Danners

Well, love is blind, after all. Makes it so much easier to tumble down a flight of stairs. Something tells me the proposal fiasco was the culmination of many issues between the two. Hank seemed kind of controlling to me too. Maybe controlling is the wrong word. I can see someone in Hank’s position — you know, being the strong one, the “rock” — becoming blind to the reasons why he’s needed like that. Maybe he put too much faith in his love being enough support for Chase, or he assumed everything was kosher, thus ignoring the signs that Chase would freak out. Really, I think he was just in love and didn’t see it coming. Chase, I bet, has abandonment issues on top of depression. Watching someone come back from the brink of death and then die suddenly, that’s absolutely devastating both initially and long term. The worst part of that sort of combination is feeling just fine, acting “normal,” while your spring coils tighter and tighter — until a trigger comes along and you’re sprung. You don’t even know you’re doing it, and the signs are often so well hidden, ain’t no one prepared for it and everyone gets nailed. (Personal experience here.) We don’t know all that went down but I get the impression most of it boils down to the aftermath of Chase’s mom dying and Hank being so amazingly supportive that a) Hank shot himself in the foot and b) Chase never learned to cope. EDIT: And c) the meddling sister bulldozing over any perceived inadequacy. From the brush with her personality, it’s her way — period. And since everyone reacts differently, you can bet she did some damage too.

Depression is so insidious, leading you to self-destruct in ways you aren’t aware of and sabotage relationships without knowing. Feeling good, feeling safe, becomes a distraction instead of the norm, and you’re always waiting for — and unconsciously leaning toward — everything falling apart. You did an amazing (and ironically, depressing) job of portraying someone hovering near rock bottom. It’s a little callous of Hank to say that Chase should be over his Mom’s death after two years. She had cancer at least once before the terminal diagnosis and death, and that in and of itself brings stages of grief, not to mention depression. I understand Hank is hurt and maybe wouldn’t say such things under normal circumstances but it still irks me. Man, I hope Chase finds the support he’ll need to work through this newest ending. Judging from his inability to look after himself right now and the absence of a comforting presence, he needs someone. Hank has his own wounds to lick. Chase’s dad has taken avoidance to a whole ‘nother level. Cindy, for all her good intentions, seems like the “tough love/ in your face” type, and that will only push Chase in the wrong direction. This is gonna be a rough one. Can’t wait to read all about it!

My initial response was a resounding “BOO!” but then I realized how impactful your ending is. An epilogue, while possibly comforting but more than likely devastating, would only dilute this tragedy. I honestly hope Jack digs deep and finds a heretofore unknown store of inner strength, and can . . . well, survive this. He’s been so weak and reliant on others’ thoughts and opinions that I worry for his safety — and I mean beyond having a roof over his head. He may be a work of fiction but you’ve made sure he’s unforgettable, Cassie.

Eh, I don’t feel too bad for Will. In fact, I’m more angry with him than anything else. While embarrassed, he did nothing to stop it from happening. Maybe he didn’t know the extent of what was going down but he knew enough to go along with it. He’s as guilty as the rest of them. More to the point: He, more than the rest of their “friends,” knew how devastating being outed would be because he helped pick up the pieces! He’s dating Damon; his family took him in. Damon made the choice to come out and Will witnessed firsthand how badly that went for him, and then went along with a plan to publicly out someone. His outward appearance of embarrassment was at odds with interlacing fingers with Damon’s hand after the deed was done, a gesture of tenderness. “It’s okay, you did what you had to,” instead of “Why did you have to do that?” No, don’t feel bad for Will. Fuck Will.

Forgive me for bracing for the worst after the last story, and color me gleefully surprised. These two are the cutest awkward duo. It’ll be a pleasure to watch their relationship unfold (and slip, fall down a flight of stairs, stand up and dust itself off if their first couple dates are any indication). Scaphism is a new one. As tortures go, I’m a drawn and quartered kind of guy. Or the pyramid post. Now that was fucked up.

Can’t say I’m surprised it was Alyssa’s idea. It’s always the uber-pious ones who sink the lowest. Unlike Jack, I hope the shove didn’t break her back — she fucked him over enough. Now, Damon . . . Not that I’m giving him the benefit of doubt but that last bit of their confrontation makes me think others’ wants factored in to his decision. Sure, he was bitter and angry, and had every right to be, but going that far — essentially whoring himself out for Alyssa — was uglier than even my sadistic imagination thought up. There was something more than just a grudge there, or at least I want to believe there was because I was in the kid’s corner up to that point. Poor Jack. He’s certainly feeling the consequences of his actions and then some. Guess the saying is right: when it’s eye for an eye, we’re all blind in the end. Is it too much to ask for an epilogue?! Pretty please?

Despite his poor decisions and displaced — misplaced? — loyalty, I am quietly rooting for Jack to pull his head out of his ass. Not only is he in that fragile teenage space where head, heart, and hormones wage war, he also seems easily swayed by any level of authority figure. Whether it be a pushy girlfriend or a parent, he listens because I imagine it’s how he was raised. In fact, we know that to be true because of how heavily his Mom’s words weighed on him. It’s the down side of good manners. Once some one comes along who can answer his questions impartially or tell him his feelings are okay, that love is love, and it’s supposed to be bros before hoes, and can present those ideas convincingly, I think ole Jack come around. What worries me is that it’ll be too late.

Dressner sure got dressed down (and spanked and humiliated) in the best way possible. Literally cackled reading that bit.

Ugh, so damn disappointed in Jack. From one fallacy to the next. Ah well, at least it’s a step to the left. Crossing my fingers that Dierdre is on the pill ‘cause you know Bible Boy ain’t about to risk buying condoms. Damon’s the one to watch though. That cold anger can only simmer for so long before it boils over. Even after moving on with new friends or with a new boyfriend to focus on, its there until it’s let out. Take it from a Libra who knows. (Or a Libra who reads into subtext too much sometimes.) EDIT: Eep! Forgot to ask. I assume Damon found a place to live?

When you find yourself grinning uncontrollably by the story’s end, you know it was a good one. Thank you for this!

Terry + Justin = gold. Also couldn’t get the original Batman jingle out of my head, only it was “dunna dunna dunna dunna CHAVMAN!”

Paving the path for a grateful Phil to set him up with Max!

Heh, I see what you did there. Terry in action, Phil’s (hopeful!) salvation, and Clive’s downfall will certainly leave me drooling for more. More so over the potential legal fireworks between Ben and his former employer.

Excellently done. We’ve all had to weigh the cost of doing what we think is right versus what we feel is right; what seems best for the few versus the many. At work. At home. In love or friendship. You did an amazing job of staging that very argument in a thought-provoking way, framing it the touchy overlap of same-sex love and religion, and with a touching end. May we all have someone as ballsy and/or deeply devoted as Daniel when it comes time to make up our mind.

Despising Alyssa’s self-righteous attitude and Jack’s weakness for allowing it to come between him and his best friend. Not to mention the parents. Spot on depiction of how so many “good” Christians can espouse lofty ideals like charity or love while acting just the opposite. So hypocritical. So infuriating! Kudos on the religious sparring from Damon. Coming from a Lutheran background I haven’t touched since I was confirmed and given the choice not to continue beyond that point (thanks mom and dad!), I’ve nonetheless retained most of the info my teenage mind poured over. It’s wicked good fun to challenge holier-than-thou types, especially when you know where they’re coming from. Hope these two boys find a way to mend fences. I know, it’s probably a bad decision.

Something about their conversation in the park and having eliminated 99% of the female suspects, and previous information about the lifestyle of Jett’s father, makes me wonder if Jay isn’t his brother.