Krista

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.

Aha! I read your mind, or you read my mind, and you confirmed that I read yours? Makes sense, yes? About the POV I mean. And it sucks that Trace and those like him are more fiction than not. But, I am glad your Trace was just delayed in the finding of you and you them.

Also, I see I've not been as good with the comments as I thought I've been with this story, as I've missed a lot of these. I can't remember what or why that would be aside from work drama going on around that time, but that's no excuse. Woops. Sorry.

Oh gosh... I don't know, I'm a little scared, as it is firmly in 1st person... lol. 😮

and, it would look really nice on a uniform, mind you. Just not in Maroon, apparently.

I have no interest in Star Trek what so ever. Apparently there's a lot of Slash fiction around some of the characters. But the craze missed me by a decade or so. *whistles* and I never got into the show. But! What television show hasn't been a disappointment of late? Bridgerton - Season One was okay. You have to overlook all the historical inaccuracies though. Some people can't, I'm not a true purist, because the show never set out to be that in any form. If it did, it would have made it more of a failure. Every season after the first though, gets progressively worse and I'm not even sure I'll watch the next one. Especially since they're not touching Benedict's apparent Bisexuality they crafted throughout seasons 1 - 3. Or I've not seen evidence of it anyway. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Season 2 and 3 were awful. Sorry, they were. A lot of unnecessary writing and stupidity in both seasons. A lot of scenes that didn't give anything to it. I know a lot of that was in the source material, but them amplified to higher importance for the sake of screen time, but i wanted to skip ahead to the parts of the episodes that progressed the writing. A lot of the character acting fell apart in the later seasons as well. It is like they knew they had a "hit" and didn't feel like they still needed to handle it all with care like they did the first season. Overcompensating - Ick. The final two episodes of the season were decent at best. I've done a review on that in a different topic, but the characters weren't believable and they were so base-level written that they get lost in the chaos of the writing. They weren't likeable in the least. I couldn't care less about them or what the story is attempting to entertain me with. Heartstoppers - Don't get angry with me. If you liked the cute little coming out and coming of age series, then fine. I liked the first season. It needed to end with that though. The other seasons just bogged down and detracted from the first. Sometimes you can mess up a good thing by not letting it sit and breathe a little. This series needed to be left alone instead of attempting continuing past where season one ended. Young Royals - Same as Heartstoppers. It was fine for a season one show. After that, it got progressively worse. It sort of redeemed itself towards the end of the last season, but it did a lot of character assassinations along the way that didn't need to happen. It made too many of the characters insufferable and I couldn't stick with it. ---- The list goes on, but I'll stop complaining.

I knew about 0, but I did not know about the others, strange. 17 is too common a number not to be used at the college level and the MLB. If he took it farther than Tempton baseball, he'd realistically have to change it. Logical sometimes doesn't align well with emotional though. Why Pie though? just an interesting number that would turn heads, or what's your reasoning behind that?

Would Davin get over his fear of riding a horse, just to get Joel up on one, just to get the chance of a happy ending.... oops.... full body massage? I know men are motivated when it comes to that, but....

I hope it goes as smoothly as it can, because it is never a simple thing.

I can see where his words could be taken there. But, I think the meat of what he said was that Joel could relax and be himself more, and if that led to him being brave enough to take that step, that he'd be there to help with whatever came afterwards. It is a lovely sentiment. One he obviously hasn't ever heard anyone in his life ever tell him. Team Javin wooo! Still can't talk boys with you all and it stinks. But I want to... so so bad.

My goodness that's a horrid picture. It is very unsettling as a Reds fan that's, to be fair only been a Reds fan because of Joey Votto, but still. Horrendous, my goodness.

Yeah, Trace has said Joel is a miracle, but I don't think Joel felt that he was one to them. Now I think, after seeing that much conviction and what that night and having Joel there meant to Trace, it can sink it. Surely it will. The boy is hurting, but he's not completely blind to the world around him. Davin and Joel felt one another out a bit more when they had that argument. They didn't leave it to fester, even after Davin left and came back, they still allowed for the conversation to happen instead of separating and letting all of that fall back into their minds to bottle up. Lacey did show maturity. She wants so much to be involved, and maybe she doesn't understand the purpose of the ride being more than just a tour, but she took it with more grace than I've seen a lot of kids these days her age would have taken it. And she got over it and didn't hold it against her father or Joel. But Joel has to feel guilty, I do wonder if he is feeling guilty enough to get back on a horse though? Choices, allowing choices that you know you shouldn't put weight on, still have their weight can be very cumbersome. He's still looking back, but most of him is telling him that he shouldn't be.

Gavin is about as subtle as a neon sign. But yeah, he tried that method, didn't he? To be 100% honest, that comment about stepping in shit when he overheard their attitudes about being interrupted mid-conversation, I was like... Oh crap, he said that. So yeah, even with me Gavin's mouth runs away for a bit. Davin has hinted as the possibility of Gavin knowing a few times. One time he says, "he probably does know about me, or has a clue..." or something along those lines. It may just be Davin working through his own thought processes about his own sexuality and how he wants people to know. But yeah, that response from Gavin should have opened their eyes a bit. That's something you don't say to friends who are caught bickering. You'd say something like, "Fucking hell dudes, come on and get over your bullshit." Not awkwardly saying, "Damn, did I step in shit?" That's what guys would say if they walked in and saw their poor friend getting scolded by his woman. And yeah... New phone. Ick. New truck. Ick. Sigh. He must really feel like he's been a burden on these people...

He needs to take more than baby steps, he's walking through this like a toddler or if Trace was talking, like a foal learning where its legs are. He takes tentative steps forward, then stumbles off balance backwards. So bold steps need to happen only after he finds his feet. But with anything, if you make a bold decision, it will be loud. He ran from a team that were welcoming to him, seemingly. He has to know what that's going to look like.

Yeah, Joel venting did open the door to better understanding him and what he needs from them. Although, they were on the right track already it seems, it was Joel not being open to accepting what they are offering. It might be because he's still too scared to reach for it as well. He's had it ripped out from under him once already, there has to be a part of him waiting for that shoe to drop again. Maybe after this talk, he will understand just how committed they all are to him. Yes... even Colt... maybe? It is a heavy thought. It's one that's not easily overcome either. He thinks he wants safe, different, and easy. The same, "I'm just quiet, but straight, don't look at me..." sort of lie that's been the foundation of his whole life since he figured himself out... is upsetting him a little now. He's 'tired' of the lies, but he's the one that placed them there. We just don't know if he's willing to start leaving them behind. An only Joel and Davin is invited camping trip... hmm.

hmm... I don't know if that would fly with the league requirements, but it would be interesting. And embodying his personality.. 😮

Yes, but we're talking about a kid that's having to step into the clothes of his rivals, and in high school where that decision is probably only made 'after' it is forced on them. Which in Joel's case we know that it is. Still, it is something that will happen many times over, just hopefully not so abruptly and with a lot of trauma and baggage attached.

Them not giving up on him is a good thing. Yes. But, I do have an answer on how much of the writing is still left to be posted as I finally did the math. It is less than 60k. Which is a Yikes and a half. A bigger yikes knowing that the last chapter is 25k of that. Didn't think we were in the home stretch, did we?