FanLit

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I honestly don’t know what emoticon to leave at the end of the chapter. I am frustrated with both Coy and Boone, yet I understand each one’s actions. Boone more than likely needed to release all his pent up emotions and said pent up emotions may have been the driving factor in his decision to go left while Coy goes right; Now that those emotions have seen light, his love for Coy (both platonic and romantic) have him wavering on going it alone-he knows for all their best intentions, they may never see each other again and I don’t really know if he can live with that. Coy’s wounded stubbornness has him giving Boone the bum’s rush (here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? Lol). He doesn’t want to be parted from Boone but Boone’s confession makes Coy feel like a millstone around his neck (I am idiom and saying rich today!! 😆) and he more than likely wants to just get this over with. I really won’t believe Boone goes until he’s gone. I love the verses you choose at the start of each chapter. ✝️ 🔦 “My stomach was touching my backbone afore I ate.” ....No lie- today, two sayings for hunger were floating through my head- “my stomach was rubbing against my backbone” and “I’m hungrier than a hostage”. Great minds, Gary. 😘 🍻

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That’s a timeless search and requires more bravery and strength than one might think. 💞

*Sigh* Boone did what he had to do....didn’t make the doing any easier but at least now it’s done. I reckon if Coy intends to change his mind at this point about going separate ways, he’s going to have to show him, not tell him. A visit to Boone’s bedroll or an afternoon interlude might clear Coy’s mind once and for all as well; Maybe he doesn’t want to know. Coy’s bible quote about last suppers sounds like he may initiate their parting sooner than Boone intends. “Sorry… you’re a growed man, and a good one. Do whatever you want. I got to do what’s right for me, and it ain’t got nothing to do with gold, broken nose, or Will.” I appreciate your vernacular faithfulness in this story (“growed man”) 😊 I’m sad for the guys right now....Can either really make the break from each other? Will their future actions be rash or rational?

This chapter was a reminder of how stand up a guy Nash is. His innate ability to relate to young people allowed him to take the teens to task in a non aggressive but to the point way about how uncomfortable they were making he and their uncle Penn with their antics; Then he cursed out without cursing the clueless adults who should have known better about their intrusive questions. Honestly, if I were Nash, I’d leave the vacation the next day BUT Nash is here for whatever he can have with Penn so he’s going to put with a lot. Thanks for the new chapter so soon, @Mrsgnomie, I hope all is well.

So this good deed goes unpunished. Good for Boone and Coy and kudos to Sheriff Willard, who seems a wise man and a most capable law enforcer. Boone Dixon (😊) and Coy Diamond now have a nice stake to build upon, we knew Boone intended to take the sheriff’s advice before it was even issued, I wonder if Coy will as well. Will Boone wait until all the reward is collected by both men to have a discussion about their future or will he have it now? The gold rush may have started in California but it spread far and wide and its impact on life in the Old West cannot be underestimated. Towns lived and died on the prospects of panning from many a river. I don’t know if it’s been deliberately left out (and I apologized if I overlooked it) but what town/state are our intrepid heros? Or is it just Old West, U.S.A.? 😊 I suspect the next chapter will bring the conversation needed between these two about the future, whether that will involve divergent paths or not.

I agree with the anywhere direction and the amazing story but I’m still rooting for Penn and Nash, lol.

Alternate between both. It is good to hear from Penn but this was Nash’s story first.

I am grateful for you and your family’s relative wellbeing and devastated to hear about your neighbors. 🙏 💔 Thank you for finding the time to update one of my favorite stories on the site. I still have hope for Nash and Penn. Enough time has passed between divorces, idealizations, misunderstandings and hurt feelings that a genuine relationship can phoenix from those ashes-the connection is still there between them; Ideally it would be romantic but neither will venture down that road unless it was healthy for them. Jason is not to be underestimated. i feel he’s playing a long game with Penn; Knowing he was Penn’s first for a lot of things, he’s giving him enough room to sort himself out with the intention of being his last or only-Penn’s decision to look at property in California speak to more than “getting laid”, he theoretically could do that anywhere, anytime but Nash isn’t the only person who requires some type of foundation for intimacy. His relationship with Jason may not be a 20 year held dream but he trusts him, he could be happy with him; His family’s interference (tho well intentioned) is pushing him away, right into Jason’s arms. Will the storm be hurricane Penn finally letting all his pent up emotions out? Will it be the dual currents of he and Nash doing what they need to do? Whether as friends or anything else, there is still unfinished business between them that needs a resolution in order for both of them to move forward. Real life will do what real life does, know that when your storms clear, we are here ready to appreciate the continuation of your tale.

Everything about this chapter was perfect, except for Nisa but then there can be no happily ever after without good overcoming evil in fairytales. 😊 Nisa’s malevolent feelings toward Jihan rolls off the page like a dark force....I dread what she’ll attempt to come between Kastan and his husband and look forward to she and Rushi paying for their crimes; Look like Lord Revi will also need to be checked, too. It was wonderful to see Kevah make an appearance; Though he is a retired emperor, he seems as though he still governed with fairness and kindness, unlike his son. (but a retired emperor can look as beneficent as he wants, right?). Kiyan’s choice of bride speaks of more than obligation, they both maneuver people with ruthlessness absent among everyone else around them; Should Rushi have directed her machinations to anyone other than his brother, he might have looked at her actions with a fond indulgence; I am over the two of them. It looks like Kevah might be trying to add Neith to their family from his little flirtations, lol. I look forward to the next chapter yet dread what villainy may await.

Ain’t enough baking soda or limes in the world to replace that. I’m thinking about “female problems” back then; I’d hate having to “wash rags” (shudder). 😱 I imagine that won’t be mentioned in this story, lol!!

It is the right thing to do but I sure hope turning in the gold doesn’t bite Coy and Boone in the butt....both with the sheriff and anyone related to Dan, Wes or Lee. 😳 Will Boone really leave Coy? Will Coy let him? In spite of Boone’s determination, that choice can really go several ways. On another note-How did the guys brush their teeth? I saw no mention made when they woke up at the room above the bar? (I’m nerdily curious about things like this) I know a chew stick or some type of bark was a Native American method and that many of their practices became routine habits of the West. The whole personal hygiene situation of those times make me glad to be born in the late 20th century, lol.

Blessings to you, every day. This chapter was welcome, both for the length of time since the last one and the content. It was heartwarming to see Jihan, Kastan and Rashan bond further as a family. Yes, Jihan loves Rashan as his own, he loves his father as his own, too but I feel that declaration should come from Kastan first. Kastan’s inner circle is seeing the true value of his husband- Jihan’s good heart, loyalty, intellect and excellent commerce skills are assets as valuable as the accoutrements associated with being a member of the Royal family. I view this union as a marriage between equals, with a fortunate factor of love involved. This chapter also exposed the depths of Nisa’s perfidy (among others in the village). Embezzling from the village you live on the pretext of making things right when she married Kastan just proves she was never worthy to be his bride; “Everything she had done in this valley was for the sake of Prince Kastan and his well-being. It was too bad that an interloper had appeared to ruin her plans. She had not meant for her meddling with the welfare office to go on for so long.” Like Rushi, her loyalty is to herself with whatever love she may feel for Kastan a twisted extension of her own vanity. I am anxious of her plans with her father’s memorial, as I still feel Kastan underestimates the depth of her duplicitousness: “If she could not marry the Imperial Prince, she would at least get him to take her on as a concubine. She was willing to take that role, even bow her head to a merchant to win a part of Prince Kastan. Once in that manor, she would find a way to make it all hers.” How little she knows Kastan to think he would willingly have her as his concubine....perhaps willingly or unwillingly is of no matter to her at this point. I hope Kastan doesn’t allow himself to be alone with her at any time. Thank you for this serving, thirsty for more of this intriguing story, will work on patiently waiting. 😊

I’d read anything you write, dear heart....even if it was a new edition of the phone book. 😊

Daddydavek and I are either birthday twins or birthday cousins so Happy Belated Birthday @Daddydavek 🎉🎁🎂🎈

“He didn’t pine for him like he used to because he’d finally figured out it was never going to happen. He wanted someone made like he was, but that didn’t change the fact he loved the man deep as any well.” BOY does that resonate with me. 💔 (Not the “made like he was” part but those type of feelings encompass all orientations) My like and admiration for Boone grows with each chapter....he’s had a shitty hand dealt to him with his childhood and “differentness” but he never let it make him bitter or vengeful; He wants what everyone wants: a roof of his own over his head, clothes on his back and food in his belly and is willing to work hard to achieve that. Coy actually seems rather naive to leave on his own but Boone has done right by him, it is time to move on and Coy may never learn unless he stands on his own. Coy’s questions about Boone’s feelings for him at the very least speaks to confusion on his part, at the worst, bringing it up is cruel to Boone if he isn’t going to declare similar feelings himself. At this rate, it’s like Coy likes mattering to someone as much as he matters to Boone and doesn’t want to share that. Will sounds like a right piece of shit, I’m glad he’s dead and hope his past deeds don’t come back to bite Coy in the ass because you just know that man left bad history in his wake. I find it interesting the title of the story is “Sidewinder” and the only character we’ve met so far that qualifies is dead, is that an indication of more sneaky creatures to come or will aspects of that be exposed in our boys? (You know I wonder at your inspiration for the names, lol). I also wonder about the mechanics of sex between guys “made like that” in those days but imagine you’ll provide illumination as the story progresses so I’ll wait. 😊 Nice work 🍻

While I also would have liked more to this story, I am troubled by what I view as attacks on the author’s choices. A “story” is defined as “An account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.” This story was described as a “drama“, a “romance” and a “mystery”. No where in the synopsis does it indicate that the author was obligated to provide a definitive choice on the protagonist’s part. We now know that part of the “mystery” of the story is the direction Jamie might take with the information now at his disposal. It is the author’s prerogative to leave it open ended, which is debatable, actually: Now, I don't say at the end who Jamie is with -- Ollie or Ali (see what I did there?). That's up to you to decide. BUT if you want to know what I think, I actually left a clue in this chapter. We were entertained so much that we clamor for more; Every story told is not tied up in a neat or sloppy bow; Some stories provoke thought or debate. This story is not lowered in condition or worth (or “bastardized”) because it leaves me to speculate on it’s conclusion.

This was a twist I didn’t see coming (your ending, lol). My stomach dropped when I saw Jamie meet Ollie but then I admired how he was keeping his head on “straight” by taking things really slow, which also allowed him to meet Ali. (It shows what a decent guy Jamie is that he wanted to honor both meetings.) J & A’s meeting was a must and it did clear the air in as far as Jamie realizing that Ali was telling the truth, the rest still requires clarity but Ali’s part is no longer a question. I would have liked to see the exploration of both relationships and a definitive choice by Jamie but this is intriguing....I know who I want him with and I think I found where you let me know if that is who he picked 🤐 As you won’t say for sure here, might you confirm it somewhere down the road? Perhaps in a short story or vignette responding to one of the prompts the site issues writers? 🤞 Whatever you decide, this was well done. Thank you for taking us on this journey, Ethan. Stay safe.

What a moving chapter. There is no doubt of each one’s total commitment to this relationship. Sinclair really is flexible. 😊 Even if he weren’t, I’m certain he would have endured whatever pain was necessary to make that joining happen. Polygamy isn’t legal, otherwise I know that TC would be marching the three of them to the chapel of love. It will be interesting to see how TC plans to make this the best Christmas ever for he and his husbands.

That would be Allstate’s Mayhem....

Did I laugh when I saw Boone said he smelt old chamber pot, LOL!! They are still around but thankful am I that I take indoor bathrooms for granted. I like Boone, Gary; I even like Coy, though he has some growing up to do. It looks like he needs to decide whether to “do something” or get off the pot (I couldn’t resist the pun, tho I cleaned it up) I’m climbing in the saddle and I’m ready for the ride....🐴