Krista

Decorations are half the battle. I have my tree up... but nothing on the outside of the house. It is 10 days until Christmas... do I even bother at this point? lol. Yes... I will bother my husband, so I can bother with it.

They do have good uniforms, baseball. I had to google to make sure you didn't make up the San Jose Giants, but I do know MLB farm systems have a lot of minor leagues dotted around. But the San Fran Giants haven't been that good for years, definitely not good enough to spend an afternoon staring out a window.

The first one, was traditional in all its chaotic goodness. They had an ugly sweater contest, a dinner, secret-santa presents. All things traditional. Everything else just slapped in the face and I loved it. This one doesn't feel like a christmas story yet. I know it will get there with more christmas elements thrown in as their 25 days start to pass by them in more detail. Writing on the fly is something I used to do. Write to post... live with the consequences. But unlike you, I can't keep a semblance of a posting flow. Living in the same place with the writing as your readers is a different feeling. One that I kind of miss.

Okay... well. Five and Bethany have a lot to prove to me. Where do they get off trying to tell someone they're not the best gay version of themselves? They may love and know Percy, but that still doesn't give them the right to pressure him in any fashion towards anyone, any lifestyle, or any decision. Percy is just as grown as they are. So the lies, the manipulation, and the secrets that Five says he cannot keep, because he just doesn't keep them... need to come out. They've already hurt Percy and he doesn't know it. I also don't know how the next few chapters are going to go, as behind in the reading as I am. But the first half of this chapter, I really fell out with Five and Bethany. The "Percy baby," took on a whole new feel. I know he isn't intentionally belittling his best friend, but with so much hanging over their heads that Percy doesn't know, it takes on that sort of feeling. That Five is there to save Percy from himself, when he doesn't need it, or ask for it. Quitting University to play baseball for cash, lets hope he moves up in the rankings, because minor leaguers are always teetering on moving up which means a pay increase, or being forgotten about and not having much to fall back on. But, these people aren't doing so bad for themselves as a family, I don't think Percy would be pushed out of the nest and left destitute, especially if the rich ol' grandpa seems okay with Percy branching out and making the attempt to live his dream. I can get behind that. The latter half of the chapter, the gay chicken is heating up... chaotically and... well I'm too much of a lady to say. And they fell right into it... The following day has started out a lot better, but that nagging lie between them... and it is a lie still. Percy is not working with a full set of truths in order to know where he stands in Five/Bethany's plotting. And even when he does know, the audacity of those two is something I will still have an issue with. But that is all story and character dynamics that I'm here to read. So... here we are. At least with this chapter I can now scroll up and see what everyone else is saying.

I on the other hand, scrapped the chapter already. Didn't like it. Which is frustrating and horrifying for me. Buffer and all.

Oh goodness me.

Are you attempting to get the both of you into trouble? Because it's working. He's been busy with real life, he may not know what I'm going to be fussing at him for, the poor dear. He probably needs fussing at for something, I'm sure.

Thank you for taking the time to read. I saw that Celia snuck into this story as well... I really need to keep a document of "Names used.." because there are a lot of repeat names in my stories it seems. Maybe I'm sneakily writing alternative universes and time traveling... reincarnation? or I get stuck on names and here we are. At least there wasn't a Gavin, to my knowledge. I think Asher had older brothers, do not break my heart and tell me one of them was named Gavin... lol because I can't remember. There was "instant" chemistry between Rhett and Asher, that kind of broke some hearts when I ended on just chemistry. Asher wasn't ready to leave his hometown and Rhett had his own life though. One chance meeting shouldn't change the course of two lives... sometimes people come along and they go just as quickly. But you know, if I gave this my usual 100k words treatment Rhett and Asher would be writing letters. Yes... handwritten and all, back and forth and fall in love that way.. and BAM! Yet another romance under my belt. lol. I hope this doesn't give people hope, I have no interest in doing that. But, food for thought.

Thank you for reading this little story. For me it was a bit of a respite from my "coming of age" centered romances, so I liked it for what it was. I don't pretend to be a mystery writer... lol. The description for this story is very loose and free with that, I think. But, I enjoyed writing this story, the ghost element. Asher still had to find himself so there was a slight "coming of age.." pull to his character, just not as in your face with it that my writing seems to always be of late. He did bury himself into work a little bit to settle and find himself. If I had about 100k more words in me Rhett might have played a bigger role in this story, but I like where I ended it.

I think that's what a lot of people wanted... Asher would have wanted it too, I'm thinking.

I do remember this chapter... it was a trainwreck for me to write. Probably why I didn't make the deadline for the Anthology. That and word count go away with me a bit. Kaelie is a good friend, taking a lot of this on faith and not judging him for it. Even if he convinced her of Elias' existence, she didn't run for the hills thinking he was nuts. She stayed and helped, supported him through it.

I do like that name. Elias in general. I do remember why he was so tied to the ring and how he died so young at least. Ghosts with "unfinished" business if that's the lore we're going with, I would imagine would have a lot of heartbreak or anger in their human lives... something they'll have to release and/or grow from in order to set themselves free. I think that was mostly the idea I was going with when I started writing this story.

Kaelie was a fun write, mostly in the first few parts. The opening gravestone scene especially. Yeah, it was an old historical graveyard. I can't remember Asher completely. He seemed rather sad, if I'm remembering correctly. A little lonely/lost about where and what he wanted? Sigh.. I should just reread this story.. lol.

It's been a bit since I posted this story, I can remember the major plot points, but not all the smaller nuanced ones. Personally I don't believe in ghosts/supernatural things or cryptids... rather boring of me, I know. lol. I still enjoyed writing this little ghost story though. Glad you're taking the time to read this story.

Oh! What a nice little surprise. Thank you. 'One of GA's longest posting authors...' my goodness. And aww, Raven is such a nice reviewer. A treasure to us authors.

Yeah, the fear of not having a chapter buffer is why I have my documents pulled up... 22 minutes past my Sunday bedtime, so I can greet Monday and have everyone around me survive being around me.

Fear and disappointment can be rather motivating.

Same. Definitely.

I am both jealous and appreciative of all the men that have mastered the art of twerking.

I think that's a collective agreement most men have... probably a surprising number of straight ones too.

Congratulations, it looks like you're well on your way to all that behaving... right?

I don't either so *high five* it does terrible things to my heart, I'm severely sensitive to caffeine. I even have to defend my decaf iced tea, because just no.

@wildone ban him until he PM's you with proof of a completed chapter.