CincyKris

Hmmmm, I'm guessing Megan, or the doc, will somehow figure it out. Maybe when the next book is released. You know he has one pseudonym for the bodice rippers, maybe he should write gay fiction under another pseudonym. Maybe he already does. Is your real first name Adam? You can tell us, we'll keep your secret.

The party was predictably eye opening, but ended up serving as a lesson, one that may become important in the future. All in all, a successful night for our boys. They fulfilled their perceived obligation to Heyward, they didn't compromise themselves, and decided on their limits. If Francis Heyward is playing a chess match with Vaughan and Dan, he is falling behind, whether he realizes it or not.

It seems like Gwen's biggest anxiety producing trigger is her lacking as a mother. With Matt living with her she faces this anxiety head-on every single day. Of course, I hope that Matt ends up living with Andrew on Windy Island eventually. I think that Matt's relationship with his mom will improve with a little distance.

I wonder if Kenji is happy? He probably feels duty and respect, but does his work make him happy? It doesn't feel that it is even a consideration in his family. I think River makes him happy. Iowa's food does not.

We finally achieved complete satisfaction! Adam and Kai even admitted their love for each other!

Keith started the story deep in the closet, unhappy and lacking in confidence, awkward in social encounters, and living in a cramped rundown flat with several guys. Thomas was in better condition, but still lonely and living with family, rather than on his own. The guys are happy, completely out to their many friends and acquaintances, enjoying new activities, and living on their own next door to each other. Brilliant transformation!

Gwen reminds me of my niece at 15, happy one moment, raging the next, in tears and inconsolable after. Will she ever achieve stability? I don't know, but I do know that it is not Matt's responsibility to be her keeper. Andrew finally took the big first step, after prodding by Maeve, he is facing just as much uncertainty as Matt. But Matt has come a long way towards emotional independence.

The beginning was hilarious: That was the deal. Nothing more. No kneeling. No looking like he was ready to take on a herd of males in their prime, assisted by blue pill Funapalooza. No, no. Begone! Now! The middle was pleasantly domestic, the end was hot!

Oh they connected, all right! Then Alec was stupid, Kenji called him on his bullshit, Alec started his comeback. How's that for a Cliff's Notes version of IHTT?

Some therapy wouldn't hurt Gwen any either! Matt was never going to recover without a couple back steps. The news of the 4 dead young men was traumatic, rightly so. Maybe helping the feds try to catch these monsters will add to his therapy. I've said it before, but he's just not ready for a relationship with Andrew yet.

Around here the most common version is "don't shit where you eat", which is good advice literally and figuratively! I'm intrigued by the invitation that "wasn’t anything like we expected".

Do we know how many SA stories there will be? When do we get the list and get to vote?

When you are right, right! The Krew will attest to this.

Very good point on the spouse line! It is a very male, traditional way of looking at marriage, in which the man is the provider and the woman is the caretaker being provided for. This certainly can be the case for straight and gay relationships, probably more common with well-off couples. My experiences with mainly middle and working class people are very different, more equal. You brought me back around to my first guess, which is probably wrong, but still male. Could be @Andr0gene? He had a couple earlier stories with a similar dynamic.

Due to writing style, I thought @Demiurge, but the woman writer diss makes me think it is a woman writer. Or it's a red herring. And there are more women writers than just @Mrsgnomieand @kbois!

This one was very well polished, very finished. It was a great short story.

I don't have a good guess on this author. Even though Bob Dylan's Forever Young started this tale, the song that came to my mind was Shooting Star by Bad Company. The rise, fall, and death of a star.

I loved this very domestic chapter, both inside and out. That the two (+1) are comfortable with each other is obvious, now it is obvious to their outside world and both men are ok with that. I look forward to the moment Kai becomes a resident, not a guest, I don't think I'll have a long wait!

My first thought was @quokka also. Maybe he's trying to throw us off the scent.

This is a good start to a longer adventure. A have an educated guess at the author.

This scene preceded one of my favorites from IHTT, the one that seared into me that Kenji is a power player: “Where were you before age fourteen? What does your family do?” Alec grinned, mentally patting himself on the back for his quick thinking. “We are in business.” Ken replied simply. “What kind of business?” Finn asked. “The business kind.” “The business kind of business?” Finn asked and Alec blinked at the flare of irritation in the blond’s chipper tone. “Correct.” Kenji said, clearing not willing to expand on anything or explain. That River is wearing Kenji's locked collar, and Kenji is wearing the key is a very bold display of their relationship. That it gives River such comfort is a personal turning point.

I couldn't have said it better! A relationship between Matt and Andrew would be ridiculously unbalanced right now. Andrew is the rescuer, the provider, the saviour. Matt can't go back to Windy Island and be a kept man to the guy who literally just bought him! Maybe his moderately helpful mother is a blessing in disguise, Matt will have to make his own way. Making some friends (ones that don't drug and sell you) would help to start his journey to independence.

I remember that episode. A little life lesson about the effects of changing a crucial aspect of yourself causing you to turn into someone unrecognizable. Except the final results of his risky decision for Picard was a life of adventure, Rachel's safe decision resulted in unhappiness followed by resignation, then boring contentment. Which would I choose? I'm honestly not sure, since I had no children to erase from existence.

I would really like to read more of this weird 19th century rail travelers transported to an alternate world/video game?/romance adventure. Fun!

I loved the twist that a ghost would return to a different point in their life than their death. It seems that Rachel couldn't ever get over her decision to choose her husband instead of Marian.