LeeSA

He understands thats why he acknowledged it. However Lyn being Lyn means that he will bury it. He is going to stick to his plan, crush on what he cant have, set personal and physical goals that he can distract himself with and because its safer than risking his heart and being hurt. The rest is Lyn waffle, he works hard for people to see him a certain way. I dont think Lyn and Alex would have worked in this time line anyway Lyn had to grow up a bit they all did. They have had no contact for 8 years so they are going to have to relearn each other in the present meaning the masks wont work forever.

What I find particularly interesting is the ambiguous language that Brad chose to open the conversation, using words like experiment and refering to nuts and bolts and working out what fits. I briefly wondered if Brad was trying to speak that way on purpose although my consideration of him doing something like that did not last long, quickly nulified by his tantrum. If that does not speak volumes about what kind of person he is.....So still not still not a fan Lyn has really constructed what he sees as safe walls insulating himself from too much scrutiny from the outside. He was unable to stop his reactivness to Alex even back then. I wonder when he will have the "so much wasted time" moment. Fear and familiarity were enough to put a stop to any emotional growth. Poor Alex, if only Lyn saw him with as much clarity as he sees Lyn. That being said on this time line he is still hiding part of himself too.

I am bracing myself .... I guess I am going to get very annoyed with Zayn and his slow building of a spine. Its easy to see Rivers motives but what will Zayn do to turn that into true love ? As for the other two never hurts to plot practice the perfect murder. Give me a broke couch potato in trackies anyday. Oh and maybe never marry a man who has a, well Veronica... as a sister.

A lack of diplomacy is not a bad thing. Though I prefer the word blunt.

I am glad that River has self respect and a back bone. Pitty Zayn has not found his. Zayn may want to get his shit together though.

Ooops your right again .. no idea why my brain wont work after 16 hours on. 😂 can even edit that f***up

Tried and true, yes. I have read several of your other stories but never from the outset. Being completely honest, I have finished some and not others. Xavier's not a new character type but I do look forward to his humbling.

Vulnerability, intimacy and acknowledgement. Not to mention, I thought, hot.

Hmm my brain automatically spat out what is the difference between "particular" types of Preachers or Policitians. Alexanders knows. Sits with my theory

This much I know work brain or not. I just feel like Alexander has know Lyn or of Lyn a lot longer than we may be aware of atm. Though I have been known to be wrong 🤫

The Bro bit stood out to me too, but in the reverse I cant hear Brad saying Mr President, it almost sounded like it was directed specifically at Lyn. As you said Presidents are chosen. Again maybe I am just being a little one sided. Am still waiting for @Laura S. Fox to swivel my head to a more empathetic place in regards to Brad.

Agree with the "Mr President" comment but why would a total stranger attach the to Lyn ? I have a train of thought in my head obviously about who the new kids is but maybe that is my own wishful thinking. Is it a case of validation for external source that continues to motivate Lyn on this path ?

Well that makes sense, Lyn started putting up barriers to the things he understood and felt very early on. In attempts of self preservation and keeping his mothers secrets. If he didnt like something or it hurt he simply changed the language. How would a 16 yr old kid possibly know how to deal with the life the lived otherwise. His chosen euphemism of Freelancer for his mum is kinda smart. The new guy at school cute obviously ticked a lot of young Lyns boxes. The blue eyes, the obnoxious attitude. Made me think back to a comment back in chapter 4 in the library where Alexander walked up to the table Lyn was at. "Im not people, not to you" was what Alexander said over his shoulder to Lyn...first time I read it, it struck me as familiar, fast forward or backwards to this memory and it is me wondering if that new kid was Alexander. Maybe that memory was just lost in Lyns desperate attempt to get who his father is put of his head. His drive to get as far way from everything his childhood stood for is a powerful motivator. I actually had a moment of pure empathy for Lyn this chapter because when he eventually breaks apart it is going to be brutal. 😥

@Laura S. Fox did mention that these two chapters were going to be connected but I cant work out the actual day for the life of me is day 4?

Perhaps thats exactly what Lyn needs, not so much the ass whooping but to finally have to face his fears. Lyn goes around his, but it will come.

Well Ill be buggered. Wow

Ok so after reading my comments back through... I have little excuse... work brain fog 🫣..... yes it was meant to read Alex. And really it appears I have a habit of forgetting the gender thing, cant even blame brain fog for that @Cane23 so there ya go.

Love and hate are each others flip side. Alex had to walk his own path of redemption through a failed marriage. The gender or identity of his ex we dont know or how long after college he got married and divorced. Maybe Alexs family expecations were being pushed on him towards the end of college and he was desperate for Lyn to finally step up and of course its Lyn so he couldnt and Brad had his claws in deep then too and probably fed Lyn a bunch of bull to further his own positon and ego. I could see that scenario devolving into a massive blow up.

It is interesting that Alex sees the time Brad asked to spend alone with Lyn as Brad as trying to manipulate Lyn into taking sides. I think that will have something to do with the agrument 8 years ago. Perhaps Brad will spend his time trying to drive a wedge between Lyn and Alex and maybe this is something that has occurred previously.

Very good point, maybe he met Bella through Luke maybe they were closet fb then too.

I found the aggressive tones in this chapter, Luke with Lyn, Brad with Lyn interesting. Both Brad and Luke are behaving similarly towards Lyn (not saying he should have interjected himself into Lukes temper tantrum in the first place) but he has as he said his own objective, limit confrontation and support all efforts to keep the pre wedding plan on track for Brad. Before Lyn even went out to speak to Luke he gave himself the permission to hide again from the possibilities in front of him. "Lyn had to remind himself that he couldnt possibly be the cause of Lukes problems" on some level he knew/knows that he is the centre piece and his seemingly idiotic behaviour is causing issues or he would not have had to give himself a pep talk before gping out to speak to Luke. I am wondering still if Luke is mad at Brads focus not being on him and on Lyn, jealous that he has to share or has lost part of Brads attention. When Lyn is not there he is Brads focus maybe sexually maybe just as a mate but he has no competition. There is no way he could be anything but conflicted watching the intimacy between Lyn and Alex knowing that Brad is watching it grow too and still focusing on Lyn. I dont think he was going to kiss Lyn or ask too at all. He could have been about to say " Can I .... ask what you have that I dont ? " or "Can I .... ask why you came " maybe Im wrong. Luke was aggressively in his personal space in a threatening manner. Same with Brad I think that was aggression not sexual. As for Brads plan at three hours alone with Lyn.... its the only way he can hope to keep Lyns attention. So what happens in those 3 hours will be very telling to Brads hidden motives and the depths of his manipulations. He has to think he has something to gain or he wouldnt do it at all. Alex knows Lyn but mentioned the dangers of the path he is following and has a better grasp of the bigger picture. He knows Lyn is loyal to a fault but sometimes your loyalty will take you the wrong way and it blows up in your face. Lastly when Lyn is alone with Alex he starts of open and vulnerable when the feels get to close he retreats. Falling on apologies and well used lines of crap like Im sorry I dont know about your marriage etc etc. Alex leaving the room is simply giving Lyn boundaries. Letting him know that this is not a passing fling, he is in for the long haul and its not just about sex, which Lyn uses as a distraction. He wants Lyn to face the tough questions, I am hopeful that Lyn continues to be strong enough to withstand the bullshit that Lyn hides behind.

I like to think that they were still too young to see what was going on then and yes Alexanders own insecurity and vulnerability is on show. That being said Lyn chose to defend Alex in that situation because he cared too much to let it pass. Defending Brad was a little different cause Brad just misses or chooses to ignore the undertones of every situation much less hear what anyone is actually saying to him. Falls back on his usual jokes. One act is an emotional response for Lyn the other is just reminding Alex, Brad is different. Feels a bit less sad maybe? That way

Im kinda thinking Lyns instict to protect those he cares about comes from it being something he was not able to do previously ..... perhaps his dad. It just carried over in his everyday life. Even if his dad fucked up big time he would still want to defend his family especially as a child

Exactly..... Lyn felt safe behind his walls keeping everyone at arms length. If he lets anyone in he has to confront himself and his feelings about himself and for Alexander. Hiding is much easier or so he thought, not so much anymore. Lyn has done a lot of posturing himself just a little more subtle than an outright pissing content. Lyn has not let himself be completely vulnerable since, well their entire friendship.

Exactly..... Lyn felt safe behind his walls keeping everyone at arms length. If he lets anyone in he has to confront himself and his feelings about himself and for Alexander. Hiding is much easier or so he thought, not so much anymore. Lyn has done a lot of posturing himself just a little more subtle than an outright pissing content. Lyn has not let himself be completely vulnerable since, well their entire friendship.