Dodger

This is a great comment. Well done @SilentandBroken. Your analysis is pretty much spot on.

Robbie's close brush with death and his hospital stay was a sobering experience for him. He learned how fragile life can be and that there are people a lot worse off than him. You're right about him needing to be humbled. As for maturing, he's very much a work in progress.

Reading this chapter again made me feel very emotional. I hope Robbie doesn't die yet; we're only a third of the way through the story.

Not so much for Robbie.

There are many things that can go wrong, but Robbie is too wrapped up in Nathan to think things through and take better precautions.

Thank you, Michael, for another wonderful comment. I'm pleased you're still enjoying the story, especially after a period when the updates have been few and far between. I can assure you no one's going to come knocking on Rory's door during or after their meal, but unfortunately, I can't promise it will be romantic.

I think Robbie has learned a lot about Nathan recently and maybe he'll understand that he doesn't need him to be happy.

Now that he's moving upward, Nathan doesn't seem to worry too much about Robbie's feelings. He has a short memory.

Rory was Robbie's first friend in Canada, and they have always worked well together. Whether this develops into something more or not depends entirely on Rory because I think, as we all know by now, Robbie wouldn't hesitate to jump into his arms should the opportunity ever arise. We don't know what's going on in Rory's mind at the moment, but he's given us enough clues to believe he's at least bi-sexual.

Well, I guess if Robbie ever hooked up with Rory, he would be the first to know about it, and the way things are going, I doubt if Robbie would be able to resist.

Thanks, Gary. This year has been hectic, but Robbie won't allow me to forget about him.

I wasn’t sure how Rory would react to my boyfriend’s request to join our soccer sleepover, but I couldn’t imagine him being very happy about it. He was already deeply suspicious of Nathan, who he described as an attention seeker and control freak. While my boyfriend was convinced Rory was gay and viewed him as an existential threat to our relationship. Other than a shared interest in me, the two boys had little in common, and in many ways, they were complete opposites. Nathan was the devil—

Like everyone else, I'm shocked and saddened by this terrible news. I was deeply affected by Carlos Hazday's death, and I fear this will be even worse. Comicality was one of the reasons I joined GA, and I am an unashamed fan of his work. If he wrote a shopping list, I would read it, and he knew it, yet I still feel cheated because, like Carlos, there was so much more to come. I learned a lot from him, but sadly, not enough, and I will miss his insightful weekly articles and in-depth analysis almost as much as his stories and characters. Through his work and constant sharing of ideas and tips, Comicality has given many people, including me, so much pleasure over the years, but he was also an integral part of the site. I offer my sincere condolences to @Myr and to all those who knew him well. Indebted forever. Rest in peace, my friend.

Robbie's obsessed with Nathan, but you may be right.

A pregnant girlfriend would be the last thing he needs, but I'm pretty sure Fran is on the pill.

I think he knows it, too.

Pringle is his nemesis.

I have received a lot of comments from readers who relate to Robbie in this way. He seems to strike a chord with many gay men who have been in similar situations, including me.

Nathan's smart, if a little selfish. I think you're right about them being great friends.

You hit the nail on the head.

Alex is trouble for sure, and Robbie knows it but he always learns the hard way.

Yeah, they discovered the pitfalls of alcohol but were fortunate to get away with it.

Thank you for your comment. You make some good points. There are many issues addressed in this story that are close to people's hearts, and I've had numerous messages and comments over the years. Some tell me I'm doing a good job, and others are not so kind, but I always treat issues like suicide seriously and as honestly as I can. Thanks again for reading. I try to reply to every comment, but it's not always possible.

I wasn't sure about the switching at the time, and it bugs me now, but I think this is the last one based in England. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Thank you, @SilentandBroken, for reading the story and commenting. I had to re-read the chapter to understand what you meant. It was a long time ago, and a lot has happened in the story since. Robbie is definitely cheeky and not entirely trustworthy. He's not averse to lying and he plays on people's sympathy to get an advantage, but he's not malicious.