THE RULES

[_alicesprings]

Title: The Rules
Written By: sydneyalexis
Timeline: Post 513/future fic
Rating: PG [coarse language]
Summary: The Liberty Gang take it upon themselves to teach Gus to 'just say no'…sort of.
Author Notes: Many thanks go out to shadownyc for the beta!

Comments

[epicallytired]

I have to admit that D.A.R.E. was my first idea for a fic. and i worked it around in twenty three concentric circles and could NOT make it work. you did.

[sydneyalexis]

When I first signed up for the challenge, I assumed that some people would go for the obvious -- their OTP daring/betting/bargaining each other to do something. The younger writers or people that like high school fic might also go for the spin the bottle route.

After discounting those, I called up a foggy memory of hours of my life lost to the absolute boredom that was DARE. That was enough to make me start writing Gus into the situation. I got about four paragraphs done and I was bored out of my mind.

The more I started to think about my own experience back in the fifth grade, the more I realized that, by the time the cops showed up to lecture us, I already knew most of the material. That made me realize Gus would have too only on a much larger scale.

I realized that the Liberty Gang saw the two children as their own and probably would have taken the time to talk about all the important things in life with them. And then I started 'hearing' how they would have broached the subject. Twenty minutes later, I had "The Rules."

[epicallytired]

yeah, see i had this totally crackficcy idea that brian would be forced to give a dare presentation, or find out that gus was taking the DARE course and mock it.

every time i did, i came back to brian's basic rules.

don't take drugs from anyone you don't know.
don't mix poppers and or other heavy shit with alchohol
ignore the second rule if you're brian kinney
always stay hydrated.

what that led to was brian bascially telling gus it's okay to do drugs...and no matter how much i know he'll eventually have a rational way to be a hypocrite about it, and how much he really really won't care if gus smokes pot or drinks as long as he's generally safe about it... i could NOT find a way to have brian do this that didn't end up something that a) wasn't funny and b) didn't threaten to squick most of the readers.

so i gave up the idea and went the operant conditioning angle...and that seemed to work...kinda.

[sydneyalexis]

We essentially started from the same spot -- Gus getting the drug speech. I also think you would have landed in the same spot eventually; the gang knows that will eventually try drugs (just like he'll eventually have sex). The idea is to make sure he does it as safely as possible.

It would also mean that the gang would have to realize that Gus isn't a child anymore. And that fact, in and of itself, might be the block the gang has.

Maybe, if you choose to revisit the idea, you could think of it in terms of paralleling the sex talk with the drug talk. Maybe even go so far as to say Kinnetik was contacted by the DARE people to 'spice up the program' and, in true Kinney fashion, he takes that literally.

I found it also helped to pull cues straight from the show (like the B52s) they made it possible to show the ridiculousness of the do as I say not as a do rule.

[such_a_steph]

LOL! I love it... I was smiling with each little story. You captured each character so well.

[sydneyalexis]

Thank you!

The Rules

[fansee]

Ah, just what I needed: some new ways to talk to my kid about the danger of drugs. She goes to an inner city school and has been indoctrinated at least once a year since first grade, so she's jaded.

I think I'll stress your Brian/Justin approach. FanSee

Re: The Rules

[sydneyalexis]

If you think it will work, go for it. ;D

My parents' approach was more like Deb's.

[wordsalone]

This was wonderful! I always imagine that our little Gus will turn out quite a bit like his father. You really captured that here. Plus, I think you have a great take on each of the characters.

Thank you for including Carl. I love Carl.

The declaration was followed by Carl calmly nodding in agreement before asking what was for dessert.

Exactly.

[sydneyalexis]

First off -- icon love!

Plus, I think you have a great take on each of the characters.

Thank you! There's no greater compliment to a writer. :D

Thank you for including Carl. I love Carl.

I tried to include all the major players and their reactions because I think the gang would see the kids, in some way, as their own and would go out of their way to make sure that both Gus and JR were safe and happy.

In fact, the only one that I left off was Jen, but I don't think she would have thought it her place.

Thank you for the feedback!

[flashfly]

I loved everything about this. Great timing and very witty.

And it's nice to see them from a not so usual perspective. Keeps it fresh.

Good job!

[sydneyalexis]

And it's nice to see them from a not so usual perspective. Keeps it fresh.

That's generally why I write Gus-centered fics; it allows me to explore other sides of the gang's personalities.

Thank you for the FB!