Krista

Ohh this chapter. I hide from this chapter really. I annoyed so many people with the posting of it. I don't do a lot of things intentionally in my writing, so it was somewhat unintentional. The suffering in this chapter. and yeah, I am aware that most "little fellers" do have minds of their own. That they can't just shut off and... hide, so quickly. The horror stories I've heard from my male friends...

Yeah, it had to be Colt. Who else would it have been? Some unnamed stranger that they have to then take the time to hunt down and point out, to make that point land at all. Poor Colt, I guess. And aww. You poor soul, still holding out hope for Jolt to be a thing. You may be the captain that goes down with that ship. Davin has too nice if a butt for Joel to change his mind now. It is that nice, take a look. Nice, I'm telling you. Oh gosh, well... I wish the posting schedule would slow down now... or speed up. Because I am on the fence about whether or not to write more... or to let the cards that I still have in my hand fall where they do. It did surprise the hell out of me when I saw that some of my chapters had over 90 comments. I used to feel odd about me commenting one at a time in response to the comments received. Then multiple people told me that they'd rather read a response individually than the wall of text that multi-quoting created. So I decided to break with the habit and do it this way. Still... I am so thankful for all of them.

Yeah, stop neglecting your husband. And remember, all of us can't have it all. I'm not a natural blond either... but up until I got married, it was a rare sight for me not to be a blond. Now I can't be fussed, and I do like my natural dark brunette with natural red tones. Blonds get the privilege of hiding graying easier though. Not that I'm old enough to be doing such a horrendous thing. (Careful @wildone) It is 2025, nearly 2026 laces are so last decade, come on now. Colt has simple motivations and is the calm that is the chaos of the twins. Cranky lack of chaos... how boring. No wonder I didn't choose him for Joel, it would've been a slow moving, whiny, cranky trainwreck of a relationship. Mind you, I do like Colt just as he is, theories and all. I'm not sure if I've put a lot of my mothering into this story or not. I'd hope so, at least as far as Celia is concerned. Trace is similar to my husband, in the fact that they both give off a slight Golden retriever energy, and he's a lot more calm compared to me. But Golden retriever energy probably isn't your thing, since you don't like dogs. and I'm not tooooooooo evil. (I hope the excessive use of o's is convincing).

Yeah, he finally used his words, the dear.

Hear me out, hair curling around the ears can be really sexy on guys... although, it seems to annoy the hell out of them, because as soon as my husband's hair gets even close to that long, it has to go. And Oh... yeah, I guess I misunderstood that cluster orgy you had me thinking about. Woops. And yeah, in their minds and with their ages, I don't think they'd ever see one another as brothers. So, mentally and socially it would have been rather acceptable behavior, but maybe less so if he remains under their roof as a dependent. He's nearly eighteen, Colt is already eighteen. And it isn't ever going to be a step-sibling sort of thing. I don't see Joel completely disowning his family, Benton as his last name for Connley, etc either. So I don't see him going the symbolic adoption route either. I think he'd like to keep his name and familial connection to Cody and we'll see if time heals some of the rest of them too...

Yes, it was the first wee little time jump. I get so freaked out when I do them. But I know writing can get bogged down in the day by day by day by day. *whistles* And lol. I think you're the only person that has said he needs to keep things bottled up. Mercy that does sound like the proper cure for him... hmm. Although twin sex.. yikes. Cody is so brave. Too bad his as much of a victim in all this as Joel. He may not have been shunned, but they removed probably one of the people that he really looked up to and hasn't allowed him access since.

I'm not a bit sorry. But, it is good you came to your senses and saved your money on those tickets. I'm glad you liked their tension and conversation on the creek bank/river bank.. I think I use both interchangeably throughout the writing. Colt threw a bit of a tantrum, pent up anger and all that. Then Joel threw a little freak-out one in return. I'm glad you didn't see it as too erratic or chaotic, because when I first wrote it I thought it was toeing the line pretty hard. Davin has a cute butt with lower back dimples, we should all enjoy him removing his pants. Itchy reasons or not. Hmm. The third person in that threesome. It was never going to be Colt. I know the theories were floating around really heavily about the two of them. The whole, "I don't want you here.." sort of tension filled, dislike to love sort of story would have been entertaining. But, the whole... we're going to be almost brothers eventually... thing would never have allowed me to do that. I guess that's all I can say about boy talk for now. lol but that's partly the reason why Colt didn't work. Also, I wanted Trace and Celia to be dealing with a homosexual under their roof for the first time. I didn't want their acceptance of him being more rooted in 'having one in the family,' already. So, that was strike two for that relationship. I will admit that the early writing with all the silence between them, small tensions, and mystery of him being a mostly unknown to Joel pointed him in that direction as well. I can't be innocent all the time.

Celia. C - e - l - i - a. lol. It is a bit of an odd name for the... region I have pictured while I write them. Although, I don't think I ever explain exactly where they are. Cow and corn country for sure, but a lot of states are cow and corn country. A bit flat too, which points mid-west or plains portions of eastern states. It's not full on Montana though. And yeah, they are the talk it out types. Firm believers in it, I'd say. I guess they're just.. annoyed with Colt, because Colt is out doing Colt things when he should be doing chores, maybe? I don't know... 😮 And the last two statements, I'll just pretend I didn't see for now.

Lol! Beds are supposed to be one of our nice zones of comfort. So it is telling that neither twin or Joel, seems to want to sleep in them where they don't feel comfortable, I guess. I didn't think about it too deeply, but they've not slept in the bed a lot. A truck, a couch, a chair... The bit of writing I did for this chapter, explaining how the twins lived, I knew was a lot of writing. I wasn't confident that it was necessary writing, because absent parents are increasingly common. People are letting youtube and roblox raise their children these days. But, yeah, it was a lot of writing for something that I wasn't confident that readers would connect at all with and it took up a lot of "space" in the chapter. There are some hints to a poor or unhealthy dynamic with their parents in this chapter. That is what I wanted to convey. The hint with Trace being annoyed and Celia understanding, but not wanting Trace to outright insult Davin/Gavin's parents in front of Joel. Davin cleaning up after himself, despite everything being just small and insignificant. Like, condensation rings on granite counter tops for fuck sakes. But yeah, the smaller breadcrumbs you picked up on. I wanted it to ground the twins a bit more as well. I don't know that it did, but I wanted them to be more than just hyper/excited, food motivated, and relaxed about life. I mean, that's how you explain your dog... but since you don't like dogs. And the photo thing, happy accident, I guess? I mean, he does focus on the thought of pictures and family portraits, how they will look, how much of him they erased...Not wanting to see obvious signs of family. Then seeing the done-up, but outdated one featured in the Kepler living room. Kind of makes you wonder if they're even home long enough to take a professional family portrait. Something that takes a day at the most. But that's hindsight thinking for me really.

We all know someone who goes through "all the stages of buzzed to drunk.." and hmm. He could. Especially since he's never been even remotely close to buzzed, so we don't know. And it isn't like he's in a mindset that couldn't take him all the way from Giggly to gone to the world shitfaced.

Is my comment section a classy place? I surprise myself with how many times I say Fuck in writing, because I very rarely do in real life. I think it is a very dirty and heavy-handed word to use that I just don't use. Here though? Flies free and easy all over the place. I don't name chapters. I am lucky enough to name my stories. Lol. Some people are far more creative than I will ever be. I don't want to stress myself out trying to come up with a definitive and appropriate title to things.

Dumb? Or buzzed and desperate?

You say all that, but Golf is a sport... come on now. And I will die on the hill that Baseball uniforms are the hottest uniforms in all of sports.

Joel is lucky, he landed on the bridge and met the one guy that does have the honest and true patience of a saint, yes. But, it takes that sort of person to do what Trace did and continues to do. There have been a few hints at him not being as patient. So, maybe Trace will get comfortable enough not to be? If that's an odd thing to say. Maybe some of their patience is Joel-centered, and the kid gloves will start coming off after more time has passed and he's settled in more. They're parents, they're going to have to end up parenting him eventually, if anything, to make it more fair for Lacey and Colt who do get their fair share of parenting. But yes, he's rich on that. And it is possible his new teammates could forget all the trouble he's caused their school since he put on a Tiger uniform. Is it possible for Joel to forget causing it though? It is easy to be welcoming if you're the one standing to gain a lot from it. His batting average is on their side, as Gavin hinted. It would be nice to have a few home runs on that side of the scoreboard. But, that is not Joel's gain, it is a bitter truth. That if he plays, he's going to be possibly inflicting the pain he gladly inflicted on the Warhawks. Weird frame of mind to be in, really. A Baseball scholarship would help him, a lot. Poor Joel can't seem to escape double-edged sword scenarios, can he?

Is my weak titling game coming back to show itself out again? Likely. Oh come on! Horses aren't that bad unless you fall off of them. And even then, is it really their fault? It is something I miss, I used to ride a lot in my younger years. Went to horse riding camps and everything. Did some shows, events, etc. Horses are too high maintenance for us at the moment, or I'd probably still own them.

Yeah, they were significantly unprepared and disorganized for such a night. Tsk tsk tsk. And it was Joel's first taste of a "camping trip," with them and look at the mess they made of the whole night. You would have thought they would have put more of an effort into such a thing, since it was apparently what Colt wanted.

I do have a story, much longer than this one... and the love interest is a total blond. If that helps keeping some of my laces safe. Ones that I don't have, mind you. You may need to read the screen shots of all the times I've threatened @wildone when he tries to invite himself over. I get rather creative sometimes. Yeah, Colt has a girlfriend. Her name is Sierra. I wish I named her something else, because I would have much rather used her name in a different story that I've started. But I also have used Gavin like 4x times in my stories, so what's another Sierra? The fistfight I think surprised people. The writing, arguably leans on Joel being a bit timid, out of the way. But this was a bit of a hint that maybe he's not so timid. (Yes, I can hear some of you snorting from here).

And we didn't have these 15 mph zero-turn death mowers growing up. And yes, when your mother insisted on only marrying a guy with mostly girls as well as only popping out girls until you're old enough that mowing the lawn is a chore, you mow the lawn. I actually at one time knew how to drive a tractor and I did not grow up on a farm or ranch. It is just something you learn down here, I guess... for fun. Like riding ATVs, I know how to do that, manual and automatic shifting. I also am the biggest girl ever though (I'm female I can say that about myself), I don't like mud, I don't like bugs, and I don't like any of that stuff... but you still do it, because here that's a small majority of what you 'can' do to pass the time. Colt's in these chapters was me more or less introducing him, because he hadn't truly been introduced in comparison to the rest of his family. We knew a lot more about the dogs (aside from their names, because I forgot them and instead of running to my character sheet, I mostly just referred to them as the dogs), but yeah. Colt needed words and I gave him some. It got me more Colt theories so win/win? The Falls are some of my favorite sections of the early story. Kind of wish I played the writing out a bit more in those sections.

Well, I see that you've read well past the next chapter, so I'll double you up on that zero. Or would that be considered insider or fixed betting? 😮 And yes, he's already letting another dude sleep with him. But not in that way, gosh. I think if you ever take the time to read some of my other stories, you'll learn that I do like a good platonic bro-cuddle here and there between characters. And they don't ruin it by saying silly things like: No homo bro, in the process. You were also not the only one concerned with the lack of Colt in the story. I think that's what organically fed a lot of the ongoing Colt theories. You have dared to say, about Davin to be specific, what others haven't said though. I won't tell you what that is, but you've said it.

It is Cia that has the big burly husband of a man at 6'10... mind you my husband is 6'3" or my height. But, I am the scary one in day to day life. And I don't think I have a single pair of shoes that have laces.. lol. Laces are soooo 2000s, come on now. I wish I could talk guys with you all. Because I have tea that I can't share. And don't worry, Joel also can't always match their names with their faces at this stage of the writing, if I'm remembering correctly. You will also find though, that I only give small hints to physical appearances in back and fourths within dialog, and in sentences. There's a few times where I outright describe characters, but for Joel, he's not going to explain himself to himself, it will be done by observations fed back to him and by him comparing him to other people, likely his brother, mother, father, etc where his genetics come into play. But yeah, no staring into the mirror and describing him back to himself as he "appreciates" or "worries" about the reflection. Whichever route he'd go. Unless there's a plot or reason for it, like if he's lost weight due to depression, but he'd describe the hallowing out of his face, or darker circles under his eyes, etc.

Yeah, because about every one of my responses are major spoilers to anyone who gets too nosy. But that should be a known fact for online fiction reading... the comments are dangerous, only read them if you're able to overlook them and scroll back up to start reading. lol

Now I'm doubly worried. But, nice title. I do regret that I didn't ever sit down and mock-up a helpful (at least within my self-taught fashion) response about First Person POV, then mull over it and post. I think I tried to cover that in very snarky tones in the - you know where - talk that you were sucked into when the POV discussion was born and devolved the way it did. But I also was very much seething at the time and I know a lot of my points weren't the most clear. lol And you will come to see that although I try my best at this writing thing... that I am just little ol me writing my stories, flawed as they are. Oh.. and I've also wanted to write a story in the form of Journal and/or writing letters back and forth. There's an entire genre about that, and I've been interested, but too timid to make the attempt.

Yeah, I think part of him going back was for evidence in firm convictions, despite what Joel said. He wanted to face them and he wanted Joel to as well. And yeah, if a kid doesn't want to go home or are 'that' scared of home they'd rather put their safety in strangers, maybe that should have been a hint of how it was going to go. Maybe it was Joel's age, almost eighteen. If Joel were any younger, I don't know if he would've made Joel go back, not the next day anyway. In this early writing I wanted Phil to have some questions on him based on how that scene played out. Would he grow to stand up for himself and Joel eventually? What that could look like... and to what extent. He did show at least some emotions that weren't in line with the rest of them. I'm glad to see that you too fell into the web of Colt theories. And, I'm glad I am sooo sneaky to answer your question in the very next chapter. You'd be surprised how bad I am at being this sneaky, truly.

Oh goodness. They can't touch if they've gone through the wash, surely. I'm a mother of twins. Mind you, female and male so they do not have too similar of faces and their names and attitudes are polar opposites. lol. As far as the twins, I've tried to make them similar and distinct somewhat. I think 1 gets answered. But it still a bit of a stretch to be fair. But, I've found my way on roads that are out of the way, mostly due to my GPS taking me there after my usual route isn't available. You'd be amazed how far out of the way some alternative routes can become. I almost called my husband and told him that I had absolutely no idea where I was, but them BAM! 3 miles down, it tells me to turn onto a street that I recognized and all became well. lol. I guess they're just good people with the means and self-confidence in being good people... and are doing what genuinely good people do, if they're good people. Because! 😮 😮 Dogs are precious! Cats are demons, but I still mostly like cats too... but dogs, except when you walk in on them wiping their anal glands on your carpet/rug/blanket, are generally precious. Because dang it, I suck at titling things. And maybe, you will find out that the boy does lie... maybe.