Four Years Strong! · 5:00am Jul 15th, 2019

Hey, guys! Since I know that I've gained a lot of followers since this time last year, I feel like I should recap something very inportant for me. For you see, this website has really helped me out a lot since I first joined back in 2013. It was through this site that I first began to write fanfiction, and gained a steady following of readers through my Magnum Opus romance series Brushed Away. It was also through this site that I was able to learn so much about myself, as well as the many readers I've been eternally grateful to call my friends. Whether it was by helping me open my horizons in writing controversial themes, or how my works were able to help people going through various struggles and continue through for better things, I can safely say that joining this website was one of the best things I could've done for myself after I graduated college.

But of course, of all the achievements and milestones I was able to amass due to this site, the best one of all isn't that hard to guess. Several years ago after the success of Brushed Away 2, and discovering a thread in the M/M Romance group about people's favorite stories, I made a reply mentioning one of my favorite writers who inspired me to join. And that very writer happened to see my post, and PMed me to chat.

That writer was Storm-Butt, a fabulous and talented soul who not only became my best friend, but is also my live-in boyfriend.

On July 15th, back in 2015, the two of us had been chatting off and on for several months. But unlike lots of other people who I talked or RPed with, there was something that the two of us had that couldn't really be explained. We were definitely flirty (maybe even a little too much), but there was certainly a strong connection that neither of us could ignore. And on this day four years ago, Stormy asked for us to go onto video chat. He's usually the type to prefer text instead of direct communication, but he was insistent on seeing me directly with what he wanted to ask. And even though we were living over 700 miles away from one another at the time, he was courageous enough to ask through Skype if I wanted to be his boyfriend.

And I said yes in an instant~

Over the years following that moment, so many things have happened for both of us that I still have to take time to fully process. For me, I was able to finally come out to my family (a struggle that was a big inspiration for the fears I carried while writing Canvas' struggles in Brushed Away), put in the effort to better myself from my previous "bachelor" status, take control of my independence apart from my toxic nariccistic ex-parent, and even take the intitiative to drive over 13 hours across the country to help him move in with me. And for Stormy, who is probably reading this post right now in our apartment while I'm at work, he was able to grow so much from how he used to be. I'm not going to divulge too deeply into the personal struggles he faced before I came along, but it warms my heart so much to see just mow much he was able to progress from how he was back in Ohio. Not only does he have a much better grasp on himself as a person and as a writer, but he managed to write out a full-fledged novel, that he's in the works of getting published sometime soon! I know there's still a lot to do before that day comes, but it makes me so proud to know just how tenacious and confident he became in the years we've spent together.

So to Stormy, I just want to say how deeply blessed I am to have come across someone as special and amazing as you. You're truly the greatest thing to have happened in my life, and I can only imagine how amazing our lives will be by the time we reach the next milestones in our relationship. I truly love you with all my heart, and there's nobody I'd rather be with than you. :)