#my heart’s at peace

[calloustotender]

i’ve realized very quickly—maybe too quickly, all things considered—that arizona feels something like a second home to me. i feel as comfortable here as i feel in nashville and i don’t know exactly what’s the cause, but i’m grateful for it. there are so few places in the world where i feel like i can exist comfortably, with my guard down.

the boys and i all agreed to take a break before flying to paris for the start of eras. zac and kayla went to new york. taylor and claudia to the smokey mountains, brian and his husband to…los angeles, i’m pretty sure. i was going to stay in nashville. i was so close to just spending time with jasmine and making sure everything at fruits and gdy were taken care of before being gone for an entire summer. i was gonna stay here, i swear.

but brian said to me: “your heart’s not in nashville, hayles.”

and i couldn’t really argue with that, could i?

so…i followed it to arizona.

we had a date to get done anyway, right? if i needed the excuse, it was that. but it turns out i didn’t need one, because he missed me like i missed him. his mama picked me up from the airport because he’s not clear to drive yet and that was…nerve wracking all by itself. jenny is lovely, but she sees right through me and i don’t think i like being seen that way. we caught up, little things. i could tell she was fighting a smile the entire time, though. you know the kinda smile from someone when they had a suspicion and they’re finally face to face with the reality that their suspicion was right?

yeah, that. it was that.

she knows.

oh, she knows.

but still, our date wasn’t real. we agreed it would be a pretend date. he’s still healing—his stitches are bothering him, his pain comes and goes, he’s still tired easily. my brain is still catching up to our current reality. none of this feels real to me yet and we’ve briefly talked about it. so…we agreed: pretend date for now. real date…soon. he said he knows we’ve been on dates before, but he wants the next one to be different. so we went out for lunch and we took the dogs to the park and he made sure i saw some palm trees and it was nice. it was comfortable. we still make each other laugh. the chemistry is still, somehow, there. maybe a little stronger? i’m nervous around him. i can’t look at him for too long without feeling like my heart is going to fucking obliterate my sternum. he held my hand on the walk and his fingers shook.

it’s still there.

but i’m staying at a hotel because we’re trying to take it slow. we know each other like the back of our hands, but we want to do this right. there’s a lot we have to work through, there’s a lot that i’m uneasy about. so…we’re giving each other space, and i’m thankful for it. i miss him when i leave, but i think the excitement of having to wait to see each other helps.

i’m sitting in his yard now, while he naps. i have a plate of raspberries and alf and murphy are playing in the grass. it’s warm and it smells like it’s gonna rain. i’ll probably go inside in a little to see what he wants for dinner…and i know his mama will probably stop by with something before he and i even have the chance to decide. and then—we’ll sit outside again, maybe with a guitar.

and it’ll be nice.

it’ll be peaceful.

[spineless-lobster]

Hey so if you guys here any pained animalistic sobs and/or wails don’t mind that it’s only me thinking about the house of hades family portraits

[lilybug-02]

Final Bug Fact:

The world NEEDS bugs. They keep the soil healthy, pollinate, control pests, and contribute to the worlds' ecosystem. By the end of the century, it is estimated 40% of insect species may go extinct due to habitat loss. Yes, that is very scary. But with even one beetle spared, one caterpillar rescued, and one Hollow Knight comic of all things, things will change. Because I know there's a lot more Dewi's out there than most people realize. Stay curious.

Thanks for going on this adventure with me. ♥︎

First || Prev // END

Masterpost

Comic Thoughts and Pictures Below!

I wanted to put here how amazing and sweet everyone has been with this comic. I finished a 75 page comic in 3 MONTHS. I am at a loss for words. That sounds crazy and it IS crazy. But man was it fun. Even on days were I wasn't able to draw due to fatigue or business, I loved working on it from start to finish. And guess what!? This is my first ever FINISHED comic :D I'm so proud of myself. I know there's some things I want to change and the art is wonky in most places...... but I'm content to let it be. What an amazing summer adventure!

I'm hoping to post the full comic on another Comic website. I may or may not edit some of the art ^w^ So I'll let y'all know when I release it.

Interested in learning what you could do to help your local insects? This is the basic stuff. Maybe make some Insect Hotels if you have the time!!! And never forget to spread the word about bugs. They need our help just as any animal on earth.

Still Here? Well you can look in the tags for little lore dumps if ur looking for stuff like that ;)

[hinamie]

shhhh

[ruubesz-draws]

Minus One meets Emi

Emi is fine... just shooked

[linhzard]

steady breathing now, jojo!

(this is a redraw hehe)

[brainrotcharacters]

the man trained by the shimotsuki since childhood, the mind behind the three sword style, the demon pirate hunter, vice captain of the Strawhat Pirates,

easily stopped with a hand on his shoulder by his captain (currently in a silly hungry vibe)

[sexy-sapphic-sorcerer]

BBC Merlin & Text Posts (18/?)

[citricjoy]

kyle on simon’s moral compass 🖤

[evgar]

lovesick puppy

[bitwein]

I WANT TO FLY INTO YOUR HEART!

[thereallycoolmonsterithoughtup]

laios meets milsiril

[otrtbs]

"it's okay for regulus to be really mean to james but it's not okay for james to be even slightly mean to regulus because-" EHHH. WRONG! 🚨

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

THHAT STICKER THING IS SO ADORABLE AIUUUGHH'

ough yeah i made myself Emotional.. just a bit...

[cursedvida]

Well, Noa and Mae are the classic enemies-to-allies-to-enemies again-to probably allies again-to friends-to-angsty-and-doomed-love and you can't convince me otherwise sorry

[ruporas]

tri-trans! happy#tdov 💘