Dear Jeeaark,
I absolutely ADORE your BG3 comics, thank you so much for bringing us so much joy! There is one page that gives me particular delight–the one where Greyg learns that they must Unpineapple the Pineapple
If you’ll forgive me for being an enormous ocean geek, I couldn’t help but make an association between this realization and real-life cephalopod behavior that I think is COMPLETELY ADORABLE, especially in the context of your comic: basically, when a Vampire Squid feels threatened, it will turn its little body inside out, revealing a spiky underside meant to confuse and frighten predators
These sweeties are completely harmless detritivores, this is just like a cat poofing up to make itself seem scarier
and this behavior
is called
pineappling. :3
I know Emp can’t actually do this, but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that it wished it could, when confronted with Feelings
UNPINEAPPLE THAT PINEAPPLE GREYG YOU CAN DO IT <3
ANYWHO have a really awesome day and thank you again for all that you do. :D
-RB
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Dear RB,
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Listen. Listen. I need more swimmer Steve. I'm not a sports person but I need this. I need more jock Steve. I'm not American so forgive the details but.
One day, Steve, Robin, and Eddie all leave Hawkins together. Nancy's already gone off to take the journalism world by storm. Jon and Argyle are taking it easy, traveling, having a good time. And the kids are still in school.
Robin goes to college studying linguistics, and Steve goes with her on a swimming scholarship. Eddie doesn't know what he wants to do but he wants to be with his friends, and he doesn't want to be in Hawkins anymore. It's a plus that bigger cities have bigger metal scenes. Maybe he can convince Gareth and Jeff to come with him and see if they can really make something of Corroded Coffin.
Steve finds he actually kind of likes college. The swim team. It's different when you decide to go there willingly, with other people who also want to be there. And the swim team. He fucking loves it. He didn't realise how much he missed swimming, being on a team of actually nice fucking dudes who care about the sport. And they're good. But the kicker? So is Steve.
And he didn't really realise it until now. He knew he liked swimming, he knew his coach back in Hawkins likes him, he knew he got made co-captain. But a part of him started to wonder if people complimented him because he was popular and mean. If he got made captain because his dad was rich and influential. But here at college no one knows who King Steve is. No one can see his hair under his swim cap. He's just Steve, a good fucking swimmer.
He comes back from practice to his and Robin's apartment smelling of chlorine and his fruity shampoo, duffelbag slung over his shoulder. His wardrobe is slowly filling with more swim team shirts, hoodies, a professional track suit for meets. And so Robin and Eddie slowly steal his old Hawkins Swim Team shirts, wearing the soft worn cotton as pajamas.
Eddie isn't in college, doesn't want to be, but doesn't mind being dragged to the occasional college party. He got a job at a small hole in the wall music store, and has started up Corroded Coffin in the apartment he shares with Gareth and Jeff. (He stays over with Steve and Robin as often as he can).
Robin is acing her classes, is in Band, and has befriended a small group of other queer women. And you just know on swimming meet or competition days Robin is going to support Steve with Eddie and maybe some of her queer friends - all of them chanting Harrington. And Steve blushes, he's never really had people support him that much before. Tommy and Carol weren't the type ya know?
But now he has Robin, his best friend, love of his platonic life. He spots her wearing his old Hawkins Swim Team Captain sweatshirt with his last name on the back, cheering as loud as she can in the stands.
Next to her is Eddie, still dressed as metal as ever, smiling and laughing and happy to be there. Steve locks eyes with him and smiles when Eddie gives him a little wave, trying to ignore the swooping in his gut. He's bi, he's out, he knows what a crush feels like. He knows he's falling for Eddie but it would ruin him if he confessed to Eddie and got rejected, or they stop being friends or or or. So Steve keeps silent. But maybe he makes sure to stretch and flex his muscles when he knows Eddie's watching.
And Steve's team wins. And they keep winning. He goes to classes and studies with Robin, he goes to Corroded Coffin gigs to watch Eddie (because they're finding their feet in the local metal scene), they go to gay clubs together all 3 of them and walk home at 3am singing at the top of their lungs.
Steve swims laps alone in the dim light of the evening. And Eddie shows up. And they have their first kiss at the side of the pool, reflection of the water reflecting off their faces
Steve and his team make it to the big final competition. And he's nervous as hell. And him and his coach and the whole team agree that they're taking this fucking seriously. So they go for The Big Shave. Going full swimmer and shaving their bodies.
The three of them are all crammed into their tiny bathroom with a trimmer and a pack of razors. Steve shaves his face as normal, a tape playing faintly from the player in the living room. Next is Robin, who teaches Steve how to properly shave his armpits and his legs. Makes a lot of dumb jokes and helps him with the itching. He does a run through with the trimmer, then shaves his legs. Repeats the same with his arms and they help him with the tricky areas. They all agree its fucking weird. Last is the chest hair. The jungle. The one Eddie has been moaning about missing for a solid week. Eddie, who loves to run his fingers through the hair, rest his head on Steve's pecs as they rest in bed together. He gives Steve's chest hair a proper funeral and pretends to cry when Steve is all clean shaven. Robin is so used to Steve walking around the apartment shirtless that she keeps doing double takes whenever she sees him in the corner of her eye.
Competition day arrives, and the kids head up from Hawkins for a weekend in the big city. Chaperoned by Joyce and Hopper? Nancy and Jon and Argyle? idk? And sitting with Robin and Eddie. Steve's never had a crowd that big before. Never had people love and support him like that. He can see El and Will have crafted a sign. Lucas whoops. He knows Dustin's going to be making a joke about his bare chest and how he finally "tamed that jungle" and proceeds to try his hardest to cheer the loudest. And Eddie, his boyfriend, wearing a college swim team shirt underneath his leather jacket, following Steve with his eyes.
Steve and his team win, and he wants nothing more than to run to the stands and kiss Eddie senseless. He's missed him a lot, as Steve's training got more intense. Eddie would stay the night so they could snatch moments of time together but Steve would be awake and showering by 6am to eat and head to the gym. Kissing Eddie as he leaves, smiling fondly at Eddie's sleepy grumbles and mumbles, shuffling into the warmth of where Steve lay. But now he's here and swimming is over for the competitive season and Steve can relax. Take Eddie out on a date. Actually sleep in for once. Wake up with Eddie wrapped in his arms and then stay in bed until Eddie wakes up himself, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and snuggling into Steve's now bare chest.
I have so much to say and no words to say it with. AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Robin and her queer friends carving out a corner to support Steve from! Whenever there’s a home meet everyone knows not to go to ‘those’ seats because Robin and Eddie could just stare with sad hopeless helpless eyes until the intruder leaves
Eddie mourning the chest hair!!! EXACTLY!!!! He writes an ‘in memoriam’ to Steve’s chest hair, frames it and places it next to Steve’s bed. He has another framed picture but its a drawing of Steve’s hairy chest by Eddie with the quote ‘do it for her’ underneath it. Steve doesn’t know if it’s a motivational prompt for himself or for Eddie and her too scared to ask
Robin getting really into checking out the other teams and seeing what dirt she can dig up so that she can make the competition feel a little less daunting for Steve. She always cheers loudly and obnoxiously and Steve adores her for it
Eddie coming to check in on Steve late night, he’s in the pool but he should be resting, should be at home. Eddie arrived to Steve and robins place only for Robin to announce ‘your boyfriend who isn’t your boyfriend isn’t here. Tell him I’ve made pasta when you see him. Oh and that you are in love with him, thanks so much’ Robin ends the sentence with a wide eyed teeth clenching smile and Eddie walks out the door.
Eddie finds Steve, sitting on the side of the pool, goggles tossed by the edge. Steve looks up and has as good as permanent indentations around his eyes and across his nose. His chest is heaving, hair and body wet. He’s a mess, he’s also the most beautiful person eddie has ever seen and it takes all his strength not to blurt it out. Maybe not tonight, maybe not ever, not if it means he might lose Steve. Eddie doesn’t think anything is worth that.
Steve being bullied into the edge of the booth as his hawkins family take him out for dinner. His heart is full knowing the most important people in his life are here to watch him do something he genuinely enjoys. They aren’t ridiculing him, they want to know about him, they want him to know they care.
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So what's the lore with Juniper n their relationship with Vitimir n Hettie?
WELL for both, their relationships go back to their school days! Although the difference being that Juniper and Hettie went to St. Epiderm together, while Vitimir went to a different school (Glandus at the time he met Juniper).
I’ve briefly touched on how Juniper and Vitimir met here, so that explains their first meeting. To reiterate, Vitimir was a shy kid that didn’t really have any friends growing up (aside from bugs/whatever little creatures they spent their time around) and was bullied frequently, so that single positive interaction with Juniper, though small, really stuck with him and he never forgot it. Juniper didn’t forget it either, but being the sociable type meeting and talking to lots of different people, that moment sorta blended in with the rest of their memories. So fast forward to them both working as Coven Heads at the same time, Vitimir immediately recognizes Juniper. Despite Juniper changing a lot since his child self, that one good memory left such a big impact on Vitimir as a kid that he still held that soft spot for them. So of course, when Juniper eventually approached him on their own time, Vitimir already had this layer of vulnerability. Even though they might not have recognized him, from Vitimir’s perspective, there was that sense of familiarity and comfort; Juniper might have changed, but that kind kid was still in him. Now that they have the chance, Vitimir wants to actually get to know this one person who had plagued so many of their thoughts as a kid. And the rest is history!!
As for Hettie! Again, she and Juniper attended St. Epiderm together. Hettie was just as terrifying as a kid as she is now. She was everything- a jock, a princess, a bully, a weird girl, whatever you can think of. Though she’s very open about who she is, everyone around her was always so intimidated by the fact that she was unpredictable (and the fact that she’s both the smartest AND strongest person you’d ever meet is terrifying enough on its own). Most everyone- except for Juniper. To Juniper, Hettie was always such a character. She’s always been so confident and unapologetic, able to command people’s attention without even saying a word. Her unpredictability made everything she did so interesting. Juniper so deeply admired this about Hettie. And the fact that she’s 100% his type only drew them closer to her. Hettie was Juniper’s first ever crush, and that love Juniper had for her never faded. Though as kids, they weren’t in the same social circles, they did cross paths a lot, whether it was through Sonia (Scooter Crane’s daughter and childhood best friend to Juniper, who was also in the Healing Track), or Juniper getting injured for whatever ridiculous reasons. At this age, Hettie didn’t reciprocate her feelings (yet), but she had a fondness for Juniper because he was so different from the other kids for the fact alone that they had a (very obvious) crush on her. And while their crush may have caused them to do embarrassing things, and foolishly being used as her own guinea pig from time to time to practice her magic on, Hettie had cared about Juniper. To her, he always made life more fun and interesting. Fast forward to them as Coven Heads- Hettie has grown a stronger affection for Juniper. He’s changed over the years, but he still makes life so much more fun and interesting. Perhaps now, Hettie admires Juniper for the same exact reasons they always have her. They’re still a bit pathetic around her, but Hettie finds it endearing. Not to mention, Juniper still makes for a good doll to experiment on, and she takes good care of her favorite dolls ;-)
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