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The Stuff You Might've Missed (And More)
🕑 Added 2025-03-13 02:02:06 +0000 UTCSo I’m certain many of y’all are aware of my habit of writing lil extra bits and scenes in the comments of my Fuzzbutts art posts. I love doing it, but I’m aware these bits can get buried in the comment section, can be hard to find, can be missed by my readers entirely if you’re not like, refreshing my posts every couple minutes. So! I’ve collected some of these random dialogues and short stories into a compilation. Even threw a bonus, never-before-shared one in there >;3
1.) The One Where Don Spills The Beans
(should be noted that this is not at all likely to be canon, it’d take a lot more for Don to be so brazen with the guy that signs his paychecks. Trigger warning for casual misogyny and reference to an (implied) attempted suicide)
Merry: You know, Don, just between you and me....sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing. I was more'n twice Maple's age when I married her, and I swear livin' with her's only aged me a hundredfold. *sigh* I thought because she had an adult's body, it meant she had an adult's brain, but that wasn't true then, and it damned sure ain't true now.
Don: I toldja man, even back then. "She's young enough t' be yer daughter!", I said! But you didn't wanna hear it, didja? All you cared about was stickin' it to ol' Ellie. *chuckles* You havin' regrets now that Maple's still young and spry while you need a chair in the shower? Scared some fresh young buck's gonna steal her while yer busy cleaning your dentures?
Merry: *huffs* No, no, that's not it. It's...well, Honey's older now than Maple was when we were married. But when I think about Honey settlin' down with a man twice her age- even a good, godly man- I feel, uh...*wringing hands uncomfortably* ...I just feel sick.
Don: ...
Merry, finally turning to him: ...Like it's wrong.
Don, glancing away: Ah ha. Well...right, wrong, who's to say? I don't think you've got anything to worry about with Honey anyway, ain't she a self-declared lil rug-muncher? Or uh, wannabe one, heh.
Merry, irritable: Don, that's not the-
Don: Besides, Maple turned out alright in the end, didn't she? She's got her daughter, her crafts, the church. Always smilin'. It's not like we ruined em, boss.
Merry, sighing:.... Yeah. Yes, I suppose that's true. I-I'm worried over nuthin'. Honey's a good girl. She turned out fine, Maple turned out fine-
Don, absently: Toffee turned out fine-
Merry, confused: Toffee? What about Toffee?
Don: *caught off-guard, uncertain how to proceed* I-Nothin'. He turned out fine, is all. For a while, I uh...I kinda thought he wouldn't.
Merry: *cold* I wouldn't say Tobias turned out fine. And what would you know about my son, anyway?
Don: Well- you don't spend a summer with a guy and not learn a couple things about him. Remember that? You asked me ta teach him how ta be a real man. But no amount'a fishing and campin’ trips could make him into what you wanted. Kid always reminded me'a Maple. Sweet, anxious...wanting a father figure, maybe.
Merry: Hmph. Ungrateful, more like.
Don: But he's not ruined, is what I'm gettin' at. Doesn't spend his days weepin' and shootin' up drugs in a gutter somewhere. And neither does Maple! They turned out fine! Him, Maple, Honey- they all turned out fine! I promise you, chief, nothin’ we did was ever enough to put so much as a scratch on those kids. Young folk nowadays are tough!
Merry, fiddling with his tie: Hmm. Yeah. I suppose.
Merry:
Merry: …..Wait. “We”?
Don: Mm?
Merry: You said “nothing we did”.
Don, confused: No I....didn't.
Merry: You said it earlier, too. *eyes narrowing* “Not like WE ruined them”.
Don: *swallowing* I-uh-
Merry, sitting up straight: So now, I’m forced to wonder what exactly you mean by "WE", Donavan.
Don, eyes going wide: Nuthin’! I meant “you”! Ehheh, I just misspoke is all, happens all th-
Merry, snapping: You son of a bitch. You did something with one of those girls you counseled, didn't you? Damn it, Don, I'm responsible for those young women! Their parents trust me, they donate! Who was it? *pauses, before his voice goes quiet, cold, dangerous* Was it Maple?
Don: Cripes, no! I never touched your wife, I wouldn’t have even dreamt of it! I’m bein’ completely honest with you, Merriweather! And my clients trust me- I NEVER would’ve violated-
Merry, standing to his feet: Honey, then. It was Honey, wasn’t it? *gripping his cane so hard the wood creaks* Donavan, I swear to you, if you did ANYTHING to my daughter-
Don, surging up with a snarl: What kinda man do you fuckin’ take me for, Meadowsweet?! Honey?? That’s SICK! She’s- she’s my goddamned goddaughter!!
Merry, jabbing his cane in Don’s chest, growling: Then WHO was it? You’ve got TEN seconds to confess, Donavan, or so help me GOD I’ll CAN your sorry ass! This church, these people, this whole godforsaken community- you can kiss all of it goodbye!
Don: Ohoho, so that’s how you wanna play it, huh? Forty years we’ve been friends, Merriweather, forty years I’ve been loyal! I’ve stuck around when EVERYONE else has walked away from your rotten old ass! But apparently that ain’t enough to buy even a shred of trust outta you, of loyalty-!
Merry: Clock’s ticking, Donavan.
Don: FINE! You want the truth so bad? *smiles nastily, all yellow fangs* I promise you, you’re not gonna like it.
Merry: OUT with it, you insufferable old jackass. *pinches the bridge of his snout* The sooner I know what it is, the sooner I can run damage control-
Don: Toffee.
Merry, taken aback: What?
Don, disgusted: I said I fucked your son, Merriweather. At the lake. That time where he pleaded with you to come along, but you were too up your own ass to pay the kid any mind. I drove him out to the lake, and well, ….things happened. You weren’t there, and I felt sorry for the kid, so-
Merry: ….No.
Don: He asked, and I didn’t say no.
Merry, stumbling back, cane slipping from his grasp: You….with Toby? At- *the words clog on his tongue like sludge, his eyes going wide in horror* At the…at the lake…..
Don, shrugging: Yeah….well. You weren’t there.
Merry: I… *his cane falls to the floor with a clatter. He can’t seem to move. Don’s words sound oddly distant to his ears*
Don: But really, it only STARTED at the lake. It kept up for almost a year. If he asked me then, he BEGGED me later. *With a cruel sneer* You better believe he begged for it. And I indulged him. There, here, at my house, in my truck, in my office…..Heh. In YOUR office.
Merry: *Vomit rises in his throat. Feebly, he clutches a hand to his mouth to hold it back.*
Don: And you never knew. It was a lapse in judgement on my end, I’ll cop to it. But hey, at least I never flaunted it like you did. That’s why Toffee’s out there now, livin’ his life, while Maple’s still here, stuck to you. You really got the nerve to complain about her? You took away that girl’s future, Meadowsweet. Her dreams, her hopes, all so YOU could get off, get back at your wife. Hell, all I took from Toffee was his virginity.
Merry: *hands sliding down from his muzzle, he looks up at Don for the first time. His voice is hardly more than a whisper*. …..I’m going to kill you, you sick son of a bitch.
Don, getting bored: Sure you will, old man. Sit down already, before you work yourself up into a stroke.
Merry, eyes burning, with the wrath of heaven: HE WAS MY SON, DONAVAN!!
Don, coolly: Wasn’t Maple somebody’s daughter?
Merry: That's not-!
Don: The same? Yeah, agree to disagree, pal. *Sighs, now attempting to appease* ….Listen, reverend. That boy was more pent up than a shook soda bottle. If it hadn’t been with me, it sure as hell woulda been with the next guy to walk by. You never did pay attention, but I kept my eye on Toffee even after we uh, “broke up”. Kid was off gettin’ into all kinds of shit, poppin’ pills, I heard. Takin’ dick in bar bathrooms, gettin’ blackout drunk. I tell you, I prayed for that boy. Thank god he turned out alright in the end, right? I guess he was just….gettin’ somethin’ out of his system.
Merry: ….Then.....that time he was in the hospital-
Don, sharp: NO. Don’t you go blamin’ that on me- I was LONG done with the kid at that point-
Merry, talking almost to himself: …With alcohol poisoning. When Ellie called me, I thought....I thought she had to be lying. Toby didn’t- doesn’t- drink, I said. I’d never seen him touch the stuff-
Don, conceding a little: He…..he had a beer or two around me, sometimes. When he turned twenty-one, I took ‘im out to celebrate, and after that we’d get drinks together every now an’ then. But never like THAT. Not like what you’re thinkin’. I never would’ve encouraged him to-
Merry: The doctors said…it might’ve been intentional. *Sharp glance at Don* I….I yelled at em for even insinuatin’ it. That my boy would ever….
Don, growling: That wasn’t my fault-
Merry: Because you USED him-
Don, loud: I didn’t make him do anything!
Merry: ….It was you. You’re the reason my son wanted to die.
Don, roaring: I am NOT responsible for the choices HE made!! Ever stop to think what YOUR role in it was? Where were YOU on that, huh? You’re his friggin’ father, Meadowsweet! Not me! If the kid wanted to off himself, it was because of how YOU-
Merry, SNATCHING up his cane and brandishing it at Don: Get out. Now. Before I call the police. So help me God, Donavan, you get the hell out of my church and you NEVER come back.
Donavan: *eyes the cane, and Merry. His fists clench*
Donavan:.....You know what? Fine.
*He leaves, taking care to shove past Merry's shoulder. Merry follows his movement with the cane, continuing to grip it like a sword- as Don leaves, the door to Merry’s office slamming shut. Seconds pass in silence, and the cane begins to wobble in Merry’s grasp.*
Merry: ...Oh god. Oh god, oh go d , o h g o d……
*The cane falls again, and so does Merry. He sinks to his knees, hyperventilating, trying desperately to stop it, but his entire body heaves with dry sobs.*
Merry: Oh, Toby….oh, god, oh merciful father in heaven, f-forgive me….
As the tears run down his face, the sobs break abruptly into agonized retching- and he vomits up the contents of his stomach, heaving again and again, until all that’s left is burning bile, the taste of acid on his tongue. Vaguely, he wonders if he is dying.
Perhaps he is.
2.) In which Biscuit looks out for her neighbor, young new mom Maple
Biscuit: Hello, hello, so wonderful to see you both again! And- oh!! My goodness, Merriweather, are your arms injured?!
Merry: Huh? *confusedly examining himself* I don’t....No?
Biscuit: Well, it's just that I see dear Maple carrying the diaper bag, AND the car seat, AND the baby, and I simply cannot think of another reason a gentleman of your caliber wouldn't be helping....?
Merry, unamused: Hrmph. *yanks diaper bag off Maple's shoulder*
Maple: *exhausted whisper* Thank you.
Biscuit, whispering back: Of course, my love. <3
3.) A gag in which Maple realizes hey wait, she’s way stronger than Toffee (non-canon)
A couple years in the future:
Toffee: Maple, I truly am sorry about grabbing you that one time- and for what I said to you. It was monstrous of me- completely unacceptable- and to this day I'm ashamed. No matter what my feelings were, I had no right to physically overpower you and frighten you the way I did.
Maple: I mean...I don't know that you did, really. I was more startled than anything. I was hurt, I froze up. Looking back on it now... I'm not sure why I didn't put you in a headlock, or nail you in the balls. I could've. I didn't, but... you're just not very strong, Tobias. Huh. I probably could still do it.
Toffee: Haha, but you wouldn't, right?
Maple:
Toffee:
Toffee: .......but you wouldn't, right
4.) In which Toffee helps Bob's body confidence (New ⭐Kinda Saucy)
Toffee, pinching the bridge of his snout: For God’s sake, Robert, nobody is forcing you to eat the pancakes. If you're truly so concerned about getting chubby, I can make you an omelet with egg whites instead.
Bob, looking longingly at the stack of blueberry pancakes: Ehh. *hmphs, glancing away* Nah. No thanks, Toffington. I’m fine with just my cuppa coffee.
Toffee: *concerned* Bobby, you know I’ll support you if losing weight is really what you want to do. But I hope all this wasn’t brought on by Honey’s little….remark. Don’t let her rattle your self-confidence, I don’t think she meant for it to come off the way it sounded. And if she did, well….*gestures vaguely* She’s just a kid. A very sheltered one, at that. You mustn't put much stock in her opinions, my love.
Bob: I don’t! Or- *faltering*....I wouldn’t. If she was just a regular, run-a’-the-mill dumbass. But she’s not, Toff. Whether I like it or not.....that’s my sister-in-law. And she doesn’t think I’m good enough for her brother. And….*uncharacteristically quiet* I guess that kinda….I dunno. Stings. A little.
Toffee, eyes softening: I see. *reaching across the table to take Bob’s hand* That’s quite a shame…considering you are absolutely perfect to me, sweetheart. Perfect. The most handsome man in the world.
Bob, scoffing, pulling his hand away: Aw come off it, hon.
Toffee, getting frustrated: You come off it!
Bob, snapping: Just look at me, Toff! *dejectedly grabs at his belly* Used ta’ be fit, now I got this spare tire around my gut, crow’s feet on my face, balding-!
Toffee, interrupting: As am I, my love. *playfully ruffles the thinning fur atop his head* Every day I look more and more like my father, it's terrifying! And of course I’m too skinny, all spindly limbs and knees and elbows, I’m starting to gray around my snout, I’m scruffy- Mom complains all the time that I don’t take decent enough care of my fur-
Bob, huffing: Shut up with that, will ya?
Toffee: Hm?
Bob, with a matter-of-fact harrumph: Toff, you’re literally the most gorgeous thing on two legs.
Toffee, insistent: As are you! Our bodies tell a story, Robert- the story of you. I’m delighted to be part of that story. *once again reaches out to hold Bob’s hand, this time Bob doesn’t pull away* Please, please, Bobby. Please believe me when I say that I adore every part of you. Your mind, your soul, your body. *pulls Bob's hand up to press a kiss to his knuckles* Every single inch.
Bob, quiet for a long moment, brows knitting:…..*shyly squeezes Toffee’s hand*...Even my gut?
Toffee, squeezing back: I can’t lie to you, Robert. I find it extremely arousing.
Bob: *startled* Bahaha! *with fondness* You’re a real freak, Toffington. You don’t, uh….you don’t like it like that, right?
Toffee, rubbing his chin in thought: Well….*glances back to Bob, a new, husky purr in his voice* I mean. I don’t not like it like that.
Bob: O-Oh?
Toffee, leaning closer, to murmur in Bob’s ear: I like the way it presses against me when we make love.
Bob, somewhat beginning to resemble a flustered puffball: Uh-
Toffee, prowling even closer: I love the softness of your body, the way it interplays with those rugged, undeniable muscles. *settling into Bob’s lap* I love the way I can wrap my legs around you and feel the way your curves mold to the press of my thighs. I love how I can grip you and claw at you and know you can take it. I love to feel how strong you truly are, my love. How solid, how substantial, how warm, how firm. How beautiful.
Bob, a fascinating shade of crimson creeping up his neck, he has hidden his face against Toffee’s chest: Cheese and rice, babe. Only you could make bein’ horny sound poetic.
Toffee: Yes, well. *nuzzles against Bob* I’ve got quite the powerful muse~
Bob, sighing happily: Mm.
Toffee, unable to help himself: Oh, and I quite like the way your gut bumps against my snout when I’m sucking your-
Bob: HEY WOW SO HOW ABOUT THOSE PANCAKES HUH
4.) A note on Merry and Honey’s relationship
Honey is still Merry’s favorite kid, he just thinks she's going through a weird phase. Merry's got a lot of condescending paternalism going on and doesn't think lesbianism is “real”. To him, homosexuality is two men committing vile sex acts against god. "Lesbianism", in his eyes, is simply two women childishly rebelling against society, or fooling around when bored. A lesbian is just a woman who hasn't found the right man to set her straight. And so, Merry thinks Honey is just confused, and that she'll straighten out when she finds a husband.
Honey has definitely pushed back against Merry's mindset, even argued with her father outright, but it's like speaking to a brick wall. Furthermore, she's just not confident enough in her identity yet to properly stand up for herself. Merry is stubborn and hard to argue with, and Honey loves her dad too much to want to rock the boat too much and risk losing his favor. It's a topic they've just learned to avoid. Merry is not as pushy about Honey getting married/having kids as you might expect, because she's his innocent baby girl and he kinda wants her to stay frozen in time like that forever. Honey meanwhile is not exactly landing any ladies, so she and her father don't have reason to butt heads most of the time.
Honey: For the LAST time, I. Am. A. LESBIAN! I like GIRLS, I'm attracted to GIRLS, I date GIRLS!
Merry: Mm-hmm, of course, sweetheart.😌 And ah, just where are these girls that you're dating?
Honey: ...
Honey: ............ >:(
5.) In which Mal and Topher get married (canon, eventually)
Topher and Mal do get married, but not because either of them proposes. When Axel is very young and impressionable, they watch the furry version of The Parent Trap and get BIG UPSET upon learning their own parents aren't married and living happily ever after like in the movie!! Mal's gentle explanation that "Mommy and Daddy are just friends, sweetpea" does NOT help. JUST friends??? Not in love like Uncle Toffee and Uncle Bob?? This is the WORST POSSIBLE THING!! AHHHHHH
Mal and Topher have a reeeally hard time saying no to their precious little hellspawn, so they agree to get married if it'll stop Axel's tantrum. Just a quick little wedding in the backyard, they can get it over with before lunch, Axel's too young to know it's not real. Topher puts on his best tuxedo t-shirt, Mal wears a lace doily on her head as a wedding veil. Axel helps set up the lawn chairs for their teddy bear guests. Axel also INSISTS they invite all their family, and so Bob, Toffee, Honey, and Grandma Eleanor are all hastily invited over. Honey to be the confused flower girl, Toffee to officiate the ceremony, Bob to snicker at what's happening, and Ellie to BEAM at how red Topher's face is turning at all this.
It's a nice wedding, all in all. Perfect weather. Toffee's opening speech is poetic and beautiful. Mal and Toph's wedding vows are considerably less so, but they're far less practiced at this than Toffee is, and also they only had like 5 minutes to come up with them. They're not gonna pretend to be in love for their kid's sake, but they still can hold hands and hesitantly say "I love you", because it makes Axel happy, and also it's true. They exchange the cheap plastic mood rings Ellie scavenged from her old costume jewelry, and Toffee (who is definitely not crying) says Topher may now kiss the bride. And he does.
As the party winds down, with Axel asleep in Honey's lap and everybody eating the last of the last of the wedding cake and pleasantly buzzed off the wedding liquor, and Eleanor has danced playfully with her awkward and nervous "new daughter-in-law" and Bob and Toffee are sappily swaying to the last of the music, Topher remarks out loud that this is nice. Mal toasts her red solo cup against his and agrees, it's not so bad being "married", if only for pretend. This is when Toffee cheerfully reminds them that he is an ordained minister, and thus their marriage was official and legally binding. And all hell breaks loose.
Jk. Toffee is only joking, but the couple moments Mal and Topher took him seriously DO prompt them to have a serious conversation later. Because the prank didn't incite in them the panic they might’ve normally felt at the idea of marriage. Instead, to both their surprise, they felt...relief. Happy, even! Topher always thought that marriage was a yuppie fantasy for normies, buuuut now he's wondering if there's actually something radical about two queerplatonic friends challenging the powers that be by appropriating the "sacred covenant" of marriage. Mal says ditto, it'd be pretty nifty to paradoxically reinscribe and destabilize hegemonic discourse in such a way, and also, they can fuck real nasty on their "honeymoon". She's musing about the additional tax and insurance benefits when Topher realizes that Mal would be his WIFE now, not just his roommate and baby-mama but his actual this-is-not-a-drill WIFE, and the thought is so metal he almost passes out.
The next day they go to the courthouse and sign their marriage license. And they all lived exactly the same ever after~
Comments
MalloryMarz
I have to wonder, what does Merry think about Ellie's relationship with Neith? I can't imagine that the beloved former First Lady of the church getting with a queer, big cat funk-rockstar wouldn't be a major topic of church gossip that wouldn't reach his ears. Personally, Merry seems like the type who, misogynist that he is, comforted himself with the knowledge that no man would ever want or "have" Ellie like he did (and still does) after she divorced him. A then 40 something, now 60 something divorcee with two older children and an independent spirit? No one would ever look twice at a "used up, unladylike old bat" like her, or so he thought. Or does he dig himself further into denial, that Ellie is just having another kick of rebellion or just having some fun or trying to make him jealous, what with his views on two "women" (however "unfeminine" one is) being together.
arcadia
you’re right, i never realized this until now 😅 and haha good to know skye could’ve made the same mistake 😂
AsTheJayFlies
Id love more character bio pages! I rlly love the ones for dom and liv :)
Lopoddity
That's a good suggestion, however I don't really vibe with toyhouse. Still, I know navigating all these characters and worldbuildy bitcs can be tricky, even with character tags in place. Maybe I'll do some character profile pages to make things a little easier
Yvette Winters
I love all these clips, thanks for sharing them. I'm very happy to see all these clips. And maaaan Merry self reflecting on his actions. Doesn't feel good looking at it from the other side does it?
Strix
AHHB MASSIVE apology if this question is out of pocket or asked too many times but like. Have you ever thought about putting Fuzzbutts onto Toyhouse or some other oc profile making website? I love these extra tidbits btw!
Lopoddity
Yeahhhhh idk why people think he's on death's door (besides wish fulfillment lol). He's in his 60s, he's not a hundred. He has a somewhat sedentary job and doesn't stretch and likes his visits to the old country buffet, so he's not in the BEST health, but it's not much worse than average. Besides arthritis and probably blood pressure issues and also some decreased mobility and chronic pain (bad back, sore knees, aching and stiffness in the hip his father broke when he was a teen), Merry is mostly doing alright. He uses a cane on bad pain days (which are getting more frequent with age). He can be pretty resistant to going to the doctor though, which won't bode well for him in about ten years or so. But even this he survives, a months long battle with supposedly-terminal illness isn't enough to kill him, and he's back preaching soon enough. Merry definitely sticks around for a while! He's wealthy and thus has access to high quality healthcare, and furthermore he's just too damned spiteful to just go out with a whimper. I mean he does eventually go out with a whimper, but not for another decade at least
Lourenzo Dasilva
Does Merry have any bad health-destroying habits? I know he's in his early-to-mid sixties but I've seen people his age who are pretty spry
vulgarcute
man Maple finally leaving the church out of pure SPITE is like my favourite thing to come out of this. she didn't leave because of any enlightened view point of a surge of empathy. she was there for Honey. she did everything for Honey. I'm imagining her venting to Biscuit and Carmen and them being very supportive... uuuuuup until the crazy pops out and she runs off to cyberstalk her daughter before they can stop her.
Mastodon
Oh man I want to see present-day Maple so bad. Anti-vaxx crybully smothermom... what on earth *happened* to her (besides uh, Merry, lol).
Syd D.
Okay we may hate Merry but that's savage lmaooooo "and where are these girls, dear?" I can HEAR the exact tone one would say that in too it's so funny
Haselwoelfchen
Even if it's not canon, the Merry and Don bit was pretty satisfying to read
AsTheJayFlies
ahh…. evil growth then. her becoming worse
Lopoddity
Hmmmmm idk if I'd call it growth. More that she was fine ignoring her own wants and needs and existing in a strained marriage for her daughter's sake, but when Honey leaves Maple thinks "well what tf am i still washing Merry's underpants for then >:/". At that point Merry was only holding her back from achieving the chernobyl-levels of toxic self-victimizing narcissistic smother-mothering that Maple had only been able to dream of before.
AsTheJayFlies
yesssss GROWTH FOR THE SELF DELUDER!!! may it be as painful as it is necessary
Fukōsagi
I 100% agree and wouldn't mind seeing more from you. I enjoy reading your stuff a lot
Lopoddity
Thank you! 🩷 To me, love is found in the little things, all the mundane, boring bits of our lives. Toffee has had partners that did grand gestures, that gave lavish presents, that made all the big, romantic promises under the stars. But somehow, none of that has ever held a candle to Bob quietly placing Toffee's tea back on the warmer pad when he notices Toffee's buried deep in his scripture studies, or picking up a fine art jigsaw puzzle he thought Toffee might like, or that time Toffee's coat button popped off right before a sermon, and Bob sewed it back on with needle and thread scavenged from the church craft closet. It's Toffee noticing Bob swipes a cherry lollipop from his office candy jar every time he stops by, so he makes sure there's always a cherry one out for Bob to find, just to hear him go "hey, it's my lucky day!". It's Toffee knowing the exact spot on Bob's back to press his thumbs into into when he wants said busy beaver to stop and RELAX for once, it's Toffee being bored to tears by hockey, yet knowing enough about Bob's favorite team to argue with him over their draft picks. The little things! And yup, now you get why Toffee and Perry are such good friends. It can be hard for others to understand why anybody would wanna keep a parent like Liv or Merry around, but Toffee and Perry get it. And they get each other too.
Lopoddity
I'm glad. ☺️ Honey distances herself first, she has a big blow-up fight with Merry that ends with her storming out, and Merry threatening to disown her. He calls her a narcissistic spoiled brat, ungrateful for everything her parents have done for her, and Maple of course gets caught up in that, is nearly hysterical. Maple can't stop thinking about how much she sacrificed to give Honey the perfect life, Honey grew up in an idyllic home with everything she ever wanted, with kind, attentive parents, in a perfectly wholesome community. And Honey has the NERVE to be ungrateful? Has the audacity not only to whine about how her parents won't support her um, "lifestyle choice" (Maple isn't homophobic, she "just thinks marriage is a holy union between a man and woman"), but to also call out her parents as cruel, petty people? Disgusting! Maple knows MERRY can make himself a bit unpleasant at times, but SHE'S always been the best mother she possibly could! She loves Honey so much she placed a tracker on her phone, just to keep her safe! Until Honey discovered it and freaked out (for some reason??) She loves Honey so much she got a copy of her apartment key made, so she could surprise-visit! She loves Honey so much she shares important Foxbook posts with her about the dangers of immigrants and vaccines, just so Honey can keep informed! Would a bad mother do any of these things?? Maple is ANGRY at her daughter, and that terrifies her. Maybe it's good for Honey to stay away, some distance oughta let them both cool down. Of course, as time goes by, Maple's self-righteous fury eventually gives way to worry. Honey is still her daughter, after all. She frets, she prays, she leaves Honey blubbery, guilt-trippy voicemails. Maple asks Merry what their game plan should be to get Honey to come home, and Merry says there isn't one. If she wants to go, let her. He's a proud man, he isn't going to go running after Honey to soothe her hurt little feelings. He's never done that for any of his kids, and he's not starting now. Honey needs THEM, she'll come crawling back, he promises. Maple realizes that this is the exact same strategy Merry implemented when Topher and Toffee estranged from him. And they never came crawling back. But surely Merry wouldn't let the same thing happen again, right? Topher and Toffee were troubled, there really wasn't a point in Merry trying to drag THEM back home. But Honey is different! She's their daughter, their little bumblepuppy, right? Surely Merry is willing to reach out for her, right? How hard can it be to set aside his ego and spit out a namby-pamby nothing apology, so Honey will come home? Maple is ready to! She'll invite Honey over and they'll talk! It'll be- Not only does Merry refuse, he FORBIDS her from doing so. They're the parents, he says. Honey is the child. And they will NOT lower themselves down to her level. And that is final. This is when Maple realizes, to her horror, that nothing has ever been as important to Merry as his own stubborn pride. That's why he never even attempted to reconcile with his sons. Toffee and Topher are cheap to Merry, disposable. So was Eleanor. So is Honey. And so is she. All of them are, and always have been, props to make him look good, to stroke his ego, to serve him. And when they tired of this, Merry tired of them. That's why he won't bother to reconcile with Honey. He's no noble worship leader, he's just a bitter old dog. It's all HIS fault their daughter abandoned them. The longer Honey is gone, the more Maple struggles to cope, the more repulsed she is by Merry Meadowsweet. In the end, she decides she doesn't need him anymore. She never did! She'll get their daughter back all by HERSELF!
Scyllarus
Old queers in love yum yum I love that the way you portray...well, love, I guess? Like - I know you feel you didn't get a perfect representation of their interactions in text, but idk, I think it's important to talk about what it means to love someone realistically. Like - media tends to show people getting together or separating either through a breakup or dying, there's not a lot of discussion about stuff like...getting older together, or working through things together, or raising kids together (except tangentially as part of getting together/breaking apart). I love that Bob is still bothered by Honey's remark because she's family and important to Toffee, and that Toffee is so...open? About his own insecurities about aging (that line about becoming his own father? Oof) and idk, it's a comfort to love and be able to love, and to see that represented. ...my brain percolated a thing: Imagine Toffee feeling quiet and down after talking to Merry. Bob's grumbling about how that geriatric dumbass wouldn't know a good marriage if it bit him in the tail...and is surprised when Toffee agrees, and saddened when Toff explains that as he's gotten older and is approaching the age his father was when the affair happened, it's become more and more obvious that Merry doesn't know how to love himself, much less anyone else. And that despite everything, Toffee wants his father to be able to find love. It doesn't really change how Bob feels about Merry, but it does help him...well. Be more supportive and understanding of Toffee's decision to stay in contact (...and I realize this parallels Perry and Tibbs, but perhaps that's a good thing)
AsTheJayFlies
imagining that gravity falls bit like. skye: honeys the worst, and thats not jealousy talking, id say it to her face. *honey knocks, skye opens door* honey: i need your help skye: you’re the worst *SLAMS DOOR*
Lopoddity
Oh no worries. <3 It’s not even about you specifically, it's a trend I see not just in my own work, but media as a whole. I've even been guilty of it myself, I remember when I was younger I thought Katara was annoying and "bitchy", while Zuko was soooo complex and interesting. And I still see that attitude in the fandom, Katara gets reduced to her worst traits and her nuance is ignored, while the male characters are adored even at their worst. So often female characters get flattened to "bitch", "girlboss" "team mom", etc, just this erasing of their actual character traits to shove them into a gendered role and it's SO damned pervasive I even catch myself doing it! Agggh! So yeah, I get it, no need to apologize! I can even see Skye snapping and calling a Honey a bitch, then having a moral crisis when Honey remarks that's actually surprisingly sexist of her. She then apologizes and vows to call Honey only gender-nonspecific insults, and Honey shakes her hand approvingly before belatedly realizing what she just agreed to
WAr
One of my favorite parts about being on your patreon is the extra little bits of lore we get to see in the comments. I always look at the post then return after a couple days to see all the comments haha. .It’s just a pile of fun added bonus content. Also, I’ve got a question! Who wisens up and ditches Merry first, is it Maple or Honey? Or do they both kinda do it at the same time?
arcadia
oh i'm so sorry i didn't mean for it to be sexist!! i'm a girl myself... if honey had been a male character i definitely wouldn't have called him a bitch, i probably would have said "asshole" or something but i don't mean to mark a difference on gender by my different use of insults based on gender i definitely think she's very well-written though because the fact she can piss me off so much just from reading about her proves that your writing's peak!! i love to hate her to be fair haha
Lopoddity
Also, "bitch" is a gendered insult, and I'm gonna ask you to please not use it for Honey. :/ Writing female characters is tricky, because it often feels that the second you make them complex or flawed or stupid or annoying, they get labeled a bitch by the audience, or a cunt, and it's a phenomenon that never seems to happen with male characters. Nobody's calling Don or Merry a bitch (even when they're being bitchy), because it'd be reductive. It makes me feel reluctant to give my ladies the same depth as the men, I find subconsciously myself blunting their flaws and I have to consciously stop myself. You can hate Honey, sure, she's meant to be an obnoxious lil dumbass. But if you please, don't reduce her to "bitch", it just feels sexist and I'm kinda sensitive about it, sorry.
Lopoddity
He says "was" because they're talking about the past. Toffee is still Merry's son. Merry is specifically referring to the young, vulnerable version of his son, it is extremely upsetting for him to imagine this version being taken advantage of by Don. He'd still be upset if it had happened to current age Toffee, but current age Toffee is a full-blown self-reliant middle-aged man. The Toffee of the past was barely an adult, and still very reliant on Merry to protect and guide him. Merry is realizing the true depth of his failure to keep his son safe.
Lopoddity
Yep! Script format is not ideal, but it works. That Bob/Toffee one was supposed to be a full blown fic where they discuss bodily insecurity and aging and what it means to love a person in their entirety, buuuuut then y'know, the work day chewed me up and spit me out and I got home too wrung out to write much. Script format worked for me, let me get the idea across without having to spend 4k words on Bob's inner conflict over having an indulgent pancake breakfast. I think sometimes it's better to have some version of your art/story exist, even if not as detailed as you would've liked, rather than have it not exist at all.
arcadia
hallelujah!! more stories from lop, my prayers have been heard!! in all seriousness i absolutely love that bit with bob and toffee, they're so perfect for each other. however FUCK honey i absolutely despise this b****. i think she's got it super easy for someone so openly mean and nasty. i'm surprised no one's giving her the cold shoulder. at least she's not succeeding in the dating field and that makes me happy lol just one question; i read merry saying "he WAS my son" talking about toffee. why not "is"? just curious if he shunned him out or something
Lopoddity
Oh there are many interactions we haven't seen happen yet, or ones we've only gotten shallow glimpses into. Never seen Maple and Merry interacting, never seen Eleanor interacting with either of her kids, pretty sure Merry has only interacted with Topher and Honey exactly 1 time each. It can be tricky to capture a complex character dynamic in just 1 drawing or 2, so I prefer to do sketch dumps, which take forever to conceive, draw, and write. I'm slow, I know. :/ there's SO much we've yet to see
phobos
Ooh, I thought I was thorough, but I’ve missed a few of these! Thanks for compiling them so I don’t miss any Fuzzbutts lore!
Millions of Bees
I always love seeing your stories, lore bits, and whatnot in the comments. You’re great at worldbuilding and character writing, the comments you leave with stuff like this are always like an extra treat.
Marta Tarasiuk
Story 2: literally dated a guy like that. I would be carrying my own backpack and all three of his bags and he would rant about how men are way stronger then women. One of his friends was embarrassed he took two of the bags from me.
Mlledetoccupe
Those were great, thank you for sharing! I have a question though: Just wondering, is it just me or you've never drawn or written Merry and Maple actually interacting together 🤔?
Fukōsagi
I absolutely love your dialogs! Have you considered doing more stuff in a more script format? I started doing more screenplay writing since I personally find it faster than full on story format writing while still conveying my vision (also because I need to do it for my project, though I do one offs for fun)
Cam
This is funny because I just realized two days ago there was lore in the comments are started reading all of them lol
MiyaTheGoldenFlower
All these little stories are awesome! The wedding, Biscuit being passive aggressive with good intentions. Uff but the one about Don and Merry make me sick of my stomach for so many reasons. I do believe that people can have loving relationship with age difference, but the BIG BUT is the power dynamics, if one of them are grooming the other, and taking advantage of close bonds. It can be love between people of different anything, but it must be talk about to avoid problems and abuse. Even if Merry have just a couple of years of difference with Maple or even her age, he was still very much the pastor, some one in power, she respect and believe in him, plus she was vulnerable because the whole thing with Toffee, which also bring other gross point, she was his son ex girlfriend, I don't believe in "I own this person" but WTF?! YOU DON'T SLEEP WITH YOUR RELATIVE'S EX LOVER YUCK! And worse because it was with all the intention of causing harm to his son/wife augh. I don't think people talk about old adult being predator to recently young adults enough. This wasn't a romance between people of different status that fellings just bloosom, isn't that a some older knew sporadically this young one, (and in some cases always saying no to any advance of the young one for obvious reasons) and years passed and now much older the younger one woo the older one. I could go on and on, but this, what Don and Merry did was disgusting and inmoral, they knew Toffee and Maple since little kids, these two trusted the nice/wise adults in their lives, heck even in both of Toffee and Maple were different circumstances, even if, ahhh it hurts much because they did get mess up, hurt and ruined their lives. What hurts more about betray is that it never comes for strangers. And maybe that unlike Toffee who did go in a healing process after all that, is spreading love in his congregation and is happily married with someone wonderful, living his best live... Maple is just trapped in a golden cage, in denial, miserable, alone, always anxious and I dare to say rotting with such awful believes, a victim as much as a bully now, and the only good thing is his life hee daughter doesn't even respect her or wants her around that much anymore. Yet the worst of all is that for all Don hypocrisy (sure he just sleep and entertain Toffee but still, and even without the big age difference, he was someone that watch this boy grow up and take advantage of someone vulnerable and naive which is disgusting no matter the context) Jesus Don is right, Merry mess up so bad with his family because his ego and bruise pride that hurt them in such ways they still have scars today, he wasn't a good father or husband to any of his families, he broke his marriage of years and loose Ellie the love of his life, he rob of Maple a future and take advantage of her a girl he literally watch her grow up and she's property addicted to pills, he hurts his kids with expectations and cruel words and they did so many dangerous things to cope, he teach his poison Honey who is even more isolated and miserable because even if she his favorite what he thinks is right is more important, and yet still can't admit that all that is his OWN doing, such a sad sad pathetic little dog. And in that story now knowing the consequences of her negligence and stubborness, his boy was alone in a critical point and was prey of someone he considered his friend, oh wait but maybe that's what the parents of Maple feel too, wow how unfunny things are when it happens to you eh?
Lammergayier
Oh oof I didn't fully process the line about Don being Honey's godfather on my first readthrough of that snippet. I assume Honey ends up drifting away from him as well? Ik you said that the snippet probably wasn't Fully canon but either way I can't see her relationship with Don fairing well if Merry ends up disowning her in the future (which is prooooooobably a good thing for her in the longrun)
Lopoddity
Oops. Great catch, thanks!
Tibbles Yorkie789
I love seeing Maple get a win 😭 I know she’s meant to be a a very flawed character but I just love her to bits. She reminds me of Liv’s story, where her life was doomed early on with a man that didn’t really like her, and was stuck with a child in the mix. now kinda just has to have this life, but with Maple we don’t know if it’s going to be the same outcome or not. I’m cheering for her to have enough good to become better than Liv. And also wanted to let ya know the Bob tag isn’t the same one used with the rest of his stuff
CJ Strahd
AHHH I love this so much!! 1: is this actually when he dies because it'd be amazing if it was. Like I don't love Don but him giving Merry a heart attack by pulling a "I fucked your dad" but in reverse and it's his KID?? This shouldn't be a funny scene and I thoroughly enjoy it as a serious thing but it is amusing to think ab it like that. 2: I love Biscuit so much and would love to know what people outside of the family (and Don) think about the whole situation, based on what they know. 4: UGH I wish I was as good as Toffee is at making my partners feel better about themselves. I'm lowley attracted to like middle-weight guys. A lil dad bod but not super big. Just like. Chubby. Or fat muscle. Muscle fat. Idk. Bobby sounds like perfection so I gotta agree with Toffee 😭❤️
Kate
I really thought I was so good at finding all the comments… a real sleuth… but I’ve def missed more than one of these! As fun as it is going through the comments, thanks for compiling them here!
three thousand spiders wearing a trenchcoat
This is wonderful! I hadn't seen the biscuit/maple drabble or the one about topher and mal getting married, and I love both. Especially the marriage one, everything feels so perfect for their characters, like "yes this marriage is a beautiful bond to mark our relationship and also it's punk as hell and also think about the tax benefits!!!!"
Morghann Patterson
“Oh hm? Where are these women at?” Honey, thinking frantically “Um- Skye! From work!” She then goes to try and sell it and goes to her to see if she’ll fake date and Skye shuts the door directly on her foot
Amanda Stidham
Except for the first one, I remember combing through the comments to find the rest
