Red Running Shoes by Aditus

[PBax]

I caught up to this story yesterday. My eyes made tears at one point.

 

Any story that can make me care enough about something to make me cry....

 

However, having read somewhere that the epilogue will be posted on Valentine's Day. I hope it's not a box of chocolates.

 

Whatever the case, you have a new reader.

[Timothy M.]

Whatever the case, you have a new reader.

 

welcome to the madness of the RRS forum.

and your post was reply number 500  

Edited February 2, 2015 by Timothy M.

[Timothy M.]

so I guess dughlas was right. Sigh.

[Irritable1]

I don't think any other outcome was really possible, with any kind of integrity. 

 

 

And I wasn't rooting for Sandro, but I am proud of him for standing up for himself.

[dughlas]

so I guess dughlas was right. Sigh.

And it makes my heart ache ...

[Irritable1]

So here is a question. What about Michael moving in? That's a bit... hinky. Makes me think he's about to get a tattoo.

 

Edit: Folks? Jonah and... MICHAEL???

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1

[Coastguard]

No no no no no! I DONT like it! Jonah HAS to be with Ren. Ren has the tattoo of a dove. It is meant to be. Jonah has to grow up...now!

[Headstall]

I feel quite sad.

[Aditus]

So here is a question. What about Michael moving in? That's a bit... hinky. Makes me think he's about to get a tattoo.

 

Edit: Folks? Jonah and... MICHAEL???

No Jonah and Michael. Never. Just best friends.

[LitLover]

I'm not satisfied by the result either, but I can live with it. I have a feeling there may be a "reunion" of sorts in the epilogue, but I have no idea with whom. I know who I've rooted for but I'm not even going to try to guess who it will be with or if a reunion would even mean the "romantic" HEA that we might expect. We shall see where Adi takes this next week.

[Aditus]

Sooo, if you could make a wish (not that you can), what/who would you want with whom or not? Did this make sense?

[Irritable1]

Sooo, if you could make a wish (not that you can), 

 

 

 

 

what/who would you want with whom or not? 

 

Jonah with anyone he really has to work for. Someone who doesn't fall for his looks but is dubious and has to be convinced to give him a try.

 

 

 

 No Jonah and Michael. Never. Just best friends. 

 

Huh. Reading back over the chapters in which Michael was introduced, I could have sworn... well, you know best. I couldn't find any evidence of attraction. I'll wait and see what happens. I want Michael and Ren to be happy, regardless. I don't care so much about Sandro. I feel like I could never see him clearly.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1

[LitLover]

 

I want Michael and Ren to be happy, regardless. I don't care so much about Sandro. I feel like I could never see him clearly.

I agree.

[Headstall]

I would want Jonah show real maturity, in understanding what happened between he and Ren and recognize that his issues can cause great hurt. Ren loved and trusted him. Jonah didn't return that trust. Jonah's issues destroyed them more than anything else did. I would want to see him repair that damage and ask Ren to try again, this time, the right way, which would mean they both learn to communicate about all things...you asked Adi...

[LitLover]

I didn't plan on commenting much about the last chapter but as I think about it the more it makes me sad that Ren is still pining for Jonah. Jonah moved on and fell in love with someone else while Ren spent all that time beating himself up for hurting Jonah with his words. That is not said to criticize, it's a fact in this story. Even now, based on their last conversation, Ren is still tearing himself up over what happened. He seems to have taken most of the fault onto himself. Yes, he said something hurtful in frustration, but I cant think of one person I know who hasn't said something hurtful to someone they loved or cared about and didn't want to take it back. Most of us at least would get a chance to apologize before the person we hurt decided to walk out of our lives. I hope that now that Ren has been given the chance to apologize that his healing can begin. Even if Ren and Jonah get back together it will always be (in my eyes) that Jonah didn't value his love for Ren enough to either trust him a little or mourn his loss for more than a few weeks before allowing another into his heart. He feels entitled to have moved on so quickly and that is his right (and Adi's right as author, of course). Ren, for all his faults, and after the cloud of hurt and frustration cleared, stayed true to his love for Jonah. There should be someone out there for him who can value that kind of loyalty because I want him to be happy. I don't know where the epilogue will take us but I am sure Jonah will land on his feet and be just fine.

Edited February 7, 2015 by LitLover

[Valkyrie]

Sooo, if you could make a wish (not that you can), what/who would you want with whom or not? Did this make sense?

I would wish that Ren and Jonah got back together and were able to move past their mistakes.  If not, I'd like to see them both get their HEAs.  I'd like to see Michael get his HEA, too. 

[Irritable1]

I have to agree with both Lit and Gary. Having said that... Ren fell in love with someone in a photo, searched for that person, spotted his weakness (Eric) and decided to correct it by rubbing Jonah's nose in a relationship between Eric and Chris. He got the tattoo on his neck before they'd even had a friendly conversation.

 

If you're going to take the entire burden for a relationship like that then it makes sense that you'd bear the guilt (rightly or wrongly) when it doesn't work out.

 

Trust me, it hurts me to say this because I adore that crazy Ren 

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1

[LitLover]

I have to agree with both Lit and Gary. Having said that... Ren fell in love with someone in a photo, searched for that person, spotted his weakness (Eric) and decided to correct it by rubbing Jonah's nose in a relationship between Eric and Chris. He got the tattoo on his neck before they'd even had a friendly conversation.

 

If you're going to take the entire burden for a relationship like that then it makes sense that you'd bear the guilt (rightly or wrongly) when it doesn't work out.

 

Trust me, it hurts me to say this because I adore that crazy Ren 

This is true, I just want him to stop with the "self-flagellation" now. It's gone on long enough.

Edited February 7, 2015 by LitLover

[dughlas]

Okay because we're wishing ... I would like Micheal to meet Chet from Gary's COTT, they are both decent guys who deserve someone who will appreciate them.

Ren needs time to stop pining after Jonah before he should consider anyone. He also needs to avoid the intense infatuation ... before he even really knew Jonah he had himself inked, certain of a HEA that to this point hasn't come to pass. A bit school boy crush ...

Sandro will eventually, without the help of friends, meet a guy sans baggage who will love him and in return be loved by him ...

Jonah for now needs to content with the love of a faithful canine and his friends. Until he better understands who he is, what he wants and in return is capable of giving needs to wait before seeking another relationship. Perhaps a few more nights on the tower ...

Apologies if any of this seems harsh but this story evoked poignant memories and strong emotions ...

Edited February 7, 2015 by dughlas

[LitLover]

Jonah for now needs to content with the love of a faithful canine and his friends. Until he better understands who is, what he wants and in return is capable of giving he needs to wait before seeking another relationship. Perhaps a few more nights on the tower ...

 

I completely agree.  

 

 

Apologies if any of this seems harsh but this story evoked poignant memories and strong emotions ...

 

I didn't find any of what you said harsh at all.  

Edited February 7, 2015 by LitLover

[Irritable1]

 

This is true, I just want him to stop with the "self-flagellation" now. It's gone on long enough.

 

Agreed. The problem is that guys [people, really] like Ren... Well, they tend to stop with one round of self-flagellation when they go on to the next tattoo, right?

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1

[LitLover]

Agreed. The problem is that guys [people, really] like Ren... Well, they tend to stop with one round of self-flagellation when they go on to the next tattoo, right?

 

I would actually prefer that Ren heal and move on from the tattoos and making someone else the centre of his universe, but he does love rather intensely doesn't he?

[Irritable1]

Well, like Dugh said, it was like an infatuation. He even said at one point, something like that, "If you can't trust me it won't be your fault, I'll just try harder." And that all went out the window in the cafe, when he had to deal with the reality. So I'm thinking Jonah would eventually have "let him down" in some way.

 

Edit: So yeah, it'd be better if he learned to moderate a bit.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1

[Aditus]

What do you mean with 'let him down in some way'?

[Irritable1]

What do you mean with 'let him down in some way'?

 

Maybe I'm seeing through the lens of history with people I've known like Ren. Jonah would've done something sooner or later that didn't match Ren's ideal of The Perfect Love. So he himself would've lashed out sooner or later. Edit: and then felt terribly guilty and all the rest of it. Infatuation doesn't allow for mistakes.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Irritable1