Cane23

I suppose, somewhere in between, Joel - Learned to Ride! 😁

I’ve just checked, and I’m honestly speechless - 199,253 words for one chapter! I officially take back every time I said @JJQuinn's chapters were too long. 😁

As an author, you’re not allowed to say that- it’s blasphemy! 😜

I was thinking the same - I even wondered whether Hunter might be on PrEP. The behavior feels reckless, almost more dangerous than dealing with cartels.

The scarificator (I had to google this device) is a brilliant, disturbing choice...and not just aesthetically. On the surface, Lyn’s logic is simple - Alexander dislikes emotional displays, therefore, give him something sharp, intellectual, historical...a gift that “cuts” instead of comforts. But symbolically, this is deeply ironic - a scarificator is an instrument designed to create wounds in order to heal, based on a false theory of illness. It is medicine built on misunderstanding. That mirrors Lyn perfectly at this moment - he senses Alexander is suffering and wants to help, but his method is based on a flawed premise about what the suffering is. Even the shopkeeper’s monologue reinforces this “They used to think people got ill because of bad humors accumulating in the body.” Lyn believes something external is wrong with Alexander - stress, illness, death around him...when in fact the “bad humor” is emotional, relational, and very close to home. On some intuitive level, he selects an object that matches Alexander’s inner violence toward himself. And yet, crucially, Lyn frames it as a practical, tasteful gift. He never once considers whether this object might be too intimate, too invasive, too revealing. The scarificator, wrapped in brown paper, is the perfect metaphor - a beautiful, dangerous object, bought with love, destined to hurt before it heals...if it heals at all. Alexander’s “death by a thousand cuts” Lyn hears as self-destructive darkness, but Alexander means it as truth wrapped in irony. Alexander's is almost a relief. For the first time in a while, someone has come close enough to touch the shape of his pain, even accidentally. He’s my brother.” Brotherhood allows Lyn to keep Brad without hoping for him. It’s a way to preserve attachment while amputating expectation. The feelings don’t vanish, but they are rendered inactive, archived under a name that forbids desire. What does end is the fantasy that Brad might someday see him differently. Calling Brad “brother” is Lyn telling himself - this is not where the story goes. By contrast, Alexander is framed as “My best friend.” This is psychologically fascinating, because best friend is not a terminal category. Whether Lyn knows it or not, this framing leaves Alexander unfixed. Best friend can remain best friend...or become something else. Alexander hears that “I’ll settle for being your best friend for now.” - he confirms that he understands the temporary nature of the role. “For now” is hope, but also strategy. What we’re witnessing here is the birth of a strategy that will define Alexander for years. What’s crucial is that for now is not directed at Lyn, it’s directed at Alexander himself. This is Alexander setting an internal checkpoint - I won’t ask for more yet...I won’t correct him yet...I won’t unmask the truth yet. This self-imposed delay gives Alexander a sense of control in a situation where he otherwise has none, and that’s why, much later, we repeatedly see him say...calmly, almost with satisfaction - “that’s enough for now.” It’s the same mechanism, matured. Alexander has learned that love, for him, must be managed like a long game. “Do I look like the marrying kind?” This line is brilliant in its ambiguity. On the surface it’s dismissal, but underneath, it’s a half-truth. Alexander does not look like the marrying kind - not because he rejects commitment, but because the kind of commitment he wants is not available and because the kind of marriage that happens later is not born of desire - it is born of necessity, structure, timing, and avoidance.

Wait - does this mean we won’t find out who Jep Braden is dating?!

I absolutely LOVE your comment - you’ve perfectly captured the essence of the chapter! Brilliant! 👌

What a magnificent and terrifying mind game! Just when you think one side is gaining the upper hand, the other strikes back. As much as Alexis is using Griffin’s secrets to her own advantage, she isn’t entirely wrong - Griffin should be using his ability to see ghosts to help find the missing children, even if it means exposing himself in an already hostile FBI environment. This just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see how this psychological thriller mystery unfolds. By the way, thank you for this wonderful Christmas gift @JJQuinn . Happy holidays and Merry Christmas! 🎄

Lyn tries to rebuild walls... and Alexander refuses to let him. Lyn's instinctively retreating into risk management - spacing...weekends only... “until we figure something out”. That language is classic Lyn - conditional, provisional, reversible. Alexander names it immediately - fear of commitment, and those naming hurts, because it’s accurate. What matters is that Lyn doesn’t deflect or counterattack for long, instead, he admits it. That’s new. Earlier versions of Lyn would have intellectualized or joked his way out. Here, he stays in the discomfort long enough to answer honestly - “Fuck, yes, I want more,” he said, knowing that his aggressive tone was out of character. Like other things in Alexander’s presence, it just slipped out. Lyn still cannot see how far back Alexander’s feelings go. He can finally see Brad’s flaws and the falseness of the old idol, but he still can’t imagine himself as the object of long-term desire - especially not in the past. What Lyn cannot yet tolerate is the idea that Alexander may have been choosing not to act despite wanting him, because that would retroactively reposition Lyn as desirable when he believed he wasn’t. That realization is still too destabilizing. “Sure,” Alexander said, but nothing in the way he said it made that single word sound sincere. This line confirms Lyn’s intuition, even though he doesn’t follow it to its conclusion... Alexander, insincere? It was unfathomable. We can see what Lyn cannot yet bear to name - Alexander isn’t lying outright, but he’s withholding emotional truth for Lyn’s sake and his own. Lyn doesn’t only fear of intimacy - he fears losing the dynamic. Lyn’s hesitation is not about sex, affection, or even commitment per se. It’s about preserving the specific relational chemistry he values - challenge, friction, intellectual combat...being sharpened, not soothed. So, when Lyn says “You will have to promise that you will fight me…” he’s not joking - he’s articulating a relational need. He doesn’t want a relationship that dulls him or pacifies him. He wants one that engages him. “I don’t think it’s just because it feels so good”. This is the closest Lyn gets to saying love - and he stops just before the word because he rejects purely physical explanation and admits meaning he cannot yet name. That’s Lyn - he recognizes affect before he recognizes attachment. “You’ll get it.” That implies Alexander already knows what this is - and is quietly relieved that Lyn has crossed far enough into honesty that the rest feels inevitable. That’s why he’s pleased, not triumphant...settled. Alexander’s “we should’ve done this sooner” carries the weight of long-standing feeling. It’s not just sexual euphoria - it’s the release of a narrative he’s been carrying for years... if only, it was always there, we wasted time. From Alexander’s perspective, this feels like the correction of an old injustice, but Lyn’s internal response is wiser and harder won. This moment was perfect because it was happening at the right time. Lyn doesn’t deny that something could have existed earlier, but he understands that it could not have survived then. This is one of the most emotionally adult moments Lyn has in the entire story. Alexander speaks from longing; Lyn speaks from integration, and that doesn’t make Alexander wrong - it just shows that Lyn has finally exited the fantasy logic of if only, which governed his feelings for Brad for so long. This is very important message the "Misaligned" gives: Desire can exist for years but love only begins when two people can actually meet. Finally... Wishing all my fellow readers - and the wonderful author - a very Merry Christmas and joyous holidays! 🎄🥂❤️

110 notifications this morning!!! 😅 More than half of them are discussions about who is the bottom!? Well… as curious teenagers, shouldn’t they try out different roles before deciding (or not) on preferences? Do verse boys not exist anymore? 😜 Anyway, someone has to go first, and from what I can see, Davin did ask first - and he has that dose of confidence that suggests he knows what he’s doing… unless he accidentally woke a “tiger” in Joel. Either way, it definitely feels like both of them are about to cross an important line sooner rather than later. The clumsiness of the shower scene was adorable, but the real highlight of the chapter for me was this line: “You’re beautiful,” I said before I could stop the words. Feeling my face warm as he chewed, smiling I shook my head. It was unexpected - for us just as much as for Joel and Davin, and that’s exactly what made it beautiful. For a second, Joel forgot about all the walls he’s been building around himself for years. Finally, guys, happy holidays! Go celebrate Christmas - just don’t leave me with 200 notifications tomorrow 😄 My Christmas is on January 7th, so I don’t have to worry yet about festivities, Christmas lunch, presents, family…

I have the old-fashioned fear of technology...you know, when you think if you press the button everything is going to explode!

I've just tried it...I can see, I can SEE, I CAN SEEEEE!!!! THANK YOU!!!

The only gay demon I know is a website full of very kinky stories 😁 (actually, the first site with gay-themed stories I ever found). That said, I have to agree with @PrivateTim on this one - no gay, straight, or otherwise demons at all! All site improvements are very welcome. I’m a half-and-half reader - phone and PC, so a huge thanks to all the authors who use larger fonts and make life much easier for us “blind” readers. @JJQuinn and @LJCC, you already know this! Some authors in particular @CasualWanderer82 @Laura S. Fox @JJQuinn... because of the psychological depth of their recent stories, actually made me do extensive literary analysis for each chapter of certain works (something I hadn’t done since high school). That kind of writing was impossible on a phone, so: PC for analysis, phone for fun. 😁 Now, a small, well-intentioned piece of advice for authors - please take the time to write a strong synopsis. This is the main reason I missed some amazing stories for a long time; the introductions simply didn’t catch my attention. On the other hand, readers - don’t miss the chance to write reviews. In most cases, my decision to read a story is based on good reviews rather than tags. The idea of remembering deceased authors is fantastic. They should all be remembered and honored. Finally, I’d like to make a suggestion. It’s not about promoting authors but about recognizing their status. There should be something like an honorary badge for exclusive authors. Many writers publish on multiple sites, and I fully respect that - but those who publish exclusively on GA should be acknowledged in some special way.

Turbulence is an amazing story, also published here on GA (Turbulence - Fiction - Gay Authors). I remember being genuinely astonished by its characters and plot - the brutality, yes, but also the emotional depth that runs through it. This is not “just another high school story,” definitely not. I left a somewhat unpolished but fairly extensive review there, which might help give potential readers a sense of what they’re stepping into. It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for a mix of coming-of-age, high school drama, and Hunger Games–level intensity, this is very much the story for you. As for Medellín, I find this story truly refreshing. The setting feels exotic and alive - the surroundings, the characters, the living dynamics, and the rules are so different from the Western world that it immediately stands out. Colombia is portrayed as both beautiful and dangerous... It excites me to discover what’s going to happen next, while at the same time the unpredictability of the outcome unsettles me a little - in the best possible way, of course.

The father enters the scene expecting one of two performances - a beggar or a blackmailer. Lyn offers neither. When he returns the check, refuses paternity, and articulates why proximity is dangerous, something shifts. The father’s language changes from dismissive to evaluative... “Cautious. I like it.” “A great name. Meant for great men.” “You deserve it. For an excellent performance.” This is not warmth - it is recognition, but recognition in the father’s own moral grammar. He realizes Lyn is not reckless, not sentimental, and not stupid... in other words - not expendable. That is the misjudgment being corrected. The father reacts less like a man discovering a son and more like a ruler discovering an unexpectedly competent vassal. He threatens a paternity test not because he wants closeness, but because it’s leverage, he insists Lyn take the money because refusal challenges his authority, not his heart., he accepts Lyn’s “I’m not your son” because hierarchy is intact. The pride emerges precisely because Lyn demonstrates restraint, strategic thinking and fearlessness disguised as politeness. These are qualities the father respects because they mirror his own. “For an excellent performance” that line is doing double work - on the surface, it’s mocking but underneath, it’s an admission that Lyn understood the rules faster than expected. Calling it a “performance” allows the father to admire Lyn without acknowledging emotional impact, praise him without surrendering control and, of course, keep the encounter transactional. It’s the only form of pride he can safely express. Lyn has spent his life unseen by Brad in the way he needed, watched by Alexander but never approached and protected by a mother who refused explanation. Here, for the first time, a powerful man sees him clearly and judges him competent. That kind of recognition is intoxicating, even when it’s wrapped in threat...and Lyn rejects it. That rejection is what makes the father proud. The pride exists because the father recognizes something familiar - emotional containment, strategic intelligence, willingness to endure humiliation without breaking. Now, the difference is that the father chose domination as his organizing principle; Lyn chooses distance. That’s why the father laughs when Lyn leaves...not because he’s amused, but because he’s encountered the rare thing power respects - someone who could have been his heir and chose not to be. In short - the father misjudges Lyn, and in correcting that misjudgment, he offers the only compliment he knows how to give...recognition without mercy. That makes the scene colder, not warmer because it proves the father could see Lyn as a son and still chooses not to. Two 'charity' moments mirror each other perfectly. The first check arrives as a transaction - rude delivery, implied threat, money used to manage and silence. The second arrives quietly, anonymously, with no demand attached. Same function, opposite ethics. One asserts power, the other offers care. That’s why the first feels humiliating and the second strangely comforting - and why, if Alexander is the benefactor, the contrast says everything about the kind of man he is. ... Which bring us to possibility that Alexander’s help and his sudden withdrawal belong to the same act. If the money comes from his family rather than him personally, then the generosity is not free. It likely requires explanation, justification, obedience or silence. In other words, Alexander pays in autonomy what Lyn receives in opportunity. Unlike Lyn’s father, who makes money visible to assert control, Alexander makes his involvement invisible and removes himself from the picture to keep Lyn free. So, it’s reasonable to assume a price was paid and the cruel irony is that Lyn benefits from the sacrifice at the exact moment Alexander must disappear.

Dennis is an absolute beast in business, but a total clumsy teddy bear when it comes to relationships. First he occupies his employee’s apartment, then gives Klebber the wrong address… and after introducing himself under a completely false identity, he invites Klebber to a family gathering with nieces and nephews! What on earth is he thinking - asking Lizzy to lie for him in advance?! This part is hilarious. Your play with clichés is brilliant - two tough guys switching the conversation to cosmetics and skincare in a second. What divas! Absolutely priceless. 😂

You’re right - but playing detective is way too fun 😁

I’m in, but only if Cane is the best man.

You guys are amazing! I love your collaborations - Cane always has a role. Last time he survived; this time, he’s a better person than me!

I think this time the secret benefactor really was Alexandar. I’ll explain it in my analysis -you know… mirrors… and other things. 😁 But big bravo to @LeeSA for guessing that the first one was the father.

I like the slow, positive shift in the dynamics between Colt and Joel. It feels like Colt is gradually becoming what Westley was meant to be for Joel. It’s promising, but at the same time, there’s something quietly sad about it.