John Henry

I wanted to imply that the bigger talk was rather embarrassingly detailed, so the one presented needed to have that threat of potential humiliation. Being an openly gay dad, I didn't feel it would've been appropriate for Diego to make a big deal out of the boys' sexuality, while also setting boundaries and expectations. Kenny is an emotionally sensitive kid, while Bryan can be emotionally shut off, so I think Diego would want them to not rush into anything that could create baggage or harm each other. As for Bryan learning his lesson and to "engage his brain before mouth"...well, he is a teenager, so....

Luckily, I never experienced the problem, but I can imagine it would be extremely painful. Lol It would also definitely be a bigger point of gossip in a junior high a fight, regardless of who was involved. Lol

Unfortunately, that's not how society works, just or not.

Lol. Yes, except I wasn't thinking the kid was uncircumcised. It was a call back to the "franks and beans" scene from There's Something about Mary. If you haven't seen or heard of it, check out the clip on YouTube. Lol. Despite mundane nature of the chapter, though, it is important.

Honestly, I think it was fair. I had a brother very much like Dan and he was constantly in fights, but wasn't ever really punished, even by our parents. An administrator can only do so much, but having cameras is an important tool I think all schools should have.

The week went by slowly. Bryan was given some pretty hefty chores, including cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom, which meant pulling everything out of the cupboards, wiping those down, washing all the dishes—whether needed or not—cleaning out and scrubbing the refrigerator, and cleaning the oven and stove top...and that was just the first day. By the end of the week, Bryan had landscaped the front and back yards, cleaned out and scrubbed the bathroom and garage, cleaned and re-organized the

Bryan is a teenager. He's not even sure what his true emotional state is, so there will be many confusing actions and contradictions between his actions and internal dialogue. Diego has already mentioned and Bryan has hinted (for want of a better word) that he doesn't want to connect to his own emotions. Every time he starts to feel big emotions and hard feelings, his stomach hurts, so he tries to suppress them.

I don't know if I've mentioned this in the comments or in the story prior, but it is/will be a theme of the story; Bryan has major attachment issues. He doesn't dislike Steve, he's just keeping the man at arms length, so if things don't work out, Bryan won't get hurt, that's why nobody has said anything to him about it. Steve has prior experience dealing with boys who've had a lot of trauma in their lives (he's a minor side character from a novel trilogy I'm finishing over on Nifty.) Bryan's fear of attachment is his biggest motivator, and Calvin's abandonment is key to it. Bryan not mourning his mother's death isn't healthy, because he kept himself from getting attached, and there are reasons for all that which will be addressed later on, among other problems with Calvin. There are reasons why Diego got custody. Caleb maybe young and immature, but I'm hoping to convey that, through Diego's love and influence, the boys have flourished in every way, especially intellectually.

Bryan does have a high awareness of his issues, but he lets fear guide his actions.

Bryan, currently, doesn't have a therapist. He refuses to engage, which adds to his issues. I can't remember if that's been addressed already or not.

Diego made spaghetti and meatballs. Bryan and Kenny sat next to each other, while Steve and Diego flanked them, with Caleb on the opposite side. Bryan could feel his ears burn as he thought back to his make out session with Kenny a few minutes before. Both teens kept their eyes on their plates. Bryan was painfully aware that Diego was looking his way. “So Kenny,” Diego said, with a hint of playfulness in his voice, “How was school?” “Good,” Kenny said, shifting uncomfortably in his sea

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Thank you for noticing the bit of meta humor I added. I was beginning to think it would get missed. Bryan's awareness of himself and his sexuality is largely due to being raised by an openly gay man. Though it hasn't been discussed and there's no real need to do so, I assumed the boys would have questions about why Diego didn't have a wife or girlfriend, and why his "guy friends" stayed the night and shared his bed. Diego's family is liberal minded, as Diego's parents wouldn't have tolerated anything less, so he would've been out of the closet for a long time, making the conversation less awkward. He would've discussed various sexualities on a level they could grasp, and no doubt, would've discussed gender and gender identity. A large part of my influence for this non-scene in the backstory came from the "Red Wine" scene in the show Schitt's Creek. If you haven't seen it, I you can watch the show on Hulu or find it on YouTube. Diego is the type of parent that most kids should have. He's firm but fair, with love and responsibility pretty much viewed as the same thing. It's Diego's devotion and patience with the boys, especially Bryan, that allows Bryan to open up and gives the boy permission to be himself, flaws and all, which will be more prominent later on. As for questions, you can ask them here, but don't expect spoilers. If you're looking for spoilers, though, you can either DM or email me, and see what you get.

@Summerabbacat, the story, thus far, has a heavy focus on Diego and Bryan, and the reason why will be apparent throughtout the story. Caleb and Bryan are just some examples of how kids cope under similar situations. It's one of the failings of psychology to assume that people react similarly to stressors, which often makes it more akin to astrology. As for more Caleb, he is present and not ignored but, for the moment at least, isn't a central focus. Since I'm not really keeping notes or plotting this story out, Caleb's role and focus may change in the future, as it could for Steve and anyone else I bring in.

@drsawzall, yeah, Bryan's abandonment issues will be a focus.

Thank you, @chris191070. I'm glad you like the chapter. A lot is starting to occur (I'm working on Chapter 11), so we'll see what Dan gets up to. Bryan and Diego are my focus with this story (so far), so it's important that they get established in depth.

Diego, Bryan and Kenny got into Diego's truck and headed away from the school. Kenny said that he ran into Diego and asked for a ride. “Bryan—“ Diego started but Bryan cut him off. “Dad, can we just move on? The fight was so last chapter?” “Oh, you've got jokes now?” Diego asked with a small smile on his face, while Kenny giggled. “I'm mean, I've always had jokes, so....” “Well, I'm glad you think all of this is funny.” “Thanks Dad,” Bryan said with a wide smile. “I

It's sad to say that this is far more common than it should be.

Thank you, @chris191070. I hope it keeps your interest through to the end.

Hello everyone, I'm John. I've been writing most of my life, and discovered this site a few weeks ago. I've posted my first story on here, Thicker Than Water, and hopefully, more stories will come.

That (and the comedic parts) will start in the next chapter that I hope to have submitted in a few hours.

Thanks for the complements. I try to keep my characters as grounded as possible. Studies have shown that bigotry is a nurture situation, as babies and little kids have no real concept of race, gender identity, etc. Bigotry is taught or emulated, which is sad, but also means to can be fought and defeated. I considered having Mr. Deacon be a bad guy, but I already did the bad school administrator thing in another book I wrote, so I didn't feel like doing that again. I think more schools should have cameras and microphones in the classroom and halls. Clearly never in bathrooms or locker rooms, but schools need to monitor the behavior of students better to hold the bad one accountable. I know I've had my fair share of bad teachers and bullies, and it would've been nice to see them held accountable for their actions. I was raised by active drug users, and when my father died, I didn't really care, much like Bryan. There are big differences that have touched on already, though, and will be a reoccurring theme throughout the rest of the story. But trust me, I feel the same way you do out addicts not ever being allowed to have children. There's more to the Diego and Donna situation that hasn't been addressed yet (even in the chapters I've written thus far) that will help put his point of view into perspective.

Lol. At this point, I have no first names but they're pretentious enough to all have the same initials.

...9 years later.... “Get up! Last warning,” Diego called out, before heading back to the kitchen. Bryan grumbled. Like his dad, he wasn't a morning person. He rolled onto his back and covered his face. Bryan wasn't looking forward to school and wished summer break lasted longer. Suddenly, his blankets were pulled back and a mass of fur was dropped on top of the 14-year-old, as a barrage of licks attacked his face. “I'm up, I'm up!” Bryan called out in a panic, as he tried fightin