6 Months of
Haunting You

We'd been falling for each other since August, but the date we picked to make it official was September 11. Because we both thought it was funny. I got Rob flowers on the 17th—his first bouquet ever, can you imagine—and he was so geeked that it made me a teeny tiny bit sad I wasn't able to give it myself. He got me flowers and a bucket of KFC too and I loved them equally. Well. One more than the other. We also crashed a wedding fair as a gag, hard launched on socials, and let him witness the damage that the bottomless pit that is my stomach can do.

— anniversary date chosen for maximum comedic damage —

Halloween is extra special and I could not believe he didn't dress up for it. Shame. SHAME. So naturally we did two couples costumes in our second month! Clark and Lois, then Morticia and Gomez. Not bad, but we're going bigger and better next year. This year. Yes. I cooked for Rob for the first time and he was very supportive about how I didn't poison him. Casting a spell though? Let's discuss this another time, shall we? We also went to our first emo night together! And then went to another emo night the same month because apparently that's just who we are as people now.

— emo nights attended as a unit: 3 and counting —

We got matching tattoos at month three. His first ever. Probably my eleventh?. From Perfect Days—his says “next time is next time,” mine says “now is now.” Most people would not do this at month three. Most people should NOT do this. Please. We also read Dark Patterns together and comics stopped being something we both happened to like and became something that's ours. We went to Ebe's concert—Rob did one of the alternate posters!—and I was so proud of him I yelled “UY POGI!” when his name came up on screen.

— i will yell anything i want if it is to support my wife —

Rob got me into Transformers and I picked Soundwave as my favorite in about four seconds. He got me a bunch of tiny Blokees figures and I bring them everywhere I go now like a feral child. Christmas is my favorite holiday. Rob is not really a Christmas person, but he hung lights in his apartment for me. I think I am slowly converting him and it makes me very happy. He spent New Year's Eve with my family and just fit right in—parlor games, gifts for everyone, the whole thing.

— i love presents he loves presents we just need more money —

This was the month I basically lived with him. A week here, ten days there, and none of it ever felt like too much? Like I keep waiting for it to get weird and it just doesn't. Waking up next to him, falling asleep next to him. I could get used to this. (I am already used to this.) I joined him when he tabled at PotA—the theme was nostalgia and it is funny because we are old—and I had the best time just being there, hanging out, helping out, watching him do his thing. He's also been helping me with the book I'm writing which is very sweet and also means he can never leave because he knows too much.

— consecutive nights together: lost count (good sign) —

My first extended trip without him. His birthday—our first as a couple!—happened while I was away and I was not okay about it. He was also very much not okay with it. BUT! Valentine's was the day after I landed. Then a Doraemon fun run the morning after that because we apparently do not believe in moderation. This month was tough because life we spent the least time together. Hated it! But then I'd see him again and it was like, oh. Right. This is what we're working toward.

— days apart: too many. days thinking about him: all of them. —