First, I have to say that this is an odd experience for me to read a 'Curt and Arthur' story when I'm not a 'Curt and Arthur' fan. But, as I've made mention before, I find your writing so intriguing that I am drawn in. In fact, my main focus was Curt's musings on Brian. It was literally painful to read! Which means you did an extraordinary job in just 2 paragraphs of expressing the devastation the ending of the relationship had on Curt.

Whenever I watch the end of VG, and Curt is sitting alone at that table in the bar I'm thinking of him as a 'survivor'. I so much want to hug him. I think about how much it must have hurt him to be tossed out by Brian, then, to dig up the courage all those years later to go to his concert and see him living 'high on the hog, and yet, Curt maintains his sweetness and that sense of wonder he always had. To see him smile bashfully at Arthur is to see the real Curt.

I'm looking forward to and dreading hearing him talk more about Brian!

O.K. Let's just start with those last words! Can ANYONE imagine Curt Wild saying that to him/her? I'm dizzy just reading it!

It's like there's three elements to your story, (1) HOTNESS! (2) Aurthur struggling with the "idea" of Curt vs. the real Curt. It's so sweet how he genuinely can't help but still see him as his teenage dream, but how he also wants so desperately, (for Curt's sake!) to see Curt as the person he is in the now. Also how Arthur feels humbled being with Curt and Curt feeling the exact same way about being with Arthur! Which brings me to (3) Curt's low self-esteem. His fear that Arthur is drawn to the illusion of Curt Wild-the king has not clothes kinda thing, then Arthur will be disappointed and leave. All this going on at the same time makes the story!

I'm kinda confused about the aspect of Curt's bad feelings of himself. At the end of VG, it seemed to me that when Curt gave Arthur the pin, it was a symbol of "I recognize you. I remember what we had, what I was to you, but it's only a memory now. Take this to remember." It felt like Curt although not famous any longer, felt that he came out of the Glam days with his dignity. He understood that Brian was willing to pay the price-sell his soul, his love, (Curt) everything he was to get the fame he wanted. But, Curt knew that at least he walked away with his artistic integrity and self-respect in tact. Am I being too "woo-woo," here? Put me straight! :-)

I'd say I need a shower, but I'm afraid it would get too steamy in there as well! Ah...to think of Curt Wild naked as the day he was born. :-)

I like the juxtoposition of Arthur being such a "professional" person, and yet all mushy inside when it comes to Curt! It's like no one at his job would ever suspect such a "serious" journalist to be in "giggly" love!

I was so ready to hear Arthur ask Curt to move in with him! But, then I thought, how will that go over with Curt? He loves Arthur and I'm sure wants to be with him, but, I also know he wouldn't want to seem like a burden to Arthur. That's a sticky situation.

Keep going! I still have that fight (when Arthur snoops on Curt) in the back of my head, which seems so far away now, given how much in love they are!

Cheers!

Anyone, and I do mean ANY ONE can relate to your wonderful description of Arthur, "pre phone call!" My gosh, I have gone so far as to strategize the proper time to call back, and WRITE out my message before hand! Sign of someone totally crushing hard! :-)

It's so sweet that Arthur is touched by Curt's sincerity about his past. It does mean so much when someone you have admire for what seems most of your life complements you! I love the whole "new relationship" aspect of the story. Even though sex can happen naturally, it's the intimacy that takes its time to unfold. Looking at the person you love while he is sleeping. YES!

LOVED THAT!

Oh! Also loved picturing Curt Wild riding a bicycle! :-)

I had just had been wondering when we would hear from you great talent again! You still got it! As strange as it may seem to you not writing about Curt & Brian, it's also strange as a reader to be reading a "Velvetbabe" story without that pairing. I mean who could forget that wedding?!

But, you managed to keep me interested in a pair that I don't normally think about. Every time I see the end of VG, I am overcome with sadness by the look on Curt's face. He seems to be asking Arthur for a reason to stay, or for Arthur to go with him. When Curt walks out alone, it breaks my heart! I LOVE how you have them meeting up on the street!

I also love how you wrote about an aspect of their relationship I hadn't given consideration to; that of how the people from Arthur's world would take to Curt! It makes perfect sense that the friends Arthur would have wouldn't exactly understand the attraction. It's also something that contributes to Curt's tragic aspect-the fact that he is judged so often and harshly.

Also LOVE how you describe Arthur's excitement and disbelief at actually being intimate with someone he's idolized for years! It made me think of a concert I went to when I was 16. It was a male singer-songwriter from Ireland who I was over the moon for. I could only imagine if I had even been able to say, "Hello!" to him, let alone...well, my older, grumpy brother was with me anyway!

One question-Do you suppose Curt struggled all the years between his break up with Brian and his meeting Arthur again because of the pain of the break up? Or, do you think it was a combination of things such as drug addiction, lost career, etc.?

Thanks for sharing more of your talent with us! ALWAYS LOVE YOUR WORK! Is there more of these two?