EMichaelC2

This was the first story I read on GA & probably what took me here in the first place. Long story short: Boy meets boy. They feel a spark. They try to meet again without outing themselves. Plans fail due to the strong attraction. Rules get broken and rewritten. Pressure, self-imposed or from peers and family, threatens to break what they have. They have their own demons to face. They are bad communicators because they say so much in such haste. You can't help noticing the crushing weight on their young shoulders even as they have so much love and support in their corner. It's a rollercoaster of a journey, but worth following from start to finish. The legal nerd in me recognizes all the little things that point to the author's background. And the protagonists are convincing, loveable and very real. They have their glaring flaws, some of which cost them dearly. But they are resilient and tenacious as well, because they are in love. I've revisited the parts in which they meet for dinner off campus for the first time, and those in which they deal with that tragic yet cathartic incident, many times. The ending of the entire story is also very powerful. @Andrew Q Gordon does not shy away from all the nitty-gritty of everyday life. He writes beautifully about the sexual tension as well as frustration and despair. He tackles violence against the gay community as well as mental health. It begins beautifully and ends meaningfully. A very long story indeed but a great journey nonetheless.

Suppose a good-looking jock majoring in biosciences told you he had read Virginia Woolf & liked her stuff, what would you do? Moi? I would throw myself at him & cut my family off if they did not approve. And that was actually what I did during my very first serious relationship. That said, this was just one of the many little things that drew me to this story. I read through the original posted on Nifty & again the updated (& much improved) version here. It's such a sweet & poignant story of two college boys falling for each other despite themselves. They had difficult families but supportive friends (and some family members). They had to navigate treachery, loss, doubt, resentment as well as attraction, understanding and love. Their struggles were real and sometimes heart wrenching. They were immature and there was a lot of hurt on both sides. But they were very adult about it all. They had to figure out who they were. Then they had to face the very difficult social milieu they sometimes found themselves in. Both were gripped with fear of the unknown, which impeded their decision-making & communication. They struggled with finance and with the practicalities of living together. This is what I love most about the story. A relationship is not just all about the physical attraction or the love itself. It's about how to navigate real life. I love the way our author @Ethan unflinchingly presented how sometimes our protagonists acquiesced to pressure and how they managed to emerge stronger as individuals and a couple. It's a long read, but it's an exhilarating journey.