko:

 

Steve

[TomE]

I can't help but think that there's a part of this story that we haven't heard yet -- maybe something about Luke/Aaron/Seth that happened before Rory came, and we just haven't heard the whole truth. I guess we'll just have to wait.

 

I agree with your observation.

 

There is more to the Luke -Seth story than we may know. I mean, how else would Luke know Seth is too shy to make the first move and kiss Rory, that if Rory wants a kiss from Seth Rory would have to make the first move. That certainly sounds like something someone would say who's "been there-done that". Even if Seth is generally known as being a shy person, shy people often initiate a kiss on one-on-one situations if the attraction is there.

 

I thought Luke was jealous of Rory because Seth liked Rory, and Luke liked Seth, but this chapter makes me wonder if that is the case. Yes Luke was in a really crappy mood at the beginning of the chapter, but he agrees to go to the bowling alley, he must have seen Rory's flirting with Seth and vice-versa, yet he is in a much better mood at the end of the evening.

 

Another great chapter Dom. Thanks

 

Have a good one everybody

Tom

[TomE]

And also, how obvious is it that it's Rory that Luke likes?

First: being in a crappy mood after seeing Seth and Rory flirting wildly.

 

Second: the comment about the same crappy mood: "There's some stuff I haven't really been dealing with and it sort of crept up and bit me in the ass today." The bad mood came after seeing Rory and Seth in the pool, so that's probably what's biting him in the ass.

 

Third: The "there's a lot to like about you" comment

 

Fourth: The disappointment in his voice when Rory was going to go bowling

 

Fifth: The "third wheel" comment. Okay, I admit this could mean nothing, but then again, it could mean something. Aw, crap, never mind this one.

 

And ultimately: When Rory says he wanted Seth to kiss him so that he could say that he kissed someone else than Aaron, Luke kissed Rory, thus eliminating THAT reason to kiss Seth. Would he have done that if he didn't mind Rory being with Seth? Top that up with the comment "In my experience, when someone wants to kiss you, they usually kiss you", followed a while later by Luke kissing Rory.

 

Well, waddaya say to that?

 

I think the same reasons could be used to show that Luke likes Seth:

 

First: being in a crappy mood after seeing Seth and Rory flirting wildly.

 

Second: the comment about the same crappy mood: "There's some stuff I haven't really been dealing with and it sort of crept up and bit me in the ass today." The bad mood came after seeing Rory and Seth in the pool, so that's probably what's biting him in the ass.

 

Third: The "there's a lot to like about you" comment

True, this is said to Rory, "most of the time" being added by Luke. This may not mean as much as it sounds however, futher responses to the Ultimeatly answer may cancel this reason.

 

Fourth: The disappointment in his voice when Rory was going to go bowling

Rory tells Luke that "Seth asked me to go bowling" that may be the reason for the disappointment in Luke's voice. Seth was going to be there with Rory.

 

Fifth: The "third wheel" comment. Okay, I admit this could mean nothing, but then again, it could mean something. Aw, crap, never mind this one.

 

And ultimately: When Rory says he wanted Seth to kiss him so that he could say that he kissed someone else than Aaron, Luke kissed Rory, thus eliminating THAT reason to kiss Seth. Would he have done that if he didn't mind Rory being with Seth? Top that up with the comment "In my experience, when someone wants to kiss you, they usually kiss you", followed a while later by Luke kissing Rory.

Before Rory tells Luke about wanting Seth to kiss him, he asks Luke how to tell if someone was going to Kiss you. Luke tells Rory and then goes on to state that if Rory wants Seth to kiss him, Rory would have to make the first move, because Seth was too shy to make the first move. How does Luke know this about Seth? Has Luke been in the situation where he had to make the first move on Seth sometime before? When Luke kisses Rory, it may be to remove THAT reason from Rory to kiss Seth. Luke could have done that to keep Rory from kissing the person that Luke likes, namely Seth.

 

At this point, there is no way to tell exactly who it is Luke "likes". The great and Awesome Dom, is reeling us in with all the twists and turns in this story.

 

Have a good one everybody

Tom

[Matthew]

I just don't know what to think! I'm dead set against Rory ending up alonce because I'll be so disappointed.

 

I can't see Rory getting with Seth, I think it has become clear that Rory's relationship with Seth won't be romantic, how many ways does he have to say that he's doesn't like Seth, only the feeling of someone liking him.

 

It seems more and more that Luke is restricted to the best friend category.

 

I'm so afraid!

[rknapp]

Hmm, this is certainly one helluva story. It started as something like a car doing donuts in an empty parking lot. It had no direction, was churning up thick smoke, and really wasn't going anywhere, but the thrill of seeing it in action kept the audience's interest. Now it seems as though the car has slipped into a muddy field and the driver is now going in circles, kicking the tail from side to side as he goes, and the engine is clearly red-lining. The story has gained some sort of a foothold, but now it's jumping back and forth between several possibilities, effectively running in circles, but the spectacle of watching the mud flying as the drive wheels fail to grab the earth is keeping us enthralled. Something tells me that it will still be a little while before the driver can locate the entrance to the road course and someone can jump up and yell "The race is on!".

 

 

 

The kiss Luke and Rory shared meant little. It was a dry lip smack, no passion, no romance, no nothin'. Luke and Rory's relationship will probably never elevate above best friends or brothers. That said, there is still no clear indication that Rory and Seth will go all the way. Rory is having a touch of fun with Seth, as he now carries the torch, but I can't see him being malicious enough to become a fledgling of Aaron. He said he was following Seth around like a lost puppy, even going into the bathroom with him and waiting for him. Aaron never did those things, and he really never gave a rats ass as to what Rory was doing. One of two things can happen, and there is no real evidence as of late that disproves either. One is that Rory and Seth have a long discussion about where they stand, some of it circling Aaron but never really skirting the issue that he made himself out to be. The other is that Rory decides where his feelings are taking him and makes the first move.

 

But again, the driver of the car is still circling the muddy field and has yet to let up on the accelerator so his drive wheels can hold hands with the earth give him some control.

 

Luke and Grandma Alice.......

 

Nick, quit giving me visions of eviscerating a fourteen-year-old.

[lennyO]

What about the last line in the Chapter....."I decided that Luke was mine"...

I would read that as...This man is for me...

May be wrong...but!!!!!!!

[NickolasJames8]

I thought he meant that Luke was his best freind

[Wynter]

Finally -- I'm sorry to say it, but I sort of feel like the Kiss at the end was Dom's way of saying, "This is what you've been waiting for, everyone. But, this is all you're going to get in the Rory/Luke department. Rory's going to end up with Seth. Sorry!"

 

Highly Possible. That ending has me worried because it seemed somehow final. But I'm not ready to give up hope yet. Surely not even Rory can be so blind that Lukes obviously jealous behaviour has no meaning.

 

I think the problem is that Rory doesnt have enough self confidence. The idea that someone as hot as Luke might be attracted to him hasnt occured to him.

[Jay]

There is more to the Luke -Seth story than we may know. I mean, how else would Luke know Seth is too shy to make the first move and kiss Rory...

I also think that there is more to Seth than we know. As far as Luke knowing about Seth being shy, that's easy.

 

From chapter 20

"So you’re really not... interested in him? I mean..."

 

"Nah," Luke shook his head. "He’s not really my type, and definitely way too shy."

 

Seth, shy? Now that, I couldn’t believe.

[shadows]

Hmmmm. It's going to be Seth/Rory. I think that Rory is acting the way that he is becuase he's never been in a real relationship. He has no idea how to act, and part of him scared, part of him wants it really badly but he just doesn't have the experience on how to handle it. This is his way of distancing himself.

 

I saw Luke's kiss as a friendship sort of thing. I mean, who hasn't been kissed by a straight guy? Okay, maybe that was just me... Luke when he's not busy worrying about whatever it is (hey, maybe he's pining after Grandma Alice? You never know) seems concerned for Rory's happiness. They have a brother/friend relationship more than anything. (This theory was concocted before I read others posts, but we've all kind of arranged at the same conclusion).

 

Here's a thought, what happens if we just took the store at face value? I mean, what if everyone is telling the truth? Hmm.

 

Oh, and this is like an addiction. I mean how many people would start paying if the rest of DD was only available for a price. I wouldn't go so far as to steal Credit Cards, but... I do find myself behaving like an addict. I get up to do other activities when I'm reading DD just to let the "rush" last longer. This is rather sick.

 

//shadows

 

P.S. Dom, don't you dare get any ideas! Taking advantage of people with weak wills isn't nice. And please, no more than 20 bucks an episode.

[Guest raz]

Aww So far, nothing led me to believe that Rory wasn't who Luke secretly liked, until this chapter. At first, it seemed like Luke was jealous that Rory was with Seth. But as soon as he started to talk about Dave, that disrupted that thought. It had me thinking that Luke's reaction was one of envy, like he may have wanted that himself, but with Dave. He seemed to rant a lot about Dave only talking about Angela, and that can be pretty frustrating when the person you like can only talk about someone else. But then again, it could just be an attempt to distract us from how obvious it was before that Luke wants Rory. At least, that's what I'm hoping =(

 

I think that Rory really does like Luke though. The fact that he told him that he likes the idea of someone liking him is kinda reassuring. But then he went ahead and messed it up by saying:

 

"I just don

[LittleBuddhaTW]

Rory may very well like Seth more than just "liking being liked" ... however, *if* Luke does like Rory, that could certainly stir things up a bit ... who would he choose if it came to that? This is definitely interesting ... most online gay fiction doesn't deal with this kind of problem ... having to make a serious choice between two potential partners, both of whom give Rory something that he craves, although in different ways, and both with very different personalities.

 

As for the big question of whether Rory is the object of Luke's affections, while the whole "Dave rant" was certainly intruiging (and I can't dismiss that possibility), the overwhelming amount of textual evidence STILL points to Luke liking Rory. I think this is a reasonably objective and convincing inference (although it could just as well be the author playing games with the reader). Regardless, though, someone is going to get hurt/heartbroken, unless Dave really is the one Luke likes and Dave miraculously realizes he's gay (and if that happens, IMO, it would definitely pull too far away from the trend of realism in Dom's stories and would definitely turn me off as a reader/critic).

 

As for the implications of "the kiss," I agree that it lacked much passion, but at the same time, if Luke doesn't really think Rory is interested in him, or isn't sure, then kissing him with too much emotion or passion could lead to either him being rejected or Rory freaking out because he wasn't expecting that (not that he was expecting the kiss at all, but a "little kiss" is easier to process in one's head). I see it as possibly something like Luke "testing the waters." What I was surprised about more than the kiss was Rory's lack of over-analysis. It "surprised" him, but that was it. His reaction (or lack thereof) is what has me thinking ...

 

On a more personal note, I like that Rory spiked up his hair in this chapter, I bet it looks cute! hehe

[rknapp]

hey, maybe he's pining after Grandma Alice? You never know

 

Don't think I can't take on someone two years my junior.

[shadows]

Is that a challenge? If so, I'm only one year your junior at most. I'm 18 as of nine days. And I suggest you find a better metric for a challenge than age...

 

//shadows

[NickolasJames8]

.

 

Okay, maybe that was just me... Luke when he's not busy worrying about whatever it is (hey, maybe he's pining after Grandma Alice? You never know) .

 

 

 

.

I agree

[Danny]

Wow...another great chapter.

 

How do you do it Dom? I am such a Domaholic...its not funny...

 

 

I am still bidding for Rory and Luke...they seem so at ease together...they would definetely be a great pair anyway...but Rory could also end up alone. That also seems like a big possibility...but just like the rest of you, I am confused!

 

 

 

Dom...do u have any idea to when 26 is coming outttt? You got me hooked mr. domluka!

[tarantio]

It is very obvious that Luke likes Rory and from the earlier chapters, it is also apparent that rory does have a strong attraction and lust towards Luke. But, in the midst of the chap, it was stated that rory thought luke wasn't interested in him at all, at least not in that kind of way. That's why i think rory has developed a mindset that nothing further could possibly happen between them, thus decided that luke can only be his best friend.

i'm quite sure that everything will change once luke expresses his feelings to rory.

[Tim1001]

YES!! i agree with ya Tarantio, 100%

[NickolasJames8]

The answer is hidden in the end of the chapter where Eddie comes to the door and gets grumpy with Rory......thats the key to everything.