Red Running Shoes by Aditus

[Aditus]

I just ask so I know I understood this correctly: Did you ask if I have an Italian addiction and a food addiction or if I am Italian and having a food addiction? About the food: I love cooking and trying out new recipes and the Nutellasagna looks awesome, but I wouldn't eat it: too fat and too sweet. I'm not much of a sweet tooth actually, more the all kinds of fresh baked bread and hot&spicy vegetarian food type.

[Carlos Hazday]

Nah, details are irrelevant. If I recall, you stated two of your loves are Italy and food so...

 

Yeah, definitely very sweet but it's the type of dessert, like Cuban flan, where you have two spoonfuls and it satisfies the need for sugar for the rest of the day! I may try to make it to take to a party as my contribution. Problem is I'll have to do a first one to make sure it works and that means I have to be ready to parcel it out to the neighbors. And I love Nutella!

 

An ex once said that people either have a sweet tooth or a savory one. He liked sweets, I prefer the savory type of edibles. But I like dessert. Sometimes it's just a piece of fruit or a piece of dark chocolate. When the sweetness begins to ooze over the savory infused taste buds I'm a happy pup. That's the perfect balance point where everything is right with the world.

[Aditus]

That I understand: a piece of fruit or dark chocolate, maybe a cookie or cheese for dessert is enough.

[Aditus]

There will be a chapter tomorrow.

[Cole Matthews]

My stomach is tied in knots. *chewing nails* I love this story! *biting tongue*

[Headstall]

There will be a chapter tomorrow.

I am normally a patient man but.....What Cole said...

[Irritable1]

One heartbreak ends, another begins...   Finally we find out why his eyes are sad and his ass is in Sicily!!! I can't wait!!

[Aditus]

I got up early. Now I'll fix myself a tea, grab a Christmas cookie and wait.

[Irritable1]

*GASP*

 

You have accomplished that most miraculous feat, Addy: I'm speechless    

[Aditus]

*GASP*

 

You have accomplished that most miraculous feat, Addy: I'm speechless    

HA!

[Irritable1]

From your response to my review:

 

 

 

I thought I knew what you would say and then you're saying something completely different! 

 

Well, what did you think I would say? I am Team Man with the Dove Tattoo (incidentally, did anyone check the neck of the man in the restaurant?) But look, Ren may be pure as the driven snow and all, but if he's cuddling Eric in public, for whatever innocent reason, he's too stupid to live. Kill him off and set Jonah up with Aurel instead. I give you my reluctant blessing.

 

Yay for Chris and Michael, by the way! 

[Headstall]

From your response to my review:

 

 

Well, what did you think I would say? I am Team Man with the Dove Tattoo (incidentally, did anyone check the neck of the man in the restaurant?) But look, Ren may be pure as the driven snow and all, but if he's cuddling Eric in public, for whatever innocent reason, he's too stupid to live. Kill him off and set Jonah up with Aurel instead. I give you my reluctant blessing.

 

Yay for Chris and Michael, by the way! 

I don't buy any of it! Irri, please read my review...

[Irritable1]

But Gary, it's not just Chris, which would make a little bit of sense maybe---Michael's involved too, and Michael was instrumental in getting Jonah and Ren together. 

 

And anyway, Ren is a big strong man. Why should he he let Eric cling to him and hold his hand and play with his ring? Or play with Eric's hair? Why should he keep a friendship going with Eric after all that manipulation and messiness? It's just terribly bad judgement.

 

I admit that this seems to be a remarkably cuddly batch of friends (last time I got a lavender oil massage from a friend I was in labor), but still, the Eric story is really well known by all of Jonah's circle. It's just such a deeply dumb thing for Ren to do.

 

i wondered if maybe Addy's got them putting on an act, like for the press or a private investigator hired by Ren's dad or rehearsing a marriage proposal? But to do any of that without warning Jonah... no 

 

But it was a pretty awesomely dramatic end to an awesomely dramatic chapter, so I've no complaints....

[Headstall]

Eric is a master manipulator and Chris went where no friend should...and could possibly hate Jonah because Eric left Chris because he still loved Jonah. Why is  Chris keeping Ren away and or Jonah away from Ren?  Why is he encouraging Jonah to run again? As a friend , why isn't he saying stand your ground? Isn't it suspicious that Chris asked Jonah to come home a few days early to "rein Aurel in". Why couldn't Chris do that? Why did Eric bring Ren to the same restaurant and be so demonstrative?Isn't it suspicious that Chris and Michael just got together a few days ago( maybe as a cover for Chris who is maybe back with Eric)? But the biggest thing of all is why would Ren do this at all...he gave Jonah a ring, got a tattoo and asked him to move in and he apparently told Chris it was because he could...what is he..Lord Voldemort? Because that is just too evil for any sane person. Michael would have no reason not to believe what Chris is telling him. I know I am out on a limb and it is farfetched,and Adi is probably laughing at me...but I guess I just don't want to believe that someone can be this cruel. If it's true then I hope Jonah stays in Sicily with the hatmaker.....I need a drink...

[Irritable1]

 

 

..he gave Jonah a ring, got a tattoo and asked him to move in and he apparently told Chris it was because he could...what is he..Lord Voldemort? Because that is just too evil for any sane person. 

 

Well, see, I think THAT part is explainable by an innocent Ren being hurt and angry and deciding to act as evil as everyone apparently thinks he is, out of sheer bloody-mindedness. The rest of it, I don't know. You do have a point about having to rein Aurel in... I thought it was Anne-Catherine who had to be reined in!

 

I think touching people's hair is a very intimate gesture, and I don't understand how Ren could do something like that to Eric. 

 

Guess we'll tune in next week for another dose of anguish and outrage   I, for one, cannot wait! Keep it coming, Addy!

 

Edit: So apparently I did have a lot to say. I just needed to take a really deep breath...

Edited December 6, 2014 by Irritable1

[Aditus]

Guess we'll tune in next week for another dose of anguish and outrage   I, for one, cannot wait! Keep it coming, Addy!

 

Edit: So apparently I did have a lot to say. I just needed to take a really deep breath...

I can't say how much I love this thread and your comments/reviews. You all not only read RRS, but  think about the story, engage yourself with it. This is so great! Thank you!

[Timothy M.]

I like Gary's idea about Eric and Chris setting Ren and Jonah up in order to split them apart, even if I find it difficult to believe that Chris can be so evil (no difficulty in believing this about Eric). I could even go with the idea of this being Ren's way of throwing his dad off the hunt.

 

BUT no matter how innocent Ren is of cheating on Jonah, there are no excuses for what he did: letting Eric hold his arm and hands, letting him touch Ren's cheek intimately, playing with the ring, Ren touching his hair in a caring manner (similar to what he did to Jonah).

 

If this is an act, he should have told Jonah about it beforehand. If Eric does it 'on his own' Ren should repudiate him instead of playing along.

 

I hope the hat maker can make Jonah happy, eventually. But I doubt he'll be willing to wait for Jonah's broken heart to heal.

 

Ren can go jump off a cliff, preferably together with everyone else who have betrayed Jonah.

[Irritable1]

Uh-oh! Edit: Leather pants and a dark sneer will not save you from the Viking wrath, Ren!

 

Edited December 6, 2014 by Irritable1

[Headstall]

Out of likes!!!!!

 

I think we have to remember that Eric is a master manipulator who may well have been able over time to manipulate Ren...as in cry on his shoulder and invent some drama...pretend that he was hurt over something that would then allow Ren to feel sorry for him and thus let him be touchy feely. Ren may have just been comforting Eric...I think Eric could have worked really hard to keep a friendship with Ren by making him feel guilty about having Jonah while Eric loved him. Which would make Ren an idiot and not a cheater. The alternative is to believe that Ren is heartless and evil which means that when he blindfolded Jonah that night...Eric could have been present...and I refuse to believe that that could be a possibility....although having the hatmaker on standby may be prudent

[Timothy M.]

Why is Chris keeping Ren away and or Jonah away from Ren?  Why is he encouraging Jonah to run again? As a friend , why isn't he saying stand your ground?

 

Actually, Chris isn't pushing for Jonah to run away, he says:

 

"You could always stay and confront him, you know. Yell at him, beat him, or send him to hell with this cold attitude of yours you sometimes have."

 

and it's Jonah who says he'll go to Sicily - Chris said he could stay with him, although he did warn him Ren would come back.

 

"So Jonah, what're you gonna do?" Michael asked.

"I'll visit Rick and Matteo in Sicily."

"Your cousin Rick? The one who has that restaurant…” Chris frowned. “I forgot the name."

Edited December 6, 2014 by Timothy M.

[Timothy M.]

Uh-oh! Edit: Leather pants and a dark sneer will not save you from the Viking wrath, Ren!

 

  oh right, LOL  

 

*start sharpening my axe and growing a beard*

[Timothy M.]

Which would make Ren an idiot and not a cheater.

The alternative is to believe that Ren is heartless and evil which means that when he blindfolded Jonah that night...Eric could have been present...and I refuse to believe that that could be a possibility....although having the hatmaker on standby may be prudent

 

as I said, no excuse ! Idiot, sucker, cheater, a cad, evil fucker, it doesn't matter, he deserves the most horrible punishment we can devise.

 

but I have the feeling Aditus will let him grovel and cajole his way back into Jonah's heart and life.

 

I'm going to go and spend some time with Eric and Nelson, at least they are happy, and I have Carlos shouting for more Rob over at my forum.

[Irritable1]

  oh right, LOL  

 

*start sharpening my axe and growing a beard*

 

Those guys are ALL beard. You'd have to be a genetic miracle...

[LitLover]

No matter what happens now Jonah is never going to be the same. He had a hard time trusting in the first place and now he will either have a boyfriend who played him for a fool or a best friend who lied and betrayed him...again. I agree that it is incredibly intimate for Ren to allow Eric to play with his ring to touch Eric's hair the way he did. Even if he is innocent of actually cheating he has a lot to be answerable for. A week is way to long to allow us to over think this...just saying.

[Headstall]

Actually, Chris isn't pushing for Jonah to run away, he says:

 

"You could always stay and confront him, you know. Yell at him, beat him, or send him to hell with this cold attitude of yours you sometimes have."

 

and it's Jonah who says he'll go to Sicily - Chris said he could stay with him, although he did warn him Ren would come back.

 

"So Jonah, what're you gonna do?" Michael asked.

"I'll visit Rick and Matteo in Sicily."

"Your cousin Rick? The one who has that restaurant…” Chris frowned. “I forgot the name."

Chris could be playing his role really well...remember that he INSISTED that they leave the restaurant by the back door...he didn't want Ren to be able to see and talk to Jonah....I know I am clutching at straws but my gut says he is up to no good...as is Eric....When my best  friend was upset a couple of years ago he held onto me for dear life and I hugged him and stroked his hair and tried my best to let him know everything would be ok...It was weeks before he calmed down and I was there for him the whole time...just as a friend...