Lux Apollo

He did have a good week, didn't he? Just remember, sometimes it's two steps forward, one step back.

So glad Erik is being pushed out. Of course, there's that part of me that wants to know what happens to him... he doesn't seem like the type that really cares about consequences once he wants something. So now Twoey and David's relationship - in whatever form it will develop into now - is beginning again. How long will it take Twoey to fully realize what's happening between David and Donny? It's interesting how David completely effaces who Donny is by purposefully leaving him nameless, as if it doesn't matter. For the moment, David doesn't want Twoey to know... why? I guess maybe he's hedging his bets in some ways. If Twoey doesn't know the nature of David and Donny's relationship, then he can't be hurt that David wouldn't have that with him before - though, if that was part of David's (sub)conscious goal, he did a shit job at it considering he revealed that Donny's been helping him with his therapy. What's more likely, though, is it is yet another compartmentalization that David is doing. He wants Twoey and Donny in separate boxes, consciously or not, so that he can reap the benefits of both until he can decide what he truly wants. Without David's perspective we have questions left over that we won't have answers to until next chapter or later. We really, really want to know how learning the depth of Erik's abuse has affected David. He falls back into his physical pattern with Twoey so quickly... One thing that is STILL pissing me off about Twoey is how deeply he's convinced (or wants to be convinced) of David's heterosexuality, because it hurts less for it to be so considering the pain he went through when David 'broke up with him' at the beginning of David's war on that woman and the pig-fucker. Twoey's immediate jump into Erik's arms at the end of David's hospital stay, rather than fighting for him like his dream/subconscious/whatever told him to do was something that was both jarring and frustrating before. David had basically told him he needed to be away for a while until he sorted out the woman/pastor shit, and therapy was too much to handle while it was all going on... If Twoey would just have read between the lines enough, he would see the wavering uncertainty. David walking away from therapy was just another excuse to box up things that made him uncomfortable. Anyway... after David had invested so much time helping Twoey recover, Twoey couldn't bother to do the same for David because he couldn't handle the emotions. It showed Twoey's weakness. We see it again here in this chapter where all he can do is think that he will be alone now and living without love if he doesn't still have Erik. Twoey again shows how difficult he finds it to deal with his emotions. He doesn't compartmentalize like David does but he definitely runs away towards what he thinks is the easiest and least painful path when he can, even if it means he has to turn the blinders on to make it work. He's so desperate for love... Sigh. Teenagers. I guess people are splitting into Team Twoey and Team Donny now, I'm sure. Are David and Donny better for one another? Are David and Twoey just star-crossed lovers? Shall they truly only have 18 Weeks? One might argue that the time of Alex and Erik could hardly be counted as weeks David spent with Twoey, though. A bittersweet chapter, especially the ending, but some good movement giving the reader an idea of what shape the remaining timeline could take. We have yet another physical date of importance. December 27. We have Christmas before that, and we have the final deadline at New Years following that. Time for some deep breaths.

September 1, 2021 First week’s done. I am starting to wonder if I will ever have time to write a new book while I’m working here. So much planning work, so much marking. I’m tired as hell, and I don’t even have the energy to write something here most of the time, let alone fiction or some good non-fiction/opinion journalism that actually matters. Fuck. I need to do something this weekend. I’m actually sitting on a bench out by the lake working on my laptop as I type thi

Be still, my beating heart! This development with Lady Idabel was definitely an interesting turn. I hope we do get to see Ash and Kye together shopping around town, maybe with a brotherly escort, though I'd also wonder whether this could lead to a father-son confrontation... Interesting that 'Barry' is still raving about finding Kye. He knows Kye could be one of the lynchpins in for a conviction of treason, and of course there is the jealous rage that one of his things has been taken from him. Hopefully Kye and Tareth's sperm donor excuse for a father won't do something horrible acting for Barrett. Enjoy your time away!

The others have said everything I would have so let's leave it at that.

I like the feeling of warm, soft progress in this chapter. Insight, yes, but also progress. The slow-burning, glowing ember of Toph and Gary's love is a beautiful thing. We see so many things beginning to stitch together now - although, I feel that quilt analogies aren't quite right here. Or maybe they are? A warm blanket, constructed from the patchwork of our lives, all different pieces of fabric, different meanings, but one final whole... Cheers!

Love it! Really outside-the-box interpretation of the prompt. It's great as but part of me would love to see a full length expansion.

Hey, I just got caught up on your story - I initially was a reader back when the first few chapters were published, but things got lost in the shuffle. Really enjoying the story. Lots of good tension setups for the twists - though some were a touch obvious. Keep up the good work!

Little mysteries enticing us along...

:Do Great chapter! Jason again shows Cory he's not the same sex driven guy who cheated on Pierre all those years ago. That was monumental self control. I guess Cory and Jason won't be spending their Christmas together. Will Jason head home to visit his parents instead? I wonder what could happen with the two of them apart... Zach and Cory's father... Hmmm....

I'm with Puppilull, is there dissent in the ranks? There had to be a reason for the doctor coming to the streak's territory with Kraig. And then there are the mystery people Park is tracking... I like that the boys are not scientific experts and don't claim in any way to have that depth of understanding. It puts them in a difficult position, for sure. Sounds like the uncle may be more trouble than they need right now, but information is too valuable to risk missing out on it. Especially when their seem to be dark forces lurking out there with malicious intent towards Duke, Kraig and their streak.

Salvatici's, eh? That is *definitely* going to be delectable. Poor Clint. Honesty can hurt, but at least he is being true to himself. It's good to see Clint having positive interaction with his family. It's looking like he's going to need them in his corner soon. I wonder when Angie is going to figure out or being told that her twin is gay? Her mystery man too... Hopefully this isn't turning into the mess I am envisioning. You've thrown me off before. Loving it, Cynus! Keep it up.

As creepy as Thomas was, this chapter has added so much depth to the direction things are now heading. Thomas is checking out Jason and I guess the big question now becomes what Viktor is checking out Thomas. I can't help but feel trepidation about what this will reveal about Thomas and what he will do with any information he finds about Jason. I have started catastrophizing about what could play out, though you have said in one of your responses to this or the last chapter not to worry too much about Thomas... not worry about him in this chapter, or on the whole? I guess the next question becomes what are Shane's thoughts and feelings right now? Hurricane Denise is still lurking on the horizon, maybe gaining some steam from the Gulf of Momsico. With Brad now out of the picture, Jason's support network is crumbling... who does he have left, beyond his father? Paul and Viktor are both problematic for obvious reasons, and Shane isn't going to be ready or capable of that for some time... Jason's going it almost alone. I guess that shouldn't be too much of a change from his usual, though.

Great chapter! I'd say more but it'seems all been covered by the others.

Oh the sweetness...

Mike is definitely not helping himself keep his relationship with David on the rails. I think we are all hoping that David's return to work will give him less time to fret and stew, deflating some of David's anxiety. David is angry and feels neglected, but I don't think he'should at the point where he'd even consider the possibility of Mike cheating on him. Not seriously, anyway. Laleh is just a general HR worker. She helps with hiring processes and some other things, but does not have any work overlap with David and definitely no authority over him. Actually, now that David is managing his department, if he needs to hire/fire/etc Laleh would be helping *him* with the process as an assistant.

It is a hard ultimatum, for sure, and they both have some tough things to consider. I am worried about the two of them - the next day there is that not-so-surprise party, and Mike may need to work on Sunday... and then we are into the new work week, and David's return to work along with that. Hmm...

There was definitely some give and take to be had in terms of David being so hard on Mike given that he's planned this party - likely giving up needed work time in order to make it happen. David is really struggling to see Mike'speed perspective. Well, mostly it seems he isn't seeing it at all. I think you may be on to something with that connection between David's anger and what happened with Rain at Volo. We are seeing the end result of a long progression of miscommunication and challenging life events taking their toll on this relationship. Will they break, or will they find a way to make things stronger?

Right now there are just so many factors at play in their life it seems like every tough turn is becoming a minor (or perhaps major...) crisis. It will be interesting to see how the two of them handle the aftermath of that fight when they have a party to put on the next day.

Great chapter, skinny. Of course you had to dodge the David/Donny bullet with Twoey et al. As much as we may have liked to see David's reaction to all of that, it would have been horrible and devastating for both he and Twoey. David's report tomorrow will be enlightening I am sure, and now we have a pissed off, violent Erik to contend with. I am curious whether or not David is going to be updated on the Twoey situation by Gary or Mike in the near-term. Hmm.

Hmm... I'm envisioning some plot threads I didn't see before, now. Keller asks some very interesting questions and a lot perhaps not what he 'should' be asking God but definitely what he feels he needs to ask.

David is definitely caught up in his head. He had another bad night tonight - it seems clear he becomes pretty reactive and a touch irrational when he's been drinking.

I think there have been a number of things that have happened that are contributing to the current strain, and on David and his resilience in particular. Some of those things David has talked about - his Dad, Brady moving away, losing his job... Mike has his own stressors as well, work being the most obvious.

Thanks!

Since the story is told from David's perspective we just have the information he tells the reader to go on... Sometimes he glosses over some things that he thinks about later