Marty

I think you're completely right. And kudos for knowing the big word! Danny only ever interacts with Derek when he's at the digs. I'm not sure whether he might have been physically violent were he to have had to interact with him on campus, but I somehow think he would have just walked away. In my head, Danny is simply not the fighting type.

They were. And some of them did. But they were still classed as minors by the universities, and so were subject to rules concerning where they could live. As I said in a previous comment, in the UK in those days anyone under the age of 21 was still classed as a minor. The "Age of Majority" in the UK was not reduced from 21 to 18 until 1970. Timeline of Young People's Rights in the United Kingdom

And, as I said in an earlier reply, England didn't so much as win that match. More a case that they stole it...

Cheers, @Mancunian!

Thanks, @Mancunian! I'm just glad that my readers think that the story sounds realistic.

Thanks for the kind comment. I did originally write a chapter looking at Danny's first day at uni where he got completely confused trying to find al the different offices and places he needed to report to. I decided to leave that one out and jump to the end of his first week instead. But I haven't deleted it completely, as I may use it in another story sometime in the future.

Many thanks for those kind words. One could almost think of these first three chapters as a single opening chapter in which I tried to introduce Danny to the reader. Indeed they were originally written as a single chapter, but I decided to split them into three when uploading them to GA, as I suspect many people, especially when reading online stories, find shorter chapters easier to work with.

Many thanks, @Mancunian. I often worry that my dialogue might not come across as feeling real, so comments like this always make me feel as though I must be doing something right.

Thanks for the comment, Geron. But maybe also proof that sometimes the only way to make sure things aren't as bad as they could be is to take a stand against those who try to make things bad...

And just the outcome the boys wanted. Thanks for the comment.

I like that analogy, @dughlas!

I once saw the following written on a toilet wall: My mother made me a homosexual. If I got her the wool would she make me one, too?

You're not that old, @Arran! I'm actually the older one of the pair of us. 😮 I know what you mean about trying to avoid confusion. But I'd be more likely to do that by putting the speaker's name outside the quotation marks. Something like this: "It's good to see you again," said Mickey (rather than "It's good to see you again, Mark."). But don't worry about it; the story's still eminently readable as it is.

I know what Mark (and the author) meant by that "made him mine" comment, but I still had to stop and think about it when I actually read it. Same as I also knew what Mikey meant by his "I actually felt you cum inside me" comment. Although there are no nerve endings in the walls of the colon that can detect touch, pain, or even temperature, one usually knows when his partner is actually coming inside him (unless that partner is only interested in getting his own rocks off, and has no interest in how the other person is feeling). I can understand the comments about safe sex. As readers we have not really been informed of Mark's sexual history, and definitely not of his history as regards to being tested for STI's. Maybe it was added later, as a result if some of the comments above, but I do notice that @Arran has included a warning about unprotected sex in the endnote to this chapter. And there was at least a discussion between Mark and Mikey as to whether a condom should be used...

I like the way the two boys are slowly getting to know each other. If I were to make one criticism, it would be that it sounds artificial that they keep using each others' names when they are chatting together. I just don't think that would seem natural in general conversation.

Interesting first chapter.

An interesting insight into the lives of Jim and Beccy. They showed a great deal of trust in Jason by showing him where they kept their belongings stashed. Here's hoping all's well with The Major when Kevin, Ian and John get to the hospital.

There was still one worry in all our minds when we finally took our seats for the ceremony. Although it seemed that Griff certainly had capitulated, quite a few people had pointed out that he might just simply skip over Lowry's name when last year's sixth form were going up to receive their prizes. We had agreed that, if that happened, the rest of us would rise to our feet, quietly walk in single file to the closest exit door, and leave the theatre. There'd be no speeches, no dramatics, just a s

Assuming Officer Goodbody is going to stick around in this story, I'm just hoping for Josh's sake that he doesn't turn out to be a self-centred stalker, as @Timothy M. suggests he might do. Unfortunately his actions in this opening chapter do tend to suggest that I may be hoping for too much. I suppose I'll just have to keep reading and find out. Loving the self-deprecating humour, however!

I made a delicious beef stew for dinner tonight.

I once knew a hippy woman who lived about twenty miles from me (she may still, to be honest) who had two children. The daughter was named Willow and the son was named Ash. She had a bit of land that she had planted with hardwood trees. Most of the trees were ash, as well.

Hi Ali Just about to head out of the house for a walk. Think a few others of the regulars in here have something else on as well....

Hi all Hope everyone's well. Sorry to be so quiet. Have a sister over from England. Have been busy showing her some of the sights.

Hi, Page Whatever you say, say nothing (when they ask about you know what).

Sometimes things work better that way. Just let those words flow, bud!