for A Prodigal's Dilemma1/15/2016 c23 Guest
Damn I shed some tears. Lots of them.
Gripping story. I'm not entirely sure the Seth/Steven dynamic was even necessary to the plot at all. I loved the subtle and not so subtle nuances of the siblings. Jenn knows some of the story, Stacy knows other parts, Matt is clueless. Jenn's insistance on no nicknames was very deep for me. It seemed to be her own way of honoring her brother. Her hatred of her father after Steven left. Stacy seeing the ugly act of a father on a son who didn't deserve it.
Very compelling story, even without the slash.
Thank you for sharing.
Damn I shed some tears. Lots of them.
Gripping story. I'm not entirely sure the Seth/Steven dynamic was even necessary to the plot at all. I loved the subtle and not so subtle nuances of the siblings. Jenn knows some of the story, Stacy knows other parts, Matt is clueless. Jenn's insistance on no nicknames was very deep for me. It seemed to be her own way of honoring her brother. Her hatred of her father after Steven left. Stacy seeing the ugly act of a father on a son who didn't deserve it.
Very compelling story, even without the slash.
Thank you for sharing.
1/15/2016 c10 Guest
I really love the Josh/Seth dynamic. Fabulous teenage brothers.
I really love the Josh/Seth dynamic. Fabulous teenage brothers.
1/10/2015 c23 Milo
1. Sorry for mistakes / my english / its my just my third language and iam not used anymore to write
Its 6 oclock in the morning (europe), i just could not stop reading your story.
And right now I feel so many different emotions.
I like Steven and i really feel sorry for him.
to Matt: I dont know why, but I dont really have an opinion about him. I didmt get to learn him really well.
To the Mother: I hate her, how could she let that happen. how could she still life with these man. And then telling her son that she wants so keep good memories of that man, i mean he just raped her son. I cant understand her and i dont feel sorry for her. in my opinion she does not deserve forgiveness.
to the sisters: Yes, when they were younger, they didn't understand what happened. But how could they, after they knew what he done, still have contact with their father and still calling him dad. AND let them meet their children?!
Sure they have problems after everything what happen. But that cant be compared to what Steven had to go through. I dont know how they even can look him in the eyes. I couldn't do it.
I think that also person who didnt done anything are also to blame.
I really loved to read your story. It is so emotional and breathtaking.
Good Night :D
1. Sorry for mistakes / my english / its my just my third language and iam not used anymore to write
Its 6 oclock in the morning (europe), i just could not stop reading your story.
And right now I feel so many different emotions.
I like Steven and i really feel sorry for him.
to Matt: I dont know why, but I dont really have an opinion about him. I didmt get to learn him really well.
To the Mother: I hate her, how could she let that happen. how could she still life with these man. And then telling her son that she wants so keep good memories of that man, i mean he just raped her son. I cant understand her and i dont feel sorry for her. in my opinion she does not deserve forgiveness.
to the sisters: Yes, when they were younger, they didn't understand what happened. But how could they, after they knew what he done, still have contact with their father and still calling him dad. AND let them meet their children?!
Sure they have problems after everything what happen. But that cant be compared to what Steven had to go through. I dont know how they even can look him in the eyes. I couldn't do it.
I think that also person who didnt done anything are also to blame.
I really loved to read your story. It is so emotional and breathtaking.
Good Night :D
8/26/2014 c23 Trillpuv
This was beautifully written. The togetherness that Christmas brings sets your premise, and the forgiveness that Steven can only sort of give is very...real, to me. The only thing I was upset with was the casual throwaway about Matt's request. He basically loans his brother out like a pimp and this bothers no one but Stacey? Who in fact has her concern explained away as internalized homophobia. Was there a reason for not addressing this?
This was beautifully written. The togetherness that Christmas brings sets your premise, and the forgiveness that Steven can only sort of give is very...real, to me. The only thing I was upset with was the casual throwaway about Matt's request. He basically loans his brother out like a pimp and this bothers no one but Stacey? Who in fact has her concern explained away as internalized homophobia. Was there a reason for not addressing this?
6/30/2014 c23 ajashire1
This was... something. I'm drawing up a blank as to what, but definitely... definitely something important.
This was... something. I'm drawing up a blank as to what, but definitely... definitely something important.
2/28/2014 c23 Wolf Flameheart
This is the best fiction I've read in too many months
I'm not usually one for contemporary but kudos
Cheers!
This is the best fiction I've read in too many months
I'm not usually one for contemporary but kudos
Cheers!
5/23/2013 c23 fantasyobsessed
Wow this was so deep and touching. I could literally visualize the whole thing like a movie in my brain, the show of truly good writing
Wow this was so deep and touching. I could literally visualize the whole thing like a movie in my brain, the show of truly good writing
12/23/2012 c17 Guest
It must've been more often with other things. I can't even remember a count, it was far too often to keep one, of how often my parents beat me. The two-by-four did not merit counting. It was too common. No, the counting was reserved for the unusual additions to the beatings. Once my mother broke a brush on my ass, the broken handle drawing blood as it scraped down my sides. Twice my father backhanded me hard enough to split my lip. Once I was locked in a closet for more than 4 hours. Once I was knocked out of my chair at our dinner table, with neither my mother nor my sister making a single comment, even when the chair flipped on top of me. Twice I was picked up and thrown down the hall by my throat.
It's the rare and unusual ones that are counted.
So, to have been bad enough to run after only five... those five must have been the rare ones, with something else as the more common.
It must've been more often with other things. I can't even remember a count, it was far too often to keep one, of how often my parents beat me. The two-by-four did not merit counting. It was too common. No, the counting was reserved for the unusual additions to the beatings. Once my mother broke a brush on my ass, the broken handle drawing blood as it scraped down my sides. Twice my father backhanded me hard enough to split my lip. Once I was locked in a closet for more than 4 hours. Once I was knocked out of my chair at our dinner table, with neither my mother nor my sister making a single comment, even when the chair flipped on top of me. Twice I was picked up and thrown down the hall by my throat.
It's the rare and unusual ones that are counted.
So, to have been bad enough to run after only five... those five must have been the rare ones, with something else as the more common.
12/23/2012 c14 Guest
Quote:"Is it really all right to remember the just good in a man who was so bad?"
If you ever find an answer to that, let me know, because as good as my parents are now, I know, I *know* I am still punishing them with my behavior for all the shit they put me through in my childhood. For me, it started when I was 3. 3, damn it. My earliest memories are quite literally the nightmares that still haunt me, and I'm 31. Even being hospitalized for intentional overdose at 14 wasn't a clue to anyone outside my home that there was something to worry about, and no one looked twice at any of my bruises or marks, not even when Dad finally got so furious he hit my face - even though a split lip and loosened tooth was clearly visible and visible was sooo not normally done.
They're good people, sometimes. Church goers, charitable, etc. But does that really make up for the fact I got the beating of my life when I tried to run or that my first nickname from my mother was 'horse's ass' and I was 4? Does it make up for the fact that but for a rare genetic trait that most of my scars are only visible in photographs - that I've mostly burned... because most go away after 5 years or so. But, the internal wounds the missing scars would show are still very much there, including the hip that doesn't always support me and the ankle that will never ever be straight again. Does helping at the local homeless shelter make up for making me wish I had never been born for the first 25 years of my life? Does helping missionaries make up for making me so miserable I've developed a mental disorder (apparently genes only increase the likelihood; you have to be abused to become a borderline)
I don't know HOW to forgive them. It's worse though in that they do not believe they did anything wrong. They honestly think using a two-by-four to hit anything from shoulders to knees until I couldn't stand, and sometimes yanking me up and continuing, was acceptable discipline. And because they think it was okay, they will never apologize. How can I forgive, if they never even say sorry?
Quote:"Is it really all right to remember the just good in a man who was so bad?"
If you ever find an answer to that, let me know, because as good as my parents are now, I know, I *know* I am still punishing them with my behavior for all the shit they put me through in my childhood. For me, it started when I was 3. 3, damn it. My earliest memories are quite literally the nightmares that still haunt me, and I'm 31. Even being hospitalized for intentional overdose at 14 wasn't a clue to anyone outside my home that there was something to worry about, and no one looked twice at any of my bruises or marks, not even when Dad finally got so furious he hit my face - even though a split lip and loosened tooth was clearly visible and visible was sooo not normally done.
They're good people, sometimes. Church goers, charitable, etc. But does that really make up for the fact I got the beating of my life when I tried to run or that my first nickname from my mother was 'horse's ass' and I was 4? Does it make up for the fact that but for a rare genetic trait that most of my scars are only visible in photographs - that I've mostly burned... because most go away after 5 years or so. But, the internal wounds the missing scars would show are still very much there, including the hip that doesn't always support me and the ankle that will never ever be straight again. Does helping at the local homeless shelter make up for making me wish I had never been born for the first 25 years of my life? Does helping missionaries make up for making me so miserable I've developed a mental disorder (apparently genes only increase the likelihood; you have to be abused to become a borderline)
I don't know HOW to forgive them. It's worse though in that they do not believe they did anything wrong. They honestly think using a two-by-four to hit anything from shoulders to knees until I couldn't stand, and sometimes yanking me up and continuing, was acceptable discipline. And because they think it was okay, they will never apologize. How can I forgive, if they never even say sorry?
7/10/2012 c23 Guest
Great story
Great story
3/3/2012 c23 
4R. Ficst
I read Waiting for Valentine's before realizing that it was a sequel. I feel lucky to have found this and I really enjoyed it. The two go together so well, and I also enjoyed the choice to split the POV. The background on Steven and the background on how Seth fell in love with him is done really well. I think it's awesome how you chose to have everyone "ignore the elephant in the room" as you put it; the choice was refreshing and added much hilarity to the building action and the moment when Matt finally has the talk. Great story, and great characters. Loved it!
4R. FicstI read Waiting for Valentine's before realizing that it was a sequel. I feel lucky to have found this and I really enjoyed it. The two go together so well, and I also enjoyed the choice to split the POV. The background on Steven and the background on how Seth fell in love with him is done really well. I think it's awesome how you chose to have everyone "ignore the elephant in the room" as you put it; the choice was refreshing and added much hilarity to the building action and the moment when Matt finally has the talk. Great story, and great characters. Loved it!